The Art Of Meditation, continued

Focused Meditation: Here we have a specific problem, difficulty or question we are seeking to understand. As before find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted and perform the cleansing breaths previously outlined. If asked, do not explain the specifics of the meditation to anyone, for in so doing you invite failure. Our time in meditation is the time we are in concert with Source, it is our time, not the other mans. In your mind’s eye, visualize the issue at hand. See it in all its aspects, all those involved, the places and possible outcomes without consciously outlining a solution. After you have thoroughly explored, without words, the issue, silently ask for the correct course of action to become evident. End the session thanking the Universe (God) that you now know it better, take a cleansing breath and go about your day. Again, avoid telling anyone what you are doing.

Purpose: We are part of everything. Everything is connected and at the most basic level of existence, that which comprises everything, intelligence exists. Even hardened scientists grudgingly acknowledge this truth, though of course, for them, there must be a secular reason to explain it, if they could only find it. In focused meditation, we invite the Universal Mind to address our difficulty, without outlining the solution. In short order you will intuitively know what to do, the answers just come. We begin to rely on the infinite, all knowledgeable Source instead of our finite vision and fear-tinged solutions.

Chanting Meditation: Begin with cleansing breaths. You probably want to find an undisturbed quiet spot that is additionally out of the earshot of others. You will not be shouting, though you can if you like, but you will be speaking aloud. The chant can be anything really, however it is suggested that it have some spiritual significance for you. Keep it short and simple: God is great or There is only one God or Divine love drives me or be still and know that I am God you get the idea. Close your eyes and begin chanting until the transition. What is the transition? Trying to explain it is akin to standing blindfolded before Michelangelo’s David while a friend tries to describe it. The first time you experience this transition it will frighten you. This is natural, for the transition is dipping down into the subconscious where we touch the infinite.

Purpose: By staying focused on the chanting, the conscious mind loses its grip and the sub-conscious floats to the surface. We transition into a waking dream. With consistent effort and practice you will find yourself actually leaving the conscious realm entirely and walking the hidden world of the sub-conscious. Your body will continue to chant but you will lose awareness of it as you travel the astral planes (yep, there are more than one). If you walk this path, make sure your body is left in a safe place for in a deep meditation, though connected to your body you will not feel it in any real sense.

I have outlined some simple methods of meditation, there are many others. In closing hold this truth evident: the purpose of meditation is not to become better at meditation, that will happen naturally in time, the purpose is simply to meditate. Be consistent, don't struggle and in short order this quiet time with the miraculous will become as natural as breathing.

The Art Of Meditation

Meditation is a topic that seems to cause much unnecessary grief and consternation. Many hold to the false belief that meditation is "quieting" the mind. Well, the mind will not be quieted! Our mind is like the shark that must always move forward, in motion, in order to live. Consider, right now your mind is regulating all of the various systems and organs in your body, making thousands of silent decisions about hormone levels, blood pressure, heart beat, breathing, digestion etc. All of this taking place without any conscious thought on our part. Therefore, to be clear, this side of the veil the mind is never quiet.

When a new student first begins meditating, they typically have a picture in their minds eye based on some actor’s portrayal. Even documentaries usually get it wrong since those doing the reporting usually have little or no personal experience with meditation. So, let us begin at a simpler level. First, lay aside your conceptions of what meditation is or is not. Meditation is a tool and there is more than one tool in the bag. Follows are some simple methods of meditation.

Reflective Meditation: Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for 15 minutes or so. Avoid if at all possible telling anyone what you are doing. Pick up any spiritual tome that appeals to you and read a few lines, never more than two paragraphs. Take three cleansing breaths: breathe in gently and deeply through the nose and then gently exhale through the mouth. Now, with eyes closed, reflect on what was just read in your minds eye. Consider every word along with the over all import of the passage. Do this for 15 minutes or so. When done perform another cleansing breath, thank the Source (God) for time spent and go about your day. If in the course of the meditation your mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to what you read. If it wanders again, take a cleansing breath, thank the Source (God) for time spent and go about your day. Note: Do not struggle or condemn yourself in any way if you are unable to go 15 minutes in the beginning. No marathon runner started out running marathons. Do not set a timer, wear a watch or have a clock in your field of vision. In time, this will not matter but when first starting out it is a distraction. Your body has a wonderful clock in it; allow it to do its job. Do be consistent. Spiritual exercise is the same as physical; we only reap the benefits if we are consistent.

The purpose: to give the conscious mind a break from the cacophony of thoughts and the information deluge we are subjected to daily. In time, a short time, you will begin to look forward to these quiet times (not quiet mind). You will begin to feel renewed and refreshed after these short sessions, your mind and thoughts more ordered, less energy expended needlessly.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

Living In Purpose

In court people take the stand to give testimony, to witness for either the defense or prosecution in criminal and civil cases. In the past individuals would place their hand on the Bible and swear, “To tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help them God.” Although it is up to the discretion of the judge, this has not been the norm for many years. Curiously, elected officials still almost universally take their oath of office on the Bible, but I digress. Courtroom testimony aside, though the spiritual consequences and responsibilities for truth telling are high, what of our spiritual testimony? We are testifying everyday, in every moment, for our actions give testimony to our spiritual condition. Unlike those who, even after swearing to tell the truth in a court of law, lie, our actions always demonstrate ones truth of being, eventually. Some are able to produce a false front for a long time, Bernie Madoff comes to mind, but the truth always wins out since it is impossible to hide from our own truth.

We are always testifying, demonstrating our spiritual condition. If your life were in the docket, what would your testimony look like? Do you walk the way you talk? Are trying to enjoy a reputation you know in your heart you do not deserve? Do you stand in faith or are you short selling your belief in the Miraculous out of fear of what others may think, fearless in the closet but full of fear in the light? God does not keep score or judge. He does not convene the court of our life, we do. Everything we have ever done, seen or said, every experience is written on our heart, in our hand, God does not need to keep track, we do. Difficulty arises when we act contrary to what we believe out of  fear of exposure and/or ridicule. To be truly free, consistency in belief and action is paramount. Today in meditation, ask to be given the strength to continue/start living in the light, living in purpose, Living on the Spiritual Basis.

Does God Ever Say No?

When we first experience the gifts from Living on the Spiritual Basis, it is natural to want more. In short order we begin to reach beyond our understanding, seeking in prayer to accomplish things that are contrary to the path. Naturally, the answer to these requests is silence. God never says no, for no does not exist in the vocabulary of the Divine. Many confuse God’s inaction with his passing judgment in the negative, which is not possible. To be clear: the Universe will not grant a request that is not wholly positive to all concerned. The real trouble begins when we, in our limited vision and understanding, try to read the tealeaves, to understand the infinite with our finite vision. The questions that naturally abound here are legion. How could a “loving” God allow: suffering innocents, financial troubles, debilitating illness, and on and on. In the midst of pain and/or loss it is difficult to keep hold of true perspective: that we are in fact eternal beings, this flesh a mere conveyance of our consciousness, that we have always existed and always will, this day a single day in eternity, Our Father, Divine Mind, not limited in vision and understanding as we are.

On a personal note: I am as limited as you, my vision restricted by this flesh like yours. A sick, suffering child or loved one, pain and grief rained down on innocents often seemingly for no reason, leaves me as heart sick as you. But we cannot get sad enough to help the suffering. We cannot get sick enough to help the dying. We cannot get poor enough to help those who lack. We cannot meet hate with hate and hope for peace. What we can, and must do is pray to the best of our current ability and understanding and trust (demonstrated faith) that on the day of our translation from this flesh all mysteries will be revealed.

The path is simple, but not easy. Each day Practice the Presence of God in all your affairs. Pray to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindness and love, daily. Pray as well for those suffering, asking in meditation what you can do each day to be of service to and for them, leaving the ultimate outcome to God. In this simple way the universe responds, God’s will realized, true healing manifest. If we can do this, even while trembling, keep an even mind though the Adversary fear claws at us, we touch the heart of faith, walk in grace and are renewed.

Peace, Poise And Serenity Personified

There is probably no greater hindrance to continued spiritual growth and experience than the fear of exposure. You have been consistent and faithful in your spiritual work and demonstration, having confronted that which was blocking you off from the Sunlight of the Spirit; you have stood up and owned your shortcomings and defects of character, asking God to remove them. Having apologized to those harmed and, with God’s help, steadfastly begun to amend your behavior you are growing in understanding and usefulness. Prayer and meditation coupled with ongoing personal daily inventory have placed you in the unique position of carrying the Good News to those who suffer and seek. Service work has become a way of life; you have reaped the promise of a conscious contact with the miraculous. Friends, family even casual acquaintances have begun to see the change in you, the light shining around you. Then a remarkable thing happens, when asked about the new way of living you retreat into self. Instead of shouting the good news, you act like the embarrassed child looking down at their shuffling feet mumbling quietly “It’s nothing.”
     
Having persevered with the soul searing process of uncovering and then addressing the causes and conditions that blocked you from a personal relationship with Source, having arrived at the final step, you balk. Fear has seeped in and it becomes seemingly “easier” to backtrack, to dissemble, to rehash or even redo work already completed than to stand in the light, exposed. “When you raise your head above the crowd, you become a target.” Take heart, every pilgrim of the path has experienced this.  Fear is an implacable foe, it never rests and is always seeking avenues to attack and control us. Break through this final barrier and stand as a child of God, unafraid of the inevitable slings and arrows cast your way. When struck, and you will be, thank God for knowing Him better and pray for those casting the aspersions “for they know not what they do.” In this way, you break free of the final fetters of the adversary, fear, and place yourself finally and completely in God’s hands, ready to serve in any manner He would have you, Peace, poise and Serenity personified.

An Open Door And Sacred Cows

Having life in the spiritual sense is different from just being alive. Even zombies have a form of life, limited as it may be. We have all met spiritual “zombies” as we have moved through life. They are easily identified by their clenched jaw when disagreed with, the blank stare when forced to hear an opposing point of view and the years of built up crusty contempt and condescension around their mouths. Possibly we have looked in the mirror and seen a zombie looking back. This state is arrived at when we close our minds to new information, refuse out of stubbornness (actually fear) to recognize a different point of view or even entertain the possibility that we may be mistaken. We have closed our minds to new experience and mount the twin sacred cows of arrogance and contempt. All spiritual zombies ride sacred cows; wait for it, now there is an interesting visual.

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”

The good news is that once they dismount and open their heart and mind to fresh winds their spiritual life returns. To be clear: Having an open mind and willingness does not necessarily mean we are wrong or need to change our mind or position, just that the door remains open. Our course is simple, but not always easy. Stay young at heart by a willingness to investigate everything that interests us. When we remain open minded and willing to learn, we open ourselves to the sunlight of the Spirit. In the light is where we find our connection to the eternal, know true peace and “experience life when you feel yourself to be free and useful and joyous, unconscious of either fear or doubt.”

Repentance And Morbid Reflection

The word repentance has a definite religious feel to it. Perhaps I have watched too many old movies but I can’t help but see in my minds eye a preacher screaming at someone or their congregation to REPENT or else. Living on the Spiritual Basis what does it mean to repent? First a definition:

Repent:
1. be sorry: to recognize the wrong in something you have done and be sorry about it
2. religion change ways: to feel regret about a sin or past actions and change your ways or habits (Encarta)

OK, to feel sorry about something done or said and to change our ways, how simple (to feel sorry), but not easy to do (truly change). Living on the new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God requires action. A simple acceptance of past mistakes with a mumbled “sorry” won’t fit the bill at all. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires work on our part. One of the traps those new to the process fall into is to rehash old hurts and mistakes which only serves to reinvigorate them, fill them with new life. To be clear: We do not shut the door on the past or wish to deny it, but we do not under any pretense engage in morbid reflection. To do so takes us out of the moment (in service) and we drift into remorse and negative self-reflection (bondage of self). Our past is a great tool, often the best, for helping those new to the process to progress, but we can be of little use if we are wallowing in self-pity or pointless remorse. On our own we are powerless to affect any real lasting change at our core, by relying on a Power Greater Than Ourselves real change is affected, the past put in proper perspective and its power over us removed and we are Free.

Righteous Judgment And The Heart Of Pain

Probably no spiritual concept is more misunderstood than judgment. People who normally would never quote from scripture cite Jesus when they feel they are being judged unfairly, typically misquoting Him to the tune that passing any judgment is bad. Nothing could be further from the truth. To be clear: We all pass judgment on all sorts of things everyday. Every decision we make requires a judgment call. Paper or plastic, salad or pizza, fill the gas tank now or chance it, etc. Now, daily living judgment calls are one thing, but what about spiritually? The Carpenter taught that we should not, in fact can not in truth, point out the flaws in others when we are demonstrating the same or worse in our lives. To do so is gross hypocrisy and opens the individual to greater reciprocal judgment, reaping what they have sown. Consider the practicing alcoholic commenting on another’s drinking, the neighbor with waist high weeds criticizing another’s yard or the worker bemoaning the hard work of another because it makes them look bad in comparison.

Conversely when we have begun to Live on the Spiritual Basis we place our feet on the road less traveled. Having constructively inventoried our lives and placed our finger on those things which were blocking us from Divine light, we honestly and ruthlessly asked God to remove everything that has kept us from fully demonstrating His love and guidance in our lives. In this way we learn to view ourselves and our fellows with righteous judgment. Will we do this perfectly? Of course not, for the fear that lies at the heart of all our difficulties and shortcomings is a cunning foe, and though we make mistakes, we must persevere. In time we will learn to practice the same patience, kindness, love and tolerance that God shows us and take to heart the painful lesson of avoiding answering the unasked questions regarding the behavior of others. As our vision improves spiritually there are few things more painful than watching someone sinking and know there is nothing we can do for them, save silent prayer as long as they remain unwilling, shut off from the truth of being. Change always begins within, uninvited outside pressure and advice, though it may be right on target, virtually always falls on deaf ears. Righteous Judgment is being willing to walk through the very gates of hell to carry the good news, to help any and all who suffer, but waiting for them to ask is the Heart Of Pain, for their desire must come from within.

Wicked, By The Numbers

In the 60’s and early 70’s wicked was a good thing. A car could be wicked fast, something could look wicked or an activity or action could be wicked (good). Used in this way today would be a faux pas on a par with using groovy in any way except when describing the ridges and valleys in a piece of wood. A hundred years ago had you used wicked in a sentence the response from the listener would have been very different. Drift back a little further and employing wicked in regards to a person could result in their facing an inquisition, possibly even losing their lives in a very horrific manner.

Wicked: adj

1.  very bad: very wrong 
2.  mischievous: liking to tease people playfully or cause them slight trouble, but without upsetting them seriously
 3.  mean: liking to say very unpleasant things to people
 4.  very good: very impressive or very skillful (slang)
      “He plays a wicked game of tennis.”
 5.  dangerous: capable of causing harm to somebody
        “A knife with a wicked blade.”
 6.  distressing: causing discomfort, distress, or disappointment (informal)
         “I’ve got a wicked headache.”
 7.  disgusting: tasting or smelling disgusting and repulsive 
 8. (archaic) bad people: people who do very bad things (Encarta)

Wow, wicked really is a wicked #4 word. Those who have lived life in a wicked #1&3 way are going to approach life very differently from those whose lived #2 wickedly. I’m beginning to feel #6. Regardless of what type of wicked, #1,3,5 or 7, we were, having chosen to live on a different basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God, we are now a #4, though we once may have been an #8, through God’s love, grace, forgiveness and guidance we leave behind our wicked 1,3,5,6 & 7 ways and grow in understanding and service not only to God but also to our fellows. Wicked #4. Whew. 

Salvation And Bar-B-Q

Words have a way of morphing over time. When reading something from even as little as sixty or seventy years ago it really is necessary to have a period dictionary at hand to understand the authors prospective. Some words once in common usage seemingly disappearing or their meaning/application changing with time. Salvation is one of those words. Few, save those in the soul saving business, rarely use it. Many people if asked only relate to it in regards to those kettles manned by that army in the curious uniforms outside malls and stores at Christmas.To Wit:

Salvation : n

1.  act of saving from harm: the saving of somebody or something from harm, destruction, difficulty, or failure 
 2.  means of saving somebody or something: somebody or something that protects or delivers somebody or something else from harm, destruction, difficulty, or failure
3.  Christianity: deliverance from sin through Jesus Christ: in the Christian religion, deliverance from sin or the consequences of sin through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross
  4.  Christian Science philosophy of life: in the Christian Science religion, belief in the supremacy of life, truth, and love, and in their destruction of such illusions as sin, illness, and death (Encarta)

Who hasn’t tried to employ the first definition with our children and those we love or the second with even strangers or new acquaintances by simply providing a phone number of a good mechanic or tax preparer. Every time you saved a lizard from the cat or stopped and waited for a mother duck and her brood to cross the road you engaged in an act of salvation. See, demonstrating salvation is not that hard. Sounds a lot more impressive when you can announce to the world you provided an act of salvation versus you let some baby ducks and their mom pass. On a more serious note when we embark on the new basis of living, the Spiritual Basis, salvation in demonstration becomes the norm, the very fabric of our existence.

But what of definitions three and four? These are issues left for you and your consciousness, your relationship with God. What is required of those Living on the Spiritual Basis is to remain open minded, even when we do not completely agree with a particular approach to a relationship with God, there is still much for us to learn. At the very least, take the time to place yourself in the others shoes and, whether you agree with them or not, look through their eyes, for never lose sight of the ultimate truth that they are children of the Most Divine just as you are. “Be quick to see were religious people are right. Make use of what they offer.”  This does not mean we have to buy the whole cow, but if we can remain open-minded, open to Divine inspiration and intuition, you may stumble across a wonderful cut of spiritual meat in the most unlikely of markets.

Sisyphus And The Fear Problem

Fear drives us in hundreds of ways, from the doom and gloom of today's headlines and nightly news to our children whenever they are out of our sight, for existential bubble wrap does not exist, the adversary fear is always lurking in its many guises. When we try to avoid the inevitable sharp and hard things in life, we struggle just as Sisyphus forever rolling his stone uphill only to watch it roll back down a few feet short of the summit, we never reach the illusionary safe harbor of enough money, good health, secure employment, “perfect” children or any of the other secular things that are supposed to assuage our fears. The best investments can and have failed, though we should do all we can to guard our health, no one gets out alive, even the best companies suffer through downturns and try as we might to protect and teach them our children will walk their own path, make their own mistakes, just as we had to.

Living on the Spiritual Basis, we place fear in its proper perspective: Life is unmanageable and we are ultimately powerless over it. Living on the new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God, when faced with fear in its various guises we understand now that today is just one day in eternity, that prayer is always the answer even when we are unsure of the question, and habitual meditation leads to peace of heart. The choice is always ours; trust the carnal mind, relying on our finite knowledge and resources to solve the fear problem or place ourselves unreservedly into the arms of infinite love, guidance and abundance. Choose wisely.

Blessings And Unicorns

A gathering of geese is a gaggle. A brood of chickens is a clutch. A gathering of unicorns is known as a blessing. Unicorns hold a curious place in our consciousness. Virtually every other creature, whether real or mythical, has been depicted as either good or evil, depending on the point trying to be made, or the consciousness of the time. Cats were worshiped in ancient Egypt, and then nearly wiped out in Europe during the Middle Ages since many believed them to be the familiars of witches, which allowed the rat population to explode spreading the black plague. Lions, tigers, bears (oh my!), snakes, dragons, sharks, spiders, crocodiles, horses and dogs have spent time on either side of the street and though typically negative, even rats and cockroaches have found some to sing their praises. The unicorn however is always depicted in a positive, mystical light, never deadly or harmful directly or indirectly, the most negative depiction its supposed foolishness when called by Noah.

Spiritually the unicorn represents freedom and willingness. Living on the Spiritual Basis, we choose to ride the unicorn. Unlike a horse, which is bridled and controlled, the unicorn will not submit to saddle or bridle; it is not a beast of burden but a force of nature. To make the decision to turn ones life over to the care and guidance of a power greater than themselves, to ride the unicorn is a courageous act, even though it usually comes at a time of fear and discontent. The unicorn does not need my input on what direction to fly, for its vision is singular. The unicorn does not require my strength, for it draws its strength directly from Source. The unicorn does not go around or fly above trouble and discontent; for trouble and discontent vanishes at its approach.

The Adversary, fear, will whisper to you to avoid the unicorn and walk like other men. Resist fears clarion call and jump on the unicorns back, grabbing it’s mane tight, digging your heels into its side, in so doing you demonstrate willingness, though fearful, to ride on, come what may. Soon you will find yourself surrounded by other unicorns, most unfortunately riderless, truly in the midst of a blessing.  

Zombies And Morbid Reflection

Morbid: adj

1.  interested in gruesome subjects: showing a strong interest in unpleasant or gloomy subjects such as death, murder, or accidents 
2.  grisly: inspiring disgust or horror (Encarta)

When we engage in morbid reflection, we are engaging in mental grave robbing. Resentments are powerful things, a lot like horror movie zombies. No matter what you do, until they are dealt with permanently, they will keep coming back, inflicting more pain and just like zombies, resentments move slowly but steadily. It starts when we begin rehashing an old hurt, infusing it with new life, often without even remembering how we started down this path of thought in the first place. Living on the Spiritual Basis means living in the present. This does not mean we shut the door on the past or ignore it. Living on the New Basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God, we place the past in it’s proper perspective, utilizing it when it can help others, the demonstration of God‘s love and forgiveness in our life. To be free we must forgive, in thought and deed, those who have trespassed against us and we have asked for and received forgiveness for all our trespasses, real and imagined.

Mental grave robbing, morbid reflection, happens when we backtrack on forgiveness, our own or others, it matters not. When we do this, it is akin to scratching the scab off a wound to see how it is healing. The outcome is always the same, regardless of how old the injury is, fresh blood flows and the healing process must start over. As the Great Carpenter taught… let the dead bury the dead (Matthew 8:22), leave resentments and old hurts in the ground of forgiveness, lest you unearth a zombie and we all know how hard they are to evict once they take up residence.

Change

Left to our own devices, changing our nature or perhaps more accurately growing beyond it, is problematic. Consider the smoker who decides to quit, yet keeps a pack of cigarettes handy just in case the craving becomes too great or the alcoholic who swears off but continues to frequent their favorite watering hole because that is where their “friends” are. Now I am sure someone has quit smoking or drinking in this manner, but it is clear that this path is fraught with impediments to success and more smoking and drinking is usually the outcome. Why do something hard like riding out nicotine cravings when relief is a match away, and bars are pretty dreary places sober, especially when all your “friends” are having a “good” time.

No person or circumstance can force anyone to permanently change from without. The desire to change must come from within, and it must be desired with fervor. So many desire change, yet sabotage themselves almost before they begin guaranteeing failure. We must be willing to go to any lengths to embrace the new way of living if we truly wish to change, to grow our spirituality, our consciousness raised. Living on the Spiritual Basis, practicing a new set of values and principles learned through the crucible of pain, we have been set free, free of the bondage of self, our essential nature changed, our consciousness raised, altered for all eternity.

The Captain Is Still On the Bridge

Certain teachings rise to the level of “sell all the books, everything needed is here.” Emmet Fox provides one of those with: The Captain Is On The Bridge (Around The Year With Emmet Fox pg. 248) for dealing with fear. Consider, when he said this America was gripped by the Great Depression, prohibition creating a whole new class of criminal, millions displaced from America’s dust choked heartland, the drums of war beating with Hitler’s rise to power in the east and Japan's in the west. Yet Dr Fox confidently stated that 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 look out 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.”

God doesn't need my help in running the Universe, let alone my life, but I certainly need His. Fortunately, The Captain Is (still) On The Bridge.

"Dead from the neck up!"

I can see Archie Bunker in my minds eye as he points at “meathead” with his thumb saying :dead from the neck up! Vintage TV aside, if you are not a student of history, become one. There truly is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human interaction. Read headlines from 70 years ago and if it was not for some archaic words and the names of the players, they are virtually indistinguishable from today’s. Peel back another 100 years and you will find the same. Articles and editorials on health care, immigration, taxes, war, political infighting, politicians attacking one another, protests in the streets, ads for all kinds “miracle” cures, medicines, and diets etc. We are destined to repeat the past when we fail to recognize it. Nothing changes if nothing changes. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

We all know or have met people with closed minds, essentially sleepwalking through life (we typically find them at family gatherings). They have little or no interest in any new information or considering a differing point of view. They are “set” in their ways, curiosity long dead. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires us to be open-minded, to be open to fresh winds of thought, considering all points of view dispassionately, curious to learn and grow, regardless of our chronological age or circumstances. To be clear: Living in the Light does not mean these fresh winds necessarily blow away our beliefs or change our opinions, though they may, it is a demonstration of open-mindedness, compassion for those we may disagree with, for they, like us, are children of the Most High. One of the measures of an individuals spiritual condition is how they treat their fellows, but of these how we treat those we find disagreeable is paramount.

Do not allow yourself to “fall asleep at the switch” mentally. Keep your consciousness switched on by praying and meditating daily to be shown God’s will and how you may be of service to your fellows. Keep your faith lively, your connection to the divine open, for by doing so we grow and gently prod those slumbering around us. Whether they choose to rouse themselves is their demonstration, ours is to serve as a consistent example of Living in the Light, regardless of any and all criticism.

Abiding In God

Today the definition of abide is to tolerate, to put up with something or someone. 150 years ago, it meant: to dwell: to live or reside in a place (Encarta). Living on the Spiritual Basis is a conscious decision. We choose to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God in a dynamic sense. We choose to live our lives, with all our defects of character and shortcomings, as demonstrations of His love, guidance and power. Knowing we will make mistakes, but stepping out in faith regardless; forgiven as soon as we ask, the transgression forgotten if we are sincere in our desire to grow. Therefore, to abide in God is to live through and of Him, trembling and fearful though we may be, one day at a time.

Are You Crazy?

Are you praying and meditating daily? If not, what could possibly be of more importance? Living on the Spiritual Basis requires consistent effort, so pick up pen and paper right now and list the reasons why you have not been consistent in meditation and prayer, I’ll wait…Looking at them in black and white; they are pretty weak, aren’t they? Especially when you consider you have been choosing excuses over a closer relationship with God! If a rich benefactor approached you and the only requirement for consistent access to their fortune was exercising a few minutes every day, would you find excuses not to work out? Considering you get to decide when to exercise and how, intensity not the goal, just consistency and all your financial needs vanish, permanently, would you hesitate? If you met someone with this kind of arraignment who then started lamenting all the reasons (remember your list) why working out consistently was “hard”, how would you respond (see title)?

The choice is always ours. We can live on the spiritual basis or visit it. To be clear: If we wait for trouble to come to pray, God will still hear our prayers and act to our benefit, the difference between living in the light and running to it in fear is the wear and tear we place on ourselves. Trouble comes for all, the rain falls on the just and unjust equally, and consistent prayer and meditation prepares us for those times, providing us with serenity to meet calamity. So what are you waiting for? Daily prayer and meditation demonstrates willingness, willingness the foot soldier of faith, faith the buffer that smooths the road, the road of Happy Destiny.

Your Stradivarius

Being loved is wonderful; it fills our heart and puts a smile on our face. Demonstrating love towards our children and friends is easy, but what of the “unlovely” whose actions we find objectionable? Those who have committed crimes beyond the pale, have acted in ways reprehensible? To be clear: Divine (unconditional) Love does not suggest acceptance of another’s sin. We cannot forgive another’s transgressions (only those who transgress against us) nor do their spiritual work. These are issues for the individuals directly involved to attend. Our course is to pray for them to find their way, never outlining what that is, and stand ready to be of service if called.

Outlining is an attempt to influence God’s will. Typically these attempts come from a genuine place of caring, but God does not need our help, thank you. What we need, what we all need, is God’s love and guidance, seeking to be an instrument of God’s will. A Stradivarius is just an old piece of lacquered wood with strings until a master violinist places it on their shoulder and begins to play, transforming it from mere wood and strings to something magical, creating a sound without peer. As great as the violinist is, without the violin nothing happens. As exquisite an instrument as the violin may be, it only comes alive in the hands of a master.

We are imperfect, prone to error while God is perfection, error free. Living on the Spiritual Basis we fit ourselves to be the finest instrument possible. Living in the Light we are convinced that God wants us to be Happy, Joyous and Free, that Divine Love is freely given, but it is dependent on us to ask, to step out in faith. Just as the violin does not tune itself, we do not remove our shortcomings without help. When we are resentful, fearful, standing seemingly justified in anger or demonstrating any of the defects of character we are capable of, it is Divine Love that retunes our heart, brings us back to our right mind, restoring us to the sanity of true spirit, our notes ringing clear and sweet. 

Wearing Our Faith

The Tower of Babel story teaches some interesting lessons. Humankind was of a single spoken language but  they did not believe in God as The Father. In fact they decided to challenge god. So they came together on the plain of Shinar and began constructing a great city, a testament to man’s, not God’s greatness. At the heart of the city was the tower. This tower was constructed of “bricks like stone” for it was being built not only to last, but to reach Heaven itself. God, in His infinite wisdom chose to instruct rather than destroy, so He reached down and scrambled their language, making it impossible for them to continue working together, so they scattered to the four winds, leaving the tower and great city unfinished. Hubris aside, what else does this lesson teach?

Consider the moments throughout history when men have come together in secular (though very often wrapping themselves in God) common cause. The resulting purges, revolutions, crusades, jihads, wars and persecutions led to, arguably, more death and destruction than all “natural” disasters combined. The argument can be made that many of these things happened to stop or address a greater evil, that if arms were not taken up a greater injustice would have taken place, but I will leave that determination in God's hands.

Even so, clearly man has been employing the same secular answers (though often laying them at God’s feet) and reaping the same results since the days of Shinar. War has yet to stamp out war; Persecution leading only to new generations of persecutors and victims; Prejudice, of all stripes, teaching another generation to prejudge, to marginalize. We cannot get sick enough to cure one person. No amount of hate will ever create love or understanding. We cannot get poor enough (materially) to help those in need. 
 
Living on the Spiritual Basis, speaking the language of the heart, we take a different tack. Today we choose to live on the basis of trusting and relying on God. To be clear: Does this mean we bury our heads in the sand, oblivious to this world’s realities? To leave our homes unlocked, our children unprotected, offering our neck to any who would threaten us? Without equivocation, no. Continue to protect and stand for those who are incapable of protecting themselves, keep good locks on your doors, stay informed and involved in the issues of the secular world that interest you, remembering the rain falls on the just and the unjust equally. Living on the Spiritual Basis has nothing to do with a Polly Anna approach to living; in fact, it is the opposite. It is not the way of weakness, but is in fact the only true path of strength. The Great Carpenter said the meek shall inherit the Earth, being meek before God is to honor Our Father, it does not mean that we become servile or scrapping. 

Living on the Spiritual Basis, standing in the light, the world needs what you have to offer, in truth Practicing the Presence of God demands it of us. The truth will set you free. Wear your faith as a loose garment, but wear it all your days, demonstrating it in all your ways, the Adversary, fear, be damned.

Heaven On Earth

Babel: n

1.  confused noise: especially the noise of loud unintelligible voices all talking at once 
2.  noisy place: a scene or place of noisy confusion (Encarta)

There are a few stories from the Old Testament that pretty much everyone has some knowledge of, Noah and the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Cain and Abel, Moses and the Ten Commandments and the Tower of Babel. Considering the tower, what would the world look like if we all spoke the same language, had complete access to unfiltered information? Everyone  on the “same” page, nothing lost in translation, language barriers unknown, what a different world it would be, the good and bad of it making for an interesting thought experiment.

The Good News is we do have access today to a common language and Living on the Spiritual Basis is the root, for when we practice the Presence of God in all our activities, the heart speaks, and when the heart speaks, hearts listen. Regardless of the language employed for secular communication, the Language of the Heart is universal. Be the words in Russian, French, Chinese or Urdu, if we begin each day asking in morning meditation to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love we speak as one. If we are asking throughout our day to be shown how we may be of service to God and our fellows, we speak with one voice. When we consistently place the welfare of others ahead of our own, we demonstrate the universal language of Divine Love. What would the world look like if everyone spoke this language, the language of the Heart? Heaven.

Reborn

Genesis: n

 beginning: the time or circumstances of something’s coming into being. (Encarta)


New beginnings. We have had and will have many in our lives: moving out from our parent’s home, going away to school, first job, new job, marriage, divorce, becoming a parent, etc. Though all are remarkable, the greatest of these however is the day we choose to live on a different basis, the basis of trusting and relying on a Power Greater Than Ourselves. This conscious decision to Live on the Spiritual Basis closes the chapters of our lives lived on self-propulsion and self will and opens the new, for we are in fact “reborn”. Our rebirth into the light is brought about in pain, just as our physical birth, made all the more difficult because we are fully conscious for all of it, unfortunately Pain is the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self. Is it any wonder this path is the road less traveled? Our carnal mind seeks and the secular world offers many “easy” alternatives to address our discomfort, a pill for every ill as well as book purveyor’s shelves and the airways chock full of “easier, softer ways”, all that is required is a few silver coins. Many pay the path lip service, few willing to pay the price required, a great sadness indeed. Pain is the touchstone of spiritual growth, we can wish it were not so with all our might, but in truth, without pain few, if any, would be moved to act, complacency one of the Adversaries sharpest tools.

The Good News however is that once moved to act, we tap into the power of the miraculous, taking a partner in living who has all knowledge and power, the Source of all. The promise is that once we have embarked on this new beginning, if we remain willing and refuse to be turned by the Adversary, fear, life will take on new meaning. We will comprehend Serenity and we will know peace, no matter what our current circumstances. We are, in fact, reborn.

The Fourth Horse

The fourth horse of Revelation is the White Horse, the conquering horse. “Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity….” Words have power. To heal, to harm, to start a war or stop one, to spread love or condemn. Our words mark us and lay the foundation for the future, a future of either freedom or bondage. Am I willing to let others suffer, for any justification? Do I look down upon anyone for any reason? Do I believe in freedom for all? Do I trust God, Really? Am I willing to stand for truth, possibly at great personal risk or do I soft pedal it to save hurt feelings or myself?

Living on the Spiritual Basis we no longer hide behind generalities. When I marginalize you, for any reason, I marginalize everyone. To ride the White Horse to freedom requires more courage than we are capable of on our own, but with God all things are possible. So abandon yourself to God, ask Him to remove any lingering prejudices or sacred cows still holding you back, grab the mane of the conquering horse as it speeds by and hold on with all your might. Do not try to rein him in or guide him for he will toss you off if you do. His vision is clear, his sights set, his destination the heart of God, for it is none other than God himself who sent him to you and He will give you the abiding strength to hold on to freedom, if you are willing.

The Hideous Three Horsemen

The four biblical horsemen in Revelation are tied to the end times but I will leave those discussions to others. Yet on a personal level, there is much we can learn from these examples. Consider the first three horsemen from an individual spiritual perspective: The Pale Horse represents the physical body and its destruction through all forms of addiction, the negative as well as the seemingly positive. The Red Horse brings destruction by our emotions and feelings and The Black Horse destruction through intellect.

To ride the Pale Horse means we have succumbed to addiction. Drugs and/or alcohol are obvious, but what of the person who is addicted to exercise or work or sex? The gym, running/biking trails or the office can become an escape from the world just as powerful as liquor or any chemical and equally spiritually destructive. The difference being the alcoholic or the drug addict has a difficult time “fitting” into polite society while the workaholic is often praised for their accomplishments, even as the other areas of their life and living are sacrificed in the name of success or “providing” for the family. The same family they are never present for, the estranged children seeking acknowledgment, often by acting out, the neglected spouse who files for divorce. Resulting in the workaholic’s lament: don’t they see I am doing it all for them?

Physical activity and exercise in moderation is always a good idea, but when it crosses over into narcissism, it becomes as sure a block to growth as any drink or drug. Sex is part of our nature, so it cannot be bad, yet the stories of lives and families ruined from unchecked sexual desires are legion. The problems come when sex and obtaining sex becomes the singular focus, living only for sensual escape, having lost sight of the true purpose, that of two people sharing the most intimate of experiences, the touching of two souls in embrace, a shared act of love. To be clear: hard work, the occasional beer or glass of wine or enjoying sex with a partner are not the problem, we ride the Pale Horse when these things become dominate in our lives and we eschew honest relationships or facing personal truths, both secular and spiritual because they have taken over.

The Red Horse represents destruction through emotions and feelings. How many lives have been lost or ruined when an individual or nation acted on overheated emotions or inflamed feelings? How many fights, confrontations and wars could have been avoided if cooler heads had prevailed? To be clear: We are emotional beings. Without emotion, this world would be a very drab place, bereft of music or art, possibly even love. It is when we are controlled, dominated by our emotions and feelings that we ride the Red Horse, and havoc, tumult and pain are the result.

The Black Horse represents complete reliance on our human intelligence. Consider how many worship at the alter of intellect. They would never see it as worship, but is there really a whit of difference in commitment or passion between the minister preaching from the pulpit or the righteous professor/scientist/politician speaking from the dais? Consider the textbooks of  just 30 years ago, regardless of discipline, have had to be rewritten because of new discoveries or the proving of old theories wrong. History is very illustrative on this point, for every generation believes they have it right. A few hundred years ago, if you argued the Earth was not the center of the universe you could be put to death. A little over a hundred years ago, the scientific community believed man could never fly, and they had the data to prove it. Sixty years ago many of the most prominent scientific minds believed man would never survive a trip into space since crossing the Van Allen radiation belt would certainly be fatal. In the last forty years everything we thought we knew about dinosaurs has been turned on its head, while revelations in Quantum mechanics in the last twenty has shaken physics, the basic laws of everything, at its foundation. Is it not the height of hubris to think that “now” we have all the answers in any area of study or science?  We ride the Black Horse when we close our minds, stop questioning, and begin collecting and herding sacred cows, shutting ourselves off the fresh winds that drive our higher selves, dismissing any contrary thought or belief out of hand because just like Galileo‘s jailers, we have nothing left to learn.

WHAT AN ORDER!

Does God play favorites? Are some “chosen” for success while others seemingly for failure? Does God want us all to be “Happy, Joyous and Free” or just some of us? Is He all “Our Father” or not? Living on the Spiritual Basis, we have chosen to live the examined life, answering these questions defines what we really believe. When we were of the world, spiritual answers were of the bumper sticker or cotton candy variety; short, easy to remember but lacking any real depth, sticky sweet with little spiritual nutritional value. Now being in the world but of God, by choice, we look beyond the easy vacuous greeting card answers to life and living and get down to causes and conditions. A price has to be paid and the price is the surrendering of self.

We alter our lives by taking the road less traveled. Here difficulty arises since we often find ourselves seemingly traveling alone, encountering questions and challenges greater than we see others facing. To be clear: everyone faces the same questions and challenges, the form they take alters for each individual, but they are all rooted in the same bedrock and we will either seek answers or live in denial or induced oblivion when the pain of living becomes too great. Selfishness, self-centeredness, self-seeking, fear in all its guises are the veritable roadblocks to spiritual freedom.

A relationship with Source requires nothing and everything. There is no need to bring your wallet, but helping those in need, as you are able, is highly recommended. You do not have to join anything, but congregating with like-minded individuals is a plus. God is the same today as yesterday and promised to be in the future, yet living in the light we grow and change day by day, sometimes moment by moment. The path available to all, rich to poor, literate or illiterate, high born or born of the earth, the only impediment self centered fear exacerbating our separation from eternal truth. Everything needed to have a conscious contact with God is available to us now, if we are willing, willing to go to any lengths, what an order! but in the light of truth, is there really any other choice?

The Record Of Our Life

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.

The Good Natured Gossip

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, show that 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.

Heavenly Butterfly

Everything is connected. Every word, every action, every thought. Nothing happens without consequence, without touching everything and everyone else. Consider the still pond. Toss a pebble into the center and concentric rings from the disturbance begin emanating on the surface towards the sides of the pool. Observe carefully and you will see the rings rebound back from the shore at oblique angles, eventually touching even the seemingly hidden shores. This is the observable part of the reaction, what of that which happens beyond our sight? As our pebble falls through the water on its journey to the bottom of the pond it continues to send out waves, though invisible to the eye, touching every part of the pond and every creature that calls our pond home.

The effect of our pebble reverberating in the pond is akin to our thoughts, words and actions effect on our selves and the world about us. What we are reverberates throughout the world, mostly unseen or consciously noticed, but the effect is there nonetheless. The analogy of “a butterfly flaps its wings in Africa and a drought happens in China” has been used by climatologists to suggest that the smallest actions can influence major change is illustrative.

Never doubt your importance or connection with the Divine. You are the literal child of the Most High. Regard yourself accordingly and assert your true place in thought and deed as the demonstration of God’s love and guidance and in so doing, Heaven rejoices.

Our Long Strange Trip

Living on the Spiritual Basis moves us off the bench and onto the bus. Everyone spends time on the bench, rationalizing and justifying why they are not taking the trip, watching bus after bus stop and pick up passengers. Fear keeps us on the bench, a mustard seeds worth of faith gets us moving.  The fare is willingness, open-mindedness and honesty, the destination salvation, serenity and freedom and the driver none other than God himself. Yes, it will be a long strange trip, oh but the sights and vistas along the way remarkable beyond words, breathtaking in the awakening, the driver providing pitch perfect commentary.

Our Secret Room

 When I truly began applying spiritual principles in my life, not just paying them lip service, I had to address my “secret room.” Employing rationalization and justification, I had sold myself a bill of goods to neatly lock away the things I was not proud of, poor choices, bad behavior, secret fears, resentments, etc out of sight. When the time came to ruthlessly face my past, the reasoning that locked these things away melted like a late spring snow. The process required placing them on paper and then saying them aloud to a trusted adviser. When this was completed, it felt as if an actual weight had been lifted from my shoulders, it was a stunning moment. This happened many years ago and in the intervening years I have watched the same transformation happen in hundreds of lives, the only requirement for successful consummation of the process being that they were thorough and honest in clearing out their secret room, for The truth will set you free.

A few weeks after revealing the inventory of my secret room, I asked God to enter every nook and cranny of my life, to short circuit any false notion that there exists any aspect of my life that God does not know about. Looking back it seems foolish that I believed I could “hide” things from God, but I did. A wise teacher said to me many years ago “live your life as if it is being filmed, a permanent record available to any who would care to look.” In truth, no camera eye follows us around (thankfully), but the eye of God does (thankfully). Clear out your closet if you have not already, for God already knows what is in it. Tear the door of your secret place off its hinges, and live in the light, free of the fear that hides within its shadows.