Tapping Into God: Experiencing the Spiritual Spectrum - Softcover

Belmessieri, Debbie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 145253523X ISBN 13: 9781452535234

Verlag: BalboaPress, 2011

Inhaltsangabe

Exactly what does connection to God look like in our daily lives? Tapping Into God: Experiencing the Spiritual Spectrum answers that question by providing a unique look at many faiths and spiritual practices within our human family. Twenty-eight authors have defined a relationship to the God of their understanding through their individual perspectives, using a variety of approaches and styles. Weaving a rich, heartfelt tapestry of personal connection and devotion, Tapping Into God will touch your soul and open your eyes to the abundant spiritual diversity of our planet. These stories illuminate the wonder of that indefinable power that fashions our world. Even the non-believer will find ample food for thought within these pages. Nurture your spirit as you experience the spiritual spectrum through Tapping Into God.

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TAPPING INTO GOD

Experiencing the Spiritual SpectrumBy Debbie Belmessieri

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2011 Debbie Belmessieri
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-3523-4

Contents

Foreword Mary Morrissey........................................................................................ixIntroduction Debbie Belmessieri................................................................................xiiiAppeal to the Reader............................................................................................xixLiving Connection with Allah Mubasher Ahmad....................................................................1Druidry Ayleen Augustine.......................................................................................15Connections: Baha'is and God Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff............................................................21Tapping into God—Unity Reverend Karyn Bradley............................................................33Why Am I a Mormon? David Brown.................................................................................39Living Your Dream: Center for Spiritual Living David Bruner....................................................47Wicca Christine Caldwell.......................................................................................61Metropolitan Community Church Reverend Terri Echelbarger.......................................................73Connection to God According to the Divine Science Perspective Reverend Christine Emmerling.....................81Practicing Eternity—Exploring the Tao Reverend Michael Genzmer...........................................87Orthodox Judaism Rabbi Simchah Green...........................................................................99Aspects of God: Buddhism Venerable Drimay Gudmundsson..........................................................103Huna Miracles Julie Hawkins....................................................................................119The Sikh Way of Life Jessi Kaur................................................................................131The Shadow Preparation for Twelve-Steps Spirit Ken.............................................................143Gratitude as a Spiritual Connection B. J. King, RScP...........................................................165Tapping into God: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective Metropolitan Nikitas Lulias..................................171A Dance with the Divine Feminine and Goddess Spirituality Reverend April Lussier...............................181Evangelical Christianity Dr. Marc A. Maffucci..................................................................193The Path of Gnosis Cynthia McDonald, Ph.D......................................................................207A Course in Miracles Chere Miller..............................................................................221Progressive Judaism Rabbi Yitzhak J. Miller....................................................................235Core Shamanism in Daily Life Susan Mokelke.....................................................................243The Fire Within—An Abraham Experience Beverly Molina.....................................................253O Love, That Will Not Let Us Go Reverend Karen Oliveto.........................................................269A Day in the Life of a Bishop Reverend JoyceAnne Pierce........................................................275Self-Expansion Through Love Asha Praver (Nayaswami Asha).......................................................279Tapping into God: A Catholic Perspective José Antonio Rubio...............................................287Acknowledgements................................................................................................295Appendix........................................................................................................297

Chapter One

LIVING CONNECTION WITH ALLAH

by Mubasher Ahmadby

Islam teaches: "To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth ..." (The Holy Qur'an, 2:285), and all that is created by God is naturally connected with God: "All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies God." (57:2) "He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He has full knowledge of all things." (57:4) Mankind is the epitome of God's creation and is innately superior to the rest of creation in certain qualities and abilities: "Surely, We have created man in the finest form." (95:5) The main distinguishing feature of humans is their freedom of will; the freedom to either remain connected with God – to remain in His light – or conversely, to remain in darkness, away from God.

In Islam, tapping into God is the very purpose of life, and to remain connected with the Loving and Merciful Creator through serving Him is not only desirable, but is in fact essential. It is a love-affair one cannot live without. According to Islam there are diverse ways to reach God, but the one called the "Straight Path" is the easiest and the shortest. The very first chapter of the Holy Qur'an starts with a prayer that serves as a key to opening the door that brings one face to face with God. This prayer, called Al-Fatiha, is repeated more than thirty times each day by devout Muslims seeking God's help to stay in His presence at all times: "Guide us in the Straight Path, the path of those on whom You have bestowed Your favors, those who have not incurred Your displeasure, and those who have not gone astray."(1:6-7)

The Holy Qur'an says: "Surely, to God we belong, and to Him is our final return." (2:157) A Muslim recites this phrase upon someone's death to remind him of his origin and destination, to reaffirm the higher purpose of life, that is, worshipping God Almighty (known by the proper name, Allah, in Islam), and to remember that at no point throughout the entire cycle of life, from birth to death, does God abandon His creation. God is very close to His servant who calls upon Him. God resides in his or her heart: "nearer to him than even his jugular vein." (50:17). Thus, according to Islam, everyone must constantly strive to keep this natural tie in tact by holding firmly onto the "rope of God" (3:104) till one's final breath, and must avoid breaking this bond through ignorance or negligence of the sublime purpose of life and through willful disobedience of God's commandments. Every soul must taste death and depart from this world – a universal fact beyond dispute – but a Muslim seeks not merely to pass on from this world but to leave in a condition of greater affinity and proximity with God.

Islam makes it very clear that no one is born in sin. Every child, as the Holy Qur'an states is created with "the nature made by Allah" (30:31), i.e., with a pristine pure soul and in a crystal clear image of the beautiful attributes of God. However, as one goes through life, it is necessary to maintain the purity of one's nature and to manifest Divine qualities in one's behavior. Everyone stands responsible for his or her own intentions and deeds. Everyone stands accountable for acts of spiritual lawlessness. Everyone, therefore, must shun evil behavior and sinful thoughts, must avoid temptations and wild passions, no matter how strong, and must control selfish tendencies in order to truly approach and associate with God, for He is a perfectly Holy, Pure and Exalted Being, and He particularly loves and draws nearer those who are...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: BalboaPress
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2011
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 145253523X
• ISBN 13: 9781452535234
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 332
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: KreGa Onlinehandel GmbH; 4950000000000; info@krega-onlinehandel.de; ; Birkenweg 31; Brakel; 33034; Deutschland