Spirit as Life-Force: Symbol, Archetype – Origins, Myth and Meaning - A Brief Sketch (5 page)

"Spirit as Life-Force" is a profound symbol-archetype deeply embedded in early human cultures throughout the world. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the genesis of spirit as life-force is rooted in the Hebrew word Ruach, which translates as "wind," "breath," or "spirit." The Book of Genesis opens with the act of creation and the role of Spirit: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." This portrayal of the Spirit of God highlights its integral role in bringing life and order to the cosmos. In the Old Testament, Job 32:8 states, "But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding." Exodus 31:3 proclaims: "I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills." In a similar line of thought, Albert Einstein observed "[O]ur perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds---it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity!" Socrates observed "Wonder is the beginning of wisdom! Abraham Joshua Heschel, author and theologian, made the same observation: "Wonder rather than doubt is the root of all knowledge!" Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274). who dominated thirteenth-century Europe in philosophy and theology, similarly observed, "Wonder is the desire for knowledge!" Spirituality is a Natural Predisposition that likely emerged at the dawn of humanity Bishop and Hyde emphasize that "Spirituality is a natural human predisposition! It is more primal than institutional religion and concerns a person's sense of connectedness with self, others, and the world!" (K. Bishop, B. Hyde). This inherent spiritual tendency can be traced back to ancient times, perhaps best illustrated by the origins of music. The oldest known musical instruments date back 40,000 years. A. Killin, suggest that musical "capabilities" may have originated as long as 275,000 years ago – which means that spirituality dates back to the dawn of humanity.