In today’s world, it often seems kindness is in short supply. But there are as many random acts of kindness as there are acts of cruelty. Or, perhaps, more.
We only need to open our eyes to all the kindness around us. There is more of it than you would ever imagine. Although you might not think so if you follow the mainstream news.
Kindness is the cure to a world gone crazy.
We have often talked about the power of kindness each of you humans possess.… Read more
Depending on your spiritual/religious beliefs (or lack of them), our title today could have radically different meanings for different folks.
Below is a recent, slightly edited conversation between Spirit and Berna. She had asked Spirit for clarification of the terms “conscious being,” “sentient being,” and “souled being.” As Spirit says below, the terms you use don’t matter—it is all God.
Spirit
You and Johnny believe—to put it simply—God is All That Is.
If that’s true, then God is in everything, in all that exists.… Read more
One day many years ago, I was driving to my office in the Washington, DC suburbs. I had stopped at a red traffic light. When it turned green, I started to pull into the intersection. Just then, a car on my right ran through the red light and nearly hit my car.
A bit shaken, I waited a few seconds, and then started through the intersection again, the green light still in my favor. At that moment, a loud, clear voice shouted, “Stop!… Read more
It’s a tough time to be a human on Planet Earth today. So many are feeling lost and broken. Perhaps you’re one of them.
Spirit
You’ve likely heard that tired old cliche, “No one promised you a rose garden.” Many interpret that to mean what one of Johnny’s old friends used to say—“Life’s a bitch, then you die.”
That’s a pretty sad, depressing outlook on life. But it’s the experience of many who feel lost and broken.
So is life on earth meant to be a joyless, tragic, and sad experience?… Read more
One of our favorite quotes from A Course In Miracles is in Lesson 204: I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me.
Do you believe those words are literally true? Or are they just a “figure of speech?”
Your bodies are what you might call a “mixed blessing.” The importance you, as humans, place on your bodies is often inappropriate, to put it mildly.
Why do we say this?… Read more
My first job out of college was as a New York State probation officer in the United States.
Though I loved the work, I was young and had never seen much of life’s dark side. One of my first assignments was supervising a convicted murderer. It was not an assignment I would have willingly chosen.
Over the months, Bill (not his real name) and I got to know each other well. Despite his awful crime, he was a gentle caring man.… Read more
Richard Wagamese was a revered and prolific Canadian indigenous writer. Here’s his definition of God/Creator:
Remember that Creator is the wind on my face, the rain in my hair, the sun that warms me. Creator is the trees, rocks, grasses, the majesty of the sky and the intense mystery of the universe. Creator is the infant who giggles at me…the beggar who reminds me how rich I really am….
Spirit
In your upside-down world today, many humans are confused and lost.… Read more
One of the most discussed (and most dreaded) topics, especially in today’s world, is death. Berna and I actually enjoy talking about it. If we understand what death really is, there’s nothing to fear.
Spirit
As Johnny and Berna said, death is nothing to fear. Most humans do not see that. The conventional view is, first, there is life. And then second, inevitably, there is death.
We’ve said this many times over many years. But we’ll say it again: There is no death.… Read more
Lesson 212 of A Course in Miracles tells us “I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me.”
But do we really believe that? After all, so much of the Western world, defines (and limits) everything as if we were only a physical body. Obviously, we all have a physical body. But we are not that body. Nevertheless, we have a duty to care for our bodies as we would a beloved family member.… Read more
Back in the late 1800s in the American state of Vermont, a minor family squabble blew up into a major confrontation. One hot-headed family member called the police. The matter ended up in court.
The local neighbors thought that was a huge overreaction to a minor difference of opinion. The end result was the hot-headed one was driven out of his hometown, never able to return.
A bit before all that happened, the legendary writer Rudyard Kipling penned his famous poem, “If.”… Read more
I recently read an interview with a millennial worker. (The millennial generation were born in the last two decades of the 20th century.)
The worker talked about how she put all she had, all she was, into her work. In her words, “I am so obsessed with reaching…success…that I’ve forgotten how to actually enjoy life.” (Emphasis added)
Her work had become her God.
In your modern world, particularly in Western society, you have replaced the real God with a false god.… Read more
Some folks I know get depressed as our days grow darker in December with the approaching winter solstice. (In the northern hemisphere.) Ironically, this time of year is actually my favorite, which leads some to think there’s something wrong with me. 🙂
So many feel a sense of fear and dread as darkness descends. But the darkest days also herald the end of the darkness. Each day grows lighter as the darkness fades.
So why do so many suffer through this annual misery?… Read more
If you’ve been on the spiritual path very long, you’ve probably heard of “soul contracts.” But what are they?
There is no being in your life by accident—whether it be a human, animal, plant, other sentient being. There are no accidents, only soul contracts.
We realize this may be, as you say, a “hard pill to swallow.” But literally every aspect of your lives, from the most minute to the most monumental, is there because you have put it there.… Read more
In 1977, Mother Teresa visited the four founders of the Foundation for Inner Peace. (As you may know, the foundation is the publisher of A Course in Miracles.)
In their conversation, the group talked about all the sadness and suffering in our modern world. Mother Teresa said, “…it is actually a disease….” The others asked her if there was any cure. She replied, “Yes. The cure is called love, and thank God it is contagious.”
What a great reply!… Read more
Today, as you know, the Christian world celebrates Christmas, the birth of its savior, Jesus Christ. But what is a “savior?” Do you consider yourself a savior? Probably not.
“Only the voice of ego would see a difference of being the savior of the world and a street sweeper.” The Way of the Heart by Jayem
A few years ago we wrote a post about a real-life street sweeper, a man I knew from my childhood.
Spirit
Every one of you reading this—no exceptions—was born to be a savior of the world.… Read more
Recently, Berna and I were discussing free will. She mentioned that, in fact, we have been given free will to discover that we are doing God’s will.
Spirit
We’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: Your will and God’s will are one, they are the same.
“How can that be?” you might ask. “After all, look at all the awful deeds humans have committed over the centuries.”
Great question. How indeed could a good and gracious God ever allow those awful deeds to be heaped upon the heads of his children?… Read more
In my personal life, I’ve found meditation a most powerful tool. I’ve meditated every day over 40 years, cannot imagine life without it. It can work magic in your life.
The benefits of meditation are many. It will help and heal you in all areas of your life—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.
There are many ways to meditate. Our purpose here today is not to teach you meditation methods. There is plenty of good information on that available today.
What is important is that you choose a method that appeals to you personally.… Read more
“The Web of Love is an energetic web which connects the sacred essence of all beings in our world.” Source: The Web of Love
We often speak of love as the choice to see the divinity in all beings. Unfortunately, humans often define love narrowly, usually in a romantic sense. Of course, love is far more than romantic feelings.
As your Bible says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Luke 6:27 How many humans, do you suppose, live—truly live—those words?… Read more
In today’s world it’s often tempting to believe humanity has gone to hell in a big way. But there is much kindness and caring out there that never makes it into the mainstream news.
Spirit
We realize it can be challenging for humans to believe there is much kindness and caring in your modern world.
One glance at your mainstream news media will convince you, as Johnny says, your world has gone to hell. And each morning you can see more “evidence” of that.… Read more
One of our favorite scientists is Carl Sagan. Some people have described him as an atheist. But he denied that label.
We define love as simply a choice – a choice to recognize the divinity in all beings (all that is). First, though, what is all that is?
“All that Is” is another term for the Great Spirit—God—Goddess, or whatever other names you want to use for the supreme being. We like “All That Is.”
All That Is is all that exists.… Read more
One of our favorite spiritual teachers is the Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr. In one of Father Richard’s recent messages, he said:
“When you can see Christ in all things (including yourself!), you will see and live differently. I’ve spent my life trying to remind people of their inherent belovedness, and I pray that our work at the Center for Action and Contemplation has played a role in helping you to see, feel, and experience the hope of your own chosenness in God.… Read more
Today we’re revisiting a post we wrote years ago.
Spirit
How often have you heard it said “Think only of others.” – “Love others unconditionally.” – “Put others before yourself.” – “Be of service to others.” – etc. etc.?
Those are noble-sounding sentiments. But they will guarantee you a life of misery and joylessness.
Many times, you’ve heard us, and others, say you cannot serve another unless you first serve yourself, you cannot love another if you do not first love yourself.… Read more
Berna and I grew up in religious traditions where “giving up” something for Lent was expected. Many of you probably did too. The idea of sacrifice was “built in” to religious practices.
According to Wikipedia, “The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, simple living and self-denial.”
One of Johnny’s and Berna’s favorite spiritual teachings is A Course in Miracles, as some of you know.… Read more
In troubled times, have you ever wondered where God is? Often, it seems, He/She is nowhere to be seen. We feel lost and lonely.
Sound familiar?
I love these words of Sir Anthony Hopkins:
“The only reason we don’t see God is because we’re always looking for him.” (Usually in the wrong places.)
Spirit
In all our years of working with Johnny (and now Berna also), one of the saddest complaints we’ve heard is “How can there be a God who created this world of woe and pain?”… Read more
Well, here we go again with another of our weird titles.
Many years ago, my fourth grade teacher had us do a brief experiment for her science class.
Two students stood facing each other. One closed her eyes. The other held a strong-smelling bar of soap under the nose of the student with the closed eyes.
The teacher instructed the student with the closed eyes to let the class know when the other student had removed the bar of soap.
After a minute or so, she said it had been removed.… Read more