Life – Here Now, Before and After
By Shiva
@Shiva49 (26877)
Singapore
December 29, 2015 5:47am CST
Everyone has this issue at the back of their minds often about the overall purpose of our life. I think it is more our soul calling out that it is permanent and to remind us to live our present moment, do our duty with a permanent time frame, outlook. Our journey looks continuous with ups and downs all the time interspersed with calm before storms too. When we know everything is dynamic in the creative process and that we are here on a short sojourn, with change being the only constant, we should find tranquility despite the many hiccups.
Why me? That question crops up when we hit roadblocks or worse like severe health issues. But no one is spared ordeals but the beauty is they just fade away over time or we adapt, work around them, as par for the course. Someone plays the fall guy and our turn will come and soon it will be over or when our time is called! When the journey is permanent then we could well be paying for past dues karma, the spiritual principle of cause and effect, or we can take it God’s will.
We worry about hereafter but then what about before our appearance here. We have no clue where we were – maybe, in another energy form with memories wiped clean; likewise, our future could be in another avatar where our present life may not matter at all – okay, possibly, as far as where we fit in. We did likewise here being born at a place within a certain family set-up at a particular time.
The time to leave this blessed place is getting nearer as each day passes and it is for us to live life on our terms but to benefit the whole creative process. We may not matter overall but still are given a chance, a sojourn, under our sun. Let us make the best use of it and the Bard’s words should comfort us in trying times - “A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once. It seems to me most strange that men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.”
13 people like this
7 responses
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
31 Dec 15
It is those roadblocks that we encounter that can make life very interesting by the simple fact that we have to go and do something about them, they spur us to action. In some respects life is all about how we deal with these roadblocks, because there are times when even great thinkers persist on auto-pilot. This is one of the reason we should be constantly challenging ourselves, or at the very least asking the question, why?
3 people like this
@innertalks (22272)
• Australia
1 Jan 16
@pgiblett Do we have limits to the pace we can learn and gain understanding, and wisdom?
Should we stick to these limits or try to outreach them, going beyond them?
There are perhaps no real limits within the infinite possibilities for our life, and the possibilities are increasing all of the time too, I think.
Placing any restrictions, or limits, on yourself, I feel, cuts you off from seeing possible avenues, that might have provided you with a short cut past your limits, on which you are stuck fast now, on this sticking point of your beliefs, and from your holding onto your ways of thinking too strongly, and inflexibly.
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
31 Dec 15
Yes Peter, smooth sailing lulls us into complacency and inaction. We should challenge ourselves but within our limits. This applies to countries even as no one can live on past glory. The beauty of life is at each stage the challenges differ - in a way, we are not the same person every ten years or so - humbled or mellowed with age due to our experiences and circumstances - siva
2 people like this
@innertalks (22272)
• Australia
30 Dec 15
@Shiva49 That's an oxymoron of a comment siva.
This must always happen of course, but I guess you mean that if we live from the past too much in the present, the present, our present, has already then entered the past, and we miss most of its presence in our present moments then too.
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
30 Dec 15
@innertalks I meant we should not forget to live the present moment by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future - siva
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
3 Jan 16
I find the thought of reincarnation comforting since it answers some unanswerable questions but having said that I am not sure that we get more than one shot at life so I am trying to accumulate only good karma.
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
4 Jan 16
I hope everyone gets the message we have to be good, and how to be that no one has to teach us. And religions/beliefs underscore the basics in their own way, but few manage to supplant with their own interpretation to divide the vast majority.
It is very difficult to justify why some leave days after they are born for no fault of theirs, or even before seeing the light of the day here. Yes, carry over karma should play a part. My own reading is when we complete this energy dimension to our satisfaction, that is fulfilling the journey in all aspects, we merge with creation, maybe, in another realm/dimension. Some exalted souls have struggled in their last moments and one of my friend has been doing so for years but still with cheerful countenance. And some who have left assure me in subtle ways that they are still with me! siva
2 people like this
@Missmwngi (12915)
• Nairobi, Kenya
29 Dec 15
Sometimes i feel like it is natural to worry about tomorrow but then i guess we worry much and forget to live today
3 people like this
@innertalks (22272)
• Australia
30 Dec 15
We have to accept an apparent duality here, existing within time, before we can comprehend the truth of God’s oneness, as it really is.
Is duality real or not though then?
Does it give rise to the Law of cause and effect then too, which also must be only an illusion then too, mustn't it?
Duality, like yourself is perhaps as real as you are to yourself, and to all around you, but then what is really real?
The real realness can only be real to God, and when you also realise this, and become one with him, you can share in his real realness then too.
"We have no clue where we were."
Perhaps, but the answers lie all around us, if we can connect to that which is real, i.e. to God, its creator.
We colour our own view of reality with our own thoughts. Perhaps it is possible to see past these colours to the painter, or to the provider of the paint.
We colour our own view of reality with our own thoughts. Perhaps it is possible to see past these colours to the painter, or to the provider of the paint.@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
30 Dec 15
Yes Steve, we try to unravel with human eyes and experience the reality of creation. Then the ant also has its own awareness though we should not sit in judgement over it as it could be the real deal or closer to it!
We should feel and live the oneness to free ourselves from pre-conceived notions and raise the bar of our consciousness. We should rise above the din with quiet contemplation to start with.
For me the guidance and comfort come from an inner awareness to do good and what it is we all know - to start with, become a co-creator accepting everything as part of the creative process. Then the past, present and future will merge into oneness with the whole creative process acting as the glue - what more do we want? siva
2 people like this
@innertalks (22272)
• Australia
30 Dec 15
@Shiva49 Good one siva, I like your glue analogy, maybe that's why we find ourselves in sticky situations sometimes, when we try to separate that which should not be separated....LOL.
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
31 Dec 15
@innertalks Yes Steve, life is full of getting rid of the sticky glue and paste, tricky situations. And to think our soul is permanent - we do have a "long, never ending", journey ahead! There is no escape hatch - even if we leave earlier than destined we have to start another and yet another journey! siva
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
5 Jan 16
We are an energy force and with a mind of our own to make choices. The present moment is the best ever present for us to live well and even make a change in whatever we do. I believe in helping society around me and also try to reach out as far as I can. Then we get real meaning and fulfillment in our lives - siva
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
5 Jan 16
@Gamic01 Thanks Gamic, I try to be ever aware that happiness is a state of the mind - so outside forces are just to be enjoyed or endured without affecting our inner peace. When we do good it comes back to us but many do not realize this simple logic and go after those that gives pain and torment. God bless you too - siva
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26877)
• Singapore
26 Feb 16
I often ponder whether I am useful to others, society, and that gives me guidance. For people with my attitude wealth is not an end by itself as I have seen the wealthy leading a cloistered life far removed from reality and their children suffer later.
Yes, mostly we do not know what out true potential is and get carried away with what we like and do - siva
