#understandingman'sprinciples

The idea of God has become synonymous with perfection, omniscience, and omnipotence. We call God different names and attribute different characteristics to him, but these concepts will always be dependent on beliefs that are unique to every individual. Our beliefs are shaped by our environment and our experiences. Exposure to the doctrines of a particular religion means a different interpretation of God and his power when compared to a purely scientific standpoint. Similarly, there are those who believe God in complete faith, there are those who blindly follow the teachings and the requirements of an organized religion, and there are those who see God as a scientific possibility. Is God responsible for the misery in the world and for our personal failures? If God is all-powerful, how can he allow the suffering in the world? God cannot be held accountable for our own actions. Previously, it was discussed how each and every one of us has the free will to do as we want. (Click here to read that blog entry. INSERT URL of “Is Free Will an Illusion?”) Therefore, we should be accountable for the results of our action or inaction and refrain from blaming God or even our circumstances. Our destiny is shaped by all that we went through, but there is unlimited power in our ability to change our set of circumstances. Perhaps there is no perfect life or perfect God, but let us be comforted by the thought that everything in the universe—and perhaps in other universes—is in constant motion and change is inevitable. The more we change, the closer we come to the best version of who we are. Perhaps one these changes will reveal the real magnificence of God. Read the full article

If you goggle “Does the soul exist?” be prepared for an avalanche of search results. There are thousands of different claims regarding the soul. Some of the highest-ranking titles are “If Humans Have Souls, When and How Is the Soul Created?” “There Are No Souls,” “We Have Souls and So Do Crows,” and “Does the Soul Exist? Evidence Says Yes.” These are the titles that have garnered the most number of attention, and these titles reflect most of our curiosity about the truth about the soul. Does the soul really exist? There are people who claim to have witnessed the separation of the soul from the human body. There are studies that support the existence of the soul. Neuroscience believes science is the only reliable way to understand the truth about the soul. If the soul is real, does it exist in the human body or human consciousness? If death or near-death experiences separate the body and the soul, where does the soul reside when the body is still alive and well? Is the soul in our brain, our heart, or does it cover our entire body? In ancient times, the Greeks thought the soul is similar to a breath. The Bible too says the spirit “moves like the wind.” Aristotle, however, thought understanding the soul will lead to an understanding of the body and that different living beings have different types of souls. In more recent history, a physician from Massachusetts, Duncan MacDougall, concluded that the difference in weight of an individual before and after death is the weight of the soul. After conducting experiments, he concluded the soul weights three-fourths of an ounce, but he did not factor in the individuals who did not exhibit weight loss. Of course, MacDougall’s experiment was flawed from start to finish, and the question about the existence of the soul remains to this day. Perhaps it’s easier to imagine that the soul is the essence of who we are and is in complete harmony with the universe, existing in a much higher vibration than ours. Our relationship to our higher self is akin to that of a parent and a child. The parent guides the child and provides him or her unconditional love and support. Similarly, we can communicate with our soul and seek guidance in the things we do. Doing this will require a great deal of focus, but so does understanding the universe around us and the divine in us. Read the full article

Take it from Einstein: “Everything in life is vibration. Everything is energy.” Mind your vibration. What you give out to the universe will ultimately make it back to you.   The law of vibration states that everything in the universe is made up of vibrations. The law of attraction may be popular, but the law of vibration is one of the basic laws of the universe. Neuroscientists and physicists refer to this law all the time. Inspirational books like The Secret and Think and Grow Rich refer to the law of vibration as well. Basically, all matter—whether it’s solid, liquid, gas, or plasma—is composed of protons, electrons, and neutrons and empty space interspersed with energy. Energy gives off different frequencies of vibrations; hence, everything is made up of vibrations since everything in the universe is made up of empty space and energy. Nothing is ever at rest. Everything is in constant motion. Vibrations are not uniform. Every form of matter gives off varying frequencies of vibrations. Finding something or someone with the same frequency of vibration gives the feeling of being in sync. Feelings too are made up of vibrations. Negative vibrations result in feelings of darkness or heaviness or even physical pain. The same is true to positive and light vibrations. Every thought in the universe is composed of vibrations; therefore, channeling positive thoughts result in positive outcomes. “Thought is where it all begins. As your conscious mind dwells habitually on thoughts of a certain quality, these become firmly imbedded within the subconscious mind. They become the dominant vibration. This dominant vibration sets up a resonance with other similar vibrations and draws them into your life. This is easier to understand if you consider that from the metaphysical view, the whole universe IS MIND. In turn, your vibrations affect everything around you—your environment, the people and animals around you, the inanimate objects, even the seemingly ‘empty’ space and they, in turn, affect you (Laws of the Universe).” What’s good about vibrations is that you can do something to get positive ones. It all depends on what you feed your mind. Think negative thoughts and these thoughts will connect with all the negative vibrations in your immediate surrounding and, in turn, affect you. Think positive thoughts consistently and these thoughts will manifest in your life. These vibrations need to manifest in a physical outcome; hence, people with positive vibrations often find wealth and good fortune and inner peace. Basically, these things are results of the good vibrations they gave out to the universe. Indeed, the universe will conspire to help you achieve what you truly desire. Read the full article

For centuries, men and women still struggle to fully grasp the truth of our existence. By accumulating ideas of Truth, we advance a step closer to man’s true essence. But even then, some of these proclaimed and imposed ideas lack logical reasoning. Having this stated, the search for man’s true essence becomes riddled with mind-breaking confusions. With the help of scientific principles, humanity continues to flourish through the course of time. We apply the principles of critical thinking and the methods of science to determine the answers to man’s questions. Despite the growing numbers of the garnered discoveries about our existence, there remain aspects which are still beyond our conception—for one, the spiritual aspect. The Spiritual Aspect and Man’s True Essence The practitioners of Science commonly shun the spiritual aspect—the most fundamental aspect. Thus, the quest to find man’s true essence becomes futile. The ideas of Truth that lie in the spiritual aspect remain undiscovered. Is there a reason for ignoring the spiritual aspect? Reasonable people often drag the mistakes of the past into the present, affecting greatly or gravely the future thereby. When scientist Galileo Galilei discovered that the earth revolves around the sun, the Catholic church rebuked him. As a result, people began to doubt the doctrines of the church. As scientific discoveries proved most religious teachings wrong, people began to deem the spiritual aspect unnecessary. Moreover, advocates of Science ridicule people who assert the essential of the aforementioned aspect. They treat Science and faith as if they were oil and water. When running a careful analysis of certain matters, we use the methods of Science. Yet, some advocates of Science assume that the scientific method applies not to understanding the spiritual concept. Perceived as a composition of figments of imagination, the spiritual truth remains buried. Additionally, claims and stories told after experiencing momentary unconsciousness are anecdotal evidence. And for Science, this is not a good enough evidence. However, if scientists accumulate these “claims” and “stories”, a study concerning spiritual related matters can be conducted. By identifying the similarities and differences of the circumstances, the accumulated data can result in the emergence of new ideas of Truth. Perhaps these newly discovered truths bring enlightenment to questions that remain unanswered until now. Welcoming the ideas that seemingly make sense to some is the key to finding what’s true—including man’s true essence. Through this, we advance greatly in the quest for finding and understanding the very essence of man. The principles of Science paired with the openness of mind through faith draws us closer to the most profound principles of all principles—The Divine Principles. Read the full article