Eternity... is it on Your list of needs?

"Something deep in the human make-up needs and longs for a taste of eternity--at least a momentary release from the relentless pace of time. We don't usually place eternity in our list of needs, but the soul is only half satisfied with the things of this world.”  From Thomas Moore THE SOUL OF SEX.

This longing for eternity as he calls it is why there is religion in the world.  This longing is essentially our search for God.  We aren’t left here in the physical without something that calls to us urging us to find out who we are and where our eternal home is.   But this longing is also the why people turn to addictive behavior whether it be alcohol, sex, drugs or even fundamentalism.  Making the best use of this longing requires choice and intent.   It means making a decision to want to know the truth.  The truth that will set you free.  Also there can be many truths depending on who you are and your level of understanding.  The soul longs for that from whence it came. 

Me and Pi...

After seeing there was a movie being made of the book  LIFE OF PI, I decided to reread the book.   It had been a long time but now I’m seeing why I liked it.   The protagonist, the main character, Pi, reminds me of me...  Pi is an Indian boy (That's India not Am. Indian) who grows up in his father's zoo and is intrigued by religion.  He is so intrigued that by the time he is 16 he is a practicing Hindu, Christian and Muslim.  There is an absolutely funny but touching scene when, with his parents out on a stroll, they meet not one of the spiritual leaders of those religions but all three.  The spiritual leaders are all ranting to Pi’s parents that he has to choose that he cannot be all three. 
Pi has done all this unbeknownst to his parents even.  Finally in a pause, Pi’s mother turns to him.  Addressing the question about how he cannot be all three but must choose, 
“Hmmmm Piscine?  (his actual name, Pi is the shortened version) Mother nudged me.  “How do you feel about the question?”
“Bapu Gandhi said, ‘All religions are true.‘  I just want to love God.”  I blurted out, and looked down, red in the face." 
I’m not quite through a third of the novel, and yes it is fiction.  I will finish it before the movie comes out in the middle of November.  
Oh and something else, Pi goes on to grow up and get degrees in zoology and religious studies.  My degrees are in zoology and philosophy. 
LIFE OF PI is written by Yann Martel.  The movie trailer looks spectacular.   In the story Pi’s family eventually moves to Canada but there is a shipwreck and Pi and some of the zoo animals are the only survivors.  Pi survives on a life boat with a Bengal Tiger. 



The Essential Truths of the World's Great Religions.

This is another interesting tidbit from Dr. Hawkins.  This is from his book DISCOVERY OF THE PRESENCE  OF GOD.  It is nice to see this information all in one place.
“A brilliant distillation of the essential spiritual truths and the world’s great religions is exemplified by the following:
Christianity is the path of love and forgiveness.
Buddhism is the path of compassion.
Judaism is the path of living by sacred law.
Baha’i is the path of unity and peace.
Islam is the path of submission to the will of God.
Confucianism is the path of deliberate tradition.
Taoism is the path of ultimate reality.
Native American Practice is the path of primal spirituality.
Shintoism is the path of tribal ancestry.
Hinduism is the path of knowledge, action, and devotion.
Science of mind is the path of the Divine Principle of Love and Law.”

Dr. Hawkins also adds “The Global Heart Vision is of a world that works for everyone.”  Looking this up came up with the information that it is the vision of the organization called Science of Mind started by Ernest Holmes and has taken the form of the Churches of Spiritual Living.  

Are you Curious...

We are so in love with our reality, the physical, three dimensional reality where our bodies and our wars reside.  It is part of coming here to planet earth that we forget who we really are and that there is something else besides planet earth.   We get so into the fun and games and pain living here that we don’t realize there really is more.  Infinity, spirit, even God are names we use to describe what else is there just beyond our sensitivity.   The stories our religions tell us have helped keep our attention on the third dimension and they have always discouraged asking questions but haven’t you ever wondered what else there is?  And now with the changes taking place on the planet information on the ‘rest of it’ is becoming more available.   We forget when we were born what the rest of eternity was like because we would have a lot of doubts about our choices to come here.  However, “nobody knows” is no longer an excuse.   If you want to know more about the universe you can.  Spread the word.  

You are a Traveler...

You are a universal traveler.  You can travel through time and space and you have arrived to visit a relatively small planet on the edge of the milky way galaxy.   You look a lot like the inhabitants of this planet so it is easy for you to blend in.  But as you look around, trying to find out more about this place, you start to see and hear things that are beginning to disturb you.  The people on this place are split by what they call religion.  People with different ideas fight over those ideas.   And there are many areas on this planet that are at war.   Pictures on the news videos show scene after scene of destruction caused by these wars.   Also there are pictures of many children that have been killed in these conflicts.  
You are hearing about how these inhabitants have allowed and even inflicted much destruction against the planet itself.   The planet is in danger of becoming unlivable.  Maybe not in the immediate lifetime of these people but certainly in their childrens’ or grandchildrens’ lifetime.   Most of the inhabitants of this planet don’t seem to care about these things, they don’t even seem to think about them, nor do they even appear to be trying to do anything about them.  When a random murder happens close to where our visitor is staying he decides he has had enough.  He makes plans to leave this violent primitive place.  This planet called earth is way too violent and dangerous for universal travelers to visit.  

Some May Take A little Longer...i'm haviung

Did you know that there are complete free translations of the major religious writings on the internet.  The complete Christian Bible, the Qur’an, the Torah are ones that I have accessed.  Different translations, different languages.   There are even many free sources of information on the less traditional newer writings.  Many people prefer the structure and support of an organized religion.  I would hope, however, that individuals would be willing and able to evaluate for themselves a religious group they belong to or are anticipating joining.  And as you evaluate where you are and where you want to be, remember that all paths lead back God, some may just take a little longer to get there. 

What do they spell?

Shintoism, Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Jainism, Baha'i, Hinduism, Paganism, Wicca, Confucianism, Aboriginal traditions, Shamanism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Atheism...
What do all the above spell?   GOD.   They all are the result of a search for God.  Even Atheists who are often adamant about "no god" are the result of a search for God.   And no matter how much we tend to deify those who start these religions, whether masters, prophets, disciples, the oral and written traditions of ALL of the above, all religious belief, were filtered through humans.