INSPIRATIO

    In Latin inspiratio means: to breathe in. From this root many words have bloomed, two of which are inspiration and respiration. Physical respiration is the intake and exhaling of air, spiritual respiration is the intake of guidance and knowledge from the Divine, the exhaling new understanding and purpose, inspiration personified.

    Our only job in this life is to realize our hearts desire, to express that which each of us has been Divinely gifted with, whatever that talent or ability might be. In realizing our heart’s desire we demonstrate over fear and human limitation. By seeking continued guidance through prayer, meditation and service we keep our feet on the one true path, our unique path, living inspired, truly free.

INDIANA JONES

     Don’t quit five minutes before the miracle. Probably one of the most, if not the most vexing spiritual question we face is why some prayers seemingly are not heard or worse if heard not answered. What happens is we travel ninety percent of the way but then lose faith, surrendering to fear and depression, and accept defeat when victory is our birthright. God’s demonstration in our lives is directly proportional to our willingness, our faith; and when we find it lacking, we ask Him for strength to persevere. When we pray expecting to receive, we always do, though often in a manner unexpected.

     Prayers are answered with demonstration. Many demonstrations come in the 11th hour. Powerful demonstrations come in the 12th. In the 13th hour, when all seems lost, the race run, despair and failure whispering in our ear can be the moment of greatest triumph if we can only stand firm in faith. God is either everything or else He is nothing. This is either true or it is not. No gray areas, no sliding scale. God is the only source, though there are many avenues, they all lead back to Him who has all knowledge and power. This is either true or it is not. No gray areas, no sliding scale. Please, do not think for a moment that I am intoning in any way that this is simple or easy to do. There are few things in the course of our lives more difficult than keeping an even mind in the midst of seeming certain calamity and disaster. One of the main aspects of keeping an even mind is holding to the truth that we demonstrate what we believe by our actions. It does no good whatsoever to speak of God’s love, knowledge and power if we fail to go to any lengths to demonstrate it, for half measures truly avail us nothing.

   I am often reminded of the scene from the Indiana Jones movie where he is seeking the Holy Grail. He has reached a seemingly impassable chasm separating him from his goal. He opens up his father’s book and reads at this point he must step out in faith. Looking down at certain death, he closes his eyes and takes a step. The bridge was always there; he just could not see it. Had his faith failed in his father‘s words, he would have retreated, saying there is no way across and his father, who was dying and needed the grail to save him would have perished.

   So the next time you feel faint, ready to give in to fear, to pull back from the edge for you can not see anyway across, see yourself in an Indiana Jones fedora, close your eyes and though trembling step out in faith.

WHAT ARE WE SELLING?

    I had a conversation (berating more accurately) recently with an “adamant” Christian. You have probably met one, an adamant Christian is someone who within the first few minutes of conversation asks if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and if you don’t answer to their satisfaction they begin hammering their message at you. They state matter-of-factly that if you don’t buy their brand you are doomed for all eternity, but God loves you. In truth, there are thousands of churches based on the Christ teaching and many state matter-of-factly that they are the only true path. Fortunately for all there are some things that God is not and limited or exclusive is on the list.

   We have all had the occasion of falling into the cross hairs of an aggressive salesman. How did you enjoy the experience? Even if you purchased what they were selling, how did you feel? Would you then go out of your way to continue your relationship with this person? You may have even bought what they were selling just to get away from them (Like agreeing with the adamant Christian just so you could escape). When we hammer someone, even with the truth, the result is usually the opposite of what we wished to achieve.

   Having turned my will and life over to the care of God many years ago, I have never seen the “hard sell” approach work in the long run. To be clear: To have a spiritual awakening the desire must come from within. The best sermons are delivered with hands and feet, so we live our lives as a demonstration of the Word. We stand firm in faith and never shrink from flying our flag of belief but we deliver it with a smile and a gentle heart, considering how we would want to be approached if the roles were reversed. Remember you are not selling a used car.

POWER OF THE SPOKEN WORD

    Often we fail to measure the words we use or consider their ultimate impact. You have probably experienced the sick feeling when words have slipped past your lips that you would give anything to have back; unfortunately we cannot un-ring a bell. Conversely there are the times when we have failed to speak up and then rehearse when alone what should have been said, extending the discomfort of our inaction.


    Words carry impact, reverberating with life far beyond the moment of their utterance. Resents have been born, often birthed with no real intent, from a seemingly casual remark. Fortunately the converse is true as well, our words providing hope and solace far beyond our limited understanding.

    Having chosen to live on a new basis, the Spiritual Basis, we speak from the heart, delivering the truth to the best of our current understanding, with the lightness of a feather. Our goal to always be of service, to stand for truth, to help and never harm, realizing we all will fall far short of perfection is speech.

THE SKY IS FALLING! (Again)

    I came of age politically during the American election of 1972. In the ensuing years one truth has become abundantly clear: regardless of who wins the other side is always incredulous their candidate/issue lost, claiming all manner of reasons why, adding for effect the dire consequences to come from the electorates poor decision. Living on the Spiritual Basis secular issues and concerns are now in their proper perspective, politicians come and go, those in power today will not be forever, regardless how we may feel about them and there really is nothing new under the sun. To wit:

The Captain Is On The Bridge

“The world is not going to the dogs. The human race is not doomed. Civilization is not going to crash. The captain is on the bridge. Humanity is going through a difficult time, but humanity has gone through difficulties many times before in its long history, and has always come through, strengthened and purified.

Do not worry yourself about the universe collapsing. It is not going to collapse, and anyway that question is none of your business. The captain is on the bridge. If the survival of humanity depended upon you or me, it would be a poor lookout for the Great Enterprise, would it not?

The captain is on the bridge. God is still in business. All that you have to do is to realize the Presence of God where trouble seems to be, to do your nearest duty to the very best of your ability; and to keep an even mind until the storm is over.” 

     Emmet Fox wrote the above during the great depression as war clouds were gathering over Europe, America gripped in the greatest ecological disaster in the country’s history as dust storms displaced millions from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, all happening in the 1930’s! God has always been and will always be; our job to keep an even mind and Spiritual perspective, understanding there will always be someone reminding us the sky is falling, again.

BORROWING GOD

     In my early life I wore the coat of the agnostic. Having heard so many say that God was love but if you broke a certain rule you would burn for all eternity but remember God loves you, that the Devil battles with God and actually wins from time to time, never made any sense to me. I had always believed that there was “something”, some power or intelligence, but the idea of a punishing, score keeping, testing God that could lose battles just did not pass muster. As my life progressed, the one thing I did right was keep an open mind and continue to seek and learn. I studied and investigated everything from Catholicism to Islam, Dianetics to the Rosicrucian’s, learning much but never convinced. Finally I found myself in a position when I had to face the proposition of God not from an intellectual hilltop but from the depths of depression and pain. Nothing sharpens the mind, cutting away the superfluous like pain, for in the dark night of the soul esoteric knowledge and philosophical debating points lose all significance. Lost in pain and doubt I reached out and my plea was answered, lacking all ambiguity, I was convinced.

    Though we are all connected in Spirit, each of us walks our own path. Our path of awakening dependent on the decisions based in self each of us make, for pain is the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self. Today I know in my heart of hearts that God desires all His children to be happy, joyous and free, that He will guide us through the process of enlightenment and we are forgiven in spirit as soon as we earnestly ask.

    If you are struggling with the concept of a punishing score keeping God, please borrow mine. When I make a mistake, a daily occurrence, He directs me and shows me the correct action to take if I but ask. The only price is that I pray regularly, meditate daily, treat all in the manner I wish to be treated in, leaving the results to Him who has all knowledge and power. Please no pushing; there is plenty of Him to go around.

PARALYSIS THROUGH ANALYSIS

A centipede was quite happy,
Until a frog in fun
Said, “Pray, which leg comes after which?”
This raised her mind to such a pitch,
She lay distracted in the ditch,
Considering how to run.

    Never argue with anyone about God. Speak quietly about your belief and let it go. No one is ever moved far spiritually by words alone. We convince others when we walk the way we talk and let our actions speak in a way words never can. “There is a place for analysis, but it is apt to be quite fatal in prayer and meditation. Do not dissect the love of God, but feel it. Do not dissect divine intelligence, but realize it. Do not wonder how God can possibly solve this problem, but just watch Him do it in His own way-and He will if you give Him a chance." Emmet Fox. The principle of attraction not promotion is one that we must live by once we have begun to live on the new basis, the Spiritual Basis.

ENDORPHINS

     Who have you smiled at today? In the last few decades a number of studies have shown even a forced smile has positive affects not only the smiler but on the smiley as well. When we smile or receive a smile our stress level drops, endorphins are released and we feel better, our spirits lifted. So, go share a smile with someone who needs one (and who doesn’t) and you will both reap the benefits.

PAST AND FUTURE

      When we pull ourselves out of the moment, by either dwelling on the past or projecting into the future it is easy to drift into morbid reflection, which is spiritually deadly. When thinking about the past, what usually surfaces, the overwhelming number of times when things went well, when we did the right thing or on those times when we were less than our best? When considering the future, is it along the lines of things will be great, seeing ourselves walking hand and hand with the Spirit of the Universe or something darker? Living on the Spiritual Basis our focus has been altered, instead of seeing only the carnal, the finite, our vision is lengthened and broadened and we have begun to comprehend the infinite.

     Fear is a powerful adversary, forever trying to steer us from the light. The past is an asset when used as a tool to teach those who seek answers from us, of what life was like before and after choosing to Live on the Spiritual Basis. The future a promise, chapters unwritten, our lives the paper, the ink our faith, the pen in our hand guided by a Power Greater Than Ourselves. He does not dictate the script, for of all creation we alone have free will, but He will be our partner in the story of our lives if we remain open and willing.

    The only time we can stand in the presence of God, the only time we can be present for God, the only time God can act in our lives is in the present moment. Living on the Spiritual Basis we now have a history of God’s love and direction in our lives, the past an asset, the future a promise, today the gift.