The Meaning of Life Eby Way

The Meaning of Life by Gary Eby

Introduction:

For generations and eons of human history, people have been trying to make sense of the world we live in. Look around and you will see, feel, and experience so much beauty in this world that it all can take your breath away. At the same time, there is too much pain, suffering, mindless violence, and senseless evil; which can throw us into a tailspin of heartbreak and depression.

Most people at some point ask themselves at least three powerful questions: Who am I? What is my purpose in life? Is there life after death? Today, I will do my best to give you my answers to these thought-provoking questions from a spiritual perspective. As I have said before, you are completely free to reject everything I am about to say. I believe each person needs to find his or her own pathway to Truth and meaning. In addition, my use of the term Heaven (the spiritual world) in this essay will be all-inclusive, for you can use other concepts like Paradise or Nirvana just as well. Let’s begin my presentation with a prayer.

Dear Creator: You are with us always and so is Heaven. You are my Life, my Health, my Abundance, the Source of all Good. Since we are created in Your image and likeness, I AM open to experience all that is Good, according to Your Will and not mine. I AM always a part of Your magnificent, omnipotent Love and Grace. I empty myself of all thoughts, fears, judgments, and expectations. I stand humbly and ready to be an instrument of Your Peace, Love, and Wisdom. I love You back with all my mind, heart, soul, and strength. I AM sorry for my mistakes. Please forgive me. Thank You, thank You, sweet Spirit. For we are One, and of myself I can do nothing without Your Love-Light that flows through our True and Divine Self. Amen.

This prayer pretty much sums up my response to those three questions about the meaning of life in this confusing world. Jesus gave us more clues to living a better, healthier, and more abundant life. I think my prayer contains many of his ideas:

#1. “The Father and I are one.”

#2. “The Kingdom is within us.”

#3. “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

#4.” I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life.”

#5. “Know the Truth and the Truth sets you free.”

#6. “Of myself I can do nothing; it’s the Father within that does the works.”

#7. “I AM with you always.”

#8. “It’s the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

In addition, the great and early New Thought teachers influenced the development of my prayer: Mary Baker Eddy, Phineas Quimby, Emma Curtis Hopkins, Emily Cady, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore (Co-Founders of Unity), Emmet Fox, Joel Goldsmith, Eric Butterworth, and the Christian Mystic, Patricia Jepsen Chuse. Many current, liberal spiritual leaders would probably also identify with the concepts in my prayer like Dr. Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Michael Beckwith, Marianne Williamson, and Anita Moorjani. Furthermore, it is based on a metaphysical interpretation of the Bible (as a divinely inspired collection of lessons), about our own spiritual journey from paradise to overcoming challenges in this material world with faith, which then returns us back to paradise…literally Heaven on Earth.

Four Spiritual Principles:

The way I see it, there are basically four spiritual principles underscored in my prayer, which can give our life in this physical world substantial meaning. Of course some of you reading this might consider yourself to be an atheist or agnostic. That’s all right with me too. One could substitute the words “Positive Power” for “The Creator” in my prayer and still gain benefit from my ideas. Be that as it my, here are my positive thoughts:

#1. God is with us always.

#2. Heaven is also with us right now.

#3. We should love our Self and our different parts unconditionally.

#4. We need to live our life fearlessly, and take a stand to rise above all limitations.

Let’s review these principles in more detail.

God is with us always:

We already know in our heart and within our subconscious mind that we are at one with the Divine Presence. Just spend some time with affirmative prayer some call “The Power of Positive Thinking” and you will experience amazing things. Joel Goldsmith in his book, “The Thunder of Silence” even talks about transcending positive thinking and duality (the belief in opposites like good and evil), with a form of meditation he calls “Going into the Silence.” His theory of “The Infinite Way” is all about being still and listening to the Voice of The Infinite within. The Fillmore’s were also strong advocates of finding this “Secret Place of the Most High”. Practice these techniques daily, and discover for yourself if you can feel a personal connection with Spirit…Positive Power.

Heaven is with us now:

The great transcendentalists (Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman), saw Spirit, beauty, and other sublime representatives of heavenly perfection in Nature everywhere present. Also, those who have gone through a near death experience testify to the existence of an eternal and Transcendental Consciousness (Heaven) which exists inside us, outside of us, and all around us. If you are honest, open, and ready, you might agree with Dr. Eben Alexander’s new book, “The Map of Heaven”. He states along with the amazing writings of Emanuel Swedenborg (a 16^th century scientific genius and mystic), that there is a map of Heaven inside of us. All we need to do is wake up, remember, and embrace the golden thread of Love that unites all worlds seen and unseen.

Do you recall that Dr. Alexander, a renowned neurosurgeon, wrote a very powerful and convincing earlier book about his near death experience called “Proof of Heaven”? Now, Dr. Alexander in his sequel goes on to elaborate that “The Map of Heaven” consists of seven gifts: knowledge, meaning, vision, strength, belonging, joy, and hope. For me, all of these ideas suggest that Heaven is a state of Consciousness that we can access today through many loving actions like prayer, meditation, creativity, and good works.

Love Your Self:

Anita Moorjani in her book “Dying to be Me” (about healing from terminal cancer during a near death experience), suggests that the universal solution to all our social and worldly problems is to love our self. As we love all our different parts… the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, we come face to face with our True and Divine Nature. She calls this awareness being in a state of Magnificence. Let us not forget also that Jesus talked about his new commandments to love our neighbor as much as our Self. And to love God with all our mind, heart, soul, and strength. Clearly Love is the essence of the keys to the Kingdom within.

Live Fearlessly:

Anita also mentions the importance of letting go of fear. The Apostle Paul did point out that “If God is on our side, who is there to appear against us?” In other words, whatever calling you have in your life, don’t let fear or anything negative hold you back from all you are meant to be. Wayne Dyer in his book, “Wishes Fulfilled” reminds us about the power of our imagination to release fear, anxiety, and even reprogram our subconscious mind. In addition, Jesus did say we have unlimited abilities because “Ye are gods.” Plato also talked about getting out of the “Cave” of shadows, and seeing this world as a glorious opportunity to prepare for the afterlife.”

For me, living fearlessly most importantly suggests we find positive ways to rise above limitations, negativity, violence, suffering, poverty, and disease. Joel Goldsmith, an amazing Christian Mystic, had this to say above changing the world: "The day will come when there will be a band, a circle of spiritual wisdom around the entire globe." ( "The Art of Meditation," page 154.) Perhaps it is time for us to join together in a spirit of Oneness and God-Consciousness to visualize that loving "band" forming around the world right now, today?

In Summary:

I believe God is with us always and so is Heaven. Love yourself unconditionally. Be yourself fearlessly. Let your life in this world form a monument and temple for that which waits for us in the next world and beyond. Don't forget to take a moment daily to visualize that band of spiritual wisdom encircling the world. One might sing, "Yes there is Peace on Earth today..."

This is what life means to me, and one more thing: Regardless of what you think about President Obama, when he sang “Amazing Grace” at the Charleston Eulogy, he gave a touching testimony to the presence of all that is Holy even in the midst of unbelievable tragedy. We can live a better life with full meaning when we open our heart center to the spiritual Consciousness of Grace. In other words, reality in this world and the next is all about entering that zone of Love.