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.

Zen, The Secret, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, metaphysics, Law Of Attraction, Language Of The Heart, Golden Key, Emmet Fox, ACIM, 

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, 

Cat Of Nine Tails And Dragons

To show mercy to those in pain, whether physical or emotional, is of course a quality to be cultivated. But how merciful are our thoughts? It is the secret place the The Carpenter is really speaking too with the lesson: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 7:1-5). To help someone but hold contempt in our heart for them for any reason, demonstrates having missed the point entirely. Having embraced Living on the Spiritual Basis does not mean we ignore the contemptible acts of others, but we must not confuse the act with the actor. In truth we recognize them, praying for the individuals consciousness to be raised and in meditation seek to improve conditions. Their acts will be addressed in the proper manner, both spiritually and secularly, for we are all ultimately responsible for our own demonstration, reaping what we have sown. A more seductive form of contempt is when we decide that someone is beyond the pale, incapable of growth or spiritual understanding for any reason. The most spiritually handicapped individual’s life will improve when we shine the sunlight of the spirit, to the best of our ability at the time, on them. Sometimes the change in condition will be instantaneous and obvious, often however it will not be and that is none of our business anyway. What matters is our demonstration, for by our action we have raised not only our consciousness and the consciousness of those around us, but the entire world, for everything and everyone is connected.

 Being merciful toward others is of course laudable, but what of the mercy we fail to show to ourselves? Do you mentally (or worse, out loud) chastise yourself when a mistake is made or when some negative or objectionable thought floats through your mind? We all make mistakes and curious thoughts float up in everyones consciousness, so we must put away the mental cat of nine tails and demonstrate mercy in our own house, our consciousness. God, Our Father, wants all His children to be: happy, joyous and free. So we stop berating ourselves and thank God for knowing Him better. We can then learn from mistakes and address those curious negative thoughts that seem to appear from nowhere by turning to Him in prayer, asking if there is anything to be learned (sometimes there is, but not always, often a cloudy day is just a cloudy day) and move on. Under no pretense do we engage in a mental hunt for the cause of the discordant thought, attempting to root out the whys of it in our psyche. To do so only opens us to the deadly trap of morbid reflection and in the lexicon of the ancient cartographers: there be dragons. If there is something to be known or learned, God will make it abundantly clear, so ask Him; but don’t go looking for dragons, they bite.

How Much Faith Is Enough?

        You have probably heard the simile of the mustard seed, that all that is required to progress spiritually is a mustard seeds worth of faith. The mustard seed is one of smallest seeds in nature, yet a strong, resilient plant with amazing properties springs forth from this speck of creation. So it is with us as well. By simply considering or thinking on faith, we have enough faith to demonstrate. To concern ourselves with any supposed “lack” of faith is the adversary, self-centered fear, working to keep us locked in the bondage of self. So we pray to the best of our ability today, and that is all that is required of us to progress, for all prayer has power. When in the grip of trouble the only prayer we may be able to utter is “God help me”, which is a powerful statement in faith, and is sufficient onto its self.

     If you are considering, thinking about faith, you have the mustard seed in your hand. From this small beginning a powerful and vibrant relationship with the only true source will grow in the garden of your consciousness, in your heart of hearts. Water it with prayer, tend it with meditation and service to the best of your current ability, for God will never ask of us to demonstrate beyond our current understanding and that understanding is enough, just for today.

Tennyson And Mountain Streams

     Closer is He than breathing; nearer than hands and feet.-Tennyson. And that is most near indeed. In truth: we are always in contact with source. Why? Because we are of source, we are not human beings in search of a spiritual connection; we are spiritual beings experiencing the human condition.

     The next time you find yourself looking at a small mountain stream take a moment to consider the waters journey. Every river and stream that empties into the ocean is connected to every other by an unbroken string of water molecules. Some of these molecules will travel to the deepest recesses of the ocean, only to rise up again to the surface and evaporate, returning to the clouds to fall as snow or rain once again, a journey repeated countless times, source constantly renewed.

     We are surrounded by wonder, the amazing complexity and interconnectedness of life in even the simplest things, if we will only take the time to consider. Though separated from one another by flesh, Spirit transcends all limitation and constraint. So when reaching out for source, for God, in prayer and meditation remember: Closer is He than breathing; nearer than hands and feet, so drink deeply, for He is most near indeed.

Boss Universal

     Some time ago I viewed a Far Side cartoon depicting a group of archeologists examining a single fossilized bone. By the last panel, they had extrapolated the most outrageous, impossible looking creature from this single bit of evidence. We routinely do the same thing with our future. When we lack spiritual awareness, we “view” the future with a limited perspective, routinely incorporating the negative, the fear basis of living dominate. 

    Without spiritual vision our future lays out as dark, with intermittent pain and suffering, our most potent adversary fear boss universal. When we choose to live on the new basis, the Spiritual Basis, our consciousness grows and our perspective expands, our truth of being becomes clear. A future disconnected from peace and serenity, of prayers seemingly unanswered, fear dominate, will take on a new clarity that only spiritual sight can provide.

    Living on the new basis we learn, with practice, to avoid the trap of projecting negatively into the future, so does this mean we should never look to the future or make plans? Of course not, Living on the Spiritual Basis we make plans but do so in spiritual light, the light of God‘s guidance, for we have turned our will and lives over to His care. We plan but live one day at a time, rejecting the insistent onslaught of our greatest adversary fear. By living on this basis, the Spiritual Basis, all becomes clear in good time, for God and good are synonymous

Is Prayer Inconsistent?

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). Having now Lived on the Spiritual Basis for a time we have seen the power of prayer in our and others lives. So the question isn’t whether or not prayer works/changes things but why it seems inconsistent, why some prayers are answered and others seemingly falling on deaf ears.

    Let's be crystal clear on this point: All prayers are answered and answered in the affirmative, but never at the expense of others. Prayer provides what we need, not necessarily want we want.

     When new to the path prayers are often a form of outlining, a request for some action we would like God to take on our behalf, thinking we know what’s best for us at the time. Having made the decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God it is clear why prayers of this type do not return the expected results, but God does answer these prayers in the affirmative, providing what we need though we cannot see it at the time with our fear limited consciousness.

     Instead of telling God how a problem, difficulty or fear should be addressed  we instead trust in Him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, standing ready to follow whatever path he lays out for us. Soon our lives begin change in incredible and marvelous ways for we now know I Can‘t, He Can and I Will Trust In Him.

     Then there are half hearted prayers, praying with a lurking notion in the back of our mind that we don’t really deserve His help or He is too busy to be bothered so we pray without any real expectation of receiving, and God responds in the manner we ask. We must keep in the forefront of our consciousness that God wants us, all of us, to be happy, joyous and free, this life an extension of, not separate from Him. So pray expecting to receive for all of creation is at our beck and call when we pray from the heart and trust in Him.

The Lion's Den Of Morbid Reflection

         Morbid reflection is the act of rehashing and/or rehearsing  the “story”  of some past negative event or occurrence over and over again. When employed this practice takes us out of the moment and transports us back to a time when either we did or said something objectionable or something objectionable was done or said to us. Often it begins in the most nonchalant manner but quickly morphs into feelings of hurt, fear, loss, anger, resentment then graduating into condemnation of ourselves/them or both, finally leaving us depressed, feeling like crap (not the term a psychologist would use, but it does say it all).

      When we engage in morbid reflection it is akin to hanging a big steak around our neck and stepping into a lion’s den. Not really surprising then what happens next, yet unless we are vigilant in our minds eye we will find ourselves staring at that drooling lion regularly, wondering how we stumbled into the den again and where the hell did this steak come from. We do not allow morbid reflection to gain even the slightest foothold in our thinking, so when we become aware of the lion, we immediately turn to God and ask Him to guide our thoughts. If the lion has already got a hold, we keep our prayers simple but insistent: Please God, help me to keep my head where my hands are, thy will be done or the simple yet powerful Be still and know that I am God. Depending on how far the lion has progressed with its meal, we may have to repeat the prayer or prayers numerous times, but considering the ultimate outcome of the meal if we don’t, the price is cheap. So when the lion roars, agree quickly that you are in the den, the only way out being swift and consistent application of spiritual principles.    

Spiritual Lip Service

       What do you believe? We believe in all sorts of things. Conspiracy theories of all kinds abound, aliens in the White House, Elvis sightings, remember, though no one admits to reading them, those tabloids by the check out counter sell millions of copies every week. The more curious beliefs aside, many worship at the alter of sports teams, politicians/political causes or even the environment, their ardor equal too and often exceeding that of the most devout church goers. I wish to make no value judgment on anyone’s secular beliefs, only that we have a capacity for passionate belief and commitment to an unlimited number of things. The question then is a matter of priority. I always find it curious when approached by a new student to metaphysics whom has spent untold hours in discussion/debate on a sport or team, politics or some cause but has had only a passing interest in the state of their soul or spiritual matters in general.

     When the time comes, and it comes for all since our time in this flesh is finite, where will we stand? Will a life dedicated to secular pursuits and interests be of much assistance when faced with the ultimate and eternal? Is there really anything more important than our connection with God, Our Father or defining the spiritual parameters by which we live?

     Please, do not misunderstand; be passionate, root for your team, campaign for your beliefs and stand for the issues that move you, but we must not neglect taking stock, an honest inventory of our life to ascertain where we really stand spiritually.

     For those who belong to an organized Religion, our inventory is just as significant. Do we really believe what is being taught or are we paying it lip service with little passion, attending out of rote rather than deeply held conviction? How involved are we, for we reap as we sow. Are we committed to the beliefs our church espouses, the religion we choose, since we always demonstrate belief and commitment by our actions.

    No one can take stock for us, so begin today to honestly inventory your beliefs, for spiritual honesty is a requisite if we are to find our true voice and place, to know peace and to comprehend serenity. What could possibly be of greater importance?

Ebb And Flow

        Ever been to a tide pool or salt marsh?  The tide pool is consistently refreshed with the influx of new water with the rising of the tides while the salt marsh is only sporadically refreshed. While the tide pool is vibrant and fresh, a salt marsh often smells of stagnation and rot.  As is true for tide pools and salt marshes, such is our spiritual lives. When we become static, stagnant in our thinking, restricting or worse, shutting off the fresh flow of experience taken to heart, we become resistant to change and slow or even stifle our spiritual growth.

     Living on the Spiritual Basis when one door closes we rejoice, for we have reached the end of this part of the journey and fearlessly (I know, easier said than done, which is why we rely on God for strength) we stride through the new door opening before us, knowing that God is with us and will keep us unharmed if we are about His business: our ultimate awakening in Spirit.

Words To Live By

         Easy does it! Work hard but don’t make hard work of it. Has worry or being so tense a loud noise makes you jump ever improved or changed the outcome of any undertaking? Not in my experience. Take all prudent steps and indicated action but when this is accomplished, stop. Nothing positive can be had by redoing or rehashing something that was already well done. Worry and being tense are simply forms of fear, for truly, what is there to be afraid of? Living on the Spiritual Basis we cannot serve two masters, we are in the world but not of it. We are all children of God, loved beyond measure, eternal in every aspect that matters. We keep our head where our hands are and address the tasks at hand, and when done; we leave the results to God, reminding ourselves that, though eternal, we live one day at a time.