Living Free of Fear and Anger in 2021

As 2020 comes to an end; a most curious year indeed, I find, like many, reflecting has captured my attention. For me not so much the last year, but life in general. When I was born there was but a single satellite in the night sky, the moon. Much has changed since then, some good, some not so much. I have witnessed the best we can be, one to another, as well as the depths of selfishness; the eyes of the individual in both cases having looked back at me from my mirror at times in my life. I have lived a life amazing, taken the road less traveled and learned much, often the hard way. Regrets? Of course, but what piece, what lesson, could I leave out or change and still be me? My scars, seen and unseen, are well won and all mine. A roadmap of a life lived, lessons learned and owned, of costs accrued paid for in spiritual coin.

Odds are there are more days behind me than ahead, and if this year finds me somersaulting into eternity, I will do so giggling, for I have lived. I have created from the heart, I have sung and danced with voices eternal, introduced to them through the most unlovely of avenues, addiction, meeting them on this lifelong path of freedom from this most terrible adversary. I am a Man today, and all that represents. I have seen the depths of human despair and heights of liberation, often sitting side by side. I have laughed and cried from the heart with many, almost always alone. And I have loved, and I guess I do have a single regret, that I would have been more open to those who have loved me along the way. Such is life.

Do not die with your music still in you, be of service and live-in purpose, smile in the face of fear for fear is a bluffer and a liar. And here come the “ands”. And laugh. The adversary hates laughter, and aren’t you really the funniest person you know? And don’t wait, if you owe an amends, make it. If you haven’t told someone you care about how you feel, do it. And embrace those who walk with you, honor you in truth and Spirit and release those who don’t, with love. And free yourself from anger, there is no such thing as a justified resentment, they are all poison. I have heard it said that anger is one of the dubious luxuries of normal men, well who the hell is “normal” anyway, everyone is a bit twisted in their own way, some just more pretzelly than others (that mirror comes to mind again).

Through the crucible of introspection and Love I have learned to be true to my heart, to follow the still, but ever insistent, quiet voice that is God, and though often trembling continue to step out in faith a day at a time until my inevitable somersault into the heart of all that is and ever has been, sticking the landing in the next chapter. Oh, and go hiking, really, you will thank me later. Blessings to you and yours in 2021.

 © Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved 

 

Sisyphus And Our Fear

Fear drives us in hundreds of ways, from the doom and gloom of today's headlines to our children whenever they are out of our sight, the adversary fear is always lurking in its many guises. When we try to avoid the inevitable sharp, hard fearful things in life, we become as Sisyphus, forever pushing his stone uphill only to watch it again roll back down the hill a few feet short of the summit, doggedly following it down to begin the endless trudge once again. We will never reach the illusionary safe harbor of enough abundance, good health, secure employment, “perfect” children or any of the other secular things that are supposed to assuage our fears. The best investments can and have failed, though we should do all we can to guard our health, no one gets out alive, even the best companies suffer through downturns and try as we might to protect and teach them, our children will walk their own path, make their own mistakes, just as we had to.

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


Zen, Wayne Dyer, The Secret, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, metaphysics, Law Of Attraction, Holy Grail, Golden Key, Emmet Fox, Baba Ram Dass, ACIM, 

Whats In Your Mixing Bowl?

We always demonstrate our spiritual understanding. Our actions, the manner in which we live and treat our fellows demonstrates our spiritual understanding. What we truly believe always manifests in our lives, how could it not? Consider cake making: whatever is put in the mixing bowl will be in the final product. A baker would never put something inedible or spoiled into the mix and then not expect it to be in the finished cake, yet many do exactly that with their lives. Living on the secular basis, at a base level of spiritual consciousness, many speak in spiritual terms, but their actions betray their true beliefs, particularly in times of trouble. This produces a spiritual dissonance that results in inner turmoil, confusion, fear based living and decisions. An unwholesome mix indeed.

Living on the Spiritual Basis, at raised levels of consciousness, we ask in prayer and meditation for direction and guidance, trusting in infinite God rather than our finite selves to restore and maintain our peace of mind. The result of this mix being serenity, peace of heart and spiritual understanding in living demonstrated, resulting in a most pleasing cake indeed.


ACIM, addiction alcoholics anonymous Emmet Fox, Alanon, Baba Ram Dass, Zen, The Secret, Road Less Traveled, NOTW, Power of Intention, 

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,

Are you nuts! There’s no frakking bridge!

We are constantly treating everything in our lives with the thoughts we entertain, if we believe we are defeated, we are. We are asking for failure if we believe in failure, we are treating for MORE failure, even though while praying, haltingly, for success! How can that be? no one wants to fail, but if we pray and then spend the rest of the day entertaining negative fearful thoughts, we are in fact treating for more failure. “As a man thinks.” What we dwell on, spend our time reflecting on, we manifest in our lives, Period. We will never manifest peace, prosperity, health and happiness in our lives if we continue to focus on strife, lack, sickness and sadness. All prayers are heard, but if we ask not really believing, for any reason, our prayer will be answered in the manner asked; our lack of faith rewarded. When we feel even the slightest twinge of doubt, we must stop and treat the doubt with prayer before praying further! We do not allow ourselves the illusion that by pretending it is not there deals with it. So we pray with all our heart and expect to receive, but we don’t limit God by outlining in our mind how we think our prayers should be answered. When outlining we stifle God’s will, we are so fixed looking in one direction we overlook anything that does not  fit our imagined solution. So trust God’s unlimited vision and refuse to be limited by outlining.

The movie Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade provides a nice visualization of this teaching: Indie is on the brink of finding the Holy Grail. He has surmounted monumental difficulties to reach the point where he finds himself looking across a chasm that appears impossible to cross. He reaches into his pocket and retrieves his father's note book, looking for inspiration he opens the book to the page were "Step out in faith"  is written. Closing his eyes, with fear and trepidation, he steps out into space and discovers the bridge had always been there, it was just invisible from his perspective. Faith is like that. Trust in God and refuse to entertain the inner voice screaming: Are you nuts! There’s no frakking bridge!

Love And Itchy Teeth

When we express love we express our true essence, God. Think of how you feel when you express love or when love is expressed to you. In those moments we are in communion with God, in conscious contact. …God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). A bedrock truth of living is a sufficient expression of love will erase any problem or difficulty. “Where there is fear there cannot be love. The best way to rid yourself of fear is to realize divine Love” for “Divine love never fails…” Are not all of our problems fears based? Are we not driven by the fear that we will either not receive something we think we need or lose something we have? Isn’t worry just a five letter word for fear?

The Great Carpenter taught that we cannot serve two masters, so where we place our focus, regardless and sometimes in spite of current circumstances, is the key. Are we focusing on the fear (the world) or on the spiritual (God)? “To realize God as Love is the remedy for fear.” Though cute acronyms typically make my teeth itch, this one has some value: FEAR-False Evidence Appearing Real. God is either everything or else He is nothing, no middle ground, the thoughts we entertain habitually will be expressed in our lives and the choice is always ours. What will we choose to express today, fear or faith? Remember “Where there is fear there cannot be love” that “There is no condition that enough Love will not heal.” By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another (John 13:35).

In Truth, Gently

       Words have meaning. Sounds like a “duh” kinda thing to say but bear (or is it bare?) with me. Many speak of spirituality and God, of our connection to the “Father” and how God is everywhere, at all times, always available, wanting to and will solve all our problems if we will only trust in Him, immanent. Yet they live at odds to these genuinely voiced beliefs, instead trusting in the world and man by their actions. Belief is only theory, a nice thought or sentiment unless demonstrated in action. We cause ourselves much needless discomfort and pain when we fail to walk the way we talk.

      So pray expecting to receive, banishing the idea that prayer is simply a tool employed to weather the storm, to buck up our spirits, but is in truth a direct plea to God. Understanding our good thoughts and intentions are meaningless unless we are willing to step out in faith and fly our flag as believers for all to see, losing our fear of the negative judgments that will be cast our way, for it is always easier to criticize and denigrate, for who is without blemish? than to stand in the light and be counted, so many wish to breathe free but choose to remain stifled for fear of ridicule or to curry favor.

    Words have meaning, and we must mean the words we use, otherwise we suffer greatly at the hands of the adversary, fear. When we speak without conviction our being becomes lost in polite sentiment, in affirmations routinely recited with little feeling or honest belief, our prayers said with no real expectation of relief. To thine ownself be true, so pray from the heart, expect to receive a miracle for we live in an age of miracles, measure your words and strive each day to walk the way you talk. No one among us does this perfectly, and though perhaps trembling, what matters is that we do it to the best of our ability today, for today is truly all we have.

Somersaulting Through The Eye Of A Needle

      It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25). Well, I have yet to see a camel small enough or a needle big enough for this to happen, so I surmised, wrongly, that it meant being rich was something to be avoided. Yeah, didn’t make much sense to me either. Let’s look a little deeper. Context being king; *many cities at the time of this saying were surrounded by high thick walls with large gates to facilitate traffic in and out of the city. At night the large gates would be closed and small gates opened, these gates were known as the needle’s eye. So perhaps a clearer translation would be: It is easier for a camel to pass through the needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

     Camels could be brought through the needle’s eye, but it required unloading them first. This is the crux of the teaching. Camels don’t care what they are carrying, rocks or gold makes no difference to them, only that it eventually comes off, the sooner the better.  In this the camel seems wiser than us. Whether we are rich in physical possessions or not, we carry all sorts of baggage, impediments to entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Selfishness, hubris, spiritual pride, condemnation, bigotry (overt and subtle), hatred, self-centeredness, fear in a hundred guises are all examples of “possessions” that keep us locked in the bondage of self. Living on the Spiritual Basis we have become willing and ready to be free of this bondage, setting aside our possessions, performing the work daily to become and remain “poor in spirit.”

     Poor in spirit does not mean poor spirited, conversely it means we have unburdened ourselves of our baggage by a simple reliance on “Our Father”, turning in all things to Him who has all knowledge and power, finally realizing the truth of our connection and birthright as children of a loving Creator.

     So if you are trudging the road of happy destiny weighed down by your possessions, cast off your pack and leave it by the side of the road, become truly poor in spirit, weightless, cart wheeling through the needle’s eye, somersaulting into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 *Note: not all Bible historians and translators are agreed on this interpretation.

Black Cats

           Step on a crack and break your mama’s back, three on a match, a dead man’s shoes, 7 years bad luck if you break a mirror, black cat crossing your path, spilled salt, anything 13, walking under a ladder, etc we have all heard these superstitions and many more. Many believe that life is influenced by seemingly random negative occurrences like these. When we begin to Live on the Spiritual Basis it becomes clear that life is filled with uncontrollable and unavoidable moments of broken mirrors, sidewalk cracks, black cats etc. and the only power they possess is that which we choose to give them. Living on the Spiritual Basis has taught us there is only one power, God as we understand Him. Superstitions, sacred cows and their ilk are all curious impediments to living happy, joyous and free, pulling us from the light and into self centered fear. Oh, in complete disclosure, I have two black cats, they made me tell you for God knows I wouldn‘t think of crossing them.

Our Cup Of Poison

Forgiveness is the key, to everything. Until we understand this, carve it into our heart, no real lasting progress can ever be made. When we think about it logically this makes perfect sense. Have you ever prayed and then wondered why you did not demonstrate? In order to fully demonstrate we must be free of self-condemnation and remorse, forgiving ourselves, which happens only after we have fully forgiven others, ridding ourselves of all resentment and condemnation toward them. Though repeated ad nauseum, this truth cannot be repeated enough: “simple but not easy, a price has to be paid. That price is the surrendering of self.” Search your heart, in the secret place of your consciousness is there any “justified” anger or an old resentment lurking that you feel is warranted for any reason? If so perform an act of forgiveness and mean it. If for any reason we cannot do this, by holding on to old hurts, real and imagined we are essentially raising a cup of poison to our lips, believing that by drinking it we are punishing those we hate/resent. We must put down the cup and forgive today, for our sake.

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 is summed up succinctly “Our Father.” 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.

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.”

Outlining

Difficult problems (fear) 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 of others.”

Living on the Spiritual Basis our expectations are placed 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.”

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.”

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.

THE SKY IS FALLING! (Again)

I began paying attention to American politics in 1968 and came of age politically during the election of 1972. In the ensuing years one truth has become abundantly clear: regardless of who wins the other side is always incredulous their candidate/issue lost, claiming all manner of reasons why, adding for effect the dire consequences to come from the electorates poor decision. Living on the Spiritual Basis secular issues and concerns are now in their proper perspective, politicians come and go, those in power today will not be forever, regardless how we may feel about them for there really is nothing new under the sun. To wit:

The Captain Is On The Bridge

“The world is not going to the dogs. The human race is not doomed. Civilization is not going to crash. The captain is on the bridge. Humanity is going through a difficult time, but humanity has gone through difficulties many times before in its long history, and has always come through, strengthened and purified.

Do not worry yourself about the universe collapsing. It is not going to collapse, and anyway that question is none of your business. The captain is on the bridge. If the survival of humanity depended upon you or me, it would be a poor lookout for the Great Enterprise, would it not?

The captain is on the bridge. God is still in business. All that you have to do is to realize the Presence of God where trouble seems to be, to do your nearest duty to the very best of your ability; and to keep an even mind until the storm is over.” 

Emmet Fox wrote the above during the great depression of the 1930's. Additionally war clouds were gathering over Europe and America was gripped in the greatest ecological disaster in this country’s history as dust storms displaced millions from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. God has always been and will always be; our job to keep an even mind and Spiritual perspective, understanding there will always be someone reminding us the sky is falling, again.

“Guilty with an Explanation Your Honor”

It is suggested that we “pray with a feather” for prayer should never be hard work; it is our time to speak with God. When praying we should not concern ourselves with choosing the perfect word, phrasing or long explanations. The longer the explanation or “set up” the more obvious that we are trying to "sell" God. Now in truth, who are we trying to sell, God or ourselves? “Guilty with an explanation your Honor.” God already knows our heart and mind, for He is closer than breath. Remember, His love is unconditional, grace freely given regardless of our transgressions, impossible to earn. Though there may be secular consequences for our past deeds, we are forgiven in spirit as soon as we earnestly ask. So pray simply, honestly, quietly from the heart, and you will receive openly and in great measure, for that is the promise.

Daydreams

Everyone daydreams, of what do you dream? Thoughts are causative, the thoughts we entertain will find out picturing in our lives. Now, I know what you are thinking: cool, I will think about having robust health, a boatload of money, healthy happy relationships or stopping smoking and poof, problem solved. Unfortunately wistfully dreaming about something without a basis for generating the change in conditions is actually destructive, counter productive. Consider: many who want to stop smoking don’t dream of being smoke free, but how hard it will be to quit. If lacking financial abundance they don’t dream of following their heart’s desire, money and abundance coming by virtue of doing what they love, but on the reasons for not following their heart (too old, too young, need schooling, what will people think, etc). If experiencing poor health they do not see themselves as healthy, free of the restrictions ill health places on them, instead focusing on the limitations, dwelling on their “ailments” various symptoms. When thinking of others, they daydream about past encounters, imagining all the things they should have said, dwelling on how they will do better the next time, even fantasizing to the point of rehearsing whole future conversations in their minds eye.

So if you wish to be miserable: Dwell on getting even with those who have hurt you (real or imagined), for dreaming of revenge slams the door of serenity, installing resentment as your best friend. Focus on every medical condition you hear about and wonder if perhaps you have some of the symptoms. Never waste an opportunity to join any discussion dealing with conspiracy theories, for later when alone this will provide great daydreaming fodder. Watch and read everything you can dealing with end of world scenarios and daydream on how you will cope or die as a result. Spend your time dreaming about what is missing in your life and how it will never happen. Above all, dream darkly; as soon as the slightest ray of sunshine tries to enter your thoughts snuff it out, for the world is a hard, sharp place.

We choose the course of our lives by the thoughts we entertain, reaping what we have sown in our consciousness. We choose the dreams we dwell on, will we stand in the light, free from the bondage of self or dream darkly, wrapped in anger, limitation, fear, pain and resentment? Our God given free will leaves the choice in our hands; choose wisely.

Lucy Van Pelt is not God

Do you believe God wants you to succeed?  Or do you harbor some lingering belief that God is a trickster waiting to punish or harm you, to pull the rug out from under you to make a point? If we are children of Divine Mind, extensions in Spirit of the miraculous, than God is not Lucy van Pelt holding a football. Unlike Lucy, God always holds the football steady and wants us, encourages us to kick it as hard as we can, to succeed in every area of life and living. Fear however often holds us back to the point of approaching the ball with trepidation or worse walking off the field without even attempting a kick, fear triumphant. Though perhaps trembling, run as hard as you can, trusting in God and kick the ball with all your might for God is not like Lucy, though she may think so, now Linus…

I Have A Right To Be Angry!

Justified anger and righteous indignation. When angry, outraged, indignant, upset or offended, who pays the price? We do. Sure, we may vent at the source of our displeasure, but our face becomes red, our heart beats faster, our blood pressure rises, our serenity is lost, our peace of mind replaced with turmoil. Even if we get the chance to give them “a piece of our mind” what was actually accomplished? Then there are those occasions when the object of our ire is beyond our reach, speeding away down the road, on the other side of the TV screen or radio speaker or try as we might we just cannot get through the maze of voice mailboxes to get to a real person and ranting e-mails are wholly unsatisfying. There are few laws that are truly immutable, here is one: we reap as we sow.

Immutable: adj

Unchanging or unchangeable: not changing or not able to be changed (Encarta)

We cannot get angry enough to instill peace, in ourselves or anyone else. No one has ever been moved for long in a positive way when anger is the sole motivation. No world leader has ever changed their mind because we yelled at the TV.

Does this mean we should go through life with a Mona Lisa smile cemented on our face, never taking a stand or pointing out mistakes, having no opinion on anything, floating along on some form of spiritual (or actual) Valium? Of course not, Living on the Spiritual Basis is not about disconnecting from life, floating above it all, but connecting in new and profound ways, for we are living on a new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God.

Avoid the distraction of being offended. There is always something to be upset or offended by, from the inconsiderate driver/cell phone user to world leaders acting badly, but our peace, serenity, must never be the victim. When we allow the world to get the better of us, we suffer the pain we try to inflict on others. We drink the poison of resentment and discontent, we become upset and irritable, we close ourselves off from the sunlight of the spirit and not only do we suffer, but those closest to us do as well. The next time the thought “I have a right to be angry” crosses your mind ask yourself: Who gave you this right? Bottoms up.

Peace of Spirit

“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future” Fulton Oursler. When in the grip of fear, it convinces us a ravenous beast is waiting around the next corner to attack and rend us asunder, our peace of spirit sacrificed. So we tremble and attempt to hide, all the while depression slowly squeezes the life out of us, freezing us in inaction. Fear is a liar, but it is an implacable foe, an adversary beyond our ability to defeat alone. The adversary never sleeps, is always vigilant, waiting, cunning, baffling and powerful and though we may rally and occasionally win a battle, the outcome of the war is never in doubt when we rely only upon our limited resources when battling fear.

Regret opens the door to morbid reflection. When we reflect morbidly lament and depression become our traveling companions, forgiveness in grace replaced with self-centered fear driven negative introspection. The adversary never sees the future brightly with hope, but always dark and hopeless, stealing the moments of peace and serenity that are ours by birthright.

Living on the Spiritual Basis we rely on the Creative Life Force at the heart of everything for our strength. In so doing we face fear with faith, which enables us to meet seeming calamity with serenity, in action, in purpose, grace realized, the thieves barred entry into our consciousness and we are free, our peace of spirit restored.