Fear, Money and Surrender

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“Be in the world system but be not of it”

~Jesus

We all have developed certain ideas about survival and money, how it works and how we think it ought to work. Most of us want to do well financially and be comfortable. Unfortunately at an early age many of us were taught some very fearful thoughts, ideas and beliefs about what money is and how hard it is to accumulate. As adults we end up with a love/hate relationship with the money system that is built on beliefs that many times are rooted in FEAR. For example, the stock market is presently going through an adjustment period as it has many times in the past. Much of the stock market is based upon projections and preconceptions and is driven by mental and emotional guesswork more than anything else. The market can be very volatile with lots of ups and downs because of fearfulness and anxiety. In most peoples minds the entire system of money is not ever really understood and so stress and worry abound. Many people constantly look at their check book from a lack and scarcity mentality. Fear also brings with it guilt and shame which lead to mental anguish and emotional suffering.

Fear is like a contagious disease and I got it very early on. I was bombarded by the fear filled attitudes of others, "GET ALL YOU CAN, CAN ALL YOU GET & THEN SIT ON THE CAN." It was an idea that there was never enough to go around and so I better hang on to whatever I had. I had a lot of emotional drama and attachments about money. I thought it was not spiritual and that material things were bad. I was unknowingly judging my own blessing and became my own worst enemy. Fear is like a 100 pound weight that never let me rest and so I wrestled with the concept of money for many years until I stopped struggling and surrendered to the Divine Source of my good!

There is a neutral, resting, balance point that is beyond the system of money. I am talking about an absolute surrender of your beliefs, attitudes, ideas, and attachments concerning the idea of money. It is a calm spot in the midst of chaos and confusion and is a MISSING KEY to making peace with the money system.

Thoughts are THINGS and they can block your good! These fearful ideas can become counter intentions to what you really desire and need in your life. They become subconscious beliefs that can control your experience. Once you buy into a particular belief then it gets set on autopilot. When we try and change these beliefs it becomes very difficult because we are fighting ourselves. We get stuck on the merry-go-round of repetitious patterns and Even our affirmations and prayers do not work as well because of these hidden beliefs.

Einstein said, "The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them."

A fear filled mind cannot heal itself through the use of fear and force. You cannot make yourself change until you release the root of ALL negative beliefs....which is fear! Our inner well is poisoned with fear and can only feed it to us until we change it at the very source.

What is needed is a fresh start, a new perspective and a new way to look at money. How would you like to start from ground zero and wipe the slate clean? Yes, you really CAN have a do over! Where does the green energy of money come from? It comes from the Divine Source, the Infinite Intelligence. It is the universal reservoir that feeds us all. It is the eternal well that constantly pours spiritual energy into our lives.

After you surrender your fears about money then you can use your mind in a more enhanced way. You can dream, visualize and create from a NEW place, a new source. But you really can't even go there until you let go of the fears.

So, how do you release it? By your willingness to surrender it all!

What does surrender entail?

· Surrender is neutrality.

· It is a sense of letting go and releasing.

· It is an inner feeling of divine humility and oneness

at the center of your being.

· It is the act of laying down unconscious or hidden beliefs

that unknowingly manifest through the feeling nature.

· Surrender will create a stronger connection with the Divine

· It is plugging directly in to the source.

· It is the calming spot of peace within.

Once your feeling nature is in a state of rest and peace you can begin to go for your goals, dreams and desires with more focus and clarity. But, you will need to keep that sense of oneness at all times. When you lose that awareness you are inviting fear back in. It then becomes a practice for you. Surrendered meditation will bring you to this state and it will also keep you there.

Here is a prayer to get you started.

Dear God,

I relax my mind and body and I get quiet within. I now choose to surrender my inner state of being into Divine and loving hands. I release my grip on the external world of form and money. I release the money system to be as it is without my labeling or judging it. I look now into my heart to notice the calm contentment that is already there. I move my awareness to this free and neutral state of being. In this surrendered place I choose to live and be free from unhealthy attachments to money. I let go of fear…Today is now fresh and new and I can begin again. I choose now to create an abundant flow of prosperity into my life. God is my source and I am at peace.

Thank you God!

Be well,

Rev James

MY HEART ENLIGHTENMENT!

On August 22, 2011 I had just gotten out of the pool where I had been swimming for about an hour and a half. I changed clothes and sat down on the couch to read for awhile and for some reason I felt very tired. I leaned back and began to notice a pain rising in my chest. It continued to grow as I sat there so I called for my wife to come and sit with me. After a few minutes it did not go away so after taking two aspirins we went to the hospital. The intensity of the pain caused me to go within and I focused on just being present with the pain.

I begin to wonder if this was my final call and if this would be how my life would end. I decided to embrace my transition if it was truly to be my time. I surrendered to the moment and waited to see what was to happen.

Finally we arrived at the nearby emergency room and my pain was intense. The nurses were kind and comforting and after checking me out they had an ambulance transport me to the heart center at the downtown hospital. They brought me into a room filled with medical equipment where the Dr could do his work. He decided to keep me awake during the procedure he was about to perform while the pain only grew in intensity. He told me not to worry and that he had performed these procedures many times before. He was going inside to clear out the artery that was blocked and causing the chest pain. It made me think about my heart and how it had served me so well throughout my life. I am sure the blockage was caused by poor eating habits especially when I was younger and now I was dealing with the results. The heart is a very precious organ that feeds and nourishes the whole body and mine was having a hard time doing it's job.
 

I said the Prayer of Protection by James Dillet Freeman, in my mind several times and once again surrendered to the process. I watched the large screen next to my body which showed where the Dr was working inside me.  He was looking intently to find the blockage and clear it.

 While on the table I started to have what I call a beyond the body experience where I was connected to the Higher Mind and begin having a sort of life review. A part of my awareness was free from ordinary consciousness and connecting with who I was, why I was here and a comforting sense that everything was going to be fine. I relived some memories I had forgotten and some personal issues just seemed to instantly resolve in my heart and mind.  I began having mini visions about things I needed to do and how I would fulfill my purpose in this life.

Everything became crystal clear and I felt a part of me was awakening with new insight and a fresh perspective.

I also had a revelation about how this physical existence is not the whole story and how pliable and flexible reality really is. Somehow in that moment I knew my existence was very meaningful and held great value. There was an "I" that would continue on even after the body was released and it was now okay to die and also perfectly okay to live too.   Life is about living and dieing in every instant because we constantly let go or die to the old patterns so we may embrace the present moments that are most important. I felt that this whole process of being on the "operating table" was finally God's opportunity to heal me in all the ways I really needed it. At the same time the physical me was experiencing the hospital room and all that was going on there too.

 The nurse was not fully attending to what the Doctor needed from her and they were not communicating effectively.  I could tell the Dr was not pleased with her as she was talking on the phone in another room to her boyfriend.  At some point I cried out and they gave me medication to help relieve the pain. Even in the pain I felt a strong connection with Divine Grace and knew absolutely that all was well.

At some point the Doctor broke through the blockage and I immediately felt better. At the same time I felt renewed in my spirit and energized to live a more enlightened life.  I also treat my body like the temple it is and give it the things it needs.  Afterward everything seemed cleaner and brighter, smells were more pungent and my senses were heightened. Many people were praying for me and sending me good thoughts and wishes and I felt every bit of it with great appreciation. The energy in my body felt as though it had increased 10 fold.

 Something happened to me that night and I feel different because of it.  I now absolutely appreciate every breath I take and every day that I am alive in this world.  

I hope this personal story may help others in some way.

In love and light,
James

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You are highly valued and greatly cherished,
James

POLITICAL ATTATCHMENTS AND LOSING YOUR SOUL

Here we are at another election year and people are up in arms about who is the right candidate to become President for the next four years.  I have even heard folks say they will “leave the country” if the outcome does not go the way they want it.  It happens every four years that many folk seem to work themselves up into a frenzied state about the super hero’s status of their particular candidate who once were mere mortals but now are on a mission to save the world and right every wrong.  While it is important to participate in our democracy by voting and working for our candidate of choice we should be careful not to lose ourselves in the political rhetoric. 

Politics can often become mean spirited and cruel in order to vilify the opposition.  Jesus actually spoke about this and offered another way to approach our differences.  Jesus said, “Call no one a fool.”  A fool in this context is the idea of dehumanization and slander.  We can still have our strong beliefs and opinions without taking away from the sacred human essence of another person.  To me this is where politics has become overly violent and silly all at the same time.  We are all God’s children walking toward the light and no one has the complete answer by themselves.  I also realize that the way we are set up as a dual party system someone will win and someone will lose.  With this comes the idea of an adversary in which to do battle and conquer.  Therefore a constant political war ensues and in the meantime nothing of any significance ever gets accomplished for the American people as a whole. 

 From a spiritual perspective we are called upon to “love our enemies, and pray for them that persecute us.”  Even when there is marked division things can still get done if loving kindness and prayer are continuously applied to the process.  I totally understand that many will not hear this and will continue to do political battle but for you and me “we can make a difference by living the truth we know” (Unity’s 5^th principle).  Is there any better way that you know of to renew the American spirit than this?  Without the respect for human sacredness we enter into repetitious cycles of political war that descend more and more into cynicism and apathy.

 Does anyone really win if we lose our souls in the process? 

 I encourage you to pray this prayer of St Francis of Assisi each day - this is the answer….

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

 Be the answer,

James

The Peacemakers Challenge...

Have you ever been misunderstood?

Have you ever been at odds with someone?

Ever have a disagreement that led to conflict that never got resolved?

If you are alive and breathing it is highly likely that you have been in a conflict with someone else at sometime or another. Conflict is actually a normal and natural experience with human beings. It is almost impossible to keep it from happening. Our phrasing, tone of voice, forgetfulness, assumptions, presumptions, are just a few reasons for conflict. There are many human failings that we can blame or point out and I'm sure you have had some unique experiences of your own.

The major reason we create conflict is because most people are unconscious about what they do, say and think much of the time.

If you really want to be a peacemaker and reduce conflict in the world then you will want to make it a priority in your life. It will have to become more than just a nice thought in your mind. You may not be able to create world peace by yourself but you can make a difference in your sphere of influence. Your slice of the world is connected to every other part and is affected by what you choose to do.

You are a very powerful and influential being who DOES make a difference.

It matters when you choose to forgive instead of holding grudges. It matters when you resolve conflict with others. You are the answer to peace in the world by taking responsiblilty with everyone you deal with on a daily basis. Your seemingly small piece may be exactly what is needed to add to the overall energy and reach a critical mass and create more "heaven on earth".

I invite you to make a pledge to God and to yourself to be available as a peacemaker.

That means you resolve every conflict that you can whenever it arises. It means that peace is important in your life and you are willing to face conflict and find a way to reconcile with others. As soon as you can - do it before it festers and grows into something that becomes a karmic situation that will arise in another way, shape or form to be faced again and again.

Whether it is someone close such as a family member or someone in line at the grocery store - be the healer and let compassion and humility flow through you. It not only feels good inside you but it is a wonderful suprise for the person that you are peacemaking with!

Not everyone may respond positively but they won't soon forget a person who truly forgives and endeavors to make peace with them.

In the past we have given lip service to the peace process but now it is time to actually put our hearts and our energies toward peace on earth.

Consider yourself challeged to BE the peacemaker that you know YOU can BE..

In peace....

James

What About One Wayism?

If any of the words of Jesus have been greatly misunderstood then this is the one sentence. “I am the way, the truth and the light.” Jesus taught in parables and euphemisms which were stories and allegories of spiritual truth. When Jesus spoke - many times he was speaking from the perspective of the 'I AM' (Christ mind) which is more of the thought of BEING rather than DOING.

'I am the way' is his way of saying the spiritual path (way) is within him just as it is IN each one of us. Jesus was sharing universal principles as “the Christ” which are NOT about an exclusive religion, but rather the availability of this Christ Presence to all. The teaching of Jesus was from a universal perspective and was being directed at a culture that lived at that time.

His words were not meant to be taken as only ONE WAY of believing but as a particular focus that would assist people in having a loving and inspired relationship with God. The 'narrow way' Jesus talked about was the idea of having a single(narrowed) focus and a single minded intent to know and experience the Divine.

God so loves all of us that God gives and keeps on giving with great mercy and compassion until the soul is able to receive the love that is freely given. The Divine meets with us where we are at in any given moment. God can use a hundred different ways to bring us 'back to the Father's house' which is the inner abiding presence of God. The Apostle Paul said, “Don't you know that your body IS the temple of the living God!” Collective humanity was meant to be the house of the ever abiding Divine Presence.

The way home is the INNER WAY.

Why is Their Such Religious Confusion?

Originally there was not a bible like we have today. The bible is a collections of stories and letters written by PEOPLE. There were never chapter and verse divisions like we have now. It was never meant to be a rule book or a code of conduct book. We don't even know for sure who wrote much of it. It is a book of opinions and experiences of many different people. This is why there is so many different interpretations of the bible and differing opinions of various spiritual communities and denominations.

The bible points us TO the truth which is its real purpose!I have a love and respect for the bible and it is a great blessing in my life but I really wish we could stop wounding people with our dogmatic interpretations of it. When people quote chapter and verse to prove someone else wrong it is important to remember that it is not necessarily the truth they are proving but merely THEIR interpretation of what they think the bible is saying. Our interpretations many times are based on our culture and our western approach to the bible.

The bible originated in an eastern culture which must be taken into consideration when we endeavor to interpret it. Christianity has become very westernized through the centuries and misunderstanding about it abounds. Can we simply have a rational conversation about the bible without using it as a point of contention? Can we find a way to communicate with each other in a respectful and loving manner? Jesus said to the Pharisees and Sadducees, “You are only interested in the outside of the cup but are inwardly dead(separated).” This is a warning to us about what happens when we claim exclusive right to truth. These two sects were battling each other back then claiming to have THE TRUTH and kept putting people into spiritual bondage with their petty rules and dogmatic teaching which held no life giving power in them.

We can better assist each other through humility and understanding which is the ground from which we can experience the truth of Jesus teachings. Our 'rightness' can block our awareness of the beauty of the Christ Spirit. This can become the 'arrogance of our spiritual ignorance'.