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Living a True and Noble Life
Following Dharma |
Foundation Three
I commit to living a true and noble life, one that’s in alignment with Spirit and the laws of nature.
A true and noble life is one where my life (my will, thoughts, and actions) are in alignment with my own being, with Spirit, with the laws of nature, and with Life itself. When my life is aligned in such a way all the dimensions of my being are supported and infused with grace. Thus, understanding Spirit and the laws of nature, and living my life accordingly, is the path to a true and noble life, an authentic life, a life of truth, beauty, and wonder.
I will honor myself and others. I will be truthful and sincere in my actions. I will be impeccable in my word. I will be someone whom others can trust and rely upon, and whom they will feel safe and supported by when being around me. I will dwell on what I want (as opposed to avoiding what I don’t want). I will shift my life toward the dimension of life that is positive, uplifting, and life-affirming while also accepting those parts of myself that are not so positive or out of alignment with Spirit. My relationship to life and others will not be based on “what can I get?” but “what can I give?”
Dharma / Alignment with Natural Law
“Where there is dharma, there is victory.” --The Mahabharata
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33
The Sanskrit term dharma can be understood as “action that is in alignment with Spirit and the natural laws of the universe”—and these are actions that are truthful, righteous, noble, and beneficial. Dharma can also be understood as natural law, as the laws that sustain the universe; as the truth; as the way things work and function when in accord with their own nature; and, on a personal level, as one’s life’s calling.
Everything has its own dharma, its true and natural way of being. The dharma of water is to flow; the dharma of the sun is to shine; the dharma of a pine tree is to grow in a certain way. If nature went against its dharma there would be chaos and nothing could evolve to a higher level of being. Likewise, in our own lives, whenever we live in accord with dharma (with the natural laws that govern the universe and our own existence) we prosper, we evolve, we gain power, we become more alive, and we come into our own being; and whenever we go against dharma—either wittingly or unwittingly—we falter, we experience dis-ease, we are out of sorts, we are weakened, we are in disharmony. Thus, in every case, it’s fundamental to our growth and well-being to know the principles of dharma and live our lives in accord with those principles or, at least, to keep inclining ourselves in that direction.
Dharma (or universal law) is consistent throughout every level of creation. The laws that govern a drop of water are the same laws that govern an ocean of water. Likewise, the laws that govern the universe are also the same laws that govern each person’s life; or, as the Hermetic dictum says, “As above so below; as below, so above.”
Dharma is central to our existence and provides the foundation for our lives. Thus, understanding dharma and aligning our lives with dharma is essential for success on both the human and spiritual levels. As the famous line from the Indian classic goes, "Where there is dharma there is victory."
The Twelve Foundations might be understood as “The Twelve Dharmas”—the twelve principles of life, the twelve truths, the twelve approaches that that support and enhance our life.
Questions and Answers
What are the actions of a true and noble life? What are actions in accord with dharma?
Actions that are truthful, actions that are honest, actions that help and support others, actions that align us with our highest self and the qualities of Spirit. Dharmic actions are always beneficial and uplifting. The very nature of Spirit is love, thus any action based on love is dharmic. Any action that brings about more freedom, joy, abundance, and beauty is a dharmic action. Honesty, humility, truthfulness, compassion, gratitude, generosity, as well as one-pointedness, perseverance, discipline, and enthusiasm are all actions of dharma—and these actions provide the foundation of a true and victorious life.
Sometimes people don’t know what to do or which action to take. In that case the answer is simple: do what is in accord with dharma. Do as Spirit does, take the action that aligns you most fully with Spirit. Some people find it helpful to think about how a sage or saint might act in a given situation and then act in the same way. This might be beneficial, however, if taken literally, it can have its problems: Zusya was a great servant of the Lord but he never reached a state of true realization. When he died and appeared before God, he said, “O how I wished I had been more like Moses,” to which God replied, “O how I wish you had been more like Zusya.”
If you look at most of the world’s scriptures, with all their stories and commands, what is it about? It’s an instruction about how to best live in this world; it’s telling you about a way to live that puts you in touch with the truth, and your own highest self, and God. It’s about dharma. If you are in touch with the wisdom of your heart, if you already know dharma, then all your actions will be guided. You need not rely on outer instructions or scriptural injunctions. All those wide-ranging commands and directives on how to live in this world would just be commentaries on what you already know.
“That which is hateful to you, do not do unto another: this is the whole Torah.
The rest is commentary.” — Hillel
You mentioned a line from the Indian scripture,The Mahabharata, that says, “Where there is dharma, there is victory.” What does victory mean in this regard?
Victory can be understood as success. Spirit is ever-victorious since there is nothing in the universe than can oppose it. In The Mahabharata, when this line was spoken, it referred to victory in battle: whatever side Lord Krishna was on was assured victory because Krishna was the embodiment of Dharma itself (and dharma is always victorious). When a person is aligned with dharma he has the whole universe on his side and he is, on all levels, victorious. Victory in this context means success. Success means a life filled with joy, happiness, fulfillment, abundance, etc. It can also mean overcoming obstacles and outer victory as well.
So this is more about inner victory than outer victory but I suppose when you’re aligned with dharma that it supports both inner and outer victory.
Yes. We’ve been talking about dharma and action in alignment with Spirit—and this not only applies to outer action but to the attitude and intention a person has when performing an action. Giving to another person with the hidden feeling that such an action will accrue some kind of merit, or that such an action is dharmic and so it should be done, is not dharmic action. It’s a self-serving show of dharma; it’s an action that has the appearance of being “good” and dharmic but it’s one where the heart is missing, where Spirit is missing—and whenever an action is missing in Spirit that action cannot bring true benefit, that action cannot lead to true or lasting victory.
Some people seek to be happy, or prosper, or gain something for themselves, and to accomplish this end they go against dharma. To bring seeming benefit to themselves they may cheat, lie, break their promise, short-change someone in business, or take advantage of someone’s weakness. But such action is void of Spirit and so are the results that come from such actions. I can’t say that the money (or advantage) a person might gain from such action is cursed but I don’t see how that money can really help the person who gets it or anyone else. Tell me, can victory or success or anything good ever come from actions that go against dharma, that go against the truth, that go against the very nature of the universe itself? No. Never. Not ever.
Doing God’s Will
Many people seek to know and follow God’s will. It appears to me that following dharma, living a true and noble life, also relates to following God’s will. How does the notion of doing God’s will relate to this?
In order to align our will with that of Spirit, or “do God’s will,” we must be clear about the nature of God (or Spirit) and who we are in relationship to God (or Spirit). How can we surrender ourselves to God if we do not know who we are or to what we are surrendering? … A person who is weak, who thinks of himself as powerlessness, who feels that he is a sinner, who just wants to give up (hoping some Higher Power will take care of everything for him) cannot really do God’s will or surrender to God. God is not able to accept that kind of surrender because such a state is out of sync with God’s nature. Doing God’s will, being in a state of true surrender requires inner resolve and strength; we must come into full possession of ourselves, and be aligned with God, before we can truly give ourselves in service to God’s glory.
What is God’s will anyway? What moves God to act? The simple answer—consistent with various traditions throughout the world—is that God’s will is to experience more and more of His own nature, which means His will is to be ever-more joyous, alive, loving, abundant, and beautiful. And, as a result of that Will, all of creation comes into being. We, as human beings, as centers of God’s glory, have come into existence to help bring about that Will, to allow God to experience more and more of His own divine qualities. And we do this by experiencing that self-same joy, aliveness, abundance, fullness, and beauty in and through our own lives. God’s will for us is that we experience more and more of our own nature. This is the will that God has for Himself and this is the only will that God can have for us. God seeks to experience more and more of His own nature—His love, power, abundance, and beauty—through us. He can only experience these qualities of His own nature through us. That is why we, as individuals, are essential to God; that is why we are so precious to God.
__________________ ◊ ◊ ◊ __________________
I commit to living a true and noble life, one that’s in alignment with Spirit and the laws of nature.
A true and noble life is one where my life (my will, thoughts, and actions) are in alignment with my own being, with Spirit, with the laws of nature, and with Life itself. When my life is aligned in such a way all the dimensions of my being are supported and infused with grace. Thus, understanding Spirit and the laws of nature, and living my life accordingly, is the path to a true and noble life, an authentic life, a life of truth, beauty, and wonder.
I will honor myself and others. I will be truthful and sincere in my actions. I will be impeccable in my word. I will be someone whom others can trust and rely upon, and whom they will feel safe and supported by when being around me. I will dwell on what I want (as opposed to avoiding what I don’t want). I will shift my life toward the dimension of life that is positive, uplifting, and life-affirming while also accepting those parts of myself that are not so positive or out of alignment with Spirit. My relationship to life and others will not be based on “what can I get?” but “what can I give?”
Dharma / Alignment with Natural Law
“Where there is dharma, there is victory.” --The Mahabharata
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33
The Sanskrit term dharma can be understood as “action that is in alignment with Spirit and the natural laws of the universe”—and these are actions that are truthful, righteous, noble, and beneficial. Dharma can also be understood as natural law, as the laws that sustain the universe; as the truth; as the way things work and function when in accord with their own nature; and, on a personal level, as one’s life’s calling.
Everything has its own dharma, its true and natural way of being. The dharma of water is to flow; the dharma of the sun is to shine; the dharma of a pine tree is to grow in a certain way. If nature went against its dharma there would be chaos and nothing could evolve to a higher level of being. Likewise, in our own lives, whenever we live in accord with dharma (with the natural laws that govern the universe and our own existence) we prosper, we evolve, we gain power, we become more alive, and we come into our own being; and whenever we go against dharma—either wittingly or unwittingly—we falter, we experience dis-ease, we are out of sorts, we are weakened, we are in disharmony. Thus, in every case, it’s fundamental to our growth and well-being to know the principles of dharma and live our lives in accord with those principles or, at least, to keep inclining ourselves in that direction.
Dharma (or universal law) is consistent throughout every level of creation. The laws that govern a drop of water are the same laws that govern an ocean of water. Likewise, the laws that govern the universe are also the same laws that govern each person’s life; or, as the Hermetic dictum says, “As above so below; as below, so above.”
Dharma is central to our existence and provides the foundation for our lives. Thus, understanding dharma and aligning our lives with dharma is essential for success on both the human and spiritual levels. As the famous line from the Indian classic goes, "Where there is dharma there is victory."
The Twelve Foundations might be understood as “The Twelve Dharmas”—the twelve principles of life, the twelve truths, the twelve approaches that that support and enhance our life.
Questions and Answers
What are the actions of a true and noble life? What are actions in accord with dharma?
Actions that are truthful, actions that are honest, actions that help and support others, actions that align us with our highest self and the qualities of Spirit. Dharmic actions are always beneficial and uplifting. The very nature of Spirit is love, thus any action based on love is dharmic. Any action that brings about more freedom, joy, abundance, and beauty is a dharmic action. Honesty, humility, truthfulness, compassion, gratitude, generosity, as well as one-pointedness, perseverance, discipline, and enthusiasm are all actions of dharma—and these actions provide the foundation of a true and victorious life.
Sometimes people don’t know what to do or which action to take. In that case the answer is simple: do what is in accord with dharma. Do as Spirit does, take the action that aligns you most fully with Spirit. Some people find it helpful to think about how a sage or saint might act in a given situation and then act in the same way. This might be beneficial, however, if taken literally, it can have its problems: Zusya was a great servant of the Lord but he never reached a state of true realization. When he died and appeared before God, he said, “O how I wished I had been more like Moses,” to which God replied, “O how I wish you had been more like Zusya.”
If you look at most of the world’s scriptures, with all their stories and commands, what is it about? It’s an instruction about how to best live in this world; it’s telling you about a way to live that puts you in touch with the truth, and your own highest self, and God. It’s about dharma. If you are in touch with the wisdom of your heart, if you already know dharma, then all your actions will be guided. You need not rely on outer instructions or scriptural injunctions. All those wide-ranging commands and directives on how to live in this world would just be commentaries on what you already know.
“That which is hateful to you, do not do unto another: this is the whole Torah.
The rest is commentary.” — Hillel
You mentioned a line from the Indian scripture,The Mahabharata, that says, “Where there is dharma, there is victory.” What does victory mean in this regard?
Victory can be understood as success. Spirit is ever-victorious since there is nothing in the universe than can oppose it. In The Mahabharata, when this line was spoken, it referred to victory in battle: whatever side Lord Krishna was on was assured victory because Krishna was the embodiment of Dharma itself (and dharma is always victorious). When a person is aligned with dharma he has the whole universe on his side and he is, on all levels, victorious. Victory in this context means success. Success means a life filled with joy, happiness, fulfillment, abundance, etc. It can also mean overcoming obstacles and outer victory as well.
So this is more about inner victory than outer victory but I suppose when you’re aligned with dharma that it supports both inner and outer victory.
Yes. We’ve been talking about dharma and action in alignment with Spirit—and this not only applies to outer action but to the attitude and intention a person has when performing an action. Giving to another person with the hidden feeling that such an action will accrue some kind of merit, or that such an action is dharmic and so it should be done, is not dharmic action. It’s a self-serving show of dharma; it’s an action that has the appearance of being “good” and dharmic but it’s one where the heart is missing, where Spirit is missing—and whenever an action is missing in Spirit that action cannot bring true benefit, that action cannot lead to true or lasting victory.
Some people seek to be happy, or prosper, or gain something for themselves, and to accomplish this end they go against dharma. To bring seeming benefit to themselves they may cheat, lie, break their promise, short-change someone in business, or take advantage of someone’s weakness. But such action is void of Spirit and so are the results that come from such actions. I can’t say that the money (or advantage) a person might gain from such action is cursed but I don’t see how that money can really help the person who gets it or anyone else. Tell me, can victory or success or anything good ever come from actions that go against dharma, that go against the truth, that go against the very nature of the universe itself? No. Never. Not ever.
Doing God’s Will
Many people seek to know and follow God’s will. It appears to me that following dharma, living a true and noble life, also relates to following God’s will. How does the notion of doing God’s will relate to this?
In order to align our will with that of Spirit, or “do God’s will,” we must be clear about the nature of God (or Spirit) and who we are in relationship to God (or Spirit). How can we surrender ourselves to God if we do not know who we are or to what we are surrendering? … A person who is weak, who thinks of himself as powerlessness, who feels that he is a sinner, who just wants to give up (hoping some Higher Power will take care of everything for him) cannot really do God’s will or surrender to God. God is not able to accept that kind of surrender because such a state is out of sync with God’s nature. Doing God’s will, being in a state of true surrender requires inner resolve and strength; we must come into full possession of ourselves, and be aligned with God, before we can truly give ourselves in service to God’s glory.
What is God’s will anyway? What moves God to act? The simple answer—consistent with various traditions throughout the world—is that God’s will is to experience more and more of His own nature, which means His will is to be ever-more joyous, alive, loving, abundant, and beautiful. And, as a result of that Will, all of creation comes into being. We, as human beings, as centers of God’s glory, have come into existence to help bring about that Will, to allow God to experience more and more of His own divine qualities. And we do this by experiencing that self-same joy, aliveness, abundance, fullness, and beauty in and through our own lives. God’s will for us is that we experience more and more of our own nature. This is the will that God has for Himself and this is the only will that God can have for us. God seeks to experience more and more of His own nature—His love, power, abundance, and beauty—through us. He can only experience these qualities of His own nature through us. That is why we, as individuals, are essential to God; that is why we are so precious to God.
__________________ ◊ ◊ ◊ __________________
