| MASTER OF GNOSTICISM BY: REVEREND KURT FONDRIEST This class enabled me once again to contemplate my own personal ideas and beliefs on spirituality. I feel that if I am moved in any way about my point of life from a class then the lessons were successful. Gnosticism makes sense to me. It is enriched in our daily lives if we allow it to do so. The idea of myself as co-creator is an empowering step and ability that I and everyone processes. We can see the world as spiritual or material. Can we see the world as both, with a centered balance? Reading the weekly lessons along with a great reference book" LIVING GNOSIS" A practical guide To Gnostic Christianity, by Tau Malachi demonstrated for me this state of flux that is always occurring. I don't believe there is a carved in stone answer to living a life of gnosis, however I was able to come to a clear understanding about this once tabooed way of thinking. The part that drew me into reflecting on my own thoughts of Gnosis was the "Sophian" gospel. This enabled me to see Yeshua as a man who was symbolic of the spiritual once he merged with the "Christo". This enabled me to say yes to my own belief that the gospels are to be experiences in our own daily life. These sets of books do me no good locked up or dismissed from the Contemporary Christian Counsel, who I see as the watch dogs on keeping the traditional esoteric belief in order. This is where Christianity for me has fallen off of the human path. Yesua was a man born with no more enlightenment then any other individual is, however he seeked the mission of life and found that life was not the mission rather the mission was of life. The way ones celebrates their divine mission to the life of living. The connection of male and feminine being in balance and harmony is seen in the life of Yesua and Mary of Magdelene is a vision of dualistic nature within each of us. These natural states of consciousness are what will enable people to be "LIGHT BEARERS''. The Church of Universal Light uses the concept as part of their tenets. I belong to this church as well and as a Holistic Minister I can see many more congregations coming back to this living of Gnosis. The symbolism created in Gnosticism is expressed for the person to understand it to the level of their belief and spirituality. The expression taught in these lessons I found to be of an eclectic verse. some of these resonated with me while others were not in sync to my level of living, however I did not dismiss their teachings since living the gospels is an experience that changes daily. All of this is based on my mental, physical and spiritual awareness at any given time on this journey. As with the course on Christian mysticism I found myself seeing Jesus and Mary as people who were learning about the "Christo" as they experienced it. I have always believed Jesus was not the exception yet the example. For me it makes natural sense that Yesua and Mary were destined to be soul mates. Each approached their destiny from different paths that brought them together. For me a good contemporary reference is the Rock Musical "JESUS CHRIST SUPER STAR" This demonstrates the life of Gnosis. It takes all the rhetoric teachings and throws it out to the simple truth. Again I found myself listening to the soundtrack of this musical as I read the lessons and the book on living Gnosis. What also I found very enlightening was how Gnosis symbolizes The Creator and Satan . It was using the dualistic elements that we as fractions of the creation of light have forgotten for some reason or another. Basically it is from Human understanding we will connect to the greatness of Creation . Not through rhetorical principles and teachings. We already know within ourselves what we hold true of the self and this is the step to be taken, I feel, to re-awaken our divine right and duty as light bearer's. These lessons inspired me to write a poem on my inspiration of Gnosis: ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use. The ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar |
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Gnosticism
Wicca Studies
Religious Philosophy
Religious Philosophy Final Essay
Rev. Phil Robinson
In any field of study it is important to understand some of the path which has led
that study to its current state. The ideas and concepts of religious philosophy as
an academic study have been around for as long as religious thought. Whether it
is defining what is and isn't classed as religion, how a particular religion should
be practiced, or analyzing elements of different religions, the concept of studying
and analysing religious thoughts has always been present. While the main drive
of religious philosophy through Europe by the Christians may have been during
the 18th century, examples of study outside of these conditions can be found
throughout history.
An early example of what we would recognise today as religious philosophy
might be "Euthyphro" which is an early dialogue of the Athenian philosopher
Plato (428-347 B.C.) . It contains a dialogue between the Ancient Greek
philosopher Socrates (369-399 B.C.) and a well know religious expert Euthyphro.
The discussion is an attempt to define the concept of piety and shows a very
serious early dedication to examining religion from a philosophical point of view.
In the East the exposure to religions unlike your own was far more common and
religious ideas were shared across them. Unlike in Europe in the 17th/18th
century the idea of adopting and embracing elements from different religions was
much more widespread. Without this attitude Buddhism may not have grown in
the same manner. It was, as it is today, versatile, adaptable and easy to fit in with
your own belief systems. In India, Buddhism grew out of Hinduism and was
distributed around the Eastern countries, such as China and Japan via the silk
road. The people of India, later reverted to Hinduism and Buddhism grew and
changed in its new surroundings.
Some early religions didn't just take influence and basic ideas from others but
integrated large pieces of dogma, orthodoxy, orthopraxy and in some cases
entire deities. A good example here would be Egypt in the Greco-Roman period
where the process was bi-directional. Romans were building Egyptian
monuments, Egyptian mummies were being painted and adored with Roman
images. Neither were prepared to abandon or fully integrate their religious ideas
or indeed any other elements of the society.
My point is this, that different religions have always studied each other and
compared and contrasted the results, yes it is true that some ethnocentric
religions have done this from a point of proving to themselves that they are the
correct set of beliefs but in the earlier development of religion and philosophy this
was also done to share and develop ideas.
This course introduced me to the works of Feuerbach who I had not been aware
of before. The concept of projection that derives from Feuerbach's "Essence of
Christianity" can be seen in many forms, not only as a creation of a god from the
mind of man (and here by man I mean a member of Mankind, male or female)
but also as a form of metaphysical manifestation.
As man creates ideas, concepts and thoughts within the private reality of his own
mind, he also projects and to an extent manifests these thoughts into the reality
of others. An inventor creates a new invention first of all in his mind only.
Likewise a preacher may project thought to his congregation.
I think that the projection Feuerbach was talking about is not only one within the
mind of individual men but also a projection into the global human knowledge
and a reality that is shared by all so if enough people think and believe
something is a particular way then to a certain extent it becomes true within the
frame of normal human existence and belief. In the words of The Buddha: "We
are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we
make the world."
The analysis of religion by breaking down separate components was a good
approach throughout. I enjoyed examining how they linked together like the
ingredients of a religion. For example "precepts and concepts" which are clearly
very different elements of religion but still have some degree of relationship
within their systems. A concept could translate into a precept if its importance is
such that it becomes a part of the orthopraxy and it is generally believed that it
should be practised by all.
For example, a respect for all sentient beings may be an existent concept that
eventually becomes used as a precept such as 'Thou shalt not kill'. Likewise that
same precept may transmit a concept of compassion to the many without
defining it specifically as such.
Classification of religion is just as difficult as it is to clearly define anything
complex into a particular set of properties but also maybe the very process of
creating categories is flawed, for example are all religions not dualist "and"
monist to some degree? If we look at the dualist concepts of "good and evil" and
"yin and yang" as examples we might see them as the following; Yin and Yang
are complements of each other rather than opposites and this may also apply to
good and evil. Is there really evil as a separate and distinct entity to good or is
evil only manifested by the absence or differing levels of good?
Christianity may be examined as a dualist religion on the basis that it sees both
good and evil yet it is monotheistic believing that all is the creation of one.
Likewise the yin or yang is one of two forces that mutually promote and restrict
each other to the level that when they are in balance they become one. The unity
and completeness of this one is the whole point of the yin yang philosophy, not
their separate and distinct properties or states. Monism and Dualism are both
apparent in most systems, there importance is elevated depending on the criteria
and level of analysis.
It was stated in the later parts of the course, when dealing with apocalyptic and
eschatological faiths, that there are also religions who completely ignore the "last
things" and deal solely with the life we are given. I believe that this may not be
"ignoring" but more examining things from a different scope. For example a man
may prepare for his death by preparing for the last days, not of the world, or of
the universe, but certainly of his world. If one believes that the world in which
they reside is contained entirely within themselves, such as in a projected reality
like that referred to by Feuerbach, does this apocalyptic nature of death not then
make the person eschatological.
The sections on the "god gene" and the studies that were referenced in this
course also interested me, the trouble with statistics is that you can make them
say almost anything you like. I read through a lot of studies relating to the brain's
responses to self transcendence and spirituality and all of them seem to be
flawed.
First of all I'm not convinced that selected groups are the best to draw any
conclusions from. In the "Self-transcendence in Australian twins" research, were
the subjects told the nature of the experiment, it seems to indicate by omission
and the fact that there were no results where they "never" went to church, that all
subjects had some degree of religious activity.
Secondly the method for assessment of a person's degree of spirituality seems a
little suspect. They were asked true or false questions such as these:
● Often I have unexpected flashes of insight or understanding while
relaxing.
● I often feel a strong spiritual or emotional connection with all the people
around me.
● I often feel that I am a part of the spiritual force on which all life depends.
● I sometimes feel so connected to nature that everything seems to be part
of one living organism.
● I love the blooming of flowers in the spring as much as seeing an old
friend again.
Is this really the best way to asses the entire complex sphere of religious and
spiritual activity? Even if you narrow it down to self transcendence, can a couple
of heavily weighted and romantically worded, true or false questions give an
accurate picture of the experience of an enlightened being?
I also took a look at the study "The Serotonin System and Spiritual Experiences"
in the "American Journal of psychiatry", and it would indeed seem to suggest that
the serotonin system is shown to have an effect on an individual's predisposition
towards spiritual experiences and religiosity. As with the other studies; the twins
research, and the god gene, you have to ask "What is the relevance of a change
in brain chemistry upon the experiences of the subject?" They are no less real
through a scientific explanation.
There are many physiological and chemical changes when a person is exposed
to stress or threat. This stress response is a natural part of human evolution but
stress is not a psychological anomaly any more than spirituality is. Explaining the
natural responses within the human body and giving things a scientific label does
not demystify the metaphysical elements of those responses. In the same way
that continuous exposure to stressful situations can increase one's predisposition
to release adrenaline and become more alerted to stress, surely increased
exposure to spiritual experiences will increase the neural and chemical
responses of the brain. The brain is after all like any other organ, it just responds
according to its functional biology and nature.
There is always the notion that the mind is not necessarily 100% a child process
of the brain. Therefore changes in the brain chemistry may affect the mind but
not to the extent that the mind is altered beyond choice. This process is a two
way operation, that is the conditioning of the mind can also affect the brain
chemistry in the same manner. With continuous and deliberate practises,
whether religious in nature or not, affecting the levels and receptors of
monoamines such as dopamine and serotonin in the brain. Meditation and prayer
may both be examples of such practises.
The big questions asked of life are what link religion with philosophy, man has
always sought answers to these question, who am I?, why are we here?, What is
matter?, what is reality?. Religion may have started as an early attempt to
explain the unexplainable but it has certainly become more than that. When does
philosophy become religion and vice versa? Is it the presence of a god or is it
more the presence of faith? If it is faith then a atheist can be also be said to be
religious as it requires as much a leap of faith to categorically deny the existence
of a supreme being, with no proof, as it does to declare the existence. This leads
to a questioning of existence itself.
How does something exist? Is there a difference between existence and reality?
Or is it true to say that simply be existing something is part of reality? What if the
item in question is not a physical object but a concept, thoughts exist but have
little physical presence other than electrical impulses, how about mathematics?
Nobody could deny the existence of mathematics yet it is purely conceptual, it
has no presence outside of the mind of those who understand it conceptually. If
we then look at the big question, "Does god exist?" then we might see that he
exists in the thoughts, beliefs, and prayers of those who have a relationship with
god. God certainly exists in the churches and communities that derive strength
from their faith. Whether you "believe" or think that there is some form of deity or
spiritual being become irrelevant. God is part of reality through his existence in
the hearts and minds of man.
In summary the course has extended not only my understanding but also led my
study into many different and enjoyable tangents, I took my time to complete the
course but enjoyed some extended research as a natural and logical progression
from the main study. The material presented was done so in a way that raised as
many questions as it answered and left me eager to further this line of study.
********************
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Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Gospel of Thomas
Friday, August 28, 2009
Spirit Quest
Essay for Dr of Metaphysics
The Disappearance of Metaphysics
Metaphysics, why metaphysics? Metaphysics, the place where the supernatural meets the natural, the spirit meets the physical "the rubber meets the road".
When we were young, in our evolution or personal growth, we look at the world around us and noticed if we did this that would happen. As we grew older we became aware, if we didn't get it, whatever that was, food, shelter, acceptance, or some material satisfier, we had a growing feeling of scarcity which led to physical discomfort, emotional insecurity or even death, this created or was created by the feeling of fear. We began to try to fix the feeling of fear by trying to take, bargain for, and make things. In our quest for things we begin to recognize that there is some sort of set of rules that governs out come. We notice if we do things the "right way" our experience will become more pleasing and that knowledge of what the right way is will help us with the out come desired. This gives rise to the notions of right and wrong, justice, knowledge and ignorance, and beauty and ugliness, (pleasing as opposed to dis-pleasing) esthetics, the rise of the law.
Through our growth we have noticed that there are forces that act on us and our world, which seem to be inexplicable but inevitable. We call these things Gods, God, Goddess, Spirit, the super natural, and fearfully begin to try to relate to, understand and gain further control of our out comes. We devise rites and rituals make sacrifices, to placate and cajole our intent to gain control and get what we desire. If the out come is not as we expect. We are driven to further questioning of what is going on, how do we fit in, and who are we really? Thoughtful introspection and contemplation lead to meditation; now we are beginning to get somewhere. Either little by little or in a flash our consciousness stills and our awareness elevates or we begin to get insight into our true nature and the nature of our world. When we first see the light we are aw-struck but then realize that there is nothing there, but pure potential so we venture back into the recognizable world where we are somebody yet with a new understanding to explore and build on.
In the mean time there is another side of us that claims to be more rational and does not believe in this hocus-pocus, in its quest for who and what. It has devised another way of looking at things based on closely scrutinizing the external world experientially, by experiment and trial and error to find out what, who and how, with the same intention to gain control. This is the method of science.
What it comes down to at the present is both science and the spiritual world have agreed the universe and all that is in it is energy, this includes what we perceive to be material, and that thoughts control what we perceive, feel and manifest in some sort of cyclic fashion. This gives us the simple concept, if we change our thoughts we change our world.
So what is stopping us? Two kinds of thought create feelings and perception that limits or negatively impacts our out comes. One, we think and feel we don't deserve it and the other which is probably an extension of the first, we don't possess the ability or are not good enough. (Who told us so?)
For thousands of years there have been people that have been aware of and possessed this understanding but word of mouth travels slowly and this kind of information scares others that have tried to suppress this understanding. With the rapid and growing dissemination of information in the world this concept and techniques that support and facilitate are beginning to abound. This course was one of many variations on the theme of how to create miracles or manifest what we desire.
Most basically:
1. Get into a meditative state
2. Notice what you desire
3. Notice the nasty little dark voice and feeling that tells you, "You can't".
4. Use a technique to clear and rid yourself of that naysayer.
(There are plenty of different approaches out there. Some seem to work on some things and some work well on others, so I suggest get good arsenal.)
5. Develop a strong intention, visualization (include all the senses) and feeling (emotion, sense of excitement in the present, "already happened".
6. Take action don't just sit and wait. Unless of course that is what is called for.
7. Let it go.
8. Be in the moment and grateful for whatever is there.
9. Repeat the full process as necessary.
At some point we will come to know these things as naturally as riding a bike and the supernatural will becomes natural and metaphysics disappears.
Just imagine? What you would do if there were no limits, challenges or obstacles?
Rev. Gene Rapalyea
********************
Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.
As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar
Spirituality
| "Developing a Spiritual Mentality" A Final Essay for the Master of Spirituality Course By Daniel L. Moore "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NASB). The above passage sums up what I learned from this course. It was a challenging course for me. The instructor did an excellent job in separating the spiritual from the natural way of thinking that people often do. In order to minister in the spiritual realm, there needs to be an adjustment in my thinking. The adjustment comes by… First…understanding how human thinks and philosophize. It helps when one ministers to those who are the "just the facts" type of person and those who follow the typical western mindset of thinking. Second…understanding the major persons (Plato, Aristotle, etc) who developed the philosophies. They were products of their time and culture. Knowing these influences help to understand the background of their thinking. Third…moving to understand what God desires us to know. This is a radical transforming action. Man is not God but a creation of God to reflect Divine character. Spiritual learning and growth comes by responding to the circumstances and challenges God allows in our lives. I learned that as I meet each challenge I will have to unlearn something to gain something from God. This is the challenge of spiritual understanding. It is to seek the divine perspective of things. My small human mind may see an issue from a selfish angle. As I adjust, setting aside my prejudices and biases, I am able to gain divine insight. The spiritual mentality comes when I align myself with God's Person and Purposes. When I can humble myself to a position to see as Christ sees, then I am able to obtain the mind of Christ and have a true spiritual mentality. The course has blessed me in many ways. It will challenge every person who enrolls in it. And I believe it will leave the person in a better position with a greater understanding to minister to people. ********************** Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button. The ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. I've been ordained with Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar |
Friday, August 14, 2009
Buddhist Studies
| Final Essay Master of Buddhist Studies Rev. Gio Sugranes One major question always asked is what exactly is Buddhism and what is a Buddhist? Even within the corpus of texts and books available now a day, this question still needs to be answered in a way that is less technical and less confusing. With so many different traditions, teachings, texts, and Masters who teach from those texts, it can be difficult to understand and get a clear vision of what Buddhism is and what a Buddhist follows or accepts. Put simply, Buddhism is the Path of Awakening. Plain and simple. Within this path we find that there are many steps one can take to "Awaken". These steps are known as the Dharma, or Teachings of Universal Truth, as offered by a Buddha. In our case it was the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, former Indian Prince. He re-discovered the Truth and as such declared, that for the benefit of all beings still "asleep", he would expound, share what he had learned. It is for this reason that Buddhist are grateful for his efforts, compassion, and wisdom. Another question would be what is Awakening? What does one Awaken to? The answer is to awaken to Reality, Truth, and the Oneness in all things. To put an end to the illusion of separation and the grasping of a centralized ego. Through methods of developing wisdom and compassion we start the see unity. We awaken to the boundless nature of all things and develop inner peace through the realization of truth. Through the many methods, Buddhist learn to understand feelings and emotions and how they develop. One learns to look deeply at the habituated actions that have lead to suffering in the past, and how to transform them into methods of the path. One learns to understand the plight and afflictions of others and though compassionate actions, helps all beings. A Buddhist has a simple nature. One that develops the heart of compassion and seeks to gain wisdom through direct experience. Armed with this wisdom and compassion, A Buddhist understands reality and develops inner calmness. A Buddhist will also seek to help, guide others to discover their own way and ultimately, enlightenment. The goal is to look at the world through the eyes of wisdom that see all things as interdependent. One understands that there are many actions that lead one to experience the Present Moment. This is the true blessing. To see how many things take place in just one life in the present. Through this, we learn to be more compassionate to our neighbor. We are more willing to lend a hand because we cannot survive without the graces of others. And finally, a Buddhist learns to be aware, mindful of the moment. Knowing this, we can learn to appreciate this life more. We can understand the issues that arise within the mind. A Buddhist has also been described as one that takes on many practices and vows or precepts. However, I feel that these elements do not define one as a Buddhist. The vows and precepts are just another guideline or practice we take on to be able to stabilize the mind and bring about inner peace so that one can attain wisdom through looking deeply at reality. A Buddhist is also a constant student of the Dharma, Teachings. Always engaged in the "Beginners' Mind", a Buddhist is always looking at Teachings as if they were new to him. Never settling for "I know all", for this is just a projection of the ego. A person of this nature is constantly striving to learn without grasping to attitudes like; "I have learned it all". He is constantly learning and listening deeply to the Teachings of the Buddha. But what is the path to Enlightenment in Buddhism? Is it the practice of Zen, Mantra recitation and visualization, or simple and basic reflection and meditation? I feel the answer to this question lies in the heart of each individual practitioner. Looking beyond tradition and customs, one must look deeply at what makes sense. The Buddha spoke 84,000 teachings which were based on the many needs and mental capacities of sentient beings. He knew that we are all different and as such, would take on different practices. The Buddha is known to be like a Doctor who is able to treat the illnesses of this life. He was able to prescribe a medicine based on the afflictions and turmoil of his patients. Knowing the issue at hand he prescribed a Dharma teaching, which only we can take and fulfill. So, in essence, it's like saying that some medication can and will work for some, but others require a different medicine due to difference in ailment. The Sangha, the community, was like the nurse who would guide you in taking such prescription so that they would be great benefit. It is a very individual choice to seek out what "medicine" the Buddha offered and would be of benefit to us. It is a personal journey of discovery. Ultimately, whether Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, or what ever other spiritual journey one may take in this life, the goal is the same. To return to a natural state of being. Free of delusions, anger, hatred, and dualistic grasping. It is the goal to return to the Oneness, the Thusness of this great Universe. This should be the "glue" that binds us all together. The Journey! ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use. The ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar |
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Gnosticism
Final Essay for Gnostic Study For Rev. Linda Francis Fifteen years ago my late husband and I began to read about the Gnostic religion. We read a dozen or more books before his death, and discussed them by the fireplace or on the back porch each night. Missing our studies together I enrolled in a couple of local classes and several discussion groups. Like myself and my late husband, I found that the others that also had an interest in this religion had one major thing in common. We all were highly formally educated and were seeking to keep our minds informed long past our formal education years to achieve a career goal. The second factor that we shared was a thirst for truth, or at least information from all sides of an issue to make the best choice possible, and this not only had to do with religion, but political and ethical issues, as well. Needing one more class to complete my sixty hours I decided to take one more class in Gnosticism. After some of the early classes I was disappointed and almost dropped the study. It at first seemed as if the teacher was finding the faults within Gnostic teachings to show how wrong they were. The lesson on Hitler as a Gnostic was the one lesson that actually made me sign up for another class to complete my study. It was a class in the Gospel of Thomas For some reason I did not drop it right away and in a few weeks I decided perhaps the teacher was like myself and was only trying to show both sides. By the time I reached this last lesson I had no doubts that the teacher liked as many things as I found that I liked about the Gnostics. I especially, enjoyed the idea the teacher tossed out about many scholars believing that Buddhism was a forerunner of many of the Gnostic/Christian ideas. I too had wondered about the two. I studied Buddhist meditation for many years and read much that I liked about that faith, as well, even taking some formal classes in this field. I have a little Buddhist sculpture where he is bent over weeping in his lap. One day after finishing my class I picked the Buddha up and said to myself. "I wish I had one of Jesus weeping, too. For surely both weep at what mankind kind and his egoic dogma has done to both of their teachings." For these reason I find it harder and harder to call myself Christian anymore than I could claim I am a Buddhist. And when I read one of the last lessons that stated that Gnostics felt they were the only ones with the real truth about God, I thought to myself, well there are the Jews, the Muslims, Baptist and Catholics, etc each believing they are the only right ones and that is why mankind has been killing each other with one war after the other all their lives. However, I will agree that a major part of enlightenment is seeking knowledge which was highly promoted by the Gnostics and part of the narrow vision from other faiths is they refuse to study and open themselves up to the ideas of others, accepting only what their parents, community and the faith they were born into teaches. The less formally educated the faith as a whole is (both women and children as well as men), the more dogma seems to appear in their rules and the more fearful and violent they are at defending these rules, even at taking the life of those different from them, to speak nothing of the shunning and refusing to show love to those different from themselves. The study states that today, "If one desires to become a Gnosis you must seek your path to find your truth and understanding. In order to do this one must clear their mind of all barriers, to include their own ego. Finding the truth for one's self can be obtained numerous ways, meditation, dreams, and yoga among other practices." I think of myself as on a spiritual path (a personal one) rather than a religious one (founded by an egoic group seeking control and claiming they know God's mind.) Our minister was away last Sunday and the sermon was delivered by a local writer and college professor. Dr. John Nash, from East Tennessee State University. He spoke of Sofia, wisdom and the Gnostic faith. He ended with a pondering thought. He stated, that at one time in the early foundation of the Christian faith that there was a Gnostic called Valentenus that was suggested as a good idea as the next Pope. He lost by just a vote or two. His name was Valentinus. Church father Tertullion reported that he narrowly lost the election. Valentenus was educated in Alexandria, but moved to Rome in 136 AD. He lived there for nearly 25 years. The informaiton is in Dr. Nash's textbook, called Christianity: the One, the Many," vol 1, p 258. The thought he left us to ponder was how might the world have been a different place to live in today, if Vllentinus had been elected … where ego was put aside and power, guilt and fear were not used a tools of control for not just the government, fathers ruling their families and the Christians.********************** Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button. The ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. I've been ordained with Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar |
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion. It is an applied philosophy. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama who through enlightenment became The Buddha and started teaching people how to end suffering and pain in life by living them the eightfold path of Buddhism. It is a path(middle path) that will help all living things each enlightenment and true happiness which will stop their suffering in life. Life will still be full of suffering and pain but we will be able to be happy by understanding it, and what causes it, and what to do to live with it in our lives. Most happiness does not last forever. There are parts of it that we can have always through Buddhism. Buddhism does not endorse an existence of a soul or a supreme being . Even Buddha is just a man. He is no God.
Buddhists do not pray to him. We all can become Buddhas and reach the same enlightenment that the Buddha had. Buddhism teaches that worldly things are not permanent. We must not cling to them. This contributes to our sufferings in life if we do cling to them. Buddhism corrects our views about life and we learn to see it as it really is and to understand it and except it for what it really is. It is not completely pessimistic or optimistic. The core aim is to help us see things as they really are. We can not change life but we can change ourselves and our attitudes toward the world. This will lead to wisdom and happiness. Buddhism helps us develop self reliance, moral responsibility, tolerance, compassion, wisdom and many other qualities that can enrich our lives and give life meaning and add to our happiness in life.
Buddhists do not pray to him. We all can become Buddhas and reach the same enlightenment that the Buddha had. Buddhism teaches that worldly things are not permanent. We must not cling to them. This contributes to our sufferings in life if we do cling to them. Buddhism corrects our views about life and we learn to see it as it really is and to understand it and except it for what it really is. It is not completely pessimistic or optimistic. The core aim is to help us see things as they really are. We can not change life but we can change ourselves and our attitudes toward the world. This will lead to wisdom and happiness. Buddhism helps us develop self reliance, moral responsibility, tolerance, compassion, wisdom and many other qualities that can enrich our lives and give life meaning and add to our happiness in life.
Buddhism does not believe in a soul so when we are reborn it is not a soul moving to a new body in a new life. It is the life force from the past life that enters a new body. This life force we are all part of. We take what we learned with it to a new body and also the karma from past lives to it. It is like ripples on water. There is no conflict between Buddhism and Science. Buddhists believe parts of Buddhism has been proven by science. Buddhism is a strong faith and it is still growing today. Buddha did not believe it would last this long. It is about 2,500 years old. Buddhism teaches that we are all responsible for our own actions and that dedication and self discipline and wise judgement are keys to reaching our highest goals in life. It teaches to care for the sick and distressed among us. We must all try to develop the qualities of the Buddha by experiencing it in life by learning the nature of humanity and suffering and the true nature of things. Things like contentment, freedom of enjoyment, and being good are parts of happiness we can have even in pain and suffering times. Buddha is our guide and Dharma is our path and Sangha is our traveling companions on our journey to enlightenment. These qualities are precious like a gem. That is why they are called the Triple Gem. A Buddhist meditates on the Four Immeasurables which are Loving Kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy, and Equanimity. The happiness of one depends on the happiness of all. This includes our enemies. When we meditate it is for all things not just for us. To become a Buddha we must take refuge in the Triple Gem. We do this by repeating to a image of Buddha or a monk these lines; I go to the Buddha for Refuge. I go to the Dharma for refuge. I go to the Sangha for refuge.
Buddhists do not believe in a reward and punishment system that comes from a Supreme Being. They believe what you reap you have sown and you are sown what you reap. It is a circle of cause and effect with no 1st cause and life has no beginning or 1st cause. Present actions in combination with past actions condition the future for each of us. The law of Karma explains suffering and pain and the mysteries of fate, inequalities of man, infant prodigies, ignorance and cravings and much more in life. We are all an indefinite number of states of being and this earthly life is just one episode among many others. Someone can be a murderer in one life time and a saint in another one. Buddhism teaches us how to approach our responsibilities in society, and our families , and on contemporary issues in life. It influences the everyday life of people who practice it. Buddhists have symbols and a Iconography. There are the eight Auspicious symbols and Dharma wheels, a symbol of a lotus, Malas, a prayer wheel, symbolic gestures of the hands, foot prints of the buddha, ritual mandalas, and bells, a Buddhist flag, seed syllable and a Vojras and others.
Buddhists are concerned with technologies, globalization, and the environment. Many are vegetarians but some do eat meat. The Buddha said women can be enlightened too. They can be nuns too. Like other religions they are discriminated against in Buddhism but this is due to societies and things that were added after Buddha died. The new teachers teach them that they should work on being able to come back as men. I disagree with this. I do not believe the Buddha meant for this to be the practice in Buddhism. I believe women can be born LLamas. This is something I do not like about Buddhism or most religions that men control. In nature worshipping religions women are able to be priestess too. Women are close to nature because they can give birth. They are very in tune with it and the life force is neither male or female. It can live in both bodies once it enters them but it is sex less. We are all one and for that reason I believe we should have the same levels in all religions.
Enlightenment is Nirvana. You have to experience it to understand it. It can not be explained very well. You know it when you get it! It is supreme happiness and perfect wisdom. It has no form and is uncreated.
You can not measure it or really explain it to others. It is beyond the earth or Sun or Moon. It is beyond fire, water or air. It is freedom from conflict and selfishness and eradication of cravings, hatred, and delusions. You have no ill will, ignorance, or desire. It is bliss. You can get it in this life time or some other one. It is in your reach in any life time to find it. I learned so much from this Buddhist class and I did research beyond the class. I am still learning about it. I hope my paper does not come across as ramblings. It is hard to know where to start or stop and what to say about Buddhism next for me. I could write a book about what I have learned so far about it. The class was interesting and I enjoyed it. I am taking Spirit Quest now.
It is about Spirituality which I believe you can have with Buddhism and any religion or belief system as well. Buddha delivered a lot of discourses to lay people about their responsibilities to family and society. In one called the Sigalovada Sutta he defines ideal relationships in the family and society.
They are based on reciprocal responsibilities between people. By Honoring the six directions of east, south, north, west, above , and below we can honor the six kind of relationships we have also. By doing this we can achieve harmony, security, and prosperity both in our families and society.
It is a ritual where you bow to these six areas or relationships. East is parents, south is teacher, west is spouse, north is friend, above is spiritual teacher, and below is employee.
Suffering cannot be avoided in life. It is physical and Mental. It comes in all forms like happiness. We suffer from birth,old age,sickness and death as well as from loss of loved ones through separation and death.
We suffer when our needs and wants are not met. We feel uncomfortable around unpleasant people or people we do not like. We suffer in various degrees. We have suffering from desires we can not satisfy. The list is endless. After Buddha's experience as a prince and traveling monk he realized that we all have one thing in common and that is we see that life is full of suffering and even all the kinds of happiness we also experience does not last for ever. The Four Truths teach us a lot about suffering and what causes it and how to cease our suffering by following the eightfold path. Also by not clinging to things and viewing life right. Intention is important in Buddhism and right livihood and concentration too. I learned about the life of Buddha as a Prince and monk and as the Buddha after enlightenment.I learned about his interactions with his contemporaries and his disciples. I learned that the Jataka tales are stories that buddha taught with. I learned about meditation and positions, and insight meditations.I learned about sitting and walking meditations. I learned about Loving Kindness meditations. I learned Buddhism history and timelines, and Monastic life style and Pilgimage and the spread of Buddhism. I learned about different types of Buddhism and the four holy sites, and festivals of Buddhism, and early disciples of Buddhism. I learned about Buddhist Holidays and dress in different countries. I learned that there are different rules for monks and nuns and lay people. That there are different kinds of Buddhists. I am a provisional Buddhist right now. Buddhists do not lie, steal, or gossip ,or say hurtful things even if they are true. They do not kill and they do not exploit animals or work in jobs where they slaughter animals or buther them. Buddhists believe we come back in higher and lower forms and that animals are people too. The Tipitaka was written in 83 BCE at Sri Lanka in Pali language and Sinhala Script and is 11 times bigger then the Bible. It is a documented record of Buddhism.
The eightfold path teaches us to have the right view and to understand wholesome deeds,unwholesome deeds, and comprehend the laws of Karma. It teaches us about right intentions such as non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. We learn right speech like abstaining from false speech, malicious speech, harsh speech, and idle chatter. It teaches right action like not killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct. We learn right livelihood by not making a living by doing wrong and corrupt things. Right Effort is important. This means awakening zeal for abandoning of unwholesome states, and arising and susstaning of wholesome states. It teaches Right mindfulness. The four foundations of mindfulness are contemplation on body, feeling, mind, and mind objects. We learn right Concentration by abandoning the five hindrances of lust, ill will, sloth-torpor, worry-agitation, and doubt through jhanas. Satipattana is the four foundations. You do not have to read the whole Tipitaka from beginning to end to understand the Four Noble Truths. Each chapter is a sutra(synopsis), which Buddha would use to explain the Four Noble Truths to his audiences under different circumstances. The purpose of attainment of enlightenment is to attain final liberation called Nibbana from the life death cycle. The birth,enlightenment, and parinirvana which is death with no rebirth took place on the day of the full moon during the month of May. It was declared Buddha Day by the United Nations. Buddha was born in 623 BC in Napal. He was a Prince and his father was a King. He gave up being a King to be the Buddha and live a middle life rather than a rich life. He had compassion and hated seeing people and animals suffer. His name means wish fulfilled. His name was Siddhartha Gautama. He lived a sheltered life until he left the Place.
Suffering cannot be avoided in life. It is physical and Mental. It comes in all forms like happiness. We suffer from birth,old age,sickness and death as well as from loss of loved ones through separation and death.
We suffer when our needs and wants are not met. We feel uncomfortable around unpleasant people or people we do not like. We suffer in various degrees. We have suffering from desires we can not satisfy. The list is endless. After Buddha's experience as a prince and traveling monk he realized that we all have one thing in common and that is we see that life is full of suffering and even all the kinds of happiness we also experience does not last for ever. The Four Truths teach us a lot about suffering and what causes it and how to cease our suffering by following the eightfold path. Also by not clinging to things and viewing life right. Intention is important in Buddhism and right livihood and concentration too. I learned about the life of Buddha as a Prince and monk and as the Buddha after enlightenment.I learned about his interactions with his contemporaries and his disciples. I learned that the Jataka tales are stories that buddha taught with. I learned about meditation and positions, and insight meditations.I learned about sitting and walking meditations. I learned about Loving Kindness meditations. I learned Buddhism history and timelines, and Monastic life style and Pilgimage and the spread of Buddhism. I learned about different types of Buddhism and the four holy sites, and festivals of Buddhism, and early disciples of Buddhism. I learned about Buddhist Holidays and dress in different countries. I learned that there are different rules for monks and nuns and lay people. That there are different kinds of Buddhists. I am a provisional Buddhist right now. Buddhists do not lie, steal, or gossip ,or say hurtful things even if they are true. They do not kill and they do not exploit animals or work in jobs where they slaughter animals or buther them. Buddhists believe we come back in higher and lower forms and that animals are people too. The Tipitaka was written in 83 BCE at Sri Lanka in Pali language and Sinhala Script and is 11 times bigger then the Bible. It is a documented record of Buddhism.
Rev. Deidre K. Hays
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