Category Archives: Spirituality

Grateful Awe

Wonderment by Jennifer Alder

Wonderment by Jennifer Alder

I believe that we should always express thanks and gratitude to God for all that we have, whether considered meager, grand, or something in between. Sometimes what may seem meager can be a greater blessing than that which seems grand.

In addition to giving thanks, I think it is important to demonstrate how much we value and appreciate the gifts we receive by taking adequate care of them and not take them for granted. Material things should be scrupulously maintained. Non-material gifts should be nurtured, developed, and used only for good.

If we have a house or a car and we let them get run down due to neglect, then clearly we send a message of arrogance and presumption. If we take our friends and family for granted, then we dishonor them, ourselves, and God. If we are aware that we have special talents and do not use and develop them, or become arrogant and self aggrandized, then we show disdain rather than grateful awe.

We like to take credit for our accomplishments and success. Of course, these require determination and hard work, but it is God who makes our success possible. After all, it is He who imbues us with our special talents, and who opens the doors of opportunity. We should always acknowledge his blessings and gifts with humility.

Let us not forget one of our greatest gifts—our body. A healthy body is one of the essential components for achieving harmony between spirit, mind, and body. It too should never be taken for granted. Neglect of the body is a sign of a disheveled spirit, a lack of respect for one’s self, and ingratitude to God for the life He gave us.

I believe we have an obligation to maintain and care for our bodies. We need to keep our bodies clean, well groomed, and fit, not for the sake of vanity, but to demonstrate our gratitude to God for the body He gave us. We should do everything we can to keep our bodies healthy and free of disease, including following a healthy diet, and not overeating.

Finally, we need to show love, respect, and appreciation for the earth and all of its inhabitants. The metaphor of the earth as our mother is very appropriate since she provides sanctuary and nurture for all living things. She provides everything we need and shelters us from the unforgiving vacuum and death rays of space.

But we need to care for her just as she does us and not take her bounty and protection for granted. Just like our human mothers, she needs our love, help, and support. Her bounty has limits that we must understand and respect. She is not here to only serve humanity, but rather to promote harmony among all living things through their mutual interdependence upon one another.

We have an obligation to conserve her resources, and protect all of her “offspring.” She is perhaps the most wondrous of all gifts from God since it is she who sustains us in this life.

Our gratitude for the things that God gives us, both large and small, should be ongoing through daily expression of thanks and humility, and by treasuring all the gifts and blessings we receive. That is, we should be in a constant state of grateful awe. When we are truly grateful to God and make it a point to let Him know, then we give Him the reverence He so greatly deserves.

You might like to see the following related articles:

Harmony and Health
Harmony between Spirit, Mind, and Body

Nature: A More Expansive Spirituality

 

I Can Imagine…

Girl in Water Source: mrwallpaper.com

Girl in Water
Source: mrwallpaper.com

I can imagine that God is like water…

I am certain that I see Him moving in the flow and swirls.
I feel Him all around me gently embracing every part of me.

I am weightless in His arms as He buoys me up
so that I keep site of the destination ahead.
He carries me when I am tired.

He is forgiving as I move through His ethereal essence.
Turbulent when His natural flow is resisted.

He slows my forward movement
to assure my progress is deliberate and considered.

I am certain that I hear Him gently calling me
to surrender to the natural flow that will take me home at last!

Copyright 2016 by Blair Atherton

You might also like to see the following related verses:

To What Doth My Heart Hearken Part 1

I Am Spirit

On the Nature of God

One Religion or No Religion?

Many Religions, One God Source: vjindigo-wordpress-com.

Many Religions, One God
Source: vjindigo-wordpress-com.

Below is a contemporary view of the essentials of Judaism, at least as seen by the religious body indicated. I found it interesting to note much overlap with some Christian and other religious beliefs as well as those of some persons (myself included) with no religious affiliation who describe themselves as spiritual. It is an excerpt from a public domain book titled Judaism by Israel Abrahams. The book seeks to track changes in Judaism and their origins since the early centuries of Christianity.

A tract, entitled ‘Essentials of Judaism,’ has been issued in London by the Jewish Religious Union. The author, N. S. Joseph, is careful to explain that he is not putting forth these principles as ‘dogmatic Articles of Faith,’ and that they are solely ‘suggestive outlines of belief which may be gradually imparted to children, the outlines being afterwards filled up by the teacher. But the eight paragraphs of these Essentials are at once so ably compiled and so informing as to the modern trend of Jewish belief that they will be here cited without comment.

According then to this presentation, the Essentials of Judaism are: ‘(i) There is One Eternal God, who is the sole Origin of all things and forces, and the Source of all living souls. He rules the universe with justice, righteousness, mercy, and love.

(ii) Our souls, emanating from God, are immortal, and will return to Him when our life on earth ceases. While we are here, our souls can hold direct communion with God in prayer and praise, and in silent contemplation and admiration of His works.

(iii) Our souls are directly responsible to God for the work of our life on earth. God, being All-merciful, will judge us with loving-kindness, and being All-just, will allow for our imperfections; and we, therefore, need no mediator and no vicarious atonement to ensure the future welfare of our souls.

(iv) God is the One and only God. He is Eternal and Omnipresent. He not only pervades the entire world, but is also within us; and His Spirit helps and leads us towards goodness and truth.

(v) Duty should be the moving force of our life; and the thought that God is always in us and about us should incite us to lead good and beneficent lives, showing our love of God by loving our fellow-creatures, and working for their happiness and betterment with all our might.

(vi) In various bygone times God has revealed, and even in our own days continues to reveal to us, something of His nature and will, by inspiring the best and wisest minds with noble thoughts and new ideas, to be conveyed to us in words, so that this world may constantly improve and grow happier and better.

(vii) Long ago some of our forefathers were thus inspired, and they handed down to us—and through us to the world at large—some of God’s choicest gifts, the principles of Religion and Morality, now recorded in our Bible; and these spiritual gifts of God have gradually spread among our fellow-men, so that much of our religion and of its morality has been adopted by them.

(viii) Till the main religious and moral principles of Judaism have been accepted by the world at large, the maintenance by the Jews of a separate corporate existence is a religious duty incumbent upon them. They are the “witnesses” of God, and they must adhere to their religion, showing forth its truth and excellence to all mankind. This has been and is and will continue to be their mission. Their public worship and private virtues must be the outward manifestation of the fulfillment of that mission.’

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Reading this buoys my belief that a gradual convergence of spiritual thought among the people of the world is occurring. Humanity’s spiritual growth, progression, and awareness going forward through the ages may well result, not so much in a single religion, as in a single set of spiritual beliefs that have outgrown the need for the doctrines and rituals associated with organized religion. While this may give the clergy reason for pause, I believe it is good news for humanity because it hearkens toward a common moral code and understanding of the nature and purpose of our existence.

You might like to see the following related articles:

The Universal Religion

With Spirit Eyes I See

Spiritual Kinship

 

One Man’s Sabbath

Water by Rosalyn Stock Source: mrwallpaper.com

Water by Rosalyn Stock
Source: mrwallpaper.com

This man’s Sabbath begins looking out my kitchen windows at the beautiful golden early morning light shining through the trees. I think about how beautiful it is and wonder how much more beautiful God’s light would be in heaven.

I watch the swirls, ripples, and reflection of light in the lovely blue water and imagine that the quality of spirit may be likened to that of water—free flowing and yielding; yet, its flow cannot be stopped by anything in its path as any impediments will eventually yield to its power.

I get in touch with my body and its internal energy as I do my daily tai chi practice. At the same time, I listen to the birds songs heralding the new day and God’s glory.

Before breakfast I say my morning prayers which begin with the Lord’s Prayer. This is followed by prayers for world harmony, and  prayers for the delivery of the people of the world from evil. Lastly, I pray for mercy for all those who have, are, and will be directly affected by the many disasters and tragedies that have been happening around the world. I also ask for healing for the survivors and for those who lost loved ones.

I usually listen to popular music in the background during the day when I am home. However, on this day, if I listen to music, it is soft instrumental music that does not demand my attention and ideally gives a somewhat ethereal ambiance.

I do not surf the web, look at Facebook, or watch TV. I refrain from doing errands and work. Instead, I try to free my mind from worldly concerns or desires and focus on spiritual matters. I have no plans for the day and just embrace the quiet and solitude. I may read from a diversity of religious books and writings to mine for spiritual truths and expand my spiritual vision.

As evening approaches, I do my qigong practice and meditate to further enhance harmony between spirit, mind, and body. The evening meal marks the end of this man’s Sabbath that I leave with a conscious desire and intent to continue this day’s devotions throughout the coming week.

You might like to see the following related articles:

The Accidental Ascetic

A Presence Palpable

A Presence Palpable

Source: Wallpaperup.com

Source: Wallpaperup.com

I believe that God should be a part of our every waking moment—a presence palpable. We should honor Him and pay homage to him throughout our day. We can do this in many ways. A very important one is for goodness to permeate our every thought and action. Working and living for good encompasses selflessness, a strong desire to help others whenever we can, and when needed, self-sacrifice to serve others before ourselves.

The attribute of goodness is a state of elevated spiritual being and connection with God. It is an expression of our spirit-selves. Inherent in (and requisite for) a life of goodness is compliance with Gods commandments and mindfulness of His natural laws.

We also honor God by being present in the moments of our day so that we take notice of the beauty and wonders of nature all around us even in the most mundane setting. When we do this, we begin to see the beauty of God Himself, in that He is, and is in all things. On these occasions, our spirits soar toward the heavens, even if only for those few precious moments. We cannot help but yearn for more of such time on the wind.

In addition to these ways of daily living, we should also set aside time (preferably a day) each week for rest and relaxation to recuperate from the demands of family and work. In other words, we should always remember the Sabbath and use the time to seek greater spiritual understanding and insight. I believe this time is meant to be spent in a quiet place alone with our thoughts rather than at a place of worship with its many distractions.

This is a time where we devote ourselves to reflection and contemplation about spiritual matters and how it is that we are living our lives. It is a time for obeisance and communion with God. It should be a time when He is a presence palpable, rather than abstract.

You might like to see the following related articles:

Spirituality as a State of Being
Nature: A more Expansive Spirituality

Spiritual Lawlessness

Spiritual Wasteland Source: wallalay.com

Spiritual Wasteland
Source: wallalay.com

The state of much of the world today can be characterized as spiritual lawlessness. What this means in large part is that basic laws of human behavior such as honesty, integrity, morality, and ethics are being ignored—or worse—not being taught or modeled to our children. This type of lawlessness is a sure sign of a declining civilization. It is indicative of a society that has allowed itself to become lost in a spiritual wasteland.

Spiritual lawlessness is a failure to apply the basic principles that underlie living a life of goodness. It also represents a failure to be mindful of the Ten Commandments and spiritual laws such as the laws of cause and effect, and retribution and compensation. It seems that a great many people have lost touch with these time-honored guiding principles.

These natural laws have guided human behavior and interactions for millennia. Are the generations now living going to be the ones who allow the most basic of God’s laws to be ignored and perhaps eventually lost in history?

There are many comparatively trivial societal laws with which almost everyone complies. For example, we all know that a red light means stop. We stop automatically because, if we do not, we believe that we will either get a costly ticket or cause an accident that could be fatal.

Yet, it appears that many who were taught the Ten Commandments as a child have since “forgotten” them even though violating them will bring grievous harm to them spiritually. Some may willfully disregard them because compliance would deprive them of serving their own selfish desires. While others may have lost sight of them due to societal pressure to conform to widespread materialism and pursuit of self interests.

Many of us have fallen prey to sophisticated marketing campaigns and programming that loosened restrictions on the depiction of violence and sexual depravity. As a result, the psyche of people in developed countries around the world was taken down a dark path of spiritual deprivation and lawlessness.

It is my hope that those who are not happy about the state of society will take a few minutes to not only read the Ten Commandments, but reflect upon their application in the context of today’s society and the many situations in which we see violations. It is easy to quickly glance over them and assume that you “know” them. However, a more thoughtful and deeper reading would be most beneficial.

I have given a few examples below to help us begin thinking about their practical applications. As an example, let us look at the commandment “Thou shalt not steal.” This is not just about things like shop lifting or burglary. We see many kinds of theft in today’s society. For example, over charging for goods and services by setting very high profit margins, putting forth another person’s work as your own, theft of proprietary systems, processes, and recipes to name a few.

Another commandment is “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” It is tempting to shirt past this one because superficially it sounds like something that applies to a courtroom. In the broadest terms, what it says to me is to not spread lies about others. We shouldn’t lie about what we may have seen or heard. We shouldn’t try to shift blame to someone else for something we did.

Thou shalt not covet things that others have is the gist of Commandment 10. I do not see any redeeming quality in being jealous of or longing for what others have. Doing so will likely lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. I believe we should be grateful for what we have and stay within our financial means.

I encourage everyone to do their own analysis of practical situations where each commandment applies to human behavior today. It is an exercise that may be valuable for bringing the Ten Commandments back to the forefront of our minds and automatically signal a red light when we get into situations where they apply. This will give us a chance to carefully consider how to proceed.

Spiritual lawlessness has cast a dark shadow over the world. Let us each do our part to make sure that we do not participate in it by always being mindful of God’s commandments and natural laws. He gives us so much while asking precious little in return.

You might like to see the following related articles:

What Natural or Spiritual Laws Govern Our Lives?
The Law of Cause and Effect
The Law of Retribution and Compensation

Prayers for Harmony

Copyright 2014 by Blair Atherton

Copyright 2014 by Blair Atherton

In world of divisiveness and fear, I offer the following prayers for harmony. I hope that many of you will join me in saying these prayers on a daily basis. There is so much evil in the world today and so many misguided and lost souls that need our prayers. Thank you.

Prayer for World Harmony

My dear Lord,

I pray for peace, harmony, security, equality, and freedom for all of the children of Earth.

We long for the time when goodness and light will once again prevail over the evil and darkness which have ruled the earth for far too long.

I pray that your sacred light will continually grow ever brighter and purge the earth of all shadows and darkness where evil abides.

May we come to understand that our salvation will not come through blind adherence to the doctrines and edicts of our religious faith.

But rather, simply by loving you and living a life of unselfish goodness and virtue.

May harmony between spirit, mind, and body found by the one extend to the many and
result in peace among nations and a spiritual renewal and awakening of the people of the world.

Lord hear my prayer!

 

The foregoing expresses aspirations for all people. The following prayer seeks harmony within us as individuals.

Prayer for Harmony

Dear God,

I strive to make myself whole, and by doing so come closer to you.

I wish to find the sacred harmony between spirit, mind, and body.

My only desire is to serve and honor you by expression of my spirit
through acts of love and compassion.

I pray that my spirit may one day become attuned with, and radiate your divine love for all things.

Amen

Author’s note

My second prayer is an excerpt from a previous article “Harmony Between Spirit, Mind, and Body.”

You might also like to see the following related articles:

A Letter to God

I Had a Vision

One Civilization Among Billions?

The Milky Way as Seen from Earth

The Milky Way as Seen from Earth

Have you ever wondered if there are other civilizations elsewhere in the Cosmos? Could we be but one civilization among billions? How likely is it that other intelligent life exists on other planets? What information is available for us to assess the likelihood that there are alien species?

The sheer immensity of the cosmos makes the notion of only one planet with a civilization seem absurd and provides strong impetus to the idea that surely there must be life elsewhere. Using a super computer, it has been estimated that there are between 300-500 billion galaxies. Astronomers estimate there are 70 billion trillion stars in the observable universe (i.e., 70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 or 7 x 10²²). We do not know how many more may be beyond our ability to observe or detect.

These are some very big numbers that are really beyond our comprehension. Let us suppose that only one ten thousandth of a percent of all of the stars have a planet that could support some form of life. From this assumption we would estimate that there could be one thousand trillion planets in the universe (i.e., 7 followed by 16 zeros) that could support life.

Let us now suppose that only one millionth of these could have some form of intelligent life. If our assumption is correct, then we would estimate that at least one billion planets scattered about the universe could have intelligent life.

I find these numbers to be compelling concerning the likelihood that not only does life exist elsewhere in the universe, but that other civilizations do as well. If true, it is also likely that many are more advanced than us, not only technologically, but also spiritually. The earth and sun are much younger than planets and galaxies that are in the far distant universe whose light has reached us. Therefore, humankind could be on the less developed end of the spectrum.

Wherever humanity may fall in the evolutionary and spiritual hierarchy of the cosmos, there is no doubt that we have a long way to go on both developmental pathways. Spiritual evolution of a civilization is a very slow process, as is biological evolution. As I look down that long road ahead, I envision one people united in common cause for the loving care and respect for one another and for the planet that sustains them.

You might like the following related articles:

One Species Among Millions

We Exist in the Ethereal Spaces Between the Atoms

“All that is composed shall be decomposed.”

 

Sources of Estimates

500 Billion –A Universe of Galaxies: Some Older than Milky Way

How many stars are there in the universe?

From What Purpose Comes Meaning?

Meaning of Life

“Teacher, why am I here?” I asked.

“You are here to change the world,” the teacher replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Taken aback I asked, “How can I change the world when I am only one among billions?”

“Ah, but you are not alone in this,” he said. “There are many like you around the world seeking to expand their spiritual awareness. There are even more who seek meaning for their lives, but are not yet spiritually aware.”

“But teacher, what is it that gives life meaning, or perhaps I should say: what is the meaning of life?” I wondered.

He smiled as a parent might to a child’s simple-minded question and replied, “There are some who seek meaning by pursuing a career. Others seek meaning through their family life. Still others seek meaning through devotion to their religion, but the answer is much more basic than these things.”

“I can see where one could get some measure of satisfaction and fulfillment from each of these,” I said.

“Yes, but there is something more fundamental that brings meaning to these and all human endeavors,” replied the teacher.

Not understanding where the teacher was going with this, I asked, “What is more basic than making one’s way in the world, love of family, and devotion to God?” When I heard his answer, I felt as if I were indeed a naive child again.

He said, “You must understand that all of the children of earth have kinship with one another. All of humanity arose from one and the same God the Father. Consequently, you are expected to give all persons you meet the same love and compassion that you would to your own parents, siblings, children, and so forth. It is helping and serving others that is most fulfilling and that gives life its true meaning.”

Trying to grasp a deeper understanding of what the teacher was saying, I declared, “So what you are saying is that love and compassion should underlie and guide all human interactions.”

“Yes, that is why you are here! That is how you will change the world! That is your life’s purpose!” he said. “This is the lesson that humanity must learn!”

You may also like the following related articles:

Spiritual Kinship

Can Love Save the World?

 

Disasters: Nature or Providence?

Circles of Awakening Source: gastroruas.com

Circles of Awakening
Source: gastroruas.com

Perhaps we all wonder at one time or another why major disasters occur where large numbers of people are killed or injured or there is large-scale destruction of property. Is the motive force nature or providence? Some may say they are chance events or they result from natural processes. Still others (perhaps a minority these days) may say that they are acts of God.

Of course one cannot say with certainty who is right about why these things happen. I subscribe to the expression: “Everything happens for a reason.” That said, then the big question is: What is the reason?

To say that everything happens for a reason implies that someone or something is behind events that happen in our lives, including major disasters. What value could a major disaster possibly have to humankind? To answer that question we must look at how disasters affect those directly affected and how others not involved react.

Survivors may have lost loved ones and everything they own. They must find a way to cope and start their life all over again. These are major challenges to test one’s inner strength, and for those who believe in God, one’s faith that what happened was somehow in their best interest from the perspective of spiritual development.

For those directly affected, it is a terrifying, traumatic event. They will never forget the anguish that they had to endure, but more importantly, they will never forget the kindness and compassion of those who sought to help them in the aftermath.

For some victims the help they receive is life-changing. Which is to say that they make it a point to be kind and compassionate to others as they go forward with their lives.

But the reasons why disasters happen go much further and beyond just those directly affected. I believe that large-scale major disasters such as the tsunamis in Japan and Indonesia and other events, are intended to have a transformative effect on the psyche of the children of earth.

That is, they are intended to make us reevaluate how we live, our values, and our understanding of the purpose and meaning of life. Put another way, major traumatic events provide us with an opportunity for a spiritual awakening. Sadly, not all will be ready to hear the call, but many others will.

How the psyche of individuals may be affected by disaster will vary. We have seen from news accounts that many people are moved to a deep compassion for those directly affected, and those who can, flood into the area to help any way possible.

But we are all moved with great sorrow and compassion no matter where we are. What most of us do not realize is that the outflow of compassion triggered by the event is an expression of our divine selves that is showing us who we really are; who we are intended to be; and how we should live our lives everyday with or without disasters. I believe these are the things such events are meant to teach us.

But an occasional disaster here and there apparently is not enough for these lessons to take a lasting hold in many of us. A chain of catastrophes should show us that they do not happen at random or by chance; rather, they are intended to get our attention and force us to question why we must endure such horrific events and what we can learn from them.

So, are disasters good or bad? They are both. They bring great sadness, sorrow, and suffering for the loss of life, property, and basic needs. But they also bring to many a spiritual awakening and a new perspective on life and how we are meant to live. These events are intended to remind us that the material world is temporary while the human spirit is able to transcend all earthly circumstances.