Ahh I think I understand what you mean…no it isn’t an intellectual endeavor in that it is the only way…I mean Im sure there are intellectuals that can/have experienced the divine but I believe the divine is more easily found in simplicity, is that what your getting at bonemarrow?
Become like a child, yes?
No, what i am getting at is that the mind is not part of the divine equation.
Mind is a tool. It is not the knower. It is not you.
One can only “know” god with one’s own spirit, not with one’s own mind.
If you need me to clarify more let me know and i will try to help.
Your arrogance will not get you anywhere, my friend 
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;40486]Your arrogance will not get you anywhere, my friend ;)[/QUOTE]
is this directed at me?
[QUOTE=bonemarrow;40477]No, what i am getting at is that the mind is not part of the divine equation.
Mind is a tool. It is not the knower. It is not you.
One can only “know” god with one’s own spirit, not with one’s own mind.
If you need me to clarify more let me know and i will try to help.[/QUOTE]
Sorry to be thck…can you clarify
[QUOTE=bonemarrow;40488]is this directed at me?[/QUOTE]
Just ignore him. He doesn’t own a mirror, so he’s using you.
Ha lol thats the way it should be xxxxxx lol
I am the wave
dissolve in the sea
god is the sea
I am with thee
“I am the wave
dissolve in the sea
god is the sea
I am with thee”
The moment one draws a dividing line in the sand between this shore and the other shore, one becomes entangled in a downward spiral of delusion. It is not trying to separate water from ice, or the fragrance from the lotus. Certainly, if you identified with the ego, then from the perspective of the ego you are just a wave or a ripple in the ocean. But, if you come to know yourself, through and through, beyond your identification with the ego, you will immediately realize that you are the vast ocean itself. From the source of existence to it’s various expressions, the same forces which are functioning everywhere in nature are also functioning through one’s own being - there is no difference. And everything is interconnected in such a complex way, that it is impossible for anything to truly function as a separate entity.
Without a lover or a beloved, there can be no room for the two of us.
Once, a meditator died and found himself at the gates of paradise. The man wanted to enter the gate when a voice asked him, “Who are you?”
The meditator said, “It is me”.
The voice said, “Here, there can be no room for thee and me.”
The meditator was confused, asked to enter again several times, but there was no reply. He went to meditate on the statement for twenty years and returned.
The voice again asked, “Who are you?”
The meditator said, “It is thyself”.
At once, the gates flung open.
The “i am god” isn’t really a reference to any “God”…Read the article presented here to learn more about what it is that you are…
http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f20/consciousness-cosmology-and-science-7655.html
[QUOTE=omamana;32972]The difference between us and God or Jesus is [U]Sin[/U]. We are not and cannot be perfect human beings, God and Jesus are perfection. This is my Christian point of view…
Surya Deva, please don’t make general assumptions about Christianity based on the people of this world. If you want to make inferences on behalf of Christians please refer to the scriptures in the Bible. And, please show me in the Bible where it says ‘we are god?!’.[/QUOTE]
Tha fact is that this man is right. The problem is that he really makes a lousy case. Thus, he only strenghtens the animosity towards what he believes in.
Faith might be enough for some. Authority of some tradition is enough for some. All these things were, and are still necessary to the extent of the ripeness of the soul.
If, because I got my degree, I would preach about the silliness of pre-school education, how silly would I become ? Let others have their ways. Respectfully disagree if you feel someone wants to force your opinion.
Personal truth and the truth in general are not the same, excepting the case of very elevated beings. In having various views, opinions, we are rich ! Some might say, righfully, that being divided is wrong. And that is true, to a certain extent. Indeed we must aspire to union. Yet, let this union belong not to the powerful, to the elocvent, to the loud, to the supreficial. Where there is a power, it becomes known to the physical eye in forms, when there is truth (not an abstract intellectual truth, but a living, acting force of truth) it becomes known to the physical brain in thoughts. Those who only see the form and are only able to witness the thoughts, will be confused, because those limits belonging to form and thought as we are used to them, limit the truth, just like a photograph limits the multidimensional tree to a picture in 2D. But just as there exist a camera capable of taking multiple pictures, as there are cameras capable to even convey 3D imagery, so, there are ways to know in our soul unknown to the masses, but known to the initiate.
The complexity and greatness of Life and Truth, that of the World and the human being greatly extends those limits of form and thought we are accustomed to. Thus the many tradititions we have today. They are all true. And a superficial comparison will not do. You can argue that from your point of view the tree has a cartain shape, and what the other one tells you is false … in reality, the tree is one, and the views are many. And if you really want to know the tree, you must take more than one picture of it. You must change position. Now, the problem is that human beings evolve, and a certain form of communication what was right in a given age, might not suffice today. But to comprehend the greatness of a tradition, we need a translator. We take too much as granted, because we are sons of our age. We think we comprehend samkhya, vedanta, yoga, or the gospels, but truly, we do not. Our view of these is biased, distorted by so many unrecognized judgements, assumptions. Indeed, it is always easier to teach a child than an adult, beacuse the adult is already spoiled by the lies customary to the age he/she’s living in. These lies are of such nature that we do not even think of them, we take them as granted, as truths, as axyoms. But such behaviour is unworthy to a spiritual disciple. Satya does not only mean, that we do not deliberatly lie. It means also to realize the lies of our existence, in their totality. It means that we question every single thought, attitude, feeling we have, from a higher perspective. And once we acknowldge the lack of truth in ourselves, (sins, in christian terminology) a great thirtst for real knowledge and truth is born in our souls, and this thirst, this longing is the very power what draws the powers of illumination into our lives.
I feel as though I should give my opinion since it’s something I’ve meditated on for quite some time…
The way I’ve come to see it is simple and you’ll probably end up reading it or something similar to it elsewhere. I believe we are all the same. If our bodies are nothing more than vehicles to explore the physical realm of existence which is nothing more than illusion, then the obvious would be to drop the idea of even having a body. Lose yourself. What then is left? Where is the “I” in the “I am God”. Is it even right to say “‘I’ am ONE WITH God”? What IS God?
I believe in no “God” exactly. More so, the Universe. This thing we are all apart of. The idea that any of us are separate from anything, that there is more than 1 in this Universe, to me, is a lie, a false idea, an illusion. So then.
If “God” is almighty. If God is in all things and we all have the Buddha nature, the potential to become a Buddha. And we are all 1. Would that not then mean that God isn’t necessarily “in” everything so much as God IS everything?
To say you are a part of God would be true and false. To say you are God would be true and false. If we see everything from the perspective of 1, to be that one, that entire one. To feel yourself as the grass, trees, water, sun, stars, earth, infinite space, etc. To REALLY FEEL this with your being through meditation is to get closer to.
It would seem you are a “part of” God until the point that you see from the perspective of 1 because only then do you truly understand that you are God because there’s no difference between you and everything that is and ever has been once you completely lose your “perception” and leave nothing but love and wisdom. Because, through wisdom, there is no judgment but truth.
It wouldn’t be entirely wrong to say you are God. It wouldn’t be entirely right. Because with this, a human mind, how could one really know right or wrong? Intuition will show you the truth. At least that’s how I see it 
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;33083]Jnana is not easy at all. It is the hardest of the yoga paths and it is only for the intellectuals.
I do not believe in giving to charity if I don’t feel I want to do it. It has to be natural and sincere and it is not simply not there at the moment.
I don’t think you can diagonse which of my chakras are blocked online sorry.[/QUOTE]
From what little I’ve seen The Scales say, I believe he can honestly assess which of your chakras is blocked quite easily. Actually, I think anybody who has read and understood a good deal about the chakras can tell. And, let me tell you this. If you don’t have that “natural and sincere” charitable feeling, your heart is most likely blocked. My heart chakra is doing very well, and the idea of giving poses no concerns or problems to me. I don’t own much but I give what I don’t need. All I need is my mind in the end.
I also don’t believe a God would “feel” omniscient or omnipotent. For, I believe a God would be humble. God wouldn’t need to “feel”. In fact, I don’t think a God would have … “feeling” at all. I believe a God would be filled with bliss and compassion that knows no bounds. I don’t exactly consider those feelings in the way a Buddha, God, Bodhisattva, etc would experience them. So much as they’ve become a state of mind, a state of being.
Anyways, all I posted is just my current beliefs. They’re subject to change just as everything else 
I have to go for now but I’ll definately be reading much of what was posted here including the links. I’d love for my views to change if they change to something more true
“In this topic there are many statement that “I am God” rings of blasphemy.”
The very idea that there is something which can be called blasphemy is in itself blasphemy.
“In this topic there are many statement that “I am God” rings of blasphemy. God, according to conventional religion, is the supreme deity, the almighty eternal omniscient creator. How can any lowly human being claim that he or she is God?”
That is your own egotism which continues drawing a dividing line in the sands between this shore and the other shore, as though you can escape from the inescapable. Certainly, there is no God as a supreme Being which is created in your own image - that is just a projection of the mind. And depending on your own projections, your idea of God is going to be different. Out of this, a thousand and one different hallucinations about it have been created, all reflections of one’s own image. If you are Indian, then your God has an Indian face, speaks Sanskrit, and has the likes and dislikes of an Indian. If you are an Arab, then of course, your God has an Arab face, speaks Arabic, and has the likes and dislikes of an Arab. Truth is inexpressible, it does not belong to any of our categories of the mind, and yet it is the very nature of things. If you have yet to recognize what is closer to you than your own breath, then Truth is always something lying far far away, dimensions apart from where you are. But if you have awakened an eye on the forehead - Truth is the very stuff that you are made of, everything in existence is none other than the One manifesting as the Many. A serpent swallowing it’s own tail, if you still don’t understand this, then seek to come to know yourself, through and through.
[QUOTE=newsonline11;64180]In this topic there are many statement that “I am God” rings of blasphemy. God, according to conventional religion, is the supreme deity, the almighty eternal omniscient creator. How can any lowly human being claim that he or she is God?[/QUOTE]
In “conventional” religions there is quite a bit regarding “unity with God”. Eg. have a look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticism
What I found interesting is that mystics usually report that God is “more and more” and they are “less and less” (eg. St John of Cross writing that at some point there is no more his own will and he is moved just by God - at this point I stopped reading because it was too scary for me). So when mystic says that he is one with God it means something different when someone full of himself (approving things only if in agreement with his own perspective) says that.
Also, I think its worth remembering that God is for some people intellectual concept (whether in affirming or denying God). As I learned on this forum, very few people here have personal relationship with God. So I think its good to try to understand what is the meaning of God for given person saying “I am God”. For some it may be e.g. expression of belief that our nature is part of the infinite.
“no more his own will and he is moved just by God - at this point I stopped reading because it was too scary for me”
Whatsoever one is calling “God”, is absolutely irrelevant, the fundamental phenomenon remains the same - that what one is calling “divine” is that which is the very source of existence. And certainly, all of one’s ideas about it are just going to be projections of the mind according to one’s own identifications. Truth is not something that is to be forced into the one-sided lenses of the intellect, that would be like trying to swallow the whole ocean into your belly. The intellect is like a blade cutting a vase into various bits and pieces, but as far as having a vision of the whole vase, one can only remain absolutely blind.
Why is that you had become afraid ? Because so far, your whole life has been for the sake of nothing else except nourishment of one’s ego, and the very nature of the ego is such, that if you have become identified with it - one is not going to be interested in anything else except preserving oneself. So definitely, what is called “Union”, or yoga with the divine, if you really understand what it implies - it is something which your ego is not going to accept, it will resist this at almost any cost. Because it means nothing short of dissolving the limitations of your identity just as a drop of water becomes one with the ocean, and so far everything you have known is for the sake of preserving your identity.
?drop of water becomes one with the ocean?
.
.
.
? UNION , a method to tap the Divine power, SAHAJ ?
[QUOTE=AmirMourad;65343]Whatsoever one is calling “God”, is absolutely irrelevant, the fundamental phenomenon remains the same - that what one is calling “divine” is that which is the very source of existence. And certainly, all of one’s ideas about it are just going to be projections of the mind according to one’s own identifications. Truth is not something that is to be forced into the one-sided lenses of the intellect, that would be like trying to swallow the whole ocean into your belly. The intellect is like a blade cutting a vase into various bits and pieces, but as far as having a vision of the whole vase, one can only remain absolutely blind. [/QUOTE]
I agree with your comments on intellect. That’s why some time ago I came back to relationship with God. At some point I realized that it doesn’t matter whether my intellectual concept of God is correct or not. I still can have a relationship: something that involves conscious and unconscious levels of existence.
[QUOTE=AmirMourad;65343]Why is that you had become afraid ? Because so far, your whole life has been for the sake of nothing else except nourishment of one’s ego, and the very nature of the ego is such, that if you have become identified with it - one is not going to be interested in anything else except preserving oneself. So definitely, what is called “Union”, or yoga with the divine, if you really understand what it implies - it is something which your ego is not going to accept, it will resist this at almost any cost. Because it means nothing short of dissolving the limitations of your identity just as a drop of water becomes one with the ocean, and so far everything you have known is for the sake of preserving your identity.[/QUOTE]
I think I got scared because at this point of life when I read st. John of Cross my identity was based on my will. My own will, as ability and content, was what defined me. St. John writings about disappearance of individual will in union with God were for me like a description of death. As you say, its not a nice idea for ego.
Sometimes I think that such fear of death (on various levels) is a sign of real engagement with your spiritual development. If such things are not scaring you, it may be that you are not building yourself to accept death but rather expand your ego so it covers everything (and therefore there is no need to die).
Advaita is lost word in Spirituality , its a practical stage not just theology , stage of Nirvikalpa Samadhi ,