One With the Universe I’m careful about life. I often try to do my best. I pray to the Eternal Presence. And take good care of myself. I endeavor to eat right, exercise, and have fun. Still, I read a lot, and think about circumstances. But you may not know what perplexes me?   I work hard to better myself. I can honestly say that I’ve grown spiritually. In much of my life, I’ve prevailed. But a mystery lies with everything that I do. Some people live by trying their best, And when they die, they hope to reap rewards. So, many men and women place their hopes in Heaven. But I envision a different afterlife.   I don’t believe in a Christian Heaven. Neither do I believe in reincarnation of Eastern faiths. But what do I hold to be true? At heart I’m a religious naturalist. So, what happens after I leave this earth? I’ll still be One with the Eternal Presence of the Universe.      

  Hymn of Consciousness Eternal Presence is One The essence of every form Both visible and invisible Residing in galaxies and hearts   Glory, Glory on High Glory, Glory on High   Sing blessings to all creation. Our eyes have seen life’s abundance. Its mighty works are indescribable. They just can’t be comprehended by simple minds.   Glory, Glory on High Glory, Glory on High   With the dawn of every new day Nature rejoices in all its radiance. People are dancing with joy, And singing Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory, Glory on High! Glory, Glory on High!  

  Bits of Wisdom Eternal Presence is the reality of living Now. There’s Oneness in life. It’s what it is.   All experiences will change for better or worse. I Am is I Am. I Am the true self. Accept the good and bad about life.   The opposite of birth is death. Life has no opposite. It’s Everlasting. Birth, growth, and death are natural occurrences.   The voices and pictures in our heads are unreal.   These are not who we are. Figure out what’s most important in life. Act as though the whole world depends on it.  

  Life of Abundance Take one moment. Just open your eyes. What do you see? It’s a life of abundance.   Sitting at the kitchen table. Being comfortable in a chair. Enjoying this morning breakfast. The whole world is revealed.   It isn’t only the oatmeal with berries. It isn’t only the fragrance of coffee. It’s a whiff of smoke permeating the air. The beauty of us savoring these delights.   Looking through the window the sun shines. Glistening streams of light bless this day. The flowers and trees stand still. And thoughts of beauty permeate our minds.   How wonderful is this ethereal presence! All the wonders of life are dancing around us. But beneath these gifts are a divine stillness. Life is presenting itself in its abundant radiance.   

  Eternal Presence People rejoice over this Eternal Presence. What is its meaning? Where does this presence reside? Are we all conduits of its reality?   Folks are just wrapped up in their thoughts. Many ideas flow through their heads. They relate mainly to the future and past. Obviously, their thinking is trapped horizontally.   The ego is a powerful way that anchors their decisions. But one has to break loose of this trap to find reality. An individual must recognize these thoughts aren’t you. But the real you can only be found in another dimension.   This is when someone will adopt a vertical approach. This will be where the mind is still to the present moment. This reality overrides the chatter that occurs horizontally. It’s the true awareness that focuses on this ultimate reality.   Everyone can gain access to this Eternal Presence. This reality is the true presence of all living forms. It’s transcendent and formless in nature, The E

  Living with Change Life blossoms like a rose. It’s good to smell new wine. Dark clouds give way to light. Many experiences these glorious days.   But what does these changes mean? What can people inherently expect? How can they live their lives to the fullest? Will they always be bashing in the sunlight?   What goes up must come down. A person’s profession may bring joy. But as one grows life will surely change. This may be due to an illness or an accident.   The cart that was full of flowers will topple. What a wise person is able to do is to adjust. So, be with the flow and embrace this surprise. Understanding what you do is always best.   Eventually life will lead to death. This transformation follows further growth. You will now live on and on in eternity. Your true being will become a new reality.  

The Anatomy of Hope Jerome Groopman’s How People Prevail in the Face of Illness: The Anatomy of Hope taught patients, vital lessons about coping in life. This book covered a number of medical case studies. It showed the author as a beginning intern while undergoing his first experiences with patients, and later in his profession as an oncologist. Groopman’s growth became evident by the way he related to patients. At first under a teaching associate, he tried to give a patient a hopeful picture. This was the case, although this woman had cancer that had metastasized. But as this doctor developed in his practice, he provided his patients with the necessary data, and instilled a true hope in their condition. His patients therefore benefited from this new approach. Groopman was able to develop professionally, and made it his duty to talk to experts about patients’ emotions. He was particularly interested in the nature of hope. This information made him aware of sections of the brain that w

  Fear of Tragedies Tragedies bring tears to people’s eyes. Many sufferers weep uncontrollably. Why do these bad things keep happening? Such an experience is often a wrenching pain.   But there will always be natural disasters. Out of nowhere an earthquake may strike. There can be a tsunami that washes villages away. Nor must we forget forest fires that start naturally.   Some disasters are caused by accidents. This can be when a plane crashes with passengers. A ship runs into a storm and sinks at sea with tourists. Or, a tiger that may maul an acrobat at a circus.   But what is perplexing are the man-made tragedies. It’s when a vindictive husband decides to kill his family. Innocent people are killed by gun violence ravishing their cities. Some leaders perpetuate upheavals with incendiary remarks.   Undoubtedly, many of these tragedies can be helped. Good people can do their best to stress the dignity of life. It’s well to remember to love

  The Second Mountain David Brooks’s The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life provided guidelines for readers seeking to pursue a better life. He wrote about two hypothetical mountains. The first is ego-centric that’s when an individual is bent on having a career. While at a university such a person focuses on a major, he hopes will fulfill his dreams. The goal is to get a good job, get promoted, and excel at his work. Soon, this employee rises to the top, and feels as though he has conquered the world by being independent. At this level of accomplishment, he feels on top of the first mountain. Suddenly, he suffers a wakeup call. He realizes that there was a lack of meaning in this quest. This awareness might have resulted from a death in the family, a sudden illness, accident, depression, or a feeling of despondency. Now, he finds himself in a valley below. But while in despair he rethinks his motivations for success, and comes to the conclusion that he should pursue a diff

  Sharing God’s Gifts Life has its ups and downs. One never knows where it will lead. One day they are on top of the world. Another day, they may be in a valley below.   How does someone manage their life? There’s an ebb and flow everywhere. Yet, there’s purpose riding in the tide of hope. When they are down, be sure to get up again.   Misfortune has a way of presenting itself. Some people experience this through illness. This can be devastating like cancer or a heart attack. But still, they persevere to do their best with such an affliction.   As the saying goes, “Good people can’t be kept down.” They will rise again from the depths of despair. It’s as though life has given them a second chance. So, they go on to accomplish more and greater things.   This is how people discover a vocation that’s good for them. This is when they step out from their troubled world to serve. They may be a teacher, naturalist, religious leader, or scientist.