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Sunday, March 28, 2021

What Do Our Actions Say?

As a Christian I endeavor to follow the life and example of Jesus, imperfectly for sure. I try to be loving, forgiving, giving and congruent, although too often I fail and fall short. In my heart I see the goal, I aim for it, and re-aim. 

This morning I am reading a book by Rufus Jones. I find all of his writing inspiring. He was a Quaker. I'd like us to consider something I just read of his.

The influence of Erasmus, the greatest of the humanists, upon the scattered groups of spiritual reformers was very profound. He discounted the value of dogma and theology and turned instead with freshly awakened interest to the original teachings of Jesus...

( A few pages later he wrote this.) It may well be said that the world is not yet ready for this advanced idealism, that Christ Himself was filled with apocalyptic hopes, that He was proposing a programme for a new dispensation, not for this present mixed world. That may all be as it may be. But in any case, there ought to be a world like this one for which Christ lived and died. And that kind of world will never actually come unless some of us take the vision and the hope seriously and set to work to make it real here on this very earth.

Let us set our various dogmas aside and look again at what Jesus taught and endeavor to follow with our whole beings, with heart and mind and action. If you agree that there ought to be such a world of love and compassion, of caring and generosity, let's do as much as we can to bring it about. It won't come magically. It will come when good people all over, scattered in all countries, decide it is time to Be as Jesus called us to be.   

They will know we Walk The Way by how we live our lives.

Monday, March 22, 2021

One of My Favorite Mentors - Emerson

Yes, Ralph Waldo Emerson and I have spent quite a lot of time together. His "Essays" have affected me deeply, and his ideas have tweaked my mind and led me into new trails of thought. He was quoted frequently back in the days when I gave sermons, talks, seminars, etc.

This morning, I saw a quote of his that was significant in my journey. 

Your life talks so loudly that I cannot hear the words you say.

It is somewhat related to a Ghandi statement. Someone asked him what he believed, and his reply was to watch how he walked his life. 

If someone watches me for very long, they will know me at some unspoken level. I remember one-time in Russia, when I used to go there to teach spiritual things, someone told me they believed what I said because they watched me and how I reacted to the various people and surprising challenges of life there. And that was perhaps more important than my words, or at least reinforced my words by being what I taught, even in moments when not realizing anyone was looking.

I suppose human life could be lifted, if each of us were aware of what our lives teach. Is there congruence between our words and actions? Do we teach love and oneness by how we live our lives? Or do we say one thing but do another? Being who we say we are is vitally important.

As an interesting and instructive exercise, watch yourself and be aware of what you teach by what you do and how you react. Be aware of inconsistencies. Strive to become, in thought, word and deed, the best version of yourself. That is a precious and priceless gift to yourself, your loved ones and to all humanity.

Our lives talk loudly. What is being said?

Friday, March 19, 2021

Remembering Is Our Task

There are great men and women strewn across history of whom we are sure have been touched by the Divine, inspired beyond earthly understanding, knowing spiritual things directly, on fire with God. Some are said to come from God, and we worship them and their words.

Since they all tell us we are brothers and sisters, it seems clear that we all have come from Divine realms - but we forgot.

I propose that part of our assignment here on earth is to remember.

Let us remember that all beings are divinely created and in essence are holy. Let us love one another, encourage one another, lift one another, honor life and remember. Listen and you can hear beyond the physical and mundane. Listen  beyond superstition, beyond confusion, beyond custom, beyond to Truth of Oneness. Listen and remember.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

The Spark of the Divine

For a very long time now, I have taken the words of Meister Eckhart deep into my being - The seed of God is in you, a pear seed turns into a pear tree, a hazel nut into a hazel nut tree, and the seed of God into God.

It led me to my constant teaching about all of us needing to actually KNOW God, the Divine, the More, rather than stop with knowing about God. I have led many seminars, retreats, etc. which aimed at a direct communion. There have been such blessed moments.

Right now I am reading Rufus Jones' book on the Quakers. They were one of the groups with a similar call, although there have been many over the centuries. Sadly, they generally end up losing momentum and inspiration and are dwarfed by "organized religion."

Jones wrote, Religion, they believed, does not rise outside and flow in; it springs up inside and flows out. It is not primarily concerned with books, documents, creeds or institutions. It is rather concerned with the awakening of the divine urge in the utmost depths of the self.

He also points out that this has to be within the context of the times. We cannot recreate first century Christianity, for example, for the culture, the habits, the meanings of words, the worldviews are vastly different from those here in the 21st century. I agree, but then I am drawn to ponder how to offer a way in these times that leads to the flow out of spiritual knowing that comes from precious communion with the More.

I am aware of a yearning hunger, often just under the surface, for genuine personal experience of God in many people. I find ideas swirling around in me, yet because I am old, it is unlikely my task. Perhaps one who reads this blog will be inspired to offer ways to walk that path and water the Divine Seed within. I know my words go where I cannot go. My love comes to you, my siblings in spirit. Do what you can to lift others out of the darkness that comes when Oneness with the More is forgotten.


Thursday, March 11, 2021

Your Light

Light and spirituality have long fascinated me. I discovered that the different versions of the Bible speak to us differently with remarkable variations of understanding shed on the concept of light. I've highlighted some parts that particularly speak to me.

I sent out some Bible verses on light for our women's group to ponder and be ready to discuss. On Biblegateway, you can read the Bible in many versions. I chose three to compare Luke 11:33-36. 

King James - The Bible of my childhood:

33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

The Message - A Current Favorite Version of Mine

33-36 “No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer. It’s put on a lamp stand so those entering the room have light to see where they’re going. Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don’t get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room.” 

The Voice - A New to Me Version 

33 You need a light to see. Only an idiot would light a lamp and then put it beneath the floor or under a bucket. No, any intelligent person would put the lamp on a table so everyone who comes in the house can see. 34 Listen, your eye, your outlook, the way you see is your lamp. If your way of seeing is functioning well, then your whole life will be enlightened. But if your way of seeing is darkened, then your life will be a dark, dark place. 35 So be careful, people, because your light may be malfunctioning. 36 If your outlook is good, then your whole life will be bright, with no shadowy corners, as when a radiant lamp brightens your home.

To my surprise, a version of the Bible I've not read spoke loudly to me. I particularly like The Voice as well as The Message, (2 newer translations in our current language).  The way you see is your lamp, grabbed me. I thought of as a man thinketh, whatsoever you believe, I have seen the problem and it is us, etc.

I have read countless studies and seen over and over again how attitude affects all we do and say and chose. I like the way it described our outlook as being the WAY we see, and our outlook may be malfunctioning. If we see shadowy corners, that is a sign for us to give our outlook a check-up. We used to call it, a check-up from the neck up.

I encourage you to read these verses and consider them in relation to your life, your light, your outlook. And then, work on being aware, or more aware, of how you respond to life's many situations. Let's go for more light.

Monday, March 8, 2021

Anger

In my experience, most anger is useless, comes from ego and is a reflection of the angry person more than the object of the anger.

Healing ego issues is no small thing, often taking decades. Once we realize that we are not the center of everything, that others have struggles too, that we are not the judge and jury, that we don't know the full story, that attachments obstruct our lives, that forgiveness and compassion are where the power is, our lives change dramatically. Anger drifts away from our lives in 99% of the cases.

Most people that exhibit frequent, regular anger, try to justify it. "She made me angry, "He deserves it." "Anyone in my shoes would be angry too." "Anger is natural."

None of the justifications are true or close to accurate. If others control you and your emotional state, then you are simply a puppet. Your string gets pulled, and you are angry. You have given the power of your life over to others.

Anyone in your shoes does not get angry. The people at peace with themselves, those with healing egos, those sincerely trying to walk a spiritual path are unlikely to be angry in the same situation, or never. My husband and I have been married 33 years, and I have only seen him angry 4 times, and then it was mostly fear that drove his anger - as in the Brussels Train Station when his briefcase got stolen and it contained papers he needed for an upcoming important meeting. 

In fact, fear is behind most anger outbursts. Afraid you'll look foolish; afraid you cannot control the other person or situation; afraid of loss; afraid you'll look weak; afraid your dreams will never come true, etc. Examine yourself (The unexamined life is not worth living, said Thoreau). The last time you got angry - observe the memory, look behind the anger, of what are you afraid? 

Look at the person or situation that triggered your anger. Did you try to understand them? Did you find out what was going on with them? Did you react rather than respond appropriately? Try to walk in their shoes. Open your heart. Let compassion and kindness lead you.

Also, anger occludes the higher functioning of the brain, keeping you from finding useful and productive solutions to whatever is going on.

As Luke asks - are you living wide-eyed in wonder and belief, filled with light - or are you living squinty-eyed within a musty cellar?

L

Luke 11:33-36 from The Message translation:            No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer. It’s put on a lampstand so those entering the room have light to see where they’re going. Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don’t get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room.


Thursday, March 4, 2021

After

I'm reading "After" by Bruce Grayson, a psychiatrist who has extensively studied near death experiences, NDE's. I highly recommend this book. These experiences are near and dear to me.

Christmas 1976 my previous husband had a massive artery break in his brain. As I sat outside of intensive care, I picked up a Reader's Digest that had an article by Raymond Moody on NDES, the first I had heard of them. It explained so much to me. I bought his book and poured over it. 

I recognized the elements of the experiences Even though I had not technically had what might be called an official close brush with death, I had several close calls - pillow smothering, a knife on my throat, extreme emotional distress.

I had met the Being of Light that NDE'S met. I had been told I was not done here. I had lost fear of the next life. I had an extraordinary inner knowing. My experiences were/are in some other category, if anything so profound can be said to have a category.

I know such experiences are a challenge to believe by those who have not had them. If this is true for you, I just ask that you keep an open mind. To actually be assured that life is more than raiment, as Jesus told us, is incredibly freeing, liberating and thrilling.

What I wish everyone could know is that we are more than our bodies, while also being responsible for taking care of our bodies as long as we are here. Our consciousness one day will separate from our bodies and continue on. We will review the good and bad of our lives and experience the pain we have caused others. It is not a judgement so much as it is a learning experience. There are no hell fires or torturing demons out to get us, only our own self-judgement and disappointments. God is love and we are safe.

Peace be with you dear friends. All is well with your soul.