TURN WITHIN

The entire state of the world is in turmoil and confusion. Even while feeling compassion, doing what we can  — we must learn to detach  — to know that we are “in the world and not of the world.”

We can let the world situation drive us crazy, drive us to despair — or drive us within, away from the desires and woes this world presents. The world is so big and there is so little we can do — and still, we must “do.” 

We must not let the world drive us into despair and panic and depression, which is what it wants to do — the “world” being defined as the mass unconsciousness of egos. Egos run the world. 

There is deep sadness when we first see this — and this sadness can be transformed — when we let go of what we cannot control — when we cease to identify with the madness of an insane world — when we allow ourselves to seek shelter, seek calm, seek peace Within. 

We learn that Heaven really is within, in this present moment, and that nothing outside — nothing — need change for us to be in this Heaven. Heaven is always present — we need only turn our vision within and let it Guide us away from the insanity of the world, which is ruled by dark forces, to the Peace Within. 

Earth is a living sentient Being. In Nature we can find healing. Go to Nature. If you live mostly in the confines of a city, buy a plant. Nurture and care for it. The plant will bring nature spirits into your home. It is part of nature, of earth. Love a plant, a tree, a flower, and it will love you in return.

When you can, plant a tree somewhere on earth. 

Keep your feet on the ground. When you are lost in fantasy, lost in thought, lost in confusion, stamp those feet on the ground and bring yourself back into your body, here, now, alive with breath and bones and flesh and light. 

On Death and Dying...

Dear Students,

A student wrote to me regarding the death of her father. There has always been conflict with her family. She did not know her father was ill from Covid and had died in the hospital, so she did not see him. Her mother wrote to her that she should not attend the funeral, so this student is asking what she should do. This is my response to her.  

Dear ____

Of course, it is a decision only you can make deep in your heart.

He is your father. His life and his death are between you and him...and God. No one else.

The past — is past. Whatever letter your wrote, even that is past. The present is now. If your family wants to hold onto the past — that is their misfortune.

YOU can choose to live now. You do not have to be bound by the past, even your own. The past has already been burned in the fire of time.

Your mother's letter to you does not come from her heart, which always seeks love and unity, but from her mind.

YOU do not have to live from your mind, except at a practical level.

There will be reactions among the family if you attend the funeral service. If you attend, can you be strong enough within yourself to not react to their reactions in a way that will bring you down?

Can you simply attend with dignity and love because you feel it is the right thing for you?

Most important is to avoid regret. The mind is very good at causing regret. Regret is useless because the past is the past. If you don't attend the funeral, will you feel regret later?

A funeral is simply a social function where people come together— because death is so final, so hard — and the living must find ways to deal with it. That is the significance of a funeral — to help people deal with their grief, say farewell, support each other, and move on. It's not for the dead, but for the living.

It is unlikely that you will feel supported by your family. So going to the funeral must be because you choose to take your place as the eldest child — because it is your place. You can claim your place — no matter what anyone says.

Do what brings peace to your heart and soul.

This is your father. His death is a completion of your soul journey together on earth. His spirit is free now, on his new journey. You can honor your soul journey with your father no matter what.

Do not let your family make this important decision for you. Do not let outer circumstances tell you what to do (except at practical levels). Use this time to enter into your heart and soul to find what is right for you.

You do not need their permission to tell you what to do. You do not have to please them. You must only be pleasing unto God. When you please God, you are pleased. 

Angels live by no prescribed rules. Angels do not need rules to govern them, because angels are governed by love. Angels are not trying to please anyone. Angels know their being is pleasing to God. This is all an angel needs to know. Angels are free and spontaneous because they do not have to decide if what they are going to do or say will please you. Angels are completely open because angels have nothing to hide.

If you do travel, travel safe...because of Covid. Wearing a mask at the funeral will help keep you safe from Covid, and protect others — and it may also help keep you safe emotionally. 

I am sorry for your father's illness and death without you by his side.

With deepest love, as always,

Indira

Fear Not

A picture of a new stamp that JP, one of our classmates, sent me from Germany today. So perfect with the Biblical message of the angels, which I often quote: Fear Not.

The entire phrase on the stamp, for those of you who don’t know German, is… The message of the Angels: Fear Not. 

The messages of the angels are everywhere. And what would the angels be telling us during these difficult times, if they could broadcast a message across the skies? Fear Not. (Weihnachten means Christmas 2021)

Practical things

Deearest & Nearest,

This morning I woke up with an email message that T-Mobile had a data breach—which means my data was compromised, since I use T-Mobile for my cell phone. That meant that I had to get busy freezing my credit reports. And take other actions to help protect my data.

Is it how I wanted to begin my morning? Nope. But...

I took a few immediate actions, then stopped for breakfast. Paused to be still before doing more.

The world is always bombarding us with "things to do" — because the world created by man is a world of ego. That's all it can do. But no matter what the world sends, we do not have to respond from that same level. 

And we never have to feel like a victim  — poor me. We don't have to complain. We can accept what IS. And deal with it to the best of our ability.

When we struggle to hold on and maintain control — well, we struggle. And struggling is no fun. 

When you find yourself struggling, trying to maintain control — use it as a spiritual exercise. Look deep into yourself. Find out what is there.

You do not have to let victim personality, fear, and anxiety control you. You really don't. You don't have to keep trying to build up the false self. You really don't. 

With lots of love now and always...

BE THE CROW YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD

• Collect shiny things
• Hop happily down the street for no apparent reason
• Scream loudly when you see your friends

Letting Go

Like a sandcastle, all is temporary.
Build it, tend it, enjoy it.
And when the time comes
let it go.

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.

Being Practical is Being Spiritual

Question:  What does an enlightened man do when he spills a cup of coffee?

Answer:  He cleans it up.

Angels exist honestly and spontaneously in the now. Angels are not interested in being right—angels are interested in _being_. Angels trust that solutions come when solutions are needed. Because angels accept what cannot be changed, they have the power to change what they can, according to the will of God. Angels are not into shame or blame, and they never complain. Angels do not bemoan a past that has already happened. Angels wisely understand that it is “no use crying over spilt milk, because all the forces of the universe were bent on spilling it.” *

Question:  What does an unenlightened person do when he spills a cup of coffee?

Answer:  I think we all know the answer to this, since we are all asleep. We all know what we do when we drop something, break something, make a mistake. You know what you do inside yourself, or what your thoughts do to you. You know what happens to your emotions. You know how your identification with thoughts and reactions keeps the wheel of karma spinning. And spinning. How it keeps thoughts spinning. How one wrong reaction leads to another. You know all this. So keep this in mind:


Question:  What does an enlightened man do when he spills a cup of coffee?

Answer:  He cleans it up.   
The end

* W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965), English novelist. “It’s no use crying over spilt milk, because all the forces of the universe were bent on spilling it.” --Of Human Bondage

God is here...

Even when your boat is sinking, no need to worry; you aren't the boat, you are the ocean that holds the boat...

Is this often true for you?

 °☆  ★ ° ★ ●  *
Hurt is often mistaken for anger. 85% of the time, a person isn't mad at you but instead, disappointed.

DEALING WITH "CRISIS"

When you take one step towards Truth, Truth takes two steps towards you. Life is just happening. Events are just happening. They have no meaning, other than the meaning you give them. When you are afraid, angry, tense, nervous, agitated, controlling, ask yourself -- who or what am I making my higher power?