Many years ago as I was killing time at an airport, I decided to pick up A Conversation with God by Neale Donald Walsch (see rest in peace). I had seen it in bookstores for years and although I was curious as to the contents, I was also anti-organized religion and still figuring out my thinkings around the divine. It turned out to be a trilogy, each building upon the foundation of the previous book. It was not at all what I had expected, and as one concept in the book noted, a person would generally be compelled to read the book at a time when he/she is receptive to the message.
Years before that, as I was getting my cellphone fixed at a Verizon store, I had a riveting conversation with a stranger. He was the spouse of the store manager. He and their kids pick her up as part of their daily routine. She did not want to leave me stranded so her family ended up hanging out at the store while they waited for her. He and I got into a deep discussion on religion, and he introduced me to an interesting thought that the spiritual leaders of Christianity (Jesus Christ), Muslim (Muhammad), Buddhism (Siddhartha Gautama), etc. all studied from the same school/temple. Jesus' life between 13 and 30 are not covered in the Holy Bible, although other historical relics seem to indicate that he traveled east, as far as India, and learned from the spiritually advanced eastern civilizations.
When I was in high school, I turned to religion during some troubling times. At that point, I was such a fanatic that I was convinced my parents would go to hell lest they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. It was an ongoing personal quest until one day, my mother declared that their Buddha is my Jesus. This gave me pause, and something I could not reconcile until over a decade later. So the concept that their teachings were founded from the same core place made a lot of sense to me. Many of the lessons in each religion have overlapping themes. The trilogy built on that initial foundation for me.
Similar to my thoughts in 22, these spiritual leaders do not have to be mutually exclusive. The thought that there is no hell (see rest in peace), with living in the 3D to experience life, as we are all part of one divine universe, being the closest to hell, so to speak, was mind boggling. Hitler, the current POTUS...these are individuals that rise to power from a collective consciousness that occurs to provide humankind an opportunity to evolve. Many fear that the current POTUS is setting the world back decades; however, the global solidarity and activism stemming from opposition to such (pussy riots) are at least different reactions to Hitler when even the United States was complacent until Pearl Harbor forced its hand.
My college roommate's ex at the time had always lived with tremendous Catholic guilt although her family and friends fully supported her homosexuality. When I read this trilogy, the first person I had thought of was her. When I reached out to her to perhaps suggest the trilogy, her response was that she had read them months before, and she had never been happier, releasing the guilt and truly accepting who she is.
Years before that, as I was getting my cellphone fixed at a Verizon store, I had a riveting conversation with a stranger. He was the spouse of the store manager. He and their kids pick her up as part of their daily routine. She did not want to leave me stranded so her family ended up hanging out at the store while they waited for her. He and I got into a deep discussion on religion, and he introduced me to an interesting thought that the spiritual leaders of Christianity (Jesus Christ), Muslim (Muhammad), Buddhism (Siddhartha Gautama), etc. all studied from the same school/temple. Jesus' life between 13 and 30 are not covered in the Holy Bible, although other historical relics seem to indicate that he traveled east, as far as India, and learned from the spiritually advanced eastern civilizations.
When I was in high school, I turned to religion during some troubling times. At that point, I was such a fanatic that I was convinced my parents would go to hell lest they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. It was an ongoing personal quest until one day, my mother declared that their Buddha is my Jesus. This gave me pause, and something I could not reconcile until over a decade later. So the concept that their teachings were founded from the same core place made a lot of sense to me. Many of the lessons in each religion have overlapping themes. The trilogy built on that initial foundation for me.
Similar to my thoughts in 22, these spiritual leaders do not have to be mutually exclusive. The thought that there is no hell (see rest in peace), with living in the 3D to experience life, as we are all part of one divine universe, being the closest to hell, so to speak, was mind boggling. Hitler, the current POTUS...these are individuals that rise to power from a collective consciousness that occurs to provide humankind an opportunity to evolve. Many fear that the current POTUS is setting the world back decades; however, the global solidarity and activism stemming from opposition to such (pussy riots) are at least different reactions to Hitler when even the United States was complacent until Pearl Harbor forced its hand.
My college roommate's ex at the time had always lived with tremendous Catholic guilt although her family and friends fully supported her homosexuality. When I read this trilogy, the first person I had thought of was her. When I reached out to her to perhaps suggest the trilogy, her response was that she had read them months before, and she had never been happier, releasing the guilt and truly accepting who she is.
The Little Soul and the Sun: A Children's Parable by the same author illustrates one of the concepts in the series that was instrumental to my learning of forgiveness. Knowing that someone's negative action was from an experience I had asked for before this life helped me to minimize blaming in my mind. It still did not prevent the hurt as I would not be experiencing life if I was not feeling hurt and any other negative feelings that come from such interactions and related lessons. Understanding that someone was living out his/her soul contract with me though has helped me process those moments better, at least when I'm conscious enough to take a step back to remind myself of that. As noted in jer-bear, my karma is the only thing that I have learned that I could change.
During that time, I had a few colleagues who "stabbed me in the back" due to fear and jealousy as the 2008 financial crisis was rearing its ugly head, and this really helped me to turn the other cheek, as difficult as it was to do so. Ultimately, it got me to Asia, and in one situation, the karmic cycle had one of my colleagues apologizing to me years later for his continued behavior during that time. While he acknowledged that he was manipulated by others, he took full responsibility for his decisions and actions, and during his guilt, he had hoped that I would retaliate, surprised that I never did, which I know some falsely attributed to weakness. When the tables turned and I had the advantage, I still chose to do the right thing regardless of it benefitting him, which he was thankful.
We may never know how karma ultimately plays out, especially over the span of numerous lifetimes; however, with absolution and when it rains, it pours, I am thankful for the opportunities to cut the karmic ties that bind us, and hope that we all continue to pay it forward for the collective conscious to evolve in its enlightenment.
During that time, I had a few colleagues who "stabbed me in the back" due to fear and jealousy as the 2008 financial crisis was rearing its ugly head, and this really helped me to turn the other cheek, as difficult as it was to do so. Ultimately, it got me to Asia, and in one situation, the karmic cycle had one of my colleagues apologizing to me years later for his continued behavior during that time. While he acknowledged that he was manipulated by others, he took full responsibility for his decisions and actions, and during his guilt, he had hoped that I would retaliate, surprised that I never did, which I know some falsely attributed to weakness. When the tables turned and I had the advantage, I still chose to do the right thing regardless of it benefitting him, which he was thankful.
We may never know how karma ultimately plays out, especially over the span of numerous lifetimes; however, with absolution and when it rains, it pours, I am thankful for the opportunities to cut the karmic ties that bind us, and hope that we all continue to pay it forward for the collective conscious to evolve in its enlightenment.
"If you cannot find a group whose consciousness matches your own, be the source of one. Others of like consciousness will be drawn to you."
Conversations with God: an uncommon dialogue, Book 2
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