on Love

"I know that in similar circumstances my wife and children would greatly miss me. I teach them, however, that their great love for me is just the beginning of the journey. I know that it is part of my job to see this love transferred ultimately to God. Their love seeks the Perfect Father to find completion of themselves and will be found in the Present rather than in memories or dreams." ----------------------------------------------------------

"Man is a portal through which the spiritual factors enter the physical world. To the degree that we are connected to truth and thus the spirit of Truth, love flows from us into the world. [6/14/2002]

Love is a power that we are designed to conduct. When love flows through us, there is no "spiritual friction" to create a feeling. It is feelingless. Much that people think of as love is not. A good test is whether in describing it one can substitute the word "need" for "love". False love, the one better described as "need", is based on the pain of need. Real love is described well by St. Paul "Love is patient and kind..." Need is not patient nor is it kind because it **needs**. It cannot afford the luxurary of kindness. Those of us who can find patience and kindness and allow it to flow through us have found love and its Source. As it flows through us to create a beautiful effect around us, it leaves its mark on us, giving us grace and peace. We are whole, needing nothing. Therefore "love is not jealous or boastful" (as St. Paul continues.) "it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irratable or resentful. It rejoices in the right." The grace and peace within us is the rejoicing. Our connection to God, the source of this flow (and the Presence in the present), is a deep contentment. The connection roots us solidly. We need nothing. We can bear all. Patience is perfected. The physical body is a marvel that sets man apart from angels and all other conscious beings of the greater creation. Only man is designed to be able to choose to follow God or not, thereby making love of the Creator possible." [C.N.,01/19/2004+05/10/2004]

----------------------- David R. Hawkins, "Power vs Force", p. 90: [...] Love [..] is unconditional, unchanging, and permanent. It doesn't fluctuate - its source isn't dependent on external factors. Loving is a state of being. It's a forgiving, nurturing, and supportive way of relating to the world. Love isn't intellectual and doesn't proceed from the mind; Love emanates from the heart. It has the capacity to lift others and accomplish great feats because of its purity of motive.

April 14, 2008

"Un jour être pauvre" - Gérard Manset (1985)

Un jour, être pauvre, .....................One day, being poor,
Détaché de tout.............................attached to nothing,
Sans pleurer de rien,......................no tears for anything

Sans rire de tout,............................no laughing..

Comme un enfant qui repose..........Like a child

Dans la vérité des choses................who rests in the Truth of things

S'écarter de tout, sortir,.................letting go of all, getting out of all,

Se tenir debout...............................and standing still

Comme un enfant...........................like a child being born
........sort.du ventre. et hurle,............................and crying...

S'écarter de tout...............................letting go of all.

Un jour, être pauvre,.......................One day, being poor,

Détaché du reste,............................unattached to the rest,

De l'autre coté du mur....................on the other side of the wall

Pas le moindre geste,......................no gesture at all

Pas la moindre trace de haine,........not any sign of hate

Pas la moindre trace de fêlure, .......not any sign of fissure
........................trace de brûlure,...................no sign of burn

Le moindre sentiment d'oubli..........but not any forgetfullness, either.

De l'autre coté du mur,...................On the other side of the wall

Pas la moindre trace de fêlure,........not any sign of fissure
........................trace de brûlure,...................no sign of burn,

Le calme au fond du lac..................the calm in the depths of a lake.

Un jour, être pauvre.......................One day, being poor

Sur un quai désert,.........................at a desert quay
Etre un bateau vide........................being an empty boat

Tout le monde à terre....................all people on shore.

Comme un enfant qui repose..........Like a child

Dans la vérité des choses,...............who rests in the Truth of things

S'éloigner de tout, ...........................leaving all that behind
.................apprendre............................................and learning

A tenir debout..................................to stand still,

Sur la mer immense et douce, ........in the huge and smooth sea
.................apprendre,.....................................................learning

A tenir debout..................................to stand still.

[(right)click (and: "new tab") on the title above in order to listen to the song on YouTube]

April 13, 2008

Peace as a natural state

Peace is a "natural state of man". Peace can't be "taught". And if it IS taught, it isn't really peace but merely a veneer of peace covering over roiling emotions beneath. That isn't to say that we can't help people find peace. Just that real peace goes far deeper than anything that can be taught. If one tries to acquire peace by some intellectual effort, then one may only have a veneer of peace--like the quiet "peaceful" person next door that goes out and stuns the neighbors by committing this horrible crime. He surely had a veneer of peace; he wanted to believe so badly in his peacefulness because he wanted so badly not to be what he knew inside he was. But such is just an existence based on a lie and consequently,negative energy courses through his very veins. Eventually, something has to give. That would be the explosion that "surprised" everyone because he was such a "good" boy. So beliefs are central. There is some capacity inside us all that allows us to sort out true beliefs from false ones. Ideally, this process should be followed before we accept any beliefs. But when false beliefs find their way in, we can know them because of the "friction" the energy they give off creates inside, guilt. If we are ready, we can then recognize them as lies. If we are not ready, we will try to believe the guilt comes from something else (usually something we look back upon as a silly notion.) In this way, we know the truth and the truth sets us free, as the old saying tells us. Free because while we believed falsely, an energy expressed itself through us without any consent by us (other than the implicit consent derived from our allowing ourselves to believe wrongly.) Neither did we have control over ourselves. But as the lies become exposed, we are restored to a peaceful state where we once again can choose. I suppose one could say a peaceful state is simply the state of having this freedom while a lack of peace is a life lived compulsively. So, the natural state is peace. It is like the natural state of humans being health. If we get rid of the bad habits, defective environments, or other ill influences, peace (or health) restores itself. There are people who work at health and those who work at peace. Some succeed. But it is my view that not understanding that it is a natural state can lead to problems. Specifically, one can begin to be drawn by fear ("if i don't DO something, all is lost"-kind of thinking.) That is by far the greatest danger. One cannot obtain peace through fear. Fear itself destroys inner peace. One might say that everything stems from the spiritual realm. Lack of health (and peace inside) have more to do with a problem in the spiritual realm than with anything physical. In many ways the phsycal realm is insubstantial and the breeding ground for illusion. Much that we are "taught" lends substance to the physical realm and hence easily contributes to illusion. This in turn affects health and peacefulness. From another direction, things that lead us toward materiality, by strengthening our connection with physical reality, also lead us away from spiritual reality with its perfect health and peace. This is the secret of most of the seven deadly sins. Greed, gluttony, lechery, anger, envy, and sloth all relate to people connecting strongly to the physical realm. The other deadly sin, pride, lies in the spiritual realm but is the spiritual blindness that is necessary for there to be any allure of the physical realm. All together, engaging in these strengthens our bond to the physical while at the same time dulling our connection to the spiritual. Let me substitute "mortal" for "physical" and things make even more sense. Mortality itself represents degeneration. The mortal progress to life's end with degeneration and death. "Spiritual" is the opposite of "mortal." As we disengage with the mortal--by seeing it's illusary nature, a kind of truth setting us free - we naturally engage with the spiritual with its perfection which lies beyond the possibilities of the physical (all of which eventually decays.) At these moments of disengagement, health and peacefulness flow from the spiritual realm to fill us. This is the secret of many "miracle" cures. Go interview someone whose cancer went completely into remission and you will find someone whose whole perspective on life changed (before the cure.) Many will tell you that surgery kept them alive but that their change of heart cured them. And if you examine the essence of this change of heart, you will find at its core a loosening of the grip of mortality and a strengthening of the connection to the spiritual. Man (meaning women too) is created perfect, in the image of God, as God is perfect. Hence, health and peacefulness are natural states to man as also with God. But as we become connected to physical materiality (and disconnected to God,) health and peace wane. And this connection to mortality comes about as we place more faith in physical senses doubting our "inner eye" (which produces common sense and which naturally sees through the illusions of materiality, being spiritually based.) Perhaps I should mention that the return to health and peace reverses this process, following the inner eye/inner teacher/common sense which act represents the disconnection with materiality in preference for a connection with the spiritual. In a sense, it is a thing of faith, an act of faith, to believe in one's common sense. Health and peace flow from this as much as degeneration and a restless mind flow from doubting common sense (which is to say, believing more/having faith more in the material world with it's "experts.") So the key to both health and peace is to foster the connection to the inner Self. This strengthens the spiritual ties and severs the physical ones. In this way health and peace are naturally acquired without effort on our part to acquire them. And this is the natural state of man. Clearly it is possible to mount physically-based counter arguments to what I've tried to create as a spiritual appeal. I suppose your understanding will be dictated by which appeals more to you. If you cannot connect to the humble (prideless) then materiality will have a magnetic appeal that draws you away from whatever common sense may resonate (inwardly) with my (outer) words. Then there will be little sense to be found here. Perhaps you see that I've also spoken to the issue of where understanding comes from--its source will not be physically found. God gives us "knowledge" (some would say "understanding") of this "hidden" way directly via a mechanism that He crafted to be a part of us. This key to His kingdom lies within us all awaiting questions. To these questions, via this mechanism, He pours understanding into us in a way that is marked by His great sense of timing and carefully measured out so as not to overflow the delicate vessle that recieves it, us. When this understanding pours in, it is marked by an energy that cannot be contained completely - our cup overfloweth and escapes our mouth as "Aha!" Our substance is strengthened by this process. As people grow spiritually, they come more firmly into contact with how much they'd "forgotten" peace (or denied real health.) The physical realm is mostly a realm of illusion and that the essence of divine man lies beyond the reach of physicality in the purely spiritual realm (where real life and truth reside.) I believe that our real life is lived in the spiritual realm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Truth is not hidden. What makes it hidden is a person's complexity. The way itself is so simple that it requires some refinement of our own simplicity even to recognize it. This is why humility is requisite. Another way to think of it is as a polarity. We are made in the image of God, which means imho that we have an inherent spiritual perfection. Because of illusions we operate under, we may labor with various disease or lack of peacefulness. But peace, health, and awakening from illusion are natural--meaning they are a part of the perfection of Creation (and what, since we're asking this kind of question, does this say about God?) One has to work to maintain illusion, etc. And most of the world does seem intent on maintaining the slavery to physicality that is represented by the rebellion that makes us think we are God. A kind of polarity attained in this rebellion repells us from Truth just as two North pole magnets repell. We are the polar opposite of God, the small of which He is the large. Together we are something beautiful. But if the small tries to be the large, it is even worse than when workers decide they are the boss. There needs be one authority in a structure, for several create chaos. Mostly, man creates chaos because of his pride (attempts to be God.) These lead to being bound by materiality, with the appeal to the other six deadly sins. Also, this brings disease--inwardly and outwardly--and need I say lack of peace. But man with a resigned will, humble and small, finds a perfect fit with God and a clear path. The Secrets of this way are in plain view, not hidden at all. But those creating chaos blind themselves and cannot see. Only from their point of view is the way hidden. And if they desire to continue in their error (despite the pain it brings which is always a force moving them toward Truth--what does this say about God) then they will also blame God for their own error. This isn't so different from how wrong people always blame others for their problems. In the case of God, they will imagine that he is cruel, doesn't care, or hides the truth from them. Their anger at God will only deepen their the polarity problem, driving them away from spirituality into the maw of mortality/physicality. But the way remains there. And as the pain that their error brings upon them increases, they must reject the True way again and again because the offer is an open one (and what does this say about God, that being the object of raw hatred, He still offers his love.) All the way to the grave, if one is so foolish as to reject truth unto death (and many do) the offer is there. The commandments, and in particular the 1st commandment, are things that are good for man. They aren't there for the good of God. The first commandment should be particularly paid attention to. It is good to love God with all one's heart. -------------------- C.N., January 2004

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April 04, 2008

On Reality and Awareness

These deeper foundations are about character, spirit, reality and truth. But in the absence of these, it is about lies and their mesmerizing effect.

I once saw a show that featured a hypnotist who walked around and hypnotized people who were then filmed in hypnosis to produce a fascinating TV show. In one episode, he hypnotized a lady in a public park. She was then told that under the concrete walkways in the park there lived a people who were being hurt by the passers by above who walked over them. Then she went into action. As each person or couple came down the walkway, she accosted them trying to get them not to hurt the people who lived below the path. To the walkers on the path, she looked totally loony.

A most important part of my foundational beliefs is that people act in a completely understandable manner if you know what beliefs they have. For the TV viewers watching the hypnotized woman in the park, her actions were completely understandable. We had the advantage of knowing what weird belief had been slipped into her inner being.

Most of the time, we don't have any such advantage. Nonetheless, it is important to FIRMLY KNOW that if we only knew what beliefs lurked there, then everything a person does makes sense. This knowledge changes our perception. Now we can look at the actions of people as a kind of window into their belief system, their souls. It may also give us some patience with otherwise scary behavior.

Another (important) side of this example is how sacred we should hold beliefs. Look at how a fairly simple lie, when slipped past the usual guard of common sense (that defends us against false beliefs entering into us,) can cause us to enter into a kind of dream world where what seem sensible actions to us are viewed by those around us as truly insane. Indeed, when we believe lies, our acts are out of harmony with the universe (reality.)

Yet another (important) side of this example is how the awakening from this "dream state" is to be effected: simple truth suffices. That is, at some point the hypnotist may say, "it isn't true what I said about the people beneath the concrete." (or the woman may simply awaken from the hypnosis in a day or so - hypnosis doesn't last unless reinforced.) So this is a sense in which one knows truth and truth sets one free (old biblical saying.)

Lastly, there it the issue of how one acquires lies to believe in. Hypnosis can do it. But there are many things that have the same effect as hypnosis. Principle among these is hatred. When a person hates, it is like being hypnotized but without a hypnotist. Instead, everything in and around the person has the power of the hypnotist to implant suggestion (lies) deeply into our being - right past common sense which sleeps instantly upon hatred arising. Children are particularly vulnerable; adults can acquire a very small measure of resistance to the process. Love, of course, is the absence of hate (and little more) and we need to seek this state of existence by looking inward. Then we are in a position to assist others.

Somewhere along the way, as children we fall into resentment/hate. This moment of failure (everyone has it because as children we are too vulnerable to resist) programs us with lies from everything around us (we love the color of the room, we find the room comforting, if someone yelled at us, whatever he believes about us we will come to believe, we will believe in yelling, etc.) Then all of these lies that have buried themselves deeply within us start to shape our actions. So long as we hold onto the hatred, the lies will remain firmly entrenched.

Indeed, our life lived from these lies is the reinforcing factor needed to keep the "hypnosis" alive in us. That is, the room, the color, or whatever was in that original scene exerts an influence over us that subtly reminds of that event. This gives the opportunity in the present to reexperience a part of it. Hatred/resentment will flash within us, perhaps a bit below a conscious level, but if it is there, it does it's work to reinforce these lies. The result is that we don't awaken.

But one day, perhaps we will. Every bit as much as these programmed lies has the power to reinforce the lie, they also have the power to release us. Each time we reexperience a part of the scene, we may also hold ourselves back from resentment/hate. If we can succeed in doing this, then the lie simply evaporates within us and has no more power over us - and in this way, we CAN and do change deeply, raising our consciousness.

So those are the secrets of how people can be glazed over and not aware of the reality they live within - how they come to be that way, and how they can return from that existence.

Reality, then, when one comes back to it, is mostly about the Presence of God that exists in the present. God, really, IS Reality and without Him, nothing is. When you rise up from the mesmerized state of existence that most think of as reality, you will feel His presence. Indeed, you will understand that you found Reality only because He called you to it (and this may be a relief since you will understand that it isn't up to you to call others. Still, many search and your casual words may be His instrument - often in ways you don't foresee - to call other seekers.)

Awareness is the natural state of all and all drift toward it. Only a cycle of fear and hatred that one will not let go of will block its manifestation within us. Awareness is as easy as having hands. We didn't have to think about how to grow them - they are just there. But many are not aware. For them, there is some block. If we know the roots of such problems generally, and if we are patiently humble and have taken the splinter from our own eyes, then we will know what to do to help. It will come to us because of our own awareness and common sense.

But there are no guarantees, understand. Every living being has a choice and may choose not to relinquish hatred in preference for love. These you can't force. To force is to abandon love yourself.

It is not about DOING, but is about BEING.

BE, and in the stillness of being, you will understand.

There may be little to do, very little.

------------------------------------------------------------------
C.N. November, 3, 2003

March 21, 2008

(On Meditation) -- The Discovery of the Self

The question was, "Where am I, the true me? Am I my body?" It was not a question in words.
What came of this was a wonderful and terrible time of great awareness. But mostly it was wonderful. I became very aware. In so doing, I "felt" where the real me was--not my body, not my mind, not my thinking. I was a speck located near what eastern religious types call the third eye. And this speck had little but the capacity for questions, watchful awareness, understanding (belief) and awe.

As I experienced the beingness of this speck of nothingness, I became an observer of my thinking, which went on without any active participation on my part--just watching with occasional questions. The thinking had mostly to do with memories of experiences. The questions were generally of the sort, "Why am I remembering THAT?" The answers came instantly, again not from me. They were such complete answers that there was no question about their truth.

This experience of awareness lasted for about a half hour.

I learned how I had once been a very aware child. I learned about the personal trauma that set me on my wrong path. I learned about judgment's wrongness and how hate crept into me as a consequence of judgment, displacing the simple love that children naturally know, which love we must return to as adults or perish because of our hate.
I learned that this is a divine law,"You become what you hate." I learned that when we are ready to abandon judgment, we can come back to being ourselves...

I learned that this return to self is done layer-by-layer, like peeling an onion. There may be many layers. It is not a thing that can be accomplished by hard work, either. Hard work only COMPENSATES for failure to allow the real work to be done by God's leading, giving only an illusion, a shadow...

The experience ended somewhat slowly as I saw how, with awareness, one can truly know what to do every day of one's life. How decisions become unnecessary, because with sufficient awareness, there really is nothing to decide. And here I made a mistake that cost me my continued awareness at this wonderful level: I thought that the wonderful awareness was by itself all that I needed--I thought that in some sense I had "arrived."

No, awareness by itself is not sufficient.
One must come to love the Source of this awareness, Itself.
Without such love, one is always susceptible to accepting lies, however subtle, and these lies cut one off from Truth, shutting down awareness.

So freedom is merely the capacity to will one's actions to be aligned with the Divine plan because of one's love for the Creator and His wisdom. We are free to express love for our Creator by doing His will, or not. That is the only choice.

When we align ourselves with truth through, we find ourself drawn slowly but surely back to God. Wonderful experiences abound. We feel that our life is blessed, and it is. Through our natural appreciation, our bond to Truth strengthens. Slowly, we align with the true Self, discarding the layers of false identities. We find more and more that those things that give us (spiritual) difficulties in life stem from having joined with some lie that implanted a false identity (and with it, gaveus a dream that separated us from Reality.) As we emerge from such lies, we are living examples of how truth awakens and sets one free.....................................................

------------------------------------------------------------------
C.N., October, 27, 2002

March 17, 2008

dialog continued

"Can you really love Me in all my appearances?

I think not; you only see me where you see you.

Find Me within you and see without you."

N. G., feb. 23, 2008

March 04, 2008

dialog

"- O Great Reader of Ripples,

could the play of the ripples on the surface of the sea tell us something about how far, how long?

- Yes, my son, they can! But first, you must notice yourself as the ripple."

N.G., feb. 19, 2008 re-edited

March 04, 2008