I've been on a trip to Colorado and back to pick up my father who will spend 3 months of the winter with us this year. It was a long drive and I did not make any posts during that time. But having now returned, I am going to share some observations on the world around us and their spiritual impact. I'm going to cover one negative observation and one positive one that I believe is, in the end, its antidote.
Let's start with the downside. "Discontent" seems to be rampant with people I encounter around me in life right now. It's a quality I am quite familiar with. However, I don't believe that we fully understand how dangerous this "pet emotion" is. Anger, resentment, fear, are all pretty straight forward. There is no denying them. They stand out for all to see - even ourselves. But, discontent is insidious. Like termites it seems hidden from view, eating away at the structure from the inside, and only becomes apparent when inner supports are half gone and things start to collapse.
Discontent isn't all bad. In fact it can have a positive affect upon our lives if it is converted into the commitment to change for the better. But like "guilt", it is helpful for only a few seconds -- the time it takes to make the commitment to do better. Then it needs to be released.
I see around me, people who are trying to control things that they cannot control and in most cases, shouldn't. Their failure fuels a deep discontent that eats away at them. I see others discontent with their lives and unable to escape. Many are discontent with the people around them, because surely they must be the cause of this inner knawing. And of course, we are discontent with government, the state of the economy, the opportunities offered us, the stupid people who disagree with us, and even the weather. For some, this coaleses into a discontent with God. Surely He is not the loving father/mother that we've described him/her to be.
Discontent is an acceptable game to play when things are sunny and some new shift in the currents of life will eventually lift us out of our morass. But it is downright dangerous when the world as a whole is facing the heavy pressures that are part and parcel of a transformation into higher human consciousness. Since we are likely to be part of this historic shift in human consciousness for the rest of our short lives (by human history standards), maybe we better get a little better control of our discontent - something that we do have in our power to control.
Right now, discontent is epidemic in human consciousness and it is trashing institutions that for generations have given us stability. It is trashing individual lives. Just as positive prayer has the possibility to spark miracles, discontent is a form of prayer that has the power to destroy everything in its path. The world needs those of us who can turn away from the strong human current of discontent and etch an alternate path of "seeing the Light" that will eventually balance this slide down the hill. It takes an act of will to turn away from the negative sucking action that many events draw out of us -- an act of will to surrender to the Christ Spirit.
Sunday I told the story of my trip back through a snowstorm and then a rain - no sunlight for 8 days. At the beginning of the hard part, I realized that this didn't need to be my trip. This was an opportunity that the Christ Spirit brought together. I'd tried personally to make this happen for many years without any results. So, it wasn't up to me to force a good outcome to all the challenges that were coming my way. I just needed to do whatever was in front of me - be willing to do whatever life required rather than flail my hands in the air over the difficulties - and turn it over to the Christ Spirit. I'm just the go-for. I began declaring "This is your trip, Christ Spirit!" And that declaration alone seemed to give me great relief. And at the worst points, in spite of the difficulty, things worked out. Spirit truly was in charge. I still had to do hard things. But Spirit would show itself when things seemed most threatening.
Arriving back home and noticing all the discontent, I realize that the auto trip was just the primer. Now it's time to keep affirming, "This is your trip, Christ Spirit!" I encourage you to join me. And I believe the world needs each of you to join this endeavor. Surrender to the Christ Spirit, is the quickest path through the difficulties of the transition in world consciousness that we are fielding right now. And it certainly is the most powerful antidote for that insidious disease of discontent. "Christ Spirit, this is your trip!" Can you feel the soothing relief already flowing?
Monday, December 12, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Multi-Faceted Waves of Life
Ever since our in-depth study of Walter Russell's concepts last Fall, I have been intrigued with his experience of going into an elevated state for something like 40 days and during that time he "knew" the universe. From this "knowing" of the universe during his spiritual experience he was able to apply what he had seen scientifically and several others who took his work and expanded upon it, ended up getting Nobel Prizes. So, we must conclude that his "knowing" of the universe had physical validity behind it.
Consequently for the last year I have added to my affirmation that "I know the universe", hoping to embrace a little of his experience. Actually I say, "I see the Light. I know the universe." And for a moment as I say each line I reach to embrace the experience behind those words.
Walter described what he KNEW about the reality of the universe as waves. Everything is a wave of life. Everything is "expressing" out into form from the Source. Thus if we see how the waves interact with one another we know what causes this kaleidoscope of life to express in the way that it does - how things come & go, change, etc.
These days, I've come to believe that I can almost see all those waves of the myriad forms of life expressing and interacting. This is especially true during my walking meditation. Some waves are solid and hold their form relatively stead for a time (like buildings). Others are complicated expressions of intent exploring with what seems a life of their own (like people). But, bird, animal, tree, grass, water, rock, sunlight, people - each is a unique almost joyous expression of life no matter what they are doing. One can almost see the waves carrying out their intent (some harmoniously, some violently interacting with other waves). We can see this huge symphony of waves expressing life in all manner of ways, winking out, and other waves coming into expression behind them, each on a different time frame. And together we call it ALL ----- Life! Actually it is the expression of Life. Life itself is the Whole out of which each individual thing flows.
Just spending some time being the whole -- the observer that is beyond individual expression, enjoying each one & the dance they create together -- is amazingly uplifting. There is nothing like concentration on ONEness to expand our consciousness. And when that happens, I feel I can almost see all the waves flowing. Maybe "knowing the universe" is not as distant an experience as it first seems.
Consequently for the last year I have added to my affirmation that "I know the universe", hoping to embrace a little of his experience. Actually I say, "I see the Light. I know the universe." And for a moment as I say each line I reach to embrace the experience behind those words.
Walter described what he KNEW about the reality of the universe as waves. Everything is a wave of life. Everything is "expressing" out into form from the Source. Thus if we see how the waves interact with one another we know what causes this kaleidoscope of life to express in the way that it does - how things come & go, change, etc.
These days, I've come to believe that I can almost see all those waves of the myriad forms of life expressing and interacting. This is especially true during my walking meditation. Some waves are solid and hold their form relatively stead for a time (like buildings). Others are complicated expressions of intent exploring with what seems a life of their own (like people). But, bird, animal, tree, grass, water, rock, sunlight, people - each is a unique almost joyous expression of life no matter what they are doing. One can almost see the waves carrying out their intent (some harmoniously, some violently interacting with other waves). We can see this huge symphony of waves expressing life in all manner of ways, winking out, and other waves coming into expression behind them, each on a different time frame. And together we call it ALL ----- Life! Actually it is the expression of Life. Life itself is the Whole out of which each individual thing flows.
Just spending some time being the whole -- the observer that is beyond individual expression, enjoying each one & the dance they create together -- is amazingly uplifting. There is nothing like concentration on ONEness to expand our consciousness. And when that happens, I feel I can almost see all the waves flowing. Maybe "knowing the universe" is not as distant an experience as it first seems.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Vacation in the Whole
I fully intend to wander all over the place in this post. But bare with me. We'll get there.
Let's start with the idea that if you don't think humanity is under seige by the higher forces cranking things up so that eventually we can no longer live by the old patterns and are forced to metamorphasize to a whole new way to experience life, then simply look at the major crises that it seems almost everyone is having to field right now. Maybe I just get to talk with too many people in crisis. But it seems that life is almost getting unreasonable in quite a number of people's lives. If we are not facing a number of amazingly demanding difficulties, everyone of us knows someone who is. The pressure is mounting. Drivers on the road are on edge. It seems humanity is being pressurized to see how much we can take. The only answer is to "break". And when the old breaks, the new and better is formed. What an interesting time we chose to incarnate.
Ok, that little tirade is over. The old addage applies, We are never given more than we can handle. And yes! We came here specifically to be part of one of humanity's most volatile times, to usher in the transition to a higher order of life on earth. Of course, it will take more than our lifetimes to fully usher in a new era. So in a sense we volunteered to live life as best we could specifically through these challenges that I feel are above and beyond the call of duty for those I am here to support. Personally, life often goes easy on me. But, it pains me to see what those around me must go through.
So with all this in mind, What do we do when the heaviness of life becomes truly burdensome (even if it is just realizing the burdens of those around us). Well, it's time for a vacation! Right! But the vacation I'm talking about can't be found in a place here in the earth. It is found by leaving individual expression behind for a few moments and entering the whole. When you abandon yourself and every other individual expression to live for a few moments in the whole of every expression united, there is a sense of ecstasy that rises and lifts us above the demands of individual life. Somehow that momentary escape revitalizes us and recharges us so that we can accept freely the tasks before us and those around us. Basicly it allows us NOT to "choke" on them.
This leaves the question, How do we get beyond individuality and into the whole? How do we actually take this much needed vacation?
I take the first step by "being alone". There is a strange truth that when you are with no one, you have begun to be with everyone. "I am never alone, for God is always with me." And of course, you can be alone in the midst of many people. I used to have to go to a remote mountain valley to truly be alone. And I learned the luxury of true "alone-ness". It is amazingly strengthening. However I've come to understand that only a beginner needs to be physically separated from people to enter this re-vitalizing alone-ness. In the end, it's all about leaving the personal conflicts and interactions of individual self behind in order to immerse yourself in the blend of it all. The moment you are nothing in individual expression is the moment that you are One with everything.
There are a million different ways to do this. I'm sure you already participate in this kind of vacationing in some way that is comfortable to you. Tonight for me, it took the form of walking around that lake in downtown Altamonte Springs. It's always filled with runners. I think it's a mile if you make the complete circle. Tonight was no exception. I walked alone. There were people passing me at a faster rate and others going the opposite way around the circle. There was music and hubbub everywhere. Shopping, hotels, apartments, & businesses dotted the lake front. The Walkway went across water and wildlife exerted a presence. Traffic buzzed by on adjacent roads. Yet there was an utter beauty to being in all its midst, part of everyone and everything, while walking alone. For those moments, life was that wonderful kaleidoscope that just keeps turning and making new designs without pausing on any one of them. The esctasy lifted my heart and I didn't even need to share this with someone, because I was already sharing everyone.
It's a timeless experience. There's no analysis - just experience. Each picture enters for a moment and it is gone. And it is complete in that fleetingness because I am not the individual expression I am the symphony of the whole. I used to rely on physical isolation to allow me to lose myself and be one with life. I'd use nature because people were too distracting. It's nice now to experience people as part of nature and still be able to be one with the whole.
In any case, this short beautiful reprieve has refreshed me. I guess it's time to pour myself into individual expression again and all the challenges it presents. After all that is why we came here. So, for me it's time to start putting together the eulogy for the 23 year old that grew up in our congregation and just unexpectantly passed. And remind myseld that no matter how crazy it gets, we are spiritual beings (all of us - those facing devastation and those of us who support them) and we can handle anything this physical world throws at us. Somehow it is part of carrying humanity to a whole new understanding of reality. And if it seems too much again, each of us can escape into the whole for those few moments of spiritual vacation that give us the strength to carry on - moments that can pour the "oil of joy" even on the experience of mourning.
Let's start with the idea that if you don't think humanity is under seige by the higher forces cranking things up so that eventually we can no longer live by the old patterns and are forced to metamorphasize to a whole new way to experience life, then simply look at the major crises that it seems almost everyone is having to field right now. Maybe I just get to talk with too many people in crisis. But it seems that life is almost getting unreasonable in quite a number of people's lives. If we are not facing a number of amazingly demanding difficulties, everyone of us knows someone who is. The pressure is mounting. Drivers on the road are on edge. It seems humanity is being pressurized to see how much we can take. The only answer is to "break". And when the old breaks, the new and better is formed. What an interesting time we chose to incarnate.
Ok, that little tirade is over. The old addage applies, We are never given more than we can handle. And yes! We came here specifically to be part of one of humanity's most volatile times, to usher in the transition to a higher order of life on earth. Of course, it will take more than our lifetimes to fully usher in a new era. So in a sense we volunteered to live life as best we could specifically through these challenges that I feel are above and beyond the call of duty for those I am here to support. Personally, life often goes easy on me. But, it pains me to see what those around me must go through.
So with all this in mind, What do we do when the heaviness of life becomes truly burdensome (even if it is just realizing the burdens of those around us). Well, it's time for a vacation! Right! But the vacation I'm talking about can't be found in a place here in the earth. It is found by leaving individual expression behind for a few moments and entering the whole. When you abandon yourself and every other individual expression to live for a few moments in the whole of every expression united, there is a sense of ecstasy that rises and lifts us above the demands of individual life. Somehow that momentary escape revitalizes us and recharges us so that we can accept freely the tasks before us and those around us. Basicly it allows us NOT to "choke" on them.
This leaves the question, How do we get beyond individuality and into the whole? How do we actually take this much needed vacation?
I take the first step by "being alone". There is a strange truth that when you are with no one, you have begun to be with everyone. "I am never alone, for God is always with me." And of course, you can be alone in the midst of many people. I used to have to go to a remote mountain valley to truly be alone. And I learned the luxury of true "alone-ness". It is amazingly strengthening. However I've come to understand that only a beginner needs to be physically separated from people to enter this re-vitalizing alone-ness. In the end, it's all about leaving the personal conflicts and interactions of individual self behind in order to immerse yourself in the blend of it all. The moment you are nothing in individual expression is the moment that you are One with everything.
There are a million different ways to do this. I'm sure you already participate in this kind of vacationing in some way that is comfortable to you. Tonight for me, it took the form of walking around that lake in downtown Altamonte Springs. It's always filled with runners. I think it's a mile if you make the complete circle. Tonight was no exception. I walked alone. There were people passing me at a faster rate and others going the opposite way around the circle. There was music and hubbub everywhere. Shopping, hotels, apartments, & businesses dotted the lake front. The Walkway went across water and wildlife exerted a presence. Traffic buzzed by on adjacent roads. Yet there was an utter beauty to being in all its midst, part of everyone and everything, while walking alone. For those moments, life was that wonderful kaleidoscope that just keeps turning and making new designs without pausing on any one of them. The esctasy lifted my heart and I didn't even need to share this with someone, because I was already sharing everyone.
It's a timeless experience. There's no analysis - just experience. Each picture enters for a moment and it is gone. And it is complete in that fleetingness because I am not the individual expression I am the symphony of the whole. I used to rely on physical isolation to allow me to lose myself and be one with life. I'd use nature because people were too distracting. It's nice now to experience people as part of nature and still be able to be one with the whole.
In any case, this short beautiful reprieve has refreshed me. I guess it's time to pour myself into individual expression again and all the challenges it presents. After all that is why we came here. So, for me it's time to start putting together the eulogy for the 23 year old that grew up in our congregation and just unexpectantly passed. And remind myseld that no matter how crazy it gets, we are spiritual beings (all of us - those facing devastation and those of us who support them) and we can handle anything this physical world throws at us. Somehow it is part of carrying humanity to a whole new understanding of reality. And if it seems too much again, each of us can escape into the whole for those few moments of spiritual vacation that give us the strength to carry on - moments that can pour the "oil of joy" even on the experience of mourning.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Waiting on the Invisible
Patience has never been my favorite spiritual quality. But today I am beginning to understand the power behind it. Once again, human patience is very different from spiritual patience. The former is a necessary evil. The latter is an expression of spiritual strength.
We are told in Unity, "Never pray for patience!". The theory is that when you pray for patience you are asking for experiences that will teach it to you. You'll end up waiting forever in the area in which you are already frustrated so you can truly learn the quality. So embrace patience yourself as you need to. Don't pray for Divine Intersession to teach you self-control, because the Divine will make sure you master the lesson. Your present state of comfort is inconsequential when a spiritual lesson comes down the pipeline.
However, patience is a quality that comes together for us down the road as we become more and more comfortable in our faith in the invisible Divine forces in our life. Sometimes, just as bread dough must first rise a while before it can be baked, our outer experience must continue to cure a while before our prayers and the invisible forces they have evoked are ready to coalesce into an outer demonstration.
There are those who will tell you that if you must wait, you have failed spiritually. They will explain that your lack of faith kept you waiting. I beg to differ with them. I will suggest that those individuals have made the outer world the ultimate test of all faith in the Invisible. Thus, the outer expression is what is most real to them. And though they may be quite good at demonstrations, they are stuck in one of the way stations on the path and cannot go further until outer demonstration is only a by-product, not the main event. To reach the higher levels you must find your reality in the higher realms, and not be dependent on the physical world around you for your faith.
As I have said many times, "We have had a number of dramatic, miraculous healings in our congregation over the years. And each of these individuals who experienced miraculous healing, knew that God had healed them, long before their body demonstrated the whole truth of their realization." The real-ness was in the inner experience and they were confused as to why their bodies did not show what they knew was real. But they were not dismayed by the slow expression because they KNEW they were healed. The inner healing was the true reality. Thus, they patiently awaited an outer expression that they knew was inevitable because "they were healed" (whether their body showed it yet or not). This is the type of spiritual maturity that the advanced student expresses and we call it patience.
However, "waiting on the invisible" to show final results can be quite a challenge. We must know what we have seen spiritually, while the earth acts like nothing of the kind has ever happened. We must chase away the doubt that our human personality throws up on a regular basis. And we must ignore the fact that sometimes the outer world gets worse before it gets better. This all requires a "steadfastness" to our vision of the invisible - a talent that is hard won. It surfaces through a long series of successes and even more importantly, failures. Nothing teaches you patience more than doubting your vision, heading the other direction, only to discover that had you held on, your faith would have prevailed. Of course, learning when to hang on and when to realize that Spirit is urging you toward another direction is it's own series of lessons.
The important thing is that patiently "waiting on the invisible" because you KNOW the invisible is already in motion and nothing can stop it, is one of the qualities that makes you a truly powerful spiritual being. Set your prayers in motion. Feel the higher spiritual forces responding. KNOW what has been created in the Invisible Realm that is much more real than what we face out here. And patiently, with an optimistic almost child-like expectation, wait to see the piece of physical art that the Invisible Reality will create as its expression - and what exact form it will take. The waiting weighs on our human self, but is effortless for the spirit within us. Step by step we are placing more and more identity emphasis on this latter portion of our being.
We are told in Unity, "Never pray for patience!". The theory is that when you pray for patience you are asking for experiences that will teach it to you. You'll end up waiting forever in the area in which you are already frustrated so you can truly learn the quality. So embrace patience yourself as you need to. Don't pray for Divine Intersession to teach you self-control, because the Divine will make sure you master the lesson. Your present state of comfort is inconsequential when a spiritual lesson comes down the pipeline.
However, patience is a quality that comes together for us down the road as we become more and more comfortable in our faith in the invisible Divine forces in our life. Sometimes, just as bread dough must first rise a while before it can be baked, our outer experience must continue to cure a while before our prayers and the invisible forces they have evoked are ready to coalesce into an outer demonstration.
There are those who will tell you that if you must wait, you have failed spiritually. They will explain that your lack of faith kept you waiting. I beg to differ with them. I will suggest that those individuals have made the outer world the ultimate test of all faith in the Invisible. Thus, the outer expression is what is most real to them. And though they may be quite good at demonstrations, they are stuck in one of the way stations on the path and cannot go further until outer demonstration is only a by-product, not the main event. To reach the higher levels you must find your reality in the higher realms, and not be dependent on the physical world around you for your faith.
As I have said many times, "We have had a number of dramatic, miraculous healings in our congregation over the years. And each of these individuals who experienced miraculous healing, knew that God had healed them, long before their body demonstrated the whole truth of their realization." The real-ness was in the inner experience and they were confused as to why their bodies did not show what they knew was real. But they were not dismayed by the slow expression because they KNEW they were healed. The inner healing was the true reality. Thus, they patiently awaited an outer expression that they knew was inevitable because "they were healed" (whether their body showed it yet or not). This is the type of spiritual maturity that the advanced student expresses and we call it patience.
However, "waiting on the invisible" to show final results can be quite a challenge. We must know what we have seen spiritually, while the earth acts like nothing of the kind has ever happened. We must chase away the doubt that our human personality throws up on a regular basis. And we must ignore the fact that sometimes the outer world gets worse before it gets better. This all requires a "steadfastness" to our vision of the invisible - a talent that is hard won. It surfaces through a long series of successes and even more importantly, failures. Nothing teaches you patience more than doubting your vision, heading the other direction, only to discover that had you held on, your faith would have prevailed. Of course, learning when to hang on and when to realize that Spirit is urging you toward another direction is it's own series of lessons.
The important thing is that patiently "waiting on the invisible" because you KNOW the invisible is already in motion and nothing can stop it, is one of the qualities that makes you a truly powerful spiritual being. Set your prayers in motion. Feel the higher spiritual forces responding. KNOW what has been created in the Invisible Realm that is much more real than what we face out here. And patiently, with an optimistic almost child-like expectation, wait to see the piece of physical art that the Invisible Reality will create as its expression - and what exact form it will take. The waiting weighs on our human self, but is effortless for the spirit within us. Step by step we are placing more and more identity emphasis on this latter portion of our being.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Being Peace
When we are younger in consciousness, life is all about "doing": What can we accomplish? What demonstrations we can make? How much territory can we cover? As we mature in consciousness, a portion of our desire begins to coalesce around "being". We develop a deep yearning for peace. And some of our favorite moments become the ones in which we are doing nothing. We are just lost in the beauty of the moment, in tune with everything around us - or I believe it was Ralph Waldo Trine who wrote it, "In tune with the Infinite".
Doing is always important in this realm of expression. But it becomes less a goal in itself. Rather, our doing begins to flow out of those times of "being" in tune. Doing becomes secondary. Being "who I am" in the midst of the world and experiencing the beauty of it all becomes primary. We don't have to do certain things and then we can be happy. We need to BE. And let the innate happiness of BEing guide the DOing that follows.
Many years ago when I had the Fort Pierce Church, I came to understand that leading that church was not my primary purpose in coming to that area. In those days, Unity was pretty much the only Light Center in that area. There were a couple other small informal groups of different varieties, but the enlightenment movement was minuscule. We were pretty much it's representatives. That has changed phenomenally now, and I look back and am proud to have been a part of that change. However at the time, I had to ask myself WHY I had been led to come to such an area that seemed so undeveloped in spiritual awakening.
I came to understand that my primary purpose was to BE in this area where I had been planted. I developed a statement of my purpose that put the church third on the list. My primary purpose was to BE who I was while living there in Fort Pierce. It didn't require DOing anything. It required me to BE a Light in the midst of a seeming lack of it (at least in expression). I somehow knew that simply by Being who I was in this location it would have an effect upon the surrounding community. My secondary purpose was to serve the Spirit of God wherever I was and with whatever I was doing. And my third tier purpose in being in Fort Pierce was to lead Unity of Fort Pierce. I dedicated the vast majority of my efforts to serving that church, but I came to know that my "Being" in the midst of that community and serving Spirit in whatever role I momentarily played was my most important purpose in being located there.
I would like to suggest that the same is true for you wherever you are planted - whether in a job, a community, a relationship, or any activity. But of course we can get lost in the "doing" of any activity. So the times to re-connect with our Inner Peace and that sense of simply Being who I am, become more & more important in our lives. They are the anchor that grounds us to our spiritual purpose when the doing of our lives becomes so demanding. And interestingly enough, when we re-connect to our BEingness, we somehow become more successful at our DOings.
When we begin, we go to the BEing side of life in order to upgrade our world of doing. But down the road a little ways, the BEing side becomes more important. It calls to us demanding our attention. If we miss it, life becomes anchor-less. With spiritual maturity, Outer Doing becomes the servant, not the master. That shift is what creates a powerful life. Someone once said, "I cannot hear what you are saying, because "who you are" is shouting so loudly." As we awaken, that is actually a good thing!
Doing is always important in this realm of expression. But it becomes less a goal in itself. Rather, our doing begins to flow out of those times of "being" in tune. Doing becomes secondary. Being "who I am" in the midst of the world and experiencing the beauty of it all becomes primary. We don't have to do certain things and then we can be happy. We need to BE. And let the innate happiness of BEing guide the DOing that follows.
Many years ago when I had the Fort Pierce Church, I came to understand that leading that church was not my primary purpose in coming to that area. In those days, Unity was pretty much the only Light Center in that area. There were a couple other small informal groups of different varieties, but the enlightenment movement was minuscule. We were pretty much it's representatives. That has changed phenomenally now, and I look back and am proud to have been a part of that change. However at the time, I had to ask myself WHY I had been led to come to such an area that seemed so undeveloped in spiritual awakening.
I came to understand that my primary purpose was to BE in this area where I had been planted. I developed a statement of my purpose that put the church third on the list. My primary purpose was to BE who I was while living there in Fort Pierce. It didn't require DOing anything. It required me to BE a Light in the midst of a seeming lack of it (at least in expression). I somehow knew that simply by Being who I was in this location it would have an effect upon the surrounding community. My secondary purpose was to serve the Spirit of God wherever I was and with whatever I was doing. And my third tier purpose in being in Fort Pierce was to lead Unity of Fort Pierce. I dedicated the vast majority of my efforts to serving that church, but I came to know that my "Being" in the midst of that community and serving Spirit in whatever role I momentarily played was my most important purpose in being located there.
I would like to suggest that the same is true for you wherever you are planted - whether in a job, a community, a relationship, or any activity. But of course we can get lost in the "doing" of any activity. So the times to re-connect with our Inner Peace and that sense of simply Being who I am, become more & more important in our lives. They are the anchor that grounds us to our spiritual purpose when the doing of our lives becomes so demanding. And interestingly enough, when we re-connect to our BEingness, we somehow become more successful at our DOings.
When we begin, we go to the BEing side of life in order to upgrade our world of doing. But down the road a little ways, the BEing side becomes more important. It calls to us demanding our attention. If we miss it, life becomes anchor-less. With spiritual maturity, Outer Doing becomes the servant, not the master. That shift is what creates a powerful life. Someone once said, "I cannot hear what you are saying, because "who you are" is shouting so loudly." As we awaken, that is actually a good thing!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Harmony vs. Hate
Every generation, as it moves out of prime into maturity, swears that the world has deeply degenerated. So, I suppose it should come as no surprise that I have deep concerns about where our society has evolved to. I look around and see a world that seems to be directed by hate, fear, anger, and greed. Islamic extremists top the list of our boogeymen. However, I see clearly Christian extremists, political extremists, ideological extremists, & a greed directed financial system, all of which have shied far away from their origins and seem to match in destructive power, their Islamic extremist counterparts. It seems that fear and anger are today's answer to life. If someone holds a different opinion, hate rules and those of similar opinion band together to hate others out of their livelihood and possibly existence. And lies have become the new facts simply because they blend better with our emotional opinions.
One member of our congregation swears the answer is to never watch the news. But the media is the symptom, not the cause of the problem. Even if I withdraw from the flagrant unfairness that dominates the airwaves, another member tells me her personal story of a beloved, large corporation that has dealt with her with unconscionable deceit and may never be held accountable. The problem does not seem restricted to the macro level of society. We bump into the unfairness of life and the unfairness of the way people relate to each other in the small relationships too.
The part of me that sees this world as a very small part of the universal possibilities wants to give up - take joy in the idea that this world is transitional and passing away as we speak - and assure myself that if God is exploring all possible futures through us, this one certainly isn't going to make the grade. In other words, I am tempted to detach and curse the world around me, retreating into something beyond what we are facing here in the earth. But I realize that if I return hate or even rejection for the fear, anger, hate, greed, and unfairness around me I am adding to the problem and probably trapping my identity in this particular expression of reality.
Jesus said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do." And to Pilot, "You would have no power over me but my Father in heaven gave it to you." And of course, "Do not resist evil." We fight injustice with harmony, not anger. If I declare my indignation over the state of the world or even personal life around me, I am adding to the very energy that I detest. Instead what is needed is harmony which annihilates the negatives the way Light swallows up the darkness.
If you are faced with unfairness, ask what God is wanting you to learn, how you can wrestle a blessing from what you face. Declare to the circumstances and people that you are squared off against, "You would have no power over me, but my Father in heaven gave it to you." Our lives are totally between God & ourselves - all of them! So fight off the desire to "resist"; and declare harmony with Islamic extremists, liars & hate mongers on the media, unfair situations, destructive financial values, and all those whose opinions seems to us to flow from ignorance. It's time to resist the natural impulse to reject and withdraw. It's time for compassion and HARMONY!
A practice that can change your life is to simply, throughout your day, declare "I am in Harmony!" We start by declaring harmony whenever negative emotions arise. But it will evolve to declaring harmony WITH all that we would naturally turn away from. This is not a capitulation to evil. It is refusing to participate in evil even by hating it. It is "living in harmony" no matter what the world throws in our way. The messenger of God in this world does not "kick ass" in the right places. The messenger of God channels harmony into every expression, especially those that seem to need it most. And the messenger of God rises above what faces him or her by realizing that the "harmony" that is is me is greater than what is in the world.
If all this sounds like babble, then just consider this spiritual practice. If you will declare "I am in Harmony!" throughout your day, and let it evolve into "I am in harmony with....." targeting all the areas you encounter where harmony isn't natural to you, you will shortly see a marked improvement in your life. This whole blog boils down to that one sentence. The pursuance of Harmony at all costs will dynamically transform your life - for the kingdom of heaven or harmony is where all wonderful miracles are initiated.
Good luck! If it were easy or if it were natural to our human self, everyone would already be demonstrating these miracles. But though it is alien to our human inclination to meet evil with harmony, Jesus demonstrated it, you can do it, and the results are astounding.
One member of our congregation swears the answer is to never watch the news. But the media is the symptom, not the cause of the problem. Even if I withdraw from the flagrant unfairness that dominates the airwaves, another member tells me her personal story of a beloved, large corporation that has dealt with her with unconscionable deceit and may never be held accountable. The problem does not seem restricted to the macro level of society. We bump into the unfairness of life and the unfairness of the way people relate to each other in the small relationships too.
The part of me that sees this world as a very small part of the universal possibilities wants to give up - take joy in the idea that this world is transitional and passing away as we speak - and assure myself that if God is exploring all possible futures through us, this one certainly isn't going to make the grade. In other words, I am tempted to detach and curse the world around me, retreating into something beyond what we are facing here in the earth. But I realize that if I return hate or even rejection for the fear, anger, hate, greed, and unfairness around me I am adding to the problem and probably trapping my identity in this particular expression of reality.
Jesus said, "Forgive them for they know not what they do." And to Pilot, "You would have no power over me but my Father in heaven gave it to you." And of course, "Do not resist evil." We fight injustice with harmony, not anger. If I declare my indignation over the state of the world or even personal life around me, I am adding to the very energy that I detest. Instead what is needed is harmony which annihilates the negatives the way Light swallows up the darkness.
If you are faced with unfairness, ask what God is wanting you to learn, how you can wrestle a blessing from what you face. Declare to the circumstances and people that you are squared off against, "You would have no power over me, but my Father in heaven gave it to you." Our lives are totally between God & ourselves - all of them! So fight off the desire to "resist"; and declare harmony with Islamic extremists, liars & hate mongers on the media, unfair situations, destructive financial values, and all those whose opinions seems to us to flow from ignorance. It's time to resist the natural impulse to reject and withdraw. It's time for compassion and HARMONY!
A practice that can change your life is to simply, throughout your day, declare "I am in Harmony!" We start by declaring harmony whenever negative emotions arise. But it will evolve to declaring harmony WITH all that we would naturally turn away from. This is not a capitulation to evil. It is refusing to participate in evil even by hating it. It is "living in harmony" no matter what the world throws in our way. The messenger of God in this world does not "kick ass" in the right places. The messenger of God channels harmony into every expression, especially those that seem to need it most. And the messenger of God rises above what faces him or her by realizing that the "harmony" that is is me is greater than what is in the world.
If all this sounds like babble, then just consider this spiritual practice. If you will declare "I am in Harmony!" throughout your day, and let it evolve into "I am in harmony with....." targeting all the areas you encounter where harmony isn't natural to you, you will shortly see a marked improvement in your life. This whole blog boils down to that one sentence. The pursuance of Harmony at all costs will dynamically transform your life - for the kingdom of heaven or harmony is where all wonderful miracles are initiated.
Good luck! If it were easy or if it were natural to our human self, everyone would already be demonstrating these miracles. But though it is alien to our human inclination to meet evil with harmony, Jesus demonstrated it, you can do it, and the results are astounding.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Playing with Jesus
From time to time I've decided to share some of my spiritual experiences - the things that make me who I am. Today, I decided to share how my relationship with Jesus Christ as my teacher has circled around almost 360 degrees throughout my life.
When I was a small toddler (somewhere plus or minus 2 years old) my dad served a charge (3 small churches in a traditional movement) in North Dakota, for one year, before returning to Ohio. It was there that my parents, after discovering that I was missing, found me in the sandbox outside. But I was not alone. It seems that I had somehow gotten into the den, up on my father's desk and hauled his prized picture of Jesus out to the sandbox, set it up in one corner and was playing away. Shocked that I had grabbed this prized possession, my mother asked me accusingly, "What are you doing, Bobby?" The story goes that I replied immediately, "I'm playing with Jesus!" And it seemed so sincere that I didn't get yelled at, though the picture went back immediately to my father's desk.
As a minister's son, I had heard enough about Jesus and the Bible to keep me happy for the rest of my life by age 12. I immersed myself in science & math and kept Bible study or talk of Jesus at an arm's length. Then we found Unity and my spiritual side got a chance to soar without the traditional approach that I now openly bristled at. I embraced the Christ Spirit within us all, and though I knew my Bible well, shied away from too much concentration on Jesus. It reminded me of the hypocrisy that traditional Christianity represented to me. I went off to Renselaer Polytechnic Institute preparing for Chemical Engineering. But half way through I ran into a "Crisis of Purpose". Examining what I now realized I needed from life, I was horrified to realize that it was the ministry, but placated myself by saying "Only in Unity!"
In Unity ministerial school, I abhorred the "Bible Punchers" and stuck to learning to teach Spiritual Principles. In a sense I was still the engineering student. I used Bible and references to Jesus minimally (though I was well versed from childhood). I spoke of the Universal Christ Spirit instead. However, as associate in Miami, my senior minister, Charles Neal, insisted that I would start each lesson with scripture, so I researched appropriate scriptures for each subject that I undertook. Being a creature who often depends upon comfortable patterns, I ended up starting each lesson with scripture for more than 38 years now.
But my next breakthrough came after I followed my 1st wife into the Sufi Movement. One day as we were declaring ourselves disciples of Hazrat Inayat Khan and doing all sorts of practices to "connect" with the teacher, I realized that I was resisting because I had not put this effort into Jesus Christ & I believed Jesus to be a superior spiritual example. In an instant I knew that I truly was a disciple of Jesus Christ and I needed to use every technique I had learned in Sufism to connect to "my Teacher"! Thus, began my deep inner commitment to being a disciple of Jesus Christ, not just a student of the Christ Spirit. I guess I was back to "playing with Jesus".
Though I was quite talented at Metaphysical Bible Interpretation, the Bible still reeked of traditional Christian slant that was taught almost universally and I wasn't a fan. The Bible became a necessary evil to prove validity. I had a personal relationship with "my teacher", "Jesus Christ", & I suspected that "Church-ianty" had messed up the Bible like it had messed up Jesus teachings. For years I simply tried to wade through the garbage to get to the "good stuff". Jesus has always been a partner in my ministry. What more did I need?
About the time I was coming to Orlando, Bible came together and totally "jelled" for me. I saw that from the "Mystical Point of View" (remember mysticism is immersing yourself in the "experience" of God), everything in the Bible (especially the Gospels) teaches how to function in the higher invisible "Kingdom of the Heavens". My perspective is very different from the fundamentalist interpretation, but from this perspective, the Bible conveys amazing depths of understanding about how to navigate these Higher Realms - all of it - no cherry picking necessary. You just need to maintain this mystical perspective to see the higher message in every part of the recorded story of Jesus teachings. All of a sudden, the young man who disliked the Bible punchers has become one, as he matured in his spiritual path. I don't need the Bible to teach what Jesus taught. But I've learned to love the language and can use it to illustrate every aspect of higher spiritual awakening that we can pursue.
These days my goal is to follow Jesus into the Christ Spirit, to surrender identity until I merge with the whole and express individually in whatever manner is appropriate. I see that the "Light of Life" as Jesus called it is that Christ Spirit that unites us all and is our true source. And I struggle to meet Jesus in this Christ Spirit as he suggested we would in the Gospel of John. Humility becomes the doorway to majesty and the idea of separation is the true enemy, not any other person or groups of people.
Jesus has always been with me, even when I was not so eager to acknowledge him. But now as I declare that the mind that is is Jesus Christ is in me now or the Life that is in Jesus Christ is in me now, I am beginning to understand what it means to be Jesus, yet know that you are the Christ Spirit. And I am beginning to understand that Bob must eventually lose this fear of loss of identity and enter the Christ Spirit out of which both Jesus and Bob have expressed. Only then will I have proved myself a true disciple. I may not in this life have the strength to make that final jump. But just holding the aspiration has proven to be the most powerful thing in my life. It would appear that I've been playing with Jesus all of my life, even when I didn't realize it!
When I was a small toddler (somewhere plus or minus 2 years old) my dad served a charge (3 small churches in a traditional movement) in North Dakota, for one year, before returning to Ohio. It was there that my parents, after discovering that I was missing, found me in the sandbox outside. But I was not alone. It seems that I had somehow gotten into the den, up on my father's desk and hauled his prized picture of Jesus out to the sandbox, set it up in one corner and was playing away. Shocked that I had grabbed this prized possession, my mother asked me accusingly, "What are you doing, Bobby?" The story goes that I replied immediately, "I'm playing with Jesus!" And it seemed so sincere that I didn't get yelled at, though the picture went back immediately to my father's desk.
As a minister's son, I had heard enough about Jesus and the Bible to keep me happy for the rest of my life by age 12. I immersed myself in science & math and kept Bible study or talk of Jesus at an arm's length. Then we found Unity and my spiritual side got a chance to soar without the traditional approach that I now openly bristled at. I embraced the Christ Spirit within us all, and though I knew my Bible well, shied away from too much concentration on Jesus. It reminded me of the hypocrisy that traditional Christianity represented to me. I went off to Renselaer Polytechnic Institute preparing for Chemical Engineering. But half way through I ran into a "Crisis of Purpose". Examining what I now realized I needed from life, I was horrified to realize that it was the ministry, but placated myself by saying "Only in Unity!"
In Unity ministerial school, I abhorred the "Bible Punchers" and stuck to learning to teach Spiritual Principles. In a sense I was still the engineering student. I used Bible and references to Jesus minimally (though I was well versed from childhood). I spoke of the Universal Christ Spirit instead. However, as associate in Miami, my senior minister, Charles Neal, insisted that I would start each lesson with scripture, so I researched appropriate scriptures for each subject that I undertook. Being a creature who often depends upon comfortable patterns, I ended up starting each lesson with scripture for more than 38 years now.
But my next breakthrough came after I followed my 1st wife into the Sufi Movement. One day as we were declaring ourselves disciples of Hazrat Inayat Khan and doing all sorts of practices to "connect" with the teacher, I realized that I was resisting because I had not put this effort into Jesus Christ & I believed Jesus to be a superior spiritual example. In an instant I knew that I truly was a disciple of Jesus Christ and I needed to use every technique I had learned in Sufism to connect to "my Teacher"! Thus, began my deep inner commitment to being a disciple of Jesus Christ, not just a student of the Christ Spirit. I guess I was back to "playing with Jesus".
Though I was quite talented at Metaphysical Bible Interpretation, the Bible still reeked of traditional Christian slant that was taught almost universally and I wasn't a fan. The Bible became a necessary evil to prove validity. I had a personal relationship with "my teacher", "Jesus Christ", & I suspected that "Church-ianty" had messed up the Bible like it had messed up Jesus teachings. For years I simply tried to wade through the garbage to get to the "good stuff". Jesus has always been a partner in my ministry. What more did I need?
About the time I was coming to Orlando, Bible came together and totally "jelled" for me. I saw that from the "Mystical Point of View" (remember mysticism is immersing yourself in the "experience" of God), everything in the Bible (especially the Gospels) teaches how to function in the higher invisible "Kingdom of the Heavens". My perspective is very different from the fundamentalist interpretation, but from this perspective, the Bible conveys amazing depths of understanding about how to navigate these Higher Realms - all of it - no cherry picking necessary. You just need to maintain this mystical perspective to see the higher message in every part of the recorded story of Jesus teachings. All of a sudden, the young man who disliked the Bible punchers has become one, as he matured in his spiritual path. I don't need the Bible to teach what Jesus taught. But I've learned to love the language and can use it to illustrate every aspect of higher spiritual awakening that we can pursue.
These days my goal is to follow Jesus into the Christ Spirit, to surrender identity until I merge with the whole and express individually in whatever manner is appropriate. I see that the "Light of Life" as Jesus called it is that Christ Spirit that unites us all and is our true source. And I struggle to meet Jesus in this Christ Spirit as he suggested we would in the Gospel of John. Humility becomes the doorway to majesty and the idea of separation is the true enemy, not any other person or groups of people.
Jesus has always been with me, even when I was not so eager to acknowledge him. But now as I declare that the mind that is is Jesus Christ is in me now or the Life that is in Jesus Christ is in me now, I am beginning to understand what it means to be Jesus, yet know that you are the Christ Spirit. And I am beginning to understand that Bob must eventually lose this fear of loss of identity and enter the Christ Spirit out of which both Jesus and Bob have expressed. Only then will I have proved myself a true disciple. I may not in this life have the strength to make that final jump. But just holding the aspiration has proven to be the most powerful thing in my life. It would appear that I've been playing with Jesus all of my life, even when I didn't realize it!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
STRESS
I feel the need to address this regular opponent that we face - STRESS - but I'm not sure I have clear solutions for wiping it out entirely. Sometimes we just need to recognize that Stress is the enemy, not the enemies that we think we are facing.
Stress is something that we often do to ourselves. But it also comes at us in waves from the thought atmosphere around us. Right now I'm watching a lot of people buckling under the onslaught of a recent wave. Actually today, I feel the winds have shifted. And it is important to realize that as powerful as a wave of stress passing through our life seems to be, it is a wave. It will pass and the tide will shift. If you watch closely, you can see these stress waves in all kinds of different time frames. Some waves come and go quickly, others go a few days and are followed by days of relief. And of course there are the long term waves.
I like to compare this to the wave motion in the stock market because in life we make the same mistakes that beckon to investors. Those long term stress waves are similar to the boom & bust that leads from a basic bull-bear cycle. Please note that there are rallies within a bear market and corrections within a bull market. Stress-wise we seem to be in a bear market right now. Stress has been tearing at people heavily of late and may continue at a relatively elevated level for a while. But we can use these relief rallies to anchor ourselves in the spiritual place that will allow the next rush of challenge to roll off our backs. That is the key isn't it? This too shall pass! Don't let it derail my focus on where I'm going.
Investors are known for panicking at the low and selling everything & then, casting caution to the wind and buying everything at the high. Handling stress is harmful if we fall prey to the same emotional triggers. We need to know that God is in charge during the lows and solidify our spiritual gains during the highs so as to handle well whatever life throws our way.
In handling our lives we have one further option. We can rise above the game entirely by concentrating on gratitude, beauty, love, & joy - and the realization that reality is much, much broader than this little bit of Stress that we are currently facing in this possibility that we are currently living out.
But, you know, your greatest challenge may not be handling your own stress. It may be fielding all those around you who are buckling under the wave. You must have compassion, yet not join them. It's a delicate dance. Remember a drowning man often tries to drag down someone swimming out to rescue him.
I don't know that I've got any clear answers here other than to know the waves for what they are and not give them any more power than they very temporarily carry. Concentrate on the qualities that lift you above the challenges. Detach from the drama and watch for the sunrise that follows each night. Calm those around you as best you can. Hold your life on course and in harmony with your high ideals. And rally the cries of joy in those around you as the tide shifts.
It's never as dire as it seems, even when it is truly dire. Expand your vision and realize how insignificant this all really is. Do everything in life "as if unto God" and depend only upon God & yourself for approval.
Yes, I know that in a perfect spiritual world no wave of stress has any power over us - that a truly spiritual being maintains peace no matter what he or she faces and that we "do not have to participate" in the folly of what the world is doing around us. But we are also riding this horse called personality. And the horse still lurches away from a snake in its path, and chomps at the bit trying to run home. Occasionally the horse must be calmed and reassured, or want to run with the herd. This is "spiritual horsemanship" here. First you must know you are the rider, not the horse. Then you must master the needs of your horse's innate character so you can safely guide it through the various terrains that you must traverse to get to your destination. In the end a well disciplined horse is a happy horse and a safe one. Much the same is true for these personalities we are riding.
The soul doesn't have a problem with stress. But we owe it to the horse (our personalities) to teach them how to traverse a stressful terrain.
Stress is something that we often do to ourselves. But it also comes at us in waves from the thought atmosphere around us. Right now I'm watching a lot of people buckling under the onslaught of a recent wave. Actually today, I feel the winds have shifted. And it is important to realize that as powerful as a wave of stress passing through our life seems to be, it is a wave. It will pass and the tide will shift. If you watch closely, you can see these stress waves in all kinds of different time frames. Some waves come and go quickly, others go a few days and are followed by days of relief. And of course there are the long term waves.
I like to compare this to the wave motion in the stock market because in life we make the same mistakes that beckon to investors. Those long term stress waves are similar to the boom & bust that leads from a basic bull-bear cycle. Please note that there are rallies within a bear market and corrections within a bull market. Stress-wise we seem to be in a bear market right now. Stress has been tearing at people heavily of late and may continue at a relatively elevated level for a while. But we can use these relief rallies to anchor ourselves in the spiritual place that will allow the next rush of challenge to roll off our backs. That is the key isn't it? This too shall pass! Don't let it derail my focus on where I'm going.
Investors are known for panicking at the low and selling everything & then, casting caution to the wind and buying everything at the high. Handling stress is harmful if we fall prey to the same emotional triggers. We need to know that God is in charge during the lows and solidify our spiritual gains during the highs so as to handle well whatever life throws our way.
In handling our lives we have one further option. We can rise above the game entirely by concentrating on gratitude, beauty, love, & joy - and the realization that reality is much, much broader than this little bit of Stress that we are currently facing in this possibility that we are currently living out.
But, you know, your greatest challenge may not be handling your own stress. It may be fielding all those around you who are buckling under the wave. You must have compassion, yet not join them. It's a delicate dance. Remember a drowning man often tries to drag down someone swimming out to rescue him.
I don't know that I've got any clear answers here other than to know the waves for what they are and not give them any more power than they very temporarily carry. Concentrate on the qualities that lift you above the challenges. Detach from the drama and watch for the sunrise that follows each night. Calm those around you as best you can. Hold your life on course and in harmony with your high ideals. And rally the cries of joy in those around you as the tide shifts.
It's never as dire as it seems, even when it is truly dire. Expand your vision and realize how insignificant this all really is. Do everything in life "as if unto God" and depend only upon God & yourself for approval.
Yes, I know that in a perfect spiritual world no wave of stress has any power over us - that a truly spiritual being maintains peace no matter what he or she faces and that we "do not have to participate" in the folly of what the world is doing around us. But we are also riding this horse called personality. And the horse still lurches away from a snake in its path, and chomps at the bit trying to run home. Occasionally the horse must be calmed and reassured, or want to run with the herd. This is "spiritual horsemanship" here. First you must know you are the rider, not the horse. Then you must master the needs of your horse's innate character so you can safely guide it through the various terrains that you must traverse to get to your destination. In the end a well disciplined horse is a happy horse and a safe one. Much the same is true for these personalities we are riding.
The soul doesn't have a problem with stress. But we owe it to the horse (our personalities) to teach them how to traverse a stressful terrain.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Touching Source
So often we affirm, "God is my Source!", without realizing the depth of what we are declaring. There is an experience that goes along with this and it is one that goes way beyond any concept of prosperity. It is more an experience of touching essence vs. trying to create a particular expression.
The further you go toward realizing your eternal spiritual self, the heavier earth expression becomes. Eventually we get through this, but until we do the antidote for the frustration over the heaviness is to "touch Source". And quite frankly, by touching Source, we re-connect with the invisible powers that create life and set in motion forces that answer prayers and fulfill our heart's desires. That is why, for property, we affirm, "God is my Source." It puts us in contact with the creative power of the universe.
However, I want to go beyond "creating the expression I want", and going there for what it will do for me here in earthlife, and talk about the totally abstract experience of "Touching Source", entering the eternal essence. When we touch Source, we let go of all expression, we retreat into the "unformed", and for those of us who are starting to awaken to a Self that is Spiritual not physical, there is a tremendous sense of RELIEF!
Let go of everything and slip backward from individual expression into the vast ocean of unformed from which all formed flows. It is beyond time, space, & definition. It cannot be described. And some simply describe it as the VOID. Those horrified by loss of individuality call it NOTHING (No-Thing) and they would be accurate. I know an individual who go there and was horrified to find "No-Thing". It scared her. And my explanation that "nothing" is the flip side of "everything", brought her no comfort.
But let me point out that though she did enter into the void and find No-Thing there, she did return into her individualized life. She did NOT loose herself and find no way to return. She naturally flowed back out of the unformed into the formed. That is the way "expression" works, it naturally flows out of "No-Thing" (the unformed) into the Formed. And that is why it is so powerful in making a prosperity demonstration, to carry your prayer into the unformed and then flow back out into formed expression. Within the unformed, all form is possible without effort.
However, just as a matter of course we need to touch Source as often as possible, to open up that natural flow through our consciousness. Notice that natural flow is always happening or formed life would not exist. The opening is into our "awareness" or "consciousness". Only when we are aware can we choose to "consciously rely" on Source, rather than wrestle with the world of things, totally unconscious that Source is what is actually creating our lives.
In the end we will "touch Source" not simply to create things in our lives. We will touch it for "relief" from life, and in order to return to individual expression renewed and rededicated to the particular possibility that we are exploring. We touch Source because in the end, IT is real, and all this out here is not. Just touching that which is eternal, empowers us beyond anything the world can give us.
What comes to mind is a race of beings in the Sci-Fi series, "Deep Space 9". Odo (don't know if I got the name right) is a shape-shifter who must once during his daily cycle return to an unformed puddle of liquid for a rest period. Then he can rise into shape again. When his planet of beings is described, the series shows each dipping into the ocean of unformed beingness together and occasionally rising out of it into individual expression in order to accomplish some task in the outer world. The ocean of "Being" is described as nurturing, renewing, and comforting beyond anything that the outer world can offer.
"Touching Source" is real! When placed on a background of only having experienced "expression" it can feel like "No-Thing". It can be called going into the VOID. We describe it as entering "Being" rather than "doing or thinking". If you let go of everything for a moment you will slip into the void. But you will naturally return. I remember in Hypnosis training (my dad was the teacher), the clear teaching was that it is a myth that someone might go under hypnosis and not wake up. The problem is keeping them "under", not "bringing them back". In worst case scenario they will sleep it off in a short time. Thus it is with source. The problem is learning to enter it, not worrying about returning to outer expression.
So I urge you to let go and "touch Source" throughout your day. Become aware of the nothingness from which all something-ness flows. Just touching the Source will be nurturing, comforting, renewing beyond anything outer life has to offer. And then there are the by-products. You know: Answered prayer, prosperity, & healing out here in the dream.
The further you go toward realizing your eternal spiritual self, the heavier earth expression becomes. Eventually we get through this, but until we do the antidote for the frustration over the heaviness is to "touch Source". And quite frankly, by touching Source, we re-connect with the invisible powers that create life and set in motion forces that answer prayers and fulfill our heart's desires. That is why, for property, we affirm, "God is my Source." It puts us in contact with the creative power of the universe.
However, I want to go beyond "creating the expression I want", and going there for what it will do for me here in earthlife, and talk about the totally abstract experience of "Touching Source", entering the eternal essence. When we touch Source, we let go of all expression, we retreat into the "unformed", and for those of us who are starting to awaken to a Self that is Spiritual not physical, there is a tremendous sense of RELIEF!
Let go of everything and slip backward from individual expression into the vast ocean of unformed from which all formed flows. It is beyond time, space, & definition. It cannot be described. And some simply describe it as the VOID. Those horrified by loss of individuality call it NOTHING (No-Thing) and they would be accurate. I know an individual who go there and was horrified to find "No-Thing". It scared her. And my explanation that "nothing" is the flip side of "everything", brought her no comfort.
But let me point out that though she did enter into the void and find No-Thing there, she did return into her individualized life. She did NOT loose herself and find no way to return. She naturally flowed back out of the unformed into the formed. That is the way "expression" works, it naturally flows out of "No-Thing" (the unformed) into the Formed. And that is why it is so powerful in making a prosperity demonstration, to carry your prayer into the unformed and then flow back out into formed expression. Within the unformed, all form is possible without effort.
However, just as a matter of course we need to touch Source as often as possible, to open up that natural flow through our consciousness. Notice that natural flow is always happening or formed life would not exist. The opening is into our "awareness" or "consciousness". Only when we are aware can we choose to "consciously rely" on Source, rather than wrestle with the world of things, totally unconscious that Source is what is actually creating our lives.
In the end we will "touch Source" not simply to create things in our lives. We will touch it for "relief" from life, and in order to return to individual expression renewed and rededicated to the particular possibility that we are exploring. We touch Source because in the end, IT is real, and all this out here is not. Just touching that which is eternal, empowers us beyond anything the world can give us.
What comes to mind is a race of beings in the Sci-Fi series, "Deep Space 9". Odo (don't know if I got the name right) is a shape-shifter who must once during his daily cycle return to an unformed puddle of liquid for a rest period. Then he can rise into shape again. When his planet of beings is described, the series shows each dipping into the ocean of unformed beingness together and occasionally rising out of it into individual expression in order to accomplish some task in the outer world. The ocean of "Being" is described as nurturing, renewing, and comforting beyond anything that the outer world can offer.
"Touching Source" is real! When placed on a background of only having experienced "expression" it can feel like "No-Thing". It can be called going into the VOID. We describe it as entering "Being" rather than "doing or thinking". If you let go of everything for a moment you will slip into the void. But you will naturally return. I remember in Hypnosis training (my dad was the teacher), the clear teaching was that it is a myth that someone might go under hypnosis and not wake up. The problem is keeping them "under", not "bringing them back". In worst case scenario they will sleep it off in a short time. Thus it is with source. The problem is learning to enter it, not worrying about returning to outer expression.
So I urge you to let go and "touch Source" throughout your day. Become aware of the nothingness from which all something-ness flows. Just touching the Source will be nurturing, comforting, renewing beyond anything outer life has to offer. And then there are the by-products. You know: Answered prayer, prosperity, & healing out here in the dream.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
White Unto Harvest
Part of learning how to improve the conditions of your life is learning to "see" that life is responding and that change is now inevitable, even if it appears that it will take a while. Growing a garden takes a very different skill set from going to the grocery store and buying food. You must be able to see that that fragile seedling is your promise of a bountiful harvest.
Jesus once told his disciples that though they look at a field and see seedlings, he looks at the same field and sees that it is already "white unto harvest". When you look at your life, do you see it "white unto harvest" - do you see the fulfillment of your desires for your life - do you see that life is responding and that you are "winning" when everyone around you still sees only "losing"? This requires "eyes to see; and ears to hear". A life is like a large ship. It takes a while to turn it. However, any good sailor knows that even a small force applied to this large ship over time and distance will dramatically change the destination. So the captain may alter the controls to make his course change, but see very little immediate response. Even so he knows with certainty the change in course is set in motion and unless be alters things it will be fulfilled. He confidently waits for the ship to fulfill his expectations.
Co-Creating the life you want is very much like captaining a large ship. You do your work on the invisible level. You hold to the new course you have set in motion. And you vigilantly watch for the small simple responses that tell you that your course change has been set in motion and is continuing. With spiritual perception you look for the subtle experiences that reveal that something is moving. You have "eyes to see" those subtle responses that most others would ignore. And you happily know the outcome of this course correction, while others are still excitedly complaining that nothing is happening. They may even declare that things are getting worse. (In 4T we recognize that for some people, things get worse before they get better. This can actually be a sign that things are in motion.) But you endure is what you know, bolstered by the subtle responses that you have paid attention to. You see the "field white unto harvest", because once set in motion IT IS! You joyfully declare that things are happening, success is already unfolding, while others around you think you are nuts or in some fantasy world. But if you truly have eyes to see, you are watching a true course correction, not blindly fantasizing success with the hope that your positive outlook will somehow eventually prevail.
Take an honest look at your life. See what course corrections need to be made. Apply the inner consciousness pressures you need to to create those corrections. Boldly do in the outer what must be done to be in harmony with these inner course changes. Then HOLD over Time! Hold your rudder where it needs to be and with "eyes to see" notice those subtle responses from life that indicate that your ship is still on course for the desired correction. Life will offer these subtle responses from all around you if you are vigilant. Then rejoice! The harvest is already there waiting for you. Faith, held over Time (we call that strength), will always turn the ship, no matter how large, slow and unresponsive is seems to be. True FAITH doesn't need things to go any faster than they are going. However it does open the way for JOY & OVERWHELMING GRATITUDE, which actually could speed things up!
Jesus once told his disciples that though they look at a field and see seedlings, he looks at the same field and sees that it is already "white unto harvest". When you look at your life, do you see it "white unto harvest" - do you see the fulfillment of your desires for your life - do you see that life is responding and that you are "winning" when everyone around you still sees only "losing"? This requires "eyes to see; and ears to hear". A life is like a large ship. It takes a while to turn it. However, any good sailor knows that even a small force applied to this large ship over time and distance will dramatically change the destination. So the captain may alter the controls to make his course change, but see very little immediate response. Even so he knows with certainty the change in course is set in motion and unless be alters things it will be fulfilled. He confidently waits for the ship to fulfill his expectations.
Co-Creating the life you want is very much like captaining a large ship. You do your work on the invisible level. You hold to the new course you have set in motion. And you vigilantly watch for the small simple responses that tell you that your course change has been set in motion and is continuing. With spiritual perception you look for the subtle experiences that reveal that something is moving. You have "eyes to see" those subtle responses that most others would ignore. And you happily know the outcome of this course correction, while others are still excitedly complaining that nothing is happening. They may even declare that things are getting worse. (In 4T we recognize that for some people, things get worse before they get better. This can actually be a sign that things are in motion.) But you endure is what you know, bolstered by the subtle responses that you have paid attention to. You see the "field white unto harvest", because once set in motion IT IS! You joyfully declare that things are happening, success is already unfolding, while others around you think you are nuts or in some fantasy world. But if you truly have eyes to see, you are watching a true course correction, not blindly fantasizing success with the hope that your positive outlook will somehow eventually prevail.
Take an honest look at your life. See what course corrections need to be made. Apply the inner consciousness pressures you need to to create those corrections. Boldly do in the outer what must be done to be in harmony with these inner course changes. Then HOLD over Time! Hold your rudder where it needs to be and with "eyes to see" notice those subtle responses from life that indicate that your ship is still on course for the desired correction. Life will offer these subtle responses from all around you if you are vigilant. Then rejoice! The harvest is already there waiting for you. Faith, held over Time (we call that strength), will always turn the ship, no matter how large, slow and unresponsive is seems to be. True FAITH doesn't need things to go any faster than they are going. However it does open the way for JOY & OVERWHELMING GRATITUDE, which actually could speed things up!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Higher Lessons
Some people will tell you that the height of spiritual mastery is demonstrated by being able to create the life you want. You declare a thing, image, or hold a thought until it becomes fully expressed in your life. That is certainly a worthy way station along the path - one most of us aspire to. However being a totally effective life-creator is one of the early stages developed to perfection. Many will approach their spirituality with this as their ultimate goal. Many will spend their whole lives perfecting this skill. And there is nothing wrong with that. However, there are higher lessons than simply learning how to change things in this particular possiblility that we find ourselves serving in - and change them to our liking. If you are happy with simply learning co-creation and you define that as getting what you want, then read no further in today's blog.
I've said over and over, "Humility is the door into all the higher spiritual experiences", and especially Divine Power. The further one goes the humbler one becomes. While others declare that you simply don't have enough faith to "have your way with life", you realize that you are not this personality, that this world is but one of billions & billions of possibilities, that everything you see is passing away, and a deep sense of personal unimportance, even the unimportance of this earthlife sweeps over you. Life as we see it is an expression and those expressions you are trying so hard to mold to your liking don't really matter terribly much. We start the path declaring that "I can do anything!" and you can. However, thru the door of humility that leads to higher realms, we realize how meaningless it is to declare like a spoiled child that I must always have things my way. This person I think I am, is not real anyway. It's one particular possibility and it's what's behind expression that matters.
When reality as we have known it is torn by this glimpse into the great beyond, it leaves one lost - If it doesn't matter what am I doing here? The key is that it does matter to God, though it doesn't matter in the way your personality has assumed it does. And in the higher realms, you belong wholly to God. We will declare "I only want to serve God's purposes. So get me out of this mundane earthly experiences. I long for the life of Spirit." But this also falls short. Life asked us to play this role. Who are we to declare that it is unimportant to God. If we have truly surrendered our life to God, then we can certainly play any part in the "play" on any possibility that God has put in front of us. Nothing is more spiritual than what life has assigned you. Remember the story of the spiritual master who claimed, "Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chop wood and carry water."
However if there is an assignment that we are given it is to Love the life that we are expressing right now. We show our greatest dedication to God by loving our life as we are living it now - the parts that are to our liking & the parts that aren't. Once you realize that your personality desires don't matter, you are willing to love whatever role in this particular little possibility that you are assigned, you don't need to make a demonstration to prove your spirituality or to make yourself happy.
Suddenly you realize that you don't need to "spiritually lean" on your world to be happy (to change things to your liking). But now since you don't need to change things, you don't need NOT to change things either. As long as you love life the way it is, you are allowed to transform it as you will. There is no right or wrong. There is no better or worse. There is simply choice. And maybe we CHOOSE abundance, healing, loving relationships, etc. We become gardeners of life. In the end we've come full circle and are powerful co-creators of our world, but for very different reasons.
Those who never left the level of co-creation, look at us and agree that we have finally gotten our lives together and learned how to make a demonstration. And we look at our lives and say "I love my life! The demonstations are entirely beside the point. They are merely choices - either of which is God- and therefore wonderful."
I've said over and over, "Humility is the door into all the higher spiritual experiences", and especially Divine Power. The further one goes the humbler one becomes. While others declare that you simply don't have enough faith to "have your way with life", you realize that you are not this personality, that this world is but one of billions & billions of possibilities, that everything you see is passing away, and a deep sense of personal unimportance, even the unimportance of this earthlife sweeps over you. Life as we see it is an expression and those expressions you are trying so hard to mold to your liking don't really matter terribly much. We start the path declaring that "I can do anything!" and you can. However, thru the door of humility that leads to higher realms, we realize how meaningless it is to declare like a spoiled child that I must always have things my way. This person I think I am, is not real anyway. It's one particular possibility and it's what's behind expression that matters.
When reality as we have known it is torn by this glimpse into the great beyond, it leaves one lost - If it doesn't matter what am I doing here? The key is that it does matter to God, though it doesn't matter in the way your personality has assumed it does. And in the higher realms, you belong wholly to God. We will declare "I only want to serve God's purposes. So get me out of this mundane earthly experiences. I long for the life of Spirit." But this also falls short. Life asked us to play this role. Who are we to declare that it is unimportant to God. If we have truly surrendered our life to God, then we can certainly play any part in the "play" on any possibility that God has put in front of us. Nothing is more spiritual than what life has assigned you. Remember the story of the spiritual master who claimed, "Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chop wood and carry water."
However if there is an assignment that we are given it is to Love the life that we are expressing right now. We show our greatest dedication to God by loving our life as we are living it now - the parts that are to our liking & the parts that aren't. Once you realize that your personality desires don't matter, you are willing to love whatever role in this particular little possibility that you are assigned, you don't need to make a demonstration to prove your spirituality or to make yourself happy.
Suddenly you realize that you don't need to "spiritually lean" on your world to be happy (to change things to your liking). But now since you don't need to change things, you don't need NOT to change things either. As long as you love life the way it is, you are allowed to transform it as you will. There is no right or wrong. There is no better or worse. There is simply choice. And maybe we CHOOSE abundance, healing, loving relationships, etc. We become gardeners of life. In the end we've come full circle and are powerful co-creators of our world, but for very different reasons.
Those who never left the level of co-creation, look at us and agree that we have finally gotten our lives together and learned how to make a demonstration. And we look at our lives and say "I love my life! The demonstations are entirely beside the point. They are merely choices - either of which is God- and therefore wonderful."
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
JOY like a Light Bulb
JOY - what we are working with this week- is an amazingly powerful spiritual quality. But it seems to me that we generally use it wrong. Or at least we capture its weaker side.
The first step in attaining a little bit of the glow of Divine Joy is to realize that deep spiritual joy is in the moment. Human joy may be about something that just happened, pride in what we have accomplished, or joyous anticipation of the future. But, Divine Joy is in the now - the moment. It is not about past or future. Neither are truly real. Only NOW exists in the Divine. That is why the highest states of spiritual ecstasy are related to living in the "Eternal Now".
Stop to feel joy - not joy about something - just JOY. It flushes your whole being with a radiance of well-being. That starts growing as you give it attention and continues to expand until your whole being is radiant - glowing like a light bulb. When we simply sit in the presence of Joy - immerse ourselves in the moment of joy & stay in the moment, it rises within us into a state of ecstasy. But for many this state is uncomfortable and we rush to throw off the energy in activity. If instead, we hold the glow inwardly, we can calmly go about activities while living our lives in a radiant state. Life responds to this radiance, & though ecstatic joy is its own reward, you can expect the world around you to alter the way it relates to you - alter for the better.
It seems to me that JOY is like an electric current. When channeled into an electric motor is creates activity and motion. This is how we are most accustomed to using joy. It is fun, yet the energy is dispersed into the activity and when used up leaves us empty once again. An electric current can be channeled into a light bulb where it creates no motion or activity. However as it is captured and internalized by the filament in the bulb, the energy becomes radiant, quietly transforming the whole room around it. This is the power of Divine Joy moving through our hearts as ecstasy in the NOW.
Let JOY smolder inside of you. Remain calm and cherish the energy internally. Let it expand until you glow like that light bulb. The beauty of ecstasy is how it grows exponentially. Recently, I read of research into the use of solar sails to power space craft into space. The solar push is subtle and the craft starts off slowly. But it builds and it continues to build. Into the trip a little ways, the craft has accelerated to hundreds of thousands of miles per hour. A subtle radiance that is internalized over a period of time creates an overwhelming glow that can turn any mundane life into the most stimulating trip one could ever take.
In regard to the Divine Energy of JOY, be the light bulb, not the motor. Keep the Divine Gift internalized until the radiance transforms every part of your life. The motor may move you down the road at 60 miles per hour. But the solar sail, while it starts out at a very few miles per hour will shortly build to an unimaginable speed. Joy radiance internalized will begin by making a hard life bearable, but quickly build into the bright radiant Light that produces a life of ever-connecting-miracles.
The first step in attaining a little bit of the glow of Divine Joy is to realize that deep spiritual joy is in the moment. Human joy may be about something that just happened, pride in what we have accomplished, or joyous anticipation of the future. But, Divine Joy is in the now - the moment. It is not about past or future. Neither are truly real. Only NOW exists in the Divine. That is why the highest states of spiritual ecstasy are related to living in the "Eternal Now".
Stop to feel joy - not joy about something - just JOY. It flushes your whole being with a radiance of well-being. That starts growing as you give it attention and continues to expand until your whole being is radiant - glowing like a light bulb. When we simply sit in the presence of Joy - immerse ourselves in the moment of joy & stay in the moment, it rises within us into a state of ecstasy. But for many this state is uncomfortable and we rush to throw off the energy in activity. If instead, we hold the glow inwardly, we can calmly go about activities while living our lives in a radiant state. Life responds to this radiance, & though ecstatic joy is its own reward, you can expect the world around you to alter the way it relates to you - alter for the better.
It seems to me that JOY is like an electric current. When channeled into an electric motor is creates activity and motion. This is how we are most accustomed to using joy. It is fun, yet the energy is dispersed into the activity and when used up leaves us empty once again. An electric current can be channeled into a light bulb where it creates no motion or activity. However as it is captured and internalized by the filament in the bulb, the energy becomes radiant, quietly transforming the whole room around it. This is the power of Divine Joy moving through our hearts as ecstasy in the NOW.
Let JOY smolder inside of you. Remain calm and cherish the energy internally. Let it expand until you glow like that light bulb. The beauty of ecstasy is how it grows exponentially. Recently, I read of research into the use of solar sails to power space craft into space. The solar push is subtle and the craft starts off slowly. But it builds and it continues to build. Into the trip a little ways, the craft has accelerated to hundreds of thousands of miles per hour. A subtle radiance that is internalized over a period of time creates an overwhelming glow that can turn any mundane life into the most stimulating trip one could ever take.
In regard to the Divine Energy of JOY, be the light bulb, not the motor. Keep the Divine Gift internalized until the radiance transforms every part of your life. The motor may move you down the road at 60 miles per hour. But the solar sail, while it starts out at a very few miles per hour will shortly build to an unimaginable speed. Joy radiance internalized will begin by making a hard life bearable, but quickly build into the bright radiant Light that produces a life of ever-connecting-miracles.
Friday, September 30, 2011
When you are at your best....
One of my favorite lines out of a movie is from "Starman" with Jeff Bridges. Just before he leaves, the alien in Jeff Bridges body is meeting in a cafe with the government representative that will help him escape. The alien asks, "Do you want to know what I find beautiful about your species?" When they nod yes he responds, "You are at your best when things are worst."
I've always thought that to be worth aspiring to. Lately, I look at the undercurrent that seems to be agitating huge numbers of people. Everyone seems to be thrown into turmoil over something. At least a larger number than usual are reacting in a volatile fashion. It can seem like you are standing on the playground with a bunch of kids who have just been fed sugar. Consequently, it seems like it is time to "be at our best".
I am basically very positive in the way I see everything. Even things that are considered "horrible" I may take in stride because I see a greater good behind the out front seeming evil. However, I keep an emotional pet that is called "cynicism". And I often let it out to play for a while just for fun. Lately though, as I find everyone around me more cynical, I have banished my recreational pet. It is definitely time to be at my best. The world can't take me "playing" with this emotion, even if that is not sincerely where I live. When the world becomes emotionally volatile, it's time to be calm, centered, and "on track" without wavering.
The reactions of so many suggest that we are in a consciousness crisis. And in the crisis it's time to be calm, centered, & efficient about making your contribution count. It's time to step away from volatile emotions and be firm in knowing the Truth wherever you go in life. It's time to back off from volatile emotions, quit "indulging" (the Don Juan term), and be coldly efficient at doing the best for everyone concerned. "That's your assignment, is you choose to accept it" - "To be at your best when things are worst."
You can make a difference!
I've always thought that to be worth aspiring to. Lately, I look at the undercurrent that seems to be agitating huge numbers of people. Everyone seems to be thrown into turmoil over something. At least a larger number than usual are reacting in a volatile fashion. It can seem like you are standing on the playground with a bunch of kids who have just been fed sugar. Consequently, it seems like it is time to "be at our best".
I am basically very positive in the way I see everything. Even things that are considered "horrible" I may take in stride because I see a greater good behind the out front seeming evil. However, I keep an emotional pet that is called "cynicism". And I often let it out to play for a while just for fun. Lately though, as I find everyone around me more cynical, I have banished my recreational pet. It is definitely time to be at my best. The world can't take me "playing" with this emotion, even if that is not sincerely where I live. When the world becomes emotionally volatile, it's time to be calm, centered, and "on track" without wavering.
The reactions of so many suggest that we are in a consciousness crisis. And in the crisis it's time to be calm, centered, & efficient about making your contribution count. It's time to step away from volatile emotions and be firm in knowing the Truth wherever you go in life. It's time to back off from volatile emotions, quit "indulging" (the Don Juan term), and be coldly efficient at doing the best for everyone concerned. "That's your assignment, is you choose to accept it" - "To be at your best when things are worst."
You can make a difference!
Monday, September 26, 2011
I'll Have it God's Way!
Have you ever noticed that when you get what you want it often doesn't look like what you asked for?
In my life I have noticed that when I affirm something long enough it comes into being in my life. However, it arrives in character, not necessarily in the exact form that I had in mind. I've learned that from the macro perspective, what is created after God transmutes it into the form that finally arrives, is generally better than what I thought I was praying for, even if "my idea" would have been more direct or dramatic. God's version always turns out to be more real, have more extended possibilities connected to it, and of course it is never a finished product. The answered prayer never provides a place to sit down and rest and say "I'm here. I can stop now." It always becomes a new begining, not an end. After all life is "not the destination but the journey." We give this lip service, while always wishing for a destination. God always thinks in terms of the journey and destination prayers must be transmuted.
Part of the "Art of Prayer" is recognizing you answer. Thus we must always be prepared to break our prayers down into the character of life, the energies that we are asking to be created. The picture is simply a symbol of our desire. What we really want is an "energy state" that we think this picture would create. But in actuality, there are many expressions that could create that particular energy state. So, as we look for signs that LIFE is responding to us and our desires, we need to back up on a constant basis and assess the energy of the new circumstances that are continually arriving. Sometimes those arrivals are only the promise of what is to come. And sometimes those arrivals are the real thing, expressing the full character of our request, but appearing so different that we might have missed them as our answer were we not vigilant. And of course sometimes we get in form exactly what we pictured.
We become powerful at prayer by recognizing that our prayers are answered. The exact replica, everyone can recognize. But, it represents only a percentage of answered prayer. And we remain quite limited as spiritual beings if God's answer has to be in our reflection and not HIS - which is a much vaster realm. The more you can recognize LIFE responding to you in the multitude of ways that it does, the closer you will feel to the SOURCE and the more dramatic your responses will become.
At Unity I pray that "everyone who enters our doors receivces the blessings they need and the ones they want." What we want is fun to get. And if it is the highest possibility I like to have that kind of fun happen. But what we "need" is the part of the meal that makes us healthy and life full of well-being. God grant us the strength to see all our blessings: the ones we asked for, the challenges we need, the mutated requests that arrive looking different than we expected, the half-steps that lead to something else, the darkness we need to go through to become something greater, the wonderful surprises, and the response to our every desire - whether we know it or not.
Life is responding to you every moment. The more clearly we can see this the more intimate that response will become. When we begin to see that we have been blessed, God's blessings in our lives begin to flow faster than we could have ever expected.
In my life I have noticed that when I affirm something long enough it comes into being in my life. However, it arrives in character, not necessarily in the exact form that I had in mind. I've learned that from the macro perspective, what is created after God transmutes it into the form that finally arrives, is generally better than what I thought I was praying for, even if "my idea" would have been more direct or dramatic. God's version always turns out to be more real, have more extended possibilities connected to it, and of course it is never a finished product. The answered prayer never provides a place to sit down and rest and say "I'm here. I can stop now." It always becomes a new begining, not an end. After all life is "not the destination but the journey." We give this lip service, while always wishing for a destination. God always thinks in terms of the journey and destination prayers must be transmuted.
Part of the "Art of Prayer" is recognizing you answer. Thus we must always be prepared to break our prayers down into the character of life, the energies that we are asking to be created. The picture is simply a symbol of our desire. What we really want is an "energy state" that we think this picture would create. But in actuality, there are many expressions that could create that particular energy state. So, as we look for signs that LIFE is responding to us and our desires, we need to back up on a constant basis and assess the energy of the new circumstances that are continually arriving. Sometimes those arrivals are only the promise of what is to come. And sometimes those arrivals are the real thing, expressing the full character of our request, but appearing so different that we might have missed them as our answer were we not vigilant. And of course sometimes we get in form exactly what we pictured.
We become powerful at prayer by recognizing that our prayers are answered. The exact replica, everyone can recognize. But, it represents only a percentage of answered prayer. And we remain quite limited as spiritual beings if God's answer has to be in our reflection and not HIS - which is a much vaster realm. The more you can recognize LIFE responding to you in the multitude of ways that it does, the closer you will feel to the SOURCE and the more dramatic your responses will become.
At Unity I pray that "everyone who enters our doors receivces the blessings they need and the ones they want." What we want is fun to get. And if it is the highest possibility I like to have that kind of fun happen. But what we "need" is the part of the meal that makes us healthy and life full of well-being. God grant us the strength to see all our blessings: the ones we asked for, the challenges we need, the mutated requests that arrive looking different than we expected, the half-steps that lead to something else, the darkness we need to go through to become something greater, the wonderful surprises, and the response to our every desire - whether we know it or not.
Life is responding to you every moment. The more clearly we can see this the more intimate that response will become. When we begin to see that we have been blessed, God's blessings in our lives begin to flow faster than we could have ever expected.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Time Stress
I read this week that Einstein's whole theory of relativity is in jeopardy because someone thinks they have measured a neutrino moving faster than the speed of light. The way I see it - and though I took a course in "Special Relativity" in engineering school years ago, I'm definitely pretty amateaur-ish on my sub-atomic physics - I think E = MC2 sugests that the speed of light is the Time Barrier. The whole concept only gets broken if we assume that time is constant. After all thought goes faster than the speed of light. There are a few psychic experiments done in space that suggest such a thing. So I guess the Moody Blues were right, "Thinking is the best way to travel!"
In High School when cornered about electrons in an English class, I responded that they were a place where matter and energy merged rather than were distinct. Since I was the science nerd at that time, the English teacher had no recourse except to take me at my word. Even though I knew that statement was departing from the classical model used at the time, it seemed right to me. Of course now days we suggest that electrons can be either a particle or a wave. And there are lots of sub-atomic residents that disappear and then return (we assume into and out of anti-matter). Why would it be astounding to discover that in the magical sub-atomic realm something goes faster than light. Just let go of the idea that anything is constant - particularly time!
I've chosen to blog on "Time" because it's been four days since my last post. Obviously, time is getting the better of me. In spirituality we recognize that time is all about perception. Vibrating at a high level and perceiving more intensely creates the illusion of having plenty of time, while vibrating at a lower level and perceiving at a less intense rate creates the illusion that time is flying by and we don't have enough of it. And of course at higher levels we seem to be able to catapult ourselves forward into the future, seeing reality from a different perspective in time and then return to the original perspective. In physics everything appears to change depending upon your "frame of reference". Mastering time seems to be all about "frame of reference".
So let's talk about frame of reference. There is an old spiritual adage: "If you don't have time to meditate, you don't have time not to meditate." This suggests that by meditating you will lift your vibration and meet life from a more efficient frame of reference. We will suggest that the world around you will appear to be more orderly and things will unfold in a greater sense of harmony. Thus, you get more done. But the truth is that all this hinges upon your entering a higher energy state where you can perceive this harmony and take advantage of it.
Sometimes the world seems a little overwhelming. So much is required of us that we begin to "fear" that we won't have enough time. Fear lowers our vibration, making us less efficient, and the prophecy of our fears is fulfilled. We call this stress. And stress begets more stress. It is a viscious cycle that appears to have complete control of our lives. And the only way to break the cycle is to alter the vibrational rate at which we are meeting life - that is LIFT it!
In a sense our world can be our barometer of where we are vibrating, if we've gotten drawn in to the life-drama and have forgotten to pay attention. When the barometer strikes "Time Stress", it's time to stop and detach for a moment. Touch that absolute peace that lies within you. Then return to life vibrating in that state of peace. Face each thing you must do with calmness, joy, and intense perception. Only then can we perceive the harmony and do our work on a time level that can accomplish what was impossible at a lower level. Face what is before you. Do it to the best of your ability. Enjoy the moment even if it is a demanding one. And leave the future (concerns over what you will not be able to accomplish) to a future time when that will become your NOW experience. At that point your higher level perception will show you options that you couldn't see, when your failure still lay out in the near future before you.
This walking through life in peace is a talent to be developed and honed. None of us have totally mastered it yet. The first step is just to recognize that your world is swirling a little faster and take reponsibility for the vibrational rate at which you meet life, rather than blame life for overwhelming you. We fall off the horse constantly. There is no shame in admitting that. It's not slipping into a "time stress" state that measures our abilities. It's how quickly we can recognize it and get back on the horse.
I believe that time itself is a human illusion. There's a higher state of our soul where these particular chains fall away. But let's just start by meeting our "time stress" with peace in order to have a little less stress and a little more time.
In High School when cornered about electrons in an English class, I responded that they were a place where matter and energy merged rather than were distinct. Since I was the science nerd at that time, the English teacher had no recourse except to take me at my word. Even though I knew that statement was departing from the classical model used at the time, it seemed right to me. Of course now days we suggest that electrons can be either a particle or a wave. And there are lots of sub-atomic residents that disappear and then return (we assume into and out of anti-matter). Why would it be astounding to discover that in the magical sub-atomic realm something goes faster than light. Just let go of the idea that anything is constant - particularly time!
I've chosen to blog on "Time" because it's been four days since my last post. Obviously, time is getting the better of me. In spirituality we recognize that time is all about perception. Vibrating at a high level and perceiving more intensely creates the illusion of having plenty of time, while vibrating at a lower level and perceiving at a less intense rate creates the illusion that time is flying by and we don't have enough of it. And of course at higher levels we seem to be able to catapult ourselves forward into the future, seeing reality from a different perspective in time and then return to the original perspective. In physics everything appears to change depending upon your "frame of reference". Mastering time seems to be all about "frame of reference".
So let's talk about frame of reference. There is an old spiritual adage: "If you don't have time to meditate, you don't have time not to meditate." This suggests that by meditating you will lift your vibration and meet life from a more efficient frame of reference. We will suggest that the world around you will appear to be more orderly and things will unfold in a greater sense of harmony. Thus, you get more done. But the truth is that all this hinges upon your entering a higher energy state where you can perceive this harmony and take advantage of it.
Sometimes the world seems a little overwhelming. So much is required of us that we begin to "fear" that we won't have enough time. Fear lowers our vibration, making us less efficient, and the prophecy of our fears is fulfilled. We call this stress. And stress begets more stress. It is a viscious cycle that appears to have complete control of our lives. And the only way to break the cycle is to alter the vibrational rate at which we are meeting life - that is LIFT it!
In a sense our world can be our barometer of where we are vibrating, if we've gotten drawn in to the life-drama and have forgotten to pay attention. When the barometer strikes "Time Stress", it's time to stop and detach for a moment. Touch that absolute peace that lies within you. Then return to life vibrating in that state of peace. Face each thing you must do with calmness, joy, and intense perception. Only then can we perceive the harmony and do our work on a time level that can accomplish what was impossible at a lower level. Face what is before you. Do it to the best of your ability. Enjoy the moment even if it is a demanding one. And leave the future (concerns over what you will not be able to accomplish) to a future time when that will become your NOW experience. At that point your higher level perception will show you options that you couldn't see, when your failure still lay out in the near future before you.
This walking through life in peace is a talent to be developed and honed. None of us have totally mastered it yet. The first step is just to recognize that your world is swirling a little faster and take reponsibility for the vibrational rate at which you meet life, rather than blame life for overwhelming you. We fall off the horse constantly. There is no shame in admitting that. It's not slipping into a "time stress" state that measures our abilities. It's how quickly we can recognize it and get back on the horse.
I believe that time itself is a human illusion. There's a higher state of our soul where these particular chains fall away. But let's just start by meeting our "time stress" with peace in order to have a little less stress and a little more time.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Fear is the Mind Killer
Today, I was struck by how much fear surrounds us. It seems to be sown into almost every aspect of our lives. And rooting it out may become more difficult than we realize because it has become so commonplace that we often don't even realize that it's a fear thought when it confronts us.
I was just reading one of those dire predictions about the American economy that abound these days. Now to be fair, you don't sell investment advice unless you appeal to either fear or greed - and fear has proven itself the most effective at drawing people in. Yet I was taken at how unabashed the author was at trying to instill panic. And if you panicked properly, you had to purchase his advice. Then, I realized that this tendency toward panic is almost epidemic in all of life. In fact, staying calm and centered seems to be the main challenge of this current time period.
I'm not talking about "head in the sand" calmness. After all I'll be the 1st to tell you that we live in an era of major change that I believe to be almost unparalleled in human experience. If you want to panic, I agree that you can choose any one of a hundred relatively valid reasons. But what comes to mind is the quote from the science fiction classic, DUNE, "Fear is the Mind Killer!" Notice the speaker doesn't say it is groundless. He simply states that it robs you of your ability to handle the challenge at your peak performance. If you want to run your life on fear, you are free to. However, it will freeze your ability to respond constructively. If you refuse to give fear a home in your consciousness you are free to succeed even in situations where the odds may be against you. You are free to see and take advantage of the one opportunity that you have to make something good out of what otherwise would most certainly become disaster.
I'm actually going to quote scripture here because it totally applies. Jesus says (Matt 6:34) "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will look after itself, Sufficient for each day is its own trouble." Fear is almost always about tomorrow or at least what's coming next. And there are options opening up in the next moment that you may be unaware of in the present.
So, should we never prepare? Yes, Prepare! Preparation is a wonderful NOW activity, even if your preparations are made useless in the next moment. The important thing is to do the best you can with the moments you have right now and the tasks that are before you right now. Fear makes you impotent because there is absolutely nothing you can do about a circumstance that has not yet presented itself except prepare. The future is filled with unknowns that make us feel powerless. But feeling powerless isn't all that bad if it reminds us to continually place our lives in the hands of the One Presence that always holds all the Power - a Presence that Loves us and wants for us our Highest Good - even when we don't know what that is.
So are we on the verge of devastating financial Hell? Who knows? I take relief from the fact that the doomsdayers are almost always early, even in those rare times when they are correct. And, by the time it does unfold the options have generally changed and there are alternatives they never would have thought of. However, this train of thought addresses the wrong question.
There will always be change, even disaster, across our globe, and occassionally right in our midst. The state of civilization is always in flux. Nothing is secure - except for that One Presence. I guess we need to remind ourselves almost constantly that God is in charge no matter what we may have to face. And, that we are spiritual beings and can face whatever life insists we must. My job is to ENJOY the journey each day.
If you can touch the Peace inside of you that Jesus referred to when he said, "Peace I leave with you... not as the world gives, I give to you." - a Peace that comes from within not from outside situations!!! - then you are prepared to grab and climb any rope that life throws your way. And you will be vigilant enough to not let it fly by un-noticed. Do you KNOW that God always throws you a rope? I suppose in the current state of our civilization, that's something we all could improve on.
I was just reading one of those dire predictions about the American economy that abound these days. Now to be fair, you don't sell investment advice unless you appeal to either fear or greed - and fear has proven itself the most effective at drawing people in. Yet I was taken at how unabashed the author was at trying to instill panic. And if you panicked properly, you had to purchase his advice. Then, I realized that this tendency toward panic is almost epidemic in all of life. In fact, staying calm and centered seems to be the main challenge of this current time period.
I'm not talking about "head in the sand" calmness. After all I'll be the 1st to tell you that we live in an era of major change that I believe to be almost unparalleled in human experience. If you want to panic, I agree that you can choose any one of a hundred relatively valid reasons. But what comes to mind is the quote from the science fiction classic, DUNE, "Fear is the Mind Killer!" Notice the speaker doesn't say it is groundless. He simply states that it robs you of your ability to handle the challenge at your peak performance. If you want to run your life on fear, you are free to. However, it will freeze your ability to respond constructively. If you refuse to give fear a home in your consciousness you are free to succeed even in situations where the odds may be against you. You are free to see and take advantage of the one opportunity that you have to make something good out of what otherwise would most certainly become disaster.
I'm actually going to quote scripture here because it totally applies. Jesus says (Matt 6:34) "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will look after itself, Sufficient for each day is its own trouble." Fear is almost always about tomorrow or at least what's coming next. And there are options opening up in the next moment that you may be unaware of in the present.
So, should we never prepare? Yes, Prepare! Preparation is a wonderful NOW activity, even if your preparations are made useless in the next moment. The important thing is to do the best you can with the moments you have right now and the tasks that are before you right now. Fear makes you impotent because there is absolutely nothing you can do about a circumstance that has not yet presented itself except prepare. The future is filled with unknowns that make us feel powerless. But feeling powerless isn't all that bad if it reminds us to continually place our lives in the hands of the One Presence that always holds all the Power - a Presence that Loves us and wants for us our Highest Good - even when we don't know what that is.
So are we on the verge of devastating financial Hell? Who knows? I take relief from the fact that the doomsdayers are almost always early, even in those rare times when they are correct. And, by the time it does unfold the options have generally changed and there are alternatives they never would have thought of. However, this train of thought addresses the wrong question.
There will always be change, even disaster, across our globe, and occassionally right in our midst. The state of civilization is always in flux. Nothing is secure - except for that One Presence. I guess we need to remind ourselves almost constantly that God is in charge no matter what we may have to face. And, that we are spiritual beings and can face whatever life insists we must. My job is to ENJOY the journey each day.
If you can touch the Peace inside of you that Jesus referred to when he said, "Peace I leave with you... not as the world gives, I give to you." - a Peace that comes from within not from outside situations!!! - then you are prepared to grab and climb any rope that life throws your way. And you will be vigilant enough to not let it fly by un-noticed. Do you KNOW that God always throws you a rope? I suppose in the current state of our civilization, that's something we all could improve on.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Dogs Nipping at our Heels
Have you noticed these days that even when things are going quite well, there seems to be some "tremor in the force" going on at the same time. The lesson seems to be that we must pay those "tremors" very little mind and continue confidently down our path toward our objective. You are the strongest consciousness in your life. Don't get distracted by life.
The picture that has come to mind over the years is the image of a bull coming down the valley at my parents home in Colorado years ago. Nothing could stop this ton of lumbering power. Yet, when my parents' two Australian shepherds bounded out on either side of it and started nipping at its heels, the bull became so obsessed with these pestering dogs that it forgot where it intended to go and allowed itself to be herded by two animals that were no match for it in power.
We often live our lives like that bull. We are more powerful to create the life that we want, than we know. We are children of God. But the dogs nipping at our heels dominate our lives and curb us away from our dreams. The human experience is always setting some tremor in the force around us. If we pay attention and lose our intent & focus, the events that pester us will define the lives that we live. But if we stay centered, totally focused, and remember our relationship with God, all the tremors will come and go, but we will still be able to plod forward toward our goal.
Your humanness & human challenges will always be trying to distract you from the realization that God's Good is unfolding in your life right now, that your prayers are powerful creative energies set in motion by a Christ Being & the power of God moves through you. Don't let the dogs nipping at your heels rob you of your spiritual intentions. You are the bull, powerful to make your demonstrations. If you keep your focus, nothing can stop you!
The picture that has come to mind over the years is the image of a bull coming down the valley at my parents home in Colorado years ago. Nothing could stop this ton of lumbering power. Yet, when my parents' two Australian shepherds bounded out on either side of it and started nipping at its heels, the bull became so obsessed with these pestering dogs that it forgot where it intended to go and allowed itself to be herded by two animals that were no match for it in power.
We often live our lives like that bull. We are more powerful to create the life that we want, than we know. We are children of God. But the dogs nipping at our heels dominate our lives and curb us away from our dreams. The human experience is always setting some tremor in the force around us. If we pay attention and lose our intent & focus, the events that pester us will define the lives that we live. But if we stay centered, totally focused, and remember our relationship with God, all the tremors will come and go, but we will still be able to plod forward toward our goal.
Your humanness & human challenges will always be trying to distract you from the realization that God's Good is unfolding in your life right now, that your prayers are powerful creative energies set in motion by a Christ Being & the power of God moves through you. Don't let the dogs nipping at your heels rob you of your spiritual intentions. You are the bull, powerful to make your demonstrations. If you keep your focus, nothing can stop you!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
New Self
Sunday I talked about releasing the Past so it doesn't hold you back. This sounds like a wonderful experience, but it is also somewhat frightening, one that we resist in subtle ways. Transformation of Self (who we experience ourselves to be) is a major part of spiritual awakening. However, no matter how limiting it is the old self is comforting and gives us the illusion of security. We let go (forgive) so that we can be free to have new good come into our lives. Releasing in order to get new toys or opportunities is exciting & fun. However, real release means that we must become a new person. Prayer isn't just about getting new things. It is about Being a New Person so we can naturally draw a new state of life around us. Jesus covered this in the "don't put a new patch on an old garment" analogy.
Self transformation can come dramatically or subtly. Each path has its own challenges. I remember one of the most dramatic & traumatic transformations I went through. A little over 30 years ago, I returned to Florida from a devastating 8 months in Colorado that had changed me so dramatically that I mourned the death of who I was before and was still trying to adjust to who I was then. I marveled that others around me looked at me as if I were that same person I had been before. To me the change was so severe and dramatic that I could not understand how everyone around me still thought me much the same person. This of course led to dramatic changes is my outer life over the next couple years and a whole new life evolved. In this transformation many years ago, the challenge was fielding the trauma of the change in self concept.
More recently I am struck by the challenge of praying for change, but having it come so subtly that we miss it. If you remain unaware, the past will often supply memory of who you were, and even drown out the current transformation. If we keep running on cruise control, we can fail to claim the gift of self-transformation.
I have a rather long affirmation that I've used for more than three years now. It includes many areas of my life that I would like to see evolve. But I have noticed that I have become so accustomed to praying for something down the road, that I sometimes don't notice that I have changed and I should start conducting my life to access this change. In one area in particular in the last couple days I have realized that I am so used to this being a goal that I have failed to notice that it really has become a quality of my present experience. I am still making my decisions on the past memories of my experience and not on what that experience has transformed to become. It's time to let go of the past and embrace the change - a change that has evolved so naturally and subtly that I have observed, but not really noticed it.
My reactions to things have altered, so subtly that I have failed to pay much attention in a number of areas. In some areas when I asked myself what I feel about this area, I get a blank. So the natural tendency is to slip in the memory pattern that fits the situation, rather than explore the blank and see what is evolving. The Past is only good for reference. If you let it into the present you will stagnate and stagnation is destructive to life.
So my advice is this. If you are on the spiritual path at all, you are changing - you are in a constant state of transformation (not just in world around you or what your life looks like, but transformation in "who you are"). Past experience is truly useful to draw upon while facing your present. But if it becomes too powerful in your life it initiates a downward spiral. It's of note: you can't maintain the status quo. You are either embracing who you are becoming or you are slipping into pain and disappointment as you try to maintain what has been and cannot remain the same. It's all in motion. It's an illusion to believe otherwise. Keep vigilant as to who you are now. Do not accept that you are who you were yesterday. If you pay attention you may discover that what you have been praying for has already begun to change who you are. Go with it! The old self is constantly falling away and the New (higher) Self is constantly rising to take its place. Never condemn yourself to being who you have been.
Self transformation can come dramatically or subtly. Each path has its own challenges. I remember one of the most dramatic & traumatic transformations I went through. A little over 30 years ago, I returned to Florida from a devastating 8 months in Colorado that had changed me so dramatically that I mourned the death of who I was before and was still trying to adjust to who I was then. I marveled that others around me looked at me as if I were that same person I had been before. To me the change was so severe and dramatic that I could not understand how everyone around me still thought me much the same person. This of course led to dramatic changes is my outer life over the next couple years and a whole new life evolved. In this transformation many years ago, the challenge was fielding the trauma of the change in self concept.
More recently I am struck by the challenge of praying for change, but having it come so subtly that we miss it. If you remain unaware, the past will often supply memory of who you were, and even drown out the current transformation. If we keep running on cruise control, we can fail to claim the gift of self-transformation.
I have a rather long affirmation that I've used for more than three years now. It includes many areas of my life that I would like to see evolve. But I have noticed that I have become so accustomed to praying for something down the road, that I sometimes don't notice that I have changed and I should start conducting my life to access this change. In one area in particular in the last couple days I have realized that I am so used to this being a goal that I have failed to notice that it really has become a quality of my present experience. I am still making my decisions on the past memories of my experience and not on what that experience has transformed to become. It's time to let go of the past and embrace the change - a change that has evolved so naturally and subtly that I have observed, but not really noticed it.
My reactions to things have altered, so subtly that I have failed to pay much attention in a number of areas. In some areas when I asked myself what I feel about this area, I get a blank. So the natural tendency is to slip in the memory pattern that fits the situation, rather than explore the blank and see what is evolving. The Past is only good for reference. If you let it into the present you will stagnate and stagnation is destructive to life.
So my advice is this. If you are on the spiritual path at all, you are changing - you are in a constant state of transformation (not just in world around you or what your life looks like, but transformation in "who you are"). Past experience is truly useful to draw upon while facing your present. But if it becomes too powerful in your life it initiates a downward spiral. It's of note: you can't maintain the status quo. You are either embracing who you are becoming or you are slipping into pain and disappointment as you try to maintain what has been and cannot remain the same. It's all in motion. It's an illusion to believe otherwise. Keep vigilant as to who you are now. Do not accept that you are who you were yesterday. If you pay attention you may discover that what you have been praying for has already begun to change who you are. Go with it! The old self is constantly falling away and the New (higher) Self is constantly rising to take its place. Never condemn yourself to being who you have been.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Facing Flux
The other day Karrin called to my attention that the sycamore leaves are falling early this year. I had already noted that I was starting to clean them out of the pool earlier than seemed normal, but I hadn't really tuned into it. Looking around we realized that the sycamores around us started shriveling and dropping leaves the end of August. Our memory places that happening more like October.
When I mentioned it to my Dad, he said he had heard something like this from a friend in Georgia that he talks to regularly. She had pointed out that the Ginkgo trees in her yard were losing their leaves considerably earlier this year than they usually do.
Karrin then declared that she felt the shift in the seasons the end of August this year. The weather is still hot without a doubt. However, that oppressive heat that is summer, broke very early. We used to say that September is a Summer month down here. There's no break until October. And of course, the dry season in the Spring lasted at least 6 weeks longer than I expected from past patterns. And this year has provided a number of record breaking weather extremes - not to mention earthquakes in places we are not used to.
All this is simply examples I call on to illustrate that the world is in extreme flux right now. Everything is changing. The patterns we have learned to depend upon are in motion. And those trying to preserve the status quo in their lives are doomed to disappointment.
I see patterns in everything. I've learned to depend upon these patterns. They make it easier to navigate life. They give us a measure of belief that we KNOW what is happening around us. But just as world consciousness is in transition, so is EVERYTHING in the world. It's as if God is saying, "Everything that you have depended upon to make you feel secure, is now in motion. Everything is now changing. FLUX is the new norm. You better find something beyond all of this that can make you feel secure."
Facing FLUX is one of the challenges of the spiritual path. But, right now it appears to be everyone's challenge. Learning to navigate a reality that is in motion vs. a reality that has the illusion of being stable, plodding slowly forward, is quite a talent. But it is one that everyone is being forced to master. Change is not our enemy, but meeting it with poise and confidence takes some spiritual work on our part. We are all being asked to connect to "the Presence underneath life that is consistent" for our security, while letting go and free floating in order to field and even enjoy whatever flux brings our way.
If awareness of the Presence of God is your anchor, you can float freely through life taking advantage of whatever choices are presented. If God is your source & your relationship with God is the most real thing in your life, you can handle multiple possible futures, many of which are presently unknown to you. If you depend upon your personal control of life, multiple and especially unknown future outcomes are overwhelming, intimidating, and totally unacceptable.
One of the things I often do is head constructively forward toward multiple and often very different potential outcomes. One doesn't have to know where you are going to feel secure. In each area of our lives we are often facing a question, "Am I staying or am I leaving?" My answer whether the area is abstact or concrete is often, "I don't know. My life is not my own." I know this flies in the face of declaring a thing and making it happen, which certainly has its place in our teaching. But with humility comes the realization that I will demonstrate when I can, but "Thy will be done, not mine." This is terribly unsettling if you are not firmly attached to "God is in charge of my life."
Right now there's no choice. Flux is the new norm. We can't control the waves of life, but we can surf them. Place your trust in God. Declare what you want in your life. Give your input as a child of God. But never forget that "the Father" is in charge. You may not always get what you want (though often you will) - but you can always know that God is leading you securely through a reality that is in swirling motion to somewhere that will be GOOD for you. If you know this, you can accept multiple possible outcomes to anything you face with poise, peace, confidence, and even an excited joy for what lies before you.
I cannot tell you exactly where we are going. But I can feel the texture of what lies before us and I am filled with excited anticipation of the tour of life that the PRESENCE has in store for each of us.
When I mentioned it to my Dad, he said he had heard something like this from a friend in Georgia that he talks to regularly. She had pointed out that the Ginkgo trees in her yard were losing their leaves considerably earlier this year than they usually do.
Karrin then declared that she felt the shift in the seasons the end of August this year. The weather is still hot without a doubt. However, that oppressive heat that is summer, broke very early. We used to say that September is a Summer month down here. There's no break until October. And of course, the dry season in the Spring lasted at least 6 weeks longer than I expected from past patterns. And this year has provided a number of record breaking weather extremes - not to mention earthquakes in places we are not used to.
All this is simply examples I call on to illustrate that the world is in extreme flux right now. Everything is changing. The patterns we have learned to depend upon are in motion. And those trying to preserve the status quo in their lives are doomed to disappointment.
I see patterns in everything. I've learned to depend upon these patterns. They make it easier to navigate life. They give us a measure of belief that we KNOW what is happening around us. But just as world consciousness is in transition, so is EVERYTHING in the world. It's as if God is saying, "Everything that you have depended upon to make you feel secure, is now in motion. Everything is now changing. FLUX is the new norm. You better find something beyond all of this that can make you feel secure."
Facing FLUX is one of the challenges of the spiritual path. But, right now it appears to be everyone's challenge. Learning to navigate a reality that is in motion vs. a reality that has the illusion of being stable, plodding slowly forward, is quite a talent. But it is one that everyone is being forced to master. Change is not our enemy, but meeting it with poise and confidence takes some spiritual work on our part. We are all being asked to connect to "the Presence underneath life that is consistent" for our security, while letting go and free floating in order to field and even enjoy whatever flux brings our way.
If awareness of the Presence of God is your anchor, you can float freely through life taking advantage of whatever choices are presented. If God is your source & your relationship with God is the most real thing in your life, you can handle multiple possible futures, many of which are presently unknown to you. If you depend upon your personal control of life, multiple and especially unknown future outcomes are overwhelming, intimidating, and totally unacceptable.
One of the things I often do is head constructively forward toward multiple and often very different potential outcomes. One doesn't have to know where you are going to feel secure. In each area of our lives we are often facing a question, "Am I staying or am I leaving?" My answer whether the area is abstact or concrete is often, "I don't know. My life is not my own." I know this flies in the face of declaring a thing and making it happen, which certainly has its place in our teaching. But with humility comes the realization that I will demonstrate when I can, but "Thy will be done, not mine." This is terribly unsettling if you are not firmly attached to "God is in charge of my life."
Right now there's no choice. Flux is the new norm. We can't control the waves of life, but we can surf them. Place your trust in God. Declare what you want in your life. Give your input as a child of God. But never forget that "the Father" is in charge. You may not always get what you want (though often you will) - but you can always know that God is leading you securely through a reality that is in swirling motion to somewhere that will be GOOD for you. If you know this, you can accept multiple possible outcomes to anything you face with poise, peace, confidence, and even an excited joy for what lies before you.
I cannot tell you exactly where we are going. But I can feel the texture of what lies before us and I am filled with excited anticipation of the tour of life that the PRESENCE has in store for each of us.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Midnight Magic
One of my favorite times of the day is the middle of the night, often after midnight. It seems that as the vast majority of people sleep that the clutter of our human thoughts dies down a little and the magical hum of life moving thru the world around us rises in volume. If I stop to feel the beauty of midnight, I can suddenly feel myself surrounded by an almost fairy land beauty and that amazingly large presence that loves me, almost cradles me with this magical life. It's as if I've entered into a Thomas Kinkade painting & the Presence feels very real and very full to me.
Some holidays are like that. Somehow all humanity jumps ship from the normal state of drama and embraces the spirit of the holiday. Suddenly the specialness of life stands out for us. UNITY WORLD PRAYER DAY, which is today, is like that. The beauty is strong & there is magic in the air. Don't miss this time to immerse yourself in the Presence and get carried away with the beauty of life. We like to think that it's because millions of people have their attention on the sacredness of life thru their dedication to this prayer vigil. However this Presence is always there. We choose to turn away from the drama of life and embrace the sacredness of life on certain occasions. Well this is one of those occasions and we need to take advantage of the "step up" we get from everyone agreeing to the sacredness of the day.
Join us if you can. Otherwise join us by listening for the sacredness all around you. Today you will surely hear it!
Some holidays are like that. Somehow all humanity jumps ship from the normal state of drama and embraces the spirit of the holiday. Suddenly the specialness of life stands out for us. UNITY WORLD PRAYER DAY, which is today, is like that. The beauty is strong & there is magic in the air. Don't miss this time to immerse yourself in the Presence and get carried away with the beauty of life. We like to think that it's because millions of people have their attention on the sacredness of life thru their dedication to this prayer vigil. However this Presence is always there. We choose to turn away from the drama of life and embrace the sacredness of life on certain occasions. Well this is one of those occasions and we need to take advantage of the "step up" we get from everyone agreeing to the sacredness of the day.
Join us if you can. Otherwise join us by listening for the sacredness all around you. Today you will surely hear it!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Undercurrent
There is a lot going on in the thought atmosphere. My dad will sometimes privately confess that he believes that he is picking something up that's happening in the world when he suddenly doesn't feel good and there is no apparent reason for it. Yes, we do pick things up. Then sometimes we generate these feelings ourselves with our own sub-conscious fears. And more to the point, there are a number of levels from which we can pick up an emotional energy current. For instance yesterday, both Karrin & I experienced falls at different times - she walking thru water while cleaning and me, stumbling over something in the dark. Both of us seemed caught in a current of hurting ourselves. But we both did survive fine. So was this just something we were sharing as a couple or was there a chaotic current going on in the thought atmosphere that we were responding to? I'm not sure it matters, but you get the idea.
Currents that carry us along (unless we consciously obstain) can happen at several different levels. There can be an exciting current happening around what's going on in our lives right now. Then at the same time we can sink deeper within ourselves and feel the abstract sadness of tragedy happening somewhere, though we do not know where or even if it is something that has already happened or is about to. But just because you are picking up on a wave (or current) that is just below the surface, does not mean that it holds power over your life. There is an old Unity Addage: "If you don't think for yourself, race consciousness will think for you." Thus the currents are there, we choose how we respond to them. Sometimes becoming aware of the current reminds us how important it is to think for ourselves.
However, there is a current that runs deeper than all these things that I have mentioned. It is the current of "Goodness" - of "God drawing you toward great goodness that lies before you". This is a current worth immersing yourself in. With the stock market slipping, the weather causing people problems, the economies of the world in turmoil, and of course war, terrorism, revolt, and famine spreading, there is a lot to dip into in that current that carries the "pain" of the world. But that's only at medium depth. I suggest that you go deeper beyond the "pain of the world" to that really deep place where you can feel "God's current of Goodness" and how we each are subtly being carried to a great good that lies before us.
The turmoil that we feel surfacing through our emotions is a midrange current of "race consciousness" that we need to recognize so we don't claim these feelings as our own. We need to realize they belong to the world around us. And we choose consciously not to flow with this current. Just go deeper and feel the silent but powerful current of God's Good moving in the world and particularly in your life.
As we go through our day facing the more surface level chaos, but inwardly feeling that deep current of God's Goodness, not only does it improve how we are fielding the challenges life is throwing at us. But, it also becomes part of our homework for this week: Spending more of our day dwelling on "God's Presence". Add this to your daily meditation time. It's a meditation you can do while walking around in life.
Bottom line: I can feel the turmoil, the pain, and the fear. I can feel the current that it provides that wants to drag us all along. However, I also feel something deeper and more powerful that makes my soul rejoice. We've turned a corner, though we probably won't realize it for a time yet. The surface could actually get worse before it gets better. But in the depths we've turned a corner and tremendous promise lies before each of us. I choose to emphasize this deeper current, let it fill my heart with joy and positive anticipation. The rest of this will pass with time and we will see where we've really been going. I can feel the joy that lies before us. And I'm hoping if you take a moment, you can too.
Currents that carry us along (unless we consciously obstain) can happen at several different levels. There can be an exciting current happening around what's going on in our lives right now. Then at the same time we can sink deeper within ourselves and feel the abstract sadness of tragedy happening somewhere, though we do not know where or even if it is something that has already happened or is about to. But just because you are picking up on a wave (or current) that is just below the surface, does not mean that it holds power over your life. There is an old Unity Addage: "If you don't think for yourself, race consciousness will think for you." Thus the currents are there, we choose how we respond to them. Sometimes becoming aware of the current reminds us how important it is to think for ourselves.
However, there is a current that runs deeper than all these things that I have mentioned. It is the current of "Goodness" - of "God drawing you toward great goodness that lies before you". This is a current worth immersing yourself in. With the stock market slipping, the weather causing people problems, the economies of the world in turmoil, and of course war, terrorism, revolt, and famine spreading, there is a lot to dip into in that current that carries the "pain" of the world. But that's only at medium depth. I suggest that you go deeper beyond the "pain of the world" to that really deep place where you can feel "God's current of Goodness" and how we each are subtly being carried to a great good that lies before us.
The turmoil that we feel surfacing through our emotions is a midrange current of "race consciousness" that we need to recognize so we don't claim these feelings as our own. We need to realize they belong to the world around us. And we choose consciously not to flow with this current. Just go deeper and feel the silent but powerful current of God's Good moving in the world and particularly in your life.
As we go through our day facing the more surface level chaos, but inwardly feeling that deep current of God's Goodness, not only does it improve how we are fielding the challenges life is throwing at us. But, it also becomes part of our homework for this week: Spending more of our day dwelling on "God's Presence". Add this to your daily meditation time. It's a meditation you can do while walking around in life.
Bottom line: I can feel the turmoil, the pain, and the fear. I can feel the current that it provides that wants to drag us all along. However, I also feel something deeper and more powerful that makes my soul rejoice. We've turned a corner, though we probably won't realize it for a time yet. The surface could actually get worse before it gets better. But in the depths we've turned a corner and tremendous promise lies before each of us. I choose to emphasize this deeper current, let it fill my heart with joy and positive anticipation. The rest of this will pass with time and we will see where we've really been going. I can feel the joy that lies before us. And I'm hoping if you take a moment, you can too.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Last Bus out of Town
Twice in the last 2 days, I've had experiences where I felt "I caught the last bus out of town before the calamity." I guess we need these things to help us be sure that Life is intervening on our behalf. And for me it makes me amazingly grateful.
Today, I had to take my "Droid" phone into AT&T to have it looked at. It's been a year and things have slowly started going wrong, screens popping up unbidden, not responding to commands the first time, etc. But last night the volume adjustment screen kept engaging and wouldn't disappear so I could not see what I wanted to see. At first it was annoying. Then it got so consistent that I couldn't do things on the phone properly. So today I decided I needed to go to the store where I bought it. They concluded I would have to take it to the repair office further away, though they thought it only needed a cleaning. As the afternoon progressed, I decided that there might not be enough time to go there today. I kept feeling like I needed to do it today, but I didn't want to push things too close with an appointment in the late afternoon. Suddenly, I decided I might have enough time & I just needed to try. If things were too busy I could come back later.
I walked into the repair office and was told that there was only one person before me. It would be about 10-15 minutes, which was wonderful considering the hour & a half that it had always been before. He told me it couldn't be repaired. I'd need a new one, looked up the warranty and determined that today was the last day the warranty would provide me with a free new phone. I came in less than two hours before the office closed and my warranty would expire. Had I put it off, the same exchange would have been $185 with the insurance. I slid right under the line.
So many times the guidance is there. It just gets drowned out by the logical demands of life or the fears that cause us to wait for a better opportunity. Personally, I decided to try to pay closer attention to the guidance. Catching the "last bus" out of town certainly reeks of Divine Intervention, but catching a little earlier one expresses being in Harmony with the Divine - paying attention so I don't have to be saved at the last minute.
There is so much more going on here than we are usually paying attention to. It's time to keep looking for it!
Today, I had to take my "Droid" phone into AT&T to have it looked at. It's been a year and things have slowly started going wrong, screens popping up unbidden, not responding to commands the first time, etc. But last night the volume adjustment screen kept engaging and wouldn't disappear so I could not see what I wanted to see. At first it was annoying. Then it got so consistent that I couldn't do things on the phone properly. So today I decided I needed to go to the store where I bought it. They concluded I would have to take it to the repair office further away, though they thought it only needed a cleaning. As the afternoon progressed, I decided that there might not be enough time to go there today. I kept feeling like I needed to do it today, but I didn't want to push things too close with an appointment in the late afternoon. Suddenly, I decided I might have enough time & I just needed to try. If things were too busy I could come back later.
I walked into the repair office and was told that there was only one person before me. It would be about 10-15 minutes, which was wonderful considering the hour & a half that it had always been before. He told me it couldn't be repaired. I'd need a new one, looked up the warranty and determined that today was the last day the warranty would provide me with a free new phone. I came in less than two hours before the office closed and my warranty would expire. Had I put it off, the same exchange would have been $185 with the insurance. I slid right under the line.
So many times the guidance is there. It just gets drowned out by the logical demands of life or the fears that cause us to wait for a better opportunity. Personally, I decided to try to pay closer attention to the guidance. Catching the "last bus" out of town certainly reeks of Divine Intervention, but catching a little earlier one expresses being in Harmony with the Divine - paying attention so I don't have to be saved at the last minute.
There is so much more going on here than we are usually paying attention to. It's time to keep looking for it!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
It's in Motion
Everything is in motion. This is unsettling to us. We like to pretend that our lives are stable - that there are things around us that we can depend upon. But the old adage goes, "the only thing you can depend upon is change, itself." Actually the only thing you can depend upon is God's dynamic presence in your life. It is this connection that makes us able to negotiate an ever changing world (or life) with poise and quiet confidence. So when the world starts demonstrating how much in motion everything is, stablilize yourself in the "Presence" and enjoy the passing show, even an "inter-active" passing show.
Jesus said, "Do not foreswear." He went on to say that you can't change a single hair on your head, only God can. So to "swear" by your life that you will do a certain thing is pure vanity, dabbling in illusions and false ego agrandizement. We make commitments and we do everything in our power to live by them. But we need to be humble enough to know that God has the final word in all cases. And we need to trust the Spirit that is the source of our existence.
The truth is, it's not just the world that is in constant motion. It's US, too! Identity is in constant motion. Who I think I am, is always changing. And in the end this is a good thing. Because though the path may look like a stock chart with rallies and corrections, the general trend is always up toward greater awareness of our spiritual potential. You will change. Those you love will change. But through it all God is finding more & more outlet through each of our consciousnesses and through us as a pair or a group. You may be required to become more independent and depend on those around you less. Or you may be required to give up what you think you want in order to be part of something together, something more than yourself, & become more entwined. The changes are meant to carry us all forward.
There are no bad relationships. Only hard lessons and enjoyable ones. (That doesn't mean you should never leave a relationship and move on. That may be the lesson. Just don't do it impulsively. Make sure what life is asking of you. And if it is scarry, do what you must. Try to evolve within whatever you find yourself in. But if that fails over time, chock it up to Divine Order, trust God, and make your move. If I'm usure of any move I always go into a contemplative state and say, "If this is wrong, God, stop me!"
Once you realize that you are always in motion, you will realize that you don't have as much to defend within yourself and your personal desires as you thought when you were convinced that things were relatively static. The less you need to defend the more you can learn your lessons right where you find yourself.
Jesus said, "Do not foreswear." He went on to say that you can't change a single hair on your head, only God can. So to "swear" by your life that you will do a certain thing is pure vanity, dabbling in illusions and false ego agrandizement. We make commitments and we do everything in our power to live by them. But we need to be humble enough to know that God has the final word in all cases. And we need to trust the Spirit that is the source of our existence.
The truth is, it's not just the world that is in constant motion. It's US, too! Identity is in constant motion. Who I think I am, is always changing. And in the end this is a good thing. Because though the path may look like a stock chart with rallies and corrections, the general trend is always up toward greater awareness of our spiritual potential. You will change. Those you love will change. But through it all God is finding more & more outlet through each of our consciousnesses and through us as a pair or a group. You may be required to become more independent and depend on those around you less. Or you may be required to give up what you think you want in order to be part of something together, something more than yourself, & become more entwined. The changes are meant to carry us all forward.
There are no bad relationships. Only hard lessons and enjoyable ones. (That doesn't mean you should never leave a relationship and move on. That may be the lesson. Just don't do it impulsively. Make sure what life is asking of you. And if it is scarry, do what you must. Try to evolve within whatever you find yourself in. But if that fails over time, chock it up to Divine Order, trust God, and make your move. If I'm usure of any move I always go into a contemplative state and say, "If this is wrong, God, stop me!"
Once you realize that you are always in motion, you will realize that you don't have as much to defend within yourself and your personal desires as you thought when you were convinced that things were relatively static. The less you need to defend the more you can learn your lessons right where you find yourself.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Eileen meets the beast
Life has been amazingly busy lately. I've heard others of you say the same thing. Well, the result is that I missed yesterday for blogging. So today I think I'll tell you the story that I intended to post yesterday. But let me first say that while things are busy it is often hard to stay grateful. The Truth is that life is so busy that there is a lot to be grateful for. My busy life is packed with little blessings. When I think about all that I've been able to accomplish, all that I've learned, and the opportunities (even small ones) that have come my way in the last 24 hours I can feel that wonderful gratitude again. However, things packed in so tight causes "stress" for my personality. And Stress drowns out the other feelings. So, I suppose the practice is to approach the things we stress about without resistance & to constantly step back and feel gratitude for the blessings. Stress is one of the "wild animal" pets that we keep in our consciousness home. We need to tame it a little and give it boundaries. Eventually, maybe we will be able to part with this pet entirely.
Here's the STORY: I woke up thinking about this yesterday. Eileen was a member of my Fort Pierce congregation. She was in her later 70's to early 80's, but amazingly spry & totally filled with life. Eileen was short, petite, probably didn't top much more than 80 pounds. She was always "up", joy-filled, never caught up in petty emotions. She was still quite attractive & though at her age the men were in demand. She's the one who had every man in the park going after her. But she took the attention with absolute grace. She was a joy to know.
One day she told me of an unusual encounter that she had had recently, while out doing her early morning walk around some of the roads where this manufacured home community had not yet been developed. The community was out in the savannahs & had miles of undeveloped road through the underbrush and much of it at quite a distance from the concentrated housing. She was out enjoying nature, putting in her 2 mile walk. There was a little bit of fog that hid the housing in the distance, so it seemed quite remote.
Suddenly feeling a presence, she impulsively turned around to look behind her. As she turned, this large animal about fifty feet behind her stopped following her and stood looking at her. He was standing in the middle of the road, obviously following her step for step. He was a tawny cat about the size of a large German Shepherd, with a very long swishing tail. Eileen realized there was no one around, in fact, no one within hearing distance even if she yelled.
They stared at each other quite a while. Then, she yelled at him to "get", using her arms to wave him off into the brush. He simply continued to stare at her instensely. She realized that he probably out-weighed her and was stalking her. She took a step backward and he took one forward. So she took at step toward him & he stayed in place. If she moved back he matched her and she decided that moving forward was totally counter-productive as he stayed in place, letting her shorten the distance between them. This dance went on for maybe ten full minutes, which can seem an eternity in this kind of situation.
Finally, she decided to stand her ground & face him down until something happened. She had always been protected throughout her life. Though she'd had her moments of loss & her major challenges, life was usually beneign in dealing with her. So with internal stamina she steadfastly faced what seemed like an eternal stalemate. If he sprang on her it would be all over, but she intended to go down fighting.
After another endlessly long time. The cat yawned as it looked casually away. It took one more good look at her, then slowly, casually, slunk off into the underbrush. Eileen waited a moment, then began a brisk walk back to her home. From the description it seems it could only have been either a Florida Panther, or a cougar. Both would be extremely rare sightings in Fort Pierce, FL. Thus the authorities told her that she must have gotten it wrong. Surely it was only a bob-cat. But Eileen was sure it was not. It was much larger & had a very long tail. I believe that Eileen had a truly rare encounter. Something to be cherished for the rest of your life. It is something on the order of the time my Dad punched a bear in the forehead, except that hers was all about internal intensity. I believe these rare encounters are stupendous gifts. And I am grateful just to have known someone like Eileen and to be able to carry her story with me throughout my life.
I'll bet you know people whose chance encounter made your life richer or heard their stories which have become part of who you are over the years. There's a lot to be grateful for in this life.
Here's the STORY: I woke up thinking about this yesterday. Eileen was a member of my Fort Pierce congregation. She was in her later 70's to early 80's, but amazingly spry & totally filled with life. Eileen was short, petite, probably didn't top much more than 80 pounds. She was always "up", joy-filled, never caught up in petty emotions. She was still quite attractive & though at her age the men were in demand. She's the one who had every man in the park going after her. But she took the attention with absolute grace. She was a joy to know.
One day she told me of an unusual encounter that she had had recently, while out doing her early morning walk around some of the roads where this manufacured home community had not yet been developed. The community was out in the savannahs & had miles of undeveloped road through the underbrush and much of it at quite a distance from the concentrated housing. She was out enjoying nature, putting in her 2 mile walk. There was a little bit of fog that hid the housing in the distance, so it seemed quite remote.
Suddenly feeling a presence, she impulsively turned around to look behind her. As she turned, this large animal about fifty feet behind her stopped following her and stood looking at her. He was standing in the middle of the road, obviously following her step for step. He was a tawny cat about the size of a large German Shepherd, with a very long swishing tail. Eileen realized there was no one around, in fact, no one within hearing distance even if she yelled.
They stared at each other quite a while. Then, she yelled at him to "get", using her arms to wave him off into the brush. He simply continued to stare at her instensely. She realized that he probably out-weighed her and was stalking her. She took a step backward and he took one forward. So she took at step toward him & he stayed in place. If she moved back he matched her and she decided that moving forward was totally counter-productive as he stayed in place, letting her shorten the distance between them. This dance went on for maybe ten full minutes, which can seem an eternity in this kind of situation.
Finally, she decided to stand her ground & face him down until something happened. She had always been protected throughout her life. Though she'd had her moments of loss & her major challenges, life was usually beneign in dealing with her. So with internal stamina she steadfastly faced what seemed like an eternal stalemate. If he sprang on her it would be all over, but she intended to go down fighting.
After another endlessly long time. The cat yawned as it looked casually away. It took one more good look at her, then slowly, casually, slunk off into the underbrush. Eileen waited a moment, then began a brisk walk back to her home. From the description it seems it could only have been either a Florida Panther, or a cougar. Both would be extremely rare sightings in Fort Pierce, FL. Thus the authorities told her that she must have gotten it wrong. Surely it was only a bob-cat. But Eileen was sure it was not. It was much larger & had a very long tail. I believe that Eileen had a truly rare encounter. Something to be cherished for the rest of your life. It is something on the order of the time my Dad punched a bear in the forehead, except that hers was all about internal intensity. I believe these rare encounters are stupendous gifts. And I am grateful just to have known someone like Eileen and to be able to carry her story with me throughout my life.
I'll bet you know people whose chance encounter made your life richer or heard their stories which have become part of who you are over the years. There's a lot to be grateful for in this life.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Get the Feeling
This week we're concentrating on "Gratitude". The idea is to make this spiritual energy a part of your "normal" state of consciousness. I outlined yesterday at service how powerful this can be in your life.
Last night I decided to meditate on gratitude, but not by saying "Thank you God!" the whole time. I of course did that some. But I'm a great one for trying to isolate the "feeling" of the energy even without any object to cause it. So, I thought of how beautiful the night was, said "Thank you, God" a few times, but then, moved into just "feeling" the energy of gratitude. It's a feeling that isn't that hard to capture. Then I would just sit there in easy meditation, just enjoying the feeling. When you do this you don't need to have an object to be grateful for. You can just live in the feeling.
A little bit of practice at this in meditation and you'll discover that you can call up the feeling anytime you like. As we keep calling it up throughout our day, we discover that it's easy to feel this way in the background while we are doing anything that we need to do with our lives. It's not about being grateful for any particular thing that we have chosen in our minds. That's just to get started. It's about living in this feeling while we go about life as we normally would. You may have to keep calling it up periodically, but shortly it becomes natural to feel this way when we are doing any of the chores, fun things, or even challenges of life. We do everything in some state or "normal" feeling all the time. It's worth training ourselves to make the "Feeling", the pure energy, of gratitude that "normal state of feeling".
I guess Sunday is my "blog day of rest". I did intend to put up the synopsis from the Sunday lesson for anyone who couldn't be there or anyone who wanted to review. So I guess I'll add that here. Good luck on living in gratitude!
Last night I decided to meditate on gratitude, but not by saying "Thank you God!" the whole time. I of course did that some. But I'm a great one for trying to isolate the "feeling" of the energy even without any object to cause it. So, I thought of how beautiful the night was, said "Thank you, God" a few times, but then, moved into just "feeling" the energy of gratitude. It's a feeling that isn't that hard to capture. Then I would just sit there in easy meditation, just enjoying the feeling. When you do this you don't need to have an object to be grateful for. You can just live in the feeling.
A little bit of practice at this in meditation and you'll discover that you can call up the feeling anytime you like. As we keep calling it up throughout our day, we discover that it's easy to feel this way in the background while we are doing anything that we need to do with our lives. It's not about being grateful for any particular thing that we have chosen in our minds. That's just to get started. It's about living in this feeling while we go about life as we normally would. You may have to keep calling it up periodically, but shortly it becomes natural to feel this way when we are doing any of the chores, fun things, or even challenges of life. We do everything in some state or "normal" feeling all the time. It's worth training ourselves to make the "Feeling", the pure energy, of gratitude that "normal state of feeling".
I guess Sunday is my "blog day of rest". I did intend to put up the synopsis from the Sunday lesson for anyone who couldn't be there or anyone who wanted to review. So I guess I'll add that here. Good luck on living in gratitude!
“Dynamic Gratitude”
SCRIPTURES: Luke 17:15-19 Ephesians 5:20 John 11: 41-42
1. The Sp Power of Gratitude: Catapults us into Harmony with the Higher Realms; Attracts Blessings & Goodness, Abundance; Empowers prayer or “creating spiritually”; Seals in a Spiritual Demonstration; Changes the way we feel; Changes our whole consciousness dynamically, instantly!
2. Apply to Past, Present, Future: Past = Charges Consciousness with Appreciation of Goodness & Power to Attract what Desire. Use a Gratitude List to “Kick-Start” Feeling of Gratitude when things not going well.; Present = moves us out of “feeling of Lack” into “feeling of plenty”. Use on – Good things; Places you need MORE – “worthy over a little”; PROBLEMS – Think of them while FEELING “Gratitude”; Future = stirs Powerful Prayer Activity. Gratitude for Answered Prayer (Raising Lazarus). Gratitude for what are you are creating Spiritually in your life?
3. Practice: Feeling the Energy: (Gratitude = Like Desert
4. Gratitude = path from lack to abundance: Practice in different Areas of you life that could use improvement. e.g. Body, Protection, Finances, Relationships, etc.
5. Remember to be Grateful that you are a Spiritual Being.
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