How can I be absolutely certain that I am a spiritual entity?

First, consider whether or not you are just ‘matter’. All the molecules in your body are replaced completely about every seven years. Therefore you are obviously not this substance. For your particles today will not be ‘you’ ‘tomorrow’.

Are you consciousness? An entity that uses the brain to be aware? Like other animals? Determined by form and particular instinctual drives and conditioning. Yes, you are a talented primate with needs and desires. You share many traits with ‘creatures’. Your DNA is similar to rats. Whoa!! How did that happen??

Yes, you are an animal. You probably act like one most of the time: Eating, sleeping, burping. But … Oh? Attracted to butts are you? Their shape? Rounded? Alluring? Yes? Maybe you want to follow one around. Get close to a particular butt. Touch it. Yah!! STOP IT!! Behave yourself. You do have natural drives. Copulation can be great fun. And necessary for the propagation of the species. But you CAN restrain yourself. You can decide to ‘act’ or not to ‘act’. You are not solely determined by instinct. You can decide what you think and what you do. This makes you unique: You can MAKE CHOICES. You are a being that can transcend matter. You do not have to ‘act out’ only in accordance with nature. You can consider and contemplate ten thousand ways of dealing with a situation. You can stop and reflect anytime you wish. And you can do the opposite of what nature compels you to do. You have FREE WILL. And despite what ‘determinist junkies’ assert, YOU ARE NOT DETERMINED SOLEY BY YOUR GENES AND CONDITIONING. You can do what the hell you want!! You can always alter the way you deal with life’s many challenges. You can travel down many different ‘roads’; you can find one that is best suited for you. ANIMALS ARE NOT CAPABLE OF SELF-DETERMINATION. ONLY YOU ARE.

Secondly, you do so many things that are not ‘natural’. Just one ability, creating and appreciating beauty, is enough to tell you how different you are from any other life form. Only you stand in awe of color, texture, design and order. Only you rearrange matter not only for practical purposes but for aesthetics. And there is NO LIMIT to where your imagination can take you. It stirs an unbridled passion and drive to ‘embrace’ and reorder the ‘universe’.

You have infinite choices: Gaze at the stars, clouds, flowers, deer … construct bridges, skyscrapers, sports cars, costumes. Your ‘eye’ for beauty and your penchant for creating it set you apart from all else in the natural world. Animals do not gaze at rainbows and sunsets. Only YOU do. Why? Your spiritual nature transcends your animal nature. You are existing in another ‘realm’ … one that may be influenced by ‘matter’ and physical experiences but is not determined by them.

Still in doubt that you are a spiritual entity? Talk to an octogenarian. You will be amazed to hear so many say they feel ‘young at heart’. What do they mean? Though their bodies have deteriorated their spirits have not. For ‘they’ are ageless. And being unencumbered by material pursuits many of these ‘experienced souls’ relish ‘beauty’ more and more. They enjoy concerts, plays, flower shows. Attend some yourself. You will see a preponderance of ‘grey heads’… bald ones too. Think about it. These are individuals who have matured. They are uninhibited in using their unique, spiritual abilities … to find joy in beauty, both natural and manmade. Not such a bad prospect for you as you age!! So listen to the music … smell the fragrant flowers. If you are in doubt that you are a unique entity destined for LOVE, you are in for a nice surprise when you die.

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