Leaving the City of Your Comfort

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you'll discover is wonderful.  What you'll discover is yourself."  ~ Alan Alda

Calling Forth Your Future

You were not built nor designed to spend your life staring blankly at a television screen, or sitting in mindlessly before a computer screen; doing so is like trying to create your happiness from the dung heap.
You were not made to work for any man, to toil with so much effort for another man's enjoyment, and with so little reward in every respect - financially, spiritually, physically and emotionally.

You are not made to ignore your heart, to forsake your own happiness and pleasure for the sake of someone else' gospel.
You were created to live this life to its fullest, to make the most of every moment, to make each moment count, and to bend the future into your present.  Speak into the future and call it forth now.  Call it forth from your heart and from your heart of hearts.
Be neither weak nor coward, and take the next easiest step towards making your life count.  You hold your future in the palm of your hand and on the tip of your tongue.  You are leaving a legacy, and it is one that you create.  Bring your future into your present and watch it become reality in the here and now.

Naked Before God

A fifth century Syrian monk (Pseudo-Dionysius) once wrote:

"When we encounter the matchless glory of the divine, we find ourselves not simply running short of words but actually speechless and unknowing - standing naked before God without the protective interference of language."

 

I've often heard the phrase "naked before God" used to describe the state of brokeness one should be in to stand in the presence of the almighty.  In the context of my spiritual upbringing, this phrase also implies not just the casting off of our sinful nature, but also the glaring humiliation of one's own nakedness.  This notion of standing naked before God was most often used in context of God's displeasure and of his judgement.  It was used by the church I was raised in to shed light on the vast difference between the goodness of God and the base carnality of mankind.  I suppose some of that stems from the story of Adam covering himself in the Garden of Eden because he saw he "was naked and was ashamed."

As I sit in meditation, I see a new construct of this "naked before God" concept.  In meditation, as in many spiritual practices, everything fades away except the connection with the Divine.  There is no brokeness.  There is no judgement.  There is no thought of covering oneself up because of shame.  There is only the sense of oneness, love and overwhelming peace. It is the recognition of the Divine flowing through us.

"...An Evolution in Spiritual Consciousness"

I just read this intriguing article by spiritual teacher, intuitive, and author Sara Wiseman about how a radical transformation can shift your consciousness.  These are the lines that caught my attention:

"What I am seeing now is an evolution in spiritual consciousness, an absolute revolution in what it means to be a human being, what it means to be a Divine being, and most importantly, what it means to be both things at the same time.

We get this one precious lifetime, and you better believe we're here to experience it fully..."

Amazing!  You can read the full article at InspireMeToday.com

Held Together With Ties Inseparable.

"Though free to think and act, we are held together, like the stars in the firmament, with ties inseparable.  These ties cannot be seen, but we can feel them." -Nikola Tesla

OTB Experience?

I had a difficult time settling into my body this morning. I awoke a few hours earlier than normal and was completely disoriented. 

I didn't know where I was, I couldn't remember which state I lived in, much less the city. I had a nagging feeling that I had to go to work later, but I didn't know where I worked or what route I had to take to get there. 

As I relaxed into my body, I was certain I was somewhere in Southern California and that the drive to work was about 40 minutes from where I was. 

I haven't lived in California since the late '80's and I haven't thought much about for a very long time. 

I became fully awake, and yet wasn't quite present in my physical body, or in the physical space of my room. 

It was a little disconcerting, but in retrospect, I enjoyed the feeling of becoming present into this space and time.  I look forward to traveling again. 

What About Love?

I was reading some book reviews online and I came across a line where the writer (in his positive review) stated that the book he was reviewing wasn't like any other book on spirituality because it wasn't a "feel good book where 'wuv' will solve all our problems."
I know he was trying to be flip, but it really got me thinking about what we look for when we read books on spirituality or awakening.
I believe that at the core of our being, at the core of all of us whom are living the human experience, we are not merely connected by love, but we are love.  Our search for answers, our search for the deeper meaning in even our reading of spiritual books is for a deeper understanding of ourselves, and a longing for the remembered connection with all that is divine.
We already have the answers.  We already know the truth.  What we have lost or misplaced is our memory of how to connect to them.  We pick up book after book, go to seminar after seminar, and look outside ourselves for the solutions to problems and the answers to our questions.
How did we get so lost that we think we are broken?
Why is it that we can become so spiritually jaded we think love is just a quick-fix, pop culture concept that is in every self help book or spiritual practice?
As I write this, I am reminded of Marianne Williamson's book A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.  Maybe what we need is a return to love.
Love is not some trite principle that solves all our problems.   Scripture states "Love is patient and kind.  It does not envy or boast.  It is not proud.  It doesn't dishonor others, it doesn't seek after itself.  Love is not easily angered, and keeps no record of  any wrong.  Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with truth.  Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.  Love never fails."
My question is this: What if love is the answer? 
What would we be like if we truly love ourselves in light of the above scripture?  Would we only tell ourselves the truth?  Would we know our truth?
Could we exist in the world if there were no love?  What could the world be if each one of us were able to love ourselves and spread that love to the others in our immediate circles and each one of them did the same?
Love may or not be the answer to all of life's problems, but it certainly shouldn't be so easily dismissed.  Besides, isn't love worth trying?

An Expanded Way to Achieve Creative Living

I recently came across an updated version of the book that changed my life and turned me toward the path of my own spiritual awakening.
I know that everything in my life has been a part of this wonderful, wild journey towards awakening, but I can say without a doubt that reading this book was a defining moment that allowed me to not only think outside the box of my father's fire and brimstone religion, but to actually make movement towards the greater reality of my own power.
I believe that we are much more than our physical beings and as such, we shape our own realities. I believe that we are all an integral part of the Divine Spirit that flows in, around and through us, and because of that, we can tap into that higher power and turn our life into one of great possibilities.  This book helped shape those beliefs.  It has allowed me to shift my perception of reality into one that allows for an expanded consciousness, and truly, a great awakening.

I initially read The Crack in the Cosmic Egg after listening to a speaker recommend this book to all his staff.
I started reading with a little trepidation.  After all, this was a book that was subtitled "Challenging Constructs of Mind and Reality."  The back cover read "... enters into universal creation, cosmic energy, don Juan's teaching, etc., rebuilding and destroying previous beliefs..."
 I have to say though, it wasn't an easy read.  I would catch myself reading the same paragraph over and over in order to understand everything the author was saying.  It was a mind expanding, intellectual journey and I don't regret one word of it.  It was the beginning of my pursuit to discover new thought spirituality, achieve creative living, expand my awareness and shift my reality.  I can't wait to read this updated version of The Crack in the Cosmic Egg: New Constructs of Mind and Reality.  
 I've also downloaded the author's most recent work The Heart-Mind Matrix: How the Heart Can Teach the Mind New Ways to Think.  Now if only I could decide which one to read first!

Getting Into Alignment

I've had a rough week.  One of my pets had to be put to sleep this week because a cancerous tumor spread rapidly and his body began shutting down.
In reflection, I don't know if I've ever known unconditional love except that of my dogs.  Family hopefully loves you always, and yet they judge your actions and view you in the perspective of the "you should have" or "you could have..."  In reality, other humans judge you according to their values.
Winston, my 12 year old Italian Greyhound loved me unconditionally.  I love him, I miss his physical presence, and I will always carry him in my heart.

So what does any of this have to do with getting into alignment?  I've had a rough week.  There were days I forgot to meditate.  There were times throughout the week that I didn't ground myself.  I got lost in my grief and forgot about taking care of myself and maintaining my connection to the Divine.
I believe that we are always connected to the Divine.  I believe that nothing can separate us from the Love of God.  That being said, I also believe that is it our responsibility to do everything we are capable of maintaining that connection with the Divine.  Sometimes, that may mean that we do nothing more than simply surrender; it may mean that we pray or meditate once or several times a day;  we may spend time in nature; or light a candle and say a mantra.
I've always been good at handling stress.  I guess I took that for granted this week, because stress has a way of affecting the physical body.  I noticed it today.  It was the first day back to work after taking Winston to the clinic, and I was suffering stomach issues to the point I thought I would have to stay home.
I began my 30 minute drive to work by listening to Krishna Das' album "My Pilgrim Heart."  Krishna Das is probably the best known American singer of Indian style devotional music.  I like the uniqueness of his voice and the blending of some traditional gospel with Indian devotional music.  There are several mantras sung on this album, and chanting along with some of these mantras always brings me to the place of feeling grounded.
I was about 15 minutes into my drive when I realized that I hadn't taken the time all week to sit with 'quiet mind' and allow myself to remain open and connected to the Divine.
So I'm off work and now I'm giving myself permission and time to get into alignment.  What does that mean for me?  It means letting go of my grief, and allowing myself to accept all that is as it is.  It means knowing that my grief has served its purpose and giving myself permission to feel grief as it comes, but remaining conscious of my connection to the Divine Infinite Spirit.  It also means 10 to 20 minutes of quiet mind, and 15 minutes of clearing my chakras and getting them into alignment.  It means I won't hold stress in my body, and that I am in a healthy state.  It also means that I am grateful for the time I got to spend with Winston, and I'm grateful again for the opportunity to experience unconditional love.