I_am_home’s blog

home altar

The Nataraj that was on order was delivered today so this is the latest incarnation of my home altar.

Sloka 1 from Dancing with Siva

Who Am I? Where Did I Come From?

Rishis proclaim that we are not our body, mind or emotions. We are
divine souls on a wondrous journey. We came from God, live in God and are
evolving into oneness with God. We are, in truth, the Truth we seek. Aum.

Bhashya

We are immortal souls living and growing in the great school of earthly
experience in which we have lived many lives. Vedic rishis have given us
courage by uttering the simple truth, "God is the Life of our life." A
great sage carried it further by saying, there is one thing God cannot do:
God cannot separate Himself from us. This is because God is our life. God
is the life in the birds. God is the life in the fish. God is the life
in the animals. Becoming aware of this Life energy in all that lives is
becoming aware of God's loving presence within us. We are the undying
consciousness and energy flowing through all things. Deep inside we are
perfect this very moment, and we have only to discover and live up to
this perfection to be whole. Our energy and God's energy are the same,
ever coming out of the void. We are all beautiful children of God. Each
day we should try to see the life energy in trees, birds, animals and
people. When we do, we are seeing God Siva in action. The Vedas affirm,
"He who knows God as the Life of life, the Eye of the eye, the Ear of
the ear, the Mind of the mind--he indeed comprehends fully the Cause of
all causes." Aum Namah Sivaya.

I finished making the powerpoint presentation for class on Tuesday morning. I still have Spanish homework and reading for Weatern philosophy. I need a break from school work and from dealing with some problems caused by my girlfriend's ex. So I am having lunch with a friend at the Indian resaurant and then big plans for an afternoon of magazine reading and a nap with the kitties.

Defining Religion

Religion is like a path to the top of a mountain.  At the top of the mountain is union with what people call God, inherent Buddha nature, the ultimate, the absolute, Brahman, the Great Spirit and the true self.  There are many ways and different paths to climb to the summit.  Each path was made by a common set of beliefs that govern an individual’s actions and how that individual relates to himself, other people, and to a deity or representation of the spiritual realm.  The path that the human being takes can offer an explanation to that seeker for his or her physical world and the world of spiritual matters.  Religion tells us what those who have gone before have done.  We learn about how the past saints and heroes have accomplished a good life in fellowship with religious principles to attain knowledge the divine.  We are given an accepted view of morality and conduct, a code for living with others.  Often religion gives the individual a sense of belonging to something far greater than them self.  Religion uses rituals and ceremonies to mark certain events and transitions in our lives, such as birth, adulthood, marriage and death.  Our faith gives us answers to the questions of our basic existence.  We all search for meaning and understanding in our day to day life and in our world.  Religion gives life meaning and a sense of purpose.

 We all at some time are over come with wonder.  We ask what seekers and philosophers throughout the ages have called the big questions.  Who am I?  Why am I here?  What is the purpose of life?  What happens after I die?  Is there a God, and how can I know God?  Union with the divine is the main goal of all religions.  In seeking answers to these questions some rely upon the articles of faith set forth by the religion that they were raised in.  Most religions have sacred scriptures and a person in some authority, such as a priest, someone with experience or holy man to guide the members.  Family tradition also serves to suggest to people that what has been good enough for the older members of the family is fine for them.  These people often accept without question the faith, beliefs and practices of the religion of their parents. This is evidenced in the Primal type religions.

 In the Primal religion, such as tribes in Africa or the North American Indians, religion is passed down to the younger generations in an oral tradition.  A Shaman or Medicine man leads and oversees the spiritual practices of the tribe's life.  Giving examples in stories and song, he keeps the religion alive and meaningful to the tribe members.  This gives the tribe a sense of community, a feeling of belonging to the group.  We can see that the Shaman fulfills the need for a leader, a more experienced person to guide the group in the area of religious practice.  The Shaman or medicine man gives advice and shares the knowledge he has acquired for the benefit of the tribal unit.   He has much in common with the Priest in Catholicism who celebrates the daily mass.

 The priest keeps the traditions of the church alive with the ritual.  In receiving communion, Catholics take part in the sacrifice Jesus made for their redemption.  The host and wine symbolize the body and blood of Christ.  They are actually physically ingested by the congregation as a way of becoming more like the son of God.  In Christianity, the path to the summit of the mountain of religious experience is union with the heavenly father through his son.  Communion ritual is the way for Catholic parishioners to see the intimate relationship between the divine and themselves, by consuming the sacrificial meal they experience having Christ within.  The priest is also a stand in for Christ as he points out the pitfalls and aids the congregation on their journey through life, keeping them on the path made by those who have gone before him in his tradition. Each religion has a holy person as a guide for life within the context of shared beliefs and goals such as the Roshi in Zen Buddhism, the Rabbi in Judaism and the Guru in Hinduism.  The guide makes a bridge along the spiritual path from the Microcosm to the Macrocosm.

Spirituality is not viewed anything separated from daily life in the primitive religions. Tribe members may seek a blessing from a god for good crops or a successful hunt.  Many often thank the animal's spirit that provided its body for their nourishment.  In the modern day we have a Thanksgiving holiday were we express gratitude that we can enjoy abundance.  Physical illnesses are seen as having a spiritual cause, a punishment from a god or nature spirit that the ill person has angered.  There is a respect for the environment and food sources.  Primitive tribes know the connection of the people, the land and the animals as one of the utmost importance. Their very livelihood is dependant upon good crops and conserving natural resources. They see the cyclical nature of life and death. Every action performed by an individual is viewed as a balance between the seen and unseen worlds of spirit and physical life. 

Similar to the eastern religions concept of karma in Buddhism and Hinduism, every effect has a cause.   This is illustrated in the first verses of the sayings of Buddha known as The Damapada:

We are what we think. All we are that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.  Speak or act with an impure mind and trouble will follow you as the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.  All that we are arises with our thoughts.  With our thoughts, we make the world.  Speak or act with a pure mind and happiness will follow you as your shadow, unshakable (Byrom 1). 

These eastern religions believe in reincarnation, an endless cycle of uncontrolled rebirths into Samsara the world of suffering.  By living in good and positive ways, they create the cause for fortunate lives in their future incarnations.  They seek liberation from Samsara.  The way to freedom is nirvana, the extinguishing of the ego or false self.  This self is not the true self, but a greedy, craving and self-centered way of achieving material happiness.  This happiness is fleeting and unsatisfactory in the long run.  The way to Nirvana is to realize the true self.  This is the goal of every religion, union with the divine. This true self is to be realized.  It is our true and limitless nature and not separate from all beings.  We are all one and in union with the divine consciousness, yet most of us do not realize it.  The Amritbindu Upanishad says: "That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings, who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being. I am that."  It is difficult to put the experience of the divine into words for those who have not had the religious mystic experience for themselves.

Religion has used myths as symbols of the spiritual quest to help people understand spiritual truths.  The bible addresses the quest for union with God in Genesis.  In the beginning, there are Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with direct communication to God.  What do they do to lose that connection?  They make a distinction between good and bad, thus creating a separation.  A disconnection has occurred between their ultimate true self and the false self that they believe themselves to be.  They had lost the union and had to leave the garden, which was the place of dwelling in God’s presence.  People on a spiritual path seek to find their way back to that Garden of Eden, the garden that contains everything we need. How do we find our way back?  

As many beings as are in the universe that is how many paths there are to the union with the absolute.  No one may walk the path up the mountain for us.  Religion gives us a starting point, a base camp, directions and a guide who points the way to the summit, but in truth, we ascend the mountain one step at a time on our own journey.  The spiritual path is one of discovery.  If we can reach the place where the path we have chosen goes, we may realize that it leads to within each of us.  We already have that which we seek, and like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz we have had the means to go home all along.

Works Cited

"Amritbindu Upanishad." Nisargadatta.Net. 6 Feb. 2007 .

Byrom, Thomas, trans. Dhammapada: the Sayings of the Buddha. New Ed ed. Boston: Shambhala, 1993. 1.

What's the next country you want to visit? 
Submitted by Schomer.

I would really love to go to India. Gretchen and I will be getting married sometime late in 2007 and we will go on a honeymoon. I don't think we will make it to India so Niagra falls in Canada is somewhere I want to see again, but who knows where we will end up. 

What is your favorite incense?

I love the smell of Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa! I want to burn so much that my house smells like it even when I am not burning it. LOL. I also use Padmini Spiritual Guide. Tell me what you like.

Nag Champa Incense