Recently a good friend and I got on the topic of religious and spiritual beliefs. She had recently “fallen away” from the beliefs she was raised with, non denominational Christianity. I asked what she believes now, here’s her reply:
I'm still in a holding pattern as far as my beliefs. I would like to think there is something bigger out there and sometimes well alot of times I send a prayer out because it does give me a peace of mind. It's almost like I give the worry away by sending it out in a prayer. and I believe it is important to love all people no matter your differences. Kindness of heart and humility. I am always on a path of growth and recognize that others are to. I try in every situation to handle in a good way, in a loving way. I try to be more conscious of Mother earth and recycle. So I guess those are some of my main beliefs. I guess more rules to live by. But I don't define my spirituality by a denomination. I enjoy reading about Buhdda and his lessons because I feel they hold the true meaning of love and not judgement. I dunno.
What do you believe?
My beliefs were not summed up so briefly, and still felt that I had not yet scratched the surface. Perhaps I need to work on being a bit more brief. Here is my reply:
Well I believe that there is a higher power, however as humans in this existence we have not come to a place to know this higher power and develop the relationship that most label as a relationship with God. What humans feel that they equate that with is a spiritual relationship with themselves, and the rest of humanity.
I believe we, as a human race, are all connected. It is essentially like a switchboard, that though we all have our individual buttons, we are all connected the same. As such, we have the choice whether to connect to what is beyond that switchboard, or to each other. Some choose to do, some don’t.
I believe that what people feel as spirituality, when they have that innate sense within them that feel is the hand of God, it is actually the divine within themselves, and the connection with others that they are feeling. Based on Jesus’ teachings, same with Buddha just different cultures (in fact there are many that hold that Jesus and Buddha were essentially the same type of beings, those that had completed their path) the gnostics taught that what Jesus was referring to was actually to open and get in touch with that piece of divine in all of us, and that doing so would bring gnosis (knowledge). That knowledge then leads to further enlightenment as you begin a relationship, of sorts, with your higher self. Imagine human spirituality as an onion. The Sunday churchgoers and “Jesus saves” enthusiasts, spiritually speaking, are in the kitchen chopping onions. When their eyes water they equate that to being touched by Jesus or God. In reality that is simply the first layer, and if they choose to keep peeling away those layers what they would eventually find at the core...is themselves.
The potential once this core is found is limitless. Human potential is beyond what even so called experts can fathom. We use a fraction of our brains, in comparison to the universe and the earth itself, humans are infantile. One of the biggest downfalls of humans is their arrogance.
George Lucas made a wonderful point about this in an interview I recently saw. He said if you take human progression and put it on a scale, from the earliest humans to now, he equated it at starting from 1, until now being at say about 5. People look back and see all the progress made and feel good about themselves at much of a higher being they are now, that much closer to 10. Except...the scale goes to a million.
Lucas said that the “cave men” thought they knew it all. When that wheel was invented well then that was all they needed. Humans now think they know it all.
I feel that people look back and see the steps they’ve taken, and because the steps are so far beyond what earlier man could’ve imagined, well than that must mean humans are getting close to their full potential. What is a human full potential? No one knows. We let our minds settle on what is a full potential simply because someone tells us that’s as far as we can go, or because no one has gone any farther. Both of which are futile arguments.
E.g. Christopher Columbus. The entire world, including all of it’s best minds, KNEW the earth was flat.
E.g. The Earth. Years ago, humans KNEW the Earth was the center of the universe.
E.g. Science. Years ago scienctists KNEW there was only three dimensions. Now they’ve discovered what, upwards of 11 I believe.
So why are humans so stubborn to keep believing that this current form, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual is the best they can accomplish? Well...because they’re humans. And as much potential as there is, right now that’s all it is, potential.
I believe there will come a time when the current way of operating will no longer work. That a change in how humanity operates will be forced, whether it’s wanted or not. Many will be receptive to this. And many wont.
Those who are receptive of this will begin to, or continue to peel away those onion layers. As they humans as a whole will begin to change, and with that change will come better understanding, better knowledge, and true enlightenment.
Once that happens, call it what you want, nirvana, nothingness, a spirit life....whatever label you want. But certainly not the end of existence. In fact, I would venture to say that humans understanding of say nirvana will be completely different at that point.
The way I see it, right now humans are looking for a diploma thinking they’re about to graduate, and they merely just got out of kindergarten. They are looking to answer questions, such as why am I here, what is my purpose, where do we go when we die, is there a supreme, divine, authority in the universe...all of which are excellent and valid questions. But they’re asking them with the physical and spiritual minds of a kindergartner. They are neither ready nor willing to yet accept the reality of the cosmos, which they are a part of.
I believe, in short, that in time that will change. And the definitions of “faith” and “beliefs” will be re-written.
So you asked me what I believe in. I believe in me. I believe in you. I believe in the collective, and the energy it maintains. And because it’s a collective and not a single unit, that means choice.
So I believe in my choice, and I believe in your choice.
I would like to open up a discussion about each individuals beliefs. What are they, and why?
