Day 273 - Lesson 272

How can illusions satisfy God's Son?

This is about passing by illusions instead if getting caught up in them.  I have been reading the Crest Jewel and reflecting on illusions from that perspective as well.  Oh, I read about Epictetus this week after posting a quote of his - and he, too, addressed illusions..... Not that any of these things describe illusions any differently really.  Illusions are addressed in all forms of spirituality.

What's real?  The only reality is love and the pure potential of it.  There is no reason to get caught up in anything else....but when we do, we can realize it and let it go to return to love. 

Day 272 - Lesson 271

Christ's is the vision I will use today.

It begins like this:

Each day, each hour, every instant, I am choosing what I want to look upon, the sounds I want to hear, the witnesses to what I want to be the truth for me.  Today I choose to look upon what Christ would have me see, to listen to God's Voice, and seek the witnesses to what is true in God's creation.

Really what this has meant for me today is to let go of my judgments.  Instead of looking upon people and situations with a past attachment or association, to pause and allow the experience to occur without assigning a label.  It is not an easy assignment, but it does get easier.  Just reaching out to others with love in your heart eases us into the first steps of this practice.  Recognizing that when we attempt to force solutions or don't allow people and things beyond our own past, we can't reach a higher plane or level because those stifling thoughts keep us wading around in the same gunk.  Releasing that and seeing people and situations through the eyes of love makes each experience new and allows for infinite possibilities. 

This new vision for me is a mighty good one.

Day 271 - Lesson 270

I will not use the body's eyes today.

There is a line in this lesson that I held onto more so than any other today -

The quiet of today will bless our hearts, and through them peace will come to everyone.

If one thing has helped me over the past 15 months, it is a regular practice of meditation.  The saying, "In silence I find my true self," is real.  The obvious benefits of greater mental clarity, a reduction in stress, better rest....all of those things are true, too.  However, in every great religion and philosophy there exists the component of the critical nature of silence.  And, it's really not so important what happens in meditation as how it aids us all throughout the day when we are out of meditation.

This lesson helped me to honor this practice today.  I don't know that that was the intent for this lesson....but it worked for me.

Day 270 - Lesson 269

My sight goes forth to look upon Christ's face.

This lesson also says: I ask Your blessing on my sight today.

Indeed, it seemed that everywhere I looked today there was a message about the light of our souls.... that it is virtually impossible not to see God.

I read this lesson just prior to my meditation.  After my meditation, I opened an email message that said this, in part:  To ignore my personal self in my journey toward soul would be misguided; it would be a form of self-erasure.

Davidji posted this on facebook today:

There is a light that shines beyond all things on Earth,
beyond us all,
beyond the heavens,
beyond the highest,
the very highest heavens.
This is the light that shines in our heart.
- Chandogya Upanishad 3.13.7

I re-posted it as my status update. 

I received a message today from someone who is doing some serious soul searching and we had a beautiful chat.

The reaffirmation today is - the light of our soul is ever glowing and alive.  It is glowing whether we pay attention to it or not.  It shines brightly when we open our hearts to love - when we recognize we are worthy of love and happiness; when we become vulnerable enough to both express love and open enough to receive love.

Day 269 - Lesson 268

Let all things be exactly as they are.

This is such an important reminder and good lesson for me.  There is absolutely no reason to force solutions.  No reason to make judgments to place myself above anyone else.

This lesson reminds of the Law of Least Effort, which tells us:

Nature's intelligence functions with effortless ease...with carefreeness, harmony, and love.

And when we harness the forces of harmony, joy, and love, we create success and good fortune with effortless ease.

I used to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to control everything, assess everything, label everything and in doing all that I missed out on so many of life's joys.  I would get terribly caught up in trying to figure out what others were doing and thinking and in taking too much personally.  As I have taken these studies to heart, I find that life is much more enjoyable when I let go and let life happen.  I set my intentions, I set my direction, I embrace life each morning with a mission of service, of being a vessel of spirit and - guess what - I am!

Day 268 - Lesson 267

My heart is beating in the peace of God.

This lesson states, in part, (just let these beautiful words wash over you as they are amazingly cleansing):

Surrounding me is all the life that God created in His Love.  It calls to me in every heartbeat and in every breath; in every action and in every thought.  Peace fills my heart, and floods my body with the purpose of forgiveness.  Now my mind is healed, and all I need to save the world is given me.  Each heartbeat brings me peace; each breath infuses me with strength.  I am a messenger of God, directed by His Voice, sustained by Him in love, and held forever quiet and at peace within His loving Arms.  Each heartbeat calls His Name, and every one is answered by His Voice, assuring me I am at home in Him.

Having this lesson in my awareness today seemed to ensure a day filled with the beauty of all that is love.  I don't see the mystery we call God as a specific being - I see God as that energy field of pure potentiality, as the all encompassing, all knowing, all loving existence that creates the miracles of all miracles.

We can always choose a heart beating in the peace of God, of Source, of Love.  Isn't that a beautiful thing?  In every experience we have the opportunity to pause, to breathe, to interrupt our usual pattern, and make the choice for peace.

Day 267 - Lesson 266

My holy Self abides in you, God's Son.

This lesson reminds us that the world is filled with those who point the way to God, to Source, to Love - that we we are able to reach out to abundant resources that help us on our journey to Source.

One such good source of this for me is His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  I recently read this quote of his:

Let us cultivate love and compassion, both of which give life true meaning. This is the religion I preach. It is simple. Its temple is the heart. Its teaching is love and compassion. Its moral values are loving and respecting others, whoever they may be. Whether one is a lay person or a monastic, we have no other option if we wish to survive in this world.

This quote sums up this lesson quite eloquently.  We find God within us; Source is not external.  Wherever there is love, there is holiness.

Day 266 - Lesson 265

Creation's gentleness is all I see.

There has been a lot of discussion about the death penalty the past few weeks.  I have stayed mostly silent about the subject, but yesterday a friend posted a powerful summation on the total and utter failure of 'the death penalty experiment' by the US court system.  This was written by a supreme court justice and was truly the most eloquent and articulate statement I have ever read on the topic.  I copied and also posted the statement.  It mostly generated comments of agreement, but I noticed that a couple of people posted their own reasons and articles for supporting the death penalty.

I have long not supported the death penalty, but struggled with my position in certain violent cases.  I could make exceptions to be 'okay' with it when a 'violent criminal' had killed a child or something similar to that.

The more I have studied this past year and the more I have gotten in touch with Source, with my own heart, I see clearly that non-violence means complete non-violence, peace means complete peace.  There can be no varying degrees of non-violence and peace - the commitment is total.  It makes perfect sense, too.  When we remove the 'personal' from the behavior of others, when we no longer judge, we are able to love completely.  It doesn't mean condoning or approving or being okay with senseless acts of violence.  It means committing and modeling love.  We attract what we are and the more we are love - well, the outcome is obvious.  

I know violence can still happen, bad things can still happen to good people, but my own hate, violence, judgment.....just continues the cycle.

So...

In quiet would I look upon the world, which but reflects Your Thoughts, and mine as well.  let me remember that they are the same, and I will see creation's gentleness.

Day 265 - Lesson 264

I am surrounded by the Love of God.

When we recognize that pure consciousness exists and that we are not in the world, but the world is in us, it becomes quite clear that we are surrounded by the Love of God. 

Everything is possible and we only need to open our hearts to love in order to 'get' that. 

Here's to being open and expansive, to living peace, to loving more, and to trusting that we are meant to be happy.

Day 264 - Lesson 263

My holy vision sees all things as pure.

This says in part:

A madman's dream is hardly fit to be my choice, instead of all the loveliness with which You blessed creation; all its purity, its joy, and its eternal, quiet home in You.

I have been reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali before bed.  I have been reading them aloud.  The sound and the vibration made by the sound when expressing the words truly resonate deep within an ancient part of my soul.  When we open our hearts to holiness and to the pure love of Source all of the craziness of the world becomes less powerful.

As I considered this lesson today - my crazy and busy day, I thought about how different my experience is now that I actively ask to be a vessel of spirit.  A day like today a couple of years ago would have ended in me being angry and likely picking an argument with someone, and most definitely several drinks to wallow in.  I would have complained about all of the stuff I had to do, all the fires I had to put out, about the craziness of....blah, blah, blah.  Truly mad.  However, I have re-framed all that with:

How can I help?
How can I serve?
May I be a vessel of spirit in service to others.

These questions and this mission have saved my life.

Day 263 - Lesson 262

Let me perceive no differences today.

And so this lesson also says (and I love this):

We who are one would recognize this day the truth about ourselves.  We would come home, and rest in unity.  For there is peace, and nowhere else can peace be sought and found.

We really do have the ability to choose peace, to choose gratitude, or to choose struggle, or to choose grievances.  I was in a group meeting today that included an individual who nay-sayed, argued, and disagreed with every single recommendation the other group members offered.  My initial reaction was one of utter irritation and frustration.  However, I took a deep breath and chose a different reaction.  I asked myself, "How can I feel love and compassion in this moment?  What is happening here and how can I be of the greatest assistance?"  This helped me to: not give up on the meeting and not exhibit body language that would reinforce or encourage others to give up on the meeting.  In the end, the person who was so dissatisfied remained steadfast in his position, but the rest of the group rallied and pursued recommendations consistent with meaningful problem-solving.

How can I help?  How can I serve?  These questions, when asked genuinely, always help to keep me on track - even in the most frustrating of situations.

Day 262 - Lesson 261

God is my refuge and security.

Today was my first full day back at work after having been away for a couple of weeks.  I worked in our corporate office last week, but today was the first whole day in my office (I spent a fair amount of time there on Saturday, but nothing is like a full Monday).  Anyway, at one point today I was starting to feel overwhelmed with the workload of all of things that need to be done 'right now.' I started to allow stress and fear to seep into my being....and then I remembered this lesson -

I live in God. In Him I find my refuge and my strength.  In Him is my Identity.  In Him is everlasting peace.  And only there will I remember Who I really am.

What this reminded me of is this: pure potential.  I may see difficulty and stress and overload in the heat of a given moment, but I always have the opportunity to stop, take a breath, and remember that there are a multitude of possibilities and the universe is conspiring to assist me, not see me fail.  I live in pure potential.  I am a speck of the divine.  God is in me.  There is really nothing to fear....

Day 261 - Lesson 260

Let me remember God created me.

I had this expansive day - filled with introspection, reflection, and action.  It was quiet cyber action and it felt so good!  I focused on this lesson all day and devoted nearly every thought and response to it.

It was also a day of keeping in touch, of saying thank you, of reconnecting.  I did laundry, too.  Which can be quite therapeutic.  And I changed the bedding.  That counts for exercise.  I stayed in my pajamas.  The one time I left my house, I just put a sweatshirt and running pants over my pajamas.

As this lesson says, "Holy indeed are we, because our Source can know no sin."

Day 260 - Lesson 259

Let me remember that there is no sin.

What a controversial statement - from a traditionalist's perspective that is.  However, as this lesson states: Sin is the only thought that makes the goal of God seem unattainable.  What else could blind us to the obvious, and make the strange and the distorted seem more clear?

How could it be in God's best interest to set forth rules that would prevent us from entering heaven - that would send us to hell?  Such rules and declarations are man-made and are done to create structures of perceived power.

When I recognize that the only reality that truly exists is love I can begin to let go of fear and enter that space that is heaven.  What is the point of my existence if it is not to find love, to share love, to express love?

Day 259 - Lesson 258

Let me remember that my goal is God.

Albert Einstein has a great quote that I posted on Facebook yesterday, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." 

This lesson says, in part: [God's] memory is hidden in our minds, obscured but by our pointless little goals which offer nothing, and do not exist.  Shall we continue to allow God's grace to shine in unawareness, while the toys and trinkets of the world are sought instead?  God is our only goal, our only Love.  We have no aim but to remember him.

The Vedic Sage Shankara explains the layers of life - the koshas, which are all illusions (maya) until the final (Brahman).  We all have within us the ancient awareness of Source (God), of holiness.  It is, however, covered up - it is covered in our physical selves by our environment, our physical body, and an energy body; it is covered by our subtle self in our mind, our intellect, and our ego; and even beyond that two more layers exist before we reach God - the causal body which is the personal (soul), and the collective (connection between soul and spirit), to finally - Universal (God, Spirit, Source). 

Asking the soul questions - Who am I? What do I want?  What is my purpose?  Helps us to get in touch with our holiness as we enter into silent meditation.  This lesson made me think more deeply about the topic of illusions.  The layers of life are the true model of an individual.  Understanding them helps me to better understand why we get so caught up in 'stuff.'  Seeing the layers, recognizing them, acknowledging them aids me in living with them as I seek my goal, as I follow the way that leads to God.

Day 258 - Lesson 257

Let me remember what my purpose is.

Here's what else it says (in part): Let us therefore be determined to remember what we want today, that we may unify our thoughts and actions meaningfully, and achieve only what God would have us do this day.

Yesterday I said I was going to go to bed and pray about the lesson for that day and then I was going to wake up, ask myself the soul questions, and live the answers.  I did that....and I feel better.  I continue to feel a bit confused and I find that the question about what I'm supposed to be doing here continues to bubble to the surface for me.  I am having a hard time letting go and just letting life be in that particular arena.  However, I do clearly recognize that when I focus my intentions on living as a vessel of spirit - life is just plain better.

I do so want to simply achieve only what God, spirit, love, source would have me do each day.  This very moment is my life and I want to embrace it in a great big loving bear hug!

Day 257 - Lesson 256

God is the only goal I have today.

I held this lesson close to my heart today.  I've had such a rough week and things have felt out of balance.  I believed this lesson would help me to be a bit more centered.  However, my level of aggravation remained fairly high.  Maybe it's a hormonal thing.  Even though I held this lesson close to my heart - it didn't resonate with me the way I hoped it would.  I don't really understand it.  I just kept thinking that if I focused on the lesson, reflected upon it throughout the day, a light would go off and I would say, "Oh, yeah, that makes perfect sense."  That obviously did not happen.  I kept waiting and I kept trying to feel better.

I am going to go to bed and pray about it.  In the morning, God willing, I will wake up, I will ask myself the soul questions, and I will live the answers.

Day 256 - Lesson 255

This day I choose to spend in perfect peace.

So, I completely blew this lesson today.  I woke up and meditated and then read this lesson.  I remember thinking to myself - what a great lesson, even though I'm feeling some internal struggle about getting back into my regular work routine, I'm going to embrace this lesson and do all I can to help and serve and appreciate everything this day has to offer.

It must not have taken too long....maybe five minutes or so for me to allow this lesson to slip out of my awareness.  I allowed fear (false evidence appearing real) to seep into my thoughts and I invited it to stay for much of the day.  I really felt out of sorts and couldn't get it together.  I didn't want to be at work, I learned that two of my employees need to be gone unexpectedly during a busy time when their help is especially needed, I was frustrated over the fact that I just spent several thousand dollars on a second car only to learn that it was running 'funny' today, I didn't hear about whether or not my bid was accepted on the house, I feel too fat to be a true and authentic yogi, I feel like I'm swimming in circles without really getting anywhere.

I can't say why all this nonsense bubbled up for me today?  I was irritable and blue.  Usually I am able to grasp onto hope and feel good about all that is good.  Today was just a struggle.  Life just is complicated at times.  Even when we have the ability to reach out for God, for hope, for Source, for love....sometimes it's just plain difficult for no apparent and evident reason.

I re-read the lesson this evening and I am going to reflect on these words as I prepare for sleep - Let me this day have faith in Him Who says I am God's Son.  And let the peace I choose be mine today bear witness to the truth of what He says.  God's Son can have no cares, and must remain forever in the peace of Heaven.

Day 255 - Lesson 254

Let every voice but God's be still in me.

This is a truly beautiful lesson. It encourages us to let our 'ego thinking' go and be directed by God's voice instead.  As I was packing to move on to my next destination today, I reflected upon this lesson and considered how it might have changed the outcome of a few recent conversations.  However, rather than dwell upon what I could not change, I made every effort to do exactly as instructed in this lesson today.  It's not easy.  Even when life is at its simplest it is difficult to remain in present moment awareness and to release ego thoughts.

My heart is a bit heavy tonight.  I miss those I left today and I miss the area.  I don't feel quite ready to settle back into the routine of regular work, and back into the dreary mostly sunless weather, but it is upon me nonetheless.

It is important that I allow my own light to shine and also to recognize the beautiful lights of all those around me - wherever I happen to be....

Day 254 - Lesson 253

My Self is ruler of the universe.

This lesson reminds us that....Even in this world, it is I who rule my destiny.  What happens is what I desire.

This lesson also reminds me of the saying - Energy flows where my attention goes. 

When I focus on things I don't want, don't like, and all the negatives - that is what I see and what I get.  When I focus on the things on want, the things I like, and all the positives - that is what I see and what I get.

I was feeling overwhelmed today...thinking about whether or not I'm going to get the house I've made an offer on, the amount of money I've spent on vacation, the fact that I'm not ready to go back to freezing cold weather, and to a job that I have a love / hate relationship with....and then I thought of this lesson.  Everything that was on my mind, everthing that was bothering me was a choice - a choice I have made.  And I can choose to create miracles or I can choose to create grievances.

I am choosing miracles and I am the ruler of my universe....the ruler of my destiny.

Day 253 - Lesson 252

The Son of God is my Identity.

This lesson begins by saying, "My Self is holy beyond all the thoughts of holiness of which I now conceive.  Its shimmering and perfect purity is far more brilliant than is any light that I have ever looked upon."

Traveling and being out of my regular routine makes it all the more difficult to see myself as holy.  It's comforting to know that I am holy.  I look forward to the day when I can more easily tap into that feeling no matter what my environment is at any given time.  Meditation does definitely make all the difference.  I have a much calmer heart and mind.  However, I do notice old patterns surfacing in certain environments and around certain people.  Practicing present moment awareness has been helpful to recognize the surfacing patterns and make the necessary adjustments.  It's a bit unsettling because I was feeling like I had this amazing sense of peace that nothing could shake - and then some of the seemingly smallest and simpler situations conjure up old feelings and then old patterns.

I am going to breathe deep, embrace the present, and let go of my internal disappointment.  I am going to thank God and thank pure potential for all of the wonderful and infinite possibilities in life.  I don't know what's around the next corner, but I do know that I am worthy of being loved, I am loved, and I am exactly where the universe intends me to be in this very moment.

Day 252 - Lesson 251

I am in need of nothing but the truth.

This is true, I am in need of nothing but the truth.  I don't have much desire to dance around illusion and feel despair any longer.  It is a process and one that our material world doesn't make particularly easy.  It does, however, become easier as we see the light.

Today is the day I practice the Law of Detachment.  It's incredible how this law is the truth.  When we set our intentions and pursue our goals with a spirit of love and service without attachment to outcome, things just seem to naturally fall into place.

I am so completely appreciative of this awareness - that I am now open to receiving these lessons.

Day 251 - Lesson 250

Let me not see myself as limited.

I do this a lot - see myself as limited.  I am actively working on expanding and believing in a much larger world - a much larger me....full of potential.  Seeing myself as limited was directly related to my meltdown the day of my Perfect Health certification test.  Getting through those trials and being thankful for the experience, while not easy, does make me see that I have a choice about how I see myself.  In fact, I have complete control over how I see myself.  Instead of listening to old, self-defeating messages, I am working towards loving myself more and seeing that life's possibilities are limitless.

I am beginning to really believe that it is true - God only wants me to be happy and only wants me to expand my horizons as far as they are meant to go.

Day 250 - Lesson 249

Forgiveness ends all suffering and loss.

I have long said, "There is no resolution where love is not present."  If we are not able to forgive ourselves and others, we remain in pain and in positions of struggle.  Forgiving is liberating.  I love this in this lesson:

Forgiveness paints a picture of a world where suffering is over, loss becomes impossible and anger makes no sense. Attack is gone, and madness has an end. What suffering is now conceivable? What loss can be sustained? The world becomes a place of joy, abundance, charity and endless giving.

Now that I know that I don't need to take things personally, that I don't need to be angry, and I don't need to defend my own point of view - Yes, I choose a world of joy, abundance, charity, and endless giving. 

Day 249 - Lesson 248

Whatever suffers is not part of me.

This is all about the ancient love of God and that it is there for us to embrace at any time.  No matter how long we deny it, or ignore it, it is there. I love that saying about how it is impossible to see God - when we gaze upon a flower, when we watch a sprinter, when we hear a meadowlark, each of things provides an amazing opportunity to see God - to see Pure Potentiality in action.  Our bodies operate with such effortless ease, like a stream flowing, a tree growing, the moon rising....this is God in action.

We have so very much to be thankful for - to be in absolute awe over.

Day 248 - Lesson 247

Yesterday was a long travel day and at the end of it....I forgot to post anything on my blog!

Without forgiveness I will still be blind.

I had an 'off' day yesterday.  I had a struggle in being an effective communicator in three different situations and ended up feeling bad in each one.  I reminded myself that it is as important to forgive myself as it is others. 

Day 247 - Lesson 246

To love my Father is to love His Son.

This lesson has everything to do with loving yourself.  Apparently, a serious lesson I needed to learn these past couple of days.  Funny how it works out that this lesson came up immediately the day after my meltdown - and on the day that I graduated as a Perfect Health Instructor for the Chopra Center. 

The light shining in the room today was incredible.  Recognizing that an important ray of that light was me was a critical realization in my own growth.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine....

Namaste....

Day 246 - Lesson 245

Your peace is with me, Father.  I am safe.

I'd like to say that I kept this lesson in my awareness today - and that I acted upon it.  It says this, in part:

And so we go in peace.  To all the world we give the message that we have received.  And thus we come to hear the Voice for God, Who speaks to us as we relate his Word; Whose Love we recognize because we share the Word that He has given unto us.

I guess it's not really fair to say that it wasn't in my awareness - certainly it was; it just didn't come from me.....well, not directly anyway.

I had a bit of a meltdown today.  I took my final test for the Perfect Health Teacher certification.  I was well-prepared.  I did well in my oral presentations all week.  I felt really ready for this test.  Historically, I have suffered terribly from test anxiety.  Sweaty palms, headaches, irritability, racing heart, etc.  Not this time.  There were some signs of anxiety - I developed a canker sore earlier this week and had a bit of a skin rash on my neck and chest, but nothing else.  I felt really good as I answered the test questions, until I got to one that I couldn't complete, and then I came to another that I couldn't remember all of the information for, and then another that was also incomplete.  I just moved on calmly and continued to answer the questions with relative ease.  At the end, I went back to the ones I struggled with and still couldn't get it.  I sat back, I took a deep breath, I paused....I still had plenty of time.  I encouraged myself to let it just come - and - it didn't.  And then, it felt like the walls of the room were crashing in on me.  I was struggling with breathing.  I started to feel like maybe I had flunked the test.  This was truly an experience of anxiety.  I turned in my test and left the room.  I cried and continued to struggle with this irrational response.

I didn't feel like a very good example of a 'perfect health' teacher.  I felt like a failure.

Thankfully, I was among many loving and supportive souls who wrapped me up in love and reminded me that I am smart, capable, lovable, and having an emotional experience for all sorts of 'sometimes life is complicated' reasons.

I passed the test, I celebrated with these loving souls.....I am reminding myself that I am indeed lovable.  God's peace came to me in the form of the love and support of my fellow teachers.

Day 245 - Lesson 244

I am in danger nowhere in the world.

There was a time, and it lasted for a very long time, in which I feared a lot.  I was afraid to be alone, I was especially afraid to be alone at night, in the dark.  I was afraid of failing.  I was afraid that people would find out that I'm not smart enough or good enough.

I am no longer afraid.  I am not in danger.  I am worthy of love and of happiness.

The steps to find this out weren't terribly difficult.  I opened myself up to receiving the information and I have a regular practice of meditation.  This allows me to listen, to really listen to pure potentiality - to the mystery we call God.

Day 244 - Lesson 243

Today I will judge nothing that occurs.

One thing that I really noticed today - when you walk into your day, start your day, with the intention that you won't judge anything - it opens up a world of opportunities.  When you just take life as it comes, when you observe without making snap judgments, life unfolds in some pretty amazing and interesting ways.  There are plenty of times when I think I know something, when I think I know what someone is going to say, do, or how they are going to react....but when I commit to observing without preconceived notions and judgments I am very often surprised and pleasantly so.  I certainly cannot predict the future, nor can I predict how people are going to behave and react.  I may have a fairly good idea, but when I pause and give a moment, I am more often thankful for it than not....

I am working on making this as a regular practice.  It benefits me and others around me in myriad ways.  They feel greater love and more support and really that's all that matters.