Spectrum of Spirit: A Digital Sanctuary for Spiritual Discourse and Community

From a biblical perspective, the first mention of nations is after the Great Flood of the earth, where Noah sends his sons to different parts of the earth to repopulate the world. With my current understanding, I think Noah’s sons, Shem, Japheth, and Ham, are believed to be where we have gotten our ethnicities and the nations that formed out of these cultural groups. I wonder what life was like before these nations. Were there civilizations? If so, how did these groups identify themselves or differentiate themselves from other groups of people? I think I can only imagine the possibilities, but the thought leaves me in fascination of a world where lines didn’t divide people and people lived with a different sense of identity.

As I’ve said before, I’m not sure if I believe in healing, but I do believe our personal and societal journey is dependent on different forms of understanding. I believe taking moments to explore the subconscious of one’s mind can spark new observations for further discovery. I believe empathizing with one’s subconscious and with other’s thoughts can inspire a new living experience in one’s world. I believe creativity during the searching process can lead to new expressions of what one perceives to be going on in their reality.

I believe nations have been discovered from season to season, reflecting the discoveries of the inhabitants of the nation and the people in the world around them. I believe considering the discoveries of our world can be a guide to how we could pursue new discoveries and findings. I believe our discoveries can build new connections from individual to individual and people group to people group. I believe discoveries can transform our vision, outlook, and perspective on the world to fully express who we are, possibly progressing a nation to become what it is destined to be.

Contrasting Nation

I believe we have had plenty of different leaders in our world through the eras. I believe there are rulers whose rule is based on fear, rulers whose rule is based on anger, and rulers whose rule is based on sadness to name a few. However, no matter how they decide to guide the people, or in what arena they decide to guide the people in, these rulers have had significant unique impacts on the way our world operates. I believe the directors of a nation have the ability to influence values and motivate behaviors, some being beneficial and others, not so much.

Stay Spiritual created another reaction video to the Mystics of India¹. After a few minutes of the video, James and Justin stop the video to add their thoughts.² James talks about the turn the video has taken so far, from the peaceful yogic city Sadhguru is planning on building in Tennessee, to the political left in India that is against Sadhguru and his teachings³. Justin hopes the claims the political left has made against Sadhguru are not true, but recognizes how far away he is from the situation to know definitively⁴. James likes the idea of little utopias, where people can find themselves and offer an alternative way of living⁵. James continues saying that he thinks people get stuck on tradition and the way things “ought” to be, but counters with our world consisting of money; wondering how this city is going to be financed⁶. He wonders if the accessibility of this place will be exclusively for the rich or if other groups can go there⁷. Justin responds wondering if the city will work for a person like himself, who finds it fun to explore as long as he doesn’t have to adhere to some strict rules⁸. Justin doesn’t want to be considered a trouble maker, and explains how he learns and discovers things⁹. Justin hopes the city does not become like the military, where if you don’t adhere to the rules you are not invited¹⁰. Justin believes only time will tell if Sadhguru’s city will be a good thing, and comments Donald Trump makes him laugh cause he reminds him of a stereotypical boss who gets the people behind him¹¹.

James and Justin continue discussing the tension that could rise between Trump’s Christian Evangelical following and Sadhguru’s Hindu following as Sadhguru works on his yogic city project. During Donald Trump’s campaign, he promised to be best friends with India and selected practicing Hindus to lead during his administration. Sadhguru has been associated with the political right wing, and Donald Trump represents a version of the political right wing in the USA. If the relationship between Sadhguru and Donald Trump is built, I wonder how this will challenge the USA as a nation who already has enough political tension.

I would encourage you to look at how leaders have contributed to the way you view leadership. I would challenge you to look at other forms of leadership, and the many different ways leaders persuade others. I believe leaders can inspire others to move in a direction they see is best for themselves, the collective, or both. I challenge you to open yourself up to the leaders who have come before you and are currently active to evaluate how you’ve grown. I encourage you to look at the leaders of different/contrasting nations and contemplate the sources of your understanding.

A Neighbor’s Nation

Neighbor is defined as “one living or located near another”¹². This definition leads me to believe neighbor is a subjective term based on how someone defines “near”. I believe the relative nature of “neighbor” depends on where one falls on the spectrum of inclusivity and exclusivity. I believe the idea of neighbors can change the perspectives of an individual or a group to perceive the other as an ally or an enemy. I believe the idea of neighbor can alter the way people celebrate with one another.

Culturaldiversity released another short highlighting Algerian culture¹³. The short opens up with the top half the screen with white Arabic letters written on a red background and a line of black Arabic letters against a white background¹⁴. The bottom half of the screen is a man walking on a patio of some sort looking diagonally to the sky, away from the camera¹⁵. After translating the title of the video, I believe the man is supposed to be in the Algerian city of Constantine¹⁶. The video plays with a deeper voice speaking in Arabic, which I still do not understand¹⁷. Nevertheless, the video cuts to a large structure that seems to be a gate to a building¹⁸. The video then transitions to a beautiful house with elegant big glass windows and doors¹⁹. Then we are taken to a first person view of someone traversing a bridge with people walking ahead of them²⁰. Almost seamlessly, we are taken to another first person shot of someone walking behind another person under a large structure that looks similar to the gate mentioned before, but from a different angle²¹. The short then progresses to the top of a building with a dome and another building that is taller next to it²². Following we get a beautiful scene of some tall buildings with Arabic words built on to the top of it, accompanied by artistic murals of life displayed with vibrant colors and in-depth texture²³. The camera pans quickly to the man we saw in the first clip, this time holding the camera towards his face in portrait mode as he walks forward with palm trees gracing the land beside him²⁴.

I do not know much about the city of Constantine, but I think it has an ancient history with a complicated religious and political past. I don’t understand Arabic, but I believe the video itself showed the rich history and the mashup of different cultures and backgrounds that persist in the land. I would hope the rest of the short portrays more of the same, a culture that recognizes and understands the culture of the land, the cultures that are currently represented, and the unity needed to thrive together. The feeling of unity and understanding I experience through the video aligns with previous videos of Algerian strength and resilience, Culturaldiversity displays through their shorts.

I would encourage you to learn about others perspectives on their nation or maybe even the nation you both share. I would caution to stay away from confrontational stances on religion and politics, as those stances have the potential to destroy avenues to share. I believe intentionally listening to others share their culture can widen your perspective and open your world to neighbors all around you. I believe accepting new neighbors can point to a found mutual understanding of one’s culture and appreciation for the individual’s journey.

Reaffirming the Nation

Observe different understandings. Growth through spirituality. Empathize with the air we breathe. Feel the national culture around you. Express meaningful creativity. See what connections are fostered through societal stories. Contrast your spirituality with others. Find your cultural neighbors. Reaffirm the nation you come from. Embrace the mysteries of the twin soul. Explore themes of leadership within spiritual traditions. Reflect on your growth and your heritage. Put on your neighbor’s glasses. Build higher bridges. Unravel a new nation.

Bibliography

1.  Stay Spiritual, “How Sadhguru and Donald Trump Will Heal America I Mystics of India I Foreigners Reaction Video,” YouTube, December 17, 2024, accessed December 18, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSQKMzrmv50&t=4s. ↩︎
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12. “Definition of NEIGHBOR,” Merriam-Webster: America’s Most Trusted Dictionary, last modified 14, 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neighbor. ↩︎
13. Culturaldiversity, “الجزائر بعيون تونسية الحضارة الجزائرية ليس لا حل من مدينة الجسور المعلقة قسنطينة الجزائرية,” YouTube, December 17, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eu8KAuTewNM. ↩︎
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