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, July 31, 2011

"Protect Us From EVIL!"

EDITOR'S NOTE: As much as possible, this blog focuses on THE POSITIVE. But every now and then, events unfold that bring a sharp reminder that we cannot overlook the "dark forces" around us, preventing the light from shining within the world and sometimes within us. Try as they might, DON'T let those dark "forces" swallow you! See also this blog, Feb. 27, 2011: "Learn the ABCs of Energy."


The "Our Father" asks to "deliver us from evil."


Being a student of "positive thinking" and "goodness" philosophy, for years I've tried to overlook the evil forces that dwell among us in society. These forces can come in the form of associates, "friends" and the seemingly well-intentioned. But some come from a malevolent place and can be totally destructive to you, if you are not discerning and aware.
In fact, I now believe it totally irresponsible not to acknowledge and recognize the PRESENCE and power of dark forces in our midst.

It is extremely difficult to detect these forces, as they come so well disguised. The only way to discern them is to be viligant at all times in their presence. If you suspect a person of "wickedness" and "evil," and once you've verified your suspicions, RUN. Do not ever look back!
"If you see good in people, you radiate a harmonious loving energy which uplifts those who are around you. If you can maintain this habit, this energy will turn into a steady flow of love."
-Annamalai Swami

Try as I might have done to see only "good" and radiate only "love" to some of these "negative forces," and after attempting to give them the benefit of the doubt, I have to accede to the existence of "evil" present within their humanity, personality and behavior. I can no longer dismiss these people as "harmless," as to do so is to be extremely careless with my life and affairs.

What IS Evil?


Evil often is defined as a lack of moral code. Religions also differ in the way they see and define evil. For purposes of this blog, I see "evil" as an absence of God, or absence of good in thought and behavior.

Psychiatrists such as Carl Jung saw evil as "the dark side of God." Evil people, psychiatrists contend, often project their shadow side onto others.


However it is defined or viewed, when in the presence of evil, you can feel the existence of this force by those who scrutinize every word, every action, every thought you may express. You witness it by seeing it in their interactions with you and others, where everything is done for their benefit. Indeed, many "evil" people may not even be aware that they are acting in that way, so innate is their makeup, beliefs and behavior.

No one is born evil! Based on what I've observed and learned, evil behavior is learned and often is handed down from parent to child and can be perpetuated through generations.
"The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones."
--Mark Anthony, Act 3, Scene 2, Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare

How does "EVIL" look?



The best known "evil" people, like Hitler, mass murderers and others have been documented throughout history by their acts and for hurting scores, hundreds, thousands at one time. But often, evil comes in the form of "ordinary" people, and I contend that in any form, it can be just as destructive and insidious when it is employed day by day in small ways.


Evil people are not necessarily "evil" looking on the outside. They may look like anyone else.
Spending superficial time in their presence also will not give you any insight into their evil ways.

Unless you're of the same ilk, it may take years of interacting with these people to truly decipher "evil" ways. Many of the "average evil" people vacillate between extremely good, loving behavior and downright hateful and spiteful behavior, often caught in a struggle to do "good," when only "evil" is sprouting from their minds. Often, the latter wins!


As a first sign, "evil" may come as jealousy or anger at any form of success in others.

At another time, it may be expressed as greed and wanting everything someone else has even if there is no real "need" for it.

Often, "evil" people make everyone's business their business, pretty much all day long.

I've encountered some who have taken only "peripheral" jobs, because they need to build into their days and nights time for "researching" others. They have this built-in flexibility in their schedules, without even being aware they have done so.

So deep may be their resentment of others that they will spend hours wondering, plotting, scheming how to "duplicate" someone or trying to destroy them, if/when duplication is not feasible.




Without a doubt, most "evil" people are the "littlest" people in the world. But we know how the bite of the smallest insects can hurt the most!

Prevailing View of Evil

Many religions view evil as a lack of moral code, with some believing that it is a total absence of God.

The question remains: If God is all Good and we're made in the image and likeness of God, where and how did evil arise?

I contend that evil arose in the world from the beginning of time, as we as a species became more preoccupied with "things of the world," at the expense of the "inner spirit." It is the "Adam & Eve" syndrome, where we bite into the fruit of "materiality" and come out "lusting" for more!

Many prominent psychiatrists view evil as "acts" vs. the entire soul of a person. I agree with this assessment. For even when the entire persona is consumed with "evil," their actions may be hard to discern because those are disguised with other positive behavior.



The late Dr. M. Scott Peck, a prominent psychiatrist, viewed evil as "militant ignorance," according to Wikipedia.
"Peck considers those he calls evil to be attempting to escape and hide from their own conscience (through self deception) and views this as being quite distinct from the apparent absence of conscience evident in sociopaths."

Wikipedia also lists Peck's definition of an evil person:

"According to Peck, an evil person:

*Is consistently self-deceiving, with the intent of avoiding guilt and maintaining a self-image of perfection.
*Deceives others as a consequence of their own self-deception.
*Projects his or her evils and sins onto very specific targets, scapegoating others while appearing normal with everyone else ("their insensitivity toward him was selective.").
*Commonly hates with the pretense of love, for the purposes of self-deception as much as deception of others.
*Abuses political (emotional) power ("the imposition of one's will upon others by overt or covert coercion.").
*Maintains a high level of respectability and lies incessantly in order to do so.
*Is consistent in his or her sins. Evil persons are characterized not so much by the magnitude of their sins, but by their consistency (of destructiveness).
*Is unable to think from the viewpoint of their victim.
*Has a covert intolerance to criticism and other forms of narcissistic injury.


Counteracting "Evil" in Life

When you recognize forces of evil in your life, you may choose to immediately cut all ties. In some cases, this may not be feasible. So, you've got to develop a strategy to interact with these "forces."


The first thing you should acknowledge is that try as you might, you will not ever be able to "change" these people's ways. In some cases, you may help them to modify certain things in their lives, like outright "gossiping" about others. But changing the entire person is an act of God and is not possible at the hands of another living Soul. Only acts of God can exorcise those inner "demons" in people. Don't try!



Once you've acknowledged, you can't change them, counteract the presence of evil with spiritual "tools." I fortify myself with objects that I consider protective:
*Sprinking Holy Water around me.
*Having objects blessed for protection in the Catholic church, like a cross or rosary or other spiritual items.
*When forced to be in continuous presence of these people, I also repeat the rosary as often as I can during the period of my interactions with them. This always seems to block any flow of their negative energy towards me.



Do not pretend with these people.

*Be upfront with them, letting them know in as "friendly" a way as possible that you do not trust them and that you know that their intention for you is not good. Let them know that their "gossip" and "malicious" ways are obvious to you, though you are choosing not to respond to their behavior in kind.

Let these negative forces know that as much as possible, GOD is the presence and power in your life.


Indeed, God Presence and God Power are the only true means to rid yourself of any force of evil, especially when it is purposely being directed towards you.

*Pray in the presence of these evil people to let them know that they cannot hurt you and also to set an example of "goodness" for them.

*Talk to them about spiritual things so they may learn.


Speak often of the 23rd Psalm and The Lord's Prayer, especially countering their negative energy towards you with the line:

"Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of mine enemies."


When you sit back and think about these "evil" people, the best thing you can do is to pray FOR them.

May God help them.

May God help us all.


At the end of today, though, it is the "good" men and women, who are of the light that will carry the flame forward and light a path into the world. They will heal "evil" and "darkness" with their beautiful light. I know a lot of these men and women too, and they give me hope.

As stated in today's (July 31, 2011)Daily Word:
"I see myself and others as one in Spirit. We are one; there is no separation. There is no judgment. There is only the realization that we are each made of the same 'stuff' in our unfolding universe."

That, my friends, is the bottom line: We're all here struggling with our "stuff!" It's only a matter of "degrees."

Namaste',

Che'

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Don't Be "Flat." Let Them Use "Glasses" to See YOU!


Most all of us know that when a movie has to be viewed with 3D glasses, we expect to get into a different "realm" of things and relish the richness of the experience. So, we don't complaint about spending the extra dollars to view it in "three dimensions."


With our glasses on, we clearly can see the depth of the action and activities playing out on screen. Without those glasses, though, everything would be flat and not as rich or joyous an experience.

Life is pretty much the same way.

If we live a one-dimensional life, i.e. only for one aspect of ourselves then people, viewing us from the outside, get the sense that there is not much more to you. They probably feel they can "read you" at a glance, so don't even bother to get to know you better and at your depth.

Thing is...we have to make sure that if we want people to look deeper than what's beyond the surface of ourselves, we offer them more.

Like the three-dimensional movies we don't complain about paying more to see, folks would not complain about knowing you at a deeper level, if on the surface they view you and gauge there is more "depth" to you.



With this post, I'm inviting you to acquire more depth to your Presence. If you don't already have it, acquire some more dimensions to yourself and your life.


By this, I mean that you get more involved in the living of life!

Don't be the person who lives every day the same way, without exploring the beauty of the world around you. Get to know why your heart races faster at the sign of danger: "Is it fear of Life or Death?" Get to know why at the mention of certain things, you feel repulsed or excited.

In essence, what I'm inviting you to do is to get to know yourself a little better, today.

By doing so, you will acquire new dimensions that folks on the "outside" will not fail to see, and through curiousity will want to put on those glasses to "see you!"



St. Therese of Avila, a 16th century Roman Catholic saint and Carmelite nun (March 28, 1515 to October 4, 1982) penned in 1577 "The Interior Castle," where she spoke of seven "mansions," therein. Each one of the mansions, St. Therese wrote about, takes you closer and closer to the center of your being and the ultimate connection: with God. The book offers a way of life, based on Prayer and Service.

The book, according to Wikipedia, "Inspired by her vision of the soul as a crystal globe in the shape of a castle containing seven mansions, which she interpreted as the journey of faith through seven stages, ending with union with God."

St. Therese's last words were recorded as:
"My Lord, it is time to move on. Well then, may your will be done. O my Lord and my Spouse, the hour that I have longed for has come. It is time to meet one another."


I'm not promising you that if you develop more spiritual muscle and people have to use three-dimensional glasses to see you, you'll get to the same level of connection St. Therese did in her short life. But I can promise you, they will find you more interesting.






I now look to people whose careers suggested that they were "only a journalist...a teacher...a doctor...a lawyer...a CEO..." et al, to really see the spiritual muscle underlying all that they do. People who quickly come to mind are Anderson Cooper, Oprah Winfrey, Nicholas Kristof, Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates, John Chambers of Cisco Systems, Nat Goldhaber, my former boss...and so many other people who work through life putting their hearts and souls into everything they do.

[Note: Several images are displayed, above and below, of John Chambers, CEO, Cisco Systems, a CEO I truly admire!]


Indeed, on some days I don't have to look further than a few of my friends to see their three-dimensional nature: Parthenia Dixon, Bernice Griffith, Sandie Anderson, Chris Osborne, Revs: Cecilia Loving, Joy Wyler, Zelda McRae, and Jack Krasner, Jim E. Smith, Hubert O. Thompson and others.

Aside from wearing the glasses to see you, you'll be inspiring so many others to do the same in their own lives.

Don't be flat. Be multi-dimensional! Let them wear those glasses to see in you!


If you have to be flat, at least be like a "flat-screen television."



Then...at least show some "action."

Namaste',

Che'

Sunday, July 3, 2011

When "Freedom" Is Not "Free!"


"A slave who is happy with his state is a slave twice over, because not only his body but his soul is enslaved."
Epictetus



Two centuries, one score, one decade and five years ago, exactly tomorrow, these United States declared Independence from Great Britain.
The colonies wanted to realize the dreams of the pilgrims who'd set out to gain freedom from the Mother country and find a new world.
Two hundred and thirty five years (235 years) may seem like a huge number to us moving through life day to day. But in terms of eternity, it's only one drop in the bucket.

The United States may be a fully mature nation after those many years away from the Mother country, becoming the greatest nation on Earth. But...again...it's all relative.

Most of us like to think of ourselves as growing into maturity when we move from the first decade to the second decade of our lives. Through the progression of decades, we take pride in the advancement, celebrating each decade with fanfare and joy.
Rightly, we should. To be here, each day, is a gift for our Soul!

This Independence Day, though, I'd like us to think of what "real freedom" means on an individual basis, as we've progressed through life.

Many of us may count our "freedom" by what we've achieved during our lifetime.

That's certainly a good way to mark the passage of time. However, unless they involve the Soul's evolution, most of our achievements are one-dimensional with us craving more and more accomplishments to feel whole. The question remains then: should our accomplishments truly be considered as "freedom?"


We also should ask, "Freedom from what?"




Certainly, our accomplishments free us from poverty. But this further serves to camouflage our awareness that wealth, poverty and conditions in our world are merely the reflection of our consciousness. We insulate ourselves so well with our accomplishments and wealth that once it's working, we often don't seek to know life beyond the surface of things.

Often, too, if we are not extremely careful, the race to 'accomplish/achieve' is the very reason we lose connection to our Soul! Many give up their Soul's inner urgings in order to do "well" in the world.

So, let's start counting our freedom again.

Let's look at the "freedom of being" we've achieved from the time we were born into the world.

If you born near the turn of the 20th century, you may indeed begin to see certain "real freedoms" you've achieved in your lifetime.



Women can look back and see how many chains of oppression have been broken in their lifetime: in terms of their relationship to men in marriage and child-rearing and in the corridors of business and movement towards more equality there. [We can see by the recent Supreme Court's ruling to throw out a class-action lawsuit against WalMart for sex-bias, we have many more generations to go before there ever will be full equality in the workplace for women.]

Men can look back and see the many chains that have been broken in terms of defining "manliness" in the world. Now, men get respect and are admired for having flexibility in their lifestyle. They earn kudos for being a good dad, knowing how to cook, and being open enough to allow women to earn the "bread." Men also can look at their own personal attitudes and cite real freedom towards how they traditionally viewed/treated women vs. today.


Both men and women of whatever age still have a long way to go before any society in the world stops defining the sexes by the roles we "should" and "ought" to play in the world. But in our lifetimes, we've made real strides.

Are we then now talking about "real freedom?"


Yes. Unequivocally "yes!"

Any activity in life that breaks the chain for a person to express what's within them is FREEDOM!

"Freedom" truly is freedom of spirit.

Without this, we are not free.




If you are in a marriage or a relationship where you cannot freely express your thoughts and opinions because you believe it will "destroy" the connection with the other, then are you free?

If you are in a workplace that confines you and limits your actions, beyond what is socially acceptable and working for the common good, then are you free?

If you are walking through life, without knowing, truly, who you are and what is your purpose here on Earth, then are you free?

If you are waking up every day knowing nothing else but your name, address, birthdate, social security number,your credit score, dollars in your accounts, number of kids you have, the activities on your job, what you're having for dinner, what dress you're going wear, how many dresses and shoes you have, how many ...how many...how many... then, are you truly walking in freedom?

Many of us remain enslaved to a way of life without knowing it.


We have bought into the view that life is the way all the rest of the people view it, without any further inquiry or curiousity.

Are you free?

Do you know your own soul?


This Independence Day, as we celebrate 235 years of our country's "freedom" from attachment to its Mother, I want you to think about the true freedom you have given to your own Soul to lead you through life.

Are you free to be your own woman or man, without feeling compelled to follow the obligations society has placed on you as a fitting "role?"

Are you free?

Are you free?

Are YOU free?

Think on these things.
"There is no middle way: either be a slave of people or of God." -Tolstoy



Which "slavery" offers "true freedom" for your Soul?

Happy Independence Day!

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.