I’m curious to find out, what is [B][U]God[/U][/B] to you?
Do you pray to God in time of need, do you believe your destiny is in God’s hands, do you ask God for forgiveness, do you thank God, where do you find God etc etc…
I’m NOT asking you to answer this from a religious point of view, I don’t care what religion you follow or do not follow. But, if you do believe in God then I ask you to please share your point of view.
Thank you
God has always been a hard concept for me to understand. Growing up catholic, I used to lay in bed and try to imagine God and infinity. Sometimes I could almost grasp it and then it would go. I can honestly say I don’t know. I tend to think of perfection and beauty in all things and the inter-relatedness of everything. (or at least I try) Most Buddhist don’t believe in God. Some do. I don’t know where I fit in yet. So if perfection and beauty is what God is, then maybe I do. Like I said, at this point in my life, I don’t know.
I do pray each day. Generic is really not the right word, but my prayers are more general. I believe my destiny is my hands, but many things will affect the outcome. Things I cannot control. I try not to ask for anything, but to turn inward for guidance. We all have inner wisdom that we often overlook.
Boy this is a hard one Omamana! I’ll have to think some more on this one.
Sometimes i feel close to understand at least in general what is God. Its far from what is pictured on the Eastern Christians icons and told in religious speeches. Rephrasing Vivekananda, there`s a difference between looking at the map and traveling.
God cannot be explained with words (especially so vulgarly as most religions do), even if you try hard, essence will be lost.
For me praying is not whispering words, but diving into devoted and delighted thoughts and feelings.
God is just pretend.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;37119]God is just pretend.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=omamana;37081]…But, if you [U]do believe in God [/U]then I ask you to please share your point of view.[/QUOTE]
“Before you speak, ask yourself: is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?” Shirdi Sai Baba
I can tell you EVERYONE gives their opinion on this forum. I can tell you that from the responses I’ve received with my threads.
I would have to ask anyone who may be ‘offended’ with my opinion, why are your views so fragile? Is it because you are not totally confident with your own beliefs in life? Have you reached your conclusions through rational thought and logical reasoning, or through your wavering emotions and wishful thinking? I’m not trying to be harsh or offend anyone, I just like to encourage the use of our wonderful, rational minds.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;37124]I can tell you EVERYONE gives their opinion on this forum. I can tell you that from the responses I’ve received with my threads.
I would have to ask anyone who may be ‘offended’ with my opinion, why are your views so fragile? Is it because you are not totally confident with your own beliefs in life? Have you reached your conclusions through rational thought and logical reasoning, or through your wavering emotions and wishful thinking? I’m not trying to be harsh or offend anyone, I just like to encourage the use of our wonderful, rational minds.[/QUOTE]
Oh gosh Adam, I am not offended at all 
I specifically asked only people who actually believe in ?a God? to respond as I know how threads can blow up and I simply wanted to avoid that from happening here. The reason, is only because I am going through a inward religious squabble at the moment and I wanted to reach out to like-minded people (ref to people believing in God) and hear their perspectives and views on God.
You decided to respond anyway, and you are totally within your right, so please feel free to continue…
To answer your above questions…I think you already know I have ?blind faith?, I do not claim to have scientific evidence or all the answers…so yes, maybe its wishful thinking/ wavering emotions, does it matter? Nope, not to me, because I can feel God on such a deep level that worldly views, evidence, or opinions are trivial to me, when it comes to God.
[QUOTE=omamana;37126]Oh gosh Adam, I am not offended at all
I specifically asked only people who actually believe in ?a God? to respond as I know how threads can blow up and I simply wanted to avoid that from happening here. The reason, is only because I am going through a inward religious squabble at the moment and I wanted to reach out to like-minded people (ref to people believing in God) and hear their perspectives and views on God.
You decided to respond anyway, and you are totally within your right, so please feel free to continue…
To answer your above questions…I think you already know I have ?blind faith?, I do not claim to have scientific evidence or all the answers…so yes, maybe its wishful thinking/ wavering emotions, does it matter? Nope, not to me, because I can feel God on such a deep level that worldly views, evidence, or opinions are trivial to me, when it comes to God.[/QUOTE]
Nice answer
Namaste,
God is simply a human label for a very real phenomenon in this universe which is the underlying unity of all things. That Hindu’s call absolute reality. This great unity is experienced by humans as a feeling of unfathomable bliss and love. It is a vital spirit that enlivens and animates everything and it is cosmic intelligence that maintains impeccable order in the universe. The Vedas describe it as “sat, chit, ananda” the pure “I-am” consciousness that always is. However, there is debate in the Vedas as to whether this is pure “I-am-ness” has personality. The Rig veda for instance says, “Does it know or does it not know” This question divides everybody. The non-dualists consider it an impersonal absolute reality and the dualists consider it a supreme person(purushotam) This is a question that cannot be answered by the rational mind. The only thing that can answer this question is union with god.
I will speculate however. I do not feel alone in this universe, I feel that the touch of the divine in everything. It certainly feels like there is some very beautiful and infinite spiritual power always with me, looking after me.
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;37165]s a feeling of unfathomable bliss and love.
This is a question that cannot be answered by the rational mind. The only thing that can answer this question is union with god.
I will speculate however. I do not feel alone in this universe, I feel that the touch of the divine in everything. It certainly feels like there is some very beautiful and infinite spiritual power always with me, looking after me.[/QUOTE]
I’m glad you can admit that your take on god is ‘feelings’, and speculation, and not of a rational mind. That was exactly my point. You must abandon your rational mind and just let your emotions take over. God is speculation, wishful thinking, and based on wavering emotions. It’s separate from rational thought and logical reasoning. This is what I was trying to explain all along. Thank You.
God is that ultimate elusive singularity more like a whale than a wise man ? stirring the waters of the universe with its great body and tail, unaware and unconcerned about the turbulence in its wake.
Science seems to be less certain about how nature works than it was, say, at the end of the last century when there was very little wiggle room for god to exist. There are those who spend so much time building data about emerging theories by math, as if the dark corners in the universe sooner or later are resolved without need of any god ? math does the entire job, thank you.
Now, if everything comes from math ? as they would have me believe ? I wonder how they know, when we do not yet know, the fundamentals of ?how come??
My thinking is that in the last few years the scientific wiggle room for god has increased considerably. If proof of God?s existence depends on the assumption that science was unable to explain the natural process of the universe, including its evolution, then there remains a conflict with the eternally evolving universe of which I am now a part. The existence of God is, then, purely a matter of faith.
God to me is a loving father. One who has expectations of me but allows me the freedom to choose my path as I will. He is a comfort and guide in times of trouble. He is someone to thank for mysterious blessings in my life. Omnipresent, and very nearly tangible.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;37170]I’m glad you can admit that your take on god is ‘feelings’, and speculation, and not of a rational mind. That was exactly my point. You must abandon your rational mind and just let your emotions take over. God is speculation, wishful thinking, and based on wavering emotions. It’s separate from rational thought and logical reasoning. This is what I was trying to explain all along. Thank You.[/QUOTE]
Namaste,
You are taking what I said out of context. I said there is something there which is some great spiritual power, an underlying unity behind all of the universe and a supreme intelligence which coordinates everything. This can be known through rational thought. What cannot be known through rational thought is whether this something has a personality. This can only be known through non-rational means such as feeling.
A feeling can tell us a lot because every feeling is an effect and suggests something. If I feel unhappy there is always a cause for why I am feeling unhappy. However, the very fact that I am capable of experiencing unhappiness suggests that I already have a nature of happiness. When I am out of kilter with my own nature, I experience unhappiness. Likewise, the very fact that I am capable of experiencing ignorance, which is the recognition of an absence of knowledge, suggests I already have a nature of knowledge. More, I also experience lack of life energy, but the fact that I know it is a lack of energy, suggests my nature is of abundance of life energy. Thus rational reasoning will indicate to me an underlying spiritual reality which is the of the nature of happiness, knowledge and life. When I have a better connection with this spiritual realilty I feel more complete and alive.
In life we are all striving in our own way to connect to this spiritual reality. This is why Yoga was invented my friend.
[QUOTE=omamana;37126]The reason, is only because I am going through a inward religious squabble at the moment and I wanted to reach out to like-minded people (ref to people believing in God) and hear their perspectives and views on God.[/QUOTE]
Omamana,
Could you answer to those questions you asked in opening post? I expect that if you go through squabble it may be confusing but also it may be helpful. Since its a squabble, it may mean that there are opposing beliefs in you which are in conflict. So maybe you would have to “interview” both sides individually (how each belief in you would reply to those questions).
I lost firm “grasp” on God several years ago and I’m still disheartened by attempts to define God and argue about proper description. I guess now for me God is sort of presence. Intelligent and loving presence.
I pray to God. After my crisis of faith I stopped for some time, but at some point I started to pray again. Mainly because I didn’t want to be spiritually cold (treating God/Spirit as sort of impersonal energy field that one day I will be able to control). In fact this realization scared me a bit back then. After some thinking I concluded that I shouldn’t drop personal relation to higher levels of existence/universe. Treating God as sort of energy is in fact regression to a very low level. And personal aspect of God is a little step closer to the truth and a gift I shouldn’t reject. So after that I started to pray again (using words and also contemplative prayer).
I’m not sure about destiny. I couldn’t figure it out so I stopped thinking about it. Its too confusing for me - this interaction between God influence and determinism of the world…
I don’t ask for forgiveness. I don’t like this idea in general. Its like running away from discomfort and consequences.
I thank God very often. E.g. every time I make dinner and can eat in peace watching good movie. Simple things but what blessings they are!
Where I find God… Recently I try to find God in space “inside” me. Maybe its because contemplative prayer - its easier to calm down my mind and be more intimate.
First of all thank you for starting a great thread as it had me thinking quite hard for a few days and eventually I realised thinking is not going to help me here, I need to feel God as I usually do. And this is what I feel God is to me (limited in words as God is much more than this to me), that omnipresent, all pervasive, all inclusive and sometimes all elusive feeling that is indescribable, uncreated, self existent, an eternal all knowing source of all reality and being.
No, I have stopped praying years ago after my teacher taught me the breath of gratitude and the blessing breath, which I have described a another few posts already. So when something happens, good or bad according to our human perception, although I try to see everything as only appropriate, I first give praise and thanks and then I bless it. Simple, I do not ask, I feel I allow God to decide how much grace and mercy is then afforded to me in that particular situation.
Yes.
No, because I believe that my life is predestined by God and my past karmas, I do belief that I have no right to ask God for any forgiveness as that would be telling God that I think he is doing a bad job of my incarnation and his plans for me. However, I strongly believe in asking forgiveness from the people I might hurt in my life and when I feel the need for such action after reflection, I usually will do it without hesitation.
Constantly, I feel a life of gratitude is my greatest gift I have received of God.
Everywhere, but especially in mountains, in my garden between the birds and trees and growing plants and particularly in my two beautiful spaniels. I feel God particularly Sunday during Mass when I take a piece of the host and ingest it during communion.
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;37165]I will speculate however. I do not feel alone in this universe, I feel that the touch of the divine in everything. It certainly feels like there is some very beautiful and infinite spiritual power always with me, looking after me.[/QUOTE]
I feel the same, it is exactly this which keeps me on my spiriutual discovery and journey!
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;37175]n life we are all striving in our own way to connect to this spiritual reality. This is why Yoga was invented my friend.[/QUOTE]
Well ‘spirituality’ may have been why it was invented, but fortunately Yoga has practical, plausible applications as well, which is why I have adopted the practice.
Thank you very much Pandara and Pawel for your feedback to my questions. You have given me much to think about.
[QUOTE=Pawel;37177]Omamana,
Could you answer to those questions you asked in opening post? I expect that if you go through squabble it may be confusing but also it may be helpful. Since its a squabble, it may mean that there are opposing beliefs in you which are in conflict. So maybe you would have to “interview” both sides individually (how each belief in you would reply to those questions).
I lost firm “grasp” on God several years ago and I’m still disheartened by attempts to define God and argue about proper description. I guess now for me God is sort of presence. Intelligent and loving presence.
I pray to God. After my crisis of faith I stopped for some time, but at some point I started to pray again. Mainly because I didn’t want to be spiritually cold (treating God/Spirit as sort of impersonal energy field that one day I will be able to control). In fact this realization scared me a bit back then. After some thinking I concluded that I shouldn’t drop personal relation to higher levels of existence/universe. Treating God as sort of energy is in fact regression to a very low level. And personal aspect of God is a little step closer to the truth and a gift I shouldn’t reject. So after that I started to pray again (using words and also contemplative prayer).[/QUOTE]
To answer my own questions, honestly:
-Do I pray to God: Yes, but not so much anymore, unfortunate
-Do I believe my destiny is in God’s hands: Yes. Does this mean to follow your intuition/ gut as this is God’s way to lead you to your destiny? If so, I am only now starting to trust this
-Do I ask for forgiveness: Yes, but I hate doing it, because guilt is such a horrible symptom of dogmatic religions
-Do I thank God: Yes, almost every day, so much to be grateful for!
-Where do I find God: In my heart, not in my head
I guess I’m more loosing grip with ‘Christianity’ than I am with God. But, I did not want to get involved in another religious debate because they just upset and confuse me even more. So I thought I would start with God and see what comes up, because from what I can see God and yoga are the only things most of us have in common, and I would like to discuss this from a happy place, where we feel a togetherness.
I could really relate to your experience, thank you.
[QUOTE=omamana;37195]I guess I?m more loosing grip with ?Christianity? than I am with God. But, I did not want to get involved in another religious debate because they just upset and confuse me even more. So I thought I would start with God and see what comes up, because from what I can see God and yoga are the only things most of us have in common, and I would like to discuss this from a happy place, where we feel a togetherness.[/QUOTE]
Hi Omamana,
It’s funny to see how similar our experiences and attitudes can be 
I think I can relate to experience. I was a very devoted Christian (catholic), but at some point I lost my faith (in Jesus; my belief-obviousness of God remained in some sense). I stopped praying because my “normal” prayer became very dry and depressing. It was like an invasion of all concepts, confusion and struggles related with my religious life. I just couldn’t get through this stuff, and only my thoughts started to race. It took few years to reach this point in which I could pray again (but in bit different way, more quiet and contemplative).
Now I look at it from distance and wonder whether this crisis was about my relationship with God or rather relationship with religion and church. Maybe it was like breakup I didn’t want to openly admit to…
From this perspective, when I read your post, I was wondering the same. You want to talk about God. And you want to avoid religion. Maybe it means there is some unfinished business in you in relationship between you and religion (religion also in meaning of all parts of your life related with religious life) that holds you from moving on?
Sorry if I’m too inquisitive. Crisis of faith and religion is one of the things I’m dealing for years now so I may interpret things in this specific context.
There are dozens of religions in the world: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Taoism, Shintoism, Shamanism, Paganism. If you lose faith in one, there are many others to choose from. Rejecting them all just because you lose faith in one, is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Anyway it sounds like you are moving towards a more Hindu religious worldview. “God within, Yoga”