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Saturday, August 28, 2021

Where Am I?

If we were to decide to explore ourselves, where do we find who it is that we say and think we are?

I can say to you, "I am Marlene." Where in myself do I find this identity? The lips that say the name are made of atoms, as is the entire body. They are not Marlene. The Atomic Energy Commission has shown that in just one year 98% of our atoms are replaced. Atoms circulate constantly. If you sit in a crowded room for an hour or so, you leave with some atoms that originally came in with each of the others, and they all leave with some atoms that originally came in with you,

We obviously cannot find ourselves in our flowing river of physicality.

We cannot be our egos or our personalities. They are formed in the context of culture and home. They change, sometimes dramatically, over the course of a lifetime. The twelve year old ego and personality that I call "Marlene" is almost another species from the ego and personality of this moment in time.

Our souls bridge the divide of this world and eternity, of earth and of a multitude of dimensions, Few people have been aware of their souls, and fewer still have been fully aware of their souls. We can increase our awareness of this true and eternal self, the one we have always been and shall always be.

There are many techniques to assist in disengaging a bit from the limited being we seem to think we are and to enter, at least with some degree of awareness, at a soul level.

It does not involve religion. Religion is made by people, mostly men, with various agendas, a wide array of understandings, mostly in error. As I stated a few days ago, in Christianity for example, most people are taught to believe in Jesus and not to believe Jesus. The shift to believing him is a positive step in the soul direction. He is one of the very few who were awake at the soul level. If we believe what we know of what he said, and then begin to implement those things in our lives, we would take a giant step into soul territory,

The entertainment of the outer world keeps Truth under a veil of camouflage. You might notice that Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tse and others went apart, into nature, into wilderness somewhat regularly. We can walk on grass, sit under a tree, spend time in a garden, or actually go out into a longer time in nature. We can disengage from our electronic devices for an hour, then a day, then longer. We can be still - Be still and know that I am God. We can meditate. We can listen to our breath, to the sounds of nature, to the silence. We can notice the guidance that comes to us. but is shut out with the noise of usual life. We can come to know the Spark of God that is already within us. We can remember our eternal journey. We can allow our soul to breath, even here while occupying this spacesuit of atoms.

Remember who you are.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

It Depends On the Perspective

 This morning I came across this quote from Seth via Jane Roberts.

It is quite true that your physical senses create the reality that they perceive. A tree is something far different to a microbe, a bird, an insect, and a man who stands beneath it.

These words intrigue me.

I have often thought of how our state of consciousness leads us to interpret everything. This morning I began to think about the millions or zillions of worlds currently going on here, on and in this world. 

Each object, each moment are perceived and experienced differently by every living thing, based not only in individual consciousness, but also by species and by the range and kinds of senses available to each species and to the range of senses sometimes diminished within the species. So a blind or deaf person's perceptions and experiences are different than a seeing or hearing person's. A person living deep in a jungle, unaware of modern civilization, perceives and experiences things differently than a person rushing through Central Park.

A mole living beneath the earth perceives and experiences life differently than the soaring eagle. A gnat has a far different life than a squirrel. Etc etc etc.

Back to the tree in the quote above. Each and every living thing that comes by the tree perceives and experiences it in their own unique way, and perhaps differently on different days. What is the tree? Shade? Home? Obstacle? Refuge? Lumber?

Which leads me to say that reality is relative. And yet, historically we humans have fought large and small wars over our particular versions of reality. Maybe we should employ empathy and endeavor to understand other perceptions than our own. 

Think on these things.

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Maps

This morning I was thinking of maps and our lives. We have physical, mental, moral, and spiritual maps ingrained in us. They can be quite challenging to change once they become automatic, habitual and how we show up in life.

Our physical maps help us find our way to the store and to a friend's house and school and church. They are practical, We know how to navigate our part of the world.

Our mental maps can be practical too. Mathematics are very practical, as are the alphabets we use and grammar rules taught to us in school. They can be a problem if we learn inaccurate mental maps and cling to them.

Moral maps are somewhat or very different in different times and places. They can create some huge clashes in our lives. Right now we are seeing clashes between the Taliban's version of morality and that of the Western world. They have a vastly different set of moral maps from when and how violence is sanctioned to how women are treated.

Spiritual maps mostly come from the religion of our families, which also means from the area of the world into which we are born. Occasionally a person changes their religion from that of their family and part of the world they call home, but this is not the usual experience, If I had been born in India, for example, it is highly likely I would be Hindu.

It is helpful to be aware of our own internal maps and maybe update them to a more compassionate life plan. Observe yourself as you navigate your days and take note of what you learn about yourself and your maps. It can be quite surprising.

Ask yourself things such as: what is my automatic reaction to people who are different from me; do I judge critically those with different maps; am I willing to open to more empathy and understanding, etc????

We are called to love, which means we likely need to make some inner adjustment. Being self- aware is essential to updating our maps.

Lord, center of my soul, center of all souls, guide me to develop self-awareness. Lead me to live as walking, talking love. I hear Your call to be more. Here I am, Lord, lead me.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Listen, Do You Hear...?

Once again, the words of Ralph Waldo Trine jump off the page to pierce my veil and open me to More.

It was the truth, the truth of this inner kingdom that would make men free that he came to reveal. "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." "My Father worketh hitherto and I work.... For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.... I can of mine own self do nothing." As he followed the conditions whereby this higher illumination can come, so must we.

So must we.

So often, in what accounts we have about Jesus from the last quarter of the first century and beginning of the second century, we are told about the inner God, about realizing without God we can do nothing of consequence. Jesus speaks to us across the long centuries to tell us he cannot do anything without God and even challenges us, Greater things than this shall you do. 

What are his conditions? 

  • Opening and keeping open the inner awareness of God, 
  • Taking time apart to be quiet and listen, prayer and meditation necessary
  • Making God the priority and materiality of lesser import, 
  • Watching oneself and correcting our course as needed perhaps using his yard sticks such as assessing the probable result (fruit) of our direction
  • Love, unconditional agape love
  • Forgiveness and a generous heart
  • Being open and teachable as a child
These are some of the things he shared that will help us walk The Way of God, the path of joy and freedom, the path of knowing who we really are, the path illuminated by God. If this is what we desire, then this is the way.

Monday, August 9, 2021

Believe In or Believe

Ralph Waldo Trine's words really spoke to me this morning:

We have been taught to believe in Jesus; we have not been taught to believe Jesus. This has resulted in a separation of Christianity from life. The predominating motive has been the saving of the soul. It has resulted too often in a selfish, negative, repressive, ineffective religion.

It seems to me that this might be the crux of the decline in churches and church attendance. I know how irritating it is to me when someone wants to "save" me. How superior they sound. How unloving they appear. How shallow they are in their relationship with God, and at the same time thinking they know what is in my soul. They spout some distorted theology that apparently they have never taken to the court of reason and logic. Well I could go on and on, but I imagine you understand what I'm saying here.

On the other hand, I have been an advocate of believing Jesus for a very long time, as long as I can remember. As you know, his first followers called his teaching "The Way." That is, do your best to believe what he said and live it, be it, shine it, walk it. This is the way to whole and true relationship with God and humans and all life. This is the way humans are meant to live --- loving, forgiving, praising, being generous in thought, word and deed.

I urge you to re-look at the Gospels from the mind that says - if I actually believe Jesus, how would I choose to live my life? 


Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Who and What Are We To Be?

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another." No man could be, can be his disciple, his follower, and fail in the realisation of this teaching. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." And going back again to his ministry we find that it breathes through every teaching that he gave... So a man who is gripped at all vitally by Jesus' teaching of the personal fatherhood of God, and the personal brotherhood of man, simply can't help but make this the basic rule of his life—and moreover find joy in so making it. A man who really comprehends this fundamental teaching can't be crafty, sneaking, dishonest, or dishonourable, in his business, or in any phase of his personal life... He is thoughtful, considerate, open, frank; and, moreover, he finds great joy in being so. --- Ralph Waldo Trine

Yes, this is our calling. Being gripped by the teachings of Jesus, we are made new.

This week, as we begin our prayer for those under the weight of violence and hatred, let us love them so much that they are set free from the horrible burden under which they live. Let the call of Jesus to love and honor one another penetrate their darkness and lift them to the Love and Light of God.

Yes, I know it is not likely, but it is possible. Yes, I know I am an idealist, but it is more hopeful and healthy than being a pessimist. Let us strive for the highest and best nevertheless. Let us heed and live and exude the teachings of Jesus and see if the unlikely just might be possible.

Sunday, August 1, 2021

How We See It

It was Jeremy Bentham who said: "In order to love mankind, we must not expect too much of them." And Goethe had a still deeper vision when he said: "Who is the happiest of men? He who values the merits of others, and in their pleasure takes joy, even as though it were his own."

I think we could say these are opposite views of humankind. I have come to know that our viewpoint skews all. The person of positive faith makes it through difficulty with their faith strengthened, while a negative viewpoint makes even the tiniest challenges a horrid time.

This morning I am thinking of this from the vantage of my life journey and from the overall view of humanity and our collective challenges. 

Personally, I think I have journeyed through an amazing gauntlet during the course of my life so far. There have an incredible amount of twists and turns, switch backs, mountain peeks and deep valleys, surprises, shocks, tears and laughter. It has made me stronger and more aware of God in my life, God at all times everywhere.

This leads me to the prayer time I ask you to enter each Friday at noon your time. We pray for darkness that blankets those acting with violence and hatred to be lifted. Looking at life through the viewpoint of no God, of no hope, of fear, people thrash around and make a mess of life. 

I propose that the good people of earth join in prayer to heal the hearts of those overwhelmed by darkness, so much that they have lost their way. With compassion in our hearts and a vision of what could be for these lost souls, let us pray together in one voice for the darkness to be lifted and for violence and hatred to be gone from their lives, and for every smidgen of it to be gone from our own hearts as well.

With God as our companion, our faith is strong and courage calls us forward to walk as Christ walked, to love fearlessly and pray without ceasing. 

God of us all, guide us to live and be as you would have us live and be. Lift all darkness from every corner of our hearts and minds. For those who are acting from the darkness of violence and hatred, hold them close, and help them release their false understandings so that they see and come to know Your Love and Light. Flood us with Your Wisdom and lead us to live together as one human family, seeing and seeking the highest and the best for one and all. I know all is possible with You. I release this prayer to You. May Your will be done. Amen, Amen and Amen