Overcoming the Lower Nature

Overcoming the Lower Nature
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The lower nature, also called the "humanimal nature" and the "fear-nature," among other synonyms, can be both "enemy" and "teacher." If we fiercely resist and hate it, it becomes an enemy, and to have this "enemy within" is not the best situation.

So, let us begin our work with the lower nature by recognizing that God has permitted it to exist for a purpose. That purpose is education: Without the resistance of the lower nature, we might not learn anything at all from life.

Like fear generally, it is NOT a factor in God's active will, but is an aspect of His permissive will. It exists not because it is the will of Love, but because Love simply permits it, as a teacher.

The best way to eradicate the lower nature, or to neutralize its power in the heartmind, is to practice regular meditation, "interior prayer," or the "prayer of silence." In this relaxed state of mind, we invite the Love-nature to enter our minds and "take over" our lives. We permit it; we allow It; we surrender to it.

How we invite the higher nature to enter our lives is summed up by the word PLAYS. The enlightened person "plays" her way through life. This acronym stands for: Permits, Lets, Allows, Yields, and Surrenders.

We must first discover God (the Spirit, "Father," "Mother," "Absolute," "Ultimate," etc.) exists as purest Love deep within the Mind. Then, moving forward with this powerful conviction, we can invite God (Love) to begin to think and act through us. This phase is called "surrender."

NOTE: We never surrender our will to any human pastor, minister, preacher, guru, priest, rabbi, imam, or other religious leader. We surrender to only God as Love in the heart.

Gradually, through repeated inward reaching, introspection, and meditation, we begin to establish a relationship with the living Love-nature within. This becomes much brighter, stronger, and clearer with practice.

We also make an interior vow, not to be "perfect" (for that is unrealistic), but to follow the higher nature of Love in all our ways. The flipside of this vow is to cease the activities of the lower nature. These include all fearbased activities and all actions that can harm self or others.

This is an indispensable vow. It is called ahimsa. It says, "I solemnly vow, to God, the highest Self, and to all spiritual creation, that I will never again act in any way that can harm or hurt another living being-- especially human beings. I will refuse to harm anyone physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually."

Before making this sacred vow to God, we must be prepared to follow it. Then, we make it, with or without human witnesses to the vow; and after that, we live it every minute of every day. This is a very sacred and holy vow, and so, must not be made carelessly. And, of course, we call in the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to stay faithful to the vow.

These are the beginning steps in overcoming the lower nature. After a long time, it begins to lose its energy ("die"). The process, say enlightened souls, can also involve personal suffering. (In those cases, it has been called, historically, the "interior crucifixion.")

After these steps are taken, the lower nature is weakened significantly; it has very low energy, and is very "sick." But it does not lose all energy until we begin to live each and every minute, of each and every day, from the state of pure Love. This is Love for all creatures, and respects all; no one is excluded, not even "enemies." You can see, it is a challenging path!

But there is none more splendid, glorious, or ecstatic!
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Pneumarium Gathering

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We had a hypersupermegablast Sunday at the Pneumarium! At the end, everyone was walking about six inches off the ground! We discussed in some great depth the teachings of the people called gnostics-- the mystics who were the very first Christians. (We now know about them through their own writings, which are fascinating and compelling.)

These beautiful Love-mystics received their teachings directly from Jesus Christ, but their books and records were later banned and burned by the orthodox Church. But the Goddess made sure that they survived, and now, blessedly, we can read them today. They are found in the famous "Nag Hammadi Library."

The library of formerly hidden teachings is the subject of my new book, The Re-enchantment of the World: Astounding Early Christians. After the "abiography," being published now, it is next on our publishing agenda.

You missed a beautiful meal, and a wonderful, delightful, profound Love-sharing. The Presence of the Goddess was palpable!:)

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Praying for Peace on Earth

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The One, the Mind of purest Love, is in no way limited by our ideas of time, nor is She limited by our concepts of "cooperation." When it comes to the sweet Goddess, Her will is always done, no matter what we do or do not do. I must object to those who believe that, and act as if, the divine will depends upon our actions and our prayers. This is definitely putting the cart before the donkey!:):) The Goddess loves and welcomes our prayers, and our silent internal communications. But much damage has
been created by the simple words, "Prayer changes things." For prayer is designed to change the heart, softening it for Love, but is not a form of "magic" that is designed to alter the world. For the deepest, and truest, "prayer" is any thought of Love for any living being.

Still, human cooperation in Love is a beautiful thing.:) It is also wonderful when human beings cooperate, in Love and in prayer. And praying for peace is also beautiful. But, to be a genuine expression of divine and universal Love, we must not "take sides" in any earthly conflict, for there are no "good guys" on the bloody battle-fields; to think otherwise is simple bigotry and naivete. So, yes, my dear friend, you can count on the fact that all people of peace will continue, every day and every night, to ppray that human beings finally find common sense, compassion, balance, and peace.
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Birdthought

Birdthought
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The tiny woodpecker,
Head covered with soft down,
Markings on his face
Making comical expressions.
He is asking,
"Do you know what it's all about?"
And I, with sweet tears in my eyes, say,
"You know. It is all about now,
With a thoughtfree mind such as yours, Brother Bird,
With Spontaneous and natural action.
Full of sweetness.
No wonder you were
Jesus' model!"

And we sat together
In blessed silence,
In the empty air between us,
Fragrant with ozone and hyacinths,
Smelling like the
Delicious Mother Earth Perfume
Of pouring, gushing rains.

We sat in sunyata,
Gloriously empty together,
Regarding ourselves regarding ourselves.
He knew that he was I,
and I he.
The cosmos silently smiled.
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Fantasy

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It is a good thing that you are striving for the rational and balanced. Moderation and reason are far too rare, especially in the clouded and confused world of metaphysics. We need people who are able to use the yardstick of reason and logic to measure the credibility of claims. Far too many people are simply willing to believe anything that they hear, read, or see. These often selfcongratulate on how "open minded" they are, but psychology, with greater wisdom and experience, has always regarded them as simply gullible. An old joke reminds us, "You want to be open-minded, but not so open that your brains fall out!" Most "channelists," and many "extraterrestrialists," fall into this sad category. So do many highly religious people. The acid test for any belief is, "Does it harmonize with the possible and the reasonable?" Miracles do occur, but they are called miracles precisely because of their scarcity. Believing that miracles are "everyday events" is a sign that you have already passed over. The signpost is just up ahead: The Twilight Zone. In other words, fantasyland.:)

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The Beautiful Heart

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No, my friend, it was not hollow flattery to point out that you have a "beautiful and unique heart." You are halfright: Everyone has a "unique" heart, but not every heart is beautiful. (Well, yes, they are, but often so deeply as to be inaccessible.:) A beautiful heart manifests itself through acts of kindness, generosity, service, and expressed and practical goodness. It reaches out to help and aid others. It cares about people, and for human needs. It is courteous, polite, and solicitous. It is, in short, a heart of expressive Love, or of Lovexpressions. All of these qualities have been observed in your behaviors.

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The Fantasy-life

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Susan [pseudonym] sounds like what psychologists call a "fantasy-prone" personality. This means exactly what it sounds like: Some people are highly prone (vulnerable) to fantasies. With some, it is just entertainment, and never goes beyond that; but with Susan, it sounds as if it is life-interfering, or at least, life-affecting. This is a bit more serious.

You have a good solid understanding of why her childself created the fantasies in the first place, and that really helps; perhaps it can help you to help her. She is in rather desperate need of a "reality-check."

Perhaps you can discuss with her the whole, very rich, realm of fantasy, and then, compare that with the scientific perspective. The latter will bore her, but it is her path to liberation as a free being. She has fully, and correctly, expressed her right to believe as she wishes, and to share her beliefs with you. You also have precisely that same right -- to believe as you choose, based on your lifexperience, and to share your beliefs with her. It seems time to do precisely that.

Fantasy can, to some extent, enrich life. I use even "fantasy-therapy." But it can do this safely only within a matrix of moderation, coupled with a well-grounded and practical, worldview. If one goes too far, and is immersed completely in a fantasy -- and she is not a writer -- this can have unfortunate effects on the personality. So, my friend, as her friend, you need to determine how deep is the "saturation." How much negative effect does this fantasy-life have on her selfimage, her selfesteem, and her personal independence? If it is starting to affect these psychological parameters, then she has moved into a danger-zone.

She might be in need of some "reality-therapy." This will probably begin as some introduction to science and the value of objective thinking and reasoning. Again, boring as hell to her, but the key to a "heaven" of a more productive, reasonable, and happier life!

To sum up: Used as moderate defenses, fantasies are harmless, and might even help maintain sanity and balance, especially in crisis. But too much of this "medicine" becomes a psychotoxin, and starts to poison the mind. You are right: This syndrome has characteristics that exactly parallel the unhealthy Christian fundy obsession with "satan," "evil spirits," and the whole mass of related nonsense.
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Bush Must Be Impeached for this Criminal War

Thanks to Mick Gallagher.

BUSH MUST BE IMPEACHED FOR THIS CRIMINAL WAR
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Cindy Sheehan marches, soldiers speak out, and momentum builds for September 15th

Click here to vote in the referendum to Impeach Bush!

The response has been overwhelming to the September 15 March on Washington D.C. With the help of you and thousands of others, we can make the call for the impeachment of bush and cheney resound throughout the land.

September 15 is the date that General David Petraus, representing the bush administration, must report to Congress on the Iraq war. The eyes of the world and national media will be on Washington, DC as bush tries to spin this criminal endeavor in Iraq one more time. We are mobilizing with the anti-war movement to ensure that the demands of the people are heard loud and clear. Bush must be impeached for this criminal war, which was based solely on bold-faced lies to Congress and to the people.

Between now and September 15, there will be a series of high visibility actions demanding: Impeach Bush and Cheney. Cindy Sheehan and others are in the middle of a dramatic march from Crawford, Texas that will arrive in Washington DC on July 23. Cindy will lead a march on July 23 from Arlington Cemetery in nearby Virginia to the House of Representatives. They are insisting that the elected officials initiate Articles of Impeachment. ImpeachBush.org is mobilizing support for this action. Cindy is posting her blog for the Journey for Humanity at the ImpeachBush.org website.

Veterans for Peace and many Iraq war veterans will also be organizing through the summer and playing a major role in the September 15 March on Washington.

The war in Iraq stands as one of the great crimes of the modern era. We, the people, must act with all of our energy to end the war and to impeach bush. This is not a partisan political act. It is a constitutional imperative.

As Ramsey Clark, in his appeal to the impeachment movement, wrote on July 2:

"-- US violence has brought death to hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and physical injury to millions.

Hundreds of billions of dollars in property destruction caused by U.S. aggression will take decades after peace to rebuild.

2.2 million Iraqi's, nearly one in ten, have fled their country to foreign exile, refugee camps and a doubtful future; while at least 2 million more have fled their homes and communities to furtive lives of quiet desperation, to inadequate housing within Iraq, without jobs or schools.

3/4's of the people do not have safe drinking water.

Iraq's internationally acclaimed and free health care system is a shambles.

Since "Shock and Awe" began in March 2003, infant mortality in Iraq has increased radically to the highest death rate of all nations.

Iraq is the most unstable country in the world.

The sight and sound of violent death has created a pervasive state of constant devastating fear.

It must be clear to every informed and thinking person that bush has no concern for human suffering, truth, freedom, democracy, peace, justice, human rights, or the Constitution of the United States. His words and acts are designed only to increase his personal power and achieve his personal agenda and that of those who share his goals and hatred."

On September 15, 2007 Iraq war veterans and their families will be in the front ranks of the demonstration. It is no wonder that they have turned against bush and cheney.

The New York Times reported in a major front page story on Sunday July 15 that soldiers and marines and their families, even those who had earlier supported bush, have turned decisively against the administration after having witnessed first hand what the war is really about.

"Among military members and their immediate families who responded to a national New York Times/CBS News poll in May, two-thirds said things were going badly, compared with just over half, about 53 percent, a year ago. Fewer than half of the families and military members said the United States did the right thing in invading Iraq. A year ago, more than half held that view, according to a similar poll taken last July.

"The New York Times: For some, the Army's efforts have come too late. Penny Preszler, 46, a furniture refurbisher in Phoenix, said she had stopped wearing red on Fridays as she had done for the past year to honor the war effort. "It was when my son started saying he wished he could be injured so he could come home," Ms. Preszler said.

"There was no pride left in his voice, just this robotic sense of despair," she said, describing a telephone conversation with her son, Skyler, 24, an infantryman on his second tour of duty in Iraq. "Mom, we killed women on the street today. We killed kids on bikes. We had no choice," she recounted his saying.

The same week, she said, her son told her he thought he had seen the worst when he had to pick up the body parts of his dead buddy, but then he saw an Iraqi boy picking up "what was left of his dead father."

We are printing 500,000 leaflets, flyers, and stickers, and setting up outreach committees for the September 15th March in Washington all over the country. We are renting buses to bring people from around the country for the demonstration. We are planning newspaper ads. All of this costs money. The struggle for justice and for government accountability will not be funded by Corporate America. It depends on you and the commitment of thousands of people who understand the stakes.

Please donate today by clicking this link

We can organize, arouse public opinion, and raise funds over the summer to bring a massive turnout on September 15 in Washington DC, demanding Impeachment and an end to the war.
If you want to be listed as an endorser and supporter of the September 15th demonstration, you can do so by clicking this link.

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Click here for the ImpeachBush Resource Center.

"Depart!"

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When, in the parable, the Lord says, "Depart from Me, workers of iniquity! I never knew you!" he is not discussing eternal damnation. Instead, he is talking about the review of a single life.

In any given life, there are many who waste time and energy in the pursuit of evil, ignorance, or just general stupidity. At the end of every life, we all must encounter Judgment Day-- a review and evaluation of the life that we have just lived.

In every generation, there have always been those to whom the Holy Spirit has said, "Depart from Me!" This "departing" is living a life apparently "separate" from Love. No one can ever actually live separate from Love, for Love is God. But we can live a life, or more than one, in apparent "separation" from Love.

And the illusion of being separate ("departed") from Love is "hell."

So, yes, some Souls do spend some time in the hellstate, due to their having preferred materialism or selfishness over Love. These hellstates are mental illnesses, often quite dramatic, and can last from a few minutes or hours to hundreds of years. The amount of time that a Soul(mind) spends in "hell" is directly proportional to the cruelty, apathy, or complacency with which she lived her life on earth.

It is God's active will that no one go to hell. But, by His permissive will, people are allowed to form their own destinies, and workers of evil are not welcomed into the sweet, intimate oneness of Love, but are told to "depart," to move away from the interior Christ of Love. In time, their cruelty or shallowness drives them so far away that they can forget that God even exists within them. This total spiritual amnesia is also a form of hell.

Only the consistent practice of Love can keep the heartmind always in a "heavenly" state-- the bliss that is the opposite of the sufferings of "hell." That is why we are all, and always, called to Love.

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Masculine and Feminine Love

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I by far, by many lightyears, prefer the Goddess over the God. Both are necessary, and good. But I've been saturated with a negative Godimage since way back, and I've had it up to here with the ridiculous "monstergod," as I call him. I long for, and need, the tender side; I love the Love of men, but need much more the Love of women. Not sexual, you understand. But a woman's Love has a completely distinct and different "flavor" than Love between males. Both can be real, but the gentle flower of feminine hearts has a sweetness and delightful fragrance lacking in the harder, more logical, Love of males. The soft receptivity in the Goddess is very welcome and welcoming. To sink deeply into that yielding heart, filled with warm Love, is to taste of spiritual ecstasy.

I have always preferred even the company of women-- partly because of the terrible ways in which males are socialized in our society. You know, the old "sex, sports, tools" mindset. Women, by contrast, are fascinating, compelling, powerfully attractive, and profound. They exhibit the spiritual variety of butterflies or roses, and the same glowing beauty. They are not terrified of their emotions, however deep these feelings might be.

In visions and visualizations (call them "spiritual fantasies"), I also prefer vastly the mindpicture of the Goddess over the God. This is only a tiny bit sexual -- due to the attractive physical form of the Goddess. The greatest percentage, by far, is psychospiritual. A woman usually forms a deeper and truer friendship, with more understanding, forgiveness, and loyalty. This is based, in part, on earth-friendships.

But it also arises from deeper spiritual principles.

The very touch of a Goddess -- in the form of a human woman, or in the form of a visualized supernormal Goddess -- is healing. And, again, there is a very special and unique form of Love that blossoms -- non-sexually-- between a man and a woman in friendship. It is one of the great joys of this life.

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Renouncing Fear

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When Jesus used the phrase, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" he was not insulting his disciple, whom he loved. (I think that this was Peter, trying to comfort him by denying his personal prophecy of a very troubled future.)

Instead, he was referring, in a dramatic way, to the lower nature. This is the fear-nature. It resists Love, and is its conceptual opposite. That is why, "Fear and Love cannot coexist. For Love, when it is made complete, casts fear outside." (1 Jn. 4:18)

The future described by Jesus was dark and scary to the lower human nature. It tended to trigger fear. So, it was this fear that was being reprimanded by Jesus.

Since he knew that God was Love, the only "satan" was the opposite of Love, or fear. Since Jesus was "true man" as well as "true God," his human nature (side) was capable of fear-reactions. The "devil" of fear could affect this weaker, lower nature.

In an almost exorcistic way, he cast this fear from him! Knowing that this account would be recounted in the future, he wanted to make it a dramatic, even unforgettable, one.

This is the best example of how we should all learn to deal with fear. Fears can spoil or ruin our lives in several significant ways. When we encounter them in ourselves, in our heartminds, we dare not respond with complacency or apathy. Jesus taught us to respond with alarm! We must identify the fear, and then, immediately reject, renounce, and eject it! Only this ridding of fear leaves "room" for Love to fill the heartmind, since both cannot exist in the same heartmind at the same time.

Fear and Love exist in inverse proportions within us. That is, our entire heartmind is one hundred percent capacity. So, if there is seventy percent fear, for example, there can be only thirty percent Love. If there is forty percent fear, there can be sixty percent Love. Fifty percent fear allows for only fifty percent Love.

Anyway, our elevated and noble goal is fear, zero, and Love, one hundred percent. Can any truly human being ever reach and realize this ideal? Perhaps not; but that does not matter anyway. For it is the reaching for this fine goal that transforms us, every minute of every day.

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Guardians

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The idea of a "guardian" appeals very strongly to the "interior child" part of the mind. Wise and mature people can also believe in it, but its strongest appeal is to the part of the mind that needs to feel "taken care of" by some "parental" or "care-giving" figure. Most adults find the fullest and most complete spiritual life does not require the presence, or even existence, of any "guardian."

The "guardians" can be very pleasant, even when only pleasant fantasies.:)

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Silver Healing Meditations

Our energic protocol has changed. While we were, previously, working with silverblue visualization, we will now be working with the pure silver only. (Silver is the Hermetic color symbolizing elemental water, or cleansing and purification.)

So, in your healing-visualizations, will you please join us in imagining the area of the right kidney glowing with a clean, clear, pure, bright, luminescent, shimmering, glittering silver? This is the most likely to trigger some cooperation from the Unconscious.

Thanks again, in advance, my dear friends of the heart, for all that you do, and shall yet do.:) Your tender expressions of compassion are welcomed with a heart full of gratitude.:)

Translations of the Bible

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There is only one God and one truth. But that God, and that truth, are so vast that, within them are many varying perspectives. God does not like for everyone to think exactly alike. He wants us to use our reasoning-power to make up our own minds about most issues.

If God wanted us all to think and believe exactly alike, he would have produced a simple, crystal-clear set of statements, lucidly and simply explaining everything about the cosmos.

God loves diversity. That is why each and every fingerprint is different, and so is each and every brain. Also, God demonstrates His Love for diversity and variety in nature: There are fifty thousand types of butterfly, and forty thousand kinds of rose.

The Bible is a very ancient document. It has been through thousands of hands over the centuries. Even in its clearest, and most lucid, translation, it is still not always "crystal clear" when it comes to doctrines (teachings). For the truth is, all church-teachings are human-fabricated. No teaching, except the practice of Love, is clearly and obviously taught in the Bible. Each is the result of imperfect human observations and speculations. Each and every teaching is an interpretation of the Bible, not a "Biblical teaching"-- no matter what the claim!

Each word, in the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) could have several accurate translations. These varied considerably, and a single word could alter the meaning of a whole sentence, or paragraph.

English is also a rich language, with many synonyms, each designed to express an often very subtle nuance of the meaning of a word. So, when you take the complex Greek texts (for the Christian Bible) and translate them into another complex language, English, you are going to end up with a variety of finer distinctions.

This does not necessarily mean "war" among translators. It simply enriches everyone to have such an excellent diversity, such a beautiful wealth of various ideas. The wise, and educated, student of the Bible uses several translations, versions, or renditions in her study. This provides a more well-rounded understanding of a verse.

One book that is very helpful to the serious student is called an "interlinear." This contains a Greek text, with an English translation beneath each line. This helps to bring the reader closer to the original.
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The "Moral Code" of Love

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When it comes to a "moral code," people often forget that "moral" simply means "good." So, a moral code is a set of guidelines or regulations that increase the goodness in our lives.

The very highest moral code in history is to follow the Way of Love.

For example, in sexual matters-- which are the ones that people think of first when considering "morality"-- the Way offers several valid guidelines:

It supports ahimsa. This means that we are prohibited absolutely from voluntarily harming any person at any time, for any reason. We must not harm others emotionally. So, we must stand behind fidelity and faithfulness in marriage, for this is a commitment to God and to human beings. Since sexual promiscuity harms many people-- whole families, if not communities, in many ways-- it is not allowed under the guidelines of the highest morality. Also, since it might produce unwanted kids, which would seriously harm and damage them, careless or promiscuous sexual intercourse is flatly prohibited. So are "recreational" or "casual" sex, because sexual interaction must remain a manifestation of true Love with commitment. Any attitude but the sacred cheapens sexuality. It must remain a high form of worship. Thus, it must be Love.

In other life-matters, the Way of Love recommends that every day, we do something real to help or aid others. This might be teaching, if that is our calling or gift. But it must also express in giving economic aid to the poor, aiding the sick or challenged, and generally, extending a helping hand. In a world such as ours, there are millions of opportunities each and every day.

The Way recommends kindness towards all, and goodness, honesty, generosity, fairness, compassion, and the expressions of tenderness, mercy, and forgiveness. We must be gentle towards all. A being of Love will never use offensive violence. That is, she will never attack; but she might have to use defensive violence if attacked.

To sum up the Way: Love everyone, serve everyone, and forgive everyone.
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Misled Teachings of the Church

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There are a number of ideas that have come down to us in history as "Christian," which do not mirror or reflect the teachings of Jesus.

Among these are moral behaviors. The greed of the Church has, for centuries, been shameless. It has abused the poor, contrary to Jesus' Love for them, and has filled its own coffers with unimaginable wealth.

The official Church has also supported nightmarish murder in wars, notably the Crusades, in which tens or hundreds of thousands of Muslim sisters and brothers were massacred and slaughtered.

The official Church also supported torture and murder during the time of the notorious Inquisition. Women, especially, were murdered in ghastly ways. Thousands died, and much of their land went to the Church.

During the Middle Ages, popes, priests, and others in the Church supported political intrigues, assassinations, and wars for power.

Besides all this, the Church has returned to the worship of the ancient Hebrew god, when Jesus tried to replace this illusion with the adoration of a Lord of purest Love. Because of this error, almost every official teaching of the Church has been affected.
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"Powerful or Weak"?

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Before incarnating on earth as a physical body -- while still in the "pre-incarnational" Soul-world -- I gathered with my trusted, beloved advisors. We were discussing my coming incarnation.

They offered me two scenarios of the life to come:

They, sharing comments one at a time, said, in effect, that:

In the coming life on earth, I could choose a body of enormous, impressive strength and power. With this body would come certain mind-changes. Self-confidence (in the ego) would likely be over-developed. Arrogance was a real possibility. Pride also came with this package. Self-reliance and independence from others would be a "must," and it would be insisted. Spirituality, which requires realistic humility, would be a rather distant vision, and not an immediate goal. Physically, this would be a greatly, vastly exciting life! But spiritually, it would be one of utter poverty; little karmic progress would be made during this life. Growth would be incredibly slow to non-existent.

The other kind of body that I could choose, as a Soul, was the "weak" body, more vulnerable. With this kind of body would come, naturally, a greatly increased and enhanced sense of empathy, sympathy, and compassion. The spiritual treasure of humility would be so much more easily developed within an imperfect, humble, and vulnerable body. The sense of utter dependence on God (Love) would be maximized. There would also be a highly increased sense of healthy dependence upon the Love of
others. Simple kindness, towards people and all living creatures, would be made stronger. Spiritual growth would leap ahead by allegorical lightyears; more spiritual and mental growth could occur during this one life than during the past five thousand years!

I considered the two options; each had its "good points," its "temptations." In the end, vulnerability and healthy dependence was chosen over ego-inflating superindependence.
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The End of the World: the Sound of Silence

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I am not among those fanatics and losers who are always screaming and ranting about the "end of the world." This phrase, in fact, is not found a single time in the entire original Bible! It is just bad, "science-fiction theology." I cannot believe that a sane, compassionate God inhabits the splendors and glories of nature simply to annihilate them!

So, I, and most other reasonable people, including most progressive Christians, have found hundreds of good, solid reasons to trash this nutty, dangerous, and bad idea. It is but a leftover from the Dark Ages, when people cancelled daily plans because of their certainty of "Armageddon.":)

The phrase, "end of the world," is not found a single time in the entire Book of Revelation, the "text-book" supposedly describing the "end-times," and the "end of the world." (Btw, the word "anti-Christ" also does not appear a single time in the entire book!) So, the Biblical foundation for the "end" is as flimsy and non-existent as is its foundation in the path of reason.

The idea that the earth is going to be destroyed, and the human race murdered, by a psychotic god who admits that the whole project was a "failure," is a bit of popular superstition. People love to be scared, as the popularity of horror-movies and-novels has always attested-- as long as they feel safe personally. They love the dramatic excitement of the earthquakes, storms, insanity on the streets, and other noisy horrors conjured by this myth.

But this is insanity, by any standards. God has kindly, wisely designed our planetary arrangements and biosystems to continue indefinitely. We can all be grateful for that. We can count on the sun's rising tomorrow, and on foods continuing to grow in our verdant fields. But are these "guarantees" forever? Maybe not!

Which leads to this morning's meditation: The donkey arose at 2:47 this morning to hear a horribly disturbing sound: It was the sound of silence.

Where there should have been the rambunctious sound of thousands of crickets and tree-frogs, only a few, very distant, crickets could be heard. This reminded that, in a ghastly way, the sound of the "end of the world" is the sound of silence. It is not ravaging storms and bomb-explosions, necessarily; it could be simply nature shutting down.

If we, or our governments, are foolish, and just plain stupid, enough to trade our miraculous and astounding natural riches for dollars, then we deserve the silence-- the "silent spring," as older activists called it. We do not deserve the rich orchestration of birds, crickets, and tree-frogs. For our greed has proved us unworthy.

And now, our bees are dying. A huge part of nature is dying, and yet, we human beings continue on our path of relentless greed. This silence of the bees is a signal, and only total ecological idiots will ignore and neglect a "sign" of these monstrous proportions!

This morning's silence probably has a natural and normal explanation. Perhaps it is atypically cool, or another parameter has gone astray. We can certainly, desperately hope so! But the haunting question remains: What if it is a "sign" of the "end of the world"?
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Please recycle, plant a tree, or demonstrate to the Goddess your genuine Love for nature. Please share this article, or at least, the discussion, with all your friends. Pass the word: If the "end of the world" comes, it will be a very subtle event, precipitated by human myopia and stupidity.
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Critical Senate Vote on Habeas Corpus

Tell Your Senators: Vote Yes to Restore Habeas Corpus Restore Habeas Corpus

This week, the Senate will hold its first up-or-down vote on restoring habeas corpus. Tell your Senators to support the Specter-Leahy amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill.


For the last several months, Working Assets members have been leading the fight to restore habeas corpus. We worked hard to ensure that legislation passed the Senate Judiciary committee by holding meetings with key senators. This week, the first up-or-down vote on restoring this critical right will occur in the Senate -- and your voice can make a difference.

Tell your Senators that it is time to save habeas corpus and restore our Constitution.

In September 2006, Congress passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA), which stripped the right of habeas corpus for the first time since the Civil War. Habeas corpus is a fundamental right common to all modern legal systems, which requires independent judicial review of charges brought by the executive branch. But the passage of MCA has allowed the Bush administration to hold "detainees" at Guantanamo indefinitely -- without any explanation for their imprisonment.


Click here to let your Senators know you want to see habeas corpus restored.

Indefinite detention is simply unconstitutional, and does not reflect American values. On June 7th, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to take the first step to restore habeas corpus by approving the "Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007" (S. 185), sponsored by Senators Leahy and Specter. Today, the Senate is starting debate on the Defense Authorization bill, and S. 185 will be offered as an amendment.

Without habeas corpus, it's a very slippery slope towards dictatorship.

So click here to ask your Senators to vote yes on the Leahy-Specter habeas amendment; we'll send a copy of your letter to your representative as well.

Please share this message with anyone you know who cares about restoring habeas corpus.

Thank you for working to build a better world.

Will Easton, Manager
ActForChange.com/Working Assets

Scooter Libby

I’m outraged. President Bush commuted Scooter Libby’s prison sentence wiping away two and half years of jail time with the stroke of a pen. President Bush ignored Libby’s felony conviction for lying to investigators, ignored the jury’s guilty verdict, and ignored the rule of law that governs our nation.

We expect more from our President. We expect honor and integrity, we expect moral leadership. We expect our President and his staff to be held to a higher standard.

Tell President Bush that you are appalled by his actions. Sign our petition today letting President Bush know that this outrageous conduct won’t be tolerated by the American people.

Sincerely,

Chuck Schumer

P.S. It’s at times like these that I realize just how important a strong Democratic Senate is to our nation. Democrats are fighting the Republican’s abuse of power but we can’t do it without your help. Tell President Bush that you are appalled by his actions. Sign our petition today letting President Bush know that this outrageous conduct won’t be tolerated by the American people.

President Bush has commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby and we need to show Bush his actions just aren't acceptable.

http://www.dscc.org/

Stop the prairie dog poisonings!

Dog-Gone Prairie?

Prairie dogs play an important role in the American plains. Several creatures depend on these burrowing animals for their livelihood -- including the endangered black-footed ferret.

Tell the Forest Service to stop the prairie dog massacre -- before it starts.

Please forward this message on to friends and family who care about wildlife.

Last fall, more than 35,000 activists like you sent comments asking the Forest Service to stop the massacre of tens of thousands of prairie dogs on our National Grasslands.

Prairie dogs provide food for eagles, hawks, badgers, swift fox, endangered black-footed ferrets and other Great Plains predators. Prairie dog burrows provide shelter for burrowing owls, salamanders, black-footed ferrets and many other creatures.

But the Forest Service wants to use your tax dollars to poison and kill tens of thousands of these furry critters and destroy the vital habitat prairie dogs create in our National Grasslands.

Take action now -- write the Forest Service and urge them to stop the prairie dog massacre.

Tens of thousands of prairie dogs could be poisoned and killed -- but it’s not only these tunneling critters that stand to suffer. Because so many other creatures depend on prairie dogs for survival -- from burrowing owls to badgers, swift foxes to snakes -- the entire grassland ecosystem is at risk.

Help stop the Forest Service plan to poison and kill tens of thousands of prairie dogs. Help protect the balance of life on the American Plains.

After a similar rule change in 2005 allowed poisoning in National Grassland areas bordering private land, more than 70,000 prairie dogs were killed. Poisoning now occurs each year in these areas near private land, killing thousands of prairie dogs annually.

Now, the Forest Service is proposing to make it easier to poison and kill prairie dogs anywhere on three public grasslands. They’re even targeting an area in South Dakota’s Buffalo Gap National Grassland called Conata Basin -- key habitat for the recently reintroduced swift fox and our nation’s most important recovery area for the endangered black-footed ferret.

Don’t let this dangerous proposal see the light of day -- write the Forest Service now!

Thank you for all you do to protect our wildlife and wild places.
Sincerely,

Rodger Schlickeisen
President
Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. Thanks in part to the help of thousands of Defenders activists like you, this issue has received significant news coverage. You can read about it the Washington Post and the June issue of National Geographic.

Demand National Health Care For Everyone

Access to health care is a fundamental human right, not a luxury. People need and deserve universal, continuous, and accessible health coverage that is provided by a single payer and does not require full-time employment and a beneficent employer. It is time for our nation to adopt a national public health policy that ensures an equitable health care delivery system and a healthier society.

Action Needed:
Take Action: Ask your representative to co-sponsor the U.S. National Health Insurance Act, H.R. 676.

http://www.capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid=9994911

Introduced by Representative John Conyers (D-Mich.), the bill would create a publicly financed, privately delivered system for providing comprehensive health care for all U.S. residents by expanding and improving the existing Medicare program.

The goal of the legislation is to ensure that all U.S. residents have access to quality, affordable health care regardless of employment, income, or health status. The program covers all medically-necessary care, including primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, mental health services, dentistry, eye care, and substance abuse treatment. Patients would also have the freedom to choose their physicians, providers, hospitals, and clinics.

Take Action: Tell your representative to ensure that the program covers the health needs of women and girls, just as it covers the health care needs of men and boys.

Background:
Approximately 45 million U.S. residents lack health insurance and another 50 million are underinsured. Our employer-based health insurance system disadvantages the poor, the unemployed, the part-time worker, the self-employed, and employees of small businesses. The costly and inefficient U.S. health care system spends over $2 trillion each year, the highest health care expenditure per capita worldwide. A third of this money is spent on insurance company profits, CEO salaries, marketing, lobbying, and other non-health care expenses.

Over the last five years, health care costs skyrocketed 87% while wages increased by only 20%. Many people do not go to the doctor, or receive recommended treatment, or fill prescriptions due to their lack of insurance or because they cannot afford the out-of-pocket costs. As prices continue to rise, both insured and uninsured individuals and families worry about their ability to access health care services.
While the U.S. has the highest health care expenditure in the world, we are not the healthiest nation. The U.S. ranks 31st in life expectancy and 28th in infant mortality rate among industrialized nations. Countries with single-payer health insurance have far better health outcomes and spend significantly less than the United States.

Take Action Now!
Contact your representative to say "Please co-sponsor the U.S. National Health Insurance Act (H.R. 676)." We must stop the health care industry and their lobbyists from "playing doctor" with our lives and gaining large profits at the expense of our health. We cannot make small or struggling businesses provide health insurance for their workers if the price of this coverage is exorbitant. We must take action to create a more cost-effective system of health care delivery that covers everyone.

http://www.capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid=9994911

Help stop Global Warming by clicking a button!

Help stop global warming by offsetting one pound of carbon emissions - for free! When you click this link, Care2 makes a donation to offset one pound of carbon emissions, every day that you click.

Carbon, and other greenhouse gases, released into the air by power plants and cars
contribute to global warming.

Each day, you can take a small step in slowing global warming by offsetting some of your emissions. Forward this message to your friends to help offset even more!

Simply go to the site and click on the "Offset One Pound Carbon" button.

It takes one second. Remember, you're only allowed one click per day, so tell everyone you know!

Just click: http://stopglobalwarming.care2.com/welcome?w=186754777

What other people say:

"I can't believe how easy it is to help!" Rick H. in Palo Alto, CA

"It's great know that I can do something special! Thanks Care2!" Tyler in Mountain View, CA

"I do my daily click every day." Wilburne in New Castle, IN

Thanks to Chris Finer

Healing and Karma: the True Story

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If you can "catch the karma" just right, miraculous healings are indeed possible. But this depends more upon karma than upon technique. Some healers are almost fanatical about technique. But it is really karma that allows true healing.

If your karmic time-period for a disorder is "over," the body will spontaneously remit even without using any technique at all. Peoples' cancers have remitted while standing in line at the grocery store, or while driving on the freeway. On the other hand, if your karma determines that this NOW is not the time, you can be surrounded by a dozen of the best healers in the world, and you can be ingesting every positive and helpful herb, doing the best affirmations, visualizations, and prayers, and still not be "healed completely."

This is why even the most famous healer in history, Jesus, was "unable to heal some." It truly does help to cooperate with the Spirit. But we must be especially careful of taking ego-credit for processes far beyond our control or understanding. That is why a true healer will never claim to be the "Source" of healing energy, but only its "conduit." She wisely recognizes more tsunamic forces arising from the Unconscious. So, an ego-based healer, one who overcharges, or one who seeks or accepts fame is always a phony.

The good news is that every act of Love helps to erase a little karma. This applies to both reflective karma and to optional (chosen) karma.:)
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7-7-7

This is a special day on the calendar; it will never come again. The numerological or mathematical implication is that this is a spiritual day.

So, let's cooperate to use its special energy to improve our poor little world. It is suggested that we today commit our time and energy to the creation of a better world. And one of the very best ways that this can be done is through the creation of, the demand for, a government of compassion, peace, and wisdom.

This means not only indulgence in "sweet thoughts," but also action! We cannot sit apathetically and complacently while the greatest experiment in democracy in world-history goes down the drain of greed and violence.

So, let us make an interior vow, on this special day, or renew one, to turn our thoughts towards a life of simplicity (nongreed, nongrasping, noncraving). Let us renounce greed in even small things, in the choice of our cars and our homes. Let us struggle to live more ecospiritually.

Most of all, let us demand sanity and peace from leaders and those who smugly regard themselves as "important people." For we all know that the only truly "important people" on our planet are not the rich or influential, but those who hold sacred the interior jewel of Love and compassion.

So, please, take a moment to evaluate your spiritual life. Take another moment, please, to vow in your heart that you are going to live with as much consistent Love and forgiveness as possible: Love everyone, serve everyone, and forgive everyone.

Please forward this suggestion to everyone in your addressbook who might be interested. Let's keep the message of Love alive!:)

Love,

shi