Realizing God

Religion

The outward form of religion is bowing your head before God in a church, temple, or mosque. But until your mind and spirit bow in humility to God, spiritual progress is not possible. The physical body is only the house of our spirit. When our spirit is awakened, the confidence, faith, love and willingness to serve which will arise within us will be so powerful that we ourselves will be unable to understand the changes that come over us.

God is Always Forgiving

Look to the One who gives birth to all religions. Don't think that God is a theory; God is reality. If you think God is a theory, you will never become enlightened. And don't think that you can ever be separated from God. As The Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture) says, "God is sitting inside you, nearer than your hands and feet. The distance between you and God is as thin as a butterfly's wing. We can never be separated from God—neither at birth nor at death." Nor do our mistakes separate us from God. God is always forgiving.

God does not say, "I want you to surrender before me." 

God says, "I do not want you to be slaves. I have made you free."

But negative things are attracted to our mind and stick there, forming a curtain between us and God. If we simply think of surrendering our negative points, they will become slightly detached. As soon as one side is detached, the whole curtain falls away, revealing the light of gyan. Gyan is always inside us, hidden by the curtain of ignorant ego-centered thoughts. This curtain is not like stone. It is quite thin, has no weight, and can be broken very easily, just by a mere thought of surrendering.

Awareness

To be aware of the presence of God, you must clean your mind and be grateful to the One who is the only Giver, the only Doer. Think that everything in this world exists with God's blessing, whether we regard it as pleasant or unpleasant. Only God knows what is good for us.

If God's love is in your mind, you will see that nothing in the world is without this Love. When you love God, you will start seeing Him among the animals, the trees, the inanimate things. God is present even in that which we cannot see. Only the one who is absorbed in God recognizes His presence. Such a person has given her mind to God, and thus attained God. 

There is so much love in God that all the rivers—the whole universe—can be filled with it. The moment you touch God, you become filled with love. That Light will not be found in any worldly religious show or building.

That Light lives in our mind, in the mind filled with love. Wherever we are sitting—in the forests, fields, or mountains—God gives light to the loving mind.

God is waiting at the gate, but no one is standing in line. All the gates are empty. No one is waiting to enter. So let us pass through that gate where love dwells, and only love.