Love And Faith

"Love instead of war, killing, aggression and death" is what I hear for the method of achieving the goals of the ideals the spirits believed in and some died for. Then my mind comes back with the question "what if the perpetrators are intent on using aggression". The feeling that comes back strongly is "trust in the process" so that is what I will do and also present as a solution. It is clear to me that this is a case that logic, reasoning and words will not satisfy while knowing and faith will. "To understand better the value of silence in daily life, and its relation to this spiritual transformation for which we yearn, it is useful first to consider the limitation of language, of words It is next useful to contemplate the limitations of logical reasoning." (Daniel A. Seeger)

Conflict and Resolution

Today, during my meditation with some of the spirits from Arlington National Cemetery, I encountered a conflict which concerned me for a while. Some of the spirits agreed on the one hand that killing, aggression and death would not get us closer to the ideals they believed in and some died for. And on the other hand that killing, aggression and death had to help, a belief they had been taught and were committed to. I felt confused and thought they might be right that violence was necessary, at least some of the time. I asked for guidance and meditated. In that meditation I was flooded with remembrance the many instance when violence melted and vanished as a result of love like when members of a church turned toward prayers for perpetrators rather than retaliation. "In the Dhammapada he [the Buddha] teaches that in this world hate never dispels hate. Only love dispels hate."

Being Right Sized

This morning I commented to my wife that I was feeling confused and she made the very helpful comments that "you are not in charge and you are only one person". It was good to be reminded to be "right sized". During my meditation and contemplation today I made it clear to myself that I needed to liste, did not have the answers to life and did not have a full understanding. All were good thoughts to keep me right sized and in reality. According to the gospel of Thomas Jesus said, "Let the one who seeks not stop seeking until he finds. When he finds he will become troubled; when he becomes troubled, he will be astonished and will rule over all things."

Meditation

The theme for my recovery meeting today was "prayer and meditation", a subject I enjoy and feel very passionate about. The subject of meditation also came up during some conversations and during my own contemplation. I particularly enjoy hearing "beginners" speak of their experience of trying meditation without believing in God or anything else in particular and still benefitting tremendously from the experience, much as I did. During my conversations and contemplation I reflected on the physical healing that I and others have experienced as a result of meditation. I wrote about that two days ago. Meditation is one of those practices that seems ethereal but is, in fact, very practical and simple. I have heard it described as "anything that quiets the clamoring of the intellect".

Holistic Healing

I have had numerous physical problems for which I have, successfully, turned to a spiritual or holistic solution and also some for which I have turned to traditional western medicine. The latter include things like two hernias and some broken bones, though even in those cases I facilitated the healing process. At this point the physical problems for which I have used a spiritual or holistic solution include cerebellar degeneration, a faulty heart valve, hypothyroidism, a prostate problem, joint difficulties and numerous cuts and cysts. In each case I have used the power of love through meditation and been successful enough that several doctors have concluded that I was miss-diagnosed when I was not. My connection with the power I call God has made all this possible and it is through God that I get the needed guidance

Life

I have been looking at the man I am today and the many challenges and gifts of my past, realizing that all of those life events were important in forming me, as I am. My early years were spent in a loveless, politely violent alcoholic home so I spent much of the time wandering alone in nearby field. Through that part of my history I leaned the importance of love and silent solitude. I also gained empathy and understanding for people with similar challenges. Everything was perfect for molding me. "To get we must also give, to advance we must also surrender, to gain we must lose, to attain we must resign. From the nature of things life means choice and selection, and every positive choice negates all other possibilities." (Rufus Jones)

mixed motives

While I was talking about someone today I pointed out that he had mixed motives for many of his actions and I would like to mention that I too have some mixed thoughts surrounding my actions — not quite mixed motives but at least passing thoughts. For example I wrote my book and do many other things purely to be of service to others but I also have thoughts about becoming famous or having public gratitude expressed. I consider those thoughts to be part of my humanity, not frailties just there. "It is not that the demonic forces within the unconscious are not capable of destruction and disintegration. It is rather that within the mystery of the conjunction of opposites their sting can be drawn, their poison drained, and their very energy harnessed to realize a more profound individuation. (John Yungblut)

Ministry

I spent much of the day communicating with each of various groups of spirits from Arlington National Cemetery about non-violence, love, God, compassion and using the three questions I mentioned yesterday. I kept pointing out that they could influence the behavior of the living in order to bring about the ideals they lived and died for. Communication is easier than with the living since they have the gift of discernment and they are able to probe me completely, so they know I am genuine and speak the truth. I serve as their example. The last grouping I worked with this evening were the "notables", political and non-political leaders, who, as a group, were confused to realize that killing, aggression and death would not get us closer to their ideal in spite of what they were told. I will continue to communicate with them but what they do with the information is up to them. "It requires even more discernment to discover whether the ministry called for from a particular individual in a particular instance requires prophetic speech, humble and hidden activities, bold and dramatic action, professional service or some, novel and previously unimagined course." (Patricia Loring)

Choices

Today Maria and I took a tour of Arlington National Cemetery and I began to get to know some of the many, diverse spirits there. It felt like a beginning of something...... They were diverse in many ways but the ones I communicated with were unified in their disappointment and sadness over the way things are versus the ideal they lived and died for. They were also unified in the realization that killing, aggression and death do not get us closer to that ideal in spite of what they were told. I made it clear that I did not have the answers but that answers could be found by listening and acting according to that "small quiet voice" within. I also suggested using the three questions ("Would I do this in front of God [or whatever you call the power or force behind the Universe]?; Is my name really on it [or is it really my responsibility]?; Will this increase the integrity of the universe [or is this action motivated by love, rather than fear, acting out of love always increases the integrity of the universe]").

Eternal View

When I can meditate, put my own very temporal, worldly thought and fears aside and listen to the divine, loving presence it becomes clear to me that eternally everything is moving along just fine. On the other hand if I listen to the news (N.P.T.) or read the paper (Washington Post) it is obvious that we are destroying the planet we depend on, hating and killing each other and making short-term choices which are not sustainable. "We can cultivate an environment among us which will foster one another’s spiritual growth by directing and redirecting intention and attention to God; by discouraging what draws us away; by loving support for each other in the vicissitudes of our utterly human lives; by respecting and cherishing the uniqueness of each life." (Patricia Loring)