MAKING IT THROUGH THE DAY

Another gorgeous Morning, on this spot, on planet Earth. After three weeks of Fall like weather, Summer is returning. I was getting use to the cool days and cooler nights, I don't know that I will welcome August heat.

We are told we are on the threshold of Paradise. That we need to wake up! However, the world is still in the throws of rebirth. A lot of good things are happening but they are rarely detailed in the mainstream media. We get seduced into waiting and hoping.

We know that waiting is not good for us. Many of us, me included, are horrible at it. Waiting creates tension and it causes you to miss the moment. We are told that everything is 'now'. Love, joy and peace are NOW. We know that. We have read it. We intend to stay in the now. What happens? How do we slip up?

We need to do more of that basic work. Our Hearts want to stay in the now. Our Hearts are Love. Somehow our hearts have been replaced by our minds. Now our minds are great at figuring things out. But Logic without Love is Heartless! The mind needs to be guided by the heart, many of us have it in reverse. Many of us have learned not to trust our hearts; we find ourselves trusting heartless logic.

Okay, we understand that. How can we change? How can we let our heart take the lead? The simple answer is: whenever we Love our Hearts are in the lead. True; but, it is never that simple. There is work to do. We need to divest ourselves of all the ideas, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that have become automatic. These aspects of our minds, trigger responses, that take us out of the moment. Without realizing it, we find ourselves riding one of these steeds, that carry us away from our heart and the moment. There are little thoughts, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, that we cling to, because we believe they protect us. They are based on fear but we may not recognize that at first. When we first realized we needed to clean up our act, we addressed the obvious, fear based ideas, we had. Many little things escaped our notice.

Let us take one example: worry. Even our logic tells us worry has no value. It can't change the future. It can't change the past. Yet, because we have developed some kind of superstition; 'what we worry about won't happen'. Or we feel it is only responsible to worry. Or we feel, 'anybody in their right mind would worry'. We accept it is okay to worry. We know it hurts us. We know we tend to create what we focus on. We know that worry is painful. We know we can't love and worry at the same time. It always takes us out of the moment.

How do we stop worrying? We need to look for the underlying idea that makes us think it is protective. We need to change our minds.

Worry comes in all flavors and sizes. When we get up in the Morning are we concerned about the tasks that need to be accomplished that day? Does our concern shade into worry that we won't be able to do them? Do we make a mental [or written] to do list? Does this, to do list, cast us out of the moment, in to the future? These are things to look at. We all have heard of going with the flow. We can have our lists, and stay in the moment, accomplishing each task. That is going with the flow. But if something {life} interrupts the flow; a neighbor drops by, somebody calls on the phone, the tool you were going to use won't work; then you go with that flow. If you stay in the moment and love what is in front of you; everything is always okay.

We are evolving. We are becoming whole. Our fragmented selves are coming together. Soon the the separation between our hearts and minds won't even be a memory. We will be one. We will be heartmind.

Well, I need to go with the flow into that kitchen and transform it.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

DOING

When I am in a social gathering, people will, inevitably, ask me, "What have you been doing?" I don't remember that question occurring, very often, when I was working. In my last job, as the Program Manager of Family and Children Services in a large metropolitan county, I might have had something to say that might have grabbed their interest. Probably not; I am just not good at that question. Since I retired, however, people seem to ask that question, all the time, and again I am not good at that question. Do they want to know how to mend a fence, feed chickens, water the sheep and goats, weed the garden, butcher a chicken, spread new bedding on the floor of the various animal houses? I never know how to respond. I have more to do than I ever get done; but I work leisurely, and get a nap in most days.

Today, I got up, did my usual exercises. Carafed the coffee [Jamie was up first and made it]. Drank my first cup while looking on the internet, partly hoping for some inspiration for this blog, didn't find much. Repaired to the living room for my second cup. Did the crossword puzzle [yesterday's paper], On completion, I went out to do my Morning chores. They consist of letting my new chickens out [the broilers and replacement pullets] and then going a hundred yards to the main chicken coop and barn area, where I let my old hens out and check the water for the sheep and feed for the hens, and replenish if necessary. Usually, I do a short meditation, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.

Then it is back in the house. At this point, I generally set up the dishes, get them soaking in the sink and then wash them, when I am done with my blog. Today, I didn't do much cleaning up. I have quite a mess to clean up after our wonderful roast chicken dinner last night. When I am done with the dishes, I usually read, discuss [argue] with my beautiful wife, sometimes I nap for one half hour.

Around, 2:30PM, I go to town and get the paper and get the mail. I read the paper and do all the little things that need doing. Water the houseplants, balance the check book etc. At 4:30PM, or so, I do the afternoon chores. I freshen the water for the young chickens and give them feed. I then go to the chicken coop and gather the eggs. I look around for an egg, an errant hen may have laid, somewhere other than the chicken coop, there is usually one in the barn. Often I will do my second meditation of the day, again time varies.

By now it is usually 5:30PM. I finish reading the paper. Check a few things out on my ipad; stock market etc. About twice a week Jamie suggest a libation before dinner. It usually sounds like a good idea.

We usually sit out on the porch talking about everything imaginable until the coolness drives us in; which is about 9:PM now. Before dusk I go out one more time to check on my animals. I lock up both chicken houses and say good night to the chickens, sheep and goats.

In the Summer we watch little television; unless we have a Netflick. I will watch part of the Letterman or Leno shows most nights. Jamie is, usually, in bed by 10:30 PM. I, always, read some things on the internet before I go to bed, which is usually 12:45AM.

There are variations. Every Tuesday, our friend from across the lake, comes over and visits from 10:30AM to 12:30PM. Yesterday, however, we had a visit from a good friend, who was once, a neighbor and then, a current neighbor. We had company all day long, until 7PM.

Of course, we like to go to town, shopping and visiting, and we do that at least twice a week. And I blog three times a week.

So that is the doing. Hey, it is the being that is important. How am I feeling and thinking when I go through my daily routine? Does the sight of my animals expand my heart? Does the antics of those young chickens fill me with love? Do I glory in the magnificent outdoors? Am I madly in love with the trees, bushes, grasses, weeds and the Earth they live on? Am I, absolutely, in awe of the day, the clouds, the blue sky? Am I enchanted with this world we live in, that continues to entice me with its magic?

Am I amazed, in the presence of the being, of the person, who is my wife? Am I continually impressed by her intelligence, scholarship and search for the truth? Am I continually amazed by her tolerance, acceptance and capacity to love? Do I know myself to be one of the most fortunate people on the face of the Earth?

Nobody asks me those questions. Well, I got a big mess to clean up in the kitchen.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

OUT OF SHADOWS

These Mornings have been Heaven on Earth. I got my dishes done before I did the outdoor chores, something I rarely achieve. I worked my way out of the 'shadows', that I alluded to in Friday's blog. Our egos can cast deep and long shadows. However, we need to know it is unnecessary. The Source, God, Shiva, Allah, whatever you want to call the Prime Creator does not want us to suffer. Nor does S/he judge. Our Source is Unconditional Love. Judgment would be preposterous. It is our choice, based on guilt and shame, to suffer and spend time in the shadows. We need to be clear, we don't need to do this! Help is available. Ask for it. Those who, are uncomfortable, with the idea of guides, or any deity, can imagine themselves, having a higher consciousness, that can see the whole picture. We can have a conversation with our greater self. We can talk to ourselves as if talking to a friend. Help will be forthcoming.

The light is very bright and we don't need to be in the shadows any longer. As, each one, finds the light, the more is available. It grows exponentially. Every time we smile at a stranger, we increase the love available to all.

The more we are able to stay lovingly connected with ourselves and each other, the easier these coming months will be. We have been waiting for a long time for 'Heaven on Earth' and the wait is almost over. However, the old systems have to finish their collapse. Those of us who had faith in our institutions; especially religion, economics and politics will, likely, experience a rude surprise. It will become very clear how these systems have kept us down and kept us from knowing the truth of who we are. The corruption has been on a scale unimaginable, except for the worst cynics among us.

There will be information coming out about the Vatican and the Vatican bank that would have seemed unimaginable a few months ago. The current pope appears to be ready to lead the reformation. He has already indicated that the Vatican's immunity from prosecution will be lifted September first.

The corporate stranglehold on the government is loosening. It is based on money that does not exist. The Federal Reserve has been pumping numbers into the big banks now for years. Numbers that represent nothing. These numbers are suppose to counteract the toxic sludge of credit default swaps and other bizarre gambling instruments. These numbers are in the billions, a month, and they have stimulated nothing. The banks have used them to buy up real assets as much as they are able. However, it has been a miserable failure. Those of us, who felt, they knew what they were doing will be in for a rude surprise. The rest of the world has discerned that the United States and European financial systems are in free fall and they have no "real" money. China, Russia and others have been selling off their U.S. treasury instruments and buying gold. There is a very strong rumor that these countries will jointly issue a gold backed currency. That will be the end of the U.S. dollar on the world market. Domestically, the dollar will hold up as long as people believe in it. I don't think the collapse of the financial system will be tragic. I think it will be shocking and surprising, but there are good people, of foresight, who have been preparing for this eventuality.

 It will be much easier, for us in the coming months, if we focus on the paradise we want, rather than look back at the destruction. We will be better off avoiding mainstream media news. They are still controlled, by the collapsing money interests, and they will ramp up the hysteria, and not talk about what is really happening.

Those of us who are not having these conversations with each other, might seek them out. We need to be connected in our communities. Talk about gardening, food storage e.g. canning, drying, root cellaring etc. We in the Midwest, may not be able to get food from California, Texas, Arizona, Florida etc. It is not too farfetched, to believe, we will have to rely on local foods.

This can be a great adventure and not something to dread. If we keep in mind that love is everything and we, and everybody else, is lovable, there will be no difficulty we can't meet. Right action comes out of inner peace. If we seek the peace, inside us, before we act our choices will bring love and joy. As we become more 'awake' we will see our long nightmare is over. We will see how things are meant to be. We will know love, peace and joy as permanent parts of our experience. No longer will they be illusive states, we long for.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

WORTHINESS

Another spectacular Morning! After, I let out my little chickens, then my big chickens, I decided to wend my way to my meditation spot in the center of the sheep pasture. the pasture is very overgrown. I sold my sheep last year and didn't get replacements in time to keep the pasture down. And, this is a very verdant year.

First, one has to travel through a thicket of wormwood; past that, is long matted down grass, trampled by the sheep, not grazed. When there is this much pasture and a few sheep, they search for tender morsels at the root of the grass plant and ignore the overgrowth. I would need twenty more sheep if I wanted them to eat it down, so it was lawn like.

When I reached the meditation place {about a quarter way down} I sat down and looked around me. About fifty feet in front of me were some tall Mulleins, thrusting their candles to the sky. They are at least six foot tall. The candles aren't yellow, yet, but they, still, are magnificent. They have a cathedral like grace about them. 

 I meditated for awhile and when I opened my eyes I observed the sheep, close off to my right, I glanced to my left and I saw three deer, two does and a fawn, crossing the pasture. They were not aware of me. One doe went down the steep bank to the pond and drank. The other doe and her fawn, crossed in front of me, as they made their way across the pasture. The sheep paid no attention.

On the way back to the house, I pass under a large, mature, crab apple. It is thickly adorned with marble sized red fruit. The fruit is, perhaps, a little larger than marbles and stays on the tree all winter. Over wintering, Robins love the tree and it hosts Cedar Waxwings in late Winter. The deer, strip the lower branches, of fruit, in late Autumn.

This experience was reconnecting and I needed it. I have been going through, my version, of hell lately. It may have been coming on slowly but it manifested a few days ago, with the new moon. In the last few weeks, every little embarrassing incident, came to my mind, for review. Things that happened 70 years ago and things that happened yesterday. Things that, I felt, I forgave myself for, years ago, became fresh in my mind. Most of the things were simple little embarrassments, not things where I really might have hurt somebody; but there were some of those, too.

In a recent blog, I mentioned, how we may absorb family programs and not see the significance of them until years later. My family had a shame based program under the surface. Obvious shame, was not easily observable, in most of the family members, they were very intelligent and very intellectual, but lack of self esteem kept them from fulfilling their promise. They could talk about, how wonderful they were, but they couldn't achieve much.

I absorbed this shame. I could tie this shame to incidents, but it would not be accurate, for it doesn't have real behavioral genesis. It was taken in, the way one breathes oxygen. Thus without a real tie, that one can use forgiveness for, it is work to overcome. Forgiveness has a role, of course, forgiveness of the family and the system that engendered the shame.

For most of my life, I was able to out run it. I was fortunate, in that I knew of its existence, I didn't suffer every day feeling ashamed and not know why. There was some of that experience, too.

So, what happens now? We are at a point in our evolution, where we "fish or cut bait". We accept who we are, beings of Love, and part of Source, or we don't. Now is the time to know we are free. Absolutely free. Free to create our dreams. My sources, emphasize we are now free of all our past errors. Human kind, as a whole, is now free, of the influence, of all their past mistakes. No karma. No obligations to fulfill. We are free. We are free to experience love and to love.

I bring up my own personal experiences, because I know, many people are struggling with their own version of my situation. One thing to keep in mind, is that we have no business judging, especially ourselves. If we are part of Source and loved unconditionally, how can we be so arrogant as to judge ourselves? We are putting ourselves above all of creation and saying, we know better. Wow! That is arrogant isn't it. Let us accept Source's evaluation of us. Let us remind ourselves continuously that we are Love. It is only our little self that doesn't get it; our wonderful little egos, try desperately to hang on. Let us kiss them and put them to bed.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

GIVING UP JUDGEMENT

It is a remarkably beautiful Morning. It is cool and Sunny and the most amazing thing, I finished the chores this Morning, before I realized, there were no mosquitoes!

We are instructed to give up judgement, if we want to achieve happiness and grow spiritually. I imagine, we all, agree on that. It is easy, right? You catch yourself judging and you dispense with the thought. I know this blogger has made it sound easy and it is for some people. How about the judgements you don't know you are making? How about judgements that seem to be built into your very identity?

I will use an example of my own family. My Mother and other adults in my family would never tolerate any pejorative slur on any race, religion, nationality etc. Using those key words risked getting your mouth washed out with soap. Yet, they didn't have any trouble judging the judgers. They didn't seem to catch their own sense of superiority, as they looked around them, and found themselves a little better than most. To complicate matters, their superiority was based on some sense of low self-esteem. Some sense that they were not quite able to make it, in the world, as well as others. This second feeling was well masked by the feeling of superiority, which became the excuse for everything.

Growing up in a family, you adopt the open and surface prejudices, as well as the ones,  that make up the undercurrent. When we decide to give up judgment of others, it is relatively easy to see those surface judgments. The trouble with those undercurrent judgements, is that since the family denied them, they are absorbed by the child as part of their ego identity. This is an area where I can only use myself as an example. As I was growing up, I rejected the superiority idea. I could see the "emperor wore no clothes". I absorbed the low self esteem idea. I could only feel it. I could not see where it came from, until much later in my life. Despite, that I knew the superiority idea was nonsense, I used it as a defense against the feelings of inferiority. Does anybody really feel superior, because they really think they are superior? I haven't.

In the process of giving up judgment we will come against those automatic hidden judgements that have become part of our identity[ego structure]. If one has a significant other, that accompanies them on their spiritual journey, they may be happy to be part of one's enlightenment. If we listen, without defensiveness, we will learn.

Our biggest struggle is giving up self judgement. How we judge others is easier to see. The judging of self, often comes in feelings, that surface now and then, they are not always easy to interpret. If we accept, that we are lovable, and those feelings are an untruth, we will be able to diffuse them and gradually leave them behind.

The energy of Love is very high, right now. Now is the time to recognize our lovableness. The best way to deal with self judgement is to accept ourselves, warts and all. We are all great beings of light. We have no need to regret our ego identities. They serve as teaching devices for each other. We will relinquish  them when they are no longer useful. Let us love and appreciate ourselves. Know that our Oneness grows and our egos attenuate.

Love and Peace,  Gregg 

GOOD MORNING

For the second time [in only a couple weeks] I left the page without hitting the publish button and lost my blog. I worked on it for more than two hours and it was painful. No, I didn't deal with it in the mature way I recommend. When I was expressing my anguish to Jamie, she said: "Well you better sit down and write it again." I didn't take that well and scapegoated her. So can I write it again? Can I quit being a miserable human being and recreate it? Let us a see.

Before the debacle:

It has been a perfect Morning. I slept well. Everything has been proceeding well. The chickens, sheep and goats are happy and doing their thing. This Summer's weather continues weird. It is the first week of August and the weather is more like the August/September hub. We are enjoying the cool nights.

Noah and Gregory left yesterday for California. The departure affected all of us but Elijah expressed the most sadness. His cousin Gregory was his, much loved, older brother for two weeks. Their departure left a hole, but by this Morning, the hole was filled with deep peace. All is well. We had a very good visit.

It is a Good Morning! It is a fresh opportunity to create a new experience. A new opportunity to discover ourselves. Who am I? Who are you? If we are one, it is the same answer. We are part of source. What is Source? Source is the energy of creation-where all things derive. We, therefore, are creators. Everything we perceive is our creation. Let us put it behind us once and for all, we create this world we live in. We can not help it. We either create with Love or miss-create with Fear. It is continuous, the world flows from us. Accepting, we are responsible for the world, is a good thing; we can change it.

It has been difficult for us. We have been taught to miss-create with fear. Our minds have been filled with conflict; love and peace are often driven out. We are told, we are creators; yet we feel powerless. What do we manifest when we feel powerless? This sad state of affairs is rapidly receding. We are realizing our power. First: we could see how, our thoughts and feelings, influence our life experiences. Second: we begin to see the influence, our thoughts and feelings, have on others. We have tuned in to love. We have experience, how much a smile can make. We have felt the warm glow of love from others. We know they have felt it from us.

The creations, we want to see, come from deep peace. The creative state is quiet, it is peaceful. Our power comes from peace. When our behavior comes from peace, it creates peace. Collectively, we have been bringing love and peace to the world. It is expanding. It is infectious. Love and Peace are growing.

How can we as individuals contribute? What do we do? We can start by accepting, at least, intellectually, that love is [the only] power. Accept oneness as a reality and, all, have immense and equal power. When we go about our day, beware of any nuggets of fear that crop up. When they come up, isolate them, turn then over in your mind and say to yourself, "This is not my thought", then release it.

We can imagine ourselves in a sea of love. Imagine the whole universe is love. Imagine love filling your whole body. Imagine it filling up, every cell, from the top of your head to your toes. Marinate in love. Soak in a love spa. Join with the love. Love yourself. Do this several times a day. Wear a warm glow of love where ever you go.

We will do more to save the world by learning to accept ourselves, with all our imagined warts, than by doing anything. We may discover, our warts, are beauty spots.

Love and Peace,  Gregg

PEACE

Haven't we all got up some Mornings and were a little crabby? We may complain about mundane things. Little things, that we usually ignore, somehow irritate us. We may say a truth, but with an edge. We seem  to invite comment, but when a family member asks us if we are crabby, we deny it. We say, "Everything is fine, I was just commenting". We are lying through our teeth, but we are innocent, we are lying to ourselves, too. We don't realize, yet, we are crabby.  As we keep going like this, it becomes obvious to us, as well as our associates. Someone will volunteer to point it out to us, usually a family member.

We can be crabby without having an inkling of what it is about. It is not always a good idea to search for the reason. Once we are aware of it, we take responsibility for it. When we look for peace within us, we will find it. We may need to close our eyes for a few minutes and let the tension drain away. We will find it.

Until peace has a prominent place in our being, we will find ourselves crabby, occasionally. Peace, deep peace is basic. It is a reflection  of source, it is the quiet energy of all that is, it underlies all energy, everything. Love and Peace, at the base, are synonymous. However, love and joy as we experience them, depends on peace.

Our bodies, spirit and minds are not always in harmony. And, of course, our egos continue to make conflict. We are composed of energy systems, body spirit and mind, that need to be in harmony. And, at least, the body and mind are composed of subsystems. We don't need to know how this works. Some of us may delve into the complexity, of what makes us, what we are. We can bring deep peace to our being, without full understanding the process.

Not many of us have experienced deep peace for any length of time. We get glimpses. We can experience it when meditating. We lapse, spontaneously, into very peaceful states. Generally they don't last. We can cultivate peace. Meditation helps. It helps to have a baseline, knowing what peace feels like. We do know what it feels like, but we don't, all, know how to appreciate it; to sink into it; to become it.

We will find that a great deal is accomplished just by realizing how important peace is. By knowing peace exist at the core of your being, we can be confidant that we can access it. When we quit being sanguine about disturbing our peace, we will catch ourselves, and seek it in the moment.

When we discover how important peace is, we will cherish it. We can meet the day to day disturbances without sacrificing peace. We can experience an irritating situation without being irritated. We can go, with the flow of life, without churning our insides. We will, eventually realize, that there is nothing more important than maintaining our peace. Love, joy happiness all come from a peaceful state. Right action comes out of peace,

We are fortunate to live at this time. The energy of Love is embracing our planet. The awakening is progressing. Individually we are growing apace. As we gain peace, as individuals, we offer it to everyone. As we grow, everyone grows. We are experiencing our oneness. We are moving forward. The paradise that has been beckoning is within sight.

Happy Friday everyone!

I have dishes to wash. Hey! It is a meditation.

Love and Peace,  Gregg