judgment

(photo courtesy andy54321)


What is it about judgment that we all find so compelling?

Is it a way to place ourselves in the world, and in our culture, even in our family and our individual life? A way of saying this is who I am? And if so, are we then defining ourselves by outside circumstances?

Or is judgment a way of feeling good about ourselves in a constantly shifting world, and within our own shifting ethics and perceptions? Is it a way of feeling morally superior? Do we really need judgment?

As Yeshua says, judgment is not the same as discernment. I can discern something as not appropriate for me without judging it as good or bad.

And how do we know something is inherently bad or good? Slavery used to be accepted behavior; it was "good" for the economy. In the Old Testament a 'just' God sanctioned rape. Many "evil" acts have been committed throughout history that ultimately created a greater good, by waking-up a people, or a nation.

Much of our humanity and compassion is only experienced and shared in response to a tragic or 'bad' event. We experience just as much growth -- perhaps more -- via a 'bad' experience as a 'good' one.

What judgment fundamentally does is separate us from each other, the world, and divinity. When we judge something or someone we are pulling ourselves out of the moment, we are saying that I am not that.

But the truth is we are. There is nothing we judge that we have ourselves not committed at some point, in some form. "I have never murdered," you might say. A vegan or Buddhist might disagree. "Well, I never never murdered a human." Perhaps not in this lifetime, but most assuredly in a past lifetime. And there are many ways to 'kill' someone. A brutal verbal attack can be just as devastating to a person. Many suicides are pushed over the edge by an personal attack. Is that murder?

And if there is only one of us, quantum physically-speaking, then isn't what one person does to another, what we are doing as well? Didn't Yeshua say, what you do to another, you do to me?

By saying "judge not lest you be judged," Yeshua didn't mean we'll be judged and punished by some higher power. He meant that everything we judge we do so because it is an outward reflection of an inner conflict within us; it is on our personal 'radar screen'. When we judge something or someone, we are judging ourselves as good or bad.

Within the center of our own ethical core, we can discern that something or someone is not appropriate for us, and we can simply walk away without judgment.

Perhaps the world is in the state it is, and we are in the various states we find ourselves because of the energy of judgment. All of our western religions were born from and feed on judgment: we will never be good enough; the world will never be good enough. And so we separate, we point fingers, we fight, we destroy. Certainly most of us as young children were judged by our parents and schoolmates as being lacking in one way or another. Judgments we then passed on to others. We can't feel bad about ourselves all the time so we have to find an outside source to direct our own judgments toward, so we can feel better about ourselves, without having to look at our own issues.

We should all try living without judgment for a day and see how hard it is, but notice when we do view something or someone without judgment that we find ourself fully in the moment, and that moment in turn becomes filled with peace and love and compassion.

on election's eve...

"With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds."

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."

love xi

(photo courtesy sammis co)



But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious. Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off. It is my lady! O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were!

She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks.

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!

love x

(photo courtesy pathetik)

"How Do I Love Thee?"

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

love ix

Evelyn was her name. I could see across that Elk's dancehall that she was part Cheyenne: high, round cheekbones, deep, full eyes -- very dark. She smiled. And we danced. My hand at her back, her hand on my shoulder. She was a receptionist for a car dealer. Born in Laramie. And she had the sweetest, open smile. And we danced 'round that floor and laughed. She'd never been out of Wyoming before. Had a dream about going to Disney World, seeing palm trees. Her parents were dead. She had a brother in jail for robbing a grocery store and a sister with seven kids somewhere in Texas and her eyes caught the light and green turquoise flashed at her throat, and we danced. 'Til the music stopped.

And I kissed her. And she smiled. And I asked her for the next dance.

And she said yes.

the consciousness of DNA

(photo courtesy jurvetson)


We are our DNA. We've all heard that, and it's true. Our DNA and RNA are the building blocks and blueprints of who we were, who we are, and who we may become. They carry our genetic information from family to family down through the currents of history. They carry our social and cultural information as well. DNA even possesses all the genetic information of the planet.

The microcosm is the macrocosm.

But is our DNA frozen in biological 'concrete'? Is it unalterable?

From a metaphysical point of view, the answer is no; we can alter our DNA through conscious intervention.

However, part of our DNA also carries our karmic history and can only be altered as we come to terms with our karmic responsibilities. We cannot run from our karma any more than we can run from our DNA.

But we can influence and change both.

The very fact that we're open to these kind of Sci-Fi-ish possibilities suggests that we're already nearing the time when we can move beyond karma as a method of teaching altogether, and thereby release it from our DNA and our consciousness.

And remember, ultimately our DNA, like everything else is the Universe, is the product of consciousness and can be changed through consciousness.

One might ask: "But won't tampering with the consciousness of DNA at my limited intellectual and spiritual abilities cause harm to me physically?"

No, because this type of co-creation is always handled at the level of our Higher Selves, and within the Divine Consciousness that inhabits our DNA already. We just have to express our intention and focus that intention -- with the highest good for all and with harm to no one.

Again, the fact that we're even considering this possibility means that we're moving into co-creative alignment with the Universe -- which is what the Universe intended from the very beginning of our journey into matter.

The Universe wants to encourage us to co-create with it. We express the intent, the Universe will do the heavy lifting.

And don't worry, any changes we intend will be manifested within the intelligence of the sacred geometry of our DNA. Our genetic make-up won't collapse like a weakened ladder.

So, how?

Really, it's up to you. Use your own intuition. But here's a suggestion:

Move into a meditative state.

Intend/imagine connecting with the consciousness of your DNA. That's all you have to do. Intent is everything. You don't have to perform some elaborate mental or spiritual ritual.

For me, I find it helpful to simply picture the words "DNA" in my mind, lit up like a neon sign.

Below the word I visualize a circuit breaker box just like the one in every home.

One one side I see a column of circuits that are 'turned-on' to genetic physical possibilities such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, allergies, aging, etc. But I also see circuits connected to emotional conditions such as anger, fear, hate, jealously, which also effect our DNA and our health.

One by one, I shut these circuits "Off."

One a second column I see circuits for health and youth and vitality and joy and love and happiness and restored eyesight and specific healed physical issues. I make sure these circuits are turned "On."

That's it.

I often find that when I return to the meditation, my "Off" circuits are back "On." And I have to perform the visualization all over again. Almost daily until I can go back and see that all the "Off" circuits are indeed "Off" and all the "On," "On."

Sometimes I have to lock the "Off" circuits with a padlock. Sometimes with chains. Sometimes I covered them in 'concrete'. Once I even took a 'shotgun' and blew them to pieces.

All while making sure the "On" circuits stayed "On" and even radiating light and love and joy.

Another possibility is to imagine a DNA 'ladder' with physical and emotional negative and positive traits attached to the 'steps'. Visualize 'pulling' the negative traits off and then 'enhancing' the positive ones.

Create your own visualizations. Have fun with it.

And watch your health and body begin to change.

"Your Laughter"

Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.

Do not take away the rose,
the lance flower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.

My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your laughter enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.

My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.

Next to the sea in the autumn,
your laughter must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your laughter like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.

Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted
streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your laughter
for I would die.

Pablo Neruda

Losing My Life To Find It

Today I see that in spiritual growth I lose my life to find it. This is
just the opposite of establishing my identity in a worldly way, which
lies in surrounding myself with things that I want to represent me. In
this way I define and seek a sense of self through representation. I
know now that I cannot find me in a reflection of myself.

When I do this, my eyes are constantly focused outward, and I forget that it is
through an inner gazing that I come to know who I am and what life is
all about. The sense of loss I may experience when I cease looking for
my true identity in objects outside myself disappears when I look within
for my life and meaning.



I let go of my smaller self to know my larger self.


In my end is my beginning.


T. S. Eliot

age

(photo courtesy mordoc)


age-consciousness is one of the most biologically destructive constructs we can entertain. Call yourself an age and the body responds accordingly. And the body and mind instantly respond to the cultural expectations of what the number is supposed to imply.

The human body is rebuilt from the skeleton up every year (most of the body is rebuilt every seven months). We only retain dis-ease and aging because our consciousness immediately places those new, healthy cells in the same place as the old, unhealthy, aged cells.

Aging is a dis-ease. It is NOT a biological imperative.

What the mind believes, the body follows. Besides, I have lived lifetimes. At the quantum level, I am infinite. I am therefore ageless -- so long as I choose to be. The number means nothing.

The only reference point that matters is the spirit and the human heart.

a message

be still dear friends, brothers and sisters, parents and child, enemies and loved-ones, these are the times of grace. what seems complex and confusing and frightening is in fact the most amazing of occurrences. it is the call home. it is the call to return, not to where you came from, but to where you have always believed yourself to truly be. though you have forgotten, though you have been lost, though you have played with fear and despair, those times are dwindling away. this is not a time to look back, or look forward, but to look within and around and revel in what you have all too often passed by in the haste of life. there is no right here and no wrong to what has been done and not yet done, just truth and acceptance and peace within the heart. this is the time of letting go. letting go of the guilt and the shame and the illusion that you are able to control all aspects of your life and the life of the planet. yours are not the only paths being walked on the planet. yours are not the only plans. the great latticework has come together in astounding beauty and form and interconnected all paths and all plans into one river flowing to one ocean. the time of separation is over. the time of limitation is over. the time of borders and fences are over, including those within the human heart. what you see as destruction around you is the process of creation released of its restrictions. it is the freeing-up of eons of stuck and cluttered energy and it is not chaotic. it is not punishment. it is the freeing-up of the waters of consciousness to flow where they are needed. yes there will be changes, that is obvious to all. but they need not be as difficult as you fear; they need not be difficult at all. though few of you remember it, you have been at this stage of creation an infinite number of times before. you have even experienced it when you left the peace and perfection of home and journeyed courageously into rebirth and human form and experienced the pain of pressuring the vastness of all that you are into the smallest, most fragile of forms. time and time again you have each done this. some lifetimes you chose to rest, others you filled with profound challenges. all were extraordinary works of art. this is the time of completing the painting you all began at the beginning of this creation spiral. you have waited anxiously, impatiently for this time; you have, quite literally, waited in line to be here now. do not look to the past to solve the challenges of these times. the only answers for each of you are within, in the stillness of your deepest awareness that you are not small, insignificant vehicles of motion and perception, but instead infinite creators made manifest in flesh in a world of matter, to better understand, contemplate and perfect your creations. wake every day trusting you are safe and shall be guided though others around you may stumble. trust that they are safe as well and always have been. open to the release of all judgment about what you consider "good" and "bad." this is the time to be those lights in the darkness, cursing the darkness not. one can shout from the roller-coaster from fear, or exhilaration. when you come up against your fears and seeming walls of adversity, step back, take a breath and consider surrendering to the moment. open to what you think of as the miraculous. you are the caterpillar breaking free of the cocoon, the young, trembling bird about to fly for the first time. you think you will fall. you will not. you will be asked to open to faith, and not the blind faith of your religions, but the true faith of your true nature that you have hidden away in order to play this grand game of creation. reclaim your power. create your day and your world as you would have it, first in your heart, then speak it out into the world of form to be made manifest. you have each created this world. now you shall recreate it in joy and love and harmony. greed will be replaced by the grace of generosity and shared hope. isolation and separation will be replaced with union. the dark will pull away from under your feet as you walk with a heart filled with light. there really is nothing to be done, as difficult as that may be to accept. there is only to be present. to be hopeful. to be generous and loving. to bend as the willow does. to flow as the river. the river bringing you home.