The Sermon on the Mount, Part IV of XL

*******

TEXT: Continuing, with Mt. 5:

12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.

COMMENTARY: Jesus knew the history of true "prophets," or representatives of Love. He knew that every spiritual genius had been disowned, mocked, rejected, and violently resisted. Many had been driven out of town, and some even killed.

TEXT:

13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

COMMENTARY: Salt was as valuable as gold in ancient times. Our English word "salary" comes from the Latin for "salt," and Roman soldiers were often paid in salt, as a form of money. So, we are as valuable to God (Love-nature) as gold, or money. Why are we so valuable? It is because we can serve as "vessels" for Love on earth. If we stop loving, however, we lose our value ("saltness").

*******

The Sermon on the Mount, Part III of XL

*******

TEXT: Continuing with Mt. 5:9.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

COMMENTARY: All people, Jesus knew, are the "children of God." But not all are recognized ("called") as the children of Love. Only those who actually live in Love, and who thus create peace, are easily recognized as the children of Light. For God treasures peace as much as She/He hates war, and God resists all war-mongers-- violent, stupid people who are a shame to themselves.

TEXT:

10. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

COMMENTARY: People historically have revealed their profound ignorance and stupidity, their arrogance and barbarity, by persecuting-- slandering, hating, and even murdering-- the people of Love. Still, despite this persecution, Jesus knows and reveals that they are "blessed" in their eternal Soul-lives ("kingdom"). For the people of Love always receive Love in return.

TEXT:

11. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

COMMENTARY: The people of Love ("Christ") are not masochists. That is, they do not try to nudge or encourage persecution, so that they can be "proud" of it. But on a primitive and tiny, spiritually arrested planet such as earth, persecution of the people of Love is inevitable.

And, historically, mystics have been persecuted, hunted down, tortured, and even murdered by religious traditionalists. It is ironic that the very religious have been the worst persecutors of the very spiritual, revealing the vast gulf between the two. This is true of the kabbalists of Judaism, the sufis of Islam, and the gnostics of Christianity.

Waiting for God

*******

Just sitting around and waiting for God to reveal Him/Herself is just fine. God will reveal God in God's own time.

But God has also gifted us with a brain, a mind, intelligence. I do not personally feel that a human being is doing her very best if she does not use intelligence, and even higher wisdom, to guide her life. So, I feel that God, in the deeper Mind, calls upon all of us to "ask, search, and knock" on the "door" of the heartmind. In other words, those who actively search for the meaning of that mysterious word "God"-- perhaps the greatest mystery of all time-- tend to grow more, and faster, spiritually.

Of course, we do have forever, and God is not in a hurry. Neither need we be! But spiritual growth is both fun and deeply satisfying. We do not pursue the wisdom of God because we are in some kind of "race," but because it is the most important pursuit in the world, if not the cosmos!

Life is so much incredibly richer with spirituality than without it!

As noted, this need not lead us to the many dead-ends of religion. We can safely by-pass religion altogether, in fact, if we have discovered spirituality.
*******

The Sermon on the Mount, Part II of XL

*******

TEXT: Continuing with Matthew 5:5.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

COMMENTARY: Some translations say, "…inherit the land." Land, for the ancient Israelis, has always been a symbol of power and wealth. In this world, the land always goes to the powerful and greedy. But, in eternity, in karmic history, the "meek" (some translations say, "mild-mannered") will end up as owners of the land. After millennia of terrible karma, creating war over land ("the earth"), these greedy landowners will be without any land at all, because they stole it from others. Instead, in eternity, the disabused victims of war and thievery, the innocent and the peaceful, will end up as landowners.

TEXT:

6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

COMMENTARY: In our world, it appears that there is very little goodness or "righteousness," and those who practice goodness, those who long for goodness, are not often satisfied. But Jesus paints a very different picture of eternity. Those who "hunger and thirst" for goodness, kindness, and the "right alignment" with Love will indeed be satisfied to overflowing. They will find psychological wellness and happiness in this life, and joy, bliss, and ecstasy in their eternal Soul-lives.

TEXT:

7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

COMMENTARY: This is a succinct summary of the principle of karma.
Those who are merciful do not always find mercy bestowed upon them, or given to them in return, in this world. But Jesus assures us that, in their eternal Soul-lives, all who show mercy will also receive as they have given. Mercy to all sentient beings is thus very important, but especially mercy to human beings.

TEXT:

8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

COMMENTARY: To be "pure in heart" is to express Love at every opportunity, for Love cleanses us from the influences of ignorance and the lower nature. The more that we allow Love into our hearts, the closer we are to God, Who is Love. To "see God" is to have, at its literal height, a mystical experience. Then, God is not known only in an abstract way, but as the Lovemind deep within all sentient minds, as the Mind deep within the Self.

*******

The Sermon on the Mount: A Classic of Spiritual/Mystical Literature, Part I of XL

*******

The Sermon begins at Matthew 5:1:

TEXT:

1. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2. And he said: 3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

COMMENTARY: He promises the Kingdom of Love, as participants, to those who, say other translations, are "beggers for the Spirit," or those who are "aware of their spiritual needs." Only those enlightened by the interior Lovespirit or Lovemind become "members" of the "kingdom." For the word "kingdom" means, "domain of a king." The "domain" of Christ/God is not geographical, as in Palestine, but is spiritual. The spiritual "domain" ruled by God the Holy Spirit is the heartmind.

TEXT:

4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

COMMENTARY: People are often made sad by the conditions of karma in this world, or sad because this "material" world is a place of suffering. But, in time, in karma, they are, Jesus promised, going to find "comfort" in the Presence of Love.

Ufos, Usos, and Prayer

*******

Both ufos and usos are the same phenomenon in different contexts. If ufonauts do have a base on earth, it is likely to be under water. For this would be much easier to keep secret and hidden from primitive natives.

It is easy to understand why these ufonauts, if representative of a superadvanced technology or civilization, would try to hide from the very primitive natives of our planet. For, in studying wild apes, lions, and other potentially dangerous life-forms, scientists always make sure that they have a Jeep to which they can retreat and hide, if necessary.:)

Recently, have been studying the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus actually forbids, prohibits, public prayer! Please read it, and you will discover this! So, preachers and ministers are everywhere breaking one of the great commandments of the great teacher. Like making Love, which can also be sacred, prayer is to be a private matter, "in secret," to use Jesus' words.
*******

Religion and Spirituality

*******

Religion and spirituality are a galaxy apart. The former was originally designed to be the handmaiden of the latter, but it has almost never worked out that way! Religion has regularly, throughout all history, shamefully supported war, bigotry, and innumerable divisions within the human community. Love (spirituality) never has!

It all comes back to definition: Religion is all the stuff outside [churches, most books, Bible-study, ritual, ceremony, candles, public prayer (a contradiction in terms), etc., while the much-higher spirituality is an "inside" job; it is Love.]
*******

Evolution and Sex

*******

The average person is missing so much in having reduced Lovemaking to a biological act. This is, in some cases, the result of belief in atheistic evolution. The current belief here is that there is no reason in the world that the Goddess (Nature) could not have used evolution as a mechanism of biocreation. The two camps-- evolution and creation-- have to stop frothing at the mouth, and biting, and backbiting, and find some reasonable compromise; and I think this is it.

My favorite view is called "edit," which means, "evolution-design integrated theory." It leaves plenty of room for divine intervention, perhaps by very advanced extraterrestrials, who helped and even initiated evolution by making specific changes in the dna. (We share 97.4% of our dnastructure with chimps, for example.)
*******

The Allegory of "Eden"

*******

Most scholars believe that the entire story of Eden, related in the first book of the official Bible, Genesis, is an allegory. The only group that accepts it as literal are-- you guessed it!-- extreme rightwing fundamentalists!

Jehovah represents, in the story, legalistic religion, the type common in ancient Judaism. Adam and Eve represent the yang (active, male, intellectual) and yin (passive, receptive, intuitive, female) sides of the lower (human) nature.

The "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" represents the illusion that anything in the cosmos is "absolutely bad," or free of, separate from, the perfect Mind (of God), without which nothing, or no thing, could ever exist.

The "sin" (error) that took the human mind from the state of uninterrupted bliss ("Eden" means "pleasure") was disagreement with God, who, after creation, declared His work "very good," and several times.

The human nature replied, "Yes, God is right-- sometimes. For some things are absolutely good. But others are absolutely evil. And this absolute evil is as real (a part of "truth" or reality) as is the good."

This kind of dualistic thinking removes us from the awareness of the omnipresence of God as Love. So, the Buddha tells us that one of our goals is the "all-embracing Mind" that, without any judgment, embraces the God (Love-nature) in all things.

If you dream of a little boy, little girl, red wagon, and blue ball, you are "in" the girl, "in" the boy, and "in" or "within" the wagon and ball. For they are all within you, or your dream. In this way,as the Dreamer or Creator of the cosmos, God-- the true God of Love-- is "in" everything.

Genesis is careful to distinguish the Creator from Yahweh. That is why there are really two creation-accounts, one in chapter one, and another in chapter two. For chapter one is about the spiritual creation of minds (Souls or spirits) emanated from the one Mind of God, and chapter two is about the dreaming of the illusion-world.

The writers used the Hebrew word elohim, which literally means, not "God," but "gods." So, Genesis 1:1 should not be translated, "God created the heavens and the earth," but, "the gods created the heavens and the earth."

At any rate, elohim is different, and separate from, Yahweh or Jehovah.

Jehovah, as legalistic religion, was the cause of all the problems introduced in Eden. He is the real deceiver in the Genesis allegory.

How do we know? Because Jehovah himself confirms as accurate the statements made by the "serpent." (Gen. 3:1-5) Early gnostics recognized that this "serpent" was not evil, but a teacher. Jehovah, they said, was the villain of the drama.
*******

Refreshing Love and Burdensome Religion

*******

Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, and My burden light." So, he offered comfort and refreshment to people who, trying to do what is right, suffered under crushing and unnecessary religious burdens. There are many similar people in our time. They want sincerely to "serve God," but believe that the only way to do this is by, and through, organized religion. This is simply not so. Jesus, for example, did not "belong" to any modern church, for they had not yet come into existence. So, beware ignorant liars who claim that only their church has the "truth"!

The traditionalists of nearly two thousand years ago loaded down the people with time-consuming and energy-draining burdens of hundreds, or even thousands, of laws. For many forms of Judaism, precisely like many forms of Christianity and Islam, are "legalistic" faiths.

That is, they lay down the "laws of God," which can number in the thousands. And anyone who does not obey each and every one is judged as inadequate, or even evil.

Jesus effectively replaced the huge burden and complexity of all these laws with a single law. This one law was not religious, but spiritual.
It is: Thou shalt love.

This guides every possible behavior in the cosmos, and gives a matrix and framework to life by giving our lives meaning: We can not only speak about "God" on earth, but can actually manifest God through every act of Love, "great" or "small." (Actually, there is never a "small" act of Love, since each arises from, and is interpenetrated by, the divine Essence or God.)

Does the Way of Love live at peace with religion, or does It replace religion? It can do both, or either. If your church is openminded and tolerant enough to "allow" you (without hassling you) to live by the Way of Love, and fully to embrace It, you can easily stay in your faith.

But if it is so strongly, unbendingly uncompromising that it says, "Our church or mysticism," then you are faced with a serious choice-- perhaps the most serious of this life!

For many people, discovering that God is Love, have been forced to abandon the faith of their childhood. This is not always necessary, for being a person of the Enlightenment Tradition can make you the most excellent Catholic, Buddhist, Baptist, or Methodist. But, especially in some of the smaller denominations, or cults, they are incompatible with the Way.
And they often know it.

Why? The answer can be as simple as a group is "Jehovist." That is, it insists that the false god of the Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament") is the Lord of Love of Jesus. This illogical conclusion, not supported by textual or historical data, confuses everything in the religion, and tries to force you into worshipping a false god. To worship this false god is, further, to betray Love.

This archaic god of the past is nearly four thousand years old. "He" is always male, and violates all the premises of Love with repeated genocide, murder, war, and favoritism. He promotes a legalistic religion, instead of true, Lovebased spirituality. Unlike the Lord of Love, this parochial and primitive god has a "chosen people." He seems at times never to have heard of Love and forgiveness, the twin nuclei of Jesus' message. In fact, the "loyal people of Jehovah," the defenders and professional teachers of religion, conspired in the murder of Jesus.
If nothing else even existed, this one blazing fact would set Jesus and Jehovah at opposite ends of the spiritual spectrum. Jehovah is a god of fear, Jesus the Lord of Love-- one of Her many forms!
*******

Liberation from Nightmares: Jehovism and Armageddonism

*******

Supercongratulations and a big hooray for your courage and honesty in your Letter of Dissociation [by which you formally, and for the record, left a dangerous cult]! These are rare enough qualities in today's world, and even more scarce among the dissembling cult-members, who are masters at word-manipulation, evasion, and selfcongratulation. Perhaps these emotional illnesses are all related and connected in some profound way. Just thank Love, every minute of every day, that you have been blessedly liberated from Jehovism, which affects almost the entire totality of Christendom. (This means that the cult shares its nuclear, matrix teaching with all the churches-- that Jehovah is the pure Lord of
Love!:) And how sweet to be equally liberated from the Hitleresque nightmare of Armageddonism!")
*******

Barack Hussein Obama (A Must Read)

Thanks to Theresa Ramsey
*******

Obama did NOT take his oath on a Koran. That was another congressman. He also did not disrespect the flag. The falsity of this information is readily available on Snopes and other sites that deal with urban legend.

See the Snopes article here.

Please make sure you correct this misunderstanding.

*******

Desire and "Temptation"

*******

Previously, the strength, wisdom, and power of releasing excess desire has been discussed. In much of Christian writing through the centuries, much has been said about the terrible power and corrupting influence of "temptation."

Temptation is founded on desire. In fact, by definition, it is a desire-- for something spiritually harmful. Temptation takes many forms:

For many, it is found in food overconsumption, leading to obesity and several body-weakening diseases.

For others, it is sexual. These people suffer from low selfesteem; not considering themselves worthy of any real Love, they try to overcompensate by quick, shallow, Lovefree, frustrating sexual experiences. For still others, the major temptation of this life is money, and all the things that it can buy. But, as the old cliche reminds, money cannot buy happiness. And, as the old song says, it can't buy you Love. Others are tempted by power, position, or fame; these also suffer from abysmally low selfesteem, hating themselves. They are always trying to compensate.

These are only a few of many "temptations" found on earth. What they all have in common is that most people consider them desirable. The enlightened person might well enjoy, and be grateful for, sex, food, and enough money to survive and feed her family. But she does not become the slave of any of these needs. For she draws the line between need and desire.

The fool does not do this. She has no valid or strong boundaries.

She has a knack for "going with a flow," but it is not the Flow of the cosmos, cosmic Love. For a person who loves herself does not want to be in utter slavery -- to tobacco, good food, alcohol, pot, money, sex, ideas, or any of a hundred other cruel and false masters. The good things of this life are wonderful servants; but they make horrible and intensely cruel and tortuous masters.

So, as enlightened people, we are completely free to want anything. But a conflict often arises between want and Love. When wants are expanded to become our "masters," the conflict always appears. This is where practical "renunciation," completely rejecting "over-desire," comes into our lives as an aspect of enlightenment. For the only one who cannot be "tempted" is the one who does not want anything that is antiagapic (against Love).

Enlightened people know that desire is a path to pain and frustration if desire goes beyond need. It is fine spiritually to desire enough food to live; in fact, this desire is a necessary aspect of selflove. But it is when desires start to multiply, to run rampant, to get out of control, to resist selfregulation, that they become a "demonic" (very harmful) master. So, the goal is not to reject or renounce one hundred percent of all desires. This is an extreme, and we, as the people of Love, avoid extremes.

Instead, we reject over-desire, the desire that knows no limits or boundaries. For if you are always desiring, you are like a person who is always thirsty or always hungry; your desire makes you continually miserable! So, the modification of desire to minimal levels leads to maximum happiness and tranquility. For she who has minimal desire need not work as hard, or as many hours, to fulfill her needs. For she knows the difference between need and greed.
*******

Primitive, Backwards Physics

*******

We seem to be looking at quantum physics, or, to use its antique name, "particle" physics, from within its "Neanderthalic" period of evolution.

We, having discovered only some sharp rocks, are a long way from brainsurgery!:)

Our complete absence of sophistication is readily observable most of all in the sixteenth-century materialism that still guides science.:) You must admit that this is hilarious.:) The physics of the future is the study of the invisible.
There is no doubt that science is gradually growing into mystical awareness. It is inevitable when honest science pursues truth (reality), or even "ultimate" truth. Both will inevitably converge, and that will be a most beautiful leap forward!

Of course, they will discover that the ultimate "particle" is not a particle at all. It will be a wave of temporary energy, neutral in atomic weight, neutral in spin, neutral in acceleration, called the "psychon."

Yes, human jerks and losers will always form cults around new and stunning, bright discoveries.

*******

God, the U.S., and Forgiveness

*******

The "Ten Commandments" were never, and never meant to be, a "Christian" document. They are the ancient, primitive laws that guided a very old and archaic culture. They were not created to guide people of the twenty-first century, but groups of tribal savages living near the twenty-first century BC!

Not that they are not great and fine ideas for all people. They likely derived from the more ancient Code of Hammurabi of Babylonia. And it is a good idea not to kill, steal, and go after your neighbor's wife!:)

But most of the modern defenders of the Ten Commandments are also supporters of the noxious and obscene war for greed and oil in Iraq. So, they cannot be taken seriously as "defending" or "being on the side of" Jesus, in this or any other matter. For this sick and nightmarish war, they have trashed the most important of Commandments, "Thou shalt not kill."

It really doesn't impress a person of even moderate intelligence that they hang it up, with a kind of boastful superiority, on their walls, or in their courts. For they advocate and defend trashing this Commandment.

They support, often enthusiastically, the utter merciless slaughter of our Middle Eastern sisters and brothers. A high percentage of the nearly one million that have perished through the "shock and awe" of this ghastly bloody war have been women and children. This is the most ugly and insane behavior, and God does not approve of it, is never behind it.

The true God is Love and perfect forgiveness. He does not rain punishment upon his beloved children. The United States has some gigantic problems, at the top of which it is being run, and ruined, by a lawless, greedy, tyrannical regime controlled by a backwards incompetent.

But although the U.S. has many challenges, they are not, and can never be, the "punishment" of a petty, trivial god who is "offended" by human actions. Stupid human mistakes are not important, or potent, enough to "offend" the God of infinity. They are not even a blip on the "radar" of life!

Human beings who think that human mistakes are so terribly important base this on the assumption that their lives are the obsession of God. But God has a billion other planets, in a billion other galaxies, to run.
Our activities, including our mistakes, are simply not Number One on an endless, limitless agenda!

Earth is a school. A school is a place designed to make mistakes, for that is the only way that we ever learn anything. Only rightwing fanatics, without a particle of Love, compassion, or forgiveness in their hearts, try to present the beautiful Lord of Love in the violent, ignorant Jehovah-image of the Old Testament. This false "god" is always angry; he is violent, murderous, and completely unforgiving. He is a petty and trivial deity.

More advanced and sophisticated people realize that the sweet Infinite does not waste time with anger. We recognize this as a serious weakness among people; so why should we project it onto the immeasurable Mind of Love?

People who feel that the Ruler and Guide of the universe wastes time with unforgiveness and punishment, vengeance, and pettiness, are wrong. They betray that, although hyper-religious, they have absolutely zero knowing of the true God of profound wisdom and deeper Love. For the Love of God is infinite, and he is never petty. It simply does not matter to him whether we, on a planet so tiny as to be invisible, hang up the Ten Commandments in our courts, or put, "In God we trust" on our money. For, in the greater scope of eternity, none of these trivialities add up to a single molecule.

What is important is that we learn to love and to forgive. So, the person of wisdom does not waste time with hollow, superficial, and artificial public activities, so that she might be admired by microscopic people. She does not fight and argue about symbolic actions that are inconsequential, such as placing religious documents in public. Instead, every day, she works on the interior Self, renewing it in the healing Power of Love and compassion.
*******

Guilt, Fear, Love, and Jehovism

*******

Love prohibits fear. God is Love, and her conceptual (not real) "opposite" is fear. So, as mystics, we often say, "Goddess is Love, and the 'devil' is fear."

How do we avoid this 'devil'? One way is continually to bring your mind back to the NOW. In this NOW, we have no past, and no future. If we can center in the NOW, as long as we can do so, we vanquish or conquer guilt, which is fear from the past. Btw, we also conquer worry, which is fear from the future.

So, with one simple spiritual principle, we "kill," or deactivate, two demonic and haunting forms of fear.

Re guilt: Often, we feel guilt when we feel that our mistakes are so very, very important. This arises because we are thinking of ourselves as too significant. The only factor that is significant or important about any human being is her ability to permit Love.

Think of the great immensity and vastness of this cosmos. Our galaxy contains at least two thousand million suns. And, in this physical universe, we have discovered a thousand million galaxies! The whole planet earth is only an "atom" in this great universe. How important can one nanoscopic person be on that microscopic dot? So, how important can her mistakes be?

So, remind yourself of these facts when you start to feel guilty. In our backwards religions, most of which are founded on the false godimage "Jehovah," sin is at the center of all. It is incredibly important.

But the opposite is true with the Way of Love. It is not "sin" that is important, for this is mere error. Instead, it is forgiveness, a form of Love, that really counts and matters. In the cosmic context, "sins" are tiny, and so, we must work on forgiveness, all of which begins with selforgiveness! So, when a "sin" starts to haunt you, with velcromind, kick in your mantra and create a state of clear, empty teflonmind. Let it go. You are the only one clinging to this "sin," creating pain, agony, guilt, and even interior "hell."

Also, forgive others, and you will be forgiven. If you cannot forgive a "sin" that you have created, find someone else who has done the same or something similar. Then, when you can completely forgive her, you will find that you can forgive yourself!

Reject guilt; refuse delivery.

Despite its ubiquity among the Jehovist religions, guilt has never, in all history, made a person better. For guilt is not a tool of Love, but of fear. It serves evil and ignorance, creating and supporting hell.
*******

Friendship, Simplicity, and Materialism

*******

Living in simplicity is a standard principle of true spirituality. It is anti-greed, anti-grasping, anti-clinging, and represents great interior freedom to the person who drops her glue-like attachment to too many material things. We desperately need to replace "velcromind," which sticks to everything, with teflonmind, which sticks to nothing! And that hypervelcromind is certainly what has happened in this country: People have too much tv, too many celfones, too much music, too much cybertech, too much entertainment, too much sex, too many books, too many religions, and a spectrum and plethora of other hyperindulgences: Nothing the average American can think of is too good for her!

Thus, we have a hyperkinetic, super-busy society in which almost no one is truly happy, content, or satisfied. Tranquility or serenity is a very rare jewel. We are so "plugged into" material "stuff" that we do not allow time for even friendship-maintenance or "development. And that is a great tragedy, for friendship is the usual expression of God (Love) on this planet!:)

To make friendship-Love a priority is a great blessing! We need to invest more time in each other, in friendship, and much less in money-grubbing! For gold is a cold and lonely, even ugly, "replacement" for kind, compassionate friends.
*******

More Perfectionism

*******

It is very, very good to unmask perfectionism for the destructive, sabotaging "demon" that it truly is.

For it is no servant of God (Love), but the "devil" (fear). It pushes us away from Love, especially a special type called "selflove," thus edging that part of God out of our lives. Of course, God never abandons or leaves any life, not even for a nanosecond. If this impossibility occurred, that life would cease immediately, that mind disappear. But, in all the history of all the universe, no mind, once created, has ever been de-created, even though several minds have required major reconstruction (education) in Love.:)
*******

Desire: A Careful Analysis

*******

In our society and culture, we are powerfully, repeatedly programmed to believe that the way to happiness is, "Desire much, get much (fulfill your desire), and be happy." But a careful study of history demonstrates that there is no relation between material wealth and happiness (contentment, satisfaction, fulfillment, joy). But the entire advertising universe is based on this premise. And it involves millions of people and many billions of dollars.

We have all received of, or have been imprinted with, this program. The average teen has heard over 150,000 commercials during her short life.

The advocates of increased desire are everywhere, and every store, every bank, every financial institution, supports them. "Desire more and more" is the universal message.

That is why people actually expect that more dollars mean instant happiness. But interviews with lottery-winners prove that they are often stunned and shocked due to their disappointment at profound feelings of unhappiness after having won major lotteries! With all the money that they could ever spend, they have not found happiness.

Our entire society is a witness to the failure of this program. For unhappiness is ubiquitous and pervasive. Even chronic depression is common, the number one psychological disorder in this very wealthy country.

Radical problems require radical solutions. So, in a quest to understand the very, very important connections between desire and happiness, we must take a very careful look at alternative views.

One of these is the view of people of the Enlightenment Tradition
(mysticism) down through the ages. Whether Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, or from nature-traditions, all mystics agree about this. They all say:

The Way to full happiness is the turning away from, the decrease, even the final renunciation (rejection) of desire. This seems so very odd that it deserves closer examination.

What is desire? By definition, it is a state of dissatisfaction, unfulfillment, incompletion. These factors are more readily associated with unhappiness than with happiness. Advertisers, for example, have only one job: They must make you feel dissatisfied, incomplete. Then, they say, buying their product will make you feel satisfied and complete!

So, desire creates unhappiness. For a person who is completely happy and utterly fulfilled, absolutely satisfied, desires nothing. Desire is a "wave" upon the placid mirror-lake of the calm, tranquil, happy mind.

Let's look at a parable: A little girl was given a red wagon for her birthday. She had been wanting, and hinting, for many years that she wanted a blue bicycle. When she received the wagon, she was miserable.

But the wagon did not make her miserable. It was a fun, fine toy. No, what made her miserable was the desire for the blue bike.

So, events in themselves do not make us unhappy. Instead, it is the desire for them to be different that creates misery. So, if you train yourself to accept whatever occurs in your life, you will have one of the greatest secrets to happiness!

Another parable can illustrate: Two women were born in the same neighborhood on the same day. Each married at age twenty. Each climbed the ladder of "success" to a moderate executive position. But the one, always focused on what she did not have, and what she could not do, was always miserable and complaining. Impressing others, she thought, was a key to "happiness," and she struggled endlessly to impress everyone-- including strangers whom she would never see again! The other, who always thought and spoke about what she did have, and what she could do, was a study in happiness and serenity.

Again, material things do not create happiness. Nor does status, position, or power. Happiness is an attitude, and is internal; it cannot be created by anything external.

Those who, like the happy lady in the parable, diminish and lessen desires require less to satisfy them. They are more easily happy. So, as a rule, those who minimize their desires tend to be happier, while those who follow the dictates of our crazy society, amplifying desires, multiplying them, are more miserable.
*******

Cosmic Christianity

*******

I do claim to be "Christian," but reject orthodox, historical, and organized Christianity. Instead, I embrace a very personal Christianity, the Christianity of Jesus. And I am never "only" Christian. For eclectic spirituality (the most comprehensive) is possible within an open and flexible Christian mind. So, I do consider myself also an active Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, native American, and member of nature-based faiths as well. This is the spiritual path known as "universalism." And my personal best, most succinct, advice to a newcomer to the Way would be: Love everyone, forgive everyone, serve everyone.:)
*******

Perfectionism A "Demon"

*******

Everything taught here in spirituality, with very few and very tiny exceptions, has been learned through the "school of hard knocks," or karma. Very little of true wisdom can be learned through books only, although books can be reliable guides if written by, and in, Love.

So glad and happy that you have dropped that ol' dragon perfectionism.

Like guilt, when we see it as a disease-- and not a factor that can improve life-- we can lay it to rest forever, rejecting it from our lives and minds. Only then can we really start to recover from our "slavery" to this evil master.
*******

Quakers and Unitarians

*******

If there were ever any "organized" religious group that appealed to this heartmind, it would have to be along the lines of the unprogrammed Quakers. Did you know that there are two types-- programmed and unprogrammed? The programmed are much like any other Protestant service, with minister, sermon, and the whole nine. But the unprogrammed believe in personal access to the "inner Light." Their services are often simply periods of shared silence and personal "revelations" shared with the community. The Unitarians also have some attraction for this mind. But neither is powerful enough to overcome the joy and freedom in remaining a "free-lancer.":)
*******

Shining the Love-nature

*******

Arguably, no one has ever lived up to her "best vision" of her best potential Selfexpression. The very best for which we can reasonably hope is that Love will use us as Its (Her/His) "vessel". At its brightest, this might occur only periodically, since no one is perfect. We might allow the Lovespirit, Lovemind, or Love-nature to "come through" with crystal clarity only some of the time. To selfcriticize for this natural condition, in which a lower (humanimal) nature also exists within, is to suffer from the fearbased spiritual "disease" of perfectionism. The wise and enlightened do not demand perfection from themselves even in Lovexpression. But instead, as Zen teachers say, they continue to "polish" the interior "mirror" of Love, continuously "wiping away" the "dust" of the lower (humanimal) nature. It is our purpose to bring, to shine, Love into this often-dark world. Perhaps no human being can do this one hundred percent of the time, but that is not our mission, assignment, or "calling" from the Holy Spirit of Love. Instead, we are called to do the best that we can, and to know that our honest "best" is always enough.:)
*******

Psychopharmacology and Our Kids

*******

For the past six thousand years or so, when a child reacted by throwing tantrums, screaming, hitting, biting, and in other unhealthy behavior-patterns, she was taught selfregulation, selfmonitoring, selfcontrol, and selfmodification techniques.

In other words, she was introduced and exposed to discipline-- a word that means simply "learning." (It is the root of "disciple.") But very recently, during the past twenty years, the entire paradigm of the mental wellness of both children and adults has undergone revolutionary changes.

In older times, having a "bad day" now and again was considered "normal."
In other words, each and every person was expected to have to deal with sadness, anger, anxiety, or depression for short periods during her life.
Indeed, life itself often precipitates these very responses.
So, they serve as "exams" or "tests," "lessons" for the Soul.
They change the mind, even at very deep levels of the Unconscious. (The "Soul-level" is deeper than the personal unconscious.")

But the new paradigm says that if you, or your child, has negative moments, it is due to suffering from a "syndrome." It presents human fabrications and modifications of the chemistry of the supercomplex brain as the solution to every problem. A major difficulty here is that most of the neurological drugs have never been tested on children. And, often, those which have been tested indicate long-term sideffects of the chemicals which are sometimes more damaging than the condition which they are supposed to address.

We must note that some conditions are so severe that they do require neurochemical changes in the brain. These include neurochemical imbalances, or even absences of necessary brain-chemicals.

But regular changes or alterations in mood do not require these approaches, which usually use extremely powerful drugs. So, if a response can be altered by careful training and discipline, this more difficult path should be tried first. Only when this genuinely fails should strong psychopharmacological treatments be tried. In other words, although they are much easier, they should always be a last resort, not the first.

These unnatural agents might cause longterm damage to the brains of children. And this damage might extend well into their adulthood, altering behaviors, capacities, abilities, talents, or skills. The Way of discipline requires patience and regular communication, and perhaps this is why this superior approach has been neglected by so many "modern mommies and daddies." They want to be friends with, and not parents for, their children. But you cannot always be your childrens' "best friend,"
and you are not supposed to be! You are supposed to be her model, guide, teacher, the giver of structure in life. All life, all mind, longs for structure, and discipline is precisely such structure.
*******

God(dess) and Light

*******

Sunny bright days are full of Light, and hence, remind us of the everpresent Love everywhere in the world. For the mystic who wrote, "God is Love" (1 Jn. 4:8) also wrote, "God is Light" (1 Jn. 1:5). How sweet and healing is the interior Light, symbolized by the light of nature.

As beings of Spirit, let us fill ourselves with Light every day. Let us also see God or Goddess in the sunlight. For the Hindu mystics say that Godmind is like sunlight: Even when it shines upon garbage, it remains absolutely and stainlessly pure; and even in the midst of an imperfect and sometimes "unclean" world, the Mind remains pristine.:)
*******

"Parentizing" Other Adults

*******

It is best to allow other adults to find, create, or discover their own paths-- emotional, spiritual, and mental. We can, of course, give aid and assistance, as this is the very assignment of loving people. But we have gone far too far if we try to "parentize" other adults. It is inappropriate, and impossible, to be a "father" or "mother" to other adults.

This realization is fairly evident to most, with the powerful exception of their biological children: Most parents have a very difficult challenge in letting go of their kids. But, as you have learned, you must let even them make their own mistakes. For this is the only way possible to grow on earth. In the final analysis, making mistakes, however tragic, confusing, and disorienting, is a positive learning experience. No matter how hard you try, no matter how great your Love, you cannot insulate other adults from the often terrible effects of their errors. You could even say that some errors are karmically determined; they are part of the life-predesign of the deeper Mind (Soul).
*******

Spirituality as Priority

*******

The world keeps getting in the way of spirituality. In fact, we all must solve this great challenge personally. The only solution is the creation of priority in the mind: Until or unless spirituality is Number One, we are going to continue with these conflicts, perhaps for thousands of years.:) And each must decide this matter for herself; it is not something that can be done by one person for another. To put spirituality ahead of the many other interests (distractions) of life is a major personal commitment.
*******

Color-visualization

*******

When we practice distant healing, we do the work in our minds. It helps the process to use color-visualization, as the deep unconscious does not think in words, but pictures. That is why dreams are pictures. So, to facilitate mental activities, we use a color-code: Yellow represents grounding, repair, cohesion; blue, psychology, mental clarity, and oxygenation; red, energy, warmth; and silver, purification and cleansing.
*******

The Independent Mind

*******

The Mind is gently, gradually leading every one of us, through exams, tests, and lessons, to the point where we shall awaken to our absolute independence from all other minds. A free and independent mind still welcomes the jewel of friendship. In fact, she treasures it. But she does not allow this close kinship, or even intimacy, to devolve into dependence. That is wisdom.
*******

Get thee behind me, satan

*******

We have discussed this odd statement of Jesus ("Get thee behind me, Satan!") before. There is no good or solid evidence that this was ever addressed to any particular disciple.

In context, Jesus was foretelling some of the disastrous difficulties he was about to encounter. Out of a no-doubt genuine Love, Peter tried to comfort him. But this Peter did by contradicting the revelations just given to Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

In a perhaps unguarded moment of anguish and agony, the lower nature of Jesus (his human side; fear or "satan") manifested itself. It said that perhaps he could avoid all the suffering and pain of his assignment, so he rebuked it.

Although it seems odd to us, most Biblical commentators agree that Jesus was speaking to this part of himself-- his human nature, and its dangerous fear-component. Since he knew that this story would be repeated, he also said these words as a teaching for his followers, such as you and me, still to be born in the future.

Jesus was not a cruel man, and did not set an example of speaking harshly to others. But he was often quite strict with his own weaknesses, and, often, what we might think of as an overly strict disciplinarian with himself. He had to be ultracautious lest the "satan" (fear-factor) within his human heartmind tried to take over and run, and ruin, his life.
*******

Judgment

*******

The text that commands, "Judge not, lest you be judged," is Matthew 7:1.

To "judge" is not simply to form an opinion. Having intelligence virtually guarantees that we will form, or hold, opinions about many things, and about many people and their behaviors. And it is okay for people of intelligence to form, and hold, opinions. For example, I feel that torture is wrong and evil. That is an opinion, but I believe that it is also in harmony with Love.

An enlightened person can also hold and express even negative opinions about people. In Matthew chapter 23, Jesus himself expresses several negative opinions about the religious leaders of his day. This is so even though they were "respectable" members of the community. Because of this, followers of Jesus also feel free to express opinions about others, including even religious leaders. There are several religious leaders who are greedy, trying only to grab as much money as possible. Other religious leaders do their work for power over others. Leaders who work for ego, greed, or personal power are supposed to be exposed by the people of Love. For this was the example set by Jesus and other enlightened people.

What, if this is true, does it mean to prohibit "judgment"? To "judge"
is, in the absolute or final sense, to evaluate the total value or total being of a person. If, for example, someone said, "She's going to hell forever," that would be judgment, for it would be an evaluation or appraisal of a Soul, not just an opinion about behavior.

If we express a negative opinion regarding the Soul, or eternal destiny, of any person, that is judgment, and that is forbidden by the Christ.
Meanwhile, let us keep in mind the valid principle that having no opinion about anything does not make you "enlightened." It makes you only mindless. An enlightened being is never neutral about everything. She does not hesitate to point out and expose behavior that is harmful, hypocritical, or evil.
*******

Visit to Pneumarium

*******

Our gatherings of our students (little extended spiritual family) are nothing formal at all. In fact, we are very relaxed and informal.

Group-gatherings have been as small as three, and have attracted as many as twenty-four.:)

We meet in a very special room made for the purpose. It is clean, but not flashy or fancy.:) This is also the room where we store our books.

(We distribute twenty books on spirituality and spiritual psychology.:) So, we hope that you will pick up one or two (or more) while you are here!

Following the Flow or the Tao of unstructured spontaneity, we have no preplanned or prepared lessons. Our interactions (conversations) arise from whatever subject is mentioned at the time. The "floor" is always "open" to new inquiries and comments.

We recognize no leaders but the "Spirit" (Mind of the heart). (We call it the "deep heartmind.") We also have no dogma, no doctrines set in stone.

The closest thing that we have to a teaching is the belief that Love is the central Mind, the Center of the cosmos and of life, and that Love works practically to inspire, uplift, and inform our lives. As "God is Love," we worship Love. This expresses as kindness, goodness, friendliness, tolerance, and an entire list of positive qualities.

We are eager to share more with you, but you will not be pressured.:) No attempt will be made to "convert" you to any religion; for we are members of many religions, or none at all.:)

So, expect a small but friendly group of people who will be both delighted and eager to make your acquaintance.
*******

The Politics of Compassion

*******

Thank you for your patriotic and political message.

It is just a little too "black and white," and too far to the right (extreme conservatism) for our taste. Our political philosophy has room for compassion.

This message, which seems to be perfect on first glance, we have heard several times before; it contains no room for, does not allow for, compassion, especially for the poor and dislocated of the world. It can be very harsh to insist that very poor people learn a new language and get a job, but both are not always realistic possibilities. So, it is better, we feel, to make allowances for human limitations, and not to demand from the ultrapoor what we might demand from others. They need extra compassion, and a "softer" philosophy, especially when they are newly in transition from one country (or culture) to another. We prefer the Way of gentleness, although we can understand the frustrations of those who take this concrete, unmoving stand against foreign languages and foreign people.
*******

Moderate Anger-management

*******

Your natural human mind has some built-in limitations and reactions, and it is here to learn. In your case, one of the lessons that your Soul has preplanned and predesigned for your mind is patience, particularly with the little ones [your children]. This is indeed a form of Love, which we have all come to earth to polish and explore, to learn and to cultivate.

They will be your "teachers," in a very real sense.

Be kind to yourself; exercise selfcompassion when you note a natural imperfection. Realize the limits of stress to your own mind, and give yourself regular periods of meditation, stillness, or relaxation to compensate for "hyper-busy-ness." This will strengthen you, and will support and reinforce your goal to be always as patient as possible.

Anger is not bad or evil; it is quite natural. So, it is important that we allow ourselves to feel and express it in moderation, and on a regular basis. But we want to express this fiery emotion in a way that does not harm others.

One way to do this is by turning the "anger energy" into "kinetic energy." Thus, when excited by anger, we can immediately transform that energy into physical movement. We can jog, run, walk, swim, or exercise.

In a related way, others, when convenient, turn anger-energy into literal Lovenergy by engaging in honorable sex with their exclusive and monogamous Love-partner.

Still others find that "scream-therapy" (screaming into a pillow, when no one else is around) can do much to alleviate the natural pressure generated by anger. Deep breathing and meditation can also help get the "dragon" under control. So can conversation with friends.

Work-therapy is very useful to many. When you are immediately "lost" or immersed in your work, anger-energy can be dissipated harmlessly.

Some, who have fantasy-prone personalities, can get lost in a novel or movie during moments of extreme crisis. This directing of the difficult energy does not work for all people, but does aid in the interior healing of some.

Engaging in some socially constructive or helpful activity-- aiding the homeless, helping children, the aged, or the challenged-- can also transform anger-energy into a more constructive outlet.

Do not let anger worry you, as that will only compound the problem.

Remember that anger is natural and normal, although not desirable. Try not to see the feeling as a "sin," for it is not. (It can be transformed into "sin," depending on what you do with the energy.:)

Immersing yourself in deep spirituality (e.g., reading of the mystics, East and West) can also act therapeutically on the mind, moods, and emotional expressions.

Speaking of good spiritual reading, we produce an infosheet once every two or three days, which will end up on your inboxscreen free if you want to subscribe. It is called the "Universal Love Digest" (uld), and contains social and political commentaries, Scriptural studies, religious, ecological, and spiritual views of a wide spectrum of subjects. We also produce a twenty-page magazine once per month, which is also free. It is called Lovelight magazine, and contains humor, wordplay, miniparables, useful hints, and quotations. If you would like both, or either, please just let us know; say the word, and they are yours.:)
*******

Good Passion!

*******

If passion be craziness, keep me away from that dull, boring "prison" called "respectability.":) Life on earth, as you have probably noticed, is a very tough, very long, haul! So, we owe it to ourselves, as part of selflove, to have as much non-harmful fun as possible! While this does not mean giving in to indulgence every time-- or you would be the size of a house-- it does mean periodically, moderately enjoying the great God-given gifts of the senses. In the past, when selfstyled "spiritual" people condemned all sensuality, they went way too far, off the path of moderation. For what in the world could ever be "sinful" about imbibing the fresh scent of a rose, watching a lovely sunset, or enjoying the "music" of crickets and treefrogs on a lovely spring evening? Most yielded that these "senses" were "probably okay," but still despised the richer senses involving the indispensable human touch, and, more deeply, sexuality-- even between people who were committed to Love and enduring relationship. It has been scientifically validated that children who are reared without human touch actually die-- through "absence of thriving."
Our Western society has experienced some kind of terrible mix-up here, and its anti-sexual bigotry has nothing to do with God (Love).
*******

Creating (Making) Love

*******

There are a plethora of ways and methods for creating Love, some of which have nothing to do with clothing or its absence. Creating Love is a matter of mind much more than body; body is involved, but only secondarily, and in only several fairly specialized instances. The enlightened being is creating Love in her heart all day and all night, every day. That in itself makes her super-attractive, the very best that any human being could be, or hope to be!:) It is the Source of endless joy and bottomless tranquility. It lets us disappear into the Goddess.:)
*******

Jesusnotes

*******

Jesus was the incarnation of purest Love (God). He was an enlightened teacher who had vanquished and conquered his ego entirely. But despite all this, there was still a tiny part of his mind that was still "human."

This is what made him "true God and true man."

In that tiny shadow or echo of the lower human nature lay the seeds of potential fear. These did not grow, were not cultivated, but were only fear-potential. Thus, he experienced the perennial battle between Love and fear that marks the human condition. He was "tested in all things, as other men."

This microparticle of darkness did challenge him through his physical brain and nervous system. He experienced, at times, biologically-based weakness, as, for example, in states of hunger or exhaustion. He needed to eat and sleep as do all human beings. He felt pain as do we all.

He was not a freak or alien, but a true human being. So, yes, he did have to encounter the interior "dragons" or "demons" that we all must face along the path. With supreme and ecstatic Love, he was able to overcome them. That is why early Christians referred to him as a "model." If he had been a one-of-a-kind superman, he could not possibly have been a model. And, exactly as he had to face and overcome the fear-nature (devil), we all have exactly this same precise assignment or mission.
*******

Ecospirituality and Compassion

*******

Ecospirituality is the application of spiritual principles, summed up as Love, to the environment or ecology. It implies sharpened awareness of ecology, the sacredness of all life, and our assignment to be "guardians" of our natural world.

Earth is a beautiful but tiny jewel in space. Its biosystems support all life, and are created by the "Goddess," nature. For this reason, and because all life is sacred, these supportive chemical systems are also sacred.

It is obscene to plow into a pristine wilderness and devastate a landscape, ruining the natural habitats of numerous creatures. It is also immoral to kill a living sentient (selfaware) creature, if that murder can be avoided. It is violent; it is filthy; and it is antispiritual, for it is antiagapic (against Love).

We must learn to treasure each and every resource that is given so freely by nature. We must learn that each, and each life-form, is precious.

But on the earth, at present, under the present system, ecological progress must usually be accomplished by the joint efforts of many people working together in harmony. These are people with good hearts and good minds; they have a noble and elevated vision of how they can transform the future.

But, like all other people in a corrupt and imperfect world, they must do much of their work through the use of money. This is not "bad," or "terrible." It is just the way things are on this little planet at this time.

But this does imply priorities that are absolutely necessary, absolutely indispensable. This means that a dollar given to one cause cannot simultaneously be used for another, second, cause. And, in ecology, dollars are often extremely or severely limited.

The reason that this is mentioned is that there are interests in ecology that come and go. These might not concern the whole of ecology, or truly important ecological matters, but might be based on passing sentiments.

The wise are careful not to splurge their rare dollars (which represent
timenergy) on "ecofads." Instead, they make certain that their "ecodollars" are used to support the entire ecosystem of life. Some of these rare dollars are used to improve human conditions; for the human being is also a part of nature, often neglected. According to brain-development-- and this is only one of many criteria by which we can measure-- human needs, and human beings, are high on the list of priorities, with those of whales, dolphins, simians, and other developed mammals.

So, then, let us not forget our little "sisters and brothers" in the animal kingdom. For we were once in their form, and they shall someday be in ours.:)
*******

God(dess) in All

*******

God indwells the entire cosmos as Dreamer or Creator. She/He also indwells it, but only potentially, as living Love. As Mind, working through our minds, She is "in" every picture in the dreamworld.

For example, if you dream at night of a little girl, a little boy, a blue ball, and red wagon, you are "in" the girl, the boy, the ball, and the wagon. In this way, God is "in" all, including especially our hearts.:)
*******

Teachers, Truth, and Spirit

*******

This is just fine, my friend. If you answer this email, it will be beautiful; but if you do not, it will also be beautiful-- just in another way. This non-demand, non-expecting is practical Taoism. It is also practical karmayoga; for this note is written as a spiritual exercise, and not to create results (responses or replies).

Let us begin, in compassion and truth, by setting the record straight:
For many years, you have written to me only once a year, around the Holy-days. And, although most of our work is now email (cyberwork), a thorough response to your snailmail letters was always prepared in detail. This was prepared on the computer, but was always printed out in hardcopy as snailmail. This is because we treasured your letters, thought that they deserved much thought and considerate responses; and so, it was our unbending policy to reply to your letters.

You have taken a "golly gee whis" attitude toward the man whom you call "his holiness." For me, a truly holy man rejects titles and special ego-builders. A true master does not call himself "master," and a real holy man would not permit himself to be called, as you do many times, "his holiness." These somewhat childish and artificial titles are designed to impress the unenlightened, the crowd. They have a "golly, gee whiz" flavor about them-- unsophisticated. They have no valid place, or use, among enlightened people.

For enlightened people tend to see each other as equal, and equally independent, manifestations of the One. We do not seek, and we do not bestow, artificial "honors" or special titles. If you are going to use this ridiculous title "his holiness" for one sage/teacher, then you must consistently use it for all. Otherwise, you are practicing false, ego-based discrimination. The enlightened person has no room for ego-games in her life, and will not support them actively, or allow them to be supported, by students in darkness. The truly enlightened sage is identified by humility, and rejects such artificial human titles as "reverend," [which means "holy one"] "father," "your excellency," or "your holiness." These are but "junk"-- artifacts of ego-mind, useless to the spiritual path, and antispiritual, as they reinforce the ego and lower nature.

A friend is no friend if he (she) is not honest. So, this note is an honest response to the news that you seem to be following a man rather than following the interior Spirit of Love directly. For this Spirit indwells your heart. Following human beings is not the highest or best, although, in every life, there are periods when it is helpful to read or learn something taught by human beings. The very highest souls are here, not to "convert" people to follow other "special" human beings (as in your letter), but to turn the gaze and attention inward to the One, the Source. So, I am not "in the market" for gurus or "enlightened teachers," for our truest assignment is not to find, but to become this kind of sage.

People who follow human leaders in spirituality are still in spiritual kindergarten. The enlightened always respect and love the enlightened, but they do not set up others as their "superior." They grow into maturity and wisdom, and no longer play "follow the leader," except for the interior Leader within the heart.

Gurus are human beings, just like the rest of us. They are no "closer to God," and are not "more enlightened." For it is precisely the same enlightenment experience that is encountered by everyone who has the mystical experience. Some mystics do not have "superior" experiences, and others "inferior." God gives the complete, total Mind to anyone and everyone who is prepared. God (Love) does not "give the Spirit by measure."

Professional gurus differ only in that they have a lot of time on their hands, and so, get to spent a little more time in meditation and study.

But the time of an entire lifetime is but a fraction of an eye-blink in eternity. So, you must emerge from the illusion that another is intrinsically superior to your Self in the Light. Each and every being who becomes enlightened is marked by a profound independence. She does not make the common error of discussing other spiritual teachers, but talks about only their teachings. This is a warning derived from decades spent studying cult-psychology and its damage: If you find yourself talking about a teacher, and not her teachings, you are already on the perilous road to cult-psychology. And that is a path much better avoided.

Read everything positive, my friend. Use every positive, constructive, and uplifting idea, from all sources. For if you become enamoured of only one source, and see only a single guru as the "Source of all Light," you will soon-- very soon-- be on a path of darkness. God does not mix with limitation and restriction.
*******

God and Society

*******

It has recently been suggested, by a mind shallow and in darkness, that "God" permitted the horrors of Katrina, the notorious and nightmarish hurricane, because American society "rejected God." This portrayal of immortal and infinite Love as a spiteful, petty monster absorbed in trivial pursuits demonstrates a complete absence of the knowledge of God.

It is sheerest darkness to portray the Almighty Blessing and Blissing of Love as a grumpy, moody, grumbling wretch that can be directed and controlled by ignorant human responses. This, of course, arises partially from the ancient misunderstanding of "God" as a very human-like "person," which She is definitely not!

God does not "punish." Natural laws take care of that. These laws are collectively called "karma."

If a person becomes sick after exposure to the flu, she does not think that she is being "attacked" or "punished" by "God." Indeed, the idea is ludicrous and absurd, rejected by all reasonable people Similarly, if she steps off a ten-story building, she does not think of God as "punishing" her by her fall to the ground. These results occur due to natural laws. Karma, like viral or bacterial contamination, and like gravity, is also a natural law.

It is a law of mind-operation; and it works continuously upon us whether or not we believe in it. And since it comes from your own mind, there is no way, and no where, to "escape" it! The world unfolds around you as the dream of the deeper Mind, called the "Soul." So, you must live in your Soul's dream, and must experience every event that It brings to you.

Love is unconditional. Love loves people without measuring or evaluating
("judging") them. Love is God. It is therefore only cranky insanity to believe that God, the all-loving, could ever be affected, or changed, by the weak power of human ignorance. For that which alters human minds has no effect on the stable, dependable, reliable Mind at the Center of all things. This is super-stable Love, and is trustworthy. It will not betray us at the sight of our imperfections, even stupidities.

What people say about "God" has zero effect on God Herself. This is like the "power" of an ant trying to stop a long freight-train roaring down the tracks.

So, let the foolish say whatever they will. The foolish who want to ban "God" from America are resisted fiercely by the foolish who think that God is taking "vengeance" on these pitiable creatures. Both are equally lost.

Katrina, like 9-11, and other catastrophes, had absolutely nothing to do with the "will of God" (desire of Love). This was an act of nature, and of karma. God did not even make an appearance until the rescuers showed up, and those who tried to rebuild the devastated areas. God was not in nature, but, as always, in restorative, recuperative Love. God is simply not present until Love dawns within the heart.
*******

Generosity Therapy

*******

Did you ever make a horrible mistake, or do something deliberate but unspeakable? It is a natural part of the human condition that most of us have.

The absence of selforgiveness can take us into many, profound, seemingly interminable, hellstates from, and in, the subconscious mind. It is not enough simply to tell yourself that "God has forgiven you," for your own subconscious mind has not, and it will allow no peace at all.

This is where "generosity therapy" comes in.

For how can we speak with the subconscious mind? It does not use usual words. But it is continually watching our behaviors.

The message that we want to give to it is, "I am a good person, despite my terrible error." So-- and Christmas can remind us of the value of this therapy-- give widely to friends and strangers. And do not give $2 gifts; instead, make them gifts that count, that impact upon your pocketbook. For that which does not impact your income will have little effect on your mind.

Give, generously, abundantly, widely, extravagantly, and without keeping count.
Give as the Goddess gives you air-- freely, without demanding dues or promises to repay.

Give out of a sincere Love deep from the heart. Give with joy and abandon, for it is only in this kind of giving that we "receive." What we give proves to the skeptical subconscious mind that we are beings and creatures deserving of true forgiveness. It proves us worthy. It earns us the "interior gold" of good karma. It erases, neutralizes, and wipes out our karmic debts.

It refreshes, heals, body, mind, and Soul. It triggers increased Love, for the only way to get Love is to give it. And the same applies to forgiveness.
*******