Beyond the Veil: Reconnecting with the Divine Within

Synopsis

Are you questioning the traditional narratives of faith? Do you feel a yearning for a deeper connection to the divine, yet find yourself at odds with the doctrines of organized religion? 'Beyond the Veil' invites you on an introspective journey to redefine your understanding of God and spirituality. Ray West, drawing from years of contemplation and observation, posits that our perception of the divine is often limited by narrow, man-made constructs. This book challenges the conventional views of an external, judgmental deity, suggesting instead that the true essence of God resides within us and permeates the universe as an indivisible force of Oneness. This inspirational work encourages readers to move beyond dogma and embrace a personal, authentic relationship with the divine. Through a stream-of-consciousness exploration, West delves into the limitations of religious frameworks, highlighting how they can create division rather than unity. He guides you to discover the inherent security, unconditional love, and sense of belonging that come from recognizing your own spiritual nature and your connection to the greater cosmic whole. 'Beyond the Veil' is for anyone seeking to expand their spiritual horizons, understand the universe on a more profound level, and awaken to the truth of their own divine essence. With all my many years on this planet, I have searched for the answers to many of the questions that have alluded me, and many others as well. There is one thing that I have noticed. When people are questioned about their belief in God, a lot of them seem to have a very skewed and narrow view of what God is really supposed to be; inextricably, many of them were linked to some sort of organized religion. When they cannot reconcile that narrow view with their own belief system, they state that they do not believe in God and therefore have no direct relationship with the divine creator. That relationship may still be a lingering desire deep within them, as it could very well bring them a sense of security, unconditional love, support at times of need and a sense of belonging and knowledge of being connected to a higher source, but it would constitute a lie to oneself and can therefore not be properly maintained in a religious system that has relied on faith for thousands of years. Many who claim they are non-believers, however, are still left with the thoughts and feelings that there is something bigger than us, something they would like to connect to at some divine level, just not within the traditional context of organized religion. As I see it, there are many ways to approach the concept of God, and organized religion is just one of them. Organized religion generally posits that we are fashioned and created out of the image of God, usually male, an omnipotent (all-powerful and all-knowing) being who rules the world and the universe and all that is in it, and who, by allowing human beings the freedom of choice and free will to dictate their lives as they see fit. I personally believe that this is a very limited view of God. To many, this God may not be omnipotent; there seem to be enormous shortcomings to his power if he is incapable of granting forgiveness to a repenting soul, without an intervening human representative (e.g., priest or pope) acting on his behalf. This God is may not be omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time) either. In this respect, he is absent in Limbo, absent in Hell for eternity, and absent until access has been granted through a baptism, again performed by an officially assigned human representative. Choice and free will are relative, here: ‘you do as I say, or you will burn in Hell for eternity’. After death, this God refuses shelter to anyone who has not abided by his rules; the concept of forgiveness is short-lived. Access to heaven is, up to a certain point, simply luck of the draw. It is not granted based on your contribution to the world as a caring, loving, non-judgmental human being, who is never afraid of helping other people and making right and just decisions, rather than ones driven by personal gain.