Who are the Peace Makers?

Last month I wrote about "peace by any other name."  This time I want to elaborate some more on the nature of peace makers.  Making peace is an action; it is not just enough to love peace or declare peace.  It is an ongoing task to bring reconciliation among all people and show them a common denominator (ideal).

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

~Matthew 5:9

What is the Nature of a Peacemaker?

·       Acts as a servant leader
·       Adopts the discipline of the parent/leader
·       Becomes a mediator between the physical and the spiritual realms
·       Brings reconciliation among all religions
·       Empathetic to others, and willing to help
·       Encourages compassion/communication
·       Exercises spiritual muscles
·       Has the innocence of a child
·       Lives in the present moment/the NOW
·       Lives by the heavenly rules and values
·       Opposes violence
·       Practices obedience to God, the parent
·       Resolves conflict among followers
·       Speaks the truth
·       Takes responsibility for mistakes
·       Teaches atonement
·       Understands human nature 

Jesus is a Peacemaker

The words from the Beatitudes by Jesus show us the essence of the New Testament.  Jesus taught us that God is our Heavenly Parent, who can unite all His children.  Jesus was not only a great teacher but he was the utmost example of a Son of God by demonstrating how to live and how to love.  With His compassion He took upon himself the role of a peacemaker, calling all of us to follow his standard.

Throughout the ages there were many who called upon the goodness in mankind and demonstrated a better way of life.  They made an important contribution and brought us through the dark ages to a time of greater tolerance and unity.  Here are some people who made a great impact for peace in their country and with that for the larger good:

“Women are, in my view, natural peacemakers. As givers and nurturers of life, through their focus on human relationships and their engagement with the demanding work of raising children and protecting family life, they develop a deep sense of empathy that cuts through to underlying human realities.”

~ Daisaku Ikeda (1928), Japanese Author on Buddhism and leader of Soka Gakkai.

“Peace will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds.”

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Leader of the Indian Independence Movement

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”

~ Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India (1917-1984)

 

"One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means."
~Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (1928-1968),  American Pastor and Civil Rights Leader

"When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."

~ Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981)  American Peace Activist

“People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.”

~ Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), South African Apartheid Leader and President of South Africa

“Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering--remembering and not using your right to hit back. It’s a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don’t want to repeat what happened.”

~ Desmond Tutu  promoting Ubuntu.  Ubuntu (philosophy) is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others.'

"The order of existence in the universe is rooted in acting for the sake of others.

The world of true peace, true love and the true ideal is both the ideal of God's creation and the desire of humankind.
Therefore, the origin of happiness and peace lies in living for the sake of others."
~ Sun Myung Moon,  (1920-1992), Korean Religious leader, author of Philosophy of Peace

Sun Myung Moon is a Peacemaker

Rev.Moon has lived his whole life promoting peace.  It has been his deepest desire to teach mankind that we are God’s sons and daughters and as such are meant to live together as one family.  He has revealed to us the heart of God which is broken because of the way we live: fighting wars, living in strive, killing and conquering each other.  He has inspired members and leaders around the world to overcome differences in religious beliefs, cultural traditions, political opinions and scientific viewpoints to find the common denominator through his conferences and rallies.

The following video was recorded in 2012 and portraits the life and works of Rev. Moon.

“Rev. Moon has emerged as a great peacemaker and unifier on the world stage. He is a leading force for interreligious dialogue and understanding between people of all backgrounds, and for global peace and security.”

~ Alexander Haig, (1924-1990) former Secretary of State (59th)

Our greatest challenge today is to resolve the conflicts among people of different opinions and viewpoints.  It is not just enough to fight wars with weapons, overpower another country with strategies or battle the enemy.  By recognizing the spiritual nature of man, we need to develop that spiritual quality and absorb each other’s resentment and ill feelings.  We can exercise our spiritual muscles with forgiveness and tolerance.  By accepting each other for who we are and seeing the “Christ-consciousness” in each other peace can be a way of life.  It can only be possible when we see each other from God’s point of view, the view of the parent looking down on His children.  On the world scene politics have taken the upper hand over religious practices.  Or religious opinions have taken the liberty to dominate other’s beliefs rather than demonstrating the mastery of their principles by manifesting acceptance, forgiveness, kindness, tolerance, and other forms of love.

Even science has now confirmed that we are hard-wired to have a relationship with God, the creator.  That connection lays in the foundation for internal unity between mind and body.  Even those who are not looking for a spiritual experience like artists, athletes and inventors have had profound ‘aha’ moments where they could encounter an internal peace.  For most of us these kind of ephemeral moments come and go. 

Here is an historical example of how enemies can make peace: 

I like to finish with the words of the song by John Lennon:

IMAGINE

“Imagine there's no country,
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too.
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.”
– John Lennon, British musician (1940-1980)

Default NO More

Have you ever wondered why life seems complicated, difficult and full of struggle?  Does that mean we are looking at life from a victim aspect, an attitude of scarcity, or being triggered by negative memories? Rather than focusing on feeling we are duped, let’s look at it from a different angle.

From the moment of our conception which is a purposeful event where sperm and egg unite with so much intention, instinct and force, we are destined to succeed in life.  Once the process of fertilization has taken place the natural principles continue the development of cell-division and growth.  From that same perspective it seems that everything in creation has a specific purpose.  It only seems that when we are “trying” to do things that it is hard to achieve.  Why not applying some reverse psychology?  Could we get unstuck by just BEING rather than trying by willpower?

“Just being” does not mean being laid back or being inactive. 

It is rather a:

Being pro-active
Choosing to live by design
Choosing to live with purpose
Preferring one way over the other

How do we get out of the auto-pilot mode?

·       Create awareness
·       Make up own mind, rather than act on what society or culture dictates
·       Change ineffective habits
·       Find a passion
·       Repetitive practice (musical instrument, athletic training, public speaking, theatre performance, communication)
·       Enhancing and refining new skills

“To be nobody but myself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.”

– E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Greatness in not inherited.  It can be achieved by endless practice and repetition.  It has been said that talent is not a guaranty for great achievement.  Most of the time it is plain hard work and persistence.  Science has proven now that greatness is NOT programed into our DNA.  It is not an inevitable outcome, unless we decide to make it happen.

Health is not inherited either.  The DNA is the “blue-print” of life itself.  In fact, from a medical point of view it is now proven that heredity is only in a small part responsible for making us healthy or sick.  A recent study at the HearthMath Institute has shown that we can reprogram our DNA.

“Everyone has talent, but ability takes hard work.”

-- Michael Jordan (1963) American Professional Basket Player

The same kind of research has been done by scientist Bruce Lipton and his work of epigenetics.  Some of these scientists suggest that we can reprogram our DNA in as little as 2 minutes.  What they are saying is that our beliefs, our behavior, our environment, and our experiences throughout life have a greater influence on us than our inherited genes. 

 

This may be the first scientific evidence of the long-held theory that emotion greatly affects our health and quality of life. This is positive proof that DNA and health are related, and that we can communicate with and "program" our DNA through emotion — and thus, change the very blueprint of our health and our life. If we can influence the behavior of DNA and health in a test tube, what untold health benefits might we experience by changing the DNA in our bodies?

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.”

~ Carlos Castaneda (1925-1988), American author and anthropologist 

How do we get rid of limiting beliefs, fears and self-destructive habits?

We have to understand once and for all that we are NOT our thoughts, feelings, or circumstances. Here is a link to how to shield yourself from other’s emotions.

I read that the thoughts and feelings are like the clouds blocking the sun which is our true, essential self. Our true self is very powerful and radiant.  We were born beautiful, happy, stress free, confident, and productive.

“Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time.  One or the other must dominate.  It is your responsibility to make sure that positive emotions constitute the dominating influence of your mind.”

~ Napoleon Hill (1883-1990) American author and self-help guru

When we let go of undesired beliefs and fears, along with self-destructive habits we can enter once again into the realm of the Source energy or God where we are connected.  The emergence of the ego has given us our false identity with illusionary ideas of who we are, and what we are to do.  It is this ego which keeps us separated from the Divine and holds us back from the infinite energy and power which we all long for.

In that Divine presence formless ideas can become substantial because we are not allowing the ego to think and manipulate us rather we are transcending the ego, and letting go of our own desires, becoming one with the frequency of the Divine.  By staying in harmony with that energy field our ultimate good will come to us.  By focusing on positive thoughts and feelings the manifestation of our desires will come.

These ideas are not new.  The Law of Attraction (this law obeys the laws of physics by attracting the universal energy that one vibrates at) and The Magic of Believing by Claude Bristol have shed some light on the background of manifesting ideas.  What they don’t talk about is how to clear away the unwanted “baggage” we all have been carrying with us, emotional and mental memories.  I have used several methods like The Emotion Code by Dr. Bradley Nelson and other healing seminars to overcome undesired emotions and negative experiences. Eckhart Tolle calls this baggage the “pain body.”  He also relates to us a simple way of how to get rid of is by symbolically “flapping our wings.”

“When you make a decision and a commitment to do something good for yourself, it is like dropping a pebble in a pond. It has a rippling effect. The firmer the decision, the stronger the frequency and wider the range of things that will be reached.”

~ Iyanla Vanzant (1953) American New Age teacher

Why not try some good-old-fashioned repentance?

To reach the infinite field and the presence of God, we have to clear away “the clouds” as I mentioned above.  Sin is nothing other than separation from God.

Prayer of repentance seems a simple solution.  When we feel sorry for what we did wrong, we can expand it to a larger scale and repent for our society, and nation.  God is a God for all people, we can repent for all mankind.  We are all separated from God because this world is certainly not a reflection of a peaceful world. 

Repentance very simply clears away what we don’t want and makes room for what we want and need for daily living.

Part of repentance prayer is also to be grateful for what we have.  God loves to hear us praising His beautiful creation, being thankful for even the smallest things like food, shelter, relationships, etc. Once we establish a true relationship with the creator, and we tune into the presence of God, we can tell Him everything, trusting Him like a child trusts His parent.

But in our culture of entitlement, gratitude is underappreciated. Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis talks about the benefits of cultivating gratitude.  He says that it can make you happier.

According to Dr. Emmons, people who actively practice gratitude:

•         Have stronger immune systems and are sick less frequently
•         Exercise more and take better care of their health
•         Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking
•         Feel more alert, alive, and awake
•         Experience more joy and pleasure
•         Are more optimistic
•         Are more forgiving and compassionate
•         Feel less loneliness and isolation. 

Why is the active practice of gratitude so effective? Dr. Rick Hanson tells us it has to do with the negativity bias of the brain. "Our brains are like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones," he says. "Given that, it takes an active effort to internalize positive experiences and heal negative ones. When you tilt toward what's positive, you're actually righting a neurological imbalance."

Benefits of repentance

Avoid future regret
Become honest with oneself
Cleanse body with tears
Connect with God
Creates awareness of what’s “wrong” with us
Experience new-found freedom
Finding our true identity
Focus on important things
Get in touch with our heart
Get to know our authentic self
Get rid of a scarcity mindset
Let go of ego
Letting go of resistance to goals
Overcome intellectual arrogance

This being the end of 2014, is a good time to do some reflecting.  It is also the best time to start the New Year by being more pro-active with deliberate and purpose-driven actions.

Happy New Year 2015!

 

 

 

 

Peace by any Other Name

During this Christmas season, we send cards with the slogan Peace on Earth, or we remind ourselves of the ‘wish for world peace,’ ‘let there be peace on earth,’ ‘give peace a chance,’ ‘peace brings the world together,’ ‘peace is possible,’ ‘peace is our gift to each other,’ ‘peace is the way for a better day,’ ‘peaceful resolution is the best solution,’ ‘where there is love there is peace,’ ‘war is expensive, peace is priceless,’ ‘let’s have peace,’ etc.

If that’s the wish of all people why has peace still evaded us?

I once read a book called the “Anatomy of Peace” by the Arbinger Institute where the authors ask some very profound questions: What if conflicts at home, conflicts at work, and conflicts in the world stem from the same root cause?  What is their conclusion? The choice between peace and war lies within us.  As one of the characters says, "A solution to the inner war solves the outer war as well." This book offers more than hope -- it shows how we can prevent the conflicts that cause so much pain in our lives and in the world.

“If the way of peace is to succeed, it must offer a substitute for everything war now offers.”

~ Dr. Deepak Chopra, author of the Peace is the Way: “Bringing War and Violence to an End.”

What is the meaning of Peace?

Peace is defined by a freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility, calm and serenity; privacy and solitude; also ease and contentment.
Peace can also be law and order, harmony and non-violence; absence of violence and war.

“There is no other way to peace.  Peace is the way.”

~Mahatma Ghandi

Why is it so hard to create Peace? 

For once, it is an abstract term, an invisible value, a dream, a vision, something nobody has ever seen, heard, touched, smelled or tasted.  But so are terminologies such as love, beauty, truth, and goodness.  There are values we all strive for but we all have different ideas of what they mean. 

"The democratic world places value upon the individual person because each one is a child of God. The greatest care must be taken to assure each individual's liberty and freedom of choice, for without liberty, a person's actions have no value." 

~ Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon - Challenges and Possibilities for World Peace, June 1, 1987

How can we overcome that internal struggle?

It is no wonder that we are fighting wars between countries when the actual conflict starts in our own mind. Have you ever become aware of the internal battle in your own mind?  Or the struggle your head puts up when your heart says something else?  Or witnessed the arguments and repetitive slogan your negative mind plays over and over again?  That conflict happens when one part of you disagrees with what the other part is doing. Or the clash of your mind and body when the alarm goes off 6:00 AM and you would rather stay in bed than get up and go to work? 

As we discovered before, the values we are striving for are all invisible.  The way we can manifest anything into the physical realm is through experience and practice.  The same way an athletes have to train day in and day out or a musician has to rehearse the scales before she can play a beautiful song, the daily repetition brings him the perfect result.  And even with all the drills and repeats the probability of success is only 3 out of 10 or some similar rate; practice and training make perfect score.

How can we ever achieve that mind-body unity?

Since the dawn of times the individual and mankind as a whole have been striving to create peace while conquering each other, while battling and fighting war at the same time.

The moment we forget that man is not only a physical being but a creature with spirit and soul, we are always faced with challenges.  And they are not only encounters of relationships.  Darrel Scott, the father of Rachel Scott who died in the Columbine High School tragedy, says it best:

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact.

What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws.
Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.”
~ Darrell Scott, Father of Rachel Joy Scott, victim of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999

As Darrel mentions we have pushed all spiritual elements out of our schools and education systems, in fact out of almost every aspect of our society.  Why can’t spirituality without any particular religious flavor be part of our everyday lives?

“People say to me, ‘but if I simply accept reality then I will become passive and nothing will change.  I answer them with this question. Which of these statements makes more sense? "I wish I hadn't lost all that money.’ or ‘what can I do now to create more income?’

Accepting ‘what is’ doesn't mean you settle for the way things are, it just means you give up all the resistance and inner struggle by wishing it were different.”
~ Robert Anthony, Author and Self-help guru

How can we become Peace-Makers?

In his book “Peace is the Way” Deepak Chopra writes about war being a myth which provides an outlet for national vengeance, it satisfies the demands of fear, it brings power to the victor, it provides security to the homeland, and it opens an avenue for getting what you want by force.  He talks about being addicted to war just like to any other bad habit.

The first step to any change is awareness.  We all can practice peace every day by changing our habits and mindsets. Chopra salutes conflict resolution, voting, and finding concrete ethical ways of supporting nonviolence.  Dr. Chopra suggests a seven step process to replace addiction to a way of love.

One practice for each day:

Sunday:        Being For Peace

Monday:        Thinking For Peace

Tuesday:       Feeling For Peace

Wednesday:  Speaking For Peace

Thursday:     Acting For Peace

Friday:          Creating For Peace

Saturday:      Sharing For Peace

I am glad that Dr. Chopra includes the existence of God as necessity for finding a way to peace.  He says that the way of peace isn't based on religion or morality. It doesn't ask us to become saints overnight, or to renounce our feelings of anger or our thirst for revenge.  The way of peace is based on the same thing that ushered in the age of science: a leap in consciousness.

Next week I will explore more ways as to how peace can come about.

 

 

Satan's Activities in Human Society

Satan accuses and deceives mankind

Satan is constantly accusing all people before God, as he did Job, in order to drag them into hell. (Job 1:9-11)   However, even Satan cannot perpetrate his evil activity unless he first finds an object partner with whom he can form a common base and engage in give and take action.  Satan's object partners are evil spirits in the spirit world. The object partners to these evil spirits are the spirit selves of evil people on the earth, and the vehicles through which these evil spirit selves act are their physical selves.  Accordingly, the power of Satan is conveyed through evil spirits and is manifested in the activities of earthly people.  For example, Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, (Luke 22:3)  and Jesus once called Peter “Satan.”  (Matt. 16:33) In the Bible, the spirits of evil earthly men are called “angels” of the devil. (Matt. 25:41)

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (à Eschatology) is a restored world in which Satan can no longer instigate any activity.  To realize this world, it is necessary for all humanity to eliminate their common base with Satan, restore their common base with God, and engage in give and take action with Him.  The prophecy that in the Last Days God will confine Satan to a bottomless (Rev. 20:1-3) pit signifies that Satan will be utterly incapable of any activity, since here will no longer be any counterpart with whom Satan can relate.  In order to eliminate our common base with Satan and be capable of judging him (I Cor. 6:3), we must understand the identity and crime of Satan and accuse him before God.

However, God endowed human beings and angels with freedom; therefore, He cannot restore them by force.  Of their own free will, human beings are to bring Satan to voluntary submission by upholding the Word of God through fulfilling their responsibility.  Only in this way can we be restored to the original ideal purposed by God at the creation.  Because God works His providence based on this principle, the history of the providence of restoration has been repeatedly prolonged.  (àPredestination2)

Divine Principle -- The Fall of Man: Section 4.2 -- Satan's Activities in Human Society

As a master of persuasion, Satan easily deceives mankind into focusing on anything but God. Through the theory of evolution, for example, he has convinced millions that God doesn't exist.

~  Satan's Work in OurWorld

This is an excerpt from the Divine Principle taught by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.  Rev. Moon had personal experiences with the fallen archangel Lucifer who became Satan.  To really understand our human problems today, we cannot avoid learning about the true nature of Satan who is the only enemy of mankind.  All the other antagonists are psydo-representatives who challenge us in different ways to make us suffer or change and become stronger.  Rev. Moon discovered the origin of Satan, how he works in our lives, and how he covers his activities in lies and deceptions.   Even though the story of the Fall of Man sounds like a fairytale, it is the symbolic account of what happened to our human ancestors Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Similar versions are found in other religious teachings.  The facts are that we have to look for the root cause of evil and how we can eliminate it.

Intentions versus Goals

While we were discussing the “Universe of Possibilities,” (chapter 2 of the Art of Possibility  one member of our small group discussion insisted that we need concrete goals to achieve any kind of objective, not just have wishes and ideas and think of possibilities.  He pointed out that we need to get out of the “la-la” mentality and not only have good intentions.  Being an engineer, he is used to laying out plans clearly and realistic.

Not until a few days later I became aware of a good explanation how goals and possibility fit together.  Here we go:

For a goal to manifest we need a clear decision and a plan.  The intention is created in the NOW while goals are plans for the future.  A goal without the intention behind is an empty wish.  Although we know we can never truly be certain as to the exact outcome of any event, we can be certain about our intent.  The intention is the outcome you want to achieve.

An intention and a dream are two vastly different things. Watch as Cheryl Richardson explains the difference between a "soul goal" and a "head goal." Plus, find out what lesson Oprah learned about intentions.

Goal setting is warrior mentality – conquering and gaining step by step.  Goals take time and discipline to be accomplished.  It is easy to get discouraged and give up.

Intentions are dreams and passion coming from the gut and more spiritual in nature.  Children play-act their dreams and are absorbed by a world of phantasy which adults often don’t understand.

Goals are mechanic and realistic; intentions are creative and make goals possible.  The difference is in “HOW” – allowing the process be determined by the universe by surrendering the outcome.  We are not in control on how it should happen but BEING certain that it will happen.   Allow the magic of the universe to surprise us.  Create the definite intention for the outcome and surrender the process to the universe.  Intentions come from the heart, goals come from the head.

Dr.Wayne Dyer wrote a book “The Power of Intention:”

 

The “Power of Intention” is related to the “Law of Attraction.”  Dr. Dyer has pulled together the ancient spiritual principles in order to help us realize our unlimited potential and explore infinite possibilities.

“Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life's hard.”

~ John Bytheway

In my own life I have made plans and have created goals which ended very often after a short time because I became discouraged or ‘somebody’ talked me out of it.  I know now that with a well-defined intention I can build up my way to achieve any goal. 

Celestial Phenomenon

I am not an astronomer, just a bit interested in cosmic events and certainly looking for a planetary show.  That’s why I am curious about this month’s full moon event.  We may not be able to see it in our hemisphere (Southwestern Ohio) because of a cloudy sky; none-the-less, it will take place this night and early morning of the 15^th of April.

The blood moon is certainly a rare phenomenon; Monday night will host a rare celestial event: a “blood moon,” which occurs when the earth spins between the sun and the moon.  The four up-coming blood moon (also known as the tetrad) will occur in roughly 6-month intervals on the following dates: April 15, 2014, October 8, 2014, April 4, 2015 and September 28, 2015.

 

What is a Lunar Eclipse?

A lunar eclipse can be watched with the naked eyes.  When the earth moves between the sun and the moon, the moon will be temporarily darkened and disappear from our watch.  This month’s “Blood Moon” gets its name from the reddish hue which surrounds the moon because of the indirect sunlight which will illuminate it.

 
Some people believe that the additional showing of the “Cardinal Grand Cross” is a significant astrological occurrence and gives deep importance to prophetic meaning.

 

 

The astronomical event co-insides with a rocket launch to Mars which marks a big space day.

 

Some other people consider the astronomical incident part of prophecies recorded in the Bible such as in Matthew 24:29:

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”

 

John Hagee, a TV and MegaChurch Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Texas, has preached sermons on the “Red Moon Prophecy” which he claims foreshadow “a world-shaking event.”

 

 
"There's a sense in the world that things are changing and God is trying to communicate with us in a supernatural way."

"I believe that in these next two years, we're going to see something dramatic happen in the Middle East involving Israel that will change the course of history in the Middle East and impact the whole world."

~ Rev. John Hagee to CBN News.
 

On the other side of the world Buddhist tradition observes eclipses as high holy days;  during those days believers offer special prayers and set new intentions.  The idea is that what we keep in our thoughts and declare our intention during these times reverberates throughout time, space and all dimensions.

Whatever our beliefs are, we can always benefits from positive intentions and reflect on ways we can materialize them.  With all the turmoil we hear of and may experience in our own lives, it will be helpful to take a reflective stand and be open for Divine intervention.

  

Every Path Leads Home

I have been part of the Religious Recovery Group for about a year now.  Having met Wayne Holmes years ago at a Toastmasters Club I thought that I knew something about him.  I knew that he was an aspiring author, a dedicated father and husband and a loyal citizen.  When I met him again as the founder of the Religious Recovery Program, I discovered his deep love for the Devine and his profound desire to help his fellow man who has been disappointed, discouraged and betrayed by their various religious experiences.

Wayne describes in Every Path Leads Home the different religions he has studied, and the many various disillusionments he has encountered.  Through all this he has strengthened his faith and is dedicated to serve his God the best he knows how to.

The Religious Recovery Program described in the book follows somewhat the 12-Step (in his case 13 steps) Program of Al-Anon.  These steps are complemented by 13 stones which provide a guideline to follow and challenge us to awaken to new possibilities of spirituality beyond religion.

The Religious Recovery Program encourages religious tolerance and to build relationships beyond traditional religious segregation.  Therefore, Every Path Leads Home goes further than doctrines and promotes forgiveness, reconciliation and acceptance.

Even though, I am very happy with my faith,  I am still working on an authentic way of life.  In the past forty something years of pursuing my spiritual journey I have dealt with plenty of criticism, rejection, persecution and misunderstanding both within the church and from the outside.  It is only natural when we look at human relationships that problems arise.  When men lost their connection to the Divine during the Fall of Man, we also lost our connection with each other.  Mankind is now like a big family of children who are fighting among each other because their parents have been absent.

Reading Wayne’s book Every Path Leads Home is one other step to bridge the gap between God and man.  The book is a resourceful testimony of finding the spiritual path rather than the religious.  Although religions have had their purpose throughout human history, their true purpose of bringing man back to God has often been distorted. None-the-less, the many various religions have become mainstreamed into Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.   Rev. Sun Myung Moon speaks about the unification of all religions on the return of the “true man.”  Most major religious teachings are talking about the return of their leader/founder.  This Messiah/Savior concept has Jews expect the Jewish Messiah, the Christians wait for Christ’s return, the Muslims anticipate the Mahdi or Isa (Arabic name for Jesus), while the Buddhists believe in the arrival of the Maitreya, and the Hindus wait for the Kalki. 

During this time where we are all looking for connecting in a new way with the Divine, we often have a spiritual awakening where nothing of the past makes sense any more.  We may interpret it as disappointment or betrayal and wait for other bad things to happen.  Or we can also use it as an opportunity to reinvent ourselves to live a more authentic life.  

 

Danger of Perfectionism

There is a common saying that nobody is perfect, yet that does not keep some of us from trying.  In general, there is nothing wrong with doing our best and excelling, even competing with others for the first spot. 

Many Christians try to follow Jesus and his words from the “Sermon on the Mount:” 

 

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

~ Matthew 5:48

What is the meaning of this perfection which Jesus suggested?

·       According to the dictionary, perfection means: the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.

·       The word "perfection" derives from the Latin "perfectio", and "perfect" — from "perfectus." These expressions in turn come from "perficio" — "to finish", "to bring to an end."

·       The philosopher Aristotle defines perfection as:

1. which is complete — which contains all the requisite parts;

2. which is so good that nothing of the kind could be better;
3. which has attained its purpose.

Once we understand what our human purpose (human beings are created to be the center of harmony of the whole cosmos) is, I don’t see it as an impossibility of reaching that perfect state.

“Ring the bells that still can ring

 Forget your perfect offering.
 There is a crack in everything,
 That's how the light gets in.”
 ~Leonard Cohen, Canadian musician, poet and novelist

Today, more than ever before, we have learned about spiritual principles like The Law of Attraction.  We understand that it has the same or even greater consequences than physical laws such as the Law of Gravity.

God gave us spiritual laws to direct us on our journey here on earth so that we have some guidelines for our lives.  Traditionally, religions were the source of these principles, since they dealt with spiritual matters.  Unfortunately, there are so many religions and so many different ways to present these principles that people often get confused, and in the worst way, throw out all of these instructions.

“Many people think of perfectionism as striving to be your best, but it is not about self-improvement; it's about earning approval and acceptance.”

~ Brene Brown, American scholar, author, public speaker on vulnerability.

There is a trend toward perfectionism though which is downright unhealthy and causes mental illness.

Extreme perfectionism:

·       Causes anxiety

·       Causes worry
 

      ·       Causes arrogance

·       Shuts out emotions

·       Creates unrealistic expectations

·       Creates paralysis by analysis

·       Avoids suffering

·       Tries to keep control

·       Tries to do everything by oneself without help from others

 

I am sure we could add many more symptoms of extreme perfectionism which can be dangerous for lives. 

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” 

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1900-1944  French writer and aviator
 

I was reading a book In Pursuit of Perfect by Tal Ben-Shahar who uses his observations to shed more light on reaching happiness instead of perfection.  Tal is an optimistic force in bringing positive psychology to the general public.  Positive psychology focuses on happiness, self-esteem, optimism, and joy.  Among Mr. Ben-Shahar’s attention I like the one on being grateful the most.  Gratitude creates a base for happiness and opens a passage to communicate with the Divine, our Heavenly Parents.