Finding meaning in a random universe

We have a habit of saying, "everything happens for a reason." I don't think that this formulation of the way the universe operates, though superficially comforting, is very helpful. It leaves us looking for meaning in seemingly random events, including those that are on the surface quite terrible. It also causes us to look outside ourselves for explanations that are often unobtainable.

The fact is that many events in this physical universe of ours do not happen for any discernible reason. Even the minority of events that are directly attributable to human choices are as often as not due to random, ego-based impulse. It debases Spirit as well as ourselves to suggest Spirit is carrying out some cosmic agenda that is beyond our comprehension, and that every tragic event that we experience is designed to lead paradoxically to a greater good. We may even choose to abandon the spiritual path rather than accept the notion that Spirit callously imposes pain on us or other beings for reasons of its own. It may also lead us to passivity and fatalism to believe that current events have a cause that is in the past or "out there" somewhere. Better to recognize that events are mostly random and to seek elsewhere for meaning.

The whole notion of causation (and therefore "reasons") depends on the existence of time, of a past that has brought us to where we are and a future that will develop out of the present. Yet time is only a construct that human mind created to explain its limited comprehension. Spirit has no experience of causation because it knows no past nor future, only the eternal Now.

This does not imply that we who still live in a time-bound space should abandon the working hypothesis of causation. Before our spiritual awareness reaches a certain level, contemplating the lack of objective meaning in external circumstances may lead us only to despair and destructive behavior.  Though we inhabit the physical universe only conditionally, in order to survive the experience and remain sane we need to impose  order on it. It is important for us to realize, however, that such order is imposed by our minds and not by the workings of Spirit. Nor should we turn to fatalism, for we still have the power to create a loving, peaceful space around us and others through the manner in which we react to events.

Rather than affirm that everything happens for a reason, I would prefer to say that every experience presents us with a range of outcomes that are determined by how we choose to respond  to it.  What differentiates these responses from each other is their degree of consistency with Spirit. Some will have the effect of enhancing the loving relationships we have among ourselves and with Spirit; others will increase our separation. In the end this is what determines whether the event is perceived as having a positive or negative outcome. So, in a sense everything does happen for a reason, but the reason for everything is the same:  to provide us with the opportunity to develop an ever more harmonious relationship with Spirit by learning to react to every situation with love and compassion.

This interpretation places the responsibility for our relationships with Spirit and its various manifestations squarely where it belongs:  on each individual. It also refocuses our attention from the past to the present moment. All events carry the opportunity for us to react in ways that produce greater or lesser harmony between ourselves and Spirit.  We may see events as "good" or "bad", but those terms have meaning only in relation to their effects in the physical universe. Since all physical things are impermanent, and time is only a way of constraining our view of the universe, physical effects have no significance compared to the way we choose to align ourselves in relation to Spirit.

We are defining our role in Spirit in every instant. Each moment presents the opportunity for greater love and harmony. We are constantly at choice, and the choices we make define not only ourselves, but our experience of the universe. In order to take advantage of the opportunity for choice we must remain mindful that there is more than one way to react to every situation, and be aware of what those choices are. The closer we choose to align ourselves with Spirit, the greater peace we will experience. 

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It may also be that the Universe works according to laws that we do not understand, and therefore do not recognize. For thoughts on the working of karma, see this post: Karma the Teacher

We Are One

Open your heart to me; for I am your Source, the presence of your Being.

Open your mind to me, for no thought arises without my making it so.

Open your body to me; accept my animating Grace and power.

I am the beginning and the end; your Alpha and Omega.

You live and move and have your being in Me,

Your Creator in this moment and always.

We are One, you and I, inseparable

As the breath from the air

One Unity undivided

Coexistent

One.

Finding Joy In Others

If you have trouble connecting to the Source of Joy within you, try looking for it in other people. Joy arises spontaneously from a close connection between individual manifestations of Spirit. With those who are closest to you, sense the deep connection that underlies your separateness. But do not limit your awareness to your immediate loved ones. The same connection exists between you and every other being. Start by becoming mindful of the way you greet people when you meet them - whther they are friends or strangers. Are you open and welcoming? Do you accept the ego vulnerability that comes from exposing your true nature to the gaze of others? Or are you closed and protective of your thoughts and feelings? In order to connect to the network of Joy that is Spirit, you must be prepared to allow others within your walls, if not to tear down those walls altogether. 

Connection is most easily established through the eyes and the touch. Begin by looking each person directly in the eyes when you are with them. Smile and offer them your hand or a hug, as appropriate under the circumstances. There are few circumstances in which a handshake is inappropriate! Once you have established a physical connection in this manner, remain open and, by your manner, encourage others to open themselves to you. You will find that the more open the lines of communication are, the more easily the Joy of Spirit arises and flows between you. What's more, the flow of Spirit cannot be contained once it begins; it soon reaches out to embrace others around you, until a whole group of people may become united by a healing sense of personal warmth and goodwill. Try this the next time you meet a group of people in a public place.

Oneness Through Technology?

We are all challenged to put down our smartphones, laptops, and remote controls long enough to establish a daily meditation practice - and to encourage others to do so. Technology, at least until now the enemy of mysticism, is pushing us farther away from the one-on-one experience of the Divine even as it brings us closer together as people. I see a glimmer of hope even here, however. As we become increasingly a world community, a new path to Oneness may emerge from the growing awareness that people everywhere aspire to peace, love and respect for our planet. The original title of this blog - The God In You, The God In Me - derived from the desire to reach out and connect to the Divine spark in other beings. I don't believe that social networking will replace meditation, but it may lead to a greater willingness to practice metta - loving kindness - in meditation and in daily life. Oneness springs spontaneously from metta practice.

The Kingdom of God

This is an answer to a comment on an earlier post.

You want to know how to live your life right now; and you believe the Kingdom of God is at hand. These two sentences contain a question, and the answer to that question.

The Kingdom of God -- these are Jesus' words. I know they aren't his actual words, but I believe their meaning is close to what he actually said. Many of Jesus' followers expected him to establish an Earthly kingdom that he would rule as God's representative. He used the word "kingdom" in order to redefine it. His teachings are quite clear that the Kingdom of God is no worldly princedom, but a spiritual condition. Moreover, he taught that the Kingdom is not imminent - that is, in the future - but immanent - already present and accessible by spiritual means.

We have recently completed the Easter season with its many opportunities to reflect on the meaning of the life and death of Jesus. To me this year, the lesson has been that his death was a purposeful demonstration of the transitory nature of physical things. According to popular history, Jesus could easily have fomented a rebellion and proclaimed himself king. Instead, he chose to submit his physical form to destruction at the hands of the secular authority. What a powerful demonstration of his belief that worldly power is fleeting and, ultimately, meaningless! What a clear message to all who would pay attention that the Kingdom of God is an eternal kingdom of Spirit that cannot be harmed by the acts of human beings. Jesus' words to Pilate reinforce this teaching.

I believe that the Kingdom of God of which Jesus spoke is no more nor less than the divine presence that sits at the heart of every individual consciousness, and unites all consciousness in the bliss of Oneness. This kingdom is not attained by conquest, but by surrender; the surrender of the small self to the will of the higher Self. Even Oneness is not a prize to be pursued, but a gift to be accepted. Peace, joy and Love are attained simply by acknowledging the powerlessness of the small self in the spiritual realm and accepting the gift that is freely offered once the barriers erected by ego are torn down.

There are a number of practices that can help us accomplish this. Meditation is the practice of surrendering the ego and laying the consciousness bare and defenseless to the all-consuming power of Love. Prayer also contributes, as long as the prayer is simply "not my ego's will, but Spirit's, be done." (I borrow this formulation from Adyashanti.) It is essential to incorporate this same attitude of surrender into our secular lives, not by becoming passive and submissive to the wills of others, but by carrying out all our worldly activities in an attitude of love and thankfulness. It is to Spirit, not to other egos, that we surrender. Jesus was no wimp, but he did perform every act out of Love.

One thing that the Kingdom of God is not, however, is a life of material bounty and comfort. Too many people of all faiths have joined Jesus in poverty or martyrdom for that to be true. Attaining the Kingdom of God does not give one worldly power; it only makes one indifferent to it. The peace that passes understanding is the peace that wells up from an inner source even in the harshest circumstances, for those who have cultivated the ability to tap the Source of peace. It does not require much study of the daily news to learn the truth of the saying that money cannot buy happiness. Jesus went so far as to say it was impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom. Poverty may not be a prerequisite to saintliness, but the attachment to creature comforts is a formidable obstacle.

Knowing all this, there is only one possible way to live your life. Live in such a way as to open the inner gates to the Kingdom. Practice mindfulness, meditation and compassion. Forsake attachment to (but not necessarily the enjoyment of) physical things. Find comfort in the wisdom that all that is material must pass away, including particularly your own body and those aspects of your personality that are dependent upon that body. This is comforting because the material world contains suffering that has no place in Spirit. Live in the awareness that you and God are one, as Jesus did. Let the light and spiritual power of the Kingdom emanate from its Source within at every opportunity. Accept the gift of unconditional love and bask in the bliss of radiating that Love to all around you, not just those few souls who are close to you in time and space, but to all beings in all dimensions. This is truly the Kingdom of God, and a sufficient answer to every question.

Can Mysticism Be Popular?

Mysticism is best practiced in solitude away from the eyes and ears of the multitude. This is well understood by all great teachers who urge us to find stillness and look within. Mysticism is about a personal relationship with the Divine. While this relationship leads to awareness of oneness with All that Is, paradoxically it is most easily cultivated away from society.

Once the mystical experience has been realized, it must be constantly reinforced. In all but a few individuals, the experience fades and becomes unfamiliar if the individual allows the practice of quiet meditation to lapse. In other times, most who sought this experience lived monastic lives in which they were permanently isolated from the distractions of secular life.

Contemporary teachers stress that the times demand that mysticism emerge from the monastery. There is a sense of compelling urgency about broadening the scope of mystical experience not for the benefit of the individual, but for the benefit of all - all beings and all things, whether or not sentient or even animate. This is because humanity as a species has achieved the ability to destroy itself and every other form of life on this planet; and at times seems hell-bent on exercising that ability. Salvation, it seems, can come only by bringing a larger proportion of humanity into direct contact with Divine Spirit than has ever been the case in the past. There is a sense that once a certain critical mass of souls has achieved a sense of Oneness, the scale will tip in the direction of survival rather than annihilation.

Learning Oneness from differences

We incarnated as individuals so that we could be different. Because we are different we can learn from each other. What can a person teach you who thinks exactly as you do?

Because we can observe our differences, we can also observe our similarities.  This teaches us the concept of Oneness encompassing the diverse manifestations of our Universe.  Having learned the concept, we can progress toward the conscious experience of Oneness.

Thoughts on Bin Laden's Death

Even the Dalai Lama must have mixed emotions today. It is to be hoped, though there is no certainty this is true, that the death of Osama will help reduce terrorist threats. On a spiritual level we can have compassion for his soul while accepting  on a practical level the necessity of his death.

Years ago I received this teaching which I shared in this blog:

"Even those who seem to have come into this world only to cause pain and destruction are sinless children of God at the core of their being. Encrusted and bound as they are by the scars of past pain, the soul within still glows and yearns to be released. Osama's soul is like a man buried alive; his hatred is like a coffin blocking out all light and even air, and the weight of Separation bears down like tons of earth heaped upon him. Wrapped in ropes of pain, it struggles only to find itself held tighter. It will require much compassion and lovingkindness from others to free that soul from the crushing weight of all the pain its thrashing about has caused. But if Osama and the millions of others like him are ever to be deflected from their destructive course, it will be by the true force of love and compassion, which is Spirit, and not by the false and hollow means of further death and destruction."

His soul is now free to return wrapped in another body, with a different mind and personality. What experiences await it are beyond our power to predict.

I see today's news as the carrying out of an execution. Temporal powers demand an eye for an eye. We would do well to remember that the personal desire for revenge does not emanate from the God-spark at the core of our being, but from a primitive part of the mind expressed through the ego. Society must have laws and there must be punishments for breaking those laws. Society also has the right to protect itself from those who would cause it harm. But we can be steadfast and uncompromising in enforcing our laws and protecting our families without taking pleasure in the pain it causes to such as Osama. To take such pleasure is to yield to the same egoic pressure that drove his own actions, and to ensure that the cycle of violence and hatred will intensify. As for myself, I understand the urge to celebrate, but I will try very hard to be faithful to the teaching I have been given.

Are We "Special"?

When we enjoy good fortune, or even when we just feel good, there is a tendency for ego to rise up and proclaim that we are special because we have been singled out by the Universe for special blessings. We may feel that this is because we are "more spiritual" than others. This is an example of ego's constant effort to take command of the situation and shine the spotlight on itself. Ego conveniently forgets that we have suffered misfortune in the past and most likely will suffer it again in the future, leading to the inference that at those times we were not as "special" as we are now -- or at least, not special in a positive way.

To a great extent, the favors of the Universe are bestowed randomly because the Universe does not recognize distinctions among individuals. One person cannot be more meritorious than another because all persons are part of the singular Unity that the Universe is. The circumstances in which each of us find ourselves are transitory and meaningless from the Universal perspective. "Good" things may happen to "bad" people and vice versa, but only because we make it so -- it is we who attach the labels "good" and "bad" to people and events.

You really can't say you are "blessed" when things happen that fit into your concept of "good" unless you are willing to admit you are "cursed" when events fall outside that concept. But in truth, all events are neutral and should be accepted with equanimity. Because the Universe is Love, all beings are blessed all of the time. It just takes a long practice of meditation and mindfulness to become aware of that principle. When you are in the flow of that awareness, then your are constantly bathed in Love and joy no matter what seems to be happening around you. Moreover, there is nothing that you need to do but to Love. Love God and its manifestations in the physical Universe that you are experiencing at each moment. That is, to paraphrase Luke, the one and only Law.

It can be hard for us to accept that when we meditate, practice loving kindness, and strive to eliminate unloving behaviors, we are not entitled to a reward.  The world of reward and punishment is ego's world, not God's. To love God and its manifestations is its own reward. It is the be-all and end-all of our human existence. It is this that we incarnated to learn, and to practice until we have it perfected. Once we have learned perfect forgiveness and through it perfect love, our task is complete. There is no other task that has meaning.

Nothing but Love

You don't have to be taught to love your neighbor, or even your enemy. That love is already in you. What is needed is to break free of the ego that insists you must compete, you must fight, you must seize all you can; and that whispers in your ear that others - all others - are conspiring to take what you already have and trample you in the dust. Simply quieting the mind and listening for the Voice that comes from beyond mind and the small self is enough. You will know that Voice because it is untainted by selfishness or hatred. 

The calm, reassuring Voice of God comes in stillness to counsel that all are One; that peace is strength; that Love is the only Power in the Universe. Then all the concerns that trouble ego are revealed as emptiness, nothingness. The image of evil fades and dissolves in the knowledge that God is all and God is only Love. You rest in the awareness that God is in you and you are in God, inviolate and eternal. With nothing to fear, there can be nothing in you but Love.

Sleeping and Waking

A period of meditation at bedtime can be useful in clearing your mind of the cares of the day and preparing for restful sleep. It is a natural way to set aside the mind's agenda and to make room for the voice of Spirit. Some people follow the routine of counting their blessings before sleep. This also is a beneficial practice as it invokes the "attitude of gratitude." Anything that can help you enter your sleep period in a peaceful and receptive state is beneficial.

In sleep, your active consciousness is temporarily disabled. This allows other influences greater access to your passive  awareness. If you fall asleep worrying about life situations, those worries may continue to possess your awareness during sleep, leading to a greater likelihood of troubling dreams and restlessness. However, if you prepare yourself for sleep by setting aside worldly concerns and opening yourself to Spirit, then the Spirit within you that never sleeps may fill your awareness, allowing disturbing ideas no access. Sleep may then become the time during which you most fully experience the peace of Oneness.

The attitude that you carry into your sleep period is likely to remain with you when you wake up. Peaceful, restful sleep leads to peaceful awakening. However, your awareness is still vulnerable in the first moments of wakefulness and the ego may try to take advantage this by causing worldly cares to rush in and take possession. To avoid this, develop a practice of meditating immediately upon awakening. This will extend the period of complete receptiveness to Spirit so that it encompasses your entire sleep cycle, including the periods of entering into and emerging from sleep. Your higher consciousness or inner Spirit will be able to establish itself as the guide and protector of your awareness during the day to come, increasing your ability to meet everyday challenges with equanimity and a positive attitude.

One method of meditation both at bedtime and in the morning is to practice body awareness. After going to bed, perform a relaxation exercise by focusing your awareness on one part of your body at a time, becoming aware of any stress or tension that has become embedded in your nerves or muscles and encouraging your body to let go and relax. Try to sense the underlying energy of Spirit that actuates your body, maintaining its physical manifestation. You may sense this as a vibration or tingling in each body part as it becomes the object of your awareness. Allow this sensation to become a generalized feeling of well being as your awareness of it spreads to encompass your entire body.  Keep your focus on quiet restfulness and relaxation as you do this, because this exercise also has the capability to fill your body with active energy and make sleep more difficult to achieve.

In fact, a recommended morning practice is almost identical. Immediately on awakening, begin with a moment of total  surrender and receptiveness to Spirit. Then become aware of each part of your body as it emerges from the sleeping state. Allow the universal actuating positive energy to fill each part in turn until your entire being is vibrating harmoniously. Open your awareness again to the healing message of Spirit as it fills your consciousness with affirmative attitudes for the coming day. You will enter into your period of wakefulness and activity well prepared for a day filled with peace, love, and successful endeavor.