The Name That Unlocks

Feb 9, 2023

Lock

Human life is characterized by duality, which defines our distinct nature. Our spiritual heritage, particularly the Biblical narrative of “tasting the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” places us firmly within the realm of mental opposites. While it may be impossible to completely transcend this duality, through spiritual insight and intuition, we can rise above it and begin to perceive the true Oneness of existence. This Oneness is our essential nature, and it can only be experienced through transcending the limitations of the human mind and engaging with the spiritual dimension.

From a personal perspective, I find the term “God” problematic. Not only is it a deeply loaded word—since each person holds their own conception of what God represents—but it also reinforces the dualistic framework. Once something is named, it is distinguished from everything else, which brings into question how something infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient can be separate from anything else. If God is truly infinite, there can be no “other” to distinguish it from.

That said, as human beings, we can still use our dualistic thinking as a bridge to Oneness. In fact, aside from pure inspiration or intuition, this may be the only practical method available to us for experiencing that Oneness. Thought, in this context, can indeed lead us to a state of no thought, just as the ego can guide us to the moment of ego death. Personally, I have found that meditating on the word “God” can, at times, lead me beyond the word itself to a direct experience of Being. In these instances, the name has served as a useful pointer, guiding me to a deeper state of awareness.

In some cases, I have discovered that different names for the same “Being” enhance my understanding or experience of it in various ways. Below is a list of terms I consider synonymous, each pointing to the same ultimate reality:

  • God
  • Life
  • Consciousness
  • Awareness
  • Being
  • Is-ness
  • Energy
  • Truth
  • Tao
  • Knowing
  • Experiencing
  • Christ
  • Now
  • I Am
  • Infinite Invisible

There are undoubtedly other names that could belong to this list, and you may have your own preferences. For example, while Jesus frequently referred to God as “Father,” I find that this term doesn’t hold the same level of ambiguity and universality for me, though it may be meaningful for others. The essential point is that when contemplating Truth and Being, switching from one name to another can sometimes deepen our meditation and understanding.

For instance, someone who does not identify with religious language may find the phrase “I am one with God” challenging, but may resonate more with “I am one with Life” or “I am one with Energy.” The meaning remains the same, but altering the language can open the mind to a fuller experience of Truth.

I recommend creating a mental repository of synonymous terms that you can draw upon when you find it difficult to connect with a particular concept of Being or Reality. Experimenting with these variations might reveal the key to unlocking a deeper understanding and a richer experience of your own spiritual truth.

You Are Not Less Than!

Oct 2, 2020

You Are Not Less Than by Rick Baldwin

We’ve been led to believe, by those who don’t truly understand, that we are less than we are. People who repeat what they’ve been told—without questioning it—have convinced us that we are flawed, limited, imperfect, and broken.

You have the power to decide what to believe, but I urge you to question those beliefs and examine the truth for yourself. Don’t let someone else’s limited view of themselves define how you see yourself. Look within and discover the reality of who you truly are.

Who are you?

You are not your body. Your body is limited, ever-changing, and destined to return to the earth from which it came. If you believe you are your body, you’ll feel limited, temporary, and mortal.

You are not your mind. Your mind, too, is limited and ever-changing. Like the thoughts it produces, it will eventually fade into nothing. If you believe you are your mind, you’ll feel impermanent and insubstantial.

If you are neither your body nor your mind, then who are you?

Look deeper. Notice the Presence within you—the unchanging essence that has always been there. This Presence is timeless and ageless. It’s the silent witness that perceives through your eyes and speaks loudly in your stillness. That Presence is YOU.

This Presence is your true essence—your Spirit. But it’s not just “yours”; it is pure Spirit, the Spirit of God. How could you ever have been convinced to think you’re less than perfect when your very being is divine?

When you truly recognize who you are—when you see, feel, and know your true self—no one will ever be able to take that understanding away from you. In truth, they couldn’t take it before, but now that you’re aware of it, you’ll never let it go. It has always been there, always perfect, and always YOU. It cannot leave or be extinguished.

Take time to turn inward and dwell in this awareness. Observe what happens as this sense of Presence grows and becomes more permanent in your life. You’ll soon realize that you are far more than you ever believed—and far more than anyone ever told you you were.

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Protection From The Storms

Sep 12, 2020

Birds on a Wire

Image by roshanjoshi from Pixabay

A few years ago, I watched a documentary about the December 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean. As many may recall, the tsunami caused tremendous loss of life and property. Witnessing the destruction unfold in real time through video footage gave the tragedy a sense of immediacy. I felt as if I were there with the survivors, trapped in an upper-floor house or hotel, hoping that the floodwaters wouldn’t rise any higher and sweep us away.

One scene in particular left a lasting impression on me. Dark, muddy water surged through the streets of a small village, sweeping away everything in its path that wasn’t anchored to the ground. Houses collapsed, cars were tossed around like toys, and those unfortunate enough to be caught in the flood struggled for survival amid the debris-filled, tumultuous water. Amid the chaos, a man and a woman clung desperately to a broken tree, searching frantically for something more stable to hold onto, hoping for a chance of escape.

As the couple fought to survive, my attention was drawn to two birds perched calmly on a power line directly above the disaster. The contrast between the two scenes was striking. The birds, seemingly unaware of the devastation unfolding below them, surveyed the scene, determined that there was no threat to them, and continued their peaceful pause. Meanwhile, the human struggle below continued unabated.

I have never been able to forget the image of those two birds, or the powerful lesson it offered: even in the midst of profound human tragedy, there is a place of rest to be found—if we know where to look. Sometimes that sense of peace can be found in the most unlikely of places, whether it’s in the depths of the ocean during a hurricane or at high altitudes during a tornado. While these physical locations may provide some measure of protection, there is also a deeper, spiritual dimension that can grant us peace during any storm or catastrophe. We may not always be physically removed from the chaos, like the birds on the wire, but we do carry within us a spiritual sanctuary that offers protection and peace, no matter where we are—whether in the midst of a battle or at the heart of destruction.

This spiritual center of peace is our true essence. It is inseparable from who we are, and because of this, we can never be separated from it. It serves as our secure foundation, something we can hold onto when life’s storms toss us about. As we become more attuned to this center of our being, we realize that it remains untouched and unshaken by any external circumstances, even if our bodies are harmed or destroyed. With regular practice, we can cultivate an awareness of this spiritual sanctuary, much like the birds perched above the turmoil. By anchoring ourselves in this deep well of peace and joy, we become impervious to sickness, tragedy, or destruction, and we begin to experience the fullness of life—peace, happiness, and love—manifested in our lives.

Human Relationships

Sep 10, 2020

All human relationships will involve a certain degree of dysfunction until the realization comes that there is no relationship between human beings. There is only one being. With that realization, all dysfunction dissolves.

That’s Just Your Opinion, Man

Aug 11, 2020

Opinions

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

 

Surprise—it’s okay not to have an opinion about something! In fact, it’s perfectly fine to let go of all the opinions you currently hold about, well, everything!

I know this might not be the most popular viewpoint. (See what I did there?) We live in a society where opinions are highly valued. From politics and social movements to restaurant service, social media posts, music quality, and beyond—everyone has something to say. Almost everything we encounter includes a “Like” button, a review section, or a feedback option, and we’re constantly pressured to decide what we think and share it with others. Even at the end of this article, you’ll find Like and Share buttons. (But you don’t have to use them, by the way…)

The essential part of you—your true self—never holds opinions. You are not your mind. That core essence of who you are doesn’t, and even can’t, form mental judgments about anything. Holding on to opinions keeps you locked in a world of abstractions, preventing you from truly experiencing things or events as they are.

Opinions often tie us to the past, based on previous experiences or conditioning, rather than allowing us to be present in the moment. They don’t account for the fact that everything is always changing, moving, and evolving. An opinion is just a distorted version of reality.

Not holding on to opinions doesn’t mean we can’t have preferences. We can still enjoy the taste of cardamom ice cream, listen to Cardi B, or watch House of Cards—but we don’t need to form an identity around those preferences. We don’t have to make our dislike of polka music a part of our personal story. Enjoy the experience in the present, agree with a perspective for now, or dislike the food you’re eating in the moment—and then simply let it go.

This isn’t an opinion: letting go of opinions brings you closer to the awareness of who you truly are.