Tag Archive | prayer

Our Hearts Natural Love Part 1

DSCN2146 Many of us have been on an inner spiritual journey for quite some time. For many years I looked for love in the most ridiculous places until I finally looked for it within myself. I felt that God was Love and being one with God, I too am meant to be love. If that was true, I wanted to feel and express love at all times, in all relationships and certainly within myself. After many years of seeking truth and awareness, and working daily spiritual practice of applying the tools of Self Realization, I feel that I growing daily toward the “Hearts Natural Love,” in me. This is a journey that is a process that keeps on growing. God is not done with me yet. This is a term I found in a book by Paramhansa Yogananda’s (who wrote “The Autobiography of a Yogi”) guru, Swami Shri Yukteswar, who wrote “The Holy Science.” It is a small priceless treasure of a book that I have close at hand and I keep very close to my heart.

When I first heard the term, the Hearts Natural Love, something inside of me was energized and saying “yes”. I felt my heart open up to something I was about to explore for many years to come that caused me to seek a deeper and more universal understanding. Our heart has profound wisdom that can lead us to God, wisdom and eventually Self Realization. Our ego and our head on the other hand, has many opinions, conditions, distractions, reactions, flaws and obstacles that prevent us from expressing the hearts natural love.

Taking my own spiritual growth to heart I knew there was a lot of work for me to do. Opening my heart helps me learn better ways to serve God with greater energy and ever deepening dedication. I am always working on the daily “Practicing of the Presence” by consciously knowing that “God is the doer”. That is when I witness the growth in my own awareness and attune myself to my highest self rather than being caught in any unholy habits of trying to manipulate or have power over anyone else but me.

Shri Yukteswar wrote about eight obstacles to the hearts natural love and he called them “meannesses of the heart.” The following is his list of traps that prevent our hearts from becoming perfectly purified. At Ananda we do that with meditation and using the techniques of Kriya Yoga that help us reach the spiritual eye and light within us. Many old habits block us from going deeper into spiritual substance within us and gaining the deep realization that we seek beyond the intellect.

Hatred: dislike, loathing, animosity, disgust, aversion- all are the opposite of love.

Shame: dishonor, humiliation, embarrassment, disgrace, dishonor, degrade, discredit.

Fear: dread, terror, anxiety, fright, worry, concern, afraid, alarm, panic, horror

Grief: heartache, pain, misery, unhappiness, sorrow, angst

Condemnation: blame, disapproval, criticism, attack, judgment

Race Prejudice: People of influence who prejudge others set the stage for institutional racism to occur.

Pride of Pedigree: Proud of being in an elite and privileged group.

Smugness: arrogance, self-satisfaction, conceit, self righteousness, self importance, over confidence, condescension, pride, exclusiveness

Most of us will find some thing on this list that we still have some work to do upon. If not, good for you.

If you would like to join me in exploring how the above thoughts or issues impact your relationships in your life, or in yourself, your family, in the work place, in your security, social actions and attitudes. Who are you honest with? This is a wonderful opportunity to get support on your spiritual journey. I invite you to take advantage of it.

Perhaps you are willing to take a look at the above attitudes and behaviors and see what comes to you. If you need to shift or change something within you to make the world a better place, now is a great time to do just that. What I seek to share with you in this series of blogs is an opportunity to go more deeply into reflection over the next few blogs and in my book in development.

Share your thoughts, your struggles, victories and insights. Lets see who is in this process with me that intends to grow and make a difference. The world needs all hands on deck now. “Be a part of the Change.” We all grow a little faster with the help of our friends along the path. I hope that you will share some of your process so we can all encourage one another and dissolve any doubts that blocks our peace and understanding with a little help of our spiritual friends. You are not alone! If that touched a vulnerable place in you…. put your hand on your heart and breath deeply. Then write me a post and tell me how I can help, what is up, do you need to share something now?

I ask you to look at this as both a student and for those of us that are also teachers to make sure we are revealing the keys to our inner kingdom of divine consciousness in all of our thoughts, beliefs and actions. This journey demands self-control and honesty and lots of prayer for assistance from God to help us discover the joy of living in tune with the Infinite.

Know that You are Loved! Rev. Barb Walley

Spiritual Growth Tips for Balancing Emotions

Oct26

Spiritual Growth Tips for Your Spiritual Tool Box

Learning to observe ourselves and watch the tendencies of our thoughts is a life skill that makes a huge difference in our ability to be happy and free. It is not an instantaneous skill but even beginning to be aware does make a difference and eases up the drain on our energy flow. Jesus and many other Spiritual Masters tell us to “Know Thyself.” Learn to deeply reflect upon the tendency of our thoughts and find out what drives us. Eventually we will gain a deeper perception of who we really are beyond the dramas of our lives. Continue reading →

Loves Answer

Aug15

I have been experiencing many challenges surrounding my move across the country as a result of buying a 2007 Saturn Vue Hybrid. There were a couple of things that needed to be fixed before it was going to be ready for the road. One very essential but wrong part was installed and it caused all kinds of havoc that has delayed my trip for two weeks and kept me in Chicago.

This situation pushed me to the edge and I had to take a strong stand for what I knew was right. Yet I still had to be willing to accept any results or consequences that were showing up. Gratefully the end appears to be at hand. The car company that I purchased this vehicle from is doing the right thing and is picking up the tab and helping me get the repairs completed in Chicago. It did not come easily but with consistency and faith, calling upon the presence I am grateful that a solution is at hand.

For one week this was not looking good and I felt like I was banging my head against the prevailing winds. Today while I was taking a walk on the dog friendly streets of downtown Chicago, I was also talking to God internally. Actually I was praying to God asking for some very decisive help with this. I know I was heard. There was a shift within me and my energy and I felt like something was going on, and indeed, things did change. I was suddenly getting a yes from the universe instead of running into the walls that I had been running into.

Love always answers us, but it does not always answer us right when we want it to. Love does not share our time frames. If we are persistent and willing to accept what is showing up in our lives with the best attitude that we can muster, when we are really giving forth our very best, that is when the universe comes through for us. It takes flexibility, humility and persistence. It takes surrender and the full realization that it is not “I” but the “Divine Presence and Holy Spirit” that I connect with that is my Source of life, that does all of the work when I ask from the right place within myself.

This has been a few weeks of powerful lessons around letting go and detachment to results. It included many opportunties to forgive myself for missing cues that might have saved me a lot of stress. It presented many situations that made me stretch and expand my awareness. These two weeks gave me pause to consider patterns that make life more harmonious or difficult depending on how we address them. I am deeply grateful to Spirit for the divine partnership that we share on this life journey and I know there are many more steps on the stairway to self realization and awakening of the Christ nature within me. I am deeply grateful for the generosity and love of a few very precious friends that have been there for me during this process. They gave of their time and willingness to jump in and pack boxes, throw out stuff and challenge me when I held on to things I no longer needed. Their loving support, dialog and encouragment has helped me remain more balanced, sane and functional through it all. The Beatles had it so right, “We really can get by with a little help from our friends.”

Know that you are Loved, Rev. Barb Walley