Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
In the religious practice you do, what was it that made you feel closeness to the God (deity) ?
Did it take much practice to gain the experience?
Did it take much practice to gain the experience?
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What did you do to feel closer to the God (deity) you believe in
- Thread starter Spirit of Light
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Reading about him, his stories, his teachings... the Bhagavad Gita, the Srimad Bhagavatam (aka Bhagavata Purana), other writings.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Okay, my God is the world we live and the humans in it.
Since I am in part trained as a realist (soldier), but also do other things than being a realist, I have found God by learning to balance realism, positivism and how to handle the negative.
As my Christian wife says: God gives us the nuts, but he doesn't crack then for us, I have learned through much practice to be positive using different Western secular mental wellbeing techniques and combining them with scientific knowledge and/or religious techniques.
I see God in being positive and/or realistic. I see God in the kindness of other humans, in the society I live in and in my love to my wife. There are other examples of God around. But to me God is in the world if you learn to look. But to some atheists that is nature and yes, I get them. But there is more to nature than it being physical and that is to me a natural pandeism God.
Spirit of Light
Be who ever you want
You got wisdom from it
You'd be surprised.You got wisdom from it
Hermit Philosopher
Selflessly here for you
Dear Conscious thoughts,
In terms of religious practice, I feel closest to God through spiritual contemplation and prayer.
The practices themselves are rather effortless, but their depth comes from/follows periods of great attentiveness and dedication to daily life that, to me, does not come very easily.
I may describe it as so:
- When I go about my daily life, either in autopilot-mode or focusing mainly on myself and what I’m doing, what I want and what I think, I “forget” to attentively observe all that which I encounter and fail to notice all the wonders of this world. Then, my religious practices have an “emptiness”/ “hollowness”/ “shallowness” to them and do not bring me closer to God.
- But, when I forget myself and what I want and what I think and instead attentively take in all that which I encounter as I do what I am doing in my daily life, then, when I go to contemplate and pray, my religious practices have great depth and intensity and I feel very close to God.
In short; for me, religious practice alone does not make me feel closer to God, and no matter how hard I’d contemplate or pray, unless I’m also living attentively, I’d feel quite far away from God.
Humbly
Hermit
I learned how to beseech Their presence. They informed me in various ways that my calling Them was successful. Hard not to feel close when They're right there beside you, and inside you, simultaneously.
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
A walk through the woods, listening to the right mood of music, contemplation on long drives, creating art, mushrooms left unspecified, etc.
Jedster
Flying through space
@Conscious thoughts
I used to believe that my (then) Guru was God-incarnate.
I lived in the renunciate order of that Guru.
There was a daily (God given)routine that had to be followed and because it was God- given, the whole day was in devotion to God, whatever one's service may be.
I have to admit that when I was believer, it felt great. I always felt the closeness most of the time.
We were given 5 commandments which helped in dealing with 'the world'.
I used to believe that my (then) Guru was God-incarnate.
I lived in the renunciate order of that Guru.
There was a daily (God given)routine that had to be followed and because it was God- given, the whole day was in devotion to God, whatever one's service may be.
I have to admit that when I was believer, it felt great. I always felt the closeness most of the time.
We were given 5 commandments which helped in dealing with 'the world'.
- 1. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today
- 2. Constantly meditate and remember Holy Name
- 3. Leave no room for doubt in your mind
- 4. Always have faith in God
- 5. Never delay in attending Satsang
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Oddly enough I have a God, but I don't believe that a God exists, lol. Selflessness makes me feel closer to that which is divine. Not that self interest is a bad thing or that there isn't a divine way of it. But selflessness is when I think of others more than myself. I feel closer to divinity when I'm that way.
I had that experience, too!
How can I be any closer to God/dess? Where is there a place he/she isn't?
muhammad_isa
Veteran Member
Taking responsibility for my actions, and reading scriptures and pondering on their meanings.
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
That is relatable especially if going through a hard time. I've done that too.
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
I had that experience, too!
How can I be any closer to God/dess? Where is there a place he/she isn't?
You make an excellent point.
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
For me, prayer , Bible reading, and worship music. Practices that encourage you to trust in God. At times I have liked to visualize as well. Examples could be visualizing something in Scripture, God or imaginating what heaven would be like.
I don't find practices bring me unerringly to feel closer although no doubt they prepare the ground.
Feeling comes apparently spontaneously. I'll hear some music, read a special story or something else will happen and the dark clouds of the lower self will part for a few blessed moments and the feeling of nearness then emerges.
Feeling comes apparently spontaneously. I'll hear some music, read a special story or something else will happen and the dark clouds of the lower self will part for a few blessed moments and the feeling of nearness then emerges.