investigations, insight, unconditional Love for the greater Oneness, tales of adventure, and shameless optimism from the edge of the not so distant future
Here’s an insightful blog entry from the founder of the spiritual media company Sounds True.
Manifestation Manifesto http://shop.soundstrue.com/blog.soundstrue.com/wordpress/?p=45 Over the past few years, I have heard more and more people talk about “manifesting.” From what I can tell, the going definition of manifestation is “learning how to use spiritual principles to get what you want out of life.” Of course, it is usually stated in more palatable language like “how to realize your dreams” or “how to create the life you want.” Often, when I hear people describe this view of manifestation, I find myself feeling irritated. So, I decided it was time to write my own “Manifestation Manifesto.” (As you can see, I’m using this Publisher’s Blog as a chance to constructively express – at least I hope I’m being constructive – many of the pent-up frustrations I have been feeling as a publisher in the field of personal and spiritual transformation for the past 24 years.)
So in response to all of the manifestation talk I‘ve heard over the past few years, here is my “Manifestation Manifesto”:
Step 1. Listen to your inner voice.
Step 2. Do what your inner voice says.
Step 3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2.
That’s my manifesto (very short!). And although it sounds quite simple – and it is from a conceptual viewpoint – that doesn’t mean it is easy.
I was raised in the Unitarian tradition and am very grateful for the way it encouraged me to think for myself while still fostering communion and spiritual togetherness!
Here’s one example of how children are taught about Good Friday, a day Christians reflect upon the Crucifixion.
My main learning objective was that these UU kids would know what “Good Friday” means. They had all heard Craig’s story of Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem in last Sunday’s worship service, so we went from there. I used excerpts from Sophia Fahs’s Jesus, the Carpenter’s Son, pp. 127-131. I gave them the story of Jesus challenging the commercialization of the Temple, framing this as a tale of a religious challenge to the politicized Temple hierarchy. We looked at pictures of the Temple at Jerusalem from UCLA’s Urban Simulation Team, to get a sense of the scale of action Jesus was involved in. Then I briefly told how Jesus was betrayed to the Roman military police by one of his followers, and then executed on what we now call “Good Friday.” I did not go into details of the means of execution — not with a five year old and a six year old present.
One girl made the obvious comment: “‘Good Friday’! — but it wasn’t good at all, they should’ve called it “Bad Friday.’” Needless to say, we also discussed (at an age-appropriate level) the inherent ambiguity of the story and the attendant difficulties of understanding it fully. The kids were also fascinated by the idea that live animals were sacrificed in the Temple at Jerusalem in Jesus’s day, and we spent a little time discussing this alien notion.
We ended by sharing a snack of cinnamon grahams and apple juice, and then everyone helped clean up.
I find the idea of being able to say “Forgive them for they know not what they do,” upon crucifixion a very inspiring example of Divine levels of compassion we are all capable of.
Last night I went to a full moon meditation with yogini & musician Bachan Kaur with a group of wonderful neighbours.
We listened to a track with harp and singing and were asked to whistle the tune along with the recording, feeling the way the sound moved in our bodies. It can be challenging to whistle in tune (especially in a group) and at a few points we burst out laughing. I did not whistle much myself as I was busy loving the harp sounds & happily fantasizing about playing the instrument.
Remembering that I have the precious gift of music in my life brought in an intense feeling of joy about the future & the laughter reminded me my “problems” are actually quite mild. Once I was in that happy headspace I was clear enough to receive some good “higher self” information about my healing process and faith that I’ll know what to in each moment.
when thoughts of worry about which way to turn appear
taking a deep breath
relaxing about the unfathomable array of possibilities
relaxing about the feelings surrounding clarivoyance of probabilities
choosing this:
I Love it ALL as a singularity (and as self)
Now
