1. With such an overabundance of
information available, why do we still wonder
who and what we are and who God is?
information available, why do we still wonder
who and what we are and who God is?
2. The word “enlightenment” means
many different things to people. What is the
meaning given in QPS, and how does that
differ from what you thought enlightenment
meant?
many different things to people. What is the
meaning given in QPS, and how does that
differ from what you thought enlightenment
meant?
3. What sage advice did the Buddha
give concerning information and how can
we apply it today?
give concerning information and how can
we apply it today?
What’s New?
Study Questions
Today's discussion:
Chapter One :
Questions for Quantum Prodigal Son
The topic will change
regularly. Check back often!
Check the archives page for
previous topics.
regularly. Check back often!
Check the archives page for
previous topics.
Watch this space. More
questions are coming!
questions are coming!
| Copyright © 2007 Oroborus Books Lee and Steven Hager |
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Benefits of Gratitude
Gratitude is defined as “the state of being
grateful,” that is, to be “appreciative of
benefits received.” Gratitude is a positive
thing for everyone involved. It benefits the giver
by letting them know the gift is valued and
appreciated. It’s good for the receiver because a
typical outcome of gratitude is joy or happiness.
It just feels good.
To whom should we feel gratitude and for what?
The answer to this is amazingly simple: to
everyone for everything. Why? Because there
is no experience we can have in life that is
valueless. If nothing else, an experience may
teach us that we don’t want more experiences
like that one. Gratitude gives us the opportunity
to make different choices next time and avoid
the same outcome.
Gratitude seems to come in two flavors. First
there is a purely intellectual gratitude, which is
fine for use when thanking the server who brings
our meal at the restaurant. Second, there is a
gratitude that is augmented by emotion. This
gratitude is by far superior to the first. This is so
because emotion adds a lot of flavor to the
action. Imagine a beautiful mountain meadow.
Now imagine it in black and white. Which one is
more appealing? Emotion is much like the color
in a picture versus one without color. Now we
begin to understand the value of emotion in
gratitude. Emotion animates and energizes
gratitude.
Now we understand who benefits from gratitude
and the importance of emotion. But there is a
spiritual element to gratitude that
completes the picture. This final element is
“surrender.” This is a very unpopular word,
especially in Western cultures. To us surrender
implies giving up, throwing in the towel,
conceding as the loser. The spiritual sense
implied here is very different. It is the yielding of
ones “right” to decide to another with more
knowledge and understanding. Most of us have
given this kind of power to professionals (i.e.,
doctors, dentists, teachers, lawyers, etc) that we
recognize have more expertise in a given area
than we do. Even though we regularly
surrender to professionals, we hesitate
when surrendering to God because we see
this as fearful. Spiritual surrender means
getting ourselves out of the way so that Spirit
can get in there and make all of the right things
happen. Since very often we are not aware of
what is in our best interest, it is highly beneficial
for us to “surrender” to Spirit. True spiritual
gratitude means knowing even before we
turn something over to spirit, that it will
inevitably turn out for the best.
grateful,” that is, to be “appreciative of
benefits received.” Gratitude is a positive
thing for everyone involved. It benefits the giver
by letting them know the gift is valued and
appreciated. It’s good for the receiver because a
typical outcome of gratitude is joy or happiness.
It just feels good.
To whom should we feel gratitude and for what?
The answer to this is amazingly simple: to
everyone for everything. Why? Because there
is no experience we can have in life that is
valueless. If nothing else, an experience may
teach us that we don’t want more experiences
like that one. Gratitude gives us the opportunity
to make different choices next time and avoid
the same outcome.
Gratitude seems to come in two flavors. First
there is a purely intellectual gratitude, which is
fine for use when thanking the server who brings
our meal at the restaurant. Second, there is a
gratitude that is augmented by emotion. This
gratitude is by far superior to the first. This is so
because emotion adds a lot of flavor to the
action. Imagine a beautiful mountain meadow.
Now imagine it in black and white. Which one is
more appealing? Emotion is much like the color
in a picture versus one without color. Now we
begin to understand the value of emotion in
gratitude. Emotion animates and energizes
gratitude.
Now we understand who benefits from gratitude
and the importance of emotion. But there is a
spiritual element to gratitude that
completes the picture. This final element is
“surrender.” This is a very unpopular word,
especially in Western cultures. To us surrender
implies giving up, throwing in the towel,
conceding as the loser. The spiritual sense
implied here is very different. It is the yielding of
ones “right” to decide to another with more
knowledge and understanding. Most of us have
given this kind of power to professionals (i.e.,
doctors, dentists, teachers, lawyers, etc) that we
recognize have more expertise in a given area
than we do. Even though we regularly
surrender to professionals, we hesitate
when surrendering to God because we see
this as fearful. Spiritual surrender means
getting ourselves out of the way so that Spirit
can get in there and make all of the right things
happen. Since very often we are not aware of
what is in our best interest, it is highly beneficial
for us to “surrender” to Spirit. True spiritual
gratitude means knowing even before we
turn something over to spirit, that it will
inevitably turn out for the best.
Chapter Two :
1. What is the brain's first priority and
what problem does this cause?
what problem does this cause?
2. What is a paradigm shift, and what is
needed before we will accept such a shift?
needed before we will accept such a shift?
3. What is Newtonian physics and how
has it shaped our world? How has it shaped
the generally accepted view of God?
has it shaped our world? How has it shaped
the generally accepted view of God?
4. How have quantum discoveries
changed the way we understand the world?
If we had a microscope that was powerful
enough, what would we see at the most
elemental level of the universe?
changed the way we understand the world?
If we had a microscope that was powerful
enough, what would we see at the most
elemental level of the universe?
Chapter Three:
1. Who does the father represent in
Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son?
2. What makes up the largest part of the
universe and what is important about it?
3. How do photons prove that shared
consciousness exists?
4. What was God's first creation, and
what did God use as the materials of
creation?
5. What is the "anthropic principle" and
what does it tell us about the earth?
Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son?
2. What makes up the largest part of the
universe and what is important about it?
3. How do photons prove that shared
consciousness exists?
4. What was God's first creation, and
what did God use as the materials of
creation?
5. What is the "anthropic principle" and
what does it tell us about the earth?