There is Room in One World for Many Religions

Spirit tells me that to everything there is a season
and purpose.Of course I’ve heard that before,
in the Church of my childhood.

Perhaps every religion has its own history that is
taught to honour the wise prophets
of that particular tradition.

They are all one tradition in different forms.

Why would one come in different disguises?

Never in disguise.

Then, why are they each seemingly designed …

Not seemingly. They are each and every one designed
to fit the needs of individual cultures, at a
specific time in their formation and development.

But, why are they each a part of specific cultures?

To express the essence and potential of each
specific culture.

Then, the Universe contributes to the …

The Universe more than contributes to individual
expression. It designs each individual expression,
at least the essence of that expression.

But, its expression is in form.

Yes, and form requires …

What?

What do you think?

Form is the expression of essence?

Not necessarily.

How can it not be?

Form can be distorted and misused.

Perhaps every religion is guilty of that.

None are.

Please explain.

Religions in themselves are all pure,
as reflections of a vision provided to a
particular culture, through saints and
prophets. It is never the religion that
becomes tainted.

However, some individuals are and always
have been tempted to distort and contaminate
its pure essence, and to use and abuse
the flock they were entrusted to serve and care
for, to benefit themselves, alone.

But, if all religions have always ..

No

Then if some …

All religions, in essence have been designed
to serve us all. But, all religious leaders
have been tempted, and some have surrendered
their souls to that temptation.

So, what is the answer?

To what?

If all religions have been designed to serve us
well and yet can become contaminated by human greed,
how can individuals who seem to need to belong to
a religious community with a structural centre that
symbolizes their particular faith, ever know
the original messages of the founders of their faith?

The essence is within us and can never be distorted.

Then, what is this essence?

A sense of oneness of community,within a larger
community within an even larger ….

Then, there is room in one world for many religions?

Is there room in one body for more than one organ,
or for more than one cell within each organ?

The individual body components are designed to serve
both themselves and all others, each in its own way?

Yes.

Resistance is Necessary to Life

Resistance is a necessary component of growth and development. Why did I not accept that, sooner? It’s simply controlled growth; physical,mental, or emotional, and even spiritual. Otherwise, we could risk blowing our mind.

jeanw5's avatarI Ching as a Way to Enlightenment

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

Today’s situation on our journey through human
existence is designed to develop the attributes
of Hexagram 2 – The Receptive.

Earth is both above and below, represents
Mother Nature, or for those who see nature
is disconnected from themselves, the environment.

Nature is both flexible and firm. Though it
generally accepts directions from Universal Laws,
and both adapts and contributes to the needs
of other life forms, it also maintains its own
personal essence, and lives to express its own
purpose and desires, resisting any form of abuse.

It sounds like me.

It is you, and everyone else, both individually
and collectively.

But, Nature is surely much more than people.

As in kind, or power?

Both.

How?

We each are part of Nature and yet Nature is
much more than all of us together.

Yes.

What is the message?

What could Nature teach you about…

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To Inspire Us to Think

Insight does not replace formal study, but it might point us in the direction our studies should focus on.

jeanw5's avatarGrass-Roots Spiritual Philosophy 101

Our simple seeker had rediscovered Jack Schwartz
somewhere in her personal collection of books
that crowded together in a distressingly
disorganized way, in a bookcase designed
to hold far fewer books than she seemed unable
to let go of.

How did she come to hold it in her hands, now?
It had obviously been cherished by her at
some time in the past, beyond her current
memory. It was full of underlining and
highlighting – her personal signature
statement of interest, though sneered at
by some who claim closeness to her.

If you care for me then accept my ways?

Yes. But, “Human Energy Systems” was still
with her, even though it had been written
more than thirty years ago.

What has that to do with anything?

Of lasting value?

Yes.

That would depend ..

On what?

Our understanding develops over time.

Not necessarily.

Sudden insight?

Yes.

Then, as if…

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The Price of Expanded Awareness

Spirit tells me that whenever the sudden
sense of awareness of an expanded
so-called reality seems to have blown
our mind, it is helpful to ask ourselves
just where has it blown our mind?

We are now beyond where we had been,
or, more truthfully, we are now beyond
being able to ever again be where we
previously had been.

It is not a matter of choosing to be
less directly engaged with other
characters and situations in the play,
or game of Life, than we once were,
and can honestly be no more.

How to recover from sudden removal
from the close-up action, even though
we may now see it all from a certain
distance as more-or-less meaningless
activity?

That would be an easy-out.

Then, how to respond?

To what?

To the awareness of not being
in the action.

Are you physically removed from it?

Not completely.

Then, what?

I seem to have been recast,
as a member of the audience, but
an audience that influences
the activity on the stage.

Yes. We are never totally disconnected
from either the play or the players.

That’s it.

What is it?

My character is still there, at least
in form. But I now know that I
acted as that character. So, am I
an actor?

Yes and no.

I want to be real.

What would real look like?

I’m not sure. I can see what is
happening, from a distance, as well as
from close-up.

Are you now more or less engaged
in the play?

I seem to be more aware of
the potential for expansion in
the value of the play.

Yes, and that expanded awareness comes
with a price you must pay.

Expanded responsibility?

Yes.

Note: Dear Reader, Spirit suggests that we each spend
a few minutes at the beginning and again at the ending
of each day, reflecting on the seemingly nonsensical
world we live in, and then to smile with awareness
of the incredible potential, locked within all that
seems to make no sense, waiting to be activated.
Jean

Our Desired Outcome May Not Choose Us

Dear Readers, Until I find a way to simply provide a link between my three sites, which are similar in content but from a unique perspective, then I will re-blog I Ching as a Way, and Grass-Roots Spiritual Philosophy to jeanw5 (My Struggle Toward Enlightenment). Thank you for being with me.

jeanw5's avatarI Ching as a Way to Enlightenment

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

First, He explains to me that the purpose
of using the 64 I Ching hexagrams
to share ancient wisdom is to enable
seekers to learn to accept that
nothing happens totally separated from
what has or what might yet happen.

Life and all situations we experience
are intricately connected together.
Before and following are relative terms
that have no separately existing
meaning but are always and must be
part of what is happening now.

The finger that points back to where
we have been is the same finger
that can point ahead to where we are
or may go, unless we choose to follow
another path, or another way of life.

Hexagram 46 – Rising represents today’s
I Ching situation. Rising follows
Gathering and leads, or can lead to
Exhaustion, unless we choose to travel
in a different direction.

We gather what we value, at…

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What is Feng-Shui?

jeanw5's avatarGrass-Roots Spiritual Philosophy 101

Our simple seeker was fascinated in what
she had discovered in a Book Warehouse
store. She seemed to know she was meant
to find something of special interest
to her, if to no other.

What is Feng-Shui?

Yes. That’s the title of this incredibly
interesting, nineteenth century classic
interpretation by Ernest J. Eitel.
And it was marked down to $3.99.
It hardly seems fair.

Did you want to pay more?

Perhaps, if I had know how interesting
it would be to me, but that would mess
up their bookkeeping. People don’t do that.

You do.

Not in a book store. And not often.
But there are times when waiters
seem to go out of there way to be
helpful that I would not feel
comfortable not expressing thanks
with a higher tip than usual.
It’s just too easy to simply say,
thank you.

Don’t tell me; show me?

Yes.

What…

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Caring for Community and Relationships is Personal

Spirit asks me if I practice caring for my home.

I don’t need to practice. I know how to do that.

Do you do it?

Yes.

How well do you do it?

As well as I can, all things considered.

What things?

The time available, my energy level, and
my interest in doing so at any particular
time.

So, caring for your home is a job?

Not as a paid job. It is a duty.

A duty to whom?

To myself.

Why?

I enjoy living in a clean and well
cared for home.

Yes.

Where is this line of questioning going?

To your community and to your relationships.

Caring wise or duty wise?

Yes.

As with my home, I do what I can.

All things considered?

Yes.

What things?

Is this a second verse or round two?

No.

Then, what?

With personal possessions we have
a personal interest to care for them.

Surely we also have a personal interest
to care for our community and
relationships.

Yes.

I walked into that one.

Yes.

Continuous Movement is a Fundamental Principle of Life

jeanw5's avatarI Ching as a Way to Enlightenment

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

Today’s situation is expressed and explained
in Hexagram 26 – Great Accumulation

Continuous movement is a fundamental principle
of the way of I Ching and way of Life.
There is no stagnation in the sense of
non-movement.

Situations are always either improving
or they are deteriorating. Energy moves,
one way or another, even when that
movement is happening beneath
the surface of human perception.
Energy moves, and all life is energy.

In Great Accumulation, Mountain
is rising above Heaven. Mountain
represents an accumulation of power,
such as knowledge, and wisdom
applying that power.

Heaven represents a different kind of
power – one that is available to all
of nature, not just to mountains
or people of special status.

Why has Heaven permitted Mountain
to dominate?

Perhaps the rest of nature is
intimidated by it’s height,
without awareness that mountains
can crumble and be shaken from

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Unique Individuals are not Unique in Their Needs

jeanw5's avatarGrass-Roots Spiritual Philosophy 101

Our simple seeker was discouraged.
She had done all she could to learn
the lessons of life that her Spirit
Teacher seemed intent on instilling
into her mind.

That’s it. My mind is full and I
don’t want to learn any more.

Any more of what?

Any more of anything. I need time out.

That’s something.

What’s something.

Knowing that you have a specific need
is a beginning.

A beginning of what?

Awareness.

Awareness of what?

Awareness of human needs.

I thought we were discussing
my needs.

Are you human?

So, all humans may need time out?

Time out from what?

From whatever they need time out
from.

Yes.

And that’s it?

Should there be more?

What am I supposed to learn from
this discussion?

That you are not that unique
in your needs.

Does that mean I’ll get time out?

No.

View original post

Unconditional Love is Always and Never Personal

Spirit tells me that unconditional love
is always and never personal.

Does that mean that to love anyone
unconditionally …

Yes. You must, at the same time,
be required to love everyone
and everything in the same, or
rather, to that same degree.

Wouldn’t it all become blah?

Blah?

Yes, as in nothing special.

Unconditional love is a very special
quality of love.

Would you want me to relate to you
in such a way?

Not at this time.

Why wouldn’t unconditional Love
be appropriate at all times?

It would not be either possible
or appropriate.

Please explain.

What? Unconditional love?

No. I think I understand what
that means.

What is your understanding of
the meaning of unconditional love?

Unconditional love is to love
without conditions required
to receive my love.

Required by whom or what?

How can it go beyond people?

How can that be a condition?

Then our environment is
and must be included in
my unconditional love?

Yes.

Then, the fallen petals or leaves
must be as loved as when
they were …

No. Unconditional loves does not
have a past or future.

It is always in the present?

Yes, an inclusive present.

How can the present include
past and future?

There are no boundaries of time
and place for unconditional love.

Then, unconditional love is always
or never?

Yes.

But, what if I have developed, and
even now am developing, a deeper
sense of the meaning of
unconditional love?

That is as it should be.

But, I didn’t always understand …

Unconditional love does not depend
upon your understanding.

It just is?

Yes.

Note: Dear Readers, This discussion with Spirit
only seems to skim the surface of the topic
of unconditional love, and yet I could feel
myself stepping into intellectual and emotional
waters over my head, for now. If any of you
have thoughts or questions I could present to Spirit
on the subject, then please help me.