A World That Works For Everyone

Friends I hold to a vision that we can create a world that works for all.  I know in my heart it is possible, but sometimes when I look around me it seems so far away.  

My friend and colleague, Rev. Martha Quintana, posted this beautiful prayer coupled with a recent experience she had and she seems to have captured what I think a world that works for everyone could look like.  With her permission I'd like to share it with you.  Words to live by, in deed and in thought.  Thank you Rev. Martha.

Holding Up the Sky by Martha Quintana

I came back home after a week at the Parliament of World Religions. I’ll never be the same. I experienced a world where people honor and respect their different cultures and different appearances of the Divine while holding themselves in reverence. The Goddess came out to play in every woman and no man was left behind. I saw a world that worked in the thousands of people who exchanged ideas, imagined a world where all people are cherished, and where, finally, all have enough – enough food, enough housing, clothing, enough love, enough self-regard, and enough God. Authentic.  I stand proudly with my New Thought brothers and sisters in this dream. 

Today, I pray this vision that we humans evolve so high that we hold up the sky.

Prayer by Martha Quintana

There is a World so vast that it goes beyond the Earth. This World, the Divine Universe, lives, breathes, and has Its being as every star, every point in space, all creatures great and small, and all light everywhere. This World is Peace, Love, Divine Harmony, Goodness, Beauty, and Truth. This Divine World knows that it knows that it knows, and all is born.

I am born of this Divine World. As it knows Itself, it knows me and, like it, I am peace, love, divine harmony, goodness, beauty, and truth. I know that I know that I know. I am a woman of faith and anything that would hinder this faith now falls away never to return. As I know this for me, I know this for each person who lives this prayer.

I affirm and declare the Planet Earth is restored to balance. Every drop of water is pure and clear, and the temperature of the Earth’s surface is adjusted to hold all life.  Every creature on the planet, animals and humans, have enough. Every creature is restored to its natural beauty and truth.  I affirm every child, woman, and man goes to bed tonight having eaten good food and drunk good water, having good shelter, wholesome love, and knowing that great self-regard is the order of the day. 

I affirm that the Creator who stands in every person is authentically seen. I stand with the billions of people who hold this vision and know it is already made manifest.  Of this, I am sure. 

I am grateful for the Divine that allows Itself to be known in all cultures in the language that can be heard and seen. I am grateful for the ears to hear and the eyes to see and grateful that these abilities grow every day. I am grateful this day that every human being has enough and that all the balance of Nature has been restored for all beings. I am grateful for the Centers for Spiritual Living and for New Thought Religions because these are good places filled with people of faith. I am grateful.

I release this word back into the Law knowing that I know that I know. As faith. And so it is. Amen.

In my philosophy we talk about the power of a mental equivalent that we hold in our minds and hearts so that the Universe can use it as a pattern when it is creating through us.  Take this vision as your vision, this prayer as your prayer, know with me this vision and that our world is changing for good.

Namaste my Loves, Namaste!

Alice

ATTRIBUTION:

Rev. Martha Quintana, Senior Minister

Rio Grande Center for Spiritual Living4374 Alexander Blvd. NE, Suite TAlbuquerque, NM 87107www.rgcsl.org

No Words - They Are Not Enough

Recent events in Parkland, Florida have hit America hard.  Once again innocent children and their teachers are gunned down in what is supposed to be a safe place.  It seems there are a lot of people debating the merits of back ground checks for gun purchases and the lack of resources for people with mental health issues.  I see lots of finger pointing and there seems to be plenty of blame to go around.

And where does this get us.  17 people, most of them children are still dead.  What are you willing to do to end violence and mass shootings?  Yes I'm asking you, just like I'm asking myself.  

I feel very powerless over these many tragedies that keep happening in our world.  It doesn't satisfy me to make others responsible.  So I must ask the question what am I willing to do?

There's a story about Gandhi that I think illustrates this point.

A mother brought her child to Gandhi one day frustrated.  She told Gandhi that he was constantly eating sugar and she needed help to get him to stop.  Gandhi looked at the boy and told the mother to  bring him back in a week.  A week later the mother and son came back.  Gandhi walked over to the boy, looked him in the eye and said firmly, "Stop eating sugar!"  The mother looked at him incredulous and asked, "we had to wait a week for you to just tell him to stop eating sugar?  Really?" Gandhi looked at her and said, "I needed a the week so that I could stop eating sugar first."

So I must ask myself the question, where am I still harboring violence in my own consciousness?   What am I willing to do in my own world to change?  Let's think about this, let's feel into this together.  What could each of us do in our own lives that would make the world more peaceful?

In the end it's not about our words, it's about our actions, words are not enough.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas because I truly believe there is a solution.