REMEMBRANCE OF GOD
How do you reach a state of remembering God constantly where we don't
forget about God all day and night?
First it needs a regular practice to think of God in all meditational and
physical
activities before we start. Then it becomes a habit. We remember God even in
changing postures, in opening the door, in walking out of the door and stepping
into the car. God's name is used as a mantra.
What does it mean to think of God? What do you think of?
God has no name and no form, devoid of qualities. We can only define God in
terms of universal truth. But that God is no help to us in remembering. So we
create our God as a support which has father-like support, mother-like love, who
will listen to our prayers. It's our creation but it gives us support.
Is it not real? Is it self-created?
If a person marries a woman, what makes that person that man's wife? Isn't it a
self-created relationship but it feels real?
If you haven't had a loving mother or a supportive father, how do you create a
God in that image as a support?
You did not have such a relationship with your parents, but you have seen it in
other families and you have read stories also. What we experience or we
understand, we can bring it back in our memory. If we say God has no name, no
form, or no qualities, and is actionless, etc., then it sounds like nothing and
nothing can't do anything to us. But we want a support. We don't want to scare
ourselves or feel supportless or always alone.
But in reality, we are always alone and without support.
If we understand 'I am,' we are in reality. Then we don't need a support.
Because
we understand it wrong, then we create a support. In understanding, we use a
wrong idea that 'I am' this mind-body complex. We don't see that all-pervasive
divine spark within and without, so we need a support due to our ignorance.
What is the correct understanding of 'I am?'
The 'I am' term indicates my relation to the outer world. As long as this outer
relationship exists, we think this body, living in this world, attached to
others, is 'I
am.' If we reflect more honestly, we will find this 'I am' is only the world
involvement. Get divorced from this relationship and what is left is 'I am,' and
that
'I am' is universal 'I am' or divine consciousness.
Because my creation of God and its support is self-created, it can' be stronger
than my own person. When I fall back, then this self-created God falls as well.
How can that be helpful?
All relationships are self-created. We create a reality in those relationships.
Like a
wife, husband, our house, owner of the house, etc. We cannot say 'this is not my
husband' after marriage or 'this is not my house' after buying it. This false
relationship is real until something appears and we separate from it. The notion
of
God exists strongly because our mind is conditioned this way since humans
started
that idea of God. So it will not fall apart so easily. You can see it in Russia.
Even
after so many years of communism, they did not forget about God. As soon as
communism rule was removed, people started talking about God openly.
When one reflects deeply, one concludes that we cannot worship God as
infinite with the finite mind. Is worship of God in all worship, regardless of
form?
The infinite, if understood, will be finite, because the understanding mechanic
mind
is finite. The finite cannot describe the infinite. So understanding means
describing. We can describe only in terms of finite. All forms indicate the
same
divine potency. The sound of A in different languages has different form of
alphabet, but all the different forms of alphabet sound is A.
You have written that “God is love.” How can I generate more love in myself?
When I feel fear or other negative qualities, I feel I can rid myself of them if
I
could generate more love.
Love is a state of mind where self-interests are removed. The mind dwells in its
natural state of sat-chit-ananda– existence, consciousness, bliss. Love is not
created; it is a mental state which develops by living a disciplined life and
developing positive qualities.
The selfless divine love that develops in a person, is it love for God or love
for
humanity? If love for humanity, does that person love different people
differently?
Love for humanity is not different from love for God. If humanity was created by
humans in the first place, then it would be different. If the divine presence is
in
every being, then in all these different forms we are loving God. Loving a dog,
loving wife, loving one's own children, etc.: the way of loving is different but
the
love is the same for that selfless person.
I have heard that the purpose of life is to please God. Do you agree or disagree
with that?
100%, but how? How do you please an unseen, unknown? Purpose of human
incarnation is to experience the world and get liberation. Pleasing God means
working for one's self liberation all the time.
You do nothing.
Then we lose purpose of human life. God is a term created by our mind. We create
the word or name so we give form to God and try our best to do good things, to
live a virtuous life, to try to please that God. We sing, chant, pray, help
others, and do all other good things in the name of God. We go to church,
temples, mosques. What happens there? It reminds us 'I want to please God.'
That reminding the mind in various ways purifies our mind.
© 1996 Sri Rama Publishing
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