The term god causes most to think of a guy, sitting in the clouds with white robes on, usually a beard which is also white. This idea draws back to the archetype of Zeus is an anthropomorphic concept of god. What if god was just the term for the energy of the universe? From energy comes matter, and from that life. If we view to whole universe as god we are all made of "it". As Carl Sagan said on his TV series Cosmos "We are a way for the universe to know itself. Some part of our being knows this is where we came from. We long to return. And we can, because the cosmos is also within us. We're made of star stuff".
He refers to the fact that all the elements were created from hydrogen in the hearts of stars which died long ago. I think that subtle connecting as Sagan stated is there in us, and is why most people who are in-touch with themselves find such peace in nature. There is a sense a returning back to where we came from. People desire to feel connected to this world, and to one another. This connection to the world is a major aspect of yoga.
In yoga there are two guidelines which tend to stop people in their tracks or send them running. In my post Origins of it all I mentioned yamas and niyamas being the first two limbs of the eight limbed yoga path. They lay out five characteristics to have, and five observances. The first of the two is the yama Brahmacharya which is commonly translated to celibacy, though it is better defined as energy moderation. It is believed that sex does drain a person of much energy be it physical or psychic. Any act or situation, pleasurable or not pleasurable can drain a person. If we repeat these actions or stay in these situations we will run ourselves dry. Most of us do not practice this in our fast paced society, driving ourselves to sickness from our excess.
The second is Ishvara Pranidhana which most often translated as surrender to god. In actuality it can be applied to mean surrendering to something greater than the person. The idea of surrender to something greater than a single person is not supposed to be an out for their actions taken. It is supposed to give a person the sense that their actions matter, and are part of a greater whole working together towards happiness for all. This interconnectedness into a whole does not negate the value of the individual, as modern society does. It is then a person's actions and intentions which become of the highest importance. Not their: looks, faith, age, gender, or sexuality, anyone anywhere is of importance.
As I mentioned in Yoga madness Bhakti yoga is a form of yoga that emphasis devotion to god, it also talks of serving god. With this model of god being energy how does a person serve god? They serve by serving others, by serving this planet, and by serving the other creatures on it.
This is also karma yoga, the yoga of action. By creating positive actions the person is liberated from their previous poor choices and actions. By surrendering into helping others the person is freed of the karma that comes from any action. This cannot be a logical rationalization such as "I am lying for Johnny to Suzy", that is still lying. It has to be for the benefit of a person, and from the heart. As more positive choices are made it becomes habitual.
Why would a person do any of this; if there is no heaven, no hell, no judgment, only an endless procession of life? For me I look around, I see me, me from the past, and me from the future. Different lives that all could have or may one day be me. All trying to live and find happiness, why not open a hand to help myself. The more I let love for others flow the greater my own happiness is. If a person wants to be happy all they have to do is bring it to others. As the Buddha said:
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
This is a powerful post--you show your connection to eastern religious/philosophical thought, and you nicely ground that discussion for a Western audience by introducing content about the Judeo-Christian understanding of god, as well as Carl Sagan's understanding of god/universe.
ReplyDeleteI especially appreciate how you refer to previous posts here. That will certainly help readers navigate more technical or difficult concepts that you have discussed before.
Impressive!