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The Universal Thread

 


    Today I feel like taking a break from the series I have been doing on my changing view of the Bible and going into topics more in line with the Taoist spirituality I am living now. Reflection on where we've been is good, and hopefully my reflections will be helpful, but too much reflection makes one forget where they are currently. The most important thing we can be is in the present moment.

    Since my awakening, I have discovered myself to be on a spiritual quest. The practice of spirituality that has made the most sense to me is Taoism. However, my awakening has freed me from being narrow-mindedly focused on just one way, as I was previously when I was a Fundamental Baptist. Now, I have the freedom to explore many different belief systems and spiritual practices.

    It is always good to open yourself up and experience more than one view on things. One thing I would recommend, especially for young people, is that you travel to another country and stay there as long as you can. Visit as many different countries as you can. I had this experience when I was younger, and I think it had a huge influence on my spiritual awakening later. If you experience different cultures, you experience different ways of thinking about things, and you come to realize that your way isn't the only way. If you cannot go to a different country, go to a Chinatown close to you, visit a synagogue, a Mosque, or an Asian store. Just go somewhere that knocks you out of your box, so to speak. Learn how other people see the world.

    Even though I mainly practice Taoism, I understand now that no one way is the true way. I am certain that this is exactly what Lao Tzu meant when he wrote "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name." I believe that there is truly a stable, unchanging truth, but all of us have on the lens of our own particular culture and learned behaviour, and therefore we all see it differently, if we see it at all. Because of this, I think many religions and spiritual practices have come close to the truth. Or to put it another way, spiritual truth may be found in many of them. I won't say all, because there are some cults out there that are designed to draw people away from spiritual truth and suck out their very souls. I have met people who were members of these cults, and they can testify of the horrific way things turned out for them. What is that one thing that all people everywhere live under, but either do not perceive it or perceive it differently? I used to believe it was the message of the Gospel, and that there was a moral Deity moving all things from His eternal throne. Imagine my surprise when I awoke and discovered God was not that way at all, but rather He was me, He was you, and He is in everyone. I think that's the underlying truth beneath everything. It is the thread of the Universe. We are all connected. Alan Watts sometimes referred to it as the Universe playing hide and seek with itself.

    It is easy to lose sight of this fact, when we become angry and agitated toward other people. It is easy to forget that the person you are angry with is you, and he is there to teach you a lesson. So when you have people in your life you can't stand, remember to thank them for being there! Without them, you wouldn't learn what you need to know about yourself. We are all connected, extensions of this Universe, and I believe that eventually everyone will see and understand this.

    It seems, in fact, that spiritual awakenings are happening at a faster pace than they have before. As more and more people awaken, perhaps we can look forward to a golden age. I am not a pessimist at all. I do not see global conspiracies or dark organizations working against this. I see unawakened man's fears that try to stop what is going on, but that is not the same thing. The wonderful thing about this is that as more and more people wake up, more and more people can explore the viewpoints and perspectives of others.

    Would this not lead to a spirit of toleration? Not the doctrine of forced tolerance which seems to come from the extreme left, but a voluntary understanding of each other. It would be the "love thy neighbour" principle taught years ago by a simple Jewish Rabbi. And if this is possible, then perhaps one day in the future, perhaps not in our lifetime, but perhaps in the lifetime of our children or children's children, we can see the peace on earth that we seek to manifest.



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