The Holy Spirit and dreams

If I believe in a Holy Spirit - something more than just a part of one person's brain, conscience or soul; something beyond me which is powerful, wise, loving, graceful and available to every person - I'd expect that Spirit to inform my dreams.  And It does.

What would it mean if I did not have that belief - particularly if I were certain that such a belief would be a false belief - yet the presence of grace, of something unexpectedly wise, helpful, creative or comforting, is revealed or suggested in my dreams?

Would I not want more of that presence?

Wouldn't I at least want to explore that suggestion or revelation?

Or would I rather continue be right about the non-existence of such a Spirit?

July 26, 2020

The Light of God is in every human being.  The Light of God is, then, wherever people gather.  The divine Light is in every demonstrator, in every law enforcement officer, and in every other public servant.  Though it is often obscured by anger, fear, and self-righteousness, the Light is in every debate on every issue of public policy.

In every human action and interaction revealed by any public spotlight, the divine Light is there.

Am I willing to look for that Light in what I see in the public spotlight?

Am I willing to acknowledge that Light when I find it?

Am I willing to honor the divine Light wherever it appears?

Am I willing to hear and answer the call to service of that Light, and to bring all of that Light I can muster to the public spotlight?

Reality check #15

About a committed relationship:

I don't expect either myself or my partner to be perfect, but, as a partner, am I doing my best to live up to my expectations of myself as a partner?

Am I doing my best to live up to my partner's commitment to me?

Am I doing my best to learn my partner's expectations of me and to deal promptly and directly with my partner about the expectations which I cannot meet, or don't wish to try to meet, and why?

Do I consistently work to make the relationship stronger, more productive and joyful - and the commitment easier to fulfill?

Am I kind?

Am I truthful?

Do I value and acknowledge my partner's, and the relationship's, contributions to my own growth?

Do I value and acknowledge my partner's growth?

Do I view the attention, work, and discomfort - the vulnerability - which the commitment requires, and the resulting growth, with gratitude?

Dancing with Mother Nature

I used to think that when I cultivated some plants and culled others; when I tried to maintain a lawn, or to keep trails open, trees trimmed, or a pond clear, I was resisting Mother Nature, even fighting Her.

Yesterday it dawned on me: there is little joy - and no point - in trying to resist Mother Nature. 

But I've come to believe that She loves to play.  She loves to dance.

So I bow to Mother Nature, take Her hand, and we dance.

She always leads.

Is there a spirit within each person?

Spiritually, each of us is either entirely alone in this life or we are not.

Each person - with her or his own personality and ever-changing body, brain, perceptions, memories, thoughts, desires, emotions, and will - either has access to a power of a spiritual nature or she or he does not.

There either is a spirit - a non-physical source of wisdom, guidance, power, growth, and peace - within and accessible to each person or there is not.

If I reject that dichotomy, what IS true?

That there is such a spirit in every person? 
That, whatever one's beliefs, there is no such spirit in any person?
That there is such a spirit in some people but not in others?

Who will refuse even to look within herself or himself for the answers to these questions?

Who, concluding after careful search and thought that there is no such spirit within and accessible to herself or himself, will deny the experience of those who do find such a spirit within - accessible, wise, useful, even loving?

Who, considering the described experience of those who do find such a spirit within themselves, would rather be right about the non-existence of such a spirit - would deny others' lived experience of such spirit as merely imaginary - than continue to look for such a spirit within himself or herself?  And those who would rather be right about the non-existence of such a spirit do so at what cost?