Sunday, October 28, 2012

Truth

Caterpillar, Sedona, Arizona

All religious and spiritual leaders throughout history teach basically the same truth:

When we bring our attention  (i.e., our awareness without judgment) to the present (i.e., in between or beyond our thought), we become one with our divine nature and fulfill our life's purpose.

Let's do that.  The more we do it, the better at it we become.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Surrender

Hole In The Rock, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

We are not alone.  We think we are alone because of our thoughts and beliefs that we are alone.  Literally, we think we are alone because we think we are alone.  Over generations, we have built a belief structure of separation and aloneness.  It is actually a flimsy house of cards without a foundation.  It can come tumbling down in the blink of an eye.

We are inextricably connected to everything.  We are also part of the Infinite Energy Source, that is often called God.  We are divine beings who have tricked ourselves into believing that we are separate.

We can transcend our aloneness and recognize our oneness, by bringing awareness to our beliefs.  We acknowledge our thoughts of loneliness and surrender them to the Great Unknown.

When we bring awareness to our thoughts, a separation is created between ourselves and our thoughts.  We realize that we are not our thoughts.  Once we realize that we are not our thoughts, we cease to identify with them.  We start to become something besides who we think we are.

Every time we have a thought of loneliness or separation is a new opportunity to acknowledge and surrender. This causes the thought to instantly dissolve. We are free and comforted in the safety of Spirit.

Let's surrender our beliefs and acknowledge our oneness with All That Is.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Discipline

Maggie and Penny, Buffalo Lodge, Coromandel, New Zealand

It is very easy to fall back into bad habits and get lost in the mostly ridiculous stories we tell ourselves and others.  How do we stay focused on the present moment and not lapse into thought, memories and daydreams?

Even when we have the desire to be spiritually oriented, fear and laziness often prevent us from being centered.  Merely having an intention is often not enough to counter the strong pull of the belief systems of the various groups we associate ourselves with.  The intention must be so strong, it is closer to devotion.  All it takes is a strong intention, discipline, and the skills we have learned to maintain our focus.  Presence is like a muscle that gets stronger when exercised.

Peace, love and joy is not even a millimeter away from our grasp.  All that we have to do is turn our attention   to the present moment, and be disciplined about keeping our focus there.  We may never go back.  Hallelujah.  We are awake!

Let's be disciplined about awakening to who we really are.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Love

Summer, Big Bear, California

The conventional wisdom is that we can't love others until we love ourselves.  I believe the opposite is true.  We cannot truly love ourselves until we love others, not just members of our family or our groups, but every stranger as well.

Love is the only thing that can fill the hole that we believe we have in our lives.  We try to fill it with material possessions, romantic relationships, drugs, alcohol, too much food, etc.  In truth, there is no hole.  We just feel that there is one because our separation has left us with a feeling of lack.  We are missing something and we have no idea how to find it.  We do not even know what we are looking for.  Yet we embark on every crazy idea our mind concocts about what is missing and how to find it.

How do we love those that hate us or that are trying to harm us?  We realize that there is no difference between them and us and that their anger comes from their thoughts about their own inadequacy.  They believe they are unlovable and unworthy.  That profound sadness leads to anger, which covers up the fear and loneliness that they feel.

There is no hole.  We do not need to look for love.  It is what we are.  All we have to do is surrender our thoughts, judgments and beliefs.  What is left is peace, love and joy.

Let's surrender to love.