The difference between God & I?

[Honza]

Tentatively speaking I think I have settled the difference between God and I (from my own point of view).

So it has been said many times that the "I" is pure consciousness. Very well, that may be true. So what is the difference to God? Well, God is *more* than pure consciousness - God is pure CONSCIENCE.

That in a nutshell explains my own understanding of why God and the "I" are different. One can claim oneself to be pure consciousness; but can one claim oneself to be pure CONSCIENCE?

One final word; I bet no one or not many people answer this thread. Why? Because people just don't want to know that God and the "I" are different things. People want God and the "I" to be the same thing. So that they can call themselves God!

[Honza]

A further elaboration is the difference between Jesus and any other holy person. Jesus was primarily *conscientious* and he emphasised that point. Most holy people are primarily *conscious* and they emphasise that point!

Consciousness and conscience are two very different kettle of fish. You can be incredibly conscious; but if you have no conscience then you will NOT be holy.

[Shivani Devi]

"Consciousness" is a very airy fairy word within itself and seeing as how no real definition exists for it, it cannot be associated with the "I" or with God.

That's how I, being 'my mind', thinks about it anyway.

When I refer to "I", it is always my mind or ego or just plain 'me as a person' which has nothing to do with being God.

That would be the "Not I" or "not the ego" or "not me as a person".

There are a lot of people who would say "I am God" but what is it of themselves that is Divine? The heart? the soul? the what?

If it is so subtle and elusive as 'my soul is God' then there's still the 'my' that has egoic ownership of the soul, right?

This would go to prove that what is conceived of as "I" or "myself" or my own 'consciousness' has nothing to do with God or a Divine 'consciousness'...even if a 'Divine Consciousness' existed apart from a feeling of bliss, joy, peace, love and whatever else have you.

So, this is how I look at it and why I can tell you that all of this personal relationship framing is just pure bogus.

I love God apart from loving myself. How is that possible? Oh I know, it's because I am not God.

[Shivani Devi]

Think of it this way, Honza.

This was the way I got over the whole thing and what put it all into perspective for me.

If you love God unconditionally, with all your heart - it is no different (albeit a hundred times more intense) than loving a human being...a spouse...a soul mate or twin flame with all your heart. The love is no different, it's just totally unlimited.

Now, compare God to a human beloved of the preferential sexual orientation gender (I am getting this 'politically correct thing').

When two people are mutually in love unconditionally, opening up their hearts and sharing all this love and joy, physical intimacy between the pair is divine, exquisite and very beautiful.

However, in that peak conjugal moment of bliss between the two lovers, there is no distinction of being separate from each other. The bodies merge and one cannot feel where one's own body ends and the body of their beloved begins...they take the body of their beloved into themselves as they become the embodiment of that love....have you ever felt this? I have.

So, at that moment, the two become one in love and at that moment, if God is pure Love than I can say with all my heart that "I am God" even though I realise I am existing in full "God awareness" but it doesn't necessarily mean that I am God really. Once that heightened awareness ends, my ego comes back and I go back to being "me" again and God goes back to being "God" again.

There are those who will tell me that the experience/sensation is always there and I can 'be God' whenever I want to because it's only "me" that is stopping it.

I guess the whole answer for that is "I can fully merge with God whenever I want to, but it will still be 'me' merging with 'God' so the duality still exists even up to and after the fact".

Besides which, if there were no God, I wouldn't be able to 'experience God' so a being must exist outside my own perceptions and awareness of 'self'.

So, I see God as being my beloved...my husband...who can be my 'better half' and most often my 'best half' and who can 'be me' at certain times...just like any couple can do this, but they are still a 'couple' even though they are acting and moving as one.

This is how I see the whole thing now and I hope that my change in perspective brings about an awareness in you.