30 minutes of your time, can transform your outlook on life…
This writing is for my friends and loved ones, believers and non-believers, whether you consider yourself religious or simply spiritual, or not. I was asked to give a scriptural reference for the ideas that I was sharing because I claimed that these ideas are biblical principles. May you see the correlation between the meanings and the symbols that are used to transform this “spiritual milk” into the “spiritual meat” to further your understanding and increase your joy of living. If you believe that there is a God, then you should not be offended that he has made us so powerful. If you are getting a glimpse of this infinite source within you, do not shrink in fear. Be humbled and in awe that the universe works the way it does!
We are all in this world together, but we all want something more, something better. To get that “something” better and transform our lives we have to start by changing our thinking and our habits. I Am simply sharing some ideas and you can voluntarily accept them or not. There is no pressure to convert you into a certain type of thinking, or to become disciples. Follow what is in your own heart. Explore the ideas that are your own. Find the greatness that is within you and no longer look outside of yourself wandering the desert.
There are no “Good” or “Bad” people, just people that are at different stages of growth in their life. Believe, Laugh, Mock or Be Perplexed. But, Be who you want to Be.
…And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. MARK 4:39
The Storm…
When things don’t go the way we think they should, we have a tendency to see the storm that is within projected outwardly into our surroundings. We are sometimes blind to our own contributions to these situations and even less so for global perspectives.
If you have ever been around animals you may have noticed that they are very sensitive to the environment. Whether it’s a person or another animal, they in a sense, are connected by way of feelings. Take bees for instance. If you are comfortable around them and have no fear of being stung, more than likely you will not be stung. You are comfortable and they are comfortable. On the flipside, if you are scared and waving your arms, trying to keep them away, they are defensive as well and you are very likely to “bee” stung. The same with most farm animals. They reflect your feelings much the same way. When you fear that they may harm you, you are more likely to get kicked or snapped at.
We can act the same way, by pushing others away when we are not comfortable around them. Any little irritant and we may find ourselves snapping at them. When someone around us is angry and snaps at us, or, is less than friendly, we usually say they are either upset or they are pushing our buttons and upsetting us. We act defensive naturally when being attacked and then we have a tendency to blame others for upsetting us. This is often a normal reaction to a hostile environment.
We have a common term used for animal reactions that we call “instinct”. This term often describes animal behavior because we usually believe they are not thinking beings like humans. When we find ourselves in such a negatively charged environment we are saying, in a sense, that we are in a ‘storm’.
…”And He Arose …”
Waking up the enlightened one within us is really only a matter of recognition. We will stop waiting for a promise of a helper or someone else to come and deliver us from all our problems. We will have a shift in our consciousness and we will understand that “He” is already at work in each and every one of us. This “HE” has been with you from the beginning of your formation actually. Hopefully, recognizing this powerful creative force within you, you will see what is meant by “He must be lifted up”.
This One true “Christ”(the word “christ” means…Fully Awakened) is within us as a part of us already. Some will call this greater “One” within us our “subconscious”. Some will say it is God or Jesus. Some will call it a universal “Field” that permeates everything or a “universal consciousness”. These are describing a principle that people vaguely understand and try to put into words. Words that are only pointing the way to “something” greater which is already within us. Maybe, or maybe not, you have recognized this powerful “something”. Life is showing us this powerful force within, and more, but we are so busy trying to make ends meet, that we miss what the visionaries of old were trying to convey to us about the all powerful “One”. We are also getting confused by all these philosophies and doctrines that are put out there because they seem to be in conflict with each other so we become divided against ourselves and others.
There is nothing wrong with thinking and having a philosophy of life and reflecting the true meaning of things. We should use it to set the “sails” of our little “boats”. We should not be tossed by the tides and the little storms that come our way. We are turned into slaves by not thinking and not seeking understanding. We should get into a habit of thinking of the way we want things to be and not be thinking of the way we think things are. We need to release all these cynical ideas that are holding us to the patterns of the past.
The truth is more simple really. If we just look within ourselves honestly we will accept this power that is within us and know that it is there already. Claim it and say “I Am” more than this flesh and bone and definitely more than an animal. I Am a sum of my Ideas and my Beliefs. If your “Beliefs” don’t seem to be working for you and are not steering you to the life you would rather have, you should probably try to open up to other ideas and ideals.
This “universal consciousness” can be found everywhere and in everything so do not worry about where to look or what to call it. Your honest intention will guide you and your own conscience. It will allow you to hear the truth in what others have to say as well allowing you to trim your sails and use that “wind” more efficiently.
Learning something simple can be the mirror that reveals us to ourselves and helps us to remove our own blindness. Like for instance, learning that animals reflect our feelings can give us a better understanding of the power operating within us. Knowing that animals sense our feelings can be a big relief when being around them and empower us when we are dealing with them. Just knowing that if we control our thinking and to not fear an attack, it is much easier and comfortable to be around them. We have removed the fear and cleared the air. Without this fear the clouds just disappear. It is a small step to take in understanding how to deal with others if you can make the connection by understanding this principle.
To rise in a tumultuous climate, first takes, as was said, an idea that you already have the power within you to do so. Words like “living by faith” is saying, in simple modern terms, that we trust the expression of our love, hopes and dreams will be made into a reality, and “I Am” going to act as if it is already true. We awaken this “power” simply by “knowing” that we can do something to make the situation better and allow it to get things moving for us.
Depending on the culture that you are comfortable in, you may use different words to describe this knowing, but the principle is shared across all cultures because it is a human experience whether you are religious or not.
Some call this “knowing” a faith, others call it trust, or a belief. Others may be so confident in an expected outcome that they will even call it a scientific fact or the “law of attraction”. Whatever term or words you choose, by “raising” your own awareness we can make a conscious choice to override this natural instinct of fear we have had in these hostile environments and not be carried away by them.
We can practice being comfortable, and everyday we become more and more of the change that we want to see outside of ourselves. We become calm on the inside because we understand, with this greater awareness, that we are creating our environment. If you do not yet see that you are creating it, you can at least acknowledge that you have an influence on the situation by how you “react” to the surroundings. What you do makes an impact either positively or negatively and it helps us to re-adjust our “sails”.
“And He Rebuked The Wind,”…
We can take a common expression that will help us to understanding how to be calm within ourselves. When we say, we are “blowing off steam”, we are really releasing the pressure of a situation by sharing our feelings though the “air” passing our vocal cords. This is usually, but not always, expressed in words. It can be as simple as a sigh. The point here is to recognize the wind. “Wind” is a very subtle force but can be a very “moving” one. It can be a very destructive force when it has gained a lot of momentum in our environment. It can also be used constructively when we harness its power to move things.
Whether we are talking about the weather or our words, it applies to both. It is meant as a metaphor that gives us a deeper understanding of ourselves and how to control the power that is given to us. How we use the power of our words is fundamental in what we are creating.
When we “rebuke” something or someone, we are expressing what we do not accept. Either the persons idea, or the situation, includes something that we do not agree with. For us it may be untrue based on our understanding at that moment. It is our “perception” that something is wrong. Regardless, if the “wind” is taking us to a place that we do not wish to go, we can again use our influence to stear our own lives(boats) and not be tossed around by these uncontrolled “instincts” that are plaguing our relationships, whether it is with our fellow man or beast.
We can add to this power that is storming all around us or we can counter its effect by calming others emotions and by redirecting it to a more constructive end just as with the wind.
A “rebuke” does not need to be a rant. We do not need to raise our voice to be heard. That is only likely to add destructive power to the situation we are trying to mend. We may not need to say anything to help. We can simply be there and our own calmness can be a great help. Somtimes we can lend a hand to ease an others burden. It’s better to not say anything if you have not seen a solution to make the situation better.
Sometimes we do need to speak what is on our mind to point out a solution. Again we may need to speak , but not speak up. We should not raise our voices, because it can and usually does puts animals and people into a defensive mode. Simply sharing what we have learned regarding the issue at hand will help others be at ease as long as your intent is to help and not belittle them . If you point something out, they may see what you are talking about and recognize the solution right away on their own. If it takes more explaining then do not get frustrated that they do not see. They may be overwhelmed and their understanding is “clouded” (typical of a storm) and not seeing clearly because of their frustration. If a situation causes frustration they may have lost their focus or even their will to be involved to find a solution.
Looking at the situation from your perspective, it is easier for you to see because of your calmness. You are not affected the way they are when they are feeling frustration. However, they might not be frustrated and only stating something that you may not believe to be true. We don’t have to “fix” people or their problems or even agree with them. We’re just here to help one another and to become “One” coherent whole.
“He Said Unto The Sea, Peace, Be Still.”
In other cases when we simply disagree with someone, your honesty should be given with a loving manner without drowning them. In our language we have an association with water and emotions. When we use terms like our emotions running deep we are suggesting this connection. A healthy attitude would be to want to help others instead of being the cause of someone’s frustration or we feel this negative effect immediately. See yourself and the person you are having problems with, in your imagination, having an amicable understanding and working out your differences and becoming friends. It will be much more likely to bring the peace that you were looking for into the situation. The rough waters will calm and the air will clear by the actions that you take and the words that you use. The power is within you just as it is written “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you”. It is up to us to make our ideals a reality by taking actions consistant with those ideals.
…And There Was A Great Calm
Whatever language you are comfortable using to describe your journey through this sea of energy in which we all live… More “Power” To You! And, Be thankful and joyful that it IS Already In you! Explore and be curious. Use the gifts that you have now so they do not dwindle away in old age or from lack of use. Be calm and know this power is ready to serve you, and does serve you according to your beliefs, whatever they are, as it has always done before you were aware of it. Knowing this brings a “Great Calm”. And, with love, fear will be cast out and figuratively bound in chains because it will have no power to control you, or enslave your thinking. The power within you would have you be free and have a healthy and happy life. You should not be at odds within yourself, which is ultimately a self destruction.
We are solely responsible for our own life and our consciousness is merely the rudder that directs this powerful force within. It is a perfect unconditional love that is intended to be our helper. It is an all knowing force as it is one continuous ocean of energy that permeates everything in it. It is serving your beliefs no matter how small you keep them or how large you let them grow.
“THE CHRIST” can do all things for those that believe. The question that you should ask yourself is “Am I willing to Believe that I Am able?” The person that was Jesus knew he and the Father were as One and was able to do it… and told others, “you shall do these works and more”. “Arise” and walk (this path) because you are not lame any longer.
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