Wandering

Not all who wander are lost. Wandering is often a form of exploring, of discovering, of lowering barriers and boundaries and releasing limitations. From the linear, rational perspective of the ego, wandering and daydreaming seem like a waste of time, even lazy or wrong. But most of us realize that by relaxing the ego’s strict control, we can actually find a new source of creativity, innovation, power and beauty in ourSelves.

The Present

The past is gone; the future is not yet here; today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present. How are you using your present? Are you a human being or a human doing? Are you open to the wonder of what’s happening inside and outside of you here and now? Or are you as I often am, musing over what happened there and then; or what might happen in the times to come?

Even the happy memories we often cling to, set-up expectations that make the present seem somehow wanting and less-than, and make us seek to recreate what can not be recreated. Please, let these go! Become aware and mindful of what you’re doing under your radar. Experience the wonder of the moment! See life stretched before you in smiling repose, like a fully laden buffet table, and take what will to make your heart sing.

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Happiness

Hafiz, the wonderful Sufi poet, said, “Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you.” And A. Lincoln: “Most folks are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Could this be true?

The Other Side of Specialness

Context gives meaning. In the context of contributing to a world that works for everyone and everything, a world mirroring Spirit’s wholeness, inclusion, love and compassion, each of us has a special function – a special contribution to make that only we can make. In the context of the ego world of self promotion, blame, fear and guilt, the purpose of specialness is to separate, set us apart, exalt me at your expense. In Spirit’s context my specialness takes nothing from your specialness because each of us has a unique special contribution to make. In the ego’s context, my specialness comes at your expense. For me to be special, you have to be plain, ordinary, and nothing special.

Specialness in this view is, as most things in life, is neutral, with its meaning coming from who we’re identifying with and the purpose it serves. Identifying with Spirit, our specialness contributes to a world that works for everyone and everything. IDing with ego, our specialness contributes to a world that works for some and not others a world of separation, inequality, unfairness, injustice, fear, hate and blame. So specialness itself is neutral and not a problem. The problem is the context, identity and purpose we chose – either Spirit or ego. The goal is not to fix the ego’s nightmare world but to express our god-given specialness.

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Thank you

Thank you to all the folks that came to see Dr Steve and Devorah Saturday at Temple Hatikvah in Homestead & an even bigger ty to those that bought books.

Tommorow

TOMMOROW Saturday, August 24 at 6 PM, Dr Steve and Devorah will be presenting at Temple Hatikvah, Homestead Jewish Center’s, 183 NE 8th Street, Campbell Drive (312^{th St}) open house - free buffet  HQPubs.com

 

Not So Special After All?

Our specialness is re-enforced by pop science, human hubris and social conditioning. Conventional wisdom says human beings are special, superior and the peak of evolution because we, of all the creatures on earth, can think and use tools. What if other creatures can think and use tools, what does that say about our specialness? Is it still so important? Do we need our arrogant specialness to survive and prosper or does our so-called ‘specialness’ get in our way and keep us from making a contribution to a world that works for everything and everyone in it?

The July 22 issue of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly reported that ten untrained cockatoos were not only able to think and use tools, but were also able to innovate and solve problems: “Ten untrained cockatoos were presented with a complex device that, if a series of steps were completed, would give a quarter of a cashew.  First, the birds had to remove a pin, then a screw, then a bolt; then turn a wheel 90 degrees and then a latch sideways.

“It took one of the birds, Pipin, less than two hours to finish the process unassisted in five different sessions. Other birds finished the puzzle with some help or watching a bird partner do the task. Each task required a different set of behaviors and an understanding of the necessity of completing each task in sequence.”

And we talk about ‘bird brains’! This is only the most recent ‘discovery’ of so-called special, human intelligence, outside humans. What might be accomplished if we could let go of our arrogant specialness and be compassionate, loving parts of the world, instead of above and beyond it?

Save the Date

Dr Steve and Devorah will be presenting this Saturday, 8/24, 6PM, Temple Hatikvah, Homestead Jewish Center, 183 NE 8th Street, Campbell Drive (312^{th St}) open house - free buffet dinner. 
HQPubs.com

 

An Island Entire To Itself

Specialness is the function you gave yourself. Never doubt that it and the need you feel for it will disappear before your reality as spirit. With spirit you need nothing but It, like the lilies of the field who toil not. Specialness stands for you alone, as self-created, self-maintained, in need of nothing beyond yourself and un-joined to anything beyond the body and its needs. In specialness, you are a separate universe, an island entire unto yourself, always attacked and always furious, with anger always fully justified. Pursuing the purpose of specialness, you employ a vigilance and ferocity you never thought to yield, and effort you never thought could cease.

But enough! Now you are merely asked to pursue another goal, allow your specialness to serve a different purpose, with far less vigilance, less effort and with the grace of God the wind beneath your wings. Yet you find this difficult, a burden wearisome and tedious, too heavy to be borne. Never mind why this is so; it is so. But it need not be so. The choice is yours. Choose again. The test of everything on earth is: ‘What is it for?’ The answer makes it what it is for you. It has no meaning of itself, you give reality to it, according to the purpose that you choose.

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A Different Purpose for Specialness

“Rejoice!” Devorah proclaimed. “There are only two emotions: love and fear. All else are shades of these two and love replaces all fear when we pause in our mad quest for specialness. Have you not felt that happen? In the midst of a traffic jam, money woes, personal disappointment, haven’t you suddenly, spontaneously felt how good and right and perfect life is? In those holy instants your bloated nothingness fell away and the perfect lack of specialness that is your truth manifested itself. Rejoice that you need not be content with specialness, that shabby substitute for love. Rejoice!

“Yet are those spontaneous holy instants few and far between.” Devorah shook her head sadly. “Still, you can allow your specialness to serve a different purpose. By being aware and mindful of it, not attacking it nor feeling guilt because of it you can allow the still small voice to use your specialness, guide you and lead you to manifesting the love that is your Identity.”

Enough. Please!

Devorah shook her head sadly. “Please. Enough! What you have given to specialness has left you bankrupt and your treasure house barren and empty, with an open door inviting everything that would disturb your peace to enter and destroy. Please. Enough! Choose again!” She looked out over the gathering, eyes pleading. “How hard can it be to feel the calm, peace, compassion and grace of your reality and oneness with Spirit?” She paused, hands on hips, “As hard as you make it!”

Specialness

“Comparison must be an ego device for love makes none,” Devorah said, smiling out over the multitude. “Specialness always makes comparisons. Pursuit of specialness is always at the cost of peace and love. Who can diminish and cut down another who is really a part of himSelf, use her as a gauge of littleness and be released from limits? Specialness is the idea of sin made flesh. Its purpose is to deny us ourSelves and bind us to the littleness of the ego.

“What could you see instead? Without specialness, without elevating ourselves and our illusory needs at the expense of everyone and everything else, you would see the shining radiance of all that is. And all the world you made, and all your specialness, and all the sins you held in its defense against yourSelf will vanish, and your mind will accept the truth about yourSelf.

“Beloveds, you have come far along the way of truth; too far to falter now. Just one more step and every vestige of the fear of God will melt away in love. Accept Its plan for salvation instead of yours. The ego’s death is not your death. Release specialness, comparisons, judgment, fear, hate and blame. Release the illusion of who and what you are and accept yourSelf as God created you.”

Save the Date

Dr. Steve and Devorah will speak at the free barbecue/open house Temple Hatikvah/Homestead Jewish Center 183 NE 8th Street, Campbell Drive,  SW 312th St at 6PM, Saturday, August 24th. All are welcome! hqpubs.com

Worship

We worship the God we believe in, rather than the God who is. The God who is, is already within us and will respond at the level of our deepest belief and feelings.
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Uneasiness

Do you experience a strange uneasiness, like a low, almost inaudible hum, in the background of your life; a sense of being disconnected; not quite being yourself, a fear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time; a haunting fear of lack of meaning; as if you wandered in without a plan only to wander off again?

That’s because 99.9% of the time you are not yourSelf. Self awareness, vision and truth are not part of our experience of the world with the ego. We experience these only in the instants we get our bloated nothingness out of the way of the divine circuits - the holy instants is which we realize that the something else we thought we were was an illusion.

Our meaning, reality and oneness are available now. God has no secrets. It does not lead you through a world of misery, waiting to tell you at journey’s end why It did this to you. What kind of “God” would do that?

The Main Character

If we are indeed writing our own life stories, why seek to change the minor, secondary characters? Why not just change ourselves?  hqpubs.com

 

The Self-fulfilling Prophecy

The self fulfilling prophecy:  if you believe your life is not working the way it should, that belief in and of itself and the resultant search for perfection, can cause your suffering.

 

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Believing

What we believe, deeply and often, creates daily experience and guides decision making. So, whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right. It’s ALWAYS your choice. You’re writing your life story right now.