Looking for Mysteries of Life Answers

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“What is right for one soul may not be right for another. It may mean having to stand on your own and do something strange in the eyes of others.”….Eileen Caddy

Eileen Caddy MBE, 1917-2006, was a spiritual teacher and new age author, best known as one of the founders of the Findhorn Foundation community at the Findhorn Ecovillage, near the village of Findhorn, Moray Firth, in northeast Scotland.

Upon reading this quote I immediately turned to religion choices as the main topic. Religion is man-made, made to provide answers to the mysteries of life. Over time, some of those mysteries were solved by science and the pure passing of time. Other mysteries, purpose of life, life after death, existence of a god, etc., remain. In ancient times many of these mysteries were answered by what we now refer to as mythology. At the time, the answers were considered truth. Then, as now, those so-called answers did not resonate with everybody. Most kept their non-acceptance to themselves, out of fear of being ostracized (or worse) by their communities. People find their answers to the mysteries of life from many resources, often combing information and beliefs of multiple belief systems and personalizing them. Others take in the boxed-set of standard religions.

Who is right? Which belief system is right? They are all right for that individual because they fit the needs and provide believable, understandable answers to those who are searching. While we are all “one” we remain individuals with individual, unique thoughts, likes and dislikes. Imagine if we all talked alike, dressed the same, drove the same type and color car. Ditto for our religious and spiritual beliefs. Hard to imagine? None of the choices are wrong for those who opt to follow one or another path. As the saying goes, all paths lead to the same spot, whatever you call it.

Religion gives you hope, a sense of security, a calmness, peacefulness, an inner understanding, an understanding of the non-understandable – the mysteries of life. It doesn’t matter where it comes from, a book, a handed-down belief system, a 2,000 or 20,000 year old religion or a 5 year old one. If it fits an individual and causes harm to no one, so be it.

Be passionate about your religion while being compassionate toward others. Live it. Wear it on your sleeve if you like. Practice it in your everyday life. As you do, be respectful and mindful of those who follow a different path, for at the end of the journey, your paths will lead you to the same destination.

Blessed Be!

The Thing With Feathers That Perches In The Soul

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“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.”……Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson was a reclusive American poet that had her first collection published after her death in 1886. Born 12/10/1830, she attended Mount Holyoke and Amherst Colleges.

Hope is the state which promotes the desire of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life or in the world at large. Despair is often regarded as the opposite of hope. Hope is the "feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best" or the act of looking forward to something with desire and reasonable confidence" or feeling that something desired may happen.(Wikipedia)

Hope is a basic human instinct. We lose hope, temporarily, usually after a devastating event in our lives. It is those times that we need hope the most. Always dare to hope for it is a positive emotion, filled with positive energy. Hoping is like praying. When we put out positive energy we reap that energy in return many times over. Hope and dream with confidence just as you would with prayer. Take that glimmer of hope, even an ounce of it, and build on it. Let it drive and steer you to the desired end result.

One technique to aide in manifesting hope into reality I often use is one I relied on in my younger years playing sports. That method is referred to as positive visualization. As you are hoping for something picture it in your mind, seeing it actually happening. See it occurring. Concentrate on it. It does not have to be for any specific length of time, a second will suffice as well as extended periods. The more you practice this the more efficient you will become. Do so repeatedly throughout the day. You will find the results surprising at first and will start to incorporate the method more frequently in your daily life.

Hope is always there. It may be buried at times, sitting on a perch as Ms. Dickinson put it, but it is there waiting and ready to be called upon. When faced with a difficult decision or situation, know that the Goddess/God is within. Deity is always there for guidance and consultation, patient, never too tired to respond and never giving up.

Blessed Be!

 

 

Our lives depend on hope. If you have hope, you’ll be able to overcome problems you face. But if you’re without hope, your difficulties will increase. Hope is linked to compassion and loving kindness. In my own experience. I’ve faced all sorts of difficulties in my life, but I never gave up hope. Also, being truthful and honest is a basis for hope and self-confidence.,,,Dalai Lama

Invisible Power?

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“Prayer is made up of words filled with invisible power. This is the greatest life-giving energy on Earth.”……Sue Sikking

Rev. Sikking was an author and founder of Unity By the Sea Church in Santa Monica. During her life, 1899-1992, she was a pioneer in a profession predominately had been held by men.
According to Wikipedia, prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with Deity, an object of worship or spiritual entity through deliberate communication.

My view of prayer differs a bit from Rev. Sikking’s. I look at prayer as the act of putting forth positive energy into the universe. Similar to majick and spell work, prayer is the manipulation of energy, increasing the positive energy to a situation. Energy is not invisible as it is in everything and can be measured in many ways, scientifically and emotionally.

Putting forth this energy can be done via speech, thought or written word. The belief of the Law of 3 Fold Return states, basically, that whatever you put out returns to you 3 times. Positive out - positive in, negative out - negative in.

Is there a wrong way to pray? Absolutely not! The only caveat is that your prayer does not call on something negative happening to another. Anything that you feel can enrich a prayer is favorable. This may include kneeling while praying, folding hands, focusing on an object (rosary beads, crucifix, etc.), a burning candle, holding a stone that possesses certain properties, burning incense, wearing certain garb, playing background music and so on.

Prayers can sustain hope (see https://liomsaland.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-thing-with-feathers-that-perches-in.html) and beliefs, give comfort and stability. When all else fails, when faced with a last resort, prayer can aid in overcoming and accomplishing things. It is Universal in that no person, corporation, government, institution or group of people holds the license to prayer or the method of doing so.

While all prayers are answered, the results may not come about exactly as you had envisioned. Perhaps they are answered in a different time frame or in a different process, but the end result is one that is best for you to reach your life goals and learn the lessons of life.

Give it a try, and often. You will be amazed at the results assuredly.

Blessed Be!

Alexes' Medical Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexes, our 13 yr-old granddaughter, has severe scoliosis. It has reached the point that the spine is now wrapping around the heart. She is preparing for an Oct. 7, 2015 surgery at UPMC Childen's Hospital Pittsburgh, a 4-hour procedure using screws, plates and wires to straighten it out. Post surgery will necessitate a 5-day hospital stay. Afterwards, she will be bedridden for 1-month followed by a 6-month period of non-activity. 

Alexes has 6 siblings, ranging in ages 9 to 15. This whole experience puts the entire family under tremendous strain of all kinds. Transportation expense from Altoona to Pittsburgh is and will continue to mount along with expenses incurred for care for her siblings while her parents tend to Alexes.

Prayers, positive energy, financial and any other form of assistance will be greatly appreciated. Please help! Thanks and Blessings!

http://www.gofundme.com/9jn5dc

Over the Edge

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 “God stirs up our comfortable nest and pushes us over the edge of them and we are forced to use our wings.”…..Hannah Whitall Smith

Hanah Whitall Smith, 2/7/1832-5/1/1911, was a lay speaker and author. She was active in the U.S. Holiness Movement. The one-time Quaker was also active in the UK and Ireland Higher Life Movement, women’s suffrage and temperance periods.

How do we react when our comfort level is breached? Life is a journey whose goal is to learn via experiences, toils and trials along with victories. Life is simply a stage for learning the lessons we need and/or helping others do the same by being role models and demonstrating what or what not to do under given circumstances.

The mother bird nudges her young out of the nest, knowing they will take flight, at the same time knowing they are petrified. Our experiences give us the opportunity to soar. Even in those circumstances when we feel our attempts fail, we walk away with a gained knowledge for future use.

I do not see Deity as a puppeteer pulling our strings. Deity created a Universe where we control our lives, everyday choices plus after-life evaluation to chart a course that will best give us the opportunities to learn life’s lessons in our next life experiences.

We do, though, need an occasional push from someone-something to get us over hurdles, out of ruts and non-productive routines, encouraging and at times forcing us to try new things. Think back on your past and the many roadblocks you faced. Were you pushed to your limits? Did you not only survive but flourish afterwards? I relate it to those dreaded road construction signs: A temporary inconvenience for a permanent improvement.

Blessed Be!

Soul Listening

 

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“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”……Anne Sexton

Anne Sexton (11/9/28-10/4/74) was an American poet, known for her highly personal, confessional verse. She won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1967.

We tend to view the world through opinions formed from our personal experiences and accumulated thoughts of a lifetime, then react accordingly. The key is balance. We accumulate plenty of negativity through our lifetime experiences. If we opt to focus on those and react accordingly to new situations we destine ourselves to repeat history and endure further hardships. Rather, we need to focus on the lessons learned along our journey called life and put them into use. Doing so will make life’s tough decisions easier and result in more positive outcomes.

“Learn from your mistakes” is a common phrase. But, are there really “mistakes” in your journey? I think not. There are choices; choices that once made lead you to your next situation. That could be location, occupation, relationship and so on. None of these outcomes should be considered good or bad, just opportunities for learning and/or teaching. Yes, sometimes it’s not all about us as our life’s course includes helping others learn, either by example or direct interaction.

Learn from your past experiences and put your learned lessons into use. The proverbial forks in the road you face while on your journey all lead somewhere, neither good nor bad. The choice is yours. Make it based on your previous experiences and prepare for future growth by learning.

Take time to reflect on those past experiences when faced with a new challenge. Listen. Listen to your soul. It has the answers, waiting to be called upon, to be consulted as a resource. Listen.
Blessed Be!

Got Choices?

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“There are no mistakes – all events are blessings given to us to learn from.” Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, 7/8/26-8/24/04, was a Swiss-American psychiatrist. She is best known as a pioneer in near-death studies and for authoring “On Death and Dying”.

Every day is decision day, a day of multiple decisions. Some may consider certain decisions minor, such as what to wear or eat, but to others they are major steps during a day. Other decisions play a major role in lives, relationships, relocation, financial, etc. All these decisions combined make up our reality, form our Earthly being as well as affecting others.

Is it possible to really make a wrong or bad decision. We are given the gift of free choice by Deity upon starting on our life path and these choices simply lead us down a path lined with experiences and learning opportunities.

So, how do we reach these decisions that lead us down life's path? For thousand of years the answer was to carefully assess our options and consciously deliberate the available information. Being rational creatures, we should make decisions in a rational manner. However, recent studies have shown that the emotional system (the gut feeling) might excel at complex decisions, or those involving numerous variables. This suggests that the unconscious is better suited for decison-making tasks than the conscious brain. Perhaps the process long considered as irrational and impulsive might be smarter than reasoned deliberation. The unconscious is able to handle an excess of information without getting overwhelmed. Human reason can only process about 4 bits of data at any given moment.

It is becoming increasingly clearer that our emotions have a logic all their own. Our instincts are often rooted in the processing powers of the unconscious brain. When facing a tough decision in life, big or small, don't agonize over it. Use the process that works best for you. Whatever your choice is a lesson awaits you. The lessons of life fulfill our purpose. There is no wrong decision as a lesson awaits along whatever path you choose. Relax and enjoy the day and the blessings it brings.

A Rose Is a Rose Until You Give It Away

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Be a Rose Giver Today            

“The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.”….. Cuban actress Hada Bejar

Each day brings new chances, opportunities to make a difference in your own or someone else’s life. Opportunities abound daily to test the axiom that it is better to give than to receive. Following the law of 3 Fold Return and the concept of Karma, what is given returns to you in some form. See my article at  http://liomsaland.blogspot.com/2015/08/law-of-physics.html. When the gift (I refer to it as a gift even though it often is not a physical item but rather an act or word of kindness) is given the memory of the receiver’s reaction, whether it be a silent nod, a shout of glee, a firm handshake, a tearful grin or a warm hug, will remain with you for years, if not a lifetime.

Don’t forget about that ripple effect (http://liomsaland.blogspot.com/2015/10/start-ripple-today.html) as your act of kindness gets passed down time and time again. I know a couple who, during the holiday season, cashed in their coins at a local grocery store. A gentleman witnessed them doing so and quickly, discreetly, dropped a $20 bill in front of them apparently thinking they were struggling financially and wanted to help. Awe struck at what happened they recovered their senses much too late to even say thank-you. What did they do? Knowing a jobless, single mother of 8 who was without a doubt struggling in all ways, they passed the $20 on to her. The mother wisely used the $20 to pay for several loads of laundry for her children’s clothes. The children’s self-images rose the next day as they proudly, happily wore their clean clothes to school with a smile and a bounce in their step.

A fragrance was left on hands that day. It is a fragrance that cannot be bottled and found on the shelf of your favorite retailer. It is a fragrance that can start with you and one small, simple act. Let’s call it “Eau de Giving”. Pick some up today!

Blessed Be!