Category Archives: Spiritual articles

God is at the Yard Sale

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God is at the yard sale.

In the piles of junk, God waits. In the people so excited to find that special thing, those canning jars, fishing tackle, car parts, musical instruments, God stirs.

God breathes in those who know, “All right, it’s time. Time for this, that, this and that to go. It’s no use to me anymore. It’s junk but maybe someone else can use it.”

God is in the relief they feel when someone buys up their old stuff. God is in the coins and bills exchanged. God is in the joy of having money to save or spend, and having a clean basement, closet or garage.

God is in the people who go home ecstatic, the kids with their new old stuffed animals, The mothers with their purses and skirts, crock pots and someone else’s nana’s china. The bachelors with their motorcycle helmets and tool boxes. The fathers with their swing sets, slides, play houses, breathing a sigh of relief, “Thank God it’s in good condition!” Realizing they got a bargain and they’re grateful for it, even though they tell you only women are bargain hunters.

God is at the yard sale. Within the stereotypes, within the piles of junk, inside the bargain hunters, and right there guiding the people who decide what to sell. God is there. At the yard sale and beyond, before, and after.

So the next time you visit a yard sale, and you will, you know, remember: God is in the people passing on their things. God is in the things themselves, that like their former owners, are getting a clean slate today. And God is in you, yes, even at a yard sale.

Music Tells the Story

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Another song written over 10 years ago that expresses more truth than I realized at the time. Listen to the songs on the radio today. And think back to songs you heard and/or enjoyed as a child or teenager. What do they all have in common? They tell the story of society’s values–or lack thereof–and paint a general picture of human consciousness.

For example, think about what, if anything, today’s songs say about the following:

Love relationships?

Money?

Health?

Stress?

Birth, life, and death?

Relaxation–or not!

When songs speak of these things, it’s usually in a negative way:

I lost my love and now he/she has to pay.

I’m broke. (The end i.e. therefore I am nothing)

I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. But I can’t do anything about it so I’ll just complain…

I’m stressed, so I’ll escape into something else (drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, even reading or watching movies. Oh, and coffee, anyone?)

Birth: Kids are expensive, another mouth to feed. And for women especially, pain, sacrifice, and a perceived loss of identity.

Life: What’s the point? I’m lost. Don’t know where to go but I want to return to where I’ve been. Living in the past, “The good ol’ days…” I.e. we don’t live in the present moment, even in our music!

Death: I want to die–in one breath. This world is not my home–but not said in a positive way. And yet, where will I go after death? And what about all my stuff?

Relax? Me? But what will I do then?

In short, songs are just as focused on negativity as, well, everything else we produce! And why is that? Because above all, we have a negative state of mind, heart, being, and personal identity.

Listen to even a few popular songs, and you’ll probably discover the same thing.

And so: I charge myself and fellow songwriters to picture something better: a spiritually whole, mentally sound, emotionally strong, and physically healthy person, and to hold this vision for every person. Holding this vision is why I’m a spiritually-oriented songwriter, and for this I give thanks!

And for everyone who listens to music, as most of us do, please, listen consciously! And start choosing music that lifts you up, instead of validating negativity.

Music Tells the Story – Lyrics

Instruments: Acoustic guitar, keyboard, soprano recorder.

1. In today’s society
Of fun, things and propriety,
The music tells a lot, you know,
Of when we come and where we go.
For all time, through many things,
The music tells the way it is.

2. In the 1920’s, too,
The people questioned what was true.
The music told of fun and dress,
Of things found out, and questions asked.
For all time, through many things,
The music tells the way it is.

3. Back when the whites owned the blacks
And stood whipping their tired backs,
The slave songs told of God’s great Peace,
For they knew they would leave this place.
For all time, through many things,
The music tells the way it is.

Repeat 1.

Self-love: Can it Last?

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If Real and if True
And shining within,
Then Love for yourself
Is blessing and bliss!

If on the outside
For all that you do
And how you appear,
That love isn’t True.

If all that you see
Is what’s in your mind;
If, seeking self-love,
That’s all you can find,

Then seek in the space,
The Voice True and small,
Transcending your thoughts,
Beyond, to the All.

The Love from the One,
The Source of all Life,
This infinite flow
Is your Divine right!

This Love for yourself
And All that You are
Is safe and secure,
Eternal, by far.

It’s Real and it’s True
And shining within;
This Love for your Self
Is blessing and bliss!

The Spirit of Truth

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The Spirit of Truth lives within me, as a Light that will not be put out. I can cover it with blankets, tar, bushels, but nothing, nothing will truly turn out the Light!

That is the miracle, the Good News, the Glad Tidings! That no matter what I allow myself to get wrapped up in, Spirit awaits me, just inside! Where all is quiet, where all is known, where Love conquers all, Spirit waits.

All I need to do is knock. But so often I waste my time standing at the door, wondering if Spirit will really answer! I don’t believe it, so I don’t knock. But this is futility at its finest!

Spirit, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, always answers! I wonder what the answer will be, still standing on the doorstep, stamping my feet with cold, my heart full of dread. Because what if it’s not what I want? What if the answer is not what I think it should be?

I know deep down that it’s still the answer, and that whatever I think I want, is only from my limited perspective. But limitation, can only see limitation! So again I am in awe of the miracle, the Grace, the Love that somehow, some way, I can return to Spirit!

Even when my mind is in distress, even when fear dictates my words and actions, even when I see no way out, there is a part of me that knows!

There is a part of me that cares, loves, waits for me to ask, seek, knock, so it can throw open the gates of Consciousness to my weary mind!

And lead it back, restored, renewed, in tune with the voice of the Spirit of Truth that is sure and eternal.

Four Steps to Defragment Your Life

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Self-help books, motivational speakers, psychologists, psychiatrists, life coaches, even ministers and religious organizations all offer ways to defragment your life. I.e. to create and maintain a sense of integration, continuity and flow within your personal life. All these paths are valid in their own way. However, to truly defragment and create the awareness of yourself as a whole, complete being, there are some steps you can take, in your own mind and consciousness, with or without outer support.

1. Acknowledge the Presence.

Whether you call it God, Spirit, Cosmic Consciousness or something else, acknowledge that there is a universal, all-knowing Presence that exists everywhere.

2. Unite with the Presence.

Give yourself Truth statements (affirmations) of that Presence. Then, move on, because if that Presence is everywhere, then it is within you. You are a spiritual being. Everything else revolves around this Truth, including everything in your physical life. Recognize this and stay with this in meditation or other contemplation, until you feel it as a sense of Truth in your own way.

3. Realize the Presence.

By now you’ve united with the Presence in your mind. Perhaps intellectually and mentally, or maybe on a deeper level. It is at this deeper, subconscious level, that realization takes place. Here, your personal identity, including that life you want to defragment and integrate, falls away. Realization means the Presence IS your very life, and the only life you have, have had, and will ever have. In short, it is all that matters.

4. Flow with the Presence.

From this point on, any changes you want to make, can be made at the root. You’ve already established oneness with the Universal spiritual Presence within yourself. This is the key to any and all changes.

Why is oneness so important? It is not some pie-in-the-sky notion that cannot be reached by the average human being. It is a state of being, where as a spiritual creation, your Higher, God-like Inner Nature is allowed to flow forth through your mental, emotional and physical existence, as well as through all levels of your mind. You were born in oneness, and this is simply, but no less profoundly, a return home, to wholeness.

Let the Presence color your picture. Let it create the reality you experience. Let it give you thoughts, rather than trying to direct it. Know within yourself, beyond thought and words, that this Spirit knows what you need. For it would not have created you otherwise; you are not an accident, but a deliberate, conscious, integral Child of that Spirit!

Without this realization, change is not lasting. Change made purely on the physical level, for instance, may feel like a chore, create emptiness, etc. The same is true for mental and emotional changes. If they are not made in accord with the Presence within you, they cannot last.

Oneness is the reason this is so. You were created in God’s image, in a complete, whole, universal image. This is hard to grasp intellectually, which is why you’ve spent so much time reminding yourself of your spiritual roots.

However, when the human mind, with its limited personal ego, is given up to Higher Consciousness, it is reflected in our outer lives.

So, am I saying don’t resolve to change anything in your life? No. But I’m offering the idea, not a new idea either, to make changes on the level where it counts.

That level is the spiritual one, the foundation of all life on this or any planet. It’s different from religion, psychology, self-help and other personal development systems. Here, you connect in your own awareness, with the very Presence and Source that created you.

The other option, as we well know, is the personal ego, separated mind. We all know where that leads, when allowed to create things on its own: It is the reason we feel we need to make changes in the first place!

Acknowledge the Spirit within you. Make it your support, your reality. And turn to it for guidance in making changes, seeking outer support, and maintaining integration throughout your life.

The closer your relationship is with this ever-present inner Presence, the easier and less threatening change becomes. The more authentic it is. And the longer it lasts.

No personal ego can defragment like that!

For support in your own defragment and integration, see Metaphysical Treatment Services.

Come Come Come!

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The beauty of this song is in the music, 4-part vocal harmonies, and the feeling of hope and anticipation it invokes. Written around the same time as Sunshine on the Snow.

It’s important to remember that no human being, circumstance or thing can save us. “Salvation” takes place in our own hearts and minds and is something we can each choose for ourselves.

“Salvation” is not a one-time experience, but a choice we make – or not – every moment of our lives.

Metaphysically speaking, the Messiah in this song is not Jesus, the man, but a rising, Christing consciousness that is born within us. It’s an awareness, a higher state of mind that comes from God. This coming from God, is why Jesus and each of us, are called children of God.

We celebrate the Christ Mind that saves us from the egotistical human mind. It’s not just a Christmas thing and that’s it. Christmas is simply the time set aside in the outer world, to remember the Truth.

Come Come Come! – Lyrics

Instrument: “Strings” and “Piano” on unknown model digital piano, Yamaha soprano recorder

1. Come!
The Messiah will come!
He is coming soon,
And He’ll save the world!

2. Saved!
Yes the world will be saved,
And there shall be peace
For all mankind!

Repeat 1.

Sunshine on the Snow

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I wrote this song during Advent, 2003. Though it depicts primarily the outer Christian teachings – the literal understanding of the birth of Jesus – it also holds a deeper, more mystical meaning. The last verse especially is why I chose to share it here.

And just to point out how things seem to circle back around, but at a deeper level than before… This was written on a baritone ukulele, an instrument I played only briefly because it was awkward. Here I play a concert ukulele, and it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Enjoy, and merry Christmas!

Sunshine on the Snow – Lyrics

Instrument: Brio – Red Cedar Concert Ukulele
Recording Updated 2017

1. Jesus gave us Light;
He saved us from our woe.
He brought pow’r and might;
He’s brighter than the sunshine on the snow.

2. The place was a stall;
Through Him God’s love did flow.
It was quiet and small;
He’s humbler than the sunshine on the snow.

3. We’re still wrapped in love;
He came so it would grow.
All we need is trust;
He’s warmer than the sunshine on the snow.
He’s humbler than the sunshine on the snow.
He’s brighter than the sunshine on the snow.

I am Love

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This song is many things and has grown into more since I wrote it in December, 2010. It was part of my Advent celebration that year, based on
The Twelve Powers of Man by Charles Fillmore.

It’s also a reminder to be mindful of who and what we say we are.

“I am ___”

What we put in that blank is more powerful than we realize, and is a clue to our true self-image. If the words are positive, build them up. However, if “I am” is followed by negativity, we have the opportunity to choose something better and more truthful.

Still repeating a negative pattern? See
I’m so Tired: How to Feel Better Fast.

I added things to this song – compassion, forgiveness, trust, because they are qualities the human spirit needs in order to make a difference in the material world.

In any case, it is not, and wasn’t when I wrote it, an intellectual exercise. Rather, I share this song in a spirit of love, harmony with God-Mind, and blessing to everyone.

I am Love – Lyrics

Instrument: Lady – tenor Flea ukulele

1. I am love.
I am peace.
I am renewal.
I am release.

2. I am strength.
I am power.
I am wisdom.
I am desire.

3. I am hope.
I am faith.
I am joy.
I am thanks.

4. I am thought.
I am will.
I am order.
And I am zeal.

I am compassion,
Forgiveness,
Understanding,
And trust.
And I am life.

I am love.. (6x total).

Get more music!

“I am Love” is track 6 from

Crystal L. Howe: And so It Is, Vol. 1

Click to get the album in mp3 or CD format from CD Baby, the best independent music store on the web!

All in Good Taste

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I recently re-integrated sound healing into my meditation practice. Some exercises include vocal toning for each Chakra. I’ll describe this briefly, and then share some insights about taste on the physical, emotional and spiritual level.

Vocal toning is not about singing or performing. It means making a vocal sound with the intention of healing. World renowned sound healer Jonathan Goldman created the formula: frequency + intention = healing. Frequency refers to the physical sound. Different traditions use different pitches, notes or frequencies for the same ailment, body part, or Chakra. But that’s ok, because the sound itself does not heal. The sound + the intention to heal, is what brings us back to a state of wholeness and harmony.

I won’t go into the definition or description of the seven main Chakras here. I’m focusing today on the second Chakra, located around the navel area. The corresponding element is water; its aspect of our being is the emotions; and it governs our sense of taste.

Taste itself has many dimensions. It’s believed that the second Chakra governs the physical sense. However, taste is not only a physical sense. Physical taste is a manifestation, a more tangible aspect, of something much deeper. I believe that in balancing the second Chakra in particular, we balance our taste for all things, on all levels.

We experience taste, i.e. likes, in thoughts, words, food, clothes, friends, activities, hobbies, intimate relationships, and much more. I’ll even go as far as to say that life is a matter of taste. No matter what happens, we either have a taste or liking for it, or an aversion to it. I believe the second Chakra governs both our tastes-likes and our aversions-dislikes, and that by keeping this Chakra in balance, we can align our tastes with our souls’ purpose.

We are one Spirit, one vibration, aspects or children of one God-Creator. When we choose to balance ourselves and restore wholeness, we also restore unity with that Source. By establishing and maintaining this unified contact, we allow Source to take charge of our tastes.

Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean giving up anything good! It simply, and the Truth is simple, means giving up the delusions of our finite, limited personal ego, will, and human mind. We’ve all had the experience of doing something because we had a taste for it. Maybe it was trying a cup of coffee. If you didn’t like it, you may never try another cup. If you liked it, maybe you became a regular coffee drinker.

The question is, why did we have that cup in the first place? What motivated it? What made us think we wanted that? If the motivation was off, that is, of the personal ego, of course the taste is off as well. The taste is out of alignment with the God-Presence within us.

As always, we have a choice. We can stay there, in a state of dis-ease, mis-alignment, disconnection and separation. Or we can bring ourselves back into balance.

And why would we want to do that? It’s so easy to acquire a taste for things! And if we were honest, we’d have to admit that many of these acquired tastes are negative. They leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths, pun intended. They’re over or gone, and we feel a void, an emptiness. These are escapisms, and yes, it’s so easy to acquire the taste for them. And as long as we have them, life is bearable, even good. So why do we want to be balanced, when imbalance is “so much fun?”

Because when we’re in balance, we truly live the good life! Not necessarily a life free of all negativity! But the life we were created to live. How do we know that’s good? How do we know it’s better than these acquired tastes our ego tells us we need? Because the Creator would not create, only to destroy! The Creator does not wish negativity on us. There is no punishing God. There is discipline, guidance, direction, Divine Order, but there is never punishment. All punishment and suffering are caused by giving in to the personal ego.

So this isn’t really just a discussion about physical taste. Balancing the second Chakra, and all Chakras and aspects of ourselves, is about uniting ourselves, consciously and freely, with the God of our being. This God is our true nature, and wants to live more fully and freely through us.

How do I know that? Because I exist. And I know it for you. If it were not so, you would not exist. God doesn’t create “for the fun of it.” There is no “for the hell of it” in creation. It’s always loved, flowing, conscious, and divine.

In letting go of our personal identities and tastes, we allow God to taste for and through us. And we no longer experience the void of spiritual hunger and thirst:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
–Matthew 5:6 (WEB)

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From where then have you that living water? Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?” Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
–John 4:11-14 (WEB)

As for the Chakra balancing, it is simply a tool, a means, like meditation, of bringing ourselves back to conscious oneness with God. You may use it to balance your own tastes and all aspects of your being. Or you may use something else. The tool is less important than your intention to balance, heal, and connect with the God-Presence within yourself.

May you be blessed and know that you are one with God, your Source and Creator, living in and through you each and every day of your life!

And so it is!

Moments of Life

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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!