A Letter From a Friend about Meditation

Recently, my friend sent me an interesting email with some of his lecture notes. He has started a new faith endeavour since his retirement that I found quite interesting. Faith endeavours in retirement: What a great idea! I hope this catches on.

He has created a camp called Camp Everest: Beyond Achievement to teach Seraphim Meditation, and to promote harmony and Oneness. What makes his lecture notes so interesting is that we see a Western Canadian Christ-centered Outlook merging with the “Eastern” experience of Oneness and Infinity.

I found his writing and story very intriguing,
and thought it was timely given my most recent posting:
Oneness Within Christianity and Eastern Religion.
The condensed version of this article is Enlightenment and Oneness.

Enlightenment and Oneness: Click here

(We are One. Speaking the Truth. Fostering Love.)

Spiritual realities are eternal, beyond time, wherever they are found. The Judeo-Christian Bible is firmly grounded within history, and the characters within scripture are generation upon generation moving toward a fuller understanding of these eternal realities. Grounded as they are in history, the eternal perspective is not often out in the open, and is usually only hinted at. Each generation seems caught in its own present truth and human experience, holding onto a surface level of spiritual understanding, often rejecting the new insights of those who would take them one step deeper...

Though I have a Christian background, and have made most of my spiritual discovery through the Bible, the study of world religions is a personal interest of mine. Insights perceived by those outside our own traditions are very often valid. Christ is the light that enlightens every person everywhere. Many spiritual realities hidden deep and often unseen within the Christian scriptures are often discussed openly, plain for all to see within other religions, and other cultures. For this reason, rather than restricting study only to the Bible, it is often easier to present and then apprehend some insights using the language of other traditions. Truth is truth whatever the language...

Coming from a Christ centered perspective I see Christ in all things. When I read about the Hindu concept of the Atman I think about the Christ who lightens every person, (John 1:1,9). I can see the eternal Christ as the divine spark in everyone. When I read of the Hindu understanding of the Brahman I am reminded of the universal, cosmic and spiritual body of Christ, (Colossians 3:11, Ephesians 1:10). The Christ within, the eternal divine spark within all people, is one and the same Spirit as the cosmic universal Christ. As it is written, Christ is all, and in all. Christ is all there is. Realizing this is the essence of "enlightenment ”...

In Hinduism this realization of oneness and interconnectedness is often discovered during the various practices of yoga. Various types of yoga provide various paths to perfect union with the divine. There are 4 common styles of yoga: meditation, study, work and love. Individual circumstances and personality type will often determine the most suitable yoga to practice. There is a tolerant recognition in Hinduism that different sorts of people need and are most comfortable with different spiritual paths toward enlightenment...


In a similar way, the Buddhist notion of skillful means is the idea that enlightenment can come in a variety of ways. Mahayana Buddhism, for example, invites many philosophical and practical approaches toward enlightenment and the discovery of cosmic unity. Some people need to hear a message, others need the connection of a community, and others still need only silence and emptiness, while some focus on the divine nature to see the deeper reality. For Zen Buddhists enlightenment comes as a flash of insight and the sudden realization that nothing is separate from oneself. There is the Buddha (or Christ) nature within and also the Cosmic Buddha. Everything is a part of everything else, and all people and things exist together. I have even heard of some coming to this realization from the study of physics, chemistry, and science.

For me, Christ is the way, but since Christ is all there is, I find truth everywhere I look. I am glad to see the graciousness of God in revealing these realities to people everywhere.

Indeed, we all are able to see beyond a limited human cultural viewpoint, the eyes of our understanding being enlightened to the eternal or divine perspective. We all have the mind of Christ.

Whatever the language, Christ is all and in all. The cosmic Christ is the Christ within. Whether Christian, Buddhist, Hindu or not each moment is and can be an experience of completeness. With enlightened eyes we behold with wisdom and compassion, the completed and ultimate unity. We are all interconnected and one.

God is all, Christ is all, and We are all… One.

Celebrating our Oneness,
In Christ, URfriend,
Dean Johnson

Christ is all, and in all, that God may be all in all.


See The Whole Article

What is Religion To You?

What is Religion?

Lately, I have been thinking about religion generally from an academic perspective.

Defining religion is not easy. Religion can be looked at materialistically, functionally and theologically, and probably many other ways too.

Religion, from a materialistic perspective, is a human attempt to deal with fear of the unknown and the unexplainable (i.e. death). Such human-made religion is an attempt to influence the powers that apparently determine destiny toward a positive outcome or response.

Religion, from a functional perspective, is the action, practice, and organization that encourages and brings a faith community together with a common culture and worldview through mythology and ritual, mystical experience, or morality. It is the focused attempt to join a community together to reconnect with the divine or sacred.

Religion, from a theological perspective, is the human expression, whether corporate or individual, acknowledging a divine or sacred reality. It is a response to revelation of and from the Eternal, often recognized in nature, gnosis, or spiritual practices. It is also the gathering together in community, for encouragement and common purpose in accord with the expressly revealed intension, often to transform or unite the profane to the sacred.

Different folk approach religion from different perspectives. How do you approach it?

Is it an attempt to deal with the unknown? Is it a practical approach to creating community? Or is it the acknowledgement of a fundamental spiritual reality discovered by peoples around the world?

Personally, I approach most of life as a discovery of the divine. This might be called a theological approach. But also seeing the oneness of all reality with the divine, I can see how such academic distinctions break down, and are not sufficient. As one with the divine, and co-workers together in creation, I can see validity in all three views, materialistic, functional, and theological. I figure that we both discover and create our own world. What do you think?

Curious about humankind’s search for the center,
URfriend, Dean Johnson

Tomorrow's God

Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge

Recently, I finished reading a thought-provoking book by Neale Donald Walsch, author of the “Conversations with God” series, called “Tomorrow’s God”.

In it he encourages us to honor those religious traditions that serve a worthwhile purpose, and to let go of those beliefs that are empty, or even harmful.

“Seek, on a regular basis, spiritual inspiration and sustenance for your soul… honor that which is divine… Do this in whatever way feels fitting to you. Go to church, temple, mosque or synagogue regularly if that is where you find inspiration. Yet do not be afraid to ask questions there. Do not be afraid to contradict there, if a contradiction appears in your heart. Do not swallow anything whole, and do not accept anything on someone else’s word, and do not “go along with the crowd” because it is the easiest thing to do…"

He continues, “Educate yourself … If you haven’t ever understood what happens at a Quaker meeting of the Society of Friends, go to one. See what goes on there”, (page 228-229). As one who has experienced the wonder and beauty of a meeting of “Friends”, I could relate to this.

Simply put, the message of the book seems to be “We are all One”.

“There is no God separate from (us)”, and “ALL OF (US) WILL AWAKEN”, (page 31, 155, 168).

On page 386, Walsch summarizes the message of “Tomorrow’s God” in 9 simple points:

1. Tomorrow’s God does not require anyone to believe in God.
2. Tomorrow’s God is without gender, size, shape, color, or any of the characteristics of an individual being.
3. Tomorrow’s God talks with everyone all the time.
4. Tomorrow’s God is separate from nothing, but is everywhere present, the All in All, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Sum Total of Everything that ever was, is now, and ever shall be.
5. Tomorrow’s God is not a singular Super Being, but the extraordinary process called Life.
6. Tomorrow’s God is ever changing.
7. Tomorrow’s God is needless.
8. Tomorrow’s God does not ask to be served, but is the servant of all Life.
9. Tomorrow’s God will be unconditionally loving, nonjudgmental, noncondemning, and nonpunishing.

It is a well written, thought provoking, and an interesting read suitable for the masses.

Up for a challenge,
URfriend, Dean Johnson

P.S. Some related sites
http://www.newspirituality.org/
http://www.cwg.org/
http://www.humanitysteam.org/index.htm

We Are All - One

After a recent meeting for worship it was suggested that three succinct quotes are often effective to express and summarize a personal perspective, outlook, or belief. Here are three of my favorite quotes.

Christ is all, and in all, (Colossians 3:11).
That God may be All in All, (1 Corinthians 15:28).
He that is joined unto the Lord is One Spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:17).

Together they say to me that the Christ is all, and that God is all, and that We are all… One.

URfriend, Dean Johnson

P.S. Love is revealed to “gather together in One all things in Christ” showing us that nothing could separate us from God, or one another, (Ephesians 1:10, Romans 5:8, 8:39).

Love reconciles everything, making peace with everything and everyone in heaven and on earth, (Colossians 1:20).

The alienation and separation people experience in a darkened mind are just temporal lies, deceptions, and misperceptions, (Ephesians 4:18).

For Christ is all. God is all. And We are all ….One.

With the mind of the Christ we can see beyond a limited individual human viewpoint to the divine perspective revealed at the consummation, to Eternity where "God is all".

Seeing everyone as joined to the Lord, and as One Spirit.
URfriend, Dean Johnson

Looking to the Divine Light Within to Guide & Direct.

Anyone remember the game where everyone sits in a circle, and you whisper a message to the person beside you, and they pass it on to the person beside them, and so on, and by the time it gets to the last person, it is not the same message. As the murmur travels from one person to another it becomes harder and harder to understand the original message, and its intent. As with all communication, what is said is not always what is heard, and what is intended by the speaker, is not always what is understood. The Gospel, prophecy, and scripture is a bit like that too.

Just a couple of words about prophecy, and scripture. Holy people of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, ( Peter 1:21).

Many of our fellow travelers would agree that the scriptures are are a sure word of prophecy. They are safe. The path of the message is simple: God - Prophet - Scripture - Us. Not a lot of chance of the message getting distorted, especially with the Spirit within helping us.

However, Peter makes some interesting comments in 2 Peter 1:16-19.

He says "We have a more sure word of prophecy."

Apparently speaking of the transfiguration, he says, "we were eyewitnesses"... and "this voice which came from heaven we heard"...and so "We have a more sure word of prophecy". It did not come second hand. God spoke to us directly.

Peter heard God's voice personally, and then he says....YOU also "will do well to take heed". Listen to God's voice to your own heart. It is direct, applicable to your own heart, for your own situation, straight from heaven. You don't have to interpret, what another man has said. You can hear God's voice directly. Listen to it like you would pay attention to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns.

You don't have to listen to false prophets, interpreting the scriptures for you, telling you how to live, or what to believe, (2 Peter 2 :1). You have an anointing that abides within you. You don't need anyone to teach you, (1 John 2:20, 27). You don't need someone teaching you their private interpretations. You have access to God yourself. Pay attention to The Light that shines within you, and you will be lead by the Spirit, and will know that you are his Child.

He spoke to holy ones in ancient times, and he speaks to holy (made whole) people today. Yes, God still speaks directly to his children.

We look to the Divine Light within to guide and direct.

Today, if you will hear his voice,
URfriend Dean Johnson

Values to Practice and Cherish

This Blog is built upon the values and practices I treasure most.
So today, I discuss personal faith perspectives. They will come up again and again in our discussions.

The Belief-O-Matic Personality Quiz says that I fit the
Liberal Unprogrammed Quaker Faith.
No surprise to me. It is great having a place to belong.

In The Religious Society of Friends (or Quakers)
I find the same principles that I love. Check them out.

1. We are peacemakers. Actively promoting harmony, peace and non-violence.

2. We cleave to honesty. So we are often not even comfortable making promises or swearing oaths.

3. We hold to simplicity: a socially conscious lifestyle that allows spiritual devotion and service without distraction.

4. We involve ourselves in social action, and humanitarian service, after carefully discerning divine direction. This is done through corporate prayer and listening in silence, rather than through decisions of clergy, or hierarchies.

5. We are radically inclusive, even Universalist. We are all One, regardless, without exception. Perhaps, the most well known Quaker phrase is "There is that of God in everyone." This has led to a deep respect for others, even for those who do not share our views. We hold forth our peculiar perspective without denying the legitimacy of another's journey.

6. We unceasingly promote equality for all people.

7. We emphasize spiritual reality, without any emphasis on outward sacraments or ordinances.

8. We are non-creedal. We understand the Bible as a revelation of God, but not the only revelation, for God continues to reveal truth.

9. We tend to have no salaried ministry, but we do encourage traveling "friends" who visit the meetings. We look to the Divine Light within to guide and direct.

10. Our meetings are open and participatory, often with times of silence until someone is moved to share or contribute.

Lived out, these ideals develop into a radical egalitarian counterculture, a society of friends, powerfully working with divine guidance for the common good, defying oppression, and changing the very fabric of society. This is revolutionary.

Who are you? Take the Belief-O-Matic Quiz for yourself http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html?rnd=28

Discovering my own personal treasure,
URfriend, Dean Johnson

My First Blog

I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you.
I hope to hear from you all.