Listening

I begin working as a mentor with a new person tomorrow, a sacred responsibility and one that requires that I listen and follow guidance. The biggest challenge for me is to keep my own thoughts, plans and biases in the background so I can truly listen and guide them on their path - not mine. I need to remember what Walsch says, that "Know that you are your own highest authority. Whether you read the Talmud or the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita or the Qur’an, the Pali Canon or the Book of Mormon, or any holy text, do not place your source of authority outside of you. But, rather, go within to see if the truth you’ve found is in harmony with the truth you find in your heart. If it is, do not say to others "this book is true." Say, 'this book is true for me.'"

Beginning

It’s the new year and I have a strong sense that it is time to "begin" - the problem is that I do not know what to begin yet. I suspect that "way will be shown". I continue to establish myself in the spiritual community here and I will keep up the progress. We have been moving into our "new" house, a process that will continue. I have also been refinishing pieces of furniture. All-in-all it is time to continue, do everything in a sacred/respectful/honoring manner and be patient.

Working With Others

I have had the honor of working with many people of all ages and backgrounds over the years. I always keep in mind that the objective of my working with them is their growth and development not my own. My objective is to serve their needs, an idea expressed nicely by Walsch when he commented that "A true Master is not the one with the most students, but the one who creates the most Masters. A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but the one who creates the most leaders. A true king is not the one with the most subjects, but the one who leads the most to royalty. A true teacher is not the one with the most knowledge, but the one who causes the most others to have knowledge." The other idea I keep in mind is that "a master craftsman leaves no trace", meaning if they do well and think I had nothing to do with it, I have done my job well.

Difficulties

During the past twenty-eight year of my disability I have encountered and overcome many difficulties and when in the midst of those problems I certainly did not recognize them as gifts or see any benefits. At this point I can see that because of those difficulties I am much further along in my spiritual journey. I am reminded of the comment by Walsch, that "each circumstance is a gift, and in each experience is hidden a treasure." 　For example, I found many years ago that I could use deep meditation to overcome the chronic pain and some of the spasticity of my disability so I do. I now use the same meditation for many things.

Discernment

I have moved from Arizona to Maryland and I am poised to be of service to the people in this area. As far as I can tell, what seems right is to settle in to this house and establish myself in this area while also being a quiet but positive presence of love, connection and forgiveness. That’s enough for right now. In the words of De Mello "God weaves perfect designs with the threads of our lives," he said. "Even with our sins. We can’t see this because we’re looking at the reverse side of the tapestry." Using prayer, meditation and contemplation I can discern what is right for me today.

Holistic Healing

Today I exercised, grocery shopped for the week, sanded a developing bread board, cleaned toilets, did a load of laundry and assisted with dinner. I felt tremendous gratitude throughout remembering that in 1988 I was in much worse shape and could not have done any of those things. I had just been diagnosed with a chronic, progressive neurological disorder and told I would never improve, but continue to worsen. I owe my partial recovery to holistic healing and unconditional love. In the words of St. Faustina "Neither graces, nor revelations, nor raptures, nor gifts granted to a soul make it perfect, but rather the intimate union of the soul with God [love]."

Life of Prayer

Today was Christmas, a day to celebrate Christ’s birth, which I do. Having spent a good part of the day socializing and talking about technology, food, work, cars and weather I have to admit that I feel lost since those things mean little to me. I keep talking about, living and contemplating love, connection, eternity and the Absolute. I am reminded of the words of Thomas H. Green, S.J. "The life of prayer is perhaps the most mysterious dimension of all human experience. We come to be at home with a God we cannot see. We discover that it is only by giving ourselves away totally that we truly come to possess ourselves, that we are most free when most surrendered. We begin to realize that light is darkness and darkness light. We become lost in a trackless desert — and then, if we persevere despite our disorientation, we begin to realize that it is only being lost, in losing ourselves, that we are found. The whole of our life and not just our prayer life, becomes a paradox, an apparent contradiction concealing and revealing a deeper truth, because we begin to realize that we must live as we pray".

Love Versus Fear

Given my comments and the quote from Mother Teresa yesterday, I have to say that I even love our president elect. I delight in his antics and comments, realizing at the same time that he is in a position to cause a great deal of hurt and even destroy the planet. He has done and continues to truly stir things up causing a tremendous backlash of love and connection. He is certainly "unreasonable, illogical and self-centered", at times, as I have been. My hope is that the backlash of love and connection will prevail in the end. Love is, after all is said and done, much more powerful than fear.

Forgiveness

A couple of days ago I spoke of myself as being an "old man", which I am (68). I also commented that I’m "not nearly as old as I hope to become" and, by today’s standard, I’m not that old anyway. At any rate I have been "up, down and around" a few times. I have done many silly, hurtful, very human things while trying to do my best. Given that, I am not likely to judge anyone. I have long appreciated the comment by Mother Theresa, that "People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, It never was between you and them anyway.

Peace 2

I am now an old man, though not nearly as old as I hope to become. I have accomplished many things, hoping that they would fulfil me. Nothing did until I found out about prayer, meditation, unconditional love and the eternal Absolute. I now identify with the comment made by Thomas Dubay, S. M. When he wrote "The unending yearnings of the human spirit are satisfied by nothing that can be measured, seen, heard or touched. To focus selfishly on anything in the created order is to be restricted and thus to fall that far short of full freedom." I have found peace and fulfillment.