Death is not when we are left alone...death is when we rejoin the mix.-- Morning blinding flash of the obvious
Just as at birth, at death we all have a single-entry/exit. We may die in a 300-passenger plane crash, but we each leave by our own exit door. As we pass through, we are rejoined with All, that is to say with Love, and that is to say with God from whence we came.
It is that single pass-through that tells our reasoning mind that we each die alone which is fear inducing for sure. Fear of death takes root, and, if we do not learn some manner for loosing fear in our own self, we cause our lifelong resistance to the very thought of death.
I choose to believe that fear is God's calling card. Face it, nothing sends us to God faster than fear.
I think of fear as a pop-up, and we get to choose what to buy there: Our own life-altering paralyzing thoughts or a loving Higher Power who uses fear to wipe the flop sweat from our brow. We can welcome fear just as we welcome water on a hot day...not analyzing, just letting God do his perfect work. As we feel free-er, our way is eased, and we are freed.
If we are doing it right, we will be called upon to do this repeatedly...or until we get it right. Chances are getting it permanently right comes as we pass through that single-exit door.
We must go beyond reason to Love.
Thank you.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
GOD'S "YOU'RE WELCOME"
The secret of acceptance is the minute we accept the truth of that which we are resisting, that changes it...actually, changes us. We have become, in that instant, nonresistant and at peace; we feel open and light whereas before we felt closed and dark. Be it noted that we seldom realize the instantaneous change for...however long it takes for our reasoning mind to detach.
The time it takes determines best whether we have reached acceptance (detached) or are still trying to make an end-run around that which we are resisting by calling it fine by me, or some such (still attached). Indeed, that is part of the process of learning how to let go.
It's akin to coming to an unending flight of stairs we must climb to get where we know we need to go. We stand at the bottom and stare up. We hesitate...pondering, dreading...then we pray, Find me another way, please and thank you. We repeat this process as many times as we think we need to, praying the same prayer each time, only with more intensity. When our discomfort becomes unbearable, we give up on self and God. We know despair. We need to get up those stairs. We cannot do it. This is also known as surrender.
It is when we take the first step up, disbelieving all the while and not a bit happy about it...hopeless, in a word...we find not only the strength but the want-to to take the second step, then the third...feeling lighter all the while. Better about our self even. The dreaded surrender has morphed into acceptance, and we're feeling the grace of gratitude.
This is a lifetime practice. There will be seemingly insurmountable stairs to climb...sometimes feels like every other day, but actually only until we learn the art of living gratitude as we breathe.
That art is simple. It's called praying without ceasing, and keeping thank you going is just that. We pray our thank you, and God's perfect work is his you're welcome.
Thank you.
The time it takes determines best whether we have reached acceptance (detached) or are still trying to make an end-run around that which we are resisting by calling it fine by me, or some such (still attached). Indeed, that is part of the process of learning how to let go.
It's akin to coming to an unending flight of stairs we must climb to get where we know we need to go. We stand at the bottom and stare up. We hesitate...pondering, dreading...then we pray, Find me another way, please and thank you. We repeat this process as many times as we think we need to, praying the same prayer each time, only with more intensity. When our discomfort becomes unbearable, we give up on self and God. We know despair. We need to get up those stairs. We cannot do it. This is also known as surrender.
It is when we take the first step up, disbelieving all the while and not a bit happy about it...hopeless, in a word...we find not only the strength but the want-to to take the second step, then the third...feeling lighter all the while. Better about our self even. The dreaded surrender has morphed into acceptance, and we're feeling the grace of gratitude.
This is a lifetime practice. There will be seemingly insurmountable stairs to climb...sometimes feels like every other day, but actually only until we learn the art of living gratitude as we breathe.
That art is simple. It's called praying without ceasing, and keeping thank you going is just that. We pray our thank you, and God's perfect work is his you're welcome.
Thank you.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
SPIRITUAL RITES OF INITIATION
The spiritual rites of initiation fascinate me probably because I never heard of such until I began seriously seeking...studying...practicing a spiritual life sometime in the early '70s.
Even seeking and studying, I read "God Calling" for years, before I saw initiation mentioned more than a few times throughout the book. Same goes with Goldsmith, Easwaran, Rohr, and most others I read, too. They all mention initiation in passing, like we'd mention the weather in idle chit-chat.
I have come to accept for my own self that life itself is the necessary rites of initiation...for me for sure, but most likely for all of us human beings.
All of our wondrous moments when we knew it was not us that should reap the rewards, that it was a gift to us...all of our rues, regrets and remorses that taught us an essential lesson but more than we wanted to know in that moment...all good, bad and indifferent events comprising our very life were and are our initiation rites intended to shock us into realizing God as All (per Rohr).
The realization of God as our all gives us permission to name Him/Her/It...Higher Power, Buddha, Mother, Father, Tao, Allah, Brahman, Great Spirit...makes no never mind what we call It, but call It, we must. Call It unto realization that we don't need to call, but to listen. Ah, now we heading in the right direction.
Be still and know that I am God. -- Psalm 46:10
Thank you.
Even seeking and studying, I read "God Calling" for years, before I saw initiation mentioned more than a few times throughout the book. Same goes with Goldsmith, Easwaran, Rohr, and most others I read, too. They all mention initiation in passing, like we'd mention the weather in idle chit-chat.
I have come to accept for my own self that life itself is the necessary rites of initiation...for me for sure, but most likely for all of us human beings.
All of our wondrous moments when we knew it was not us that should reap the rewards, that it was a gift to us...all of our rues, regrets and remorses that taught us an essential lesson but more than we wanted to know in that moment...all good, bad and indifferent events comprising our very life were and are our initiation rites intended to shock us into realizing God as All (per Rohr).
The realization of God as our all gives us permission to name Him/Her/It...Higher Power, Buddha, Mother, Father, Tao, Allah, Brahman, Great Spirit...makes no never mind what we call It, but call It, we must. Call It unto realization that we don't need to call, but to listen. Ah, now we heading in the right direction.
Be still and know that I am God. -- Psalm 46:10
Thank you.
Monday, March 4, 2019
HUMAN CONDITION OR SPIRITUAL GROWTH?
I'm hearing "the human condition" used more and more as an excuse for less-than-wonderful behavior. It seems to have become our blankie for when we screw up but not enough to do anything about it. As in look at our error from the other's eyes...recognize the unintended hurt, hurt...the unintended offense, offended...and then take responsibility for it
To take responsibility for it is to own it, a fairly simple act...it's wanting to that is so difficult. That requires our admitting our error...out loud...to the other. We take responsibility for our unintendeds by 'fessing up.
Ah, comes now The Choice...stick with the human condition, our blankie or go for spiritual growth, our gold?
The human condition-reaction: shoot a snark or two, flip them off and walk away. Spiritual growth is to silently shoot our thank you, speak a word or two, I regret you feel that way, and walk away concentrating on mentally letting them off the hook (which is my version of forgiveness).
I suspect that the human condition, underneath it all, means we legislate for our self first. Spiritual growth teaches that we must learn to legislate for others first. Still more spiritual growth is all about the reduction of our ego. Or, more specifically, the reduction unto deflation of our ego as our personal legislator.
To clarify, it was mind-opening to me to accept that legislating for others first frees others to legislate for me first. That's the gold in giving over, giving up, giving in. There is nothing to fight if no fight is given. The reasoning mind cannot grasp this. This kind cometh not out but by prayer and fasting.
The elimination of self is the key to holiness and happiness, and can only be accomplished with My help. -- "God Calling," March 4
Thank you.
To take responsibility for it is to own it, a fairly simple act...it's wanting to that is so difficult. That requires our admitting our error...out loud...to the other. We take responsibility for our unintendeds by 'fessing up.
Ah, comes now The Choice...stick with the human condition, our blankie or go for spiritual growth, our gold?
The human condition-reaction: shoot a snark or two, flip them off and walk away. Spiritual growth is to silently shoot our thank you, speak a word or two, I regret you feel that way, and walk away concentrating on mentally letting them off the hook (which is my version of forgiveness).
I suspect that the human condition, underneath it all, means we legislate for our self first. Spiritual growth teaches that we must learn to legislate for others first. Still more spiritual growth is all about the reduction of our ego. Or, more specifically, the reduction unto deflation of our ego as our personal legislator.
To clarify, it was mind-opening to me to accept that legislating for others first frees others to legislate for me first. That's the gold in giving over, giving up, giving in. There is nothing to fight if no fight is given. The reasoning mind cannot grasp this. This kind cometh not out but by prayer and fasting.
The elimination of self is the key to holiness and happiness, and can only be accomplished with My help. -- "God Calling," March 4
Thank you.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
HOW TO STUDY WAR NO MORE
My recurring blinding flash of the obvious: Life...a healthy, happy, whole life...is not about self...not you, not me, not him, her or them. Life...a spiritually based, healthy, happy, whole life...is about others. If everybody got on that wavelength, we would have everybody concerned for us just as we would be concerned for them. We could study war no more.
Imagine.
Thank you.
Imagine.
Thank you.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
AND AGAIN...FIND THE GOLD!
[The following is a reprint of my post of September 19, 2016.]
This is what it means to be awake: to be constantly willing to say that God could even be coming to me in this! Even in this! -- Fr Richard Rohr, "Daily Meditation," December 9, 2014
I love that quote sooo much. Probably because that is the foundation of my spiritual growth which began the day I was graced by a blinding flash of the obvious: "Find the gold in this."
To my eyes, the "this" was just awful, and I was just powerless to do anything about it. But I had never heard of such a concept, and I felt like I had just run out of gas in the fast lane on the freeway.
I know now that God, or a whole flock of angels, was coming to me in that...even in that!
There have been a lot more "oh no!" times that have come, but none as "oh no!" as the first one. Every time, I've turned it around in my mind until I found the gold...and all it takes is finding the slightest sliver of gold. Hold to that, and gratitude just starts flowing through body, mind and spirit.
Gratitude is the gate God uses...go there often and sit and wait on the Lord. He cannot fail to come, laughing and scratching. Or maybe that part's just me.
Thank you.
This is what it means to be awake: to be constantly willing to say that God could even be coming to me in this! Even in this! -- Fr Richard Rohr, "Daily Meditation," December 9, 2014
I love that quote sooo much. Probably because that is the foundation of my spiritual growth which began the day I was graced by a blinding flash of the obvious: "Find the gold in this."
To my eyes, the "this" was just awful, and I was just powerless to do anything about it. But I had never heard of such a concept, and I felt like I had just run out of gas in the fast lane on the freeway.
I know now that God, or a whole flock of angels, was coming to me in that...even in that!
There have been a lot more "oh no!" times that have come, but none as "oh no!" as the first one. Every time, I've turned it around in my mind until I found the gold...and all it takes is finding the slightest sliver of gold. Hold to that, and gratitude just starts flowing through body, mind and spirit.
Gratitude is the gate God uses...go there often and sit and wait on the Lord. He cannot fail to come, laughing and scratching. Or maybe that part's just me.
Thank you.
Friday, March 1, 2019
ACCEPTANCE, A PROCESS OF SUBTRACTION
Without a Shared and Big Story, all humans retreat into private individualism for a bit of sanity and safety. -- Fr Richard Rohr, "Daily Meditation," March 1, 2019
Ponder that...our private individualism in particular. That may be the source of a boatload of our woes, our private individualism. Especially as represented by our reasoning mind left to its own devices.
Left on its own, our private individualism may eventually manifest as fear. Our fear, wearing a crown and carrying a scepter...no God, no grace, no higher power, no cosmic dust rays, just our own thoughts. And our own fearful thoughts at that...which we cling to for our safety, our security, our sanity. And who's kidding whom...that's just crazy.
Of course, being alone, finding oneself alone not by choice but by circumstance...fire, flood, hurricane...does not private individualism make. The paradox being that unholy disasters can and often do bring holy healing...thoughts leading to safety are given to us that we never could have birthed all on our own, or Something comes to us in the form of a person, a log floating by, a dog coming to lead us, whatever. We don't think, we just accept and are brought to safety.
The fact is, with those disasters, to many safety comes in the form of death itself. That, too, is for acceptance. Whether by dog or by God, we are relieved of the burden of self, and acceptance is the answer.
Just as Meister Eckhart preached, God is not found in the soul by adding anything, but by a process of subtraction. Acceptance is a process of subtraction.
Thank you.
Ponder that...our private individualism in particular. That may be the source of a boatload of our woes, our private individualism. Especially as represented by our reasoning mind left to its own devices.
Left on its own, our private individualism may eventually manifest as fear. Our fear, wearing a crown and carrying a scepter...no God, no grace, no higher power, no cosmic dust rays, just our own thoughts. And our own fearful thoughts at that...which we cling to for our safety, our security, our sanity. And who's kidding whom...that's just crazy.
Of course, being alone, finding oneself alone not by choice but by circumstance...fire, flood, hurricane...does not private individualism make. The paradox being that unholy disasters can and often do bring holy healing...thoughts leading to safety are given to us that we never could have birthed all on our own, or Something comes to us in the form of a person, a log floating by, a dog coming to lead us, whatever. We don't think, we just accept and are brought to safety.
The fact is, with those disasters, to many safety comes in the form of death itself. That, too, is for acceptance. Whether by dog or by God, we are relieved of the burden of self, and acceptance is the answer.
Just as Meister Eckhart preached, God is not found in the soul by adding anything, but by a process of subtraction. Acceptance is a process of subtraction.
Thank you.
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