As a boy, I used to lie out at night and gaze up into the heavens. As I felt the cool grass beneath me, my mind soared between clusters of bright stars and sheets of blue/black space. I still remember stretching my arms and legs out wide and pressing hard against the curve of the earth. Like a cosmological cowboy, I rode the giant sphere as it raced through the vastness I attempted to fathom. Although it was fanciful fun at the time, there was a part of me that was always a bit unsettled about the whole affair. Although I was too young to realize it, the unsettling feeling is what I now call "existential insecurity," or the awareness that we as individuals are nothing more than tiny specks of life orbiting through an infinite sea. Everyone has his or her own unique strategy for dealing with the unsettling experience of existential insecurity. Some use science to establish their place in the cosmos. Their self-certainty results from a tidy and structured formula that moves from conjecture, to theory, to principle, to fact. Once the facts are known, there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Those who embrace religion or spirituality to provide a sense of belonging rely on personal experience, emotion, and inspiration. For them, evidence is less important than testimonials of divine intervention, beliefs based upon hope, or mysterious expressions of faith. Once hope has been established, fears are generally quelled and salvation is assured. Then there are those who employ reason and cognitive introspection as their icons of existential assurance. "I think, therefore I am" makes perfect sense to the mind that prides itself on rigor. Connecting the dots between identity and the powers of reason always brings certainty to the inquisitive. The conclusion? We’re going to be just fine — when and if we deduce it to be so. And finally, one of the most popular strategies of all is to dismiss the effects of existential insecurity altogether and slip into a mediocre mode of thoughtlessness. Taking this tack, we find ourselves too caught up in our daily survival needs to even gaze up into the night sky. The old saying "out of sight, out of mind" summarily replaces serious contemplative reflection. There is another old saying that says, "With every solution we devise, we create a new problem." The problem with all of the strategies I’ve listed (and those I haven’t) is that each of them has a specific perspective about something that is far from specific, i.e. the universe. There is a most remarkable revelation awaiting those who know this to be true and are willing to venture beyond their conclusions and beliefs. It reaches beyond any conception of mind, beyond fear and beyond the need for certainty and control. It is the kind of revelation that opens our eyes to the true nature of the universe and to our place within it. I, like anyone else, have my opinions about God and Spirit and could argue quite rationally about them. Yet, if I am open to my own ideas, I’ll step away from my beliefs for a moment and venture into a general inquiry with you. Regardless of position, it is apparent that the cosmos is a mysterious and vast place. Agreed? Now let’s examine God for a moment. Do you believe in God? Whether or not God exists as a persona, it is fairly clear that the movement of existence follows some predetermined order, does it not? What is that order? What consistent patterns are observable about existence? I’ve noticed that things come into being, hang around awhile, and then go out of existence. You’ve noticed this as well, I’m sure, but what do you believe about this movement? Is it a recycling program where things periodically come back into existence but in different forms? Is it a one-time deal, where everything gets its day and then vanishes forever? Or maybe it’s a karmic merry-go-round where we get lessons each time we go around (or not) until we become wise enough to step off the ride? It’s healthy to reflect on these kinds of questions, because they reveal the conclusions we harbor about that which cannot be concluded. The key to development in any domain lies in continuing to grow and expand our awareness rather than settling on any one set of beliefs. It’s also healthy to embrace our present beliefs and integrate their principles into our daily lives. Rather than an identity or persona, I imagine God more like a divine process or cosmic movement. God, in my experience, eternally transitions through the three states of Generation, Organization, and Destruction. Planets, solar systems, galaxies, and life itself constantly cycle through the three states, and we, along with all other celestial matter, are part of the eternal movement of God. Interestingly enough, when I embrace the notion that I have come here to pass rather than to stay, I am more able to deal with the changes and transitions that come up in my daily life. The other valuable aspect of my current belief system is that when I admit to myself that God’s mission is not just about generation, love, and unity, but also about destruction and disintegration, it puts the "tragedies" of life into a more mature perspective. I am reminded of a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that makes this point: "There is no profane history — all history and all of life is sacred." If God truly is the movement of generation, organization, and destruction, then there can be no profane history. This is so because all three states of existence are pure divine expressions of God. For some, this notion falls outside what they are willing to believe about God. For others, it makes perfect sense. I find a little solace in knowing that just because "all of life is sacred," that doesn’t necessarily mean I have to like what happens. Rather, it means I simply need to include and appreciate what happens. Val Jon Farris, award-winning author of Inca Fire! Light of the Masters, will present at East West Bookshop in Seattle on March 21, Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park on March 22, and Stonehouse Books in Everett on March 23. For event details, see <http://www.incafire.com/>or call toll-free (877) 462-2347. |
God, Creator, Spirit, Yahweh, Brahma, Allah, Universal Mind: these names and many others signify our attempts at labeling the founder of all creation. For many, personifying the originator provides comfort and belonging. Establishing a personal relationship with the Divine is our way of staying in touch with and connected to the vast universe around us.