BEing the Love you Want: Let IN the Blessings you Desire - NJ Shore Meditation Workshop - September 6, 2017

BEing the Love you Want: Dare to Let IN the Blessings you Desire

NJ Shore Meditation Workshop - Wednesday, September 6th - 7:15 - 8:30pm
at Trinity Episcopal Church: 503 Asbury Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712

Whether in a long-term relationship or single,

many of us deal with the same issues:

• a story of loneliness,
• unfulfilled desires,
• experience of UN-wholeness.

Our desires are amazingly similar amoung many of us:

• We want to feel complete and connected.
• How do we get someone to love us? validate us?
• What do we have to do, to savor comfortable companionship?

We have been taught and trained to cast about outside ourselves for what we want and need.
But, that doesn't work... at least not for long!

The Secret is: we have to LET IN the Blessings that we desire!

In this meditation workshop we will learn and practice

allowing the love that you are searching for,

INSIDE yourself!

... and then, and only then, magnetize/attract it in your outside world, as well.

As you allow this practice to transform you,

your experience of love and connection in yourself, and with God (and in all your relationships)

can completely blossom.

In this Meditation, you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and practice some basic meditation techniques.
• Share your experience, if you choose, a couple times during this session.
• Mostly, quietly enjoy letting go and experiencing your inner world.

Please come, whether a beginner or advanced meditator:

Open to the transformation of your experience of Love and Relationships, forever.

in Life, Wendy

Is this workshop for you?

• This workshop is targeted to folks from a Christian foundation, and ALL are welcome.
• Whether this is your first or your millionth meditation, you can profit from this workshop.

Logistics

• Space is limited. Please register on Facebook, or PM me that you are coming.
• Freewill Donation - this workshop is usually $30, please give as you are led.  Half of all donations will to go to Trinity's Food Justice Program.  
• Bring a snack to share if you would like.

• You can come at 7:15 for workshop - come through parking lot, and enter silver and glass doors.  Come into hallway, turn left, room is on left.  I will arrive when Mass is over.
• OR You can come at 6:30 for Worship/Mass (all are welcome) - come in main church (red) doors, to the chapel in the front right of church. 

• Can’t make this?  Please join my infrequent newsletter, and I will invite you to future workshops in-person and online.
• Please invite your friends for this sweet and nourishing opportunity.
• Plan ahead - check address, if you have questions or need assistance, contact me ASAP - I am not available after 6pm on Wednesday, I will be in church and then in the workshop.

the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” (Carl Jung) 

I am hearing more chatter 

and more importantly, more folks are actually coming to me, lately, 

to purposely, overtly deal with their dark-side...

shadow, 

despair, 

deep fear/pain/shame, 

addictions, life out-of-control...

Instead of:

- I want to be fixed, well, happy, successful, abundant...

- Well, what I really want is a silver bullet to make things like they used to be, or better, or great...

Folks these days are more likely to say: 

let's deal with my dark side.

Um GREAT, and Hallelujah.

I see this as a very good sign for them, for me,

and a useful turn going on in our culture.

“The shadow goes by many familiar names: the disowned self, the lower self, the dark twin or brother in bible and myth, the double, repressed self, alter ego, id. When we come face-to-face with our darker side, we use metaphors to describe these shadow encounters: meeting our demons, wrestling with the devil, descent to the underworld, dark night of the soul, midlife crisis.” (Meeting the Shadow)

If we want to be Light.

If we want to shine Light in this world.

If we want to expereince who we really are: Whole and Complete in God.

If we want to really do, what we are here to do - what no one else can do...

Then we must say: hello darkness, my old friend.

Turn and face the dragon(s) that have been chasing us.

Make friends with our shadow.

In our Soul Evolution on this planet - individually and corporately - After living to the ultimate end of our Logical Consciousness and delving our Soul (Psychic) Consciousness;
On our way to Christ Consciousness and the beauty of Consciously living as One in the Reign (Kingdom) of God;Lies the Dark Night of the Soul - where our darkness is deeply realized and integrated. (my very poor paraphrase of Putting on the Mind of Christ: The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality)

In everyday terms, 

We must Learn from our despair, resistance, hate, hopelessness, doubt, anti-God... 

before we Heal and Grow through it, into Glory.

“The shadow, when it is realized, is the source of renewal; the new and productive impulse cannot come from established values of the ego. When there is an impasse, and sterile time in our lives—despite an adequate ego development—we must look to the dark, hitherto unacceptable side which has been at our conscious disposal….This brings us to the fundamental fact that the shadow is the door to our individuality. In so far as the shadow renders us our first view of the unconscious part of our personality, it represents the first stage toward meeting the Self. There is, in fact, no access to the unconscious and to our own reality but through the shadow. Only when we realize that part of ourselves which we have not hitherto seen or preferred not to see can we proceed to question and find the sources from which it feeds and the basis on which it rests. Hence no progress or growth is possible until the shadow is adequately confronted and confronting means more than merely knowing about it. It is not until we have truly been shocked into seeing ourselves as we really are, instead of as we wish or hopefully assume we are, that we can take the first step toward individual reality.” (Meeting the Shadow)

Where we trip, really is our treasure.

Let's Dig.

When we do, we are blessed.

And our world is also blessed by the fruit of our deep work.

“The shadow, when it is realized, is the source of renewal; the new and productive impulse cannot come from established values of the ego. When there is an impasse, and sterile time in our lives—despite an adequate ego development—we must look to the dark, hitherto unacceptable side which has been at our conscious disposal….This brings us to the fundamental fact that the shadow is the door to our individuality. In so far as the shadow renders us our first view of the unconscious part of our personality, it represents the first stage toward meeting the Self. There is, in fact, no access to the unconscious and to our own reality but through the shadow. Only when we realize that part of ourselves which we have not hitherto seen or preferred not to see can we proceed to question and find the sources from which it feeds and the basis on which it rests. Hence no progress or growth is possible until the shadow is adequately confronted and confronting means more than merely knowing about it. It is not until we have truly been shocked into seeing ourselves as we really are, instead of as we wish or hopefully assume we are, that we can take the first step toward individual reality.” (Meeting the Shadow)

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Spiritually grow into LOVE, with Grace and Ease

Being OK with, and from there Loving, All that shows up

starts with BEing OK, with ourselves

and from there, Loving Ourselves.

Another way to say this is:
Being IN Love, Being Love with my sisters and brothers
starts with knowing I am OK in God
and from there, letting God love me.

For most of us, this is HARD.

Possibly Impossible.

I have found it is easier to be ok with myself, love myself;

when I am standing on a good foundation.

When I am identifying spiritually and in a spiritual consciousness, not merely flesh/ physical.

Another way to say this is:

I have found it is easier to know I am OK in God, and let God love me;

when I am standing on my true spiritual foundation.

Identifying with who I am spiritually, in God; and putting on the Mind of Christ (not merely flesh/ physical consciousness).

.

I interfaced this week with a man who means well,

and identifies as spiritual, as Christian.

But is very spiritually sensitive in certain ways, 
and therefore feels all the lies that people live.

He judges them, and presumably himself, for this very human pattern.

He identifies as someone who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.

Interfacing with him, helped me see, that most of us do this, to a degree 
(but we don't own it like he does ;)

We judge ourselves and others and the world, and God....

because 'how it is' doesn't measure up to our 'pictures'/ beliefs/ concepts 
of how we/ they/ it should be/ behave.

This is how most of us operate on the physical, in our everyday consciousness.
Judging that we do this doesn't help.  
It does help to note this is garden-variety human behavior ;)

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BUT
It IS missing the mark.

Much more IS possible for our lives!

for our ability to BE with ourselves, others, this reality, God...

We can choose a trajectory that helps us get out of our own way:

• to BE
• to BE with
• to BE in compassion
• to Love
• to DO sweetness in the world, from there...

BTW,
This is not possible from a physical consciousness and identity.

Let me say it again:

This is not possible from a physical consciousness and identity.

The best the flesh/body can do in this direction, no matter how well-meaning, 

is strive to act 'good', pretense, hypocrisy = wearing the mask.


If one Believes God is Love, Another way to say this is:
the mind of the flesh is hostile to God...
Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 
Romans 8: 7, 8

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BUT, meanwhile, it is very possible, as Spirit:

We can allow ourselves to 

Grow SPIRITUALLY into LOVE, with Grace and Ease.

Another way to say this is:
In the Spirit walk ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete; 
for the flesh doth desire contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the flesh...
And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace...
(from my favorite chapter of the Bible, since my teens) Galatians 5 (16, 17, 22)

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From a spiritual perspective,

as we grow into a spiritual consciousness,

and we learn to identify as spirit in flesh...

(not just an evolved animal run by thoughts, beliefs, feelings, experiences, other people's programming, etc.)

We can grow into consciously being

OK with, 
and from there Loving All Our Relations

... including ourselves.

.

May we allow ourselves to 
May we allow God to

Spiritually grow us into LOVE, with Grace and Ease.

Amen, 

Wendy

... I think it is all about receiving Love spiritually,
and letting it pass through us to others...

kind of like spiritually, beholding and reflecting the Glory,

but a different spelling is:

spiritually, beholding and reflecting LOVE.

BTW, this post is one response to this FB post.

Trusting God or mammon

It is hard to stay focused on God,

when stress is high,

when time is tight,

when to-do's mount up,

when money is challenging...

What wins?

Physical reality, and its exigencies

OR

spiritual reality - the reign/kingdom of God/Heaven.

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When stress is high, I most need to keep my eyes on God.

But it is hard, as a human, caring for a body.

Money challenges have been very close to the bone for me for the last year

- and for much of my life.

SO, let's say hello to this, for a bit, today...

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mammon

"the treasure a person trusts in" 

- the idol of riches, money, possessions

13 No servant can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.- Luke 16

This is as important today, as it was when Jesus talked about it

The worship of money, if anything, has increased.

And us bringing the will of God on earth as it is in heaven... suffers

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Meanwhile we need money, 

we live in this World, in this reality, 

in the current economy.

It's kind of like having to learn subtle cues and balance and agency from within us, spiritually.

For something like, say, food addiction.

Because in that we need to learn to eat well and healthy,

but not to make food the center of our lives, 
not be driven by food, not to 'live to eat, instead of eat to live'. 

So we have to find a way to be aligned with ourselves and with God around food,

because we can't just avoid it.

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Similarly, around money;

which has so much to do with survival,

as well as looking good, and power in the world, success, etc.

It's so complicated, and it's so intense.

Utilizing our relationship with money,

as a way to understand how we're living,

and how much were really focused on God;

And the how much were following God step-by-step...

this is really useful stuff, IMO/E.

Being secure in the arms of Mammon 

feels so much easier than

just trusting God...

that what I need will come, in time for when I need it.

For me, the answer always lies in the scripture below.

It can be a challenging road,

to trust, to allow my need to be met,

not what I think my many needs are ; )

and in God's time...

aye!

Yet, this is what I really want, really choose:

31 seek ye the reign of God,
and all these things shall be added to you.
- Luke 12 (from the section 'do not worry' ;)

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what say you?

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Don't let go until you are blessed

Many thanks to john pavlovitz and his ministry.  
This is my response to his post: The Faith Crisis Epidemic in America:

::::

I agree, there is a Faith Crisis Epidemic in America.

And as challenging, saddening, and confronting as this all is, 

I believe it is (in the big picture) good news.

The body of Christ is called forward.

These things just don't cut-it anymore - for more and more Christians:

- Just intellectually believing some things about God, 

- Just socially gathering with others who believe as we do, 

- Just praying for change, but basically wanting to stay the same 

- to not grow and deepen spiritually, 

- to not die and be reborn spiritually every day, 

- to not walk with Jesus  - who is here, now spiritually - in our real lives, step-by-step ...

These things just don't cut-it anymore - for more and more Christians.

Bless all the cultural Christians encouraging horrible thoughts and behaviors, and complicit in mundane atrocities... 

for helping so many see: 

just doing religion - even religion in the name of Christ - just doesn't cut it any more.

We are called to grow up in God.

And growing pains are normal.

And just like adolescence, just like early adulthood 

(just like most stages of life, and the transitions between them ; )

This stage of spiritual growth, this transition is for many tumultuous, confronting, painful, fear inducing, full of doubt, insecurity, un-sureity...

The good news is 

- nothing is wrong, 

- we are still children of God, always have been, always will be

- we are still dancing our lives with and within Spirit - there is nowhere else to go, there IS nowhere else.

It's just really hard, for most of us, to spiritually grow up.

The good news is 

- there is Abundant Life beyond the old structures, formulas, belief systems, identifications...

It's just really hard, for most of us, to spiritually grow up.

It helps, I believe, to have mature folks - folks a bit ahead on this spiritual path - around to say:

- It's ok, you're ok, just keep going.

- There is a method to the madness - you don't see it yet, that's ok.

- Do what you have to, to stay in the game. And 

- Keep choosing Light, Love, Truth,  Life, the Way that is uniquely yours. (Whatever of these words/realities that make any sense, choose that.)

God is still here, 

but God isn't who you thought God was.

Your Path is still here, 

it just isn't the Path you thought it was.

It's ok, God is bigger, your Path is better, than you ever thought  

-> you can live-into that.

Yes, for now it sucks... just keep going.

We cannot see the Glory that is before us, that is within us...

until we do.

And until the sun rises again, and the Light shines - we just have to press-on through the darkness.

So much BS can fall-away, old belief-systems and formulas, and structures and identity...

But meanwhile you have experienced God in amoung all the claptrap.

You have experienced the presence of God and the reality of God's unending love for you, along the way.  

Hold on to your direct experience of God - in the past, in the present and for the future...

-> Hold on to that without trying to understand it. 

-> Hold on to the hem of God's robe, to the experience of God's trailing Glory.

-> Just hold on, and follow, bumble-around, trust even though you may not know the way or understand the goal.

Yes, for now it sucks, just keep going.

You may have heard:

Our God is a consuming fire, who burns up everything that is not God
(I have more to say about this central theme, on another blog) 

This can be excruciating.
(from the Latin: crux, cruc- ‘a cross’)
And yes, we must pick up our cross if we want to follow Jesus!
We just don't know ahead of time what the cross will look-like... surprise :)

This IS the ride you signed up for - deepening into God, maturing in God, bringing the Light into the world, following Jesus...

It might seem like you are getting the opposite, going in the opposite direction - but you are not, 

so I recommend that you ask God to help you relax and not fight it - it will go easier on you.

I encourage you to 

Walk out into the seeming void,
you will not fall forever, you will find the rock beneath...

The Rock beneath is your more direct expereince of the presence and love, the inviting/leading and sweet nurturing of the Living God.

No matter what you are experiencing, 

please keep going.

I encourage you to 

be willing to let go of everything, anything, 

except God alone - not theories, structures, formulas, belief systems... identities laid upon God - 

just God alone.

And don't let go until you are blessed.

Blessings on your unique journey,

Wendy

PS - My favorite Christian Teacher, the late Dr Bruce Morgan (who - by his life, his research and honest sharing - gave me encouragement to live-through so much darkness... into so much Light)

shared this many times, and I share: this quote from Jung - in the hopes it may encourage:

"Dear Frau Frobe,

...There can be no resolution, only patient endurance of the opposites which ultimately spring from your own nature. You yourself are a conflict that rages in itself and against itself, in order to melt its incompatible substances, male and female, in the fire of suffering, and thus create that fixed and unalterable form which is the goal of life. Everyone goes through this mill, consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or forcibly. We are crucified between the opposites and delivered up to the torture until the 'reconciling third' takes shape. Do not doubt the rightness of the two sides within you, and let whatever may happen, happen. The apparently unendurable conflict is proof of the rightness of your life. A life without inner contradiction is either only half a life or else a life in the Beyond, which is destined only for the angels. But God loves human beings more than the angels.

With kindest regards,

C.G. Jung"

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