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 expect 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.


 Zen, Wayne Dyer, The Secret, Road Less Traveled, Revelation, metaphysics, Law Of Attraction, Golden Key, Emmet Fox, Buddha, Bible, Baba Ram Dass, Alanon, ACIM, AA,

Peace, Poise And Serenity Personified

There is probably no greater hindrance to continued spiritual growth and experience than the fear of exposure. Having 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. Why? Because  when you raise your head above the crowd, you make yourself a target for others. 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.

 ACIM, Alanon, Baba Ram Dass, Bible, Buddha, Christ, Emmet Fox, Golden Key, Heart's Desire, Language Of The Heart, Law Of Attraction, Road Less Traveled, The Secret, Wayne Dyer, Zen,

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 His will.

Consider: a Stradivarius violin is just an old piece of lacquered wood with strings until a master violinist places it to 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 beings, 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 re-tunes our heart, brings us back to our right mind, restoring us to the sanity of true spirit, our notes, our lives, ringing clear and sweet. 


ACIM, Baba Ram Dass, Bible, Emmet Fox, Golden Key, Law Of Attraction, Zen, The Secret, Road Less Traveled, 

Memo: No, really, I got this. Signed God.

Living on the Spiritual Basis we now trust and rely on God for guidance, strength and direction but it is up to us to demonstrate our belief. If we pray but do not really believe we deserve to receive or that somehow the difficulty we are in was delivered by God to “teach” us a lesson than our prayer is answered accordingly. What do you believe? Living in grace we are forgiven in spirit our transgressions as soon as we ask, the pain comes when after having our consciousness raised we choose to act in a manner we know in our heart is wrong. God does not punish us, we do, reaping as we have sown. He does not keep score, we do. Everything we have ever done or said is written on our heart, in our hand, not God’s. God wants us to be happy, joyous and free, if I am not it is because I have taken back up the reins of my life and am running the show again for God is a gentleman and will always hand the reins back when I reach for them.

Our deliverance comes from trust and demonstration. Trust in Him who has all knowledge and power and you will demonstrate the life you desire, continue outlining and attempting to run the show and you will demonstrate more of what you are praying to have removed! Avoid lending God a hand in the running of your life; He really doesn’t need our help. 

 #Wayne Dyer, ACIM, al-anon, Alanon, Baba Ram Dass, Bible, Einstein, Zen, Wayne Dyer, NOTW, Emmet Fox, 

Moses?

Thought about Moses lately? Living on the Spiritual Basis the purpose of life has become clear: to establish and maintain a conscious contact with Our Father. Moses, according to the narrative, had a pretty stout conscious contact with God. The relationship was so deep, God chose him to receive the Ten Commandments, the new blueprint for living. Moses was not chosen at random, God chose him because of the strength, unwavering faith and belief he demonstrated in every area of life. His willingness to go to any extreme for a spiritual experience; taking some pretty unpopular stands against recognized spiritual authority along the way, demonstrating his love of, and faith in God. The Moses narrative happened around 3,500 years ago, give or take, and amazingly he holds a revered position in Judaism, Christianity and Islam; no small accomplishment, but what significance could this have for us today, in the “modern” world?

God was so moved He appeared to Moses in a physical form, at least twice! To be like Moses we must set aside prejudice and preconceived notions and study with our heart as well as our mind, standing ready to kick our sacred cows to the curb. The greatest barrier to spiritual growth is a closed mind. With our feet firmly planted on our chosen path we must keep an open mind and heart, listening and learning daily, praying and meditating with joy, never out of a sense of duty if we are to grow and prosper in the light. In so doing we become more like Moses, admit it, though it would scare the bejezus out of you, a speaking burning bush would be pretty cool, so to borrow from an old commercial tag line: Got Moses?


Zen, Wayne Dyer, The Secret, Source, Serenity Prayer, Road Less Traveled, Proverbs, Law Of Attraction, Bible, Baba Ram Dass, 

The Most Important Gambit

We must be clear on what we worship, for everyone worships something. Many tragically worship at the secular alters of money, power, property, prestige, fame, the list endless. Victory over the issues of life comes not from worship of temporary, passing things but from living the examined life, coming to worship that which transcends the secular, that which is the true basis of all creation. By relying on a power greater than ourselves, the true source, our difficulties, problems and cares melt away. By really putting our trust in Him instead of outer conditions, the following equation becomes operative: our level of serenity rises in direct proportion to the expectation that God will provide. The opposite is true as well: the level of our serenity lowers in direct proportion to the expectation that secular living will provide. “God is everything, or else He is nothing. What was our choice to be?” Choose wisely in worship, for unlike man “God is bigger than any problem.”

ACIM, Alanon, Bible, Buddha, Golden Key, Law Of Attraction, Zen, The Secret, 

Our True Destiny

Living on the Spiritual Basis, we have turned our will and life over to the care of God. The basis of trusting and relying upon a power greater than ourselves for direction and a sense of purpose was our choice. We made it when we faced up to the truth of being: That any life run on self will can hardly be a success. Plagued by unremitting waves of fear and an inability to live with any lasting sense of peace we sought a better way. We now know that fear wears a hundred masks, is insidious and was a corrosive thread that weaved itself through every aspect of our being and try as we might we were powerless to eradicate it. The final crushing blow coming when we became convinced that self-knowledge availed us nothing, in fact, self-knowledge only intensified the discomfort, bringing home a sense of powerlessness that was nearly overwhelming.

From this seeming low point, we made a decision that opened the doors to a new way of living, to true freedom. Today we have come to rely on our connection to the miraculous for by our demonstrations in faith we came to believe. What used to be the hunch or occasional inspiration has now become a working part of the mind. Able to now meet calamity with serenity, we have come to know peace, our needs met for that is the promise of the new basis of living. We place the welfare of others ahead of our own, this contrary action the touch stone to true freedom of spirit. By relying on God to be the final authority in our lives, we have glimpsed our destiny, and that destiny is to be happy, joyous and free.


ACIM, al-anon, Bible, Emmet Fox, Law Of Attraction, NOTW, ODAAT, Zen, The Secret, 

The Golden Rule And Children Of Eternity

  “Treating all in the same manner we wish to be treated in.” If, for any reason, we can justify treating anyone in a manner we would find objectionable if that same treatment were visited upon us, we are wrong and have placed ourselves in conflict with the Spiritual Basis of Living. Period, 100% of the time.

Living on the Spiritual Basis our consciousness has risen. Today we look upon all as children of the Creator, possessing the spark of the divine, equal in his love and sight. So what separates us in demonstration is this: The Golden Rule, that we all reap as we sow so when we are denigrating or objectifying anyone for any reason the reward is clear, the consequences spiritually assured. Living at levels of raised consciousness we recognize this so we salute the divine in all with prayer, recognizing that pain is the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self. To be clear: on the surface, many appear to skirt this truth, living seemingly at odds with Divine truth and prospering. Death is the great equalizer, no one immune. At the moment of translation whom would you rather be, the individual who caused suffering and pain for pleasure and/or profit or the person who stood firm in faith and lived by the Golden Rule? Consider the words of Victor Frankl "We have come to know man as he really is. After all, man is that being who invented the gas chambers of Auschwitz; however, he is also that being who entered those gas chambers upright, with the Lord's Prayer or the Shema Yisrael on his lips."

The Golden Rule entreats us to demonstrate the same love, tolerance, kindness and patience we wish to know to all, regardless of circumstance, for we are all truly children of eternity.

ACIM, Alanon, Bible, Emmet Fox, Zen, The Secret, 

Embers In Consciousness

Living at raised levels of consciousness our harshest critic is always ourselves. As our awareness rises, we naturally hold ourselves to higher and higher levels of conduct, not only in demonstration but also in the very thoughts that surface in our mind! No one who steps, by choice, on the path of Living on the Spiritual Basis has control over the thoughts that float up into their awareness. No one. What we do have is a tool kit, a spiritual tool kit, so that when negative or destructive thoughts materialize in our minds eye we address them in the light of raised consciousness.

The mistake routinely made is one of comparison. Somehow, the thought is born that we should be further along the path, that these thoughts are in someway an indication of lack of progress on our part. Nonsense. A cloudy day is just a cloudy day unless we decide the clouds are an indicator of impending doom. 

A thought only has power if we choose to empower it. 

Self-condemnation empowers the negative, invites into our consciousness needless suffering and restricts, stifles growth. Do not let impatience drive you to despair, to needless wear and tear in your psyche. Life isn’t a race. When a “curious” thought surfaces do not waste time trying to figure out where it came from or why it appeared, for to do so opens the door to morbid reflection, which should be avoided like the plague. Upon becoming aware of the discordant thought, gently give it over to God in directed prayer. Later in meditation, if it resurfaces, remember the cloudy day and ask God if there is anything additional He would have you see. Do not go to any lengths whatsoever to document or remember these random thoughts. Most of them will just come and go with little notice if we are diligent in applying spiritual principles as soon as they surface.

Remember the lesson of the campfire ember: when a burning ember from the fire lands on our shirtsleeve if we brush it off immediately no harm will be done. If however we stop to contemplate on it the shirt will have a hole in it and a welt on our arm to mark it. The only embers we remember, the ones that caused damage, are the ones we “thought” about. With God’s help brush off those curious embers reflexively; remembering the sun is always shining behind the clouds.


 Zen, Wayne Dyer, The Secret, Source, ACIM, Alanon, Bible, Emmet Fox, 

Your Music

   “Do not die with your music in you.” That feeling of dissatisfaction, the sense of something missing in life is God quietly but insistently attempting to get our attention. Your Heart’s Desire will never cease trying to assert it’s self into the forefront of your consciousness. We will never be truly happy or fulfilled until we listen.  Remember our true state of being:

We are not human beings in search of the miraculous, a spiritual awakening; we are spiritual beings experiencing the human condition.

There is a reason for each of us being here, now. Our Heart’s Desire, God's desire for us, is that reason.


Zen, Wayne Dyer, metaphysics, Emmet Fox, Bible, Baba Ram Dass, ACIM, A Course in Miracles, 

Ultimate Truth

"When you change the way you look at things the things you look at change."

When we first embark on the path of Spiritual Living we are greeted with this truth:

If you knew who walked beside you, on this path you have chosen, you would never be afraid again.

Then as our awareness and understanding grows over time through application and demonstration of spiritual principles this transforms to:

When you know who walks beside you, on this path you have chosen, your fears fall from you.

Finally as we take our place as Children of the Light, understanding our true place, that we are spiritual beings experiencing the human condition, eternal, not limited humans seeking enlightenment, the ultimate truth resonates:

I now know who walks beside me on my chosen path and I fear no longer.




enlightenment, Zen, Wayne Dyer, The Secret, Road Less Traveled, ACIM, Baba Ram Dass, Bible, metaphysician, Power of Intention,

Growing Up On The Happy Road To Siberia

Grow up! Whenever someone does or says something juvenile there is invariably an “adult” nearby to suggest this course of action. We have all probably been on either side of the “grow up” admonition at one time or another in our lives, but juvenile behavior is one thing, what about our spiritual maturity? Many who would be offended if it were suggested they were any thing less than a model of modern maturity in truth have static spirituality. Having struck upon a “sensible” structured slate of activity and repetitive prayer at proscribed times they are “comfortable” and self-assured in their path, their sacred cows well cared for. GROW UP! Our spiritual lives, and there really is no other, demands constant fresh input to be vital, complacency and staidness clear demonstrations of spiritual immaturity. GROW UP! We keep our conscious contact with the Divine fresh and growing on a daily basis by keeping an open mind and heart, ready to act and serve in whatever manner God would have us. Ready to go to any lengths, any extreme for our spiritual awakening, constantly moving forward, sometimes quickly sometimes slowly but always growing, never content to draw a line in the sand, plant our flag and say "no further." One of the hallmarks of spiritual maturity is willingness. Years ago when I was balking at taking some indicated action, my spiritual guide described his level of willingness: “If God wants me to go shovel shit in Siberia I’m willing, the only question I have is do I need to bring my own shovel.” Willingness is the key, how willing are you? See you along the road of happy destiny, perhaps happily strolling to Siberia, with or without a shovel.

A Course in Miracles, ACIM, Bible, Emmet Fox, Jesus Christ, metaphysics, ODAAT, Zen, Wayne Dyer,    

Law Of Attraction, Karma And The Adversary

Karma: n  

1.  Eastern religion, Eastern philosophy: the Hindu and Buddhist philosophy according to which the quality of people’s current and future lives is determined by their behavior in this and in previous lives 
2.  Atmosphere radiated by a place, situation, person, or object (informal) 
3.  Destiny or fate in general

The term karma became part of the general lexicon in the west during the 60’s. It is certainly more “modern” to say karma rather than “reap what you sow” yet it means exactly the same thing, the concept of karma actually predating Christianity by over a thousand years. This concept is a cosmic law, is never broken and there is no appeal. Think law of gravity, same rules of appeal apply. The mistake most often made when thinking on karma is that it is a form of punishment. Unlike gravity, our actions determine our karma, reaping what we have sown.

The good news is that karma, or if you prefer The Law of Attraction, works both ways. To borrow from Wayne Dyer: When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. To be clear: everyone faces trouble or difficulty in the course of their lives they did nothing to attract, but these occasions are rare, if we are rigorously honest with ourselves it is clear that by the choices and decisions we made, particularly before embracing the Spiritual way of living, we placed ourselves in a position to be harmed.

We are blessed with free will, the ability to choose the path we walk, the choices we make determining the crop we reap. So we avoid  the deliberate manufacture of misery and suffering, Living on the Spiritual Basis we walk the road less traveled, trusting and relying on a power greater than ourselves to keep the adversary, fear, in its proper place for If you knew, who walked beside you on this path you have chosen, you would never be afraid again. 

ACIM, Alanon, Baba Ram Dass, Bible, Zen, The Secret, A Course in Miracles, 

Time's Inevitable Reckoning

Nothing says inevitable reckoning like birthdays. As children we eagerly looked forward to them with nearly as much anticipation as Christmas. Then imperceptibly one day we cross an invisible line and begin to view the upcoming date of our birth with something less than glee.This change in perception probably began when that first “friend” jokingly said, “hey, you’re getting old.” Sets in for real when we realize our music tastes no longer encompass any new artists, something we vowed as teenagers would never happen. Your 20-year class reunion notice arrives and the thought crosses your mind, “where has the time gone?” catching yourself looking in the mirror with a critical eye, wondering how you will measure up against your classmates and if that gym membership is still active.

The march of time does not take breaks and only moves in one direction for us, seemingly picking up steam the further down the path we travel. So what is one to do? Live in the day, for the only time we have in truth is this moment. The only time we can be present for life is in this moment, the only time we can be present for God is right now. Do not allow yourself to project into the future or dwell on the past, for they lead us inexorably into morbid reflection, regardless of original intent. Make plans and set goals of course, but we do not hang our happiness or peace of mind on whether or not our script is followed, we stand ready to change direction immediately if and when it is indicated.

Live One Day At A Time, staying in the here and now and the tomorrows will take care of themselves. We must be about God’s business, trusting and relying on Divine Love and Guidance, for only in so doing is true peace, growth and serenity realized.

ACIM, Alanon, Bible, Wayne Dyer, The Secret, Source, Road Less Traveled, Power of Intention, NOTW, ODAAT, Emmet Fox, 

Reincarnation Or One And Done?

Reincarnation, this topic can be a room clearer and one I have spent a great many hours wrestling. For many years I struggled in contemplation with the “inviolate” concept held by some religions of "once and done." My struggles centered on our eternal consciousness versus the finite nature of flesh. Why would our Heavenly Father, who exists beyond the constraints of time, space and flesh, limit his children in this way? And if we are indeed children of the Most High, doesn't like beget like? How can we possibly learn all the lessons of living in a mere 70, 80 or 90 years? In the Old Testament life spans of hundreds of years are noted, but that was some time ago and even if we did live hundreds of years there are many lessons requiring a fresh clean perspective.

Consider: How can one person, even if diligent from day one, learn the lessons of having lived a lifetime as a king and a beggar, of the courageous and the coward, to live as a criminal and a righteous man in the same life, and what of the reverse? Live a life devoted to self-indulgence and hedonism and one of asceticism and denial? To know the joy, and heartbreak of children and a life lived chaste? Handicapped from birth or born healthy, to learn all this and so much more, additionally from the perspectives of male and female, in one lifetime? Any man who says he understands childbirth is a fool and any woman who stands in judgment of the bond between warriors is unwise. Today I know from bitter experience that until I walk a mile in someone’s shoes, I truly cannot know their lessons and to think otherwise is rank hubris. Eternity is a long time, what sense would it make to limit our schooling to a single life since we are children of the Infinite, of “Our Father, who art in Heaven….”

 ACIM, Alanon, Bible, Emmet Fox, metaphysics, Zen, 

Deadly Comparisons

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

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

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

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

 

AA, ACIM, Alanon, Bible, Einstein, NOTW, Power of Intention, Zen,  

God Doesn't Take Plastic

God doesn’t break cosmic law, to do so would establish favoritism, a pecking order. No one stands above another before God, all are loved equally, even though it may not appear so at times. Most however go through life by self propulsion until some hardship befalls. Then, being nominal believers they turn to prayer in desperation and fear, seeking immediate relief. God will always help so never hesitate to pray, for such is the nature of grace, but if we are loved by God, a love greater than a parent has for their child, why does God seemingly not answer instantaneously in the manner outlined in the prayer?

God never says “no”, but He never will or even can answer prayers that give prosperity to one if it brings poverty to another, peace to one by causing turmoil to another. To do so breaks cosmic law, and since He is the author of the law, He never breaks it. All prayers are answered in the positive, but because we have certain expectations, based in self (fear), we are unable to see God’s hand at work. To be clear: All prayers are answered in the positive, God is always present, the question is are we and have we been present for Him?

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

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

A Few Sure Things

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

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

We can have anything in life we really want, as long as we are prepared to take the responsibilities that go with our desires.
Why do so many fail to demonstrate? God knows if we are prepared, ready, for He will never bring anything into our life that will overwhelm or ultimately harm us. Because of this Law Of Being any prayer that would ultimately cause the issuer or anyone else harm always remains fallow.

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

God always knows the answer.
God is either everything, all knowledge and power or else He is nothing. There is no middle ground.

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

Day 7 Of The 7 Day Mental Diet

Congratulations. You made it. Today continue employing that smile and take a few minutes in quiet contemplation to review what you learned/discovered about yourself the last few days. Moving forward anytime you feel a little spiritual boot camp is in order, revisit this simple plan and gently, always gently, reapply its principles. Now you can share your experience with anyone you believe would profit from it.

The diet has put you in touch with the Primal Power of Being. This power is what changes us. It is the motive force behind everything. It is no less than our connection, at the most basic and profound level, to the creative life force that permeates everything and everyone. That power is God.  

“Speak to Him, thou, for He hears, and Spirit with Spirit can meet--

Closer is He than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet.” Tennyson

Day 5 Of The 7 Day Diet

…God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). Day 5: Today, attempt to greet everyone, and view everything through the prism of love. This begins by greeting all with a smile. You will not do this perfectly, no one but a saint could, the purpose is to be aware of love, experience the truly limitless capacity we have for it, to both give and receive. Observe how those whom you meet respond when you greet them with love and how your thoughts are altered when a situation or a bit of news is viewed through the prism of love. The path of love is the straight gate and the shortest way to the Great Goal, to live on the Spiritual Basis one day at a time for eternity. Oh, and you are keeping this to yourself for the next couple of days, right?