My general problem with monotheism is the way it leads people to seek a “singular” way to seek God. Many people end up studying the nature of their singular God, then trying to reflect it, and criticizing any deviation from their limited perception of “goodness” in themselves and others.
It’s not a matter of “Is there one God or not?” Such questions are beyond us. Bu
t even if we are to presume there is only one God, not a single one of us is capable of understanding the nature of God, nor reflecting its totality in ourselves. The best we can do is to embrace the gifts we were given, and offer those gifts to others, while equally appreciating the gifts that were given to others, and humbly accepting when others offer their gifts to us. Simply put, it is humble, loving, and most importantly, honest, to admit that we don’t know what “Godliness” means in totality, and that no singular one of us is capable of reflecting goodness in all aspects.
t even if we are to presume there is only one God, not a single one of us is capable of understanding the nature of God, nor reflecting its totality in ourselves. The best we can do is to embrace the gifts we were given, and offer those gifts to others, while equally appreciating the gifts that were given to others, and humbly accepting when others offer their gifts to us. Simply put, it is humble, loving, and most importantly, honest, to admit that we don’t know what “Godliness” means in totality, and that no singular one of us is capable of reflecting goodness in all aspects.Personally, I prefer to focus on studies that are clear to my own eye, rather than pie-in-the-sky theories about God and otherworldly entities. If we are created in God’s image, then it makes sense to embrace the philosophy “As above, so below.”
So, that leads me to embrace the study of archetypes. In this study, many aspects of life are considered equally worthy of veneration and criticism. There’s still room for monotheism here – because, in the end, the ideal is to achieve a balance of all the archetypal energies. Thus a social circle is most Godly if there is a respectful balance of different archetypal energies among the people.
Some people may specialize in specific archetypal energies while others may balance many energies by themselves. Either style is fine, because the end goal is for the whole world to balance itself. For example, someone like me might specialize in Eros energy, while someone else may specialize in Pragma energy, and then the two of us balance each other simply by existing in the same social circle, and influencing the circle, without having to change our own focus. By learning to embody the higher vibration of the energy that speaks to us, and allowing it to resonate through us, we influence others to experience that energy in a more wholesome and beautiful way.
This is why I see myself as a vessel through which Eros emerges, and why I strive to embody the highest possible vibration of Eros. Equally, I welcome challenges that emerge from people who embody other energies. May we each refine one another!!
In my community – which values and studies archetypes – I’ve found that the gifts of our own nature end up being useful and inspiring to others. To take this further, the most essential key to my personal ‘religion’ would be to encourage people to recognize and embrace their true nature, and to understand that this nature is one among many which all have potential to vibrate on high frequencies and contribute valuable lessons to the rest of us. This way, there may be self-love and appreciation for ourselves just as we are, as well as harmony between people with many different gifts. But we also may critique ourselves and each other — not by shaming one another for who we are, but rather, by asking ourselves and each other: are you embodying the highest potentials of your archetype? (Needless to say, it is only possible to address this if we all agree to take the study of archetypes seriously and focus on authentic discernments between them, so we gain distance from personal criticism by honoring the archetypal ‘scripture’ which we all interpret together, and use equally to measure our progress.) This leads to a more natural path to self improvement. We are not asking anyone to be something other than they are, but simply helping them to recognize their gifts and encouraging them to embrace them more astutely. If we all strive to do this, then in the end, the group balances many archetypes, and that balance reflects God.
