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Hi! My name is Indika. I dream of a happier world and believe that we can create this through the power of our thoughts and intentions.
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  • Spiritual Concepts for Coping With Grief and Bereavement

    By

    Indika

    on

    Spiritual Concepts for Coping With Grief and Bereavement

    ‘This place is a dream.
    Only a sleeper considers it real.
    Then death comes like dawn,
    and you wake up laughing
    at what you thought was your grief.’
    ––Rumi

    Dealing with the death of a loved one can be one of the hardest things anyone has to endure in life. And sadly, for most of us, it is something that’s inevitable.

    I’ve been through this experience more times than I care to remember.

    It’s always been hard, and even though you get over the initial shock, eventually, the pain can hit you again and again–even much later in life.

    But learning about spirituality and learning to adopt a spiritual outlook has helped me tremendously in dealing with my grief.

    I’d therefore like to share some spiritual concepts for coping with grief and bereavement that are based on my experiences.

    I hope they will be of help and comfort to anyone reading this.

    We Are Eternal Beings

    Spirituality teaches us that we are eternal beings.

    This means that the spiritual core of who we are–our soul–existed long before we incarnated into these physical bodies. And it endures long past the experience that we call ‘death.’

    So we can take comfort in the idea that our loved ones are not ‘dead’–as in, ‘they have ceased to exist’.

    They have simply made the transition from one state of existence to another.

    They continue to exist in non-physical form.

    Like many people, I was skeptical of this idea at first. It was hard to believe in something that I couldn’t see or touch.

    But the longer I entertained the idea, the more I began to feel at ease with the possibility.

    And little by little, I learned of new ideas and concepts that helped me to understand it better, and eventually, come to accept it.

    Firstly, this is because I now believe that we’re all Consciousness at the core. And Consciousness is not confined to the brain or the physical body.

    Well documented phenomena, such as Remote Viewing and Intention Experiments, have scientifically proven that this is the case (at least to my satisfaction).

    Therefore, Consciousness does not cease to exist, just because the physical body does.

    Also, given the large amount of information and testimonials I have seen relating to Near Death Experiences (NDEs) and Reincarnation, it’s hard for me to deny any longer that there is a part of us that survives physical death.

    There’s just too much evidence.

    Everything Is Connected

    Since everything originate from the One Consciousness, everything is connected.

    And since we all originate from this Consciousness, we’re always connected to each other.

    I believe this is more likely if we’ve been in close relationships.

    This is because I suspect that our relationships and knowledge of each other would make us ‘entangled’ in much the same way that quantum particles become entangled.

    We know that once entangled, quantum particles remain so across time and space. I expect that it’s the same when it comes to people.

    So, we’re always connected and can never be cut off from each other. (At least, not completely. More on that below.)

    Therefore, we can potentially communicate with loved ones who have passed on and they, with us.

    But spirituality teaches us that the Law of Attraction brings things of matching frequency and vibration together. And my understanding of spirituality is that when we’re in non-physical form, we don’t experience the low-vibration emotional states such as grief and anger that we experience in physical form.

    In that non-physical state, we are love and we are joy.

    This makes sense, as there is no war, hunger, disease, bills to pay, mortgages, cat vomit to clean, or even blocked sinks, in the non-physical.

    What joy! And what bliss!

    So when we’re sad or angry, or feeling anything less than happy, we’re not a vibrational match to our loved ones in non-physical. And conversely, when we’re feeling positive emotions like love, peace, gratitude, happiness and joy, we’re on the same frequency as them. This makes communication more likely.

    Even so, it’s unlikely that they’re going to manifest before our eyes like holograms. Not impossible, but perhaps, unlikely.

    So we have to look out for signals and messages from them. If nothing else, we can feel them. I did. I felt my brother Jani‘s presence once.

    It started with a dream that brought me so much happiness. Then, later that day, I felt his presence.

    This was followed up with a physical manifestation in the form of a photograph I received, again, on the same day.

    The picture was of a wall plaque commemorating my brother’s service and sacrifice, as an army officer.

    It came all the way from Sri Lanka, and from a friend I rarely hear from. But there it was, and on that very day!

    You can read most post about this experience here: A Message from Beyond the Veil.

    It Was Their Choice

    Another idea I learned through spirituality is that as souls, we choose the time, place and circumstances that we incarnate into.

    We come with desires and intentions and live them out as experiences during our time in physical form.

    Similarly, spirituality teaches us that we also choose the time, place and circumstances in which we leave our human bodies.

    If this is true, and I have no reason to believe it is not, then the time and circumstances of our loved one’s passing was their choice, regardless of how we might see it.

    For example, my brother died because he was shot in battle. And it hurt me so much to see it in this way–that his life was ended by someone else out of malice.

    But if I see it instead, that his wise soul, which was here to have that experience, arranged it all, it allows me to let go of a lot of the pain that the circumstances surrounding his death would otherwise create within me.

    And so, I choose to believe it wholeheartedly.

    He was not a victim.

    He was an artful and wily old soul who chose to live life to the fullest and go out in a blaze of glory.

    All I can say is, ‘Well played, old boy! I still miss you. But well played.’

    Soul Groups and Soul Agreements

    This last idea is something I’m still only just getting to know.

    But the gist of it is that as souls, we exist in close groups, where we love and support each other.

    One of the ways in which we do this is to help each other to create the experiences we want to experience in physical form.

    Although to serve this purpose, we may not necessarily be kind and loving to each other while here as people.

    Some of our worst tormentors could be souls that love and support us the most. But they’re just doing the job we asked them to do while we’re being humans.

    The first implication that follows from the idea of soul groups is that the people who play a large or important part in our lives are probably part of our soul groups.

    This means that we’re even more connected to each other that those who aren’t part of this group.

    This offers us another reason to feel good, because it means that even on a non-physical level, we’re much more closely connected to our loved one who have passed.

    This makes it all the more likely that we will remain connected to them, and even meet each other at some point in the future!

    The other implication is one that applies if our loved one passed away in circumstances involving violence or tragedy.

    If this was the case, as it was with my brother, then it is more than likely that the person who ended their life was part of their soul group.

    The two rascals probably cooked up the scheme that left me in tears!

    Yes, it still hurts. But, it does put something of a silver lining around that otherwise dark cloud.

    Concluding Thoughts

    So there you have it! I’ve shared the spiritual ideas and concepts that helped me to cope with my grief.

    I hope that they bring you some comfort and relief, just as they have done for me.

    Resources

    Much of my understanding of the non-physical aspect of myself and others has been gained from the teachings of Abraham and Hicks.

    Anita Moorjani’s book, ‘Dying to Be Me‘ was one of the best accounts I’ve read of a near death experience. I recommend her book. I also recommend that you listen to her TED Talk, as it’s quite illuminating.

  • The Relationship Between Consciousness and Reality

    By

    Indika

    on

    The Relationship Between Consciousness and Reality

    The relationship between consciousness and reality wasn’t something I was planning on writing about today.

    But when I sat down to write this morning, it’s exactly what I felt inspired to write about. So here it is!

    The aim of this post to further clarify the link between our ‘inner world’ (consciousness) and ‘our outer world,’ (physical reality).

    My hope is that this clarity will give us more power to create the reality we would like to experience–whether it is more peace on earth, or greater happiness in our own lives.

    Same Thing, Many Names

    Before I begin, it might help to point out that although I use the term ‘Consciousness’ in this post, you could just as easily use the words ‘Source,’ ‘God,’ or ‘Spirit’ in its place.

    But consciousness is a more neutral word. It’s also one that suits the aim of this post just as well, so I’ll continue to use it here.

    Consciousness is the Container

    The first and most important point I’d like to make is that Consciousness is the container that holds all of creation.

    It is the place in which all of creation resides and takes place.

    This idea is perfectly summarised in the following quote from The Kybalion, by the Three Initiates:

    ‘The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental.’

    Technically, though, Consciousness, as a container for all of creation, is not a ‘place’ as such–at least not in the sense of a physical location within our 3D reality.

    This is because Consciousness is everything and everywhere. Therefore, It cannot be pinned down to one particular form or location.

    But since this is too much even for my own mind to comprehend at this moment, I’d say just imagine that It is some sort of physical container for now.

    Consciousness is the Contents

    Consciousness is also the stuff in the container.

    Everything in creation, including all of the galaxies and beings, is all Consciousness expressed in different forms.

    And this brings us to the next point.

    Consciousness is the Raw Material

    Consciousness is the raw material from which everything in creation is made.

    Our current scientific understanding tells us that everything in physical reality is ultimately energy.

    Spirituality and metaphysics teach us that physical matter is energy slowed down to a slow and dense vibration.

    But they also teach us that energy is a creation of focussed Consciousness. So it is ultimately Consciousness that creates energy, and through it, physical form.

    It’s like the same ocean expressing itself as droplets, spray, ripples, waves and icebergs.

    Consciousness is the Creator

    So far, we’ve worked out that Consciousness is the container, all the stuff that’s in the container, and the raw material from which the stuff is made.

    But who makes the stuff? What is the creative force that gives rise to the manifested creation?

    You guess it: it’s Consciousness!

    Consciousness is the Perceiver

    So now, we have a container full of stuff, we know who made it and what everything is ultimately made from.

    But why does all of this exist and who is it for?

    Yep. It’s that old Consciousness again.

    What I have understood from some of the spiritual teachings I’ve encountered is that Consciousness wants to know Itself better and therefore creates things of Itself which can interact with each other and have experiences of their own.

    These experiences help Consciousness to experience, learn and understand Itself better.

    So the Creator is also the Perceiver, and this makes perfect sense, because our scientific understanding of reality (through quantum physics) suggests that we influence physical reality when we interact with it as observers.

    So we too are creators and perceivers.

    But Why Bother?

    The only question I have about all of this is, if Consciousness is all knowing, then why would It not know itself?

    Why would It need to go through all this trouble to do that?

    I’m not sure about the answer.

    I think it could be, because Consciousness is never still and always in flux. So, there is no final settled state that It can perceive. (See next point for clarification.)

    To use a tech analogy, perhaps we’re like the search engine ‘bots’ that Consciousness sends out to ‘crawl’ through the eternally evolving universe (similar to the Internet in this respect) and report back to It, so It can ‘index’ the universe.

    Who knows?

    Infinite Consciousness, Infinite Possibility

    Retracing our steps back to the very first point made above shows us that everything leads to everything else and is on an infinite loop of creation, experience, perception and expansion.

    So, Consciousness is infinite, and It is eternally expanding.

    And we, as individuated aspects of this One Infinite Consciousness, are at the heart of this expansion, through our thoughts, desires, imaginings and creations.

    A Virtual Reality Game?

    Someone somewhere (I forget. My apologies.) used a superb analogy that helped me understand things more clearly.

    The analogy was that it’s just as if I were a computer programmer and I created a virtual reality game, and then, played it using an avatar or character within that game.

    I can enjoy playing this character, creating and living through its many experiences and interactions, within that reality.

    I am experiencing playing that character but I am not really that character.

    But, and this is where it becomes more interesting, this character, in turn, can choose to do the same!

    It, too, can be a computer programmer within that virtual reality.

    And it can create a virtual reality game of its own and play it using an avatar.

    It, too, can create and enjoy experiences within this newly created virtual reality.

    And on and on it goes…

    Concluding Thoughts

    First of all, thank you so much for sticking with me to the end!

    I promise you, the only substance I’ve abused in the creation of this post is caffeine. I’ve just had two cups of coffee so far.

    But even in my caffeinated state, these thoughts and ideas are mind-bending, to say the least.

    So I can just understand how you must be feeling, if this is your first time encountering any of these ideas!

    I don’t know what to do with them, or how to make sense of any of this with my physical mind.

    But when I choose to just trust this knowledge with my heart, it gets a little easier.

    I can understand that someone much smarter (than me in this physical body and mind) set all of this up. And They would have had a very good reason for doing so.

    And I know that They did it to better know Themselves.

    This tells me that it would be a good idea for me to know myself as well as I can, and to encourage others to do the same.

    It also tells me that since creating and experiencing is the most important thing of all, I don’t need to worry too much about chasing outcomes out here in physical reality.

    I am doing my job and adding to the experiences, and therefore serving, All That Is, no matter what I do.

    It tells me that I, too, am creative and that I have power to create any reality I want (provided I learn the correct techniques and apply these diligently.)

    It’s early days, but I’m working on it!

    And lastly, but most importantly, it tells me that since this is all a game, I needn’t take it too seriously.

    What’s more, in my soul or spirit, I have someone who is far wiser than I am, to guide the course of my journey within this experience. It/They also have my best interests at heart.

    So, there’s nothing I need to worry about.

    I can just relax and enjoy the ride!

    Resources

  • Understanding the Nature of Happiness

    By

    Indika

    on

    Understanding the Nature of Happiness

    Understanding the nature of happiness empowers us to successfully create more happiness in our lives.

    In many ways, happiness is like money. So, let’s have some fun using money as an analogy for understanding the nature of happiness a little better.

    Life is Much Better With It than Without

    Whether it’s money or happiness, having a good amount of it helps us to enjoy life. Conversely, a lack of it causes struggle and hardship.

    There’s a Spectrum

    In wealth, there is a spectrum that ranges from ‘barely scraping by’ to ‘yacht-owning billionaire.’

    Similarly, with happiness, the spectrum can go from quiet contentment to joy and elation.

    You can be Born Into It

    You can be born into money, and that certainly gives you an advantage over those who aren’t.

    In much the same way, you could be born into a happy home and family, and be off to a flying start.

    But, if Not, You Can Always Turn It Around

    You can be born into absolute poverty and still end up a millionaire.

    Similarly, you could be born into difficult circumstances and still create a happy life.

    But You Have to Let Go of The Past

    In each case, you can only change things for the better if you’re willing to let go of the past.

    Habits Play an Important Part

    As with money, habits play a large part in determining the amount of happiness we experience in our lives.

    And with both, we can choose to let go of habits that don’t serve us, and cultivate ones that do.

    It Takes Work

    With both money and happiness, there’s work involved, and it helps if you’re willing commit and do whatever it takes to get there.

    And with both, if you stop working, you stop seeing the desired results.

    ‘Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.’
    ―Aeschylus

    Just to clarify, the nature of the ‘work’ required will vary. Often, it’s a case of inner work, or ‘vibrational’ work, as opposed to physical labour.

    Both Depend on the Company You Keep

    Just like hanging around rich people can help you become rich, hanging around happy people can help you become happier.

    And of course, the converse is also just as true for both!

    ‘Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.’
    —Oscar Wilde

    You Have Power to Change Things

    Although circumstances do play a part, you also get to play a part in how much money or happiness you have in life.

    ‘Happiness depends upon ourselves.’
    —Aristotle

    No matter where you find yourself with regard to money or happiness, you can always turn things around and create more of it in your life.

    And when you do, your life gets better as a result.

    There is no upper limit to either.

    And you can lose it all and then go on to make it all (and maybe more) back!

    I should know–I lost big time on both counts.

    But I’m in the process of bouncing back. I’m putting in the work daily and I feel good and am seeing results!

    I hope this will inspire you to keep working on your happiness, because it can and does get better!

    Related Posts

  • Spirituality and Happiness

    By

    Indika

    on

    Spirituality and Happiness

    ‘I am not this hair. I am not this skin. I am the soul that lives within.’
    – Rumi

    We’re all familiar with phrases such as ‘body, mind and spirit’; or ‘heart and soul’.

    Yet, many of us go through life being fully absorbed by just the physical and mental aspects of ourselves.

    We rarely give any thought to the spiritual aspect that makes up our being.

    Not only can this lead to confusion and misunderstandings. It often paves the way for much unnecessary suffering in our lives and in our world.

    Having a basic understanding of our spiritual nature can help us to better understand ourselves. This in turn, helps us to create happier lives and a happier world.

    I’m probably the most under-qualified person on the planet to write about this subject. I’m also not a saint or pious person by any means (quite the contrary)!

    Yet, knowing how important spirituality is to happiness, I feel compelled to give it my best shot.

    So, I’ll share some basic details to give you a rough understanding of the topic. Then, I’ll provide some links to help you explore it further.

    The Nature of Spirit

    Spirit is pure consciousness or awareness. It is eternal and all-knowing.

    Spirit is creative, and at the same time, the basis of all creation. It is the genius inventor and creator of worlds, as well as the raw material that makes up everything in our universe.

    It is all things, and therefore, It is not one thing (nothing).

    Spirit is not bound by the laws of physics of this 3D physical reality. It is therefore not bound by space and time.

    It can be everywhere, and as a result, It is not tied to one particular location (nowhere).

    So in summary, Spirit is eternal and all-knowing. It is everywhere and nowhere. It is all things and nothing. It creates everything and IS everything.

    Spirit is the Field from which everything arises and to which everything returns.

    Spirit is the underlying reality of everything.

    The Relationship Between Body, Mind and Spirit

    As the opening quote hints, we are not physical beings.

    Dr. Wayne Dyer explained the correct position beautifully when he said:

    ‘You are not a human being having a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a human experience.’

    Therefore, we can say that we are spiritual in essence and this spiritual aspect is what creates our physical form and animates it.

    The human mind acts as an interface between these two.

    So, we are spirits and we have a body and a mind. But we’re not our bodies or our minds.

    We take on a physical body and a mind in order to fully engage with and experience physical reality.

    The idea is very similar to when a person adopts an avatar when playing a video game so they can experience a virtual-reality through that character’s eyes.

    Spirituality and Happiness

    But why does any of this matter and what does it have to do with happiness?

    Everything!

    Understanding my spiritual nature and developing what I call a ‘spiritual awareness’ has helped me understand myself and Life so much better.

    This clarity has been invaluable in making decisions and navigating through life. It has also helped me become happier.

    I will therefore expand on these themes a little more.

    Before moving on, I must confess that spirituality has given me as many new questions as it might have answered!

    I’m not sure what more to say about that, except perhaps that maybe I will discover the answers to these new questions in time.

    Spirituality and Self-Knowledge

    Spirituality has helped to answer (at least to some extent) basic questions such as who am I, where am I, what am I doing here, what do I want, and how do I get it.

    This has given me a stronger foundation on which to build my beliefs and understanding of life. And I feel less ‘lost,’ as a result.

    Spirituality and My Relationship with God

    Spirituality gave me another chance to have a relationship with God.

    As I mentioned in my previous post Christ Consciousness, I chose to part ways with religion when I grew up because I found religious teachings and rules to be too restrictive for me.

    Religion also made me believe that I was a sinner–separate from, and lesser than, God.

    These ideas (or at least, my interpretation of them) had the unfortunate result of severing my connection with God and the Divine (or so I thought at the time).

    But spirituality changed all that.

    It led me to believe that I was part of God and that I was always connected to this Source of love, wisdom and power.

    It taught me that God was pure love and non-judgmental, and this helped me to feel close to God.

    I felt that I was free to create the life experience I wanted, so long as I didn’t intentionally hurt anyone, or wrongfully take from others.

    I was aware the Law of Cause and Effect still applied and that I would have to live with the consequences of all my thoughts, words and actions.

    But I felt more free to live life on my terms now.

    Spirituality and Personal Power

    Spirituality taught me that I was connected to all knowledge and wisdom.

    It taught me that I was infinitely creative and could create solutions to help me overcome all of Life’s problems and challenges.

    I just had to learn how to calm my mind and move it out of the way, so I could tap into this power.

    Spirituality taught me that I was a powerful creator and that I could create and experience more or less anything that I wanted, provided I learned to use these abilities correctly.

    I learned that it was not so much a case of doggedly making things happen, but more a case of letting things be done through me. (I’m still working on this one.)

    It taught me that my dreams, desires and passions mattered–that there were reasons why I had them and that these came from a higher Power, which was always ready and willing to help me manifest and experience them.

    Spirituality taught me that I had a Divine nature that I could choose to nurture and develop while I was still in physical form, and that when I did so, I improved not only my own life, but the lives of all beings on this planet.

    It taught me that love was a superpower and that the more I could feel love inside me, the better my life would be, and the better it would be for the lives of everyone else.

    Spirituality and Self-Love

    Spirituality taught me that I was no longer a lowly sinner but a magnificent child of God, endowed with many powers and abilities.

    It taught me that God’s love for me was unconditional.

    God didn’t care that I failed every day to live a life of virtue. In God’s eyes, it meant a lot that I cared enough to wake up and try again, the next day.

    God didn’t care about my O Level results, my bank balance, or even how big my nose was, either (it’s pretty big–like Gonzo’s, from the Muppet Show).

    God also didn’t care if I was unemployed or a CEO.

    Yes, I could (and maybe should) aspire to great things and work to realise my full potential. But I could remain exactly who I am now and God would love me just the same. I would matter just the same.

    Since God loved me exactly as I was, I too, was finally free to love myself as I am–unconditionally.

    Spirituality and My Relationships with Others

    Spirituality taught me that I was part of everything and everyone, and that they were a part of me.

    We were all God’s children and we all mattered the same amount to God. No one was more important in God’s eyes.

    This made me develop a deeper respect and reverence for all people, and for all forms of life.

    (I’m still not too fond of snakes, sharks and crocodiles etc. Plus some people still get on my nerves. But I started liking cats recently. So there’s hope…)

    It made me want to love, soothe, comfort, care and forgive more.

    It just felt right and I knew it would benefit me the most, even though it seemed like it would benefit others.

    Spirituality and Hope

    Spirituality not only taught me that I was a blessed and powerful being, but more importantly, it taught me that I was loved unconditionally by the Most Powerful of All.

    Now, with this most powerful of allies in my corner, anything was possible for me!

    It also meant that I could trust more and worry less. I could hope and dream more, and fear less.

    I was free to laugh, play, have fun and be happy once again.

    Spirituality and Grief

    One of the things that caused the most amount of unhappiness in my life has been the sense of loss and separation I have felt whenever a loved one passed, or when a relationship that I valued, somehow ended.

    But spirituality has taught me that we are always connected to those we love, and that this love endures beyond lifetimes.

    It has also taught me that there is a reason for everything, and that people come into our lives, and sometimes leave, for reasons that somehow serve us all.

    And since I believe that I am always/still connected to people who are no longer in my life, I believe that they can somehow ‘feel’ my thoughts, my good wishes, and other feelings for them.

    I feel like I can maintain or heal relationships at a distance.

    These things have enabled me to make peace with myself and others.

    They have also helped me to make peace with some of Life’s otherwise painful partings and incidents.

    And this, in turn, has brought me so much relief!

    Concluding Thoughts

    I hope that I have managed to convey at least some of the ways in which spirituality has helped to create more happiness my life. I also hope that this will inspire you to explore this connection further.

    Resources

    Ask and It Is Given, by Abraham and Hicks, and Conversations With God, Book 1, by Neal Donald Walsch, are probably the best resources to consult, if you’re just starting out.

    Dr. Dyer’s work and that of Gregg Braden have also been hugely helpful to me.

    I love David Icke, but I should caution you that his work is not for everyone as it covers some dark and controversial subjects. But he was an integral part of my journey and a fantastic teacher, so I had to include him.

  • Christ Consciousness

    By

    Indika

    on

    Christ Consciousness

    There’s a little bit of Jesus in every one of us.

    We can choose to embody this Divine nature in any moment. And when we do, we create more happiness in our lives and in our world.

    I should know.

    I became an ‘accidental’ Christian at age five.

    Then, I went on to become an atheist, and ultimately to discover spirituality, and through it, Christ Consciousness.

    And it’s been life-changing.

    But let’s start at the beginning…

    The Accidental Christian

    I was sent off to attend a Christian school for boys, as a boarder, when I was just five years old.

    When I arrived, it seemed as if everyone there spoke English, almost all of the time.

    But I knew only two words of English at the time: ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’

    I was keen to learn. But for the time being, I resolved to use the two words that I did know, with as much enthusiasm as my five-year-old self could muster!

    And being of tender age (and perhaps, slow of mind), I didn’t fully appreciate the consequences that the reckless use of these words would have.

    It led to many calamities and hilarious situations, including my accidental conversion to Christianity…

    On my first evening there, a friendly older boy asked me if I was Christian, to which I promptly replied, ‘Yes!’

    I had no clue what he meant, or that I was actually a Buddhist of sorts.

    But he seemed happy with my answer and I was happy to have obliged him–and in English, too.

    He then pointed to some boys who were assembling at the front of our dormitory with our boarding matron and said, ‘Then go and pray’

    Again, I didn’t know what that meant, but I thought I should obey. He was older after all and spoke good English. Plus, he seemed fairly clued up, unlike me.

    And so, I went. And when everyone there knelt, I followed suit. When they all recited what I later learned was the ‘Lord’s Prayer’, I mumbled and played along.

    It felt a bit strange, but it was ok. And so, I went to bed happy.

    But Life had a small surprise for me the next morning.

    It was our first day in class, and the class teacher was entering some details into her register.

    Suddenly, she looked up and said, ‘Christian boys, put your hands up.’

    The word ‘Christian’ rang a bell, and I saw some colleagues from the evening before raising their hands, and so I stuck my hand up as well.

    A little later, the teacher commanded, ‘Christian boys, line up.’

    Again, the same group of boys lined up in twos and I joined them.

    Soon, under the teacher’s watchful eye, we started marching off to an unknown destination.

    And still, all was peace and I was fine.

    It was only when we approached the large building with a cross on top that I had the first inkling that something had gone terribly wrong.

    But by then it was too late, and I was too scared to back out.

    And so, for thirteen years, I attended church on most weekdays, and sometimes, on a Sunday, through school.

    And I loved it!

    Finding Jesus

    I learned to love the prayers, hymns, parables and sermons, and I loved learning about Jesus.

    I was petrified of God. He seemed so fierce, and it bothered me no end that He knew about all my wrongdoing, and that He would punish me for all of my transgressions at some point.

    But Jesus was different. I learned how He loved children–and thankfully for me, I was one!

    I also learned that He was big on forgiveness. Again, more good news for me!

    Jesus seemed like a super hero and an all round good guy.

    And I was really mad when I learned about the people who were mean to Him.

    Losing My Religion

    Sadly, although I continued to attended church through school (religion was compulsory), I stopped attending privately on Sundays, after I reached my teens.

    This was mainly because I realised that I was regularly checking out the ‘talent’ at church. This didn’t seem at all like a nice thing to be doing in God’s house, of all places!

    And sometime after leaving school, I parted ways with religion completely and became a devout atheist.

    Still So Many Reasons to Love Jesus

    But the older I got and the more I learned, the more I found that I actually loved and admired Jesus and everything that He stood for.

    Jesus healed the sick and raised people from the dead. He helped more or less everyone who needed his help.

    But Jesus wasn’t just kind. He was brave and not at all afraid to ruffle feathers–for the right reasons.

    He spoke out openly against the establishment and its hypocrisy.

    Jesus condemned the self-righteous and pretentious Pharisees (Matthew 23) and He overturned the tables of the money lenders and sent them out of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13).

    He touched and healed a leper, at a time when no one was suppose to touch them (Matthew 8:3).

    He forgave an adulteress (John 8 verses 6-7). And he did it by turning tables on the ‘holier than thou’ crowd when he wrote:

    ‘Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone!’

    And in a similar vein, Jesus publicly forgave a prostitute (Luke 7:48).

    So He didn’t just teach meekness and obedience.

    He taught that it is a good thing to stand up for the truth and for justice, even when the crowds and the powers that be are arrayed against you.

    Despite being the Son of God, Jesus taught that He was no different from us. He assured us that we too could perform miracles through our love and faith in God.

    And not only did Jesus love and help children, He even asked us to be more like them, so we too could enter the Kingdom of God!

    Even to those that hurt him, Jesus offered mercy and forgiveness.

    What a class act!

    Yes, Jesus was a saint, but He was also a legit badass at the same time.

    How can you not love and respect someone like that? And so, I continued to do both and still do to this day.

    Finding Spirituality

    Many decades later, while learning about spirituality and other exciting subjects, I realised that I was no longer an aetheist.

    Sure, I was not aligned with any organised religion.

    But at the same time, I wasn’t happy to buy into the soulless version of reality and humanity that the materialist and reductionist scientific establishment was promoting as the alternative.

    I resolved to make up my own mind about these things, instead of simply accepting any of the limited alternatives that society and the system promoted.

    I felt strongly that there was a benevolent Force that provided for so many, if not all, of my wants and needs. And I was super grateful.

    I also felt that it was this Force that helped many ordinary people to orchestrate miracles in their lives, and made it possible for us to help one another.

    I went on to learn how all of us are much more than we have been led to believe.

    And then, I came to learn about Christ Consciousness and our own Divine nature.

    Suddenly, the life and teachings of Jesus took on a whole new meaning for me.

    I realised that you don’t have to be Christian to understand or embody Christ Consciousness.

    And I understood what Dr. Wayne Dyer meant when he said:

    ‘I don’t think that Jesus was teaching Christianity. Jesus was teaching kindness, love, concern, and peace.’

    Accordingly, a Buddhist following the Noble Eightfold Path is doing the same work. And so it is with other religions and belief systems.

    It is something that is open to all of us at any time.

    Christ Consciousness in The People’s Princess?

    I’m not sure if you would agree, but lately, I have come to believe that Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, offered us a further glimpse of what it meant to embody Christ Consciousness.

    She was known the world over for her kind and loving nature, and for her humility and child-like ways.

    But she was also a brave and courageous person who did her best to use her position of privilege to help those less fortunate.

    She kissed and hugged people infected with HIV at a time when no one else was comfortable doing this.

    She led a worldwide campaign against the use of landmines.

    She worked to raised awareness of leprosy and also made regular visits to London’s homeless centres.

    And there’s no denying that she was a devoted mother and did so much to help the children of this world.

    And whether it was dancing with John Travolta, frolicking with her children, or running barefoot during a mothers’ race at her child’s school, she showed us how to have fun!

    This is why she became the ‘People’s Princess‘ and the queen of our hearts.

    Concluding Thoughts

    We may not be Lady Diana, and we’re certainly not Jesus, but all of us can definitely learn to choose kindness, forgiveness, generosity, gratitude, fun and happiness in any moment.

    And when we do any of these things, for any amount of time, we are embodying Christ Consciousness and following in the footsteps of that most Illuminated Teacher.

    We are living as Charles Dickens asked us to in A Christmas Carol.

    We’re feeding the noble wolf from The Tale of Two Wolves.

    And we’re contributing to our own happiness and to that of everyone else in this world.

    I would like to conclude this post with these words from Paramahansa Yogananda:

    ‘Let us meditate until we perceive the Infinite Christ reigning in our own hearts. Let us learn to love those who love us not; and to forgive those who do ill against us. Let us break all our mental boundaries of colour, creed, and nationality, and receive all-even our inanimate and animal brothers-in the endless, all-embracing arms of our Christ Consciousness. This will be a true and fitting celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth.’

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