Join us at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley at 4:00 a.m. PST on Thursday December 31st.
World Peace and Healing Meditation
Please arrive at 3:45 a.m. - Bring a friend! Bring a Veteran!
Meditating for World Peace, The Scientific View
An experiment conducted in the early 1980s, during the height of the Lebanon war, sought to discover whether meditation could reduce war. When 1,000 people in Jerusalem meditated on world peace war deaths in Lebanon went down by over 75 percent. Not only did war deaths go down, but crime, traffic collisions, fires, and other destructive events also went down on the days the group meditated.
From this and other similar studies that showed that war deaths and injuries went down on days groups were meditating on peace, scientists reluctantly concluded that group meditation seems to prevent war. In reporting on these unexpected findings, world-renown quantum physicist John Hagelin Ph.D. commented: “There is far more evidence that group meditation can turn off war like a light switch than that aspirin reduces headaches. It is a scientific fact.”
Healing the World
World Peace Meditation Day
Since 1986, December 31 is World Peace Meditation Day. On December 31, 1986 over 500 million people of all religious faith in over 70 countries joined their minds in peace, love, forgiveness and understanding. The event is still going on, for one hour starting at noon Greenwich Mean Time, with groups gathering in all U.S. states and around the world.
Also called World Healing Day or the International Hour for Peace, this simultaneous global linking of minds takes as its basis the principle of quantum physics that thought can direct energy, creating reality. Meditating on peace can create peace.
Today I practice conscious communion with Love. I identify myself with everything that belongs to goodness, truth and beauty. I see good in everything.
And So It Is!
I LOVE this picture! It shows Krishna, Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus and Moses holding hands. They have hearts in their hands! The title of the picture is "Let's Peace the World Together." Some of the golden threads of truth that run through all religions is Love and Peace. What a great time of year to remember to love our neighbor! There are fundamentalists in every religion who say that their way is the only way! I cannot imagine the Buddha saying that if you were did not practice his way, you would be damned. In fact, I cannot imagine any one of them telling their followers to kill in the name of religion. Yet over the centuries, there have been many wars fought over religion. I think it is time to stop. I can't change anyone else but I can change myself. I open my heart to love more than ever before. I open my ears to be a better listener, to listen to what lies behind the words, what beliefs are being shown. And I can choose my words to be those of peace and love. Today is the day. Let's give peace a chance. Let's peace the world together.
Lela Eugenia Clark will celebrate her 95th birthday this Saturday, December 19. She hasn't won a Pulitzer prize, or found a cure for an incurable disease, or even received a gold watch from her employer, but she raised five children, nurtured seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. I am the second child.
Mom has been very active all her life until the last year when she had a small stroke and now lives in a Nursing Home. I have not seen her since May and am looking forward to seeing her at Christmas. In tribute of her upcoming birthday, I am going to share some of her strengths. Lela Clark could whip up a costume at a moment's notice. She was a great seamstress whose creative imagination was always at work. When I was still preschool age, for Halloween Mom made my sister and I Peter Pumpkin Eater and his wife. I was the wife in a pumpkin shell. I do not remember how she made the shell but I do remember it was as big around as I was tall. Both my sister and I participated in figure skating, which meant lots of costumes every year. She always knew what was in fashion, and sewed an entire wardrobe for me to begin University. Lela contributed to her community. For most of my school years, Lela was the superintendent of our Sunday School. She organized all the classes and crafts, scheduled the teachers and arranged for the music. Like everyone in our small town, she contributed to the church's fowl suppers in the fall. She was a member of the Eastern Star, participating locally and internationally. Mom was a good athlete, flexible, strong and coordinated. She excelled in both curling and shuffle board. It was common for her to bring home a trophy from whatever sport she played.Not only was Mom a great athlete but she was a loyal and noisy fan. While she and dad were snowbirds, they attended spring training games in Phoenix. She came to love football in the recent years and is a Riders fan. Whenever there was a family member playing anything -- baseball or hockey she would enthusiastically cheer. She made no attempt to be nice to the referees and once she was even asked to leave the game because she had been boisterously disrespectful to an umpire! Lela's family is most important to her. For several years she kept in touch with those of us who live far away via Skype. Now that her eyesight is failing, she can no longer use Skype. I miss the everyday conversations. Since the spring Lela has resided in a Nursing home in Saskatoon. Her eyesight is fading and watching television no longer brings her joy. Both my younger sister and I will be in Saskatoon for the Christmas holidays. I am looking forward to seeing my mom.
I expect only good to flow into my life. I am filled with confidence, with the expectancy of good, with the knowledge that my absolute faith in the Law speeds progress.
And So It Is!
"Since no two persons are alike there must be a unique place for you in the scheme of things. The Divine Pattern would be imperfect without you. Dare to be yourself. Stand in wonder before the majesty and might, the beauty and power of that Divine Presence which seeks expression through your individual life. Accept all the good there is. Whatever things you desire, believe you have them. Say:
I surrender all fear, all doubt.
I let go of uncertainty.
I know there is no confusion, no lack of confidence.
I know that what is mine will claim me, know me, rush to me.
I accept the gift of Life for myself and for everyone else."
Ernest Holmes, This Thing called You
I always liked the idea that no two snowflakes are identical. As a child growing up with a great deal of prairie snow, that idea captured my imagination. If that is true of a snowflake, think about the amazing being that you are. In the entire universe there never has been nor never will be, another identical to you. We know that fingerprints are used to identify people. No two fingerprints are identical either. Our fingerprint can identify us, but what does it say about us. When I was attending a Ministers' Retreat a couple of years ago, there was a huge piece of art on a mirror of a fingerprint. The catch was instead of lines there were word descriptors forming the lines. The piece had words like:
fair
caring
human
dynamic
driven
daring
As great as your uniqueness is, greater by far, are the infinite possibilities that lay within you. You are the creator of your experience. You choose how to perceive situations. (You also choose which situations, people, and ideas to be part of your life. There are infinite choices. You get to choose what words describe you. Are you willing to be who you came here to be? Now is the time. The entire Universe is waiting for you to come home to yourself.
This month we will be using Ernest Holmes book, This Thing Called You, as our inspiration for the messages. Dr. Holmes uses Chapter One to establish the greatness and the infinite possibilities there are in you
He writes' "You are one with the Creative Genius back of a wide array of ceaseless motion, this original flow of life. You are as much a part of it as the sun, the earth, and the air. There is something in you telling you this -- a like a voice echoing from some mountain top of inward vision,like a light whose origin no man has seen, like an impulse welling up from an invisible source. Your soul belongs to the Universe. Your mind is an outlet through which the Creative Intelligence of the universe seeks fulfillment." Imagine how blessed human beings are! We sound like super-heroes. Indeed we are!
But then Holmes begins Chapter 2 with the question, "Why, then, if these things are true, is the world still impoverished, mentally and physically ill, and unable to become unified? "
I am certain that many people have had the same question, or one similar to it. If I am so gifted, talented and connected, why am I not fabulously wealthy, enjoying my life with the person of my dreams and doing work that is satisfying?
We know the answer, don't we? We know that it is done unto us as we believe. We know that life is created from the inside out; if we want different experiences we will need to embrace a new idea about ourselves and our lives. I think that we don't really give our new ideas enough time and energy to truly believe them. It is possible that in the busy lives we lead, we don't take enough time to think about what we DO want. Most of us are really good at passionately thinking about what we do not want! As many of you know, as part of my daily spiritual practice, I read the current Science of Mind magazine in addition to a 1950's version of it. Robert Bitzer wrote the daily guides for December, 1951. He gave the readers the tip that they should read the guide, "every hour on the hour" to fully embrace the ideas. Wow! Now that would be planting a new idea with great intention that it become manifest. I have also been reading Dr. Joseph Murphy's Power of Your Subconscious Mind, in which he emphasizes that it takes diligent, three-times daily, five full minutes to change your mind and begin to manifest a new idea. I have heard people say that they tried Spiritual Mind Treatment once or twice but it doesn't work so they quit.
Ernest writes: "Jesus summed up the whole proposition when he said, 'It is done unto you as you believe.' In interpreting this saying, however, you must pause after the word as.Think about the meaning and you will discover that he is saying that life not only responds to your belief, it responds after the manner of your believing, as you believe. It is like a mirror reflecting the image of your belief."
If you do not like what is being reflected, change your mind.
Growing in spiritual maturity, ease and compassion become my natural movement. My life is both ordinary and awakened, filled with joy and and integrity allowing the light of the Divine to shine through me.
And So It Is!
I love this video. The images are stunning by photographer Louis Schwrtzberg and the old man is Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk. He talks about how each day, each moment is a gift to us. I do not know who the little girl is but her very human actions of having an irresistible urge make the video even more heart-warming and authentic. I hope you like it as much as I do. This year take a moment to really look at the beauty around you. Look into the eyes of your friends and family. See and appreciate their unique beauty. Look at your environment. Feel the blessings that are yours. Whether you live in Southern California or any other place, notice the great beauty that surrounds you. Either by choice or chance you ended up living where you are. Give thanks for that. Give thanks for your health and for life itself. If you are blessed to be enjoying Thanksgiving with friends or family, be thankful for those precious beloved beings. Give thanks for your mind with which you perceive beauty or ugliness. Give thanks for your ability to choose. Everything you are grateful for increases. Be grateful for the food you eat and for all the people who brought it to your table. I am so grateful for my life. I am grateful for the work I have been privileged to do ministering to a wonderful community in San Clemente. I am grateful for consciousness that surrounds me with ministers and practitioners who truly practice the principles of a grateful life. I am grateful for the abundance of talented musicians whose gifts uplift and bless me. I am grateful for my experiences -- all of them, for without any one of them I would be a different person. I am grateful for my call to ministry, for that Spirit of God that guides and comforts me. I am grateful for you. May this Thanksgiving be an experience of joy, gratitude and transformation for you.
I see each realm of my life as a temple, a place to discover that which is sacred. Knowing the sacred is always before me, I remain peaceful within myself, and with true love transform the world around me.
And So It Is!
We have a problem with our neighbor. I never thought I would say these words. We teach oneness. From an awareness of oneness, we learn to respect opinions that differ from our own. We learn to appreciate other points of view. Yet we have a problem with our neighbor. My problem with our neighbor is that their employees are hogging all the parking places. We have been focusing on the problem for some time now and it has grown. Rarely do I find a parking space in our parking lot. Many of our tenants are fed up and simply double park or park on the street. Neither of these solutions is legal. There are many rumblings. At one time we thought we had a solution. One of our Board of Trustees negotiated with the Regional Vice President of the company to make a deal that at least 17 spots would be kept for us. When this man left the company in August, the situation has grown larger. Our administrative staff has been asking their employees nicely to move their cars. they have also been putting a copy of a note that the former VP wrote to their employees. Many of the employees are civil but some are rude. When we bought this building there was only one small firm in our neighboring building. Parking was no issue at all. We have a shared use agreement which means that anyone can park anywhere. Another part of the issue is that according to code, you need 4 parking spaces per 1000 square feet of building . Our building is 19,500 square feet. We should have 76 spaces. Their building is 44,510 square feet which means that they should have 178 spaces. Here is the rub. The parking lot only has between 188 and 250 parking spaces and 13 of those are for handicap parking. When we bought the building we thought the shared use would be a benefit because our largest crowds are on Sunday when most other businesses are closed. If we know anything about Principle we would know that the problem would have to increase. So what is the solution? We could mark some spaces. I found a perfect sign for me!
Of course that doesn't address the whole issue.What can we envision? What would be a win-win for all? I can envision a management team that really want to be good neighbors. I can envision a plan in which we treat each other with respect. I can envision a plan in which this company sees how neighborly the other is being. I can envision an agreement of limiting the parking so there is open space for clients. I can envision the company moving and a smaller company taking their space. I envision a world that works for all. I can envision a friendly universe . In fact I know that I live in friendly universe which always supports me. I also know that divine mind does not distinguish between negative energy and positive energy so it has only been saying "yes" my beloved to our daily prayer of "There is no parking." I am ready for a different experience... so I am ready to change my thinking. I am no longer the problem and i do not have a problem with the neighbors. I practice right thinking and the Universe responds with solutions. Here is a way to solve the problem for me!
I am in perfect balance with life, recognizing my needs and the needs of others as equally vital. as I practice fearless compassion and generosity in my life, I experience it in all life and my heart is open to all.
And so it is!
Jack Kornfield writes: "We fragment our life and divide ourselves from it, when we hold to ideals of perfection."
You are like a full box of chocolates
The idea of accepting ourselves just the way we are is not a new idea. In ancient China, the Third Zen Patriarch taught that, 'True enlightenment and wholeness arise when we are without anxiety about imperfection.'
Long ago I heard the group Alliance sing an amazing song, the lyrics began: "I love myself the way I am,/ there's nothing I need to change./ I'll always be the perfect me,
there's nothing to rearrange. / I'm beautiful and capable, of being the best me I can.
And I love myself, / just the way I am."
This was the theme song for Louise Hay's Hayrides.In the dark days of AIDS, before there was any hope medically, Louise Hay gathered these men and women together and reminded them of their intrinsic self-worth. For many men self-loathing turned to self-love and acceptance and they were healed.
Yet here we are today, and we still haven't realized how deeply our self-criticism cuts and what damage it does.
If Jack Kornfield's words are true, then our stubborn insistence on making ourselves wrong, is the very thing that is fragmenting our lives. He also says that we are 'dividing ourselves' from it. I am not entirely certain what this means but my best guess is that we are no longer able to see the wholeness that we are. The practice of self-love and self-acceptance is not for the spiritually immature. It takes mindful observation and kind and diligent practice. It is usually not something that is done without effort. It is about stopping the inner war and making peace with every aspect of oneself. For those of us, who believed for one reason or another that we were intrinsically flawed, it is very difficult to bring those shadows to the light and accept them as part of the sacred self. Recently a friend brought me a gift of chocolates. Each chocolate was looking fantastic. (And they tasted swell too.) There were different sizes, shapes, colors and textures. What would I have missed if I had rejected the colored ones or the square ones because they were different? I would have missed a whole lot of enjoyment. Love and accept your whole self. You are already enough. Life is sweet.
What has 8 strings, is played with both hands like a piano, is plucked like bass, is strummed like a guitar and is used to the celebrate the oneness of humanity? Come to this week's Wednesday Wisdom - Practicing the Present (7:00 p.m. November 11th at the Center For Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley in San Clemente) to find out!
Nathen Aswell with his NS Stick (8-string instrument)
Our very special guest will be Nathen Aswell. Nathen is a gifted speaker and recording artist based in Vancouver, Canada, and he believes that his calling in this life is to inspire and heal through his words and music. His music is a celebration of life, transformation, evolution and the oneness of humanity. Nathen has performed internationally at Conferences, Concerts, Men’s Retreats and Churches, presenting his music, stories and humour with his voice and the NS Stick (an 8-stringed electronic instrument that can be plucked like a bass, strummed like a guitar, or tapped with both hands like a piano).
I bring every experience of my life into my spiritual practice. I listen deeply for the gift of wisdom, peace and wholeness and experience the powerful transformation of seeing Good in all.
And so it is!
I bring every experience of my life into my spiritual practice. I listen for the gift of wisdom, peace and wholeness and experience the powerful transformation of seeing the Good in all.
And so it is!
The only puppy I have ever had was a beautiful Saint Bernard puppy whose name was Elsie. It was the worst possible time for me to learn how to train a puppy, especially one who would grow so big. I was a newly-wed and also in my first career as a middle school teacher, having finished college in August, I landed a great job and got married that autumn. I had so much to learn and an equal amount to do. I had very little time to be at home.
Meanwhile Elsie was adorable. She had a sweet temperament but we were ill-equipped to have the responsibility of a dog. Needless to say, there was very little training going on for Elsie. She was training us and not the other way around. Within a couple of months, my husband and I could both see that neither of us were able to give her the kind of home that she needed. We were living in a two-bedroom duplex, fairly cramped quarters for what would become a very large dog. She would sit beside the coffee table and with one friendly wag of her tail everything would be swept onto the floor. She rarely had a walk never mind a run! We eventually found a farmer who said he would take her and look after her, that he had lots of room for her to run and play with his other dogs. All the guilt I had been feeling for not giving her the kind of home she needed evaporated when I thought of her running with the other dogs. That was the fantasy and it helped me cope with my feelings of inadequacy. We use the metaphor of "training the puppy" to help us learn how to bring awareness to our minds in meditation. We know that a puppy that is loved and trained will grow up to be a wonderful companion. We also know that a dog who has been beaten, mistreated or neglected ends up being an anti-social, mean, unpredictable dog. It is the same for your mind. If in meditation, you set impossible standards for yourself, scolding yourself for not attaining enlightenment in the first week of meditation you are simply delaying the benefits of meditation. If you can bring gentleness, kindness and love to your thoughts, your body and your feelings, you will see benefits in your life. And nothing is going to happen if you do not make a decision to "train the puppy." The whole point of meditation is to awaken to the truth of life. It is to see that all life is interconnected. We begin to see that the only love we can give to others, is the love that we first give to ourselves. Many people find it difficult to accept and love themselves just the way they are. Our inner voices are often harsh and critical; we have an inner terrorist. What we really are longing for is acceptance and love. Start today. Give yourself a modest goal, perhaps five minutes. Notice your thoughts, without judging them. Be kind to your thoughts. Be kind to yourself. It is a very good way to start.
As I sit here writing this article at 9:00 P.M. my mind is
constantly overwhelmed with thoughts about the upcoming holidays. It begins to
think about pumpkins and scarecrows. Without warning, my mind switches to candy and
now I am thinking about what kind of treats my son will bring home for
Halloween….. “Oh no!”, my mind yells out in horror, “will my son pick out a
costume this year that he totally loves only
to hate it moments before he actually walks out the door and leaves for trick-or-treat…..”
…..There goes that mind again taking control when suddenly my
thoughts go right into Thanksgiving, family and making dinner for 20 people…”Let’s
see, what food should I prepare this year for my clan? Everyone loved the rib
roast with the garlic and sage spices. It was a wonderful alternative to my
traditional succulent Turkey
faire. Wait, I have to make sure that I make enough mashed potatoes for
everyone this year since the glazed yams were a flop. And what was that dish
that my niece made? I really have to get that recipe again before…”
…it can’t be Christmas already. I am not ready!. “Wait a
minute, what did you say?”… “whose house will the Christmas feast be at this
year…It better not be at my house, I just did Thanksgiving”…..”Ok, Ok, Ok we
will have New Years at our house again but next year…
Finally I yell “STOPPPPP!!!!!! What is going on here?” It’s only 9:01PM and I have lost all touch
with reality. I have become so obsessed with what I have to do that I am no longer in the present moment. I am no
longer in the” NOW”. I have allowed my mind, my ego or “Pain Body” as Echart
Tolle likes to call it to rule my consciousness. My mind is running me. This
will never do.
I must quickly regain control of my senses and my mind. I
truly know that the purpose of my mind is to be the servant of my Intentions and not the master of my intentions. Deep
down inside I know that what I think
about I bring about, where I place my intentions on is the very thing that
manifests in my life. Every time that I have allowed my mind to take
control over my present reality and steal my
present moment I am telling my mind that
it is O.K. for it to be in charge.
Well it is not OK to be trapped in my minds eye constantly reliving
events over and over again. It’s not OK to be separated from my Higher Power
because my negative thoughts have nothing better to do than create chaos with
my emotions.
Finally, the moment comes and I realize that when I am fully
present in the “NOW”, I can break the false power that I have given to my mind.
Thankfully I begin to relax by imagining a giant oversized old
fashioned scale like the ones used in courtrooms. It represents my life. On the
left there is one pile of sand that represents all of my thoughts of Love,
Beauty, God, Relationship, Prosperity, Grace, Goodness, Creativity, Perfect
Health and Happiness. On the right is a pile of sand represents my fears,
anxiety, lack, impatience, stress, anger, ego, control, imperfections, doubts
and so on. It has become very clear to me that to regain dominion over my mind
over the holidays I must change my thinking now. I must replace my old thinking
with thoughts and ideas that have a loving power that I can believe in. The
power of my “thinking and believing” is what manifests my reality.
It is totally up to me which side I place that grain of sand
on. If I have thoughts that I believe in that create a warm and loving world
filled with goodness and light then I have empowered myself and the world
around me to be a better place.
Every time that I allow a negative, unconscious or painful
thought to enter my mind I am allowing another tiny pebble of sand to be placed
in the wrong side of the scale. Every thought and experience of doubt, fear,
regret, unkind word, resentment, anger and greed continues to add more pebbles
of sand to the wrong side. Before I know it, my scale has moved so much that my
unloving thoughts completely put me out of balance.
That is what seems to happen to so many people during the
Holidays. We have forgotten how to be the good gatekeepers of our thoughts and
beliefs. I have noticed that if we do not stand awake and fully present at the
gates of our thinking we are lulled into a false belief of how the world should be and forget that we truly are
the creators of our realities.
During this time of the year the pressure is far greater to
be happy and meet everyone’s demands and expectations. We still only have the
same 24 hours in a day. We can never change that. What we can change is the
power we give our thoughts and how we react to world around us. We get to
choose how we want to live our lives and we get to choose how much joy and
happiness we will allow into our
world.
There are many
powerful tools and practices that I have found extremely useful in helping me
break my old patterns of thinking that no longer serve me.
The power of Meditation helps me quiet down my mind so that I
can hear the quiet still voice of Spirit. Learning to practice stillness makes me
more receptive to listening to Divine Inspiration.
Echart Tolle says learn to be the observer of your thoughts.
From Western religion I have learned the power of Gratitude,
Forgiveness and Non-Judgment. And from the Eastern traditions I have learned
how to balance my energy with my body.
So, as the Holidays approach I now remind myself of what I must
do. For me to have a Holiday experience that I really, really want I need to be
more present and live in the “NOW” as often as I can. I get to choice which
thoughts I give power to. I really only want to entertain thoughts of LOVE,
GRATITUDE, FUN and SPIRIT so that my life will be blessed to overflowing ……. I
can live with that.
OK Let’s bring on the Holidays. I am ready and in the Now.
I trust the power of spiritual practice is always healing each dimension of my being: body, mind and heart. I lovingly bring careful and kind attention to all the painful places in my life allowing my compassionate attention to suffuse every part of it.
And so it is!
For the month of November, our theme is A Path With Heart,by Buddhist author Jack Kornfield. The subtitle of the book is A Guide through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life. It is a delightful book with moving stories, insightful practices and practical information. It is about loving every aspect of ourselves --warts and wonders.
Kornfield wisely points out the need to bring kind attention to all the parts of ourselves. He especially emphasizes bringing loving attention to our wounds.
He writes: "The unawakened mind tends to make war against the way things are. To follow a path with heart, we must understand the whole process of making war, within ourselves, how it begins and how it ends. War's roots are ignorance. Without understanding we can easily become frightened by life's fleeting changes, the inevitable losses, disappointments, the insecurity of our aging and death, Misunderstanding leads us to fight against life, running from pain or grasping at security and pleasures that by their nature can never be truly satisfying. Our war against life is expressed in every dimension of our experience, inner and outer."
He goes on to say:"Ours is a society of denial that conditions us to protect ourselves from any direct difficulty and discomfort. We expend tremendous energy denying our insecurity, fighting pain, death and loss, and hiding from the basic truths of ...our own nature."
We are taught to be brave. To not let feelings show. To act "like a man."
All the time we are making ourselves wrong for whatever is going on within us,we are at war with ourselves. There is always tension, concern. Yet all beings will experience loss, death and pain. Long ago I learned that pain was certain but suffering is optional. However, denying our suffering simply intensifies the pain. try it right now. If you are experiencing any tension or discomfort, simply accept it. Let it be. I usually notice that it slips away. Kornfield gives an example of a man who was grieving over the death of his child several months previously. The man came to this retreat with sacred symbols from each of the previous retreats. He clearly was struggling. Kornfield suggested that the man put them all away and simply be present to whatever was going on within him. Within a few minutes he was crying. After a few minutes more he was sobbing, truly experiencing the grief that he had been avoiding. That experience was the beginning of his healing. he stopped the war and let the peace begin. Is there something you are avoiding by your busyness? Is there something you need to feel to be truly present? Is there a part of you that you have been ignoring because it may feel too risky to feel it? The time is now to stop the war. Call in the troops. There is no need to defend or attack. Wayne Dyer used to say,"You can't take sides in a world that is round." Stop making any part of you wrong. War ends today.
The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity Finding your Divine Purpose, Forgiveness and Worthiness, Tithing and Giving, Setting Clear-cut Goals. If you are ready to learn and practice the principles of true prosperity, this workshop will answer your questions and inspire you to act.
Living at an exceptional level is not only possible - it's right there for you, Edwene Gaines explains, if only you abide by the four spiritual laws of prosperity. Gaines, an ordained Unity minister, has been delivering her inspirational, life-changing message to audiences of all faiths at workshops across the country. Now she brings her powerful words to readers of this, her first book. Explaining the four spiritual laws. http://prosperityproducts.com/
I want you to tithe where you are fed spiritually. @EdweneGaines
I am the Infinite in the finite and the finite in the Infinite fully expressing life. I activate the Law of Circulation by joyfully giving back to my Source a portion of the good I have received, ingratitude to Source for being my supply.
And so it is!
Like most human beings, I am both fascinated and terrified by fire. I love to sit in front of a fire pit watching the flames dance, warmed by the heat. On the other hand if those flames start spitting sparks, I will quickly move away. I do not want to get burned. Last spring, I attended a ministers only retreat at Valley Ridge Alabama led by the awesome Rev. Edwene Gaines. Part of the retreat was the opportunity to walk on fire. Edwene is a Master Firewalker, has been certified as a trainer for many years. At first I wasn't even remotely interested. I thought smugly to myself, "Those fools can get burned if they want to! But I'm too smart to do something so foolish." However, after three days of praying and remembering my spiritual nature, I too decided to walk. I walked three times. It was the most exhilarating experience of my life! And to think, I just about missed it because i was afraid.
Walking on Fire
When we got back to the program room from walking on fire, Edwene had us write on an index card, "I walk on fire, I can do anything I choose!"
That affirmation helps me in every area of my life including prosperity.
This Sunday, Rev. Edwene Gaines will be our guest speaker. He talk title is The Secret to Permanent Prosperity. I don't know exactly what she will talk about, but I can guess that she will challenge us to look false fears in the face and know that we are powerful spiritual beings, living in a spiritual universe governed by spiritual laws. She will likely talk about the Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: tithing, goal setting, purpose and forgiveness.
For many people lack and limitation are normal states of consciousness. They have a belief that there is never enough. When invited to practice the first law of prosperity -- tithing, fear comes up. There is a belief that if they give away 10% of their income, there won't be enough left to meet their commitments. From a human point of view it appears true. But just like the fire walking experience worked because I listened to spiritual guidance, tithing works because I am saying that "God is my Source."
Is it time for you to face your fears and walk on the fire that scares you? If you are in the area, come to the Center Sunday morning. Edwene is our guest speaker. Then plan to stay for her workshop. She guarantees that her workshop will transform your life ...if you are teachable.
Please join us at Wednesday Wisdom to add your Prayers into the Circle of Life.
Oct 21 at 6:45 here at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley.
I know that there is within me that Something that knows what my divine purpose is in life.
So I pay attention to its urgings, prompting and ideas with the full knowledge and awareness that it is the Divine in me fully expressing as my intuition. I do not doubt it.
And so it is!
Do you love the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley? Would you like to participate in the success of this center? Do you consider this Center to be your spiritual home? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, please join your spiritual family for a very special event. On Sunday, November 1, 2015, immediately following the service, I will lead an inner introspective journey that will reveal your successes and how you have risen to a more joyful way of living by being part of this beautiful spiritual family. I will then explain how your commitment to our Center benefits our programs, staff, and our community at large. If you consider yourself to be a member of this spiritual family or if you would like to be a member, please join us in the Love, Community and Commitment that is who and what we are at the Center for Spiritual living Capistrano Valley. We will break bread together, so you won't need to leave after the service. Both your souls and your stomachs will be fed. I am looking forward to seeing you there. Our mission is to grow into our divine potential individually and collectively, revealing spiritual truth, and inspiring spiritual awareness in our community. For those of you who join us virtually and cannot attend in person, arrangements will be made for you to Zoom in to be part of the ceremony.
We appear to be four-dimensional beings passing through a
three-dimensional experience. One metaphysician has said that the fourth
dimension is the first — the first being pure Spirit or absolute intelligence,
from which the three-dimensional world proceeds. We are cosmic beings
temporarily caught, as it were, in a finite net. Undoubtedly we have come up
through endless eons of evolution, through the instinctive intelligence of the
animal to the self-consciousness of the human, and are apparently ready to take
the next step which is a greater consciousness of the cosmos and of our unity
with the whole.
Know
Yourself! You Are More Than You Think
Back of our evolution there appears to be a cosmic impulse
compelling progress, pushing us forward. There also appear subjective memories,
emotions and cravings, and the world of experience, not all of which are
altruistic or salutary, but which pull us forward. We are pushed and pulled at
the same time, whether it be within or without drawing us onward. This mind is
expanding. We continuously slough off the old ideas and take on new and
generally better ones. We have come to the point in our evolution where we are
asking ourselves: What am I? Where am I going? What it is all about? There
seems to be something in us which demands an answer. … As we make a survey of
the enlightened thought of the ages, we come to the conclusion that a cosmic
necessity is impelling our progress.
From “Know Yourself! You
Are More Than You Think” - Ernest
Holmes (1970 , compiled and edited by Willis Kinnear)
As I forgive, I am forgiven. So I declare myself to be willing to forgive him, her, them and that for whatever it was that caused me to be upset. As I forgive, I gain more freedom...and he,she,them and that gain their freedom too. Now we all move along in life.
And so it is!
In her book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, Edwene Gaines tells the story about wise King Solomon whose answer to the question God asked him of what did he want, he answered that since he has a nation to rule, to wanted God to give him an understanding heart. God was pleased with that answer and gave him riches and honor as well. Edwene goes on to say,
What it means to have an understanding heart is you can't blame anybody for anything. You can't blame your ex-spouse, the Pope, the Internal revenue Service, your boss, your hairdresser, the Republican party, the Democratic party, your parents, the Queen of England, anybody.And you especially can't blame yourself You have to live in a constant state of being forgiven."
What would it be like to live in that state of consciousness? I believe miracles would happen all around you. Is there something that is heavy on your heart? The unconditional Love of the Universe wants to give you what you want. But it cannot when we have anger or regrets.We can learn from great women and men who have learned to forgive so that their lives could be better.
Living with an understanding heart reminds me of an interaction I witnessed several years ago between a father and his pre-school son. It was the day before Mother's Day, the dad was doing some shopping in Trader Joe's. He gave his son a bouquet of roses to hold. The little boy was kind of dragging the flowers behind him and using them to point and tap on objects. When the father noticed, he very tenderly and gently, got down on the boy's level and said, "Son, you need to be gentle with these flowers. They are special for your mommy. You need to hold them like a baby." That boy cradled that bouquet for the rest of the time in the market. I applaud that father for showing his son that gentleness and tenderness are good qualities. I applaud him for being observant and kind to his son. I applaud his understanding heart.
As I establish my goals in life think big, intend big, plan big, act big and walk with confidence. I look the world right in the eye because with Spirit and Principle, as my partners in my endeavors, I know I cannot fail!
And so it is!
In her book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, Edwene Gaines writes about learning the importance of living without complaint. She tells that she went to church, and after the service she cornered the minister with a long list of complaints --including the dirty carpet, the off-tune vocalist, the coffee and the bulletin. She says she went on and on.
"This great high, holy teacher patiently listened to my long litany of complaints. Then he said, 'Edwene, dear, for you today the highest metaphysical law in the universe is, Don't bitch!''
Of course, initially she was taken aback, but after practicing for twenty-one days, she saw how little she had to say that wasn't a complaint. She says that if you want to be a powerful spiritual being, creating the life of your dreams, you must stop complaining gossiping or even uttering any negative language about yourself or anyone. I know another minister who made it a policy, that if someone noticed something that needed to be done and mentioned it, they had just signed up to head that committee. It should not be that difficult to do. And there is a very good reason to do it. According to Ernest Holmes,
"And it is a law that the man who sees what he wants to see, regardless of what appears, will someday experience in the outer what he has so faithfully seen in the within. From selfish reasons alone, if from no loftier reason, we cannot afford to find fault, to hate, or even to hold anything against any living soul! The God of love cannot hear the prayer of the one who fails to love."
Intuitively you know that this is true. You know that when you are happy and positive-minded, good flows to you. You are in the divine flow. And conversely, when you are feeling resentment, bitterness, or blame, the good stops flowing. This is a great experiment to try for yourself. I know for you as I know for myself, my conversations will be more positive and life-giving because of this intention. What a great practice that will provide benefits for years!
Today I recall my adventures into the unknown. I said "Yes" to the journey... and throughout it, I listened to others and Nature. I experienced failures that lead successes and more. And, all was accomplished by the Love and Law of the Universe.
And so it is!
When I was in high school many decades ago, I memorized a poem by Robert Service, entitled, "Carry On" which I loved! The second verse is:
"And so in the strife of the battle of life, It is easy to fight when you're winning; It is easy to slave and starve and be brave When the dawn of success is beginning, But the man who can meet despair and defeat With a cheer, there's the man of God's choosing; The man who can fight to Heaven's own height, Is the man who can fight when he's losing."
I probably don't need to explain that I have had a soft spot for the underdog. I was an idealistic kid. I have never been in many fights, and no physical ones, so there really isn't a reason that I loved and remembered this poem, yet it appeals to my soul. It says to me, that there is good for me and I ought to have it. And I need to do my part in the finding and creation of it. For me, the fight is mental not physical. It is the strength of mind and character needed to move steadily forward toward your highest dream regardless of setbacks. (They could be a set-up!). In The Alchemist, the boy was successful in finding his treasure and having his love, but many times throughout his adventure, he could have been defeated by the circumstances he faced.The alchemist becomes a mentor and friend and gives the boy this advice:
What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we've learned as we've moved toward that dream. That's the point at which most people give up. It's the point at which as we say in the language of the desert, one 'dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon."
When the boy listened to his heart, that told him his strongest qualities were courage and enthusiasm. Learning from the protagonist in this story, we learn to carry on. The boy did not find the treasure at the pyramids, but he found an answer that led him to the treasure. Life is generous to those who pursue their Personal Legend or Purpose.
Today is #PeaceDay – an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. Please join us in the loudest call for lasting peace the world has ever seen by marking the day in your homes and communities. Every act of kindness or forgiveness helps us all to build a world that works for everyone.
