Paradise Perspective

I’m thinking about peace today, because it’s the season when we pay attention to the concept of “peace on earth” and because last night I watched a documentary about the “peaceniks” of the ‘70’s.  Most of us have looked at peace as something that we’re waiting for.  Something that might happen if everyone else in the world will be different in a way that is peaceful for us.  Expecting peace to be the result of some outside influence is erroneous and will prove unproductive.

While a resistance to war or any undesirable situation would be the usual response within the present paradigm, resistance is an energy and an attention that only serves to perpetuate the object of focus.  The world and all things and situations are effects.  Our thoughts and intentions (habitual ways of being) are the cause.  The only way for peace on earth to be “caused” is for ME to have a consciousness of peace. 

Jesus was and is that consciousness.  The birth of the man, Jesus, was an introduction into materiality of a prime example of the “way” to be.  I believe his performance of miracles and his assurance that “you can do these things, and even greater than these” is the truth.

He did not resist the conditions.  He only brought peace to them, and an understanding that outside of space and time those very conditions did not exist.  He only blessed them and set them free. 

As we are eternal, the invisible, infinite being that we really are, is always at peace.  Letting go of our material centeredness and all of it’s trappings will accomplish for us the promised conditions and, ultimately, world peace.  The world (of effects) has little to do with peace.  We have to be the source by perceiving the perfection of creation and responding to God’s perfection rather than the imperfect effects of our own thoughts.

 Be at peace, and be always blessed.  

I have become reacquainted with my feet. Interesting. Now that we have been doing our “5 Tibetans” for two months, I am able to bend myself in ways that have been elusive for many years. After my bath today, I scrubbed off dead skin and massaged in some yummy peppermint cream. As I did so, I welcomed my feet back and thanked them for their continuing service in my absence. When last I could reach them physically, I lacked the time and the inclination to do such things beyond an errant thought here and there. Cutting toenails up until now had been an unpleasant struggle.

I’m also more aware of my hands. They have not been elusive as much as ignored. We use our hands for everything—me, mine especially. Being grateful for their service to me adds a dimension of awareness applicable to the rest: The beating of my heart, digestion, elimination, etc.

This is what I think is happening: With focus on transcending my body centeredness, my eternal Self is coming to terms with the actual experience that is physical. Trying to perceive transcendent reality (paradise perspective) can conceivably result in more profound “aliveness”. Physical centeredness imposes limitations. Spiritual inclination can greatly reduce and even eliminate them. Here’s how. While desiring a certain physical condition, a person cannot achieve the desired effect of that condition without it. Understanding that we are not primarily physical beings gives us the liberation we need to achieve whatever desired effect or emotional/mental experience we want no matter what the condition. Once the fulfilled desire is effectively experienced, the conditions will fall in line, but it won’t matter. I will no longer need the condition to accomplish the effect.

We have it all backwards! Know your Self, be grateful for your self, and be unlimited.

Yesterday, I had a lovely outing with my good friend, Kathy (K).  We went to a craft show/sale, out to lunch and shopping.  She is special to me because unlike many of the people I know locally, I can talk to K about anything.  We can disagree and not be offended or feel unsupported.  Time spent with her refreshes me and I hope to get more!

On the ride to my rendezvous with K, I picked up a man walking; a local evangelist (L), who customarily witnesses (his fundamental Christian perspective) for the endurance of any ride.  He regurgitates scripture endlessly with no desire to entertain question or discussion.  He jumps and shouts “Hallelujah” and “Praise the Lord” repeatedly. 

At one point, he mentioned that he’d been studying the bible (King James, of course) for 40 years.  I hastened to assert that I myself have been studying for at least that long, only many different religious and philosophical perspectives.  He was then filled with fear and loathing.  He immediately vowed to pray fervently for my soul to be filled with God’s spirit and forgiveness.  The dialogue continued roughly thus:

Me:  So, God ISN’T everywhere

L:  Bible says God IS everywhere

Me:  Then why would you need to pray for God’s presence in my soul?

L:  You must accept God into your heart for Him to be there.

Me:  That’s a contradiction.  It’s also a condition.  I thought God’s love was UNconditional.

L:  It is.  But you need to be forgiven.

Me:  That’s also a condition.  But I thought Jesus died on the cross for my sins.  The price is paid.  We ARE forgiven.

L:  Oh, Lord, Lord help this girl.  Help her, Lord, save her from herself.

I wished L well as he left, but he did not respond or look back at me.  I suspect that he will not ride with me again, although I could be wrong about that.  But here’s the revelation:  On the one hand, I DO need saving from myself because it was in the spirit of challenge that I spoke of my perspective with him, and not necessarily “sharing” which is what I want to call it.  On the other hand, it doesn’t really matter what I call it, or what my intention is, ever.  L is entitled to his way of being and will respond to everything and everyone according to what that way is.  I am likewise entitled to mine.

The little dance that I did with L was just that.  I felt afterward the sense of expandedness that I always feel when I get to dialogue with someone concerning my favorite subject.  Whatever L feels is commensurate with his own habitual way of responding to such things, and no matter how much I desire for him (or anyone) to respond differently, I am powerless.  The alternative would be to not engage.  I’m a Leo, for God’s sake!!

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