SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 294

WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF HEAVENLINESS

+ This is the second of four posts on the style of The Way of Wisdom as we complete exploring the practice of Heavenliness through the lens of the 12 styles of the Mandala process created by Edward Bastian.  Why only 4?  Because Wisdom is one of the 9 Attributes of Heaven which we will begin exploring when we get to SE297. Wisdom will come up as the third attribute after we explore Abundance and Joy.

+

You desire truth in the inward being;

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me.

 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing spirit.

-- Psalm 51:6, 10-12

+ Yes, so many of our life experiences have made us wise BUT God is always doing a “new thing” (Isaiah 43:18a). So, we become truly wise only when we are open to the truth that God is “making all things new” (Revelation 21;5), always creating “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1).  We always need that “new and right spirit” because “…everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17b).  So, let us always become new and we will certainly become wiser and wiser in the process which is so miraculous, mysterious and marvelous.

  

+ The 12 styles of Mandala: Creating An Authentic Spiritual Path: An InterSpiritual Process by Edward Bastian are listed in SE206.

+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21 and SE213. They are described fully in his book, InterSpiritual Meditation. 

+ To get inspired and illuminated by Ed Bastian, I invite you to set aside some time for these videos:  Seven Steps of InterSpiritual Meditation (11 minutes) | 15 minute introduction to InterSpiritual Meditation and the Mandala Process | 2 hour lecture & conversation

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice.  And, I have work to do on my Heavenliness page.  Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness” or “Love” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

+ You can always find a link to any of the Spiritual Explorations posts by going to http://abundancetrek.com/sepostsaccess.html

SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 290

WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF HEAVENLINESS

+ This is a post on the style of The Way of Relationships as we continue to explore Heavenliness through the lens of the 12 styles of the Mandala process created by Edward Bastian.  There is 1 more Mandala style to explore after this one: Wisdom. After that, we move on to the 9 Attributes of Heaven.

+ Love One another.

-- John 13:34 and elsewhere in the Bible

+ In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

-- Matthew 7:12 NRSV

This is the Golden Rule which is taught by Jesus and is found in other places in the Bible and in many other wisdom traditions.

+ Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

-- Luke 10:25-28 NRSV

This is the Great Commandment which is based on 2 verses from the Torah: Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18.

+ From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

-- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 NRSV

+ "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

-- Luke 6:27-38

+ The Bible is certainly a major source of guidance on creating and sustaining compassionate relationships.

 

+ The 12 styles of Mandala: Creating An Authentic Spiritual Path: An InterSpiritual Process by Edward Bastian are listed in SE206.

+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21 and SE213. They are described fully in his book, InterSpiritual Meditation. 

+ To get inspired and illuminated by Ed Bastian, I invite you to set aside some time for these videos:  Seven Steps of InterSpiritual Meditation (11 minutes) | 15 minute introduction to InterSpiritual Meditation and the Mandala Process | 2 hour lecture & conversation

+ Spirituality & Practice offers abundant resources on the practices of Love & Compassion: The Practice of Love | The 12s Gallery on Love | The Practice of Compassion | The 12s Gallery on Compassion

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice.  And, I have work to do on my Heavenliness page.  Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness” or “Love” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

+ You can always find a link to any of the Spiritual Explorations posts by going to http://abundancetrek.com/sepostsaccess.html

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 52

+ This post includes entries from April 27, 2015 until May 6. Latest entries are at the top. 

+ Thank God we can wander ... and wonder ... isn’t it wonderful? Wander-full? But, there is a problem. I think E.B. White states it well: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”  

+ "Wanderer, there is no way, the road is made by walking." -- Antonio Machado

+ I am beginning to think about our 2016 trip to Japan.

+ On Twitter @fredericbrussat offers great quotes today, May 1, and almost every day. Here's one: "Until he extends his circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." -- Albert Schweitzer

+ I invite my fellow Presbyterians and others to contribute to Presbyterian Disaster Relief for Nepal.  I like giving through the church because I know that the CEO is not getting the big bucks that many other agencies think are so necessary.

+ Patheos offers "16 Ways Progressive Christians Interpret the Bible" by Roger Wolsey.