Spirit And Life

It has never been sufficient to use conventional notions when we refer to the contemplative life. It is simply not possible to discover, or to rediscover the essence of the immediate experience of God as historically manifest using commonly accepted language. There is a difference between what grows out of that which is fully alive here and now, and that which is passively and cognitively accepted academically and without question from a dried up past. The only things that are valid are spirit and life. These are from God, no matter what others may try and convince you of. That which is invalid is dead. It is easily recognized as dead. Dead is always just dead. It cannot be hidden. It cannot be disguised. It is what humans call custom, or better yet, tradition.