01 April 2012

2012 | Hare Krishna and the Anointing of God

I was invited to a Hare Krishna temple for the first time, and remember the atmosphere of it being quite different than what I was used to. I was raised going to pentecostal-type African-American churches where the style of the church congregations that I went to were less flamboyant, and more energetically inclined. We would have dancing, singing, shouting, praising, etc. all in the name of who we worshiped as God. The God that we worshiped was the God of the Bible. Preferably, the bible that we read was the King James Bible because of its conformity to the original ecclesiastical doctrine of the Christian Church. The King James Bible was commissioned by the Church of England in the reign of King Henry VIII.

I was invited by a friend of mine that was a devotee of  ISKCON which is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. ISKCON is also known as the Hare Krishna Movement which could logically be categorized as a sub-division in the Hindu belief system, but Prabhupada1, the founder, never declared ISKCON to be a Hindu organization, because he considered it to be a 'material designation', not an appropriate name. ISKCON was basically formed to spread the practice of bhakti yoga which is one of the types of yoga mentioned in Hindu philosophies that denotes the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion (bhakti) to a personal form of god. So with ISKCON having the superficial appearance of 'difference' as per their ways of spiritual practices, it had essentially the same aim of pleasing God because our allegiance was  having faith in the Lord as we praise and worship him for his apparent 'goodness'. We normally called this allegiance to God a 'consecration' as the Hindu philosophy called it 'devotion'. In the temple that I went to, the people would kneel on their knees, and bow their heads to the floor to give the deities respect. There were deities in the form of statues with very intricate artistic aesthetics on a stage called an altar with candles for offerings. We would offer many other things to the deities (Krishna & Radha) such as lotus flowers, and food offerings called prasadam. This prasadam would then be considered to have the deity's blessing residing within it.

There were many ritualistic practices when it came to the ISKCON. When I saw one of the executives of the temple -- before he'd sit down, there were many different movements that he performed as forms of respecting the godhead. The lectures were, to me, more new-agey than fundament. In the Christian churches that I went to, the general teachings were more fundamentalist -- from the perspective of the belief being that every word in the bible is literal truth which means that one should not have any other gods before the God of the bible. This is noted in Exodus 20:3. From a logical perspective, this would entail that all other religions are not to be adhered to because the bible is the only legitimate "Word of God" which supposedly came from God itself through the flesh of man as the instrument used to write the word of God. I followed this point though because I believed it also. I only started attending the Hare Krishna movement when I was exploring other religions after some time when I prayed to the Lord that I will go out to explore other religions.

I started exploring other religions because within Christianity I was pretty much settled at the time, but there was something missing within me from the perspective that I felt that I was missing something as me. Everything seemed consistent, but I felt that I was missing myself. I asked myself at church one day, "Is this really how life suppose to be -- to serve God in a church until death?" I wasn't wholly satisfied with the way that I was living. At that time, I had a notion that it didn't make sense because everybody else was left out -- meaning that all personalities are not going to agree with Christianity because it's not even consistent with its own self. It wasn't effective for all people within this world because it was only meant for some people that have been genetically, and/or socially aligned to Christianity. I mean, why trust in an invisible force to change this reality? That is a total abdication of who we are as a human race. It is the total acceptance of allowing a world to crumble while we ceaselessly show our faith to God to make a change. And then we go as far as to separate this reality by categorizing it as a 'lower vibration', and categorizing our 'high' / 'good feelings' / 'anointing' that we feel when we are apparently 'feeling the spirit' as 'higher vibrations' -- and making that the goal of our lifetime. These 'higher vibrations' which Christians, in general, call 'the anointing' becomes the goal of Christians -- to obtain this 'power' from God to make us feel 'important' because we couldn't take self-responsibility for ourselves in the first place, thus, we had to put on a 'personality suit' -- as an 'anointed' person in order to 'heal' the world. And thus, every Christian is looking forward to being in heaven because heaven, apparently, is the place where we experience this unlimited anointing of 'good feelings'. Christians, in general, may not call this Earth plane the 'lower vibrations' as some spiritual practices call it, but calls it a temporary home -- so we can justify the abuse in this world. But we don't really see it is as a justification because God has won our souls, and thus we miss this reality in trade for the 'power' of the 'anointing'.

At one time, I did want this anointing. That, I made my purpose within my 'walk' of Christianity to have so I can have 'power'. I would have the power to possibly heal, or any other talent that the anointing of God gives. When one has the anointing, I understood it as having God's favor upon them, and thus God being able to use that individual for 'special work'. I was usually jealous of the ones that had the anointing upon them, but to me, it was a process to acquire. I was happy where I was and justified myself within my 'relationship' with God because I couldn't see all points 'outside' of me because I was stuck in a program -- a program of being a servant of the Lord until Jesus comes back in 2012. Then he would take all of us in rapture.

Some say that 2012 is the 2000th year of when Jesus is/was going to return because of the Mayan calendar being 12 years apart from the Gregorian calendar. It's not really 12 years apart, but according to the Gregorian calendar, the year 2000 would be the last year before Jesus' return. There were many days out of many years that were predictions of Jesus' return -- such as the year 500 when Hippolytus of Rome, Sextus Julius Africanus, and Irenaeus predicted Jesus' return this year.... the year 1694 when John Mason believed that Jesus would return and the world would end within this year.... the year 1700 when Henry Archer claimed the second coming of Jesus this year.... December 31st 1843 when Jesus' return was expected.... August 7th, 1847 when George Rapp preached that Jesus would return in his lifetime -- even on his deathbed.... the year 1901 when the Catholic Apostolic Church claimed that Jesus would return by the time the last of its 12 founding members died. The last member died in 1901, and Jesus didn't come back as claimed... April 6th, 2000 when James Harmston predicted the Second Coming of Christ would occur on this day.... September 29th, 2011 when Ronald Weinland changed the date of Jesus' return on May 27th, 2012.... December 21st, 2012 when the Mayan calendar ends.... and so on.

I was never the type to actually 'wait' on the Lord, albeit, I would be ecstatic that Jesus did show up like a thief in the night. One of the issues that I had over the years of being a Christian was reading the bible because the bible for me was just bullshit. I didn't want to let anyone know because I thought something was 'wrong' with me seeing the bible as bullshit. I tried to read it, but you had these fancy Old English-style word formations. I even tried to read the newer contemporary versions, but there was always something in the bible, for me, that didn't align to my satisfaction. I don't mean satisfaction from the perspective of being satisfied as the ego, but satisfaction within/as the information that was being presented to me within the bible wherein I am able to apply it in a way that is best for all, but I believed that many applications thereof, relied on my trust in the Lord. So one day, a lady at the church that I knew quite well prayed for me so that I can be able to read the bible, and also discern the information within the bible. Nowadays, I am able to discern the bible, but not like I expected. I am able to discern the bible from a common-sense perspective. Common sense is what has been an insufficient factor within/as my reality. The only sense that I had within my world and reality was 'programmed sense' -- which was the sense of my forefathers, and how they lived which has been ingrained into my beingness as the mind and genetics. The knowledge and information that is being presented within this world is #1 -- this knowledge and information from our forefathers, and  #2 -- the knowledge and information from/of the system -- to be able to effectively function as a slave within/as this world. This is the same knowledge and information that we revere as something that is the 'blood' of our beingness. It is believed that without knowledge and information, we do not exist, or unable to exist effectively in this world -- because knowledge and information is the heart that keeps us moving within the world. Money would be the blood. Therefore, without a heart, how can the blood function? This is how important knowledge and information has become within this world, and that is the reason that I stepped out of Christianity to search for me within other religions. It was because of knowledge and information, but I didn't distinctly see it that way.

Thus, my starting point was a starting point of separation as a search for me, because how can I self-honestly search for me within schools of thoughts 'out there', when I am 'here', and always was? Thus in the latter part of my search is when I looked into ISKCON for some fulfillment. ISKCON had similar ways to Christianity, but was little bit more 'free' because of its absence of fundamentalism. Albeit, I could never really become a devotee because there was always this inner nagging of -- "this is not something that I would commit myself to". Albeit, it was easy for me to become a devotee. I was a virgin; I was already vegetarian; I never drank alcoholic beverages, and I only gambled sparingly when I bought lottery tickets. But there were some points within what I participated in that wasn't aligned within/as what was 'best for all'. Albeit, I didn't understand the full concept of the term 'best for all' nor did I hear it at the time. The phrase 'best for all' simply means what is best for all life on Earth, thus, are ways of living and existing that are the most optimal for all as a whole and the most optimal for the individual life-form equally. So I didn't see how chanting mantras would be a point that is best for everyone within/as this world -- which is what we did as a form of prayer to Krishna. We had prayer beads called Japa mala wherein we we would hold one bead and chant a mantra, and chant contiguously using each bead.

Chanting is supposedly something to assist and support oneself in many aspects of their life. For example, chanting 'Hare Krishna' would assist one in getting out of the birth and death process, thus, becoming an eternal being. It would also bring to oneself self-realization within their commitment to Krishna. Also, as per my knowledge and understanding of how chanting works according to other spiritual practices, the sound was suppose to align in a particular matter wherein, it's frequency was to change/alter or birth certain types of psychological / spiritual faculties within one's psyche (mind). Such as chanting the mantra "LA RA S", would assist in astral travelling. The "LA" portion would be used to vibrate the "lunar" atoms, and the "RA" portion would be used to vibrate the "solar" atoms within. Thus, they would intensely spin forming an electric whirlwind like a chakra -- enabling one to consciously be able to astral project, but only if one is in a 'theta' state of mind -- where the brain activity slows down almost to the point of sleep. Many meditations are usually done in the 'theta' state.

I didn't see this as a practical point to bring about a world that is best for all. Although, I didn't term 'best for all' at the time, I instead, asked myself how would chanting words be a practical point that can be used to change this world and reality? And as much as people on the earth that uses chanting as a support for themselves, why is the world not changing? Words could be something that would be very supportive as we speak them all of the time in which we form the integrity of who we are and how we walk as within this world in relation to words. I could see it from the perspective that we do actually 'chant' words everyday, thus, these words become our world and reality. That is why it is necessary to redefine words because when we redefine words, we are taking self-responsibility to direct ourselves within/as each word in our world and reality. What would happen if we defined each and every word that exists as a definition that stands as what is best for all? That would actually be a practical point of utilizing words as who we are within/as this world. Then many people can also benefit from it when they hear it. Because what would I actually benefit from a mantra being uttered about Krishna, or some other human or deity? It would automatically resonate within/as my mind, and thus, react in a way wherein I have structured myself to exist within/as 'control'. Because what is one actually saying when they speak the mantra 'Hare Krishna'? It is actually a point of supporting control / enslavement within/as one's mind, thus, making oneself 'less than' the specific human or deity that one is supporting within/as a mantra. Because why would one need to speak or utter a mantra in order to become that which we believe we are not? Such as, why would one speak a mantra to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi for money when we are able to take self-responsibility to direct the monetary-system accordingly into a system wherein money would be a commodity that works 'with' us instead of 'against' us? Albeit, it's not really the money that's working against us, but us working against ourselves based on what we, as a human race, accept and allow ourselves to exist as. Thus, it is the internal nature of  man that has to change before anything else changes.

So before I became aware of Desteni, I gave ISKCON a chance. I decided to sit in on a sermon one day because I enjoyed the teachings at the time. I was sitting there with my Bhagavad Gita, and put it on the floor because I thought, since I'm sitting down with my legs crossed, I can put this book on the floor so I can freely move my arms while sitting Indian-style. To my unknowing, I was informed not to put the book on the floor because it would signify 'disrespect' towards Krishna. So within that point, I decided not to continue 'pursuing' ISKCON because I saw it as a point similar to fundamentalism within the reverence of a god. I always questioned God because of God's consistency within this world. I never saw God's consistency enough to really revere God. Surely I praised and worshiped God, but that was done because I felt that I had to. When one believes that God is the way, the truth, and the life, one straightens up and does whatever one can to support oneself within body of Christ (which were all Christians equaling the body of Christ). So this was one of the primary reasons for me seeking other religions / school of thoughts because I felt that there was more to life than what I was doing. Why did I feel that there was more 'out there'? Because I had no consistency within/as myself. Whatever I see on the outside, it is because I saw it within me. There was no consistency within/as me -- meaning that there was no uniformity or agreement among things or parts according to the dictionary. If I break it down a bit further, there was no equality in/as me. I was not equal with/as myself, thus, that inequality reflected within/as the praising and worshiping of a god as a manifestation of 'hope'. I had to make myself 'less than' in order to see a 'God' that I created within me -- which was really me -- placed in a 'more than' position. This is a total abdication of self.

Thus, I have to walk a process of self-equality through and within stopping all of the bullshit within/as me -- that I have accepted and allowed myself to be and become. All of these points of separation within hope, self-judgment, love, hate, anger, fear, depression, anxiety, etc. I have to bring back here as me -- because I realize that I manifest all kinds of shit that I perceive as 'real', but was only an illusion -- but the thoughts, feelings, and emotions with these points of hope, self-judgment, love, hate, anger, fear, depression, anxiety, etc. was so real that it has been difficult to let go because I wanted it, and that's why I 'wanted' to search for other schools of thoughts out there because I believed that I could be fulfilled. And once I found something, I experienced the 'good feelings' to/towards whatever 'practice' it was that I had experienced at that time, but it was all an illusion because I believed that none of them was me, but it was me as the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that I participated in during/within that time -- which was the actual essence of 'spirituality' as me -- and nothing more. Because what is spirituality, and virtually anything else if you look at it? It is not the factor of what it is, but the factor of how one experiences themselves within/as it. This is why spirituality and religions have become so popular because many people can experience the 'good feelings' that one embraces in the participation within it. I mean you see people crying on television with their arms in the air 'worshiping' God, when it's not really God that is being worshiped because nothing else in that moment is going on, but one's own interactions with their thoughts, feelings, and emotions that resonate with others' thoughts, feelings, and emotions creating one big 'spiritual' orgy. So this is why spirituality and religions are so good because one can really get 'high' in them. I also experienced that 'high' within Christianity and ISKCON. And the funny thing about it is that the feelings were different. They were totally different, and I believed that these 'feelings' were the 'spirit' of God or Krishna, or some angels -- you name it. So that's why I say that it's been difficult to equalize myself with myself -- because one has to realize -- I had to realize that the reason that I liked the ISKCON movement is because, if I look at it self-honestly, I perceived myself 'separate' from the Indian culture, separate from my childhood, and separate from freedom -- because I wanted to be Indian; I believed that people (esp. females) within the Indian culture never 'liked' me; I also believed that I was free when I was a child because I didn't have to 'worry' about money, and also believed that people that lived thousands of years ago were free because I connected the pictures of the grass, the trees, and temples that I saw in religious texts representing freedom. So this was my actual 'spiritual search' within/as the ISKCON movement. It was a search to be 'liked' and a search for 'freedom'.



References:
2) List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events

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