Religion And Fear

posted in: Blog, channeling, spirituality | 2

Berna and I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church. It’s changed some since those long-ago days. But for better or worse?

In hindsight, it’s obvious the church in the old days ruled largely by fear. The standard fear they promoted ran something like this: If you don’t do what we say, you’ll burn in hell forever.

And we believed that!

(In fairness to the modern Roman church under Pope Francis, we note they acknowledge they have work to do.)Read more

Forgiveness and Love

posted in: Blog, channeling, mind body soul | 4

Tenzin Gyatso 14th Dalai Lama

Learning to forgive is much more useful than merely picking up a stone and throwing it at the object of one’s anger, the more so when the provocation is extreme. For it is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others. ~ Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

You’ve probably heard about Amber Guyger, the Dallas, Texas police officer who shot and killed Botham Jean, an unarmed black man. The officer is white.Read more

The Spirit of Kindness

posted in: Blog, channeling, relationships | 14

The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines. ~ Charles Kuralt 1934-1997, American Journalist

dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-kindness

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

Since I’m away from home this holiday weekend of Thanksgiving in the United States, we’re keeping this post shorter than usual.

In today’s topsy-turvy world, it’s easy to grow cynical about the human race. Is there any hope for us? Well, Charles Kuralt, in his words above, certainly seems to think so.Read more

Oneness Is an Impossible Dream

posted in: Blog, channeling, mind body soul | 8

Vasu deva kutum bakam. ~ Sanskrit mantra (The whole world is my family. From expanded awareness, I feel my connection to everyone.)

oneness-of-our-global-family

 

In this time of dramatic change all around the planet, it’s easy to lose sight of some basic facts of life:

  • We’re all in this together. We always have been.
  • There is no us versus them. There is only oneness. “Them” is “us.”
  • There are no boundaries except those we’ve created while laboring under the grand illusion we’re all separate.

Read more

These Secrets To Happiness Can Transform Your Life

posted in: Blog, channeling, happiness | 8

Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. ~ Og Mandino

 

happy dog

Happy Dog

Did you know August is Happiness Happens Month? Me neither, until just a few days ago.Read more

Are You Crazy If You’re An Optimist In Today’s World?

posted in: Blog, channeling, mind body soul | 11

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. ~ The Dalai Lama

the-dalai-lama

His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

The United States appears to be suffering from a plague of senseless killing and heartrending sorrow—and a lack of ordinary human kindness, especially in the political turmoil gripping this country. Many people, not only in the US, but the world over, are in deep depression and grief over all this, and over the traumas occurring all over the planet.Read more

The Spirit of Kindness and Love by John Cali and Spirit

posted in: Blog, channeling, inspiration | 16

The best portion of a good man’s life: His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love. ~ William Wordsworth

the spirit of love and kindness

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. ~ Dalai Lama

There are reminders of the holiday season all around us, no matter what we celebrate—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, etc. Or you may not celebrate at all. Or for you it may not be “the season to be jolly,” Perhaps the opposite, for whatever reasons.

Our world is seemingly in a mess, and for personal or global reasons it can be a depressing time for many.Read more

How To Live a Life of Kindness by John Cali and Spirit

posted in: Blog, channeling, inspiration | 34

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. ~ Dalai Lama

Seeking_human_kindnessCopyright © 2013 by Enver Rahmanov

I was going through some old files the other day and came across a beautiful little poem written by my dear friend, Jerry Buchanan, many years ago.

Jerry is gone now, but in his lifetime he was a legendary figure in the world of writing and publishing. He graciously mentored me when I was a new young writer. Throughout the years he did the same for thousands of others.Read more

18 Ways Gratitude Can Work Magic In Your Life by John Cali and Spirit

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it….I am going to have kind thoughts toward others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can. ~ Dalai Lama

His_Holiness_the_Dalai_Lama2014

His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Copyright © 2014 by Minette Layne

The American celebration of Thanksgiving is not until next month.… Read more

There Are No Strangers by John Cali and Spirit

Tenzin_Gyatso, The Dalai Lama

I’ve spoken before about Spirit using my challenges as “raw material” for their messages. Although this one particularly unpleasant challenge happened many years ago, I still vividly remember it.

One Saturday afternoon I locked myself out of my house. So I pried open a window and got in that way. The next-door neighbor saw me and called the police.

Several minutes later two police cars pulled up at my house—I had to prove to them I lived in the house.Read more

Are We Getting Closer To Global Oneness? by John Cali

Image by NASA

The Dalai Lama said “Whether one is rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or non-believing, man or woman, black, white, or brown, we are all the same. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are all equal. We all share basic needs for food, shelter, safety, and love. We all aspire to happiness and we all shun suffering. Each of us has hopes, worries, fears, and dreams. Each of us wants the best for our family and loved ones.Read more

Always Speak Your Truth Kindly by John Cali

The Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu
Image by Carey Linde

One of my favorite Dalai Lama quotes is “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

And another: “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”

One of our recent newsletter articles was Always Speak Your Truth Fearlessly. Some folks, including me in earlier years, take that to mean speak your truth aggressively with no regard or consideration for others. That, as I see in hindsight, is a very bad policy.Read more

Are You Happy? by John Cali

Spirit and I have talked about happiness many times over the years. Although they and I firmly believe we were meant to be happy in this lifetime, no matter what our circumstances, I know so few truly happy people. Often that’s because they look for happiness where they will never find it.

Today I want to share with you some of my favorite happiness quotations:

  • Remember happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think.

Read more