Читать книгу The World. Myths of the Divine, Realities, and Awareness. Freedom. Love. Life - - Страница 5

Your experience

– How often do you reminisce of the past? And what about other people? And what about the common past that we share with someone?

– What is your past like? And what about other people? And what about the shared past? How do you see it? How do other people see it?

– How do you see your future? How do other people see their future? What is the difference between your vision and theirs with regard to your shared future?

– What and who are you in your present? What and who are other people in their present?

– What do you think about the phrase «Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift»?

About the myth

Different religions have different descriptions of the past. Some see it in glowing colors, others have a less radiant picture, and yet others are in two minds about that. The description of the past is exciting. It is our origin. And, on the other hand, it is all the values that were originally established or a sort of their historic or modern interpretation.

Interpretation is a pretty curious affair. It reflects our ability to look at one and the same thing, event, or phenomenon from different points of view. And there may be endless number of points of view and versions! Therefore, the dichotomy of black and white options makes no sense here. The color of the event is in the eye of the beholder. Given that our past is history, no one can be sure what it was really like. What it was like for our ancestors, for those who used to live in a given period of time. Or does someone or something know everything? The Almighty? Our soul? Our spirit?

The past can influence the present and future but it also can just remain history. In any case, we cannot turn back time, change or repeat our past. However, some cultists tend to forget about it. They remind modern people of things pertaining to the ages long gone by. Blame them.

For instance, some people genuinely believe that for the sin Eve committed by sharing her apple with Adam (who took a bite out of it of his own free will, and very willingly by the way), people shall pay even now. And others believe that women are the only ones to blame. As if Adam was forced to do it (according to the written sources, it wasn’t the case). Eve, a weak woman, forcing Adam, a strong man to do something… There is something wrong in this story at that point already. It’s the same with prostitutes. They are just the supply. The demand is provided by men. And yet, according to the followers of some religious or political institutes, it is prostitutes who are to blame. There have been centuries, millennia, and maybe even dozens of them… But the habit to blame is still here. Very convenient, isn’t it? A lot of people know that those who feel guilt will either forget about it or try to atone for it! In this latter case, they will do whatever it takes in the hope of getting at least a tiny chance of forgiveness. This violent and rigid manipulation enslaved humanity for years to come. Both women and men, though the heaviest load was born by supposedly fragile women’s shoulders. And I doubt that God needed such manipulation. For otherwise God becomes way too human and appears not to be able to forgive though this is exactly what God demands of us! To love, unconditionally. To search for awareness and see the essence of things.

Think about it. Imagine your little child peeking into your chest filled with secret letters (which the child is too young, in your opinion, to read) and reading them. How much time will it take the child to make amends with you? A day? A year? A decade? Or the entire life? Or will you hold even grandchildren and great-grandchildren responsible? From one generation to another? Isn’t it absurd? And if we consider that the further in the past the event is, the more indistinct interpretations it gets… Then the situation looks sad. No one will ever get to the bottom of it but guilt and expiation will thrive. It won’t be clear who is to blame, why, and what for. Do you really think God wants it? God, who made his sons and daughters? Who loves them? Doesn’t God have anything else to do? He has his hands full. Do you love your children? Your treasured baby could get naughty. You would just chide them gently, ask them to draw a lesson, forgive, and forget! Rinse and repeat. Why? Because you love your child. Only those who don’t love their children or enjoy power (revenge), will cherish the guilt their kid feels, maintain it, and nourish. Because it is not the question of love, it is the question of power and manipulation. It is their goal! Is there anything divine in it? It would be a different matter, if it were only about guilt. Alas. That is just the beginning. And so many victims! Since it became an excuse for massacre and absolute injustice in the form of depriving people of their rights and freedoms! You can be too smart, too funny, too ginger, too close to God, too fertile. It doesn’t matter. For now one can just kill and enjoy an absolute power! For instance, the Islamic religion used to be less violent in terms of some things. For example, Muslim women had more rights regarding inheritance than women in Europe. Do you believe it to be a problem of religion only? Think of Communism, when children were punished for the sins committed by their fathers (public enemies). Or the practice of the Communist Party of Korea. The same was true about many other countries. The entire family could be extirpated for the actions of one person, regardless of age and generation! It didn’t matter what sex you were, what dynasty, tribe, or nation you belonged to, or what political and economic ideas you followed.

Right, our past sins turned into a manipulatory tool. But the future is still ahead of us. There is Heaven you can get to upon the condition of your obedience. Isn’t it great? And what do you need to get to Heaven? I might add that it doesn’t necessarily exist… You should abide by something… By certain rules. But who came up with these rules? That is the question. Was it really God? You are supposed to do what you are told to do even if there is a more reasonable option. But who is telling you this? God or a man preaching God’s word? How can we distinguish between these two? How can we distinguish between the Almighty’s rules and those made by people?

And what’s the result? We shall behave in a certain way in the hope of pretty ephemeral welfare in the future, after our death… Communists also promised a sort of Heaven. Glorious future. Fortunately, on the face of the Earth, though in some distant future. For one thing, every Soviet family would have lived in a separate apartment by 2000. But Communism fell earlier. Actually, Communism did bring us plenty of good things that changed the lives of working people throughout the world for good! It is of great worth. I’m pinpointing such things here so that you recalled what I said earlier. There are no bad ideas. Sometimes it is the means of implementation that is far from good. And here is another important thing. Any movement, including any religious one, has something that was implemented quite poorly, something that was implemented pretty well, or on the average level, etc. Capitalism, just like many other political movements, is no exception. There are so many promises… It’s actually a common story: We need to be patient for a while but then we’ll begin a brand new life! That’s the whole point!

Our past doesn’t let us live in the present and neither do prospects of heavenly future. Neither our past nor our future let us be clear-eyed about the present reality and find effective solutions here and now. We are always lost in our thoughts about either past or future. Or both. As a result, there is no life in the present! But there is a see-saw of time. And we are always stuck. It sounds horrible! Today you are supposed to pay for the sins of your ancestors who probably never even existed. And if you succeed, you get a chance for happiness after death! So what is life in this case? Pure suffering, a trial of patience, an attempt to atone for someone else’s guilt. Humans are massively denied the right to joy and happiness. Including their descendants. This is one of the most violent myths! And if you start asking awkward questions, you will be accused of heresy with all that entails. You will be completely browbeaten, I’ll say this much. Although, upon reflection… Is God really behind all of this? The Almighty who is our past, present, and future… God, one of whose names is Eternity, Time, and Space… An eternal moment and an eternal journey through time. A point and infinity.

But it is not enough to be present in the moment, here and now. It is really important to be aware of this moment.

But let us get back to the topic of our discussion. Why is this myth so violent? Because it denies us our present life, deprives it of happiness and the ability to enjoy life. It holds us in shame and guilt for our past, in awe of our future. Shame, guilt, and awe are perfect tools of not only control but also of manipulation. They can easily transform a free and thinking person into a stupid and subordinate puppet. But it wasn’t why God made man and gave us the opportunity to think…

Tips

– Do you want some advice? Stop living in the past! Stop living in guilt that was forced upon you! Stop living in some bright and glorious future that was also forced upon you! Start living here and now. Start off with getting in contact with reality and becoming aware of it! People around you don’t necessarily need to know anything about it.

– If you feel guilty, find a way to apologize and also do something within the framework of this apology that would be on par with the action you apologize for. That is to say, if you stole a hundred dollars, you should give a hundred dollars back. If you offended someone, don’t do it again and say a few kind words. That’s pretty simple, huh? Yes. If it was a minor misdeed. But what should you do when it comes to something much more serious? That is how karma works if we are talking about that. Understanding that you need to do something of equal importance in the course of or after apologizing will stop you from wrongdoings. And yet there are plenty of people who view it differently. But karma never makes other people or the descendants responsible for someone’s offenses or good actions. And again, a lot of people never think about it this way. Think about it, try to analyze different points of views.

– So what do you think now about the phrase «Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift»?

– What, in your opinion, does it mean to be present in the moment, in the here and now? How can you practice being present? Do you have any ideas?

Key points

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.

And there may be endless number of points of view and versions!

You should abide by something… By certain rules. But who came up with these rules? That is the question. Was it really God? You are supposed to do what you are told to do even if there is a more reasonable option. But who is telling you this? God or a man preaching God’s word? How can we distinguish between these two?

Our past doesn’t let us live in the present and neither do prospects of heavenly future. Neither our past nor our future let us be clear-eyed about the present reality and find effective solutions here and now.

The Almighty who is our past, present, and future… God, one of whose names is Eternity, Time, and Space… An eternal moment and an eternal journey through time. A point and infinity.

But it is not enough to be present in the moment, here and now. It is really important to be aware of this moment.

Shame, guilt, and awe are perfect tools of not only control but also of manipulation. They can easily transform a free and thinking person into a stupid and subordinate puppet. But it wasn’t why God made man and gave us the opportunity to think…

The myth in a nutshell

There is always a cause and effect of your own choice. Each person creates their own Hell and Heaven, first of all inside themselves and then in the surrounding world. You should probably also remember that the point is not to ensure your future in Heaven but to create your Heaven here and now.