What the Heck Just Happened?

Greetings my gentle readers to another week’s installment of the “be yourself, often” blog found at http://www.joelwlamoure.com. This is the point in time of the week where we are able to sit back and mindfully reflect on the moments that were and the impact that they have had in our lives.

This is our first blog posting of the past six weeks. Those of you who follow our radio show “prescribing spiritual hope” on WULC out of Carrabelle, Florida on the Spreaker network will also have observed we have been off the air for the past two months.http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope I anticipate that not only will the blog be back to its normal weekly posting effective now, and our radio show be on the air again by mid-July at its usual time of 9 PM Eastern time and think all of our dedicated listeners and readers from around the world for staying with the network.

The past couple of months have been an exercise in journey into the deepest recesses and caverns that exist within the mind. A time within the wilderness where over the past 40 days and 40 nights opportunities have presented themselves repeatedly. Unfortunately, as we know in life, and that we as humans are not the divine architects of our own plans, most of the “opportunities” have had a negative flavor. However, the concepts associated with the phrase “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” are all well and alive.

These have been days of a death of dreams and recalibration of determining what is important. A time to realize that what one thought would be logical, in fact was illogical. There were birthdays forgotten by others, promises broken, expectations shattered, religious discrimination, hate crimes, decades of planning eradicated, disease and illness. A breach of confidence by confidents and friendly fire. Bullets that derive from close sources fired under the brave face of anonymity, send through an unwilling messenger. Sadly hypocrisy and vigilante justice is alive and well.

As such, based on what the title states, it leaves one wondering, especially a man of faith wondering why so many good people have been hurt while the sinful, wicked and evil continue to prosper in their lies and deceit, claiming to be and searching “enlightenment” themselves. I use the term in quotes as it is ego-centric enlightenment they seek, not Spiritual Enlightenment. My friends, these are days of learning the highest virtue, which is forgiveness. “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do…”

Within forgiveness, which is an easy word to say but hard action to do lies the resolution of inner turmoil. Resolution of the inner turmoil is not playing it out words and harming other people. Resolution does not lie by constant complaining, self harm, belittling, telling stories repeating stories, playing victim, hatred, or any of the other tools that were initially used against us. I believe, that is why true forgiveness takes longer… Perhaps truly 40 days in the wilderness.

It is about finding again what makes one happy and appreciating that we have the “free will covenant” and do not have to be the same as those that wrong us. It is not up to the courts to make a decision of judgment or forgiveness, but the quiet Light of Divination that says so much. To be able to not focus on stuff, and focus on the Light with clarity and intensity will allow us to be the spiritual being having a human existence and truly be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure June 2013

It Just Was

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. That time that we can snuggle down with a form of comfort and reflect in the recesses of our mind the events that transpired over the week. There is chance to step back in a simplistic way and look at simpler times and be comfortable to embrace that. We need to be able to touch and embrace that innocence and Light again. Not by doing more, but by doing less and with love and passion, which will ultimately give us more depth and breadth to our lives.

The past 2 weeks we have looked at addressing the statements “It Just Is” and then last week looked at “Is it Just?” This week the realize the permanence of the fleeting moments that were and understand the fact “It Just Was”

In the moments of horror of the week that was and the subsequent loss of innocent life in the United States, we realize that there is a battle for our souls and us. A balance of good and evil and a constant interface between the two that is playing out in the here and now. When one is able to look through that filter, which is far beyond us, people, humans and indeed religions, we realize this is very humbling.  We are empowered in the moment and not sheeple or pacifists to whom we blindly accept anything that comes from and to us.  I offer no judgment as we do not know the exact situations that transpired but we have the ability to learn from the tragedy that just was versus frank judgments.

We can be, should be and are empowered to make decisions that when passed through our beliefs, thoughts and such ultimately will become actions. And in order to decide and know that it just was and indeed just and proper, we need to apply basic tenants of kindness, humility, love, light, passion and inspiration to advance the human entity into the sort of person that we truly are, created in Gods image. However, given the challenges and battleground that lies around us, we obviously must make choices to practice in our root entities, which is that of the White and Light and Good.

We have the opportunity and sanity within the insanity of life to make healthy choices moving ahead. To beat the struggle of dark and light. We can choose sanity or insanity to put it bluntly, not in the mental health individual context but a larger “pain body” as eloquently described by Eckhart Tolle.

We can remember the victims. We can sympathize with whatever hell the perpetrator was going through, while not condoning their actions. Condoning through a passive way is in part buying into the same hell they were and engaging in active or passive support through the media. We can refuse to bully. We can embrace the devastating effects of mental health disorders and the dis-ease within the disease.  We can stand together and embrace humanity, not insanity. We can step away and have the choice to turn off the televisions and not create further insanity. We can bond with loved ones and neighbors in a sense of unity.  Touching nature and the previously experience child-like attitudes and thoughts. We can do expressions of basic human kindness. These are our choices.

Because, once the moment passes, we realize it just was. Within that moment however, lives can be made or lost and no one has the power or should have the power to influence or decide what others could or should do. That comes from within our connections and us with our Higher selves. Do you want the moment that just was to be one of positivity or negativity? Herein lie the choices.

Within those moments that just were is a wonderful Power that is the Free Will Covenant and the ability to make informed decisions that help and optimize your physical and mental health and ultimately those around you. For we do not live in a vacuum and we all learn from each other. We are all teachers. We all have the ability to be inspirational through our actions since what we do ripples out in concentric circles and ultimately will impact on others.

For the moment the just was, captured as a snapshot in the photographic album that is the hard drive of our mind, we wish and want is to be fair, positive and just. A moment of healing and a potential for the time for peace. It does start with every one of us making that informed decision that will derive a more positive outcome. We can look and learn, avoid blame and understand we do not know fully the tapestry that is in the process of being woven.

I would rather collect pictures and photographs of moments of prayer, peace, happiness, laughter, love and embracing the moments of innocence and fun that also are associated with healing.  A wise friend told me that love is not complex, it is simple. We only make it complicated and that is so very true.

Close your eyes, open your heart and feel your heart open 10 fold and the love within it and be yourself, often.

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure  December 2012 (Third Sunday of Advent)