Heaven on Earth. What a beautiful idea.
Why must one wait for death to enjoy this state of eternity? Why not enter while one is still alive?
Right now.
This very moment. Open the door within your heart. That’s the entrance way, the tunnel leading to Peace, Understanding, Everlasting Love. While you’re concscious. Perhaps Awakening. And able to enjoy the “Afterlife” by simply closing your eyes. Got it? Close them. Close both eyes to reach that calm, that relaxing of the tense shoulders, the clenched jaw.
And now, open . . .
Open to the child-like essence inside where all is pure, innocent, Divine. We all have it. It’s within our reach. Just forgive your Self. Disobey any and all expectations. Let them fly away like a dove soaring toward the highest branch of the Tree of Life. Look. God is in everything. Everywhere.
Inspire your Self. Guide your Self. Love your Self.
“””””””””””””””””””
Christina, Do you see why I needed to share Kibir’s poem published in the Kabat-Zinn book and highlighted in the writings by you? It moved me so much, after taking from your Heaven such a small taste. A sip. A curious sniff of all any of us ever wanted, ever hoped to return to: that state that has always been and always will be now and forever more if we but let it manifest . . . let all go . . . let our Selves be Free.
_________________________
Heaven on Earth, an excerpt
by Christina at Abundantly Radiant
” . . . I’m reading “Coming to Our Senses” by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He quotes Kabir, a fifteenth century Indian poet who speaks to this idea of being present… perhaps a taste of heaven on earth…?”
Friend, hope for the Guest while you are alive.
Jump into experience while you are alive!
Think…and think…while you are alive.
What you call “salvation” belongs to the time before death.If you don’t break your ropes while you are alive,
do you think ghosts will do it after?The idea that the soul will join with the ecstatic
just because the body is rotten-
that is all fantasy.What is found now is found then.
If you find nothing now,
you will simply end up with an apartment in the City of Death.
If you make love with the divine now, in the next life you will
have the face of satisfied desire.So plunge into the truth, find out who the Teacher is,
Believe the Great Sound!Kabir says this: When the Guest is being searched for,
it is the intensity of the longing for the Guest that does all the work.
Look at me, and you will see a slave of that intensity.– Kabir
translated by Robert BlyFor Christina’s inspiring post, see
Heaven on Earth
Contoveros 
I have often wondered if Jesus may have been influenced by Buddhism.
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Kim,
Where was Jesus during the “missing years?” From ages 12 to 29?
Some say India.
Not the “Established” churches as I know ’em. Did not the founding fathers of Christianity (all males, probably all White) keep out certain “texts” from the Greek Bible.
Who translated the King James’ version? Not a New-Age thinker among them, I bet. Any females? Any speak and actually read the language the Christ spoke? Any have personal knowledge of languages spoken by the writers of the four Gospels and those — at the time — “modern-day,” “New Testament” appendages to the Jewish Old Testament?
There’s something called the Acquarian Bible that may hint of Jesus’ trip East. Of course, PBS has had a “special” showing that one Jesus Christ did not “die” from injuries suffered on the cross, but carried his ministry into another land, spreading His Word in Eastern climates.
I like the Living Jesus, a Jew, who told his followers to “suffer” the little children and let them come to Him for a blessing, rather than expose only the sick and maim to Jesus for cures.
That’s me. No, not the sick and maim. (Although, now that i think about it . . .) I am at my best when I revert to the child-like persona that’s still inside where He says the Kingdom of God reigns.
michael j
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Hi Michael!
I’ve been out of town on retreat (see pics on my blog)…
Thanks for spreading the love! I’m so happy it touched you as much as it did me. So thought provoking.
I appreciate your thoughts on Jesus’ life very much. I like the idea that he may have traveled east. After three years of studying Catholic theology, that’s not something we ever discussed…heaven forbid! I hope Jesus did have eastern influences.
If I wanted to learn more about Buddhism, where would you suggest I begin?
Peace and joy,
Chris
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“How to Meditate, A Practical Guide,” by Kathleen McDonald.
I’m half-way through, but I jump from one section to another as examples are given in one reading to see more details in another.
It’s not heavy on any one subject and won’t scare anyone away with dogma, but provides a guide for sitting (or lying down) while meditating. A little Buddhism is thrown in by the author, herself a Tibetan Buddhist nun of the Mahayana tradition — those that serve others as well as themselves in seeking “enlightenment.” Kinda cute with her Irish head cropped real short. (But that’s just a personal view and not Dharma.)
Enjoy the path and remember all of the Catholic mystics the Church “put up with” who meditated, saw visions and wrote blogs. (Did i say blogs? I mean, treatises or inspired verse, or whatever.)
michael j
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I have this book on my shelf waiting to be read. Now I’m inspired to have a look.
K.
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Katherine,
I have two or three of his books on the shelf. Read parts, but not ready to finish them yet. There’s time.
Time for me to read more posts from gentle folk like those at Sanctuary Without Walls and a textile artist that just manifested nearby. You ought to see the white cape called “Psyche” she has created. God-inspired, is what I call it!
michael j
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I’m only a third of the way through. It began slow- for beginners- but he has a nice way of articulating himself. Thought provoking.
Chris
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A small taste of his books can go a long way. Same with that Buddhist monk from Vietnam whose name I can never remember but whose words are inspiring.
michael j
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Wonderful!! I’m glad you posted this from what looks like a pure Buddhist point of view.
I arrived at a similar conclusion – only after leaving the church – from a Christian point of view. When Christ was hanging out down here, He said something like “I came to bring life, so that you could live it abundantly”. Something like that. Not, “I came so that when you finally rot and die, you might if you’re lucky have a somewhat decent afterlife.”
Life. Now. Not later. And He spoke about the Kingdom of Heaven in real *present* terms too, not future.
Jesus would have made a great Buddhist, I think.
Came across another quote recently, which I’m told comes from the Buddha: “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
As usual, your blog provokes a heck of a lot of thought. So much for being productive at work for the rest of the day. Thanks a lot! 🙂
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Productive at work.
Seems like some other type of production may have been generated there.
You got the “Buddhist nature” blossoming . . . Watch out. You’ll be looking for that “middle path” pretty soon on your way to “enlightenment.”
I like your take on Jesus dealing in the “present” tense. Not “life after death.” Wish the Catholic nuns taught us that rather than all those “thou shalt nots”
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