Leo Tolstoy on God

LEO TOLSTOY ON GOD: "When you look inside yourself, you see what is called 'your own self' or your soul. You cannot touch it or see it or understand it, but you know it is there. And this part of yourself--that which you cannot understand--is what is called God. God is both around us and inside of us--in our souls.

The more you understand that you are at one with God, the more you will understand that you are at one with all His worldly manifestations."

Sunday, November 29, 2009

"Who Would Jesus BE in 2009?"


I'm so GRATEFUL that when the Spirit of the Lord
infiltrated my consiousness, and I began to look for answers,
it did not guide me to a church where they excoriate
people by thumping the Bible!


In my 2003 book, "*On the Road to Becoming," I delineated
the path I followed as I began to discern and discover the Spirit within me.

The path that I followed led me to Unity School of Christianity, which produces Daily Word out of its headquarters in Lee Summit, Missouri.


This little book helps millions throughout the world
become aware of Unity School of Christianity.
The daily prayers and affirmations offer love, comfort and compassion
to people of all backgrounds, religions and creeds. Indeed, some
people don't even know that "Daily Word," which they
love, is produced by Unity School of Christianity.

All they know is that this little book offers them comfort
in their deepest moments of despair. That's what love should DO!
That's what Jesus would do!


Daily Word does not preach about what you should and ought to be doing for redemption of your Soul. It preaches inclusiveness and
compassion, for yourself, and others.


From Sunday, November 29:

My faith in God fills me with hope and confidence.

"Gazing at the night sky, I perceive the shining
stars as symbols of God's all-encompassing presence.
Such natural beauty fills me with wonder and faith.
At such times, I say, 'Thank You, God, for this beautiful
expression of Your provision.'

I affirm my faith through all of life's joys and challenges.
If I experience anything less than vitality and strength,
I focus my attention on God's constant life-giving
presence in nature and in me. I am continously renewed
in mind, body and spirit by divine life and energy.

My faith is strengthened and my hope is renewed
through my conscious awareness of God expressing in
and around me."

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even
as we hope in you.
--Psalm 33: 22


People throughout the world have gotten solace in many
differences languages from Daily Word.

I'm grateful for that.

I'm grateful, too, that I was led to the doors of
Unity through Daily Word,
which my mother used to keep close to her heart. Naturally, being
a curious child, I began to collect her old Daily Words...
they began to truly resonate with me as a 21-year old. But it was about 10 years later... when I was looking for answers, that the "words" became my truth. I'm grateful that my Soul has led me down such a gentle path of TRUTH.

"Unity is a positive, practical, progressive approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer. Unity honors the universal truths in all religions and respects each individual's right to choose a spiritual path."



I don't have to ponder if the Old Testament
and the New Testament are literal "truths."


As a Unity student, I follow the
TEACHINGS of Jesus, NOT the religion ABOUT JESUS.


This makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!



The teachings OF Jesus are compassionate
and loving and without judgment. But when you get into all those religions
that have sprouted up ABOUT Jesus, then many people run into trouble.


Many try to apply Old Testament scripture,
which was inspired for a people in a certain time and place, and make THAT our LITERAL TRUTH in 2009!

I see so many CHRISTIANS trying
to keep others locked up in a box, instead of allowing people to evolve
naturally from the Essence of the Presence within them.

They try to lock people up in a box, because it is more comfortable for
them.
But what may have been appropriate to a world thousands
of years ago is not appropriate today.

Indeed I say, that even a truth that may have worked 20, 30 or 40 years ago may no longer be relevant today! It's absurd trying to put people into boxes and close the lid, then try to crucify them when they try to climb out!

No! NO!

We're here for the evolution of our Souls!
We're here to evolve as human beings and spiritual beings.

We're here for our Souls!

It can't be boxed in and caged up!

It must be given free expression, wherever that leads a person in one lifetime!


There are many Christians who would hold
us all hostage to the teachings of YESTERDAY, instead of allowing our Souls to
evolve into beings who are deeply Spiritual and compassionate, loving everyone regardless of their religious backgrounds.


Why?

It makes these Christians who would bring us to task
for breaking out of the STATUS QUO feel confident
in their LAZINESS!





I say LAZINESS, because I truly
believe any Soul evolving in Truth CANNOT STAY
THE SAME!

But these lazy people, would have
us still wearing frocks in the midst of a 40-degree below zero temperature reading in Chicago, because they are too DARNED LAZY TO GROW!

"We dressed that way yesterday, so that's the way it should be done today!" "We chopped wood, carried water" yesterday, and we should do it, too, today!





Fortunately, there are groups like Unity,
which was formed more than 100 years ago when Myrtle and Charles
Fillmore discovered the power of God within them.
And followed ONLY THAT Truth Within!

The only thing CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE!

Who Would Jesus BE in 2009? What would Jesus DO with all these people of such disparate backgrounds and needs in today's world?


He would be a Change Agent!
That's who he would be! He would embrace them and love them all!

He would change with the times but continue to preach
and teach The Only Gospel of Truth:

"The Spirit of God is within YOU!"



Namaste',

Che'

NOTE: "On the Road to Becoming" is no longer available. Once republished, it will be available as "Portrait of a Life: On the Road to Becoming." You can access Daily Word @: http://dailyword.com. For Unity, go to: http: unityworldhq.org.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Are You Aging, Growing Old or Joining the "Ageless" Generation?


In my daily walk through life, I encounter people of all ages. Lately, I've been meeting a lot of people face to face in their early to mid-20s, but then, on the other end, I'm also interacting with those in their mid-50s and 60s, but mostly on the phone.

The common theme I'm finding among these two seemingly disparate groups is a sense of Agelessness.

Maybe, it's the types of people I'm now interacting with in my walk. I don't know. But the great thing is that it does not matter whether the person is in their mid-20s, mid-40s, mid-50s or mid-60s, they all seem the same to me.


Some young women and men are so mature and disciplined in their behavior, I think them much older until they disclose their age. Then, those on the older end, without seeing them, I also believe much younger because of their disposition and overall "youthfulness."

I also hear those older ones, too, stating that they are 55, 60 and on, but they actually feel as if they were in their 30s.

Why is there this sense of Agelessness among all these people?


The only answer is the ageless "Spirit," living in the GIANT NOW!


This, you see, does not recognize chronological time. So, yes, chronologically, you may be having a birthday each year and growing "older" but if you're living through your Spirit, as some of these people obviously are, then your consciousness becomes one that defies time, space and "matter," such as your physical body.


From to time to time, too, I encounter those who are just pure OLD people, and they always probably were, even when they were "young."
We're not talking about those delightful "old souls."

We're talking about people who when they reach a certain age believe that they have to ACT that way in all ways. And here, again, we're not talking about AGE appropriate behavior; we're talking about people who go about ACTING old, dressing old, and talking about their illnesses and sickness..."you know, because I'm 50 years old!"


There are those who start planning their retirement in their 40s and start counting down the pennies and life until that magical time when they hit 55, for early retirement, or 65 for true retirement.


In essence, they ALREADY have retired from life, i.e. the moment they start counting.


Why do people start projecting their lives SO FAR into the future that they cannot live for the DAY?

I have a curiousity about these folks.


I wonder, too, about the state of their consciousiness and minds when all they do is plan and plan for the day when...they get OLD!


Forgive me, if you're one of those: But "God HELP them!"


I cannot imagine being anything but what I am TODAY. I guess I've always been like that, too.


As I look back, I think I've always lived in the "GIANT NOW!" When I was 10, I was a 10 year old and could not imagine or think about being 20.


It was the same when I hit 30 ...and ....oh...no...I'm not going to go there.;-)So today, I am exactly who I think I am. I don't feel old. I don't act old. I'm not old. As such, I belief I had defied the relentless process of AGING by embracing the GIANT NOW!


As a matter of fact, because I've spent so much time on this personal development stuff and truly have gotten to know this Soul of mine on an intimate basis, if it weren't for the calendar that is clocking me to "old age" and those organizations that cater to "seniors," I would not believe I am as "old" as I've become in terms of "the number."

Age, truly, is just a number.


The AARP and those organizations, with as much good as they serve, should not signal to you with the card in the mail that you've gotten OLD! The American Association of Retired Persons is just looking out for your interests, making sure that with your "Growing Old," you get ALL that's coming to you. "Never no mind" about them now including you on their list; take it or...

I tell you: no one is going to tell me I'm older than I FEEL.


I truly AM only as OLD as my Spirit allows me to be.

I don't know about you, but I am ageless and I intend to "AGE" this way.
The clock...my body...my mind.

Oh no.

Just shut the door to those things that say you "can't," because you've reached the "age" of "no return."

What is YOUR SPIRIT telling you today?


How OLD do you feel in your heart?

Well, THEN?

Who CARES...what THEY SAY?


Thanks AARP, but I don't need you to count my years to retirement and to qualifying for your insurance or for needing a motorized scooter.

The way my SPIRIT sees it my friend, AARP: I've only JUST begun this life of mine.

As I look forward to celebrating this Thanksgiving, too, I give "thanks" for my ageless body, my ageless Soul, my ageless heart, my ageless style. I truly AM living in the "Giant NOW!"


Most importantly, I give "THANKS" to God for his "ageless" PRESENCE!


Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
"If we perceived Life with reverence, we would stand in awe at the experience of physical Life and walk the Earth in a very deep sense of gratitude."
Gary Zukav, Thoughts from the Seat of the Soul

What are you giving thanks for on Thursday? Your Aging Body, Mind and Soul...or your Agelessness?


You get to choose.


Start looking at your life...with the freshness of ageless, timeless youth!

Remember this, too, about Thanksgiving:
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

William Arthur Ward

Namaste',
Che'

Personal Authenticity: "To Thine Own Self Be True"...

"To Thine Own Self Be True and it must follow as the night, the day, Thou canst not then be false to ANY man."
William Shakespeare.