Eternal Tides

          Death, now here is a topic guaranteed to let the air out of a room, a polite conversation killer. Yet we all have/will deal with it. First the death of those we have come to know and often love and finally, and I think you would agree the most important, at least to us, our own. It is curious how differently cultures mark/celebrate a passing. Westerners typically make the event a clean straightforward affair handled almost exclusively by professionals, family and friends provided with a regimented schedule of events leading to a final “farewell” usually all taking place in a weeks time. Other cultures leave the departed in their beds for a year or longer, the family handling everything, finally throwing a huge party where the departed are honored, cremating the remains at its conclusion, again all handled by loved ones.

     Regardless of ritual or rites, death is inevitable. What happens to our physical remains after we have translated from the mortal coil matters little. What matters is everything that takes place right up to the moment we somersault into eternity. You are eternal. The spark of the divine, the connection to all that is, our consciousness, our soul has always existed. It was never born and will never die. It has always been and will always be. We are not human beings in search of the miraculous, we are spiritual beings experiencing the human condition, this flesh a mere conveyance. So we mourn the passing of those we cared for, for they have passed from our sight for a time and we miss them, but celebrate their transition as well for it comes for all and is as natural as the rising/receding tide.

Temptation Revealed

The Lord’s Prayer suggests that we can be lead into temptation, so the question is: Would God lead us into temptation? Having been taught and shown again and again that God is the giver of only good; God’s love for us greater than our love of our children, how could He? Since Living on the Spiritual Basis removes gray areas and contradictions from life, what does this clause really mean?

Living on the spiritual basis the temptations of lying, cheating, stealing, etc have become obvious, the price paid in serenity if we transgress clear. Having demonstrated over these base  temptations new temptations arise from spiritual pride. The natural desire is to bring the good news we have learned to those still suffering, a noble desire to be sure, but fraught with this new form of temptation. Write this upon your heart in capital letters: DO NOT ANSWER THE UNASKED QUESTION.

This is the temptation we are asking God in the Great Prayer to lead us away from. When speaking about spiritual principles we must ask ourselves if we are engaging in attraction or promotion. We will attract those who are ready to learn from our actions, our demonstration of Living on the Spiritual Basis. If we have to sell it, promote it; convince others that they should want what we have, than there is something wrong with our spiritual house. Attraction is the true path; promotion opens the door to the temptations of self glory, self aggrandizement, a sense of superiority and infallibility which are all aspects of spiritual pride. When we consider how many evils have been and are perpetrated by those promoting their beliefs to the extreme, the clause “lead us not into temptation” becomes crystal clear. We must remain ever diligent, and though it may break our heart, we never enter unbidden into another’s spiritual house.

 To be clear, the converse is true as well. When someone asks, we must be willing to stand and be counted in the face of any perceived earthly consequence, personal or otherwise, the temptation of self centered fear denied, whenever or wherever we are presented with an opportunity to share the Good News, for we have been put to the question and faith requires we must not shrink. 

Demonstrating Over Trouble

The world provides a myriad of answers and solutions for the problems and challenges in our lives.  Watch TV, listen to the radio or click on any of the daily spam messages in your in-box and an “answer” can be found for what is troubling you, usually all that is required is a credit card or bank routing number. This secular basis of living provides unlimited answers to life’s questions, the real question is how effective are they? If freedom is just a click or phone call away, why is the world still bedeviled?  Living on the Spiritual Basis, we have a new set of tools for addressing the conditions troubling us: We treat them spiritually. Just what does that mean and how do we do it? Glad you asked:

First: Do not package your concerns. General prayers are better than none, but provide only general answers and solutions. Be specific. Take the time to write down and separate out the things that are troubling you. What do you want removed from your life and what do you want to come into your life. Be specific.

Second: Now that you have your list, address each item separately. Consider your concern in the light of your spiritual knowledge. Claim the Great Creative Life Force, as you understand it, will address this concern, in its own time, in its own way in the perfect form for you. Avoid visualizing how you think things should progress, this is outlining and is counter productive, visualize only the power working in your life, providing, healing, creating, doing for you what you cannot do for yourself.

Third: When finished close with a simple prayer thanking God, as you understand Him, for knowing Him better. Do not allow yourself to become tense or demanding in these sessions, for this only retards progress. Do not discuss what you are doing with anyone, this is between you and the universe, keep it private. Do not look impatiently for signs of progress. Faith is trust; trust is faith, Trust in the Miraculous, for miracles are our birthright.

Follow these directions for 30 days. If you are persistent and consistent in your demonstration, some remarkable changes will be taking place in your life. Few, if any will be in the manner or following the script we would have written, but they will be exactly what we need, at precisely the moment needed, arriving typically without fanfare. We will intuitively know what to do and how to do it with the needed strength, if we remain willing.

After 30 days feel free to share the method and what happened to you in a general way with any you think ready to step out in faith, but it is imperative that you keep the specifics of your list and prayer private, encased in the secret place of your heart where no one but you and the Creator have access.

The Art Of Meditation, continued

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

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

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

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

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

Does God Ever Say No?

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

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

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

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 no longer fear.