Experiencing God Within

[Libby]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

well.......actually.....

as this is just all a guess anyway, my guess would be a bit different.

I believe that if you took any holy man from any religion, and put them on a world with only one other person...that you would still end up with a holy war.

It wouldn't be instigated by the Holy Man.

The point of that quote (IMHO) is that the core truth of every religion is the same (in perfect harmony).

I believe that core truth is unity in love for God and all things.

(Appreciate your comment, Alan...thank you)

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by Libby

It wouldn't be instigated by the Holy Man.

my answer would be that the typical result of a room filled with Holy men would be the same as seen at 1 Kings 18:40

[Libby]

If there were prophets of Baal in the mix, they would not be all "Holy Men"...so, I don't think this verse pertains.

[Libby]

"It is not wrong to tell the Lord that we want something, but it shows greater faith, if we simply say: Heavenly Father, I know that thou dost anticipate my every need. Sustain me according to Thy Will."

-Sayings of Paramahansa Yogananda

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by Libby

If there were prophets of Baal in the mix, they would not be all "Holy Men"...so, I don't think this verse pertains.

It clearly pertains and shows us the normal and expected results of people of different faiths being around each other.

What i have found true is this> That when you run into a member of a different faith that is actually a nice person to talk to, that this fact does not stem from their religions teachings, but is really more of a credit to the person's parents and their own nice personality.

the reverse is true as well....
I have run into people of faith both within my own religion and in others that were ****s.
I dont blame their religion on this, rather I believe that mostly it's because the person is just a real ****.

What I am also saying is that regardless of how high up a person is in their faith, and how much they have a reputation of being a faith's true "Holy man", that you are still going to find the same problems with ****s as you do among the unwashed lesser believers.

There are just a lot of ****s in the world.
and that the natural reaction of men of different faith being near each other and talking is not "Lets all keep our heads and find some common ground"

rather it more like > "Lets cut off all their heads and lay them on the ground"

[Libby]

Not true Holy Men, then.

Of course there are ****s in every religion and it has nothing to do with the religion, but I am speaking of TRUE Holy Men....not ****s posing as Holy Men.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by Libby

Not true Holy Men, then.

.

Ahhh.....thats the rub.

For guess who decides who is a true "holy man" and who is not?.....

ANSWER - other holy men....

I think that what you find true is that no matter the good press behind a person we might think of as a true 'Holy man" the real truth is that all men suffer from the same faults.

In the Christian church history we see over and over again that whenever someone is lifted up on to a pedestal they sooner later show themselves to be "Not all what they were cut out to be"


And when we look at a mere man and try to convince others, "My leader could never fall" we only kid ourselves.

Take the lesson of Saint Peter for example.
He sat with the Lord
Ate with the Lord.
Was the very first to understand that Jesus was God incarnate.

and yet in spite of his brave words that he would never turn away, he did so that very night.

Yet we consider Peter the greatest of the followers Jesus taught.
His life is not considered great due to its merits, rather we consider him great in that God used him in a mighty way that overshadowed the guy's personal flaws.

[Libby]

Ahhh.....thats the rub.

For guess who decides who is a true "holy man" and who is not?.....

No, don't think so.

True Holy Men are apparent by their wisdom, works and how they treat people. I don't think anyone would mistake Hitler (for example) as a true Holy Man. True, he did get a lot of people to follow him, for awhile, but most were not aware of his hideous intentions and later crimes against humanity.

True Holy Men and Women leave this planet better and more enlightened than they found it. People like Jesus & his close disciples, Krishna, Buddha, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, the current Dalai Lama, Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hahn, Prabupada and my own Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda. (That is just a sampling - there are many more)

[Libby]

The ultimate purpose of our experiences in this world is to motivate us to seek with intense yearning the all-fulfilling relationship with the Divine that the Great Ones have known.

More precious to Jesus than life itself was that state of unbroken awareness of the Heavenly Father - the inexpressible comfort, joy and divine love that enwrap the soul that lives in His presence.

Cultivate that awareness by devoting time each day to release your mind from worldly cares to silently commune with God.

Ask not just for the granting of a specific wish or prayer, but to know Him as the beloved of your soul whom you trust to guide you, and care for your highest well-being.

-Sri Daya Mata

[Libby]

If you are feeling down, perhaps unworthy because in some way you have slipped from the path, bring it to God and ask him about it. In your mind, sit him down and ask him if he still loves you. You will invariably see that the God's love is unconditional.

SRF

[alanmolstad]

thank God for Libby.....and a topic that has squat to do with attacking and defending Mormonism.


Now Im not really that into ...(eh?. what is this section about???, , oh yes ...) Hinduism, but I do totally enjoy the chance to read about a new topic, and help it along with a little "BUMP"

[Libby]

Thanks, Alan. It's nice to have your company over here.

Peaceful over here, isn't it?

[Libby]

" In waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping,
Serving, meditating, chanting, divinely loving,
My soul constantly hums, unheard by any;
God, God, God! "

PY

[Libby]

"In the universal sense, love is the divine power of attraction in creation that harmonizes, unites, binds together....Those who live in tune with the attractive force of love achieve harmony with nature and their fellow beings, and are attracted to blissful reunion with God."

PY

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by Libby

"In the universal sense, love is the divine power of attraction in creation that harmonizes, unites, binds together....Those who live in tune with the attractive force of love achieve harmony with nature and their fellow beings, and are attracted to blissful reunion with God."

PY

Eh?

Umm...so I take it you smoked a lot of gr*** back at school right?.....I thought so

[Libby]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Eh?

Umm...so I take it you smoked a lot of gr*** back at school right?.....I thought so

Not that much. lol

Makes perfect sense to me.

[Libby]

O Father, with folded hands I come to offer thee my whole being. I saturate my prayers with deep love. Give me toward Thee the simple, sincere, devotion of a child.

PY

[Libby]

“Making others happy, through kindness of speech and sincerity of right advice, is a sign of true greatness. To hurt another soul by sarcastic words, looks, or suggestions, is despicable.”

― Paramahansa Yogananda, Where There Is Light

[Libby]

http://youtu.be/k2OOl8fY2Cc

[Libby]

What is meditation? Becoming one with the soul. It means banishing the consciousness of being related to the body and to human limitations, and trying to remember that one is a soul.

Meditation is the science of reuniting the soul with Spirit. The soul, descending from God into flesh, manifests its consciousness and life force through seven chakras, or centres of light, in man's cerebrospinal axis."

God has not to be earned. He has only to be sought. Meditation is the only way. Beliefs, reading books — these cannot give you realization. ... Meditation brings proof of the existence of God. ... The more you meditate the more you will feel the endless joy of God.

-Paramahansa Yogananda

[Libby]

Self Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens, Encinitas, CA

This is close to my home. I love going here.

These videos shows more of the grounds.

http://youtu.be/zQVHv7POhKg

http://youtu.be/2hABk3EWHdY

[Libby]

Lake Shrine, Pacific Palisades, CA - Another beautiful SRF Meditation Center

Been here many times. Beautiful setting. There is a shrine dedicated to Gandhi, on this site, which holds some of his ashes.

[Libby]

"The true state of meditation is oneness of the meditator with the object of meditation, God." -PY

[Libby]

Thought I would share this here.

Evidence Builds That Meditation Strengthens the Brain

Earlier evidence out of UCLA suggested that meditating for years thickens the brain (in a good way) and strengthens the connections between brain cells. Now a further report by UCLA researchers suggests yet another benefit.

Eileen Luders, an ***istant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, and colleagues, have found that long-term meditators have larger amounts of gyrification ("folding" of the cortex, which may allow the brain to process information faster) than people who do not meditate. Further, a direct correlation was found between the amount of gyrification and the number of meditation years, possibly providing further proof of the brain's neuroplasticity, or ability to adapt to environmental changes.

There is much more at the link. It seems meditation improves memory, concentration, processing information and much more.

The cerebral cortex is the outermost layer of neural tissue. Among other functions, it plays a key role in memory, attention, thought and consciousness. Gyrification or cortical folding is the process by which the surface of the brain undergoes changes to create narrow furrows and folds called sulci and gyri. Their formation may promote and enhance neural processing. Presumably then, the more folding that occurs, the better the brain is at processing information, making decisions, forming memories and so forth.

Interesting stuff.

[Apologette]

What "god" are you inviting into you?