Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Complete Healing
Science has attempted to explain phenomenon generated by such things as transcendental meditation, prayer, psycho kinesis and therapeutic touch by constructing the field theory. Field theory essentially holds that matter is energy and, as such, even denser forms of energy as we see materialized on the physical plane can be affected by activity in the mental, spiritual and emotional planes. And, because this form of energy possesses nonlocal characteristics, distance is not a factor in efficacy. In other words, you can project influence over great distances with no loss of power involved.
Inherent in this theory is the understanding that the higher or more subtle the field you work in, the greater the result will be in the lower fields. Another way of saying this is that, to effectively solve a problem, you must work on the level above where the problem manifests.
This would explain why healers can impact physiological functions without actually touching a person and without using conventional medical interventions. Or how a group of transcendental meditation practitioners can drop crime rates substantially in major metropolitan areas. Or why prayer groups scattered across the county could so dramatically improve the conditions of cardiac patients as compared to control groups as demonstrated in Randolph Byrd’s studies.
The larger reality involved in their theory is part of GST (general systems theory). It is that all things are connected. As humans, we exist as both a field and as part of a larger field that encompasses all other things. When we involve ourselves in more subtle interventions such as prayer or therapeutic touch, we consciously attune ourselves to the larger field. In so doing, we project our influence in such a way that carries great power in the physical plane.
This works both ways. Yogis are well aware of the powerful influence that consciousness and intent have in the subtler realms and caution their students, who have not yet mastered stability of mind, to possess a passive indifference to those who would do them harm and to gratefully acknowledge those who are gracious towards them. Studies have demonstrated that people can have dramatic effects on the physiological functions of others simply through language.
Because we are all part of a larger field we can certainly have impacts beyond what the average person would suspect. But this also means that none of us as individuals can truly be healed until all of us are healed.
Complete healing entails global healing and healing at all levels of the individual. This includes the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. The mentor is a holistic healer concerned about complete healing from a field perspective.
Inherent in this theory is the understanding that the higher or more subtle the field you work in, the greater the result will be in the lower fields. Another way of saying this is that, to effectively solve a problem, you must work on the level above where the problem manifests.
This would explain why healers can impact physiological functions without actually touching a person and without using conventional medical interventions. Or how a group of transcendental meditation practitioners can drop crime rates substantially in major metropolitan areas. Or why prayer groups scattered across the county could so dramatically improve the conditions of cardiac patients as compared to control groups as demonstrated in Randolph Byrd’s studies.
The larger reality involved in their theory is part of GST (general systems theory). It is that all things are connected. As humans, we exist as both a field and as part of a larger field that encompasses all other things. When we involve ourselves in more subtle interventions such as prayer or therapeutic touch, we consciously attune ourselves to the larger field. In so doing, we project our influence in such a way that carries great power in the physical plane.
This works both ways. Yogis are well aware of the powerful influence that consciousness and intent have in the subtler realms and caution their students, who have not yet mastered stability of mind, to possess a passive indifference to those who would do them harm and to gratefully acknowledge those who are gracious towards them. Studies have demonstrated that people can have dramatic effects on the physiological functions of others simply through language.
Because we are all part of a larger field we can certainly have impacts beyond what the average person would suspect. But this also means that none of us as individuals can truly be healed until all of us are healed.
Complete healing entails global healing and healing at all levels of the individual. This includes the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. The mentor is a holistic healer concerned about complete healing from a field perspective.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Learning from History
I just finished watching a television show called “History’s Footnotes”. This particular show was a filming of Stanley Hirschson, author of “General Patton: A Soldier’s Life” lecturing at Politics and Prose, a Washington bookstore. Hirschson talked for an hour about the irascible and often coarse “blood and guts” General George Patton who was known not only for his fiery speeches and intense attitudes toward the axis powers but also for being one of the most brilliant tacticians and leaders of any army in history.
But I noted that, as the camera panned the audience, there was not one young person present at Hirschson’s presentation. Everyone who had come to hear him talk about the man who is generally regarded as one of the single most important personalities in achieving the allied victory in World War II was pretty obviously over the age of sixty ... and very possibly seventy. There was not one high school student, not one college student, not one young adult in the entire audience.
And, although I would rather have the youth of our country put their energy and attention toward something else other than war, I do think it telling that there was not a single young person in that room that wanted to hear about a personality who was critical to one of the pivotal points of history. Why does that bother me? Because if we are not students of history and do not learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it. This principle applies on individual, community, state, national and planetary levels.
It’s said that the definition of insanity is repeating the same self-destructive behavior over and over again and expecting different results. We would do well to remember that lesson as we turn to face squarely the challenges that lie before us as a nation and as a global community. The examples are legion. Here are a few approaches to things that have already been tried on national and/or global levels … and that always end badly …
Trying to cram extremist beliefs down another persons (or nations) throat ...
Raping natural resources with no thought given to sustainability …
Engaging in foolish financial practices, i.e., not balancing budgets or allowing “creative financing” practices to flourish …
Relying on governments to “fix” things …
Questions:
What behaviors have you tried in the past that haven’t worked well for you?
Why has it been difficult for you to break those patterns of behavior?
What would your life be like if you could see what isn’t working for you … and change it?
What would be the best way for you to come to grips with those issues in your life?
What do you think are the important lessons for us to learn … and not repeat … as a global community?
But I noted that, as the camera panned the audience, there was not one young person present at Hirschson’s presentation. Everyone who had come to hear him talk about the man who is generally regarded as one of the single most important personalities in achieving the allied victory in World War II was pretty obviously over the age of sixty ... and very possibly seventy. There was not one high school student, not one college student, not one young adult in the entire audience.
And, although I would rather have the youth of our country put their energy and attention toward something else other than war, I do think it telling that there was not a single young person in that room that wanted to hear about a personality who was critical to one of the pivotal points of history. Why does that bother me? Because if we are not students of history and do not learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it. This principle applies on individual, community, state, national and planetary levels.
It’s said that the definition of insanity is repeating the same self-destructive behavior over and over again and expecting different results. We would do well to remember that lesson as we turn to face squarely the challenges that lie before us as a nation and as a global community. The examples are legion. Here are a few approaches to things that have already been tried on national and/or global levels … and that always end badly …
Trying to cram extremist beliefs down another persons (or nations) throat ...
Raping natural resources with no thought given to sustainability …
Engaging in foolish financial practices, i.e., not balancing budgets or allowing “creative financing” practices to flourish …
Relying on governments to “fix” things …
Questions:
What behaviors have you tried in the past that haven’t worked well for you?
Why has it been difficult for you to break those patterns of behavior?
What would your life be like if you could see what isn’t working for you … and change it?
What would be the best way for you to come to grips with those issues in your life?
What do you think are the important lessons for us to learn … and not repeat … as a global community?
Friday, January 25, 2008
Moving Forward
My father will have been gone 16 years this coming March. When I sat by his bedside as he took his last breath that mild, early spring afternoon I knew my life had changed. I would no longer walk the woodlands with him on hunting trips. Times sitting in the boat, chatting about whatever was on our minds and waiting for the fish to bite, were gone. There would be no more cribbage games on Sunday evenings. There would be no more Sunday afternoon family dinners with him at the table and I would no longer hear him laugh as, after dinner, he listened to Andy Rooney at the end of 60 Minutes.
Two years ago my mother passed away. And, as I sat by her bedside as she took her last breath, those same feelings swept over me. I had tasted the last of her “spatulas” and homemade pickles. She would now be absent from family reunions on the farm. I could no longer write her special letters that would be tucked inside her Christmas card. The kitchen table chairs where we would sit and talk would now be empty.
After she passed away, I was faced with the daunting task of cleaning out their house and getting it ready for sale. I had grown up in that house, spending every year in it from the time of my birth until I moved out on my own for college. Memories of Christmas’, Thanksgivings, Easters, birthday parties and family dinners rushed into my mind each time I went over to spend another two or three hours sorting through drawers, shelves, cupboards, clothing and hope chests. On the day before closing on the sale, I went to the house and spent an hour inside all by myself. I walked through it slowly, permanently imprinting every detail of it in my memory, letting all the memories drift through my head until finally … I had to say goodbye.
Those were hard things to experience. There’s a part of me that, if I had had the power, would have prevented them from happening. I would have prevented their deaths, preserved the house, held onto both them and my memories. But I realize that another part of me argues against that and would not have allowed me to do something of that nature. People simply do not live forever. You can’t freeze-frame life. It isn’t a stagnant pond. It’s a river. And it moves continually. The only constant is change.
The bottom line is that we may not like certain things that happen in our lives but we can’t stop them from occurring. We are all faced with having to move forward. And moving forward sometimes means leaving certain things behind and reconciling that what we would like to happen is not always going to happen. That is, very simply, the nature of life. Struggling against it won’t change it. Denying it won’t change it. Ignoring it won’t change it. Accepting it won’t change it either. But it can make it easier to deal with.
I’m listening to Dan Fogelberg’s song, “Forefathers” at the moment. The chorus reads:
“And the sons become the fathers
And the daughters will be wives
As the torch is passed from hand to hand
And we struggle through our lives
Though the generations wander
The lineage survives
And all of us
From dust to dust
We all become forefathers
By and by”
And, so it is.
Questions:
What are you holding onto that’s preventing you from moving forward?
What are you “getting” from holding on?
What’s making it difficult for you to let go?
How would your life change if you would let go?
Two years ago my mother passed away. And, as I sat by her bedside as she took her last breath, those same feelings swept over me. I had tasted the last of her “spatulas” and homemade pickles. She would now be absent from family reunions on the farm. I could no longer write her special letters that would be tucked inside her Christmas card. The kitchen table chairs where we would sit and talk would now be empty.
After she passed away, I was faced with the daunting task of cleaning out their house and getting it ready for sale. I had grown up in that house, spending every year in it from the time of my birth until I moved out on my own for college. Memories of Christmas’, Thanksgivings, Easters, birthday parties and family dinners rushed into my mind each time I went over to spend another two or three hours sorting through drawers, shelves, cupboards, clothing and hope chests. On the day before closing on the sale, I went to the house and spent an hour inside all by myself. I walked through it slowly, permanently imprinting every detail of it in my memory, letting all the memories drift through my head until finally … I had to say goodbye.
Those were hard things to experience. There’s a part of me that, if I had had the power, would have prevented them from happening. I would have prevented their deaths, preserved the house, held onto both them and my memories. But I realize that another part of me argues against that and would not have allowed me to do something of that nature. People simply do not live forever. You can’t freeze-frame life. It isn’t a stagnant pond. It’s a river. And it moves continually. The only constant is change.
The bottom line is that we may not like certain things that happen in our lives but we can’t stop them from occurring. We are all faced with having to move forward. And moving forward sometimes means leaving certain things behind and reconciling that what we would like to happen is not always going to happen. That is, very simply, the nature of life. Struggling against it won’t change it. Denying it won’t change it. Ignoring it won’t change it. Accepting it won’t change it either. But it can make it easier to deal with.
I’m listening to Dan Fogelberg’s song, “Forefathers” at the moment. The chorus reads:
“And the sons become the fathers
And the daughters will be wives
As the torch is passed from hand to hand
And we struggle through our lives
Though the generations wander
The lineage survives
And all of us
From dust to dust
We all become forefathers
By and by”
And, so it is.
Questions:
What are you holding onto that’s preventing you from moving forward?
What are you “getting” from holding on?
What’s making it difficult for you to let go?
How would your life change if you would let go?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Church
The church most often espouses and practices religion. Although some will claim that spirituality is present in all churches, it is sometimes difficult to discern. Religion concerns itself primarily with structure, particular practices, various doctrines and prescribing the “correct” way to worship God. It’s a little like belonging to a political party. If you don’t tow the party line, you place yourself at risk for exclusion or even expulsion. That’s happening to friends of mine right now who are being harassed by their church for what they believe about the universe. They are good people … sincere and intelligent and gentle and spiritual. They are ministers and mentors of the highest order and they have done an enormous amount of good work in their church … yet they are being systematically attacked by those who ought to love them.
Religious services are held in specific structures – church buildings, synagogues, mosques. The curious thing is that God hears you no better in church than he does if you are out in a meadow. A building is no more inherently sacred than a forest.
Politics (the manipulation and/or control of a person or group) is generally present in generous amounts. Control … either subtle or blatant … is exercised in a variety of ways.
The entire purpose of the church originally was to assemble a group of like-minded people who could support each other on their spiritual journeys. Unfortunately, that concept became watered down over time with burdensome structures, policies, procedures, doctrines, rules and regulations. There is strong evidence to suggest that it even got to the point where the church fathers rewrote some of the canons for the purpose of controlling the church population. That is, I believe, where the concept of eternal punishment was developed. Imagine that. A loving God sending somebody into a burning pit for an eternity simply because they never verbally proclaimed Jesus Christ as their Savior. Perhaps they never had a chance. Perhaps they never heard of Him. That doesn’t sound like a God I want to play with.
Most churches often talk about helping the poor and troubled but seldom do much about it … preferring instead to minister to their own flock rather than become involved in the larger community in any meaningful way. A “white” Methodist church on Main Street may never confer with the “black” Baptist church on Second Avenue and neither of them may talk to the Jewish Synagogue on Oak Drive about how they could work together to establish a food pantry for the poor, or assemble volunteers for the local hospice program or become tutors for at-risk children in the public school down the road. Churches are very often closed societies … the antithesis of what Christ taught. Have you ever walked into a church, had nobody say hello, and you felt like you were imposing on them by being there? I have. “Go ye into all the world” and “love others as you love yourself” often falls on deaf ears.
In the beginning of the Christian movement it wasn’t that way. Small groups met in houses. Those groups were connected with each other. They took care of the poor and widows among them. Their concern was how to connect with Spirit and have it flow through them and out into the larger community. They thought about how they could be the leaven. They were enthralled by the thought of a living God. They worshipped with sincerity and enthusiasm and power. Eventually, however, those practices gave way to increased structure. Control became centralized and eventually exercised with an iron hand. Hence we have events like the Inquisition.
Spirituality on the other hand concerns itself primarily with relationship – between human and God and human and human and human and environment. It is much less concerned with structure than connection. Its use of any practice, when necessary, is much more open and liberal and much less exclusive. It embraces many ways to worship God. It looks into the community and asks the question, “how can I help?”
A religious person may judge you … which impedes your progress. A spiritual person will accept you … which opens space for you to become even better. A religious person might scold you for what you’re doing wrong in your life. A spiritual mentor might point out that what you’re doing is causing you some difficulties … but it will be done in a spirit of love and they will follow it up with what you’re doing right in your life, identifying your potential. Religious people often focus on the past. Spiritual people tend to focus on the present and future.
Of course, a person can be religious or spiritual, both or neither. Some religious people are very spiritual. Some are not very spiritual at all. There are many good religious people who live sincere lives but who are not spiritual. And there are many people who are very spiritual but have little regard for religion. Both are present in churches.
I do not call for the dissolution of churches. I call for their restoration. From defenders of doctrine to healers of community … from guardians of “truth” (the truth has no need to be guarded) to channels of Spirit … from debaters about the nature of God to acceptors of All That Is … from “fighters for the faith” to peacemakers.
How would the world change if we dropped all our doctrines and simply “did justly and lived humbly” before God? Now, that’s something to think about.
Religious services are held in specific structures – church buildings, synagogues, mosques. The curious thing is that God hears you no better in church than he does if you are out in a meadow. A building is no more inherently sacred than a forest.
Politics (the manipulation and/or control of a person or group) is generally present in generous amounts. Control … either subtle or blatant … is exercised in a variety of ways.
The entire purpose of the church originally was to assemble a group of like-minded people who could support each other on their spiritual journeys. Unfortunately, that concept became watered down over time with burdensome structures, policies, procedures, doctrines, rules and regulations. There is strong evidence to suggest that it even got to the point where the church fathers rewrote some of the canons for the purpose of controlling the church population. That is, I believe, where the concept of eternal punishment was developed. Imagine that. A loving God sending somebody into a burning pit for an eternity simply because they never verbally proclaimed Jesus Christ as their Savior. Perhaps they never had a chance. Perhaps they never heard of Him. That doesn’t sound like a God I want to play with.
Most churches often talk about helping the poor and troubled but seldom do much about it … preferring instead to minister to their own flock rather than become involved in the larger community in any meaningful way. A “white” Methodist church on Main Street may never confer with the “black” Baptist church on Second Avenue and neither of them may talk to the Jewish Synagogue on Oak Drive about how they could work together to establish a food pantry for the poor, or assemble volunteers for the local hospice program or become tutors for at-risk children in the public school down the road. Churches are very often closed societies … the antithesis of what Christ taught. Have you ever walked into a church, had nobody say hello, and you felt like you were imposing on them by being there? I have. “Go ye into all the world” and “love others as you love yourself” often falls on deaf ears.
In the beginning of the Christian movement it wasn’t that way. Small groups met in houses. Those groups were connected with each other. They took care of the poor and widows among them. Their concern was how to connect with Spirit and have it flow through them and out into the larger community. They thought about how they could be the leaven. They were enthralled by the thought of a living God. They worshipped with sincerity and enthusiasm and power. Eventually, however, those practices gave way to increased structure. Control became centralized and eventually exercised with an iron hand. Hence we have events like the Inquisition.
Spirituality on the other hand concerns itself primarily with relationship – between human and God and human and human and human and environment. It is much less concerned with structure than connection. Its use of any practice, when necessary, is much more open and liberal and much less exclusive. It embraces many ways to worship God. It looks into the community and asks the question, “how can I help?”
A religious person may judge you … which impedes your progress. A spiritual person will accept you … which opens space for you to become even better. A religious person might scold you for what you’re doing wrong in your life. A spiritual mentor might point out that what you’re doing is causing you some difficulties … but it will be done in a spirit of love and they will follow it up with what you’re doing right in your life, identifying your potential. Religious people often focus on the past. Spiritual people tend to focus on the present and future.
Of course, a person can be religious or spiritual, both or neither. Some religious people are very spiritual. Some are not very spiritual at all. There are many good religious people who live sincere lives but who are not spiritual. And there are many people who are very spiritual but have little regard for religion. Both are present in churches.
I do not call for the dissolution of churches. I call for their restoration. From defenders of doctrine to healers of community … from guardians of “truth” (the truth has no need to be guarded) to channels of Spirit … from debaters about the nature of God to acceptors of All That Is … from “fighters for the faith” to peacemakers.
How would the world change if we dropped all our doctrines and simply “did justly and lived humbly” before God? Now, that’s something to think about.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Walking in Another's Shoes
Most of the problems we face on personal, community and planetary levels involve our unwillingness to escape from the orbit of our ego. Because the ego centers on self, it can restrict spiritual vision making it very difficult to see things from another person's perspective. Forgiveness, patience, tolerance and charity are gifts that are given and skills that are developed as a result of our efforts to break out of our ego path.
When we look at issues from outside the gravity of or ego it is easier to view them from the perspective of compassion and understanding. It is difficult to walk in another's shoes when we cannot take off our own shoes. You cannot walk in two pairs of shoes at the same time. Taking off our own shoes involves shedding the boundaries, fears and limitations that our ego has built over the years.
Several years ago, in my capacity as a community volunteer, I worked on reading with a young, at-risk child. We were reviewing a list composed of basic three letter words that he was supposed to have committed to memory. Although he was of the age where the understanding and pronunciation of these words should have already been achieved, he was struggling. Toward the end of the session we were both becoming tired and, although I hadn't shown it, I had become somewhat frustrated both in my seeming inability to help him in his learning and in his apparent slowness to grasp the material.
Quite suddenly and for the briefest moment, I looked at the list and realized that I could not read or understand any of the words. I felt like someone in the story of the Tower of Babel, completely unable to comprehend what was being said to them or what was in front of them in writing. And, in that moment, my frustration vanished. I had lived what it was like for him not to be able to read. I, for a fleeting moment, had walked in his shoes and come away with a new perspective. A higher authority had momentarily made the boundaries of my ego invisible so that I could experience another persons life. And, in that moment, I could see with compassion and understanding.
Being sensitive to the needs of others is necessary for personal and planetary healing. But there are some cautions. There is some danger in walking in another's shoes particularly if you are a sensitive person. You must be careful not to be overcome by the sadness, frustration or darkness of energy that they may project. Giving yourself over completely to that experience is not wise and will not lead to a better experience for either of you. In general, you should remember that walking in the shoes of another person is similar to sensing specific needs and conditions that spring from their background. It is not "being" in their situation or giving yourself over to their experience.
It is wise to build your energy levels on a daily basis and seal yourself in Light through intentional meditation whenever possible prior to such an experience. This will help maintain your perspective and protect you from any negative influences.
It is common to feel the need to want to "heal the world" after such an experience. You will often sense many great needs. But it is wise to remember that the journey of a
thousand miles begins with one step. Healing all wounds may not be achievable and will set you up for frustration and failure. But small acts generate big results. Do what you can and what you feel led to do. Release the rest to Source.
When we look at issues from outside the gravity of or ego it is easier to view them from the perspective of compassion and understanding. It is difficult to walk in another's shoes when we cannot take off our own shoes. You cannot walk in two pairs of shoes at the same time. Taking off our own shoes involves shedding the boundaries, fears and limitations that our ego has built over the years.
Several years ago, in my capacity as a community volunteer, I worked on reading with a young, at-risk child. We were reviewing a list composed of basic three letter words that he was supposed to have committed to memory. Although he was of the age where the understanding and pronunciation of these words should have already been achieved, he was struggling. Toward the end of the session we were both becoming tired and, although I hadn't shown it, I had become somewhat frustrated both in my seeming inability to help him in his learning and in his apparent slowness to grasp the material.
Quite suddenly and for the briefest moment, I looked at the list and realized that I could not read or understand any of the words. I felt like someone in the story of the Tower of Babel, completely unable to comprehend what was being said to them or what was in front of them in writing. And, in that moment, my frustration vanished. I had lived what it was like for him not to be able to read. I, for a fleeting moment, had walked in his shoes and come away with a new perspective. A higher authority had momentarily made the boundaries of my ego invisible so that I could experience another persons life. And, in that moment, I could see with compassion and understanding.
Being sensitive to the needs of others is necessary for personal and planetary healing. But there are some cautions. There is some danger in walking in another's shoes particularly if you are a sensitive person. You must be careful not to be overcome by the sadness, frustration or darkness of energy that they may project. Giving yourself over completely to that experience is not wise and will not lead to a better experience for either of you. In general, you should remember that walking in the shoes of another person is similar to sensing specific needs and conditions that spring from their background. It is not "being" in their situation or giving yourself over to their experience.
It is wise to build your energy levels on a daily basis and seal yourself in Light through intentional meditation whenever possible prior to such an experience. This will help maintain your perspective and protect you from any negative influences.
It is common to feel the need to want to "heal the world" after such an experience. You will often sense many great needs. But it is wise to remember that the journey of a
thousand miles begins with one step. Healing all wounds may not be achievable and will set you up for frustration and failure. But small acts generate big results. Do what you can and what you feel led to do. Release the rest to Source.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Living Consciously
Most of us live our lives relatively unconsciously. We have daily routines that we follow. Seldom do we deviate. We may wake up, hit the shower, grab a cup of coffee and head off to work. After a day in the office we head home, have dinner, read the newspaper and perhaps a piece of the latest novel, watch a little TV and then fall into bed only to start the same routine the next morning.
On occasions, sometimes driven by crisis situations such as an acute healthcare need or the death of a family member or friend, we do an assessment of our lives and make some level of real effort to live it more consciously. We may right some wrongs that we’ve committed, spend more quality time with family, begin meditation practice, try to connect with God and do some volunteer work in the community. But soon our lives get “back on track” and we slip into our former routines.
Humans are creatures of habit. In itself, that’s not a bad thing … as long as you have the “right” habits. Problem is, most of us don’t. That’s not meant to be a judgmental statement. It’s just the way it is.
Most of us don’t live our lives very consciously. We don’t give much deep thought to why we are here … the nature of life … what happens when we leave these bodies … what effect our behaviors have on others … what we could do to improve the quality and impact of our lives … the connectivity that exists between all of us.
But take just a few moments and think about how different your life and the world would be if the majority of us took just a few sincere moments every day to think about these things … to live more consciously. What kinds of changes could we expect to see on our planet if that happened?
We would begin to alter our spiritual DNA. This would change not only individuals but family members. Addictions would decrease, health would improve, personality flaws would be dissolved.
People would be more willing to share their resources … and to use them more wisely.
We would begin to live in such a way that future generations would be protected. We would think about how our behaviors would affect the seventh generation. We would live our lives with the benefit of vision.
There would be fewer wars and they would be less severe. Planetary rehabilitation efforts would increase and begin to show effects.
The effects of greed would diminish. Global financial structures would stabilize and improve. Inroads would be made on poverty.
Health statistics would get better and more resources would be available for prevention as opposed to intervention.
Diets and eating habits would change and this would make more food available for more people.
In other words, a little conscious living would move us toward restoring the earth to a garden planet … the kingdom of God. Now, wouldn’t that be worth 30 minutes a day?
On occasions, sometimes driven by crisis situations such as an acute healthcare need or the death of a family member or friend, we do an assessment of our lives and make some level of real effort to live it more consciously. We may right some wrongs that we’ve committed, spend more quality time with family, begin meditation practice, try to connect with God and do some volunteer work in the community. But soon our lives get “back on track” and we slip into our former routines.
Humans are creatures of habit. In itself, that’s not a bad thing … as long as you have the “right” habits. Problem is, most of us don’t. That’s not meant to be a judgmental statement. It’s just the way it is.
Most of us don’t live our lives very consciously. We don’t give much deep thought to why we are here … the nature of life … what happens when we leave these bodies … what effect our behaviors have on others … what we could do to improve the quality and impact of our lives … the connectivity that exists between all of us.
But take just a few moments and think about how different your life and the world would be if the majority of us took just a few sincere moments every day to think about these things … to live more consciously. What kinds of changes could we expect to see on our planet if that happened?
We would begin to alter our spiritual DNA. This would change not only individuals but family members. Addictions would decrease, health would improve, personality flaws would be dissolved.
People would be more willing to share their resources … and to use them more wisely.
We would begin to live in such a way that future generations would be protected. We would think about how our behaviors would affect the seventh generation. We would live our lives with the benefit of vision.
There would be fewer wars and they would be less severe. Planetary rehabilitation efforts would increase and begin to show effects.
The effects of greed would diminish. Global financial structures would stabilize and improve. Inroads would be made on poverty.
Health statistics would get better and more resources would be available for prevention as opposed to intervention.
Diets and eating habits would change and this would make more food available for more people.
In other words, a little conscious living would move us toward restoring the earth to a garden planet … the kingdom of God. Now, wouldn’t that be worth 30 minutes a day?
Friday, January 18, 2008
Accepting Responsibility
Indulge me at the beginning of this entry … at least until I can get to my point toward the end …!
Last night I saw a TV commercial that showed workers in a factory setting surfing down long, snaking product conveyor belt systems constructed of rolling steel tubes. The stunt had to be computer assisted as it simply wouldn’t be possible for someone to do everything these folks were doing. Nevertheless, a brief message that flashed below the scene said “Stunts performed by professionals. Do not attempt yourself”. Well, duh.
Although some readers may disagree, I have to wonder out loud why anyone with an iota of common sense would attempt an act like that. Unfortunately, having watched some of the antics filmed on various “home video” TV shows I have to conclude that some folks actually do. Which, I suppose, somehow enables our legal system to require such inane product labels as the following:
“Removing the wheel can affect the performance of the bicycle.” (On a bicycle)
“Misuse can lead to property damage and bodily injury” (On a hammer)
“Do not use for personal hygiene.” (On a toilet brush)
“Do not put any person in this washer.” (On a washing machine)
“Do not drive with shield in place.” (On a car windshield sunscreen)
“Caution: Risk of fire.” (On a fireplace log)
“Do not use while sleeping.” (On a hairdryer)
“Serving suggestion. Defrost.” (On a frozen dinner)
“Do not iron clothes on body.” (On an iron)
“Warning: May cause drowsiness.” (On a sleep aid product)
My point? Our increasingly litigious society is getting very good at relieving people of responsibility. The problem with that? You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge and take responsibility for.
I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t have compassion and forgiveness for people who are struggling in certain areas of their lives. We all struggle to overcome tendencies in our personalities that make us do things that are not in our best interests or the best interests of the people around us. As the apostle Paul said, “We all sin and fall short …. “
At some point, however, the boundary between “reasonable” and “excessive” is crossed … as demonstrated in some of the product labels listed above.
The bottom line is that you can’t change anything in your life for which you don’t take responsibility. If you don’t acknowledge it, it remains out of your reach. It doesn’t matter what it is … impatience, anger, greed or any other personality flaw. The only way you can change it is to first recognize that it exists and then take responsibility for it. That pulls it inside your ring of consciousness and enables you to begin the work necessary to dissolve it.
It is not enough to recognize something exists and is a problem but then blame it on something or someone else like upbringing, genetics, society or a sibling. Doing so keeps whatever needs to be changed in the position of power. When you acknowledge your responsibility (which means that you tacitly accept that you have the power to change it) the energy shifts and you now find that you are in the position of power.
It is human to find it difficult to acknowledge and accept responsibility for everything in our lives that should be dealt with. But the more that we do, the more we are able to change.
Questions:
What things in your life do you need to change?
What are their impacts on you and others around you?
How did they develop and what has made it difficult for you to accept responsibility for them?
How would your life be without them?
What would be some ways for you to change things?
Last night I saw a TV commercial that showed workers in a factory setting surfing down long, snaking product conveyor belt systems constructed of rolling steel tubes. The stunt had to be computer assisted as it simply wouldn’t be possible for someone to do everything these folks were doing. Nevertheless, a brief message that flashed below the scene said “Stunts performed by professionals. Do not attempt yourself”. Well, duh.
Although some readers may disagree, I have to wonder out loud why anyone with an iota of common sense would attempt an act like that. Unfortunately, having watched some of the antics filmed on various “home video” TV shows I have to conclude that some folks actually do. Which, I suppose, somehow enables our legal system to require such inane product labels as the following:
“Removing the wheel can affect the performance of the bicycle.” (On a bicycle)
“Misuse can lead to property damage and bodily injury” (On a hammer)
“Do not use for personal hygiene.” (On a toilet brush)
“Do not put any person in this washer.” (On a washing machine)
“Do not drive with shield in place.” (On a car windshield sunscreen)
“Caution: Risk of fire.” (On a fireplace log)
“Do not use while sleeping.” (On a hairdryer)
“Serving suggestion. Defrost.” (On a frozen dinner)
“Do not iron clothes on body.” (On an iron)
“Warning: May cause drowsiness.” (On a sleep aid product)
My point? Our increasingly litigious society is getting very good at relieving people of responsibility. The problem with that? You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge and take responsibility for.
I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t have compassion and forgiveness for people who are struggling in certain areas of their lives. We all struggle to overcome tendencies in our personalities that make us do things that are not in our best interests or the best interests of the people around us. As the apostle Paul said, “We all sin and fall short …. “
At some point, however, the boundary between “reasonable” and “excessive” is crossed … as demonstrated in some of the product labels listed above.
The bottom line is that you can’t change anything in your life for which you don’t take responsibility. If you don’t acknowledge it, it remains out of your reach. It doesn’t matter what it is … impatience, anger, greed or any other personality flaw. The only way you can change it is to first recognize that it exists and then take responsibility for it. That pulls it inside your ring of consciousness and enables you to begin the work necessary to dissolve it.
It is not enough to recognize something exists and is a problem but then blame it on something or someone else like upbringing, genetics, society or a sibling. Doing so keeps whatever needs to be changed in the position of power. When you acknowledge your responsibility (which means that you tacitly accept that you have the power to change it) the energy shifts and you now find that you are in the position of power.
It is human to find it difficult to acknowledge and accept responsibility for everything in our lives that should be dealt with. But the more that we do, the more we are able to change.
Questions:
What things in your life do you need to change?
What are their impacts on you and others around you?
How did they develop and what has made it difficult for you to accept responsibility for them?
How would your life be without them?
What would be some ways for you to change things?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Asking the right question
Sometimes friends of mine and I find ourselves engaged in a "who said what" discussion. These are usually precipitated by a question that they will pose to me. Being a person who tends to look at all sides of a matter before making a decision, I answer their questions from a very broad perspective. Unless they are very specific with their question, my answer could come in from left field and have no relation to the information they're looking for.
They could say, "Do you like this color?" and I could respond with "For what? Are you talking about for a suit, a car or paint in a room? And in what light?" You see, I need a lot of information before I answer a question and I can sometimes read too much into a situation. That's not my friend's problem ... that's just the way I'm built. But frankly, it can drive both them and me a little nuts.
This is analogous to what I often hear on a radio talk show I sometimes listen to. People call in for advice with problems but don't frame their question. They ramble on about the situation and the host often has to interrupt and say, "But what's your question?" This forces them to think about the reason for their call and what they really want help with.
This is a pretty good analogy to the way many people relate to the universe. All of us face situations in which we feel the need for guidance. Most of these situations involve flying blind, i.e., there are unknowns involved or simply insufficient data from which to make an informed decision. We may be experiencing turbulence or pain in our personal life. So, we turn to a higher Source for help.
But in that turning, we often forget to think about what our question (or request) is and to frame it properly. We express our pain, our uncertainty, our hurt and our frustration. We are like the Psalmist who lamented, "O Lord ... day and night I cry out before you. For my soul is full of trouble ... I am confined and cannot escape ... wrath has swept over me ... terrors have surrounded me."
And this is not inappropriate. It's not that Source will not respond to these groanings of your heart. They are accepted as a plea for help and a response is sent accordingly. But, at the same time, the more specific a question is, the more specific response you receive.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives ...."
They could say, "Do you like this color?" and I could respond with "For what? Are you talking about for a suit, a car or paint in a room? And in what light?" You see, I need a lot of information before I answer a question and I can sometimes read too much into a situation. That's not my friend's problem ... that's just the way I'm built. But frankly, it can drive both them and me a little nuts.
This is analogous to what I often hear on a radio talk show I sometimes listen to. People call in for advice with problems but don't frame their question. They ramble on about the situation and the host often has to interrupt and say, "But what's your question?" This forces them to think about the reason for their call and what they really want help with.
This is a pretty good analogy to the way many people relate to the universe. All of us face situations in which we feel the need for guidance. Most of these situations involve flying blind, i.e., there are unknowns involved or simply insufficient data from which to make an informed decision. We may be experiencing turbulence or pain in our personal life. So, we turn to a higher Source for help.
But in that turning, we often forget to think about what our question (or request) is and to frame it properly. We express our pain, our uncertainty, our hurt and our frustration. We are like the Psalmist who lamented, "O Lord ... day and night I cry out before you. For my soul is full of trouble ... I am confined and cannot escape ... wrath has swept over me ... terrors have surrounded me."
And this is not inappropriate. It's not that Source will not respond to these groanings of your heart. They are accepted as a plea for help and a response is sent accordingly. But, at the same time, the more specific a question is, the more specific response you receive.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives ...."
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Stewardship
In the story of the good Samaritan, a man who was walking along a desolate road was set upon by thugs. He was stripped, robbed, beaten and left to die. Later, a priest and a levite traveling the same road saw the man but passed by offering no help. A while later a Samaritan happened along. Seeing the man, he stopped and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he placed the man on his own beast, took him into a nearby town and cared for him. The next day he gave the innkeeper money to care for the man. But beyond that, he told the innkeeper that when he returned he would reimburse him for any expenses he incurred beyond the money he had already given him.
This parable highlights three ways in which we can view our resources. The robbers were thinking, "What's yours is ours and we're going to take it." The priest and levite were thinking, "What's mine is mine and I'm going to keep it." The Samaritan was thinking, "What's mine is yours and I'm willing to share it."
We all live in interconnective environments. We are citizens of systems on community, state, national, global, solar system, galactic and universal levels. All of the problems we face today have distorted ethics as their foundation and are played out against the backdrop of stewardship.
Because we live in a system, we need to understand that if one part of the system is sick, the other parts of the system will also suffer. As humans we experience the same phenomenon. If we have a respiratory virus, we feel miserable all over. A bowel obstruction may be limited to "only" the digestive system, but it can kill us if it is not addressed.
We typically view what we have as ours ... and ours alone. Our financial resources, our houses, our clothing, our cars, our computers ... all these things are seen as things that we have earned. And unless we come to view those possessions as things that have been gifted to us by a higher Source on a temporary basis, we will have a tendency to protect and hoard them. This results in becoming disconnected closed loops ... cut off from other systems. If there are too many closed loops in a given system, the system eventually collapses and dies taking with it all of it's parts including the closed loops.
I once taught a systems thinking class in which we used an overhead of a cartoon. Four people were sitting in a small boat ... two in front and two in back. There was a large hole in the back of the boat and the two people there were bailing furiously. The two people in front seemed unaffected. They were lounging in their seats sipping tea. The caption read, "Boy, I'm sure glad that hole isn't in OUR end of the boat!"
In the end, should we not alter our course, it will not matter who fouled our planetary nest beyond recovery, who started the war that could not be stopped, or who destroyed the fragile web of financial systems linking world communities. Assigning blame will be pointless. We will all be affected together.
We need to understand that we cannot be uncaring about what happens on the other side of the tracks just because we live in a "nice" neighborhood. The other side of the tracks IS our neighborhood. It matters not what end of the boat the hole is in.
Stewardship is merely the recognition that we are all in the same boat together. We don't lose resources when we share them. We merely shift them to another part of the boat.
It is true that some may be putting more effort into bailing than others. But we must avoid the temptation to hoard our resources just because it seems that others aren't working as hard as we are. We can mentor others and share resources or we can drown.
This parable highlights three ways in which we can view our resources. The robbers were thinking, "What's yours is ours and we're going to take it." The priest and levite were thinking, "What's mine is mine and I'm going to keep it." The Samaritan was thinking, "What's mine is yours and I'm willing to share it."
We all live in interconnective environments. We are citizens of systems on community, state, national, global, solar system, galactic and universal levels. All of the problems we face today have distorted ethics as their foundation and are played out against the backdrop of stewardship.
Because we live in a system, we need to understand that if one part of the system is sick, the other parts of the system will also suffer. As humans we experience the same phenomenon. If we have a respiratory virus, we feel miserable all over. A bowel obstruction may be limited to "only" the digestive system, but it can kill us if it is not addressed.
We typically view what we have as ours ... and ours alone. Our financial resources, our houses, our clothing, our cars, our computers ... all these things are seen as things that we have earned. And unless we come to view those possessions as things that have been gifted to us by a higher Source on a temporary basis, we will have a tendency to protect and hoard them. This results in becoming disconnected closed loops ... cut off from other systems. If there are too many closed loops in a given system, the system eventually collapses and dies taking with it all of it's parts including the closed loops.
I once taught a systems thinking class in which we used an overhead of a cartoon. Four people were sitting in a small boat ... two in front and two in back. There was a large hole in the back of the boat and the two people there were bailing furiously. The two people in front seemed unaffected. They were lounging in their seats sipping tea. The caption read, "Boy, I'm sure glad that hole isn't in OUR end of the boat!"
In the end, should we not alter our course, it will not matter who fouled our planetary nest beyond recovery, who started the war that could not be stopped, or who destroyed the fragile web of financial systems linking world communities. Assigning blame will be pointless. We will all be affected together.
We need to understand that we cannot be uncaring about what happens on the other side of the tracks just because we live in a "nice" neighborhood. The other side of the tracks IS our neighborhood. It matters not what end of the boat the hole is in.
Stewardship is merely the recognition that we are all in the same boat together. We don't lose resources when we share them. We merely shift them to another part of the boat.
It is true that some may be putting more effort into bailing than others. But we must avoid the temptation to hoard our resources just because it seems that others aren't working as hard as we are. We can mentor others and share resources or we can drown.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Watch the Movie
A few days ago I read a movie critic’s review of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman’s new film, “The Bucket List.” The storyline, in short, is about two recently diagnosed terminally ill men who become friends while confined to the same hospital room and who develop a list of things they want to do before they “kick the bucket.” The review was scathing … not a good word in it. From the acting to the plotline to the visual effects. Everything was bad.
I went to see the movie tonight. It was one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to watch.
The moral is that I couldn’t trust what the reviewer had to say. His perception of things was quite different than mine. In some ways, it’s like a police officer interviewing four different people who witness a crime. He gets four different stories about how it happened. Another example is the “spin” that’s put on all things political.
Humans perceive things in different ways. We all see things through the lens that our lives have created for us. That is one of the reasons that we shouldn’t believe everything we read … or everything we hear … hook line and sinker. Even if it’s in the scriptures.
God is in all scriptures. But, in a sense, it is a matter of degree. The people who wrote our holy books were humans and subject to all the weaknesses inherent in the race … the prejudices, the susceptibility to write through the lenses of their own perception, the tendency to believe that God was on “their side.”
The truth of the matter is that humans tend to screw up most everything they touch. That’s not a criticism. It’s just a statement of fact. One of the messages of Jesus was that we had misunderstood the Father and we needed to correct our perception. Messages or inspirations that come from higher dimensions are difficult to keep pure as they descend. So we tend to make God in our own image. It’s a little like having a very vivid dream and only being able to remember bits and pieces of it when we awake.
So I tend not to believe everything that people tell me. I do the same thing with books I read. Yes, holy books including the Bible contain truth and provide valuable lessons for living. But they were written by men and don’t always represent things as they were or are. If people knew the real history of our planet they would be astonished. Much of what has been recorded as history is very different than what actually occurred
In the end, everyone must find the truth themselves. They must find God themselves. They must find their own paths and learn to trust themselves.
Reading the critic’s reviews gives you one persons idea about a movie. Listening to a guru’s teaching about how to achieve nirvana might prove interesting. Sitting in a spiritual director’s class to hear his teachings about the nature of God might be stimulating. But in the end, you have to watch the movie yourself and make up your own mind.
I went to see the movie tonight. It was one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to watch.
The moral is that I couldn’t trust what the reviewer had to say. His perception of things was quite different than mine. In some ways, it’s like a police officer interviewing four different people who witness a crime. He gets four different stories about how it happened. Another example is the “spin” that’s put on all things political.
Humans perceive things in different ways. We all see things through the lens that our lives have created for us. That is one of the reasons that we shouldn’t believe everything we read … or everything we hear … hook line and sinker. Even if it’s in the scriptures.
God is in all scriptures. But, in a sense, it is a matter of degree. The people who wrote our holy books were humans and subject to all the weaknesses inherent in the race … the prejudices, the susceptibility to write through the lenses of their own perception, the tendency to believe that God was on “their side.”
The truth of the matter is that humans tend to screw up most everything they touch. That’s not a criticism. It’s just a statement of fact. One of the messages of Jesus was that we had misunderstood the Father and we needed to correct our perception. Messages or inspirations that come from higher dimensions are difficult to keep pure as they descend. So we tend to make God in our own image. It’s a little like having a very vivid dream and only being able to remember bits and pieces of it when we awake.
So I tend not to believe everything that people tell me. I do the same thing with books I read. Yes, holy books including the Bible contain truth and provide valuable lessons for living. But they were written by men and don’t always represent things as they were or are. If people knew the real history of our planet they would be astonished. Much of what has been recorded as history is very different than what actually occurred
In the end, everyone must find the truth themselves. They must find God themselves. They must find their own paths and learn to trust themselves.
Reading the critic’s reviews gives you one persons idea about a movie. Listening to a guru’s teaching about how to achieve nirvana might prove interesting. Sitting in a spiritual director’s class to hear his teachings about the nature of God might be stimulating. But in the end, you have to watch the movie yourself and make up your own mind.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Unfreezing Mindsets
In my healthcare days I facilitated a three-day program in which systems thinking was taught. Part of that program included a game that simulated a 24 hour period in a community hospital. Patients arrive in unpredictable spurts, unexpected events occur (staffing and otherwise) and department managers had to make fast paced hour to hour decisions on how they would run their areas. The purpose of the game was to help people think in terms of systems. But the reality was that most participants generally thought only of their own departments. If they did think in terms of the hospital as a system, they still failed to approach problems that faced them as creatively as they could. It was apparent that it becomes too easy to revert to an isolationist mindset under pressure.
We found two interesting things occurring during play. 1) We gave participants only three rules they had to play by. But they generally took these rules and expanded on them, creating self imposed limits on how they handled problems that arose. They actually created a more restrictive reality than that which was designed into the game. 2) People not affiliated with healthcare were much more creative and unbounded in addressing the problems.
Because they generally came from a less regulated environment, they improvised more freely and created innovative solutions to the problems that occurred. They did not have such a restricted mindset.
Mindsets are self created thought patterns that generate energetic matrices which, given enough time and attention, can feed on themselves and actually become an semi-independent entity. They may either restrict our options or open us to infinite possibility. It is a sad fact that many of us unnecessarily remain prisoners within self constructed mindsets.
The universe imposes few limits. It is an inherently open system that gives us freedom. From this viewpoint, much of our reality is self constructed. It is a reflection of how we choose to view the universe. To change our reality we must simply change our mind. Changing our mind by more closely aligning with the Light helps dissolve the matrices that form our "possibility" boundaries and restrict our vision and attracts resonant energies that will assist us in our growth process.
Practice is important to this process. It involves challenging ourselves and others to give deep thought to why we think and act the way we do. We must practice the art of challenging the status quo. It is no longer acceptable to do something in a certain way because that is the way it has always been done.
We can never change the future if we do not change the present. Instead of thinking, "This can't occur because of these rules", think instead that "This is possible. How do we make it happen?!"
We found two interesting things occurring during play. 1) We gave participants only three rules they had to play by. But they generally took these rules and expanded on them, creating self imposed limits on how they handled problems that arose. They actually created a more restrictive reality than that which was designed into the game. 2) People not affiliated with healthcare were much more creative and unbounded in addressing the problems.
Because they generally came from a less regulated environment, they improvised more freely and created innovative solutions to the problems that occurred. They did not have such a restricted mindset.
Mindsets are self created thought patterns that generate energetic matrices which, given enough time and attention, can feed on themselves and actually become an semi-independent entity. They may either restrict our options or open us to infinite possibility. It is a sad fact that many of us unnecessarily remain prisoners within self constructed mindsets.
The universe imposes few limits. It is an inherently open system that gives us freedom. From this viewpoint, much of our reality is self constructed. It is a reflection of how we choose to view the universe. To change our reality we must simply change our mind. Changing our mind by more closely aligning with the Light helps dissolve the matrices that form our "possibility" boundaries and restrict our vision and attracts resonant energies that will assist us in our growth process.
Practice is important to this process. It involves challenging ourselves and others to give deep thought to why we think and act the way we do. We must practice the art of challenging the status quo. It is no longer acceptable to do something in a certain way because that is the way it has always been done.
We can never change the future if we do not change the present. Instead of thinking, "This can't occur because of these rules", think instead that "This is possible. How do we make it happen?!"
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Your Sliver of Reality
A few years ago on a wintry evening, I was sitting in my easy chair, dozing off to one of my favorite television shows when I suddenly found myself both in and out of my body. I was aware that I was still sitting in my chair in a half-asleep state-of-mind with the white noise of the television in the background. But I was also out of my body, traveling almost at the speed of thought to different houses in our community.
At each house, I saw something different. Families sitting together around a dinner table talking about the days events. A lonely, elderly woman eating a modest dinner in a home she once shared with her now deceased husband. Roommates in an apartment, arguing over how the bills would be paid and who would pay what share. A disabled individual struggling to make ends meet. People in nursing homes wrestling with loneliness and physical infirmity. A family with an alcoholic parent who was making life difficult on the rest of the members. From house to house, I saw people in extreme poverty, others in luxurious settings, some in physical distress, others in emotional and psychological turmoil. I saw the entire range of a community that I had lived in all my life … but had never really recognized.
This was an out-of-body, bi-local experience … meaning I was conscious in two places at once. And what it taught me was that I lived in a very narrow slice of reality. What I was conscious of in my daily life was essentially only that which I was living. I had not expanded my consciousness to include much of anything past my own little range of experience.
That is where most of us live. We are only aware of a teeny-tiny slice of what is … what is in our neighborhood, our community, our state, our country, our continent, our world, our solar system, our galaxy, the universe. We live in a sliver of reality and experience a splinter of what could be.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is certainly an attribute of being human. It is, however, very limiting. It prevents us from seeing things from a different perspective. It stops us from being able to see things from another person’s viewpoint. It makes us think that our way is the only way. It blinds us to other possibilities. It obscures a larger view and cajoles us into thinking we are the center of the universe … which is the grandest of fallacies!
Right now, your community is humming with activities, needs, occurrences to which you are completely blind. The same is true of your vision of your state, your planet and even the universe. We are not the center of the universe. As important as you are in the eyes of Spirit, you occupy a fragile, carbon-based lifeshell and live on a tiny, fallen planet that circles an insignificant star somewhere in the backwaters of the Milky Way on the edge of the known universe. The universe has millions of unfallen planets and the number is not fixed … it grows as God continues the process of creation.
We occupy only a minuscule slice of reality, most of which we have created ourselves by our own experience. Therefore, most of what we say we know, we do not know for sure. It would be more accurate to say that we think we know. And let us never confuse faith with knowing. A Christian will “know” that Christ is the savior. A Buddhist may not. In fact, neither of them really know. It is a matter of faith.
Our challenge as humans is to expand our consciousness … to move from faith to knowing … to develop the ability to see from the others perspective … to stop limiting ourselves.
At each house, I saw something different. Families sitting together around a dinner table talking about the days events. A lonely, elderly woman eating a modest dinner in a home she once shared with her now deceased husband. Roommates in an apartment, arguing over how the bills would be paid and who would pay what share. A disabled individual struggling to make ends meet. People in nursing homes wrestling with loneliness and physical infirmity. A family with an alcoholic parent who was making life difficult on the rest of the members. From house to house, I saw people in extreme poverty, others in luxurious settings, some in physical distress, others in emotional and psychological turmoil. I saw the entire range of a community that I had lived in all my life … but had never really recognized.
This was an out-of-body, bi-local experience … meaning I was conscious in two places at once. And what it taught me was that I lived in a very narrow slice of reality. What I was conscious of in my daily life was essentially only that which I was living. I had not expanded my consciousness to include much of anything past my own little range of experience.
That is where most of us live. We are only aware of a teeny-tiny slice of what is … what is in our neighborhood, our community, our state, our country, our continent, our world, our solar system, our galaxy, the universe. We live in a sliver of reality and experience a splinter of what could be.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is certainly an attribute of being human. It is, however, very limiting. It prevents us from seeing things from a different perspective. It stops us from being able to see things from another person’s viewpoint. It makes us think that our way is the only way. It blinds us to other possibilities. It obscures a larger view and cajoles us into thinking we are the center of the universe … which is the grandest of fallacies!
Right now, your community is humming with activities, needs, occurrences to which you are completely blind. The same is true of your vision of your state, your planet and even the universe. We are not the center of the universe. As important as you are in the eyes of Spirit, you occupy a fragile, carbon-based lifeshell and live on a tiny, fallen planet that circles an insignificant star somewhere in the backwaters of the Milky Way on the edge of the known universe. The universe has millions of unfallen planets and the number is not fixed … it grows as God continues the process of creation.
We occupy only a minuscule slice of reality, most of which we have created ourselves by our own experience. Therefore, most of what we say we know, we do not know for sure. It would be more accurate to say that we think we know. And let us never confuse faith with knowing. A Christian will “know” that Christ is the savior. A Buddhist may not. In fact, neither of them really know. It is a matter of faith.
Our challenge as humans is to expand our consciousness … to move from faith to knowing … to develop the ability to see from the others perspective … to stop limiting ourselves.
Friday, January 4, 2008
How Big is the Sky?
This is usually thought of as a child’s question but adults often ask it in different ways. Everyone at some point or another in his or her life… most of us at many points …wonder about questions like these. Some speculate about the “size” of God or what the “edge” of the Universe looks like or how “long” eternity is.
When my daughter was about twelve years old she asked me how big the Universe was. I told her to close her eyes, take a few minutes and imagine herself going out into space as far as she could possibly go … past hundreds of star systems and galaxies … until she could go no farther and had reached the edge of the Universe. Several minutes later, with her eyes still closed, she told me she had reached the edge. I asked her if she could see the large, brick wall that marks the edge and she replied “yes”. I then asked her what was on the other side of the brick wall.
She quickly opened her eyes and with a strange mixture of wonder and alarm in her voice said, “That’s creepy, I don’t want to think about it anymore.” A few moments later we both chuckled and I explained that it was very difficult to get your arms around concepts such as how big the Universe is or how “long” eternity is.
When children look at the sky, all they can see is what’s available to their eyes in any direction above the horizon and they believe that is the sky. But the sky doesn’t end at the horizon. Most of the sky is on the other side of the horizon. The curvature of the earth limits us to seeing only a very small part of the sky at any given time. We have very limited vision. It is similar to what David Searls said about death … “Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean.”
What often happens is that people take that limited vision and believe “that’s it.” It is easier and much more comfortable believing that what you can see is all that is. The problem is that’s an erroneous belief system. It simply isn’t true. And it results in kinds of distortions about how things really area. There is much, much more to All That Is.
There are many examples of this in our history books. In the 1500’s, Copernicus was afraid that his heliocentric view of the solar system (that the earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around) would be viewed as heretical by the church. He was correct. Although his theory was accepted in some religious circles, it ran into stiff opposition in others.
In the mid 1500’s, at a time when many people thought that stars were “pasted” in the sky, a monk named Giordano Bruno said, "There is a single general space, a single vast immensity which we may freely call Void; in it are innumerable globes like this on which we live and grow. This space we declare to be infinite....In it are an infinity of worlds of the same kind as our own." Sounds very similar to what science now tells us about the nature of the Universe. Unfortunately, Bruno was subsequently burned at the stake for his views.
In 1847, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweiss discovered that fatal infections were being spread by doctors who were not washing their hands between seeing patients. Although ridiculed by some of his peers (because nobody could yet “see” bacteria) he instituted a disinfecting procedure that ultimately resulted in a sharp drop in mortality rates.
All of us, metaphorically speaking, have our own beliefs about how big the sky is. But it is a mark of spiritual maturity to realize that we are simply seeing a very small sliver of the sky that lies above a self-imposed horizon.
When my daughter was about twelve years old she asked me how big the Universe was. I told her to close her eyes, take a few minutes and imagine herself going out into space as far as she could possibly go … past hundreds of star systems and galaxies … until she could go no farther and had reached the edge of the Universe. Several minutes later, with her eyes still closed, she told me she had reached the edge. I asked her if she could see the large, brick wall that marks the edge and she replied “yes”. I then asked her what was on the other side of the brick wall.
She quickly opened her eyes and with a strange mixture of wonder and alarm in her voice said, “That’s creepy, I don’t want to think about it anymore.” A few moments later we both chuckled and I explained that it was very difficult to get your arms around concepts such as how big the Universe is or how “long” eternity is.
When children look at the sky, all they can see is what’s available to their eyes in any direction above the horizon and they believe that is the sky. But the sky doesn’t end at the horizon. Most of the sky is on the other side of the horizon. The curvature of the earth limits us to seeing only a very small part of the sky at any given time. We have very limited vision. It is similar to what David Searls said about death … “Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean.”
What often happens is that people take that limited vision and believe “that’s it.” It is easier and much more comfortable believing that what you can see is all that is. The problem is that’s an erroneous belief system. It simply isn’t true. And it results in kinds of distortions about how things really area. There is much, much more to All That Is.
There are many examples of this in our history books. In the 1500’s, Copernicus was afraid that his heliocentric view of the solar system (that the earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around) would be viewed as heretical by the church. He was correct. Although his theory was accepted in some religious circles, it ran into stiff opposition in others.
In the mid 1500’s, at a time when many people thought that stars were “pasted” in the sky, a monk named Giordano Bruno said, "There is a single general space, a single vast immensity which we may freely call Void; in it are innumerable globes like this on which we live and grow. This space we declare to be infinite....In it are an infinity of worlds of the same kind as our own." Sounds very similar to what science now tells us about the nature of the Universe. Unfortunately, Bruno was subsequently burned at the stake for his views.
In 1847, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweiss discovered that fatal infections were being spread by doctors who were not washing their hands between seeing patients. Although ridiculed by some of his peers (because nobody could yet “see” bacteria) he instituted a disinfecting procedure that ultimately resulted in a sharp drop in mortality rates.
All of us, metaphorically speaking, have our own beliefs about how big the sky is. But it is a mark of spiritual maturity to realize that we are simply seeing a very small sliver of the sky that lies above a self-imposed horizon.
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