Living In Spirit

Friday, January 20, 2017

Morbid Reflection Zombies

Resentments are persistent things, a lot like zombies. When we reflect morbidly on the past we are engaging in mental grave robbing. No matter what we do, until a zombie is dealt with, typically by shooting them in the head if the movies are accurate, they will keep coming back inflicting more havoc and much like zombies resentments move slowly but steadily. Morbid reflection usually starts when we begin rehashing an old hurt, infusing it with new life, often without even remembering how we started down this path of thought in the first place. This mental grave robbing happens when we backtrack on forgiveness. Now Zombies never have our best interests in mind, in fact they just want to eat our brains. Morbid reflection does exactly the same thing, except it is from the inside out.

To be free of morbid reflection we must forgive, in thought and deed those who have transgressed against us. Additionally we must forgive ourselves for all our transgressions, real and imagined. As the Great Carpenter taught… let the dead bury the dead (Matthew 8:22), leave resentments and old hurts in the peaceful ground of forgiveness, lest we unearth a morbid reflection zombie and we all know how hard they are to evict once they take up residence.

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

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Effective Change

Left to our own devices, changing our nature or perhaps more accurately growing beyond it, is problematic. Consider the smoker who decides to quit, yet keeps a pack of cigarettes handy just in case the craving becomes too great or the alcoholic who swears off but continues to frequent their favorite watering hole because that is where their “friends” are. Now I am sure someone has quit smoking, drugs or drinking in this manner, but it is clear that this path is fraught with impediments to success and more smoking, drug abuse and drinking is usually the outcome. Why do something hard like riding out cravings when relief is a match, drink, pill, line, toke, fix, etc away, and life can feel pretty dreary, especially when all our “friends” are having a “good” time.

This type of thinking, though most egregious in the alcoholic/addict, touches virtually everyone. Consider the diets, the exercise pledges or any vow made that was sabotaged by that "deserved" treat, feeling to tired to exercise, choosing to be overwhelmed by the changes the new path requires instead of sticking to them until they become habit. Just like the addict/alcoholic, we meant it when we vowed to change, but quickly drifted back into the familiar, comfortable well trod modes of thinking and living which preceded that vow to change in the first place!

No person or circumstance can force anyone to permanently change from without. The desire to change must come from within, and it must be desired with fervor. We hold the key to freedom, yet so many desire change, yet sabotage themselves from the start. Simple but not easy, a price must be paid, and that price is the surrendering of self. We must be willing to go to any lengths to embrace the new way of living if we truly wish to change, to grow in spirituality, our have our consciousness raised. Living on the Spiritual Basis, practicing a new set of values and principles we will be set free, free of the bondage of self, free of destructive thinking and actions; our essential nature changed, our consciousness raised, altered, in truth, for all eternity.

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

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

The Captain Is Still On the Bridge

Certain teachings rise to the level of “sell all the books, everything needed is here.” Emmet Fox provides one of those with: The Captain Is On The Bridge (Around The Year With Emmet Fox pg. 248) for dealing with fear. Consider, when he said this America was in the grip by the Great Depression, prohibition creating a whole new class of criminal, millions displaced from America’s dust choked heartland, the drums of war beating with Hitler’s rise to power in the east and Japan's in the west. Yet Dr Fox confidently stated that 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 look out 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.”

God doesn't need my help in running the Universe, let alone my life, but I certainly need His. Fortunately, The Captain Is (still) On The Bridge.

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

When we know, who walks beside us, on this path we have chosen, our fears fall from us.