integrity

within the seeming state of humanity as a whole, of all the topics that have presented in the past few days, integrity keeps coming to the surface. i have in my life a person who is estranged from his adult daughter. he recently received word that his daughter is potentially very sick. he doesn't feel as though his daughter would accept any personal contact from him (her choice). of course, i feel as though he should reach out to her, however, he is a person who keeps his own counsel, and will not try and contact her. 

this man has taught me so much about integrity : both sides of it. he has lived his (quite long) life in absolute integrity with himself, and is therefore quite comfortable in his own skin. he was taught by his father that if a person agrees to something, they keep their word, even if that means they lose in the proposition. he tells stories of both sides of the equation, himself the recipient of great victory, and grievous loss. the lesson here, it seems, is to think through what we say more thoroughly. 

integrity becomes a way to be in the world, 

if one seeks, is willing, and allows. 

the holies tell us that first was the word (which became creation itself). should our word become our bond, and we become aligned with integrity, sometimes we will lose, and sometimes we will win, but we will always be known to be a person of our word both to our self and to the world, and therefore a person who can be believed and counted on ... and a person who may create - whatever we choose.

integrity is (always) a choice. 

and sometimes it takes great courage.

when we are asked a direct question, we should think not only about the truth of our answer, but also about the statement we are about to make. the truth is the truth, and language includes more than words. when asked for a statement about anything, direct the thought of answer toward the service of love. to ask myself, 'how may i serve love in this moment?' will also include a directive toward how my tone, eyes, body language, and statement itself may create a clearing for another to feel they are loved and supported with my answer, even if the message of truth is tough.

to know integrity in the self means to know honor (and thus, self-love) is served. learning to live life within integrity leads to a more satisfying and loving relationship with your self; and ultimately a richer, fuller, more satisfying experience in this realm. the truth is your mind cares about you and desires to give you the life you program it to bring. situations we find ourselves in notwithstanding, this is absolutely accomplished within the messages we send ourselves and others. the cares of living day-to-day are less stressful when the view one has of himself is honorable. the mind is trained however we choose. we all carry in ourselves the ability to maintain integrity, honor and right-doing, but there are occasions when we must train ourselves to rather look to the light of not only truth, but also of love (uplifting ourselves and others). to carry love and light in any message is to uplift. there is always a choice to make in the delivery of keeping one's counsel, and remaining within the realm of integrity. look also to justice for guidance. justice is blind, and sees no factor outside of fact, although even fact may be controverted to serve the message one chooses to deliver.

(how)

may i serve love's purpose in this moment! (?)

... is always available, even if it hasn't been thought of before. 

: within integrity is honor :

: within love is service :

: within faith is ability :

si se puede!

don't die (inside)...

the world, it seems, is in a mess. this is distracting if one's (purpose) mission is trying to be itself in the world. there is only one cure i can think of for distraction : focus ... to extricate ... to set yourself free of distraction's only power : fear. we distract ourselves because we choose to fear ... each other and ourselves. we fear that others are getting something we deem they don't deserve; and we fear for ourselves not getting what we deem we deserve. we can't look at either, and can't stop looking at both; create angst, and convince ourselves that we must compete with each and 'win' over all others to find satisfaction.

the truth, which lies beneath (and above) all this distraction, appears quiet, terrifying and unachievable (according to distraction). we use every weapon we can invent toward all others to avoid actually seeing each other. we fortify our fear and develop a bag of lenses through which we choose to see.

the lens bag contains any number of filters, and serves the purpose of guarding our sensibilities. we convince ourselves that we are somehow different from others, right in our decisions, and therefore we make others wrong, sinful, or otherwise unacceptable to ourselves. we learn early in our lives that life is unfair, and the spoils only go to the 'best.' we then limit the 'best' to an impossible and exclusive club. (the very bizarre part about this is that we ourselves set it up this way!) we then spend our lives trying to gain entry into this club, only to be told we're not 'good enough' to join.

every one of us has a lens bag, and most of us have one or more preferred lens(es). we tend to develop a comfort zone, and automatically go to our favorite way to see the world, other people and the planet. we define 'best' and create power to those who we deem fit our convention. over time, whether the lens is loneliness, or arrogance, or humility, or racism, or misery, or wrong, or piety, or have, or cheated, or peace, or hate, or ??, usually, without our even being aware, this place invents itself into the lens we operate from, and becomes the place we allow our heart to dwell, having made ourselves comfortable here.

sometimes it takes a miracle (certainly some courage) to open our lens bag and pull out an option. we become so accustomed to seeing the world through our lens of choice that we may forget we have options.

listen to what you're hearing when you're listening ...

what are you saying to yourself : to your children : to your coworkers : to your neighbors : to your friends? most of the time we are who we say we are, whether we know it or not. our lens can become such an integral component in the way we frame our world, and our pain can become so great that we have difficulty contemplating the pain of others; and take it on our own belief that our own pain is justified, because of the way we are choosing to look at the world.

now, listen just below the din. now, listen above the din.

there is a whole 'nother conversation going in these two places. should we dare to listen, we would hear a chorus of voices crying, saying and praying : i want a good life for myself and for my family! if all of us realign our thoughts into abundance in all things, may we say these words; know these words in truth, and then be these words, we are then able to say : i deserve, and am myself now doing my part in contribution to purpose. i am, myself, creating life good for (myself, for my family, and for) all people.

the work of politics is the work of using an accepted method of the will of the people (who happen to be in power at the time) to advance society. i think the current policy makers in power are doing the work of devolving our society. ... and that's my particular view. it strikes me that this is what is delving to be heard in this moment in my own journey. i have spoken myself a writer, and have become so. i also say my life is good, and so it is. whatever we invoke amen! into is that which we become in the world. (actually, 'amen' means, among other things, so be it, and so it is). if we invoke amen! into discontent, so shall we reap. should we invoke amen! into peace, so shall we reap. we've never been particularly good at following rules, because we are all so affected by them.

the current powers that be would have us look more to division, than union; more to peace by the power of militia (downpressing), than peace through the power of brotherhood (uplifting). the systematic disempowerment and disenfranchisement of well more than 1/2 of the people for whom this land is home; and millions and millions more, globally. what i know is i am one spark of divinity, and so are you. the body of the universe is all of us, including all parts. consider now the universe : consider now that i am only my part within, and therefore my own part to do. i say that bringers of light into the world are needed. i say it is true that there are forces trying to be born in the world that are seemingly undefeatable through the power of love : i say the power of love is the power of light in the universe. to shine our own light of love into the world has the ability to shine divine light into the heart of darkness, into the abyss of fear.

i rather serve the ways of peace in my own conscience : delving to do good in the world and share my own light (belief in and for good) wherever and whenever i am given opportunity to do so. may i know that justice prevails to all people : and that all may have good lives and experience joy in their journey. to say that when i am done here, i have used all of my potential to do all i can to breathe the message of love, of personal ability, of freedom for all people to live a life of their own choosing. i offer my gifts in service to being a warrior of the light (thank you sr. coelho) : and my reward is an advancement of my own understanding of humanity ... odd species, humans.

'fair' is a human contrivance and a version of fear (lack). 'fair' is also a vision of loveliness (beauty). it is the court's place in our land to say what is fair, unless we can agree on our own (which we are getting progressively worse at). the truth is, ours is one of the few places in the world where the people get to have their say : and no matter how much the influencers are able to exert their power (will), there is (thankfully) a counter-balance. the powers that be : the current influencers would have us believe that the world is divided into hierarchy; an exclusive club, by design, excludes. i say, we the people ...

and so it is that our greatest overarching love is winning, let it also be so that we establish and perpetrate win/win : with justice for all.

there must now be opened in us the place of forgiveness : for ourselves and for each other. to forgive ourselves for our perpetrations on each other, and to forgive others for theirs also. to allow ourselves to forgive and to be forgiven, and to allow others to forgive and to be forgiven. to create ourselves and each other powerful beyond measure : uplifting ourselves and each other : to be the change you'd like to see in and for the world; and then to allow a place of peace inside ourselves where forgiveness and peace and goodwill dwells. this place is usually very bright : if it's not, look for the light switch : it's there, usually just on the wall.

absolute power corrupts absolutely.

power itself is the prize ... 

peace is possible ... 

as we ourselves think it so, and create it so.

our choice is to the nature of peace.

power to his people : in the name of winning.
power to all people : in the name of love.

yes, we can

yes, we can.

Acknowledge that the universal healing forces flow through your heart and hands in ways that help others find their own destiny.

warriors needed

the world climate is troubling.

the 'news' that i read every day attacked me last night in a dream (it seems i simply can't stop myself : i simply can not fathom what i see happening in my own and in all other countries in the world!). this dream, in which i was being pursued and threatened by 'something' created the kind of unstoppable angst that one experiences in horror movies - which i categorically do not allow into my consciousness.

i am a person who diligently tries to protect my psyche from harm by choosing positive and uplifting input; and therefore i do not understand my fascination with following the (reality show) events of each new day, except that it seems i am compelled to try and see what effect the dawn of this new day seeks to perpetrate upon humanity. my partner, who was sleeping peacefully beside me, (thankfully) noticed my dream scream, and awakened me : the reset button was effective, and i fell back asleep; sleeping well until morning. i felt lucky : whatever it was that was trying to get me was not able to reach me (physically) ... for which i am profoundly grateful. the message that seeks to be known is that this energy was, however, able to get my attention, which is a call for light in my own psyche ... and therefore, mine to navigate.

this morning (and indeed, it seems, every morning) i awoke to more of the same vile, vicious vitriol. i do think that a 'change' in the way we care for each other and our planet is necessary. i did not hold a lot of hope for the type of change i would like to see when the (not my) president of the u.s. was swept in on a wave of (indignant) angst by the lesser energy of fear. in the short time since that announcement was made, i have noticed the destabilizing atrocities being blatantly carried out and confirmed over and over to civil rights, human dignity and the care of and for our home. the annihilation of decency that is exhibited, defended and lauded (by those who would seek to rip democracy out of the garden by its roots and lay it upon the burning altar of 'winning') is the result of an onslaught of derision and division : the premise of all reality shows : drama, dominance, and defeat.

the most astute general knows that the swiftest way to conquer is to divide. to deflect attention and to strike hard and fast when the defender is unexpectant. i believe we may have been expecting something different, but i look at this man's history and wonder why. i believe we may have thought it might be safe to allow a 'grace' period - some time after the inauguration to let it all sink in. that moment never came : the upending came hard, and came fast; leaving the vast majority of us dazed, confused, and more than a bit bewildered. 

it is all too easy to simply hang our heads and wring our hands; all too simple to hope the demise and trampling over of our constitution will just stop. it is too hard to think of the scathing one who crosses this personality receives; and too much to consider to be threatened by its trolls. the generals of this war on decency will demand (and receive) utmost loyalty from the hierarchy : colonels right down to foot-soldiers. the very stunning thing is there are humans willing (gladly?) to do this work : to carry out the work of autocratic political destabilization, zealous destruction, theological division, the work of rape and slaughter of our home.

i think that what was most unsettling about the monster under my bed last night is that 'it' wasn't the kind of creature that was a creature at all, but a feeling : the unidentifiable (and unquestionable) presence of 'something' being unleashed into the world : and it is hungry : and it wants to win ... 

in this moment, how may i do my part : be a warrior of service in direct opposition to the advance of fear : i offer all i am to the forces of light, love, peace and plenty among us (all).

warriors of the light are needed : apply within.