Who Is It . . . ?

I just completed five days at board of directors meetings here in Portland for the Vajra Flame Foundation.  Any time one has an opportunity to be of service to a non-profit organization there is a sense of fulfillment that can come to that person.  I certainly felt an energizing force envelope me and I know the other board members felt the same way.

What I want to share with you is a thought presented in one of our meditations by Kathlyn Kingdon, the channel for Djwhal Khul.  We were asked to consider these questions:

Who is it that

            Sees through my eyes?

            Hears through my ears?

            Reaches out with my hands?

            Loves through my heart?

In our interactions with others we have choices about how we experience and share those connections.  Perhaps too often we express ourselves out of whatever our current mood might be.  If we are feeling upbeat, then we share from our happiness.  If we are not feeling so good, we may pass on our unpleasantness to others.  One way to greatly improve our interactions with others is to ask ourselves the questions above before we begin the experience. 

When I look out at my world who is seeing through my eyes?  Is it a spiritually grounded, positively directed soul, one who looks for the highest and best that is possible?  Do I let my eyes see with a clear vision of potential?  Do my eyes see the vision of my dreams?

Who is hearing through my ears?  Regardless of the dissonance that may be present, can I break free from that and hold to the truth of order and harmony?  Who reaches out with my hands?  At times when called upon to be of assistance to others or complete a task that I may wish I did not have to do, can I remember that loving hands are healing hands?  Can I let everything I touch be blessed with love?  Can I let every handshake or touch upon a shoulder be an expression of care and support?

Who loves through my heart?  Sometimes it is difficult to feel love toward someone who has disappointed us or done something unpleasant to us.  At these times I will try to remember unconditional love.  This love freely embraces all persons and situations simply because love is what it is, a harmonizing, healing power that transforms people and situations when shared from the heart.

Seeing, hearing, touching and loving from the spiritual center of our being is a transforming activity.  No negative situation or person can fail to be touched by this soul energy.  Even if no apparent change is evident at first, the positive expression of love enfolds the situation with the seed of change.  As we continue to act from this center, change for the good will come about.  Give these questions a try and notice how it makes you feel.

The Expectation Merry Go Round

I have written quite a bit about expectations and how having them affects our lives and can leave us confused. The effect has both positive and negative implications. What came to mind recently was a broader understanding of why expectations can offer such a confusing course to follow.

Expectations are like intentions, goals, plans, dreams and faith. Who can argue that those are not good things? Much of the New Age, positive thinking pop psychology focuses on how important it is to create positive intentions in order to build a consciousness of expecting good to increase abundantly in our lives. I have been involved in this way of thinking all my life as a Unity student and minister. I have seen wonderful demonstrations of how the change to a positive consciousness of expectation—faith—brings about healing, harmony and prosperity. So, I know this works.

On the other hand, I also see how we often have expectations that involve what we want others to do. This is where a “positive” intention about another person is really an unconscious attempt to control the person. Simply because we believe our intention is positive, it is not our call on what someone else should do or how they should think or act. It really makes no difference how clearly we think someone else would benefit from our help. We should want the highest and best to come into their lives, but according to their own expectations and hopes.

When we are overly focused in what we hope others will do or how they might change we are creating a potential for disappointment, even heartbreak, when they choose another path. The relationship between parent and child is a place where the potential for disappointment is often subtle and not recognized until there is some form of rebellion. Our children ultimately must make their own decisions. It is a primary way of learning. It is so immediate, usually, that little if anything needs to be said to point out the miscalculation of their judgment. It is so difficult in many cases for a parent to stand by, but stand back, as their child begins making difficult decisions and dealing with the consequences. We can always let them know we are there for them at any time. This is something they will respect and count on if we have carefully laid a groundwork of trust by our example beyond words.

My conclusion about expectations, at this point anyway, remains one of working on myself rather than being concerned with expecting others to change. I can do something about the way I think, feel and act. I can develop a greater faith in the qualities and characteristics with which the Creator has endowed me. I can love others in my life and see them responding to the positive aspects of their own creativity. In so doing I can get off the merry-go-round having grasped the gold ring!

Greetings To 2010

Happy New Year!

May 2010 be the best year yet!