Spiritual Guidance Blog

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else—
you are the one who gets burned.”

Buddha

I offer you peace on this day, and every day of your life. I often ask Spirit for inspiration about what to write about. And I always receive what I ask for.

I am writing this passage the day after a series of events took place here in Ottawa, Canada, that the conventional media has portrayed as a tragedy and attack on our Nation. I am speaking of the seemingly random, senseless and innocent shooting of a Canadian soldier at the National War Memorial. The soldier died later in the day from his wounds. The man who shot the soldier then proceeded to Parliament Hill where he walked into the Parliament Buildings and opened fire on more innocent bystanders. The gunman was shot and killed by security guards.

First, I wish to extend my love and healing energy to all those affected, directly and indirectly, by the events. May the peace of Divine Source bring you comfort and solace at this time.

Immediately following the events described above, the downtown core of Ottawa, where I live, was cast into ‘lockdown.’ Residents were asked to stay indoors and not to venture outside. The city fell into a dark chasm of fear that permeated the air like a heavy and dark cloud.

As soon as I became aware of the events that had unfolded, I fell into meditative prayer. My first thoughts were with the family and loved ones of the soldier who was killed. Next, my thoughts moved to the gunman who I also prayed for his healing.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the media rallied into their characteristic posture—they recounted again and again the events that had transpired and, as they seem so willingly to do in their naivety and ignorance, exacerbated the fear that was already running rampant in the city. The media coverage rose to a crescendo and culminated in our Prime Minister giving a public address to the Nation in the evening. The messaging was rather characteristic of a perception that the Nation had been attacked and we would stand together, fight together, and not allow ourselves to be intimidated—all characteristic of an ego that was afraid and angry at the events that had transpired.

The Prime Minister’s address reminded me of what the Buddha says about holding on to anger… “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else—you are the one who gets burned.”

May our Nation’s leaders awaken to a new reality and awareness that, in the words of Buddha, “Hate is not overcome by hate; by love alone is hate appeased.”

In love, gratitude, compassion and forgiveness…

Shanti, Namaste, Agapé,

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“ We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

As summer bares its last vestiges of warm breezes and long, sun-filled days, I am reminded of the many blessings this past summer offered me. It was one of the most memorable summers I experienced in many years. The primary reason for this memorable summer was the re-birth of a freedom that allowed me to re-discover my inner child and the wonders associated with such experiences.

One day in early summer I woke with the spontaneous decision to buy myself a bicycle. I shopped around for a second-hand bicycle and after a couple of week’s searching, a wonderful, barely-used bicycle came into my life. I took my new bicycle to a local bicycle repair shop for a tune-up and it was good as new!

Off I went!...exploring the many kilometers of dedicated bicycle paths in and around Ottawa. It had been many years since I rode a bicycle and many years since I had explored the bicycle path network in Ottawa. Each time I went for an outing, it was like I was discovering everything for the first time. Most importantly, I was re-discovering that little kid in me that loved to bicycle.

The first and foremost joy was simply being out in the fresh air, feeling the air caressing my skin and blowing through my hair. It was like nectar for the soul. Each and every time I embraced and welcomed this luscious sensation throughout my entire body.

Each time I took to the trails, I explored a new pathway and network of trails. Each outing was an adventure. As my strength and stamina quickly built, I would go out for longer and longer rides. Eventually, I would pack some food and water and head out for hours on end to explore the trails and enjoy the great outdoors.

What I quickly realized was the primary emotion I was feeling was freedom. Freedom 2.0, if you will—a re-discovering of the playful freedom we feel as a kid. That uninhibited freedom to just be who we are and discover life on its terms, not ours. To accept life as it comes, not as we expect or want it to be. To laugh and play with reckless abandon. To live, laugh and love.

“Could this be what life is all about?,” I would ask myself while peddling my way all over Ottawa. “Is it really this simple? To simply do what makes you happy and full of joy? Can the soul live in this state permanently?” I pondered these questions each and every time I hopped on my beautiful bicycle, and I began to revere my bicycle and outings as my own personal therapy.

“Where had these child-like feelings and emotions gone all these years? Why all of a sudden have they returned? Can I keep them?...’cause they feel pretty good!”

What brings out the child in you? How long has it been since that little kid in you has come out to play? Do you miss him or her?

What gives you a sense of freedom? If you are not sure, what do you think gives you a sense of freedom?

Our soul is in a continuous state of freedom. Our daily lives so often result in building up barriers to experiencing and/or feeling that sense of freedom. To paraphrase a wonderful saying from A Course in Miracles, our goal is not to seek for freedom outside ourselves. Our goal is to seek out the barriers to freedom we have built up around ourselves and remove them.

Shanti, Namaste, Agapé,

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I once visited a quadriplegic man.  His name was Tim.  He was interviewing me for a personal care attendant job.  I had not performed personal care work of this magnitude in some time, but when I saw Tim’s ad in the paper, I felt compelled to follow up.

For many years I watched a dear friend go from being an accomplished athlete to being able to move only her head—as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) ravaged her body.  Over the years I have seen what it is like to be around someone who is 100% dependent on other people to care for them.

Tim was a joyous soul.  He was full of life and had a beautiful, peaceful demeanor about him.  Several of Tim’s personal care workers had suddenly, and simultaneously, had to move out of town.  Tim was left in a lurch and needed to find new personal care attendants, and fast.  We talked about my background in caregiving for a quadriplegic and my availability to help Tim.

Tim was remarkably considerate of me and my personal situation that led me to his side.  I mean…here is this man who on any normal day fights to even exist!  He spends every waking hour trying to figure out how he will survive the day—and he was finding it within himself to see beyond his own personal situation to be compassionate, caring and considerate toward me.  Tim was so polite and respectful.  It brought a smile to my face.  He was so grateful for my dropping by to visit and discuss his caregiving needs.

If there’s one thing my friend with MS taught me is that most people with injuries similar to Tim’s are not interested in your pity.  They simply want you to help them have a moment, if ever so brief, of self-sufficiency, of dignity, of self-respect, and dare I say…love.

In that one short visit with Tim, I learned more about selflessness, compassion, caring, considerateness and love than it takes most people a lifetime to learn.  I was the lucky one to be in his presence.  I was the one blessed by his light, by his spirit.

In love, gratitude, compassion and forgiveness…

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“Awareness is the greatest agent for change.”

Eckhart Tolle

One day last month my partner and I were out running errands. We parked the car, stepped out of the car, and proceeded to cross the street to pick up some items at a store across the street. There were no cars coming in either direction for as far as the eye could see, so we could take our time crossing the street. This was a good thing, as the slow, shuffling gate of my partner (side-effect of his Parkinson’s disease) meant crossing the street quickly was not an option.

Even though I was walking slowly, I was ahead of my partner by a few steps. I then noticed a cyclist hurling his way toward us at a rapid pace. As the cyclist came closer, I could see he was not slowing down at all. He was heading on a collision course for my partner and not deviating his path at all. It was clear my partner was not aware of the cyclist getting closer and closer and my partner’s slow, shuffling gate remained unaltered.

Only a few meters from my partner did the cyclist finally swerve to avoid a collision. As the cyclist passed by he grumbled something at us, sharing a few words of discontent.

As the perceived, unkind words left the mouth of the passing cyclist, I felt anger rising up in me. I can remember being aware of my thoughts projecting toward the cyclist, “Couldn’t you see this elderly man was struggling to get across the street!? Couldn’t you see he was not watching where he was going!? Couldn’t you have slowed down a little earlier and passed by without any rude outbursts!? Couldn’t you have been more kind and compassionate!!!?” I felt the anger continue to rise in me. It reached a crescendo when I became aware I wanted to run after the cyclist and physically harm him for being so rude, disrespectful and unthoughtful.

Then, at the same time these angry emotions were running wild, I became aware that I was watching myself react to this whole scene. It was like I was sitting in a theatre watching a play and the main character was me! I watched the actions and felt the emotions from the actors. I can remember thinking to myself, “Wow!...I haven’t felt this kind of anger in a very long time. What’s up with that!?”

The two streams of conscious thought ran side-by-side; like two televisions sitting next to each other and each was showing a different program.

Then, when the cyclist turned the corner and peddled out of site, my egoic anger turned to my partner. I can remember projecting onto my partner… “Didn’t you see the cyclist coming!? How could you NOT have seen the cyclist coming!!!? My God, you almost got hit! You could have been badly hurt!!!”

As this new wave of egoic anger projected toward my partner coursed through me, the ‘observer’ continued to watch the whole scene unfold—every action and every emotion.

By this point (no more than 5 seconds after the cyclist passed us on the street), my partner was safely on the other side of the street. When he was safely up on the sidewalk, he looked up at me and smiled, completely oblivious to what had just transpired. And then it dawned on me…

That cyclist was a gift from God. The whole scene was brought to me to show me my own fears. Mainly, the fear of knowing my partner’s health continues to decline and that the year’s ahead may contain some challenging times. The whole scene had nothing at all to do with the cyclist, or my partner. It was all about my fears of losing my partner to a horrific disease and being left alone.

As I gently took my partners arm and walked toward the store with him, I silently blessed the cyclist for giving me the gift of that moment, and the awareness it brought me. What a gift it is indeed, to be aware. To know that life does not happen to us, but life happens for us. What a gift it is to know that life has nothing to do with what goes on outside of us but everything to do with what goes on inside of us. What happens outside is simply a mirror on our soul—a lesson from the Divine—being offered to us for our teaching.

May your awareness be blessed by the knowing the no one and no thing outside of you affects how you see the world. Only your mind sees the world and your soul invites your awareness.

Shanti, Namaste, Agapé,

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Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen

Last month I was offered the transcendent experience of complete and total forgiveness. This experience took place during my morning meditation. For those students of A Course in Miracles, I was practicing lesson 342 “I let forgiveness rest upon all things, for thus forgiveness will be given me.” Even though this was my fifth time through the ACIM Workbook for Students and even though there are at least 100 other lessons in ACIM workbook that speak directly to forgiveness, on this morning I was given a glimpse of what it truly meant to forgive and to be forgiven.

For what felt like only a moment in time, only a couple of relaxed breaths, but for what was an eternity, everything was perfect in the world. I was at complete and utter peace with the world; with everyone and everything in it. Everything was perfect, just the way it was. Everything was exactly as it should be.

As this spiritual vision expanded and became clearer, I was brought the truth that I was at the centre of this forgiveness. In fact, there was nothing outside of me that needed to be forgiven, only me. As this rush of forgiveness of myself coursed through my body, I was at complete peace. The truth about me was revealed. I was perfect just the way I was. I was complete and whole just the way I was.

There is a beautiful poem by Leonard Cohen called “Anthem” that speaks of this forgiveness. Cohen reminds us not to dwell on the past, or the future, but to rest in the present. In his poetic grace, Cohen reminds us that in this worldly state, none of us are perfect—we all have our ‘cracks.’ But as Cohen points out so eloquently, these cracks are what allow the light in. And we are also reminded to “forget our perfect offering” precisely because we are already perfect just as we are. Here is that exquisite poem by Leonard Cohen…

The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.

Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government—
signs for all to see.

I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen

There is nothing you can do that can make yourself anything other than whole, complete and worthy of love. Through the process of forgiveness we are brought this awareness and truth. At the heart of this awareness, as the Buddha says, “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.”

Shanti, Namaste, Agapé,

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