Living in the Present

InLove · 07-26-2006, 03:12 PM

Hi and Peace to All Here--

This topic is one of those that presents me with a slight quandry regarding the location of the post. At first, I was going to place it on the Christian board, since the source of the following quote came from a Christian book I have been reading. It is a second-hand quote, but I know you will overlook that, since this is not a college research paper I'm writing.

Anyway, it turns out that the original source comes from a person I know very little about, but a quick surf reveals that he is very likely to have gleaned his expressions of faith from several different backgrounds. That said, this thread does not seek to discuss the author of the quote, but it's meaning and how it is interpreted by the individual. I would welcome comments from all different perspectives. I personally find the words to be profoundly descriptive of my own belief, a rare occurence in the realm of limited human language.

Quoting from Second Calling by Dale Hanson Bourke, who quotes Richard Rohr from Everything Belongs:

"'We cannot attain the presence of God because we're already totally in the presence of God. What's absent is awareness. Little do we realize that God is maintaining us in existence with every breath we take. As we take another it means that God is choosing us now and now and now.'"

Let the discussion hopefully begin!

InPeace,
InLove

wil · 07-26-2006, 03:53 PM

Resonates with me...like a fish trying to discover water...or reading Eckardt Tolle...tis all about living in the now and gaining awareness with what is.

Peaceful Warrior, the movie, does a good job teaching us this contemplation as well.

Then of course there is that little story about the presence. I think when I see the same information from so many different sources and thoughts it speaks volumes

Dondi · 07-26-2006, 04:34 PM

John 17:3:

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

We're on a learning curve toward God, not only in academic knowledge (i.e. sacred texts), by in experiential knowledge. I can agree with the quote fully. And I believe that it is a universal precept. How we choose to seek God will have a profound effect in how we find Him.

flowperson · 07-27-2006, 02:41 AM

Inlove:

Two things come to mind. When the Bhudda (Gautama) was questioned by his disciples regarding "what" he was, mind you "what" not "who", he perportedly replied, "I am awake !"

Second, in the OT G-d repeatedly tells us that He(She) is closer to us than our neck vein. Can't get much closer than that, huh?

flow....

Raz0rClean · 07-27-2006, 08:54 PM

I will first apologize for the fact that at the current moment, I am unable to give you any quotes or chapters for reference. I can, however, tell you what your chosen quote means to me. It'll be my opinion, but perhaps it is of some value to you.

"'We cannot attain the presence of God because we're already totally in the presence of God. What's absent is awareness. Little do we realize that God is maintaining us in existence with every breath we take. As we take another it means that God is choosing us now and now and now.'"

First I will let you know that I am not quite sure what my stance on "God" is right now. I'm still in the midst of discovering myself and all. So this perspective comes from my old self. A non-religious but has been to christian churches a few times during his life boy. But again, the perspective, I beleive, is a logical one.

We are constantly in the presence of god, but we are not aware of it, so we keep the search. Like when you hold the remote in your hand, but you have forgotten it, and you are looking around for the remote. Every breath that every individual takes is given to that individual directly from the hand of god. Every breath we take proves that god is right there, right then, and chooses to let us live.

So the beginning is saying that god is everywhere, all of the time. But we are not aware of this fact. Our eyes (perhaps our faith?) are blind to him. Since we have no clue he's there, we search. But the proof is with our bodies, with every breath, he's still there. We again, are blind to the proof that would open our blindness to him.

--Thats what I think when I read this. Now keep in mind, I'm not sure if I even beleive in a god figure at the moment. However, that's what that says to me.

-The above is my opinion. I do not claim it as fact. I hope it helps you in some ways. I know I have learned from yours.

-May you all find peace within yourselves.