In the Image of God

by William Meader -

The search for God is central to most world religions. Whether referred to as God, Allah, Brahman or Universal Intelligence, the yearning to feel the presence of a greater being is innate within human consciousness.

Regardless of cultural, racial and religious biases, the desire to establish an intimacy with God is a universal urge. Indeed, it has existed since humanity’s dawning hour. Yet, a new understanding about our relationship to the divine is slowly emerging.

We are discovering that the path to God leads to our own divinity. It is an awakening to the fact that the seeker and the sought are one.

In essence, there is only One Life. It is a living singularity and is what is meant when using the word God. From this oneness, all things arise. 

Whether we are considering a tree, an animal, or the entity that ensouls the entire Earth, the life essence within all forms is an aspect of the One Life in expression. And, if the One Life is the essence underlying all that is, then every human being must be an expression of that essence. 

At the deepest and subtlest levels of human consciousness is found a place of divine realization. It is a place where sacredness is touched. When this inner place is found we shall discover that the god we are striving to find is ourselves, in essence.

Ancient wisdom states that “as above so below.”

This idea is useful when considering the divinity of a human being. It not only suggests that we are a part of God but that the attributes inherent within God are also found within every one of us. 

For example, the energies of will, love and intelligence are qualities we often attribute to God.

If this ancient proverb is correct, it means that the will, love and intelligence that we experience are extensions of the same qualities emanating from God.

Though these qualities are stepped down and greatly distorted when experienced by a human being, they are nonetheless of divine origin.

It may be asked: If we are made in the image of God, how can we live it more fully? 

To answer this, we must first remember that human consciousness is dual. The lower part is the personality (ego), and the higher division is the soul.

Essentially, both the personality and the soul are expressions of the One Life. The essence behind both is divine. The difference is that the personality distorts this essence, while the soul does not. Inwardly recognizing this duality is therefore the first step when trying to live your divinity.

Once this internal duality is acknowledged, the second step is to commit yourself to more fully expressing the higher consciousness that you inwardly sense.

It means to favor those psychological qualities that seem lofty and spiritual. Compassion, wisdom and purpose are just a few of the many attributes conveyed by the soul. These are the aspects of consciousness that need to find greater expression in our lives.

To live your divinity also involves the upliftment of humanity in some way. 

The soul is always governed by the law of service. Inherent in its nature is the urge to contribute to the betterment of the larger whole.

When you begin to sense your divinity, you start to see it within others, as well. Indeed, you start to realize that the One Life is expressing through everyone and everything. From this realization the impulse to serve will surely arise.

Though we have many imperfections that seem to deny our godhood, this is only an illusion. Eventually, the divinity of every human being is realized as the intangible essence lying beyond day-to-day consciousness. It is found in the formless realms deep within. 

In truth, enlightenment is nothing more than becoming the divine light that you essentially are and always have been.

spiritunited.com
edgemagazine.net