IN THE SPIRIT
(One Woman's Spiritual
Journey)
7-17-07
"Governing
a large country (or ministry) is like cooking a small fish. It can be
spoiled with too much poking. Center the country in Heaven's Way, and
evil cannot enter. Not that it won't try to; but you
can move out of its way. When evil has nothing to oppose,
it will disappear by itself."
-Lao Zse, Tao Te Ching
"Gird
up your loins like a man for I will question you, and you shall answer
me. Where were you when (I created everything)? Speak, if you have
understanding."
-God (Job 38:3-4)
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There
is a way. The paths differ, but they all have the same purpose and intent;
to know the Unknowable to the best of our understanding.
There
is a way that is the path of the Native American; a way that is followed by the
Buddhists, the Hindus, the Taoists, the Jews and the Christians. It is
the Way of Heaven. All (each) perceive that it is the right way, often
the only way.
I
love the story of the blind men and the elephant. Each blind man felt a
specific part of an elephant and thought that to be the whole creature.
Thus, each felt quite bold in proclaiming his discovery of the elephant. The
poem (story) ends by saying that each was partly
in the right - and all were in the wrong.
The
elephant is much more (and larger) than its individual parts. The same
water component that composes the ocean is the same water component that
trickles as a rivulet or stream - yet they appear in differing places in
differing ways.
The elephant
is the whole. God is the ALL - the ONE from which all things emerge,
are part of, and return.
An
ancient symbol of the ALL is the circle.
If
I tried to describe my spiritual philosophy it would be, a "One-ist."
(Someday
perhaps my heart will follow my head's revelation.)
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"All
things are now being created. All things are now passing away"
-Eastern philosophy
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The
Container:
See,
it was right there all the time. :o)
"The
value (usefulness) of a thing is in the nothing it contains. i.e.
the space between the spokes of a wheel; the space in a pot; the space within a
house. Therefore, we must value not only what is, but what is not."
-Lao Zse
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Life
Stages:
Life
is a strange commodity. In our childhood years we feel strangely
"out of place." One sees the world of adulthood as being the "in" generation. And so, one strives to grow up too fast; too soon.
Only to find that the "in" years have sped by like
the turning of a kaleidoscope, yielding many colors and shapes. Then, one once again
feels "out of place" in an earth realm that worships the gods of
youth, faux physical form, and sensory gratification. The world is
seduced and hypnotized by these illusions.
How
beautiful were the words of the Master: "But blessed are your
eyes, for they see and your ears for they hear." (Matt.
13:16)
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Individuality:
Watch
Your Step.
"If
you follow the herd, you'll end up stepping in - - - - (fill in the
blank)."
Wayne Dyer, speaking to his 14 year old son.
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Contemplation:
I
just watched the Da Vinci Code again. Interesting Movie. (Interesting
book, too.) The thread that runs through it was throbbing
with hinted secrets. Secrets that , if revealed, would shake the faith of many.
(What
Ron Roth calls "The Religiously Righteous.)
Yet, "What if?" Or maybe, "So what?" So what if Jesus was a
human? We are told that we all are the image/likeness of the
Creator. Is God less than God because God takes human form - as
all? Are children not of the same DNA as their parents? Is Jesus, then,
not God essence because he is also human essence? What are you,
then?
There
are legends, tales, of a child named Sarah, an ancient Hebrew name that
means "'noble lady' or 'princess;' the daughter of a king who should never
be allowed in any way to unite with material conditions."
(MBD - Charles Fillmore)
The
family DNA may no longer exist if the fleshly forms "die
out," but the soul, the spiritual essence, will always exist
somewhere. My family line may cease to be someday. No great loss,
physically. The souls will continue on; will always incarnate as what
they are in consciousness.
If
there was a "Sarah" (child of Jesus and Mary Magdalene), she had a
magnificent heritage in the physical. That she was not raised by
Jesus would have been the great loss. However, to be raised
by Mary Magdalene shows that she was a "high" soul, indeed.
Such
intriguing mystery!
Oh,
the thinly-veiled "hint." Could it be possible that Jesus was a
human male of his time - that he did, indeed, marry (as did all Jewish males)
and (gasp!) impregnate a woman? (In the manner the Creator designed it to
be.)
We
seem to think this "king" should be far above and beyond the divine
pattern for creation on this earth. (Better than God, I guess).
Perhaps
our biggest test of faith would be if we could stretch to accept that a human
could awaken within himself to discover he was so much more than he ever
dreamed - the hero myths of the lost royal prince
who is found again.
As
I have said before, however, what is expedient for
the sheep, cow, or bullfrog, may not be in the highest interest of the godling.
Indiscriminate procreation is for the earth animals who
only exist for physical life.
Intelligent creation is for the more advanced soul.
And
then there is the soul who has outgrown the earth realm and is ready to live in
the Spirit.
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Deep
Soul Satisfaction:
There
was once a local TV show (years ago):
"Coffee With the Parson." It was a product of a very large
Baptist church in the area. The quite well-known senior minister would
have about 15 minutes in which he expounded on something from the Scriptures - while
sipping a cup of coffee.
That
must have remained in my psyche for years, because, each day, coffee with God
became the start of my spiritual practice. (Groan,
shudder from those more pure and ascetic who, as St.Paul
said, "Do all things decently and in order.") (1
Corinth. 14:40)
I've
found it to be my favorite time of the day: Time to read, to ponder, to
contemplate, sometimes write, listen, pray and
meditate - and to drink coffee. I even arise an hour early if
I have to go anywhere to have time for this "Deep Breakfast of
Light. (Yes, Moi.)
It is well worth trying.
I
call this: "Coffee with the Parsonette."
:o)
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My
Life:
A
change
From Me
To "I am."
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A
Dream:
I
was on the road once and stopped at a motel for the night. This is
what I dreamed:
I
was singing an old song:"He Ain't
Heavy. . .He's My Brother." (Neil
Diamond) "The road is long with many a winding turn - that leads to
who knows where - who knows where."
I
was on a road and came to a fork in the road. The path to the left was
marked "Turbulent Winds." It led to tornadoes and such.
The right road was marked, "The Unknown." Scary.
. . . .Went into a deeper sleep, then awakened hearing these words as an
answer:
"Acquaint
now thyself with Him and be at peace, thereby good shall come to thee,
and Light shall shine on thy
path." (Job 27:21)
What
more could one ask? Peace and Light. Two blessed,
blessed attributes of Spirit.
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Shower
Insights:
I
am a bridge. I've known that for awhile - but had more "Aha"
about it. A bride is a connecting point between two places -
"There" and "Here". It enables one to cross from one
point to another.
My
point started (for this incarnation) in the 20th Century. Now I'm in the
21st Century. I carry much of the revelation of the former - and glimpse
the possibilities of the latter. And will strive to maintain "a
way" that the others who see "further" may find a solid
foundation for their journey.
I'm
not entirely comfortable in the "Now," but here is where I find
myself. The technology has zoomed past too quickly for me to grasp, so I
find peace in rediscovering the wisdom of the
ancients. They, too, must have faced a similar situation. They,
too, I think, must have had to center themselves in the midst of the current;
to not lose their footing. Then they could lend a supporting hand to . .
. . .the future!
As
Marianne Williamson said, "Lord,
may I be a bridge from the problem - to - the answer."
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Happy
Thought:
"Everything
that could go right is going right."
-John Morton
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I'll
hold to that. Had affirmation of it today.
My fig tree, which hasn't produced any figs in seven years,
is suddenly gloriously laden with an abundance of luscious
figs. (So many fig leaves - no Adam.) :o)
My
heart is filled with good thoughts for you, my friend.
Much
love,