Spirituality // Current

Gazing into the Eternal | Absolute Publishing Press LLC

http://absolutepublishingpress.com/gazing-into-the-eternal

gmwood1
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"I Am My Beloved's: Jewish-American Couples Talk About Their Marriages"

I Am My Beloved's: Jewish-American Couples Talk About Their Marriages is a work in... more

davidfcooper
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3 days ago
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Which alternative therapy?

Most of us, especially those of us untrained in the medical or healing sciences have a... more

SSRFINC
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3 days ago
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The spiritual journey of Gnostic Christians

With all of this talk about Atheism and Christianity, I thought it only fair to describe what I and some others believe in. For me, a once Evangelical Lutheran who attended church, sang in a choir as a soloist, and even at twelve years old thought of going to Seminary to become a minister because I was so blown away by the teachings and knowledge of Jesus Christ, it took quite a revelation for me to then understand "organized religion" and the subjugation of the mind and spirit it brings as I grew older. Through the years since I was a young girl, I have seen how religion can constrict the mind to the will of many for their own ends and actually put up barriers between the believer and their relationship with Christ. So, eventually I found a far more enlightening way to seek a closer relationship to the Christ without all of the middlemen driving fear and dogma into my heart and mind. I turned to Gnosticism, which I believe allows a greater freedom of heart, mind, and spirit.

To some however, the ancient beliefs of Gnostics will sound like something out a science fiction novel, but when you put it into perspective of how society works, it does on some level make sense. Gnostics believe that this material world we live in is an evil diversion set upon us by the Demiurge, or false god. In this material world we live in there are Aeons, or 'angels' (Jesus /Christ and Sophia being the first) who were non material spirits sent to lead us to gnosis, or knowledge of the divine light within all of us. In other words, to enlighten us to the fact that we are not shaped by the material world, but transcend it. Archons are seen as the 'demons' who are the gatekeepers of the material world we live in that provide the distractions to us attaining the knowledge to ascend back to the Pleroma, or universal God and who do all in their power to make this world a place that is opposite of what it should be. As I stated, equate that to the actual way our society works, and it does make some sense, though I myself do not use those terms in my daily life. However, analogies can be made.

In some extreme sects of Gnostics it was even believed that the human body in and of itself was an evil distraction and trap to the light within us devised to enslave the soul and true light. That for me is still debatable as I believe humans are divine as was Christ. It is believed that the only way to reach ‘gnosis’ or knowing is through inner reflection and through looking beyond the material distractions of the Demiurge. Gnostics in some sects were also known to be ascetic, though there is mention of the "Bridal Chamber" in the joining of man and woman, though not much if anything is known specifically of the ritual. It is believed by some as well that spiritual transcendence and seeing the light are reached through the joining of man and woman spiritually through the physical. Personally, I am more in favor of that latter ritual myself ;-).

continued.With all of this talk about Atheism and Christianity, I thought it only fair to... more

JanforGore
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Tackling Climate Change at a Spiritual Level

Only Spirituality can provide a holistic outlook towards understanding and tackling... more

SSRFINC
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Do you belive in miracales?

I don't believe in religion, I don't believe in God, and I most certainly don't... more

Paul_Ciavardini
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SpaceCollective; An Awesome Window Into Mind,Reflection and Exploration

http://spacecollective.org/gallery/page1 "It is perfectly possible for a man to be... more

remanns
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11 days ago
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6 comments

Current Green Blog: Biodynamics- A Celebration of Life Through Farming

This is my third entry for the Current Green Blog as a guest poster, and covers... more

JanforGore
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11 days ago
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Solfeggio Love Frequency - 528Hz Agnisa Um

Music and Art inspired by the solfeggio. When the experience of spiritual... more

bielski
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14 days ago
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1 comment

Weekly Spiritual Infusion

This is the weekly feature of the Sustainable Agriculture Group when we take a few... more

JanforGore
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17 days ago
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3 comments

My Prayer For Her

I was initially overwhelmed … taken aback by a love that seemed so unreal. Was this... more

theflyguy
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18 days ago
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The Extraterrestrials and Hercolubus.

Ask for a FREE book: "Hercolubus or Red Planet". You can request a copy at:... more

alcyongroup
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20 days ago
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Alan Moore Starts a new Magazine

Alan Moore launches his bi-monthly magazine Dodgem Logic in November, featuring... more

booksellergirl
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Some words of wisdom from an anonymous source.

Life and the lessons it teaches are both truly amazing, as long as it is without having others intentionally out to teach "their" lessons. It is Life, itself that teaches the necessary lessons, usually in the most trying of times. But, It is the severity of the circumstances surrounding a lesson that allows understanding. Not only just the realization of said lesson, or understanding as to why, but also the knowledge it contains, which is found on a multitude of levels. Events occur the way that Life needs them to, and seeking an understanding will just cause more issues to arise. Understanding comes when an individual is ready for it, and not when one is seeking it. Life will provide the answers in ways that are unfamiliar, but when the time comes for an individual, they will immediately understand the lesson.

Without the severity of the circumstances that Life places around it's lesson, understanding would not be attainable. This is why it is not for individuals to commit acts of revenge, or to intentionally interfere with others lives. Everyone is on their own path, and to intentionally cause others to encounter or experience suffering is in itself an act of evil, Life is too short and complex to intentionally be adding more suffering, and by doing so is the work of evil. Good does not intentionally cause issues or pain, no matter what. The influence of evil must be overcome within ourselves, as change comes from within. The battles between Good and Evil are only found within each of us, and can be seen on a larger scale, as it is the balance between the two that creates what we see in society as a whole.

We can only change ourselves, and to engage in activities that aim at influencing others to be more like "us", is, in actuality, the unwillingness to accept differences in others. This could result in conflict, as it could be seen as "right vs. wrong" "more right than you" or an inflated ego. Judging others' morality based on being gay or having a different belief system, is also the unwillingness to accept differences that surround us. Justifying oneself or seeking validation would be just as sinful as that is someone who murders, Those that believe that they are more important or better than others, or believe that they are "Right" and others are "Wrong" or to trying to make others have the same view, irregardless of what strategy is being utilized for said purposes, are all ways that demonstrate the unwillingness to accept differences.

It is the failure to cherish the differences in others that causes the amount of suffering that we see in our world. And only by changing our individual ways of thinking will we be able to overcome suffering. Cherish all life, not just the people, but all of Life's creatures. Realize that universal knowledge is too vast and is composed of all things. Failure to do so will ultimately have the consequence of causing the fall of civilization as we know it. As it will be our differences that not only saves us, but allows all of us to become fully aware of how amazing life truly is.

---AnonymousLife and the lessons it teaches are both truly amazing, as long as it is without... more

Fading_Chaos
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23 days ago
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Is it possible to be both Omniscient and Omnipotent?

Is it possible to be 'all-knowing' and 'all-powerful' provided that what one means by... more

retro_Syl
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25 days ago
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9 comments

How to Save the World: Seven Pillars of Vegetarianism: Blog Action Day

So the title of this post is a bit grandiose, but we're talking about climate change here today, because it's Blog Action Day 2009. Think thousands of bloggers sitting in front of their computers can't change the world? Well.... you're probably right — but! That won't stop us from trying. My goal here today is not to convince you climate change is real and caused by human activity (it is), or to lecture you about the evils of modern consumer-based society and why a market system based on consumption will never, truly actively support a reduce-reuse-recycle model (it won't). My goal here today, friends, is to give you an excuse.

Actually, seven. Seven excuses, seven reasons to give up meat, to go vegetarian; seven excuses to save the world. You see, according to current studies on global warming and its major contributors, one of the most effective and easiest ways for ordinary individuals to fight global warming and help the environment is to reduce their consumption of animal products. Steve Pavlina notes in an article earlier this year:

"A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. [...] In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, eating one pound of meat is equivalent to driving an SUV 40 miles."

Reducing our reliance on and support of the environmentally-devastating meat industry by cutting meat and dairy out of our diets has more impact than switching to that hybrid car or buying those energy-efficient light bulbs. Eating a vegetarian or vegan diet, especially one of mostly locally-grown organic foods, might just be the single best thing you can do to help restore the natural ecosystems of this planet, ecosystems human life evolved within and on which we depend for our future survival. And you can make the change immediately, starting today, at your very next meal. That's your first excuse.

But if that's not enough, I have six more. Vegetarianism isn't just about the environment, though that is an essential pillar in support of this lifestyle. At every level of our personal and social existence, we find compelling reasons why a vegetarian diet is not only a good idea, but a deeply meaningful choice to live with respect and gratitude as part of the natural world. The seven pillars that support this view are: biological, historical, environmental, political, ethical, psychological and spiritual. And each pillar has tied to it a strawman argument against the vegetarian diet, set up like a scarecrow to frighten people away from examining their choices too carefully. Well, consider this post a kind of Bad Wolf essay, panting and prowling through the temple, ready to blow those strawmen down.

...Follow the link to Meadowsweet & Myrrh to read more!So the title of this post is a bit grandiose, but we're talking about climate change... more