Posts
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Love is the only real treasure that we have in this or any other life.
You cannot, dare not, depend on a job, or on money, or on material things. They can all let you down, for sure! But the Love of your friends, and your Love for them, is life's real jewel. This is the very essence of a good and happy life!:)
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Saturday, April 12, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Aspartame Horror Stories
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I learned the hard way, by sharing various frauds and hoaxes with friends, just how widespread this kind of thing is. Several anti-aspartame stories are precisely this kind of fraud. Why? The sugarindustry, which moves billions of dollars through the economy, is highly motivated to send, promote, and replicate anti-aspartame stories.
All their money is at stake. The sugarindustry also promotes heavily such stories as that aspartame turns into formaldehyde, is toxic, is carcinogenic, etc.
But the truth is, millions of people have been ingesting billions of "doses" of aspartame for many years without ill effects. And now, the vast sugarindustry is joined by other, alternative, artificial sweeteners, who also want to demonize aspartame.
Health-food fans and faddists always want to find a simple, single cause of many disorders. Then, all that they have to do is to avoid that substance, and then, they convince themselves, they can enjoy "perfect" health!
But life is not that simple. For years, sugar itself was attacked, much as the sugarindustry now attacks aspartame. But let us look for a moment at nature: Every petal on every flower, every leaf on every tree, every blade of grass, contains sugar! So, it is hardly the toxic "demon" that it has been made out to be. In fact, the human body requires sugar! It is our primary source of energy.
Does anyone ever get sick from too much sugar? Certainly. But can it cause diabetes? No, for if you do not have the gene for diabetes, you will not become diabetic by consuming sugar-- even in large quantities.
Has anyone ever become sick because of aspartame? Absolutely; different biochemistries have very different sensitivities. As some people are severely allergic to strawberries or peanuts, and these foods create an alarming spectrum of symptoms in these sensitive people, some are no doubt aspartame-sensitive. Aspartame can be dangerous for these people.
Perhaps it was one of these types represented in your hair-raising story.
But for the population in general, aspartame does not appear to be toxic. In fact, after billions of "doses," there is no solid, good, scientific evidence that aspartame is harmful unless you are aspartame-sensitive!
These stories are like soap-operas. They are scary, even exciting. They promise, further, a simple way to "more perfect" health-- just avoid the "demon" chemical! But these stories lack real credibility. This one was written as if you knew the person personally. But I doubt whether this is so; that perspective is meant simply to increase its dubious credibility.
The wisest perspective is not to "demonize" any substance. The history of the health-food movement, during the past century, is littered with the remains of hundreds, if not thousands, of "demonized" substances. Happily, most turned out to be quite harmless.
In fact, as one example, the chemical BHT (butylhydrotoulene) was so demonized. Now, some health-food faddists are taking it in supplemental capsules; for it is a preservative, and they hope that it will "preserve" them! So, these health-food fads come and go. They are unreliable and not credible; we must use, instead, the principles of sound nutrition to guide us: In other words, eat more fruits, grains, and veggies; avoid meat, and live in Love!
*******
I learned the hard way, by sharing various frauds and hoaxes with friends, just how widespread this kind of thing is. Several anti-aspartame stories are precisely this kind of fraud. Why? The sugarindustry, which moves billions of dollars through the economy, is highly motivated to send, promote, and replicate anti-aspartame stories.
All their money is at stake. The sugarindustry also promotes heavily such stories as that aspartame turns into formaldehyde, is toxic, is carcinogenic, etc.
But the truth is, millions of people have been ingesting billions of "doses" of aspartame for many years without ill effects. And now, the vast sugarindustry is joined by other, alternative, artificial sweeteners, who also want to demonize aspartame.
Health-food fans and faddists always want to find a simple, single cause of many disorders. Then, all that they have to do is to avoid that substance, and then, they convince themselves, they can enjoy "perfect" health!
But life is not that simple. For years, sugar itself was attacked, much as the sugarindustry now attacks aspartame. But let us look for a moment at nature: Every petal on every flower, every leaf on every tree, every blade of grass, contains sugar! So, it is hardly the toxic "demon" that it has been made out to be. In fact, the human body requires sugar! It is our primary source of energy.
Does anyone ever get sick from too much sugar? Certainly. But can it cause diabetes? No, for if you do not have the gene for diabetes, you will not become diabetic by consuming sugar-- even in large quantities.
Has anyone ever become sick because of aspartame? Absolutely; different biochemistries have very different sensitivities. As some people are severely allergic to strawberries or peanuts, and these foods create an alarming spectrum of symptoms in these sensitive people, some are no doubt aspartame-sensitive. Aspartame can be dangerous for these people.
Perhaps it was one of these types represented in your hair-raising story.
But for the population in general, aspartame does not appear to be toxic. In fact, after billions of "doses," there is no solid, good, scientific evidence that aspartame is harmful unless you are aspartame-sensitive!
These stories are like soap-operas. They are scary, even exciting. They promise, further, a simple way to "more perfect" health-- just avoid the "demon" chemical! But these stories lack real credibility. This one was written as if you knew the person personally. But I doubt whether this is so; that perspective is meant simply to increase its dubious credibility.
The wisest perspective is not to "demonize" any substance. The history of the health-food movement, during the past century, is littered with the remains of hundreds, if not thousands, of "demonized" substances. Happily, most turned out to be quite harmless.
In fact, as one example, the chemical BHT (butylhydrotoulene) was so demonized. Now, some health-food faddists are taking it in supplemental capsules; for it is a preservative, and they hope that it will "preserve" them! So, these health-food fads come and go. They are unreliable and not credible; we must use, instead, the principles of sound nutrition to guide us: In other words, eat more fruits, grains, and veggies; avoid meat, and live in Love!
*******
The Work of Love
*******
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!:)
*******
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!:)
*******
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Islam: A Few Thoughts
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It is "pc," or "politically correct," to say that Islam is a religion of Love, peace, and brotherhood. But, although many Islamic people are indeed people of peace and Love, the Quran itself disproves the claim about the religion. It contains at least twenty-eight verses that allow for, approve, advocate, or even recommend the murder of "infidels." And, in some cases, Jews and Christians are mentioned by name.:(
People embrace it, in our culture, from sheer and utter disgust with the blood-soaked Christian history, and the petty ancient wargod that it advocates.
*******
It is "pc," or "politically correct," to say that Islam is a religion of Love, peace, and brotherhood. But, although many Islamic people are indeed people of peace and Love, the Quran itself disproves the claim about the religion. It contains at least twenty-eight verses that allow for, approve, advocate, or even recommend the murder of "infidels." And, in some cases, Jews and Christians are mentioned by name.:(
People embrace it, in our culture, from sheer and utter disgust with the blood-soaked Christian history, and the petty ancient wargod that it advocates.
*******
Welcome Flora!
*****
Flora, the Goddess of flowers, is bringing back her scarlets, canaryellows, and cerulean blues to dot the landscape of springtime! The sweet Lady of Love has already gifted us with several lovely days, and more are to come!:):)
*******
Flora, the Goddess of flowers, is bringing back her scarlets, canaryellows, and cerulean blues to dot the landscape of springtime! The sweet Lady of Love has already gifted us with several lovely days, and more are to come!:):)
*******
Spiritual Ideas
*******
Because of the philosophy of Love, I know that "your" challenges are also mine, and so, I plan to do my best to provide honest feedback. But I have zero interest in being anyone's "daddy," and no interest in telling anyone what they "should" do. I want only to comment.:)
Embracing "the good" is a very simple, but reliable and dependable, guideline for life, and I'm in one hundred percent agreement! There is, counter to worldender propoganda, so very much good and beauty in this world. It is everywhere full of God (Love and beauty). As the Tibetans say, It is an extremely great privilege to have been born human!:)
Why are humans here? We are here to continue our long education. We were, in the beginning, sent forth from the Mind of Love as "separate" nonphysical Souls. The great Mind (of God, Love) decided to dream up this world, and to allow all Souls to "dream" that we are "physical" bodies. (But the very latest discoveries in neophysics have demonstrated that a "physical, material" universe is an illusion of the senses.) When we study matter at the quantum (subatomic) level, we find that it is all energy. There is not a "truly solid" object in the entire universe.
And this is according to skeptical scientists, not mystics!
In this dreamworld, we dream up exactly the situations, objects, and environments needed for our "tailored" education-program. The "material" world is an illusion, but all minds are real. Because of this, all creatures who partake of Mind-- especially human beings-- are sacred. So, we must honor and respect each one with the maximum Love.
But how can we "love" strangers? The very minimum Love that we can give, even to all strangers, is to wish them well. We can sincerely bless them, honestly hoping and praying that their lives are filled with Light, Love, tranquility, bliss, friendship, fulfilling work, balanced emotions, and healthy spirituality, among a whole list of other goods.
Why do we hurt/kill one another? The Enlightenment Traditions teach that there is no such thing as an "innocent victim." While Love does impel us to remove, or alleviate, all suffering for all creatures-- and never to be apathetic or complacent-- we must realize that suffering is a part of human life and experience. We need this realization to be able to live sanely in a pain-filled world such as ours. But Love always calls upon us to care deeply, and to remove suffering whenever, wherever, and with whomever we find it. People often suffer because, at the Soul-level, they created suffering for others. Or, before you were born, you were able to select the dna (for you could "read" this complex molecule) that would give you a body that would permit you to take lessons that you needed to learn. The "Soul" is a deep, and unconscious, part of the mind. It is that part of yourself that lived before the birth of your present body ("preincarnation"), and it is the part that continues to live after "death" of the present body ("postincarnation"). Both "preincarnational" and "postincarnational" life was taught by early Christians. In fact, almost all the earliest Christians believed in "polybiography," or "reincarnation." This vast, rather complex, philosophy is the only explanation that elucidates in meaningful ways the existence of suffering. The majority of the human population, at any time in history, has accepted it. It is not only a logical explanation for the world of suffering, but it also "feels" right, with intuitive understanding.
Who will rescue/deliver us from this horrific world? Love will rescue us. Although in modern psychology, Love has not been defined as a "Who," in former cultures, It was always recognized as a "god" or "goddess." And in Christianity, Love is God. (1 Jn. 4:8,16) God is all the Love and positivity in all the minds on all the planets in all the starsystems in all the galaxies! So, God is vaster, more immense, breath-takingly enormous and beautiful, than anything that our poor three pounds of gray matter can comprehend. God is Love, and Love is God.
Love awakens us to galaxies of beauty within our own minds, and to the magnificent beauties in the world all around us. Yes, there is still "evil" in our world of relativity and duality. But knowing that "evil" has no absolute reality weakens it, and strengthens absolute Love.
In Christianity, "salvation"-- we are "saved" from ignorance and the lower, humanimal nature-- comes not through mere education, or actions, or goodness, but from "grace." Grace is the unearned, undeserved Love of God. We are "saved," not because we know the "right" doctrines. We are saved, the Scriptures repeatedly teach, because of one factor, and one factor alone, and that is the grace of God. Her Love is greater than any,and all, sins. God's Love is illimitable and immeasurable, great enough to forgive any and all imperfections, and even all deliberate badness.
If there is no Jehovah God, who is there? The very same answer comes from the intercultural Enlightenment Tradition. There is Love, the greatest, most irresistible Force or Mind in the universe! Nothing and no one can stand, in the longterm, against It/Him/Her. (God is, of course, neither male nor female, so "God" and "Goddess" are both options.)
The enlightened person, of course, still has Jesus in her life. She can still choose to follow Jesus, to take him seriously as a model. But she has more, not less, than the average person. For she also has, as bearers of truth, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Patanjali, Al Arabi, Al Hallaj, Solomon, and many other saintmystics and teachersages.:)
How can we prevent sickness and death? We cannot always prevent them. But the idea that they are universally "bad" is the result of social programming. Sickness is said to be "bad" because it can lead to death-- which is always bad. But if death is viewed as completely natural-- as natural as the dew-kissed rose blossoming in the morning sun-- then, sickness (biological challenge and imperfection) can be reinterpreted as "our way out of here." It can be seen as a liberator, if we believe that there is a better life after this one. This is the view held famously by early Christians, and which made them glad, deliriously happy, to die, even in the horrible arena. For an enlightened person, with a large spiritual overview, there is no such thing as a "bad death." The great beauty of Hospice is that they are helping people to embrace death in a healthy way. Every creature that has ever been born has died. Birth is a guarantee of death. So, as long as we buy into the antispiritual idea that death is horrible, a nightmare, we can never know true joy. Jesus came to prove that death is a survivable experience. Death leads to only bottomless joy and incredible peace. I have died twice, and come back to our world to share this message.:)
Sickness can teach the lessons of compassion-- what this life is all about-- in two ways: 1) when we are sick, this gives us compassion for others who are also sick, and 2) sickness creates a sympathetic response (Love) from others. It also, btw, creates needed awareness of the necessity for selflove, to take care of our own sacred bodies.
AND who can we now trust instead of organized religion? It takes time to learn to trust Love. It takes time even to discover Love at the Center of all minds. It takes time to learn that god is Love, and not some comfortable, familiar human image (anthropomorphism), such as the all-too-human Jehovah, who has a plethora of weaknesses. We are like infants learning to walk. When we first let go of our parents, we are very wobbly. But with practice, we soon grow strong. As we trust Love, we learn that It is a wonderful, beautiful, supportive Power greater than any primitive, superstitious godimage. It is more reliable and dependable. It can never harm anyone, and does not "punish." It subtly draws us into enlightenment, one moment at a time, until we find that we are superstrong and completely spiritually independent! So, in the beginning, we must "jump into a void," or empty chasm, the black cave of the Unconscious. We are certainly not certain even that "anyone" is there. But, after we have begun to trust (in faith), we learn that we are in the warm, comfortable, invincible, invulnerable arms of Love. But we cannot "trust" only what has been "proved." While we never want to abandon the rational, we must "trust in faith" before we have any certainty of our relationship with the Lovegoddess. Like delicious food, the Goddess of Love is known only one minute at a time. This is good news, for it means that we must handle, take care of, not an entire life, but only this minute!
There is so much more that could be, needs to be, said! In fact, I've written twenty books to try to explain, or at least to outline, all the beautiful discoveries that await everyone in the Mind. I'll be glad to send you one, if you are interested. And if not, that is okay too!:):)
*******
Because of the philosophy of Love, I know that "your" challenges are also mine, and so, I plan to do my best to provide honest feedback. But I have zero interest in being anyone's "daddy," and no interest in telling anyone what they "should" do. I want only to comment.:)
Embracing "the good" is a very simple, but reliable and dependable, guideline for life, and I'm in one hundred percent agreement! There is, counter to worldender propoganda, so very much good and beauty in this world. It is everywhere full of God (Love and beauty). As the Tibetans say, It is an extremely great privilege to have been born human!:)
Why are humans here? We are here to continue our long education. We were, in the beginning, sent forth from the Mind of Love as "separate" nonphysical Souls. The great Mind (of God, Love) decided to dream up this world, and to allow all Souls to "dream" that we are "physical" bodies. (But the very latest discoveries in neophysics have demonstrated that a "physical, material" universe is an illusion of the senses.) When we study matter at the quantum (subatomic) level, we find that it is all energy. There is not a "truly solid" object in the entire universe.
And this is according to skeptical scientists, not mystics!
In this dreamworld, we dream up exactly the situations, objects, and environments needed for our "tailored" education-program. The "material" world is an illusion, but all minds are real. Because of this, all creatures who partake of Mind-- especially human beings-- are sacred. So, we must honor and respect each one with the maximum Love.
But how can we "love" strangers? The very minimum Love that we can give, even to all strangers, is to wish them well. We can sincerely bless them, honestly hoping and praying that their lives are filled with Light, Love, tranquility, bliss, friendship, fulfilling work, balanced emotions, and healthy spirituality, among a whole list of other goods.
Why do we hurt/kill one another? The Enlightenment Traditions teach that there is no such thing as an "innocent victim." While Love does impel us to remove, or alleviate, all suffering for all creatures-- and never to be apathetic or complacent-- we must realize that suffering is a part of human life and experience. We need this realization to be able to live sanely in a pain-filled world such as ours. But Love always calls upon us to care deeply, and to remove suffering whenever, wherever, and with whomever we find it. People often suffer because, at the Soul-level, they created suffering for others. Or, before you were born, you were able to select the dna (for you could "read" this complex molecule) that would give you a body that would permit you to take lessons that you needed to learn. The "Soul" is a deep, and unconscious, part of the mind. It is that part of yourself that lived before the birth of your present body ("preincarnation"), and it is the part that continues to live after "death" of the present body ("postincarnation"). Both "preincarnational" and "postincarnational" life was taught by early Christians. In fact, almost all the earliest Christians believed in "polybiography," or "reincarnation." This vast, rather complex, philosophy is the only explanation that elucidates in meaningful ways the existence of suffering. The majority of the human population, at any time in history, has accepted it. It is not only a logical explanation for the world of suffering, but it also "feels" right, with intuitive understanding.
Who will rescue/deliver us from this horrific world? Love will rescue us. Although in modern psychology, Love has not been defined as a "Who," in former cultures, It was always recognized as a "god" or "goddess." And in Christianity, Love is God. (1 Jn. 4:8,16) God is all the Love and positivity in all the minds on all the planets in all the starsystems in all the galaxies! So, God is vaster, more immense, breath-takingly enormous and beautiful, than anything that our poor three pounds of gray matter can comprehend. God is Love, and Love is God.
Love awakens us to galaxies of beauty within our own minds, and to the magnificent beauties in the world all around us. Yes, there is still "evil" in our world of relativity and duality. But knowing that "evil" has no absolute reality weakens it, and strengthens absolute Love.
In Christianity, "salvation"-- we are "saved" from ignorance and the lower, humanimal nature-- comes not through mere education, or actions, or goodness, but from "grace." Grace is the unearned, undeserved Love of God. We are "saved," not because we know the "right" doctrines. We are saved, the Scriptures repeatedly teach, because of one factor, and one factor alone, and that is the grace of God. Her Love is greater than any,and all, sins. God's Love is illimitable and immeasurable, great enough to forgive any and all imperfections, and even all deliberate badness.
If there is no Jehovah God, who is there? The very same answer comes from the intercultural Enlightenment Tradition. There is Love, the greatest, most irresistible Force or Mind in the universe! Nothing and no one can stand, in the longterm, against It/Him/Her. (God is, of course, neither male nor female, so "God" and "Goddess" are both options.)
The enlightened person, of course, still has Jesus in her life. She can still choose to follow Jesus, to take him seriously as a model. But she has more, not less, than the average person. For she also has, as bearers of truth, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Patanjali, Al Arabi, Al Hallaj, Solomon, and many other saintmystics and teachersages.:)
How can we prevent sickness and death? We cannot always prevent them. But the idea that they are universally "bad" is the result of social programming. Sickness is said to be "bad" because it can lead to death-- which is always bad. But if death is viewed as completely natural-- as natural as the dew-kissed rose blossoming in the morning sun-- then, sickness (biological challenge and imperfection) can be reinterpreted as "our way out of here." It can be seen as a liberator, if we believe that there is a better life after this one. This is the view held famously by early Christians, and which made them glad, deliriously happy, to die, even in the horrible arena. For an enlightened person, with a large spiritual overview, there is no such thing as a "bad death." The great beauty of Hospice is that they are helping people to embrace death in a healthy way. Every creature that has ever been born has died. Birth is a guarantee of death. So, as long as we buy into the antispiritual idea that death is horrible, a nightmare, we can never know true joy. Jesus came to prove that death is a survivable experience. Death leads to only bottomless joy and incredible peace. I have died twice, and come back to our world to share this message.:)
Sickness can teach the lessons of compassion-- what this life is all about-- in two ways: 1) when we are sick, this gives us compassion for others who are also sick, and 2) sickness creates a sympathetic response (Love) from others. It also, btw, creates needed awareness of the necessity for selflove, to take care of our own sacred bodies.
AND who can we now trust instead of organized religion? It takes time to learn to trust Love. It takes time even to discover Love at the Center of all minds. It takes time to learn that god is Love, and not some comfortable, familiar human image (anthropomorphism), such as the all-too-human Jehovah, who has a plethora of weaknesses. We are like infants learning to walk. When we first let go of our parents, we are very wobbly. But with practice, we soon grow strong. As we trust Love, we learn that It is a wonderful, beautiful, supportive Power greater than any primitive, superstitious godimage. It is more reliable and dependable. It can never harm anyone, and does not "punish." It subtly draws us into enlightenment, one moment at a time, until we find that we are superstrong and completely spiritually independent! So, in the beginning, we must "jump into a void," or empty chasm, the black cave of the Unconscious. We are certainly not certain even that "anyone" is there. But, after we have begun to trust (in faith), we learn that we are in the warm, comfortable, invincible, invulnerable arms of Love. But we cannot "trust" only what has been "proved." While we never want to abandon the rational, we must "trust in faith" before we have any certainty of our relationship with the Lovegoddess. Like delicious food, the Goddess of Love is known only one minute at a time. This is good news, for it means that we must handle, take care of, not an entire life, but only this minute!
There is so much more that could be, needs to be, said! In fact, I've written twenty books to try to explain, or at least to outline, all the beautiful discoveries that await everyone in the Mind. I'll be glad to send you one, if you are interested. And if not, that is okay too!:):)
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A Galaxyful of Love!
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Here, the great Work of Love-teaching continues apace. We are starting a federation of cooperating but independent small ministries in order to publicize the great Love with which we are supported in our life-journeys. So far, we have established Love Ministries of Kenya, Love Ministries of India, and Love Ministries of Pakistan. An entire whole world awaits its future growth. I myself am a member of Love Ministries of this galactic quadrant!:)
When it was first discovered that a transplant was needed, six friends sprang into action, and volunteered! To be caught in the delightful "safety-net" of such powerful Love was almost worth the crisis!:)
Currently, working on the "Enlightenment Tradition" Series. It is four books, all finished now and requiring only proofing. The first is an intro to the Enlightenment Tradition, the second discusses that Tradition in Judaism, the third volume in Christianity, and the fourth, in Islamic culture. No idea of when publication will be possible, for it does cost, but this is the one message that can literally save our poor little planet!
Also, just wrote an indepth study of the Nag Hammadi Library of ancient Christian gnosticism, and finished another study of cult-psychology, called The Chosen.
Flora, the Goddess of flowers, is dressing up our world.:) The great wheel of time has turned once again, and once again, the world fills up with the polychromatic splendor of scarlets, canaryellows, and ceruleanblues!:) We do love springtime!
*******
Here, the great Work of Love-teaching continues apace. We are starting a federation of cooperating but independent small ministries in order to publicize the great Love with which we are supported in our life-journeys. So far, we have established Love Ministries of Kenya, Love Ministries of India, and Love Ministries of Pakistan. An entire whole world awaits its future growth. I myself am a member of Love Ministries of this galactic quadrant!:)
When it was first discovered that a transplant was needed, six friends sprang into action, and volunteered! To be caught in the delightful "safety-net" of such powerful Love was almost worth the crisis!:)
Currently, working on the "Enlightenment Tradition" Series. It is four books, all finished now and requiring only proofing. The first is an intro to the Enlightenment Tradition, the second discusses that Tradition in Judaism, the third volume in Christianity, and the fourth, in Islamic culture. No idea of when publication will be possible, for it does cost, but this is the one message that can literally save our poor little planet!
Also, just wrote an indepth study of the Nag Hammadi Library of ancient Christian gnosticism, and finished another study of cult-psychology, called The Chosen.
Flora, the Goddess of flowers, is dressing up our world.:) The great wheel of time has turned once again, and once again, the world fills up with the polychromatic splendor of scarlets, canaryellows, and ceruleanblues!:) We do love springtime!
*******
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Simplicity and Pneumarium
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You don't mention any insuperable spiritual challenges, and that is wonderful! Your only karmic complexities at the moment seem to be in the area of materialism and money. The best advice that can be given here is carefully to inventory your life and find a place further to simplify.
It is recognized that you believe that you are already living in simplicity, but that is a relative term. Compared to some, your life is enormously complex, although, it is certain that, compared to others, it is relatively simple. Quite often, we complexify our lives without even realizing it. Complexity is such a "natural" part of life in the Western world that we barely notice it; it is often invisible, until you look for it with a magnifying glass.:)
The Love-bond that you are sharing with your family is a real treasure; please never do anything to weaken that supreme Love. To keep spirituality strong, and "front and center," we gather every two weeks with friends, specifically to discuss the important spiritual issues of life. Have you ever considered starting your own "Pneumarium-gathering" at your house? It might be worth serious consideration.
*******
You don't mention any insuperable spiritual challenges, and that is wonderful! Your only karmic complexities at the moment seem to be in the area of materialism and money. The best advice that can be given here is carefully to inventory your life and find a place further to simplify.
It is recognized that you believe that you are already living in simplicity, but that is a relative term. Compared to some, your life is enormously complex, although, it is certain that, compared to others, it is relatively simple. Quite often, we complexify our lives without even realizing it. Complexity is such a "natural" part of life in the Western world that we barely notice it; it is often invisible, until you look for it with a magnifying glass.:)
The Love-bond that you are sharing with your family is a real treasure; please never do anything to weaken that supreme Love. To keep spirituality strong, and "front and center," we gather every two weeks with friends, specifically to discuss the important spiritual issues of life. Have you ever considered starting your own "Pneumarium-gathering" at your house? It might be worth serious consideration.
*******
More fun than a barrel of elephants! Using Time Wisely.
*****
At our family-gathering on Sunday, we had more fun than humanly possible, more fun than a barrel of elephants!:):) It was a real megablast!
People can say absolutely anything about their "love for God," their religion, and all that stuff. But you really, often, cannot trust what people say. Instead, you have to watch their actual actions. For their truest priorities will be revealed by their behaviors.
Time is the "gold" of the universe. And it is how a person chooses to invest her time that demonstrates,, beyond the shadow of any doubt, what her priorities are. So, to learn the truth-- about yourself or any other-- watch your time-investments. For this is the only reliable way to determine what is important, or the most important, to a person.
*******
At our family-gathering on Sunday, we had more fun than humanly possible, more fun than a barrel of elephants!:):) It was a real megablast!
People can say absolutely anything about their "love for God," their religion, and all that stuff. But you really, often, cannot trust what people say. Instead, you have to watch their actual actions. For their truest priorities will be revealed by their behaviors.
Time is the "gold" of the universe. And it is how a person chooses to invest her time that demonstrates,, beyond the shadow of any doubt, what her priorities are. So, to learn the truth-- about yourself or any other-- watch your time-investments. For this is the only reliable way to determine what is important, or the most important, to a person.
*******
Our Pneumarium Gatherings, and Karma
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As far as being an "atheist," that is a little too extreme for us as well. Through the centuries, very spiritual people have regularly been accused of "atheism," due to the fact that we unanimously reject the common god of society and our culture. This is the Jehovah-myth, almost universally, but very tragically, embraced by almost all Christians. But in teaching that God was Love, Jesus implicitly rejected this ancient wargod. And, I believe, he also explicitly rejected Jehovah in his more esoteric teachings, shared not publicly but with only disciples.
The mistaking of Jehovah for God is the most significant error ever made in the history of the Western world. It has made possible the justification of wars and other horrors.
Like you, I am not much on "organized, official, or orthodox" religion.
I still do not "belong" to any, and have no plans to.
But we do treasure our extended spiritual family. It is simply wonderful and beautiful, and is a real Love-center in our lives. It gives us strength and serenity. So, every two weeks, for the past five years, we gather to discuss the truly important things of life, summed up as "spirituality." There is a galaxy between spirituality and religion. For spirituality is more similar to good, creative, constructive, healing psychology than it is to religion.
Anyway, we would like to invite you to come on over for one of our informal and relaxed gatherings. They are always on Sunday, and we gather every two weeks. (This is so as not to put time-pressure on our schedules.) We start at eleven, break at noon, and share a meal. Then, we come together again at one, and by two pm, we wrap the whole thing up. We start late because Sunday is the only day that our friends can sleep late, and we end early in order to give them the rest of their Sunday.:) It is always fre, and our next gathering will be on April 13 (We just enjoyed one two days ago.)
We believe that, in this life, there are no "innocent victims," that "bad things happen to good people" as a result of karma. This is the only explanation that we have found, after three decades of serious and intense research, that makes any sense.
But it does not mean that a person harmed anyone if she is suffering right now. For it could also be "elective karma," which the Soul can choose voluntarily-- in order to grow, or to help someone else grow.
So, like the cosmos itself, karma is not "black and white." Many of the greatest mastersages and saintmystics have suffered from some rather serious conditions. This is due to courage, for they did not flee in terror from "negative" conditions, as do so many "positive thinking" advocates, who are secretly terrified of life.
*******
As far as being an "atheist," that is a little too extreme for us as well. Through the centuries, very spiritual people have regularly been accused of "atheism," due to the fact that we unanimously reject the common god of society and our culture. This is the Jehovah-myth, almost universally, but very tragically, embraced by almost all Christians. But in teaching that God was Love, Jesus implicitly rejected this ancient wargod. And, I believe, he also explicitly rejected Jehovah in his more esoteric teachings, shared not publicly but with only disciples.
The mistaking of Jehovah for God is the most significant error ever made in the history of the Western world. It has made possible the justification of wars and other horrors.
Like you, I am not much on "organized, official, or orthodox" religion.
I still do not "belong" to any, and have no plans to.
But we do treasure our extended spiritual family. It is simply wonderful and beautiful, and is a real Love-center in our lives. It gives us strength and serenity. So, every two weeks, for the past five years, we gather to discuss the truly important things of life, summed up as "spirituality." There is a galaxy between spirituality and religion. For spirituality is more similar to good, creative, constructive, healing psychology than it is to religion.
Anyway, we would like to invite you to come on over for one of our informal and relaxed gatherings. They are always on Sunday, and we gather every two weeks. (This is so as not to put time-pressure on our schedules.) We start at eleven, break at noon, and share a meal. Then, we come together again at one, and by two pm, we wrap the whole thing up. We start late because Sunday is the only day that our friends can sleep late, and we end early in order to give them the rest of their Sunday.:) It is always fre, and our next gathering will be on April 13 (We just enjoyed one two days ago.)
We believe that, in this life, there are no "innocent victims," that "bad things happen to good people" as a result of karma. This is the only explanation that we have found, after three decades of serious and intense research, that makes any sense.
But it does not mean that a person harmed anyone if she is suffering right now. For it could also be "elective karma," which the Soul can choose voluntarily-- in order to grow, or to help someone else grow.
So, like the cosmos itself, karma is not "black and white." Many of the greatest mastersages and saintmystics have suffered from some rather serious conditions. This is due to courage, for they did not flee in terror from "negative" conditions, as do so many "positive thinking" advocates, who are secretly terrified of life.
*******
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