ON THE ALTER OF CONSCIOUSNESS

This week we begin a new section in our readings of The Life of Meaning, "I'm spiritual, not religious." Over the next weeks we will explore those who seek a sense of the spiritual self without the characteristics of the religious institution applied.
Probably the most essential ingredient to these stories will be their  pursuit of the meaning of the spiritual as an individual quest and how through life experience this reflects the necessity of one being responsible for one's own human/spiritual development. Not a busy life but a meaningful one is the purpose. So join us as we continue to reset our compasses toward terra incognita.
We begin our journey with Marilyn McQuire, a former Alabaman Episcopal, who changed her belief, her marriage, her location and eventually her life toward one that was more inner focused than outer. And one that reflects real meaning for her.
Several of Marilyn's narrative reflections are based around near death events. The first one is a near neighbor who has doused herself in gasoline and through immolation destroys herself. Being near this death experience brings Marilyn to question her own priorities in life and what is truly important. Several other experiences during a tremendous illness with fevers at 107 degrees brings upon her an out of body experience lending an "ojective" sense to the subjective self for her. I am reminded here of the old saying. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
As we did last week I am listing several of her quotes or ideas to allow for your response.

After her neighbor's self immolation: "where am I going, what am I doing, what do I believe, what's true, what has meaning and what doesn't?"

"It was like something was almost pulling me toward it."

"I came so close to dying. Suddenly life took on more importance to me...that life itself is sacred."

"sacredness of life is with everything we do. Not just part of some ceremony that happens once a week..."

"I really do enjoy getting together with a group of people...(but) it is (not) necessary for me to belong to a group."

"service to humanity...is something that one would naturally become more involved in..."

"I think that people have become disenchanted with the churches."

"I believe when the Bible says 'when two or more come together there is an energy that comes about that really feels good..."

" 'You're all sinners, Every one of you is a sinner.' He (preacher) sat and told everyone."

"Samadhi"

"important to listen, to be still and know."

"not about me, me, me, but the only person we are responsible for is ourselves."

Walter Morton for Terra Incognita