Karma and Oneness Posted in: Belief and Truth, Divinity, One And Different

Karma, understood as reward/punishment, is a concept that seems to fly in the face of the oneness aspect of the jiva (individual soul) and God (the source). In other words, why would God punish Himself? Perhaps if it is understood more in terms of our creation of a backdrop for us to perfectly experience a specific chosen emotion, then that would fit much better with the idea of our emotional experience being part of the completeness of God. …

Death is a Fatal Car Crash Posted in: Belief and Truth

Death is a fatal car crash, but we walk away without a scratch. Imagine our surprise as we view the wreck – the mangled remains – how did we survive?

I propose that our body is like our car. A vehicle for the soul if you will.

Bhagavad-gītā chapter 2 verse 23 states

The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.

Life is a Good Read Posted in: Belief and Truth, Divine Expression, The Role-play Game, The Self Divine

We all enjoy reading a good book. A book with a well-conceived plot, rounded characters that we can relate to and empathise with, an eventual triumph againts all odds of the protagonist, and so on. And with a good book we get to enjoy a huge range of emotions from the comfort and safety of our living room. And those emotions can seem every bit as instense and vital as their real-life counterparts. …

The Material World is a Believable Backdrop Posted in: Belief and Truth, Divine Expression, The Role-play Game

In a theatre the stage is often decorated with props and screens. At least enough to create a context for the drama, a believable backdrop, so that the audience can easily enter into, and enjoy the performance.

I propose that this is exactly what the material world is to us. Something we can readily accept as real, so we can get on with exploring the variety of sensual and emotional enjoyments facilitated by our existence in this world. …

Yesterday’s Absolute Truth … Today’s Embarrassing Episode? Posted in: Belief and Truth

At least some of yesterday’s definate truths I now regard more as part of growing up … with a few slightly embarrassing periods thrown in t’boot.

Ironically, I think it is through our growing out of the need for everything to be black or white, and willingness to embrace uncertainty, that real progress on the ‘path of enlightenment’ begins.

We may not know, but a least we now know we don’t know. …

Agreeing to Differ Posted in: Belief and Truth

When a point of view is assumed to be something much more than a simple point of view, for example, we might blow it up into ‘the complete and final understanding of the meaning of life and everything else” … rather than accept it as but a partial appreciation, simply seen from our particular point or angle, then it becomes very difficult for us to accommodate contrary perceptions as anything other than plain wrong. …

There is no limit to what one can believe Posted in: Belief and Truth

Human beings can believe in just about anything, and then go on to believe that it’s not a question of belief but just plain fact.

But as one goes through life we have the opportunity to look back at the various convictions that we embraced and then later rejected over time. And how they caused us to act in relation to others. …

Point of View Posted in: Belief and Truth, Freedom From Judgement

I am the first in line to say that each is entitled to their own point of view. After all, I believe am … so it would be inconsistent to deny others the same right. Point of view means you are seeing something from where you stand in relation to it. It is therefore, by definition, always a relative and partial appreciation of the complete view/whole picture. …