Saturday, June 16, 2012

Something Fun?

It’s a beautiful rainy morning here in Bathurst. AJ is speaking today about “The Eternal Benefits of a Relationship with God” (also totally beautiful I think).

Once we decided on this topic, AJ was still busy working on setting up a computer system, so I sat down alone to brainstorm about the outline. This turned out to be an exercise I thoroughly enjoyed. In fact it was quite emotional, and even motivational. My heart swelled anew at how much I really want this relationship with God.

So I had an idea – to give you guys the opportunity to have your own brainstorm. You could share your reflections in the comments or keep them to yourself. In a few days I’ll post my initial brainstorm list, and once the full PDF outline (far enriched by AJ’s wisdom) is posted to our site I’ll copy you the link.

My rationale for presenting this idea to you is about giving more people the opportunity to engage with the teaching as it is happening no matter where we (or you) are, and in a practical way.

I learn best when:

  • I have already pondered, wondered or asked questions about what is being presented to me i.e. if I have opened up to the topic (which, if you think about how well you received Secrets of the Universe, I’m betting its because you had already spent a long time asking the questions AJ answered in that talk)

  • I am engaged with what is being presented. Either by the material sparking my curiosity, and questions, or that I can see the practical applications of the information I am hearing and learning (remember I’m a pragmatist).

Put simply, I must be involved with my own growth in order for it to occur. (And obviously, I don’t think I’m alone here).

So I’m thinking about adding new content here at the blog – namely sharing practical examples of my (attempts) to live the teachings, as well sharing ways I try to engage my own growth, learning and emotions. If you think this would interest you, send me an email or leave a comment.

I’d also love to hear from you if you feel that publishing written snippets of the talks here, before they reach youtube, enhances or detracts from your experience watching them.

So if you are game, your task today, should you choose to accept it is, to write a list of benefits – ‘The Eternal Benefits of a Relationship with God’. And in the coming days I’ll post my list which I promise I won’t edit from my initial 20 minute brainstorm.

Sending love to you wherever you are,

Mary 

10 comments:

  1. Always having a relationship with my father, one that is not build on addiction or expectation, One that will never hurt me but be available to me at all times. My Father will always want to listen to me and join me in all my endeavours. My emptiness inside will be forever filled and where space of unknowns and sorrow lies , it will be filled with the joy, the beauty the colour and smell of the most exquisite of Gods flowers. I can bounce my ideas off God and will never be rebuffed or be made to feel stupid even if God knows that my idea will never come to pass. When I am so sad I can cry with him always, laugh with him always, dance with him always and never ever be as alone as I feel now.
    My Father will hear my emotions and my desires and I will receive instantly love, a knowing to go right on ahead and follow those dreams because it’s real and fruitful. And being a truly loving Father he will guide me in the right direction always without judgement.

    ‘The Eternal Benefits of a Relationship with God’

    A never ending abundant supply of love.
    Truthful communication at all times.
    Honest feedback on everything.
    Never a moment of judgement upon me.
    A father to laugh with and share a joke.
    Someone to share a beautiful garden with.
    Someone to curse with while trying to dig the beautiful garden.
    A father I can express even the worst thing to and he will still love me,
    Not an angry word or raised voice ever.
    I can trust God, he will never let me down.
    I will ask him to teach me about nature plants and how he got all that potential inside a tiny shell.

    I can continue to grow my soul forever with her guidance.
    I would never be afraid of the journey.
    Someone to sit and hold me in a loving space and tell me go on it’s ok to feel that pain and that fear that stagnates you now.
    No phone fees always connected.
    Forever receiving gifts of abundant beauty and growth.
    No lies.
    An open house for drop in visits no appts needed.
    If I am out of harmony with love my God Father will redirect me.

    And that I see is all the addiction or or error I had in my relationship with my Earth Father!

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    Replies
    1. Some how I have the feeling of taking! Still in expectation and neediness.
      My new list is: My eternal relationship with God. A forever lasting friendship. a two way street for constant stream of love. A feeling of peace, joy. happiness and overwhelming gratitude for this journey of discovery in myself and creation and God. A desire for joyous giving of service.

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  2. So many benefits. Actually, the benefits seem to be a complete catalog in the experience of the human experience. Anyways, I'm going to go off the cuff here:

    Eternal Benefits of a relationship with God:

    1. Clarity of the heart "mind"
    2. Clarity of the brain "mind'
    3. Wisdom in all things dealing with unconditional Love and it's attributes as well as it's opposities.
    4. Understanding of the multi-verse, from the perspective of the physical, spiritual and beyond
    5. Speeding up of one's joy and tranquility
    6. Spreading of love and it's healing powers in our day to day experiences with others and ourselves
    7. Quiet confidence in the divine process of human evolution - in other words: not getting stressed out about the future
    8. The "bad" things that happen in our lives are no longer thought of as "bad", but merely a barometer for where our heart is at that given moment. We realize that ALL of our experiences are there for our growth
    9. Full empowerment to be who we really are
    10. Elimination of the dreaded "victim" mentality, which only makes us weak and depressed. We are never a victim, when we realize that we are inherently able to deeply connect with the most powerful force known to man - God.

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  3. I found myself focusing on constant growth, plus the feelings that I would like to live in all the time ...

    - the destiny of becoming a new person that I can't even imagine!
    - feeling loved and cared for, safe and protected and provided for, all the time
    - receiving constant loving guidance
    - constantly becoming more loving and joyful
    - constantly growing in my soul's qualities
    - thriving in my desire all the time
    - growth in the people around me and positive changes in my environment, too
    - more beauty, love and joy every day!
    - experiencing less pain, suffering, fear and anger every day until there is none
    - excitement for myself and my future
    - developing a concept of who I am that is wonderful and amazing
    - coming to see more beauty and harmony in God's creation all the time
    - having faith that all this will continue to happen and that someday I will be at one with God

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  4. God for me is like a really close friend, who I can just talk to when I feel ready and the good thing is He knows exactly when that is, before I do, so it's like this Father and friend of mine has all this faith in me, kind of like he sees me as ripe fruit all the time, ready for picking, even when I don't feel I'm ready or ripe. So the relationship is like a constant source of true encouragement, a gentle but solid encouragement, but weirdly it feels like the most powerful sense of encouragement I can ever have, even though it's the most gentle - encouragement just to keep growing and learning and becoming more and more me all the time. So for me the biggest benefit is the constant faith God has in me, the faith I don't always have in myself that constantly impels me to take another step forward, to always grow.

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  5. Eternal benefits of a relationship with God
    1. I will truly know and understand the power of love and be constantly in a feeling of amazement, surprise and tremendous respect.
    2. I will know how to love to myself, others and the environment and respond in the most loving action in every instance.
    3. I will not need anything from anyone – to feel loved, safe, valued etc. I would just give love with no expectation for anything in return.
    4. I will love others no matter how they use their free will, even if they hate or hurt me.
    5. I will feel joy & fulfillment in the heart of my soul.
    6. I will perpetually learn new things.
    7. I will feel the whole spectrum of emotions.
    8. I will feel intimately known and desire to know God & others.
    9. I will be a soul student at soul school with literally the best soul teacher in the entire universe!
    10. I will be touched deeply by beauty around me, marveling at all the gifts God has given us.
    11. I will know the emotion of gratitude and how that feels consistently.
    12. I will talk about God and God’s love and The Way to anyone who wants to listen as it would be a huge joy and passion for me. It would come from my direct emotional experience and radiate deep truth and sincerity.
    13. My soul, mind and bodies will be in peace.
    14. I will dream as big and loving as I could imagine and have faith that not only is it a possibility, but it will come into fruition and serve all.
    15. I will feel close to God and see all of creation through Her eyes.
    16. I will allow my soulmate into the depths of my heart and open fully to him with humility and a deep desire to share ALL of me with a man, without any reservation or any sense of holding back.
    17. I will give all of myself and throw all of myself into all of my desires whole heartedly constantly wanting MORE of MYSELF revealed!

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  6. Hi Mary,

    I would love to hear practical examples of your attempts to live the teachings. Please, please, please share the ways that you engage your own growth, learning and especially your emotions. Since humility is so important to release our errors and sometimes only small, subtle attractions happen during the course of a day. What is your internal dialogue that helps you to feel and take big steps forward?

    Thanks again for sharing on your blog, Mary! I really appreciate it. It must be difficult to share your vulnerabilities and most intimate thoughts on here.

    Sending love and best wishes to you all!

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  7. Here's my brainstorm results......The Eternal Benefits of a Relationship with God.

    1.Humility - To see God as God sees herself. To see myself as God sees me. To see others as God sees them. This implies a life of compassion and authenticity.
    Simplicity - to have a love and appreciation of simplicity.
    A life of God reliance - I want to say to be completely abandoned to God and assured of God's goodness.(To be willing to be the God's child.), trusting and faithful.
    To be totally at peace,totally passionate and totally joyful.
    To embrace and look forward to change

    2.Love
    Growth - The eternal expansion of my soul and potential for never-ending growth.
    To be loved deeply,fully and unconditionally. To love God and my brothers and sisters deeply, fully and unconditionally.
    To be fully satisfied and fulfilled in the relationship.
    To discover and embrace my desires and passions without fear in a loving manner.
    To experience harmonious relationships with God, myself and others.

    3.Truth
    The ability to discern and receive God's absolute truth.
    To be fully and completely myself as God created me to be.
    To joyfully share God's truth.

    With Love

    Amanda

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  8. "So I’m thinking about adding new content here at the blog – namely sharing practical examples of my (attempts) to live the teachings, as well sharing ways I try to engage my own growth, learning and emotions. If you think this would interest you, send me an email or leave a comment."

    I think this would be a great idea. Your sharing of your journal writings at book group, for me, has been a great teaching tool to show the level of self reflection and humility required on our journey to God. It certainly opened my eyes to all the everday stuff I'm skipping over, the depth that our emotions run our lives and the gifts of insight I am missing in my impatience to "get on with my life". Deep down I have this hopelessness that the world can get better, that love can overcome evil and thave hese feelings that I want everyone else to do it first. I'm slowly turning the tanker round on those ideas and I'd certainly appreciate some guidance in how you you approach your emotional processing for example....do you stop everything you're doing.....do you write everything down as you go along.....etc


    "I’d also love to hear from you if you feel that publishing written snippets of the talks here, before they reach youtube, enhances or detracts from your experience watching them."

    Personally I feel it adds more depth if I've been able to explore my own attitudes and feelings about a subject before you discuss it. Like listening to a talk....then pondering on it.....then going back to it reveals so much more than the initial time I heard it.

    Amanda

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  9. I am probably a little late for this post o.O , but i was just feeling what benefit a relationship with god would have for me and one feeling comes to me and that is..

    To know god, myself (including soulmate)and the possibilities of love.

    ReplyDelete

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