Be Still and Know: "With God All Things ARE Possible!"

Matthew 19:26 is the backdrop of the platform at the Unity church I attend in Palo Alto, California. Aside from the great teachings at the church, I think this verse keeps drawing me back.

"With God, All Things ARE Possible!"

When I first entered the church in 1988, I was touched to see the verse highlighted in raised, white letters on the stone backwall. Even as the church went through a major renovation several years later, it was that verse that kept me feeling "at home," despite all the upheaval.Today, without a doubt, I can say that Matthew 19:26 has been at the foundation of my faith that helped me to move the mountains in my life.

With God ALL THINGS are POSSIBLE!




I have seen it.

I have lived it.

I have breathed it.

I have no doubt!
Lest you do, I suggest you take a look at the headline of this story that posted online the morning of Tuesday, August 2, 2011:


"Gabby Giffords Returns To Congress and Helps Pass The debt Compromise."

I can't imagine Gabriel Gifford's thoughts today. But "I know for sure" that even if before the incident on January 8, 2011, Gabby didn't believe in God, today, she certainly believes in something greater than herself!



Without speaking to her, without knowing about her or her family's faith, I can tell you with certainty that they have a solid foundation of trust in something greater than themselves.


They have to know the Truth Now, even if they didn't before.



As for the other part of the headline...the part about compromise on the national debt...that, too, and all the chaos before and after that's happened, is happening now and will happen around the debt and Medicare and Social Security...something greater is at work.




I don't care what those guys and gals in Washington think they are doing...I know the TRUTH about life: God is...and always will be...in charge!

So, forget the madness and get on with the business of living.

Get on with the purpose that you were brought to this Earth to fulfill.


Get in touch with yourself...with your real self...with your Soul...and
let it guide you...step by step.. each and every moment of every day.


You see, we have so many illusions about our lives.

We believe that our little plans for our sweet little lives is what it's all about.

In truth, those sweet little plans are good to have. They give us a focus and a purpose for getting up and moving forward every day.


But the truth is...that until we go to the center of our being...

until we get past all the superficial barriers we have put up to getting to know ourselves...

then, we truly are not fulfilling our life's purpose.


We were born to come into wholeness like Jesus did.

I love the example set by this figure...and whether you're Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Jehovah's Witness or Catholic...you can't deny that Jesus personifies the example of wholeness we all are striving for each day.

How would you LOVE to love your enemies? I mean...for REAL...really, truly LOVE the people who hate you and spit venom in your face each day you try to embrace them in love.


I'm not there...yet...

I'm never gonna get there...in this lifetime. Of that, I'm sure.

But I'm trying.

Leo Tolstoy, my favorite life guide, in "Wise Thoughts for Everyday:"

"It is difficu;lt to love everyone all the time, but this does not mean you shouldn't make an effort. Every good thing is difficult."

I try each and every day...in each moment...to overlook the slights that we all encounter from personalities, operating solely from their humanity, fully unconscious of their spiritual selves. Those truly are moments for "Namaste'!"




I try not to react, and instead, to respond to any sure sign of venomous behavior.

The way I do it is to pause...take a deep breath...and with that breath, KNOW, that I'm inhaling the Spirit of God within me.

When I release that breath...I "try" to release LOVE into my response.

So, life for me now has become "moment by moment."



An excerpt from Unity's Daily Word on Aug. 11, 2011:

AFFIRM: "Centered in the present moment, I claim my power."

"I quiet my mind and become fully aware of all this moment has to teach me. All the wisdom I need is here, now. My thoughts may drift to the past or future, but I needn't remain there. I can choose instead to immerse myself in the power of the present moment. It is here that I connect with divine wisdom."

"Anchored in the here and now, I find the answers I seek. My decisions are wise and thoughtful, because I am grounded and centered. Right here and now, I claim my power."

That truly is the only way for me to live.

I've learned this truth...because like everyone else, I had plans...or at least thoughts, about how I thought my life would unfold.

I laugh now...at my illusions.

I laugh now...at how little I knew about the GOD of my life and what he had in store for me!


Sometimes, it takes an act of God to release us from the prison of our former ways.

Sometimes, it takes an enemy's "bullet" to wake us up!

Sometimes, it takes our deep and abiding faith and love for God to keep on reaching... to keep on searching to keep on keeping on ...in the midst of the most dismal...the most trying...the most heart wrenching circumstances...to wake up and know that "With God ALL Things are Possible."


As we become still...absolutely still...as we're urged to do in Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God"...then, we begin to learn the truth about ourselves and the power within us that's greater than everything else in the world.

Jesus tried to teach us this, "It is not I, but the Father within me, he doeth the work." -John 5:19

Did we learn? Did we learn? Did we LEARN?

Most of us...even the most diligent of spiritual scholars...are still learning..still reaching...still striving...to get this FULLY.

The world is our testing ground. For me, the current leadership crew of the Republican Party and the Tea Party truly would test my faith and my trust in God....if I didn't know better!




I look past all the shenanigans of these two groups, which I believe to be so rife with hate and lack of human decency, much less love, and know the TRUTH of my being: God IS in charge!

This sets me free from reacting to anything that's being said on the airwaves.

I know the TRUTH...

As a Unity student, I was taught to "look past appearances to the certainty" of the truth within me.

I reach for those lessons each and every day when life would seem to suggest otherwise: that God simply is not in charge...that an impossible situation will not be turned around...that with all the stumbling blocks, hurdles, U-turns posted ...things will not work out the way I hope and pray.


"With God, All Things are Possible."


Dhammapada, a book of Buddhist Wisdom:

"Only your inner self can damn you and only your inner self can save you."

I read those words in Tolstoy's Calendar of Wisdom on Aug. 11, as I was preparing to write this post.

Only you...can still yourself...and know the truth about you.


Whatever is in you is greater than any circumstances that you face in the world.

But ONLY you can search for and find the truth...Only you can uncover and discover this greatest of pearls within your SOUL!

Only YOU can know the truth that ultimately will set you "FREE," as Jesus urged in John 8:32.

"Every person has a depth to his inner life, an essence that cannot be explained. Sometimes you want to explain this essence to people, but you will see that it isn't possible to explain it to another person so that he understands.

Hence the need for your own channel of comunication with God. Establish this channel and do not seek anything else."

Leo Tolstoy


This is the absolute truth, as I've come to discover it.

So, I urge you to get to know this truth. Don't wait for a negative circumstance to occur, before you discover the source of your being. Don't let it wait any longer. It has been patiently waiting to catch your attention all of your life!


Be Still. And Know.

America's favorite preacher, Joel Osteen, and his wife, Victoria, wrote on Aug. 11, 2011:

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, today I praise You and honor You because You are God. I put my faith and trust in You knowing that You are working behind the scenes in my life. Thank You for making a way when there seems to be no way and opening doors of victory in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Amen. And Amen. AND ...Amen!

Namaste',
Che'

"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'

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'