At the center of your being,
you have the answer; you know who you are, and you know what you want.
-Lao Tzu

I love the quote stated above. Why? Because I resonate with its spiritual truth. How many times have you shrugged your shoulders and said, “I just don’t know what I am supposed to do in life,” or “I don’t know which job I should take.” Well, as Lao Tzu said, YOU DO KNOW. Divine Intuition is God’s Love speaking to you through your heart center. When you listen to your heart and remain true to your feelings you are always guided to do what is right for you. Logic sometimes can get in the way. Over the years many of us have been wired to do what we think others want us to do, or to play it safe and not take a chance, or if it does not make sense we won’t do it. It is time to make a change in the way we live our lives. Spirit within YOU is Joy, Love, Creativity, Intelligence, and Wisdom. IT is longing to move you forward in the right direction and expand you to live your full spiritual potential. When you open your heart to hear Spirit’s wisdom speaking, you will then make the true choices for your life. I encourage you to spend time daily to stop, listen, reflect and meditate in the silence where Divine ideas which you can understand and use will begin to flow in. Now go do what is right for you!

Do you remember when you were a child and the first time you went to the beach, walked on the warm sand and put your toes in the cold foamy water? I think we all have memories of the first wave that may have knocked us down or when we dove into a wave to avoid the tumbling. We were having fun, laughing, playing and enjoying life in the moment. We tasted the water, smelled the beach smells. heard the cries of the birds and other people playing. We have just imaged this wonderful time in our lives. The beauty now is, we can image and VISION, not just the past, but our future dreams and goals with all of our senses. The Mind does not recognize past, present or future. It is here to serve us as we think into It and allow It to bring forth the Divine Outcome.  Let us begin to VISION what our heart’s desire is, what we truly want, our passion our dreams.  You are an Expression of God and are worthy of All Good, All Abundance, All Health, All Success, All Unconditional Love.  You deserve not just the cake, but the icing, ice cream and the extra toppings  as well! 🙂 A picture is worth a 1,000 words so have fun creating a Vision Board. Bring some friends over to create, pray, image and DECLARE your good together. Combined energy in a spirit of Joy  manifests greatly!  VISION                                                                                        V=Visit within.. I=Ignore the appearance. S=Seek Spirit’s help. I-Image the best results. O=Open yourself for daydreams. N=Never lose your dream! Be a child and let your Mind and heart laugh, play and have fun in the process of creation!                      (VISION acronym from REBOOT to Success, by Stephen Albert)

“I realize my dreams through patience, trusting the process, and staying with the dream. I stay with it until the demonstration arrives.  I stay the course.” Rev. Dr. Patti Weber

***

The fragrance always stays in the hand
that gives the rose.
~ Hada Bejar

We GIVE who we are.                     As within, so without.
The beautiful quote today really says it all. When we give with LOVE no matter what it is, a helping hand, a smile, a donation, we are giving ourselves.  It is the energy of Love.  When we place, “I should do this, or I think it would make me look good,” we are coming from a very different energy.  No matter the action or deed, others can read our heart and our intention. It is very important to be true to ourselves and be authentic in our words feelings and actions.  What ROSE will you be giving today? 

***

“IN DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH”

Steve and I just returned from another amazing North American Interfaith Conference, ‘NAINConnect,’ in Toronto, Canada.  The theme this year was “In Diversity is Our Strength.”  We were happy to reconnect with old friendships and greet and meet new friends. Perhaps next year  you will attend with us.
The plenaries and workshops were excellent and there seemed to be a recurring feeling that INCLUSIVITY is a must!  As some presenters talked about Abrahamic Walks, our Hindu and Sikh friends suggested these walks from temple to church to mosque, also include walks to a Gurdwara and a Hindu temple as well.  Other presentations included Interfaith Prison ministries, the Golden Rule  Curriculum, Compassionate Cities, Success of Dialogue, Indigenous Experiences, Faith Stories: Resources and Tools, Interfaith Marriages, Interfaith Education, Youth Engagement, presentations by the Young Scholars and more.  We took bus trips to various Faith Centers, were served fabulous meals and we experienced prayers from the Aboriginal, Sikh, Celtic, Catholic, and Islamic traditions.
We expanded our comfort zones and enlarged our circle of friends.  We must continue to do this and discover ways to bring into the circle those without a faith. One workshop was based on values as a bridge between religion and humanism. The more we accept everyone, the stronger, more knowledgeable and more profound our interfaith work becomes.
Peace and harmony is established when we break down the barriers of fear of “the other.”  For in Truth we know, there is no “other.” We see ourselves in everyone and everyone is in us. We are ONE in this great Universe. The feelings of  acceptance and belonging is crucial in order to bring forth a world that works, supports, maintains and sustains ALL.

The Mighty I Am

Jesus:” I am the One who dwells within you. I Am the Father, I Am the Mother. I Am the Son. I Am the One who is beyond corruption. I Am the seed that is planted within every being.”-The Apocryphon of John

Krishna: “I am the Father of the Universe. I am the Mother. I sustain all beings. I am the Way the Supporter, the Lord, the Witness, the Abode, the Refuge, the Friend, the Origin, and the Dissolution, the resting place and the ground which holds the eternal seed.”  –The Bagavad Gita

What a wonderful reminder from these Masters, the Mighty I Am Spirit resides in each and every one of us.  They are claiming the Mighty I AM Spirit is within them. Can you begin to believe you are the I Am Spirit residing in a human body?  When we feel it, know it, and  believe it with all our hearts and mind, any distress, illness, or challenge can be seen as only a temporary passing event.

Illness does not belong to Spirit/God. Unhappiness is not God. JOY, WHOLENESS and  LOVE is GOD!  Let us not take negative passing events and make them stay by saying “I have (illness). or I have a horrible ____________.

Do not claim illness. Do not claim an unfulfilling  job, marriage or relationship. Begin to claim the Mighty I AM Spirit Presence in, as and through you and in,as and through all people in your life. When we do so, not only does our perception change, the people, events, our health and world changes around us as well.

Claim: I Am the Mighty I Am I Am Joy, Wholeness and Love!

***

No matter what religion you are, or what spiritual path you are following, God’s CREATIVE URGE is always within YOU seeking to emerge!   You have the power and potential to create a most dynamic and fulfilling life.  You have free will and are an unlimited spiritual being!
Ernest Holmes in  “What We Believe” says
“…we are surrounded by this Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thoughts and acts upon it.”
My questions for you are…
What is the Direct Impress of your thoughts?
How has the Creative  Mind acted upon your thoughts?
Look at your life right now. Are you living the life you want? Are you happy? Is there
something calling you? What would you really LOVE to do?  Are you ready for a change?
We are meant to LIVE THE LIFE WE LOVE!
Here are 5 Steps we can take to begin creating the life we love.
1. Take time to LISTEN for God’s inner intuitive voice within you. You can’t HEAR anything with a cell phone in one hand and an IPAD in another.
2. Honor Your Crazy Love for doing what want to do! You are not looking for a career, you are looking for ALIVENESS! Love propels you into new experiences, insights and abilities.
3. Say YES to your desire, hope, and divine invitation/adventure. Our culture demands definition, but our SOUL CRAVES EXPRESSION!
4.START nurturing yourself with kind and loving words. Tama Kieves says “Everything you give this world will come from everything you give yourself.”
5. Start DANCING and the Band will find YOU! The world needs your gifts and what you love to do is your gift to the world!
SAY YES To Your Creative Urge!
Anything is Possible!

“Birds of a Feather Flock Together”

Steve and I had a wonderful 4th of July. We were invited to attend a picnic during the day at  MIssion Beach with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. It was the first time we had met these wonderful people and had such fun in our conversation discovering our commonalities and people we both know.  Later that evening we attended a dinner and watched the fireworks at Ner Tamid Synagogue.  We went with friends who are Oneness Blessings Givers (One Hindu based organization).  I guess you may say we had an Interfaith Day.  Were we birds of a feather?  On the outside possibly not.  On the inside definitely so! We are all ONE FLOCK in, of and as GOD.  One humanity loving and serving God in our own unique and special ways.   We may look different, however we are ONE in Essence and ONE in the Thread of Life that passes through each one of us.

We are all Birds learning how to Flock together to create a world that is filled with Peace, Love, Compassion and Collaboration!

Sweet Tweets!

(Go to our Welcome Page to view the video on the Benefits of Building Interfaith Relationships.)

 HOLY GROUND

Standing on Holy Ground

As I was reading The Interfaith Manual, I came across the song words of:

“On Holy Ground.” “When I walked through the doors I sense His presence. And I know this was a place where love abounds.  For this is a temple, the God we love abides here. And we are standing in His presence, On Holy Ground.” (first verse)  

It reminded me of how I felt being in a Sacred Service where God abides.  I felt I was standing on Holy Ground and knew all the prayers, chants, reading of scriptures, songs, meditations, meaningful messages created this beautiful sacred space.  The air radiated God’s love and there was a sweet peace permeating the atmosphere. Where was I? I was in a Christian church, a Synagogue, a Mosque, a Sikh Gurdwara, a Hindu Temple, a Buddhist Temple.     I also felt the Holy Presence and Holy ground in gardens, on labyrinths, in nature, on walks, at sunset on the beach for God is EVERYWHERE in Everyone and Everything.   God is the Golden Thread that Interconnects Us All. We are ONE Spiritual Family loving and connecting with God in many ways, in many faith traditions.

In His presence I know there is joy
beyond all measure
And at His Feet sweet peace of Mind
can still be found
For when we have a need He is still the answer
Reach out and claim it
for we are standing on Holy Ground.
(3rd verse)
Wherever you are, Wherever you stand, God Is there, and all is well!

****

PEACE POLE

Abigail and Steve are happy to have their very own   PEACE POLE displayed prominently on their front lawn in Poway.  The Poway Interfaith Team is actively promoting Peace Poles being planted around the entire San Diego County.   “History of the Peace Pole Project The Peace Pole Project was started in Japan by Masahisa Goi (1916-1980), who dedicated his life to spreading the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth.”  Mr. Goi was greatly affected by the destruction caused by World War 11 and the atomic bombs which fell on the city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  His desire to assist in the creation of world peace was answered when in 1955, the Peace Message, May Peace Prevail on Earth, came to him in a moment of great inspiration and deep prayer. After Mr. Goi authored the Universal Peace Message in 1955, a great number of people gathered in support of his vision and activities to spread the Peace Message throughout Japan.  Soon after, Peace Poles inscribed with the Peace Message began to appear in various locations across Japan initiating the start of The Peace Pole Project.  The Peace Pole was first introduced  to the United States with the opening of  The World Peace Prayer Society offices in San Francisco and New York in 1986, The International Year of Peace. Peace Poles are now the most recognized international peace symbol and monument the world over with more than 200,000 Peace Poles standing in almost every country throughout the world.”   [email protected]

Please contact Rev. Steve Albert for information on purchasing a Peace Pole for your property and/or spiritual center.  858-487-8885 [email protected]

Dear Friends,

I love HH the Dalai Lama’s religion of kindness.   Kindness is a wonderful way to begin practicing  the spiritual principle “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.”   I am sure many of you saw the movie  “Pay it Forward,” where a young boy only asks that good deeds be paid forward.  No one is asking for “money” or “if I do this for you, what is in it for me?”  That is the OLD paradigm way of thinking. Doing a good deed, and act of kindness comes from the Divine deep within. It is a way of reaching out and saying, “I SEE You, I know you are there, you are important to me, I acknowledge your presence, I am here to love you.”  What a beautiful gift we can give another person.  I read on Oprah’s website 35 ways to provide an act of kindness.  I chose 10 to share with you. There are many more you can think of as you progress through your day. Try ONE and see how good it feels.

“One small, thoughtful gesture can make someone else’s day… 1.  Pay the toll for the driver behind you. 2.  Take a minute to direct someone who is lost, even though you’re rushing. 3.  Put a coin in an expired meter. 4.  Each time you get a new item of clothing, give away something old. 5.  Out of the blue, send flowers to a friend. 6.  Don’t interrupt when someone is explaining herself/himself. 7.  Put your shopping cart back in its place. 8.  Call or write to a teacher who changed your life. 9.  Forgive someone a debt–and never bring it up again. 10.  Offer change when the person in front of you at the register comes up short.” Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/35-Little-Acts-of-Kindness/2#ixzz2EgWIkTUE

A favorite of mine is to just SMILE at a stranger.  Not only will YOU light up, you will light up the  person as well.  Once a smile is shared, a connection is made, then there are no more strangers.