(HSS): An article for 'Editor's Choice' at Holy Spirit/Shekinah

[Guest guest]

Dear Jagbir,

 

i think 'the appended' would be a good article to add to 'Editor's Choice' at

Holy Spirit/Shekinah. i have titled i. We could call it About Divine Incarnation

('the God-Man'). i know you are very busy at the moment, but will get to it

eventually. Thanks

 

Thanks!

 

violet

 

 

 

 

 

About Divine Incarnation ('the God-Man')

 

Millions of religious people think of God as their friend. They often like to

think of the higher consciousness as having subtle form, of being embodied. For

example, many Christians feel that Jesus Christ, in subtle form, an embodiment

of higher consciousness, is their friend. They feel his presence.

 

They can, when in a superconscious state themselves, perceive his subtle form.

They walk with him and talk with him, as the hymn says. They feel Jesus to be

their real, embraceable Lord and friend. They feel he is beside them at their

work or especially when they are in difficulty.

 

When they pray they sense they are not speaking to a distant, possibly diffused

body of light and power, but that Jesus is there sitting before them or kneeling

beside them in their room. They are certain they are not engaged in imagination

although, they grant, many people may engage in imagination.

 

 

Friends of Christ Find Proof

 

Friends of Christ find proof they are actually experiencing the higher

consciousness because of the improved quality of their lives and the

transformation of their previously uncooperative character. They see, in the

physical, material, and daily events of their lives, definite manifestations of

the presence of their friend. They credit their friend for the greater

opportunities which come their way. They recognize the handiwork of their friend

in the increased security and peace in which they live. Very often they find

help or inspiration bounding on the miraculous. These grateful friends observe

their Lord entering into the relationships they have with other people and

creating a pronouncedly different or improved state in those relationships. When

in danger, companions of Christ often find the hand of their friend protecting

all concerned.

 

Other Christians who prefer to live in a friend to friend mood do not think of

Jesus being in superphysical form but rather formless — a formless friend, pure

spirit or light. They find that Christ acts as their friend without having any

" human characteristics, " or dimensions, and are perfectly happy with this

sublime relationship; however, it is difficult, due to our human frailties and

needs, to maintain this ethereal relationship. It's much easier to forget the

relationship completely at times if one is not predisposed to thinking of the

Lord of one's heart in form, in a person to person manner.

 

 

Ishta — Eastern Religious Term

 

Eastern religions have a word for this aspect of higher consciousness and

spirituality. One who thinks of the Lord in form is worshipping and relating to

what is called an ishta. This phenomenon of the ishta is extremely helpful to

those entering into the friend to friend relationship and all subsequent moods

of higher consciousness. The ishta concept can certainly be of help, too, in the

previous mood of the servant relationship.

 

However, in considering the ishta, the human form of God, communication between

people becomes difficult. Millions of people strongly assert there is no God at

all: not in any form nor absolute state, either. Sincere members of some faiths

are certain God exists but has no human form. They look upon worshippers of an

anthropomorphic God with pity, or sometimes hostility. Devout adherents of some

other faiths are convinced that God has one divine/human form — and one form

only. And then large numbers of Hindus worship numerous gods with divine and

human attributes — who comprise different aspects of the one infinite source of

all: Brahman.

 

 

A History of Religious Condemnation

 

It's not easy to discuss God in form because people of some faiths condemn the

religious, or spiritual, practices of those in other faiths. At times, including

the present, lovers of God have been murdered for thinking of their Lord in a

different way from what others insisted was the only way. Men and women who

considered themselves dedicated and honorable people have imprisoned those

outside their own religion. Also, as this spirit of self-righteous

interpretation and opinion grows cruel from time to time, many people within

most faiths have killed others who practiced the same religion differently.

Witness the disappearance of the early leader of the Baptist Church in England

who was very likely beheaded for questioning the divine right of kings, and for

his views on baptism. Witness the mountains of bodies during the Thirty Year's

War in Europe (1618-1648) when religious differences divided a whole population.

 

Any reference to history will help people realize how far we must yet travel to

give true love and good will to one another — not only as individuals but as

groups too, as nations and faiths. Love and understanding are especially needed

when the world's religions are moved to share the Lord with others.

 

 

God as Man

 

Religious people who seek a mood of relationship with God almost always choose

an Incarnation as their ishta — the form of God on whom they focus their minds

and hearts. The concept of the Incarnation was initially an ancient Eastern idea

(or realization) which moved West. You can trace the various Incarnations in

different spaces of time and in different cultures by studying history and

comparative religions. You can also observe the tremendous impact of the

Incarnations on the overall well being of the civilizations which they served.

 

Devoted worshippers throughout the world are convinced God himself incarnated as

man and is worthy of worship. Many people have been persecuted throughout the

ages for believing in this tradition and seeking a personal relationship with

the Incarnation of God — who is also called avatar, a descent of the Divine.

Devotees who have a mood of relationship with an Incarnation, " God as man, " ask

doubters: if God is real and omnipotent and can create the whole universe

including mankind, why can't he himself incarnate and walk the earth if he

chooses?

 

It's extremely fascinating for a student of religion to find there is a

tradition of the God-man, the Incarnation, in many civilizations throughout

history. The incarnation tradition is further complicated and confused, however,

because some ancient societies also called their kings divine incarnations.

 

 

What are the Identifying Characteristics of an Incarnation?

 

Specific characteristics mark those great beings who were hailed and loved as

Incarnations. An Incarnation:

 

1. Is preceded by messengers who declare His coming

 

2. Is born of immaculate conception

 

3. Lives among the lowly

 

4. Demonstrates God's grace alone is sufficient

 

5. Sacrifices His life out of love and as a propitiation for humanity

 

6. Clarifies the scriptures so that people can understand and practice them

rightly

 

7. Adds something new which is particularly applicable to the era which He [or

She] has come to serve and which will be of benefit to all future people

 

8. Cleans away the confusions in religious or spiritual practice caused by

ignorant or incorrectly opinionated priestcraft

 

 

Incarnations of God

 

Such Incarnations are Rama, Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Chaitanya,

and Ramakrishna.

 

There may have been other Incarnations as well. These, however, are the main

Incarnations recognized by millions and millions in the world today. (It's

important to note that most Buddhists do not consider Buddha an Incarnation, but

Hindus and mystics generally think Gautama the Buddha had the characteristics of

an Incarnation.)

 

Remember, some faiths do not recognize any Incarnations; and some people who

recognize one Incarnation do not recognize any other Incarnation.

 

 

Ways of Loving the Lord

 

Commonly, those people who practice relating to higher consciousness through the

different moods are dominantly devotional or religious. They find it easy and

very natural to think of the Lord of their heart, the source of life, love, and

existence, as an Incarnation. Millions of people around the world today choose

to relate to God, the emanator of higher consciousness, through their chosen

Incarnation. Their ways of loving their Lord and thinking of God are often

extremely beautiful and charming.

 

Some devotees chant the name of their Lord and friend while looking at a picture

or sculpture which represents the Incarnation. These devotees lovingly chant his

name or utter praises of love to him. Others think of the Passion of Christ and

worship him, recalling his death on a cross, and lovingly wear crucifixes and

say the rosary. Hundreds of millions receive the body and blood of Christ into

their beings through communion, regularly.

 

Other devotees in their relationship with the Divine offer little plates of food

before the Lord at an altar placed in a room in their homes, feeling that the

Lord — in spirit and in form — partakes of the food and blesses it before they

themselves sit down to eat. Meantime, some other devoutly religious people would

call these practices idolatry and would not be caught dead daring to think for a

moment of the Lord having form or being able to express so personally. And such

differences of view and doctrine have often caused warfare, perhaps from the

beginning of man.

 

Also, it's important to mention that millions of religious devotees think of the

Lord as feminine, as well as masculine. They, by the millions, call upon the

Lord as " Divine Mother. " They feel that the Lord is unconditionally loving, as

is often the case with mothers in this world. They equate the Divine Mother with

the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit. They feel the Divine Mother is an

ever-available comforter who will never reject her child, whether that child be

good or bad. Similarly, Roman Catholics — in their relationship with God — often

pray to Mother Mary and numerous saints. Mary Baker Eddy, too, the founder of

Christian Science, often referred to the feminine aspect of God when she spoke

of " Father, Mother God. "

 

 

Friend to Friend

 

To clarify and sum up, the awe and servant relationships may — if you are so

predisposed and able — mature into a new attitude, a new mood of the heart. Then

you feel a soul-deep response to the call of higher consciousness which leads

you to discover your true nature and value in the " eyes " of higher

consciousness. A new and transformed person, you easily become a friend to

higher consciousness. The two of you relate more intimately, friend to friend.

You share life at a deeper level. While mindful of the greatness and amazing

superiority of your senior companion, you feel free and welcome to chat and

converse in rich dialogues with the higher consciousness — usually communicated

superconsciously, non-verbally. In this friend mood of higher consciousness, you

discover a greater capacity for intimacy and a person to Person relationship

with the Lord.

 

Your relationship, being a true friendship, conducted at a higher level of

awareness (not imagination), bears fruit in daily life. If you are not becoming

a better person or a more able and competent person in your friend mood, chances

are fantasy is dominating you. If your compassion for others is increasing and

if your body and mind feel extremely blessed, then very likely you are

experiencing the mood of relationship called friend to friend.

 

 

Playfulness Occurs

 

Remember, in this true friendship between the finite and the infinite, between

two forms of higher consciousness (because now, you, a newly-awakened human

being, have become a freely-expressive form of higher consciousness too), the

marvelous aspect of playfulness occurs. Just as friends who love one another

joke, tease, and inspire one another; just as they love to give presents and be

of assistance to one another; just as they deeply enjoy being thoughtful of the

other person and love the friend for this kindness; so too the higher

consciousness and the devotee enter into much fun together!

 

Sometimes it may seem that your newfound friend is playing tag with you —

running away and hard to find. At other times, in your career, for example,

during particularly intense times, suddenly your special companion comes rushing

into the room, filling it with light and a heavenly quality. Sometimes you

suddenly feel touched and uplifted. Or, your heart unexpectedly expands with

joy, realizing the unique friendship you are now having.

 

 

Give and Take

 

Ask any Catholic nun — that is, almost any nun — about her relationship with the

Lord. If she is willing to share, she will charm you for hours describing " her "

beloved Jesus. She may also, perhaps, confide her concern for many priests who

seem to relate to God in an abstract manner and who talk about the Holy Spirit

as if he's not a person. Jesus is friend, husband, and Lord to many nuns.

 

For some people, the natural outgrowth of their quest for higher consciousness

is a sense of a personal friend to friend relationship. For others, it's just

not conceivable and other possibilities seem more appropriate.

 

In the friend to friend relationship, both friends are important. The

give-and-take is extremely valuable to the friendship. Although the higher

consciousness is so much more aware, able, and infinitely more beautiful — at

least it seems so to the new friend — both must contribute. Both must also be

themselves. Both friends are essential to the relationship. Friendship cannot be

one way.

 

 

Completely Satisfying

 

You are extremely fortunate to move forward from a servant relationship into the

embrace of friendship. You find a new way of perceiving the world, as well as

realizing a new value for yourself. The awe and servant relationships, however,

are still precious to you because they keep you from ever taking the higher

consciousness for granted and they prevent you from taking unfair advantage of

the new relationship. Humility and the readiness to serve must be constituents

in your makeup in order for the friendship to go on.

 

But what a possibility! A completely satisfying, perfect, and undying

friendship.

 

http://www.yogaworld.org/relationships/friends_of_God-print.htm