Tag Archive | prayer

Ash Wednesday – Returning

Feb22

Even now, says the Lord,

Return to me with your whole heart.

Joel 2:12-18

A Lenten Invitation

I love the scripture passage above from the prophet Joel.  This is the first line of the first reading proclaimed during the Ash Wednesday mass….ushering in the annual observance of Lent.  I’m not sure there are any better words to describe what Lent can be for us – returning to God with our whole hearts!

Our Forgetfulness

We are a forgetful people.  In our choice to experience the human condition, we temporarily forgot our original state in Oneness with God.  We forgot the peace, the love and the joy that define our Origin in God and as such, we live in a state of fear.  This fear which arises out of our false perception of separation from God is what creates the suffering that we experience in the human condition.  Out of this fear, we behave in ways that are unloving, unkind, covetous, jealous, wrathful and unjust…and we suffer the consequences of these actions (not because God is punishing us, but because that is just the way things are).  In this state of fear, we often believe, “Life sucks and then you die,” or we project these fears onto God falsely believing that we have to earn our way back to “heaven” and that there is some magical formula (certain prayers, rituals, sacraments, acts of service, pentitential acts) that will get us back home.  The good news is that there is really only one things we need to do…..and that is to REMEMBER!

Returning and Remembering

I know this is easier said than done, but in order to reclaim our original nature as loving, peaceful, joyful creatures, all we need to do is to REMEMBER.  And the quickest way I have found to remember the love, the joy and the peace that we are is to turn to God.  Now, I don’t mean the head bowed in penitence turning to God….I mean the heart wide-opened, arms spread wide, joyful acceptance of the loving magnificence of God.  And, there are many tools to help facilitate this turning…..prayer, devotion, worship, meditation, contemplation, love making, being in nature, mindfulness, acts of service, singing and chant, listening to music, participating in creative endeavors.  All of these activities, when directed toward our returning to God, help us to Remember.  When we REMEMBER God as love…..then we also REMEMBER ourselves as love and we have accomplished what Joel invites us to do - return to God with our whole heart.

What Are You Waiting For?

While we can get to this business of remembering and returning anytime we wish, Lent is a great excuse for giving extra attention to this endeavor.  So, if you are interested in experiencing deeper peace, greater love and more joy in your life…..what are you waiting for?  If you don’t already have a spiritual practice….start one (See the new Tab on this Website – “Meditation tips” for help on getting started.) and if you have one already….do it more.

What activities are you already doing that give you peace, help you experience love or joy?

How are you being invited to utilize these activities as a spiritual practice with the intention of remembering your original nature as love, peace and joy?

How are you being invited to begin or deepen your existing spiritual practice?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Let’s Talk About Lent

Feb20

Ash Wednesday, the official beginning of the season of Lent in the Christian calendar is this week.  What is the purpose of Lent anyway and how might we be invited to put away the cat of nine tails in exchange for the healing balm of love.

Mea Culpa Mea Culpa 

Ash Wednesday is this week and for the first time in my life, I am not looking forward to Ash Wednesday or even to Lent in the anxious anticipation that for me used to color this season.  I take this to mean that my addiction to self-loathing has finally come to an end!  Seriously…..I used to BASK in the glow of self-judgment, the wagging finger of blame, guilt and shame and the penitential practices that said to me, “See how good of a Catholic I am….I’m fasting, I’m abstaining, I’m donating to the poor, I’m praying, I’m doing the Stations of the Cross, I’m attending Eucharistic Adoration, I’m going to confession and receiving absolution, I’m earning God’s approval and insuring my own ticket to paradise.”  Lent was the PERFECT church season for a Perfectionist who was not yet on the road to recovery (from perfectionism, that is).  Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely see the value in many of the Lenten practices …..even the sacrament of Reconciliation…but if all Lent is doing for us is telling us how depraved we are and how much we need to earn back God’s love and approval because of our horrible sinful natures and if all Lent is doing is making us feel like crap….or allowing us to wallow in our own addiction to self-loathing, then perhaps we need to rethink our relationship to this annual Christian observance.

Proposing a New Theology of Lent….or Lent for recovering Perfectionists and Martyrs

So,  if you are one of those who wallows in self-loathing, or likes to bask in the glow of self-imposed martyrdom….or if you are simply a Christian who wants a new lens through which to view Lent…..here is my proposal.  Let’s start with the foundations of Lent.  Lent, we have been told, is modeled after Jesus’ 40 days in the desert where he was tempted by “Satan” in preparation for his entrance into his ministerial life.  Let’s back up the story a bit……the part that is often neglected is that Jesus’ foray into the desert came IMMEDIATELY after his baptism in the Jordan by John.  It was at the moment of his baptism, that Jesus came to understand that he was God’s beloved son.  His time in the desert, provided the opportunity he needed to reflect on what that meant for him and how he was called to live that out.  At the same time, Jesus had to confront all the “inner obstacles” (the meaning of the Hebrew word “satan”), that might stand in the way of him freely and openly living out that call.  As such, Jesus had to come face to face with all of the ego-driven temptations (pride, sloth, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony) that might stand in the way of him being the person he was called to be.  He took that time in the desert to face those inner obstacles and to allow God to release him from those temptations….thereby being healed and freed of his spiritual fears so that he could be the healer, prophet, teacher, savior he was called to be.  And…..he did it, successfully…..thanks to God’s help.

Lent as a Time for Healing – Exploring the What ifs

So, what  would happen if we applied Jesus’ 40 days in the desert to our own spiritual journeys?  What if we recognize, that like Jesus, our baptism is the moment when we are reminded that we are God’s beloved son or daughter and that with us God is very pleased?  What if we stuck our necks out there and actually BELIEVED in God’s unconditional, limitless, infinite love for us and that there is in fact nothing we can do…and nothing that we have ever done that could separate us from the Love of God (Paul says something to this effect).  What if, like Jesus, we struggle with the inner obstacles to remembering God’s love and that we struggle with the inner obstacles to being the person God has called us to be – peaceful, content, joyful, fulfilled, creative, loving, compassionate, working for justice, merciful?  What if instead of using Lent as a time for self-flagellation and self-punishment, we used it as a time to ASK GOD FOR HELP……inviting God to heal all those places within us where we have forgotten God’s love….forgotten our beloved nature and forgotten the work God has called us to do in the world.  What if?

A Terrific Lenten Resource

Now, a moment for a little shameless self-promotion.   If you are looking for a resource to help you move through Lent with a new set of eyes, my book, Authentic Freedom – Claiming a Life of Contentment and Joy is a fabulous resource.  The foundation of the book illuminates the false perception of separation from God that causes the spiritual fears that lead to our compulsive (sinful) behaviors.  The book then provides a systematic process through which you are invited to name your own spiritual fears and through sound spiritual practice, give those fears over to God for healing and release.  Consider it your own 40 days in the desert.  And if you buy it before midnight tonight, I’ll throw in your own set of  Cat of Nine Tails for free.  ;)

What has been your relationship with the annual observance of Lent?

How are you being called to embrace a new perspective on Lent?

What are some of the inner spiritual fears that you might want to offer up for healing?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Magic, Miracles and the Truth of Abundance

Feb8

Today’s blog explores the truth of an abundant Universe and the magic and miracles that happen when we believe this to be true.

The First Spiritual Fear

In my book, Authentic Freedom – Claiming a Life of Contentment and Joy, I reveal the Seven Spiritual Fears that prevent us from living a life of contentment and joy.  The first fear that I reveal is the fear that there is not enough. This fear arises out of our survival needs for food, clothing and shelter, but becomes distorted and irrational, causing us to constantly live in a state of anxiety over money, food, clothing, time, material possessions, money, money, money.  The truth that is the remedy to this fear and also revealed in my book is that the Divine meets all of our needs in abundance.  For most of us, it is a significant leap of faith to even consider the possibility that there is a Divine Source, let alone one who cares enough about us to make sure our needs are being met.  Then when faced with the reality of unemployment, a declining economy, world hunger and poverty, we really doubt this truth.  What we learn, however, is at the highest and deepest levels, this truth ultimately has nothing to do with our material world and has everything to do with our inner terrain.  Our original nature is peaceful and content and that inner state of peacefulness is independent of our external life circumstances.  In other words, even if we are dying of starvation and exposure in a Nazi prison camp, we can still know peace.  A tough pill to swallow to be sure, but this is the peace that God invites us into, invites us to remember and cultivate.  And, it is this deep well of inner peace that will give us comfort no matter what life throws at us.

Practicing What I Preach

Two years ago when it became obvious that divorce was inevitable, one of my teachers prophetically stated, “Well, now you will have an opportunity to practice what you preach.  You will be living the words written in your book.”  As the past 24 months unfolded, I can tell you there were many times I wish I had never written this dang book as I found myself choking on my own words.  Every fear that I teach about in Authentic Freedom came to bite me in the butt and I had to return again and again and again to what I had written.  The fear there is not enough was most certainly the most frequent visitor….and I still struggle with that fear from time to time and sometimes on a daily basis.  I guess the adage is true that we teach what we need to learn!

Proof in the Pudding

I do have to say, however, that everything I wrote in my book proved to be true.  In the face of all of my fears, through adherence to the principles of Authentic Freedom and engagement of the spiritual practices outlined in my book, I have found abundance, my own unique giftedness, empowerment, love, the freedom to generously share my gifts, insight and direction and most importantly the peace of remembering my Oneness with God and with all the Universe.  Specific to the fear there is not enough, the past week has been a glorious reminder of how truly abundant our God is and how our needs are abundantly met when we have faith and believe.  I want to share with you a few examples:

  • When I began this journey 24 months ago, a vision of a house appeared in my prayers – the house that would meet all the needs of myself and my children and my fledgling business.  I found what I thought was “the house” and lost it in a bidding war.  Later, I had a dream of a friend “giving” me a house.  This served as a reminder that the house that was in our highest good would come in some magical and miraculous way.  A month or so later, this is exactly what happened.  My children and I now live in a magical, amazing home that also houses my business and I am head over heels in love with this house!
  • When struggling with the fear there is not enough  last week, I brought it to prayer and in my prayer, I saw a vision of two fish and five loaves of bread.  Duh…..loaves and fishes.  God was giving me a message.  I was smart enough to hear the message and believe it.  I then paid my bills and found I had more than enough money to cover the bills and may have even discovered a $300 error, in my favor, in my bank account.  (still waiting for verification of that error)
  • I have a suggested fee that is in the reach of many of my clients, but out of the reach for some.  My commitment to God has been to offer my gifts without regard to people’s ability (or lack thereof) to pay.  As a result, I have worked out discounts, trades and barters with several clients.  One of my standing “jokes” around my trade and bartering is “Now I just need to find a farmer who will give me food in exchange for Reiki.”  Yesterday it showed up in an even bigger package than what I had asked for.  One client brought produce from her own garden and venison that her husband had hunted.  Another client brought a bag of organic groceries from my favorite Co-op in Madison.  When it rains it pours!
  • In an effort to meet my client goal for the week, I posted a message on Facebook, inviting past and current clients and friends to send people my way.  That very day, I got three new clients….completely unrelated to the Facebook request.

So, I guess the moral of the story is that God really does meet our needs when we have faith and believe.  And in those moments when I find I am unable to believe or trust in an abundant God, this is the prayer that gives me comfort:

Lord, Help me in my unbelief.

Because I have also found that all the praying in the world sometimes doesn’t calm our fears….and in those moments I know that only God can help me to believe.

Where do you struggle with the fear “there is not enough?”

What tools do you have for moving through that fear into belief in abundance?

Where do you turn to God for help when you are afraid?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Can I Get an AMEN!?

Jan29

Today’s blog explores the much used, abused and in truth, neglected word, “AMEN.”  What do we mean when we say this and what can it really mean? 

Exposing my Geekdom

I have a confession to make.  I am a geek!  I pretty much meet all of the qualifications for certifiable “Geekdom.”  And maybe this isn’t a surprise, but  one thing I bet you didn’t know about my Geekdom is my complete fascination with ancient and dead languages – in particular, Sanskrit, Aramaic, Hebrew and Latin.  I have said if I had all the money and time in the world, I would go back to school and study these languages.  But here’s the real Geek confession….it is not the languages per se that fascinates me, it is the letters, the root sounds and their magical, mystical, healing, transformative powers.  Because in case you didn’t know this…..these languages ARE MAGIC!  And that goes back to my first true fantasy and first touch of geekdom - to be able to wiggle my nose, ala Samantha Stevens,  and poof make things happen.  And in case you didn’t know this….Samantha Stevens is QUEEN of the geeks!

Magical Hebrew Letters

So my dream to be able to study ancient and dead languages has begun taking root.  On a recent Amazon.com search, I found this fabulous book, The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet by Rabbi Michael L. Munk.  In this book, he takes each letter of the Aleph-Beis (Hebrew Alphabet) and explores the hidden, mystical, magical, spiritual significance of each letter and their connection to Jewish deed and thought.  It is a beautiful book and it is quenching my thirst for a deeper comprehension of ancient languages and their spiritual roots.

Can I Get an Amen?

Now….to the point of today’s blog!  Rabbi Munk shares his thoughts on a tiny little word that is common among the prayers of both the Hebrew and Christian traditions, and that word is AMEN.  Having been raised Catholic, I was quite familiar with this little word – it acted as a period at the end of every uttered prayer.  Whether a rote, memorized prayer like the Lord’s Prayer or the Hail Mary, sung at the end of the Doxology, or at the end of the intercessory prayers, Amen was the word that marked the end of our prayer intentions.  I recall being told in religious ed that “Amen” meant something like, “So be it.”  Rabbi Munk reveals a deeper, more expansive understanding of the word AMEN that has totally altered the way I will use this word in the future:

The word Amen, stems from faith or belief.  When responding, ”Amen,” we must bear in mind that we are acknowledging our belief in the manifestation of God described in the blessing we have just heard.”

(The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alphabet pg 152)

When we say, “Amen” we are saying that we BELIEVE that God is doing what the words say God is doing!  We are saying that we BELIEVE that God is answering and taking action on our prayers.   We are saying that we BELIEVE the words we are saying or the words that God is saying to us.  Amen = I BELIEVE.  To me, this is HUGE!  It is one thing to put a period or an exclamation at the end of a blessing or a prayer, but to say, “Yep, I believe this,” is not just HUGE…it is EARTH SHATTERING!   Now…let me give you some examples.

God’s Words to Me

Throughout the past year and a half of blogging, I have shared with you several mantras and words of comfort that God has given me in my prayer and in my yoga practice.  Here are some of those words:

  • You are my beloved daughter and with you I am well pleased
  • You are precious and glorious in my eyes and I love you
  • I know well the plans I have for you, plans for prosperity and not for woe
  • Say yes to what God gives you
  • You are a vessel through which love is known in this place
  • You are worthy of love and belonging
  • The word is CHOOSE
  • Grow up
  • You know who you are, you know what you want
  • Be open to receive all the love the universe wants to give you 

I have taken these words to heart…..and they have been a profound source of comfort and help when I needed them.  But upon reading Rabbi Munk’s words, these words take on a whole new meaning.  To all of the above……I now add a big, huge AMEN!  In other words, I don’t just hear these words, I am being invited to BELIEVE them……to believe in prosperity, in love, in abundance, in openness, to belonging, to knowing, to receiving, etc. etc. etc. and to know that God is actually DOING what all of these words of comfort and support suggest.   So to prosperity…I say AMEN!  To knowing all my needs are abundantly met….I say AMEN!  To all the love of the universe, I say Amen…..You get the idea! And indulging my geek fantasies, when I say AMEN, I imagine God as Samantha Stevens, wiggling her nose and making it so!  Now it is your turn:

To what are you being invited to say AMEN?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

You Are Loved

Jan23

In today’s blog I share with you the words that came to me during my yoga practice yesterday morning.  I believe these are words for all of us!

Worthiness and Love

Of late, I have been reflecting on worthiness – specifically worthiness of being loved.  This love is of course about our intimate human relationships, AND I know at the deepest core of my being, that this worthiness is ultimately about Divine Love and our ability to believe we are loved unconditionally, infinitely and beyond measure.  As in worthiness of human love, we might hear that God loves us, but do we actually believe it?  Most of the time and for most human beings, I would say the answer is “NO.”  And what I have learned is that until we not only hear this love, but believe in it….with our whole hearts and souls, we are without peace, joy, compassion, mercy and fulfillment.  In other words, it is in REMEMBERING the LOVE that WE ARE…..that we find peace, contentment and joy.

God Speaks

So I showed up for yoga class yesterday morning with these thoughts wrapped around my aura.  Before beginning class, our instructor usually invites us to state within ourselves an intention for our practice.  I didn’t have a specific intention for the morning, so I simply sat in silence, waiting.  Then, clear as a bell, I hear God speak.  And this is what God said to me, “You are my beloved daughter, and with you I am well pleased.”  Yeah, Yeah….I know this is scriptural….and that it comes from the scriptural narratives about Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan by John.  And…..I also believe these are not only God’s words for Jesus….but are God’s words for us as well.  And…..hearing these words yesterday made me wonder, “Is this the truth Jesus had to hear, know, embrace and embody before he could embark upon his own healing ministry?”  I think perhaps it is!  So I used these words as a mantra during my yoga practice and allowed myself to not only hear these words, but begin to believe them.   And in being present to these words, I felt peaceful, joyful, grounded and secure.

My Prayer for You

So, here is my prayer/invitation for you today – that you take these words, You Are my Beloved Daughter/Son, and with You I am Well Pleased – imagine that God is saying these words directly to and about you……and believe that God is addressing you in this way.  Then, let your heart be open to hearing, believing, embracing and embodying this truth…..BECAUSE…….YOU ARE LOVE…..YOU ARE LOVED…..YOU ARE WORTHY….And the quicker you know this….the quicker you will know peace, contentment, fulfillment and joy!

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Writing as a Spiritual Practice

Jan18

Today’s blog explores writing as a spiritual practice.  And, offers resources in support of this practice. 

My Journey with Writing

Writing has been part of my personal spiritual practice for nearly 20 years, if not longer.  I remember first being encouraged to write as part of my prayer in a high school theology class (I attended parochial schools).  My writing practice at that time consisted of writing my prayer requests to God and writing what might be construed as psalms – poems of praise and worship.  My writing practice took a back seat during my fun-filled college years and my early foray into corporate America.  Writing re-surfaced as a spiritual practice through one of the required classes of the Ministerial Formation program I attended through the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  The class, Integrative Spirituality, was taught by Sr. Marie Schwan and focused on Ignatian spirituality.  We learned various Christian spiritual practices including Imagination/Contemplation, Mantra Prayer, Lectio-Divina, and Centering Prayer.  We were encouraged to make writing part of our daily spiritual practice, and to keep a spiritual journal.  Keeping a journal later became a requirement of the program itself and a pre-requisite to graduation.  Not yet realizing I was born to be a writer, I was surprised to find that the writing part of the spiritual practice eventually became one of my most helpful and supportive tools.

The Gifts of a Writing Practice

What I discovered through spiritual writing and journalling, was that it was often through my pen that God would speak.  Somehow, writing allowed me to get out of my own head and simply allow a higher wisdom and source of creative expression to speak through me (I call that higher wisdom “God”).  Through writing I found answers to difficult questions, insights into higher laws, creative inspiration, spiritual comfort and healing, direction along life’s path, release of pain and woundedness and a place to write my deepest, darkest, most vulnerable feelings and thoughts….things I would be reluctant to share with anyone.  Today, I rarely enter into my spiritual practice without my journal by my side and pen ready.  Writing has become an integral part of my spiritual practice and has become the roadmap of my life.  As a professional Spiritual Director, I often invite my clients to add writing to their existing spiritual practice and for those that have said yes, they have experienced amazing results.

Starting a Spiritual Writing Practice

If you have not yet integrated writing into your spiritual practice, I highly recommend it.  And, there are several great resources out there for beginning that practice.  One of my favorite is Spiritual Journaling – Writing Your Way to Independence by writer and teacher, Julie Tallard Johnson.  In this book Julie provides tools for beginning a spiritual practice centered in writing, writing prompts and exercises and all the support you need along the way.  It is a terrific book for beginners as well as well-seasoned writers and I highly recommend it.  And……just so you know, the book has just been released in Kindle format and from January 22 – February 4, will be available for just 99 cents!!!!!   So, check out the book, get your copy today and START WRITING!

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

How God Speaks Through Our Imagination

Jan12

Today’s blog comes to us through Kristen Moss.  Kristen attended the inaugural Authentic Freedom Ministries Sunday Service.  Using the story of the Epiphany, the star and the Magi from the East, I invited the participants to engage daydreaming as prayer through the meditation practice known as Imagination/Contemplation. Through this practice, you place yourself within the context of a scriptural narrative and imagine the story unfolding in your mind through the perspective of one of the characters.  The “character” that spoke to Kristen was the Star, and this is what it said:

After reflecting on a reading from the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12, we picked something from the story that we related to and meditated on it. I was drawn to the North Star.
The Star’s Message to Humanity
“I am the North Star. I light the way for many people as well as other entities. I, with the guidance of others; “Guardians of Light”, we pass along great messages of peace, love and wisdom. Fear not, my friend, worry not of the other beings you fear will do you harm. We are the “Bringers of Light”, part of a glowing and powerful group of galaxies, constellations, stars and planets. Many of you humans have forgotten that your planet, Mother Earth, is a living and breathing place that must be loved, must be cared for… must not be misused or abused. We see what is being done… the hate and fear that humans breed… the lack of respect for your home~ Earth~.

We see how this planet is crying out for you to stop all the harm and to come back into the space of love and understanding. Do you not see that Mother Earth is a reflection of you? She mirrors your human behaviors… send Her love and gratefulness; she, in return, will love and provide abundance for you in all ways… now is the time to remember… don’t forget!

I, the north star, along with my astial brothers and sisters, watch with great awe as well as sadness. We know the potential you are all capable of. We see your future and know that many great and wonderful things await you and your planet.

Many others have been observing you all as well, some more than others. Most come here with the intent to assist your people (humans) in the shift in human consiousness, the shift that greatly will affect your earth home in a wonderfully, loving way.

We stars love and protect you.. we guide you, we assist in your spiritual development. We gather together in our own ways, astral collective gatherings of Light and Love. We assist all that are within all of the billions of galaxies here and well beyond”….

What is the star saying to you?

How have you been open to the Divine speaking to you through your imagination?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Forgiveness in Divorce

Dec15

Today’s blog explores the miraculous grace of forgiveness.

Listen to Your Teachers

When during the course of ten days, four of your spiritual teachers offer the same directive, maybe you should listen.  The problem for me was that my inner-Irish wanted NOTHING to do with their unanimous advice.  Instead, she stomped her feet, crossed her arms and sat in the corner pouting as she clung tightly to the grudges she had been harboring  – the grudges which gave her the illusion of power and control, strength and courage, and most importantly….the belief that she was RIGHT and HE was wrong.  The “He” that we are referring to here is my ex-husband.  And the unanimous directive of my four spiritual teachers?  FORGIVENESS.  Can I hear a collective “ARGH!”?

The Invitation

The unanimous advice of these four spiritual teachers was this, “In order to move on with your life, in order to truly be open to love, you need to FORGIVE”  - specifically, my ex-husband for all the things I perceived that he did “wrong,” all the ways I think he “hurt” me, etc.  While I was enjoying all the perceived power in harboring resentment, etc. I knew that this advice was dead on correct and that in spite of all my protesting, I needed to give Forgiveness a chance.  And I’m here to tell you that after only two weeks of holding forgiveness in my field of intentions, the results have been nothing short of miraculous.

Being Open to Forgive

Of course it is not only in the past two weeks that I have been open to forgiveness in regards to this relationship.  But in the past two weeks, I have ramped up my efforts:

  • Bringing this intention to prayer.
  • Asking God for help.
  • Incorporating ritual and affirmations.
  • Praying mantras about forgiveness.
  • Anointing myself with sacred oils that are said to facilitate forgiveness.

I have done all these things hoping to release the pain, hurt, resentment, etc. so that I can not only be free of the past, but so that I can be open to the future.  I can’t receive healthy intimacy while dragging around the ball and chain of my past relationship.  So I have entered into this process and I feel I need to share with you that apparently the kitchen has to get dirtier before it can be clean (as my mother used to say).

An Onslaught of Demons

Apparently forgiveness is not for the weak of heart….because as soon as I accepted this invitation to enter into the process of forgiveness, the demon dogs from hell were released.  I soon found myself face to face with all the fears, pains, conflicts, projections, ego attachments, demons, etc. of that relationship.  First my ex was the target, then other people, then my ex again, then I had to face the cold hard truth…..my part in all of this.  ARGH!!!!!!!!!!    So, as I was working on forgiving HIM I found the most important person I had to forgive was MYSELF.  Who knew?  I say forgiveness in not for the faint of heart because I surely could have high-tailed it out of this process and returned to my corner of grudge.  Instead, I decided to JUST KEEP MOVING.  I allowed myself to be present to all the pain, all the loss, all the shattered dreams, all the perceived betrayals (on both of our parts), etc. etc. etc.   I felt a little like St. Margaret, trudging through the bowels of hell.  I allowed myself to rage, I cried bitter tears of loss and regret and I let go.  Then something amazing started to happen.

Wonder of Wonder, Miracle of Miracles

Here is where I was reminded to believe in miracles.  Of course my ex had no idea that I had accepted forgiveness as my personal intention.  And yet, somewhere in the midst of all of this, my ex and I started talking and in the talking, I found release from things of the past, I began to let go of pain and found consolation for the hurts and perceived betrayals, AND I think he experienced some of this as well (although he has always been better at forgiveness than I am…and probably was long past needing this exercise).  And…..I know that as I continue to hold this intention, that forgiveness will contine to be realized and I will be more free to receive healthy intimacy, unencumbered by the pain of the past.

The BIGGIE

But the miracles don’t stop there.  In the midst of struggling with forgiveness, I invoked my favorite mantra on forgiveness and in my meditation heard the following words, “Forgiveness is ultimately about releasing judgment.”  I felt as if the universe had just hit me across the head with a two by four.  Of course forgiveness is about releasing judgment….and who most needs to learn that lesson but ME……the judger of all judges.  I haven’t quite gotten my perfectionistic head around that idea yet, but I feel within it an opportunity, an invitation and a promise…and I know that if I can get my little pea brain around the idea of non-judgment that I will be open to knowing, being and sharing love in ways that I cannot yet even possibly imagine.  On that one, I will keep you posted.

What things of your past are in need of the grace of forgiveness?

How might you accept the invitation to allow forgiveness?

Where do you want to be more free to know and be love?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

The Path of Our Highest Good

Dec9

Today’s blog invites us to believe that the Divine has our highest good in mind and wants us to know it….and the tools for receiving that information.

I, the Lord, your God,

teach you what is for your good,

and lead you on the way you should go.

If you would hearken to my commandments,

your prosperity would be like a river.

Isaiah 48: 17

 The Path of Our Highest Good

Finally, the scripture passage that supports my theory…the theory I intend and attempt to live by every day of my life.  God knows the path that is in our highest good and wants to reveal that path to us.  And when we take the time to discern the knowledge of God regarding the path of our highest good, we are guaranteed “prosperity.”  And before we jump on the pop-culture theology of prosperity bandwagon….God’s prosperity is measured differently than ours.  God’s prosperity is about abundance and fruitfulness….it is a path that feels free, expansive and is that which leads us toward inner fulfillment, peace, contentment, love, joy, compassion, mercy and justice.  It is the path that allows us to name, claim, cultivate and generously share our own unique giftedness in service to humankind.  Let me put it plainly, the “prosperity” spoken of in this reading is an interior quality and is independent of our external life experiences.  Might God’s path lead us to financial abundance…perhaps, but only if that is in our highest good and we deem to share that abundance in service to humankind.

But How Do We Know?

The reading above tells us that God will teach us the path and we will know that path if we follow God’s commandments.  I don’t think that Isaiah is specifically speaking about “The 10 Commandments” here, but the commandments that God would reveal in our hearts as to the path that we are invited to walk.  The vehicle through which we receive these “commandments” is our spiritual practice.  God reveals God’s self to us in the quiet of our hearts when we go to God in prayer, meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, etc.  If we want to know the path that God would teach us to be in our highest good, this is where we will learn that path.  (In my book, Authetic Freedom, you are given specific tools for learning and practicing these spiritual practices as well as some elementary tools for discernment….determining the difference between the guidance that comes from our False-Self or Ego and the guidance that comes from God.)

What Are You Waiting For?

Do you want to know the path that is in your highest good?  Do you desire a life of peace, contentment, fulfillment, expansiveness, joy, compassion, love, mercy and justice?  Do you want to know what your gifts are and how you are called to use them in the world for your own fulfillment and in service to the betterment of the world?  If the answer is yes, I ask you, “What are you waiting for?”  Embrace a spiritual practice.  Deepen your existing practice.  Employ the tools of spiritual discernment.  Accept the support of outside resources to help you in your discernment process.  Then….LIVE A LIFE OF JOY!!!!!

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Hope in “God”

Dec7

In today’s scripture, we are reminded that the source of comfort and strength is that which some call “God.”

They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength,

they will soar as with eagles’ wings;

They will run and not grow weary,

walk and not grow faint.

Isaiah 40: 30-31

Life’s Challenges

The human condition is hard.   No matter who we are, we experience suffering, challenge, difficulties, loss, death, betrayal, loneliness, sorrow.  These are the pits and valleys of the human condition.  No one is exempt from the “negative” experiences of being human….regardless of our virtue or our good deeds.  Bad things happen to good people and bad things happen to “bad” people.  It is not because of some sort of Divine retribution or punishment for our “sins” or the “sins” of our parents that we suffer.  If we are going to be human, it is simply part of the deal.  As all of our greatest spiritual teachers (like Isaiah above) knew and taught, however, there is a comforting balm, a source of strength and inspiration in helping us deal with the challenges of being human.  This source of comfort, some would call “God.”

Turning to God

In today’s reading from the Hebrew scriptures, Isaiah reminds us that God is the source of comfort, healing and strength as we face the challenges of the human condition.  While God may not remove the challenge, turning to God in humble prayer helps us to find the strength to move through the challenge, the resources of human support we need to weather the storm and the inner peace and contentment we need to see beyond the struggle to the promise of new life.  Turning to God may also help us to see our challenges from a wider perspective – opening us to see the opportunities for growth, reconciliation, forgiveness, love, mercy, generosity, humility, etc. within that which we might perceive as a burden.  In this way, God lightens our load, eases our burden, heals our hearts.  And the best news is that WE don’t have to “do anything” to fix, remedy, change the struggle, for when we remember to turn to God, God is the one “doing” something about it.  We need simply rest in God’s loving arms and allow the Divine Source of love, comfort and peace carry us through what is sure to be a temporary blip in the roadmap of life.

An Invitation

So, next time you are facing the struggles of the human condition….Go to God.  Turn it over to God.  Engage your favorite form of meditation, prayer, contemplation and invite God to be present to you in that struggle.  And the most fantastic news is that God is already there, whether we know it or not.  Turning to prayer simply helps us to remember and in remembering, to allow God to be the source of comfort and support that has been waiting there all along.

What are your favorite spiritual practices during time of human struggle?

Where have you experienced God as a source of comfort and support during times of challenge?

How might you begin to embrace a daily spiritual practice that can build the foundation of you recollection of God’s love and support?

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com