The Devil is in the Details

Concepts and principles are very powerful. We often think of these as abstract and not quite real, but, they have a real effect upon our existence. Paradoxically, in old religious thinking, details were attributed to God. This notion is the derivative from the personal God concept.

We have all heard of the expression; “the devil is in the details”. According to  – The “Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings” by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996) it shows this phrase as a variation of “God is in the details – Whatever one does should be done thoroughly; details are important. The saying is generally attributed to Gustave Flaubert (1821-80), who is often quoted as saying, ‘Le bon Dieu est dans le detail’ (God is in the details). Other attributions include Michelangelo, the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and the art historian Aby Warburg. ‘The Devil is in the details’ is a variant of the proverb, referring to a catch hidden in the details. ‘Governing is in the details’ and ‘The truth, if it exists, is in the details’ are recent variants. Listed as an anonymous saying in the sixteenth edition of Barlett’s ‘Familiar Quotations,’ edited by Justin Kaplan.”

(1) ‘God is in the details.’
It seems generally accepted that this was something said by the German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) although almost certainly it was not invented by him. His obituary in The New York Times (1969) attributed it to him but the saying also appears to have been a favorite of the German art historian Aby Warburg (though E.M. Gombrich, his biographer, is not certain that it originated with him). In the form Le bon Dieu est dans le détail, it has also been attributed to Gustave Flaubert (1821-80). Subsequently, there has arisen the saying ‘The devil is in the detail’ which has been described as a maxim of the German pop musician, Blixa Bargeld. He probably did not invent it himself as it is mentioned in Lutz Röhrich’s Lexikon der sprichwörtlichen Redensarten (1994) – as ‘Der Teufel steckt im Detail’.

I think “the God is in the details” saying relates to Nature and biological (scientific) details that sometimes can bring someone closer to God but more often than not tear you apart from God. The human genome and the perfect harmony and choreography of Mother Nature.

The word principle is defined in part as a rule or law exemplified in natural phenomena, the construction or operation of a machine, the working of a system, or the like: the principle of capillary attraction.

A concept is;

• A general notion or idea; conception.
• An idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; a construct.
• A directly conceived or intuited object of thought.

When these words are used or mentally examined in a context of a phenomena or a problem, we often get tangled up in details. Experimenting with details in certain cases possible, when scientific understanding supports and reveals them but more often than not, details will be missing when the problems at hand are philosophical or metaphysical.

The reason for this is simple; science has not reached the level of understanding to supply the required details. Many people are very detail oriented and cannot grasp and fathom ideas that are not fully examined by science. The very existence of metaphysics supports this theorem. People call metaphysics “pseudo science”. These practitioners are branded as charlatans or worse and their often valuable ideas are dismissed or ignored as unscientific.

Let’s look at some principles.

The Christ Principle

This is the concept that man using the “Christos” can rise above his lower self and redeem himself (return to unity with God) alone, no need for priest, rabbi or any intercessor!

The Transcendental God Principle – Infinity

This world view understands God as within us all. This God is not an entity it is more than that. Some narrow views could consider this as a sacrilege or even atheistic thinking.

The Personal God Principle

This world view understands God as an entity outside of the known existence

Heaven

This is the existence (or frame of mind) in oneness with God. This is a unity of all.

Hell

This is the existence (frame of mind) without God. This is a separation from all.

Reincarnation

This is the concept of cyclical birth-rebirth of all things, including us.

This is the denial of death. The idea of death is terminal. The materialistic world regards death as the chief enemy and fears it more than anything. The spiritual mind views death as a doorstep to something else, often better.

It is clearing the slate and starting afresh.

Rumi has a poem I would like to quote here;

“I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?”

Karma

This is the law of action-reaction of the Universe. Understanding this concept well would instill greater responsibility in all. There is no one to punish us, especially not God. Everything that happens to us is a result of some past action that we have done.

This can be a positive action as well as a negative one. All thoughts and deeds earn a Karmic + or – notch in our karmic bank account. We carry this account with us from lifetime to lifetime. There is no escaping it. Positive Karmic actions take away from the accumulated negative karma and vice-versa.

The Concept of Hierarchy

This is the concept that there will be always someone who is more advanced and knows more than we do, always. To think otherwise is narrow minded and arrogant.

None of the above ideas can be proven, refuted or drilled down to details as scientifically we are not at the required level. All it takes is contemplation and self-examination.

Ask yourself, “Does this make sense to me?” That is the only question should be asked, not the “why now”, “where” or “how”? You ask, “Where is heaven? Is it a place or is it a frame of mind?” “Is the end of the world coming?” It cannot, since this world is all an illusion.

To advance spiritually we must accept the inevitable. We just don’t know enough. Let science do what they do best and leave them out of the realm of spirit. Real existence is not what you think it is. What you think is a dream, is within a dream.

The idea of a personal God is just as weird as a concept as the virgin birth. Naturally, it is easer to grasp with limited understanding and awareness.  God is easier to imagine as an old man with or without beard. The personal God concept has origins in the era when, at the dawn of men, visitors from other planets and angels visited our realm. These beings were de facto “gods” to primitive humanoids.

I suspect this may have instilled false notion in men’s mind such as “God made men”, “God punishes”, or “God interacts with us”. These falsehoods are created from the fact that there were close encounters with beings that possessed Godlike powers.

A concept can lead us to great understanding and have liberating consequences.

Look at, for example, the Christ Principle. Much of this principle is a repetition of earlier legends and myths of redemption and the oneness of men. The principle teaches that all men can achieve the same as Jesus the Christ; who in fact may have lived only as a fictional creation of writers of the New Testament based on earlier historical persons.  What is more important? Historical Jesus or the fact that all men can become a God? We do not become individual gods, but return to our birthright and destiny.

Infinity

Now this is the concept for grand discussion. Do we scientifically know that there is no end to numbers or there is no end to the Universe as we know it? Do we know if the Universe is finite or not? I think scientists are calculating the plausibility that this Universe as we know it has some finite properties.

Nobody knows what lies beyond this Universe. Maybe there are clusters of Universes around, or is there only this one? Nobody knows for sure, including scientists. There are grand scale scientific theories and ideas (concepts) in both schools of thought.

I do not think however anyone disagrees with the concept of infinity but of course the human mind is strange and often capable of creating illusions and falsehoods. How can you say there is no such thing as “infinity” when everything in our known existence is finite? All four elements, air, water, fire and earth are limited, perishable and finite.

The problem usually is not seeing the big picture. Trying to quantify and measure and touch everything. A mind that is too detail focused is imprisoned by the narrow view of the materialistic world. The best concept from the wonderful book of the Little Prince is the teaching that often the most important things in our lives are not material, visible or measurable. Everything material and visible is supported by the underlying invisible and hidden. Therefore, it can be argued that the most important things in our lives are not “things”.

Seven Spiritual Facets for the 21st Century

The Magnificent Seven Spiritual Facets for the 21^st Century

1 Concepts and Principals are of the utmost importance. To develop and strive spiritually we must make hard distinctions of these ideas and details. Details are sometimes unknown and they can remain so. If your mind is questioning details and can not readily accept the Concepts and Principles in peace; then you are NOT READY.

A perfect example to this occult fact is the very existence of Jesus. Did he really live? Was he an historical figure? I do not know. This was the hardest thing for me to digest in my path. But, I have leaned about the Christ Principle. I am no longer concerned about the details and the “facts”, as they are unimportant, and we can never be certain but only speculate. But focusing on the Principles made me see the Truth and the importance of this facet.

2 Everything is an Illusion. The Universe, Nature, time and space and all the other laws of physics are part of a dream. It is an elaborate, all too realistic dream. The good news is that since reality as we know it, is an illusion, controlling and shaping it becomes very possible. The self and the ego are part of this illusion and individuality and separateness are the results.

Wake up! The price is the ability to see it all clearly and correctly. Enlightenment is synonymous of waking up… and the biggest paradox is that this illusion has certain rules, just as in our everyday reoccurring dream, when we often figured out a trick. To do something; to wake up in our perceived reality there are a certain set of rules, such as reincarnation and karma, that might help you in waking…

3 All paths lead to the same destination. Does not matter what you call your teaching it will eventually lead you to the right path. It may take you lifetimes to get there but any teaching is better than remaining stagnant and in ignorance. Paradoxically, this even applies to dark teachings. They are very dangerous and I do not recommend anyone to dabble in them. It can set you back eons but essentially they are better than remaining a “spiritual cavemen”. The dark teachings and white magic are essentially based on the same Universal Principles.

4 It does not matter what you believe in. Your mind creates your own “reality”. What you think, it is. This can be better understood if you think of your “reality” as a dream within a dream. Your mind is your most influential weapon or tool if you use it properly and free it. You can free your mind by applying facet number 2. Do not think, but be aware and let the Cosmos guide you. Let your higher-self guide you. Think less and be more aware. Your mind can create miracles. It can heal you and others. It can set you free from the robotic script you call your former life. Your thoughts can literality manifest objects.

5 Observation and Selfless Acts are more important than Thoughts or Words. Words and thoughts vibrate and they have powers and are of high importance but actions preceded by thoughts are trumping them. For the purposes of teaching the esoteric, the infinite no-beginning- no-end, the transcendental must be divided into compartments. Just so the Master chooses to explain ‘things’ with a reference point, for those that need a reference point, just as we cannot write a sentence without a beginning or end… This will limit the usefulness of books and oratory skills and elevate kindness, love, the arts, music to a higher level. Observe that we do not interfere with your own self.  Act deliberately for the common good of men and your powers will multiply.

6 Meditation and clean living (no smoking & no alcohol) can help you. There is something I call active meditation. It is an exercise in constant awareness and focusing. You do not need to spend time sitting and meditating, rather, all waking and dream state is time spent in self-actualization. Being centered is the ultimate goal. The Buddhists call this right mindfulness.

7 Be Selective. Choose your actions, friends and colleagues well; be wise who you hang out, associate and do business with. Discriminate in what you read, watch or listen to. We have long forgotten the merit of this since it is not politically correct in America. This does not mean I recommend political and religious discrimination, because everyone has the right and the duty to be selective in this manner and it is natural. Like attracts like! This does not mean to judge people quickly based on outer, superficial factors as social strata, color of their skin, outer looks, mannerism or clothing. DO not be superficial but you do have the right to be selective.

In my humble opinion, understanding and using these seven principles will take you long way towards self realization.