YOUR DEDICATION

Day 6 of the diet: Hang in there, only 1 more day to go. Then again, you may be experiencing such profound changes in your outlook that you desire more. Today’s teaching is on love and its power, its ability to change us at the core and the unique availability of love. Love is always available, if we are willing to take action. As we have learned, Faith without works is dead, and just as faith, love requires action. You must build up “by faithful daily exercise the true Love Consciousness.” This is a key ingredient in your daily diet since “Love and tolerance of others is our code.”

The path of enlightenment requires work, effort on our part. We start our day by “asking each morning in meditation that our creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.” Do you start your day with meditation? No? Why not? Would you try to make a cake without flour? Drive your car missing a tire? Of course not. Meditation is an integral part of living on the Spiritual Basis. If you are not meditating daily, start at a simple level. Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed for a few minutes. Take 2 or 3 deep breaths slowly exhaling. With eyes closed, consider what patience, tolerance, kindliness and love mean to you. Your mind will begin to visualize images, do not fight them or try to control them. In your minds dialogue stay focused on the task at hand. When your mind wanders gently bring it back. When it wanders again end your session and thank God for knowing Him better. What could be easier? Limit your sessions to 10 to 15 minutes. This is sufficient to start the day and we can all find this amount of time if we are willing. Of course if you have the time and are moved to longer sessions, then do.

THE PATH OF LOVE

Day 5 of the diet: …God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). Today, attempt to greet everyone, and view everything through the prism of love. This begins by greeting all with a smile. You will not do this perfectly, no one but a saint could, the purpose is to be aware of love, experience the truly limitless capacity we have for it, to both give and receive. Observe how those whom you meet respond when you greet them with love and how your thoughts are altered when a situation or a bit of news is viewed through the prism of love. Remember, do not tell anyone you are on a diet. The path of love is the straight gate and the shortest way to the great Goal, to live on the Spiritual Basis one day at a time for eternity.

DEALING WITH THE NEGATIVE

Day 4 of the 7 day mental diet: Consider the analogy: “A man is sitting by an open fire when a red hot cinder flies out and falls on his sleeve. If he blows that cinder off at once, without a moment’s delay to think about it, no harm is done. However, if he allows it to rest for even a single moment, under any pretense, the mischief is done, and it will be a troublesome task to repair that sleeve. So it is with negative thought.” Simply stated we have no control over the thoughts that float through our minds or are given us by others but we choose how to address those thoughts. Living on the Spiritual Basis the path is clear: When we turn immediately to God in prayer as soon as we become aware of the negative thought, regardless of its source, we remain unharmed, our sleeves hole free. We avoid the trap of morbid reflection by trying to figure out or understand why a particular thought crossed our mind; we just take the necessary action to address it. In time, this will become second nature.

By this this point in the diet you are probably experiencing some difficulties, it may seem that everything is seemingly going sideways, you have more trouble now than when you started the diet. Outstanding! You have shaken your world at its bedrock and when the shaking stops, a new and much stronger foundation will be in place. Stay the course and under no circumstance discuss what you are doing with anyone. Onwards through the fog.

WATCH AND WORK

Day 3: Having fun yet? The diet maybe simple, but it certainly is not easy. Continue to be vigilant, watching for morbid reflection, negative or destructive thinking. When you find your thoughts drifting into any of these areas stop immediately and supplant them with a positive thought and action if possible. As you are beginning to discover, this is a strenuous effort and few would be able to do this for more than seven days so take heart. The dividends you will receive are worth the effort. Consider every other diet you have ever been on, how cool would it be to drop that holiday weight in a week? Keep in focus the reason for this diet: to be aware and to learn to plant only positive, constructive, optimistic and kind thoughts in the garden of our thoughts; watered with the love and guidance of God. Shhhh…remember don’t tell anyone you are on a diet. Follow this advice as well if you are considering starting the other kind of diet or exercise program and your odds of success will increase exponentially.

TRAINING YOUR THOUGHTS

Day 2 of Diet: If you are still considering whether to attempt this diet, take a moment in quiet contemplation and ask yourself why? What is there to be afraid of? This contemplation alone is worth the price of admission, but always be gentle with yourself, avoiding morbid reflection at all costs.

If you began the diet yesterday, today choose the subjects you will entertain in your consciousness. Measure the emotional tone, being aware at all times of what you are thinking and how it is affecting you. Now for some good news, no one does this perfectly. When you become aware that your thoughts have wandered, and they will, ask yourself quietly why you drifted into that thought and how it affected you emotionally. Often these will just be random thoughts triggered by a scent, a word or phrase or any of the multitudes of sensory inputs we experience daily, so do not give into paralysis by analysis. Remember, often a cloudy day is just a cloudy day, nothing more. If you find that perhaps there is more to it and you cannot take a moment now, briefly note the thought and when you have the time, reflect on it in gentle contemplation. There is a rule here that must be obeyed. The rule is we are never to struggle or engage in negative appraisal of these random thoughts. We simply observe what floats through our mind as dispassionately as we can; this is not an exercise in judging, only in observing and noting affects.

Bill and Lois' Christmas Message, 1944

TO ALL MEMBERS:

Greetings On Our 10th Christmas 1944

Yes, it's in the air! The spirit of Christmas once more warms this poor
distraught world. Over the whole globe millions are looking forward to that
one day when strife can be forgotten, when it will be remembered that all
human beings, even the least are loved by God, when men will hope for the
coming of the Prince of Peace as they never hoped before.

But there is another world which is not poor. Neither is it distraught. It
is the world of Alcoholics Anonymous, where thousands dwell happily and
secure. Secure because each of us, in his own way, knows a greater power who
is love, who is just, and who can be trusted.

Nor can men and women of AA ever forget that only through suffering did they
find enough humility to enter the portals of that New World.

How privileged we are to understand so well the divine paradox

. that strength rises from weakness,

. that humiliation goes before resurrection;

. that pain is not only the price but the very touchstone of
spiritual rebirth.

Knowing it's full worth and purpose, we can no longer fear adversity, we
have found prosperity where there was poverty, peace and joy have sprung out
of the very midst of chaos.

Great indeed, our blessings!

And so -- Merry Christmas to you all -- from the Trustees, from Bobbie and
from Lois and me.

Bill Wilson

Tip of the hat to AJ.

BLESSING AND CURSING

“Bless a thing and it will bless you. Curse it and it will curse you.” Regardless of circumstances in your life, bless all and remember the reason for the day. If there is anyone or anything in your life that is difficult, stop in this moment and say a blessing. And mean it. By doing this the difficulty will lessen, its power evaporates. You are free. See Christ in all you meet today, saluting the Christ within them and within you. You are free. His birth brings the good tidings, His death and resurrection the promise of life eternal. Rejoice and celebrate Christmas in prayer by having a personal merry Christ Mass. Noel.

VITAL FAITH

Possibly the hardest spiritual direction of all is “to be still.” We have done all the indicated work regarding a difficulty or trouble that has come into our lives. The prayers have been said. Forgiveness asked for and freely given. Meditations on receiving strength and direction accomplished. Now what? “Be still, and know that I am God” and “Wait on the Lord: be of courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait I say, on the Lord.” What an order. As someone new to the path said to me years ago in all seriousness: “I need patience and I need it right now.” As my laughter died down the thought crossed my mind, me too.

THE LOST COROT*

Our consciousness is unsullied at birth; we are pure in spirit, our Divine connection immaculate. As we age and mature, our consciousness becomes layered with false beliefs in limitation, sin, sickness and inharmony, covering our original perfection. Just as the lucky flea market shopper who stumbles across a treasure under layers of paint, we discover the Higher Truth; we peel back the layers, scraping away bit by bit the false paths of fear, limitation, selfishness and unrighteous judgment. Often it feels as if this is a task beyond mortal man, and in fact, it is. Only a power greater than ourselves, God, provides not only the direction and guidance but also the needed strength to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. The good news is we only need to accomplish what can be done in a day. The story is told of the mason working on an intricate tile floor in a cathedral. A visitor marveled at the work that had been done but was overwhelmed by the immensity of the area still left to be tiled. When they asked the mason how he could do it, he replied, “I know about how much I can do in a day, so I mark out that much and don’t concern myself with the rest.” We employ prayer and meditation in the same way, addressing what is before us today, leaving tomorrow to take care of itself. Besides, what else do have to do that is more important?


*Camille Corot (1796-1875) was probably the painter the most copied during the 19th century not only by imitators but also by talented artists..
It is still possible to rediscover lost works by Corot nowadays but most newly discovered works on the market are fakes. In fact, since the death of Alfred Robaut, an artist who produced the catalogue raisonné of Corot's paintings and drawings there have been some 10,000 recorded fakes in the world.

YOUR OWN VALUATION

Living on the Spiritual Basis requires rigorous honesty. Ever tell a “fish” story? You know the voice, the one that adds a few inches to or the number of fish caught. It can kick in when we are talking about anything really, job, investments, kids, grand-kids, accomplishments from our “glory” days, etc. Usually the embellishment is small in nature and if we stretch logic, (kinda like stepping on a fish to make it legal) we can sell it to ourselves but we know in our heart of hearts that we are being a little less than truthful. We couch it in “it is no big deal, everybody does it” so we let it pass. As a wise man once said: “The first liar never stands a chance.” The most troubling part is that it is a truly pointless exercise. Whom am I trying to impress? Someone that popped into my life and will just as quickly leave? God? He knows the truth. Myself? I know the truth as well. On the cosmic scale these are small offenses and forgiven as soon as we ask, but troubling nonetheless. Though not really a big deal in the over all scheme of enlightenment, they still make us cringe when one sneaks out due to inattention. So just for today, be diligent and if one does sneak out stop and clear it up immediately. After having taken this action a few times, our attention sharpens remarkably.

Finally, the main crux of today’s lesson is that we demonstrate what we believe. In truth, I think we all value ourselves as something less than divine, the expression of a loving God, which in truth and fact we are. So, just for today, thank God for knowing Him better and take a few minutes in meditation to focus on your true nature, your real true nature: that you are loved beyond measure, that nothing but the direct action of God can truly touch you and that God brings only good to your life, that you are a divine being, eternal, connected to and an extension of all creation. Amen.

STOP LIMITING GOD

“When you pray you are turning to the power of God and surely you will admit that God is omnipotent, and therefore nothing can be too difficult, or too late, or too soon for Him.” “Infinite Wisdom knows a beautiful and joyous solution to any dilemma. Do not limit the power of God for good in your life.” God is never limited, only OUR perception is limited. God is the true and only source, His abundance greater than all the water in all the oceans. Standing at the shore of spiritual abundance, how big is the vessel you brought to fill with his abundance? A thimble? A cup? A bucket? A tanker truck with an infinite sized tank? The size of our vessel is determined by the limit we choose. Remember, He wants us to partake fully of His abundance since we are His children and in truth His abundance is our abundance; all limitation false, constructed by us out of fear. So discard that thimble today and fire up the tanker truck.

LIFE IS LIKE THAT

Today’s teaching revolves around the 4th step of the 12-step process of spiritual awakening first delineated in the book Alcoholics Anonymous over 70 years ago. The 4th step of the 12-step process concerns the personal inventory. In this step, we get down to the causes and conditions of the things that have been driving us or in today’s recovery medicine vernacular: triggers. “We are driven by a hundred forms of fear…” pg 62 Alcoholics Anonymous. The purpose behind this step is to finally and forever show that behind every circumstance and condition, every hard feeling and resentment are two constants. First that we bear some responsibility in everything that has transpired in our life, when choice was involved, and second that every bad choice or decision was based in some way on fear, the fear that we would either not receive something we believed we deserved or needed or that we would lose something we had. Relationships: I will never find the right one/what if they leave; Money: I will never have enough/what if I lose what I have; Health: I will never feel good/what if I get sick, etc, etc. Once we identify what has been holding us back and apply spiritual principles to those conditions/symptoms we begin to experience true freedom. “…we learn that by beating the symptoms spiritually (not, of course, covering up symptoms, but beating them) the fear or false suggestion that caused the symptom disappears too, and the patient is free.” Simple but not easy. A price has to be paid, and that price is the surrendering of self.

THE DEVIL’S LAST STAND

“It is not when things are going well that we make our progress. It is not even when things are going wrong and yet we feel sure that we can handle them with prayer, that we advance. It is when, smitten by the temptation to discouragement or even despair, we yet stand for what we know is the Truth.” Forgive my language but an expletive is required. A wise man said to me years ago “there will be days when in pain, seemingly at wits end when you are going to look around and say WHAT THE F%&# GOD!” We have been working diligently, doing all that is indicated and yet life has gone sideways. Prayers seem to be falling on deaf ears and meditating has lost its savor. We begin to embrace negative analysis and wallow in morbid reflection. Everything is turning from light to dark. We begin to ask, “What’s the point?” We placed our trust in God and He has seemingly abandoned us at the worst possible moment. These times are always fed by a loss of perspective. We forget that we are eternal, that this is just one day in a very long existence, that we are living in eternity now. Dwelling on the false belief that this time nothing will change, that the dark will only become darker and we are adrift, alone and unloved. Perhaps even so far as to entertain doubts about even the existence of God and all the destructive thinking that this path leads to.

When that moment grips us, we redouble our efforts. How? By the simple recitation of possibly the most powerful prayer in the Bible: Be still and know that I am God. And wait. What an order. The times when the only action is non-action and allowing God to work are the hardest. When we find ourselves in the devil’s last ditch, having a WTFG moment we should rejoice in our good fortune. (It would be less than honest of me to say that I have the “rejoice” part down as of yet.) Today when I feel discouragement and despair creeping into my consciousness I do stop, sometimes quickly sometimes slowly, and repeat the prayer. And wait. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14) and Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him (Job 13:15). Simple, but not easy.

LOSING INTEREST IN OUTER THINGS?

Living on the Spiritual Basis our points of reference, the things that used to interest us alters. Typically, this happens with little or no thought on our part. As children, we never sat down one day and decided it was time to stop playing Tonka toys, dolls, army or dress up. The last time we played hide and seek as children just happened. We didn’t plan it or think it through, we just didn’t play again. If we take a moment in contemplation, many things can be found that we just stopped doing, without any thought or consideration on our part. Call it growing up or maturing, the same thing happens spiritually, with an important difference: everyone ages and leaves behind their childhood; spiritual growth requires effort on our part. Once we have chosen to place our feet on the path of enlightenment, consistency in action is necessary. If we are consistent things like gossip, character assassination, selfish and self-centeredness melt away for we are translating from the secular to the spiritual in thought and deed. This has happened without a conscious plan on our part but by demonstrating a higher consciousness by our actions. Just as our interest turned from hide and seek in course so does our interest in the spiritually retarding.

“Until you find your true place in life, however, you will never be really happy, no matter how much money or distinction you may acquire; and until you are happy, you will be neither healthy nor free.”

Our true place, all of ours, is to stand in the light of God’s love, guidance, tolerance and peace. By treating all we meet along the path of our lives in the manner we wish to be treated in, the world changes. When we salute the innate spark of the Divine in all, regardless of how disagreeable we may find them, the world improves. Love cannot grow in hate. Peace cannot be found in a raised hand. Meeting of minds never comes from a bullhorn. Condescension never gives rise to understanding. The path has been clear for two thousand years, has not enough time, enough failed demonstrations of personal and collective selfishness shown the futility of business as usual? Pray for humanity to put aside its toys and childish ways and embrace our true place, as children of peace, kindness and joy united in Spirit, no one beyond the pale, no one left behind.

-AND BELIEVE IT

“Half measures avail us nothing.” Recently the world changed, well recent in a generational sense. It happened over the last 60 years. Once upon a time we taught our children to strive to be the best, to excel, to play hard, keep score and that bumps and scrapes and bruises and winning and losing were all part of growing up and life. When they ran home with a bloody knee or elbow, they received a spray of Bactine, a band-aid, and a pat on the butt and were sent back out to play. If Johnny who lived down the street bloodied their nose, Dad would give them a pep talk and a boxing lesson. If they screwed up at school a swat from “old hickory” or some such named paddle was delivered, picking up trash or some other supposed demeaning task given to punctuate their malfeasance, parents notified only if they were repeat offenders. God was prevalent everywhere, from the pledge of allegiance recited at the start of every school day to singing Christmas carols and making manger scenes in every grade school class room.

Today a bloody knee, elbow, or nose could lead to a trip to the plastic surgeon and an immediate call to an attorney to assign blame and seek compensation for emotional tumult and future therapy needs, fighting requiring a police report. Have you been to a playground lately? No swings, no bars to do “death drops” from, no jungle gyms or teeter-totters, grass and dirt replaced with specially formulated cushioning sand and rubber mats. No one fails in school anymore, it being more important to “try” than succeed. Even scores for sporting contests have been discontinued in some locals because it is more important to participate than to have winners and losers, God forbid. Oops, sorry, using the G word or saying “Merry Christmas” may upset or offend someone so that is frowned on and do not even suggest singing any of the great Christmas songs like Silent Night, too religious dontcha know.

If you agree with way the world is turning in regards to personal responsibility, wrapping children in “cotton” in a attempt to shield them from life’s inevitable ups, downs, bruises, cuts, failures and successes, the removing of God and Spiritual Guidance from being mentioned in any public way, than please, have a wonderful day and stop reading. No Really. Stop.

God is either everything or else He is nothing-period. There is no middle ground. When we believe in nothing then we will believe in anything, all that matters is feelings. Actions have no consequence, so long as I feel good about myself. Living on the Spiritual Basis provides a foundation built on unshakable rock, faith and belief in a Power Greater than Ourselves. Think of God. Review some of the things that you know to be true about Him-His perfect goodness, infinite intelligence, all presence, limitless power, unbound love, and so forth. Claim that God who is all those things, is with you-and believe it. God is either everything or else He is nothing-choose wisely. Oh, and Merry Christmas.

MAKE IT WORK

A few years ago, a show aired chronicling the Dalai Lama. Part of the broadcast consisted of a number of “famous” people relating the effect the Dalai Lama had had on their lives. One interviewee was a well-known hard partying lead singer of a famous rock band. He related how the Dalai Lama had greeted him by name, making him feel truly welcome and though he had only a few minute meet and greet scheduled, the Dalai Lama spent hours chatting with him. Much moved, eyes glistened with tears, he spoke of how life changing the meeting had been, how he had been touched at a deep spiritual level, profoundly altered. His segment ended somewhat curiously with his recounting on how he had been clean and sober for some months at the time of meeting the Dalai Lama, but shortly afterward he was strung out on Heroin again, the look in his eyes now one of bafflement. What happened? “Knowledge that you do not actually use is only intellectual knowledge and is barren, and even fades out in time through lack of use.” For “Faith without works is dead” and “To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action” since “Self knowledge avails us nothing” Alcoholics Anonymous. All the spiritual knowledge in the world is of little use if we fail to demonstrate it in our life. The longest eighteen inches in the world lies between the head and heart. What is in the mind is potential, what we demonstrate is reality. Though this singer had every advantage life can provide, money, fame, connections, even learning at the feet of a world-renowned spiritual teacher, he failed to demonstrate what he craved most, sobriety. “It is far better to have a thimbleful of spiritual knowledge and use it than to have a whole mountain of correct spiritual doctrine most of which you have never made work.” Just for today, practice patience, tolerance, kindness and love to the best of your current ability, for the best sermons are delivered with our hands and feet.

YOU CANNOT HAVE BOTH

You cannot have peace of mind and engage in gossip.

You cannot have tranquility and be harried.

You cannot have love and practice hatred.

You cannot have spiritual growth and believe in any limitation.

You cannot have spiritual abundance and a hoarding mentality.

You cannot have a good reputation and engage in character assassination.

You cannot have joy and harbor resentment.

IS THAT YOUR HAT?

Often well-intentioned folks will admonish knowingly “be careful what you pray for, you may get it.” The comment is generally followed with knowing nods and nervous laughter from those within earshot. Let’s step back and think this through. The first question that must be asked is; what do we believe? If we believe that God would answer any prayer with something harmful, what does that say of God? To believe that God punishes us for any reason when we go to Him in prayer is to reject the true nature of God, all knowing, all-powerful and all loving. As the carpenter taught, you cannot get sweet and bitter water from the same well. Additionally some have stated that all prayers are answered just sometimes the answer is no. This also denies the true nature of God, for God is always in the affirmative, never in the negative.

We have all said prayers that seemingly were not answered. The reason for this is simple: “We often pray for things for which we are not really prepared; but if we pray scientifically this will not matter, since Creative intelligence will send us the thing that we really need” Emmet Fox. So clearly a loving, all powerful, all knowing God provides what we need, the perfect hat, but our outlining of what we perceive we need or what the answer should look like, a different hat, that causes us difficulty. Consider the parable of the lost man: A man is lost in the arctic. He prays to God for rescue. As if on queue, a trapper appears and offers to lead the man out. He replies, “Thanks, but I have prayed and God will rescue me” the trapper, shaking his head continues on his way. Some time passes and a man on a snowmobile arrives and offers the man a ride out. Again he replies “Thanks, but I have prayed and God will rescue me” stunned, he drives away. As night begins to fall a helicopter appears and the pilot calls down over his loudspeaker “A hunter and snowmobile rider reported you were stranded out here” begging the man to get on board, for when night falls he will freeze to death. The man remains steadfast in his belief, the helicopter pilot reluctantly turns his craft and disappears in the distance, his heart sick for he knows the man‘s fate is sealed. The sun sets and in short order the man finds himself standing before God. Incredulous he asks God “Where were you? I prayed and you never came.” God, in a quiet voice with a tear in his eye responded “Of course I came. I sent a trapper, a snowmobile and a helicopter to rescue you.”

Often we already have the right hat (demonstration) in our possession, unable to recognize it for we have outlined a different solution, a hat we are ill-prepared to wear. Perhaps an inventory of hats is in order? Just a suggestion.

PRACTICE MAKES REAL

Consistent effort and practice is required if we wish to demonstrate spiritually. Mere mental assent has little lasting affect unless it is coupled with effort. “Faith without works is dead.” Thinking about exercise or dieting accomplishes little without taking the required action. Change happens when we put into action what we have learned. Are you following a consistent set of spiritual directions that you practice religiously?
The 12-step process for living that was penned in the late 1930’s employs basic spiritual principles, thousands of years old and found in virtually every denomination, laid out in simple straightforward terms. Although the 12 steps have been associated, rightfully so, with recovery from alcoholism, the steps are a blueprint for living that will work in anyone’s life. When reimagined for all, they provide a clear-cut set of directions for establishing and maintaining a conscious contact with God. To what lengths are you willing to go to have a spiritual awakening?


1. Came to believe that we are powerless over life, that life is ultimately unmanageable, that we require help and guidance.

2. Came to believe that reliance on a Power Greater than Ourselves could and would bring sense and peace to our lives.

3. Made the decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of a Power Greater than Ourselves, as you understand it. That power shall be called *God.

4. Made a fearless and searching moral inventory of our life, leaving nothing out.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another person who is unaffected by the items in our inventory, the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Seeing the ultimate futility and spiritually fatal nature of our defects of character, we become ready to have God remove them.

7. Humbly asked God to remove our defects of character, root and branch.

8. From our inventory we make a list of all we have harmed and become willing to make amends to all.

9. We make direct amends to all, except if in making those amends we cause more harm. Consult with a spiritual adviser before making any amends.

10. Take daily inventory of our life, sweeping the path daily of new mistakes.

11. Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as you understand Him, praying for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a Spiritual awakening as the result of this course of action, carry this message to all, gently demonstrating the principles we now embrace in every area of our life.

*God as you understand Him. For the steps to work God must meet a simple foundational criterion from which we can build. God must be: Available, Intelligent and Loving. Available: God must be available or what point is there to prayer? Intelligent: The creative force at the heart of everything? How could God be anything but the epitome of intelligence. Loving: If God is unloving, then what is the point to life? To begin you do not have to accept these things at face value, but we must be willing to believe that just maybe they are possible. We became willing to be willing to believe. From this bedrock, a wonderful spiritual experience can begin that will not only transform our lives, but all whose lives we touch. “Let there be Peace, and let it begin with me.” One day at a time. Copyright 2009

THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation” Herbert Spencer. Once we have decided that we have all the answers when it comes to God and spiritual matters, we close ourselves off from the inspiration of the spirit, embracing the bondage of self. To be clear, no sin is unforgivable in God’s eye. Being close-minded is our unforgivable sin, we close and lock the door, God doesn‘t do it. The door flies back open as soon as we open our mind. Having an open mind does not necessarily lead to agreement or the changing of a point of view or belief, just the willingness to examine honestly. Additionally being close-minded leads to the path of condemnation, which is soul poison. Forming opinions and beliefs using knowledge, experience and accrued wisdom is natural; however, sacred cows can be deadly. Being unmovable on the sports teams we root for, movie types we will or will not see or the decision not try certain types of food may limit our life experiences but in closing our mind to spiritual concepts we run the risk of shutting ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit, to slowly wither away mesmerized by the cadence of hoofs, warmed by the fires of resentment and condemnation. “We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all-inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.”

GIVE IT TIME

We look in the mirror and the evidence is undeniable, so we decide something needs to be done. We embark on a diet and/or an exercise program, with conviction and determination. What happens? When the hoped for changes don’t start happening in a week or two our determination begins to waver and we begin to drift back into the old familiar habits. It is rather silly to expect long established habits of eating and marginal exercise would melt away in days but we do just the same. Gyms make their living off New Years resolutions. We sign up for that special yearly or lifetime rate, typically go for a few weeks and then promise ourselves the rest of the year that tomorrow/next week we will go back. People who really do go the gym religiously, clearly losers with no life, hate January because they have to wade through newbie’s to worship at their various alters of beeping torture machines. Then there is that expensive coat rack/exercise equipment in the corner mocking us or taking up space in storage which we will not part with because one day…….

Entire industries are based on providing NEW, FRESH and above all QUICK and EASY answers to life’s vexing questions. Whether it is addiction, debt, problem children, obesity, lack of exercise, misaligned spine or….there is no end to the get fixed quick schemes out there. They are successful and give rise to new products regularly because who wouldn’t want to lose weight while eating all they want with no exercise or exercise 20 minutes a day 3 times a week and in 90 days have the butt and abs of a Greek God or buy a book and set of tapes for only 3 payments of $39.99 that will magically make your teenagers behave. All come with a money back guarantee, make sure you keep all original packaging, shipping and handling not included.

Spiritually we do the same thing. When we begin searching for answers, we naturally gravitate to whatever is new. How many self-help books do you own or have paged through? I have a couple shelves worth, some of them quite valuable, spiritually. You know which ones? The ones that begin by stating right up front there are no shortcuts. The truth being a lifetime of self-based thinking is not going to disappear overnight and will require real, consistent effort on our part if we wish to progress. To Live on the Spiritual Basis and embrace a new way of living and thinking is a life long endeavor. The good news is we only need to tackle it one day at a time. By consistent right action, prayer, meditation and service in time we break old habits of thought and action, replacing them with a reliance on God’s love and direction. This is not an overnight matter, it should continue for our lifetime. Exercise and healthy eating habits improve the quality of this life but no matter how long or consistently we exercise, regardless of how or what we eat, this flesh will fail. Living on the Spiritual Basis today pays forward dividends into eternity. One day at a time.

We are not human beings in search of spirituality, the miraculous. We are spiritual beings experiencing the human condition, miraculously. Moreover, I firmly believe bacon avocado cheeseburgers are godly inspired.

THE “WE” CONCEPT

Attending recovery meetings exposes one to a variety of half-truths, some innocuous, others potentially deadly. They all share the common trait of arriving with the best of intentions, but rarely thought through. The “we concept” is one of the deadliest. The “we” in recovery do attend gatherings, participate in sober activities (dances, retreats, conventions, golf, surfing, skiing, chili cook offs ad infinitum) and rely on the help of others to learn how they survive and learn from the inevitable highs and lows of living sober. Where we turns deadly is when the individual places their reliance on meetings, people and sober activities as the basis of their recovery and not on a power greater than themselves. To be crystal clear: Once an individual has crossed the line into addiction, their long-term recovery is based on the work they PERSONALLY do. No person, group or activity will stand as a sentinel to spiritual and physical sobriety and growth, only as guides and examples of what is possible IF the individual is willing to do the work required.

The individual writes their inventory, we don’t. The individual turns their will and life over to the care and direction of a Power Greater than themselves, we may have but the individual must do this for themselves. We may have asked God to remove our defects of character, but if the sufferer fails to their chances of long-term sobriety are slim. We may go with you to do some of your amends, but you have to do them. We may pray together, but only you know if you are praying from the heart or only out of a sense of perceived obligation. We may meditate together, but meditation is a singular activity even when done in a room full of people.

We can’t make you take the necessary action in the long run, when its too cold or hot outside, the “game” is on, too tired, hungry or any of the thousand reasons (excuses) that surface to prevent you from getting up off your ass and be of service, not only to others but most importantly for yourself. We will not be there when you decide to listen to the voice of regression and pain, forgetting that your foe, addiction, is cunning, baffling, and powerful and will tell any lie to pull you from the path of recovery, unless you open up to us. We can’t make you willing, for willingness comes from within.

Those committed to helping others to find their way in recovery will be there to help in anyway they can, if you mean business. The choice is always ours, we cannot make it for anyone, but those on the firing line will go to any lengths with you, together for victory, for we are all connected in Spirit.

THE EVERLASTING GATES

Consider the spiritual meaning of the concept of I AM. The I AM concept teaches that man is the image and likeness of God, that we manifest the actual Presence of God. As such, we have dominion over all conditions, but have allowed false belief in limitation to convince us of a need to be self-reliant, Godless, to pull ourselves up “by the secular bootstraps.” The true purpose of all prayer is to embrace the innate Presence of God within and demonstrate the unlimited power of God to help and heal not only in our own lives but also, and possibly more importantly, in others. In this way, others rise in consciousness, passing it on in turn in ever widening circles, raising the group consciousness one person at a time.

A “pure heart” spiritually means to hold unwavering to the belief in an all-embracing, Omnipotent God. “Our Father which art in heaven.” This concept flies in the face of what many interpret “pure heart” to mean, yet makes perfect sense. Our heart becomes “pure” because we believe, have become convinced of the truth in the necessity to turn our will and lives over to the care of God. With this level of understanding, a “pure heart” truly becomes attainable.

To have “clean hands” spiritually does not mean that we have never erred, made mistakes but that we have been cleansed in spirit by our continuing reliance on a power greater than ourselves, demonstrating that reliance by our actions.

Limitation thinking bombards us from all sides. From the nightly world news to casual conversations, fear and limitation a steady drumbeat. Remaining vigilant, turning to the Presence of God in prayer as limitation and morbid reflection attempt to creep into our consciousness we manifest the I Am, a pure heart and clean hands as the very gates of Divine love and intelligence open to greet us.

DON’TS

Don’t Hurry.
Don’t Worry.
Don’t Condemn.
Don’t Resent.

Pretty straightforward, what more is there to know? Ok, maybe a little.

Hurry? To where? “We trudge the road of happy destiny.” We have already arrived. The road is eternal and traveled one step, one prayer, one meditation, and one day at a time.

Worry? Having turned our will and lives over to the care of God when we chose the Spiritual Basis of Living as our path, what is there to worry about? That’s His job now.

Condemn? Remember the teaching on judgment? “Judge righteously and the whole world improves, condemn and we all suffer for we are connected in Spirit, all children of the Divine Presence.”

Resentment? It’s deadly. Nothing shuts us off from the sunlight of the Spirit quicker than harboring resentments. Living on the Spiritual Basis, we know to pray for those who have seemingly wronged us (real and imagined) and ask that we be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love. In so doing, we are set free. There is no problem in our lives that enough prayer, meditation and service will not completely wipe out.

So don’t think about it, get to work on your own consciousness as outlined above. See, straightforward.

IS IT A LIE?

The foundational principle of reaping and sowing is at the heart of Living on the Spiritual Basis, unfortunately, many pay it nodding acceptance and then fail to demonstrate. The planting of a crop does not begin with the sowing of seeds. Soil preparation, purchase of supplies, scheduling labor etc along with a myriad of smaller details are required before planting ever begins. Additionally, after the seeds are planted vigilance and nurturing are necessary to assure a successful harvest. In short, labor and patience is required from start to finish.

The curious concept of a “fast food” God is at the heart of the dilemma. Many, albeit most, wish to simply stop at the speaker/microphone, place their order (prayer), pull up to the window and receive their boon (demonstration) for a few pieces of silver, having done little or no spiritual work. Having allowed the fields of their consciousness to lay fallow, where wild resentment, fear and morbid reflection thrive unchecked; they wonder why they fail to demonstrate, why the meal has no savor.

God can and does act instantaneously when warranted, but consider the demonstration of the spoiled child. Its every whim is met, yet it is never satisfied, demanding more and more to have it “their way.” Having no concept of what is truly required to meet every request, they are only interested in themselves, their desires, harmony and peace an illusion lasting only until a new request surfaces. The spoiled child is restless, irritable and discontent, and will never know serenity.

It requires time, patience and labor for the true crop of spiritual consciousness to come in. The implements employed are prayer and meditation, the seed love and guidance from God, the fields watered and fed with consistency, willingness, service and an open heart. The promise is that if we steadfastly, in the face of fear, clear our fields of the negative and poisonous, plant and tend the crop we truly desire, we will reap in great measure, the storehouse of our consciousness overflowing with poise, peace and true purpose.

WAITING ON THE LORD

When we recite prayers by rote, without infusing them with feeling, the results are negligible. All prayers and meditations are visits with God. If you are not interested in a prayer, only saying it because you are “supposed” to, God responds in equal measure. Remember reaping and sowing? What would happen to the farmer if he approached his fields in this manner? Tilling the ground with disinterest, the rows uneven and of inconsistent depth, planting his seeds while thinking about other things, letting them fall where they may. Watering and tending the crop with little regard for the seeds welfare or working to insure a successful harvest. What happens? When he goes to harvest his crop, the demonstration of his labor, it is poor. He laments that he did “everything” a farmer does to raise a crop but his is a failure. It must be “God’s will.” Many when they pray do exactly the same thing. Instead of focusing on the spiritual work before them, they rush through, fit it in, do their daily meditation while driving (not possible by the way, it is like the farmer careening through his field throwing seeds out the window of the family car) demonstrating by their actions the level of their true reliance on a power greater than themselves.

The greatest sermon we will ever give is the one we give with our actions. Waiting on the Lord does not mean that if hungry we close ourselves up in a closet and pray for a hotdog. The true path is to ask in prayer to be relieved of the bondage of self, of how we may be of service to God and our fellows, God already knows what we need. We wash our face and hands and step out into the world in faith, EXPECTING to receive. The expectation comes from having prayed with interest, focus and commitment. In reaffirming our reliance on God, some days minute by minute when fear and doubt dogs us, we Wait on the Lord. We have taken the indicated action, have turned our focus from the false belief to the truth, now just as the farmer who plants and tends his fields with interest and care, we will reap as we have sown, a magnificent crop indeed.

PRAISE AND AFFIRMATION

We all are afflicted with the “false witness” voice in our consciousness. When it chimes in it never brings good or positive news, it strives to fill us with fear and doubt. You know the voice; it’s the one that points to the negative, the down side. All the reasons why something won’t work so why try, that we never have any luck and since success is all about luck, what’s the point in trying. Somebody probably already thought of it anyway, so why bother, I’m too old, I’m too young, it’s too hard, there’s no time, I’m not good enough, I don’t deserve it, ad infinitum ad nauseum. In short, to sabotage us, to turn us from the light to darkness, the darkness of the bondage of self.

Emmet Fox writes, “Verily, doubt and fear are the cruelest things that can come into the life of man.” The shadows are always there, beckoning us with their cruel lies. Living on the Spiritual Basis, we step from the shadows of fear and doubt, embracing God’s salvation.

The false witness is persistent. So when we start to feel the cold shadow of fear and doubt settling down, we gently turn in prayer affirming God’s salvation, placing ourselves in the sunlight of the Spirit, our demonstration in faith praise of the one true Source, banishing the shadows, one day at a time.

ABIDING IN HIS PRESENCE

The term “reborn” has been employed poorly if not down right incorrectly so often that its true meaning and correct application has been lost. Living on the Spiritual Basis, we have embraced the truth that all external happenings are “passing shadows of no permanent importance.” We know in our heart of hearts that to dwell in the Presence of Divine light and knowledge is the only true escape from our “enemies” (negative thinking/morbid reflection) and foes (fear and doubt of every kind). When our conscious is right, we carry the message of His love and guidance to all who care to listen, following the one true path. In so doing we answer all seeming trouble with “my heart shall not fear, thy will be done” and we are free. We are reborn. Not to be pushy, but now would be a good time to dust off that copy of the Good Book and visit the 27Th Psalm, just a suggestion.

LIGHT AND SALVATION

“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” When FDR said this in his first inaugural address, the country was in the grip of the great depression, great clouds of dust howled over the central plains of America, displacing millions. What FDR knew is that fear is paralyzing. Whether you agree with the political course FDR set this country on is immaterial, the critical point is that as a leader he understood the power of fear. Living on the Spiritual Basis, we confront fear where it lives, in our consciousness. Fear brings darkness to our thoughts, an actual feeling of constriction in the chest, as if life is being squeezed from us, the sense of impending doom overpowering. Fear is a liar. To be crystal clear: everyone dies of something; the flesh we inhabit will one day fail. Money comes and money goes. Jobs end and begin. We may fall out of love or someone we love may fall out of love with us. Accidents happen. The choice is ours as to how we handle the inevitable lows in life. Do we cower in fear, paralyzed in inaction or step out in faith, demonstrating reliance on a power greater than ourselves?

Freedom comes when we turn in all things to Him who has all knowledge and power, who brings the light banishing the darkness of fear, providing the keys to the kingdom, replacing the dread surrounding our heart with the surety of salvation, enabling us to meet perceived calamity with poise and serenity, putting the truth to fears lie. How is this accomplished? By choosing consistent prayer, meditation and service work in the face of the stultifying fear. The greatest gift we have is free will, out of all creation we are the only ones who choose to create. Whether it be a new recipe, a scientific theorem, a piece of music or book we make the choice. We choose which spiritual path to walk, darkness or light, bondage in self or salvation. The choice is always ours.

CONSIDERING THE SOURCE OF SUPPLY

Remember what it says on the dollar bill in your pocket? “In God We Trust.” Do you? When we give from a sense of fear, we miss the point of the giving. We are better off building on our understanding of the Spiritual Basis than to act out of fear. The core lesson of tithing is to affirm through demonstration that we not only grasp the concept but also believe in our heart of hearts that God is the only source. The particular channel that our supply flows through is immaterial. Just as with a free flowing river, its constantly cutting new channels but the source (God) of the flow remains unchanged as does the final destination, the sea (us).

“God is either everything or else He is nothing. What is our choice to be?” Give from a sense of joy, whether the tithe is money (easy) or time (hard) thank God for knowing Him better, certain in the knowledge that we always reap as we sow.

THE MAGIC OF TITHING

One of the most straightforward ways of demonstrating our spiritual fitness is by how much we give, in riches and of ourselves. That disheveled fellow with the cardboard sign asking for money for “food” may not use the money for food as we would define it, but that does not mean his need is any less real. That dollar you give may provide more relief than you can ever know.

We reap as we sow; by living in fear of lack as a reason not to tithe we simply instill more lack in our lives. By giving with joy, never out of obligation for that defeats the purpose, what we sow returns to us ten fold. In these economic times, perhaps tithing 10% of your income would cause difficulty in your home, but we all have something to give. If you have little money, ask in prayer to be shown how you can best be of service, tithing the gift of your time and/or expertise.

A shared smile and eye contact with those suffering, acknowledging them, is a tithe that multiplies itself in ever widening circles, helping to release them, and us, from the bondage of self.