THINKING

    When we turned our will and life over to the care of God, we chose the consecrated life. Our job now is to see the Presence of God everywhere, in everything and everyone and to express our understanding of spiritual principles to the best of our current ability, for we are always growing and learning, and to practice those principles in every aspect of our life. Simple but not easy, a price has to be paid and that price is the surrender of self. It is a simple equation; the more time we spend thinking about ourselves, the less comfortable we become, opening the door to restlessness, irritability and discontentment. Conversely, the more time we spend focusing on the Presence of God, practicing the principles we know to be true the more comfortable, at peace we become. Living a consecrated life is the true path of serenity.

CAUSE AND EFFECT

     Conditions in our life are the result of the crops (thoughts) we plant in our consciousness. If we plant pain, lack, unhappiness, negativity of any stripe, then we will grow more. Being a spiritual law, happily the converse is true as well; plant peace, joy, love and belief in abundance and these will be your harvest.

      If we desire happiness, we cannot walk around with a long face complaining, thinking and speaking negatively. When we engage in morbid reflection our thoughts work to convince us that sickness, trouble and failure are unavoidable. To be clear: We do not control the thoughts that float up into our consciousness; thought control is not about banning a thought, which is impossible, but taking right action when we become aware. Negative thinking is cunning, a wolf masquerading as a lamb, so just as the herder who tends their flock; as soon as we become aware of spiritually corrosive negative reflection and thinking we take action.

    Our course is clear, remembering that prayer is always the answer we place our trust in God and stay out of the results business. God does not punish with one hand and love with the other; He is always working in the positive for His children, His promises, our spiritual inheritance at hand, if we are willing and stand vigilant over the crops we tend in our consciousness.
    

LAY DOWN THE PICKAX

     Since childhood we have heard that hard work equals success. Yet I think we can all point to someone, perhaps that someone gazes back from your mirror, whom have worked long and very hard yet have little to show for it. I will leave the secular discussion for another day, spiritually hard work and struggling to succeed in prayer in meditation are impediments to growth. Successful prayer and meditation, which leads to successful demonstration, is quiet and gentle. To quote Emmet Fox, “Pray with a feather- not a pickax.” Though we may be filled with fear and trepidation, always pray in the manner you would like to be treated in, gently with kindness, patience, tolerance and love.

BEING REAL

    “Cheap optimism is never spiritual.” Never be satisfied or resign yourself to live with anything less than the full expression of God’s love in your life. When we practice the Presence of God everywhere in our lives, remarkable things happen, regardless of the secular condition of the world. Never settle for any condition in your life that expresses lack or limitation. Divine Life wants all to be happy, joyous and free. Be honest about your circumstances, the change comes when we wholeheartedly, without reservation, believe that God not only will but wants to provide for our needs.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

       Do you pray expecting to receive, or with trepidation? When we pray with doubt, believing secretly in our heart of hearts that God is too busy, we are insignificant or since our hands are not perfectly clean our prayers will not be answered, then we are praying with two minds, wanting our prayer answered but not believing it will be. Is it then any surprise we fail to demonstrate?

   None of us are perfect, no one is insignificant, and time is a human construct that has no bearing on God, He is never too busy for one of His children. We live in a state of grace, undeserved, His love unconditional. We place conditions on His love and availability out of our fear. Please do not misunderstand; fear is a powerful, relentless, pitiless foe. Consider: We are bombarded in a never-ending cacophony of doom and gloom. Economic disaster looms, sickness and disease ever lurking, wars and rumors of war abound, global climactic failure imminent, the end is nigh unless we act or even if we do! Is it really any wonder that fear is so hard to displace?

        Understand, this planet has been hit many times in its history with all manner of space debris, altering our home drastically, that 99% of the species that once lived have gone extinct; volcanoes have and will again erupt and explode. There will be earthquakes, economies have and will go up and down and you will die of something. Is worrying about these things going to change anything, improve our lives? No, our course is to take whatever precautions are warranted, act and live responsibly and leave the results to God.  Remember the serenity prayer? God’ grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

     Keep in mind, we live in eternity NOW, the flesh, even the stars finite, our consciousness, our soul, eternal.  Passing conditions are just that, passing. It is vital that we turn our consciousness, gently through prayer and meditation, away from the negative and to God’s love and guidance. In so doing, not only does our life improve, but the whole world as well, volcanoes, recessions/depressions, war, comet/asteroid strikes, extinctions, pandemics and global climatic changes placed in their proper perspective.

    So pray expecting God to act, for nothing so moves the universe as a heartfelt prayer, and place all your fears, great and small, in His hands.
    

WHEN-

When there is nowhere left to turn, turn around, for God is always there.

When in the grips of fear, pray with a feather.

When facing calamity, meet it with serenity, the serenity found only in His presence.

When in doubt, stop and ask for the right thought or action, in prayer of course.

When the solution feels out of reach, reach out in prayer and meditation.

When feeling put upon, put your hand out to those in need.

And

When all else fails, place the failure in His hands and watch a miracle unfold.

DOES GOD PLAY FAVORITES?

     Even though I was an agnostic with an “attitude” into my 30’s, I had always been a seeker, often looking in the wrong places however. One of the questions that always troubled me was the idea that God would suspend the laws He created to assist one but not another, that some form of pecking order or secret hierarchy existed. What I didn’t know at the time was I looked at the world through secular glasses, attempting to comprehend eternity relying on my finite, self-centered vision.

   “God is a God of love and rules by principle.” Because of His nature He cannot break divine law. “He cannot bring disease, or suffering, or lack.” Yet the world is seemingly buried in sickness, pain and shortage. How can this be? We are either all equally loved or none are since no one of us has a choice in birth or initial circumstances. God is and must be consistent. If not, then we would not live in a universe but a chaos. Would any loving Father throw one child to the wolves so another may prosper?

   No one amongst us can live in anothers skin; walk the steps on their path of enlightenment. Though we all travel together, are connected in Spirit, our path is as unique as our fingerprints. Our lessons of enlightenment take many forms, remember the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self, is pain.

    God does not, cannot play favorites. God wants each of us to be happy, joyous and free, He demonstrates His love through us, for us but He will not intercede if it stunts or hampers our spiritual awakening. The flesh is finite, our Spirit eternal. Seeing the world with a new pair of glasses it becomes abundantly clear that God can do anything but only within divine law and principle and that is a good thing.

BOUNDLESS BLESSINGS

   We lay  “claim” to things everyday, usually without a thought. Whenever we start a statement with “My”, we claim ownership. Having thought on this over the years, I think I am finally getting it. Although I may have a headache or a flair up of arthritis, do I really want to “own” them? No. I want them to go away. Nevertheless, when I refer to them as “My” I assert ownership. Today instead of commenting on or talking about the negative things in “My” life I take whatever secular action is indicated, aspirin, heating pad, ice pack etc followed by a short prayer thanking God for knowing Him better. Today I claim all the gifts and blessings that God has not only for me but for you as well. That all I desire in “My” life comes to you as well. Years ago I came upon this piece on blessings:

    A man found himself standing at the gates leading to heaven. He was upset and relieved at the same time. Upset that he passed but relieved that he was standing at heaven’s gate. Saint Peter greeted him and motioned for him to come forward. As he walked through the gates, he was struck speechless by the beauty and peace that greeted him. Saint Peter ushered him around showing him the wonders of heaven. Finally, they came upon a rather plain building, its plainness a stark contrast against the beauty of all the others. He turned to Saint Peter and asked, “What is that building?” Saint Peter replied, “All of Heaven is open to you but I strongly suggest that you leave that structure alone.” The man nodded, for who would question a Saint? Well of course, he could not get that one building out of his mind and after a time asked, “You said all of Heaven is open to me so if I wished to visit any building I can?” With a look of resignation, Saint Peter nodded for he knew what building the man was thinking of. As they walked, Saint Peter waited for the statement that always followed. Soon the man turned to him and said, “I would like to go back to the plain building.” With sadness and a pass of his hand Saint Peter deposited them on the doorstep of the building. “I would urge you again not to go in.” The man nodded but he would not be swayed. As the doors opened, the man was greeted with the sight of row upon row of shelves on which rested beautiful boxes each inscribed with a name. He turned to Saint Peter and asked if there was a box with his name on it. Saint Peter replied yes but again suggested they leave the building. Undeterred the man ran down the aisles until he found the box with his name on it. As he took it down from the shelf, there were tears in Saint Peter’s eyes. He couldn’t stop now though and removed the lid. As he looked in the box his heart fell for the box contained all the blessings that God had gifted him that had been left unclaimed. He then knew and they wept together.
 
   Claim all of God’s blessings for you today and if you don‘t know what they are, ask and He will show you.

OBSCURED FROM SIGHT

    Everyday somewhere a plane departs in the rain. The aircraft pulls away from the gate and takes its place in line for lift off. Soon the engines spool up, the brakes released the craft quickly gains speed, the passengers pushed back in their seats by the acceleration. The nose lifts and the cabin window is obscured in driving rain, then everything turns white as the plane enters the clouds. A few seconds pass and it happens, bright sunshine bursts into the cabin, momentarily blinding in its intensity. The rain, darkness and shadows replaced with brilliance. In truth the sunshine was always there, it was merely obscured for a time.

     When we find ourselves in the midst of difficulty this visual is good to remember. Though we may be standing in the shadow of difficulty, the sunshine of God’s love never ceases, the clouds merely an illusion created by fear. By raising our consciousness through prayer and meditation we demonstrate over fear, for in truth, regardless of conditions on the ground the sun is always shining behind the clouds.

TRIUMPH OVER FEAR

  “We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn’t do it. Avoid then the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence” (Alcoholics Anonymous pg 133).

     The only power that can hold us back, regardless of the challenge, is giving in to self-centered fear. Living on the Spiritual Basis does not mean that life’s challenges no longer exist or are any less painful in the moment, but instead of allowing ourselves to drift into sorrow and morbid reflection, we turn to Him who has all knowledge and power for strength and direction, demonstrating over fear. Circumstances in our lives are not spiritual impediments, just different paths of enlightenment. The truth will set you free: We are not this flesh. We are eternal spirit, existing in this form for only a moment, children of the Most High. Living on the Spiritual Basis affirms our connection to the infinite, puts all things in their proper place and perspective, triumphant over fear.

WHY?

   You are actively engaged in daily prayer, meditation and service, have given your will and life over to the care of a Power Greater Than Yourself, but some area or areas of your life are not improving and new troubles seem to keep appearing, why?

    We know that God is all-powerful, all knowledge and intelligence, the one true source of all abundance, immanent, yet our pleadings are seemingly falling on deaf ears, why?

   Through demonstration and adherence to spiritual principles our consciousness has risen, we have experienced the joy of standing in the light, seen the light begin to shine in others lives, yet we are struggling, why?

   Time is a curious thing. Einstein demonstrated that it is flexible, affected by both gravity and speed, relative to the observer’s point of reference. God is unaffected by our relationship with time, its affect on us. The passing of the seasons, the marking of birthdays are human constructs, our time line for marking our lives, not God’s.  

   When in emotional or physical pain or struggling with some difficulty, we want relief, answers now. The universe does not answer to our time line. Faith requires the willingness to trust the miraculous is working, unseen, to address the issues of our lives.   I am reminded again of the hen and her eggs. The miracle of creation is happening inside the eggs, the hen’s job to have faith and care for the eggs, trusting in the unseen to do the work, in its good time.

   So we answer the question of why by trusting in faith, trusting in the unseen. Remembering that this day is a single day in a very long existence, the spark of the Divine within eternal, having never been born, will never die, not limited by flesh, having always been and will always be, we strive to live beyond the present by being present in the moment for Our Father and our fellows. The past is written, the future the ink in the pen, in this moment the pen moves across the page, be present for the story of your life, stand firm in faith and in His time why evaporates.

Are you Living on the Spiritual Basis?

     You cannot have your indignation or live with “justified” anger and live on the spiritual basis, if you wish to comprehend serenity and know peace, you must choose your basis for living, secular or spiritual. There are many things in life where we can be lukewarm, wishy washy, kinda in and kinda out, take it or leave it. This is not one of them; it requires a wholehearted commitment on our part.

Living on the Spiritual Basis requires:

1) Turn your will and life over to the care and direction of a Power Greater Than Yourself, as you understand it.

2) Study and work to develop a clear understanding of what this Power is and isn‘t but at its minimum this power, God, must be loving, intelligent and available. Begin to clear away the debris from living on the secular basis; learning to value the welfare of others and the power of selfless service, of course, this is a lifetime endeavor.

 3) Give all power to your new friend God, in every sense, for every area of your existence is under His purview, nothing hidden, all secrets revealed.

4) Turn to God in prayer, holding fast to the belief that prayer can accomplish anything.

5) Destroy, with prayer, any negative thoughts as they surface, refusing to allow them purchase in your consciousness. No one does this perfectly, so do not berate yourself if a wolf in sheep’s clothing creeps in, just address it in prayer upon becoming aware.

6) Understanding “reaping and sowing.” That not only do our actions have consequences, habitual negative thinking does as well, what we focus on, we bring into our lives.

7) Practice the Presence of God, to the best of your current ability, in everything, in everyone, at all times, but especially in those you disagree with or dislike. To be clear: Seeing God in everyone and everything does not mean that we cannot or should not hold strong opinions or point of views, but instead of engaging in negative prattle and thinking we seek the higher ground that Living on the Spiritual Basis provides. For in truth, “there is a little bit of bad in the best of us and a little bit of good in the worst”, such is being human.

8) You book end your days in meditation. Starting each day asking to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindness and love, that your motives throughout the day be devoid of selfishness and self-seeking. Ending your day with a constructive meditation on that day’s event, refusing to allow morbid reflection to infect this time in spirit.

Like riding a bike, with practice, this way of life becomes second nature, its benefits becoming rapidly and readily evident.

PRAYER IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER

     I have not always prayed. Sure, there were those furtive pleas of “please let me pass this (math, English, history, etc) test”, “please stop the room from spinning” (if you have never said this prayer, I hope you never have too), “please, don’t let her be pregnant, I promise to use a condom from now on”, you know, the get me out of this and I promise to be good/change prayers.

    Prayer changed for me when I found myself facing a self-imposed crisis that I could no longer evade or avoid. With no place and no one left to turn to I was driven to my knees and said my first, of what has since become many, honest prayers: “God help me.”

   Did a light shine down or angels pick me up and carry me away in that moment? Perfect enlightenment and the solution to all my difficulties presented on a silver platter? Nope, but the soul crushing weight I was under did lessen enough so I could breathe.

   Many years have passed since that first honest prayer, and though far from perfect in prayer, I have watched prayer work miracles of healing in my life and countless others. Today I live in the absolute certainty of the Power of Prayer, when speaking to those unconvinced of prayers efficacy, I suggest that “If I could only show you the world through my eyes and experience, you too would be convinced, by demonstration, that Prayer Is Always The Answer.”

“Guilty with an explanation your Honor.”

     It is recommended to “pray with a feather” for prayer should never be hard work; it is our time to speak with God. When praying do not concern yourself with choosing the perfect word, phrasing or long explanations. The longer the explanation or “set up” the more obvious that a sell job is going on. Whom are you trying to sell, God or yourself? “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.

HUNDRED FORMS OF FEAR

     Everything is connected. The belief that a problem or difficulty exists in one place and must be brought to God’s attention is false. God is either everything or else He is nothing. Nothing exists in the physical world or our consciousness that God is not aware of, for He exists everywhere, in everything at all times. Consider:

     In 1918 Max Plank won the Nobel Prize for physics. In his acceptance speech, he stated in part, “All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.” By the turn of this century quantum physics had verified that which Max Plank could only postulate. Since this is the bedrock of all creation, is this “matrix of all matter” the mind of God since it comprises everything we see, touch and feel? Beats me. What I do know though, through practical application, is once we employ the presence of Divine healing where our difficulties truly lie (our consciousness); improvement follows. God was never absent or unaware; our perception was skewed by fear. In truth we do not/cannot seek a Power Greater Than Ourselves without; we must seek within, for it has always been there, veiled by a hundred forms of fear.

TREATING DIFFICULTIES

     A treatment is a prayer directed at a definite subject, something that is a pressing problem. Unlike general prayers that are a visit with God, a treatment is a surgical operation on the soul. A difficulty has arisen in our life; the reasons for its arrival are a distraction, like spending time wondering who sold the nail we stepped on when a tetanus shot is the action required. Treatment prayers focus on solution, not causality while general prayers typically are “checking” in with God, affirmations of our love, trust and faith. The essential difference is fear. Treatment in indicated when perhaps you or someone you care about has become ill, possibly it is financial difficulties or some relationship, personal or professional, has begun to or has turned sour.

A simple form of employing treatment in prayer is:

1) Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Begin with a general prayer (something significant and powerful for you).

2) Now take a few cleansing breaths and picture the difficulty in your minds eye. Next visualize the problem passing from your hands to God’s. If the difficulty is hard to visualize, then visualize the individual (including yourself) free of the difficulty, surrounded by God’s creative love and healing.

3) End the treatment with a closing prayer affirming God’s love, guidance, limitless power and knowledge. Thank him for the healing you believe will come and then:

4) Leave it be. Do not try to visualize how God will work or how the outcome will come to pass. This is outlining and always leads to trouble. Do not repeat the treatment out of fear. If something happens or changes in regards to the difficulty and it feels appropriate, treat again, but do not begin from fear. If fearful, first address the fear in prayer and when it has subsided, then repeat the treatment.

   Fear is not the difficulty being treated. Fear is what makes the difficulty seem overwhelming. Fear is the self-centered belief that God will not act, that somehow, someway we have traveled beyond the pale, so far from God that our prayers are not heard or worse rejected or ignored. Nonsense. No one, no matter what has transpired in his or her lives is separated from God. We build the walls; create the false sense of separation, not God.

    When we allow fear domination, we operate on our soul with a rusty scalpel and a shaking hand. God can and will solve all difficulties, if, though perhaps trembling, we stand firm in faith.

Do you pray for yourself?

     Some hold that it is selfish and wastes of time to pray for ones self, but how could it be? “Praying for ourselves is the reverse of selfishness-it is truly glorifying God” Emmet Fox.

     There is tremendous danger when we attempt to sort our prayers. When we attempt to gauge with our limited vision what is appropriate to bring into higher awareness with prayer we embark on a fool’s errand. God does not need or want us to play prayer gatekeeper. Our job is to come to God in prayer with anything on our mind or is troubling us. Additionally we do not waste time trying to construct the wording of our prayers to avoid perceived selfishness. Simply we speak from the heart, for when the heart speaks the heart listens. God knows our heart and the issues that flow from it, for He is closer than hands and feet, closer than breath. And that is most close indeed. A simple heart filled prayer delivered trembling can move mountains. “You must pray for yourself constantly. How could it be otherwise?”

BUMPER STICKERS AND CHICKENS

    The hen lays her eggs, and then keeps them warm and safe until they hatch. What would happen if half way through the process she decided to crack open the eggs to see how things were progressing? Chickens are not the sharpest tools in the shed, yet they understand their role in creation. The hen demonstrated faith in the process, knew if she did her job, the miracle of creation would follow. Living on the Spiritual Basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God, when faced with trouble or difficulty our job is to place them in God’s hands, then let go.


     I saw a bumper sticker long ago that summed it up nicely “Thanks, but I got this, I really don’t need your help. God.” Place your problems in His hands and let Him work. We can learn much from the hen and occasionally from bumper stickers.

WORKING IN THE GARDEN

    Now that we have been on the path of spiritual living for a time, what is our course when now faced with a serious problem or difficulty? Should we redouble our efforts, work harder?  Isn’t that usually one of the first thoughts to cross our mind in these times? That we will need to work hard on this, that it is going to require extra time and effort, spiritual toil to get to the other side? Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

    Living on the new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on God, we do not ignore secular answers or remedies, but we do immediately employ spiritual principles as soon as we become aware of the situation. As an old commercial intoned, “We answer to a higher authority” (everyone does actually, some just don‘t realize it, yet). Remembering change is the natural course of living, we quietly and resolutely turn to God when faced with trouble and place the trouble in His hands. Having taken whatever action the world requires, having prayed and meditated in due course we stop, we become quiet, the footwork is done, the results left to God. When we feel the “do something” urge begin to creep back into our consciousness we turn to God in prayer and ask if there is anything further that needs to be done, that He would have us do, for we are willing. If there is, we will have an intuitive thought, the action made clear.

    Our problems and difficulties require trust for resolution, not spiritual hard work. Living on the Spiritual Basis we trust infinite Creation rather than our finite self. “God can and will solve this problem”, remember there are no small or large difficulties, spiritually size is non-existent; when in pain and discomfort, the ultimate solution is always found through our reliance on a Power Greater Than Ourselves. Save the hard work for the garden.

FEELING A BIT SHEEPISH?

   Do you have to “find” time to pray and meditate? Really? What can possibly be more important than your time with the Miraculous? Now if you are praying and meditating regularly, are you doing it out of a sense of duty? Kinda like the dishes or the laundry? Secretly feeling relieved when done so you can get on with what you really want to do?

   Praying and meditating out of duty is better than no prayer or meditation, but misses the true nature of why we do it. Understand this truth: Prayer and meditation is not for God, it is for us, for God is prayer and meditation incarnate. When we pray by rote, reciting them as a parrot, we reap as the parrot reaps, though fed and cared for; we remain caged, caged in the bondage of self, a cage constructed by our hand.

    If your prayers have become stale, your meditations tedious take a break from what you have been doing. Simplify your prayers to the point of asking only to be shown His will this day. A prayer of “Please Father, guide my hands, my heart and my mind today, so that I may best serve you and my fellows, Amen” said earnestly carries more weight than a dozen memorized prayers recited impatiently.

    Concerning meditation, open any spiritual book that appeals to you and read a line or two, never more than a paragraph. Take a few cleansing breathes and then quietly consider what was just read. When your mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to the reading. When your mind starts to wander again, end the session and thank God for the time spent. There is possibly no more powerful prayer than “Thank you God”, said form the heart. Keep it simple.

    In time, your prayers will change as your consciousness rises and you will begin to look forward to your quiet meditative moments. Always remember: Do not struggle. This is not work, a chore, something to “get done” so you can do something seemingly more important, for there is nothing more important.

    So learn to pray with the lightness of a feather and meditate with joy, remembering you are not merely in the Presence of the Infinite, you are connected in Spirit, an integral part of all creation.

FATE?

      Fate, as a conscious power, is a convenient catch all for those confused or unwilling to do the work necessary to clear away the wreckage of living that accumulates when we chose to live the unexamined life. When we understand the law of reaping and sowing, fate is placed in its proper perspective.

    To be clear: Many things are attributed to fate that are in reality merely aspects of living and life. Someone always wins the lottery. It not fate; they just bought a ticket and a random number generator kicked out their numbers. The car crash happened because a variety of conditions came together. Thousands of cars crash every day all around the world, not fate, just a result of a lot of cars on the road. Everyone misses opportunities, drops the toast, zigged when they should have zagged. When facing life’s inevitable questions, challenges and seeming random occurrences, what defines us is the direction our thinking takes when faced with them, do we turn within or without?

     If you still believe fate is immanent, take a moment to investigate. Get a pen and a piece of paper. Say a quiet prayer to be shown God’s will for you and write down any aspect of your life or an incident you have attributed to fate. When finished read it through and ask for an intuitive thought. Employ some cleansing breaths, close your eyes and relax. Do not struggle or be insistent. Quietly review what you know about the Great Creative Life-Force. Usually an insight comes in the first session, but if not do this as part of your meditation period for a week. If nothing seems to have surfaced after a week, put it aside. In time you will have an “aha” moment, so do not struggle or be in a hurry. Also do not tell anyone (the only exception being if you have a close spiritual adviser) what you are about. Many in our lives, though well intentioned, will not understand and will in fact retard your demonstration.

DESTRUCTIVE THINKING

    What we dwell on defines the course of our thinking. When we dwell on thoughts of “my bad luck”, “I’ll never find a good job”, “the kids won’t…” “My (insert your favorite recurring pain or condition)”, “I hate…” or dwell on any thought concerning something we really don’t want in our lives, we open our consciousness and invite in exactly what we are trying to avoid! This is the Law of Unintended Consequences demonstrated. Being a law, the converse is true as well, when we dwell on thoughts of peace, kindness, love, and serenity, we attract these qualities into our lives.

    To be clear; jobs are lost and found, money comes and goes, our children will act up (probably not as bad as we did at their age), our health issues will increase as we age (and one of them will be the last one) what matters is how we address these thoughts when they surface in our consciousness, do we dwell on the low or seek the high? Do we seek God’s will or wallow in the negative? The choice is always ours.

     Dwelling on hate and its cousin resentment is 100 per cent effective in shutting us off from the sunlight of the spirit, their only purpose to produce more hate and resentment. Remember the analogy of one bad apple? Apples used to be placed in a barrel filled with liquid to preserve them through the winter. If a single apple in the barrel began to rot, the rest of the apples become tainted, inedible. Hate and resentment have the same effect on our consciousness, tainting every thing. Though we need to watch consistently for all negativity and limitation thinking, hate and resentment are particularly destructive.

BACON AVOCADO CHEESEBURGER

      We have decided to make a change in our lives. Perhaps it is quitting smoking. We throw away our smokes (or smoke them up) and announce we are now a non-smoker. What changed? If I just polished off a bacon avocado cheeseburger and then announce myself a vegetarian, am I? If I have a room full of exercise equipment or paid up gym membership does it mean I am physically fit? The question is demonstration versus intention. Our intentions may be noble, but nothing happens until we take action and follow through. The question is: what course of action should we follow to be successful.

    Change is a process; the new man is not born in a day. Wayne Dyer writes in The Power Of Intention: When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. Embrace this spiritual truth and think from the end. While still smoking, see yourself free of cigarettes, not as someone “trying” to quit. You have either quit or you haven’t, trying is destined to fail for who wants to “try” hard things like quitting smoking when there are easy things like smoking. If you are persistent, soon the smoke free “new man” (or woman) you have built in your consciousness will emerge and you will be free of cigarettes. You did not quit smoking; you simply outgrew it. Think of it this way: when children we did not know that the last time we played hide and seek or made mud pies or built a fort was the last time, it just was. We could have made more pies or forts or organized a round of hide and seek, but we didn’t and we didn’t think about it, it just happened naturally, part of growing up, without thought on our part.  

    If getting fit is the desire, do not start by making “deals” with yourself or picking a time or date to start. Instead, before the first sit-up or minute on the elliptical, start by seeing yourself exercising in your minds eye, visualize yourself exercising everyday; picture your body as it will look after exercise, do this every day, throughout the day. Soon the urge to exercise will become overwhelming, as long as you refrain from negative out picturing (if 50 you will never look 20 again) and defeatist thinking (how hard it will be, pain, etc).

     Train yourself to think from the end. Like any new activity, at first it will feel clumsy and unfamiliar. If you persist, it will become second nature, like riding a bike. Intention is the vision; you must provide the conditions within your consciousness for the ultimate success of your demonstration.

    Oh, bacon avocado cheeseburgers? Don’t be silly; they are the food of the Gods.

3 STEPS AND 30 DAYS

        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. 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 you would have written, but they will be exactly what you need, at precisely the moment needed, arriving typically without fanfare. You will intuitively know what to do and how to do it with the needed strength, if you 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.

12 Qualities of Sponsorship

 1.  I will not help you to stay and wallow in limbo.

 2.  I will help you to grow, to become more productive, by your definition.

 3.  I will help you become more autonomous, more loving of yourself, more excited, less sensitive, freer to become the authority for your own living.

 4. I cannot give you dreams or "fix you up" simply because I cannot.

 5.  I cannot give you growth, or grow for you. You must grow for yourself by facing reality, grim as it may be at times.

 6. I cannot take away your loneliness or your pain.

 7. I cannot sense your world for you, evaluate your goals for you, tell you what is best for your world; because you have your own world in which you must live.

 8. I cannot convince you of the necessity to make the vital decision of choosing the frightening uncertainty of growing over the safe misery of remaining static.

 9. I want to be with you and know you as a rich and growing friend; yet I cannot get close to you when you choose not to grow.

 10. When I begin to care for you out of pity or when I begin to lose faith in you, then I am inhibiting both for you and for me.

 11. You must know and understand my help is conditional. I will be with you and "hang in there" with you so long as I continue to get even the slightest hint that you are still trying to grow.

 12. If you can accept this, then perhaps we can help each other to become what God meant us to be, mature adults, leaving childishness forever to the little children of the world.  

Author Unknown

WHAT DO YOU DREAM ABOUT?

      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 fanaticizing 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.

TASTY CAKE

     Having been a spiritual adviser for most of my life, there is no more painful word to hear from a student then but. It matters little whether the student has been on the path 10 weeks; 10 months or 10 years this word is a nearly impenetrable barrier to progress.

    The new student listens and then when an opportunity to speak presents its self they begin their comment with yeah, but…

    The student who has been on the path for a time, faced with something uncomfortable attempts to make their case for avoidance of the required action with yeah but you don’t understand…

    Finally, those who have traveled the path for a significant period are attacked by but obliquely, in their quiet moments. Having persevered and done much work spiritually, they “believe” but doubt has crept in. They are attempting to come to terms with some seeming inconsistency and are looking for answers or some action to engage in for specific direct relief. One of the most difficult spiritual lessons to take to heart is when to stop. When you have consulted with those whose spiritual counsel you value, have taken all the secular steps indicated, have prayed and meditated on the difficulty or fear, the next indicated action is to be still.


   Consider the making of a cake. You have mixed all the right ingredients, in the correct proportions, placed them in a baking pan, the pan now placed in the oven to bake. While it bakes we leave the oven closed for opening the door repeatedly to see how things are progressing upsets the balance. The cake batter has its job, the oven its task and neither requires our assistance. Let God do His work, you have put together the ingredients for healing and placed them in His hands; give Him time to cook. Tasty cake and faith require patience, neither have buts in them. If truth is true, there are no buts.
  

SPIRITUAL FOOTBALLS

       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 with 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…

LIGHTING OUR FIRE

     When considering our relationship with God, one of the simplest and best-known metaphors defining that relationship is man is the spark from a great fire. If you touch a piece of kindling to a roaring blaze, it sparks to life. The spark has the same composition of the blaze and can be used to start a new blaze, if sufficient fuel is available. Unlike the blaze, a spark is extinguished easily if mishandled and will in fact soon burn out if new fuel is not added. Living on the Spiritual Basis is our kindling, daily prayer, meditation and service the fuel that keeps our fire burning. The good news is that if we have failed for any reason to keep our spiritual fire lit, the Great Fire, being eternal, inextinguishable, it is always available to relight our fire. The only requirement is we must provide the kindling.

LATE NIGHTS

       What is beyond God’s purview? Money? Healing? Peace of mind? Love? Serenity? Anything? There are many avenues of delivery but there is only one source, God. This truth has been made in a myriad of ways by Spiritual and religious teachers, but what if we set aside for a moment any religious or spiritual conceptions we may hold concerning “God”. In the last few decades science, particularly physics and quantum mechanics, has uncovered some interesting things. For instance, at the most basic levels of existence, the sub-atomic, particles with names like quarks, leptons and bosons demonstrate “intelligence” in the way they react. Now these particles, and others with even more interesting names, comprise all matter, from quasars to mayfly’s, grains of sand to super massive black holes, you and me. What if embodied in these particles, the observed “intelligence” was the mind of God? If that is the case, then God is not only everywhere but He is everything. That everything and everyone are extensions of Divine Mind, the Universal Creative Life Force. Sounds kinda spiritual. Just a thought, can’t prove it but it does keep me up at night, in a good way.

ACTIVE INACTIVITY

     Set aside some time each week to be disconnected from the world. Turn off the phones (all of them), put the computer in hibernate and turn off the monitor, no TV’s, radios, mp3 players, iPods or any other sound producing device left on. Turn around or cover any clock that may catch your eye. Now read a book, a real one, no electronic readers, play a game (nothing electronic), write (with pen and paper) or just sit quietly experiencing the peace of the moment. Depending on your circumstances, small children, roommates, uncooperative spouses etc you may only be able to do this for a short period, but make the effort. It is an exercise in active inactivity, disconnected from the secular world, a demonstration in willingness to walk the road less traveled, a simple affirmation in action of our true connection to the miraculous.

LAST HOUSE ON THE BLOCK

        When facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge in life, finding our back against the wall, all secular answers and escape routes tried or closed off, beset on all sides by fear and a perceived negative outcome, we become willing. From this nadir of spirit, the spark of faith bursts into life. In truth it was always there, buried beneath conventional thinking and secular beliefs. When faced with the insurmountable, having exhausted the conventional, we are left only with what was once unthinkable, the unseen power at the heart of everything and we begin to pray. Perhaps we have not prayed in years or ever prayed in a religious sense. Perhaps we believed ourselves to be agnostic or a conversational atheist effectively leaving the question of God simmering on a back burner, only to find life has turned up the heat and the pot is bubbling over.
     
      Though perhaps surrounded by people mouthing the usual platitudes, we feel alone, lost, trapped, the walls closing in, no apparent way out. So we begin to pray. We make sure we are alone, unseen. We may even feel guilty, a hypocrite for all those times we disparaged those “holy rollers”, for having felt superior to those weak willed church goers, having gleefully engaged in schadenfreude when a religious figure fell from favor. Having found ourselves at the court of last resort, bereft of any more “good” ideas or plans, we pray.
     From this moment of trepidation, one book closes and a new one opens. We quickly find that the universe does not make too hard terms for those who earnestly seek. That God will make himself known to us, if we ask. The Great Carpenter taught that upon this mustard seeds worth of belief, a deeply rooted strong spiritual life could be grown. Our job to remain open minded, honest and willing to learn.

    Having stepped on to this path, does it mean our prayers are answered in the manner we outline? Doubtful. All prayers are answered in the positive, but our vision is limited while God’s is not. Spiritual hindsight has shown that many of the things I prayed for, had they been delivered as I ordered them, would have caused more trouble and problems down the road. A prayer will never cause pain or unintended consequences, so it is not that the universe says no, but it will not say yes to anything that may cause harm, intended or not. Additionally should we rush out and join a church or proclaim ourselves members of a religion? Only if in your heart of hearts you are moved to do so and your motives are right in so doing.

     There are many questions about life and living that are beyond our ability to comprehend, God will Deliver, if asked, for our birthright is to be Happy, Joyous and Free.

CONTRARY ACTION

    The spiritual principle of reaping and sowing is universal. Every spiritual path teaches this lesson, those past and present, using everything from straightforward prose to arcane parables. Our thoughts, words and actions are the crop we plant and to prosper must be watered with love, patience, kindness and willingness. Regardless of the individual crimes or offenses committed, it is our garden of life we work in, not the other mans. Here is a specific instance to reflect on: Bernie Madoff stole billions of dollars. Many of those he stole from were wiped out, having gone to bed one evening thinking they were comfortably invested, their future financial needs well met only to awaken to the horror of a lifetimes worth of saving gone, their future cast into doubt with little recourse to recoup their loses. Feelings of fear, anger, confusion and retribution are all natural responses, but what is the road less traveled, the spiritual path? Does walking out into my garden, kicking at my plants, cursing the ground they are planted in, denying them water and nourishment have any affect on Bernie Madoff, the object of derision? Losing our peace of mind, our serenity, cutting ourselves off from the true source, citing “justified” anger and resentment as our passport, punishes the transgressor how? The only garden we will ever work in is our own. Nothing stunts our personal growth or builds a wall blocking us from freedom from the bondage of self, than an insistence that Grace must or even can be earned or the possibility that anyone is beyond God’s forgiveness. Does this mean we should blithely regard those who commit crimes, harm others? Of course not, but we cannot get angry enough to bring peace. No amount of condemnation ever restores serenity. Seeking revenge will never lead us out of the soul shattering darkness of resentment and condemnation.

     So what is the spiritual course? Simply, prayer and meditation: we pray for the accused, the transgressor, for God to do for them what they cannot do for themselves and then meditate on pity. Pity for they will reap as they have sown, all books are balanced in the end, for good and ill, the justice those unrepentant ultimately receive far greater than any secular court can hand down. Pray for the aggrieved, the transgressed, for God to do for them what they cannot do for themselves and then meditate on forgiveness. If we are the aggrieved or the aggrieved are close to us, make the prayer specific, personal. To be clear: Forgiveness does not mean we forget the transgression or wish to ameliorate the punishment the accused brought upon themselves by their actions, we leave them to their demonstration, to tend their own garden just as we can only tend ours, we invoke in prayer God’s love and guidance for them and ourselves while refusing to engage in resentment and condemnation.

    Do not combine these sessions. Allow for a small passage of time to elapse, a few moments are sufficient. Let each stand-alone, a clear demonstration, we do this so our consciousness does not get muddled by conflicting purpose. Finish each session with a prayer of solicitation, asking for the strength and willingness to accomplish whatever God would have us do to be of service to those suffering as well as those who committed the act, for above all we desire freedom from the bondage of self, our garden lush and vibrant. If the necessity for this closing prayer is unclear, please read again from the beginning. Peace.

“I have the right to be angry!”

       Justified anger. 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 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 a 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 the right to be angry” crosses your mind ask yourself this: Who gave you this right? Bottoms up.

K.I.R.K.I.S

      We are constantly building up or tearing down our mental structure by the things we ingest. Books, magazines and newspapers read, conversations of all stripes. Then there is the almost unconscious ingestion via the television. Sports, news, talk shows, sitcoms, dramas, movies, history and learning, “reality” shows (I always wonder whose “reality” these programs are based on) and of course, infomercials and commercials.
     
     All inputs affect, color our thinking and worldview. We choose the type of structure, materials and practices that compose and build our consciousness, usually without much thought or discernment on our part. Consider: would you knowingly use defective building materials or stand for shoddy workmanship in your home? Haphazard repairs done to your vehicle or place your life in the hands of a cut-rate doctor? Our consciousness or soul if you prefer, is more precious than any home or vehicle repair or even bodily health, for just as the structure we live, the car we drive our body is a temporary construct, while our consciousness is eternal.

     Beginning today, take a moment and consider your mental diet, however do not rush off willy-nilly making changes or taking vows, we have done this before when “deciding” to lose weight, eat better or begin an exercise regimen and although our motives were sound, we placed unrealistic expectations on ourselves virtually guaranteeing failure. As your awareness grows, quietly and gently in prayer and meditation ask to be shown what changes and action should be taken, asking God for guidance and the needed power to carry them out. Keep It Real Keep It Simple.

SERENITY THIEVES

      “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. So we tremble and attempt to hide, all the while depression is slowly squeezing the life out of us, freezing us in inaction. Fear is a liar, but is an implacable foe, an adversary beyond our ability to defeat alone. It never sleeps, is always vigilant, waiting, cunning, baffling and powerful and though we may rally and occasionally win a battle, the out come of the war is never in doubt when relying only upon our limited resources.

     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 and with hope, but dark and hopeless, stealing the moments of peace and serenity that is ours by birthright.

     Living on the Spiritual Basis we rely the Creative Life Force at the heart of everything for our strength. In so doing we face fear with faith, enabling 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. 

 

SUPERPOWERS

      If you could receive three gifts, what would they be? Riches? A perfect body unaffected by any food consumed or lack of exercise? Your children healthy and prospering? Mosquitoes extinct? Probably we have all dreamed of what we would ask for if Aladdin’s lamp came into our possession. How about the ability to fly? To make all politicians and car salesmen tell the truth? Now that would be scary. Along with flying, there are a whole myriad of superpowers that would be pretty cool. Strength, telepathy, breathing in water, invisibility, etc, all make for an interesting thought experiment. In considering this, if I could have a super power, it would be the power to instill common sense. I would walk through crowds brushing against people, striking them down with common sense, and just like the popular end of the world virus scenarios once infected every person they touched would become infected as well (insert diabolical laughter here). Soon the entire world would be infected and there would be nothing that could be done to stop it, common sense would rule!! (More diabolical laughter here).

    Diabolical laughter aside, if common sense was, well common, consider how the world would be transformed. No one would talk or text, apply makeup, read the newspaper, shave or any of the other thousand things some folks do while piloting a roadway missile.  Politicians and leaders would actually be concerned about those they serve, working for something other than their legacy, their bank account or cushy lobbyist job upon leaving office. I may be naïve, but I believe that common sense would resolve conflicts in a twinkling, all parties working toward the welfare of all involved. Terrorists, once infected, would slap their foreheads saying, “What was I thinking?” and then do something constructive with their lives. Admit it, wouldn’t you love to be watching TV when some self obsessed personality or politician became infected on air? Professional athletes salaries would become commensurate to the reality that they play games for a living, while frontline teachers pay would reflect the importance of the role they play. Reality TV and infomercials would cease to exist over night. No pollution or litter, for no one with a lick of common sense would poison his or her environment or throw trash on the ground. Kinda gives one pause to wonder doesn’t it.

     I know, Common Sense Man does not have the same panache as Wolverine, Batman, Daredevil, Superman or Ironman but in the real world, clear thinking is of much greater value than Admantium retractable claws. My other two wishes? Common sense dictates I keep some things to myself. Excelsior!

NOW BE HERE, BE HERE NOW

        Ever wonder where the phrase One Day At A Time came from? Alcoholics Anonymous? Nope, they just popularized it. Emmet Fox was the originator: "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 woman who lives one day at a time. You'll be surprised how rapidly conditions will change for the better when you approach this ideal." When you marry one thing of at a time with one day at a time, you have a simple yet powerful guide for living, Living on the Spiritual Basis. The only time we can be present for God, the only time we can stand in the presence of God, the only time God can be present in our lives, is in the present moment. He was there yesterday and I trust He will be there tomorrow, such is faith, but our work is done right here, right now. Keep your head where your hands are, your eyes fixed on God; your heart in His care and nothing can ever truly harm you. Oh, and you will not find the phrase One Day At A Time anywhere in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. Cheers!

ELOQUENCE IN ACTION

       Coffee shop theorists, cable TV “experts”, politicians, barroom philosophers and chat room world leaders. Many believe that change and growth can come through discourse alone. That sounding off and speaking out actually accomplishes anything. Today, just as yesterday and the day before ad infinitum, impassioned speeches will be made from the bedraggled fellow in Hyde Park speaker’s corner to the United Nations. None of them will be remembered next week, or even tomorrow in most cases. There has always been, and will always be vibrant speakers. Eloquent and moving in the moment, their words perhaps even bridging time, to touch future generations. However, did their words result in or engender action? Consider: If Churchill had not demonstrated resolve along with his eloquence, would Britain have persevered against seemingly insurmountable odds? When FDR spoke on Dec. 8th 1941, he called for action. What would the world look like today if he had failed to follow through? John Kennedy did not suggest that maybe we should go to the moon; he said we would in the next ten years and put into motion the foundation to accomplish it. Mother Teresa did not merely speak about love and service, but demonstrated it by living and prospering in conditions that few reading this can truly comprehend.

      These individuals were dynamic. Yes, they spoke well, but what made them dynamic was making their words real, turning eloquence into action. Even if you and I never reach the levels of power or renown of these dynamic individuals, being dynamic is part and parcel of Living on the Spiritual Basis. Faith without works is dead, sweet words and promises mean nothing, actually becoming destructive, if the appropriate action does not follow. None of us walks the way we talk all of the time, but it is a goal worth shooting for. Strive to be dynamic; one day at a time, a speech demonstrated with ones hands and feet always carries more weight, and lasting permanent value, than words alone.

WET CEMENT

       Tidal flows in our spiritual unfolding are disconcerting. Things are going well, we feel connected, in Source, not a cloud on the horizon and then seemingly out of nowhere we begin to feel disconnected, out of sorts, edgy, stuck. Most buildings rest on a concrete foundation. It would be a foolish builder indeed who attempts to build on wet cement. They wait for the concrete to “cure”, to become strong enough to support the new construction to come. Just as the builder cannot begin construction on the next floor until the underlying construction is sufficiently sound, the same holds for our spiritual growth. Our conscious is a multi-story, endlessly leveled construct. Just as in a modern skyscraper, it is built one floor at a time. If we attempt to move too fast spiritually, the underpinnings of our new and expanding consciousness will not have had sufficient time to “cure”, to be fully digested and integrated. The result could lead to a complete collapse of our peace and serenity, a crisis of faith realized.

      The construction of our spiritual awakening is a never-ending process, a structure of infinite wonder. In those inevitable times of seeming no growth, perceived lack of progress, take heart. Soon the current level of work will become fixed, ready to be built on and new progress will become evident. Rushing leads only to setbacks at best and collapse at worst. Work steadily and consistently, allow the process to happen naturally and never forget the chief architect and building inspector are one in the same.

WIND AT OUR BACK

     Walking the way we talk. When we espouse one thing but act in a contrary manner not only does it make us look untrustworthy but also opens the door to all manner of spiritual disease and a seeming disconnect from reality. Wishing to be happy but seeding unhappiness, wanting to be loved but unwilling to demonstrate love, demanding respect while being disrespectful, holding truth and fairness as essential while speaking falsely and treating others unfairly are all examples of spiritual disease. These are gross examples, easily identifiable and addressed if the individual wishes to change in truth and if they do not, we see them for what they are and turn in prayer to assist them.

      Then there are the more subtle forms; condescension and self-aggrandizement couched in seemingly well-intended asides, comments and actions. One of which, which I found particularly painful since I had used it often is “But for the grace of God go I.” The phrase always made me a little uneasy, though for years I could not suss out why, when the truth finally hit I became physically ill and upset. Consider the full import of the phrase: does this mean there are those beyond God’s grace? Really? That some are “chosen” in some way, greater in God‘s sight than another? How is that possible? I wrestled with this, looking for a loophole to crawl through, but they all ended in the same place, condescension and that ever subtle “better than” sense.

      Wayne Dyer suggests we “think from the end.” He had yet to put the concept in print when I applied it to the above, but that is the essence of what happened. I am grateful today for having my eyes opened, not so much at the time.

      We must stay aware; never be afraid of questioning or re-examining even long held beliefs or positions. The truth will set you free is true whether we have been on the path a few months or most of our lives. When we first embark, in truth, on the path of Living on the Spiritual Basis we are confronted with large easily recognizable defects and shortcomings. As time flows by the impediments to spiritual growth become smaller, less pronounced, often obscured with a layer of misunderstanding masquerading as truth, which require a greater, deeper vision to see. The natural response is to work harder, dig deeper and faster to ferret these things out. The problem is our vision is not sufficiently refined to recognize them; so contrary action is called for.

       So we relax, take it easy. Hard work in this area only makes the work harder. Continue to pray and meditate daily, asking to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindness and love. In natural course, the hidden shoals will become visible and can be addressed spiritually. To be clear: we do not work on them; Divine Consciousness makes them visible and when we are ready, removes them. Our part is to remain willing, willing to go to any lengths to be spiritually aware. Today we find ourselves with the wind at our back most of the time, but if for some reason you discover you are facing the wrong way, trust in Divine Mind to change your direction back; lesson learned, to the true path.

GREMLINS

        Chances are you would not be reading this unless you have an affinity for spiritual writing and teachers. How many “spiritual” books are on your bookshelf, by how many different authors? Perhaps Chopra, Fox, Dyer, Gibran, maybe Schuler, Wilkerson, Grizone and Warren are a few of them? Then there are the heavy hitters, The Bible, Vedas, Torah, Bhagavad-Gita, Koran or the Book of Mormon. Let me apologize for leaving out any preferred authors or personal heavy hitters. Now this is going to be hard for some of you, so take a deep breath, perhaps get a glass of water before reading on. OK, ready: Reading spiritual books does nothing for our spiritual condition, any more than reading about diets results in weight loss. Sure, we know more about weight loss, perhaps more about nutrition, have read testimony from those who lost weight and have become inspired to take action. Now, in truth, we may be informed and inspired but nothing happens until we take action. Knowing when to stop seeking and start doing can be a difficult and often fearful transition.

     When I wore a younger man’s clothes and was far more impressed with myself, I would look at my bookshelves loaded down with spiritual tomes with self-important satisfaction. Believing knowledge equaled demonstration, I had convinced myself that I not just talked the talk, but walked the walk. I could not have been more wrong. When the truth finally hit, it was devastating. I had a head full of knowledge but had put precious little of the “great truths” I would expound on into action, and what I had put into action was inconsistent and haphazard at best. I was the antithesis of spiritual truth, talking the talk but not walking the walk.

    Today I “keep it simple.” Instead of looking for a new book or author, I regularly re-read a small group of books. It seems that having read these books and then put them down for a time, “gremlins” sneak in and add/change the text before the next reading! Some of these books I have read for decades, all of them numerous times and those darn gremlins never fail to do their work. Instead of looking for a new book or author, pick up a book that deeply touched you, it is right there on the shelf, and read it with the new pair of “glasses” your living experience has provided you, and say hello to the gremlins.

LIMITATION

      Teachers of spiritual principles and living agree on this point: freedom comes when limitation is overcome. On the surface the differences in approach from one teaching to another can often seem dramatic if not downright contradictory, but in essence they are all tools to address the same thing, our perceived loss/missing connection to the eternal divine mind, the Source of everything. To be clear: We are not/cannot be disconnected from Source, for we are comprised of Source. Flesh is ephemeral, but our spirit, soul if you prefer, is eternal, has always been, will always be, was never born and will never die. We choose to believe in a gulf or lack of connection out of fear and the seeming unfairness of life. Our ability to comprehend the totality of existence with our limited understanding of the miraculous leads us down the paths of denial and often into spiritual make believe. It is seemingly easier to hold that we are living at the whim of creation or conversely chaos, therefore taking no responsibility for our lives, than to live in purpose, coming to grips with the truth that we are where we are because of every choice and decision we have ever made. Fear modulating from what if there is no God to God will punish me for I have chosen and acted poorly.

      In truth, to borrow from A Course in Miracles: If you knew who walked beside you everyday, on this path you have chosen, you would never be afraid again. Living to His Glory is really living to ours for we are children of God, and just as every child is connected to their parent by blood, we are connected to Our Father in Spirit.

      Redouble your efforts today to free yourself from self-imposed fetters on your spiritual life, strip away the self-conscious fear of standing in the light, the fear of exposure, of what others will think, and step out in faith. Living any other way is existence restricted, fear rather than faith dominate, living in the light desired but giving in to the carnal, always beckoning shadows of limitation. We overcome limitation by standing, though often trembling, in the light, proclaiming our love and steadfast belief in Our Father.

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 that you now know it better, take a cleansing breath and go about your day. Again, do not tell 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 would be like standing blindfolded before Michelangelo’s David while a friend tries to describe it. The first time you transition it will scare the bejesus out of you. This is natural, for the transition is dipping down into the subconscious and touching our connection to 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, more than one) in a waking trance. 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, but there are other methods of meditation, considering the personal payoff meditation provides, what are you waiting for? See you on the other side.

THE ART OF MEDITATION

       Meditation is a topic that seems to cause much unnecessary grief and consternation. Many hold to the false belief that meditation is quieting the mind. Well, the mind will not be quieted! Our mind is like the shark that must always move forward, in motion, in order to live. Consider, right now your mind is regulating all of the various systems and organs in your body, making thousands of silent decisions about hormone levels, blood pressure, heart beat, breathing, digestion etc. All of this taking place without any conscious thought on our part. Therefore, to be clear, this side of the veil the mind is never quiet.

      When a new student first begins meditating, they typically have a picture in their minds eye based on an actor’s portrayal. Even documentaries usually get it wrong because those typically explaining the process have little or no personal experience with meditation. So, let us begin at a simpler level. First, lay aside your conceptions of what meditation is or is not. Meditation is a tool and there is more than one tool in the bag. Follows are some simple methods of meditation.

Reflective Meditation: Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for 15 minutes or so. Avoid if at all possible telling anyone what you are doing. Pick up any spiritual tome that appeals to you and read a few lines, never more than two paragraphs. Take three cleansing breaths: breathe in gently through the nose and then gently exhale through the mouth. Now, with eyes closed, reflect on what you just read in your minds eye. Consider every word along with the over all import of the passage. Do this for 15 minutes or so. When done perform another cleansing breath, thank the Source (God) for time spent and go about your day. If in the course of the meditation your mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to what you read. If it wanders again, take a cleansing breath, thank the Source (God) for time spent and go about your day. Note: Do not struggle or condemn yourself in any way if you are unable to go 15 minutes in the beginning. No marathon runner started out running marathons. Do not set a timer, wear a watch or have a clock in your field of vision. In time, this will not matter but when first starting out it is a distraction. Your body has a wonderful clock in it; allow it to do its job. Do be consistent. Spiritual exercise is the same as physical; we only reap the benefits if we are consistent.

The purpose: to give the conscious mind a break from the cacophony of thoughts and the information deluge we are subjected to daily. In time, a short time, you will begin to look forward to these quiet times (not quiet mind). You will begin to feel renewed and refreshed after these short sessions, your mind and thoughts more ordered, less energy expended needlessly.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

LIVING IN PURPOSE

        In court people take the stand to give testimony, to witness for either the defense or prosecution in criminal and civil cases. In the past individuals would place their hand on the Bible and swear, “To tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help them God.” Although it is up to the discretion of the judge, this has not been the norm for many years. Curiously, elected officials still almost universally take their oath of office on the Bible, but I digress. Courtroom testimony aside, though the spiritual consequences and responsibilities for truth telling are high, what of our spiritual testimony? You are testifying everyday, in every moment, for our actions give testimony to our spiritual condition. Unlike those who, even after swearing to tell the truth in a court of law, lie, our actions always demonstrate ones truth of being, eventually. Some are able to produce a false front for a long time, Bernie Madoff comes to mind, but the truth always wins out since it is impossible to hide from our own truth.

      We are always testifying, demonstrating our spiritual condition. If your life were in the docket, what would your testimony look like? Do you walk the way you talk? Are trying to enjoy a reputation you know in your heart you do not deserve? Do you stand in faith or are you short selling your belief in the Miraculous out of fear of what others may think, fearless in the closet but full of fear in the light? God does not keep score. He does not convene the court of our life, we do. Everything you have ever done, seen or said, every experience is written on your heart, in your hand, God does not need to keep track, we do. Difficulty arises when we act contrary to what we believe out of  fear of exposure and/or ridicule. To be truly free, consistency in belief and action is paramount. Today in meditation, ask to be given the strength to continue/start living in the light, living in purpose, Living on the Spiritual Basis.

WALKING IN GRACE

        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 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 I cannot get sad enough to help the suffering. I cannot get sick enough to help the dying. I cannot get poor enough to help those who lack. I 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 (demonstrate faith) that on the day of our translation into eternity 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 results 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.