Sunday 27 November 2016
Saturday 26 November 2016
Monday 21 November 2016
Sunday 20 November 2016
Sunday 13 November 2016
Thursday 10 November 2016
Sunday 6 November 2016
Tuesday 1 November 2016
Monday 10 October 2016
Thursday 8 September 2016
Wednesday 10 August 2016
Wednesday 20 July 2016
Saturday 4 June 2016
The Holy Spirit & Trinity
"And the Spirit of God hovered over the waters of the deep…"
This verse always comes to mind when I see mist and fog. I imagine that it is the ending of the Ice Age and someone is sitting down and watching the mist roll over the water or land. As the ice peels back, the landscape emerges. Mankind's memory of the land considers it one way, but the mists reveal another. Silently and diligently the landscape has changed under the ice blanket. The mist also is in-between the sea and sky, like heaven (according to the old Hebrew word, heaven means between 'two waters'). Thus, God's re-creation is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
I have often thought about what the Holy Spirit is. I have always had a basic understanding of the Holy Spirit, but when one considers it in the sense of the Trinity, I pause and think, "Hmm….." The council of Nicea had a debate over this issue, whether the Holy Spirit is a person, a power or something else. They concluded that the Holy Spirit is a person. The reason why the debate occurred is due to understanding the concept of Gods' Spirit in both the Old & New Testaments, as it appears to differ. In the OT, the Spirit is identified as the Hebrew - Ruach; the NT identifies it as the Greek - Pneuma. Furthermore, the NT talks of gifts from the Spirit and acts/messages being guided by the Spirit, whereas the OT talks more about inspiration from the Spirit as well as it being a force/power.
So who is the Holy Spirit? Whilst doing research, one of the best descriptors I found was that it is the action of God. Ostensibly, the primary understanding is that it is the Breath of God. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit arrives on what we now call, Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has always been, but there is an undeniable awakening to Its presence, manifested on this occasion in fire and wind. So it is breath, fire and wind. It also imparts gifts; wisdom, teaching, prophecy, language, understanding, interpretation and healing. It is as if the Spirit is the mind of God and the actions of God, for the gifts and manifestations are not just being, but also doing in a very obvious way. Whereas God is unseen yet omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent, and Christ is seen as human in form with all the attributes of God, the Holy Spirit is God doing, seen in various manifestations and giftings.
Recently, I was at Durham Cathedral and at the shrine Of St Cuthbert. On the small lectern was a Bible open at John 3:5, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." As I read the excerpt, a gentle brush of wind approached me, almost as if it was one solitary breath. It lasted only for a moment, like one exhalation. No one else was around at this point either, it was one of those rare moments and seemed rather poignant. I had been contemplating what article I should write about next and this moment inspired me. Not long before, I had completed writing a piece about God and what God is, so naturally I was looking for the next subject to write about. To my mind, this moment was a gentle nudge saying, "Write about me." So after some research and thought, I wrote this article. So, in my opinion, this is a way of how the Holy Spirit can communicate, which also helps me conclude that the Spirit is inspiration that leads to action.
Another question I ask myself is if the Spirit is conscious? I believe it is. It has the same mind as God, being loving, providing, educational and protective, as expressed by its actions, as well as being it's own entity, within the Trinity. Whereas God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, the Holy Spirit is these yet also being able to manifest in certain forms other than human. It inspires, teaches and imparts gifts. God can teach, inspire and manifest, but the Holy Spirit is these things in action. Hence, I have concluded that the only way it can do these things is by being conscious of what form or gift it 'needs to be.'
What is the Holy Spirit? To my mind it is the Action of God. It is an, "inner attribute of the Divine Mind which the Creator can project from Himself to accomplish His will," as Mark Heber Miller says. If God can be compared to being the Mind, Christ being the Word, then the Spirit is the Action. For instance, God thinks about what is needed, Christ speaks the need and the Spirit puts it to action. All of them are equal and share the same mind. It is also this combination that we know as the Holy Trinity; God being the brain, Christ being the spoken request and word, and the Spirit being and putting the words into action, yet all have the same mind. There is no hierarchy, for all three are equal, all have the same power.
Imagine it this way. You write a letter of complaint to a company and they reply. The return correspondence explains what's been done and how they resolved the complaint. In this comparison it is God who decides what is needed to be done, the actions to fix and resolve are the Spirit, and the written letter to you is Christ, but all are the one business/company (You could compare this to prayer too).
These are my conclusions on the Holy Spirit and the Holy Trinity. I hope that this helps you understand these concepts. For further information, you may like to read my article, Searching for God.
Sunday 29 May 2016
Searching for God
In this article I am 'searching for God' and looking at what the substance of God might be. In order to do this, I will look at the 'history of God' and also discuss consciousness.
One of the questions I have asked myself is, what is God? What's God made of? I ask this question in the context of wanting to know the substance, although it may not be quantifiable. Along the way I have looked at the earliest beliefs and religions, to get an idea of what they believe and have seen what could be described as an evolution of faith.
Firstly, in regard to 'cavemen,' I looked at the Aurignacian culture, which appears to have had an idea of what interconnectedness is and were able to identify animals. The people depicted on cave drawings lack definition and appear more like shadows. Bearing in mind that fires were lit in the caves they frequented, I think that this has something to do with their identity, within the mindset they had at the time; they were shadows, identifying with light and dark, their drawings and signature handprints possibly representing this. The lack of detail within identifying people contrasted significantly to the details of animals within cave drawings. The lioness and lionman images, and lionman statuette, indicate a protective nature as well as that of a provider. We think that they had an idea of fertility as well, from the Venus figurines that have been discovered.
The idea of provision, protection and fertility, alongside the idea of darkness and light indicate beliefs similar to native American Indians, which are probably the nearest comparison. As man evolved and migrated, ideas merged to form syncretic beliefs, moreover different faiths evolved from movement and joining with other groups. From this, we see that the ideas of protection and provision become anthropomorphised, as human identity evolves within the psyche of humanity.
The powers, the forces involved with provision and protection, change from unseen, to humanlike comparisons. The unseen force is now in the image of mankind. Pre-Pharonic Egypt and Asian/Indian beliefs portray humanlike gods and others that are humanlike with animal features, or have enhanced physical bodies, and the only belief system in the east that does not appear to have this, is Judaism. These gods emerge and in some cases appear to rule over lands and wage war.
As mankind witnesses weather and climatic changes, they call upon these powers, who answer the prayers and requests. This idea of prayer/invocation within the idea of belief would also seem to correlate with the emergence of farming. Gradually, identification with differing gods, or God, emerges both as humanlike and unseen. This idea of the power/powers ushers in parallel belief in identifying God as an unseen flow within nature and the cosmos, as well as a person who can take any form, including the form of man. From one God, other deities are identified, representing numerous aspects of nature, consciousness and ideals. Thus, there is a way of things, one God and gods after him being the many faces of multitude ideas.
Where limited migration occurs, or none, the spiritual ideas do not progress much further and remain virtually untouched and unique. It is the migration and integration of human tribes/clans that ultimately sees different faiths evolving.
From the idea of one God and other pantheons ranking alongside God, comes the notion of being saved from the suffering of humanity. Siddhartha remedies suffering and says that there is a way of nature and no salvation, but there is liberation. Yeshua/Jesus states there is a way of nature, liberation and salvation via himself as God as man. Mohammed then states that there is a way of things, liberation and salvation, but not through any man, only through God. And these faiths frequently exchange ideas within various cultures, developing syncretic belief systems. As examples, we see that within Hindu, Buddhism appears; within Buddhism, Zen appears; within Judaism, Christianity appears; within Christianity, various schools appear. Yet all these ideas subscribe to one essential factor, One whom we can call upon that is both the nature of the cosmos and can be identified as a 'person.'
So where there are indigenous tribes that do not migrate and exchange ideas, they maintain beliefs and are seeming untouched, for the cultural exchange has not occurred, hence no further evolution of faith. However, they still have beliefs which they understand and they can call upon the power of various animals, spirits, plants, etc.
So is the basic idea of God/gods the same everywhere? I think that the basic understanding arises from the concept of something that is power, that is a force, out there that can help, aid and assist. The development of the human mind has aided our perception of this force. As we began to develop our ideas of what we are, as in being human, our idea of the power also developed. Yet, the fundamental principle is that mankind has always thought that there is a power that works externally and internally to our reality. Some see coincidence where others perceive a supernatural act, when prayer and invocation has been answered. Humans have asked for protection, provision and fertile lands/people, as well as understanding why there is light and darkness. In my opinion, the light and dark can also be metaphors for right and wrong. So, ultimately we have essentially always had an idea of a power we can call upon, hence the name, God.
The idea of prayer and invocation suggests that the power we call upon is conscious. Also, the act of faith itself is curious at the same level. Christian literature says that when, "two or more are gathered and ask, it shall be done." And it has been said that if we had faith strong enough, "we can move mountains." So the power of faith and the power of a conscious entity can be comparatively similar.
The power of faith, at a group level, as in 2 or more people, suggests a meeting of conscious wills which are in agreement with the conscious power, which we call upon. At an individual level, the conscious will of the individual agrees with the conscious power other than ourself.
The cooperation between us and this power we call upon also indicates a meeting of consciousness's occurs. Could it also be said that anything that is conscious forms a collective consciousness and above this is a 'metaconsciousness,' that of Gods'?
Regarding consciousness, I am also curious to know if everything has consciousness, even at a microscopic level? Just as a skin cell knows to be a skin cell and not a bone cell, does every cell, does every atom, have an element of consciousness? Could that 'empty' space in the atom be the conscious element?
Quantum science says that light, photons, exists in two states, wave and particle and that it only knows which state it needs to be once it reaches its destination. This has been deduced from the infamous double split test. I mention this as it could indicate the nature of consciousness and possibly the idea of the soul, which like the mind and God, is hard to prove. If photons are indeed conscious, it very well may aid proving the existence of other consciousness's, such as God, the 'metaconsciousness.'
Bringing the subject back to beliefs, the Judeo-Christian religion and Zen, both indicate non judgment of things. In Judaism, God reveals that he is, "I Am What I Am," and in Zen, things are often referred to as, "it is what it is," plus in Christianity, Jesus refers to himself as, "I Am." Inasmuch as this would answer my enquiry, and should be enough, I am still curious to understand what the One we call upon, is made of. Houses are made from bricks and mortar, cupboards from wood; we are made up from DNA, blood, bones and cells; gases make a sun, etc. So is God made of a substance as such?
I have looked at religions, faith, consciousness and explored many ideas and I am certain that human beings have always believed in a magnificent presence that is there and here. In our modern, western hemisphere, science attempts to answer the questions and has replaced religious notions with scientific research, to explain certain actions. Yet no one really knows that much. In fact, a kind of anthropic arrogance asserts scientific theory over spirituality. Unlike our Muslim counterparts, science and religion have diverged, but to them both are embraced under the auspices of Allah, so I wonder how they would describe the substance of God.
My conclusions thus far are that God is, God is conscious, is within our consciousness and above it as a metaconsciousness; God has a mind, has a soul/spirit and that we anthropomorphise God.
Within Advaita Hinduism, there is a belief that there is Atman and Brahman. Some even say that, "Atman is Brahman."
Atman - loosely translated - means "soul" or "individual soul." Let's look at Atman first; Atman implies there is an essence in each individual living thing - it is soul or the primary living energy. Every living thing - people, animals, plants - have atman that forms each thing's eternal essence. It is not the body; the body is not eternal. The body houses atman until the body dies. Atman is immortal and eternal. Brahman, on the other hand, is the "cosmic soul," the eternal essence of the universe and the ultimate divine reality. It is the life source of all that has been, is and will be, throughout the entire universe. It is not an individual being - it is more like the primal ground or reality of all being and existence. Hence the phrase "atman is Brahman" is saying, quite simply, that the individual soul is the world soul, indicating that we are all connected, there is interconnectedness between all things. Even though the Hindu have a vast pantheon of deities, all are from Brahman.
One route to the word, God, is from an invocation of Indra, a Hindu deity, who shares many characteristics with later gods in European and Scandinavian mythologies. The word is, Ghut, which is a Proto-Indo-European word which means, "that which is invoked." It is linked to the invocation of Indra, king of gods, who wields a thunderbolt, is generally benevolent, who controls the universe, created the countryside and balances the earth in the palm of his hand. He also enjoyed a drink called, soma. Famously, he slayed Vritra, a snake beast, who had locked the waters away. He is the god of rain - the rainbow and sound of a gathering storm indicate he is present. He is also described as having a thousand eyes. He is compared to the German god, Wotan, the Norse Odin, Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter, being a creator god, bringing order to the cosmos. You should be able to see the general comparisons from this brief list. The rainbow also reminds me of the covenant made between God and man in Noah's tale of the flood. So in my mind, this idea of Indra is one of the turning points in the evolution of our understanding of what God is, as well as displaying a change in our mental development around the idea of God. The Proto-Indo-Europeans have moved from Atman and Brahman to the anthropomorphic Indra. This then influences the later ideas of God.
Within Judaism, Abraham, who was raised in Babylonia, comes from a culture where there were many gods/idols. Legend has it that his father was a manufacturer of idols which people would buy in order to worship them. Babylonian beliefs were a mixture of Sumerian and Amorite beliefs and was a syncretic faith, that had Marduk as the head of a pantheon that included Ishtar, Nabu, Ea, Shamash, and many more. Abram actually came to believe in one God, who summons him to another land. I wonder if his beliefs were influenced by Zoroastrian beliefs, a monotheistic religion which has a trinity , Spenta Mainyu, Angra Mainyu and Ahura Mazda, who is the head - the wise lord, and beyond him is Zarvan Akarana, the endless space and time, from which Ahura Mazda came from. Arguably, Zoroastrianism is as old as Hinduism, and sees the emergence of wisdom teachings, when the ideas of many gods was culturally prevalent in Asia and the Middle East. So for Abram to come to the conclusion that there is only one God is very interesting. It's almost as if the 'evolution' of belief is going backward, to a notion of one God which also encompasses the ideas of Taoism. In Abrams' mind, God is the natural order of nature and a supreme being, who is able to visit him in the form of a man. The idea is pretty radical when compared to other beliefs of the time. The wise Zarathustra shifts the thinking of belief in attributes of nature and their 'powers' to the idea of one wise and thoughtful deity, and Abrams' mind shifts also in this direction.
This change in syncretic beliefs at this time would seem to indicate a move from power to wisdom and with this comes judgement. The one God idea evolves with wisdom and judgement, yet Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, departs from the trend of belief in God, preaching wisdom and an existential belief system, in direct contrast. These thoughts influence Taoism and eventually come to be the Zen/Chan school of thought. So a dichotomy occurs; one God and judgment, and no God and karma. Eventually two schools emerge; one God plus salvation, and no God plus liberation, but no salvation. Middle eastern thought seemingly separates from far eastern thought with India caught in the middle. The intriguing part is when Christ begins to preach. It is some time later, but Yeshua/Jesus' ideas are very similar to Siddhartha's, but Christ preaches salvation, in opposition to Buddha's position on this. Whereas Gautama encouraged belief in karma, reincarnation and nirvana, Christ preaches new life, resurrection and Gods' judgement. It is also at this time that the God as man idea resurfaces in middle eastern thought. It's as if the ideas around God are taking a backward step. Wisdom though, has not only permeated through the idea of God, but also brought about philosophy in China, Europe and India.
One of the interesting parts of faith and wisdom, is that it often needed a ruler to be sold on the idea of the values inherent in the belief system. The Oriental philosophers, such as Confucius, Mo Tzu, et al, travelled to differing kingdoms and courts in order to get their ideas heard and incorporated into daily life. History tells us that Asoka converts to Buddhism and his kingdom buy into Buddhist ideals; Constantine encourages Christianity and the Roman empire becomes Christian. Thus, religion becomes a code for the people. However, this already occurred with other cultures and kingdoms as well for Hammurabi had established a code in 18th cent. B.C. which reflected Babylonian values. Later, we see Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. So inasmuch as wisdom plays its part in mankinds' idea of God, the idea of law and order evolved before this. Any leader, king, or ruler knew the importance of control and order within their lands, whether the code came from a deity or not.
So where is God during all these goings on? Where does God live? Is it in this universe? Inside us? In nature? In heaven? As I mentioned earlier, originally it would seem we believed there powers, or a power, that resembled a natural flow within nature and the universe. As our brain and our self identity evolved, the ideas of the power began to resemble mans' image. The Jewish people had the Ark of the Covenant and later the Temple in Jerusalem; this is where the presence of God could reside. The Hindu has the universe, nature and people, where Atman and Brahman reside. Zarathustra believed God to exist in Zarvan Akarana.
In Taoism, Heaven and earth are here now, we exist in both and eventually (at death) we are at one with the Tao, the way. And it's this idea of heaven that appears to entice ideas of the afterlife. Buddhist and Hindu beliefs indicate that liberation can be attained to escape samsara, the cycle of life, birth and rebirth. In ancient Hebrew, heaven, meant something along the lines of, "between the two waters." It is as if you are looking at the horizon and see where the sea and sky seemingly merge, but between the two, at a point you can't quite see, that is where heaven is. Other religions also believe in heaven and in some cases there are layers, or many heavens. Christ taught that, "the kingdom of heaven is within," as well as outside of us. Our ideas of heaven are still in development and modern science adds the possibility of heaven being a dimension of space/time, but basically no one knows the true location of heaven. To many beliefs, the Hindu, Taoist and Buddhist mainly, heaven is where the person, the self, dissolves into God or the original substance from whence all things came. In Chinese thought, heaven and God are almost the same thing and an emperor could be considered a son of the heaven, of god. Most beliefs do infer that heaven is above us, above the sky and somewhere in space. And it is in this realm that God is said to reside, yet we do not know exactly where it is, for it's unseen.
In Jewish and Christian belief, God will not show himself, for He lives in, "unapproachable light," and the sight of Him would be too great for us to stand. However, God did reveal himself to Abram/Abraham, Moses and Elijah. He appears as a man with two attendants when visiting Abram, as a burning bush to Moses, and rushes past Elijah, who has to hide against a rock wall, when God displays his glory & power. In Christianity and to Messianic Jews, Yeshua/Jesus is God in the form of man. Back in history, as we have seen, initially God is a power then man identifies him as humanlike. So however we perceive this power, it does appear that, as a race, we have always considered that there is a higher power, an initiator to all things, a wise being.
The gospel of John begins with, "In the beginning there was the Word," and Christ is known as the living Word within his writings. Here we see action as being God. It is no mere vocal command, but action that is God and these acts are kind, loving, benevolent acts. Once more we see that God is the power, this time it is power in action. In fact, that is exactly what this power has always been, for since humans existed, we have called upon this power to act; to bring rain, bring sunshine, make land fertile, bring justice & judgement, bring vengeance, bring life. The very words that describe Gods' name in Judaism - I Am What I Am - are from the verb, to be. So essentially, God is, God is doing, God is being, so he is what he is, a living action, a power. Zen tells us not to judge things, "If you understand something, it is what it is. If you don't understand something, it is what it is." Here the divergent faiths join, where once separated. The dichotomy which split belief systems within the evolution of faith, unites in understanding not to judge. This is where the understanding of what God is goes full circle; the power which we call upon is as it is, no karma, no judgement of men, not anthropomorphised and just simply being, conscious, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.
At the beginning of this article, I stated that I am 'searching for God,' I am looking to understand what God is and what God is made of. What conclusions have I come to? I know God exists, I know God is beyond understanding (in relation to how we comprehend God); that there is a power within us and the universe, that is displayed by action; that this power is shared between God and mankind, for when agreement is made when two or more are together with God, the words become actions and this power we share is faith; that this power is as it is, just as I am what I am. It's possible that collectively we are a mind of God, but above this conscious, collective mind, is another consciousness that is vastly superior. It's as if we are windows through which this power sees and our actions enable things to happen: we are the eyes and ears of the power, the arms and hands, yet when we cannot reach far enough, or do something that is physically impossible, the power itself works on behalf of us and It. This power resides in us, about us and above us; It's as if it permeates every living thing. It is in the flow of nature, the universe and is conscious of everything. And like the photon, it knows how to get to where it needs to be, for it knows which form it needs to be in to get there, after it arrives! Hence, it is the first and last, the alpha & omega.
So what are the answers to the questions I set?
What is God? The power, that is what it is, and the power of faith.
What is God made of? Consciousness and action.
Where is God? Out of human sight, in our minds and our bodies, in our speech & actions, and in front of us. (When you think about it, we can really only ever see Gods' back, for he is always ahead of us, which ever way we turn.)
I shall leave you with these words from Deuteronomy 4 vs 29,
"But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if indeed you seek him with all your heart and soul."
Am I still searching? No, I'm seeking to understand more about this amazing Power that I believe in. I have seen this Power in action and it is magnificent.
One of the questions I have asked myself is, what is God? What's God made of? I ask this question in the context of wanting to know the substance, although it may not be quantifiable. Along the way I have looked at the earliest beliefs and religions, to get an idea of what they believe and have seen what could be described as an evolution of faith.
Firstly, in regard to 'cavemen,' I looked at the Aurignacian culture, which appears to have had an idea of what interconnectedness is and were able to identify animals. The people depicted on cave drawings lack definition and appear more like shadows. Bearing in mind that fires were lit in the caves they frequented, I think that this has something to do with their identity, within the mindset they had at the time; they were shadows, identifying with light and dark, their drawings and signature handprints possibly representing this. The lack of detail within identifying people contrasted significantly to the details of animals within cave drawings. The lioness and lionman images, and lionman statuette, indicate a protective nature as well as that of a provider. We think that they had an idea of fertility as well, from the Venus figurines that have been discovered.
The idea of provision, protection and fertility, alongside the idea of darkness and light indicate beliefs similar to native American Indians, which are probably the nearest comparison. As man evolved and migrated, ideas merged to form syncretic beliefs, moreover different faiths evolved from movement and joining with other groups. From this, we see that the ideas of protection and provision become anthropomorphised, as human identity evolves within the psyche of humanity.
The powers, the forces involved with provision and protection, change from unseen, to humanlike comparisons. The unseen force is now in the image of mankind. Pre-Pharonic Egypt and Asian/Indian beliefs portray humanlike gods and others that are humanlike with animal features, or have enhanced physical bodies, and the only belief system in the east that does not appear to have this, is Judaism. These gods emerge and in some cases appear to rule over lands and wage war.
As mankind witnesses weather and climatic changes, they call upon these powers, who answer the prayers and requests. This idea of prayer/invocation within the idea of belief would also seem to correlate with the emergence of farming. Gradually, identification with differing gods, or God, emerges both as humanlike and unseen. This idea of the power/powers ushers in parallel belief in identifying God as an unseen flow within nature and the cosmos, as well as a person who can take any form, including the form of man. From one God, other deities are identified, representing numerous aspects of nature, consciousness and ideals. Thus, there is a way of things, one God and gods after him being the many faces of multitude ideas.
Where limited migration occurs, or none, the spiritual ideas do not progress much further and remain virtually untouched and unique. It is the migration and integration of human tribes/clans that ultimately sees different faiths evolving.
From the idea of one God and other pantheons ranking alongside God, comes the notion of being saved from the suffering of humanity. Siddhartha remedies suffering and says that there is a way of nature and no salvation, but there is liberation. Yeshua/Jesus states there is a way of nature, liberation and salvation via himself as God as man. Mohammed then states that there is a way of things, liberation and salvation, but not through any man, only through God. And these faiths frequently exchange ideas within various cultures, developing syncretic belief systems. As examples, we see that within Hindu, Buddhism appears; within Buddhism, Zen appears; within Judaism, Christianity appears; within Christianity, various schools appear. Yet all these ideas subscribe to one essential factor, One whom we can call upon that is both the nature of the cosmos and can be identified as a 'person.'
So where there are indigenous tribes that do not migrate and exchange ideas, they maintain beliefs and are seeming untouched, for the cultural exchange has not occurred, hence no further evolution of faith. However, they still have beliefs which they understand and they can call upon the power of various animals, spirits, plants, etc.
So is the basic idea of God/gods the same everywhere? I think that the basic understanding arises from the concept of something that is power, that is a force, out there that can help, aid and assist. The development of the human mind has aided our perception of this force. As we began to develop our ideas of what we are, as in being human, our idea of the power also developed. Yet, the fundamental principle is that mankind has always thought that there is a power that works externally and internally to our reality. Some see coincidence where others perceive a supernatural act, when prayer and invocation has been answered. Humans have asked for protection, provision and fertile lands/people, as well as understanding why there is light and darkness. In my opinion, the light and dark can also be metaphors for right and wrong. So, ultimately we have essentially always had an idea of a power we can call upon, hence the name, God.
The idea of prayer and invocation suggests that the power we call upon is conscious. Also, the act of faith itself is curious at the same level. Christian literature says that when, "two or more are gathered and ask, it shall be done." And it has been said that if we had faith strong enough, "we can move mountains." So the power of faith and the power of a conscious entity can be comparatively similar.
The power of faith, at a group level, as in 2 or more people, suggests a meeting of conscious wills which are in agreement with the conscious power, which we call upon. At an individual level, the conscious will of the individual agrees with the conscious power other than ourself.
The cooperation between us and this power we call upon also indicates a meeting of consciousness's occurs. Could it also be said that anything that is conscious forms a collective consciousness and above this is a 'metaconsciousness,' that of Gods'?
Regarding consciousness, I am also curious to know if everything has consciousness, even at a microscopic level? Just as a skin cell knows to be a skin cell and not a bone cell, does every cell, does every atom, have an element of consciousness? Could that 'empty' space in the atom be the conscious element?
Quantum science says that light, photons, exists in two states, wave and particle and that it only knows which state it needs to be once it reaches its destination. This has been deduced from the infamous double split test. I mention this as it could indicate the nature of consciousness and possibly the idea of the soul, which like the mind and God, is hard to prove. If photons are indeed conscious, it very well may aid proving the existence of other consciousness's, such as God, the 'metaconsciousness.'
Bringing the subject back to beliefs, the Judeo-Christian religion and Zen, both indicate non judgment of things. In Judaism, God reveals that he is, "I Am What I Am," and in Zen, things are often referred to as, "it is what it is," plus in Christianity, Jesus refers to himself as, "I Am." Inasmuch as this would answer my enquiry, and should be enough, I am still curious to understand what the One we call upon, is made of. Houses are made from bricks and mortar, cupboards from wood; we are made up from DNA, blood, bones and cells; gases make a sun, etc. So is God made of a substance as such?
I have looked at religions, faith, consciousness and explored many ideas and I am certain that human beings have always believed in a magnificent presence that is there and here. In our modern, western hemisphere, science attempts to answer the questions and has replaced religious notions with scientific research, to explain certain actions. Yet no one really knows that much. In fact, a kind of anthropic arrogance asserts scientific theory over spirituality. Unlike our Muslim counterparts, science and religion have diverged, but to them both are embraced under the auspices of Allah, so I wonder how they would describe the substance of God.
My conclusions thus far are that God is, God is conscious, is within our consciousness and above it as a metaconsciousness; God has a mind, has a soul/spirit and that we anthropomorphise God.
Within Advaita Hinduism, there is a belief that there is Atman and Brahman. Some even say that, "Atman is Brahman."
Atman - loosely translated - means "soul" or "individual soul." Let's look at Atman first; Atman implies there is an essence in each individual living thing - it is soul or the primary living energy. Every living thing - people, animals, plants - have atman that forms each thing's eternal essence. It is not the body; the body is not eternal. The body houses atman until the body dies. Atman is immortal and eternal. Brahman, on the other hand, is the "cosmic soul," the eternal essence of the universe and the ultimate divine reality. It is the life source of all that has been, is and will be, throughout the entire universe. It is not an individual being - it is more like the primal ground or reality of all being and existence. Hence the phrase "atman is Brahman" is saying, quite simply, that the individual soul is the world soul, indicating that we are all connected, there is interconnectedness between all things. Even though the Hindu have a vast pantheon of deities, all are from Brahman.
One route to the word, God, is from an invocation of Indra, a Hindu deity, who shares many characteristics with later gods in European and Scandinavian mythologies. The word is, Ghut, which is a Proto-Indo-European word which means, "that which is invoked." It is linked to the invocation of Indra, king of gods, who wields a thunderbolt, is generally benevolent, who controls the universe, created the countryside and balances the earth in the palm of his hand. He also enjoyed a drink called, soma. Famously, he slayed Vritra, a snake beast, who had locked the waters away. He is the god of rain - the rainbow and sound of a gathering storm indicate he is present. He is also described as having a thousand eyes. He is compared to the German god, Wotan, the Norse Odin, Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter, being a creator god, bringing order to the cosmos. You should be able to see the general comparisons from this brief list. The rainbow also reminds me of the covenant made between God and man in Noah's tale of the flood. So in my mind, this idea of Indra is one of the turning points in the evolution of our understanding of what God is, as well as displaying a change in our mental development around the idea of God. The Proto-Indo-Europeans have moved from Atman and Brahman to the anthropomorphic Indra. This then influences the later ideas of God.
Within Judaism, Abraham, who was raised in Babylonia, comes from a culture where there were many gods/idols. Legend has it that his father was a manufacturer of idols which people would buy in order to worship them. Babylonian beliefs were a mixture of Sumerian and Amorite beliefs and was a syncretic faith, that had Marduk as the head of a pantheon that included Ishtar, Nabu, Ea, Shamash, and many more. Abram actually came to believe in one God, who summons him to another land. I wonder if his beliefs were influenced by Zoroastrian beliefs, a monotheistic religion which has a trinity , Spenta Mainyu, Angra Mainyu and Ahura Mazda, who is the head - the wise lord, and beyond him is Zarvan Akarana, the endless space and time, from which Ahura Mazda came from. Arguably, Zoroastrianism is as old as Hinduism, and sees the emergence of wisdom teachings, when the ideas of many gods was culturally prevalent in Asia and the Middle East. So for Abram to come to the conclusion that there is only one God is very interesting. It's almost as if the 'evolution' of belief is going backward, to a notion of one God which also encompasses the ideas of Taoism. In Abrams' mind, God is the natural order of nature and a supreme being, who is able to visit him in the form of a man. The idea is pretty radical when compared to other beliefs of the time. The wise Zarathustra shifts the thinking of belief in attributes of nature and their 'powers' to the idea of one wise and thoughtful deity, and Abrams' mind shifts also in this direction.
This change in syncretic beliefs at this time would seem to indicate a move from power to wisdom and with this comes judgement. The one God idea evolves with wisdom and judgement, yet Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, departs from the trend of belief in God, preaching wisdom and an existential belief system, in direct contrast. These thoughts influence Taoism and eventually come to be the Zen/Chan school of thought. So a dichotomy occurs; one God and judgment, and no God and karma. Eventually two schools emerge; one God plus salvation, and no God plus liberation, but no salvation. Middle eastern thought seemingly separates from far eastern thought with India caught in the middle. The intriguing part is when Christ begins to preach. It is some time later, but Yeshua/Jesus' ideas are very similar to Siddhartha's, but Christ preaches salvation, in opposition to Buddha's position on this. Whereas Gautama encouraged belief in karma, reincarnation and nirvana, Christ preaches new life, resurrection and Gods' judgement. It is also at this time that the God as man idea resurfaces in middle eastern thought. It's as if the ideas around God are taking a backward step. Wisdom though, has not only permeated through the idea of God, but also brought about philosophy in China, Europe and India.
One of the interesting parts of faith and wisdom, is that it often needed a ruler to be sold on the idea of the values inherent in the belief system. The Oriental philosophers, such as Confucius, Mo Tzu, et al, travelled to differing kingdoms and courts in order to get their ideas heard and incorporated into daily life. History tells us that Asoka converts to Buddhism and his kingdom buy into Buddhist ideals; Constantine encourages Christianity and the Roman empire becomes Christian. Thus, religion becomes a code for the people. However, this already occurred with other cultures and kingdoms as well for Hammurabi had established a code in 18th cent. B.C. which reflected Babylonian values. Later, we see Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. So inasmuch as wisdom plays its part in mankinds' idea of God, the idea of law and order evolved before this. Any leader, king, or ruler knew the importance of control and order within their lands, whether the code came from a deity or not.
So where is God during all these goings on? Where does God live? Is it in this universe? Inside us? In nature? In heaven? As I mentioned earlier, originally it would seem we believed there powers, or a power, that resembled a natural flow within nature and the universe. As our brain and our self identity evolved, the ideas of the power began to resemble mans' image. The Jewish people had the Ark of the Covenant and later the Temple in Jerusalem; this is where the presence of God could reside. The Hindu has the universe, nature and people, where Atman and Brahman reside. Zarathustra believed God to exist in Zarvan Akarana.
In Taoism, Heaven and earth are here now, we exist in both and eventually (at death) we are at one with the Tao, the way. And it's this idea of heaven that appears to entice ideas of the afterlife. Buddhist and Hindu beliefs indicate that liberation can be attained to escape samsara, the cycle of life, birth and rebirth. In ancient Hebrew, heaven, meant something along the lines of, "between the two waters." It is as if you are looking at the horizon and see where the sea and sky seemingly merge, but between the two, at a point you can't quite see, that is where heaven is. Other religions also believe in heaven and in some cases there are layers, or many heavens. Christ taught that, "the kingdom of heaven is within," as well as outside of us. Our ideas of heaven are still in development and modern science adds the possibility of heaven being a dimension of space/time, but basically no one knows the true location of heaven. To many beliefs, the Hindu, Taoist and Buddhist mainly, heaven is where the person, the self, dissolves into God or the original substance from whence all things came. In Chinese thought, heaven and God are almost the same thing and an emperor could be considered a son of the heaven, of god. Most beliefs do infer that heaven is above us, above the sky and somewhere in space. And it is in this realm that God is said to reside, yet we do not know exactly where it is, for it's unseen.
In Jewish and Christian belief, God will not show himself, for He lives in, "unapproachable light," and the sight of Him would be too great for us to stand. However, God did reveal himself to Abram/Abraham, Moses and Elijah. He appears as a man with two attendants when visiting Abram, as a burning bush to Moses, and rushes past Elijah, who has to hide against a rock wall, when God displays his glory & power. In Christianity and to Messianic Jews, Yeshua/Jesus is God in the form of man. Back in history, as we have seen, initially God is a power then man identifies him as humanlike. So however we perceive this power, it does appear that, as a race, we have always considered that there is a higher power, an initiator to all things, a wise being.
The gospel of John begins with, "In the beginning there was the Word," and Christ is known as the living Word within his writings. Here we see action as being God. It is no mere vocal command, but action that is God and these acts are kind, loving, benevolent acts. Once more we see that God is the power, this time it is power in action. In fact, that is exactly what this power has always been, for since humans existed, we have called upon this power to act; to bring rain, bring sunshine, make land fertile, bring justice & judgement, bring vengeance, bring life. The very words that describe Gods' name in Judaism - I Am What I Am - are from the verb, to be. So essentially, God is, God is doing, God is being, so he is what he is, a living action, a power. Zen tells us not to judge things, "If you understand something, it is what it is. If you don't understand something, it is what it is." Here the divergent faiths join, where once separated. The dichotomy which split belief systems within the evolution of faith, unites in understanding not to judge. This is where the understanding of what God is goes full circle; the power which we call upon is as it is, no karma, no judgement of men, not anthropomorphised and just simply being, conscious, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.
At the beginning of this article, I stated that I am 'searching for God,' I am looking to understand what God is and what God is made of. What conclusions have I come to? I know God exists, I know God is beyond understanding (in relation to how we comprehend God); that there is a power within us and the universe, that is displayed by action; that this power is shared between God and mankind, for when agreement is made when two or more are together with God, the words become actions and this power we share is faith; that this power is as it is, just as I am what I am. It's possible that collectively we are a mind of God, but above this conscious, collective mind, is another consciousness that is vastly superior. It's as if we are windows through which this power sees and our actions enable things to happen: we are the eyes and ears of the power, the arms and hands, yet when we cannot reach far enough, or do something that is physically impossible, the power itself works on behalf of us and It. This power resides in us, about us and above us; It's as if it permeates every living thing. It is in the flow of nature, the universe and is conscious of everything. And like the photon, it knows how to get to where it needs to be, for it knows which form it needs to be in to get there, after it arrives! Hence, it is the first and last, the alpha & omega.
So what are the answers to the questions I set?
What is God? The power, that is what it is, and the power of faith.
What is God made of? Consciousness and action.
Where is God? Out of human sight, in our minds and our bodies, in our speech & actions, and in front of us. (When you think about it, we can really only ever see Gods' back, for he is always ahead of us, which ever way we turn.)
I shall leave you with these words from Deuteronomy 4 vs 29,
"But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if indeed you seek him with all your heart and soul."
Am I still searching? No, I'm seeking to understand more about this amazing Power that I believe in. I have seen this Power in action and it is magnificent.
Saturday 27 February 2016
Sougen Roshi's Blog: After Life
Sougen Roshi's Blog: After Life: Recently I have been researching both reincarnation and life after death. Most of the ‘evidence’ for life after death is from those who have...
After Life
Recently I have been researching both reincarnation and life after death. Most of the ‘evidence’ for life after death is from those who have had near death experiences, NDE’s. In regards to reincarnation, the ‘evidence’ seems to be mainly anecdotal, which means that it’s largely subjective.There is a great need for scientific/empirical evidence to substantiate the existence of life beyond death. Curiously, NDE’s are providing some proof whereas reincarnation is not, yet the latter frequently has people claiming scientific proof, when there appears to be none.
There are various offerings thrown in to the mix from the world of quantum physics, more notably, Robert Lanza’s biocentrism and the idea of a quantum soul via the Orch-OR phenomena suggested by Sir Roger Penrose and Dr Stuart Hameroff. However, these are just theories, ideas and prove nothing as yet but suggest the potential for eventually finding the elusive evidence.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that there is an afterlife. Moreover, I believe that every soul is unique and that we do not inhabit various fleshy vehicles, merely the one during this lifetime, so I don’t believe in reincarnation but in an afterlife, albeit an unknown one. How we scientifically prove the afterlife will probably require us to redefine life itself and the laws of physics. How the spiritual realm interacts with our own, will require examination and I do perceive that the quantum physicists will probably be involved in our understanding of the supranatural. I say supranatural as apposed to supernatural, because I am differentiating them as two separate things; there will always be the traditional supernatural and its associated beliefs, as well as the supranatural which I hope will scientifically prove the spiritual realm. To understand the supranatural we also need to understand the soul or spirit, for I firmly believe that the two are linked. Philosophers and scientists have both searched for proof of the soul, even in ancient times, which is much akin to discovering the mind. Just as there is a physical brain and invisible mind, there is also the physical body and invisible soul, things that define our sentience, neigh consciousness. We can view the brain and body, yet cannot see the mind or soul, but we surmise and accept that they exist. As for sentience, that is not yet fully defined because of our human blinkeredness. We perceive sentience as sign of life, yet what is life? I can hear the answers being shouted at me now, but do we really understand what life is? It is open to opinion and I believe that there are things that are alive which as yet are undiscovered.
A few years back a film was released called, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, in which the heroine seeks to understand the physiology of phantom beings that arrive as a result of a crashed meteorite and I often wonder if we will be able to study the physiology of the soul and mind in a similar way. Maybe at some level, the quantum level most likely, there is the makeup of our soul awaiting discovery and study will aid us in understanding the nature of the soul and universe.
In Hinduism, there is the notion of reincarnation and, according to which idea within one subscribes to, Atman/God is in everything, each life being an incarnation of Atman, so to speak. Eventually everything goes back to be with Atman. In the tri-abramic faiths, God offers us immortality in Heaven. Whatever you believe, the aforementioned faiths have the idea of existence beyond and before this corporeal life. Atheists would argue against such ideas and then there are those who want to believe, if only there was proof.
So what would the affect be if science proves the mind, afterlife, the soul, or a universal consciousness even? I think the news would be profound and believe that eventually there will be proof of something relating to the spirit at a quantum level. Advances in quantum computing and quantum physics will soon open a new can of worms which will need labelling and to be compartmentalized. As the nuts and bolts of quantum mechanics, which bring visible technology to us (e.g. a quantum computer) are being developed, we will stumble across something that links the visible realm with an unseen one.
One such thing that exists in simultaneous states, is our friend, the photon which exists as both particle and wave. Julian Heeck, of the Max Planck Institute, calculates that the life of a photon could be a billion-billion years, if it has a slight mass. If other information comes to light, then it will be recalculated. Also, a photon never dies, it transforms into an electron or electron + positron, which can turn into a gamma ray. Furthermore, Frank Heile PhD, of Stanford University, suggests that the humble photon does not experience any time at all. So, it can live a good while then transforms into another form. Alternatively, it is timeless, eternal. Generally speaking, professionals presume that our little photon has no mass and is the opposite of matter. However, it takes both components for it to exist in our perceived reality. Does the spirit then, like a wave, roll on the shore of another realm or ebb to the ocean of the universe? If the spirit is similar to the photon then it has a healthy life span and essentially never ends but transforms into something else, or is eternal.
In my mind’s eye, I perceive that like a photon, ourselves and all things, exist in two states. The double slit test has already indicated that time works differently for the photon, for its future affects the past. Knowing it’s observed, it reveals itself as a particle, which begs the question, how does it know it is observed? Is it sentient/conscious? Likewise, I think that we exist simultaneously in two states, soul and body. When observed, I am body and when unobserved I am spirit. It’s a bit like this writing you are presently reading; the words did not exist until I have written them, so my past is your present. Even after my life in this realm is over, you can still read my words as if they are still alive. So do words ever die? Did I ever die? Whether or not I am alive in the corporeal sense now, is of no matter, for in this moment I am alive to you.
So, I think that the afterlife and existence of the soul exist. I reiterate, that I believe that all ‘life,’ is like the photon and exists in two states at the same time, meaning that the supranatural realm and this one exist simultaneously, in two different states. If I am correct, I’ll wave at you, the moment I travel past you
There are various offerings thrown in to the mix from the world of quantum physics, more notably, Robert Lanza’s biocentrism and the idea of a quantum soul via the Orch-OR phenomena suggested by Sir Roger Penrose and Dr Stuart Hameroff. However, these are just theories, ideas and prove nothing as yet but suggest the potential for eventually finding the elusive evidence.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that there is an afterlife. Moreover, I believe that every soul is unique and that we do not inhabit various fleshy vehicles, merely the one during this lifetime, so I don’t believe in reincarnation but in an afterlife, albeit an unknown one. How we scientifically prove the afterlife will probably require us to redefine life itself and the laws of physics. How the spiritual realm interacts with our own, will require examination and I do perceive that the quantum physicists will probably be involved in our understanding of the supranatural. I say supranatural as apposed to supernatural, because I am differentiating them as two separate things; there will always be the traditional supernatural and its associated beliefs, as well as the supranatural which I hope will scientifically prove the spiritual realm. To understand the supranatural we also need to understand the soul or spirit, for I firmly believe that the two are linked. Philosophers and scientists have both searched for proof of the soul, even in ancient times, which is much akin to discovering the mind. Just as there is a physical brain and invisible mind, there is also the physical body and invisible soul, things that define our sentience, neigh consciousness. We can view the brain and body, yet cannot see the mind or soul, but we surmise and accept that they exist. As for sentience, that is not yet fully defined because of our human blinkeredness. We perceive sentience as sign of life, yet what is life? I can hear the answers being shouted at me now, but do we really understand what life is? It is open to opinion and I believe that there are things that are alive which as yet are undiscovered.
A few years back a film was released called, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, in which the heroine seeks to understand the physiology of phantom beings that arrive as a result of a crashed meteorite and I often wonder if we will be able to study the physiology of the soul and mind in a similar way. Maybe at some level, the quantum level most likely, there is the makeup of our soul awaiting discovery and study will aid us in understanding the nature of the soul and universe.
In Hinduism, there is the notion of reincarnation and, according to which idea within one subscribes to, Atman/God is in everything, each life being an incarnation of Atman, so to speak. Eventually everything goes back to be with Atman. In the tri-abramic faiths, God offers us immortality in Heaven. Whatever you believe, the aforementioned faiths have the idea of existence beyond and before this corporeal life. Atheists would argue against such ideas and then there are those who want to believe, if only there was proof.
So what would the affect be if science proves the mind, afterlife, the soul, or a universal consciousness even? I think the news would be profound and believe that eventually there will be proof of something relating to the spirit at a quantum level. Advances in quantum computing and quantum physics will soon open a new can of worms which will need labelling and to be compartmentalized. As the nuts and bolts of quantum mechanics, which bring visible technology to us (e.g. a quantum computer) are being developed, we will stumble across something that links the visible realm with an unseen one.
One such thing that exists in simultaneous states, is our friend, the photon which exists as both particle and wave. Julian Heeck, of the Max Planck Institute, calculates that the life of a photon could be a billion-billion years, if it has a slight mass. If other information comes to light, then it will be recalculated. Also, a photon never dies, it transforms into an electron or electron + positron, which can turn into a gamma ray. Furthermore, Frank Heile PhD, of Stanford University, suggests that the humble photon does not experience any time at all. So, it can live a good while then transforms into another form. Alternatively, it is timeless, eternal. Generally speaking, professionals presume that our little photon has no mass and is the opposite of matter. However, it takes both components for it to exist in our perceived reality. Does the spirit then, like a wave, roll on the shore of another realm or ebb to the ocean of the universe? If the spirit is similar to the photon then it has a healthy life span and essentially never ends but transforms into something else, or is eternal.
In my mind’s eye, I perceive that like a photon, ourselves and all things, exist in two states. The double slit test has already indicated that time works differently for the photon, for its future affects the past. Knowing it’s observed, it reveals itself as a particle, which begs the question, how does it know it is observed? Is it sentient/conscious? Likewise, I think that we exist simultaneously in two states, soul and body. When observed, I am body and when unobserved I am spirit. It’s a bit like this writing you are presently reading; the words did not exist until I have written them, so my past is your present. Even after my life in this realm is over, you can still read my words as if they are still alive. So do words ever die? Did I ever die? Whether or not I am alive in the corporeal sense now, is of no matter, for in this moment I am alive to you.
So, I think that the afterlife and existence of the soul exist. I reiterate, that I believe that all ‘life,’ is like the photon and exists in two states at the same time, meaning that the supranatural realm and this one exist simultaneously, in two different states. If I am correct, I’ll wave at you, the moment I travel past you
Monday 18 January 2016
The science of meditation
The body-mind link is often associated with the vagus nerve. Stimulation of the vagus can be done by immersing the face in cold water, exhaling against a closed airway (which can be done by keeping the mouth closed and pinching the nose whilst trying to breathe out), and by using breathing techniques. Singing also stimulates the vagus, explaining why reciting mantras can also be soothing.
Meditation helps ‘thicken’ the area of the brain called the Insula which helps us process emotions, feel & anticipate pain, moral intuition, empathy, guilt, atonement, pride, lust, disgust, feel hunger, cravings, listen, feeling shunned in social settings, decision making, listening & giving an emotional response to music, and judging peoples’ facial expressions. Along with the vagus nerve, professionals believe this is where body and mind integrate. Meditation also relaxes another part of the brain called the Amygdala, which appears to monitor fear and anxiety. Also, meditation encourages White Matter, that is the wiring of the brain, to grow. It also lowers our sensory inputs and the monitoring of the conscious self. This enables a feeling of ‘temporary sleep’ in our Pre-Frontal Cortex, even though we are awake.
The benefits of meditation include better wellbeing, better sleep patterns, lowering high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks, decreases tension-related pain - tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia - it increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior, improves the immune system and energy levels.
Neuroscientists have found that those people who meditate shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain, so brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift can help alleviate the negative effects of stress, anxiety and mild depression.
In fact, research is indicating that managing your stress is as important as a balanced diet and exercise, so meditation is integral to your wellbeing.
Meditation uses breathing techniques and often one will begin practicing meditation by focus on breathing. As you progress, other techniques can be used and incorporated into the practice. One of the fundamental aspects of meditation is the making time for it, which means that you are getting some serious 'me-time.' It is like taking a break, just to sit and merely be. This in itself can be so important with the way our lives can become so busy.
Meditation also aids problem solving and creative thinking, not just because you are taking the time away from doing a task, but because it helps develop the dendrites of the brain, its wiring; as mentioned earlier this referred to as White Matter. The networking of the brain improves by being in an almost wakeful sleep. Parenthetically, this networking has been compared, by some professionals, to the way in which the universe networks. So by taking the time to meditate in can improve the way you think and encourages divergent thinking, that is different ways of thinking and looking at problems.
Problem solving and what spiritual people would call enlightenment are in fact very similar indeed. I have written an article on this which explains the remarkable similarities. In short, meditation is used by many spiritual people to look at the causes of various aspects and conditions of humanity. The moment of enlightenment is almost like solving the problem, or finding the cause, or both. However, it isn't limited to just spiritual people. Many thinkers, writers, poets, painters, actors and singers practice meditation and have had eureka moments as a result. The most famous recollection you may have will be of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, who famously meditated and solved the problems of living and prescribed certain recommendations. Another equally vivid image you may think of is Zen monks, slowly walking or sitting in meditation. And this is why the majority of people consider meditation as a spiritual practice. Ostensibly, it is and its practice may well stimulate bigger questions like, "Why am I here?" which require a philosophical answer, but it is not just for the spiritually inclined. And just because you meditate does not mean that you will shave your head, sit in the lotus position and chant, "Om." The benefits of meditation are more than just spiritual. When practiced in daily routine, it brings balance to your life, makes you less stressful and inspires you to be creative.
It's associated attributes, such as mindfulness, can also help you in awareness of what actually passes through your mind, what is actually happening around you; increases observation, understanding, empathy and discerning right from wrong.
So meditating is just as important as having a healthy, balanced diet and exercise.
Meditation helps ‘thicken’ the area of the brain called the Insula which helps us process emotions, feel & anticipate pain, moral intuition, empathy, guilt, atonement, pride, lust, disgust, feel hunger, cravings, listen, feeling shunned in social settings, decision making, listening & giving an emotional response to music, and judging peoples’ facial expressions. Along with the vagus nerve, professionals believe this is where body and mind integrate. Meditation also relaxes another part of the brain called the Amygdala, which appears to monitor fear and anxiety. Also, meditation encourages White Matter, that is the wiring of the brain, to grow. It also lowers our sensory inputs and the monitoring of the conscious self. This enables a feeling of ‘temporary sleep’ in our Pre-Frontal Cortex, even though we are awake.
The benefits of meditation include better wellbeing, better sleep patterns, lowering high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks, decreases tension-related pain - tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia - it increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior, improves the immune system and energy levels.
Neuroscientists have found that those people who meditate shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain, so brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift can help alleviate the negative effects of stress, anxiety and mild depression.
In fact, research is indicating that managing your stress is as important as a balanced diet and exercise, so meditation is integral to your wellbeing.
Meditation uses breathing techniques and often one will begin practicing meditation by focus on breathing. As you progress, other techniques can be used and incorporated into the practice. One of the fundamental aspects of meditation is the making time for it, which means that you are getting some serious 'me-time.' It is like taking a break, just to sit and merely be. This in itself can be so important with the way our lives can become so busy.
Meditation also aids problem solving and creative thinking, not just because you are taking the time away from doing a task, but because it helps develop the dendrites of the brain, its wiring; as mentioned earlier this referred to as White Matter. The networking of the brain improves by being in an almost wakeful sleep. Parenthetically, this networking has been compared, by some professionals, to the way in which the universe networks. So by taking the time to meditate in can improve the way you think and encourages divergent thinking, that is different ways of thinking and looking at problems.
Problem solving and what spiritual people would call enlightenment are in fact very similar indeed. I have written an article on this which explains the remarkable similarities. In short, meditation is used by many spiritual people to look at the causes of various aspects and conditions of humanity. The moment of enlightenment is almost like solving the problem, or finding the cause, or both. However, it isn't limited to just spiritual people. Many thinkers, writers, poets, painters, actors and singers practice meditation and have had eureka moments as a result. The most famous recollection you may have will be of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, who famously meditated and solved the problems of living and prescribed certain recommendations. Another equally vivid image you may think of is Zen monks, slowly walking or sitting in meditation. And this is why the majority of people consider meditation as a spiritual practice. Ostensibly, it is and its practice may well stimulate bigger questions like, "Why am I here?" which require a philosophical answer, but it is not just for the spiritually inclined. And just because you meditate does not mean that you will shave your head, sit in the lotus position and chant, "Om." The benefits of meditation are more than just spiritual. When practiced in daily routine, it brings balance to your life, makes you less stressful and inspires you to be creative.
It's associated attributes, such as mindfulness, can also help you in awareness of what actually passes through your mind, what is actually happening around you; increases observation, understanding, empathy and discerning right from wrong.
So meditating is just as important as having a healthy, balanced diet and exercise.
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