A Past more Exciting than any Fiction

Before The Pyramids: Cracking Archaeology’s Greatest Mystery by Christopher Knight and Alan Butler has much scientific data about a Megalithic Yard that can be traced back to the pyramids and beyond. While one can get lost in the technical descriptions, they do provide validation to these ideas that might otherwise be just interesting. Perhaps the authors go too far when they suggest that all major sites in Washington, DC are linked by a web measured in the Megalithic Yard, bringing the Freemasonry mystique to the United States.

The authors suggest the possibility “that Washington DC is a continuation of knowledge held by an advanced culture from the extreme past. And there is still an elite group of people who fully understand this” (208).

They claim that the Sphinx and other Egyptian standing structures “prove beyond doubt that the emergence of civilization…took place long before orthodox history has ever considered” (209). And they suggest that now is the time to “look again at ideas of the past” (211).

Are their conclusions correct? I don’t believe there is enough information available. But their findings pose questions of a past far more exciting than any fiction, and I do believe that the best is yet to come.

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol

This is an exciting read, a hard-to-put-down book that I enjoyed even more than Brown’s previous novel, The Da Vinci Code. There is one significant aspect, however, that transcends the intrigue of the story. The research that one of the characters is doing is more important than the tale itself. This is the practical spiritual message of the book.

The research lab in the story is working to prove that “human thought, if properly focused, had the ability to affect and change physical mass” (55). This suggests that concentrated thought can affect anything, such as “the growth rate of plants, the direction that fish swim in a bowl, the manner in which cells divided in a petri dish…, and the chemical reactions in one’s own body” (56). These studies show that loving thoughts impact the structure of water and negative thoughts create a chaotic, disorderly form. The ideas come from ancient wisdom.

There is more to this story, of course. There is the drama about what is hidden beneath a building in Washington D.C. It would spoil the story to say more. What doesn’t ruin the story, though, is the importance of Brown’s research. While some of it is based in fact and some may be simply his projections of possibilities, I feel there is a significance hidden in the pages that forces us, once again, to remember that the power is within us, not solely in some hidden symbol or object yet to be found. What is to be discovered may be what many already know, as Brown suggests, that the power and secrets we search for are within.

A Review of Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discernment on the Spiritual Path

This book by Mariana Caplan, PhD has two significant points 1) the importance of dealing with the psychological as well as spiritual aspects of our lives and 2) the need, or not, of having a spiritual teacher.

We cannot ignore our psychological hang-ups. Just “being spiritual” isn’t enough if we still harbor old resentments, hurts, and other issues that have been ignored for many years. As a psychologist, Caplan may be a little biased on this topic, yet she is correct. Being spiritual is about being a healthy human. That includes using some form of therapy to clear our past. Caplan claims that we “must be willing to suffer our own darkness if we truly aspire to know the deeper spiritual potentialities that exist within us” (20).

When going through hard times, we may be experiencing our own karmic payback and “that it is necessary, even unavoidable, that we endure it” (101). Despite past lives and their significance, however, the fact is that “What is important is whether we are able to meet our present circumstance with a clear and discerning perspective and refrain from taking actions that further the endless repetition of unfavorable and limiting aspects of our karmic conditioning” (102).

The good news is that “future suffering is prevented through intensive self-study and practice that allows us to become aware of our unconscious processes and to intercept them” (102). Our awareness of our faults and limitations, and our desire and intent to change them, creates a better future. The control of our lives is within our reach.

The second significant point in this book is that we may not need a spiritual teacher. Caplan is very specific on this topic. She has had years of experience with teachers from different spiritual paths. While she continues to work with one, she warns of the difficulty in finding the right teacher who is both psychologically and spiritually healthy. Too many of the encounters she describes involve so-called gurus who take advantage of students emotionally, sexually, and/or financially. She mentions warning signs that can be sensed, even if not fully understood. She encourages us to listen to our instinct and steer clear of individuals claiming to have answers while making us feel uncertain and uncomfortable.

There are ways to grow spiritually other than running to an ashram in India or finding a personal coach. While we all need guidance, there are other forms of receiving assistance. Many people find a guiding book appearing at the right time in their lives. Others discover a connection to a guide on another dimension, and while there is caution against assuming or misinterpreting such a presence, there is a way to validate that. Again, trusting one’s instinct is crucial.

Caplan also warns against a “new-age” groupie mentality of following the latest, greatest person and/or idea. Chasing after this external gratification doesn’t allow one to fully develop one’s own talent or spiritual connection. There is no specific right way. That is the misleading part for many who desire answers, which may come in a variety of ways. For some, a teacher does physically appear. For others, that teacher may come in an unexpected form.

Caplan’s personal experiences bring validity to her discussions. She has lived through the psychological struggles, the spiritual quest and the multiple spiritual teachers. This book provides crucial challenges with affirming answers.

Are You An Entrepreneurial Spirit? Take the Quiz and Find Out

An entrepreneurial spirit is a person who is spiritually independent and not locked into any one set of dogmatic beliefs. An entrepreneurial spirit is a person who recognizes the importance of creating a better spiritual life.

Creativity and risk are entrepreneurial characteristics. Creativity is not just about painting a picture, acting in a drama, writing a novel or some other artistic endeavor. Creativity is being intellectually and spiritually inventive. Spiritual people must be imaginative and innovative. We must also be willing to try new ideas, new ways of thinking and acting. This involves a certain degree of risk.

An entrepreneurial spirit understands non-linear thinking, in which there is no one cause and effect. Non-linear is a different way of thinking. We can no longer expect to find one result from an event, or expect an outcome to have a single, definite cause. Linear thinking, or moving in a straight line, is no longer the only way to reflect. Instead, imagine a web of ideas spreading out in a variety of intricate patterns, but with an underlying order.

Assess yourself as an entrepreneurial spirit. Do you have the qualities necessary to adapt to change, take control of your spiritual life, and think differently?


ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT?


Directions: Assign one point for each characteristic that describes, or mostly describes, you.


Creates or seizes an opportunity and purses it regardless of current resources.

Never, never accepts “no” for an answer

Is creative and innovative

Uses both left and right brain

Works hard, is driven by intense commitment and determined perseverance

Sees the cup 1/2 full, not 1/2 empty

Strives for integrity

Burns with desire to connect with the Divine

Is dissatisfied with the status quo in spiritual life

Seeks opportunity to improve all spiritual connections

Uses failure as a learning tool

Strives for effectiveness, not perfection

Is comfortable with a certain degree of risk


Scoring: Highest Possible Score is 13

Congratulations! A score of 10 or more makes you an entrepreneurial spirit.

Our spiritual, as well as our material, world is changing. As an entrepreneurial spirit, you are willing to modify your views to accommodate new ideas. This does mean changing your beliefs. This means not limiting your thinking, but allowing new thoughts to permeate your being.

If you are not an entrepreneurial spirit, do not worry. You might want to take a look at the characteristics to see which ones you want to incorporate into your life. Being an entrepreneurial spirit is not the only way to live spiritually, but it is one way to better flow with the changes that are occurring.

Eight Values That Define Our Lives

Who are you? What defines you? What are those ideals or values most important in your life? Are they things such as honesty, loyalty and/or respect for others? We know not to lie, steal or cheat, but what other values do we honor?

Eight concepts define our ethical beliefs:

Compassion – caring about ourselves and others
Unity - feeling connected to others
Truthfulness – being honest with ourselves and others
Fairness - treating ourselves and others fairly
Tolerance – allowing diversity in ideas and beliefs
Responsibility – assuming the consequences of our actions
Respect – accepting our own and others’ opinions
Service – helping ourselves and others

Which ones make you who you are? Then think about which ones you honor in others, but fail to allow for yourself:

Do you treat others fairly, but not yourself?
Do you respect others’ opinions, but not your own?
Do you help others and volunteer for many charities, but fail to take time for your own chores?
Do you show compassion to others, but neglect your own needs?
Know your beliefs, acknowledge them, and honor them for yourself, not just for others.

In situations of conflict, we know the right thing to do. We tap our inner wisdom to see how any potential decision feels. Trust that. Honor what is right. Act on your beliefs.

What beliefs reflect your parent within, the nagging voice that warns you when you are doing something wrong, even when you try to quiet and ignore it? What are the beliefs that, when ignored, wake you up at night and disturb your sleep?

Think of a dilemma in which you debated what to do. What helped you make that final decision? Were you at peace with it? Remember those values that allow you to believe in your decisions, and trust yourself.

Spirituality is the larger part of the ethical issue. 95% of us believe in God or something greater than ourselves. Despite differences, most religions and spiritual paths teach the same eight principles as mentioned above: Compassion, Unity, Truthfulness, Fairness, Tolerance, Responsibility, Respect, and Service. We live spiritually by honoring these values and focusing on the ones most important to us. Trust who you are and what you do by respecting your beliefs.

Are You a "None?"

The Hartford Courant, on September 29, 2009 (A1), reported on a study that showed 15%of U.S. adults were not part of any organized religion, up from 8% in 1990. While those numbers don’t surprise me, and I agree with their predictions that the numbers will continue to rise, I did find the article disturbing. There seemed to be an underlying negative statement concerning that 15%, who were described as the “American Nones,” as if those of us who do choose not to participate in any organized religion were somehow lesser than the majority. Half of these “Nones” believed in God, and some were atheists. I have no problem with anyone who chooses to be part of any organized Church. I just wish that there were more openness for those who do not. Perhaps this same lack of acceptance of any differing views is what is driving the higher number of “Nones.”

What is Your Practical Spiritual Trust Factor?

Eight basic values determine our spiritual lives: Compassion, Unity, Truthfulness, Fairness, Tolerance, Responsibility, Respect, and Service. These are the common principles taught by most religions and spiritual paths. These same principles define trust. The concepts are not new. Many of us just lost track of them as we find ourselves in a complex and confusing world.



WHAT IS YOUR PRACTICAL SPIRITUAL TRUST FACTOR?


1. Compassion
Do you care about and like yourself?
Do you care about the people you interact with on a daily basis?

2. Unity
Do you believe that in working more closely with others, something better
can be accomplished?
Are you willing to make a commitment to work more closely with others?

3. Truthfulness
Are you willing to be honest in your dealings with others?
Are you willing to be honest to yourself about your needs, wants and desires?
Are you willing to be honest with yourself about the integrity or lack of it your life?

4. Fairness
Are you willing to treat people around you fairly?
Are you willing to insist on fair treatment for yourself?

5. Tolerance
Are you willing to accept the diversity of others?
Are you willing to allow others to have different views and opinions?

6. Responsibility
Are you willing to assume personal responsibility for your life?
Are you willing to assume your share of responsibility for the overall
Advancement and evolution of our society?

7. Respect
Are you willing to learn to respect others, their opinions and their beliefs?
Are you willing to respect yourself and what you do?
Are you willing to have respect for the earth and be conscious of not polluting the environment?

8. Service
Are you willing to help others in your life to advance and succeed?
Are you willing to commit to helping others in your community with time as well as money?


Scoring: Assign one point for each “YES” answer.
Scores will range from 0-18. Acceptable scores range from 10-18.

If your score is in an acceptable range, Congratulations! You are a practical spiritual role model and need to be encouraged to continue your quest.

If your score is not in an acceptable range, reconsider which principles you disagree with. How do these affect your view of trust and how others view you? Are you a trustworthy person? Do your friends and coworkers see you as a trustworthy person? You might want to review the qualities that you want to work on.

These concepts apply to our everyday lives but show a practical spirituality. We don’t need to preach to be effective. Being role models with our actions is the best way to promote our spirituality.

A Review of How To Read The Akashic Records by Linda Howe

I always think of the Akashic Records as the “universal library in the sky” or the record of all of our past, present, and future selves. A new book, How To Read the Akashic Records: Accessing The Archive of the Soul and Its Journey by Linda Howe explains that the Records contain, “everything that every soul has ever thought, said and done over the course of existence, as well as its future possibilities.” I love her analogy of the Records being the “cosmic internet” and we can “google” specific information from them.

The Records are governed and protected by nonphysical Light Beings. Our “Masters, Teachers and Loved ones” are our guides to the information of this universal repository.

These Records are not the exclusive domain of any one organization or religion. They are available to everyone. In the past, mystics and saints had access, and Mystery Schools provided entrance information. Today, we have evolved to a spiritual freedom, which allows anyone to gather data from the Records.

A specific prayer, the Pathway Prayer, is used to gain entry. While answers are provided, there is also an energy exchange that allows us to ask the right questions and “feel” the right responses. We are reminded that we are “perfect selves.” The Records don’t hold anything negative. They contain our potential, which is “eternal beings of Light whose essence is wholeness and wellness and goodness.”

Howe suggests that the Records provide an “energetic tune-up” for everyone, especially for those feeling out of touch or lost in the complexity of the material world. Remembering that we are connected to a Divine Being provides a comfort. “All souls desire to experience their wholeness and Oneness with all of Creation,” although not all of us are aware of this.
Accessing the Akashic Records is aspect of our Practical Spirituality. We are all capable of a spiritual independence, one in which we can help choose and define our spiritual connection. The Records provide another avenue of support, one in which we can connect directly to a Divine or higher Energy.

The Records show us that whatever our soul is seeking, we will find. What a liberating time to be living in, when we can gain this inner spiritual awareness and have access to help whenever we need it. Each of us has a unique light to shine. Our challenge is to accept the gifts we are given to help find and shine that inner light.

A New Look at an Old Favorite Book: Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

My Mom, who recently died, loved this book and this author. But I had never read this gift until after her death. What a treat!

Lindbergh has a quiet determination in her writing. Perhaps this helps explain how she survived being the wife of the world’s famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh, and the kidnapping and death of her son.

She focuses on creativity and women, solitude, and relationships. Her words remind me of the wisdom of my Mom’s generation. We can learn much from our elderly if we are only willing to listen.

“While man, in his realm, has less chance for personal relations than woman, he may have more opportunity for giving himself creatively in work. Woman, on the other hand, has more chance for personal relations, but these do not give her a sense of her creative identity, the individual who has something of her own to say or to give. I believe that true identity is…found in creative activity springing from within…Woman can best refind herself by losing herself in some kind of creative activity of her own.”

This reflects Step Seven in the Do It Yourself Guide to Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps, which shows that one of the spiritual rules is to create and develop our unique ability. Lindbergh’s writing has a practical spiritual component.

“All relationships are in process of change, of expansion, and must perpetually be building themselves new forms. But there is no single fixed form to express such a changing relationship. There are perhaps different forms for each successive stage.” Lindbergh reminds us of the Step Three of Change, which affects all relationships.

"Perhaps one can at last in middle age, if not earlier, be completely oneself. And what a liberation that would be.”

Ah, if only we could all be completely ourselves. I find that 50 years after those words, the idea is becoming significant again. That internal liberation, however, still escapes most of us. Lindbergh understands the importance of the inner life. That inner life is necessary now. That inner life is part of our spiritual evolution.

Searching for our creativity, allowing relationships to change, and finding peace within – what words of wisdom.

Review of an Important Book

Mouches Volantes by Floco Tausin is powerful novel in which the narrator, under the illusion of restoring an antique desk, meets and is taught by a seer, Nestor. He gradually realizes that his growth is tied to the piece of furniture, which “is like a mirror: it reflects the energy of your ideas and concepts directly back to you” (27).

Initially one might be annoyed at the storyteller who seems so arrogant and reluctant to accept anything told to him by Nestor. Frustration with this slow-learning narrator, however, turns to understanding as we begin to see him as the embodiment of all of us who spend too much time denying the existence of, or our connection, to another world.

The story reminds me of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray in which a young man’s portrait progressively gets uglier and uglier as his evil ways in the world increase. Dorian Gray’s beauty, however, does not diminish as his picture, hidden in his attic, shows the immorality of his actions. In Tausin’s story, the antique becomes more and more beautiful during the slow restoration process, as the narrator comes closer and closer to understanding the other consciousness represented by his eye floaters.

We tend to see earth as a small picture and we are often content with this limited view, afraid of losing what we know. The struggle is not easy. Years pass in the novel as the narrator learns. This is an allegory to our lives, reminding us that connecting with another possibility is not a one-step, easy ride. It forces a personal commitment from the reader. I recommend the journey. But be sure to keep an open mind and allow yourself to see beyond this image we call our world.

My Mom died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s; she died peacefully under the care of Hospice.

She provided a strength, both physical and mental, to her family and community. She was a dedicated mother, an inspiring grandmother and a loving great-grandmother.

In her last years, even when she couldn’t talk, she could let us know what she wanted and would not put up with anything less than her demands. She continued to be strong and aware until the end.

She had an integrity. We always knew her opinions, which she was not afraid to share with family and friends. We knew what was right or wrong. We knew the right thing to do in most any occasion because she taught us, and she showed us in her own life. We knew how to act, and she would remind us, even in our adult years, if we didn’t remember. While we may not always have agreed with her, there was never a question what she thought. She made that clear.

I read a quote recently, “He won the bigger race; he stayed true to himself.” My Mom won, too, despite all that has happened to her throughout her 91 years. She won because she remained true to herself. That is the legacy she leaves her family; that is her final testament to life – that strength and integrity. That “voice in our head” to do what is right and to be true to ourselves.
While she may be gone, that “voice” will be with me always.

Living Alone

A short article “ A World Living Alone,” in the March-April issue of Spirituality & Health, reported that the number of people living on their own could double in the next 25 years. The problem with that is that humans are “designed to feel secure when they are with others and to feel threatened when they are alone.”

Since women tend to live longer than men, living alone is more of a reality for us. Rather than finding these predictions scary, I find it a challenge for us to create a community of family and friends. Even if we’re not living alone now, close ties with others is important. We tend to forget that in our busy world. Taking time to work on relationships with family and friends is crucial; in fact, it may be one of the most important activities for today and our future. A feeling of security makes our life better. We have some control creating that security.

Something To Think About As Memorial Day Approaches

As Memorial Day draws near, rather than just enjoying the day off, which I hope you will do, let's also remember its purpose. Here is an article I wrote: http://tinyurl.com/p8bnvm. Just something to think about.

Love versus Fear

Shirley MacLaine, in Sage-ing While Age-ing claims that the main lesson for many people is love versus fear. I agree. Too many of us let fear dominate our lives, a fear that runs from worry about relationships to money to global warming. We need to make good decisions that impact our lives. Fear interferes with those choices.

An aspect of this fear, as explained by MacLaine, is that we decide “let’s not talk of problems.”

“It’s as though conditions in our world have deteriorated so completely that no one wants to engage in its alarming meaning for fear that they won’t be able to erase it from their minds.”

MacLaine believes, as do many, that time is moving more rapidly, and we are or will begin feeling an increase in energy around us. With all of this, however, she is optimistic about our future. Yes, we need to make changes and be more aware in our lives. But she does not see an end of the world coming.

We don’t need to be frightened of the future, causing us to dismiss it from our minds. We can, in small ways, impact our lives, the world and the universe. That is how it works. We don’t need to do big things; we just need to do small things with good intention. That is what will allow us to evolve to a better world.

Do You Believe in Extraterrestrials?

In my last two posts, I mentioned Barbara Hand Clow and Shirley MacLaine. Both of these writers believe in other beings who have visited or watch Earth. Clow believes that Earth is quarantined by Universal forces. MacLaine has a strong belief in extraterrestrials who want to help us but need our acknowledgement and permission to do that.

Perhaps it is time to ask questions of our own:

• Can we continue to ignore that other beings visit Earth?
• Can we continue to insist we are alone in this universe, either physically or spiritually?I

I find these fascinating, not frightening questions.

Our challenge is to trust ourselves to discern the answers. Recognize you inner knowing about such subjects. Remember, as many writers tell us, we may never actually see such beings, which doesn't mean they don't exist. Their existence on other dimensions may be known to us only when we begin to "look" and "listen" differently. We may surprised at what we find.

A survey in EnlightenNext magazine ( May-June 2008, 18) shows that in 2007, 35% of us believed in UFOs, up one percent from the previous year. While that is a relatively small number, take heart if you find yourself in that group. You are not alone.

What do you believe?

An Evolutionary Shift and Beings from Other Star Systems

Many writers discuss the year 2012 and the impact of other beings on our planet. Barbara Hand Clow in The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind (2007) states that humans were quarantined from the rest of the Universe. She claims that “Earth is an isolated planet in the midst of an evolving and highly organized interplanetary, intergalactic, and multidimensional universe…a member of a collective Universe that functions by universal law, and life was planted here and cultivated under the stewardship of more advanced societies."

She believes the end date of The Mayan Calendar, which traditionally is 2012, is actually between 2008 and 2011. But Clow is not forecasting a destructive end; she predicts a spiritual or evolutionary shift, a change of consciousness. Clow sees this event as the end of Earth’s quarantine from the Universe and the decline of our aggressive and destructive ways. This new era will provide more opportunity for contact with beings from other star systems.

Is her information accurate? Perhaps not, but she may cause us to think about the world in a different way, and that is a good thing.

Do You Have a Soul Mate? Perhaps You Shouldn't Even Want One.

Shirley MacLaine, in Sage-ing While Age-ing, defines soul mate as the one person that is exactly like us. There is only one soul mate for each of us, but this person is often too intense to be around. Twin souls have been together before and find it easier to relate. Companion souls have not been together in many lifetimes but recognize one another immediately. How often do we meet a “soul mate” and find the relationship too hard? Perhaps her definition will help us understand that a “soul mate” may not be the right partner. Perhaps a “twin” or “companion” soul might be more compatible in this lifetime. Sometimes the person we initially believe is the "right" choice may not be the best choice.

Five Wisdoms about Praise and Criticism

These ideas are taken from Caroline Myss’ Entering the Castle: An Inner Essential Path to God and Your Soul (Free Press, 2007).

Her book is strongly recommended for anyone wanting to look inward and assess. I have read the book twice, and each time I was forced to look some aspect of my life I had been ignoring. No matter how many such books you have read, you will find some benefit from following her guidance. She is a harsh teacher, at times, but we may all need that, at times.

She includes "Five Wisdoms about Praise and Criticism:"

1. Do not be judgmental.
2. Never envy experiences of others. Envy is lack of humility.
3. Everything good comes from God. Never take credit.
4. Remain humble. Do not look for praise.
5. Develop an appreciation of those that criticize you. What lesson is there for you?

Do you have a Spiritual Practice?

This is the second part of my review of Return to the Sacred by Jonathan Ellerby. In my last post, April 29, I commented on Dr. Ellerby’s belief that a spiritual practice is necessary for spiritual growth.

Dr. Ellerby presents 12 Master Paths, or different types of spiritual practices. Each has an ancient past, and while most are known to us in some form, his clear presentation and grouping of them is unique.

To assist our choices, Dr. Ellerby groups these twelve possible practices into four dimensions, according to “four spiritual personalities.” All practices are equally viable; the best one depends on the personality of the individual. The four dimensions of personality types are:

Body-Centered Practices: ceremony and ritual, sacred movement, and music and sound
Mind-Centered Practices: prayer, meditation, and sacred study
Heart-Centered Practices: devotion, sacred service, and a guru or teacher
Soul-Centered Practices: aesthetic practice, death practice, and a life path

The challenge is to define which of the four dimensions best describes us, then choose the best practice within that group. Remember, this does not preclude choosing from other groups since most of us experiment with many, if not all, of the practices in our quest. We may finally choose a variety of practices, but I believe that most of us have a dominant group that is our main connection to spirituality.

Which one seems most appropriate as you read through the four groups? Which of the practices seem most comfortable, or which one are you more willing to try? Question your way of reacting to the world. Many of us need some activity when we learn, or we need to read when we learn. That defines the first two groups of Body-Centered and Mind-Centered Practices. Each of these practices is self-explanatory, yet Dr. Ellerby provides excellent commentary on each.

The Heart-centered group includes those who react with emotion as a first response. Devotion, sacred service, and a guru/teacher imply a relationship-based or heart-felt connection.

Again, none of this implies any judgment, just an understanding that we are all different. To be successful, we want to find our greatest strength as our fall-back position before trying others.
The last group may be the hardest to define: aesthetic practice, death practice, and a life path. Most of us don’t decide on extreme fasting or a hermit existence, yet many of our mystics choose this path.

I like the Life Path, or third example of The Soul-Centered Approach. In some ways, this may be a goal of each of us. “Each moment of life is a ceremony in fellowship with all others. Each moment is sacred. That is the greatest path, and you’re always on it” (215). Perhaps this is the path we all aim for.

For our journey, Dr. Ellerby provides 12 possible Master Paths that show us how to reclaim our connection to the Sacred.

I love this book, Return to The Sacred: Ancient Pathways To Spiritual Awakening by Jonathan H. Ellerby. Ph.D. (CA: Hay House, 2009). Sometimes books just seem to fall into our hands as we most need a message. That happened to me with this one. Not accepting traditional religions or any organized group or one set of beliefs/rituals, I pray/meditate/commune with my Creator in any number of unorganized ways. While this book didn’t make me want to change any of that, it provided a framework for me to be more comfortable with my current choices and opened up new possibilities.

First, Dr. Ellerby defines Spirituality, and I love his line, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience – not the other way around” (38). This is one of my favorite new syaings.

He also explains that “Spirituality isn’t a quick fix or a magical escape. But it can teach you how to meet life’s choice and challenges with clarity and intention” (42). A good reminder for us all. Becoming spiritual does not mean the end of problems, but a higher outlook provides a better way to handle and view our dilemmas.

Second, Dr. Ellerby is very clear that we all need a spiritual practice. I agree. “Spiritual practice is essential to spiritual growth” (23), and “The mind can only take us so far into the world of spirit” (17).

In his insistence that we have a spiritual practice, Dr. Ellerby is not dogmatic about how that practice should look. He simply advises that we choose a path that is right for us. Permission to choose is comforting and part of a practical spirituality that deviates from traditional dogma. This flexibility does not justify lack of action, but allows us to define our own way to the Sacred.
Finally, Dr. Ellerby presents 12 Master Paths, or different types of spiritual practices. He doesn’t just tell us we need to have a spiritual practice; he provides all of the possible roads we might choose. Each one has an ancient past, and most are known to us in some form.

Ceremony and ritual, sacred movement, music and sound, prayer, meditation, and sacred study are six possible paths. The next group consists of devotion, sacred service, guru, aesthetic practice, death practice, and a life path.

Fear is our greatest barrier to any spiritual practice. We are often afraid to trust anything beyond the realm of science or reason. Trust becomes the key ingredient in choosing, and then following, a spiritual practice.

Spiritual growth requires spiritual practice, and this book provides direction and answers.

Do Random Events Occur in Our Lives?

There are no coincidences in life; random events do not occur. This needs some clarification, though. Think of the difference between fatalism and determinism. Fatalism claims that we have no effect on any events in our lives; things just happen. A fatalistic view would account for no spontaneity; everything is prearranged.

In determinism, however, every activity is influenced by some deed preceding it. We can and do create our lives; we create with our actions. Every one of our decisions has an effect.

Nothing happens by chance, but everything happens for a reason. We may not always know the reason since a cause may simply be beyond our knowledge, but this is not the same thing as “chance.” There is a reason for every event, and every event is determined by a previous one.

Living Spiritually

Today I'm reminded that we need to live spiritually. To me, that means at least four specific things:
1) We are all connected and should treat each other as we would wish to be treated.
2) Everything happens for a reason, even if we're not always aware of that reason. We need to accept life as it occurs and do the best we can.
3) We must accept change as a part of life.
4) Balance is a necessary element in all aspects of our lives.
5) Living creatively is part of living spiritually.

A Practical Spirituality Idea: Try This for One Day, Then Another...

“Try the following experiment for the next thirty minutes: Let life
happen the way it wants, with no resistance and no objection. Go
about as if you need not think about anything. Your first surprise
will be that your usual duties go on very nicely as before. Secondly,
you will catch a grand glimpse of the effortlessly flowing of Tao.
You do not carry; you are carried” (133).

Then we might try this same experiment for the rest of our lives. Vernon Howard’s idea, as an example of practical spirituality, can help us do that.


Howard, Vernon. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power. N.Y: Parker Publishing Company, 1967

Another Inspirational Idea from The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power

I believe this idea is relevant to many of us who find ourselves afraid of, or intimidated by, another:

“Why are we afraid of others?
Because we want something from them. The desire can be almost
anything -- companionship, approval, sex, security. The mistake
is this: Not having found the true self which is free from compulsive
desires, we seek gratification from people. This creates fear that we
won’t get what we want, or anxiety that the other person will make
us pay dearly for it” (151).

Let's strive to be more peaceful within ourselves.


Howard, Vernon. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power. N.Y: Parker Publishing Company, 1967

Two Key Ideas of a Practical Spirituality

Before I ever thought of the idea of practical spirituality, Vernon Howard in 1967 in The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power was presenting two key ideas.

The first is the importance of a new thinking.

"Man’s task is to awaken to his true identity. The Kingdom of Heaven
is within. Spiritual truths are discovered with an entirely new kind of
thinking, quite distinct and vastly superior to the mind that builds
bridges and sells merchandise" (86).

The second is the need for a better definition of “success” than a financial one.

"We demand a financial success, or a social gain, because we think
it will fulfill us inwardly. It won’t. It never will – as we have suspected
all along. So-called success provides ego-excitement, but never
self-fulfillment. It is just as impossible for an exterior result to provide inner happiness as it is for a new hat to give us a new mind" (145).

I suggest his book as another read into our practical spirituality.

Howard, Vernon. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power. N.Y: Parker Publishing Company, 1967.

Cells are Influenced by their Environment

In his new work, Dr. Bruce Lipton claims that our environment, which includes nutrition, emotion and stress, influences our cells. We know that DNA passes on hereditary traits, but he cites research from a new study, epigenetics, that shows gene modification from the environment is also passed on.

The author explains the implications of his new information. The world is energy. We can use positive thinking to change. Cells are influenced by their surroundings. If we are healthy and at ease, we can create a better world. That is the message of this book, a message backed by science.

He also discusses two other ideas:

1) Our cells are made up of proteins and other types of molecules. The protein molecules have a balanced electromagnetic charge. If the positive and negative charges are altered, the protein will adjust to the change. Even in our cells, there must be balance.

2) There is fractal geometry, or the “repeating, ordered patterns” in nature and evolution. There is order to life.

Dr. Lipton is an optimist who encourages us to create he better world we are capable of doing and who sees the repetitive pattern of life as an encouraging sign. My research convinces me he is correct on both counts.


Lipton, Bruce H. Ph.D. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles. CA: HayHouse, 2005.

A Comment on Norman Mailer's view of God in his book, On God

One of my favorite authors, Mailer is a major American writer. Mailer is not considered a spiritual writer, nor a spiritual figure. I am fascinated, however, with his views.

The main idea about God that Mailer reiterates throughout his book, and the most significant point of the book, is that God is a Creator, but one that is still evolving. I like that. Mailer considers that we are developing with God and, because of this, He needs us as much as we need Him. Perhaps Mailer’s view is egocentric, but he may be right.

If we are still progressing, why wouldn’t our Creator be doing the same? Why wouldn’t we reflect all aspects of our Creator? That certainly is implied in Step One: Everything is Connected of my work Do It Yourself Guide to Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps.

I like Mailer’s description of humans as “not finished,” as if we were a story being written. He makes the concept of “Creator” real. Rather than some almighty force, God becomes a more understandable artist molding his creations as He Himself changes. Yes, that is what an artist does; why would God be different?

"The point is that the purpose of life may be to find higher and better
questions. Why? Because what I believe—this is wholly speculative
but important to me—is that we are here as God’s work, here to
influence His future as well as ours" (75).


Mailer, Norman with Michael Lennon. On God: An Uncommon Conversation. New York: Random, 2007

Thoughts Change Lives

A practical spirituality teaches us that we can’t cling to old ideas or patterns that are no longer useful or positive. We can think better thoughts. We can think higher thoughts. Our emotions are influenced by people around us. While we may not sense, observe or describe the differences as vibrations, we are aware that some people are more uplifting. Others bring us down.

We choose those who surround us. We choose which thoughts and emotions dominate our lives. Each mental or emotional state has its own rate of vibration. We can transform that rate at will and maintain a mental calm, unaffected by the opinions around us. Negative beliefs do not have to alter our positive state. We manage our thoughts. We do not have to get caught in the up and down drama of family, friends and associates.

Our challenge is to rise above the normal, material thoughts and be more positive, more evolved, and more spiritual.

Is Our Definition of God Evolving?

Imagine that our definition of God is evolving, in our world of shifting knowledge. While many argue it is self-serving to have a changing God that fits our constant demands, history shows us that this is not the first time God has evolved. Tribal societies believed in magical gods, goddesses and superstition that merged into the mythic, or theist, view. Psychologists teach that people progress in consciousness from one level to another, and every time we go up a level in consciousness, our world view changes.

Jim Marion, author of "Death of a Mythic God" in an EnlightenNext magazine interview, claims that the last 3000 years held to a mythic God after magical gods gave way to “a ruler, a punisher, a patriarch (97). Why would we expect this view to remain unchanged?

Whether we accept a spiritual intelligence, co-creator, integral spirit, or use other words, perhaps we believe in God, even if, or because, our definition and understanding of that entity have changed significantly.

Marion, Jim, an interview by Carter Phipps, “The Death of the Mythic God,” EnlightenNext, Issue 38, October – December 2007, 95-102.

The Demise of our Old Definition of God

There are five basic approaches to God:

· theist
· atheist
· agnostic
· pantheist
· panentheist

For the first three, God is defined as an entity “outside of time and space who created the world and judges, rewards, and punishes everyone in it” (Shapiro 16). While theists believe in the existence of this God, atheists do not and agnostics aren’t sure.

The Pantheists’ God is the same as nature; god is nature and nature is god. Panentheists, however, believe in a broader definition that “includes and transcends the universe” (16). This is the belief that “everything is within God.” Panentheism includes pantheism, since nature is part of the universe but goes beyond to include more than just this physical world.

The theist view of God is the one that most of us grew up with and the one has dominated. Many writers, however, are recording the demise of this old definition. Current views include a more integral God, as many people are moving away from the director and controller.

Shapiro, Rabbi Rami. “Why Aren’t You An Atheist?” Spirituality&Health, March – April 2007, 16.

There is a Reason for Everything; Nothing Bad Happens

There is a reason for everything. Nothing bad happens; only the right things occur in the world and in our lives. As difficult as that is to accept at times, this is the rule. This is life. This is what we learn from spiritual concepts. Life isn’t about the way we think it should be or the way we want it to be. There is an order to the universe. There is a reason for everything, even if we not aware of that reason.

Law and order exist in the universe. There is a cause and effect in the world. We are not victims. Our decisions create certain effects; we cause the outcomes that occur. And we can change our events to include better reactions. We can begin this moment to perform the actions that will have the results we want. When we accept we are part divine and reflect something bigger, we can change and become better humans with smarter decisions.

This is an excerpt from my Do It Yourself Guide to Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps, available for only $3.00 as an immediate download at http://nottinstitute.org/

We are Connected to One Another and to the Divine

What if we realized that no matter how down we felt, we were assured that we are not alone, not separate, not all by ourselves, but part of something larger? We are connected to the world; all is one. While that might not provide any immediate or definable solace, the idea promotes a long term sense of security, a sense that whatever happens, we are never disconnected. We are never really alone. We are connected to everyone, and we are connected to our Creator.

A bond with everything in life. On a practical, daily basis, might we be happier? Most often moments of sadness relate to a belief in isolation from someone or something. If there is no separation, despite a seeming physical one, the sadness lessens. If there is no separation, why would we continue a deep sense of feeling abandoned?

This is an excerpt from my booklet Do It Yourself Guide to Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps, which can be purchased and downloaded at http://NottInstitute.org

Louise Erdrich's novel, Love Medicine - a spiritual comment

I admire Louise Erdrich's characters in this novel. She portrays Native Americans with their strengths and weaknesses, and while we may not initially like many of the characters, they grow on us as we experience their stories. Despite lives ruined by government interventions, booze and hard luck, there is a resilience that generates our respect.

I write about spiritual books, books that provide a connection to the divine without being religious. There is spirituality in Erdrich's characters: in the commitment to themselves, to each other, and to the return home to their past. This is a practical spirituality, a belief in something greater than ourselves. Spirituality is not about naming a God or a Higher Being; it is living as if such an entity or belief exists and matters.

Despite all, her characters rise up as an admirable group, a group that deserves respect for their strength and reserve. Yes, that is the human spirit overcoming the mundane. That is a practical spirituality, a larger-than-life view.

Her characters force us to care. And we do. We want to be better people without realizing why, as we watch them rise above the human condition, no matter how depressing or abusive their lives. Her characters do that. So must we.

Spirituality is More Than an Academic Pursuit

Spirituality is more than an academic pursuit. We must practice our faith. While for some that is obvious, many focus solely on cognitive awareness and intellectual study. As Ken Wilbur, my current favorite philosopher, points out in Integral Psychology, we need personal involvement to know what it "feels" like to be spiritual, not just theoretically know what others say.

Wilbur talks of the need to "transform consciousness," not just change our view of the world, which is an intellectual activity. Practical knowledge of how to save the world is important. To complement that, however, what are we doing to change and save ourselves?

Thinking is not enough for spiritual development. We should interact differently with ourselves, others and the world. This change is precipitated by interior stages of growth. Inner transformation is crucial to balance the outward actions. Getting in touch with our own thoughts and ideas helps. Meditation or alone time is important. We can't just read about what it is like to meditate; we must be quiet and listen. Somehow, we must "experience" the spiritual.

We should weigh our daily demands

with our spiritual quest.

In that search, we need personal and internal growth,

not just mental pursuits.

Seven Books To Assist a Practical Spiritual Quest in 2009

Remember that we are body, mind and spirit. We exercise our body and develop our mind, but what are we doing for our spirit? If you are looking for direction for your spirit in 2009, here are seven books that might assist.

1. 
   The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence by Deepak Chopra
   Without our consciousness, or our thoughts, there is no physical existence. We, collectively, create our world. Our thoughts bridge the virtual reality and the physical world. This is a complicated concept, but the spirit domain is the source of the coincidences we find in our lives. Tapping into this domain, into this unlimited and undefined area, we observe the synchronicity in our lives. Then we can create, on the physical level, the lives we desire.
2. 
   The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard
   “Man’s task is to awaken to his true identity. The Kingdom of Heaven is within. Spiritual truths are discovered with an entirely new kind of thinking, quite distinct and vastly superior to the mind that builds bridges and sells merchandise.”
3. 
   On God: An Uncommon Conversation by Norman Mailer with Michael Lennon
   Mailer states that God is a Creator, but one that is still evolving. Mailer considers that we are developing with God and, because of this, He needs us as much as we need Him. Perhaps Mailer’s view is egocentric, but he may be right. If we are still progressing, why wouldn’t our Creator be doing the same?
4. 
   Sage-ing While Age-ing by Shirley MacLaine
   MacLaine, in one of many discussions on various topics, defines soul mate as the one person that is exactly like us. There is only one for each of us, but this person is often too intense to be around. Twin souls have been together before and find it easier to relate. Companion souls have not been together in many lifetimes but recognize each other immediately. Perhaps a twin or companion might be more compatible in this lifetime.
5. 
   The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles by Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.
   Dr. Lipton claims that our environment, which includes nutrition, emotion and stress, influences our cells. We know that DNA passes on hereditary traits, but he cites research from a new study, epigenetics, that shows gene modification from the environment is also passed on.
6. 
   Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry of Values by Robert Pirsig
   The narrator, traveling across country, attempts to define “quality.” What he finds is that we all know what quality is; there is no need to define it. The search is important, but the answer is within. Our quest to define “spirituality” is similar. We know what it is for each of us. The search is important, but the answer is within.
7. 
   Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
   We can transcend the two parts of us, the human side that is civilized and tamed, and the “wolf” or shadow side that is wild and instinctive. We can’t disown our less-than-human side. We need to let go of one in order to not fear the other. Then we can rise above both and glimpse that other world of spirit.
   

For a more complete discussion of these books, please visit my website at http://www.nottinstitute.org