Pass The Principle, Please

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at dusk, is the LORD's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. ~Leviticus 23:5–8


Spring has sprung, holy days are abundant, the daytime is longer and though it feels like we have lost some freedoms, it actually a perfect time to get free from old thought patterns, beliefs and ideas that have limited our experience and expression as an individual and as people. The above is a Biblical command from Leviticus talking about celebrating Passover or Pesach, the holiday which commemorates liberation, emancipation, and communal responsibility for oneself and the world.

Let's begin with the story of Passover:

There was once an orphan, husband, father of two, shepherd, defector, murderer, and possible stutterer... our hero - Moses.

One day, Moses was shepherding his flock of sheep in the desert, when suddenly he came upon this bush... on fire … a burning bush, you might say. In fact, it was a talking burning bush, and it made you take your shoes off while on its property.

It told Moses, “look, I see what’s happening to the people, the Hebrews, I hear their cries. I don’t like it and I need you to fix it. Go tell the Pharoah, ‘let my people go!”

Moses was like, “Uh...well...ummm, hold on,” he was freaking out a little – this was a task out of his comfort zone. “Nobody is gonna believe me. Who could I say sent me to insist on such a thing?”

And the scorching shrub told him, in a very God-like voice, “tell them ehyeh asher ehyeh -I AM that I AM- sent you. Go, speak your Word, Moses, and free your people. I am within you to support you with the Power that you need.”

Very impressive speech by the blazing bush, especially with the dramatic echo, but nonetheless, our hero was still weary about this task, not believing the Universe had his back. Who hasn’t felt that at times? You stand before a conflagrant conversant chaparral ... who would believe such a thing?

“Are you out of your Mind?,” Moses answered, “Pharaoh is going to have a conniption ... he's not gonna care that 'I AM that I Am' sent me to tell him to ‘let my people go.’ Come on now!”

The Bush replied, “You come on now, doh-doh head,  step it up a bit.  At least, act as if, Moz.”  Then the Infinite Being showed Moses that he had a few talents that he didn’t know he had, to prove that he could represent the Divine that was within him.  It was the old stick into a serpent trick….very impressive. Great with the ladies. Some people are good singers, good with numbers....Moses:  a stick and a snake!  Don't laugh, the Universe is unlimited!

Still not convinced, our little 80 year old rascal (yes, he was 80 at the time) brought up another one of his limiting beliefs, surely, he thought, a detriment to this whole affair. “Hey Lord, what-a-bout my uncircumcised lips?” Hey, its in the Bible; Moses had some sort of speech impediment, as well as a social awkwardness. “ I'm good with sheep,” replied Moses, “but people?  My brother Aaron is the charismatic one.”

“Look, said the heated hedge, “have a little faith, dude. I'm giving you this job because of those things. If I sent some big handsome guy with booming stentorian tones....say...Charlton Heston....everyone would believe for a minute or two, but it's too showy.  They need to be wowed by my energy, manifest through a regular guy. They need to see the vibration of my luminescence-in-action that is within you, to learn that it is within them. The Hebrews just don't get that yet. They will believe it more, if you show them.  And remember, 'I’ll be there’ … ‘you just call out my name' ... Cause Moz, 'you gotta friend in me.”

Still, Moses was not convinced.  Have you ever had that?  In retrospect, can you see signs from the Universe showing you the next step … and you didn’t listen? I don't have the time to list mine.

Anyway, Moses told the bush that he wanted to have his people free, but wasn't feelin' this 'Power within' thing quite yet. So, the Universe, in its flaming Cause and Effect splendor, says, “Geez, okay, if you really want to do it the hard way, fine, whatever. But you gotta....♫Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt land, and tell O' Pharaoh, let my people go.♫ You will get the Hebrews freed, I promise, but if you're so set on it being a difficult thing, then, okay, I'm gonna harden Pharaoh’s heart and make it more difficult for you.  “What,” cried Moses?  “Hey pal, you ask, you get, my friend. Happy now?  Have fun!  Move it along, we're done here.”  Lesson:  if you think life is going to be difficult, the Universe is happy to oblige.

Anyhow, Moshe (his Jewish name) returns to Egypt, starting to feel pretty good now. He goes to the Pharaoh, with full Divine strength surging through him and demands, “Let my People go!” And the Pharoah says, “naw, I don't think so.” This goes on for days.

The serpent and stick bit didn't impress him, the 'I Am that I AM' stuff didn't impress him, even the 'let my people go' song didn't do it; so Moses had to get creative. Thus, the ten plagues.  Now, each plague meant something, and we continue to have some of our own, above and beyond Covid-19, but most important to the story is that the Hebrews were in bondage-physically, emotionally and spiritually. They were accepting their strife as their truth, not just fact, thus making it harder for them, and any of us in a similar limited belief, at home, to get outta there. Race consciousness can be a tough vortex to transcend, if you buy into it. The Hebrews didn’t understand that they were the true Power over their lives, not Ramses II or Thutmose III (whoever was the Pharaoh – Yul Brynner). 

Finally, the Israelites fled. So these 2+ million people who have been in bondage for over 200 years  ...doesn’t some of your limiting beliefs seem like they have been around that long(?)...  they come all this way, over 100 km, out of misery, out of oppression, finally on their path to the Promised Land and suddenly they hit a little wall - a wall of water, yes - but now all that faith goes in the toilet.

Scouts say Pharaoh and his army (their past) is on their tails, and what do the Hebrews do? They plead for help … again! They whine and bitch & moan & cry about the obstacle, the setback. They're all “woe is me” and so, of course, boom, that manifests:  the Red Sea.

But Moses is a spiritual, Christ consciousness activist kind of guy now. He knows, in every cell, that, even on this special occasion, Principle works.  He evolved by involving – reaching within to the Power of Divine Intelligence....the I Am that I AM – hello!  And he spoke his word and the Red Sea parted, and they crossed, for six hours, and then the Red Sea un-parted; leaving behind, drowned, dead and buried; a huge chunk of limiting beliefs...the Egyptians soldiers. But that wasn't the end, it was actually just the beginning. Unfortunately, it took another 40 years of wandering for the Hebrews to reach the promised land of really getting it, the Divine is within.

The real exile of Israel in Egypt was that they learned to endure it. It was easier to take the Jews out of Egypt than to take the Egypt out of the Jews.  ~ Rabbi Hanoch of Alexander, a Hasidic master

Often, we move away from negative situations, then recreate them. That's because there's a deeper dynamic that got us there which hasn't really shifted yet. The outer circumstances may have changed, but the inner landscape hasn't. We know that Principle is not bound by precedent, but in some parts of our lives, we, like Hebrews, don't get it. We hold habits of being enslaved, even when free. Well Principle is always present to use for our greatest good or not so good. We get to choose.  Here's an example how:

If I take the time, to just sit down, close my eyes, say a prayer, open myself to spirit, then my identity begins to expand, and I remember that I'm not just Estelle, the personality, that I'm a soul, that I'm an embodiment of the Divine, and I move from what Jewish mystics say is "small mind" to "big mind." And in that other state, the bonds of the self, the small identity that limits us and dictates who we think we are, it frees up -- it's sort of like a zooming out that you would do with a camera, but it's zooming out all the way to infinity, all the way to eternity, beyond time, beyond space. And in that moment of deep meditation, or prayer, anything becomes possible, because you are rising above the workings of time.   ~Estelle Frankel, Berkeley psychotherapist / Jewish mysticism educator

That zooming out concept is a NLP exercise, as well.

There's a saying at end of the Passover dinner:  le-shanah ha-ba’ah bi-Yerushalayim .... next year in Jerusalem!  Yerushalayim means City of Peace. It is the city of peace that is within each and everyone of us, the Universal unconditional Divine Love and the Law that says thoughts become things, feelings spark facts, beliefs manifest biography.

The Passover biography shows we must be our own Moses, our own Redeemer of the Truth and not allow ourselves to become bitter or hold on to the past, hardening our hearts like Pharaoh.

TRUTH is within ourselves; it takes no rise
From outward things, whate’er you may believe.
There is an inmost centre in us all,
Where truth abides in fullness; and around,
Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in,
This perfect, clear perception—which is truth.
A baffling and perverting carnal mesh
Binds it, and makes all error: and, to KNOW,
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape,
Than in effecting entry for a light
Supposed to be without.  ~Robert Browning, Paracelcus

I invite you to:

• Free yourself of the bondage of limited consciousness
• Enter your land of milk and honey
• Step into the Promised Land - your City of Peace
• Transcend to the I Am that I AM that You Are - the vibration of beauty, peace, power, light, life, love, joy and wisdom.

Not next year, not even sometime this year…

DO IT NOW!

Affirmation
Principle Works, Even on Special Occasions
I Am a special occasion.  I Am an unique expression of Divine origin. I Am sitting in a pool of grace, allowing Divine Intelligence to inform me and Divine Healing to protect my body temple.  I Am open to and use this Force for Good for the prosperity, joy and Love of myself, my family and friends, and the world. I am never passed over for the good in my life. I sing the songs of the ancients and speak the words of the wise.
Hallelujah, amen, shalom, aloha, and so it is!

Suiting Up For Success

What are you wearing?
...not talking about your clothes
...inside, what are you wearing?

During our stay-at-home time I have started a Facebook Live series called, The New Thought Guy Reads. Every weekday at 5pm, I read a couple of chapters out of an inspirational book. The first one is THIS THING CALLED YOU by Ernest Holmes. One of the things he wrote early in the book is:

You, like all others, are seeking the joy of living...everything in nature is endowed with this creative urge.

He laters also mentions that no one is special, and there is no secret going on here, just a lack of knowledge. We are all a part of It and have the power of It. "It" being the Divine Force or Spirit or Intelligence, whatever you like to call that Universal Power. That power we have is internal....and eternal. As Robert Browning said:

Man can desecrate, but never lose the divine spark.

Remember, we don't teach what to think, but how to think. And you use this how to think methodology to get to the what you want to think. I am not asking you to change Reality, merely your reaction to it. I want us, especially in the special times of anxiety, stress, etc. that seems to be prevalent these days, to tune in to the Truth, not just the facts. To tune into what Emma Curtis Hopkins called “a doctrine of NOW and HERE.”

There was a Rabbi on Twitter who was experiencing an overwhelm from tending to the emotional toll this event was putting in her lap as a spiritual leader. It was taking a toll on her. I wrote:  "I'm having a tough time with the tough time I'm having about the tough time we're all having during this tough time." And then I reminded her to, "Stay in forgiveness, being blessed by the Divine energy you require when you require it....or try chocolate."

There's a lot of talking about being anxious. I haven't been feeling it much. A few days ago I realized I was feeling anxious about not knowing about feeling anxious in order to counsel those who are feeling anxious about this anxiety-infused time. Anxious that I didn't understand feeling anxious as I wasn't feeling anxious. Then it showed up, that anxiety; this happened to me on Saturday as I was preparing the Sunday Celebration talk. So, I did allow myself to feel this anxiety. I realized that instead of just postponing the work I didn't feel like doing to the afternoon, I was anxious that I didn't want to do anything and wouldn't get it done if I didn't start now, in the morning. Yeah, eventually I got to the "just take the morning off;" but before I could get there, that simple solution hidden from me with this anxiety and self-doubt, I had to dig in to my spiritual practice....to center myself, so I could make wise decisions without the weight of the anxiety, etc., that was going on. What did I do? First...

BREATHE

There is almost nothing more freeing and centering than to concentrate on your breathing. Slowing inhaling through the nose, then holding the breath for a count of three, then exhaling out the mouth with a resounding release. Repeating that several times, focused on my breath, calmed me allowing the noise of that negative self-talk dissipate and, eventually, disappear. Other ideas are to dig into your...

IMAGINE

Visualize like you did as a kid. Go a-wondering.

GO OUTSIDE

Take a walk, sit in the backyard or some version of one. Happy Spring, by the way. 

COMMUNE

Use the affirmations or affirm-prayer-ations. Exchange those destructive thoughts with constructive thoughts. Not to magically make the anxiety go away, but to awaken the intuition in communing with Spirit, Divine Wisdom and Divine Healing. It opens your heart to peace and calm allowing a reflection of peace, calm and love into your life. All minds are "an outlet through which the Creative Intelligence of the universe seeks" to express and fulfill Itself....suit its Self up.

The choice is ours what to wear! Our barriers to calm and peace are not made by the President, the news or scientists, not even the virus itself, it is our thoughts and beliefs. We live by a law of faith and the process of not freaking out is "not so much a problem of will as it is one of willingness." As we "learn to exchange fears, doubts and uncertainties for faith," these "thoughts, often repeated, form patterns in mind which automatically reproduce themselves." Thought has a cumulative power! It brings a serenity that doesn't ignore what's going on, but allows you to to change your reaction to it. And expectancy will speed your progress.

Suiting up for success during this special occasion called the Novel Corona Virus Pandemic is about constant hand washing, social distancing, stay-at-home restrictions and for some, physical healing; but for all, it is about suiting up with successful thoughts. Not by struggling to remove fearful, anxious patterns of thoughts, but by straining them out. Or drowning them out. I've written about the clean water in dirty water glass bit. Keep pouring clean water into a glass of dirty water and soon you will have a glass of clean water. Same with your thoughts, feelings and beliefs. This is not religious, it's scientific. Take hold of the negative thoughts often repeated and exchange them for new optimized, affirming ones.

Pour fresh, clean thoughts of clarity, imagination, health, fun, patience, flexibility into the dirty water of fear, misinformation, worry, doubt, anxiety. It is a garden to cultivate...

Start watering now!

Affirmation
Today I put on my Sunday best, my wedding dress, my Brunello Cucinelli Tux.
I do this not so much in body, but in Mind.
I make a conscious use of the Divine Law with certainty.
I identify myself with the calm and peace I desire, filling my life with an inner sense of quiet contentment.
I declare my well-being is enthusiastically vibrating throughout my day.
Right where I am, in the middle of it all, I bust through, soar and zoom; expecting good, anticipating joy, and relishing the adventure of the times.

Nurturing Our Nature

I want to begin with a Zen Buddhist story:

“Fire! Fire!” In the midst of a great feast, the villagers turned their heads in a drunken stupor and through their hazy vision, saw rapidly spreading flames, threatening to engulf them. They desperately looked around for a way out, but were too drunk to get up.

“We’re done for! We might as well all get ready to die,” somebody started to weep. However, one clear-headed person called out, “Isn’t the most honored and venerated Buddha staying in our village right now? His wisdom will help us escape from the God of Fire!”

Everybody prayed quietly and a few moments later the Buddha appeared. At once, this strong and solemn voice brought on a sense of calm. “Each sentient being has three fires burning within them: the fire of greed; the fire of anger; and the fire of ignorance. I will use the water of supreme wisdom to put out these fires. And in the flash of an eye, the fire disappeared without a trace.

The villagers, with newfound faith in and gratitude for the Buddha, wept in joy and cried praises. “It is not I you are to have faith in, but the Divine within you,” the Buddha answered.

Later, the other monks asked him how he knew to perform this miracle. Per his usual, the Buddha told a parable:

“One day, a ferocious wind came and caused the bamboo bushes to chafe together with such violence that they caught fire, setting the whole mountainside forest ablaze, so all life would surely end. Then a parrot called Joy, feeling sorry for creatures without wings to fly away, soaked up water with his small wings from the nearby sea and flew back and forth, hundreds of thousands of times, between the sea and the forest, trying to extinguish the fire. A passerby asked the bird, “How can you, being so small, hope to put out such a great fire?” The parrot replied, “My heart is more powerful than the fire!  Even if I cannot put out the fire in this moment, I swear I will do it in the next.” With seemingly supernatural power, brimming clouds came in to rain on the mountainside, thus instantly saving every living being on the mountain”

“I inspired them by telling them about Truth, about who they are, so they could reveal the Divine within and use Law of Cause and Effect to extinguish the destructive fires in their hearts, and attain peace. The fire isn't out there as much as it is in here,” he said, pointing to his heart. When you extinguish one, it is easy to extinguish the other. Peace in heart, inspires the imagination and sparks intuition to rise up with wise and effective decisions and actions.


What is our Nature? Who are you? What are you? 
I remember the Michael Keaton Batman movie when he was on a roof with some bad guy who didn't know him and nervously asked him.....

Well, you may or may not be Batman, but you are God - God of your experience, your mind, your feelings, your reactions. 

Each of us constructs and lives a ‘narrative’. This narrative is us. ~Oliver Sacks, neurologist

What is your narrative? Whose narrative are you going to live? Mine?  Nope, taken. CNN's? Hope not. You live yours ...the one you choose. I know stuff is happening around us, but that doesn't mean it has to happen to us...unless we allow it.

Man's word is his wand filled with magic and power! Yeshua emphasized the power of the word; “By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned,” and “death and life are in power of the tongue.”  So man has power to change an unhappy condition by waving over it the wand of his word. In the place of sorrow appears joy, in the place of sickness appears health, in the place of lack appears plenty.   ~Florence Scovel Shinn, Your Word Is Your Wand
How does our nature help us, especially now? Well, it is an oft said phrase in New Thought that “Principle is not bound by precedent.” One of my first teachers, Dr. Robert Bitzer said many times to “Stay in Principle even on special occasions." Principle is....well let's go to the big SOM book:

The source or cause from which a thing results; a truth which is unchangeable. 

Principle is Truth, the Divine expressing Itself through us, as us, with us, and for us. But only as we consciously allow It to do so.

TO DESERT THE TRUTH IN THE HOUR OF NEED IS TO PROVE THAT WE DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH.   ~Ernest Holmes, SOM text pg. 282 (all in caps)

Theme for the 2020 year is Perception. You get to decide how you are going to perceive your life in this experience.

Okay, OK – what about all this monkey mind I have going on, you might ask? Well, for now, it looks like most of us are home, so take a moment, in this time of stay-at-home, to get clear. Clear?

Clarity entails tuning in to our inner guidance systems. But how can we know our voice of wisdom is speaking or when we're just having another Monkey Mind conversation? ~Maria Nemeth, Mastering Life's Energies

In here book, Maria Nemeth has a list of how you can tell if the thoughts going on in your hear are Monkey Mind or Wisdom. Here is Monkey Mind talking:

1) very insistent - “Listen to me now!”
2) survival oriented – the body tenses
3) sense of dread or impending doom
4) defensive – feedback is an accusation 
5) humorless or deflective humor

And here is Wisdom intuiting and informing:

1) compassionate – toward both you and others
2) spacious – your heart relaxes
3) gentle good humor about situation
4) generosity of spirit – helping others (example)
5) sense that all is well or will be

Basically, if it's monkey mind, your hearing destructive thoughts. If it is intuition and wisdom, you're hearing constructive thoughts. Either way, you get to decide what stays or goes and what state of mind you will be and stay in. You get to decide what frame surrounds your picture and what narrative you will tell.

Each man must sooner or later learn to stand alone with his God; nothing else avails. Nothing else will ever make you master of your own destiny. There is in your own indwelling Lord all the life and health, all the strength and peace and joy, all the wisdom and support that you can ever need or desire.     ~Emilie Cady, Bondage or Liberty, Which?

How you get to Carnegie Hall is the same way you get to love vs. fear, calm vs. panic, hilarity vs. hysteria, nurture your True nature:  practice, practice, practice...Spiritual practice

We go apart to get still, that new life, new inspiration, new power of thought, new supply from the Fountainhead may flow in; and then we come forth to shed it on those around us, that they, too, may be lifted up.    ~Emile Cady

Then, after some spiritual practice, it's time to celebrate the March 22nd special holiday:  National Goof Off Day. So, take the rest of the day off, stay at home, maybe get a puppy... March 23rd was National Puppy Day. And remember:

From six feet away know and wish all .... Namaste!

Affirmation
Today I Reaffirm...
...the Power and Presence of Divine Intelligence ripples through all I think, feel, believe, know and do.  I open my heart and mind to the wisdom of intuition and all the information the Universe has to share with me to make the best decisions for my health and welfare.
I shift what needs to be shifted in my attitude and perception, knowing that I am protected by It's Power and my wholeness is intact.
My Normal Is Love and Calm

20/20 – Not Perfect, Just Normal

20/20 vision is considered normal (read-average) visual acuity. Outside of  the U.S., normal would be 6/6...of course that's meters versus feet. 20/20 vision may be goal for most and the minimum requirement for pilots, but 20/15 visual acuity is considered superior, one can see clearer by 5 ft. Also, you can have 20/40 vision and still pass the Driver's License test in all 50 states, not to mention that most print is designed for this level of acuity.

This week, I will be infusing the blog with some puns and what most will think as dumb jokes. A groany grin is still a smile and a sort of chuckle is at least the beginnings of a full on laugh. It's an especially good time to get a smile or laugh going on.

What type of vision do dustbin workers have?

-bin-ocular vision

Where is the eye located?

-between the H and the J

What favorite organ does an Irish person & pirate have in common?

-the eyeee

Happy St. Patrick's Day, by the way, though I know it has passed by the time you read this. I trust you Zoomed or Facebook Live'd your gathering this year. Speaking of saints, this month I am being sure to give honor and mention to Womyn in History and Shestory. This week I want to talk abou Brigid of Kildare.

Saint Brigid of Kildare is Ireland’s only female patron saint. Interestingly, her father was a pagan. Brigid was actually baptized by Saint Patrick. She is considered the patron saint of babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, cattle, chicken farmers, children whose parents are not married, dairymaids, milk maids and dairy workers, fugitives, infants, mariners, midwives, poultry raisers, printing presses, sailors, scholars, travellers, watermen, creative scholars and poets -a wide spectrum of those protected by her sainthood. As well, she is the Druid Goddess of poetry and healing in Celtic myth. Brigid (c 451-523) has been held up as a symbol of Divine Femininity. She was a powerful Abbess who offered an alternative to the confines of domestic life to up to 14,000 women, a peace-weaver, a fearless negotiator who secured women’s property rights, and freed trafficked women. And she was also reputed to be an expert dairywoman and brewer. She was known for her generosity and concern for the poor. Brigid’s mother was in charge of the Master’s dairy. Brigid tended to give the produce away to the poor. The dairy prospered in spite of her generosity. When she gave produce to the poor it tended to multiply! There's a familiar story. Also, when she gave water to a thirsty stranger, the water turned to milk (which in Ireland means Guinness). A quote that fits her, is from her and evokes Truth in consciousness:

Christ dwells in every creature.

Visual acuity is just one aspect of the typical eye exam, however optometrists also test for other vision skills:

Peripheral awareness

Eye coordination

Depth perception

Ability to focus

Color vision

Don't confuse your visual acuity or your mental acuity with your most powerful one - spiritual acuity. Joke time....

A man went to a specialist to get his eyes tested. “Doctor, will I be able to read after wearing glasses?”


“Yes, of course,” said the doctor, “why not!”


“Oh! How wonderful that will be,” said the patient with joy, “I have been illiterate for so long.”

Getting back to those other vision skills that optometrists test, I am reminded of my last blog on the subject of Foresight - the seeing, visioning, envisioning and declaring your next experience. It got me thinking about spiritual acuity:

Spiritual Acuity takes peripheral awareness .... what's going on around you and within you.

Spiritual Acuity takes eye coordination .... Divine Matrix is the coordination of the Mind, Heart and Gut.

Spiritual Acuity takes depth perception .... we must dig deep past the shadow (per Jung), or the superficial and shallow thinking.

Spiritual Acuity takes the ability to focus .... spiritual practice, daily, deeply, and with joyous gratitude.

And Spiritual Acuity takes color vision .... our attitudes, perceptions and beliefs color/filter your experiences. Speaking of attitudes and perception: 

Where do you send a depressed eye?

-to the low vision centre

What did the right eye say to the left eye?

-Between you and me, there’s something that smells

We are in a Spiritual Fire Drill. This viral pandemic is an expose' of the weakness in our systems of community, preparedness, love, kindness, peace, clarity and gratitude. In this time of social distance and staying home, it's a good time to ruminate on how we as a species are treating each other and our planet. It's a wake-up call to clear this up....

Patient: I see spots before my eyes.

Optometrist: Didn’t the new glasses help?

Patient: Sure, now I see the spots much clearer. 

Like that patient, its time for all to take note and apply the lesson. It is a wake up call for the consciousness of humankind to declare:

Love

Community

Kindness

Peace

Mental and Physical Preparedness

The masses don't always see it at first:

Optician: You need glasses.

Patient: But I’m wearing glasses.

Optician: Then I need glasses

But, as you can see in these and other experiences like disasters, etc., it brings out the crap and fear in many, and the kindness and gratitude in others. These times show us who is who and what is in their attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs; especially those that may hide in the hustle and bustle of modern and urban daily life. We see who has a 20/20 vision of Divine Love or is in need of corrective lenses - i.e. spiritual practice. Basically, the Universe is telling us to sit down, shut up (not the polite, get quiet) and get centered. I read the following letter that illustrates what has been happening in China right now during this pandemic.

QUIET CHINA

by Chinese Pastor, sent to brother in Istanbul via friends in Singapore

The hustle and bustle of China finally quiets down, the restless society comes to a still, and the restless Chinese people gradually calm down. Humans finally lower their proud head and have begun to think quietly:  are we still the king of the earth?

Mankind finally feels the power of nature once again....in the face of the threat of death, human beings have only begun to reflect seriously, only to realize that a lack of awe-inspiring social atmosphere will lead to more harm and more risks. The greedy heart is being purified by the virus, and the mouth that loves to eat is being punished by the virus. the people who have been soaking in the bright red and green places all day have been driven home by the virus, saying.... "go home!"

There are fewer and fewer people on the street, few cars on the road, the air is getting fresher..., the haze is gone..., the sky is getting bluer, the sun is getting brighter, family lives are getting warmer, more harmonious and cordial. people's hearts have become more and more calm. People who haven’t read for years have picked up books at home. parents and children who had no communication, couples who couldn’t speak few words a year have opened up the conversation box. Children who do not know how to respect the elderly have began to be filial.

The virus teaches human beings a vivid and profound lesson. it makes us understand awe. It also lets us know what is called "good times". It also makes us feel true love on earth. …. we really should be grateful for this "enemy", we need such an enemy to give us a "reminder" and give us "empowerment."

The virus will not leave so quickly. it needs to see the CULTIVATION of human good habits. the virus will not continue to rag, because human love will gather more power to keep the virus away. Time will tell us everything. Time will also prove what is right. 

So dear reader, it's time once again to slow Down, get centered, breath, talk to one another, take time to view the inside stuff (creativity, imagination, inspiration); as we constantly was our hands. In fact, we can wash our minds at the same time we wash our hands. Which reminds me....  

What music do optometrists listen to?

-Itunes

Don't pray and hope, pray and know .... and wash your hands, touch elbows or bow and “Namaste” everyone - hell, smile and just say “hey.”

Skip the psychology of virology and get into the theology of Love – loveology.

Spread love not germs!

Practice the Biology of Belief simultaneously with the physiology of social distance

and hand washing

Instead of being fearful, be cheerful from a few feet away

Don't strive for 20/20 normal visual acuity, be and envision the perfect spiritual acuity

...it's not a number, it's a knowing - your birthright.

What did the sailor say to the captain of the optometrist's boat?

-eye-eye captain

That's right!!!!

Affirmation

I Turn Toward...

...the vitality in my body.

...the prosperity in my mind and pocket.

...the Love and goodness that permeates everything and everyone I encounter.

...the grace and beauty that surrounds me.

...the Power of my faith and Truth.

...the wisdom of Divine Inspiration.

This is the turning point for my best life.

I affirm this turning right now!

Today I Start My New Normal!

Foresight

A monk was meditating by a river when he saw the Plague pass by. "Where are you going?" the monk asked the Plague. "I'm going to the town downriver to kill 100 people," the Plague responded.
A week later, the monk saw the Plague returning upriver. The monk called out, "You didn't keep your word! 1,100 people died!"
The Plague responded, "I did keep my word! I only killed 100. The other 1,000 died from fear."

God, not germs, is our Source. The power and presence within us is what we use to change our DNA, cells, environment; while being mindful and practicing good hygiene. As well, staying consciously in the flow of Spirit, not fear, is as important. I wrote about this in a recent eblast ... treat and wash your hands!

I'm not just talking about COVID-19. It's about having foresight for everything. Our spiritual practice, treatment, mind-full affirmations, goals, manifestation practices is an act of foresight.

Definition time....foresight is:
  -an act or the power of foreseeing...PRESCIENCE
  -provident care...PRUDENCE
  -an act of looking forward...vision
-premonition, pre-notion, clairvoyance, divination
-forethought, perception, insight

Having foresight is not being myopic or shortsighted about the condition or experience with a 'woe-is-me' attitude. Foresight creates and prevents hindsight; the hindsight of “I shoulda...” and creates the hindsight of “of course.”

We create foresight by our choice of food, seeing and experiencing it as either nourishment or deprivation; in partners, see love in them or ignoring the red flags that warn us from them; jobs, by seeing or experiencing only the money aspect without the job satisfaction necessity; in attitudes and  environments which either are starving the soul or feeding it; and in addictions, by either ignoring the condition versus turning away from it spiritually, feeding the soul with Truth and facing it head-on psychologically, while resolving, reducing and removing it from affecting our thoughts, feelings, beliefs and future.

In our spiritual practice, Spiritual Mind Treatment or affirmative prayer (versus an pleading or beseeching prayer) is a form of proofreading our foresight into fruition. I bring that up because March 8th was National Proofreading Day. A few examples of a lack of foresight and proofreading:

1) A 1631 version of the King James Bible became known as the “Wicked Bible” because the word “not” was left out of “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery.”

2) Air Canada’s luggage tags in 2005 let customers know that bags had “been x-rated at point of origin.”

3) One edition of Hamlet dropped the “not” from Shakespeare's “To Be or Not To Be”

Thinking about that last one, one could make that work. A speech not about life vs. death, but life vs. living. I will do a talk and write abut that another time.

Here are some tips for proofreading and how they are also tips for treating, praying and manifesting:

1) Walk away – Proofread after an article, important email or chapter has time to set, and you read it with fresh eyes. 
     Not feeling the prayer? .... stop and start over or come back to it or treat for a powerful prayer to come to you. The rules are to feel it in the fullness of your heart, mind and gut.

2) Do not disturb – Remove all distractions, including phones, other deadlines, traffic, noise, and interruptions. 
     Immerse yourself in the quiet to listen and commune, though also be able to commune with the Divine when surrounded by life's noises, as well.

3) Turn off the autocorrect – When used strictly as a tool, autocorrect may be helpful. Over time we become reliant upon it. In texts and emails, it can overcorrect our messages, creating havoc. When we’re uncertain of the spelling or a word, so many more reliable and efficient tools are available. 
     Change up your wording. Call the Divine something different (don't worry It won't care) or try using different phrases than the ones you usually use. Mix up your mantras.

4) Say it aloud – We catch different errors when we say aloud than when we read by sight alone. 
     Say it aloud - when we hear through our eyes, it can give an added power to the words

5) Print it – And use a different font. Our eyes see the document differently when printed, and we find errors we didn’t see the first few times. 
     Write it out, journal, use the affirmation cards I pass out in our Sunday Celebrations or is listed at the end of this blog....and do so daily.

6) Read it backward – A fresh perspective allows us to find new errors. Start with the last sentence and work your way to the beginning.
     Go out of order. Whether you use the five step method of Spiritual Mind Treatment or have an order to your affirmative prayer, mix it up.

7) Fresh eyes – When the second set of eyes reads something completely new, it’s amazing what they find!
     Get thee to a Practitioner or spiritual professional

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.   ~Marie Curie

As this is International Womyn's Day (March 8th) and we are a philosophy of science, I want to write about three womyn of science. First is Madame Curie, the author of the above quote and the first woman in Europe to earn a doctorate in physics and first female professor at France’s Sorbonne University. She lived from the late 1800's till her death in 1934. Curie discovered the elements polonium and radium and was the only person ever to win two Nobel Prizes - physics and chemistry. Her studies with these elements have made her notebooks to be stored in lead-lined boxes, as they are still radioactive for another 1500 years. She once said:

A great discovery does not issue from a scientist’s brain ready-made, it is the fruit of an accumulation of preliminary work.

Our preliminary work is in mind, heart and gut through perception, foresight, belief, feeling and consciousness – treatment work is at its most powerful and specific through the work and use of the Divine Matrix (Mind, Heart and Heart-Brain, and Gut - the intuition and imagination). Curie once wrote on the subject of perception and foresight....

One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.

Logic, education, intelligence, imagination, insight and intuition led Madame Curie to greatness.

Katherine Johnson had that kind of foresight, as well. An American mathematician, her  calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. She recently made her transition at the age of 101 and was one of the principal characters in the movie, Hidden Figures.  NASA described her this way, “Her calculations proved as critical to the success of the Apollo Moon landing program and the start of the Space Shuttle program, as they did to those first steps on the country’s journey into space.”

Foresight is scientific and part of a Truth-driven faith such as those in the New Thought Movement. 

Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated. ...faith is essential to success in life (success of any sort) ...all that is necessary for faith is the belief that by doing our best we shall come nearer to success and that success in our aims (the improvement of the lot of mankind, present and future) is worth attaining.  ~Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin is best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA, particularly the one called Photo 51. While at King's College London, her work led to the discovery of the DNA double helix for which James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins shared the Nobel Prize in 1962. She did not, but has subsequently received recognition for her work. She reminds us that foresight is an x-ray of the conditions, fears, past, DNA, etc. It helps us see through them and remove them from our subconscious and their effect in our lives. 

The Divine Feminine traits of intuition and imagination empower our foresight to declare our next storyline. They are the power behind our ability to envision, declare, and enact; which is having the foresight to our next now. These traits enable us to take a route that is scientific, mathematical and powered by Divine Truth to a life full of prosperity, vitality, creativity and love.

Practice your foresight everyday and watch your life soar!





Affirmation
I  Am Blessed Today!
In present time, right here and now, I announce a joyous time of sweet peace and prosperity in my world. I intend to feast upon a  life guided by imagination, inventiveness and wonder. Assured by the great Power and Presence within me; I notice, observe and take to heart all the wisdom I require for this day, and forward, to be rich with happiness and vitality.

Are You Living A Myopic Life?

March is Women's History month. In it, will explore seeing the Divine Feminine in you. Gender-wise, as we honor women in history and non-gender wise, as we explore the Divine Feminine within us all.

We want to wish everyone a National Pig Day (March 1st). It is a day to avoid bacon or any pork, please, maybe shop at your local Piggly Wiggly or eat at the Pig 'n Whistle in L.A., and to honor some famous female suids like Miss Piggy, The Oinker Sisters (Sesame Street), Petunia Pig (Porky's girlfriend), and, of course, Babe. Pigs don't sweat and are quite smart (3 yr old mentality), can recognize mother’s voice, and clock a 7-minute mile (don't race one). But they don't see very well, lacking focus and depth perception. Which brings me to the talk title today:

Are you living a myopic life?

A definition of a myopic either in eyesight or insight, would include one whose...
...uncorrected eyeball is too long
...able to see only near objects
...focus is only on what's in front of them
...uncorrected perception will cause them not to see whole picture (sounds like 'being in the now,' but actually means you may be lacking imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight)
...near-nearsightedness in eyesight and insight puts us out of balance

Are you living a balanced life or a myopic life?

Are you living a life so focused, you can't see the forest for the the trees?
...or your True nature for your troubles?

There is a well known Hindu/Buddhist parable, Blind Men and an Elephant, that illustrates a myopic perception on life.

The Essence of an Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe:

It was six men of Indostan

To learning much inclined,

Who went to see the Elephant

(Though all of them were blind),

That each by observation

Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,

And happening to fall

Against his broad and sturdy side,

At once began to bawl:

"God bless me! but the Elephant

Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk

Cried, "Ho! what have we here,

So very round and smooth and sharp?

To me 'tis mighty clear

This wonder of an Elephant

Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal,

And happening to take

The squirming trunk within his hands,

Thus boldly up he spake:

"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant

Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,

And felt about the knee:

"What most this wondrous beast is like

Is mighty plain," quoth he;

"'Tis clear enough the Elephant

Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, 

Said: "E'en the blindest man

Can tell what this resembles most;

Deny the fact who can,

This marvel of an Elephant

Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun 

About the beast to grope,

Than, seizing on the swinging tail

That fell within his scope.

"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant

Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan

Disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right,

All, [yes all,] were [very] in the wrong!

They had what is called proximity blindness. I'm not talking about their ability to see out of their eyeballs, but by not "seeing" the whole situation. You don't have to be actually blind to have an experience similar to the six men above. When we have proximity blindness, we are out of balance between what's going on and who we are. If that is happening to you, not able to see the forest for the trees or the Truth through what's going on around you, then get thee to a practitioner or spiritual counselor or therapist! It is with a professional you will be assisted in bringing in the overview....the nature of the Divine in all - it's energy, power, and attributes that lies within you.

Life is Androgynous, i.e., It contains within Itself both the masculine and the feminine factors. The male and the female of Creation come from One Principle; all come from the One and all will return to the One; all are now in the One and will forever remain in the One…  ~SOM, Repression and Sublimation – The Spirit of Sex

It is myopic to be gender-oriented in the Divine and in ourselves. It limits our belief as individualized expressions of the One. Even if you were brought up in a traditional religious experience, when you translate the Scriptures in Hebrew, Syriac and Aramaic English, you will see that the word for God is actually gender-complete, not neutral nor especially gender specific. One of the names for the Divine found in the Bible is Elohim, which, in Hebrew is a mixed-gendered word for God. The root of the term is "Eloah,” a distinctly feminine title for the Creative Power of everything. And attached is a plural, grammatically masculine suffix, “heem.” That makes Elohim mixed-gendered and thus gender-complete. Father-Mother-God is the parent of all. It is the Sacred Masculine + Divine Feminine combined.

That is what we are made of and to be in balance, we must recognize these qualities in all of us, no matter the gender:

Sacred Masculine energy = logic, reason, tacking action, loyalty, security, stability, assertive without aggression, with clear intentions, strength, leadership, and courage;  confident without arrogance; rational without a need to control; honorable, diplomatic and honest without a desire for war or violence, adventurous but not reckless

Divine Feminine energy = a deep wisdom rooted in trusting one’s intuition and heart; a passionate, creative, and life-giving force which supports deep heartfelt nurturing and healing of all creation with gentleness, patience, and flexibility


First Cause, God, the Divine, Spirit is powerful, creative, loving, and nonjudgmental. It is an omnipotent, omniscient, and androgynous energy; a dance of balance we all share, the whole 20/20 vision of life revealed within us all.

So, don't be short sighted. Don't ignore the Divine Feminine nor the Sacred Masculine in you. Like the Divine in You, it is the whole of you.

Be logical and heart-centered

Be assertive and sacred

Be rational through your intuition

Be strong, courageous while nurturing and healing

Be the God in you – the Elohim

People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.  ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Living a myopic life, a short-sighted life, comes from living only from the outward. It is a narrow focused (myopic) perception of how the Universe works. Like the best actors, work from the inside out. Be gender-complete and you will live a full life of song, poetry, Light, strength, courage, prosperity and love.



Affirmation
A Sacred, Sensual Power Envelopes Me
I birth the everlasting creative force in my life, gathering the power and strength of the Divine in me. With this, I allow my entire being to expand, illuminating my every corner.  I Am inspired, empowered, and respected, feeling healed and nurtured by the ever flowing grace connecting me to Mother Earth. Honoring my emotions, body, intuition and wisdom...                                                   
I Awaken My Creative Soul

COVID-19 and You

There is a lot of talk and fear surrounding the Corona Virus and COVID-19. I totally get it and too many in the government are not helping the situation efficiently or effectively. So how do we protect ourselves both physically and in Mind?

Well, let's start with the physical. Most masks do not help, though if you have a cough it assists in not sharing the virus through the spittle of a cough, but in that case you should be staying home or in the hospital, depending on severity. The biggest thing is, yes, wash your hands...

Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.  ~Centers for Disease Control

...or at least use sanitizing liquid or foam with 60+% alcohol - the basics. I understand it is a respiratory illness, but most contagion is transferred from touching an object that was coughed or sneezed on and then touching your face or hands, etc. Though the likelihood of it showing up at your doorstep is slim, it is good to be prepared and take the basic measures of any virus. And if you do feel sick or contract the flu or virus, get thee to the doctor. Science of Mind, mental science, metaphysics, and New Thought are not about ignoring the physical, it is about taking care of things in all its forms, the physical and in consciousnesses. God is in the medical procedure, too.

In Mind, let us remember that the consciousness of fear that this virus will show up at your doorstep is an attitude that will not serve you. Taking precautions in the physical and working the consciousness of health and protection in Mind is using the full spectrum of the Power and Presence of Spirit.

Fear, beyond the “alert system” designed to make us aware of imminent danger, is a corrosive element which weakens our ability to see clearly and to respond compassionately. Fear drives us to make excessive and unrealistic demands on conditions and the people around us. It drives us from grace.  ~Dr. Jim Lockard

If fear is in your consciousness (and I understand the news screaming at you doesn't help), then work on relieving/healing that fear with the Love and Power that is yours as One with the Divine. Harm has a rough time coming near you as you surround yourself with knowledge, expertise, the consciousness of health, and a communion with the Source and Substance of your supply.

Treat (affirmative prayer) and wash your hands!