THE LORD’S PRAYER

           The Lord’s Prayer is considered by many to be the most important of all Christian documents. Although there are other interpretations of the prayer, below is the version most often cited. The Latin version follows.


Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.


LATIN

Pater noster, qui es in caelis:
sanctificetur Nomen Tuum;
adveniat Regnum Tuum;
fiat voluntas Tua,
sicut in caelo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie;
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris;
et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
sed libera nos a Malo.

PERCEPTIONS

      How we perceive the world colors everything we see and believe. Our perceptions are built, layer upon layer by our life experiences and how we interpret those experiences.

Consider:

A homeless person asks for assistance, do you:
1) Act as if they were invisible.
2) Ask them what they need the money for, we will consider it if they can convince us it is for food and not anything we find objectionable.
3) Smile and hand them a few dollars, saying a silent prayer for them since they are a child of God, just as we are.

     When I wore a younger mans clothes, not just the homeless, but much of life was invisible to me. Being infallible as only the young can be, why would I consider another’s plight when the universe revolved around me. In time, becoming a husband and parent my vision and perceptions began to change, priorities altered. I could see those struggling, but felt duty bound to lecture and inform these poor unfortunates, because they clearly needed the benefit of my wonderfulness.

“The only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self, is pain.”

     The slicing away of self can be a tedious process, but is spiritually invaluable. Today I see with my heart, all are children of a loving God, all equal in His eyes, regardless of station or circumstances. How I treat the least of us will be meted to me in kind, for we all reap as we sow. Today to the above quote I would add “The only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self and alter our perceptions, is pain.”

METAPHYSICAL TRUTH

            What you think upon grows. All thoughts dwelled upon will be out pictured in our lives. Period. When we dwell on lack, perceived injustice (real and imagined), resentment or any of the other hundred forms of fear clamoring for our attention, it attaches them to our consciousness as surely as a barnacle to a pier piling. Though no one would say they wish to suffer, to believe we can think one way and then receive the opposite is the root of the trouble.

        It would be a poor law indeed if it did not work in the reverse as well. When we dwell on the positive, on the Presence of God, on the truth of our relationship with the Divine, that all fear and negativity are false, God the giver of every good gift, will then be out pictured in our lives.

         Remember the lesson of the camels nose? Camels have no reverse. If they get their head under the tent flap, they are coming all the way in. If you smack their nose as soon as you see it they will withdraw. Waiting until you see the full head is to late, their coming in. Our troubles are just like the camels nose. As soon as you become aware of a trouble or difficulty smack it on the nose with prayer and meditation and its ability to drive you to despair and fear will be short circuited. What you think upon grows. What will you think upon today? Beware camels.

EXCLUSIVE OR INCLUSIVE?

“Every thought is made up of two factors, knowledge and feeling.” What do you believe? We all believe in all sorts of things. Ford is better than Chevy, Yankees are better than the Red Sox; my grandkids are cuter than yours are all examples of thoughts/opinions based heavily in feeling rather than knowledge, except the one about my grandkids of course. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, Hawaii is an island, two plus two equals four are all examples of knowledge with little feeling/passion attached. Heated discussions have and will take place concerning the former, yet possibly never concerning the latter.

What do you believe and why do you believe it? Few take the time to truly get to the roots of the things they believe, especially when there is a great deal of feeling attached to them. In many areas of life this carries minimal consequence, but spiritually it is deadly. When belief in God is based mostly in the mind, intellectual belief, with little passion or heart, life’s difficulties approached clinically, when they fail to demonstrate spiritually it is because of the vagaries of living, never because of a lack of any real faith. Conversely if their belief is based almost exclusively in feeling; especially when holding that they are right and everyone else is wrong, they blindly follow anyone who has a little charisma who parrots their feelings of exclusivity, often with tragic results.

Clearly without passion nothing happens. Living on the Spiritual Basis is a passionate way of life, tempered with truth. Not someone else’s truth but our truth arrived at by scientific prayer and meditation. Read with your eyes but study with your heart. Listen with your ears but hear with the Divine Presence within. Do not mortgage your future on any one teacher or interpretation. Jesus taught that we are all connected to the Father, not requiring any intermediaries to establish this bond since it is ours by right of birth, a teaching that turned the world on its head, and forgotten by many religions. Read spiritual books and study teachers that strike a cord in you, but keep your own counsel in the “secret” place in your heart. When questions arise seek out those who have touched you and consider their words in meditation and if you find their counsel just, incorporate it in your life. The right answers will come if our own house is in order, which requires us to remain willing and open to all spiritual experience, “for the realm of Heaven is roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding.”

THE KEY OF FREEDOM

The true key to individual freedom is forgiveness. The reason for this is simple: “You do this, not for the other person’s sake, but for your own sake.” Can you think of a single spiritual teacher that has not made this point? Without forgiveness no real spiritual progress can ever be made. When we fail to embrace forgiveness we lock ourselves into a circular route that inevitably leads back to the same difficulties clothed in different garb, again and again. Applying the same solutions, we reap the same results, and then thinking we have mastered the lesson move on, only to be confronted again in short order by the same difficulties in a fresh set of clothes. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires forgiving not only in word and in our actions, but in our heart.

By recognizing our part and then becoming willing to amend our behavior, apologizing to those requiring apology (all require prayer but not all require an apology) we set our feet squarely on the path. The problem is that some people and incidents continue to crop up in our consciousness even though they have been treated with prayer. The problem arises because we hold onto a kernel of seemingly justified anger that blocks us effectively as a dam blocks a river from experiencing peace. When we hold onto an old hurt, justifying our action for any reason, we stand outside the sunlight of the Presence of God, placing ourselves in the shadow of resentment and fear. By embracing justified anger our thinking becomes stale, stagnant and unhealthy, by throwing open our heart to forgiveness we are rejuvenated. The course here is clear; when these items appear in our consciousness immediately treat them again with prayer and ask to be shown if there is anything we can do to be of service to those just prayed for. By becoming willing to be of service to those who harmed us sets us free. To be very clear, by demonstrating your willingness you are set free, God will never place you in a position to be harmed if you are about His business, so even if we have been hurt terribly, today nothing is more important than our freedom, freedom from them and the power they still exert in our lives. By taking the contrary action to what the World and our carnal mind would have us do, we raise our consciousness and stand in the sunlight of the Spirit, clean, rejuvenated and free, the law of forgiveness manifest.

NAKED VIOLIN

“Life is like playing a violin concerto naked, and learning to play as you go along.” A while back I attended a “concert” by second graders, fully clothed. They were less than perfect in their performance but performed exactly as second graders should. Had they been High School students their instructor’s competence would have been questioned and rightfully so. We would never expect a group of seven year olds to perform at the level of students more than twice their age. The point being we always demonstrate where we are. Spiritually where are you? What principles do you practice, since whether you are aware of them or not, we all practice principles. Having placed our feet on the path, choosing to Live on the Spiritual Basis, we embarked on the examined life. We choose whether to turn to God or revel in morbid reflection when (not if) negative or fearful thoughts come into our consciousness, the notes from our violin sweet, clothed in serenity when we Practice the Presence of God in all our affairs, rejecting the negative.

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND

Though many remain in denial of this truth, there are rules, or laws if you prefer, that govern our thinking, applying equally to everyone at all times. They are impersonal, always in force and cannot be appealed. Being impersonal “This law is true for both good and bad ideas. This law, when used negatively, brings sickness, trouble, and failure; and when used positively, brings healing, freedom, and success. We give the orders-the subconscious does the work.”

We cannot, do not control the thoughts that enter our consciousness. We do control what path to follow when we become aware of a thought. When a negative or fearful thought floats up from our subconscious how we respond to it determines our future. We train ourselves when confronted by these discordant thoughts to turn immediately to thoughts of God, His Love, His Power and His Guidance. In so doing the Law of Subconscious Activity works for us, not against.

Practical demonstrations always carry more weight than mere words. Begin by observing the faces of the people in your life. What do you see in the countenance of those who engage in gossip, hurtful or negative words and action? Compare them with those who are consistently kind, supportive and positive. The truth of this lesson will be as plain as the look on your face.

SURRENDER

“We have ceased fighting everything and everyone, we have to”, for unlike physical exercise, where the longer and more intense the workout the better shape we attain, the converse is true mentally. The reason for this is that God does the work, not our mental “muscles.” No amount of will power has ever added a single ounce of spiritual weight to anyone. We don’t “work” on our problems or difficulties since we have turned our will and our lives completely over to the care of God. Having chosen to live on the Spiritual Basis we know today that God is the doer. Not us. Pray when prayer is indicated. Meditate regularly. Turn to Him who has all knowledge and power when filled with fear and doubt and trust Him. Since in truth “all mental working should be relaxed, gentle, and unhurried for effort defeats itself.”

ORANGES

Has someone said to you or have you ever said “don’t think like that?” Not possible is it. It is one of those silly things that we say to one another without thinking it through. Like “a watched pot never boils.” Yes it does, every single time. I understand how the saying originated, but without the origin understood for context it is just nonsense. As soon as we are told not to think about something the first thing we do is think about it. No? OK, don’t think about oranges. How did you do? We are powerless over the thoughts that float through our minds unbidden; however we choose the action to take upon becoming aware of these thoughts. Oranges are not much of a problem, but there exists in all of us a voice of discord and negativity that is embedded in the subconscious. The origin of the voice is secondary, the action we choose to take paramount. Having embarked on living on the Spiritual Basis our path is clear for we have ceased fighting everything and everyone. We gently but firmly turn from the negative to the positive, God. If the thoughts are persistent, we engage in some activity that will distract us, a phone call to a friend inquiring about them (do not speak of the negative thoughts), an engrossing book or activity. If possible find someone to help. Nothing relieves us of the bondage of self, and all negative thinking binds us in self, as intensive work with others. The key is to substitute positive thinking and action for the negative thoughts. Simple but not easy. When we begin this way of living it will feel clunky and somewhat uncomfortable, but just like learning to ride a bike, as long as we are diligent and consistent, in time it will become second nature.

OUTLINING TRAP

Difficult problems seem to have a life of their own. Hard as we try, we treat them spiritually and the next thing we know they are back in the forefront of our consciousness, dominating our thoughts. Typically the thoughts creep in silently and we don’t become aware of them until they have gained purchase in our consciousness, then we have to go through the spiritual exercises again to gain relief. One of the most insidious ways this happens is through outlining. The world teaches that we should think things through, weigh pros and cons, talk it out, but just as “the grouch and the brainstorm are the dubious luxury of normal men” so is outlining. We start out innocently enough but in short order we begin outlining how a situation or trouble should work out, in essence telling the universe how to solve our problems, on our terms of course. It doesn’t work, does it. It builds up our expectations and as a wise man said “the level of my serenity is directly proportional to my expectations.” Living on the Spiritual Basis our expectations are placed in God’s hands and on His shoulders, so when we find ourselves outlining we stop as soon as we become aware and thank God for knowing Him better. To quiet the mind we repeat some simple set prayers like “Be still and know that I am God”, “There is no power greater than God” or simply “God is with me.” When I ran the world I outlined constantly, for it needed my help. Living on the new basis, I leave the running of the world, and my life, in God’s hands for He does a much better job of it than I ever did, for today I know in my heart of hearts that “God is with me.”

DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

When trouble or difficulty arrives at your door step, immediately turn to God in prayer. Pray for the knowledge, guidance and strength to address it and most importantly pray for any other individuals involved, regardless of how they may have or are attempting to harm us. In so doing we raise our consciousness and build a bull work of peace and serenity remaining free and unharmed. Never, under any pretense ask God to do harm or cause ill to befall anyone, for if we do we drag our consciousness down and needlessly subject ourselves to suffering. Seek always the higher ground of raised consciousness, for each reaps as they sow, if we sow seeds of hate, anger, resentment and contempt, do not then be surprised when the meal is served from the harvested crop you planted.

THINK ABOUT GOD

Wayne Dyer suggests that we “think from the end” when confronted with life’s challenges. Having embarked on the path of Living on the Spiritual Basis, we now know that at the “end” the solution for every difficulty or problem is God. We can turn to God at any point along the way, but the sooner the better. Think of it this way; wherever you travel there is the shortest, most direct route; any other path is taking the long way round. Sometimes when traveling the long way round is preferable, better scenery, more interesting sights, friends along the way, etc. When we are suffering however, this is never the case, yet it is exactly what most people do! Spiritually the long way round should be avoided like the plague, yet most dawdle along rehashing their story with anyone who will listen, engaging in angry recrimination while wallowing in morbid reflection. Only when we place our feet squarely on the path, raising our consciousness above the trouble by turning in prayer, resisting the temptation to outline for God the solution, seeking only the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out do we triumph. God can and will solve all our problems and difficulties, if we will rely upon Him. Therefore, when troubled, take the road less traveled, thinking of God immediately, avoiding the “the long way round” of resentment, suffering, blame and morbid reflection.

A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION

“Study and research are well in their own time and place, but no amount of either will get you out of a concrete difficulty. Nothing but practical work in your own consciousness will do that.” (This next part is paramount since we probably are all guilty.) “The mistake made by many people, when things go wrong, is to skim through book after book, without getting anywhere” (Intention versus action).

Faith without works is dead. Fervent belief is fine as far as it goes, but nothing happens until action is engaged in. Until we demonstrate a consistent course of action nothing of consequence transpires in our consciousness to bring us to the desired safe harbor. We paddle in one direction for a time, then something catches our attention and we set off in another. Is it any wonder then that we never reach safety? Look to your book shelf, how many books are on it that when first read seemed to have the “answer”, yet there they sit, gathering dust. To be fair, they probably are fine works written by wonderful teachers, yet for one reason or another they did not carry the weight to elicit continual study and implementation.

Practical work in our own consciousness requires dedication and consistent effort. “Scientific prayer is the Golden Key to harmony and happiness.” What is scientific prayer? When faced with a difficulty of any kind, turn in prayer affirming everything you know to be true about God. Under no circumstance pray about the problem or difficulty! Instead we turn, in prayer, to focus our whole consciousness on God and our relationship with Him, for God is omnipotent, He already knows everything about your life, your problems, desires, hopes and fears and exactly what is needed. Our job is to get out of the way and trust in Him who has all knowledge and power, to stop focusing on the negative (the difficulty) and place our focus singularly on God (the solution). “Simple, but not easy.”

“It works, it really does. Try it.”

PRACTICING PRINCIPLES

Living on the Spiritual Basis we are directed to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” Few however take the time to consider the principles that they practice in their lives, yet we demonstrate what we believe everyday by our actions. If you were to inventory your principles, what would be on the list? Do you spend your time rehashing past events? Telling the same stories of hurt, missed opportunities, lost love and perceived injustice? Are you quick to correct anyone in earshot if they happen to be in “error” as you see it? Do you hold strong opinions on issues, ready to engage in verbal combat at the drop of an allusion, yet never bother to read or reflect on opposing views? Do you criticize and/or critique everyone and everything that crosses your path?

No one but you will see your inventory, so be honest. Some of the principles outlined above include but are certainly not limited to: contempt prior to investigation, morbid reflection, biased judgment, closed mindedness, grandiosity and emotional overcompensation. Of course the list can be added to, but I think you get the picture. Conversely Living on the Spiritual Basis suggests these living principles: patience, tolerance, kindness, love, serenity, benefit of the doubt, open-mindedness, ready acceptance and living in the here and now among others.

It is not a matter of controlling ones thoughts, for trying to control our thoughts is like herding cats, not possible. What we are charged with is how we respond when a negative or discordant thought or action enters our awareness. When we find ourselves practicing negative or destructive principles we immediately turn to God and shine the truth of our divine heritage and His love upon them, thus placing them in their correct light. Remember, our actions and words are always an indicator of our thoughts.

We cannot learn or demonstrate beyond where we are. A first year medical student would never be asked to perform heart surgery or the private to lead the army into battle. Always be gentle with yourself and place your reliance on God, turning to Him for inspiration and guidance in all things, the only requirement for continued growth is to stay willing and open-minded.

THE RIDE

Herbert Spencer said that substance is “that which is not subject to discord or decay”, that Spirit is substance, that Spirit cannot die and was never born, and that we are Spirit. Consider Buddhism, it teaches that what we see is illusion, impermanent, that Everything is Zen. If you have ever read or heard that, it probably didn’t really register as anything particularly useful. When I first heard it years ago I had the mental picture of a young Quy Chang Cain listening to his Master, that puzzled look on his face not understanding. Never have quite figured out why David Carradine was hired to play a part Chinese character when Bruce Lee was available, but I guess some mysteries are better left unsolved. Unlike Cain however I didn’t have the luxury of jump cutting to the present where all was revealed. Years and a lot of living (i.e. pain) were required before I found the Spiritual Basis for Living which provided the answers. To borrow from Chuck Chamberlain, now I have A New Pair of Glasses to view life with. Today, I know in my heart of hearts that I AM Spirit, eternal and that only the distorted vision resulting from my human limitations causes my fears and difficulties. That I AM here to learn as long as this flesh lasts and when it eventually fails, to take the lessons learned to the next destination wherever that may be, always moving forward in love and light. So struggle is pointless, everything really is Zen (God) and since no one gets out alive, we might as well enjoy the ride.

SILENCE

Many hold to the concept of God being individualized in each of us but without diminishing the whole. This is understandable, but wrong. Consider an apple pie. When you remove a piece, the whole is diminished by the size of the slice you have decided to enjoy, possibly alamode. The original apple pie and the slice are composed of exactly the same ingredients, in the same proportion, only the size different, the slice merely a smaller representation of the original. Soon others become aware of your pie experiment and the “whole” pie that began our lesson is now only represented by a crumb filled pie tin; the original portioned to the many, probably alamode.

When considering God many think of Him in this way because it is logical. Believing that God is so large He can break off pieces of Himself with out concern of ever becoming an empty tin. If this were true however regardless of how small the piece removed, the whole, like our apple pie, is still diminished. But, in truth, God is never diminished, cannot by His nature be diminished. He is as complete and whole today as a year, a thousand, ten thousand or a million years ago. So, if we are not only connected to God but His spark resides within each of us, what is God’s nature?

God is like silence. Cut silence in half and you have more silence. Cut it again, more silence. No matter how many times you try to portion it you only have more, the whole never diminished or changed. The Indwelling Presence is not a “portion” of God, but God himself and proof of our true divine selfhood. Consider an electric circuit. The electricity (God) is present through out the circuit (us) but we only “see” it when we flip the switch and the bulb (our Divine Mind) illuminates.

The life we live is like our pie; each day a little more gone until only the tin remains, no deposit required. Our true self, our soul, is like silence, never diminished, never proportioned always whole and eternal. We are not human beings in search of the miraculous, a spiritual awakening, we are spiritual beings experiencing the human condition. God, like electricity flows through us, always there, the bill always paid in full, just waiting for us to flip the switch and embrace enlightenment.

GOD IS INTELLIGENCE

Over the last 20 to 30 years science has made amazing strides and discoveries in Quantum Physics. We have learned that the most minuscule aspects of matter that we have observed, the component parts of the atom, move with intelligence, reacting to the observer, seemingly existing in two places at once. These particles comprise everything. Every star to every grain of sand on this planet and every other. The chair you are sitting in and the medium you are reading this on. You. Inside each of us are many trillions of these particles, all going about their business without consulting us at all. Ever consider the magnitude of a single trillion? If you couldn’t leave your house for 1 million seconds you would be stuck for about 11 and ½ days. A long time, but with a stocked fridge, cable and delivery take out doable. How about a billion seconds? Thirty one years six months and a few days. Some murders don’t get sentences that long. How about a trillion? Thirty one thousand seven hundred and ten years, give or take a couple. 31,710 years worth of seconds, considerably longer than modern man has existed.

So, everything is composed of intelligent matter, science tells us so. Is this matrix of all creation the mind of God? Gives one pause to wonder, does it not? We have been told that He is closer than hands and feet, that we should look within, not without for our spiritual connection. Looks like just maybe they had it right all along.

GOD’S LOVE

A main aspect of God is Love, not loving or bringing love but Love itself. When we express love we express our true essence, God. Think of how you feel when you express love or when love is expressed to you. In those moments we are in communion with God, in conscious contact. …God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). A bedrock truth of living is a sufficient expression of love will erase any problem or difficulty. “Where there is fear there cannot be love. The best way to rid yourself of fear is to realize divine Love” for “Divine love never fails…” Are not all of our problems fears based? Are we not driven by the fear that we will either not receive something we think we need or lose something we have? Isn’t worry just a five letter word for fear? If sick, will I recover, and if healthy, what if I get sick. If working, what if I lose my job, if looking for work, what if I cannot find any. If financially sound, what if my money is lost through no fault of my own and if lost, how will I ever get it back. You get the point. The Great Carpenter taught that we cannot serve two masters, so where we place our focus, regardless and sometimes in spite of current circumstances, is the key. Are we focusing on the fear (the world) or on the spiritual (God)? “To realize God as Love is the remedy for fear.” Though word plays typically make my teeth itch, this one has some value: FEAR-False Evidence Appearing Real. God is either everything or else He is nothing. No middle ground. The thoughts we entertain habitually will be expressed in our lives. The choice is ours. What will we express, fear or faith. Remember “Where there is fear there cannot be love.” That “There is no condition that enough Love will not heal.” By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another (John 13:35).

SPIRITUAL TRUTH

God is not just truthful or brings truth but is Absolute Truth itself. Once we begin living on the Spiritual Basis, God translates from the relative to the Absolute. He is either everything or else He is nothing, there remains no middle ground. The coffee shop chats and debates engaged in before opening our heart to Him who has all knowledge and power lose all significance. Having made the decision to turn our will and lives over to the care and direction of God, fear is supplanted by trust and faith. In the light of Absolute Truth we pause when doubtful “…and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day Thy will be done.” To know the truth about any condition heals it, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).

GOD EXPRESSES LIFE

“God is not just living, nor does God give life, but God is Life.” In his 1918 acceptance speech for the Nobel prize in physics Max Planck he said in part: “All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.” As we know today because of Quantum Physics, what Max Planck could only assume, we know to be true. That at the most minute level of existence the particles that comprise everything, animate and inanimate, demonstrate intelligence. So, by extension it is clear now that something is going on throughout all of existence. Is this the mind of God? Beats me, but it does give one pause to wonder.

On a more practical level, just as day follows night; “The body always expresses the thought; the thought of Life heals and inspires, whereas thoughts of fear and death contract and destroy.” Although everything is comprised of the same matrix, we alone choose where our consciousness will lie. Do I focus on love and service or fear? God or human limitation? Although comprised of the same matrix, the chair I am sitting in or the cat sleeping in the next room won’t be faced with that choice. Why? For unlike the chair or the cat we are literally the children of God, unique in all creation, our only real purpose to practice the Presence of God. Though comprised of the same matrix neither the cat or chair are concerned with the outside world. The chair has no consciousness, even though comprised of conscious energy, and the cat, though conscious expresses only what it is, a cat. Nothing happening at work or on the nightly news has ever kept a cat from getting a good nights sleep. Our task is too learn from the cat and express our true nature; Children of God practicing His presence in every aspect of our lives.

OUR PERCEPTIONS OF GOD

“Have you ever asked yourself the question: What is God like? We are told to pray by turning away from the problem and thinking about God; but how are we to think about God? What is His nature? What is His character? Where is He? Can we really contact Him, and if so, how?” Next time you are in church, take a moment and stand in the back so you can see all the heads of those in attendance. A lot gray and bald will greet your gaze. It makes sense, since when we were young we were indestructible and seemingly immortal. We knew in our heart that it wasn’t so, but we had time and would deal with that stuff later, much later. Regular church services are typically populated with the “it’s now later” crowd. Having possibly buried a parent or parents, a friend has passed of “natural” causes versus the unnatural ones of youth or doctors have become an unwelcome regular reality in their lives, they have started asking the questions and seeking the answers they put off for “later”, for later has arrived.

PERSIST

Never rest in your wholehearted commitment to live on the Spiritual Basis. Pray from the heart, expecting to receive. Stand fast in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds since with God all things are possible, nothing impossible. Miracles can and do happen, our prayers touching the indwelling power moving God Himself to act. Persist in the truth that we are all children of God, loved unconditionally, forgiven as soon as we ask. Know that we live in Grace, undeserved; but such is the depth and breadth of God’s Love. Persist in demonstrating His Love and Light, though trembling, in every area of life, for today we trust in God. When we make mistakes hold to the truth of His guidance and unwavering Love to set right any wrong and take us to better things, if our focus is singular. Trust I say in the indwelling power, the Lord and be free.

WANT RESULTS? PRAY

“There is only one way to make spiritual progress…prayer.” So the question is not what to do but how to do it. “If your intuitive nature is well developed, you will seldom need to use formal statements at all. This is excellent-for who will trouble to climb a ladder when he is strong enough to leap over the wall?” Living on the Spiritual Basis a constant conscious contact with God is the goal. However, few of us always feel the connection. This connection typically dims when we don’t see the camel’s nose (fear) slip under the tent flap (our consciousness) until it is too late. Since a camel has no reverse, once its head is in, it is coming in all the way. When staring the camel in the eye, relying on well used structured prayers are a life saver. The Lord’s Prayer, the powerful “Be still and know that I am God”, the Serenity prayer quickly come to mind. The one thing I would suggest, that always works, is keep it simple. God already knows what is in our heart and exactly what we need before we need it, so simple heart filled prayers have great power. “He constantly uses the old affirmations (prayers), but he stuffs them with fresh feeling every time.” Remember, God is always present for it is His nature. When we lose sight of Him it is because we closed our eyes, prayer restores our sight.

GYM THINK

The start of every year brings an influx of people into gyms. They have resolved to lose weight and get into shape, some for the first time; many repeat offenders. The desire is genuine, seeing themselves this coming summer strutting in their new bathing suit looking buff. What happens? After a few weeks (sometimes a very few) “stuff” begins to happen. Work ramps up. The kids start or resume an extra curricular activity that involves travel time and scheduling. The spouse is less than supportive in their activities or altered eating habits and the “discussions” about it are becoming at best tedious and at worst downright acrimonious. I’m sure you can add to the list. So with no real thought we give ourselves license to miss a session or two. The idea of everyone else eating pizza while we try to choke down one more Lean Cuisine becomes intolerable. Remember when you said, out loud, they tasted good? Soon the only remnants of the gym are the clothes in the back of the closet and that automatic deduction from the checking account every month, the buff strut a forgotten memory.

No matter how much time I spend working out, time and gravity assures that there are some areas that have reached the “no matter what you do it sags” stage. And when did the fact that I have to pee a little more frequently become the subject of a never ending barrage of TV commercials questioning the quality of my life? Let alone the ads for the couples sitting in those bathtubs OUTSIDE! dealing with the tragedy of one of those saggy bits I spoke of earlier. Remember: If this product does what it was designed to do for more than four hours, call your doctor. Our in my case an undertaker.

Because modes of thinking are contagious we allow the same things to happen in our spiritual life. We read a book or hear a speaker which energizes us and we vow to follow a new path. What happens? Gym Think. After a time the old manner, habits, of living reassert themselves and we drift back to where we started. Then a new book or teacher catches our attention and the cycle begins again. Break the cycle and BEGIN TODAY. The day will come for all, when this physical shell will fail, regardless of how many hours we spend working out and/or eating right. Remember Jim Fixx? But our essential nature, call it soul, cosmic conscious, feldercarb or whatever term appeals to you, is eternal. The work we do today stays with us forever. Decide today to place your feet on the path and let no later vicissitude shake your resolve. When Gym Think creeps in reject it by turning to God for strength and guidance. Just for today demonstrate prayer and meditation in your life, as if your life depended on it, for in fact it does. A twenty minute walk and a good multivitamin is OK to.

OUR CONSCIOUS CONTACT

The purpose of the 12 step process of enlightenment is to provide a path for establishing “a conscious contact with God” as a result of following a course of action.
A key aspect of this path is tolerance, for “We believe the realm of Heaven is roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding.” Most who walk this path did not come to it out of virtue or a sincere desire to grow and change, but out of pain and suffering. They had reached a jumping off place, no longer willing to go on as they were, they were faced with the proposition of going on to the bitter end, blotting out the pain of existence any way they could or accept an entirely new way of life. Not easy alternatives to face. Ever been to skid row? If not, find a friend or two and go in the late afternoon or early evening. Though by no means all, many of those souls have taken the path of oblivion through drink and drugs. Ever been to an AA meeting? If not, call your area central office, they are in the book, and ask for the location of an open speakers meeting. You probably won’t identify with the speakers, but that is not the point of the trip. Look around the room; these are the same people you saw on skid row. The difference being they choose the road less traveled and have chosen to pursue a conscious contact with God.

The process of living embodied in the 12 steps requires work, commitment and a willingness few but the dying have. Many sadly will stumble, fear winning over faith. Skid row is the destination for a miniscule percentage of those lost to the disease of addiction, but like the tip of the iceberg, it is the part readily visible. Most who suffer do so behind closed doors for in truth “silk sheets or city streets, Park Avenue or park bench, we do not change until we surrender.” Surrender to what? A Power Greater Than Ourselves.

Skid row may be a physical destination in virtually every town or city, but the skid row of the mind can and does exist in even the most opulent locales. Without a conscious contact with God, what is the ultimate purpose of life? He who dies with the most toys still dies. The billionaire and the baker, freshly washed and cleaned, laid out side by side in death are equal in their possessions in the moment. The measure of a life, at the final tally, is not the love received, but that which was given away without strings or expectation. Look to your heart, have you surrendered? Are you willing to go to any lengths for a spiritual awakening? Seek first the Kingdom, and seek it within.

THE NATURE OF GOD

The Lord’s Prayer establishes the essential nature of God, that He is in truth our Father in the deepest, most profound respect. One of the promises realized by Living on the Spiritual Basis is “We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.” True peace of soul brings healing, true place and opens us to understanding and learning utterly beyond what would normally be our present capacity. Even if we are weak, fearful, depressed, or believe these tidings could never come true for us, God will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Though trembling, our job is to stay in the action of prayer and meditation and to seek the face of our Father, relying on Him who has all knowledge and power. Simple, but not easy. To know that we are safe and protected, possibly as the very foundation of our world is shaking, is a tall order and is only possible with other worldly help and direction. For in truth, Living on the Spiritual Basis we are no longer of this world, we are in it, to learn and serve.

BROAD SHOULDERS

Having made the decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God; to embrace living on the Spiritual Basis, we now trust A Power Greater than Ourselves for direction and guidance in every area of life. Does this mean when afraid or in doubt we should sit quietly waiting to be moved by the Spirit? Possibly. I would be the last person to counsel against meditation or quiet prayer, however we must balance patience and action for “Faith without works is dead.” Part of the 11th Step in the 12 Step process for living directs: “As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day ‘Thy will be done.’ We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.” So go about your business as usual but with the knowledge that you have tapped an inner resource that will unerringly guide you. Additionally if you cannot remember the last time you said “Thy will be done” you have probably taken the running of your life back into your hands, placing the full weight of living on your shoulders. As wide and strong as our shoulders may be, God’s are infinitely wider and stronger and He wants to carry our burdens. Let Him. “Thy will be done.”

REBORN

The 3rd step in the 12 step path of enlightenment asks us “to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God’ with the proviso “as we understood Him.” This phrase is pivotal to the process, so the student must not take the easy way out. I have heard individuals refer to “God” as they understand Him as a doorknob, a tree, the ocean or some other nonsensical thing or object.

Nonsense: n. 1. That which is without good sense; meaningless or ridiculous language. 2. Things of no importance.

To believe that “God” can be anything relegates god to being nothing. “God is either everything or else He is nothing.” What is our choice to be? If you are struggling with the concept “of a Power greater than ourselves” you can start at a simpler level. To truly set ones feet on the path to living on the Spiritual Basis God must be at least this: Available, Intelligent and Loving and nothing less. Available: to live on the Spiritual Basis requires daily visits with God in prayer and meditation. How is this possible if He is far away, distant? Intelligent: He is the Creator. What more do you need to know? Loving: Here I would ask you to set aside any belief you may have of a vengeful or score keeper God. One of the keys to living on the Spiritual Basis is that “the realm of Heaven is roomy, all inclusive. Never exclusive or forbidding.” That God never brings trouble or sickness to our lives, that He loves us a thousand times more than we love our own children and I love my children a lot. Additionally God doesn’t keep a tally sheet. We do. Everything we have ever done or said is written on our heart and is and always has been an open book to Him who has all knowledge and power; yet because He loves us unconditionally we are forgiven as soon as we ask. If we could only forgive ourselves so readily think how much trouble we could avoid. So, if you are struggling, start at a simpler level and God will heal what AIL’s you.

PLACE YOUR BURDENS ON GOD

Having chosen the road less traveled, Living on the Spiritual Basis, “…immediately you hand over your self-government, that is, the burden of making a living, or of healing your body, or erasing your mistakes, to the Child (God). He, the Tireless One, the All-Powerful, the All-wise, the All-Resourceful, assumes it with joy; and your difficulties have seen the beginning of the end.” The 12 step process offers a prayer for turning our will and lives over to the care of god, but first a promise: “Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His Presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.” If you are ready, the following prayer is suggested; however the wording is secondary to the idea expressed. “God, I offer myself to Thee-to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!” Amen.

TAPPING CREATION

The Power within is nothing less than the Power of Creation, God, “The Indwelling Power, the inner Light.” But how to contact that Power? The 12 step process for living not only provides clear-cut directions on how to contact that Power but how to establish and maintain a conscious contact with the “inner Light.” It begins when we can say, “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?” Upon this simple foundation, a wonderful road map for living begins to unfold. On page 45 of Alcoholics Anonymous, we find the following statements: “We had to find a power by which we could live and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves.” “But where and how were we to find this Power?” “Well that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself that will solve (all) your problem(s).” To be clear, though there are many ways to achieve enlightenment, this path is well trod, its directions straightforward (simple but not easy) and results readily apparent if we are willing to follow directions. Though this path was first delineated in the book Alcoholics Anonymous, the process will work for anyone, regardless of present circumstances, for “Alcohol is but a symptom of a deeper underlying problem, the bottle but a symbol” for “Lack of power, that was our dilemma” a universal truth.

The First Five Steps and Related Teachings

Songs by VelcroHoudini, Citizen of ACIDplanet.com

Spoken word renditions of the first five steps and related teachings.

TRANSFORMATION

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The final day of the diet. Congratulations. You made it. File this tool away and bring it out anytime you feel a little spiritual boot camp is in order. Now you can share the experience with anyone you believe would profit from it.

The diet has put you in touch with the Primal Power of Being. This power is what changes us. It is the motive force behind everything. It is no less than our connection, at the most basic and profound level, to the creative life force that permeates everything and everyone. That power is God.