A Jewel in The Backyard

Hello Readers and welcome back! Did that sound enthusiastic? Be careful answering that because people will think you are crazy... This is an impulse post so hopefully it will be a good one. Enjoy!

You know I can say now I am a truly open-minded person, and even though I have a belief structure that is unique to some to say the least, I still think that there is wisdom in things that are ancient. True... superstitions can live for very long... well really until science can prove it wrong right? However, some things are just right or seem right. This line of thinking made me go to a place called The Mountaintop. It is a store that offers spiritual aids (Books, statues (of all kinds of faiths), all types of items) to everyone and does not tell you that you beliefs are garbage and that they understanding of the spiritual aspect in our universe. Plus they hold events all the time in things that I did not know existed… and some things that I did... We need more places like this in this country. I am shocked that it is in Clayton, OH of all places. 

I only stumbled upon them because I was looking for local bookstore to possibly get a good book on GWT (Google it, that's ironic, wanna find out why? Google it, seriously) and realized that the likelihood of finding one around me was going to be impossible so I found a decent one I could rip from the net for free, well sort of decent, anyway I noticed that there was a bookstore that was located off of Salem Ave (SR 49) which is relatively close and that I have passed hundreds of times, maybe thousands now that I really think about it… Anyway my curiosity lead me to go check this place out… Now it gets to the cool part... I think...

I get to the bookstore except it was a parking lot attached to a house, however I could tell that the house was in the equation somehow… so I walk this sidewalk up to a porch and see an "Open" sign and I walk in and say "Hello... Hello..." , I felt like I was walking into a person's house because well that is what it was at a time, it was built for such… and then I was greeted by what I would guess was an 70ish year old lady comes around the corner and greets me. She was so nice. We talked back and forth for probably 15-20 minutes at most as I was headed to class in Downtown Dayton at Sinclair and felt like death. She was thee most open-minded 70ish woman I had ever met, seen, read about, heard about, whatever she believed a lot in what I had to say and vice versa. I was presently surprised as this was a brand new experience to me. most 70ish women I have met were either super Catholic, Christian, or Jewish, so this was super new.

I walked the store while talking with this lady and she has a lot of cool items, there was beautiful Buddha and Ganesh statues, great stuff on Chakras too. She even had some books on UFOs, but I was looking for something specific… I have been itching for a new set of male beads (108) and she did have a Red Lapis mala bracelet, which surprised me once in the store as it was not too big, but had tons of stuff. If you like just gemstones go there. AND! she did have 2 sets of male beads (108) but they were Sandalwood and I have one of those already as well as bone, but that is neither here nor there. That was my official store plug, if your open-minded spirituality go to The Mountainview in Clayton, OH, if you live close, or just swinging through.

Adding to that cool part, at the very last part of my conversation with the 70ish lady that I think is at least co-owner, if not the owner of The Mountaintop. She said "can I ask you when your birthday is?" I said, "December 10th" and before I could say "Sagittarius if you are looking for my sign." she stated, "Oh, a Sag are you, okay…" and proceeded to tell me everything I do, strive for, what I hold dear, etc. Just based on our earlier conversation and my sign. I found that pretty amazing... This was not something you would never read in a newspaper horoscope or a book on the same topic, I mean she read me, entirely. I was stunned and replied as I always do, "I might see you soon". In hindsight I think the might may become a will. Some of there events are a little out there for even me but who cares, I think I will go to one and see what happens, maybe I will learn something… I might run like hell because they are a cult (KIDDING!). Whichever I am sure I will walk away learning something. Right? Plus there are some that are my speed...

Religious tolerance is so important to human kind and more people need to realize it, if they do not harm themselves or someone else let them be...

I found a jewel in my backyard.

-automachi

The Be Better Thought...

Hello Readers, welcome to another post. I have thought of numerous topics to write about since my last post but something always prevented that from happening… sometimes it was just that I was to tired… but in hindsight I wish I would have wrote because now I feel like I have a writer's block of sorts… So this could really be a piece of sure genius or something else that starts with an s.

I have had the mindset as an adult of always believing you can be better at whatever you are doing, even if you are the best… there is still some room for improvement. 

This is a "thought" that most religions drive home with different scenarios within their sacred texts. In the Bible… weird… I have been away from my former faith too long to quote scriptures, good, but anyway, I do remembering hear countless preachers say, "You can do anything through him [Jesus Christ]. There are other passages that drive this home with passages, again that I cannot quote, planting the thought "You can do anything if you put your mind to it." In the Christian scenario Christ is your motivation...

Buddhism entire theology is center around self improvement and personal evolution, per se. Always striving to be better in one form or another (samsara). Most, if not all, Indian born theology/religions drive the thought that we can always be better at whatever we do, no matter how amazing it may be.

Islam I cannot say for sure as I have only reads pieces and skimmed most of the Qur'an (however, I do own one), but I am sure given that it is an Abrahamic Faith there are passages that drive the "Be Better" thought into your mind… and yes there is a possibility that this thought comes into play with suicide bombers, do not think like that as I am not including the radical portions of any religions and am only pointing this out because in truth Islam can be good for some, they just need to be more open-minded, even more so than other very large religions. There radicals in all religions that is just a matter of fact.

I could point out something in every religion that drive home the "Be Better" thought as all do in some manner, but I think you get the idea. 

So the above proves the "Be Better" thought is ingrained into most of us through the religions we follow. Then again, there are some Atheist that are pretty good at a lot of things requiring said thought ("Be Better"). So how did they get that thought ingrained in them? Our education institutions teach this as well… that's how.

So when you think you cannot do something call on the "Be Better" thought and do it. This worlds needs more people that are passionate about being better, won't you join us?

It could have been better, and it will be if you want it to...

-automachi

My Afterlife as I See it Today... Could be Different Tomorrow...

Hello readers, since we have a long weekend w/ Labor Day I figured I could get a post in... hopefully one that is good... and I think this just may fit the bill. Lets take the journey and see how it goes. Enjoy...

I have a unique outlook on the afterlife since I switched from a Judeo-Christian religion(s) of 23 years to an Indian (w/ a lot of Buddhist Thought) Philosophy/Religion, but I do not subscribe directly to those afterlife scenarios of the "religion(s)" I follow. I believe in a combination of the Hindu/Buddhists afterlife(s).

The older I get and the more I study, both religion and other unrelated subjects, I have arrived at a place where science and religion cannot contradict each other for me believe in it wholeheartedly. Western religion as it has been taught cannot meets that criteria, meaning science has disproved major components of creation for starters... the only ones that I personally think can coexist in both science and religion is Eastern religions, the one I believe fits in science (as it cannot be disproved, and some of it is proven through science) and religion matrix the best is Buddhism which is my Foundation Faith (see the Foundation Faith post for more details). This is the main reason I subscribe to it, but I do believe aspects of Hinduism as well, and I do believe that most moral religions will take to you to a different "better" place... just in my mind I do not believe it will be quite what your expecting but you will not know it at that time.

The Afterlife as I see it through my eyes today goes like this, if you are a good person and have been good to others and lived a true good life, in every aspect you can control you are going to a better place... a different plain with less suffering than that of the human condition. At that time you will be born, or enter a new realm... that realm depending on your level of "enlightenment" achieved in the life you just had as well as Karma being a factor.

When you die in the "human" realm you energy and mindstream leave when your brain dies and you then hit that bright light, where it goes from there until you become "conscious" in another real I do not know yet... or how long it takes before you enter that new realm or become "conscious", as mentioned in the previous sentence, in "our time" (i.e. seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years), as time could be in those different realms. Once this quasi state just mentioned is over you enter this new "consciousness"on this new realm. Do you remember the past life being on a higher plain, I think you might be able to depending on how "high" your new realm is. I think the samsara nature is not completely know but I think there is something to say about the 31 plains of existence, it may be spot on, it may not be, but I do think there is something there, something accurate. Google that if you like to learn more... So that is if you were "good".

Now, if you were a piece of garbage in the "human" plain you do not go to a better place at the end of that quasi state mentioned above... You go to one of the less desirable plains, one may call them Hell. Your level of suffering increases rather than decreasing. This is not what you want to happen... Do you?

However, all these plains are in constant flux, including the "human" realm, but not including a plain called Nirvana (We will get to that in a minute). So you always will get the chance to go up and down on this plain "ladder", depending on your Enlightenment and Karma, being "born" into new or realms you have already been in many times, however, suffering will follow you no matter what realm you are on, but will lessen when getting to higher realms, until reaching that plain called Nirvana, which some may call Heaven.

Nirvana is a place you enter when you have eradicated all suffering and attachment giving pure bliss and a good "emptiness".

That is a short summary of what I think the afterlife is, more lives just in a different sense, and sometimes not. You may agree you may not, it makes no difference to me in any way, as long as I made you think...

It is mathematically probably that there are alternative universes, it this those other plains?... Sometimes I often think so... but who knows I could be full of it and so may be everyone else... Either way you have to decide, not someone else...

-automachi

Religious Labels and Rants... or something...

Hello Readers and welcome... I hope all is well with you. I truly hope so... I hope you enjoy this post, I hope to get a few extra posts in while I have a 2 week break from classes I am taking, time will have to be the judge of that. Enjoy...

I used to identify well with labels of people in regard to spiritual beliefs and that you had to fall into 1 of those "categories". If you didn't you did not have a true belief structure because it had not already been introduced by someone else, I guess was my think at the time... and... Well... not so much anymore and am so happy to follow a faith that YOU get to design. I stick to Indian Philosophy and have my own personal (some may think wacky) beliefs, and then being newer to anything other than a Judeo-Christian path and strict beliefs structures I stuck a label to it. HA! A little ironic at this point with annoyance of labels regarding spirituality.

However, this (logical spirituality), my, Faith is defined by those who chose to identify with or not. A little like Buddhism, but even there there are different traditions and schools they are just peaceful about it, but there is still a degree of labels. So... I think that makes it a little less annoying that I had to label it but then again you have to call something something right?... I think I just went cross-eyed.

Anyway, why label what you are regarding your spiritual status? I used to understand it or thought I did but in hindsight I cannot figure out why or how I ever accepted being labeled... then it hit me,,, it was cause by what a lot of faiths call a sin or misconduct and that is PRIDE. When you have no issue with spiritual labels you are proud to be what that label is associated with (i.e. Cross to Christ). Pride is a bad thing I do not care how you try to justify it or an instance of it. Sorry just does not work for me and shouldn't for anyone else, take achievement in your work or life not pride, if you do not get it you should probably do some soul searching (that statement is very ironic if Buddhist).

Just disregard the labels... wait... a lot of religious constructs cannot be supported without this "labelism" If you are not Catholic anymore and just a follower of Christ who do you tithe to?... What happens to the Pope. Oh my God(s)! Are we starting to realize why Atheists know the most about religion? That 4th branching of the Abrahamic Faiths better happen soon with the amount of people saying "I cannot stand organized religion", but you know some of those people are still going, you naughty hypocrites you, By the way... you are sinning... =) and the fact that these labels cannot be remove cause yet another hypocrisy with some Faiths =(

So by my own brilliant deduction above I now have proof that I will have to continue to be annoyed by spiritual labels because they are not going anywhere soon... they might transform in some way at best, at the very best, but organized religion would fall, just over labels too, sad... So I guess this post served reason for me... one less annoyance... dissolve the dislike or the notation of spiritual labels within myself... problem solved. See what following a Faith that works for you does? It make good solution for you or others in some way... As I have said many times before... You pick the Faith that is right of you and not the faith that you have been told was right for you by anyone.

Hopefully my next post will be of more substance and not just a realization that spiritual labels will live just short of roaches...

til the next time...

-automachi

The Way I Seen Things Going, My Prediction...

Hello Readers and welcome back... This is one of the posts that I am doing because I think I need to just write. It is something I have to do, I do not know why, but I feel it to be a necessity, my outlet... Lets see how this one turns out...


Karen Armstrong is a great religious author from Britain and one book she penned was The History of God and she wrote on sentence that struck me, and I will never forget it... She stated that a religion must evolve to continue to exist. Like I said she wrote the book The History of God which traces the Abrahamic God from inception to current day from a subjective perspective and at a detailed level with comparison, great book, but I digress, but think of God in society today with that sentence I mentioned in perspective...

Something has to give right? My nephew told me yesterday that he did not believe in God, and I told him you just need to believe what you need to in order to be the best human being you can. I gave examples of helping people whenever you can and just being a "good person", if God is not in that equation then so be it. I also mentioned that He can be a part of his life if he wants him to be and he had no confusion on his face, he knew exactly what I was saying... it made sense to him. The funny part is that children can take that logic but adults can't. This proves that children, not just your own, can teach you things... big things like the realization that conversation had on me.

So that comes back to my sentence I mentioned early that hit me like a brick. The Abrahamic religion, especially forms of Christianity in the West, are not evolving anymore. Really after Y2K and thousands upon thousands of preachers/pastors were wrong and the world did not end I think is when society's subconscious saying wait what happened??...

So what about 2012 huh? Yeah I know took a dramatic turn but I will tie it together... really, I promise... Anyone on this planet has to wonder why so many oracle/prophecies all over the world point to one date. The Mayans, The I-Ching, Merlin (the real one), Nostradamus, and many more.

Is there correlation around the current unstable conditions of the Abrahamic Faiths related to this date because of the lack of evolution? Our society has evolved so much over the last 20-30 years that a religious revolution of sorts must happen again or the God of Abraham will lose followers of all 3 branches, and maybe 2012 is the time of the branch? So technically the world would cease to be as we know it today... Is that the end of the world all these oracle/prophecies mean? Maybe... I do not know... just throwing ideas out there to make you think...

Last time that the Abrahamic Faiths faced this issue a very influential Prophet showed up, maybe you have heard of him?? Mohammad right a bell?? That was the last branch of the Abrahamic Faith, Islam. I am not Muslim but I hold all the Prophets of all faiths in high regard for the good they have done for humanity, with no intention of religion being the number one killer of civilized humans, if they would have seen that I doubt they would have ever spoke, but that is another topic.

Personally, I hope I am in this birth to see the fourth branch of the Abrahamic Faith because I think it will be even more dramatic than comparing Christian to Muslim eschatology, and it will be interesting to see where humanity will be in the end... Things will change, a lot, and the sad thing is... it is completely irreverent... and I am sure blood will be spilled like all branching has causes in the faith, which will not be good, and will be pointless too. Are we starting to get it?...

Thought of the day:
Make your own decisions on what you believe religiously and do not be afraid to go against the grain if you feel led to. If it does not harm you or anyone else there is nothing wrong with it and they can just deal.

-automachi