God's presence and power fills the universe

                 (Whirlpool Galaxy, Hubble Photo)

The universe is filled with God's presence, according to scientists and prophets.  Scientists have identitifed a baseline electro-magnetic energy that is measurable and constant throughout the seemingly empty, endless space.  While Protestant theologian, Paul Tillich, called God the "ground of being," it seems that science and religion may be close to agreement. 

Yogis suggest that the cosmic life force, which is ultimate intelligence and "beinghood" and continues to create, is not that baseline electro-magnetic energy, rather it is contained within it.  They would say that "prana," which is not yet measurable scientifically, yet is obviously present, is contained within that baseline field of electro-magnetic energy.   So, it seems the ancients were ahead of modern science: God is everywhere and in everything and nothing can prevent God's presence.  While God is there, it is we are unaware because of we don't see, hear, feel God in our 3-D sensory bodies, which in our spiritual blindness we think is all there is.  We seem to think if we can't see it, touch it, hear it, it doesnt' exist.  We don't even realize how small we are in this amazingly multi-dimentional universe. 

When we expand our awareness, which may have just happened by reading the above paragraph, we open our minds to the possibility that there is a power "out there" and "in here" that we failed to notice.  We thought science had all the answers, and when we look at the spiritual writings through scientific lens, we cannot see, we cannot hear.  We are blind and we are deaf to the spirit.  But, if we realized that science is closing in, narrowing the field, it helps us frame in a new way where ultimate consciousness may be hiding. The yogis believe that the life force, prana, is contained in the air we breathe and as we fill our bodies with this invisible substance, we also increase in both consciousness and heal our bodies. 

The only barrier to receiving this life-giving energy, is in our own minds.  All our tensions, fears, anxiety, worry, judgment and self criticism, all our efforts to conform to the standards of this work, force our minds away from this sublte force back into the madness of the world, which is just a global war-game, a pitiful global soap opera, being played out on the global stage. 

If we were tuned in to the subtle energy of God, the Spirit of God, we would seek only His love, only His spirit, only His life-giving life force.  We would want to fill our bodies, as we fill our gas tanks, with His life force energy. If we did that, we would see everything differently, we would feel whole and beautiful, radiant and alive, full of joy and peace and love.  Little religious differences, political-ethnic-socio-economic diversity would make our lives more interesting.  We would welcome the stranger with arms and heart wide open.  We would wonder with love and curiousity, how does this life force energy, which is the One God whose substance we are all made of, inform other cultures.  How does a different religion acknowledge this awesome presence?  Rather than fear, we would operate out of love.  We would embrace, not wall off each other. 

I have often thought that materialism is a way of walling off each other from each other.  It is like building castles and moats to keep the enemy, the other, out. Intentional poverty is a form of universal openness to God and each other.  When we are wholly dependent on God, we open our hearts in ways we don't usually when we are balancing our check books, talking to the realtors, bankers, employers, and trying to catch a deal here there and everywhere, even in our relationships.  It is an entirely different way of life, a way of life that we do choose. 

Perhaps we once defaulted in our decision, following the dictates of our dominate culture without discernment. Now, however, we have a choice, if only because we know we have a choice.  And, that choice is between radical honesty and openness before God, ourselves with ourselves, and each other. We can choose to either invite the life force to flow through us, or block it by choosing wealth, power and the accumulation of material things instead, which usually leads to forms of classism and prejudice. 

We have that choice in every thing we say and do.  It is our "a priori" condition; it is our "fundamental option," to quote some beautiful Roman Catholic moral theology.  And, while we think we have free will, it seems that our only choice really is this one.  Who do we choose?  Do we choose materialism or a relationship with the divine and each other, union with God and each other?  That is our only choice.  We make it in every word we speak, every dream we dream, every thought we think, every smile we either return or refuse.  Jesus said you could not do both.  You had to choose.  Materialism and spirituality are like oil and water. You can not choose materialism and spirituality because you would worship one over the other. 

Sadly, our world has made the lesser choice, but each of us can make up our minds for ourselves and make the choice to be open to life - open to each other, open to whatever happens, living in an attitude of radical openness, allowing life to happen, unclenching the fists, releasing the need to control and let the chips fall as they may while knowing that the power of that life force energy is there, always there, and it is life itself. 

If we align ourselves with that truth and that power, our lives will bloom like the beautiful trees that breathe in that life force energy, freely, without fear, panic or anxiety. Making the choice to put spirituality and God ahead of materialism, especially during these difficult economic times, is a very real, visceral, leap of faith.  It is asking for your trust, your faith, and then for your patience as you struggle against the darker forces which will tempt you, challenge you, shake your cage of fear.  But, if you make this choice, this better one, you may feel some of the tension the shifting of world priorities will cause you, but once it is made, you will enter into the power of God and you will feel His love and you will feel a peace and joy unlike anything this materialistic age could offer you.