Sacred Awakening

Jesus says, “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” (Luke 12:23)

By now most of you know that this is not a typical Jesus blog. The perspective presented here is one of awakening better known as enlightenment or freedom from suffering—awakening to the truth of yourself in the Heart of Christ. It is not a Christian blog in that it does not adhere to any kind of dogma, catechism or Christian denomination. On the simplest level this blog is simply an invitation turn your attention where Jesus is pointing. What does he want you to see, to hear, to understand? If you think you know, stop for a moment and not know. Not knowing offers you the simple opportunity to discover for yourself without any idea or concept. Inquiring is self-discovery and it is through your own discovery that the profound depth of his message can be recognized, not understood, but recognized. It is a discovery so sacred so pristine it contains the power to change your life forever. Truly, it is a sacred awakening.

Jesus says, “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” (Luke 12:23) Jesus offers you many clues that lead to self-discovery. If you look at his words as a question, rather than a statement, you have an opportunity to look into eternity. What is life? How is you body more than clothing? For years I was mystified by the Bible, it seemed that there was some hidden message that was not easily perceived, the language was strange, and incomprehensible—it left me feeling unfulfilled and disillusioned. In 1997 I had a profound mystical experience of Jesus that was the catalyst for a search for Truth. This search ended in July of 2001 when a profoundly deep prayer led me to one of the most profound teachers of our time—Gangaji. Her simple invitation, ‘To stop, be still, be quiet and discover who you are at the core,’ opened the flood gates of true wisdom. Suddenly all scripture became crystal clear. It didn’t matter if it was the sutras of Buddha, the words of Christ, the Quran, or the Upanishads—suddenly, infallibly I heard with out hearing the deepest message of Truth—the deepest message of Jesus—it was and continues to be a Sacred Awakening. Gangaji has been invited to participate in a global conversation that includes many of the world’s leading spiritual teachers in The Shift Network’s Sacred Awakening conference series—a deep conversation that contemplates the question: What does it mean to live a sacred life? Later this month you can participate in this conversation with Gangaji by phone. How can this global meeting help you to understand the teaching of Jesus on an even deeper level?

Sacred Awakening

Jesus says, “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” (Luke 12:23)

By now most of you know that this is not a typical Jesus blog. The perspective presented here is one of awakening better known as enlightenment or freedom from suffering—awakening to the truth of yourself in the Heart of Christ. It is not a Christian blog in that it does not adhere to any kind of dogma, catechism or Christian denomination. On the simplest level this blog is simply an invitation turn your attention where Jesus is pointing. What does he want you to see, to hear, to understand? If you think you know, stop for a moment and not know. Not knowing offers you the simple opportunity to discover for yourself without any idea or concept. Inquiring is self-discovery and it is through your own discovery that the profound depth of his message can be recognized, not understood, but recognized. It is a discovery so sacred so pristine it contains the power to change your life forever. Truly, it is a sacred awakening.

Jesus says, “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” (Luke 12:23) Jesus offers you many clues that lead to self-discovery. If you look at his words as a question, rather than a statement, you have an opportunity to look into eternity. What is life? How is you body more than clothing? For years I was mystified by the Bible, it seemed that there was some hidden message that was not easily perceived, the language was strange, and incomprehensible—it left me feeling unfulfilled and disillusioned. In 1997 I had a profound mystical experience of Jesus that was the catalyst for a search for Truth. This search ended in July of 2001 when a profoundly deep prayer led me to one of the most profound teachers of our time—Gangaji. Her simple invitation, ‘To stop, be still, be quiet and discover who you are at the core,’ opened the flood gates of true wisdom. Suddenly all scripture became crystal clear. It didn’t matter if it was the sutras of Buddha, the words of Christ, the Quran, or the Upanishads—suddenly, infallibly I heard with out hearing the deepest message of Truth—the deepest message of Jesus—it was and continues to be a Sacred Awakening. Gangaji has been invited to participate in a global conversation that includes many of the world’s leading spiritual teachers in The Shift Network’s Sacred Awakening conference series—a deep conversation that contemplates the question: What does it mean to live a sacred life? Later this month you can participate in this conversation with Gangaji by phone. How can this global meeting help you to understand the teaching of Jesus on an even deeper level?

Fulfillment

A disciple asks, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (John 6:60)

In the Sacred Awakening conference call with Gangaji, she described her profoundly deep prayer for a teacher. A few years later she received a miraculous answer to her prayer when she met her teacher, Papaji, on the banks of the river Ganga in India. At that time she thought he would give her some spiritual practice or mantra, but to her surprise he asked her to do nothing, to be still, to stop everything and inquire into the depths of herself. It was the last thing that she had ever considered and her moment of stopping was the beginning of a profoundly deep discovery that led to lasting fulfillment. What is this fulfillment that she discovered? How do you attain fulfillment in life?

Jesus responds, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63) Life moves fast. It is very rare for you or anyone to stop even for a moment to contemplate the nature of life—What is your life? What is the Spirit that gives life? What is this deep longing? During the call Gangaji explained, “In all of the traditions everywhere whether they were religious or secular, that doesn’t even matter, there is this deep desire in the human being to discover something that is bigger, something that is more. Whether you are a scientist, artist, or a spiritual seeker, that desire is a very natural part of us.” Gangaji realized and Jesus points to something bigger, something astonishing, something so close to you it is closer than your breath. This teaching of Jesus is not the teaching supported by the world—as one disciple realized, it is a hard teaching, hard to understand and harder still to apply. On Saturday March, 2010 at 2PM Pacific Time USA(please see next page for registration info) I will be hosting a conference call that will begin a global conversation, a conversation that will contemplate the question—What offers you lasting fulfillment and how can life itself help you to understand the teaching of Jesus on an even deeper level?

Where is God?

Since this blogs inception there have been many verbal stones cast. I have been called an abomination, a false prophet, a false teacher, a heretic and the book of Timothy has been thrown in my face—After all according to Timothy women should not teach. Whew! It is a really good thing I am not teaching you anything. On the other hand I have also been given more compliments than I can count, someone even went so far as referring to me as the ‘Helper’ that Jesus prophesized that he would send—and have to say that is more than a little far fetched. Naturally, it was easy to receive the compliments and at times it was painful to receive the harsh criticism until I really stopped and opened my heart fully to receive this criticism without making any movement to fix or change it—and in that sacred stopping, realized even more deeply that Love bears all things. It is hard to believe that it has been four years since I started writing articles for this blog. Certainly, I have discovered first hand that it is not easy to be a messenger or more accurately a pointer or a road sign. I have stated it many times in comments and in the many articles that I have written—I am not teaching you anything, I am not drawing any conclusions, or telling you what to think, or asking you to become a Christian, or abandon Jesus, or disavow your religious beliefs. I am, however, pointing to something that tends to challenge the generally accepted norm of Christianity and perhaps more importantly, I am extending an invitation to you to look where Jesus is pointing and deeply inquire into your own heart.

Jesus says, “I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20) If Jesus is in God, and you are in Jesus, and Jesus is in you—How is it that you are separate from God? The tendency is to put Jesus on a pedestal, stare at his finger, and forget to look where he is pointing. In the latest blog I have been accused of drawing conclusions that somehow fall short of the kingdom of heaven or imply that you are God and that salvation is really up to you. It is a generally accepted belief that the kingdom of heaven is somewhere else, Jesus is God and salvation occurs through him, which naturally gives rise to the questions—What does salvation through Jesus really mean? Where is the kingdom of heaven? Who is God? Or more accurately where is God? Jesus is very plain about the location of God and who you really are, as well as the path of salvation, but your mind has a difficult time stopping to recognize this vast presence. The Truth of this vastness is so close to you it is very difficult to perceive. As Jesus explains, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:14) Where is the narrow gate? Why is the way difficult? And why do so few discover this gate? How can this deep inquiry help you understand the teaching of Jesus on an even deeper level?

Love Simple

esus says, “Abide in My Love.” (John 15:9)

Almost four weeks ago my life changed forever. On March 31, 2010 I had major surgery at Providence Hospital in Medford Oregon to remove cysts that were causing debilitating pain. Providence is the divine guidance of God and this guidance is the infinite Love that is always present never absent—the infinite Love that you are. It is the essence of life itself. The common experience for most people is to be completely unaware of this infinite Love, this omniscient guidance that is continually flowing through your life. Certainly, I have witnessed this invisible guidance at work in my life more than once and this recent surgery offers a perfect example. Dr. Lanita Witt was highly recommended by my doctor and, due to her reputation of being one of the best doctors in her field, it looked like it would be several weeks before I could see her, but when Dr. Witt saw my chart she immediately cleared her schedule and an appointment was made for February. On that cold raining day of my first appointment I was surprised to see a crucifix hanging on the wall across from the receptionist and was even more surprised to see a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus in the lobby. ‘Hmmmm…’ I thought to myself, ‘This is no ordinary hospital!’ My first appointment was almost three hours in length—I have never had a doctor spend so much time reviewing everything. It was obvious from the ultrasound images combined with the intense pain that I was experiencing that surgery was going to be necessary. And with all the technology and professionalism what overwhelmed me the most was the Love. The Love that mysteriously led me to this Grace filled hospital and the very humble, loving, compassionate doctor who quite literally saved my life.

Jesus says, “Abide in My Love.” (John 15:9) Abidance is the state of abiding—unending, unchanging, unshakeable. Abiding in Love is simply stopping to recognizing that you are that endless, unending, unchanging Love. Love is so simple and so few perceive this infinitude. In 1827 a young woman named Émilie Gamelin was more than likely not thinking of herself as Love. She was still grieving the loss of her first two children who died shortly after their birth, when her husband died of a long illness, and as if this heartbreak wasn’t enough, it was soon followed by the shattering heartbreak of the death of her third and only remaining child. The heartbreak of this young woman was so intense that the only thing that offered her any solace was service to others in need. She devoted all of her time to caring for the sick, the elderly, orphans, and the mentally ill as well as those in prison. In 1840 she became a postulate of the Catholic Church in Montreal Canada. And on March 30, 1844 she founded the Sisters of Providence Catholic Order as Mother Gamelin, the first Superior General of the young community. Mother Gamelin later became known asMother of the Poor and her shelters became known as the House of Providence. It was the Sisters of Providence who carried on the work of Mother Gamelin building the Providence Hospital where my surgery was performed as well as several other hospitals in Canada as well as the west coast of the United States. The profundity of Mother Gamelin’s tireless work and service are encapsulated in her final words. What were Mother Gamelin’s last words and how can this life experience at Providence Hospital help you to understand the teaching of Jesus on an even deeper level?

What do you Trust?

For weeks now I have been wondering what to do with this blog. Is it really serving you? Is it helping you to see the deepest Truth that Jesus is eternally pointing you toward? Certainly, there is a prevalent fear of false prophets, false teachers, false leaders, and the great fear that the end of the world is near. In contemplating this the question arose, ‘What do you trust?” Can your thoughts be trusted? Your feelings? Can people be trusted? And a deeper question arises, “What can always be trusted?” Certainly if you are in the dark, if you are ignorant of truth, ignorant of the freedom, ignorant of the peace that surpasses all understanding, you are like a man walking in the darkness not knowing where you are going.

Jesus continues, “Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35) Where is this light? What is this light? What is the nature of light? Emotions change. Feelings change. People, places and things in your life are in constant flux, constant change. Life itself is a continuum of change, but what is it that never changes? What is always present regardless of your circumstances, your emotions, your wealth or your poverty, your tears or your laughter, your health or your sickness? Stop for a moment and ask yourself, “What do I trust? What is present when I am happy and when I am sad?” What is always present that can always be trusted?

What do you trust?