The Name of the Game

J and I are in San Diego, CA this week where I am attending a two-day ministerial training seminar, as well as enjoying a couple of days of vacation. We are blessed to be staying in the home of some friends while here.

Upon arriving on Monday, we were greeted by the housekeeper who was just finishing her cleaning. I introduced myself. I said, “Hi, I am David.” With a warm gentle smile, she said, “My name is Alma.” We talked briefly while she completed her work before leaving.

Later, as I reflected on our interaction, I was struck by our different approaches to self-introduction. I said, “I am…,” while she said, “My name is…” That may seem insignificant at first glance, but it spoke to something important to me.

I recognize that it is customary in our culture to use the phraseology, “I am…” when introducing ourselves, but I now realize that I prefer Alma’s way. Whether consciously or not, when I say, “I am David” as a way of introducing myself, I am calling forth into my consciousness all that I associate with my name. I bring to the forefront of my conscious mind all my history, all the labels I have ever worn, and all the ways I have known myself. Some are positive and empowering, but some are negative and limiting. It reminded me of the importance of how we identify ourselves.

As I reflected on this, I recalled with great fondness the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, based on author Fannie Flagg’s novel by the same name. In it, a demure, obedient housewife, Evelyn Couch, portrayed by actress Kathy Bates, experiences a transformation in which she claims her power and embraces her alter-ego - Tawanda. Tawanda is an empowered woman who takes charge of her life. When she embraced her power, Evelyn no longer identified with her given name. She took on another name that more closely reflected her new self-respect.

Several years ago, one of my spiritual mentors legally changed her name to the spiritual name that was revealed to her in meditation. She believed that her new name more fully embodies the essence of her soul and spirit. When I learned of this, I spent some time in meditation asking for my spiritual name to be revealed to me. I assumed that if I had a different name, I would begin to embody it and recreate my self-image.

One day I was sitting in meditation asking for my name to be revealed when a sudden burst of wind blew through the room. I took it as a sign. Granted, I was sitting in a room with the window open. Still, it was my sign. My mind immediately went to a song from the Broadway and movie musical, Paint Your Wagon. The song goes,

A way out here they got a name for wind and rain and fire.
The rain is Tess, the fire ere Joe, and they call the wind Maria.

Maria, which I later spelled Mahriah for clarity, was my spiritual name. I knew it. I searched the web for mystical and metaphysical meanings. I found none that fit. For a time, I adopted it. No, I didn’t legally change my name. However, I did call upon the name when I needed to feel more empowered and connected to my essence. When Mahriah was at the helm, I felt stronger and more capable. I still think of Mahriah from time to time with great love and appreciation.

Today, however, as I contemplate my name and my nature, I reflect on the words of our teacher and way shower, Jesus of Nazareth, who, when speaking from the conscious awareness of his essence said things such as,

I am the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)

I am the light of the world. (John 8:12)

I am the bread of life. (John 6:35)

I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)

All of these are expressions of one who was deeply connected with his True Nature, that which we in Unity call the Christ.

In my meditation today, it became clear to me that it is now time for me, indeed for all of us, to more fully and completely claim our true name – I Am.

I Am Christ.

I Am the Christ of God.

I Am the Word made flesh.

I Am the True Light that enlightens the world.

Introducing ourselves in this way to others who might not understand our meaning may not be the best idea. They might just call the men in white coats. However, I suggest that we begin to adopt Alma’s phraseology or something similar when introducing ourselves to others. Remembering that we give power to that with which we identify, rather than saying, “I am…” perhaps we could experiment with something like,

My name is…

I am called….

They call me…

In that way, we can comply with the social norms without fully identifying with our given name and all that it implies. We can use our given name while also knowing that we are not limited by it. I can say aloud, “Hi, my name is David,” and know in my mind and heart that, “I Am the Word” or whatever I choose to identify with in the moment.

I trust that as I, as we, begin to more fully and consciously claim our true name, we will begin to more fully embody it. In my way of thinking and understanding our Unity teaching, that is “the name of the game.”

Transforming Power of Love

"We are not here to bask in God's love, but - willingly, freely, and with answering love - to give all we have to Love's work of transformation so Love can transform all we have, all we are, to gold. It is in surrendering to this greatest of all laws of alchemy that we discover and become the real gold, the real power, the real hope." - Andrew Harvey, The Hope

Oh, how good it feels to simply bask in God's Love, to sit in the silence of meditation and allow the Light to pervade my entire being, to feel every cell of my body come alive in the remembrance of its truth as an expression of divine Love and Light! Likewise, I cherish basking in Love as it expresses through all who embrace me in the Love of the Christ. There is no more enjoyable feeling than basking in God's Love as I experience it from within and see it reflected from without. It is an invaluable experience for each of us. Without times of basking in God's Love, we would wither and die as would seeds planted in the earth that never receive the nourishment of the sun's light.

And, as Andrew Harvey so eloquently states, we are not here only to bask in God's Love, but we are also here to allow that Love to transform us so that we willingly and freely answer Love's call to be Love in the world. We must accept ourselves for whom and what we are - God in the world - stop playing small, and be the answer to the cries for help from a world in need.

We allow Love to transform us as we open to the awareness of Love's presence as us, and allow the Light of Love to reveal the illusion of myths, messages and beliefs that keep us playing small.

I saw a church sign recently that said, "God's truth, the best defense against Satan's lies." While I do not agree with the implied theology, I do agree that Love, which is God's Truth, is our only defense against the lies of the ego-identified self and that only Love has the power to transform us into the complete and full expressions of all that we are here to be in the world.

God's Love transforms us into fully realized expressions of Itself. From that consciousness of realization, we can do none other than to be Love in the world. Being Love in the world, we give of all that we are, and by giving of all that we are the world's needs are met.

I invite you to take a moment right now and enter into a time of quiet reflection.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath.

Center your awareness in the heart.

Once you have centered your awareness in the heart, drop even further into the deeper spiritual heart

Bring to mind any situation or situations that speak to you of an apparent need, whether in your local community, the country, or around the globe.

As you contemplate each of them, be aware of which one or ones call to the depth of Love from your heart. Which one or ones break your heart open with compassion?

When you feel your heart breaking open, consciously direct the light of Love from your heart into those situations.

Ask your heart if there is some action you can take to help meet the apparent need there.

Listen for the wisdom that arises.

Affirm: "I am the courage to be and do all that I am called to."

Make a commitment to take one action, and do it.

Bask in God's Love, allow God's Love to transform you at depth, and awaken to the awareness that you are God's Love in expression. Allow your expression to be a sacred service to the Divine, to yourself, and to all beings everywhere.

Listen to my recording of the above meditation below - 

What Feeds Your Soul?

In last week’s post, I talked about the “highlands” experience I had while spending time in Breckenridge a couple of weeks ago. I shared that when I left there I felt grief which stayed with me for several days. I believed that once I was back home I would not be able to have the same level of connection I felt while there. With help, I was reminded that no location, not even the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, is the source of my peace, joy and freedom.

As fate would have it, I had the opportunity to go back to Breckenridge for a couple of days this week. Again, as I left there, I felt a heaviness in my heart and my solar plexus. I thought, surely this is not my grief, I must be picking up on energy of the indigenous people who once inhabited the land. I was not willing to accept that the heavy energy was mine. Yet, there it was.

Today, with the help of my life coach, Deborah Jane Wells, I connected the dots. During our session, I recalled some nudges from Spirit that I had not previously associated with my heavy heart.

Last week, I had my annual physical. The physician’s assistant who performed the exam asked me all the routine questions they ask every year related to physical symptoms. I am grateful that I don’t have any. Near the end, she said, “May I ask you a question that really has nothing to do with this exam? I’m just curious.” I said, “Sure, ask away.” She asked me if, as a minister, I ever feel spiritually deprived. I thought about it for a bit, and told her that no, I don’t because I set aside time every day to read something inspiring, to pray and meditate. I assured her, and myself, that I am not deprived spiritually. At least, that’s what I thought.

While in Breckenridge this past Monday, I got to spend time with my good friend, Debra Dickinson. We walked the trail, not far from where we were staying, to see the beloved trail troll, Isak Heartstone, the creation of artist, Thomas Dambo. We also walked along the riverfront in town where we stopped for a while, sat on a bench, watched and listened to the water, and talked. I don’t recall our exact words, but I remember remarking to Debra that sitting by the river helps me to feel open and connected. Her response was something like, “It feeds your soul.”

Aha! There is it. There’s the connection.

When I spend time away from my daily routine, I allow myself the time and space to do things that feed my soul. I take walks and hikes in nature. I relax in the shade of the trees. I sit beside the stream, listen to the sound of the rushing water, and dip my hands in the icy cold water. I connect with people I love. I nurture my nature. 

When I get caught up in my daily “to-do” list, I rarely, if ever, give myself permission to do any of that, even though I have easy access to all of those things living in Denver. I tell myself things like, “I don’t have time;” “That’s a waste of time;” “I’m too busy.” I deprive myself of the spiritual nourishment my soul needs.

I now understand that the heaviness I felt when leaving Breckenridge was indeed not about the location. It was my soul’s grief. If it had words, it might have been saying something like,

“How long will I have to wait for another chance to be fed? I have been starving for this for so long. I’m grateful for the time I had, but I mourn how infrequent these times are. David, are you listening? Can you feel me? I need to be nourished. I need you to pay attention. I am here for you. Please be here for me.”

To function properly, our bodies need to be fed with healthy food, water and exercise. Likewise, our minds need to be fed with inspiring, encouraging and thought-provoking books, classes, and other learning to keep us growing and engaged. So, too, our souls need to be fed. When our souls are fed, we are more consciously connected to the beauty, wonder and mystery of life. We live more fulfilled lives when our souls are given the attention and nurture they require.

I am making the commitment to myself to more consciously and frequently engage in activities that feed my soul. In addition to prayer, meditation, and reading, I am committing to daily walks in nature, whether in my neighborhood or in nearby park. I am committing to at least a monthly hike somewhere in close proximity to home, and when I can, a more distant location. I am committing to spending time listening to music that thrills and delights me. And, I am committing to spending more time with people I love and admire.

As we feed our souls, our souls feed us, and we live in closer alignment to who we have come here to be.  What feeds your soul? I encourage you to make a list and commit to doing them.

My Highlands Experience

A couple of weeks ago, thanks to the generosity of some friends, J and I had the opportunity to spend the better part of a week in Breckenridge. I enjoyed waking up without an alarm, having no specific agenda, meditating, reading, and doing pretty much whatever I felt like doing in the moment. I loved being in the space of going with the flow while being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. It was, as my good friend Debra would say, AWE-mazing!

I was in such a blissful state while there that I honestly grieved having to leave. I’m not exaggerating. I was on the verge of tears as we drove out of town. I was mourning the loss of the quiet, the beauty, the spaciousness, and the freedom I felt.

I knew I would be coming back to the rush of traffic, the busyness of life and my daily routine. Not that my daily routine is a grind. However, while I do take time for prayer and meditation, my days are usually filled with activity. I do not typically experience the laid back pace and freedom I had enjoyed in Breckenridge.

I remember saying to J as we left town, “We’re headed back to the lowlands,” as if Denver would ever be considered the “lowlands.” The feeling of grief stayed with me for several days. Even though I would never recommend anyone else do it, I did my best to push the feelings away. I told myself I was just being silly. Again, not something I would suggest someone else do.

When I discussed it with my life coach, Deborah Jane Wells, she reminded me of the importance of feeling our feelings and not trying to talk ourselves out of them. I knew that! It’s so much easier to remember it for others. She also helped me to connect with the metaphor of calling home the “lowlands.”

Through our conversation, I was able to recognize that I was associating the feelings of peace, openness and ease with Breckenridge. I was giving power to the location. I realized that while being in nature surrounded by beauty can help foster connection, it is not the source. Nothing in the external is the source of our peace, joy, or freedom. There is only one source. That source is within.

Conversely, I was associating another location, Denver, the “lowlands,” with a lower state of consciousness. Just as there is no external source of our peace, joy and freedom, there is no external source of worry, anxiety or stress. Those feelings are sourced internally as well. They result from a mind that thinks itself separate from The Source.

Both serenity and anxiety are inner states of consciousness. Neither is dependent upon a location, circumstance or life situation. We have the power to choose either in every moment. My intention is to choose the “highlands” of peace, joy, freedom and ease.

The “highlands” is an inner journey that may be reflected in the outer, rather than an outer journey felt by the inner. We have the opportunity to develop practices that will assist us in making that inner journey.

We can’t always get away to the mountains for a few days, but we can take time every day for quiet contemplation or meditation. I suggest setting aside at least 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening to sit quietly.

Remove focus from the outer by closing your eyes.

Breathe deeply and allow the breath to draw your attention inward.

Imagine that your awareness is centered in your heart.

Then, imagine that it is rising upward to the top your head, the crown.

Consciously open the crown and see your awareness extending beyond your body into the universal field.

Allow it to rest there in the “highlands” for as long as you are willing and able.

Feel the peace, joy and freedom that comes from being in this high place in consciousness.

Gather into your awareness as much of this experience as you possibly can.

When you are ready, imagine all of that awareness flowing back through your crown and down into your heart.

Open your heart to experience this high level of consciousness.

Ground the feeling in your heart by placing your hand lightly over your heart.

Welcome the sensations that arise.

Breathe the awareness down through your body, out your feet and into the earth.

Feel yourself connected to Mother Earth, Father Sky and all that has life.

Once again, breathe your awareness into the heart.

See the image of heart as the center of an infinity symbol.

Allow the energy to flow through your heart in all directions, bringing Light to all creation, through all dimensions.

Breathe the awareness back into your heart, see it as a sphere of light abiding right at the center of your being.

Feel your entire energy field glowing with this light.

When you feel complete, bring your awareness back to the physical senses.

Open your eyes when you are ready.

NOTE: For a guided meditation using these steps, please watch the video linked below.

Take that with you as go about your day or as you lie down to sleep. Allow it to integrate into your being. As you integrate this experience, it will infuse your thoughts, words, and actions. You will begin to live more consistently in this high state of consciousness. Additionally, you will assist others and the world in rising to meet you. 

You have just entered the “highlands” experience without ever leaving your home. There is nowhere you need to go. This experience is within you. As Glinda, the good witch, told Dorothy at the end of The Wizard of Oz, “You had the power all along, my dear.”