18 - We are ONE for ETERNITY!: 2022

Saturday 31 December 2022

Difference

"The ways in which we express ourselves spiritually are beautiful and loving, creating unity and oneness." -Rob Eichberg As a recovering alcoholic, I belong to a minority. As somebody with the disease of addiction, I am aware of my difference. I have experienced prejudice and injustice because I was not born like other people. But in a spiritual sense, acceptance of my disease has given me a freedom that united me with other minorities, other "different" groups-the countless shades of...

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that on this New Year's Eve a miracle can occur.

Just a few hours until we ring out the old and ring in the new. And

more--much more--can change than simply the dates

on the calendar. You can resolve this night to change

your entire life...or any aspect of your self and your

experience that you choose.

And should old acquaintance be forgot, and never

brought to mind? No. Keep old friends near, and

old loves dear. For they will help you make those

changes in your life that will produce miracles, if you

let them. Happy, happy New Year!

Changing Roles (OM)

We all change throughout life trying new and different things, but the core of who we really are remains the same.

As we bob and weave with the ebb and flow of life our roles change, but our true self remains constant. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we go through many aspects of humanity in one lifetime. Living in the material world of opposites, labels, and classifications, we often identify ourselves by the roles we play, forgetting that these aspects shift and change throughout our lives. But when we anchor ourselves in the truth of our being, that core of spirit within us, we can choose to embrace the new roles as they come, knowing that they give us fresh perspective on life and a greater understanding of the lives of others.

As children, we anticipated role changes eagerly in our rush to grow up. Though fairy tales led us to believe that “happily ever after” was a final destination, the truth is that life is a series of destinations, mere stops on a long journey filled with differing terrain. We may need to move through a feeling of resistance as we shift from spouse to parent, leader to subordinate, caregiver to receiver, or even local to newcomer. It can be helpful to bid a fond farewell to the role that we are leaving before we welcome the new. This is the purpose of ceremonies in cultures throughout the world and across time. We can choose from any in existence or create our own to help us celebrate our life shifts and embrace our new adventures.

Like actors on the stage of the world, our different roles are just costumes that we inhabit and then shed. Each role we play gives us another perspective through which to understand ourselves and the nature of the universe. When we take a moment to see that each change can be an adventure, a celebration, and a chance to play a new part, we may even be able to recapture the joyful anticipation of our youth as we transition from one role to the next.

The Cure for Darkness (MB)

Michael Berg
DECEMBER 28, 2022

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It says in the beginning of the portion Vayigash, Vayigash elav Yehuda. Yehuda, the leader of the brothers of Joseph, is going to “stand up” to Joseph, meaning he is going to speak to him, or come towards him. Then, it says it gets to the point where Joseph, after all these years, can no longer hold himself back from revealing who he truly is to his brothers, therefore ending all the pain for them and their father, Jacob.

So, I want to focus on the secret of what it means that Yehuda comes towards Joseph, because it is an important understanding. The Sefat Emet says the best thing to do any time a person has an experience in which the Light of the Creator does not seem to be revealed, any time a person feels pain, challenge, or darkness, is a concept he calls lehitbatel, which means, essentially, "I receive what is happening and subjugate myself completely to it."

"Shabbat Vayigash gives us the ability to break away the walls of negativity."

What usually occurs when we find ourselves in a situation in which we feel pain from something that has happened, or is happening? We battle it. Even if it is unchangeable in the moment, we do everything we can to not accept it. However, the first thing the Sefat Emet says we have to do is understand that if it is happening, we need to completely accept it, because no matter how bad it seems, it is coming from the Light of the Creator. With this understanding, therefore, we come to see that when it says, "Yehuda comes towards," it does not actually mean that he is coming towards Joseph, but that he is, in his consciousness, coming towards the situation. Vayigash elav Yehuda means that Yehuda is coming towards, and getting close to, the Light of the Creator that is within the situation, and therefore, accepting it.

When Yehuda is standing there, he is saying, “This is a terrible situation. It seems that the worst thing has happened - Benjamin is a slave in Egypt, and my father Jacob, is going to be heartbroken and may die from this terrible situation, but I have to accept this is happening. I have to subjugate myself to this reality, and know that even though it seems crazy, this is the Light of the Creator.” And that is what is happening on Shabbat Vayigash; it is the work of consciousness of Yehuda, and ourselves, that as we come to a negative or dark situation, we bring ourselves close to it.

Vayigash elav Yehuda was not one momentary decision; it was because of all the spiritual work of consciousness that Yehuda had done. Of course, this was a moment of great pain and distress for him, yet he realized the only thing he could do to change the situation was to embrace it and bring himself closer in his consciousness knowing that it was from the Light of the Creator.

At the beginning of the portion, Yehuda is not saying anything new, and is talking to himself, rather than to Joseph, about the reality of the situation that is going to cause his father so much pain. And he accepts it. Repeating the story over and over is not something we usually do when we face something negative. Instead, we try to distance ourselves from it, not just physically, but also in our minds. We do not want to embrace it or accept it. But this is what Yehuda was doing, saying, “I accept this is what is happening. Even though it seems completely dark, even though it seems completely wrong, the Light of the Creator is here.”

And then, as Yehuda does this work to accept the reality facing him, the true essence and Light in the situation can, and does, become revealed. As such, when it says Joseph cannot hold himself back, it means that the Light can no longer be held back. It has to burst forward, and the Light within the situation has to become revealed, until eventually, the internal reality, the Light of the Creator of this situation is revealed, and all the darkness, barriers, and negativity go away.

So, what the Sefat Emet is saying, and this is really important, is that the cure for darkness is through doing this work of consciousness, because then the Light has to become revealed. When we accept the reality, and acknowledge that it is coming from the Light of the Creator, we break down all the walls and see the totality of Light and all the blessings that come from it. This is the way a person can transform every situation, but it is not easy, as it is constant internal work. If we are in a situation that is dark or challenging, the only real way out is to push our consciousness all the time, and accept and embrace the situation, rather than run away from it. Why? Because we know that within the situation, there must be the Light of the Creator. And by breaking down the wall with that consciousness again and again, the Light can no longer be held back.

That is what Shabbat Vayigash is about: the cure for every darkness, the gift of the work of consciousness that gives us the ability to break away the walls of negativity. Yes, we get the power, strength, and ability from the Light of the Creator to do this work on Shabbat Vayigash, but at the end of the day, the only ones who can reveal the barriers of darkness are ourselves . . . and the only way to do that, as we just learned, is by this fight of consciousness.

Shine forth My little Lights (EC)

Never sit back and feel there is little or nothing you can do to help the world situation. There is a tremendous amount you can do to help by the work you do on the inner in radiating Love and Light out to individuals, to countries, to nations and to the whole world. Day by day you do this and because you do not see any outer results you wonder if the work is really any good and if it does help. Let Me assure you that this work which is being done on the inner is simply tremendous. lt is holding the whole world in balance, so never cease, never let up in any way but carry on faithfully.

See the whole Network of Light all over the world doing this inner work, see every tiny spark of Light gathering together bringing more and more Light into the whole world situation. If each individual does its part and does it in faith, without always wanting to see immediate results, so does the Light grow brighter and brighter. So shine forth My little Lights until the darkness has been transformed and all is Light.

Wisdom Quote

Friday 30 December 2022

Poetry

Poetry helps make life bearable. -Horace Spirituality embraces the arts: music, dance, painting, sculpture, and poetry. Poetry breathes life into a word. Because it uses metaphors and various figures of speech it can say more than a mere description, and we need this when talking about God-when affirming Spirit.Here is an example from the Gospel of Thomas: The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the Kingdom of Heaven is like." He replied, "It is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all....

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that the method of the enterprising is to plan with

audacity and execute with vigor.

Christian Nevell Bovee said that, and it is a valuable

observation. As we experience this holiday season, and

you begin thinking about the New Year ahead, plan

with audacity.

And as you move into the New Year, execute your

plans with vigor. There is excitement in life -- but you

have to put it there.

Incidentally, you may begin executing with vigor right

now. Why wait?

Rain (OM)

On the next rainy day, imagine the rain washing away and cleansing your emotional body.

There are times when we might feel the need to wash away all of our troubles and call forth freshness into our lives. Since perhaps the most cleansing substance on this earth is water, we can think of the joy rain brings as an energetic bath, rejuvenating our minds, bodies and souls. Just being able to spend a few moments every time it rains to become aware of the healing powers water brings to us can renew us in so many ways. As we do this we will find that the more we appreciate the universe’s gift to us in the form of rain, the more we can see that a gentle rain shower is a strong reflective tool that has the ability to cleanse our entire being.

The next time it rains might be a good chance to experience the rain through all of your senses, allowing you to truly understand just how truly important each and every drop of water is. First, take a few minutes to look outside and notice how each individual raindrop seems to come down in a continual stream. By noticing this you can contemplate how it takes many small accomplishments to create the whole of your existence, for nothing exists in isolation. Then you might wish to focus your attention on the sound of the rainfall, letting the sounds of drops penetrate into the innermost recesses of your self. Listening in this way may bring you a greater sense of connection with nature and the world around you, knowing that the sounds you hear are an integral part of not just the physical sustenance you require but also nourish your spirit as well.

Consciously using our senses to feel nature’s healing energy as it comes to us in the form of rain is an act of internal cleansing. Just as the rain physically washes over the earth and rinses out any impurities and imperfections, so it also bathes our spirit in the joy that comes from knowing that we are in fact one with the world around us.

14 Must-Read Buddhist Quotes before the End of the Year.

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I love reading Buddhist quotes.

They set me free from the pain I keep creating. They put an end to the destructive and harmful thoughts that invade my mind. They allow me to see reality—even if momentarily.

And it feels so damn good. It feels good to taste mindfulness, silence, and awareness. It actually feels great to feel a little stupid and realize that life is way simpler than we think.

We need Buddhist quotes. They remind us of our Buddha nature, which is innate, full of potential, and easy to access—if we so choose. Especially before the end of the year when fear might stand in our way, some quotes might fill us with the peace and comfort we desperately need.

The below quotes are from Buddhist writers, scholars, monks, and teachers. They’re full of wisdom and sincerity, but most of all, they’re full of love.

May these 14 Buddhist quotes bring you infinite joy:

1. “The more we want certain situations, the more we find ourselves stuck in situations we do not want.” ~ Kelsang Gyatso

2. “There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment.” ~ Shunryu Suzuki

3. “What’s recommended is that if you have a good experience, don’t get too excited. And if you have a bad experience, don’t mistake it for a serious deviation or a sidetrack that you have to find your way back from. If you have a bad experience, just continue practicing as you were. In other words, whatever happens, just keep looking at your mind.” ~ Thrangu Rinpoche

4. “If it’s painful, you become willing not just to endure it but also to let it awaken your heart and soften you. You learn to embrace it.” ~ Pema Chödrön

5. “According to Shakyamuni Buddha, it’s normal for human beings to be anxious, because it’s normal for human beings not to understand themselves. When you don’t understand yourself, you’re uncomfortable and scared. When you realize that you’re anxious, Buddha’s teaching is to practice being patient with it.” ~ Reb Anderson

6. “When we seek happiness through accumulation, either outside of ourselves—from other people, relationships, or material goods—or from our own self-development, we are missing the essential point. In either case we are trying to find completion. But according to Buddhism, such a strategy is doomed. Completion comes not from adding another piece to ourselves but from surrendering our ideas of perfection.” ~ Mark Epstein

7. “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ~ Alan Watts

8. “You ought to know how to rise above the trivialities of life, in which most people are found drowning themselves.” ~ D. T. Suzuki

9. “We must be willing to be completely ordinary people, which means accepting ourselves as we are without trying to become greater, purer, more spiritual, more insightful. If we can accept our imperfections as they are, quite ordinarily, then we can use them as part of the path. But if we try to get rid of our imperfections, then they will be enemies, obstacles on the road to our ‘self-improvement.'” ~ Chögyam Trungpa

10. “Mindfulness, by helping us notice our impulses before we act, gives us the opportunity to decide whether to act and how to act.” ~ Gil Fronsdal

11. “If one understands that the only thing that remains timeless is the richness of one’s own buddha nature, one can relax even with regard to death.” ~ Lama Ole Nydahl

12. “Learning how to love is the goal and the purpose of spiritual life—not learning how to develop psychic powers, not learning how to bow, chant, do yoga, or even meditate, but learning to love. Love is the truth. Love is the light.” ~ Surya Das

13. “We’re never called on to do what hurts. We just do what hurts out of ignorance and habit. Once we see what we’re doing, we can stop.” ~ Steve Hagen

14. “We all have the ability to study the causes of suffering and gradually to free ourselves from them…it is not the magnitude of the task that matters, it’s the magnitude of our courage.” ~ Matthieu Ricard

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