Myswizard

Focus in Front

I ‘m often asked the question: when is enough, enough?

On one hand, we know that everything happens for a reason, and there are no mistakes or coincidences.

On the other hand, we learn that we can never give up, knowing that with the right tools and energy, we can reverse any decree or karma.

So, which is it? Let the Light decide, or never give up?

The answer is: both.

At any given moment, it’s not about where we are supposed to be. It’s about what work, which relationship, what decision I take. Every moment counts. Every decision counts. And if we look at our decisions in life as such, we stop battling and start winning.

But unfortunately, we can never truly know if we’re making the right decision.

What we DO know is that wherever we are, that’s where the Light wants us to be. It’s the best place for us to be NOW. And as long as we don’t try to control the situation, then we won’t end up in the place we shouldn’t be.

The problem begins when we are so focused on the fight between yes and no that we lose sight of the bigger picture. If we can remain present and deal with the moment in front of us, no matter what our battle, then if we lose, we’ll know that ultimately we weren’t supposed to win that battle in the first place.

This week, focus on the person in front of you, the opportunity in front of you, the choices you can make right now. Especially now, when many of us will be spending more time with close friends and family, we need to keep focused on the things we can affect. And I know I needed that reminder.

What about you?

All the best,

Yehuda

Today, more than ever, we need something that offers hope, peace, and a general feeling of well-being. We live in a world gone mad with relativistic ideologies, or personal confusion and a general unrest. But don’t despair. There is a power greater than all the secrets, codes, ancient books, and mysteries you are searching for. It is The Power of Divinity-The Power of God. Unlike other spiritual guides that rely on biblical passages to illuminate and inspire, God Power and Truth offers straightforward and honest answers to difficult questions:

-What is God, and how do I picture Him?
-How do I learn how to tap into The Power of God?
-How do we know when God speaks to us?
-How do I keep up my spiritual journey through my own doubt and the disbelief of others?
-What is the most expedient way to enlightenment, and what can I do now to begin to reach that state?
-Do angels exist?
-How do we incorporate the path to God within a harsh, unforgiving, self-serving world?
-Why do “bad” things happen to apparently “good” people?

When this journey to test for Truth began, the scores of questions that came up were frequently personal, periodically asked by others, and regularly emerged spontaneously. They were and are extremely significant. Realizing how essential these answers are, a gift was received from The Field. It came in the form of persistence to ask that which is relevant to the present spiritual world. In a flash, permission to write this book and God’s answers had been established. The answers are received diametrically from God via the Field of
Intelligence, which holds God’s infinite knowledge. The actual answers may be short, but they are complete and need no further elaboration. This is how I received them. So if you are seeking flowery admonitions or mystical metaphors from God, you may be disappointed. As a result of presenting these questions and answers to the world, they are written in The Akashic Records of Divinity for eternity. It is more important to have these questions asked and answered whether or not they will be read presently or later on. Here is the beginning…

God Power and Truth from Amazon
Advanced Intermediate/Advanced

Take an O out of goodness and you have godness, or godliness. Evil responds to this in a number of ways. Firstly, evil itself is a field or a quality. Qualities and fields while a fact of existence cannot have “feelings” about something. An individual however, has feelings, perceptions, and reactions to events in his or her life. It is the individual spirit that has levels of consciousness. These levels may calibrate as low as zero. For the sake of this question, let’s say calibration level 30 which is “evil.”

The evil (in someone) reacts to goodness with scorn, resentment, or vindictiveness. Evil people do not understand goodness. It is beyond the comprehension of an individual at that level. Even at the level of pride (190), one can have contempt for those who are pure of heart and “not like them.” The more an individual or group is aligned with a negative or erroneous ideology, the more vicious* or contemptuous the attack. So when you see good people being slaughtered or viciously maligned, it is due to that fact and karma.

* Those at the lowest levels cannot be “rehabilitated.” It is only through Divine intervention or epiphany that a level this low can be radically ascended.

If you break a man-made law that isn’t right, have you created negative karma? Conversely if you do something which is within the law can it still be wrong?

Throughout history, laws authorized by the prevailing governing body have been in place. The answers to the questions depend on the calibratory level of the particular law. Examples of unjust laws are slavery and justified killings or debasement for ideological reasons. Modern laws covering controversial subjects such as abortion are another illustration. Governing bodies have the right to put certain laws in place, but they have no idea how those laws calibrate. For example, all laws regarding abortion (with the exception of health related issues), calibrate beneath Truth because it is the deliberate termination of human life for expediency. Choices are an integral part of the decision making process, but God cannot be eliminated from any decision whether or not you believe it to be true. Ignorance of Divine Law is always forgiven if sincere, however.
Responsibility and Culpability

The above title may be construed as an oxymoron. I also entertained the title, The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In either case, is the truth simple?

Yes, in a linear way—but no in a sacred way. The Truth has levels above the basic level of 200. That is the level on The Map at which an entity, statement, situation, context, or thing, becomes a Reality (Godly). But what is reality, you say? I see reality all around me! Well, Reality is what actually exists in God’s world. Everything else (although not an illusion to us) does not reflect Truth such as—evil, hopelessness, blame, guilt, shame, vindictiveness, indifference, hate, aggressiveness, despondence, and tragedy—to name a few. When testing, these qualities test below 200 because protoplasm does not recognize their reality.

So you see the Truth is well…The Truth (that which is real). But there are nuances. For example, I may be a generally honest person and calibrate at 200, but not yet at an unconditional level of love… type of honesty, which calibrates at 500.

Truth, although understandably intrinsic to God of course, is not that simple to us as humans. We have levels—depths that have certain calibrations, but are not necessarily essential to calibrate. How easy would life be if we calibrated every single motion in our lives before we acted? We’d never get anything done. So what do we on the path do?

Well first you trust and surrender everything to God. Stop seeking mystical and mysterious methods of figuring life out. Do some consciousness exercises to get you through your issues and crises, keep yourself as healthy as you have control over—notice the word ‘you’ and ‘control.’ Only God and karma govern the rest. Finally, use your inner wisdom when you can’t test and let the rest go.

I like to keep it simple—so I developed the DPA (Divine Protoplasmic Analysis) self test method of testing for Truth. It’s a handy method given to us by Divinity, to discover that which perplexes us. There Are No Secrets: The Highest Journey

Although I’ve written why we can’t figure out what is True ourselves I’ll review why.

1—You arrived as a baby with a calibrateable level of consciousness.
2—That level does not change very much in a lifetime unless you have a serendipitous leap or fall.
3—You absorb everything you see and hear like a sponge and continue on this way your entire life.
4—Everything you absorb attaches to your ego’s awareness through your brain as a viewpoint, idea, belief, doctrine, consensus, propaganda, brainwashing, etc.
5—The (narcissistic core of your) ego owns them, values them, and protects them as if it is the author.
6—You are generally stuck with them for life, and the majority (if not all) are not True. They are relative projections of what your mind’s delusions manufacture.

So back to surrendering and testing. This is what you need to do if this work is at all important to you. Since you are reading this, and I’m assuming you were not coerced, you have a yearning to have a glimpse of Truth. Go strait ahead with courage because traveling this road will make the yellow brick one, obsolete. Gloria in Excelsia Dio!

The answer to this question is yes. In a world that feels as though God has forsaken them, (especially in a “godless” world) people are yearning more and more for some one to save them from harm—all forms of harm. The conundrum is when you give your sense of inner power to another you are actually weakening the essence of who and what you are. A wise adage might sound like this…Never have more faith in another, than you do in Divinity. Just because you cannot physically see God, does not mean He is not present. That which is unseen comprises more of what is, than that which can be seen.

So what happens when you give your complete faith and trust over to some one else? It usually ends with being disappointed. After all, “someone else” is human too, with foibles, beliefs, and agendas, most of which have nothing whatsoever to do with you. You are integrating your own sense of self amidst someone else’s sense of self. How can you sort out what is true from hype, subtle indoctrination, projected glamorization and falsehood in that drama?

Today we have the key to unlocking The Truth. Divine Protoplasmic Analysis can sort out in seconds what has formerly taken lifetimes to know. Why obsess on that which you are confused about when you can know The Truth instantly? It’s a simple process which leads you out of the darkness of uncertainty to the light of knowing. Until you learn how to evaluate and discern, take nothing “for granted.”

Does politics have anything to do with the path to enlightenment and God? Surprisingly the answer is yes. The path to God is inclusive of everything in life. What I find interesting is “ethics” are extremely low on the list of what people find important in this election. Although politics as an entity does not calibrate high due to the many nuances of its inherent nature, your choices, decisions and above all intentions are essential on the path to God. Since this is the direct path to God, Divine Protoplasmic Analysis is essential to eliminate what is Truth from what is falsehood (unless you have reached a level of 600 and beyond).

Testing whether the individual is above level 200 is primary. Next, test for certain intrinsic positions which may calibrate below 200. In order to make a balanced decision, you have to educate yourself via all means available. If there are similarities in the level of consciousness of individuals, then basic positions will weed out what is higher from lower. Now you’re on your way.

It’s quite easy to find out if there are secrets being held, hidden agendas or other factors. The process is complex, however. The longer the course, the bigger the game of politics and politicizing gets. The very act of “izing” anything takes it below 200. Confusion, malaise, and anger occur the more the process is drawn out. Eventually the entire creation calibrates way below the level of integrity. What is left when politics becomes war and the entire process seems exasperating?

This is not as difficult as you may think. Getting back to the basics is a higher way of seeing everything. The basics are the inherent qualities of a view. Politicians are not on the path to enlightenment, but they can be on the side of what is sacred. This is the quintessential center of the universe and God. Godless may just be a word, but it has a meaning. Godlessness removes the sacred, the spirit, and the soul from the linear or material world. Everything is mental, spiritual, and physical. You cannot extract one from the other even in a political world. The world and everything in it belongs to God, however. All life, and all non-life is an intrinsic part of the whole of God. What would God say, if He spoke to you right now? I believe it would be to take everything into consideration because karma is involved. What you do, your intentions and decisions reflect what you are. Put all of this together and you have more of your continuing karmic legacy.

Another excerpt from the 4th book of the Enlightenment Series__Tapping the Power of Divinity…God Answers

There are many opinions on death, but my question is about ending a life either deliberately or accidentally. Are there consequences to taking a life? Is abortion wrong? Do we have the right to kill animals for food or clothing?

There is no such thing as a right to take a life. We either all have the right to do anything or we all do not have the right to do anything. We do come here with a will and exercise it quite freely. All decisions have karmic consequences, however. Karma is merely a word but cannot be separated from all existence. It is immanent (as God is) and are one and the same. Interference in other’s karma is to be done with great discernment.

If you believe that taking a life is immoral, you would be very serious about how you approach certain decisions. Beliefs don’t enter into this discussion due to the fact that all beliefs are erroneous, only Absolute Truth being True at all times and in all places. Most views merely justify ones actions. So you may believe there is a God, but that your idea of what God wants for you justifies that it’s ok to commit certain actions.

Many say they have a belief in God, but possess personal life parameters which facilitate certain actions. This is being sanctimoniously selective which is an egocentric error. Generally when God enters the issue, arguments supportive of over-riding self-interested entitlements to do with a life (including our own) as one pleases, fail. If you have no belief in a God or Truth vs. non-truth however, then your actions appear justifiable due the lack of a spiritual compass from which to direct yourself. You may over-intellectualize the subject (such as the addition of science or other subjects) which takes it even further from Truth.

All life serves all life; however you must be discerning as to how you use or abuse that position. This is where context determines the level of consciousness of your decision. (This is why having the tool of Divine Protoplasmic Analysis is indispensable.) When you are committed to serving life, every life is seen as sacred. For example, you may eat meat but still honor the life (animal) which has been sacrificed for your existence. Throughout time, lower forms of life have served higher forms of life in infinite ways. This is how God works through the balance of nature. Some religions such as Buddhism see all life as sacred and reject taking any life, if it can be saved. Many religions today have varying opinions on abortion as it has become a “hot” topic. That which is sacred however, is not up for discussion.

As a human you are often embroiled in the dichotomy of making a decision to end another’s life when faced with defending yourself or others, whether in war or impending threat. The choices you are faced with aren’t as essential to your spiritual growth as what you are consciously. In other words you may have a high level of consciousness but may find you are faced with taking a life to defend others. There are also events based on whether responsibility or culpability is involved. (Responsibility and Culpability, “There Are No Secrets, The Highest Journey”)

Often errors in judgment and projections of your personal inclinations exist. Preferences are based on personal decisions. The actual word, “choice” (as opposed to wrong or immoral) appears to justify specific matters in selected circles. Justification however, is actually a myth since choices can be calibrated as to their individual level of Truth. The rationalization of beliefs are how most decisions are reached in life. Absolute Truth calibrates over 200 (to varying degrees), but taking of a life may calibrate higher or lower than Truth according to the context of the situation. Universal or Divine Law has to be considered because violating this law is self violation. In any case, selective termination of life always comes with heavy karmic consequences.

In Divine Reality there is nothing neither wrong nor right (which are projections of an opinion), but there is always Universal cause and effect. So when making a choice such as abortion for instance, you are radiating a particular energy into The Field (God). The act of choosing to end an emerging life is consciously interfering with the intent of a soul to inhabit a particular body in a place in time for a particular reason. It is unknown what consequences are set in motion from this or any other particular action. It’s like Russian roulette. You place the ball on the wheel and close your eyes to the outcome.

Your specific level of consciousness is what guides your decision process. For example—at higher levels of consciousness you would be fully aware of the whole situation while using discernment. At another level you might be driven by animal instincts (or lower brain function), without regard for consequences. Acuity is required when choosing to either initiate or end a life.

In spiritual circles the phrase “conscious choice” is bandied about to justify that ones spiritual practice can regulate what is “right.” However, catch phrases have nothing to do with decision making emerging from error or falsehood. Your consciousness may be of a higher level and consciously aware of what you are doing, but still perform an act which calibrates under 200 (the level of integrity or Truth), when ego runs interference.

Although we aren’t privy to the individual karmic inheritance of an infinite number of scenarios, as compassionate, but unaware beings we overlook the fact that there are innumerable things which cannot be interfered with due to God’s influence. Once a life begins there is more than one issue involved. It’s essential not to overlook this fact. Everyone who is involved in the creating and the taking of a life is part of the infinite conglomerate of the karmic tapestry, and as such is responsible to a much Higher Power than one’s self righteousness.

All actions have karma attached and are intrinsically linked forever. Every single thing you do (including all action, speech and thought) has karmic consequences. When the Absolute Truth of existence is realized, all life is acknowledged as sacred. You may conduct the rest of your life from your knowledge of that Truth.

The answer to that question is yes from the view of a linear world. The level of the collective consciousness of humankind is lower than it has been in a long time. There is a direct reason for this occurrence. Humans are presently caught up in their ego (collectively) and all of the fallout which ensues from it. (Enlightenment and the Decline of the Level of Consciousness of Western Civilization, What’s Going On With The World?)

The next question would be, “Is there anything which can be done to alleviate this situation?” The answer to that is yes again. In a world of continuing hardships and relativism, there is only one thing to do. That is keep your own level of consciousness high in spite of what’s going on around you. This is done by not getting caught up in the fray. The path to God is not about whining, anger, and righteous indignation. If you want to help the world– be kinder, more compassionate, less critical, and more discerning.

Personal spiritual practices such as meditation may keep you aware, and are recommended to stay level, focused, and calm while on the journey. In this incarnation it may be more difficult than ever to remain on the path to enlightenment and God, nevertheless hang in there and buckle up for the continuing bumpy ride called life.

What do you want to know about life and the world? What answers does God have to give you which will open the door to Truth? In the 3rd book of the Enlightenment series, Truths from Divinity are revealed, each with the power to change your life.

Life doesn’t have to be difficult, merely understood. Gods’ Truth is revealed in simple, but powerful “tested” statements using the revelatory science of Advanced Consciousness Research (Divine Protoplasmic Analysis). Every sentence, tested for levels of Absolute Truth via The Field of Divinity, reveals there are no secrets which Divinity will not disclose to those on the path who wish to know.

Wisdom on the Path to God
Intermediate/Advanced

Biography Summary

Sir David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. is a nationally renowned psychiatrist, physician, researcher, and lecturer. He co-authored Orthomolecular Psychiatry with Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling that helped revolutionize psychiatry. His national television appearances include The MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour, The Barbara Walters Show, and The Today Show. Winner of the Huxley Award, knighted by the Sovereign Order of the Hospitaliers of St. John of Jerusalem, nominated for the Templeton Prize and honored in the East with the title “Tae Ryoung Sun Kak Tosa” (Foremost Teacher of the Way to Enlightenment), Dr. Hawkins’ honors are vast. His background is detailed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World, and his work has been acclaimed by many world leaders and Nobelists, including Mother Teresa.

Dr. Hawkins has lectured at the University of Argentina; Notre Dame, Stanford, and Harvard Universities; Westminster Abbey; and the Oxford Forum. In addition, he has been an advisor to Catholic, Protestant, and Buddhist monasteries. He has conferred with foreign governments on international diplomacy and has been instrumental in resolving long-standing conflicts that were major threats to world peace. He is the author of the best-selling trilogy, Power vs. Force (published in 17 languages), The Eye of the I, and I: Reality and Subjectivity, and three additional books, including Truth vs. Falsehood, Transcending the Levels of Consciousness, and Discovery of the Presence of God.

SPIRITUAL BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Hawkins is an internationally known spiritual teacher, author, and speaker on the subject of advanced spiritual states, consciousness research, and the Realization of the Presence of God as Self.

His published works, as well as recorded lectures, have been widely recognized as unique in that a very advanced state of spiritual awareness occurred in an individual with a scientific and clinical background who was later able to verbalize and explain the unusual phenomenon in a manner that is clear and comprehensible.

The transition from the normal ego state of mind to its elimination by the Presence is described in the trilogy Power versus Force (1995), which won praise even from Mother Theresa; The Eye of the I (2001); and I: Reality and Subjectivity (2003), which have been translated and are available worldwide in foreign editions. Reviews (such as those on the Internet at amazon.com) have awarded the works with five stars.

The trilogy was preceded by research on the Nature of Consciousness and published as the doctoral dissertation, Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis and Calibration of the Levels of Consciousness (1995), which correlated the seemingly disparate domains of science and spirituality. This was accomplished by the major discovery of a technique that, for the first time in human history, demonstrated a means to discern truth from falsehood.

The importance of the initial work was given recognition by its very favorable and extensive review in Brain/Mind Bulletin and at later presentations such as the International Conference on Science and Consciousness. Many presentations were given to a variety of organizations, spiritual conferences, church groups, nuns, and monks, both nationally and in foreign countries, including the Oxford Forum. In the Far East, Dr. Hawkins is a recognized “Teacher of the Way to Enlightenment.” (Tae Ryoung Sun Kak Dosa”)

In response to his observation that much spiritual truth has been misunderstood over the ages due to lack of explanation, Dr. Hawkins presented monthly seminars and provided detailed explanations that are too lengthy to describe in book format. Recordings are available, along with questions and answers that provide additional clarification.

The overall design of this lifetime work is to recontextualize the human experience in terms of the evolution of consciousness and to integrate a comprehension of both mind and spirit as expressions of the innate Divinity that is the substrate and ongoing source of life and Existence. This dedication is signified by the statement “Gloria in Excelsis Deo!” with which his published works begin and end.

LIFE EVENTS OF INTEREST

Awards and Recognition
• Inducted into the 2006 American Psychiatric Association 50-year Distinguished Life Fellows honor
• Inducted into the 2006 Orthomolecular Medicine Hall of Fame
• Established Devotional Nonduality as a major spiritual pathway and the Science of Consciousness Research
• Published numerous articles in spiritual periodicals, 1990 - current
• As appeared on The Today Show, Science, Barbara Walters, the McNeil-Leher News Hour and talk radio shows worldwide
• Presents lectures and workshops throughout the U.S., along with monthly full-day seminars, 2002 - current
• Gave annual Landsberg Lecture at the University of California Medical School at San Francisco
• Listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World
• Appointed consultant to the Unity School of Religious Studies and post-graduate curriculum, including establishment of the Unity School of Consciousness Studies, 2003
• Published research on Science of Consciousness in series of books in 14 languages
• Establishment of worldwide independent study groups
• Nobelists and world leaders accorded recognition in support of world value of research and writings: Dr. Linus Pauling; Mother Theresa; Lee Iacocca; Sam Walton; Bill W. (founder of Alcoholics Anonymous); numerous clergy and businessmen (spirit in business).
• Consultant to government leaders, South Korea, 2000
• Received title “Tae Ryoung Sun Kak Dosa” (Teacher of Enlightenment), Seoul, Korea, 2000
• Knighted by the Sovereign Order of the Hospitaliers of St. John of Jerusalem by authority of the Priory of King Waldemar the Great. The Order was established in 1070 and arrived in Denmark around 1164. The ceremony was conducted by H. H. Prince Waldemar of Schaumburg-Lippe on October 7, 2000. He was elected to the Order in October 1996 and was sponsored by Fernando Flores, then an ambassador to the United Nations. The Danish Order then established a branch in the Americas, which supports humanitarian projects in third-world countries.
• Physicians Recognition Award, American Medical Association, 1992
• Elected to Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Founded 1077), 1989
• Invited to become Commissioner of Mental Health, State of New York, February, 1983
• Citation from Medical College of Wisconsin for “Contribution to Medicine”
• Taught classes on Advaita
• Published articles with Bill W., cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous
• Taught classes based on A Course in Miracles
• Consultant to clergy, cloistered nuns, Episcopal and Catholic dioceses, the Zen Monastery (NYC), and spiritual groups
• North Nassau Mental Health Center Award for “Dedication to the Alleviation of Human Suffering,” 1978
• Huxley Award for “Inestimable Contribution to the Alleviation of Human Suffering,” 1979
• Published Orthomolecular Psychiatry with Nobelist Linus Pauling, 1973
• Published numerous scientific papers in the American Journal of Psychiatry amongst other fine publications, 1953 - current
• Founder and Director, The Mental Health Center (largest practice in New York City), 1958 - 1980
• Training Psychoanalysis by Prof. Lionel Oversey, M.D., at Columbia University Psychoanalytic Institute
• Supervising Psychiatrist, New York State Department of Mental Hygiene, 1957
• Awarded Fellowship in Psychiatry, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, 1956
• Intern, Columbia Hospital, New York School of Psychiatry, 1954
• Mosby Book Award for Scholastic Excellence, 1953
• Alpha Omega Alpha – National Medical Scholastic Honor Society, 1952
Founded
• North Nassau Mental Health Center, Inc., 1958
• Federation of Mental Health Centers, 1963
• North Nassau Clinical Laboratories, 1970
• North Nassau Research Division and Laboratories, 1971
• An Integrated System for the Care of Schizophrenics, 1971
• Academy of Orthomolecular Psychiatry, 1971
• Institute for Applied Spiritual Studies, 1980
Co-Founded
• Schizophrenics Anonymous (Board of Directors; Medical Advisor)
• Schizophrenia Foundation of New York State (Incorporator; Director)
• Schizophrenia Foundation of Long Island (Board of Directors; Medical Advisor)
• Institute for Scientific Communications (Incorporator; Board of Directors)
• Journal of Orthomolecular Psychiatry (Editorial Board)
• Journal of Schizophrenia (Editorial Board)
• St. George’s Day Activities Center (Medical Advisor)
• The Attitudinal Healing Center of Long Island (Board of Directors; Medical Advisor)
• Christ Church Day Activities Center (Medical Advisor)
• The Masters Gallery of Fine Arts (Co-Director)
• Mental Health Fairs
• The Gateposts Halfway House (Medical Advisor)
• Garfield House (Halfway House)
• Day Activities Center of Port Washington (Medical Advisor)
• Brunswick House (Alcoholism; Psychiatric Consultant)
• New York Association of Holistic Health Centers
• Life Support Systems (Board of Directors)
• Space Form (Ecologic Communities and Low-Energy Housing)
• Became Director Emeritus of the North Nassau Mental Health Center in 1980 and gave up psychiatric practice to spend full time on spiritual research.

Membership

• American Medical Association (Life Member)
• American Psychiatric Association (Life Member)
• New York State Medical Society
• Nassau County Medical Society
• Nassau Physicians Guild
• Nassau Academy of Medicine
• New York Academy of Science
• The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• New York State Psychiatric Association
• Qualified Psychiatrist, New York State Department of Mental Health
• Nassau Psychiatric Society
• New York State Clinical Directors Association
• American Association of Psychiatric Administrators
• Academy of Orthomolecular Psychiatry (Founding President; Chairman of the Board)
• International Academy of Preventive Medicine
• American Holistic Health Association
• The Huxley Institute for Biosocial Research (Board of Directors)
• Academy of Religion and Mental Health
• New York State Association of the Professions
• The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
• Schizophrenia Foundation of New York State (Board of Directors; Medical Advisor)
• The Attitudinal Healing Center of Long Island (Board of Directors; Medical Advisor)
• North Nassau Mental Health Center (Director Emeritus)
• Medical Society of the Brunswick Hospital (Director of Psychiatric Research)
• Attending Staff, Gracie Square Hospital
• Youth Consultation Services, Episcopal Dioceses, Long Island (Psychiatric Consultant)
• Editorial Board, Journal of Orthomolecular Psychiatry
• Editorial Board, Journal of Schizophrenia
• Editorial Board, (Alcoholism), Journal of Psychotherapy
• American Schizophrenia Association (Scientific Advisory Board)
• National Society for Autistic Children (Professional Advisory Board)
• Long Island Council on Alcoholism
• The Federation of Mental Health Centers (Co-founder)
• American Medical Society on Alcoholism
• Arizona Medical Society
• Arizona Psychiatric Society
• Brunswick House (Director of Research, Alcoholism)
• The National Acupuncture Research Society
• American Geriatric Society
• International Council on Applied Nutrition
• The Academy of Preventive Medicine
• Canadian Psychiatric Association (Associate Member)
• American Society for Psychological Research
• Monroe Institute for Applied Science
• International Kirlian Research Association
• National Council on Alcoholism
• The Association for the Advancement of Psychotherapy
• The Society for the Study of Addictions
• American Institute for Scientific Communications (Co-founder)
• International Society for General Semantics
• Consultant on Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
• American Ontoanalytic Association
• Consultant, New York Foundling Hospital
• New York Paleontological Society
• Consultant, Operation Hotline
Non-Medical Memberships
• The First Zen Institute of America, 1960
• The Institute for Applied Spiritual Studies (Founder, Chairman), 1983
• Institute for Advanced Spiritual Research, Inc. [501© (3) Public Charity], 1983
• Sovereign Order, St John of Jerusalem, 1995
• Devotional Nonduality Community (Founder, 2003)

The Straight Path to God

In order to get on the straight path to God, you must by-pass the inexplicable such as psychics and the mysterious. Those things reveal themselves when conditions are appropriate.

Karma is all action and thought throughout non-linear progression (infinity). Karma is how God’s will operates. It is result (consequence) which emerges from action or thought, manifested from what God is. Karma is God and God is Karma.

From…God Power and Truth

Yes, there is a perfect prayer. A perfect prayer is that which comes from the heart and asks for nothing except the Highest Good, surrendering all to God with complete acceptance. You need not grovel, but have a genuine regret for your indiscretions. When forgiveness is called for you must offer as well as accept it, unconditionally. Atoning for your actions, must also be offered absolutely. It is not necessary to ask God to bless someone or something, because God is a blessing. When you pray, you do so out of love, not stipulation. You may ask for guidance or a miracle. God hears, sees, and knows all.

God please forgive my errors and accept a prayer for the utmost benefit of all beings. I surrender everything to Thee, and ask for continuing guidance on the path. Help me to be an instrument of Thy will, and to remain eternally in alignment with Thee.

The simplest things in life are often the most powerful. The golden rule may be the one single moral and ethical way of seeing and treating others. You violate the rule by not treating others the way you would expect to be treated in the exact situation. You must give kindness to receive kindness, for example and practice consistency in your actions.

What mother, grandmother, or a teacher taught you has merit also. – Wear a hat and button up your neck when it’s cold outside. Be polite to elders as well as your peers. Clean up after yourself. Slow down or you may hurt yourself! Don’t take anything which isn’t yours. Allow others to go first. Wash your hands. Say please and thank you. Be respectful at all times. Be happy for others good fortune. Try again. Be faithful to your ideals. Be fair. Tell the truth. Don’t be gullible; not everyone has your best interests at heart. Don’t make fun of others because that could be you. Have faith in God.

These simple things are often deemed old fashioned or are absent in this world today. That may just explain everything.

Light My Desire

I have a question for you. Have you ever experienced a really nagging, excruciating toothache? Like, the worst kind. Shooting pain, sweats, desperate for treatment?

So, would it be safe to assume that you possess, right now, a desire not to want a toothache? Five seconds ago, before you read this, were you aware that you had a desire not to want a toothache? No. Why?

Because that desire was already fulfilled.

But if suddenly your tooth started aching right now, BOOM, your desire would awaken. You’d say, “I don’t want to have a toothache.” And then, when that toothache pain dissipated, you would feel great fulfillment. Correct?

We have no awareness of desire that is already fulfilled.

The kabbalists explain that when we - the souls of humanity - were originally created, every possible desire was already fulfilled. We were born a completely fulfilled soul.

We were also born unappreciative of what the Creator was instilling within us.

Just like you were unconscious of your desire not to have a toothache, because that desire was completely fulfilled, we were literally born unconscious, unaware, unappreciative of what the Creator was instilling within us.

Think about this for a minute. Imagine all the possible joys in your life, from sex and food and movies to watching your kids grow and feeling competent at work and being in a loving relationship. Every conceivable pleasure we now have a desire for was once ours.

But we were unconscious. So we said to the Creator, “Hey, we want to wake up! We want to truly appreciate. We need to experience a world that will ignite our desire.”

If the Light we were born into included infinite happiness, we needed to experience infinite sadness to awaken a thirst and hunger for that happiness.

If infinite peace of mind was included in everything that was fulfilling us, we asked to experience infinite depression, fear, and anxiety to awaken the desire and thirst for that healing and fulfillment.

That is why the Zohar says you only know something by its opposite. You only know white when you see black. You only know Light when you see darkness. You only know up when you see down.

It’s a bit depressing, no? Does this mean we need to experience pain every time we want to taste happiness? The answer is no.

This week, pay attention to the law of opposites. Reflect back on your life, your happiest memories, your feelings of greatest accomplishment. Were they preceded by hardship, by lack, by tough times? The next seven days, find strength to see through to the other side of whatever difficulty you are facing by meditating on the words of Rav Ashlag:

“Every good situation is nothing more than the fruit born
by a bad situation that preceded it.”

And stay tuned for next week’s answers to these questions:

If the Light is infinite, and includes infinite solutions to our problems, couldn’t the Light also come up with the solution to the ultimate paradox of existence?

How do we experience pleasure without having to experience pain?

How can we awaken that desire?

All the best,

Yehuda

There is a preferred method by which news is glamorized and expanded on. The “What if” scenario plays on the public’s need to feel there was another way the event may have turned out if things didn’t turned out the way they did. This is the game of hypothesizing. Since the hypothetical doesn’t exist (except in your mind), you may think this has no importance regarding the path to enlightenment. Anything, however which has the ability to divert your attention and excite your ego, is contributory to distracting your spiritual efforts. The hypothetical is a constant disruption in your energy field. How does this relate to the path to enlightenment?

There is a spiritual school of thought cautioning not following the negative news of world events. Observing what is happening with neutrality however can be an enlightening process. As a student on the path, think of the possibilities for testing your ability to remain detached from the infinite theater of the material world. As each day passes, the media barrage regularly offers up grisly events with the ensuing hypothetical “What ifs.” The news may possibly be experienced by your psyche as a disturbance. Higher consciousness knows there are no problems however, only karmic propensities. So, by using these experiences as a test for your consciousness, it may in fact accelerate the path of the spiritual student.

Spiritual groups often practice cloistering themselves to remain detached from the negative aspects of the material world. Since this world is the perfect proving ground for your spirit, it makes great sense to place yourself in the middle of the discord occasionally, in order to practice remaining neutral despite it all. Could there possibly be a better way of living higher consciousness while detachedly observing the chaos surrounding you?

The process of living unbiased within a difficult world may be the greatest spiritual exercise for your soul, while transcending levels of consciousness. Through the process of surrendering and trusting all to Divinity, this one practice alone may be the only thing necessary on the path to enlightenment. This method isn’t effortless, but extremely rewarding.

The word “hope” is brandished about unequivocally everywhere you turn lately. Hope brings emotional swells of dreams not yet fulfilled. Along with the word “hope,” come feelings of inspiration and encouragement. Hope feels supportive. It is identified with prayer, religion, and a feeling of spirituality. What is hope?

There are many definitions of the word “hope.” The dilemma lies in the Truth that hope is merely a word with a human definition, non-existent in Reality. Hope may appear as a feeling that what is wanted will happen, or a desire accompanied by expectation. It might emerge as something sought after, anticipated or trusted and relied upon. To be hopeful is expecting to get what you want. Alternatively, you may yearn for a person, event, or something to succeed. Hope is, according to Merriam Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, to cherish a desire with expectation, to place confidence or trust in a thing with an expectation or belief in the possibility of acquiring something. Hope is defined as aspiration, faith, conviction, belief, yearning, craving, and wanting. What happens however, when human beings’ hopes are shattered? Are we to keep hoping for the same desired results, or do we shift our hopes and desires to something else?

In Buddhism, it is said that the act of craving or desiring brings suffering. The more you want or desire, the more desire controls you. Even your faith and beliefs can fail, falter, or be crushed. Therefore, you could say that hope brings suffering. The mere act of desiring something immediately brings the fear of not getting the desired outcome. Fear causes grief, stress, confusion, and anger. The cycle of hoping for outcomes seldom or never achieved brings endless anguish. Consequently, is hope in reality hopeless? The mere mention of the word hopelessness conjures up failure and distress. How do we stop hoping?

On the spiritual path to enlightenment, it is preferable to have no expectations and witness everything as it is. By living fully present and neutrally aware, you are living consciously, in harmony and concordance. Divinity is with you, as you exist as a prayer and live in gratitude for your present life. Then, whatever life has to offer, your consciousness reflects willingness, intention, acceptance, fearlessness, and love. The word “hope” evaporates into a knowing that God is the only sacred trust, which is essential.

I have respect for that phrase because it’s very descriptive of the state of suffering. It usually means that you are in a position where no matter what decision you make, it may be the wrong one. Any decision that you make however, could mean you’re between a rock and hard place. This is because you have an infinite number of choices to make throughout your life regarding everything. Often it refers to a crisis in which you do not know which way to go. It always assumes that no matter how you choose, it’s hopefully the best of the array.

What we fail to realize is that any decision we make comes with (karmic) consequences. With that in mind our decision-making process (which is part of the sentience that stems from being human), should be looked upon with reverence and respect. How often do we shoot from the hip only to feel like we’ve made a horrible mistake?

This subject isn’t referencing what time to make a haircut appointment (although that in itself could have consequences). This is regarding the path your life is taking, who you are going down that path with, and what you are doing within the beingness of your essential self. When the decisions you make have to do with these subjects, being in a difficult situation is just what the spirit ordered.

When confronted with suffering and difficulty you have to trust that your higher Self often knows the correct decision to make. It could feel like conscience or a gut feeling, but Divinity is always having a conversation with you if you care to listen. It may come in the form of a whisper or a sign from just about anywhere. It is always aware that you are spirit occupying human form, with all that that entails. If however, you take a wrong turn, who is to say it wasn’t in your highest good? All decisions come with a lesson and everyone is your teacher.

This sacred journey is about difficult decisions and their ensuing consequences. Enlightenment must be earned because the voyage is not for the faint-hearted. It’s the brave soul that sees each difficult decision as an opportunity to transcend karma and suffering on the path to higher consciousness and enlightenment, for its own sake. So the next time you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, send out a prayer of thanks for the opportunity to learn.

I am as sure as I live that nothing is so near to me as God. God is nearer to me than I am to myself; my existence depends on the nearness and the presence of God.
… Meister Eckhart

We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.
Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don’t want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of “good time” is seldom in sync with ours.
… Oswald Chambers

Those who give themselves to prayer should concentrate solely on the conformity of their wills with the divine will. The more fully they practice this, the greater the gifts they will receive from God and the greater their progress in the interior life.
… Teresa of Avila

Prayer is so simple. It is like quietly opening a door and slipping into the very presence of God. There, in the stillness, to listen to His voice, perhaps in petition or only to listen. It matters not. Just to be there in His presence is prayer.
… author unknown

The condition of God’s blessing is absolute surrender of all into His hands. If our hearts are willing for that, there is no end to what God will do for us and no end to the blessings He will bestow. God does not ask you to give the perfect surrender in your own strength or by the power of your will. God is willing to work it in you and for you. The Everlasting God Himself will come in and turn out what is wrong, conquer what is evil, and work what is well pleasing in His blessed sight. God Himself will work it in you.
… Andrew Murray

When one reaches a point where he seeks no solace from any creature, then he begins to relish God perfectly. Then also he will be content no matter what may happen. He will neither rejoice over great things nor grieve over small ones, but will place himself entirely and confidently in the hands of God, Who is All in All.
… Thomas a Kempis

If we are to live unto God at any time or in any place, we are to live unto Him at all times and in all places. If we are to use anything as the gift of God, we are to use everything as His gift.
… William Law

Do not allow yourself to become preoccupied with the purity of your own heart. Instead, turn your gaze toward God. Marvel over God. Rejoice that He is the All Holy One. When you are thus focused on God, do not glance back at yourself. Do not ask yourself where you stand with God. Instead, lift your gaze higher.
Purity of heart is not developing oneself to the utmost, nor is it an achievement of one’s own doing. It is at first a void which one discovers and accepts in oneself. Only then does God come to fill the void according to how much one makes oneself receptive to God’s bounty.
… Francis of Assisi

In the secret of God’s tabernacle no enemy can find us, and no troubles can reach us. The pride of man and the strife of tongues find no entrance into the pavilion of God. The secret of His presence is a more secure refuge than a thousand Gibraltars.
I do not mean that no trials come. They may come in abundance, but they cannot penetrate into the sanctuary of the soul, and we may dwell in perfect peace even in the midst of life’s fiercest storms.
… Hannah Whitall Smith

Prayer of Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light,
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

The Practice of the Presence of God is a way of life where we engage in continual conversation with God; walk with Him in love, humility, simplicity, and faith; and think, say, and do nothing that may displease Him; because this is God’s will for us.

The traditional “believer” or the spiritually apprehensive are cautioned that the material presented herein may be disquieting and therefore better circumvented. The teachings are presented for the seriously committed spiritual student who is seeking God as Enlightenment. The pathway to Enlightenment via Radical Truth is demanding and requires the surrendering of all belief systems. Only then does the Ultimate Reality reveal itself as the sought-after ‘I’ of Divinity. This message is paraphrased from the caveat of Dr. David R. Hawkins’ books.

Are there things you want to know, but have to trust unreliable sources? Do you want to know what is True from what is false? Do everyday decisions confuse you? Do you seek Divine Absolute Truth? There is a way to receive Truth as it comes from God. My latest book, “God Power and Truth, The Way to Ascension Through God’s Answers and Messages” explains completely how to test for Truth yourself with astounding results! See article on this page for what testing for truth can do!

There are no secrets to finding Truth. God is All loving, All forgiving, unconditional and immanent. Here is the way to God’s gift of Absolute Truth!

Synchronicity led you here since there are no accidents. There is only the universe unfolding miraculously. You may stay a few seconds or minutes, or you may find being here has the capacity to change what you are and what you know, forever. The answers to many of the questions you have about God and enlightenment are here. There Are No Secrets that we cannot unlock when we honor The Power of God and Truth. Lots of money doesn’t have to be spent on books, courses, classes, retreats, and false teachers. I offer this path and the teachings to you.

This is the inner path to enlightenment. When you begin on this path, there is seldom turning back. This may lead to a lack of direction and confusion because of all the spiritual information available in the world today. The “path” doesn’t have to be agonizing or tedious. The greater part of my site is dedicated to the teachings of Dr. David R. Hawkins, Devotional Nonduality, and the journey toward enlightenment. I think of my site as a straight line, no nonsense approach to that state. To paraphrase Dr. David R. Hawkins, “One can be changed just through exposure to the teachings.” At this time Dr. Hawkins is the highest calibrating (see MAP of Consciousness) teacher of enlightenment on the planet.

The front page articles on my site are the most relevant, timely, or the latest writing. I keep an updated cache of informative articles of interest from religion to science, as well as consciousness exercises and those looking for help or to help others. Although I have some information on the metaphysical, I do not advise becoming enamored of these subjects because of their inherent falsehoods. Discernment is necessary for knowledge of what is Truth, from that which is false. 90% of what is on the Internet is not Truth, as paraphrased by Dr. Hawkins.

I periodically expand on previously written articles because of new knowledge or information…or take an older article from the archives and put it up front. There may be as many as 10 or more articles up front, or only one. (See monthly archives for latest articles) There is usually an intro to the various topics with all the articles beneath, alphabetized and by most recent publication date. Outside information is researched from quality source references.

All personal writing under the topics, Everyday Book of the Grail, Food For Thought, Thought For Today, Aphorisms For the Soul, Absolute Truth, and Devotional Nonduality comes from “The Infinite Field” or “Higher Consciousness” and recontextualizations of books, ideas, and teachings related to enlightenment. These topics explain both the content and context of this site. I only publish articles or writings that calibrate (Absolute Truth intro) with Truth and Integrity (See my Mission Statement). I do not “channel” otherworldly entities. A very important part of my journey is to bring this information to my readers in as timely a manner as possible, as it is revealed.

Myswizard’s Journey of the Spirit is expanding everyday thanks to all of you. In 4 years on the web there are over 75,000 repeat visitors.

Journey of the Spirit with Aphorisms for the Soul and The Everyday Book of the Grail, is my first collection of Truths and God’s wisdom. It contains Food For Thought, Everyday Book of The Grail, and more in one collection.

There Are No Secrets The Highest Journey has revelatory new self testing techniques and testing parameters (Divine Protoplasmic Analysis) as well as tested Truths, which have the ability to change what you know forever! As in “Journey of the Spirit,” it has hundreds of inspirational and enlightening Everyday Book of the Grail, Food For Thought, Aphorisms, and Q & A.

Wisdom on the Path to God is the 3rd book of The Enlightenment Series with over 500 Truisms and Food For Thought in one book! God Power and Truth explains how to ascend using the power of Divinity and God’s answers to the questions the spiritual world needs now. The last book of the Enlightenment Series will be a new course in enlightenment and miracles for today’s modern world. All 5 books will put the power of Divinity in your hands!!

All stores are for your potential enjoyment, since they are not an effort for personal profit. Have fun browsing my site and e mail me with questions you may have. Thanks for visiting and making this journey with me.
Blessings,
Myswizard

The readiness to initiate the journey cannot be forced nor can people be faulted if it has not occurred in them as yet. The level of consciousness has to have advanced to the stage where such an intention would be meaningful and attractive.
The Eye of The I…David R. Hawkins, M.D., PhD

The Straight Path to God
In order to get on the straight path to God, you must by-pass the inexplicable such as psychics and the mysterious. Those things reveal themselves when conditions are appropriate.___Mys

You cannot change others. If you don’t stop trying to have others be the way you desire them to be, you will always be dissatisfied. You can only work on your own essential Self.___Myswizard

“True teachers are few and pretenders abound. If the masses were headed in the right direction, sainthood and enlightenment would be common. They are not.”
- Dr. Hawkins

“Straight and narrow is the path…Waste no time! Gloria in Excelsis Deo!”
- Dr. David R. Hawkins, M.D., PhD.

In my article The Nature of God, some of the qualities of God are explained. However what is God and how do we explain the inexplicable? God/ Divinity is the Totality of all existence within an Infinite Field. You could say God is The Field, with no beginning and no end, Immortal, Eternal, All-Powerful, All Loving, All Knowing, All Lightness, All Gentle, and Complete. God is the invisible around you, universes within universes, infinite realms, and all material and non-material existence.

Learn how to test for Truth!!

Imagine being able to know for certain if someone is telling the truth or not without a lie detector. How would you like to have the answers to everything, both past and present available to you at a moments notice? “There Are No Secrets__The Highest Journey,” reveals how to attain knowledge never before available to the spiritual seeker!

It has all of the most up-to-date* testing technique information, a revelatory, accurate, and easy way to self-test as well as the latest Food For Thought (most of which is not on site) and Everyday Grail. “There Are No Secrets” is the guide to having the answers to everything you’ve wanted to know at your fingertips! Finding truth in this way is perhaps the most important discovery in the spiritual world!
*Keep an up to date copy of “Testing Parameters” by going to Testing Parameters for Self-Testing under “Absolute Truth” on this website). Print a copy to keep in your book.

“There Are No Secrets,” by Myswizard (Nancy Brown) is available in e book, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. com.(CLICK SIDEBAR or LINK BELOW).

Blessings,
Mys

There Are No Secrets
Paperback from Amazon
Intermediate reading-Intermediate to Advanced Spiritual

This article in response to Dr. Hawkins lecture regarding spirituality and issues of our modern civilization, is getting my front page attention again due to current world events.

The errors of modern society have made the spiritual path more difficult. What we’re witnessing today is perception becoming everyday truth as opposed to Absolute Truth (The Truth of Divinity). This is the Truth of Divinity via the Infinite Field of Consciousness (God) through the use of higher levels of consciousness and Kinesiology. This has led to Western civilization’s level of consciousness falling to non-integrity. This was tested on stage by Dr Hawkins.

What is happening?
Due to present events this has become a significant issue. We are at a critical point because what is being witnessed through the media, politics, business, and education is relativism in its most radical form. It is the collapse of society through the repetition of false-speak as well as errors in thought and action due to lower levels of consciousness often in the form of evil run amok. Relativism is the truth according to the individual. This would imply that there are as many truths as there are people and beliefs.

There is only one Truth about anything. You either have Truth or non-truth. The Truth itself has its levels of essence according to the realm of its existence, nevertheless Truth is still Truth. The light is either on (regardless of its luminescence) or it’s not.

Since we are already witnessing world relativism what we’re left with is the truth according to personal beliefs run rampant. Cynics and skeptics abound, creating more of the same. Cynicism and skepticism both calibrate beneath the level of integrity (200) Power versus Force, Dr. David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.)

What is there to do? (Articles…What’s Going on With the World?, Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do).
In the real-world perhaps a march or a protest would be involved, but the path to enlightenment precludes force and activism. Only the Power of Divinity stands as a certainty to those who choose to embrace the path to God through Truth.

Although following Divinity through religion or religious doctrine may find you kinder and forgiving, the path to God through Truth leads to enlightenment. What needs to be known is why this is happening, and the why is the current level of world consciousness. Nearly 85% of the world calibrates below integrity. That would certainly prohibit forcing change upon all of the worlds’ societies. By raising yourself up, you help to raise up the world. This is teaching by example. The power of the levels of love and kindness, is stronger exponentially than all the lower levels combined.

Where are we going?
The where does not matter to most of the world because of the above evident reasons, but the implications of what we do here are karmic and can be lasting nevertheless.

The short time we spend in our earthly life, has led many to wonder where we spend eternity. Although this question may not become relevant until we’ve reached a certain level of consciousness, the Truth of eternity is we reside where we have become as a result of what we are. This is a personal choice — a choice our essence makes as an eternal being.

Why is this important to know?
What we create on earth is a part of our eternal journey and the mere tip of the iceberg of what we can aspire to be when the realization of Divinity is within us. It all depends on whether or not the journey to be with or be like God, is essential to you as an infinite spirit. Only the fear of the loss of the ego self prevents us from being our Highest Self. Relativity/perception becomes Essence when we are aware of the presence of God. Until then, what we have is what we are witnessing. To paraphrase Dr. Hawkins, There is no opposition to upholding your own Highest potential. To perfect the potentiality of that which you are, is revering God in the Highest, and is your greatest gift to the world.

While it’s perfectly clear that if you walk into the spiritual section of any bookstore you are bound to see hundreds of books about manifesting abundance. The word abundance is synonymous with wealth, however it also means “great quantities of.” What is it that we need great quantities of other than money? Of course the abundance that is spoken of, is usually about money, due to the fact that the majority of the people on the planet (especially in modern societies), never think they have enough. The fastest way to sell a book, if you are out there promoting it, would be to make it about getting more, having more, and how to manifest more.– The more being wealth, which it is assumed no one has enough of.

To presume that you don’t have enough of something is putting yourself in the position of believing that you know what is best for you. This is presumptuous considering the majority of the population of the world cannot discern Truth from falsehood on their own. How can we as humans know what is best for us when we don’t even know as a majority what the Truth is about anything (even though we think we do)?

There is no secret to getting or having money. You can work hard for it, go to school to earn a degree in a particular field, purchase something that luckily appreciates in value, or inherit it. You may also be clever enough to discover something the world needs that it didn’t have before. So you see there are no secrets here, other than potentiating the conditions under which you will create what you need.

Furthermore, there are no secret rituals of manifestation which will provide you with what you need to survive. Being given the gift of physical life precludes all other egoic wishes. We are here to endure and learn until we are relieved of the physical, and return to our essential state. The one thing which must be known at your core level, is that everyone is worthy of creating. This is about the “what” of the creation and not the how. Once inspired (motivated), the how becomes clear.

This journey is to enlightenment and there are no secrets to manifesting enlightenment.– Just transcending the obstacles to that state. That is why we are here and you are here reading this. There is nothing more important than the realization of God and our transcendence of the obstacles.

The beauty of all this is that we have eternity to get all this under our spiritual belt. When a certain state is reached, the realization that we are complete and perfect at all times becomes perfectly clear. Money at that point becomes more than a means to an imaginary end, but something that we must as stewards, take responsibility for. The glamorization of society shows that an overabundance of money in the hands of people who are not ready for the responsibility, tends to be used frivolously.

If we want to place a higher meaning on wealth and/or abundance on our journey to enlightenment, higher manifestation is a necessity. This would take the form of lovingness, generosity, wisdom, discernment, patience, willingness, orderliness, fairness, peacefulness, intelligence, and kindness. When manifestation such as this is actualized, you have cracked the highest secret code—being like your Creator.

Some of the most unobtrusive things that happen in our lives are unrealized miracles. We often call them coincidences, but a ‘coincidence’ is in truth, a notable occurrence, and not a mere fluke. While witnessing these fortuitous events in my own life for decades, it seems as I get older, their occurrences are accelerating. Perhaps, I said to myself, it’s because my journey has been progressing. Maybe I’m just noticing them more because my life is focused on God and the journey to enlightenment. Sometimes I even jokingly ask God if He’s recognizing that I’m getting closer. In my heart however, I know that Gods knows. Being psychic or intuitive, I never asked these questions of myself before, having taken them for granted while being grateful for the gifts.

With 6 1/2 billion people on the planet, many people are experiencing the exact same thing, but are expressing it in their own personal ways. It’s on the Internet every day, in the bookstores, in the new publications arriving daily, and through the media. Many of these people know these experiences are what we call miracles or divine providence, and most have no recognition of it whatsoever. In fact, miracles are occurring continually to everyone, but below LOC 200 (Map of Consciousness) the mind blocks the recognition of them. In Middle Eastern religions, some of these subjective experiences are referred to as Moksha and Siddhis. In any case, there are a thousand names for the same thing. Calling them miracles, is putting a simple identification onto that which is anything but simple. My own grammatical limitations compel the use of the word ‘miracles’, however.

What are these everyday miracles? We can’t expect to see the red sea parting, or the lightning finger of God engraving the 10 Commandments into stone, but what we can do is recognize what they are and what they look like. All of these events are personal occurrences, but are certainly not unique or exclusive.

• Necessary messages that are delivered to someone by someone else at a point in their life when they needed to hear it, are miracles.
• Necessary messages that are delivered to you through other people, various media, so-called coincidental meetings, and any other form of communication that lights up like a light bulb in your life.
• Sudden but not serious, illnesses, which force you to slow down to rest, think, or meditate.
• Help arriving at opportune moments when you need it the most.
• Simple things like parking spaces becoming available to you when you need them.
• Turning on the radio and hearing a favorite song from a deceased loved one, or a message in the words of a song, in response to a communication with the other side.
• After surrendering a situation and putting it in God’s hands, resolution occurs.
• You call someone unwittingly when they need you, or they mysteriously call you when you need them.
• Answers to questions reveal themselves in a timely manner. (Without testing using Divine Proplasmic Analysis)
• Things that you need, or things that you are looking for, seem to find you.
• The perfect response to a question or scenario comes forth of its own.
• Regular visitations or communication from the nonphysical realm occurs in various forms.
• What appears to be miraculous healings. (There are many books on the subjects of miraculous healings and miraculous healers. However due to karma and karmic inheritance, healings may occur on their own or not depending on the individual karma involved. Therefore, although I have put this under the miraculous, karma plays an important role in the events regarding our health.)
• Occurrences related to ‘chance’ sightings such as: awakening to instantly witness a shooting star after dreaming of a recently deceased loved one, clouds parting and the sun shining through just as you were wishing for it to happen, or looking up to witness a magnificent sunrise, sunset, or unusually colorful sky when you were thinking of God or a loved one who has passed.
• The radiance of a beam of sunlight appearing through your window shining directly on your face when you were thinking of, discussing, or speaking of God.
• People coming to your aid, apparently from nowhere, when you are in distress.
• Strange occurrences such as being alone, suddenly tripping and falling, yet being caught and placed upright by something unseen, averting potentially harmful injuries, in a moment when time seemed to stand still.
• Signs of warnings to avert dangerous situations. i.e. Something put in front of you to slow you down, or a sighting of something to warn you of impending danger.
• Signals to alert you to witness something. i.e. Sudden awakenings in order to see an event, knowing that an important phone call was imminent, a forced detour which ‘shows’ you something or prevents another event from happening. (This is often karma in action)
• Asking for a miracle and receiving it.
• Having a feeling of being surrounded by tremendous love and an invisible presence which fills you with extreme Kundalini energy. This often occurs regularly.

Standing back as a witness without commentary has a peculiar effect. It puts you in a place of neutral attention. Being neutral is very relaxing, not to mention eye-opening. No matter what happens, you are the observer and events just happen while the ’show’ keeps playing out. What you get to see are all sorts of behaviors. They may be directed toward you or toward others. Some are just inner directed, but it’s all very interesting.

As an example what has been witnessed are extreme acts of selfishness, indifference, varying levels of impatience, anger, righteous indignation, superiority, spiritual snobbery, total confusion, utter lack of regard for others, twisting the truth, complete fabrications, radical addictions, and ignorance. On the other side of the coin, there’s been unselfish acts of love, kindness, selflessness, willingness, charity, unconditional love, altruism, and honesty. All of these scenarios are within the context of one viewing within a one month period.

If there is a point to be made, it’s about not getting caught up in your own life. Through non-judgement and neutral attention to life’s’ events, context gets a front row seat and your perception of a harried world gets a time out. If getting closer to God is an important goal, witnessing brings you closer to Divinity. It may just show you that God has a sense of humor, also.

Due to ongoing Divine Protoplasmic Analysis, discovery of new information in reference to self-testing techniques is continually manifesting itself. This is a list of notable parameters to hold in mind when performing self-testing. Although I have information on testing with partners both on site and in my books, I have concluded (after thousands of test results) that the newest way of self-testing (There Are No Secrets and God Power and Truth) is the surest way to receive accurate numbers or results, due to an overabundance of conflicting physical energies (with partner testing) and self-interest (personal stake in the answer or ego conflict) using other testing methods. #31 is notable in that the new method of self-testing has confirmed that all testing has potential flaws except for the newest self-testing techniques, unless the tester’s (and the the tester’s partner if not self-testing) overall levels of consciousness calibrate over 900.

1. Do not test in front of or near mirrors. For unknown reasons mirrors have a tendency to change the balance of physical energy, causing false answers.

2. Holding things in mind may create vagaries due to the mind wandering. Statements are clearer, when spoken aloud. When testing alone, holding things in mind is not necessary.

3. Statements, intentions, content, and context, must be very clear. Short, concise statements work best. If there is more than one question related to a subject, test each question separately. Do not compile one on top of another in a single statement. Test within the True time frame. A question such as, “This ______ was true,” is different from “This ______is true.” The word “was” suggests a past time frame, whereas “is” means now. You can incorporate both by saying, “This______was and is true,” but you may get a negative answer, meaning one of the time frames may not be True. The Field is like an infinitely intelligent computer. It only registers precisely what is received. Being vague will not produce a precise answer. Clarity in__Clarity out.

4. Testing is not possible for reasons that calibrate below 200.

5. Individuals who calibrate below 200 cannot do testing.

6. Testing must be used in conjunction with Thymic clearing, or a like method of clearing the body’s energy meridians, because it is the body (material world), that is being used to test The Field (non-material world). Both realms must be in alignment.

7. Do not wear head coverings or test next to electrical appliances. These may cause false answers due to imbalances in the body (which we are using to test with.)

8. Testing should not be attempted after a recent emotional upset. It is wise to wait a few minutes or even hours for the energy meridians to normalize. Use the Thymic thump or other familiar methods often to clear the energy body.

9. Physical illness has the propensity to upset the delicate balance of the energy channels of the body. Defer testing when ill.

10. Take time to rest when doing extensive testing. Fatigue and/or frustration occur when testing for prolonged periods of time, and can upset the results.

11. Continual retesting for confirmation may result in negative responses. This is due to skepticism. If you desire reconfirmation, ask permission to reconfirm. (You are asking an Omniscient Field with Absolute awareness of your methods and motives.)

12. If a question returns a negative answer, restate the question appropriately for what is True (This is another way of confirmation).

13. Be specific! Paradoxical responses are often received when either the content or the context of the statement is unclear. Testing becomes an art when used within the proper parameters. For example:
“Mary passed the bar exam” may have to be rephrased as, “According to the present parameters of the exam Mary has taken, she has passed the bar exam.”___Or “It is now possible to find out whether Mary has passed the bar exam she took on ___. Or “There is something wrong with___” may be changed to… “There is an issue (illness, problem) regarding ___.” Then you can investigate what the issue is.

14. Keep in mind when testing for others (friends, relatives, colleagues): 1.) Use the phrase, “I have permission to test for the Highest Good” of _________ preceding all testing. 2.) It may not be in your Highest Good to test for others decisions, which always relate to their personal karma. 3.) It is never necessary to test for specific levels of consciousness for others. Whether the individual is over 200 is the most pertinent question. It gives others an opportunity to learn to test for themselves and to be less focused on a number.

15. Testing is an art that you can become very proficient at. It also comes with a great deal of responsibility due to the nature of what it is. Be aware of what, why, and for whom you are testing.

16. When testing, investigative procedures may have to be broken down into particularities in order to receive the end answer. This is due to life’s complexities, issues of a complex nature and karmic influences.

17. When testing individuals—say “Overall (or “Taking all facets of____ into consideration), ______ calibrates at ______.”

18. Taking my overall life situation into consideration, ______is for my highest good.– OR– ______is entirely a personal decision.

19. The overall content of ______calibrates at ______. OR ______s overall LOC calibrates at ______, instead of ______calibrates at ______.

20. There are always karmic influences at work in everyone’s life. It’s a good idea when testing to keep this in mind. We often want to test whether or not something is for our Highest Good, when everything that happens is for the Highest Good or it would not have occurred. (We can however, test for whether something is more favorable towards The Highest Good.)

21. It has been my latest observation that retesting is not necessary the more proficient you get at self-testing (using the new technique). It’s important that you have a pen and paper handy to write down the exact question to eliminate doubt about the exact wording.

22. All questions have the capacity to be answered as long as you (and the question) calibrate over 200.

23. If you are getting continual negative responses to a statement, it may be time to ask if this statement is either essential or needs to be eliminated and redressed.

24. The context surrounding your question is just as important as the question itself. Context can mean the background, perspective, circumstance, realm or environment in which you are testing. So for example if you are asking if someone is trustworthy, then the paradigm in which you are asking is imperative. “This person is trustworthy now,” is different than “This person was trustworthy 3 months ago.” OR “This person is lying now,” is different than “This person lied to me 5 weeks ago.”

25. The newest form of self-testing (There Are No Secrets) is so reliable that re-testing for confirmation will bring false answers due to the interference of distrust and skepticism. In other words, The Infinite Field of Intelligence (God) must be trusted absolutely (and this is one way of doing that). The Field is aware of everything; therefore one’s intentions regarding testing are noted. If retesting is mandatory due to forgetfulness, etc., you may ask again, noting your intentions. Questions, if stated properly need only to be answered once, because the answer doesn’t change unless the context changes. So what you can do is change the context in which you are stating the question. As long as your consciousness calibrates over 200, there is nothing (other than lack of trust) that will interfere with this form of testing.

26. You may have permission to ask any question, but you do not have permission to receive an answer to any question. A better question would be to ask if you have permission to receive an answer to a particular question. Often the answer is “no” due to the question not having a calibration over 200. What you may consider to be important or informative is irrelevant to Divinity.

27. If you are getting continual negatives for a particular question, remember to rephrase it. Asking God if this or that is of importance for instance, will bring negative answers since the word “important” is a human label and does not have meaning to Divinity. A good phrase to preface testing is, “Taking everything into consideration,”……………………this “person” or that “thing” calibrates as true or calibrates at—.

28. There are an infinite amount of nuances which may affect the answer to a question. If you leave one thing out, the answer may change. The Field is like an infinite live computer. Be as specific as possible when asking a question, both verbally or by holding it in mind. As you become more proficient, how to ask and rephrasing will become second nature and testing will proceed quickly.

29. Be aware that you have the ability to know certain things, especially in the present. This often comes with great responsibility and discernment is necessary when sharing certain information.

30. When testing for an answer to something for which you already have a knowing, use the phrase, “This is for confirmation, only.” The Field knows that you already know the answer, and as you ascend the levels of consciousness you are obliged to trust your own knowledge.

31. The new method of self-testing has confirmed that all testing has potential flaws except for the newest self-testing techniques, unless the tester’s (and the tester’s partner if not self-testing) overall levels of consciousness calibrate over 900.

32. A further explanation for why testing for Truth in this manner works is because God is The Source of Everything…Omniscient, Omnipresent, All Knowing and All Truth. Only that which is Divine Truth exists as Reality. Everything other than Divine Truth is an illusion. What is being tested is protoplasm (life). Life only reacts positively to what is Truth (Divinity). Therefore, what does not exist as a Reality will produce a negative response.

33. If you continually get a negative response to a question (posed in the form of a statement), here is a question you may ask…”I have to trust that I inherently know the answer and only need confirmation.” The incredible thing about testing is that you are actually having a conversation with God. God understands when you have the capacity to “know” the answers. After speaking this, you may now ask as a confirmation only.

34. Another amazing thing you can do with testing is when you are writing or information seeking (on the computer). You only need to highlight a passage from your own or others writings, and ask if what you have highlighted is True. If you get a negative, you can go sentence by sentence changing the wording or just one word, until it tests True. It may sound tedious, but it only takes one erroneous word to change what is Truth to what is not Truth. After a while what is True comes to you effortlessly.

35. Testing using the preface, In the name of God, In the name of the Highest Good, or In the name of the Highest Truth is another way you can begin your statement before testing.

36. Testing an answer’s opposite will get you a negative response. This is due to the “God trust effect.” (see # 25.) You are testing “The Field” but you cannot distrust God. That will get you a negative response since distrust (calibration level -200) does not exist in Reality.

.

I will be adding to these as time permits. If there is a pressing statement which you want to add to this list, please e mail me.

1. In God’s design, what we are doing on the planet is of the highest importance. (T)
2. God is Everything. (T)
3. God does not have preferences. (T)
4. God has no labels for anything. (T)
5. We are all one with God. We cannot be anything else. (T)
6. Our individual LOCs are how ‘like’ God we are. (T)
7. There is no reward-punishment, higher or lower. It is all Karma. (T)
8. Our karmic inheritance is its own reward. (T)
9. Spirit incarnates with a general life plan, depending on LOCs. (T)
10. Spirit is capable of sending messages from the non-material realm to the material realm in an infinite number of ways. (T)
11. Our Karmic plan is subject to change depending on propensities. (T)
12. We do not necessarily incarnate to ‘act’ or ‘be’ a certain way. (T)
13. All levels of consciousness may plan an incarnation, but lower levels must have permission. (T)
14. Permissions in non-local realms are granted by hierarchies, through God.(T)
15. We can incarnate for others lessons with permission only. (T)
16. There is nothing God cannot do. (T)
17. All realms have hierarchies (like a pyramid) with God at the Absolute Highest point. (T)
18. Our planet is a school of consciousness raising. (T)
19. Higher perception appears spontaneously. (T)
20. Physical manifestations occur only when conditions are appropriate. (T)
21. Humans cannot manifest by intention alone. (T)
22. Only God manifests through intention alone. (T)
23. The “Law of Attraction” is a contrivance. Everything has its own level of consciousness (frequency) and may attract you based on your own LOC. (You cannot create “anything” for yourself that you want to do, be or have. You are not the absolute creator of your own experience and you cannot necessarily harness the power of The Law of Attraction to have all you desire. These are over-glamorized myths of the spiritual and self-help set) You can only create within the parameters of Divinity that which is purposeful. All other manifestations have nothing to do with the path to God. (T)
24. What is Truth is that Karma and actualized propensities create what will be created and what you truly are is what the Self has become. You (as the small self) cannot necessarily have all you desire, (and desiring calibrates low on the MAP of consciousness scale). All that can be done is to create conditions and wait for outcomes. Praying for the highest good and raising your own level of consciousness is tapping the power of Divinity. (T)
25. The earth is in a period of slight “natural warming.” (T)
26. Less than 1 % of earth’s warming is due to human activity. (T)
27. There is no such thing as a planetary climate emergency. (T)

Spiritual enlightenment is the subjectively experiential realization of the presence of God.

See topics under Religions/Religious Doctrines/Religious Philosophy

Another excerpt from “There Are No Secrets”:

Do we really know what God’s Will is? We would first have to know God’s intentions. Since Divinity is all that is, All-Knowing, All Loving, All-Powerful, is there anything God would wish for Himself? The reason I bring up wishing, is that intention brings up the will, which attempts to fulfill wishes. God is autonomous, omnipresent, omniscient, and The Creator of everything. Therefore is there anything God wants, needs, or wishes?

Humans love to project themselves into the place where God is. They also like to project that God is a mystical, magical, but physical being of great powers. Where is the place that God is and what kind of place is it? Is it a physical place, state of being, or a state of awareness or consciousness? Human beings place humanity’s aspects onto God. God is not a human being and does not have any of the aspects of a human being. God is an Energy Field of incomprehensible proportions with Infinite Power and Love. There is nowhere, where God is not. If God would wish anything, it would come into existence. That would take the fun out of allowing your creations to evolve.

What God’s will is, is exactly what we are. We are the actualized physical presentation, of the propensities and potential of Divine Creation. We are God’s Will! The reason we are Gods’ Will is because here we are! God makes no mistakes, therefore we must have been His Intention and Will. When we surrender to God’s Will, we are surrendering ourselves as we are to That Which created us. We surrender our egoistic qualities, negatives, positives, actions and thoughts. Everything we’ve been and everything we are being and yet to be, we surrender to God. Why do we surrender to God?

Human will is only as powerful as its human boundaries and as strong as its level of consciousness. Infused with spirit however, and fused with God’s Will, all actualizations are limited only within the parameters of linearity and karmic propensities. We surrender to Divinity because that is where we came from. Human beings have spawned as live creations developed through billions of (physical time years,) to surrender ourselves back to our Creator. In doing so we present our Self to God. You could say we are evolving children finding our way back to our Parent and Home.

A prayer of surrender:
God, I am Your Will and Your Intention. Everything that exists, both seen and unseen is Your Will, Your Love, and Your Creation, and I surrender myself devotedly to You.
©Myswizard all rights reserved ‘05-’06

Discovery of the Presence of God_ Devotional Nonduality, by Dr. David R. Hawkins, M.D., PhD. is the clearest, most concise way to God, written by a modern day sage. It is pure genious and yet intelligible, arising from the highest level of intrinsic understanding of the levels of consciousness. There are no writings preceding this book which have had the ability to clarify what the doorway to enlightenment is, from within the radically subjective experiential state of enlightenment.

Dr. Hawkins, through his books, lectures, and The Map of Consciousness, has brilliantly lit the most direct route to God for the serious spiritual seeker of enlightenment. This book transcends all former explanations of the state called enlightenment. Devotional Nonduality is devotion to God in the Highest. I honor the presence of the teacher.

Advanced reading-Advanced Spiritual

This book may be purchased directly from Veritas Publishing.
Veritas Publishing

Meditations on First Philosophy (subtitled In which the existence of God and the real distinction of mind and body, are demonstrated) is a philosophical treatise written by René Descartes first published in Latin in 1641. The French translation was made by the Duke of Luynes with the supervision of Descartes and was published in 1647 with the title Méditations Metaphysiques. The original Latin title is Meditationes de prima philosophia, in qua Dei existentia et animae immortalitas demonstratur. The book is made up of six meditations, in which Descartes first discards all belief in things which are not absolutely certain, and then tries to establish what can be known for sure.

The Meditations consist of the presentation of Descartes’ metaphysical system in its most detailed level and in the expanding of Descartes’ philosophical system, which he first introduced in the fourth part of his Discourse on Method (1637). Descartes’ metaphysical thought is also found in the Principles of Philosophy (1644), which the author intended to be a philosophy guidebook.

Meditations

Meditation I

Descartes begins the first meditation by noting the large number of false beliefs which he had adopted in his childhood. It is necessary to start over entirely, he realizes, if he wants to establish anything in the sciences which is firm and likely to last. In order to do this, he will suspend judgment about any of his beliefs which are in any way uncertain. To inspect each belief separately would take too long; he must find some way to undermine all of his beliefs at once.

The first way that Descartes tries to undermine his beliefs is by considering the fact that he remembers that his senses have deceived him before. If he has been misled by sensory information in the past (e.g. he judged that the stick in the water was straight, when in fact it was bent), then he may be deceived now, “and it is prudent never to trust completely those who have deceived us even once.”

Descartes acknowledges, however, that this consideration doesn’t undermine his beliefs very effectively, since it really seems as if he is sitting in his dressing gown by the fire, holding this piece of paper in his hands, and so on. How could his senses be misleading him about these things?

He goes on to suggest more powerful reasons to doubt that his beliefs are true. In general, his method is that of forming skeptical hypotheses. In the first meditation, he considers whether he is mad, dreaming, or deceived by an evil demon. If any of these scenarios were the case, many of his beliefs would be false. For instance, if he were mad, he might believe completely ridiculous things e.g. that his head is a pumpkin (he only considers the possibility that he is mad briefly and then seems to dismiss it). If he were dreaming, it would be false that he is sitting by the fire. He would only be imagining this were true, when in fact he’s lying in bed asleep. Likewise, if there were a powerful being deceiving him, he would believe that there is a sky and an earth and so on, since the demon would make it appear to him as if this is the case, when in fact none of these things exist.

The general form of these arguments is:

If I am dreaming/deceived, then my beliefs are not true.
I don’t know whether I am dreaming/deceived.
So, I don’t know whether my beliefs are true.
Descartes’ goal — as stated at the beginning of the meditation — is to suspend judgment about any of his beliefs which are even slightly doubtful. The skeptical scenarios show that all of the beliefs which he considers in the first meditation, including at the very least all of his beliefs about the physical world, are doubtful. So he decides to suspend judgment. He will henceforth give up all of his beliefs about the physical world. This is very difficult (as anyone who tries it can attest). At the end of the first meditation Descartes compares himself to a prisoner who enjoys an imaginary freedom while asleep, and dreads waking. In the same way Descartes slips back into his old beliefs, and dreads waking to toil “amid the inextricable darkness of the problems [he] has now raised.”

It is important to keep in mind when reading the Meditations that Descartes intends to lead the reader along with him gradually. He begins with skepticism and attempts to offer a solution. Thus, he should not be uncharitably read as contradicting himself when, for instance, he thinks something is doubtful in the first meditation and as certain in the last. Several of his objectors fail to read the meditations as a guide, in which the order of the arguments is important, and so make this mistake.

Meditation II

In Meditation II: On the Nature of the Human Mind, Which Is Better Known Than the Body, Descartes lays out a pattern of thought, sometimes called representationalism, in response to the doubts forwarded in Meditation I. He identifies five steps in this theory:

We only have access to the world of our ideas; things in the world are only accessed indirectly.
These ideas are understood to include all of the contents of the mind, including perceptions, images, memories, concepts, beliefs, intentions, decisions, etc.
The ideas represent things that are separate from themselves.
These represented things are many times “external” to the mind.
It is possible for these ideas to constitute either accurate or false representations.
Descartes argues that this representational theory disconnects the world from the mind, leading to the need for some sort of bridge to span the separation and provide good reasons to believe that the ideas accurately represent the outside world. The first plank he uses in constructing this bridge can be found in the following excerpt:

I have convinced myself that there is nothing in the world - no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Doesn’t it follow that I don’t exist? No, surely I must exist if it’s me who is convinced of something. But there is a deceiver, supremely powerful and cunning whose aim is to see that I am always deceived. But surely I exist, if I am deceived. Let him deceive me all he can, he will never make it the case that I am nothing while I think that I am something. Thus having fully weighed every consideration, I must finally conclude that the statement “I am, I exist” must be true whenever I state it or mentally consider it. (Descartes, Meditation II: On the Nature of the Human Mind, Which Is Better Known Than the Body).

In other words, one’s consciousness implies one’s existence. In one of Descartes’ replies to objections to the book, he summed this up in the phrase, I am, I exist, which is often confused with the famous quote, I think, therefore I am.

Once he has secured his existence, however, Descartes seeks to find out what “I” is. He rejects the typical method which looks for a definition, e.g. Rational Animal, because the words used in the definition would then need to be defined. He seeks simple terms that do not need to be defined in this way, but whose meaning can just be “seen.” From these self-evident truths, complex terms can be built up.

The first of these self-evident truths is Descartes’ proof of existence turned on its head:

But what then am I? A thinking thing. And what is that? Something that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, and also sense and has mental images. (Descartes, Meditation II: On the Nature of the Human Mind, Which Is Better Known Than the Body).

To define himself further, Descartes turns to the example of wax. He determines that wax isn’t wax because of its color, texture or shape, as all of these things can change and the substance still be wax. Therefore, he distinguishes between ordinary perception and judgment. The reality of the wax is “grasped, not by the senses or the power of having mental images, but by the understanding alone.” When one understands the mathematical principles of the substance, such as its expansion under heat, figure and motion, the knowledge of the wax can be clear and distinct.

If a substance such as wax can be known in this fashion, then the same must be of ourselves. The self, then, is not determined by what we sense of ourselves - these hands, this head, these eyes - but by simply the things one thinks. Thus, one “can’t grasp anything more easily or plainly than [their] mind.”

Meditation III

Building upon the foundation that “I exist,” Descartes seeks to prove that “I am not alone” in Meditation III: On God’s Existence. Along the way, he solves the skeptical problem of the criterion with an argument as follows:

I exist as a thinking thing.
How can I be certain?
Using the “clarity and distinctness” criterion, Descartes then seeks to prove he is not alone by proving that God exists. He chooses this method because without a knowledge of whether God exists or if he is a deceiver, there is no way to discuss the all-powerful deceiver challenge of reality. In order to do this, he first establishes a causal principle: There must be at least as much reality in the cause as there is in the effect. For example, if a thought of an elephant is caused by a picture of an elephant, the picture must have as much reality as the thought. If it were not so, it could not have produced it.

Using this causal principle, Descartes lays out two ontological arguments in Meditation III for the existence of God. The first begins with the fact that each of us has an idea of God and the second begins with the fact that it is true that the self exists.

Argument 1

I have an idea of God (an infinitely perfect substance).
That idea must have a cause.
Nothing comes from nothing.
The cause must have at least as much formal reality as the idea.
I am not infinitely perfect.
I could not be the cause of the idea.
There must be a cause that is infinitely perfect.
God exists.

Argument 2

I exist.
My existence must have a cause.
The cause must be either:
a) myself
b) my always having existed
c) my parents
d) something less perfect than God
e) God
Not a. If I had created myself, I would have made myself perfect.
Not b. Continued existence does not follow from present existence.
Not c. This leads to an infinite regress.
Not d. This idea cannot account for the fact that the idea is of something supreme.
e. God exists.
From these arguments, Descartes feels he has proved he is not alone in the universe as an infinitely intelligent and powerful and perfect substance exists, also. Not only that, but that this God cannot be a deceiver:

The whole argument comes down to this: I know that I could not exist with my present nature - that is, I could not exist with the idea of God in me - unless there were really a God. This must be the very God whose idea is in me, the thing having all of the perfections that I can’t fully comprehend but can somehow reach with thought, who clearly cannot have any defects. From this it’s obvious He can’t deceive - for, as the natural light reveals, fraud and deception arise from defect. (Descartes, Meditation III: On God’s Existence).

Meditation IV

The conclusions of the previous Meditations that “I” and “God” both exist lead to another problem: If God is perfectly good and the source of all that is, how is there room for error or falsehood? Descartes attempts to answer this question in Meditation IV: On Truth and Falsity.

If I’ve gotten everything in me from God and He hasn’t given me the ability to err, it doesn’t seem possible for me ever to err. (Descartes, Meditation IV: On Truth and Falsity).

The framework of his arguments center on the Great Chain of Being, in which God’s perfect goodness is relative to His perfect being. On the extreme opposite end of the scale is complete nothingness, which is also the extremity of evil. Thus, humans are an intermediary between these two extremes, being less “real” or “good” than God, but more “real” and “good” than nothingness. Thus, error (as a part of evil) is not a positive reality, it is only the absence of what is correct. In this way, its existence is allowed within the context of a perfectly inerrant God.

I find that I am “intermediate” between God and nothingness, between the supreme entity and nonentity. Insofar as I am the creation of the supreme entity, there’s nothing in me to account for my being deceived or led into error, but, insofar as I somehow participate in nothing or nonentity - that is, insofar as I am distinct from the supreme entity itself and lack many things - it’s not surprising that I go wrong. I thus understand that, in itself, error is a lack, rather than a real thing dependent on God. Hence, I understand that I can err without God’s having given me a special ability to do so. Rather, I fall into error because my God-given ability to judge the truth is not infinite. (Descartes, Meditation IV: On Truth and Falsity).

Descartes also concedes two points that might allow for the possibility of his ability to err. First, he notes that it is very possible that his limited knowledge prevents him from understanding why God chose to create him so he could make mistakes. If he could see the things that God could see, with a complete and infinite scope, perhaps he would judge his ability to err as the best option. He uses this point to attack the Aristotelian structure of causes. The final cause described by Aristotle are the “what for” of an object, but Descartes claims that because he is unable to completely comprehend the mind of God, it is impossible to completely understand the “why” through science - only the “how.”

I realize that I shouldn’t be surprised at God’s doing things that I can’t explain. I shouldn’t doubt His existence just because I find that I sometimes can’t understand why or how He has made something. I know that my nature is weak and limited and that God’s is limitless, incomprehensible, and infinite, and, from this, I can infer that He can do innumerable things whose reasons are unknown to me. On this ground alone, I regard the common practice of explaining things in terms of their purposes to be useless in physics: it would be foolhardy of me to think that I can discover God’s purposes. (Descartes, Meditation IV: On Truth and Falsity).

Second, he realized that God has the ability to create a large number of things of which he would just be a part. Perhaps the error is only apparent when looking at the individual and is reconciled when looking at the whole.

When asking whether God’s works are perfect, I ought to look at all of them together, not at one isolation. For something that seems imperfect when viewed alone might seem completely perfect when regarded as having a place in the world. Of course, since calling everything into doubt, I haven’t established that anything exists besides me and God. But, when I consider God’s immense power, I can’t deny that He has made - or, in any case, that He could have made - many other things, and I must therefore view myself as having a place in a universe. (Descartes, Meditation IV: On Truth and Falsity).

Lastly, Meditation IV attributes the source of error to a discrepancy between two divine gifts: understanding and will. Understanding is given in an incomplete form, while will (by nature) can only be either completely given or not given at all. When he is presented with a certain amount of understanding and then chooses to act outside of that, he is in error. Thus, the gifts of God (understanding and will) both remain good and only the incorrect usage by him remains as error.

If I suspend judgement when I don’t clearly and distinctly grasp what is true, I obviously do right and am not deceived. But, if I either affirm or deny in a case of this sort, I misuse my freedom of choice. If I affirm what is false, I clearly err, and, if I stumble onto the truth, I’m still blameworthy since the light of nature reveals that a perception of the understanding should always precede a decision of the will. In these misuses of freedom of choice lies the deprivation that accounts for error. And this deprivation, I maintain, lies in the working of the will insofar as it comes from me - not in my God-given ability to will, or even in the will’s operation insofar as it derives from Him. (Descartes, Meditation IV: On Truth and Falsity).

Meditation V

Meditation V: On the Essence of Material Objects and More on God’s Existence begins with the stated purpose of expanding the “known items” of God and self to include outside material objects, Descartes saves that for Meditation VI in lieu of something he deems more fundamental but in the same direction: a discussion concerning the ideas of those external items. Along the way, he stumbles upon another claimed logical proof of God’s existence.

Before asking whether any such objects exist outside me, I ought to consider the ideas of these objects as they exist in my thoughts and see which are clear and which confused. (Descartes, Meditation V: On the Essence of Material Objects and More on God’s Existence).

In pondering these ideas of external objects, Descartes realizes they can be separated into those that are clear and distinct and those that are confused and obscure. The former group consists of the ideas of extension, duration and movement. These geometrical ideas cannot be misconstrued or combined in a way that makes them false. For example, if the idea of a creature with the head of a giraffe, the body of a lion and tail of a beaver was constructed and the question asked if the creature had a large intestine, the answer would have to be invented. But, no matter how you combine or rearrange mathematical properties, the three angles of a triangle will still add up to 180 degrees and the largest side will always be opposite the largest angle. Thus, Descartes discovers that these truths have a nature or essence of themselves, completely independent of one’s thoughts or opinions.

I find in myself innumerable ideas of things which, though they may not exist outside me, can’t be said to be nothing. While I have some control over my thoughts of these things, I do not make the things up: they have their own real and immutable natures. Suppose, for example, that I have a mental image of a triangle. While it may be that no figure of this sort does exist or ever has existed outside my thought, the figure has a fixed nature (essence or form), immutable and eternal, which hasn’t been produced by me and isn’t dependent of my mind. (Descartes, Meditation V: On the Essence of Material Objects and More on God’s Existence).

While thinking about the independence of these ideas of external objects, Descartes realizes that he is just as certain about God as he is about these mathematical ideas. He asserts that this is natural as the ideas of God are the only ideas that imply God’s existence. He uses the example of a mountain and a valley. While one cannot picture a mountain without a valley, it’s possible that these do not exist. However, the fact that one cannot conceive of God without existence inherently rules out the possibility of God’s non-existence. Simply put, the argument is framed as follows:

God is defined as an infinitely perfect being.
Perfection includes existence.
So God exists.
While Descartes had already claimed to have confirmed God’s existence through previous arguments, this one allows him to put to rest any discontent he might have had with his “distinct and clear” criteria for truth. With a confirmed existence of God, all doubt that what one previously thought was real and not a dream can be removed. Having made this realization, Descartes asserts that without this sure knowledge in the existence of a supreme and perfect being, assurance of any truth is impossible.

Thus I plainly see that the certainty and truth of all my knowledge derives from one thing: my thought of the true God. Before I knew Him, I couldn’t know anything else perfectly. But now I can plainly and certainly know innumerable things, not only about God and other mental beings, but also about the nature of physical objects, insofar as it is the subject-matter of pure mathematics. (Descartes, Meditation V: On the Essence of Material Objects and More on God’s Existence).

Meditation VI

In Meditation VI: On the Existence of Material Objects and the Real Distinction of Mind from Body, Descartes addresses the potential existence of material outside of the self and God. First, he asserts that such objects can exist simply because God is able to make them.

Insofar as they are the subject of pure mathematics, I now know at least that they can exist, because I grasp them clearly and distinctly. For God can undoubtedly make whatever I can grasp in this way, and I never judge that something is impossible for Him to make unless there would be a contradiction in my grasping the thing distinctly. (Descartes, Meditation VI: On the Existence of Material Objects and the Real Distinction of Mind from Body).

Knowing that the existence of such objects is possible, Descartes then turns to the prevalence of mental images as proof. To do this, he draws a distinction between mental images and understanding, the former being something that is seen like a mental photograph and the latter being something that is understood but not pictured. He uses an example of this to clarify:

When I have a mental image of a triangle, for example, I don’t just understand that it is a figure bounded by three lines; I also “look at” the lines as though they were present to my mind’s eye. And this is what I call having a mental image. When I want to think of a chiliagon, I understand that it is a figure with a thousand sides as well as I understand that a triangle is a figure with three, but I can’t imagine its sides or “look” at them as though they were present. (Descartes, Meditation VI: On the Existence of Material Objects and the Real Distinction of Mind from Body).

Descartes has still not given proof that such external objects exist, however, only shown that their existence could conveniently explain this mental process. To obtain this proof, he first reviews his premises for the Meditations - that the senses cannot be trusted and what he is taught “by nature” does not have much credence. However, he views these arguments within a new context; after writing Meditation I, he has proved the existence of himself and of a perfect God. Thus, Descartes jumps quickly to proofs of the division between the body and soul and that material things exist:

Proof for the body being distinct from the soul

It is possible for God to create anything I can clearly and distinctly perceive.
If God creates something to be independent of another, they are distinct from each other.
I clearly and distinctly understand my existence as a thinking thing (which does not require the existence of a body).
So God can create a thinking thing independently of a body.
I clearly and distinctly understand my body as an extended thing (which does not require a soul).
So God can create a body independently of a soul.
So my soul is a reality distinct from my body.
So I (a thinking thing) can exist without a body.
Proof of the reality of external material things

I have a “strong inclination” to believe in the reality of external material things due to my senses.
God must have created me with this nature.
If independent material things do not exist, God is a deceiver.
But God is not a deceiver.
So material things exist and contain the properties essential to them.
After using these two arguments to dispel solipsism and skepticism, Descartes seems to have succeeded in defining reality as being in three parts: God (infinite), souls, and material things (both finite). He closes by addressing other details about reality that some could see as inconsistencies, such as senses in amputated limbs, dropsy and dreams.

Objections and replies

Descartes submitted his manuscript to several philosophers, theologians and a logician before publishing the Meditations. Their objections and his replies (many of which are quite extensive) were included along the first publication of the Meditations. In the Preface to the Meditations, Descartes writes: “I…ask my readers not to pass judgment on the Meditations until they have been kind enough to read through all these objections and my replies to them.” Thus, this dialogue could be seen as an integral part of Descartes’ views expressed in the Meditations.

The seven objectors were, in order (of the sets as they were published): The Dutch theologian Johannes Caterus (Johan de Kater); various “theologians and philosophers” gathered by Descartes’ friend and principal correspondent, Friar Marin Mersenne; the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes; the theologian and logician Antoine Arnauld; the philosopher Pierre Gassendi; another miscellany gathered by Mersenne; and the Jesuit Pierre Bourdin.

They make many objections to Descartes’ arguments and method. Some of the objections show that the objector has misunderstood the text. Descartes’ response to these is often dismissive and curt (e.g., in response to Hobbes, “I cannot possibly satisfy those who prefer to attribute a different sense to my words than the one I intended”). Other objections are more powerful, and in some cases it is controversial whether Descartes responds to them successfully.

Some of the most powerful objections include the following:

Objections to proof(s) of God’s existence:

A. We have no (clear ) idea of an infinite Being (1st, 2nd, and 5th objections).

B. From the fact that I can think of perfect being, it doesn’t follow that the perfect being exists (1st, 2nd, and 5th).

C. We could get the idea of God without God’s causing the idea (2nd, 3rd).

D. Nothing can cause itself to exist (4th), so God can’t cause himself to exist.

Objections to the epistemology:

A. How can we be sure that what we think is a clear and distinct perception really is clear and distinct (3rd, 5th)?

B. Circle objection 1: if we aren’t certain that judgments based on clear and distinct ideas are true before we prove God’s existence, then we can’t be certain that we are a thinking thing (2nd). Circle objection 2: if we aren’t certain that clear and distinct ideas are true before we prove God’s existence, then we can’t be certain that God exists, since we use clear and distinct ideas to prove God’s existence (4th).

C. Contrary to what Descartes argues, we are certain that bodies exist/that perception is veridical (5th, 6th).

Objections to philosophy of mind:

A. Ideas are always imagistic (3rd), so we have no idea of thinking substance (non-image idea).

B. We can’t conclude that the mind (thinking thing) is not also a corporeal thing, unless we know that we know everything about the mind. But we don’t know that we know everything about the mind. So we don’t know that the mind isn’t corporeal. (4th, 5th, 7th).

See also
17th-century philosophy

Notes and references

Collected works in French and Latin

Oeuvres De Descartes, 11 vols., edited by Charles Adam and Paul Tannery (Paris: Librairie Philosophique J. Vrin, 1983).

English translations

The Philosophical Writings Of Descartes, 3 vols., translated by John Cottingham, Robert Stoothoff, and Dugald Murdoch (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988).
The Philosophical Works of Descartes, 2 vols, translated by Elizabeth S. Haldane, and G.R.T. Ross (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978).

Single works

Meditations on First Philosophy, translated by John Cottingham (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996).
Méditations Métaphysiques, translated by Michelle Beyssade (Paris: GF, 1993).

Further reading

Alquié, Ferdinand. La découverte métaphysique de l’homme chez Descartes (Paris: PUF, 2000).
Beyssade, Jean-Marie. La Philosophie première de Descartes (Paris: Flammarion, 1979).
Cottingham, John. (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Descartes (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992).
Dicker, Georges. Descartes: An Analytical and Historical Introduction (New York: OUP, 1993)
Frankfurt, Harry. Demons, Dreamers and Madmen (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1970).
Gilson, Étienne. Etudes sur le rôle de la pensée médiévale dans la formation du système cartésien (Paris: Vrin, 1930).
Gueroult, Martial. Descartes selon L’Ordre des Raisons (Paris: Aubier, 1968). Translated by Roger Ariew as Descartes’ Philosophy Interpreted According to the Order of Reasons (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1984).
Hatfield, Gary. Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Descartes and the Meditations (London: Routledge, 2003).
Kenny, Anthony. Descartes: A Study of His Philosophy (Bristol: Thoemmes Press, 1968).
Rorty, Amelie. (ed.) Essays on Descartes’ Meditations (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986).
Williams, Bernard. Descartes: The Project of Pure Enquiry (London: Penguin Books, 1978).
Wilson, Margaret. Descartes (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1978).

External links

Descartes’ Life and Works at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Descartes’ Modal Metaphysics at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Online text of the Meditations translated by John Veitch
SparkNotes: Meditations on First Philosophy
Summary of the Meditations in 6,488 words
Undergraduate essays on the Meditations
“Philosophy of Psychology and Mind: Descartes and Ryle”
Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations_on_First_Philosophy”
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article “Meditations on First Philosophy”.

When we pray, the majority of the time it is our ego which is doing the praying. The ways in which humans word their prayers is an example of this. When we ask for something for ourselves or others, we are imagining that we know what is best, and that God does not. Advice is being given to God all the time. We even act out in God’s name, inferring that our personal selves have the market on what God’s wishes are. We impose partialities, positions, preferences, and profiling onto God. In essence, we have created God in our image. The Infinite Field of Existence (God) hears everything, as all is recorded for eternity. Nothing gets lost in eternal existence. Since God is not a material being in the way human beings assign that image to Him, it is not remotely possible that a determination can be made as to what The Infinite Field wants. Creation/evolution is what God has manifested. If The Field had wishes, It would produce them. Our ego manifests what we believe God desires. This is one of the greatest fallacies of all human existence. Since God must look as we do, then ego believes we must be God also. We would never admit to it, but it is always an underlying presence in our hidden reservoir of beliefs.

So, when we pray and ask for something, there must be pure and unequivocal discernment that we are praying from the Higher Self. At that point, what the Higher Self is implementing is an intention within The Field. God (The Field) works on an infinitely higher plane, from a point of existence far removed from our comprehension. What happens is closely related to quantum physics and the Heisenberg Principle. Our intention by power of the will, collapses the wave function. All of this happens within the framework of the Highest good which encompasses our own (or others’) Karmic inheritance. Although we can physically affect or delay others (or our own Karmic destiny), we cannot pray to alter that which is in the Highest good. You can see why trying to alter The Field with our will for anything but the Highest good, won’t affect a change.

God (see The Nature of God) is Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Infinite Love. Imposing human, linear will on a power such as this, is a lesson in futility. Because God Consciousness is infinitely high, asking for that which is not born of love will not produce anything but frustration for the one who prays. Our highest intention must always be in alignment with God. Note that Highest means Absolute Truth and not our ego’s wishes. When Higher Intention meets Higher Power and Higher Will, the result is always the Highest Good (from God). What we can do it is pray for the Highest Good (see Prayers) and then allow God’s will in God’s time to be. What we want is not as infinitely important as what God’s will and intention is.

What might have to happen is for a series of unfortunate events to transpire. What also may happen are miraculous healings, good luck, and good fortune. Since we are not privy to what future creation nor present evolution will bring, all that occurs is God’s Will. With all this in mind, we can surrender and free ourselves from outcomes, while transmitting our positive charge out into the universe, trusting that all is perfect all of the time.

Realm: compass, dimension(s), extent, orbit, purview, radius, reach, scope, sweep, region, territory, sphere, domain, range

Paradigm: pattern, model, example, compare, exhibit

Field: A region of space in which a given effect (as gravity, magnetism, or electricity) exists and has a definite value at each point. A continuously distributed entity in space that accounts for actions at a distance, such as as electric field or gravitational field. A complex of coexistent forces (as biological, psychological, and social or interpersonal) which serve as causative agents or as a frame of reference in human experience and behavior. A field of force that is made up of associated electric and magnetic components, that results from the motion of an electric charge, and that possesses a definite amount of electromagnetic energy.

In the spiritual domain, there are infinite fields with just as many levels of intrinsic power. There are fields of force, which are negative attractors. (See Attractor Fields, Oppressor Fields and Energy Vampires) Entrainment to a particular field, is the bringing along or carrying the energies of that field. One may be aligned with, attracted to, or repelled from a field of either positive or negative energies. The higher the human level of consciousness, the more positive and powerful the fields we are attracted to. Lower consciousness tends to attract the same in the way of fields. All sages both past and present have stressed the importance of avoiding that which is not congruent with higher levels.

There are an infinite number of realms and fields in existence, which would give rise to an infinite number of paradigms. Each time we think we have a handle on something, the universe unfolds, showing us that we are aware of merely the tip of existence.

As information is received, or a question arises, other ways of explaining Truth come to mind. It is however, different explanations for the same thing. A human explanation for that which isn’t human, is for the most part, indefinable. Infinity allows infinite answers to the infinite questions about infinite realms, fields, and paradigms. The complexity of creation and existence however, is ineffable within our own realm, therefore the ability to describe that which is not within our own realm is at best difficult and piecemeal. The level of consciousness that one is within the realm in which one exists, may be the only way to clearly describe that domain, and perhaps not. When the Buddhic eye opens (The third eye), many things become apparent which are inexplicable to those not familiar with the domain of the level 500’s and above. The Siddhis (see Siddhis, Moksha and more) are inherent abilities in which the miraculous become commonplace.

Our concern needs to be our realm of existence, and our reality as it relates to the human paradigm. This is where we live now and where Karma is being eliminated or created. In order to grow spiritually and reach enlightenment, we must do it from where we are within this physical realm. Having knowledge of other realms, fields and paradigms adds to our knowledge of why things happen which we cannot explain. More than that is not necessary to become enlightened, for Ultimate Truth removes the veil of eternal ignorance.

The question, which always arises, is, “Why do so many spiritual aspirants, get lost in the world of other realms, channeling, chasing ghosts, reading cards, UFOs, and seeing psychics for knowledge? It’s all about glamorization and adding excitement to the spiritual path. When one is on this path with true seriousness and conviction, detours make the journey longer and there is no time to waste. Enlightenment is Self-Realization. This is about absolute devotion to our Essence, which is God, and not the trivialities of side shows.

When the spiritual fantasy world is put aside and the Reality of the Truth is revealed, the past is where we leave the show. Fields, realms, and paradigms reveal more about creation, as everything is being created eternally within a Field __The All Encompassing Field of Existence, God. If we are to utilize even an infinitesimally small portion of that field, we need to have the knowledge of how to use it with expertise and good intentions. What can be created when we use the power within and of God, is astonishing.

Much of our waking life is spent thinking. Thinking becomes that which brings up our feelings, through which we agonize, endlessly. Although the greater part of our mind is at rest, the smallest percentage leads to the most distress__our thoughts. The ego is expressing judgment continually in the form of anger, positionalities, worry, frustration, sadness, grief, and every other emotion within ego’s possibilities. It is our mind which keeps us up at night, and our thoughts which fix our attention.

This exercise is a powerful form of waking meditation, capable of high states of consciousness changes. It is a compilation of exercises I have practiced and simplified, using the technique of repetition. The only thing which is required is the awareness of your thoughts as they arise, in the form of stories, sentences, words, images, reaction to sights, sounds, issues, and events.

1st Week
Begin this exercise by sitting quietly in a comfortable, quiet place, and start to make yourself aware of each thought which comes to mind as it arises, releasing it and letting it float gently downstream as a small boat, one following the other. No commentary is needed for each thought. Just be aware of it and see it going downstream. Practice this exercise 15 minutes everyday as a meditation, for one week.

2nd Week
When you are comfortable with this exercise, as each thought arises say to yourself (or out loud) softly, “I surrender and release this thought.” As each thought arises, stop the thought as soon as it begins and repeat, “I surrender and release this thought.”* Practice this exercise until you can practice it comfortably for 15 minutes.

3rd Week
Begin by surrendering and releasing each thought for 15 minutes a day while you are actively on your normal schedule. It makes no difference what time of day, as long as you focus on surrendering and releasing each thought immediately, as it arises for a full 15 minutes.

4th Week
After the 3rd week is over, begin practicing this exercise for longer periods of time throughout the day, until you begin to feel comfortable surrendering and releasing, under all conditions and in all everyday circumstances.

Expected results:
The ability to quiet the mind, living within the context of all that is, as the witness.

*To make this exercise more powerful, add: “to you, God”, or “to thee, O Lord” at the end of the sentence.

Most, if not all of our lives are lived within the content of our beliefs, indoctrinations, positionalities, and opinions. This puts up an invisible veil between the Truth and falsehood (our illusions.) Of course the greater majority of the world has no idea that the beliefs they are holding have nothing to do with Absolute Truth. We are not protected from the ego’s illusions, so ultimately most of humanity lives life behind the illusory field of the ego.

Skepticism, cynicism, and complete disbelief does not preclude the existence of Truth according to God. What we hear from those around us who we have come to respect as our teachers, is simply handed down doctrine, beliefs, opinions, and positions. There is a way to Truth, but it is not within the content of our material world. The line of the non-linear realm of spirit must be crossed in order to get to where Absolute Truth resides.

It is for this reason that I have included the topic of the Absolute Truth into my web site. Using Consciousness Research, Applied Kinesiology, and the knowledge which comes from the Infinite Field, I will be listing some common illusions and explanations as they unfold.

1.) There is no such thing as karma.
Karma is a fact. It is Divine action/reaction. It exists whether one believes in it or not. See articles on Karma.

2.) The dead are missing something because of their death, died too young, suffered too much, were cheated out of living longer, or did not finish what they set out to do.
We are born with the nonlinear time of our death set. We do not have knowledge of what other’s Karma was or what the soul was learning here. Human feelings about suffering or being cheated are merely projections of the ego. We are either eliminating negative Karma or creating new Karma, then we go back to the non-linear realm of eternal existence.

3.) We are only remembered because of something we did, something we had, our offspring, or a legacy.
God, as well as all souls, remember everything. The Infinite Field of Existence records everything infinitely. Nothing is ever forgotten.

4.) God wants something and punishes us.
An Infinite Being of Infinite Love and Power needs nothing. Only human beings project neediness and human attributes onto God.

5.) There is only heaven and hell, and we are judged by God.
There are an infinite number of realms, dimensions, heavens, and hells. Where our spirit goes is by hierarchy, levels of consciousness (from the linear to the non-linear), and certain non-material choices we make. There is no judgement. There is only the witnessing of the Self unfolding. Karmic propensities and inheritance bring forth actualizations to achieve balance.

6.) That which is popular, must be correct or true.
Popularity is a symptom of the glamorization of society and the world. We project what we see as truth onto the over-glamorized.

7.) Intelligence is a sign of wisdom.
Intelligence is the knowledge of stored data. Wisdom comes from The Higher Self.

8.) Wealth will make you happier.
The wealthy have been taking their own lives for millennia. This alone proves wealth does not bring peace of mind. Happiness is a by-product of higher levels of consciousness.

9.) A little white lie won’t hurt anyone.
A non-truth is a non-truth no matter how small an importance is placed on it. All non-truth brings with it Karmic consequences. Nothing in The Field is overlooked.

10.) One person cannot change something or anything.
Everything is a potentiality within creation/evolution, which has the propensity to become an actuality. That is why the future cannot be foretold. There are infinite amounts of potentialities within creation, which have the possibility of changing outcomes.

11.) The media and those in power are imparting the Truth.
History has spoken in that regard. There is no one more confused or ignorant of the Truth than those who have been glamorized by society. They are merely people with a higher profile.

12.) There is no way to tell Truth from falsehood.
Today we have the enlightened knowledge and the science to know Truth. This site is dedicated to Absolute Truth.

13.) What we think is our truth, represents Truth.
To paraphrase Socrates…”Man chooses only what he perceives to be the good.” We are born inherently ignorant of Truth, however. Others truths have been instilled in us through teachings which are not always Truth. The capacity to know Truth has come to us in the form of the highest sages of the past and present. The means to tell the difference between Truth and falsehood now exists, thanks to Dr. David R. Hawkins and Consciousness Research.

14.) Whatever we do not see or believe, must not exist.
The linear world is just a tiny part of existence. In actuality, the majority of the totality of all that exists, cannot be seen from the physical realm.

15.) We have to have an opinion or take a stand or a side for or against everything.
That’s just the ego having to be right, or needing to have feelings about everything. When opinions, beliefs and positionalities are put aside, what remains is just what is, without commentary. Everything then becomes the context of all that you see and cannot see, instead of the content, which is within your personal locality (mind). Ego believes it must fix everything or comment about it.

16.) If a person has credentials and appears to be intelligent, they must be telling the Truth.
Credentials do tend to give credibility to people. This is often a show of intelligence and intellectualism. Intellectualizing however, is not Truth, but borders the next level of consciousness which enters the realm of the non-linear. The non-linear is wholly subjective and cannot be proved, so debating facts brings no definitive answer using intelligence alone.

17.) People in high positions or those who have wealth, have more importance by an unspoken hierarchy.
Only in the minds of those who believe that. We are all equally important by virtue of our birth from Divinity. Even the word important is a projection on something. We all just are. The rest is all about the ego.

18.) Animals are dumb.
Anyone who has ever owned an animal knows that is not true. Animals have an innate instinct which allows their survival. They may not have the brain capacity of humans, but an animal lover will always be able to tell you, at higher levels of animal consciousness, they can show and feel love. Animals are a part of nature and as so, a Divine creation. Projecting dumbness on anything is the ego taking a positionality to make itself feel greater.

19.) We are all born innocent.
In a human sense it appears so, but spiritually we come with Karmic inheritance. We do arrive with amnesia, so you could say we are ignorant (or innocent) of that fact and more. We are a clear slate in the material sense, until the programming of our hard drive (ego/mind) occurs. Babies all appear to be innocent, but certain factors will show that from no apparent cause, children will soon show personalities ranging from the highest to the lowest consciousness. This is due to our having a particular level of consciousness at birth.

20.) Once we are dead, that is it.
This may seem silly to some, but there are those who believe dead is dead. All I can say is there is a different side to life and this isn’t all there is. (See my article on Life After Death.)

21.) We look like God.
That’s the ego projecting again. Our ego believes we are the center of the universe, so to speak, so naturally the belief is we look like our creator. I would suppose then, God would be a superman of sorts. God is An Infinitely Powerful Field of Knowledge and Love. (See my articles on God.)

22.) There is something we have to do or remember while we’re here.
I have written about this also. We have free will to do or be anything. It may be scary to some, but that scenario plays itself out on the evening news everyday. Due to human ignorance and ego, most of the world has no fear about not being good__only about not being right. Our levels of consciousness set our personal priorities about how we live out this life. What we witness is the fact that the majority of the world consciousness doesn’t even think about that.

23.) The Truth will reveal itself if you just sit quietly or meditate.
Being quiet and/or meditating is certainly a good thing to do for spirit, but it has little bearing on changing our positions on things unless we are following an enlightened teaching. Consciousness levels have the most influence on the Self realization of Truth.

24.) “To thine own self be true.”
This is true in a common sense. In a grander sense it is completely false. We are true to our selves every day. The small self, that is. In that way we keep making the same efforts with the same results, as the same situations arise continually. Lifetime after lifetime we return to eliminate negative Karma, as we incur more. When we realize the big Self through the path to enlightenment, we cannot be anything but True.

25.) Disease, famine, and other natural disasters are God’s way of eliminating evil or are tragic.
Any position or opinion we place on an event is merely a viewpoint. Evil is merely a word placed on something which doesn’t fit our personal profile of rightness. Human beings want and need to have a reason behind everything which occurs. The fact that everything is happening of its’ own would not be a reasonable answer to most people, but this is Truth. Creation/evolution* create conditions continually out of the infinite propensities which exist infinitely. Nature just is. Events just are. Enlightenment reveals the unfoldment of everything (without exception) perfectly within Divinity. A natural event (or even a man-made event) is not a disaster until we place that positionality on it. A disease is a natural occurrence of nature, as is the propensity to find a cure. Famine and drought are the natural consequences of locality and conditions. Man-made events are a result of certain levels of consciousness. There are also Karmic considerations which are choices and innate Karmic events (group Karma) occurring over which we have no control.

26.) We control our own destiny.
Destiny/fate does not exist in a linear way, therefore we cannot control it. That would be assuming there is a predetermined course of events, which is under our personal power to regulate. If something were predetermined, we would be powerless to change it anyway. If life were predetermined, free will would be non-existent, and we would be actors in a script written for us. Therefore, foretelling future events is not possible. The potential for future events is infinite due to the infinite number of possibilities, each with an infinite number of potentials to change everything infinitely. In other words, a simple sneeze could change the outcome of something else, etc., ad infinitum. Therefore the future is an unknown. What exists are the conditions under which we set up potentialities and possibilities within our proximate field (the totality of our existence which has manifested within this materiality), reaching out infinitely to The Infinite Field.** Actualizations will then occur on their own, spontaneously. All of this is occurring within our own Karmic “destiny” which is the irresistible, non-linear totality of all that we are from the beginning of time. So, we have is free will within The Field of our infinite Karmic potentialities.

27.) Eliminating evildoers will change/fix everything.
This is more like wishful thinking, rather than a higher way of being. Eliminating that which we don’t like or is harmful, is a tall order since most of the world consciousness calibrates below 200 (courage and the level of integrity). Since the material world is where we get to eliminate negative Karma, being even more rapacious would be adding fuel to the fire, not to mention going a few thousand years backward in karma and evolutionary history. Humans suffer from impatience due to the intrinsic ignorance about existence. When the content of the story becomes more important than the context, the larger view of humanity and consciousness escapes the majority. Our universe is roughly 13 billion years old and is expanding at the speed of light. Humans came in just about a millisecond ago relative to the rest of creation. The ego appeared with the advent of sentience and we witness what has occurred. Karma will be created and undone eternally until consciousness has risen to the point where all is revealed and enlightenment is commonplace. If one wants to save the world, begin within one’s own Self. Until then, we can learn from the words of Ramana Maharshi, “There is no sense in trying to save the world, because the world you see doesn’t even exist.”

28.) To be a higher spiritual being we must do something about injustice and help those less fortunate.
One’s level of consciousness will dictate where they are in regard to being of service. On one level, helpfulness is being of service in the medical field, teaching, science, or industry. On another level there is nothing to do at all, because what is witnessed is everyone’s Karma unfolding, and interference may be furthering Karmic consequences. It is all quite personal to the individual, but it is certainly a good thing to keep one’s own level of consciousness high for the collective. On any level however, there must be discernment regarding how far to take any form of action.

29.) We were created in God’s image.
God (who has many names), is not a human being in the way we prescribe humanness onto Him. Although God is also referred to by gender (i.e. Him), God is genderless. God is an Infinitely Powerful Field of Intelligence and Love with unearthly attributes far beyond our comprehension. Humans love to see God as we see ourselves, but that is merely the ego projecting.

* I merge creation and evolution because they are not separate entities. As Dr. Hawkins says, “Creation and evolution are one and the same.” To separate the two for the purposes of debate is another continuing illusion of the ego. Creation is infinitely occurring, as is evolution (and at the speed of light). Instilled doctrine will keep the argument going indefinitely, however.
**The Fields we exist within are determined by levels of consciousness. Higher states of consciousness are inclusive of higher probabilities of what we call the miraculous, or Divine intervention. Therefore, what appear to be opportunities miraculously presenting themselves are a result of what we are, or are Karmically related.

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.
___Socrates BC 469-399, Greek Philosopher of Athens

The noun god is used in English to refer to a postulated immortal, supernatural being, usually said to rule, alone or in company with other gods, over the destinies of humankind and the universe. When spelled with a capital “G” it is a proper noun, the name given in English to the one supreme being as postulated by the three major monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. When spelled with a small “g” it is a common noun, referring to a postulated supernatural being of any religious system, as for example the gods of the Greek and Roman religions.

The word “God” comes from the Old English/German/Norse language family and is (in Western culture ) equivalent to the derivatives of the Latin word “Deus”. Many major current monotheistic concepts of a “God” descend from the Abrahamic tradition of YHVH (”I am that I am”, “I am the One Who Is,” “He who cannot be named”).

Conflicting interpretations arise regarding the name of “God”, and what the name actually means — often the infinite God concept is mixed with non-infinite personifications of “God” (i.e. God as an old man, a Zeus or Odin.) A belief in a “God” or gods is found in most cultures, although followers of a particular God or gods may consider other gods to be inferior. Likewise many people hold non-literal, sometimes even secular interpretations of God — few of which may actually contradict the pure concept of an “infinite God,” despite any contradictions these may have with any particular religious tradition.

Names for God in Monotheistic Religions

The generic term God is often used as a proper name by most adherents of most monotheistic faiths. Different names for God have arisen from both language differences and from religious traditions. Both kinds of branches have generated evolutions in the name of “God.”

Allah - Islam/Arabic
Also Eli — Aramaic, the language of Jesus (Isa)

Jehovah or Yahweh - one of the names used for God in the Bible, based on the Hebrew YHVH (????). This name, while appearing in Jewish prayers, is never pronounced (Adonai is usually said instead). As written Hebrew did not originally mark vowels, the original pronunciation is speculative.
Adonai - Judaism. See The name of God in Judaism for many other Jewish names of God.
The Holy Trinity (meaning The Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit/”Holy Ghost”) - A name used primarily in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prayers and liturgy. The doctrine of the Trinity is held by most of Christianity from at least the time of the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Compare Godhead.
Arguments Regarding the Existence of God

Throughout history, many arguments have been made both for and against the existence of God. For example, it has been argued that, without postulating the existence of one, eternal God, the origin of the universe appears inexplicable, since it is not logically possible for something to come from nothing. Conversely, it has been argued that such an origin may be an inevitable consequence of the paradox of nothingness, and that the inexplicable existence of God is no explanation at all. Due to the seemingly inconclusive nature of all such arguments, many have maintained that belief in God depends on faith, not upon any argument or proof.

Beliefs about the Nature of God

Theology is the study of the nature of the divine. In some cases, theologians attempt to explicate (and in some cases systematize) the assumptions that underlie specific, organized, religions; in other cases, theologians seek to transform a personal experience of the divine into some philosophical system. All theologies begin with a notion of “god;” different theologies have been grouped and classified according to their views on two fundamental issues:

1. Is God singular or plural?

2. Is God transcendent or immanent, or both?

Answers to these questions reflect, and imply, different positions concerning the relationship between god(s) and the world, and between god(s) and humankind.

Theism holds that God is both transcendent and immanent; thus, God is simultaneously infinite and in some way present in the affairs of the world. Most theists hold that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, although this belief raises questions about God’s responsibility for evil and suffering in the world. Some theists ascribe to God a self-conscious or purposeful limiting of omnipotence, omniscience, or omnibenevolence. For a discussion of the meaning of “God” in this sense, see: What is God?.
Deism holds that God is wholly transcendent: God exists, but does not intervene in the world beyond what was necessary for Him to create it. In this view, God is not anthropomorphic, and does not literally answer prayers or cause miracles to occur.
Monotheism holds that there is only one god, or that the one true god is worshipped in different religions under different names. Polytheism forms an opposite view to that of monotheism. Muhammad was influenced by monotheists who condemned the polytheism in which he grew up, so that he converted to a monotheistic worship of the principal god of the Quraishite pantheon, denying the deity of the rest.
Pantheism holds that god is the universe and the universe is god — or, more generally, that the universe is divine. It is most often explained as having the feeling that existence has a divine or awe-inspiring aspect. Hinduism is often characterized as pantheistic.
Panentheism holds that God contains, but is not identical to, the Universe. The Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, paints a panentheistic view of God; this view of God has wide acceptance in Hasidic Judaism. This is also the view of Process Theology and the Christian movement known as Creation Spirituality.
?Maltheism is a form of theism which holds that God is a cruel, arrogant, abusive, and untruthful being, unworthy of worship. Maltheists are often monotheistic and believe that God is dependent on worship to live.
?Animism is the belief that spirits inhabit every existing thing, including plants, minerals, animals and, including all the elements, air, water, earth, and fire. The first form of worship probably expressed animist ideas. The anthropologist E. B. Tylor argued that religion originally took an animist form.
?Dualism, also called Manichaeism, holds that there is both a perfectly good God and an opposing evil deity of equal potence. It is the belief that there are only two fundamental things or substances or constituents of things in the world at large or in the human soul. An example would be that both good and evil simultaneously exist and that one cannot survive without the other. That they balance each other even though they are independent of each other. An ancient form of Zoroastrianism which was known to the ancient Greeks was dualist in nature.
?Henotheism is the belief in one god, but at the same time does not deny the existence of other gods. It is a variation of polytheism which holds that there are many gods, but one of them is supreme and the other ones are only ancillary and don’t have the same level of “god-ness”. Some forms of Greek and Roman classical polytheism fall into this category. The gods of Norse mythology, who are subsidiary to Odin are another example of henotheism. The term has come to mean in recent years that one believes in multiple god/esses, though the worshipper “borrows” from various cultural groups and may worship one above the others. An example would be worshipping a Greco-Roman god for one reason and then asking a Celtic god for something else. This form of henotheism is frequently condemned in the Torah or Old Testament. The pagans of the Roman Empire were similarly henotheistic, as are some modern-day Neopagans.
?Monolatrism forms a type of henotheism. Its adherents believe that many gods do exist, but these gods can exert their power only on those who worship them. Thus, a monolatrist may believe in the reality of both the Egyptian gods and the god described in the Bible, but sees him or herself as a member of only one of these religions. The gods that he/she worships affects their life; the other gods do not.
Polytheism is the belief in more than one god/dess. In some beliefs it is said that all these god/desses are of equal power and authority while in others a hierarchy exists. The Greco-Roman deity structure exemplifies polytheism.
A few people use the word “monotheism” to refer to the belief in a single god and use “theism” to refer to any belief in god(s), i.e., monotheism or polytheism. Some theists believe in the existence of other less powerful immortal beings, but give them other names such as angels or demons.

Many people find the concept of God meaningless or unnecessary:

Atheism holds that no gods exist at all. Different atheists formulate this position in different ways.
Agnosticism holds that a god or gods may or may not exist, but we cannot know.
Logical positivism holds that the word “god” is (cognitively) meaningless.

God as Unity or Trinity

Jews, Muslims, and a small percent of Christians are unitarian monotheists. The vast majority of Christians have been and still are Trinitarian monotheists.

Unitarian monotheists hold that there is only one “person” (so to speak), or one basic substance, in God. Some consider Trinitarianism to be a form of polytheism. In contrast, Trinitarian monotheists believe in one god that exists as three distinct persons who share the same substance/essence; this belief is called the Trinity: compare with the Hindu Trimurti.

Mormons hold that God is one of three divine personages collectively referred to as the Godhead. One of these personages is a spirit without a body referred to as the Holy Ghost. The other two personages are spirits with perfected or glorified (often called celestial) bodies referred to as Heavenly Father (or less commonly Eloheim) and His Son, Jesus Christ. Mormons hold that God is a Holy Man, or sanctified human who advanced to his divine status through a repeatable process of progression, and that by following the precepts of their faith, humans can literally (eventually) become gods (sometimes phrased as “become like Heavenly Father”) at some point after death and resurrection. This belief is mainly held in the largest Mormon branch, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This belief system implies, if not explicitly claims, polytheism as opposed to the monotheistic views of mainstream Christianity.

Monotheistic Conceptions of God

Judaism, Christianity and Islam see God as a single being who rules over the universe. These three Western faiths uphold an ancient monotheistic tradition that, according to their belief, is the original faith of mankind (or alternatively, for some believers, began with their first Prophet, Abraham). In this view one God, the creator of the world, exists. A number of additional attributes generally link to God, including Omnipotence (being all-powerful), Omniscience (being all-knowing), and Omnibenevolence (being all-loving).

These usually conceive of God as a personal God, with a will and personality. However, many important medieval rationalist philosophers of these three religions taught that an intelligent person should not view God as personal at all, and that all these teachings were actually meant as metaphors only. The intellectual elite of these three faiths in the West still accept these views as valid, although it seems that the laity today do not have a wide awareness of them.

In Eastern Christianity, it remains essential that God be personal; hence it speaks of the three persons of the Trinity. It also emphasizes that God has a will, and that God the Son has two wills, divine and human, though these are never in conflict. The personhood of God and of all human people is essential to the concept of theosis or divinization.

A number of arguments for the existence of God have been offered; one argument for the thesis that God does not exist is the problem of evil, with the project of Theodicy as a response.

Biblical definition of God

The book of Exodus in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible, Old Testament) characterizes God by these attributes: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

The Tanach (Hebrew Bible, Old Testament) contains no systematic theology: No attempt is made to give a philosophical or rigorous definition of God, nor of how God acts in the world. The Tanach does not explicitly describe God’s nature, exemplified by God’s assertion in Exodus that “you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live.” The Tanach does, however, provide a poetic depiction of God and His relationship with people. According to the biblical historian Yehezkal Kaufmann, the essential innovation of Biblical theology was to posit a God that cares about people, and that cares about whether people care about Him. Most people believe that the Bible should be viewed as humanity’s view of God, but theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel described the Biblical God as “anthropopathic,” and said that we should read the Bible as God’s view of humanity.

Similarly, the New Testament also contains no systematic theology: no attempt is made to give a philosophical or rigorous definition of God, nor of how God acts in the world. The New Testament does, however, provide an implicit theology as it teaches that God became human while remaining fully God, in the person of Jesus Christ. In this view, God becomes someone that can be seen and touched, and may speak and act in a manner easily perceived by humans, while also remaining transcendant and invisible. This appears to be a radical departure from the concepts of God found in the Hebrew Bible and in the Qur’an. The New Testament’s statements regarding the nature of God were eventually developed into the doctrine of the Trinity.

Aristotelian view of God

A separate article exists on the Aristotelian view of God. Much of this article discusses Aristotle’s book on first philosophy, the Metaphysics, in which Aristotle discusses the meaning of “being as being”. In brief, Aristotle holds that “being” primarily refers to the Unmoved Movers, and assigned one of these to each movement in the heavens. Each Unmoved Mover continuously contemplates its own contemplation, and everything that fits the second meaning of “being” by having its source of motion in itself, moves because the knowledge of its Mover causes it to emulate this Mover (or should).

Many medieval philosophers made use of the idea of approaching a knowledge of God through negative attributes. For example, we should not say that God exists in the usual sense of the term; all we can safely say is that God is not nonexistent. We should not say that God is wise, but we can say that God is not ignorant, i.e. in some way God has some properties of knowledge. We should not say that God is One, but we can state that there is no multiplicity in God’s being. See apophatic theology. This article also discusses Aristotle discussion of Platonic theory, according to which ideas are the ultimate principles of Being.

Kabbalistic definition of God

Kabbalah (Jewish esoteric mysticism) teaches that God is neither matter nor spirit. Rather God is the creator of both, but is Himself neither. But if God is so different than His creation, how can there be any interaction between the Creator and the created? This question prompted Kabbalists to discuss two aspects of God, (a) God Himself, who in the end is unknowable, and (b) the revealed aspect of God who created the universe, preserves the universe, and interacts with mankind. Kabbalists believe that these two aspects are not contradictory but complement one another.

Some Kabbalistic Jews, such as Moses Cordovero and Lubavitch (Chabad) Hasidism, hold that the first aspect of God is actually all that there really is. Nothing exists except for God, and all else is an illusion. (Depending on how this is explained, such a view can be considered panentheism, or pantheism.) Most other Kabbalists hold that there is an aspect of God that is revealed to the world.

Kabbalists speak of the first aspect of God as ‘En Sof’; this is translated as “the infinite,” or “that which has no limits”. In this view, nothing can be said about this aspect of God. This aspect of God is impersonal. Kabbalists speak of the second aspect of God as being seen by the universe as ten emanations from God; these emanations are called ’sefirot’.

The ’sefirot’ mediate the interaction of the ultimate unknowable God with the physical and spiritual world. Some explain the sefirot as stages of the creative process whereby God, from His own infinite being, created the progression of realms which culminated in our finite and physical universe. Others suggest that the sefirot may be thought of as analogous to the fundamental laws of physics. Just as gravity, electro-magnetism, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force allow for interactions between matter and energy, the ten sefirot allow for interaction between God and the Universe.

A difficulty with this view is that the Kabbalah teaches that the Sefirot are not distinct from the Ein-Sof, but are somehow within it. The idea that there are ten divine sefirot could evolve over time into the idea that “God is One being, yet in that One being there are Ten”. This would be almost the same as the Christian belief in the Trinity, which states that while God is “One”, in that One there are three persons. This interpretation of Kabbalah in fact did occur among a small number of Jews in the 17th century. Rabbi Leon Modena, a 17th century Venetian critic of kabbalah, wrote that if we were to accept the Kabbalah, then the Christian trinity would indeed be compatible with Judaism, as the Trinity closely resembles the Kabbalistic doctrine of sefirot. This critique was in response to the fact that some Jews went so far as to address individual sefirot individually in some of their prayers. Kabbalah had many other opponents, notably Rabbi Yitzchak ben Sheshet Perfet (The Rivash); he stated that Kabbalah was “worse than Christianity”, as it made God into 10, not just into three. The critique, however, was unfair. Most followers of Kabbalah never believed this interpretation of Kabbalah. The Christian Trinity concept posits that there are three persons existing within the Godhead, one of whom literally became a human being. In contrast, the mainstream understanding of the Kabbalistic sefirot holds that they have no mind or intelligence; further, they are not addressed in prayer, and they can not become a human being. They are conduits for interaction - not persons or beings.

The Kabbalah’s idea of emanations could also be compared to the distinction made by fourteenth century Christian theologian Gregory Palamas. Palamas drew a distinction between God’s essence and energies, affirming that God was unknowable in His essence, but knowable in His energies. Palamas never enumerated God’s energies, but described them simply as ways that God could be seen acting in the Universe, and particularly on people, from the light shining from the face of Moses after Moses descended Mt. Sinai, to the light surrounding Moses, Elijah and Jesus Christ on Mt. Tabor during the transfiguration of Jesus. For Palamas, God’s energies were not some other thing separate from God, but were God; however the idea of energies was kept very distinct from the idea of the three persons of the Trinity.

Today all Hasidic Orthodox Jews are Kabbalistic; some non-Hasidic Orthodox Jews are kabbalisticly inclined, while some are rationalists. Most Reform and Conservative Jews are rationalists.

Neopagan Concept of God and/or gods

Neopaganism allows for diverse personal beliefs about the nature of God. There is little specific dogma. Most Neopagans hold a polytheistic, pantheistic or panentheistic belief, often with some elements of animism. Among Neopagans, and especially Wiccans, God is commonly expressed through the duality of the Goddess and the Horned God. However, there are those Pagans who align themselves with the Left Hand Path or LHP. These LHP Pagans are generally autotheists.

While on the surface Neopagans worship many gods, many practice a kind of monotheism, believing the many gods to be aspects of the One God. Many others practice duotheism, for example in many forms of Wicca all gods are considered aspects of the Lord, and all goddesses aspects of the Lady.

Most Heathens consider themselves strict polytheists.

The Ultimate

Arguably, Eastern conceptions of The Ultimate (this, too, has many different names) are not conceptions of a personal divinity, though certain Western conceptions of what is at least called “God” (e.g., Spinoza’s pantheistic conception and various kinds of mysticism) resemble Eastern conceptions of The Ultimate.

The mathematician Georg Cantor identified God with the mathematical concept of the Absolute Infinite.

Gender of God

In Judaism it is a fundamental heresy to believe that God has a gender. Grammatically, most of the Hebrew names for God are masculine; a few are grammatically feminine; This is not held to have literal significance. In regards to translating Hebrew names of God into English, most Orthodox and many Conservative Jews argue that it would be wrong to apply English female pronouns to God, not because God is of the male gender, but because doing so tends to draw attention to God as having gender, and also because the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) usually uses names that are grammatically masculine.

In Christianity, one person of God, the Son, is believed to have become incarnate as a human male; however, the other two persons of God are without gender, since they are not at all physical. (Mormonism is an exception; it teaches that God the Father also has a perfect body of flesh and bones, while agreeing that the Holy Spirit is bodiless.) The other two persons (the Father and the Holy Spirit) have traditionally been referred to using male pronouns and have primarily been associated with male imagery; but some Christians today, especially those inspired by feminism, do not consider this tradition to be binding. Other commentators point out that Hebrew tradition sees the Spirit as female.

Most Neopagan traditions, such as Wicca, believe in both male and female Deities. A few (especially Dianic Wicca) see the Divine as entirely feminine, and call her the Goddess.

Revelation: How God Communicates With Mankind

Many religions hold that God can communicate his will to mankind; in Judaism, Christianity and Islam this process is called revelation. Some religions believe that revelation is only available to certain individuals, dubbed prophets. Others believe that revelation is channeled through divinely sanctioned religious institutions, and still other, more mystically oriented religions, believe that revelation is generally available to all people. The books of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible; aka Old Testament) are held to be the product of revelation by Jews. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are held to be the product of divine revelation by Christians. Muslims consider the Tanakh and the New Testament to be deliberately corrupted and falsified works; instead they affirm that the Koran alone represents divine revelation. How revelation works, and what precisely one means when one says that a book is “divine” remains a matter of some dispute.

Neopaganists teach that communication from the gods is usually direct and experiential, and do not have the concepts of “scripture”, “prophet” or “revelation” in the sense used by the Abrahamic religions. Divine messages are believed to usually be given directly to the person or persons for whom they are meant. In some traditions, a ritual sometimes considered revelatory is called Drawing Down the Moon, in which a high priestess (or sometimes High Priest) invokes the Goddess and speaks by Divine inspiration to an assembled coven. This ritual occurs most commonly in the Wiccan traditions.

Omnipotence and Omniscience

Discussions about God between people of different faiths, or indeed even between people of the same faith, often prove unproductive, in no small amount due to people using the same words but assigning them different meanings. This situation occurs when some monotheists within Christianity, Judaism, and Islam state that God is omnipotent. In practice one finds that the term “omnipotent” has been used to connote a number of different positions. See the articles on Omnipotence, Omnipresence and Predestination.

Many monotheists reject altogether the view that God is omnipotent. In Unitarian-Universalism, much of Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism, and some liberal wings of Protestant Christianity, God is said to act in the world through persuasion, and not by coercion. God makes Himself manifest in the world through inspiration and the creation of possibility, but not by miracles or violations of the laws of nature. The most popular works espousing this point come from Rabbi Harold Kushner (in Judaism). This is the view that also was developed independently by Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne, in the theological system known as Process Theology.

Some of the Hindu Gods include Brahman, Devi, Vishnu, and Siva. See the entry on Hinduism for a discussion of this faith’s theology, which is fairly complicated: most of its adherents are polytheists, but a few are monotheists.

God as a computer, alien, etc.

Some comparatively new belief systems and books portray God as an alien. Many of these theories hold that intelligent aliens from another world have been visiting Earth for many thousands of years, and have influenced the development of our religions. Some of these books posit that prophets or messiahs were sent to the human race in order to teach humanity morality, and to encourage our civilization to grow and develop.

Some people have posited that perhaps God is really an intelligence that at some point in the past become sufficiently advanced that it uploaded itself to the very fabric of the cosmos. In this view, this god-intelligence now looks over the Earth.

Similar to this theory is the belief or aspiration that humans will create a God entity, emerging from an artificial intelligence. Arthur C. Clarke, a science fiction writer (and futurist of sorts), said in an interview that: It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him.

Another variant on this hypothesis is that humanity or a segment of humanity will, through self-evolution, create a posthuman God from itself.
From Integrative Spirituality
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