Allies With The Universe

Most people consider life a battle, but it is not a battle, it is a game. ~ Florence Scovel Shinn

That is how “The Game of Life and How To Play It” begins. The game of life has rules, challenges and interaction. There are skills to be had, exercises and movements to make, and educational and psychological roles to take on.

We play this game of life alone and as a group. All are professionals and artists in this game, with remunerations to collect, creative expression to fulfill, and imaginative beauty to behold. You may ask:

What are the rules of the game of life and do I have allies in this game?

Am I truly alone in this game?

Who or what am I interacting with? my opponent?

What cards should I play, moves should I make?


Let's answer those questions:

1) Who's the player and who's the opponent?  You.

Don't freak out.  You are perfect right now, as you are. There is nothing that needs to be changed or any test to past nor anguish you must endure to make you more deserving of winning the abundance of life.
There are skills to perfect and use, but you have them all. Choice!

At once, a great responsibility and a great power, choice gives all of us the power to decide, change our minds, then decide again about how we want to perceive and live our lives. We are free to see it our way for our lives with the Universe aligning Itself with us as we believe.

The main thing to remember, as Dr. David Walker titled his book, "You Are Enough."

Here is some "Constructive Self Talk," an affirmation you can use from Dr. Walker's book to concretize that in your consciousness:

I am enough. I am more important than anything I will ever accomplish, for I am the sacred presence of life. It is with my enough-ness that I now cause my life to look the way I want it to look.

2) What are the rules? It's pretty simple:

• declare what you want
• focus on what you want
• imagine that what you want is in all ways, through all of your sense, present
• be grateful for what you want as if you've already received it
• take confident action expressing what you want (this isn't just mental work)

We must decide if we are going to live by the Principle or Precedent. The Game of Principle tells us what we think, speak, practice, and serve shows up in the experience we roll (remember this is a game). The only precedent to be mindful of, is the Principle that we are divine spiritual beings having a human experience, undivided from God and a vessel for change, love, infinite possibilities and for good.

3) What moves should I make, cards should I play? Spirituality and mindfulness.

Many think that spirituality is not taking action. It's too heart-centered, too head-centered, impractical - even superstitious. However, done holistically, full-bodied, bold, succulent, with strong intention and feeling; it's none of those things. You can't be too heart-centered if you are also too head-centered. They can balance each other to great thinking and manifesting. You can't be too practical if you listen to your intuition, for that informs that which is to become a practical exercise. You can't be too logical, if you include imagination as you visualize your purpose.

You have all the game pieces you require:

• meditation, prayer and chanting
• visioning
• yoga and communing with nature
• Radical Forgiveness and the ho'oponopono

Just as a chess player doesn't usually win the championship on day one of their practice, nor can one usually just flip a switch to enlightenment (it can happen, but usually doesn't). With practice we find the tournament easier and easier until it becomes our nature and serious fun; so too this thing called enlightenment.

What you can do too much of is wish or hope, try or attempt. If your sad ole story never changes, neither will your sad ole life. We must move from the land of hope and wish to the land of make believe and manifestation which turns into belief, which turns into experience.

Irrigators channel waters; fletchers straighten arrows; carpenters shape wood; the wise master themselves.   ~Buddha, Dhammapada, verse 80

4) Is this a game of Solitaire, this Game of Life? Simple answer is no.

In the Infinite Nature of God, all conceivable Good is eternally available, ready to flow into human experience.

Nature relentlessly whispers:  I am here for YOU. ~Gordana Biernat

Every hunch, intuited word or idea is your ally. If it is constructive, peaceful and loving, it is the Universe speaking, teaching and guiding you; giving you a lead for the receipt of a bonus card or a prosperous move in this game of life.

Yo might remember the story I tell about going into ministry. How it took me two weeks after the rest of my class began, to decide to join the 2 year training (took five years of training to get to be eligible for the two year ministerial training). In the 24 hours I was given after the final invitation to join the class was in progress,. I went to see the movie, "Angeles and Demons." During the closing credits, alone in this theatre, tears flowing down my cheeks, my eyes closed, I heard, "Do It." No, it wasn't a Nike commercial running on the movie screen, it was the answer to the question I was pondering that day. Well over ten years now, I decided to watch the movie again. I was wondering what could have been the influence, if any, the movie had in this "voice" of decision. When this dialogue was spoken near the end of the film, the tears returned. A memory perhaps of influence?

Cardinal Strauss:  Mr. Langdon, thanks be to God for sending someone to protect this church.

Prof Langdon:  I don't believe He sent me, Father

Cardinal Strauss:  Oh my son, of course He did.

I never really remembered why I was so effected by this movie, but that small bit of dialogue hit me hard. A memory, a hunch, an intuition, a Divine nudge showed up, the Universe supporting my next game!

It is God's will to give every man, every righteous desire of his heart, and man's will should be used to hold the perfect vision, without wavering. ....when man takes his spiritual stand, he collects all that is his from this great Reservoir of Good.                                                              ~Florence Scovel Shinn

The Universe is ever conspiring for our highest good. With that knowledge, we can play the game fearlessly, seeing Divine Love flowing in every roll and every play, moving us towards our very best.

A Conclusion and Call to Action

When you're truly compelled to make a difference and move beyond business as usual, you become capable of creating and achieving miraculous results. Too often we allow ourselves to be limited in our thinking:  “That's the way it's always been, so that's the way it will always be.”     ~Rick Tamlyn, "Play Your Bigger Game"

You have an ally in the Universe. It's the Love and the Law of Cause and Effect. How can it be a loving law? Because it comes from the same source. For every action there is an equal reaction and for every experience you have, there is a mental equivalent that preceded it. That is the law and it is powered by a loving Presence, an energy this is unconditional and infinite. 

In "The Game of Life and How To Play It," Shinn writes an affirmation that goes like this:

Infinite Spirit, open the way for the Divine Design of my life to manifest; let the genius within me now be released; let me see clearly the perfect plan.

Start today to play your game of life. 

     The rules are simple, the opponent easy to beat.

     The ally always present and in your corner.

It is not a game of blame, but of responsibility.

It is not a game of shame, but of dignity.

It is not a game of guilt, but of infinite possibilities.

It is not a game of woe, but of wow, love, life, 

Light and wisdom. 

For the gamer that is in you, I give you this explanation:

● It is a Candy Land of sweet Spiritual support where any Clue you need is available

● A game where you always have a Monopoly on your thoughts, feelings and beliefs

● The knowledge is at your feet to un-Scrabble the richest words

● There's no Battleship to fight or reason to put your body in a Twister of positions

● There is no Risk in playing or reason to feel Boggle-d, as the Universe is your ally

● The more you use the wisdom of your ally, the least amount of time you will have to say or feel Sorry

● Your Cranium, heart and gut, the Divine Matrix, will keep you out of Trouble

● You are in control of the Operation

● There will never be Angry Birds or Dungeons and Dragons in your way

● With the Universe on your side and the Law providing you Apples to Apples, you will never have a  Trivial Pursuit or pull any Cards Against Humanity

● Your Call of Duty is to have some serious fun

● With all this going on, you will shout “Yahtzee” every day

Are you ready?

Take the first roll!

Make the first move!

And let's get this fabulous, succulent, opulent, love-filled game going!




Affirmation
I recognize the Infinite that lives and expresses Its Divine nature in me, as me and through me.
I see Its Power, feel Its Love, hear Its Wisdom and am consistently guided by Its Light.
My way is through the heart-flow of Divine Intelligence and schooled by the Universal source and substance of all life.
I step joyously into my most prosperous adventure as I walk this talk, herd my Word and attract all that I now claim as mine today.