Yoganda and me

I don't do gurus. Except for Willie Nelson. I find the occasional times i've heard him touch on religion, politics or life that i've agreed with most of it. But, i keep my own counsel and maintain my right to my opinion. 

I have found that most people including myself bow or search for some outward authority and demonize our actual spirit until it succumbs to the "authority." 

I was talking to an old friend via Facebook. I told my friend how much i had always admired her and her family and how i honored those old relationships in my old age. But all my friend heard was that i no longer followed the old fire and brimstone myths i was raised in. 

It hurt my feelings because it was a cold religious answer that had absolutely nothing to do with what i was trying to say. 

I honestly respect anybody's right to their religion or politics. I have my own inner life and view of God/Goddess/Mother/Father/Holy Spirit. I also respect those who don't have any "beliefs." 

But here's the thing. No. I don't fear the source of all love. I have a child. I promise you that be he good or evil. I would NEVER turn my back on him. He could blow this world and all that's in it to smithereens and i still couldn't eternally turn my back on him.

So no! I don't believe that the Source of all love will ever completely obliterate or stop reaching into hellish or any other conditions for his/her children. I'm not going to throw bible verses with you. I don't look at the bible as one book. 

But I'm not going to try and explain all the Greek, Babylonian and other ancient influences, scriptures or translations to you. I'm not qualified and it ain't my business. But if you do a deep dive into Christian Universalism you'll find that i'm not really all that heretical. 

 I have recently come across the Indian (dots not feather's) Sorry i couldn't resist. But the Indian or Hindu practice of Vadenta. I won't try to explain it because I don't know that much about it and I'm not converting to any one religious path. But, i find the meditation and the union of everything with the Divine resonates with me.

I came across Paramahasna Yogananda via his classic "Autobiography of a Yogi." I was pretty much ready to completely turn away from my Christianity. There was just so much i disagreed with. Especially the old testament crap of ripping babies from their mother's and dashing them onto rocks. That kind of "god" would never be something i could worship. Also the new testament had some holes. At least for me. 

But this Indian Yogi gave me reason to reconsider Christ, resurrection and the wisdom that faith divorced from fanaticism can have. I found chapter 43 "The Resurrection of Sri Yukteswar" by itself the most incredible explanation of the afterlife and reincarnation that i had ever read. There are nuggets there that once you shift through the religion and open your heart through meditation that i find invaluable.

 So i've found much inspiration from Yogananda. I don't consider him my guru in the religious sense. But i have connected with his spirit in a consciousness/spiritual sense. 

I have no religion these days except the Golden Rule of Jesus. "Do unto other's as you would have them do unto you."

I have no religious test. No political view and no conditional love or friendship. If i ever loved you then i always will. If you treat me with respect and offer friendship then i treat you with respect and offer friendship. 

Prayer and meditation are how i stay balanced. My hope is in the pure light of God. That i've come to feel is where we begin and where we belong.

"I am immersed in thine Eternal Light. It permeates every particle of my being. I'm living in that light. The Divine Spirit fills me within and without." ... Paramahasna Yogananda.

Peace!

Life and other stuff.

I didn't come here and i ain't leaving....Willie Nelson.

I talk to lots of different people these days. Especially in my old age. I wanted to stop driving period after i retired. No more worrying about gas prices or car repairs. No more traffic and straining to see the road at night. But the old body started getting creaks & aches that require medical and pharmacy visits. I live out in the rural part of Tuscaloosa County and it's a long way to my Northeast Alabama stomping grounds from here. So i guess i came here after all and i'm bound to leave. 

If you meet Buddha on the road. Kill him...9th century Chineese-Buddhist monk 

Along my journey i've come to appreciate the above quote. My Western mind and Christian upbringing found it a little hard to get in my youth. But as i've continued on the journey i've come to see the wisdom. When you think you've figured it all out. You can be sure something is missing. Only fools and insane people know everything. Wise people are always in doubt. (That's another bad paraphrase on my part.)  I did find that the things i believed in my youth and even adulthood were based on other people's version and translations which were given to them by other people and so on and so on. 

All politics is local...Tip O'Neil former Speaker of the House.

The politics is local phrase means different things to different people. But for me it comes down to my own ability to put food on my table, a roof over my head and some pleasures and convience in life. 

I know it will sound cold to some but i don't wake up everyday trying to decide what a young woman will do with her own body and life course. I don't care if you change sex or who you love or lust after as long as you don't rape women or molest children. That's true no matter what your sex orientation is. I don't care what religion you practice or if you practice any at all.

I noticed some of my Facebook friends get awfully riled up if they think someone at the border got a food stamp. No! I'm not for open border's. You either have a nation or you don't.

But while we are fighting among ourselves. Black vs white, gay vs straight, Hispanic vs Asian, Trans vs straight, gay or cross dresser. Fighting about bathroom privileges (by the way if you let your 3 year old child go into ANY public bathroom alone you're an idiot ) The politicians, corporation's and big pharma and other special interests are robbing us blind.

Don't look at another 3 trillion going to Ukraine or Israel to fight a war. Instead just believe us when we tell you health care and Social security can't be funded. What? You have questions? Well, errr. Quick look over there! There's Donald Trump! Don't you hate him. He's the problem. Wait! There's Joe Biden shitting his pants. He's the problem. Wait! There's an old white dude  he's the devil incarnate. Wait! See that entitled black welfare mother over there?

It just goes on and on while we wear our red jersey or blue jersey and act like it's a football game.

Do unto others what you would have them do unto you...Jesus

The quote of Jesus is my only religion. To try and see all people for who they are as an individual and at least try to treat them with the care and dignity i'd want them to treat me with.

I don't know what will happen to this nation in the next 20 years. I'm getting older and have some medical issues. So if i'm still here in 20 years i'll be ancient. I'm not extremely scared of death. My life journey indicates to me that we drop the body and our consciousness keeps going. Perhaps to continue another series of trips around the sun or perhaps for parts unknown. 

What bothers me most is disease, debilitation and physical decline. I hope to wake up one day and look back on my body rather than endure a slow decline into invalid or dementia status.

Wow Steve! You're a real fun date! 

Sorry. Let me get off the morbid train. Anyway I don't think this is the most crucile election ever and we have to take one for the good of the team just to keep the other guy out. I'm not voting for anyone i don't feel comfortable voting for. I don't care what party they represent. 

Elections are way too much like sporting events. The parties say It's crucial, historic and vital this time. So vote the way we tell you to. On the other hand the NFL hypes the Super Bowl as the most important game in history. Yet they play another one every year.

So be kind. Be humble. Be proud and just breathe!

✌️