Copyright 1999-2011 Susan Kramer
Santa Barbara, California USA
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Published by Creations in Consciousness

Contents

1. Being Alone without Being Lonely
2. Blazin' a Trail in History
3. Change and Changelessness in Time
4. Choosing a Pathway
5. Corrallin' in the Herd
6. 'Free Love'
7. Inconclusive Connections
8. Is Getting Even an Option?
9. It's a Fly Ball
10. Jury Duty
11. Moonlight
12. Quiet Time; auf deutsch Zeit der Stille
13. Reclaiming Personal Power
14. Sibling Rivalry
15. Skidding off the Road
16. Stepping Carefully
17. Temporal Truth; Ultimate Truth
Links
 
 

1. Being Alone without Being Lonely

We can be alone in a room and not feel alone. When I am reading a good book I do not feel alone. When I am exercising or writing I do not feel alone. Aloneness is felt when we have the need to share, or when we have become dependent on someone or something outside of our own being to 'provide' our happiness.

The human species is social—we interact with each other in nearly every aspect of living. So, the desire to socialize comes up even if our personal activities are fulfilling to us.

Being alone, and also feeling lonely, comes when we have not yet discovered that our personal fulfillment comes right out of our depths—right out of our depths of consciousness—from communion with our Source, Resource.

Contact with our Source, Resource, is socializing with the Presence that is always with us as a listening ear—that warms and energizes us with feelings of harmony—spurring us on to be positive and productive in the world.

In contact with our Source we are never alone
The unseen presence our infinite and daily companion

To develop consciousness of the Unseen Companion, listen to the soft wind within—developed in meditation and carried out into daily living. Refer to my writing titled 'Quiet Time' for detailed instruction in contacting the Holy vibration—the Unseen Companion within.

When we learn how to socialize with our Source, we will find that we always have a companion with us—that we are really never 'alone'.

Being alone without being lonely happens
when we discover and nurture
the Holy Presence within

And our fulfillment lies
in taking the gifts of the Holy Spirit
warmth and energy, peace and contentment
into our social interactions

2. Blazin' a Trail in History

We each leave our mark now for what later becomes history. By today's actions, tomorrow's accounting of history is told.

Each of us contributes to the story that makes up the ongoing history of our world.

If we live good lives
being good and doing good
we uplift the world as a whole
Each of the parts
One of the parts
of history

By studying the history of civilizations—either through words left or even earlier through the relics we uncover, we can see our past patterns. And as we are now blazing our own trail in history, we have the opportunity to create a better present and future, by learning from the mistakes made.

Modern civilizations have risen and fallen—but why have they fallen?

Civilizations fell when the collective energy was not going for the most truthful and highest resolve in their conflicts—personal and community. And this downfall was not just amongst the leaders—but amongst a majority of its members. Peace and brotherhood were set on the back burner and forgotten—burned away.

Then, doesn't it make sense that if we want our current civilization to grow and flourish for the benefit of us in our lifetime, and for our progeny, that we each should live in accordance with what we know is for our best, and for the common good, both?

By taking the time now, as we are preparing to enter the new millenium, to reflect on the lessons that history has left for us, we can best take the steps effective for our own good, the common good—our planetary good.

We each blaze
a beautiful trail through history
by being good and doing good
moment after moment
Making what becomes
our personal history
our collective history
the best it can be

3. Change and Changelessness in Time

The question is: Does the passage of time change all things?

Events and objects in the world come and go—exchanging one format for another—energy to matter, back and forth again and again. We have things and people with us for awhile, maybe even years—but, every 'thing' of the creation is in some stage of an ever-changing cycle—slipping into its next incarnation at some point in time.

We all seem to seek what is changeless in time. And since people and things are ever changing, we one day realize that only what is supporting these visible changes is the constant.

And what is the nature of what is constant?

The underlying Source, Resource is the constant—brought into our awareness through communion with our Divine Self in loving meditation. Experienced fully in our lives by our caring actions—which have a hidden surprise for us: Sharing and caring—being kind—actually energize our physical body and awaken feelings of peace and contentment in our mind.

The constant in time
Our attitude and actions of loving care

No matter where we are, or who we are with, we can feel and act lovingly. It is always our choice to make the choice for love, moment to moment, within the One infinite moment of time. And, even when the physical presence of a loved one goes from us, through the distance of travel or death, we can still feel love for them. And, in feeling that love we become energized—just as if we were, at that moment in time, in their physical presence.

Love, ever the constant in time
Energizing our body
Bringing peace and contentment to mind

Things of the world ever changing
Visible to invisible form
But with attitudes, thoughts and actions of care
Love ever constant and present in time

4. Choosing a Pathway

Choosing. Choices. Every moment we are making the choices that set the course for the next moment. And in the accumulation of moment to moment choices, the course of our lives is written.

So, the choices we are making in this very moment are inter-linked and an essential part of the whole pathway of our lives.

Besides the moment to moment choices, we have choice, from the outset or along the way, to choose a general direction for our growth in consciousness.

Growth in consciousness coming about from following the dictates of our conscience, and acting with care and concern with others, and the natural world.

Growth in consciousness
The superior pathway
developed within
as we upgrade our awareness of what is good

A pathway harmoniously tread in daily living
from upgraded realizations
A smooth base underlying
all the marked trails and detours

These are some ways that I keep my underlying base firm:

     1. Spend 15 minutes before sleep in deep relaxation while reflecting on the quality of my actions that day;
     2. Observe myself in action—noting how I am acting with others—with a positive or negative attitude?
     3. Analyze my planned activities—do the pros outweigh the cons for the use of my time and resources? What would the long-term results be?
     4. Pray for direction from my inner Resource.

Choosing a pathway for action comes first from developing a firm base of steadiness—strength of character. Strength of character coming from understanding what is right, from what is wrong—then acting for what is for the general good consistently.

Outer pathways most successful
from developing a steadfast base
of good character

5. Corrallin' in the Herd

Corrallin' in the herd—reigning in stray negative actions. Safely penning up unproductive habits by replacing them with more positive habits—in the same time frame.

By replacing negative habits and actions with positive and productive actions, we bring health and harmony back into our body-mind.

Our body-mind
inexplicably entwined
One affecting the other
microscopically and visibly
in our general physical health
and mental well-being
Corrallin' in the herd
Checkin' the far pasture
for negative habits, activities
temporarily slipped from view
Getting' them corralled in, too

When we make the effort to replace negative with ever more positive attitudes and actions we open out our horizon. When our time is not occupied with fulfilling the prodding of negative or compulsive habits we are free to roam and wander. No longer are we attached to a leash—however long. We are again free to roam and wander at will, as we did as children. The child—ever happily exploring on long summer days—not tied to compulsions keepin' him restricted, in one place.

Corrallin' in the herd
Replacin' restrictions on our time and energy
that were taken up with negativity
More lightness and energy comin' through
From positive actions
Strength renewed

6. 'Free Love'

Back in the 1960s the practice of 'free love' was birthed.

A good outcome of 'free love' was that the participants learned to give love without expecting anything in return. They may not have started out thinking that they were learning how to give love—they may have thought that they were just sharing sexually. But in humans, the act of giving of ourselves sexually—openly and without reserve, brings our joy within to the forefront.

I believe the free love of the 1960s opened our inner doorways just enough through our practice of unconditional sexual love, to dawn our present planetary reawakening.

The 1960s through the end of the millenium have been a period of accelerated growth in planetary consciousness. What was birthed in our free love experiment, opened our hearts and minds to world wide social and planetary issues. We began feeling and realizing that the whole planet—the whole universe—is our home, too—an extension in consciousness from the former feeling that our nuclear family, and our country were the boundaries of our concern.

And here we are—having stepped bravely into the new millenium—our hearts now opening wide in consciousness and concern for what is beyond our own doorway.

To keep growing in consciousness we need to continue loving unconditionally. We need to remember the earlier opening of our hearts in the 60s, and fan those fires of love once again. And we can each grow in consciousness and the ability to love on an ever greater scale by:

     1. Spending time each day in a period of meditation—listening to the soft wind within, emanating from our own soul—providing comfort and direction for our highest good and the good of our planetary home and its contents. Click on my writing, 'Quiet Time' for direction in establishing a link with the holy  vibration.
     2. Being good and doing good.
     3. Loving and caring unconditionally in our relationships and interactions.
     4. Holding a positive attitude, which produces positive thoughts and productive actions.
     5. Taking good care of our body by reframing from mood altering and mind bending drugs, alcohol, and any other substance known to be detrimental when consumed in excess.
     6. Exercising, to keep up bodily stamina, and relieve stress.

Free love
the door opener to our present awakening
to the importance of loving freely

Loving freely
Giving our unconditional love
with an open and caring heart

Energizing ourselves
Renewing our planet
A natural birthing
for a healthy new millenium

7. Inconclusive Connections

Inconclusive connections—connections with people or situations that are temporarily short-circuited.

A circuit is a circle in motion. When we seem to be unable to resolve the issues at hand, we are in a short-circuit—we are cut out of the flow of motion leading to resolution. Either ourselves or the others can short-circuit attempts at resolution.

It is sometimes productive to allow an inconclusive connection to bide its time, particularly if a resolution is not readily visible.

Inconclusive connections are a big point of growth for all concerned. Difficult resolutions require us to search within—use more of our brain-power and energy to uncover the deeper, and for the time being, hidden resolve. Time and energy both act as distillers—giving the unexposed facts time to rise to a level of importance and relevance for the situation.

Inconclusive connections
Reaching resolution
from the distillation of time and energy combined
Settling out the sediment of irrelevance
Bringing forth new understandings
and workable solutions

Inconclusive connections
Really issues in process
Processed most readily
When attitudes of all
are aimed at producing
the most refined and useful resolve

8. Is Getting Even an Option?

The question: Is revenge, or the feeling of being gratified by revenge ever justified?

No.

For our own peace of mind, we need to substitute feelings of compassion when we perceive or see another having something bad happen to them.

Revenge is a fighting spirit in action. It is a negative emotion, in that it sends the same hormones coursing through our body as when we feel anger. Revenge is a negative response to anger.

Revenge serves no useful purpose. Two wrongs do not make the situation right. Down through history more lives have been lost over religious issues than any other issue. Killing is not justified just because the issue is a religious victory. Looking back on our history and the current issues in various countries and feeling happy when our point of view triumphed is not conducive to our spiritual growth today. No matter what the past or present issues we need to eliminate the old way of feeling happy when our concept of good triumphs over our perception of what is evil by feeling compassion that we, as humans, have resorted to violence for any reason. Let us improve our world by holding compassion in our hearts for both sides of the issues that have passed and are ongoing. In this, the 'new' way of substituting compassion for gloating over another's misfortune, we will set a happier, more enlightened view for the upcoming millennium.

On a personal level, if something negative happens in our lives, what helps our situation is:

     1. Maintaining our own peace of mind by staying away from the people or places where the bad scene occurred;
     2. Substituting positive attitudes for negative thoughts (which includes eliminating gloating over another's negative happenings);
     3. Leading a positive lifestyle, ourselves, in order to keep our body and mind healthy.

Getting even is not an option on the spiritual path. Getting even reinforces negative attitudes, thoughts and actions.

Taking a stand for positive action in our own lives is an antidote for seeking revenge or gloating in revenge. We may not have been able to stop something bad from happening to us, but we do not have to continue the negative energy by seeking revenge. We can cut ourselves out of the circle of negativity by disassociating from the source, occasions, and people who act so negatively that we may one day want to
seek revenge on them.

Let's keep in mind that our own peace of mind is most precious for our good emotional, mental, and physical health, and for our growth in consciousness. And rather than seek revenge, or enjoy another's misfortune, let us rather pray, that they will turn toward the light of goodness—as we maintain our own goodness. Let us pray, too, that religious wars will cease and all will recognize that in our humanity we are already a united people—each an essential member of one world-wide family.
 

9. It's a Fly Ball

We play in the game of life—various positions at various times, or even simultaneously. If we are mainly playing the infield, and the ball flies to the outfield, we will not be able to handle that play.

There are rules and regulations in the game of life just as in a ball game. When we are unable to cover all the bases ourselves, we have to let someone else cover that territory. If we are used to acting co-dependently, we may try to cover all the team positions ourselves, and in spreading ourselves too thin, end up losing the game.

Doing a few jobs well is more effective in getting results, than worrying over someone else's territory. And, this leads us to the fact that we should be concerned with our own business, and not so concerned over the business, the busyness, of other adults.

Each of us learns to play in the game of life by actually playing the game ourselves—from whatever position we are in at the moment. Being the best we can be, and being open all the while—learning to play better and better through practice. If someone else covers our position, we will not learn how to be the team player we need to be, while learning our lesson.

Playing in the game of life requires cooperation—working out the most effective strategies—to achieve the best results. When we take up the attitude of playing our position the best we can—cooperating with those around us, by bouncing ideas back and forth—we are most likely to be part of a winning team.

Cooperation between the players
More effective
than trying to play our own
and another's position ourselves

Doing our best
in our position in life
While aiding others
in developing the best strategies
Makes us a 'most valuable player'
of the larger world team of humanity

10. Jury Duty

Jury duty. Judging another.

But, we also need to serve jury duty every moment over our own actions—asking the same questions of ourselves, that we would pass judgement on in the courtroom.

Our conscience is the aspect of ourselves that is our juror. It tells us when we are straying from goodness and harmony in our actions and interactions. Our conscience lets us know, through sensations in our body, when we need to reform. When we are being good and doing good, our body feels relaxed and energized. When we are not in alignment with goodness, we feel stress in our body—tension and constriction in the form of bodily aches and pains. These aches and pains are our signs that we need to get our lives back in sync with the directions from our conscience.

Our conscience is developed from the day we are born, by how we observe others acting, and how others react to our actions.

As children we learn from our good models how to behave so that our happiness and peace are preserved. And, we learn from seeing punishment delt out to ourselves or others, how not to behave if we want to spare ourselves some pain.

Growing up, becoming adults, continues the process of refining our conscience. The cosmic intent of reaping the consequences to our myriad actions, is for us to learn how to act most harmoniously and peaceably. The lessons that we do not learn easily, get repeated most often, lifelong.

It is our own choice to act harmoniously or not. And, it is one of the greatest lessons to learn for our growth in consciousness. We must know in our bones, that goodness produces goodness in turn—that goodness does not come from negativity or disharmony—as like comes from like.

Striving everyday
to enjoy peace and happiness
while living in the world
Relating and interrelating harmoniously
by paying attention to
following the advice of
the juror we carry within
Our conscience

11. Moonlight

Moonlight
Reflection of the sun
Luminous rays lighting the night
that we do not stumble and fall
We, becoming as moonlight
when the sun of our inner Self-realization dawns
reflecting out through our caring actions
Lighting and enlightening the way for others
that they may choose to act with
self-givingness rather than self-centeredness
Ever recharged
body, mind, spirit, soul
by our inner sun
of Radiant Love

12. Quiet Time auf deutsch  Zeit der Stille

with German translation of Alfred Bruppacher

Ah, blessed quiet time. Time for Self.

Time when the outer world can be set aside, while we talk over our problems and dreams with that most intimate listening ear—our soul.

Quiet time—time when the sounds surrounding us do not intrude. Our time to listen to the eternal sound emanating from within—reaching our quieted mind out of our stillness. The holy vibration—the Holy Spirit—known also as the Primordial Sound, Om or Aum, Amen, The Word, Holy Naam—speaking to us with an ever-present voice of constancy—ever with us through all the changing events in our lives.

If we are distressed or upset, by taking some quiet time, we can reach the meeting point with our ever-present and resonant companion—lending us a soothing comfort and stability in constancy.

The Holy Spirit vibration is the only constancy I have found in my life. People and relationships change. Objects come and go. My body is aging and I need to write notes to myself more often. But throughout all of this, the past 20 years I have had an underlying comfort and constancy in my communion with the Holy Spirit's soothing audible vibrations. During all my ups and downs this audible vibration has ever been
with me—never far from my consciousness when I give myself the few quiet moments needed to tune in to it in my own head.

I hear the comforting vibration as a constant and soothing wind that resides right within my head—seemingly under the crown of my skull. Listening very carefully, I have ascertained that this soothing melody is present no matter what my thoughts are—it underlies all. As it underlies all and never leaves me—but rather fills me with joy as I tune in—it is the companion I choose to be with in my times of most intense sadness and joy, both.

To make the most of quiet time and develop this most intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit requires a period of initiation. A beginning point.

By sitting in a quiet meditation pose or lying in a deep relaxation pose—just begin listening for your inner companion—seemingly residing right under the top of your skull. Listen. Listen. Listen. Then, hold fast to the soft melody.

As you would listen to the rain or wind outside your window and draw in its soothing comfort—listen closely to the soft wind blowing within yourself. And the more often that you listen to the Holy inner vibration, the more resonant it becomes, erasing out the interference of negative thinking—which is enough reason to listen to the inner instructor!

My blessings are ever with you for making contact with, and practicing being in the presence of your Holy Self. Through quiet time spent in communion with the ever-constant Spiritual vibration within, daily living is invigorated.

auf deutsch

Zeit der Stille

Zeit der Stille
Zeit ohne äussere Betriebsamkeit,
Zeit, während der wir mit dem innern Ohr, unserer Seele,
den Gedanken und Träumen lauschen.

Zeit der Stille
Zeit ohne äussere Betriebsamkeit
Zeit, um den leisen ewigen Tönen
in unserm Innern zu lauschen,
unsere Seele nährend aus der Stille.

Das heilige Schwingen - der Heilige Geist,
die Ur-Stimme Om, Aum, Amen,
das Wort, das heilige Naam,
uns ansprechend als Stimme des Vertrauens,
immer mit uns, bei uns,
in allen Wechselfällen des Lebens.

Wenn wir leiden und nicht bei uns sind,
nehmen wir uns Zeit, Zeit der Stille,
und suchen unseren Wesenskern,
uns stärkend durch Linderung und Trost.

Sitzend in Meditation oder
liegend in entspannter Haltung:
höre auf deinen inneren Begleiter,
er scheint in dir zu leben.
Horche, horche, horche... und
behalte die sanfte Melodie.

So wie du lauschest
dem Wind oder Regen und ihrem lindernden Trost,
so lausche der sanften Stimme in dir.
Je mehr du der innern Stimme horchst,
umso vernehmlicher wird sie,
auslöschend die Trübung durch schwere Gedanken.

Das Vertrauen auf deinen inneren Führer
gibt dir Kraft und Ruhe.

Mein Segen ist immer mit dir
bei deinen Versuchen,
deine innere Stimme, dein heiliges Selbst,
zu vernehmen.
Om, aum, amen.

13. Reclaiming Personal Power

When we begin taking responsibility for our actions, we reclaim our personal power.

When we stop placing blame on others or circumstances outside of ourselves, we reclaim our personal power.

When we put ourselves back into the driver's seat of the car of our life—we determine the roads we will follow. And, when we pick a destination that will bring about good, we set ourselves on the course that keeps us feeling harmonious while journeying.

The bottom line is that we are in charge of our decisions, so we may as well make those that are for the best—as that is what will create harmony and happiness in our life.

Reclaiming our personal power is both a realization that we are in charge of ourselves, and our hand hold on maintaining a positive attitude. A positive attitude, in general, allows productive thoughts for the best solution and direction to follow, to come to our awareness—ready for our action.

We reclaim our personal power when we self-determine our actions.

As adults, we have rights and responsibilities, personally, and in our family or living situations. We need to make the choices—not let someone else choose for us, unless we specifically are in such a debilitated position that we can't choose for ourselves. When we delegate our care or decision making to another adult, when we are still able to
decide for ourselves, we are giving away our life to them. That both gives away our life and puts an unfair burden on another person—as we could come back to them with the words "it was your idea," or "you made me do it."

To reclaim personal power, when we have been used to delegating decisions on our own behalf we can:

     1. Identify our ultimate and short term life goals;
     2. Plan a course of action to reach those goals that does not harm ourselves or anyone else;
     3. Take responsibility for the results of our actions—eliminate the habit of blaming someone else or circumstance for the outcome of our own actions;
     4. Increase our awareness of Self through regular meditation, and the practices of positive attitudes, thinking and acting.

The outcome of reclaiming personal power is a relaxation and peacefulness in our body-mind, and a sense of contentment with life in general. We are the drivers in the seat of the car of our lives—determining our destination and the roads to travel. It is our right as an individual to be self-directed—Self-directed.
 

14. Sibling Rivalry

Our brothers and sisters—or our cousins or playmates—were much of the substance of our childhood. In our close childhood associations we learned about interrelationships. Give and take. Sharing. Caring. Power plays—sibling rivalry. We went for what we wanted, keeping those techniques that worked—and maybe even now using those same techniques.

From the playpen onward, we've been experimenting to find out what works best for us as the means to achieve our ends.

As young children, our expressions of happiness and sadness were right on the surface. If we fell down and hurt ourselves we cried, received some comfort from those around us—then picked ourselves up and went on.

As we grew up we became conscious of how others viewed us, and in fear of judgment, or to preserve an image of ourselves, we did not express our emotions so openly and easily. And as adults, we may keep those deeper emotions hidden most of the time—having left our easy open relationships with siblings and buddies from childhood far behind.

Showing our easy and natural expressions of caring may also have been left behind as we began competing in the adult world for a mate, prestige, better job. But in the loss of easily expressing ourselves, we lost our knowledge of where happiness and harmony reside.

Happiness in childhood was more readily experienced, because we were not thinking ahead of which mates or objects or jobs might provide us happiness. Instead, we experienced our state of happiness in every moment that we spent caring and sharing with our siblings, cousins, pets, or playmates.

To enjoy happiness as adults we need to get back to the childhood-like experiences of finding fulfillment and satisfaction in our close circumference once again. To discover that we are not diminished in showing care—that kind acts performed with a positive attitude leave our bodies energized, rather than depleted.

Early sibling rivalries—our practice sessions in worldliness. Techniques that may get us ahead now, but leave us lagging in the enjoyment of our natural state of happiness—recovered, once again, when we take up that easy 'child-like' state of sharing and caring easily, openly, frequently.
 

15. Skidding off the Road

We skid off the road on our journey through life, when we are going along without taking the time to think about the repercussions of our actions.

It is easy to slide and skid our way through life—delaying the fulfillment of our goals. But then it takes extra effort to get back up on the solid surface of direction.

As soon as we notice that we have skidded into the gravel, we can stop for a moment, and reflect on where we were headed. And after a short time of evaluation, and perhaps re-direction, resume our journey on the more solid footing of acting for the most conscious good for the situation at hand—step, after step, after step, along the way.

Every so often in my life I skid into the gravel and lose my sure footing—my long-range goal. After a period in this uncertain state—like being in limbo—I remember to analyze and reflect on my goals. I again see the changes that I need to make in my living, and I make them if my long-range goal has remained the same.

Sliding back and forth on the curves life throws is all part of the journey, and doesn't delay the ultimate goal. Our universal goal being enough growth in consciousness, that we know happiness is a quality living in ourselves right now—ready to be drawn to the surface when we are good and doing good.

Traveling the road to happiness—expansion in consciousness—is a journey that we can reach in 20 years, or even today, if we take the expressway. And the expressway is surrendering to our Higher Self—the direction of our inner consciousness in the form of our conscience, consistently. Making the decision to follow the road of our conscience keeps us steadily on the track toward Self-realization, Self-knowledge—happiness.

Skidding off the road
But returning quickly to firm ground
by following our conscience consistently
Realizing the goal of Self-realization, happiness
Most swiftly

16. Stepping Carefully

Have you ever watched an alpine goat climb up a craggy hill? It steps sure-footedly. Even though the way is steep and scattered with pitfalls, the goat does not slide or fall. And why? Because the goat has evolved with the kind of hooves to climb in that terrain.

We, too, have evolved perfectly, to come to know how to traverse the trail of life that will allow us to fully awaken in spiritual consciousness.

We have a mind that can sort, sift, and analyze presenting data, and a soul that motivates us to act on the highest good by following the inner dictates of our conscience.

Each species and all objects of creation have their own purpose and harmoniously work together to create our natural world. Even rocks—a firm base underfoot, and piled up, a shelter from the elements. And soil and sand support the plants which convert the solar energy of the sun, to provide us our food. All in nature fulfilling their role.

We have so many choices with our human thinking mind. We are capable of making better or worse choices, according to our own free will. In a way, it is harder to be a human than a rock or plant—just because we can make choices.

It is therefore up to each of us to reflect upon our role in life as a human being. Why are we treading the planet?

We were born with the desire to know our roots and our destiny, and we can know both from the thoughts that surface in our mind during meditation and introspection. Meditation—the time when our body is stilled and we mentally create loving and caring thoughts of appreciation for what we have, and also send our caring love to at least one other person.

Living in a family is a valuable experience and our teacher in the area of getting to know our roots of consciousness and our destiny as a human. We learn to care and love in family life—and if our family is a group of friends rather than relatives, it is the same. In the tightly knit circles of family and family-type units, we first practice real caring—by acting caringly about the welfare of the family and group members.

Familial love growing into community and world service. Family harmony becoming world-wide harmony.

Stepping carefully
Making good choices
by giving care in living
to our family, community and world
Finding that we are beings of love
through practicing our caring love
Stepping carefully
around the boulders of self-centeredness
Keeping to the path of self-givingness
Thereby, experiencing our human goal
Realization that each of us
extends into the Self of all

17. Temporal Truth; Ultimate Truth

Telling the truth. This means telling the truth as we know it—from our current state and stage of consciousness.

But, there is Ultimate Truth, and temporal truth.

The Ultimate Truth lies in the bosom of our Source, Resource. It is what we are striving for, by living in alignment with the best for the moment's situation. Ever, throughout eternity, we continue to grow into the Ultimate Truth, as we become more and more conscious of 'what' is for the highest good of the whole.

In the meantime, our truth is a temporal truth. A truth viewed as we see the current facts projected against our imagining of what the Ultimate Truth is.

Truth perceived in shades of gray
till completely brightened
from our own enlightenment

To move ever forward in experiencing something of Ultimate Truth, we can follow these steps:

     1. Spend regular periods of time in loving meditation, in order to come to 'know' our soul;
     2. In daily living, act from self-givingness rather than self-centeredness;
     3. Go with the flow of what is the resolve in our situations that helps and does not harm ourselves, or anyone else;
     4. Fine-tune our perceptions of truth, by practicing telling the truth to our highest degree of awareness.

Ultimate Truth gradually received
by striving to upgrade its perception
And, along the way
Ever remembering we reclaim our personal power
 to be happy, in harmony
through self responsibility, not blame
Even when we choose to let another decide for us
That is our choice, too