ALWAYS RECORDING

           The price of continuing spiritual freedom is vigilance. Drifting into negative thinking and speech, typically happening without any conscious thought or plan on our part, is easy. The “good” natured gossip session with a friend or joining in(or worse, instigating) a bitch session about a disagreeable co-worker or boss, taking sides in any romantic or marital dispute or simply speaking about someone for any reason where we would be embarrassed if we discovered them standing behind us, we have strayed. If we are saying anything about anyone that we would be unwilling to say to them in person, we place ourselves at risk. Gossiping and tale telling rarely (if ever) embodies patience, tolerance, kindliness or love and those are some of the watchwords Living on the Spiritual Basis embodies. As far as taking sides in romantic squabbles, we have all probably done it only to become the enemy when they reconcile, so we have learned to be supportive but avoid engaging in character assassination, no matter how seemingly egregious their behavior appears to be. One of the great truths in life is there is always two sides to every story and they often only have a passing resemblance to one another.

        Everything we say, do or observe is recorded. Everything. Not by God, or some heavenly scribe watching our every move, but by us. It is written upon our heart, in our hand, recorded, by us, in our subconscious. Every crummy or negative thing we have ever said or done (as well as the good, but the good isn‘t the problem) is still with us and it seems the Devil himself drags these things up into the conscious mind in an attempt to hold us back, to fill us with fear and negativity. We are powerless to control which thoughts float up from the subconscious but we have complete control over what action to take when we become aware of them. Our course is simple, we turn from the lower to the higher in prayer and meditation. We turn the sunlight of the spirit upon these discordant thoughts and assert the truth in being, that we have been forgiven, completely and forever, that Our Father’s love is unconditional, negative thoughts specters, insubstantial, powerless in the face of His love and guidance. So remain vigilant and avoid negativity towards others but above all never wallow in morbid reflection for we are now living on a different basis, the basis of trusting and relying upon God.