The Idea of God
Reflections Beyond Belief
Bhagat Singh once wrote his famous essay “Why I am an Atheist.” That question - why believe or not believe in God? - has echoed in my mind too. For centuries, people have wrestled with it, especially when confronted with suffering and tragedy. If God exists, why is there so much pain in the world?
It’s a valid and deeply human question. Scriptures from different traditions have tried to answer in their own ways, and my own practice has added a perspective I wish to share - not to persuade, but simply to reflect together.
Why Suffering Exists
The Gita and other texts describe suffering not as punishment from God but as the unfolding of karmic samskaras, i.e. the impressions left by our past actions or births. Earth itself operates by certain rules, and karma is one of them.
Samskaras are also of different types. Some samskaras bring joy, others bring hardship. Through meditation, especially the Heartfulness practice I follow, I’ve come to see how deeply they shape our lives. There are ways to lighten their impact - like the cleaning practice in Heartfulness, but some suffering is simply part of life’s design.
At times, it feels impossible to escape. Then the question becomes: how do we navigate it?
The truth is, very few take this path seriously because it is not easy. Accepting suffering as a gift of God sounds like a hard pill to swallow - and an even harder practice. But believe me, when you walk this path, the burden begins to ease.
Through practice, you learn to look at your pain differently. Instead of resisting, you begin to accept. Instead of despair, you begin to mourn with a kind of inner peace. And slowly, suffering itself becomes a doorway to acceptance. This acceptance is not passive resignation - it is strength. It brings you to a state where life, with all its joys and tragedies, feels lighter, and you start embracing it as it comes.
Beyond the Image of God
For me, God is not a person sitting in judgment, handing out rewards or punishments. God is not bound by mind or form. Even when scriptures describe creation or the Big Bang or, in Heartfulness tradition, the “first ring” emerging from the Central Region, they point toward something vast, not someone with human-like will or form. Even calling it formless is limiting. You see, this is by design - you cannot explain it.
So, how it works - think of it as a kingdom: just as our world has leaders, so too the universe is guided by great beings, saints, and masters. Still, God remains impartial. To the Divine, the saint and the murderer are equal.
The God Within
Every scripture tells us: God is within you. Yet most of us look outside - to temples, mosques, churches, idols, rituals. That’s often how we were conditioned, not anyone’s fault. Few dare to question, and fewer break free.
Many often use ‘Religion’ and ‘Spirituality’ interchangeably, but they are not the same. Religion is a starting point - it proves the hypothesis that “there is something greater.” But true spirituality begins where religion ends. As one of the great saints who has walked on this earth, Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur - fondly remembered as Babuji - once said:
“When religion ends, spirituality begins. When spirituality ends, reality begins. When reality ends, true bliss begins - and even that also ends. When even that has disappeared, we have reached the goal.”
If we remain bound by dogma and external symbols, we may live ethically and even be considered good by society’s standards, but we are not yet spiritual. Spirituality asks for something deeper - it begins only when we step beyond these external layers and start experiencing the truth within ourselves.
Honest Doubt vs Blind Belief
My spiritual guide, Kamlesh D Patel- fondly known as “Daaji” - often said atheists are sometimes closer to the truth than the blindly religious. At least they are honest - they have not experienced God, and they admit it. How many people can truly say they have seen or experienced God? A fraction of a fraction. Most who claim otherwise are deceiving themselves or others.
And even if someone did experience the Divine, how would others recognize it? If Lord Krishna himself walked among us today, how many would see him for who he truly is? Until our consciousness matures, moving beyond the surface mind into the subconscious and eventually the superconscious, we remain unable to perceive the deeper reality.
Living the Wisdom
Scriptures like the Gita, Guru Granth Sahib, Bible or Quran are filled with wisdom, they are holy, no doubt - but they are also records of someone else’s experience. Reading them is not enough. We must apply their teachings and make our own discoveries.
It’s like science: a hypothesis means nothing unless tested. Spirituality is the same. Meditation, inner inquiry, practice - these are the experiments. Only then do we begin to understand.
Closing Thoughts
These reflections are not final answers. They are simply my experiences, born from practice and contemplation. I don’t expect anyone to agree, nor do I claim authority.
But if there is one thing I’ve learned, it is this: stop looking outside for God. Look within. Try, experiment, practice. Then see where it takes you.
The only way is to begin. Start your inner journey!
Inspiring. And so well structured. The most mysterious concept, God, can also be expressed with experience and simplicity. Thank you Amandeep for sharing this.
Very well articulated. Highly inspiring.