I’m in a Heaven state of mind these days.
I’m not waiting to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I feel as though I’m in it – NOW. I’m not the only one as ancient spiritual and philosophical traditions, some of which may be surprising to many, believed that heaven is not something you have to wait until you die to experience.
Across the world’s great spiritual traditions, a profound truth echoes through time: Heaven is not a far-off realm we reach after death—it is a reality available to us here, now, if only we awaken to it.
Christianity – The Gospel of Thomas
In one of the most mystical early Christian texts, the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says:
“Split a piece of wood and I am there. Lift a stone and you will find me.” (Saying 77) and
“His followers said to Him, ‘When will the kingdom come? [Jesus replied] ” it will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘Look, there it is.’ “Rather, the father’s kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people do not see it.” (Saying 113).
This is not a metaphor—it is a direct teaching. The Kingdom is not something to be waited for, but something to be recognized. It is in the grain of the table, in the breath between words, in the beauty of the ordinary. Heaven is not afterlife. It is inner life. The Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you.
Buddhism – Nirvana Is Now
In Buddhism, Nirvana is not a place but a state of being—freedom from illusion and suffering. The Buddha taught that “the world is ablaze,” but it is through mindfulness, right action, and presence that one steps out of suffering and into awakening. The Lotus Sutra proclaims:
“This threefold world is all my domain, and the beings in it are all my children.”
We’re not moving toward enlightenment—we’re waking into it.
Hinduism – Tat Tvam Asi: “Thou Art That”
The Upanishads, ancient spiritual texts of Hinduiksm, declare:
“Tat Tvam Asi” – You are That.
The divine is not separate. The kingdom of the gods is not far off—it pulses in your breath, shines through your eyes, and lives in your soul. The earthly and the eternal are not two. The sacred is in the soil. The phrase conveys the idea that the individual self is not separate from the ultimate reality, but is, in fact, the same consciousness.
Sufism – The Beloved Is Everywhere
The Sufi mystics—poets like Rumi (my favorite poet) and Hafiz—sing of a divine presence that suffuses all things. Rumi wrote:
“I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.”
In the Sufi view, the Beloved is present in every sunrise, every sorrow, every sip of tea. To live spiritually is to fall in love with existence itself.
Open Your Eyes and Live It Now
Consider that Heaven isn’t a destination. It’s a realization.
It’s not out there—it’s right here, in this very breath.
Stop waiting. You are already home.
Open your eyes and you’ll see it.
Open your heart and you’ll feel it.
Live with reverence, and you’ll walk through Heaven daily.
http://www.farthertogether.blog
debbie@livewelltraveloften.com
#HeavenOnEarth #KingdomWithin #GospelOfThomas #TatTvamAsi #SufiWisdom #BuddhistPath #SacredNow #LiveAwake #FartherTogether
Leave a Reply