OCEAN

Looking at the ocean is like viewing eternity.  It’s where the land meets the water, and the water meets the sky.  The four legged ones, the fish, and the winged ones join together at this intersection.  The ocean is ancient.  It has and always will be.  The air, it’s the same as you breathe – our breath becomes one.  You can feel her power as the waves breathe life into the air.  Cleansing all who stand before her in admiration.  Her song is as memorizing as the world she holds deep in secret, waiting to be shared by all.

 

She can be soft and smooth. I know she feels peace.  Wild and raging her emotions motivate me; moving and directing me like a grain of sand at her feet.  As I stand in the water, she kisses me with the white caps of her waves.  Pure and excepting she wipes away my troubles and comforts me.  Oh how I feel free!  Love pours from my heart and into the sea.  She is special.  She means everything to me.  This is my heaven, made by God for all to be.

 

For those of you who can not be by the ocean today, please enjoy the following inspirational videos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



FORGIVING BP

Did you know that there is medical evidence that your thoughts play a significant role in your health?

I had Diverticulitis and it caused my bowel to perforate.  On a metaphysical level it is suggested that diverticulitis is a condition caused by "blaming others for failing to prevent unpleasant experiences from happening and refusing to forgive them."

At first I was scratching my head thinking who am I not forgiving?  I know the importance of forgiveness, and how it can affect ones health.  But I never considered a corporation as an entity that I needed to forgive.  A friend, who is a healer, suggested to me that it could possibly be the BP oil spill.  Like she said, they took something away from me, and I was forced to deal with it. 

I live in Pensacola, Florida, and I had not swum in the Gulf of Mexico since Memorial Day Weekend in 2010, due to the Deepwater Horizon Disaster.  Following that holiday weekend is when the tar balls began to wash ashore.  And it affected me deeply.  I was so sad and depressed, as well as the rest of the community.  I fought tooth and nail to get others to realize what BP was trying to hide with their false advertising and total disregard for the environment.  In addition there were other stresses associated with the movement, like the clash of egos among community leaders. 

In the fall of 2013, I felt it was time to let go, yet I found myself getting wrapped up in the BP drama from time to time still.  A year later and I was feeling the symptoms of diverticulitis.  By December 2014, I was in the hospital. 

I was released from the hospital in January 2015.  Right after the 5 Year Anniversary of the BP Oil Spill (April 20^th), I found myself in the hospital a second time.  Again I had allowed myself to get caught up in the BP drama, by being asked to get involved with events aimed to honor the anniversary.  Believe it or not, I was actually diagnosed with diverticulitis a second time (very unusual).

Just recently, a friend turned me onto this book called, “The Power of Now,” by Eckhart Tolle (A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment).  Over five million copies sold.  It’s all about enlightenment and keeping track of your thoughts; the conscious mind verses the ego.  By being a witness to your thoughts, instead of allowing your mind to just wonder while being unaware of what you are truly thinking about, is a step towards living in the now; letting go of the past, don’t dwell on future events that have not happened yet. 

 

Now here are a few quotes I want to share from the book:

Ø      “If you believe on a deep level, in separation and the struggle for survival, then you see that belief reflected all around you and your perceptions are governed by fear.  You inhabit a world of death and of bodies fighting, killing, and devouring each other.”

Ø      “If you feel called upon to alleviate suffering in the world, that is a very noble thing to do, but remember not to focus exclusively on the outer (world), otherwise, you will encounter frustration and despair.”

Ø      “This also applies if you are supporting a movement designed to stop deeply unconscious humans from destroying themselves, each other, and the planet, or from continuing to inflict dreadful suffering on other sentient beings.”  Otherwise you will create an enemy and be drawn into unconsciousness yourself.

Ø      “Only those who have transcended the world can bring about a better world.”

Ø      “Peace is your is your most precious gift to the world.”

 

Most of this I already knew to be true.  And I pretty much conveyed this message in my book, “The Crude Oil Adventure of the Human Re-Evolution.”  I’ve been a student of metaphysics for several years now, and most of what I have learned, I have put into practice. 

 

After four years of meditating and praying over for the ocean water in the Gulf of Mexico, I can say the small fish have returned to the shoreline, and several turtles have returned as well; ghost crabs everywhere. So, I finally took a dip into the water that I once considered toxic.  I’ve played in the waves, and I let go of my fear and felt the freedom and power of the ocean once again.  It was certainly a forgiving experience.

We all have a choice.  It’s all about perspective.  Anger, anxiety, hate, jealousy, these are all negative emotions.  Love, gratitude, compassion, these are positive emotions.  When I view the BP Oil Spill now, I am grateful for the experience.  It helped me to evolve spiritually.  It is taking a negative event and viewing it in a positive light.

No more anger – just forgiveness, followed by peace.  Peace Out!

 

JESUS & THE EVOLUTION OF MAN

Why do you think God sent Jesus to Earth?  Think about it.  The Bible was already written (The Old Testament).  Did Jesus preach the Old Testament?  The answer to that question is – NO. 

Jesus was a rebel who condemned the Jewish rabbi’s.  The old way left no room for mankind to evolve.  This is demonstrated in the bible at John 2:3-4, when Jesus pops off to his mother, “Woman, how does your concern affect me?”

This passage is symbolic of evolution.  We take from what we learn from our parents and build upon it.  We evolve.  If we continue to live by the old way there is no room to rise spiritually (to become better people).

We are like flowers in a garden.  The seed is planted; we are born.  Sometimes we have too much water, or too much sun.  We are a product of our environment.  We struggle as we grow towards the Son in the sky.  Yet as we struggle we are shaped and molded by a force greater than ourselves.  We are different colors and come in all shapes and sizes, and when you look upon the garden from up above its breathtakingly beautiful.  But if we only focus on what surrounds us from here on Earth, we don’t see the garden as a whole.  Instead, we compare ourselves to the other flowers and judge ourselves accordingly.  But what’s even more important is that while one flower may need lots of water, another may need only the sun.  This is why it is significant for each flower to read the bible themselves, and not follow the belief of another.  A priest, a rabbi, a minister, their personal interpretation does not necessarily apply to you. 

God gave us free will for a reason.  Free will is free to think for your self.

Jesus said, “I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him,” John 6:43.

So if you say you love me, but do not think that I am entitled to the same basic human rights as you, as afforded under man’s law, because of something you read in the Old Testament, then you are ignoring the teachings of Jesus.   You are denying your self the freedom to grow and to become a better human being.  For all people are equal and should be treated with the same respect as you expect for yourself.   When Jesus gave us the last commandment and said to love one another, he didn’t mean love without respect.  To love is to accept and support; for love knows no boundaries. And as demonstrated by the Gay and Lesbian culture, love knows no gender. 

John 16:1-3, “I have told you this so that you may not fall away.  They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.  They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.”

 

 

 

 

THE POWER OF WORDS

Whether we like it or not, the thoughts and opinions of others can and do influence our lives.  In December of 2014, I woke up after exploratory surgery to find that I now had to wear colostomy bag (temporarily).  While I was more concerned about simply walking again and regaining my strength, I found that most of my family and friends put more emphasis on that colostomy bag.  “Don’t worry Kim, it’s just temporary. The year will fly by in no time.”  Then they would shoot me that look; the one of pity as the visitor waved goodbye.    

 

The hospital supplied me with information regarding how to care for this instrument that was attached to my abdomen.  They told me I could go swimming, and work a job just like before.  Yet my family frowned and said there was no way I could work as long as I had to wear this bag.  What if you get in an embarrassing situation?  What if you have to empty your bag, or even worse yet, what if you have an accident, like a blowout?

I did eventually have that blowout.  I just happened to be at home when it occurred, and my other half was there as well.  If this accident had happened at work, it most certainly would have been one of the most embarrassing moments in my life, and I don’t think I would have been able to cope rationally.  I would have probably run out of the building screaming.  It would have been just as bad if I was at home alone. 

I suddenly came to realize that I had a handicap.  I filed for short-term Social Security Disability.  I answered hundreds of questions regarding my current situation.  And eventually I found myself playing the victim, instead of being a survivor.  I even found myself in the hospital a second time.

This time I had drains hooked to both sides of my body.  I had four total; three of which I had at the same time.  This went on for about 5 weeks.  It really sucked and I knew I had to do something about it, if I was going to have any chance of living a full and happy life again. 

The colostomy bag was mute in comparison to the drains that hung from my sides.  One of the drains had to be flushed daily.  It wasn’t a pleasant experience by far.  Every once in a while I would move the wrong way or too fast and I would feel them pulling at my side.  One of them eventually came lose from my body.

When the drains were finally removed, I felt free.  Even with the colostomy bag, I felt this heavy burden lift from me.  I had lost a lot of weight and strength in the past 6 months due to my illness, but I’m no longer a victim.  I’m a survivor! 

So please, don’t think of me with pity in your heart.  Do not plant the seeds of doubt in my mind by telling me what I can or can not do.  If anything, demand of me now as you had before.  And I in turn will do the same.  Only then are you a help instead of a hindrance. 

Never forget that your words and actions carry power. 

 

 

 

FINDING YOUR SELF IMAGE AFTER THE HOSPITAL

I always had said, “If I wind up in the hospital and have to quit smoking, I will never pick the habit up again.”

Well, been there, done that, and I haven’t quit smoking.  Not all the way anyway.  I left the hospital on January 3^rd, and the first thing I wanted was a cigarette.  There was no stopping me, “Dam it, I want a cigarette NOW!”

Before I unexpectedly entered the hospital, I was only smoking five cigarettes per day.  I wanted to quit.  I’ve quit the habit off and on for the past four years.  So why was I so determined to smoke another cigarette, after not smoking anything for over two weeks?

Well, for one thing, I was angry.  I was angry at what had happened to me.  I was weak and struggling just to walk.  On top of that, I now had to wear a colostomy bag for damn near a year; then it’ll be surgery number three at Christmas time again.

When I left the hospital, I couldn’t even look at a computer screen for more than ten minutes for the first two months.  Even today I still have problems focusing, and I still can’t sit in front of a computer and work like I use to.  My wife often times reminds me that I’m lucky to be alive.  And I realize this.

Still though, a battle waged inside of me to put myself together again, like I use to be.  I even caught myself eating chocolate and candy like it was going out of style, because I had lost weight during my hospital stay.  I felt weak, like I needed to buff up; anything to put Humpty back together again, if you know what I mean.

Smoking cigarettes was my way of taking back my life.  It was the one thing that I had control over.  I felt like a grown-up again, instead of some ill-stricken little kid.  If I’m going to stop smoking, it will be my chose; not because I have to.  It was important for me to feel strong and in control, because I was feeling like a total indolent for the first month, if not longer, after two surgeries.

Now I realize why my brother didn’t quit smoking after landing himself in I.C.U. with chronic lung issues several times.  He’ll be on oxygen for the rest of his life, due to chemical exposure.  Eventually he gave them up, but he smoked for a good eight years, after the big event.

I share this story with you, in case you know someone who is stepping out of a hospital, due to some major circumstance beyond their control.  Be a little understanding. 

If it wasn’t for a movie I seen this past weekend, and a comment made by a visiting friend, I would have never realized why I felt the need to pick up a cigarette, after not having one for seventeen days.  Now that I am aware of “why,” I think maybe I will exercise some more control and quit smoking all together.

 

 

 

SPRING EQUINOX

Spring is a time to return to the fire.  The equinox is a magical time when water and fire (winter and spring) blend together.  This is an opportune time for creative expression and to invoke the energy that will assist you in making things new within your life.  In short, it is the season of creation and expression of the new.

New seeds begin to sprout, flowers bloom, and Earth begins to resurrect herself. Even the Christian religion celebrates the story of the sorrowful Crucifixion (the old) and the promise of resurrection (new life) during this time of the year.  Easter is the one holy day determined by the stars.

The seasons are designed to promote specific evolutionary needs, by exposing us to the universal cycle of influence.  The spring equinox is a time when the veil between the physical world and spiritual are thinned, thus inaugurating the two worlds and pushing us out of the Earth and into the air, like a sprouting seed.   

So roll away the stones of limitation and allow the light to shine upon you.  Wiggle your way out of that cocoon and spread those new wings; it’s time to fly!

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS IN THE HOSPITAL

As I lie still by myself with tubes and wires extending from my hands and arms in the darkness of what is, I couldn’t help but compare myself to my father.  Is this how he felt when he was laying by himself in a hospital bed, miles away from his family on Christmas day?

I’m only two months short of his age when he passed away on December 27, in 1996.  I thought I was healthier than he was at this age.  I can only imagine the sadness felt by my mother and my siblings as history repeats. 

“Dad, help me through this.  This can’t happen again.  Not now.  Not like this.”

“Jesus, comfort me on this Holy night, as you have so many times before.  Wrap me in your love till I glow like a Christmas tree.  It would be so much easier to surrender to you here and now, but please give me the courage and the strength to live.”

There was no warmth of a Christmas tree, or the festive colors of gold, white, yellow, green and red in the darkness of the cut and grab critical care room.  But, the night felt just as holy as the Christmas nights passed within my own home of love. 

I felt better knowing that my dad most likely felt the same way on that Christmas holiday in 1996.  He wasn’t any more alone than I was at this moment in time.  My dad is with me this Christmas night, along with the spirits of love that crossed before me. 

Apparently, my Christmas wish was gifted that night.  I’m still here and doing much better than I was.  It wasn’t only my wish that was granted, but also the prayers of those who shinned their love on me that holiday season. 

In case you didn’t read it on a Facebook post, or I didn’t get a chance to tell you personally - thank you.  I love you all; each and every one of you.  I don’t even have to know you; I love you, because in the end, love is all that matters.

It’s kind of like when someone you know dies.  All the bad things you may have felt about that person just dissolve and disappear in the atmosphere somewhere.  We become forgiving and the only thing left is the good that we remember.  Our love is what shines on in this world; and it’s the only thing we can take with us to the next.

Love on while you can ~ Peace out!

 

My Dad