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evolve
February 2009 
God
Posted on Jan 9th, 2008
by 
Wonderer
Wonderer
To me, God seems to be a curious fellow, who really wants to find out more about himself. And (therefore) - so do we. Because we are not separate from God, therefore God evolves as we evolve.
This non-separation cannot be understood intellectually. How can a finite entity in space and time (consciousness manifested - “me”) understand infinite, timeless consciousness (God)?
“The tao that can be known is not tao”.
We experience separation in our daily lives because our tools here in this world (thoughts, feelings and a body) are created that way.
Perhaps a useful analogy can be an 'avatar' in a computer game, which has no independent identity apart from what the player intends it to have. Like us, it has certain tasks to complete, but we, ulike the computer avatar, have free will (with certain limitations, or so it seems) and that's what makes life interesting. And it might indeed be the whole point of living. (And yet - “Tao abides in non-action, yet nothing is left undone”. Full of paradoxes this life seems to be! :))
Don't draw this analogy too far though. It is meant as an illustration, not as an explanation. Intellectual understanding of God is not possible. It is possible, however, to *experience* this fact directly, by silencing the thoughts and calming the emotions. This can happen through meditation, or spontaneously.
I suspect that the closest you can get to understanding God is by understanding unconditional love.
Funny old thing, life.
This non-separation cannot be understood intellectually. How can a finite entity in space and time (consciousness manifested - “me”) understand infinite, timeless consciousness (God)?
“The tao that can be known is not tao”.
We experience separation in our daily lives because our tools here in this world (thoughts, feelings and a body) are created that way.
Perhaps a useful analogy can be an 'avatar' in a computer game, which has no independent identity apart from what the player intends it to have. Like us, it has certain tasks to complete, but we, ulike the computer avatar, have free will (with certain limitations, or so it seems) and that's what makes life interesting. And it might indeed be the whole point of living. (And yet - “Tao abides in non-action, yet nothing is left undone”. Full of paradoxes this life seems to be! :))
Don't draw this analogy too far though. It is meant as an illustration, not as an explanation. Intellectual understanding of God is not possible. It is possible, however, to *experience* this fact directly, by silencing the thoughts and calming the emotions. This can happen through meditation, or spontaneously.
I suspect that the closest you can get to understanding God is by understanding unconditional love.
Funny old thing, life.
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I first discovered the Tao a little over a year ago by reading The Tao of Pooh which really made it easy for me to understand initially as I was quite familiar with the Pooh stories; having read that book to my infant son to remain patient while nursing him. I loved the timeless aspect of the stories and that they were set in the woods, as we live in a very similar place. I was amazed to realize the deeper lessons inherent in those stories.
I resonant with Taoism so well because it allows so much unique individualism with a truly flowing response to the realities of life. Your definitions and explanations make perfect sense to my own understanding.
Paradox yes, creation yes, allowing yes. All these.
How profound your second to last statement: re understanding god by understanding unconditional love. There is an incredible reality about both. Neither can be fully defined. Each must be experienced and, as such, seems to point to total inability to separate experiencing the Sacred from experiencing unconditional love. At least, it's true for me. Thank you.
Yes… I'm not sure why, but I find it very soothing (in lack of a better word) to realize that there are 'things' that cannot be defined, i.e. understood intellectually. There are things that I really know/feel in my bones to be true that are so much more perpetual than what my mind comprehends at any given time.
This world, these times we live in, are so much defined by the limits of perception defined by our culture(s), limits which are largely based on materialistic outlooks - and increasingly so. Therefore it is soothing and refreshing to find there are 'truths' that I feel (know) are more valid than the 'truths' I have learned by growing up in this particular time, in this particular culture.
The problem, at least my problem, is, how to communicate this to others…
And - is it important to do so?
Still - funny old thing, life…… :)
IT IS important to do so …
and where better to start than understanding that perception is the medium by
which the source of wisdom might be attained by letting god be god within you.
SO BE IT
All truths are relative. That is an absolute truth.
Yes, it's a paradox, but so what?
How do we know that logic always gives us true answers?
Why should understanding something be a prerequisite for truth?
In short, why do we assume that we can understand the tao intellectually?
The tao that can be known is not tao.