What is development of the spirit and how do we achieve it?
Just as we train and exercise our bodies and our minds, we must also train and exercise our spirit to live a full and complete life. We are only partially complete if our spirit is ignored and weak. We are designed as integrated beings, body, mind, and spirit, and these need to work in conjunction. If they do not, we can never truly reach our potential. We need to respect and develop ourselves as a whole person.
The first step on the path of Spirit Development is to pray. These prayers are not to pass a test, to have a big house, or to make someone love you. Praying for these types of things only weakens your spirit. Instead, prayer is about aligning your mind with the divine. It is about listening as the Holy Spirit speaks to you and guides you. Prayer and purposeful meditation will strengthen your spiritual connection and fill you with “the peace that passes all understanding.” Phil. 4:7
In addition to prayer, it is here that we turn to our Celtic lore for more active exercises. It is also here that many will raise objections, so let’s deal with them directly.
There are objections listed in the Bible to what, then and now, is called sorcery or witchcraft. There are also several references, at least in the Old Testament, to what can only be called accepted interactions with sorcery or witchcraft. An example of this is the medium, or Witch of Endor, in 1 Samuel 28. Saul had outlawed necromancy in the land, but when he needed it, he found a medium to summon Samuel from the grave to speak to him. Why would God allow his faithful servant Samuel to be summoned in this manner?
There are also the verses Galatians 5:20 and Revelations 18:23 that mistranslate -sorcery from the Greek word that actually refers to drug use or poison.
The Bible, by its own admission, is the inspired word of God, not dictation from heaven. It is important, as much as possible, to look at the original wording and usage. Drugs, then and now, were used to confuse and disorient people. That naturally led some to say they were under a spell. In addition, there are indeed some magical practices that do involve drug use to facilitate the effect being sought.
Additional examples are Jesus healing the blind. In Mark 8:22-26, he spits on the man's eyes and then places his hands on the blind man. This only partially heals him, and he does it a second time. Just two chapters later, in Mark 10:46-52, he heals a man by faith alone. There are many times people were healed simply by a touch or their faith. Why would Jesus engage in the actions of a spell, i.e., using his spit to heal the man, if he could just heal him with a word?
Clearly, the issue of sorcery is not a straightforward one. It seems that intent and the methods used must be considered before condemnations are made. The writers of many biblical examples repeatedly called positive results, in God’s favor, miracles. When the actions were in opposition to God’s will, they were denounced as evil, sorcery, or necromancy.
In conclusion, energy work, sorcery, magic, medicine, etc., are tools. The important and decisive consideration is whether they are used for good or for evil.
