A bit more for Max on God

It is understandable that people might say why would any God allow trouble and downright badness to happen if he is the All Powerful.  This would be true if God was a separate being outside the creation with a sort of giant cctv which could detect each thing before they happened and stop the bad things.

But if He is not separate but totally exists in all beings as life itself, and as life as an undeniable good, then it is up to us to make that life relevant.

If you go to the playground, you learn how to enjoy yourself but also how to manage the others who all want to play on the monkey bars; you learn about your strengths and also how to look after others.  You might be a bit of a bully but for sure, the other children will make sure you know that you aren't popular.  So you soon get to decide how to use your choices.

When you become a grown up, (all too soon), these lessons you have learned still apply and you can decide for yourself what a good action is and if the good action allows you to look after yourself and your family without making another person, family or business suffer then you have done well.  That is how the world is meant to be.  That is how being in tune with God works best.

Finally I get round to God to answer Max's question

The 8 year old said, "if I don't believe in God, am I still a Christian?"
I said, that if you are christened your parents promise for you that you are a Christian and hold to that until you make your own mind up at about 16 or so but Max, that is a good question."
It made me think a lot about God and I wondered when I was going to get round to addressing that big question in the blog because it has been circling around in my own head and this question has just pushed it to the fore.
So Max, here we go.  If you were the all powerful, all merciful, all seeing being which permeated every single thing in the entire universe, what would you choose to be called?  You are the taste in water, the light in the sun, the sound in space, you are in every word in every language, you are in every blade of grass, every flower, bee, fruit and what's more you are the intelligence which has made all the i pads, i phones, computers, rockets and every extraordinary thing we can think of.  So, a lot of possibilities for a name don't you think?  Perhaps you would choose a name which even a child learning to speak could get its tongue round, you might just say, "Call me God for short."
Now every person will have a different view of God;

some believe Him to be a him, some to be a her, some to be far off, some will say He is closer than your own thoughts.  Some will choose to dress in white to honour Him, some will cover their faces, some will wear orange and mark their foreheads with a small mark.  Some cut off their hair, some let it grow long and never cut it.  Some will decide to find God by being entirely alone, some by helping the poorest of the poor.  Some will only think of God on Sundays, or on whichever special day they have marked out, some have God always in their mind.   Some will have God there as a certainty and some will have God there as a question.  You should keep God as a question but really keep asking questions until you feel satisfied.  I will be very interested to hear more of your questions as long as you will put up with my rather rambling answers.

meditation and transcendence

Transcendence sounds a long way off doesn't it?  But think about it, to transcend doesn't just mean soaring into the ether, it means passing by the gripping things, it is a process as well as a state of detachment.  And it can start wherever you are!  So, when you are meditating and that thought comes in which begs for attention, you turn back to the mantra, that's transcendence at a constant and simple level.  In life though, there are layers of traps and transcending them is the best way not to get trapped.  A thought usually comes from a feeling and it can be entertained or left.  When the thought becomes words, even words in the mind,  it has had some effect and at this point, it may easily go into action and then you are done!  Sometimes, this process is beneficial for everyone, even the simple lay the breakfast thought, but when it has a sting to it, watch out, remember it's a trap and go for transcendence again and again.

you're not going to like this question Granny

He, age 5, comes into the kitchen where I am pottering about.  He says,"you're not going to like this question Granny but I'm going to ask it anyway".
 I wonder if he is going to complain about the food! but no, this is the question or the statement with a question mark after it.
"You're going to die first aren't you?'
I reply "you mean me and Grandpa?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's probably likely," I say "but I am not actually going to die completely because the bit of me that is the lively bit, never dies but the bit of me that does get old will need replacing."
"That's what I thought," he says "it's just your skin and bones that go isn't it, nobody ever really dies do they?"
"Exactly right," I say "it's just like that although sometimes people find that bit a bit difficult, but they wouldn't find it so difficult if they knew it was just part of life changing not ending."
He looks pleased to have sorted this one out and disappears outside again.
I realise that it is very easy to have this conversation and believe it but not so easy when you are facing illness and old age.  It is not always so easy to meditate regularly and for the ideal length of time when the sun is shining, the smaller members of the family are begging for fun and you are feeling well so it is worth keeping in mind that there will be challenges to face and a bit of regular meditation may make facing them easier.

matinee goers

Being of an age to attend matinees, it is a fact that apart from the school parties, the audience is made up of people of a certain age.  They are your age! and it comes as rather a surprise because there you are in your timeless mindset looking at people thinking they are rather old and then you look and see they are just like you!!!  This is the thing, there is this timeless part which looks out at the other time conditioned world and feels safer than perhaps it should.  You just don't want to get caught out believing the passing show to be real and losing the opportunity to enjoy it without being totally submerged and taken in by it.  

The other thing about the play is that while it is on, especially if it is good (and Othello at the National Theatre was brilliant), you are absorbed but only absorbed as the watcher, it isn't actually happening to you, you are absorbed but also free to get out of your seat at the end, wipe away the tear at the pity of it all, and catch the train home to Grandpa coping with the grandsons, the dogs and the rest of the rather chaotic play which is your life.

Meditating on the witness gives a little perspective, and makes the growing into being a matinee goer something to be more surprised and amused at than concerned.

Meditation, grandchildren and Broody Hens

The Broody Hen, (note capitals for her importance in our life) has been moved to the maternity ward.  No paparazzi following her although she is due to hatch out 8 chicks.  The father, a handsome, arrogant bantam cockerel is off with the other girls and she is just sitting meditating on who knows whatever a broody hen meditates on.  It is an impressive fact that nature produces such devotion in a creature that she forgoes the company of the others, forgoes dalliance with Sarko, the cockerel, and forgoes nearly all food and water for 21 days.  She is definitely on retreat.

I would like to be on retreat, but this few days is dedicated to 2 grandsons recently arrived from Dubai and anxious to be OUTSIDE as it is so hot in Dubai that they have to be inside or in an air conditioned space all the time.  But this means eyes and ears everywhere! However my morning meditator came before the boys were even awake and we retreated in the cool morning to the summer house.
You can see why I might need a little retreat time if you watch this cheery video of boys in Dubai doing the Haarlem shake. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6O6tlwe6fo&feature=em-upload_owner

a community

Here is how we get together! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7o7BrlbaDs.  Eric Whitacre posted his music and instructions to people to record their part in a particular piece of music. It worked, this is it.  I can't post anything for you to join together but know everytime you join in stillness and silence that there is huge community of meditators out there all wishing good to the world.  Why not join in?