We are Angels.
We are Earthlings.
We are Angels and Earthlings in the sense that this is one thing.
We are Angels and Earthlings in the sense these are shared traits in one being, one united entity that is what each of us can be when we allow integration of these traits.
The Trinity element was named as such because it was the third element of the key triad of elements at the top of the entire Periodic Table of Spiritual Elements. For early viewers of the Table, it proved to be the most inquired-about and questioned amongst what was considered a quirky and eclectic list of elements. Based on that attention, I was concerned that the name might be considered blasphemous by some. A friend told me that the term “Trinity” might make the Table look pro-Christian versus universal and open-ended.
My aim is not to be pro- any one religion, or to be blasphemous in any way. In a sense, Trinity could be considered the most important element of the entire Table, with the exception of Divinity. Like many other elements, it may be considered a form of Communion. Indeed, Trinity is about “the perfect mix”─ a Communion, reconciliation and integration of the first two elements, Divinity and Humanity.
Trinity could also have been called: Reconciliation, Integration, Synthesis, Actualization or Awakening. It is about unification, i.e. taking what might appear to be separate, different and polarized and allowing it to be integrated into a concept that is actually the opposite of this─ something that is “two different things at the exact same time,” thereby making those two things a single, non-polarized unit.
Trinity resolves the paradox of how we can be at once Divine and Human. Humanity and Divinity are often considered to be very separate. They represent, among many possibilities, imperfection and perfection. With Trinity, we can sit with such a paradox without discomfort, allowing it to unify and become one.
In religion and theology, you will hear discussion of duality and non-duality, which generally deals with Humanity being either separate or integrated with God. In a state of duality, God and creation are separate. With non-duality, we are One. Trinity would seek to reconcile duality and non-duality. It would say, “We can be both of these things at the same time!” This can be a brain twister. How can we be opposite things at once?
We are angels. We are earthlings. We are angels and earthlings, in the sense that this is one thing.
We are each a unique thread. We are the Divine fabric. We are both of these.
‘The world is full of paradoxes and life is full of opposites. The art is to embrace the opposites and accommodate the paradoxes and live with a smile.” -Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
The Trinity Equation
In Christianity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit can be said to form “The Holy Trinity.” The three parts of the triad are typically integrated to form a unified manifestation of God. When I contemplate this phrasing within the context of the Periodic Table of Spiritual Elements, the Holy Trinity resonates to me as: The Father + The Son = Holy Spirit. Expanding the equation out further, I think of that old Biblical phrasing as a patriarchal version of: Our Divinity + Our Humanity = Our Awakening.
Angels + Earthlings = Angel/Earthlings.
In even purer mathematical terms, Trinity might be: 1+1=1 (where 1 equals a new and unique “1”). This is the math of yoga, the math of Communion. Everything equals One.
“When you make the two one, you will become the sons of man, and when you say, ‘Mountain, move away,’ it will move away.” -Jesus, Gospel of Thomas
Yin Yang Part 1: Integration, Eastern Style
From eastern origins, we are familiar with the classic symbol of Yin and Yang. This symbol can represent what might be viewed as contrary forces of dark and light (or feminine and masculine) that are meshed into a unified symbol, wherein within each component lies a part of the other. The philosophy behind the symbol has to do with the integration of opposing forces; they are allowed to coexist within a spirit of balance. They are complimentary to each other and each is part of a greater whole.
The classic Yin-Yang symbol is an expression of the Trinity element.
“Truly, the greatest gift that you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.” -Lao Tzu
Daily Paradox
In psychology and counseling, there is a type of therapy that relates to “dialectics.” The term relates to the ability to hold opposing views of oneself at the same time and is part of a larger therapeutic approach. People who benefit from this type of therapy will initially tend to view the world and themselves within it in terms of “black and white.” With a fragile sense of self, they themselves as either being all good or all bad. Admitting to a “bad” behavior could then make their whole self-image implode as being “bad.”
With dialectics and the element of Trinity, such an individual can integrate aspects of their concept of self that seem to be separated as black and white. They then might be able to arrive at such a conclusion as: “I engaged in a harmful behavior, but I am basically a good person who is trying my best.”
The “psychology of Trinity” further manifests on a day-to-day basis in several other ways for many people. We can see our psyches as being composed of our True Self (our soul) and our Ego (the persona which is presented to the world and which often controls a large part of our lives). Trinity seeks to reconcile and integrate these two parts of who we are in a healthy manner (See 51% Rule).
Carl Jung saw the human psyche as being comprised of both light and dark, or conscious and unconscious components. He sought to integrate those parts, which requires one to shine a light on all.
There are times when we might find ourselves holding seemingly conflicting emotions at the same time. These are “emotions in paradox” and when they occur, we struggle with what seems to be an inherent conflict within ourselves. Trinity enables us to reconcile and integrates varied emotional states to the point where an Equanimity can be achieved.
Under the element of Gratitude, I write about how my father’s death on Thanksgiving Day left me with conflicting feelings on subsequent Thanksgivings. I wanted to have Gratitude for life in general, but at the same time this day inspired a sense of grief and loss because it was the anniversary of my father’s death. I eventually learned to reconcile these emotions, or at least hold them in the same space without conflict. I realized that I could have both. I could be thankful and still grieve for the loss of my father.
Lastly, we might wrestle with the conflicting desires to accept ourselves as we are and also to want to improve ourselves and our situation in life. We often hear that we need to love and accept ourselves as we are. Yet at the same time, we all experience parts of our lives that we don’t like and want to change. Trinity would have us integrate what seems like two opposing forces to a place of sense of balance and wholeness. In this space, we can say “I am perfectly lovable and acceptable as I am” and “I want to change, heal and improve.”
With Trinity, we can hold both of those notions in the same place without conflict or cognitive dissonance.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, I can then change.” -Carl Rogers
Yin Yang Part 2: Various Extrapolated Paradoxes
The concept of Yin really resonates with me as being extremely important to the awakening process and to the overall alchemy of the Periodic Table of Spiritual Elements. For me, Yin more closely meshes with the Energy of Divinity in comparison with the Energy of Humanity, which is more practical and thus more Yang. Yin equates to the Tree of Life, in comparison with the Tree of Knowledge (Yang), but both of them relate to the Periodic Table of Spiritual Elements, as discussed earlier in this book. The relationship between the two made me want to extrapolate more on the different energies, or paradoxes, that might derive from this ancient Chinese symbol (as a Pisces, I really resonate with this symbol. It is very Piscean, since it looks like two fish intertwined).
For those who don’t know, the dark side of the ancient symbol is Yin. The dark represents night, a time of passivity and community, while the light side representing day, a time of action, doing and individualism. From here we can extrapolate much more:
Yin Yang
Divinity Humanity
Heavens Earth
Being Doing
Receptive Intrusive
Passive Active
Allowance Control
Acceptance Resistance
Surrender Domination
Feminine Masculine
Collaborative Directive/Individual
Peace Aggression
Intuitive Rational
Grateful Entitled
Giving Acquiring
Humble Self-important
Internal External
Soul (True Self) Ego
Spiritual Physical
Awakening Survival
Process Oriented Goal-Oriented
Right Brain Left Brain
Winter Solstice Summer Solstice
Tree of Life Tree of Knowledge
Mystical Practical
Mystery Mastery
The element Trinity would have us integrate all of these paradoxes in a manner that leads to awakening. The exact mix or alchemy is not given, but one can infer that awakening (which is defined as an awareness of our Divine being) is more oriented towards the Yin/Divinity side of the paradox, if one were to look at the descriptors mentioned above. Meanwhile, the ancient Chinese symbol of Yin/Yang suggests that we humans integrate these paradoxes in a manner that is perfectly balanced─50/50. This is a very fine and exact alchemy, although it can be difficult to attain and even more difficult to maintain.
“When, by the flood of your tears, the inner and the outer have fused into one, you will find Her whom you sought with such anguish, nearer than the nearest, the very breath of life, the very core of every heart.” -Sri Anandamayi Ma
The 51% Rule
It is my contention that Yang energy─ the very active, achievement-oriented and controlling energy that it is─ will, by its very nature, always serve to “blow” or unbalance that 50/50 mix that is proposed as ideal by the ancient Chinese. That is, it will want to dominate, to lead the way. Balance is not Yang’s thing. The energy of Yin, by its nature, will tend to bow out of Yang’s way time and time again.
I hate to mess with the ancients, but this Yang energy has kind of ruled the roost for at least the last few thousand years. It has done well in terms of advancing practical knowledge and the survival of the species, but maybe not so much for awakening and overall consciousness. Yang certainly hasn’t done well in maintaining any kind of balance with Yin.
In again extrapolating the story of the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge, both trees coexisted peacefully at one time. I argue that the instructions for Humanity per that story cautioned against sustaining ourselves from the Tree of Knowledge (Yang). We would be better off to eat from the Tree of Life (Yin). If we did so, we could keep both trees in our garden. If we attempted to sustain ourselves from the Tree of Knowledge at all, however, that Yang energy would simply take over, kicking us out of Eden and of any chance for awakening.
That leads me to what I call the 51% Rule, which is just a slight “fudge” to the philosophy behind that ancient Chinese symbol, and is also an alchemical guide for the Spiritual Table in general. If there is any basic alchemy to follow in terms of Trinity and the appropriate mixture of the first two elements of Divinity and Humanity in the Table, it would be this: in order for awakening to occur and be sustained, Divinity (a Yin energy) has to make up at least 51% of a person’s final integrated Energy. Please Note: You can go higher than 51%, on the Divinity scale, but not lower. Don’t be tempted to mess with 50.01 %. That is too close for comfort!
At any ratio less than 51%, our Divinity is taking a back seat to our Humanity. Our Humanity includes our ego— that wandering monkey-mind ready to pounce on anything that doesn’t make sense to it. At less than 51%, we are likely to not even be aware of our Divinity; instead, we are unconscious beings bouncing around, responding to the latest stimuli or social convention.
How can one get to a 51% presence of Divinity within, while not using Yang energy to force or make it happen? The answer lies in how one applies all of the other elements of The Periodic Table of Spiritual Elements to increase one’s sense of Divinity. Ideally, when we are in Meditation, we are being at least 51% of our True self, since we are observing and, in fact, shedding the ego in the process. We cannot force ourselves into a meditative state; we must instead provide time and space in which our true selves can emerge, resulting in this state naturally. When we feel truly Grateful, our Divine nature is also operating at least 51%, as oppose to when we are feeling entitled or ungrateful.
You can also start applying the 51% rule to the other paradoxes, such as the ones listed in the previous section. Start “Being” at least 51% of the time in your life instead of “Doing,” and so forth. Overall, we get to the 51% threshold by surrendering into it and by allowing it to happen.
The 51% Rule is Mystery over Mastery (see Introduction). With Mystery over Mastery, we allow the ocean to be bigger than the beach and the unknown greater than the known.
“Know the masculine, but keep to the feminine.” -Lao Tzu
Masculine/Feminine
I personally shy away from using the language of “feminine” or “masculine” because if you ask a dude to engage more of his “feminine” energy, the first thing they are going to do is whip their Yang out. I plea for men to get over the language in general, or use the Yin/Yang language instead. The truth is that more men need to get their Yin on. If they did this, the world will be a better place and more awakening would occur. You can still be masculine and be awakened and aware.
The solution to the problem of the day is the awakening of the consciousness of humanity to the divinity within” -Hazrat Inayat Khan
The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth
“The meek shall inherit the Earth” is a paraphrased line attributed to Jesus in the New Testament. The line has always intrigued me because it is paradoxical. It has a Zen koan-like feel to it. Our society values power, domination, action and doing. We are rewarded for such. This claim conflicts with these traditional power dynamics. Meekness and humility, instead of brute force and entitlement, are to be rewarded?
This concept is, overall, very Yin. The line could read “The Yin Shall Inherit the Earth.” The phrase praises a Yin-inclined way of being while conversely warning against a Yang-inclined way of being.
“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
This is another lovely paradox from that same document. It might imply that those who aggressively charge ahead to make some kind of enlightenment occur, wanting to be first in line at the pearly gates, will not make it, while those who do not try to force their way in will be rewarded.
Humanity is actually empowered and rewarded in life by leaning more towards Yin. We win by Surrender. We inherit a kingdom by bowing down and a spiritual abundance as manifested in those most soul-full qualities of Truth, Love, Bliss and Equanimity. We only win when we achieve a mastery of bowing into the mystery that is the Divine.
The quandary in this is that the skills, abilities and way of being which typically lead to practical, Earthly success and achievement may not apply to spiritual growth and awakening. Our ways of doing and achieving have to be supplanted by being and allowing─ and ever so humbly so.
It seems counter-intuitive to us at this point in our development that true strength and abundance lie in surrender. With the notion of being receptive and bowing into mystery/Divinity, however, we open a door that allows us to connect with the totality of Divine power. The more Earthly and Yang habit of attempting to control and dominate our environment may give us a false or limited sense of power in the moment and within our immediate domain. Surrender , bowing into the mystery, requires a suspension of total control— or, more accurately, an acceptance of the fact that we never had total control in the first place. This suspension may feel scary to us, but when we do it, we experience the greater and transcendent strength and power that comes from being Connected to God.
“Be humble for you are made of earth; be noble for you are made of stars.” -Serbian proverb
Awakening Resists Force
Awakening processes, being Yin, resist force, manipulation and control. We instead go along with what Divinity wants to occur, bow to it and be receptive. We don’t presuppose the knowledge of how we can make awakening happen beyond being subservient to the process. We look and feel for guidance. We follow our Intuition. If in doubt, we go further into being “meek.” We are humble and allow ourselves to “just be.” When in doubt, just be. Those who can “just be” will inherit the Earth.
“God dwells in you, as you, and you don’t have to ‘do’ anything to be God-realized or Self-realized, it is already your true and natural state. Just drop all seeking, turn your attention inward, and sacrifice your mind to the One Self radiating in the Heart of your very being, for this to be your own presently lived experience.” -Ramana Maharshi
ALCHEMY
Trinity arises through the alchemy of our Humanity and Divinity integrating, allowing for awakening (a ratio of 51% Divinity to 49% Humanity, at the very least).
Trinity can be supported by any unique combination of all of the other Spiritual Elements that might help the aforementioned alchemy to occur.
Equanimity may create a peaceful internal place from which to operate and see how awakening might best be catalyzed.
Intuition might play a role in lighting a path to Trinity.
Reason may be helpful in a ratio subservient to Intuition. Once the subservient role is understood and accepted, we can rationally understand the concept of surrender and bow into Mystery. We can rationally deduce what might guide us in fulfilling our Intuitions to get there.
Acceptance acknowledges that within us which is Divine and that which is Human.
Non-Attachment will help one to not hold too tightly to the desired result of awakening and try to force it to happen. It can also help us let go of negative manifestations of our Humanity, such as anger, in order to recognize both our own Divinity and the Divinity that lives in others.
Surrender may help one to “Lean Yin.”
Light will help you to: Be Like A Feather (see that element).
PRACTICE
- Daily Meditation of just 7-10 minutes can help to shed the ego so that we are 51% of our True self. This, along with Mindfulness in general, can serve to create an internal place of Equanimity from which the alchemy of Trinity might best occur.
- Monitor any form of “black and white” thinking that you might engage in, in which you see the world or yourself in extremes. Explore how such thoughts might be reconciled. Some ways to go about this include, but are not limited to, writing them down and analyzing them at different times of day (when you are in different moods/have had different experiences), discussing your black-and-white thoughts with someone close to you who you feel can shed light on the issue, and intentionally reading or viewing material that promotes the “black” side of your thoughts— that directly contradicts, or at least destabilizes, the point of view to which you are holding fast.
- Apply the 51% Rule, as applicable, to the other Spiritual Elements, i.e. always be at least 51% Grateful in comparison to not being grateful or feeling entitled, be at least 51% humble relative to arrogance. Allow for a higher ratio of these elements at all times.
- Practice yoga. Yoga teaches us to not attempt to force a particular pose to happen. We surrender into the pose instead and allow gravity to take effect. In this way, our Bodies naturally relax and open into the pose.
PRAYER/MANTRA
I Am an Angel; I Am an Earthling; I Am an Angel and an Earthling as they are One.
I Am Human; I Am Divine; I Am Integrated
I Love and Accept Who I Am; I Am Open to Change and Improvement
I Am the Forest; I Am the Tree; I Am Trinity
I Am Perfectly Me.
I Am an Empowered, Conscious Being.