Spiritual Transmission in Integral Prayer
Part Two

*The Church at Auvers* by Vincent van Gogh

Transmission in Traditional Christianity

I used the word “attempts” in my title to point out that the religious transmission rituals we have instituted over the centuries do not necessarily result in the actual sending of spiritual energy. Carl Jung stated, “One of the main functions of organized religion is to protect people against a direct experience of God.” That may sound harsh, but in looking at what passes for spiritual experience in many, if not most church groups, it seems true more often than not. This is probably the major factor in the many people that are leaving their traditional religions, and even more leaving their churches.

Let’s look at some of the ways the church has tried to handle the powerful energy of spiritual transmission.

Confirmation

Confirmation is a process many churches do with the young adults, teaching them the doctrines of the church and “confirming” them into the “sealing of the covenant” as a coming-of-age rite or profession of faith.

“Laying on hands” is a type of passing on or transmission of authority and ostensibly the power of spirit-breath-consciousness. In Roman Catholicism and other groups, the bishop stretches out his hand over the children and calls down the power of holy spirit. This gesture is patterned after certain New Testament passages (John 20:22; Acts 4: 5-6; 6:6 11:15; 13:3; 19:6; 1 Tim 5:22, 14:14) and is also used in other sacraments, including the anointing of the sick and the ordination of a priest. This gesture is also used during the consecration of the bread and wine at Mass so that, as many believe, they become the body and blood of Christ.

One Catholic theologian says, “The effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.” When I read that, I thought that if the kids reacted as the adults did on Pentecost, they’d be punished for being disruptive and unruly. Perhaps we either have unusually disciplined and restrained kids — or there is not much Pentecostal type transmission going on in Confirmation!

Indeed, many of these transmissions in traditional religions have, over time, become diluted and impotent to affect consciousness except for perhaps being impressive ceremonies.

Ordination

Another traditional stage ritual of transmission comes from the institutional church’s practice of ordination. Ordination is the process by which individuals are “set apart” and elevated from everyone else to become “the clergy.” Clergy are authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform various religious rites and ceremonies.

The whole idea of creating a special class of people in Christianity who can do religious or “spiritual” things that others cannot is a departure from the New Testament idea of the “laity.” The New Testament Greek word “laos” from which we get the word “laity” simply meant “all the people of God.” Church leaders were chosen by virtue of their leadership and spiritual gifts but not put into a class considered special or different from other giftings and callings. As the church became a rigid, all-controlling institution, it became necessary to identify who the “controllers” were and how they exercised their power over others.

The meaning of ordination ranges from Apostolic succession to recognizing and setting apart leaders in the local church. Apostolic succession is the belief that all ordained clergy are ordained by bishops who were ordained by other bishops tracing back to bishops ordained by the Apostles who Jesus ordained. This could be a form of “transmission” if that were true, but it doesn’t really need to operate like a bloodline or game of spiritual telephone.

In less formal groups, the prospective pastor or leader kneels while other “ordained” people pass by or gather around the ordained to pray. This is often a meaningful ceremony but usually less than a transmission of expanded consciousness.

Prayer meetings and intercessory prayer

Another common form indirectly related to spiritual transmission is sharing prayer concerns in church meetings, weekly prayer service, and crisis occasions of “sending thoughts and prayers.” Usually, these are requests directed to God, who then, we hope, does the transmitting!

However, this was not Jesus’ model of prayer. He said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move (Mat 17:20). In other words, if a mountain needs moving, don’t ask God to do it. You do it! When in healing mode, Jesus transmitted healing and is never once recorded as asking God to do the healing. He taught the apostles to do the same.

Unity

A beautiful exception to traditional intercessory prayer is Unity’s way of praying for others. Unity Worldwide Ministries states, “When we pray for a person, we pray not to God, but from a consciousness of God. In this consciousness, we see the wholeness and beauty and blessings already available to the person, and we use our prayers to affirm and acknowledge and give thanks for this Truth about the situation.”

Pentecostals and Charismatics

Something new has been happening in today’s Christianity since the early 1900s with the rise of Pentecostalism and later in the 1960s with the charismatic movement. These are known for their transmission practice of praying for others to be “filled with the spirit.” In integral terms, this is a brief, immediate experience of subtle or causal altered consciousness that comes from the openness of the person being prayed for and the transmission of consciousness-raising energy from those praying. This experience can be dramatic and memorable.

In my earlier years, in various religious settings, including the Unity Ministerial School and St Paul Methodist School of Theology, I had the privilege of personally praying quietly for hundreds of receptive people who, sitting, would sometimes fall out of their chair to the floor. If standing, they would often and suddenly, without anyone touching them, fall back to the floor. In our church’s well-attended monthly Healing Service, we had to have “catchers” around to help them down gently. We called it “resting in the spirit.” These adventurous people would stay on the floor for a few minutes to a few hours. Sometimes they would shake and tremble while lying on the floor, but most of the time, they would quietly rest in the higher consciousness of spirit-breath awakening. In questioning those who had this experience, I found it was usually one of profound peace and spiritual release.

Yet, I have always been uncomfortable with those events despite the powerful way they moved others to a peak experience. Was it hypnotic suggestion that led to an authentic experience of higher consciousness? Did it make any difference how one got there as long as they got there? It seemed limiting in that reserved or shy people were understandably hesitant to be prayed for in such an unusual setting. This phenomenon also attracted ostentatious evangelists who, perhaps, liked the drama occurring in front of an audience a little too much.

In addition, the outer drama of moving into such a peaceful state that one could not stand up tended to overshadow the beauty of what was quietly going on inside those who rested in this form of elevated consciousness. “Oh, you’re going to that service where they all fall on the floor!”

So I searched for something that might be available for more folks. Eventually I saw that integrating a contemplative structure, such as our WeSpace groups, creates a beautiful avenue for the catalytic effect of spirit-breath-consciousness.

Integral Transmission is different than Pentecostal/Charismatic Practice

I affirm my Pentecostal and Charismatic sisters and brothers in their courage to authentically transmit awakened spirit-breath conscious in their particular way. Without criticizing, but rather differentiating, Integral, contemplative transmission as we practice in WeSpace groups has two main differences:

Group centered

First, WeSpace transmission is from a group, not a charismatic leader, as gifted as those leaders can be. The New Testament points out examples of transmission from the hands of leaders as that was necessary to get things started. However, as described in 1 Corinthians, their worship times show that worship from higher states of consciousness is also a transmitting environment. The democratization of spirit-breath transmission is the work of God in using anyone and everyone open to God in this way of blessing others.

Today we see that even more new pathways open once we understand that what Christianity traditionally calls “the Holy Spirit” is phenomenologically describing awakened consciousness at all its levels as differentiated from ordinary consciousness.

(See my book, Is Your God Big Enough, Close Enough, You Enough for a more detailed description of this understanding of spirit as consciousness)

Contemplative setting

Second, the enthusiasm and openness of charismatic worship can feel frightening to those not used to it. If you are at home with exuberant expressions of spiritual flow, blessings on you.

However, the WeSpace setting of silent prayer and elevated awareness of God’s loving, blissful, peaceful presence is an exceptional place to feel safe for the rest of us. There we can experiment in opening ourselves up to one another and the divine spiritual presences that can fill us and guide us.

These two factors, along with some others, also help move these powerful occurrences of spiritual energy into an integrated, ongoing transformation of consciousness rather than one-time liturgical rites or dramatic “shows” of spiritual energy that often get left behind when leaving the event.

It takes a village

While transmission benefits from highly awakened, evolved individuals, the collective comes into its own in the integral stage. As “third wave” charismatic movement Vineyard founder John Wimber used to say, “Everyone gets to play.” Everyone gets to help others in waking up slumbering consciousness, healing broken hearts, releasing people from their wounds, and demonstrating the presence of God here and now.

Only a small number of Christians stand behind a pulpit, wear special clothing, or have academic degrees indicating they have studied church history and theology. These are the “ordained ministers.” But if you look at the membership of those churches, you would find it includes the real-life minsters in every area of living such as commerce, law, medicine, education, art, technology, science, government, and service, as well as religion. Jesus’ goal was not to build an all-powerful institution with a few “ordained “authorities who call all the shots. Jesus’ idea was that awakened mystical consciousness would be poured out on all his friends so they could transmit blessing to the world while they all chop wood and carry water. We are all ordained to our unique place and gifted specialty to minister to a broken, needy world!

When I became pastor of the church I was to be at for the next forty-nine years, the first thing I did was to refuse to have “Pastor Paul Smith” placed on the sign in the front of the church until we had a sign big enough the list everyone’s name and spiritual gifts. I refused the title of minister, insisted that I be called Paul and not Reverend Smith, and taught that all were ministers. We got rid of the “pulpit” chairs, and I always sat in the congregation before speaking.

If you are alive, you are automatically in “the ministry.” No need to wait for a “call.” You got it by being born in the image and likeness of God. Your unique combination of spiritual gifts are your tools. Plugging into spirit-breath awakened consciousness is you power source. Hang around others on the same path as a WeSpace group to make it all work.

Next we explore how to receive and pass on the light and love of God.

Contemporary Attempts at Transmission in Christianity Today

Spiritual Transmission in Integral PrayerPart Two