Guest Writer: Davis Donatus
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| (Image Credit: cutecaster) |
Bowing of the knee in religious circles is a display of piety, submission to God and the god-figure; it is also categorized as a human show of humble descent to aid the divine ascent of prayer for the expected answers that may follow. But, this act is also generally used in certain African societies as punishment for wrongdoing. Men who proved themselves worthy in the English societies knelt to be knighted, whilst others did kneel in the paying of homage and in displaying allegiance to lords, nobles and kings. In essence, kneeling is plainly a human thing.
The physical bowing of the knees has a of psychological effect on the mental positioning of the individual kneeling and the figure to whom his knees are bowed. But, there is nothing spiritual about kneeling. Nothing at all. If one kneels to pray, that prayer would be a short one. How long can the bones that make up the joints in your knee bear the entire weight of your body -from head to thighs- before it begins to ache and is blistered? The timing sure varies per individual, but one would definitely tarry longer in prayer on his feet or some other position desired. Not the knees. To me, kneeling not only ruins prayer, it'd have you feasting on the proverbial half-baked cake; being weary amid your act of piety will be a great instigation to discontinuance.
Kneeling is a sign of defeat and surrender. Some may find this appealing but it really isn't, not with the consciousness of truth. The reason I use prayer here in attempts at expression is simple: what prayer -true prayer- represents. Not the religious applications.
Man is first a living soul before a physical being. He needs to, every once in a while, stir himself inside (stir his soul). And prayer does exactly this -at least, it is one way you can achieve this stirring. Prayer isn't offered to an eternal being for the answers that may come from him, it is first and foremost for the man who prays, to renew his connection with his core, and get in touch with his soul in a rub-off that improves the inner man. Although prayer could also effect external changes in the lives of others and the society at large -due to the vibration of energy for a particular purpose; that isn't the purpose of it -it is but a secondary function of the act.
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| (Image Credit: lonelyplanet) |
Now, back to positions. The soul of man despises being subjected to an unevolving/unchanging scheme. He thrives on versatility and diversity. Stagnant waters eventually reek. This is the same with the soul. It knows decadence when subjugated in immobility. Many have patronized the lotus position as best for meditation (soulsearching), I have found that pacing does an even better job -at least, for me. The physical movement of the body, not trying at any other activity but the mental, will see a wide opening of soulish doors for a flooding of light, abundance of insight, and a continuance in the flow of ideas.
The mind works better when the body is in paced movement. With only a few exceptions, my greatest epiphanies and Eureka moments have come while I was in motion. I easily feel over-burdened when I choose to carry out a series of mental activities immobile. It is that time for the individual whole development. We can no longer afford to take care of our 'outsides' while we allow our 'insides' rot. We must pay attention, keen attention, to the promptings of the soul. We must save our own lives. We must stir our souls.
There are no specifics; whatever works for you, do. But, pay less attention to the outward man. Your soul is calling, give heed that you may know the next phase to your existence and what's required of you for the attainment of it. You'd realise that what is done to the inner man reflects outwardly. It always does.
The reason many feel frustrations at jobs or relationships is probably due to ignoring the soul's call to progressive movement. When it is time to move on, and you do not, your soul turns on you; you become enemy to the greater schemes of things, so your soul (being a member of the Universal Soul, to which all of existence owes allegiance) fights you. Perhaps, when things go wrong, the inner man thinks, people will turn inward, to him, for direction. But, most never do. They fight shadows and end up shadows of who they really should be.
Look inward. Now. Stir your soul for direction. By prayer, meditation, lucid dreaming, deep-thought pacing, writing in the zone....whatever works for you. But, think before you act; trust your intuition and instincts. The soul speaks, voiceless, but you'll hear him so. Mistakes may be made; you will get better at it all (living from within) with repeated practice.
ABOUT OUR GUEST WRITER
Davis Donatus is a young man with an old soul who left religion, and the 'generally accepted truth' and is now in the process of forging his own path; charting a course that millions of young people, in this generation and the age to come, will follow. Connect with him here.
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