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Page 1 of 2
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Understanding
how the universe works and who we really are
helps us to create the life we desire
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PART
1
Introductory
Note
Most of our problems
in this physical experience are the result of our resisting the
natural flow of good that the universe is always sending our
way. We erect barriers that stop the flow. We desire good and
at the same time disallow it. The book in progress from which
these articles are adapted is aimed at teaching frustrated "resisters",
who think they will never make a breakthrough, about that part
of them that is the center of resistance. It describes the fear
and separation from which it stems. It describes the defense
mechanisms and thinking style associated with fear and separation.
We discuss these things to point out that all separation from
one's good is the result of a massive illusion, is not something
imposed us against our will and that once understood and seen
for what it is, it can be seen as silly, and then, finally released. From personal experience, I know of what I speak. I thought I
was the world champ resister; I could not allow myself to experience
joy and fulfilling peace of mind. I experienced ups and downs
over which I "seemed" to have no control. I began seeking
answers over 25 years ago, to little avail. Yet, my roller coaster
ride did not seem to really change much. I began to think I would
never "get it". So then the question became why this
information helped to transform some but not others. I eventually
discovered that my "efforts" actually were causing
my life's circumstances to deteriorate. There is an explanation
for that and it will be addressed in this series of articles.
Though I intellectually understood the teachings, I was not able
to apply them. A hint: it's about energy -- not about knowledge
(though knowledge is valuable in that it brings with it, understanding).
Eventually,
things became so bad for me that all outer action produced little
but undesirable results. I finally realized that the harder I
worked out there in the world, the worse things became. At some
point, I decided this is ridiculous and ceased all "action".
Then I began to study anew and eventually this evolved into greater
clarity. I began to learn how to create the circumstances of
my life the way it was meant to be done from the higher perspective
-- utilizing the power within. This way, happily, does not entail
the struggle that working to control and manipulate outer circumstances
does.
Who
Or What We Believe God To Be
Influences Our Life Experiences
When considering
the age old questions of why are we here; what is our purpose;
who are we, we often conclude that the answers lie in a "higher
power". In one form or another, that higher power is thought
of as god. From there, religions arise, developing dogma that
attempts to define the nature of god and our relationship to
that superior being. Many of us who study metaphysics often have
an assessment of that higher power that is quite different from
that of mainstream religion. Because many of our teachings hold
that god is not a being separate from, higher than and outside
of us, we may not relate to god in the same solemn, worshipful,
or devout manner as practitioners of many traditional religious
sects tend to.
Since most
of us in this physical world generally conclude that we are part
of something larger than our mere physical selves and accordingly
that there is a larger purpose to our being, it is useful for
us to take a look at how our approaches to god might affect our
lives. Presumably we all have a desire to lead happy fulfilled
lives. Hence, we seek guidance for living in such a way that
will lead to that end. To a great extent, that is the reason
most people are members of a religion or study philosophy.
Clearly,
as suggested in the first paragraph, there are different takes
on the nature of god and it is my view that one's perspective
of god has quite significant implications as regards the course
of one's life. In this series, we discuss the idea accepted by
many that one's beliefs determine his /her personal experiences
(or stated another way, one's personal reality). For that reason,
I feel it is useful to examine our ideas about god.
Not
"if" God; Rather "which" God
What's interesting
to me is that for those who hold traditional views, the meat
of the matter is mostly whether one believes in God or not. This
suggests that for them, there really is only one view of God
possible and that it's just a matter of convincing people to
believe in God, (by which they mean the one that they believe
in). In my view this misses the point. As I see it, the issue
is, "What is the nature of God?" Whether or not
one believes in God, in my estimation, is less consequential
than "what" god does one believe in.
There are
two differing views of God I refer to here -- the traditional
Judeo- Christian God of Scripture and one that is more personal,
apart from religion, often referred to as Infinite Mind (as well
as many other terms we will discuss). These two general views
mirror two different approaches to life that I will discuss in
greater detail. For now, let me provide an example.
When it comes
to prayer, those who hold the first view of God might pray that
He might have mercy on them and grant them relief from some difficulty.
It is a sort of asking that one might be granted some thing or
condition that he does not now have. From the second perspective,
however, prayer also is a form of asking, but more asking that
the person might become more open within his /her own heart to
accepting and allowing that which already has been given. It
comes from a position that the individual is already an extension
of God and that the universe is loving and always ready to provide.
Thus, it is more an issue of asking for guidance in learning
how to allow oneself to receive.
It has been
suggested by countless others that God (especially the one of
the religious view) has been personified. This simply means that
man has attributed to God, physical and emotional characteristics
that he is familiar with, i.e., human characteristics. Thus,
in our culture, we see portrayals of God as this imperial, stern,
older, bearded authority figure. Perceptions of God however,
vary throughout the world and across time. Man projects into
his concept of God all of his own emotions and reasoning.
Meanwhile,
we realize that most individuals really haven't made a conscious
choice of their religious beliefs since they were introduced
to them at a very young age by their families and institutions.
The child is taught to fear the evil nature of man, the indomitable
human condition and the Almighty, Himself. In essence, he is
taught to fear life itself. Then, he is taught the remedies for
relief of that fear as presented by his religion. Some, such as author Deepak Chopra, see the differing perceptions
of God in terms of levels (or realms) which correlate with different
ways of relating to or experiencing God. Chopra, in his book,
How To Know God, in fact describes seven realms
of experience, each one moving closer to a unified oneness with
God. This is a useful model that can assist us in our understanding.
The lowest level (though this low-high spectrum is not a very
satisfactory portrayal) is the God that protects us from evil
and dangers in our environment. This God could be seen as the
all powerful, jealous, temperamental, capricious one of the Old
Testament. At the highest level according to Chopra, we "end
with unity consciousness, through which we can experience the
divine in all things, living and inert". For the sake of
simplicity, the two views I refer to are sort of opposite ends
of a continuum (and roughly akin to the two just described) from
limited consciousness to expanded consciousness. The latter is
a more personal God, independent of religions. The continuum
may not be a totally adequate representation, of course, because
the universe consists of infinite variations. This means that
the purported ends of the continuum are imagined ends. And, in
between the metaphorical ends are infinite variations. Thus,
thinking about it in this way, Chopra's seven points are simply
arbitrary stops between the so-called ends.
When the
terms "higher" and "lower" are applied to
consciousness, higher would imply holding ideas that are expanded,
more harmonious, closer to unity (or oneness) with God. Accordingly,
lower would suggest ideas of limitation, sin, evil, disharmony
and separation from God. Some other ways people make these distinctions
are: inner-self / outer-self, true- self / false-self, little-self
/ bigger-self.
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Perspectives of God Series 
