Peace, Poise And Serenity Personified

There is probably no greater hindrance to our continued spiritual growth than the fear of exposure. Having been consistent and faithful in our spiritual work and demonstration, having confronted that which has blocked us off from the Sunlight of the Spirit; having stood up and owned our shortcomings and defects of character, having apologized to those harmed and, with God’s help, steadfastly begun to amend our behavior we have truly begun growing in understanding and usefulness. Prayer and meditation coupled with ongoing personal daily inventory have placed us in the unique position of carrying the Good News to those who suffer and seek. Service work has become a way of life; we have reaped the promise of a conscious contact with the miraculous. Friends, family even casual acquaintances have begun to see and comment on the positive changes in us. Then a remarkable thing happens, when asked about the new way of living we retreat into self. Instead of shouting the good news, we act like an embarrassed child looking down at our shuffling feet mumbling quietly “It’s nothing.”
 
Having persevered with the soul searing process of uncovering and then addressing the causes and conditions that blocked us from a personal relationship with Source, having arrived at the final step, we balk. Fear has seeped in and it becomes seemingly “easier” to backtrack, to dissemble, to rehash or even redo work already completed than to stand in the light, exposed. Why? Because  when you raise your head above the crowd, you make yourself a target for others. Take heart, every pilgrim of the path has experienced this.  Fear is an implacable foe, it never rests and is always seeking avenues to attack and control us. Break through this final barrier and stand as a child of Wonder, unafraid of the inevitable slings and arrows cast your way. When struck, and you will be, thank God for knowing Him better and pray for those casting the aspersions “for they know not what they do.” In this way, we break free of the final fetters of the adversary Fear and place ourselves finally and completely in God’s hands, ready to serve in any manner He would have us, becoming Peace, poise and Serenity personified.

© 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, Healing Path

 

Repentance And Morbid Reflection

The word repentance has a definite religious feel to it. Perhaps I have watched too many old movies but I can’t help but see in my minds eye a preacher screaming at their congregation to REPENT or else. Living on the Spiritual Basis what does it mean to repent? First a definition:

Repent:
1. be sorry: to recognize the wrong in something you have done and be sorry about it
2. religion change ways: to feel regret about a sin or past actions and change your ways or habits (Encarta)

OK, to feel sorry about something done or said and to change our ways, it is simple to feel sorry, but not easy to truly change. Living on the new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on A Power Greater Than Ourselves requires action. A simple acceptance of past mistakes with a mumbled “sorry” won’t fit the bill at all. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires work on our part. One of the traps those new to the spiritual basis of living fall into is to continually rehash old hurts and mistakes which only serves to reinvigorate them, fill them with new life. To be clear: We do not shut the door on the past or wish to deny it, but we do not under any pretense engage in morbid reflection. To do so takes us out of the moment and pulls us into remorse and negative self-reflection, the bondage of self. Our past is a great tool, often the best, for helping those new to the process to progress but we can be of little use if we are wallowing in self-pity or pointless remorse. On our own we are powerless to effect any real lasting change at our core, by relying on a Power Greater Than Ourselves real change is effected, the past put in proper perspective and its power over us removed and we are Free.

© 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, Healing Path

Sacred Cow Zombies

Having life in the spiritual sense is different from just being alive. Even mythical zombies have a form of life, limited as it may be. The movies and TV are replete with depictions of physical zombies, but what of the spiritual zombies we meet daily in our lives? They are easily identified by their clenched jaw when disagreed with, the blank stare when forced to hear an opposing point of view, their aura from years of contempt and blanket condescension of others unmistakable. This state is arrived at when someone closes their mind to any new information, refusing out of stubbornness (actually fear) to recognize a different point of view or even entertain the possibility that they may be mistaken, having closed their minds to any new experience they embrace the twin sacred cows of arrogance and contempt.

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to examination.” William Poole

 

The good news is once they open their heart and mind to fresh winds spiritual life returns. To be clear: Having an open mind and willingness to examine other points of view does not necessarily mean we are wrong or need to change our thinking or position, just that the door remains open, willingness in action. We stay young at heart by a willingness to investigate everything that interests us; by remaining open minded and willing to learn we open ourselves to the sunlight of the Spirit. In this light we find our true connection with the eternal, and we will know peace and truly comprehend serenity.

© 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, Healing Path