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Gratefulness
I am not only grateful for “good” experiences but also for the “bad” ones too, because it is these experiences that bless us with wisdom.
1. Is forgiveness always possible? If so, what is the secret that those who feel they cannot forgive are missing? If not, how does is that reconcilable with a loving God? 2. Is everyone destined to experience eternal reunion with God? If so, how is that possible with free will? If not, how does that line up with the idea of a loving God? 3. Are psi abilities real? 4. Which forms of alternative medicine are effective, and which are quacks? 5. Does experiencing enlighten...
1. Is forgiveness always possible? If so, what is the secret that those who feel they cannot forgive are missing? If not, how does is that reconcilable with a loving God? 2. Is everyone destined to experience eternal reunion with God? If so, how is that possible with free will? If not, how does that line up with the idea of a loving God? 3. Are psi abilities real? 4. Which forms of alternative medicine are effective, and which are quacks? 5. Does experiencing enlightenment/Nirvana/moksha take away from mystery and the wonders of unknowing, as well as the variety of human emotions? 6. Is there an afterlife? 7. What is my personal and collective dharma? 8. Does God really exist? 9. Are the Law of Attraction and prayer really effective? 10. What are the signs of the reception of the Holy Spirit within oneself? 11. Why does the Shobogenzo say that one “cannot repent” of blaspheming against the dharma? Does this mean that one will suffer the karmic consequences of this deed forever? 12. Is time an illusion? 13. Why does the Avesta refer to some sins as “unpardonable”? 14. Are things really objectively “good” or “bad,” or is everything perfect as it is regardless of our perception of it? 15. What is the secret to eternal life/heaven on earth? 16. Is the Lotus Sutra correct when it says that some karmic consequences are eternal?
During the hard times in life, my counselor, the writings of mystics and sages, the teachings of different world religions, and books on modern wisdom have appeared to guide my way.
The spiritual trauma I went through from 2010-2012 made me more interested in spirituality, more resilient, and more intellectually inclined. As I go into a career and ministry, I think I will do very well as a wounded healer for those who struggle spiritually or who have spiritual trauma in their background.
Today, I plan to do some reading for seminary and to really take it in and learn how to apply the reading to my theology.
I can show care for myself right now by forgiving myself for being so flighty, forgetful, and unfocused lately. I can remind myself that I’m going through some difficult times in my personal life; we’re in the middle of a pandemic; and we’re having a major election. Being a master of focus right now is something I don’t have to demand of myself. The best way to care for others right now, I think, is to continue wearing a mask when in public and social distancing. It...
I can show care for myself right now by forgiving myself for being so flighty, forgetful, and unfocused lately. I can remind myself that I’m going through some difficult times in my personal life; we’re in the middle of a pandemic; and we’re having a major election. Being a master of focus right now is something I don’t have to demand of myself. The best way to care for others right now, I think, is to continue wearing a mask when in public and social distancing. It’s basic, but it can help stop the spread of Covid-19 and keep people safe and alive.
Lately, I’ve been trying to ask myself, “Am I doing this from a place of love for God, others, and self or a place of fear?” and “What would love do?” Sometimes, just being mindful of the motivations behind my actions can be helpful.
Well, because of the pandemic, I can’t really be with anyone in person, but maybe I’ll do a social media post offering my love and support for those who are scared about what might happen tonight. I know it’s a small act, but I hope at least some can find it meaningful.
One of my professors has an assistant whose nephew was shot and killed. His burial was today. I just sent her an email sending my condolences and wishing her healing on her journey of grief.
Right now, I’m a little bit stressed by someone in my family who is stressed. The stress, anger, and negative vibe is rubbing off on me a bit. It also stresses me out because I worry that the person will snap at me if I do one little thing. If I take responsibility for this, however, and know that this person is not at fault for “rubbing off on me,” I can pay more attention to my need to stay positive even when others have a negative vibe. It can be a lesson in learning to l...
Right now, I’m a little bit stressed by someone in my family who is stressed. The stress, anger, and negative vibe is rubbing off on me a bit. It also stresses me out because I worry that the person will snap at me if I do one little thing. If I take responsibility for this, however, and know that this person is not at fault for “rubbing off on me,” I can pay more attention to my need to stay positive even when others have a negative vibe. It can be a lesson in learning to let go of the fear of being hurt by someone, even when it’s hard to let go of that fear.
I think the long-term effects of the pandemic might end up being some positive changes that happen in our social structures. People know how to use Zoom now, so we could livestream most meetings and events even when we are back in person so that people who cannot be physically present can be included. Maybe, God-willing, we will see some structural changes to our healthcare system, since this has exposed its evils. And hopefully, the seriousness of the crisis in the United States will teach u...
I think the long-term effects of the pandemic might end up being some positive changes that happen in our social structures. People know how to use Zoom now, so we could livestream most meetings and events even when we are back in person so that people who cannot be physically present can be included. Maybe, God-willing, we will see some structural changes to our healthcare system, since this has exposed its evils. And hopefully, the seriousness of the crisis in the United States will teach us to never elect a dictator again. Maybe, we are learning some lessons about what we need to change going forward. Maybe this pandemic is a confrontation of all the oppressive systems in our country.
I used to be a fairly conservative Christian and took the Bible as inherent and infallible. This brought a lot of pain to me, however, because I worried about being condemned to hell or of God being angry with me. Rather unexpectedly, however, I made some discoveries that led me to believe that, while the Bible is a sacred text and provides an account of people’s experience of God in a particular time and context, it does not mean that the ideas and beliefs expressed in it are always 10...
I used to be a fairly conservative Christian and took the Bible as inherent and infallible. This brought a lot of pain to me, however, because I worried about being condemned to hell or of God being angry with me. Rather unexpectedly, however, I made some discoveries that led me to believe that, while the Bible is a sacred text and provides an account of people’s experience of God in a particular time and context, it does not mean that the ideas and beliefs expressed in it are always 100% accurate or meant to be taken literally. Today, I am a Unitarian Universalist who thinks it unlikely that anyone will be eternally damned or that there are some people that God doesn’t love, and to me, all religions are valid paths to the sacred.
“Every contraction is naturally followed by an expansion. Every time you feel your heart shrivel, be confident that it will blossom in turn.”-Rumi
Learning about different religions or even reviewing what I already know about world religions often awakens my mind and emotions to the beauty of the world as it is experienced through particular faith traditions. For instance, when I study Sufi Islam, it helps me to recognize that Allah is manifested in all of creation.
I can see the fallen yellowing leaves of Autumn, a slight wind blowing in the dying plants, the yellowing grass, and smoke in the air from some distant wildfires. .
Before I begin doing my schoolwork, I always say this prayer: “O God, You have spoken through the Prophet Jesus, saying, ‘Without Me, you can do nothing.’ In faith, I embrace Your words, O God, and bow before Your goodness. Help me to complete the work I am about to begin for Your own glory. Amen.” This prayer helps me to hallow my schoolwork and do it with awareness that I can only complete it and learn from it with God’s help, not effort alone.
The Dalai Llama is a beautiful example of true humility. He is one of the greatest religious figures in the world and has brought a great deal of Tibetan Buddhist teachings to the West, yet he does not parade himself as special or seek the praise of people (even though it’s inevitably what he receives anyway because he is so humble). He’s not long some of the past popes, for example, who wear fancy outfits and wave at crowds for the purpose of accolades. He simply seeks to lead wi...
The Dalai Llama is a beautiful example of true humility. He is one of the greatest religious figures in the world and has brought a great deal of Tibetan Buddhist teachings to the West, yet he does not parade himself as special or seek the praise of people (even though it’s inevitably what he receives anyway because he is so humble). He’s not long some of the past popes, for example, who wear fancy outfits and wave at crowds for the purpose of accolades. He simply seeks to lead with compassion and love for all sentient beings.
In college, there was one time when I was having a mild panic attack at a restaurant we were eating at the night before our cross country meet. One of my friends sympathized and asked if I needed them to quiet down. I told her no and that I would be fine, but just the fact that she cared enough to say something and show concern was really sweet, and it was one of those small acts that had a big impact on me.
One way I can tend my path to make it attractive to those who follow is to talk about it in terms that are uplifting. Merely telling people, “I participate in justice work because I believe that everyone deserves to be treated kindly” is rather vague and uninspiring for some. If, however, I use more compelling, perhaps even theological, language, it will be more attractive for others. For instance, I could say, “I participate in justice work because I believe that I have a s...
One way I can tend my path to make it attractive to those who follow is to talk about it in terms that are uplifting. Merely telling people, “I participate in justice work because I believe that everyone deserves to be treated kindly” is rather vague and uninspiring for some. If, however, I use more compelling, perhaps even theological, language, it will be more attractive for others. For instance, I could say, “I participate in justice work because I believe that I have a spark of divine Love within myself and so believe that I am capable of doing this important work. I also believe that those who I am serving with also have a spark of divine Love within them and so ought to be treated as fully human.” THAT will get people to listen.
I can make more space in my life for beauty by reading texts about religious and spiritual philosophy (including world scriptures) and maintaining an awareness about what they reveal about the beauty of nature and of sentient beings. For example, reading the Upanishads reminds me that everything in existence is part of Brahman and makes the world feel more beautiful and colorful.
When I let go of my preconceptions about how life “should” be, as hard as that is, I actually see that, on some level, there is no “should” about life. We are creatures like all others and have evolved to be a part of the environment that is the world. Just as we observe nature and don’t typically judge the lives of fish swimming, lions packing together, or wolves hunting as “bad” or “good,” we see that our own lives are just like there’s. Everything that happens is part o...
When I let go of my preconceptions about how life “should” be, as hard as that is, I actually see that, on some level, there is no “should” about life. We are creatures like all others and have evolved to be a part of the environment that is the world. Just as we observe nature and don’t typically judge the lives of fish swimming, lions packing together, or wolves hunting as “bad” or “good,” we see that our own lives are just like there’s. Everything that happens is part of a natural cycle of life even judgments about how life “should” be.
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We are delighted to announce the release of Kristi Nelson’s book Wake Up Grateful
