We Have Been It All

 Last week I had an experience in meditation that I endeavored to write down. It seemed to turn into a short story. I have debated what to do with it. Today I decided to share it with you. I hope you find meaning and insight in it. Here goes:

We have lived It all. We have been it all.

It seems to me that I have always been me. I may have experienced and participated in creation in its multitudinous forms, yet the essence of me was there. At times I remember or know things that there appears to be n logical explanation for that memory or knowledge. Sometimes I know what is true or false with no prior known knowledge  of the particular thing or person time. At times, I think there may be some DNA memory from my ancestors. I ponder the old Atomic Energy Commission study with radioactive isotopes that showed in a year 98% of the atoms in our bodies are replaced by other atoms. I think of the idea that the Big Bang sent forth all of the atoms that now make up all of the planets and all of the stars. Do those atoms in me remember where they have been?

In meditation a few days ago, I had a vision. I am going to share it with you in story form. See if it tugs at the corners of your memory.

The Story

Once upon a time, as so many stories begin, I remember some very interesting beginnings. I think you might be interested to hear this, because you were there too.

 The Amazing One. told us that it was time to expand, so that we may have more varied experiences. And something astonishing happened. The Amazing One sent forth a burst of immense energy. dancing atoms. whirling, swirling, going everywhere into a whole new dimension. It was delightful and glorious to watch.

But then the Amazing One said go and ride those atoms. Experience the flow and explosion of creativity. Let creativity fill your soul. so that you know that  it is not just my nature. But it is your nature too.

So we did. It was really before time, but you might say it was for a very, very long time. We had the exhilarating experience of riding dancing atoms as they went on their way, eventually making stars and planets and more. We went so fast and so far.. It was not like anything that we had ever experienced before this. Sometimes it was a bit scary, but generally it was a heck of a lot of fun. Oh my goodness, we went so far. We went so fast. We gave praise to the Amazing One for giving us this glorious experience.

Eventually, we started to notice our atoms were feeling attraction to other atoms, and we began to sort of clump together. The more we grew as a clump, the more we attracted others, and eventually we became relatively crowded, at least compared to before. Our atoms packed into rocks or flaming balls of fire. It was almost claustrophobic, you might say, because we were so much closer together and not as free as when we were soaring around in empty space. But we felt how strongly attached the atoms were to each other, attracted irresistibly. Actually, because the atoms we rode were relatively far apart, we had a lot of space around us.  We began to shift from our awareness of the atom to something else that we experienced from the inside. We felt a pull at some point. It seemed like it was from that ball of fire over there. And then we began to go in a sort of circles around that ball of fire. We were going really fast, but it didn’t seem so.

It was really hot inside of that ball., But it was a new experience and in some ways quite enjoyable to be so warm. Some days, though it was hard, because it was really hot. After what you might call billions of years, it got cooler, and we started feeling changes happening. A bunch of atoms came closer together and formed something new.We were in some sort of a space that seemed to want to stretch. And as we stretched and stretched, the outer part of us cracked, and part of us started moving up to the top of the ball. And as we did, we saw light from the fireball we were going around. And we drew in something, I think in the future they call it carbon dioxide. And then we burped out oxygen. We felt ourselves stretching and stretching, changing every day. The Amazing One told us that we were creating an atmosphere for more and more life to be able to come to this rock, this ball. So we all worked hard to stretch and reach out and breathe in the carbon dioxide and breathe out the oxygen. We began to see the difference happening right before our eyes.

We were alive. We were part of something astonishing that was happening! I can’t tell you how exciting it was. Maybe you remember. We were the Amazing One’s pioneers. We remembered the Amazing One told us that not only was the Amazing One full of creativity, but so were we. So we just began to become more and more. We helped to create new colors and new shapes. And we spread out across the ball on the surface and under the water. Because we had ridden on atoms that became everything, we got to be part of everything, dancing from one to the other new creation. We grew leaves and flowers and fruits and berries and nuts. Eventually, some of us dared to even experience how it was to be trees. Trees were always special because they stood watch for many years over everything that was going on around them. They were like sentinels. They grew tall, they grew roots deep into the earth, and branches high up into the sky like they were trying to reach to the fireball. There became so many different kinds of us and of the trees. The forms we experienced kept changing, while at the same time, our essence was stable and also learning mountains of things. Some forms didn’t last very long because they didn’t work too well as they were, they changed into another variety of themselves. I got to see some of the changes happening, and of course, I changed too. Just by being honored to participate in all of the Amazing One’s imaginative, pioneering creation. Everything was changing. It seemed like the changes were coming faster and faster. We had the opportunity to experience it all.

One funny thing was that the atoms were constantly dancing around and circulating between all the forms. So they were part of a certain thing for a while, but all the time there was a dance of the atoms going here and there from one to another, and yet the forms stayed the same, even though the atoms in them kept circulating, that is until it was time for them to change into something else. That dance continued clear up until the present day.

They changed forms in lots of ways. They dried up and dissolved into the ball. They got eaten and became digested into an altogether different form. They adapted to become a new version. They went extinct. None of the original forms, as far as we know, are still around, although there are some very ancient ones still holding their form.

I remember sometime after that some of us found ourselves in the water, and not as we had been before. That is, we were in something not attached to the earth. We could move around freely, although totally unlike the exhilarating rides on atoms as we came into this dimension. We could wiggle and stretch and move. It was a wonderful sensation. When we first figured out how to do this, we were very excited, as you might imagine. As before, we felt the urge to join together. We were as if magnetically attracted to others like us. We created new forms and shapes. We got bigger and more complex. 

Being creative and pretty much pioneers too, someone figured out that they could crawl out of the water and wander around the dry land. That was definitely a daring move, unlike anything any of us expected. Most of us stayed in the water, though, waiting to see what would happen. And as always, more and more of us got together and created a wild array of creatures. Most of them are no longer here; the atoms just had to keep changing and adapting. Creating is something that’s not static. Brilliant new ideas seem to flick into existence with a moment’s notice, or no notice at all, and then suddenly there’s this new thing.

In not too long a time, some of us had the bright idea that we could fly. That led to some monumental flops as you can imagine, or maybe remember. However, some of us managed to actually fly. And then the trees got to be very useful. Not just beautiful, not just observers, because these flying creatures could rest on the branches of the trees, giving them some time-outs. They could also build nests there where they laid their eggs. And then some of the little creatures could run up and down the trees and get exercise, or hide from those who couldn’t climb trees, or pick nuts to eat and to save. A tree became a busy network of creatures, offering them all kinds of comforts. It was quite an honor to be chosen to be a tree.

Of course, the Amazing One, being a master creator, could not just stop there. The next thing was that we were able to be conscious of ourselves in a new way. This was a new level of awareness. There were new kinds of things as we interacted in groups, learned to talk beyond simple alerts, to share, to create more and more advanced things, and to do things far beyond what any of us had been able to do before.

This, of course, was a big leap. It did have its downfalls, its pitfalls. Because as this new life, which we call human, emerged, some of them began to think they were equal with the Amazing One, and Hubris was born, along with jealousy, hatred, rage, and violence. On the other side, love, hope, generosity, and kindness were also born. Now there was a pushing and pulling from one way to be to the other. Most, however, forgot how they were part of everything and how it was all a sacred creation by the Amazing One in conjunction with all of us who had been there from the very beginning.

Religion was born. The Amazing One was put on the outside. We were told that we were not together and had to do what we were told by those in charge to somehow get in “his” good graces. The Amazing One was given many other names. But for most, “he” was banished to an outside place or to the corner as a myth, and “he” was usually thought to be male. What a strange notion.

Some of us still remembered. At almost all times, there was someone who remembered and told everyone who would listen. Sometimes the rememberors were listened to, sometimes they were punished or their bodies were slain, as if that was all they were. Some forgot that our essence cannot be destroyed and is sacred.

It is hard for me to believe that people could totally forget anything of such importance.

We experienced a huge series of inner shifts as these new humans. While survival was essential, invention, art, and the birth of philosophy and the quest for knowledge came too. The innate creativity that came with being part of the Amazing One made it so that most of us really could not refrain from creating, but there have been those who tried to resist. They were and are uncomfortable with change, maybe having an overload of change from the beginning of this dimension to now. There have always  been a few, sadly, who totally forgot they were supposed to create positive things just as the Amazing One did. They created and still create quite a mess. The rest of us have to get a surge of creativity to overcome their messes, even disasters.

Well, maybe that’s our purpose now – To set things straight and help people remember. We are all one with the Amazing One. We’re a part of the Amazing One. We have a sacred and divine nature that we need to shine into this world. Our Shining. Light can make a difference. Let’s remember together who we really are, and be that!

 

 

Love = But Who? How?

Love has a convoluted meaning in our modern world. It often leads us to think of the closing scene in a romantic movie. It leads to perplexing questions. How can I love my neighbor who's actually a stinker? How can I love someone across the world whom I've never met? How can I love someone who has opposite views from me? How can I love someone who has hurt me bitterly? On and on it goes.

It occurs to me we need to rethink how we hold love in our hearts and minds. Sure it can be romantic love,but that's not all it is. Let's add some more words around love such as: compassion, empathy, non-judgmentalness, lifting,  kindness,  understanding, caring, hoping and praying for the best for another or oneself, seeing the Christ light in each and every person. In this way we begin to lift the idea of love into the more spiritual realm where we're called to see the spiritual truth of each and every person, each and every experience. We're called to look beyond appearances and judge righteous judgment.

By adding the cluster of these words and more to our definition of love, we experience life in a new way and we give the gift of unconditional love to others. 

We never know fully the valley that someone else is walking. We never know their inner motivation for or doing or saying something. Not everybody shares their hurts and wounds. As spiritually awakening people, we can give others the benefit of the doubt And be love to them in such a way that includes all of these words we added that expanded what we are as we,express full unconditional love.

Update

 Thank you for those who are buying my new book.

Please tell others about it, and help me get the word out.

Also please write a review on Amazon For my book. It helps promote the book.

The Book of My Life, I Wouldn't Believe It Either If I Hadn't Lived It" is now available on Kindle, Paperback, Hardback, and also Audible. You can also read a sample before you decide.

Please review it on Amazon, if you read it. I cannot afford to publicize it, and reviews will help. I would also love to hear your feedback.

Click Here to Order a Copy Today!

Thank you so very much!

PS - People are saying it's inspiring them that I overcame so many things and my faith grew ever  stronger. It encourages them to move on with courage in their lives. 

It has been one astounding and incredible life for sure. 

Do You See God As You See A Cow?

 

Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow, and to love Him as they love their cow—for the milk and cheese and profit it brings them. This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth or inward comfort. They do not rightly love God, when they love Him for their own advantage. Indeed, I tell you the truth, any object you have in your mind, however good, will be a barrier  between you and the inmost Truth.                 ---Eckhart

My favorite mystic, Meister Eckhart, speaks truth in plain words. This quote strikes me as  important  to consider. 

Loving God, or another person, for what they can give us is more a transactional kind of thing than love. It's not that transactions are wrong or bad, it's that, when they are mislabeled as love, it does a great disservice to love and to our ability to understand our relationship to God and to other people, as well as to ourselves.

I recently wrote about love and all the various words you could hang on it to understand it more deeply. I urge you to reread that part. But mainly today I just like us to consider shifting out of transactional attachments and calling them love, to be honest with ourselves and endeavor to move our lives to unconditional love, which is what we are really called to do.

The "True Believer" Problem

 A long time ago in the university a series of professors Assigned us to read Eric Hoffer's book, "True Believer." I also took a profound class called "Social Control" with a very deep-thinking professor.Aldous Huxley wrote about this too, particularly in the extreme , such as the swastika waving masses at Hitler's events, the red flags of the early communist movement In Russia, 

Pretty much anytime we see people emotionally driven, in one group or the other, we see people in the sway of propaganda and tools of mind control. We see it when people get hysterical about political or news events. We can tell which channel they're watching. There are channels promoting left and right positions. Depending on which ones a person watches, they can get riled up over whatever the talking head says.

I saw a small example of that yesterday when my granddaughter went to get the mail for me. I had political mail  On one side there was a colorful large card attacking a certain candidate for this and that.  There was an equally colorful and large card on the other side expounding an absolutely opposite statement about that candidate My granddaughter held them up and said which one is true? She had a quizzical expression as she raised them.up in her hands. Obviously, both could not be true for they were 180° apart. 

 If I do not have personal direct knowledge of something, it is difficult for me to know which if either holds the truth. That applies for most things. If we take a newscaster's word for it, we forget that they're just reading a script written by someone that has an agenda, on a station that has an agenda. They're no longer just reporting news they're trying to make news and sway people's minds. The same thing with advertising, with programming, and so much of modern life.

Sometimes I see television commercials where one candidate talks extremely negatively about his or her opponent's point of view. He or she believes this or that. I want to tell them that don't want your assessment of the other person. I want to hear from the other person what they actually believe and say. It really irritates me when they're trying to speak for someone else. Perhaps that's born in my experience, when other people try to speak for me and say the opposite of what I mean.

If we got caught up so that we are exceptionally emotional about a "cause", we need to look carefully at what's going on in us. Our emotions lead us away from our higher brain functions and our abilities to think logically. 

For me, it's important to be as control of my own mind as I can be. It is important for me to not be controlled by others, but to use my intelligence, logic, and God-given wisdom to make decisions, and to act from a deep place. 

I recommend,  before jumping off the deep end for any cause, take time to meditate and contemplate, read something from the other side's point of view, and balance everything in yourself. Ask for guidance. Weigh everything. Stay calm. And participate in life fully when you know that you considered everything and have a deeper understanding, not just slogans.

Announcement

 I am excited to announce that my book, "The Book of My Life, I Wouldn't Believe It Either If I Hadn't Lived It" is now available on Kindle, Paperback, Hardback, and also Audible. You can also read a sample before you decide.

Please review it on Amazon, if you read it. I cannot afford to publicize it, and reviews will help. I would also love to hear your feedback.

Click Here to Order a Copy Today!

Also please check out my other books. 

You Are Beloved

 I am rereading Henri Nouwen's  book, Life of the Beloved.  His beginning premise is that we are all God's beloved, but we get so busy with the outer things of life that we forget. We forget where we came from and where we're going, and that in every step of the way we are God's beloved.

He goes on to say that remembering or learning that we are God's beloved isn't all there is, it's just the beginning. There is another step. We must become the beloved. That is we must think, say and do what God would have us think, say, and, do. We must act like the beloved, believe we are beloved, and give that sense of being loved to others, even strangers. Sometimes we give it with a smile, sometimes we give it with a hug, sometimes with deep and abiding friendship, , sometimes with wise and loving counsel, sometimes with a sweet note. There are a myriad of ways that we can give that love to others and show that they are beloved, remind them that they are beloved, and remind ourselves at the same time.

We can trust in God's love. Notice in the scriptures people are always messing up, sometimes huge mistakes. God loves them anyway and calls them back to waiting arms so to speak. Interestingly, we have responsibility to share that love on earth.

When we get comfortable realizing God loves us, it becomes easier and easier to love others, nd and to give them the gift of knowing they are beloved. By our actions, even our tone of voice, we convey love or rejection, acceptance or judgement, sarcasm or sincerity. Let's ask ourselves, what are we broadcasting with the energy of our lives? Let's get on the wavelength of the beloved.