Oscar Wilde

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are 
looking at the stars."-Oscar Wilde

Happy Valentine's Day

💘www.theclearandsimpleway.com

February 14, 2018
Valentine's Day
Dear Students💞

Happy Valentine's Day! Those of you who have been around for awhile know that I post an updated version of this lesson every Valentine's Day. Today is no exception. It was once Lesson 13; now it just appears here every year.

🐠You swim in joy, as joy swims in you.🐠It is only that you are not awake, and so you cannot experience this joy.🐠Your school helps you wake up to the joy that is eternally present.🐠🐠🐠

AN ANGEL BOX

Today you are invited to create An Angel Box.
Or you could call it a Letting Go Box.
Your box can help you fulfill the following prayer:

Angels have a snarky sense of humor.

I’ve been struggling with (self-imposed) solitude… overwhelm… you know, earth stuff. This morning I attempted to accomplish a couple of things before work, and turned on my computer and printer. My Angel Lessons #1 (which I’d printed out days ago) began spewing forth in full color from my printer; but no printer progress window was showing. I finally found it manually, but the print queue showed completely empty - so there was no project to cancel! The only way to stop it was to turn off the printer. I angrily started to tear up the pages (thinking ‘wasted ink, expensive’ etc…) but then came the Aha. Okay, okay, OKAAAAY, YOU GUYS! Very funny. I am listening. Instead of that other stuff, I opened my binder and read 6 pages (for the 6 that printed) and then posted this to share it with you. 

Today is the birthday of my beautiful, brilliant, shining daughter, and I think back to the most wonderful moment of my life - bringing her forth into this world. As an adult, she isn't just my child, she is also a friend. I am so blessed. Happy 13th, friends.

Turn Towards God NOW

Turn towards God NOW, even when nothing is going wrong, even when you feel fine. I was reminded today of this little story: I lived on Maui for 6 years, a quiet secluded life. For some time I lived alone in a tiny house with an expanse of green fields and the ocean for my backyard. The guava trees, the banana trees, and the wind were my companions.
I used to fly to Los Angeles to work. That's where I was in my first big earthquake. I was awakened by hundreds of car alarms going off and the big double bed I was sleeping in sliding across the floor. Having never been in an earthquake before, but hearing the car alarms, I thought at first it was a tsunami warning -- because that's what it would have been in Hawaii.
My mind suddenly realized it was an earthquake, and I thought -- the house is going to come crashing down on my head, I am going to fall through to the 1st floor, and it's really going to hurt, but only for a minute, because then I will be dead. So I sat down on the floor to meditate so I'd be ready to die. And the earthquake stopped.
My years of spiritual practice allowed me not to panic -- and to prepare to die. So don't wait to turn to God. Turn to God now. Now while you still can. Now while your breath still flows. Now.

Light has already won

You may have heard that there is a battle between darkness and light, heaven and hell, God and Satan. Darkness battles. Light never does. God is not in a battle. God is not battling the devil or darkness or whatever term you like to use. God is revealing Satan, darkness, all that is false. The wisdom of the heart cannot be learned. It can only be revealed. Light Reveals. Darkness Conceals.

A Healing Prayer

A HEALING PRAYER FOR OTHERS: I ask the great unseen healing force to help you and to bring you to the healing that is perfect for you according to the divine will of God. I put my trust and faith in the great love and power of God. I meditate now upon you joyful and full of life, and bring you to remembrance of the light shining in your heart like a pure bright crystal, restoring, rejuvenating, relaxing. And so it is. Amen.

A HEALING PRAYER FOR YOURSELF: I ask the great unseen healing force to help me and to bring me to the healing that is perfect for me according to the divine will of God. I put my trust and faith in the great love and power of God. I meditate now upon the great joy of Divine Presence, beyond that which my mind can comprehend, upon the Life within me. I consciously bring myself to the remembrance of the light shining in my heart like  a pure bright crystal, restoring, rejuvenating, relaxing. And so it is. Amen.

QUESTIONS

Los Angeles Sunse

Questions to increase awareness:

• What is my current state?
• What am I thinking?
• What am I believing?
• What am I feeling?
• How am I acting?
• What am I saying?
• What is the tone of my voice?
• What is the tone of my energy?
• What does my body feel?
• What do I feel?
• Am I trying to win?
• What am I trying to win?
• Is this God’s will?
• What am I carrying with me into my future?
• Is this the state I want to be in?
• Is this the state I want to carry into my future?
• Am I relaxed? At ease with myself and the world?


The Secret of the Crystal Mountains

Just sharing with you that I've written a lovely children's story (for children of any age). I wrote it awhile back, and have recently pulled it out of my computer. I may do some illustrations for it. Haven't decided if I'll seek a regular publisher or publish it on my own somehow. It is full of spiritual insights and guidance, perfect for children who are so inundated with the thoughts and beliefs of the ordinary world.

This is a story about a zebra named Wind who dares to leave her tribe, the Zolites, and venture into the Dark Jungle, in search of adventure. She is tired of living by The list of Warnings, Rules, Beliefs, and Regulations Regarding Zolite Behavior that all Zolites must obey. She wants to find out for herself what is true. On her journey, she is attacked by a lion, saved by a Unicorn named Shalimar, and begins to learn about traveling the path that Unicorns travel, which is the way of the Heart. She thinks she can travel it with her feet, because she is the fastest zebra in Africa, but  soon learns that this path cannot be traveled in her ordinary way.

When the student is ready (my first post here)

I found the Angel School by following an internet trail of breadcrumbs. You know; something piques your interest. You click once, then again at the next place, and the next... and then you arrive somewhere that was calling you. Maybe you didn't even realize you were searching for it, but it's just what you need. 

For a little bit, there, I thought it "wasn't for me" - but then I cleaned my glasses and looked at it again. Dang, those glasses were dirty! Indira is a ray of light that I needed to shine on me. Indira is  awesomeness. Indira says we are all teachers AND students. So I was mulling about this stuff.

WHEN THE STUDENT IS READY…

…the Teacher (or Master) will appear, as the adage goes. There comes a point in your journey when you are ready to graduate to a new mentor, guide, modality, or dimension. We outgrow clothes, friends, jobs, and relationships, when they no longer serve us. Teachers are no exception.

NO "SKIN IN THE GAME"

Once upon a time, in a small village, the Buddha (or someone like him - we cannot be certain) cured all the beggars' illnesses and afflictions for free. He thought he had done the highest of good deeds. But his miraculous efforts backfired. Now that the beggars weren’t blind and crippled anymore, nobody was taking any pity on them! They all had to go out and get real jobs! They were quite disgruntled about this, and directed all their anger, indignation and blame at the Buddha.

These 'students' had not made any commitment. They thought they wanted to be free from their pain, stigma and decrepitude. However, once unfettered by their chains, they saw a whole new world - one in which they had to step up. It was scary. They said, “Uhm, I’ve changed my mind! Can I please have my club-foot back??”

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

Teachers: Assign a value to Your Good Stuff. Don’t sprinkle it where it won’t take root.

Students: Step up to the plate. If you are here, it’s your turn at bat. Posting this is my first swing!

I am happy to be here.  :o)