Self Sufficiency

An old beggar had been sitting by the side of the road for many years. One day a stranger walked up to him. "Spare some change?" the beggar asked, optimistically holding out a faded old baseball cap. "I have nothing to give you" replied the stranger, "except - what is that you're sitting on?" he mused. "It's nothing." replied the beggar, bending down to look at his feet, "it's just an old box; I've been sitting on it for as long as I can remember." "What's inside it?" asked the stranger. "Nothing," replied the beggar, "it's empty, I think."

"So, you've never looked inside it?" queried the stranger. "Why not have a look?"

"There doesn't seem much point," replied the beggar, but nevertheless, he bent down, and after some initial struggling, managed to pry off the lid.

To his astonishment, the box was filled with gold.

The above story has been re-told time and again. Perhaps you have heard it. I have heard it, many times in various forms. Jesus related this idea when he said, The Kingdom of Heaven is in the midst of you and it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

You and I resemble the beggar when we wait hopefully for someone or something to show up and bring us the good that we seek. This is the prevailing consciousness of our little selves, which gives rise to economic, spiritual, creative, physical and psychological recession.

In our ignorance of the infinite resources within us, we toil and spin, anxiously fearing that we will not have enough. Scarcity thinking takes many forms, not just the monetary forms that bear the affirmation, In God We Trust. We also don't trust in an infinite supply of love, peace of mind, or any of the coins of contentment. This is why we seek, but do not find. We seek amiss. We look here and there, counting our blessings in what lies about us, life's vicissitudes, and rarely if ever take stock of the treasure that lies within us.

 If we are willing to stop the desperate search for a moment we have a good chance of accessing an intuitive sense that there is more to us, a treasure buried within us, that is capable of meeting all our needs. If we adopt a state of mindfulness, it is possible to remain centered in an abiding sense of well being. What seems to be missing turns out to be a case of misplaced attention. We seek and do not find, because we look amiss. When we change our perspective, by panning out from the appearances, they diminish in significance, as we become aware of the larger context of wholeness in which we live and have our being.

As we practice mindfulness, it becomes easier to forestall the rush to panic or judge by the appearances of loss, remain in witnessing mode long enough to allow for the realization that Truth abides with us always.

Choosing A State to Live in

"For I have learned, in whatever state I am in, to be content."

Apostle Paul Phil. 4:11

Within days following my college graduation I headed west with my college roommate to begin life in a new state. I brought along my lifetime accumulations: my precious stereo system, a well-worn record collection, $300 in cash, a laundry basket full of bell-bottoms and tie died t-shirts, and of course, my hard won B. S.

I had lived in Illinois since birth and I was determined to be re-born in a new state; to outdistance my personal history and start over in a new land flowing with new possibilities. I wanted California but settled for Arizona at first. Out west was where men had found their fortune, and the wide open spaces and sunny clime seemed to hold the promise that I too would find a better life there.

I had not learned to be content in whatever state I was in and this initial journey to find happiness was the beginning of decades of searching in the world.

Like many ambitious men, I spent a good deal of my life trying to achieve my way to success, acquire my way to happiness. I achieved and I acquired but the success was short-lived and the acquisitions scratched only the surface wants, leaving my deepest hunger unabated. The promise of the American dream, tantalizingly close but out of reach became for me, an endless season of discontent. I hit bottom. This was great news to my higher self, the part of me that was waiting patiently in the wings for me to call off the fruitless search, turn the ship around and head home.

I did make that about-face a score of years ago and I began my search for inner contentment. That turnaround, from seeking fruitlessly in the world to directing my search toward the spiritual dimension, remains to this day, my best lifetime decision. It is not that I no longer suffer and yearn and long for happiness. I still do, and it's a fairly frequent experience.  The difference is, that having learned the futility of searching for happiness outside of myself, I know where to direct my attention, my faith and my practice. I know from having hit the wall of dissatisfaction with externals so many times, that what I am seeking is the internal domain, the very Presence of God. It is the Kingdom that Jesus described as being immediately and eternally available in the here and now of life.

I have come to know that all my suffering, all discontent takes place when I'm standing outside this Kingdom (awareness). As St. Augustine so succinctly professed, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee, Oh Lord." This is such a high teaching however increasingly these days, I am leaning into the mighty power of this truth and to heed the call to deepen my intention of living and moving and have my being in Divine consciousness. 

I still feel the tension and the pull of the world -with its endless claims to satisfy my desires. But I am becoming more resolute in my moment-to-moment decision to reject the false and hold out for the true. While I still hear the seductive voice promising a better life in some future time and place, I frequently can hear the whisper of the One that says, "Stay with me, right here, right now...you will find lasting comfort, living water." 

I am grateful for this maturation process. Perhaps I cling less to the B.S. (belief system) that drove me to seek another state in my earlier life, and now more likely to seek the good life at hand and birthed in a moment of spiritual awareness. This is now my state of preference. May I remain unmoved. May you make your home here too.

Choosing A State to Live in

"For I have learned, in whatever state I am in, to be content." Apostle Paul Phil. 4:11 Within days following my college graduation I headed west with my college roommate to begin life in a new state. I brought along my lifetime accumulations: my precious stereo system, a well-worn record collection, $300 in cash, a laundry basket full of bell-bottoms and tie died t-shirts, and of course, my hard won B. S. I had lived in Illinois since birth and I was determined to be re-born in a new state; to outdistance my personal history and start over in a new land flowing with new possibilities. I wanted California but settled for Arizona at first. Out west was where men had found their fortune, and the wide open spaces and sunny clime seemed to hold the promise that I too would find a better life there. I had not learned to be content in whatever state I was in and this initial journey to find happiness was the beginning of decades of searching in the world. Like many ambitious men, I spent a good deal of my life trying to achieve my way to success, acquire my way to happiness. I achieved and I acquired but the success was short-lived and the acquisitions scratched only the surface wants, leaving my deepest hunger unabated. The promise of the American dream, tantalizingly close but out of reach became for me, an endless season of discontent. I hit bottom. This was great news to my higher self, the part of me that was waiting patiently in the wings for me to call off the fruitless search, turn the ship around and head home. I did make that about-face a score of years ago and I began my search for inner contentment. That turnaround, from seeking fruitlessly in the world to directing my search toward the spiritual dimension, remains to this day, my best lifetime decision. It is not that I no longer suffer and yearn and long for happiness. I still do, and it's a fairly frequent experience.  The difference is, that having learned the futility of searching for happiness outside of myself, I know where to direct my attention, my faith and my practice. I know from having hit the wall of dissatisfaction with externals so many times, that what I am seeking is the internal domain, the very Presence of God. It is the Kingdom that Jesus described as being immediately and eternally available in the here and now of life. I have come to know that all my suffering, all discontent takes place when I'm standing outside this Kingdom (awareness). As St. Augustine so succinctly professed, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee, Oh Lord." This is such a high teaching however increasingly these days, I am leaning into the mighty power of this truth and to heed the call to deepen my intention of living and moving and have my being in Divine consciousness.   I still feel the tension and the pull of the world -with its endless claims to satisfy my desires. But I am becoming more resolute in my moment-to-moment decision to reject the false and hold out for the true. While I still hear the seductive voice promising a better life in some future time and place, I frequently can hear the whisper of the One that says, "Stay with me, right here, right now...you will find lasting comfort, living water."   I am grateful for this maturation process. Perhaps I cling less to the B.S. (belief system) that drove me to seek another state in my earlier life, and now more likely to seek the good life at hand and birthed in a moment of spiritual awareness. This is now my state of preference. May I remain unmoved. May you make your home here too.

Let Go, Spring Forward

I love the Spring - it's a hopeful season evidenced by visible signs of new life. Buds appear on barren branches, flowers burst forth, and the lifeless land becomes verdant again. Spring reverses winters quiet, and darkness, gives way to chirps, hums and buzzing, and with each day, more light. It is the "added unto us" season that we most readily embrace. It is our sense orientation to life that yearns for more, never less, pushing us to acquire some illusory quantity of good in the landscape of our lives that would be the bounty of our satisfaction. Somehow that version of satisfaction is never realized. We get something that we've wanted in place, and then something else goes missing. We get one plate spinning in the right direction and then another plate starts to wobble. The ego never tires of the maelstrom of thinking that forever orbits within our mind, reaching but never quite grasping the brass ring of enough. We would want a perpetual Spring, when the promise of more at once seduces and imprisons us in the wanting mind. Nature reveals a deeper wisdom, as does the high way of spiritual understanding. Here we behold the value of the season of letting go; patience in waiting; the fertility of  fallow fields. Wisdom recognizes that the new life of Spring depends upon releasing the old life of the Fall. To retain the seed of the blooming season would deny the new life that sprouts from the seed allowed to fall when vitality ebbs from the plant. And so it is that you and I evolve into ever healthier and whole expressions of Life when we release what would stunt our growth. Who of us cannot track some advance in understanding or perspective that emerged through a crack in life, when an old identity steeped in circumstances or conditions, fell away and forced us to looker deeper within for our true self. I have my list, notches in my consciousness that remind me of St. St. Francis words, that it is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life. Ancient religions took heed of this wisdom in extreme ways. Rituals of sacrifice were carried out in the belief that the giving over of an animal or something of great value would appease or coax favor  from a reluctant God. One of the classic stories of faith from Judeo Christian scripture is the story of Abraham who is asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac as proof of his unyielding faith in God.  While that story may offend some people who could not fathom a Loving God demanding sacrifice of a child to test one's faith, or for any reason, it is useful as a metaphor in understanding what faith asks of us.  What beliefs do you cling to that might be barriers to knowing the Divine. This is a mind field rife with peril and promise. We cleave to our belief of what life should be, like it was our beloved child.  In a sense it is our offspring.  We conceived it, raised it up from a tiny idea, fed it similar ideas, and grew it into the full fledged ego child that it is.  It is this progeny of our delusion that a Loving God would ask us to sacrifice, to give up, to let go of, that we might be free of what keeps us from knowing God and Truth and Wholeness.

Go Within or Go Without

"..whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Jesus - Matthew 6:6 I am not proud to admit that as a spiritual teacher I struggle with the internal sacred practices of prayer and meditation. It has always been difficult for me to spend time in the quiet no matter how many teachers, mystics and masters remind me of its value. My reluctance does not stem from skepticism or sloth. I fully embrace the claim that meditation and contemplation in my inner sanctuary is as vital, if not more so, to my spiritual growth and development than outer forms of worship. So this confession is a bit painful. I wince as I recall the number of times I have quoted Robert Browning's unequivocal declaration that to know, rather consists in opening out a way whence the imprisoned splendor may escape, than in effecting entry for a light supposed to be without. Or the countless references I have made to Jesus' assertions that the Kingdom of Heaven is within. While I enthusiastically chart the path, point the way, and illuminate the sign posts to the holy encounter, I seldom go there. I have a good intellectual understanding of the spiritual principles yet given the choice I pick the familiar road of thinking, writing and preaching about them rather than turning down the narrow path within to risk the discomfort in the silence. Recently however I had an experience that was much more painful than "the discomfort in the silence," that brought me to my knees. I can't explain what or why it happened, only that it felt like I fell off a cliff, emotionally and spiritually. Emptiness and dread were my companions for several days with no perceptible reason or precipitating event. Perhaps it was a proverbial dark night of the soul experience. Whatever it was, it brought me to a humble condition, desperate and eager to reconnect with my spiritual foundation. Perhaps divine whispers unheeded escalated to this unambiguous message; this existential pain that ultimately turned me around. Though I did not relish the experience I am grateful for it; for it has motivated me to recommit in earnest to my inner spiritual work. This experience has also led me to the pure prayer and meditative practice outlined in the wonderful little book, The Gathering, by Jim Rosemergy. Over the next 8 weeks we will look at each step of a practice designed to clear the mind of barriers to a conscious awareness of Divine presence and lead us into meditative silence. For me, and I trust for many of you, this is good and timely medicine. The book thoroughly clarifies the steps and unpacks their place and purpose in the preparation process.   I am inviting our congregation (and all who read this article) to join me on a 40 day commitment to this practice beginning 2/27. The book includes 40 days of reflection/journaling exercises that relate to the steps. This will take us up to Easter. By then, I trust, we will have grooved a habit of daily practice, greater familiarity and comfort with the silence, and the blessings of the inner life to keep us going. We begin with the first step which is, Release The Human Need. As the expression goes the first step can be the toughest. But don't despair this is not what it seems to be asking. We don't pretend to give up our human needs; however for purposes of pure spiritual practice, we must recognize that no matter how great our needs we must not let them come between us and God. In other words, if we want the experience of the Divine in its fullness we must come to prayer with open minded receptivity, not neediness. God meets us at the level of our consciousness. Jesus said, Do not worry, rather know, it is the Father's pleasure to have given you the kingdom. As we release the human need in our prayer time, we become the condition through which we can realize the fullness of the Presence. This is what we are after. Come Sunday for a more thorough explanation of this first vital step, or listen to the download if you can't be there. I'm enthused about this series because it promises to be more than interesting, inspiring or educational. It can move us through discomfort to an inner connection, where we might know the truth - the spiritual experience that can set us free. May we grow, in depth, together.   Larry and Denese

Revolve, or Resolve to Evolve

Enlightenment is evolving. It is no longer found only in the bliss of timeless Being; it is found also in the ecstatic urgency of evolutionary Becoming. -Andrew Cohen, spiritual teacher and author, Evolutionary Enlightenment. At the beginning of every year many people take the calendar mark as a point to reflect and ponder their intentions for the unmanifest days ahead. It can be a time to reflect on those aspects of life that are in need of renovation or clearance. For many people it's a time to refresh past goals previously abandoned for want of resolve on an earlier path of good intentions. Or it's a time to create some new intentions to improve the quality of life. The practice is an effective way to focus one's vision and energy in the direction of worthwhile goals; to be energized by the release of past disappointments and emboldened by the promise of new possibilities. While these goals are worthy of our time and attention it is important in the spiritual sense, to evaluate any decision for change within a context of meaning and purpose - our raison d'être. Why is as important, if not more so, than what. Those of us, who have been down this path long enough, have discovered, as Socrates observed, that the unexamined life is not worth living. That is, we have observed the brief shelf life of satisfaction wrought through mere external modifications to behaviour or accomplishments devoid of meaning. Unless our resolutions connect with our soul's agenda, to grow our understanding of our true self, we will find any outer success to be a temporary distraction from a deeper discontent. What most deeply summons us is an often faint, but persistent call to reunite with our Source. As long as we seek to accomplish, achieve, and possess our way to contentment, our soul remains in exile. We seek but do not find when we strengthen the false self, which is identified by possessions, the approval of others, and our status in the world. So it is important, if we are going to adopt new ways of showing up in life, that we catch the vision of our essential nature, which  inexorably leads us to authentic expression, freedom and true contentment. As the Psalmist noted, Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. While this call to deeper reflection and authentic goal setting may seem like a high bar to clear, it offers a sure and safe landing. When we feel the impulse of soul growth, nudging us beyond comfort and ordinary success, we can trust and follow its lead to take us to the next level of self-knowledge. Every great mystic, sage and spiritual realizer has sought and found the deepest truth within the sanctuary of consciousness itself. This is holy and fertile ground, where Life can grow and flourish through us. What we are truly seeking is seeking us. The happiness that eludes us is not being kept from us by circumstances, other people or a reluctant Creator. In this truth, Jesus was emphatic, saying, It is the Father's good pleasure to have given you the Kingdom. In Unity, we hold to the unwavering principle that there is only one, ever present, beneficent Power in our life. To our little ego self this is a radical notion that it would dissuade you from believing.  But I believe that you and I are ready to take the evolutionary leap of understanding that accepts and yields to the life affirming impulse that would have its way through us. Simply put this is allowing God to be God in us. In so doing, we make the choice to evolve rather than revolve. If we do what we've always done, then we'll find ourselves back right where began next year at this time. If we hazard the leap, and let Life lead us higher, we'll enjoy the rarefied air and clearer vision of somebody remade in the image and likeness of our true self. Resolve to evolve!

Behold I Make All Things New

These words have always sparked hope and optimism in me. The promise of a beneficent power that restores the "years the locusts have eaten" and lets us begin again, with a fresh slate, devoid of baggage, is a gospel I can wrap my heart around.   Of course, every one of us has some regrets about the past. It is human to wish that things had been different for us. We may regret decisions we've made, words we've spoken or not spoken, actions we took or failed to take, opportunities not seized or situations we could have left alone. Each of us could make a list. But why dwell there? While regret is a normal human emotion, it's a learning device, not a mantra. Disappointment, regret, and remorse are all useful in revealing what matters to us now; emotions to help us see what didn't work, so we can realign our intentions. However, regret is a state to visit, not a place to live.   Regardless of what has or hasn't happened in the past, the question before everyone of us is: What now? Where do we go from here? Whether we are celebrating 20 years of life or our 20th year of retirement, Spirit is calling us to shake the dust from our feet and begin again.   It's time to retrieve shelved dreams, prime our creative pumps, finish the play, take the dulcimer down from the shelf, plant some new seeds of possibility and approach this precious life before us with renewed zeal. Our past led us to this moment. From this precious awareness, we can wipe away lingering regrets and replace misgivings with new commitments that align with our deepest values. We can listen expectantly for our deepest truth, our most passionate aspiration, calling us to express the best that is within us. New life in the body is a breath away. With each in-breath we take in life giving oxygen that renews every cell in our body. With each out-breath we release the CO2 that would debilitate our well being. And so it is with our psycho-spiritual well being. We breathe out the past - the missteps and regrets, the habits that would debilitate our well being. And then, having made room in our consciousness for new life, we take in a fresh breath of possibility, the promise that with God all things are again possible.  (Matt.19:26) The very word spirit comes from the root word, Spiritus which means breath. It's vital to remember that our spiritual life is nothing less than the Life of Spirit, and the degree to which we allow it motivate and guide us. This Life, which is greater than any power on earth, is breathing us, seeking to be made known through us, and as us. This is a life changing truth! Should we fully embrace this promise we can and will behold a new Life, made new by allowing Spirit to be Spirit in us. As it says in the ancient scriptures, "know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."(Jer.29:11)