Why are we here? We're all just playing hooky from Heaven for awhile :)

I often fantasize that, if i were a reincarnationist, my story is that I actually had my "last lifetime on earth" awhile back, but i love this place so much that I keep begging to come back.   I'm not personally a reincarnationist, but it's sort of fun to think about. 

Inside of me, I know that nothing but the attachment to more mundane pleasures keeps me from the divine purposes of my life.  This is the Hooky reference - you know -  the Pinnochio thing?  Getting distracted by short-lived worldy gratification - the metephoric "high fructose corn syrup" of life - and neglecting the things that are more meaningful to our spiritual development.  This is what keeps us from becoming the authentic spirit of what's possible.  Each of us knows what these things are - these trappings, and attachments, and addictions - that keep us from doing what we "should" do.

"Should".  What a word, huh?  The dictionary says this word is used to express obligation, or duty - expectations.  Conditionality.  Like Pinocchio, when we invoke "should" we immediately think about how much trouble we're going to get into if we screw up.  This word focuses us outside of ourselves, and actually gives us a cop-out - as if our behavior is subject to a fear of retribution from an outside force.  But in the end, we are kept from asking the most important question of all - how do these decisions I make for priorities in my life effect me?  How do they relate to the goal of fulfilling the wonderful potential of my spirit?  How do these decisions keep me from becoming the "real me", just like Pinnochio looking to become a real boy?

We make decisions every moment about how to prioritize our lives - and EVERYONE looks back at those decisions and has several per day that make them think "why in the hell did i do that?".  Though it's a little cliche to say that life is a series of choices, life is a series of choices.  It is useful to spend enough time reflecting - through prayer, or meditation, or journaling or whatever - to map out our spiritual priorities and at least be aware of those.  A higher prioirty is something that best feeds our spirit, nourishes it and helps it grow, and a lower priority is something that leaves us crashed out  - the sugar crash, or hangover.

Here's the most important thing:  Get rid of the "should"s.  Remember that "should"s keep you focussed externally and not internally.  Focus on your wants, but the deep spiritual wants according to your own priorities.  Remember that the yoga session, or exercise routine, or volunteer gig, or reconnection with a really good friend, or meditation retreat, or bible study are things that you WANT to do - that are honoring the beautiful and wonderful story that is you.  Ask for the help of Jesus, or the Universal Spirit, or Mother Mary, or perhaps even a close friend or other type of spirit guide, to infuse you with the purity of love and give you the strength to access your channel with God.

Here's the next-most important thing:  Accept that unbelievably beautiful and integral human trait of imperfection.  Just love that part of yourself and embrace it.  Laugh about it.  Give yourself a break.  The more you fall prey to fear of failure and self-loathing of judgement, the farther you will be from the loving spirit that will connect you with Spirit and help you to remember what's most important.

Life is a series of choices, and all of them, no matter how far you've strayed, lead us back home to the beauty that is destined for us... Even if sometimes we play hooky from what Heaven had in mind.

Blog Mission Statement

I wish this blog were just a mirror... literally.  I wish it were just a looking glass where everyone who came here saw only the perfect and pure reflection of themselves as God does.  Instead of these words.. coarse contrivations subject to so much misinterpretation ..  anyone who read this saw only what I am going to spend all of this space trying to convey to you - the beauty and power possible inside of everyone.  When I look at people every day, that is what I see - it's all I see - their Spirit, just as it was intended.  

But it's not here, on this side of the computer screen, just like it's not "out there" in all those vague and vacant corners of the world we all live in.  It's not in the sermons of either ordained or self-appointed clergy, nor in the epiphanies of authors, or musicians, or politicians, or enlightened meditation masters.  There is no book, or movie, or philosophy or religion, or substance, or extrinsic experience, which holds the defining truth of You. 

Only you do.

How do you find it?  How do you find that real "you" inside of you?  You listen for the voice of God that is within you and calling to your spirit.  Many people out there are vying for the right to tell you what that voice is and what it wants you to do.  Some of them mean well, while others are much less interested in your well-being, but none of them are God.  As a friend of mine reminded me as well, you can  find God everywhere, in everything, but all of these things are merely reflectoins of  light, which starts from within.  God speaks to you alone, when it comes to the story your Spirit is supposed to write. 

My prayer is that this blog will be a catalyst for people to find and live out the intended story of Spirit given to all of us.  This is who we are all meant to be, and is the greatest gift the world can get.