Do you believe in a higher power?
Or do you believe you and I are just freaks of nature?
Perhaps there is something incredibly powerful that makes us tick. Or maybe everything is just completely random and we are here purely by chance?
As I write this on a beautiful Sunday morning here in London, maybe you have been to church. Perhaps you’ve been for a walk in the park. Or maybe like me you may have spent some time in meditation and quiet contemplation.
When you slow down and look around, you get to truly appreciate what a wonderful world we live in.
So how did it all come about – and who or what is the master orchestrator?
This is Day 27 of our “28 Day Relationships Adventure (DRA)” in February. You can read the previous 26 articles by following the links at the bottom of this post.
Today I want to talk about your relationship with “god”.
I am convinced that whatever you call this higher power – god, divine, universe, source etc there is something much bigger than us out there that created us and continues to sustain us.
Have you ever wondered at the miracle of it all?
You can live your life as if everything is a miracle.
Everything on earth seems to be so perfect to sustain nature and human life. How did all that happen?
I am not particularly religious myself and would describe myself as “spiritual”. In other words, I believe in something bigger than us and choose not to give it a name.
I have come to my own spiritual practice over time after exploring the religion I was born into and reading about others.
Here are my tips for you to do the same.
1. Make Truth and Love Your Religion
All the major religions in the world have an inherent teaching – practicing kindness towards others, serving and living an honest life.
So regardless of your religious background, make love and truth your religion.
Just remember to apply the 6 key life lessons from Gandhi
Even if you don’t believe in a divine power, live your life with the principles of truth and love.
2. Find a Daily Practice that Resonates with You
I have a daily practice whereby I now start my day with meditation and reflection on the day ahead. I also have my sacred space where I can spend these moments of silence.
Whenever I can, I also go for daily walks in nature – either Regents Park or my own garden.
3. Practice Living with an Attitude of Gratitude
We have been given so much by this bigger power that created us and continues to sustain us. So it’s only proper and correct to be thankful for all that you have.
Learn to live with an attitude of gratitude
4. Live and Let Live
Everyone is entitled to have their own religious and spiritual beliefs. So let others live in peace with what they believe and just focus on your own practice and beliefs.
Celebrate the culture you were born in, but don’t base your entire life outlook on it.
Be open to other cultures and religious outlooks. Remember, Muslims love their children too.
Cultivate your own relationship with the divine.
What are you beliefs about a divine power?
What’s your relationship with the divine?
How do you cultivate your relationship with the divine?
Here’s the Daily Exercise for Today:-
For today’s exercise, even if you don’t believe in a higher power, I invite you to create a daily practice in your life .
Spend 15 minutes every morning in quiet contemplation before you begin your normal day.
You can meditate or read a spiritual/religious book that resonates with you. Have soothing music in the background, light a candle and perhaps an incense stick too if that appeals to you.
During this time, just be thankful for all the gifts you have been given in your life. Remember gratitude is an attitude you can cultivate and live by.
Adopt this exercise for the rest of your life – and I guarantee you that your life will begin to magically transform.
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Postscript – Here are the complete 28 articles in this series for Feb 2011. Please do check them all out:-)
1 – Become Aware of Your Relationships
2 – Love Yourself First Before Loving Anyone Else
3 – Love Yourself Without Becoming Full of Yourself
5 – 9 Simple Tips To Create Energising Relationships
6 – Why Decluttering your Friends is Good for You and Them
7 – Stop Bending over Backwards for Other People!
8 – Be Special to Find the Special One
9 – 10 Key Secrets for Becoming Likeable
10 – Don’t Fall in Love – Create Love
11 – Do you Believe in Soulmates?
12 – Open Your Heart and Find the Special One
13 – Create your ideal Valentine’s Day
14 – Make it a Fun Valentine’s Day Everyday!
15 – Make Your Relationship Even More Special
16 – Learn to Love Unconditionally
17 – 11 Keys to Improve ALL Your Relationships
18 – Why the Human Touch is Key
20 – Share Your Love with Your Loved Ones Everyday
21 – Stop Judging, Start Loving
22 – Simple Trick to Instantly Improve All Your Relationships
23 – Why No One Is Ever An Ugly Duckling!
24 – Why World Compassion Begins With You
25 – Why Teamwork Always Begins with YOU
26 – How to Let People Go From Your Life
27 – Thank the Divine Every Day
28 – Stop Being An Approval Seeking Machine
Image courtesy of Manu Manohar
I certainly believe in the divine; I have done for the past 3 years now. There’s something within us all that I can’t quite put my finger on, but I know it’s there. Something special and magical, that helps us all whether we ask for it or not.
Whatever it is, it’s very divine 🙂
Stuart, there is certainly something infinitely powerful within all of us. Call it source, god or our soul but it’s there, forever looking afer us and guiding us.
Divine!
Arvind,
I loved this post, perhaps, most of all so far out of your 28 days of love series.
I was raised Greek Orthodox, but at my core I do believe that making “truth and love” our religion, and “thanking the Divine” each day is what is most important.
Angela, glad this post resonated with you the most. Sadly, only one more to go!
As you say, make truth and love your “religion” – and all the major religions in the world advocate this anyway.
For the past month, I’ve been devoting 15 minutes at the start of the day and the end of the day contemplating about the nature of existence. It’s very frightening and gives me the shivers sometimes thinking about the marvels of life, the miracle of it all. I mean, we’re alive… not a lot of people can say that unfortunately. We have the potential to make a difference on the world and the people around us. We got 1 shot at this, and it’s a short period of time, but for now we’re alive. Whenever I contemplate like this, I just feel overwhelmed, and know I can’t waste this day at all!
Henway, thanks for sharing your daily practice.
As you say, we get only one shot at this – and that too for only a short time. So might as well make the most of it.
It’s time to make the most of each day:-)
Thanks for the inspiration Arvind.
I take the first minutes of each day in quiet contemplation and prayer. I believe in the centering power this gives me.
I respect the boldness in your beliefs, too.
Alex
Alex, you are most welcome – and thanks for sharing about your daily practice.
And thanks for acknowledging my “bold” beliefs 🙂