Consciousness and Conscience: The Way of Serving Truth

"At root one searches for God by only one way, i.e. in following the truth with all the sincerity of one's conscience."   (Thomas Merton, from The Courage for Truth, Letters to Writers pg 209- in a letter to Victoria Ocampo) 

We enter the 14 Days of the Waning Moon Phase

Stop now and take a moment to ask:

What was my starting point in this cycle?

What has been added to make my life full in this cycle?

What are my victories, my efforts, no matter how tiny they might seem, that add to the ultimate and 

       inevitable illumination of my life?

What would I wish to keep?

What would I to wish share?

What would I not have added, if given the chance for a do-over (these are called regrets)?

Let these words rest with you again. The wisdom you receive from this reflection will serve you to step out with consciousness (and conscience) in Service to Truth.

Collective Aspect of Self: Hearing and Speaking Truth in the World

We live in a concrete, material world.  Yet, our efforts, intentions and actions contribute to an energetic template that creates the collective consciousness for this earth and all her beings.  Most particularly, this template effects the growth and direction of all human beings.  This is not like putting your vote in the ballot box and being only one vote amongst many.  What we add to the template is energy. Energy cannot be destroyed, and when combined with other energies it becomes a massive force.  Our contribution is like the drop of rain combining with many drops, create the path for, and become the flow of an entire river, then ocean.   Yes! Our works matter, and create matter. By our life we are creating the template for human development and evolution.  

Living Our Creative Fullness is Our Gift to the World: Collective Aspect of Self

Nothing is more beautiful or powerful than an individual acting out of his or her conscience, thus helping to bring the collective conscience to life. Norman Cousins

Seeing Truth in Our Creative Life: Work/Career, Leisure, Finances, Philanthropy

The Creative Aspect of Self is the place where we consciously join with Creator to live our life to our fullest potential.   We make the decision to let go of our need to be in charge and control of our creative energies. We become willing to have an open mind and heart to receive Creator’s gifts—inspiration, guidance, direction, and impulse so we may be out in the world manifesting and fulfilling our birthright, our purpose.

Here in this place we do not work alone!  And yet, we alone do the work.  We alone are responsible for our actions.  Yet our actions are made known to us ONLY by our letting go of ‘my way’, the need to control. Preconceived ideas, notions and beliefs—which may be conscious, unconscious or subconscious MUST be set aside for our vision for our life to come clear.

Knowing and Accepting the Truth for the Creative Aspect of My Life.

This poem came to me as I sat in my morning contemplation:

Oh, that I would be the lily of the field,

Or the bird on the wing,

Or the seed in the soil,

Or Jumping Mouse!!!

How would I be if I were these?

Life would flow from me,

              and through me,

                             and in me.

I would be both the river and the river bed.

How is it that I am not that now?

I am rather the dam that stops the flow of me,

              of Grace through me out into the world.

To know and accept the Truth as it is in my creative life, [my work, how I spend my leisure time (if in fact I consciously give myself play time), my attention to my finances, and my philanthropy] requires willingness to know Truth, no matter what I fear Truth might be (I do confess it is never, ever as bad as I fear it will be.).   Harder yet, is to accept the immense creative fullness of Truth as creator has ordained it for me, for all of us. 

I pray for the willingness and grace to know and accept the Truth of my creative, abundant being;  remove my dam, let my life flow.  

Reviewing Relationships as Offerings and Gifts

Every relationship in life is an offering and a gift to other from me; and to me from the other. Taking each element of the Relationship Self, what person first comes to mind when sitting with each of these elements: Friends and Colleagues, Partner, Family, Children.

What are the gifts and offerings between us?

As I move forward in my life, which of these relationships calls most strongly to me to pay attention to through the remainder of this year?

When I am able to Know and Accept Truth in my relationships, I am able to receive them as the life enriching Gift and Offering they are. 

Learning and Honoring Truth about My Relationships with Others, with Self, with Creator

What if all my relationships with others were reflections (mirrors) back to me of the truth about my relationship with myself?  What if my relationships with others were also mirrors for my relationship with Creator/Great Mystery/God? 

Now, change these questions to statements. 

My relationships with others—are a reflection of my relationship with myself.  How I treat others, behave toward others, believe about others, is a mirror of the same I do, have, and think about myself.

My relationship with others mirrors myself in attitude, behavior, relatedness, and belief toward God. 

Knowing this as Truth.  What would I, will I change in my relationships? 

Waning Moon: Reflecting on Our Relationships

We are spiritual beings residing in a physical body. Even during those times when it’s tough being human, our body is always a gift from Creator.  One of the gifts of having a body is…having relationships with other human beings.  Human beings fail to thrive and often fail to survive when they are deprived of relationships with other humans. 

Our relationships are what weaves the web of connection between all people, communities, and the world. Take time to visualize the interconnectedness of our relationships to those close to us, with those relationships where we are more peripherally connected. We will very soon see an intricate pattern of relatedness. Think not so much as 6 degrees of separation, but 94 degrees of connection! 

We are all connected. How we act toward others creates either more love and peace, or more hatred and violence. 

“Am I willing to face the Truths about my relationships with others?  Just sit, with compassion for your self, allow this question to incubate. 

Waning Moon and My Personal Self; Part 2

For Inspiration and Pondering: Do I feel called to set goals to heal or grow certain Elements of my Personal well being or to make significant changes, started any new endeavors—such as yoga, meditation, exercise, weight loss, doing mind strengthening activities, started a spiritual practice made a commitment to break habit or deal with an addiction?

If I am willing to look, I will see patterns within the elements of my Personal Self which have been most impacted over these past months.  In response to any challenges in one element of my Personal Self, another element has been more likely to either take the impact, pick up the slack, or come to rescue the other element.  For example, if  emotionally triggered, the physical body may take the heat, by misusing food, drugs, alcohol. Or, fear and lack of trust or faith rise up, shaking up my Spirit.

Waning Moon and The Four Aspects; Personal Self Part 1

 Over the course of the days between the full moon and the closing of this moon cycle, we will reflect on the different Aspects of our Self as they have been revealed  to us on our journey through the cycles leading up to this Blue Moon.  For those who have worked with the Circle of Self Whole Person Transformation materials, this will be a review. For those new to this process, I hope this is a refreshing support to your life journey.  

The Four Aspects and Their Elements of Our Self 

Take a day or two in this cycle to reflect on any significant events you may have had since the beginning of this year which have impacted your life in any way.   Note whether you experienced these as positive, challenging, a gift, or detrimental.  We begin with the Aspect of our Personal Self. What parts of your Personal Self were most effected?  You physical body, your mind, your emotions, your spirit? 

Circle of Self

Full Moon, Shining Light on the Spiral Path of Our Dreams

Sara's poem from the Full Moon Journal Page:

Spiral Path

of Evolving Spirit

Decisions made, lessons learned

I take my place

A Woman's Dream

Realized

Ponder This:

What are the decisions I have made about, in, and for my life?

My decisions have always been informed by my dreams, whether I have been conscious of my dreams, or not.

Now, I have the awareness to dream consciously.

Now, I have the option to realize my dreams.

How will I allow myself to be nourished so they may be realized?