A Feather Bench

During a guided meditation at the ISA (International Spiritual Alliance) last night, I had a very beautiful experience. The facilitator's voice had led us each to our own bench, then left us in silence to see and feel what was waiting there.  As I approached my bench, I noticed that it was made of tiny white feathers ( like those I had seen the day before the accident), and I immediately realized how comfortable it would feel to sit there. As soon as I did, I noticed that Michael was sitting beside me to my right, Kelly was sitting to my left, and Diesel was at my feet gazing up at me.  As I looked from one to the other, I could feel the pure and peaceful energy of all three.  Then with his big smile, Michael leaned over and told me he had known ahead of time that I would be able to handle this, and that was why he and I were having this experience of a mother losing a child.  I understood exactly what he meant and knew it to be true.  A few moments later, in a voice filled with kindness and love, he told me that now I didn't need to take care of them any more.  At first I was surprised, but then recognized the truth of those words.  After the facilitator's voice brought us back to the room, I was left with the reminder that it is all unfolding exactly as it should, and that one day I too will return to pure spirit form again. 

What Would the Buddha or Jesus Do?

The most significant relationships in my life are the ones that continually challenge me to learn something about myself in order to grow.  My husband, my children, my parents, my brother, my extended family, and my friends are all my teachers.  When I am faced with a difficult situation in a relationship and feel frustrated, angry, stuck, lost, unable to see a healthy response, I try to remember to take time to be still and from my heart ask, "What would the Buddha or Jesus do?"  This opens me up to dealing with the problem on a more spiritual level by shining a light on that aspect of myself which I had previously not seen or had forgotten.  In this way I gain a new perspective and can make choices to move forward with love and gratitude for the teacher.

Alone or Oneness?

As I was jogging through the forest this weekend, I was struck by two opposing concepts of human existence - being Alone versus Oneness. A common expression I've heard many times and used myself is, "We come into this world alone and we die alone." The other concept which I have experienced many times is that of Oneness, and the understanding that there is no separation between any of us. How could both of these ideas be true? Then I realized that up until that moment, I had unconsciously accepted both to be true without questioning how that could be so. Upon further reflection I understood that the first one, that of each of us being alone in the world, is how we see ourselves if we are Ego based. The second concept, that of understanding that we are all One, is how we understand it to be if we are Spiritually based. Having experienced that aha moment, I now recognize that I am firmly in the Oneness camp and can release the notion that I am Alone as it no longer fits my understanding of life.