Is it God or my imagination

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by davidsun

Can you share more of your 'synchrony'?

http://home.primusonline.com.au/peon...editations.htm

Personally, when I am sitting still or laying down before sleep, I close my eyes and bring my awareness to my breath and the point at where it enters the nostrils then I manage to slow it right down to about 2-3 breaths per minute. When the body starts to feel like it is being immersed in a tingly hot tub and there are bright arching visuals in electric blue, white and gold, I bring my awareness from my breath (nostrils) up to the Third Eye area, where I can start feeling the skin on my forehead actually move and crawl, like somebody was placing a finger there and moving it around.

I focus on the grey/black colour behind my closed eyelids and ignore the swirls of electrical discharge behind the retina and focus on the tiny pinprick of light (Bindu) far off in the distance and as I gaze intently at this spot through closed eyes, it gets larger and larger until the blinding luminescence envelopes my whole body and then, through the breath once more, I draw it down into my heart space although occasionally I also let it circle within my head or just flow out my hands...then I put my hands on those places on my body which needs it..

I only wish I could manage to let go enough to be in that state more than about 2-3 times a month for about an hour each time. I am just concerned over the intensity of the experience decreasing through more applied practice.

[Shivani Devi]

Getting back to the topic "How do I know it is God or my imagination?"

What is the "my" that associates with "imagination"?

The point is here, does it really matter? I mean, what judges it, the rational mind, right? and since when would a "rational human mind" ever be able to make that judgement?

Yes, it is very tricky I know; to ever have the audacity to believe that God may somehow be "you" or vice versa. *coughs*

Question the voice within, but without judgment...use curiosity instead and don't try to reason or rationalise what you are going to hear from that moment on.

My experience started like this:

Me: "So who ARE you?"
God: "Who do you want me to be?"
Me: "God".
God: "okay then, I am God".

God always loves answering a question with another question to the exact contrary...He makes a habit out of it.

God will also make everything seem like you thought of it first...
God "Have it your way then...as if that has anything whatsoever to do with the way I wanted it done...oh wait, it DOES".

When God speaks, it's like a very close friend whispering in your ear and wrenching the heart with love at the same time..

You will know it because whilever you need to ask the question, you will need to go deeper.

[Shivani Devi]

Typical conversation with God...

Me: "why would you ever do such a thing?
God: "why wouldn't I?"
Me: "Are you, me?"
God: "Depends on who's asking".
Me: "Are you real?"
God: "what makes you think I wouldn't be?"
Shivani:"must you always answer a question with another question?
God: "why, does that bother you?"

...and God has one wicked sense of humour (He made the platypus after all).

You'll know it when it happens.

[davidsun]

I found Neale Donald Walsh 'trip' as shared via his 'Conversation With God' books and his videos to be quite 'revelatory':

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEtoaufYDbM

[Miss Hepburn]

Don't you find imagination to be deliberate? I do.
When 'things' just happen in the stillness and silence or meditation -
visuals, sounds, uplifting realizations downloaded into your mind...enjoy it.
And when God does visit you, personally - you will not have any question.
I say, continue Practicing the Presence. Enjoy

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Don't you find imagination to be deliberate? I do.
When 'things' just happen in the stillness and silence or meditation -
visuals, sounds, uplifting realizations downloaded into your mind...enjoy it.
And when God does visit you, personally - you will not have any question.
I say, continue Practicing the Presence. Enjoy

Alexander the Great and Hitler mystically (silently?) experienced/imagined that they were destined to rule the world and had no 'question' in said regard as they allowed said imagination to keep 'leading' them on. That's clearly a 'power' trip. There are 'love' trip versions of them who experience/imagine themselves as being 'Queens' who are absolutely 'lovable' as well.

Caveat Emptor: 'temptations' (which really 'reveal' what you are still susceptible to 'fall' for) come in a variety of alluring forms/patterns. How you choose to 'respond' to them determines your 'destiny', i.e. what you will become. This is where the exercise of 'free will' becomes crucial.

[Shivani Devi]

God: "So, you would call the ruler of all Three Worlds....annoying?"
Me: "Yeah...what of it?"
God: *laughs* "Never forget how beautiful, brave and smart you are...you are so precious to me".
Me: "Uh ..okay... whatever you say...you are God and all...hey, wanna come in?
God: "I thought you'd never ask...or did I? Can never tell with me".
Me:"So, shall we dance?"
God: "Why not? Just don't keep stepping on my toes okay?"

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by davidsun

Caveat Emptor: 'temptations' (which really 'reveal' what you are still susceptible to 'fall' for) come in a variety of alluring forms/patterns. How you choose to 'respond' to them determines your 'destiny', i.e. what you will become. This is where the exercise of 'free will' becomes crucial.

For example, here (reportedly) is an account of the 'temptations' Jesus's encountered 'in silence' and how he dealt with them (in the realm of his 'imagination'): "When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then (i.e. only after that) the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Matthew 4:1-11)

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by davidsun

For example, here (reportedly) is an account of the 'temptations' Jesus's encountered 'in silence' and how he dealt with them (in the realm of his 'imagination'): "When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then (i.e. only after that) the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Matthew 4:1-11)

Dear David,

I know you didn't respond to any of my previous posts even though you asked me the question.

Yes, I agree that a lot of different cultures also have a different "take" on this...I am Hindu, which means I can be "best buds" with God:

God: "those Christian folk seem to take me very seriously, dontcha think?"

Yes, there is a tendency for the ego to be involved but it becomes in service TO the will...and ultimately it realises Divine Will.

There was a reason why I chose Hinduism over Christianity and I can quote the Bible just as good as you can...but it is not my way and you have been raised in South India, you should know what that culture is like.

Whatever you call the voice inside "God" or "Higher Self" or "Guardian Angel" it is all the same thing if it makes you feel both love and loved for who you are, but with the emphasis on finding that delicate balance between acceptance and growth.

[davidsun]

Originally Posted by davidsun

Alexander the Great and Hitler mystically (silently?) experienced/imagined that they were destined to rule the world and had no 'question' in said regard as they allowed said imagination to keep 'leading' them on. That's clearly a 'power' trip. There are 'love' trip versions of them who experience/imagine themselves as being 'Queens' who are absolutely 'lovable' as well.

Caveat Emptor: 'temptations' (which really 'reveal' what you are still susceptible to 'fall' for) come in a variety of alluring forms/patterns. How you choose to 'respond' to them determines your 'destiny', i.e. what you will become. This is where the exercise of 'free will' becomes crucial.

Oh, and then there are the -

- absolutely peace-full, completely 'out'-of-the-world-ly forever bliss-full

- and the

- 'I' no longer exist so 'I' have absolutely no personal response-ability and so don't have to personally make thought-and-feeling-full e-value-ations and assessments as to what might and might not 'be best' in terms of the Quality of Life's Flow and so act accordingly in relation to 'others' (who don't really exist as such anyway!) if 'I' don't want to

temptations.

In the latter case, one just does whatever one's personal intuition (which one disavows any and all personal responsibility for) inclines one to do!

That just to ones the presently come to (my) mind. Its a veritable mind-n-heart mine-field out there, wherein those who 'fall' into temptation-traps don't know that's the case in their case because they think/feel/believe they're in or well on their way to 'heaven'!