Why We Need to Teach Tolerance

Amazing how there are always people going in the opposite direction. But to them, we are the opposites! What does this show us? We are all different. We all have our own desires and gifts. Each should be celebrated. Nothing says you have to accept another's sexual orientation. That is your decision to make. However, in a country that boasts freedom, it is not acceptable to deny an entire citizenry basic civil rights based on one's own direction. Different doesn't mean evil. Different doesn't mean we have the right to bash and otherwise stifle the lives of someone with whom we disagree.

Some would say that allowing gay marriage or supporting legislation that gives hate crime status to beating up on people who are different, is absolutely necessary. Others hide behind the "love the sinner, hate the sin" caption - which is totally contrary to any truly spiritual teaching. This is all false doctrine and dogma which does nothing but hide behind a veil of bigotry and prejudice.

Allow me to share two stories with you:

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A260096 is the story of a young person struggling with his sexual orientation who was taunted and tortured -- until it killed him.

http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?2008/06/25/5 is about a wonderful 18 year relationship between two women who, when one became gravely ill, was not allowed visitation in the hospital. Eventually, after the sick partner passed, the surviving partner was not allowed access to death certificates, insurance, and those civil rights which help us care for our surviving children.

These are the kind of rights for which the lgbt citizens fight: The right to marry our long-time partners. Did you see the marriages in California last week? The first to marry were two women with over 50 years together. Just today, I received an email from a woman I know in California who, because the county clerk put "confidential" on their paperwork, must now go to court to prove the marriage actually did take place. They were sabotaged by the court clerk. The right to have access to social security, death benefits, insurance, and even the right to be at the bedside of our ill partners. The right to make decisions about our children. All of these are certainly not "special" rights." These are civil rights - basic human rights - and there are over 1000 more of them to which the lgbt citizenry does not have access.

So, please, before one jumps on a biblical high horse and proclaims the lgbt citizens of our great country as evil and our relationships invalid, consider yourself. Regardless of spiritual path, it is not the seat of judgment you occupy. It is the seat of love, acceptance and tolerance. Not all who come to the gates of the Kingdom will be offered access. Will we be considered by our piousness or by our love?

Positive Energy

Blessings, Gentle Readers,

Do any of you receive the daily quotes from Abraham-Hicks ( http://www.abraham-hicks.com/index.php)? I find great enlightenment and positive energy from their site; a good way to start the day. At first I didn't understand the idea that all things shared a common energy and how we affect the world around us.

Abraham's teaching is that all things have an energy; a vibrational frequency. This being true means that, just as a pebble tossed in the water causes ripples, so our vibrational energy ripples in the Universe. Thus, we have an effect that we may not see, that happens in the greater World around us. Consider again the pebble in the water. If you drop it in a pond, you see the ripples as they move away from the center. If you drop it in a vast sea, you see the ripples for a short time. However, just because you don't see the continuous ripple, doesn't mean it has no effect!

So what is this energy vibration? It is the positive and the negative we bring to the Creation table. It is our ability to take the negative which occurs in our lives and affect it for positive. Have you ever had a really "craptacular" day and, when you have had enough, made a conscious decision to change the day through your positive energy? That is the vibrational change of which I speak.

Now, is it deeper than that? Of course it is! Much, much deeper! But each journey begins with a single step forward. If we begin to understand the ripple effect, we will focus more on being the positive energy in the World. If we take conscious hold of our vibrational energy and change one moment, one hour, one day...imagine the creational effect we would have on the greater World around us! The idea is simply mind-boggling.

So take today and make a conscious effort for positive vibrational change in your life. In so doing, you will effect the lives of those around you. And wouldn't that make for a better life for us all?

Walking On The Pier

I've had a interesting day today. What a wonderful day away from work! Usually I feel exhausted and don't want to do much of anything. But today was different. I felt good and ready to go and do.

As many know, I live in Mobile, Alabama. It sits approximately 60 miles inland off the Gulf of Mexico on a wonderful bay. On the other side of the bay, there is a cute, quaint town - Fairhope. In Fairhope you'll find little shops and very well-to-do folks who are nice and greet you wherever you go.

There is a wonderful pier in Fairhope (as you can tell by the picture). Years ago I would spend hours there with my feet in the water watching the sun set. I feel a spirit that is gentle and calm. Even when storms come up on the bay, there is peace here. I guess it's because I'm a child of the moon and water, that I find soul comfort at the pier. And it's been years since I visited the area. So, today I took my feeling-good self and ventured across the bay to Fairhope and the lovely pier.

The area has been renovated since Katrina (as in Hurricane Katrina). There are wonderful benches which have been placed in honor of veterans and loved ones. The benches and picnic tables sit under a canopy of trees surrounded by wildflowers. As I drove up to the parking area, I noticed a spot near the water where it splashes against the bulwark. I took my water bottle and settled on a bench where I could hear the water and feel the breeze.

I could feel the healing energy of the water and breeze as they gently swayed my soul. It was not long before the water called to me and I had to find a place to jump down off the bulwark and put my toes in the water. It was now high tide and the water splashed up to my shorts as my feet sunk into the sand. What joy I felt in that moment! Peace washed over me. I was in a sacred moment of sun, water and wind.

Funny how the most simple things offer us sacredness. I've been in pain and struggling for months now, even years. At the pier, in the water, I found Spirit. With my feet sinking in the sand and surrounded by splashing water, my spirit joined with the Spirit of Goddess and we felt as one. And as I thought on the moment, a Voice spoke to me.

"See the water. See how it rises and falls. Feel the current underneath. It is strong, but peaceful. All of the crashing is on the surface. Underneath there is quiet. Yet, in the quiet there is great strength. You are this water. Your struggle is on the surface. Your pain is on the surface. But your strength is an undercurrent giving you a peaceful place to go. Learn to ride the undercurrent. The water will carry you out of the struggle."

Oh my goodness! Here is my answer! My struggle is on the surface. It is not the whole of me and my experience. The undercurrent is my destiny. I am not to live as one who is caught up in the surface. I am one who is to allow the undercurrent to carry me. As I allow myself to go deeper in my experience with Spirit, Spirit will carry me through the surface problems to the place of peace!

Amazing how Goddess can speak when we find a place of quiet tranquility. With all of the surface crashing, I wasn't hearing her soft, comforting voice. I think I know now how to move forward acknowledging the waves but finding the peace underneath.

Actions and Words

Actions and words. I doubt we really sit and think on how our actions and words affect those around us. We go through our day re-acting to stuff. We are often not pro-active at all.

The old saying goes, "actions speak louder than words." We take that in context of how we should show things rather than just say them. For example, it's important that we show our loved ones that we care rather than just speak the words.

But I've been thinking of another meaning to the saying. What if "actions speak louder than words" really means that we can be co-creators in this world simply by how we act and what we say? That would lead to us realizing that, as we go through our daily life, we can create our reality by how we act and what we say.

That, if taken seriously and practiced, could change our direction. The spirituality of it all is overwhelming when considered. If I want to be my own boss, is it possible for me to create that reality by speaking it into existence and operating as if it is already created? Does that mean that if I'm having a rough day I can turn it into a positive by my actions and words? Can I bring about good and change in this world simply by taking a positive action and speaking it?

You know, I think that is true. Words have great meaning. Think of the Christian Bible. In Genesis it says that God spoke and the light was created. That would lead one to think that God had a thought and then spoke and it happened. So, taking the thought that we are co-creators with the Divine, we should be able to do the same thing.

Some would ask why our positives don't happen more often. Well, I've come to believe that we gunk up (technical term) the conduit for creation with our own barriers: greed, preconceived ideas, selfishness, lack of balance and connection to Spirit. It is important that, if we are to be co-creators of good in this world, we clear ourselves of "self" and connect to Spirit. The world and our lives must live in balance. Without balance, the circle of life fails. A circle is perfectly balanced inside and out. And so we must be the same.

How does one find balance? Through connection with the Spirit World. We seek to clear ourselves of anything that would affect our ability to connect in a clear way. Some would say prayers. Some would light candles. Some would use crystals. Regardless of your way of finding balance, use it. Know that the Divine in form of Spirit is present to offer balance to those who ask.

At that point, when you are "in synch" with Spirit and World, you are in a position to bring about the change you wish to see. Actions and words. Be the change you wish to see. Speak the positive of the change you wish to be. And watch miracles happen!

Actions and words. The way of co-creation. Go and be creators of good in your world.