Introduction
“We all begin as materialists, taking for granted that the phenomenal world before us is the sole reality. The idea of a transcendent God, or a unifying Principle inherent in the world, seems but a remote and hazy notion. Then, as our religious sense awakens, perhaps through some shocking reminder of our mortality, or a dawning clarity of mind while viewing the starry heavens or some quiet stretch of seacoast, we begin to reflect. And some inner logic seems to demand a Creator for so vast and mysterious a universe. We begin to sense an Intelligence beyond our own, an Intelligence with whom we can communicate, and of whom we are increasingly aware in all our thoughts and actions. This section is divided into a number of sub-sections, as follows; Religion and Spirituality – a brief look at both areas and a comparison between the two. Paradise Lost – we have assumed that these mortal body-forms are our real selves for so long that most people have a hard time comprehending that we were once immortal gods. But we were. We still are. Who and Where are We? – why do we think that we are these body-forms if we are really gods? The Path to Awakening – is there a way to escape from this cosmic hypnosis? Awakening and Enlightenment – quotations from the mystics highlight the inconceivable joy and freedom that awaits those who recover their original identity as gods - unique, individualized extensions of Spirit. "You are born with wings. Why prefer to crawl through life?" ~ Rumi |