When I was young, I thought God was present only in idols and one needed to pray in a certain way to invoke his blessings. I remember those beautiful Ganpati festival days and when it was time to say good bye to him on the eve of Anant Chaturdashi I still feel the water in my eyes. But my understanding of God has changed over the years, now I see Him as a powerhouse of energy, as a source of all things positive in life. You don’t need a statue to pray because God is within. Place Him in your heart and you will see the wonders he creates.
Oftentimes people say if you don't go to temples or chant mantras or follow certain rituals, you are inviting bad omen but I think these things are said only to scare people. When it comes to God most of us don't ask questions, we just accept everything that we have been told about Him, if we have been taught to chant mantras as a child we continue that for the rest of our life without any understanding of our act. I don't pray to God for I think more than praying it is important that I live my life by the right values; I could be very ritualistic but all the rituals will be of no use if I'm a bad human being or am morally corrupt.
Look at the people for example There is a Bar owner in my town who does his business very honestly for the 364 days of an year by taking the money from their drunken customers by hook and crook, mixing water with liquor and stuff but when there is a Diwali a Laxmi Poojan he hires the most famous pundit in our area performs poojas, distributes sweets among his wealthy friend circle, keeps poor and hungry people out of the boundary of his hotel. So does his Pooja and stuff make any sense?
My parents are very ritualistic, they do regular poojas and light diyas every evening. However, I don't question their belief, it's their understanding of God and I respect that.
The concept of God for me is of one who only does well and takes care of things, which are beyond human abilities. I am religious but not ritualistic. I do not visit places of worship but if I happen to be at a place of worship, I do offer my prayers. I believe in the religion of humanity. I strongly support what is right against what is wrong.
I do not make any personal time with God but I remember God when something good or bad happens to me. And for that I don’t have to go to any temple or spiritual place I simple think him for all good and ask him for help for any bad which happens to me. I don’t wear an amulet or lucky charm or practice anything like the chanting of mantra for good luck, health and happiness. In that sense, I am not ritualistic at all. I’m human. When things go wrong, I do tend to find myself turning to a higher power. God is like my friend I am never afraid of him I feel his presence in u, the entire universe and within me.
My philosophy in life is simple: Do well. Work hard and be kind. What irritates me is when someone tries to differentiate oneself on the basis of religion, caste, birthplace, and gender….
I would like to give you an example; whenever I go to someone’s house the elder person will be more interested to know my or anyone’s surname than his first name (here the intention is to know the person’s caste) this is not against any particular caste (no offense against Brahmans) but it happens in my own home too and if u ask yourself honestly it might be happening in ur family too.
………I think that is totally bullshit…the point I am trying to make here is that gone are days when Kshatriya used to fight in the war, Brahman used to teach, vysya used to make business only now the time has changed and we are so fortunate to live in the world’s largest democracy with almost all the religions on the universe staying together. So respect everybody irrespective of his religion, caste, birthplace or gender.
I believe in the limitless power of the human spirit, and not in a higher power. I feel if you make up your mind to do something there is no power in the world that can stop you, if you are willing to walk the distance. I don’t believe in specific God but I do believe in humans. Because I think god is within you me and in every human. I believe that godliness lies in great humaneness. There are no shortcuts to God. I don’t believe in following a cult without expressing and knowing my truth.
It is really not necessary to call yourself God, but to know yourself as God - unless of course you want to experience being the honored guest in a specially built institution for those who call themselves God. The advantage of knowing yourself as God is that you will know that you are creating all the circumstances of your physical life and that you have the power to change it when you desire. Your life will not be a struggle, but an adventure and you will know the true purpose for being here.
Life will move easily for you, and you will live it time and time again, until you no longer wish to.
If worship, prayers, faith and images and statues help you, then it is appropriate that you have chosen them. But you will not know me until you no longer need them, and know that you are already where you say you want to be. I feel it all around me in everything that my senses can acknowledge. Therefore, for me the words are interchangeable and appropriate. I am life itself - I am all that is.
- Parikshit……………….
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