Did you know you can meditate anytime and anywhere?

Welcome to the One Week Responsive Universe Challenge - as seen on MindBodyGreen!

“If you are new to practice (meditation) it’s important to realize that simply to sit on that cushion for fifteen minutes is a victory”.

- Charlotte Joko Beck


If you are having a difficult time connecting to meditation you are not alone. Have you tried to meditate only to end up frustrated and more agitated than when you started? It’s okay.

The first step in meditation is to simply be aware – mindful of all those thoughts careening through your head…. Most of the time we just let thoughts run ramped, simply unaware. Once you stop and actually focus on the steady stream of thoughts you realize it is a pretty busy place up there in the mind. No wonder some of us have a hard time falling asleep.

Where do thoughts arise from? Can you pin point it? Where do they go? Does the mind have a border or perimeter? Meditation only asks for mindfulness – nothing more…

What really is meditation? Meditation is the conscious focus of the present. What is happening right now? That is meditation… When we let our thoughts run ramped we are replaying tapes of fear and fantasy, past and future – the director of this mental function is your ego. When you root your mind in the present you are creating gaps between those thoughts of fear and fantasy, past and future. Your ego is powerless. You are living in the moment; present, authentic and connected to your True Nature – that is meditation: The focus is on what is happening right now – the experience at hand and all the feelings and emotions associated with that moment… and the next moment… and the next moment….

Did you know you can meditate anytime and anywhere?

I do bike riding meditations all the time. Walking meditations are great too because any meditation that includes exercise is fantastic! I have this beautiful forest preserve near my home with miles of trails that traverse ponds, tree tunnels, marshes and wild flower fields – no man made intervention, few people, lots of birds and sometimes perfect clouds above. As I ride, I connect to what is around me and not the continuous thoughts in my head. As I ride I breathe in the sweet air, notice the intricacies and beauty of nature and in doing so; stretch those gaps in my mind between aimless thoughts. Within those authentic gaps is this sublime connection to energy, relaxation, reverence and bliss. Most times I will ride between 10-17 miles which can take up to 2 hours. Along the way I will stop and simply settle into the moment around me. My thoughts slow, inspiration and awareness is fine-tuned and there is this heartfelt feeling that I am evolving in the right direction.

That is meditation….


John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

What is Meditation? Meditation just is…. Let your Meditation flow…

 

There are so many different ways to meditate. In my own journey of mindfulness, I have read and studied almost every technique imaginable. From Transcendental Meditation which is making a comeback to the thorough guidelines of my formal Buddhist training; to simply discovering my own path to mindfulness along the way.  I am guilty as charged for dedicating a whole book to meditation including helpful hints and tips in my recent release, The Responsive Universe.

Still, I have to digress; learning technique and skills is important. You need to have a foundation for which to build your practice on. Still, there is this continued misconception with meditation – about what it is and what it isn’t.

Simply said, meditation is…. It is that simple. We try to make it seem complicated and I find that the more complicated it gets the more trouble people have connecting to its quality of wellness. Taking it a step further, meditation is about mindfulness… nothing more, nothing less… it is about being present – keeping and continually redirecting your thoughts to what is happening right now; away from thoughts of fear and fantasy, past and future… What are you feeling right now? That is meditation… Did you have to refocus your thoughts a hundred times in 5 minutes? That is meditation…. Did the dog interrupt your session by chasing a fly across the room (happened to me yesterday) – that is meditation… Your stomach is growling and your foot just fell asleep? That is meditation…

You see, meditation just is…. Any attempt to meditate; any attempt to root your mind in the present is considered meditation. Even if you think you failed miserably at meditating it is still considered meditation. In this sense, you can’t lose!

You can meditate anywhere: walking the dog, riding a bike, sitting still and undisturbed. Meditation just is….

So, let your meditation flow – Stay diligent and do not stress about posture or your out breath; or all those thoughts that keep popping in your head. Every experience good or bad, positive or negative is considered part of the meditation. Meditation just is…

So, relax, breathe and just let it flow…

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

How to stay on the Road to Wellness…

The questions have been pouring in, especially from Twitter. When a particular question grabs my attention, there is always a chance I will blog about it. Always feel free to forward a question or thought to me. I can be reached through this blog, facebook and Twitter – thanks again!A recent twitter nation follower asked how I find the energy and drive to meditate, eat well and exercise on a regular basis; basically, how do I stay diligent and steadfast?

Great question and you know what, it did not happen overnight. Living in a Responsive Universe is not about instant gratification. You can’t take a pill or meditate for twenty minutes and your life is going to change. This is not an infomercial where we advertise instant results.

For me it was the small subtle changes in my life that fueled my drive to continue on. The proof of wellness and positive energy is in the experience. The more I meditated the more comfortable I got at it. Meditation was difficult for me early on but after years of practice, I now yearn for any type of meditative respite. Plus, meditation can come in many forms (my noext blog will address that notion).

Eating healthy was another challenge – I love fried foods and I am not a big fan of veggies. The solution for me was juicing. I juice vegetables that used to simply repulse me: Kale, beets and tomatoes. I still can’t eat those things but I sure as hell can slam it down in the liquid form. I juice almost daily and it does two things for me: It gives me the anti-oxidant punch my body needs and juicing also takes the guilt away when I do want to indulge in something unhealthy – everything in moderation right?

Exercising is another obstacle I had to outsmart. I grew up at the beach and surfing or bodyboarding out in the waves was great exercise. Well, now I live in Chicagoland and the surf is not great on Lake Michigan – actually it really sucks. But, I found bike riding to be a fun, meditative way to exercise and relax the mind at the same time. I ride about 20-30 miles a week and I love it!

So, it is about out smarting the ego which is always trying to find excuses to not meditate, eat well or exercise. Again for me, the proof was in the experience. I just feel better mentally and physically when I include meditation with a healthier lifestyle. As you manifest wellness in your life, new perspectives, opportunities, clarity and energy arise and then you know you are on the right path. When you see small successes and victories in areas where there were only defeats and guilt it empowers you to continue on. It is not always easy, sometimes you do have to push yourself but the results are always worth it.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

Connect with Nature

What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? -E.M. Forster

I love this quote because it centers on the concept of mindfulness. I would counter, what good is life if you do not connect to your True Nature within. A person that only lives through ego and false-self is a person that has never really lived.

Spend time in nature, go bare foot and ground yourself with Mother Earth – find your center and find energy, wisdom and happiness…

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
New Responsive Universe Promo Video

How do you define an “Awakening”?

A really good question was directed to me during a recent newspaper interview for my book release – The Responsive Universe, Meditations and Daily Life Practices.

The question was: How do you define an “Awakening”?
I actually found that this question was difficult to fully answer – especially with the questioning party awaiting a comprehendible answer. During the interview I tried to find words to describe such an experience and few words were available to capture the sublime energy that surrounds such an event.

I did a little research on the subject and found that there are varying definitions and varying degrees of awakenings depending on the person and situation. An awakening is basically a spiritual arousing that includes the complete dissolution of one’s identity as a separate self with no trace of the ego driven mind remaining to govern our actions. In Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, he describes his awakening as a jarring event that immediately stripped his ego away to the point that he was somewhat disconnected from his previous self (false-self) and even reality as he used to see it – a complete departure from the “ordinary world” we live in. That is an intense awakening!
Then there are awakenings that come in waves or as epiphanies that are more subtle and palatable to the human consciousness. These types of awakenings tend to evolve over time into something authentic. Though the ego is not entirely dissolved, there is a new shift in perspective and energy that over time is self-actualized.

I have read that for many to experience such an event there needs to be intense suffering or some sort of traumatic experience that may spur or trigger such an event. I have seen documentation that NDE (Near Death Experiences) or even deep meditation can trigger such an event. In my book, I even theorize that spiritual legends like Jesus, Mohammad and Buddha underwent awakenings – later to be interpreted as their specific culture found fit.

I experienced an awakening about 12 years ago on a cold November day at the beach. It had been about six months since my wife and I buried our full term still-born boy and I was struggling with depression, dependency, lack of faith and shallow self-esteem. I remember the day vividly as I was sitting on the beach pondering my life. My awakening was subtle but also an immediate realization of a reality different from what I always believed to be true. I like to call this different reality a “True Reality”, sans of ego. For a moment, I was egoless and felt an energy and existence that transcended any previous experience. I would have other awakenings months later including one while driving out in the country. Waking up from my ordinary life and seeing how things fit together has propelled me forward to fulfillment. It was like getting a download from the Universe. The knowledge and wisdom I gained wrote the Responsive Universe. I did not study this stuff – it came to me in an awakening. This quality of knowing is like seeing 20/20 for the first time. This vision, the awareness, and the feelings sound like they would be jarring and intense, but my awakenings felt like a pleasant windfall. I immediately knew how to act and react to challenges and stress. I had a new openness and clarity with life. Things were brighter and clearer. Even my most challenging problems seem to be palatable. I guess the best way to explain my awakening is to imagine living under a veil of clouds your entire life. You suspect that there is something warm and positive behind those clouds because on certain days you can feel the warmth permeating from behind the grey. Then imagine one day the sun parts from the clouds and warmth and light shower down on you for the first time EVER. It is an amazing feeling!

The problem was, the static of life would return and quickly close off this new found world. Fear and ego would quickly return to smudge out this new found light. Through meditation and mindfulness, I am able to return to the light but it takes effort and though everyday gets easier, it is an uphill climb. I wrote the Responsive Universe in an effort to share this knowledge and even create a simple path for others to follow. I penned Nine Mandalas (chapters) that in effect shed light on a path less trodden that will lead to a shift in perspective – I live in the Responsive Universe everyday and my life has completely transformed into something so much more authentic. The gifts are there for everyone, we just need to awaken to the possibility that…. anything is possible…

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

Going barefoot is simple authenticity…

Do you want to be true to yourself – if only for a moment? Do you want to be more grounded; connected; centered in the moment?

Go barefoot!

Take those shoes off and touch Mother Earth. Feel your toes and heels settle into the grass, sand or dirt. Feel the natural sensations associated with touching human flesh with the flesh of the Earth – a symbiotic relationship we tend to take for granted.

Breathe in positive energy and breathe out negativity

Connect to the experience – feel grounded in the moment

There is something authentic about going barefoot – if only for a few minutes

Try it

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
New Responsive Universe Promo Video

Was Carl Jung a Buddhist?

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.” -Carl Jung

Carl Jung was one of many influences for the Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices. This statement above speaks wisdom born from eastern philosophy. To look outside yourself for energy and wisdom is like looking in a mirror – a distorted image of your True Self; a facsimile rooted in ego and conditioned by society. To look within is to act and speak straight from the heart, san of ego; connected to the authentic essence that is True Nature; the intrinsic potential for reaching enlightenment within every sentient being.

Jung’s work on himself and his patients convinced him that life has a spiritual purpose beyond material goals – beyond this ego driven world we live in. Our primary goal, he believed, was to discover and fulfill our deep innate potential. Based on his study of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, Taoism, and other traditions, Jung believed that this journey of transformation, which he called “individuation”, is at the spiritual center or heart of all religions. It is a journey to meet the self and at the same time to meet the sublime. Unlike Sigmund Freud, Jung thought spiritual experience was essential to our well-being. I agree.

Jung’s work included some metaphysical studies in synchronicity which he defined as the meaningful coincidence of an inner image with an outer event, which can often let one see the world in a new light; especially if one responds very deeply, with the full involvement of his or her being to the meaning of the event. Sounds like self-discovery or an awakening? While Jung professed the importance of the psychological significance of synchronicity, he also said “I am equally interested, at times even more so, in the metaphysical aspect of this phenomena, and I cannot deny my fervent interest in this aspect.” I hear you Carl, loud and clear!

Carl Jung understood that the brain was a complex organ and yet this Universe that exists around us and in fact created us is even more sophisticated; further there was a sublime connection to be realized. Carl Jung was born in 1875 and died in 1961. He was truly a pioneer in forward thinking and I think he would be amazed at how now quantum physics is beginning to unravel the mysteries and connections within this Responsive Universe.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

related reference

Midweek Musings

Just a few observations this week and then I will move on…

I see there was a decent turn out yesterday for Chick-fil-A supporters opposed to gay rights; supporting Fast Food President Dan Cathys statement about the biblical definition of a family. I blogged about this a few weeks ago after right-wing Christian, Mike Huckabee chimed in. I got to be honest here and say that this type of behavior only creates division within our population. Yes, it is okay to speak your mind and support a particular institution for its beliefs. I am voicing my opinion now – and it is this: I am not gay and I really have no connection what so ever to the gay community but something deep down inside me tells me this type of exclusionism; this support that condemns a certain group of people is wrong. Huckabee, Palin and Bachmann all showed up in support and I think it is a disservice to the energy and synergy that is humanity. We will never evolve as a species when we continue to build these type of social walls.

Another thought –

I drove through the south side of Chicago yesterday and a religious billboard caught my eye. At the top of the billboard it said: “If you die today will you go to… Heaven or Hell?”. I think it is interesting how Christianity has to strike fear in the community in order to gain new parishioners. Ignorance breeds fear. Wisdom breeds wealth and bliss on many levels. Why would you settle for less?

Finally…

Have you been watching the Olympics this week? I think it is really cool how so many countries with so many different cultures, religions and viewpoints can meet in one place and compete in a civil manner. Sure we see small hiccups here and there but as a whole, the Olympics is one event where the world comes together for two weeks and we seems to exist as a planet instead of a divided globe. At least we have another week to enjoy this commonality before reality strikes again.
That is it for now – I hope I did not insult anybody – and if I did, you need to ask yourself why….

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

How to read the Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices by John C. Bader

I have fielded a lot of questions lately about how to read the Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices. Conventional wisdom says to start from the beginning and then read straight through until the end.

Easier said than done!

The Responsive Universe is a unique book in the sense that it is really multiple books in one; multiple subjects all relating to our general wellness. There is advice on dealing with an abusive past, the loss of a loved one, addiction, tips for meditation and diet, how to live with an open mind, fighting that ego within, building better self-worth, musings on culture, science and spirituality – I could go on and on. The point is this; it is easy to jump ahead to find something that is of immediate importance to your life but I suggest refraining from doing so.

The Responsive Universe is a meditative journey which begins with living with an open mind. Throughout each Mandala (chapter) there are valuable meditations and daily life practices that are steps forward on the road to self-discovery and enlightenment. Each Mandala is built on the next; a process of being more mindful and connecting to something ultra authentic and amazing: Another world, free of ego and suffering; bathed under the liberating light of self-actualization and enlightenment.

So, I strongly suggest starting at the beginning and taking your time. Truthfully, each Mandala should take about a week. Settle into the meditations and daily life practices - live this new experience so that when you finish this book, you too will be living in a Responsive Universe.

As always, please feel free to ask questions. My Facebook and Twitter pages are great vehicles for any questions or musings that might arise – more than anything, enjoy this new journey and love yourself.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
New Responsive Universe Promo Video

Question: Do men have bigger Egos?

Twitter follower, Brenda (@BrendaRegina12) asked me a great question this weekend. Her question was this: “Why are males more steeped in the EGO?”

That is a great question because on first interpretation or first glance I kind of agree that males seem to exhibit more ego like traits; of course we are basing this assumption on western culture.

First, I think we need to define the ego and label it for what it really is – your FALSE-SELF. Sounds negative doesn’t it? The thing is; we need our egos to socially evolve. Imagine isolating a child from any social existence – That child would not grow an ego, but this child would also not grow up to be a high functioning cog of society; no, this child would be more like an animal. As children and young adults we need the ego to compete and forage for subsistent strategies as outlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. After food, shelter and love, we yearn for something more: Self-Actualization! It is then when we need to begin letting go of the ego and connecting to our True Nature. Only then can we evolve to the next level and prosper though self-discovery and enlightenment. The point is, both males and females need the ego to socially evolve – the gauge tends to be which gender or individual carries ego traits into adulthood.

So, the ego is our false-self. It seems all of us unknowingly carry the ego through daily life – it tends to rear its ugly head during times of conflict, challenges and pressure. Men tend to add a testosterone driven quality to it that seems to emblazon the concept of ego. Still, the ego is not always about brawn, bar fights and peeling out at green lights. The ego defines and manipulates our self-esteem, jealousy, anger, guilt and addictions – and these qualities effect both genders equally.

So, it seems both genders tend to harbor these traits and at different levels. Look at the Dalai Lama – he is one of the most egoless humans on Earth and he is male. Look at some infamous female rock stars and their excessive demands while on tour. Each of us is different in how we unknowingly allow the ego to govern our existence. Women might find their ego more entrenched in relationships, friends and what they see in the mirror. Men may find their ego through competition, money and how they measure up to other men around them – really both genders will overlap all of these qualities and many more.

In a nutshell, both females and males exhibit ego like qualities – just in different ways. The key is acknowledging the ego and slowly working to take power away from its facilities and give that power back to your authentic self – your true-self.

your comments are greatly appreciated – especially from the female population

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

There should be a separation between Church and Chicken Nuggets!

Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum would have been a great Republican Presidential ticket.

I AM JOKING… First of all, I would never vote for someone who believes literally in Genesis which includes Dinosaurs and Man walking around together on Earth at the same time…. Call me crazy if you want

….anyway

I am sure you have heard the recent uproar about “same sex marriage and Chick-fil-A restaurants. Fast Food Company President Dan Cathy’s is being celebrated and condemned for recent remarks that his company supports “the biblical definition of the family unit”.

Since when did Fast Food and Religious zealousness marry?

Huckabee jumped into the discussion with this public comment stating that he is tired of seeing this “vicious hate speech and intolerant bigotry” aimed at Chick-fil-A.

His Facebook pages stated this:

“The goal is simple: Let’s affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1. Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we’re considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant”.

Huckabee’s message is valid up to a point. I mean I get where he is coming from. Still, I feel Dan Cathy should stick to slinging chicken sliders and probably should not be weighing in on social-political ideals. Anyway, why would you black ball customers? That is not good business. Are gays not good enough for your heart clogging fat and cholesterol? Christian values are great until the pendulums swings into vertical platform virtues and ridiculous dogma that threatens people’s rights.

I think there should be a separation of church and chicken nuggets… well, I take that back… unless you can see the face of Jesus Christ on the side of a Chick-fil-A sandwich. That would be a whole different deal… You know what is weird? I have never eaten at a Chick-fil-A restaurant and despite being hetrosexual I am pretty sure I am not going to dine there on August 1st.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com
related article

Can juicing change your life?

I have to be honest… I am not a big fan of vegetables. I will tolerate spinach and I do enjoy asparagus but it has to be bathed in olive oil, garlic, red pepper and Italian seasonings. If it is a salad, it has to be buried in bleu cheese dressing and a mountain of croutons. Huh, my stomach just growled.

I sort of stumbled on to juicing. A friend of the family has been battling cancer and I began doing more research into diet and how it relates to disease. I was surprised to find tons of research and documentation that links our diet to ailments like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and maybe even Alzheimer’s. To be honest, it scared the crap out of me because historically, I have not had the best diet. Movies like “Forks over Knives” further my juicing cause.

About two years ago, a friend gave us his Jack Lalanne Power Juicer and I was amazed by what you could actually juice and how you can make it taste good! It can become addictive! A good addiction for that matter! The drawback to the Jack Lalanne juicer is that it does not use the pulp. Recently I upgraded to a Vitamix which uses everything including the pulp – The Vitamix is actually a very impressive contraption. You can even make hot soup and ice cream with it!
Here is the point: It is all about anti-oxidants, natural vitamins, minerals, beneficial enzymes and phytochemicals. All of these natural qualities fight free-radicals in our system that can cause cancer and other life threatening ailments. The more food is preserved, altered and processed the less it is good for you. Here are some other benefits of juicing fruits and veggies:

• · Increases metabolic rate
• · Promotes healthy tissue and red blood cell growth
• · Promotes regularity
• · Anti-aging benefits
• · Alleviating symptoms of depression.
• · Disease prevention
• · Higher energy levels
• · Weight loss

I have two juice recipes that are great for any type of juicer – depending on your model; you can add ice, cold water or fresh organic juice to accent any concoction. I strongly recommend only organic fruits and veggies because of pesticide concerns – but it is not a necessity.

Morning Blend
Frozen Blueberries (handful)
Frozen Strawberries (handful)
Banana (one)
Carrot (one)
Beet – just a small amount – a little beet goes along way!
Green Veggie (a handful of spinach or kale)
Apple (only need one – cut away the core)
Notes: The fruit will mask the green veggies and the beet will give it a nice red color!

Evening Blend
Carrot (one)
Celery (one shaft)
Green Veggies (a handful of spinach or kale – or a bunch of both!)
Fresh Ginger (just a couple slivers)
Apple (only need one – cut away the core)
Beet – just a small amount – beet goes along way
Notes: Again the fruit (apple) will take the bite away from the veggies and the beet will give the drink a pleasant color.
Always explore new fruits and veggies: I juice bell peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage, frozen raspberries and fresh oranges. Remember, the brighter the fruit or vegetable, the better it is for you!

Change your health, change your life!

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

Money as it relates to Suffering

Money is an intriguing facet to our modern existence. It is interesting; the word currency implies a current or the movement of something. Makes sense right? Money is made and money is spent. Stock markets spike and housing markets plunge. Money moves into our pocket and then into the Super Target cash register on payday.

There is another way to look at this commodity called money: Money can make us happy and it can make us suffer. Who is not in a good mood when we get that long-awaited and much deserved paycheck? And how about the suffering of living month to month, struggling with bills and credit card debt. Money it seems can be our best friend in times of need and also our worst enemy.

I love money and I also loathe it… more than anything, I respect its power…

As I write this blog I have that Pink Floyd song echoing in my head: “New car, caviar, four star day-dream; I think I’ll buy me a football team”… or something to that effect…

My point is this – We need to be more mindful of money and how it influences our happiness and suffering. In Buddhism we are asked to treat all thoughts as equal. There is a need to be mindful of our ego created false-self and connect to something more authentic – our True Nature. We do this by being mindful of our root of intent so that we do not react blindly in social situations and conflict. We do this by being mindful of our addictions, desires, anger, fear and jealousy; all pendulums of action and reaction that govern credibility and karma. In doing so we create more happiness and less suffering – we need to have the same quality of mindfulness when it comes to money.

Now, I am not a financial advisor by any means. I have had my financial triumphs and also complete fiscal failures. The one thing I learned though is the more attached you are to the concept of money; the more you are going to suffer. When we attach ourselves to money and the material things it allows us to buy we are giving power to our ego. We do not need money to make us happy; we need happiness to make us happy. Happiness is not based on money but our thoughts, actions and reactions in life. Yes, money can buy liberation and freedom – but only if you are not slave to it.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with making money. In fact I encourage it! But, money is a tool, not a toy (unless you are a billionaire). Money is meant to pay the rent or mortgage, pay bills and buy new tires. Money is a tool so that in this modern world we can get from point A to point B. When we spend money through our egos, we become a slave to money. We overspend on stupid things. We become emotionally attached to these stupid things and we need more money to support our ego driven world. How much money we have and what type of car we drive figure into our self-worth. TV and print ads influence our decisions. When there is not enough money, guess what happens? We tend to suffer! Trust me, there is never enough money…. Therefore logic says do not base your happiness on money. Do not base your happiness on something with currency – something that moves up and down. Base your happiness on something fixed and solid – base your happiness on things you can control like intent, actions and reactions. Be mindful of money, use it to your benefit and be happy with what you already have and not what you don’t have.

I have to go – its time to pay my bills

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

Critical thinkers losing faith in God? Is faith learned or taught?

Over the last week I have discussed the “God Gene” and the “God Particle”; two newsworthy topics that have been hitting the headlines lately and causing a clash between proponents of science and religion. What about learned behavior as it relates to religion? Is faith in God taught? Of, course it is! We are not born having knowledge of God – At a young age we learn and establish a belief system based on our environment and surroundings.

I recently read a psychology study published in Science Magazine. Researchers, Will Gervais and Ara Norenzayan from the University of British Columbia recently published some new data about why people are more religious than others. Now, this is completely different research as compared to the “God Gene” VMAT2 that is capturing headlines. The God Gene is a DNA predisposition that theorizes that certain people based on their genetic makeup will be more likely to believe in God unlike those that possess little or no VMAT2. In a classic “Nature vs. Nurture argument, VMAT2 theorizes the nature of humans. This new study out of Canada focuses more on a quality of nurture – or what we learn from our mentors and environment.

According to new research, studies showed that encouraging people to think more analytically reduced their tendency to believe in God. Conversely, research showed that encouraging people to think more intuitively increased people’s belief in God. Taken together, these findings suggest belief may stem from how humans think – intuitively or analytically – and how our learning environment and surrounding social influences effect our belief systems.

In the Seventh Mandala (chapter) of the Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices I talk about this classic rift in our being – The quality of the mind or analytical thinking vs. our heart or intuitive thinking. Instead of living with divided interests, we must strive to merge our heart and mind as one. Humans tend to have the capability to be intuitive and also analytical. Depending on the person, one quality tends to dominate the other creating a rift or imbalance in energy. We need to be mindful of this rift and find common ground between the two worlds. When merged as one, the sum of the two is authentic empowerment; centered and self-actualized. When we are centered in life, our heart and mind rift is mended with both entities working together. Gone will be the rift; gone will be two voices; united will be your heart and mind working mutually toward self-evolution.

With the mind and heart merged as one you will find that new doors of perception will open up and a new and complete shift in perspective will take shape. Once you are centered your inner voice will speak wisdom about such musings of God and the Universe – These realizations can be considered part of our awakening, or self-evolution that connects us to our True Nature. Then our ego driven social environment and the influences of others will not matter.

That my friends is living in a Responsive Universe.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

Do I believe in God?

Here comes the fire storm….

When someone asks me if I believe in God, I tend to counter their question with a question. I often ask, “Well, how do you define God”? I am not asking if they believe in God, I am asking for them to define the concept of God. Seems important to know what you are worshipping. It tends to throw people off. It is a loaded question, full of complexity. But it is a question that matters.

How do you define God?

Typically our conversation is over when the questioning party clarifies their idea of God as the Lord Jesus Christ or Allah. Oh boy, here we go…. I do not like to be unkind or opinionated, but when someone is so dogmatic and adamant about the blind faith concept of God to me it is either completely religious egotism or complete ignorance and low self-esteem. I know harsh words, right? Hey, don’t get me wrong, if you have an unadulterated and unfettered belief in something and you came to this belief on your own accord and it is not the borrowed dogma from others – well, best of luck to you. The problem with organized religion is that it is too easy. Follow with blind faith and package your pretty little god in a book with a pretty little bow and call it a day – it is not that easy. Religions facilitates fear and makes people follow instead of lead. Religions creates exclusiveness and divides our world. I do not see any spiritual benefits from that? I see bad karma. Look at the world today - is organized religion really working?

Look at it this way – it is a big world out there and there are many cultures and religions. Is one culture or religion so pious and egotistical that they would claim their belief as the only path, thus condemning others? Many wars have been fought over religion and there is plenty of religious persecution going on today – especially in the Middle East. Religious egotism also centers on the belief that God is the form of a man – I can’t think of anything more self-centered; well maybe the Catholic Church and their old steadfast belief that the Earth is the center of the Universe. That was pretty self-centered. Further, I will never vote for a politician that believes in Genesis or 100 virgins in heaven. Talk about a complete degradation in analytical thinking. I mean even without much thought, intuition tells me that the Cosmos is a pretty vast and infinite place; full of possibility and energy. How can you deny that? Why would you settle for less?

So, when someone asks me if I believe in God, I say yes. I believe in God as it relates to the Universe; an instinctual energy that is everything: A Mandala of life, death and rebirth with the common denominator that is love. A love that transcends our existence here on Earth; energy changing form… God is not found in a book, it is found in experience and much of it we do not even understand; and that is okay. It is okay to not understand everything. Science already proves concepts like karma and an afterlife. Do we need to be divided by egotism and ignorance? Humans have more in common than we care to admit. More often than not, my answer tends to leave many with their mouth agape; their minds tumbling for an intelligent response. Hey, I am not saying that I am right and everyone else is wrong – that would be a double standard. No, I am just asking for people to live with an open mind. The Universe is full of possibilities. Don’t let fear dictate your beliefs. Don’t settle for archaic dogma that is no longer applicable in our modern, evolving world. Find God inside you; the sublime beauty of energy, wisdom and love awaits your space and clarity. Slow your thoughts down, live in the present and let your heart wish speak for once; connecting you to your True Nature.

If any of this resonates with you then you need to read my book. If you believe in God but have questions, please read my book. I have studied philosophy, Buddhism and science and have compiled a literary work rich in new perspectives and answers. Once humanity understands we live in a Responsive Universe, religion will not matter; blind faith will no longer apply. Together we can grow and prosper as a global community and not the fractured shards of glass we are today.
I hope I did not hurt anyone’s feelings.

By the way, I spent about 6 hours in church last week – They were great meditation sessions!

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

The God Particle – Fact or Fiction?

For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is

than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring…

– Carl Sagan

A couple of days ago I chimed in on the “God Gene” debate over VMAT2. Now I want to discuss something even larger than life – something that transcends human consciousness but is igniting a religious/science firestorm: The “God Particle” or Higgs Boson as scientists call it.

The Higgs Boson explains why particles have mass; and in turn why we exist. Without the Boson, the Universe would have no physical matter, only energy. It is the scientific explanation for the origin of matter and why we exist; sans of God or divine intervention. You can see why the religious are threatened – But they shouldnt be…

“The cosmological implications are hotly debated. Can God fit in a scientific story of creation?”
Lawrence M. Krauss, an ASU physicist, argues that the Higgs Boson discovery outlines a new story of our creation that is independent of religious belief.

Philip Clayton, dean of Claremont School of Theology states, “such metaphorical language helps to explain the world at the particle level where physical laws such as gravity break down, and physicists rely on abstractions to describe how particles interact”. Clayton said discussing whether the discovery “disproves religion or supports creation” misses the point. “The fans and the foes of religion … are overreaching on both sides. The quest for the Higgs Boson, and its ultimate discovery, neither proves nor disproves God.”

I guess that depends on how you define God?

I love Deepak Chopra’s view on this scientific breakthrough: “It only strengthens the notion that the Universe comes out of a nothingness which is everything.” Chopra adds, “the Boson hints at a divine interconnectedness of all things”.

hmmm, sounds like a Responsive Universe?

Krauss states, “that’s the difference between science and religion,” he said. “We don’t require the Universe to be what we want — we force our beliefs to conform to the evidence of reality.”
That is why I posted the Carl Sagan quote at the beginning. The ironic thing is, God can be proven by science. It is just that we need to redefine God. What is God? That will be my next post and it is guaranteed to piss off a few people.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

Related Article

Is the God Gene Bullshit?

So what is all the talk and publicity over what is being called the “God Gene”? Well, researchers have concluded after exploring 2000 DNA samples that a person’s capacity to believe in God is linked to brain chemicals. Of course the religious community is all up in arms over the study – Rev. John Polkinghorne, a fellow of the Royal Society and a canon theologian at Liverpool Cathedral, said: “The idea of a God gene goes against all my personal theological convictions. You can’t cut faith down to the lowest common denominator of genetic survival. It shows the poverty of reductionist thinking.”

No offense Mr. Polkinghorne, but the true poverty of thinking is completely disregarding science especially when it might be reinforcing the concept of God from a more scientific standpoint. It seems like more of a threat to a long standing establishment that bases its dogma on mostly blind faith?

The God Gene or VMAT2 explains why some people have more aptitude for spirituality than others. VMAT2 is a vesicular monoamine transporter that regulates the flow of mood-altering chemicals in the brain; people who carry higher levels of this transporter were more likely to develop a spiritual belief. Researcher Dean Hamer, the director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute states that “Buddha, Muhammad and Jesus all shared a series of mystical experiences or alterations in consciousness and thus probably carried the gene (maybe in higher levels),” he said. “This means that the tendency to be spiritual is part of genetic makeup. This is not a thing that is strictly handed down from parents to children. It could skip a generation. It’s like intelligence.” Further, growing up in a religious environment was said to have little effect on belief- a classic natural vs. nurture argument.

I personally think it is interesting that scientists were able to isolate such a gene that is somehow connected to our ability to be attracted and plugged in to a higher power: The sublime intricacies the Cosmos. Quantum physic and astrophysics continues to shed light on our connection to the Universe – I have written how Karma and the Afterlife can be proven through science and the discovery of the “God Gene” should not be a threat to theologians but simply should be further proof that we do indeed live in a Responsive Universe.

Up next, lets tackle the “God Particle” which is also creating an uproar among the religious – this story is even more intriguing because for the first time, science is knocking on the door of God! Exciting stuff…

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

related article reference

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the last 9 days I have been giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just looked at the Eighth Mandala.

We continue with the final chapter – the Ninth Mandala…

Self-actualization is the promise of the Ninth Mandala. It involves using your own power to transform the quality of your life. Quality of life affects how happy and satisfied we are in a world that is sometimes cold and cruel. A Self-Actualized person has a more productive perception of reality and has a comfortable relationship with his or her surroundings. This person is not frightened or threatened by the unknown. He or she has a superior ability to reason and to see the truth. His or her thoughts are unhampered by convention. This person accepts who he or she is, and accepts others, never reducing anyone to a common stereotype. Instead a Self-Actualized person sees with an open mind, and sees each individual around him or her in a fresh, new light. Living can be thrilling and transcending if one lives the present moment to its fullest. Self-Actualization aids our vision—clears it of convention, of the fetters from the past—and allows us to breathe the Quantum energy that fills the air around us. Feelings of limitless horizons open up with this vision, and the Self-Actualized person will at once feel both powerful and hopeless, and he or she will see the strength in the dichotomy. This is the essence of a Responsive Universe.

Ninth Mandala Excerpt

Non-duality describes a state of being that is void of ego. It is a state where we have settled into the quality that is our True Nature – the natural state of being handed to us at birth, free from outside pressures. When we settle into this state, we are living without the weights of social conditioning, personal history, or any definition of “self” defined by our culture or society. When we settle into this state, self-image disappears because we become aware that the identity we perceived as important before, the one attached to our job, possessions, and reputation, has no foundation. We associated that identity with things and ideas that were transient. Seeking identity from our True Nature, however, means attaching our self-image and esteem to something steadfast and dependable.

As we become awakened, we must be mindful of a new false-self that can develop. We discussed the inner fight we could feel as we shed our false-self and ego and embrace our new world of positive energy and responsiveness. As we continue to evolve, we may begin to see others suffering, mired in ego and fear. We must have compassion for them and support them on their journeys. If you feel superior to them, that is a trigger to you that you are letting your ego do your talking once again. As long as you are immersed in society, the ego will always exist. As you interact with people, remember to be humble. Be mindful of all of your actions and continue to ask yourself if they are rooted in ego or in True Nature.

It is also important in your personal evolution to never lose sight of your origination point. Where were you when you started your journey? Our road to self-actualization and responsive living allows us to move beyond our pasts and mistakes, but we cannot forget them. By remembering them, we ensure that we will not repeat them. Remembering them also helps continue to fuel our passion to create new positive reactions in life. Looking back on how our lives were before should fill us with gratitude for how far we have advanced. There is a great wisdom and responsiveness to this idea. Our pasts and mistakes, with our new level of reflection, no longer weigh us down, but allow us to ascend further towards our goals for happiness and fulfillment. They also reinforce the notion that your happiness and new healthy life you lead was created by you alone. Your past no longer makes you feel powerless. Your past is another source of empowerment.

The Responsive Universe is now available at Amazon.com, BN.com and Authorhouse.com – ebook versions include Kindle and iBook. I will be kicking off a 2012/2013 Book Signing tour that will begin in Chicagoland and then turn nationwide, eventually taking me to Canada and beyond. Details to come at www.responsiveuniverse.com

I hope to see you all soon.

John C. Bader
New Responsive Universe Promo Video

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The Eighth Mandala – Free Excerpt from the Responsive Universe by John C. Bader

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the next week I will be giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just looked at the Seventh Mandala

We continue with the Eighth Mandala…

The Eighth Mandala is the framework constructed on the foundation we have already built on our journey to Self-Actualization. The first Eight Mandalas build a strong base level to support us: An open mind, faith in God and creation, understanding our past, and comprehending the energies of the Universe, particularly how they relate to the nurturing of our True Nature. The Eighth Mandala deals with everyday situations. By living healthy lives, by eating well and exercising, we create immediate positive results. All of these factors pave the way to happiness. Music is one of the avenues most effective for me. It is a relaxing release and has been found to increase endorphins, the brain’s pleasure chemical. Love for life and love for others also reinforces positive physical and mental health. Without love, life may as well not exist. Living life in moderation is also important – to be aware of our bad habits and get into a routine of healthy living and understanding our needs in relation to our wants and desires. To be in tune with your body is to live outside your five senses. Every positive experience you nurture further aligns your body with your True Nature.

Eighth Mandala Excerpt

Some of us find it hard to love ourselves. What does that really mean to love ourselves? It can be easy to find faults in who we think we are. Maybe you think you are unorganized or have a couple of bad habits. Maybe you get stressed out easy or are taking a medication for depression and or anxiety. Maybe you wish you ate healthier or exercised more. Maybe you do not like crowds or being the center of attention. Maybe you love being the center of attention; basking in the glow of ego and self-absorption? We tend to look at ourselves in the mirror and not approve of what we see in the reflection. All of this self-loathing is rooted to our egos and false perceptions. It makes us want to be someone else or we mentally berate ourselves as if we are unworthy and unlovable. It is one thing to love who you are and it is a completely different thing to love what you are. There is a fundamental difference to be actualized. Our perception of who we are is rooted in societal pressures; what we see on television, in print ads, etc. Our happiness is regulated by a shallow self-esteem and the approval of others. But what about loving what we are?

This is another kind of love… In fact, it is a completely different way to love yourself; and this other kind of love transcends all the passive chaos that envelopes our busy lives. We are products of the Universe and thus are born from quantum positive energy. There is a quality to this that is pure and unfettered. We are the sons and daughters of vibration, light and love and that is something no one can take away from you. This is our True Nature; vast, boundless and reliable. It is easy to love yourself when you look at where the source of our being is rooted (True Nature). Look up at night and marvel at the stars. Appreciate nature and the love for a pet or child. This is a love that is all powerful and unchanging. Put your confidence into this type of love and soon you will realize all of your shortcomings in life; all of your bad habits and self-loathing are just products of a self-esteem driven by ego. Such worries and deceptions will seem trivial and unnecessary once you find empowerment from an inner source.

There is nothing confident and steadfast about our egos. Much like money, the ego comes and goes and for many it regulates our happiness and suffering. The more control we take away from the ego, the more we connect to the steadfast vision that is our True Nature. Love what you are (a product of the Universe born from love and energy) and happiness and confidence will root itself in your life. Once you have this unadulterated confidence of what you are, soon your perspectives in life will change. Soon you will make little changes in life, like eating better, exercising or getting more organized. Soon, very soon, you will connect that love of what you are and who you are as one – A quality of oneness bathed under the light of self-actualization and enlightenment.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

The Seventh Mandala – Free Excerpt from the Responsive Universe by John C. Bader

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the next week I will be giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just looked at the Fifth and Sixth Mandalas.

We continue with the Seventh Mandala…

The Seventh Mandala reminds us that every action we create in life will return through Quantum mechanics as an equal reaction. The theories of a Quantum Universe continue to evolve and are slowly replacing older theories that no longer suffice in a Responsive Universe. It is a growing field of study and could be the key to combining the theory of relativity with gravity to create the ultimate equation of everything; even the true origins of God** and the Cosmos may be revealed someday. The focus in this chapter was not to scientifically explain Quantum mechanics, only to point out different theories and how they may relate to karma and positive thinking. I am an analytical person by nature and I do like to understand certain elements in life from a more scientific standpoint. Even with such musings on the origins of God and Universe, I like to find a connection to such mysteries by injecting some scientific reasoning and not establishing my belief systems entirely on blind faith. I am not saying I always need proof to believe in something, only some scientific evidence that at least makes my leap of faith a little less gaping. We are an intelligent and enduring species, but many mysteries still exist in our world. We do not have all the answers to such notions of God and the Universe, yet that is fine for now. We know that certain things exist in our world and though we may not necessarily understand them, we can still settle in the notion that they are dependable much like our True Nature. The laws of karma govern positive and negative effects in our environment. The energies that surround us and weave the fabric of the Universe are of God’s creation. God is a force that encompasses everything including our True Nature within. To appreciate the beauty of our surroundings is to feel the healing power of God. Remember, positive reactions are the common denominators of the Universe. To be aware of positive energy in nature, beauty, and yes, even love is crucial. Causing positive waves of ascendancy through our actions in life (whether physical or mental) builds a better lifestyle. Through understanding energy and feeling centered, you will be able to make strong self-directed decisions in life. By incorporating an open mind with faith in God (instinctual energy), an understanding of our childhood and past, we are creating positive energy and a level of responsiveness that can link the mortal with the divine. Understanding and utilizing Quantum energy is another cobblestone in the alleyway to Self-Actualization and Enlightenment.

The Seventh Mandala Excerpt

The heart and mind are often thought of as symbolically different ruling elements of our being. Symbolically speaking, the heart is the place where love and compassion reign. The mind is the space for analytical or occupational work. The heart is our True Nature where we find our courage and passion. The mind is where we find our egos, our self-esteem, survival instincts and fear. Both spaces are required to focus and operate, but both are quite different in how they operate. It is easy to spot the differences between the heart and mind, but this type of thinking causes a rift in our being. There tends to be a push-and-pull between the two forces which creates confusion, stress, and unhappiness. For example, imagine that you live in a city you hate because your job is there, but moving to the country has always been your dream. Your heart tells you that you’re unhappy living where you are, but your mind tells you that you make good money at your job and you shouldn’t give that up in this economy. It seems as if there are two voices within bickering and presenting their own agenda. The question is which voice is right? It is a classic scenario where the heart and the mind engage in a push-pull that causes a divide and stress in one’s psyche. The common denominator for this phenomenon is internal strife and suffering.

Instead of living with divided interests, we must strive to merge our heart and mind as one. When merged as one, the sum of the two is authentic empowerment; centered and self-actualized. When we are centered in life, our heart and mind rift is mended with both entities working together. Gone will be the rift; gone will be two voices; united will be your heart and mind working mutually toward self-evolution. One way to do this is to continually work to expand our positive energy. We need to be mindful and connected to the present where space and clarity exist. We need to be centered in our circle of energy, mindful and aware. Imagine something you enjoyed in the recent past; whether it’s a vibrant sunrise or quality time with friends or family; such actions will engage the heart and mind at one, feeding them positive energy. Notice how good you feel when your heart and mind are one. Think about how stress and sadness make you feel disconnected from this joy. It is so easy in our busy, chaotic lives to forget the things that really make us happy. Instead of always focusing on what needs to be done next or the full inbox at work, try to focus more on what makes you happy right now. Make time for the things that give you peace. This will reconnect the heart and the mind.

** When I use the name “God,” I do not reference a deity in the form of a man. As I discuss in the Third and Fourth Mandalas, I reference God as it relates to the Universe. God is an intelligible sphere of instinctual energy that is connected to everything. God, like the Universe, is everything that exists.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

The Sixth Mandala – Free Excerpt from the Responsive Universe by John C. Bader

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the next week I will be giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just looked at the Fifth Mandala.

We continue with the Sixth Mandala…

It is important to understand loss and place it in a warm resting spot in your heart. Losing a loved one will forever change who you are. Yet, if you do not handle your emotions constructively, you can be left with a debilitating handicap that will not only affect you, but those around you as well. Love is what facilitates life. We are born into love and when we die, we go back to love.
Understanding the past and dealing with loss are huge subjects. Entire books have been written about them. I am merely touching on certain areas I feel are important to me. It is up to you to think with an open mind and decipher your own riddles. Only you can truly help yourself. A psychologist can help give you perspectives on certain issues, but only you can make lasting decisions that create positive actions. One good exercise I recommend is writing down your feelings. Starting a journal or writing poems are often useful tools in expressing intimate feelings about your past with which you toil. We are able to sort things out if we can see them on paper. Writing about problems can bring resolution to them. It can start a flow of spontaneous insights that can relieve pain and stress, and also pave a path to greater understanding. Writing this book, for example, has been a way that I can better understand myself and society. I write what I feel, and reread it later, adding new thoughts as I go. Eventually, writing creates a positive outlet that releases deep emotions and sheds light on the path to Enlightenment.

Sixth Mandala excerpt

Recovering from loss caused me to question everything I knew about life, and particularly caused me to question my faith in God and religion. I could not reconcile how my perfect and healthy son could cross from life to death in an instant with no reasonable explanation around which I could wrap my troubled mind. With no reasonable explanation, I blamed myself. I blamed God. I questioned myself. I questioned God. But on that autumn day when the skies seemed to finally clear and the fog in my mind lifted, I realized that the chaos I felt in my heart was so complex and so visceral because matters of life and death are never simple. Recall in the Third Mandala that the mystery of the Big Bang is that some unknown phenomenon sparked the imbalance that allowed for the possibility of life on earth. For years, this mystery has spun scientific and philosophical debates on the ultimate paradox of life – from nothing came everything. The fallacy in my thinking was in attempting to find an explanation for why my son died before he even fully lived. The Third Mandala showed us that there is no real truth in paradox. Sure, our lives seem governed by them – life and death, night and day, and good and evil – but the real truth of paradoxes is not that they lie at polar opposites, but that they rotate in a seemingly endless cycle of rebirth, seasons and cause and effect. The truth of life and death for me was that I hurt so badly because I lost a love, but love was the very thing that was going to heal me. Love could make me suffer and soar all in a cycle of loss and gain and immense sadness and joy.

The key to moving forward was realizing it is all a revolving cycle of energy. The Big Bang theory shows us that the Universe is immense and ever-expanding and that regardless of who or what set the cycle of life into motion, we are all linked to this web of energy in which matter is neither created nor destroyed. The Third Mandala put a spin on that age-old paradox that everything sprang from nothing. There is no nothing – there is only everything – and the closest we can come to nothing, to a pre-Big Bang state of non-existence, to the number zero, is to strip away ego and attachments and feel in balance with the cosmos and the revolving mandalas, not the paradoxes, which govern life.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

The Fifth Mandala – Free Excerpt from the Responsive Universe by John C. Bader

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the next week I will be giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just reviewed the Third and Fourth Mandalas.

We continue with the Fifth Mandala…

It is important to understand that a facet of personal enlightenment is awareness. Through awareness comes an understanding of the mistakes the role models in our lives made in the past. We need to find awareness so we do not react blindly in the present and repeat similar mistakes ourselves. It should come as no great surprise that our parents can make mistakes. We all do. The key to understanding the past is to realize that the people who affect us in a negative fashion are probably hurting as well. This could be parents, coworkers or simply someone random off the street. Instead of feeling hatred or reacting blindly to a negative situation, we should feel compassion. Yet, the most important factor to acknowledge is that in order to break negative control patterns set by role models of our past and present; we must remember and analyze their actions; thus, creating an awareness or mental trigger that shapes our reactions in the future. Shattering negative control patterns is instrumental in raising emotionally happy children of your own, children who will, in turn, become positive role models themselves. We can be reflections of our own parent’s and those that influence us on a daily basis. Once we recognize poor patterns of behavior passed down through generations, we can break the circle of dysfunction and change the future for the better. Likewise, we should embrace positive memories and positive actions from role models to facilitate future models of behavior and teachings.

Fifth Mandala excerpt

I think we all understand that when we are in a good mood and things are going well in life, we have a general feeling of happiness that creates peace of mind. We can even discipline ourselves to focus on what makes us happy to perpetuate this productive peace of mind. Yet, harboring hatred for someone, no matter how evil he or she is, is unproductive. We all have experienced emotions of hatred; whether it is rooted to our childhood memories or someone in the present, this element of hate is worth addressing. Just the mere thought of your hatred will overwhelm what was once an aware and settled mind. It will destroy your ability to judge right from wrong and throw you into a state of confusion. Hatred breeds negativity and control patterns. It is healthy to confront negative elements of the past and present, but it is unhealthy to hold onto hate.

Hatred is a mental cancer that will eat you up inside. Instead of holding onto hate, we have to make room in our minds to step back and evaluate the entire situation. This person you hate must have negative control patterns of his or her own. People who cause you harm cannot be happy themselves. We must understand that they are suffering in some way. Evaluating the situation as a whole and allowing yourself to feel some level of sympathy for your combatant will allow you to release your hatred.

Dealing with past hatred is particularly difficult. It is never easy for forget pain and sorrow. The only way to process this negativity and move past it is to confront it. In doing so, we become better able to understand the source of the issues that plague us. Many times, it is difficult to maneuver through the past because many of the issues that plague you are hardwired into your subconscious. The past can blur into a confusing and smothering tapestry of memories. If that is the case, therapy is a great direction to take. A therapist’s job is to pick apart the threads of this tapestry through questions and reasoning. They have unique and effective methods to dig deep into the past and help us learn how to understand the control patterns that continue to hinder our lives. Seeking help is always a positive step in preserving a happy future. Creating awareness, understanding your past, and releasing hatred will allow you to make space to push out memories of anger, abuse and pain, and replace them with thoughts and memories of positivity and happiness.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com

The Fourth Mandala – Free Excerpt from the Responsive Universe by John C. Bader

My new literary effort, The Responsive Universe – Meditations and Daily Life Practices is now available for purchase. Within these pages are nine Mandalas or chapters that illustrate a new and authentic step forward on the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Over the course of the next week I will be giving an intimate look at each chapter as well as a small excerpt from the new book. We have just reviewed the Third Mandala.

We continue with the Fourth Mandala…

The instinctual energy that is God is a boundless orb, a sphere known to the mind and the senses. God’s infinite sphere has a center that is everywhere and a circumference that is boundless. The concept of God arcs an indescribable celestial consciousness that guides and directs all life in form and non form. With this in mind, we know that books and rules cannot truly govern our faith. What we find is a power inside ourselves that drives our faith. The Dalai Lama’s sentiment rings true: “There are billions of people on this Earth, each with their own individual, spiritual needs. It seems we need billions of religions too.” It is almost as if each person needs their own personal religion to follow. Our quest to know more and more about God could take an eternity. Still, everyone and everything is connected to God. God’s light is the cure for all diseases and the knowledge of everything in the Universe. It is wisdom and love beyond all comprehension. The closer one gets to God, the closer he or she comes to the light. God created the Universe, the Universe created the Earth, and the Earth created humans. Humans created religions to explain this vast creation. Yet, you alone hold the key to your own faith. Your faith is based on the aperture of your open mind.

Fourth Mandala Excerpt

The Pillars of Religion in the Third Mandala posed several reasons for contemporary society’s need for religion – to explain cause and effect situations, social interaction, a crutch in life, fear, and our genuine need for spirituality. No matter what the need is, all personal reasons for clinging to religious belief are valid as long as they are derived from an individual’s own thought processes and are not the borrowed thoughts of another. Where the Third Mandala encouraged us to analyze our belief systems in regard to God and creation, the Fourth Mandala will take this a step further and challenge us to consider the difference between spirituality and religion. You may recognize a pattern developing as our Mandalas build upon each other – all are based around the notion that we all have an indestructible and unwavering quality within us called True Nature. True Nature, our minds, and the Universe are all boundless frontiers. Where knowledge and scientific explanation fail to answer the mysteries of our minds and the Cosmos, religion often picks up the slack, offering stories as answers and promises of heaven after death as long as we follow the rules of a determined “good” life. The challenge of the Fourth Mandala is to reconsider this boundless quality of our Universe and our minds and question whether this fits inside a man-made, structured belief.

Religion is expressly a vehicle for faith. Without faith in a religious order, doctrines of organized religions such as Christianity and Islam would be simply legends and parables. A faith-fueled merger of church and state is what has turned modern religion into the money earning juggernaut it is today. Religion is no longer left to church on Sundays. With cable and satellite television, apps and smartphones, religious programming is everywhere every day. It is now not just a vehicle for the politically powerful, it is a full-blown industry that touches every aspect of culture down to our historical teachings. In the past, religion was an effective tool for crowd control as well as mind control. History and religion were merged as one, and religious authorities passed down “knowledge” that kept the dominant church in power. Without information readily at hand to question authority, the poor and less educated masses blindly adopted what was presented to them as religious and historical truths without analyzing the source of the teachings. Questioning the validity of such lessons, after all, was heresy.

What amazes me is that with the infusion of television and internet into our lives, where research tools are now literally in the palms of our hands, many people still adopt religious beliefs that have not changed in hundreds if not thousands of years. The Constitution of the United States has been amended several times to better fit modern society’s changing needs, but few organized religions have made any attempt to adapt from their archaic ways. Yet, many of us still accept what a powerful few say is the truth. We accept lessons passed down by our parents and teachers as the truth. We incorporate them into our lives without considering that these truths have been handed down to us by a small religious and political minority determined to manipulate the majority. Questioning these truths is the premise of the Fourth Mandala.

John C. Bader
www.responsiveuniverse.com