Blog Archives

Give Thanks

9/30/2015

Mature prayers move beyond asking for things to asking The Divine to help us line up our hearts with Divine will. There will still be occasions when we ask for specific things, but we have also come to appreciate that when The Divine says “No” we can be grateful for that answer as much as we are grateful when The Divine says “Yes.”

The Happy State of Mind

9/29/2015

Our unhappiness is not always based in reality. In fact, much of our unhappiness is created in our minds based on our interpretation of events that unfold around us. We might see someone scowling and think they are unhappy with us, when in fact, they might have recently lost a loved one, might be thinking of a situation at work, or any other countless scenarios that might be playing out in their own life. When we jump to conclusions we have let our happiness dissolve for no reason at all.

Weekly Newsletter: The Faces of Love, Part One

9/29/2015

   The first face of love is to love God, The Divine, The Creator of the Universe, or whatever name we choose to give to that which is above all and greater than self. We love not simply because The Divine loves us—although that is a good reason—but because loving The Divine is our natural response to a perfect deity. For a child not to love a parent is unnatural. Even if that parent is judged by others as unworthy of love, it makes little difference to the child. We love because we are a part of that parent—an extension of their lives.
   We are also an extension of divinity. That which created us, we naturally love. That which gave us life and a world in which to play, is the One we are drawn to in love. Our world is filled with churches, some simple and some ornate, that demonstrate that we love The Divine.
   Worship is merely a means to express our love individually and collectively. All things begin and end with love. Our existence is meaningless without love. A life lived without love is often a dangerous and fearful life. Even though we may deny love, it doesn’t make it go away or any less important. Even when we don’t feel the love of The Divine, it is always constant and unmoving. Always present, always caring, always drawing us back to that which is greater than ourselves.
   The second face of love is to love ourselves. When done properly, this doesn’t have to involve the ego. We love ourselves not because we are special, but simply because we are an extension of the Creator, or an extension of Divine Love. “Special” implies that one person is better—or in some cases less than—someone else. But, when we understand that all of The Divine’s creations are equally special and that favoritism is not part of divine plan, then we can hold our egos in check.
   I love my children, but if one of them lived as if they were unworthy of my love or as if they were unlovable, I would be disappointed and hurt. I know they are lovable or I wouldn’t love them. My children don’t have to say or do anything to deserve my love. It is theirs and it always will be. They are an extension of me, and I know they have great potential for love.
   We extend the love for our children to ourselves. We love ourselves because it is healthy, and because the alternative is harmful to our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Be Better

9/28/2015

Some things cannot be corrected. We can be forgiven by those we hurt, and we can forgive ourselves, but the thing we said or did is out there and can’t be taken back. We can, however, accept the fact that it can’t be changed and move forward with new resolve. We can decide to be more careful with the things we say and do, and to determine that we will be more kind, loving, gentle and understanding. The best course of action is to learn from the past and make improvements as we go along.

The Kindness Factor

9/27/2015

Kindness creates kindness. By taking a moment to show a little kindness to someone we will find that those kindnesses light a small candle that helps others find their way. Kindnesses are never a waste of our time or effort. We might not see the immediate results, in fact we might never see the results of being kind in a particular situation, but, nevertheless, they are there. When we are kind to others, we will find others being kind to us.

It Goes with You

9/26/2015

We spend time working on our outer beauty, but spending time working on our inner beauty produces the greatest rewards. In the afterlife, we might not even have a physical body that resembles who we appeared to be when we were alive. But, if we have worked on being kind, loving, patient, and accepting, these features of our inner beauty will be carried with us.

World Patriot

9/25/2015

We understand the desire to be patriotic, but shouldn’t we also be patriotic, not just to a country, but to the entire world? Shouldn’t we be proud to be a member of the human race experiencing life on this planet and looking forward to sharing love with all members of the human race, and not just those who are like us? We honor our diversity for it has much to teach us.

Spread the Love

9/24/2015

Although it may seem that we are separate from one another, a life that is lived solely for one’s own benefit can be a lonely, desolate life. By touching the lives of other people, we discover our own lives are enriched and made fuller. Love grows as it is shared.

Spiritual by Birth

9/23/2015

Religion is more communal in nature whereas spirituality is more personal. Anyone can be religious if they choose. But, being spiritual is more of a matter of who we are. We are not religious by birth, but we are endowed with a spirit or soul at birth, and from that moment forward we become a spiritual being having an earthly experience. Religion can enhance that experience or distract from it.

The Futility of Stress

9/22/2015

Stressing over a situation is something most people tend to do from time to time, but when we stop to consider what we are doing, the stress doesn't help. If anything it seems to make things worse. Still, letting go of stress is not easy. Remembering that things have always worked out in one way or another in the past might give some relief to the stress. Besides, if we had any real control we would change the situation and make the stress go away, so if we can’t change it, why stress over it?

Weekly Newsletter: Check the Stock

9/22/2015

A store owner occasionally takes inventory of his stock in order to determine what he has and what he needs. This process works in our lives, too. If we have set a goal for our spiritual lives, wouldn’t it be helpful if once in a while we took inventory of our spiritual stock to see what qualities we have and which ones we lack?
What are some of the items that we might want in our spiritual inventory? Patience seems like a good product. So does kindness and generosity. Do we have these items or is our stock depleted. How about time? Do we have an abundance of time, or is it a scarce commodity in our spiritual storehouse? What about strength, courage, and tenacity? Are these items that we need, or can we get by with shyness, timidity, and weakness? What about the commodity known as intuition? Is that in our inventory? And, if so, is it fresh or has the expiration date come and gone?
Other items we might search our storehouse for are forgiveness, love, a listening ear, and prayer. As we make use of these items, they renew themselves daily. But, the more we leave them on the shelf, the less value they have and the less effective they become. Some of these items seem to be a natural fit with our personalities and abilities. We connect with these and concentrate on using them. That’s fine, but don’t neglect any of the products in your spiritual store. All have a purpose.

Blaze a Trail

9/21/2015

I recently plowed through a field of overgrown weeds looking for something I had lost. There was a path leading into the field, but as my search progressed the path disappeared, and I had to struggle with briers that were cutting my skin. Sometimes the path isn’t easy, and the way isn’t known. The thing to do is to press on and keep seeking until we find the treasure we seek. Love often blazes trails where once there were none.

Wait on the Light

9/20/2015

Things continue to grow in spite of, or perhaps because of, the darkness. In our times of darkness we are quick to want to find the light, but the light never permanently disappears. We might want to consider the purpose of the darkness and rest in it until it is time for us to move forward, sprout, and grow. Our spiritual lives have seasons and twenty-four hour waking and sleeping patterns. But, no matter what, the Light always returns.

Practical Kindness

9/19/2015

Kindness is practical. A glass of water to the thirsty, a smile to the weary, time given to listen to someone’s concerns, and a hug are all simple, practical ways of showing kindness. Our hands, our feet, our facial expressions, and our hearts radiate kindness when we are filled with love, forgiveness, and peace.

Change the World with Kindness

9/18/2015

A simple way to touch the world and make it a better place is to be kind. It costs us nothing, and yet it can make a huge difference. Most people don’t want to be mean or cruel, but when things don’t go our way we can let it upset us, and we can take out our disappointments on others. Kindness involves letting go of expectations and accepting what comes our way with as much grace as possible.

The Magic Elixir

9/17/2015

Forgiveness is the magic elixir that cures so many ills in our lives. We don’t need a special prescription to apply it, and we can apply it liberally to everyone we meet and also to ourselves. Forgiveness can take away the pain of the past, make the present peaceful and loving, and encourage us that our tomorrows can be filled with love.

Help Others to Shine

9/16/2015

When the Light that abides within us is allowed to shine, it brightens all areas around it, and it also allows others to let their Light shine, too. I have seen many times when a tense situation has been diffused because one person reached into their heart and responded with kindness instead of retaliation.

Kindness

9/15/2015

Some of the things that last a lifetime and beyond are love, peace, gratitude, and kindness. What does it cost us to be kind to someone? A moment of time, a simple smile, a kind word, an ear to hear, and a heart to empathize, are simple but powerful forms of kindness that can transform lives. The cost is small, but the rewords are enormous.

Weekly Newsletter: Relaxation Triggers

9/15/2015

Knowing when you need to relax is just as important as doing the relaxing, because how can you relax if you don’t know you’re tense? I know some of my warning signs, but probably not all. One major key for me is grinding my teeth. When that occurs, it usually means I’m working too hard on something and getting minimal results. Another sign is irritability. I become short-tempered and sensitive. Another is tension in my neck, shoulders, and arms.
Another sign that I need to relax and let the universe take care of itself is my ability to drive courteously when others are driving recklessly. In my moments of sanity and lucidity I know that other drivers are not out to get me, that they have places to be and things to do, and that they could care less about me. As a friend reminds me from time to time, not everything is about me.
If I allow someone to cut me off in traffic without giving him or her a piece of my mind, what harm does it do? Besides, I need to save my mind for my old age when the pieces seem to vanish without me giving any away. These are just some of my warning signs. Perhaps we share some of the same ones. The important thing is to learn what the signs are, and then when the triggers go off, to take time to sit in silence until we find our center again.

Open-Minded

9/14/2015

To be an open-minded person doesn’t mean that we accept everything as truth. It means that we don’t judge someone because we don’t agree with them. We are open to the possibility that they could be wrong, or that we could be wrong, or that we both might be wrong or that we both might be right. I want to be an open-minded person because I find it to be the most loving, accepting, and peaceful way to live with all beings.

The Gifts of Love and Forgiveness

9/13/2015

The greatest spiritual gifts available to the world are love and forgiveness. This is given to us in full measure. No one is given any less or any more than anyone else. It’s up to us to decide if we will use those gifts with others and with ourselves. The more we use them, the brighter and happier our spiritual path becomes.

Repay with Understanding

9/12/2015

Retaliation never works well. Repaying evil with evil only adds more evil to the world. The better solution is to try to understand why a person is acting the way they are and try, if possible, to overlook it. This is repaying evil with kindness and understanding and it works far better than the alternative.

Accept the Moment

9/11/2015

It only takes a second to decide to accept the present moment. Our initial reaction might be dread, fear, pain, remorse, or any other negative emotion. But, we can recognize that emotion and then move beyond it. Things usually aren’t as bad as we first perceive them to be. By choosing to dictate our response to life’s moments, we choose to decide to be happy or sad, loving or hateful, free or in bondage.

Learning from Mistakes

9/10/2015

When do our mistakes cross some imaginary line from mistakes to sins? Who is the judge and jury of those decisions and who hands out shame and guilt as an appropriate response? Surely there is a better way to deal with our mistakes. We are only mere mortals and we will fail from time to time. What if we used our mistakes and failures as lessons to be learned and not something to be forever shameful of?

Perfect Timing

9/9/2015

Many of our struggles are meant to help us develop in the cocoon so that when we emerge we well have wings to fly. The process requires patience and trust, because emerging too soon or too late can cause problems. Our hearts will tell us when the time is right. We only need to listen and then act upon what we know to be true.