And so it is!

I think a thought,
And so it is!
I may not see it now.
But at some time
The God of Mind
Will bring it back around.

So with each thought,
Which is a prayer,
I let God reign in me:
Thought manifests
To take or bless;
Which do I choose to see?

I think a thought
And may it be
From Higher Consciousness!
And when it’s mine
To have in time,
The good will manifest!
–And so it is!

Woman

I wrote this song in early 2011, while exploring Goddess-centered spirituality. I share it here in honor of International Women’s Day – but more than this, honoring all people and our Great Creator! It’s time we see our gender as a blessing and not a difference, curse, crutch, or hindrance! This applies to our personal gender and everyone else’s. May we truly know, and thus experience, that we are indeed all One, regardless of physical form!

Woman – Lyrics

Instrument: soprano Flea ukulele

Note: This was recorded outside, so I apologize for the background noise. And this is not my usual ukulele tuning – this is reentrant/high G, and I usually play linear/low G. ๐Ÿ™‚

1. Woman so soft
Woman so sweet
Woman so gentle
Woman so strong
Woman of love
Woman of peace
Woman complete
Sing your beautiful song!

2. Woman of earth
Woman of air
Woman of water
Woman of fire
Woman of birth
Woman of life
Woman of laughter
Now express your desire!

3. Woman in body
Woman in mind
Woman in spirit
Open your eyes!
Know who you are
Claim who you’ve been
For you will be
All that you can let in!

Repeat 1.

Sing your beautiful song! (3x total)

Download Album Version

The album version is new and improved! Check it out on
Mother Nature Sings.

Love – The Simplest of Songs

I wrote this in 2003, and it still rings true for me. In honor of
February and its vibrations of love,
this seemed like a great song to share.

On a side note, purple has gradually become one of my favorite colors. I won’t go into why and how… Suffice it to say that, thankfully, people do change, and do learn to embrace more than we used to! โค

Love – Lyrics

Instrument: 76-key Casio keyboard (model unknown)

1. Once I searched for a Love that would never die;
True faithfulness on which I could rely.
OOO
Refrain:

2. I was lonely but had, o so much to share;
So, I hoped and I prayed for One who would care.
OOO
Refrain: (3 times)

Refrain:
Love transcends all borders and fills the empty!
I longed so for this and the joy that it brings,
And You have shown me a Love like this.

Simple Blessing – Music and Poem

This is an original instrumental, played on the harp. As you listen, I invite you to contemplate these words, or your own thoughts and feelings about giving thanks and counting blessings.

Simple Blessing

Blessings come in many forms,
Much more than what we see.
And blessings best are counted as
The God in you and me.

We’re given Life, and not just breath
Upon this spinning ball…
But onward, upward all the time,
To God the Source of all.

In having what we need we take
A moment to be glad.
But lacking something, would we still
Give thanks for all we had?

For what is there if not the things
We see as good in life,
The money, job, the home and friends,
Success, and being right?

There’s still a Spirit deep within
That shines from all we are!
If nothing else, give thanks for this,
For it’s our Source, by far!

We think we have security
From all these earthly things.
But they are tools that Heaven rules,
Just servants of the King.

And so take time to give Him thanks,
This day and every one,
For all we are and all we have,
Is ours in God the One.

Blessings come in many forms,
Much more than what we see.
And blessings best are counted as
The God in you and me.

Moments of Life

There are moments when we all feel unappreciated. Unfortunately. But sometimes these moments… drag out. They become days, weeks, months. Sometimes they become years. And we can’t remember the last time we felt anything other than unappreciated, sad, dulled down somehow. I think the word is blah. Depressed. In despair. Or just, “I haven’t been myself lately.” But for how long?

Some of us know we have to reach within for connection. But even that seems hard. Well, not just hard, impossible! And even as we try to tell ourselves that all things are possible, we laugh. You know, that mirthless laugh, “Ha. Yeah right. Like fun all things are possible! Maybe they are for so-and-so, rich people, you name it, but not for me. Not now. Not ever.”

And on it goes.

Until one day, one moment, we get tired of it! Something, thank God, snaps us out of that vicious, downward spiral. The tiniest thing. I think I can safely say it’s always a tiny thing, but to us it seems so huge!

The dark night of the soul has ended. Dawn is breaking through. Once more we can hear the birds sing and feel the butterflies take flight in our hearts. And why? Because someone said, “I love you.” Because someone sent a birthday card. Because someone asked what we were up to or how we were, and was truly interested. Because someone complimented us for what they probably thought was nothing, really. Except that to us, wow! It was the spark that rekindled the fire within.

And it happened in a single moment..!

Just as we can have these moments, we can give them to others. That stranger you smiled at today? It’s quite possible you were part of their moment, an unknowing witness to the break of dawn on the renewed landscape of that person’s life. You may never know for sure. But we are here for a purpose, a Divine, God-given, ordered, unique, personalized purpose. And that purpose includes being a Light to others.

As we give, so we receive. And as it is given to us, it’s passed on through us, to others. What is? Light, Love, Peace, inner connection. So though we feel isolated at times, we are never alone. Someone, by the God-Presence within them, will be our Light, our moment. And we will be a Light to others.

Because no vacuum can exist for long! Giving and receiving must take place. Light and darkness must converge. And we must play our parts in the lives of others, and they in ours, even for just a moment!

And so it is!

“But I Want It…”

How many times have you heard a child, whether yours or someone else’s, say that? And more importantly, how many times have you declared it? Silently or aloud, we all want things, we really want things, we desperately want things. And that’s ok!

The question is, what motivates this? Common motivations include the following, and feel free to add your own:

* It’s practical.

* It makes sense.

* It’s inexpensive, cheap, or a bargain.

* It will make me money.

* It brings security.

* It solves a problem.

* It will make me feel better.

* I’m expected to have it.

* It will distract me; it’s an escape from something else.

* It fills an emotional need.

* It’s something I need to survive–or I think it is…

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Most of the time, our motivations are based on false premises. That is, we expect things and circumstances, to change our things and circumstances!

This cannot work. The only True motivation is the God-Presence within each of us.

I cannot and will not tell you that God doesn’t want you to have money. Because I don’t believe that. However, I’ll encourage you, as I remind myself, to look within for fulfillment first. Don’t expect money or anything else, to fill your needs.

It may be a tool. Maybe that pony, lover, financial windfall, and even that cheesecake you want really is a means and a part of fulfilling your true desire. And if it is, you will receive it. When the time is right, remember this is God’s time, not yours, when you’re really ready for it, it will show up in your life.

However, if you really don’t need that, putting all your hope and desire into it, will not serve. It limits the good you can receive, because you want “this and only this,” instead of, “This or something better.” Or better still, “Nevertheless, Thy will be done.”

I always stress that Metaphysics is more than the law of attraction. And so it is! ๐Ÿ™‚ But they do cross paths, and this is one of those crossings. What you focus on, you can have. But what are you focusing on? Really, in the depths of your mind, what is motivating the things you’re asking for?

Look again at the list of motivations above. Each one of them comes from lack. “I don’t have this. But if I did, I would also have ___ (fill in the blank).”

The law of attraction says that like attracts like. So, if you’re motivated by lack, guess what you’ll get back. More lack.

Is that what you want? Really? I doubt it.

This is why Spiritual Science teaches meditation. It’s not because a certain way of meditating will bring you the perfect life with no negative trends at all. It’s because by meditating in the way or ways that work best for you, you make a connection with the God-Presence within you.

Did you get that? I didn’t say you make a connection with your church, minister, support group, spirit guide, or that thing you want. Because meta-physics goes beyond the physical dimension of life. I said God-Presence! Go right to the Source. Skip all the middle management–angels, saints, other gods and goddesses, spirit guides. It’s not that they don’t have a place. But you want your desires to be for the highest good, right? So, ask the Source within you what that is.

Let Source motivate you. In this way, you make sure not only your desires themselves, but your motivations for them, are in sync with the wonderful, great, flowing Divine plan for your existence here and now.

Thou Shalt Make Big Talk!

I respect the Ten Commandments and do my best to follow those, and the one Jesus said was most important: Love thy neighbor as thyself!

Do I love myself? I sure haven’t at times! But I call forth more and more love for myself now. This means my “neighbors,” all of them, receive more love, and this is good.

Something also needs to be said, and maybe there should be another Commandment for this? About speech itself.

Something like, “Thou shalt not make small talk!”

Yes, that’s right. Small talk. You know, hi, how are you when we don’t mean it, blathering on about the weather–unless we’re thankful for it of course, and above all, complaining about ourselves, other people, circumstances–ours or theirs, and stuff we have absolutely no control over!

Oh, and don’t forget judging–this is good and this is bad, and that’s the way it is! Oh, really? As Byron Katie says, “Is that true? Do you absolutely know that that’s true?”

Small talk is so pervasive in Western society, and particularly American society, that–and this is the harm–we do it without thinking! It’s like–no, it’s not “like,” it is!–we can’t stand to share companionable silence with anyone, or by ourselves!

So, we engage in all this prattle. Valuable words put to negative use. And we get caught up in the complaining merry-go-round, the wheel of gossip, the web of lack and limitation. Whether we started it, or “just” commiserate, we add negativity to this “small talk” just by being there and not offering something better.

Because that’s what it is: Small talk! We’re only talking about small things, things that are egotistical, dramatic or traumatic, transient, negative, less than good, or things we wish were different. And by focusing so much on them, we lower our vibration on all levels.

Haven’t you ever felt drained after talking to someone? Raise your hand because I know you have! Yeah, me, too.

Ok. Now take that feeling, and multiply it. Imagine it going out from you, to everyone you think about, everyone you love, everyone you know, and everyone you’ve ever met, or will ever meet.

That’s what vibration does. It reaches far beyond where we’re immediately located physically, and far beyond ourselves and present company.

Small talk is draining–mentally, emotionally, psychically, subconsciously, and yes, spiritually.

But me telling you not to do it, is also adding negativity! And I do practice what I preach!

So, what can you do? You can add positive energy wherever you are. This doesn’t mean you have to be all chipper and sunny when you just don’t feel like it. It does mean you look for something good to think about, focus on, and if you must speak, to talk about that good thing.

If something negative needs to be addressed, ask for guidance. The God-Presence within you will speak through you if you get out of the way. It will guide you, giving you the words to use, the right time and place, and helping everyone respond constructively.

It’s also important to learn to enjoy, and be enriched by quiet time. Try sitting with a friend, and being quiet. If you have to, tell your friend ahead of time that you want to try this. It will probably be uncomfortable at first. But as your awareness shifts to the great space within you, you’ll be grateful you’re not clogging it up with “small talk.”

And may the blessing be: Thou shalt make big talk!

10 Ways to Turn Mistakes into Blessings

Mistakes are wrong, failures, sins, error, useless… Right? Not if we do even one of these 10 things, and this is not a complete list! Do just one of these today, and turn what you thought was a mistake into a blessing.

1. Learn from it. What did it teach you?

2. Use it to connect with someone else. “I’ve been there too,” and compassionately lead them onward and upward.

3. See it as a step. Where are you off to next?

4. Find the gift. What do you realize you have now, that you didn’t see before?

5. Expand your awareness. Narrow-mindedness creates judgements, of both ourselves and other people. How can you be more aware from now on?

6. See the good. Even in the midst of that mistake, there was something good. What was it?

7. Allow more. Consciously or subconsciously, we let mistakes into our lives, along with the belief that they are mistakes. What will you allow today? Something better?

8. Make a pact. Often, mistakes come from the need to fix things, or reach outside ourselves for what we need. Connect with the God-Presence within you, and ask it, “What do I need?”

9. Keep your own council. I’ve written on this before. Let that God-Presence, the part of you that already, always knows what you need, answer the question for itself. It will be the right answer, better than anything you could come up with on your own.

10. Let it go! A good way to make more mistakes is to harp on those we’ve already made! So let them go, give them to the God-within. The pain, sting of failure, embarrassment and loss will stop controlling your outlook. In turn you’ll be able to see and know, that the Universe intends good for you.

Mistakes are only one way we can find our good! They are not the only way, and they are not always negative to a fault. Turn one around for yourself today, and create a blessing!

Bless’d be!

Play Without Learning, Live Without Trying

In our fast-paced, fast food, quick fix society, we want things handed to us, all done, already complete, no assembly required. And some people mistakenly believe law of attraction and metaphysics promote just that. Sorry, but this is simply not true.

Starting in the 1800’s if not earlier, people wanted to experience the beauty and fun of playing music, but didn’t want to put in the time, concentration, learning and effort required to truly make music their own. The markets responded by offering player pianos. TO this day player pianos are still available, and electronic keyboards offer song banks and visual systems, touch here and learn this song in 7 easy steps!

I don’t believe this is a real, expansive way to learn anything. In fact I would call it cheating, but you didn’t ask me that, did you?

So what does this have to do with metaphysics, or spirituality in general? A lot, actually. Some so-called teachers are promoting law of attraction, New Thought, and versions of metaphysics like this. The Universe is your catalog. Ask! And whatever you ask for is given. Visualize it long enough, and you’ll get what you want. Live as if you already have what you say you want, and you’ll get it.

The confusion comes because, though these premises contain truth, they are not the whole Truth. And though a player piano or electronic keyboard can reproduce songs, that’s all it can do. It does not think, learn, feel, or experience anything. Therefore, it does not grow, change, or evolve.

The purpose of life, is evolution, change, transformation. And for this purpose to be fulfilled, we must be nurtured, watered if you will, fed, supported, so that we can grow. Which is the purpose of life!

Do you see what I’m getting at here? We can hear something and call it music, because it sounds nice and we like it. But does that mean we understand how music works? Does that mean we feel and appreciate it? Does that mean we’ve learned anything from it? If we are not better in some way, after listening to or playing music, it hasn’t fulfilled its purpose–to grow, expand and change.

If we take the so-called Secret, law of attraction, or anything in New Thought, spirituality, or any religion, but are not expanded by it, then life’s purpose is not served. Why is this? Because we’re only looking at the surface. We’re looking at a physical thing, be it someone’s book or listening to a “good song,” and believing that will give us the quick fix we want.

Nope, sorry. There are no quick fixes. Music, dare I say it, takes work. Now, that work does not have to be drudgery, but it is a process. I’ve taken some very intense music courses, and I didn’t always breeze through them. They stretched me, asked me to shift my awareness to deeper, more subtle things.

And get this: Because I persisted I’ve been rewarded. I’m not the same person I was before these courses. You play me a piece of music, and I can tell you at least some of its notes and chords. I can to some extent, sing and/or play it back. And most of all, I appreciate the feeling, the spirit that created the music. I am transformed.

This expanding-process is not always fun. But, if we keep in mind the reason we’re here, to transform our souls, to reconnect with the Divine Spirit within us and to express more of that in our world, we can always come through the rough patches. And we are better for it!

The same goes for studies of any philosophy. Law of attraction works. It does not work, “If you follow these simple steps.” It does not work, “If you think you already have what you want.” No. It works, if and only if, you create for yourself a spiritual foundation and expand from there.

So again, the parallel between music and spirituality. You can learn music because someone wants you to. You can do it because you want to. But you will only grow, musically and otherwise, if you have a deeper connection to the music within you, its spirit, its purpose–yes, its life.

When we learn or do something only for results, it is less than. But when we learn to expand ourselves and our Divine connection, it is true learning that will last, and expand, our lifetime.

Expand your physical experiences. Seek out intellectual opportunities. Learn new things. And be sure that as you do, they offer some soul transformation at their core. Because the soul is here to evolve. The mind and body are just its tools.

We must expand on all levels, not just one or two. And we must, with Divine guidance, go through the growth process, even if it’s hard, painful, frustrating and at times, appears to fail.

We are here to experience life. And life is transformation.

May it be so for you, for me and for all those souls open to life itself!

And so it is!

An Eye for an Eye: And then What?

Recently someone asked me for a metaphysical take on “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” and whether “we” (metaphysicians) believe in the death penalty. Here is the passage where Jesus teaches on this, and one, perhaps surprising, metaphysical interpretation.

โ€œYou have heard that it was said, โ€˜An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.โ€™ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and donโ€™t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
–Matthew 5:38-42 World English Bible (WEB)

First, we need to understand where this law originated. It goes back to Exodus 21:24, which in WEB reads, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

Basically, laws in the time of Moses established a framework to keep society in order and prevent chaos and anarchy. People could not be counted on to do the right thing, so fear/consequence-based laws were instated. Under these laws, if you put someone’s eye out, yours would be put out in return. Whatever you did, particularly evil things, would be done to you, too.

This is also referenced in Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. This was the “thou shalt not” phase of the law, which Jesus did not come to destroy (Matthew 5:17-18, but to provide spiritual conduct as a foundation. Before Christ, people thought observing the letter of the law by performing the “right” rituals, while still harboring negativity in mind and heart, was sufficient. Jesus taught otherwise.

In this section of The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus refers to the old law, and gives a spiritual expansion of its letter, or literal interpretation. So, since the time of Christ, taking “an eye for an eye,” subjecting offenders to the self-same action they committed, is not following the law. In reality, this is repaying evil consciousness (wrong thinking) with evil consciousness. And even in secular society, we know two wrongs don’t make a right.

We’re encouraged, no, strongly advised, not to resist evil.

39 But I tell you, donโ€™t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

However, and this is a big one, this does not mean we have to be doormats and let evil doers (negative people) walk all over us, and accept their conduct toward us! It does mean that we must see through their actions to the truth of their, and our being.

When the “cheek of evil” is turned to you, turn the “cheek of truth” back to it.

“I behold the Christ in you,” is what can make metaphysics hard to live. It’s because in order to be truly spiritual, we can’t just appear to forgive people. We have to really, truly let things go, and not just cover them up or suppress them! Who wants to do that?

No one, that’s who! At least, no one in a vengeful state of mind can do that. That is why we recognize the Christ idea within us. Because only by letting that idea take over our wayward, fight or flight personal mind, can we rise above anyone’s treatment of us. And rise we must, because if we don’t, we can’t have the abundant life Christ promises us.

So, which do you want? To be right, or to be happy?

The references to giving up your cloak, going the extra mile, etc. are the Oriental way of driving a point home. The teaching is the same: Do not resist evil, but return it with good.

And you thought metaphysics was all hearts and flowers! It could be, but we have to get rid of the weeds so strongly planted in the deepest levels of our minds first. That is not work for the faint at heart.

The question put to me was whether we believe in the death penalty. Again, we see another way in which metaphysics demands individual responsibility. Jesus did not teach, and we don’t teach, that the death penalty itself is either right or wrong. What we teach, is that if you continue on the road of lower, victim, vengeful consciousness, yes, you will experience death. That is, the death of the soul, when you could have had abundant life, had you chosen the narrow way of Higher Mind Awareness.

If you want someone put to death, what will that get you? We know that whatever we wish for someone, we will get back. Perhaps not in the same literal way, but energetically, karmically, it will come back to us. If you want death, go for it! Plenty of people do. However, if you want something better, that which is truly your divine right, reach for that instead.

Death may seem easier. whether To kill our souls by following the ego’s path, or to want someone physically killed for something they’ve done. But will it truly serve in the long run? Will it evolve you to a higher place?

All we are responsible for, is our own individual consciousness. The good news is that when we connect daily with the God-Presence within us, the ego eventually catches on and starts to learn from that God-Presence. It is then that we notice progress, deep within our minds as well as in our outer lives.

Deep within each of us, there is a part of us that knows. It knows what is right, what is true, and what serves God’s purpose. And it is why we pray, sincerely and not just saying so, “Thy will be done.”

And so it is!