One God, Many Paths

wil said:
Dang it, that weekend is Mothers Day and I will be taking mom out to a ball game!

MLK Jr Library Washington DC

Is it possible that all the world’s great spiritual and religious traditions originated from the same source, even if we refer to or understand that Source in many different ways?

Throughout history, religion and religious differences have often been identified as a point of division amongst the world’s peoples, as a source of strife and contention – and even of bloodshed. But is that the whole story? Is it possible that when you look more closely at what the various religions of the world actually teach, that there is in fact much more overlap and agreement than one might initially be led to believe? Looking beyond the teachings of daily practice, are there deeper truths that unite the world’s religions? How many people actually investigate the seeming differences, or similarities, for themselves? Is it possible that they share a common thread or even originate from one common, divine source?

Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on the fundamental oneness of religion. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore the purpose and role of religion in promoting true unity and the progress of us all.


"...for all religion is founded upon the love of humanity." – Bahá’í Teachings

*** This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.

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Religion event in Washington D.C. by Meaningful Conversations Washington, DC on Sunday, May 11 2025
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I propose NO GOD ONE PATH
I believe gods, devils, angels, demons, etc., are archetypal structures created by mankind.
The only path is the Path 0f One's Self.
Becoming the best YOU that is possible.

Allow me to explain:
To live with the intention of Becoming More, of realizing the Greater Self, is to embark upon a Path of Conscious Self-Cultivation. It calls for rigorous self-awareness and the courage of deep self-reflection. The goal is not the pursuit of some abstract, unattainable ideal such as Right Hand Path faiths require, but rather the committed embrace of one’s latent potential and the ongoing Transcension of self to Self through deliberate Inner Alchemy.
 
Alif Balaam Yashin said:
To live with the intention of Becoming More, of realizing the Greater Self, is to embark upon a Path of Conscious Self-Cultivation. It calls for rigorous self-awareness and the courage of deep self-reflection. The goal is not the pursuit of some abstract, unattainable ideal such as Right Hand Path faiths require, but rather the committed embrace of one’s latent potential and the ongoing Transcension of self to Self through deliberate Inner Alchemy.
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To be fair, the path to realising the fullness of self is a part of the RHP Traditions, each possessing its 'inner alchemy' disciplines, towards that which is neither abstract nor unattainable. For example there is 'self-power' (in Buddhism, 他力, 'tariki') and 'other-power' (in Buddhism, 他力, 'jariki') practices without contradiction. The same might be said of Jnana marga, Karma marga and Bhakti marga in Hinduism, or the various spiritual practices and disciplines in Christianity.

The only point I would quibble with is that, by definition, a being cannot 'transcend' its own nature. Rather, it can achieve the fullness of that which was always potentially possible within its nature, but nothing beyond it – to go beyond its own nature implies there is something already there for it to realise or enter ... conversely the risk is becoming trapped in a closed loop.
 
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Thomas said:
To be fair, the path to realising the fullness of self is a part of the RHP Traditions, each possessing its 'inner alchemy' disciplines, towards that which is neither abstract nor unattainable. For example there is 'self-power' (in Buddhism, 他力, 'tariki') and 'other-power' (in Buddhism, 他力, 'jariki') practices without contradiction. The same might be said of Jnana marga, Karma marga and Bhakti marga in Hinduism, or the various spiritual practices and disciplines in Christianity.

The only point I would quibble with is that, by definition, a being cannot 'transcend' its own nature. Rather, it can achieve the fullness of that which was always potentially possible within its nature, but nothing beyond it – to go beyond its own nature implies there is something already there for it to realise or enter ... conversely the risk is becoming trapped in a closed loop.
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First off, Buddhism is a Left Hand Path, you missed a few others as well.
Secondly, To say a being cannot transcend its nature is to presuppose a fixed, static essence, a concept foreign to the Western Left Hand Path. Our path is the path of becoming, not mere unfolding. We are not bound by what is latent within us, but rather driven to surpass it, to become what is not yet, to give birth to new forms of Self through Will.
 
Thomas said:
The only point I would quibble with is that, by definition, a being cannot 'transcend' its own nature. Rather, it can achieve the fullness of that which was always potentially possible within its nature, but nothing beyond it – to go beyond its own nature implies there is something already there for it to realise or enter ... conversely the risk is becoming trapped in a closed loop.
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Humans can do that by knowledge and analysis, Jnana marga. One can get out of 'maya', mazes and loops, if one can abandon prejudices.
 
Alif Balaam Yashin said:
First off, Buddhism is a Left Hand Path, you missed a few others as well.
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Is Buddhism generally a Left Hand Path, or does Buddhism broadly have both left and right hand strains? There are several different schools of Buddhism right? Are they all Left Hand Path?
 
The definition of a left-hand path is diverse. Some say even ritual worship is a left-hand path.
I believe original Buddhism was not a left-hand path. Thersavada is less so. But if you take Mahayana, depending on the definition, could be a left-hand path. As for Tibetan Buddhism, it is more so.
 
Alif Balaam Yashin said:
First off, Buddhism is a Left Hand Path, you missed a few others as well.
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Not entirely ...

... I suppose I would say that religions comprise both right and left in their theoria and praxis.

Alif Balaam Yashin said:
Secondly, To say a being cannot transcend its nature is to presuppose a fixed, static essence, a concept foreign to the Western Left Hand Path.
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No, the essence can be fluid, but it is an essence, complete and entire to itself, and all instantiations of it share and participate in it. Thus human nature is an essence, and every human is 100% of that essence, but no single human possesses that nature in its entirety.

That said, transcendence means 'going beyond' or 'rising above' – so to say 'transcend' itself infers a degree of limitation or containment.

Alif Balaam Yashin said:
Our path is the path of becoming, not mere unfolding. We are not bound by what is latent within us, but rather driven to surpass it, to become what is not yet, to give birth to new forms of Self through Will.
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Then those forms must surely be contained in the Will prior to their realisation?

This seems remarkably like an act of faith ... 🤔
 
TheLightWithin said:
Is Buddhism generally a Left Hand Path, or does Buddhism broadly have both left and right hand strains? There are several different schools of Buddhism right? Are they all Left Hand Path?
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I don't believe, and I could be wrong, that there is a form of Buddhism which seeks a union with some kind of Universal Reality (RHP)
 
Aupmanyav said:
The definition of a left-hand path is diverse. Some say even ritual worship is a left-hand path.
I believe original Buddhism was not a left-hand path. Thersavada is less so. But if you take Mahayana, depending on the definition, could be a left-hand path. As for Tibetan Buddhism, it is more so.
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What is original Buddhism?
 
Aupmanyav said:
The definition of a left-hand path is diverse. Some say even ritual worship is a left-hand path.
I believe original Buddhism was not a left-hand path. Thersavada is less so. But if you take Mahayana, depending on the definition, could be a left-hand path. As for Tibetan Buddhism, it is more so.
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Interesting
Aupmanyav said:
Some say even ritual worship is a left-hand path.
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Does this mean that religions like Judaism and Catholic or Orthodox Christianity have left hand elements?
My (rather simple) understanding of left hand path is that it is about self empowerment
What else is important to the definition/understanding of left hand path?
 
Ahanu said:
What is original Buddhism?
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Others could say more, but my understanding is that by saying 'original Buddhism' people would be referring to the direct original teachings of Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha, and the practices and beliefs of his original circle of followers.
 
TheLightWithin said:
Interesting

Does this mean that religions like Judaism and Catholic or Orthodox Christianity have left hand elements?
My (rather simple) understanding of left hand path is that it is about self empowerment
What else is important to the definition/understanding of left hand path?
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The Left-Hand Path is a journey of separation from universal reality, where one isolates their consciousness within their own inner, subjective worlds. Through this deliberate psychic solitude, the individual refines and perfects their soul or psyche. Instead of adapting to the universe, the universal reality is made to align and harmonize with the individual’s will and inner nature.
 
Alif Balaam Yashin said:
The Left-Hand Path is a journey of separation from universal reality, where one isolates their consciousness within their own inner, subjective worlds. Through this deliberate psychic solitude, the individual refines and perfects their soul or psyche. Instead of adapting to the universe, the universal reality is made to align and harmonize with the individual’s will and inner nature.
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Intriguing.
But how does it work?
What is "universal reality" or how is it defined in this case?
 
TheLightWithin said:
Intriguing.
But how does it work?
What is "universal reality" or how is it defined in this case?
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Universal Reality, referred to as God in religious traditions or Nature in philosophical ones, is understood as the ultimate, all-encompassing source and structure of existence. It is seen as the underlying unity behind all things, the final reality into which all individual forms and wills are thought to return or dissolve. This is seen as a deceptive doctrine from a Western Left Hand Path lens.

Perennial Philosophy teaches that all major religions share a core truth: the highest goal of human life is to unite with a Supreme Being or Universal Energy, dissolving the ego into the divine. This is the path of self-annihilation, framed as salvation.
 
TheLightWithin said:
Interesting

Does this mean that religions like Judaism and Catholic or Orthodox Christianity have left hand elements?
What else is important to the definition/understanding of left hand path?
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Some in Hinduism consider all attempts to approach the deity as Left-hand path, contrived, forced, Hatha (Hatha yoga).
 
Alif Balaam Yashin said:
It is seen as the underlying unity behind all things, the final reality into which all individual forms and wills are thought to return or dissolve. This is seen as a deceptive doctrine from a Western Left Hand Path lens.
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The deception here is, I would suggest, the result of short-sighted understanding

Alif Balaam Yashin said:
Perennial Philosophy teaches ... the path of self-annihilation, framed as salvation.
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Not quite ... salvation is one thing.

What you see as 'self-annihilation' is the transcending of the transient ephemeral idea of self as distinctly 'other', to the knowing of Self as such – summed up across the various traditions in such aphorisms as 'Tat Tvam Asi' and 'ego eimi' ... the end of all distinction between 'I and Thou' ...

It's Eckhart's Urgrund – that from which all things derive their being, a nothingness from which God and the world arise.

So it's actually the end of all delusion, all illusion, and so forth.
 
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