More Is On Its way

A Birthday Bouquet

I have long thought that being a skilled teacher would be an advantage in a ministry such as the Centers for Spiritual Living because there is a great emphasis on taking classes. I have had some wonderful teachers in my life -- great models of creativity, wisdom and love. One such teacher was my father, Gordon Clark. Gordon's major was in mathematics. he had an ability to take the most difficult concepts and simplify them. He was also very patient when students didn't understand quickly. He had a agreed to tutor my then husband every Saturday morning. He would be ready with humor and wisdom for the lesson even when his personal life had taken him "out with the boys until four in the morning." My dad inspired me.

I remember, years ago, a member of the congregation of a Center grilled me on my idea that being a teacher gave me an advantage in a Science of Mind Center. She said that people don't need a teacher because the truth is within them already. I know she spoke the truth and a great teacher helps students discover their own gifts. I believe that is the teacher's job to remind her students of their infinite potential and their worthiness, right now! It is true that we do not need a teacher to put ideas into students' minds. But it is very helpful to have a teacher hold up a mirror to for the student to see her magnificence. And with a good teacher the spiritual  awakening is more rapid.

Many years ago, I was led to see the vision of my future life, of what it could be. That vision has inspired me ever since. I saw myself being celebrated. In the vision, I was several decades older than my present age. I was living by the ocean near a port. there were palm trees all around. I heard people coming to thank me for helping them, for making a difference in their lives, helping them to see who they are and who they have come here to be. Basically I am living my vision now.

And in order to move into the vision, I have had to make many changes. I have had to let go of my present good to open to my future good. Resistance did not help at all it simply prolonged the experience. I simply took the next indicated step. When I have been able to do that, trusting that I live in a friendly universe and that the Source of All wants me to succeed, life has flowed with grace and ease.

For my recent birthday, I received three bouquets of flowers. Each one is beautiful and I did not compare them I simply enjoyed them. A gift of flowers is symbolic of the gift of transformation. With care, some of the flowers will provide beauty for a long time. Other flowers teach us to be in the moment. 

Doing right work for your soul is not the end of the story. You must keep growing and listening to the deep calling within you.

Is there something that is calling you to become? Have you been deeply listening and seeing with your inner eyes? Like me, you may be living your dream now, and get ready, more is on its way!

Everyday is an Opportunity for Alchemy

Where is the world calling you to create something wonderful
with what's in your basket?

Have you ever shared a challenge or obstacle you were experiencing with a friend or colleague only to have them respond with one of the many popular cliches or platitudes?

"If Life hands you lemons, make lemonade."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"It doesn't matter how many times you fall, just that you get up one more time."


Today's reflection on obstacles and challenges in the Joyous Living Journal talks about those cliches and platitudes.

Yes, they can seem like empty phrases in times of crisis. No problem can seem so staggering as our own when we're in "that place."

Recently I opened a fortune cookie to read "opportunity knocks on your door everyday."

You know what I did with that fortune? I threw it away. I usually put the really good ones in my wallet but this one kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

Now, even though I didn't keep the fortune it stayed with me, in the recesses of my mind, not willing to give up.

I don't watch much tv, but when I do you will find my machine tuned into the Food Network and one of my very favorite shows is Chopped.

Chopped is a competition among trained chefs. They are given a basket of wacky ingredients, a time limit and a course to prepare featuring those mystery ingredients.

It's everyday alchemy.

Alchemy usually refers to that ancient science of attempting to change ordinary lead into pure gold. I like to think of alchemy as taking anything, especially something you don't give a high value to and turning it into something precious and beautiful.

I'm starting to go so far as to think about my favorite cooking show as a metaphor for life. We are tossed ingredients that we may not have consciously chosen and we are called to add our talents, techniques and knowledge of principle to create something uniquely ours for the world to taste and savor.

Taking Part in the Wonderful Wonderful Web of Life

We are all connected. Each of us taking part in the perfection of the whole.

One of the things about nature that always amazes me is it's infinite interconnectedness. The complex relationships betweens animals, plants, seasons, all of it, seen and unseen. How delicate, self-sustaining, ever self-correcting that balance is miraculously maintained.

If you have ever had a fish tank you learn pretty quickly that keeping an ecosystem in balance is no small feat. It takes a lot of conscious work. We've all heard of various ecological disasters that happened as a result of man trying to solve a problem by making changes to an environment and consequently throwing everything off because of his limited understanding of the interconnectedness of that environment.

It is truly a Divine Mystery.

It would go to follow that each of us is also created with that meticulous interconnected magic. Each of us different in our unique and special way. We are connected to each other, our environment, the entire world in this web of life.

Being true to our Divine nature, recognizing our gifts, honoring the gifts of others and curbing internal pollution strengthens that web of life and "all boats float higher."

I was thinking about this and how following our individual vision is far from selfish, as it strengthens and empowers all of us. Not being conscious of this truth sometimes leads to us not shining our light as strongly as we can. So I wrote this list of personal reminders to keep me on the right track and put ideas into action.

GET QUIET
“I don’t know if it’s truly inspiration or just mental chatter?” I wonder sometimes. Meditation has become a regular spiritual practice for me and at first I did think it was a bit self indulgent. I mean I have kids who seem to need something all the time. It’s like they can sense the second my full attention is not completely on them.

Taking time on a daily basis to get quiet has definitely enriched my intuitive listening. You have to turn off that television, drop the cell phone, and remove yourself from the day to day hustle and worries and not just when you feel a crisis but daily, as a practice.

If you are interested in a beginning or enriching this practice our center is hosting a fabulous meditation retreat in San Clemente January 17-19.

LISTEN AND ACT
To listen to inspiration and act upon it. You may not know why in the moment but your actions can resonate deeply throughout your web of influence. You must listen AND act, faith will grow, the muscle will strengthen.

And maybe that vertigo feeling of everything accelerating beyond my control will go away and maybe it won’t. No one said this was going to be boring.

SHARE YOUR CREATIVITY
Your creativity is your gift to the world. You may not be privy to the big picture but if you are called to create something you should create it. Divine mind LOVES having you as a creative outlet and that makes a positive difference in the world.

Acting upon inspiration is a creative selfless act which fills you with joy and strengthens the web of life. Sharing is helping others for the very reason that what is most personal is most universal. Maybe it all has been said before but it hasn’t been said by you, the way you do, at the time you do and maybe that will make all the difference for someone else.

STOP THE POLLUTION

Do you remember Smokey the Bear saying "only you can prevent forest fires?" Only we can stop our internal pollution. Stop the gossip. Stop listening to the criticisms. Judgement and criticisim real and imagined can stop us in our tracks keeping us stagnate and hurting.

When I feel criticized and judged my heart hardens and creativity drops to zero. It's not a good place. I don't want to be there and it's not good for any of us.

Give that smile, work on that forgiveness issue, be compassionate with yourself and others for we are all doing our best.

Namaste!

Joy in the Present with a Vision for the Future

The seed is the plant.

"Just as it is and just as it is not." Oh how those words said at the end of Service seemed to contradict each other.

I have vague memories of turning to my husband, eyes rolled and saying "well, that pretty much covers everything now doesn't it."

So it just seems fitting that today's entry in the "Joyous Living Journal" lands on my blog day.

"Could you live in joy and have a vision?"

Can you be in Joy over your life just as it is and still retain a Vision of how you want it different?

I know my days go much smoother when I stand in gratitude and joy over all the details of every day.

But when we look at the possiblities of what could be it can stir up a little discontent.

In 2014 I am exploring this idea more by keeping a Gratitude Journal as well as writing out my Vision in full, by categories with sensory details and the qualities I want to grow. What I am already finding is that the seeds of my Vision are already very much present in my Present.

It's An Agricultural Model
Knowing that Now is the only moment we have to make any change I will nuture these seeds with gratitude and joy knowing that they are the seeds which will grow.  Knowing that the plant is already perfect within the seed. I will enrich my Vision by learning where my Joy is found through acknowledging the Joy I experience everyday.

And So It Is.