(I am not going to discuss Jesus or the Holy Spirit in this post.. I wish to only discuss one part of the Holy Trinity.. What is referred to as 'The Father'.) My religious upbringing focused mainly on 'The Son'. I am grateful for all that I was taught. But recently, I have been seeking to learn more about what I was not taught.. I remember when I was nine, I had a silver dollar, that I was told was special. I put it in the collection basket during Mass because I wanted to help a friend of the family who was dying of cancer. I felt that this sacrifice would be a way to get our prayers answered.. However, I felt much puzzlement when he died anyway..
So we want to know, does God answer prayers, reward the deserving, and punish the wicked? From what I have learned this can happen but not necessarily in the way most believe.. I don't believe there is a God that sits on a thrown bestowing judgment on our human weaknesses.. This is a human concept of God.. I believe in a God (or insert your word for God) that loves unconditionally.. One way we may get insight into this love is when we are raising children. In a manner of speaking, We are ALL children of God..
So who/what is God?
I feel certain that God is not a person, place or thing.
Therefore no human being can accurately describe God.. The wise have said that "If they know, they don't speak." I have learned it is much like the Tao Te Ching has described.. "The name that can be named is not the eternal name."
I have heard many names or labels in an attempt to talk about that which is beyond words. Some may call this God, Allah, Yahweh, Cosmic Consciousness, The Tao, Source, Unconditional Love and other labels.. These names are an attempt to speak of 'what is' that can't be described.
So how does one conduct the teaching of no words? It is often suggested that we should seek silence.. These spiritual teachers are not talking about a quiet place.. They are talking about
silencing the voices (mind chatter) that is continually active in our waking (and sometimes sleeping) minds.. Some can achieve this 'awakening' in prayer or during a religious retreat while others choose meditation with/without chants.. Some feel the presence of God through surrender or the act of giving it all to God. Yet, some spiritual awakenings have happened for no known reasons.
To end this post, let me wish everyone a Joyous Holiday Season.
May you be blessed with Love and Peace..
As an addition to this post, I was at a funeral service recently where it was said, "GOD IS LOVE." And, I think I would add to that by saying.. "GOD IS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE."
But what is love? What is unconditional love?
If I say that God is Love then it would follow, from my post, that no words could define the Love that IS God.. Any definition I would give it, would be a human judgment.. But what I can do, is perhaps give examples of how we often recognize LOVE..
Love is:
> the Tears in your mother's eye when it is time to say good-bye.
> the Joy in your heart when see a 5 year old make an old man smile.
> the Artwork or Music you created/experienced that gave you inner peace.
> the Laughter in your belly when someone tells you a good funny story.
> the Ache in your heart when you see a child cry.
> the Strength to forgive for the pain inflicted upon you, even when you know things will never be the same.
> the Appreciation for all that you have..
> the Commitments you keep in spite of the struggles..
> the Elation of seeing God's work.. Be it sunrise, sunset, mountain or ocean..
> the High of getting past that obstacle that almost had you beat.
> the Affection rained on you by a good friend.
> the Smiles given after the sharing of good news..
> and the Tears shared when the news is not so good..
> the Discovery that we are all ONE
> the Realization that All Creatures, Great and Small are also a part of God..
> the Tears in your mother's eye when it is time to say good-bye.
> the Joy in your heart when see a 5 year old make an old man smile.
> the Artwork or Music you created/experienced that gave you inner peace.
> the Laughter in your belly when someone tells you a good funny story.
> the Ache in your heart when you see a child cry.
> the Strength to forgive for the pain inflicted upon you, even when you know things will never be the same.
> the Appreciation for all that you have..
> the Commitments you keep in spite of the struggles..
> the Elation of seeing God's work.. Be it sunrise, sunset, mountain or ocean..
> the High of getting past that obstacle that almost had you beat.
> the Affection rained on you by a good friend.
> the Smiles given after the sharing of good news..
> and the Tears shared when the news is not so good..
> the Discovery that we are all ONE
> the Realization that All Creatures, Great and Small are also a part of God..
by NoniD
Namaste, my sister Noni. I have very much enjoyed following your thoughts. This post was my favorite for many reasons. As a child I suffered the same conflicts with Christianity you express today. I would like to humbly share my views for your consideration.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I first began my search a little over 30 years ago. I knew there must be more love and peace in my life. I knew my religion had deceived me but I was a babe in the woods uncertain of where to turn.
After careful study of all world religions I came to see how the weaves of ignorance form similar global tapestries. Moving into philosophy I determined greater truth. Advanced science coupled with ancient Shamanic traditions allowed me to escape the illusion of ego self.
All religions maintain God " CREATED " the universe. This God judges our actions in this life so that he may bestow reward or punishment. Religion will use the carrot and stick to hold sway followers. By example, Catholicism uses heaven and hell, Muslims strive to earn a favored presence with Allah in the afterlife and Buddhists concern themselves with the desire to enjoy a favorable rebirth in the eternal wheel of time.
Spiritual truth displays a significant contrast. The master expresses a God which " BECAME " the universe. This fundamental shift in understanding allows one to determine all manifest reality is God. You are God, I am God, the desk you sit at and the words you read and write are God. There is nothing which is not God.
Many people who are faced with this truth will argue; " If all is God then how come there is evil in the world?"
To answer this intelligent query one must understand the natural law of duality. Choice can only be derived from duality, hot cannot be experienced without a reference for cold. Up cannot exist without there being a down. We cannot choose love without an expression of fear to offer contrast. The purpose of being, is in choosing from a plethora of options one inevitable path which will lead back to the unity of ONE. This experiential transit from the ONE to the many and back to the ONE is known in Vedic tradition as the breath of Brahma.
With this truth instilled in the heart, a person no longer sees the illusion of separation. Instead, we see all as ONE. We release the trappings of ego; fear, want, desire, judgment, lack, hate, self abasement are justly determined as constructs of the primary illusion of separation. Also released are the illusions fed by the ego; time, space, separation, physicality, good verses evil.
You will never die, you will never be born. You are not the body ego self " I ". You are eternal consciousness, you are the GodSlef. You may believe your daughter or son is separate from you, born after you, younger than you. This, my dear sister is illusion. You and your children are GOD, everything and nothing, the Alpha and the Omega.
In conclusion, I see in you the opportunity to determine your divine essence. Very few souls are ready for this journey. Very few have the capacity to understand the language of their heart. I invite you to enter my gymnasium of the mind. Explore the illusions which dis empower your GodSelf essence.
As a long time seeker of truth it has become my path to offer information to fellow adherents. With this offer I present my blog site as a library of truth. From a scientific and spiritual perspective you may determine reality. There are over 300 free videos available which are designed to ease our path.
God dances with God in the perfect eternal moment of NOW, come dance with me.
In Lak' esh, my dear sister, love is all there is, all else is illusion...