January 3rd 2016 at the Divine Light Spiritual Foundation
The songs I picked for the Service today were:
On my way by Phil Collins from the movie Brother Bear https://youtu.be/NDtBnTMpltM
Mercy by Dave Matthews Band https://youtu.be/D_86LXVvzgc
Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay https://youtu.be/QtXby3twMmI
I hope you enjoy them.
To prefix this ‘inspirational talk’ I want you to know this was the most difficult one I have done to date.
In 2014 I was also blessed with the honour of giving the last talk of the year. I spoke about survival, and recovery… Part of me feels that’s what set the tone for my year ahead…Sigh… Thought is energy and be mindful of what you focus on. I have posted that talk in the blog below...
This year I have vowed to be more of my ‘Authentic Self’. I’ve vowed to come from a place of ‘Heart Centered Spirituality’, and show you my real self, whether you like it or not… & whether or not I’m really ready too or not.
But I trust in God. I trust. So here goes….
The Importance of Prayer
In Alice Walker’s Book The Color Purple, we are reminded that: “God ain’t he or she, but it…. Don’t look like anything. It ain’t something you can look at apart from anything else, including you. I believe God is everything. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you’ve found it.”
So, let me clarify for you: All of these words are inter changeable: God, Buddha, Jesus, Ala, Christ Consciousness, Oneness, Universe, Infinite Intelligence, The Force, Divine Spirit, Universal Energy and so on…… Do you understand me? Yes, ok, lets carry on….
Prayer is NOT about what you can get, but rather a way of relating to your understanding of God. The act of prayer is to re-establish or strengthen our connection with Spirit Energy.
Prayer can be used to express the Truth of our own places in the universe. Everyday it can be used to remind us of our presence in this infinite mystery and unending time.
Prayer is useful. Just as the body needs rest, the mind needs peace and the spirit needs attention. Prayer is a conscious decision to focus our attention on ONENESS.
If you want to FEEL God, Energy or the DIVINE SPIRIT in your daily life, you need to act as if it is already a part of you. We are one divine energy or inspiration if you will.
Prayer can be simple:
Guide me, Remind me of the Truth of my being. Help me to see beyond what I can physically see. Give me courage and strength to share myself authentically. Inspire my Soul to do your work.
One of the best Confidence builders is experience. I have some….
Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet
“Don’t think that the person who is trying to comfort you now lives untroubled among the simple & quiet words that sometimes gives you pleasure. His life has much trouble and sadness, and remains behind yours. If it were otherwise, he could never been able to find those words.”
My story…
It is hard to admit a weakness. Its hard to admit a weakness to others that you admire. It is hard to admit weakness to people who have bestowed a sacred title to you…
In churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community.
Notice how it doesn’t say anything about perfection…. Although it certainly feels implied sometimes… The heaviness of this title is not to be taken lightly. Please know, I don't.
340 days…Can you guess what 340 days is? If you trace it back it will bring you to January 28th, 2015. That is my Sobriety date.
I am an alcoholic. I am what they call a ‘binge’ drinker… the semantics of this are not important to this talk, but that is the kind of alcoholic I am, in case you wanted to know.
Although like most alcoholics I have some incredible stories, funny and entertaining, the best one is of my sobriety. It gave me my life back. It gave me purpose again. Admitting my problem gave me peace. When I accepted it, I was able to change. Change is what I needed most.
Sure I used a lot of tools to ‘get better’. The one that has seen me through day in and day out is prayer. That’s what I hope to share with you today. It can be simple and eloquent. Or it can be dirty, messy and fist pumping. It can be whispered, thought, yelled, kept in secret or shared. It can be big or small. Its up to you. You are the deciding factor in your prayer.
You see I needed to tell you this so that you can see I’m no different from you. I am flawed. I am hurt. I am growing. I am grateful. I am honest. I am trying. I am human. Remember you and I are the same.
You see we are all equal in Spirit- not one of us any different- and yet we feel different because of what we experience and the actions that we do, or do not.
When we recognize that we are not in charge, and that the only thing we can do is take charge of ourselves and our actions, that is when we awaken. None of us are in charge of the universe or the actions or non-actions of others.
We are only in charge of ourselves.
This is when we start to realize how important that connection to the ‘oneness’, ‘god’, ‘divine spirit’, ‘universe’, or ‘force’ really is. We need to keep and maintain that connection to this so we can keep our connection to others.
Some of the easiest prayers I have used have been:
‘HELP’
‘With Love’
‘ALWAYS’
‘Thank You’
‘Spirit I accept your guidance’
‘I forgive myself, I forgive you. I understand shortcomings. I understand misunderstandings. I accept myself in human form.’
‘I need not be better than anyone else, but to be better than I used to be.’
‘I ask for transformation of what is in my control.’
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.’
‘I am becoming more and more myself.’
‘Guide me to my best self. Let me say yes to possibilities. Let me feel hope.’
‘I ask for circles of healing, the heartbeat, the planet in the mantle of love.’
‘Let love heal.’
‘In the light, blessed be.”
‘I believe.’
‘Let me know when I am ready.’
‘I wish the best for all of us.’
‘Let me choose cooperation. Let me choose love.’
‘Use me as your instrument.’
‘Let peace begin with me.’
‘From Spirit, Through Spirit, To Spirit.’
“Let Love In.’
‘One Love, One Heart.’
‘Thy will be done.”
Dear ones, Prayer is just as important as meditation. I think we forget this…. I know I did. Meditation is listening to God, Prayer is speaking to God. Now is the time. We all want to be great, and truth be told greatness requires sacrifice. It requires doing things that others won’t or can’t do. GREAT HABITS ARE FORMED DAILY. The fact is, good habits require consistent commitment. Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits. Make the commitment to make it past the obstacles’, no matter how many times you need to go back to it and start again to reach new levels of success. This is something that can and will change your life for the better. Trust me, I’m pretty confident in this.
Please feel free to use one of the above prayers, or make your own. But do it consistently. You will see what I'm talking about. So Dear Ones, when I say to you, I care not how you pray…… as long as you do, what I’m really saying is ‘please reconnect, we need you’.
All Love, xo Truly
The songs I picked for the Service today were:
On my way by Phil Collins from the movie Brother Bear https://youtu.be/NDtBnTMpltM
Mercy by Dave Matthews Band https://youtu.be/D_86LXVvzgc
Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay https://youtu.be/QtXby3twMmI
I hope you enjoy them.
To prefix this ‘inspirational talk’ I want you to know this was the most difficult one I have done to date.
In 2014 I was also blessed with the honour of giving the last talk of the year. I spoke about survival, and recovery… Part of me feels that’s what set the tone for my year ahead…Sigh… Thought is energy and be mindful of what you focus on. I have posted that talk in the blog below...
This year I have vowed to be more of my ‘Authentic Self’. I’ve vowed to come from a place of ‘Heart Centered Spirituality’, and show you my real self, whether you like it or not… & whether or not I’m really ready too or not.
But I trust in God. I trust. So here goes….
The Importance of Prayer
In Alice Walker’s Book The Color Purple, we are reminded that: “God ain’t he or she, but it…. Don’t look like anything. It ain’t something you can look at apart from anything else, including you. I believe God is everything. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you’ve found it.”
So, let me clarify for you: All of these words are inter changeable: God, Buddha, Jesus, Ala, Christ Consciousness, Oneness, Universe, Infinite Intelligence, The Force, Divine Spirit, Universal Energy and so on…… Do you understand me? Yes, ok, lets carry on….
Prayer is NOT about what you can get, but rather a way of relating to your understanding of God. The act of prayer is to re-establish or strengthen our connection with Spirit Energy.
Prayer can be used to express the Truth of our own places in the universe. Everyday it can be used to remind us of our presence in this infinite mystery and unending time.
Prayer is useful. Just as the body needs rest, the mind needs peace and the spirit needs attention. Prayer is a conscious decision to focus our attention on ONENESS.
If you want to FEEL God, Energy or the DIVINE SPIRIT in your daily life, you need to act as if it is already a part of you. We are one divine energy or inspiration if you will.
Prayer can be simple:
Guide me, Remind me of the Truth of my being. Help me to see beyond what I can physically see. Give me courage and strength to share myself authentically. Inspire my Soul to do your work.
One of the best Confidence builders is experience. I have some….
Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet
“Don’t think that the person who is trying to comfort you now lives untroubled among the simple & quiet words that sometimes gives you pleasure. His life has much trouble and sadness, and remains behind yours. If it were otherwise, he could never been able to find those words.”
My story…
It is hard to admit a weakness. Its hard to admit a weakness to others that you admire. It is hard to admit weakness to people who have bestowed a sacred title to you…
In churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community.
Notice how it doesn’t say anything about perfection…. Although it certainly feels implied sometimes… The heaviness of this title is not to be taken lightly. Please know, I don't.
340 days…Can you guess what 340 days is? If you trace it back it will bring you to January 28th, 2015. That is my Sobriety date.
I am an alcoholic. I am what they call a ‘binge’ drinker… the semantics of this are not important to this talk, but that is the kind of alcoholic I am, in case you wanted to know.
Although like most alcoholics I have some incredible stories, funny and entertaining, the best one is of my sobriety. It gave me my life back. It gave me purpose again. Admitting my problem gave me peace. When I accepted it, I was able to change. Change is what I needed most.
Sure I used a lot of tools to ‘get better’. The one that has seen me through day in and day out is prayer. That’s what I hope to share with you today. It can be simple and eloquent. Or it can be dirty, messy and fist pumping. It can be whispered, thought, yelled, kept in secret or shared. It can be big or small. Its up to you. You are the deciding factor in your prayer.
You see I needed to tell you this so that you can see I’m no different from you. I am flawed. I am hurt. I am growing. I am grateful. I am honest. I am trying. I am human. Remember you and I are the same.
You see we are all equal in Spirit- not one of us any different- and yet we feel different because of what we experience and the actions that we do, or do not.
When we recognize that we are not in charge, and that the only thing we can do is take charge of ourselves and our actions, that is when we awaken. None of us are in charge of the universe or the actions or non-actions of others.
We are only in charge of ourselves.
This is when we start to realize how important that connection to the ‘oneness’, ‘god’, ‘divine spirit’, ‘universe’, or ‘force’ really is. We need to keep and maintain that connection to this so we can keep our connection to others.
Some of the easiest prayers I have used have been:
‘HELP’
‘With Love’
‘ALWAYS’
‘Thank You’
‘Spirit I accept your guidance’
‘I forgive myself, I forgive you. I understand shortcomings. I understand misunderstandings. I accept myself in human form.’
‘I need not be better than anyone else, but to be better than I used to be.’
‘I ask for transformation of what is in my control.’
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.’
‘I am becoming more and more myself.’
‘Guide me to my best self. Let me say yes to possibilities. Let me feel hope.’
‘I ask for circles of healing, the heartbeat, the planet in the mantle of love.’
‘Let love heal.’
‘In the light, blessed be.”
‘I believe.’
‘Let me know when I am ready.’
‘I wish the best for all of us.’
‘Let me choose cooperation. Let me choose love.’
‘Use me as your instrument.’
‘Let peace begin with me.’
‘From Spirit, Through Spirit, To Spirit.’
“Let Love In.’
‘One Love, One Heart.’
‘Thy will be done.”
Dear ones, Prayer is just as important as meditation. I think we forget this…. I know I did. Meditation is listening to God, Prayer is speaking to God. Now is the time. We all want to be great, and truth be told greatness requires sacrifice. It requires doing things that others won’t or can’t do. GREAT HABITS ARE FORMED DAILY. The fact is, good habits require consistent commitment. Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits. Make the commitment to make it past the obstacles’, no matter how many times you need to go back to it and start again to reach new levels of success. This is something that can and will change your life for the better. Trust me, I’m pretty confident in this.
Please feel free to use one of the above prayers, or make your own. But do it consistently. You will see what I'm talking about. So Dear Ones, when I say to you, I care not how you pray…… as long as you do, what I’m really saying is ‘please reconnect, we need you’.
All Love, xo Truly
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