I never understood the Christian idea of original sin and the concept that we are all sinners until I heard a theology professor interpret sin as simply a pulling away from God. Through our human conditioning, we perceive ourselves as separate individuals and lose touch with our connection to Oneness which causes suffering.
To use the much over-used metaphor of the wave and the ocean, we could say that when we are only aware of being the wave, that could be interpreted as living in sin. When we are aware that we are the entire ocean perceiving ourselves as the wave, we are saved.
For the last few weeks I have not been able to do some of my regular spiritual practices or reading and find that I feel more like an isolated wave than the ocean. Things don’t seem quite right. I’m aware that my thinking is different, my body feels more tense, my mind works overtime and my peace is fading.
Does it take constant vigilance and effort to ride the wave and enjoy the ride? At some point shouldn’t the ride become effortless?
The definition of sin is a transgression or violation of divine law. The story goes that we are all born with original sin, there is no escape unless we receive the holy spirit (or whatever the tide-turning event may be).
As a seeker I guess I have been looking for the holy spirit in one form or another….calling it many names. Maybe the answer is just to accept that the nature of a wave is to appear to be separate from the ocean on the surface….underneath there is no difference.
The Retired Seeker 
Indeed.
One more word: Surrender…
“To use the much over-used metaphor of the wave and the ocean, we could say that when we are only aware of being the wave, that could be interpreted as living in sin. When we are aware that we are the entire ocean perceiving ourselves as the wave, we are saved.”
I don’t think I’ve heard that one before. It is such an awesome way to express the relationship between this person-body and the Divine. I’ve tried to express something similar in one of the header images on my site- I’m just one point on an infinite plane, one image among many on a larger canvas. I like your way better.
I also like this amoral interpretation of sin, removing the ‘bad’ label and calling it what it is- a pulling away (incongrunece?) from God/the Divine. It doesn’t deny or downplay the existence of the condition, keeps the perspective rational, and implies the way to reverse the condition.
Thanks for reading and your comments. I value your comments and thoughts.
Namaste’
Carolyn