LIFE AND THE LAW - BURDENS AND TRASH

What kind of trash lies buried in your subconscious mind? What covers over the beacon that was intended to light your way? Here are some of the things that may get in your way:
GET "TURN THE WORLD ON ITS HEAD"!

THE 'SHOULDS'

We are filled with 'shoulds' that we picked up along the path. These are usually too numerous to ever do them all, but we carry them anyway, just so we can feel guilty about not doing them. Reverend Kim Fairrell has a good way to put it--she says the eleventh commandment is "Thou shalt not should on thyself", and I agree.

OUR POSSESSIONS

When Jesus said to the rich man, "Sell what you have, and give the money to the poor, and follow me" He wasn't prescribing that treatment for all the rich. The prescription was individual, as spiritual prescriptions tend to be. He knew this man was wedded to his wealth and possessions, and only be letting them go could he free himself. The man went away sad. the Bible says, because he couldn't bring himself to do that. The problem is not HAVING wealth. it is the feeling of fear of lack that causes us to hang on to it even when it is a burden to us.

SOMEDAY ISLE

Dr. Tom Costa says many of us live on "Someday Isle", where things are always going to happen but never do. "Someday I'll go back to school", "Someday I'll start that business", "Someday I'll be happy". 'Someday Isle' means sitting on the fence forever. Do it. do it, do it.

CONFUSION and UNCERTAINTY

Many of us would do something if only we knew what to do. Maybe we don't know how to listen for that still, small voice. Maybe we heard it but weren't sure we heard it. Maybe we heard it, but didn't like what we heard! That's pretty common. Then we choose to think maybe we didn't bear that quite right. I wonder if Albert Schweitzer ducked the first couple of times he heard "Drop your musical career, go to medical school, then get to Africa, quick march!" I could have been persuaded to stretch out my organ practice a bit!

Bob Newhart did the famous routine where Noah is going about his business, and God calls him up. God says, "I want you to build an ark" and Noah says "so what's an Ark?". God says. "I'm going to make it rain forty days and nights", and Noah says, "OK- so who is this, really?".

It must be a bit like that for some people. Others, though, know right away that they have found their joy, their reason for living. Watching these people can be a real delight.

How can you tune in? How do you reach the 'high place' where the still small voice can be beard? Many people confirm that prayer, contemplation, meditation, or combinations thereof can lead the way, but not if they are untargetted. Guided meditations are the stuff of retreats like the Vision Quest weekend described earlier.