I watch feel-good programs about hope and the common moral issues most of us face. Sometimes they are sappy and overly dramatic. Sometimes the acting or the writing is lacking. But, I still tune in to my favorites. I liked Touched by an Angel. And, I watch 7th Heaven. There it is! I am one of those people that hip young people laugh about. I am not embarrassed to admit it.
I am often moved by a few words or a concept being delivered. Some of the ideas presented make me think, or reconsider old assumptions. There are times I am struggling with the same issue, and something said by one of the characters helps.
I picked this up from a recent Everwood episode.
"Then comes affliction to awaken the dreamer."
-Kierkegaard
There are times when we have to experience hard stuff. And, all kinds of feelings emerge. Hurt, Anger, Rage, Doubt. And, we may think: "This isn't fair!" "I don't deserve this." "He doesn't deserve this!"
Things can't always be explained by logic or reason. We really don't see the 'big picture'. Sometimes we rage against what is happening. I guess that is OK.
I think that God is OK with our doubts, our anger, our fear. It's OK to question.
We can't always understand things intellectually. Growth often comes out of pain. But it might help to know that this is not real. This whole thing is an illusion, a dream. And the bumps we feel are there to awaken the soul to what is real.
We are One with the Infinite.
I googled the kierkigaard quote and only a couple of sites came up, blogs. So i guess i should respond. I was trying to find out what the quote means, the part about the dreamer, why a dreamer, i didn't get that part, anyways it's nice to know that i'm not the only one who would find some meaning in something we hear now and then, so i guess thanks for the affirmation.
Posted by: Wai Man Chan at November 1, 2003 8:18 PMMany people, including me, believe that there is only one reality. We are all dreamers, and when lost in our dream, forget the true nature of what is.
Many philosophers speak of this, using different words. The mystics of all religions talk of this concept. Many books are written to try to get this idea across.
The basic thought is that everything is one. Most of the time, we see ourselves as separate from everything else, losing touch with the truth of our nature. Yet we are all part of the infinite, and it is part of us. We forget this in our lives because we are lost in a dream. This place can be called Hell, Maya or Mitote. There are many names for the state we are in when we lose touch with what is real.
We all have moments of clarity when we are open to the truth. Sometime these moments come as gifts. But, in these moments, we realize that everything is connected. All is part of the One. In this flash of awareness, we are in Heaven, Nirvana, Samadhi, or just plain Awake. But most of the time we are dreaming our dream. And, we are asleep.
I have been told that there is only one Power. That power is God. Eternal, Immortal, and always with us.
One can look at God as a personal or impersonal being. It is just everything that is. One does not even have to call this concept God. You could call it Grass or Chair. One can think of it as Light or Reason. Yet, we and everything else is part of this creation, this essence. All is made of the same stuff, in varying amounts and degrees.
At least that is how I understand it. Does that make sense? Words are inadequate to express this concept, especially for someone like me. Does that help at all?
Thank you for your response to my question. I think it helped. I've read a book called Varieties of Religious Experience by William James so I understood what you mean when you say it's kind of hard to put in words because it's a mystical experience. It's like a conversion. Interesting book, would recommend if you haven't already read it. Again, thanks for making it a little clearer for me.
Posted by: Wai Man Chan at November 3, 2003 12:30 AMI just checked out 'Varieties of Religious Experience on Amazon. Looks good! I think my husband might like it too. Thanks for the recomendation.
Posted by: Mom at November 4, 2003 6:07 PM