Concepts of God

Concepts of God 

By Jimmy Henderson (MA Psychology) FRC

We only need to look around us at the many different religions and sects to understand that people experience and understand spirituality in different ways. Most of us have adopted our beliefs from our parents, and in this way, have been inducted into a religion which is often prescribed by our background, society and culture.

I personally believe that these beliefs are all useful as long as they provide us with the opportunities, guidance and direction with which to arrive at a workable and fulfilling spiritual experience which we can call our own. Unfortunately, many persons remain within a belief system that does not actually meet their spiritual needs, out of fear or convention. Some of these systems can be inflexible and closed to new ideas and can become fertile breeding grounds for the shadows of delusion or self-righteousness.

However, a sudden traumatic experience which produces shock, pain and isolation can shatter such rigid frameworks, opening us to a broader understanding of spirituality which makes more sense. For instance, through my own questioning, I eventually came to believe that the many concepts of God which exist in the world today are actually describing the same spiritual reality, but are merely molded differently by specific cultures, historical periods and the personal interpretations of religious leaders. For example, during ancient times when people were ruled by fearful, angry and vengeful monarchs, their view of God was likewise one of a wrathful, vengeful and cruel king. However, in line with our present moral advancement, those who have experienced love in their hearts, have now come to understand the Father to be benevolent and loving.

We therefore need to acknowledge the role that our own minds play in our perception and understanding, and remain open to a more inclusive approach to spirituality. What we have at this time are only ‘peepholes’ into the universal fabric of reality, and ultimately, we also need to understand that spirituality is both a personal and a universal experience and cannot be confined by man’s thinking to any specific religion or belief system.

I will make use of an analogy to explain this great truth. If I give a very large puzzle to a group of small children, it is unlikely, due to their lack of maturity, experience and reasoning abilities, that the puzzle will ever be completed. However, if I split up the puzzle into much smaller sections and give each child a portion to complete on his or her own, be it a corner, a border or a certain patch of colour, each will most likely be successful in correctly assembling this small piece, and the completed pieces can then be grouped together and the whole puzzle will take form.

If we apply this analogy to the paradox of conflicting religious beliefs, it suggests that, even within the completed sections there are still parts missing, pieces of the puzzle that could enable the different groups to see their interdependence and relationship to each other. These missing pieces give rise to the confusion and contradictions that we see in religion today. Once we accept this, it will be easier to be more tolerant of the beliefs of others. 

Adapted from the e-book 'Living on the Edge of Darkness'  by Jimmy Henderson 

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Edge-Darkness-Jimmy-Henderson-ebook/dp/B00L73YJG0/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437170591&sr=1-13&keywords=jimmy+henderson

Jimmy is a cognitive researcher and metaphysician who is the published author of a number of books on the power of the mind. His books are available through his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com or directly from him at jimmy@jimmyhendersonbooks.com 

Who are we really?

Who are we really?
By Jimmy Henderson (MA psychology), FRC

‘My true consciousness is like the wild deer, full of life, vitality, purity and perfection, but as it passes once again into the forest of shadows, it is swallowed up by the darkness and the world of forms.’

J. Henderson

An important question that we should all ask ourselves, is who we really are.  When we look in the mirror we see a body. But is this really ‘us’ in the true sense of the word?

The most common scientific belief is that we are only physical organisms and that the human mind is only a ‘phenomenon’ brought about by the activity of the brain. It is true that that which we see and experience is our body, and it is very easy to accept that this is who we are. However, this presents a difficulty (which has still not been satisfactorily resolved), in understanding how the brain, which is a physical neurological structure, can produce an inner experience in the form of self-awareness, or a level of consciousness which even our most sophisticated technology is unable to reproduce.

The issue becomes easier to explain if we accept the possibility of a higher level of consciousness from which our present self-awareness originates, a conscious state which is merely being stepped down or mediated by our neural structures. There are obviously also philosophical problems associated with this idea, such as how a non-material substance (consciousness) can be taken up and transmuted by the brain structures. However, it is clear from everyday life that our physical bodies and (non-material) minds do affect one another, and until our research and technology has evolved sufficiently to fully explain this interaction, the latter view still provides the most practical benefits for our thinking. 

For example, believing in a higher world of mind and consciousness opens the door for a new view of mankind as multi-dimensional beings with an almost unlimited potential, and would explain our almost intuitive belief that we all have a deeper spiritual side to ourselves, a higher or more authentic ‘self’ from which our present ethics, morality and higher mental faculties are derived, that which, in religious terms, could be described as the ‘soul’.  

However, if we are intimately connected to a more perfect self or soul, how do we explain the present state of mankind, the greed, the thirst for power and the violent, destructive force of human actions? When contemplating this question of the nature of my true being, I was reminded of the analogy of the caterpillar and the butterfly.

In Nature insects often go through a larval stage, engage in a struggle for survival and later emerge from their chrysalis having evolved into adults. In the larval stage, the insect is very primitive and destructive, devouring all in its path. Only later, as it matures and the outer casing falls away, does the ‘inner being’ emerge, which is more perfect.

   

I was able to relate this analogy to ourselves, in that, in our casing of humanity, we also struggle to learn and grow. Like the insect larva, the ego of the undeveloped human being can also be very destructive, selfishly using and devouring everything in its efforts to meet its most basic needs. However, in line with the caterpillar analogy, we will also one day evolve to become a new being, full of light and power.

The limitations of our physical bodies and our imperfect minds suggest that we are still in the early stages of this process, and busy with the struggle that is necessary when the butterfly leaves its chrysalis and strengthens its wings in order to fly. In our own lives, this struggle translates into many painful and life-changing events, but also includes times which bring joy, happiness and success.

Sometimes we feel lost in a world which, on the surface at least, appears to be spinning out of control. However, if we look more carefully and deeply, we may see that, on a broader level, the Universe is still unfolding as it should, even if we are not able to understand the entire process at present. Being active participants and integral players in this ongoing drama, it is extremely difficult for us to step ‘outside of the box’ and find the universal perspective that is needed.

So how can we explain this idea of a more authentic (or higher) self in the light of our present human limitations and propensity for error? Many ancient texts, including religious scriptures, suggest that we have ‘devolved’ (or fallen) from a superior race of Man, far more perfect than today, one which was ‘of one mind ‘with God and part of the original plan of divine self-expression. This is discussed in more modern terms by the author Soozi Holbeche in her book, Changes (1997), in which she explains that we need to understand that we are actually spiritual beings having a human experience and not vice versa.

In other words, at the centre of our beings we are still that original perfect creation, but due to a separation from our true or authentic selves, we are now clothed in our present (human) form with an accompanying loss of consciousness and understanding. 

Adapted from the e-book 'Living on the Edge of Darkness'  by Jimmy Henderson 

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Edge-Darkness-Jimmy-Henderson-ebook/dp/B00L73YJG0/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437170591&sr=1-13&keywords=jimmy+henderson

Jimmy is a cognitive researcher and metaphysician who is the published author of a number of books on the power of the mind. His books are available through his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com or directly from him at jimmy@jimmyhendersonbooks.com