Pray, and seek to propitiate that which you fear. Reach out with mind and soul into the Void for succour. Meditate and look deeply within yourself for betterment or just understanding. This is sound advice for us puny humans occupying a dangerous ball of rock rushing through space.
What are the chances of ‘heavenly’ intervention when all Earthly efforts to protect ourselves or overcome threats or disaster have been exhausted? Probably nil. Yet, could not the spirit world help? Possibly.
However, could those existing in this realm of caring spirits overcome or moderate the destiny-path each of us seemingly created in our previous lives? A destiny path implies, not only the reincarnation process (for which there is adequate evidence), but also the exercise of the free will accessible to us beyond the known constraints applying to us; eg. genetics, epigenesis, human relations, and the regular and chance influences and impacts from space; eg. solar flares, supernovas, electromagnetic radiation, and such like (and the hobgoblin which might be resident under one’s bed).
Apart from the basal emotion of anxiety aroused in all sentient beings, through awareness of the uncertainties of existence, for those of us who seek to understand what human existence (including its origins) are about, there is that gossamer veil which prevents us from perceiving clearly beyond the material sphere.
Those of us who have had any ephemeral or psychic experiences – like me floating horizontally under the ceiling and seeing my dead body on a bed; or the spirit manifesting himself to deliver advice to me; or the yogi who ensured my despatch to Australia (presumably to be consistent with my destiny-path) – we are faced with the conundrum of creation and causality.
Just as the human mind may be limited in its competence to access all the maths that is ‘out there,’ so we Seekers may not be able to decide whether the origin of the Cosmos was by creation, or whether the Cosmos has always been here. The idea of something ever-existing without a First Cause seems incredible. But then, so is all of existence, and the wondrous but intangible connection between everything that is known to exist.
Going past the oddity of a God in whose image mankind was allegedly created (‘the Adam,’ as distinct from the founder of the homo species descended from the chimpanzee), and who is claimed to be the Creator of the universe we think we know; modern scientists offer the aether as the ever-lasting, all-pervasive flux of energy from which matter is able to arise spontaneously – and to evolve eventually into more complex structures.
If this propensity is confirmed, could the aether be considered a creator, or just the enabler of creation (through self-creation)?
Now consider Hinduism’s long-established belief that Brahman (note the n) = Consciousness = the Ocean of Consciousness (my interpretation). Brahman seems comparable to the aether – an ever-existing, all-pervasive essence. Cleverly, Hinduism offers Brahma (no n) as a Creator arising from this essence to produce the Cosmos. Thus Brahman (with the n) is only an enabler. So it seems to me.
Semantics and logic can take us only a certain distance into the unknown. As a local priest said to me, “God is a mystery. Our belief in God is also a mystery. Why not leave it at that?” I then borrow from N.Krishnamurti’s famous words to add “Those who know cannot tell” because such knowledge is beyond words.
In truth, how could we possibly know? Why not enjoy the mystery of being part of an insoluble greater mystery?
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 