A perspective on physical, mental and spiritual healing

Many people suffering in body, mind and spirit could benefit greatly by understanding the divine laws, of healing.

Understanding the laws of healing can help us to understand the inharmonious conditions producing pain, suffering and unhappiness.

As human beings we are subject to three kinds of disease, those that affect the body, mind and soul.

To be free of bodily ailments requires physical healing, yet we need to accept, that many of our physical inharmonious conditions have their root in the mind. The mind is susceptible to stress, worries, fear, anger, greed, selfishness and jealousy, all of which produce mental discomfort, but also have their effects on the body. We all know people who are suffering from stress and what effect this has on their lives and the lives around them.

The path to spiritual wellness may involve meditation, prayer, affirmations, or specific spiritual practices that support the connection to a higher power. Practicing the science of Yoga leads one to a higher

Having compassion, the capacity for love and forgiveness, altruism, joy, and fulfillment, adds to spiritual health. So do religious faith, values, beliefs, principles, and right moral contact.

Reaching Spiritual Wellness

It is important for people to explore what they believe. If one is concerned about spiritual wellness, he must be willing to transcend any limited self-concept and focus on higher realities. He must question his own nature and his purpose in life. In addition, he must harmonize that which lies within with the social and physical forces that come to him from the outside.

We can evaluate our spiritual wellness by asking these questions:

    Do I make time for relaxation in my day?

    Do I make time for meditation and/or prayer?

    Do I listen to my intuition and act upon it without     

    questioning?

    Do my values guide my decisions and actions?

   

If we answered "No" to any of the questions, it may indicate an area where we need to improve our wellness quest.

Spiritual Wellness is a personal matter involving values and beliefs that provide a purpose in our lives. While different individuals may have different views of what spirituality means, it is generally considered to be a search for meaning and purpose of our human existence

The Soul or Self as a reflection of Spirit

Our soul, being a reflection of the spirit of God is haunted by the ignorance of not remembering its true nature. When the soul identifies itself with the mind and body, it forgets that it is part of the spirit of God and instead concentrates on what it is not. The first idea that enters the mind is ‘I’ and mine and in this manner, the ‘I want’ begins. This ignorance creates disharmony between body, mind and soul and as a result, we undergo suffering.

Realized souls who have healed themselves of ignorance, think of the body as a dream of God.

Physical pain does not necessarily bring mental suffering. We can see this, when we look at the martyrs whose minds were fixed on God. But mental suffering is generally accomplished by physical suffering.

 ‘When the eye of wisdom is opened by meditation, ignorance and physical agonies are dispelled by God’s light reflected in the soul’.

Jesus was aware of the causal relation between body and mind and between soul and God. This is how he was able to restore any body and mind of people from suffering.

There are various ways of healing. Delusion is dispelled by knowledge and meditation through the contact with the ever new Bliss of God

Attending religious services and keeping good company only shows, that we are interested in spirituality. Being spiritual is a way of life.

Liberation from delusion can be achieved by following the correct guidelines. This is not according to dogmatic beliefs, but through God knowledge. We must keep seeking God until we become settled in that unquestionable God realization and then surrender our delusion in Him.

Healing of psychological issues is best done through honest self analysis, and introspection. Concentration on spiritual thoughts during meditation eradicates the cause of mental disorder by changing mental habits.

In may be appropriate to ponder this statement of Einstein: ‘A problem can never be solved at the level it was created, it must be solved at the next higher level’.

Why meditation?

In meditation the mind becomes internalized and withdraws the life force from flowing outside through the senses. It is by being inner directed where we can deal with the problems that are recorded in the mind. We can also use the prana, life force (through breath) in meditation to burns out the grooves or patterns of mental habits that are lodged in the brain. We know, that all habits are mental in nature.

Physical and mental methods of healing the body

As already mentioned, ailments of the body have in part psychological roots. Bodily afflictions can be treated in two ways: by physical methods and by psychological ones.

The process of healing the physical body is done by stimulating the life force which affects the cure; by medical drugs, herbal treatments and the various techniques of mental and spiritual therapy. All are valid methods of healing to the degree that they harmonize and restore the proper flow of the life force or energy in the body.

Another healing method is fasting to purify the body of toxins and to rejuvenate the life force. In fasting, the will reverts to dependence on spirit and draws energy from the cosmic source. Note: One should not fast more than three days.

The use of fresh herbs

Fresh herbs have shown since ancient times. The benefits are those of destroying bacteria in the blood and eliminating poisons.  (Top herbal remedies for bacterial infections comprise Aloe Vera, Barberry, Goldenseal, Garlic, Cinnamon, Thyme, Cloves, Cayenne Pepper, Horseradish, Cumin, Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Lavender, Nutmeg and Peppermint. Most of these herbs destroy the disease causing bacteria). Yet we should never discount the effect that the mind has on healing.

Those who place all their confidence primarily in medicine weaken their mind. The mind is still the determining factor in the healing process. Doubt, depression, pessimistic thoughts, lack of will, weaken the flow of healing energies, as well as the conscious direction of the mind’s power of positive thought , prayer, affirmation, visualization, will, cheerfulness, which stimulate the natural healing process of the body with vital life force necessary to restore health.

We need to learn to draw more on that all healing power of the mind while at the same time remembering, that the mind draws its power from the soul, along with proper eating, exercise fresh air, sunshine, hygiene, physical and mental relaxation, and conscious re-charging of the life force through correct breathing.

Yoga exercises are an excellent means of adjusting the spinal vertebrae to release pressure on the spine nerves and bring about the normal flow of life force.

We can do much toward the quality of our life through conscious living and thinking.

The source from which the world and the mind rise,

And into which they set, is termed Reality (God), which

Does neither rise nor does it subside.

And always remember Einstein: ‘A problem can never be solved at the level it was created, it must be solved at the next higher level’.

Transparent

Transparent, like a glass is clear

And the water, cold and pure-

See right through me,

I'm almost not here...

Letting go, in the night,

All of me is in the light.

I'm here and there and in between-

No-one knows where I've been:

Through the halls of paradise,

Glories seen through these eyes,

Untold, unknown to others view,

Only shared by me and You.

Seeing through the looking glass,

Past is future, future's passed.

Time's compressed into a moment,

Here it is and now it's spent.

Look around, what do you see?

It's all an illusion, a fantasy

Played upon the grandest scale,

Inquired of by many, to no avail.

Mental constructs, make believe,

Makes no sense of what they see.

With inner silence, comes a clue,

Independent of virtual view.

Matter flees, self is gone-

There is nothing left to stand upon,

But the Cause of it all,

Is That in which I dwell.

Through every form and throughout space,

Flows peace and love and God's grace,

Which draws us out and brings us in

And reveals the Life we're living in.

Devotion

Devotion is intense love for God. It is a deep yearning to experience love in its purest and highest form, to unite with that which is eternal and unchanging. We get a glimpse of this through our worldly relationships, especially with those who have touched our hearts the most. Some scriptures tell us we do not really love others for their own sake but rather for the Divine that resides in them.

The path of devotion allows us to use all of our senses, all of our emotions, and all of our actions to express love in our daily interactions and offer them to God or Christ. In our devotion we need to realize that God is the underlying principle of pure consciousness.

Devotion is both the means and the end: lower devotion, is the way to cultivate higher devotion, which is union with the Divine.

The intrinsic nature of man is immortal bliss. On realizing it, one becomes free from suffering and completely satisfied, having no more desires.

St. Anselm of Canterbury (a Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher and theologian of the Catholic Church, who held the office of archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109), wrote:

“I have found a joy that is full and more than full. For when heart and mind and soul and all are full of that joy, joy beyond measure will still remain.” After the initial intoxication with bliss, one enjoys the delight of inner silence. In the depths of this silence, one realizes a complete unity with others, and comes to understand that we are all the same, there is no separation.

Through lower devotion we can prepare to receive the grace of higher devotion. It is a way to transform our emotions into positive, creative expressions of love and devotion to God.

Everything we do, prayer, chanting, reading scriptures, meditation, is taking is a step closer to being aware of the Divinity residing in our inner heart.

Prayer is a simple but very effective way to connect with the Divine. There are two kinds of prayer: ego-centered prayer and genuine prayer. In ego-centered prayer we approach God to petition for favors. Genuine prayer, on the other hand, comes from deeper within.

In this inner sacred prayer, we do not pray for any external favors or gifts but rather only for the strength to face and resolve with serenity all of the many problems that fill our lives. Such prayers, which are completely selfless and pure, are always answered.”

Genuine prayer includes gratitude. As Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you say in your entire life is “Thank you,’ that would suffice.” Upon waking up, before you get out of bed, give thanks for a new day and for all you have, even the simplest things, like clean water, sunlight, laughter.

Contemplation is an important companion practice to devotion. Knowledge helps us discriminate between that which is eternal and unchanging and that which is fleeting and impermanent. Without a solid philosophical foundation a devotee can get lost in emotionalism, with no clear direction and goal.

In our spiritual practice, we start by studying an inspiring scripture such as the bible etc. We can reflect on just the verses alone, or choose a commentary and read a chapter a day. We then contemplate how these teachings create a philosophical framework for viewing our lives in a larger spiritual context, and how we can put the teachings into practice. We can also form a discussion group for deeper study.

The Desert - if we are serious and fully committed to our spiritual path, we will go deeper and deeper into the teachings and as a consequence may find ourselves in the desert phase or what St. John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul.” This is where we do the real work, just as a seed has to grow its roots in the dark soil before it can blossom into the light.

The desert phase is a time of great effort and spiritual dryness, a time when we may doubt our faith and wonder why we are spending time sitting in contemplation or meditation. It is a time of deep longing and at the same time despair. At this stage, we must realize that our inner teacher will be drawing us deeper into the cave of our heart. In this phase, we seem to be caught in a no-man’s-land, the land beyond the senses, neither fully outward nor fully inward.

This is a part of the journey that seekers pass through, some many times. The sage Ramakrishna used to say that we cry for everything except God. When we truly cry for God, he said, in the same way that a drowning man gasps for his next breath, then we will know God.

“Lost am I, save for love of Thee. None can know the depth of my despair, my moments of weariness. Unless Thou stretch forth Thy helping hand, how can I reach the further shore?”

During this stage, we envision ourselves being carried in the palm of God and trust that the Divine One will bring us out of this dark night of separation, no matter how long it takes.

Acceptance, it is important to realize that in the desert stage we need to allow the unspoken parts of ourselves to rise into conscious awareness. In recognizing and acknowledging these parts, we can learn how to cultivate compassion for ourselves and others. To do this, we make a commitment to sit with whatever is troubling us and create a space for healing. We accept and offer our whole heart to God, both good and bad, without hiding from our emotional wounds, anger, fear, grief, shame, and unfulfilled longings and desires. We cannot run from our issues. Our issues, our lives are our spiritual practice.

Awakening – in a sense is processes of unlearning all that which keeps one in bondage to the world, and letting our inner guidance take over.

Another word for awakening is enlightenment, a state of self-realization beyond the ego that points to the innate potential in all of us.

Enlightenment or awakening is a profound mystery, and the best definition may be the actual experience of our own shifts in consciousness.

The most profound spiritual awakenings occur, when our consciousness suddenly recognizes its ultimate true nature.

Glory be to God

A Realm Of Space And Time

We are in a realm of space and time

Where it seems there is no reason or rhyme.

We look around for what is true,

When what's real is only found in You.

Jesus said, “I am the truth and the life.”

His word cuts like a two-edged knife,

Splitting apart both body and soul,

Leading us to God, our greatest goal.

Therein lies our blessed hope-

No need, in darkness, for us to grope;

In Him is light brighter than the Sun-

His light can shine in everyone.

Look unto Him, He's waiting for you,

With a love eternal, infinite and true.

No more will we wander, lost and confused,

Bruised, abandoned and abused.

Healing is found in His open arms,

Our hearts made new and freed from harm.

Peace like a river floods our minds,

We understand, who once were blind.

We give God thanks for His mercy and grace

Upon us all, this human race.

He turns hearts hard like a lump of coal,

Into diamonds shining in our soul.

Spirituality without Quantum Physics is an Incomplete picture of Reality

For a long time, science and spirituality were considered to be opposing views, creating this polarization of both subjects. You were either a “Man of God” or a “Man of Science,” with no middle ground. However, we’re now observing a merging of both science and spirituality through quantum physics and the study of consciousness, shattering old thought patterns and putting an end to the previous “tug of war” between the two subjects.

Quantum physics is verifying what Buddhists and other spiritual practitioners have been saying for years, helping people to accept their inherent spiritual nature all around the world. We are fundamentally connected to everything around us, and science is finally proving that. Nevertheless, there’s still a lingering dualistic air surrounding science and spirituality: You have religious people denying scientific facts and scientists identifying themselves as self-proclaimed Atheists. However, we’re simultaneously seeing a merging of the two, and it’s truly beautiful.

Many prominent religious figures and scientists have recognized the interconnectedness between spirituality and the scientific community, including the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama has spoken out on numerous occasions about the similarities between quantum physics and spirituality. In fact, he even attended a conference on quantum physics and delivered a speech on the subject.

Later he said: “I hope conferences like this can address two purposes: extending our knowledge and improving our view of reality so we can better tackle our disturbing emotions,” he stated: “Early in my lifetime, science was employed to further material and economic development. Later in the 20th century, scientists began to see that peace of mind is important for physical health and well-being.  As a result of combining warm-heartedness with intelligence, I hope we’ll be better equipped to contribute to humanity’s well-being.”

What Exactly Is Quantum Physics?

Quantum physicists discovered that physical atoms are made up of vortices of energy that are constantly spinning and vibrating, each one radiating its own unique energy signature. Therefore, if we really want to observe ourselves and find out what we are, we must recognize we are really beings of energy and vibration, radiating our own unique energy signature.

If we observe the composition of an atom with a microscope, we would see a small, invisible tornado-like vortex, with a number of infinitely small energy vortices called quarks and photons. These are what make up the structure of the atom. If we focused in closer on the structure of the atom, we would see nothing, a literal void. The atom has no physical structure, thus we have no physical structure, and physical things really don’t have any physical structure! Atoms are made out of invisible energy, not tangible matter.

From this, scientists have made all sorts of discoveries, including that we create our own realities.

An example is the Effect that describes the relationship between sub-atomic particles and the observer. Through multiple experiments, Quantum Physics has shown that subatomic particles appear to exist only as a wave of probabilities until they are observed, at which time they collapse into a single place in time.

Therefore the observer effect states that there is no reality until that reality is perceived. This profound insight tells us that we alter every object in the world simply by paying attention to it. If we are unhappy with a certain experience in our life, we can choose to steer our focus toward something else that is aligned with our own positive expectations.

Aging Gracefully

Growing old, let’s talk about it. There is a false concept that stops people from living a long, full life. Old age is as much a state of mind as of body. Today young people are taught that when you become old and gray, you are in the way. Not a nice thought! It is the older people, the wiser folk, the experienced elders, who have lived longer and therefore, can see further, to whom youth should be listening. But in our present times, young people have become the spokesmen, and they are allowed to learn by their own mistakes. What a sad way to learn!There is no excuse for ignorance. Yet, looking around, we find it to be everywhere,

We are not getting old. True, the physical body does change. It has done so from birth, but it has a future. It really does. We live in it like we walk in our shoes. We should think, we live in our body as loosely as we wear our shoes.” It is not wise to accept the forebodings that we are headed toward a doomsday end of the world, or end of the physical body, rather we need to know, that we the consciousness in us will never die but live forever.

Aging is an interesting process. Even though we are told that most the cells in the body change and renew themselves every seven to ten years, aging can still be really scary, especially for those who identify themselves as their body. But not for those who know that they are not the body, but only live in it, realizing that it is our Earth suit in which to function on this planet.

When we correctly look at aged people, we look at minds that have been developed year after year after year. We look at souls that have matured because of their journey on Earth. We look upon their situation as wonderful and enlightening, their wisdom as useful and worthy to make it part of our lives.

The mind never gets old, though the brain may. The mind never deteriorates. Consciousness was never born and never dies. The mental body, which works through the subtle body and the earth suit, does not age, does not get weak, as modern people think of aging, and as weakness. It becomes stronger and stronger, more mature and more expansive, as do the emotions if they are understood and controlled from stage to stage. Age is not an obstacle; it is a legacy. The most senior among us should have faith in the future, not be led to think that turning sixty, eighty or more is some morbid milestone. It’s not.

Secrets to Longevity

There is no requirement to die at any established time, even if our doctor tells us that we have only two years to live. Apparently in Africa if a powerful medicine man tells a person he is going to die, the fear and belief are so strong that within hours he succumbs. Mind over matter? It’s not much different when everyone around us is chanting the senility mantra–when your wife, husband, kids, friends and boss keep saying, “You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

There are higher laws to invoke as age advances to sustain the pranas, to strengthen the force of life within. Those who know wisdom’s ways have overcome the “I’m getting old” syndrome, a mantra no one should ever repeat, even once. They know how the mind works, and by applying the laws, they have lived long, useful, happy and healthy lives. The redundancy system of one part of the body failing and another part taking over, especially within the brain, should be understood by the aging person, to know that all is not lost. If memory loss is experienced, things can often be memorized again and shifted over to another part of the brain.

The truth is that the mind is constantly maturing; so are the emotions, and so is the intelligence and accumulated knowledge. Most importantly, the wisdom of how to use the knowledge and to judge whether it is worthwhile at all is maturing from decade to decade and life to life for those who accept re-incarnation.

The psychological secret is to have a goal, actually many goals, in service to humanity, in people helping people, people serving people.  Good goals and a will to live to prolong life are vital. It is even more life giving when the goal includes helping people to fulfill their spiritual goals. When encouraging people to cultivate their inner life, when meditation is practiced without fail, then their deeper side is cultivated, and that in itself prolongs life. Life is eternal on the inner planes, in the refined bodies of the soul.

In the physical body life is hard. We have to go though the birth, talked to in baby talk, and learning to walk, read and write all over again. It takes years and years to obtain the wisdom life. Some people never obtain it. So, we have to take care of our physical body. No need to know too much about it, for it knows what it needs. We need to listen to its messages and respond quickly. When needed, doctors can help us through the many changes the body will naturally go through, and face each situation positively.

This body is impermanent, true, but it is the only one we have, so we make the best use of it. We have to live with purpose and pass on the knowledge born of experience to the coming generation.

The older we get, the more disciplined we have to become, the more spiritual work we need to engage in, while slowly dropping off the extraneous activities of the world.

If our children leave home and cultivate other interests, we can find new eager children to teach, new ways to serve. We should be useful to others. Keep planting the seeds of virtue and right ways of living. Maybe they will be annuals instead of perennials, but we must keep planting for the future. Others might be saying, “old and gray and in the way,” but we say, “old and gray and here to stay.” It is all in the attitude we have.

Renewing Life’s Plans

When the body reaches mature age, a change of pace occurs. One feels like sitting rather than walking, sleeping more than one did before, and it is more difficult to make long-term plans, ten, twenty, thirty years ahead. At advanced age, the question “What am I going to do with my life?” has long been answered but still should be asked, because at that age, there is still a long life ahead. It should be planned out as carefully as the life span that has already been lived, based on the experiences gained from it. Some people plan out their lives at eighteen or twenty, and others don’t.

Nevertheless, when the change of life comes, both for men and women, it is only wise to regroup one’s thoughts, analyze one’s desires, motivations and educational skills, physical, mental and emotional abilities. It is still time to plan and forge ahead with as much enthusiasm and dynamism as can be mustered up.

A lot of people die at fifty or shortly afterwards because they feel that everything is breaking down. That is because they misinterpret what is happening. They think the death experience is coming, whereas only a change of life, of life experience, has occurred. If they look at it as a new passage in life, they could be on smooth sailing until eighty and more.

As one nears eighty years of age, this is again time to revamp one’s life, motivations, desires, and to plan for the next round of purposeful living. It is interesting to note that the muscular structure of the physical body does not start to deteriorate until after age seventy, and then only slightly, unless one neglects to exercise.

Mystics say that eighty years of age is a difficult time to get through psychologically, physically and emotionally unless we have prepared ourselves for this stage of life well in advance. A new plan for motivation for the future should be made well in advance, at least at age seventy, so that when eighty rolls around it is well impressed in the subconscious mind that, this might be time to start slowing down and preparing for life after the life of the physical body.

It is also at this juncture that one should give one’s wisdom to the younger generation, see into the lives of promising people and encourage them to greater heights.

This is also the time also for intense spiritual practices. The physical forces are fading, the muscular structure diminishing. Yet great spiritual progress can be made. If retirement is thought of, it should be seen as a period of slowing-down, yet still being active in the mental, emotional, and spiritual practices.

It is well known that even certain advanced souls on the planet may do well when they are young but at their still unperfected stage of evolution have the propensity of deterioration in spirit, mind, and emotions as the body sinks, through age, into the substances from which it is created.

This is not the way followed by spiritual, devotional, happy, religious men and women who have experienced the frailties of the physical body, but added greater intensity, power and joy to the now dominant energies of the intellect and the soul and are on their way to enlightenment.

When living a spiritual life, good things will just automatically come along. Real security lies within.

We are living in a fast-moving age. Many people are either on tranquilizers, alcohol, anti-depressants, nicotine, stimulants or high-powered vitamins of one kind or another to stabilize their emotions enough to get by, just to get by, to get through all the various situations that present themselves that they can’t cope with due to the shaky foundation of their life.

But as has been mentioned, what is need is to go within ourselves, to get quiet enough, so that the answers to life’s challenges emerge from within, answers that will give us peace and security. Here there is no narcotic, no stimulant, no tranquilizer, and no high-powered vitamin that is going to take us within. The only way is, to sit down and become quiet and get in touch with the divine spirit within. Eventually a great new awakening will come over us. At first we may not know where it comes from or where it’s going, but it will be there, and we won’t have to try to be positive or think positively or make affirmations about this and that. We will know that we are an eternal, ever existing spirit, full of peace and joy.

The Path of Love

The path of love tells that we suffer because we lack faith in God.

God gave us life; He gave us the power to love. He gave us everything, along with the freedom to cast Him aside. In other words, He has given to us, without asking anything in return His greatest blessing, His unconditional love. We, being His children endowed with the power of His unconditional love, should use that power to find Him saying: "O Lord, I do not want anything from Thee only Thy love alone; and without condition I will give my love to Thee."

Intellectual knowledge of God does not mean that we know God. A great mistake in the modern world is reading about God or listening to sermons about Him without trying to commune with Him, thinking that actual communion with God is impossible. How, then, can one presume even to talk about Him who is impossible to know? But the saints, who have communed with God, say, "Don't just read about God. First taste Him; and then you will be able to speak thousands of words about Him. But if you don't, taste Him, everything you say will be mere assumption. Perception of God is what is necessary. Then even if we have no words to express, if our heart is filled with Him, others will feel the power and conviction of our direct perception.

Pure unselfish love in God's love is a most wonderful state of consciousness. It is an ecstasy day and night. God richly rewards us with unconditional love. We should want to give that same love to Him. Say, “Lord, I will be happy in the giving of my love to You, even though my offering may be inadequate. I am not looking for Your response; I am not asking You to receive my love. Whether or not You receive it, whether or not You respond, I am glad just to give my unconditional love to You. It is my greatest happiness. I give that love to You, and to Your manifested Presence of all nature. I know that as You have made me in Your image, I am one with You always. I give my love to You, my Lord, and shall keep on giving unto eternity.

He who is a true lover of God stands by Him equally during sunny days of joy and dark days of trials. Why not? Those who are in love are day and night thinking only of their beloved one. So is this romance with God. It is the most wonderful existence one can ever imagine.

Some spiritual practices suggestions  

What do we mean by spiritual practice?

A spiritual practice is any regular and intentional activity that establishes, develops, and nourishes a personal relationship with the Divine in which we allow ourselves to be transformed.

What do we mean by being transformed? Through regular practices of meditation, prayer, fasting, study, and the other practices, we emerge from an inner transformed state of being with deep conviction and passion for God, rather than being passionate for God out of duty, custom, or fear.

A suggestion for devotional people whose heart is God centered. For them a common expression is, “I love God”. But to develop an even closer relationship with God, it is even better to claim ownership by saying instead “I love my God”.  At the beginning, this may feel strange, but over time, it will develop into an intimacy, since love has a way of taking over our lives.

In our society we may express love in service, in doing things for those in need. We then offer all our actions as a service to God, in this way there is no division between the sacred and the secular. We direct all our activities into acts of God.

Some people find it difficult to express their devotion to God. This can be often a result of earlier teachings were it was said that God is separate from us and we are separate from God. But  in devotion, our desire is not to establish oneness with God, but to keep our separate identity for the joy of standing apart and worshiping the Object of our adoration. The attitude of devotion is, "I am Thy son/daughter, and Thou art my Father"; or, "I am Thy lover, and Thou art my Beloved"; or, "I am Thy devotee, and Thou art my Lord." In this state, the devotee doesn't want to say or feel, "Thou and I are One," but rather, "I adore Thee." The devotee is free to retain his individuality in order to enjoy, throughout this life and all eternity, the bliss of beholding God and worshiping Him with the offering of devotion.

Prayer life

In prayer we engage in two kinds of praying. One is praying to the loving God in the hope for a better life. This type of prayer is of the lower kind. It affirms that we believe in God, yet we pray to God for the things we want or need, such as good health, a better job a compatible partner and so on. Here we are imploring God to serve our purpose, by enhancing our life or the life of our brothers and sisters.

The problem with this approach is that often we pray and pray and often nothing happens. This can result in doubt and the questioning of whether the prayers are heard.  

The higher prayer is one’s love for God and realizing, that God is aware of our needs even before we are.

The person with ordinary consciousness is pleased and thankful when his prayer for worldly things is answered. The enlightened person on the other hand only wants God. He/she is a lover of God. When he enters a place of service, he says ‘I’ve come because I love Thee’.

We can see for ourselves what power the God centered prayer has in that soon it will transform our entire view of God and of ourselves. Everything else in life will be of secondary importance..

We wander in darkness until we realize that God is with us always. He is our own consciousness.

Love: Human and Divine

The greatest love you can experience is in communion with God in meditation. The love between the soul and Spirit is the perfect love, the love you are all seeking. When you meditate, love grows. Millions of thrills pass through your heart....If you meditate deeply, a love will come over you such as no human tongue can describe; you will know His divine love, and you will be able to give that pure love to others.

                                                   Paramahansa Yogananda

Religious and Spiritual Practices, an Overview

In today’s world we encounter people with many diverse ethnic backgrounds that come with different religious or spiritual practices.

For people who are steeped in their practices, there is only one suggestion and that is, don’t be satisfied with surface information, go as deep into the teachings as possible.

We begin with a look at religion.

Religion is entirely faith based. It relies on scripture and creed of the various denominations. It teaches about the existence of God.

Arguments for and against the existence of God

The existence of God is a subject of debate in the philosophy of religion and popular culture.

In philosophical terms, the question of the existence of God involves the disciplines of epistemology (epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion) and ontology (the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being and the theory of value, since some definitions of God include "perfection").

Arguments for the existence of God have been proposed by St. Thomas Aquinas’, in the five logical arguments regarding the existence of God:

    The Argument from Motion;

    The Argument from Causation;

    The argument from contingency;

    The argument from degree,

    The teleological argument, ("argument from design").                         

René Descartes, said that the existence of a benevolent God is logically necessary for the evidence of the senses to be meaningful; and Immanuel Kant, who argued that the existence of God can be deduced from the existence of good.

John Calvin argued for a sensus divinitatis (sense deity), which gives each human a knowledge of God's existence.

Philosophers who have provided arguments against the existence of God include the aforementioned Kant, David Hume, Friedrich Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell and others.

Scientists follow the scientific method, within which theories must be verifiable by physical experiment. The majority of prominent conceptions of God explicitly or effectively posit a being which is not testable either by proof or disproof. On these bases, the question regarding the existence of God, one for which evidence cannot be tested, may lie outside the purview of modern science by definition.

The Catholic Church maintains that knowledge of the existence of God is the "natural light of human reason". Fideism acknowledges that belief in the existence of God may not be amenable to demonstration or refutation, but rests on faith alone.

Atheism views arguments for the existence of God as insufficient, mistaken or weighing less in comparison to arguments against.

Other religions, such as Buddhism, do not concern themselves with the existence of Gods at all, while religions such as Jainism reject the possibility of a creator deity.

As one can see, that there are many who argue for or against the existence of God.

Now let us take a look at our own existence. We do know that we exist. There is no doubt. What we may doubt is the nature of our existence. Are we limited beings, do we have a momentary existence, are we eternal and if so what does it mean? But we do know that we exist.

The inquiry into our own nature, of who and what we are ultimately gives rise to Spirituality. We may begin by asking, am I the body, am I the mind, and am I a combination of body and mind. Am I something more than a body mind being? Every step in this inquiry can be verified until we derive at the insight, that in our innermost being we are ever existent, ever conscious, and ever new joy (bliss).

We may now say, this is all fine and good, but where can people who are seriously interested in Spirituality go to find meaningful teachings?

There are the teachings of Yoga (union). An all inclusive yoga is known as Kriya Yoga, introduced to the West by Parmahansa Yogananda. The teachings include a path for people of every temperament.

Kriya yoga is a concentrated approach to Self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment: complete awakening to full knowledge of the Infinite and of cosmic processes. It includes the most effective processes of all systems of yoga, with emphasis on wholesome, constructive living and superconscious meditation practice. The purpose of Kriya yoga practice is to restore the practitioner's awareness to wholeness. This is accomplished by acquiring knowledge of one's true nature as a spiritual being; cultivating rational thinking, emotional balance, and physical health; purposeful living; and meditation.

Additional approaches being taught are:

Karma Yoga is the Path of Spiritual Action. The path of Karma Yoga is the path of uniting the soul with God through selfless activity.

Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of devotion. It is the spiritual approach to God that stresses all-surrendering love as the principal means for communion and union with God.

Rajas yoga is the path of prayer and meditation, for the inner directed person. Raja Yoga translates from Sanskrit to mean Royal Yoga. It is the eight-limbed path outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as well as a tradition of Samkhya philosophy. When these methods are conscientiously practiced, they will lead one to experience Self or God Realization.

Jnana yoga is for the intellectual minded person. Jnana means wisdom or knowledge. It is considered the most difficult of the four main paths of Yoga, requiring great strength of will and intellect. In Jnana yoga, the mind is used to inquire into its own nature and to transcend the mind's identification with its thoughts and ego.

At this stage there are people reading this that do not believe in God, and may choose not to read any further. But for people who want to investigate the nature of God and their own existence, they are encouraged to read on.

The catch with the suggested methods is that they take effort and discipline, but even some practice will calm the mind of the practitioner. However, none of these methods are based on belief.

Then there is the non dual way, or Advaita Vedanta.

This is another powerful Spiritual teaching. Advaita says (all is one), not-two. It is a school of philosophy and practice, a path to spiritual realization. The term Advaita refers to its idea that the soul (true Self, Atman) is the same as the highest metaphysical Reality (Brahman, God). The followers of Advaita seek spiritual liberation through acquiring vidya (knowledge) of their true identity as Atman, Self, Soul and the identity of Atman, Self, Soul and Brahman, God.                     

Adi Shankara, an early 8th century Indian philosopher and theologian who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, knew that people would wonder how he could say such an odd thing as, that the Soul (true Self, Atman) is the same as the highest metaphysical Reality (Brahman, God). He realized that many people would ask: "if a person's Soul is really one with God all along, then what makes a person feel so separate from God?" His answer to this was that man is ignorant of his real Self being God, because he sees through a kind of filter, like looking through a dirty piece of glass and he called it maya, which means "illusion"(nothing is as it appears) in Sanskrit. Shankara said that our ignorance makes us feel very separate from God, and even from everything around us. He suggested that the best way people can find the truth is for them to try to clear their thinking of all ignorant thoughts and think very hard about who they really are. He said that if a person did all that,  he would realize that God was himself.

This is a very different idea from some other religions where we are told we are separate from God and need to go to Him. In Advaita, the idea is that people never really were separate from God, but their ignorance made them see it that way.

All the religions of the world and all Spiritual aspirations fall into two main groups. One group is searching for God, the other pursues self inquiry, asking who am I, what is the purpose and meaning of life?

Searching for the reality of God and searching for the Self that we are, are two realities, two inquiries.

Let’s look at the religions of the world. (The root of the word ‘religion’ lies in the Latin word ligare, to bind).

Some are God oriented and others are not God oriented.

Christianity, Islam, Judaism and some forms of Hinduism are God oriented,

Buddhism, Jainism (Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation),

Sankhya philosophy and yoga, all are about Self Realization and mediation. Buddhism is not concerned about God; some parts of Buddhism actually deny the existence of God. Sankhya does not talk about God. Yoga investigates the nature of God.

Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.

With the God Centered approach, one has to start with believing in God. For people who do not question, and who go to the church or temple only to worship, there is no issue. The problem starts when one asks question that do not specifically pertain to scriptural or dogmatic texts. One is constantly reminded of what the scriptures say and that it is all about faith.

The self inquiry method in this respect has an advantage over the belief system, since it is not based on faith. It starts with saying that man exists and that his existence is self evident; but what about disadvantages? One could say, what is the use of knowing that I exist? My existence is surrounded by all kinds of difficulties; it is threatened by disease and death, by frustration and failure. It is also troubled by desire and ambition.

On the God centered approach these problems do not exist. God is perfect, omniscient, omnipresent, all loving and good. If He exists, my existence is not at doubt, but since I have a lot of problems, I may doubt whether God really cares it.

What then is a solution for those who doubt the existence and benevolence of God and those who are not concerned about Self Inquiry?

Advaita, the Non Dual Vedanta brings both approaches together. Leaving out both of the problems and combining the advantages. It combines the certainty of individual existence with the Infinitude of God.

The doubt about the existence of God is done away with (since all is God). We are not the mind/body complex; we are the Self, one with God. The infinitude of God removes the finiteness of the personal self.

Our existence and God’s existence are secure. What has to be eliminated is the thought of our finite existence. This is the meaning of Tat Tvam ASI That thou art. The individual thou or Tat, the Self in its original, pure, primordial state is wholly or partially identifiable or identical with the Ultimate Reality God that is the ground and origin of all phenomena.

The primary objective of spiritual practices is the liberation in consciousness, in the attainment of inner freedom. However, as long as one identifies himself with the material body, rather than with one’s intrinsic spiritual nature, the Self, he fills his wants according to his heart’s desires and as a result remains in bondage, since the desires of the flesh can never be satisfied.

Why do we suffer? We suffer because of ignorance (erroneous conceptions). When believing, that this material creation is all that exists and that there is no beyond. When we don’t recognize that this material plane is nothing but a mere play of ideas of the eternal spirit of God, being the only Real Substance, then we live in ignorance.

Ignorance manifests in man as egoism, attachment, aversion and blind tenacity. Egoism results in a lack of discrimination between the physical body and the real Self, between Spirit and Nature. Tenacity is a result of natural conditioning (belief in nature and her laws as final, instead of belief in the all causative power of Spirit) Attachment means thirst for the objects of happiness. Aversion means desire for the removal of the objects of unhappiness.

So why does man suffer? He suffers as a result of the influence of ignorance, egoism, aversion, and tenacity to the material creation. He involves himself in egoistic works and in consequence he suffers. How does he remove the ignorance? Through knowledge.

It is hoped, that the insight into these various religious and spiritual practices can serve as a guide for people who sincerely look for an expansion of their inner lives. After all, we become what we think, but ultimately we need to go past the mind in order to realize who we really are.

What man really wants is contentment of the heart, inner joy. Being content, he can fix his attention on anything he chooses and can comprehend all its aspects.

Through the realization, that we are ever existing, ever conscious, ever new joy, bliss, the heart becomes purified and one is not only a reflecting of the light, but become the light. This is known as being anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Ponder this, when we realize who we really are, by seeing ourselves as one with God we are free while still in this physical body.