You are not of this world, you are only in it, Jesus said on the eve of his crucifixion (John 17:16).

His words are perplexing. When I look down, I see two feet planted on earth’s grass. I see my shoes walking on sidewalk cement.

“If we’re not of this world, but only in it, then what world are we from?” I asked the Creator one morning.

As I sat in the quiet and pondered, God’s answer appeared in the silence.

We’re part of two worlds—the outer physical world and the inner spiritual world.

The physical world is the one we can touch and see. It’s made up of trees and people and buildings. It’s the Divine Spirit of Love made manifest in form. It’s beautiful—pure essence. But we often make it a superstar world with NFL drafts, supersonic rock concerts, and let-me- entertain-you distractions.

The inner world is different. It’s much quieter than the outer physical world. We can’t touch it or see it, but we can access it in our hearts.

Our inner world connects us with the wisdom and guidance from what some call a “higher-dimensional aspect of ourselves” In the Christian tradition, we call it our soul or sacred heart—the place where our human hearts connect with the Divine Heart as One.

Like a high frequency radio, when we tune into our hearts, we experience unconditional love and direction from the Creator.  In our hearts, the physical and spiritual worlds intersect. In our inner world we find wholeness and balance. Peace.

The outer world is noisy and often drowns out our inner world. We are all from this inner realm, but if we lose our connection with it, we become confused, overwhelmed. We seek one thrill or distraction after another, none of which satisfy us.

If we want to live as a Whole Being, we need to seek the balance between our outer world and inner world. Each day we need to step away from the outside world’s distractions and enter our inner world so we can hear the quiet voice of the Divine. Like going to the gym to exercise our bodies, daily meditation, contemplation, and other spiritual practices allow us to live from the other world Jesus refers to.

The kingdom of God is within you. The dwelling place of Divine Love is in your soul. There, in your sacred heart, the Divine is tucked safely in your chest.

There’s a white light that flames within you. Can you feel its warmth? Can you feel the tender beating of the Divine Heart in your heart? Can you feel the breath of the Holy Spirit flowing in and through your lungs?

Enter the silence each day, and you will experience this inner world where the Divine and you live as One. That’s the world we are from—now and forever.

It’s a timeless world beyond space, beyond thinking. We just have to leave the outer world behind for a few moments each day to reconnect with this inner place of Spirit and love.

The outer world has as its symbols—rock stars, football heroes, and holier-than-thou politicians filled with lights and glamor.

The inner world has as its image a crucified man. That man let himself be stripped of everything so he could die to himself in the outer world and rise again from the inner world of unconditional love. That’s the path of life he showed us.

Like Christ, if we want to enter the Inner World and rise again to our Authentic Self, we must let go of everything we think we are in our outside egoic world and be stripped of the false layers of personality we’ve picked up over the years so we can rise again and live more fully from the Inner World within us.

That is what it means to die to self.  We unlearn the false teachings the world piles on us.  We let go of the onion skins of hurt and pain we’ve used as protective layers.

You and I are the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection of the body of the Risen One who dwells in our sacred hearts. We are the Word made flesh—stardust of eternal light and love with skin.

We are called to live in this world as a divine vessel creating more love and light in the outer world.

Be present during quiet times and throughout the day with the Divine in your inner world. Then, you will experience what it means to live in the outer world but not be “of it.”

As you take the journey to your Inner Self, you will find Oneness with the world you are truly from.  In your Inner World you will discover Inner Peace.

(“The journey inward is not only an awareness of the Inner Self, but also an experiential grasp of God as present within our Inner Self.”)
-Thomas Merton

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.com

Spiritual Practice:
Guided Meditations as a path to your inner self

Click the link below to InJoy a smorgasbord of Guided Meditations I’ve created over the years.
See which ones speak to you.
Then find a quiet place and time to listen and enter into your heart space—your Inner World.
Take the journey each day into your Inner Self

Click Here for Guided Meditations

Here Are More Resources to Support Your Inner Journey:

Free Upcoming Webinar:

Twelve Time-Tested Spiritual Practices That Open the Door to Inner Peace, Joy, and Wisdom

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Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2022

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