Tag Archives: Children

“But I Want It…”

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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! 🙂 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.

Be the Pumpkin, A Personal Story

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I remember, sometimes people called me Pumpkin when I was little. Little and cute, it seemed to me, because no one does that now. But what I remember most is being a pumpkin, actually being one for a few moments one year at Halloween.

Mom made the costumes for all of us. I was probably in first or second grade, and I don’t remember if all my older brothers and sisters were also pumpkins, or just some of them. I do know there were at least four of us who dressed up that year. And so there we were, in our homemade costumes, winning a prize at some school dance or another for the older kids. The whole family could go, so I got another chance to wear the costume, after trick-or-treating and the school Halloween parade. “Third time’s the charm,” as they say.

But it took a long time to get to that point. First, Mom had to make the costumes. To this day, over 20 years later, I wonder what possessed her to make them all! But we were to be pumpkins, and hers were the hands that made it so.

Mom always was crafty. Yeah, take that any way you like, because she was and is. She could do anything with some felt, a big ole’ trash bag, and a sewing machine. Oh, and the tape. Don’t forget the double-sided tape! Because that, my friends, was important.

So, the costume. What was it like? Well, if memory serves, I had a green stem with green leaves on top of my red hair. Sounds more like a Christmas tree, but it worked. That was all felt. And it was glued together, so it pretty much formed a hat.

Then, there was the trash bag. With holes for arms and legs, it went on like a jumper. But being plastic, we didn’t want it to rip. So it took some doing and at least one other person to get me into the bag.

I don’t know if the bag was already orange, or if painting was another of Mom’s talents put to use that year. But I know the result was me, with the pumpkin head and orange body. And I was big, let me tell you. Big and round. That impressed me so much, how such a skinny kid could be made so pumpkin-like by filling the bag up with, paper, was it? I sort of recall making a rustling sound as I walked, so I guess it was.

And the tape? Well, that kept the pumpkin-bag shoulders on my shoulders. It stuck to my shirt or dress or whatever I wore under the costume. Like I said, the tape was really important. And I felt important carrying a roll of tape around. That was the coolest thing!

Now would probably be a good time to explain why this pumpkin thing meant so much to me. Halloween, if not before that, has been my favorite holiday ever since. And it wasn’t just because of the candy. It’s the pumpkins! I love pumpkins! It goes back to “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” Thanks to Charles Schultz for this enduring character. So I was honored to dress as my favorite Fall fixture.

I didn’t care who liked it, though clearly, people did. I didn’t care who noticed. I didn’t care who helped me into the costume. I just had fun being who and what I was. And every year at Halloween I vow I’ll be a pumpkin. But I’ve never pulled it off again. Although I admit, I came pretty close the year I was pregnant!

Now I realize I don’t have to be little and cute, or big and round for that matter. I just have to have fun being who and what I am. Not just at Halloween, but all year long.

Sheep – Spiritual Poem

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The world sees sheep
As conformists
Flocks of dependents
Stupid, ignorant, unable to think for themselves.

Sheep need permission to breathe
Guidance every step of the way
Shelter from the world
Ingrained fear, “Don’t do that, or else…”

Sheep are followers
Of everyone else
And this is bad.

You don’t want to be a sheep!

The Spirit sees sheep
As unique
Flocks of a web, One Spirit
Intelligent, creative, making Right Thought reality.

Sheep have permission to breathe abundantly
True guidance lighting their path
Shelter from what would drag them down
Choice, “Do that if you will, and pay the consequences.”

Sheep are followers
Of a larger, brighter, knowing shepherd
And this is beautiful.

Do you want to be a sheep?

Perceived Limitations

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“Just remember: when you go to court, you are trusting your fate to twelve people that weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty!”—Anonymous

Believe it or not, I always thought it would be neat to serve on a jury. Before I considered myself an aware person, I wanted to play a part in deciding who was right, and who was wrong. Then, when I became more aware, I wanted to be a vehicle of divine order – manifesting higher purpose in the world. But I never thought about the process of being on a jury, what a juror does, and how they do it.

Recently, the above quote made me think. I read it in a friend’s email signature and remembered my desire to serve on a jury. I wondered why so many people want to get out of jury duty, and then there’s me: I’d love to be called, but never have been. What’s up with that?

I asked someone that question and got hit over the head with that cosmic baseball bat. The response was, “Well, there would be evidence that you’d have to see. And you can’t see.”

My reply was, “Oh really? Uh, I guess that’s true, but I never thought about that.”

I never considered myself limited in that way. And I still don’t! I also no longer want to serve on a jury! But I digress. 🙂

The important thing is, we have a choice. We choose how to perceive others, and more importantly, how we perceive ourselves. We can see lack and limitation. We can see appearances and call them limiting. Or we can have a desire, and see opportunities to fulfill it!

Are you limited by some physical, mental, emotional or other block? Your personal ego and sense of individual identity may shout out a resounding, “Yes!” But as Byron Katie says, “Is that true? Do you absolutely know that it’s true?”

And the answer, the ultimate Truth, is a resounding, “NO!” You are not limited by anything.

We create limitation by our perceptions, our sense of separation from Supreme Intelligence, Spirit, God – that which is All There Is. But ultimately, that separation is an illusion. At any time we can reconnect with the Truth of our being, and manifest, that is, bring into form, the fulfillment of our individual purpose and any desire that is in harmony with that purpose.

Will I serve on a jury? Probably not. But it’s not because I can’t, blind or not! It’s because that desire isn’t in alignment with my purpose. But manifestation of Higher Awareness? That is in accord with my purpose.

So, I’m thankful for this opportunity to become clear about limitation and most of all, about potential, opportunity, and possibility!

POP: Potential, Opportunity, Possibility!

That’s the purpose of true metaphysics, and why each of us are here: to POP in our own way, to manifest God and the universe, in all its versatility.

And so it is!

Fireworks

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Bursting balls of light
Packaged in spirals and tubes
Set them off to demonstrate
The wonder of God and His elements

So much light streaming down
That it cannot be contained
The visual is not enough
There must also be abundant sound

The smell of sulfur
Knowing not to touch
They seem so close
You could almost taste them

The questions, “Will it end?”
And, “What if it ends?”
A spectacle for every sense
And awe-inspiring, even when feared

Fireworks sing God’s power
Strength
Creativity
And beauty

The Is
Was
And Ever Shall Be
Of all things

Namaste!

—
I admit that fireworks are still not my favorite creation! That’s why this is a quiet poem with no sound or visuals. 😀

Affirmative Prayer Week 2 – Part 2

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Part 2 of week 2/6, Affirmative Prayer: What is it and why Should I Care?

Right click this link and choose “Save target as…” or similar to download the entire post in .doc format. Affirmative Prayer Week 2 Part 2 Notes

See Part 1 if you haven’t already.

Follow along below as we continue with IV. of the class outline. Again, further explanations begin with *.

IV. God: Traditional vs. Metaphysical

A. Traditional God

* How does traditional Western Christianity perceive God?

1. Is to be feared

* Which came first – the chicken or the egg?

Which came first – the fear of God or the contradiction between love and fear?

We don’t know and it doesn’t matter. However, there is often a contradiction between a loving God and one that should be feared.

My question to the class was: How can you love something you fear? How can you fear something you love?

To me, you can’t! You either feel love, or you feel fear. Love is the abundance of good, and fear is the lack thereof. So, can you both love and fear God? Metaphysics says no.

Can you respect God? Be in awe of God? etc? Yes. But where there is fear, there is always lack.

It’s this fear-lack that is stressed in traditional prayer. People fear God because He is powerful, mighty, all-seeing, all-knowing, and things we’ll get to – angry, jealous, and so on. It’s as if people don’t know what God will do with His power – sound like a human construct to you? Will God “like” me? If He does I can love Him. If I don’t know what He’ll do, or He hates me, I must fear Him.

I believe the only thing we ever fear, is the unknown. Traditionally we hear, “Only God knows…” As in, “You have no power over your life.” That doesn’t feel good.

But, we can hear the same thing in Metaphysics, and look at it differently.

“Only God knows…” But God is within you, so you can know too!

So, is God something or someone to be feared? You choose!

2. Vengeful

* God gets revenge. This is Old Testament stuff here, but it’s still so engrained in our society! If we don’t act as God wants, He will judge us or even cast us out entirely.

Also, if we mess with God’s people, we will be plagued by something. Whether locusts, boils or “just” fear and guilt, we will surely be plagued, until we do what God wants.

Do our parent-child relationships look like this today? We don’t want to admit it, but they do…

Imagine this: Parent takes child to church. Child misbehaves, runs around, talks during prayer or meditation, so parent takes something away. Or yells, or says, “If you don’t behave, I won’t…” or “You won’t…” Classic do what I want or I’ll plague (fear or guilt) you into it. Why? Because I am vengeful and my love is conditional.

Never has history repeated itself the way it does in our homes. And if this is so obvious, even just to some of us, how much more do we repeat this to ourselves, in our own minds, hearts and souls?

Do you want to be in a relationship with a God who gets revenge? Even if He’s on your side now, He may not always be. So then, who will get His wrath? That’s right – you will!

Even in the expressions we use, there is a vengeful God. Someone mentioned having good weather for instance, and hearing, “Well we’re gonna pay for that!” As if we can’t have more “good” than “Bad”. How sad!

And there’s always, “Bad things come in 3’s.” Because the traditionalists know, there’s a limit to how much of God’s good we can receive!

3. Angry

* When I was a child and learned that God is angry, I didn’t want to pray anymore. Yet I also heard that God is love, and that love does not anger. So I didn’t know what to believe, and still didn’t want to pray.

It’s no wonder the traditional God seems so far away, or that we feel so undeserving in many religions! It starts early – with our very idea of what God is.

4. Jealous

* It seems that in traditional religion, we remember the words and the feelings we attached to them. But we don’t remember, or even know, the meaning behind them. I read up a little on God’s jealousy, and what I found surprised me. When translated the word jealous means zealous. So that God’s jealousy, means He wants to protect something dear to Him.

In this way God’s jealousy seems less overbearing. But at first hearing, who would want to have a relationship with a jealous God?

Here and otherwise traditional Western Christianity wraps itself up in the letter of the Word, rather than the Spirit. I know I experienced this as a child, and clearly I’m still coming to terms with some of it.

If I, as an ever-unfolding metaphysical student, am still acknowledging and addressing these deep issues from childhood, how many more of us are too? How many of us wish we could leave the trap of tradition and know, in an intuitive sense, something better? All we know is that we don’t like jealousy in people, and we don’t like it, the way we understand it, in God either. Knowing what we don’t want is a good place to start, as long as through the God-Power within, we realize what we do want!

5. Gives to “the chosen ones”

* You have to be special for God to give to you. Good enough, deserving enough, worthy enough, prayerful enough, religious enough. You must be chosen by God, then you’ll receive “the keys to the Kingdom.” But not without a lot of hard work, prayer and supplication – mind you!

But traditionally, are we ever good enough for God? Many religions still say no. You know – original sin, all have sinned, the heart is deceitful – need I go on? So many messages in Christianity still stress that we are unworthy and always will be.

So why bother trying?

6. Allows bad things to happen

* Plus, if “only God knows,” then only God controls things. And things are not always good. So God allows bad things to happen? But why? No one ever had a satisfactory answer to that one.

B. Metaphysical God

* In contrast, how do we view these aspects of God in metaphysics? Well, first of all we leave behind all confusion and start with a clean slate! Thank God!

1. Universal

* “I think the most important question facing humanity is, ‘Is the universe a friendly place?’ This is the first and most basic question all people must answer for themselves.

“For if we decide that the universe is an unfriendly place, then we will use our technology, our scientific discoveries and our natural resources to achieve safety and power by creating bigger walls to keep out the unfriendliness and bigger weapons to destroy all that which is unfriendly and I believe that we are getting to a place where technology is powerful enough that we may either completely isolate or destroy ourselves as well in this process.

“If we decide that the universe is neither friendly nor unfriendly and that God is essentially ‘playing dice with the universe’, then we are simply victims to the random toss of the dice and our lives have no real purpose or meaning.

“But if we decide that the universe is a friendly place, then we will use our technology, our scientific discoveries and our natural resources to create tools and models for understanding that universe. Because power and safety will come through understanding its workings and its motives.”

“God does not play dice with the universe,”

–Albert Einstein

God is universal. In fact, God is the Universe itself. God is everywhere – and you thought your cell phone plan was that good!? 😀

Ask yourself, as Einstein does, if the Universe is friendly. Then, ask yourself if God is friendly. If you get a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’, ask for clarity and guidance. In order to pray effectively in metaphysics, we need to accept the basic premise that God is Universe or universal consciousness.

2. Life-giving and Life itself

* God is life-giving. The only reason we have life, is because God gave it to us.

Yet, beyond giving, God is Life itself. God is our Life. People who don’t like the word God, often use the word Life, Source or Lifeforce. This is because Life runs through all things; and so does God-Presence.

3. Beyond ego, cannot experience anger

* It is the personal ego that gets angry. You didn’t do what I want, so now I’m mad. That’s fine. Yes, it’s ok to be angry! But there’s also more to life than that. Anger is not ultimate reality, and neither is the ego that creates it.

Therefore, God, which is ultimate reality, is beyond ego. God cannot experience anger. God can’t be angry with you or because of you, and you can’t experience the wrath of God’s anger. Because God cannot be angry!

4. Creator and substance of all, cannot be jealous of itself

* Just as God is life-giving and Life (period), God is also creator and substance.

A potter is a creator. The potter creates with clay. So potter is creator and clay is substance.

God is creator. But God creates from itself. So God is creator, and the stuff each creation is made of. All at the same time!

Things in the physical world are made of, for instance, clay. But ultimately, that clay is made of God’s substance. God creates everything from itself. So everything is made of: God.

You wouldn’t be jealous of something you made. No, you would be proud that you created it, and you would let it fulfill its purpose. So it is with God. God cannot be jealous of anything. To be jealous, as we usually understand the word, would mean God thought the creation was better than He.

God does not think that. God is creator and substance. To be jealous of something, would mean that God is jealous of himself. I ask you – Who would do that?

5. Gives to each creation as much as it will receive

* We can block the flow of God’s good to us. And we often do… But God’s purpose, as Universal Life, is to give each creation everything.

If a creation, a person in this case, blocks that flow, then they don’t receive the good. But that is not God’s fault. That’s your block.

God’s true nature is to give. But God can only give as much as any creation will receive. God does not force the giving onto us.

Know that God gives as much as we will receive. And know that if you feel you’re not receiving good, you can change that. Because God does want to give to you!

6. Knows neither good nor bad

* Nothing is good, or bad to God. This was a difficult one in class. Of course, someone mentioned murder, rape, child abuse, mass homicide, suicide and other acts. And I shared, as compassionately as I could, that while these acts seem hurtful to us and seem so real, they are not ultimate reality.

God, in its universal, timeless, limitless knowing, power and presence, does not label things as good or bad. We do. God sees the whole picture. We don’t.

But we can choose to look beyond what we do see. To see the reality of God. If we don’t do this, we’ll remain in turmoil, confusion, anger and fear. And we’ll keep wondering why these things happen.

If even for a moment, we can look beyond, we can know peace. And peace always begins, as the song says, “with me.” Within.

And to be a little blunt, does every murder affect you? No, because there are a lot of murders you never hear about. Or you hear about them, and because you didn’t know the people, or see the mass report of violence, you remain unaffected.

Just as you don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to, you don’t have to be toppled emotionally by every violent event you hear about. Truly, you don’t.

These events, like everything in our lives, are just circumstances and experiences. God is still there, within. It seems many are not aware of that. But it’s still True.

Go back to the question of whether the Universe is friendly. Reread the Einstein quote, and look within to find your own answers. That’s all I or anyone can authentically urge you to do.

You hear many things. But they don’t all stir up negative feelings. So know that with God, you can have peace, no matter what takes place around you. And the best news, again: God is within, so you don’t have to look very far!

7. See also article – What is God?

Or right click this link and choose “Save target as…” or similar to download the article in .doc format. Download What is God?

Prayer Partners

Everyone who has expressed interest in having an affirmative prayer partner, now has one.

We use positive intention, perception of ultimate/God reality, intending the highest good, and allowing of the God-Mind to work through us, in prayer with and for each other.

Partners contact each other personally by phone, email or in person as they feel comfortable. Some have chosen to treat/pray at their own convenience and check in weekly with their partner.

If you’d like more information or want to pray with a partner, please contact me.

I also provide Professional Metaphysical Practitioner services. Having a Practitioner can be helpful in seeing good where there appears to be none, and as a supportive presence while you look within for the answers that are true for you.

Both prayer partners and I, as a Professional Metaphysical Practitioner, hold all personal information in confidence. Anything you share is kept between you and the person you chose.

As always, if you have any comments, questions or feedback, please feel free to contact me!

Random Acts of Kindness – You can Help!

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The week of May 5-12, 2013 is Unity of Reading’s second annual Purposeful Acts of Kindness Week.

Each day at least one kind act will be done on behalf of our Unity center as a whole. In addition, and more importantly for each individual, we encourage everyone to take this into their own hearts and hands! What can you do to spread simple kindness in your community?

This post by William Kelly really sums up these random acts nicely. It doesn’t have to cost you money, or much time. The only requirement as it were, is that the act is heart-felt. I would add spontaneous – it’s fine to have a list of things you’d like to do, but many times what truly will help someone feel blessed is not something you pre-plan!

During your daily meditation period (You do have one, right? 🙂 ) ask for openness. Ask for guidance toward the special, unique kindness that God/Spirit wants to express through you.

You could easily make a list of kind things, without meditation. But the answers you get in meditation will be so in line with your soul, happiness and purpose for being right here, right now… that they will make your heart soar! And how much more will people appreciate them, and pass on the kindness, when it is given from your heart and spirit?

Unity has a list of things it wants to share. Putting quarters in parking meters. Giving out soup. Creating a kind of survival kit as a reminder of who we truly are as spiritual beings. And other things.

You can tell I’m not too excited about any of these! The one that got me feeling all fuzzy inside is the letter-writing. People so often feel under-appreciated, or not appreciated at all. I’ve felt that way myself at times, and it’s just about as bad as it gets. So, I’m helping to write letters to companies and individuals who contribute to Unity in some way. My favorite is the piano tuner – I marvel every Sunday when I play how wonderful our piano sounds, and it’s over 100 years old!

Think about it. How many services do you receive? If you’re going, “Uh, what services?” start with the bills you pay. Obviously you’re paying for something, whether you think it’s worth it or not… 😀

How impressed would you be, say, as an employee of your electric company, if you were the one to open a letter of appreciation? How profound would that be to you, and to the company? And what would you do? You’d go home and tell everyone! You’d give your partner or kids an extra hug! Heck, you might even let someone cut you off in traffic!

So, if letter-writing, or phone-calling is your thing, you have a starting place. Now take this ball and run with it! Make it your ball, your pet, your heart-felt expression. Because there is something you can do! In fact, there is something that ONLY you can do! Someone may not feel blessed by my brand of letter. But maybe yours is just what they need!

All you gotta do, is do what you gotta do!

P.S. Remember the children! They’re often much better at this than we grown-ups! Even the really little ones… Ask them what they would do to be kind? And let them do their own random acts among their community of family and friends.

Kids already know how to be kind… It’s time we truly encouraged their openness to possibility, love, peace and happiness!

Easter Poem

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To Aaron with love;
To anyone who has ever been a child…

In Spring the Easter Bunny comes
And everything is new.
The flowers bloom just like the love
That grows inside of you.

Oh, you are special! You are light!
Your heart is full of love.
So, let it grow, and let it bloom
Like flowers in the sun.

Have a blessed Easter, because it’s just celebrating the new life we can choose at any time!

Aareen, the Woven Easter Egg

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Aareen, Woven Easter Egg

This cute little Easter egg toy is named after my son Aaron, and small loom designer Noreen Crone-Findlay.

As you appreciate this, I hope you will use these affirmations:

I allow fun into my life! I embrace the joy life freely offers! I revel in the newness of each season, each week, each day and each moment! I give thanks for the ability to always choose something new and different. And so it is!