Touching Trees

When I am walking down the street and I simply take the time to stop for a minute and touch a tree, wondrous, magical things happen.

When I touch a tree I am connecting with something that is very old, perhaps older than me.

When I touch a tree I am coming into contact with something steady and stoic, which is comforting to me and my varying emotions. Though its branches may sway with the wind, its trunk never wavers.

When I touch a tree I feel at one with all of the nature around me.

When I touch a tree I often say "Hello brother," and it responds.

When I touch a tree I have a short but comforting conversation. I say "Hello" and it says, time and time again, "You are fine. Everything's going to be alright. You're on the right path."

When I touch a tree.

Are You Worthy Enough To See Your Dreams Realized?

Are you worthy enough to see your dreams realized?

Are you like me in that you've harboured dreams about what you want to do and what you want your life to look like for a long time, but for some reason you're not seeing those dreams come true? Why is that? I think that one reason could be because we don't feel worthy enough to see these dreams realized. For one reason or another we've been held down, suppressed, either by others or by ourselves. Happiness and success are for other people, better people, people who have their shit all together. But for us? Nah, can't be so. We're not talented enough, not strong enough. We are the second-class citizens who are meant for a life of the mundane, simply working 9 to 5 in a job that gives us no joy or fulfillment. Some of us live this way - if you can call it living - for years and years, perhaps their whole lives.

The antidote for such negativity is self-acceptance. This is something that perhaps we heard a few times as we were growing up (I'm thinking of Mr. Rogers and his repeated message "You are special exactly the way you are) but as "real life" hit we drifted farther and farther from it. Perhaps because we grew up in less-than-ideal family situations, or because we began to compare ourselves to our peers and found ourselves wanting. We bought into self-denial or even self-loathing, so of course we wouldn't believe we were worthy enough to see our dreams realized. Instead we learned to settle. But now, yes, now we are adults and we have a choice to accept ourselves and love ourselves in a way perhaps never realized. As we get into this habit, we will see, and perhaps it will take time, that we are worthy of realizing our dreams.

Along with unworthiness being a reason that we don't see our dreams realized, I think that trust and confidence are also issues. Even if we practise self-acceptance, we can still see our dreams as being too lofty, unrealistic, or even stupid. Take someone whose passion is dancing, for example. They grow up dancing as a child, but as they grow up they are told by society or someone around them that "Well, dancing is well and good but you need to get a real job, be more practical." This person, if not confident or trusting in Life, may very well give up their dreams and end up working a job that, sure, pays the bills but leaves their soul empty. I think we need to trust and have faith that as we pursue our passions, which is our purpose here on earth, doors will open and opportunities will arrive. Who do we trust? Some may call it God, others Spirit, still others simply Life. I believe that there is a divine energy at work in this world and in our lives that is working and directing all things together for good. This divine energy is both the source of our dreams, and the avenue by which we see our dreams realized. How powerful this is that there is an energy in us and around us that is working things together for good for us. This is much better than a vindictive, aloof, or even ambivalent God. As we trust this God and take steps forward, we will see Life open doors for us and our dreams.

In closing, you are worthy enough, you are beautiful enough to see your dreams realized. And you can trust that there is an energy at work that wants you to trust it and wants to open doors on the way to that realization.

Blessings,

Mark Andrew

Diving Off The Cliff

Sometimes you just have to take the plunge.

Have you ever been in a situation where you knew you were meant to make a decision but the material things in front of you make you say "That's crazy! Why would you ever do such a thing?" Let's use moving for an example. Have you ever felt in your heart, in your soul, that you were not meant to be living where you are and instead should be moving to a new location? You hear this voice inside you (which I believe is the Spirit of God), while "common sense" would tell you the exact opposite? Perhaps even friends or family have tried to convince you that this is a dumb, unthought-out idea. But still inside you hear that small voice, a whisper but a voice that seems so true.

I think that at moments like this we have to take the leap. We have to be like the diver who stand at the top of a high cliff who knows she wants to jump, and has every reassurance that the water below is deep enough for her to proceed. She could spend all of her time second-guessing herself, and the safety of it, but inside she knows these are just false voices. What is she to do? Take the leap, or be held back by her fears, which are just shadows?

Lately in my life certain things are up in the air that are challenging me as to if I actually trust Spirit or not. Do I trust Spirit's voice, which I hear many many times throughout the day, the voice that says "Trust me," "Walk by faith not by sight," "I will take care of you," "You have nothing to fear." Or do I give into my lower voices, which encourage me to panic and fill my days with anxiety and fear?

It's your choice, and it's my choice. For me, I know that life has led me to this point where I am being called to place absolutely all of my trust in Spirit. It is what I was made for, it's the kind of relationship with the divine that I've always wanted to have. But Spirit can't make me do anything. It's my decision.

And today, I decide to jump off the cliff, knowing that the cool water of Spirit is there to gather me up and protect me.

Blessings today my friends,

Love,

Mark Andrew

This Holy Moment

The World English Dictionary defines the word "holy" in this way: "endowed or invested with extreme purity or sublimity." If this is true, then we can have holy moments wherever and whenever we are.

If you would have asked the average person 50 or 60 years ago when and where holy moments occurred, you may very well have heard responses such as "in a church," "while on my knees praying," "while singing hymns." These are all valid responses, but I think more and more people all the time are realizing that holy moments can occur anytime, anywhere.

Why can we experience holiness at any time? Because you and I are one with the creative, Divine Energy, and as such we are one with this holy God. Wherever we walk, God walks. Wherever we go, God goes. Nothing can separate us from the divine. As a result, each moment is a holy moment, it's just a matter of whether we're conscious of it or not.

I experience moments of "extreme sublimity" while I am in the shower singing old jazz tunes, for example. At other times I may be reading the newspaper and having coffee in a café and a feeling of holiness may come over me. I may be walking through the park watching the ducks. Also, one thing that I am learning is that holiness may be more palpable when it is experienced with others. This may happen while conversing with a friend, or running your fingers through your lovers hair. The holiness within you touches the holiness in them, and sublimity is experienced in a powerful way.

How can we experience this holiness more regularly, rather than them being sporadic or irregular? I think that we cultivate holiness and our experience of it through set-apart times. I believe prayer and meditation can be most helpful with this, even if you spend 10-15 minutes at the start of your day focusing on holiness and your divine nature. Surely we all can spare 10 minutes at the start of our day. Or, perhaps you're a parent and it may work better in the afternoon when the kids are napping. When we spend quiet time focusing on God within us, our consciousness is raised and we can experience times of pure ecstasy throughout the day.

Wishing you moments of "extreme sublimity" today,

Mark Andrew

Bob Dylan On An Early November Afternoon

Do you believe that there is a divine power at work in the universe that is always working for good in your life? This is something I have been learning over the past several months, something I continue to learn on this lazy November afternoon with Bob Dylan piping through the speakers at the coffee shop.

It is easy to believe that there is a power at work in the universe, a power that is life-giving and life-growing. We see this every spring when the leaves reappear on the trees. We see it when someone we know gives birth to a beautiful new baby boy or girl. We see the majesty at work when we stand under a hundred-year-old tree.

Why then do we doubt that this power is at work in our lives? I believe that Spirit (or God, or Life, whatever name you use to refer to the divine) is unchanging and constant, and that Spirit has our best interests at heart. A Bible verse that speaks of this is "God works everything together for good for those who love him." What's more, we don't have to beg God to bless us with good things in our lives: "It is the Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom," which consists of love, peace, joy, prosperity. Therefore, it is not our job to beg, but instead to tune our minds into the frequency that God operates on. In the face of our problems we get bogged down. Instead, we should walk by faith. If we are sick, we should think thoughts of health. If we are lacking financially, we should think thoughts of abundance. And on and on it goes.

God is not capricious or even ambivalent. God wants to bless us with many good gifts, if only we would set our minds on higher things.

Listen To Your Highest Voice

Sometimes the answers are closer than you think.

Have you ever prayed and wondered when or if you will receive an answer? What's more, where are you directing your prayers when you pray?

My answers to these questions have changed radically in the past few years. For the first 2o-some-odd years of my life I prayed to a God who, I thought at the time, was primarily a Supreme Being who resided outside of myself, in a Heaven above the earth. I am thankful that I was introduced to spirituality from as far back as I remember, but there came a time when these beliefs started to change, and I have never looked back.

Let me give you my answer to the second question first. Where am I directing my prayers when I pray. Nowadays when I take time to pray, I am praying not to a God who is disconnected or separate from me, but to a God I am one with. God's home is within my soul, so when I pray I often find myself directing my prayers inward. This brings a power to my prayer life that I hadn't known. This of course radically changes how I experience answers to my prayers. I have been learning that God speaks to me through my Highest, or Best Voice.

When facing a predicament or problem there are often 2 sets of thoughts that go through your mind. Lacking in money? You can listen to the voice that says that you face certain ruination, OR you can listen to the voice that says "I will take care of you, you don't have to worry about your finances. Facing a dire diagnosis from a doctor? You can listen to the voice that says "I face a lengthy illness or even death," OR you can listen to the voice that says, "You have access to great healing power and I want to pour that out on you." Facing loneliness? You can listen to the voice that says "You are unlovable and deserve to be alone," OR you can listen to the voice that says, "I am here, I will take care of you and I will bring the people into your life who you need right now."

There are countless examples. The question is "Which voice will you listen to?" Now I know some people may be uncomfortable with this, but I believe that when we are attuned to Spirit within us, when we are aligned with Her, She speaks directly to us through our Highest Voice. Scripture is great, books are great, spiritual leaders are great. But if we face times when we don't have access to them, whether we're on the bus, commuting to work, in the shower, walking through the park - heck, even if we found ourselves on a deserted island - we would still have access to the Highest Voice.

Even in the face of excruciating hardships, we are not alone. Spirit lives within us and speaks to us through our Highest Voice. Listen for it today, and then walk by faith and put it into action. Step out of the boat and walk on the water, just as the disciple of Jesus did. Walk by faith, not by sight.

october twenty-third, two thousand and ten.

There's just something about the fall.

The smell of fallen leaves in the air. The yellows, oranges, reds and browns as you walk the trail behind your apartment.

The sound of Ol' Blue Eyes piping through your earphones: "These little town blues are melting awaaaay."

The aroma of a toffee latté behind concocted at Starbucks as you order your decaf, an oat fudge bar, and then sit down on the comfy seat.

The gathering of friends - family really - at your spiritual centre. The joy of knowing that even as we are on our own journey's, we are inextricably linked.

The sensation of a light rain falling on your face.

The sight of almost-too-gorgeous women in their sweaters and scarves, the kind that make you wish you were snuggled up on the couch watching Jimmy Stewart or Bing.

There's just something about the fall.