" Dear God ... "

“ … Dear God the only thing I ask of you
When I'm much too far away
We all need that person who can be true to you 

And now I wish I'd stayed

'Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired

I'm missing you again oh no

Once again

Some search, never finding a way
Before long, they waste away

I found you, something told me to stay
I gave in, to selfish ways

Once again… “

~ Avenged Sevenfold ~ Dear God ~

***

“ I guess you’ve found God now “ was recently said.

Initially perplexed, I answered … “ I am learning to let go of fear with the intention to live the rest of this life with purpose and clarity “

You should have seen the expression on their face. ... 

Naturally during times of illness, great pain and suffering, we may gravitate toward a spiritual practice, as it provides a way sometimes to heal the grief, sadness and bitterness all held up in our hearts.  Spirituality can be a means to cope.

Yet personally speaking, it isn’t about have a better connection with God. It is about having a better connection with Life.  Not believing that a Divine being out in the Universe will grant me immortality, rather I’ve been exploring the dysfunctional relationship I have had with life  …   

Each moment, each day, dealing with what comes up … and realizing that when I face a type of suffering, my faith is tested.  True faith begins with detachment becoming open to whatever arises, the unknown.  An opportunity in the face of this unknown to experience a special kind of peace, that there are infinite possibilities.  Faith is about letting go of certain outcome, a certain solution. Faith is about trusting the process.  Faith is believing All Is Well, regardless of what is.

This comes at a time when acceptance is necessary.  That a certain solution may not exist.  That you don’t have to figure it all out in this moment.  And that maybe there really is nothing TO figure out.  Shifting to a place of being, and tired of doing.  I often think of cancer or any severe illness as a type of dance.  Hoping to take the lead and be in control but not knowing it could switch in a moment.

And so spirituality allows me to shift to a place of acceptance … to manage, cope, deal and thrive, despite of this challenge.  Great words to live by and a guiding mantra recited within every day.  As I said recently to family, no one said this was going to be easy.  Yet having the ability to let go during times of darkness is where my faith truly prevails.  

“ … rather than being better. today. be there for yourself. when you wander or feel stagnant. know your path and you are one. and just like your breath. up and down. your path is about learning. to love. you. unconditionally. so today sweet soul. trust what is within you. enjoy who you are. more than enough … “

www.walkstrong.ca

" Somebody's Watching Me ... "

Who's watching
Tell me, who's watching ...

Hey, hell, I pay the price
All I want is to be left alone
In my average home
But why do I always feel
Like I'm in the twilight zone

And (I always feel like)
(Somebody's watching me)
And I have no privacy
Whooooa-oh-oh
(I always feel like)
(Somebody's watching me) ...

Who's playing tricks on me

~ Rockwell ~ Somebody’s Watching Me ~

***

You may not have any trouble with your thoughts but I do.  Random thoughts that most of the time serve me no purpose.  And until what is in your mind is corrected, the external world, how you perceive and experience it, will be a mere reflection of your mind.  

So is your world unfriendly and full of judgement?  Have you ever sought to know why?  ... Often we project onto the world and other people negative thoughts and emotions we cannot admit or refuse to acknowledge.

You create the world in which you live ...

So how do you change your inner world and control your mind ... by becoming the observer.  Observers don’t judge their thoughts.  You see, instead of dismissing negative thoughts and judging yourself harshly for having them, start from the premise that thoughts are neither right or wrong.  They are neutral ... it is what you do with your thoughts that introduce the right or wrong of them.  

Eastern practices use meditation to help with witnessing presence.  By being the observer of your own thoughts, you practice detachment and stop suffering because you don’t have an expected outcome.  Support this by cultivating the space between thoughts.  This space is the place of internal peace or as some refer to as pure consciousness.

As simple as this may sound, it can actually be a terrifying experience because the idea of emptying our mind of thought challenges our very existence ... we think we are our thoughts yet we are far greater than what one can explain.

As the observer we are capable of anything with no limitations.  As the observer we can witness everything that we are and know everything that we can be.  As the observer we can learn to detach ourselves from all things of this world as we know it.  

Begin by asking where our thoughts come from, who is thinking these thoughts, are you your thoughts, do they belong to you or just pass your mind? ... and through stillness you will discover YOU, the real you, awakened ...