The movie “Conversations with God,” which has been out for a long time overseas, is scheduled to be released on 1/15. This should effectively attract many fans of the “Conversations with God” books. Thanks to modern information access, I’ve already had a sneak peek at this movie. Just like the film “2012,” the content of “Conversations with God” is also quietly heating up in Taiwan. The interesting part is that the content of the so-called “Taiwanese version of Conversations with God” is also gaining attention.
Regarding the blog “Lao Shen Zai Zai—Miracle Dialogues” (http://www.wretch.cc/blog/loveus0501), we cannot yet determine what kind of deity these two gentlemen encountered during the lowest points in their lives. But what’s very interesting is that this reminds me of Mr. Muhammad of Islam. Although this Islamic prophet, born in 571 AD, passed away centuries ago, the “Muhammad phenomenon” still leads the mainstream of the spiritual world. Related phenomena like “Kryon” or “Seth,” where messages are conveyed by a channeler, continue the ancient “shamanic” tradition, leading human thought and serving the function of edifying people’s hearts.
Mr. Muhammad’s Mysterious Event
I remember in many of Osho’s books, he mentioned the relationship between God and Muhammad. It was just that one day, perhaps on a grassland… perhaps while Muhammad was taking a bath… perhaps in the middle of swallowing a bite of food… Suddenly, God began to speak. Muhammad was so startled that he almost developed a fever. He hesitated for a long time before finally telling the people around him. It is said that his first believer was his wife. Before Muhammad even believed in God, his wife had already joined the faith, because women are always a wiser species than men.
Is the Heart Within or Without?
There is another version: one time, Muhammad heard the voice of his own heart. But this isn’t magical at all, because the magical part is that people actually avoid the voice of their own hearts. As I see it, this is indeed true! In this world, some people verify that God is an external entity, while others verify that God is a transformation of an internal principle. And some people, just so, believe that God is an interconnected phenomenon, both internal and external. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Buddha once asked point-blank: “Is the heart within, or is it without?”
Although Muhammad’s era was long ago, the “Muhammad phenomenon” is still astonishing today. Regardless of what exactly happened to Mr. Muhammad, the phenomenon itself is enough to keep a large group of people occupied for many lifetimes. Especially for the person who “becomes Muhammad,” their heart and mind are usually busy for a while. And if they can also make some money from it, then it truly is the perfection of perfections, a masterpiece among masterpieces.
It doesn’t matter if you become Muhammad’s successor or someone else. This voice without a discernible owner, or the unprompted automatic writing, attracts intense attention from many people. In ancient times, the Quran, as translated by Muhammad, could be chanted in Arabic as beautiful sacred music. Osho said this was because the desert’s geographical environment was particularly suited for such beautiful sounds. It’s a pity I’ve never had the chance to hear this part.
The Game of Channeling, Children of the World
Of course, Muhammad probably never thought in his entire life that he would become God’s spokesperson. However, from the perspective of some Buddhists or vegetarians, the precepts they created undoubtedly saved many pigs. They successfully helped pigs avoid the fate of being slaughtered. This was probably a feat Muhammad never imagined before he heard God’s voice! But seeing as many humans are still trapped by their attraction to meat, the other animals are probably worse off. But there is no right or wrong in this either. In Taiwanese folk tradition, eating beef and dog meat is also considered a terrible thing.
In the end, in the game of choosing between the happiness found in attaining Buddhahood and Nirvana or the happiness found in channeling, I believe channeling is indeed a more powerful magnet for attracting a group of old souls to continuously return and reincarnate on this Earth. Compared to the role of an ordinary, struggling cultivator who never quite gets it right, it’s really much more attractive.
And ultimately, whatever humanity’s choice is, there is no right or wrong. It’s just like some children and teenagers spending their time in a virtual 3D world or joyfully winning a ball game. Personal preferences vary. The only thing that causes them suffering is likely the expectations of others and their parents. And for this world and the entire whole, we are, in the end, just eternal children. And we can never outlast the time that the heavens have existed in this world.
Is “God” within or without? Is channeling a mission or a game? The core of MSER is to return to the self and peel away illusions. If you want to explore the voice of your own heart, click here to learn more about MSER services.