Why does God not show him/her/itself?

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

What are you seeking? Are you seeking God or are you seeking your projection of what God is?

That duality can be reconciled once the awareness is reached that God is not limited to that projection or even defined by it, even though appearing as such.

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

That duality can be reconciled once the awareness is reached that God is not limited to that projection or even defined by it, even though appearing as such.

Exactly. Often what people are looking for is their own definitions of God or what God is to them. If they are looking for God and God is..... then what they're not looking for is God. Every belief and everything we seek for has reasons behind it.

Originally Posted by Greenslade

"God is a woman, and she's black."
Alan Watts

"If you know what God is, you don't know what God is."
Meister Eckhart

What are you seeking? Are you seeking God or are you seeking your projection of what God is?

I didn't specify what constitutes direct experience. I'd also suggest pure seeking and earnest devotion implies not having preconceptions and expectations.

As for me I'm content, however that doesn't mean I'm discarding the seeking (read practices) that delivered contentment.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

Exactly. Often what people are looking for is their own definitions of God or what God is to them. If they are looking for God and God is..... then what they're not looking for is God. Every belief and everything we seek for has reasons behind it.

Yes and the thing is that God can also be recognized AS being that "personal definition" which would not be accepted as being "God" according to another who has a different perspective of what God is or should be according to them.

This is getting confusing, so I will cut to the chase.

The "form" of God that I love and worship is Lord Shiva.

For all intents and purposes this aspect/concept/projection needs to have a relatable form for the benefit of those who worship Him in that manifestation.

This is known as Saguna Brahman:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saguna_brahman

Through this relationship, it is understood that the projection is indifferent from the projector and one's own "definition of God" can still be what God IS...if it is also realised that this is not ALL that God is.

Just as a photograph represents the physical manifestation of a person even though it isn't the person...a concept of God represents the manifestation of God even though it is not God...it is the relationship formed through that association which counts.

For just as a photograph of your beloved leads to memories and warm feelings of moments spent in your beloved's embrace, so does the concept of a "personal God" (Ishta Dewata) produce similar experiences...and the reason why it is called a "personal experience" is because it can only ever be subjective and anything that anybody else could possibly say about it would be irrelevant.

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

and the reason why it is called a "personal experience" is because it can only ever be subjective and anything that anybody else could possibly say about it would be irrelevant.

Excellent, in many ways 'synthesizing' post (IMO), SD - except for the presumed (asserted) 'irrelevancy'. What others (subjectively) perceive, believe, think, feel (about any subject) is only 'irrelevant' (by definition!) to those (there be some such here) who currently choose to live in solipsistic 'I'solation - or so 'I' (subjectively) perceive, believe, think and feel. You've at least heard of the concept of intersubjectivity, I presume.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

What are you seeking? Are you seeking God or are you seeking your projection of what God is?

You mean an all pervasive consciousness
in Bliss; a head to toe ecstasy being the entire Universe- yes, please.
Been there and if there's more than That - ok. (And there is, I didn't get into, ha!)

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

... a head to toe ecstasy being the entire Universe- yes, please. Been there and if there's more than That - ok. (And there is, I didn't get into, ha!) [/color]

Its the 'more' than 'that' (feeling of 'ecstacy') which I have been appreciating and talking about ... at length, BlissBunny.

[Moonglow]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

YOU feel compassion, empathy and passion for Life so it that you having a relationship with the God inside you?

"If you are Spiritual you are God playing at being not-God."
Alan Watts.
YOU make it blend?

Hi Greenslade,

I am having a ralationship with myself, with others that come into my life, with nature, with what life may bring. What is created, been created, and has potential to be created through these relationships form a connection with in and with creation.

Taking "God" as being the creative force, then would venture to say yes having a relationship with that force with in me. Being inspired at times by that same force that others may express and unfolds with in nature itself.

Through feeling the connection, compassion, empathy, and passion for life further forms with in me and opens me up.

Yes, through how I may interpret what happens and unfolds, my understandings, and what is observed in this sense I create feelings of it blending together. Feeling a part of it.

Nature, Universe, the creating forces, call it God or energy, or nothing at all also works in unison. One builds upon another.

It is how it is perceived and understood that creates a sense of chaos, order, or both happening. It also further influences how I feel.

This is just how it comes to me at the moment.

There is me, you, us, nature, and that which may have no form of itself, all taking place and creating/influencing this life being lived.

I don't have it all figured out, just making attempts to simplify it and relate to it in regards to living life. ( it including what is referred to as God).

What each can make of it is his/her own personal journey (so to speak).

[Moonglow]

Originally Posted by davidsun

I think/feel what you say above eloquently 'catches' and thereby illustrates and dramatizes what I (aim to) 'point to' and 'promote' by way of my treatise, High-Five Moonglow!

Psychospiritual communion in a Spirit of Love and Joy is what is most relevant to actualizing the kind of Life I speak of: Conscious affirmation and appreciation of intimately (via mutual recognition and empathy) shared thoughts and feelings, whereby and wherein one whole-mind-n-heart‑edly embraces and revels in the fact that whoever or whatever one is in the presence of is a wonderfully familial being-doing aspect of The Flow of Life Itself [a/k/a 'God'], any differences between one’s own and others’ worldly situations and/or conditions notwithstanding!

Hi Davidson,

Thank you for the kind words.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by davidsun

Excellent, in many ways 'synthesizing' post (IMO), SD - except for the presumed (asserted) 'irrelevancy'. What others (subjectively) perceive, believe, think, feel (about any subject) is only 'irrelevant' (by definition!) to those (there be some such here) who currently choose to live in solipsistic 'I'solation - or so 'I' (subjectively) perceive, believe, think and feel. You've at least heard of the concept of intersubjectivity, I presume.

Thank you so much, David. :

Shall we call it a truce now?

I have never heard about intersubjectivity before and do not know or understand what that means or entails....I will have to look it up and do my research so I thank you for the link... Subsequently, living in solipsism was, by no means, a conscious "choice" (it was a subconscious program that Rene Descartes put in there).

I also need your help.

Often, when I write, I try and think of a word I want to use, but I cannot find the word approximating the concept that I wish to impart, so I will go into "free association mode" and write the first word that pops into my head...which may not exactly be the word I was looking for, but it is close enough that "it will do" applies....but then it only serves to confuse the hell out of everybody else who were following me up until that point.

With you being a writer (and a very good one) yourself, you may understand that predicament and have some tips for me. I would appreciate it if you could.

"Spiritual Conditioning" also plays a role in the way we view our own path...our own journey....until we are able to lose it.

Subjective existentialism in the form of "nobody else can walk this journey FOR me so I need to take responsibility and ownership for myself" does lead to I-solation and not in the physical sense, but in the spiritual one...ergo "why bother preaching to the deaf?" Instead of saying "let them who have ears, hear".

So, perhaps the word "irrelevant" was not appropriate to use in context when you understood the synthesis and syncretism I was trying to convey not withstanding.

I was looking for a word that meant...

Everyone will have their own ideas about what God is...or isn't.
Many will try and impose these opinions upon others with a "listen to me to hear the truth".

However, if you listened to everyone and adopted all the conflicting beliefs of others as your own belief, you could go stark, raving mad....I know that I would.

So, when it comes to God, it is what is revealed and found deep in the heart of the seeker which counts and if another says anything contrary to that revelation because they have found their own truth, it becomes "I respect what you believe in and the truth you have found inside yourself, but that doesn't really apply to me; or else I am just not ready to hear it and take it on board as my own at this point, but thanks anyway".

So, if I could find one word which means all the above to be able to simplify it for my target viewing audience, I would be very happy.

Because people are forever asking me to simplify what I am trying to say and to put it in words that everyone would be able to understand...but I simply don't know how to do that at the risk of not being able to express myself as adequately as I feel that I need to in order to get the concept across.

So, I have pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I just do not "have what it takes" to be a writer...unlike your good self.

Cheers.