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God - Finding, Knowing, Being
A few days later:
I was thinking more on our concept of 'time'. 'Time', like all concepts (i.e.,[chref=43]words[/chref] and [chref=32]names[/chref]), naturally arise from some primal innate perception. Why did neolithic people build Stonehenge or tombs where the sun would shine through a crack on the winter solstice? And how about the burial rituals of upper paleolithic (40,000 to 10,000 years ago) people? There are numerous other prehistoric examples of early man's perception life and death; and of the sun, moon, planets and stars passing through space-time that shows early human awareness of, worry over, and a reverence for, 'time'.
Fast forwarding to historical times. I see this same 'awareness and reverence' playing out in prayer and meditation, although I have no doubt that prehistoric people were 'meditating' as well. Come to think of it, what is a cat doing as it sits in the window passing 'time', but 'meditating' [chref=17]naturally[/chref]. Our concept of 'time', though, is really about our perception of activity – a perception of 'energy' within timeless time. Timeless time here and now is simply [chref=16]stillness, emptiness[/chref] and [chref=40]Nothing[/chref]. Note: The difficulty we have understanding Einstein's relativity, among other things, is due to our misconception of time, with meditation being a natural way to [chref=16]return[/chref].
The core 'active ingredient' of meditation and prayer is stillness, even as the mind may continue to chatter away in the background – unless you blow out its flame and let the coolness of the [chref=25]silent and void[/chref] envelope awareness (well, sure even then an ember still glows, the heart still beats, the lungs still breath).
I added these comments on 'time' above after I reviewed what I said earlier in this thread and saw I have, in my last post, pretty much reiterated what I said previously. Come to think of it, this whole site is probably chock full of reiteration. :oops: Of course I see reiteration everywhere. News, for example, is never truly 'new'. Rather, it is the same old stories over and over – just the names, places, quantities, and dates vary. In this I see elements of 'mysterious sameness'. Certainly though, seeing differences is stimulating. 'Variety is the spice of life' as they say.
On the other hand, seeing 'sameness' clears our 'perceptual decks' for deeper intuitive insights, much of which have a simple elegancy that words can't describe. Try, for example, considering time and [chref=56]mysterious sameness[/chref] as synonymous. Using correlations to pop preconceptions helps trim the trust we habitually place in [chref=43]words[/chref] and [chref=32]names[/chref]. This blurs distinctions, freeing the mind to see beyond its 'self' into the [chref=25]silent and void[/chref]. Hmm,... I guess that explains the run away popularity of 'popping preconception'
. Although a little hard to digest in the beginning, once I started, it was actually like eating pop corn, I couldn't stop until I finished the whole bowl.
I was thinking more on our concept of 'time'. 'Time', like all concepts (i.e.,[chref=43]words[/chref] and [chref=32]names[/chref]), naturally arise from some primal innate perception. Why did neolithic people build Stonehenge or tombs where the sun would shine through a crack on the winter solstice? And how about the burial rituals of upper paleolithic (40,000 to 10,000 years ago) people? There are numerous other prehistoric examples of early man's perception life and death; and of the sun, moon, planets and stars passing through space-time that shows early human awareness of, worry over, and a reverence for, 'time'.
Fast forwarding to historical times. I see this same 'awareness and reverence' playing out in prayer and meditation, although I have no doubt that prehistoric people were 'meditating' as well. Come to think of it, what is a cat doing as it sits in the window passing 'time', but 'meditating' [chref=17]naturally[/chref]. Our concept of 'time', though, is really about our perception of activity – a perception of 'energy' within timeless time. Timeless time here and now is simply [chref=16]stillness, emptiness[/chref] and [chref=40]Nothing[/chref]. Note: The difficulty we have understanding Einstein's relativity, among other things, is due to our misconception of time, with meditation being a natural way to [chref=16]return[/chref].
The core 'active ingredient' of meditation and prayer is stillness, even as the mind may continue to chatter away in the background – unless you blow out its flame and let the coolness of the [chref=25]silent and void[/chref] envelope awareness (well, sure even then an ember still glows, the heart still beats, the lungs still breath).
I added these comments on 'time' above after I reviewed what I said earlier in this thread and saw I have, in my last post, pretty much reiterated what I said previously. Come to think of it, this whole site is probably chock full of reiteration. :oops: Of course I see reiteration everywhere. News, for example, is never truly 'new'. Rather, it is the same old stories over and over – just the names, places, quantities, and dates vary. In this I see elements of 'mysterious sameness'. Certainly though, seeing differences is stimulating. 'Variety is the spice of life' as they say.
On the other hand, seeing 'sameness' clears our 'perceptual decks' for deeper intuitive insights, much of which have a simple elegancy that words can't describe. Try, for example, considering time and [chref=56]mysterious sameness[/chref] as synonymous. Using correlations to pop preconceptions helps trim the trust we habitually place in [chref=43]words[/chref] and [chref=32]names[/chref]. This blurs distinctions, freeing the mind to see beyond its 'self' into the [chref=25]silent and void[/chref]. Hmm,... I guess that explains the run away popularity of 'popping preconception'
. Although a little hard to digest in the beginning, once I started, it was actually like eating pop corn, I couldn't stop until I finished the whole bowl.
Comments
When I return to [chref=5]silence[/chref] and notice Nature, I can see how one might view that whole deal as 'god', but that's not what we do. Our god/s stand out against the background of Nature. 'They', 'he', 'she' or 'it' is in charge of things. It is a hierarchical relationship, invariably with a god above and us below.
Hierarchical relationship eh? It looks to me like the god-idea is simply a conceptual derivation of our tribal 'alpha-male' instinct. This becomes more apparent when we see how the god-idea has evolved over time. It is no coincidence that the god-idea evolved from local 'forest spirits' into singular omnipotent beings as civilization became larger and more complex; the larger the group, the bigger the alpha-male (or alpha-female) boss needed to hold everyone together. And when the god-idea becomes too abstract, intermediaries like Christ, Krishna, an Emperor or the Pope, 'show up' to represent it.
Of course any time hierarchic sensibilities, or just plain passion, drives us to [chref=79]show favoritism[/chref], we create a god of sorts. Beauty, knowledge, goodness, money, merit, etc., all play a role here. Simply put, god is an idea in the eye of the beholder. Okay, I trust that covers finding and knowing god, eh? (Of course, not for anyone who fervently believes in God.)
Now on to being god. That is not as hard, presumptuous, or weird as it sounds, especially if we think of [chref=4]God[/chref] in the Taoist sense which nudges the [chref=23]word[/chref] 'down' a bit. For me, being god hinges on [chref=56]mysterious sameness[/chref]. 'God' is when everything - consciousness itself - feels mysteriously the same. When we [chref=52]give up the discernment[/chref] and its distinctions, each 'part' is the 'whole'. Simply put, 'being god' comes naturally through true love - [chref=16]impartiality[/chref].
It is helpful to have a self test to ensure that we don't veer off on some [chref=53]by-path[/chref]. For instance, these two hit the spot:
(1) [chref=10]When your discernment penetrates the four quarters are you capable of not knowing anything?[/chref]
(2) [chref=71]To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty [/chref]
Of course, this whole issue is kind of silly. But, it does help view the god-idea from another angle,... yes? Ok, now back to [chref=5]silence[/chref]