5/7/13—Getting to Know God

Today's Draw: Prince of Coins from the Journey Into Egypt Tarot by Julie Cuccia-Watts in the What To Take From The Past position from the Deck of 1000 Spreads. How much of what you know about your higher power was learned from others? How much of what you know comes from a knowing inside your heart, versus a knowing inside your mind? When was the last time you really questioned what you believe?

It's so interesting how this card neatly dovetails with the reading we had yesterday. This card uses the story of Moses to represent Egyptian God of Music, Ihy. It is a story of rebirth and redemption. Ihy has a talent for driving out the fear of others and inspiring them to undertake difficult journeys. 

Every monotheistic religion seems to have someone like this...Christ, Buddha, Mohammed. All at least started out as men who had a higher wisdom that inspired others to be better...who stood as an icon during difficult times.

I tend to follow messages, rather than messengers. So I don't worship anything. I do believe in a higher power, but not one that is separate from us. So since it's not separate than us, we don't have to be told what it is. We get to "know" it from within. And my model is simple. If it's a higher power, then it's wiser, kinder, more magical and more capable than I could ever be on my own. None of this vengeful god crap for me. That's a god that acts like man. Not like a higher power. A higher power, to me, is something that transcends ego and the other trappings of humanity. 

This whole WWJD (What Would Jesus Do, but also Why Would Jesus Do) thing is really smart, if you ask me. That's how you suss out what you believe about the higher power. So you get mugged on the street and encounter your mugger two days later, bleeding in an alley. Would you kick him in his wound repeatedly, glad to finally have power over the bastard? Would you keep walking as if you never saw him? Would you call an ambulance and stay with the mugger, comforting him until the paramedics got there? What would YOU do? And what do you suppose a higher power would do? Turn him into a pillar of salt? Or reach out with a loving heart? And if your higher power does the latter, why wouldn't they just make the person suffer?

Of course it helps to reach a certain level of maturity before you play this game. For example, my god is consistently "better" than me. My higher power does not always "take my side" in a debate. It does not always do what I would would do. It doesn't agree with me that so-and-so is a beyotch. And it never makes mistakes, no matter what things appear like on the surface. That's what I found within. What will you find? Ask yourself some of these questions about YOUR higher power...

Is it wiser than you?
Does it know more of the story of whatever is going on in your life than you do?
Is it more objective than you?
Does it have more grace than you?
Does it love all creatures equally?
Does it make some humans poor...or mean...or disfigured...because it loves them less? And if no, why then?
Does it have a clearer picture of why things happen than you?
Does it guide you through both difficult and smooth waters?
Is it vengeful?
Does it operate out of other places than love?
Does it make mistakes?
Does it ever neglect your best interests?
Did it bring you situation XYZ to punish me?
And do all the answers you've gotten point to something greater than yourself? If not, why?

That's just the tip of the iceberg. The questions go on and on. But the point in asking is to determine WHAT you believe in, rather than WHO you believe in, necessarily. You can call it anything you want, but the name isn't important. What qualities does it have? 

And the point of following WW_D logic in your own life is to connect to that part of yourself that is divine....to fortify that part of you that is divine. It's ok if your answers are different than your neighbor's or if they change over time. It's also ok if you don't know all the answers and just trust it's doing something for a good reason.

Just as the baby in the boat reaches up to the divine as if to say "I'm here, guide my journey", many of us do the same in our spiritual quests. Gods of every shape and form were created from the hearts and minds of humans. But they were no more qualified than you to determine who and what the higher power is. You have just as much leverage to talk to God, ask questions and get answers as anyone else. 

In religion, you follow teachings. In spirituality, you follow your own knowing. If we take anything from our past, it should be that nobody has more or less power than you to determine what higher power lives in their soul. Instead of consulting a book for your answers, consult your heart.