Fear not when death comes to call…
It will take you to another world
Free from the burden of the body.
A place of indescribable beauty,
Infinite possibilities, and profound opportunity.
Fear not, for you will be delivered into loving hands.
I want to share this beautiful poem about prayer by the Native American poet, Joy Harjo. It was not titled by the poet.
To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you
And know that there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always a sound but other
Circles of motion
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
Cause and effect applies not only to our interactions and treatment of people. It also applies to our actions concerning the natural environment and the planet as a whole.
As citizens of Earth, we have an obligation to not only care for one another, but also for all living things. We should view ourselves as stewards of the Earth, all of its inhabitants, and its physical and ecological environs.
We will be held accountable for our actions that result in, or contribute to, the destruction of habitats, extinction of animal and plant species, pollution, and climate change. Retribution for our past abuses of the planet have already begun.
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The forces of cause and effect operate not only in response to behaviors, things we do or do not do, but also to the nature of our thoughts. If our thoughts are filled with love and compassion, then good things will come to us. If our minds are filled with anger, hate, or malice, then we will not have happiness and fulfillment, and spiritual retribution is sure to come.
You might like to see How Life Works: The Law of Cause and Effect. for a more general discussion of this topic.
It’s important to have faith…in God, yes…
But more generally, faith in the spiritual forces and challenges that shape our lives in ways that lead us to greater love, compassion, and spiritual awareness.
You might like to explore this topic further in the following related articles:
How Life Works: The Law of Cause and Effect
Pain and suffering cleanse the soul and provide a means by which we pay our spiritual debts.
In my view, spirituality and religion are related, but not the same thing. Religion has arisen in an attempt to codify spiritual thought and ideas by the establishment of doctrines, creeds, stories, and other traditions – and to make it “experiential” through ritual and repetitive prayers.
But these things can distract us from the organic spirituality present in all of us. They can distract us from the spontaneous human experience of our spiritual nature and longing.
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Prayer will be heard with greatest effect when it comes spontaneously from the heart and soul expressing in your own words your desire to help others or to become a more spiritual person.
Do not pray for material things because God has already provided what you need. Do not pray for elevation of your earthly status, for it counts for nothing in the spiritual realm. Rather, pray for elevation of your soul through your expression of love, compassion, and service.
You might like to see the discussion of prayer that appears on pages 76-81 in The Teachings of Silver Birch, edited by A.W. Austin.
We have seen you gathered in groups around COVID 19 patients working together in an effort to save lives and minimize suffering. It is difficult work and requires you to find the courage to risk your own health to help the afflicted. Somehow you have found a way to work in the midst of suffering all around you and not let your compassion and grief overwhelm you. Your strength is greater than you realize.
Know this: You are not alone. There are spirits standing behind you to give you strength and support, and to aid you any way they can. We are witnesses to your unwavering commitment to help, heal, and save lives while sacrificing so much of yourself in the process.
For this you have been blessed and you will have a special place in our world when it is time for you to join us.
We have seen your tears and felt your grief for the lives lost in the dark hours of the long night. Do not hold back your outpouring of compassion and tears because it makes way for renewed strength and commitment when the morning comes.
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Perhaps we all wonder at one time or another why there is so much pain and suffering. Why is life so difficult at times? Why do “bad” things happen to good people? And many other perplexing questions.
We have to accept that there are some things that we are not meant to know or that our current level of spiritual awareness precludes understanding. I believe in the old adage: “Everything happens for a reason.” This is a statement of faith in spiritual processes aimed at fostering our spiritual development.
It’s important to remember that understanding what is beneficial or harmful to our spiritual development requires a view from the perspective of eternity to which we are not privy. Something thought to be “bad” now, may in fact, be good for our development in the flow of eternity. After all, we tend to become stronger, more spiritually enlightened, and to learn lessons best from adversity.
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Exploring Spirituality Beyond Religion 
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