Religious Living

By Laila de Lys

Transmuted human consciousness marks the evolutionary fruition of homo sapiens. Holistic Consciousness is a work of creation, and as such is God’s gift to humanity through the love and dedication of Phiroz Mehta.

Through a comprehensive historical perspective in both scientific rationalism and the metaphysical world, Holistic Consciousness questions and tries to answer the deep problems of man’s relationship with others and with the environment. Phiroz illustrates his tenets of Love, Harmony and Compassion, giving quotations from the world’s religions and philosophies, illustrating different scientific and religious myths. He places the rational and irrational unconscious element of man’s make-up in perspective, and indicates the danger of man’s position in the twenty-first century, advocating a way for humanity to go.

The author tells us that the root of one’s suffering is one’s own isolative and separative self-consciousness, so most of his teaching has been directed towards showing how to live a “normal” life in such a manner as to transform fragmentary self-consciousness into an all-embracing one.

Truth is not an ego-satisfying reality, but reality unconditioned by our sense of duality; it is a way of life not a school of thought, and can only be understood by being lived. Each human must find his own truth, his own beauty, his own virtue.

Man is the only creature on the globe who has the power to look into his thinking process and re-direct actions which may have a harmful result. Good actions, Phiroz says, are a first step towards the betterment of mankind, our uniqueness will then compel us to find our own way.

In reading Holistic Consciousness, the reader gradually goes through a metamorphosis that enables him to reach for a state that is closer to the truth; from the truth to Truth is man’s destiny.

For all who care to know, Phiroz has performed his duty to the will of God, and shown us a way. He tells us that religious living is in every instant of the day, an action that is total — the whole of the secular life lived virtuously. By virtue we are reminded of the spiritual values of Love, Truth, Wisdom, Beauty and Purity, not the moral humbugs of our society. “The being of the holy one constantly radiates these energies. Many an ordinary man can sense this emanation and experience an unusual, sublime peace; a harmonizing and healing influence.” (Holistic Consciousness, page 88). This is only possible when there is genuine love, that state of mind which transcends all duality, accepts no thing, rejects no thing. Otherwise our discriminative thoughts can only be a barrier to the flow of the light of Transcendence. “Man and God, though existentially separate, are essentially one. Transcendence unceasingly affirms ‘I am God’ through every single atom of its expression.” (Holistic Consciousness, page 5).

Phiroz speaks of Love, not only universal love, but also the privileged relationship between two people, the fire that the celestial hand lights in the soul of man, in which light he who loves finds the loved one. The loveliness and the light of spring eternally recur after winter, so does the charm and beauty of love ever come fresh to consciousness in new forms as the year passes.

Through attunement with the whole of existence we shall then become the polished instrument through which Transcendence will sing the song of eternal life; that song will be utter joy, all-embracing. Only then shall we regain the Garden of Eden.

Phiroz’s work shows compassion for his fellow humans. His message is expressed with urgency.

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