Hi!
I'm new here, and wanted to ask for advice on a rather persistent issue I have, related to both astral projection and religious mysticism.
I, above everything, desire direct personal experience of what is often called 'God', or the infinite, the absolute. So, obviously, I began to read the accounts of mystics of the past, specifically accounts of their visions and unitive experiences. After reading many of these writings, I noticed similarities between their experiences and descriptions of astral projection and other altered states. One of my favorite theologians, Henry Corbin, describes a sort of intermediate world between heaven and earth called the 'imaginal realm' where divine beings and archetypes, while normally immaterial, can become manifest. This realm is accessed by turning inward and disassociating from the outside, 'real' world. The parallels with astral projection are obvious, and I decided to research it.
A couple of years back I had an intense dream where I saw 'God', well, some representation of him, and that is what caused me to search out mysticism in the first place. I have a great love for this figure, and viewing it as a aspect of the divine, desire to search it out above everything. The process of astral projection is, while challenging, something anyone can do and that everyone has a right to. But I am very, very scared. I am scared most of all that this seemingly divine entity I see in dreams is just a psychological complex or some figment of my imagination. My desire to experience God is overpowering, but I'm scared I'm somehow deceiving myself, and that this being is somehow generated by my past traumas and not God. I feel torn, and hope that one of the people on this forum who have experience with entities in the astral, and or mysticism might have some advice on this. I do believe that we each have a sort of personal aspect of God that can appear via dreams or projection and guide us, and that that being is a finite aspect of divinity that reveals itself in a way relative to who we are and what we believe and need, (and that this is how different religious traditions form) but, I'm scared that the being I see is not that, but something constructed. I'm worried about this because it seems to good to be true, and that I am somehow not worthy of achieving what I most ardently desire. Plus I have a very specific idea of how this being appears, I'm not sure how I came by this, but I can't tell if it intuition or fabrication. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks for your time!
Hello stardust. :-)
No advice I can think to offer.
To me, it feels like you're in a good place. You seem very intelligent, capable.
Have faith. I Just want to welcome you, and your future discoveries.
When I have encountered the Divine you just "know" it is not a figment of your imagination, a mere dream, a reach, the power of suggestion or a thought form. It is just too moving, too euphoric/blissful, too life altering, too beautiful, peaceful and so filled with unconditional love that you overwhelmingly know you have experienced the Divine. These words are difficult to affix to emotions that are not possible in this physical world. They are far beyond it. All that is experienced while in the presence of the Divine (for me) always accompanies a waking awareness that is extremely high, despite the overwhelming emotions that accompany it. I was not remotely afraid while in the presence of the Divine, in fact quite the opposite. It brings a feeling of complete contentness, happiness, and the feeling of being totally accepted. Fear is just not part of the equation in such a presence.
Hello and welcome to the Astral Pulse.
First of all, your desire to experience oneness with the Divine, Divine Love, is a most worthy one, and a principle reason we are here.
Mystical experiences can occur spontaneously, such as the wonderful experience shared by Frostytraveler in this topic, which I assume you have read. There are no words available in the human language to describe higher mystical experiences, they only be experienced and are unmistakable for what they are, and leave a profound impression.
Astral Projection is totally unrelated to mysticism or mystical experiences, and cannot help you in your quest. God, Source, The Divine is experienced in the Heart, not in the Astral or anywhere else, and true mystics know this absolutely. For example, the person who came to be known as Jesus was, among many other attributes, a true Mystic. To quote him in this context:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The emphasis is always therefore on Love, and not any metaphysical ability such as Astral Projection. Astral projection is valuable for many reasons, but knowing God through Love is not one of them.
Your post mentions words such as "very, very scared" etc. One emotion that is certain to be a barrier to experiencing God, the Divine, is fear. Fear and Love are polar opposites.
As for being "worthy", every human being is worthy of experiencing God, indeed a major aspect of Spiritual evolution is to grow ever closer to our Source, until finally returning home as fully Source, God realised.
Another great truth to be mindful of is that we ARE God. If this is a step to far to accept, then think of yourself as a child, or aspect of God. God cannot be found outside of you, or by any metaphysical process, but only in your Heart.
The first thing to do is to do your best to shed all negative emotions, such as fear and guilt, and replace them with higher activities and feelings that bring joy and Love. Also, if you wish to read about these mysticism, I suggest you read the profound works of true mystics such as the Sufi mystic, Rumi.
As I mentioned, your desire to experience God, the Divine is a most worthy one, so please feel free to ask any further questions, there are members here who can certainly help.
Quote from: Adrian on November 15, 2024, 02:57:07Astral Projection is totally unrelated to mysticism or mystical experiences, and cannot help you in your quest. God, Source, The Divine is experienced in the Heart, not in the Astral or anywhere else, and true mystics know this absolutely. For example, the person who came to be known as Jesus was, among many other attributes, a true Mystic. To quote him in this context:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The emphasis is always therefore on Love, and not any metaphysical ability such as Astral Projection. Astral projection is valuable for many reasons, but knowing God through Love is not one of them.
So very true Adrian. One of my most profound Divine experiences is exactly what you describe. It did not take place in the Astral. Love initiated the experience, the involvement of the heart was without question. Your words are very accurate, and reassuring as I reflect on my experience.
These experiences appear to either take place in in the physical realm (while meditating, in trance, or in a normal waking state, or they take place in a realm which is very different than the Astral. When they occur in the non physical, one of the main things I noted when these occurrences happen is "where was I, where did this experience take place?" I know, it was not here, and was in a realm of very high vibration.
Thanks everyone for there replies!
I agree with you Adrian that God is experienced in the heart, but I disagree that one cannot experience divinity in the astral, and that the heart only includes union. Obviously I have no experience with projection, but I've noticed it in the works of various mystics and scholars. (Also I love Rumi too, and Hafiz and Attar. I'm actually a religious studies major studying the influence of pre Islamic Iranian religion on the sufis, so I absolutely adore Rumi and his ilk)
Anyway, one example is the ascent texts of late antiquity, ie the Mithras liturgy, the texts of Merkabah mysticism and Zostrianos, as well as others- they all describe leaving their body and ascending through various layers of heaven and thusly meeting with God. There is also the out of body states described in the hermetica, specifically the meeting with pomiandres, which is explicitly described as happening between sleep and waking, when is his bodily senses were subdued. These are comparable to the accounts of Parmendies and other Ouliades who practiced lying still, dissociating from the body and meeting various deities, usually culminating in a sort of primordial revelation of the unified nature of reality. All of these have been analyzed by my favorite scholar Yulia Ustinova in her book on altered states of consciousness in Greek religion. She also notices these are analogous to spirit flights of shamanism, which involved leaving the body and either ascending or descending to meet Gods, a supreme divinity or various other spirits. Of note is the account of Epemenides, a famous Greek mantic who supposedly lay in a catatonic state for years while his soul traveled to the divine realm. And of course there's the aforementioned Corbin, who after studying the accounts of famous Sufi Suhrawardi among others, and codified the idea of a imaginal realm where normally incorporeal intelligences, including divinities could take shape. BUT frostytraveler is right in that it all takes place in the heart through LOVE, but I would argue that the heart is not just one state, aka waking union with the divine, but can also include any state where the desire for God is there. I believe any altered state is a medium that can be transformative when you go into with focus on the divine. In the immortal words of Parmenides, describing his out of body experiences "you can only go as far as your longing"
I would like to emphasize that I agree, love is the only way to get to God, but that this can take place in any state.
And yes, ineffability, overwhelming peace and a sense of ultimate truth are hallmarks of any mystical experience. It's found in every religious tradition, in every mystical experience around the globe, regardless of background. Love is always the key. The details change but love stays the same. As a student of comparative religion this is the most obvious part
Below is a poem that Adrian posted on another thread, which just by reading and understanding the meaning, your energy instantly raises its frequency. I will add a suggestion to understand who you truly are and then automatically your since of self worth will become visible to you. And remember, you are only as powerful. successful, abundant, and worthy as you believe you are. Change your beliefs and all this will change accordingly. You exist, therefore without you, God would not be complete, would not be ALL that is. Think about it. That alone should give you understanding how worthy you are and everything that exists.
When you remove your filters that you have imposed upon yourself when you assumed a persona you will find that you are already One with everything. The separation is just a simulation. Like putting blankets over yourself. You wont be able to see that you are in a beautiful garden, but when you remove it, you will see that you are already there. Oneness/God/higher self can be experienced in any state. The non-physical is just one of the infinite frequencies of energy. I have experienced it via AP but also at this time I am experiencing it every waking moment, because i know the below to be true for me. And we circle back to what you believe is what you experience.
God Became Me That I Could Become God, Therefore I Am God
God Is All, I Am God, Therefore I Am All
God Is Mind, I Am God, Therefore I Am Mind
God Is Light, I Am God, Therefore I Am Light
God Is Love, I Am God, Therefore I Am Love
God Is Infinite, I Am God, Therefore I Am Infinite
God Is Eternal, I am God, Therefore I Am Eternal
God Is Perfect, I Am God, Therefore I May Realize Perfection
God Expresses Through Me, As Me, Therefore I Express Experience
God Is, Therefore I Am
And So It Is.
Quote from: StarDust11 on November 15, 2024, 08:28:13Thanks everyone for there replies!
I agree with you Adrian that God is experienced in the heart, but I disagree that one cannot experience divinity in the astral, and that the heart only includes union.
That was not the point I was making, which was that it is not necessary to astral project to experience Divinity. The Divine is within us, within the Heart, and can be experienced here on Earth
Quote from: Adrian on November 15, 2024, 08:50:29That was not the point I was making, which was that it is not necessary to astral project to experience Divinity. The Divine is within us, within the Heart, and can be experienced here on Earth
Sorry, I misunderstood you then! Thanks for your insightful replies! I know divinity is within us, I just am also prone to fear and doubting what I already know.
When experiencing the Divine in the non physical realm, whatever realm it is, the location feels a bit different than a typical Astral Projection. Is it another realm or is it the heightened feelings experienced that makes one think/feel it is in another realm? Not sure, but it is a very unique experience nonetheless.
Quote from: Frostytraveler on November 15, 2024, 09:00:51When experiencing the Divine in the non physical realm, whatever realm it is, the location feels a bit different than a typical Astral Projection. Is it another realm or is it the heightened feelings experienced that makes one think/feel it is in another realm? Not sure, but it is a very unique experience nonetheless.
Yeah I've noticed this in various mystics accounts! It feels realer than real.
Quote from: StarDust11 on November 15, 2024, 08:28:13(Also I love Rumi too, and Hafiz and Attar. I'm actually a religious studies major studying the influence of pre Islamic Iranian religion on the sufis, so I absolutely adore Rumi and his ilk)
I am happy to hear that. If you can truly understand what the poetry of Rumi is really about, and what it means, you will realise that these hold the answers to your own questions.
Here are three Rumi quotes that you may be familiar with:
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
"The way to heaven is within. Shake the wings of love-when love's wings have become strong, there is no need to trouble about a ladder."
"When you seek Love with all your Heart, you shall find its echoes in the universe."
Quote from: Adrian on November 15, 2024, 09:48:04I am happy to hear that. If you can truly understand what the poetry of Rumi is really about, and what it means, you will realise that these hold the answers to your own questions.
I've read and understood their words, and in my heart intuitively know it's true, it's just hard to actually put that knowledge into practice, because despite my understanding I am a paranoid person and suffer from multiple anxiety disorders. I can't seem to move past my fear, despite knowing it is false and not of God. And it hurts to know that it's false and wrong and an arbitrary self imposed barrier and STILL not be able to move past it. Often when I read Rumi's poetry or the work of other truly 'enlightened' authors, I just feel peace and a sense of truth that washes my fears away, but in day to day life I still am plagued by doubt.
Quote from: StarDust11 on November 15, 2024, 09:57:03I am a paranoid person and suffer from multiple anxiety disorders. I can't seem to move past my fear, despite knowing it is false and not of God. And it hurts to know that it's false and wrong and an arbitrary self imposed barrier and STILL not be able to move past it.
The Subconscious Mind is infinitely powerful, and the above statements are powerful negative affirmations impressed on your Subconscious Mind, which, if continued will become increasingly self-fulfilling. We create our own experience through thoughts, beliefs, feelings etc..
If I may make a suggestion, you should consider switching those self-beliefs, completely around, and begin affirming, feeling and believing the truth that you are powerful, fearless etc. knowing that you are infinitely Loved by The Divine. Add to this anything else you wish to be or experience.
Be mindful of your thoughts, and if any negative thoughts enter your mind, do not engage them, instead let them go and repeat your positive affirmations, the truth about yourself.
Hi StarDust, welcome!
I think you've already received excellent advice, and I'm just here adding my two cents.
Your search for the Divine and God Union, as mentioned, is one of the ultimate spiritual goals we aspire to as spiritual beings and the reason we're here. This indicates, as some mystics say, being on the ascending arc of evolution, the path back Home. In contrast, younger souls desire to immerse themselves in the depths of matter.
This planet has diverse states of human evolution coexisting simultaneously, making our reality so diverse.
I agree that the path of astral projection isn't directly to God unless one intends to use this practice as a tool for that. One can have astral experiences for selfish purposes if desired.
Astral projection can be a path to God, but with effort and passing tests first. I share your goal of finding the Divine through astral projection. However, this plane is called the "plane of desires," and you'll face some trials like lust, fear, gluttony, greed, etc. One cannot enter higher realms harboring low human desires and instincts, which must be understood and controlled.
I don't consider myself someone who succumbs to material temptations; still, in the astral plane, I sometimes fall prey to my basest instincts, forgetting my ultimate Divine purpose – finding my True Self. I wonder why, since I'm not like that in the physical life. That's why the path to the Divine through astral projection has its challenges.
Therefore, it's essential to practice the Universe's fundamental principles daily, so when projecting, one can access higher planes without distractions.
The same thing happens to the deceased, who cannot ascend until they 'purify' themselves of all their earthly desires. How many people pass away and still try to indulge in drugs, sex, acquire objects, etc., and cannot move towards the Light? I feel like I'm trying to do the same thing while still incarnated.
In a way, we can say that we're shortening that frustrating period after death, so that when the day comes, we can find the divine light and return Home more quickly.
I'm not saying that enjoying material things is bad or contrary to spirituality, as many rigid doctrines claim. No, please. I think the healthiest approach is finding balance between both.
The problem arises when there's no balance, and one forgets their purpose, succumbing to material desires repeatedly, including in the astral realm. Material pleasures enrich life and make it more enjoyable, but everything in moderation.
When you have astral experiences and find the Divine, you'll have no doubts because it'll be a direct experience. I believe we doubt what we think, but not what we experience. It's like saying I'm hungry and doubting if I'm really hungry or just imagining it. Through direct experience, doubts vanish.
Moreover, in those altered states, the mind is free from human conditioning, allowing observation from a superior perspective. No doubts remain about the experience's authenticity, feeling more real than anything experienced on Earth, making this life seem like a distant dream.
Trust your intuition; the heart doesn't lie.
Author William Buhlman discusses finding one's true Self through astral projection, emphasizing this as the ultimate goal in non-physical exploration. His book, "Higher Self Now!", is on my soon-to-read list.
According to him, once in the astral realm, one must demand to experience their True Self or Higher Self, and... bam! everything will be revealed! I wonder if it's as easy as it sounds. But many have achieved this, including the author himself over the years, and I trust his words.
I've never tried this because, as I said, I'm still in the testing phase (and falling) and forgeting my divine purpose, despite intensely seeking it on Earth – a contradiction. But we're getting to know ourselves without judgment, loving unconditionally.
As I understand it, the Divine is experienced beyond the astral, in the higher realms.
My humble advice: don't seek God in any being or image; look within. God lives within you. I can't comment on the Being appearing in your dreams, as it might be a Loving Guide or aspect of your Higher Self.
However, no being should claim "I am God" since God is a direct experience with the Divine, Unity, and beyond ego and individuality. It's a transcendent experience.
As everyone mentioned, your search is truly noble, and I congratulate you on your path. It's great to investigate and read; books provide essential pieces in our quest.
Thanks for sharing, and please keep us updated!
Hugs
:-)
Quote from: Tak on November 15, 2024, 11:27:00Astral projection can be a path to God, but with effort and passing tests first...
Therefore, it's essential to practice the Universe's fundamental principles daily, so when projecting, one can access higher planes without distractions.
When you have astral experiences and find the Divine, you'll have no doubts because it'll be a direct experience. I believe we doubt what we think, but not what we experience. It's like saying I'm hungry and doubting if I'm really hungry or just imagining it. Through direct experience, doubts vanish. Moreover, in those altered states, the mind is free from human conditioning, allowing observation from a superior perspective. No doubts remain about the experience's authenticity, feeling more real than anything experienced on Earth, making this life seem like a distant dream. Trust your intuition; the heart doesn't lie.
As I understand it, the Divine is experienced beyond the astral, in the higher realms.
Tak, I have quoted some of your points that are aligned with my experiences. Of course my future experiences could change my thoughts.
Yes, if the Divine is accessed in the AP, then I would agree it's at the highest tier and of very high vibration. I have experienced the Divine in this realm, and it feels different, so it almost feels like its own realm, but as stated maybe it's just the highest tier of the AP? Or as I mentioned previously, perhaps the Divine is in its own realm/plane. I have also had a very unique Divine experience that feels like a bubble of the spiritual plane that had come to me (if that makes any sense). It felt as if in very close proximity to the physical, and was almost an overlay by the spiritual. I felt like I didn't go far at all. Then there are the meditation/trance experiences and lastly full waking experiences.
So my conclusion is: the Divine can be accesses in many different ways and locals, however the common denominator is always unconditional love, comfort, peace and a sincere feeling of such a high form of acceptance that it promotes a oneness state. It is truly a state of bliss, that you would rather not leave.
Lastly, your comment about "it makes this life feel like a dream". I can't tell you how true that is with me. I had a projection where I encountered a loved one and my waking awareness was so high I began questioning if the realm I projected in was the "real realm" and the physical realm was the dream or illusion, where the loved one died. I logically tried to analyze the matter at great length during the projection. While in the AP, the thought of going back to the physical realm was very emotional and sad. Then you know, yes realer than real, and very moving.
Quote from: Frostytraveler on November 15, 2024, 14:04:45Lastly, your comment about "it makes this life feel like a dream". I can't tell you how true that is with me. I had a projection where I encountered a loved one and my waking awareness was so high I began questioning if the realm I projected in was the "real realm" and the physical realm was the dream or illusion, where the loved one died.
This aligns with the concept of physical reality being a simulation/a dream. When our focus returns to being in spirit (which is our NATURAL state) we will look back on the physical life and say "whew, what a dream" haha
Quote from: Frostytraveler on November 15, 2024, 14:04:45So my conclusion is: the Divine can be accesses in many different ways and locals, however the common denominator is always unconditional love, comfort, peace and a sincere feeling of such a high form of acceptance that it promotes a oneness state. It is truly a state of bliss, that you would rather not leave.
Thanks FrostyTraveler for your comments, I love what you have experienced!
First of all, I want to apologize because perhaps I made a description that could lead to misunderstanding. "As I understand it, the Divine is experienced beyond the astral, in the higher realms."
With this I simply meant that the Divine realm is found in the most subtle planes of consciousness, but not that they cannot be experienced in any other way and that it is something unattainable. I think that as you said before, this realm can even be accessed with our eyes open here on Earth, or in any way (AP, meditation, trance state, etc.) if our consciousness and our heart have been focused on the center of our True Self, with Love being the basis of everything.
I like the example Lighbeam always gives of layers. Since I literally feel that going deep is like removing layers of an onion, until we reach the Core, where we are in our purest state.
Yeah, I have read some conflicting info re the high tier Astral realm being of very high vibration and where the Divine layer also resides. I have also read that the Divine and Angelic realm is above the high Astral.
To me it doesn't matter much how we label them, as long as we experience them. :-)
This astral projector maps out his view of the Astral Plane and the Higher planes, such as the Causal and Mental Plane. Many call them different names. Another that maps out the different layers is Kurt Leland. If I had to lean one way, I say the Divine lies above the Astral Plane, due to how different it feels there.
Also, when I project to the Astral I am a participant and often initiate the activity. With a Divine experience, the majority of the time, I feel called upon as if I am summonsed to a particular location or experience. As mentioned, it can also occur in very close proximity to the physical realm. There are exceptions to this as a very profound Divine experience I had was clearly initiated by me. Divine experiences have a very different feel to them. Just my experiences of course, as others may be quite different.
Quote from: Tak on November 15, 2024, 16:20:08I like the example Lighbeam always gives of layers. Since I literally feel that going deep is like removing layers of an onion, until we reach the Core, where we are in our purest state.
I agree, this is an excellent metaphor.
Edit: I had typed a long post with reference to the view of the universe depicted in the video graphic posted by Frostytraveler, but in retrospect removed it so as not to dilute this excellent topic of Divine Love as a whole. I can repost it if anyone is interested.
I actually liked the post Adrian. Much of it I agree with and it just feels right. Especially the comment where you said the Divine can be experienced at any level. I also like how you mentioned experiencing the Divine can be done so at different vibratory level. This certainly can influence the extent of our experience.
I also agree with the 3 tiers of the Astral you referred to and the higher Spirit realms above that. I liked how you referenced humans on earth and depending on their level of evolvement, dictates where they go. I also agree that the quest for money, power, greed, excessive materialism and reckless disregard for another (a violation of the basic principle of treat others how you would like to be treated) dictates what tier of the Astral many go. I absolutely have felt that for years. When a low vibration human lives such a 1 hz life, I always said that they will be rummaging around in the lower astral for a loooong time. The God part of your post, as you know, I take a bit of a different approach to, which is fine.
If I have mixed my own thoughts with your's please feel free to point out any differences.
It was an enjoyable read. If you would rather I remove my response post, just let me know.
Quote from: Frostytraveler on November 16, 2024, 04:56:47I actually liked the post Adrian. Much of it I agree with and it just feels right. Especially the comment where you said the Divine can be experienced at any level. I also like how you mentioned experiencing the Divine can be done so at different vibratory level. This certainly can influence the extent of our experience.
I also agree with the 3 tiers of the Astral you referred to and the higher Spirit realms above that. I liked how you referenced humans on earth and depending on their level of evolvement, dictates where they go. I also agree that the quest for money, power, greed, excessive materialism and reckless disregard for another (a violation of the basic principle of treat others how you would like to be treated) dictates what tier of the Astral many go. I absolutely have felt that for years. When a low vibration human lives such a 1 hz life, I always said that they will be rummaging around in the lower astral for a loooong time. The God part of your post, as you know, I take a bit of a different approach to, which is fine.
If I have mixed my own thoughts with your's please feel free to point out any differences.
It was an enjoyable read. If you would rather I remove my response post, just let me know.
Thank you Frosty, I am happy you enjoyed the post, and please do keep your response post.
I will create a new topic and post it there to keep the different, but related subjects separate.
Quote from: StarDust11 on November 14, 2024, 21:08:01Hi!
I, above everything, desire direct personal experience of what is often called 'God', or the infinite, the absolute.
More than anything my life is slowly becoming the awareness of a living partnership with God. Who, what is God? Am I to tell you? Certainly not. You discover, you decide.
So I ask, how do you wish to experience God? In what ways have you already experienced?
My life is a partnership. The thought I had this morning, I wish to marry God. God the Beloved. God the Romantic Partner.
What matters most is sincerity. My thoughts by themselves are fleeting, distracted by the whims of a still developing Ego- then do I run back to God the loving parent when I've all but forgotten my deepest desires. When I've forgotten what is happening *now*
It is possible to experience God in an immeasurable, variety of ways. So you must ask your self... what do you want- how do you want, and you must cultivate your awareness... Stepping into the living Partnership, recognizing Life as speaking to your innermost desires.
A few quotes from the spiritual giants...
QuoteYou do not have to struggle to reach God,
but you do have to struggle to tear away
the self-created veil that hides him from you.
Paramahansa Yogananda
How long will you keep pounding on an open door
begging for someone to open it?
Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya
There is only one virtue
and only one sin
for a soul on the path:
virtue when he is conscious of God
and sin when he is not.
Abu Hashim Madani
From one form to dust, to another
🌹
Quote from: tides2dust on November 16, 2024, 09:23:47I wish to marry God. God the Beloved. God the Romantic Partner.
This is almost exactly the way of the Sufi, Mystics.
Quote from: tides2dust on November 16, 2024, 09:23:47What matters most is sincerity.
I find "sincerity" as one of the key and necessary attributes to deep spiritual ascension. Be sincere and authentic to oneself, to all you meet be it in a fleeting moment during the day or have prolonged relationships with. Be sincere to all animals, nature, to the planet to spirit to God to the universe etc... the list goes on. Sincerity is lacking on this planet, which is why things are not as good as they could be.
Quote from: Frostytraveler on November 16, 2024, 09:36:03I find "sincerity" as one of the key and necessary attributes to deep spiritual ascension. Be sincere and authentic to oneself, to all you meet be it in a fleeting moment during the day or have prolonged relationships with. Be sincere to all animals, nature, to the planet to spirit to God to the universe etc... the list goes on. Sincerity is lacking on this planet, which is why things are not as good as they could be.
Absolutely. And to this list I would include truthfulness. Be true to others, true to self, and true to The Divine.
Quote from: tides2dust on November 16, 2024, 09:23:47More than anything my life is slowly becoming the awareness of a living partnership with God. Who, what is God? Am I to tell you? Certainly not. You discover, you decide.
So I ask, how do you wish to experience God? In what ways have you already experienced?
My life is a partnership. The thought I had this morning, I wish to marry God. God the Beloved. God the Romantic Partner.
What matters most is sincerity. My thoughts by themselves are fleeting, distracted by the whims of a still developing Ego- then do I run back to God the loving parent when I've all but forgotten my deepest desires. When I've forgotten what is happening *now*
It is possible to experience God in an immeasurable, variety of ways. So you must ask your self... what do you want- how do you want, and you must cultivate your awareness... Stepping into the living Partnership, recognizing Life as speaking to your innermost desires.
A few quotes from the spiritual giants...
From one form to dust, to another
🌹
This means a lot to me. I also want to marry God, as a romantic partner, which is why the Sufi poets matter so much to me- I also love the medieval women's mystics. It's nice to find someone who feels the same.