The Destruction of the Personality

It's like a big fist breaking down my door
I never felt such a love before

- Bruce Cockburn

Imma have to go ahead and say that froggy AuntBeaN's definition of spirituality is my fave ever:

The definition of spirituality that works best for me is the idea of connecting with something beyond our own ego boundary, our own sense of ourselves. That's a pretty wide definition, because it includes just about any experience where you get outside yourself-- say, connecting with a larger group at a concert or rally, or with the natural world (on a hike or walking or jogging), or reading, or a variety of other situations besides just the standard religious definition. I don't understand exactly what happens, but I don't think you need to understand it intellectually in order to experience it.  So I've accepted my lack of understanding and pursued it (spirituality) anyway.  Pursued it because spiritual experiences deeply enrich my life.

Hallelujah, preach it, and all that good stuff. I don't even think I can add one thing to that. Maybe I can find a song...

Ah, here's one, from one of my poet faves, Bruce Cockburn. Here's what he said about the song:

"What it's about to me is sort of the destruction of the personality by love; personality and ego and all the things involved in that. Its also about driving through the city streets on a rainy night."

(Lyrics follow the video, if you just want to read.)



After the rain in the streets light flows like blood
I can just taste salt on the humid wind

Here comes that gasoline
Spreading hungry rainbow over shiny black tar

I'm blown like smoke and blind as wind
Except for when your love breaks in

    Maybe to those who love is given sight
    To pierce the wall of seeming night
    And know it pure beyond all imagining

Engine throb street cruise light bullet car flash
Hollow beauty night gleam oily river tension glass

Ultraflame! Glittering dust falling in slow motion
Clouds tumbling one over another into apparent emptiness

It's like a big fist breaking down my door
I never felt such a love before

    Maybe to those who love it's given to hear

    Music too high for the human ear

    And clear as hydrogen to go singing