Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Principles
Spiritual principles are embodied in everything we do, say, think and how we act. If we think they are not there, it is simply because we can't see them or recognize them.
Monday, March 3, 2008
BACKWARD AND FORWARD©
I missed one morning of not journaling and feeling guilty as hell! But, I’m back at it, thank God! A small voice from within me, whispers, “This is a test -- do all that you have agreed to do.” “I will, I will,” I cried! I promised myself then, to do that for myself every day and I have kept that one promised made many years ago.
I had a dream one night a few months ago about a white car; it was traveling in reverse, up an incline. Alongside the hill stood a female observer who kept repeating the words, “interesting, interesting…” There was a spiritual lesson in this for me but I did not know exactly what it could be. After a day of contemplation, what I came up with was that I was traveling backward in my spiritual unfolding. I accepted that truth and thought no more about it. Over the next couple of days, I began to think about leading a book discussion class, but I didn’t have a title of any one particular book that I wanted to discuss. One morning after practicing a spiritual exercise, singing the word HU (an ancient name for God and a holy sound, for me, a love song to The Creator).
Being silent for a few minutes in contemplation, I glanced up at the ceiling of my living room. I saw some imperfections in the stucco that I’d surely seen before, but never really seen, if you know what I mean. There were three jagged lines and they formed the letter “Z”. This has a great significance for me; it’s part of a nickname of my Spiritual Guide, Wahl Z.
My mind had began to wander about the duties and challenges that I faced, and my first thought was that this was a way for the Master to get my attention, to have me focus my attention on more of the infinite and the divine. What a revelation I thought! I then got my day started. I checked my e-mails, wrote letters and sent cards to friends, called a few people I hadn’t shared with in awhile. It was then that I remembered I hadn’t read anything uplifting to start my day. I glanced across the room and saw a book lying on a chair; I walked across the room, picked it up and opened the book at random.
I opened the book to a story in which the Master, the outer form of my Spiritual Master, told about a dream of a woman, also a spiritual seeker. He said, “Here is a spiritual dream, so that when you have one you will have a measure to compare it with.” I’d no idea how close to home it hit for me! The story was about a lady who was standing alongside the ocean. She was looking at the mounds of sand and found some booklets buried there. A Spiritual Master was there and read the message from one of the booklets for her. The message said, “You’ve won a white used car”. What stood out for her was that it was a “used” car. She wondered, “Why not a new car?” Still hoping for a “new” car, she pulled another booklet from the mound and the Master read, “You’ve won $113,000 in groceries.” Then the spiritual meaning became clear for her (as it did for me) that she’d taken a step backward in her spiritual life. The seeker was shocked to see just how attached she’d become to worldly things – and so was I!
“Wow,” I said aloud! This was proof positive for me that I too had taken a step backward in my spiritual life. I too had become attached to the material things, and this was a sure confirmation that I sought. It left no doubt that I’d interpreted my dream in exactly the right way -- the same way! I couldn’t have hoped for nor asked for an interpretation or proof more clear than what I’d received.
The spiritual significance of a car, for me, is that it most often represents a state of consciousness. A car, like a state of consciousness, transports you from one point to another; you travel (in both the outer world and the inner worlds) to another level or destination. Though I’m not sure if the car in my dream was a used car, the point was that I was trying to travel up hill – in reverse! I’d been trying to gain a higher state of consciousness by traveling in reverse on my journey to higher ground. This was quite a humbling revelation.
A friend, who is an exciting and creative artist, gifted me with a small picture-like postcard. In the painting, there is a beautiful little red car traveling up a steep incline, a hill. The scene is filled with all kinds of foliage, green grass, flowers, blue skies and yes, a few clouds. I love that picture; it’s just one of my favorites. Seated in the back seat of the red car is a woman smiling, appearing to be enjoying her journey uphill. Actually, the woman seated in the back looks a lot like my friend. But this particular morning, the woman in the seat took on another identity. The woman is me! It is I who sits in the seat of the little red car – this time, traveling uphill!
This revelation has allowed me to travel more easily into the higher planes, into higher states of consciousness. What a way to start the day I thought. And to think, I’m the best today, than I’ve ever been spiritually in all my lifetimes!
This is how I start my day, every day, with the thought that I am the best today than I’ve ever been spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. And because I love words and because words are so powerful, I speak those words to me, Soul, to the Universe, to the heavens, into the ethers -- this is my daily promise to myself, my declaration.
Love and Blessings,
I missed one morning of not journaling and feeling guilty as hell! But, I’m back at it, thank God! A small voice from within me, whispers, “This is a test -- do all that you have agreed to do.” “I will, I will,” I cried! I promised myself then, to do that for myself every day and I have kept that one promised made many years ago.
I had a dream one night a few months ago about a white car; it was traveling in reverse, up an incline. Alongside the hill stood a female observer who kept repeating the words, “interesting, interesting…” There was a spiritual lesson in this for me but I did not know exactly what it could be. After a day of contemplation, what I came up with was that I was traveling backward in my spiritual unfolding. I accepted that truth and thought no more about it. Over the next couple of days, I began to think about leading a book discussion class, but I didn’t have a title of any one particular book that I wanted to discuss. One morning after practicing a spiritual exercise, singing the word HU (an ancient name for God and a holy sound, for me, a love song to The Creator).
Being silent for a few minutes in contemplation, I glanced up at the ceiling of my living room. I saw some imperfections in the stucco that I’d surely seen before, but never really seen, if you know what I mean. There were three jagged lines and they formed the letter “Z”. This has a great significance for me; it’s part of a nickname of my Spiritual Guide, Wahl Z.
My mind had began to wander about the duties and challenges that I faced, and my first thought was that this was a way for the Master to get my attention, to have me focus my attention on more of the infinite and the divine. What a revelation I thought! I then got my day started. I checked my e-mails, wrote letters and sent cards to friends, called a few people I hadn’t shared with in awhile. It was then that I remembered I hadn’t read anything uplifting to start my day. I glanced across the room and saw a book lying on a chair; I walked across the room, picked it up and opened the book at random.
I opened the book to a story in which the Master, the outer form of my Spiritual Master, told about a dream of a woman, also a spiritual seeker. He said, “Here is a spiritual dream, so that when you have one you will have a measure to compare it with.” I’d no idea how close to home it hit for me! The story was about a lady who was standing alongside the ocean. She was looking at the mounds of sand and found some booklets buried there. A Spiritual Master was there and read the message from one of the booklets for her. The message said, “You’ve won a white used car”. What stood out for her was that it was a “used” car. She wondered, “Why not a new car?” Still hoping for a “new” car, she pulled another booklet from the mound and the Master read, “You’ve won $113,000 in groceries.” Then the spiritual meaning became clear for her (as it did for me) that she’d taken a step backward in her spiritual life. The seeker was shocked to see just how attached she’d become to worldly things – and so was I!
“Wow,” I said aloud! This was proof positive for me that I too had taken a step backward in my spiritual life. I too had become attached to the material things, and this was a sure confirmation that I sought. It left no doubt that I’d interpreted my dream in exactly the right way -- the same way! I couldn’t have hoped for nor asked for an interpretation or proof more clear than what I’d received.
The spiritual significance of a car, for me, is that it most often represents a state of consciousness. A car, like a state of consciousness, transports you from one point to another; you travel (in both the outer world and the inner worlds) to another level or destination. Though I’m not sure if the car in my dream was a used car, the point was that I was trying to travel up hill – in reverse! I’d been trying to gain a higher state of consciousness by traveling in reverse on my journey to higher ground. This was quite a humbling revelation.
A friend, who is an exciting and creative artist, gifted me with a small picture-like postcard. In the painting, there is a beautiful little red car traveling up a steep incline, a hill. The scene is filled with all kinds of foliage, green grass, flowers, blue skies and yes, a few clouds. I love that picture; it’s just one of my favorites. Seated in the back seat of the red car is a woman smiling, appearing to be enjoying her journey uphill. Actually, the woman seated in the back looks a lot like my friend. But this particular morning, the woman in the seat took on another identity. The woman is me! It is I who sits in the seat of the little red car – this time, traveling uphill!
This revelation has allowed me to travel more easily into the higher planes, into higher states of consciousness. What a way to start the day I thought. And to think, I’m the best today, than I’ve ever been spiritually in all my lifetimes!
This is how I start my day, every day, with the thought that I am the best today than I’ve ever been spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. And because I love words and because words are so powerful, I speak those words to me, Soul, to the Universe, to the heavens, into the ethers -- this is my daily promise to myself, my declaration.
Love and Blessings,
Brenda
Thouhgts and Words -- Something to Think About
Dear Friend,
Here is something to not only “think about” but seeds that can be contemplated or meditated upon as you go about your busy lives today. We're all are, I would I guess, endeavoring to become a truth unto ourselves (if we're not already there) “so that wherever we are, we RECOGNIZE [emphasis added] the presence of God..." and see the God in other beings.
“Thoughts, words, and acts are seeds sown, and, by the inviolable law of things, they produce after their kind. - Above Life's Turmoil Thoughts are powerful as are our actions. Words too are powerful. I put effort into using words to uplift, bring light, encourage and empower but words can be dream-killers also. You know the old adage, “It’s not what you say -- it’s how you say it.” Well, it’s true. I say it’s true because it is for me. I learn a lesson in that area every single day in my journey here on planet earth. In the not too distant past, I used many dream-killer words, not really giving thought to the words that I spoke to myself as well as to others. Like, when asked, “How is life treating you?” My response would sometimes be like, “My life sucks, right now,” or when challenges were coming every which way, “When it rains it pours.” Mm, now that I’ve learned (am still learning) that when speaking in that manner, I was only manifesting more of those thoughts into my world and as I look back, I now realize the truth was that I got more of those thoughts that I turned into words and my life reflected it.
A Spiritual Law or Universal Law, “when we speak something we give power to it.” When we increase our belief in some on thing, anything, we give power to it.” What words are you thinking, what words are you speaking? Many people just love to “speak” their mind. How many times have you heard (or maybe you’ve said it yourself), “I’m the type of person who speaks my mind!” Well, the mind sometimes get in the way of the heart, or what you really want to say and will oftentimes lead you to say what you wished to say, the wrong way. Think about the connection between the words you speak and the challenges that you’re experiencing.
Teachings of most all faiths to one extent or the other, acknowledge that the spoken word has “power.” “Hindu writings tell of yogis that have used mantras to light fires, materialize physical objects like food and even influence the outcome of battles. In the Christian Bible, we find these words in the Gospel of Mark, "those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." So, I would like to suggest you, “Say what you mean, but don’t be mean saying it.” Mm, something to think about…
Love and Blessings,
Brenda
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/brenda_crawfordbee.html
Here is something to not only “think about” but seeds that can be contemplated or meditated upon as you go about your busy lives today. We're all are, I would I guess, endeavoring to become a truth unto ourselves (if we're not already there) “so that wherever we are, we RECOGNIZE [emphasis added] the presence of God..." and see the God in other beings.
“Thoughts, words, and acts are seeds sown, and, by the inviolable law of things, they produce after their kind. - Above Life's Turmoil Thoughts are powerful as are our actions. Words too are powerful. I put effort into using words to uplift, bring light, encourage and empower but words can be dream-killers also. You know the old adage, “It’s not what you say -- it’s how you say it.” Well, it’s true. I say it’s true because it is for me. I learn a lesson in that area every single day in my journey here on planet earth. In the not too distant past, I used many dream-killer words, not really giving thought to the words that I spoke to myself as well as to others. Like, when asked, “How is life treating you?” My response would sometimes be like, “My life sucks, right now,” or when challenges were coming every which way, “When it rains it pours.” Mm, now that I’ve learned (am still learning) that when speaking in that manner, I was only manifesting more of those thoughts into my world and as I look back, I now realize the truth was that I got more of those thoughts that I turned into words and my life reflected it.
A Spiritual Law or Universal Law, “when we speak something we give power to it.” When we increase our belief in some on thing, anything, we give power to it.” What words are you thinking, what words are you speaking? Many people just love to “speak” their mind. How many times have you heard (or maybe you’ve said it yourself), “I’m the type of person who speaks my mind!” Well, the mind sometimes get in the way of the heart, or what you really want to say and will oftentimes lead you to say what you wished to say, the wrong way. Think about the connection between the words you speak and the challenges that you’re experiencing.
Teachings of most all faiths to one extent or the other, acknowledge that the spoken word has “power.” “Hindu writings tell of yogis that have used mantras to light fires, materialize physical objects like food and even influence the outcome of battles. In the Christian Bible, we find these words in the Gospel of Mark, "those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." So, I would like to suggest you, “Say what you mean, but don’t be mean saying it.” Mm, something to think about…
Love and Blessings,
Brenda
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/brenda_crawfordbee.html
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Future is Now
Dear Friend,
"The future comes one day at a time.” -- Dean Acheson
"At the center of the universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service.” -- Fred Rogers
"Goals are a preview of future events and experiences in your life.” -- Mark Victor Hansen
"When you focus on what might have been, it gets in the way of what can be.” -- Patricia Fripp
How about that -- that the future is now, today, not tomorrow or the next day or weeks or months or years away, it’s right here in this moment. One day at a time is all there is, really, today, this moment, right where you are now. What are you doing about the future in your day, today? That’s the true question and one that I ask of myself most often these days. The truth to this question for me is, all that I am capable of. And being aware of my true self, I’m capable of doing great things in my future, in my today, and endeavor to do it one day at a time. One of my goals is to be and live in the moment, truly, not just give lip service to that. There is nothing I can not do, or be, or become. I must endeavor to hear the sound, and listen; listen to the voice of The Creator all around me, within me and within all humankind.
“Listen to the voice, hear what its saying, hush…”
Love and Blessings,
Brenda
THE FUTURE
"The future comes one day at a time.” -- Dean Acheson
"At the center of the universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service.” -- Fred Rogers
"Goals are a preview of future events and experiences in your life.” -- Mark Victor Hansen
"When you focus on what might have been, it gets in the way of what can be.” -- Patricia Fripp
How about that -- that the future is now, today, not tomorrow or the next day or weeks or months or years away, it’s right here in this moment. One day at a time is all there is, really, today, this moment, right where you are now. What are you doing about the future in your day, today? That’s the true question and one that I ask of myself most often these days. The truth to this question for me is, all that I am capable of. And being aware of my true self, I’m capable of doing great things in my future, in my today, and endeavor to do it one day at a time. One of my goals is to be and live in the moment, truly, not just give lip service to that. There is nothing I can not do, or be, or become. I must endeavor to hear the sound, and listen; listen to the voice of The Creator all around me, within me and within all humankind.
“Listen to the voice, hear what its saying, hush…”
Love and Blessings,
Brenda
Everything You Do
"The principles of the spiritual life are embodied in everything that we do. If we think they are not there, it is simply because we can't see them or recognize them."
My suggestion and a spiritual exercise to use is to do your best in everything you do, say, think feel and how you act. Do it for the good of the whole and for upliftment. Declare it to be a karmaless act.
Love and Blessings,
My suggestion and a spiritual exercise to use is to do your best in everything you do, say, think feel and how you act. Do it for the good of the whole and for upliftment. Declare it to be a karmaless act.
Love and Blessings,
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