Unity, Path To Wholeness

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A book I read recently suggested that the Universe, and everything in existence, originated from a single entity. That everything is derived from an all-encompassing essence, including sentient beings such as us, Humans. As I lay here in bed prepared to fall into slumber, the word Unity permeated my being; its meaning, its true essence. I pondered for a moment on the word Unity, and realized that the times we, as humans, are happiest or in the most blissful state are when we are united or feel as such; united with one individual in companionship or friendship, united in a family, united in a society or culture coinciding with the inherent but often unknown essence of what makes usUnity happy. In fact, we desire and go to great lengths to acquire or fulfill this sense of belonging. I dare suggest that it’s because we are all individual parts of a whole, in essence, “in spirit”. Ponder for a moment on these aforementioned instances in which we feel united. Even from our most limited perspective, you’ll find that we are always referring to a Unity Unseen. This Unity Unseen is manifested in natural ways allowing us to perceive it with our senses, but upon some reflection we find that such manifestation is but secondary to the true UNITY that already exists in the UNSEEN. For example, when we desire to feel close to someone, what we are truly seeking is not simply to be physically near them. For even if they perform the most profound actions of love and comfort, absent of the unseen truth behind it, we can perceive the hollowness of those actions and are left feeling empty. Now, if we feel so compelled to be One, Whole or United, and have yet to achieve the state where it is manifested in the natural, this next question begs asking. Is there something, somehow interfering or opposing the very idea of us being united? If so why? And also, how does this force go about interfering as it were with this innate, powerful force of UNITY? The latter of these questions will be the focus of today’s topic.

Unity: joined together or combined so as to form a single whole; in harmony.

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God is Not Religious

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God, a fixation for human beings since the beginning of time, continues to permeate every aspect of our daily lives. Some believe in an entity having created everything that exists, others claim that no such entity exists, and that we are here by “miraculous” coincidence, others yet assert that mankind itself, individually as well as collectively, is ‘God’. Either way, one thing is certain, human beings are engrossed in this age-long debate. But who or what is God?

“God is the Unmoved Mover, the Necessary Essence allowing for our contingent and finite existence.”

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Why Pray In The Name Of Jesus?

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We all pray. For those who prefer another word, how about this. We all have hopes, wishes and wants, presented to an unknown but innately-recognized entity we believe can provide what we desire. If you are of the Christian faith, you believe your requests or pleas are heard and provided through the name of Jesus. In John 14:14 Jesus reminds us that “if you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” As a result of this, every Christian prayer usually ends in some variation of “in the name of Jesus… Amen.” But what does it mean to ask or pray in the name of Jesus? What does it truly mean to invoke that name besides the perfunctory religious act taught to us by our elders?

“If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”  John 14:14

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Of Parents and Children

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In God's HandsAs finite beings inhabiting time and space, our survival has been dependent on a particular ritual. Animals perform this ritual instinctively, but for other beings with superior cognitive abilities such as humans, we find that we can exercise some choice in the matter. The ritual in questions is none other than the one involving the passing of one’s characteristics, traits and values through to the next generation, parenting. Parenting typically begins with the act of reproduction and continues indefinitely. Much like the lion, who for example, gives birth to cubs, ensure their survival, and teach them the ways of the hunt, so is it for humans vis-à-vis their offspring. It is on this basic principle of survival,  and in the case of humans, thriving, that all societies throughout time have observed the staple of “honoring your father and mother.” But what does it mean to honor your parents?

“Parents, in essence, serve as the template by which we perceive and interact with God.”

The dictionary describes Honor as “holding in high respect; or to accept as valid and conform to the request or demands of.” The benefits of honor towards parents are obvious when observing animals in nature. Regardless of their positions in what we call “the food chain”, all children, or newborns, if they are to survive against the various threats of life, must rely on the protection and wisdom of their parents. Those who stray from their parents, much to their detriment, often meet deadly ends. As in nature, human newborns depends entirely on their parents for survival, and when they are of an age where they can provide for their own nourishment, their future survival is often dependent not on food, water and shelter, but on the wisdom on how to navigate through life’s many potential pitfalls. While these concepts may be obvious to most, it is another that I offer on this day. As humans, I believe that the ultimate role of parents, knowingly or otherwise, is to prepare their offspring for living a life in concert with their true Father, God. Parents, in essence, serve as the template by which we perceive and interact with God.

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Patience, The All Important Virtue

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Ever since the beginning, we have lived with the realization of an invisible clock counting down our time left in this realm. Because we know we are to expire from this existence when the clock hits zero, we become obsessed with time. Some of us, as the philosopher Albert Camus suggests, try to cram in as many experiences as possible into our timeslot, hoping these experiences will provide us some comfort with the seeming absurdity of life. Other folks seek solace in not quantities of experiences, but in their quality. They resolve to live according to certain guidelines or rules, hoping to reach peace and happiness from whatever entity that placed them within time. Whichever way we each decide, absurdity or purpose, we all, on occasion, have had a quarrel with the timing of events in our lives.

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From Dreaming To Realization

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dreamsknowthewayWe all have dreams. Aspirations as high as the stars. Unbeknownst to our conscious mind however, we have allowed the clarity and belief of that dream to be extinguished by the dogma of this world. While that is the case for most of us, some have managed to see their dreams realized. Not through any dishonest or nefarious means, but through obedience, honesty and hard work. They were able to realize their dream not because of any superpowers or special abilities that the rest of us do not possess, but simply because they have an understanding that most do not. I believe these folks understand that success, and happiness in life, lies in a universal process through which all dreams are realized. The knowledge of the process is liberating to say the least, and easy to understand. Its application, however, is a much more challenging task. The process is as follows: Word or Vision—Faith or Action—Doubt or Challenge—Realization or Fulfillment.

“Every endeavor, every journey, begins with a Word or Vision.”

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Purpose Defined

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What is my PurposeWho am I? Why do I exist? These are questions that have dominated the thoughts of mankind since the beginning of time. The answer to those two questions, or the absence of it will undoubtedly shape your life. Either a life of direction, peace and assurance or one of doubt, uncertainty, and even hopelessness. Today I will share my view on the topic, and hope my insights will shed some light on the all-important and unavoidable question. I say question in the singular because both these questions and its various other forms are essentially asking the same thing: “What is my purpose?”

 

“Purpose is the reason for which something exists or was made. If I exist I must have a purpose.”

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Power Of Choice

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Good Vs Evil

Matrix Revolutions. Final Battle. Neo enters the Matrix one last time to battle the ever powerful Agent Smith. Each blow so fierce it shakes the very atmosphere around them. In the end, the landscape is left devastated, decrepit and forgotten, adverse to the once serene, beautiful and peaceful environment. Imagine a battle of that scale taking place everyday, outside our traditional senses.  A battle between two colossal forces: Good Vs. Evil.

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

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Understanding Perfection

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PerfectionFor as long as I can remember I’ve heard people say that “nobody’s perfect”. It’s one of those things you never question and readily accept because it is said so often. As I grew older, and noticed the degradation of human character, I realized something. For one, it appears that both theist and atheist agree with the idea that perfection is an unattainable. Secondly, or as a result of the first, we use this idiom as a self-deprecating mechanism. Something that allows us to be okay being mediocre. So, what is perfection and is it attainable?

To be perfect is to be complete, both in substance and in deed.

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