4. Divinity

The divine is not something high above us. It is in heaven, it is in earth, it is inside us.

- Morihei Ueshiba

Have you ever found yourself in a situation of such joy, amazement and flow that nothing else in the world mattered to you? Have you been the centre of attention, and as a result, felt empowered and full of life? Or have you found yourself on the opposite end of the spectrum, feeling completely isolated, staring in on a group of people having a great time? Did you find yourself saying “I don’t belong here,” or asking “What am I doing here?” Between these two extremes, you can be sure you have ventured in and out of the heart of divinity.

Divinity is a magnetic core which draws life energy toward its seemingly transcendental reality. Entering into it feels different. There is something sacred about it, almost uncanny. It gives those who embody it an alluring presence. Everyone wants to be around them, and they feel at home within themselves, happy to be exactly where they are. A person in such a state becomes whole, and feels like they are at the centre of the world.

Divinity goes far beyond self-esteem. It legitimises your right to exist, and gives you the unshakeable sense that you embody the truth — and that nobody can tell you otherwise. For a king or queen, this quality is reinforced by the people and the state. Others claim it was bestowed upon them by God. They are not far from the truth. Just as kings and queens possess it, so do their royal subjects. The only missing ingredients for the average person are awareness of its existence within them, and faith in their capacity to channel it. Like breathing or walking, a person who embodies divinity does so without effort. They merely remove the obstacles and allow this energy to act through them. While narcissists try to conjure the illusion of divinity in the minds of others, the divine person experiences it by simply being themselves. There is no ego involved.

A child is born embodying this state, believing themselves to be at the centre of the universe. Before the ego emerges, the child knows themselves only through bodily sensations and sees themselves only through the eyes of their mother. When the ego comes on the scene, the child begins to identify with a mind-created ‘I.’ This ‘I’ is shaped by the child’s environment, which when abusive and dysfunctional enough, can leave them believing that they are illegitimate and flawed. Much like a cloud-covered sky, the child loses faith in themselves, and forgets that the sun exists. In this way, the ego acts as a filter which can either maximise the potential of the True Self, or lock it up in a psychological cage. If divinity is seen and encouraged by the child’s loved ones, then the emotion of pride swells. Knowing that they have both the legitimacy and capacity to expand, the child feels empowered and confident enough to make their mark on the world.

Pride: The governing emotion of divinity

As children, our self-esteem is entirely dependent on how our guardians and family perceive us. Their approval inflated us with pride, giving us the go-ahead to keep being who we were and keep doing what we were doing. Whether grounded in reality or not, pride can have a profound impact on our personality. Narcissism is, of course, the perfect example of pride that is not grounded in truth. Because they lack true security, a narcissist cannot channel vitality from within. They have invested their pride wholly into a grandiose, false construct, and their target, lacking a sense of divinity, buys into this lie.

Self-sustaining divinity bases itself on a foundation of security, vitality and tenacity. It is reinforced by the knowledge that no matter what happens outside, your True Self will always be there, waiting for you to claim it. A person typically draws pride from their status, deeds and successes. For example, someone born into an affluent family or who excels at their craft finds a reason to have pride. They inflate physically and psychologically, feeling themselves brush up against the divine within. Unfortunately, such a way of experiencing divinity is always fleeting, dependent on external factors to maintain it. A family can lose its wealth, and skill and good fortune can only take you so far. Divinity is an energetic state drawn from the knowledge that no matter what happens outside, your core remains intact. Holding you back is your conditioning, belief system and emotional investment in how others perceive you, as well as a lack of faith in your True Self. The modern world can be a cunning place, providing ample ‘reasons’ for a person to lose touch with their spiritual centre.

When divinity is disrupted

Returning to the example of a child, as long as the parent engages, protects and validates them, the child maintains legitimacy. If the parent ignores, abandons or attacks the child, then the ‘bubble’ bursts, and the child falls from grace. Their centre is overwhelmed by the death instinct.

Divinity requires momentum. With a secure emotional baseline and trust in the world, vitality flows. With the capacity to hold that energy under tension, a person can experience the boundaries of their inner ‘realm,’ and divinity establishes itself. The loss of this fragile balance for long periods causes enormous damage to the psyche, and regaining a sense of the divine grows progressively more difficult as the years pass, and as negative emotional patterns take over. Yet those who lack connection to divinity never stop longing for it. As a result, they become more susceptible to the charms of narcissists, who are skilled at conjuring the illusion of grandeur.

Becoming stuck in divinity

Some families value reputation above all else. Achievements which bring pride to the group are showered with approval — anything else is dismissed at best, and attacked and ridiculed at worst. Moreover, success is high up on the list of valued traits in our society, which can further wound a person’s sense of pride if they fail to measure up. Add to this being born into an underprivileged life, and the pain grows unbearable. Rejection, bullying, ridicule, falling short — all of it can add up. The result is a deep yearning to be valued by others, no matter the cost. When we pursue pride as the antidote for deep-seated pain, it becomes a despairing journey. Approval by others is fleeting, and is dependent on numerous factors which can be soul-wrenching to maintain. Narcissism is a classic example of this form of Sisyphean venture for validation which is never enough.

When divinity is established

Certain families value love, security, humility and community, which are all strengthened by connecting to one’s divine nature. To give the best of yourself to others and be of service, you need to feel you have the capacity and the legitimacy to act outwardly. That is divinity at its best. It is the sacred essence of a container filled with vitality and trust. When your inner ‘kingdom’ is in harmony, everyone benefits.

However, there is still one missing element. Divinity unchecked quickly leads to an inflation of power, which in time corrupts. It needs a counter-force; something to keep it in check lest it develop into hubris. The civilised world is a petri dish of expanding forces which must coexist. Living in harmony with yourself is not enough; knowledge of the world and those in it is also required. You need to know when to shine and when to hold back. Just because you can, does not mean you must. Rather than always taking the limelight, there will be times when you need to support someone else in expressing their fullness. That is what being a leader is about. This skill requires not only intelligence, but also a connection to one’s emotions and intuition via their gut-brain. Millenia of evolution have led us here, and establishing harmony within our ‘realm’ reveals the treasure-trove which we have inherited from our ancestors.