FORGOTTEN CASH

Ever find some forgotten cash in the pocket of a pair of pants or jacket you haven’t worn in a while? Always puts a smile on the face doesn’t it. Ever consider ignoring it or even decide it really has no value? Of course not, that would be foolish, yet many do exactly that with the found riches of faith. Students, and not only new ones, of the path will be going along swimmingly for a time and then inexplicably take the reins of their lives back and then wonder why they are struggling. Having begun to Live on the Spiritual Basis and reap the riches of the new life, for reasons yet obscure (probably fear) they fall back into the old ways of thinking and solutions, the pain that brought them to the path in the first place forgotten, the new solutions of value now seemingly valueless. The way back is simple if not easy, when we become aware of old ways of thinking and action creeping back in, we stop immediately and reengage with the prayer, meditation and service that had previously worked so well. By rejecting fear and acting in faith we find our pockets always contain exactly what we need, when we need it, in perfect measure.

FRESH BREAD

What makes you happy? We have all felt happiness in our lives, meeting him/her, wedding day, divorce day, birth of a child, landing “the” job, graduating, watching our child graduate, doing something nice for somebody and not getting caught, etc. The key here is that just as fresh bread is only fresh for a short time, these feelings of happiness fade.

So, what would provide long term, permanent happiness? Wealth? Good health? Satisfying career? Begs some consideration. Money is good, having had money and been broke, having money is better, but happiness? Some of the most miserable, unhappy people have had plenty of money, so money by itself clearly isn’t the answer. Perfect health is great, but since no one gets out alive, good health ultimately is terminal. Careers are important, but intrinsically suffers the same shortcomings as wealth.

If we make our happiness contingent on outer things, including people, we will never be truly happy. In truth, happiness can only be found within. Experience demonstrates those who have a deep and abiding spirituality have a sense of true happiness at their core.  Trouble still comes, as it does for all, but they meet calamity with serenity for they have a conscious contact with Source, and through prayer, meditation and service meet all of life’s downs and ups with faith, for only by faith in demonstration do we receive the divine guidance and strength that provides lasting inner peace, paving the way of true happiness, something to consider when breathing in deeply at the bakery.

TURN IN THE BARREL

  No one lives life perfectly. No one is at peace or serene constantly. No one is energized or at their best every minute. Just as the tides rise and fall so does our energy levels, our peace and serenity. Everyone has their moments; the question is what we do when we have them. Everyone stubs their toe, even the Pope. Granted he probably doesn’t utter an expletive (if he did it probably would be in Latin and everything sounds better in Latin) when it happens, the point being that everyone stubs their toe, having nothing to do with one's spiritual condition. Now if we blame someone else for putting or moving the table there or start in on the unfairness of the universe for allowing this calamity or better yet think that for some reason we deserved to stub our toe and the pain is the universes way of reminding us of our place, it then becomes a spiritual matter. If we are constantly looking for tea leaves to read, we will always find them and amazingly the news is routinely bad, the forecast dark with more dark and a chance of scattered woe later in the week. In truth, usually a cloudy day is just a cloudy day, nothing more.

Everyone takes a turn in the barrel, you, me, the Pope, Dalai Lama, everyone.  Living on the Spiritual Basis though we keep our eye on the ball, God, and by doing the work He would have us do, we meet calamity with serenity, with the occasional expletive, for God knows stubbed toes hurt.

TIDAL FLOW

Without renewing energy stagnation results, and there is probably no better demonstration of this than a tidal pool. The renewing energy of the waves keeps the pool fresh and supplied with renewed vigor. If we consider our consciousness as a tidal pool, our renewing waves are comprised of willingness, an open mind, of turning to Source in all things, trusting in God to wash over us in forgiveness, love and guidance, carrying away negative and fearful thoughts.

A closed mind is like the tidal pool that has been blocked off the renewing energy of the sea. Soon the water turns brackish and unhealthy, the pools energy and life draining away. Eventually if nothing fresh flows in it will evaporate, leaving only death and dust. Self-centered fear tries to convince us that in times of trouble the waves of renewal will not return; closing our mind to truth, and our faith begins to waver.

Just as the oceans level rises and falls, leaving the pool seemingly without supply for a time, so does our awareness of our connection to Source. By standing in the light through the demonstration of consistent prayer, service and meditation, we know the tide will rise, the waves return. So stay willing and open minded, learn and listen and the renewing energy of Divine Intelligence will keep you fresh and alive, ready to demonstrate the power of God in every area of life, clean and renewed in Spirit.

"The Nature Of Matter"

Everything is comprised of energy. Not just energized, but comprised of it. The chair you are sitting on. The monitor you are looking at or the paper you are reading this on. The air you are breathing, you, everything. In 1944 Nobel Prize winner Max Planck in a speech titled "The Nature Of Matter" 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.” In the last three decades science has observed what Max Planck postulated years ago to be true. The importance of this so profound the largest machine ever constructed by man lies underground outside of Geneva, the 17 mile long Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to investigate these particles.

Living on the Spiritual Basis, the intelligence that exists through out creation is accepted and understood by faith. Tools like the LHC for exploring the micro or the Hubble telescope the macro, perhaps will help those who doubt the existence of a Power Greater Than Themselves to have a bit more of an open mind, but that is left to them. Having found the great reality deep within, Living on the Spiritual Basis the truth in living has become operative through demonstration. In the moments of fear and doubt that come for all, we have learned to quietly turn to the Source for our salvation and answers, tapping into the power that exists all around us, within and without. Living on the Spiritual Basis we have learned through experience to apply Infinite Power, the mind that is the matrix of all matter, in our lives, guarantying freedom and success from and over all difficulties.  

DIANA AND DEMETRIUS

The silversmith Demetrius made his living off making shrines to the goddess Diana. When the apostle Paul brought the Christ message to his town many began turning away from worshiping the goddess. Demetrius and his fellow businessmen found their livelihood at stake, for without Diana worship they were out of business, so he and his fellow craftsmen began shouting “Great is Diana” in an attempt to stem the tide embracing the new path. They took this action not out of any real spiritual belief, but belief in their pocketbooks, motivated by fear, not faith.

Trusting in God is simple but not easy. We are consistently bombarded by hand-wringers and fear spreaders at every turn, the one thing they all share is the secular basis of living, not the spiritual. The silversmiths didn’t trust Diana to deliver them, and rightfully so for the only Diana readily known today is the late princess of Wales, a beautiful woman no doubt, but no goddess, so they felt they had to take matters into their own hands, trusting secular action over faith based demonstration. 

The promise of Living on the Spiritual Basis is by trusting and relying on the one true source, God, all questions of living will be answered and we will be provided with everything we need to grow and prosper. God is either everything or else He is nothing, what is our choice to be?  So to be truly free, we must be about God’s business, demonstrating the infinite over the finite and resist the fear based urge to shout Great is Diana.

CAMP FIRES AND SERENITY

Some destructive thoughts attack us head on, the deadliest however are the thoughts that creep in, with no apparent foreshadowing. We never know what triggers these seemingly random negative thoughts, perhaps it is a smell, a taste, a song on the radio, a blue Volkswagen driving by, no one really knows and most importantly it matters little. What matters is the action we take when we become aware of discordant or negative thinking, of morbid reflection rising. Consider the analogy of the campfire: If we are sitting by a campfire and a burning ember floats up and lands on our sleeve, if we brush it off immediately no real harm is done. However if we wait a moment to contemplate it, the shirt is ruined, a welt on our arm to mark the decision. We must stay ever vigilant for those “burning ember” thoughts and as soon as becoming aware, we turn immediately to God and ask Him to direct our thinking. The wording of our prayer is of course optional, but the timing isn’t. So many make the mistake of trying to figure out why the thought surfaced, not only failing to brush off “the ember” with Divine help, but nurturing and feeding it fuel by continuing to try to understand why it surfaced, as if knowing why will do anything to remove the discomfort and pain their ruminations are causing. Why is the booby prize. Why only prolongs the pain, intensifies it, while prayer addresses it, relieves and removes it.

boo·by prize : n  
loser’s prize: a prize given as a joke to the person or team coming last in a competition 

If a small fire started in your home would you stand by, watching the fire wondering why it started or would you act to put it out? Yet we do this very thing in the only dwelling that really matters, our consciousness, when we entertain these destructive thoughts, our serenity and peace of mind burning in the fire of morbid reflection. So we must stay ever vigilant, and at the first sign of an ember, we enlist God to be our fireman

TRUE CHANGE

What we seek we find, what we plant and nurture will grow. Seems like a simple enough lesson, yet many ignore it. Parents, whose only focus is working, “providing”, are surprised when they find they really don’t know their children at all, or conversely the parent who orchestrates every aspect of their child’s life with little or no regard for the child’s preferences shocked when the child rebels at the first opportunity. The spouse who spends all their time away from the family incredulous when served divorce papers. The philandering spouse angered when they discover their partner is carrying on in the same manner. The alcoholic or addict who is going to straighten out, eventually.

So what are you planting, seeking by your actions? Do your actions mirror your words? Are you trying to impress others, perhaps believing that if they think you are okay, you are? Do you spend a lot of time “selling” your side of the story, leaving out any facts that may paint you in a bad light? Have you ever employed the concept of “guilty with an explanation?” Are you surrounded by people who are quick to co-sign whatever you’re selling, avoiding those who may ask uncomfortable questions or point out obvious truths? Living on the Spiritual Basis we have learned that the unexamined life leads only to futility and frustration.

Having placed our feet on the path we are gentle with those around us who are still locked in the bondage of self. We never answer the unasked question but do share from the heart our struggles and the actions we have taken to progress, regardless of personal consequences. In truth those about us will be far more impressed by a quiet demonstration of spiritual principles through our actions than by anything we will say. To borrow from Wayne Dyer: (my thoughts added) “Never underestimate your ability to change yourself (through the application of spiritual principles) and never overestimate your ability to change others.” To fundamentally change the desire must come from within, and no matter how badly we may desire to help those around us, ultimately we are responsible for the crops planted, their tending and the harvest reaped.

FORREST GUMP AND HYPOCRISY

“Handsome is as handsome does.” Sounds a bit Forrest Gump-ish but it fit’s the bill. Many wish to enjoy a certain reputation they know in their heart they don’t deserve. The ill-tempered person may indeed wish to be loved and favored but their very actions make it impossible. How often have we heard a friend or acquaintance (or even ourselves) attempt to sell the idea that even though someone is acting or has acted badly they really meant well, are basically nice people, having a heart of gold. Nonsense: Handsome is as handsome does. Living on the Spiritual Basis our serenity is measured by our actions. We must walk the way we talk or risk suffering mightily at the hands of hypocrisy. We can wish to be spiritual, we can wish for peace, we can wish to be happy, joyous and free but unless our actions match up with our wishes, we will never demonstrate our hearts desire. 

MAKING CAKE

Students who find the path of Living on the Spiritual Basis through the 12 step process have an advantage, the advantage of clear cut simple directions. The directions found in the “Big Book”, Alcoholics Anonymous, are straight forward and concise. Even so I have had students relate all kinds of curious interpretations of the process they heard someone (often an old-timer) relate in an AA meeting. The problem is that many, instead of actually reading and studying the path, chooses to base their recovery on people and gatherings rather than on their own work and effort. Faith without works is dead. I understand, why do hard things; like studying the path and really working the steps, when there are easy things like going to meetings and sober activities, relying on others “easier softer way” interpretations as gospel. Eventually spirituality by osmosis (lots of activity, little real work) wears thin and they are faced with a crisis they can no longer evade or postpone, that no amount of “sharing” or talking about will help; they begin to think God has abandoned them. They truly believe they have been “working” the program, but this perception is based on wishful thinking, not the path laid out in the Big Book. In truth they have been working some of the steps, but not all, like trying to make a cake but leaving a few ingredients out, then blaming the recipe because the cake is inedible.

The good news is we can change our point of view and start reaping the benefits immediately. Kinda like going on a diet and losing five pounds just by deciding to go on the diet, pretty cool. The Steps aren’t about not drinking or using, they are about Living on the Spiritual Basis, alcohol (drugs) is but a symptom, the bottle (syringe, pipe, pill bottle, etc) only a symbol, and if you have the willingness, this path of enlightenment will solve all your life problems, but a price has to be paid, that price is the surrendering of self. Cheers.

COMPARING ONES INSIDES

Many modern offices are comprised of large rooms divided into cubicles using partition walls. Typically these walls of partition are head high and unlike permanent walls are easily moved. When we are frightened and feeling lost it is if a wall of impenetrable stone has risen between us and God. In truth the “wall” is nothing more than the flimsiest of partitions constructed of fear and false belief. It appears solid and robust at first blush, but just as the partition walls found in an office, with the right tools and a little effort is easily removed. The tools: Prayer and meditation. The effort: Being of service to others.

Prayer is pretty straight forward; meditation however seems shrouded in mystery and false expectation. If you aren’t meditating regularly, start. Keep it simple, begin by finding someplace where you can be undisturbed for fifteen minutes, if your living situation makes this difficult, take a walk. Yes, you can meditate while walking. Whether sitting (no need to fold yourself into a pretzel unless your into that sort of thing) or walking, be comfortable. Sit in a comfortable position or walk at a pace that does not affect your breathing. Now, think about nothing but spiritual principles and truth, as you understand them at this point in your development, or if you prefer read a paragraph or two from a spiritual book or teaching and contemplate on it. When your mind wanders, and it will, gently bring it back to the task at hand. Do not under any pretext speak to yourself negatively or condescendingly. Meditate daily, No excuses. If you are persistent, soon meditation will become such an integral part of living that when you find yourself caught in a situation where meditation is not practical (happens occasionally) you will miss it. Congratulations, you are now officially a meditator and yes, it really is that simple. There are many forms and styles of meditation, do not at this point go out and buy books on meditation or search the internet. Keep it simple, when it is time to investigate other forms, you will know. Most importantly do not concern yourself with becoming “better” at meditation, just do it.

Service work can take any number of forms. It can be as simple as dropping a coin in the random parking meter about to expire (I know, in some places this is illegal but a little civil disobedience is good for the soul) or even just picking up a piece of trash off the street or sidewalk and disposing of it, to volunteering time and resources. The key here is just as with meditation is consistency. A kindly act once in awhile won’t fit the bill.

You may have sensed a theme here. To remove the illusionary partition wall that fear and false belief raises between us and serenity, we stop thinking about the trouble and think about God and spirituality instead, backing it up with unselfish, constructive action. Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of thinking you need to do any of this perfectly or that anyone does, the deadly trap of comparing our insides to others outsides.

BATTLE PLANS AND SERENITY (surrendering to win)

Demonstration versus theory. Generals create battle plans, their theory on how the battle should be fought and won. Politicians have theories on everything, usually with little or no actual experience to balance their opinion. Economists are quick to theorize, usually poorly. Meteorologists and climatologists put forth theories daily, calling them forecasts, and we have all experienced their accuracy. Although we don’t usually think of it in this way, we all have theories about everything in our lives. Raising children, dealing with in-laws, how to get a job, keep a job, get ahead at work, diet, why our team is doing well/poorly etc. When we chat about the reasons why something happened, or didn’t, what we think is going to happen or some action to take, we are floating theories. Theories based on experience typically have value, while theories based on no more than wishful thinking are hot air until implemented, the consequences realized, truth demonstrated. Truth is never subjective and often stark in its reality. If the local weather prognosticators get it wrong, the truth is typically no more painful than a ruined picnic or carrying an umbrella on a sunny day. General’s theories, battle plans, which go badly, can result not only in death but in unintended reshaping of the map. Economists theories should be placed in the newspaper next to horoscopes, unfortunately decisions that affect everyone are based on their theories, were if my horoscope is wrong it won’t possibly put thousands of people out of work or raise taxes. Politicians and the price of demonstration for their theories? Examples can be found daily on the front page of any paper or leading the nightly news, the truth demonstrated.

The world will take care of it’s self, it always has. Man has been trying to bend it to his will forever with little success. Focus on the only thing that can truly change the world for the better, your spiritual life, your connection to the miraculous. Meditate and pray regularly, don’t struggle, pray with a feather and approach meditation with joy and excitement. If this is a problem, than pray on it! A good beginning meditation is contemplating patience, tolerance, kindliness and love in your life and towards the whole planet. Concerned about praying in the right way? Than ask to be shown, in prayer, how to pray correctly. Keep it simple. Read, every day, for a few minutes any book that raises your consciousness. Stop theorizing about truth and practice it, remembering to be as gentle with yourself as you are with a newborn and surrender those battle plans, for we have ceased fighting everyone and everything, we have to.

THE BIBLE AND 12 STEP RECOVERY

 I can’t imagine a topic to comment on that could be less rife with controversy or strong emotion. Just looking at it I can hear the villagers gathering, pitchforks and torches in hand. So; in the immortal words of Val Kilmer’s Doc Holiday: “I’m your daisy.”

True path and faith came to me beginning in my 30’s. Late perhaps, but then again who can really gauge such things. One of the areas that my secular vision and understanding struggled with was the Bible. In the history of the world has there ever been a book more dissected, interpreted, channeled, revered, reviled or explained ad nauseam? The gambit of believers ranging from those who hold every word literal and inviolate to those who find hidden meaning and interpretation behind everything, so who could possibly understand it? AA’s great friend and godfather Emmet Fox opened the door to understanding for me. It began simply with the admonition to read with the heart and not the eyes, listening for that which resonates, teaches, explains and instructs. To take what is needed today, leaving the rest for another day. To not expect to have perfect understanding in a twinkling, for this life is a journey, the horizon changing as we walk our path, our understanding and spiritual awareness altering and expanding. What was once unclear or hidden comes into view, the key being to keep moving, never stopping along the way, lulled into a false since of having “arrived” at some spiritual plateau, the journey at an end. The Bible, in my opinion, is the greatest tool we posses for our unlimited spiritual expansion, “The purpose of the Bible is to provide a blueprint for living, the text of spiritual growth.” So, we seek teachers who touch us, but keep our own counsel when reading/studying the Bible, for spiritual knowledge is available to all, no intercession or intermediaries required; the only requirement being an open mind and a willingness to grow. 

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. This principle is, contempt prior to (investigation) examination.”  Rev. William H. Poole (Yep, Poole said it, not Spencer, inside AA baseball)

 And I am your huckleberry.

CORRECTED VISION

We have all had “miracles” happen in our lives. That time we needed money and the phone rang or a letter arrived and source was provided. We were thinking about someone and the phone rang and it was either them or someone who knew of them, bringing unprompted news or we turned a corner and there they were. We find ourselves facing a difficulty and it either fades away or turns into something positive.

Are these occurrences “an answer to a prayer” or simply “coincidence?” It matters little, for Coincidence is just God working anonymously. Perhaps the most difficult part of this is why sometimes it happens and other times not. Those times when the person remained an enigma or that which we deemed needed did not appear, a prayer seemingly ignored. In looking back on my life, inventorying the past with raised consciousness, many of the things I thought I needed in the moment turned out to be the last thing I needed, had I received them, my spiritual development would have been delayed or even derailed. As our consciousness rises, our spiritual vision corrects and clears, however even with corrected vision, some questions are beyond our sight, remaining unfathomable, at this time. Why does one child miraculously recover from a serious illness and another succumb? Or someone who worked hard all their lives, played by all of society’s rules only to find all they worked for gone through no fault of their own. I don’t know. Perhaps when this flesh fails and we are launched into eternity the answers will become known.

In Faith and Truth, God only brings good, He does not, cannot bring suffering or strife.  Today my spiritual vision is longer and clearer than yesterday, if you prayed and meditated today so is yours. We see the world through a new pair of glasses, our understanding broadened, our empathy revealed, the path illuminated. Even so, I still have no good answers in the moment for those experiencing seemingly inexplicable calamity, only a shoulder, a quiet ear and a silent prayer. Perhaps that is the answer after all.

FLAT EARTH AND MIRACLES

MIRACLE n. 1. An act or event that seems to transcend or contradict all known natural or scientific laws and is usually thought to be supernatural in origin. 2. Any wonderful or amazing thing, fact, or event; a wonder.

God does not break cosmic law. The laws of retribution, of unintended consequence, of reaping and sowing, of attraction, of intention, of gravity, and like begets like are never broken or contradicted. Our limited (human) ability to comprehend may leave us with the impression that miracles seemingly break these laws, but this is false. What happens is that by raising ones consciousness a higher law is tapped, transcending the lower. In the secular sense think of it as appealing a judgment from a lower court to a higher, if a judgment is reversed, the reversal is based on some missed, overlooked or ignored precedent, not a rewriting of the code (at least that is how it is supposed to work).  Secular appeals progress through the system, ultimately arriving at the court of final appeal, the Supreme Court. Supreme Court decisions, since it is populated with humans who can be and often are contradictory in their actions and thinking, can be arbitrary in interpreting secular law, God is not. Cosmic law is applied equally, for God does not, cannot play favorites, His Love abundant and equally weighed to all His children.

Not long ago, the accepted orthodoxy was that the earth was flat, the center of the universe and anyone who disagreed branded a heretic, suffering greatly for voicing any dissenting view. Curious isn’t how we continue to believe that we have the answers, the laws of the universe understood, our hubris on display. Years from now our future selves will look back on this time in much the same way we look back on those who once held the earth was flat, with the same incredulity.

Without miracles, our appeal to higher law, how could there be faith? By the performing of miracles, we demonstrate a level of our Fathers love and law, that here to fore had not been known. Miracles can, have and do happen, a higher law beyond our limited understanding accessed, all that is required is to raise ones consciousness. Don’t think so? How’s that whole flat earth thing working out?

LETTER OR SPIRIT?

Head to heart, from letter to spirit. The journey from one to the other is the longest 18 inches in the world. When I began questioning life’s orthodoxy; as we all do too some degree usually in our teens and twenties, I could never dream where the thread would lead. As we age, and hopefully grow a little wiser, the fire to question unfortunately dims. It would be hard to imagine a world full of middle aged teenagers where the trains ran on time. Unfortunately age often brings complacency with it, it overcomes us silently, like a late night fog rolling in, and we become staid in our thinking and lives; the fire all but extinguished. Having become invested in the status quo, it becomes easier to go along than to address hard questions.

How do you live today? By letter or spirit?

The secular world operates on the letter. The spirit begs: Is it “correct or right” to refuse help to someone because they don’t have or fill out the right forms, though otherwise meeting all qualifications or specifications? To “control” the amount of food grown in order to maintain pricing structures while one child starves? To maintain the myth of water shortages on a planet covered in water, because we choose not to spend the money to remove the salt, as our brothers and sisters die of thirst? The letter answers all these questions with rationale, while the spirit weeps.

Who has also made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for letter kills, but the spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6)

THERE BE DRAGONS

On the old maps when a cartographer would reach the end of what was known they would often write “There Be Dragons” to denote the unknown along the edges of the known, fear inculcated as fact. Being a metaphysician, I find that margin note quite appropriate when embarking on any attempt to teach spiritual truth and principles. With over 4000 different Christian Churches, Islam with over a billion followers and radical disagreement among its adherents to the interpretation of the prophet’s words, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and God only knows how many other religions big and small believing in all manner of things, many of whom claiming they are the only, one true path or church, the appearance of dragons on this subject is guaranteed.  

So, in order to continue, I need to fly my flag: I am a First Century or red letter Christian. In many bibles the words attributed to Jesus are in red, so my faith begins with those words, everything else filtered through them. I do not believe there is a need for anyone to “interpret” the Christ teaching for us since we are asked by the Great Carpenter to read with inner light, the spark of the Divine that is within all, regardless of our station in life or current circumstances. Of course we should stay open to all teachers; the mistake is when we make them “sacred cows”, placed on a metaphysical pedestal, beyond question or error. As the Buddha teaches: “Embrace nothing: If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. Only live your life as it is, Not bound to anything.”

To be very clear: we will have many teachers in the course of our existence. We learn from them, but remembering in God’s eyes all are equal, student and teacher, and when we are called on to teach, and we will be, we rejoice. All that is required to become enlightened is an open mind and heart, coupled with a willingness to serve a greater destiny than our limited (secular) imaginations can conceive. So, listen to opposing viewpoints and engage in constructive dialogue where appropriate (be very wary of dragons here and never argue with a closed mind, leave them gently with a silent prayer, for this is how we kill the Buddha) and filter everything through Spiritual Truth, as you understand it. If you’re not quite sure what your spiritual truth is, I’m sure there is a book around here somewhere with some red words in it, as fine a place to start as can be found. Checking my six for dragons.

GREMLINS

We all know someone, might even be someone we see in the mirror daily, who has a shelf full of self help/spiritual books. Now, they probably have all been read, once, after which they took their place of pride in the collection. Being a spiritual guru, enlightened being, Zen master, world class pistol shot and just a peach of a guy, I will now impart to you one of the great grand secrets of the universe. Gremlins. Pick up any one of the books that touched you in the past, open it at random and start reading. Read a page or two. Go ahead, I’ll wait………………Pretty amazing huh. How could you have missed that the first time? Yup, gremlins. When we are not looking they move the words around to reflect our ever increasing level of spiritual understanding. The lesson is simple, stop looking for answers, you already have them. Study what you already know, what has touched you for it touched you for a reason. Study that which has sung to you in the past and you will be amazed that no matter how many times you have read it, those darn gremlins have got in there and with your expanded insight deeper meaning has surfaced. This isn’t to say that nothing new can come along, but first we set our foundation deep by focusing on basic truths, revisiting the roots of our belief regularly, observing how the gremlins have brought new luster to that which we thought we knew and understood. Aren’t secrets cool. Gremlins, who knew?

Are you nuts! There’s no frakking bridge!

We are constantly treating everything in our lives by our thinking, if we believe we are defeated, we are. We are asking for failure if we believe in failure, we are treating for MORE failure, even though we are praying, haltingly, for success. How can that be? no one wants to fail, so we pray but spend the rest of the day entertaining negative fearful thoughts. “As a man thinks.” What we dwell on, spend our time reflecting on, we manifest in our lives, Period. We will never manifest peace, prosperity, health and happiness in our lives if we continue to focus on strife, lack, sickness and sadness. All prayers are heard, but when we ask not really believing, for any reason, the prayer will be answered in the manner asked; our lack of faith rewarded. When we feel even the slightest twinge of doubt, stop and treat the doubt with prayer before praying further! We do not allow ourselves the illusion that by pretending it is not there deals with it. So we pray with all our heart and expect to receive, but we don’t limit God by outlining in our mind how we think our prayers should be answered. When outlining we stifle God’s will, were so fixed looking in one direction we overlook anything that does not  fit our imagined solution. Trust God’s unlimited vision and refuse to be limited by outlining.

Perhaps a visualization that has helped me will help you with the demonstration: Indiana Jones is on the brink of finding the Holy Grail. He has surmounted difficulties that were monumental to reach this point but now finds he is looking at a chasm that appears impossible to cross. He opens his father's book looking for inspiration and reads “Step out in faith.” Closing his eyes, with fear and trepidation, he steps out into space and discovers the bridge had always been there, he just couldn’t see it. Faith is like that. Trust in God and refuse to entertain the inner voice screaming: Are you nuts! There’s no frakking bridge!

ILL HEALTH, AS A WAY OF LIFE

Emotion is your friend. Get overly emotional about everything. Be outraged not only at perceived slights directed at you but at everyone else, even strangers.

Drink lots of caffeine and energy drinks. So what if it makes it hard to sleep. Sleep and rest are overrated anyway. Besides you’ll get plenty of sleep when dead.

Eat anything that is quick and easy. Food is food and time is precious. What is more important, eating or working, texting, blogging, chatting, reality TV, online poker, partying etc? The body may be a temple, but it is your temple so decorate it anyway you want.

Vitamins are expensive, and some say they really don’t work anyway, so they are a waste of money.

Stay busy. Even when “relaxing” do something constructive. God forbid you take any down time.

Avoid prayer and meditation, religiously.

Never walk if you can ride.

You will always have time to exercise later, when you have more time.

When you do get sick, make sure you research the condition at length. Speak of your malady with everyone (make sure you rehearse your speech, don’t want to leave anything out) and listen intently when they in turn share their experiences, especially the negative ones to see how they may apply to you.

Never follow a Doctor’s advice completely, it’s your body and who knows better what’s good for it than you.

And never, ever, turn to God in anything.

RECIPE FOR NO GROWTH

Watch for trends and as soon as a new one starts, jump on board. It doesn’t matter whether or not the trend appeals to you, just that you follow it as soon as possible, since you must be on the cutting edge. Be the first to read the latest self help book and waste no time in telling everyone how life changing it is, of course always with an ear to the ground for the next book. Be sure to belittle and condescending to those who don’t share your beliefs, even if you aren’t sure what they are this week, since you know in your heart of hearts that they really are against you and will pull you down if given the chance.  Become a master of the backhanded compliment, point out the faults of absent “friends” or anyone you perceive as more successful than you since your wit demands to be shared and appreciated. Always have the answer, never mind those pesky details or facts. And above all crow endlessly on your ability to always get the best price. Let your pride shine brightly when recounting how you always get the best deal, how you are a master of the cheap. Keep up appearances at all costs, standing proudly on your dignity because clearly you are the master of your life, having all the answers, no spiritual assistance needed or required.

RECIPE FOR FAILURE

Be sanctimonious. Pride yourself on being the perpetual devil’s advocate; always pointing out why something will never work, reveling in the potential pitfalls. Be sure to inject yourself into every conversation whether invited or not because you are providing an invaluable service. Develop your genius for predicting the worst at every turn. Have no focus in life. Spend your time gossiping whether in person or by endless blogging and texting about meaningless things, never missing an opportunity to point out the negative. Watch reality TV religiously and become emotionally involved. Trust in blind luck, every failure affirming your belief that life really is a crap shoot, and you just are unlucky. And by all means never step out in faith, trusting in God, asking for help and guidance

RECIPE FOR UNHAPPINESS

   Reflect morbidly. Worry about everything. Tell yourself that time is running out and you aren’t getting any younger. Reflect on all those times you zigged when you should have zagged. Visualize all the people who have ever mistreated you and relive the experience. Worry about your health. Go on-line and search medical databases to diagnose  any ache or pain you have and what it might be a symptom of. Money. Have some? Will it be enough, will it last, what if some crook in a suit finds a way to steal it? Don’t have much? How will you get more? What if you don’t? Whatever your financial condition, dwell on all the possible negative outcomes. In short, think about yourself, relentlessly. Do not let any thoughts of God or good dissuade you from your mission and you are sure to be successful at being unhappy.

HAVE YOU AN OPEN MIND?

  In the 1970’s I was a member of the Futurist Society. Futurists predict the future based on what is deemed the best verifiable evidence extrapolated logically. I accepted their pronouncements at face value, since they had studied and researched the issues (I believed) at depth. I looked forward to each issue for one particular writer's articles were always well written and interesting. The new issue arrived and I attempted to read some of the other articles first, a small stab at delayed gratification, but soon turned to my favorite author, so with a smile on my face I began reading. When finished I felt a bit unsettled. I couldn’t put my finger on it but it continued to trouble me. So after about a week I went to the library to do some research. Firing up the microfiche (remember microfiche and cabinets filled with microfilm) I located the statistics I was looking for and found the problem. The author had reversed the stats that supported his position! I felt relieved and a little proud. I reasoned that some underling had provided the stats to the author incorrectly and a correction would be forth coming. The next issue arrived and nothing was mentioned. I surmised that by the time he became aware it was too late for this issue but would certainly be in the next. Well he did address it in the next issue. The response was one of the most over the top, vitriolic pieces of junk I, to this day, have ever read. Not only did he defend his position and facts, anyone who disagreed with him was an idiot! I was left stunned and breathless. I rechecked the stats to see if I misread them. Nope. A sacred cow died that day.

        Spiritually sacred cows are everywhere. Many are inherited, some quietly strolled in and we have not bothered to do the work to turn them out, usually because if we do we are afraid of what we will find when they are gone, since sacred cows are notoriously poor house keepers. We must not be afraid to ask questions and seek the truth, since: the truth will set you free. Trust, but verify.

        I didn’t renew my membership in the Futurists Society. Looking back, one of their predictions for 2000 (then 25+ years in the future) was, that if we didn’t act immediately, the world was about to be plunged into a new ice age,  beyond any doubt, no further discussion required, settled science. All the top climatologists said so.

UNIVERSAL FAST FOOD

God doesn’t break cosmic law, to do so would establish favoritism, a pecking order. No one stands above another before God, all are loved equally, even though it may not appear so at times. Most go through life by self propulsion until some hardship befalls. Being nominal believers they turn to prayer in desperation and fear, seeking relief. Now if we are loved by God, a love greater than a parent has for their child, why does God seemingly not answer?

Consider the fast food restaurant. We pull up to the speaker/microphone, place our order, drive up to the window and get our food. Oh, that’s right; we have to pay for the food before it is handed to us. What happens if we lack sufficient funds? No food, we go hungry. The person holding our order may love us and want with all their heart to give us the food since clearly we are hungry, in need of relief, but they cannot. To do so breaks the law and would be unfair to everyone else; other customers, fellow employees, the restaurant owner, share holders and the community at large would suffer, because if we get free food, why shouldn’t everyone? Providing something for nothing, based only on emotion, inevitably leads to anarchy, suffering and lack immanent.

God never says “no”, but He never will or even can answer a prayer that will give prosperity to one if it brings poverty to another, peace to one by causing turmoil to another. To do so breaks cosmic law, and since He is the author of the law, He never breaks it. All prayers are answered in the positive, but often because we have certain expectations, based in self, we are unable to see God’s hand at work.

God is never unfair. If we have been busy living life secularly, believing in God but doing little to demonstrate that belief, is it really any surprise when we fail to demonstrate spiritually? Once again, reaping and sowing in action. No real crop (practicing prayer and meditation) was ever planted and now winter (trouble) has arrived and the cupboard is bear. The Universe isn’t a fast food restaurant, where if you have a credit card you can get your food on the promise of future payment, God doesn’t take plastic. The promise of prayer and good works tomorrow is meaningless towards our demonstration today. Faith without works is dead. Start today to plant the crop you wish to harvest, to stock your cupboard for the inevitable winter days that come for all. To be clear: We cannot live off of yesterdays work, what our cupboard is stocked with is the truth of our relationship with and to God, that by doing HIS work well TODAY, all our future needs will be met.

So, just for today Practice the Presence of God in every area of life. Salute the spark of the Divine in all you meet. Forgive. Spend a few minutes each day in prayer and meditation. Carry the Good News on your face so that any who hunger can be filled. By planting and nurturing this crop, we will never truly hunger, our cupboard always full, our good works the demonstration of the Power within.

FOOL BETS AND SURE THINGS

To recognize failure intelligently is the first step toward building success.
We all fail, often. So the question is do we profit from the experience or reflect morbidly on it?

Recognize success with thanksgiving, and build more success with gratitude.
Giving thanks for success while asking the same for all, guarantees further success.

We can have anything in life we really want, but we must be prepared to take the responsibilities that go with our desires.
Why do so many fail to demonstrate? God knows if we are prepared, ready, but He never brings anything into our life that will overwhelm or ultimately harm us. Fear is the author of all negativity and suffering.

God is ready the moment we are.
We ready ourselves through consistent scientific prayer and meditation. Who would try to run a marathon without training or fly a plane with no instruction, yet spiritually many, if not most expect God to deliver just because they asked, kinda like asking to win a marathon while promising to train afterwards. To be clear: God can and does work miracles without prerequisite, such is the nature of Grace, but our responsibility having become aware is to Practice the Presence of God through prayer and meditation, consistently training ourselves to be of service not only to God but to our fellows as well.

God always knows the answer.
What more do we need to know?

The biggest fool of all is the man who bothers about outer things and neglects his own consciousness.
If you have no time for prayer and meditation, you will have lots of time for sickness and trouble.
Toward the end of the movie Tombstone, Doc Holliday is receiving last rites from a Catholic priest as Wyatt Earp walks in. Doc comments to Wyatt “I was just investigating the mysteries of the Church of Rome. It appears my hypocrisies know no bounds.” Hypocrisy had little to do with it. We all choose the course of our lives, many putting off to tomorrow their “investigation.”  For Doc Holliday (at least in the movie), better late than never but since we cannot rely on cards and a quick gun hand for our source and security (ultimately failing Doc in the end as well), we choose the sure bet today, to Practice the Presence of God daily through prayer, selfless service and meditation.

ARE YOU READY?

So many times in life we have thought we were ready only to find that a little, or a lot, more seasoning was needed. Typically this discovery happened after we were up to our necks. No? How about that position you thought you were ready for, so many want the title “Boss” until they get it. Or that home improvement project that looked so easy on TV. Not to mention, but I suppose I am, all those times as teenagers we were convinced we were ready to be grown up, “responsible.” When our children go through those years all we can do is suggest they slow down and enjoy the time, since once you become “responsible” that horse has left the barn and will never return. They will probably listen as well as we did at that age.

Spiritually it is impossible to demonstrate beyond our understanding. Many have tried and great has been their fall. Conversely as you grow in spiritual understanding new horizons and opportunities naturally unfold. God, “Our Father” waits in readiness for our advancement. Truly the keys to the kingdom are in our hands, the timing ours. As we grow, day by day, in understanding by Practicing the Presence of God, raising our consciousness one day at a time, we embrace the Truth of Being; that we are timeless children of the Great Creative Lifeforce; connected to all, God immanent. So, just for today, pray gently and meditate on God’s love and guidance, and if your teenager asks for the keys to the car, try not to dwell on what you did in your parent’s car when you were out of sight.

OUR TRUE DUTY

“If you have no time for prayer and meditation, you will have lots of time for sickness and trouble.” Pretty much sums it up. Our duty, now that we have placed our feet on the path of Living on the Spiritual Basis, is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us. We do this by whole heartedly out picturing our belief in God’s perfect love and guidance in every area of our existence, holding to the bedrock truth that God will not, cannot, ask us to do anything beyond our present reach, to sacrifice our integrity, our spiritual growth or cause us pain and suffering of any kind. “We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn’t do it.”  We hold to God‘s love, and though trembling, stand; demonstrating the truth of being, fulfilling our duty.

ROOTING FOR GOD

Sacred cows, we all have them, the obvious ones being sports teams, political parties and religion. Ever try to talk to a Yankees fan about the Red Sox, a liberal about conservatives or a Lutheran about Catholics? Of course the reverse is true in all examples as well, clearly little chance that a meeting of minds will occur. A “die hard” fan or true believer is not interested in anything that does not agree with their “belief.” Recently there was a newspaper story of two baseball fans converging in a bar. Their “conversation” ending in a knifing and death, two lives forever changed over meaningless sacred cows. Is it any wonder that many wars have started over little more? Millions if not billions of lives have been sacrificed at the alter of one sacred cow or another. Write this on your heart in bold letters: NO SACRED COWS. Clearly, there is nothing wrong with rooting for a team, holding political beliefs or belonging to a religion. The error comes when we let emotions over run our common sense, objectifying those we disagree with. To be clear: common sense, when one is Living on the Spiritual Basis, is the knowledge that the only sacred thing is our relationship with God. Root for your team, participate in the political process as much or little as suits you and practice your religion but never lose sight of the truly sacred: the love of “Our Father” for all His children, even if we believe they root for the wrong team. Go Dodgers.