A safe harbor where beliefs are respected and kindness prevails.

Mirror, Mirror

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Fotolia_50834522_Subscription_LAll that I see in this world is a reflection of who I am. This concept is growing in acceptance throughout the new-thought community.  Joshua, the source of the Seventh Major Understanding, shares this belief.  He teaches that everything, without exception, that appears “out there” is a reflection of our inner being. Joshua resolutely asserts that there is only one being here. He urges me to look “out there” as if I am looking in a mirror, and he persistently challenges me to be honest about my reflection.

I confess that some things I see in the mirror of life are not pleasant or appealing. It is hard to accept that conditions I find sorrowful and behaviors I find repugnant are a reflection of who I am. The urge to deny some of what I see as a part of my being is strong. I want to assign the face of shadow to others—not me. It’s easy to own the gentle, loving and beautiful reflections of my soul. Like many others, I resist accepting that I am less than peaceful, joyful, loving and kind.

Joshua reminds me it is time to transcend our habits of separation. Now is the time to accept that I’m responsible for ALL that I see “out there.”  I shall not look blindly in the mirror any longer. Joshua offers comfort by telling me that many things I see in the mirror are exaggerated. I am not as ugly or as gorgeous as I judge myself to be. He assures me that I have the power here and now to change ALL that I see; yet, I only have this power to change when I accept that IT IS ME. I only have the power to change myself. Moreover, he reminds me to be playful in my creation and to have fun. Taking this reality too seriously is erroneous in his view, and the imagined burden becomes stressful and overwhelming.

To keep my adventure of growth playful and within my scope, all I must do is be the change I wish to see. As I change, the world changes. It is that simple, and I am that powerful. When I remember that the only thing I must change is me, stress floats away with the tide. For example, if I want to influence change regarding global peace, I vow to resolve internal conflict without applying force, coercion, abuse, intimidation and so forth. These internal practices are exaggerated on the global stage and acted out by nations as terrorism and war. When I master peaceful conflict resolution internally, I may expand this practice to my family and my community. It all begins with me.

Consider this insightful story: The following words were inscribed on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abbey approximately 1100 AD. When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

I offered one example of how I may be the change I wish to see in the world. The first step requires removing my blinders when I look in the mirror. I need to courageously accept that all that I see in my world exists to some degree within me. I grow beyond the practice of blaming the mess I see “out there” on others. There is only one being here.

Considering all of Joshua’s teachings, I arrive at this intention of growth: I look in the mirror of my reality without denial and fear. I am wholly unafraid of my entire reflection. All events and my relationships are a mirror of my thoughts, beliefs and expectations. No part of my reflection is good or bad. The judgment I apply to others is truly a reflection of who I am. The way I judge you defines me—not you. When this is forgotten, I fall asleep and believe that we are separate from each other. I appreciate you for being the mirror so I may look deeply into my soul. I gladly hold the mirror for you, too. I thank you for the reflection of my being so I may see my hidden beauty and my denied shadow. I play my way into a new reflection of ALL that I am.

A Droplet of Courage

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JordanA beloved Facebook friend posted this delightful quote: “Living from your heart is an art. It takes creativity, focus, and time.” (Original source unknown) These wise words touched my heart and spoke to my spirit.

I immediately sat in contemplation and pondered the insight so gracefully offered in the post. As I sat quietly with the idea of living heart-art, my teacher, Joshua, spoke to me. He gently talked about an additional ingredient for a heart-based life. Joshua added that living from the heart and letting love show also requires courage. As we awaken it is easier to release the social mask of fear we hide behind to reveal our extraordinary love for one another. Yet, in moments of insecurity, it remains a habit for us to hide our heart behind a mask. Good reasons led humankind to create a heart-shielding mask, and there’s no shame or guilt about using our heart shield. Joshua reminded me this tool has purpose. He urges us to utilize such tools consciously. Sadly, from Joshua’s point of view, we have allowed ourselves to hide our hearts habitually, and he added that now is the time to form new habits.

Each of us has the freedom to choose the moments when we lower our heart-shield and allow the mask to melt. We sense the unseen and unheard energy body, vibrations, and feeling tones around us with great accuracy. There are times and places when it is wise to shield our heart and proceed with caution. Sometimes we must refuse to harmonize with the energy around us. However, the time of transformation is calling to us, and we grow increasingly aware of our fear-based habits. Our feelings of love feed our courage and transform our environment. Love softens mistrust. It boosts our courage and eliminates the fear that amplifies our insecurity.

As we transition into our loved-based life, we will create a new reality—we’ll find ourselves in increasingly warmer and safer communities. Even in our current society Joshua says that in every circumstance we may let love flow. Love shows through our heart light, our eyes, and our smile. Indeed, feelings of love flowing through our being speak more powerfully than words. The heart center of our body is a lighthouse. Our light has no boundaries for it is the light of the One that dwells in All That Is. Letting this light grow and letting love show transforms our world. Love is that powerful. Awakening to our eternal and infinite nature reminds us that we have nothing to fear. Allow this understanding to drip into the pool of collective consciousness like a droplet of courage.

The global shift out of a fear-based reality into a time of love, peace, abundance, and understanding begins within each of us. Finding our courage to let love show is a practice of letting go of our fear. We practice letting go of our fear of being rejected or judged as soft, too sensitive, or weak. Together we plant the seeds of change and water these seeds with love. We remember that love dissolves fear, and we know in our whole self—there is nothing to fear. We are eternal and infinite beings now.

How do we advance toward the modern golden age? Joshua inspires us to set intentions in the direction we want humankind to move. He teaches that intentions are powerful, and at the same time, intentions allow us to side-step the suffering associated with expectation and attachment. I want to share an example of an intention that Joshua inspired me to write as we work together on our next book. Joshua’s statements of awareness are suggestions intended to move us forward. These intentions are offered as food for thought.

Intention to Let Love Show: I am awake to the unseen energy and the unheard sound that flows through my being. In this awareness, I know that the energy of my being touches everything and everyone. I have the privilege of influencing the energy field around me right here, right now. I know that love is unseen light and unheard sound broadcasting through my heart chakra, love shines in my eyes, and love beams from my smile. I intend to let love show everywhere I am. In my presence may others experience the love my heart sings, the love my eyes shine, and may my smile gently kiss All That Is.

Letting love show is an act of courage and strength that changes the world. Love is our personal power. Love plants the seeds of an amazing harvest, and we practice letting go of any fear keeping us from living a heart-based life. Imagine what we can transform with a droplet of courage to let love show. This challenge is heart-art worthy of our creativity.

   

Growing Beyond Tolerance

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Growing Beyond Tolerance and Into Acceptance

Jordantn

“I know I am not seeing things as they are; I’m seeing things as I am.” –Laurel Lee.

This insight resonates as deep wisdom to me. These words affirm a point of view that I believe is true, yet grasping the idea of the quote I cannot call it ‘the truth.’ The concept clearly reveals that our beliefs are not facts, and it is our personal and collective beliefs that shape and color our entire reality.

During the journey of a lifetime, it’s common to seek answers and to want to know the truth. Many people question our experience of reality. They want to know why we’re here. We often call that a quest for meaning—a search for the truth. On our search for truth, most of us discover and identify our personal beliefs about life, about creation, about humanity, about god, and so on. We often find others who share our beliefs. Sometimes we adopt a rigid position that our personal beliefs are the truth. Then, applying our beliefs we begin to judge, assess, and evaluate all that we experience, observe, and hear. This process is perfectly natural and there is no guilt or shame in it. The process of seeing things as I am allows me to create my entire perception of reality. (This is what I believe. Do you hear me laughing?)

Accepting the difference between facts and beliefs helps me be open to the “truths” of others. I hold a complete canon of beliefs that create my values and govern my behavior. I am more comfortable with diversity when I accept that everyone is free to live life according to his or her own beliefs—just as I do. The more I practice letting go of my urge to defend my beliefs as if they are facts, the easier it is to welcome disagreement and a wide diversity of concepts. Allowing others the same freedom I desire helps me listen more openly to the beliefs held by others. This openness creates space for my personal “truths” to grow. Furthermore, this openness eliminates stress around wanting others to confirm my beliefs—proving I’m right. Even more importantly, when I distinguish between beliefs and facts, I more easily let go of wanting others to conform to my personal beliefs. This works because I have come to accept that my beliefs are not facts. I release notions and feelings telling me that my beliefs equal “the truth”. (As I wrote that, another chuckle occurred.)

For example, I have an unshakable belief that life is everlasting. I know people who believe just as strongly that life is finite. I tell these friends that when they die, come find me and we’ll have a laugh. Then, I admit that if they’re right—I’ll never know, and I laugh now. Neither belief can be proven as fact, so I enjoy living with a belief in eternal life. And, I easily accept people who believe life is finite. I don’t need to fret about the beliefs of others, and I certainly don’t need to convince others that my beliefs are right.

With practice,recognizing the obvious difference between facts and personal beliefs transforms beyond knowledge into integrated heartfelt behavior. This practice allows me to grow beyond tolerating others into a graceful acceptance of vast diversity. This transformation is a challenge worthy of my creativity. The peace of mind acceptance brings is a valuable incentive. Well, that is what I believe. Do you still hear me laughing?

Like others, I enjoy talking to people who share my beliefs. It is joyful to encounter others who agree with me. It’s fun for me to share my opinions and beliefs about life, creation, human nature, spirituality, and so much more. I confess that sometimes I still follow the urge to defend my beliefs as if they are facts. I don’t claim perfection nor do I seek it. When I practice catching myself defending a personal belief as if it is “the truth”—I laugh. I pay close attention to ideas and issues that trigger my defensive behavior regarding my beliefs. I acknowledge that these concepts represent my most cherished beliefs. These are the beliefs that form my values. My judgment defines who I am. There is no guilt or shame in judging what is right or wrong, good or bad for me. When I act as if I can judge what is right or wrong, good or bad for others, I have forgotten that I am just seeing things as I am. I easily sidestep any coaching to bash my ego for acting up.

Intention to Promote Acceptance: I easily recognize the difference between facts and beliefs. I remind myself that my beliefs form personal truths, not universal truths. I invite others to enjoy sharing their point of view, and I welcome diversity around beliefs. I do my best to refrain from the tendency to defend my beliefs as if I know a universal truth. Naturally, I accept that my beliefs sound like the truth to me. I joyfully practice letting go of the notion that others must conform to or confirm my beliefs. With eyes wide open, I’m able to love myself just as I am, and I love you with equal acceptance. I select the beliefs that shape and color my entire reality, and so do you. I am free to be me. You are free to be you. It’s okay if our beliefs differ. I am not afraid of your beliefs, and I let go of any urge to prove that I’m right.

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