Quote:Jesus often tells people that the Kingdom of God is upon them, is in their midst without no visible sign, and can become very "near" to them. By "kingdom," Jesus means both the realm and reign of God. So the question is, how can this be experienced?
Don,
This reminds of "...in Him we live and move and have our being..." To me it is like we are always within the realm and reign of God. We are always "there" and it is only our focus of awareness that changes. We are a spiritual being that is capable of shifting and interposing consciousness into what appears to be a physical reality. Since the current main focus of awareness is physicality, the moments in which we experience altered states of consciousness or are in the "zone" seem ephemeral. That's simply because of the physics (laws/rules) we've imposed upon ourselves as spiritual beings.
We've done this for good reason... to evolve consciousness like little worker bees. And you're right, if we live more in our heart, rather than our head, we would have more experiences of and within "the realm of God." I usually think of these experiences as inner guidance. The best, perhaps only way to be in the zone more often is to meditate. Meditation has been shown to change the brain and it is the brain that acts as a constraint of consciousness for experiencing physicality.
I meditate 2 or 3 hours a day... about 30 minutes of tai chi every morning, then 30 or so minutes of prayer and meditation in the morning, afternoon and evening. I've done this for years, but it wasn't long after I'd begun to meditate many years ago that I discovered I would throughout the day be in the zone quite often. Now it is like I exist in the awareness of two worlds. Or in other words I'm in the zone much of the time and that permits information to filter through quite easily whenever it is appropriate. In addition, it's a bit more difficult, but I can access information by using my intent and I will receive the information if it is appropriate, valuable and useful.
When we are in deep meditation (And we can fall into this state many times throughout the day without even being aware of it.) we feel the same qualities that we attribute to God. We begin to awaken to our true inner divinity... our inner guidance. Have you ever noticed the deep sense of "I" or "I Am" that we have? This sense of "I Am" is always the same. It never changes. I feel the same sense of "I" now as what I felt as a child. Sure my character and personality, my likes, dislikes, memories and beliefs have changed, but those are dynamics of my ego, they are not the "I Am" that I have always felt within me. That has never changed. And we all feel this "I" that never changes. It is the feeling of consciousness itself, or perhaps even God as the ground of all being.
Erwin Schrodinger said: "What is this "I"? You will, on close introspection, find that what you really mean by "I" is the ground-stuff upon which all experiences and memories are collected."
Thomas Merton said: "If I penetrate to the depths of my own existence, to the indefinable 'Am' that is myself in its deepest roots, then through this deep center I pass into the infinite 'I Am', which is the very name of the Almighty."
The more I think about these two quotes, the more profound they seem to me. The deep, deep intimacy felt within is ineffably indescribable. I've always thought of this as God within, even as a child. It is more than thought or belief. It is feeling your very being, the Kingdom of God.
Kathy
PS to Isee: This would apply to your thread, so I won't repeat myself.
btw, great threads Isee and Vicky.