Love

June 1, 2014 – Create a Sacred Relationship

by

6/01/14 Rev. David McArthur
Create a Sacred Relationship 

Our sacred relationships are those in which we see the magnificence in that other person. We see the one closest to us differently from how others see this person. Some of the most meaningful awakening in our lives comes from a relationship with another.

To create this perception even of “ordinary people” in us is simple. (I didn’t say easy.) It is giving. From giving comes receiving, and in between is appreciation. How we open to more is to give. Giving moves a special energy. We expand. The simplest way is “blessing”. When the head is processing life, the locus of our attention is us. When we bless the other person, the locus changes to them. It causes a beautiful movement from the head to the heart. Say, “Divine Love goes before you, making easy, joyous, and successful you way.” To expand it, draw more special energy by appreciation. Maybe that person holding up the line has just been holding the hand of a friend dying of cancer, or maybe she just came home from the front lines. When you are in your heart, it doesn’t have to be accurate, as the head would insist. Whatever, they are trying to deal with life. Appreciating that expands our heart consciousness and then we see their beauty and magnificence. Maybe your blessing is just a smile or a kind word. What we give is thoughtfulness, kindness. It changes what we perceive. It’s a soul to soul connection.

The hardest part is the part we avoid: the last step, receiving. The head will interfere, because if we really acknowledge the beauty which flows through us, it changes us, and the head doesn’t like change. When the beauty and love flow through you, you are a spiritual presence. You change. Even “the benefit of the doubt” starts the flow. Giving is giving. A sacred relationship is established. Instead of seeing the person with all their “person” stuff, see the beautiful soul. Even the really difficult people in your life. It can let us see who we really are. In it is wisdom and amazing intelligence. The Divine Love loves you as much as any soul in the universe. Just do one a day. Can you make a beautiful, holy relationship out of this?

Give, appreciate, receive. What makes it easy is blessing. Repeat 3 times, “Divine Love goes before you, making easy, joyous, and successful you way.” Your blessing will open that door for them, and when you receive you will get a chance to see the amazing spiritual being that you are!

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June 1, 2014 – Create a Sacred Relationship

by


Rev. David McArthur
Create a Sacred Relationship 

Our sacred relationships are those in which we see the magnificence in that other person. We see the one closest to us differently from how others see this person. Some of the most meaningful awakening in our lives comes from a relationship with another.

To create this perception even of “ordinary people” in us is simple. (I didn’t say easy.) It is giving. From giving comes receiving, and in between is appreciation. How we open to more is to give. Giving moves a special energy. We expand. The simplest way is “blessing”. When the head is processing life, the locus of our attention is us. When we bless the other person, the locus changes to them. It causes a beautiful movement from the head to the heart. Say, “Divine Love goes before you, making easy, joyous, and successful you way.” To expand it, draw more special energy by appreciation. Maybe that person holding up the line has just been holding the hand of a friend dying of cancer, or maybe she just came home from the front lines. When you are in your heart, it doesn’t have to be accurate, as the head would insist. Whatever, they are trying to deal with life. Appreciating that expands our heart consciousness and then we see their beauty and magnificence. Maybe your blessing is just a smile or a kind word. What we give is thoughtfulness, kindness. It changes what we perceive. It’s a soul to soul connection.

The hardest part is the part we avoid: the last step, receiving. The head will interfere, because if we really acknowledge the beauty which flows through us, it changes us, and the head doesn’t like change. When the beauty and love flow through you, you are a spiritual presence. You change. Even “the benefit of the doubt” starts the flow. Giving is giving. A sacred relationship is established. Instead of seeing the person with all their “person” stuff, see the beautiful soul. Even the really difficult people in your life. It can let us see who we really are. In it is wisdom and amazing intelligence. The Divine Love loves you as much as any soul in the universe. Just do one a day. Can you make a beautiful, holy relationship out of this?

Give, appreciate, receive. What makes it easy is blessing. Repeat 3 times, “Divine Love goes before you, making easy, joyous, and successful you way.” Your blessing will open that door for them, and when you receive you will get a chance to see the amazing spiritual being that you are!

May 18, 2014 – Heart to Heart Connection

by


5/18/14 Rev. David McArthur
Heart to Heart Connection 

“Life is really one fool thing after another. Love is two fool things after each other.” A local “philosopher” told me that. But our primary relationship with the spouse is where most of our deepest spiritual learning comes from. Song writers have written “I can’t live if living is without you.” Or “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” The attention is on “me”, on what is done for “me”. There are two levels of attention: in the intellectual, the flow is through the brain. In the spiritual, the flow is in the heart. When the head is significantly present it is in charge. When the heart intelligence is the predominant presence you are secure enough to focus on the other person. That’s why the couple experience is so powerful. It is the heart to heart connection.

Is your locus of intention on “me”, or in the heart where the connection happens? When there is no “me”, the heart is open to the God perception. That’s why we fall in love. It is opening to our oneness. Then we write verse like “You make the sun want to shine.” “Her hand in mine calms my soul.”

We can move from reaction to love, from head to heart, in four breaths. Breath #1, go to “neutral” when love is not your first response because the head is protecting you. It’s not good or bad; they are not for or against you. Breath #2 is go to “NEUTRAL”. The first was the intention of getting to neutral. The second is to get you there. Now you are in a place where you can choose. The third breath is “I CARE for you.” Focus on your feeling of care for that person. 4th breath is “I care for YOU.” Something new happens. Instead of the locus of your attention on your feelings of defense or “fixing it”, they are on the other person. Say to them, “tell me more”.

Anchor this. Affirm Divine Love flows from my heart blessing you! Divine Love flows from my heart blessing you! Divine Love flows from my heart blessing you!
Then Divine Love flows from my heart loving you! Divine Love flows from my heart loving you! Divine Love flows from my heart loving you!

Heart to heart connection. Soul to soul understanding. It’s a beautiful experience. It’s why we spiritual beings came here. We know what beautiful spiritual beings we are, heart to heart!

May 18, 2014 – Heart to Heart Connection

by

5/18/14 Rev. David McArthur
Heart to Heart Connection 

“Life is really one fool thing after another. Love is two fool things after each other.” A local “philosopher” told me that. But our primary relationship with the spouse is where most of our deepest spiritual learning comes from. Song writers have written “I can’t live if living is without you.” Or “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” The attention is on “me”, on what is done for “me”. There are two levels of attention: in the intellectual, the flow is through the brain. In the spiritual, the flow is in the heart. When the head is significantly present it is in charge. When the heart intelligence is the predominant presence you are secure enough to focus on the other person. That’s why the couple experience is so powerful. It is the heart to heart connection.

Is your locus of intention on “me”, or in the heart where the connection happens? When there is no “me”, the heart is open to the God perception. That’s why we fall in love. It is opening to our oneness. Then we write verse like “You make the sun want to shine.” “Her hand in mine calms my soul.”

We can move from reaction to love, from head to heart, in four breaths. Breath #1, go to “neutral” when love is not your first response because the head is protecting you. It’s not good or bad; they are not for or against you. Breath #2 is go to “NEUTRAL”. The first was the intention of getting to neutral. The second is to get you there. Now you are in a place where you can choose. The third breath is “I CARE for you.” Focus on your feeling of care for that person. 4th breath is “I care for YOU.” Something new happens. Instead of the locus of your attention on your feelings of defense or “fixing it”, they are on the other person. Say to them, “tell me more”.

Anchor this. Affirm Divine Love flows from my heart blessing you! Divine Love flows from my heart blessing you! Divine Love flows from my heart blessing you!
Then Divine Love flows from my heart loving you! Divine Love flows from my heart loving you! Divine Love flows from my heart loving you!

Heart to heart connection. Soul to soul understanding. It’s a beautiful experience. It’s why we spiritual beings came here. We know what beautiful spiritual beings we are, heart to heart!

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May 11, 2014 – Mother as Spiritual Teacher

by

5/11/14 Rev. David McArthur
Mother As Spiritual Teacher 

From all the things we might feel about mothers—some gave up a child or a pregnancy, and some faced great pain in their lives because of addiction, and the child in their journey felt much of that pain—let’s go to a place in our hearts that is compassion and surround them with it. Know there is a love that holds them dear.

There is so little in the Bible about Mary as mother. The American psychic Edgar Cayse suggests that Mary was an Essene, who were committed to bringing into the world a being of greater consciousness, and so trained their girls in attunement for that birth. So Mary was carefully prepared to support this child physically and spiritually and to teach Him to listen to the highest guidance. I do not know if this is true, but I have lived long enough to say it could be. Now see your own mother as your first spiritual teacher, who showed you how to care, and how to interact with family and friends.

When Edith was 9 years old she lived at the end of the power grid in Arkansas. A great thunder storm was moving through. Father was far away for work; it was just little Edie and her mother. Needing comfort, she talked with her mother, asking about her mother’s need soon for a warm winter coat. Mom replied that she wasn’t worried, that God would provide. Before going to bed, she asked her mom to lock the front door, but her mom said that in their area they needed to leave the front door unlocked, in case someone might need shelter. Sure enough they heard someone come in and they peeked into the room and saw Mr. Hill sitting in the arm chair. He was drunk and Edie asked what others were going to think when they heard about this. Her mom said they wouldn’t tell anyone. He was their guest and they would protect him, that when Spirit brings someone into your care it is a blessing. Soon he left and a couple days after, Edie and her mom came home to find a big bag on the porch. Inside was a beautiful new winter coat for Mom. Edie learned from her mother about giving and receiving, about non-judgment and the beauty of opening to care for others and so much more.

The core to the awakening of ourselves is when we were embraced and held by mother’s arms after skinning a knee or another childhood mishap. We were taught about Divine Love. That is when we began to learn the truth. Remember feeling that? It might have been someone else, but mostly it was Mother who taught us, “I Am Loved with an Infinite Love.” “I Am Loved with an Infinite Love.” “I Am Loved with an Infinite Love.” How mother brought us the experience of that and awakened us to know infinite love! We are loved, and what a joy it is!

And to Mom for awakening us to that love, Thank You!

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May 11, 2014 – Mother as Spiritual Teacher

by


5/11/14 Rev. David McArthur
Mother As Spiritual Teacher 

From all the things we might feel about mothers—some gave up a child or a pregnancy, and some faced great pain in their lives because of addiction, and the child in their journey felt much of that pain—let’s go to a place in our hearts that is compassion and surround them with it. Know there is a love that holds them dear.

There is so little in the Bible about Mary as mother. The American psychic Edgar Cayse suggests that Mary was an Essene, who were committed to bringing into the world a being of greater consciousness, and so trained their girls in attunement for that birth. So Mary was carefully prepared to support this child physically and spiritually and to teach Him to listen to the highest guidance. I do not know if this is true, but I have lived long enough to say it could be. Now see your own mother as your first spiritual teacher, who showed you how to care, and how to interact with family and friends.

When Edith was 9 years old she lived at the end of the power grid in Arkansas. A great thunder storm was moving through. Father was far away for work; it was just little Edie and her mother. Needing comfort, she talked with her mother, asking about her mother’s need soon for a warm winter coat. Mom replied that she wasn’t worried, that God would provide. Before going to bed, she asked her mom to lock the front door, but her mom said that in their area they needed to leave the front door unlocked, in case someone might need shelter. Sure enough they heard someone come in and they peeked into the room and saw Mr. Hill sitting in the arm chair. He was drunk and Edie asked what others were going to think when they heard about this. Her mom said they wouldn’t tell anyone. He was their guest and they would protect him, that when Spirit brings someone into your care it is a blessing. Soon he left and a couple days after, Edie and her mom came home to find a big bag on the porch. Inside was a beautiful new winter coat for Mom. Edie learned from her mother about giving and receiving, about non-judgment and the beauty of opening to care for others and so much more.

The core to the awakening of ourselves is when we were embraced and held by mother’s arms after skinning a knee or another childhood mishap. We were taught about Divine Love. That is when we began to learn the truth. Remember feeling that? It might have been someone else, but mostly it was Mother who taught us, “I Am Loved with an Infinite Love.” “I Am Loved with an Infinite Love.” “I Am Loved with an Infinite Love.” How mother brought us the experience of that and awakened us to know infinite love! We are loved, and what a joy it is!

And to Mom for awakening us to that love, Thank You!

April 13, 2014 – The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 6. Ask & Appreciate

by


4/13/14 Rev. David McArthur
The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 6. Ask & Appreciate

We have been hurt. We feel we’re not ok, not good enough. We have loss by death, and the death of dreams. It hurts. We’ve hurt others. We carry that pain too. And when we say “There is only one presence and one power, the all-loving goodness of God”, a part of us says, “I doubt it”.This part says God isn’t good all the time. But we say it not because at that point we believe it to be true, we say it to take and move our attention away from what’s too difficult, too draining, too hurtful for us to live in, and start heading in a different direction. I wanted it to be true when I first experienced deep pain; I asked to know. I saw the presence of a God of infinite love, that the pain I carried was immersed in love. And it healed. Now it took me a while to understand that there was present a love that could heal me and free me, and that what I had experienced was only the goodness of God.

Over the past weeks I have shared with you the steps of the HeartMath tool called CutThru. The steps are a cascade of heart feelings and energies, a single flow to a point of wholeness. Each step is a powerful spiritual tool in it’s own right, but they lead us to where we soak the pain in the love that is within us. It brings the healing. The first step: embrace your pain. What love it is to look at that part of us that is so hurt and say yes, you are there. Next, turn on the power of your spiritual being through your heart: breathe love. It opens us to this flow, this infinite power and transformative energy within the universe. Once you are in that powerful spiritual place, step up to the eagle view and see what is there. Tremendous wisdom within brings clarity. It is the descent of light into darkness. From there pull the feelings into the heart and hold them there in neutral. Not finding them good or bad, not needing to suppress them nor empower them. Then soak them in love through compassion for yourself. An amazing thing happens—the self, in its pain for so long, begins to experience peace. It heals. Sometimes it’s the first time you do it; sometimes the tenth. Then you ask for the wisdom and guidance that is there. This isn’t a guidance technique, it is a healing focus. But sometimes when I go there and I ask, Spirit begins to show me how to make changes.

To complete it, to let it move deep into the cells and anchor within, use the power of appreciation. Say yes, this is now my reality. I am whole. I am no longer the instrument of pain. I am the instrument of love. Receive it with open-hearted gratitude and appreciation. I am grateful. I am grateful. I am grateful. Let it move deep deep into your consciousness.

Picture the whale that was so entangled in fishing nets it was surely going to drown. For hours divers cut each rope with great care until finally the whale was free. In it’s freedom, it circled the divers many times, then went to each one and touched him, “I am grateful.” And the next, “I am grateful.” To each one, “I am grateful.” And it went away, free. We’re going away free, acknowledging the deep deep deep gratitude on our hearts for this love, this power that brings us to whole. I don’t begin to understand, but I know it’s there, and I know it’s real, and I am grateful. Join me, I am grateful. I am grateful. I am grateful. Whatever it is, there is a power and presence in you that is pure radiant love. It is wholeness, and it brings forth its wholeness within us. And for that, in my life, and in yours, I am grateful!

April 6, 2014 – The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 5. Heart Soak

by


4/6/14 Rev. David McArthur
The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 5. Love Soak

We have been getting ready to enter a place with great creative power and energy where Spirit frees. The steps we’ve taken are 1) Embrace the feelings we have. They are the emotional markers which point to where we need to heal. Then connect with our power by 2) Breathing Love. It lifts us to where we see the patterns in our lives that we have been tripping over. This is divine objectivity, or 3) Spiritual Understanding. In step 4) Heart Neutral, we hold our feelings in our hearts in neutral. They’re not good, not bad. It is not the time for us to to do anything with them but step back and let Spirit be active in us.
The real fun is step, 5) Love Soak. Give yourself a hug! It feels good. Let it fill you until there is no pain, until Spirit within calls it into wholeness.

Victoria was a classmate of mine in ministerial school. Upon graduation, the committee that grants ordination told her no, that she was “too childish” to be a minister. Afterward there were tears and blame, but she knew it was due to something inside her, a block that she had pursued for years, that caused her to respond with childishness whenever she felt threatened. So she followed the 5 steps, and let that love in. It lifted her to where she could see the pattern in her life of using her “pretty little girl” whenever she felt fear. She saw the need in her that the “little girl” stood for. She poured her love on it. It didn’t matter what “Little Vickie” had done, what mattered was that Vickie loved her. That which carried the pain began to heal. What came through was the true peace of the being she was. She went back to the committee, and has been a successful minister now for over 30 years.

Thich Nhat Hahn says, “It’s like a mother, when the baby is crying, she picks up the baby and she holds the baby tenderly in her arms. Your pain, your anxiety is your baby.” You must care for it. We have become trapped in emotional constraints that keep us from functioning, that keep us weighed down. Let’s heal that baby till it doesn’t hurt at all. It takes a while to let it soak in, but this is how you heal yourself, how you take the plank out of your own eye. Let that amazing power of spirit heal. We can heal everything. Take just 10 minutes when that certain feeling comes up. Soak it in love.

What we find at the end is that it’s really true—Love is what it’s all about!

March 23, 2014 – The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 3. Understanding

by

Tsu3/23/14 Rev. David McArthur
The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 3. Understanding

On our journey to be free the first step is Embrace your feelings, especially the ones not in harmony, identified by that reactive pain. When they come up, there is healing to do. Then turn on the power of the heart by Breathing Love. Today step three, Spiritual Understanding. It’s divine objectivity. It’s in the heart because love is there, God is there, and there is intelligence and light.

I found myself filled with anxiety and a very strong feeling to get away from a conference that I really wanted to attend. Feelings are something we experience, but are not our nature. It was time I healed my feelings. So I took time to be alone. I turned on the power of my heart and spent five beautiful minutes breathing love. Then I asked for understanding. Within that love is the wisdom to truly see. When we look at ourselves through the head it is judgmental. The brain loves right and wrong. We feel guilt, fear, blame. That’s why we don’t like to look at ourselves. But I was in my heart, breathing love, opening to Spirit, to the heart’s deep understanding. It is enlightening, compassionate. Wholeness is it’s nature because Divine Presence is wholeness.

We know a secret: God is good all the time —even when it doesn’t feel like it. There are those who are healed just by the spiritual power when they open to compassion. A young missionary found she was increasingly unhappy, even depressed. She didn’t know she could just go in and turn on the power by breathing love. But she prayed, asking for help, a beautiful expression of self love. She opened to that until she could the feel love. She asked for understanding. She then understood it wasn’t her dream, but her parents’. She needed to go home and attend to her own needs. She was freed of her unhappiness.

The medicine wheel is a wonderful part of the Native American teaching. One of its four directions is Eagle. This young lady had the experience of Eagle, seeing from above. Emily Cady put it this way: “Understanding is a spiritual birth, a revelation of God within the heart of man.” It’s a greater vision from God through the power of the heart. The Taoist, Lao Tzu, said, “The master observes the world but trusts his inner vision…His heart is open as the sky.”

Affirm Breathing love, I open to understanding. In a quiet moment in your day, ask, “Were there recent times when pain or emotions not in harmony came up?” Then Breathe Love. That openness is the opening to the beautiful, powerful individual you are. It brings understanding to everything in our lives!

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March 23, 2014 – The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 3. Understanding

by


3/23/14 Rev. David McArthur
The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 3. Understanding

On our journey to be free the first step is Embrace your feelings, especially the ones not in harmony, identified by that reactive pain. When they come up, there is healing to do. Then turn on the power of the heart by Breathing Love. Today step three, Spiritual Understanding. It’s divine objectivity. It’s in the heart because love is there, God is there, and there is intelligence and light.

I found myself filled with anxiety and a very strong feeling to get away from a conference that I really wanted to attend. Feelings are something we experience, but are not our nature. It was time I healed my feelings. So I took time to be alone. I turned on the power of my heart and spent five beautiful minutes breathing love. Then I asked for understanding. Within that love is the wisdom to truly see. When we look at ourselves through the head it is judgmental. The brain loves right and wrong. We feel guilt, fear, blame. That’s why we don’t like to look at ourselves. But I was in my heart, breathing love, opening to Spirit, to the heart’s deep understanding. It is enlightening, compassionate. Wholeness is it’s nature because Divine Presence is wholeness.

We know a secret: God is good all the time —even when it doesn’t feel like it. There are those who are healed just by the spiritual power when they open to compassion. A young missionary found she was increasingly unhappy, even depressed. She didn’t know she could just go in and turn on the power by breathing love. But she prayed, asking for help, a beautiful expression of self love. She opened to that until she could the feel love. She asked for understanding. She then understood it wasn’t her dream, but her parents’. She needed to go home and attend to her own needs. She was freed of her unhappiness.

The medicine wheel is a wonderful part of the Native American teaching. One of its four directions is Eagle. This young lady had the experience of Eagle, seeing from above. Emily Cady put it this way: “Understanding is a spiritual birth, a revelation of God within the heart of man.” It’s a greater vision from God through the power of the heart. The Taoist, Lau Tsu, said, “The master observes the world but trusts his inner vision…His heart is open as the sky.”

Affirm Breathing love, I open to understanding. In a quiet moment in your day, ask, “Were there recent times when pain or emotions not in harmony came up?” Then Breathe Love. That openness is the opening to the beautiful, powerful individual you are. It brings understanding to everything in our lives!