Nature of the Western God & Soul

* Origin of the Universe/Man (God the Creator vs. Evolution/Big Bang)
* Major Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam
* Monotheism - One External Patriarchal God
* Nature of Good & Evil (Original Sin and Redemption), Heaven/Hell
* Faith & Prayer

The God of Judaism: Monotheist, one external patriarch, a father who cares for his children in addition to being the causer of all things (Book of Genesis). He demands unquestioning obedience. His existence must be accepted without question. Laws: The Ten Commandments (Moses).

Christianity: Faith and salvation through Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. Depicted through the Gospels – historical truths set forth by eyewitnesses (disciples of Christ). Teachings of Jesus: Unconditional Love, Forgiveness, Compassion, taking care of the poor.

Islam: The Koran, or holy book, contains the teachings of the prophet Mohammed, who experienced a mystic vision on a mountainside near Mecca. In this vision an angel appeared to him and set forth the word of Allah. Islam is an Arabic word meaning “submission,” that is, submission to God’s will and God’s law. The emphasis is on obedience to the precepts in the Koran, respect for moral authority, and righteous conduct.

Eastern Religion & Philosophy

God is in every person and every part of creation: The divine nature of human beings.

Definition of Reality - Our world is only God's dream!

Non-attachment - Need to eliminate ego and desire.

Balance and Moderation - Control of one's senses and emotions.

Soul/Intuition - Developed through meditation and realization of one's true divine nature.

Harmony and Oneness of existence through love.

Physical Space/inner space - Go within to find peace and happiness.

Future vs. Present - Be in the Eternal Now! Be here now - be somewhere else later!

Hinduism

Brahman - our very consciousness, pure being, infinite Being, infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. Supreme Cosmic Spirit or Absolute Reality is said to be eternal, genderless, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

God the Father, God the Divine Mother

3-Sided Nature of God: Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer.

Dharma - the right way of living, proper conduct, duty and righteousness. The Way of the Higher Truths.

Meditation & Yoga - Scientific control of the life force and breath.

Dual Nature of Existence (Maya): Illusion of Reality

Karma: Reap what you Sow

Reincarnation: Reborn until one vanquishes all karma and until one realizes one's true divine nature.

Om: Sound of God, Sacred Symbol

Nirvana: Ultimate realization, Christ Consciousness

Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama: The Middle Way (Dharma) - Living in balance, according to Divine Law.

4 Noble Truths:
     All life is suffering;
     Suffering is caused by desire;
     To eliminate suffering, eliminate desire;
     To eliminate desire follow the Eightfold Path

8-Fold Path (The way that leads to the end of suffering; a practical guide of bringing about ethical and meditative discipline.):

     Right view, Right intention, Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood,
     Right effort, Right mindfulness, Right concentration

Nature as Divine, Intelligent Life Force

Samsara/Futility of Desire

Life is a River - There is no beginning, middle or end - just the present moment, the Eternal Now.

Meditation - empty the mind of ego consciousness; realize oneness with the Supreme, Divine Intelligent Life-force that operates through everything.

Compassionate Detachment

Zen Buddhism

500 A.D. -- Carried from India to China before reaching Japan. Origins traced to a Hindu monk named Bodhidharma.

Detachment from Self, Ego & Intellect (meaning, rank, prestige are illusions)

Non-Mind (language/logic have no meaning -do not try to figure out life through the intellect. Intuition leads to insight).

Meditation - discovering the emptiness (void) that underlies all existence

What really is, simply is (the truth has no name)

Do not strive, manipulate & control outcomes

Zen: Detachment of Self, Ego & Intellect

Cuts through the logical process by which ego-intelligence works.

Zen does not value language. It views language as a barrier between pure intelligence and reality.

Acceptance: "What really is, simply is" & "The truth has no name." Do not strive, manipulate, or control outcomes. Do not try to figure our life through the intellect (reason).

The Non-Mind: Offers intuitive insight into the truth, only after we rid ourselves of the ego-mind and intellect.

Meditation/Sitting: to confront pain and boredom directly - to discover the void (emptiness) that underlies all existence.

Taoism

Tao Te Ching - The Way of Life (Lao-tse ("Old Master"), 606-531 B.C.). A guide to living the serene, untroubled life free of pain. Total acceptance and trust in the force that rules the universe and is given the simple name Tao, or "The Way."

Chinese Origins

Harmony & Balance

Yin & Yang (principles of Opposites)

Non-Doing & Non-Action

Separation (caused by Ego) is illusion

Meditation

Total Acceptance & Trust of the Force that rules the universe (The Way)

Everything is what it is

Principles of Yin & Yang

The universe operates through the continual interaction of opposites.

The Yin & Yang Symbol represents two poles of existence which are opposite but complementary, and which exist in everything.

The principles of opposites is frequently represented by the circle divided between two crescent moons -- one white, the other black, but each containing a smaller circle with the opposite color. Everything contains both yin and yang -- this is why we see a spot of white in the black segment and vice versa.

YIN: Black Crescent represents the Moon, The Feminine Aspect, Emptiness & Nothingness, Withdrawn, Receptive, Passive, Development of Softness.

YANG: White Crescent represents the Sun, The Masculine Aspect, The Source of all Energy (Chi - inner power), The Active Principle, Forceful and Expansive (Movement & Action).

Taoism's Harmony & Contentment

"Everything is what it is"

Every event is the way "it" goes. Accepting this is to live in harmony with the world.

Recognition of things as they are.

Taoist's sense of contentment - he has accepted that things change and evolve constantly, moving first one way, then the other.

Avoid extremes to avoid being caught off balance.

Empty the mind until nothing remains. Be an empty vessel and have a clear mind so you can act spontaneously as the situation demands.

Wu Wei - The Benefit of Nothingness

Practice doing nothing and our bodies and minds relax and we feel at peace. "Not doing" or "to do without doing," "The Tao does not do, but nothing is not done."

* remain in a state of non-doing
* go with the flow
* don't struggle against the tide
* act without manipulation
* act without a desired outcome
* wait until you are in a strong position before advancing
* allow things to unfold in their own way, in their own time (patience)
* recognize the flow and cycles of the world
* acting at the appropriate time with the appropriate amount of force whenever necessary and possible
* appreciating at a more subtle level what is happening
* holding onto nothing, and acting with simplicity, the Taoist can flow with the Tao
* Taoist Master does nothing, yet nothing is not done

Psychological Benefits of Eastern Thought

Learning to Let Go - Remaining in a calm but active state of Non-Doing.

Go with the Flow - Don't struggle against the tide. Forcing outcomes, striving and manipulation brings stress, frustration,and anxiety. Do your best, then let go of the results.

Patience -- allowing things to unfold in their own way, in their own time (recognizing the flow and cycles of life).

Meditation offers peace, tranquility, relaxation, heightened development of the Intuition (the higher, wiser voice within).

Acceptance, Contentment, Simplicity - By holding onto nothing and acting with simplicity, the Taoist can flow with the Tao.

Harmony & Balance - avoidance of extreme emotions, actions.

Detachment from Ego & Intellect - individualism, meaning, rank, prestige are illusions generated by the ego.