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John 3:16

Mar19

Today’s blog explores John 3:16, the scripture passage oft-quoted at sporting events and the focus of yesterday’s Gospel.  Is there a way to view this reading that eliminates the walls of separation and exclusion? 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

John 3: 16

The Trouble With 3:16

At first glance, this reading may seem harmless enough, but if we take the reading at face value, and listen to the typical interpretation of this reading (and its surrounding text), it kind of says, If you don’t proclaim Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior, you will perish and spend an eternity in hell.  I never really believed in this kind of exclusive arrangement anyway – that there is only room in eternity for Christians….specifically those in “good standing,” but after 20+ years of contemplation of scripture and study of not only Catholic theology, but of the teachings and practices of our Jewish, Moslim, Pagan, Hindu, Buddhist, Native American and Yogic brothers and sisters, I really have a problem believing that there is only room in “heaven” for those who proclaim Jesus Christ to be their personal Lord and Savior.    (For you Catholics out there, it might interest you to know that the Vatican II Documents support the possibility of heaven for everyone. So apparently this concept of exclusivity was problematic to the Vatican II Fathers as well.  YAY Vatican II!)  So in the past several years when John 3:16 would show up in the cycle of readings, I would either cringe or just close my ears and write it off as irrelevant.  That was until I discovered the work of Neil Douglas-Klotz.

Enlightment Through Translations

Among other things, Neil Douglas-Klotz is an author – specifically on the topic of bridging the gaps between Christianity, Islam and Judaism.  His work centers on a prayerful and more accurate translation of ancient texts which helps us to better understand the teacher/author’s intentions.  Two of his works especially have had a HUGE impact on my own spiritual journey and my relationship to Christian scripture:  Prayers of the Cosmos and The Hidden Gospel.  Thanks to these works, I have a broader and deeper perspective on The Lord’s Prayer, The Beatitudes and many of Jesus’ reported sayings and teachings.  I am grateful for the way in which Douglas-Klotz’s work has eliminated the separation and tension that I have often felt in the traditional viewings of scripture.  So, without further ado…..I offer to you today a different perspective on John 3:16 that arose out of my prayer and was supported by Douglas-Klotz’s work.  I hope that if you too have struggled with the separation often caused by the traditional interpretation of this reading that this new perspective will give you room to breathe.

John 3:16 – a New Perspective

 For God so loved the world that God planted within all of humanity a spark of Divine truth and the restlessness that compels them to seek this truth.

And God so loved the world that God made it such that all of humanity would have the ability to rediscover, cultivate and fully embrace this truth and come to the realization of their wholeness and their Oneness with God.

And God so loved the world that God called all of humanity Sons and Daughters of God and knew that some would discover this spark of truth before others. Those that discover and embody this truth would find relief from the suffering of the human condition; suffering that is the natural consequence of forgetting this truth.  Those that discover and embody this truth are called prophets and come from all walks of life, all cultures, races, genders, ethnicities, religious beliefs and sexual orientations.  Those who through this truth come to self-realization and self-actualization are then compelled to share this truth with others so that they too may be saved.

God so loved the world that God gave humanity the gift of free will so that they could decide if and when they are ready to discover and embrace this truth.  Those who are not yet ready to embrace this truth are no less saved than the rest, they are merely unripe.  For those who are not yet ready to embrace this truth, God lovingly and patiently awaits their ripening.  For those that believe in this truth in the same way that the prophets believe in this truth, experience heaven on earth - a life of abundant joy, peace, compassion and bliss.

God so loved the world that God gave humanity each other that they might remember this truth……and this truth is LOVE.

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Remember the Love That You Are!

Uniquely Gifted

Feb3

Each and every one of us is uniquely gifted to reveal God in the world.  Today’s blog explores spiritual charisms (gifts) and how they not only assist us in God’s purpose for our lives, but also serve as a source of inspiration for others.

Friends and Mentors

Wednesday morning I had brunch with a dear friend and mentor.  She is a person with whom I worked when I was still under the employ of the Institution of the Roman Catholic Church.  She served as my teacher, guide and mentor as I stumbled unwittingly into the role of Liturgist for our grieving community in exile.  She took me under her wing as I faced a position for which I was completely untrained and ill-prepared and during a time that I was grieving myself.  For her teaching, patience, compassion and friendship, I will always be grateful.  We worked together until it became clear to me that God was calling me in another direction.  My departure from official Church ministry could have and probably should have driven a wedge in our relationship, but it did not.  As a result, I have been given the profound gift of being able to witness true hospitality, generosity and to sit in humble awe over the unique way that God has gifted my friend.

The Unnamed Charism

A charism, as defined by the Catholic Church is a unique spiritual gift and the way that God works through us in bringing healing, love, compassion and justice into the world.  The Catholic Church has named roughly 28 charisms which include: healing, discernment of spirits, service, preaching, teaching, administration, evangelization.  Because of my relationship with my friend/mentor, and seeing this same gift in my father, I have identified another charism that is yet to be named.  I don’t know what to call it, but I am truly in awe over this gift because there is no way on God’s green earth that this gift will EVER be accessible to me.  In a nutshell, this as yet unnamed charism, provides one with the ability to stay present to a work or life situation that is less than ideal and might even come in conflict with what you know to be 100% right and true.  This charism has something to do with tolerance, acceptance of imperfection, patience and forgiveness and it is the kind of gift that might allow someone to remain an employee of an Institution or work with or for an individual that is everything BUT perfect.  My father has this gift, as does my friend.  And to both of them I bow in humble awe because no matter how hard I try or have tried, this ability eludes me!

The Curse of the Reformer

No matter how much I try to deny it or bargain away this gift, I am called to be a reformer.  As such, I see the world through the lens of “How can this be better?”  In particular, I see religion, church, especially Catholicism through this lens.  To the chagrin of many, I have no choice but to be a voice and a force for change in what we have come to know religion, church, etc. to be.  I see myself as creating and holding space for those that are looking to step into a future vision of church that is less about God as defined by some outside perceived authority and more about the God that wants to reveal itself to them in an intimate and personal way within their own hearts.  I also see this as a move from the “do it because we told you” faith of a child and the searching and discovering phase of adolescence and the adult phase of personal empowerment and determined mission.  Not everyone in the Church is ready to take these steps, and it is because of and for these folks that my friend has been duly gifted.  I see her as holding space for an Institution and its people who are struggling with the pain of transition…..knowing that change is afoot, but not wanting to let go of what they have known for something that has not yet been revealed.  While I’m the one disturbing the sh..t, she is the one that says, “It’s ok.  You are still safe.”

On a Personal Note

So, on a personal note, I bow in humble awe to my friend, my father and to anyone else who has been gifted with this charism.  I have great respect and wonder for your ability to hold space in the tension, to breathe through conflict, to have patience, acceptance and understanding for what is.  I can only hope to learn from you as I’m sitting here disturbing the sh…  :)

How are you uniquely gifted to reveal God in the world?

How are you aware of the unique giftedness of others?

Where do you see the way in which our mutual gifts complement each other?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

When the Saints Go Marching In!

Nov1

Happy All Saints’ Day!!!!!!!    The one Catholic “Holy Day of Obligation” I actually remember.  :)   Today’s blog talks about saints and how we can be inspired by their lives. 

Saints and Superheros

As I have mentioned in this blog time and time again….I was a WEIRD kid. (Ok, and a WEIRD adult!).  I liked going to mass.  I loved wearing a uniform to school. (nearly 12 years of Catholic schools).  And some of my favorite books to check out from the library?  You got it….books on saints!  As a young girl growing up Catholic, I found the saints to be a terrific source of inspiration, comfort and in some cases, protection (ie:  Michael the Archangel….oh yea, because in the Catholic Church, angels are also saints!)  Saints were cool!  Saints rocked!  To me, saints, were the Superheros of the Catholic pantheon.  In fact, saints probably ranked right up there with Batman (POW….SMASH….KAPOW), Superman and WonderWoman (the GREATEST Superhero of them all!!!!  What girl doesn’t want those red go-go boots and a truth-telling lasso!?) and as a child anyway, I’m not sure I really knew the difference between a saint and a superhero, because that was kind of how they were presented to us.  Saints could to anything…..especially since now they were up in heaven where their only job was to help little old us!

Taking Saints off their Pedestal

While I still believe in Superheros and think Saints are really cool, I do have a more realistic and adult view on the saints of the Catholic Church.  Ok, some of them are just plain made-up.  Many are co-opted pagan gods and goddesses. And most are real human beings who tried to live a godly life….some successfully, some not so much.  And many of them would be labeled not just mystical, but maybe even a bit insane in our modern world (check out St. Francis….the dude was a little nutty!).  But at the end of the day, the saints are still really cool in my mind…made up or not and there are lessons we can learn from the saints and inspirations we can gain.  Not only that, but many of the saints can provide a source of validation for our own insane love of God and relentless search for contentment and peace.

Litany of the Saints

So, here is my tongue-in-cheek litany to some of my favorite saints, giving honor to the inspiration they provide for me on a daily basis:

St. Francis – For being crazy enough in love with God to believe in talking crucifixes and for rebuilding God’s church in a time when the church was greatly in need of reform!

Joan of Arc – For weighing the same as a duck and for being willing to burn for it.  (If you get that reference, let me know!  :) )

Teresa of Avila – For being living proof that tantra is permitted in the Catholic Church.  ;)

John of the Cross – For allowing his words to transcend his grumpy-ass demeanor!

Hildegard of Bingen – Mystic, composer, artist, visionary, preacher, confessor, physician, herbalist, founder of monestaries, witch.  She did it all…..in a time when other women were getting burned for these things.

Maria Goretti – Ok, this one is serious.  She was raped and forgave the man who caused her injury and eventual death.  To a 12 year old girl, she showed me that forgiveness was possible even under the most heinous circumstances.

Clare of Assisi – For recognizing that a monstrance is really a terrific superhero weapon that apparently has the power to stop wars.  Maybe if we had more women waving monstrances, our world would be a more peaceful place!

Mary Magdalene – DUH!  If you don’t know why she rocks to me by now, you haven’t been reading this blog! ;)

Mother Mary – She said yes!

Ignatius of Loyola - Another serious one….sort of…..it is because of St. Ignatius that I even have a job!  It is through his tools that I learned to pray and how to be a source of support for others in their spiritual journey.  Most importantly, he taught me that I DO NOT need to stop daydreaming and that Sr. Mary-John-Thomas was wrong….God is in my daydreams!

And just for fun, here is my favorite Litany of the Saints for your listening pleasure:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoydfOKaGBM&feature=related

Who are your favorite saints and why?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Something About Mary

Aug15

As we move along the path of spiritual growth, toward awakening and enlightentment, two very important lessons present themselves:  surrender and trust.  Today, on the feast of the Assumption of Mary, we acknowledge Mary, the Mother of Jesus as a woman who not only learned, but lived these truths.

 

Catholic Feast Days

In the Catholic tradition in which I was raised, today, August 15th is celebrated as the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.  This is one of those feast days that has always confounded me and in the 21st century, it is a feast that directly confronts scientific possibility.  On this day, the Catholic Church recognizes the “belief” that Mary did not die a human death, but was raised, body and soul into heaven.  As any non-Catholic would argue, there is absolutely NO scriptural evidence to to support the feast day that is celebrated today.  I acknowledge this to be true, and….that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, or that the feast cannot be a metaphor for something that was really cool that happened to Mary and was witnessed and simply didn’t make the cut into the book we now call the Bible.  I’m not going to argue with those that hold to the literal interpretation of scripture, neither am I going to argue with the Vatican and the importance they place on Big T Tradition. (A Catholic thing that supports certain dogma and doctrine by saying it is part of the “tradition” of the Church but perhaps not supported by scripture.)  So, whether we believe it the literal truth of the assumption, or simply set it aside as one of “the Catholic things,” we cannot argue that Mary was a pretty cool chick and worthy of honor and respect by whatever name we call it!

 

Something about Mary

Being raised Catholic, Mary held a central role in my religious upbringing.  As an adult, she has held an equally central role in my journey of spiritual healing, growth, evolution.  Here are somethings about Mary that I think are really cool, that inspire me, guide me and give me hope:

Mary was a woman of Prayer: She had to be.  I can only understand the story of the Annunciation (when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and invited her to be the Christ bearer.) in the context of contemplation and prayer.  One would have to already have a firmly established spiritual practice and devotion to God to be able to 1) Hear, see, experience God’s messenger.  2) Be present to the invitation 3) SAY YES!

Mary was a woman of Courage: Again, she had to be!  How could a girl of 13 or 14 not only have an angelic encounter and survive it, but say yes to an invitation that in her culture could have gotten her killed.  Do you know the penalty in first century Palestine for being unmarried and pregnant (actually, the penalty in some areas of the Middle East is still the same today)?  DEATH BY STONING!  Mary said yes, had to somehow tell her parents and then hope that she wouldn’t be killed.  YIKES!  Oh yea, then she had to (rather her parents had to), tell the man to whom she was betrothed.  His right under the law?  To have her killed for her infidelity and for breaking their marriage contract.  COURAGE!

Mary was a woman of faith What did Mary have to keep her going through the encounter with the angel to the birth of her child?  FAITH!  She had to trust that if this invitation was indeed Divinely directed, that all would be well, that she would be safe, protected, kept from harm and that the child would come to birth and that together, they would be safe.  This whole plan defied human logic, and societal customs and norms, and yet, Mary said yes.  She had faith in her God and her faith was proved to be well grounded – she was not killed, Joseph married her anyway, and Jesus was born into the world.

Mary’s faith moved beyond faith into surrender and acceptance. This is where Mary is elevated in my mind to some place of Divine Christing herself.  1) She had to travel miles from the safety and comfort of her family to have her baby born in the most uncomfortable of surroundings.  2) They had to flee their homeland to escape persecution by the king. 3) She heard from prophets in the temple of the things her son would do and was told they would “pierce her to the heart.”  4) She had to watch her son follow an equally strange and “God-inspired” path.  5) She had to stand in watch as her son was brutally executed.  Mary had to allow her heart to be broken…probably a million times…as she gave witness to the fulfillment of the “yes” that she said to bringing Jesus into the world.  She had to trust that no matter how bad it looked, that all would be serving some sort of higher purpose…and she had to trust that her son knew what he was doing, but beyond that, that God knew what God was doing.  She had to trust that her “yes” was not in vain…even if she did not see the results in her lifetime.  In the end, Mary is just cool!

How can Mary be a source of inspiration for you on your own spiritual path?

How have your spiritual practices, faith, courage and acceptance provided assistance for you in your own journey?

How are YOU being invited to be a vessel through which God’s love can be birthed into the world?????

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Who is “The Man?”

Jun24

In today’s blog, I share with you a strange phenomenon that I am hearing about from clients and have admittedly experienced myself….this phenomenon has been described by all as “the man.”  Who is “the man” and is this experience limited to women?  Please share with me your experiences of “the man” if you have had them.

 

 

My Experience with “the Man”

As I put finger to keyboard, I feel every fiber of my being contracting in resistance, afraid to share this story for fear of being recognized as COMPLETELY INSANE!  I have since had many female clients share with me stories similar to my own, so either we are all nuts…or this is some sort of universal experience…or at least a significant part of some women’s spiritual journeys (apologies ahead of time to the men, for I have only heard of this experience from women…if you are having similar experiences, please let me know and I will add an addendum to this blog!)  For me it started in an experience of guided meditation.  The gist of it is that somewhere in the midst of the meditation, I suddenly found myself standing before a man.  The man was strikingly handsome (according to my own personal criteria anyway), but what was most significant was the way he looked at me….he gazed at me with the look of pure, adoring, passionate, unconditional love.  I was held spellbound and something broke open in me under that gaze that compelled me on a spiritual journey that has completely altered the course of my life. Ironically, or coincidently for me, “the Man” looked a lot like the 1970′s portrait of Jesus that I call “Hot Jesus” or alternatively, like Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn in Lord of the Rings.  (hubba hubba)

The Temptation

The crazy part of the appearance of “the man”, (and this part seems to be universal), is the temptation to think…..”Oh, here is the guy that is going to love me beyond reason, he is my soulmate, my twinflame, my spiritual equal, my partner, etc. etc. etc.   This is the guy that will finally make me happy.”  Now, the appearance of “the man” may alert us to things in our personal, intimate relationships that are not fulfilling, life-giving, supportive of who we are and who we are called to be, but the temptation is in believing that there is some “one guy” out there that will provide all these things.  (and maybe there is…who am I to proclaim the ultimate outcome of “the man’s” appearance.) I’m just saying the temptation is to fall into that compulsive search for someone “out there” who is going to make us whole, complete us, give us emotional, spiritual and physical fulfillment.  And…apparently everyone who meets “the man” spends at least some time languishing in this search.

The Teacher

Another part of the journey with “the man” seems to be about “the teacher”.  In Jana Dixon’s story, “the teacher” was an actually living, breathing, walking human that she met after her initial dreams of “the man” and who bore a striking resemblance to “the man”.  For me, it was about Jesus.  For Jana, she found resources of growth, spiritual tools for transformation and healing through the work of her “teacher”.  For me, it was through Jesus that these tools were revealed.  I spent time in prayer with him, read and prayed with scripture, read books on Jesus and his life from sources outside of scripture.  In my mind, Jesus was my beloved (and in truth, still is), and I was his.  This journey with the teacher, however, is ultimately not about the teacher, but about the inner spiritual growth that you experience through the teacher’s experience, wisdom, insight, guidance.  The goal here is not co-dependency with the teacher, but empowerment through them. 

The Higher Invitation

According to Jana Dixon (Biology of Kundalini), “The Man” show us to wake us up and to initiate us on our spiritual journey toward awakened enlightenment and inner fulfillment.  “The Man” appears to show us the parts of ourselves that are unrealized and unintegrated, then invites us on to the path of searching, discovering, embracing all the parts of ourselves so that we can remember that the truest source of fulfillment is within.  “The Man” is not about the call to find our outside soulmate, but to rediscover the soulmate within, to find Oneness within ourselves and to know the harmony and fulfillment of self-knowledge and integration that is our truest and most original nature. 

Where have you met “the man” in your own journey?

How are you being invited to be open to your own inner fulfillment through the process of self-discovery and integration?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

John 3:16

Jun20

Going out on a limb here…..on the journey of spiritual growth toward awakened enlightenment, we might want to believe some of the teachers who have gone before us.  Today’s blog offers a more expansive and generally inclusive interpretation of the now infamous John 3:16. 

John 3:16

We see it on signs at sporting events, hanging from billboards and plastered on bumper stickers.  The now infamous, “John 3:16.”  So, what does it say and what does it mean?  Here is what it says:

“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him

might not perish but might have eternal life.”

 

But, what does it mean?

This is where things get a little dodgy.  I have a pretty strong sense that those who wave around the banner of John 3:16 mean to take this literally, word for word.  1) God is a man.  2) Jesus is “the only Son” 3)  If you do not accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are condemned to “die.” (which means you get to spend eternity languishing in the firey pits of hell).  Since I’m not a literalist and since I believe God’s love is quite a bit bigger than we humans tend to give God credit for, I have a hard time believing this perspective on John 3:16. 

 

God is bigger than the Boogie man…

1) I can no longer accept the idea that the mighty Creator, the Absolut Source, the Divine Essence, the Presence and ultimate Truth can only be expressed or experienced as a man.  For me, God is not only bigger than the “Boogie man”, but is  far beyond what we can even begin to imagine, describe or attempt to define.  God is the all–man, woman, spirit, lover, friend, energy, life, creation, Presence, Absence…and everything in between. 

Only Son?

Now I’m really going to get into trouble.  Jesus the only Son?  What does that mean?  With all the amazing spiritual teachers and leaders who have come into our world, I have a hard time thinking of Jesus as the do all, end all, be all.  Now don’t get me wrong, Jesus is my dude!  I love this man.  He rocks.  He got it.  He taught it.  He lived it. Jesus is the teacher I go to when I am seeking insight, wisdom, peace, clarity, humility.   And…there have been others who have gotten it, taught it and lived it, and there are from whose teachings I have also benefitted.  Some might suggest that the problem here is that we are assuming the author of John was speaking exclusively about Jesus, when in fact, he may have been referring to Christ –  Christ being the “anointed”, the Divine potential of all of humanity and that Jesus was just one out of an infinite number of human beings who have and who will reach their own Christhood.  I know….brains are exploding everywhere as I even suggest such blasphemy…..I’m just saying….there might be another perspective on this whole “only Son” idea.  For many, the jury is probably still out on this one.

Believe in him

So whether or not the author of John was speaking exclusively about Jesus, the man, or the universal Christ that might be the potential of all of humanity…..he/she was talking about the importance of belief.  So what are we supposed to believe?  Some would hold that the author is telling us we have to believe in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior so that we may have eternal life.  I have heard others suggest that what is being expressed here is an invitation to believe in what Jesus taught and modeled.  If we believe the truth that Jesus taught, that we are One with God through love and that through this love we are also one with one another and all of creation….and that belief in this truth is the key to entering the “kingdom” HERE AND NOW….and that in this “kingdom” we shall know the peace that surpasseth all understanding (I know, these are really Paul’s words…but I think Jesus might have said something similar.)…..then we shall have a life that transcends the death of the human condition.  HMMMM…..sounds like something I can sink my teeth into. 

Lighting Bolts

Ok….the good news is that a lightning bolt has not come down out of the heavens and struck me down for speaking such blasphemy.  Maybe God (and Jesus) are a whole lot bigger than we ever give them credit for.  What if the “saving” is more about transcending the false perception of separation that is the cause of all human suffering and embracing whatever source helps us find tools through which we can find the peaceful contentment, compassion and joy that make up our truest nature so that we might experience everlasting life in the HERE and NOW.  And if we miss it this time around….we can trust that there is peace on the other side….no matter whose banner of truth we want to wave.  Just a thought.

Do you know peace, contentment and joy in your life?

What are the obstacles to that peace?

What spiritual practices might you explore to help you cultivate the peace that is your original nature?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Honoring the Ancestors

Mar7

In today’s blog, we explore the role that our ancestors have played in our spiritual journeys and the opportunities we have to redeem their unlived dreams, where appropriate.


Mildred Tends the Fire

Copyright 2011  Lauri Lumby

Mildred tends the fire built on past regrets

And gifts suppressed.

Alcohol ignites the embers of a lifetime of unmet needs.

 

She fans the flames with her unwritten words

A towering inferno for all to see -

Past, present and future.

 

See me!

Learn from me!

Choose another course:

 

Ignore not the fire that burns within

Carefully heed her call.

And feed her

 

And by her power

You will be nourished

And the ones you love sustained.

By her strength you are empowered

Her heat gives you courage.

 

Burn bright and strong dear ones – colorful and brilliant

The fire you tend is you.

Guard it well as it gives you life

And light to all around.


Mildred

Mildred Baker (McMahon) Evans was my maternal grandmother.  Sadly, my childhood memories of her are mostly of the “scary witch who sat in the corner chair chain-smoking in one hand, a slightly dented beer can in the other with a dish of Brach’s star chocolates at her elbow.”  While she was scary to me as a child, as an I adult, I now know that Grandma Mitz was a victim of the McMahon curse.  Suffering with depression and anxiety disorder in a time where neither were acknowledged as disease and effective treatment not even considered let alone available, Grandma found relief in alcohol.  Sadly, relief turned to abuse which eventually led to addiction and permanent (or so we thought) brain damage.  By the time I knew her, she was mostly unable to care for herself and truly lived a life of “quiet desperation.”    The good news is that after the death of her husband and ten years in a nursing home (without alcohol), the real Mildred began to return.  Unfortunately I didn’t get to meet this Grandma until just days before she died of lung cancer.  While the timing was bad, I am so grateful to have gotten a glimpse into the woman my Grandma was supposed to have been.  The new/original Mildred I met was sharp, quick-witted, had a twisted sense of humor (like me), enjoyed writing and playing the piano and joked about her brothers and sisters.   She was delightful and this is the Grandma I wished I had gotten to know sooner.

The Role of Ancestors

Our ancestors play an important role in our spiritual journeys.  Whether we want to admit it or not, our family of origin, going back several generations, plays a significant role in making us the person we are today – good and bad!  Character traits, defense mechanisms, compulsions and addictions, inner gifts, physical appearance, etc. are all influenced in part by the genetic pool from which we originate.  From my McMahon ancestors, I got depression, anxiety disorders, compulsive thoughts (worry), grudge-holding, a tendency toward co-dependency and alcohol abuse.  The good news is that there are amazing gifts that have come from the McMahons as well – profound intuitive abilities, enormous creativity, a quick wit (sarcastic, cynical and twisted too!), a love of play, appreciate of family and hospitality, a gift in writing, musical talent and an appreciation of all of the arts. 

Redeeming the Ancestral Influences

The influence of our ancestors plays an important role as we meander along the path of spiritual growth.  Our gene pool is ours – for better or for worse.  We cannot undo these influences, but as we grow spiritually, we will be given opportunities to choose  whether we want to continue to live out of the wounded aspects of our ancestral line or if we want to work toward redeeming them.  The invitation is to take the time to recognize and acknowledge the origin of the compulsive behaviors that seem to have come from our family of origin and make a different choice.  At the same time, we are invited to acknowledge and give honor to that which is good and holy and magnificent about our ancestors and embrace those gifts.   In releasing that which is unhealthy and embracing that which is glorious, we are able to live more fully as our most authentic selves.  What is extra cool about this is that in choosing the magnificent, we not only redeem ourselves, but provide healing and release (redemption) for our ancestors, along with our own progeny.  The healing goes back in time and forward in time into infinity.  How cool is that?

Redeeming Mildred

I give thanks to my Grandma Mitz for showing me the curse along with the gift and I consciously choose to embrace the gift and trust that in doing so she too will experience healing.  So, I embrace my writer, my musician, my sick and twisted humor, my love of family, friends, the arts and play!  And as I hold up mug of dark-roast, freshly pressed, coffee (yep, here’s my addiction), I offer, “Cheers to you Grandma!”

Where are you able to recognize the wounded aspects of your ancestors and their influence in your own life?

What do you see at the gifts of your ancestors?

How are you being invited to heal the wounds and embrace the gifts?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Dream a Little Dream

Feb23

On the Contemplative/Mystical Path of Spiritual Growth and Enlightenment, EVERYTHING becomes an opportunity for Divine revelation.  The Contemplative/mystical path invites us to open our eyes to all the ways in which God desires to reveal God’s Self to us and in this revelation, awakening deeper love, compassion, peace, joy and contentment within us.  Today, we will explore Dreams as a vehicle for Divine revelation and thereby a powerful tool for spiritual growth and healing.


I’m Batwoman!

Sunday morning I was awakened by a vivid and powerful dream.  In the dream, I was in a large church witnessing an adult confirmation.  The scene then shifted to a wall of photos were I was drawn to a black and white 8×10 glossy portrait of a beautiful baby.  The scene shifted again and I was now standing outside the church.  I watched as from the left approached an ENORMOUS furry, sable-colored bat on whose back rode a beautiful woman.  The woman reminded me of Queen Latifah in her build and stature and had long, flowing, wavy blond hair down to her waist and was wearing a flowing white dress.  The woman on the bat flew by me slowly and just 2 feet off of the ground.  They flew gently and slowly in front of me and proceeded to the corner of the street and then turned right and continued their flight.  It was as they turned the corner that I was awakened. 

Dream Symbols

As I awoke from the dream with vivid recall (which is rare for me), I knew that this must be an important message and to take heed.  I got up, wrote down the dream and went back to bed.  Upon awakening, I spent some time analyzing and praying about this dream.  What did God have to say to me through this powerful dream?

  • First I consulted the book Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.  What were the archetypal meanings attached to the bat?   The answers:  Initiation.  Shaman’s Death.  Death to New Life.  Yep, that seemed pretty appropriate to what is going on in my life.

  • Second, I brought this prayer and Ted Andrews’ words to prayer.  What was God trying to say to me through this dream?  The answer:

Lauri, climb on and let the bat carry you through the darkness

  • Third, I sat with this prayer message.  In allowing myself to receive this message I felt profound comfort, relief and support.  Being at a significant time of personal change (divorce), being offered the invitation to let God carry me through the image of the bat and the batwoman felt enormously comforting and appealing.  Heck yea, God can carry me!

Dreams in your own journey

Dreams are a powerful vehicle through which the Divine reveals truth to us, the trick is to be open to seeing through a different set of eyes.  Dreams are rarely to be taken literally, but are metaphors for something deeper within.  When we have significant recall of our dreams, there is certainly an urgency to PAY ATTENTION.  We are invited to explore the dreams for images and metaphors and to explore these images for their deeper meaning.  How is God revealing truth to us through this dream?  What truth is God trying to reveal?  Unlike other spiritual practices that can be intentionally entered into, dreams are spontaneous and show up on their own.  We can use them as a spiritual practice when we take the time to examine and reflect on our dreams in search of God’s hidden message.  And, you just might have some fun doing it.

Do you take the time to pay attention to your recollected dreams?

What resources are helpful to you in exploring the images for their deeper meaning?

How might you be more open to exploring your dreams as an effective and powerful spiritual practice?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Om Namo Yehoshua

Feb1

This morning, I share with you a poem/prayer that surfaced after I practiced the Root Guru exercise as explained in Julie Tallard Johnson’s book, Wheel of Initiation.  Om Namo Yehoshua!


Om Namo Yehoshua

Embodiment of Compassion

Prince of Peace

Herald of Truth

Light of the World

Way-shower; Love-Giver

Forgiveness of Sin

Merciful Lord

Lover and Beloved

I take you into myself and

Trust

Trust you will help me through my fears

Guide me by your light

Uphold me in your love.

I allow myself to be an empty vessel through which

your healing love may continue

to be revealed in the world.

And to all this I say a humble

Amen

 

 

Who is your Root Guru?

To Whom or What do you look to for spiritual guidance, support, healing?

 

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com


I Receive Everything as Love

Jan17

This weekend, I attended the Wheel of Initiation workshop created and facilitated by author, Julie Tallard Johnson who I am humbled to call my teacher, mentor and friend. The workshop provided an introduction to the process that Julie has shared with hundreds of people through her year-long initiation course, and is now available through her book, Wheel of Initiation published this fall through Inner Traditions.  Along with the other workshop participants, I had the opportunity to name what Julie would call my “pain story,” and be open to claiming a specific intention for healing and releasing this story as a process of spiritual initiation and transformation.  I share this with you in today’s blog.

Pain Story

Since I have made a vow to be as transparent and open as possible through this blog (without infringing upon your boundaries!), I have to make a confession.  I have a pain story and it has taken me until the ripe old age of 46 to truly name, claim and be willing to let it go.  My pain story is rejection. I don’t know exactly how, where, when or why it happened, but somewhere in my journey, I agreed to perceive and receive my life experience through the lens of rejection. By entering into this agreement, I got to receive every word said to me, every action done to me, every encounter as some form of possible rejection.

The Payoff

Here are a few examples of how this lens of rejection has operated for me:  If a teacher did not call on me, it meant he was rejecting me.  When it became obvious that I was not good at sports it meant I was no longer loved by my classmates.  If someone acknowledged changes to my teenage body, it meant they were rejecting me.  If someone questioned by theology or religious beliefs and it was determined that we differed in our beliefs, then I was being rejected by them.  Living in the lens of rejection has allowed me to be the victim and to cultivate a “me and them” defense mechanism where those I have perceived as rejecting me become the enemy and I become the misunderstood martyr.

The drawbacks

While agreeing to the pain story of rejection has served me on some level, I also have to acknowledge the ways in which it has held me back in my journey.  As a teenager and young adult, living from this perspective seriously limited my ability to enter into healthy, intimate relationships.  Living from this lens caused me to be rigid in my beliefs, opinionated and frankly, obnoxious.  I spent most of my time living in the tension of some sort of defensive anger, always on the lookout for the next person or opportunity where I would be rejected.  In truth, while this perception of rejection served me on some level and kept me safe from something…..in the end, it has only hurt me.  The good news is that I now get to make another choice.

Setting my intention

The focus of the workshop I attended this weekend allowed me the opportunity to name this pain story and to be open to making a new agreement.  We were invited to let go of our pain story and embrace a new agreement, an intention that will prove to bring healing and release to our pain stories, while opening us up to a life that is a freer expression of our most authentic selves.   The intention presented itself to me is the following:

I Receive Everything as Love

 

Transformation through Intention

Just sitting in the energy of this intention has been a powerful thing for me.   For me, this intention changes EVERYTHING!  It changes how I have seen the world.  It changes all those things I have perceived as hurtful, rejecting, etc.  It opens me up to seeing life through a different lens.  So, today, I enter into the Wheel of Initiation and allow myself to be open to all the ways in which this new agreement will transform me and my experience of life.  And I offer a profound prayer of gratitude to Julie Tallard Johnson for facilitating this intention and for providing through her course and her book the vehicle through which this intention can take root and grow into my life!

 

What has been your pain story?

What agreement have you entered into that my no longer be serving you?

How might you be open to allowing that to be transformed?

What might be the intention that can heal your pain story and allow you to live more freely?

 

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com