LIVING THE GIFT OF REALIZATION

One of the hardest things for me to accept is that I am God conscious. It's been some time now since I was given the gift of realization that the Father and I are one. Yet every time I read something that I interpret as suggesting we're all a pack of slackers and we should do more each day to realize God consciousness, I feel guilty that I'm such a drag-foot.

I've read Joel Goldsmith's "Heart of Mysticism" more than once, and I'm right now reading it again. Every time I read, "I ask that each student dedicate one meditation period each day to the specific realization of the Christ," I start with the race-race, run-run mind of I shoulda, woulda, coulda, but....

I am grateful that I am given the reminder that I need to reinforce my gift of realization on a daily basis. No doubt, that's why I feel so guilty...this one will never be 100 percent God conscious 100 percent of the time for that is perfection. I aim for progress, and I'm as good as I ought to be...being me, and I thank You for the reminder.

GIVING GOD A GIGGLE

My friend is trying to save his marriage...he and his wife are going to couples counseling, he is going to a relationship counselor, has joined a boatload of prayer groups and meditation circles, does Zen mental exercises hourly, brings little giftees home to his wife daily...and those are just the things his friends know of. Self-determined objectives, every one. Each one has a hook, an effect that he wants.

Quite simply, he is going to God for the self-determined objective of having his marriage the way he wants his marriage to be, i.e., comfortable for him, without hassle to him. But it's too selfish sounding to let that be alive in his own mind, so he thinks of it as for his wife, for the sanctity of their marriage.

To outside eyes those look like the logs that are being laid as the foundation for the break-up, the divorce. They are the conscience-clearer, the "I tried my best," "I did all I could do,"  the "NOT MY FAULT."

None of the things he is doing is bad...each one is a good thing, in fact. IF he were doing them to be a better husband, to be a more loving person, to show forth God simply to show forth God. Not to get, but to give...to release self for the benefit of another.

All of this came to me this morning in meditation when I found myself trying to think of the best way to let a friend know she is wrong and I am right. A spiritual way, don't you know. Unselfish. Loving. For her own good.

Apparently I'm still believing that it is my job to give God a giggle ever so often.

Thank You.

ON THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS

[The following is a reprint of a blog of mine of November 30, 2008.]

I love the prayer of St Francis, and I still tend to believe everybody does…so, I’m usually left with my mouth agape when someone says s/he doesn’t particularly care for it.

Then I recall when I first heard it…back when I knew it all, back when black humor was my favorite thing. I remember on hearing it, I said, “There’s the man I want to marry…and we can both work on putting me first.”

It occurs to me that X% of those who hear it do not like it; X% may like it but only because it sounds noble, like something God would approve of; X% who pray it get off their knees never for a minute believing it is now theirs by doing; X% who believe it is theirs, consistently fail, so stop either the praying or the believing; X% continue trying, never understanding that it is already being done through them by the Spirit within…that the minute they make it a self-determined objective, it is an ego happening, inviting the feeling of failure yet again.

The Father within doeth the works…really.

Thank You.

GO TO GOD FOR GOD...THAT IS ALL

All of us are so liable to human error that unless we have some capacity to bear with the errors of others, we will not be able to maintain a lasting relationship with anybody.... - "Words to Live By," Eknath Easwaran, November 2.

I read recently that we need to imagine all the people around us, especially the irritating people, as mini Buddhas which will pull us back from judging so harshly. I picture all those irritating people as mini mes...then I have a vested interest in understanding them, in putting their interests first...the vested interest being me, of course.

Again I remind myself that it is not the person irritating me who needs to change, nor is it fundamentally me. It is my willingness to detach from my own opinions, from my own perceptions, to divorce myself from my own wants that I need to cultivate.  Thinking about which of my defects I need to change...asking God to change for me...is just going down that wrong road again, and calling it spiritual work.

Go to God for God. That is all. God knows my questions and how to answer them in the best possible way for me, personally. Go to God for God, and let my answers be revealed...the questions are irrelevant.

Thank You.

I AM OPEN

For this day, I am grateful that I am open to God and grace and growth.

Thank You.

GOD KNOWS THE PERFECT PATH

BFO: Seek the Cause, not the effect.

The peace that passes understanding can only come when we quit seeking the effect of peace and await our awakening to the cause of peace, God. Our awakening cannot come through the intellect.

Peace does not necessarily mean happiness. I was not happy about being given the care of the IRS, but I was at peace with it from the git-go. If I could have passed on it, however, I surely would have...and would have missed the greatest gift.

I believe it was my being at peace that upgraded my attitude to gratitude and opened me to the spiritual gifts that taking care of the IRS gave me...one of which was freedom from fear of financial insecurity which freedom is with me now, nearly 30 years later.

God does know the perfect path for me...my job is to not try to second guess It.

Thank You.

OUR OWN RETURNS TO US...REPEATEDLY

There are two people in my life who are giving me pause. It's like befriending a porcupine who is always on high alert...quills extended. I don't always feel like I must walk on eggshells with them, it's that I never know when I should have walked on eggshells. One explodes, the other implodes...and I split.

This happens once a year at most, so it's no biggie...except when it is. And it is today. So my old mind is setting 'em straight...drilling 'em on their spiritual growth. And I'm reading my "God Calling," this morning. There, in my handwriting, dated 1988, is my note to me: "I cannot take a joke...poor sport." Which, may I say, are my exact "setting 'em straight" words in my head to the two.

Cracked me up. Once again, I am reminded: "If you can spot it, you got it" does not apply to others only.

Thank You.