Echo of love #80

Once upon a time there was a soul created in the image of his Master. He was blessed with whit, knowledge, understanding and wisdom as this living creation possessed the essence of all that was good, that what was pure, that which was the light of creation—for that was the promise of the Master of the universe.

The spirit grew within , opening up within the living heart like a flower-joy, peace, love and tranquility reigned in this heart as the Master`s present above all was –free will to do and experience all of the Master`s joys, loves and pleasure without restriction. This was the very spark of divinity, of the eternal, of the endless and limitless—of the reason of existence itself.

One day-the Master sent  a companion, someone to reflect back like a mirror all the thoughts, deeds, actions and experiences—for without this all was hollow, empty;  as love cannot –will not exist by itself, except through sharing. Thus was the Master`s gift to his creation-this was in fact the very breath of life itself, for before all was but an empty shell,  a clay vessel simply filled with just the echo of love itself—without substance.

All proceeded well, and paradise was gained for a time-and love blossomed and grew and the light was getting ever brighter, reflecting the very essence of the Master himself. Happiness, contentment and glory of the Master reigned in the hearts of the reflected –being both the mirror and the mirrored of each other; for truly I tell you—the two were truly one in all and every way. The true –“all”, the very idea of all experiences realized. The ideal and the will of the Master, his wish for his creation—his very own glory.

But—twilight descended onto spirit, a  seed of jealousy and rage was germinating in the heart for its own reflection; thus moment by moment the light that shone from the flower of spirit was being dimmed by the emergence of darkness. The light within the mirror wanted to posses, to capture the mirrored in its entirety—for surely possessing all that “is”;  was the understanding  of the very soul of the Master; what he failed to understand is that the more he gave away of himself, the more he possessed the light.

Sadly it is not. The truth is that capturing, tethering light is simply imprisonment—and light cannot be chained for it will then be extinguished-it can only grow through freedom, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, mercy, truth—for that what love and loving is. All else is simply the echo of love and will ever be so; all chasing it are dreamers of the impossible dream.

Once the lover and the loved have become one—that is the time when the Master rejoices in his creation ; it is then and only then that the echo of love begets its own very soul and sings the praises of its Creator God. Yes—and God is glorified in heaven by his very creation experiencing his own self. Thus is love personified—through realization; but the fire of love inflames as well as destroys; it is all consuming unless it is allowed to exist within its own free will.

Or it just dies; for love is only love if you give it away.


Oscar Hammerstein II was right;

“A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it - A song's not a song 'til you sing it - Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay - Love isn't love 'til you give it away!”

Without love I am nothing.....#79

 

 

1 Corinthians 13

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Epitaph #77

"We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
But the hills we could climb were just seasons out of time.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach were just starfish on the beach".

Somebody that I love deeply has died recently most unexpectedly; I buried him today. My heart is broken-part of my heart is gone with him. I am devastated, saddened.  It is the most painful thing to lose love-but it is always inevitable. I am happy that I experienced love, being loved is a profound experience; a gift from God, which few experience; it is a special blessing. So very much is locked away in my heart, and my spirit soars to heights unimagined. Regrets, I have none... may angels keep you safe, and your journey filled with light. I love you! Mourning you shall pass,  as all does with time and only the pure love shall remain-as God in His mercy always knows what is the best road for us.

I say not goodbye,  but adieu, adios, au revoir, aufweidersehn ....till we meet again in heaven.

I Heard Your Voice In The Wind Today 

I heard your voice in the wind today
and I turned to see your face;
The warmth of the wind caressed me
as I stood silently in place.

I felt your touch in the sun today
as its warmth filled the sky;
I closed my eyes for your embrace
and my spirit soared high.

I saw your eyes in the window pane
as I watched the falling rain;
It seemed as each raindrop fell
it quietly said your name.

I held you close in my heart today
it made me feel complete;
You may have died...but you are not gone
you will always be a part of me.

As long as the sun shines...
the wind blows...
the rain falls...
You will live on inside of me forever
for that is all my heart knows.

 

When psalms suprise me with their music #76

“New eyes awaken.

When psalms surprise me with their music 
And antiphons turn to rum 
The Spirit sings: the bottom drops out of my soul

And from the center of my cellar, 
Love, louder than thunder  
Opens a heaven of naked air.  
 
I send Love's name into the world with wings
And songs grow up around me like a jungle.
Choirs of all creatures sing the tunes
Your Spirit played in Eden.

Zebras and antelopes and birds of paradise
Shine on the face of the abyss
And I am drunk with the great wilderness
Of the sixth day in Genesis.

But sound is never half so fair
As when that music turns to air
And the universe dies of excellence.

Sun, moon and stars
Fall from their heavenly towers.
Joys walk no longer down the blue world's shore.

Though fires loiter, lights still fly on the air of the gulf,
All fear another wind, another thunder:
Then one more voice
Snuffs all their flares in one gust.

And I go forth with no more wine and no more stars
And no more buds and no more Eden
And no more animals and no more sea:

While God sings by himself in acres of night
And walls fall down, that guarded Paradise.”
Thomas Merton





 

The comma #75

We are-perhaps only I, but somehow I feel "we" as the human race are difficult students. We hear, see, experience miracles each moment- God even often times rubs our noses in it, yet we keep doing the "same ol, same ol" things-just making time not acknowledging our own “God spark”. 

At times we forget, ignore or rule out things that are important that practically poke out our eyes--and at times we get this surge of energy and suddenly we are "all holy, spiritual and feel chosen"-sort of the Nietzsche`s "ubermensch" of the spiritual creation, in both cases our proud ego is in the drivers seat-humility flies out the window. Both scenarios are equally stunting to our spiritual advancement.

Didn`t Our Lord say-"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"? I interpret this as humility. I doubt if ego is in play here. Yes-we are part of the “divine”, -yes we are gods (but with a small ‘g’, well for the present) but we tend to forget that we are “within” the divine-the drop is within the ocean, but the ocean is within the drop, we are simply manifesting the nature of God- the 

“I AM THAT, I AM”. 

We are incapable to do anything alone, only through God, at times we forget. Though gratitude, through giving that we shall receive as St. Francis put it, for otherwise we are empty vessels chasing after the whisperings of the selfish ego. 

By substituting for “THAT” a verb, or a noun into the name of God, it is then that all makes 

sense-We are all : I AM THAT, I AM

I AM LOVE, I AM;

I AM JOY, I AM;

I AM COMPASSION, I AM;

I AM HAPPINESS, I AM;

I AM PEACE, I AM;

I AM FORGIVENESS, I AM;

I AM YOU, I AM

……..and all that is that which I want to manifest in my body, mind and spirit; be that positive or negative –we have free will to choose. 

Very interesting concept that little comma! Thus we are all that IS!

A letter of the heart #74

  Written sometime in 2012....

Darling --

Everything changes, yet it all stays the same. Why is that? Time stood still, yet it flies at the speed of light. You have been away, yet never left me, neither have I left you.  What paradox, we are . The us, the we, the I, the you all rolled into one. There is so much I want to say, yet there is nothing to say—for we simple know, and all has been said.  Maybe that is why you were drawn to that part of me that is Naomi. The mysterious, the undiscovered parts of yourself that is still  hidden within me. Are there places as such? I don`t know. Maybe.

As I was reading through your letters, written so long ago--perhaps eons ago, yet yesterday I realize that I know you so well. Einstein`s wife was a fool, for had she loved him she would have know and understood all about Albert, were those  his theories or simply his heart. I think that is the answer to the secret of the universe. Liszt new, Beethoven knew, Napoleon knew—I know, do you? We are so different, yet we are similar in every way, it is only that our expression, relationship to the physical seems to be at odds. But it is not—I express what you are afraid to, or deep down know, and you express exactly the same that scares me to death. You deal in abstractions, I deal in the objectives—one and the same really, as we relate to the world, as we relate to Mary—to God.  You are blessed with more words to express your feelings, I simply feel it.   I have dissected these parts of us down to the last atom, and still it looks, feels and is the same. I hope you know what I am trying to say in such an inelegant  way.

Though all is different, yet the same, I or rather we have never been apart--strange it is the same with my father and my mother, they don`t seen each other, nor speak at times for decades , yet they refer to each other as if they are completely present in each others life, which they actually are, and when they meet it is like they never have been apart- ever. Yet they have been together only once physically when they conceived me—Now there is love for you.  Every time they meet, my mom being the more objective will ask as I do of you as to how he feels—he simply goes silent  points to his heart and then to his head, meaning it all resides in those two places—his love and feelings, none has ever left, gone anywhere.  Funny. Thus is with us.  

That is why for me, though I have missed you most terrible, yet I haven`t in the least really. Baffles me in a way, for  at times I think maybe it is because I don`t love you enough, then I catch myself  and realize it is just the opposite—it is like Rumi says—“we have been in each other all along”.  Once something is found, it is never lost  especially when it comes to spirit and soul.

In some ways I have learnt much during this fishing time—including caving, as I see reading my cards to you—I was terrified to lose you, was afraid I would say the wrong thing and  when I didn`t hear from you for days I was beside myself of what I had done wrong. Wondering , conjuring up strange scenarios and beating myself up. I did nothing, neither did you. The thing is darling, no one has nor is going anywhere. I never was the reason for your silence, your darkness, nor  your frustrations,  --as you never were never the reason for my feelings of insecurity, my dependence, my fears or obsession with losing you. We do those things to our very selves. We do need reassurance in different areas, --I, in words of love at times, you  to be loved, yet in feeling your freedom without being tethered, that what gives us each our peace. The difference between water and fire is different, yet the same,  as you once pointed out— they need each other to survive—too much either way the other dies—but need and feed each other nonetheless. 

You said we are complete within ourselves—no, not at all. Absolutely not without each other—you see that cannot be.  Sounds a bit like a crutch, a dependence--but as I said it is rather the other wing—The key three words are “not—to—need ”. Two wings are necessary to fly, you can live with one wing, but you will always be on the ground. You see that other wing opens up new venues, new horizons and new adventures—remember Jonathan? Flying is what gives rise to creativity,  courage, imagination, hope and vision—with two wings and you are able to soar to unimaginable heights. It is that what allows you to break away from the bonds of the earth, like the little creature in “Illusions”.

Neither are our objectives different, only its manifestation, or its expression seems so. But it is not. Being dedicated to your purpose does not change anything, neither does our relationship take away anything from your purpose, or mission. Neither will your love for Mary  become less deep, as neither will my love for Her become less. Neither are we at ideological cross purposes—only the way we express it gives the impression of it being so But, that is exactly why we are one. 

Love , if it is real, never lets go—just seems so. If it does, it never was there. Do you see? That is why I always really have understood every word of Phytha, as every word of every one of your letters . As well as all your fears, frustrations, anger, fury and your lonely darkness.  As  I understand just as well your joy, elation, fulfillment, peace, happiness and love that you have expressed.  Especially  I understand your heart. It is crystal clear before me.  Would I not, then we would  actually be at cross purposes, and love would surely could not have flown out the door, for it never could have been present in the first place. Do you understand?

It is from one of my blogs, years ago, it is from Illusions. Funny I came across it the other day also—You see darling, this is what an other wings helps us to do: Let Go.

The Master answered  and said, ``Once there lived a village of creatures
along the bottom of a great crystal river. The current of the river
swept silently over them, all young and old, rich and poor, good and
evil, the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal
self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks
of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting
the current what each had learnt from birth. But one creature said at
last, `I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I
trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go and let
it take me where it will. Clinging I shall die of boredom`.

The other creatures laughed and said; `Fool! Let go and that current
you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and
you will die a quicker than boredom!`.

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath let go, and at once
was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks. Yet, in time,
as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free
from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And all the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger cried;`
see a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the
Messiah, come to save us all!`

And the one carried in the current said, `I am no more Messiah than
you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare to let go.
Our true work is this voyage, this adventure`.

But they cried the more, `Saviour!` all the while clinging to the
rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left
making legends of the Saviour``.

I love you

Hope&GOD #73

Strange as it seems I have this fleeting, sudden thought about hope. Perhaps it is the fruit borne of listening to the celebration during the early hours of dawn of Nelson Mandela`s life;  for whom I have never given a fleeting thought I -infact, while I was growing up in a comfortable cocoon, being blind, deaf and dumb to the struggles of souls around us--though now it seems that I seem to have been in an entire different country to that which only now has my eyes been opened. Sadly my only introduction to it was in almost a "fairy tale" way when doing the research of Proteas--but now it has touched my heart and soul and realize that so much was going around of which I was totally unaware of-yet a large part of my life belongs to South Africa.

This popped out from a recent  letter-I don`t even know the date, but it encompasses all that which weights on my heart: a dialogue between a friend and I, in red.....Yes, about hope, inspiration and spirit, that "aha"-moment.

Believe it or not, the idea of calling followers of Hope ‘The Hopeful’ was pure last-minute inspiration.  That sort of thing isn’t something one can ignore, even if it hadn’t involved any actual discussion or planning.  Inspiration is our personal spiritual work-bench; from this bench, some of our greatest ideas have been born.  From inspiration, we can gain our Hope, and our faith or religion can be that inspiration.  It’s a matter of not only what religion we’re discussing, but also what practices and dogmas the religion adopts for its followers. 

 Hopeful sounds good, but I would call it perhaps—`In Spirit` as you so succinctly put it—all   arises from inspiration. What is inspiration? For me it is our `non human `aspect that is the whisperings of God or maybe our higher self. That which is ever seeing, ever knowing –our  divine part. All that from which hope springs from.

  Talks of what our Gods won’t tolerate will never be as affective as talks of what pleases them; this is always going to be true, unless talks of what they won’t tolerate is also rich with talks of damnation. The success of such sermons are always going to be debatable, because while followers might be just frightened enough to do as their expected, they’ll never be inspired to do so on their own.  At the same time for me, a sermon that presses us to act as our Gods want because we know it will make them happy might sound better, but doing as we’re asked because we wish to go to heaven isn’t any different from doing what we’re asked because we don’t wish to be sent to hell.  The end-result would be the same.

Personally I don`t think that God wants anything from us—pleasing or non pleasing. Talking of salvation or damnation is strictly a religious concept, made by man. One has to transcend beyond the dogma of religion.  However if  one wants to use religion, they are if one wants to use them –simply as `wayshowers` for man to more easily navigate the way. One does not come to God through fear but by love only. If it is through fear then it means nothing, it is totally of no value—as you have demonstrated.

You talk of sermons—Do you wish to establish a new religion? If yes—than maybe I agree, but also then you are no better than any of the other religions just putting a different spin on it.

  It is my belief that being told what our God or Gods ask of us by yet another human being, is where we’ve gone wrong.  How our Gods feel, and what they want, should be determined only for ourselves, and from within. The need to speak to another for guidance shows a lack of connection with our chosen deities, and being led by this guidance only weakens us; it makes us dependent on another, and there really isn’t anything beyond their personal accomplishments or connections with their own deities that qualifies them to guide the rest of us.  Not to put too fine a point on this, but what does the connection with their Gods have to do with you?  Even if they’ve taken their Gods to lunch and bonded with them on a deeply personal level, what does that have to do with your connection?

Yes—precisely where we have gone wrong—but you have to remember that the human soul is not `awakening to consciousness` at the same time. Some are ahead some are behind and some need an` aha moment` to realize how to proceed. In the past as the human psyche developed – some more enlightened souls—like Jesus, Buddha , various philosophers, theologians and saints—were the `compass`. Were they divine, were they God, were they mere mortals—I have no idea, but the message that they brought is the spark that enflamed our inspiration and understanding and our connection to the Divine.

GOD/Gods  want nothing except for us to have self realization, yes from within-, of whom and what we are—namely  part of the Divine Whole, (my description is simply language) –Yes, we have lack of connection if and when we feel insecure in our faith, if we allow our ego to reign, —there maybe some who seeks guidance be one religious or not. I don`t go to church because I need guidance, I go to church because I love God and wish to demonstrate it. The ritual comes with the territory of the church—but the church is not God—for me. You presume that  everybody who adheres to a religion is dependent and follow like sheep—maybe some do, many don`t. Neither do I pray because of want or need or fear, but out of love and gratitude—As always my prayer ends with--`As You will`. I think you are lumping all into one pot—we are all individual and with individual response to religion as well as God

  It’s reasonable to assume that our lives make it difficult to establish that connection. The world we live in, and our responsibilities make free time difficult to spend wisely; having a church to go to, and a supposed expert on the seemingly unattainable should make things easier, shouldn’t it?  While the priest, monk, or Rabbi believe in what they’re telling us, that doesn’t mean it’s correct.  It might be right for them, but only for them.  Sure they mean well, but just because it’s right for them doesn’t make it right for the masses they’re speaking to.   

You are presuming far too much as to how individuals feel—How do you know? How do you know what makes my life or faith easier, as I do not know yours. How do you know how deep one`s individual faith is? How one feels about their priest, monk or the ascended masters?
   
  What all of us need, is a chance to find our own personal avatars of Hope. Once they’re found, it is our time to hear what our God or Gods want from us.  The message will or should be unique to you.  They speak to us through our conscience.  If we’re righteous, and one of the Hopeful, their message will be cut from that same cloth.

Aren`t you proposing exactly the same as that which you are criticizing—namely a `priest, minister whatever`--aren`t you lifting yourself into that position of  guidance?  Many have found their avatar of hope a long time ago--be that whomever, whatever I am very sure. Our GOD/Gods have spoken clearly long ago—they/it simply want us to awaken into consciousness and GOD/Gods realization.

Now--`hope` as you are proposing regarding actions in the world  which requires each of us to act individually towards the less fortunate or ones who need help or have all our actions directed by all things positive, is different. That all goes in conjunction with Love,- under which is ; compassion, empathy, understanding, mercy, forgiveness—which GOD/Gods are simply manifestations of. God is but one word—LOVE.





 

Passion #72

I believe that the mere presence of passion within is all we need to fulfill our dreams. Remember that God is in no need of excuses, ever. The creative Divine Spirit is able to manifest anything it contemplates, and we are the results of its contemplating itself into material form. Thus, when we have an emotional reaction that feels like overwhelming passion for what we’re contemplating, we’re experiencing the God within us…and nothing can hold us back.

Passion is a feeling that tells us: This is the right thing to do. Nothing can stand in my way. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. This feeling is so good that it cannot be ignored. I’m going to follow my bliss and act upon this glorious sensation of joy.

When we are enthusiastic, nothing seems difficult. When we have passion, there are no risks: family dramas become meaningless, money isn’t an issue, we know that we have the strength and the smarts, and the rules laid down by others have no bearing on us whatsoever. That’s because we are answering our calling—and the “us” who is doing the answering is the highest part of us, or the God within.

The presence of passion within us is the greatest gift we can receive. And when it’s aligned with Spirit, treat it as a miracle, doing everything you can to hold on to it, then life is consumed by the passion for what we are doing—and experiencing the God within.

If we have passion, there is no need for excuses, because our enthusiasm will trump any negative reasoning we might come up with. Enthusiasm makes excuses a non-issue. When we seek the presence of our creative Spirit and are filled with passion about virtually everything we undertake, we successfully remove the roadblocks from our lives and enjoy the active presence of Spirit.

Yates #71

Today I was reminded of a quote that I heard a while back by Yates-

"Things reveal themselves in their passing away"

Everything we experience is for a purpose, at times hidden, but by their passing all is understood. We are --as all is : every breath, every blade of grass, every drop of ocean, everything ever created --all is part of all of creation, which is sacred. Sadly we desecrate them so often without thinking, without reason for purely selfish purposes. We lose sight of what is important in pursuit of nothing of value, we discard all that what is valuable to the soul, that nourishes our spirit for mere human pleasure which all passes. We are all connected-all is as important as the other.

I suppose I, as all need some awakening often to shake us back into our real purpose-and let worldly things go once they have served their usefulness and are of no more value. Only then we can sincerely look most deeply, and clearly at what is the sole purpose of our existence is-we lose sight so fast, or blinded by our humanity, yet we have a divine nature which often we sell for 30 pieces of silver. The lesson is often real hard to learn when human desires whisper to our heart. But-all passes and all is left what we have accumulated from all of our experiences.

Painful as it might be, I am blessed that the Lord and Our Lady seems to arrange these lessons for me for it makes me realize how important all that which nourishes the soul--all else are merely the actual tools to learn these lessons-all and even the least smallest event in our lives. We are all this tiny moment within the heart of creation, within the heart of our Creator--He knows all, and is all-guides all.

Things do reveal themselves in their passing away!--for then we realize that nothing ever  really passes away, for all is the divine present moment. This is awakening.