Showing posts with label surrender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label surrender. Show all posts

Sunday, July 8, 2018

What is the path to peace?

Do Unitarian Universalists want peace? It is mentioned in the sixth principle as "the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all." The way the principle is worded would make one think of political peace more than spiritual peace.

Catholics make a big deal out of spiritual peace asking worshippers to extend to one another the wish for peace during their worship services and ritually say, "Pax vobiscum," peace be with you during their liturgies.

Peace is considered in the perennial psychology as a major sign of spiritual attainment. It is inner peace that is being referred to however.

The third step of the twelve step program for people in recovery is to make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God.

This decision to "turn it over" comes after the dawning that there must be a better way. This turning initiates the search. What is that better way? What does it look like? How can I stay on the right track and not get lost again? Are there trail markers I should look for or am I to blaze the trail all on my own only following an intuitive compass that points at God's will for me?

What are the differences I should be alert to to discern the differences between the path of the ego and the path of the spirit?

The two biggest trail markers on the path of the spirit are: What is the loving thing? and Will this bring us peace? Notice the word "us". What will bring "us" peace includes "me" but not "me" alone. My relationships with others must be brought into consideration as well.

The body is the not the temple of the Holy Spirit as so many of us have been incorrectly taught. The temple of the Holy Spirit is in relationships. Remember the Jesus said, "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I will be." Jesus was referring to the Divine when He said "I" not his personification.

Giving up our ego is a scary thing. We feel like we are giving up control, and indeed, we are intentionally giving up control, and turning it over to the Divine. We come to not only learn that we are not in control of the universe but we gladly give up the fantasy and illusion.

Let it go. There are far greater things going on than we could ever understand. Give up our attempts to control every thing. As they say in AA, "Let go and let God."

A genuine surrender is the path to peace.


Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Surrendering to a Higher Power is based on heart felt faith

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. From where does this worth and dignity arise, and where does an awareness of this worth and dignity take us?

In Alcoholics Anonymous and other Twelve Step Programs they say, "Let go and let God." "You do your best and God will do the rest." At times, these slogans get shortened to simply, "Let Go," and "Turn it over."

Sometimes implementing these slogans is called "Surrender." "Surrender" is not giving up or avoiding responsibility. Implementing these slogans is a way of asking for help recognizing that there are powers far greater than ourselves in the Universe.

As a child I was taught that I, and everyone else, has a guardian angel who is looking out for me. In addition, I was instructed to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. When I have done so, it has always helped as long as I let go of any expectations of particular outcomes. I simply have learned to "turn it over" by "asking for guidance," doing my best, and then surrendering to whatever happened after that. After all, what more can one do?

This way of living brings one great peace and joy. This way of living provides one with self confidence, self worth, and a realistic self esteem because one comes to understand who one is, a child of the Divine, who deserves to be here and is entitled to Love. It is in this awareness and understanding that worth and dignity arise. This is a matter of faith. It is not belief. Belief is of the head, and faith is of the heart.

Turning things over to the Holy Spirit for guidance while one endeavors to do one's best brings happiness and peace beyond human understanding.


Saturday, April 14, 2018

Peace comes from surrendering to the Love of the Divine

Most Unitarian Universalists have control issues. They have been called heretics and rebels because they don't like authority. UUs want to be the boss of themselves and don't like clerical authority of any kind. Consequently, UUs have difficulty finding the peace that is not of this world because they find it difficult to surrender, to give up control.

What is the peace that is not of this world? What is the peace that goes beyond all understanding?

This peace comes from the awareness that nothing real can be threatened and die.

It follows that nothing unreal exists.

This understanding, my friends, is the peace of God which is beyond all understanding and is not of this world, meaning not on the path of the ego.

The basic doctrine of Buddhism is based on the idea of anica or impermanence. The only thing unchanging on the path of the ego is that all things change, and change continually. In physics this is called the law of entropy.

Buddhism teaches that attachment causes suffering because we will lose on the path of the ego whatever we become attached to.

This suffering is the opposite of the peace we seek.

If all things on the path of the ego change and bring us suffering if we become attached to them, where then does peace abide?

Peace abides in the Love of God. This peace is manifested in Loving Kindness which flows from forgiveness and gratitude.

So if you would have peace that is not of this world, forgive yourself and others who cling to the path of the ego, and encourage yourself and others to surrender themselves to the Love of the Divine.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Do you believe in magic?

Unitarian Universalists all too often believe in magic.They seem to believe in the power of human beings to shape their own destiny on their own.

UUs eschew authority and while they pay some respect to democracy pretty much want to call their own shots and do their own thing.

This attitude doesn't work very well and Unitarian Universalism is a very small denomination with its numbers dwindling because their basic belief  in their individual magical powers is untenable.

Do you believe in magic?

Indeed you do. We all do. We say to ourselves, "If only I obtained this, had that, or that happened then I would be happy."

We attribute our happiness to external events and circumstances.

When these desired objects and events fail us, we become angry or sad or both.

Sometimes we feel guilty that we wanted to control things and failed.

As the bumper sticker says, "Shit happens," and my favorite, "Mega shit happens."

We find ourselves in a hell of our own creation. We thought we could control things, achieve things, obtain things, make people behave toward us as we desired, expected, demanded. Naaaaaaaah, it doesn't work. How long does it take to realize this?

The locker room slogan says, "Winners never quit and quitters never win." Really?

There is a time to quit. There is a time to find a better way. There is help available.

Turn within and ask the Holy Spirit, Jesus, God, Mother Nature, the Muse, the Universe, Life, to help you. As they say in Alcoholics Anonymous in their twelve step program, "Surrender to you Higher Power, whatever you conceive your Higher Power to be."

As the jokester said, "If God is your co-pilot, you're in the wrong seat."
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