I want to discuss what some people refer to ‘spiritual bypassing’, or its cousin concept, “spiritual platitudes”, in spiritual dialog For those of you who aren’t familiar, it is (often unintended) shutting off further engagement in dialog by jumping to a higher-level perspective to resolve a dilemma or conflict in dialog.
These are verbal representations of Absolute Truth. Examples of spiritual bypassing include statements like “God intends everything”, “all is illusion”, “everything is love”, “everything is as it should be”, “everything happens for a reason”, and so forth. There is truth to these statements…all of them. And, as Einstein says, a problem cannot be solved from the level it was created. Problems requires a higher vantage point to recognize an overarching pattern. These higher order perspectives are important facets to our awareness.
These higher-level perspectives are essential, and part and parcel, of spiritual understanding. What’s missing however is that these levels of awareness are not often sufficient to connect with others and the energy they are sharing. There is something intuitively unpalatable when these are provided as answers to the real-world emotional, visceral experiences we might be dealing with…as they simply don’t offer empathy.
The issue comes when we respond to a lower-altitude perspective simply with a higher-altitude perspective. Ultimately, what we find is that a problem (i.e. a source of suffering) remains unresolved, unfulfilled. An issue, an unresolved issue, lurks in the shadow even in the face of a seemingly Perfect Truth. We might realize, through our own trial-and-error, and our own experiences, that can’t often can’t bridge humanity with expressions of these high truths alone.
What then, is a mature response to a lower-altitude perspective? How to take the wisdom in our higher-level understandings towards enhancing and encouraging enriching dialog?
Simply this: Have one foot in both altitudes. To discover a solution to a problem requires being in touch with a higher level, but to resolve and transform..and truly empathize and engage and shred into a problem..requires engagement or simply listening, with empathy, on the same level.
At some point, great Truths, in and of themselves, fail to bring lasting satisfaction without a corresponding empathetic lower-altitude expression. An expression of Truth, in and of itself, can serve only to alienate the real-felt experience of those around them, unless we make efforts to connect empathetically with what was shared.
This is not easy or immediate. It requires a willingness to move into uncomfortable territories within ourself. It requires descending the peak of spiritual attainment, into the marketplace of humanity. It doesn’t have to be immediate, full-steam, or unabashed…it doesn’t require altering our natural voice or vibration. However, it does require allowing ourselves to listen and be open to the energy of another’s humanity, another’s soul.
Ranjeeth Thunga
rkt@perspectivemapper.com
@pov_mapper