Forgotten Riches

 Ever find some forgotten cash in the pocket of a pair of pants or jacket you haven’t worn in a while? Always puts a smile on the face doesn’t it. Ever consider ignoring it or even decide it really has no value? Of course not, that would be foolish, yet many do exactly that with the found riches of faith. Students, and not only new ones, of the path will be going along swimmingly for a time and then inexplicably take the reins of their lives back and then wonder why they are struggling. Having begun to Live on the Spiritual Basis and to reap the riches of the new life, for reasons often obscure but usually rooted in some form of fear, they fall back into old ways of thinking and solutions, the pain and spiritual discomfort that brought them to the path in the first place forgotten, the new solutions of value now seemingly valueless. The way back is simple if not easy, when we become aware of old ways of thinking and action creeping back in, we stop immediately and reengage with the prayer, meditation and service that had previously worked so well. By rejecting fear and acting in faith we find our pockets always contain exactly what we need, when we need it, in perfect measure.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

#The Secret, #Wayne Dyer, #Serenity, Enlightenment, #Zen, #Emmet Fox, #How To Be Happy, #Golden Key, #Pope Francis, #Chopra, #Jesus, #Einstein, #AA, McRaven,

 

Happiness And Fresh Bread

What makes you happy? Finally meeting him/her, wedding day, divorce day, birth of a child, landing “the” job, graduating, watching your child graduate, doing something nice for somebody and not getting caught, etc. The key here is that just as fresh bread is only fresh for a short time, feelings of initial happiness fade, becoming memories.

So, what would provide long term, permanent happiness, permanently fresh bread if you will? Wealth? Good health? Satisfying career? Begs some consideration. Money is good, having been financially flush and broke, having money is better, but happiness? Some of the most miserable, unhappy people I have known were financially set, so money by itself clearly isn’t the answer. Perfect health is great, but since no one gets out alive, good health ultimately is terminal. Careers are important, but intrinsically suffers the same shortcomings as wealth.

If we make our happiness contingent on outer things, including people, we will never be truly happy. In truth, happiness can only be found within. Experience demonstrates those who have a deep and abiding spirituality have a sense of true happiness at their core.  Trouble still comes, as it does for all, but they meet calamity with serenity for they have a conscious contact with Source, and through prayer, meditation and service meet all of life’s downs and ups with faith, for only by faith in demonstration do we receive the divine guidance and strength that provides lasting inner peace, paving the way of true happiness. Something to consider while enjoying freshly baked bread.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

#The Secret, #Wayne Dyer, #Serenity, Enlightenment, #Zen, #Emmet Fox, #How To Be Happy, #Golden Key, #Pope Francis, #Chopra, #Jesus, #Einstein, #AA, McRaven,

 

31 Years Ago Today

Forgive me, but today's post is of a personal nature. 31 years ago today my life changed in a most dramatic way. Though at the time I didn't see it, but such is usually the way of such things. I was living of the world but not really in it, existing in a haze of self imposed intoxication, focused only in self, shut off, by choice, from all that truly mattered, all that was of real value, oblivious to the truth.

I was a young man, intelligent to the point of narcissism, sure of myself as only the clueless and spiritually immature can be. I found myself at a point of crisis, self imposed but a crisis none the less. Bereft of answers or direction I reached out in a way that was contrary to all I thought I believed and two men that I had never met before arrived at my home, bringing the good news I so desperately needed but didn't really want. But I did not want to continue the way I was traveling so I followed suggestions, did things like make coffee, give rides to people I had just met to gatherings of other like minded individuals and did I say I followed suggestions?

As my intoxicant befogged mind began to clear I saw, for the first time, that all the trials and tribulations in my life had one common denominator, a central point of chaos and disharmony, that point was me and my thinking. I had been living on the basis of my will and my life reflected it. So it was suggested I find a new basis, a spiritual basis for living that would solve all my problems.

So I embarked on the most wonderful journey of all, that of self discovery. There have been many wrong turns and mistakes along the way, but oh what a ride, every day a holiday and every meal a banquet, if I am right sized and committed. Those "suggestions" given me by those who knew all those years ago still working, a plan for living that really works.

And to all those who have walked with me on this road of happy destiny, whether it was for only a little while or from the very start, thank you. I carry you all in my heart, my thoughts and am grateful to you for having been a part of my journey. So, onwards through the fog, a day at a time, hand in hand with Him who has all knowledge and power, no longer of the world but in it with my head in the clouds and my feet firmly planted on the ground for that is where life happens. Oh, and I still follow those "suggestions".

See ya around the coffee pot.

Stubbing Ones Toe

No one lives life perfectly. No one is at peace or serene constantly. No one is energized or at their best every minute. Just as the tides rise and fall so does our energy levels, our peace and serenity. Everyone has their moments; the question is what we do when we have them. Consider: everyone stubs their toe, even the Pope. Granted he probably doesn’t utter an expletive (and if he did it would probably be in Latin and everything sounds cool in Latin) when it happens, the point being that everyone stubs their toe, having nothing to do with our spiritual condition. Now if we blame someone for putting or moving the table there or start in on the unfairness of the universe for bringing this calamity or better yet think that for some reason we deserved to stub our toe and the pain is the universe's way of reminding us of our place, it then becomes a spiritual matter. If we are constantly looking for tea leaves to read, we will always find them and amazingly the news is routinely bad, the forecast dark with more dark and a chance of scattered woe later in the week. In truth, usually a cloudy day is just a cloudy day, nothing more.

Everyone takes a turn in the barrel, you, me, the Pope, Dalai Lama, everyone. Living on the Spiritual Basis though we keep our eye on the ball, God, and by doing the work He would have us do, we meet calamity with serenity, with the occasional expletive, for God knows stubbed toes hurt.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

#The Secret, #Wayne Dyer, #Serenity, Enlightenment, #Zen, #Emmet Fox, #How To Be Happy, #Golden Key, #Pope Francis, #Chopra, #Jesus, #Einstein, #AA, McRaven,