by Jurgen Ziewe

One day every one of us will have to pass through the portals of death. We don’t have to reach a state of enlightenment in order to enter the pleasant lands, but we can’t ignore the fact that where we are now, emotionally and spiritually, will determine where we will go to spend the next leg of our infinite future. We can push the idea of death from our awareness via distractions or entertainments of various kinds, by leading a hedonist lifestyle as if there was no tomorrow, but we will have to bear in mind that what is in our sub-consciousness will become our new external reality when we die. There is no doubt that the best way to prepare ourselves for the future is by conducting our life from a place of calmness and inner stillness, here and now in our present, which becomes our instant link to our infinity. We can embrace the infinity of our existence by pursuing a life where every moment counts, and living it by being mindful and aware of our thoughts, feelings and actions, informed by kindness and the loving heart.

We can learn to look at our conflicts and crisis points as learning opportunities for building a better base, and treat our inner demons as our educators. We can look at our enemies as our teachers to learn compassion and harness our own authentic strength in order to liberate ourselves from the rule of others. Instead of putting self-interest first, we can learn to appreciate how our actions are experienced by others. The easiest way to accomplish this is by acting, thinking, speaking and experiencing reality by employing the heart in everything we do.

Psychology teaches us that we cannot hide our unresolved issues or inner demons if we wish to lead a healthy and balanced life. The foundation of happiness is to be found in a life of balance and psychological hygiene, free from the toxins of negative and destructive attitudes. We are aided by our ability to respond dynamically to situations by not remaining stuck in rigid constructs and hardened beliefs, which are unable to adapt to the flowing forces of nature.

Religions of old have tried to make it simple do good things and you’ll go to Heaven, do bad things and you’ll go to Hell. Reality is more complex than that and works on multiple levels. We will need to find our own way to our inner heart and authenticity, often via trial and error rather than by following prescriptions. We don’t need to read books about ethics and morality, about what is good and what is bad, we simply need to read the book of wisdom laid out within us and read in a state of calm and reflection. We can find out how we can love and serve, how we can enhance the world rather than impoverish it, how we can add value rather than devalue it.

By living through the heart we no longer have to figure out for ourselves what effect our actions will have on others, we simply open our inner channels to allow the most positive energy to flow into us and guide our actions. We can trigger love by appreciation, out of which a loving, empathic and compassionate heart is much more likely to rise. It will be a guarantor for a rewarding life rather than a mind calculating our effects, torn by conflict, obsessed with self-gratification and motivated by greed and self-importance. Too keep these channels open and connected to our authentic self close to our Source we can practice regular meditation, engage in selfless service and live life by fostering inner wisdom in calm reflection.

Every religion has brought forward their shining lights of sages who provide inspiration and encourage in us the right attitude to develop a powerful connection to our Source. It doesn’t matter whether we follow Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, Buddhism, Zen or any other faiths, as long as we don’t get blinded by dogma and fanatical stances. Mindfulness, which focuses attention on the sensations, thoughts and emotions, while remaining rooted in the present moment with an accepting and non-judgemental attitude, can be practiced whichever religion we follow, because it will put us in a position of ‘being’ rather than ‘becoming’. This attitude will keep us in touch with reality and will cleanse our channels for a positive downflow of creative energy. Whatever cultural context we use as our basis, we are best served by looking at the core aspects of our faith, where it connects us to the Core Consciousness it springs from rather than diluted interpretations and evolved dogma.

Even if we don’t believe in God or any form of spirituality whatsoever, we can still rely on the simple acceptance that we ARE and inquire into the mystery of our Being. Deep meditation does not require belief, it just requires a focus on ‘what is’, on the reality of ‘Now’, and this way we also can find stillness, even as atheists. It is simply narrow-minded propaganda that preaches atheists will go to hell because they don’t believe in God. Nothing could be further from the truth, and many atheists are in a better position to reach enlightenment than many devout followers of religious beliefs. Buddha himself did not believe in God and yet he is the figurehead of one of the most enlightened ways of living on the planet. Fanatical subscribers to religious belief will no doubt be quick to condemn such a liberal stance, but they will have remember that there is not a single person, life form or atom that is not intimately connected to God or Core Consciousness, whether they may believe it or not.

In the end we will discover that, whatever our beliefs, actual first-hand experience will deliver the final proof for continuous existence and we will no longer have to rely on the testimonies of others. Nothing is more powerful in delivering proof than first-hand experience.

We will have to decide for ourselves which teachers, if any, to enlist and how to open the inner channels to the seat of Consciousness. The simple rule to be guided by is to avoid anything that cuts us off from the free flow of love energy, such as narcissism, dogma, selfishness, fanaticism, hatred, bigotry, intolerance and all the negative feelings related to our own self-importance, which will restrict the free flow of creative energy. All the energy we set in motion and which enriches the world without diminishing others is energy stacked in our favor.

By focusing on the things in life that truly matter, embracing reality rather than denying or running away from it, and by nurturing our authentic self, fertilized by the generosity of the heart, we create the best conditions not only for the afterlife, but for our current life as well, because life is a continuum.

Excerpt from Vistas of Infinity

See Part II here.