Spiritual Trial

"Spiritual trial is the struggle and the anguish involved
in venturing out beyond one's assumed capacities or
generally approved expectations" Kierkegaard

Is it wise to break away from convention? I suppose
it depends on where most people are headed. If the
pack is heading for a cliff, it's best not follow.
Although, striking off on your own has it's potential
of misfortune.

Yet what is misfortune? Is misfortune unsatisfied
expectations, circumstances that set one back, or
something entirely different? Emerson stated in
his essay on "Worship","he learns to welcome misfortune,
learns that adversity is the prosperity of the great."
Perhaps what the writer was trying to convey was
what we judge as misfortune is just part of the game of
life. People try to avoid misfortune by not taking risks,
but it is the person who is actually doing something
that can lead to greatness. As Pastor Robert Schuller
states,in "Don't Throw Away Tomorrow", " a goal-less person
is a god-less person"

What is this greatness? I believe it comes from understanding
that one gets from the quest. The understanding of who he
comes from. The path of the quest as Joseph Campbell points
out, in "A Hero With A Thousand Faces", is not discovery,
but re-discovery. It going from believing to knowing that
you are a child of God.

Whether the obstacles we come across are from our own Karmic
effects or circumstances in the external world, it is faith
through the misfortune, that brings us to the realization. Faith
that God works through us, and misfortunes bring us to that point
of understanding. If everything went well, we wouldn't need God.
That is why faith is so important.

Another point, from Emerson's "Self-reliance", that every voyage
of the best ship is a zig zag line of a hundred tacks". This tells
us that advancing into the future, there is no straight line.
Misfortune puts us on our own genius, to change, to redirect,
to lighten the load we carry, and compensate as we continue to
head for the goal. That goal is what God puts in our heart.
This is our spiritual trial, time and time again, to get there.

"Faith is the highest passion in a person" Kierkegaard

Prepare for your Good

There are the dry times, when money and
opportunity seem a long way off. The key is
not to dwell on the lack, but give thanks
for the good that is coming your way. Since
you know that good is coming, expect, prepare,
and give thanks.

There is a power of expectation. It is like
a magnet that pulls things towards you. It is
the faith of in things unseen. It is the belief
that good is coming your way.

Preparation is digging a hole for the
coming water, or buying a welcome mat for the
coming house. It is action combined with the
expectation that your good is coming. It shows
your confidence in the God force.

Gratitude is prayer in reverse. Instead of asking,
your giving thanks to the God force for what is already
coming your way. This is true worship.


With expectancy, preparation, and gratitude it
is just a matter of time before your good finds you.
Your good is awaiting you, so be patient, and keep
moving forward.

Rain

It's September in Belize, which means the sun is back overhead
as it heads for the southern hemisphere. Yet, this weekend we
got light rain, off and on. This rain cools things off, removes
the dust from the air, and waters the plants. So after a few
weeks of hot sun, nature is restored by a few days of wonderful
rain. This is so true of life.

Ideas: Be in the Moment

"There is never a money probelm,
there's only an idea problem"
Robert H. Schuller, "MY Jouney"

Being in the Moment, Present, we can become
sensitived to a problem that needs solution,
or just fulfilling needs of people.

Whether its imagination, intuition, or just
plain seeing and grasping the solution; hence,
creatively, by solving a problem, creates
a money making activity.

Solve enough problems for enough people,
and abundance is assured. But how???


1. Meditation, quiet the mind, and the solution
may come through to you.

2. Brainstorm, yourself or with a group,
ideas that may work. A good team is priceless.

3. Find the true Cause to the Problem.
All problems are effects (circumstances)
of Causes.

4. Carry out the solution. Persevere, and carry out your
solution. The greater the solution, the more
heroic the scale.

5. Charge well, and go to the bank. This is a stumbling
block for many people. Reciprosity is very important if
you help someone with a problem.

Refinement

When one makes the conscious decision to begin the spiritual
path, to open up the soul, they usually find themselves in
troubles. There is a paradox in life that when tries to
become goodness, that difficulties and obstacles appear to
block the way. These difficulties usually involve loss of wealth,
friends, jobs, or some other circumstance that seems to get
in the way. Many blame the devil, and announce "the devil is a liar".

Where do these difficulties come from?

We can pray to God, and ask them to be removed; however, I have
found these troubles to later be blessings. It is as if God
has sent these troubles, to cause our transformation. The effect
of our holding on to the old self are pain and suffering. That is
how we overcome our limitations. This is our refinement. Pain
and suffering are the inner fire that burns off our limitations.

If we can let go, and let be, while have faith that something
better is coming our way, we can make room for the new by removing
the old. Yet me must work through the pain, have the courage to
face whatever difficulty that presents itself, and grow.
Life is about growth. Refinement purifies the soul.

Trial Time

Hello,

It's been about 4 months since my last post,
and it has been a time of trial. It didn't feel
right to add any more articles till I got
through it. In this spiritual work, one is always
a student as the tests seem to get harder, and more
challenging. Strength and self-control that grew
from past challenges are pressured by new obstacles
and circumstance. The darkness before the
dawn was two weeks ago. Calamity again has proven to be
a genius.This post is about the aspects of trial.

Realization:
The adventure begins when the problem becomes so obvious
that it cannot be ignored. It becomes apparent that a
solution is needed soon, or disaster awaits.

Identification:
The problem becomes defined, and understood. In fictional
books of old this is the ogre, monster, or dragon.

Cause and Effect:
Problems are circumstances, which are effects of a cause.
Cause->Effect. What is the cause that produced the effect?

Investigation:
Finding the cause is like peeling an onion. Each layer brings
one closer to the thought/belief that created the problem/
circumstance.

Meditation:
Now it takes prayer/meditation to change the thought/belief which
will creates a different circumstance.

Battle:
This battle period is like the darkness before the dawn, as
disaster looms, courage faces doubt, which produces
pain/suffering, and the inner fire that brings solution/victory.

At-one-ment:
The dragon is defeated, the problem is solved, and you recognize
the energy source that welled up inside you. God has worked through
you, to improve you. You have the solution, which begins to turn
circumstances in a positive direction.

Validation: Green Shoots
Small positive outcomes give you an early signal that your solution
has changed your situation. Now its time to maintain new habits
with patience and selfcontrol.

What is Wealth?????

For the best definition of wealth I adapted
this from an old Syrian saying:

"If you have your health than that is a "1",
as good health is the most important thing.
If you are at peace with your creator add on a zero
If you have a good spouse add on a zero.
If you have good family add on a zero
If you have a good friends add on zero
If you enjoy what you do for living add on zero
If you are generous add on a zero
If you have money add on a zero

The most important thing is your health,
because without that nothing much matters.