May 29, 2016 – Spiritual Power


Rev. David McArthur
“Spiritual Power”

I have known so many wonderful people in the Armed Forces! And I have learned that the power of the force is the expression of their love. In our growing what we are learning is to understand this power that flows in and through us.

Anastacia Jayet’s soon-to-be-published “A Beacon Shattering Into Being,” tells a clear and honest story of a woman’s journey from powerless to powerful. We are all on that journey. Anastacia’s story very much parallels mine, as I have shared with you. She too was a student at the University of New Mexico and in a beautiful marriage with a beautiful baby. She too lost her spouse through violence. Her world came to an end. Anastacia shares her experience step by step. How her deep pain and shock weren’t acknowledged at the hospital as her husband died. How she stepped into powerlessness, giving her power away easily without realizing it. She did not make decisions to favor herself. When we feel powerless we have fear. We give our power away. We push help away. Anastacia said she couldn’t make room for it. All beauty and love in her life were lost. Everything she had known and depended upon had disappeared. Her life became pain and loss.

Years later, with brutal honesty, she looked at her choices and began to see and become conscious. She worked hard to make decisions to carry her forward to her purpose, to connect with the powerful spiritual being she is, and to walk in her spiritual power.

Have we given away our power—through anger, and not living our truth? For women on our planet, taking their power is a major spiritual journey! Anastacia repeated to herself, “I can always get back. I can always get back to my spiritual power for myself and all human beings.”

The place where we accept our power is a beautiful place! You never have to seek from without, but seek from within, from the center of your being. (Center to circumference.) “I do not have to give away my power to receive.” It is always present within. The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me!

When we stop separation, we go from separation to power. What happens when we look at people of another religion and we don’t have to call them terrorists? —when we look at transgender and  gay and don’t see then as immoral? —when we look at women and do not see them as property? —when we look at brown bodies and do not see them as illegal.

What happens when we see all of them as children of God? —when we look at each other as people of wisdom and see children of God? That’s POWER! It is that power which will change our world. The power of God is within me!

And you know how to get there through those gorgeous hearts of yours. So go for it!

May 29, 2016 – Spiritual Power

Rev. David McArthur
“Spiritual Power”

I have known so many wonderful people in the Armed Forces! And I have learned that the power of the force is the expression of their love. In our growing what we are learning is to understand this power that flows in and through us.

Anastacia Jayet’s soon-to-be-published “A Beacon Shattering Into Being,” tells a clear and honest story of a woman’s journey from powerless to powerful. We are all on that journey. Anastacia’s story very much parallels mine, as I have shared with you. She too was a student at the University of New Mexico and in a beautiful marriage with a beautiful baby. She too lost her spouse through violence. Her world came to an end. Anastacia shares her experience step by step. How her deep pain and shock weren’t acknowledged at the hospital as her husband died. How she stepped into powerlessness, giving her power away easily without realizing it. She did not make decisions to favor herself. When we feel powerless we have fear. We give our power away. We push help away. Anastacia said she couldn’t make room for it. All beauty and love in her life were lost. Everything she had known and depended upon had disappeared. Her life became pain and loss.

Years later, with brutal honesty, she looked at her choices and began to see and become conscious. She worked hard to make decisions to carry her forward to her purpose, to connect with the powerful spiritual being she is, and to walk in her spiritual power.

Have we given away our power—through anger, and not living our truth? For women on our planet, taking their power is a major spiritual journey! Anastacia repeated to herself, “I can always get back. I can always get back to my spiritual power for myself and all human beings.”

The place where we accept our power is a beautiful place! You never have to seek from without, but seek from within, from the center of your being. (Center to circumference.) “I do not have to give away my power to receive.” It is always present within. The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me! The power of God is within me!

When we stop separation, we go from separation to power. What happens when we look at people of another religion and we don’t have to call them terrorists? —when we look at transgender and  gay and don’t see then as immoral? —when we look at women and do not see them as property? —when we look at brown bodies and do not see them as illegal.

What happens when we see all of them as children of God? —when we look at each other as people of wisdom and see children of God? That’s POWER! It is that power which will change our world. The power of God is within me!

And you know how to get there through those gorgeous hearts of yours. So go for it!

Play

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


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!

March 30, 2014 – The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 4. Heart Neutral


3/30/14 Rev. David McArthur
The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 4. Heart Neutral

We can create a state of consciousness for which some people have searched a long, long time. We are aware that we are in the world but not of it. We touch experiences and enjoy their richness but they do not control us. It takes focus and special energy in the heart, and the way to bring it forth is seen in HeartMath Cut-Thru. HeartMath is a secular way, but it shows the spiritual potential and maturity within us. The steps are 1, embrace your feelings, 2, activate the power by breathing love, 3, call forth the amazing wisdom within through spiritual understanding, divine objectivity.

Today is 4, Heart Neutral. Feelings come up, and that is wonderful, but they can control us. Heart Neutral is different. We can hold the feelings in our hearts but we don’t have to be controlled by them. The power of Spirit is always there to act on them. Heart Neutral can release levels in us we have no idea are there.

Lao Tsu: “The Tao is like a bellows: it is empty yet infinitely capable. The more you use it, the more it produces…” So too the heart. There is room to hold whatever you are feeling in your heart because in there there is infinite ability. “We join spokes together in a wheel, but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move… We work with being, but non-being is what we use.” Then we hold it in non-being, in neutral—the part we don’t see, we don’t understand, that flows through us.

How do you get to neutral when the feelings come up? There is head neutral and heart neutral. When the mind tries to choose it suppresses feelings. Our teens have a wonderful expression for this—“whatever!”—it’s head neutral, “I don’t care.” But Heart Neutral embraces the experience, it cares, yet it is unattached. Embrace the feelings. Affirm, “I hold the feelings in my heart in neutral.” They’re ok. I don’t need to give them power; I don’t need to withhold power. But they are part of my experience.
In India, Joanna was in neutral about a fly in her cup of tea, so did nothing. Then her awareness was lifted to another level when a monk carefully lifted it from her cup and told her the fly would be all right; she was opened to an entirely new appreciation for all life. What she had been missing!
A few days before Valentine’s day, Walt was driving Patricia over here. He ran a red light and got pulled over. When the officer walked up, he might write the ticket; he might not. After a short friendly talk, he let Walt off. In neutral there is a beautiful caring. Spirit works through it. With affirmation and encouragement, not suppressing or putting down, hold the feelings in that beautiful embrace of care, of neutral. “I hold the feelings in my heart in neutral.”
It’s like with a piece of chocolate—you enter a moment when your heart is full. When you taste it, there’s appreciation! Let it flow!

March 30, 2014 – The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 4. Heart Neutral

3/30/14 Rev. David McArthur
The Heart’s Path to Freedom: 4. Heart Neutral

We can create a state of consciousness for which some people have searched a long, long time. We are aware that we are in the world but not of it. We touch experiences and enjoy their richness but they do not control us. It takes focus and special energy in the heart, and the way to bring it forth is seen in HeartMath Cut-Thru. HeartMath is a secular way, but it shows the spiritual potential and maturity within us. The steps are 1, embrace your feelings, 2, activate the power by breathing love, 3, call forth the amazing wisdom within through spiritual understanding, divine objectivity.

Today is 4, Heart Neutral. Feelings come up, and that is wonderful, but they can control us. Heart Neutral is different. We can hold the feelings in our hearts but we don’t have to be controlled by them. The power of Spirit is always there to act on them. Heart Neutral can release levels in us we have no idea are there.

Lao Tzu: “The Tao is like a bellows: it is empty yet infinitely capable. The more you use it, the more it produces…” So too the heart. There is room to hold whatever you are feeling in your heart because in there there is infinite ability. “We join spokes together in a wheel, but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move… We work with being, but non-being is what we use.” Then we hold it in non-being, in neutral—the part we don’t see, we don’t understand, that flows through us.

How do you get to neutral when the feelings come up? There is head neutral and heart neutral. When the mind tries to choose it suppresses feelings. Our teens have a wonderful expression for this—“whatever!”—it’s head neutral, “I don’t care.” But Heart Neutral embraces the experience, it cares, yet it is unattached. Embrace the feelings. Affirm, “I hold the feelings in my heart in neutral.” They’re ok. I don’t need to give them power; I don’t need to withhold power. But they are part of my experience.

In India, Joanna was in neutral about a fly in her cup of tea, so did nothing. Then her awareness was lifted to another level when a monk carefully lifted it from her cup and told her the fly would be all right; she was opened to an entirely new appreciation for all life. What she had been missing!

A few days before Valentine’s day, Walt was driving Patricia over here. He ran a red light and got pulled over. When the officer walked up, he might write the ticket; he might not. After a short friendly talk, he let Walt off. In neutral there is a beautiful caring. Spirit works through it. With affirmation and encouragement, not suppressing or putting down, hold the feelings in that beautiful embrace of care, of neutral. “I hold the feelings in my heart in neutral.”

It’s like with a piece of chocolate—you enter a moment when your heart is full. When you taste it, there’s appreciation! Let it flow!

Play

March 16, 2014 – The Most Powerful Partnership


3/16/14 Rev. Rita Marie Johnson
The Most Powerful Partnership

Have you ever gotten stuck on your spiritual path? Did some old stuff come up, or maybe you just got bored? Me too. I wanted inspiration and growth! So I started searching. I found a partnership within, a two-step process.

The first part is Empathy. It is respectful understanding of what others are feeling. When we name our feelings and needs, we empathize with ourselves. When we guess what others are feeling, we are empathizing with them.

The second part of the equation is Insight, which comes from being in Coherence. A few years ago I could not breathe through the left side of my nose. It was quite uncomfortable. The doctors only gave me slight, temporary relief. Then I remembered my two steps. I named my feelings and needs in this regard, and I went into coherence in my heart and asked. I got a surprising insight—that I should stand on my head! But I acted on my insight, and went to the corner of the room and stood on my head for as long as I could. I actually could breathe a bit better. I did it again, and then again, and I got total relief! It is answered prayer. It is Spirit speaking through your heart.

Insight needs empathy to keep it humble. Otherwise, we could get really arrogant. And empathy needs insight to lift us out of misery, or we would be overloaded with the feelings of others. When the two are put together, the synergy propels our spiritual growth forward. It’s growth with joy.

Myrtle Fillmore got stuck at one point in healing herself. She used this process in her way, and got an insight: “Look among your virtues.” She had felt it was a virtue keeping her feelings to herself. With this insight, however, she determined to deal with a feeling “before I swallowed it and it made me ill.” She used this method that has now been proven by science, and her healing was complete.

That’s how life gets better. Jesus also taught this two step process. In Mark 20, verse 30, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…” Feel the deep connection in your heart with God. Coherence leads to insight. In verse 31, He said, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is guessing the feelings and needs of your neighbor, empathy. “There is no commandment greater than these.” There is no greater way to live than this. It accelerates our spiritual growth joyfully because we have our two partners within us all the time.

Before directing the lightening in the sky we must first harness the storms in our own hearts. We can bring ourselves out of unnecessary suffering. We can make it so! Amen.

March 16, 2014 – The Most Powerful Partnership

3/16/14 Rev. Rita Marie Johnson
The Most Powerful Partnership

Have you ever gotten stuck on your spiritual path? Did some old stuff come up, or maybe you just got bored? Me too. I wanted inspiration and growth! So I started searching. I found a partnership within, a two-step process.

The first part is Empathy. It is respectful understanding of what others are feeling. When we name our feelings and needs, we empathize with ourselves. When we guess what others are feeling, we are empathizing with them.

The second part of the equation is Insight, which comes from being in Coherence. A few years ago I could not breathe through the left side of my nose. It was quite uncomfortable. The doctors only gave me slight, temporary relief. Then I remembered my two steps. I named my feelings and needs in this regard, and I went into coherence in my heart and asked. I got a surprising insight—that I should stand on my head! But I acted on my insight, and went to the corner of the room and stood on my head for as long as I could. I actually could breathe a bit better. I did it again, and then again, and I got total relief! It is answered prayer. It is Spirit speaking through your heart.

Insight needs empathy to keep it humble. Otherwise, we could get really arrogant. And empathy needs insight to lift us out of misery, or we would be overloaded with the feelings of others. When the two are put together, the synergy propels our spiritual growth forward. It’s growth with joy.

Myrtle Fillmore got stuck at one point in healing herself. She used this process in her way, and got an insight: “Look among your virtues.” She had felt it was a virtue keeping her feelings to herself. With this insight, however, she determined to deal with a feeling “before I swallowed it and it made me ill.” She used this method that has now been proven by science, and her healing was complete.

That’s how life gets better. Jesus also taught this two step process. In Mark 20, verse 30, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…” Feel the deep connection in your heart with God. Coherence leads to insight. In verse 31, He said, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is guessing the feelings and needs of your neighbor, empathy. “There is no commandment greater than these.” There is no greater way to live than this. It accelerates our spiritual growth joyfully because we have our two partners within us all the time.

Before directing the lightening in the sky we must first harness the storms in our own hearts. We can bring ourselves out of unnecessary suffering. We can make it so! Amen.

Play