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Infinite Power within us and the truth of who we are |
caught in the roller of n electric typewriter. --Woody Allen
The Perennial Philosophy
While the ultimate image of God has varied from culture to culture, it's undeniable that man has always sensed something, which might be called divine. And this sense is so pervasive and in many ways so consistent that there has come to be a common acceptance of some eternal truths. At the center of these truths is always the idea that man is more than his physical body, that he is in some way himself eternal. He senses a divine essence within him--that he is part of everything else that exists. As part of these feelings, there is also the impetus to contribute to the common good and help his fellow man. There is a natural impulse toward compassion, to feel one with all of humanity.
This concept of universal eternal truths has been referred to as the Perennial Philosophy. The German philosopher Liebniz brought the term into common usage (though he does not take credit for being the first to use it). Such perceptions and feelings, though not always at the surface of awareness and also not always evident in our thoughts and behaviors, persist through the centuries and transcend geographic boundaries. The ideas are the source of all of the wisdom of the ages, appear in many forms in the sacred texts of most religions and seem to be the content of the teachings of all the great enlightened masters and sages since the beginning of time. The writer Aldous Huxley devoted a book to the subject of comparative religions (titled The Perennial Philosophy) in which he described this universal experience of a divine reality of which he states, "may be found among the traditionary lore of primitive peoples in every region of the world, and in its fully developed forms, it has a place in every one of the higher religions".
Man may experience in his quiet moments, that he is part of the Divine, but that feeling is elusive enough for most of us that it is usually supplanted by the conclusion that there is a superior intelligence, separate from us. Feeling so small, inadequate and powerless in comparison, man allows his rational thinking to override his intuitive knowing.
Resurrecting The Truth About God
What we can perceive is related to the density of matter. We can't, merely with our five senses, directly observe a particular being that we would identify as God. For that which is referred to as God, is principle. Discoveries in quantum physics suggest that energy is conscious and that the distinctions between matter and energy are not as clearly defined as we tend to think. Matter, in fact, is energy appearing as material form. We may not be able to perceive a particular being as I said, when looking for God, but since everything is energy and energy is conscious, are we not seeing god in everything, everywhere? Thus, our preferred term for that called God, All That Is.
We can begin to perceive energy as it manifests within the sensitivity range of our physical senses. We can think of it as energy clumping together, becoming dense enough to be seen, heard, felt, smelled, tasted. We can also experience energy in its non-physical state through our connection to Infinite Mind. Here we use our so-called sixth sense. This sixth sense is our facility to receive divine guidance; it includes intuition, clairvoyance, feelings, etc. Because it goes beyond our ordinary five senses, we often refer to it as extrasensory. We tend to limit our perception of reality to that which is tangible and what we can observe with our five sense mechanism. But what we can observe is constantly changing as we develop new technologies to observe beyond the limitations of our unaided senses. Clearly, by that measure, reality is far from fixed.
Since everything is energy, it could be said that God is only energy, a vibration. But when we talk about God, we are referring to that aspect of All that is creative Intelligence. It is Infinite Intelligence, Infinite Consciousness, Universal Subconsious Mind, Infinite Power, Infinite Love. It is us (as well as everything else). All of these are one thing, the same thing. When we say infinite love, it also means infinite power. (It is this idea that is behind the alternative words for God that we presented in the list in Part 1 and use interchangeably throughout.) Infinite Consciousness taking on form--the intangible becoming tangible. Energy, of course, takes on any form which thought provides, from the tiniest due drop to galaxies with a million suns.
We observe much predictable behavior in nature and the universe. Where this is the case, we describe these phenomena in terms of physical laws. Physical laws govern what we think of as the material world. But there is a component to these laws that relate to our inner world, our spiritual realm. We refer to these as spiritual laws. This is where the insights from quantum physics, that energy is conscious and becomes form, begins to take on real significance. We are coming to understand that these laws have dramatic significance for us in the way in which we live our lives. Energy operates according to the law of attraction, which can be stated as follows: That which is like, unto itself is drawn. Obviously, this law of attraction is evident in the physical world as demonstrated by electromagnetic polarity. But thought is also energy, attracting to it similar thoughts. The phenomenon of intuition and clairvoyance are manifestations of the law of attraction, just as is physical magnetism.
Unbiased But With Good Intent
So we have this power operating in a predictable way. It doesn't matter whether or not you recognize this power as God or call it God. It doesn't matter whether you are reverent or an atheist. It doesn't even matter whether or not the individual consciously recognizes the working of the law. It still remains the power that it is. Its purpose remains undeterred; its ways of operating remain consistent.
Spiritual laws are often described as being neutral. In other words, they work just like gravity or electricity in that they play no favorites, have no opinion or judgment. They are not laws of morality and are unconcerned about good or evil (these concepts are simply subjective judgments we make). There is no punishment. The laws work exactly the same for everyone without bias or preference. The thing that really matters is whether or not you are going to work in harmony with the laws. For even when they are providing you experiences that you don't like, they are still working consistently. Those who don't believe in a higher power are utilizing the same powers as the "believer" does (regardless of whether they recognize it or not). If you're not happy with your experience, then you must correct your errors with regard to the laws. If the individual understands the principles by which He / She / It / Infinite Intelligence works, then he has the power of control over his/her own life.
Some may find it strange to hear that one need not believe in God. Actually, what do we really mean by the phrase, "believing in God"? Usually, when the phrase is used, it means that the person believes in the Creator, the Supreme Being referred to by religions, i.e., that he's not an atheist or an agnostic. Within particular religious doctrine, the meaning can include more specific ideas as well--such as the Trinity, the Virgin Mary, heaven, hell, grace, salvation, etc. Implicit in this understanding is the idea that non-believers (atheists) are pitiable because they do not have God in their life and thus no access to God's grace. By that accounting, they are totally lost souls with no possibility of salvation.
We mean something quite different than that when we speak of belief in God here. What we mean is knowing that you are worthy of and capable of receiving and attaining everything you desire. Without really thinking about God at all, this belief will, by the simple law of attraction, likely be enough for a person to live a fairly fulfilled life. Such a person is in harmony with the spiritual laws of the universe. To get a better understanding of this, consider people who might be raised in an environment where they haven't been filled with thoughts of limitation and also may not have been exposed to religious training. One result is that they may be very connected to One Source (without even understanding what that means) and probably never think about God one way or another. They may consider themselves agnostic or even atheist. But to the extent that they believe in themselves and their power to create the conditions in their lives that they desire, to the extent that they feel that all is well, they are in harmony with spiritual laws. You see, connection to Infinite Mind through "right thinking" attracts conditions of ease and wellness. Contrary to this view, traditional religion might assert that for the atheist, God is not at work in that individual's life at all, and feel that it is unjust that such a person should prosper.
In a sense, it could be said that the atheist might be more connected than someone who believes in God--especially if that belief is in the God of separation. Aren't atheists simply skeptics, people who demand hard and fast physical evidence before they believe anything? As such, many are really only rejecting the idea of organized religion's portrayals of God. Their skepticism, of course, rules out all matters of faith, not only doctrinal -- so that would include these teachings as well. But that doesn't mean they can't feel that all is well and create in accordance with the universal principle of matching energy.
I have described a somewhat passive feeling (that of "all is well") but there is a more active awareness and belief in a higher power. It is knowing that all is well and that the intention of the universe (another reference to the power) is always toward good. It means being totally confident that Infinite Mind will arrange all of the details to bring all of our desires into manifestation so long as our faith and focus of attention is unwavering-- even when things don't unfold as we had planned. It means knowing that Divine Guidance is always available and accessible simply through asking. "Ask and you shall receive; knock and it will be opened." And then there is a level of more keen consciousness that recognizes that all of this power is really love. It is the part from which emanates warmth, compassion and an eagerness to be in the game of life by giving and contributing.
Whether it is at the level of generally flowing with the law of attraction or at the more active level of creation, it could be agreed that we are working with Infinite Mind power. However, the power is still at work whether we are in harmony with it or not. We can't escape the power. Hear that? It's with us, always. We (our minds) are powerful focusing mechanisms of universal energy which is always flowing through us. The Power is not separate from us. Like holding a powerful hose that we can't turn off, we must be conscious how we train it and where we aim it. When we are experiencing pain and misery in our lives, the power of Universal Mind is still at work. Any undesirable conditions we experience are "because" we are such powerful focusers…and don't realize it.
God As All That Is
I cannot
believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time.
-Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
God doesn't require that you study Him, or venerate Him. Since God is All That Is, He is not outside of and beyond oneself. (Note: I am using the masculine pronoun here as a device.) Coming into unity with God has nothing to do with religion or reverence. It has everything to do with operating consistent with the way the Universe operates -- that is to say, the way energy operates. Everything is energy; All That Is is energy; you are energy. Everything we see on this physical plane, all material substance, is energy, having taken on form. So God's not the point (God just is, regardless). You're the point--the point of attraction, experiencing life and events according to your rate of vibration as an energy being. Thought and energy…energy and attraction.
While the laws themselves have no bias, the intent of the universe is still motivated by love. Its movement is always toward furtherance of good. We should attempt to match this intention. The best way to do that is to surrender to what is, to flow with the currents of life, giving up all resistance. If we can trust that the universe is always providing for us according to our vibrational rate, then we can cease resisting and being unhappy about current conditions and circumstances that may not be desirable. We are well served to maintain awareness that the only thing that hinders the flow of good is our own resistance. To allow that which we desire requires that we go with the flow rather than digging in our heels in an attempt to hold it back, as though we are convinced that there is more bad than good coming.
By coming to understand this God, we come to know that our desire is that of the Universe. And that the plan for us to be happy, to live joyfully is as much the plan of Infinite Mind as it is our desire. It is one and the same. It is simply our role to create our lives according to this plan by learning to accept this most wonderful truth. Accepting this truth is of utmost importance. Once we are able to accept that we are unlimited and infinitely powerful, everything else then just falls into place.
The Force Which Powers The All That Is
Lace and frills, hearts and valentines, flowers and rings, couples and adoring smiles and sugar and spice and everything nice. These unfortunately are the foremost images that leap to mind when one sees or hears the word "love". I say "unfortunately" not because there is anything wrong with these images but rather because they limit the idea of love to one that is mostly feminine and soft. For that reason, it's an image that men have difficulty relating to. Many, if not most men, upon seeing a chapter heading labeled "Love", would likely pass it by. The images are inadequate to express the magnificent and limitless power of love. The word doesn't reflect the concept. I would prefer that it included other images, stronger, more weighty ones--maybe not a freight train, but how about something, say like The Force from the Star Wars movies. It should include masculinity as well as the feminine for it is much more than frills and lace. The word love, like the word God, has been distorted (though that's probably fitting for they really are inseparable), wrapped in imagery that casts it as something other than it is.
If God is All That Is, as we have come to see it (i.e., Universal Consciousness), we can understand that it appreciates (loves) all aspects of itself. All physical expression of that consciousness--that includes us--are part of that awesome power of love. When we entered this world however, taking on this physical form, we seemed suddenly to be separate beings as we saw other individual forms that were not us. Our being seemed confined to the seeming limits of our bodies. This feeling of separation is part of the illusion that seems to be a natural part of this physical experience. To the extent that we go with the ego's illusion of separation, we are inconsistent with love. So it is also our work in this experience to come to see the illusion for what it is and to rediscover our oneness. This reorientation, in which we rediscover our eternal and infinite nature, really is the essential purpose of these teachings.
Infinite Mind Seeks To Experience Itself
Universal Subconscious Mind seeks to know itself and experience its glorious and magnificent nature. It is Oneness, All That Is. It is unified consciousness. It can only satisfy its urge to experience itself by experiencing something other than itself. It does that by becoming physical things, units that are separate from each other. In this way, contrast to pure positive consciousness is created. From this desire to know itself by becoming physical matter, this Infinite Intelligence, if you will, has become the physical universe (and beyond it, infinitely so). Our physical world then is Universal Subconscious Mind expressing as material substance. And since it is the purpose of all life to be an expression of All That Is, steadfastly expanding consciousness, life is constantly evolving. The motion of consciousness is always toward expansion--always more--always lifeward, always propelled by love.
The individual physical expressions of All That Is are unique and they are creative. It is through creation that consciousness progresses (evolves). Being unique means that each expression of the Universal Subconscious is different from every other. If this were not true, there would be no point in creating "other". Nothing different can be learned from sameness. And so we come to understand that each one of us is one of those unique expressions of God. We are expressing in our own unique and individual ways, pushing consciousness forward as is the plan.
Understanding this, we can see why conformity, whether blindly followed or imposed upon, goes against the intent of the universe. This is why totalitarian, authoritarian or fundamentalist states remain stuck. No new ideas are "allowed" (a key word in these teachings). New ideas are necessary for advancement, whether in technology, politics or arts and culture.
Our Physical Selves
We as human beings are part of the Universal Subconscious, also spun off into physical form with the purpose of expanding consciousness. Like everything in the universe, our bodies are made up of atoms, gobs of energy gathered together in such density and manner as to be perceived as the form our body has taken. The particular individual form it takes is directly a result of and consistent with our thought, belief and focus of attention. It is the focused center of our individualized consciousness. In fact, the particular atoms that you are attracting this moment are not the same atoms that any other thing is attracting.
Our focus upon our bodies and lack of awareness of our eternal aspect causes our sense of separation from the rest of creation. This perception is an illusion. To take a look at this from a different perspective, consider how things might appear at the atomic level. From science, we know that the atom is made up of smaller particles--neutrons, protons, electrons among others. We know that at the sub-atomic level, there is more space between the particles than there is matter. Therefore, if we apply this to our bodies, as dense as our flesh and bone may seem, there is far more "empty" space than matter. If our eyes were capable of zooming into views such that one could see at the magnifications of a powerful microscope, we might be surprised to find that where our skin seems to meet air may not be so clearly defined as we think. These seeming limits of ourselves, as has been stated in other ways, are an illusion. We are all one and the same, while at the same time, we are individual expressions.
While we are part of All That Is, we are purposefully provided with free will (the power to make individualized choices) in order that we may express our individual and unique purpose. In this way, we do our part in pushing consciousness forward.
One of the great ironies is that those who believe in a universal consciousness of which we are all one, place a high value on individuality--not conformity, while those who believe they are separate from all other, gravitate toward conformity in the outer. To the latter, sameness and predictability are less threatening, more comfortable.
Next, the psychological components and mechanisms behind the illusion of separation and limitation.
End Part 2
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© Jan, 2001-2006, William Gunderson
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