Spiritual Leanings ... From all faiths.

[Andrew, Jr.]

Thank you for this thread, Citybutch.

I am Roman Catholic. I find a great deal of comfort in my faith. However, along the way, I have been out of the Church for over 20+ years before walking thru the doors of any Church. I returned when my older sister was dying of cancer.

Now, before all of that, in those 20+ years I began to explore many other faiths and belief systems like Buddism, and such. I don't believe that one religion is better than another. I also believe that we all are interconnected, humananity, animals, earth, nature, and such.

I believe in forgiveness, and an after life. I also believe that there is a heaven and hell. Hell can be anything one imagines it to be. I also believe in karma.

I have an alter in my home. I believe in daily prayer. And I believe in praying for other people.

Namaste,
Andrew

[julieisafemme]

"The Sabbath is a sanctuary in time."

This from Abraham Joshua Heschel from his book "The Sabbath". THis quote guides me everyday. The Sabbath is marked by time on both sides but is outside time. His book talks a lot about this.

Do you know that poem by TS Eliot? Burnt Norton? I don't even pretend to really understand what it is about but this portion caught my imagination in high school and then added to my thoughts on Shabbat.

Is being outside time being in the present? All I know is that on Shabbat when I can unplug and experience the day fully I have felt that shift of being in a timeless place and that helps me daven better. I don't always get there though.

BUIRNT NORTON
(No. 1 of 'Four Quartets')
T.S. Eliot



I

Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable.
What might have been is an abstraction
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation.
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.

[citybutch]

Right Relationship

My divine nature guides my relationships into perfect alignment.

Many people wonder how to find their "special someone" or how to improve their current relationships. Before seeking someone or something outside myself, I first turn within to Spirit.

When Spirit takes priority in my life--guiding my thoughts and actions--all my relationships come into spiritual alignment. My oneness with Spirit gives me unparalleled security and joy. I relax in the silence of prayer and replenish my energy and my capacity to give. This positively impacts my partner, my children and my co-workers--as it positively impacts me. As I turn within to Spirit, I experience divine love. This love draws me to the right people and blesses every relationship in my life.

I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love.--Colossians 2:2

http://www.dailyword.com/dailyword/51883

[citybutch]

Thanks for sharing Andrew. I have a very similar experience. I was in a really tough relationship, my brother was dying of colon cancer... and I was struggling in my career. I had a very difficult time finding my center. I was flying back East once a month to be with my brother and family. A couple things brought me to some level of peace:

Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch was sitting on my Mother's coffee table and I picked it up and never put it down...

My good friend Mary Daly was on the Roseanne Show (talk show) and a bunch of us were there in the Green Room with her and the audience as well... And Mary's words were basically "Get OUT of the Fear"...

And a transformative drive back to San Diego after the taping of that show... I literally had to stop on the side of the highway with what felt like an A-HA moment. I also identify it as a spiritual touch.

My relationship ended shortly after this... My brother died a few months later... But I had my center... somehow I made it through.

By the end of the year I had met the woman who would become my wife, made Comeback of the Year award from my company, among a few other stand out events.

I seek out my spiritual center at many points every day of my life. Although I find guidance from the words of Jesus and the Christ within me... I also draw direction and guidance from many different spiritual traditions.

There is no one path to God....

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Thank you for this thread, Citybutch.

I am Roman Catholic. I find a great deal of comfort in my faith. However, along the way, I have been out of the Church for over 20+ years before walking thru the doors of any Church. I returned when my older sister was dying of cancer.

Now, before all of that, in those 20+ years I began to explore many other faiths and belief systems like Buddism, and such. I don't believe that one religion is better than another. I also believe that we all are interconnected, humananity, animals, earth, nature, and such.

I believe in forgiveness, and an after life. I also believe that there is a heaven and hell. Hell can be anything one imagines it to be. I also believe in karma.

I have an alter in my home. I believe in daily prayer. And I believe in praying for other people.

Namaste,
Andrew

[Andrew, Jr.]

Dear Citybutch,

Thank you for your kind post. It made me smile ear to ear. Yes, the path to God is not a one way street as alot of folks believe it is or would like to think it is.

I have come to learn from others visually like Shirley MacLaine, Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans, plus those who have a gift like Damon Brinkley. God has always drawn me from an early age because of the abuse I endured, and I asked for help from God. However, the spirits are very obvious to me. I think because I am not like most people. I don't have a voice like others. My voice is internal. I hope this makes sense.

I feel that there is more to life than what we know it to be. There are those who feel like they have to eat fish on Friday end of story. Then you have those people who have other views. The God I know to be is of love. For example someone said that God is punishing Japan so He caused the earthquake and the tsuami and now the nuclear nightmare. It makes me very nervous so I don't watch the news now. But I know God did not have anything to do with that mess. It is the same with my sister dying of skin cancer. God had nothing to do with that. She died from cancer. Cancer is horrible. It makes me sad, and want to scream at the top of my lungs. I pray for a cure every day. I hope to see that happen one day.

It is my faith and belief system that knows my sister is safe, happy, and healthy now. She isn't suffering. What most people don't know online is that I was the last person to see her alive. She died 45 min. later after I left her. I went directly to St. Jude's Shrine. I prayed to Mary and Jesus to take her. I would rather suffer missing her, and the pain involved, than to witness her suffering.

What I don't understand is why folks want to start a pissing battle online over who is right or wrong on someone's faith? It makes no sense to me. It doesn't matter what site it is on because I have seen it time and time again. That to me is just a reflection of how much this still a big controversy. Again, like someone wants to debate who is/is not psychic, orbs, ghosts, spirits, the knights of Templar, Mormans, and so on. It is what it is.

Now before my sister died from cancer, I had to endure my adopted step father dying from bone cancer, then my adopted mother dying from Altzheimer's Disease. My older adopted gay brother read the book you mentioned. He got alot from the book. I read a few pages and put it down. It went in one ear and out the other. I have no clue as to what I read. Nodda.

I just wish others would have an open mind and heart to this. I just see so much hatred and opinions that it has to be one way only. It isn't. Life is not like that.

Thank you again for your post. I very much enjoyed it.

Namaste,
Andrew

[gracefaith]

I read what you wrote...

you've gone through so much.

I too have gone through a lot...

There's times though I had found me so angry at God though., but it seems then eventually God and I talk about my anger... its like God is still teaching me about anger... I have a ways yet to go about anger...

I can at times trust God even when it doesn't make anysense, but other times its as if I need to let my anger out towards God...

now how did I go towards this word anger... I don't know, but it seems there's this hope, purpose, desires, and when its taken away, I have deep emotions and there's times I'll try to suppress these emotions and all it does is it gets worse...

But its like I can't suppress my emotions for long as I eventually dirrect my emotions at God.

But the part I'm learning is my relationship with God is: eventually through my allowing God, then the very emotions that I dirrect to God is renewed and God teaches me more about the emotions...

I guess what I'm saying is: there's no way I can be nice 100% to God at all times... It seems that God gets my all, all of me, just as I am...

And I really am learning and in my learning, its so personal and yet, if someone was going to observe me, actually my own folks, looks down on me, for the type of relationship I have with God., as my folks are more church looking good type with so many laws they try to keep...

I can't do that, keep any image...

There's so manythings that happens that brings me down that I dont' know how people can actually always have a nice image with God...

I can't have a nice image with God, and in this, as I'm real with God, ...

I went to God when so down, and it wasn't pretty, but it was then I learn first hand from God.

God is my friend and there living in me,

thankyou for sharing...

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Dear Citybutch,

Thank you for your kind post. It made me smile ear to ear. Yes, the path to God is not a one way street as alot of folks believe it is or would like to think it is.

I have come to learn from others visually like Shirley MacLaine, Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans, plus those who have a gift like Damon Brinkley. God has always drawn me from an early age because of the abuse I endured, and I asked for help from God. However, the spirits are very obvious to me. I think because I am not like most people. I don't have a voice like others. My voice is internal. I hope this makes sense.

I feel that there is more to life than what we know it to be. There are those who feel like they have to eat fish on Friday end of story. Then you have those people who have other views. The God I know to be is of love. For example someone said that God is punishing Japan so He caused the earthquake and the tsuami and now the nuclear nightmare. It makes me very nervous so I don't watch the news now. But I know God did not have anything to do with that mess. It is the same with my sister dying of skin cancer. God had nothing to do with that. She died from cancer. Cancer is horrible. It makes me sad, and want to scream at the top of my lungs. I pray for a cure every day. I hope to see that happen one day.

It is my faith and belief system that knows my sister is safe, happy, and healthy now. She isn't suffering. What most people don't know online is that I was the last person to see her alive. She died 45 min. later after I left her. I went directly to St. Jude's Shrine. I prayed to Mary and Jesus to take her. I would rather suffer missing her, and the pain involved, than to witness her suffering.

What I don't understand is why folks want to start a pissing battle online over who is right or wrong on someone's faith? It makes no sense to me. It doesn't matter what site it is on because I have seen it time and time again. That to me is just a reflection of how much this still a big controversy. Again, like someone wants to debate who is/is not psychic, orbs, ghosts, spirits, the knights of Templar, Mormans, and so on. It is what it is.

Now before my sister died from cancer, I had to endure my adopted step father dying from bone cancer, then my adopted mother dying from Altzheimer's Disease. My older adopted gay brother read the book you mentioned. He got alot from the book. I read a few pages and put it down. It went in one ear and out the other. I have no clue as to what I read. Nodda.

I just wish others would have an open mind and heart to this. I just see so much hatred and opinions that it has to be one way only. It isn't. Life is not like that.

Thank you again for your post. I very much enjoyed it.

Namaste,
Andrew

[gracefaith]

I've never heard of Neale Donald Walsch... I seach him online http://www.nealedonaldwalsch.com/

Wow on his website I learn he invites 12 people or less to stay at his home for 5 days...

This is what it says on his website...

SPEND 5 DAYS WITH NEALE AT HIS OWN HOME...



Twice a year Neale Donald Walsch invites a tiny handful of people (12 or less) to his home for an ongoing informal conversation exploring, more deeply than he can in any other setting, all of the messages of CWG---what they mean and how they can be overlaid upon our moment-to-moment experience. Called THE HOMECOMING, this very special time with Neale is only for those who are deeply committed to learning and applying CWG at a very high level in their daily life.

Here is an opportunity of a lifetime…

…to dine, to play (there are parlor games in the evenings), to swim in the grotto-pool, and most of all to sit quietly and to talk uninterruptedly with the author of the worldwide bestseller Conversations with God about how the messages affected his life and how they can affect yours. An intimate and personal visit with Neale and his wife, the American poet Em Claire, these five days on a hilltop home in beautiful Ashland, Oregon will prove to be...

…A SPECIAL TIME THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET.

Wow that's something else about how the author invites people to his home and spends time with them...

Originally Posted by citybutch

Thanks for sharing Andrew. I have a very similar experience. I was in a really tough relationship, my brother was dying of colon cancer... and I was struggling in my career. I had a very difficult time finding my center. I was flying back East once a month to be with my brother and family. A couple things brought me to some level of peace:

Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch was sitting on my Mother's coffee table and I picked it up and never put it down...

My good friend Mary Daly was on the Roseanne Show (talk show) and a bunch of us were there in the Green Room with her and the audience as well... And Mary's words were basically "Get OUT of the Fear"...

And a transformative drive back to San Diego after the taping of that show... I literally had to stop on the side of the highway with what felt like an A-HA moment. I also identify it as a spiritual touch.

My relationship ended shortly after this... My brother died a few months later... But I had my center... somehow I made it through.

By the end of the year I had met the woman who would become my wife, made Comeback of the Year award from my company, among a few other stand out events.

I seek out my spiritual center at many points every day of my life. Although I find guidance from the words of Jesus and the Christ within me... I also draw direction and guidance from many different spiritual traditions.

There is no one path to God....

[Andrew, Jr.]

I am very wary of when famous people or celebrities invite the public to their homes. I have too many experiences of the above, with negative outcomes. For me and me alone, it is a matter of trust. Remember you just do not know what happens behind the closed doors of a home. There are just too many risks involved with that in my opinion.

[gracefaith]

This is an awesome group...

Thank you for sharing spiritually...

[gracefaith]

I find this too., journey and not staying in one spot, but actually moving...

Its I who move...

sorry to hear about your sister and cancer...

Many in my family had and has cancer... well when its had then that word is remission... However as cancer has been around me, I hadn't had cancer but for some reason as its around me, it became a norm... Perhaps odd... But it did... Perhaps I've learn the perspective of time...

Um, one thing I've adapt about faiths is taking from them and leaving behind whatever upsets me... In a way I learn not to take it all but only take what benefits me and benefits the ones around me...

I've learn more with this word benefit instead of this word approval...

Um, what are your thoughts about this word benefit and me too., I'm learning more about forgiveness and the benefits in forgiveness?

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Thank you for this thread, Citybutch.

I am Roman Catholic. I find a great deal of comfort in my faith. However, along the way, I have been out of the Church for over 20+ years before walking thru the doors of any Church. I returned when my older sister was dying of cancer.

Now, before all of that, in those 20+ years I began to explore many other faiths and belief systems like Buddism, and such. I don't believe that one religion is better than another. I also believe that we all are interconnected, humananity, animals, earth, nature, and such.

I believe in forgiveness, and an after life. I also believe that there is a heaven and hell. Hell can be anything one imagines it to be. I also believe in karma.

I have an alter in my home. I believe in daily prayer. And I believe in praying for other people.

Namaste,
Andrew

[citybutch]

Inner Peace

I am one with Divine Presence. I am at peace.

When I see rain softly falling on my window and hear thunder in the distance, I feel a connection with something greater than myself. The air is being cleansed and the ground saturated with a renewing shower. The birds and other animals quench their thirst and plants are nourished. I am content knowing that each drop of water has a purpose.

I take a breath and become aware of the activity of Spirit in each element of nature. As I sense its beauty and symmetry, a feeling of inner peace fills me.

I go within to reconnect with Divine Presence; I experience a feeling of spiritual balance, a calm peace in my soul.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.

The Lord be with all of you.--2 Thessalonians 3:16

http://www.dailyword.com/