Karma Part II, December 15, 2010
Do you think that karma is real? We have discussed the warehouse belief that people’s actions toward others, both positive and negative, are stored in between lifetimes. The theory is that when you reincarnate, you will come in with unfinished business in the form of karma that must be worked off in this life in order for you to move toward soulful enlightenment. If you do not succeed, then you live another life attempting to overcome your previous bad karma, whatever it may have been.
This concept has always bothers me for a few reasons: 1.) there never seems to be a sound description of karma as a process –no rules that everyday people know of that will help us succeed in working off the negative karma; 2.) we have been taught that there is no way to change the karma –either build new, or replace old karma, or heal the wounds that created the bad karma we are supposedly working off-we just have to endure it; and 3) it seems that everyone involved in spirituality, mysticism, and metaphysics goes along with what a handful of teachers taught us decades ago. My thought is that karma has always contained an element of mystery-and as we evolve we will rediscover its keys.
Isn’t there any new information that will accurately explain if, and how karma is the engine that drives rebirth? Those of you who have read my Sunday Services on God-In-Action.org already know that I have found an ancient text called the Tattvartha Sutra because I read two books by Hermann Kuhn on the context within these ancient manuscripts.
He says that karma can be dissolved, in other words worked through faster; and you can bond positive karma to you more consistently when you recognize what karma is, and how it works.
Hermann tells us that karma exists in each new incarnation and is
not carried forward. The ancients viewed karma as a molecular substance (yes, matter) that interfaced with human consciousness.The matter was invisible to their eyes of course, but they sensed it because they had been training their senses for untold years in order to reach enlightenment. These elders were creating the language of sacred-sciencelong before modern man coined the phrase.
Hermann tells us that ancient Jainists from 5,000 years ago already had this unique understanding of what karma actually is and isn’t long before recorded history began. Through the oral tradition they passed their enlightened observations down through the generations that followed. Finally, the Sutras were written down-3,000 years ago +/-a few. Because they were written, people outside of Jainism would occasionally read the Tattvartha Sutra(s). I would hazard a guess that anyone who was interested in the noble truths would likely read each other’s works, just as we do today.
Slowly theories would have begun to circulate from the Tattvartha Sutra into many sects from various religions who felt a connection to the Tattvartha Sutras through their advancement in spiritual practices on their own. This is speculation on my part, remember, and not something that Mr. Kuhn states.
Now I have not plagiarized Mr. Kuhn’s work, but the essence of what he has explained is easily shared without copyright infringement. So much of the detail is also found in other manuscripts that are meant to help mankind practice loving good will towards all of creation. Maybe we are finally able to move out of fear and into empowerment using the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I actually look forward to this old proverb finally helping people to change for the better in the 21stcentury, but I am not prepared to say that God has told me so. I can say that I’m very excited to have an alternative view of karma to explore so that I can test drive a whole new line of enquiry regarding karma as the engine driving reincarnation.
In the Tattvartha Sutra manuscript you see the logical progression of how one attaches, or bonds, all types of karma. You also get a chance to see how one can consciously clean up existing karma by following suggestions that make just as much sense today as they did when they were originally taught.
In fact, you will find much of the sutra information in the holy books from around the world. Although I would not disrespect this ancient manuscript for that reason because it is older than the books of the top three religions. As I speculated, it just means that the materials we see in books these days are not necessarily new thoughts, never before shared with humanity. The content has usually come from the enlightened masters of various religions and philosophies around the world. The newer books may have new interpretations of old belief’s, and like my own book they may share experiences from their personal revelations in a new way; but very little is really new and different from what we’ve been learning over the last 200 years.
Once a concept is in the collective unconscious mind of humanity it is accessible to everyone. All it takes to make knowledge or superstition a part of the collective is that enough people believe it. That really is it in a nutshell. In my life, my spiritual goal is to be part of the percentage of people who want to reinforce positive energy and potential for humanity. I try to associate with others like me who practice loving good will in what we think, what we feel, and what we do to everyone we encounter in this lifetime.
There is tremendous power in the spoken word.
There is power in the thought-forms that we generate from repeated thoughts. Thinking is part of the creation process.
There is transformative power in our actions if we begin to think of ourselves as belonging to each other, through the concept of Oneness.
People like you and me are on the cutting edge of a new paradigm shift that will take us into a much higher realm of understanding everything that exists. As God indwelling, or immanent if you prefer, we are all part of the new world order.
If your mind immediately went to the negative with that sentence, forgive yourself and move on. You have been influenced by the power of the collective unconscious that has fear at its core. We are the new way-showers who will tip the scale from the negative to the positive using the power of our shared Divinity to master the lessons of being human.
In other words, we will begin to live our lives as Spiritual Beings because we will accept that we have always been much more than the fail human bodies we inhabit from lifetime through lifetime. Soon we will reclaim our status as the Ascended and Enlightened Masters that we already are in a higher octave dimension.
For my New Year Service I will complete the karma presentation giving you exact information that will help you transform your current karmic situations into an improved status that will help you move through it more quickly at the least, and dissolve it completely if you do your work. There will also be a simple ceremony that you may participate in to clear your new year and usher in an environment that will support your efforts to empower your inner Christ, your inner Godhead. Once you turn on a switch and the light comes on you never again have to dwell in the dark. Karma as a tool for enlightenment is such a switch.
Today and forever I am sending you loving good will.
Rev. Cisi Martin
Do you think that karma is real? We have discussed the warehouse belief that people’s actions toward others, both positive and negative, are stored in between lifetimes. The theory is that when you reincarnate, you will come in with unfinished business in the form of karma that must be worked off in this life in order for you to move toward soulful enlightenment. If you do not succeed, then you live another life attempting to overcome your previous bad karma, whatever it may have been.
This concept has always bothers me for a few reasons: 1.) there never seems to be a sound description of karma as a process –no rules that everyday people know of that will help us succeed in working off the negative karma; 2.) we have been taught that there is no way to change the karma –either build new, or replace old karma, or heal the wounds that created the bad karma we are supposedly working off-we just have to endure it; and 3) it seems that everyone involved in spirituality, mysticism, and metaphysics goes along with what a handful of teachers taught us decades ago. My thought is that karma has always contained an element of mystery-and as we evolve we will rediscover its keys.
Isn’t there any new information that will accurately explain if, and how karma is the engine that drives rebirth? Those of you who have read my Sunday Services on God-In-Action.org already know that I have found an ancient text called the Tattvartha Sutra because I read two books by Hermann Kuhn on the context within these ancient manuscripts.
He says that karma can be dissolved, in other words worked through faster; and you can bond positive karma to you more consistently when you recognize what karma is, and how it works.
Hermann tells us that karma exists in each new incarnation and is
not carried forward. The ancients viewed karma as a molecular substance (yes, matter) that interfaced with human consciousness.The matter was invisible to their eyes of course, but they sensed it because they had been training their senses for untold years in order to reach enlightenment. These elders were creating the language of sacred-sciencelong before modern man coined the phrase.
Hermann tells us that ancient Jainists from 5,000 years ago already had this unique understanding of what karma actually is and isn’t long before recorded history began. Through the oral tradition they passed their enlightened observations down through the generations that followed. Finally, the Sutras were written down-3,000 years ago +/-a few. Because they were written, people outside of Jainism would occasionally read the Tattvartha Sutra(s). I would hazard a guess that anyone who was interested in the noble truths would likely read each other’s works, just as we do today.
Slowly theories would have begun to circulate from the Tattvartha Sutra into many sects from various religions who felt a connection to the Tattvartha Sutras through their advancement in spiritual practices on their own. This is speculation on my part, remember, and not something that Mr. Kuhn states.
Now I have not plagiarized Mr. Kuhn’s work, but the essence of what he has explained is easily shared without copyright infringement. So much of the detail is also found in other manuscripts that are meant to help mankind practice loving good will towards all of creation. Maybe we are finally able to move out of fear and into empowerment using the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I actually look forward to this old proverb finally helping people to change for the better in the 21stcentury, but I am not prepared to say that God has told me so. I can say that I’m very excited to have an alternative view of karma to explore so that I can test drive a whole new line of enquiry regarding karma as the engine driving reincarnation.
In the Tattvartha Sutra manuscript you see the logical progression of how one attaches, or bonds, all types of karma. You also get a chance to see how one can consciously clean up existing karma by following suggestions that make just as much sense today as they did when they were originally taught.
In fact, you will find much of the sutra information in the holy books from around the world. Although I would not disrespect this ancient manuscript for that reason because it is older than the books of the top three religions. As I speculated, it just means that the materials we see in books these days are not necessarily new thoughts, never before shared with humanity. The content has usually come from the enlightened masters of various religions and philosophies around the world. The newer books may have new interpretations of old belief’s, and like my own book they may share experiences from their personal revelations in a new way; but very little is really new and different from what we’ve been learning over the last 200 years.
Once a concept is in the collective unconscious mind of humanity it is accessible to everyone. All it takes to make knowledge or superstition a part of the collective is that enough people believe it. That really is it in a nutshell. In my life, my spiritual goal is to be part of the percentage of people who want to reinforce positive energy and potential for humanity. I try to associate with others like me who practice loving good will in what we think, what we feel, and what we do to everyone we encounter in this lifetime.
There is tremendous power in the spoken word.
There is power in the thought-forms that we generate from repeated thoughts. Thinking is part of the creation process.
There is transformative power in our actions if we begin to think of ourselves as belonging to each other, through the concept of Oneness.
People like you and me are on the cutting edge of a new paradigm shift that will take us into a much higher realm of understanding everything that exists. As God indwelling, or immanent if you prefer, we are all part of the new world order.
If your mind immediately went to the negative with that sentence, forgive yourself and move on. You have been influenced by the power of the collective unconscious that has fear at its core. We are the new way-showers who will tip the scale from the negative to the positive using the power of our shared Divinity to master the lessons of being human.
In other words, we will begin to live our lives as Spiritual Beings because we will accept that we have always been much more than the fail human bodies we inhabit from lifetime through lifetime. Soon we will reclaim our status as the Ascended and Enlightened Masters that we already are in a higher octave dimension.
For my New Year Service I will complete the karma presentation giving you exact information that will help you transform your current karmic situations into an improved status that will help you move through it more quickly at the least, and dissolve it completely if you do your work. There will also be a simple ceremony that you may participate in to clear your new year and usher in an environment that will support your efforts to empower your inner Christ, your inner Godhead. Once you turn on a switch and the light comes on you never again have to dwell in the dark. Karma as a tool for enlightenment is such a switch.
Today and forever I am sending you loving good will.
Rev. Cisi Martin
God-In-Action and Karma, Part I
I love the water element because it expresses itself fluidly. Sitting on the beach with the ocean rushing in evokes powerful feelings of calm as if we are being washed by invisible hands, and all that has affected us negatively is cleansed away from our psyche, our bodies and especially, our minds. A powerful ancient concept of Karma is just like that. If we substitute the movement of water, for the movement of energy as a kind of interactive field created by our actions, we might say it is an example of what Karma looks like to the Godly Eye. The idea of karma as an intereactive field of energy that is shaped by our desires, motives, intentions and powered by our need to manifest comes from a manuscript called the Tattvarthasutra, whose oral traditions reach back before recorded history. The definition of karma has been distorted in the west. It is not a circle of events - if you do something good or bad to another, it will come back to you in the same manner. Karma is not stored in some spiritual warehouse in between our incarnations so that we can work it out by-and-by. What good would that do, unless we believe in a vengeful, authoritarian God?
Simply put, the interactive field is both influenced by us because of our thoughts, words and deeds, but also influences us by attracting to us experiences that will allow us to re-work the intentions, motives and desires that powered the original experiences that occured IN THIS LIFE. According to the Tattvarthusutra, karma is instantly worked out (by instant I mean in this current life) and you can tell that is happening by the multiple times you will experience certain lessons that you thought you had already released. Because this karmic field of energy is subtle it is affected by the most subtle of actions; as I said earlier, by thought, word, or deed.
What this means to us is that we can use this field of energy to reinforce positive experiences and to quickly navigate, through the wisdom that you gain while becoming more spiritually oriented and practicing loving good will, for instance, all of the negative attitudes that we have generated in this lifetime. Now, I must say that I am not even a good student of this ancient teaching yet. Perhaps I will be drawn to what I know intuitively will work for me and I will lovingly pass on the doctrination that may be included in the manuscript. Since I haven't even finished reading the book that has introduced me to this better understanding of karma, I can't make a judgement. I was so excited, though, about the potential that is inherent in this new way of looking at karma that I simply had to share what I've learned to date, and will finish reading the book in order to do Part II of this particular service. We live in such an instant world, don't we? Please forgive my impulsive streak, but know that I am working on that, too.
So first, I want to share what Hermann Kuhn said in Karma-The Mechanism, that got me so excited, and I paraphrase: Karma's definition is 'action'. It refers to action happening in the present, there is no warehouse of karma to be reassigned in a future lifetime. The "character and inclination" of our karma can be changed at will. The karmic field only holds the general "directions" in which we move, or moved to create the karma; the "intensity" of the experiences empowers the karma; and the "emotional thrust" that we attached to our action in the creation of our karma, which I might call desire, feeds the power of the karma itself. So if you do a specific deed, spread a rumor about someone you don't like for instance, karma will not repay you by having someone do the same thing to you. The issues, or 'direction' of the karma you are creating results from your deceit, envy
of the other person, or jealousy perhaps. So to clear this pattern you might work on increasing your sense of self worth so that you are never again jealous or envious. You might work on contentment, and let go of your envy that someone you know has things that you want but don't have. You don't have to call in a bitter friend who will sabotage you in some way because you did the same to them at work. Instead, help the friend at work on something that will get them recognition. By changing the way you approach karmic themes you change them from painful to complementary and live a happier life, in theory. It takes work. But why else are you here?
Wonderful information, isn't it? The karmic themes of our lives are able to be altered with new thought patterns, new words, and new actions. In so doing, we work through our karma, and create more complimentary karma with the practice of loving good will, or whatever you want to call your new practice. This goes directly to Oneness as metaphysicians like to call the unified field of everything that exists. Your karmic actions don't just affect you, but they are affecting the rest of humanity. So are your thoughts, and your communications with everyone you meet in your lifetime. We truly live in an intelligent sphere of interactive energy that is indwelling God, for me and may be called by another name by you. Today's service is simply to help you see the power inherent in each human living on this beautiful planet. I have said on these pages that we will never have peace in the world if we do not first find and cultivate peace within ourselves. This is a universal understanding. Our job is to revisit our previous concepts of karma and it's role in society and see what we can personally do improve the quality of life on our planet for everyone, of whom we are a part.
Have bad neighbors? Send them loving good will with the thought that their lives will get better and they will be happier soon. Or you can do what a dear friend of mine did, see the whole street en-lightened so that the people living there would all be good neighbors. People were moving out of her neighborhood and so instead of waiting passively to see if more druggies and such would move in, she set her intent and desire that her street would become a happy neighborhood with good people as neighbors! Karma in action. Society is affected by the roles we all play. We can't blame others if we live in a country that is corrupt, for example. As long as most of us think we can justify actions, thoughts, and what we say to each other because we aren't as bad as someone else we know we are missing a great opportunity to change society en masse. I propose that we get on the Oneness Karma Train and start doing little acts of kindness through thought, word and deed. Remember what Hermann said, we can change our karmic experiences with simple changes in our behaviour. Start small. It will get better. As you let go of the old belief of karma as unalterable, you will begin to shift yours toward the better.
For a while I am going to write the services on a semi-monthly basis instead of a weekly one because my book, "The Multiple You Universe" is nearing completion and I have quite a huge workload. The bi-monthly services will be available on the 1st and 15th of each month for a short time. If you want to review previous services, simply click on the ARCHIVES button at the top of the page. As always, John and I encourage you to submit your own essay on Oneness, God-In-Action, Indwelling God and Personal Stories about how your life has changed since you began a journey to reclaim your own Divinity. You can do so by clicking the button at the top of the page, Blog & Submit Essays. We hope to hear from you because your story is powerful and we all need inspiration from time to time.
I am sending you loving good will, today, tomorrow and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Simply put, the interactive field is both influenced by us because of our thoughts, words and deeds, but also influences us by attracting to us experiences that will allow us to re-work the intentions, motives and desires that powered the original experiences that occured IN THIS LIFE. According to the Tattvarthusutra, karma is instantly worked out (by instant I mean in this current life) and you can tell that is happening by the multiple times you will experience certain lessons that you thought you had already released. Because this karmic field of energy is subtle it is affected by the most subtle of actions; as I said earlier, by thought, word, or deed.
What this means to us is that we can use this field of energy to reinforce positive experiences and to quickly navigate, through the wisdom that you gain while becoming more spiritually oriented and practicing loving good will, for instance, all of the negative attitudes that we have generated in this lifetime. Now, I must say that I am not even a good student of this ancient teaching yet. Perhaps I will be drawn to what I know intuitively will work for me and I will lovingly pass on the doctrination that may be included in the manuscript. Since I haven't even finished reading the book that has introduced me to this better understanding of karma, I can't make a judgement. I was so excited, though, about the potential that is inherent in this new way of looking at karma that I simply had to share what I've learned to date, and will finish reading the book in order to do Part II of this particular service. We live in such an instant world, don't we? Please forgive my impulsive streak, but know that I am working on that, too.
So first, I want to share what Hermann Kuhn said in Karma-The Mechanism, that got me so excited, and I paraphrase: Karma's definition is 'action'. It refers to action happening in the present, there is no warehouse of karma to be reassigned in a future lifetime. The "character and inclination" of our karma can be changed at will. The karmic field only holds the general "directions" in which we move, or moved to create the karma; the "intensity" of the experiences empowers the karma; and the "emotional thrust" that we attached to our action in the creation of our karma, which I might call desire, feeds the power of the karma itself. So if you do a specific deed, spread a rumor about someone you don't like for instance, karma will not repay you by having someone do the same thing to you. The issues, or 'direction' of the karma you are creating results from your deceit, envy
of the other person, or jealousy perhaps. So to clear this pattern you might work on increasing your sense of self worth so that you are never again jealous or envious. You might work on contentment, and let go of your envy that someone you know has things that you want but don't have. You don't have to call in a bitter friend who will sabotage you in some way because you did the same to them at work. Instead, help the friend at work on something that will get them recognition. By changing the way you approach karmic themes you change them from painful to complementary and live a happier life, in theory. It takes work. But why else are you here?
Wonderful information, isn't it? The karmic themes of our lives are able to be altered with new thought patterns, new words, and new actions. In so doing, we work through our karma, and create more complimentary karma with the practice of loving good will, or whatever you want to call your new practice. This goes directly to Oneness as metaphysicians like to call the unified field of everything that exists. Your karmic actions don't just affect you, but they are affecting the rest of humanity. So are your thoughts, and your communications with everyone you meet in your lifetime. We truly live in an intelligent sphere of interactive energy that is indwelling God, for me and may be called by another name by you. Today's service is simply to help you see the power inherent in each human living on this beautiful planet. I have said on these pages that we will never have peace in the world if we do not first find and cultivate peace within ourselves. This is a universal understanding. Our job is to revisit our previous concepts of karma and it's role in society and see what we can personally do improve the quality of life on our planet for everyone, of whom we are a part.
Have bad neighbors? Send them loving good will with the thought that their lives will get better and they will be happier soon. Or you can do what a dear friend of mine did, see the whole street en-lightened so that the people living there would all be good neighbors. People were moving out of her neighborhood and so instead of waiting passively to see if more druggies and such would move in, she set her intent and desire that her street would become a happy neighborhood with good people as neighbors! Karma in action. Society is affected by the roles we all play. We can't blame others if we live in a country that is corrupt, for example. As long as most of us think we can justify actions, thoughts, and what we say to each other because we aren't as bad as someone else we know we are missing a great opportunity to change society en masse. I propose that we get on the Oneness Karma Train and start doing little acts of kindness through thought, word and deed. Remember what Hermann said, we can change our karmic experiences with simple changes in our behaviour. Start small. It will get better. As you let go of the old belief of karma as unalterable, you will begin to shift yours toward the better.
For a while I am going to write the services on a semi-monthly basis instead of a weekly one because my book, "The Multiple You Universe" is nearing completion and I have quite a huge workload. The bi-monthly services will be available on the 1st and 15th of each month for a short time. If you want to review previous services, simply click on the ARCHIVES button at the top of the page. As always, John and I encourage you to submit your own essay on Oneness, God-In-Action, Indwelling God and Personal Stories about how your life has changed since you began a journey to reclaim your own Divinity. You can do so by clicking the button at the top of the page, Blog & Submit Essays. We hope to hear from you because your story is powerful and we all need inspiration from time to time.
I am sending you loving good will, today, tomorrow and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Sunday November 21st, 2010, by Rev. Monica MacIntyre, Center of Light
Last week we discussed the Lewis’ Trilemma: Jesus: Lord, Liar or Lunatic which is an interesting topic. But the real question is: what does it matter whether Jesus was Lord, liar, lunatic, myth, guru or legend? Surely the message that has endured for the last two thousand years is what is important – the legacy of teachings and not the person should really be the focus. However, as mere mortals we generally have a need for tangible proof, and many have trouble with abstractions, so we have been taught to personify deities and spiritual teachers to be able to relate to deeply spiritual matters. Having a concept of someone familiar (father, mother, brother, etc.) makes it easier to imagine, to accept, and to try to communicate with them through prayer.
Much time and effort has been put into proving or disproving the existence of Jesus – more so I believe than any other spiritual teacher - perhaps so we can justify believing in what He preached, and killing others in defense of His name. There is a fallacious belief that the credibility and validity of the reputation of the speaker must lend credibility and validity to the character of the message - but this does not take into account any hidden meaning, agenda, or information which the speaker may have which is not available (either through lack of education or spiritual development) to the followers. And when you compare what Jesus preached with the teachings of other great spiritual leaders, there are so many similarities that it almost reduces comparisons to a “My dad is bigger than your dad” mentality.
All of this got me thinking, “so where did religion come from in the first place?” and, since there are no accidents, I was not surprised when I went to the Public Radio International religion site and there was a discussion between Steve Paulson on “To The Best of Our Knowledge” and Karen Armstrong. For those of you who are not familiar with her, Karen Armstrong is a religious writer whose first book, Through the Narrow Gate(1918), caused a ruckus in the Catholic Church as it described her time at a convent and the physical and mental humiliation she endured before she chose to leave. Her next book, The History of God (1993), was widely acclaimed, and secured her position as one of the foremost leading historians of spiritual matters. She used her extensive knowledge of religions of the world to write another well-received book The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions (2006) which tracks the origins of many of the world's religions, including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism.
Surprisingly, Armstrong says, most of the major religions emerged during the Axial Age from 900BC to 200BC, as responses to the rampant violence of their time. And she says our own time has a lot in common with that age:
"It was one of the great, interesting discoveries to me. I couldn't believe it when I was researching this against the backdrop of our own time, when religion is often used to justify atrocious acts. But in every case the catalyst for religious change had been a revulsion, a disciplined turning away from violence."
Regarding the spiritual message that rejected violence Armstrong says: "First of all they all insisted in very different ways, but they came to the same conclusion, that you must give up and abandon your ego. That the cause of violence, hatred and human evil is very largely rooted in desperation about the ego. We are egocentric creatures, and so the sages said that the root cause of suffering lay in our desperate concern with self, which often needs to destroy others in order to preserve itself. And so they insisted that if we stepped outside the ego, then we would encounter what we call Brahman, God, Nirvana or the Tao."
She notes that all the sages of the world – except the Greeks – posited a counter-ideology to the violence of their time, and the safest way to get rid of egotism was by way of compassion: by dethroning yourself from the center of your world and putting another in your place. Thus the Golden Rule became the bedrock of this compassionate, empathic spirituality and was first suggested by Confucius 500 years before Christ. When Confucius was asked by his disciples what was the single thread that pulled together all of his teachings, he said: Look into your own heart and discover what it is that causes you pain, and then refuse, under any circumstances, to inflict that pain on anyone else.
The Buddha had his versions of the Golden Rule, as did almost all of the other religions and philosophers. Consider for example, Rabbi Hillel who was the older contemporary of Jesus: The Talmud tells that a gentile came to Hillel saying that he would convert to Judaism if Hillel could teach him the whole Torah in the time that he could stand on one foot. Hillel converted the gentile by telling him, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.
That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary. Go and study it.”
While, in Matthew we find, “And seeing the multitudes, Christ went up into a mountain. And when he was set, his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12)
Armstrong says that we should really think about how we define God and religion: "Religion is a search for transcendence, but transcendence isn't necessarily sighted in an external God, which can be a very unspiritual, unreligious concept. The sages were all extremely concerned with transcendence, with going beyond the self and discovering a realm, a reality that could not be defined in words.
"And the trouble is that we define our God too closely, we say God is the Supreme Being. Well in my book ... "A History of God," I pointed out that the most eminent Jewish, Christian and Muslim theologians all said that you couldn't think about God as a simple personality, an external being. It was better to say that God did not exist, because our notion of existence was far too limited to apply to God."
"I think sometimes the way monotheists talk about God is unreligious ... because people very often talk about Him as if He's some kind of acquaintance whom they can second-guess. People will say, 'God loves that, God wills that and God despises the other,' and very often the opinions of the deity are made to coincide exactly with that of the speaker."
Armstrong says that she sees parallels now with what was happening 2500 years ago. She says that: “we are living in a very, very violent period when the world is changing radically; where we have no idea where we are going; where we seem to be on the brink of destroying one another.”
She continues: “the Axial sages had that very, very strong feeling too as life took these dangerous turnings.” As for the assertion by some that Islam encourages violence, Armstrong says "That's simply not true ... this kind of inflammatory talk ... about Islam is convincing Muslims all over the world who are not extremists that the West is incurably Islam-phobic, and will never respect their traditions.
"I would say there are more passages in the Bible than in the Koran that are dedicated to violence. And I think what we all ought to do, religious people in this day and age, is to look at our own sacred traditions -- our own -- not just pointing a finger at somebody else's, but our own. Christians should look hard and long at the Book of Revelations, and they should look at those passages ... that speak of the destruction of the enemy. It is not enough to point an accusing finger at another faith ...".
Armstrong suggests that we have become too preoccupied with big metaphysical systems and theology which is the opposite of what the sages wanted. She says that Jesus did not spend a great deal of time discoursing about the Trinity, or Original Sin, or the Incarnation, or the Atonement which have preoccupied later Christians. She says that he went about doing good, being compassionate, practicing the Axial Age spirituality of jian ai (from Mohism[1]) as the Chinese called it – concern for everybody, even for people who were regarded with disdain by the establishment.
I’m going to conclude this morning with a quote from Armstrong who believes that the proper practice of religion requires some work: "Basically religion is hard work, it's an art form, it's a way of finding meaning -- like painting, like music, like poetry -- in a world that's violent and cruel and often seems meaningless."
Footnotes:
[1] It evolved at about the same time as Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism and was one of the four main philosophic schools during the Spring and Autumn Period (from 770 BCE to 480 BCE)[1] and the Warring States Period (from 479 BCE to 221 BCE). During that time, Mohism (墨 Mo) was seen as a major rival to Confucianism (儒 Ru).
Society and God-In-Action, continued
November 15, 2010
From my Spiritual Point of View, humanity is just another chance for God to experience life and visa versa. If you take a moment now and look back on your life you may find in your own life an example of what I mean. I did that this morning as I was waking up and I was amazed at how many times my inner guidance, known to me as indwelling God, maneuvered me to safety with no help from me, I must say. How many times have you felt the presence of a Guardian Angel, or a guide? It is comforting. And, it is familiar at the same time. We go about our religious or spiritual practices seeking comfort because we live in a hostile world. But, my friends, it is us who has created this hell on earth. And, in many cases we have done so in the name of God, waving that banner high on the breeze of intolerance for others who don't believe as we do.
So the paradox is defined as follows: we believe that God created us, (and God is Love if you are a Christian); but we who have that Divine Spark of God, indwelling don't honor God by creating love and peace around the world, instead we pollute the collective psyche of humanity with fear based intolerance. If we are from God how did we learn to become so evil in thought, word and deed?
My first thought is that we do not believe that we are capable of creating a harmonious life because we have bought into the root thought that 'there is never enough for everyone'. This causes struggle and suffering. We co-create fearfully instead of through Grace. Here is an affirmation that I used at the monthly World Wide Meditation hosted by the Center of Light. "There is Enough of Everything for Everybody." Now is that true at the moment? Technically not in 3-D structure, but it is true in the language of "energy", because Life will always - repeat always -create what you direct through your mind using intent and your belief about a thing. We are manifesting a lack-of consciousness around the world and therefore we are creating that same reality.
We sure aren't acting like we are indwelling God these days. But that is why there are websites like John and mine popping up around the world. We don't want you to get discouraged. And, we hope to give you things to contemplate that will help you find your own bead within the tapestry of life, and then co-create with indwelling God a different life for yourself based upon more a noble premises; God Is All There Is.
Maybe Stephen Hawkings, the famous theoretical physicist, has a valid point: God is not really necessary for our survival or eventual destruction of the species. He is pure scientist. But, I am pure Spiritual Being living a Spiritual Life. Perhaps, I think, God put the evolutionary ingredients into motion and metaphorically walked away. OK. Since I own my Divinity I'm ok with that possibility. Are you? And if it is true, does that relieve us of our responsibility to be the Gods and Goddess we are already due to the Divine Intervention that created humanity in the first place?
These are all questions that determine the path society will take in its collective journey. We have only to review history to see what we have created in the past- yes, created because we are little godlings at our core. This thought is the center of the purpose of this website, afterall. I'm the first to admit that society doesn't act Godly, or Goddessey either. But more of us are waking up to the shift in thought that conceeds that we are Divine at heart. We are responsible for creating reality around us. Society is the only measuring rod we have to determine if we are acting from Love or Fear. Therefore society mirrors for us our belief or disbelief in God. I am using God equals Love; and Fear equals God's absence in this example.
The problem is that everyone has split personalities, ha! Half of us need the comfort of a loving God that helps us through the suffering of life, because we aren't ready to claim ownership of the Higher Truth. We are God's intent to live and experience itself through the creation process. Those who buy into fear do not believe in God even if they say they do. But, here is an interesting thought. They may be defining God in one of four ways: The Authoritative God, The Benevolent God, the Critical God, or The Distant God. Paul Froese and Christopher Bader, socioligists at Baylor University in Waco, TX, wrote the book this description comes from, entitled America's Four Gods: What We Say About God- And What That Says About Us.
It doesn't matter where you are from, you are part of the whole or oneness of humanity. Oneness is more than just humanity of course, but for this discussion we will consider humanity to be one important singularity in the fabric of the cosmos. Maybe the reason metaphysically oriented folk believe that earth is a grand experiment and pivital within the oneness of the cosmos is because we are the only form of life that doesn't respect and love itself. We have arbitrarily created a value system in order to feel safe during unsafe times. In other words, even though doing this is still God-In-Action, it must resolve itself with complete healing and a reversal of human nature into our God Nature. Did I say that clearly enough? I ask because I am coming to you from 61 years on the planet and so much of my undertanding of life has been created over 20 years ago. Maybe I don't speak the same language as people under 30. I welcome your feedback.
God-In-Action doesn't claim to mean that you are doing good things every day of your life. Turn on the news and there is ample evidence that humans are not adhering to the first law of an enlightened civilization, First Due No Harm. God-In-Action is the principal that allows you to co-create things that also hurt you or others, temporarily, until you have a chance to change your modus operandi. Change is good, friends. Give away your old outdated and overworn belief's that there is a God of Judgement who is going to evaluate your worth when you die. It is amazing how much more relaxed we can be about living with others when we aren't afraid of the final judgement that decides if we dwell in some heaven or hell for eternity. We don't have to work off of a credits system anymore. I have 6 million good things I did during this life, and 6.2 million bad things I thought, or acted upon - therefore I am going to hell. P-L-E-A-S-E.....
From another perspective, one that recognizes that we are all part of one intelligence acting our way through life until we beat suffering into submission, (that's a joke!), we are able to relax and live life as an actor on the stage of life. We each have roles and they are interdependent. Eventually, we are able to get off the wheel of life known as reincarnation because you will have become your Buddahood, or your Christ Consciousness, or your God Nature expressing intself freely at a higher vibration of light and energy. We will have spoken every word that can be spoken. Thought every thought that can me recognized. And lived every scenario possible for a human to experience. Some, like me, also have past life rememberances that aren't human per se. That's for you to explore. So, this next part may be a leap of consciousness for some of you.
God, the Eternal Intelligence of All Expression, made humanity with or without a purpose. I can't speak to the intent of God whose intelligence is to big a concept to know. But I suspect that there is a compelling need for Intelligence to continue the creation process. Out there is the truth. Somewhere there must be another batch of beings who were created by the elements floating in the cosmos. And, another grand experiment is underway. What will they do with the precious life allowed them by a force beyond recognition that we try to humanize here on earth? Will they ever understand that as individuals they are God, indwelling? Will their society live in peace, or with strife and war?
I am becoming more and more infatuated with the sacred-science marriage that allows there to be a creative force which started the whole universe into motion, but does not need humanity's approval to be recognized. You may want to consider this service an opportunity to re-dedicate yourself to the creation of a life worth living. One that allows free speech, and choice that affects your life as well as living a life that respects the others who will not agree with your perspective. Within each of us is the desire to live a life in complimentary harmony with one another. Search for that energy, and then look at your past to see how many times your indwelling God has saved your bacon by redirecting your course of action. It is humbling.
For me, I am learning more each day about how powerful my urge to create has become, and it is an urge to co-create respect and tolerance in our society. I chose to honor my God-In-Action and I think you do to or you wouldn't be reading this Service on the internet.
My friend, Rev. Monica MacIntyre is going to address how religion got started and other interesting facts related to society's use of God since the Axial age. Come visit us at the Center of Light where Monica ministers to a small group of spiritual beings who know they are living spiritual lives and are seeking to help make the world a better place for everyone. Center of Light is located at 8123 E. 48th St., in Tulsa, OK. The Sunday Service starts at 10:00 am.
I am sending you loving good will for today, tomorrow and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
From my Spiritual Point of View, humanity is just another chance for God to experience life and visa versa. If you take a moment now and look back on your life you may find in your own life an example of what I mean. I did that this morning as I was waking up and I was amazed at how many times my inner guidance, known to me as indwelling God, maneuvered me to safety with no help from me, I must say. How many times have you felt the presence of a Guardian Angel, or a guide? It is comforting. And, it is familiar at the same time. We go about our religious or spiritual practices seeking comfort because we live in a hostile world. But, my friends, it is us who has created this hell on earth. And, in many cases we have done so in the name of God, waving that banner high on the breeze of intolerance for others who don't believe as we do.
So the paradox is defined as follows: we believe that God created us, (and God is Love if you are a Christian); but we who have that Divine Spark of God, indwelling don't honor God by creating love and peace around the world, instead we pollute the collective psyche of humanity with fear based intolerance. If we are from God how did we learn to become so evil in thought, word and deed?
My first thought is that we do not believe that we are capable of creating a harmonious life because we have bought into the root thought that 'there is never enough for everyone'. This causes struggle and suffering. We co-create fearfully instead of through Grace. Here is an affirmation that I used at the monthly World Wide Meditation hosted by the Center of Light. "There is Enough of Everything for Everybody." Now is that true at the moment? Technically not in 3-D structure, but it is true in the language of "energy", because Life will always - repeat always -create what you direct through your mind using intent and your belief about a thing. We are manifesting a lack-of consciousness around the world and therefore we are creating that same reality.
We sure aren't acting like we are indwelling God these days. But that is why there are websites like John and mine popping up around the world. We don't want you to get discouraged. And, we hope to give you things to contemplate that will help you find your own bead within the tapestry of life, and then co-create with indwelling God a different life for yourself based upon more a noble premises; God Is All There Is.
Maybe Stephen Hawkings, the famous theoretical physicist, has a valid point: God is not really necessary for our survival or eventual destruction of the species. He is pure scientist. But, I am pure Spiritual Being living a Spiritual Life. Perhaps, I think, God put the evolutionary ingredients into motion and metaphorically walked away. OK. Since I own my Divinity I'm ok with that possibility. Are you? And if it is true, does that relieve us of our responsibility to be the Gods and Goddess we are already due to the Divine Intervention that created humanity in the first place?
These are all questions that determine the path society will take in its collective journey. We have only to review history to see what we have created in the past- yes, created because we are little godlings at our core. This thought is the center of the purpose of this website, afterall. I'm the first to admit that society doesn't act Godly, or Goddessey either. But more of us are waking up to the shift in thought that conceeds that we are Divine at heart. We are responsible for creating reality around us. Society is the only measuring rod we have to determine if we are acting from Love or Fear. Therefore society mirrors for us our belief or disbelief in God. I am using God equals Love; and Fear equals God's absence in this example.
The problem is that everyone has split personalities, ha! Half of us need the comfort of a loving God that helps us through the suffering of life, because we aren't ready to claim ownership of the Higher Truth. We are God's intent to live and experience itself through the creation process. Those who buy into fear do not believe in God even if they say they do. But, here is an interesting thought. They may be defining God in one of four ways: The Authoritative God, The Benevolent God, the Critical God, or The Distant God. Paul Froese and Christopher Bader, socioligists at Baylor University in Waco, TX, wrote the book this description comes from, entitled America's Four Gods: What We Say About God- And What That Says About Us.
It doesn't matter where you are from, you are part of the whole or oneness of humanity. Oneness is more than just humanity of course, but for this discussion we will consider humanity to be one important singularity in the fabric of the cosmos. Maybe the reason metaphysically oriented folk believe that earth is a grand experiment and pivital within the oneness of the cosmos is because we are the only form of life that doesn't respect and love itself. We have arbitrarily created a value system in order to feel safe during unsafe times. In other words, even though doing this is still God-In-Action, it must resolve itself with complete healing and a reversal of human nature into our God Nature. Did I say that clearly enough? I ask because I am coming to you from 61 years on the planet and so much of my undertanding of life has been created over 20 years ago. Maybe I don't speak the same language as people under 30. I welcome your feedback.
God-In-Action doesn't claim to mean that you are doing good things every day of your life. Turn on the news and there is ample evidence that humans are not adhering to the first law of an enlightened civilization, First Due No Harm. God-In-Action is the principal that allows you to co-create things that also hurt you or others, temporarily, until you have a chance to change your modus operandi. Change is good, friends. Give away your old outdated and overworn belief's that there is a God of Judgement who is going to evaluate your worth when you die. It is amazing how much more relaxed we can be about living with others when we aren't afraid of the final judgement that decides if we dwell in some heaven or hell for eternity. We don't have to work off of a credits system anymore. I have 6 million good things I did during this life, and 6.2 million bad things I thought, or acted upon - therefore I am going to hell. P-L-E-A-S-E.....
From another perspective, one that recognizes that we are all part of one intelligence acting our way through life until we beat suffering into submission, (that's a joke!), we are able to relax and live life as an actor on the stage of life. We each have roles and they are interdependent. Eventually, we are able to get off the wheel of life known as reincarnation because you will have become your Buddahood, or your Christ Consciousness, or your God Nature expressing intself freely at a higher vibration of light and energy. We will have spoken every word that can be spoken. Thought every thought that can me recognized. And lived every scenario possible for a human to experience. Some, like me, also have past life rememberances that aren't human per se. That's for you to explore. So, this next part may be a leap of consciousness for some of you.
God, the Eternal Intelligence of All Expression, made humanity with or without a purpose. I can't speak to the intent of God whose intelligence is to big a concept to know. But I suspect that there is a compelling need for Intelligence to continue the creation process. Out there is the truth. Somewhere there must be another batch of beings who were created by the elements floating in the cosmos. And, another grand experiment is underway. What will they do with the precious life allowed them by a force beyond recognition that we try to humanize here on earth? Will they ever understand that as individuals they are God, indwelling? Will their society live in peace, or with strife and war?
I am becoming more and more infatuated with the sacred-science marriage that allows there to be a creative force which started the whole universe into motion, but does not need humanity's approval to be recognized. You may want to consider this service an opportunity to re-dedicate yourself to the creation of a life worth living. One that allows free speech, and choice that affects your life as well as living a life that respects the others who will not agree with your perspective. Within each of us is the desire to live a life in complimentary harmony with one another. Search for that energy, and then look at your past to see how many times your indwelling God has saved your bacon by redirecting your course of action. It is humbling.
For me, I am learning more each day about how powerful my urge to create has become, and it is an urge to co-create respect and tolerance in our society. I chose to honor my God-In-Action and I think you do to or you wouldn't be reading this Service on the internet.
My friend, Rev. Monica MacIntyre is going to address how religion got started and other interesting facts related to society's use of God since the Axial age. Come visit us at the Center of Light where Monica ministers to a small group of spiritual beings who know they are living spiritual lives and are seeking to help make the world a better place for everyone. Center of Light is located at 8123 E. 48th St., in Tulsa, OK. The Sunday Service starts at 10:00 am.
I am sending you loving good will for today, tomorrow and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Society and God-In-Action From a Spiritual Point of View
November 8, 2010
It occured to me recently while driving and listening to some old favorites, that humanity has moved forward very slowly when it comes to treating each other with respect and compassion. We may donate funds to worthy causes in need around the world, but I asked myself if society has really changed in any significant way, and progressed in the areas of equality and freedom, two benchmarks of enlightenment. The answer had to be no for me, with some exceptional blips that looked promissing, but faltered over time. So, I was driving and listening to Lena Horne's Golden Legends CD, after having listened to Aretha Franklin's 'The Very Best of Aretha Franklin- The 60s', listening backwards in time you might say, to the music that was the voice of two different eras; mine and my mothers. This made me realize that if I looked even further back I might be able to see some patterns on how women looked at their lives through their songs. I did. And although it shocked me, it shouldn't have. I listened to Billie Holiday's ' Billie's Blues' and her stories of loving a man who has other women but she can't let go, and one about a man she loves who beats her.. all of her songs were sad in some way and told a story that women of her day could relate to. A sad story that isn't new to prior eras, nor is it a stranger to women of today.
Men in general throughout time seemed to own women and my heart wanted to break when I realized that so many songs today are also about lost love, a desire for a man because deep down you don't believe you can make it on your own... baby. Now I am not going to bash men in this service. I am going to bash society and let each of us think about how we can change the rules that no longer serve us. I am going to point out to you that statistics are available if you are interested in knowing what trends we, as Americans, endorse in daily life and then you can compare that to organizations who are clearly trying to help people who are living in hells; chosen, self made, or trapped in because of mental defeat and the belief that they don't deserve love, respect and compassion. We all deserve love, respect and compassion and we should all be able to give it to others.
God-In-Action is you and me. We are the ones who will bring about the new age we long for in our heart of hearts. We will be the ones able to encourage each other to live a simpler lifestyle that is deeper instead of shallow and sparkly like the people we see in the media. Will expensive shoes really make your life better, sister? Will they attract a rich husband who will eventually leave you for a younger model? Spirituality will be necessary, but religion won't from my point of view because we are already long overdue for the taking of responsibility for our choices in life. If we all changed our point of view and took responsibility for everything in our lives, society would begin to move forward and the outcome would be a better world for all of us. If we all took responsibility for ourselves we would be able to see that it has always been us in charge of our daily lives, and not a God, outside of us who is pulling strings. Do I believe in Angels, and Guides or Helpers who assist us while we live each moment on the planet. Actually, I do. But I see them as extensions of God made manifest in the world, and it is their choice to help us because they have a point of view that is much more enlightened than ours. We chose to let them help us or not. You, my spiritual brother and sister, are God indwelling. You are the Divine spark of God contained within the macro and mircrocosms. If you let someone else choose how you will live you are still God-In-Action, but your God Nature is weaker because you are not the one who is the Authority of your life. And you should always be your Authority.
As a woman I will point out to you that in the 1970s women began to push out of a very old paradigm and we even made some progress, but there have been regressions, too. Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" was a roar that went out into society and women were galvanized to fight for better pay, to have safe places to shelter when they were unable to take care of themselves and children because of abuse, and to be respected just like Sister Aretha Franklin sang so boldly of in the 1960s. Unfortunately, today many women are still trapped in situations because they don't believe they can take care of themselves, and many men are still using old models from within their personal families that disrespect women, mentally and physically. We are society. Don't forget that. We are the ones who will determine how long it takes us to create a new paradigm shift that lets us treat people better, to use diplomacy instead of making war, to own our responsibilities instead of pushing them off on others, and the list goes on.
Where's the happy message, you might ask? Glad to say I have one. Just as we have taken one step forward and two steps back during generations of less than healthy personal relationships, we are still making giant leaps forward along a timeline that holds potential for improvement across the fields of sciences, philosophy, and socioeconomics as a few examples. What's more, people are moving into acceptance of alternative new thought spirituality according to Pew Research Center Publications. On February 17, 2010 they released a study entitled "Religion Among the Millennials". 20% of the people who were in the age group of 18-29 were considerably less religious than older Americans. And in our youth lies hope for spiritual evolution!
Dogma from Religion has lost it's appeal, according to Church Conclaves throughout America. That is why services began to feature music and content that appealed to younger people. The message was delivered in a softer voice that spoke more of love and hope than hell and damnation. It truly is time for all of us to grow up. We are the light of God, indwelling and our own Authority over our choices in our lives. This is such a blessing, folks! There is no hell and damnation unless you, as God indwelling believes it to exist. You can change your mind and look deeper within yourself to be the light of God in every choice you make from now on.
You are safe from the hell of sinners because there is no such thing as sin. New thought says that sin is "missing the mark". You make mistakes in life your life that hurt and harm both yourself and others because you are learning to be an adult. You are growing up. You are becoming spiritually mature, and that is a good thing no matter your cronological age. When you make a mistake it doesn't feel very good. But, it is not fatal. You will make many mistakes in your lifetime, thank you God, indwelling. You will also make many good choices, again thank you God, indwelling. And in the balance you will be just fine, because you have discovered your sacred self and begun to formulate a code of living that allows you to feel better more times than not. Isn't that what we are all hoping for? We want a happy life, with less struggle and more compassion, cooperation and joy. Admit it. We want to be happy. It's ok. You are meant to be happy. That is why you are God, indwelling, who is happy and only knows you as love manifesting your divinity all around you with every thought, word and deed. That's all for today.
Remember that you can check the archives for previous weekly services and you are invited to send us an essay based upon your understanding of Oneness, God, indwelling and God-In-Action. And, it's ok if you aren't there yet, you will still have something wonderful to share with us and your way is perfect for you right now. Rev. John and I are just on a mission to push humanity alittle faster into a more loving and respectful worldview. We see you with us in the future. It's our job now to help you if you need it, or for you to refer this site to someone you think might be ready for some good news that doesn't include lables like sinner, devil, and hell. Again, that's it for today.
I am sending you blessings of loving good will today, tomorrow and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
It occured to me recently while driving and listening to some old favorites, that humanity has moved forward very slowly when it comes to treating each other with respect and compassion. We may donate funds to worthy causes in need around the world, but I asked myself if society has really changed in any significant way, and progressed in the areas of equality and freedom, two benchmarks of enlightenment. The answer had to be no for me, with some exceptional blips that looked promissing, but faltered over time. So, I was driving and listening to Lena Horne's Golden Legends CD, after having listened to Aretha Franklin's 'The Very Best of Aretha Franklin- The 60s', listening backwards in time you might say, to the music that was the voice of two different eras; mine and my mothers. This made me realize that if I looked even further back I might be able to see some patterns on how women looked at their lives through their songs. I did. And although it shocked me, it shouldn't have. I listened to Billie Holiday's ' Billie's Blues' and her stories of loving a man who has other women but she can't let go, and one about a man she loves who beats her.. all of her songs were sad in some way and told a story that women of her day could relate to. A sad story that isn't new to prior eras, nor is it a stranger to women of today.
Men in general throughout time seemed to own women and my heart wanted to break when I realized that so many songs today are also about lost love, a desire for a man because deep down you don't believe you can make it on your own... baby. Now I am not going to bash men in this service. I am going to bash society and let each of us think about how we can change the rules that no longer serve us. I am going to point out to you that statistics are available if you are interested in knowing what trends we, as Americans, endorse in daily life and then you can compare that to organizations who are clearly trying to help people who are living in hells; chosen, self made, or trapped in because of mental defeat and the belief that they don't deserve love, respect and compassion. We all deserve love, respect and compassion and we should all be able to give it to others.
God-In-Action is you and me. We are the ones who will bring about the new age we long for in our heart of hearts. We will be the ones able to encourage each other to live a simpler lifestyle that is deeper instead of shallow and sparkly like the people we see in the media. Will expensive shoes really make your life better, sister? Will they attract a rich husband who will eventually leave you for a younger model? Spirituality will be necessary, but religion won't from my point of view because we are already long overdue for the taking of responsibility for our choices in life. If we all changed our point of view and took responsibility for everything in our lives, society would begin to move forward and the outcome would be a better world for all of us. If we all took responsibility for ourselves we would be able to see that it has always been us in charge of our daily lives, and not a God, outside of us who is pulling strings. Do I believe in Angels, and Guides or Helpers who assist us while we live each moment on the planet. Actually, I do. But I see them as extensions of God made manifest in the world, and it is their choice to help us because they have a point of view that is much more enlightened than ours. We chose to let them help us or not. You, my spiritual brother and sister, are God indwelling. You are the Divine spark of God contained within the macro and mircrocosms. If you let someone else choose how you will live you are still God-In-Action, but your God Nature is weaker because you are not the one who is the Authority of your life. And you should always be your Authority.
As a woman I will point out to you that in the 1970s women began to push out of a very old paradigm and we even made some progress, but there have been regressions, too. Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" was a roar that went out into society and women were galvanized to fight for better pay, to have safe places to shelter when they were unable to take care of themselves and children because of abuse, and to be respected just like Sister Aretha Franklin sang so boldly of in the 1960s. Unfortunately, today many women are still trapped in situations because they don't believe they can take care of themselves, and many men are still using old models from within their personal families that disrespect women, mentally and physically. We are society. Don't forget that. We are the ones who will determine how long it takes us to create a new paradigm shift that lets us treat people better, to use diplomacy instead of making war, to own our responsibilities instead of pushing them off on others, and the list goes on.
Where's the happy message, you might ask? Glad to say I have one. Just as we have taken one step forward and two steps back during generations of less than healthy personal relationships, we are still making giant leaps forward along a timeline that holds potential for improvement across the fields of sciences, philosophy, and socioeconomics as a few examples. What's more, people are moving into acceptance of alternative new thought spirituality according to Pew Research Center Publications. On February 17, 2010 they released a study entitled "Religion Among the Millennials". 20% of the people who were in the age group of 18-29 were considerably less religious than older Americans. And in our youth lies hope for spiritual evolution!
Dogma from Religion has lost it's appeal, according to Church Conclaves throughout America. That is why services began to feature music and content that appealed to younger people. The message was delivered in a softer voice that spoke more of love and hope than hell and damnation. It truly is time for all of us to grow up. We are the light of God, indwelling and our own Authority over our choices in our lives. This is such a blessing, folks! There is no hell and damnation unless you, as God indwelling believes it to exist. You can change your mind and look deeper within yourself to be the light of God in every choice you make from now on.
You are safe from the hell of sinners because there is no such thing as sin. New thought says that sin is "missing the mark". You make mistakes in life your life that hurt and harm both yourself and others because you are learning to be an adult. You are growing up. You are becoming spiritually mature, and that is a good thing no matter your cronological age. When you make a mistake it doesn't feel very good. But, it is not fatal. You will make many mistakes in your lifetime, thank you God, indwelling. You will also make many good choices, again thank you God, indwelling. And in the balance you will be just fine, because you have discovered your sacred self and begun to formulate a code of living that allows you to feel better more times than not. Isn't that what we are all hoping for? We want a happy life, with less struggle and more compassion, cooperation and joy. Admit it. We want to be happy. It's ok. You are meant to be happy. That is why you are God, indwelling, who is happy and only knows you as love manifesting your divinity all around you with every thought, word and deed. That's all for today.
Remember that you can check the archives for previous weekly services and you are invited to send us an essay based upon your understanding of Oneness, God, indwelling and God-In-Action. And, it's ok if you aren't there yet, you will still have something wonderful to share with us and your way is perfect for you right now. Rev. John and I are just on a mission to push humanity alittle faster into a more loving and respectful worldview. We see you with us in the future. It's our job now to help you if you need it, or for you to refer this site to someone you think might be ready for some good news that doesn't include lables like sinner, devil, and hell. Again, that's it for today.
I am sending you blessings of loving good will today, tomorrow and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Essay from Rev. Monica MacIntyre, New Thought Minister at Center of Light Church in Tulsa, OK
October 31, 2010
John and I are delighted to present this service which Rev. Monica presented at church in September, 2010. The theme may not appear to be related to our efforts to be God, Indwelling, and God-In-Action, at first but it truly is. So many people in our country have not done the research on our founding fathers, their religious history personally, and their desire to create a country that would exemplify Oneness consciousness through equality, and freedom. It is never Godly to hand over one's authority to another and blindly believe what we are told to believe. Nowadays it is even more important to respect the gift of God that is given to each of us-free will. Please join us in welcoming our first Guest as she asks the question: Was America Founded As A New Christian Nation?
John and I are delighted to present this service which Rev. Monica presented at church in September, 2010. The theme may not appear to be related to our efforts to be God, Indwelling, and God-In-Action, at first but it truly is. So many people in our country have not done the research on our founding fathers, their religious history personally, and their desire to create a country that would exemplify Oneness consciousness through equality, and freedom. It is never Godly to hand over one's authority to another and blindly believe what we are told to believe. Nowadays it is even more important to respect the gift of God that is given to each of us-free will. Please join us in welcoming our first Guest as she asks the question: Was America Founded As A New Christian Nation?
A couple of weeks ago when we were discussing America's Four Gods, Ron introduced the idea that the religious history of this country is often misrepresented. Then, Jan sent me a couple of very interesting emails, one of which was entitled "The Myth of A Christian Nation" (Source: http:www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/16/the-myth-of-a-christian=n_n_720195.html?msource+IMACT45&tr+y&auid+7031290)
Many Americans believe that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were crafted to establish this country as a new Christian nation, and yet the facts speak otherwise. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were a profoundly intelligent, religious and ethically-minded group. (The numbers of persons belonging to their religious sect, and the overall percentage of the whole group is listed for you here:)
Episcopalian/Anglican -88 members, 54.7%; Presbyterian- 30 members, 18.6%; Congregationalists- 27 members, 16.8%; Quaker-7 members, 3%; Dutch Reformed/German Reformed- 6 members, 3.7%. Lutheran- 5 members, 3.1%; Catholic- 3 members, 1.9%; Huguenot- 3 members, 1.9%; Unitarian- 3 members, 1.9%; Methodist- 2 members, 1.2%; and Calvinist - 1 member, 0.6% for a total of 204 MEMBERS.
Four of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were current or former full-time preachers, and many more were the sons of clergymen. Other professions held by signers include lawyers, merchants, doctors and educators. They were members of religious denominations at a rate that was significantly higher than average for the American Colonies during the late 1700s.
In an article by Rabbi Rudin, he says: "While the Founding Fathers, with their diverse Christian backgrounds, had every opportunity to make the fledgling United States into a "Christian nation," the factual record reveals they consciously refused to do so.
And, it was not as some opine, a mistake or an oversight.
Their reasons were a combination of history, demography and the Founders' shared belief they were creating something unique in the world."
Most of the signers were aware of the persecution of the religious minorities in England following England's break from the Church of Rome, and the horrors of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) which started as a conflict between Catholics and Protestants and ended up decimating many European countries.
Mark Twain said: "Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion-several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven."
The text of the Declaration of Independence contains just four theological references: "nature's God", "Creator", "Supreme Judge of the world", and "Divine Providence". Not once is either Jesus or Christianity mentioned. Rudin says: "The Declaration, reflecting the signatories' collective thinking, was carefully written and edited; words were included, or not, for a reason."
With similar care, the Constitution contains only two theological references. In Article 7 it states that the Constitution is ratified: the Seventeen Day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven- which was, and in some cases still is, simply a convention for dating documents.
And then, in Article 6, at the end of the third clause it states:
(N)o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
Another American institution that is held up as an example of the United States as a Chirstian nation is the Pledge of Allegiance, written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), a Baptist minister and Christian socialist. It was designed to be said in 15 seconds and has been altered four times since the original was written. (Source: Wikipedia). Note that the official version changes are in bold italics.
1892-" I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1892 to 1923- "I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the repuplic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1923-1924- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1924-1954- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1954 to Present- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
So what does it matter if the Founding Fathers chose to leave religion out of the country's most significant documents? It matters because almost 300 years ago they recognized that more blood has been shed, and more abuse, brutality, and violence perpetrated in the name of religion than for any other single reason. If we knew for certain who or what God was; if we had consensus among all peoples, it would be one thing. But when we have the situation where everyone's idea of God is different, it leaves the door open for discrimination; and for the need to impose ones "right" beliefs on another.
In order to create a cohesive society where eclectic religious views were common, the Founders recognized the necessity of omitting specific religious references from these documents. This was not an accident. This is a country that was born of immigrants bringing a variety of different perspectives with them. The only way to unite all these different nationalities and religious groups was to focus on the nation itself and keep religion out of the equation.
But consider this: Mahatma Ghandi said; "Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is."
So my questions to you this morning are: should we be endorsing political candidates that use the Authoritative God - or any God - to gain political advantage? Should we sit back and allow the fear that has been used by the churches for centuries to infiltrate the political fabric of our society? How do we ensure that the vision of the Founding Fathers is carried forward for future generations?
These are difficult questions to answer so I am going to finish this week with a prayer to help you from George Carlin, who said:
"This is a little prayer dedicated to the separation of church and state. I guess if they are going to force those kids to pray in schools they might as well have a nice prayer like this: Our Father who art in heaven, and to the republic for which it stands, thy kingdom come, one nation indivisible as in heaven, give us this day as we forgive those who so proudly we hail. Crown thy good into temptation but deliver us from the twilight's last gleaming. Amen and Awoman." End of Service.
Thank you, Rev. Monica, and "So be it, too."
Many Americans believe that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were crafted to establish this country as a new Christian nation, and yet the facts speak otherwise. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were a profoundly intelligent, religious and ethically-minded group. (The numbers of persons belonging to their religious sect, and the overall percentage of the whole group is listed for you here:)
Episcopalian/Anglican -88 members, 54.7%; Presbyterian- 30 members, 18.6%; Congregationalists- 27 members, 16.8%; Quaker-7 members, 3%; Dutch Reformed/German Reformed- 6 members, 3.7%. Lutheran- 5 members, 3.1%; Catholic- 3 members, 1.9%; Huguenot- 3 members, 1.9%; Unitarian- 3 members, 1.9%; Methodist- 2 members, 1.2%; and Calvinist - 1 member, 0.6% for a total of 204 MEMBERS.
Four of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were current or former full-time preachers, and many more were the sons of clergymen. Other professions held by signers include lawyers, merchants, doctors and educators. They were members of religious denominations at a rate that was significantly higher than average for the American Colonies during the late 1700s.
In an article by Rabbi Rudin, he says: "While the Founding Fathers, with their diverse Christian backgrounds, had every opportunity to make the fledgling United States into a "Christian nation," the factual record reveals they consciously refused to do so.
And, it was not as some opine, a mistake or an oversight.
Their reasons were a combination of history, demography and the Founders' shared belief they were creating something unique in the world."
Most of the signers were aware of the persecution of the religious minorities in England following England's break from the Church of Rome, and the horrors of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) which started as a conflict between Catholics and Protestants and ended up decimating many European countries.
Mark Twain said: "Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion-several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven."
The text of the Declaration of Independence contains just four theological references: "nature's God", "Creator", "Supreme Judge of the world", and "Divine Providence". Not once is either Jesus or Christianity mentioned. Rudin says: "The Declaration, reflecting the signatories' collective thinking, was carefully written and edited; words were included, or not, for a reason."
With similar care, the Constitution contains only two theological references. In Article 7 it states that the Constitution is ratified: the Seventeen Day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven- which was, and in some cases still is, simply a convention for dating documents.
And then, in Article 6, at the end of the third clause it states:
(N)o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
Another American institution that is held up as an example of the United States as a Chirstian nation is the Pledge of Allegiance, written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), a Baptist minister and Christian socialist. It was designed to be said in 15 seconds and has been altered four times since the original was written. (Source: Wikipedia). Note that the official version changes are in bold italics.
1892-" I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1892 to 1923- "I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the repuplic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1923-1924- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1924-1954- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
1954 to Present- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
So what does it matter if the Founding Fathers chose to leave religion out of the country's most significant documents? It matters because almost 300 years ago they recognized that more blood has been shed, and more abuse, brutality, and violence perpetrated in the name of religion than for any other single reason. If we knew for certain who or what God was; if we had consensus among all peoples, it would be one thing. But when we have the situation where everyone's idea of God is different, it leaves the door open for discrimination; and for the need to impose ones "right" beliefs on another.
In order to create a cohesive society where eclectic religious views were common, the Founders recognized the necessity of omitting specific religious references from these documents. This was not an accident. This is a country that was born of immigrants bringing a variety of different perspectives with them. The only way to unite all these different nationalities and religious groups was to focus on the nation itself and keep religion out of the equation.
But consider this: Mahatma Ghandi said; "Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is."
So my questions to you this morning are: should we be endorsing political candidates that use the Authoritative God - or any God - to gain political advantage? Should we sit back and allow the fear that has been used by the churches for centuries to infiltrate the political fabric of our society? How do we ensure that the vision of the Founding Fathers is carried forward for future generations?
These are difficult questions to answer so I am going to finish this week with a prayer to help you from George Carlin, who said:
"This is a little prayer dedicated to the separation of church and state. I guess if they are going to force those kids to pray in schools they might as well have a nice prayer like this: Our Father who art in heaven, and to the republic for which it stands, thy kingdom come, one nation indivisible as in heaven, give us this day as we forgive those who so proudly we hail. Crown thy good into temptation but deliver us from the twilight's last gleaming. Amen and Awoman." End of Service.
Thank you, Rev. Monica, and "So be it, too."
Science & Religion: Friends, Foes or Family?
For the longest time people have thought that we only use 10% of our brain. This thought originated during the 1930s when the earliest forms of brain mapping experiments were underway. Scientists used electricity in very small doses, or pulses to stimulate the human brain. The scientists were looking for physical signs that the brain was reacting to the stimuli. As it turned out 90% of the case studies did not show documentable responses and therefore the scientists concluded that it was because 90% of the human brain is not used. The correct response might have been, 'at this point in time our instruments are not sophisticated enough to make this study reliable'.
Brain mapping continues to be studied, but as I searched the internet I realized that most studies are related to brain injuries of varying types, and the studies seem to me to be slanted toward medical interventions as opposed to recognizing the need to continue efforts to map all regions of the brain to better understand how we are hard wired.
Last week's two part service was meant to show you how powerful the conscious, unconscious, and superconscious mind is. In the Many Forms of God I shared a dream in which I am part of a human experiment conducted by distant genetic cousins who have mastered space travel using light, sound, and higher frequency vibrations. Please refer to the archives section if you haven't read this short series. I believe that this "dream" or "vision" or "hallucination" was anchored in some aspect of my consciousness, and also believe that we just haven't mapped consciousness well enough yet to be able to find its home within the physical brain.
This week I am continuing that thought with the question, "can science & religion be friends, foes or family?"
USA Today has a forum that is a national conversation on God. My service today is to give you something to think about that isn't traditional in either the religious studies or scientific fields, but is related to both. I'll weigh in first with my belief that the two are family: both are seeking to understand the origins of the universe, humanity, and the living world that we witness all around us. Science has tools that allow it to go to the sub-atomic level to look for intelligent explanations on how life formed, or intelligence in the particles that are the building blocks of life.
Religious people, and I include Spiritual people who would not consider themselves religious, seem to have been seeking God from the beginning of time, believing that only a Creator God could have organized such a powerful environment and variety of life forms that both ancients and modern humans have discovered within our tiny section of our universe. What's more, we have always had a yearning to regain our connection to that mysterious consciousness that we call God, even before the Bible told us that we were separated from God by sin. Did early man pray to God for successful hunts? Of course, there is evidence of that in cave paintings along the routes that ancient man used to walk. And didn't early shamans act as the intercessor for early humans with the great unknown when times were at their worst? Of course we have stories that have been transmitted orally from cultures around the world. Let's not forget the Greeks and the Romans, or any of the other early civilizations that developed ceremonial dialogue with the pantheon of Gods and Goddess'.
What's more, you have only to study ancient art to discover paintings and rock carvings of beings that sure do look "alien" or "off world" if you prefer. Even renaissance art, and Hindu manuscripts have pictures of craft flying that look rather like UFOs that so many people around the world believe are real and visiting every continent on earth.
But what tools do the religious scholars have that could possibly be equal to or ahead of the research conducted in the scientific community? I think that the equalizer is the human brain. Part of the brain speaks the language of science, while another part of the brain speaks the language of consciousness. One is accessed linearily, if you will, and the other is accessed through curiosity, creativity, and a belief that a part of themselves is able to transcend physical boundries and learn more about the universe in unconventional ways than earth bound scients do. In other words I think there is a mystic part of the brain that is physical, too.
Flights of fancy and creativity like those developed by writers are the same as day dreams that have inspired people like Einstein to create the Special Theory of Relativity. I argue that spiritual inspiration, or Divine Enlightenment as in a satori, also have part of the physical brain that it calls home. Many spiritually minded people consider that the pituitary gland, is the home of the spiritual scientist if you'll allow me to use that term during this discussion. I have mentioned that I am writing a book named, The Multiple You Universe that seeks to help us see how metaphysical experiences can be explained through scientific and religious principles alike. It is an extremely challenging project for me because I am not a scientist. But I am a meta-physically gifted woman who has claimed my authority as God indwelling, and outpouring into my life.
So what does that mean exactly? Do I sound arrogant to you? The principal that I am God indwelling and outpouring doesn't just apply to me. It applies to every living being on the planet and beyond. Through my own spiritual journeys, experiences and teachings given to me by intelligent light beings who have channeled information through me to share with others, I have found the courage to embrace the holy within myself that is the core of my God Nature. I have been learning to live a respectful and loving life and the techniques that I've used over the years are available to everybody. No doubt you have many wonderful techniques that you have used to access your higher God Nature. I believe that we are all moving toward an era of enlightenment, both scientifically and spiritually. It will take as long as it takes but I am pleased to find the term sacred-science used more and more each year. I like the term because it respects both pathways, and favors none.
In my last service I talked about a web of living light that acted like a highway throughout the universe that could be accessed by anyone who knew how to travel within their merkabah, a globe of light containing the language of light, the geometric patterns of life, and other higher freqency elements that becomes a part of your energy field. Gregg Braden, in Awakening to Zero Point, tells us that the merkabah is the "light body" that is thought to be able to penetrate time-space and assist in something called the ascension process. That will be the topic of a future service.
Rene Descarte said, I think; therefore I am. Other philosophers have studied the conscious mind and made advances through their studies that include Carl Jung's archetypal patterns found within the collective unconscious mind. You have only to look to the fairytales and fables around the world to find examples of the archetypes. In the 20th century Ken Wilbur began a mapping project he called the Integral Life Model, that I recommend to people who are seeking a community valued way to look at yourself and the world.
In the 21st century we are advancing the Oneness Theory that seeks to help humanity move out of a fear-based reactive style of living in our world. "You catch more bees with honey than vinegar", our grandmothers used to say, right? Until we can embrace the possibility of a world that does not solve conflict through violence but through diplomacy we will fail to move into what religious scholars have referred to as the "Thousand Years of Peace." And, we can not live in peace with others until we can live in peace within ourselves. In my opinion that requires the acknowledgement that we are not animals living in the world anymore, but young godlings, no matter our physical age, who are trying to shift the collective unconscious into a new paradigm that honors the sacredness in everyone.
Can we understand and live our collective lives as if we are family? If we can, then the modalities we use to measure and access the sacredness of all life will help lead us forward into a higher intelligence level that just might level the playing field 'off world'. We are multidimensional humans who already have access to the answers to everything we are seeking - scientific or religious/spiritual. We just haven't given ourselves permission yet to go out on such a huge limb as to say that we are all part of a living Oneness in countless formations. At least the majority of us haven't. Jerry A. Coyne wrote a column in the USA Today forum in which he said science and religion are irreconcilably incompatible - www.whyevolutionistrue.com.
Chris Mooney, who is a host of the Point of Inquiry podcast believes that spirituality can bridge the divide between science and religion that has traditionally been a fight between the athiests and the religionists. Spirituality is looser, by practice and definition without the dogma that has been the battleline drawn between religion and science for millenia. His colum also appeared in USA Today.
The God-In-Action website is designed to give its readers something to think about that is fair in its treatment of the many sides to the questions troubling us during these times, but always remains true to the constant principle belief that we are all God, indwelling, and outpouring, or God-In-Action, good or bad, neutral or radical. We are all seeking to find the answers to the questions of life.
You are invited to participate by writing an essay for this website that is related to the search for Oneness, Godhood and living your life as God-in-action. Go to the blog and submit essays button above, and we will let you know if we are going to publish it for you within a week of receiving it.
I send you blessings of loving good will today and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Brain mapping continues to be studied, but as I searched the internet I realized that most studies are related to brain injuries of varying types, and the studies seem to me to be slanted toward medical interventions as opposed to recognizing the need to continue efforts to map all regions of the brain to better understand how we are hard wired.
Last week's two part service was meant to show you how powerful the conscious, unconscious, and superconscious mind is. In the Many Forms of God I shared a dream in which I am part of a human experiment conducted by distant genetic cousins who have mastered space travel using light, sound, and higher frequency vibrations. Please refer to the archives section if you haven't read this short series. I believe that this "dream" or "vision" or "hallucination" was anchored in some aspect of my consciousness, and also believe that we just haven't mapped consciousness well enough yet to be able to find its home within the physical brain.
This week I am continuing that thought with the question, "can science & religion be friends, foes or family?"
USA Today has a forum that is a national conversation on God. My service today is to give you something to think about that isn't traditional in either the religious studies or scientific fields, but is related to both. I'll weigh in first with my belief that the two are family: both are seeking to understand the origins of the universe, humanity, and the living world that we witness all around us. Science has tools that allow it to go to the sub-atomic level to look for intelligent explanations on how life formed, or intelligence in the particles that are the building blocks of life.
Religious people, and I include Spiritual people who would not consider themselves religious, seem to have been seeking God from the beginning of time, believing that only a Creator God could have organized such a powerful environment and variety of life forms that both ancients and modern humans have discovered within our tiny section of our universe. What's more, we have always had a yearning to regain our connection to that mysterious consciousness that we call God, even before the Bible told us that we were separated from God by sin. Did early man pray to God for successful hunts? Of course, there is evidence of that in cave paintings along the routes that ancient man used to walk. And didn't early shamans act as the intercessor for early humans with the great unknown when times were at their worst? Of course we have stories that have been transmitted orally from cultures around the world. Let's not forget the Greeks and the Romans, or any of the other early civilizations that developed ceremonial dialogue with the pantheon of Gods and Goddess'.
What's more, you have only to study ancient art to discover paintings and rock carvings of beings that sure do look "alien" or "off world" if you prefer. Even renaissance art, and Hindu manuscripts have pictures of craft flying that look rather like UFOs that so many people around the world believe are real and visiting every continent on earth.
But what tools do the religious scholars have that could possibly be equal to or ahead of the research conducted in the scientific community? I think that the equalizer is the human brain. Part of the brain speaks the language of science, while another part of the brain speaks the language of consciousness. One is accessed linearily, if you will, and the other is accessed through curiosity, creativity, and a belief that a part of themselves is able to transcend physical boundries and learn more about the universe in unconventional ways than earth bound scients do. In other words I think there is a mystic part of the brain that is physical, too.
Flights of fancy and creativity like those developed by writers are the same as day dreams that have inspired people like Einstein to create the Special Theory of Relativity. I argue that spiritual inspiration, or Divine Enlightenment as in a satori, also have part of the physical brain that it calls home. Many spiritually minded people consider that the pituitary gland, is the home of the spiritual scientist if you'll allow me to use that term during this discussion. I have mentioned that I am writing a book named, The Multiple You Universe that seeks to help us see how metaphysical experiences can be explained through scientific and religious principles alike. It is an extremely challenging project for me because I am not a scientist. But I am a meta-physically gifted woman who has claimed my authority as God indwelling, and outpouring into my life.
So what does that mean exactly? Do I sound arrogant to you? The principal that I am God indwelling and outpouring doesn't just apply to me. It applies to every living being on the planet and beyond. Through my own spiritual journeys, experiences and teachings given to me by intelligent light beings who have channeled information through me to share with others, I have found the courage to embrace the holy within myself that is the core of my God Nature. I have been learning to live a respectful and loving life and the techniques that I've used over the years are available to everybody. No doubt you have many wonderful techniques that you have used to access your higher God Nature. I believe that we are all moving toward an era of enlightenment, both scientifically and spiritually. It will take as long as it takes but I am pleased to find the term sacred-science used more and more each year. I like the term because it respects both pathways, and favors none.
In my last service I talked about a web of living light that acted like a highway throughout the universe that could be accessed by anyone who knew how to travel within their merkabah, a globe of light containing the language of light, the geometric patterns of life, and other higher freqency elements that becomes a part of your energy field. Gregg Braden, in Awakening to Zero Point, tells us that the merkabah is the "light body" that is thought to be able to penetrate time-space and assist in something called the ascension process. That will be the topic of a future service.
Rene Descarte said, I think; therefore I am. Other philosophers have studied the conscious mind and made advances through their studies that include Carl Jung's archetypal patterns found within the collective unconscious mind. You have only to look to the fairytales and fables around the world to find examples of the archetypes. In the 20th century Ken Wilbur began a mapping project he called the Integral Life Model, that I recommend to people who are seeking a community valued way to look at yourself and the world.
In the 21st century we are advancing the Oneness Theory that seeks to help humanity move out of a fear-based reactive style of living in our world. "You catch more bees with honey than vinegar", our grandmothers used to say, right? Until we can embrace the possibility of a world that does not solve conflict through violence but through diplomacy we will fail to move into what religious scholars have referred to as the "Thousand Years of Peace." And, we can not live in peace with others until we can live in peace within ourselves. In my opinion that requires the acknowledgement that we are not animals living in the world anymore, but young godlings, no matter our physical age, who are trying to shift the collective unconscious into a new paradigm that honors the sacredness in everyone.
Can we understand and live our collective lives as if we are family? If we can, then the modalities we use to measure and access the sacredness of all life will help lead us forward into a higher intelligence level that just might level the playing field 'off world'. We are multidimensional humans who already have access to the answers to everything we are seeking - scientific or religious/spiritual. We just haven't given ourselves permission yet to go out on such a huge limb as to say that we are all part of a living Oneness in countless formations. At least the majority of us haven't. Jerry A. Coyne wrote a column in the USA Today forum in which he said science and religion are irreconcilably incompatible - www.whyevolutionistrue.com.
Chris Mooney, who is a host of the Point of Inquiry podcast believes that spirituality can bridge the divide between science and religion that has traditionally been a fight between the athiests and the religionists. Spirituality is looser, by practice and definition without the dogma that has been the battleline drawn between religion and science for millenia. His colum also appeared in USA Today.
The God-In-Action website is designed to give its readers something to think about that is fair in its treatment of the many sides to the questions troubling us during these times, but always remains true to the constant principle belief that we are all God, indwelling, and outpouring, or God-In-Action, good or bad, neutral or radical. We are all seeking to find the answers to the questions of life.
You are invited to participate by writing an essay for this website that is related to the search for Oneness, Godhood and living your life as God-in-action. Go to the blog and submit essays button above, and we will let you know if we are going to publish it for you within a week of receiving it.
I send you blessings of loving good will today and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
God In Many Forms, Part II - September 17, 2010
The insistent rain roused me again, like a gentle knocking in my brain. I thought I had been lucid dreaming, but something was wrong with that thought. I felt lost and confused, and saddened because of the sudden feeling of being disconnected from everyone in my so called dream. Was I awake now? I opened one eye, and then the other. The canyon! Like a re-run in a movie, I saw ships descending again into the desert night while the turbulent storms raged around us, but didn't rain down upon us. This time I was on their wavelength from the beginning of the second part of my journey with my new space brothers. They sang their song of wisdom to me me as I tentatively shielded up my own merkabah, the globe of light I had experienced with my friend had been his merkabah. I don't know how I knew what to do to consciously create my own, if that is even what I did. It just materialized for me under the tuteledge of my new friends. I easily understood how the merkabah could be a time machine without being a machine, and a transporter without being a physical craft. It was a permanent part of me, hidden from my memory for lifetimes.
I began to sing. And, sing with a purity of intent that made it possible for me to achieve a trip to the unknown regiioins of the galaxy by the method shared with me earlier. My colors were luminous, clear and more of a spectrum that I had ever seen before. It was as if my vision had expanded to include new colors and intensities that my regular vision could ony sense without sight. My voice had a clarity and purity that was so poignant that it made me weep tears of joy for the sheer brillance of the quality of each note. Each note was like light. I felt the expansion of myself as I melded more completely with the merkabah I had created through the intent of my willingness to experience the trip off planet again.
I held in my mind's eye the vision of the planet and its note and the specific crater that had been visible because we were so close to the corona of the planet's atmosphere when I first saw it in my friend's light-vehicle. My attention intensified as I began to sing a harmony to the note of the planet. I held my breath...for a moment choking the sound until I realized what I had just done. The merkabah began to falter in its movement. I pulled myself together and jumped back into the song. It was life and death out here, just like in the 3rd dimensional world, but somehow less frightening, as if I understood that death was the illusion we can't understand on earth. My next breath came harder because I was tiring. It was going to be now or never. There was a focal point, I knew, that would help me bounce off the planet but I couldn't find it. I couldn't see the white ley lines as easily as I had while traveling with my friend.
I knew I wasn't going to get far if I couldn't focus. The electrical discharging of the storm's powersource seemed to short my brainwave patterns. I began to feel confused again. Another sense of loss, so deep that it threatened my very peace of mind. I wanted to see the crater clearly, but my vision was fading. I opened my eyes wider, trying to focus and saw my crumbled bed sheets. I closed my eyes quickly willing away the evidence of my sences. I was somehow back in bed. I could go back, I thought. I had already done it once. Hadn't I?
Of course they had helped me. Of course it was them who had brought me safely back to my room again. I would have crashed, I think, if they had not added their power to mine and my merkabah in order to bring me back safely to my planet. I was also sensing that they were getting ready to leave the desert and ascend into space again. Yet, I didn't know why they had come in the first place. I needed more!
Would they let me fly again before they left us? Could they help me one last time? I just knew that I could do this on my own. I had to, somehow it would make this experience more real - dream, vision, or hallucination, whatever it might be - it was real to me. I started to re-focus on the experience and the crater as my "marker". I felt energy building up around me again, my merkabah was becoming visible again. I began to send my thoughts out into the universe, trying to find the fine white ley lines that I had originally seen at the remote site I had been viewing. Very soon I began to feel it, more like a buzz of awareness, then the buzz became a clear song. I heard the energy gaining strength as I shifted somehow into the alternate reality of my brilliant merkabah that was now flying through the universe. Then, it happened, I broke free-e-e-e-e. The crater was in front of me. I felt the comforting presence of my friends from the canyon encircle me before they withdrew their complementary tones of "help". The planet again sang its note of authority. It gave me permission to use its atmosphere and I approached with the connectedness borne of the experience of being one with another intellegence.
I felt the whooshing, my ears popped to clear the pressure of the 4th dimension ( I now think it was the 5th dimension, if not one higher still) which is the location of the superluminous highway. The web, or net of all creation is free of charge, no tolls or taxes collected to keep it in repair. There is a grander harmony in this higher vibrational territory. Species are not arrogant of one another, but connected by a stronger awareness of a prime source vibrating a loving and compassionate unity for all life. You do not live separate from life in this dimension and the higher octaves of light and vibration. Oh no, you are connected as to have deeper relationships with everything manifesting as life.
The road was alive. I felt it as I traversed the time space necessary to bring me back to earth. I felt that I didn't have to have a "map" because I was born with the knowledge of how to do this remarkable type of journeying. The road literally told me how to ride it. I zinged off planets in a full hoop circuit in order to return. I knew I had to return. I didn't want to, but I was approaching the doorway of exhaustion and I had to land before I could collapse back into sleep.
On my approach back I heard layers of song celebrating my accomplishment. My tired body began to respond to their message of love and goodwill. I began to sing louder until I became the song and not the singer. It was an amazing moment.
"You have believed in us for so long. You have kept the faith. Whenever you need us we are here. Just imagine our merkabah shells and transport your thoughts to us. We will help you. We will help you all because the time is now."
The ending of my experience is mine to keep private. I have shared this experience for many reasons but the biggest one is to illustrate that we are all part of the Oneness that is Eternal. I also believe that we are all made of the essence of the Eternal intelligence we refer to as God. Further, I believe because I have had so many experiences in my life that have helped me build a better understanding of the potential that exists in the 90% of our brains that is mostly unused and unmapped by scientists, that we are all going to begin to move away from what has been called religion and into spirituality that is based in the God Nature that you are by Divine Design. The magic portals, so to speak, may just be within our brains. You see, we have always had the potential to accelerate our evolution, we just haven't been aware of this as fact instead of fiction.
Next week we are going to have a guest essay from Rev. Monica MacIntyre, who is our minisiter at The Center of Light, in Tulsa, OK. If you are in our part of the country, please let me know so I can hook you up with our group of spiritual seekers. In the meantime, I am sending you loving good will today and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Remember that you can search the archives for past services, use our blog and send us essays with your own understanding of Oneness, God-Indwelling, and how you see yourself as God-In-Action. Love, Rev. Cisi
I began to sing. And, sing with a purity of intent that made it possible for me to achieve a trip to the unknown regiioins of the galaxy by the method shared with me earlier. My colors were luminous, clear and more of a spectrum that I had ever seen before. It was as if my vision had expanded to include new colors and intensities that my regular vision could ony sense without sight. My voice had a clarity and purity that was so poignant that it made me weep tears of joy for the sheer brillance of the quality of each note. Each note was like light. I felt the expansion of myself as I melded more completely with the merkabah I had created through the intent of my willingness to experience the trip off planet again.
I held in my mind's eye the vision of the planet and its note and the specific crater that had been visible because we were so close to the corona of the planet's atmosphere when I first saw it in my friend's light-vehicle. My attention intensified as I began to sing a harmony to the note of the planet. I held my breath...for a moment choking the sound until I realized what I had just done. The merkabah began to falter in its movement. I pulled myself together and jumped back into the song. It was life and death out here, just like in the 3rd dimensional world, but somehow less frightening, as if I understood that death was the illusion we can't understand on earth. My next breath came harder because I was tiring. It was going to be now or never. There was a focal point, I knew, that would help me bounce off the planet but I couldn't find it. I couldn't see the white ley lines as easily as I had while traveling with my friend.
I knew I wasn't going to get far if I couldn't focus. The electrical discharging of the storm's powersource seemed to short my brainwave patterns. I began to feel confused again. Another sense of loss, so deep that it threatened my very peace of mind. I wanted to see the crater clearly, but my vision was fading. I opened my eyes wider, trying to focus and saw my crumbled bed sheets. I closed my eyes quickly willing away the evidence of my sences. I was somehow back in bed. I could go back, I thought. I had already done it once. Hadn't I?
Of course they had helped me. Of course it was them who had brought me safely back to my room again. I would have crashed, I think, if they had not added their power to mine and my merkabah in order to bring me back safely to my planet. I was also sensing that they were getting ready to leave the desert and ascend into space again. Yet, I didn't know why they had come in the first place. I needed more!
Would they let me fly again before they left us? Could they help me one last time? I just knew that I could do this on my own. I had to, somehow it would make this experience more real - dream, vision, or hallucination, whatever it might be - it was real to me. I started to re-focus on the experience and the crater as my "marker". I felt energy building up around me again, my merkabah was becoming visible again. I began to send my thoughts out into the universe, trying to find the fine white ley lines that I had originally seen at the remote site I had been viewing. Very soon I began to feel it, more like a buzz of awareness, then the buzz became a clear song. I heard the energy gaining strength as I shifted somehow into the alternate reality of my brilliant merkabah that was now flying through the universe. Then, it happened, I broke free-e-e-e-e. The crater was in front of me. I felt the comforting presence of my friends from the canyon encircle me before they withdrew their complementary tones of "help". The planet again sang its note of authority. It gave me permission to use its atmosphere and I approached with the connectedness borne of the experience of being one with another intellegence.
I felt the whooshing, my ears popped to clear the pressure of the 4th dimension ( I now think it was the 5th dimension, if not one higher still) which is the location of the superluminous highway. The web, or net of all creation is free of charge, no tolls or taxes collected to keep it in repair. There is a grander harmony in this higher vibrational territory. Species are not arrogant of one another, but connected by a stronger awareness of a prime source vibrating a loving and compassionate unity for all life. You do not live separate from life in this dimension and the higher octaves of light and vibration. Oh no, you are connected as to have deeper relationships with everything manifesting as life.
The road was alive. I felt it as I traversed the time space necessary to bring me back to earth. I felt that I didn't have to have a "map" because I was born with the knowledge of how to do this remarkable type of journeying. The road literally told me how to ride it. I zinged off planets in a full hoop circuit in order to return. I knew I had to return. I didn't want to, but I was approaching the doorway of exhaustion and I had to land before I could collapse back into sleep.
On my approach back I heard layers of song celebrating my accomplishment. My tired body began to respond to their message of love and goodwill. I began to sing louder until I became the song and not the singer. It was an amazing moment.
"You have believed in us for so long. You have kept the faith. Whenever you need us we are here. Just imagine our merkabah shells and transport your thoughts to us. We will help you. We will help you all because the time is now."
The ending of my experience is mine to keep private. I have shared this experience for many reasons but the biggest one is to illustrate that we are all part of the Oneness that is Eternal. I also believe that we are all made of the essence of the Eternal intelligence we refer to as God. Further, I believe because I have had so many experiences in my life that have helped me build a better understanding of the potential that exists in the 90% of our brains that is mostly unused and unmapped by scientists, that we are all going to begin to move away from what has been called religion and into spirituality that is based in the God Nature that you are by Divine Design. The magic portals, so to speak, may just be within our brains. You see, we have always had the potential to accelerate our evolution, we just haven't been aware of this as fact instead of fiction.
Next week we are going to have a guest essay from Rev. Monica MacIntyre, who is our minisiter at The Center of Light, in Tulsa, OK. If you are in our part of the country, please let me know so I can hook you up with our group of spiritual seekers. In the meantime, I am sending you loving good will today and forever. Rev. Cisi Martin
Remember that you can search the archives for past services, use our blog and send us essays with your own understanding of Oneness, God-Indwelling, and how you see yourself as God-In-Action. Love, Rev. Cisi
God In Many Forms, Part I, September 10, 1010
On September 08, 1982 I had an experience that I want to share with you today. It is an excerpt from a book I am writing titled, The Multiple You Universe. It is hard to qualify this experience as a dream, though it did begin while I was sleeping. As you will see however, it is not sequential, like most dreams are. It could be a vision, but my visions usually come from an awakened state that is wrapped in a deep meditative cocoon. I suspect, as you may when you have finished reading the transcript that I wrote based upon the notes I wrote right after the event, you may entertain the possibility that I had a multi-dimensional experience. You let me know what you think and I'll be happy to answer your emails. In the meantime, I am sharing this with you because God exists in all forms, as a part of the wholeness, or oneness that is God, I had this experience. Suspend belief for a while and see where this takes you in your own life.
The was no warning before they began to descend, en masse and glorious beyond my imagination. Creatures from somewhere else were converging in the high desert terrain under cover of the most powerful thunderstorm system to pass through the Los Angeles basin in decades. I saw them as colorful globes of moving energy. Colors were mixing, separating, and singing, yes singing, tonal notes that were reminiscent of an orchestra tuning up their individual instruments in order to find perfect pitch and tone.
They were huge globes yet they appeared to be made of materials so fine as to be glass like in its delicacy. Perhaps a better description would be etheric light vehicles made visible for the moment whose boundaries changed with thought and feeling. They were definitely connected to living energy of the highest octaves. I saw that other globes drifting down to earth were harmonizing with globes already on the desert floor. Song and sight were a new language, combined together to create a powerful intent to initiate me into a larger understanding of the universe and its occupants. I found myself walking toward the globe of my choice.
Suddenly I was there, (in a second after my thought to make contact) and I could feel the vibration of the craft tingle the cells of my body. It may have been the spinning of their globe light-crafts that synched with my cells and increased my resonance to "know" what globe was mine to explore. I felt the compelling call of their combined energies dance with the irresistible desire to discover my own note, I "knew" that my note would allow me to fly within the globe and leave earth's atmosphere.
I saw the being standing beside the globe that I had picked. I had to laugh at myself because it was now obvious that complex space suits aren't needed when you travel with beings from a higher dimensional octave. He wasn't human, and yet he was obviously genetically linked with humanity. I had read books on the premise that earth had been colonized by star beings that had left their DNA bound to ours somehow. He was similar, like a cousin on the evolutionary chain. We stood in front of a space craft, alright, but I realized that this was a spiritually constructed vehicle that seemed to respond to the individual's thoughts. (Many metaphysical students know this to be a merkahba, but I didn't know that term at the time of the dream.)
Between the beats of my heart, my new friend and I entered the globe and lifted off. Many other craft here leaving and I thought that some of the other people, like me, who had been called out to the desert floor that night were having the same chance as I and it was comforting that everyone was going to be having this magical experience together.
My eyes were dialating so fast that my vision blurred and I felt dizzy. We suddenly burst out of a lightning bold of a ride to float in front of a universe I had never seen before. (Think Star Trek and hyper drive.) All I knew was that I was not looking at the Milky Way! The craft still vibrated with song and it traveled what looked like a filament pattern of ley lines glowing white with brilliant light. It was like an interwoven net throughout the whole universe. The ley lines, planets, and stars all vibrated to specific tones and it was the music that propelled me through space. I didn't feel dizzy this time, and my pupils were accomodating the hyper-link style of travel. I now thought that I might be lucid dreaming. How fun!
As the space around us began to vibrate through an octave of sound, moving through and past humanity's ability to hear, I felt weightless. On earth I would have experienced vertigo but here in dreamtime and in the company of master travelers, I was adjusting quickly to the new perspective of my relationship to the space inside the globe of colored lights. As we continued to follow the light highway my companion continued to think the tones of his part of the collective song for travelling. I knew that he wanted me to sing along.
I took a deep breath in, and exhaled on a note. It was just there. I didn't think about it. I just allowed it to sing through me. Moments later I noticed how quickly we were approaching a planet. Our craft seemed to wobble and the colors took on a deeper hue before I noticed firelight burning at the periphery of our globe craft. I heard a single note toned with a power I had never experienced. It was authoritative. (It was the planet acknowledging our approach.) My helper smiled as I heard him think "watch". I felt the vertigo tug at my brain, but i kept my eyes open and saw how we bounced off the atmosphere of the planet and zinged along a new white light ribbon highway. "Where are we going?" I asked. "Time to return to earth", he think-talked.
To be continued next week. This is going to be a wild ride, my friends.
Blessings of loving good will are sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin.
The was no warning before they began to descend, en masse and glorious beyond my imagination. Creatures from somewhere else were converging in the high desert terrain under cover of the most powerful thunderstorm system to pass through the Los Angeles basin in decades. I saw them as colorful globes of moving energy. Colors were mixing, separating, and singing, yes singing, tonal notes that were reminiscent of an orchestra tuning up their individual instruments in order to find perfect pitch and tone.
They were huge globes yet they appeared to be made of materials so fine as to be glass like in its delicacy. Perhaps a better description would be etheric light vehicles made visible for the moment whose boundaries changed with thought and feeling. They were definitely connected to living energy of the highest octaves. I saw that other globes drifting down to earth were harmonizing with globes already on the desert floor. Song and sight were a new language, combined together to create a powerful intent to initiate me into a larger understanding of the universe and its occupants. I found myself walking toward the globe of my choice.
Suddenly I was there, (in a second after my thought to make contact) and I could feel the vibration of the craft tingle the cells of my body. It may have been the spinning of their globe light-crafts that synched with my cells and increased my resonance to "know" what globe was mine to explore. I felt the compelling call of their combined energies dance with the irresistible desire to discover my own note, I "knew" that my note would allow me to fly within the globe and leave earth's atmosphere.
I saw the being standing beside the globe that I had picked. I had to laugh at myself because it was now obvious that complex space suits aren't needed when you travel with beings from a higher dimensional octave. He wasn't human, and yet he was obviously genetically linked with humanity. I had read books on the premise that earth had been colonized by star beings that had left their DNA bound to ours somehow. He was similar, like a cousin on the evolutionary chain. We stood in front of a space craft, alright, but I realized that this was a spiritually constructed vehicle that seemed to respond to the individual's thoughts. (Many metaphysical students know this to be a merkahba, but I didn't know that term at the time of the dream.)
Between the beats of my heart, my new friend and I entered the globe and lifted off. Many other craft here leaving and I thought that some of the other people, like me, who had been called out to the desert floor that night were having the same chance as I and it was comforting that everyone was going to be having this magical experience together.
My eyes were dialating so fast that my vision blurred and I felt dizzy. We suddenly burst out of a lightning bold of a ride to float in front of a universe I had never seen before. (Think Star Trek and hyper drive.) All I knew was that I was not looking at the Milky Way! The craft still vibrated with song and it traveled what looked like a filament pattern of ley lines glowing white with brilliant light. It was like an interwoven net throughout the whole universe. The ley lines, planets, and stars all vibrated to specific tones and it was the music that propelled me through space. I didn't feel dizzy this time, and my pupils were accomodating the hyper-link style of travel. I now thought that I might be lucid dreaming. How fun!
As the space around us began to vibrate through an octave of sound, moving through and past humanity's ability to hear, I felt weightless. On earth I would have experienced vertigo but here in dreamtime and in the company of master travelers, I was adjusting quickly to the new perspective of my relationship to the space inside the globe of colored lights. As we continued to follow the light highway my companion continued to think the tones of his part of the collective song for travelling. I knew that he wanted me to sing along.
I took a deep breath in, and exhaled on a note. It was just there. I didn't think about it. I just allowed it to sing through me. Moments later I noticed how quickly we were approaching a planet. Our craft seemed to wobble and the colors took on a deeper hue before I noticed firelight burning at the periphery of our globe craft. I heard a single note toned with a power I had never experienced. It was authoritative. (It was the planet acknowledging our approach.) My helper smiled as I heard him think "watch". I felt the vertigo tug at my brain, but i kept my eyes open and saw how we bounced off the atmosphere of the planet and zinged along a new white light ribbon highway. "Where are we going?" I asked. "Time to return to earth", he think-talked.
To be continued next week. This is going to be a wild ride, my friends.
Blessings of loving good will are sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin.
Building Blocks- Part II, September 03, 2010
Do you want to live in a modern castle whose lifespan is guaranteed to be in the thousands of years, or would you enjoy living in a yurt that you can pick up and move to another spot at will. There is much to be said for both lifestyles. Sometimes we become attached to our possessions, and a little dash of nomadic adventuring is a good cure. It makes us appreciate the world because we are seeing it first hand from multiple places and therefore perspectives. Of course, when the wind is blowing icy cold and the summer is suffocating, the yurt may not be a comfortable choice, but you can learn to adapt to your environment. In the castle, you can have temperature control for comfort, but you are likely to stay inside more than is healthy for a well rounded individual. You'll probably continue to buy things to fill you castle, too. More stuff that owns you, you might say. It's easy to pack on the pounds, or fall into a depression when you are "safe" and "comfortable" all the time. When there isn't a challenge to overcome, or a friend to meet who is going to make you belly laugh at a new joke, or even a new sweetheart waiting to meet you on the corner of Main & Palm - but the light is going to turn to walk if you don't get there soon enough - in order live a richer life you have to be willing to get out of your castle or yurt and engage the world. By the term richer I don't mean wealthier. I mean a life so full of beauty and wonderment that you think you can't possibly hold anymore in your hands. A great building block for living a fuller, richer life is GRATITUDE.
No matter what way you have lived your life up to today you are about to change it, shake it up a bit, because you are ready to to move from ego based living into your Godhood, where the majority of your choices will not be about you, so much as how you can impact the whole of humanity. If you are reading this you've gotten over the initial shock of being told that You are God, indwelling, and scarier still, you are God -In-Action even when you are doing things that may cause you pain. You've been informed that God is not attached to what choice you make day to day, because it all leads you to a richer, deeper understanding of who you are in this life and allows you to choose to change core belief's that no longer serve you. Our collective God does care, like humans care. But, not for one moment are you abandoned. God is indwelling where we can always find its presence. We've just been asleep, or hypnotized by Others who have told us fairytales about a God "out there" as if they are the authority on the subject. My dears, you are the authority on what God is, and since there is nothing that isn't God, you are just fine tuning your understanding of why you exist. We don't need others to tell us what we already know cellularly, and in moments of supreme clarity. We think, therefore we are; and we are because God is living within everything that exists.
But what about Hitler, the skeptic in you asks? Surely he couldn't be God-In-Action when his regime produced the Holocost. My friend, there are many lessons for mankind to learn. God, the all-knowing, everpresent indwelling source of our True Nature must be found, and acknowledged by each individual on the planet in order for us to become enlightened- thereby stopping the cruelty that we perpetuate against others whom we think aren't like us. Until then, mankind is living a great experiment. Can we go from simple cells to peaceful Godlings before we destroy ourselves? It often takes tragedy for a human to let go of the belief that a powerful diety "outside" of them is going to make everything ok, somehow, to save us on the brink of our self-made disasters.
Recently, scientists discovered that when they were looking at the component parts of an atom, sub-atomically, that the particles actually changed while being viewed. The scientists changed the outcome of the experiment simply by watching the subatomic particles in their natural setting. They thought that some particles weren't where hard science said they should be, and didn't understand that, but something stupendous happened that taught them a new thing about physics. Imagine their amazement when what they thought should be there suddenly manifested right in front of their eyes, exactly where they had noted it should have been all along. What had not been there was suddenly there! What might that mean?
When you really live your life as if you are God, indwelling, even unto a sub-atomic level, you will blossom and your life will become easier to understand, because you will change your perception of reality, and reality will change to meet your perception. That is the power of your intent. And your intent is powerful because you are God, indwelling, creating what you tell it to. Need I say, be careful of what you wish for? The scientists have had to change a rule of physics because they saw for themselves that the test didn't proove out the old "truth". What old "truths" are you hanging on to that no longer serve the magnificence of you?
I'm not saying that your difficulties in life will stop magically, or that you won't have bad days, but your understanding of why you should embrace these bumps in the road map of your life will alter. What has taken us millenia to create will possibly take that long to uncreate. I am only one God spark, and I don't run the whole show, the God within that is in everything that exists in the cosmos is the final authority of the collective results. I am only the authority in my own life. You are too. It will take as long as it will take to unmake the evil we have created. Just as it will take a long time to quit creating violence against ourselves and others through thought, word or deed. But, I suspect that the more sincere we are at helping humanity survive and thrive, the more seriously we will do our inner work to help balance the scale of the collective unconscious.
Gratitude will help you accomplish this. And, gratitude will make your body less stressed, and more likely to move into alignment with a compassionate viewpoint of yourself and others. You will find, over time, that life isn't about the interaction between us vs. them, but about the whole of us moving toward a chance for peace world-wide. Or not, if that is what humanity's collective unconscious mind is going to manifest. Not even the angels and Ascended Beings of Light and Love know the outcome of the Humanity Experiment.
In other words, your job as God (or living in your God Nature if you prefer) is to live a more loving and compassionate life every day that you are on the planet. Gratitude is one of the keys that will make this "medicine" easier to swallow when you run smack dab into a dissapointment, or painful reminder that your choices are still aligned with your wounded subconscious, or ego. Gratitude isn't a magic wand to make life instantly wonderful. It is a tool that you will need to practice and incorporate into your daily routine in order for it to work the miracles in your life that it can help you create. As Gods, indwelling, you have created every thing in your personal life so that it leads you to an opportunity to travel inward to re-acquaint yourself with the God Nature you are. From this wonderful place of love, compassion, and acceptance of what is manifesting around you, you will be able to move out of your fear-induced sleep and wake up to the fullness of living exactly as life is and not as you want it to be.
Tools will help you do that. Acceptance without resentment is another tool. A human God-denied truth is that fear is at the base of everything unpleasant, and even pleasant things in your life. You may have stockpiled stuff to make yourself feel safer. That's ok, but distracting. When is enough enough? Can you see the result of greed in our society as an opportunity to clean up the corruption that has allowed it to prosper? Because we are all humans, fear dominates the lives of almost everyone on earth. If you watch the news I don't have to say another word about fear ruling humanity's emotional responses to the 'evil' portrayed on the screen. The divine joke is that you think the evil comes from somewhere else. It is possible for everyone on the planet to go either way: toward their sacredness, or toward their knee-jerk reaction to not having enough and that there isn't enough of (fill in the blank) for everyone. That is the lie. There is plenty enough of everything for everyone. You will realize that as you become more practiced in creating from your Godhood. Accept where you are without resentment and understand that you can move away from the limitation anytime you are ready to "unwork" what you have created for yourself. Either way it is allright. It will take you as long as it takes you to find your true identification with oneness. The global reality is that it will take each of us individually to change the world, and we might not make it if people don't wake up soon and take responsibility for the world we have all created.
Many people believe that by changing a small percentage of the people into more 'enlightened' people that it will be enough to tip the balance of the world's future. As I have said, above, I think that it is going to take a change of heart on the part of everyone living on the planet to undo the horrible reality we have created. Oh, I know, I know. "We aren't living in a reality, because everything we think is real is only an illusion. Our reality is when we die and go to Heaven and are re-united with God", so many people say. Many of us who see that Oneness is the totality of the expression of God, are just now recognizing that if we are a part of the Great God Source, then we are like a hologram and every part of us is chock full of God Source, from micro to the macro.
We have so many opportunities to get better at what we are doing by shifting our intentions to gratitude, and compassion, and acceptance that we are slowly moving toward understanding that adversity is a special gift you give yourself so that you can turn to your God, indwelling and simply ask what to do next. I love to do my victory dance each time I experience something that others might call negative. You know why? Because I am acknowledging that I get another chance to get it right - and once my Godhood knows that I am changing a core belief that led me to so many erroneous thoughts, I get one step closer to Divine Self Mastery. We will all become masters when we do our work. And, once we achieve masterhood because of our Godhood, we won't live in a world that is capable of hatred and fear.
I am sending you loving good will today and everyday. We are one. We are God, indwelling. And a better day is is already here. Rev. Cisi Martin
No matter what way you have lived your life up to today you are about to change it, shake it up a bit, because you are ready to to move from ego based living into your Godhood, where the majority of your choices will not be about you, so much as how you can impact the whole of humanity. If you are reading this you've gotten over the initial shock of being told that You are God, indwelling, and scarier still, you are God -In-Action even when you are doing things that may cause you pain. You've been informed that God is not attached to what choice you make day to day, because it all leads you to a richer, deeper understanding of who you are in this life and allows you to choose to change core belief's that no longer serve you. Our collective God does care, like humans care. But, not for one moment are you abandoned. God is indwelling where we can always find its presence. We've just been asleep, or hypnotized by Others who have told us fairytales about a God "out there" as if they are the authority on the subject. My dears, you are the authority on what God is, and since there is nothing that isn't God, you are just fine tuning your understanding of why you exist. We don't need others to tell us what we already know cellularly, and in moments of supreme clarity. We think, therefore we are; and we are because God is living within everything that exists.
But what about Hitler, the skeptic in you asks? Surely he couldn't be God-In-Action when his regime produced the Holocost. My friend, there are many lessons for mankind to learn. God, the all-knowing, everpresent indwelling source of our True Nature must be found, and acknowledged by each individual on the planet in order for us to become enlightened- thereby stopping the cruelty that we perpetuate against others whom we think aren't like us. Until then, mankind is living a great experiment. Can we go from simple cells to peaceful Godlings before we destroy ourselves? It often takes tragedy for a human to let go of the belief that a powerful diety "outside" of them is going to make everything ok, somehow, to save us on the brink of our self-made disasters.
Recently, scientists discovered that when they were looking at the component parts of an atom, sub-atomically, that the particles actually changed while being viewed. The scientists changed the outcome of the experiment simply by watching the subatomic particles in their natural setting. They thought that some particles weren't where hard science said they should be, and didn't understand that, but something stupendous happened that taught them a new thing about physics. Imagine their amazement when what they thought should be there suddenly manifested right in front of their eyes, exactly where they had noted it should have been all along. What had not been there was suddenly there! What might that mean?
When you really live your life as if you are God, indwelling, even unto a sub-atomic level, you will blossom and your life will become easier to understand, because you will change your perception of reality, and reality will change to meet your perception. That is the power of your intent. And your intent is powerful because you are God, indwelling, creating what you tell it to. Need I say, be careful of what you wish for? The scientists have had to change a rule of physics because they saw for themselves that the test didn't proove out the old "truth". What old "truths" are you hanging on to that no longer serve the magnificence of you?
I'm not saying that your difficulties in life will stop magically, or that you won't have bad days, but your understanding of why you should embrace these bumps in the road map of your life will alter. What has taken us millenia to create will possibly take that long to uncreate. I am only one God spark, and I don't run the whole show, the God within that is in everything that exists in the cosmos is the final authority of the collective results. I am only the authority in my own life. You are too. It will take as long as it will take to unmake the evil we have created. Just as it will take a long time to quit creating violence against ourselves and others through thought, word or deed. But, I suspect that the more sincere we are at helping humanity survive and thrive, the more seriously we will do our inner work to help balance the scale of the collective unconscious.
Gratitude will help you accomplish this. And, gratitude will make your body less stressed, and more likely to move into alignment with a compassionate viewpoint of yourself and others. You will find, over time, that life isn't about the interaction between us vs. them, but about the whole of us moving toward a chance for peace world-wide. Or not, if that is what humanity's collective unconscious mind is going to manifest. Not even the angels and Ascended Beings of Light and Love know the outcome of the Humanity Experiment.
In other words, your job as God (or living in your God Nature if you prefer) is to live a more loving and compassionate life every day that you are on the planet. Gratitude is one of the keys that will make this "medicine" easier to swallow when you run smack dab into a dissapointment, or painful reminder that your choices are still aligned with your wounded subconscious, or ego. Gratitude isn't a magic wand to make life instantly wonderful. It is a tool that you will need to practice and incorporate into your daily routine in order for it to work the miracles in your life that it can help you create. As Gods, indwelling, you have created every thing in your personal life so that it leads you to an opportunity to travel inward to re-acquaint yourself with the God Nature you are. From this wonderful place of love, compassion, and acceptance of what is manifesting around you, you will be able to move out of your fear-induced sleep and wake up to the fullness of living exactly as life is and not as you want it to be.
Tools will help you do that. Acceptance without resentment is another tool. A human God-denied truth is that fear is at the base of everything unpleasant, and even pleasant things in your life. You may have stockpiled stuff to make yourself feel safer. That's ok, but distracting. When is enough enough? Can you see the result of greed in our society as an opportunity to clean up the corruption that has allowed it to prosper? Because we are all humans, fear dominates the lives of almost everyone on earth. If you watch the news I don't have to say another word about fear ruling humanity's emotional responses to the 'evil' portrayed on the screen. The divine joke is that you think the evil comes from somewhere else. It is possible for everyone on the planet to go either way: toward their sacredness, or toward their knee-jerk reaction to not having enough and that there isn't enough of (fill in the blank) for everyone. That is the lie. There is plenty enough of everything for everyone. You will realize that as you become more practiced in creating from your Godhood. Accept where you are without resentment and understand that you can move away from the limitation anytime you are ready to "unwork" what you have created for yourself. Either way it is allright. It will take you as long as it takes you to find your true identification with oneness. The global reality is that it will take each of us individually to change the world, and we might not make it if people don't wake up soon and take responsibility for the world we have all created.
Many people believe that by changing a small percentage of the people into more 'enlightened' people that it will be enough to tip the balance of the world's future. As I have said, above, I think that it is going to take a change of heart on the part of everyone living on the planet to undo the horrible reality we have created. Oh, I know, I know. "We aren't living in a reality, because everything we think is real is only an illusion. Our reality is when we die and go to Heaven and are re-united with God", so many people say. Many of us who see that Oneness is the totality of the expression of God, are just now recognizing that if we are a part of the Great God Source, then we are like a hologram and every part of us is chock full of God Source, from micro to the macro.
We have so many opportunities to get better at what we are doing by shifting our intentions to gratitude, and compassion, and acceptance that we are slowly moving toward understanding that adversity is a special gift you give yourself so that you can turn to your God, indwelling and simply ask what to do next. I love to do my victory dance each time I experience something that others might call negative. You know why? Because I am acknowledging that I get another chance to get it right - and once my Godhood knows that I am changing a core belief that led me to so many erroneous thoughts, I get one step closer to Divine Self Mastery. We will all become masters when we do our work. And, once we achieve masterhood because of our Godhood, we won't live in a world that is capable of hatred and fear.
I am sending you loving good will today and everyday. We are one. We are God, indwelling. And a better day is is already here. Rev. Cisi Martin
Building Blocks -Part I, September 26, 2010
I like to say that throughout our lives we have opportunities to learn techniques that are really tools for us to fix perceived problems in our lives. The more experienced we become in changing thoughts that no longer serve us, using compassion to deal with friend and foe alike, or explore our fullest potential by understanding ourselves to be God, indwelling, we add another tool to our spiritual toolbox. Like building blocks for the master mason, we have to make sure that our measurements are accurate, so that our foundation is strong. We look for people who we see are doing their own inner work consciously, just as a master mason hires the best people for the job. And, we have to believe in our hearts and minds that we always have enough, just as the master mason makes sure that there are plenty of resources available to finish the job before he or she begins.
In the 20th Century we had many consciousness raising opportunities. In the spiritual arena we had people who channeled Beings of Light who shared wisdom that helped many people better understand the Universal Laws of Life. We had teachers step forward from around the world who taught us the principles of their spiritual paths so that we could explore concepts that weren't as widely understood, like reincarnation, what karma is and isn't, or how important it is to discover your core belief's in order to discern what works for you and what no longer serves your highest good. What were your interests, or who did you study with? Whatever way you entered your spiritual path is the right one for you. Like many of us, you may change the direction along your path many times because life is like walking a labyrinth. You will always find your way to the center but some days you crawl and other days you have impatient feet.
I wasn't 'allowed' a guru in this life, I knew early on that I had to get to my God Nature on my own. Well, really it wasn't on my own, because I had wonderful books that I read that showed me various techniques I could develop in order to advance along my spiritual path. I was guided to people who could teach me lessons just by watching the way they handled themselves. Have you ever noticed how much you can learn by seeing another's mistakes? And, just like you, I had 'lessons' that involved other people so that I could eventually get it -- compassion is the only sensible response to any challenging situation you find yourself in with another person. Judgement of another guarantees that you will have another, possibly more difficult encounter down the road.
You can love someone as a friend, and spiritual part of your own wholeness, yet still not like all of their choices in life --especially when they create turmoil in your life and the lives of others who also love them. I am a big believer in the Buddhist practice of Loving Kindness. This is one of my best tools. But I have to pull the tool out of the box every once in a while and shine it up, oil it, or sharpen it so that it's ready for use IF I need it again. What I learn from having to revisit something I thought I had worked through is that I really didn't get all the way through the issues that are indwelling and significant to the problem I find myself facing again. The truth is that I tend to put people on pedestals when I really admire them. When they fall, as they always will, I find myself trapped in judgment. And, the indwelling component of a situation like this is that I am looking outside of myself for Validation that I am (fill in the blank). So compassion is the only way to react when you are confronted with someone you love dissappointing you, or betraying you, or (fill in the blank). Have compassion for yourself while you are at it, dear hearts. If you don't you will surely find yourself on someone's pedestal and you will fall -- hard.
Luckily, when it comes to our spiritual building blocks, we will always have plenty of resources available to finish the job. How can I say that when so many of you are experiencing a "lack" of something you want in your lives? Because I know, through experience, that the more I act out of a belief that I can't, then I won't. If I dwell in doubt, lack of self confidence, or envy then I create, through free will, a situation that will give me what I am hoping to resist. My God, indwelling, doesn't care if I want something that is good for me, or if I am keeping myself from financial freedom. God only knows how to act on what you command of it. Where you put your energy is where you will manifest your destiny.
And that is another of my favorite tools. Energy follows thought, and your emotional reaction to a situation. If I hold the belief that I am lacking anything, or that I don't have the tools to get something I want to manifest, or (fill in the blank), then I will have to revisit pain and dissapointment in the world. But, dear hearts, it is all illusion. We will continue this discussion in Part II of Building Blocks.
In the meantime, you are welcome to revisit past services that are on the Archives page, blog us, or submit an essay on your understanding of Oneness, God, and God-In-Action.
Today I am sending you all blessings of loving good will. Rev. Cisi Martin
In the 20th Century we had many consciousness raising opportunities. In the spiritual arena we had people who channeled Beings of Light who shared wisdom that helped many people better understand the Universal Laws of Life. We had teachers step forward from around the world who taught us the principles of their spiritual paths so that we could explore concepts that weren't as widely understood, like reincarnation, what karma is and isn't, or how important it is to discover your core belief's in order to discern what works for you and what no longer serves your highest good. What were your interests, or who did you study with? Whatever way you entered your spiritual path is the right one for you. Like many of us, you may change the direction along your path many times because life is like walking a labyrinth. You will always find your way to the center but some days you crawl and other days you have impatient feet.
I wasn't 'allowed' a guru in this life, I knew early on that I had to get to my God Nature on my own. Well, really it wasn't on my own, because I had wonderful books that I read that showed me various techniques I could develop in order to advance along my spiritual path. I was guided to people who could teach me lessons just by watching the way they handled themselves. Have you ever noticed how much you can learn by seeing another's mistakes? And, just like you, I had 'lessons' that involved other people so that I could eventually get it -- compassion is the only sensible response to any challenging situation you find yourself in with another person. Judgement of another guarantees that you will have another, possibly more difficult encounter down the road.
You can love someone as a friend, and spiritual part of your own wholeness, yet still not like all of their choices in life --especially when they create turmoil in your life and the lives of others who also love them. I am a big believer in the Buddhist practice of Loving Kindness. This is one of my best tools. But I have to pull the tool out of the box every once in a while and shine it up, oil it, or sharpen it so that it's ready for use IF I need it again. What I learn from having to revisit something I thought I had worked through is that I really didn't get all the way through the issues that are indwelling and significant to the problem I find myself facing again. The truth is that I tend to put people on pedestals when I really admire them. When they fall, as they always will, I find myself trapped in judgment. And, the indwelling component of a situation like this is that I am looking outside of myself for Validation that I am (fill in the blank). So compassion is the only way to react when you are confronted with someone you love dissappointing you, or betraying you, or (fill in the blank). Have compassion for yourself while you are at it, dear hearts. If you don't you will surely find yourself on someone's pedestal and you will fall -- hard.
Luckily, when it comes to our spiritual building blocks, we will always have plenty of resources available to finish the job. How can I say that when so many of you are experiencing a "lack" of something you want in your lives? Because I know, through experience, that the more I act out of a belief that I can't, then I won't. If I dwell in doubt, lack of self confidence, or envy then I create, through free will, a situation that will give me what I am hoping to resist. My God, indwelling, doesn't care if I want something that is good for me, or if I am keeping myself from financial freedom. God only knows how to act on what you command of it. Where you put your energy is where you will manifest your destiny.
And that is another of my favorite tools. Energy follows thought, and your emotional reaction to a situation. If I hold the belief that I am lacking anything, or that I don't have the tools to get something I want to manifest, or (fill in the blank), then I will have to revisit pain and dissapointment in the world. But, dear hearts, it is all illusion. We will continue this discussion in Part II of Building Blocks.
In the meantime, you are welcome to revisit past services that are on the Archives page, blog us, or submit an essay on your understanding of Oneness, God, and God-In-Action.
Today I am sending you all blessings of loving good will. Rev. Cisi Martin
Life Within The Center
September 19, 2010
When I began the Sunday Services in August of this year I used an example of drawing lines from what we know backward into the center of Oneness, hoping that this would help us uncover the truth about the concept of Oneness and God, Indwelling. When I saw this lovely flower, vibrant with color, I thought that it is such a beautiful symbol for a human being. Everywhere in nature we know that something grows from a seed, and it takes its form based upon its genetic program. Using this flower analogy, the concept of God-indwelling is like the seed in nature. And the Genetic Program is the Oneness that fits perfectly into the totality of Life that is visible and invisible to our eyes in whatever species or sub-atomic particle we are seeing. This is obviously a very big brush that I am using to paint a picture. I hope that the flowers that exist on our magnificent planet remind you of the many ethnic 'flowers' of the human race. They are all cared for by the elements of earth, water, air, and fire as intelligence and do not have to worry about how they will survive.
While still a child I appreciated the comforting thought that God would always provide for me and my family. As I became an adult and had to take care of myself in the world there were moments when I felt deserted by the compassionate God who was supposed to take care of me so bad things didn't happen to me and those I loved.
Bad things did happen to me. And, I was bad to others if I didn't get what I thought I should out of my life. As a flower, I was only half formed. The seed of my true God Nature was within me, but I had yet to realize that I was co-creating everything that happened to me in my life, that I was the God that I was looking for outside of me.
I look back to just two years ago when the light bulb moment went off that re-arranged my understanding of myself, and all of life in the universe. I experienced myself multi-dimensionally during an affirmation session, and I got it that I had to take full responsibility for what I have made of my life because I am and always will be God, indwelling. No more blame of others. No more self pity. Prior to this revalation I had been doing affirmations for decades that were supposed to help me change myself for the better and bring into my life every good thing I could possibly want. From my teens into my present I was establishing spiritual building blocks that would support me for the moment of "satori" in which I achieved a form of enlightenment.
That enlightenment was when I discovered the magnitude and magnificence of the Oneness that embodies all of Life. God is inside each of us, allowing us free will to choose what will best help us take responsibility for everything that we co-create. There is nothing that is not God, expressing itself in either macro or micro view. When I look into your eyes I am seeing God, as you, but also God as me looking back at me.
I always encourage people to look at everything that they have ever experienced in order to find the truth of who they are. If you were raised a Christian, for instance, but have left your religious background behind, don't treat the experience with disrespect. You are who you are today because you were who you were, and what you believed then as well. We are taught by parents with developed mores, customs that are traditional in our culture and society, and morals. The wonderful thing about building blocks is that they can be re-arranged, replaced or new ones can be brought into alignment every time you have a personal, or spiritual realization.
Building blocks will come to your attention in an amazing variety of ways. You will know it is a path to explore by how the God Nature within you resonates and makes you more curious about the book, or the subject matter, or the special movie that had a message just for you. You will know it when it comes. Be patient. You are never going to be lost again because you are on a journey that can never end, even when you transition from a physical body to an energetic body in a timeless dimension.
Sending you loving good will today from Rev. Cisi Martin
Oneness as an Ancient and Current Understanding
September 13, 2010
Oneness is a concept that most of us can relate to because we instinctively yearn for right relationship with people. What I find so lovely is that this concept is quite old, but with the predictable twist of looking to a Divine God that lives outside of ourselves. Still, we developed ceremony, feast celebrations, and sacrafices to the gods and goddesses of each age that focused upon staying in the Diety's favor. Or one might say, being in Oneness, or right relationship with the Diety so that our lives would be better than if we didn't make the effort to appease the Gods of the time.
One of my favorite hints about the age of the concept of Oneness comes from Buddah when he says " He who experiences the unity of his own life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye." (Lived from 563-483 BC.) I believe Buddah is saying that if we look into the eyes of another and recognize our Godhood, our Buddahood, our Divinity, in the other, then in fact we are recognizing that we are one with each other - springing from the same Divine Well of Creation no matter what you "name" that source.
Patanjali says "...I AM is the way and the truth and the life - but the ego says 'I am this' or 'I am that' thus attaching itself only to a small portion of the Vastness." (Lived in 2nd century BCE, and compiled the Hindu text "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.) From my perspective he is saying that the Vastness is the Oneness that in truth is the highest reality rather than that which is perceived by our limited egos.
Father Thomas Keating, O.S.C.O. has a wonderful quote from "One Voice", page 127, which is quite enlightened from a Oneness perspective. He says, "In the next generation the question may not be which religion one belongs to, but whether religion itself is of value. Those who have had some experience of transcendence must find some way to communicate the fact that the experience of the Ultimate Mystery is open to every human person who chooses to pursue the search for truth and embark on the spiritual journey - a journey which is literally without end." Father Keating stops by saying the each personis clearly saying that transcendental experiences are open and available to all who are willing to search. He is calling his Source the Ultimate Mystery but it is only one of many hundreds of names for the Principle Source of Creation.
I call it Oneness, without adding the word "the" in front of my noun because to do so would singularize Oneness and it is not possible to singularize Oneness as it is essentially the sum total of everything that exists in the cosmos.
Taoism was founded by Li Erh, who lived in the 6th century BCE, and was commonly known as Lao Tzu ( the Old Master). He wrote the Tao Te Ching, a reference so many in the world use for self development, "and a political manual for social transformation at both the micro and macro levels." It was Dr. Douglas K. Chung who wrote the description of Taoism in Chapter 16 of "A SourceBook for Earth's Community of Religions, published around 1995, and still available as a fascinating study of world religions. When Dr. Chung says that transformation occurs at both a micro and macro level I am reminded of Oneness which embraces the totality of paths and understandings leading an individual to his spiritual evolution. If you study Taoism, Dr. Chung says "Tao encompasses everything. It can be used to understand the universe and nature as well as the human body." That sounds like the concept of Oneness to me.
I have spent years researching early Christianity because I have personally been so dissapointed by what Christianity has become over the millenium. I found books on Gnostic Christianity more to my liking and so I offer you two quotes that come from 'The Laughing Jesus', page 173, by the authors Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy.
They quote the Disciple Paul as saying, 'The life I now live is not my life, but the life which the Christ lives in me." We know that we can substitute the word God with Christ as many modern Christians do, but at the time this was expressed, Paul believed Christ to be the son of God.
In that same chapter they go on to quote Abd al-Kader, an Islamic scholar who lived from 1808-1883, whose teaching is similar: 'The mystics are not themselves but exist in God. Their actions are God's actions. Their words are God's words uttered by their tongues. Their sight is God seeing though their eyes.'
The photo in this service is the Flower of Life. I have used it because it is a physical illustration of Oneness in that all sacred-geometry exists within this one design, and the design itself is very ancient. If you want to know more about this symbol visit www.floweroflife.org. This symbol is found around the ancient world.
I have kept my references short because these thoughts that have come down to us through the ages are all the recognition that Oneness is the beginning and the infinite expression of everything that exists. Those things that have been named, and those things yet to be named are still the same essence: God, indwelling in everything that has form and is still formless.
I am sending you blessings of loving good will today. Rev. Cisi Martin
Oneness is a concept that most of us can relate to because we instinctively yearn for right relationship with people. What I find so lovely is that this concept is quite old, but with the predictable twist of looking to a Divine God that lives outside of ourselves. Still, we developed ceremony, feast celebrations, and sacrafices to the gods and goddesses of each age that focused upon staying in the Diety's favor. Or one might say, being in Oneness, or right relationship with the Diety so that our lives would be better than if we didn't make the effort to appease the Gods of the time.
One of my favorite hints about the age of the concept of Oneness comes from Buddah when he says " He who experiences the unity of his own life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye." (Lived from 563-483 BC.) I believe Buddah is saying that if we look into the eyes of another and recognize our Godhood, our Buddahood, our Divinity, in the other, then in fact we are recognizing that we are one with each other - springing from the same Divine Well of Creation no matter what you "name" that source.
Patanjali says "...I AM is the way and the truth and the life - but the ego says 'I am this' or 'I am that' thus attaching itself only to a small portion of the Vastness." (Lived in 2nd century BCE, and compiled the Hindu text "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.) From my perspective he is saying that the Vastness is the Oneness that in truth is the highest reality rather than that which is perceived by our limited egos.
Father Thomas Keating, O.S.C.O. has a wonderful quote from "One Voice", page 127, which is quite enlightened from a Oneness perspective. He says, "In the next generation the question may not be which religion one belongs to, but whether religion itself is of value. Those who have had some experience of transcendence must find some way to communicate the fact that the experience of the Ultimate Mystery is open to every human person who chooses to pursue the search for truth and embark on the spiritual journey - a journey which is literally without end." Father Keating stops by saying the each personis clearly saying that transcendental experiences are open and available to all who are willing to search. He is calling his Source the Ultimate Mystery but it is only one of many hundreds of names for the Principle Source of Creation.
I call it Oneness, without adding the word "the" in front of my noun because to do so would singularize Oneness and it is not possible to singularize Oneness as it is essentially the sum total of everything that exists in the cosmos.
Taoism was founded by Li Erh, who lived in the 6th century BCE, and was commonly known as Lao Tzu ( the Old Master). He wrote the Tao Te Ching, a reference so many in the world use for self development, "and a political manual for social transformation at both the micro and macro levels." It was Dr. Douglas K. Chung who wrote the description of Taoism in Chapter 16 of "A SourceBook for Earth's Community of Religions, published around 1995, and still available as a fascinating study of world religions. When Dr. Chung says that transformation occurs at both a micro and macro level I am reminded of Oneness which embraces the totality of paths and understandings leading an individual to his spiritual evolution. If you study Taoism, Dr. Chung says "Tao encompasses everything. It can be used to understand the universe and nature as well as the human body." That sounds like the concept of Oneness to me.
I have spent years researching early Christianity because I have personally been so dissapointed by what Christianity has become over the millenium. I found books on Gnostic Christianity more to my liking and so I offer you two quotes that come from 'The Laughing Jesus', page 173, by the authors Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy.
They quote the Disciple Paul as saying, 'The life I now live is not my life, but the life which the Christ lives in me." We know that we can substitute the word God with Christ as many modern Christians do, but at the time this was expressed, Paul believed Christ to be the son of God.
In that same chapter they go on to quote Abd al-Kader, an Islamic scholar who lived from 1808-1883, whose teaching is similar: 'The mystics are not themselves but exist in God. Their actions are God's actions. Their words are God's words uttered by their tongues. Their sight is God seeing though their eyes.'
The photo in this service is the Flower of Life. I have used it because it is a physical illustration of Oneness in that all sacred-geometry exists within this one design, and the design itself is very ancient. If you want to know more about this symbol visit www.floweroflife.org. This symbol is found around the ancient world.
I have kept my references short because these thoughts that have come down to us through the ages are all the recognition that Oneness is the beginning and the infinite expression of everything that exists. Those things that have been named, and those things yet to be named are still the same essence: God, indwelling in everything that has form and is still formless.
I am sending you blessings of loving good will today. Rev. Cisi Martin
September 04,2010
Ancient Peoples in the Americas can teach us so much about living in Oneness, with all of of our relations, as they refer to everything in the natural world. They understand that a respectful relationship with everything that lives on our planet, The Mother, is necessary if we are to survive generation after generation. I come from a family who had stories of our Cherokee bloodlines, and through genealogy I learned that it isn't in my direct line. I share this because I was drawn to the Spirituality of the Native Americans early in my adult life. I had experiences that took me deeper into the mysticism of shamanism, lived in a communal setting with a Sasquamish Elder as leader, and was given two important ceremonies that helped me begin to heal the pain I had carried my whole life - in which I felt like an orphan in the world. The first ceremony was called Evil Chasing, in order to cleanse myself on multiple levels, and the second ceremony, the Naming Way, was this Elder's acknowledgement that I am of the People, even if I walked that way in another life.
My point in today's service is to link a specific ceremony to the concept of Oneness that this site is based upon. It is a native custom, Tribal origins unknown to me, to bring balance back into the life of someone who has become alienated from their family, or group somehow. The people of the tribe recognize that without family and strong intertribal relationships, one lives in a dreadful state of lonliness, even helplessness. The people see the pitiful orphan as someone who needs help, and so "The Making of Relations" ceremony brings the orphan into the fold where they now belong because they have been adopted by a family who stands up and says, "I will adopt this person, He or She is now one of my family".
In this beautiful ceremony balance is restored in the lives of all involved, and the tribe thrives. If we draw a parallel from the Native Tradition in which they recognize that One Source has made all that lives, and compare that "knowingness" with our new paradigm understanding that all of us contain the sacredness of God, indwelling, it is easy to see that no matter what culture we come from there is an inherent truth that has lived within the heart of humanity since its inception. This is where we are going, friends. We are shifting the human collective consciousness, as defined by Dr. Carl Jung, away from the belief that there is separation between us and a Creator God.
I have embraced the part of me that is Native, my Spiritual Nature, and moved forward in life respectfully. It has brought me a great sense of peace and freed me to also look at other cultural concepts that I wasn't born into. I have found great beauty in every creation story that I've heard from around the world. You might want to go to the "Google God" and do some exploration yourself. You will find themes that run through all of our religious and spiritual teachings that connect us to each other instead of push us apart.
There is so much to reflect upon that I look forward to hearing from you about your thoughts on these services and how you relate to the Oneness Concept in your life. Remember that you can read previous services on the Archives pages, and you are invited to submit essays to us, for consideration, to be posted on this website. The blog, however, is the perfect place to express your opinions and get feedback from others visiting our site, just be civil with each other.
Blessings of Loving Good Will are being sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin
My point in today's service is to link a specific ceremony to the concept of Oneness that this site is based upon. It is a native custom, Tribal origins unknown to me, to bring balance back into the life of someone who has become alienated from their family, or group somehow. The people of the tribe recognize that without family and strong intertribal relationships, one lives in a dreadful state of lonliness, even helplessness. The people see the pitiful orphan as someone who needs help, and so "The Making of Relations" ceremony brings the orphan into the fold where they now belong because they have been adopted by a family who stands up and says, "I will adopt this person, He or She is now one of my family".
In this beautiful ceremony balance is restored in the lives of all involved, and the tribe thrives. If we draw a parallel from the Native Tradition in which they recognize that One Source has made all that lives, and compare that "knowingness" with our new paradigm understanding that all of us contain the sacredness of God, indwelling, it is easy to see that no matter what culture we come from there is an inherent truth that has lived within the heart of humanity since its inception. This is where we are going, friends. We are shifting the human collective consciousness, as defined by Dr. Carl Jung, away from the belief that there is separation between us and a Creator God.
I have embraced the part of me that is Native, my Spiritual Nature, and moved forward in life respectfully. It has brought me a great sense of peace and freed me to also look at other cultural concepts that I wasn't born into. I have found great beauty in every creation story that I've heard from around the world. You might want to go to the "Google God" and do some exploration yourself. You will find themes that run through all of our religious and spiritual teachings that connect us to each other instead of push us apart.
There is so much to reflect upon that I look forward to hearing from you about your thoughts on these services and how you relate to the Oneness Concept in your life. Remember that you can read previous services on the Archives pages, and you are invited to submit essays to us, for consideration, to be posted on this website. The blog, however, is the perfect place to express your opinions and get feedback from others visiting our site, just be civil with each other.
Blessings of Loving Good Will are being sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin
Thoughts on Oneness: the Sacred and Science
August 29, 2010
When conceptualizing Oneness we are best served if we look at the different components that spring out of Oneness and then draw proofing lines backward to the Source of God/Oneness. Trying to start inside of Oneness can be very confusing. We know it is human nature to seek proof in all areas of our lives, so I'm going to do a series of services that I hope will help you ask yourself questions that will lead you to the answers contained within Oneness as a theory and as a spiritual concept. This website is for spiritually inclined and scientifically motivated individuals alike.
Science has already pointed us toward the heart of Oneness, but without actuallly connecting to what I like to call the God-Glue, the intelligence of the space that in the universe holds everything in its perfect place and in its perfect design.
Although there are many different religious opinions about how we humans came to life, science has steadily been finding proof and developing working theories that will eventually be reconized as definitive. But, science has only theories about the big bang, the event they claim started all life in the cosmos. Even though science can prove that we are all made of matter that is observable, even sub-atomically, it must also confess that it doesn't understand the "space" in between the matter that is holding us all together.
We will soon be looking into a future that will recognize sacred-science as a strong marriage that brings the whole of the world family into balance and a better understanding that we are all God, indwelling. First, we have to put the many pieces of God that we humans have separated back together again. Then we may stand a chance of creating Peace on Earth.
Different cultures and religions have their own way of experiencing the sacred in life. Many have maintained that their way is the only way, but not all have been so arrogant. Unfortunately great chasms of fear and mistrust have developed between religions to the point of polarization. My thought is that the Oneness concept is needed now more than ever before in recent memory.
We cannot be separate from God if we finally understand that we are God on a cellular level, or more accurately on a space between the matter levels. That's a service for the future when science catches up to spirituality! For now let's imagine that the space that that exists within a single atom is God-Glue, or the essence of a higher Intelligence that we universally call God. This means that if we could see the whole "space" that is contained on a sub-atomic level within our own bodies it would be like comparing each individual on earth to a gallaxy!
If we can but suspend all old beliefs that God dwells somewhere outside of us and look at the possibility that God lives inside of everything that exists, we can catch the essence of the concept of Oneness.
God, indwelling, is the thought, theory or message that is on the forefront of a new paradigm shift. It is the marriage of the sacred and the scientific, if you like. I always knew that I had been born into the time of Armegeddon. Seriously, since the time I was about 12. But it took me years to understand that I was living in a time when there would be a tremendous shift in the collective human consciousness. And, that that shift would set us free of all the old dogma of the past. No Satan. No sin. No justification for war.
Our physcial body, and all life on the planet has component parts made of elements that originally arrived on our planet from the cosmos. We truly are star children. But, ingredients alone won't make a recipe. In the case of baking a pie, you need the cook. The cook is the intelligence that puts it all together into the thing we call pie. Likewise, God is the presence in all of the ingredients that exist in the Universe, and it is the intelligence of God that is able to bake the pie we might call "human" in todays service.
My belief is that God's Glue is that intelligence, and that it isn't a thing so much as energy that is multidimensional and timeless, one that science has yet to be able to identify or quantify. Perhaps we won't get there in 50 to 100 years, but science and spirituality are reaching toward each other more every year. Let's keep our fingers crossed that we get to the "knowing" of God scientifically sooner than later.
This concept of Oneness is on the cutting edge of the newest spiritual paradigm shift. Welcome to the eternal now of God-In-Action that includes everything in the known and unknown rhealms. Just as God is in everything, we are in everything that exists because God is in us. What a lovely thought! We are not different, inherently, though our circumstances in life will be different from each other regularly.
Get ready, everybody, Einstein's bus is about to leave a new station. For those of us who are not scientists, like me, Einstein was daydreaming on a bus ride one day and his line of thought led him to one of his greatest breakthroughs: The Special Theory of Relativity. I wonder if Einstein has reincarnated back on earth, yet.
I wonder what would have happened if Einstein had known intuitively about his own God, indwelling. What a wonderful parallel world that would have been.
Blessings of loving good will are sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin.
When conceptualizing Oneness we are best served if we look at the different components that spring out of Oneness and then draw proofing lines backward to the Source of God/Oneness. Trying to start inside of Oneness can be very confusing. We know it is human nature to seek proof in all areas of our lives, so I'm going to do a series of services that I hope will help you ask yourself questions that will lead you to the answers contained within Oneness as a theory and as a spiritual concept. This website is for spiritually inclined and scientifically motivated individuals alike.
Science has already pointed us toward the heart of Oneness, but without actuallly connecting to what I like to call the God-Glue, the intelligence of the space that in the universe holds everything in its perfect place and in its perfect design.
Although there are many different religious opinions about how we humans came to life, science has steadily been finding proof and developing working theories that will eventually be reconized as definitive. But, science has only theories about the big bang, the event they claim started all life in the cosmos. Even though science can prove that we are all made of matter that is observable, even sub-atomically, it must also confess that it doesn't understand the "space" in between the matter that is holding us all together.
We will soon be looking into a future that will recognize sacred-science as a strong marriage that brings the whole of the world family into balance and a better understanding that we are all God, indwelling. First, we have to put the many pieces of God that we humans have separated back together again. Then we may stand a chance of creating Peace on Earth.
Different cultures and religions have their own way of experiencing the sacred in life. Many have maintained that their way is the only way, but not all have been so arrogant. Unfortunately great chasms of fear and mistrust have developed between religions to the point of polarization. My thought is that the Oneness concept is needed now more than ever before in recent memory.
We cannot be separate from God if we finally understand that we are God on a cellular level, or more accurately on a space between the matter levels. That's a service for the future when science catches up to spirituality! For now let's imagine that the space that that exists within a single atom is God-Glue, or the essence of a higher Intelligence that we universally call God. This means that if we could see the whole "space" that is contained on a sub-atomic level within our own bodies it would be like comparing each individual on earth to a gallaxy!
If we can but suspend all old beliefs that God dwells somewhere outside of us and look at the possibility that God lives inside of everything that exists, we can catch the essence of the concept of Oneness.
God, indwelling, is the thought, theory or message that is on the forefront of a new paradigm shift. It is the marriage of the sacred and the scientific, if you like. I always knew that I had been born into the time of Armegeddon. Seriously, since the time I was about 12. But it took me years to understand that I was living in a time when there would be a tremendous shift in the collective human consciousness. And, that that shift would set us free of all the old dogma of the past. No Satan. No sin. No justification for war.
Our physcial body, and all life on the planet has component parts made of elements that originally arrived on our planet from the cosmos. We truly are star children. But, ingredients alone won't make a recipe. In the case of baking a pie, you need the cook. The cook is the intelligence that puts it all together into the thing we call pie. Likewise, God is the presence in all of the ingredients that exist in the Universe, and it is the intelligence of God that is able to bake the pie we might call "human" in todays service.
My belief is that God's Glue is that intelligence, and that it isn't a thing so much as energy that is multidimensional and timeless, one that science has yet to be able to identify or quantify. Perhaps we won't get there in 50 to 100 years, but science and spirituality are reaching toward each other more every year. Let's keep our fingers crossed that we get to the "knowing" of God scientifically sooner than later.
This concept of Oneness is on the cutting edge of the newest spiritual paradigm shift. Welcome to the eternal now of God-In-Action that includes everything in the known and unknown rhealms. Just as God is in everything, we are in everything that exists because God is in us. What a lovely thought! We are not different, inherently, though our circumstances in life will be different from each other regularly.
Get ready, everybody, Einstein's bus is about to leave a new station. For those of us who are not scientists, like me, Einstein was daydreaming on a bus ride one day and his line of thought led him to one of his greatest breakthroughs: The Special Theory of Relativity. I wonder if Einstein has reincarnated back on earth, yet.
I wonder what would have happened if Einstein had known intuitively about his own God, indwelling. What a wonderful parallel world that would have been.
Blessings of loving good will are sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin.
August 21, 2010
Humans have always sought to find "God" in our own likeness, not the other way around. Throughout millenia we have altered between the worship of a female goddess, or a male god. Eastern philosophies seem to be built around the sharing of power between the two sexes, more than other parts of the world. Their pantheon in much richer than the Christian, Muslim or Jewish in this respect.
There are so many wonderful documentaries on the religions of the world that I encourage you to explore the male/female duality issues inherent in the concept of our human interpretation of "God", the Ultimate Diety. In ancient Grecco and Roman times the male King of the Gods may have had a wife, but the royal court was always answerable to him, and was gender mixed. Going back further in time into the middle eastern area, we also find religions with male Gods like Mithra, (one of the early resurrection saviors recorded), Ahura Mazda, (the first mono-theistic God), and his twin Ahriman, the dark God. We must also remember that at this same time there were powerful Goddess, who went by hundreds of names, depending on where you lived and they played major roles in the daily lives of men and women both.
Our history does not record a male based major religion prior to the Goddess, who was considered the Creator God as only the miracle of birth could come from her womb. Perhaps time will change this understanding as archeology is still finding new sites that lend insight into our ancestors and the lives they lived.
Let's keep in mind that this information is here to remind us that we have now moved forward in our understanding of the magnificence of "God/Goddess". We no longer need a sexist Godhead. Instead, because we are learning to live in a more diversly acceptable world, the concept of "Oneness" as the Source of Creation, seems a better fit in every segment that we examine.
My next service will go into more Oneness detail, but in the meantime you are welcome to contribute essays about the ancient religions as I have only presented a sketch, and your own understanding of what "Oneness" is all about. Blessing of Loving Good Will are sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin.
There are so many wonderful documentaries on the religions of the world that I encourage you to explore the male/female duality issues inherent in the concept of our human interpretation of "God", the Ultimate Diety. In ancient Grecco and Roman times the male King of the Gods may have had a wife, but the royal court was always answerable to him, and was gender mixed. Going back further in time into the middle eastern area, we also find religions with male Gods like Mithra, (one of the early resurrection saviors recorded), Ahura Mazda, (the first mono-theistic God), and his twin Ahriman, the dark God. We must also remember that at this same time there were powerful Goddess, who went by hundreds of names, depending on where you lived and they played major roles in the daily lives of men and women both.
Our history does not record a male based major religion prior to the Goddess, who was considered the Creator God as only the miracle of birth could come from her womb. Perhaps time will change this understanding as archeology is still finding new sites that lend insight into our ancestors and the lives they lived.
Let's keep in mind that this information is here to remind us that we have now moved forward in our understanding of the magnificence of "God/Goddess". We no longer need a sexist Godhead. Instead, because we are learning to live in a more diversly acceptable world, the concept of "Oneness" as the Source of Creation, seems a better fit in every segment that we examine.
My next service will go into more Oneness detail, but in the meantime you are welcome to contribute essays about the ancient religions as I have only presented a sketch, and your own understanding of what "Oneness" is all about. Blessing of Loving Good Will are sent to you today from Rev. Cisi Martin.