What is Love...Really? (LLJL)

What is Love, Really?
 

The other day, in my morning reading I came across something that really blew me away, it was this little gem by Robert H. Ingersoll, 

“Love is the only bow on life's dark cloud.
It is the Morning and the Evening Star.
It shines upon the cradle of the babe,
and sheds its radiance upon the quiet tomb.
It is the mother of Art,
inspirer of poet, patriot, and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart, builder of every home,
kindler of every fire on every hearth.

It was the first to dream of immortality.
It fills the world with melody,
for Music is the voice of Love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter,
that changes worthless things to joy,
and makes right royal kings and queens of common clay.

It is the perfume of the wondrous flower -- the heart
and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon,
we are less than beasts;
but with it, earth is heaven
and we are gods.”

 "What is Love?"  We use it so often, we talk about it in reference to food, books, movies, shoes, clothes, our pets, and yes, sometimes, even people. 

And sometimes, I think, we use it so much, we forget what the true essence of this word is...and we forget to really become the experience of Love.

I wonder, does anyone remember the little comic in the daily paper, (and I am really dating myself here folks) called, Love Is...

I remember I used to clip them out quite often and put them in the picture windows in my wallet...it was sort of a "trendy" ritual that my friends and I used to practice.

Well, the other day, I came across this article, that reminded of those cute, funny and oftentimes very profound little bits of wisdom.  The article was about a group of professional people who posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca - age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4

Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen," Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," Nikka - age 6

"There are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love. But God makes both kinds of them." Jenny - age 8

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore," Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - age 6
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine -age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget," Jessica - age 8

And at the end of this article was this final story...
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

There is so much to learn about Love...through the eyes and the heart of a child.

The one who is known as, the "Maharaji" when asked what love was, replied...
“If you want to be in love, begin by loving each breath.
Begin by falling in love with understanding, with clarity, with the truest sincerity.
These are the angels in your life.
When all is dark, they come—all lit, graceful, beautiful with clarity.

One second of clarity and all the darkness vaporizes.
Don't try to remove the darkness—it won't work.
All you have to do is usher in the light.
Fall in love with living.
Fall in love with that which is within you.”

You see, we are always looking for that elusive thing or person that will bring that feeling of love to us...we view it as this elusive something, outside of ourselves...something we have catch like the "Love Bug" or plead for, or suffer for, or make amends to, or even steal.

Sometimes, we feel we have to earn love...that we have to become worthy, or perfect, "whatever that means" in order to experience love.

But I have come to understand, that it is always right we are...in every place we go...in every person we meet...in every experience...in every situation...no matter what the appearance may be...it is all Love.  You see, Love has no conditions, it doesn't matter what our state of mind is, what we are going through, if we are short, tall, fat, thin...Love doesn't care.  All we have to do is breathe, open our hearts...and Be.
Children get this, they know that Love has no expectations...that it is everywhere present...and is a part of everyone and everything... 

We were all born as the result of a simple act of love...the act of creation...which is everywhere present can only come into form through the power of Love...and we are all endowed with this sacred gift...this power.. as participatory creators in a participatory Universe, fueled by the energy of love.

What will you create today?

Will you create Chaos...or Peace?
Confusion...or Clarity?
Pain...or Healing?
Resentment...or Forgiveness?
Sorrow...or Joy?
Tears...or Laughter?
Separation...or Love?

Marianne Williamson, writes, in "A Return to Love", that "when we were born, we were programmed perfectly.  We had a natural tendency to focus on love.  Our imaginations were creative and flourishing, and we knew how to use them.  We were connected to a world much richer than the one we connect to now, a world full of enchantment and a sense of the miraculous."

So what happened? Why is it that we reached a certain age, looked around, and the enchantment was gone?  Because we were taught to focus elsewhere.  We were taught to think "unnaturally" We were taught an "error" philosophy, a way of looking at the world that directly contradicts with who we really are.
We were taught to think thoughts like competition, struggle, sickness, finite resources, limitation, guilt, bad, death, scarcity, and loss.  We began to think these things, and so we began to know them.  We were taught that things like grades, being good enough, money and doing things within the system, or the right way, are more important than love. 

We were taught that we're separate from other people, that we have to compete to get ahead, that we're not quite good enough the way we are...that we aren't enough.
Love is what we were born with.  Fear, separation and doubt is what we learned here.  The spiritual journey is the relinquishment, or unlearning, of fear and the acceptance of love back into our hearts.  Love is the essential existential fact.

It is our ultimate reality and our purpose on earth.  To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life.

Meaning doesn't lie in things.  Meaning lies in us. 

Love is within us.  It cannot be destroyed, but can only be hidden.

We came here to co-create with God by extending love. And this can only happen when we release the grip of fear.

 Marianne writes, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

This my friends, is the true essence of Love.

As Zora Neale Hurston writes,
"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place."

Paying Attention to Red Flags ~ Daily Om

Warning Signs

Paying Attention to Red Flags

 

Red flags often come in the form of feelings urging us to pause for a moment, listen to our intuition, and reconsider.

Just as the universe wants to provide for our needs, it also seeks to protect us from dangerous situations, destructive relationships, and even minor inconveniences. Frequently in our lives, perhaps everyday, we encounter psychic red flags warning us of potential problems or accidents. We may not always recognize the signs. However, more often than not, we may choose to ignore our intuition when it tells us that “something just isn’t right.”

Red flags often come in the form of feelings urging us to pause for a moment, listen to our intuition, and reconsider. We may even experience a “bad” feeling in our bellies. This is a red flag letting us know that there may be a problem. We may not even know what the red flag is about. All we know is that the universe is trying to wave us in a different direction. We just have to pay attention and go another way. We may even wonder whether we are paranoid or imagining things. However, when we look back at a situation or relationship where there were red flags, it becomes easy to understand exactly what those warning signs meant. More often than not, a red flag is not a false warning. Rather, it is the universe’s way of informing us, through our own innate guidance system, that our path best lies elsewhere.

We may try to ignore the red flags waving our way, dismissing our unease as illogical. Yet it is always in our best interest to pay attention to them. For example, we may meet someone who outwardly seems perfect. They are intelligent, attractive, and charming. Yet, for some reason, being around them makes us feel uneasy. Any interactions we have with them are awkward and leave us feeling like there is something “off” about the situation. This is not necessarily a bad person. But, for some reason, the universe is directing us away from them. Red flags are intended with our best interests at heart. No harm can ever come from stopping long enough to heed a red flag. Pay attention to any red flags that pop up. The universe is always looking out for you.

~ Daily Om

Laughter from "Pathways to the Soul by Carlos Warter, MD, PHD

Laughter from "Pathways to the Soul by Carlos Warter, MD, PHD

Laughter

Laughter is the sound of the soul at play.
Life without laughter leaves out something vital.
Philosophers, healers and sages know the power of opening ourselves to the Universe with a good "Belly Laugh".
Goethe wrote, "The man of understanding finds everything laughable; the man of reason, almost nothing.
Schiller said, "Man is only human when he is at play," and Schopenhauer muses..."a sense of humor, is the only Divine quality in man."

When we laugh we are in the present moment, and also everywhere else.
With laughter our inner light assumes an infinite and timeless expansion.
Laughter frees us of the burdens of our story lines, our judge, and any sense of resistance we might feel to the present moment.
When we share our laughter, we free others of similar burdens.
Laughter is the great equalizer.
It joins us with God.

An Apache myth has it that the Creator made human beings able to do everything---talk, run, look and hear. But he was not satisfied until man could do just one thing more---laugh.
And so man laughed and laughed and laughed.
Then the Creator said, "Now you are fit to live!"

Laughter brings levity to every experience.
Like yeast in dough, it makes us rise!
Unnecessary defenses float away; our story lines leave us; we no longer stand at the center of our Universe.
Laughter opens us to the giant, joyous space at the depths of our being and fills it with Divine Energy.

Such are the blessings of Laughter!

-Carlos Warter

I am a Point of Light by Disciples Mantram

I am a Point of Light

I Am a Point of Light
I am a point of light within a greater Light.
I am a strand of loving energy within the stream of Love divine.
I am a point of sacrificial fire focused within the fiery Will of God.
And thus I stand.

I am a way by which men may achieve.
I am a source of strength, enabling them to stand.
I am a beam of light, shining upon their way.
And thus I stand.

And standing thus, revolve.
And tread this way the ways of men,
And know the ways of God.
And thus I stand.

- Disciples Mantram

I Want to be in Awe! ~ Jon Odell

I Want to be in Awe!

 "Stop asking me to be practical, to be reasonable, to look at logic, to do the responsible thing.

You are now forewarned:
if you are to be a friend of mine you will do nothing to ensure that my feet are on the ground.
If you need me, don't look for me in the company of levelheaded people.
They bore me.
They weigh me down with statistics and stories of dream-flyers who melted their wings and fell into the sea.
So what if I get a little wet?
Never to be surprised is to stop God in his tracks.
I don't want to understand anything anymore.
I want to be in Awe!"
-Jon Odell

An Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou

An Amazing Peace by the "Beloved Angel" Maya Angelou

An Amazing Peace - Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.

Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
implore you to stay awhile with us
so we may learn by your shimmering light
how to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.
On this platform of peace, we can create a language
to translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.
At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ

Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues the coming of hope.
All the earth’s tribes loosen their voices to celebrate the promise of
Peace.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul

2008 - The Great Leap that would not be denied ~ (LLJL)

2008 - The Great Leap that would not be denied.

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 8:48pm

 

2008 - The Great Leap - Linda Lorenzo

Looking back on this past year, has been an emotional and moving experience.

It was a year of many changes and transitions...most self imposed, but not without some sense of trepidation and at times moments of stark terror in moving into uncomfortable and unfamiliar territory.

This was the year of significant endings and life altering beginnings.

Making the transition from the security of for over 30 years, relying on a corporate paycheck for my livelihood, to the unknown world of self employment.
&
The releasing of & moving on from several significant relationships that no longer served my rapidly shifting values, beliefs and lifestyle.

I was entering strange new & untrod ground...a move that would have terrified me just a couple years ago.

It was a leap of faith...with not much of a net, to speak of...with no idea what was ahead or what I was doing...heading out into the unknown, on my own, armed only with the feeling in my gut that it could not be any other way.

Moving forward based only on the intense passion that comes with the knowing, that you can no longer live a life that is not in complete alignment with your true purpose and mission, a life of pure authenticity...it had me and it had taken on a life of its own...

It was the leap that could not, and would not, be denied.

Through it all, yes, my faith was tested, challenged, bombarded and attacked. And in spite of it all, or maybe I should say, because of it all...I have reached a point in my life of experiencing the exhilaration of true Freedom, Acceptance and Joy.

I have learned that we must be willing to joyously release who we have been...
to become who we were meant to be!

I have learned that I already have everything that I need...
and that all that I have...and all that I Am, is enough.

I have learned to trust completely on Spirit and the unseen but ever-present forces of the Universe that are, truly, conspiring on my behalf...and then, to release all into their loving embrace & perfect unfoldment.

I have learned that all I need to do is dream, show up...and let Spirit deliver my dream to the world.

I have learned that I am not alone, neither on this plane or any other. That, we were not put here to accomplish our dreams, desires, purpose and mission alone...that there are not only heavenly angels and helpers, but, also, earth angels who were sent to walk this path with us.

I would never had made it to this place of incredible joy, freedom, fulfillment, peace and purpose without the help of those earth angels...they have been there with me throughout this process in many forms and situations, family, children, friends, mentors and strangers...they have bailed me out and lifted me up.

Some are my mentors, sheros and life examples, who are not aware of their contribution and the influence they have had over my life, through their writings and spiritual work. They have been there also, giving me the strength, courage & inspiration to dare to live a life without compromise...

I have, blessedly, spent this year in the beautiful reverie of "entertaining angels, unaware".

I have indeed been richly blessed this year in so many ways, beyond measure, heaped up and to overflowing. But what I am most grateful for were the gifts of the heart...the gifts that I received through it all, from my fellow travelers, teachers, mentors...friends.

Without fail, they have...

-Supported, encouraged, poked and prodded me to express my highest and best.

-Come into my life in miraculous and serendipitous ways.

-Said "Yes!"...when I know what they really wanted to say was "No!"

-Kept me steady...and away from the edge.

-Pushed me beyond my comfort zone...and when I was ready to fly...pushed me back to the edge again.

-Graced me with their unconditional love, wisdom, acceptance and understanding.

-Held the vision for me...when my faith was all but gone.

-Hugged me & held me tight...with warm and open arms.

-Made me laugh...until I was breathless and sore.

-Healed me...when I was broken and tired.

-Always kept the faith...for me...and in me.

-Patiently listened & listened & then listened some more...when I know how tired they were of listening.

-Offered me invaluable wisdom, infinite compassion...and soggy shoulders to cry on.

-Showed me in so many ways...how grateful they were that I was here.

-Gave me the opportunity to serve... and to love them in return.

-Miraculously made that timely phone call, wrote that email, gave me that smile or touch...and said just the right words that I needed to hear.

-Became my Fairy Godmothers (and) Godfathers...waving their magic over my world.

-Blessed me with their sincere & positive intentions...and their non-judgmental & loving feedback.

-And, Always, held me up in the Light of their Friendship and Love...

Giving Spirit the Glory...

HEARTFELT/HEARTSENT

From every part of my being & all that I Am.

I gratefully & lovingly dedicate this remarkable year to them!

Seeds of Truth and Light by Celia Fenn

Seeds of Truth and Light - Celia Fenn

Seeds of Truth and Light - Celia Fenn

Awakening to the New Earth and Living as a Master of Light

The Energies for January 2009

Archangel Michael through Celia Fenn

"As we emerge into the New Earth...we are Safe!

Beloved Lightworkers and Masters of Light, you begin here another year on your Beloved Planet Earth. At this time, you appear to face many challenges as you move forward into New Earth Consciousness. Beloved Ones, You are Awake, and now is the time to see these challenges as blessings, as the Seeds of Truth and Light are made manifest in your lives, and you are empowered to live as Masters of Light and to Co-Create your own lives through the Divine Blessing of the Christ Consciousness. You have indeed begun to live as Masters of Light in your rapidly transforming Fifth-dimensional New Earth.

Beloved Masters of Light, as your old economic and financial systems crumble and revealed to be nothing more than systems of greed based on manipulation and illusion, you will begin to see also that many of the other "secure" systems of your old reality are nothing more than control and illusion. And, we ask at this time that you do not panic, but rejoice because you are being set free from centuries of domination and control and you are moving into the Freedom that you will create with the Divine Light within you.

Gradually, Beloved Ones, you have come to see that you are not slaves to that system called "money", but that you are always supported and your needs are always met when you assume your Mastery and trust in the Divine Light of Source to create and manifest what is needed to support your life. It has been a powerful illusion that "money" is what creates security, and Beloved Ones, you have worked hard to free yourselves from that illusion and to see that it is the Flow of Divine Love and Abundance that sustains your needs, and that money is merely a symbol of exchange in this process. But that symbol of exchange was manipulated to become so powerful that bit was able to imprison you in a belief that you were slaves of this method of exchange and that you needed to trade your lives to gain enough to survive. Now, as emerging Masters of Light, you are taking back your power to manifest whatever it is that you need in any way through your power to transmute Light into Matter through desire and passion from the Heart. You will, indeed, continue to co-create together within the framework of an "economy", but the New Earth economy will vibrate with passion, enthusiasm, ideas, and playful Masters manifesting their dreams and desires to be celebrated and shared with all. The "slavery" of the old system will fall away as individuals find their passion and their ability to ignite passion into abundant manifestation, which is your birthright on this beautiful Planet.

And yes, this is not the only Seed of Light and Truth that will flower in your New Earth Consciousness. You will begin, in this new period, to see other "systems" begin to falter as the illusions that underlie them are revealed. Your Health systems will come under great pressure, as the greed and manipulations related to money become evident. Beloved Ones, your Human Angelic body is a miraculous self-healing instrument for Divine Consciousness. It was designed to serve you, and to allow you to live in Joy and Comfort on the Earth. It has the ability to heal miraculously if it is supported in its natural functions. But, if you suppress its natural healing forces and switch off the flows of healing life force with toxic beliefs and toxic substances, then you do not allow your body to be the miraculous instrument that it was truly designed to be. And so, in this coming year, you will begin to connect more fully with your own inner Healing Power. The Golden Light of the Christ Consciousness has the power to heal spontaneously and to maintain Perfect Health when it is activated in you. As Masters of Light, you will learn how to assume responsibility for your health and well-being, and will gently guide others to release themselves from the enslavement to sickness and disease and those who benefit from the cycles of physical suffering that some souls have chosen to lock themselves into as a heritage of guilt and shame. Beloved Ones, as Masters of Light, accept that you are Perfect and that you can manifest such perfection through light in your physical being, and that you can create health and well-being in your physical biology through Light and Balance.

And so, Beloved Ones, as your old systems crumble too, you will see how your Education system has also been distorted to serve the needs of "money" and to provide individuals who will "fit" into the systems of financial enslavement that you have called "earning a living". Now, in the New Earth, as you reclaim the right to live a life of Passion and Creativity, your Education systems will come under increasing pressure to become places where children and young people can express the passions of their souls and explore their gifts and talents with the full support of their community. Young people will no longer be "tailored" to the system and forced to conform, but education will be a way of nurturing the Divine Gifts of each beautiful soul. It has been almost 40 years since the first wave of Indigo Beings came to Earth with the express purpose of showing you that young people who were "wired" for Christ Consciousness would no longer accept being distorted in their souls by education systems that were based on forms of imprisonment and control. It is time for the gift of free self and soul expression as Masters of Light in the New Earth. And, as these changes occur, you will find that what you always suspected, that your children are infinitely wiser and more gifted than you would acknowledge, and that they have great gifts of Creativity and Wisdom to share when they are allowed to develop themselves as Masters of their own Light.

And now, Beloved Ones, we will speak of one more system that will come under increasing pressure, that system of beliefs called "religion". As you become Masters of Light you will begin to perceive how Sacred Truth has been distorted. You will begin to perceive how you have been enslaved for many centuries by systems of belief that taught you about your "imperfection" and "evil". You were led to believe that you were "fallen" from God's Love and Grace, and that you needed to work and suffer to be redeemed. You were taught that suffering and death were "punishments". You were led to believe that you were trapped even beyond death by systems of karma that "recycled" you back to Earth to "learn your lesson" in an endless drama of reciprocal suffering and that maybe one day you would be able to break out when you were "enlightened" enough. You were taught that you were damaged, and that you need to be "saved", and if not, you were destined for eternal suffering even beyond death. Beloved Ones, these enslaving beliefs have kept you locked into trauma and violence for thousands of years. You have fought wars within yourselves through the forces of duality, and you have fought wars amongst yourselves as an externalization of these conflicting forces of anger and guilt as you have defended your belief systems from others with different beliefs. Know, Beloved Ones, that these belief systems are nothing more than ways of channeling embodied souls into a desired and known outcome by creating that outcome as an expectation or a "product" of the system. These systems of belief kept you locked into this level of experience and have not allowed you to evolve to new levels. It was like a form of "soul addiction", with souls returning to Earth to play out the same cycles and dramas of violence and suffering in the name of religion.

Beloved Masters of Light, every Avatar or Ascended Master that has walked this Earth has taught you the message of Unconditional Love and Self Empowerment through your inner Divinity and Light. Every Master and Avatar has come to show you that you are a Master of Light and that you are Avatar of Divine Consciousness. And yet, these teachings have been received at lower vibrations and distorted into belief systems and religions. Beloved Ones, we ask that you respect the belief choices of others as their right on a Planet of Free Choice, but as you rise into the Golden Light of Higher Consciousness, free yourselves from systems of belief that limit your awareness to the Divine Light within You, the Christ Light within every Being on the Planet.

Know that your relationship with God, with the Divine Light within you, is your own unique and beautiful gift. It cannot be taught to you through religion or by another Master. A Master may set an example and share wisdom, but he or she will not tell you how to experience your own unique Divinity, for they cannot hear and experience your communion with God as you do. Indeed, at this time, Beloved Ones, as you emerge as Masters of Light, your work is to empower this Mastery in others, not through systems of belief, but through the way that you live in Unconditional Love, Trust and Joy, and your sacred ability to manifest all that you need in Divine Order.

For, in the New Earth, each Awakened Being will enter into their own Sacred Communion with the Divine Source within, and systemized belief will fall away. You will join together to celebrate ceremonies and rituals of Light and Gratitude only according to the inner motivations of your Heart and Spirit, and you will follow the Divine Guidance of your own Inner Christ Light or Divine Truth. You will share with those whose Heart Light resonates with yours as you move into the Sacred Gift of Oneness, of the "One Heart" and "One Soul" that is the Source of all Love and Light.

Beloved Ones! It is a Blessed Time!


Live Life "Naturally" and Without Fear
Beloved Ones, as you awaken to the Christ Light within you, you will experience your own Divinity and Perfection. You will know yourself as pure Love and Joy. You will know yourself as a Human Angelic Being – Light and Matter combined in the service of the Light.
Beloved Ones, it has taken many lifetimes for you to evolve to this point where your physical bodies can carry the Light of Oneness as a Planetary Consciousness. Yes, indeed, there were times in Lemuria and Atlantis, when you lived at Higher levels of Consciousness and Harmony with the Earth, but you were not yet a Planetary Consciousness of Unity as you are now;. Beloved Ones, you have evolved the precious Light of Divine Consciousness to embrace your Planet in the Love of your Heart and Souls, as One. And so, you have created the Planetary Grid that supports the Flow of the Golden Flame of Peace and Abundance.

This is a powerful energy and it will support your lives as new forms of living in your Master of Light essence emerge for you. We ask that you learnt to live "naturally" and without fear. Trust that your every need will be met and your every desire will manifest into material form to support your life on Earth. Living naturally means to trust that your Human Angelic Being is designed to thrive on Planet Earth and to experience Joy through Fun and Creativity. It means to trust your desires and choices as they lead you forward, knowing that there are no "right" or "wrong" choices, only possibilities that lead to new choices and new experiences in the Light.

Beloved Ones, a Master of Light lives naturally and simply, knowing that what is needed is always provided from the Flow of Divine Abundance. You need simply ask, and it given, you need simply say the words, and it appears. This does not necessarily mean that your lives will be "simple". Indeed, in the 21st century and at your level of evolution, life can be very complex. But, the choices are always simple. You will be guided simply by what feels right for you, for your Inner Light will guide you through whatever complexities life may offer on your journey.


Expect Miracles
Beloved Ones, as you assume your Mastery of Light and Creativity on Earth, we will say that the key to Creating Miracles is expecting Miracles! Always!
Know that there is always a Miracle that can be created, and the Divine Intelligence loves to create miracles of playful Joy and Surprise. Allow yourself to be surprised and enchanted by the gifts of life and feel gratitude for all that flows through you. Do not limit the power of miracles with demands, but allow the miracles to be as big and limitless as they need to be. It is the ability to be open to infinite love and blessings that allows the wonder of Miracles as they manifest in your lives.

Beloved Ones, when you are a Master of Light, creating a Miracle is well within your powers. You are surrounded by geometric "grids" of consciousness that exist within you as well. When you "command" a miracle, you draw on that Divine Consciousness and request that it take shape on the material plane according to your desires and needs. And, So It Is! And, as we have said, the closer your desire or "command" is to the flow of Divine Love and Intelligence, the more rapidly your miracle will manifest.

Eventually, Beloved Ones, you will see miracles and their manifestation as a natural way of life. For indeed, the ability to draw energy into material form is to create miracles, and indeed, each one of you that walks on the New Earth has that ability. It is only required that you let go and release your reliance on the old systems of providing for your needs and begin to draw on your own Inner Power and Wisdom to manifest energy into material form as you desire and command.


Co-Create Together in 2009
Beloved Ones, the gift of Mastery is given to each individual as you move into Higher Consciousness. Indeed, also as you move into Higher Consciousness, you become aware that you are not only an "individual", but that you are part of a greater Unity or "Oneness", an expression of the "One" Source energy.
It is here that you will begin to perceive the importance of working as Groups so that the power and wisdom of Group energy can accelerate the Creation of Peace and Abundance on your Planet.

This energy of Group Co-Creation can be expressed and experienced in Spiritual Ceremonies, Rituals and Activities that have the intention to empower Peaceful Change and the creation of Abundance. There is immense power generated and released when the Christ Light in you combines and is focused with the pure intention of Love and Peace.

But know too, Beloved Ones, that this energy of Group Co-Creation can also be used in your own communities. As you begin to manifest the New Earth, lend your creative and magical powers as a Master of Light to social projects that advance the ideals of Justice, Peace and Abundance for All. Know that your power can make a difference, you can help to harness the power of miracles to move such projects forward simply through Intention and Trust!

Indeed, Beloved Ones, it is time to begin to trust your ability to bring Peaceful Change right where you are, knowing that your Light is powerful as it connects with and draws on the Sacred Grids of Divine Intelligence that generate manifestation and miracles on this New Earth.


The Energies in January 2009
The Full Moon in January falls on the 11th. It is a Moon in Cancer, with the sun in Capricorn. As such, it carries powerful energies of the Feminine, as Cancer is governed by the Moon. Its opposing sign is the powerful Masculine energy of Capricorn. This offers an opportunity to align with the inner Masculine and Feminine energies and to work with the Golden energies of the Twin Flame grids to empower Love and Joy in your life. The 11-01, or 01-11, depending on where you are, will also be a powerful moment to connect with the energies of the 11 and the 1 that are so prominent right now. The energies of New Beginnings and the Energy of Initiation into Higher Consciousness and the Energy of the ONE.
The Sun moves from Capricorn and into Aquarius on the 20th of January. At the New Moon on the 26th, there will be a Solar Eclipse in Aquarius. New Solar Codes will be activated to assist the unfolding of the New Energy on the Earth. For personal meditation, the "Seeds of Light" that will activated on the 26th will be those for the New Golden Age of Aquarius. It will be a good time to work with the Golden Flame and the Golden Light of the Christ energy within to bring Higher Consciousness and the Manifestation of the New Age of Light to the Planet in an easy and gentle way.

Mercury goes retrograde on the 11th of January, so at this time, move gently and do not try to forge ahead. This is good advice for January as a whole. Allow the energies to integrate gently and do not try to bite off more than you can chew at this time. Allow yourself to be supported by the energy of Trust.

The powerful planet of Transformation, Pluto, continues its journey through the Earth sign of Capricorn as the power house of transformation on the physical plane. Saturn, the energy of Change and Restructuring, continues its journey through the Earth sign of Virgo, bringing change also to the way that you view your health and your physical being.

Beloved Ones, in this time of Change and Transformation, know that you are Human Angels and Masters of Light, and that you are greatly loved and supported in this courageous path of Transformation that you have undertaken. Here in the Realms of Light, we applaud your Courage and your Perseverance. You are indeed the Creator Gods and Godesses come to life to Co-create a New Earth and a New Reality! May this month of January show you the Power that lives in each one of You!



© 2009-10 Celia Fenn and Starchild Global

Notes from the Universe - Mike Dooley

Notes from the Universe

If you just whistle every now and then...
Skip every thousandth step or so...
Skim the odd stone across the odd pond...
Go dancing on the occasional blue moon,
if only alone in the dark...
Dress up sometimes,
even with nowhere to go...
For simply stirring up some little bit of hope...
No matter how silly or disconnected your actions seem to be with the rest of the world...
Magic flashes in the unseen...
Friends are summoned...
Connections are timed...
Stars are aligned...
Opportunities are crystallized...
And Serendipities are calculated...
Creating possibilities for new realities that cannot now even be imagined,
from where you presently stand.

Shazaam---The Universe

From TUT "Notes from the Universe"

OH! How Great are the Possibilities of Peace! ~ A Compilation

OH! How Great are the Possibilities of Peace!

Two incredible dialogues here on FB, this morning and yesterday has inspired me to share these visions of Peace..

"I believe that Peace is not just Possible...but Inevitable...for the seeds of Peace lie within every Heartbeat...planted there by the Song of the Universe...by the Spark of Divine Creation...we were fashioned by Peace and a Benevolent Source...and we will return to that Source for it is Who and What we Are! Therefore I shall Pray Peace, everyday...as the only Reality...as the only Truth"
-Linda Lorenzo

"If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day." - Alex Nobel

"All who affirm the use of violence admit it is only a means to achieve justice and peace. But peace and justice are nonviolence...the final end of history. Those who abandon nonviolence have no sense of history. Rather they are bypassing history, freezing history, betraying history". - Andre Trocme:

"We shall find peace. We shall hear angels. We shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds."
- Anton Chekov

"There never was a good war or a bad peace." -Benjamin Franklin

"Choose
The single clenched fist lifted and ready,
Or the open hand held out and waiting.
Choose:
For we meet by one or the other." - Carl Sandburg

"They have not wanted Peace at all; they have wanted to be spared war -- as though the absence of war was the same as peace."
"Peace has to be created, in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the triumph of principle. It will never be achieved by passivity and quietism."
"Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict -- alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence." - Dorothy Thompson

"We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom." -Dwight D. Eisenhower

"I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one's own family or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace."

"Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.

Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger or cold. It will not remove the pain of torture inflicted on a prisoner of conscience. It does not comfort those who have lost their loved ones in floods caused by senseless deforestation in a neighboring country. Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where the people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free.

True peace with oneself and with the world around us can only be achieved through the development of mental peace. The other phenomena mentioned above are similarly interrelated. Thus, for example, we see that a clean environment, wealth or democracy mean little in the face of war, especially nuclear war, and that material development is not sufficient to ensure human happiness.

Material progress is of course important for human advancement. In Tibet, we paid much to little attention to technological and economic development, and today we realize that this was a mistake. At the same time, material development without spiritual development can also cause serious problems. In some countries too much attention is paid to external things and very little importance is given to inner development.

I believe both are important and must be developed side by side so as to achieve a good balance between them. Tibetans are always described by foreign visitors as being a happy, jovial people. This is part of our national character, formed by cultural and religious values that stress the importance of mental peace through the generation of love and kindness to all other living sentient beings, both human and animal.

Inner peace is the key: if you have inner peace, the external problems do not affect your deep sense of peace and tranquillity. In that state of mind you can deal with situations with calmness and reason, while keeping your inner happiness. This is very important. Without this inner peace, no matter how comfortable your life is materially, you may still be worried, disturbed or unhappy because of circumstances."

H.H. The Dalai Lama
The Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1989

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace"
-Helen Keller

"You can't shake hands with a clenched fist." - Indira Ghandi

"Peace is not achieved by controlling nations, but mastering our thoughts." - John Harricharan

"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one." - John Lennon

"When you make peace with yourself, you make peace with the world." -Maha Ghosananda

"[W]e are not going to deal with the violence in our communities, our homes, and our nation, until we learn to deal with the basic ethic of how we resolve our disputes and to place an emphasis on peace in the way we relate to one another." -Marian Wright Edelman

"One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means."
"True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

"If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies." -Moshe Dayan

"Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount." - Omar N. Bradley

"Peace is not the product of terror or fear.
Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.
Peace is not the silent result of violent repression.
Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all.
Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity.
It is right and it is duty." - Oscar Romero

"A political victory, a rise in rents, the recovery of your sick, or return of your absent friend, or some other quite external event, raises your spirits, and you think good days are preparing for you. Do not believe it. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles."
from "Self-Reliance"
"The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war."
-Ralph Waldow Emerson

"People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within." -Ramona L. Anderson

"Peace is not the absence of war; it is a virtue; a state of mind; a disposition for benevolence; confidence; and justice." -Spinoza

"The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions."
"Everyday we do things, we are things that have to do with peace. If we are aware of our life..., our way of looking at things, we will know how to make peace right in the moment, we are alive."
-Thich Nhat Hanh

"Symptoms of Inner Peace

"A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experience
An unmistakable ability to enjoy the moment
A loss of interest in judging other people
A loss of interest in judging self
A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others
An inability to worry (this is a very serious symptom!)
Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation
Frequent acts of smiling
An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than to make them happen
An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it."
-Unknown

"The great teachings unanimously emphasize that all the peace, wisdom, and joy in the universe are already within us; we don't have to gain, develop, or attain them. We're like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight. We don't need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds, and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we really are -- as soon as we quit pretending we're small or unholy." -Unknown

"We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace." -William E. Gladstone

" We tend to think the problem is human beings have this natural tendency to kill, and yet in the middle of a hot war, WWII, a "good war," as it were, the US army was astonished to learn that at least three out of every four riflemen who were trained to kill and commanded to kill, could not bring themselves to pull the trigger when they could see the person they were ordered to kill. And that inner resistance to violence is a well kept secret". -William Ury

"Peace, my brother...Peace my sister...Peace my soul!" - Maya Angelou

The Peace that is me...salutes the Peace that is you...Namaste', my dear friends!

"This Precious Moment" by Paulo Coelho

"This Precious Moment"

"This Precious Moment
We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust,
swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity.
Life is eternal.
We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other,
to meet, to love, to share.
This is a precious moment.
It is a little parenthesis in eternity."

-Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist"

Dedication to the Ego by Iyanla Vanzant

Dedication to the Ego

This note is dedicated to Ego
that part of us that continues to worry,
lives in doubt,
is afraid,
judges other people,
is afraid to trust,
needs proof,
believes only when it is convenient,
fails to follow up,
refuses to practice what it preaches,
need to be rescued,
wants to be a victim,
beats up on "itself",
needs to be right all of the time, and
continues to hold on to what does not work.

You are now put on notice that...
YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED!

-by Iyanla Vanzant

You Never Know...~ Unknown

You Never Know...

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was -- a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to compassion.

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat -- more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat -- wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. "Sir?" she asked. "Are you all right?"

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished her e, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet And if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Him. He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And... And thank you for the coffee."

She frowned. "I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's black."

The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, I do take cream and sugar -- perhaps more sugar than is good for me." He patted his ample stomach.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I don't need it now," he replied smiling. "I've got the feeling that this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar."

~~ Author Unknown ~~

Shoes in Church ~ Unknown

Shoes in Church......Unknown

I showered and shaved....... I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat......... In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer......As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me..... Touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side...... I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine... But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: 'Our Father'...... I thought, 'This man with the shoes, has no pride.
They're dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!'

'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on.
The shoe man said ... ............ A quiet 'Amen.'
I tried to focus on the prayer....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren't we supposed to look our best. When walking through that door?
'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended........... And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud...... Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters......... His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear. The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering....... And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached.... Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out.......... What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft 'clink' . As when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me......... To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man... For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service...... As is the custom here.
We must greet new visit ors, And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow............. And wanted to meet the shoe man.
So after the closing prayer....... I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark.... And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming......... For being our guest.

He said, 'My names' Charlie.......... I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'
There were tears in his eyes....... But he had a large, wide grin.
'Let me explain,' he said......... Wiping tears from his eyes.
'I've been coming here for months.... And you're the first to say 'Hi.''

'I know that my appearance.........'Is not like all the rest.
'But I really do try.................'To always look my best.'
'I always clean and polish my shoes..'Before my very long walk.
'But by the time I get here ...... . ..'They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'

My heart filled with pain........... And I swallowed to hide my tears.
As he continued to apologize........ For daring to sit so near.
He said, 'When I get here...........'I know I must look a sight.
'But I thought if I could touch you..'Then maybe our souls might unite.'

I was silent for a moment........... Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison... I spoke from my heart, not my head.
'Oh, you've touched me,' I said......'And taught me, in part;
'That the best of any man............'Is what is found in his heart.'

The rest, I thought,................ This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am... That his dirty old shoe touched my soul

The Greatest Sermon is Our Life ~ Unknown

The Greatest Sermon is Our Life...

T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes.
This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.
He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright.
He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church.
They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there.
He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt and wild hair.
The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat.
By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no available seats,
he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church,
a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit.
A "godly" man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly.
He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy,
everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he is going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane.
All eyes are focused on him.
You can't even hear anyone breathing.
The minister can't even preach the sermon, until the deacon does what he has to do.
And now, they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor.
With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill,
and worships with him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control, he says,
"What I am about to preach, you will never remember.
What you have just seen you will never forget"

Be careful how you live...you may be the only "church" some people will ever encounter.

Martha Graham on the reponsibility of Creation

Martha Graham - on the responsibility of "Creation"

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 2:04am

"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening,
that is translated through you into action.

And because there is only one you in all of time,
this expression is unique.

And if you block it, it will never exist again through any other medium,
and it will be lost forever.
The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is,
nor how valuable it is,
nor how it compares with any other expression.

It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly,
to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.
You do have to keep open and aware,
to direct the urges that motivate you.

Always keep the channel open.
No artist is ever pleased.
There is no satisfaction, whatever, at any time.

There is only a queer Divine Dissatisfaction,
A Blessed Unrest...
That keeps us marching at what makes us more alive than the others."

-Martha Graham

Yes We Can...Yes We Did...Yes We Will (LLJL)

Yes We Can...Yes We Did...Yes We Will

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:53am

The following was written and delivered by Linda Lorenzo
as the Call to Worship
for the Sunday services following last November's historic election 2008

This past week we have witnessed, participated in and experienced,
what has been called,
one of the single most historic moments in our country's history.

More important, than an historic election,
Is that we, as a unified body,
Came together, empowered and determined to exercise our rights and our responsibilities.
To begin to take back our freedoms and our country's rich heritage of truth and justice for all.

This past Tuesday, the simple act of stepping into the voting booth,
Surprisingly stirred in me an emotional surreal state of awe.
Instead of hurriedly pulling down the levers of my predetermined choices,
My eyes lingered over the names that were before me...
And in those brief seconds I was seized with the enormity of the moment
With the awareness of just how far we have come as a nation.

Scenes from my youth, flashed before me,
The civil rights marches and the anti-war protests of which I had been a part.
And the lost battle over the the establishment of the ERA...
All came flooding back with a profound sense of completion...

We had come full circle...it had not been in vain.

And there were others who spoke of much the same experiences...

One who had said, that she felt the presence of the earlier suffragettes,
Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul with her as she cast her ballot.

And still others, no matter how they voted,

Said that they felt that the very act of their showing up...
Gave them the sense that were participating in something much greater than themselves.

On that day, as One nation...we began the journey from fear and cynicism
to faith and a renewed pride in ourselves and all that we can be.

As the writer Toni Morrison said...
"We have begun to take the first steps towards a Participatory Democracy."

The following is an excerpt from a sermon given two weeks ago,
by UU Minister of Public Theology of All Souls Church in New York,
the Rev Dr. Forrest Church.

"The votes we cast for president are much less important than the votes we cast with and in our lives.
It is far less important that the trains run on time,
even that all the passengers have a government-stamped ticket,
than that the passengers are willing to take responsibility for one another’s welfare.

On this historic election year, the choice we must make,
not just with our vote, but with our lives,
is a choice between hope and fear.
Hate is not love’s opposite, fear is.
When we are frightened —by others,
by life itself—we cannot love.
We can hide.
We can fight.
But we cannot love.
Conversely, love casts out fear."

Abraham Lincoln, who recalled us to “the better angels of our nature,” put it this way: “The question is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are on the side of God.”

And now in the Spirit of our common dreams and visions for the ideal of true Democracy,
May we move forward in hope,
reclaiming our personal power and responsibilities
and understanding our true purpose, found in the words...
Of the People, By the People and For the People.

-Linda Lorenzo

(A little adendum to this piece...during the subsequent months and years of this presidency, for me, sadly, President Obama has not lived up the promise that was held so high on this historic day...but I will forever believe that WE as A People are meant to rise up to the challenges of our world and transform it to a place of Liberty and Justice for All)

One Universe Under God (LLJL)

One Universe Under God

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 5:02pm

One Universe under God
by Linda Lorenzo
written, March 2006

Since 9/11 our country and its people have gone through a myriad of changes. We experienced together the same phenomenon and went through the same process of shock, fear, disbelief and grief...it was a time of coming together as a country, as a people.

But, in the subsequent years, I have noticed a resurgence of what is being called a new "national pride" and a renewal of misguided "patriotism."

What is interesting is that this seems to be manifesting in a number of religious based issues.
I have been receiving countless emails and articles, of late, on both the issues of the use of “under God” in our pledge of allegiance and the controversy about prayer in public schools. I have heard many opinions on these subjects both for and against and for a vast number of reasons.

These debates have caused me to look deeply at my own values and revisit some of my own deep-seated beliefs.

You see after the events of 9/11 my reactions were much the same as the rest of the country ... all of them fear based.

I heard many phrases bandied around by the media and by politicians. They all spoke of separateness, enemies, attacks and counter attacks. They used words like “them and us “, “the good guys (us) and the bad guys (them,)” ,” those who would attack our freedom and our way of life”, “ those who hate us”. For the first time, in my adult life, I found my belief system begin to crumble as I was spiraling out of control fueled by panic and terror.

But Spirit, found a way through the fear and brought me back to the Truth that was at the core of my reality. As I was riveted, like the rest of my fellow countrymen to the news channels and the speeches, it was one term that smacked me back to my heart s foundation...it was the words “ the evildoers.”

It was at that instant that I could feel a shift occur within my entire being...in that moment I became aware that the enemy was not outside of our borders but within ourselves.

At that defining moment, my fear for my own personal issues shifted to a concern for the consciousness of the entire planet.

The famous words rung true in my ears...and took on a meaning that I had never considered before...”We have nothing to fear ,but fear itself.” I understood with an awareness that goes beyond all words....that it was the fear and the fear alone that would destroy us...not our so called “enemies.” And then another quote surfaced..."The fault, dear Brutus lies not within our stars, but within ourselves.”

All that week, we went into our churches and synagogues and places of worship. We prayed for solace, we huddled together in candlelit prayer vigils, we mourned our dead and then we waged war in the name of ”God “ and righteousness.

And my soul was crying out in pain...for I knew that in that moment we were not expressing the “God” we professed to worship.

Everything inside of me knew that the only way to honor this Spirit would be to extend to those fists that were clenched in fear, rage and anger towards us, the outstretched, open hands of love, peace, understanding and compassion.

It was a wake up call to build bridges...not to destroy them.

And now over two years later we are entering into a frightening and arrogant place of religious fanaticism instead of evolving into a spiritual awakening.

We have forgotten the very tenets on which this country that we all love so dearly was founded. Freedom, the freedom to say or not say whatever we believe is true for us.

The freedom of the individual to worship or not worship in the manner that best befits his own souls growth.

You see we are not One Nation, under God we are citizens of the Cosmos and the Beloved Creations of the One Universal Mind.

We are all One. We are not separate from each other. We say this so often but do we really understand the full implications of its truth?

I am reminded of a dear friend s sudden awareness earlier this year to the question that had plagued her for some time. She said one day, as if a light had gone on... “I will never again ask if I am my brother s keeper.. for I am my brother!”

You see, we do not honor our Creator by making our selves separate from those who walk this earth with us, or by reciting words that we learn by rote...they are meaningless if we are not expressing Spirit for all that inhabit this planet with our thoughts and our actions of compassion and understanding and love.

I would like to share with you the words written by Edna Reitz when she penned the Global Pledge of Allegiance in 1988, which has hung proudly on my wall for 15 years.

"I pledge allegiance to the Earth
And to the Universal Spirit
Which gives us Life;
One planet, indivisible.
With Peace and Justice for Us All.

I pledge to do my best
To uphold the trust bestowed
In the gift of my Life;
To care for our planet and
our atmosphere,
To respect and honor
all her inhabitants,
All people, animals,
plants and resources,
To create a legacy
for our children
And our children's children
In a world of Harmony and Love.

I pledge allegiance
to the Universal Spirit,
By whatever name it may be called.
To align my Life
With the ongoing process
of Creation;
To grow myself with care,
To act from my own integrity,
To be for others
How I would want them
to be for me.

Together,
May we carry this vision
In our hearts,
Into our daily choices,
And through our
expanding consciousness
Within and beyond our planet... "

It is time, to turn our swords into plowshares and reach across the oceans of space and time to touch our brothers and sisters hands with the unconditional love that Spirit has bestowed upon us all..and to finally fully understand that we are All truly One!

The Mixing Bowl by Gunilla Norris excerpted from the book, "Becoming Bread"

The Mixing Bowl by Gunilla Norris

The Mixing Bowl by Gunilla Norris
excerpted from the book, "Becoming Bread"

Here on the table
is the mixing bowl.
Brown and ordinary,
turned on the potters wheel,
it has an umber rim
and glazed cinnamon-speckled sides.

Its task is to be open,
a simple space.
This bowl is clay, earth, matter.
Particular.
We are like it.
Clay, earth, matter.
Particular and vast when we are empty...

When life can fill us
to the rim, brimming.

We are the mixing place,
where terror and hate,
where love and hope,
the way we move,
our smiles and uncertainties,
our courage and stupidities
are all embraced.

We are the body bowl...
the forming space,
the home of possiblity.