Faith in the Process

I have several decks of oracle cards that I consult from time to time when I am seeking guidance from Spirit. I know that some people have resistance to such things and may frown on me accessing the “occult” in this way. In the past, I have had judgment about it as well.

Now, however, I know that all is One and the One is All. While I can connect directly with Spirit through meditation and entering the silence, Spirit can and does communicate through many channels, including oracle cards at times.

Earlier this week, I sat in meditation and asked Spirit to reveal to me the message that I needed most to hear and take to heart at this time in my life. I shuffled my deck, Sacred Rebels, by Alana Fairchild and pulled out a card. (I recommend any of her decks for those who are interested.) The card I pulled was titled “Faith in the Process.”

The lesson begins,

No matter how powerful we are, how much courage and strength we have, there are times when we can’t quite move ourselves along to the next phase of life or creative exploration. At such times we need some divine intervention – a little help in pulling our trolley along, so to speak. When we are at the edge of our own limits and have no more personal resources, we might be left with only one spiritual power, that of faith. Fortunately, that is enough.

The message from Spirit spoke to me deeply about the spiritual power of Faith – the power to know beyond the mind that God/Universe/Source/Life Energy (I use the word ‘God’ for simplicity) is benevolent and is the power beyond our human limitations.

As the Apostle Paul described it,

"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of thing not seen"
(Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is not a magical power that we wield to get what we want. It is an active state of mind and heart that we must cultivate and strengthen. While it is an innate faculty, Faith requires our willingness and capacity to exercise it.

We must open our hearts to hope. Hope is a belief of mind and a knowing of heart that our lives and the conditions of the world can and will transform for the better when we affect change in our personal consciousness and thereby affect positive transformation in the collective human consciousness.

We must be willing to open our spiritual eyes to see beyond the conditions and behold the action of God in and through any and all circumstances. Through the power of Faith, we choose to witness the heart and the unseen hand of God.

We must have faith during the process of transformation as we move through whatever life brings our way.

We must exercise Faith in the process – the evolutionary impulse of Life toward conscious reunion in Oneness with God – at all times, especially when it may appear that circumstances are dire. We must have Faith as we trust in the benevolence of God to bring us home to love no matter how things may appear or how we may be tempted to judge otherwise. 

Ultimately, Faith is the conviction of mind and heart, the consciousness that is beyond doubt and without fear that God, the Absolute Good, is the All as all. We can rest in the assurance that even though we may not yet see it in manifest form, our hope is certain.

Call upon the unseen power in which we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28) through prayer, meditation, oracle cards, or other channels. Have faith in God. Have faith in the process.

Sabbatical Realizations

I have returned from my six-week sabbatical. I am happy to be home and back to work. Several people have asked me if I had any revelations while I was away. I don’t know that I would call them revelations, rather conscious realizations of things I already knew and needed to be reminded of.

You may be hearing more about one of more of these in my future blogs or Sunday messages, but for now here are the highlights.

Nature has a great deal to teach us if we pay attention.

You don’t need to go in search of yourself. You are where you are. Does the tree ask, “Why am I here?” or “Why am I not an oak instead of a pine?” or “Why do I grow beside the water and not in the middle of the forest? The tree does not question. The tree just is.

We can be like the tree. We can choose to be right where we are without questioning why or how or why?

I have spent a great deal of time and energy trying to figure out who I am, and all the time I am just me wherever I happen to be. I am just me. You are you, right where you are.

While it is helpful at times to step away from the daily routines of life, we can and will know ourselves best as we are willing to pay attention and honor our reactions and responses to everyday stimuli. As we become self-conscious, we can make informed conscious choices.

Being in nature can support us in connecting with God/Source/Life energy, but the sacred does not reside in nature. It is all around us all the time. We simply must stop and notice it. The realization of the sacred lives in us. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Thomas, “the kingdom of the Father is spread out upon the earth, but men do not see it.” Open your eyes. Open your heart!

Sometimes the past is best left there as it can corrupt the present. Be present for what is, rather than focused on what was or on what could have been.

I have heard that deep loss, such as the death of a loved one or serious illness changes people. Not always. We have to be willing and make the effort to change. It does not happen automatically.

Prior to this trip, I had considered whether I could possibly move back to the southeast after retirement. I discovered that the answer is 'NO!' While I am drawn to the verdant natural beauty there, I think that I would not adjust well to the conservatism, both religious and political, I observed and felt there.

I also learned that, while I enjoy my solitude, I have my limits. I think one week to ten days would suffice in the future. 

I am extremely grateful to have had this time for rest, renewal, reflection, and fun. I highly recommend it for everyone. Whether it is six weeks, six days, six hours or six minutes, I encourage everyone to take time to deeply connect with Spirit, self and others. It has the power to change your life.

 

Lessons From The Road

Since being on sabbatical, I have driven many miles. I have traversed highways, freeways, two-lane country roads, and roads that would appear to be no roads at all, but only well-beaten paths through the forest.

I have traveled long, flat sections of highway that seemed to extend beyond the horizon. I have driven winding mountain roads where the next s-curve was only visible as I made the turn.

I have ridden freshly paved highways that made it seem as though I was floating on glass. I have traveled rough gravel roads on which I feared that my fillings might be shaken loose from my teeth.

On my journey, I have witnessed the beauty of the mountains, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, cornfields, and forests. I have also seen the effects of flooding, wildfires, and drought.

Today, as I stop to contemplate my sabbatical journey thus far, I am aware of how all of this is a metaphor for life. Our lives are a journey. At times, we may travel for long stretches of time on a smooth path with no apparent obstacles, potholes, or rough patches. Other times, life can be rough and rocky and can shake and rattle us to our core.

Sometimes, life is a straight and direct path that we can traverse with ease and assurance. Sometimes, it twists and turns in ways that we could never have imagined.

Our journeys can reveal beauty, joy, and love. They can also present us with pain, sorrow, and loss.

As I was driving today, I noticed a sign on the side of the highway. I could not help but notice since it was one of the lighted marquee signs with flashing amber lights. It read “ROUGH ROAD AHEAD.” I laughed out load. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had signs along life’s journey directing us to what lies ahead?” I mean there are all sorts of signs with universally recognized symbols on the road instructing us on what to expect.

There are signs that tell us of a sharp turn ahead. Signs that tell us to slow down. Signs that warn of merging traffic. Signs that tell us to watch out for deer or other animals crossing the road. Signs that tell us of an upcoming intersection. Signs that tell us the road ahead twists and turns. And the list goes on and on. Wouldn’t it be nice, I thought?

It was a fleeting thought. It dawned on me quickly that if we had such signs, that we might miss out on the adventures life offers. We might avoid taking risks, going around those s-curves to see what lies ahead. We might miss out on the beauty, joy, and love that is ours to experience and share. Yes, we might also be able to avoid the pain, sorrow and loss, but life would not be complete without all of it.

If we seek to avoid the pain of loss, we will miss out on the depth of love. If we seek to avoid sorrow, we will never know the fullness of joy. If we avoid the challenging times, we will fail to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the good times.

I am grateful for the signs that help keep me safe as I travel the highways and byways of this awe-inspiring landscape. I am also grateful not to have those directional signs along the journey of life. Not having them requires me, and all of us, to be present in the moment for whatever life brings our way, the good, the bad, and the in-between.

Our opportunity, and at times our challenge, is to see God in all of it, to see everything that we experience along this life journey as just one more step on our path to realizing and embodying our divinity.

On second thought, maybe everything in our lives is a sign that ultimately guides us home, one step at a time, to who and what we truly are. Enjoy the journey!

A Lesson From Birds

During my time at my sabbatical cabin, I have enjoyed sitting on the deck watching the many varieties of birds that frequent the birdfeeder which I have filled several times in the week I have been here. I cannot name them as I know little or nothing about birds. I can, however, marvel at the glorious pallet of color they display – flaming reds, effervescent yellows, vibrant oranges, and radiant blues.

I revel in watching them as they devour the seeds, nuts, and dried fruit. I laugh at their antics as they, at times, appear to argue and battle over their domain. Occasionally, one will alight and sit atop the feeder impatiently awaiting their turn. The larger varieties often aggressively claim their stake and oust the smaller ones who defensively take flight only to return when the coast is clear.

I have also sat in wonder as I observe the flitting about of hummingbirds as they hover around their feeder on the opposite side of the deck. They dart about at speeds I can only imagine are the effects of all the sugar water they ingest. It is like jet fuel for them, I suppose.

One morning, I was out on the deck doing my morning stretching routine when a hummingbird came within a few feet of me and hovered just above my head as if it was trying to decide what I was doing or was attempting to convey a message. I stopped and stared back it for moment and asked outload “What?” It then flew away.

Later, I researched the spiritual significance of hummingbirds and found that they are symbols of joy, lightness, and play.¹ I took that to mean that this little bird was telling me to lighten up, have fun, and embrace more joy in my life. Message received!

Today, as I sat inside listening to and watching the light rain fall, a dove came for a visit. She sat on the deck railing dead center in front of the doorway. She just sat there for the longest time. A happenstance? I don’t think so. As with the hummingbird, I wondered what message this lovely bird might have for me.

Rather than resorting to the internet for information, I simply sat and observed, opening my heart to the energetic connection that we share with all creation. I fully accept that I was assigning meaning to my observations, yet I trust that what I received from this interaction was what I needed in the moment.

This messenger sat there speaking to my heart. This is what it said…

Rest in the peace of what is in the moment. Do not attempt to argue with it or make it something else. It is all good just as it is right now.

Live in the confidence of who you are and all that you are created to be. There is no need to hide. Live your life out in the open.

As she began to move slowly, deliberately shifting her body from one angle to another and turning her head from side to side, she spoke to me of seeing life from all perspectives. Be open to shifting the place from which you view the world. It is limiting to stay in a fixed position and only see the world from your conditioned point of view. You will be amazed at what you will find when you open to other ways of seeing.

The stillness was interrupted as she began to shake and flap her wings. She was telling me that it is necessary to ruffle feathers sometimes. While your life intention is to live in peace, others may not always accept you for who you are. That’s okay!

She then began to move around in circles while rustling her feathers as if she was dancing. This encouraged me to dance the dance of life with wild abandon. Dance to the beat of your own drum whether others can hear or of move with you or not.

She had remained quiet up to this point, but suddenly her song flowed out. Her soft “coo” sounded for all the world as if she was saying “you” as invited it to flow through me. She was reminding and encouraging me to sing my song. Sing the song of “you,” not someone else’s song. Your song is unique to you.

In one final display, she disappeared from my sight as with one stealth movement she dove off the deck and into the trees below. One last message – Take the plunge into life, ALL of life. Dive in with abandon and live it fully!

While I received these messages as gifts that I needed to hear and receive this morning, they are universal. I share them with you to encourage you to embrace them as your own. Take them to heart.

In addition, I encourage you to pay attention to what shows up in your world today and every day. Take time to connect with creation all around you. Allow it to teach you. We are not separate. We are one. Let us celebrate our unity and learn from it.

¹ https://www.spiritanimal.info/hummingbird-spirit-animal/

 

A Lesson From The Forest

Today, I sat on the back deck of the cabin where I am spending much of my sabbatical time. The cabin is totally enveloped in trees. It is as if it sprang out of the forest floor alongside its natural surroundings.

As I sat there doing nothing save watching the trees, a welcomed light breeze interrupted the abject stillness of the hot, humid summer day. The trees suddenly came alive as they began to dance in the wind. I sat transfixed as I marveled at how they, some of them 100 feet or more tall, swayed with such grace and ease. Many of them with long bare trunks reaching to the sky, branching out with a spray of green at their extremities like colossal hydrangeas flowering far above my reach. I watched as they moved in rhythm as if expertly choreographed.

I wondered if one or more would snap under the pressure as the wind grew in intensity, a precursor to the approaching rainstorm. Then, I remembered the root systems that expand deep into the earth beneath. Root systems that extend far beyond the base of the tree to anchor it and to seek out and absorb water and nutrients that sustain and support it.

I let myself imagine the interconnected network of roots from hundreds of trees and other plants that share this small section of the Earth’s ecosystem. I was awestruck as I pondered the immensity of what lies beneath what I could observe.

Right where I was sitting, I could see trees of all shapes, sizes, and shades of green coexisting with many varieties of shrubs, ferns, grasses, vines, and mosses. While they appeared separate and apart from each other on the surface, I knew that they are all part of a mutually supportive system that binds them together as one and from which they co-create a peaceful and inviting sanctuary for all manner of reptiles, insects, arachnids, and animals, including us humans.

It was a beautiful and present reminder of how we can learn from nature. We, too, appear to be separate and apart from each other. We show up in all shapes, sizes, and colors. We each express in our own unique and special ways. Yet, beneath all that we see as our differences, we are connected by a network of energy that exists beyond what we can typically observe with our physical senses. We must allow ourselves to go deeper, to sense beneath what we can see or hear so that we realize our unity in our diversity.

It is vitally important that we take time to ground ourselves, to anchor ourselves in the awareness of the Life Energy that lives and moves and has its being as each of us. Since we don’t have physical roots like trees, we must establish energetic roots through the practice of meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Through these practices, we establish conscious connection with our Source and strengthen our connections with each other and the natural world. We draw sustenance and strength from these connections.

Conscious breathwork is another practice that can help to reinforce our conscious connection to Source. I invite you into the following practice:

Take a deep breath and imagine that the breath extends all the way down through the bottom of your feet connecting you to the center of the Earth.

On the exhale, imagine drawing energy from the core of the planet up through the bottom of your feet, through your heart and out the top of your head.

On the next inhale, visualize breathing all the way out the top of your head connecting you with Cosmic Christ energy.

On the exhale, draw that energy down through the top of your head, into your heart, and through the bottom of your feet.

Take a few more conscious breaths and imagine that you are in the constant flow of Earth and Cosmic Christ energy.

You are a connecting point between Heaven and Earth.

We are here to co-create eco-, bio-, socio-, psycho-, and political systems that are interconnected and mutually supportive for all humanity, as well as for our Mother Earth and all the life she sustains. 

As more of us engage in practices that help us consciously connect with the Life Energy from which we are born and in which we co-exist, we will more fully bring that consciousness to bear in all the systems that we create. Nature can serve as our example of living in harmony, peaceful cooperation, and mutual support.

A Time For Sabbath

I have shared in recent posts that I will be taking a six-week sabbatical beginning August 16. This is my first sabbatical since entering Unity ministry in 2008. While I have been looking forward to this time away for many months and am still eagerly anticipating it, I am somewhat anxious about taking so much time off and being away from home for so long.

I know that I am exceedingly blessed to be given this opportunity. Many people never have the chance to take extended time away from their daily lives and spend time reconnecting to themselves and to Spirit. I am grateful to Spirit and to my Unity Spiritual Center Denver family for this opportunity. My spirit and soul tell me that this time will be healing and renewing. I am doing my best to pay attention and to follow as I am led.

We all need rest. Our need for rest is as important as our need for sleep. It is an aspect of the natural rhythm of life. While extended time off from our daily activities is often enriching and necessary, we also need to create the space for rest amidst the busyness of our lives on a routine basis.

As I have been pondering my sabbatical, I have revisited one of my favorite books, Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives, by Wayne Muller. I have highlighted passages on nearly every page in my printed copy. I also have the electronic and audible version of the book. I refer to it often when I become aware of the need to stop and reconnect; apparently, not frequently enough.

Reverend Muller reminds us that “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy” is the only commandment that begins with the word ‘remember,’ denoting that it is something we all know, but have forgotten. In the hurry of our active lives, we forget.

‘24/7’ seems to have become a modern-day mantra in our culture. We have access to just about everything we desire 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have access to information on the internet anytime day or night. Some of us can work around-the-clock from our home offices if we choose. We can bank, shop or be entertained whenever the urge strikes. We can do most of it without ever leaving the comfort of our own homes.

Some wear ‘24/7’ as if it were a badge of honor – “I’m working 24/7 to get this project finished or to drive this deal home.” “I’m BUSY” is now a common response to the question, “How are you?”  

Muller posits that we have accepted constant activity as a part of our value system. In our efforts to accomplish, achieve and accumulate, he asserts that we have lost the value for rest, renewal, and remembrance. Further, that we have abandoned the value of observing the Sabbath.

Throughout time, there have been social taboos, and even laws to restrict activity on the Sabbath. While not as prevalent in many states today, legislators in our country still artificially enforce keeping the Sabbath by imposing “blue laws” which make it illegal for businesses to open, or restrict the items sold, on Sundays. It is currently against the law in Colorado to sell a vehicle on Sunday.

We have attempted to make the Sabbath about what not to do, rather than try to understand its true purpose. As Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 NRSV). Regardless of how it has been misunderstood and misused in the past, Sabbath is a sacred concept that, when observed, can serve us well.

Muller says,

“The Sabbath is not a burdensome requirement from some law-giving deity – ‘You ought, you’d better, you must’ – but rather a remembrance of a law that is firmly embedded in the fabric of nature. It is a reminder of how things really are, the rhythmic dance to which we unavoidably belong.”

The observance of Sabbath, in its highest intention, does not limit activities that one may engage in on a specified day, nor does it mandate setting aside an entire day. Sabbath is time we consciously choose to set aside to honor ourselves and our unity in God.

According to the creation story in Genesis, God rested on the seventh day. God didn’t get dressed up and go to church, or catch up on what was missed during the six days of creating the world. God rested. The story reminds us that rest is an integral aspect of our spiritual, as well as our human experience.

It seems, in our culture, we may have lost sight of the value of resting in conscious connection in the One. I affirm that it is time for us to return to observing Sabbath. It is time for us to stop the violence of pushing ourselves beyond our limits. It is time for us to begin to care for ourselves. When we begin to take time to care for ourselves, we will begin to take a little more time to care for each other and for our world.

Perhaps an archaic concept, such as ‘Sabbath,’ can help save us from ourselves. It is certainly a concept that I intend to explore for myself as I embark on this sabbatical journey. I encourage you to find ways to engage with Sabbath in your life.

I invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 MDT, either in person or virtually, as we explore and experience Sabbath. It will be a time to rest, renew and remember. Our service will include extended periods for quiet contemplation and meditation. Discover how remembering the Sabbath can make a difference in your life.

P.S. These posts may not be a regular feature in our newsletter while I am on sabbatical. At times, I will be traveling. Other times, I will be “BE-ing.” I will write and post as I am inspired.
I look forward to reconnecting when I return.

Joyous Blessings to you!

Let It Begin With Me

One day last week, the doorbell rang at Unity Spiritual Center Denver. Trish and I both office upstairs, so each of us began making our way toward the stairs and to the door. Trish made it there ahead of me. It has nothing to do with age, in case you were wondering. Even though she answered the door, I stood at the top of the landing to see who was there and to be sure there was no need for me to be involved. 

When she opened the door, a young man was standing there. He asked if a minister was around that he could speak with. Usually, when someone comes to the door and asks if there is a minister they can speak with, they want financial assistance. That proved not true in this case.

Trish told him that she is the associate minister and asked if she could help him. I continued to stand at the top of the stairs listening to be sure there was no danger. He said that he needed to talk to someone about all that is going on in the world. He seemed concerned but not agitated.

Trish invited him to have a seat just inside the front door in the lending library where she joined him, sat across from him and listened. I walked back into my office, but kept the door open and walked out on the landing occasionally so I could hear and keep tabs on the situation.

I did not hear all of their conversation, but I heard enough to know that that this young man was feeling anxious and was looking for some answers. He expressed his disillusionment with the Catholic Church, the tradition in which he was raised. He was concerned that the church is not providing the answers or the response to the current global crises that he is seeking.

He also expressed his consternation at the current political climate, the dissension and polarization, as well as the lack of effective response to the pandemic, the climate crisis, and other issues.

He seemed deeply concerned about the instability of the world and life. He expressed dismay about how everything is changing and nothing seems sure any more.

There were a couple of times I thought about walking down the stairs and interjecting, but I knew that Trish could handle it. And she did. She listened attentively and offered him empathy and compassion, but did not attempt to offer him definitive answers to his existential questions. Often, just giving someone the space to be heard can be healing.

After he left, I thought about what I might have said to him had I been the one to answer the door. As I pondered, I realized some things. He, as all of us are, is in the perfect place in his spiritual journey. Even though being in the space of not knowing, not being sure about things, and no longer clinging to the religion of the past can be disconcerting, it is in that space that we are most open to listen and hear the voice of Spirit beneath the noise of the world.

When we come to a place in our life journey where the things we thought we knew no longer ring true for us; when who we thought we were no longer feels right: when the institutions we once relied upon for answers, stability and security no longer satisfy our needs; when the world we knew appears to be falling apart, it is time for us to go within and connect with the one Source of all that we are and all that we will ever truly need.

We can spend an entire lifetime searching for meaning, love and belonging in the world, and many do, but the world can never satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts. The church may point the way, but it is not the Source of our answers. We may experience love with and for another or others, but they are not the Source of love. Our careers may offer us a degree of financial success and personal fulfillment, but they are not the Source of our good. Our political and social institutions my offer us some semblance of stability and security, but they are not our Source. There is only one Source – God. Only a conscious connection with the God of our being can answer our questions and meet our needs.

At one point I heard this young man say, “Why can’t we all just love each other. We are all children of God.” After acknowledging him and reflecting his longing for a loving humanity, I might have said, we can’t love each other because we have yet to discover the Source of Love within ourselves. We cannot give to another what we don’t yet know we have. Better yet, we cannot give to another what we don’t yet know that we are.

I am grateful that this young man came to our door. While upon reflection, I wish I had taken the opportunity to speak with him, I trust that Trish was the perfect one to meet him and give him what he needed. There are no coincidences, only divine appointments we are not always prepared for, but are equipped for when we are open to Spirit’s guidance as Trish was.

I am thankful that I was able to hear him express what many of us have felt and, indeed, what many are feeling now. I am glad I had some time to ponder what I would like to have said to him. It is a good reminder of what I can say to myself when I experience existential angst. It is what I would say to anyone, after first sharing empathy and compassion, of course.

If you are having similar feelings, even though it may be uncomfortable, do not resist. Allow it. I encourage you to practice empathy and compassion for yourself. Honor your needs for safety, security, assurance, stability, and peace. Feel whatever arises in you when those needs are not being met in ways that you would like. If possible, reach out to someone who is capable and willing to give you the empathy and compassion you need. When you can, take time to extend it to others. That is a practice of loving others and ourselves.

We often sing at the end of our Sunday service, “Let there be love on Earth and let it begin with me.” As that young man who came to our door one hot summer day reminded me, the love that we long to experience on Earth will only manifest when we consciously realize at the depth of our being that we are expressions of Love, here to live that Love through every thought, word and action.

We can manifest a world founded in Love. We can respond to the needs of the world from Love. We can know ourselves as Love incarnate. Let it begin with me!