Radiant Apocalypse

[NikolaiI]

Mankind seems to be alone in the world, and it seems much of it is divided on the pivotal issue of God. Does God exist as the scriptures of different cultures say, or does he not exist as the atheist say, because there is no evidence for him, and you cannot see him? Atheists will say believers are ignorant (not all will, but plenty will say it contemptuously) while many believers think that atheists are hopelessly trapped in their thinking, and that God exists, and that in God is the source of everything in this world; what is higher than everything, and also the fulfillment of matters such as the intellectual. The intellectual, spiritual, mental, physical, emotional- any I am leaving out, some believers think they are all satisfied in God. Not all people fit one of these two categories (the atheist or the believer I have described) of course-- perhaps none do. But whoever has an opinion thinks it is a right opinion, unless they have been cowed into being silent.

The way I see it sometimes is that God is above Humankind, and Humankind is in darkness except for the times it emerges from ignorance and passion to the states of goodness and transcendence. In goodness and transcendence is peace, happiness, knowledge, revelation, and bliss. In higher consciousness is revelation, and the uncontainable need for expression of truth. Mystics such as Sri Aurobindo dedicated their lives to this, to trying to translate the light they saw. I've seen many instances of ideas echoed in different authors, sources, and in my own revelation I have seen, and felt these, in a profound way, by myself. Dostoevsky writes poignantly, "I believe...all is like an ocean, all flows and conects; touch it one place and it echoes at the other end of the world."

Alan Watts writes
Down and at last out—out of the cosmic maze to recognize in and as myself, the bewildered traveler, the forgotten yet familiar sensation of the original impulse of all things, supreme identity, inmost light, ultimate center, self more me than myself. Standing in the midst of Ella's garden I feel, with a peace so deep that it sings to be shared with all the world, that at last I belong, that I have returned to the home behind home, that I have come into the inheritance unknowingly bequeathed from all my ancestors since the beginning. Plucked like the strings of a harp, the warp and woof of the world reverberate with memories of triumphant hymns. The sure foundation upon which I had sought to stand has turned out to be the center from which I seek. The elusive substance beneath all the forms of the universe is discovered as the immediate gesture of my hand. But how did I ever get lost? And why have I traveled so far through these intertwined tunnels that I seem to be the quaking vortex of defended defensiveness which is my conventional self?

In his state of revelation, he sees the truth so vividly that he sees there is never any problem; he is struck by the fact that anyone could have thought life was a problem or a mystery, although he admits when he returns to normal consciousness he may not retain his peaceful vision. Vivekananda writes, "There is hope for all. None can die; none can be degraded forever. Life is but a playground, however gross the play may be. However we may receive blows, and however knocked about we may be, the Atman is there and is never injured. We are that Infinite."

What I meant to say about God and Man is that it seems like God is above Man, yet as the mystics and sages almost all agree, God is the source of reality, so he is above yet fundamental in everything. God is above Man yet we cannot turn away from him, and when I contemplate like this it makes me think that everyone returns to God. In Vaishnava philosophy this is the case, but someone may stay separated from God for many millenia. But I am getting sidetracked.

I do not want this to be about whether God exists.

Buddhist masters in the East wrote about Shambala, an enlightened world; in other circles, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabu was presaged to advent a 10,000 year era of peace, based on the singing of san-kirtana; and Christian mystics have also had visions of a universal transformation of humanity into the divine. Gopi Krishna and Sri Aurobindo both focus on human evolution. Gopi Krishna writes about Kundalini, the guardian of human evolution. He believes human evolution is guided by an intelligent fate. But we still need to play our part in it by awakening Kundalini; and, as is vital in Krishna's ideas and visions as well as Aurobindo's, as well as most Eastern masters; we must follow the laws of God. The goal is Radiant apocalypse, a transfiguration of this world into a peaceful, enlightened place. A planet guided by the divine, and transformed by the light of God. An enlightened world, where higher consciousness has opened up the path to enlightenment mind and the continuation of our evolution.

As for my own spiritual enlightenment, I've recently had many experiences which I wish to share. Singing and chanting for several hours every day, the mundane and negative voices in my mind, which I mistook for my own ego, have been replaced by a flowing stream of positive spiritual thoughts, images, sounds, melodies, and words. What once seemed impossible for me to control-- my own thoughts, moods, mind, body, state of mind; now is becoming increasingly peaceful, serene, happy, blissful, all with increasing ease. The process is so beautiful because it is so simple. It is so beautiful because what used to be a source of harassment as well as benefit-- my mind-- has become only a source of benediction. I have many threads in my ideas that I can expand upon, if anyone wishes to ask me. As well as having this peace, there is also a shedding of false ego, a shedding of stressful contradictions. The maha mantra that I chant sometimes appears to me very powerful. In previous years of my life as I meditated, it was always coming to a place where I could obtain some small relief of my harried life. I could always touch briefly a meditative state, but it would fade quickly, and I did not experience a full shift of consciousness; but now I feel everything as it relates to my consciousness. I know, I am not expressing it perfectly in words. I will continue my best to try. The main thing is the transformation; of which I am sure I will never be complete. But how beautiful it is to be enlightened, or partially enlightened, even partially elevated, expanded, into the spiritual consciousness!

I titled this thread "Radiant Apocalypse" but it is also centered on the transfiguration of human life as a whole into the divine, into enlightenment, secure peace, wisdom flourishing, Humankind following universal laws of God, found in the I Ching, Buddhism, and all other religions' true mystics. It is also the continuing of our evolution; since we are now self-aware as a species, and aware of many scientific facts regarding our genes and what behavior improves them; peace and enlightenment are fully within our grasp.

I will leave with simply this poem written by Sri Aurobindo, with many smiles and much love to all, that we may see the light and love in this world, and always help to dispel darkness. And above all trust in ourselves, that we may retain the grace of God, and live in peace with one another and the planet.

Jaya Jagannatha,
All glories to God, in all his names and forms!


"Then shall be ended here the Law of Pain.
Earth shall be made a home of Heaven's light. . . .
The superconscient beam shall touch men's eyes
And the truth-conscious world come down to earth
Invading matter with the Spirit's ray,
Awakening its silence to immortal thoughts,
Awakening the dumb heart to the living Word.
This mortal life shall house Eternity's bliss,
The body's self taste immortality.

O mind, grow full of the eternal peace:
O work, cry out the immortal litany:
Built is the golden tower, the flame-child born.

The supermind shall claim the world for Light
And thrill with love of God the enamored heart
And place Light's crown on Nature's head
And found Light's reign on her unshaking base. . . .
A soul shall wake in the Inconscient's house;
The mind shall be God-vision's tabernacle,
The body intuition's instrument,
And life a channel for God's visible power. . . .

The Spirit's tops and Nature's base shall draw
Near to the secret of their separate truth
And each know other as on deity.
The Spirit shall look out through Matter's gaze
And Matter shall reveal the Spirit's face.
Then man and superman shall be at one
And all the earth become a single life."

[El Viejo]

Perhaps if the initial post was shorter there'd be some responses.

I'll hazard a couple though:

Your view seems somewhat provincial. There are nearly seven billion people in the world. The western world, where the God/no God argument flickers, is considerably smaller. Given that atheists constitute such a small part of that small world, this 'pivotal' issue is rather insignificant, and simply looks huge in the tiny space of this forum.

Much larger are the battles between the teams for the various gods, but even these are small among the battles over borders, ethnicity, oil, food, and ancient insults.

I confess I don't understand what you mean by "Radiant Apocalypse." I suppose you're anticipating, or hoping for, a burst of enlightenment to suffuse the world, to the apocalyptic destruction of evil and darkness. I hope I live to see something like that. However, I think history shows that change will be slow, sprinkled with reversals, and hindered as much as helped by spirituality.

[NikolaiI]

Well I did get an insulting response which was deleted.

"Try to change your bad habits by gradually replacing them with good thoughts and actions." —Amma

The above is quote I'm just using to support my idea or experience of what happened to me with my spirituality. As to whether spirituality helps in the future, or hinders, I think an understanding of what spirituality is, is integral. First, spirituality I believe has helped enormously, but in the world-stage, perhaps it has not been a dominating factor over hate, lust and greed. Still, it is set up as the anti-thesis of those.

The nature of spirituality, anyway, is that we can break free of our karmic cycle, or, that we can change our habits. There is no limitation of time, although I did not originally mean that this "Radiant Apocalypse" would be instant. I mean, rather, the further evolution of the species. Aurobindo's words are more important than any I could write, and they express it better.

In fact Aurobindo's written more about it, which I am only just beginning to read.
Perhaps I'll come back to this after I've read more.

[B-Mental]

Nik, for me its just a question of 'Does Man Exist?' I believe in God, and I believe in Men and Women. Why don't some people believe in God? Hari Krishna, my brother, Cheers B

[El Viejo]

Ah. Thank you.

EV

[blazeofglory]

What is God?: Is God as an existence? Is God the way scriptures describe like in Hindu scriptures a four-handed Vishnu? Or an elephant headed Ganesh, or a colossal Shiva?

In the same way there are different versions or descriptions of God in other religions too.

In fact if God does exist He or She or It, for God can not be a gender, must be totally formless. In fact the Vedas are closer to the idea wherein God is said to be formless, Nirguna, Nirakar and Niranjana.

It is not out of prejudice or precondition that I refer to the Vedas. I have gone through different religious texts and yet it is the Vedas that appeal to me.
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I am not entangled by the notions of atheism or theism and it has little to do with me. While I am not a temple, church, mosque goer and not a follower of a Guru or Gurus and am always set against conservatism and not ritualistic, yet I strongly hold that cosmic consciousness does exist that pervades all. I feel, despite all my antagonistic and skeptical ideas I still feel that I am part of the universe or that the Universe and my body or spirit? are not two different entities. Both are one.

Whatever label you give me the choice is yours.