Enlightenment

Enlightenment is like the new florescent energy-saving bulbs - turns on (wow), though dim, but then it grows brighter and brighter. And the process of enlightenment never stops getting brighter - there is no end - there is only - more.


Where is the door to God?
In the sound of a barking dog,
In the ring of a hammer,
In a drop of rain, 

In the face of Everyone I see.        --- Hafiz

Celebrate the Season!!

And here we are - Day 3 of the Season of Christmas!! Continue to enjoy your holiday lights and decorations, immerse yourself in the melancholy of family and personal memories. Reflect on why Christmas is celebrated at all. Give thanks to God for the gifts you DO have, especially the gift of  Faith. Jesus draws us into the heart of Life, where Love is the rule of the day - and everything you ever thought of God or were taught about God melts away into a new and vibrant experience which embraces all, respects all, and forgives all.
For all of life is God's and is in God - you and me and all creation. There is only one Life - and it is Awesomely Perfect. Selah. Amen.

A Christmas Wish

Michele Obama is quoted: "I own my own happiness."
   How very appropriate --- in a world of fearing to not be politically correct, in a world where we are poised to blame someone else for our unhappy circumstances, in a world in which we are pummeled by advertising that THIS car or THAT electronic gadget will make us happy, in a world where we are so often fooled to believe another person will bring me the happiness I seek, in a world where we blame "God" for the joys and sufferings we experience, here is a contemporary statement which registers the power of faith and the fruit of responsibility. No one, no thing, no god outside of myself can make me consistently happy.
  True happiness comes from the heart, from the soul, where I meet the Source of All Being (the one, true God) in the center of my being. Only in God is my soul at rest -- Only in God can I know true happiness. Then, whatever comes into my life from the world, whether a joy or a trial, I will be able to deal with it with the strength of the Spirit Who lives in me.
Few are the Americans who have reached the promise of "the pursuit of happiness." But the more who do, the more will this great land be the true refuge for those seeking freedom of expression and the pursuit of happiness.
  This is my Christmas, Holiday wish for all of you --- That you will own your own happiness in 2012. Do not depend on others or on material things. Your happiness depends on your own attitude  - an attitude of gratefulness, an attitude of forgiveness, an attitude of wonder and of faith. Remember who you are: You live in God, and God lives in you - you are a child of the Most High - live as such.

Thank you, Mrs. Obama.

The Wedding Night

Everyday I meditate upon this, and every night I groan
     Why is my own existence to myself the least known?
Whence have I come, why this coming here?
     Where to must I go, when will my home to me be shown?
I am in desperate awe, why was I ever created?
     For this, my creation, whatsoever was the reason?   Rumi

Yet another wonderful event to celebrate! 

December 17 - More info: The Wedding Night

Wisdom

Wisdom is learned from every culture and every discipline:

"Heaven is like an egg, and the Earth is the yoke."
Chang Heng, Chinese scientist.

Perfect.

In the Moment

I cannot help but wonder about the meaning of Life.
At first, it might appear to be nothing but strife.
Cuts and bruises to body and soul
Are part and parcel of this journey's toll.

But if Life has meaning,
It's in the doing,
In the everyday decisions
and mental brewing
Which fuel the dreams
Which mold the Moment.

This is what it's all about, Alfie.

Are they kidding?!?

Hershey "Air Delights"?? Who are they kidding??!! More air, less chocolate -- same price -- pu-leez!!
It's a cool, windy November day. Three days out of surgery, I still can't tell if it has done the trick. I think it has helped. Time will tell. Life is a crap-shoot. Depending on the structure of your DNA, which controls your chemical makeup, body features, blood type, etc., we could experience a variety of debilitating breakdowns as we grow older. Such fun! Such mystery! Life is full of surprises! Yet, in all, Life is still a wonderful, delightful, amazing experience. Every moment is a pearl, and when we live in the pearl, all we can do is dance. TYG.

Look! I Am a Whale!

Here is a poem by Hafiz, a Persian poet whose prose can only lift your spirit and inflame your heart!


Look! I Am a Whale!


We live on the Sun's playground.
Here, everyone gets what they want.

Sometimes the body of a beautiful woman,
Sometimes the body of a beautiful man,
Sometimes the body of both in one.

We used to play that kind of tag
In the animal world, too.
Now a mouse, now a tiger,
Look! I am a whale -- I got tired of the land,
Went back to the ocean for a while.

What power is it in our sinew and mind
That will not die,
That keeps us shopping for the perfect dress?

We have all heard the Flute Player
And keep dancing toward Him.

Hafiz, you have seen the Flute Player
and cannot help but whirl.

Time Is On Your Side

What's the rush?  Why do you need to stress yourself over a few minutes?  Time is relative. When growing up, I always wanted time to go faster; time was just too slow for me. I wanted to grow up; I wanted to be of age to drive; I wanted to be of age to drink. We stress ourselves over those seemingly slow years. Then time seems to pick up speed, and the older I get, the more time speeds up!  My high school 12th grade English teacher told us two weeks before graduation: You may think that these next two weeks are an eternity, but enjoy them, stay in the moment, because as you get older, time slips through your fingers as find sand, and you cannot rewind to catch what you missed.

The spiritual teachers of every culture advise us to live in the moment, in the present, in the mind of God, in the heart of the Eternal, in the Now, in the Sacred Presence. It's easy to forget! Especially in our day and age. We fill our days with so much activity, that we often do not even pay attention to what we are doing. And then we complicate the daily experience by transposing, overlapping experiences. I'm watching TV AND reading a book. I'm on the computer AND listening to the radio. I am studying AND listening to music. Hardly the wise thing to do. One thing at a time. Keep it simple. Enjoy what you are doing, what you are thinking, seeing, hearing - then move on to the next experience. We cannot know God in the moment, if we cover the Sacred with multi-dimensional experiences. The voice of God gets muffled in the confusion, and we lose touch with reality, which is right in front of us.

Do yourself a favor, and take the time to simplify your life. Take the time to just sit and think God. Be still, and let God untie the knots.

One instant is eternity;

Eternity is in the now.

When you see through this one instant,

You see through the One who sees.

                                                          -Wu-men

More about Wu-men -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu-Men

Snow on the pumpkin!

Listen ---- drip, drip, drip ---

First snow before Haunting Day --

Melting already.

Kiss me!

Like a pair of mismatched newlyweds,
one of whom still feels very insecure,
I keep turning to God saying,
"Kiss me."  ----- Hafiz

Happy Birthday!

Today, I cannot write anything more beautiful, more telling, more revealing, more profound, than this, written by Hafiz, the great Sufi master:

There are so many gifts still unopened from your birthday.

There are so many hand-crafted presents that have been

sent to you by God.

The Beloved doesn't mind repeating,

"Everything I have is yours."

Please forgive Hafiz and the Friend

If we break into a sweet laughter

When your heart complains of being thirsty

When ages ago

Every cell in your soul capsized forever

Into this Infinite golden sea.

Indeed,

A lover's pain is like holding one's breath too long

in the middle of a vital performance.

Indeed,

A Lover's pain is this sleeping, this sleeping,

When God just rolled over and gave you

Such a big good-morning kiss!

There are so many gifts, my dear,  still unopened from your birthday.

There are so many hand-crafted presents that have been

sent to your life by God.

An Attitude Toward Death

Thanatology is defined: 

Definition of THANATOLOGY

: the description or study of the phenomena of death and of psychological mechanisms for coping with them.

The modern thanatologist is concerned with the needs of an actively dying individual, offering palliative care which can be manifested through a variety of therapies. These therapies have only one effect - to distract the mind from its physical pain and/or mental concerns. Not everyone responds to the same kind of therapies, so, for one, pain med. would be the best therapy, for another, music, or song, or a movie, or being in a pastoral setting, or just having human contact during the process of dying. In the end, we die alone, of course. But the moment of death is painless, the release from the physical body detaches the soul from the bundles of nerves and chemical processes which may have caused the physical pain or even the mental anguish, etc. 

Afterlife: Science is probing into the reality of other dimensions and universes. These are only modern terms for what religionists for millennia have called "heavens" or the "afterlife." To me, they are one and the same. Once the individual soul leaves this particular life experience, it is reunited with the memories of all its lives. It continues to live in another dimension, although we are still at a loss to properly define that experience. Religionists have many terms for it, but to my thinking, they are fraught with conjectures which are still vague and hardly understood. And I believe we are designed that way - to not spend so much time and thought on what MIGHT have been, or on what MAY be, or on what WILL be, and to focus on the work at hand, now, in this moment. The sou's life in other dimensions is as full as any life can be, but different from the earthly, densely material experience.

There is always the possibility of returning to live another earthly life, but without the memories of past experiences (for most). Before entering back into an earthly life, past life experiences are archived in order not to to not muddle the new experience. Each life is unique. Each life needs to focus on its present purpose, and live in the present moment.

Yes, death is inevitable, but Life cannot die.

Compassion is the attitude,

    and a smile is the key

To unlock a life imprisoned.

Only when the last tree has been cut down,
Only when the last river has been poisoned,
Only when the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
American Indian proverb- Cree Indian Prophecy

Summer Delights

SUMMER'S DELIGHTS

The eye peruses in search of beauty

  the flank of umber timbers

    embracing the land.

Blue, starry Cornflowers

  amid white galaxies of Queen Anne's Lace.

Orange Tiger Lilies

  cannot hide their crowns

    while lavender Thistle are the protecting northern guard.

All life is in its glory now,

  puffing up to the warm sun.

But soon the light will cool,

  and beauty will seek shelter

    in the mother's womb.

                                                   agdec

Validation

I was enthralled by Oprah Winfrey's final show. She spoke from her heart, expounding on all the wisdom which formed her throughout her public life, which she put into action in her private. One of the elements of her "Principles of Life" is the power of "validation." Validation is the essence of Love.
We all want to be "validated" in life, recognised as being a person, worthy of being a part of the community we are born into. It is validation which allows each of us to thrive as individuals, and it is validation which unlocks the creative spirit in each of us so that we can act out our individual purpose in life. Without validation, life is stifled, creativity is crushed, and the world is poorer for not having the fullness of a life's purpose revealed.
Validation gives worth to a person's being, and draws out the God-given gifts and talents we are each born with. Validation is the essence of Love. We all want to be "seen", recognised as having worth, that we are each here in this life with a purpose. There is a song which goes: "See me .... Feel me.....Touch me.....Heal me...."  For me, this is the essence of the principle of validation. I see you, recognise you as existing; I feel you, sense your presence, connect with you psychically, emotionally, mentally. With the trust engendered by honesty and truth, I touch you, embrace you, walk with you hand-in-hand through life, or even just for a time of your and my life. Then you can know the healing touch of love and acceptance.
A smile in the supermarket or mall, a kind word, an honest piece of advice, can be that validating moment a person has been waiting for. Validation from outside of me can lead to the true validation which can only come from the Spirit within me. When I experience God's validation of me, I don't need to seek validation from others --- I then learn to be the one who validates others by showing them the love which has embraced me unconditionally -- the love of God.

Imminent Apocalypse Flow Chart

I LOVE this flow chart! But kidding aside, we don't have to worry about the Rapture. 2012, Narubi, or the return of Jesus (Please, Lord!)  Nature is doing just a great job denuding the planet with tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. Sit tight, folks, the best is yet to come.
  In response to the continuing disasters - all those not directly involved should at least keep the victims in prayer -- it could be you, you know. Compassion is the key to a successful life.

Shark attack?

Today, I was looking through the Guide on TV for something interesting to watch, and I was stopped dead by a program on one of the shopping networks : "Shark vacuum."  Really? Did I miss something? Has there been a rampage of sharks in our waterways to be wary of?  Are they poking their noses up through the shower drains?  Or maybe their toothy snouts have been seen squeaking their way up through the septic lines through the commodes?  And who has had sharks cluttering up the living room that they need to be vacuumed? I've heard of "land sharks", but I thought they were beer-induced figments of imagination!  How many sharks does one come across...............

Then I clicked on the program out of curiosity. Well then, Shark is a brand name for vacuums......... hmmm......

Never mind.

We Are All Connected!

Absolutely amazing!  Watch the whole thing. 

 Really neat and heartwarming.

 

This guy found this baby hummingbird after it was attacked, and he nursed it
back to health until it decided to stay and be his pet. Very charming video,
and be sure to have your sound on!!  The song in the background is almost as
good as the video itself.

 

 http://www.wimp.com/babyhummingbird/

Goose Named Maria.avi

O God, it must be Spring again!!

It's a good Haiku day .......

Camille's colours blend -
My eyes are the eyes of G3* ...
And so G3 sees.

* When I write "god" in my notes and poems, I always use a capital G and a subscript 3 - G for the common western title and 3 for the Trinity, a concept found not only in Christianity, but also in Hinduism, Taoism and other religious systems. I cannot find a subscript tool in this blog's toolbox.

A tall pine rising

against a pale sky...

G3's eyes are my eyes.

My eyes are G3's eyes...

Lights shimmer on the waters

After winter's sleep.

My eyes are G3's eyes...

A blue butterfly  wafts by,

and G3 is smiling.

Aliens 1

I cannot believe that we are alone in this wonderfully immense universe. Millions - that's right - millions of galaxies like the one our planetary system is a part of, dot the skies as so many starry lights. But most of those starry lights are galaxies. We cannot even be sure of the number of inhabitable planets in our own galaxy, the distance between stars and planetary systems being so far apart we cannot reach them in real time by light waves, radio waves, or any other bands of communication.

I believe it's time for a reunion between our starry ancestors and ourselves. And we really should stop using the term "alien" to refer to beings from other planets. Science fiction has created such astounding creatures that we really believe that beings from other planets would look so different from ourselves. Or would they? Something in our collective human memory wants to believe we were seeded here on this planet, or that the biochemical organisms on Earth were manipulated in order to creat quantum leaps in evolution. Today's science reveals that such manipulation is entirely possible - and we have not figured out the full scope of DNA manipulation. Perhaps others have. Let's just call beings from other planetary systems "people" from other worlds, instead of the demeaning and fear-provoking term "alien." Perhaps we might find ourselves more open to cultures more advanced than us, and finally open our minds and hearts to the amazing diversity this material universe offers.

But first, I guess we have to stop calling one another "aliens" - something that doesn't belong to our perceived provincial view of human communal life. People who live in other countries ought not be called "aliens" by Americans. Every American, even those who lived on this continent before Europeans invaded, and the ancestors of every American citizen, came from another place on the earth. It is time to connect the dots. We are all citizens of the Earth, a collective of communities each with unique traits, abilities, skills, and history. We are here for one another. We are here to teach one another. We are here to experience the diversity of nature and of human life.  Let's start living it.

Moonlight night (erhu)

Powder

The movie "Powder" is a prophecy of what could be. A human, born out of his time, with an evolved vehicle with no ego blockages, aware of the connectedness of all beings, of all createdness, of all the universes. We  live in this material reality, limited by the programming of our individual biochemical bodies. Religion..... no ---- faith teaches us that we are so much more than what we think we are. We can bypass this egoistic programming and experience the truth of our spirit in spite of the programming.
In "Powder," Jeremy's innocence allows him to grow and utilize the most evolved human functions - unity with the energy of creation, who is God - dissolving the walls of consciousness that make individuals fear others and fool ourselves into thinking we are each beings unto ourselves. In the end, Jeremy discovers that his uniqueness is a gift, and that his being does not exist for itself, but as a manifestation of the Oneness which exists in all beings, in every atom, in every quark of creation. One does not dissolve "out" of existence in death, but rather returns home to the Oneness which is creation on every level of existence. E Pluribus Unum - hardly a political hope, but rather, an insight into reality -  Out of the many -- One, or Out of the One exist all things.
Jeremy's heightened functionality is a foretaste of human evolution. He was feared, because we fear extinction. But we have the solace of the words of those who understand that we have not even come close to manifesting the innate functions waiting to be switched on at the proper time, in an understanding world.
I would rather hope that such gifts would be nurtured for good and not for power, but because to have power is still the coveted goal which fuels too many egos, we are on the edge of a culling which will check the egoism of our age in order to make way for a better human programming. Would that the wise and the knowledgeable will survive to teach and inspire an new era of human accomplishments.

No turning back

Too little time to set things aright. But right now is always the time to forgive, forget and move on.
Is it possible to know without thinking you know it all?
Is it possible to think you know and not really know at all?
Is the ego a blessing or a curse? Or is it merely a construct to help us think we are individuals?
Should the game continue?  Or has it become so corrupt it cannot evolve beneficially?
When is he coming back? Or is he here?
Why do you believe who you are?
E Pluribus Unum - no doubt now.

Do not imagine that an integral being has the 
ambition of enlightening the unaware or raising 
worldly people to the divine realm.
To her, there is no self and other, and hence no one to be 
raised; no heaven and hell, and hence no destination.
Therefore her only concern is her own sincerity.
                
from "Hua Hu Ching, The Unknown Teachings of Lao Tzu" - 27, 
                                            by Brian Browne Walker

Also read Eckhart Tolle, Rumi, Tao Te Ching, Hua Hu Ching

The Hearing

I was watching and listening to an interview with Sobunfu Some, a contemporary author and teacher. If you want to learn about a near perfect community, balanced in wisdom and spirit, check out this site. http://www.sobonfu.com/

I especially like the Dagara's (West Africa) custom regarding the value of children. The child's relationship to the community begins in the womb. http://www.sobonfu.com/writings/20050101.shtml  The elders of the community have a "Hearing" with the the child in the womb. They ask the child: Who are you? Why did you come? What is your purpose? It is in the intuitive responses that the elders come to some understanding of the child's purpose, and the child is guided and nurtured in life to fulfill it. This is unlike many parents' ideas of molding the child into what they think the child should be or do. We all have a purpose in life. It may not be grandiose or world-illuminating, but it is nonetheless a purpose. If all members of a community were allowed to follow their inner calling, no matter WHAT it might be, we would certainly be living in paradise. Everyone would be innately content, happy with themselves, expressing their own purposeful "mission" on earth.
Every person has purpose, every person has worth - why else would any of us be here? Discover your "secret" purpose, the one which drew you to this life experience. Then find the community which would nourish and encourage you to fulfill it. Live, laugh, love. Namaste.

Damn you?

I read an email today with references to God's condemnation of humanity through natural and man-made disasters. It looks like a conglomeration from many sources - 3 days of darkness, armageddon, etc. So what else is new? These things have been part of prophecies for centuries. And should we put it in such a fearful, religious tone?  Yes, more violent weather will be our experience in the coming two years. Yes, there is a real possibility of an "armageddon" in the Middle East - just watch the news!  Yes, there are going to be more violent earthquakes - devastation? Sure - that's what earthquakes do to what we've built in unstable areas. Tell me something new. 3 days of darkness?  If there is a really, really great amount of volcanic activity around the world ( geologists are just waiting for the inevitable), clouds of ash, perhaps laced with radioactive particles from nuclear plants that might have a meltdown, would certainly make it difficult for all the peoples on earth. Staying indoors is what they have been suggesting after the Japan nuclear plant disaster. Tell me something new.

These ideas are not new, nor are they a punishment from God. They are possible because humans have upset the balance of nature by overdrawing on natural resources. The earth is bound to try to rebalance itself.

Magnetic pole shift - scientists know it happens periodically, and it is due in our lifetime. Asteroids - bound to happen - a real possibility in the next 100 years. Powerful solar flares - a part of nature - they could disrupt our communication systems temporarily. Aliens - it's time for them to return, if they haven't destroyed their own civilization already - and they probably DO NOT LOOK LIKE the creatures science fiction feeds us. They are quite human.

Fear is the easiest form of control. If I can get you to be afraid of something, I've got you by the ........    I can push your buttons until you bleed. Don't believe everything you hear, especially if it is put in a "you better do this or God will get you."  God's got bigger things to deal with than our puny lives. But do believe, and do trust that God is in you, and you are in God. This is God's universe, not mine or yours. We are just a privileged part of this amazing life. Be thankful always, forgive completely, practice compassion, love unconditionally. 

All that is is in the moment - live in the moment - for there God is in all splendor, glory and perfect love -and each of us dipped in bliss, if we would only wake up and experience it - the rest will take care of itself.

As Ring Luck would have it...: When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go

As Ring Luck would have it...: When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go

Cherry Blossom time

Earthquake information - something to be aware about.  http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/qed/

Yes, the plates are moving constantly, so earthquakes are no "news" except for the BIG ones that do great damage or cause tsunamis,  but be aware that great activity on one end of the plate is going to eventually cause movement throughout the plate, and eventually on the opposite side of the plate. -- For every action, there is a reaction.

Another interesting tidbit - http://survive2012.com/news/2011/01/tampa-airport.html

Spring seems to have sprung rather quickly here in the Shenandoah Valley, although since the 80* temp last Friday, we have had one freezing night already. Today - lovely - about 60* at 11:30 am.

Live - Love - Laugh.  Let compassion guide you in all your decisions. Be an instrument of peace.

Connect the Dots

I am heartened by the powers of the world making a decision collectively to stop the violence and suffering of a people who need to be connected to the world-at-large.

But, Oh - p.s. - WTF is going on???  Libya - the beginning of the much prophesied armageddon in the Middle East? Could be --- it's going to be complicated by some grand, geophysical movements on our own continent - soon - China will reach out to "save" us, then kind of infiltrate more into our American systems. Then Islam will spread more rapidly. Christianity is a fat, spoiled kid - egotistical - needs a good spanking - and a diet - a real fasting - from idiot preachers who do not understand the essence of Jehoshua's teaching - peace at all costs, love your enemy, forgive, practice compassion. And I'm sorry, the Lord's teaching is difficult but complete - violence begets violence - peace begets peace. Do unto others as you would others do unto you.

In the meantime -- I encourage everyone to practice some form of meditation - making the essential spiritual connection, instead of just a "social" connection (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)  It's interesting that over the centuries, all the best practices of spirituality are sprouting into the "secular" world. Ex. - Prayer and meditation instill a connectivity, not only with the Universal Spirit of God, but with everyone and everything in creation - to the end that it is understood - Everything is Connected.  The tech. age has given birth to Social Networking, which is basically the same thing, but in the material world. Would that this social connectivity will teach us that the best connectivity we could nurture is becoming aware of the eternal spiritual network which underpins and energizes the material reality. This spiritual reality is our true home.

http://charterforcompassion.org/site/

Healing Humanity

I am heartened by all the spiritual work I have recently become acquainted with, including The Compassion Project http://charterforcompassion.org/site/ , the Fetzer Institute http://www.fetzer.org/, Global Spirit progamming http://www.linktv.org/globalspirit, among others. In a local Shepherdstown, WV paper, I read about a free clinic in India that is physically as grandiose as the Winchester Medical Center, but is completely free - high tech resources as well as traditional and spiritual resources to treat the whole human person. Very encouraging. Western medicine may be considered "advanced", but it is quite corrupt, not working for the true benefit of the individual, but rather working for the highest bidder.
Support your local free clinics, they may be the Apollos of the future for most of us.

Creating Life?

Creating Life?

Man has created a synthetic life form. What does that mean for humanity/reality as a whole?

Are we intelligent enough, ethically mature enough to be trusted with engineering new life forms? Nature is constantly engineering new life forms, some within the species we know, and others that are completely new. They are created with a purpose and have developed out of environmental necessity. New life forms exist in harmony with their environment and with all of life, truly integrated by a local (specific) need in a natural pattern.
How can we know our creations will be: 1. necessary, 2. connected to the environment, 3. will not unbalance the harmony of nature?

Middle East Turmoil: A Sign of Thing to Come

The turmoil in the Middle East is only a sign of things to come. The unrest and anxiety that peoples are experiencing all over the world are signs of the stress and impending geophysical change the planet earth is to experience within the next two years. Geologists understand that the crust of the earth is always on the move. It is not surprising that we have earthquakes and volcanic activity. These events are normal, and have been happening since the birth of this planet.

Human beings have multiplied to a point to which the planet may not be able to support us. Industrialization and the need for more and more fuel (food, oil, etc.) have raped the earth, causing major chemical changes in the air, in the water, and in the land. All of life is affected, from bacteria to plants, to aquatic life, fowl, animals and humans. It was reported today that baby dolphins are dying in record numbers. There have been reports of massive fish kills, bird kills, amphibian kills, dying bee communities. How much more proof do we need that our technology for a "better life" is taking its toll on the environment we depend on for physical life?

These are all signs of impending change. What kind of change? Human technology has tipped the natural balance. Mother Nature can only react to restore balance. We have not listened to the peoples who have lived in symbiosis with nature for centuries. Their understanding, their visions, their prophecies should be taken more seriously. But how do we turn an about face from the racing momentum of "progress"? The economic machine has taken control of the present, endangering the future. We have not listened to the prophets who time and again have encouraged humanity to level the playing field: Share your goods, take care of the poor, provide for those in need. There are too many cancerous growths in the planet, a kind of mirror to the epidemic of cancer in animal and human bodies.

Nature will level the playing field. Capitalist economics is destroying the world - creating the chasm between the unempathic haves and the pained have-nots. But each of us, in our individual venues (areas of influence - family, work, community) can help to restore the balance for the sake of our own peace and spiritual health.

Love one another; do not hate anyone; help others when they ask for your help; give to those who beg from you; pray for the good of the world community, and especially for your enemies, if you think you have them. Such prayer can change the energy of the earth itself - it can restore balance by restoring peace and understanding.

There are abundant resources for all, if only the economic system could be revised to spread out the wealth and resources so that everyone can live a content, loving and purposeful life.

Violent Humanity.

  It's Sunday morning, and I am nursing myself through an attack of the epizutics (a Shenandoah Valley term which covers any undiagnosed illness) - it's probably the flu. Anyhow, having looked through the on-TV guide for something to feed my brain, I was impressed with the ubiquitous theme of violence. We are truly, by nature, a violent species. We dolt on it, we applaud it as much as we fear it, we condone it as much as we condemn it. Yet, when we look at all the true spiritual masters, it is our violent nature which needs to be controlled, our lust for it which needs to be tamed.
  Violence may be a part of our physical human nature, but it is not of our godly essence.  Violence is a product of our ego, which is a function of our material being. The ego plays out its role in the physical world. It is easy for it to take control, and cover over our spiritual nature. The role of faith and religion is to urge us to rediscover our true spiritual being and to allow its power and influence to shrink the ego and to allow the pure love of our godly essence to influence the material milieu we live in.
 We cannot just bury it within. It needs to be addressed and convinced that the bloodlust which taunts us is not a part of our godly nature, but of the nature of the ego, the material aspect of our humanity. True spiritual masters of history have taught that violence is not the way to happiness. It is love, compassion and sacrifice - aspects of our godly essence, which do not condone violence, but which allow the tangled pain of chaos to unravel and to regain balance and peace.
 
Readings:  "The New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle - a wonderful exposition of human nature - both physical and spiritual.

Happy New Year!

Here we are in the year 2011. I can hardly believe it. I always believe we each have a reason for being, and that we are where we should be, according to the fabric of life we have woven by our decisions (or undecisions). This year will prove to be a great test for many souls - not that EVERY year, every DAY is not an op for adjusting the design of your life's tapestry! But this year, this year will prove to be a challenge.
  Many feel we are in the End Times. I agree. But not the end of the world. Rather, we are in a time of transition. The civilization we have built over two millennia has passed its zenith and is in danger of disintegrating. Can it be saved? Yes. But getting EVERYone in the world on the same page is a daunting task, and I wonder if that could ever happen.
  What is important is to keep faith, to realize that this life is only one leg in our journey, that the body is not who I am, but that I am a spark of the living God who has given me life and purpose. With that I live in a shelter of safety, and it matters not what happens in this volatile, changing world - I am at the center observing the miraculous changes, while my soul is rooted in the Soul of the Universe, and I am saved.