God's Highest Idea of Itself as Me

Have you ever been off-course? Adrift in the stuff of the world? feeling disconnected? separate and lonely? One of the most certain ways to get back on course is to listen to the voice of God within. We call the process Visioning. It is a process that came out of the Agape International Center in Los Angeles. I am very grateful for Rev. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, the founder of Agape and the originator of this process.

Visioning basically takes the manifestation process out of the hands of the ego and puts it in the hands of Spirit. Not that manifesting through visualization, intention-setting and imagination is wrong. It is a powerful tool.

Depending where we are on our spiritual path of awakening, we will be drawn to different techniques and tools. Basically there are four kingdoms of consciousness or stages of spiritual development. In the first kingdom, life happens to me. It is not my fault; things happen and seem to be completely beyond my control. Life is happening to me. If this is the level of consciousness you find yourself in, then manifesting through using basic spiritual techniques is very good. It actually takes  a person out of victim-hood and into the second kingdom.

In the second kingdom, life happens by me. No longer a victim, we start taking responsibility for our thinking, our choices, our decisions and we start to create what we do want. Still in this level of consciousness there is a great deal of effort, constant vigilance to see what we have been thinking about. There is a point in which we let go of control.

This is the third level of consciousness where life happens through me. I have learned to establish dominion over my life. I now realize that there is more to life than stuff. I surrender to the Spirit and let It use me. Visioning is natural at this level of consciousness.

The fourth level of consciousness is life happens as me. It is then when we realize complete identification with God. "I and my Father are one."

It is such a powerful practice and we are going to practice together on Sundays beginning June 4.
God is. I am. And So It Is!

Coming Home - Awakening to Spirit

A meeting designed for the new and long term person in sobriety to “reawaken” our connection to spirit, or our Higher Power. We would also like to invite people from all areas of life even those who have never had any problem with drugs or alcohol. It is our belief that people who are new to recovery could benefit from the experiences and support of others from all walks of life.

The format of this meeting will be a general discussion of the problems we face in life finding sobriety day by day and awakening our consciousness to help improve our lives.

1.  We will start with a short quiet meditation.

2.  Those who wish may share about the problems they are facing.  

3.  We will learn how gratitude can help us face these problems.

4.  What and how do we surrender problems to help us awaken to gratitude.

5.  We will learn how to connect with all of our relations for healing.

Facilitated by Gene Stone and Joyce Fournier Stone

Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley, San Clemente California Feb 5, 2016 at 8 AM. 1201 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente, CA 92673 This is a non-smoking facility.

So Much to Be Grateful For

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 feel so used.

How can I serve today? 

There are times in our life when we feel really useful. We may feel everything is going well, we have direction, we have connections, and we are being called upon by others for assistance. These are the times to reflect upon the idea of being used.

Some of us do things out of guilt or obligation. Some of us do things because we believe it would really benefit another. Some of us do things because we really feel we have to make a name for ourselves. If we take a step back and look at ourselves through eyes outside of ourselves, we may find a clear answer to our purpose and place in this world.

Being used, in a Spiritual sense, is remembering that the I AM presence, God, Spirit, is moving through us. We are a beacon, a channel, a direct source from Spirit through to our actions. When we allow God to move through us, rather than making things happen, the actions can come with grace and ease. The idea is to remember throughout our day to continue to ask, "What is moving through me today?" "How can I be of service?" "Use me where I am needed most." These are all statements/ questions that will bring us closer to a realization we seek.

Also, when we understand the way of Spirit moving through us, it is easier to know we are not alone in this world. We have the Universal Consciousness which is working together for our collective good. When we allow Spirit to use us, we not only experience the benefit  to the recipient but the benefit to ourselves.

Today, when we go about our day, ask ourselves, "In what way is Spirit expressing through me today?"

photo: Rodney Brown https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosneybronze/

What do I need to hear today?

Listening to the Light along our path?

Can we really allow Spirit to take over? Where are we right now in our world to allow Spirit to be in charge?

Each and every one of our lives are here to unfold. Sometimes we get stuck in a situation we feel we cannot get out of.  Instead of perseverating on the fact the situation is what it is, look for a clearing of the information.  Look everywhere until the answer is heard. The answer is waiting for us to hear it, it is waiting for us to transcend a space that no longer serves us. Let us get out of our own way, our small self that has such a large ego. Let us release to the fact that we can be vulnerable to Spirit.  Spirit can guide us into a space that is so much sweeter, so much deeper, we just have to open up our lives to that Knowingness. 

Affirmation:

In this moment I am seeking answers to questions, these questions are seeking to be answered.

Today I am seeking to hear what I need to hear. 

Are Your Choices Magical or Mundane?

Clear the mists around your Avalon.

I remember reading "The Mists of Avalon" over winter break. My roomates were home with their families and I had the apartment to myself. While the snow fell outside I was warm and toasty eating bread smeared with butter and honey just like in my book on the mystical and magical court of King Arthur.

The mists shrouding the Isle Avalon grew and thickened as the beliefs in the old ways were abandoned. The magic was becoming lost and forgotten as the isle slipped deeper and deeper into the fog.

How we long for the magic and "supernatural" in our daily lives. We love to exchange our stories of dreams and experiences with psychics, healers, and shamans, to recount the butterfly that flew by just when we were thinking of a loved one we have lost. We long to have that undeniable, authentic experience to prove to us beyond a shadow of a doubt that Spirit exists and is alive and well in our daily lives. We can't get enough reassurance that those we have lost continue on and are somehow still connected to us in consciousness. We long for magic.

I do. We all do.

I want my dreams to be vivid, even lucid.
I want my experiences to be intense and authentic.
I want to feel close to those I have lost.
I want to feel that my ancestors are here with me.
I want to know that I live in a supportive living conscious universe that accepts and loves me unconditionally.

But what I learned this week is that Spirit is a two way street.

You have to sing out and with all your heart.
You must dig deep and be true in the most seemingly mundane of ways.
You have to get your ego out of the way.

You are called to be present.
You are called to fully participate in life.
You are called to recognize the magic and potentcy of all that is around you.

My daily life is more filled with tupperware dishes than abalone shells, but it's just as profound.
I probably won't find my animal totem from a Facebook quiz but I will find Spirit if I choose to recognize and participate in Life itself.

I choose to take time to listen.
I choose quiet mindfullness over mindless internal chatter.
I choose to reprioritize my day and spend time connecting and being grateful for the gifts of Mother Earth.
I choose to put down the digital devices and be in the moment.
I choose to clear the fog.

I meet people who are such bright lights that just being around them makes me exuberantly happy.
I find myself wanting to be more prepared, more present, more thankful, more true.

I know that every moment is precious.
Every moment is a Divine gift.
That not everything can be explained with words.
Not every answer can be found in Google.

Some things you just have to sit with and revel in their very existence.
To know that magic abounds.
To clear the mists around your Avalon.

Be quiet.
Be true.
Send your prayers.
Sing your songs.
Listen with your heart.
Be grateful.
Hold your vision.

And know.

Spirit Prevails In San Clemente

Remembering Fukushima

We send loving blessings to our Japanese friends and all those

suffering from Fukushima.  We honor their suffering as sacred fuel to

stop the nuclear insanity worldwide. ~ Mary Beth Brangan

In today's entry in our "Joyous Living Journal" it states,

Some of the issues facing humanity today are beyond human means for solution. They are beyond the grasp of political leaders and their "think tanks"  If there were solutions, they would have been implemented by now. These are the times that challenge one's beliefs, and one can give way to doubt and fear. Is your faith in God bigger than your faith in the world's challenges?

It goes on to say that does not mean you should bury your head in the sand and stop taking part however, you should still stay informed on the issues, and vote for the person who you feel represents the wisest form of leadership.

To that end I hope that you all will join me at the first public meeting of the new So Cal Edison Community Engagement Panel on the Decommissioning of The San Onofre Nuke Site, in support of one of our very own members who is on this panel, Gene Stone. The meeting will be held at the San Clemente Community Center on Tuesday, March 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. and you will have a 3 minute comment period at some point in this meeting.

"Don't underestimate the importance of your coming to events like these, there is something about everyone coming together that makes something happen in the universe here that we don't quite understand." ~ Ray Lutz 

Reflection: Is your faith in God bigger than your faith in the worlds's challenges? When have you been caught in the trials and tribulations of the human world, thinking there is no human answer, and then touched that spiritual place where you saw with new eyes and your world was transformed?

Spirit is Unlimited

Diane King Vann, me and Jimmy Vann 

On Sunday, our music director Diane King Vann, gave me the most amazing birthday present of a seven minute musical production of the Finale from  Les Miserables. Several weeks before my birthday, Diane asked me to make a list  of my favorite songs of all time for the purpose of playing something I love during the offertory the Sunday before my birthday. I made a long list but started with my favorite,the Finale from Les Mis and especially the inspirational ending with, Do You Hear the People Sing? I also included  A Thousand Years  by Christina Perri and Any Dream Will Do from Joseph's Amazing Technicolor  Dream  Coat, both of which she and the band played during the prelude. I also included an old standard from my parent's era, "I'll be Seeing You."

Evidently people had been sworn to secrecy about it all. One of my practitioners, Kim Province was assigned to keep me away from the sanctuary while the young people were rehearsing. She did an admirable job. (I admit I can be an irresistible force when it comes to my plans on Sunday mornings.)

Diane engaged ten high school students and three college students to surprise me. They really did! It started with Michael Garamoni, one of our favorite singers, began with Jean Val Jean's beautiful  prayer, Take Me Home. Then Kellianne Safarik singing the part of Fantine's spirit, and Ellie Wyman, singing the part of Eponine's spirit called him to heaven. Then the ten high school students rose from their seats and started singing the reprise of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" It was very moving in every way. The music and harmonies were exquisite, the songs poignant and the gift that Diane gave me was priceless.

Evidently she had rehearsed with these young people on her own, paid them for their performances and given them directions to our Center. This was an amazing gift of generosity and love.

The following day, she surprised me again, when she asked her husband, Jimmy , to play "I'll Be Seeing You" on my old upright piano. He made it sound angelic. I know that the sounds that Jimmy got from my piano is his talent and I believe that my listening was love. 

Here is the thing I am learning: Spirit is unlimited. It is only limited by the restrictions we put on it. If I had chosen "favorite" songs that could easily be performed at the piano, I would have missed the exquisite experience of Sunday morning.Instead I told the truth and was greatly blessed. God can always make a way out of "no way!" 

What Do You Give a Great Spirit Who Already Has Everything?

The Joyous Living Journal 

"Spirit has given you the greatest gift; it is the gift of your life.  What you make of it is the gift you give back to Spirit!"

This is the first sentence I read on January 2 in the Joyous Living Journal, our reading for 2014.

Pretty powerful words, aren't they?

I have always understood my life being a gift.

But what these words made me contemplate was that what I make of my life is a gift BACK to Spirit.

That isn't an idea that has ever become present to me and, for some reason, it packed a punch.

Am I making my life into a gift back to spirit?

My answer brought peace to my heart and a smile to my face.

If I would have been presented with this same question six years ago, the question would have brought sadness and maybe even anger.

Six years ago,  I certainly wasn't making my  life into something I would have viewed as a gift back to Spirit.

I was living for other people.  Doing what I thought would make others happy.  I was working a job I hated.  I was "buying" a life so, on the outside, my life looked happy and successful.

But, I was so sad and so unfulfilled on the inside.

It took a major, and heartbreaking, life event for me to take a true, honest look at my life and from what I saw, things needed to change.

Change they did and as I contemplated this idea in my morning reading six years later, I was pleasantly surprised by my answer.

I am living a life, that I believe is a gift to Spirit, and, it's getting more and more of a gift every day.

Why?

Because six years ago, I started living for ME...not from a selfish standpoint, but from the place of living from my inner Spirit.

That part of Spirit that lives within me.

I dedicated myself to being One with it and following the thread of joy everyday...not someone else's joy, not even my kids' joy, but mine.

It took me some time to get to that place.

As they say, it's a journey!

And, a journey it certainly has been!

Following my heartbreaking life event, I had to heal first.

I had to forgive.

I had to decide to live differently.

I had to  decide to let go of everyone else's happiness and choose my own.

I had to decide  to let the old me (and all her beliefs, paradigms, and thoughts) die and allow my soul to emerge from the dark depths I had buried it to.

...as my soul emerged,  I had to step aside and allow Spirit to express Itself through me  and as a result, I have found peace and more joy within than I have ever known.

The results of my spiritual emergence is still unfolding, but I can definitively say that I am a better mom because of it.  I'm a better person because of it, and I am certainly living as if my life is the gift I know it to be.

And because of that, I am making my life into a life that I know is a gift back to Spirit.

For that, I am living in joy!

Already two days in to 2014, and working through this daily "Joyous Living" Journal, I feel pretty certain that 2014 will be the best gift I have to give back to Spirit!

###

What about you?  Contemplate the words:  "Spirit has given you the greatest gift; it is the gift of your life.  What you make of it is the gift you give back to Spirit!"

Are you making your life into a gift that Spirit would be proud of?

No matter what your answer is, every day is an opportunity to decide to live life and give your gift back to Spirit!

Love Letters from Heaven

Right now, do you feel loved? 

Do you feel confident and  secure knowing that you are enough?
I watched the following Ted Talk today; it touched me deeply. It stimulated an idea in me.

What I hear the speaker saying is that writing love letters to strangers transformed her life, moving her out of depression into transformation. It lifted her spirits and gave her a sense of connection and belonging. She wrote them and left them places. 

It reminds me about the joy of receiving a letter from a loved one; the importance of letting people know that they are loved. I believe that it is a universal longing to connect, to be cherished and loved. Of course, spiritually we are loved by the Divine Presence and for many of us we want more.

A spiritual practice is to write a letter to yourself from God. It might go something like this: 
"Beloved One,
You are my best creation. I am so proud of you. I cherish everything about you. I cherish your successes and I cherish your so-called failures. You reflect my light so beautifully. You express all my best qualities -- love, grace, beauty, joy, compassion, intelligence and creativity. I love your physical body but more than that I love your noble spirit. Your life is my life in expression. Truly I am with you always. Life is at your feet. Your embodied desire is my command. Joyously I obey because I adore you. Save time for me every day.
With great love,
God"

Doesn't it sound like fun?
Let's do an experiment. If you would like to play, write a hand-written love letter, and send it to the Center, to my attention. Then on June 23rd, when my theme for the day is "Happily Even After" we can distribute them to anyone who wants one. let's see how much love we can generate. I will keep you posted.

Write to me:
Heather Clark
C/o Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley
1201 Puerta del Sol
San Clemente, CA  92673

We've got Spirit, yes we do. We've got Spirit, how about you?

Cheering for Oneness

 

The theme of the month at Center for Spiritual Living, Capistrano Valley is Upcycling.  For this past Sunday, "Trash Talk" was the topic of Dr. Heather Clark's message.

In rivalries, taunting others with "Trash talk" can have a smidge of truth in a mindset.  If we are in a way of thinking that does not encompass Allness, a sense of separation can sneak in and create a dramatic tension between two sources. 

Especially in the ways of religious thinking, is one direction or belief better than another?  Each person who has come here to reside on Earth is following their own path.  If the path is laden with a way or belief that isn't agreeable to someone else, it may be difficult to believe that path is one leading to salvation or Awareness.

What if that path leads to a place of pain or discomfort?  Sometimes it's hard to humanly understand these times of sorrow, however, just know that Divine Right Action takes place in every situation.  Sometimes out of great pain, a revelation is born, which may not have been revealed if not for the painful journey.  When we are Spiritually guided we know when Divine Right Action requires our participation or not.

In the title, "We've got Spirit, yes we do... How about you?",we don't need to "Trash Talk" about any other religion or belief system.  All we should know is Spirit is working through each and every one of us.  There are many individuals who are deeply rooted in Spirit in several faiths.  With their wisdom, they can touch those who are congregants of their places of worship.  It can be likened to speaking different languages, some may not hear it spoken in this way of thinking, but it’s completely clear in that one.  Or, at their time of life, they may not have heard it in their 20's, but it's crystal clear in their 30's.  So, if you find yourself questioning, “Why can’t they see it my way?” fret not, they are seeing it their way, in their own time.  We may be Divinely guided to act in their unfoldment, but ultimately, our highest calling is to know Truth.

Q: “We’ve got Spirit, yes we do! We’ve got Spirit, how about you?
A: “We’ve got Spirit, yes WE do! We’ve got Spirit, we All do!”

Get into the Rhythm with Everything is Sound!

I discovered that family tensions seemed to run higher in the late afternoon during dinner preparations and homework.

At this month's Parent Forum, Rev. Pattie brought up the topic of creating a daily family  rhythm. Initially, I was resistant to the idea confusing rhythm with forcing a family of individuals into a set and rigid schedule. The last thing I needed was another hassle or argument trying to get the whole family to do something that wasn't necessarily required. 

But the more I sat with the idea, the more I realized what she actually meant by rhythm and really it only required me to cooperate. You see, I needed to find a daily rhythm. And when I set my own pace, swaying and moving with each little bump and bobble, I'm more at peace and centered. And, when I'm more at peace and centered, everyone around me feels it and acts accordingly. It reminds me of that saying, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I realized that living to my own beat creates internal contentment which then manifests in the external world. 

And the beautiful thing about setting your own rhythm, it doesn't require any great, earth-shattering changes. I found my rhythm in a song.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with life, then played a great song in the car or house and within seconds everything looked better, more manageable? 

Listening to Jason Mraz's music from the Love is a Four Letter Word CD provides me with a vacation from the daily ups and downs, resets my thinking and raises my vibration to joy! I found that one song in particular,  "Everything is Sound," refreshes my mind like a beautiful California spring day when you roll down the car windows, drive along the coast with music blasting and sing like no one is watching. 

In contemplating our family's need for rhythm, I discovered that tensions seem to run highest in the late afternoon and early evening when the kids are hungry waiting for dinner, stressed out over homework and overtired from a busy day. To counter the tension, I decided to put Love is a Four Letter Word on the CD player in the kitchen while I make dinner. It makes me happy. I sing, dance a little, and smile. I feel more relaxed and guess what!?! The whole atmosphere changes. Joy returns to the home. Yes, there is still homework questions and requests for a snack, but I handle them with more grace and ease. I am more present in the family dynamic and there is a whole lot less yelling. 

In the lyrics of "Everything is Sound," Mraz sings, "You don't need a vacation, when there is nothing to escape from." Isn't that so true? When we find our own rhythm and live at that tempo every moment is a song! Hallelujah!

Experience "Everything is Sound" for yourself. The lyrics are in the video so you can sing along then let me know by commenting if you feel lighter and refreshed. 

Let's All Sing...

LIFE: This is what I believe about it. What about you?

One of the beauties of life is diversity.  Each person is an important thread in the tapestry of life and each one has a personal belief system that either works for them or doesn't.  This is what I believe...

I believe that every living being is born a perfect creation of a Universal Energy; some may call it God, Source, Spirit or Unconditional Love. Whatever terminology moves and inspires someone is very personal to each. This Universal Energy has no limits or boundaries in power, presence or scope, and is here to be expressed by means of us, humankind.  We are Its expressions and are inherently imbued with, and part of, this power that embraces all life. I believe that any ideas or actions of fear, hatred, anger or resentment are simply a disconnect from this Source and that the authenticity of every person is that of LOVE.  When we are truly in the awareness of our own magnificence, our own truth, all is indeed well in our world