Blog Archives

Unlimited

1/31/2016

We want to be sure of ourselves, and we want to be sure of our situation, but honestly there aren’t many “sure” things in life. If we can accept that life is unsure and open to the possibilities that come our way, we can learn that life is unlimited in its potential.

Religion of Love

1/30/2016

A love-based religion could exist with minimal requirements as far as rules and regulations, but with maximum potential when it comes to changing individual lives and transforming the world. In fact, a religion based solely on love would have no need for buildings, leaders, rules, structures, or organization. It could meet anywhere and at any time. There wouldn’t be a need to set aside a special day of the week. Every day would be celebrated as a day to practice a religion of love.

Keep Trying

1/29/2016

Many achievements came after multiple failures and years of struggles. Also, some achievements came as a result of trying to do something that failed, but in the process something different was accomplished instead. Success isn’t measured by the number of failures, but by the number of successes, even if that number is only one and even if that one success wasn’t necessarily what was intended.

Just Ahead

1/28/2016

A river is always moving forward, always progressing to the ocean. Life is the same way. We don’t stay in one place for long because the force of our energy is constantly moving us forward. We can try to damn our energy but it would be fruitless. And why would we want to? There are moments in time that are so wonderful that we might try to hold onto them, but it will never have the same sweetness it once had. But, there are more moments like that awaiting us just ahead in the bend of the river.

Your Power

1/27/2016

I’ve always liked the line that Glinda says to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz: “You’ve always had the power.” Dorothy wanted to go home, and like her, we too wonder what’s beyond the rainbow and if it actually holds our real home. The power is within us, but many people have given up that power to a religious belief system or perhaps to a religious leader. But, like Dorothy, it’s not too late to take back our power. It still lies within us, waiting for us to claim it.

Our Purpose

1/26/2016

Our purpose for being alive is not connected to greed, hatred, bigotry, or violence. Our purpose for existence is to understand what it means to love and be loved, to heal and to be heal, to give and to receive. We are here to help create peace and to be one with our neighbors.

Weekly Newsletter: Secret of Existence?

1/26/2016

The Buddha states that “The whole secret of existence is to have no fear.”[1] He also says that we should not depend on anyone and to reject all help. This idea of self-sufficiency goes against my thinking. But, in a sense, when we reject all help, we are truly free. I can understand not fearing what might become of you, for as we considered in the last newsletter, F.E.A.R. is False Evidence Appearing Real. We shouldn’t worry about what might happen in the future.
Putting the Buddha’s thought into the context of society, if we live without debt—either monetary debt or debts of favors owed—then we have eliminated a lot of fears from our lives. We are free from the taskmaster of debts owed. The apostle Paul encourages us to “Owe no man anything, but to love one another,…”[2] When we owe something to another, they become a ruler over us—at least until the debt is paid. When we owe on a loan, we might find ourselves fearing what might happen should we discover we can no longer repay the debt. I’m not convinced that the whole secret of existence is in having no fear, but I certainly agree that it makes for a happier life.
[1] Young, Christopher (2012-04-12). Buddha Quotes - 365 Days of Inspirational Quotes and Sayings in Buddhism (Kindle Locations 198-199). . Kindle Edition.”
[2] Romans 13:8a Century King Jams Version: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13%3A8-10&version=KJ21

Love Freely

1/25/2016

Live as if you are loved by everyone, and you love everyone. Perhaps this might be a stretch at first, but with practice it will become a little more accessible every day. The more we love, the more we are loved. The more love we give, the more love we receive.

Releasing Judgment

1/24/2016

Silencing our judgmental thoughts can prove to be challenging especially if we’ve practiced this for most of our lives. Many have been prone to judging, and I must say that I fell into that crowd for many years. The habit is difficult to break, but as we make a concerted effort we will discover that it will eventually diminish until there is practically little or nothing left. A life lived without judgment of others and self is a life that is holy.

Dream Big Dreams

1/23/2016

Why not think big? What do we have to lose? Small thinking produces small results. Big thinking might not always produce big results, but seldom do small thinkers stumble upon big achievements. And while we’re at it, why not gather those around us who believe in our dreams because they share similar dreams. Quiet the voice of the naysayers and listen to the voice of those who dare to dream big.

Love Overcomes

1/22/2016

If we choose to believe that love is the strongest force in the Universe and that it can overcome hate and fear, then how do we put that love into practical use? I believe it begins with forgiveness, acceptance, understanding, and mutual respect. Without these attributes love is weakened and limited, and perhaps not even love at all, at least not in its purest form. Love can overcome but only if we have the courage to use its full potential which means letting go of negative judgment and judging only in a loving way so that we see ourselves and everyone else has worthy of that love.

World Shift

1/21/2016

I hear people say that the world is shifting and that it is shifting for the good. But, is that true? I choose to think the answer is “yes.” More and more I see signs that we are moving toward a global planet that is healing wounds that have been created by what appeared to be uncompromising political and religious beliefs. Little by little we are finding out that we are not so different from one another and that Love can bridge the gap to bring peace to our world. I choose to add my voice, my prayers, and my beliefs to that shift. Let us have a “Holy Shift” that will mend world fences and allow us to live as brothers and sisters.

See the Beauty

1/20/2016

What we see in others is often a reflection of what we see in ourselves. This is one way in which we learn how to become better people. By seeing the things we don’t like in others, we can pause and consider if we are simply seeing a reflection of our own shortcomings, and then we can laugh at the irony. After we’ve had a nice laugh, we can then work to change ourselves, and in that transformation we will find it easier to forgive others because we were just like them, and we could easily fall back into old habits if we are not cautious.

United as One

1/19/2016

There are no religions in the afterlife. There are no partitions in the afterlife set up to accommodate different religions or different branches within each religion. We will enter a spirit world that is not controlled by manmade rules, and it will not know prejudices, ranks, or nobility. We will recognize the equality of all human beings and our spirits will be joined in love. We can have a small measure of heaven on earth by letting go of those things that separate us from one another.

Weekly Newsletter: F.E.A.R.

1/19/2016

  Fear has a purpose. It is part of our warning system. Sometimes we have a premonition that something bad is about to happen. Fear is a warning device, an alarm that lets us know to be careful. Used in proper measure, fear protects us. It’s only when fear takes over and flavors every area of our lives that the emotion becomes detrimental.
      Perhaps you’re familiar with this acronym for fear. False Evidence Appearing Real. When fear takes over our lives, it is often because we have dwelt on the emotion for too long. We see villains all around us. We listen to reports of crime, and we suspect that we will be the next victim. According to Merriam-Webster the opposite of fear is unconcern.[1] To keep fear in proper balance and only use it when it’s necessary for our protection, we need to find a balancing emotion. Unconcern is similar to contentment, and how do we develop that characteristic or emotion?
      Yoga and meditation are certainly positive exercises, but we also need to add our belief that the world is orderly and controlled by a Force that is greater than ourselves, and that nothing will happen without the Divine Spirit’s consent. This, of course, must also be coupled with our belief in a trustworthy and loving Higher Power. Perhaps you are also familiar with this acronym for fear: Face Everything And Rise. Unconcern or contentment can fill us with peace when there is an absence of fear, but often, in order to reach that state of unconcern we find that we must face everything and rise above it.

[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fear

Set Free

1/18/2016

Bars do not make a prison. We do. Bars can imprison our body but not our soul or our spirit. Likewise, the release from a place of containment doesn’t make us free if we carry with us the things that enslaved us to begin with, or if we carry new bars of hatred and vengeance. Prison bars can free our spirit to accomplish great things if we set our intention to be better instead of bitter.

Extend Grace

1/17/2016

At times we might be quick to judge without considering the extenuating circumstances. We don’t know what has brought someone to the place they are in, and so it would be wise if we refused to judge and simply extended the benefit of the doubt whenever possible. Certainly there are times in our own lives when we feel overwhelmed and broken. During those times we are drawn to those who refuse to judge us and who accept us for who and what we are.

Release the Need to Judge

1/16/2016

One of the worst things we do is to judge others and ourselves. It is a difficult habit to break, but break it we should if we want to progress on our spiritual path and do our part to bring peace, love, and happiness to the planet.

Hold On

1/15/2016

Knowing that Light resides within us doesn’t always comfort us when we feel as if there is nothing but darkness surrounding us. We want to see the Light, to know that it shines brightly, and to know that the darkness will be dispelled, but in the midst of the darkness, knowing and feeling are not always the same. Hanging on, hoping, and holding the hand of someone we love become the tools that sustain us.

Only Love Heals

1/14/2016

One thing I’m sure of is that the world will not become better by force but only by love. As each one does his or her part to make our world better, the combined effort will have a global impact. It takes time, but over the centuries we have seen that force doesn’t heal—only love can heal.

Negatives into Postives

1/13/2016

Sometimes we simply need to set our intention and follow through. Most people would probably consider themselves to be more positive than negative. And yet, we can always do with a more positive outlook in life. A simple prayer that can help with this desire is to simply ask our Higher Power to help us turn negatives into positives. If we do this long enough, we will begin to see that each “negative” situation is only negative in appearance. It’s how we respond that determines whether we mine the gold that lies beneath the surface.

The First Step

1/12/2016

Sometimes we hold grudges for so long that we don’t know how to overcome them. Perhaps somewhere in our minds we understand the need to forgive and the concept that forgiveness benefits the one forgiving more than the one forgiven, but our hearts aren’t ready to make that first step. When we come to that place, the simplest prayer is to ask The Divine to help us want to forgive from our heads and from our hearts.

Weekly Newsletter: Feel

1/12/2016

Stone Seven encourages us to feel, and Stone Eight encourages us to release any emotion we deem harmful to our spiritual path. All emotions serve a purpose. Even hatred can be used for good if we can convert its energy into positive directions. To feel our emotions does not mean we have to cling to them. And, overcoming or releasing is not a matter of willpower as much a matter of transformation. When we try to overcome through willpower we often empower the unwanted feelings even more. Even the feelings we deem positive such as joy and happiness cannot be kept by the force of our will.
Emotions come and go, and their existence adds flavor to our lives. A world without emotions would be bland and meaningless. Feelings are necessary, and they come in opposites. Happiness is known because of sadness. If we were never sad, how would we know happiness? Contentment is desired most when we are anxious. We look for and find the good in every emotion, and learn to release and transform them whenever we need to.

Room for the New

1/11/2016

As long as we cling to the pain of the past, we inhibit the growth of new things in our lives. A nut that falls from a tree must completely die to the fact that it was once part of something far bigger that itself. Only in its death can it be reborn and regain the splendor that it was once only a small part of. In releasing the old, we make room for grander things.

The Joy or Responsibility

1/10/2016

Stone One of Religious Recovery talks about being responsible for our own spiritual path. In the past I have let other people, and often one person in particular, shape my religious/spiritual journey. As long as we are learning and growing spiritually, we see no problem with letting our lives be molded by another, but when that person, persons, or organization is discovered to be less than honorable, we can be tempted to give up all spiritual and religious belief. If, however, we are in control and are taking responsibility for our decisions, then we don’t have to lose our faith in our Higher Power simply because we discovered that another person—or an organization—is vulnerable to mistakes and errors of judgment.