The Way by any other name is still the Way

I thought this paragraph Wayne Dyer chose to put in his book ~Change Your Thoughts Change Your Mind~ from A Warrior Blends with Life was very interesting.

The Way is only attractive to those who are already wise enough to know how foolish they are. Sarcastic laughter from other fools who believe themselves wise does not deter the truly wise from following the Way. Following the Way, they do not become complicated, extraordinary, and prominent. Rather they become simple, ordinary, and subtle.

Things that disgust me

 Racism
 Intolerance of others
 Closed minds
 Hate
 The religion of egotism
 Me when I find myself falling back into any of these childhood induced patterns of thought.

Being born into societies we are taught from birth, no bombarded from birth to think in dark ways and convinced to believe they are the right ways.

The good thing is I can now catch myself in them and step outside my dark box of lies into the light of truth. I’m not perfect and probably never will be, but it makes sense to me the more you shine the light into the darkness the less dark it can be.

As a good friend of mine reminds me a person that carries their own lantern will never fear the darkness. Thank you old friend for your clear thoughts.

Pot Luck Dinner

Let's have a Pot Luck! Or whatever you call gathering together in your country to share a meal, where everyone brings a dish of some delicious simple food they've made with their own hand.

Pot Lucks are a time of sharing, giving and receiving. Where we are on equaled ground giving and taking. Sharing company, thoughts, love and community.

What is simpler than a Pot Luck?

Spread the word, The world needs to have more Pot Lucks!

Thinking Outside Our Finite Box

I enjoyed reading this ancient oriental poem;

The Tao is empty
but inexhaustible,
bottomless,
the ancestor of it all.

Within it, the sharp edges become smooth;
the twisted knots loosen;
the sun is softened by a cloud;
the dust settles into place.

It is hidden but always present.
I do not know who gave birth to it.
It seems to be the common ancestor of all, the father of things.

I remember early thoughts as a child lying under the star filled sky at night, "How far does the universe go? If we came to a wall what would be beyond that wall and the next and the next?"

As I became a bit older and read more deeply into the scriptures I found myself trying to make the connection of a God that lives off somewhere in heaven yet lives inside me. Is so far away and untouchable, yet so intimately close. How One could be without mother or father and never be born, yet always to have existed.

A Native American saying made sense to me at that point in my life, "You become a man (grown person) when you realize how much there is that you do not know."

The ancient poem above was written 5,000 years BC. I guess it doesn’t matter so much when eternity is forever.

Let Go, Let God

For several years now I have have had the thought in my mind, "Let go and Let God". I came across this information and thought I would share it.

The sage who grasps the everlasting nature of the Tao has gone beyond false identification with the ego, and instead has a living connection to the Tao. This person puts others first, asks nothing in return, and wholeheartedly serves. In this way, the sage lives the ultimate paradox of the Tao – by giving without asking, the sage attracts everything that he or she is capable of handling or needing. By putting others before themself, the sage endures just like the Tao. The sage emulates the natural philanthropy of the Tao, and all of his or her needs are fulfilled in the process.

The more you pursue desires, the more they’ll elude you. Try letting life come to you and begin to notice the clues that what you crave is on its way. You’re in a constant state of receiving because of the ceaseless generosity of the eternal Tao. The air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the sunshine that warms you, the nutrients that keep your body alive, and even the thoughts that fill your mind are all gifts from the eternal Tao. Stay appreciative of all that you receive, knowing that it flows from an all – providing Source. Stop the chase and become a witness – soothe your demanding habits by refusing to continue running after more. By letting go, you let God; and even more significantly, you become more like God and less like the ego; with its lifetime practice of edging God out.
Qouted from Dr. Wayne Dyer's Change Your Mind Change Your Life (excellent read!)

What if we were all God's favorites?

While conversing with my good friend Barbe Beaty this evening on face book I had one of those epiphany's you sometimes get while bouncing things off a really good friend.

Epiphany: A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization: "I experienced an epiphany, a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myself"

I had grown up with virtually no self esteem. At one point I realized we were all God's favorites! OMG! It changed my life! Suddenly I realized how much I enjoyed enjoying people!

I love to watch the look on someones face when you compliment them. I became a believer that something as simple as a smile or a kind word could change the course of a persons day.... or possibly their life.

Christmas was good, New Year hopeful

I enjoyed Christmas with family and friends. It was relaxing and low keyed just the way I like them!

New Year's is around the corner and I'm hopeful with Barrack Obama coming into office. Wow does he ever have a job cut out for him. The last eight years have been completely mishandled to put it lightly.

The last few weeks I have been re-reading Deepak Chopra's "The Book of Secrets" and have come across some paragraphs that reminded me of thoughts I have had and clung onto myself.

As I take this time to reflect on the current state of affairs in our country, corrupt politicians (as I'm sure the rest of the world suffers from too) the following thoughts resurface for me and seem to be mentally underlined in Deepak's book:

I see that I am unique. Uniqueness means that there is no one else who is exactly like you. I gain a feeling of strength and self-esteem. I have a sense of standing out from the crowd and being proud that I do! I realize I don't have to imitate anyone else and it feels right. I feel free of other people's opinions of me. Most of all I have a growing desire to act with integrity.