You Had It All Along

Recently I read a blog post for people who lean toward being introverted about starting conversations at parties or other social gatherings. One question they suggested asking was, "What is your super power?" It got me thinking about how I would answer that question. 

Then I came across a Super Soul Sunday episode where Oprah interviewed  Shauna Niequist, author of Present Not Perfect. Shauna comes from a Christian background, her father is a pastor of a mega church. A few  years ago  she had a spiritual crisis; her life was out of control. Exhausted and depleted, she realized she wasn't living in alignment with her values and intentions. This realization required a big change. She proceeded to deconstruct her life, let go of obligations and get conscious about her priorities.  

It was a great interview but my favorite part was when Shauna spoke about self-worth and her morning practice. 

Each morning she spends a little time focused on God's love for her. She centers herself with the image of a beautiful red heart in her mind's eye and soaks in all of God's unconditional love. She writes, "not to earn it, but to remind myself that it can't be earned." During the interview she said, that she finds comfort in knowing that there is nothing we can do to lose God's love.

Take that in for a moment.

Close your eyes and imagine a well-spring of love pulsing with each beat of your heart. God is right where you are, expressing in you, through you and as you, right now.

Isn’t that freeing? All of God’s love is right where you are. There is nothing you need to do to earn it. There is nothing you can do to lose it. You are it. In the words of Glenda the Good Witch, “You had the power all along.”

And then I knew! That's my super power, The knowledge that I'm safe in God's love always without exception. 

That’s what Sunday’s are all about at our beautiful Center this month, Spiritual Living through Love as Safety.  Come, get filled up and energize that super power! 

THE ART OF LIVING: The Wisdom of the Tao

There was something formless and perfect 
before the universe was born.
It is serene.  Empty.
Solitary. Unchanging.
Infinite.  Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.

It flows through all things,
inside and outside, and returns
to the origin of all things.

The Tao is great.
The universe is great.
Earth is great.
Man is great.
There are the four great powers.

Man follows the earth.
Earth follows the universe.
The universe follows the Tao.
The Tao follows only itself.
          
                    -The Tao Te Ching, Verse 25


Isn't it beautiful and eloquent the way Lao Tzu describes the Infinite Greatness that lies within each of us?  At 7:00 pm on Wednesday, June 25th, at the Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley, come join the conversation about the incredible wisdom of The Tao Te Ching and its author Lao Tzu.  See how these wise words from over twenty-five centuries ago can change your perspective on life TODAY!  Rev. Pattie and I will be facilitating this exchange, and will possibly discuss continuing the discussion beyond just that Wednesday service.  We look forward to seeing you all there.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  -Lao Tzu 

Forgiveness is the Ultimate Untapped Super Power

“Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.” ~Buddha

It's hard to dodge that topic of forgiveness. It doesn't matter what spiritual tradition you follow someone is asking you to be forgiving. If you are searching for healing, mental, physical or spiritual you are going to run headfirst into the concept of forgiving.

If you are looking for greater success and abundance there is going to be forgiveness work involved. If you are trying to improve your relationships or searching for world peace some spiritual leader is going to remind you that you need to forgive.

You need to forgive the large and the small. There is simply no escape.

Forgiveness is the spiritual work to be done. It's the push up your sleeves and "get 'er done" stuff. It's where we feel resistance. And it seems so illogical to resist the very spiritual practice that promises so very very much.

Forgiveness is something you do for yourself. Forgiveness frees you to live life more fully and more joyously. Forgiveness adds power to your prayers and unleashes your creativity.

What's not to love about forgiveness! 

Geez ... it's like a freekin' super power. 

Oh but how, but how, but how??? What if I am just not feeling it? And how do you know when you are done? What if you recognize all the great gifts of forgivenss but you still can't bring yourself to do it? Where do you start?

Do you have a Forgiveness Practice?
You gotta practice to get good at anything. Why not practice forgiveness? What would a Forgiveness Practice look like?

Search your heart every day and honestly ask yourself "did I close my heart to anyone today?" You can use some of these tools to antedote yourself a little every day.

Oh and don't forget yourself in all this forgiving. It may be the most important work of all.

• Try a Forgiveness Meditation. There are meditation tapes out there for the very purpose of forgiveness. Here is a Forgiveness Meditation from Jack Kornfield.
• Trade resentment for gratitude. Did you know you can't feel both resentment and gratitude at the same time? Make a litany written or spoken of all that you are grateful for regarding the situation.
• Write a forgiveness letter, you don't have to send it but start writing it now.
• If writing isn't your thing use your imagination and set that person in a chair before you and talk to them. Work it out in your own heart.
• When all else fails ask for help. (I always forget this one for some reason, it's not like it isn't for a good cause.)

Forgiving isn't forgeting. In fact remembering all that transpired and no longer being "hooked" by the memory is your indication that your forgiveness work is complete. Sometimes it takes a few rounds but with all that's promised you know that it's worth the effort.

Valentines for the Fullerton Police Department?

Can you find the love?

I was all excited for our Living in Love project this month. I chose to create Valentines and to add spiritual messages of truth on them. The kind of things that people need to be reminded of.

I started to really listen and write them down. "This is gonna be great. Spirit is going to guide these messages to just the right people at the right time." Some will go into "blessing bags" to be handed out to the homeless, some I will stick in random books in the library, I'll sneak some into unlikely places so that some anonymous person will find them.

Talking to Kate about my project I even started to get a little choked up myself. "Sometimes people forget who they really are and they need to be reminded." I reflected on all the people out there hurting.

Kelly Thomas, I couldn't stop thinking about Kelly Thomas. His last moments were not filled with love and acceptance. Kelly Thomas was lying on the ground being brutally beaten by a group of Fullerton policemen as he screamed for mercy from those hired and trained to "serve and protect."

And I started to get really mad ... and all those peaceful, loving little messages that we post on Facebook and retweet on Twitter and share ad naesum started to come back to taunt me.

I know they are truth but the enormous chasm to leap to the side of unconditional love seemed so very vast.

Do you want to transform the world? 

Do you believe in the transformative power of unconditional love? 

Can you forgive the small stings as well as the epic violations? 

Sometimes it's the person who gossiped behind your back or criticized you for a very real failing that is the hardest to forgive. Sometimes it's even the one who has been the most generous to you.

Human beings have done some horrible, horrible things thoughout the history of mankind. People have poisoned the earth, beat a homeless man, raped and killed children, committed genocide.

Can our hearts open large enough to truly forgive? To find love where we once wanted to only seek revenge, to demand justice, to make them pay for the damage they have done?

"From selfish reasons alone, if from no loftier reason, we cannot afford to find fault, to hate, or even to hold in mind anything against any living soul! The God of love cannot hear the prayer of the one who fails to love. In our meditation for friendship, let us make our unity with all people with all life"

~Ernest Holmes 

Can Prayer be Taught?

Today I received a telephone call that made my heart sing. Someone very dear to me called me to ask me how to pray. She explained that she knows that she needs to take classes to really learn it, but her friend and sponsor, prays to Jesus and she doesn't feel this fits her beliefs.

I was overjoyed to be asked but had only 20 minutes before an appointment. So I explained it this way. Affirmative prayer is built in five stages. If you spend enough time really contemplating the first two stages, the prayer will unfold in perfect right order. If you rush through the first stage you will build a prayer that is unbelievable and cannot be answered, just like a poorly reinforced foundation of a building will not hold the building which stands upon it.

The five stages are recognition, unification, declaration, gratitude and release. 

The first stage of recognition is an opportunity to contemplate the Divine, where It is, what It is and what It does.  

The second stage is unification and follows logically from the first stage. Once you realize fully that this mighty moving power is everywhere present, you naturally conclude then not only must it be in you, but also It must be in your creativity, including "the words of your mouth." 

The thirdly you come to declaration. In this stage you declare what you desire as if it is already a fact. 

The fourth stage is gratitude. Again it is logical. How will you feel when what you are seeking is already yours. 

The last stage is to release the prayer to Divine Mind, to let go and let God. 

Let's say you wanted to experience more connection with your family. The God quality that you might build upon is Love. If you are really expressing love then you would feel a greater connection, a willingness to give of yourself and an equal willingness to receive from others.

This is a sample prayer for greater connection.

There is only One LIfe, the Life of the Divine. This One is all-knowing, everywhere present in Its entirety. It is the Creative Process both in the Universal and in the individual. This mighty moving power is the power of Love and knows nothing outside itself. It is a perfect unity always expressing in perfect peace and harmony. The nature of this Mind is Infinite Intelligence. In the stillness of the Wholeness, all form comes into expression. Thought thickens into things.

Right here and now, I remember that I am one with this Power, one with this One. I remember that the creative process within me is the same process as in the Universe. It is naturally responding to Itself as me and through me. I am that which Thou art. I am one with all-power. I am one with Divine Love. I am made in the image of this One.

I declare that Love is my birthright. Love flows through me and connects me with my family and friends. Knowing I am always safe in God's Love, I tell the truth and ask for what I want.  The same Love that is moving through my conversation, moves through my friends and family. In the oneness of life we are inseparably connected. Any belief in separation or disconnection is now eliminated from my consciousness. If I need to make amends or ask for forgiveness, the Divine Presence guides me to do so now. My relationships are naturally filled with peace because the Peace that passes understanding indwells them.

I am so grateful for the love that surrounds me and connects me inextricably with my loved ones. I am so grateful for seeing things rightly, trough God's eyes.

I then place this prayer in the hands of God. I let go. It is complete. And so it is.

When you get the hang of it, it isn't as rigid as I have indicated. These are guidelines. 

If you haven't tried this before. Now is the time. I believe every prayer is answered. I would love to know how you do.

My First Painting, April 5, 2013