Archive for Love
Duality Perpetuating Machine
I recently have been doing some guided inner work and want to share a recent epiphany I have had with all of you.
As I was going through an area of my life that I have named Reclamation, I noticed several areas that had to do with Self Esteem (or lack thereof). As I went down that Self Esteem rabbit hole a bit further I ended up on the issue of Duality. An infant has no struggle with Duality (OR Self Esteem issues). Duality is something we learn through instruction and life experiences (good and bad), … we then internalize it to the point where we become our own personal Duality perpetuating machine.
So, I came to realize that Reclamation is really about recapturing the state of wholeness … as opposed to my current Dual state of fighting and constantly separating parts of myself out to allocate and place judgement upon … that is all what I have been taught or “taught” myself.
We want to fight all of these fears inside of us … along with what we deem wrong, not worthy, or even downright nasty. It’s the fighting though that creates the split … we fracture ourselves into so many pieces. It’s not that Duality ever goes away … rather, it’s accepting Duality AS wholeness that brings true internal freedom. So my focus and intent is not about overcoming duality, it is about reclaiming the areas of my life that I’ve lost to the fighting of it (whether through other peoples’ “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts”, or my own mental programming) … as well as working consciously to stop the internal fighting against Duality that has become SO much a part of my nature.
This, I believe, is work that is life changing …
Peace and Love
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose,San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
The Approval Exercise
There is a huge difference between caring about other people and caring about what they think of you.
Recently I had an experience which brought to my mind just how much I STILL am bothered by the judgment of other people (toward me). When it happened I went through what now has become a ritual for me: ground myself, keep my heart open … don’t allow the negative energy to make me close, or shut myself down.
There are sometimes in your life though when you’re triggered SO deeply that doing these practices, or any other type of practices, seems impossible.
So my mind went to work I trying to solve this puzzle. An answer popped into my head but it was not one that I particularly cared for … stop caring what other people think.
I didn’t like this though. What about my significant other, or family members, or friends? Do I really want to become such a jaded person that I don’t care what any of them think?? No … that isn’t the right answer.
Suddenly it hit me; like a lightning bolt, or lightbulb flicking on in the darkness of night.
The words rang through my head and then were gone, leaving the significant reverberations of their echo:
“You can care deeply for someone without caring what they think about you.”
Sounds simple, eh? Perhaps. How often do we actually DO something that simple however? Do you really deeply care for someone looks down on you? You can clearly see the sneer, or derisive disgust in their eyes … and you naturally respond with open-hearted compassion? You’re a pretty spectacular person if that’s true ;-). If not, here’s a helpful exercise:
I began practicing this yesterday, and it has already had a profound effect on my life! Whenever I have interacted with someone, anyone, I phrased the words in my mind,
“I care deeply for you, and I don’t care at all what you think of me.”
It felt liberating, I tried on different ways of saying it,
“I have compassion for you … and I don’t give a damn what you think about me!”
… and other formations of phrases that I won’t write here (lol). The effect was drastic and startling! Suddenly, not only was my heart open all the time … I became kinder in action, made more eye contact, and smiled with genuine, authentic compassion. I gave freely from the abundance that was within my heart … I wasn’t holding Love back; reserving it only for those who approve of me.
My caring became unconditional … because approval is a condition we place on others ALL too often.
I encourage you to try this exercise out, even if just for a day. Moving forward it certainly seems like one of those epiphanies that alters my life in a unique way.
Peace and Love.
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California,Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Hurricane You
I once had a professor who would jokingly refer to me as a literal hurricane … because we were close I took it as a token of affection. I was studying to be a classically trained singer, so what better description could one ask for than to be compared to a force of nature?? lol
While I do have a fairly sizable personality, we ALL affect the world around us in the same way … even the quietest and shyest person in the room. If you don’t believe me, try doing an experiment where you act in a manner that is unusual for you. For me that would be to sit in a corner, without saying a word. For someone else, perhaps that would look like they were being wildly charismatic. What do you think the result would be? I’ve tried this experiment out, so I know for myself.
When I was in college I once made the attempt to not say one word for an entire evening. You’d think that I would have had an educational evening of solitude where I could actually learn things about others (what a concept). No … suddenly people were buzzing around me, trying to figure out what was wrong! They kept asking me if something was bothering me and I would simply shake my head … it all went on for quite a while before I finally broke down and said I simply was taking a break from speaking for the evening. Even that explanation wasn’t good enough … I became the topic of conversation simply by doing nothing!
The point is, we each are our own personal force of nature. Whether you want to own that or not, it is most definitely true. You can decide that you aren’t going to believe it and continue to stumble about the world like a bull in a china shop; causing unintended ripple effects in reaction to you wherever you go. OR you could start to pay attention, become a watcher, and see how things unfold around you … and what role you have played in them unfolding in the manner they have.
What we really are supposed to be UP TO in life is being conscious, awake, and aware of this reality. When you truly see it you then start to try and figure out how to minimize the negative effects and maximize the positive aspects you bring into the world. That is just the beginning … because what you ultimately will find is that there is a TON of work to do at figuring and sorting yourself out … who you really ARE. You will go on a wonderfully frightening adventure within yourself; meeting both the demons and saints of your psyche. It is your own personal mythology and, if you stick with it, you will ultimately discover that Love is really the only thing of importance in this world … Love is what will set you free.
Eventually (we can all hope) you will get to the point where you decide you don’t want anything but Love to be the ripples of your influence. That is certainly what I hope for myself ;-).
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– this post was the result of meditating on my prior post, “Freedom“.
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Beware Your Intentions
Inevitably your intentions are what end up owning you. What is a famous saying?
“Oh, but I had the BEST of intentions!”
Really? Truthfully? More frequently than not our intentions have everything to do with with something that will wind up being beneficial for US. We fight for them. We lie for them. We deceive for them. We even cause pain for them. It doesn’t start out that way, for sure … but if we don’t guard what the roots of our intentions are, we wind up on a difficult road to climb.
There is no substance known to man that is more slippery than intentions.
So how do we get at the roots of our intentions? Well, it really is pretty simple in concept … it’s the execution that kills us. We have to let go of the outcomes … we have to simply step back and TRUST that whatever takes place is what we are meant to experience and learn from. We don’t like that though … being polished isn’t pleasant, and being honed is even worse. That is what these experiences in our lives are for though … they are what we need to learn the lessons that we are supposed to learn.
When we go about trying to force reality into a box of our own making THAT is when we start bringing things into our lives that are harmful. Then we wonder how God could be SO cruel to allow something like that to happen to us … when most of these circumstances are simply the realities we have created for ourselves.
If you have a relationship and you are dreadfully frightened that they will leave you or be unfaithful … what do you do? You scheme, and snoop, and badger, and harangue the other person SO much to try and make sure they aren’t … that you actually drive them to the place you feared most. You created that reality … your intention wasn’t based in Love.
If you get a brand new car and it is so beautiful that you adoringly fawn over it … but then somehow it loses its luster over time. Well, you clearly have to go get something new that you can fawn over again, because it felt SO good. More and more, you just keep piling it on … and each thing you guard ferociously, because at one time they meant SO much to you. Eventually through all that hoarding and possessing you wind up stepping on people’s toes, or worse … you actually behave dishonestly. Something happens and you end up losing some or all of the things you cared so deeply for. You created that reality … your intention wasn’t based in Love.
The list can be described for virtually anything … any possibly thing that you can attach an intention to. Does that mean you should do nothing … not attach any intentions to anything?? No … it merely means that you want to be as vigilant as possible as to your true intentions actually are. Check your intentions, scrutinize your intentions … make sure that the intention you affix to something has Love at its core.
True Love … Unconditional Love … does not step on toes, bully, push people out of its way, snoop or spy on, or any other number of results that come from unhealthy intentions. True Love lets go … it allows your heart to always be open … it allows your intuition to hear where you are being Divinely Led.
So get at your roots … and don’t be afraid to dig.
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– pic from the soul is bone.
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
With A Hawk’s Eye
During my meditation today I had a curious experience … one could say an enlightening experience even :-).
When I meditate I always start of by filling myself with God’s Love; drawing from the earth and surrounding nature that God has given us to live in. Once I have done this I release all negativity up and out into the Universe; whether it has been created by me, or forced into my life by outside influence … I let it go. Then, once I am clear of any form of negativity, I send my thoughts and intentions deep into the Earth … I give the Love that I have just filled myself with to the Earth, to use wherever it is needed. Once I have accomplished this I can then move on into wherever I feel Divinely led.
Today, after finishing this meditative ritual, I felt an uncomfortable pressure against both of my temples. Before I began meditating daily I would try to do some sort of breathing exercise to rid me of this … OR do something to simply distract myself like play a game, read a book, have a drink, or who knows what? While those things are fun, and I still do enjoy them, when they are used as a form of escape they can become extremely unhealthy.
So I leaned into the disturbance in my head … it felt like some sort of painful congestion, but in my temples instead of my sinus cavity. As I focused in more and more I felt something break through … and start to grow. Very soon I had two giant wings extending from the side of my head (all in a meditative dream state, of course). Not only that, but I felt/saw the head of a hawk unfurl itself from my 6th chakra and up into my crown chakra. I immediately became lost into a wonderful vision of flying over the sea; swirling higher and higher into the air, diving into the ocean to grasp my prize. When I came back into the room I at first started to be aware that perhaps I had somehow intruded on those around me (as I was in a room full of people). I felt the urge to not back down though … I expanded the wings more and flapped them to create a breeze, and in doing so spread Love throughout the room. Any time a fear would come into my head, the hawk would simply swoop and sever the tie that fear was attempting to create with my soul. Eventually, the hawk settled back down … the wings did not go away, they just folded up naturally … the hawk’s head settled down behind my 6th chakra, but I could still feel it’s penetrating gaze looking out at the world around me.
When I came out of my meditative state I was in a state of blissful peace … extremely grateful that God had sent this companion to help me, and guide me for however long it stays. God is so good … and will give to us all that we need, if we make ourselves ready to receive … willing to follow the guidance and accept the consequences that are accompanying. It is very frightening at first … because we must let go of ALL control. Be strong though … push through, and keep your heart open … you will see. God is there waiting with Love that is beyond measure.
Peace and Love to you all.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Manifestation – Eckhart Tolle
Manifestation is one of those topics that get people rolling their eyes,
“Oh, here comes the hocus-pocus, wacko stuff.”, is really what many are thinking.
I can understand the skepticism because there are a lot of people who take it to places that really are very silly. However, there IS a definite, God-given talent that is inherent to us … when we use our brains in a certain way, it attracts opportunities and people who are of a like mind. If you are depressed, you will find that you are constantly coming across other depressed people to commiserate with. This does not help you. The answer is to find a place of peace … a place where you can sense or feel led on a spiritual level to where you are supposed to be … where you connect with God and are filled with Love. In such a place, you will draw the things to you that are meant to be in your life … that doesn’t mean you’re going to be a millionaire, or some other crackpot promise … but you will have peace, and joy, and happiness with the knowledge that you are where you are supposed to be … AND you will be attracting people and opportunities into your life that blend harmoniously with that place of peace, joy, and happiness. No one knows what will happen from such a place … but it will SURELY be better, in the long run, than what you will attract from any other frame of mind.
Here is an article written by Eckhart Tolle on the topic of manifestation:
Eckhart on Manifestation
Excerpted from the July 2010 issue of Eckhart Tolle TV “The Manifestation Question”
Often people ask questions about manifesting and the power of intention, and how that relates to the power of Now. One person asked me about the difference between the continuous wanting that I write about in A New Earth and intention – the intention to create something. What is the importance of manifesting things in your life, or creating, or is that counter-productive?
There are many exciting books these days about creating and manifesting: The Secret, the teachings of Abraham, and so on. Often people ask, how does that relate to Stillness and inner peace? And acceptance of what is? And surrender to the Present Moment? And living in alignment with Now? Is there conflict, is one wrong? Or misleading?
This is an important question for almost everybody. Your own life is a microcosm of the macrocosm. If you look at the Universe, the first thing you will see is that it likes to create, and it likes to manifest. On this planet alone, the Universe is continuously creating and manifesting countless life forms. And in outer space, we can only assume – we don’t know what exactly is there – but there is a vastness of life out there, and probably many more life forms than we have on this planet. The life forms, both in the sea, and on land, including humans, they seem to enjoy a dance of coming into being and destruction. It’s a transformational process.
By just looking at life, you can see that the Universe loves to manifest. Also it seems to be the case that life forms, over periods of time, become more differentiated. Many more come. And even human societies become more complex. We have had ancient civilizations that were very complex, but our present civilization is the most complex. This of course includes problem-ridden. That goes with complexity. Every individual who is part of this civilization has a life that is full of problems. But complexity cannot go on forever.
The Universe likes to create, to manifest, to experience the play of form. That’s one movement. And you can see it in yourself, at some level. There is something else in humans, you can only really see in yourself, an inner phenomenon. The Universe wants not only to experience that manifested life, it also wants to experience peace and something that is not touched by the continuously fluctuating forms. It wants to know itself deeply, directly, in its essence. That really is the root of spirituality. The Universe not only wants the outward movement, but it also wants the inward – the return movement to the One. Every human being also embodies these two movements. It seems that you are torn sometimes between the outward movement into form, and the inward return movement to the Source where it all started. The Source that was never really lost, it is always there because it is timeless, and it is within you. You feel drawn back to that, and that is the pull toward spirituality, peace, Stillness.
Not one or the other is right or wrong. It’s only perhaps if you totally lose yourself in one or the other – maybe that’s not quite it. Perhaps this is the challenge of the Universe here on this planet, and perhaps on other planets. The challenge to reconcile the two movements, rather than to have them be separate. Is it possible to reconcile the inner movement toward Stillness and Being, and the outer toward action, and doing? I would say it is, and that is our challenge at this time.
Traditionally, it’s been very unconscious what humans have manifested in this world. They have been identified with doing, and identified with form. That has been going on for as long as anyone can remember – since recorded history and beyond. And we call that ‘ego’. The One consciousness that underlies everything moves into form, assumes forms, and enjoys the play of form but it’s not enough for the one consciousness to enjoy the play of form, it needs to completely believe in it to make it seem ‘real’. You need to lose yourself in that dream of form.
Every human believes that they have a life of their own, and that means they are identified with the form of that life. This particular physical body, this particular psychological life form, the accumulation of thoughts and the emotions that go with these thoughts; it all becomes part of that form-identity.
Consciousness is trapped, or believes itself to be trapped in that. We could say that in that state, the Universe or Consciousness has entered a “dream-like” state. It wants to do that, it must enjoy that dream, up to a point. Consciousness has entered that “dream-like” state where it is completely identified with form. It doesn’t realize that every other form is an aspect of itself. Of course, then you are just an isolated entity. It becomes quite unpleasant after a while. So you have to get together with other entities and instead of having an “I” form, you have a “We” form, an “Us”.
For a while, the Universe seems to be okay with that, to have Consciousness identified completely with form. Then the “movie” goes on. Reading through history, you can see what happens when Consciousness is identified completely with form. Then it comes time for another stage to arise, when Consciousness is beginning to awaken from complete identification with form. This is beginning to happen at many stages, this is why human beings are drawn to spiritual teachings. It is the awakening from the dream of form.
Inspiring Story
I read “A New Earth…” a while ago. I must buy another book if I am going to get through another read, as I have highlighted, underlined and noted all over the book. I started to re-read the first couple of chapters again, but I couldn’t get off the first page. I have tried to read the first couple of chapters over and over again, but I still cannot get past the description of the “first flowering.” Something in the description holds me, and I can’t move pass that point. I have reread that portion of the book at least twenty times.
Now, flowers captivate me! I can no longer look at a flower the same way. In my wildest dreams, I would have never imagined that flowers would hold me so tightly. I am completely enamored of them. I have since taken a flower arrangement class. My house seems empty without a fresh bunch of flowers. I can be short of cash but I will sacrifice to bring these absolutely beautiful beings in my house to share my space. And once they have come into my domain, my spirits lift; a general feeling of well being emerges. I have since planted some flowers in my front yard.
I often ask myself: is there anything more beautiful and more giving of itself than a rose, a carnation, a daffodil or a lily? I ask myself: what is more awe-inspiring than an orchid?
Thank you for heightening my awareness of these ever so gentle and fragile beings. I truly appreciate flowers like never before; they are absolutely a wonderful gift of nature.
M. Abdus-Salaam
Inspirational Quotes
“Whereas before you dwelt in time and paid brief visit to the Now, have your dwelling place in the Now and pay brief visits to past and future when required to deal with the practical aspects of your life situation.”
“Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.”
“The more limited, the more narrowly egoic your view of yourself is, the more you will see, focus on, and react to the egoic limitations, the unconsciousness in others. Their “faults” or what you perceive as their faults become to you their identity. This means you will see only the ego in them and thus strengthen the ego in yourself.”
Intuition or Impulse?
All too often it seems that people mistake intuition for impulse, and vice versa. I can see how it could be confusing: both are inner “gut” feelings, so how do you differentiate?
The simple answer is that one comes from a place of calmness and centered serenity, while the other comes from a whirringly over-active mind.
It certainly is possible to have intuitive feelings as a person who is not centered … it simply is difficult to differentiate. You could be a highly intuitive person; one who values and prizes their intuitive abilities a great deal. If you are not taking the time to center yourself however you will simply be acting on impulse half of the time and mistaking it for intuition.
I’m speaking from experience here, as I’ve always known myself to be an intuitive person. It wasn’t until I began meditating daily that I started to notice the difference … and WHAT a truly profound difference it is!
Intuition often requires a lot of patience. At one point in my life I felt intuitively led to literally just WAIT for months on end until the timing was right and my intuition guided me accordingly. After a few months of just waiting you really DO start to doubt whether it actually was intuition that told you to wait in the first place. But OH was the wait worth it … the results of that waiting were monumentally life changing … for the better. Waiting for guidance is every bit as important as acting on it.
I’m speaking in generic terms of course … waiting for an intuitive form of guidance, to me, is synonymous with waiting on God. If you never take the time to quiet your mind and meditate (i. e. connect with God) it is extremely difficult to hear anything but yourself … your own thoughts, insecurities, childhood programming, fears, and anxieties all doing constant calisthenics in your head.
If you’re at all competitive, or like a challenge? Try living intuitively for … a month, let’s say. All it requires is that you spend some time meditating every day … connect with God, allow yourself to be Loved, to BE Love … and, from that centered space, when your instincts tell you to do something … you do it. It’s that simple … and hard. If it truly was simple then everyone would be doing it … because there is no more profitable way of living life … on every level.
I guarantee you that if you try living intuitively, as described above, for one month … it will change your life.
Prove me wrong, I dare you ;-).
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– pic by ahole
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
The Opposite Of
Life often gets measured out into two parts: either you fit into the expectations of others, or you rebel to make your own mold. The problem with this is that, in rebelling, we aren’t being who we truly might want or hope to be … we are being the OPPOSITE of what others want us to be. Is being the opposite of someone else’s machinations REALLY the person that you long and hope to be?
Hell no!
This is how, all to often, someone looks back on their life and says,
“How did I get here? How did I become this person?”
We spend so much of our lives basically doing one or the other of these extremes that we miss the center completely … the center is who YOU really are. Your True Self.
You become that person when you are no longer running this way or that … forcing … pushing against. These things are all reactions. When you are fighting against something, or someone, you are not being your True Self … you are being the person who is knee-jerk reacting to that person or event.
There is no need for fighting. There is no need for fear. Rather than reacting to these things … STOP! Take the time to go within. Connect with your Creator, and receive Love. Acknowledge what is happening, accept that it is happening, and just LET GO of it … of trying to dictate your will. When you let go, you step out of that mold … the Opposite Of mold … and can then move forward as who you really are.
There will be just as many people who don’t like this as when your were being the Opposite Of … there probably will be more. It doesn’t matter though … you accept it, and let go of it, and continue to move forward as your True Self. They will hate this because you are no longer reacting to them … even if you weren’t doing what they wanted, at least you were giving them something by reacting. Now they don’t get anything from you … and they will hate that, so they will provoke you even more.
As long as you keep following those same steps though? You will have freedom … it won’t come overnight. It actually takes quite a while because you have built up SO many habits, and undoing habits takes some work. It’s really pretty simple though, if you just stick with it …
Acknowledge the problem … accept it for what it is … stop trying to change it or fight it … and just let go … then move forward and begin the work of being your True Self. It’s still work … but it’s happy work … because it’s who you really ARE! 🙂
Peace and Love.
~~~~~~~
– pic by Julien Vidame
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
On A Day Such As This …
Meditation saves lives.
No, really … it does … it’s just that we don’t really know when it has saved our lives because, well, we’re still alive!
Case in point:
Two days ago I received one of the most vicious, nasty letters I have ever had the displeasure of reading. Over the past year I have had to make some very difficult decisions in order to bring my outer life into alignment with the inner blossoming that has taken place over the past two years.
I’ve spent years, decades, pursuing a closer relationship with God … but it has been in the last couple of years that a series of enlightenment experiences have rocked, changed, and transformed me into a completely new person. So … in the process of making changes in my life … there were people who were disappointed, and even hurt by the changes that needed to be made. I have to live through those reactions, keep my heart open through them, and allow those lessons to mold me into the person I’m supposed to become as a result. That is the responsibility that comes with having lived with a closed heart for so long … and you can’t escape those responsibilities.
So, this letter. I don’t need to go into the details, but it left me a sobbing, tearful mess … it came from someone I have a great deal of love for; hence the level of pain. I don’t know about you, but things that go to such depths take some time to heal from. So for the past couple of days my head has been whirling like a dervish and ringing like a gong all at the same time. Consequently … I’ve been a little scattered.
This is what I mean about meditation saving lives. We all get caught up in our personal crises and begin reacting to the events that keep piling on. Yesterday I was so scattered from the emotional trauma that I was going to be late for a contract signing. I started stressing out even more than I already was, which made me drive faster. Before I knew it I was speeding … fortunately I noticed and MADE myself slow down. I called the office I was driving toward to let them know I would be late, and then I switched on my audiobook of “The Untethered Soul“, by Michael Singer. This put me in a meditative state, and the rest of my drive went well. Had I allowed myself drive recklessly because of reacting to the craziness in my life? Who knows, I could have gotten a speeding ticket, OR I could have gotten in an accident … or caused somebody else to have one. I, or somebody else, could have died at worse … or at least had our lives altered in some most likely negative way.
Today, when I had time, I spent an hour or so meditating, grounding, connecting with my Creator, clearing my space of all the awfulness that was lingering … all the crap that I had been allowing to turn me into a pinball careening around the bouncing jolting world of Re-Action.
It is SO important that I just can’t stress it enough. Take the time to take care of yourself … to meditate and seek Guidance. God LOVES you … only good can come from being Loved. 🙂 That’s what meditation IS … allowing yourself to be Loved … and to give Love in return. It could very well save your life … and it most CERTAINLY will change it … for the better!
Peace and Love.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Getting to the root – Forgiveness
You really don’t know how powerful forgiveness is. Well … if you do … then you have successfully forgiven everyone in your past, and continue to do so every day in your present … congratulations then on being the most fabulous person alive! 🙂
All kidding aside. We go through our lives and without even knowing … we allow things from the past to pile up. It could be as trivial as the way your boss treated you yesterday, all the way to a sibling who offended you and thus you refuse to speak to. These things hold you back … they don’t hold them back at all. They are free to go live their lives, and be happy. While you? You are left to be angry, bitter, resentful, judgmental. That is not who you are … you are better than that! You are a beautiful person.
The miraculous thing about forgiveness is really how it can transform your entire life. You think it is just about that one issue … but then, when you actually forgive and see how many areas of your life it affected? WOW! It’s like getting to know yourself all over again … like rediscovering the beautiful child you loved being … but got chased away from.
Do yourself a favor … every time you judge someone else, stop and think about how that ties into how YOU have been judged. I’d be willing to bet a lot of money that those past judgments about you, and your resentments of them, are playing a STRONG role in your outlook on life.
Forgive … whoever it is who is at the root of that tension in your chest … forgive them! When you do … well … life will begin to unfold in a completely new way … and you will be happy.
~~~~~~~
– painting by Cedar Lee
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Consequence of Sin
Consequence of Sin
By: Religion4All
So much to do
to undo
the deeds
already done.
So many words
to unsay
or wish
it could be that way.
I’m a zen-like
trancing monk
who lets you
pierce my shield.
Opening
that fragile bloom
you always wish
you knew.
Here’s my body
please partake
with an ounce of blood
your thirst slake.
Here’s my soul
ephemeral
a mixed elixir
and now your full.
My arms are open wide.
My heart just sits there throbbing.
My crown unfurls anew;
a sacral fountain bubbling …
… and no matter what you take
I’m filled again within.
Resting on this cloud-like stasis
assuming consequence of sin.
My cheeks are flushed and full
I’m turning back and forth for
your blows.
But no matter what you send
I will not let my heart
close.
Peace be with you.
I love you,
and that is all
I am willing to give.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
A Many-Headed Monster
There is no such thing as sin; not really. The various, and multiple, never-ending aspects of sin are simply an invention of mankind in an effort to structure, and for some to actually gain power over, the rest of mankind.
Before you get upset and label me a blasphemer, let me explain myself. There really are only two states of being: being connected to God, or being shut off from God. When you are connected to God you are not sinning … it is impossible. When you are shut down on a spiritual level, you will eventually end up doing something, or many things, that the various religions label “sin”. Really all you are guilty of is being shut down to God.
When you are connected to God, your heart feels open … like a child gazing at their successfully flown kite on the perfect sunny/windy day. When you are shut down to God your heart is closed; the world starts to feel small, suffocating, threatening, and full of fear … predatory. Very frequently we shut our connection to God down in reaction to the actions of others. This happens over and over again until you eventually get to the point where your entire life is lived in a shut down place … your heart is permanently closed.
Some people actually like being in this place; it makes them feel as if they are in control … it makes them feel powerful. For these people there is no hope. For the majority, however, there is a longing for something more … a knowledge deep down that something within is missing and unfulfilled.
This is the reason behind why Jesus spent all of his time with everybody BUT the acknowledged religious experts of his day. He spent his time with the open-hearted … or those who longed for open-heartedness. The people Jesus spent time with might have been labeled “sinners” for not following all of the rules of religion; for not fitting into the structure. They were, however, people who were searching and longing for openhearted connection with God. No religion has exclusive rights to an openhearted connection with God. There are many people in religion, and out of religion as well, who have such a connection. There are also a great many people in religion who have no such connection; while professing to be pious. Look at the “fruit” of many of their actions and you will See: abusing children (or covering up the abuse), condemning others, hoarding money, starting wars, hatred, killing … the list of their “fruits” is long, and none of it is the product of an open heart; of Love. They point out everybody else’s sins, and tell you to fight with all your might against your evil heart.
Your heart is not evil … it just needs to be opened.
If you are striving to be free of sin, you will be perpetually fighting a many-headed monster … that battle will never end. If you are simply striving to maintain an open-hearted connection with God? Life becomes easy. You begin to allow yourself to be Led, instead of trying to impose your dominance over an unbeatable foe. That is true freedom.
Many are threatened by this occurrence because they no longer can control you. They therefore strive to shut your heart down again with their actions. Do not let them; don’t get distracted. Simply BE in an open-hearted place, and follow the Divine guidance that comes naturally from being in that place … and everything will be as it is supposed to be. You only lose when you close your heart … so never close it.
This is where the Journey begins … living every moment of life with an open heart; allowing Love to guide you and spill out of you.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
A Challenge: “In order to not be judged I have …”
In meditating on my prior post today, “In Order To Not Be Judged“, I came up with a challenge for myself that I think could be ultimately helpful for anyone to undertake. I began thinking of all the things I have done, and decisions I have made in my life, based on the fear of being judged … or the desire to gain approval (the flip side of that same coin).
As I allowed the mental chatter in my brain to die down I started working it through; using the following line to begin each new sentence:
“In order to not be judged I have …”
The challenge, should you choose to accept and participate, is to go back through your life … even all the way back to when you were a child … and think of how many ways you have acted based on the desire to either not be judged, or to gain acceptance. Some of the instances are insignificant, I found for myself … and others were completely life altering in scope.
What is the reason for this? Well, you cannot let anything go in your life, without first acknowledging its existence. If you are not aware of it, how can it be released? Acknowledge, Accept, Let Go, and Move Forward as your True Self … that is the process that has been revolutionary for me in my own life.
Being a singer/songwriter … if I repeat ANYTHING for a long enough period of time I will find some sort of rhythm and tune to put it into ;-). So, after spending enough time in meditative thought (about a half hour or so), I began writing down my list in the form of a song. Pardon the poetic simplicity … I heard it as a rock song in my head and so I just allowed the melody in my head to bring out the fitting words rhythmically in line with what I was hearing.
Here is my own endeavor into this challenge … in the form of a new song:
In Order To Not Be Judged
By: Religion4All
In order to not be judged
I have cheated;
I wanted acceptance.
In order to not be judged
I’ve repeated
the lies that I knew
tore apart at the fabric
of souls that I loved;
mine included.
In order to not be judged
I’ve avoided
the person I’ve always been
meant to become.
In order to not be judged
I have given away
all my dreams
on the hope that one day
I will gain
your acceptance.
Have I really … have I really?
I explode my lies
and let go my secrets
bursting through the ties
that have bound my
obedience
to all of the things
that you think I should be.
In order to not be judged
I’ve been a bully
and I’ve been a coward.
In order to not be judged
I have altered
my daily existence
all based on
projections of
what you would think.
In order to not be judged
I’ve rejected
what has the most value.
In order to not be judged
I have shut down
my True Self
so that you’re only
judging
my illusion.
Have I really … have I really?
I explode my lies
and let go my secrets
bursting through the ties
that have bound my
obedience
to whatever you think
I should become.
I’m a Warrior of the Light
not some stranger’s delusion
I call forth my right
to be Loved and
a Lover.
There’s no need for me to fight
in my heart is the answer
I’ve sought all this time.
In order to not be judged
I acknowledge;
your actions run right through me.
In order to not be judged
I’ve accepted;
let go of the need
to control my own fate.
I move forward …
and I am free.
~~~~~~~
pic by Bronwen McInerney
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Equality: How We Get It All Wrong
I’ve been meditating on the issue of equality for the past couple of days; what exactly it means to us as human beings, and how we go about living that in our daily lives. The following are two definitions of equality according to Merriam Webster.
Equality:
1 a (1) : of the same measure, quantity, amount, or number as another (2) : identical in mathematical value or logical denotation : equivalent.
2 : regarding or affecting all objects in the same way : impartial.
In analyzing the differences between these two definitions, it is my personal opinion that the problem is rooted in how many of us perceive equality in today’s world.
Most of us measure ourselves, in comparison to others, in a manner of whether or not we are equivalent, or greater than equivalent, to them. Do you have the same fame or acclaim as a peer or counterpart in your chosen career? If not, you work toward evening the playing field, and hopefully surpassing them.
Since we so ruthlessly judge ourselves in this fashion … we also tend to judge others that way as well. Who is greater and who is less than? Who is popular and who is unpopular? Who is wealthy and who has no money? Who is dominant and who is passive? All too frequently we base our life decisions on these perceptions : who is the best friend to seek out for what we want personally, who is best suited to elevate us at work, or in a relationship – who is the one who gives the most to the relationship? In some facets this helps us succeed (career) and in others is our greatest downfall (relationships).
The primary problem, on a spiritual level, is that when we view each other through the filter of equivalency it leads us to judgement. Judging others, or harshly judging yourself, causes your heart to close. When your heart is closed you are no longer connected to God. This might not sound so bad on a case-by-case basis … the real issue lies in the fact that, for many of us, this is how we live every day of our lives. That means we are closed and disconnected from God virtually ALL the time. The times when you let go of this pervasive mindset of judgement (toward self and others) feel wonderful … like a spiritual high you experience once or twice a week. That is how you are supposed to be every day, all day … open-heartedly connected to God.
The true meaning of equality, in terms of how we as humans interact and live our lives, is revealed in the second Merriam Webster definition … synonymous with the word “impartial”. When there is no “greater than” or “less than”, we all have meaning and importance in the world. We each have something important to give to the world; something special that nobody else can duplicate. That is priceless.
Each one of us is unique and perfect as our True Selves … we just have to let go of the equivalency exams we feel that we either must personally pass, or unjustly impose on someone else.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
The Elusiveness Of Being Happy
There really is no one else out there … not one person … who will be the answer to your personal happiness.
Your personal happiness must come from you first … and then from there you can find someone to share that happiness and Love with. It doesn’t work the other way though, and yet for millions of people in this world THAT is how they go about trying to attain happiness. The structure gets set up in many different ways. You can make a family and then strive for success, you can strive for success and then make a family when that comes along, you can follow your own personal dreams and just take what’s given to you … or any other prescribed formula. If you don’t have happiness within you already … none of those ventures will succeed in bringing happiness to you.
Ultimately, all of these knee jerk reactions toward trying to engineer life into our own personal happiness machine … will simply fail, and you will be left empty, unhappy, and back down at the ground zero of trying to figure out what next venture will be the answer.
The answer is waiting for you … but you won’t find it out there. The only place you will find it; the “answer”, happiness, inner peace, the meaning of life, whatever anyone wants to call it … is by taking the time to go within yourself. Work through all of the chaotic crap storm that your inner self has become. You must discover and endure what may very well seem like a soul-rending, inner apocalypse … and come out the other side having learned to keep your heart open through all of it. To do that you have to consciously make yourself be still … meditate, pray, communicate with your Creator, and allow what comes up internally to be … just allow it, accept it, work through it with an open heart, and let it go.
When you have learned to never close your heart, to never shut that inner part of you down, no matter what? Then you will move forward into a new life, and you will discover that happiness simply comes as a result of being open … all the time. Allowing God to flow into and out of you … a constant conduit. When your heart is open, you really can’t give anything but Love … anything other than Love will close your heart down, even if it is just for a split second. If you judge someone else, your heart closes. If you lie, that door slams shut. Anger stacks up like bricks of an oven; encasing you inside of your closed-off, roasting inferno of a heart. All of these things, and many more, must be worked through, broken down, and released to get to that wide-open expanse of a field that is Love.
You learn with time and practice to just make it an every day, all the time, way of living. It takes time, and along that road there will be times that you revert to your old ways … you close your heart, but as long as you are aware of it … you can just open it again. It’s that easy … or at least, it becomes that easy. It’s harder than any imagined Hades to get to that point … but it is SO worth it … because then? You get to spend the rest of your life being centered in Happiness and Love. Your exterior life simply becomes a series of tests for you to overcome in terms of keeping your heart open … and as long as you do, you will be happy.
That is Heaven. That is Valhalla, Nirvana, and Enlightenment all rolled into one. When you leave this shell of a body? That is what you will be left with … either Heaven or Hell … they are simply the state of your soul sans body; the state of your relationship with God … and thus we really do have Heaven and Hell right here on Earth … it’s called your life, and how you have chosen to live it.
~~~~~~~
– pic by photon tamer.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
The Growing and The Flowering
A flower cannot bloom before its time. If it were even possible for humans to impose their will upon a plant to flower, the plant simply would not be able to … its constitution and make-up at that specific time could not fashion the flower petals inside of a bud that has yet to be born. One would have to accelerate the evolution of that plant a thousand times faster than its normal growth rate … what then would that do to the plant?
In the same way, we as people are designed to flower and flourish. However, each of us also needs our own period of gestation and hibernation and growth. Those who are growing should not look at those who are flowering with envy … your time will come. Those who are flowering should not look at those who are growing with disdain or judgment … your flowers will die and then you too will be growing again.
This is one of the greatest difficulties presented to religions in this day and age. The flowering are looked at, by the religious institution, as affirmation that their teaching is correct. The growing are looked at as people who have yet to flower … if only they would heed the religious teachings better – then they too could flower. This drives the growing ones away, and sets the flowering up for the failure of a future downfall when they too will be growing.
Every … single … person … needs the nourishment of Love. It does not come as a reward for heeding teachings … it should simply be … all the time and beyond conditions. It might take twenty years for one to flower … but God ‘s timing is beyond our comprehension. Perhaps their flower will be the most beautiful of all … and all they needed was time, and unconditional Love.
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Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Unconditional Love! (Part Two)
Unconditional Love can only exist in a non-reactionary state.
Too often Love is construed or mistaken for how we react to another person. Someone we have positive feelings for gives us a gift, and so we have a warmth that glows within us. Someone we have passion for caresses and kisses us, and so a fire consumes us. This is not Love … not in the truest sense; that being Unconditional Love. This is merely a reaction to someone else’s action. When your heart’s foundation is based in reactionary love? Whatever relationship you have will eventually either cease to exist or be rewarding.
Here’s an example:
As an artist (that being someone in the world of art, not necessarily a painter) I find that I am more prone to grandiose statements or actions. I feel more (or at least I think I do) and since I also communicate my feelings for a living, I communicate all those feelings … sometimes without much of a filter (lol). In some ways this is what many find charming about artistic/sensitive people … and in other ways, it is what people find threatening. There is a flip side to every coin.
So today I made a statement that was, for me, simply a statement of fact … a reflection of the Love that is within me. The other person’s reaction was dismissive. Given the wide-open state of my heart in saying what I had said, my immediate reaction was to stiffen internally … somewhat akin to the reaction one would have after being slapped, except I don’t believe I had any outward reaction at the time. What I really wanted to do was just get away … go somewhere (preferably away from this person) where I could meditate and sort through what had just happened and my feelings about it. For the next half hour or so I was somewhat cool and withdrawn, and my heart CERTAINLY was not wide open any longer.
This is an example of reactionary love. I closed my heart, and in doing so I stopped the flow of Love to this other person … and I ALSO closed off the original flow of Love coming to me. That is what happens when you choose to close your heart … you are closing yourself to God’s Love.
During that half hour I deliberated. Had I taken things too far, or expressed too much. Perhaps I should measure out my Love, and be more reserved with it … because this other person obviously felt uncomfortable with certain aspects of it. Perhaps I was supposed to mirror their aloofness, so that they wouldn’t feel uncomfortable (and so I wouldn’t get that kind of treatment again). After I let that business of my mind fall away I was able to slip into a more meditative place … a place where I can hear and listen what God has to say to me. This is what God said:
“You are not supposed to shut yourself down, or close yourself off. You are supposed to love unconditionally; this means ALWAYS loving to your utmost. There are no exceptions to this … you don’t get to have a safety net that is comprised of the other person’s promises, or actions. You simply Love unconditionally, all the time, no matter what they do or say … and that’s it. Whatever they do … is up to them and has no bearing on the state of your Love. That IS what Unconditional Love IS … there is no other kind of Love.”
A sense of Divine peace washed through me and so I went through what has become a daily practice for me. First, I acknowledge whatever it was that happened. Second, I allow that event to be … I let go of trying to fight against it. Thirdly, I accept whatever happened as something that is now in the past … and therefore something that can no longer be changed. Lastly, after having acknowledge, allowed, and accepted this event … I let it go. Once I have done this I am left with my True Self, who I am outside of reacting to whatever the event may be.
Having taken this course of action, I was simply able to move forward as my True Self … and that person is someone with an open heart, who gives Love freely. So after that half an hour of withdrawal, I simply went back to expressing my Love freely. I didn’t even need to have a conversation with the other person … in a sense that is a condition … a condition that things must be worked through satisfactorally for me to move forward with an open heart again. No, I just let it go … I opened my heart wide open, and continued to allow the flow of Love to move through me freely.
That is an example of Unconditional Love. It took me a little bit of time to get there, but the end result is all that matters. Sometimes it can be difficult, and this is usually in direct reaction to the depth of your feelings to whatever the person, or scenario is. The important thing is to focus on keeping your heart open … if your heart gets closed, that is ALL on you. Your closed heart is not the other person’s responsibility, no matter what it is that they have done … only you can keep your heart open.
Had I not taken this series of actions, I would most likely have had a closed heart for the entire day. I may have grown resentful and held on to that hurt feeling until such a time where I could express it … in such a scenario, the likelihood would be that such an occasion would not conclude positively. A closed heart acting in a reactionary way is never going to result in the other person having an open heart … negative does not beget positive. Love is the only force that produces Love … if what you want is Love? Well, you’d better look at the conditions you are basing that on … and let go of them. If there are conditions what you have is not really Love (with a capital L).
Peace and Love.
~~~~~~~
– This post is an addendum to a prior post, “Unconditional Love!”.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Walk In the Waves
I felt the urge to meditate at the beach today. The sun was setting, the waves were choppy and sprawling, and I reflected it all off my coffee, gold, and emerald eyes. I was troubled … I didn’t exactly know why. A mixture of the Change happening within me, and the ever-changing unknown that is Life all around.
I closed my eyes to feel the sun on my face more fully, and to hear the gulls cry. I opened them to take in the liquid gold rolling toward me as the sun continued its descent.
I heard a subtle Voice … no fanfare, or bold proclamations … almost like an unheard whisper tasted in my mind. It said,
“Go walk in the waves.”
I don’t know how familiar you are with the Pacific in January, but … well, it’s cold! I ignored the whisper … but of course it persisted. Call it your gut feeling, instinct, intuition, whatever … for me, that’s what I have pledged to listen to, and consider. With Love as my measure, I test these intuitive waters … and then act.
Love had no problem with me walking in the Pacific in January.
So I took my shoes and socks off, hiked my jeans up to my calves, and made my way through the boulders to get to the beach beyond. It was beautiful. My toes sank into the wet earth and I drank the decadent sunset with thirsty eyes. I felt God kiss me, I felt Love, I felt one with the Universe … it was lovely; but I didn’t understand why the Voice had told me to come walk in the waves. Was it all just to feel Loved? I say that as if it means nothing … but I guess I just expect something monumental when God speaks to me.
After a while I made my way back through the boulders to the bench where I had left my shoes. I sat and began to swat the wet sand off my feet. I looked out at the ocean again and I saw my footprints in the sand. The thought went through my head, “That is the mark you have left on the world today,” and I watched as a wave rolled over them and filled each footprint up with salt-water and sand. They had almost disappeared with just one wave.
Then the Voice spoke to me again,
“You see? What is your life, amidst all the lives that ever were or ever will be? You are just footprints that get washed away … and that is as it should be. You seek to make a mark on this world, to leave it drastically different than it was before you came … but that is against nature. A drastic change would be the equivalent of an earthquake, or a volcano, or an atom bomb … all of those things cost lives, and are feared. Why would you want to be like them … they hurt the earth. They disturb the natural order … they bend the natural order to their own end. Don’t aspire to have such an impact. Aspire to make footprints in the sand that will soon wash away. Aspire to heal everything around you with Love … not to impose your own will on the world around you. Don’t fight … just BE … and when you are BEING? Be Love. Then, and only then, will you be happy.”
Yeah … THAT was worth taking off my shoes to walk in the waves for :-).
Peace and Love.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California,Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Make It Work
Life for each of us, as we know it, consists basically of what we choose to make happen. In a sense you could say that we are taught from a very young age to go out into the world and make things happen. This occurs on many different levels: from the food we eat, to the friends we choose, the careers we pursue, the family we either embrace or disown … even down to the simple things; like the temperature of our shower, or how we drive through traffic. Across-the-board, no matter what the situation, we are told to make everything be exactly what we want it to be.
So what is wrong with this exactly?? After all, our greatest role models and heroes are the ones who are most successful at imposing their wills upon the world around them. Those are the people we look up to!
Here’s the thing: when there is no sense of contentment, of reverence for what IS, there is no lasting happiness … none.
When everything in the world exists solely for the purpose of us bending, twisting, shaping, forcing it into what we each uniquely want it to be? There is no gratitude for what it already is … there is no peace that passes all understanding because we have deemed that we know better.
This isn’t just about nature. It’s about how we live our very lives … the attitudes that we have which determine whether or not we will ever be happy.
It would be one thing if all it was was that each of us wanted our own individual things. That actually is sort of the way nature works. Instead, however, we end up wanting what everybody else tells us we should want … what society tells us we should want. Generally what society says we should want is more, more, and MORE … more than we could ever possibly need on our own. More than we could ever possibly need even for a family.
The result is unhappiness; a depressed malaise that will never be cured unless we can somehow satisfy the societal opinions that have come to govern our lives.
Or … you can simply refuse to allow others to dictate your happiness. If this truly happened however it would affect every single aspect of your life … stirring up dormant anxieties, and hidden fears that would seemingly threaten your very existence … far easier to just get the latest iPhone for an ever so brief fix of fleeting happiness.
If you’re serious though … if you are tired of trying to please everyone else … you will go within meditatively, consistently, and face down every demon. Let go of the ties that bind; in the form of other people’s insignificant opinions. Stop trying to make everything be exactly as you want. Quiet the overactive anxiety that is becoming your mind more and more each day. Spend some time appreciating things just as they are, without trying to change them at all. Connect with the Source that is the only source of happiness.
Once you have done that you can move forward as your true self … the soul that is experiencing the feelings and thoughts that you have been allowing to rule your life. That doesn’t mean you don’t do anything, or accomplish anything. It just means that your happiness is not dependent on anybody else, and what you spend your life doing will stem from that happiness you already have within.
That, I believe, is the only way … the Way.
Peace and Love.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Stoned Purification
I had a lovely epiphany while meditating today … quite frequently I receive wonderful insight, but ‘epiphanies’ are not every day encounters ;-). Contrary to the implicated suggestion in the title, I was not “stoned” for this meditation (lol).
Those who’ve followed my blog for a while will know that I have a special affinity for rocks. Stones, for me, are like a storehouse of energy … sometimes sharing centuries of experience, and at other times stirring memories of things I personally have yet to live out. Because there are both positive and negative energies in the world (from myself, or from others) I like to devote the beginning of each meditating purifying each stone that I am using. I do this with a simple breathing mantra that I’ve developed over the years:
“I breathe in your Love, O God, and let it fill every fibre of my being
I breathe out your Love into this rock, and allow the pure Love that is You to cleanse it of anything other than Love.
I breathe in and receive whatever it is You would have me learn, or however You want to change me, from this stone.
I breathe out our combined Love for You into the world.”
Today my epiphany came on the second line of this mantra … totally unexpected. The question was formed in my mind,
“Do you believe that I completely purify this stone of any and all negative energy when you allow My Love to flow into it?”
“Of course I do.”, was my immediate reply.
“Then you should also believe, with equal conviction, that I completely purify YOU of all negative energy when you first fill yourself with My Love. Do you believe that this is true?”
That made me stumble a bit … I realized that I didn’t believe this with the same conviction. For myself, I have all SORTS of negative things that can run about within me … even after I have filled myself with God’s Love.
What God revealed to me in presenting me with this series of questions (others were posed as well, but these two were the primary ones) is that any and every negative energy that I experience after filling myself with Love … is negative energy of MY OWN DEVICE. In other words, it is negative energy that I am creating for myself … based upon a lifetime of experiences (both positive and negative), as well as my own foolish self-sabatoging mind.
The wonderful epiphany that emerged from amidst this thornbed of conflicted thought was that ALL of those remaining negative energies are of my own creation. Since they are my own creation, they can also be consciously let go of as such. Once I have taken the time to connect with and bond with God … all outside negativity has been expunged. EVERY single negative thing that remains is from me … and therefore can be let go of by me.
I found this to be a new level of release for me. In some ways I had been drawn to meditating with rocks as some form of protection from outside energies … but after all this time I see that what negativity that was left was my own … and therefore very easy to let go of.
It just took a long time to realize how easy it is :-).
Peace and Love.
~~~~~~~
This post was a result of meditating on my prior post, “Polishing A Mirror“.
~~~~~~~
Religion4All is an idea: that every human being (no matter their race, religion, sexuality, social status, lifestyle, or any other possible factor) is LOVED by God; just … as … they are.
We all are loved by God, and NO religion or person has a monopoly on it. Every single person on this planet is loved equally by God … SO many are cut off from God because they are told they don’t belong. God loves everyone … we ALL are beautiful creations … we don’t need to cringe when we hear the words “God”, or “religion”, or their judgments … God LOVES us all!
There is no requirement to change in order to be LOVED by God, or to LOVE God. God is LOVE, and LOVE is God … period. There is no one who God loves more than anyone else … there are only those who choose to LOVE more … to love God more, and consequently then to love each other more. In doing so, we grow closer to God … and know God.
By opening our hearts, and minds to God (free of boundaries like religion, or social trends); by LOVING God … we are exactly where we are meant to be. If we maintain that openness, never allowing any person or event to make us close our hearts, we will be guided by God to be who we are meant to be.
In that space of openness we can then live a life of LOVE, and be guided to where we are meant to be … forever in LOVE.
Southern California, Northern California, Mission Viejo, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Long Beach
Religion4All 