Sunday, April 06, 2008

The Work of Love

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The work of education here continues apace. The latest writing-project is a four-volume set called the "Enlightenment Tradition" series. The books are finished, and now, require only proofing and polishing.:)

Volume I is an intro called Hearts of Glowing Love. Volume II is Hearts of Passionfire, and is about mysticism in Judaism. Volume III is Hearts of Ecstasy, and concerns mystical Christianity (gnosticism). And Volume IV is Hearts of Moonlight and Roses, about the Sufi traditions.

It is highly recommended that you invest whatever is necessary in your education, for it will pay off very handsomely and richly in the long run. It will help you to create a happier and fuller life.

Time does seem to pass more quickly when you have something larger than the self to which you can devote it. Everybody needs, but few have, a passion for which to live, as the practical Center of their lives and heartminds.

Friendship is the treasure of this or any other life. Please always continue to appreciate and honor (respect) your friends. For, of all the riches that this life offers, none is more golden, none more irreplaceable, than friendship. Every hour that you "invest" in friendship will return to you multiplied and amplified. If you are very, very successful, you can build a whole life around, and of, your Love.
For friendliness is a form of Love.:) And so is courtesy.

She is wealthy indeed who cannot count her dear friends on the fingers of one hand. Friendship 101 is what this life is all about. It will teach you patience, forgiveness, tolerance, and a host of related and indispensable lifeskills. And an "investment" of time (the "gold" of the universe) in friendship will always pay off in the longterm.

But when any friendship becomes dangerous to your health, mental balance, or general wellbeing, you must, out of reasonable selflove, act to dissolve it. To do this, of course, you need not be hateful or cruel; a friendship is like a rose. If you do not cultivate, nourish, feed, and care for it, it will tend to wither on its own.

People often forget the sometimes challenging work of "maintenance" that any friendship deserves and demands. This includes emails, visits, phone-calls, other sharings, or even periodic and appropriate small gifts. It also includes the kindness of avoiding hurtful gossip.

That does not mean that we cannot share our deepest feelings, and even tragedies, with good friends. It simply implies the vow of the heart never to become bitter or vicious. We seek interior tranquility, in other words, and wish that also for all, including even former friends.

And we, as the people of Love, never waste timenergyon vengeance. For great and lovely karma takes care of all, bringing to each her own rewards. (There is no such thing as an "innocent victim.")

But you cannot, and must not try to, become the "mommy" or "daddy" of any other adult.

Any behavior that is rewarded will be repeated. This is most basic psychological law. Had you remained her friend, you would have been responsible for having rewarded these behaviors, and in this way, would have harmed her life. This goes against ahimsa, the principle of non-harm.

It is not wrong to celebrate the end of a destructive relationship! It is now time for laughter and relief, not moping and tears!:)

Always remember that, in a good friendship, you have very few, or no, expectations, and zero demands.

Never let go of this quest to cultivate a deep and spiritual mind. For this is the single diamond centerpiece of any life well-lived. People will always "tempt" you to become shallow, but the shallow life is like the "unexamined" life-- not worth living. In the future, your spirituality will bring you the interior strength and joy needed to survive the challenging earthlife with sanity and happiness.

Working with animals is great! We need as many compassionate human beings as possible on this poor little planet. Have you ever met a llama? They are very sweet hearts and tender souls, and a "relationship" with one is a jewel.:)

Working with the animals is a very real manifestation of the very best within you-- your Love-nature. One of the favorite historical beings, Brother St. Francis, showed how Love for other species could be the very backbone of a satisfying, creative, and deeply spiritual life.

It is also an indispensable aspect of selflove to make sure that we get as much fun out of life as possible-- provided that the "fun" does not harm ourselves or others.:)

A life of tranquility is worth a bushel of bucks, and more!:)

Love is a matter, not of words only, but of the rich and balanced blend of words and works, or action.

Friendship without forgiveness is like watermelon without water; it is only a dry husk, tasteless, a counterfeit of the real thing. It brings no satisfaction or peace to the heart, and never creates joy. It is very sad to see a person who has not mastered this very important lesson; she creates interior hells for herself, over and over.

The sweet Goddess of Love can reach into our hearts and lives in any way.

She is always "talking" in the deeper Mind, but we have largely forgotten how to listen.:)

May Love continue to bless and fill your heartmind, and may It fill the hearts and minds of all creatures everywhere!:)

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