Often time I listen to the small comments people make online when it regards to spiritual things, so I thought I’d write about it. Because of my personal history I will refer to the Black culture as reference.

I think African Americans more-so mix their emotional state and their spiritual state as synonymous. I hear things such as, “Can you encourage my spirit.” or maybe “my spirit doesn’t FEEL right”. (the emotions need encouraging, not the spirit)
Church is usually rated as “good” if a person can “shout”.

For those unfamiliar with the shouting ritual in African-American churches, it is a time either before or after the sermon in which the congregation dances and literally screams and cries UP to God.
(i have some slight discrepancy of envisioning God outside myself in the sky….but i digress)

I will attach a video of black christians in worship.
I will also show some non-christian blacks worshipping in a similar fashion
They practically look the same…and seem somewhat effective to the worshippers in question despite religious difference.

While there is nothing wrong with ritual worship (most deeply rooted in African tradition). The problem is if one thinks that the ONLY WAY to have a spiritual experience is if there is an emotional one. Which is not necessarily the case.

I do believe

, yes, spiritual flow can be increased or decreased by the emotional state (think of allowing more wind to fan a flame for example) . However, spirituality in it’s pure form is independent of emotion. Just because one isn’t in a good mood doesn’t mean their spiritual state is low. In truth, the spiritual state can heighten the emotional experience which in turn affects the physical-tangible experience (ie. affinity, sex, even rage to the point where its euphoric if you will) It’s my belief this is how adrenaline comes into play.

But there are far more benefits to being in direct spiritual flow than getting an emotional “high” (self awareness is one of them). The goal here then is to allow optimal spiritual flow without letting the emotions control that flow (good or bad). It may be okay for emotions to assist the prowess of spirituality , but at no time is it beneficial if the emotions (or even physical experience) have full control of the spiritual experience.
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=euphoric&iid=7423066″ src=”6/a/8/6/Illustration_of_psychotropic_b120.jpg” width=”500″ height=”647″ /].

By relying solely on emotions and physical stimuli, one becomes prone to deception and addictions.

We are beings with emotions, we can’t help that, but more-so we are spiritual beings if we can allow our minds to focus on that state of being predominantly and be in constant flow with the God-Source.