| For those who are unfamiliar with the Hindu | | | | that want you to "convert" start asking you |
| gods, Ganesha is the elephant-headed god of | | | | to give up all the others. I'm not giving up |
| overcoming obstacles. He also happens to be | | | | Ganesha. But I'm not giving up Jesus either. |
| the patron god of writers. Apparently | | | | Or Mary or Archangel Michael or the Buddha or |
| writer's block has been around for quite some | | | | Kwan Yin for that matter.I believe in the One |
| time.I realize that a belief in multiple | | | | True God, and I believe in all His vast and |
| "gods" is considered sacrilegious by some. | | | | beautiful religions. I guess that makes me a |
| Both Christians and Muslims, for example, are | | | | pan-religious monotheist.If that sounds like |
| quite strict about their belief in the One | | | | a mouthful, you could call me a Christian |
| True God. But these arguments have arisen | | | | Buddhist Hindu Gaian follower of the Tao.I |
| more from semantics than from any underlying | | | | don't mention Judaism or Islam because I |
| philosophical divide. Even if there is only | | | | haven't yet felt called to study much about |
| One God, still there are many aspects of | | | | them, but I do believe in Moses and Abraham |
| God--truth, justice, honor, integrity, trust, | | | | and I do believe that Muhammad was a True |
| faith, joy, peace... Using the word "god" to | | | | Prophet. I just don't see what all the fuss |
| depict the Hindu representations of the | | | | is about in refusing to "take sides."Somehow |
| divine is really a misrepresentation of Hindu | | | | I can't see the Great Masters of Earth all |
| beliefs.Hindus believe that all reality is | | | | standing around in heaven arguing with each |
| One. There is only One God because there is | | | | other. As far as I'm concerned, they're |
| only One Everything. So I'm perfectly happy | | | | standing around together and shaking their |
| to call Ganesha the divine aspect of Mighty | | | | heads in perplexity."They just aren't getting |
| Faith--just one of many aspects of the One | | | | it," they're saying to each other. "What are |
| True God--if that will keep us all on the | | | | we going to do about all this arguing? That's |
| same page.Here's a little prayer I wrote | | | | not what we were trying to do at all!"The |
| myself that I like to offer up to Ganesha | | | | real problem is this underlying attitude we |
| whenever I'm stuck on a writing project: | | | | hold to so tightly--this belief that one |
| "Beloved and Mighty Ganesha... I'm stuck... | | | | thing always has to be better than another. |
| Please help me... Amen."Hey, if anyone in the | | | | Why can't we accept the fact that everything |
| Heavens is going to accept a minimalist | | | | has its place? "For everything there is a |
| prayer, it's Ganesha. Writer's bock is His | | | | season, and a time for every matter under |
| Thing. I'm sure he understands.If you happen | | | | heaven..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Well there's a |
| to know that I was born in New Jersey to | | | | purpose for every matter under heaven too. |
| Caucasian parents and that I am currently | | | | And it's time we made a little room in our |
| writing this blog from the heart of the Bible | | | | minds--and in our hearts--for that idea.So |
| Belt, you might wonder what I'm doing praying | | | | here's a prayer for the world tonight, |
| to an elephant-headed Hindu | | | | another prayer I wrote myself, and I offer it |
| god-slash-divine-aspect in the first | | | | up to the Heavens in all earnestness:"Beloved |
| place.Well, I read a lot. Hinduism is the | | | | One True God,in all Your myriad Divine |
| world's third largest religion, after | | | | Aspects,please help us all who walk the |
| Christianity and Islam, with over 800,000,000 | | | | Earthto learn to Love, Honor, and Cherish one |
| followers. The Vedas, The Ramayana, and The | | | | anotherwithout any barriers of fearand |
| Mahabharata--including The Bhagavad Gita--are | | | | without any errors of exception,as You have |
| all available on Read enough about Hinduism | | | | in Your Infinite Wisdomsent so many of Your |
| and eventually you'll run across Ganesha, | | | | childrento teach us to do in Your |
| also known as Ganesh or Ganapati.If you're a | | | | name."Amen.--EM Sky has been a math |
| writer, and you discover a god for overcoming | | | | instructor for The Johns Hopkins University, |
| writer's block, you file that information | | | | a special effects technician in Hollywood, a |
| away, just in case. If you pray to that god | | | | project manager for BellSouth, and a rock |
| and you start writing again, that's what's | | | | climbing instructor in Atlanta. She even |
| known as conversion.But in all seriousness I | | | | tried being a lawyer for a while, but |
| haven't converted to Hinduism. I don't see | | | | fortunately she came to her senses. Now she |
| the need. In fact, I refuse to belong to any | | | | is an author, writing on business, life, and |
| one religion because after a while, the ones | | | | society for the whole human being. |