From: !system@lakes.trenton.sc.us
Newsgroups: talk.religion.newage
Subject: Re: Spirit in the light o
Date: Thu, 05 Nov 92 07:55:23 EST
X-Maildoor: WaflineMail 1.00r

DH>  Yes, the spirit is inside of each of us. In the same breath (pun intended),
DH>it is also within and through out everything, both the seen and unseen, that
DH>life has to offer. This is partly why for many who do realize the Divine
DH>awareness that God is within life and not separated from it.

Very nice. Yes, this is the partial realization of God as the Supersoul,
accompanying each individual soul as the only friend, the only
proprietor, and the only enjoyer. That is the verdict of Bhagavad-gita:

"Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the
Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter,
and who is known as the Supersoul."    (BG 13.23)

"The Supreme Truth exists outside and inside of all living beings, the
moving and the nonmoving. Because He is subtle, He is beyond the power
of the material senses to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is
also near to all."  (BG 13.16)

"Although the Supersoul appears to be divided among all beings, He is
never divided. He is situated as one. Although He is the maintainer of
every living entity, it is to be understood that He devours and develops
all." (BG 13.17)

DH>  The mystics of the various spiritual traditions around the globe, and
DH>through out history, have very much related to the spirit as "breath". They
DH>sometimes talk about an awareness of ones own breath as leading to an
DH>awareness of the spirit that is within and behind the very fabric of
DH>life itself. They talk about the awareness of the experience of the
DH>spirit of God as not to unlike a very, very refined breath.

Sometimes, in the Vedas, God is called "prana" or life air. However,
technically the life air is not spiritual, but a material medium which
is responsible for various bodily functions. It is said that the soul is
resting in 5 kinds of air within the cavity of the heart, and that the
movements of these airs result in various functions being performed,
such as breathing, digestion, evacuation. The "prana" is the chief of
these life airs, and in the Vedas whatever is the superlative member of
a class of things is considered to be representative of the Lord.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavat Purana:

"That purified living entity who fixes his mind on the extraordinary
sound vibrations occurring within Me as the personified sky and total
life air is then able to perceive within the sky the speaking of all
living entities."  (BhP 11.15.19)

and in Bhagavad-gita:

"One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows
and, by the strength of yoga, with an undeviating mind, engages himself
in remembering the Supreme Lord in full devotion, will certainly attain
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."  (BG 8.10)

DH>  And being that we are talking about _experiencing_ the _spiritual_, it
DH>seems to me that the Latin root of Spirit which means "breath" does seem
DH>right in line with the _experiential_ aspect of the spiritual. Nothing here
DH>about dogma or props at all to my eyes. Just experience. Period!

DH>  For me, _experiencing_ the spirit within and throughout all aspects
DH>of life is what for me makes a reality of our Unity as One. It is the lense
DH>through which I see in order to bring all of this perceived division
DH>together as One.  And, for me, it is the eye through which I may see the
DH>inner eye of love.

What does this mean, "our Unity as One"?

DH>        Ecstatic Love is an ocean, and the Milky Way
DH>        is a flake of foam floating on it.
DH>                                        Rumi

This quote would be nicer if it specified the object of the "ecstatic
love". One must love God in order to feel real ecstasy. The sentiment is
nice, though.

I like most of your statements. Very advanced compared to the
atheistic nonsense which constitute the bulk of this newsgroup. Could
stand a more definite description of God, though.


Sincerely,
Kalki Dasa
---
 * OLX 2.1 TD * Kalki's Infoline, 803-643-3172, Aiken, SC, USA
                                                                                               
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