Faith Grounds
Prayer is only one way we reorient our consciousness towards the bigger picture and the unseen.
Every time we greet one another by saying “Assalamu alaikum”we reinforce our own belief that we are never alone. That we are part of a universe where humans and non-humans co-exist.
Whenever we use the term brother or sister, we reinforce the idea that we are all descended from Adam and that mankind are brothers and sisters to each other in humanity.
When we use the term revert instead of convert, we are reminding ourselves that our innate original state is that of submission to the one God.
These are all ways that we reorient ourselves towards a metaphysical ultimate reality. A bigger reality than the one we actually inhabit.
And all these spiritual exercises help us cope with the futility of our corporeal world in a way that our finite strength cannot.
Connection Is for the Living
Even though we cannot live our life as if we literally exist in that dimension, by keeping that orientation in the forefront of our conscience, we can cope with the limitations and stressors of our life without falling apart.
We can draw strength from knowing that we are connected to an infinite source of strength and that we are part of a much bigger picture than we find ourselves in at any given moment in this world.
Mental health is about walking that tight rope between these two states of consciousness.
Religion and spirituality are fundamental to good mental health because they give us a language; a way of walking that tightrope.
Prayer and rituals are the paths towards maintaining a consciousness that is not subordinate to circumstances in this life.
A consciousness that is not enslaved by predetermined forces like biology.
Our reality on earth is always evolving, but our ultimate reality cannot be destroyed or changed.
As long as we hold on to our ceremonial religious routines and rituals, we never need to feel insecure. What cannot be destroyed by the difficulties of life will not be destroyed by the finality of death.
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