RECOGNIZING YOUR SPIRITUAL DNA



In EXPERIENCING OUR SPIRITUAL DNA, we began to address the recognition issues of our spiritual REALITY in terms of experiences we are continually having but not recognizing. This dilemma is one we face in ongoing scenarios of failing to recognize who we REALLY are, illustrating our “forgetfulness”.  Recognition is directly tied to spiritual “sight”, which therefore assists us in our “remembering”.

One cannot beat this dead horse enough.  The degrees of our spiritual blindness are significant. World history is our best evidence.

As you look around you, you see the continual pursuit of LOVE.  Now, how the world defines LOVE, and what LOVE actually is, are worlds apart.  LOVE in the world comes equipped with multiple entanglements, including projections, expectations, exclusivity, calls for sacrifice--conditions.  The LOVE of GOD is without conditions of any kind--unconditional.

The mere pursuit, even if misdirected or misinterpreted, is evidence that LOVE represents something so fundamental in our spiritual makeup that we are miserable without it, either consciously or unconsciously.  We would not even pursue it if it was not a part of our makeup.

Witness the countless ways in which we attempt to bring JOY to ourselves.  The forms this takes is not the issue, but the drive to do so.  JOY is part of who we are and the reason we pursue it with sometimes reckless abandon.

Aside from the technological and sociological downsides of smartphones and the internet, it is important to notice the drive to feel connected.  The sense of isolation is so antithetical to our makeup that we will go to many extremes to escape from it, and often to great extreme.  The feeling of ONENESS and inclusion is that which drives us--our remembrance of HOME.

Notice the obsession to look and feel beautiful, no matter what form that may take.  There is something deep within us that knows it is beautiful and is trying to display it as confirmation. Those who may appear to be self-denigrating and uncaring about this are only manifesting the unprocessed guilt that they still carry within them.  Their guilt is not REAL, merely their identification with it.

All around, there are continual displays of the manifestation of our spiritual REALITY.  We need only begin to notice them without, in order to start to recognize them within.

THE NATURE OF CONFLICT



The Prodigal Parable identifies the underlying software that operates, not just our planet, but the entire universe.  

(An interesting aside:  if you poke your nose into the world of ufology--UFOs--you find that war and environmental degradation are scenarios being played out throughout the universe, regardless of how “advanced” the civilization/alien-species may be.)

The software that the parable identifies rears it’s ugly head right on the heels of the prodigal son’s moment of epiphany, where he realizes the only way out of his situation is to high-tail it back home. But, upon his immediate reflection, he views himself as having sinned, for which he feels intense guilt. Guilt always infers punishment, which sees the birth of fear, and who better to administer the punishment than the one whom he had sinned against, his father.  The projection of judgment on to God is a well-known phenomenon--fortunately, it is not something in HIS thinking.  But, for those who don’t project this fear that far, their brother will do--thus the birth of conflict closer to home.

The dynamic of denial/repression/projection we see played out on the stage of “life” everywhere. Unprocessed guilt is projected like water from a firehose--person-to-person, family-to-family, group-to-group, country-to-country, and finally, planet-to-planet.  Does it represent the TRUTH of our situation?  No, but it is our experience.

“Conflict-resolution” is not something that can be imposed any more than you can make a horse drink water.  If the willingness is not there, neither will be the result.  The origin of the problem is within, and so must be the solution.  You do your own “conflict-resolution” homework within, and the effects will reverberate from you to others by not perpetuating the cycle.  If you are not conflicted, you will have no conflicts.

Loving everybody & having fun will guarantee you the most conflict-free life that you can have.

THE BLAME GAME


This happens to be the number one sport in the world, far outdistancing the popularity of futbol. With the 24-hour news-feed gone global, the choices seem endless.  With so much blame to go around, where does a person begin?

The buck actually stops with the finger pointing in the mirror.  It’s the classic case of denial and projection--the software that makes the world-go-round.

An important dynamic to understand in our Prodigal Parable is that the son viewed himself as having sinned for deciding to leave HOME on his little misadventure.  This perception caused him to feel guilt, and, as guilt deserves punishment, the punishment must come from somewhere.  Obviously the choice would be dad, since he is the one who has been slighted.

The birth of this spin-cycle gives rise to fear, the bedfellow of punishment.  How could it not?  We have now setup the classic case of guilt projecting punishment onto another, who we then must be feared--a great recipe for blame.

This, of course, gets extrapolated out onto the world stage where everyone harbors different flavors and degrees of guilt, represses and denies as much of the uncomfortable feeling as they can muster, and hurls it onto any unsuspecting recipient they can find.

The answer?  Lower the finger.

Take stock of what is at play here.  That which you see out there is merely a reflection of what is acknowledged within.

Begin by being kind to yourself, no matter how you are currently feeling.  Cutting yourself some slack will greatly improve your day--every day.  It is important to remember, the sin/guilt/fear carried around by the prodigal son carried no weight with the father when he returned home.  By letting go of your baggage, you will also begin to lighten the load of those around you, thereby withdrawing your support for the blame game.

It’s not really that much fun anyway.

TRINITY?


This, I assure you, is a foreign concept to a GOD who is ONE.  It may appease the confused masses who are forced to deal with a myriad of multiple doctrines, but, the facts are, GOD is ONE, not three.

This concept, of course, finds solace in a world of multiplicity, where everything is sliced-and-diced down to the “least” common denominator, the “least” of which, science is still grappling with just how small “least” is.  No matter how small that is, you can still cut it in half.

Now, let’s deal with GOD’S REALITY.  ONE means ONE.  Not two.  Or three.

When you “leave” the world of ONENESS for the far reaches of duality, everything gets a little dicey. In fact, it is ALL dicey.  And everything from that viewpoint is anything but ONE, even GOD--multiple gods, multiple faces of god, multiple everything--not GOD’S address.

Trinity is another misperception from the world of multiplicity, where ONENESS is a rare commodity. There are those purveyors of ONENESS (trace elements) who make attempts to convey the ONENESS of REALITY, but they are most often lost in the miasma of multiplicity.

Keep it simple, like the TRUTH.

GOD is ONE.

THE BIG THREE


You were probably thinking the “trinity” three.  That’s the subject for another day.  No, we are talking about the ubiquitous “faith/hope/LOVE” three.

Let’s examine these concepts in the light of the Prodigal Parable.  What did the son have “faith” for? Once he had his epiphany, and remembered who he was and where he was headed, was faith any part of the equation?  He didn’t have faith for who he was--he KNEW. He didn’t have faith for where he was going--he KNEW.  Faith infers the “hope” you will receive something that you do not have. (His status with Dad and where his home lied were never in doubt.)  Neither applies in the parable. Who he was and where he was going were without question.

The “possession” issue in our experience is not one of not having, but of not accepting the REALITY of what already IS.  If you don’t “believe” you have it, that will be your experience. We have got the cart before the horse.  Our experience of not “having” has everything to do with not “believing”--state of mind.  To have faith for “receiving” something which you already have, but refuse to accept, flies in the face of the REALITY in which we were created.  State-of-mind equals our experience, not the other way around.  

Hope, it appears, seems to be a downgraded version of faith, where you are STILL holding out, beyond your failed faith, to receive something which you already possess--pretty fatalistic and unbelieving.

The prodigal son merely had a change-of-mind (metanoia), “remembered” the TRUTH of his situation, and did an about-face.  This had nothing to do with either faith or hope.

But, it was his remembrance of LOVE/JOY/PEACE that drew him HOME again--the REAL big three.

Plus, he could smell the barbecue . . .

THE GREAT IMPOSITION



Little do we realize just how powerful we are as "chips off the old block”.  When it was stated that we were created in GOD’s image, it meant just that, except, the concept goes right over our heads (mind).


All that GOD creates is just like HIM/HER/IT-SELF (that should cover all the bases)--the like-begets-like principle.  There are those who will take stock of the world and interpret that GOD must be pretty dysfunctional, but that is a discussion for another day.  We wish to focus here strictly on the concept of free will.


We don’t realize what a can-of-worms this whole “free will” thing really is.  We didn’t even have a choice as to whether or not to have one.  It was actually imposed on us in our creation--the great imposition.  Let’s look at the ramifications of this in the Prodigal Parable.


You will notice that there was no cajoling or arguing by the father to dissuade his son about his travel plans--he probably even helped him pack.  The father financed the trip, walked him to the door, and probably said, “Have fun.”  It was the free will given to the son, and not violated by the father, that sent him on his way.


Let’s now address the son’s misadventure.  You will find no effort on the part of the father to interject himself in any way in helping, hindering, or persuading his son to abandon ship and return home.  Whatever the son wished to do (and later wished he didn’t), he was free to experience, completely free of the father’s influence.  When he finally realized he was on the vacation-from-h*ll, he also decided, free of any outside influence, to change his reservations and fly home early.  Free to go, free to return--free will all around.


Upon his return, he was welcomed back with open arms (apart from the comment that he looked like h*ll), pimped out in new robes, and lead straight to the barbeque.  When he tried to apologize for freely going, the father corrected him by saying, “What the h*ll--you freely returned.  Let’s party!”


What does this tell us?  The imposition of free will that was imposed upon us in our creation is something that is inviolable by GOD.  Even HE/SHE/IT won’t go there.  Where does that leave us--completely responsible for our vacation plans.

Little do we realize that:


The world is not happening to us.
OUR world is happening to us.


We hope you weren't looking for someone else to blame. . .

THE LAUGHING BUDDHA

THE

big mistake

within the illusion

is to take it

seriously

and forget to laugh

With GOD being associated with so much suffering and sacrifice across the religious landscape, one figure stands apart as a spiritual iconoclast--the laughing Buddha.  What the hell did he know, and what was so funny?  He obviously got the joke the rest of us didn’t.

To be fair, there are both laughing Buddhas, and ones lost in states of nirvana (or resting from all the laughter--we will never know).  One wonders which came first--your standard chicken-or-the-egg dilemma.  They obviously decided to cast him in both phases.

It is believed he was onto something--to laugh in the face of (fill in the blank).  That guy had style and gravitas, and he was obviously one-up on most everyone else.

Figureheads of influential religious movements are generally expected to be serious-sorts. For instance, would anyone take the Pope seriously if he were seen laughing his head off continually.  Or, would one be inclined to follow Muhammad if he was always found to be riding around with a big grin.  Not likely.  The religious landscape tends to breed party-poopers.  

But not the laughing Buddha.  That guy was probably the life of the party.  He was more like GOD than he knew, and he never really addressed the issue.

We should all have a good laugh on him.

FROM HERE TO UNLIMITEDNESS


From the reference point of feeling stuck inside a body (a common misperception), we actually have glimpses of escape on a fairly regular basis.

Take, for instance, our dreams.  We little realize we leave the confines of our daily grind and travel far and wide without any help from priceline.com.

Consider the excursions of simple daydreaming.  You can revisit your last vacation spot, include many juicy details, all the while unaware you have just driven your car an entire block on autopilot.

And don’t forget the all-encompassing feeling of viewing grand vistas, engaging in moments of tender observation, or of being shocked by adrenaline-pumping episodes where time seems to stop (and your life do a fly-by) as you have a close-encounter with perhaps your last breath.

All of the above take us from the confines of limitation within our skin to experiences of UNLIMITEDNESS.  We realize we need only to think about something and we are “there”.

Do not discount or devalue the dynamics of what is taking place.  You are more mind than you realize.  In fact, you are ALL mind, dreaming of limitation, while, in TRUTH, you are UNLIMITED.

Go ahead--take a trip.

THE RESONANCE OF TRUTH


Because we were created by TRUTH, as TRUTH, to be TRUTH, we have at our core, a place within us that is the resonance of TRUTH.   Without it, it would be impossible to find our way back.  This is the “seat of epiphany” where the prodigal son experienced his awakening, causing him to U-turn, and begin his trip HOME.

You have heard that the TRUTH will set you free, but few actually tell you what the TRUTH is.  For just such moments, you have come fully equipped with a TRUTH resonance “meter”. If what is being presented to you as truth does not resonate with a deep PEACE and the elation of FREEDOM, you might not want to take delivery.

TRUTH will always present itself as a paradigm-shift, consequently, it arrives with tremors to the status quo. The ability of the recipient to process the arrival will be based upon the allowance and processing of previous offerings that have been assimilated.  Each will either allow or resist, based upon what has been evaluated as “safe and acceptable”.  The rest will either be jettisoned or temporarily shelved for future consideration.  Each “allowance” will be accepted based upon the resonance that accompanies it.

As TRUTH presents itself, it will have an expansive feel.  Its sole objective is to lead us from limitation into UNLIMITEDNESS.  Always seasoned in LOVE, it gently beckons us to forgo our captivity, inviting us to enjoy the limitless vista of FREEDOM.  The invitation of TRUTH leads us back to that which has always been familiar--a resonance which has not been lost, but merely forgotten.

IN WHOSE IMAGE?


We are very good at being image-makers.  Look, for example, at yourself.  You are the exact representation of all the beliefs which you hold about yourself, both consciously and unconsciously. How you look, interact, and express yourself is the composite of your state of mind at any given moment.

Let’s examine the belief that we were “made in GOD’S image.”  With everyone busy image-making themselves, what does that mean?  What part of our attire, attitude, aptitude, perceived failures or successes, strengths or weaknesses, reflects GOD’S image?

Or, how do we view GOD based on how we view ourselves?  What image have we created as GOD? If all our perceived shortcomings must somehow reflect back on our creator, how does that leave GOD looking--created in our image?

Herein lies the rub.  All traditions have their own take.  Each has created a GOD in their own image, based on their respective belief systems, with each being a reflection of their composite “selves”. Many have looked in the mirror, and then projected GOD to be the super-sized version of everything they see within, often reflecting a polarizing landscape.

As we know, disagreeing about GOD-images is dangerous ground and can possibly get you killed. Attempts have been made in the past with just such results.  Hopefully it will not come to that.  

One such attempt is the depiction of GOD as a father in the Prodigal Parable, who, not only knows who his son really is, does not relate to any aspect of his son’s misadventures as being TRUE. There is no demonstration of anger, wrath, judgment, punishment, et al.--just LOVE/JOY/PEACE--a dramatic paradigm-shift from many previous versions.

Some will attempt to discount this rendition as being only “part” of the picture, making their own modifications as they see fit.

You may want to consider Prodigal Pop--I hear he’s throwing a BBQ.

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE


The phrase, borrowed from a famous movie, illustrates an important point.  We make our greatest progress, not in resisting, but allowing.

In our experience, we have developed a pattern of both allowing and resisting.  What we have failed to notice, is that our greatest growth and development has taken place when we have allowed ourselves to expand, not resist, the new and unknown, as it arrives in each moment.  As we “progress” from childhood to adulthood, we unconsciously “upgrade” our resistance software, and begin to downgrade our allowance software.  We view this as being “discriminative”.  What is actually happening is that we are losing our child-likeness, which is the condition required for experiencing TRUTH.

All is not lost.  Merely realize that you are the composite of all that you have allowed, and that the parameters of your allowance can only be restricted by limitations which you have accepted.  

A change in attitude will change your latitude.

It is completely within your power to be utilizing your allowance software to begin to expand the horizons of your experience without limitation.  The freedom and excitement of allowance will once again bring to you the fun and wonder of being childlike, which is of course, your ticket HOME.

TO BECOME OR TO BE


This is something we continually grapple with.  Working within the framework of viewing ourselves as incomplete, and mesmerized that our completeness lies out in the world, we are unrelentingly pursuing the carrot.

We evaluate that our “becoming” will be found in just the right body, friends, career, achievements, income, car, house, etc.--an unending pursuit, where each acquisition is accompanied by a gnawing feeling of dissatisfaction.

The continued distraction with “out there” only keeps our focus off “in there”.  Our drive to become something (which changes parameters as we transition in life), only redirects our attention away from the discovery that our greatest expression is found in merely “being”.

In being, there is no straining, striving or effort.  There is not the endless pursuit of goals, which continually change, and are only projected from a limited paradigm which is subject to change with little notice from ourselves anyway.

In being, you can relax, take in the scenery, smell the coffee, and enjoy the moments which you have gone to so much trouble to bring to yourself.

No become--just be.

MOVIE MOGUL


Very few have ever considered a career in Hollywood, but everyone is actually a movie mogul. Every time you fall asleep and dream, unbeknownst to you, you write, produce, direct, act, and observe your own 3D productions, time and again.  Out of the depths of the collective unconscious, you write the script, create the sets, cast the parts, act in your own productions, and sit back and experience your own handiwork.

What is taking place is a microcosm of the unimaginable creativity of the mind, even within a very limited definition of itself.  You are actually creating and destroying entire “universes” with each production.

Notice some interesting features.  Unless you are engaged in an R-rated moment, you are generally genderless.  You never see your body.  Nobody ever calls you by your current name.  On occasion, familiar people and places are part of the drama, but, for the most part, they are generally unfamiliar.  The context of the story lines will sometimes have overlapping similarities, but most have nothing to do with your current life.

So, what is going on here?

The concept of reincarnational lives may be up for debate, but your dream-lives represent thousands/millions of reincarnation existences you have dreamed up time and again.  When you are dreaming, it seems every bit as real as your waking state, until you awaken and realize it was only a dream.

Without realizing it, your productions represent the collective dream.  Since there is only one mind appearing as many, we “beg, borrow & steal” for production material--story lines, cast members, and set-designs.  That is why most of the material does not relate to your current dream-life.

To restate the dynamic:  your mind is the CAUSE--your experience is the EFFECT.  

And you had no idea you were a movie mogul.

NOT HERE, NOT THERE


The directive is pretty clear:  “If someone tells you it’s over here, or it’s over there, do not listen to him.  The answer lies within.”

As long as we are focused out there, we will never come to the recognition of what is in there.  Our preoccupation with the effect only delays our journey HOME.

Suffering from shell-shock by our perceived imperfections, and wishing to flee the scene of discomfort, we delay the recognition of our PERFECTION within.  We have seemingly thrown out the baby with the bathwater.  It’s time to retrieve the baby.

The pearl-of-great-price is buried in the field.

Not here, not there--in you.

BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE


In WHY ARE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE?, we dealt with the origin of the sin/guilt/fear software that runs the universe.  But how was this software “written”?

In review, the son “perceived” that he had sinned against HEAVEN (and GOD) by making the choice to leave, for which he felt tremendous guilt.  Since guilt deserves punishment, which he wrongly assumed would come from DAD, he feared the punishment he would face when he returned HOME, hence, the software of sin/guilt/fear.

You are probably wondering how could all those feelings be generated from such a decision? Let’s take a simple analogy.

Pretend you are 8 years old.  Your parents think you are old enough to stay home alone while they make a quick trip to the store.  While they are gone, you are rummaging through a kitchen drawer looking for Scotch tape for an art project.  You happen to run across a box of wooden matches, which, upon quick investigation, look tantalizingly seductive.  You don’t know exactly what you are going to do with them, but doing something with them you are going to do.  You race upstairs to your bedroom, sit down on the floor, open the box, take out a match, and smell the potential.  You have never struck one of these things before, but the curiosity is killing you. So, you locate the striking area on the side of the box, take a matchstick firmly in hand, and have a go at it.  The thing ignites far more explosively than you anticipate, scares the h*ll out of you, and you quickly release it from your hand and move out of the way.  It unfortunately lands on a pile of covers from your unmade bed and suddenly catches the sheet on fire.  Holy crap! You are frozen with fear.  

Trying to process the situation, you frantically try to stamp out the point of ignition with a shoe laying nearby, but that only seems to make matters worse.  Running quickly to the bathroom for water, the biggest container you can find is the cup you use to wash out your mouth after brushing your teeth.  A couple of trips with this measly amount amounts to too little.  Now, the flames on your bed have spread to nearby curtains, where you soon realize that both the house and your life may soon be curtains.

You are now in full-blown panic-mode.  You assess that the only escape is to escape.  So, you race down the stairs, out the back door, take one last panicked look from the middle of the yard, and hightail it over the back fence, into the alley, running away as fast as you can.
Hiding up in a tree at a nearby park, frozen in fear and confusion, you can see the smoke rising in the distance, and hear the cacophony of fire truck sirens announcing the end of your world.

Time seems as frozen as your state of mind.  As it dawns on you that there is no future up in the tree, you hesitantly slither down, and slowly make your way “home”, knowing that your future bodes nothing good.  From a block away, you observe the mass of confusion on your street, with fire trucks, police cars, caution-tape, neighbors and strangers.  What a nightmare!  How could such a innocently simple decision lead to this?

As you attempt to peer through the confusion, you see your distraught parents talking to firemen, who, at the same moment, happen to lay eyes on you looking at them.  They are beside themselves, and come rushing to greet you, thinking you had gone “up in smoke” along with the house.  It’s hugs and relief all around--except for you.  You are expecting the worst.  After all, look what you’ve done--burnt the friggin house to the ground.  They don’t even have a punishment to fit your crime.

But, much to your surprise, your parents attempt to convey that they don’t care about the house--they are just relieved you are safe.  The house is insured and can be replaced.  You are neither.

It’s not that hard to relate to the tremendous emotional turmoil something like this would create in the mind of a child, but, from an adult perspective, the view would be much different.  And so lies the distinction between how GOD sees our situation, and how we do. Our perspective is heavily skewed to the worst-case-scenario, while GOD welcomes back HIS beloved son.

Now, play this scenario out on an unimaginable scale within the mind of GOD and you have the software of sin/guilt/fear.

DAD is just waiting for you to leave it all behind so HE can throw a couple of shrimp on the barbee for you.

Bon appetit.

IN YOUR FACE & ALL OVER THE PLACE


“The kingdom of GOD is spread out over the whole world, yet you do not see it.”
In your face and all over the place.

It’s not a matter of manifestation, but of recognition.  (Reference “HOW DO WE EXPERIENCE OUR SPIRITUAL DNA?”)

The “seeing” is all tied to the recognition of what we are already experiencing, yet do not recognize.

It's in our face and all over the place.

Take the social-networking phenomenon.  Some may find it over-the-top--but look again. Recognize the drive for ONENESS (connectivity) away from separation, which is trace-evidence of our SPIRITUAL DNA.  The form that connectivity takes may be a big turnoff for some, but the content lies in the drive to connect and feel ONE.  (The form will always reflect the state-of-mind of the “connector”, which only reveals who they “think” they are, not who they “really” are.)

If you take another look, you will see all around you:

--LOVE being extended
--JOY being expressed
--PEACE being experienced

and it’s in your face and all over the place.

Don’t trip up over the form, focus on the content.

Now, go be yourself all over the place.

SOUL OR SPIRIT?


A definition of terms is in order.

SPIRIT=GOD=PERFECTION=ETERNITY=ONENESS=LOVE=JOY=PEACE=BEING=the REAL you

Soul=none of the above=imperfection=individuality=separation=ego=striving to becoming=who you think you are

That about wraps it up.  (I know you were expecting more . . .)

One of the great misunderstandings of all time is this “soul” thing.  We either gotta save ‘em or they end up in the dumpster, or, we are working really hard to perfect them.  Neither is true.  There is nothing to lose or perfect.

Let us once again refer to the Prodigal Parable.

SPIRIT=ONENESS=HOME with DAD (simply BEING)
Soul=separation=misadventure (striving to become)

You cannot improve on PERFECTION, but if you have forgotten you ARE it, you will be tempted to regain it, a la the “journey of souls”--the endless striving to become that which you already ARE--futility at its finest.

In the Prodigal Parable, the reference to the son being lost had nothing to do with losing anything, merely forgetting (who he was).  You have not lost anything for which you must strive to regain.  You have simply forgotten that which already is.

mindSHIFT

Party on.

WHY ARE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE?



A simple enough question--on the surface.  But it’s what’s beneath the surface that escapes our notice.

Just like your computer, which has hardware you can see, it’s the software, which is hidden, that determines what you do with what you see.  The operative word here is hidden.

Believe it or not, the universe you see has software you do not.

The universe has two very distinctive characteristics which are polar opposites of the characteristics of HEAVEN.

Number One:  HEAVEN is non-dualistic (ONENESS).  The universe is dualistic (the world of polarity, or “twoness”, played out to an infinitesimal degree).  This represents what you see (hardware).

Number Two:  HEAVEN operates on LOVE/JOY/PEACE.  The universe operates on sin/guilt/fear. This represents what is hidden (software).

This explanation may seem overly simplistic, but it is not.  The Prodigal Parable attempts to convey both of these dynamics.  While at HOME with dad, the son experiences the PERFECT ONENESS of HEAVEN, both before and after his little misadventure.  (“Why” he decided to leave was addressed in NOT HOW, BUT WHY?)  In HEAVEN, he experiences only LOVE/JOY/PEACE.

Now, upon his choice to depart, his simple “wondering” if there was anything apart from ONENESS/LOVE/JOY/PEACE seems to create just the opposite--separation/sin/guilt/fear.
In our parable, when the son has been reduced to dumpster-diving, he has his epiphany and remembers what it’s all about.  But, right on the heels of that little revelation, he is also gripped by the software that resulted from his innocent wondering in the first place--sin/guilt/fear.

It is important to remember, that while we seem to experience a universe run by sin/guilt/fear, these are not the characteristics of GOD or HEAVEN, and yet, they are projected to be so from our frame of reference.  If we can be angry and judgmental, so also must GOD.

So, where did this sin/guilt/fear software come from?  Why does it seem to permeate our hardware experience of the universe?

We return to our story.  The son’s immediate response to his homeward-bound epiphany is his “perceived” sin for his choice to leave, the guilt he feels for doing so, and the fear of punishment (from dad) that he feels his guilt deserves.  Once again, remember that these are characteristics of our universe experience, but they are not characteristics of HEAVEN or of GOD.

This software carries the son all the way to the doorstep of HOME/HEAVEN, where he is greeted by dad, and the software of HEAVEN--LOVE/JOY/PEACE.  The son is now faced with the realization that his “misperception” has no bearing in TRUTH.  In order for him to join the party, he must jettison his sin/guilt/fear.

So, he changes his mind, leaves behind the world of duality run by sin/guilt/fear, and joins the party of ONENESS/LOVE/JOY/PEACE.

Come on in and crack open a cold one.

NOT HOW, BUT WHY


All right--let’s tackle a big one here.

Science keeps grappling with the wrong question.  It’s not “how” was the universe created, but “why”?

The “how” is easy to comprehend once you begin to understand that all things have their origin in the mind of GOD, and nothing exists outside of it--period.  We simply fail to grasp the incredible power of the mind to create all things which come into being.

Consider the simple little saying, “As a man thinks, so is he.”  His thoughts become his reality--both good and bad.  This, of course, is a micro of the macro.

We oftentimes discount the power of our thoughts to create our reality, but even in our limited state of awareness, we are incredible “reality generators”.

All things have their origin in mind, bar none.  

So, where does that leave us?  Back to the right question.

The Prodigal Parable explains, in no uncertain terms, that the thought of wondering if there was something outside of the PERFECTION of HEAVEN lead to the son’s decision to fly the coop and see for himself.  What we fail to realize is that the “innocent wondering” set off a chain of events that seemingly birthed a universe “separate” from the PERFECTION of HEAVEN, and created the stage for our little separation misadventure to take place.

The ramifications of this innocent wondering are still be played out in our daily experience. The “how” of the experience was the result of endless “separation scenarios” being played out and projected from the mind of the son who seemingly fell asleep and forgot who he was.  (Think of ONE MIND seemingly being sliced-n-diced into countless “separate” minds, and you have all the experiences that have ever been or will be experienced on every level throughout all time.)

Walla.  You now have the “how & why” of the universe all wrapped up in a nice little story--a world of separation, where everybody is experiencing being separate from each other, and separate from God.  We got what we “thought” we wanted.

Our response to what seems to have occurred we will leave for another day.  It provides the seed-bed for why the universe is the way it is.

Don’t worry--it’s all good.  Everybody wakes up in the end.

FROM ASLEEP TO AWAKE


We have already discussed with some detail the experiencing of our spiritual DNA, but it deserves repeated attempts to clarify the reality of our situation.

The compartmentalization of the mind is merely a “device” of separation.  For example: when you fall asleep and dream, the fact that you are sleeping is forgotten, and your dream becomes your new reality.  When the mind “splits”, its former reality is forgotten (not lost), and its new condition becomes its reality.  No matter what you are dreaming about, you have completely forgotten you are asleep.

The reality of your dream is realized to be only a dream upon awakening.  Your previous waking condition is now “remembered”.  The implications of this dynamic escape our notice on a larger scale.  We think this “reality” is actually real.  What we fail to realize is that our TRUE self in GOD has been forgotten, but that TRUE self is making continuous attempts to wake us up to this reality.

The prodigal son’s moment of epiphany (waking up) came when he remembered who he was, and where his true home was found.  Our asleep-at-the-wheel reality is no more than a state of mind, which by comparison to who we really are, represents no more than a dream.

As we discussed in the spiritual DNA piece, evidence of this reality keeps bleeding through, as our TRUE self expresses LOVE, JOY and PEACE within this dream-scape.  The fact that a lot of other “manifestations” of emotion/behavior less DIVINE also play out on this stage is a discussion for another day.  But, let the ramifications of this mind-splitting dynamic start to sink in.  You are more asleep than you know.

It's time to wake up and smell the coffee . . .

TRUSTING YOURSELF


You have come fully equipped as the PERFECTION of GOD, whether you recognize it or not. What this means, is that your seemingly limited mind is not so limited at all.  The Prodigal Parable conveys a choice made (not consciously on this level) to split from the house like the prodigal son--or, to put it more accurately--a choice to leave ONENESS/UNLIMITEDNESS for separation/limitation.

The truth is, you have not lost your UNLIMITEDNESS, you’ve merely forgotten it--by choice. The good news is, your UNLIMITED self (that which God created you as) is continually making attempts to bring this to your awareness.

Consider how we innocently devalue these attempts with catch-phrases like:

it just crossed my mind
I was just thinking about
something told me
it just occurred to me
just caught my attention
my gut feeling
I had a hunch
my first impression
I have a sense

These all represent attempts made by the UNLIMITED you to direct the limited you on the path ahead.

The spiritual DNA fingerprint of these attempts will always be accompanied by the feeling of PEACE.  PEACE is the baseline for trusting your REAL self.

How often have we been encouraged by others to:

follow your heart
trust your instincts
find yourself
be in touch with your feelings

It is only from a condition of PEACE that these indicators will resonate and bring with them a confirming feeling of PEACE.

If the moment brings confusion and dis-ease, simply stop.  Exhale, and let go of the dis-ease, until the ease returns, and you reclaim your place of PEACE.  You are now positioned to receive what your UNLIMITED self is attempting to communicate to you.  It’s communications will always be confirmed by the feeling of PEACE.

Trust yourself.  Nobody knows what’s better for you than your UNLIMITED you.  

PEACE in/PEACE out

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

When you begin to realize that there is no judgment in GOD (ref. the Prodigal Parable--the father’s response to the son’s return, where none of his failures were held against him), there will no longer be any need to continue to judge yourself.  Instead, be kind to yourself. The father’s response in the parable represents the TRUTH of how GOD sees us, requiring us to begin to relate to ourselves in like manner.

Whenever you observe yourself as being less than DIVINE, simply be kind to yourself, and let it go.  The fact that you are able to reflect upon these shortcomings is not to judge them, but to release them.

Do not beat yourself, with yourself, over yourself--forgive yourself.

Developing a new pattern of being kind to yourself in all situations, will bring you more closely into alignment with how GOD relates to you, and begins the process of letting go of those things which cease to have value, and the embracing of those which do.  As a new pattern of kindness begins to develop, you will also find yourself extending it to those around you.  The world then begins to be a kinder place.  Your state of mind will be reflected in your outward experience—a welcome change.  No matter what the situation, be kind to yourself, and then extend it to others.

Because we have chosen an experience of limitation, all our interactions are conducted within that framework, both within and without.  Simply remember that these limitations are not an accurate reflection of our TRUE state of being.  When you happen to miss the mark in any encounter (100 percent accuracy is unlikely), simply be kind to yourself. Kindness applied to yourself and others is the only correct response to that which appears to be our self-imposed limitations in the light of our TRUE REALITY.

Welcome yourself home, as the father welcomed the son, regardless of the situation.  Then extend that welcome to those you encounter.

Party on.

EXPERIENCING OUR  SPIRITUAL DNA

We are actually experiencing it all the time--we just don’t recognize it.
First, let’s establish what it is.

GOD=SPIRIT=LOVE/JOY/PEACE=YOU=SPIRIT=LOVE/JOY/PEACE. (Simple math.)

We wonder about all the other stuff--like a body, and the occasional really-bad-attitude, which may make the body do some not-so-nice things. The truth of the matter is, we will one day drop our body like a suit of clothes and keep right on going. Bodies are spiritually “neutral”--they do only that which the mind dictates. Other than the sexual difference, Mother Teresa and Adolf Hitler had pretty much the same equipment, which met the same end (death), but each had a dramatically different mindset. Each body was used as the mind directed.

Let’s examine the LOVE/JOY/PEACE dynamic.

There is a reason why the pursuit of LOVE is such an important part of our experience. It is an indicator of our spiritual DNA. The feelings of LOVE, and being in LOVE, drive much of what we do for a reason. It feels good to feel LOVE, to be in LOVE, and to be LOVING--the closest connection we have to who we really are. (Recognize how miserable we are without it.)

Now, consider all the creative ways we come up with to bring ourselves the feelings of JOY. They are as varied as we are. We pursue them because the feelings of JOY feel really good. Once again, they are an indicator of who we really are.

As much as we like to enjoy (fill in the blanks), we also realize that we require downtime--PEACE--because it is our natural state of BEING. Some require more, some less, but we all require it. No matter how much “JOYing” we may be having, PEACE is where we recharge our batteries.

It has been stated, “The Kingdom of GOD covers the earth, yet we do not see it.” This is what was seen then, as well as now. Whenever LOVE is extended, JOY is expressed, and PEACE is experienced--no matter what the form or context--there you have the “kingdom” manifested.

Some have a greater identification with these feelings being who they really are, and are therefore greater expressions of it. Others are a bit behind the curve. (There are pictures of even Hitler LOVING his dog--trace evidence.)

The challenge is developing the recognition to see our spiritual DNA, within and without. Once we start to recognize these feelings within as the experience of our TRUE spiritual DNA, we will then start to recognize their manifestations without. Pretty fun stuff when we start to have this mind shift.

The path of facilitating this mind shift is the development of a new pattern of experience. We need only to start recognizing all the ways our SPIRIT directs our mind towards the feelings of LOVE/JOY/PEACE. These are not small things. They are the evidence of experiencing our spiritual DNA.

LOVE EVERYBODY
h  a  v  e  f  u  n

It’s the simplest way to experience our spiritual DNA.

GOD IS ONLY LOVE


The conflict about GOD is not that “HE”--more correctly referred to as an “IT”, since GOD is genderless--arises out of the perception, not that GOD is LOVE, but also fear, anger, jealousy, judgment, etc., etc.  (It sounds suspiciously like a god made in our own image.)

GOD has received much bad press over time.  There have actually been several attempts made to execute retractions of the slander, but they have carried little weight over the centuries.

To understand what GOD is really like, you need only a clear understanding of the re-portrayal in the Prodigal Parable.

First of all, it was the son’s choice to leave HEAVEN--he was not kicked out.  This is a direct contradiction to the Genesis account where we are portrayed as being booted out.

The prodigal’s little mis-adventure then takes place in a world separate from GOD/HEAVEN/ONENESS, etc.--one of his own creation, where no god is found.   This is quite a sticking point with those who take issue with GOD as to why there is so much suffering in the world, and why HE allows it, etc.  GOD doesn’t allow anything because HE’S not responsible for it—we are.  GOD’S REALITY is only LOVE/JOY/PEACE/ONENESS (our TRUE REALITY) in HEAVEN.  HE doesn’t relate to our little dream as being real, and that’s why you do not see any intervention by GOD in the prodigal’s situation.

You ask, “How can we have created a world separate from GOD?”  We didn’t do it on this level, but the origin of our little dream mis-adventure happened with an “innocent wondering” if there was something separate from GOD. WALLA.  We’re living it.

The most important part of the story relates to the question about GOD being only LOVE. The father’s response to the prodigal’s return is an attempt to convey what GOD is really like.  There was no judgment, no punishment, no beat-down on the son’s choice to have his little mis-adventure--only a loving “Welcome Home--let’s PARTY!” response.

When you allow the realization of that GOD is only LOVE to wash over you, you discover HE is a real party animal just waiting for you to wake up from your dream.

Party on.

WHAT IS THE MIND?

This is actually as big a question as “What is GOD?”

Consider first that “GOD is SPIRIT”.  SPIRIT=no form.  So what is that?  SPIRIT=no form=the “feelings” of LOVE/JOY/PEACE.  These feelings, which we all attribute to the character of GOD, are experiential--we can and do experience them very personally in our connection with all things; human, animal, plant, etc.

The conveyance of these feelings/GOD characteristics, do not occur in a vacuum.  They need the agency of mind to convey the characteristics of LOVE/JOY/PEACE.  Mind, in itself, is inherently neutral--merely the “tool” of conveyance.

So, you have GOD=SPIRIT=LOVE/JOY/PEACE, which is conveyed through or by the MIND of GOD.  Mind is the “mechanism” of decision--free will.  GOD’S free will was conveyed in our creation, which is why we have one.

Now, a very important point.  The most fundamental Law of GOD is that of CAUSE & EFFECT, meaning, GOD (SOURCE/CAUSE) created everything else (that is like GOD--EFFECT). I emphasize that GOD only creates that which is like HIM--like begets like.

GOD=LOVE/JOY/PEACE (cause) simply creates more LOVE/JOY/PEACE (effect) when He creates --the mind of GOD being the agency through which this is done.

This is a long road to get back to the brain/mind question.  The mind is not in the brain--the brain and body and everything else is in the mind.  We simply cannot grasp the creative power of mind.

Consider this:  When you fall asleep and dream, your mind is creating/destroying entire universes of “reality” within each dream.  Apart from the experience that dreams seem a little less ordered than waking life, when you’re in them, they seem real.  Mind creates the sets, casts the characters, gives them lines, costumes, story, etc.  And we do this over and over again.  Mind creates all of this, projects it onto the “screen”, and we “sit back” and experience it like a 3-D movie.  You will notice that you never really “see” your current body in your dreams, because the REAL you is not your body.  This is the great mis-identification. (We all kind of hope that is the case, because we are constantly seeing bodies bite the dust all around us.)  Don’t worry--the good news is that you are not your body.

So what the h*ll are we then?  Try SPIRIT/MIND projecting our current “temporary vehicle” known as a body--just like in our dreams.  We are non-local spiritual beings having a temporary local experience.

The brain/body does exactly what the mind dictates.  State of mind=state of body.  Ease (PEACE) of mind=healthy body.  Dis-ease (conflict) of mind=disease in body.

Western medicine knows about the “placebo effect” but does little to promote the power of its potential.

So, what is the mind?

Mind you.