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Showing posts with label Religion and Spirituality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion and Spirituality. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

19 Best Spiritual Posts This Week - 22 Sept 2010

Check out posts from 7 different writers and poets, a wide range of spiritual perspectives and some great photography.




Angels are all around you by alicepopkorn @ flickr


From Denny: You know how you get those little revelation moments when you realize exactly what to do and how to do it? Well, I had yet another one of those yesterday as I was pondering how to address all the anguish I've been feeling from the world the past several months. As an empath, it can be difficult to separate just whose feelings you are experiencing when you start your spiritual journey - your own or those of others.

Empathic people receive what others are thinking, feeling and desiring. Over the years I rarely have told people because it just freaks them out, thinking they have lost privacy and fearful you really do know their darkest secrets. They are clearly embarrassed. That's the interesting thing about the Spirit of God is that when these things are revealed to you it is done in such a way that the receiver does not know all the details. If a person is in deep crisis and requires immediate attention then Spirit will let someone know to send help. It isn't like Spirit downloads you with all the information as that would be even more overwhelming. The most interesting thing about this connection of Spirit to empathetic spirit is that information is received without judgment: It just is, that's all.

Anyway, since the whole world is in economic chaos it has also sent huge populations of people into spiritual testing, most especially those who were blind-sided and never expecting it. So often, we think we are protected from adversity if we "go to church" or "are a good person." Focusing our thoughts upon the positive and doing good in the world is just the beginning of knowledge.

The only way to really find out how well you think you know your religion or life philosophy is to experience a tough life test situation. It isn't like you have to go looking for life tests as they certainly find you. Unless you want to short-cut the time period of spiritual development and then you choose to accept those challenges willingly. But most people don't choose that kind of intense internal pressure of accelerated spiritual growth. Most get blind-sided in life and wonder why their world just got turned upside down and inside out. They want to make sense of it.

So, my little moment of revelation of how to begin addressing the terrible emotional malaise, despair and deep-seated fear present in the world today was to start collecting excellent spiritual posts wherever I find them and publish those links onto this new blog. I am partial to spiritual poetry as it is a medium where fewer words can convey a larger picture and feeling. It gives the mind less to process and is easier to digest spiritually.

There are 19 posts in all, some poetry, some regular prose posts. Take a look at these many spiritual perspectives; maybe one of them will resonate with you. If you write spiritual posts, have a favorite blog and want to send me a link to a post you found helpful and interesting, send me an email, Denny Lyon: warriorspearl@gmail.com.




Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr


From MysticDave at Mystical Poetry, Prose and Political Viewpoints, struggling with leaving behind traditional religion, sensitive to family members and friends who have remained, yet still wanting to connect to God on a richer level:


We The People

Moonlit Place

Organized Religion





Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr


From Neva Flores at Changeful Storm poetry blog, a young widow writing about inner and daily struggles, also some rich fantasy poetry:

Freely Captive

Separately the Same

Aglow





Sonata Music photo by jrossol @ flickr



From Beachanny By The Sea - poetry, arts and music blog where she sees clearly the music of life and in others:


TRIO

THE JEWEL

THE QUEST





Photo by Sister72 @ flickr



From Jenny Mannion who learned to heal herself of painful illness and decided to help others:

3 Steps to Manifesting Miracles: awareness, expectation and letting go are all areas discussed




Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr



From Univisions, a group of spiritual bloggers working to advance humanity's spiritual development:


Accelerated Spiritual Growth

Keys to Lasting Transformation

Thoughts and Thinking





Photo by flamesworddragon @ flickr


From Robin Easton at Naked in Eden blog where she writes on her revelations found while out in nature in the Australian outback:

Live Learn and Get Unstuck

There is No Separation

Dare to Take Risks




Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr


And at Best Spiritual Posts blog, three of my own poems:

A Healing Spiritual Poem: Waking The Day

Poem: Legacy of Love

Poem: Soul Journey




*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!



*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:



The Social Poets - news, politics

The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology

Visual Insights - photos, art, music

Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy

Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry

The Healing Waters - health news

Dennys People Watching - people in the news

Dennys Food and Recipes

Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Poem: Soul Journey

Are you good to your soul and those of others?






Soul Journey



Sometimes we banish our best friend
When our awareness is young but
Our soul returns again and again
Offering daily help and new insight







Sometimes we deny our soul
Withering into the cold slowly
Our soul waits and pines to
Be free of its confining prison







Sometimes we loose our soul
When we choose to love another
Our soul rejoices to live abundantly
Offering kindness to spread around







Sometimes events sadly happen
When love goes wrong and ends
Our soul weeps to be joined again
Giving us strength to begin anew







Sometimes we are perplexed by life’s absurdity
The love heart confounds us, shattering fantasies
Our soul plunges the dark abyss of emotions to
Lift us back to safe ground and new understanding







Sometimes we revel in the wonderment
Transfixed by the starring moment
Our soul celebrates our latest discovery
Guarding carefully our dreaming time







Sometimes we are in tune with Nature
Inhabiting that perfect place of serenity
Our soul sighs in the beauty of resting union
Observing us present in Time with eternity







Sometimes we are out of tune with everything
Insisting upon our own pleasure and willful way
Our soul extends us a loving patient hand
Guiding us at a slower pace until we peacefully agree







Sometimes we rise up on new inspirations
Secure in the larger awareness of soul
Our soul gently cradles our expanding minds
Waiting, assisting in our next evolving step







Sometimes we suddenly conceive what is beyond us
Yearning to reach new dimensions undiscovered
Our soul cheers our efforts no matter how small
Protecting our new knowledge now conscious







Sometimes when reaching high too fast
Frightened of intense emotions flood rising
Our soul descends to cover with darkness
Quieting our fears, steadying us once more







Sometimes as we learn our inner depths
Struggling against all odds for illumination
Our soul warms us with healing inner fire
Powering us mightily for the Transition







Sometimes there are spiritual leaps forward
Forcefully exploding within and without
Our soul glimmers with rising anticipation
Savoring soon our completed inner union







Sometimes we are stressed to nearly breaking
Agonizing over the temporary and unimportant
Our soul braves the chaos of inner darkness to
Pull us back from the brink of wrong surrender







Sometimes we live as if disappearing invisible
Wandering and stumbling in the shifting fog
Our soul calls us, encouraging return to Hope
Singing soothing words on our long journey







Sometimes we turn inward ferociously
Blocking a world too much coming our way
Our soul cocoons us ever silent and vigilant
Rocking us sweetly on the churning stormy waters







Sometimes our ego performs painfully under many masks
Role playing for decades, often an entire life time
Our soul suffocates, groaning under heavy pretense
Stripping down unworthy deception and hiding lies







Sometimes we reach so high we forget how greedy
Grasping is not the same as eagerly reaching
Our soul steers us once more toward respect
Standing still with layering Time to greet us







Sometimes we arrive triumphant at our destination
Harmonized with Eternity’s shimmering playground
Our soul relaxes and melts into simple ecstasy
Knowing we will now turn back for others



Denny Lyon
Copyright 3 September 2009
All Rights Reserved



For another photo-rich poem, People Trees, go here.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!



*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:



The Social Poets - news, politics

The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology

Visual Insights - photos, art, music

Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy

Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry

The Healing Waters - health news

Dennys People Watching - people in the news

Dennys Food and Recipes

Dennys Funny Quotes - humor






Photo Credits

Friendship Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Cold Soul Photo by Hamed Parham @ flickr

Whispering Secrets Photo by HAMED MASOUMI @ flickr

Tears: Baptism of the Soul Photo by honikum @ flickr

A Matter of the Heart Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

U will never know wonderment photo by honikum @ flickr

Serene photo by honikum @ flickr

You need to know what really happened photo by honikum @ flickr

Inspiration Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Next dimension photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Feelings flying too high Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Book of transition Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Lightness photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Surrender Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

Invisible Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

The Introvert Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Ego Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Present in the Now Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Spiritual Grace Photo by h.koppdelaney @ flickr

Friday, September 17, 2010

A Healing Spiritual Poem: Waking The Day

Spiritual symbolism is all around us in our daily life, ready to help heal and balance.





From Denny: Writing on several levels simultaneously is always a joy, especially in the form of poetry. People find it more enjoyable to interpret the poems on their own. But since this is my spiritual blog I thought I'd mention some of the most obvious spiritual symbols present in this poem.


water = spirituality
mist and fog = Spirit
herons and egrets = change coming
the moon = represents change and feminine spiritual energy
the sun = life giving and masculine spiritual energy
cats = healing
golden color = ancient healing light and knowledge
planet Venus = Love
night and day = balance and transition
stumbling in the dark = how we often find our way in life
coffee drink = comfort and celebration of the new
humor = brings joy into our hearts

The reason this is a healing poem is because it speaks to connecting with all around us and viewing all in our life as a spiritual experience, therefore drawing strength and balance.



When the day - and I - awaken, present in the moment.





Waking The Day


When I suddenly awakened from the long night’s hot summer sleep
The energizing scent of coffee brewing wafted around the corner.
I stumbled in the dark, bouncing off the doorway, fumbling for the kitchen lights.
I saw cats waiting eagerly at the back door, wide-eyed nocturnal keepers of the yard.





Measuring out fresh food into their three bowls, then wisely throwing open the door.
They looked up at me, measuring me more than their food, wondering how awake,
Hugging the doorway, quietly gliding through the opening instead of their usual burst.
The golden tiger cat squeaked his morning gossip of the neighborhood nightly report.





Steaming dark brown coffee breathed foggy swirls, spilling into the pristine mug.
The hot libation slid down my throat as it gave off its sweet Ethiopian perfume.
Drinking coffee before speaking plays first in the slumbering beginnings at my house.
Glancing at the cats, all lined in a row, they ate heartily as if miners just off a long shift.






I stepped out into the night to view the sparkling stars before they faded to the day.
The sky was astounding in its simple beauty; the love planet Venus the brightest smile.
How could anyone not smile in return when the planets seem to speak lovingly to us?
So many stars, so many messages written in the sky, our Universe speaks unceasingly.





Pouring another offering of coffee, I pulled up a chair on the porch to view the lake.
I could witness early morning on the water a thousand times, never to be disappointed.
Smoke rose on the water, little ghostly fingers walking forward on the mirrored surface.
Three mallard ducks emerged from the mist, swimming my way, dancing long strides.






Huge prehistoric wings filled the air with a swooping sound and blanketed darkness.
A blue heron landed to fish his breakfast, blending into the smoky gray surrounding mist.
Soon a white egret flew in from the east, careful to move down to another fishing hole.
In the dim light a neighbor fished, sitting, pole in hand as his coffee scent filled the air.







Faint pink embers, the growing light, were filling the sky just above the rooftop horizon.
The blue heron stalked the shallows on his long legs, searching the moving warm waters.
A sudden splash, beak dove down, retrieving a huge fish he flung high on to the bank.
The egret caught small fishes, silver glints in the sunlight, tossed into the air, swallowed.





Two cups of coffee later it was time to check back in the house to rouse my husband.
Entering the room, he slumbered peacefully, his breath shallow; I knew he was awake.
The golden tiger cat pounced onto the bed and onto his chest, demanding attention.
His eyes closed, my husband smiled and knew he had not fooled either one of us.




Denny Lyon
Copyright 17 Sept 2010
All Rights Reserved



Photo Credits


Steaming coffee in white cup photo by Kvasov Andrey @ flickr

Pink embers sunrise photo by Indy Kethdy @ flickr

Two great white egrets photo by flythebirdpath~} teddy @ flickr

The night sky photo by James Jordan @ flickr (combination of two photos)

Smoke on the water photo by flamesworddragon @ flickr

Ducks swimming under full moon photo by joiseyshowaa @ flickr

Fairy tale moon photo by davedehetre @ flickr

Golden cat in shadow photo by 1 suisse @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Thursday, August 12, 2010

How Is Your Aim In Life?

*** How high - or how limited - are your goals in Life?

*** Views today: 17,510 and Thank You!





From Denny: C. S. Lewis is another one of those spiritual writers - in yet another generation - whose wisdom still rings true today. So often people just don't place their vision high enough in Life and then wonder why they are so disappointed when good things don't happen for them.

When we give ourselves purposeful higher visions of the soul as our aspirations then we are never disappointed as Life unfolds. When we limit ourselves to a small vision that can be the realm of the self-absorbed or self-centered then we are sure to be disappointed. To feel fulfilled we must reach out to others outside of ourselves and beyond our immediate family and friends.

If you don't have the money or time for specialized charity work, don't worry. Your prayers of goodwill for strangers you may never meet all over the world is the most powerful charity you can do. Trust it that there are strangers on the other side of the world who are also praying good things for you! It's that Law of Reciprocity in action as a universal spiritual principle.


Quote

* Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. - C. S. Lewis


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Friendship Quote: When Friends First Meet and Connect

*** How friendships begin and can last a life time.





From Denny: This quote from C. S. Lewis is so very true about when we first meet someone and discover a connection through shared experience. How many times have people thought themselves to be the only ones going through a situation? How many times have people thought they were the only ones wondering about something only to discover there were others with the same thoughts and experiences?

Too often we tend to isolate ourselves from socializing, fearing rejection, when we would benefit from getting out more into the world to discover and develop new friendships. Like we always say at our house, "We always have room for one more friend for you can never have too many!"


Quote

* Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. - C. S. Lewis


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Sunday, August 8, 2010

2012: What Will Happen to Earth and Us?

*** Views today: 18,113 and Thank You!

*** What you can do to ensure your safety and survival as geologic time rapidly changes - and the resulting paradigm shift of humanity - is in the process of occurring.





What is already happening to fulfill the 2012 predictions

From Denny: A lot is predicted to happen to our planet Earth in the year of 2012. What people are not paying close enough attention to is that the geologic changes are already happening.

There have been high level earthquakes around the globe. When large magnitude earth quakes above magnitude 7.0 happen, they affect the Earth's magnetic poles. Earth's magnetic poles have already shifted slightly and now our orbit has changed as well. Whole continents have moved because of these earthquakes, causing a chain reaction of earthquakes.

Geologic time moving faster than normal, glacial melting, resulting flooding

While geologic time moves slowly, we happen to be living in an era of constant change. The north and south poles are giving up their ice sheets. It's those ice sheets which have acted as the Earth's cooling mechanism for 10,000 years. Now that the glaciers are melting - whether through humanity's excessive use of fossil fuels and air pollution or through a natural cycle of the planet freezing and cooling - the fact remains there is now more water in the oceans and in the air which brings massive flooding. Pakistan is currently experiencing terrible flooding that has killed thousands. The worst flooding also happens to be in the area of the Taliban supporters and strongholds. Coincidence? The Taliban terrorize their own Islamic neighbors, all in the name of religion as they see it: a brutal, vicious take on normally peaceful Islam.

"So goes Russia, so goes the rest of the world" - Christian prophecy

Because there are no longer the glaciers to retard summer heat there are now massive waves of high heat across the globe and the resulting raging fires that go along with very dry land and forests. Russia is currently experiencing terrible forest fires outside their capital city of Moscow and the resulting air pollution is devastating to the health of the residents. These are the first fires and high summer heat that Russia has ever experienced. Coincidence? The Russian crime syndicates have wreaked such havoc on the country, driving greedy consumerism and violent drug crime that the country is out of control like the raging fire. For good or for ill, Russia has a great spiritual influence upon the world - as much as America.

2012 End Times Prophecy

The year of 2012 is heralded as The End of Time yet the prophecies also continue counting Time after the Winter Solstice of 2012. What does that mean? Ancient cultures often wove together their science as well as their spiritual understanding.

What the time marker of 2012 is really all about is that culture on this Earth and the Earth as we know it will end - and begin a new cycle. Whenever humanity is no longer advancing spiritually, instead caught up too much in materiality, there is always a cleansing. Sometimes, it is just a cleansing of the planet in a geologic fashion through flooding, earthquakes, famine or fire.

Cleansing the weakest human DNA

In more dire situations, like in the 2012 prophecy, it will be a literal cleansing of the human DNA, the weaker will be dying off in large numbers. Who are the weaker people on this planet? They are the greedy, the contentious, the destructive, those who throw up obstacles in the way of others who are trying to develop. There will be a lot of loss of life starting now in 2010 and it will go on past 2012: earthquakes, flooding, fires, famine and plagues of disease.

How can you survive what is already here and more to come?

How can you be one of the strong who survive? Build up your immune system with literally a good and positive attitude. Quit resenting or being jealous of others or hating because someone is not your same race, religion or culture. Quit being selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed or greedy. Stop grieving and resume your life again. Think of how you can serve others as it will help dissolve the grief.

Holding on to negative emotions bring destruction to ourselves and the planet

All of this holding on to such strong negative emotions brings about great imbalance. This imbalance plays out as serious illness in your life if held too tightly for too long a time. In these strong spiritual times coming, that negative energy also plays out as damaging the planet, bringing about the severe weather we now see. We are literally affecting our own lives, the lives of others and this planet by how we feel. And, if we feel negative, it brings destruction.

Prayer, meditation and positive attitude bring healing and therefore balance to the world

It's been proven time and again by science that prayer, meditation and a positive attitude have healing qualities and build up our immune systems against disease. It's simple. Set aside the negatives of your family culture and your national and religious cultures. How to avoid destruction? Cultivate the Divine Presence inside you and focus upon building good character. It's that spiritual cultivation of goodness that brings balance back into the world, stabilizing it. Balance.

The practice of balance

Balance can only be achieved through spiritual practices. Balance brings us health, Life and Peace. Balance in all areas of our lives: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually brings balance to our outward world as well. When we are not balanced in our inner worlds then the Earth reflects it negatively. When we are balanced then the Earth reflects it positively. Consider focusing upon, and maintaining, balance in your life so you can make a good and positive difference for the rest of the world too. Then everyone wins.







Vision of The Gardener Prophet








The gardener stood at the window in the heat of summer
Gazing at the huge weeds growing stronger and larger,
Sprouting up proudly as tall and wide as the shrubs,
Crowding the beauty, smug, knowing they didn’t belong.
What was not theirs they chose to steal and own out of spite.









The gardener felt helpless, unable to tend the garden,
For the summer heat was too strong to work outside.
Day after day the gardener watched the weeds take over,
Praying for the beauty to survive the onslaught and
Then a break, a pouring rain came to drench the garden.









The gardener hurriedly went out into the cooling wet air
And began pulling the shallow roots, those showy weeds.
The gardener prayed as she pulled and threw them away.
The gardener prophet knew these weeds sprung up to stop her work
As she prayed for all the people of the world to do better.









The gardener prophet prayed as she worked, knowing that
“As below on Earth, so above in Heaven,” hoping this garden
Would influence and clean humanity of the great suffering.
She toiled with the stubborn and contentious weeds for hours,
Refusing to give in and allow beauty to wither and die.









Deep in thought, hunting down the very smallest new weeds,
Suddenly she looked up and there was an Angel appearing.
The Angel looked at her work in the garden and said,
“Tell the people their suffering has been heard in Heaven.
The culling of humanity begins not in 2012 but now in 2010.”









The gardener prophet wiped her eyes of the spattered mud.
Patiently, the strong Angel waited for acknowledgement.
“The Universe is speeding up the time table,” the Angel announced.
“Humanity is past due to reach the next level of development.
“Knowledge and wise teaching have spread the world to generations.








“Contentiousness, lack of compassion, greed and stubbornness
“Grow as weeds all over the world in every society and religion.
“Beauty struggles to survive, grow and thrive, yet can wither and die.
“The world is now again too full of those who choose to destroy, not build.
“And now Death comes stalking them two years early to clean the garden.
“Only Beauty is meant to walk the earth and thrive in the garden of Life,”
Spoke the Angel softly, and then the vision slowly faded from the gardener prophet.








Denny Lyon
Copyright 6 Aug 2010
All Rights Reserved




Photo Credits - All photos are from my garden and are by Denny Lyon, available under Creative Commons copyright with Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives license.


3 chocolate mint flowers in brush stroke effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Field of discarded weeds Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Huge dragonfly on window screen in glowing edges effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Bouquet of antique roses in colored pencils effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Chocolate mint flowers favored by hummingbirds, colored foil effect Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Purple leaves Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Blue plumbago shade plant Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Bumblebee on lilac chaste tree blossom Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr

Antique roses in saturated color Photo by Denny Lyon @ flickr


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Kabbalah Quotes: How to Know You Are On The Right Path For You

*** Learn some universal spiritual knowledge from an ancient Jewish mysticism.





From Denny: Studying Kabbalah has gained in popularity since Hollywood actors, and musicians like Madonna, promoted it. Like anything that becomes popular there are also the opportunists who try to make money off said popularity. Ignore the fools and focus upon the core teachings to look at universal truth is what I always do. It's keeps us free of the emotional hype that pull you off balance spiritually if you allow it into your inner space.

Speaking of inner space, it seems today's religious thought does not contemplate about how the ego and the spirit share that same space. Sometimes, the ego can be like an unruly two-year-old on the loose, trashing the house and crowding the spirit into a too small dark corner. Today's religions either teach excessive harshness about the human ego and demand strict adherence to mind-numbing rules or turn loose the ego without learning any real personal discipline. Somewhere in the middle of moderation is the truth and a healthy spiritual practice.

Take a look at what ancient Jewish mystics have to say about the spiritual journey:

Quotes

* The most important aspect of the process of self-improvement is the cultivation of one’s sense of humility before the Creator. This, however, should not be an artificial undertaking, but a goal of one’s efforts. If, as a result of working on the self, an individual gradually starts to develop this quality, then it means that he is proceeding in the right direction. - (Talmud, Avodah Zarah)


* A person’s highest spiritual potential is to reach the level of maaseh merkavah ("the act of rule"). He is able to correct himself to such an extent that Divine Providence over the world can be executed through that person. - (Talmud, Suka)


*** See Also: Madonna Offends Traditional Jewish Kabbalists in Israel


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
Dennys Funny Quotes
Dennys Food and Recipes

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

How Do We Prepare Ourselves For Change?

*** Thoughts on how to get started on the road to embracing Change fearlessly.





From Denny: The subject of change has both intrigued and frightened humanity from the very beginning of Time. We create order in our societies by setting up boundaries, laws and rules of behavior. Eventually, those laws - and societal expectations - become rigid, pushing back against necessary healthy change.

Change is the vehicle to take us to our path of growth, personally and societally. When change is denied too long the transformation process can be violent. We experienced that as a country here in America when we finally decided to grow past the societal ill of slavery and it created a Civil War of many long years.

The same is true of personal growth in the area of change. If we deny small changes over a long period of time, then we are overdue, and it can be traumatic when change flips us over and spanks us for being so late to the party.

Every day for the next week, take about 10 minutes to consider current change in your life. Perhaps consider changes you would like to make. Start small with something as benign as cleaning out a cluttered kitchen or bathroom drawer.

What you will find with a small project like this is how it will trigger memories and previous thoughts you did not have the time previously to spend contemplating. It's like you pull up this short internal "To Do" List. It gives your mind time free to roam, think deeply and ultimately rest.

If you spend a few minutes like this contemplation every day - or a few times a week - you will benefit. How will you benefit? You will become more emotionally and mentally flexible. It's that flexibility that helps us adapt quickly when change comes our way.

This deep thinking helps build you a strong spiritual foundation as you are profoundly connected with your spiritual self at this time. It's your special place of acceptance and warm hospitality any time of the day or night upon which you can draw when needed as if it were a deep well: your spirit.


Quote

* It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not. - Heraclitus (540 BC - 480 BC), from Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

The Social Poets
Dennys Global Politics
The Soul Calendar
Visual Insights
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations
Poems From A Spiritual Heart
The Healing Waters
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Monday, July 5, 2010

How Does Change Crash Into Our Lives to Build Anew?

*** Why do the confident among us find it easy to embrace change?





From Denny: Have you ever thought about the concept of change as just a neutral subject? Hard to do for us human types, isn't it? :)

The spiritual energy of change is much like a car. It is neither good nor bad but rather it is who is at the driving wheel that determines our destination. How we drive our "vehicle of change" is determined solely by our attitude and world outlook.

That's why it's important to purposefully focus upon positive events and remembrances in our personal experiences. The negative will easily be remembered. The problem of those negative experiences is that it speaks to holding onto and recycling negative dark energy for too long. That practice causes terrible imbalance in us.

Holding and caressing positive beautiful energy only seeks to energize us with more Life and Hope. So, when change comes into our lives - and it surely will - it is easier to be flexible and adapt purposefully in a fulfilling way that brings us happiness.


Quote

* Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. - James Gordon, M.D.


*** Photo by rore @ flickr


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The Social Poets
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