Abundancetrek promotes love, peace, joy, justice, beauty, wisdom, freedom, truth, sustainable abundance, spirituality, interfaith dialogue, ecumenical connections and hope through a movement which is non-hierarchical and fun.
+ I would love it if you offered a guest post. And, I have work to do on the Abundancetrek Freedom page. Maybe you can
help. Send an email with the subject “Freedom” or “Heavenly Attributes”
or “Guest Post” toJohn@abundancetrek.com.
+ Continuing with the 12 styles of the Mandala
process, we are exploring the style of Imagination.
+ Love is a canvas
furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination.
– Voltaire
+ We are not human doings. We are human beings. Most of us can think of plenty we can do and
sooner or later deeds become imperative.
But we must always find a way to prioritize being over doing. Even beyond being human beings, we are
heavenly beings. We can realize our
heavenly identity when we open a channel to our heavenly guide or guides. This requires that we take time to dream, to
envision, to imagine, to let go of our agenda and allow God’s agenda in. We will change. We will be transformed. We will reveal heaven. We will display compassion.
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ I would love it if
you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on myHeavenliness page. Maybe you can help. Send an email with
the subject “Heavenliness” or "Imagination" or “Guest Post” toJohn@abundancetrek.com.
+
Continuing with the 12 styles of the Mandala
process, we are exploring the style of Imagination.
+
The time for healing of the wounds has come.
The time to build is upon us …
We pledge ourselves to liberate all our
people
from the continuing bondage of poverty,
deprivation,
suffering, gender and other discrimination …
There is no easy road to freedom …
None of us alone can achieve success.
We must therefore act together as a united
people,
for reconciliation, for nation building,
for the birth of a new world.
--
Nelson Mandela
+ I wonder what the
world would look like if it was made in my image. I would save the rain
forests, no, increase the rainforests. I would rebuild the railroads in the USA
and in other nations where they have deteriorated. I would find all kinds of
ways to reduce noise so that we could enjoy plenty of peace and quiet in our
daily lives. Not that there isn’t a place for noise but let’s make it quality
noise and reduce the quantity of noise we are subjected to. I would disarm the
nations of the world as rapidly as possible.
I would make sure that we all knew the Golden Rule and tried to practice
it as frequently as possible. I would make everyone aware of the need for solar
power and wind power and possibly other new ways to create the energy we need
for sustainable abundance,
not exceeding our needs. As Gandhi said: “The world has enough for everyone's
need, but not enough for everyone's greed.” That’s the world I want to see and
I now am trying to imagine and then create along with my fellow dreamers. What would the world look like if it was made
in your image? Together we can create
something wonderful. Imagine it and pray
it into being.
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ I would love it if
you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on myHeavenliness page. Maybe you can help. Send an email with
the subject “Heavenliness” or "Imagination" or “Guest Post” toJohn@abundancetrek.com.
+ Continuing with our current emphasis on style of the
Artist in the Mandala process, Ed Bastian writes:
Through the arts,
we might find a bridge for crossing over into realms of knowing and being that ordinarily
lie dormant in our daily lives. For each of us, there is an art form that can
help to transport us to a world we might have intuited, but which we have not
touched or inhabited. In the magic of the artistic journey, we might encounter
an unexpected moment in which we see, hear, taste or touch something that opens
up new possibilities for us, or inspires us to live according to our highest ideals.
For each of us, there
is a work of art that helps us to know the unknowable, to experience that which
lies beyond
our ken, to become the person we would like to be.
+ You might find that bridge or you might build that
bridge or both. And it is important that
we often find a way to do the discovering and the building together. This is
definitely an important part of this amazing journey we are sharing, or rather,
creating together. It is such a
wonderful thing to be a co-creator with you and with the muse who inspires us
and guides us. What is your muse telling
you these days?
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ Continuing with our current emphasis on the style of the artist in the Mandala
process, Ed Bastian writes:
Those of us who are
not particularly skilled in the arts can still benefit from our own artistic expressions,
even if they don’t find an appreciative audience in the public. We can express
ourselves in our journals, through poetry or songs, paintings or dance. But our
most profound personal art form is expressed in the way we live our own lives.
For if we intentionally live our lives as expressions of our deepest purpose,
wisdom, ethics, spiritual intuition and compassion, then each of us becomes a
spiritual work of art.
+ It’s true. You are “a spiritual work of art.” There is
no art created by a human artist that is better than the art of the divine
artist and that means YOU. Don’t
hide. Express yourself. Be creative.
Develop your gifts. You are so
gifted. Yes, YOU. You are heavenly. Yes, YOU.
You are fantastic. Yes, YOU.
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ An inspired piece
of spiritual art often emerges from those who have both cultivated an artistic
skill and who have had a
spiritual experience, say, of ‘oneness,’ inter-dependence, or the immanent presence of the sacred. Such a work of art can resonate deeply with others,
expressing that which they might otherwise be unable to express. It can inspire
us, strengthen us, and give us assurance that we are not alone in our inward
quest for authentic experiences of something profoundly greater than ourselves.
+ Some of my favorite rock’n’roll, pop and Celtic songs
fall into that important category of “an inspired piece of spiritual art.” I
cherish the many, many times my soul has been revived by music and, for me,
that is often, certainly not always, rock’n’roll music. Let me mention a few of the rock’n’roll artists
who have moved me over the years: Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Who,
The Grateful Dead, Carole King, The Pretenders, Bruce Springsteen, Van
Morrison, Todd Rundgren, Super Tramp, U2, REM, Kate Bush, Marina & The
Diamonds and I intend to edit this post sooner or later adding at least a few more.
The
Logical Song by Super Tramp is possibly the number one song for me when it
comes to defining rock’n’roll as spiritual art.
So, let me share the lyrics
as well as the
recording:
When I was young, it seemed that life was so
wonderful,
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd
be singing so happily,
Joyfully, playfully watching me.
But then they send me away to teach me how
to be sensible,
Logical, responsible, practical.
And they showed me a world where I could be
so dependable,
Clinical, intellectual, cynical.
There are times when all the world's asleep,
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.
Now watch what you say or they'll be calling
you a radical,
Liberal, fanatical, criminal.
Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to
feel you're
Acceptable, respectable, presentable, a
vegetable!
At night, when all the world's asleep,
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've
learned
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ Merton
again! And why not. Anyone doing
spiritual exploration faithfully can benefit immensely from the wisdom and
inspiration and devotion of this great spiritual guide. He was one of the best writers of the
twentieth century. Millions of seekers
have been touched by his writings and the example of his life. It is fitting that the image of Merton here
which comes from Spirituality & Practice is an artistic portrait. Merton’s unique approach to a meaningful life
included a deep appreciation of art. He
encourages us to appreciate the artist and work on developing the gift of
artistic expression, a gift we all have whether we know it or not. That’s because we are all heavenly beings as
well as human beings. That heavenly
dimension is huge, infinite, eternal, mysterious, wonderful. Enjoy being human and enjoy being heavenly.
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ Observe the
wonders as they occur around you. Don’t claim them. Feel the artistry moving
through and be silent.
-- Jalaluddin Rumi
+ From time to sacred time, silence is definitely a holy
response to the wonders, the artistry of creation. But so is noise. Make a joyful noise. And I am sure that Rumi would say that too.
Sing, dance, move, play, write, speak, listen, dream, hope, pray, run, jump,
paint, love. It’s all art. Enjoy the creative process which is happening all around
you, beyond you, and deep inside you at all times. Find all kinds of ways to participate in the
creative process. You are an artist. You
are fantastic. You are wonderful. Enjoy
the moment. Establish your way to be
creative.
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this
practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on my Heavenlinesspage. Maybe you can help. Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness”
or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.
+ To be creative
means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough
that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to
it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.
+ I invite you to say this with me: “I am creating the
new faith for the new earth which is creating the new, most holy, fantastic,
glorious heavenly realm of abundance,
joy, wisdom, beauty, love, truth, peace, justice and freedom.” I am & You are & we are & God is
creating …
It is a joy to be exploring these heavenly realms with
you as, together, we create this “new thing”
because God is always doing a “new thing.” Yes, that’s in the Bible. Isaiah 43:19. God does this through the
ongoing, evolving creative process of life.
It is a wonderful thing to be an active participant in this creative
process, “to be in love with life.” You
are wonderful. You are fantastic. Let us keep on making music and poetry. Let us keep on dancing.
+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21and 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:
+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this
practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on my Heavenlinesspage. Maybe you can help. Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness”
or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.
+ God is an artist
and the universe is his work of art.
-- Thomas Aquinas
+ The Way of the
Arts might be your primary road into spiritual learning and practice. For many
artistic learners, spiritual experience is best conveyed and experienced
through creative expression. Words and intellectual concepts often fail to
capture, for example, an epiphany of the transcendent, the marvelous geometric
designs of existence, the mysterious shapes and colors of creation, the
beautiful galaxies of the universe. But in the poetry of Rumi, the music of
Mahler, the dance of Fonteyn, or the paintings of Michelangelo, something of
the grandeur and profundity of these experiences might be expressed. Our
natural affinity for aesthetics inspires us to expand and deepen our own sense
of the sacred.
+ With this post we begin exploring the essential
practice of Heavenliness
through the lens of the Mandala Process created by Edward Bastian. We will move through the 12 styles in
alphabetical order.
We begin with the style of the Artist. We are called to appreciate the artistry of
creation. We are called to be creative
artists and to appreciate those who develop the gift in ways which move us, inspire
us and transform us. Don’t let anyone
tell you that you are not an artist. We
are made in the likeness of God and God is an artist. I urge you to find the time to develop this
gift in one way or another. I would love
it if you would share your artistic accomplishments and intentions in a future
post. Send an email with the subject
“Heavenliness” or “Guest Post” or “Art” to John@abundancetrek.com.
+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this
practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on my Heavenlinesspage. Maybe you can help. Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness”
or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.
·When we
are willing to be open-minded, art and beauty come flooding into us in a
thousand small ways. When we let ourselves see the possibilities instead of the
improbabilities, we become as flexible and resilient as we really are. It is
human nature to create. When we cooperate with our creativity, using it to live
within the lives we actually have, we surprise ourselves with our level of
invention.
·Although
we seldom talk about it in these terms, writing is a means of prayer. It
connects us to the invisible world. It gives us a gate or conduit for the other
world to talk to us whether we call it the subconscious, the unconscious, the
superconscious, the imagination, or the Muse. Writing gives us a place to
welcome more than the rational. It opens the door to inspiration. It opens the
door to God or, if you would to "Good Orderly Direction." Writing is
a spiritual housekeeper. Writing sets things straight, giving us a sense of our
true priorities.
+ The practice of Devotion is the key to a
creative and joyful life. There are, of
course, many ways to be creative but if we are not devoted to it, the well runs
dry awfully fast. Please be devoted to
what makes you creative and joyful. The
world needs your creativity and your joy.
Everyone has a story.
Writing can be a way to discover your story and then share it with
others. We need your story. You are essential.
+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this
practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on my Devotion page. Maybe you can help. Send an email with the subject “Devotion” or
“Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.
+ Making time for
creative work is like making time for prayer. It is a holistic activity,
involving the visible and the invisible, the known and unknown. To create is to
make something whole from the pieces of our lives and, in the process, to
become more whole ourselves, seeing with more clarity each of those pieces,
understanding where they fit, how they matter. It is a healing act, a
leave-taking from the chaos as one moves from the choppy surface toward the
stillness of the center.
-- Jan Phillips in
Marry Your Muse (This was the Daily
Inspiration from One Spirit on 3/22/16)
+ Creativity is divine.
God inspires us in so many ways to become whole, heavenly, even stretched
beyond the narrow confines of an
ego-bound illusory reality. What’s your
muse? What brings out the best in
you? Even if it’s hard work, it’s healing
work, holy work, heavenly work.
Enjoy.
We will move on now to the next series of Spiritual
Exploration posts, the Journey of the Body.
The practice of Healing
is essential for this next stage. May we
keep on practicing all of these spiritual practices so that you may be healed Mind,
Heart, Body and Soul.
How are you doing?
I would love to know if any of my posts have been particularly
meaningful for you. I would love it if
you could contribute a post or 2 as we go on. I am sure you could share some wisdom on Solitude, Devotion and Holiness which would enrichen
the practices in the Journey of the Body for all of us. After all, you are amazing.
+ Listening is a
magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. When people really listen to each
other in a quiet, fascinated attention, the creative fountain inside each of us
begins to spring and cast up new thoughts and unexpected wisdom.
— Brenda Ueland quoted in Finding What You Didn't Lose by John Fox
+ Way back in 1971,
humorist Erma Bombeck wrote that it seems "rather incongruous that in a
society of supersophisticated communication, we often suffer from a shortage of
listeners." She was not only perceptive but prophetic.
This week, help
reverse the trend. Look for a way each day to listen to someone, letting go of
any other agenda. Remember all the tools at your disposal: concentrated
silence, a nod, simple words of support like "um hmm" or
"oh?" or "wow!" Reflect back what you hear the other person
saying, so that they can hear themselves more clearly. Ask follow-up questions
like "How come?" or "What happened then?" Offer gentle
encouragement to someone by your unconditionally accepting presence. It's okay
if that someone is yourself.
-- Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
+ Discernment
happens more and more frequently and authentically as we develop the ability to
really listen to others. Instead of
thinking of what you are going to say next, how about saying nothing or asking
a question (preferably open-ended) or offer a statement which shows you
understand or are trying to understand.
Be fascinated by each and every person
you meet, by every event and even every thought and feeling. Try to think outside of the box. See things in new and different ways. Trust the process. Let go of any need to control situations in
your life. You usually don’t have to and
you benefit by letting go. This is the
process of creativity which produces more and more compassion, peace, justice
and sustainable abundance.
It is important to realize that much of the significant
discernment in our lives happens in groups where people share experiences,
ideas and wisdom. Group discernment is
as important as individual discernment.
+ Spirituality & Practice offers 37 Spiritual Practices with an abundance of ideas and resources for this essential practice. Some of my favorites are Attention, Being Present, Connections, Enthusiasm, Imagination, Listening, Meaning, Openness, Questing, Reverence, Silence, Transformation and Vision. Pick one or 2 and see where you are led as you continue to discern your purpose, your path, your mission, your next step.
+ Every day I try to reflect on some inspiration and wisdom offered by great spiritual guides. Here are some places on the web that I count on for daily nourishment:
+ Breathe deeply. Breathe fully. Be still. Be silent. Be centered. Be grounded. Lighten up. Loosen up. Let go. Let God. Celebrate. Enjoy. Be glad all over. Something wonderful is happening. This is bliss.
