Posts
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Breathing is killing us! Millions suffer from emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, and allergies. Why? Because the government gives corporations a "license" to pollute! Both government and industry join forces to sicken us.
Despite record-shattering profits, for example, due to astronomical gas-prices, ExxonMobil refuses to invest in clean energy, and calls life-quality-improvement “uneconomical.” Instead, it shamefully spends millions on junk science (against global warming) and lobbying. This locks America into the shackles of utter dependency on its most fiendish enemies, the oilrich Middle East. The president of ExxonMobil says that we simply need to “accept the reality” of oil-dependence. Roll over and play dead.
ExxonMobil is a greedy, dishonest "citizen.” (Ordered in 1994 to pay billions for its 1989 oilspill, it is still resisting.) ExxonMobil understands no words of compassion, but only the cynical “language of bucks.”
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Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Following Love to Help Another
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It is important during a crisis-period that a person receive validation and approval, as well as aid, from those who love her/him. Joe [pseudonym] is doubly blessed to have your sweet, understanding, and kind assistance through his present crisis. That is why, in your words, "The visit proved most productive for Joe's healing."
Like all of us, Joe is continuously healing himself internally. Life on earth means that we all need this interior healing. A diagnosis of formal pathology can simply make us aware of this need, turn our attention to consciously cooperating with it. It was so nice to see him relax, get into the swing or rhythm of sharing his accounts of his journeys in the northwest, and recall those fun and beautiful memories. This was also, btw, therapy for him!
You write, "It is difficult to have the responsibility to care for a mental illness. After it is out in the open and can no longer be denied, true healing begins. I think Joe had suffered greatly by keeping this hidden for too long. I think it is by the Grace of Love and part of Joe's soul's agenda to have revealed this illness to loving and caring people." It is absolutely indispensable to have friends who will not judge you as worthless, or worth less, because you are struggling with mental adaptations. Earth is very tough, and we all need to be extending our hands in helpful friendship to each other. No one needs to act "superior"! We are all in this mess called "earthlife" together, and we succeed only when we finally develop compassion, and then, actively cultivate it!
You continue, "Do you realize the freedom that has brought [him]!! Wow! Freedom to act in the right direction." Joe is blessed to have a good, solid friend such as yourself standing by his side during this time of special weakness, vulnerability, and crisis.
You write, "Joe wants me to help him pick out a psychiatrist through his work's medical plan. We will be doing that today." If you can find a psychiatrist with gentleness and understanding, she or he can be a real asset in healing, especially if Joe must go the pharmacology-route.
You write, "I will be supporting him as a friend in order to help him get started. I... will not slam the door on someone, who is trying to help himself. I can not and will not turn my back on Love." Good for you! You are a stable, dependable, reliable friend! This is precisely what people whose lives are in flux need! You are acting in Love and moderation by refusing to see Joe in black-and-white terms. An undeveloped scorpio might say, "He must be my boyfriend and lover, or he must be nothing in my life." But, of course, viewed reasonably, there are a thousand shades of friendship that can be shared with Joe-- ranging through an entire spectrum, ranging from intensity and intimacy, to a "hands off" approach. The two of you, as adults, must define what kind, level, or power of friendship that you are going to create between yourselves. You should be aware of this, so that you can define and
defend your boundaries, if and when necessary.
You write, "I know (first hand) what its like to struggle with keeping on solid ground and placing mental health as top priority. I, also, know what it is like to be judged for having a mental disorder, but I know the Glory of not being judged." When you add this compassion and understanding to your capricorn solidarity, you create the "magic" of healing!
You write, "You have to recall in the beginning of our friendship. You were on your death-bed and helping me through manic episodes!!" Yes, I remember those visits and phone-calls. But we love to think that you are the fine woman that you are today, partly because of the Love that was invested in you then, and that Love is still, every day, being invested in our sweet friendship. And, because we are "family," it is a very profound and beautiful friendship! That is why we so treasure it!
You write, "Good God! I'll never forget yours and Maria's help through those troubled times. Maria was so sweet and loving. You, both, helped me to see I needed medication and how important it was to Love yourself and stay on the medication." Yes, and we would never recommend that a person drop, or ignore, medication that might help her or him restore homeostasis (balance) to the mind.
You write, "And as long as I live, If I have the opportunity to help someone, the way you, two, helped me, then by God I will help. Because that is what it is all about!" Here, you hit the bull's eye, the very Center of the target. It is compassion towards which all of life continuously pushes us!
You write, "Joe has shown that he is willing to cooperate with helping himself, I will support him as a friend." I think that it is great, and very wise, to take a "Taoist" perspective of doing as much "flogoing" as possible. You do not have to force anything; to do so, in fact, might cause harm.
You write, "I will try and take it a step at a time and trust my soul, heart, but ultimately [allow] Love to lead the way. I will let Love be the master and I will be the free follower." This is supreme and unquestionable wisdom of the highest order! If you honestly follow Love, it is impossible to go wrong!
*******
It is important during a crisis-period that a person receive validation and approval, as well as aid, from those who love her/him. Joe [pseudonym] is doubly blessed to have your sweet, understanding, and kind assistance through his present crisis. That is why, in your words, "The visit proved most productive for Joe's healing."
Like all of us, Joe is continuously healing himself internally. Life on earth means that we all need this interior healing. A diagnosis of formal pathology can simply make us aware of this need, turn our attention to consciously cooperating with it. It was so nice to see him relax, get into the swing or rhythm of sharing his accounts of his journeys in the northwest, and recall those fun and beautiful memories. This was also, btw, therapy for him!
You write, "It is difficult to have the responsibility to care for a mental illness. After it is out in the open and can no longer be denied, true healing begins. I think Joe had suffered greatly by keeping this hidden for too long. I think it is by the Grace of Love and part of Joe's soul's agenda to have revealed this illness to loving and caring people." It is absolutely indispensable to have friends who will not judge you as worthless, or worth less, because you are struggling with mental adaptations. Earth is very tough, and we all need to be extending our hands in helpful friendship to each other. No one needs to act "superior"! We are all in this mess called "earthlife" together, and we succeed only when we finally develop compassion, and then, actively cultivate it!
You continue, "Do you realize the freedom that has brought [him]!! Wow! Freedom to act in the right direction." Joe is blessed to have a good, solid friend such as yourself standing by his side during this time of special weakness, vulnerability, and crisis.
You write, "Joe wants me to help him pick out a psychiatrist through his work's medical plan. We will be doing that today." If you can find a psychiatrist with gentleness and understanding, she or he can be a real asset in healing, especially if Joe must go the pharmacology-route.
You write, "I will be supporting him as a friend in order to help him get started. I... will not slam the door on someone, who is trying to help himself. I can not and will not turn my back on Love." Good for you! You are a stable, dependable, reliable friend! This is precisely what people whose lives are in flux need! You are acting in Love and moderation by refusing to see Joe in black-and-white terms. An undeveloped scorpio might say, "He must be my boyfriend and lover, or he must be nothing in my life." But, of course, viewed reasonably, there are a thousand shades of friendship that can be shared with Joe-- ranging through an entire spectrum, ranging from intensity and intimacy, to a "hands off" approach. The two of you, as adults, must define what kind, level, or power of friendship that you are going to create between yourselves. You should be aware of this, so that you can define and
defend your boundaries, if and when necessary.
You write, "I know (first hand) what its like to struggle with keeping on solid ground and placing mental health as top priority. I, also, know what it is like to be judged for having a mental disorder, but I know the Glory of not being judged." When you add this compassion and understanding to your capricorn solidarity, you create the "magic" of healing!
You write, "You have to recall in the beginning of our friendship. You were on your death-bed and helping me through manic episodes!!" Yes, I remember those visits and phone-calls. But we love to think that you are the fine woman that you are today, partly because of the Love that was invested in you then, and that Love is still, every day, being invested in our sweet friendship. And, because we are "family," it is a very profound and beautiful friendship! That is why we so treasure it!
You write, "Good God! I'll never forget yours and Maria's help through those troubled times. Maria was so sweet and loving. You, both, helped me to see I needed medication and how important it was to Love yourself and stay on the medication." Yes, and we would never recommend that a person drop, or ignore, medication that might help her or him restore homeostasis (balance) to the mind.
You write, "And as long as I live, If I have the opportunity to help someone, the way you, two, helped me, then by God I will help. Because that is what it is all about!" Here, you hit the bull's eye, the very Center of the target. It is compassion towards which all of life continuously pushes us!
You write, "Joe has shown that he is willing to cooperate with helping himself, I will support him as a friend." I think that it is great, and very wise, to take a "Taoist" perspective of doing as much "flogoing" as possible. You do not have to force anything; to do so, in fact, might cause harm.
You write, "I will try and take it a step at a time and trust my soul, heart, but ultimately [allow] Love to lead the way. I will let Love be the master and I will be the free follower." This is supreme and unquestionable wisdom of the highest order! If you honestly follow Love, it is impossible to go wrong!
*******
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Objective Reality called "truth," and Invisible Forces
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As in science, the study of reality, we do believe that an objective Reality exists outside of human interpretation. This Reality is Mind, and exists at a very cdeep collective level in the Unconscious. Nothing but Mind is ultimate, supreme, or absolute Reality ("truth". The so-called "material, physical, external" cosmos is Its projection, dream, or virtual reality.
The Mind is itself an "unseen force," so yes, I do believe that we are all "in touch" with unseen forces every minute of every day. In fact, in the mystical tradition, faith in this invisible Power is much greater than the common faith in the "material and external" world.
*******
As in science, the study of reality, we do believe that an objective Reality exists outside of human interpretation. This Reality is Mind, and exists at a very cdeep collective level in the Unconscious. Nothing but Mind is ultimate, supreme, or absolute Reality ("truth". The so-called "material, physical, external" cosmos is Its projection, dream, or virtual reality.
The Mind is itself an "unseen force," so yes, I do believe that we are all "in touch" with unseen forces every minute of every day. In fact, in the mystical tradition, faith in this invisible Power is much greater than the common faith in the "material and external" world.
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Saturday, August 27, 2005
Love and Freedom
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You wrote, "To join your effort and make the show belong to me, reflect my perspectives and true values, I think from your more recent newsletters and comments from you and Ron on the radio show, would put our outlooks in conflict." We do not want "conflict." We are simply not interested. Our only area of interest is getting at, and sharing, the truth. We insist on freedom for all viewpoints. The show will not be designed to reflect the outlook or views of any particular person, but, as explained in the email ("Change the World"), will be designed to reflect the views of "the people," so sadly ignored by so many political leaders.
There is a great tsunami of people in this country, and around the world, who hold dear a more progressive perspective than that supported by the rightwing extremists who now hold power. This is not, however, reducible to a merely "political" issue. For it involves human beings and their needs. It involves specifically the conflicts between greed and compassion, and a horrible, bloody war and peace. It has literally been a matter of life or death for the 114,000 victims who have been slaughtered by the war-machine. The views shared need not put us in "conflict," my friend, unless you decide that it is so.
For we prefer the Way of freedom, which allows each fully to express her opinions and views. For however much one might like some of the policies of the current administration, its policy of pursuing war is antispiritual, and so was its attack on a defenseless third-world country, in which its "shock and awe" campaign massacred over one hundred thousand lives of mostly innocent children, women, and men. The murderous campaign has also needlessly and unarguably slaughtered nearly two thousand American girls and boys. Also, and I would think that this would be supremely important to you, the environment has been virtually irredeemably ruined by a greed-based policy that sides always with large and polluting corporations, causing inestimable damage to Mother Earth. (The pre-1970's standards have been resurrected, which is alarming in itself.)
There is so much more that needs to be said-- all of it from a purely, truly spiritual perspective. In fact, we could go on for many pages. But the point that I wish to emphasize here is that, if people differ politically, that does not automatically make them "enemies." In fact, this is myopic, for political issues pass quickly, and friendships are ideally designed with eternity in view. So, as in religion, we need to give each other all the freedom, all the "breathing room," that we need. We must never fall into the divisive and destructive thinking that, "She does not agree with me, and so, is wrong," or "inferior," or, "unenlightened," or whatever.
Whatever your views about the war, two facts are apparent: The Iraqis themselves, the real "experts," feel that they have been brought little or no freedom by it. The so-called "insurgents" see themselves as simply "patriots." Many Americans would also resist a take-over of their country, and in a military way, would attack the invaders. Many have lost husbands, wives, best friends, children, and lovers; and that cannot easily be compensated by mere political slogans. And the designs of the operations imply that their underlying motives are to make the wealthy wealthier; for, during the raiding of the great museums, for example, American soldiers were guarding the oil. This demonstrates where the priorities lie. Haliburton, Becktel, and other multibillion-dollar corporations have made billions in profit from the war; and so has the Carlisle Group, involved in weapons-manufacture. As you know, Cheney is up to his eyeballs in Haliburton, and Bush has major economic interests in Carlisle.
But back to the real and deeper issues: Friendship should be much stronger than demands for conformity. I must admit that I am astonished that you, a lady of so much progressive and forward-looking thought, find "conflict" with any of our peace-oriented, antigreed views. But, of course, we give you complete freedom, from our perspective, to think however and whatever you choose. Freedom, the gift of the Goddess, should be treasured, not disdained. It should maximize Love, and our
planet's quest for Love, and for higher consciousness, the antimaterialistic worldview. I know that you are a taurus, but highly recommend maximum elasticity and flexibility. Please, let's stay in touch, my dear friend.
********
You wrote, "To join your effort and make the show belong to me, reflect my perspectives and true values, I think from your more recent newsletters and comments from you and Ron on the radio show, would put our outlooks in conflict." We do not want "conflict." We are simply not interested. Our only area of interest is getting at, and sharing, the truth. We insist on freedom for all viewpoints. The show will not be designed to reflect the outlook or views of any particular person, but, as explained in the email ("Change the World"), will be designed to reflect the views of "the people," so sadly ignored by so many political leaders.
There is a great tsunami of people in this country, and around the world, who hold dear a more progressive perspective than that supported by the rightwing extremists who now hold power. This is not, however, reducible to a merely "political" issue. For it involves human beings and their needs. It involves specifically the conflicts between greed and compassion, and a horrible, bloody war and peace. It has literally been a matter of life or death for the 114,000 victims who have been slaughtered by the war-machine. The views shared need not put us in "conflict," my friend, unless you decide that it is so.
For we prefer the Way of freedom, which allows each fully to express her opinions and views. For however much one might like some of the policies of the current administration, its policy of pursuing war is antispiritual, and so was its attack on a defenseless third-world country, in which its "shock and awe" campaign massacred over one hundred thousand lives of mostly innocent children, women, and men. The murderous campaign has also needlessly and unarguably slaughtered nearly two thousand American girls and boys. Also, and I would think that this would be supremely important to you, the environment has been virtually irredeemably ruined by a greed-based policy that sides always with large and polluting corporations, causing inestimable damage to Mother Earth. (The pre-1970's standards have been resurrected, which is alarming in itself.)
There is so much more that needs to be said-- all of it from a purely, truly spiritual perspective. In fact, we could go on for many pages. But the point that I wish to emphasize here is that, if people differ politically, that does not automatically make them "enemies." In fact, this is myopic, for political issues pass quickly, and friendships are ideally designed with eternity in view. So, as in religion, we need to give each other all the freedom, all the "breathing room," that we need. We must never fall into the divisive and destructive thinking that, "She does not agree with me, and so, is wrong," or "inferior," or, "unenlightened," or whatever.
Whatever your views about the war, two facts are apparent: The Iraqis themselves, the real "experts," feel that they have been brought little or no freedom by it. The so-called "insurgents" see themselves as simply "patriots." Many Americans would also resist a take-over of their country, and in a military way, would attack the invaders. Many have lost husbands, wives, best friends, children, and lovers; and that cannot easily be compensated by mere political slogans. And the designs of the operations imply that their underlying motives are to make the wealthy wealthier; for, during the raiding of the great museums, for example, American soldiers were guarding the oil. This demonstrates where the priorities lie. Haliburton, Becktel, and other multibillion-dollar corporations have made billions in profit from the war; and so has the Carlisle Group, involved in weapons-manufacture. As you know, Cheney is up to his eyeballs in Haliburton, and Bush has major economic interests in Carlisle.
But back to the real and deeper issues: Friendship should be much stronger than demands for conformity. I must admit that I am astonished that you, a lady of so much progressive and forward-looking thought, find "conflict" with any of our peace-oriented, antigreed views. But, of course, we give you complete freedom, from our perspective, to think however and whatever you choose. Freedom, the gift of the Goddess, should be treasured, not disdained. It should maximize Love, and our
planet's quest for Love, and for higher consciousness, the antimaterialistic worldview. I know that you are a taurus, but highly recommend maximum elasticity and flexibility. Please, let's stay in touch, my dear friend.
********
Modern Political "Christian" Hypocrites
*******
We consider ourselves generic "Christians." For we respect and accept as truth the bright, warm teachings of Love taught by Jesus. However, it is very sad to see how the diamonds of his bright teaching have been sullied, soiled, and dragged through the mud. We are so deeply ashamed of modern, and historical, "Christians" that we back away from them at the speed of light.
Like you, we are also shocked and dismayed by the nutty hypocrisy of the modern political hypocrites who use Jesus' name in vain, profiting on their selfdisplayed "Christianity." They have proved that money and greed are their ONLY "values." They have proved this by murdering over 112,000 innocent human beings, Iraqi children, women, and men, and nearly two thousand American girls and boys. When the greatest historical treasures in the world were being looted, these kids were stationed to guard the oil. This is whaere the hearts of these guys are, for, as Jesus wisely said, "Where your heart is, there is your treasure." These greedy fanatics care nothing about compassion or justice. Beyond any particle of any tiniest doubt, they have demonstrated very publicly, and unquestionably, that money is much more important than people. They will not hesitate to murder if a dollar is involved. In fact, they mercilessly slaughter, and massacre!
This antispiritual, ignorant, and filthy guiding principle is leading them and their dim-witted American followers down a dark and murky trail of extreme karmic pain ("hell-states"), and nothing short of awakening to Love can help. But it is impossible for greed, being fear, to coexist with Love, in the same heart.
*******
We consider ourselves generic "Christians." For we respect and accept as truth the bright, warm teachings of Love taught by Jesus. However, it is very sad to see how the diamonds of his bright teaching have been sullied, soiled, and dragged through the mud. We are so deeply ashamed of modern, and historical, "Christians" that we back away from them at the speed of light.
Like you, we are also shocked and dismayed by the nutty hypocrisy of the modern political hypocrites who use Jesus' name in vain, profiting on their selfdisplayed "Christianity." They have proved that money and greed are their ONLY "values." They have proved this by murdering over 112,000 innocent human beings, Iraqi children, women, and men, and nearly two thousand American girls and boys. When the greatest historical treasures in the world were being looted, these kids were stationed to guard the oil. This is whaere the hearts of these guys are, for, as Jesus wisely said, "Where your heart is, there is your treasure." These greedy fanatics care nothing about compassion or justice. Beyond any particle of any tiniest doubt, they have demonstrated very publicly, and unquestionably, that money is much more important than people. They will not hesitate to murder if a dollar is involved. In fact, they mercilessly slaughter, and massacre!
This antispiritual, ignorant, and filthy guiding principle is leading them and their dim-witted American followers down a dark and murky trail of extreme karmic pain ("hell-states"), and nothing short of awakening to Love can help. But it is impossible for greed, being fear, to coexist with Love, in the same heart.
*******
Working Together on the Program
*******
We are giving it our all, to get the radioprogram "High Spirits" going. It is no easy thing to get underwriters for even so universal and useful a program as that which brings nonreligious spiritual education to the public. No program in the world is so drastically and dramatically needed in this spiritually-starved but religiously oversupplied world! This was our last-resort plan, appealing to our friends. If it does not work, there is, at present, no "Plan c.":( But the most that we can do is try. Happily, it is good to report that some of our friends have come through for us.:) An identifying mark of true friendship is action, particularly in crisis!:)
----
Change the world! Is this merely a beautiful dream? No, it is not. For you can begin really to change the world today! And you can do it for $5 a week!
How? Through education and cooperation. Working together, we can make it happen! Here's how: For $5 a week, you and our other dear friends can work together to sponsor a new, educational, one-hour, call-in show on radio. It is called, "High Spirits," and will concern itself with discovering and cultivating a spiritual path. Aiding people to discover spirituality is the best way to improve the world! (You might remember that education was the Way of Jesus, the Buddha, and other sages.)
The high ideal is to make this a show of, by, and for the people. It is a show that will belong to you! It will belong to no commercial interests.
As you know, Love Ministries has never charged for any of its educational work. And we do not plan to, in the future. We do all teaching, lecturing, seminaring, personal, telephone, and email work free of charge. Our magazines "Universal Love Digest," and Lovelight magazine, are also free. This show, also, will be done for free. But the radiostation charges for its time-- in this case, $200 per hour. If you want (this is optional), we will be glad to thank you on the air for your support of the show.
Five dollars is what most spend for chewing-gum, candy-bars, or snacks. These can harm the body. With that same five dollars, you can become an indispensable participant in changing our community, and our world! You can join our Love Education Team! So, consider this an "investment" in the world, and in your own good karma!
The show will bring education in the fields of psychology, philosophy, spirituality, religion, metaphysics, nature, cults, parapsychology, extraterrestrials, and all related fields. It will be a captivating and fascinating presentation, to educate all people. You are sure to enjoy it! Part of the show's design will depend on questions asked by those who call in.
No one can act alone to accomplish a great goal! So, we simply cannot perform this great educational enterprise without your help! And we can write up a contract that will ask for only five dollars per week, so as not to burden our friends such as you. We want to make it super-easy! So, won't you please consult with your interior soul/Spirit, and your family, about supporting this most worthy and noble cause? It is the very best thing that can possibly be done with timenergy, or with money!
*******
We are giving it our all, to get the radioprogram "High Spirits" going. It is no easy thing to get underwriters for even so universal and useful a program as that which brings nonreligious spiritual education to the public. No program in the world is so drastically and dramatically needed in this spiritually-starved but religiously oversupplied world! This was our last-resort plan, appealing to our friends. If it does not work, there is, at present, no "Plan c.":( But the most that we can do is try. Happily, it is good to report that some of our friends have come through for us.:) An identifying mark of true friendship is action, particularly in crisis!:)
----
Change the world! Is this merely a beautiful dream? No, it is not. For you can begin really to change the world today! And you can do it for $5 a week!
How? Through education and cooperation. Working together, we can make it happen! Here's how: For $5 a week, you and our other dear friends can work together to sponsor a new, educational, one-hour, call-in show on radio. It is called, "High Spirits," and will concern itself with discovering and cultivating a spiritual path. Aiding people to discover spirituality is the best way to improve the world! (You might remember that education was the Way of Jesus, the Buddha, and other sages.)
The high ideal is to make this a show of, by, and for the people. It is a show that will belong to you! It will belong to no commercial interests.
As you know, Love Ministries has never charged for any of its educational work. And we do not plan to, in the future. We do all teaching, lecturing, seminaring, personal, telephone, and email work free of charge. Our magazines "Universal Love Digest," and Lovelight magazine, are also free. This show, also, will be done for free. But the radiostation charges for its time-- in this case, $200 per hour. If you want (this is optional), we will be glad to thank you on the air for your support of the show.
Five dollars is what most spend for chewing-gum, candy-bars, or snacks. These can harm the body. With that same five dollars, you can become an indispensable participant in changing our community, and our world! You can join our Love Education Team! So, consider this an "investment" in the world, and in your own good karma!
The show will bring education in the fields of psychology, philosophy, spirituality, religion, metaphysics, nature, cults, parapsychology, extraterrestrials, and all related fields. It will be a captivating and fascinating presentation, to educate all people. You are sure to enjoy it! Part of the show's design will depend on questions asked by those who call in.
No one can act alone to accomplish a great goal! So, we simply cannot perform this great educational enterprise without your help! And we can write up a contract that will ask for only five dollars per week, so as not to burden our friends such as you. We want to make it super-easy! So, won't you please consult with your interior soul/Spirit, and your family, about supporting this most worthy and noble cause? It is the very best thing that can possibly be done with timenergy, or with money!
*******
The Illusion Called "Hell"
*******
To answer any question about "hell," we must ask and answer, "What was hell in the teachings of the masters, sages, and enlightened luminaries?"
Hell was, for them, a state of Mind, not a "place." Specifically, "hell" was the apparent (but not real) absence of Love. Of course, there can never exist a square nanometer of space in which Love does not exist. But hell is the illusion that your mind can be completely stripped, and absent, of Love. Since no mind can exist without being indwelled by Love, hell is an illusion.
Still, illusions, like nightmares at night, can bring discomfort, even torment. A strong and fervent belief in the absence of Love is exactly such a hell. If we deliberately harm another living creature, we automatically create a hellstate. It might exist so deeply in the Mind that we are unaware of it, but we carry it still, and it will manifest as subconsciously-generated feeling of antsiness, restlessness,
discomfort, or even agony. Deliberately harming others (with intention)creates hell.
The purpose of hell, as might be understood, is not "punishment." God does not treat adults like children. Its purpose is education. Once we have visited the hell that comes from voluntarily harming another, we do not want to return. Once we decide that, we can make an interior vow never to repeat that behavior. Then, with selforgiveness, the shackles of hell drop from our wrists, and we are free. Once we get out of hellstates, we want never to return.
It is the perfect combination of hell for intentional evil and bliss for good activity that form the perfect learning-system of the cosmos.
Hell, as a part of school, usually does not follow into the afterlife. For it is the human, earth-ego that screws up, and it is only usually that part of the mind that needs to be corrected. It has withdrawn Love from another, and so, must know what it is like to have Love apparently withdrawn from it. The soul is so much wiser, and does not require the corrective pain of hell.
Within your mind, during this life, you can create either interior "heaven" or "hell." What is the secret? It is remarkably simple:
Whenever you decide to dislike (or hate) anyone or anything, you increase the internal suffering of "hell." Conversely, whenever you decide to like (or love) anyone or anything, you increase your interior pleasure and delight, inner "heaven." You decide: At this moment, will you increase the burning pain of dislike, or the sweet joy of liking, and embracing?
This does not mean that the good, sound, wise person "likes" evil or the harming of creatures. She will speak up and act against anything or anyone that harms living things, especially human beings. But, at the same time, on a deeper level of Mind, she accepts the "evil" as mere ignorance. She knows that it has its correct cosmic place. It is part of karma, which is education, which is Love. So, even while opposing it, she accepts it as a part of the earthschool. When she cannot change a situation, she finds peace in the recognition that it is a part of the great school of earth. So, at the core of her efforts to change the world, she finds peace.
*******
To answer any question about "hell," we must ask and answer, "What was hell in the teachings of the masters, sages, and enlightened luminaries?"
Hell was, for them, a state of Mind, not a "place." Specifically, "hell" was the apparent (but not real) absence of Love. Of course, there can never exist a square nanometer of space in which Love does not exist. But hell is the illusion that your mind can be completely stripped, and absent, of Love. Since no mind can exist without being indwelled by Love, hell is an illusion.
Still, illusions, like nightmares at night, can bring discomfort, even torment. A strong and fervent belief in the absence of Love is exactly such a hell. If we deliberately harm another living creature, we automatically create a hellstate. It might exist so deeply in the Mind that we are unaware of it, but we carry it still, and it will manifest as subconsciously-generated feeling of antsiness, restlessness,
discomfort, or even agony. Deliberately harming others (with intention)creates hell.
The purpose of hell, as might be understood, is not "punishment." God does not treat adults like children. Its purpose is education. Once we have visited the hell that comes from voluntarily harming another, we do not want to return. Once we decide that, we can make an interior vow never to repeat that behavior. Then, with selforgiveness, the shackles of hell drop from our wrists, and we are free. Once we get out of hellstates, we want never to return.
It is the perfect combination of hell for intentional evil and bliss for good activity that form the perfect learning-system of the cosmos.
Hell, as a part of school, usually does not follow into the afterlife. For it is the human, earth-ego that screws up, and it is only usually that part of the mind that needs to be corrected. It has withdrawn Love from another, and so, must know what it is like to have Love apparently withdrawn from it. The soul is so much wiser, and does not require the corrective pain of hell.
Within your mind, during this life, you can create either interior "heaven" or "hell." What is the secret? It is remarkably simple:
Whenever you decide to dislike (or hate) anyone or anything, you increase the internal suffering of "hell." Conversely, whenever you decide to like (or love) anyone or anything, you increase your interior pleasure and delight, inner "heaven." You decide: At this moment, will you increase the burning pain of dislike, or the sweet joy of liking, and embracing?
This does not mean that the good, sound, wise person "likes" evil or the harming of creatures. She will speak up and act against anything or anyone that harms living things, especially human beings. But, at the same time, on a deeper level of Mind, she accepts the "evil" as mere ignorance. She knows that it has its correct cosmic place. It is part of karma, which is education, which is Love. So, even while opposing it, she accepts it as a part of the earthschool. When she cannot change a situation, she finds peace in the recognition that it is a part of the great school of earth. So, at the core of her efforts to change the world, she finds peace.
*******
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Astropsychology Notes
*******
I have studied astropsychology for several years. When I do charts for friends, they range in length from forty to sixty pages, double-spaced. A wealth of info is available! But you must know the eight personal signs to understand the chart. Everybody has these eight signs, or parts of mind:
self-image (sun)
emotions, subconscious (moon)
public self (rising sign or ascendant)
mental qualities (mercury)
Love-nature (venus)
assertiveness (mars)
expansion, success, and good luck (jupiter)
karma and obstacles (saturn)
Each of these might be in the same sign, or in different ones. So, one person can be affected by as few as four signs, or as many as eight.
Over the years, astropsychology has aided me to know people better -- their natural
strengths and weaknesses. I do not believe that we are influenced or affected by the literal planets, as they are very distant. People who believe this do not understand that "planets" are only symbols, representing different parts of mind or personality. I believe that, when you take your first independent breath, every cell of your body, including your brain, is imprinted with the eight energies, and you have these eight all your life.
Keep reading up on astropsychology, and it will give you one more tool for success.
*******
I have studied astropsychology for several years. When I do charts for friends, they range in length from forty to sixty pages, double-spaced. A wealth of info is available! But you must know the eight personal signs to understand the chart. Everybody has these eight signs, or parts of mind:
self-image (sun)
emotions, subconscious (moon)
public self (rising sign or ascendant)
mental qualities (mercury)
Love-nature (venus)
assertiveness (mars)
expansion, success, and good luck (jupiter)
karma and obstacles (saturn)
Each of these might be in the same sign, or in different ones. So, one person can be affected by as few as four signs, or as many as eight.
Over the years, astropsychology has aided me to know people better -- their natural
strengths and weaknesses. I do not believe that we are influenced or affected by the literal planets, as they are very distant. People who believe this do not understand that "planets" are only symbols, representing different parts of mind or personality. I believe that, when you take your first independent breath, every cell of your body, including your brain, is imprinted with the eight energies, and you have these eight all your life.
Keep reading up on astropsychology, and it will give you one more tool for success.
*******
The Gold and Brownred Energies Do Battle
*******
This world is a definite "shields up" place! Without the "psychic immune system" provided by nature, we would be in serious trouble indeed! Happily, she makes our energy-field all but impervious to penetration by negativity -- unless we voluntarily open up to it.
The mass-mind of popular acceptance is largely an energic and pathological function. When people gather and/or agree, they voluntarily open their fields to others; the strong -- usually the mean and stupid -- can then dominate. This is the "dark magic" of fools and demagogues. This is the subconscious secret tapped by Hitler, Lenin, Saddam, Bush, and others.
That is why it is so important for the people of Love and Light to create a counter-energy. We create bright golden flames and clouds of energy to resist and annihilate their orange-brown forces, which trigger the lower chakral forces, and make them still sicker. Happily, this form of mental wellness is "catching," and one person can spread it to dozens or hundreds of people, even strangers in passing!
We must balance awareness of the dark world with the bright happiness of spiritual wellness and joy! We do not want to bury our heads in the sand and just keep up the mindless mantra, "Everything is good" -- even though that is the truth! We must be aware of the conflict between the two forces in this world of dualism, and do all that we can to reinforce and strengthen the gold force of Love against the rusty brown-red of anger, hatred, violence, and ignorance. There is no doubt that these two forces are in continuous battle.
You ask how this incredible negativity of mindless conformity is possible. This destructive mindset enters through the lower nature -- that collection of weaknesses and ignorance that constitute the pull of the "humanimal" mind. Much of this is biological, in which human souls mistake themselves for animals, and thus, become scared, and greedy. The war, and all wars, are about this nature, also called the "fearnature." That murky brown-red force thrives on fear, and will incline people to create fear at absolutely every opportunity. Although not alive, this force, like the gold, works through minds.
Deep within, we all have a reservoir of gold force which we can tap. True prayer, clearmind, stillmind, crystalmind, allows for a clear channel for the unimpeded Flow of this golden healing energy. It becomes more powerful and brighter anytime that it is tapped by anyone. And within us all lies an unlimited galaxy of this brilliant force. It is Love, and its dark cloudy opposite fear.
The popular groupmind is largely founded in, and upon, fear. It is destructive, and drains lifenergy. Throughout the whole of history, the majority has always been wrong, or on the side of conservative fear. This is what keeps them "uptight," and ruins any hope for the ability to think clearly or independently.
You were blessed to be able to discern the mechanics and dynamics of this dark force. The crowd is the worst role-model, and a nightmarish master!
Let us determine, then, to become golden "stars" in the galaxy of Love, shining brightly with that golden force of Love, dissolving the dark force of fear wherever and whenever it is encountered. For fear is the true root of all forms of mental imbalance and illness, and only the shimmering gold of Love can neutralize and erase the brownorange flames of ignorance and violence. So, keep up your walk on the Way, my friend, and keep on shining!
*******
This world is a definite "shields up" place! Without the "psychic immune system" provided by nature, we would be in serious trouble indeed! Happily, she makes our energy-field all but impervious to penetration by negativity -- unless we voluntarily open up to it.
The mass-mind of popular acceptance is largely an energic and pathological function. When people gather and/or agree, they voluntarily open their fields to others; the strong -- usually the mean and stupid -- can then dominate. This is the "dark magic" of fools and demagogues. This is the subconscious secret tapped by Hitler, Lenin, Saddam, Bush, and others.
That is why it is so important for the people of Love and Light to create a counter-energy. We create bright golden flames and clouds of energy to resist and annihilate their orange-brown forces, which trigger the lower chakral forces, and make them still sicker. Happily, this form of mental wellness is "catching," and one person can spread it to dozens or hundreds of people, even strangers in passing!
We must balance awareness of the dark world with the bright happiness of spiritual wellness and joy! We do not want to bury our heads in the sand and just keep up the mindless mantra, "Everything is good" -- even though that is the truth! We must be aware of the conflict between the two forces in this world of dualism, and do all that we can to reinforce and strengthen the gold force of Love against the rusty brown-red of anger, hatred, violence, and ignorance. There is no doubt that these two forces are in continuous battle.
You ask how this incredible negativity of mindless conformity is possible. This destructive mindset enters through the lower nature -- that collection of weaknesses and ignorance that constitute the pull of the "humanimal" mind. Much of this is biological, in which human souls mistake themselves for animals, and thus, become scared, and greedy. The war, and all wars, are about this nature, also called the "fearnature." That murky brown-red force thrives on fear, and will incline people to create fear at absolutely every opportunity. Although not alive, this force, like the gold, works through minds.
Deep within, we all have a reservoir of gold force which we can tap. True prayer, clearmind, stillmind, crystalmind, allows for a clear channel for the unimpeded Flow of this golden healing energy. It becomes more powerful and brighter anytime that it is tapped by anyone. And within us all lies an unlimited galaxy of this brilliant force. It is Love, and its dark cloudy opposite fear.
The popular groupmind is largely founded in, and upon, fear. It is destructive, and drains lifenergy. Throughout the whole of history, the majority has always been wrong, or on the side of conservative fear. This is what keeps them "uptight," and ruins any hope for the ability to think clearly or independently.
You were blessed to be able to discern the mechanics and dynamics of this dark force. The crowd is the worst role-model, and a nightmarish master!
Let us determine, then, to become golden "stars" in the galaxy of Love, shining brightly with that golden force of Love, dissolving the dark force of fear wherever and whenever it is encountered. For fear is the true root of all forms of mental imbalance and illness, and only the shimmering gold of Love can neutralize and erase the brownorange flames of ignorance and violence. So, keep up your walk on the Way, my friend, and keep on shining!
*******
Human Origins and Races
*******
Human beings were the result of very complex lab-experiments in which the earth was the lab. The Book of Genesis refers to a group of very ancient beings called the elohim. This word is plural, and means, literally, "gods." But it has been mistranslated as "God." This was deliberate, for the translators of the Bible, beginning in 1611 with the King James Bible, thought that polytheism (belief in many gods) was evil and satanic.
But the earliest writers of theBible were polytheists. Genesis refers to a group of "gods" that used the earth as a great biolab. Dozens of very ancient traditions all have this idea of "gods" in common. That indicates that these mythologies might refer to an actual event, perhaps prehistoric.
In modern terms, the "gods" were highly advanced and developed life-forms. They were beings so advanced that they possibly did not even have physical bodies, but energic ones. It is possible even that they were able to fly through the galaxies without any kind of craft to carry them. At any rate, they were beings of enormous power and immense scientific knowledge. They seeded our planet with the original macromolecules (biomolecules) of life. After that, they left. But they did not abandon their project, and periodically revisited the earth from time to time. When they returned, they made significant alterations in the dna. For their ultimate goal was to create creatures capable of wisdom and spirituality. So, the goals of their bioproject resulted in intelligent species such as elephants (mammal-brains weigh thirteen pounds) and whales (mammal brains weigh twenty pounds), as well as dolphins and human beings (mammal brains of three pounds).
As life complexified, they decided to work with the forms that developed. So, they did not create human beings from "scratch," the way an engineer-scientist might do. Human beings were not designed on paper, and built separate from the rest of nature. Instead, as we are learning ecologically, we are a part of, not apart from, nature. They had to work with the materials that they had. That is why the human body has so much in common with the bodies of simians and higher bioforms. We are created from the very same dna template. (We share nearly 98% of our dna in common with chimps, for example.) But, again, the "gods " were interested in, and altered the dna of, the brain. This was to give human beings spiritual potentials not possessed by lower life-forms.
If any of the ancient writings are to be taken seriously, as historical, they tell about these "gods." From the ancient accounts of the oldest Indian writings to the most ancient texts of the Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament"), accounts of the gods are preserved. If literal, they tell the story of one of the elohim who simply went insane, and started breaking the rules. His ego simply could not resist being worshipped by primitive nomads; he not only blatantly interfered with history, but practiced murder and other acts of insanity and violence. This e.t. gone astray was Yahweh/Jehovah, the "god" of the ancients.
Different races developed because nature loves diversity and variety. There were also several practical reasons. Over the millennia and eons, they came about due to minor changes in dna that regulated a chemical called "melanin." These were very minor variations; the difference in the quantity of melanin between the darkest human being and the lightest is smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. Races genetically developed in response to environmental factors, especially sunlight. (Darker skin has more protection against the harmful uv's or ultraviolet rays of the sun.) No one race, of course, is superior to any other; they are just genetic variations of the "human" type or theme. Every race, from the negroid through the mongoloid to the caucasoid (science recognizes only three), contains the entire spectrum of human types, from idiots to geniuses.
*******
Human beings were the result of very complex lab-experiments in which the earth was the lab. The Book of Genesis refers to a group of very ancient beings called the elohim. This word is plural, and means, literally, "gods." But it has been mistranslated as "God." This was deliberate, for the translators of the Bible, beginning in 1611 with the King James Bible, thought that polytheism (belief in many gods) was evil and satanic.
But the earliest writers of theBible were polytheists. Genesis refers to a group of "gods" that used the earth as a great biolab. Dozens of very ancient traditions all have this idea of "gods" in common. That indicates that these mythologies might refer to an actual event, perhaps prehistoric.
In modern terms, the "gods" were highly advanced and developed life-forms. They were beings so advanced that they possibly did not even have physical bodies, but energic ones. It is possible even that they were able to fly through the galaxies without any kind of craft to carry them. At any rate, they were beings of enormous power and immense scientific knowledge. They seeded our planet with the original macromolecules (biomolecules) of life. After that, they left. But they did not abandon their project, and periodically revisited the earth from time to time. When they returned, they made significant alterations in the dna. For their ultimate goal was to create creatures capable of wisdom and spirituality. So, the goals of their bioproject resulted in intelligent species such as elephants (mammal-brains weigh thirteen pounds) and whales (mammal brains weigh twenty pounds), as well as dolphins and human beings (mammal brains of three pounds).
As life complexified, they decided to work with the forms that developed. So, they did not create human beings from "scratch," the way an engineer-scientist might do. Human beings were not designed on paper, and built separate from the rest of nature. Instead, as we are learning ecologically, we are a part of, not apart from, nature. They had to work with the materials that they had. That is why the human body has so much in common with the bodies of simians and higher bioforms. We are created from the very same dna template. (We share nearly 98% of our dna in common with chimps, for example.) But, again, the "gods " were interested in, and altered the dna of, the brain. This was to give human beings spiritual potentials not possessed by lower life-forms.
If any of the ancient writings are to be taken seriously, as historical, they tell about these "gods." From the ancient accounts of the oldest Indian writings to the most ancient texts of the Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament"), accounts of the gods are preserved. If literal, they tell the story of one of the elohim who simply went insane, and started breaking the rules. His ego simply could not resist being worshipped by primitive nomads; he not only blatantly interfered with history, but practiced murder and other acts of insanity and violence. This e.t. gone astray was Yahweh/Jehovah, the "god" of the ancients.
Different races developed because nature loves diversity and variety. There were also several practical reasons. Over the millennia and eons, they came about due to minor changes in dna that regulated a chemical called "melanin." These were very minor variations; the difference in the quantity of melanin between the darkest human being and the lightest is smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. Races genetically developed in response to environmental factors, especially sunlight. (Darker skin has more protection against the harmful uv's or ultraviolet rays of the sun.) No one race, of course, is superior to any other; they are just genetic variations of the "human" type or theme. Every race, from the negroid through the mongoloid to the caucasoid (science recognizes only three), contains the entire spectrum of human types, from idiots to geniuses.
*******
Don't Let Them "In"!
*******
When people act with astounding stupidity, it is important for us not to "internalize" that negative energy. For example, we can refuse to say, "That makes me sick," which gives a negative command to the subconscious. Instead, we are learning to say, "They make themselves sick"-- a much truer and healthier statement! :)
*******
When people act with astounding stupidity, it is important for us not to "internalize" that negative energy. For example, we can refuse to say, "That makes me sick," which gives a negative command to the subconscious. Instead, we are learning to say, "They make themselves sick"-- a much truer and healthier statement! :)
*******
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Immoral War and Protest-Vigil
*******
The Vigil on Fountain Square was something of a "mixed bag." The usual nice, polite, intelligent people were there. Many were activists. Much talk centered on the immorality and obscene incompetence of bush, and his having been behind the murder of over 112,000 Iraqis and nearly two thousand American girls and boys. His snobbish ignoring of Cindy Sheehan, and his general "chicken" approach to the war, fearing for his own personal safety but sacrificing so many others, was seen as the revelation of a very low, and even anti-Christian, standard of ethics. For Iraqis love their children too. By slaughtering so many citizens of this pathetic third-world country, he has ruined the international reputation of the United States. More importantly, he has ruined countless lives for decades. For people lost their fathers, mothers, lovers, children, relatives, and best friends in his "shock and awe" campaign-- nothing but the sick and sickening glorification of massacre.
About two hundred people showed up for the Vigil. But, at the last minute, it was rumored and announced that lighting candles on the Square itself was illegal, and prohibited. (Since the area was all brick and concrete, and since people light cigarettes all the time there, this seemed suspicious. Was it just a rightwing trick? Anyway, everyone wanted to be law-abiding.) So, at 7:30, no candles had been lighted, although this had been the announced time. So, Adamaria and I went to a sidewalk area, where it was said to be "legal," and lighted our two candles, and shared a moment of Love-silence for the innocents from both countries who have died excruciating and agonizing deaths in the desert. Then, we left. Our souls felt good, happy, and content!
*******
The Vigil on Fountain Square was something of a "mixed bag." The usual nice, polite, intelligent people were there. Many were activists. Much talk centered on the immorality and obscene incompetence of bush, and his having been behind the murder of over 112,000 Iraqis and nearly two thousand American girls and boys. His snobbish ignoring of Cindy Sheehan, and his general "chicken" approach to the war, fearing for his own personal safety but sacrificing so many others, was seen as the revelation of a very low, and even anti-Christian, standard of ethics. For Iraqis love their children too. By slaughtering so many citizens of this pathetic third-world country, he has ruined the international reputation of the United States. More importantly, he has ruined countless lives for decades. For people lost their fathers, mothers, lovers, children, relatives, and best friends in his "shock and awe" campaign-- nothing but the sick and sickening glorification of massacre.
About two hundred people showed up for the Vigil. But, at the last minute, it was rumored and announced that lighting candles on the Square itself was illegal, and prohibited. (Since the area was all brick and concrete, and since people light cigarettes all the time there, this seemed suspicious. Was it just a rightwing trick? Anyway, everyone wanted to be law-abiding.) So, at 7:30, no candles had been lighted, although this had been the announced time. So, Adamaria and I went to a sidewalk area, where it was said to be "legal," and lighted our two candles, and shared a moment of Love-silence for the innocents from both countries who have died excruciating and agonizing deaths in the desert. Then, we left. Our souls felt good, happy, and content!
*******
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Cults and Programming
*******
You "take a chance" when you disagree, however kindly, with an ex cult-member. For we who have emerged from cults into freedom have been thoroughly programmed to take all philosophic differences personally. It takes a while, and some experience, to move beyond this hang-up, and to realize that this is not within the parameters of normal psychological behavior.
It also takes a while to realize that each person has a full right to express her/his opinions. No one has to "lay down the Law," pretending that her voice is that of God. Like normal, happy, well-adjusted people, we simply learn to share views that often differ. Nature loves diversity, not sameness; there are ten thousand kinds of butterfly, rose, and star! But it takes a while for ultraconformists to learn the goodness of, and ultimately to celebrate, our diversity and variety! And, in time, we learn to respect the views of others, realizing that no one is expected to, or has to, "convert" others! No one has "all the answers," and that's okay! It is not a tragedy; and as we adjust to reality, we find the courage not to pretend to know everything. For that pretense betrays only terrible insecurity, not "superiority."
It is a very wise attitude to allow the views to "incubate" in the Unconscious before making any final decisions. Since each free person must design her guiding philosophy, and we do not have old men doing this for us, we must each select and choose wisdom from the entire "smorgasbord" of various spiritual ideas. Like you, I have also found Buddhism and Taoism, as well as sufism, gnosticism, and kabbalism to be very rich sources for creative, positive ideals.:)
Your honest sharing is very much appreciated. In a world with much duplicity, it is refreshing that you can admit to me, a friend, your initial feelings of defensiveness. Isn't that a real reflection of our shared past-programming? You are realizing by now that no "defense" is required, since no "attack" was presented. Questioning is not attacking, and each of us has an unlimited right to question anything and everything!:) And even if the "Abraham Hicks" material were even violently attacked, you would not have to defend it, for the attack would not be against you personally. Still, in the cult, we were programmed to assume that questioning ideas was an attack against our persons, and we always took questioning personally! (Try to explain that one to an unprogrammed person!:)
Also, with the baggage of our shared background, we might tend to look for "ultimate truth" in the form of someone else's ideas, and get bent out of shape when a friend disagrees, as she might be losing out on "eternal life." But relaxing into the full trust (faith) in interior Love, to guide each person, vaporizes this anxiety.
We, more than most, must be careful to separate a mere sharing of ideas from "presentations of universal truth," for there is a wide and important difference!
Yes, it was the selfishness and ego-importance of the "Abraham Hicks material" that alerted to the fact that it did not "feel right." And that is another tool which we must learn to use-- intuition. Of course, intuition is later validated by intellect, but we were taught to mistrust our feelings and intuitions. Remember the old text that was used to guide us to mistrust our own feelings? I think it was from Jeremiah, and said, "The heart is treacherous..." If you can get people to selfmistrust, then they are left without the interior gyroscope, the spiritual common sense, to guide and design their own independent spiritual paths. And this was right exactly where the cult wanted us!
Still, it is a delight to share hearts, in agreement, with people of openmindedness and wisdom. And you must cultivate both: For openmindedness without wisdom (discernment) will lead you into illusion and falsehood, which are real. I come to the same conclusion stated in your letter: "Old Abe" is not very spiritual!:)
Another cult-program against which we must act is that all bodies of ideas are "all good or all bad." Experience teaches us, to the contrary, that even stupid or ignorant people often express wise ideas. So, to question a part of what someone says is not to throw it all out, as useless trash. Even egomaniacs and mentally disturbed people are often capable of repeating great wisdom from other sources. So, for example, the cult has a tendency to say that, if a church has a false idea, or even a poor one, you can, and should, trash the whole church. Wise people learn that good and bad ideas are often mixed in the same bag, and that ideas and concepts must be discerned one at a time. So, yes, even old Abe has a few good things to say!:)
As ex-cult victims, it would be very easy for us to fall into paranoia. But this is an unhealthy extreme; it does only damage. Still, we must not toss away discernment or discrimination in the name of "non-judgment." For the same masters who tell us not to judge (render evaluations re the eternal value or destiny of a person) tell us never to lose the faculty of discrimination/discernment. For to abandon judgment
is not the same as abandoning the distinction between (or knowledge of) what is good, and what is truly evil. It is also not to desert reason and Love as guides. There is a real and substantial difference between becoming a Buddhist, or good person, and becoming a neonazi, or bad person!
But, using discernment, we must realize that the danger of cults is great. A cult cannot mislead you forever, and that is not the point. But it can waste your timenergy, as well as educate you. You can literally "spin your wheels" for years, without measurable spiritual growth, if you are caught in one. And microcults such as the "abraham community" represent real dangers to vulnerable minds.
What you call "bluntness," I see as honesty and clarity. In spirituality, it is necessary to call a spade a spade; this is a criterion for "truth" ("reality"). I do not believe in gobble-dy gook, gibberish, or evasive speech that vaporizes into mist on close analysis. We need to be as clear about spiritual truth as we try to be about scientific truth. We need to leave out all the "filler" that is so very common, for example, in channeling, and in much religious teaching. We should never take ten sentences to say something that can be clearly said in one. A succinct phrase is this: Some channelers never say clearly in ten words what they can say obscurely in a hundred.
But good words are not valued "by the pound." More words are not necessarily better.
And, as you point out so wisely, we do already have a vast body of wisdom-- in sufism, Buddhism, Taoism, gnosticism, kabbalism, and the other mystical paths that we need not waste timenergy on the "kindergarten" lessons provided by channelers. Examine their teachings, and you will find them to be selfish, naive, simplistic, and many, useless in a practical world.
*******
You "take a chance" when you disagree, however kindly, with an ex cult-member. For we who have emerged from cults into freedom have been thoroughly programmed to take all philosophic differences personally. It takes a while, and some experience, to move beyond this hang-up, and to realize that this is not within the parameters of normal psychological behavior.
It also takes a while to realize that each person has a full right to express her/his opinions. No one has to "lay down the Law," pretending that her voice is that of God. Like normal, happy, well-adjusted people, we simply learn to share views that often differ. Nature loves diversity, not sameness; there are ten thousand kinds of butterfly, rose, and star! But it takes a while for ultraconformists to learn the goodness of, and ultimately to celebrate, our diversity and variety! And, in time, we learn to respect the views of others, realizing that no one is expected to, or has to, "convert" others! No one has "all the answers," and that's okay! It is not a tragedy; and as we adjust to reality, we find the courage not to pretend to know everything. For that pretense betrays only terrible insecurity, not "superiority."
It is a very wise attitude to allow the views to "incubate" in the Unconscious before making any final decisions. Since each free person must design her guiding philosophy, and we do not have old men doing this for us, we must each select and choose wisdom from the entire "smorgasbord" of various spiritual ideas. Like you, I have also found Buddhism and Taoism, as well as sufism, gnosticism, and kabbalism to be very rich sources for creative, positive ideals.:)
Your honest sharing is very much appreciated. In a world with much duplicity, it is refreshing that you can admit to me, a friend, your initial feelings of defensiveness. Isn't that a real reflection of our shared past-programming? You are realizing by now that no "defense" is required, since no "attack" was presented. Questioning is not attacking, and each of us has an unlimited right to question anything and everything!:) And even if the "Abraham Hicks" material were even violently attacked, you would not have to defend it, for the attack would not be against you personally. Still, in the cult, we were programmed to assume that questioning ideas was an attack against our persons, and we always took questioning personally! (Try to explain that one to an unprogrammed person!:)
Also, with the baggage of our shared background, we might tend to look for "ultimate truth" in the form of someone else's ideas, and get bent out of shape when a friend disagrees, as she might be losing out on "eternal life." But relaxing into the full trust (faith) in interior Love, to guide each person, vaporizes this anxiety.
We, more than most, must be careful to separate a mere sharing of ideas from "presentations of universal truth," for there is a wide and important difference!
Yes, it was the selfishness and ego-importance of the "Abraham Hicks material" that alerted to the fact that it did not "feel right." And that is another tool which we must learn to use-- intuition. Of course, intuition is later validated by intellect, but we were taught to mistrust our feelings and intuitions. Remember the old text that was used to guide us to mistrust our own feelings? I think it was from Jeremiah, and said, "The heart is treacherous..." If you can get people to selfmistrust, then they are left without the interior gyroscope, the spiritual common sense, to guide and design their own independent spiritual paths. And this was right exactly where the cult wanted us!
Still, it is a delight to share hearts, in agreement, with people of openmindedness and wisdom. And you must cultivate both: For openmindedness without wisdom (discernment) will lead you into illusion and falsehood, which are real. I come to the same conclusion stated in your letter: "Old Abe" is not very spiritual!:)
Another cult-program against which we must act is that all bodies of ideas are "all good or all bad." Experience teaches us, to the contrary, that even stupid or ignorant people often express wise ideas. So, to question a part of what someone says is not to throw it all out, as useless trash. Even egomaniacs and mentally disturbed people are often capable of repeating great wisdom from other sources. So, for example, the cult has a tendency to say that, if a church has a false idea, or even a poor one, you can, and should, trash the whole church. Wise people learn that good and bad ideas are often mixed in the same bag, and that ideas and concepts must be discerned one at a time. So, yes, even old Abe has a few good things to say!:)
As ex-cult victims, it would be very easy for us to fall into paranoia. But this is an unhealthy extreme; it does only damage. Still, we must not toss away discernment or discrimination in the name of "non-judgment." For the same masters who tell us not to judge (render evaluations re the eternal value or destiny of a person) tell us never to lose the faculty of discrimination/discernment. For to abandon judgment
is not the same as abandoning the distinction between (or knowledge of) what is good, and what is truly evil. It is also not to desert reason and Love as guides. There is a real and substantial difference between becoming a Buddhist, or good person, and becoming a neonazi, or bad person!
But, using discernment, we must realize that the danger of cults is great. A cult cannot mislead you forever, and that is not the point. But it can waste your timenergy, as well as educate you. You can literally "spin your wheels" for years, without measurable spiritual growth, if you are caught in one. And microcults such as the "abraham community" represent real dangers to vulnerable minds.
What you call "bluntness," I see as honesty and clarity. In spirituality, it is necessary to call a spade a spade; this is a criterion for "truth" ("reality"). I do not believe in gobble-dy gook, gibberish, or evasive speech that vaporizes into mist on close analysis. We need to be as clear about spiritual truth as we try to be about scientific truth. We need to leave out all the "filler" that is so very common, for example, in channeling, and in much religious teaching. We should never take ten sentences to say something that can be clearly said in one. A succinct phrase is this: Some channelers never say clearly in ten words what they can say obscurely in a hundred.
But good words are not valued "by the pound." More words are not necessarily better.
And, as you point out so wisely, we do already have a vast body of wisdom-- in sufism, Buddhism, Taoism, gnosticism, kabbalism, and the other mystical paths that we need not waste timenergy on the "kindergarten" lessons provided by channelers. Examine their teachings, and you will find them to be selfish, naive, simplistic, and many, useless in a practical world.
*******
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Important Soul-questions
*******
Your first question is: "Does the soul's will always correspond to the will of God?" The ultimate answer is yes. But the shorterm answer is no. For the soul's will is to create and to form karma, and karma is a part of maya or illusion. It is the will of Love that we ultimately outgrow all illusion. So, we can, in time, rise above the "illusion," the virtual reality, the very "real" dream, of karma. The soul's will is always the will of karma, from the very deep Unconscious, but it is not always the will of the deepest Unconscious (God). The purpose of illusion is to allow us to outgrow illusion.
Theologians speak of two forms of the "will of God," and the mystic concurs: God's active will is for the enlightenment in Love, and for the oneness with Lovemind, in bliss and ecstasy, for all creation. But God's permissive will allows for ignorance, error, illusion, pain, loss, and the creation of karma. For this is how the soul learns and grows. So, karma is and is not the "will of God." It is not God's active will, but is God's permissive will. For karma serves Love, ultimately,as does all illusion.
You continue, "If the soul's agenda can overide the conscious mind, then is it the Sprits powerful Love and Forgiveness that can erase or change the soul's direction?" Yes, the Power of Love can over-ride, and erase and neutralize, all karma. If the soul cooperates, it is then led by the Spirit into Lovemind. But this is never forced by the Spirit. Instead, the soul must agree to it. This is a deeply unconscious "contract" or agreement between soul and Spirit (god; Lovemind). Love is greater than karma. So, the forgiveness that erases karma can over-ride the soul's karma. Karma then disappears. Ancient Christian gnostics called this the "forgiveness of all our sins," and were confident that the Love of God had already accomplished this by grace.
You ask, "Is it possible for the soul to lead one in a direction of karmic chaos and be pulled back because of the power of Love overides the forces of the soul's agenda." Yes, the soul can lead you into apparent "chaos." This is a part of karma, which is a part of maya. But, since it is all illusion, the Spirit can over-ride the soul's will or intentions, and the mind can break through into a higher reality. It can enter ultimate Reality, the Spirit Itself. This is the ultimate will of the Spirit. Mystics teach that your desire for God (Love) is really "God desiring God through you." So, it all originates with Spirit, which always has the Power to alter, cancel, or overcome the soulagenda of karma.
You ask, "What about a diseased or sick soul? What are the symptoms?" Since soul is mind, the disease is mental. Common souldiseases include greed, destructive anger, violence, selfishness, egotism, dishonesty, and a list of related psychopathologies. The symptoms are negative-karma-creating actions. Any intentional activity that deliberately harms the self or any other sentient being is a symptom of souldisease. So, the ideal of the mystic is ahimsa-- rooting out of her life any action that intentionally harms any sentient being. To live in fullest honor, we cannot, must not, harm any sentient creature--
physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or socially. This is what, in Buddhism, is called the Way of "non-injury" or "harmlessness." It is a very high, and indispensable, ideal of the enlightened life.
You ask, "Does one place trust in the total Spirit of Love?" Yes, this is precisely the ideal of the mystic. Her trust in It is so complete that, in most cases, she simply relaxes into the Flow. We call this "flogoing." She does not try to control her life, or the lives, minds, or behaviors of other adults. She lives, as Jesus said, like the birds and the flowers. She seeks, not increase of control, but the total cessation of control. So, the success of the mystic is measured by how much she decides NOT to control, by how little she forces things. This is just the opposite criterion, of course, of the one by which "success" is usually measured.
You ask, "Is this Spirit of Love the true healer of the soul and all karmic forces?" Yes. In final analysis, the Spirit of Love is the only Healer. If any other healing occurs, it is because Love has chosen to work with, within, and through a being. In time, it will neutralize and erase all karma in all living creatures. That is when, as the mystic Paul predicted, "God will be all in all." Then, Love will be the Fountain of all thoughts in all creatures. Every thought in the cosmos will be a thought of Love only, every impulse one of Love only.
Next, you ask, "Does one trust the Soul?" Yes, at times. But ultimate trust is to be given only to the much-deeper Spirit, not the soul. For, exactly as the soul is very deep within the mind, so the Spirit exists very deeply within the soul. The Spirit is the "Unconscious" of the soul. So, we trust the soul only to create, or dream up, our karma, but our fullest trust, faith, is in the Power, the Tao, Spirit, Lovemind.
You ask, "How does one determine good intentions of the soul, if it appears like it has It's own agenda or the agenda is hidden?" The ultimate "intention" of the soul is enlightenment in Love; it is in full harmony with the Spirit here. It has only our best interests at heart. The greatest and most wonderful gift that it can ever give us is awakening. But, at times, it must use "negative" events to shake us awake. So, even in the midst of catastrophe and tragedy, we can rely on the fact that the soul is dreaming to create a stronger and wiser Mind. It brings even pain and loss for our own good. A mother knows that her little girl is going to scrape her knees, even break her bones, in playing. But still, she does not lock the little girl in a closet filled with cotton. We would consider this a horror. Why? Because, although the little girl would be completely safe, she would not develop normal coping-skills, people-skills, communication-skills, etc. To become a strong, wise, and skillful soul also requires scrapes and bruises. The Spirit's purpose is not to keep us safe. It is not to make or keep the egoself happy. It is to educate the soul. And so, the soul is allowed to dream up any virtual reality that will enhance or accelerate its growth in Love.
*******
Your first question is: "Does the soul's will always correspond to the will of God?" The ultimate answer is yes. But the shorterm answer is no. For the soul's will is to create and to form karma, and karma is a part of maya or illusion. It is the will of Love that we ultimately outgrow all illusion. So, we can, in time, rise above the "illusion," the virtual reality, the very "real" dream, of karma. The soul's will is always the will of karma, from the very deep Unconscious, but it is not always the will of the deepest Unconscious (God). The purpose of illusion is to allow us to outgrow illusion.
Theologians speak of two forms of the "will of God," and the mystic concurs: God's active will is for the enlightenment in Love, and for the oneness with Lovemind, in bliss and ecstasy, for all creation. But God's permissive will allows for ignorance, error, illusion, pain, loss, and the creation of karma. For this is how the soul learns and grows. So, karma is and is not the "will of God." It is not God's active will, but is God's permissive will. For karma serves Love, ultimately,as does all illusion.
You continue, "If the soul's agenda can overide the conscious mind, then is it the Sprits powerful Love and Forgiveness that can erase or change the soul's direction?" Yes, the Power of Love can over-ride, and erase and neutralize, all karma. If the soul cooperates, it is then led by the Spirit into Lovemind. But this is never forced by the Spirit. Instead, the soul must agree to it. This is a deeply unconscious "contract" or agreement between soul and Spirit (god; Lovemind). Love is greater than karma. So, the forgiveness that erases karma can over-ride the soul's karma. Karma then disappears. Ancient Christian gnostics called this the "forgiveness of all our sins," and were confident that the Love of God had already accomplished this by grace.
You ask, "Is it possible for the soul to lead one in a direction of karmic chaos and be pulled back because of the power of Love overides the forces of the soul's agenda." Yes, the soul can lead you into apparent "chaos." This is a part of karma, which is a part of maya. But, since it is all illusion, the Spirit can over-ride the soul's will or intentions, and the mind can break through into a higher reality. It can enter ultimate Reality, the Spirit Itself. This is the ultimate will of the Spirit. Mystics teach that your desire for God (Love) is really "God desiring God through you." So, it all originates with Spirit, which always has the Power to alter, cancel, or overcome the soulagenda of karma.
You ask, "What about a diseased or sick soul? What are the symptoms?" Since soul is mind, the disease is mental. Common souldiseases include greed, destructive anger, violence, selfishness, egotism, dishonesty, and a list of related psychopathologies. The symptoms are negative-karma-creating actions. Any intentional activity that deliberately harms the self or any other sentient being is a symptom of souldisease. So, the ideal of the mystic is ahimsa-- rooting out of her life any action that intentionally harms any sentient being. To live in fullest honor, we cannot, must not, harm any sentient creature--
physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or socially. This is what, in Buddhism, is called the Way of "non-injury" or "harmlessness." It is a very high, and indispensable, ideal of the enlightened life.
You ask, "Does one place trust in the total Spirit of Love?" Yes, this is precisely the ideal of the mystic. Her trust in It is so complete that, in most cases, she simply relaxes into the Flow. We call this "flogoing." She does not try to control her life, or the lives, minds, or behaviors of other adults. She lives, as Jesus said, like the birds and the flowers. She seeks, not increase of control, but the total cessation of control. So, the success of the mystic is measured by how much she decides NOT to control, by how little she forces things. This is just the opposite criterion, of course, of the one by which "success" is usually measured.
You ask, "Is this Spirit of Love the true healer of the soul and all karmic forces?" Yes. In final analysis, the Spirit of Love is the only Healer. If any other healing occurs, it is because Love has chosen to work with, within, and through a being. In time, it will neutralize and erase all karma in all living creatures. That is when, as the mystic Paul predicted, "God will be all in all." Then, Love will be the Fountain of all thoughts in all creatures. Every thought in the cosmos will be a thought of Love only, every impulse one of Love only.
Next, you ask, "Does one trust the Soul?" Yes, at times. But ultimate trust is to be given only to the much-deeper Spirit, not the soul. For, exactly as the soul is very deep within the mind, so the Spirit exists very deeply within the soul. The Spirit is the "Unconscious" of the soul. So, we trust the soul only to create, or dream up, our karma, but our fullest trust, faith, is in the Power, the Tao, Spirit, Lovemind.
You ask, "How does one determine good intentions of the soul, if it appears like it has It's own agenda or the agenda is hidden?" The ultimate "intention" of the soul is enlightenment in Love; it is in full harmony with the Spirit here. It has only our best interests at heart. The greatest and most wonderful gift that it can ever give us is awakening. But, at times, it must use "negative" events to shake us awake. So, even in the midst of catastrophe and tragedy, we can rely on the fact that the soul is dreaming to create a stronger and wiser Mind. It brings even pain and loss for our own good. A mother knows that her little girl is going to scrape her knees, even break her bones, in playing. But still, she does not lock the little girl in a closet filled with cotton. We would consider this a horror. Why? Because, although the little girl would be completely safe, she would not develop normal coping-skills, people-skills, communication-skills, etc. To become a strong, wise, and skillful soul also requires scrapes and bruises. The Spirit's purpose is not to keep us safe. It is not to make or keep the egoself happy. It is to educate the soul. And so, the soul is allowed to dream up any virtual reality that will enhance or accelerate its growth in Love.
*******
"Channeling"
*******
The best way to "produce" spiritually is to "allow" it, not to force it. The enlightened "plays" her way through life, an acronym that stands for the methods of the Way: Permits, Lets, Allows, Yields, and Surrenders. We are all here-- were born and created-- to learn to "channel" the Holy Spirit of Love.
That having been said, however, I feel that I must be honest with you: I have read over fifty books, and have listened to hundreds of "channeling" sessions by dozens of channelers, on tape. I have even gone to see a few.
After years of careful, openminded study, in which no preconceived notions were taken, I have come to the conclusion that, in most cases, nothing extraordinary or "spectacular" is actually happening with channeling.
At times, people do allow the deeper Unconscious to speak through them. This is excellent, as God dwells as Lovemind deep in that Unconscious. But there is zero reliable, replicable, observational, or experiential (experimental) evidence that these people are in touch with extraterrestrials or extradimensionals, as those terms are defined in metaphysics.
It is very easy for cults to develop around a "channeler," and, like certain so-called "gurus," they actually encourage personal followers; that is, they encourage cultism. Many are exclusive; they have the "best" presentation of truth; or the "channeled entity" is superior to others. This attitude expresses the same desperation, gullibility, and other weaknesses as other forms of cult-thinking or cult-psychology.
What would a channeler have to do to convince me that she was really channeling a superbeing? Let's suggest an extremely simple experiment: Place the channeler on one side of the stage, and light a candle at the other; then, ask the "channeled entity" to put out the flame. Child's play!
What about extraterrestrials? Ask the "channeler" to channel the solution to a math problem in high-school physics, or to solve a problem of high-school algebra or chemistry. Would they fail? Could the average channeler even read a starmap? Could the channeler explain the thermodynamics of a rocket-engine-- very "primitive" from her elevated perspective?
It never seems to occur to "true believers" to test the channelers. But when the ancient Christian mystic said, "Test the spirits," that was very good advice. Why is a channeler never put to any kind of test, despite some absurd, extravagant claims? Perhaps channelers, or their followers, actually fear this kind of test. They must, for it has never been attempted!
More tests: Ask a superbeing to change some water to wine, or aluminum to gold. Why not? Or, if she is an ancient Egyptian soul, for example, ask her to name all the pharoahs of all the dynasties of Egypt. Again, a very simple test for a "superbeing."
Channelers are often sincere people who are "playing a role" that has selfdeluded them. Am I wrong, or skeptical, or cynical, to ask for evidence? No, for I would demand equal proof of anyone making extraordinary claims. For here is the principle: The more extraordinary the claim, the more extraordinary needs to be the evidence.
So, in the confusing case of "Abraham Hicks," I would ask for similar evidence. Ask "Abraham" questions to which the answer is not known by human beings. Do not "blah blah" about "feel good" platitudes. There is a place for these, and they can feel very good. They can be uplifting.
But channeling is an ostensible opportunity to touch dramatic and exquisite sources of wisdom and knowledge, claim the channelers. Why, then, are they so limited in material? Why, for example, do they keep repeating platitudes-- and the same ones? We are talking about infinite (unlimited) creativity and knowledge here. Indeed, many "channelers" claim to channel "Michael," the very same being, but they still disagree among themselves!
Everyone, in our secular but dull world, is subconsciously eager to touch the supernatural. They will do, or believe, just about anything to make this wonderful dream come true! That is why all cults are so popular. But another important question arises: Why has no channeler ever produced anything practical for the aid and assistance of humanity? Why have they not revealed a very simple cure for cancer, a way to live three hundred years, a car-engine the size of a walnut that runs for six months on a drop of water? Why no simple method to turn pebbles into gold? Why no simple nanotech that could revolutionize the planet?
"Abraham" is confusing because the lady is not a male, but calls herself "Abraham" (not even original), and her last name is "Hicks." So, we must ask, how did the channeled entity end up with the weird name "Abraham Hicks"? Would it be too revolutionary to suggest that "Abraham" is a subconscious reference to the Biblical father of the Jehovist religion? If so, that is already a dangerous and false path!
I have more carefully studied the "Abraham Hicks" material, and analyzed it. I listened to direct tapings for several hours, and I will send along my personal analysis. When it comes to "channeling" generally, however, I think that the average intelligent person would require more than a mere claim to believe that an otherwise ordinary woman/man is "channeling" some other entity. I would love to see the smallest particle of real evidence for this fantastic claim. As you might suspect, I am a disbeliever, not on prejudice, but because no viable, real evidence of this hallucinatory claim has ever been produced. Of course, as with the other cults, reason cannot hope to reach "true believers," who are already, not convinced by reason, but only emotionally committed. Hope that you understand that friends, unlike with cults, can diverge in opinion and still be the best of friends.:)
*******
The best way to "produce" spiritually is to "allow" it, not to force it. The enlightened "plays" her way through life, an acronym that stands for the methods of the Way: Permits, Lets, Allows, Yields, and Surrenders. We are all here-- were born and created-- to learn to "channel" the Holy Spirit of Love.
That having been said, however, I feel that I must be honest with you: I have read over fifty books, and have listened to hundreds of "channeling" sessions by dozens of channelers, on tape. I have even gone to see a few.
After years of careful, openminded study, in which no preconceived notions were taken, I have come to the conclusion that, in most cases, nothing extraordinary or "spectacular" is actually happening with channeling.
At times, people do allow the deeper Unconscious to speak through them. This is excellent, as God dwells as Lovemind deep in that Unconscious. But there is zero reliable, replicable, observational, or experiential (experimental) evidence that these people are in touch with extraterrestrials or extradimensionals, as those terms are defined in metaphysics.
It is very easy for cults to develop around a "channeler," and, like certain so-called "gurus," they actually encourage personal followers; that is, they encourage cultism. Many are exclusive; they have the "best" presentation of truth; or the "channeled entity" is superior to others. This attitude expresses the same desperation, gullibility, and other weaknesses as other forms of cult-thinking or cult-psychology.
What would a channeler have to do to convince me that she was really channeling a superbeing? Let's suggest an extremely simple experiment: Place the channeler on one side of the stage, and light a candle at the other; then, ask the "channeled entity" to put out the flame. Child's play!
What about extraterrestrials? Ask the "channeler" to channel the solution to a math problem in high-school physics, or to solve a problem of high-school algebra or chemistry. Would they fail? Could the average channeler even read a starmap? Could the channeler explain the thermodynamics of a rocket-engine-- very "primitive" from her elevated perspective?
It never seems to occur to "true believers" to test the channelers. But when the ancient Christian mystic said, "Test the spirits," that was very good advice. Why is a channeler never put to any kind of test, despite some absurd, extravagant claims? Perhaps channelers, or their followers, actually fear this kind of test. They must, for it has never been attempted!
More tests: Ask a superbeing to change some water to wine, or aluminum to gold. Why not? Or, if she is an ancient Egyptian soul, for example, ask her to name all the pharoahs of all the dynasties of Egypt. Again, a very simple test for a "superbeing."
Channelers are often sincere people who are "playing a role" that has selfdeluded them. Am I wrong, or skeptical, or cynical, to ask for evidence? No, for I would demand equal proof of anyone making extraordinary claims. For here is the principle: The more extraordinary the claim, the more extraordinary needs to be the evidence.
So, in the confusing case of "Abraham Hicks," I would ask for similar evidence. Ask "Abraham" questions to which the answer is not known by human beings. Do not "blah blah" about "feel good" platitudes. There is a place for these, and they can feel very good. They can be uplifting.
But channeling is an ostensible opportunity to touch dramatic and exquisite sources of wisdom and knowledge, claim the channelers. Why, then, are they so limited in material? Why, for example, do they keep repeating platitudes-- and the same ones? We are talking about infinite (unlimited) creativity and knowledge here. Indeed, many "channelers" claim to channel "Michael," the very same being, but they still disagree among themselves!
Everyone, in our secular but dull world, is subconsciously eager to touch the supernatural. They will do, or believe, just about anything to make this wonderful dream come true! That is why all cults are so popular. But another important question arises: Why has no channeler ever produced anything practical for the aid and assistance of humanity? Why have they not revealed a very simple cure for cancer, a way to live three hundred years, a car-engine the size of a walnut that runs for six months on a drop of water? Why no simple method to turn pebbles into gold? Why no simple nanotech that could revolutionize the planet?
"Abraham" is confusing because the lady is not a male, but calls herself "Abraham" (not even original), and her last name is "Hicks." So, we must ask, how did the channeled entity end up with the weird name "Abraham Hicks"? Would it be too revolutionary to suggest that "Abraham" is a subconscious reference to the Biblical father of the Jehovist religion? If so, that is already a dangerous and false path!
I have more carefully studied the "Abraham Hicks" material, and analyzed it. I listened to direct tapings for several hours, and I will send along my personal analysis. When it comes to "channeling" generally, however, I think that the average intelligent person would require more than a mere claim to believe that an otherwise ordinary woman/man is "channeling" some other entity. I would love to see the smallest particle of real evidence for this fantastic claim. As you might suspect, I am a disbeliever, not on prejudice, but because no viable, real evidence of this hallucinatory claim has ever been produced. Of course, as with the other cults, reason cannot hope to reach "true believers," who are already, not convinced by reason, but only emotionally committed. Hope that you understand that friends, unlike with cults, can diverge in opinion and still be the best of friends.:)
*******
Selecting Quality Friends
*******
Life is largely a matter of sorting, filtering, and change. Sorting means that we must sort out, from all acquaintances and strangers, those who give us energy. Finding friends of excellence is like fishing: At the end of the day, the fisher brings in a bushel basket full of fish, and throws away those that are diseased, polluted, etc. We must also engage in continual sorting of people. Since there are six thousand million people, and no one can be "friends" with all, this is not snobbery. It is just a fact of life.
We can gently disengage ourselves, with kindness, from the people who draw or drain energy. No one has so much energy of Mind that she can afford "leaks" and drainage. So, we must gently urge to move on those who might bring consistent negativity into our lives. As you could not long tolerate a friend who took only a dollar a day out of your bank-account, even though a dollar is not much, you cannot afford persistent or consistent withdrawals from your personal energy-allotment.
You need to get clarity and detachment. So, after meditation, when you feel clear, ask yourself whether it is worth the investment of your energy to keep the relationship with Mike [pseudonym] going. You might come up with more pluses or more minuses. Write them down, and try to be objective.
If there are more pluses, increase communication. You don't want to eradicate or erase a relationship simply because you are in a bad or sad mood, or are having a bad day. But if a relationship is consistently hurting your feelings, if it feels as if you are losing selfesteem, if it is negative, or if it harms your body, mind, or heart-- and if this is regular and consistent-- you probably need gently to disengage.
If you must, be careful to do this with as much gentleness, tenderness, kindness, and courtesy as possible. You do not want to come to hate one whom you have loved.
If the situation is not quite so dark, increase honest communication. Tell Mike honestly what you want and need, and why. Tell him what he is not giving you, and why you feel this way. Do not threaten or give ultimatums, but keep it friendly.
But no matter what happens, in the end, the choice is yours.
Life is "filtration." we must continually "filter" out of our lives those objects, memories, and sometimes people who harm us. This is never easy.
At times, what seems on a late sleepless night like a major catastrophe is only a normal "bump in the road." If this is the case, no action is necessary, but to increase communications is always good. Emphasize Love, and use Love to get any message across. Far too many intimate communications take the form of attacks and defense, going nowhere fast.
The universe changes. Everything, and everyone, changes. A reading is only a kind of "photograph" representing that moment in time. It is sensed that there is still some good, some Love, in this relationship. If so, do all that you can to retrieve, repair, and maintain that. If the relationship is worth preserving, lay on the Love, and lay it on "thickly"! Try to relax and let Love flow through you; you do not have to "create" Love or "make it happen.":)
You have a clear fork in the road in front of you. Clear thought, with detachment, with the right questions, the right answers, and careful analysis of what you have and what you need, will provide your answers.
*******
Life is largely a matter of sorting, filtering, and change. Sorting means that we must sort out, from all acquaintances and strangers, those who give us energy. Finding friends of excellence is like fishing: At the end of the day, the fisher brings in a bushel basket full of fish, and throws away those that are diseased, polluted, etc. We must also engage in continual sorting of people. Since there are six thousand million people, and no one can be "friends" with all, this is not snobbery. It is just a fact of life.
We can gently disengage ourselves, with kindness, from the people who draw or drain energy. No one has so much energy of Mind that she can afford "leaks" and drainage. So, we must gently urge to move on those who might bring consistent negativity into our lives. As you could not long tolerate a friend who took only a dollar a day out of your bank-account, even though a dollar is not much, you cannot afford persistent or consistent withdrawals from your personal energy-allotment.
You need to get clarity and detachment. So, after meditation, when you feel clear, ask yourself whether it is worth the investment of your energy to keep the relationship with Mike [pseudonym] going. You might come up with more pluses or more minuses. Write them down, and try to be objective.
If there are more pluses, increase communication. You don't want to eradicate or erase a relationship simply because you are in a bad or sad mood, or are having a bad day. But if a relationship is consistently hurting your feelings, if it feels as if you are losing selfesteem, if it is negative, or if it harms your body, mind, or heart-- and if this is regular and consistent-- you probably need gently to disengage.
If you must, be careful to do this with as much gentleness, tenderness, kindness, and courtesy as possible. You do not want to come to hate one whom you have loved.
If the situation is not quite so dark, increase honest communication. Tell Mike honestly what you want and need, and why. Tell him what he is not giving you, and why you feel this way. Do not threaten or give ultimatums, but keep it friendly.
But no matter what happens, in the end, the choice is yours.
Life is "filtration." we must continually "filter" out of our lives those objects, memories, and sometimes people who harm us. This is never easy.
At times, what seems on a late sleepless night like a major catastrophe is only a normal "bump in the road." If this is the case, no action is necessary, but to increase communications is always good. Emphasize Love, and use Love to get any message across. Far too many intimate communications take the form of attacks and defense, going nowhere fast.
The universe changes. Everything, and everyone, changes. A reading is only a kind of "photograph" representing that moment in time. It is sensed that there is still some good, some Love, in this relationship. If so, do all that you can to retrieve, repair, and maintain that. If the relationship is worth preserving, lay on the Love, and lay it on "thickly"! Try to relax and let Love flow through you; you do not have to "create" Love or "make it happen.":)
You have a clear fork in the road in front of you. Clear thought, with detachment, with the right questions, the right answers, and careful analysis of what you have and what you need, will provide your answers.
*******
Sample trm's
*******
Here are some sample trm's (thought-replacement mechanisms; mantras) to be used in pervasive meditation:
"I am at peace,"
"I am good, and..."
"I am Love, and..."
"Gentle Kwan Yin,"
"Loving Mary,"
"Jesus Christ, and..."
"Ahmitabha" (Buddhist Lord of limitless light)
"Brahma, Brahma" (Hindu name for the Dreamer)
"I love all things"
"All is good, and..."
"All is God, and..."
and, of course, there are thousands more. Find a phrase that feels good for you, and stick with the same one for at least a year, or longer.
*******
Here are some sample trm's (thought-replacement mechanisms; mantras) to be used in pervasive meditation:
"I am at peace,"
"I am good, and..."
"I am Love, and..."
"Gentle Kwan Yin,"
"Loving Mary,"
"Jesus Christ, and..."
"Ahmitabha" (Buddhist Lord of limitless light)
"Brahma, Brahma" (Hindu name for the Dreamer)
"I love all things"
"All is good, and..."
"All is God, and..."
and, of course, there are thousands more. Find a phrase that feels good for you, and stick with the same one for at least a year, or longer.
*******
Monday, August 08, 2005
More on God and the Conscious Mind
*******
In spirituality, we always attempt to combine reason with Love to create a path that is not illogical, absurd, or unreasonable. We try to stick to the "Middle Way," the Way of moderation, in all things.
It is possible to misunderstand the message about the "nonmagical" nature of the conscious mind to say that, "You might as well not do anything, even get up in the morning, because the conscious mind is so weak." But is this interpretation reasonable? No, it clearly fails to pass that test, and so, is rejected by the moderate mystic.
The point being made in the recent uld article was that the conscious mind was not designed to create or alter matter. Of course, the conscious mind can create. It creates thoughts, ideas, visions, feelings, and a whole spectrum of other internal and mental phenomena. Again it is extreme literalism that leads to misunderstanding. It was indeed said that the "conscious mind can create nothing," but, in the context, it was referring to magical creation within the world of material things. For, notice that, in the same article, the same word was used when reference was made to the conscious mind's "creating" karma. So, yes, the conscious mind can create.
The illustration of the conscious mind's being able to change a single hair on your own head was not original. This is the challenge discussed by Jesus Christ in the Gospels. If you believe that you can select a single hair on your head, and then, change the color of that hair, I would like for you to demonstrate that ability. Please call me so that we can set up this experiment.
The extreme of renouncing all planning was not at all implied. Encouraging your kids to plan for the future is not at all anti-spiritual. Teaching them that the ego has the power to change the nature of matter is. A good example of the limitations of the conscious mind is the unfortunate hypochondriac. He goes to the library, learns all that he can, from many books, about a certain disease. He learns more than most docs. He is convinced that he has this disease. It is all that he thinks about, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. He is very upset (engaging his full emotional range). He is convinced, for years, with every fiber of his being that he has all the symptoms. So, years later, he visits a clinic. He has not a trace of the disease. If the conscious mind were totally in control, of even the most intimate bodily processes, he would certainly have the disease. But, if it is not his karma, he shows no traces.
The same works in reverse: A man who gulps vitamins, herbs, and dozens of other supplements every day, who exercises, jogs, and drinks only purified water, eating only organic vegetables and fruits, can find himself with a very serious case of biomedical illness. Again, the limits of the conscious mind are verified-- observationally, experimentally, experientially. And there are so many cases over the centuries that these limitations are also a scientific reality. One would have to be at least slightly delusional to deny all the evidence.
People embrace the "conscious mind is God" belief out of fear. They are terrified that "something bad" is going to happen to them. Instead of trusting God (Love) to lead them through the crisis, to make them wiser and stronger, they react like four-year-olds: They just do not want "anything bad" to happen to them. Wiser, more mature, adults adjust, adapt, and accommodate, rather than living in fear. Whatever the cosmos brings to them, they use it in the "lemons to lemonade" principle, and make the best out of what karma and the Unconscious have created as their world.
So, look at the world with eyes wide open! Do not quake in fear, or try to hide in a closet. Do not try to hide behind illusions. You need not flee in terror from "negative" thoughts, for example. For they cannot harm you or your friends by altering the material world. Symmetrically, positive thoughts, although better than negative, cannot always insulate you from "negative" situations.
So, instead of living in fear, try to live in courage! Accept that real problems do happen to highly spiritual and wise, kind people. Many famous mystics suffered from difficulties and challenges. But this was not because they were "spiritually inferior," or because they entertained "wrong thoughts." It was because, as the Buddha so wisely said, life consists, on earth, often, or largely, of suffering. Suffering purifies. (The root of purgatorio means "purification.") So, mystics choose courageous realism over the fantasy-based dream of controlling the cosmos
all around them. For that job has already been taken.
*******
In spirituality, we always attempt to combine reason with Love to create a path that is not illogical, absurd, or unreasonable. We try to stick to the "Middle Way," the Way of moderation, in all things.
It is possible to misunderstand the message about the "nonmagical" nature of the conscious mind to say that, "You might as well not do anything, even get up in the morning, because the conscious mind is so weak." But is this interpretation reasonable? No, it clearly fails to pass that test, and so, is rejected by the moderate mystic.
The point being made in the recent uld article was that the conscious mind was not designed to create or alter matter. Of course, the conscious mind can create. It creates thoughts, ideas, visions, feelings, and a whole spectrum of other internal and mental phenomena. Again it is extreme literalism that leads to misunderstanding. It was indeed said that the "conscious mind can create nothing," but, in the context, it was referring to magical creation within the world of material things. For, notice that, in the same article, the same word was used when reference was made to the conscious mind's "creating" karma. So, yes, the conscious mind can create.
The illustration of the conscious mind's being able to change a single hair on your own head was not original. This is the challenge discussed by Jesus Christ in the Gospels. If you believe that you can select a single hair on your head, and then, change the color of that hair, I would like for you to demonstrate that ability. Please call me so that we can set up this experiment.
The extreme of renouncing all planning was not at all implied. Encouraging your kids to plan for the future is not at all anti-spiritual. Teaching them that the ego has the power to change the nature of matter is. A good example of the limitations of the conscious mind is the unfortunate hypochondriac. He goes to the library, learns all that he can, from many books, about a certain disease. He learns more than most docs. He is convinced that he has this disease. It is all that he thinks about, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. He is very upset (engaging his full emotional range). He is convinced, for years, with every fiber of his being that he has all the symptoms. So, years later, he visits a clinic. He has not a trace of the disease. If the conscious mind were totally in control, of even the most intimate bodily processes, he would certainly have the disease. But, if it is not his karma, he shows no traces.
The same works in reverse: A man who gulps vitamins, herbs, and dozens of other supplements every day, who exercises, jogs, and drinks only purified water, eating only organic vegetables and fruits, can find himself with a very serious case of biomedical illness. Again, the limits of the conscious mind are verified-- observationally, experimentally, experientially. And there are so many cases over the centuries that these limitations are also a scientific reality. One would have to be at least slightly delusional to deny all the evidence.
People embrace the "conscious mind is God" belief out of fear. They are terrified that "something bad" is going to happen to them. Instead of trusting God (Love) to lead them through the crisis, to make them wiser and stronger, they react like four-year-olds: They just do not want "anything bad" to happen to them. Wiser, more mature, adults adjust, adapt, and accommodate, rather than living in fear. Whatever the cosmos brings to them, they use it in the "lemons to lemonade" principle, and make the best out of what karma and the Unconscious have created as their world.
So, look at the world with eyes wide open! Do not quake in fear, or try to hide in a closet. Do not try to hide behind illusions. You need not flee in terror from "negative" thoughts, for example. For they cannot harm you or your friends by altering the material world. Symmetrically, positive thoughts, although better than negative, cannot always insulate you from "negative" situations.
So, instead of living in fear, try to live in courage! Accept that real problems do happen to highly spiritual and wise, kind people. Many famous mystics suffered from difficulties and challenges. But this was not because they were "spiritually inferior," or because they entertained "wrong thoughts." It was because, as the Buddha so wisely said, life consists, on earth, often, or largely, of suffering. Suffering purifies. (The root of purgatorio means "purification.") So, mystics choose courageous realism over the fantasy-based dream of controlling the cosmos
all around them. For that job has already been taken.
*******
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Teflonmind
*******
Teflonmind is the endstate of a practice called "pervasive meditation." It is a state of detachment that includes Love, and so, is detachment with concern, compassion, and Love.
It gets its name because it allows negativity to "slip" or "slide" from the mind's surface, making of the clear mind a "nonstick surface." Selected negativities are allowed simply to flow off and away from your mind. This keeps your mind brighter, clearer, and cleaner. Like a mirror turned towards the bright Light of Love to reflect Light into the world, Teflonmind shines streak-fre, clear of all grime, dirt, dust, grease, and other contaminants. These include hatred, rage, violence, anger, irritation, annoyance, and related "dark areas."
But does the process of pervasive meditation work for everyone all the time? It is impossible to say that it does, since not everyone has tried it all the time! But, just for the record, and to highlight a fact mentioned in a recent Pneumarium family-gathering, no, Teflonmind, and the pervasive meditation that leads to it, do not work at all times for all people.
This is only reasonable. For nothing-- no practice, no chemical, no radiation, no environmental factor, no psychological factor, no biochemical factor-- works the same for all people at all times. So, pervasive meditation will probably work for you, if you try it, and stay with it. But, it also might not. Some who claim that "it doesn't work for me" might not have given it sufficient time. Or, there might exist a biochemical or neural structure that simply does not synergize with the process. Or, there might be other reasons. At any rate, just to keep the record clear, I have never claimed, and do not now claim or defend, that the process works for all people all the time.
But, try it! You'll like it!
*******
Teflonmind is the endstate of a practice called "pervasive meditation." It is a state of detachment that includes Love, and so, is detachment with concern, compassion, and Love.
It gets its name because it allows negativity to "slip" or "slide" from the mind's surface, making of the clear mind a "nonstick surface." Selected negativities are allowed simply to flow off and away from your mind. This keeps your mind brighter, clearer, and cleaner. Like a mirror turned towards the bright Light of Love to reflect Light into the world, Teflonmind shines streak-fre, clear of all grime, dirt, dust, grease, and other contaminants. These include hatred, rage, violence, anger, irritation, annoyance, and related "dark areas."
But does the process of pervasive meditation work for everyone all the time? It is impossible to say that it does, since not everyone has tried it all the time! But, just for the record, and to highlight a fact mentioned in a recent Pneumarium family-gathering, no, Teflonmind, and the pervasive meditation that leads to it, do not work at all times for all people.
This is only reasonable. For nothing-- no practice, no chemical, no radiation, no environmental factor, no psychological factor, no biochemical factor-- works the same for all people at all times. So, pervasive meditation will probably work for you, if you try it, and stay with it. But, it also might not. Some who claim that "it doesn't work for me" might not have given it sufficient time. Or, there might exist a biochemical or neural structure that simply does not synergize with the process. Or, there might be other reasons. At any rate, just to keep the record clear, I have never claimed, and do not now claim or defend, that the process works for all people all the time.
But, try it! You'll like it!
*******
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Christian Science and World-control
*******
In the United States, in the 1870's, there was a minor explosion of religious cults. Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Theosophy, and other borderline religious microminorities got started during this time.
Christian Science was started by a woman named Mary Eddy. She had always been a rather sickly woman, and so, was always subconsciously scanning the world for healing-methods. One day, while reading the Christian Scriptures ("New Testament"), she imagined herself to be the recipient of a brand-new "revelation." Her "great" revelation was that sickness existed only because people believed in it!
Christian Science became the "mother" of later spin-off groups such as Unity. They often make the same mistake that Eddy made. This error is very alluring and attractive. It takes the great truth that the cosmos is Mind-created, and twists it into the illusion that the world is created by the conscious mind.
The truth is, the world is dreamed up by a very deep, and collective, level of the Unconscious Mind. The conscious mind exists to study, understand, and know the world; it makes decisions that create karma. But the conscious mind-- the part of the mind of which we are aware-- was never designed to create. It has no creative power in the world. At times, it can affect the brainbody system, but even here, its power is limited. It neither creates, nor controls creation.
Here's an experiment: Try, with all your might, to change the color of one single hair on your own head. Under normal circumstances, simply changing the color of a tiny hair, on your own head, is quite beyond the "power" of the conscious mind. Why? For all practical purposes, all the Power, creative or otherwise, lies in the Unconscious, often very deeply. The conscious mind is left with zero creative "power."
But it is much more "sexy" or exciting to believe that you consciously control the world. If you just say the right affirmations, prayers, or formulas, you can do, oryou can have, anything! But the conscious mind, being only a choice-maker or decision-maker, is remarkably feeble when it tries to control the world.
Psychologists say that, when very young (before age five), we all start out in a state of mind called "magical thinking." That is the illusion that our conscious thoughts change the world. Most healthy people outgrow this by age ten or so. But some do not.
Is believing in this being "childlike," as Jesus recommended? No, for in his original teaching, Jesus said that we must be like a "nursing infant." ("Little child" is a mistranslation.) So, to be like a "nursing infant," we must live totally without control. This is the life of pure faith or trust. The nursing infant is at total peace, for she does not try to control things or events. To return to this state of non-control is the very opposite of the "conscious mind is God" illusion!
Throughout the centuries, none of the enlightened masters, teachers, sages, or luminaries ever taught that the conscious mind controlled the world. And they were far from ignorant; they did not teach it because it is an untruth.
It is terrifying to face the realistic fact that we are helpless-- unless we cultivate a deep trust (like the infant with its mother) in the Power (Tao) that does regulate the cosmos and everything in it. Then, returning to trust, we can return to peace. In the West, this is the special state of mind called "faith." Faith-- not control-- is the goal of wisdom, of enlightenment.
*******
In the United States, in the 1870's, there was a minor explosion of religious cults. Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Theosophy, and other borderline religious microminorities got started during this time.
Christian Science was started by a woman named Mary Eddy. She had always been a rather sickly woman, and so, was always subconsciously scanning the world for healing-methods. One day, while reading the Christian Scriptures ("New Testament"), she imagined herself to be the recipient of a brand-new "revelation." Her "great" revelation was that sickness existed only because people believed in it!
Christian Science became the "mother" of later spin-off groups such as Unity. They often make the same mistake that Eddy made. This error is very alluring and attractive. It takes the great truth that the cosmos is Mind-created, and twists it into the illusion that the world is created by the conscious mind.
The truth is, the world is dreamed up by a very deep, and collective, level of the Unconscious Mind. The conscious mind exists to study, understand, and know the world; it makes decisions that create karma. But the conscious mind-- the part of the mind of which we are aware-- was never designed to create. It has no creative power in the world. At times, it can affect the brainbody system, but even here, its power is limited. It neither creates, nor controls creation.
Here's an experiment: Try, with all your might, to change the color of one single hair on your own head. Under normal circumstances, simply changing the color of a tiny hair, on your own head, is quite beyond the "power" of the conscious mind. Why? For all practical purposes, all the Power, creative or otherwise, lies in the Unconscious, often very deeply. The conscious mind is left with zero creative "power."
But it is much more "sexy" or exciting to believe that you consciously control the world. If you just say the right affirmations, prayers, or formulas, you can do, oryou can have, anything! But the conscious mind, being only a choice-maker or decision-maker, is remarkably feeble when it tries to control the world.
Psychologists say that, when very young (before age five), we all start out in a state of mind called "magical thinking." That is the illusion that our conscious thoughts change the world. Most healthy people outgrow this by age ten or so. But some do not.
Is believing in this being "childlike," as Jesus recommended? No, for in his original teaching, Jesus said that we must be like a "nursing infant." ("Little child" is a mistranslation.) So, to be like a "nursing infant," we must live totally without control. This is the life of pure faith or trust. The nursing infant is at total peace, for she does not try to control things or events. To return to this state of non-control is the very opposite of the "conscious mind is God" illusion!
Throughout the centuries, none of the enlightened masters, teachers, sages, or luminaries ever taught that the conscious mind controlled the world. And they were far from ignorant; they did not teach it because it is an untruth.
It is terrifying to face the realistic fact that we are helpless-- unless we cultivate a deep trust (like the infant with its mother) in the Power (Tao) that does regulate the cosmos and everything in it. Then, returning to trust, we can return to peace. In the West, this is the special state of mind called "faith." Faith-- not control-- is the goal of wisdom, of enlightenment.
*******
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