Tag: wisdom

RULE #6: Take Care of What You Have

Posted on by cmryan

It had finally gotten so bad that I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to clean out my large truck/SUV (it’s a Suburban).

For over a year I had been looking in the rear-view mirror at my grandson’s toddler fingerprints spread generously across the back window. He and his sister and their parents had moved to another state several months earlier and I’d kept the window unwashed as a reminder of their presence in my heart, always with me. Now, finally, I took pictures of one handprint silhouetted by the sun before the glass cleaner wiped it away. And then the cleaning began in earnest.

By the time I finished the interior, exterior, wheels and floors and glass, I was in love with my truck again. Yes, it’s 10 years old. And, yes, I still have a few more payments on it before it’s finally, really mine. But the process of its rejuvenation brought me closer to its attributes and reminded me why I bought it in the first place: the roominess of three rows of seats plus space for the dog…the sturdiness of it…the secure and safe feeling I get while riding in it or driving with my family…the leather interior…the built-in DVD player in the backseat (wish I had that when I was a kid)…the wonderful stereo system for listening to children’s rhyming songs…the way the gray color never shows the dirt… seat heaters…air conditioning…low miles…dependability.

The clean results reminded me that, as long as I take care of this vehicle, inside and outside, this might actually be the last one I ever need to buy. I found comfort in that idea. And it led me to others like it.

  • As long as I take care of my home, it will likely stand longer than I do and the improvements will bring new comfort, generous memories, and improved value.
  • As long as I pay attention to my friendships and family relationships, they can go on and on for as long as one remains.
  • As long as I maintain my gardens with the proper nourishment of soil and fertilizer, the seasons will take the plants from seed to harvest to compost; the growth and beauty will last and expand year after year.
  • As long as I continue to hone my skills and creative talents, my work – whatever it is – will continue to evolve until I my interests change and I choose another direction. Yet my creative nature will always be a part of who I am.
  • As long as I take care of what I have, it will be part of my life.

And by taking care of what I have, I’m sending a message to Universal Intelligence that I’m worthy of more Good. Since I can be trusted to take care of what I already have …whether it’s a personal attribute or a material possession …I believe that other opportunities and wealth of various sorts will come my way …that the richness of life is attracted to what I already possess like metal to a magnet.

It’s said “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” (Matt. 13:12) This finally made sense to me.

Besides, why would we NOT want to take care of what we already have or possess? Financial wisdom dictates that we would want to make last what we have, what we’re using, for as long as we can so that our resources can go further for other purposes. Also I want the people around me to feel welcome and loved, to experience community and interaction. I choose to grow and expand in consciousness of all kinds, in skills of all kinds and levels, and in a variety of interests.

Rule #6: Take care of what you have …brings with it a feeling of gratitude …for all the Good already in your life and what more is sure to come along.

Taking care of this big old truck is like taking care of the precious memories that filled its seats with the laughter and love of my grandchildren. It holds the possibility that one day they will again ride in the back seat, watch one of their old movies, and hear stories about the handprints on the window. Maybe they’ll even remember. I’d welcome that kind of Good – and more – any day!

RULE #3: Maintain Order

Posted on by cmryan

If you look around in the world of Mother Nature (the Universe), you will find a natural order to life. One season follows another. A seed comes before the mature plant and before the blossom or fruit. Day and night may happen simultaneously, but only on opposite sides of the planet. A baby learns to roll over or crawl before it can walk. We learn simple math or grammar skills before moving on to more complex concepts. The point is there is a natural order to life.

The same can be said for the way we grow spiritually. We must have some type of awareness or yearning, something that beckons our attention about God before we open our minds to more expansive investigation of the spiritual or religious realm. There is an order to the way we deepen our understanding. There is an order, a process, in the development of our beliefs …in the way we pray and the depth to which we go …in how we connect with Divine Intelligence.

What I have discovered for myself and from what other spiritual seekers have shared is that whatever idea of God was learned in childhood was eventually put under the microscope of doubt …at least for awhile.

Whether it was in the inquisitive teenage years when everything that our parents taught was tossed aside and relearned later …or whether we just forgot about it until those middle-age years when the idea of mortality becomes more of a reality of living.

There’s an order, a progression, a process of learning and exploring and understanding that builds upon itself in a step-by-step fashion of testing, acceptance, and trust.

We don’t (usually) become suddenly enlightened about the entire spiritual realm all at once. We journey into that head and heart and soul space one tentative step at a time. Each bit of information that can be tested, is. Each book or lecture or teacher than can be challenged, is. We do this until we’re sure it’s time to take the next step. Rarely do we run with complete abandon head-on towards God until the path has first been tested.

Perhaps the order we’re compelled to test and then maintain is really to offset the chaotic questioning provided by the doubting ego. In its attempt to remain in control of our fears and thinking patterns, it tosses dust storms of doubt in front of us and obscures our vision to see ourselves as more than just a trembling human body in this world of challenge and triumph. In an effort to break free of the chaos and the distorted view, to discover something bigger than ourselves, we begin to accept an invisible and powerful nature that lives in us and in everyone else. The Power back of all things.

Through a greater awareness and a trust in the Divine, we open ourselves to greater potentiality and find we can create a life of unlimited possibilities, one step at a time. We maintain order. We discover peace in the confusion and purpose in the fragments of our focus. The puzzle of our life is put together and we embrace the loving truth within our own beautiful soul.

Spirit is always there, waiting for our willingness to connect and explore. It is the order of things, now …and yet to come.

Rule #2: There are NO “do-overs” in Life

Posted on by cmryan

Have you ever heard the lesson about how each time you step into a stream, it’s a different stream? This lesson speaks to the fact that the water in the stream is different, the rocks on the bottom may have moved, the temperature can vary, the way you walk may be unusual, and even your perspective of how you view the stream can be different from the first time it happened.

With this idea in mind, it occurred to me that Life is like that, too. We may repeat habits or patterns, think similar ideas, have on-going behaviors or relationships that don’t change for years…or so we lead ourselves to believe. The fact is, we change from minute to minute. We become wiser, more experienced, more aware.

A first-time endeavor is only a “first-time” once. Your first day of work happens only once, no matter how long you’re there or how many different jobs you have. A first kiss can happen just one time.

You can certainly repeat the experience with different people or places of employment, thereby experiencing the “newness” of that particular incident with other variables, but you cannot go back to that first time of anything or go back in time to repeat a specific act because time keeps passing on. Once something has been done, you cannot go back in time and do it over. The next time you repeat a behavior or experience is brand new and in a new moment.

As chronological time passes, this new, NOW moment is really all we have to work with. We may gain much experience and wisdom about how to do things, how the world works, and hopefully who we are as a person. However, there is absolutely no way to go back and do anything over again without having the memory, wisdom or experience of having done that something before.

Life has no do-overs. Not really. What you DO have is the ability to do things better the second or third or fourth time around. You may get lots of practice in certain endeavors, yet each is happening in a brand new moment with a greater (albeit familiar) sense of understanding about that activity. Each new moment, each new experience, comes with the opportunity to create anew!

You don’t have to do things the same way time after time. Life…Creation…God…certainly does not. We’re told that EVERY snowflake is of a unique design. So is EVERY human being on earth. Trees and animals may share a species name, and even look quite identical, but I would venture to say that even those creations are unique in their existence.

There are no do-overs in Life. No matter what has happened yesterday…no matter what messes or amends you may have to clean up…each moment of living is another opportunity to start over, to start fresh. What a gift that is! We’re not stuck in a rut unless we put ourselves there…with old thought patterns and ways of being. Who would really want to have everything be the same forever anyway!

The first thing we can change is our perspective, our way of viewing Life. Begin there. Change your thinking and see how it impacts the moments you’re living…one by one…each as bright with possibilities as the sunrise. Step into the light. Clear away old, stuffy ways of creating and being and doing. Build from them, remember what still provides direction and is valuable to you. Step into the stream of Life and surrender to the Now!

Rule #1: Consider fully the seeds you plant

Posted on by cmryan

It’s summer and, thus, gardening season for me. I spend most early mornings outside with a shovel, dirt, plants, and many ideas. The time with Mother Nature is very healing and also inspiring, providing answers and guidelines by which to live all parts of life. So, today begins my “List of Rules” by which to live and create a life of quality, simplicity, balance, and wholeness.

Gardening (and Life) Rule # 1 : Consider fully the seeds you plant.

Seeds, like thoughts, have far-reaching effects once they take root. I’m not talking about the fleeting thoughts, the ones that are gone as fast as they arrive, but the ones that you continue to mull over in your brain and that take root in your being. You start talking about them with your family and friends or posting them on social media…and then you begin to live them out loud.

By the time you get to the point where you are endorsing your thoughts and ideas with action, I would pray that the effects of your behavior are positive and uplifting rather than hurtful or intrusive.

Years ago I planted a lovely shrub, known as Russian Sage. This plant is drought tolerant, rabbit resistant, and self-propagating. It has oily, light green leaves and stems with small purple flowers similar to lavender, including its scent. The shrub can grow to a height and width of about two feet. And then the baby shrubs start showing up.

Left unattended for the most part, which I did for several years, the baby sage stems expand from the main plant at what seems to be an amazing rate…until at last…they’re growing in the grass, the flower beds, between rocks, and everywhere their underground root system can go.

All of a sudden (not really), this lovely shrub has become an invasive nuisance…simply because I was not paying attention to the way it was manifesting right in front of me. I did nothing about it and it took over. The effort to remove the additional growth as it was happening would have been relatively easy to do. However, after years of rampant expansion and unmonitored growth, digging out the deep and woody roots from the compacted clay takes hours and hours of difficult shoveling and intensive labor.

The same is level of effort is necessary in our human thinking when we discover certain patterns of thought are impacting our lives in unhealthy ways. It’s often hard work. Sometimes we need help.

We may need to have someone point out to us that a behavior or comment we make so casually is actually very hurtful, not funny, or unloving. Sometimes our reasons to “help” someone (especially with adult children) are actually a method to retain control over them. Whatever justification we tell ourselves to stay angry and resentful about something only plants deeper and more painful thorns of hurt around our lonely hearts. Left unchecked, such detrimental thoughts, words, and behaviors will eventually invade all areas of your life with sad and negative results.

The parent shrub I planted years ago was only doing what it was made to do: live, expand, blossom, etc. It did not require assistance from me to grow. Nothing negative about that.  It only became intrusive when I stopped paying attention to its patterns of growth and did nothing to correct it…up until now.

The same is true about a thought. Which ones are you paying attention to? Feeding and nurturing? Or weeding and removing (healing, forgiving) from your consciousness?

When I started this shrub-removal project a few days ago, I swore I’d NEVER plant that sage shrub again. I’ve changed my mind.  I will. I like the plant and the lessons it has provided. It is a “sage” after all. But it will be planted in a container that allows it to grow without becoming invasive and that I can more easily monitor.

Stay vigilant. Be aware. Make the effort to clean up those thoughts that no longer serve your highest Good, your God-Self. Consider fully the seeds you plant.

Up & Down the Rabbit Hole

Posted on by cmryan

One of the gifts of going through challenging circumstances – ones that sometimes feel like we’re falling down a deep, dark hole – is to discover what we’re made of. How do we react or respond in those situations? Do we come from fear or do we meet the situation with wonder and curiosity and resolve?

As I drove my large SUV down the highway one evening recently, a weird noise started coming from the front part of the vehicle. At first I was curious. I didn’t go into panic mode until it sounded like something was falling out in bits from the engine and bouncing away under the vehicle. A roadside inspection revealed nothing – no leaks, no obvious broken parts, no damage to the truck. Yet each time I pulled back onto the highway, there was a new alertness in my being, waiting for the sound. It did not disappoint my expectations.

Fortunately, I was able to make it home safely that evening and get the SUV to the mechanic’s shop the next morning. Apparently whatever has gone wrong is deep within the mechanisms of its driving functions. It’s fixable, of course. It will just take time, money, and someone else’s expertise to make this right.

While I wait for the quote on what the repairs will cost, I’m grateful. Grateful this situation didn’t happen just a few days earlier when I was traveling across the country and on some rather remote roads, with no cell coverage. Grateful it took place at a time when traffic patterns were light and easy – not during rush hour nor while on the way to some important engagement. Grateful our family includes an auto mechanic who is willing to help diagnose the problem on a holiday evening and be a liaison for us through the repair process. Grateful that, while I’m not particularly fond of paying for large (or small) vehicle repair bills, at least I have the resources to do so if needed. Grateful that my trip down the fearful rabbit hole was quite shallow this time. Grateful I can surrender the situation and know there is a higher purpose at work here.

I’m discovering how much easier life is when I accept the “what is” of any holey situation (pun intended). It doesn’t matter if it’s a broken vehicle, an injured relationship, or a resistant attitude. There’s no need to label the situation positive or negative. There is so much of life we have no control over or even influence about, except for how we will respond (react) to it. Sometimes surrender is the only wise option.

In those situations where we do have control or influence, I endeavor to make my choices from a place of strength, courage, peace, and love. We always have the choice to detach any emotional response from what we’re facing and see it for the cosmic experience it is – an opportunity to grow. How difficult the experience becomes is up to us. Suffering is optional.

As I become more successful at staying near the surface of life’s holes, I’ve noticed that they are definitely not as deep nor as scary as they used to be. Some are even totally avoidable unless curiosity takes over. Others are just a passing shadow and warrant only a smile and a wave good-bye…just in time for the arrival of the next growth experience.

 

W is for Wisdom… Spirituality A to Z

Posted on by cmryan

After asking the question “What should ‘W’ stand for in this series?” I decided to stick with the one that showed up first – Wisdom – because of its varied applications.

We indeed have available to us the Spiritual Wisdom of the Universe (God) through tapping into that intuitive knowing we carry around with us at all times. As we become more aware of our Divine Self, our God Nature, Spiritual consciousness expands to higher expression, increases in depth and intensity, and becomes our guide to living a life of truth, faith, and love.

The greatest of all Wisdom is the God Intelligence that expresses through all of life…through you and me and the rest of the universe. Its purpose is to create. Its direction comes from a divine intention and eternal presence of love, and moves only and always toward Good.

We have the Divine birthright to co-create, to get involved in this life-construction process and determine our own direction. Often the results show how we can so easily muck-up those intentions for Good …that we have a lot to learn. It takes a wise person to surrender to Divine Intelligence for our own highest and best good, and for the good of others around us.

Another expression of this Intelligence is the body’s Wisdom; its ability to heal, mend, and manage our human forms without any direction from us. When it seems to take too long to heal or we don’t care for ourselves properly so that it can, we have the option to seek outside resources (e.g., pills, ointments, infusions, etc.) to accelerate the healing process…or so we think. For some reason we have learned to avoid pain so much that we are often intolerant of even a little.

Pain is the body’s voice to let us know something is wrong, something needs our attention. I’ve often witnessed, however, that people would rather mask the pain than heal the cause of it. That applies to physical pain as well as emotional and mental anguish. From Oprah Winfrey we get, “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” Learn from what you’re doing to harm yourself…don’t hide it or suppress it. Go through it. Give your body the attention, nutrients, exercise, love, and support it needs to fight its unhealthy invaders and protect your soul’s carriage.

And finally, there is the Wisdom of the ages and sages; the philosophy that has been and continues to be handed down from one generation to the next through eons of time to guide us through the travails of earthly life. Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” And from Socrates we learn, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”

One of my life goals has been to become a woman of wisdom. I look at my past experiences and know I have learned much through this earthly journey. I would have been just fine without going through some of those situations, but I’m not sure I’d be who I am today without them. So I am grateful for all of it.

Some say I have achieved my goal, that I am a woman of wisdom. Perhaps. However, like Socrates, I continue to see that there is so much I do not know yet I am willing to learn, that this is just the beginning. In other cases, there is much to learn but through discernment or apathy, I have no desire to know. Would a wise person turn away from an opportunity to know more? In this case, yes. I’d prefer to follow the advice of Albert Einstein: “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”

Like Ernest Holmes, I believe that in all this getting of life’s achievements, it is best to get understanding. Through that endeavor, I will find wisdom. And so it is.

T is for Time … Spirituality A to Z

Posted on by cmryan

There’s no way I could look at the letter “T” and not think about Time as part of Spirituality.

I was reminded today about letting go of the pressures we place on ourselves toward achieving goals, completing projects, or meeting deadlines. Instead, it’s about creating an attitude of relying on the Universal Flow of Life to achieve all that is needed for our greatest Good…in Spirit Speed. This can be a difficult pill to swallow, especially if you’re determined to accomplish certain things by certain ages of life. It is for me.

I’m not sure exactly when it started, but I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with Time. I love it when I have more than I need or expect, and hate it when there doesn’t seem to be enough. Of course, this is totally ludicrous. Every second, minute, hour, and day are exactly the same length for every one of us. It’s what we stuff inside those allotments or leave empty that determine our level of foolishness in dealing with Time.

It’s easy for me to recognize when I’m going over the crazy edge of trying to do too much in too little Time or for too long a Time (that workaholic tendency). There are obvious signs of frustration: conciseness in my conversations; deep breaths to calm myself; spinning or moving from one project to another; being easily distracted to the point that I don’t accomplish as much as I could if I just focused on one task at a Time…to completion.

I have clocks in every room. Time is noted on the computer, the cell phone, and in the car. Rarely do I go anywhere without a watch on my clockwrist. My weekly presentations are rehearsed and all segments are well-planned to meet the expectations of Sunday’s service staying within the 60-minute hour. In a culture that seems to thrive on short attention spans and instant gratification, the idea of long walks, leisurely lunches, long-term projects, or relaxing vacations can seem almost foreign to many people, including me. Such ideas of balance and rest actually bring more anxiety as my mind tries to “catch up” with what I’m not doing in a moment of relaxation.

The truth is the concept of Time will be around long after I’ve left this too-busy craziness. My greatest triumph over Time is to have as much of it and for as long as I can. While I agree with George Bernard Shaw in being “…totally used up when I die…,” I would prefer not to accelerate the process. As I seek a more balanced life in the variety of activities I pursue (or not), that includes how much Time and energy I spend on each of them.

There are moments when I see the futility of trying to force Life into being what I demand it to be rather than seeing it for what it is: a beautiful series of unfolding moments filled with wonder and connection, love and joy, and the completion of those things that are most important in that moment or stage of life…they do get done…everything in its own Time by the hands doing the work. The rest is finished in Spirit Speed.

R is for Reflection … Spirituality A to Z

Posted on by cmryan

This topic of Reflection first brought to my mind the process of looking back: of evaluating past history; noting how far my life has traveled; the experiences of accomplishments and failures; the lessons learned; the wisdom gained; and desires for my future path. All of that is part of what I mean as Reflection. It is why I chose this word as the title for these writings. It’s an ongoing process throughout our lives.

The other Reflection that comes from such a review of the past is how I see myself in the present – in the mirror of self-examination and in the physical world. I am my own worst critic. Maybe we all are. The itty-bitty committee inside my head is full of judgments, criticisms, and verdicts. It pushes me into unrealistic deadlines and perfectionism tendencies. This critic does not rest! It can be a challenge to find balance with the gentler part of me that wants to escape the self-imposed pressures of constantly achieving more and greater expressions of who I am now or on my way to becoming.

I want to see Love in my eyes when I look in the mirror…for myself and others, my life, and the world around me. I want to know that I make a mirror-lg-silverdifference in this lifetime. On most days, I do. And then there are days when I recognize that my personal and spiritual growth is not over yet. There’s much more that I can develop and learn, with the help of Divine Guidance as well as through the individuals around me…my teachers.

We are mirrors for one another. Positive or negative we reflect back that which we put out in the world through our energy, our words and behaviors, our thoughts and beliefs. I recently implemented a new practice where I now have a small mirror with me at all times, especially at my computer. It helps me to stay Spiritually-centered when I notice my facial expressions going awry during a phone conversation or when I’m writing emails about a challenging situation. If my expression in the mirror is angry or fearful, imagine what my voice must sound like or the tone of my emails. That’s not who I truly am. That’s not my God-nature. The small mirror in front of me reminds me of exactly that.

The goal of how I see myself is as a person who, easily and effortlessly, comes first from a place of Divine Love. (I’m getting there.) As happy as I feel most days, I see myself expanding this Joy even more deeply. I’m satisfied to feel Grateful so much of my time. Life is a precious gift not to be wasted or taken for granted. Each moment counts!

My times of Reflection also reveal a great deal of Forgiveness in my life…and this leads to Contentment in every aspect. It’s important to let go of the mental baggage we carry – that which keeps us from growing into a higher expression of ourselves. Contentment is part of not taking things, situations, and people too personally. Release and let go.

Finally, I choose to fill spaces in my Life with Divine Love, Joy, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Contentment. In doing this, I can once more reflect on whether I’m progressing through Life or remaining stuck in some area. All I need do is look in the mirror and my soul tells me what is so. And so it is.

O is for Oneness and Oldness … Spirituality A to Z

Posted on by cmryan

The idea of Oneness is too important not to mention in an “O” writing, even if the other reference (Oldness) was actually the preferred topic for this piece. Together, they offer a depth and meaning to a Spiritual life that is richer when both are included.

Oneness can be another way of expressing connection…to other humans, to Life itself, to Divine Intelligence. It’s often a word used to describe a person’s relationship to God. In my Spiritual belief, we are all individual­ized expressions of the One Mind. We are each created with all the qualities of God within us. We develop or acknowledge those qualities as we mature on our Spiritual path and livingness in this physical world.

The idea that we are all made from the same “God stuff” – that the same type of cellular structures and processes are present throughout creation – solidifies the concept of Oneness. Regardless of how far back or how deep science investigates, similarities exist enough to show connection. And it is these familiar patterns or substances on which the future is created and from which it evolves. The threads of Life are long, sturdy, and enduring.

It is this type of Oldness that gives credence to Oneness, and that shows up in day-to-day living. For example, when a grandparent creates a special activity with his/her grandchildren, it can be the start of a new annual event for the family. This activity connects the participants in Oneness as a family and a bond is created through this shared event…special only to those involved. This is how memories are created. This is how tradition begins.

Oldness and Oneness are like two pillars of DNA rotating and spiraling through the core of our lives…connecting us by strands of love and DNA_moleculeexperiences. Even if we separate from the past or the familiar, we take some of those strands with us. They’re a part of us that will never be lost. The Oldness gives us the gift of Oneness, the connection to family, to humanity, to Life, and to our God-Self.

The older we get, the more strands of connection we have created. Perhaps that’s why we might sometimes have feelings of sadness at the thought of leaving this Life, or letting go of those who have passed on, or not being able to visit loved ones during holidays, or having a longing for familiar traditions of days gone by. The strands of connection, of Oneness, may get bent, but they never really break. Old memories are as important a link in all of us as our DNA, as the God-stuff that binds us together.

When we recognize how truly connected we are, such awareness breaks down barriers of indifference and judgment, of lack and loss…and opens the portals to Acceptance, Peace, Love, and so much more! The Oldness of God and these enduring Principles tie us together in the Oneness of this Life’s expression…and perhaps, into the next. Nothing is truly lost. And so much more is gained as our consciousness expands and we open our hearts to the ever-evolving possibilities that lie before us.

M is for Mother/Father God … Spirituality A to Z

Posted on by cmryan

As I’ve been going through this alphabet of spiritual qualities and practices, thought has been given to each letter’s meaning at least a few weeks in advance.

Up until now I envisioned the letter “M” would lead to writing about Meditation…the benefits and bliss experienced in those contemplative moments. I have been looking forward to sharing the different types of meditation one can experience…whether sitting in silence, walking in nature, staring into a fire, or painting a wall. Such a focus was not to be. My muse had something else in mind.

I was introduced to the idea of “Mother/Father God” a mere 20 years ago and immediately warmed to the concept. My childhood God was the image of an old man (Father) in the sky looking down and handing out one judgment or conviction after another, a stern being of limited warmth and compassion, but with strength and courage to protect in my time of need.

While the possibility of God (Spirit) having a feminine side was new to me, it made sense. Aren’t we (humans) all created with both masculine and feminine characteristics? So why would God not have the same attributes – or more – than each of us? If we’re made in the image and likeness of God, then the idea of a Mother and Father as One Divine Intelligence seems a logical one.

Since embracing the idea of a Mother/Father God, I developed an interest in religious archaeology. The research has provided me with knowledge about matriarch societies, feminine deities, and goddess worship, as well as evidence of artifacts, worship halls, and rituals, once considered common in the ancient world, to support the idea of feminine-based religions. However, through the passage of time and changes in leadership or political directions, whether driven by fear or a desire for domination and superiority, religious and spiritual beliefs were directed toward a masculine-led world.

The Mother/Father alternative brings the God concept back into a balance that blends the best of both perspectives. It feels more whole…seems more complete…more authentic and real.

The main characteristics I attribute to the Mother side of Spirit are gentleness, acceptance, warmth and creativity. All these Mother characteristics complement those of the Father side and together provide me a Supreme Energy and loving guide through life. When I meditate with this Divine Presence, I feel safe, peaceful and alive. I can take this Oneness into my heart and soul and do my best to emulate it, sending that love into the world and sharing it with those closest to me.

I welcome and embrace the strength and gentleness, the discernment and acceptance, the conviction and creativity…and so much more! There is no doubt in my mind that the Divine Presence, God, is everything – all the Good – that you can imagine it to be…whatever image brings you comfort…her or him or both as One.