Prayer
Most prayer we do are prayers of supplication asking for this or asking for that for ourselves, our loved ones, for others throughout the world, for peace. There is, however, a more powerful way to pray. This is the method said to be used by the Disciple John, the Disciple of Love, in his latter years.
Let me illustrate the method by using the example of world peace. We have been praying to God for world peace forever and ever it seems, and yet so many are still at war, still doing violence, still in conflict. Instead of praying for peace, just feel a very deep and abiding sense of love for all those who are inclined to war and violence. Don't judge the protagonists as right or wrong, good or bad. Don't judge in any way, just feel a deep sense of unconditional love. Know to the depths of your soul that everything that is is love. That there is nothing on this Earth that is not love. Know that any feelings to the contrary are just illusion. Through this method we create our own truths outside the prevailing consciousness. This is powerful far beyond our understanding.
This same method can be used to "pray" for anything or for anyone, not just for peace. Just hold the subject of your "prayer" in divine love, and make no judgments. Practice it and you will change not only yourself but your world. Try it. It feels awesome! Love is all there is.
The New Coming
We are in the midst of a new and truly awesome coming of the energies of unconditional love and non-judgement. One who is Christian would say that we are in the midst of a new and truly awesome coming of the Christ. This coming is for all of Earth's people, not just some. The coming is not in the form of a person but is something that arises within our hearts and in other ways throughout our Earth. All of the old is being swept away.
If this is all true, why is there so much tension and conflict in the world? The answer is that the old ideas and energies that have dominated for thousands of years can no longer be supported. Those who hold onto the old are feeling very threatened and are responding in all the old ways. This will pass. The gift is for all. No one will be passed by.
Experiencing Heaven on Earth
Several years ago I was reading a new book by Jimmy Twyman in which he described a remarkable experience of seeing the divine in another person. In this case he saw Mary in a young woman. The woman was more or less transformed before his very eyes into Mary. So, I decided to try it for myself. It wasn't long before there was a success. The woman I was focusing on was one who had had a somewhat troubled life. In looking into her eyes, suddenly I was looking into the eyes of Mary, the Divine Feminine. It was an almost overwhelming experience. Later on I had a similar experience, looking into the eyes of a homeless man in Boston and experiencing the divine.
Over time it became possible to do this with others, to see their heavenly selves, and now I can do it with many if not most people: men, women and children. And it no longer requires looking into their eyes but just gazing upon them, often from a side angle. So, whenever I'm walking down the street or shopping or anywhere I can see others, I can experience Heaven on Earth. Why not give it a try? Over time it will work for you also. It is a remarkable, loving gift to you and to the others you encounter. We no longer need to die to experience heaven!
Now, if I could only see the divine in the driver that cuts me off in traffic. Oh well :)
Jesus
There are different ways to respond to a spiritual master such as Jesus. A very popular way is to worship him and to rely on him as our source of strength and our sustenance. And this is appropriate. But another way is to view him as our loving brother, the one who went before us to show us what we can do while still in human flesh. He gave us some hint of our power when he said that we are the light. He didn't say that we can reflect the light or that we are like the light. He said we are the light. And he also repeated the words from the Psalms that we are gods.
Of what use was it for him to come here and die for us if we still don't understand that we can do as he did? Can you imagine a world with not one Christ in human flesh who lived 2000 years ago but millions and millions of Christs in human flesh living now? The choice is yours.
Scripture
The Bible lies at the center of the faith for most Christians. Important as the Bible is, there is a more immediate source of spiritual guidance, and that is the scripture that is written within our hearts. It is meant specifically for us. It is God's direct communication to us without the ambiguity of words and their many interpretations. Our highest spiritual calling is to follow our hearts. Books, ministers, rabbis, priests, prophets, and gurus may be helpful to us on our paths, but our ultimate teacher and guide is us. Be true to yourself. Do what makes your heart sing! Do it in Peace and Love!
The Eucharist
The Eucharist is the central part of the Catholic Mass. In this most beloved sacrament, the priest consecrates the bread and the wine, transforming it into the body and blood of Jesus, which is then consumed by the faithful. A great and lovely sense of mystery surrounds this sacrament.
Some recent insights have brought me a greater understanding of this beloved sacrament. Catholics and indeed most Christians believe that everything that is has been created through the Christ. There is nothing that is that was not created through the Christ. (For one who is not a Christian, a corresponding statement would be that everything that is has been created through the energy of unconditional love). So, whenever we eat, whenever we drink, we are eating and drinking of the Christ. We are receiving the Christ whenever we eat or drink, anything--pizza, lemonade, etc. etc. Thus each meal we receive becomes a divine sacrament, a heavenly feast.
One might think that this perspective would make the sacrament of the Eucharist seem less viable, less important. My experience is to the contrary. Indeed, during the Eucharist I now often experience an intense flow of energy in my body accompanied by a sense of heavenly joy. Truly, we no longer need die to experience the Heavenly Realms.
Contributing to the Eucharist
At mass one typically observes with a sense of awe and reverence as the priest consecrates the bread and the wine. But we can do more that just passively observe. We can add our own contribution to the bread and wine during the consecration. I've tried many ideas in this regard over the past several years, but the easiest and most powerful seems to be the contribution of our love. Adding unconditional love from our heart center feels wonderful. That love is then received by all who receive the bread and the wine.
If you want to do a bit more, send love to all the bread and wine being used for consecration throughout the world. And feel that love coming back to you. If you want to do a bit more yet, send love to all the food and drink consumed by all on the planet. Feel that love coming back to you. Perhaps the ultimate is to send love to all the food and drink consumed by all throughout the Omniverse. And include not only your love but the deep felt love of the Earthly and Cosmic Christ that arises within you and through you. Hear and sense the cosmos resonating with a profound joy.
The Priests and the Bishops
The Catholic church is in the midst of its largest upheaval since the reformation, perhaps since its very founding. Although the issue at hand is sexual abuse by certain priests and the protection of those priests by the bishops, the underlying issue is the role of the hierarchy.
What is happening is that the children of God (us) are growing up. We are beginning to remember our divinity and to know that we are not separate nor different than God. We are, in fact, God also. The church hierarchy that has controlled the power, abused the power, and treated us as children is no longer appropriate. That same hierarchy is very reluctant to give up its power. It will give up its power, but it may not happen easily.
We are needing to envision how the church should evolve and change as we the children of God grow up. What we envision is what will happen. Some may feel that the church is no longer needed, that the church no longer serves a useful role. I don't agree, but this is an area where much creative thought is needed. For starters, the church must have a new model for the role of the priests and the bishops.
My insight is that the priests and the bishops should be much as the angels and archangels, but in earthly bodies. The angels and archangels were created with our help to aid us on our Earthly journey. They do not control us nor tell us what to do nor issue rules, regulations, and laws. Instead, they are there to help us, encourage us, empower us, and bring God's love to us. What a treasure and privilege it is to be one who plays this role, the role of the angels. I feel very fortunate to know priests that already understand this role very well.
Crossing One's Self
A tradition in the Catholic faith and several other Christian faiths is to cross one's self. The usual way (with some variations) is to touch the forehead, then touch a bit above the navel, and then the left and right corners of the chest, thus tracing a cross over the body. This is a way to invoke the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
There is, however, a new understanding. Consider that the vertical line of the cross represents the divine and the horizontal line the human. Crossing one's self then has the understanding of the divine and the human joined. Done slowly and meditatively, this can create a wonderful energetic feel and is appropriate for all people whether Christian or not. It helps us to realize and to feel a key message intended for us by Jesus, the Buddha, and many other spiritual masters that have come to us over the ages -- that we are at once the human and the divine.
The Sacrament of the Anointing
This sacrament is traditionally performed when one begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age. The priest performs the rite by using consecrated oil to anoint the forehead with the words: "Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. He then anoints the top of the person's hands saying: "May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up." Or words to that effect.
Although I am not of a condition to be considered a candidate for anointing, I have nevertheless received the sacrament many times. Our choir usually sings at the anointing mass, and it is traditional for the choir members to receive the anointing along with the others. The anointing has always felt wonderful to me. The most recent anointing, however, was beyond wonderful. There was an intense and powerful energetic sensation on the forehead at the location of the anointing. The sensation persisted for over a day. Even now, months later, I can feel the sensation a bit when I focus on it. It was as if the anointing provided an opening beyond ordinary earthly existence.
If you have never received this sacrament, I would recommend that you give it a try. I feel it has a much more profound meaning than has been generally recognized. It is a way to help us open to our divinity, to the Heavenly Realms, while we are still in human flesh.
A final comment
If you've made it this far in my write up, thank you for your forbearance. If you are like me and would rather look at pictures than read words, feel free to browse through my various galleries. The images contain much the same energies as the words and might be more fun. Most of all, search within your own heart and be prepared for some very surprising and abundant blessings. Thank you.
E a r t h E c h o G a l l e r i e s
fred@earthecho.com