Section Zeta  Lesson One: Implications For Religion  Religious Purpose: Divine Connection  The implications of spiritual reconnection offer tremendous insights for human religious institutions. Religion has remained the one bastion of spirituality that has been kept alive in the face of humanity's tremendous disconnection from spirit. Religion has sought to foster Divine Connection.  This applies to the principle of intention like a string attached to the deepest part of our being. We can take that string and follow it to its origin and, in doing so, recover our spiritual essence.  The benefit of religion has been to provide meaning, and a direct connection with the higher powers and forces at work in the universe. Religions seek to define All That Is, and explain life events so that humans can find guidance in daily living, and peace in times of suffering. They seek to decipher and share God's Word, to ensure that it is carried out to the best of human ability. Many entities rely quite heavily upon religion and can now find a far richer spiritual liberation and Divine Connection through the natural inner pathways.  We would be in error to condemn religion just because it has been distorted by the institutions which have surrounded and subverted it. Religion is an outer garment we wear while attempting to rediscover our inner source of warmth.  Thus, religion is not a requirement of enlightened living, but it can be an empowering supplement when aligned with the purposes of spirit. Religion can take a central role in the spiritual education and in promoting lifestyles and community actions that can allow the natural morality to unfold. They can accomplish preventative spiritual attunement so less governmental "curative" measures are necessary. (An ounce of spiritual prevention is worth a pound of governmental cure).  The providing of moral guidelines is made easier when there is a community institution in place to reinforce lessons taught by example. However, without an example of spiritual conduct, the subject of learning can become confused by a hypocritical environment.  The best contribution of religion can then be to focus upon Divine Connection within and between spirits, and to mine the meaning of life experiences to align with the trinity of purpose in individuals and en masse. As entities regain inner harmony, the self concept naturally expands to enfold all other spiritual embodiments, leaving no room between religions for tensions, competition, or even the oxymoronic concept of a "Holy War". Divine connection is The Way, no matter the race, the creed, the religion, the sex, the age, the language, the culture---Divine Connection means just that.  The truly spiritually oriented religion makes it clear to its followers that all human beings share the same spiritual core and while culture, background, ritual and practice may vary, each individual has a spiritual connection with every other individual and that differences are less important than commonality.  But like all human thought systems, each religion has arisen without the full understandings of the nature of spirit. Religions have evolved, utilizing the symbols and major assumptions within mass consciousness. Instead of awakening the connection within, they have served as a go-between, and inadvertently, often a barrier. They have been heavily influenced by the restrictions and power struggles of the historic conditions, so each will address the universal human needs and purposes through its own unique collection of gems and slivers. Many will have strayed into the realm of power and freedom due to wrongful cultural judgments about human nature with tenets that actually weaken the Divine Connection and create additional spiritual pain.  Most western religions have emphasized the practice of prayer over meditation and, in doing so, have encouraged its members to talk to God, but to listen to its leaders for spiritual guidance, instead of encouraging its members to find true guidance from the Divine within. The enlightened attunement divulges the misconceptions within any religion while validating spiritual principles. Any slivers will be readily identifiable through the negatively toned feelings of fear, guilt, or anger, and each religion must be cleansed of each painful tenet. Fortunately, there is sufficient spiritual validity within each of the major religions for individuals to build upon the foundational truths, to ensure that uplifting religious structures need not be abandoned. Nonetheless, there are some essential understandings which must be part and parcel of any religion if it is to do more good than harm.  Those who truly wish to evolve spiritually can find success in that intent whether they are members of a religious body or elect to find their enlightenment by marching to the beat of their own drum. For some, the former is the better path to take. For others, the latter should be accepted and respected as a viable alternative.  Divine Freedom  The first is the ground level understanding that free will is a gift which indicates the Creator's desire for every mind to create its own experience. Therefore no religion can insist that followers blindly believe what they are told, for valid faith embraces the evolving and open nature of the mindscape. Human minds are designed to interpret and utilize religious teachings in highly individualized ways, and there need be no valid concern about blasphemy by allowing the feeling signals to pick and choose the tenets themselves. The result of such flexibility will be the creation of as many unique approaches as there are unique minds---each infused with evermore creative inspirations and insights that unfold. There can be no declarations of singular truths (like those so readily made), for such is not aligned with the willful creative nature of reality.  What would be the point of "free will" if not to be put to use in the very act of creating one's own reality. Having faith in one's own divine nature would lead a person to explore that very nature with the full confidence that whatever the experiences, it is intended to be a part of our spiritual evolvement and, ultimately, our personal gift toward the expansion of All That Is.  Entities are far more validly serving All That Is, when they utilize the gift of free will, than when they mindlessly follow anything passed off as the "Word Of God". The Word of God exists in its purest form within the natural creation itself. It is spoken directly to each individual mind through feeling signals unique to the personal destiny path. It is far too rich and complex to be held in a single book or thought form. Thus, every entity should creatively design within themselves, by passing each belief before the spiritual adjudicator, the most meaningful, spiritually pleasing form of communion, and participation within All That Is.  Just as the Music of the Spheres is played out through the creative mind of each composer, as well as the interpretation of those who conduct and master the instruments to give such its full and unique expression; so each work of art begins with a free thought and expands into physical expression, paying ultimate tribute to the gift of free will.  Divine Freedom is based upon Divine Connection. This kind of mindscape includes the divine tolerance and compassion for the rightful freedoms and choices of others and the peaceful coexistence of an endless variety of religious interpretations and persuasions. Ultimately, as light responses are made within such a freely evolving system, the commonalities between each thought system will become part and parcel of all other social structures. They will be those universal ideas and beliefs which consistently promise spiritual pleasure within every human being and foster natural morality. The extras, the rewarding colors and flavors of any particular world view, and the individual touches unique to each developmental level and destiny path, can be added by choice. If certain rituals, traditions, and concepts bring long-term pleasure, they can be retained; it matters not whether they are included in anyone else's structure.  The truth is an expanding concept, a process of discovery and expression. Were it to be the prerogative of the limited few, it would end up being a static product in a dynamic universe. But it is a self-correcting process driven by the pure nature of the All That Is, just as the difference in its expression is a cause for celebration. Ritual is simply the dance of that expression.  What should always be discarded is any idea of ritual that brings spiritual pain, for each limiting tenet, rule, or code will signal the objections of Divine Spirit. And there are many, for the churches have added unnecessary limitations by straying from their purpose of connection and meaning, and involving themselves in the business of power and control.  Rituals of grandeur tend to emphasize a separation, whether it be between church members and the leadership, or between humans and their own divine nature. Either of these have little to do with the true purpose of ritual, which should be to give physical expression to Divine Truth.  Divine Empowerment  Divine Empowerment is the spiritual intention that every individual shall personally control his or her own destiny. Such empowerment is inherent in free will, and humans are designed to be biologically "controlled" only by their internal natural morality. The highest power comes with unifying the self and expanding the self concept to include All That Is. It is in the recognizing and being accountable to the immense power that lies at the fingertips.  The greatest challenge of such an accomplishment is that of taking on the responsibility of one's own destiny and the ties to those outside of ourselves. It begins with expanding beyond parental/adult control and growing from there.  There is no valid place in an enlightened religion, for placing power outside of the trinity of self. Yet, a major defining characteristic of religions has been the reverence of a superman or higher power that is unreachable and separate from the lower human self. This happens during times of injustice, and competition for survival, when anger and fear mark the day, leaving chaos in lieu of any understanding. Since the corrective messages remain unanswered, the hardwired fight and flight responses to fear and anger perpetuate further chaos and confusion, and forms of external control will predictably arise. Emotions are often used as tools of manipulation and their messages remain undiscovered. This is how religions began to remove individual power, placing it instead in the hands of a vengeful God, in an attempt to legislate external, unnatural morality.  In this way, political and economic chaos, and the hardships that follow, serve to reinforce the dependency upon institutional religion and government. Religion fills the gap between confusion and sanity, with government coming to the rescue with the promise of economic security. Is is any wonder that the major religions of nations seldom make a collective effort to oppose the making of war upon other nations. There would appear to be more to the explanation than simply a professed state of neutrality.  Divine Goodness  An enlightened religion, instead, understands internal control and promotes the unfolding of the natural morality that is Divine Goodness. This includes embracing power, freedom, connection, and meaning through internal controls, and the selection of self-understandings and belief structures validated by the spiritual adjudicator. Although this is an individual process, there are some common, deeply rooted assumptions within mass consciousness which are clearly slivers.  Religions that place a strong emphasis on regular church attendance, are those which also place great importance upon the exercise of power and control over its members. As long as these religions support the governmental environment under which they operate, they enjoy the security and support that such governments can provide. Should these religious institutions begin to encourage greater freedom of conscience and inner guidance, they would see the power base begin to shift away from a form of central control and back where it was intended to be.  The first is the concept of evil. Such an idea was prompted partly by ignorance, but also partly by the leaders in order to keep individuals locked into a rigid pattern of fearful ignorance and blame, which keeps them from discovering their inner power. (Religions are every bit as self-protecting as governments or gangs, and control over one's members ensures job security). The early forms of such manipulation offered such mythic characters as Satan, and demons who would do his bidding. Such a scapegoat would prevent the anger of disempowered spirits from being directed at those leaders and social structures that were actually responsible for the lack of the necessary power and freedom.  Could this be suggesting a clever plot to make sure that those of us still in the physical (and a state of controlled ignorance) might be prevented from being influenced by those who have gone beyond this physical state and into a state of greater awareness, there to discover the limitations that were placed upon them earlier and angry about the control and abuse, they had been subjected to? To thwart that "anger", might religions simply label these discontented souls as ultra-human influences from the world of evil? This might explain the opposition to channeling as a source of spiritual enlightenment. Of course, not all channeling is spiritually enlightening.  As humans became more complex and less easily distracted, the focus went from external evil to internal evil in the concept of "original sin". This was partially due to deliberate manipulation, and partly influenced by the need to provide meaningful explanations for self-preservationary actions that were disruptive to the whole. Any amoral act is simply one not aligned within each of the three purposes, yet religions blame both the mind and the body in various ways, and claim that the human design is sinfully flawed. (Such a declaration hardly suggests faith in the Creator.)  This is the irony of the biblical story. A God considered to be all perfect, creates a race of humans who are imperfect. Then, to correct the mistake, He/She sends a family member to organize a religion to take control of the situation and bureaucratize man's spiritual nature. Western religion has gotten help along the way from the Freudian school of psychiatry which holds the subconscious as the source of mysterious, disruptive evil in human nature.   Instead of recognizing this divine system which unites body, mind, and spirit, religions offer ways to appease the evil and flawed nature, either by having a divine one martyr himself for human sins, or through strict controlling codes of action that prevent sin from rearing its ugly head. Religions assume that purpose and goodness must be forced upon the followers from the outside, since it was assumed that evil will surely come from within.  All this gives religion a purpose for controlling its members, while maintaining a subtle level of control upon that aspect of society which has drifted outside of its orbit, through the satellite support of political and economic institutions which have their own instruments of control.  The idea of sin has only endured because there has not yet been a suitable replacement which can shift the idea away from a world of external controlling forces and chaotic and meaningless actions, to one where each action has purpose and is driven by divine, internal control. When the trinity of purposes and their potential conflicting nature is understood, there is no need for such a concept as evil or sin.  In that age of enlightenment, we will come to understand that there is no "evil", just as we will come to recognize that there is truly no "death", but only a moment of transition from one state of existence to another. This will be the next paradigm shift.  Divine Desire  Instead, the concept of Divine Purpose, shall be that which shifts the focus of religious followers from one of flawed disconnection, in need of supernatural, external guidance and rigid control, to one of Divine Connection through which one can attune to inner guidance and control, through natural explanations and understanding the force of Divine Desire. Divine Desire is that force of spirit which is omniscient. It all-knowingly communicates divine intention through the experience of pleasure and pain. It carries wisdom from all aspects of existence and offers its constant energy to evaluate each experience against spiritual purposes. It is the only valid judgmental process, for it feels and shares the divine intentions. Divine Desire is inseparable from individual desire. Having misunderstood it, religions have judged it, defiled it, and have made it their enemy. They try to control the evil hedonistic tendencies in their followers, and instill guilt by telling them that they are separated from their Creator, hopelessly dependent upon religious leaders to interpret "his word". This, of course, is the exact opposite of divine intention, as evidenced by the guilt and fear that such ideas produce. In the final analysis, the most reliable measure of what one is told is the feeling it conjures up deep within. If the feelings it produces are negative and uncomfortable, beware. They are not in line with Divine intention and should be rejected.  Divine Desire is that which will naturally unfold into human experience when the natural emotional developmental process is no longer obstructed, driving humanity toward its intended Destiny Path. Acknowledging the wisdom of the spiritual adjudicator is to embrace Divine Desire and to rise above the mindless cycle of simple bodily safeguard responses to spiritual signals.  Take a simple prayer like the Our Father and listen to the words. Take the concept of the Father from outside oneself and bring it's Divine Nature within, making it one's own. Feel the concept of Free Will come alive and know that any outside guidance will never again match the Inner Spirituality that lives in each of us.  Any religious structure should replace each and every cultural judgment with the concept of Divine Desire and build its tenets accordingly. But whether or not the religion itself accomplishes the necessary changes, the individuals can proceed to do so themselves. For it is pleasure which judges a belief as spiritually valid, and pain which begs for spiritual correction. The mind cannot judge its own contents, but unexamined experiences can be filed away in the mind with the corrective signals still attached. Although some experiences bring empowering beliefs and good feelings, far many more bring painful slivers.  Not every experience we have is meant to be acted upon immediately. Some can be filed away for future reflection. However, the feelings attached to those experiences should and will be a part of what is put aside. With reflection, a pattern becomes apparent and will serve as a guide to future action, separating that which caused pain from that which brought pleasure.  Many existing teachings intentionally instill cultural judgments, painful beliefs, such as sin, and of hierarchical levels of accessibility to the Divine. They then manipulate their followers by using these painful feelings of guilt and fear with images of fire and brimstone, of hell and damnation, in order to gain further control and power. But as should now be apparent, each and every belief with an attached negative feeling, has not been consciously processed through the spiritual adjudicator and the mental judgment remains, the body will defend itself, creating the illusion of amorality. The power of spirit can truly liberate followers from this cycle by identifying each idea that is anti-spiritual, and can allow them to more fully embrace those that will set the spirit free.  This can be the enlightened role of religion, to aid and assist society in identifying those qualities that represent the Divine. It need not be its final role, but a good place to start.  The Power Of Prayer  One very rewarding and powerful ritual common among religions, is some form of prayer. Prayer is the accepted pathway of communication with All That Is, and can be a very effective facilitator of spiritual insight and focus of creative will. Verbal affirmations are useful and the Meditation of the Clock has been offered as a form of secular prayer, and such a structure can help focus the will energy of individual desire. Either can be used in any degree of regularity, with each session adding emotional energy to the image vividly desired.  Emotional energy is the engine which drives the intent of prayer. Without emotion, prayer is little more than small talk, superficial and of little meaning. It is the difference between the lover who reads another's poetry repeatedly, rather than compose his own.  But the crucial understanding is that the prayers are actually answered by the creative capacities of mind. The Creator has honored humans with the blanket power of creative will, to be actualized through chosen belief structures of mind. If entities are to verbally affirm, or supplicate to "The Lord" for that which they truly fear they can not have, no such prayer will be answered. In fact, quite the opposite will likely occur. For the emotional energy and the thought to which it is attached is the mechanism of creation in the physical realm. Intensity, rather than positive or negative poles, will energize the mind's choices.  When we pray we are, in effect, speaking to the higher aspects of our creative selves. The language we use is pretty much based on our respective culture and belief systems. The success of our prayer is based upon our faith/belief that it will be answered. Thus, praying for the sake of praying, achieves little in the way of results. In fact, the greater the belief of an opposite effect , the greater chance of opposite consequences.  Prayer occurs with each thought that is laden with pleasure or pain---whether intentional or not. Fear can answer a prayer as surely as can joyous desire, but the fears are often attached to unexamined thoughts which will deliver realities far less desirable than conscious, joyous choices. Creative prayer will be most effective if energized with the most joyous and faithful feelings riding upon meaningful beliefs in one's individual power and accountable role within the creative process. This can gather additional spiritual energy to infuse into such visions and verbal renderings. The more energy, the sooner the critical mass, and the more likely the event can occur in the physical realm. Urgent and highly desired events can be facilitated by a thrice-a-day prayer session or meditation.  In a larger sense, we pray without ceasing, for each thought is a form of prayer. We can, in fact, attract what we fear or worry about. For prayer is as effective as a magnet. Hence, there are rules of creativity just as there are rules of physics.  It must be recognized that prayer works in both directions, for it is that same thought/feeling combination that rides the stream of energy flow and is constantly available. It is the Divine Desire of self from beyond space-time that brings purposeful information regarding the status of purposeful living. Likewise, judgment day lies in each moment, for fear-driven experiences are received as underenergized in the spiritual realm, and joyous, purposeful experiences are received through the fullness of Divine Desire. Entities are challenged to remove each belief structure that stands between aspects of self and the totality of All That Is.  Asking for an answer to a troubling situation, accompanied by a thrice said prayer before retiring for the night, along with a belief that an answer will come in one's dreams, will result in that which is desired. Worry, by itself, tends to detach oneself from the Divine energy. Once we master the true workings of the belief system, we will open the door to a better life. Thus, prayer sessions should accommodate both incoming and outgoing desires. In addition to moment-to-moment attunement to spiritual feeling signals, a quiet reflective time period scheduled daily apart from the creative meditations or prayers, is also beneficial in helping entities attune to the intuitive voice of spirit. For just as the creative words and visions send forth messages from the physical realm, the reflective meditation period opens the door to incoming visions, intuitions, and insights. Most entities are naturally open to such pathways immediately upon waking, and can bring revelations fresh from the dream realm, but a concerted effort to attune can also assist the unfolding pathways. Spiritual insights are always accompanied with joyous tinges of feeling. The louder they are heard, the more the resonant joy.  "We sleep, per chance to dream". But it is in our awakening moments that we come close to that spirit state and can experience not only our insights but experience the joy which accompanies them.  As feeling signals are followed to their source and good beliefs are developed and limiting beliefs are discarded, entities will naturally begin to notice more and more receptivity to the stream of universal consciousness that courses through the mind. They will know that impulses spring from spirit rather than from the frustrated needs of body, for the mind has accomplished full energy passage in both directions. Entities need no church, nor congregation, to attune to Divine Guidance, but such creative and receptive reflective periods, when organized toward group goals, can be quite powerful indeed. Such synergy can be a powerful offering of an enlightened religious structure.  We, as the human race, will experience a greater state of attunement which we will eventually recognize as a state of enlightenment. At that point, we will be aware that in our collective state and right intent, we will truly be able to move mountains – or, at least, prevent the mountain from moving us.  The Temple of Light  Spiritual principles are one and the same for each physical embodiment. The bodily desire for, and the deep intuitive understanding of, the connection between all humans brings unifying urgings to each mind. The frustrations of Earthly struggles are felt by all. These feelings encourage entities to set aside surface differences and unite in spirit to make corrections. No matter which faith, what creed, what worldview, all entities can participate as one in group efforts to creatively alter the probable path of humanity. Religious institutions and economic systems each contribute to the concept of separation between "physical embodiments", in the first case by failing to encourage the importance of the love that should be maintained between "neighbors"; and the second case by encouraging competition over cooperation in social/economic exchanges. By encouraging a state of separation from one another, the capacity to unite creatively in rising to the challenges of physical existence, is seriously compromised.  The Temple Of Light has been established as a conceptual meeting place for entities to gather and participate in enlightened pursuits--- regardless of where they might also go for Sunday service or daily worship. Despite any surface appearance of isolation and differences, entities can come to the Temple and enjoy the resonance and participation within focused efforts to alter mass consciousness. Individuals visiting the Temple can both leave offerings as well as obtain benefits. They can participate as individuals or en masse.  Is it not appropriate that the focal point of a gathering for spiritual purposes should, likewise, be of a non-physical nature? True spirituality is considered to exist beyond the limits of time and space. If such is also our true nature, and it is presumed that it is, then practicing spiritual communication beyond the confines of the physical would appear to be quite appropriate training for our next state of existence.  The Temple is "located" between space-time and can be accessed through imaginative pathways, with specific images open to the design and choosing of the individual. But a simple meditative exercise such as the following can suffice:  Meditation For The Temple Of Light  While seated in a comfortable upright position, in a quiet place of little distraction, close the eyes and relax within. Focus the consciousness inward, and further the depth of this relaxation within a series of (minimum of ten) deep cleansing breaths, allowing each exhalation to wash the relaxation throughout the body.  Create the image of a golden path with a winding staircase of ten stairs (leading either up into a cloud-like world, or down into a glowing subconscious realm whichever is most pleasing). Slowly imagine yourself progressing upon the staircase. Take another ten deep breaths, one for each step toward this realm, slowly and deeply relaxing the consciousness into this image. At the final stair awaits a golden door behind which lies the Temple Of Light. (Create ornate markings, and other sensory accouterments to further involve the feelings and imagination.) Gather the feeling of love to gain entry. (Recall, or recreate a moment when love swept over the mind/body and recreate this vibratory feeling). All who enter the Temple acknowledge the loving connection between spirits and carry it with them within. With the power of love, the door can then be opened, revealing a world of brilliant sunlight and natural beauty, in the midst of which sits the Temple Of Light.  It can take the form of something akin to the Taj Mahal, a Greek temple, a palace, a futuristic edifice, an alien outpost, or any other image pleasing to the spirit. But there is a noticeable radiant energy funneling between the highest peak of the Temple and on upward toward the Universal Source, a vortex wherein energy is constantly cycling upward and downward. There are healing pools, waterfalls and fountains to be seen, you might encounter other visitors and enjoy a peaceful telepathic resonance with them. Take flight upon the wings of desire and be transported to the Temple itself, and again the feeling of love will part the golden entry gates. Beyond the gates, spiritual resonance overpowers any tinge of fear or negative emotion.  The vast entryway is bathed in golden light and can be constructed with brilliantly crafted stonework, carved woodwork, golden metal works or in any pleasing way. There will be flora and fountains, and endless hallways to rooms which beckon, where virtually any energy exchange can take place. There are rooms with libraries of books with all the answers necessary to daily problems. Healing rooms with libraries of books with all the answers necessary to daily problems. Healing rooms with magical amulets and wands and lasers that can be both energized and utilized by all who enter. Rooms with healing pools which immerse the body/mind within the life force itself; youth fountains wherein one can bathe; rooms limited only by the desires and imaginations of all who enter.  There is a central theater, wherein groups of entities, or individuals can creatively participate in international and local physical dramas conducted upon the screen. Entities can create images of existing problems and choose enlightened outcomes, and create alternate probable historical courses. The feelings of love, connection, and intuitive understanding permeate this theater. Even the most fearsome events are viewed with the detached, compassionate understanding of the evolving nature of mass consciousness and within the firm belief in the ability of Divine Desire to bring purposeful outcomes and infuse the images with empowered love energy. (Those yet outside the Temple will see an outflux of light rising upward from the Temple as your energy joins with others, passes through the vortex, and energized the probable outcomes which can then become actual in the physical realm.)  There are unlimited private theaters wherein each individual can play out the life events desirous in a like manner, in the recognition of the cumulative power of all entities who enter. Everywhere in the Temple, individual contributions synergize exponentially, making a vast power source available to all. Meetings can be arranged with difficult relationships; calls can go out to find soul mates; loved ones can be touched and healed; there is no limit to the uses of the Temple. The more empowered love energy that is experienced while in the Temple, the more is left behind for others to share. When the spirit feels a degree of fulfillment, the reverse path can be taken back to the physical realm, the breaths can each restore the conscious focus to the physical realm, and the experience is complete. Entities can visit the Temple as often as desired, expanding upon its structures, rooms, functions, accouterments, etc., in any and every way imaginable. The joining together of group efforts to gather for specific reasons at the mass theater can be tremendously helpful in altering probable courses of humanity, and are heartily encouraged. Such visits will also reinforce individual plans and heighten the spiritual signals surrounding those thoughts and beliefs which will help or impede them. They will heighten the senses to the subtle insights and impulses that can be acted upon to contribute energy to the physical manifestations of all goals. Such activities can accomplish the valid goals of organized religion without the inherent competition and isolation that much of the existing dogma demands. Entities of all faiths who feel limited in any way by their chosen world view are invited to find release in the Temple. Such visits are perfectly compatible within all forms of religion, and need not even be confessed.  At this point, it might behoove those who review and value these "Lessons" to propose some sort of program wherein those who wish to participate, could know that at certain periods in time there would be someone "online" (if you will) who could join in any efforts to raise the general spiritual vibrations. One has to wonder if something akin to a Chat Room might have potential in this area.  Religious Transcendence  Once individuals have removed each of the slivers from their worldview, (such concepts as sin, of martyrdom, of evil, of the mind's capacity to judge, of the need for spiritual intermediaries of any kind), the valid transcendence can begin to unfold. The concept of transcendence is implicit, if not explicit, in most worldviews and formal religious structures, and is held out as a goal for human potential and development. This common strand with the transcendent experience relates, of course, to the emotional development, the natural expansion of the self, and the trinity of purpose. Mind, body and spirit are but different aspects of the same soul. Each plays a different role in whatever environment we elect to put ourselves. Each can have an influence on the other and nothing need separate one from the other.  The trinity of purpose has been couched in symbolism such as the trinity of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, which respectively represent the mind, the body, and the spirit within each individual. The unity within and between has always been the goal of religious transcendence. Such unity is accomplished by an enlightened mind (the Father) attended to the feeling signals of spirit (The Holy Spirit) that has chosen beliefs at the direction of spirit which fulfill the needs of body (The Son). The natural developmental process is the ongoing expansion of self to eventually merge with All That Is. The unity within the trinity of self can accomplish the trinity of purpose in each and every action, and open the mind to transcendence.  With the above information in mind, try resaying the "Our Father" prayer and see if it gives new meaning to the words. The purpose of this prayer is to move us along the path of transcendence. It is a tool for this purpose and as its meaning is expanded, the path becomes more clear, as we become more centered.  The unity is designed to unfold when the incoming spirits undergo the natural emotional developmental process. The body feelings of joy, fear, anger and sadness drive the earliest understandings of the ability to control one's destiny and gain a mindful sense of rightful power and freedom within the context of cooperative connection. This is the contribution of The Son, wherein the biological predestiny ensures that purposeful courses will be known (despite the other portions of self) to ensure the primary purpose of self-preservation. The Son represents the singular self-concept that is the necessary foundation of all further self-growth. When the feelings have done their job, there will be the first of the emotions of mind; those of trust, confidence, and frustration when obstacles arise.  Neither physical nor emotional pain would be possible without the body, which serves as the instructor and guide to assist the mind in overcoming obstacles with cleverness and compassion. While giving us a sense of individuality, it also allows us the opportunity to commingle and, in doing so, discover other aspects of ourselves.  These basic feelings are then further tempered by learning experiences wherein they differentiate into the more subtle feeling tones which address the beliefs of mind and promote the higher needs for creativity, esteem, and meaning, while retaining freedom, power and connection. These feelings are the contribution of "The Father" which relate to the teachings of the local culture and the beliefs held within mass consciousness. These feelings address the care and feeding of the mind, wherein each with a positive tone connotes a belief that is spiritually desirous, and a negative tone connotes a limitation. These signals allow the mind to achieve its purpose of self-development as well as continuing to honor the purposes of body. This self-development fosters a plural self-concept to enfold external others within the feeling system as well.  The emotion of love has a contagious quality to it. When we see it expressed between two individuals, be they mother and child, brother and sister, husband and wife or friend to friend, we sense the quality within ourselves, and it gives us joy. In like fashion, when we observe contention between others, we feel an immediate vacancy of spirit. We feel pain.  The full purpose of spiritual self-expression can begin when both body and mind are in unison. Then the contribution of "The Holy Spirit" can fully come into play. These will be marked by the highest feelings, the most rewarding and positive resonance with All That Is. These highest feelings will pave the way for and accompany intuitive insights, telepathic communications, reception of energies from beyond space-time and the information held within each energy unit. They will complete the expansion of the three-fold self-concept by merging it with All That Is. (The expansion of the self concept in the transcendence process has often been mistaken for the surrender or destruction of self. This has been another misconception that must be purged from religious structures.)  Once the threat of losing one's "self" in a surrender to the All That It Is is abolished and the true meaning of unity of body, mind and spirit is appreciated for the expansion of the potential that lies within ourselves, then the path to this destiny will be clear.  When the mindscape accommodates this reception of spiritual flow, the transcendent process can begin. It will lead each individual to the highest levels of meaning and the most direct actions for the maximum purpose and reward in the physical experience. It can apprise earthbound entities of the relationship between physical actions and creations and their greater cosmic validity and purpose. Transcendent moments and states are characterized by such feelings as compassion, faith, divine love, bliss, devotion, courage, gratitude, and exuberance.  These are the sign posts along the path and as each is passed, the destination is realized as being the path itself.  Religious Community Service  One final value of the institution of religion is that it can serve as an individually driven community support resource. As individuals gain enlightenment, they can go forth into communities and help organize uplifting structures that can offer empowerment and freedom to all members of the human family.  Such ventures do truly reflect the state of an enlightened entity. The need for this kind of courage is everywhere and those who can take that next step along the road to spiritual truth, are destined to come to a full understanding of merging with the All That Is.  In sum, the more enlightened the religion, the more it can support the internal controls inherent in spirituality. The more it embraces the trinity of self, Divine Connection, Divine Freedom, Divine Empowerment, Divine Goodness and Divine Desire, the more valuable it will be. The more valuable the religious institution, the less external governmental controls will be necessary. We can now discuss what the unique role of government might be in an enlightened society. There are powerful implications for the economics of human purpose.  Any religion that can assist its members in being their own best spiritual guide, is serving the true purpose of what a "church" is intended to be, i.e. a parent who has the wisdom to stand back and let it's child live a life of his/her own destiny, while encouraging the full development of one's own spiritual nature.  Table of Contents