Does God Have Favorites?

The Lord’s Prayer begins, “Our Father” not just my father or your father, but Our Father. This ground breaking truth ends the false belief, that many still cling to unfortunately, that God plays favorites. No individual, no group, race, class or ethnicity holds a preferred or special place with God. He is the Father of all, regardless of race, creed, location or belief, All loved equally and unconditionally. Period. Imagine for a moment if this monumental truth was universally understood. “What tree is so unwise as too fight among its own branches.” Sectarian violence would end. Wars and disputes over territory nonexistent. All who have would rush to help those who want without any reservations or conditions. The Golden Rule; much talked about, rarely employed, would become the Law, the only Law. Consider for a moment what could be accomplished by humanity if we stopped wasting lives, time and resources on all things contrary to the Golden Rule. The Great Carpenter taught that heaven is not a destination, but that we live in it now. Clearly we have had the key to unleash Heaven in our hands for two thousand years, how much longer will we allow false belief and fear to stay our hand from turning it? 

 

Father, make my life a demonstration of your guidance, show me the way patience, tolerance, kindness and love and provide me with the strength and courage to practice these principles, today, tomorrow and forever in every area of my life. May thy will be done. Amen.

©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Addicts Today, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

 

Amended By God

In 1919 the Constitution of the United States was changed, amended, to make the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages illegal. Now take a moment and consider that. It is a monumental task to change the Constitution, requiring 2/3 of the Senate and House to pass it and then 3/4 of States have to approve it, in 7 years or less! Then, in 1933 the Constitution was changed again to nullify the previous change and make liquor legal again! As you can well imagine it made for some interesting battles on the editorial pages of newspapers. Imagine if talk radio had existed!

The Lord’s Prayer is the amendment establishing our true relationship with “Our Father.” Many within the religious community seem to have missed the memo, that this teaching supersedes all that came before, the essential nature of our relationship with God explained fully. Emmet Fox adds succinctly: “At a single blow this teaching of Jesus swept away 99 percent of all the old theology, with its avenging God, its chosen and favored individuals, its eternal hell fire, and all the other horrible paraphernalia of man’s diseased and terrified imagination.” The Lord’s Prayer states clearly and forever that God is All-Powerful, All-Present, Eternal, the loving Father of mankind who heals, loves and guides His children. Unlike the Constitution that is subject to the capricious will of man, the old theology has been amended, by God, sanctified by the blood on the cross, superseded forever.
 ©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Addicts Today, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Oliver Wendell Holmes

The great jurist stated: “My religion is summed up in the first two words of the Lord’s Prayer, Our Father.” The truth of our relationship with the miraculous summed up succinctly. Of course there will always be the exceptions but aren’t we truly at our best when our children are involved? The concept of a cruel and despotic ruler of the Heavens imbued with all the evil and capricious tendencies that humans unfortunately have shown when placed in positions of ultimate authority is destroyed finally and forever by this simple and revolutionary truth about our relationship with God, “Our Father." As the Great Carpenter taught: If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:11).

So fearlessly ask Him who has all power and knowledge for direction, for intuitive understanding of the seemingly confusing, knowing in our heart of hearts that Our Fathers love is boundless, unencumbered by human limitation, frailty and fear, beyond any humans ability to measure or fully comprehend, simply miraculous.
©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Our Perceptions, Altered

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

Consider:

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

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

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

The slicing away of self can be a tedious process, but is spiritually invaluable. Through this process today I see more with my heart, knowing that all are children of a loving God, all equal in His eyes, regardless of station, circumstances or shortcomings. Today I know in my heart of hearts that how I treat the least of us will be meted to me in kind, for all reap as they sow and forgiveness the key that unlocks serenity. Today to the above quote I would add “The only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self and alter our perceptions, is pain.”
©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Metaphysical Truth and Prayer

What we think upon grows. The thoughts we dwell on will be out pictured in our lives. Period. When we dwell on lack, perceived injustice (real and imagined), resentment or any of the other hundred forms of fear clamoring for our attention, we attach them to our consciousness as surely as a barnacle to a pier piling. Though no one would say they wish to suffer, to believe we can think negatively but expect to receive the opposite is a subtle form of spiritual insanity.

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

Prayer is causative, so always pray in the positive. Never begin a prayer with "I need" or "I want" for this only reinforces the perceived lack. Consider: Divine life brings well-being to every part of my body when our health is less than optimal. God is the giver of every good gift, ready to supply my every need when in need of greater prosperity. These examples are borrowed from Emmet Fox, the wording not nearly as important as the set of our heart as we say them, but they have served me well for many years, perhaps you as well.

Remember, be gentle with yourself when in prayer, pray with a feather. In the future when finding yourself starting a prayer with I need or I want, and you will, we all do from time to time when fear is upon us, laugh and thank God that you know Him better. Laughter in the face of fear is music to God's ears and the gentleness with which we treat ourselves in His name a demonstration in true faith. 

 ©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

 

Earnestly Seeking

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

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

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

A Key Of The Kingdom, The Law Of Forgiveness

The true key of freedom is forgiveness. The reason for this is simple: You do this, not for the other person’s sake, but for your own. Can you think of a single spiritual teacher that has not made this point? Without forgiveness no real spiritual progress can ever be made. When we fail to embrace forgiveness we lock ourselves into a circular route that inevitably leads back to the same difficulties clothed in different garb, again and again. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires forgiving not only in word and deed, but in our heart, breaking the cycle, but how?

When we hold onto an old hurt, justifying the feeling for any reason, we chose to stand outside the sunlight of the Spirit, placing ourselves in the shadow of resentment and fear. By embracing justified anger our thinking becomes stale, stagnant and unhealthy; by throwing open our heart to forgiveness we are rejuvenated. The course here is clear; when these negative thoughts appear in our consciousness we immediately treat them with prayer asking to be shown how we can help the person we are seeking to forgive. By becoming willing in Spirit sets us free. To be very clear, God will never place us in a position to be harmed if we are about His business, so forgive free of  the fear of being spiritually harmed further. By taking the contrary action to what the World and our carnal mind would have us do, we raise our consciousness and stand in the sunlight of the Spirit, clean, rejuvenated and free, the Law of Forgiveness fulfilled.
©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Serenity and Seven Year Olds

Some time ago I attended a “concert” by second graders. They were less than perfect in their performance but performed exactly as second graders should. Had they been High School students their instructor’s competence would need to be questioned and rightfully so. We would never expect a group of seven year olds to perform at the level of students more than twice their age. The point being we always demonstrate where we are. So if new to the path of Spiritual Living never fret or attempt to demonstrate beyond your current understanding, for just as second graders grow into High Schoolers, we grow Spiritually as well. Continue on, day by day, practicing the spiritual principles you understand, trusting that your spiritual growth is assured as long as you remain diligent, for in so doing we begin to comprehend serenity and will know peace in purpose. 

©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

 

Subconscious Activity, A Law

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

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

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

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

No Mental Muscle

“We have ceased fighting everything and everyone, we have to” unlike physical exercise, where working harder typically produces greater results, the converse is true mentally. The reason for this is that God does the work, not our mental “muscle.” No amount of will power has ever added a single ounce of lasting spiritual weight to anyone. We don’t “work” on our problems or difficulties for we have turned our will and our lives completely over to the care of God. Having chosen to live on the Spiritual Basis we know today that God is the doer. Not us. So we pray when prayer is indicated, meditate regularly and serve where and when possible. We turn to Him who has all knowledge and power when filled with fear and doubt and demonstrate in faith, we relax for “all mental working should be relaxed, gentle, and unhurried for effort defeats itself.”
©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Outlining

Difficult problems seem to have a life of their own. Hard as we try, we work through them but the next thing we know they are back in the forefront of our consciousness, dominating our thoughts. One of the most insidious ways this happens is through outlining. The world teaches that we should think things through, weigh pros and cons, talk it out, but just as “the grouch and the brainstorm are the dubious luxury of normal men” so is outlining. It starts out innocently enough but in short order we begin outlining how a situation or trouble should work out, in essence telling the universe how to solve our problems, assuage our fears, on our terms of course. It doesn’t work, does it. It only succeeds in building up expectations and as a wise man said “the level of our serenity is directly proportional to our expectations.”

Living on the Spiritual Basis we place our expectations in God’s hands, the burden on His shoulders, so when you find yourself outlining stop as soon as you become aware and thank God for knowing Him better. Quiet the mind by repeating some simple set prayers: “Be still and know that I am God”, “There is no power greater than God” or simply “God is with me” are some of mine.

When I ran the world I outlined constantly, for it needed my help. Living on the new basis, I leave the running of the world, and my life, in God’s hands for He does a much better job of it than I ever did, for today I know in my heart of hearts that “God is with me.”
©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

 

Riding A Bike, Watched Pots And Oranges

Has someone said to you or perhaps you have said “don’t think like that?” Not possible is it. It is one of those silly things we say to one another without having thought it through. Like “a watched pot never boils”, yes it does, every single time, eventually, and without the origin understood for context it is just nonsense. As soon as we are told not to think about something the first thing we do is think about it. No? OK, don’t think about oranges.... How did you do? We are powerless over the thoughts that float through our minds eye; however we choose the action upon becoming aware of these thoughts. Oranges are not much of a problem, but there exists in all of us a voice of discord and negativity embedded in the subconscious that is constantly looking for a reason to be upset or outraged. The origin of the voice is secondary, the action we choose to take paramount. Having embarked on Living on the Spiritual Basis the action is to turn from the lower to the higher by way of prayer and meditation.

If a negative thought is persistent engage in some distracting activity such as a phone call to a friend inquiring about them (do not speak of the negative thought), an engrossing book, exercise, meeting with like minded people over coffee, etc. If possible find a way to be of service. Nothing relieves us of the bondage of self, and all negative thinking binds us in self, as intensive work with others. The key is to substitute positive thinking and action for the negative thoughts. Simple but not easy, when we begin this way of living it will feel clunky and somewhat uncomfortable, remember the first few times you rode a bike but as long as we are diligent in time it will become second nature.
©Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Live And Let Live

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

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

You hold a rose in your hands, once you dissect it, take it apart you will be left what makes up a rose, but its beauty, that which made it a rose, is lost. The principle of attraction not promotion is one that we must live by once we have begun to live on the new basis, the Spiritual Basis.
 © Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Ladders, Leaping and Fear

“There is only one way to make spiritual progress…prayer." So the question is not what to do but how to do it. “If your intuitive nature is well developed, you will seldom need to use formal statements at all. This is excellent-for who will trouble to climb a ladder when he is strong enough to leap over the wall?" Emmet Fox. Living on the Spiritual Basis a constant conscious contact with God is the goal. However, few of us always feel the connection. Remember the camel's nose and the tent? Our connection typically dims when we fail to see the camel’s nose (fear) slip under the tent flap (our consciousness) until it is too late. Since a camel has no reverse, once its head is in, it is coming in all the way.

So when you find yourself staring fear in the eye, familiar structured prayers are a life saver. Kinda like that old friend who is always there when you need them. The Lord’s Prayer, the powerful “Be still and know that I am God”, the Serenity prayer are some of the old friends that quickly come to my mind. Another suggestion, that always works, is keep it simple. God already knows what is in our heart and exactly what we need before we need it, so simple heart filled prayers have great power. Remember, God is always present for it is His nature. When we lose sight of Him it is because we closed our eyes, prayer restores our sight and soon we are leaping again.
 © Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Gym Think

The start of every year brings an influx of people to gyms and health clubs. Having resolved to lose weight and/or get into shape, some for the first time; many repeat offenders, their intention is genuine, but what usually happens? After a few weeks (sometimes a very few) “stuff” begins to interfere. Work ramps up. The kids start or resume an extra curricular activity that involves travel time and scheduling. The spouse who was supportive in the beginning becomes less so, especially if there are any hints dropped about it becoming a family affair. I’m sure you can add to the list. So with no real thought we give ourselves license to miss a session or two. The idea of everyone else eating pizza while we try to choke down one more Lean Cuisine becomes intolerable. Remember when you said, out loud, they tasted good? Soon the only remnants of the gym are the work out clothes piled in the back of the closet and that automatic deduction from the bank account every month.

Because modes of thinking are contagious we allow the same things to happen in our spiritual life. We read a book or hear a speaker which energizes us and we vow to follow a new path. What happens? Gym Think. After a time the old manner and habits of living reassert themselves and we drift back into old familiar ways of thinking. Then a new book or teacher catches our attention and the cycle begins anew.

There is a fundamental difference however between physical and spiritual exercise. The day will come for all, when this physical shell will fail, regardless of how many hours we spend working out and/or eating right. Remember Jim Fixx? But our essential nature, call it soul, cosmic conscious, feldercarb or whatever term appeals to you, is eternal. So decide today to place your feet on the path and let no future vicissitude shake your resolve and when Gym Think creeps in, and it happens to everyone, reject it by turning to God for strength and guidance. Just for today demonstrate prayer and meditation in your life, as if your life depended on it, for in truth it does. Oh, and a twenty minute walk and a good multivitamin can't hurt.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

The Nature Of God, One Day At A Time

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

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

A Suggestion Concerning Fear

The term “reborn” has been employed poorly if not down right incorrectly so often that its true spiritual meaning has become obscured. Living on the Spiritual Basis we now see that all external happenings are but passing shadows of no permanent importance. We have come to hold in our heart of hearts that to dwell in the Presence of Divine light and knowledge as the only true escape from our “enemies” (negative thinking/morbid reflection) and “foes” (fear and doubt of every stripe). When our consciousness rises to this level, we carry the message of His love and guidance into all our affairs, responding to all seeming trouble with “my heart shall not fear, thy will be done” and we are free, We are reborn in Spirit. With this spiritual key in hand, understanding who our true foes and enemies are, now would be an appropriate time to visit the 27th Psalm, just a suggestion.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

The Reality Of Fear

 “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” When FDR said this in his first inaugural address America was in the grip of the great depression and great clouds of dust howled over the central plains displacing millions. What FDR knew is that fear is paralyzing. Whether you agree with the political course FDR set this country on is immaterial, the critical point is that as a leader he understood the power of fear. Living on the Spiritual Basis we confront fear where it lives, in our consciousness. Fear brings darkness to our thoughts, an actual feeling of constriction in the chest, as if life is being squeezed from us, the sense of impending doom attempting to overpower. Fear is a liar. To be crystal clear: everyone dies of something; the flesh we inhabit will one day fail. Money comes and money goes. Jobs end and begin. We may fall out of love or someone we love may fall out of love with us. Accidents happen. The choice is ours as to how we handle the inevitable twists and turns of life. Do we cower in fear, paralyzed in inaction or step out in faith, demonstrating reliance on a power greater than ourselves?

Freedom comes when we turn in all things to Him who has all knowledge and power, who brings the light banishing the darkness of fear, providing the keys to the kingdom, replacing the dread surrounding our heart with the surety of salvation, enabling us to meet perceived calamity with poise and serenity, putting the truth to fears lie. How is this accomplished? By choosing consistent prayer, meditation and service work in the face of stultifying fear. Our greatest gift is free will; out of free will we choose to create. Whether it is a new recipe, scientific theorem, musical composition, play or novel or most importantly our serenity we make the choice to create, each day we choose which path we walk, darkness or light, bondage in self or salvation. The choice is always ours.
 © Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

The Miraculous Given Freely

One of the ways we demonstrate our spiritual fitness is by how much we give, freely, not only in riches but most importantly of ourselves. Consider for a moment the disheveled fellow with the cardboard sign seeking money for “food.” True, he may in fact not use the money for food as we would define it, but does that mean his need is any less real? A dollar, wrapped in silent prayer, saluting the Divine within, provides more relief, opens more pathways of heart, than can be experienced with human eyes.

All reap as they sow; by giving with joy, never out of grudging obligation or with strings attached for that defeats divine purpose; serenity and peace with intention are the harvest. In hard economic times perhaps monetary tithing is not possible, but everyone has something to give. If you have little money, ask in prayer to be shown how to best be of service, tithing the gift of your time and/or expertise to those who need your gift. We are greater and more valuable than our fear driven carnal mind often allows or accepts, remember, you are a child of the Divine, directly connected in truth to Our Father.

So regardless of the size of our pocket book, a genuine smile accompanied with eye contact wrapped in a  kind word to those suffering, acknowledging them, is a tithe that multiplies itself in ever widening circles, helping to release them, and ourselves, from the bondage of self, a simple confirmation of all our relationship with the Miraculous.
 © Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

 

We Must Judge

Judging is a concept greatly misunderstood. We not only should judge the behavior of others but Living on the Spiritual Basis makes it a requirement. The difficulty arises when we confuse righteous judgment with condemnation.

When we condemn it places us in a position to be harmed, for we have assumed a morally elevated position, better than, which of course is false. No one is above or below any other in the sight of God. Though our paths may be very different, our challenges and lessons in life diverse, no one is beyond grace and forgiveness in Spirit always manifests if we truly mean business and desire change. This does not mean crimes and transgressions are forgotten or ignored, but we must be willing to go to any lengths for salvation, for the ultimate freedom from the bondage of self. So we condemn the act, not the actor.

We all reap as we sow and unfortunately some will never seek enlightenment, choosing fear over freedom. However we are mistaken if we condemn them or wish (or worse desire) harm to anyone. Hate does not cease with hate. Anger is never assuaged with more anger. Condemnation never builds character or leads to freedom.

So judge righteously and the whole world improves, condemn and we all suffer for we are all connected in Spirit, all children of the Divine Presence.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved


 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Heaven Sings

As we progress on the path of awakening, Living on the Spiritual Basis, we become more sensitive to the world and our fellows and as such, the adversary fear and his children depression and morbid reflection seemingly grow stronger, more insistent. This is natural for many things which escaped our notice before embarking on this path are now noticeable since we are operating at increased levels of awareness. Nothing has really changed however for fear, negative thinking and morbid reflection can only gain purchase if we fail to affirm God’s love and guidance in our life by means of consistent prayer, meditation and service, the very activities that raised our consciousness in the first place! So take heart, though the world and its mostly self-inflicted suffering touches you deeply and profoundly, the surety of your role as an instrument of His will is evident, your awakening manifest.

So we stay the course, asking God what we can do each day for the individual who still suffers, remembering always that we are the instrument of His will and like any musical instrument nothing happens until the master begins to play. Strive to be the best instrument possible, though we may be terribly flawed, perhaps still wracked with guilt and fear, when we allow ourselves to be placed in His hands the notes are miraculous, causing Heaven itself to sing and we are free.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Buns Of Steel And Fools Gold

Rarely does a week pass without some new self help book with all the answers starts making the talk show rounds or the diet to end all diets splashes across the cover of one of those magazines by the checkout counter. Then there is the miracle food/supplement or some new revolutionary piece of exercise equipment that will provide the perfect body IN ONLY 20 MINUTES 3 TIMES A WEEK! appears on an infomercial. Admit it; just like me, you have been tempted. But will drinking some berry juice really change my life or a three-day seminar addressing all of life’s questions the answer and who wouldn’t want a flat sexy tummy or buns of steel IN ONLY 20 MINUTES 3 TIMES A WEEK! Like a wise man once said: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Salesmen and marketing executives peddle fools gold to separate us from our money, that's their job but unlike banking on that unrealistic shortcut to six-pack abs, Living on the Spiritual Basis provides a pearl beyond price for it is the shortest road to the peace and sense of true freedom each of us crave deep down. “Simple but not easy, a price has to be paid.” That price is the surrender of self and our focus on selfish things. When we shift our focus to the Presence of God within, where true gold is found, we begin to experience the Truth of Being, finding our true place in the fabric of the miraculous. Perhaps I am too cynical and ultimate awakening or abs of steel are just a credit card and a phone call away, operators are standing by, but as the old prospector remarked to the greenhorn about fool’s gold: “When you think you have found gold you probably have not; but when you do find it, you will know it for certain.”
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved


 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Leading From The Front

Walking the way we talk. “I would love to listen to your words but your actions speak so loudly I cannot hear you.” The concept of a track record is lost on many people. The people around us judge us by our actions; our intentions, though perhaps noble, are meaningless if not followed up by the indicated action. How many times did it take for your child to tell you they would clean their room or some other chore beneath their status, which they then immediately blew off, before you wised up to their true intention? Not many I would guess. Often I have had someone come to me for advice, agree that a particular course was the correct action to take and then proceed to launch in exactly the wrong direction. I often wonder why they bother, but hold to the fact that asking means they wish to follow a different path, even though in their heart they have already decided on what they are going to do, the consequences denied or ignored.

When my son was a child I asked him why he agreed to clean up his room, then blow it off, knowing full well that a reckoning would come when he didn’t. The response was “I planned on doing it". When asked when that was exactly a blank look was followed with “I don’t know". A parents joy comes in knowing that one day our children will be on the other side of that exchange.

It cannot be said enough; if you wish to be respected, be respectful, if you desire love in your life, be loving, honesty comes from being honest and intention has never cleaned a single room. The aspects of living we desire in our lives will only materialize when we demonstrate our intentions in action by treating those about us in the manner we wish to be treated in. Nothing real happens until action is taken, for talk is cheap and true leaders lead from the front.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec, Marianne Williamson

Poking A Tiger In The Eye

In the second act of my life I made my living swinging a hammer. The man who sponsored me to become a contractor taught “When the workday is over stop working.” Seemed pretty simple if not downright painfully obvious then. Kinda like never poke a tiger in the eye. In time, however, I began to understand what he was really talking about. Working in construction there is always some little task that needs doing. I learned, through painful experience, that once I stopped working for the day, having removed my tool belt and bags, not to put them back on. On more than one occasion, unfortunately, I spied a crooked nail, loose board or some other small task that could have easily waited until the next day, choosing to address it before going home. Right after the hammer slipped and smacked me on the shin or I hit the nail and heard the unmistakable sound of water rushing from a pierced pipe or missed the nail on the wall but hit the one on my thumb instead, I would then remember, belatedly, what he had said. But most importantly I became aware that most days long after I had physically left the job site I was still there in my mind, needlessly rehashing the days events or worrying about things that were God’s business, not mine. Emmet Fox refers to this as “taking the train” mentally. Living on the Spiritual Basis leads to effective mental activity and relaxation. As Dr Fox teaches, “don’t take the train mentally-let the engine (God) take it.” So “when the workday is over stop working” oh, and never poke a tiger in the eye with your finger.
 © Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec

A Spiritual Facelift

What we concentrate on manifests in our lives. When we concentrate on fear, loss, anger, resentment, worry, envy or any of the whole host of negative thinking that morbid reflection engenders, our physical appearance alters. Worry lines on the face, bags under the eyes from lack of or restless sleep, twisted visage from a sour stomach, tight jaw from focusing in our minds eye on the seeming unfairness of the world, well you get the picture. When you look in the mirror what do you see? Anything less than the radiance that emanates from a soul at peace demonstrates that we have strayed from the Spiritual Basis.

Take heart, the good news is when we see it in our face or feel it in our heart we have a clear set of directions on what to do next. We gently turn to God in prayer and thank Him for knowing Him better, asking to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love in all areas of life but particularly in the area that is causing us concern. Ask to be shown what action (patience probably the hardest) should be taken and finish with a statement of willingness to be of service in any capacity that He would have you be. Close with “Thy will be done." This is only a suggested path, change or alter the prayer as it best fits you. The key is in the recognition and speed in which we turn to God and choose to trust in infinite wisdom and love instead of our finite selves.

As we embrace this way of living, we become more aware of the pain in the faces of those around us. When we see others in pain, we quietly pray for them as we would for ourselves for in so doing not only are they uplifted; the whole world is uplifted as well. All humankind will be raised to the Heavens if each of us adds our inch.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved


 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec

Camels And Stinking Thinking

If a camel sticks its nose under your tent flap you must strike its nose immediately since a camel has no reverse. If it gets its head in, it is coming in all the way and quite frankly, camels stink, trust me. Such is also the case with our consciousness as negative thinking and morbid reflection (stinking thinking if you will) try to wheedle their way in. Though Living on the Spiritual Basis raises our consciousness, we must stay vigilant for that metaphorical camel nose, but no one catches every one. They will sneak in from time to time disguised as something else since morbid reflection and negative thinking wear a variety of masks. What truly matters is what we do when they reveal themselves. So when you discover a camel in your tent consider the following: “When trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate God’s omnipotence.” We do this by directed prayer and meditation, bathing the trouble in Divine Light and Presence, turning the camel out quickly and peacefully.

Shhhh…Just between you, me and the fence post I still don’t have the cheerfully part down pat yet, but by Living on the Spiritual Basis we do become well practiced in camel eviction procedures.

© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec

 

Gravity and the Law Of Limitation

Most understand secular law, break one and get caught, there is a price to pay. Whether it is traffic, criminal, business, tax etc a secular price will be exacted if we transgress and get “caught.” There is a higher set of laws however were a price is always exacted, they are Cosmic Laws. And unlike man’s laws they are enforced impersonally, rich or poor, personal beliefs, status or skin color of no regard. Additionally unlike secular law they cannot be appealed to or superseded by judicial fiat. Think Law of Gravity. No one in their right mind would step off a high ledge and expect to float to the ground. Yet many do exactly that with the Law of Limitation! And unlike gravity we place it on ourselves! When we reflect along these lines: “I’m too old/young to…” “I’ll never be any good or successful at…” “I love doing ____ but I could never make a living at it” “What would my friends/spouse/children/family think if I…” “I know God loves me and wants me to prosper, but…” we invoke the Law of Limitation.

The good news is unlike the Law of Gravity, since we invoke the Law of Limitation ourselves, we can repeal it as well. How? By stepping out in faith. Our heart is constantly speaking to us in an even quiet voice, the voice of God Himself gently but insistently (that feeling of discontent is Him) prodding, our path to freedom found when we heed it. Divine Life wants each and every one of us to be Happy, Joyous and Free, so when we resist giving in to self-centered fear by trusting the Miraculous, demonstrating faith, we avoid invoking the Law of Limitation and metaphysically float to the ground.

 © Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec

Limited or Unlimited Abundance?

Living in Southern California one of the joys of life is driving down Pacific Coast Highway. Watching pelicans dive for their dinner, dolphins surfing for pure enjoyment and some pretty spectacular sunsets part of the joy. Often when I look out over the Pacific I am struck by its abundance and diversity, its scale and depth beyond my limited comprehension.

Yet compared to Divine abundance it is barely a drop in a bucket. And this abundance is ours for the asking. The only limits to this abundance are the arbitrary limits we impose out of false belief and fear. We set the limit of our capacity to receive. We choose the size of vessel that holds His abundance in our lives. When we embrace the Spiritual Basis of Living our capacity increases in direct proportion to the trust and reliance we place in God and reject the false belief (fear) the secular world imposes that we live in a finite world of dwindling supply, limited abundance. There is only one source of everything, God, and His promise is that of limitless supply and endless abundance, not only in the Spiritual realm but the physical as well.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec

Bondage Of Living In The Past

“Live in today, and do not allow yourself to live in the past under any pretense. Living in the past means thinking about the past, rehearsing past events, especially if you do this with feeling…Train yourself to be a man or women who lives one day at a time. You’ll be surprised how rapidly conditions will change for the better when you approach this ideal.” Emmet Fox.

One of the truths of Living on the Spiritual Basis is the only time we can be present for God, the only time we can stand in the presence of God, the only time that we can demonstrate God’s love and guidance in our lives, is in the present moment. We may have a long history of Him demonstrating in our life, but our “forgetter” discounts it. Fear would have us believe that even though God was there in the past He won’t be there tomorrow.

NEVER LOOK BACK. Looking back, reminiscing, generally begins innocently enough but often leads into morbid reflection. Think on how easy it is to dredge up memories of those times when we acted something less than spiritually or when we were hurt in some way. Yet it takes effort to bring to the forefront of memory those times when we acted in Spirit or life went our way. When the Great Carpenter taught, “let the dead bury the dead” he admonished us to leave the past in the past. We are forgiven as soon as we ask, the matter settled, yet so often we drag a past transgression into the present to cast it’s ashes about because even though God has forgiven us, we have not forgiven ourselves. Only by living in today and keeping our eyes fixed on the road ahead, regardless of how frightening it may seem, can we demonstrate God’s love and power in our life, demonstrating the truth of God‘s forgiveness. Refuse then the clarion call of the past where the adversary of a thousand faces fear lurks, and be free.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

 

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec

Alfred E. Newman And Footprints

Remember Alfred E. Newman of Mad magazine fame? His gap toothed grin gracing every cover with the caption “What, me worry?” Alfred can be oblivious, but what of the dozens of things that tug at us daily? My children are all adults but I still worry about them. When one of the cats strolls outside I worry about them (don’t start, I have I tried to keep them in but they are all strays who adopted us and when they want to go out THEY WANT TO GO OUT). In low moments I worry that somehow I have strayed down the wrong path in my life and won’t find my way back.

Today when worry creeps into my thoughts I turn to God as close to immediately as I can. When the World worries me I remember “The Captain is on the Bridge.” My children, gifts from God, so when I fear for them I ask God to do for them what they cannot do for themselves and to give me the strength to do what He would have me do in their lives, and not meddle. I don’t care what anyone says, letting your children make their own mistakes so they can grow just as we had to requires a lot of prayer. Cats? Well if you have cats you understand and if you are a dog person you aren’t supposed to get it and that’s not a bad thing. It’s not that you care any less for your dog but cats just assume you understand about their divinity. And when I begin to worry I have stumbled and lost my way I remember the truth:

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.” 

So I guess Alfred had it right all along. Nuff said.
© Vincent Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Heart’s Desire, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Law Of Attraction, Chopra, Alanon, Healing Path Recovery, Sobriety Mentor, Sobertec