Every moment, every thing is spiritual.

I was taught, early on, that there exists no Hebrew word for “spiritual” – at least, not as we think of it.

The closest thing I could find is רוּחַ (ruwach), which is translated in the following ways: 

1. wind

2. breath (air, breath of air, of heaven, vain)

3. spirit: that which breaths quickly in animation or agitation (vigor, temper, courage, disposition, patience, disposition, prophetic spirit

4. spirit: of the living (breath of God, a gift, which departs from man at death)

5. spirit: as seat of emotion (despair, sorrow)

6. spirit (seat or organ of mental acts, especially of moral character)

7. spirit: of God (inspiring prophecy, imparting warlike energy and raw power, endowing various gifts, energy of life, NEVER REFERRED TO AS DEPERSONALIZED FORCE).

 

Nowhere is the spirit something separate – in the Hebrew language it is our emotional, mental, and moral being. It is us. In fact, the last line says that the spirit (specifically referring to God’s spirit) is never referred to as a depersonalized force. The spirit is as much a part of us as the physical. In fact, when the body dies, the ruwach is gone. They are linked. Without ruwach, their is no body. And without a body, the ruwach is gone.

But we do separate them in how we think and how we talk (at least, I tend to). Physical and spiritual health. A binary. The physical is our organs, the spiritual is our faith – something completely intangible. 

But I have been considering that the physical and the spiritual aren’t simply linked, but are identical. 

Consider this verse: 

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction
    and knew the anguish of my soul. (Psalm 31:7, NIV)”.

The author (presumably David) isn’t writing of spiritual warfare, but “physical” violence. People out to kill him – and it afflicts his “soul”.

And consider this: people with chronic illnesses have a high comorbidity of depression. With the above definition, their physical illness affects their soul…or maybe, they are the same. Maybe an affliction of the body is an affliction of the soul, because the two are the same.

Or in reverse – how do our bodies respond to stress? With high blood pressure, headaches, digestive issues, etc. Afflictions of the soul – i.e. our mental and spiritual health – affect our physical health. Ever felt so distraught you vomited? Or so angry you physically lashed out (hopefully at a pillow)? Physical output can help release spiritual affliction. Crying. Screaming. 

I think that our separation today comes from Descartes, who proposed dualism – the mind and the body are separate. And humans are programmed to think in binary – male and female, us and them, mental and physical, etc. This dramatically affected our worldview, and I think our religion.

But I don’t believe the Hebrews thought of it that way. They weren’t promised intangible things – they were promised a land of milk and honey. And when God blessed them, it wasn’t in relieving some intangible emotion, but to give them strength in battle, or food in the desert. Their blessings were tangible, and so was their worship. They saw sacrifice and forgiveness through bleeding and dying animals.

So…our God’s gifts today only the intangible kind? I argue definitely not.

A friend of mine said of spirituality and religion, “This is some powerful shit, man. A relationship with the creator of the universe, and power comes with that.”

When I open my eyes, I see “spiritual” blessings in “physical” phenomenon. Homeless people getting back on their feet; alcoholics and addicts being freed of addiction; marriages and relationships being reconciled. These aren’t “spiritual” things as we would define them – these are physical miracles.

But again, I argue there is no difference.

And this has begun to change how I view the world. How I view everything. My morning coffee is spiritual and physical. My smart phone is spiritual and physical. Me kissing my wife before I leave is spiritual and physical. My car is spiritual and physical. Everything. I can’t simply leave something in the physical realm, because it can affect my “spiritual” life just as well as my physical life. 

My smart phone can bless someone “spiritually” – I can call someone and engage in conversation, tell them I love them and God loves them. My car can give someone a ride that needs it. Coffee can make me more productive in the morning. Any of these things are physical blessings, but can you see the spiritual?

For me, as I learn, they are becoming so intertwined that there is no difference. My new mantra I repeat during the day is: “Every moment, every thing is spiritual”. (My other is “Before honor is humility”, but that’s another blog).