Faith – Page 2 – Voices in My Head

I Dream of Spaceships

This morning I dreamed that a spaceship landed in the center square of my small town. Small town, gigantic square. The thing was a humungous round white disc the size of a small city that glowed a brilliant luminous light as it came in for a landing. Once down, it just sat there in a silent ethereal midst, beaming light in all directions throughout the entire town. Then I woke up. Darn. I wanted more.

I love dreams like that. They get my brain in gear thinking about the great never-ending mystery of life that has intrigued humankind since forever. Who are we? Where did we come from? Is there life on other planets? Are we alone in the universe? Have I been here before? Where are we going, and where do I fit into the equation? So many questions, so few answers.

Though I am not a big student of the Bible, the great ship-landing event of my dreams triggered memories from my early Christian training of the rapture, and I started to wonder about the evacuation of the faithful to realms unknown and the return of the Christ. Now, there’s a mystery, if ever there was one.

Imagination runs rampant and I wonder about the return of the Christ. When will He appear, and how? I am intrigued by a merry round of possibility—will the Coming One return via spaceship? Will He come alone, or with a cadre of disciples who will go before Him to make smooth His way? Will He be physical or etheric? Will he appear as the Christ to me, or as Mohammed or Buddha to others? Will he speak every language? Appear on worldwide television? Might He make a personal appearance in my living room? If he did, would I stand in delight or collapse in fright?

Ah ha! Suddenly, I get it! Clearly, I realize that all questions pale in comparison to the last one, the most important of all. My dream is a wake-up call to remind me that when there comes a day when I meet face to face with The Coming One, I want to know that I have done everything humanly possible to be ready, to be worthy of the great honor of being in His presence.

Suddenly, a life review of my behavior during the pandemic seems appropriate. It is a mini reflection of my life as a whole. How am I doing? Have there been any changes in my behavior? Any improvements or backsliding, or stuck points? Can I congratulate myself for chugging on with my daily blog-writing mission and forgive myself for lack of exercise and mindless eating?? Can I observe myself without judgment? Can I resolve to take whatever steps I must to improve, however tiny those steps may be? Bring it on! Whatever it is, I want to see it, and I want to correct it while I still have the time. I want a seat on the spaceship.

Those of us who are on a mission to get reservations on the ship are the warriors of light. We are the ones who are fighting the good fight against the dark forces. Our light is excavating evil hiding in the dark, and we are winning. We know this with absolute certainty because what has been lurking beneath the surface for eons has now been ferreted out by the brilliance of our light for all to see, and it is ugly. This is good news.

Every single person on the planet who seeks to discover and embody the best within carries a bright light, and that light, when joined with others becomes the torch that blazes the path to a new world, a new age, a new era. Every light makes a difference, and the most important one of all is yours.

Keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole, keep the faith, and watch for signs of The Coming One, however He may appear. What a wondrous mystery.

In Search of Good News

I’m on a serious quest to find good news. What with the horrendous death of George Floyd and the ensuing circumstances, plus the pandemic, the depressing politic scene, scary economics to name but a few, we need all the good news that we can get.

I admit to having a full-blown Pollyanna mentality. I admit that I really do not want to see anything that hurts my heart. I also admit that there is plenty of news out there that I really, really do not want to acknowledge. I readily confess to employing the head-in-the-sand trick when something ugly rears its head. Yes, I know it’s there. Just don’t show it to me. They don’t call me the rainbow unicorn for nothing. So no. Don’t show me.

Somehow, the news always manages to find a way to seek me out in spite of the fact that my head is stuck in the sand. This morning it was my iPad that bore the news of protesters spreading social unrest across our nation in reaction to George Floyd’s death. This unavoidable troubling news shows up in our lives even without benefit of a TV, and like it or not, it floods the consciousness of every single being on the planet whether we realize it or not. It’s in the noosphere. But enough said about that because bad news is not good for us. The less focus on it, the better.

Today on Facebook, I found a heartwarming little tidbit of light shining through the darkness, a bit that perhaps in some tiny measure may remind us that in spite of the overwhelming focus on negativity, there is goodness still alive and well within the heart and soul of humanity.

This morning my quest for good news led me to a photo from Facebook of a Tarrant police officer, William Stacy. The caption brought a tear to my eye.

This woman stole 5 eggs to feed her children. Instead of arresting her, Officer Stacy bought her a truckload of groceries.

Ahh. Finally, some good news to add a bit of balance to the ugly. I wish there were a scale on which we could weigh the balance of good news and bad. I wish that we could have proof positive and know for certain that good is winning.

When I look at the photo of the man responsible for the death of George Floyd, I see the face of a troubled, haunted man and it makes me wonder what would drive a person to be capable of such behavior. I cannot imagine what that possibly might be, yet I find myself overwhelmed with a sense of compassion. There but for the grace of God go I.

There are things that we cannot know, save what drives our own behavior, and even that sometimes remains a mystery.

I know that if I do not like what I see, I can choose another way to look at it. I know that I can decide how I feel about something, and that my decision will have an impact not just on myself, but also others as well. I know that I am responsible for my own thoughts and actions. I know that I am the one who makes the choice about what I want and what I don’t. And I am the one who recognizes the profound impact of every choice and decision that I make.

The heart of humanity embraces the individual heart of every person on the planet. Within that heart beats kindness, love, and compassion, ever present if we will but seek to find it. Individually and collectively, we hold the power to tip the balance in favor of light and goodness. Seek and ye shall find.

Note: The photo above is courtesy of New Waves of Light, a website designed by anonymous individuals around the world who share the intention of bringing light and love to a world of darkness and chaos. (newwavesoflight.org or NWOL.us).

Come Fly With Me

Well lucky me—today is another day of practicing the art of loving what I hate. Yep—I’m off to the dentist again. (here) This time it’s the periodontist, where receiving a very expensive and painful diagnosis is a real possibility. Off into the fearful unknown I go again. I’ve promised myself that I’ll put the anticipatory hand-wringing ritual off until I get in the car. Oh wait—I think I promised myself that I wouldn’t do that anymore. Did I lie?

Yesterday I freaked out over being late for a doctors appointment and stressed myself into an attack of atrial fibrillation. A minor personal issue, and yet fear strikes again, and stress has an impact on my health. If a minor incident like being late can produce enough stress to cause a health glitch, just imagine what a major issue might churn out.

Big pharma and the media are heavily invested in hypnotizing us into watching the news. First, the media scares us to death with bad news, then the drug companies swoop in to sell us the drugs we need to fix the problems that the media has produced by filling our heads with so much fear. For the media and big pharma, it’s a winning combination. For you and me? Not so much. It pays to sell bad news.

Why are we so attracted to bad news? Why do we glue ourselves to a TV screen and allow ourselves to be bombarded day after day with hideous negativity? Why have we turned our power over to the media? Why are we not like a firefly that is attracted to the light instead?

What will it take to wake us up and get us to change the channel?

Fear is fear, no matter the size, shape or scope. Regardless of form, whether it is a personal issue like going to the dentist, or an issue that presents itself on the world stage, or a vague, unsettling fear of the unknown, it is still fear. Regardless of cause, it has an impact. I can wring my hands over dental visits or thoughts of the world as I know it coming to an end, but truly, what good will it do? What benefit do I bring to myself or to my world if I allow fear to take over and run my life? What drugs will I need that will fix me?

That’s quite enough fear for one day, I think. Or for one lifetime, for that matter. It’s time to change to the good news channel of hope. If I were a member of the media, here is the first bit of good news that I would report: we are not broken. We do not need to be fixed. We need only allow ourselves the luxury of a change of mind.

If I had the power to give just one gift to you, my brothers and sisters of humanity, it would be the gift of the ability to replace fear with the faith that would fill you with the knowledge that beyond what appears dark and hopeless, there lies a world of truth, beauty, and goodness.

In the very depths of my being, I believe that this is so. There are millions more like me in the world who are standing strong in the storm, holding a safe space for others to follow with hands outstretched to help those who seek their way into the light. Have faith my friends. Together, we can weather this storm and overcome the darkness. If faith is too difficult for you to muster on your own, grab a hand, hold on tight, and be lifted into a New Heaven and New Earth on wings of love and light.

What’s the Point?

Some days are just better than others. Some days I can sit down at the computer and stuff rolls out faster than I can type. Other days, not so much. Today is one of those other days. I keep wanting to compare my life to my jumbled computer filing system, but that’s just bad news and doesn’t work out well. It’s frustrating.

Friends tell me that during the pandemic, they’ve cleaned out every drawer, every closet in their home. I, on the other hand, have added to my disorganization by creating a new anthology of computer files thanks to my recent habit of writing a daily blog. Good luck to me if I want to add a link to something that I wrote days or weeks ago, because I can’t find it. One of these days I’ll print them all out and stick them in a notebook with some sort of index system. The whole sorry mess mirrors the closets and drawers of my life that still beg for my attention. Sigh

Wait—is this the point where my dear friend who was upset with me for not showing myself in a more favorable light might be angry with me again? Or perhaps is it the point where I might be a little angry with myself? (See? A link here would be a really nice touch, wouldn’t it?)

Okay, now I‘m stuck. Where am I supposed to be going from here? Is this the moment of panic where I say to myself, “See? I knew I couldn’t do it!”? Nope. Not going there.

Maybe it’s time to have a little chat with myself. Okay, fine. So I’m stuck. It’s not the end of the world. Maybe there’s a reason for stuck. Is there a point to all of this go-nowhere jabber? Am I missing something?

Oh—I get it. Maybe the point is that I don’t always have to know what I’m doing, or what is going on, but it’s okay, because that’s life. Maybe the point is that there doesn’t always have to be a point to everything, or that there may be one, but I just may not see it. Maybe my only job is to let life flow without having to control the outcome, or have an opinion about everything, and just let it be whatever it is. Maybe I’m just supposed to be the observer, the one who sits back, watches, and accepts without judging, who forgives and loves unconditionally.

I like it. That kind of a life would work for me—a-let-go-let-God sort of an existence. Maybe I just need to have enough faith, enough trust in the process to know that it’s all okay, whatever it is. Pollyanna? Maybe. But isn’t that a better existence than stressing out over every cluttered closet or lost computer file, or guys who run around with M-14’s because they don’t want to wear masks?

Maybe it’s time to practice equanimity and work on seeking a balance between being and doing (Be-Do). I can be Pollyanna and still clean up a few computer files along the way. I can shift my focus from fear to love. I can have a little faith, trust myself, and add a link. And I did. Yay me. It’s a start. Just start. Maybe that’s the point.

Voices of Wisdom Within

This morning while I was lying awake, I heard a male voice softly call my name.

It got my attention and I answered. Yes?

No answer. I was disappointed. I wanted more. I wanted a replay of the full-blown conversation that occurred years ago as I drifted between wakefulness and sleep.

I was a captivated participant in a profound conversation that was going on in my head between myself and an unseen male voice. He was a wise teacher; I was a naïve student asking kindergarten-level questions. Even in my naivety, I knew that I was privy to something very unique and very special.

I awoke with a sense of awe, feeling unconditionally loved by an unseen being who knew my name and cared enough about me to pay a personal visit and take me under his wing to teach me for a while. Though I vividly remembered the event, I had no recollection of the words exchanged. What stood out above all else was that this unseen being was patient, kind, understanding, gentle, and loving. He never responded to my simple, childlike questions in a way that made me feel small, insignificant, or stupid. I was treated with great respect and dignity in spite of my naivety.

Both the voice that softly called my name today, and the one who was my teacher so many years ago were clearly audible. The “reality” of those voices lends credibility to the words, and makes me yearn to hear them more often, more clearly. Maybe someday.

Meanwhile, I must rely on the unspoken words that come to me by way of impression rather than expression. Clearly, I am still a student, still in a classroom where I must acquire the ability to discern the differences between the many voices of the personality and the Truth within myself. It is a trial and error process. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes I don’t. But always, I get to repeat the class until I ace the course.

This morning’s voice was a welcome reminder that we are blessed to have wise teachers as guides, Elder Brothers who have graduated before us and moved on to higher realms. Perhaps it is such a one who called my name, ready to hand me another assignment.

Today I realize that today’s assignment is that I must remain calm and stay strong in the eye of storm and reach out and grab ahold of a hand that will help me stand steady amidst the turmoil. As I reach out for help, I must also reach out to another, the one behind who struggles to keep up.

Who is this that calls me by name? Perhaps it is the voice of God, or the Soul, or Spirit, or Jesus, or the Higher Self. Whatever the name, when it calls, will I answer? Will you?

The Power is in our Hands

I read something recently that sent me off on a round of what if thinking. I love what if’s.

What if we obsessed about the good stuff about ourselves and the world instead of the not so good? Whoa. Now there’s some juicy food for thought.

How many times a day do we decide how we feel about ourselves? How often do we obsess about our shortcomings, mistakes, wrong turns, and the poor decisions that reap unfortunate consequences? What if we stopped all of the self-defeating nonsense and obsessed about the good stuff instead of the not so good?

Years ago, a homeless man with the helmet and placard gave me an important message (If We Can Dream It, We Can Build It). Odd though he was, he was a harbinger of truth. He told me two things I need to remember: stop listening to my own negative thoughts, and stop listening to the negative thoughts of others.

We as a collective humanity are being bombarded mercilessly by the ceaseless, unrelenting proclamations of the bad news heaped upon us, both by ourselves and by the media—the same media that is owned, operated, and controlled by gigantic, powerful conglomerates that dictate what news we are to be fed, those who seem intent upon brainwashing us with fear for profit, and that invade our sanity with images of gun wielding extremists who frighten us into thinking that their intention of claiming their human rights at the expense of the rest of us will drag us into a civil war.

We need to stop listening. We need to change the channel. We need to stop subjecting ourselves to brutal fear mongering and turn our focus to stories of good news instead, such as the owner of the high-end restaurant, Eleven Madison Park in New York, who converted his business from feeding the fortunate few who can afford it, to feeding the needy through a nonprofit organization that serves leftover restaurant food to those in need.

What if we stopped watching and listening to the news? What if we sent a message that we will no longer support fear mongering by subjecting ourselves to negativity? What if we demanded good news instead? What if we took our power back and called the media to task for their actions and the role they play in keeping our nerves jangled and our hearts aflutter?

What if we stopped all of the self-defeating negativity about ourselves and the world, and obsessed about the good stuff instead? What if we replaced our bad-news cravings with a desire for upliftment? What if we realize that as we let go of fear, fear will let go of us.

We have the power. We can claim it. Will we? I will. Will you?

The Soup of the Soul

Sorry to say that my highly anticipated woo-woo workshop click turned out to be a disappointment. Too bad I couldn’t fast forward and zoom through the frustrating parts about stuff I already know and scientific stuff that I don’t understand. Sad to say, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

As I sat wanting to curl up in a ball and suck my thumb for comfort, I asked myself why I was feeling so bored, restless, and resentful of the amount of time and money that had been extracted from my wallet and life on an event that seemed like such a waste. Where is the benefit?

I don’t always enjoy asking myself these sorts of questions because sometimes I’m not crazy about the answers. In this situation, I unearthed impatience, anger, and an ego sense that something must be wrong with me for not being happy about doing something that I’m not happy about doing. If I continue thinking about it, I’m sure I’ll dig up more dirt later. Meanwhile, maybe I’ll put that search on my to-do list and think about it tomorrow. or the next day.

Oh, but wait. Is this the benefit? Did I get something that I didn’t sign up for? Perhaps a side order of discernment, or an opportunity to stop and think about inflight corrections that I can make while sitting in isolation wondering what to do with myself?

One thing that did stick with me is that there is a multiplicity of teaching/learning happening on many levels in a woo-woo workshop—and for that matter, maybe also in the content of these blogs. Different insights for different people, depending on a state of consciousness at any given moment in time. I may have nodded off a little here and there, but on some level, I got what I went for, even though I don’t know what it is, exactly.

Meanwhile, I wonder how much of my life is spent engaged in activities that I feel are a waste of my time? How much money do I spend on items and activities that do not feed my soul? How often do I say yes when no is a better answer? How often does impatience or anger cloud my vision of what’s beneath an appearance? Why do I believe that something is “wrong” with me for feeling anger or impatience?

Finding joy in life is an inside job. It comes from finding and honoring one’s own inner essence and living life according to the dictates of the soul rather than from the demands of the ego. Maybe it’s realizing the perfection of one’s own self, warts and all. I sat for two days in a state of boredom to remember that in the end, I am the source of my own happiness.

I get to pick and choose what I think, and how I feel about the experiences that pepper my life with rich opportunity to learn and grow and then decide what is truly important in the overall scheme of things.

Was there a benefit? All over the place. What did I gain? A lot, with some grist for the mill for today’s blog tossed in for added measure.

For some reason, I’m reminded of story about the guy who asked a waiter the question, “What’s the soup du jour?” to which the waiter replied, “It’s soup.” The daily soup of the soul offers a glorious mix of every divinely delicious ingredient available in the infinitely well supplied universal kitchen. Dive in and enjoy!

By the way, I know there is one sweet follower who does not believe that she has a soul. To you dear friend, thank you for being a faithful reader nonetheless. I love you too.

Onward, Upward, and Inward

Today marks the two-week anniversary of my daily writing commitment and in another six days, I will celebrate the four-month anniversary of a black TV screen. Not bragging, not complaining, just saying.

I reread A Night Without TV Link and was reminded that my intention is, was, and always will be, to do whatever it takes to move one step further ahead on the path toward enlightenment. Sometimes it’s a big ask, but the rewards are greater than the sacrifice. It takes time and patience to make progress along the way, and sometimes forward motion is not visible until seen in the rear view mirror.

No TV is a big ask, right up there with quit smoking, give up wine, and get a dog. I did it all because I don’t want to risk being sucked back into another lifetime by my addictions, if you believe in that sort of thing. If I come back, I want it to be because I want to, not because I need a glass of wine or a cigarette.

Ah, but I digress. What have I done to fill the gaping hole left by a blank TV screen? The only thing I know for sure is that I haven’t used the time to dismantle the stack of paper on my desk. Beyond that, I cannot say, exactly. Meanwhile it seems that I have finally decided to act upon the guidance that I received while in the midst of writing the no-TV blog, and I quote:

“I say to myself, “Self,” I say? What am I supposed to be doing with all of this blank-screen TV-less time on my hands?”

And my Self says to me, “Write your own story. Tell your own truth. Say it like it is in your world and do not concern yourself with how it is perceived. Judgment is not your job. Your job is simply to write.”

So I write. I clog up in-boxes with whatever comes to mind, be it ever so helpful, annoying, good, bad, or indifferent. It may or may not ever be read, but I truly appreciate those who take the time to do so. Meanwhile, in a week or so, I may have another little chat with my Self about the possibility of reevaluating and/or readjusting the writing schedule. Perhaps it would make sense to move to a three-day a week plan. We’ll see how that works out.

There will come a time when I look in the rear view mirror and clearly see the magnificent gifts of growth and learning that come along with the big asks. Meanwhile, I plod along day by day with faith that I am on the path to higher consciousness and I’ll get there in this lifetime or the next, or maybe the next. There is nowhere to go but up and within. With time and patience on my side I’ll get there eventually. Inch by inch. Hallelujah!

Just Imagine

analysis blackboard board bubble — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hmmm. Day 748 of the virus shut-down and as each day passes the stack of stuff on my desk gets taller. Yesterday I was going to tackle it right after I posted daily Voices. Well, that didn’t happen, did it?

And why is that?

Well, my car died in the garage. My friends Heather and Jim jump-started it and off we went to the dealer for a new battery and regular service, which of course required a return trip for pick up. (Hint: it pays to start your car before 748 days roll by.) Then there was a walk, a nap, and excessive trips to the kitchen for exercises in refrigerator foraging. Beyond that, I can’t remember. If we all get out of this thing without becoming raging alcoholics, obsessive germaphobes, or the size of a blimp we’ll be on top of the game.

I just read a post by Tony Bologna (love the name) that talks about his fear of wasting time. Not me. I’m good at it—in fact, it’s what I do best. Practice is the key. Even as a child, I remember sitting idly on the back porch staring out into the space above neighboring rooftops and hanging out with myself just being. It was glorious then, and it hasn’t lost its magic. Maybe that’s what I was doing yesterday that I can’t remember. Maybe I just zoned out on the world for a while.

On one hand, I might call it procrastination—another one of my strong points. On the other, it could just be a matter of allowing my mind to drift off into the ethers where imagination lives, to a place where creation takes place and thoughts can be played out in the mind and possibilities explored, where futures can be written and rewritten based upon what feels like the best option, and where the mind can be used to heal, forgive, bless, and love.

So maybe I’ll get to that nagging stack of paper today before it topples over and buries me alive, or maybe not. Maybe I’ll get to those phone calls that I’ve promised myself that I would make, or maybe not. Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot of folks mumble about feeling lazy during this time, and putting off what doesn’t have to be done today because we seem to have a whole lot of tomorrows waiting in store. Maybe not.

Maybe this is the perfect time to set aside the gotta-do’s and sit on the back porch and dream a while. Dream of the possibilities. Dream about how to create a new and better world, not just for yourself but for all of us. Dream about what it would be like to live in a peaceful world where love is the leader and harmony rules. What better moment than this to just sit, think, and dream up a new and vastly improved world? As it is my assignment to write daily, perhaps it is also our joint assignment to write a new future for ourselves. We have it in us. We need only do it.

There really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and it’s waiting for us to claim it. So what say you? Are you in? Can you be counted on to help rewrite the future and dream up a new world? Can you just imagine such a thing? I hope so, because, let’s face it, we need all the help we can get. You and your thoughts matter!

Practice, Practice, Practice

Good morning. We have been waiting for you.

Yes, I know. I’m sorry. I got distracted by emails again. It is rude to keep You waiting.

We are always here with you, regardless of how long it takes you to join Us. Your arrival time is up to you. Each time you choose Us before all else serves to strengthen your will and moves you one step closer to the attainment of that which you desire.

I know, and before we go any farther here, I’d just like to take a minute to say thank you for always being there. For always being there, regardless of whether I show up or not. You wait for me no matter how long it takes, and I apologize whole heartedly for my dawdling ways. I imagine that you have plenty of stuff to do other than sit around and wait for me all day, or all month, or all year. So rude.

You are most welcome, dear one. And you are worth the wait, though we will most certainly rejoice when self-discipline tops your list of most important qualities to achieve.

I’m working on it, but obviously I still have a way to go. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time.

Is there something on your mind that you would like to talk about today?

Bunches.

Such as?

Such as making it through an entire night without stressing over what to write in the morning. That was exciting. I was also thinking about Bird by Bird, a wonderful little book that every aspiring writer should read. It is written by one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott, who mirrors my own behavior about seeking instant feedback from the submission of something that she wrote. In her case, it’s running to the mailbox the day after dropping the manuscript of a new book in the mailbox, and for me, it’s checking emails a hundred times a day to see if there has been any response from a recent button-pushing publishing event.

You suggested yesterday that whatever anyone thinks of me or Voices is none of my business. That bears repeating because it feels like a really important lesson for me—right up there with self-discipline, detachment, and letting go of the outcome. Please keep reminding me that none of it is any of my business. My business is just to write and push the publish button. Spiritual practice.

Fleeting thoughts drift in and out of my head too swiftly to be captured. Whatever it is or was that I thought I might write today went its own way without me. It happens like that. Sort of like life. Sometimes it’s best to just let go, let it flow, and have faith that it’s fine exactly the way it is.