Kitabı oku: «The World. Myths of the Divine, Realities, and Awareness. Freedom. Love. Life», sayfa 2

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What does it have to do with faith? With gods? Nothing! It is a matter of power and finding excuses for those in power! It is a matter of foolishness, lack of education, and general ignorance. It is a matter of aggression that puts even faith into the position of its servant.

Think about it and start loving your body and taking care of it as much as possible. Start enjoying it! To continue your way of spiritual development, you need to have a healthy body. To make the best out of your life, you need to take care of your body.

Allow yourself to experience and enjoy the full spectrum of your feelings, discovering talents you’ve never even thought of!

Think, analyze, ask questions. Have your ears and eyes open, study the world.

Question everything! Even my words, by all means! Especially my words!!

Train your brain by studying and analyzing various paths, decisions, and views! Take nothing for granted! Question everything! Ask tough and disadvantageous questions! In this case, you won’t place blind faith in anything. You will know!

Tips

– How would you treat your body, feelings, and mind (reason) if you knew that they have the untold potential for your development, improving the quality of your life, and manuring your soul and spirit? If you knew that they are an essential and valuable tool of spiritual development? That they are the creation and energy of the very God?

– Start treating them like this here and now. Notice what changes there will be in your life.

– How do you think, are mind and reason pretty much the same thing?

Or are they two different concepts?

What are their differences and similarities?

– If we could apply the aforementioned things to our reason, what kind of ideas and conclusions will you have? Apply them and take a look: What kind of ideas and conclusions do you have now?

Key points

Our body is, in any case, a divine creation, and we don’t have any right to control it.

Perhaps, instead of making fires for the wrong books and people, we should have taken a different path. The one that is fast in terms of our soul but long and tiresome for those who are attached to worldly passion. The path of decent examples, discussions, learning, stories, reflection, mentorship, etc.? Meaning the path of the freedom of agreement, acceptance, and choice. The path of the creation of beauty and comfort (that’s it!), creativity and art instead of violence and fear, destruction and hate, instead of strangling the potential of the Great Creation…

And if the worldly life is naught, then why put so much effort into its creation? And why make it so complex and diverse as well?

Why put them in irons when you can always shackle an enquiring mind, feelings that function as inner eyes and ears, as shining beacons?

To continue your way of spiritual development, you need to have a healthy body. To make the best out of your life, you need to take care of your body.

We apply the same principle to all unusual children or adult people, trying to force them into the frame of common and familiar things. We try to cure them instead of curing ourselves. We call our path right and their path wrong, though their only fault is that they are different. And they may even have a much stronger connection with their bodies, emotions, and minds.

The myth in a nutshell

Our body, emotions, and mind are a good help. When we tip the balance, they become our masters. In order not to tip the balance, we need reason.

By taking care of our bodies, we can live longer and get even closer to God while doing it during our material life.

By experiencing emotions, we can learn how to notice and develop essential qualities and states in order to serve God and find our own path to the enlightenment.

By respecting our mind and reason, we can overcome our ignorance and acquire knowledge that will help us get to the enlightenment.

3. The myth of a bad religion or idea

Your experience

Have you ever heard that:

– You did something wrong?

– Your idea is no good at all?

– Your thoughts and desires are worth nothing?

– No one wants you?

In family, at school, at university, at work?

From your colleagues, partners, friends, relatives?

We all enjoy making evaluations and labeling things and people «good» and «bad». As if there were two colors only: black and white. As if there were only extremities, a dichotomy or a duality, and we had to choose only one thing.

If not, you may consider yourself lucky. Though there is a great chance that you simply forgot it, like we tend to forget any other unpleasant experience. It happens like this. Sometimes we can forget having been treated ill because we don’t want to do anything about it. Sometimes we can forget having treated other people ill because we don’t want to accept our nature.

About the myth

While reading this book, some people may say that it should be banned since it is insulting to the feelings of religious believers. But it is not. It is insulting only to the feelings of those who exploit faith for their own benefit. But in this case, such people should consider whether they have anything that can be insulted. Or, perhaps, they have something that is insulting?

Faith and religious ideas (just like some political trends) are strikingly beautiful by nature. They are about something important, something valuable. They are about love and hope. About peace throughout the world. I’m not being sarcastic. They were meant to unite and consolidate different people. To lay the creative foundation for developing societies and even states if there is any point in them as we see them now. They were meant to teach people to resolve their differences peacefully, in accordance and acceptance of each other, with respect, dignity, and loftiness. They were meant to teach people to see value in their lives and treat them with due care. To help them understand their passions and attachments and not become their obedient servant. To help them see their ignorance and replace it with enlightenment. Almost all religions were meant to create something that could keep humanity from relentless intraspecific and all other kinds of aggression. Something that could provide a basis for rectitude, moral pillars. Unfortunately, instead of providing a path, religions often turned into servants (or even obedient slaves) of human passions and the very same ignorance.

Just think of how many people have died in wars – big and small – and what for? If only we could steer their creative potential on a peaceful track instead of destruction, what would our world look like?! Humans have spent so many millennia fighting for all kinds of resources (gold, oil, land, money, power, etc.) in one guise or another, doing it under the shadow of faith or political ideas… They missed the most important thing! The very things (or rather, the very creatures) they sacrificed are indeed the most valuable resource and the most essential idea. Human beings! The power of their souls and thoughts! Their creative and artistic potential! That is the resource of the greatest worth! We still don’t understand the true value of it!! It’s no accident that in some religions, the pinnacle of divine creation is man. Nothing was created after man.

But let us get back to the topic. An idea and a way of its implementation are two quite different things. You may have a beautiful idea but it will be implemented poorly. And vice versa, you may have a poor idea but some people can turn it into a wonder! Of course, the best scenario is when we have both a wonderful idea and a decent way of its implementation. The worst-case scenario means that both an idea and a way of its implementation are horrible. I am not urging you to go and destroy religions and systems, let alone their historic and cultural heritage. By no means. It would contradict what I am trying to communicate. I encourage you to reflect while you follow a religious or ideological path on whether your way of implementing an idea is a relevant one.

If there is an invitation to love thy neighbor, perhaps, we shouldn’t in blind hate destroy everything that moves and all dissenters?

If there is the commandment «thou shalt not steal», perhaps, we should obey it regardless of our own and other people’s religious and political beliefs, national and cultural identity?

If there is a call to convert others to your own faith, perhaps, it pays to do it by way of a decent example, rather than by the sword and violence? Perhaps, it pays to accept refusals or different choices, expressing respect and understanding and keeping in mind the diversity of paths and the greatness of the one who created them all?

If there is a call for spirituality, perhaps, you shouldn’t commit soulless acts? Can we call the lack of care towards your relatives, parents, children, and loved ones spiritual? Can we call poverty and hunger when there is always an opportunity to work for your own good and for the good of your family spiritual? Can a man who deprived his wife and children of his care and support and feeds on them or his parents be notable for his spirituality? Can a woman who hates her children or relatives and treats other people ill be notable of her spirituality? Can the lack of action supporting words of friendship be spiritual?

If there is a call for peace, should there be a war, even a proxy one?

If there is a call for a constructive dialogue, should there be a manipulation?

Put to a test everyone who urges you to do something in the name of faith or ideas. Is the means of implementation relevant? Or «the end justifies the means»? If the former is true, debate the matter in your mind once again. If the latter is true, run, run for your life! When the cream of a nation is sent to its doom, run away! When books are burnt (and not only due to some dissenting views), run away! When violence towards those who somehow differ is justified, run away! When dissenters, their friends and relatives are declared public enemies, run away! Crawl away! For any idea and any faith is not worth the life of even one human being, let alone hundreds, thousands, or millions of them! Why? Read the myths further to find out!

Though it is true not only on the scale of nations, countries, monarchs, and rulers. The same can be applied to any ordinary person. Do the idea and the means of its implementation concur or run contrary to each other? If they don’t concur, does the one who conceived and/or articulated the idea realize that their means of implementation is entirely about something else?

Tips

– Ponder over everything that has been created by human beings over the course of the last five thousand years. And everything that has been created over the last one hundred years. How many creations in various fields! How many discoveries, achievements, accomplishments that changed our life. Can oil, land, gold, and other resources match them? Can these resources match the creative potential of man? Of course, they are important. Sometimes they act as components. But still!! What are these resources without the power of human thought? Just think of it and comprehend the true power of human potential! Could oil and gas pull themselves and produce useful goods on their own basis without human thought? Could gold become wonderful jewelry or a convenient means of payment without human mastery? Is the land worth something at all without the human skill of farming?

– Think of who created powerful and legendary companies and states? Is it oil, land, or gold? Nope. It’s people. Some certain, living people. If we are capable of such enormous transformations, will we be able to deal with the challenges of modern times? Oh yeah! So what is the main resource? What and who should we invest in? What resource should we protect and treasure? At least in the form of a resource… At least we can see human beings and their potentials like this. If they are not of value…

– What potential do you personally have? How and in what forms is it manifested? How and in what forms can you manifest it?

– What potential do your friends, relatives, colleagues, employees, bosses, and acquaintances have? How and in what forms is it manifested? How and in what forms can they manifest it? Unlock it and use it?

– Test whether the idea and the means of its implementation concur before blindly following it.

Key points

While reading this book, some people may say that it should be banned since it is insulting to the feelings of religious believers. It is not. It is insulting only to the feelings of those who exploit faith for their own benefit.

Almost all religions were meant to create something that could keep humanity from relentless intraspecific and all other kinds of aggression.

Unfortunately, instead of providing a path, religions often turned into servants (or even obedient slaves) of human passions.

It’s no accident that in some religions, the pinnacle of divine creation is man. Nothing was created after man.

You may have a beautiful idea but it will be implemented poorly.

I encourage you to reflect while you follow a religious or ideological path on whether your way of implementing an idea is a relevant one.

An idea and a way of its implementation are two quite different things. You may have a beautiful idea but it will be implemented poorly. And vice versa, you may have a poor idea but some people can turn it into a wonder! Of course, the best scenario is when we have both a wonderful idea and a decent way of its implementation.

For any idea and any faith is not worth the life of even one human being, let alone hundreds, thousands, or millions of them!

The myth in a nutshell

A lot of religions and ideas are good. But it is also important to check whether the means of their implementation is good too.

4. Myth of Our Heavenly Future and Sinful Past

Your experience

– How often do you reminisce of the past? And what about other people? And what about the common past that we share with someone?

– What is your past like? And what about other people? And what about the shared past? How do you see it? How do other people see it?

– How do you see your future? How do other people see their future? What is the difference between your vision and theirs with regard to your shared future?

– What and who are you in your present? What and who are other people in their present?

– What do you think about the phrase «Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift»?

About the myth

Different religions have different descriptions of the past. Some see it in glowing colors, others have a less radiant picture, and yet others are in two minds about that. The description of the past is exciting. It is our origin. And, on the other hand, it is all the values that were originally established or a sort of their historic or modern interpretation.

Interpretation is a pretty curious affair. It reflects our ability to look at one and the same thing, event, or phenomenon from different points of view. And there may be endless number of points of view and versions! Therefore, the dichotomy of black and white options makes no sense here. The color of the event is in the eye of the beholder. Given that our past is history, no one can be sure what it was really like. What it was like for our ancestors, for those who used to live in a given period of time. Or does someone or something know everything? The Almighty? Our soul? Our spirit?

The past can influence the present and future but it also can just remain history. In any case, we cannot turn back time, change or repeat our past. However, some cultists tend to forget about it. They remind modern people of things pertaining to the ages long gone by. Blame them.

For instance, some people genuinely believe that for the sin Eve committed by sharing her apple with Adam (who took a bite out of it of his own free will, and very willingly by the way), people shall pay even now. And others believe that women are the only ones to blame. As if Adam was forced to do it (according to the written sources, it wasn’t the case). Eve, a weak woman, forcing Adam, a strong man to do something… There is something wrong in this story at that point already. It’s the same with prostitutes. They are just the supply. The demand is provided by men. And yet, according to the followers of some religious or political institutes, it is prostitutes who are to blame. There have been centuries, millennia, and maybe even dozens of them… But the habit to blame is still here. Very convenient, isn’t it? A lot of people know that those who feel guilt will either forget about it or try to atone for it! In this latter case, they will do whatever it takes in the hope of getting at least a tiny chance of forgiveness. This violent and rigid manipulation enslaved humanity for years to come. Both women and men, though the heaviest load was born by supposedly fragile women’s shoulders. And I doubt that God needed such manipulation. For otherwise God becomes way too human and appears not to be able to forgive though this is exactly what God demands of us! To love, unconditionally. To search for awareness and see the essence of things.

Think about it. Imagine your little child peeking into your chest filled with secret letters (which the child is too young, in your opinion, to read) and reading them. How much time will it take the child to make amends with you? A day? A year? A decade? Or the entire life? Or will you hold even grandchildren and great-grandchildren responsible? From one generation to another? Isn’t it absurd? And if we consider that the further in the past the event is, the more indistinct interpretations it gets… Then the situation looks sad. No one will ever get to the bottom of it but guilt and expiation will thrive. It won’t be clear who is to blame, why, and what for. Do you really think God wants it? God, who made his sons and daughters? Who loves them? Doesn’t God have anything else to do? He has his hands full. Do you love your children? Your treasured baby could get naughty. You would just chide them gently, ask them to draw a lesson, forgive, and forget! Rinse and repeat. Why? Because you love your child. Only those who don’t love their children or enjoy power (revenge), will cherish the guilt their kid feels, maintain it, and nourish. Because it is not the question of love, it is the question of power and manipulation. It is their goal! Is there anything divine in it? It would be a different matter, if it were only about guilt. Alas. That is just the beginning. And so many victims! Since it became an excuse for massacre and absolute injustice in the form of depriving people of their rights and freedoms! You can be too smart, too funny, too ginger, too close to God, too fertile. It doesn’t matter. For now one can just kill and enjoy an absolute power! For instance, the Islamic religion used to be less violent in terms of some things. For example, Muslim women had more rights regarding inheritance than women in Europe. Do you believe it to be a problem of religion only? Think of Communism, when children were punished for the sins committed by their fathers (public enemies). Or the practice of the Communist Party of Korea. The same was true about many other countries. The entire family could be extirpated for the actions of one person, regardless of age and generation! It didn’t matter what sex you were, what dynasty, tribe, or nation you belonged to, or what political and economic ideas you followed.

Right, our past sins turned into a manipulatory tool. But the future is still ahead of us. There is Heaven you can get to upon the condition of your obedience. Isn’t it great? And what do you need to get to Heaven? I might add that it doesn’t necessarily exist… You should abide by something… By certain rules. But who came up with these rules? That is the question. Was it really God? You are supposed to do what you are told to do even if there is a more reasonable option. But who is telling you this? God or a man preaching God’s word? How can we distinguish between these two? How can we distinguish between the Almighty’s rules and those made by people?

And what’s the result? We shall behave in a certain way in the hope of pretty ephemeral welfare in the future, after our death… Communists also promised a sort of Heaven. Glorious future. Fortunately, on the face of the Earth, though in some distant future. For one thing, every Soviet family would have lived in a separate apartment by 2000. But Communism fell earlier. Actually, Communism did bring us plenty of good things that changed the lives of working people throughout the world for good! It is of great worth. I’m pinpointing such things here so that you recalled what I said earlier. There are no bad ideas. Sometimes it is the means of implementation that is far from good. And here is another important thing. Any movement, including any religious one, has something that was implemented quite poorly, something that was implemented pretty well, or on the average level, etc. Capitalism, just like many other political movements, is no exception. There are so many promises… It’s actually a common story: We need to be patient for a while but then we’ll begin a brand new life! That’s the whole point!

Our past doesn’t let us live in the present and neither do prospects of heavenly future. Neither our past nor our future let us be clear-eyed about the present reality and find effective solutions here and now. We are always lost in our thoughts about either past or future. Or both. As a result, there is no life in the present! But there is a see-saw of time. And we are always stuck. It sounds horrible! Today you are supposed to pay for the sins of your ancestors who probably never even existed. And if you succeed, you get a chance for happiness after death! So what is life in this case? Pure suffering, a trial of patience, an attempt to atone for someone else’s guilt. Humans are massively denied the right to joy and happiness. Including their descendants. This is one of the most violent myths! And if you start asking awkward questions, you will be accused of heresy with all that entails. You will be completely browbeaten, I’ll say this much. Although, upon reflection… Is God really behind all of this? The Almighty who is our past, present, and future… God, one of whose names is Eternity, Time, and Space… An eternal moment and an eternal journey through time. A point and infinity.

But it is not enough to be present in the moment, here and now. It is really important to be aware of this moment.

But let us get back to the topic of our discussion. Why is this myth so violent? Because it denies us our present life, deprives it of happiness and the ability to enjoy life. It holds us in shame and guilt for our past, in awe of our future. Shame, guilt, and awe are perfect tools of not only control but also of manipulation. They can easily transform a free and thinking person into a stupid and subordinate puppet. But it wasn’t why God made man and gave us the opportunity to think…

Tips

– Do you want some advice? Stop living in the past! Stop living in guilt that was forced upon you! Stop living in some bright and glorious future that was also forced upon you! Start living here and now. Start off with getting in contact with reality and becoming aware of it! People around you don’t necessarily need to know anything about it.

– If you feel guilty, find a way to apologize and also do something within the framework of this apology that would be on par with the action you apologize for. That is to say, if you stole a hundred dollars, you should give a hundred dollars back. If you offended someone, don’t do it again and say a few kind words. That’s pretty simple, huh? Yes. If it was a minor misdeed. But what should you do when it comes to something much more serious? That is how karma works if we are talking about that. Understanding that you need to do something of equal importance in the course of or after apologizing will stop you from wrongdoings. And yet there are plenty of people who view it differently. But karma never makes other people or the descendants responsible for someone’s offenses or good actions. And again, a lot of people never think about it this way. Think about it, try to analyze different points of views.

– So what do you think now about the phrase «Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift»?

– What, in your opinion, does it mean to be present in the moment, in the here and now? How can you practice being present? Do you have any ideas?

Key points

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.

And there may be endless number of points of view and versions!

You should abide by something… By certain rules. But who came up with these rules? That is the question. Was it really God? You are supposed to do what you are told to do even if there is a more reasonable option. But who is telling you this? God or a man preaching God’s word? How can we distinguish between these two?

The Almighty who is our past, present, and future… God, one of whose names is Eternity, Time, and Space… An eternal moment and an eternal journey through time. A point and infinity.

But it is not enough to be present in the moment, here and now. It is really important to be aware of this moment.

Shame, guilt, and awe are perfect tools of not only control but also of manipulation. They can easily transform a free and thinking person into a stupid and subordinate puppet. But it wasn’t why God made man and gave us the opportunity to think…

The myth in a nutshell

There is always a cause and effect of your own choice. Each person creates their own Hell and Heaven, first of all inside themselves and then in the surrounding world. You should probably also remember that the point is not to ensure your future in Heaven but to create your Heaven here and now.