Remember Jesus

Today, we need to think and meditate on what Jesus did for us, what the God of our universe did in being incarnated into our world in human form, to share our hopes and joys, to share our lives. What bravery, for an infinite being to submit to the pains and limitations of mortality, and on such a primitive and confused world as ours! What kindness, to bestow such loving guidance as to live amongst us and to show how ultimate values can be realised, even in such a sphere!

The way is clear- that we need to keep our minds on the things of heaven, the things of love, the things of immortality and the path to eternal life. As men, we may be seen as being unmanly in such an undertaking, especially now that certain countries are trying to 'reinvent' themselves as military rather than civilian entities. We may be laughed at, scorned, spat on- but the joys of the Kingdom are so much greater than the pains of this world that it is all worth it. Through our examples, the joy of salvation may spread throughout this world to everyone- and in fact some of the most powerful forces active here are in tune with this mission- only the weak and rebellious ones even try to oppose it and then in their ignorance.

So let us remember the calm, loving, peceful yet firm in primncipal and loyal to truth qualities of Jesus- an illustration of the very qualities of the God of all existance, of the 'real' boss, who made us to be free to choose His ways if we but wake up to them.

Thank you God of our Universe, our Micheal, for coming to Earth as this baby Jesus, to show the ways of eternal life and open the door for all those who wish to walk through. Let more and more beings from this and other worlds find the true way, by whatever route appeals best to their nature. Please protect us from evils, sins and temptations in this coming year and indeed for ther whole of our existence. We, for our part, seek diligently to be loyal to your ways and rules and commandments- most especially the most important one- to love one another as you love us.

Thank you God

Amen.

Holding to the Sacred

I have a very bad habit of experiencing a great, blissful experience, one which shines with eternal love, relayed through the universe- only to let my resident fears and insecurities rupture the bubble of reality and let in 'the world' of limitations, of sufferings. Put short, especially when sensitised by great experiences, I am liable to feel something, some small irregularity so troubling it is as if it is poised to shatter the calm- which, then, over-reacting with a sudden burst of what looks like bad-temper, but is in reality a flowering of insecurity, an attempt to preserve security anew.

This is what I wish to conquer- my temper, my insecurity, my backwards- rushing perceptions that pull me back just when I am making the most progress. I want to extend my trust and keep the good feeling flowing, somehow let those destructive, unstable energies and my cynicism find a new channel, so as not to impinge in the purity of heavenly perceptions. I do really mean heavenly perceptions- I regularly experience satori-like bliss, a gift from a loving God, but then hours later my own feeling is ruptured when some small thing goes wrong.

I don't see this as just my problem- I see it as humanity's problem, yet as a human, it is as much mine as anyones, the 'cross I have to bear'. Good, trustful communication and a stronger faith could well help. To some extent, techniques like deep breathing, counting to ten could help, but what I am looking for is something beyond repression, rather to let it out in a healthy and positive way. Sometimes this can mean sharing what I am thinking with someone, however crazy it sounds, but then I need to be careful not to let it be done in a damaging way- either of their feelings or of my reputation for being sane! (Something that this blog, in the wrong hands, could well do- but the love of freedom of speech and the relative anonymity of the internet make this expression possible, in line with the 'avoid repression' policy above).

It is almost as if God gives me these great glimpses of eternity, or eternal love, that great ocean of kindness, of mercy and beauty, only to test my faith by allowing reality to nip me like a biting mosquito, to see if my faith is strong enough to maintain heavenly perceptions despite these provocations- many of which are no doubt merely imagined by a restless mind. Of course, another possibility s that my mind has been long-conditioned to define 'reality' as a negative to be faced, one which is escaped from in 'fantasy' realms. Knowing more, from the study of Reality (with a capital R) and religion, I now know that it is reality that is good and our psychology that is full of pitfalls and mental potholes.

The ancient problem remains- how to be truly religious and in the world at once? The ancient answer comes back- by conquering our own self and thereby the world, no longer feeling bothered or 'messed around' by it. A heavenly calm, a divine passion, accompanying heavenly perception. The only anger is righteous anger, to write wrongs, not an exaggerated sense of our own misfortunes or pressures. Psychology makes true religion possible, the feminine balanced with the masculine in a universe that is, essentially, feminine, inhabited by masculine minds.

A New Understanding

Recently, there have been times when I feel washed over by some great stream of love, whether lying in bed or walking in beautiful nature. I thought it was coming from someone in particular, but now I think it's source is God. Love for humans seems to be channeled through people, as God loves us through us loving one another- nothing more profound has ever been found. I just started to realise that it is so strong that it can only be considered sacred, a great healing stream of Love, personalised especially for me. My thought now is that it is coming from God, it is of the same essence as Jesus, it is the love of God and of Jesus.

That Jesus is more than a historical teacher is a new understanding for me. I intellectually accepted such a possibility before, but now it seems to be to some extent a truth in my reality- a very different proposition. The first time this happened in living memory was when I was going to move apartments and he appeared out of no-where, lying next to me. Yet, really, it was as if he had always been there, not just in himself, but in the great network of loving people who have sustained and helped me throughout my time on this planet.

I have to accept the possibility that he really did come to Earth to teach us, show us how to live and then suffer on a cross, to awake in a spiritual body later. Doctrinal issues such as whether or not he actually died on the cross are not my concern- the point being that he cared and made sacrifices to set us free- sacrifices we no longer need to make. This new freedom to experience great love is coming more into my awareness and it is a healing presence, to the extent that I let it in and remove my distrustful barriers.

One thing that taking LSD really did teach me is that there are who universes of reality that we habitually block out, and that when our blocks are removed, it seems to flood in- but at the same time it is as if we knew that it was always there. In the case of this love- God's love- I seem to be ever-blocking it with my distrust, my paranoia, my clinging to everyday consciousness and an insecurity in my surroundings that seems to always be with me. Of course, I am not alone in this and to some extent this is the problem with just about everyone- blocking God's ever-present love with their thoughts, wayward feelings and self-centered ways of life.

Now, it is almost a battle to see which will win. I have to be somewhat socially aware to do my job well. Yet this social awareness brings with it the danger of politics, of feeling I have to defend my position from possible attacks. Granted, this is a paranoid way to see work, and a more positive, expansive view would be better. Of course, I hope this positive view succeeds. Yet, it is ever-hard to integrate a higher awareness with daily activities, especially when one's surroundings do not exactly encourage such awareness. Yet, I will find a way.

It is possible to have love and daily reality, the first enlightening the other. It is possible to trust those around you and forgive their trespasses when they mistakenly injure our sense of well-being, in however small a way. With that gift of forgiveness, the path of love is laid free. God showed us a way to live in the world and simultaneously be filled with His love- a love channeled by his people. This is why so many love songs mix the human love with it's divine source. It is as it was prophesied- love and daily reality, the first enlightening the other.