Everyman's Journal 2011

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(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

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Everyman's Journal 2011, # 52

April 17

Sunday afternoon... warm but still spring, Albuquerque's wonderful fruit trees in blossom everywhere, and finally, while resting/camping in the spare travel trailer parked next to my friends popping-up garden, precious time to write.

I've just also been listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer speaking with Lisa Garr on her online teleseminars (www.theawareshow.com) about, well, about a whole lot, but mainly about the breakthrough in consciousness that is happening on this planet in regards to the awakening of humanity to our divinity, and his (Dyers) insights about how to be in the 24-7 practice of that. He ended his presentation with a quote from Swami Vivekananda (a famous Hindu teacher who came to America in the early 1900's). Vivekananda had answered the question about how to 'get rid' of the ego in the following way: "In the spring, go observe the blossoms of a fruit tree. Notice that as the fruit begins to grow, the blossoms fall away by themselves... In the same way, as the divine in each being unfolds and grows, the ego falls away by itself."

This life we are being given is such an amazing gift, whatever the content of it may be. There are simply no accidents ever allowed in this universe... everything that is in our lives is there by our consent and choice, as our choice of the way we wish to learn the lessons of love that we came here to master. When I was asked earlier today where I lived, I gave my habitual answer of 'in my body', but then spirit kept speaking and I heard myself saying 'and from here, as much as possible' (indicating my heart area) 'and less and less from here' (indicating my head area). I realized as the words were being spoken that they were totally true.

Each day is another gift, another opportunity to journey deeper into my own heart, and as I do, I feel increasingly blessed, seemingly by the entire world. For instance, a couple of weeks ago (soon after arriving in NM) I was invited to a musicians party at a 'community house'. One of the musicians had placed an old piano (which was in dilapidated condition) there, where music was being attempted with it. I got my tools and cleaned up a few very sour notes, to great gratitude, but there was so much more the instrument needed, and I knew it. When I spoke to the owner (another artist) I was told there just was no money available to repair it. I let it go, but over the next couple of weeks I kept remembering that piano, and this morning, after talking to the owner again and knowing there was no money in it for me, I went back to the piano with him and we worked together for several hours on the instrument.

For this to demonstrate the magical nature of life, I must mention that for the last several weeks I have been tuning 6 or more pianos a day, and at the end of each day, my arms and shoulders are seriously aching, so as a result I have been a regular evening customer at the local natural markets that offer 'chair massage' services. The masseuse talent varies, but some relief is always better than none, and I always leave grateful. Anyway, as John and I were working on the piano (and the tension in my shoulders was mounting) John mentioned that he had once been a massage therapist! And bingo (by the quality of the treatment that I received on the spot), the universe revealed it had just led me to a highly talented healer who was ever so happy to give me days-ending treatments for the rest of the time I am here as exchange for my services to him. How wonderful to have such synchronicity!

Then, after the work on the instrument was done, I received additional 'payment' just listening to John play so very beautifully on it, and experience his joy that the piano's condition, and to know that all that was a result of being willing to be generous.

Wayne Dyer, in the interview I just listened to this afternoon repeatedly emphasized that as we claim our divine nature, our statements/pronouncements starting with "I am" shift from an imprisoned self-image to a liberated one, one willing to own that in truth we are the manifestation of all good.... all compassion, all love, all health, all abundance, deep and profound peace, joy, and generosity. I humbly report that at this moment all such thinking appears self-obviously true.

May all beings Remember themselves as the Infinite Unlimited Goodness of LIfe.

Namaste,

David

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

***********************************

Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

(my fine art website)

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

http://davidseacord.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=306aba00e6959c604de750bcc&id=62a1ee7045

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)

To subscribe, simply click on the code below to open the subscribe window.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Everyman's Journal 2011, #51

April 14

Although they were out of town for the week, I arrived at my friend's home in Santa Fe, found the key where prearranged, and let my self in. Other people's spaces often offer teaching 'right on time'.... it's just the Way of the universe. What greeted me in their home was a compelling poster...quoting the Dalai Lama. As I had never seen it before, perhaps you have not either. Of course, even if you have, no damage will occur by re-exposure. :-)

In this moment, I am well, grateful, and immensely blessed. I pray each of you are also.

Namaste,

David

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Instructions for Life

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R's:

Respect for Self

Respect for others, and

Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so that you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Dalai Lama

____________________________________________

My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

***********************************

Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

(my fine art website)

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

http://davidseacord.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=306aba00e6959c604de750bcc&id=62a1ee7045

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)

To subscribe, simply click on the code below to open the subscribe window.

Everyman's Journal 2011, #50

April 4

My path through life of late has delivered me to this moment as through a whirlwind---- several events offering major growth invitations....

On one day in the middle of the week I was momentarily inattentive and make a false assumption... as a result I am responsible for the death of an animal (a beautifully orange stray long-haired cat) whom I drove over in a parking lot with my car. It is a subtle thing, this recognizing that I am responsible, while at the same time truly understanding 'there is no blame' in this universe. But I saw that it would be spiritually self-deceptive to listen to the worlds view (that it wasn't my fault and please don't blame yourself) that I had received from the emergency veterinary clinic staff (to which I took the bleeding, broken jawed, severely head traumatizes cat, and where I wept as I finally signed it over to them, knowing it would almost certainly be quickly euthanized).

If only I had listened to my heart and said "yes, I like you, you're a lovely cat... sure, I'll help...," instead of "no, I'm not willing".... when the cat had approached me minutes before, plaintively meowing, now asking me if I would give it a home (I had seen and heard it from under other cars in the parking lot earlier in the day also).... but "I" was in the middle of a phone call, and "I" did not give full attention or consideration to this request from another sentient life form. If I had, I might have recognized that I would probably have only been 'a passing friend on the journey', and that almost certainly I could have found a good home for it. But I didn't realize that until later.... in the moment, my attention was on enjoying the phone call, and after taking the cat out of my car (it had actually jumped in as I was loading my tools, etc), placing it on the ground and closing my door so it could not reenter, I did not think of it further, until (after starting my car [with an historical understanding that no cat that might be hiding under a just-started car ever remains there... even briefly]) I felt the strange sensation of my rear tire slowly lifting and dropping as I drove over the cats head several moments later.

Suddenly, as I watched the spastic pain-berserk flip-flops of the cats body, and listened to it's screams of agony, my entire world of the minutes before disappeared into my own heart-broken weeping cries of horror at this turn of events, and for a minute or so, a kind of numbed confusion as to what to do now. Then, I knew... I had to take it to a veterinarian quickly... I had no idea where... but it was late in the business day. I loaded the blood-splattered cat as carefully as I could into my car, and by stopping at an open nearby store I hurriedly and urgently received the directions I needed from the quickly responsive people inside. Shortly thereafter I was delivering the now quietly moaning-in-pain shocked animal into the hands of the clinic, where it was taken behind closed doors, and where I was advised that it would be a few minutes for some word of the cats prognosis.

The receptionist gently delivered me my options.... "Good Sam" the cat to them as a stray (which would rarely end in anything but euthanasia), or "accept ownership" and pay the significant charges (which she estimated at several hundred just to start, with of course, no guarantee that the cat would survive), or (last option) take the cat back (i.e., I would be on my own with the cat, to do the best I could). "Was there any information about the cats condition now available that might help me choose?" "Not yet... there are several other emergencies ahead of it...they've given it oxygen to help it breath better, that's all"....

I so didn't wish the animal to be put down and I could clearly feel my resistance to that choice.... I could also feel my strong resistance to suddenly having a very large vet bill to pay.... so, to the receptionists mild surprise, and on the prayer that a miracle might happen or maybe the cat was not as badly injured as it appeared, I felt my heart and my mouth speak the words "Give it back to me". And my heart said simply, "Good".

I went to my car to clean up the mess, and prepare for the cat again.... a female assistant I hadn't seen before brought the cat out, wrapped in a blanket. "I hope you are planning to take this animal somewhere else!" she said, quite pointedly. I hadn't been... I was just going to take it home and try to take care of it, and pray for it. I didn't say that to her...I just said 'Why?' "Because this cat has a broken jaw and massive head trauma, and it's in life-threatening shock", she said. I told her I hadn't been told that yet by anybody else. (She was obviously a bit surprised at that.) "What would you do?" I chokingly asked her, sensing her goodness of heart. "How much chance does it have of surviving this?" "Not very much, and it's suffering" she softly answered. I looked at the animal.... it was quiet, but it looked so very miserable. My heart hurt, and I surrendered.... "OK", I heard myself say, "I'll sign the papers".

Together, we walked back into the clinic....

_______________________________

Epilogue.... I went back 3 hours later, to know for certain what had happened, and (if I found that it's body would just be dumped in a dumpster and carted to a landfill) to offer to take and bury the body. I was grateful to be told that they always cremated euthanasias, and that the ashes were ceremonially spread.

________________________________

Life has moved on a few days now... I keep feeling my heart's sadness, and looking at what I have learned from this: That inattentiveness and making false assumptions has consequences. That being present is not a limited, boundaried condition, confined to my personal view of the world, it includes being aware of OTHERS also. That the grief of my heart at this event is the seed of my commitment to be both newly awake and self-honest. That really looking at our mistakes is the path to not making them again.

I appreciated my friend Varda's words: "Maybe you could think of the cat as a form of 'Christ dying for you' so that you could wake up more...." The words seemed a true possibility.... for the moment, the best interpretation I could imagine.

For certainly, from a place of divine perspective, none of this was 'accidental'.

Namaste,

David

***********************************

My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

***********************************

Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

(my fine art website)

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

http://davidseacord.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=306aba00e6959c604de750bcc&id=62a1ee7045

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)

To subscribe, simply click on the code below to open the subscribe window.

Everyman's Journal 2011, #49

April 1

Dear Readers,

Regarding my comments in the last EJ #48... about the senses not being 'Noble' etc., please allow me to briefly clarify.... that I did not intend my comments to be construed as a condemnation or judgement of our enjoyments of a sensual nature. For I, as an artist, am also a lover of the gifts we all receive through our five senses.... I appreciate all of them, and what they allow (as has been pointed out: music, poetic beauty, sensual and healing touch, wonderful tasting food... all that and more).

That was not the point at all. The point was that none of them by themselves makes us 'noble'.

What makes us 'noble' is our heart, and the consciousness that arises within us when we are true to it. That was the insight I was given....that the true purpose of this life is to nurture our greatness of heart, our greatness of spirit, and that while in this body we have before us a journey of choices, and I saw that to choose 'the path of nobility of heart' was fundamentally a distinctly different choice (as a way of being) than many choices I have made in the past, especially when those past choices were simply about desiring more of the experience of particular sensations. That's why I said "all the sensescan give us are sensations".... which is pretty self-obviously true. That doesn't mean anything about the morality of those sensations, because sensations themselves are not about morality.... they are just what they are... just sensations... nothing more. Gangaji calls this 'the phenomenal world'.... the sense realm.

The path of greatness of heart appreciates all the sensations that this life delivers to us... yet it sees a purpose in life beyond simply collecting or accumulating sense phenomena. Think about it--- whatsensation describes Courage? Leadership? Compassion? These are qualities of Being, and being True to our Spirit, our Source. All I was saying was that 'being true' develops our human nobility.

Namaste,

David

***********************************

My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

***********************************

Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

(my fine art website)

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

http://davidseacord.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=306aba00e6959c604de750bcc&id=62a1ee7045

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)

To subscribe, simply click on the code below to open the subscribe window.

Everyman's Journal 2011. #48

March 31

Spending the last two days traveling to New Mexico (where I'll be for the next 3 weeks or so) gave me good contemplation time... the kind of time that allows perspectives to integrate and transition from one state of being or form to another. Also time for downloads... like as one wheels across the desert miles, the crown of the skull opens and, and like a flower, receives light.

One piece of light received: Life these days is about becoming 'lion-hearted', as in 'Richard, the Lion-hearted'.... ie, Kingly, Courageous, Noble, Committed.... You can feel this reality only 'on the inner'.... in other words, while the less than lion-hearted makes choices involving and/or revolving around the world of the senses (taste, touch, sight, sound, smell)--- none of these senses are Noble, the way the Heart IS. For all the senses can do is give you sensations. And sensations only last a mere moment in time, then they are gone, to be mourned, or addictively chased. Neither leads to freedom.

But being 'Lion-hearted'---- that does lead to freedom. It breaks open the heart with such power that who you can then see you are is actually deathless, actually infinite, actually invulnerable, actually holy, actually endlessly loving. Knowing ourselves thusly--- as 'lion-hearted'--- even for a moment, produces spiritual ecstasy, for we have seen our true face at last.

Namaste,

David

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Below are some recommended links full of spiritual food. Enjoy.

http://www.nyspirit.com/exclusives/The_Heart_Can_Bear_It_All/

This is a clear and beautiful message written by Gangaji, published in a NY magazine.

http://www.theawareshow.com/inspire/trivedi/

This is Lisa Gerr's latest great interview, with Mahendra Kumar Trivedi. It's only available online today... enjoy the listen.

http://www.wayseermanifesto.com/

This is a 10 minute spiritual message music video that is a beautiful youthful-energied teaching of self-love and our oneness. It's a must see, actually.

***********************************

My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

***********************************

Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

(my fine art website)

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)