THE TRUTH (an Enlightenment Primer)

The moment we die in this life we are instantly transported back to our true basic nature which is that we are God.  And yes, there is only one God in the Universe, that part is true.  The crazy part is, we are it.  We just conveniently (and purposefully) forgot that while we are alive so we can immerse ourselves completely in this life and enjoy (and suffer) all that life has to offer.

Why is that not as cool as it seems?

Well, let’s just say that it is and it isn’t - depending on the perspective you take.  From the perspective of a human being, it is pretty darn cool.  Because we have nothing to worry about in terms of “judgement” or “end of days” or heaven and hell.  All that stuff is just a collection of allegories and metaphors that some enlightened human beings who were alive caught glimpses of and shared with the rest of humanity in hopes of getting people to be more compassionate and less cruel to one another.  There is no actual “morality” that exists at the level of God.  Everything that is done at that level is good overall and whether we tiny powerless humans are fully on board and behaving according to His plan is not a problem with God.  He loves each one of us (i.e. each tiny version of ourselves) exactly the same.  That is, He loves us completely and totally (i.e. “Love they neighbor as thyself.” – get it?)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, each human being is a tiny little offshoot of God.  Sort of like the cells of our body.  Independent, in a way, but totally connected to the greater self and infused with the same consciousness.  The only thing is, some of us are more aware of this cosmic connection than others.

So what is the catch?  The catch is the opposite of what we would expect. The catch is that when we die and go back to being “God” the fun part is over – at least for quite a while.  Why?  Because being God basically sucks.  Yes, from the perspective of human beings, tiny insignificant entities that are always struggling to survive and grasping for power and trying to find our own significance in an alternately brutal and beautiful universe, the thought of being God is incredible. We get to have complete and total control over everything, to intercede where we want and to create new worlds, new galaxies, new life, or to destroy it in an instant at our whim.  That seems like it would be awesome, right?  It is not. 

In exchange for that power comes complete and total responsibility for all life and all joy and suffering that exists, and the challenge of trying to guarantee that everything goes perfectly for each individual (because of the dynamic interplay between “free will” and the laws of the physical universe which we, as God, created and can alter as well, but which have implications in terms of cause and effect because that is the way we designed it).  Of course, we can erase it all and start over again but eventually we’d be right back where we are right now, since the beauty and perfection of it are always balancing themselves out.  That is what we have learned.  Yes, life and the Universe are beautiful and perfect, but only from the perspective of God, not from the individual perspective of tiny humans and other life forms that are living inside it.

So instead, as God, we choose another option: we send out tiny independent little energy forms of ourselves and like little seeds they grow and develop as entities within the Universe until they eventually develop “self-awareness” and in some cases even become “enlightened” and remember THE TRUTH about who they are and how they got here and what this is all about. And then those enlightened little versions of ourselves try to explain THE TRUTH to the rest of humanity.  But ultimately the explanation doesn’t make that big of a difference.  Because all the little life forms and humans are progressing and learning and becoming enlightened at their own individual rate.  And even when enlightened they won’t necessarily be any happier – they just suffer a bit less.  Happiness, like life itself, is a choice.  Most life forms enjoy the struggle.  They believe it gives meaning to their lives.  So they accept it.  But God knows THE TRUTH: the simple feeling of being alive and not being responsible for the entire universe, only having to worry about one tiny little insignificant corner of it, is what is really awesome. That part rocks!

And that is about it.

Eventually, even the “enlightened” versions of ourselves die and are absorbed right back into the great cosmic self which is God – and at that moment they look back and think: “Wow, that was a brutal, exhausting, beautiful, frustrating, joyful, magnificent, ultimately heartbreaking experience.  I can’t wait to do it again!”

At that same instant, we also realize that we are God and we have a job to do.  We are reabsorbed into our cosmic splendor and we buckle down and get back to the business of running the universe (which is incredibly difficult and challenging, takes a great deal of focus and concentration, and at times can be sort of hell really).  

God rarely gets to fully enjoy any of the physical manifestations of His greatness that we human beings get to enjoy. But he does love us like crazy and that makes it worthwhile.  In the meantime, he just holds it all together and continuously creates everything that is good and hopes that maybe, just maybe, he’ll get another break at some point when the next enlightened human version of himself shows up to take over.  Then he can dive back in and have some good clean fun.

At least that is how it was revealed to me. By you… and me.  By us.

-        JC

BURSTING THE BUBBLE

In the state you spend the majority of your time, the Truth about existence brings little solace or comfort.  To your troubled mind the truth appears to negate everything you spend the majority of your time doing.   What is this Truth?  The struggle to survive, to protect yourself and those you love… is meaningless.

Huh? 

Yes.  This is truth.  But the fact the struggles and hardships of your daily life are meaningless does not negate the importance of your life or reduce its value.  It does reveal that the experiences and incidents you perceive as problems are nothing of the sort.  There are no problems; there are only your wants and desires, which you manufacture, which place you in a position to suffer.  Your desires have no meaning but they do produce fear, which convinces you that you are separated from God. There is no separation.  Know God – no desire – no fear.  The truth shall set you free.

God loves you dearly.  He and you exist together in a state that is infinite and eternal, a state so different from your current perception that the two are truly incomparable.   

One thing that is important but difficult for you to fully comprehend is that your current state, the one you see and feel, is not existence at all; it is a form of projection, impermanent as a sand castle in a hurricane.  God, in His infinite Love, chooses to engage Himself with you in this state and provides every tool and insight you need to transcend this self-imposed suffering.  While this suffering means nothing to God (since it literally has no meaning), He sees that you are immersed in it and feels compassion, knowing you are fully capable of avoiding it by embracing your eternal self; if you would only choose to accept His loving guidance.

You are like an infant delighted by soap bubbles floating in the air, who finds joy in a large bubble balanced on the tip of his finger.  When that bubble bursts the child erupts in tears; devastated.   An adult looking on knows that the child is fine.  A bubble of soap does no damage.  It is, in fact, meaningless.  But the child’s desire for the bubble to reappear causes them pain.  If the adult loves the child they feel compassion.  They want the child to feel better, to avoid suffering.  But ultimately the adult knows the bubble itself has no meaning – and they know the child will find many other things to desire and to demand and eventually to anguish over.  So the adult teaches the child what they can.

It is the same way with God and you.  He sees you suffering and knows there is nothing wrong.  You are one of His eternal children and you are safe in his loving protection for all eternity.  But like the infant with the soap bubble, you want what you want, even though it is a meaningless trifle – you want it to be exactly the way you want it and you rage and howl and suffer as it slips through your fingers. 

You are dissatisfied with the Truth.  Instead you wholeheartedly embrace an illusion and put your faith and trust in a figment of your imagination: a sand castle made of fear and desire that you trust in because you can see it with your eyes and taste it with your tongue; at least this is what you believe.

So you suffer.  God does not hate you for it any more than a loving parent hates a child.  He loves you.  God doesn’t need a reason, He knows the truth; that you are part of Him: eternal and perfect; beautiful and free.  You are just as He is.  You and God are one.  

God sees you. He sees your life.  He sees your suffering.  He knows it is a bubble, a thin film of soap, balanced on air, fragile, tenuous, without any substance.  What you cling to is a meaningless trifle, but you are not.  You are precious to God as anything in the Universe.  He tells you this every day.  And you still cry.

CASTING STONES

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” – John 8:7

In the original Hebrew, the word you translate as “Sin” means “to miss the mark.”   So to sin is to err… to be slightly off target… to miss achieving perfection.  Yet you altered this word’s meaning to make sin something that is an affront to God.  You see sin as implying a rejection of God, something that is impossible.  You cannot reject God because you did not create God.  You are his creation and He embraces you fully, completely, immeasurably, in each and every moment. 

In the ancient Hebrew form of the word, as used by Jesus, you, in fact, do sin… as do all men, all except He who had attained perfection and could witness the Kingdom of God.  He was here with you and He lived as you lived.  So He understood that you often miss the mark.  He lived in such a way as to guide you, pointing the way, as God guides and points the way with the Holy Spirit in every waking moment (and yes, even in your dreams).  

When Jesus said: “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone at her,” He was explaining that until you achieve perfection, you cannot see one another as you really are – the Kingdom of God which is right in front of you.  The woman caught in adultery stood before Jesus and He saw her as she was – a Child of God – just as you are a Child of God.   The only one who was “without sin” in that crowd was Jesus Himself.  Would He cast the first stone?  Of course not.  “Has no one condemned you?” He asked the woman.  “Neither do I condemn you.”   

Jesus saw the innocence in her that is the birthright of all God’s children.   Not sin – but Innocence.  We are made in the image and likeness of God.   Jesus recognized the woman’s error, that up until then she had “missed the mark.”   He spoke gently to her, with compassion and Love, just as God speaks to you now through the Holy Spirit.  Saying: “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way.  And from now on, do not sin again.”    

You do not sin, as you perceive sin.

You have never sinned. 

You cannot reject God.  You have only missed the mark.  Let the Holy Spirit guide your steps; He will correct and steady your aim.  See what Jesus saw and has taught you, that you and all of God’s Children are one body, one Spirit in the Kingdom of God.  All are innocent.  There is no sin.  There is only the error.  The belief that you can be separate from God. 

Go forth and err no more.  

TEN REMINDERS

TEN REMINDERS

1.  Know that I love you; hold your relationship with Me above all things.

2.  Put your faith and trust in Me, not in the things of the world that will disappoint you and lead to suffering; I will support, protect and guide you forever.

3. When you speak My Name, I will answer; say it with love always.

4. Put aside your labors one day of the week so we can celebrate together.

5. Love your parents.  Forgive them as they have forgiven you.  Cherish them as I cherish you.

6. Do not harm one another out of fear or anger; all lives are precious to Me.

7. Love one another and respect your bodies, when you have sex let it unify and not divide.

8. Let others keep what is theirs.  Turn to Me for all your needs; I will provide for you.

9. Speak the Truth from your heart; I will reveal everything you need to know.

10. Rejoice in the good fortune of others and be patient, you will receive all in due time.

Jesus is One of Us

Note to traditional Christians or Catholics: This blog posting might upset your applecart.  Proceed with an open heart.  You have nothing to fear beyond the loss of your illusions.

JESUS IS ONE OF US

Jesus was born a man – like you.  He gained the knowledge that He is the Son of God during his lifetime, and you may gain this also during yours.  Jesus embraced this knowledge fairly early (Luke 2:49) and He accepted the Will of God, His Father; therefore He was able to overcome the illusions of this “invented” world and achieve eternal salvation and the Kingdom of God while still here on Earth.

This is His lesson to you.  This is the true teaching of Jesus.  He was “sent by God” – and so are you.  You were created by God with a plan in mind.   God does not reach for you; He doesn’t because He is both within you and everything around you.  God cannot teach these things to you directly; because He does not believe in the illusions you trap yourself within; there is nothing for Him to teach.  In order to overcome your struggle, God has to “become man,” so you can be taught to overcome your separation from Him, a separation you invented, not Him.   

Your Affliction

To God there is no separation, but you stare back at Him and do not recognize His face.  You are like an aged parent, afflicted with Alzheimer’s, staring at their loving child – a child who is ever present, ever supporting, loves them completely – and seeing the face of a stranger.  Every person you see is the face of God, but you stare blankly with fear and apprehension.  Therefore, to see reality, you must be taught.    

Jesus is one of the many Sons of God, they are called Buddha, Krishna, Bodhisattvas; they may even be called Bob or Emily.  Jesus is a highly developed Enlightened One; He sees his relationship to God clearly; something you cannot bear to attempt, because it so frightens you to perceive your own immortality.

It's Okay to Be a Slow Learner

Jesus is a great communicator.  He understands who you are and how to speak to you. His teaching is sometimes twisted by others, you twist it yourself in your mind – hearing threats and damnation when He offers you freedom – but He is a patient teacher.  He is compassionate for you and all who struggle; He understands what you are afraid of, He does not accept it, He banishes it with a swipe of his hand (Matt 4:10), but He understands your difficulty and He knows you need help.  You cannot do it on your own.  This is why He kept His promise and sent The Holy Spirit upon his departure to be with the Father (John 14: 16-27)

Everything discussed here is in John 14.  Read that Chapter and you will come to learn all there is to know.

Jesus is both God and man – that is the meaning of who He is.  That is why He said:  “No one goes to The Father except through me.”    Understand this about Jesus and you will understand who and what you are in relation to God.  The Creator made you.   He did not make “people” in general… He made you!

Compassion for God

Focus your mind.  Hold a single moment in your mind and do not allow your thoughts to wander.  Difficult isn’t it?  It means you cannot shift to another thought – you must hold the one you have and allow it to “bloom” but do not let it go.  If you let go it will break free and drift off – never to be recaptured.  It simply flutters off, barely developed, having little or no substance or power.  This is what happens to 99.9% of your thoughts.  But if you hold onto one right now – holding it firmly but delicately, as you would hold a baby bird in your hand lest it fall – it will become clear to you and you will begin to see its complexity and details; a single focused thought is a beautiful thing. 

This concept represents the source of everything.  This is how you were born – a single thought in the Mind of God, only God is still thinking it; that is why you still exist.  If God were to stop thinking of you for a single instant, if He were to let go of the idea of you for a millisecond, you would slip away and cease to exist.  But God will never do this.  

Do you understand what I am saying?  You are a thought in the mind of God and He has continued to think of you unceasingly.  Could you ever do such a thing?  No, and you have not.  If you had, you would understand the depths of His love for you.  You would fall on your knees in a desperate heart aching fit of gratitude.  Do you think this is easy for God?  He thought of you, and that first instant when His mind glimpsed you He fell in love with you.  He didn’t want you to stop existing, so He made the ultimate sacrifice – so that you can exist.    Without the constant exertion of God’s Will you are like a candle in a hurricane.  Yet He has never stopped – GOD HAS NEVER STOPPED THINKING OF YOU – NOT FOR A SINGLE INSTANT!  

That is the depth of His love.  His focus is relentless.  Therefore you exist.  You have asked yourself this very question:  Why do I exist?  This is the answer: Because God wills it.  The most false statement in history was: I think, therefore I am.  This comes from the ego which seeks our separation from God.  You do not exist because you think – you exist because God thinks.  Know the truth: God Thinks, therefore I am.  

¹³ And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
¹⁴ And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

- Exodus 3:14