Who is God?

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by winter light

I agree stillness is the way to answers. Though easier said than done and it takes a long time to get to the stillness that makes knowledge possible.

Hi winter light, I hate to make it sound so hard.
Yes, it certainly helps to be still for longer than an hour a week. But, sometimes once open to the limitless possibility
of profound knowledge, a desire is sparked in us...
and just fanning that flame often Grace does speed us along.
I always ask - Is it hard to sit for 2 hours when you are enjoying a movie? No.
Once you love sitting and opening to God ---it's wonderful...hours at a time is something you look fwd to.

[Michael K.]

A great master was once asked the question by a devotee, of what is the difference master between you and me? The master replied that I AM GOD and
I know I am, and you are GOD but you do not know this, that is the difference
between you and me.

The truth we are all GOD, and we know it not.


blessings michael.

[winter light]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

... But, sometimes once open to the limitless possibility of profound knowledge, a desire is sparked in us...
and just fanning that flame often Grace does speed us along.
...
Once you love sitting and opening to God ---it's wonderful...hours at a time is something you look fwd to.

Hi Miss Hepburn, it is me who is making it sound so hard. If anything you make it sound easy. And it can be and I love your reminders of just how available the presence of God is. I guess I'm still feeling a need to acknowledge the times before I was aware of grace. And there was a long time before it became easy. Maybe your message here is telling me that it is time for me to consider whether and how I may be able to move on now.

God died to me when I was a teen with depression and I could not make sense of how bad it felt to be alive. Also I read between the lines of what I was taught and assumed since I was not a saint I would be further punished after death forever for not being good enough. I decided there could not be a God because no one could be that cruel. So instead I had nothing and was just biding my time.

I see things differently now but I know that there are many in the world who have similar patterns so do not want to dismiss those who are still dealing with it and still do not understand. So hope you understand it is not to contradict what you are saying.

The least we can do is consider that God is a responsible adult. And so he does not judge or try to control us based on trivial selfishness. But rather has enough wisdom to know and respect our process. And support our path silently until we are ready.

God listens and waits for us. That is how I think of God now. And so gradually the signs have gotten get stronger and stronger that someone is listening. What amazes me now is how I can know all of this and simultaneously still be in so much anxiety from the day to day stuff.

How I have received the face of God is indirect and more spontaneous. From whomever I have been able to connect with spiritually and whomever shows up in my path on earth, like you for instance. We are all agents of Grace for one another.

Have a great day.

[The Sea]

I think ive stumbled across a thought, has God stopped developing?, has he reached the limit of what a living thing, a conscious thing can be?

In astronomy infinity is highly probable, if that is the case, then god surely has no limits.

That having had a beer, and relaxing, like us, he or she, it, is wondering how to reach the next mountain top.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 9 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Be still.

That says it all. Amen.

[Miss Hepburn]

Hi winter light - I read your post 13.
I must say the mind with it's 'stinkin thinkin' ---remember Stuart Smalley from Sat Night Live - is a burden we all have.
I had to learn the tricks thoughts have and the power of the mind to lead us in the wrong direction.

What worked for me, ref to your day to day anxiety, (which includes fear, worry, fretting, doubting) was simply once and for all saying to myself.
"Either I am going to DO what Jesus and his guys have said to do or I an NOT."

So for a week that turned into 2 ...and then never stopped...I decide to do what Paul said in a letter to the Phillipians, (I do not profess I am Christian -but,
I know good teachers and advice when I read it)...
he said, point blank:
Be anxious for nothing. Jesus said Do not worry.
My mind said, " What? "

So that's what I did for a week...any thought and boy, there were TONS that floated into my mind that was worrisome...I 'caught it' and said, "NO!"
I'm not entertaining that for a second.
The following week ...I had less of those thoughts...and I felt WAY better.
So I kept going - I found that my worry (and I had plenty to worry about in 2006!) did nothing to solve anything...it just spiraled
me into a pit of depression and more worry, (esp about finances), and was a total waste of time making me SO unhappy and hard to be around.

It takes effort, my friend, and resolve to change thought patterns...it was the best thing I ever did.

Focus on what you want - forget about the past!
You want God, you want peace and wisdom...focus on those things every single day.
Period.
And what freedom - I did what Jesus advised ---I gave away my burdens...for me
I gave them to God, my Father, to take care of. I would actually say,
"Lord, You take care of this problem, I give it to you." (with a smile)
And He ALWAYS did.

[winter light]

Hi Miss Hepburn, thanks for sharing your experiences and advice. You are in good company. A few years ago when I connected with Anandamayi Ma she said basically the same thing but I was not ready for any regular practice. The timing feels right now to move forward.

At that time I was thinking about the tensions on this forum when I connected with her and so her response, true to the moment, was also relative to that situation. She said "Do not worry so much. You and the others will be taken care of. Learn to trust." Seems everything worked out. So I guess that was a first step. Will take a few more and see what happens. Thanks very much for your thoughts about this and have a good day.

[Miss Hepburn]

Funny how I had never heard of Anandamayi Ma, now I know almost everything about her ...and
have heard or read most everything she has said...obviously I resonate with her 'way' of thought!!
My wish is that more people knew her.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 18 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Funny how I had never heard of Anandamayi Ma, now I know almost everything about her ...and
have heard or read most everything she has said...obviously I resonate with her 'way' of thought!!

You might recall that my teacher and Anandamayi Ma were soul sisters and spent a lot of time together.
Our ashram in Haridwar (Kunkal) is within walking distance of AnandaMayi's mausoleum, which I was able to visit when I was in Haridwar for the 1998 Kumbha Mela.
I learned about Anandamayi Ma through my teacher's direct personal experiences.

What really stuck in my mind most from Anandamayi
Ma was the words she reportedly spoke when she revealed herself: "I am the all-pervading Reality".

[1Greg2]

Originally Posted by The Sea

What or who is it? How did it become to be?

What is God? Who asks the question? Who told you there was a God? How do they know? How do you know they know?
God helps those who help themselves. In which case you don't need God's help.