CLEANING THE LENS

     Being somewhat near-sighted, I've worn glasses since the 5th grade, so having them perched on my nose has become second nature - so much so that I often forget I have them on. Sometimes I'll go days without cleaning them, which is unusual for a guy who is fairly fastidious otherwise.  Because my glasses are such a constant presence on my face, and the buildup of dust and grime is so gradual, I generally don't notice unless something suddenly splashes me in the face - which seldom occurs.  Instead, what tends to happen is that my glasses just get progressively dirtier for several days in a row, until suddenly sunlight will strike the lenses just right, forcing me to notice that the world looks somewhat blurry and dirty again!  Fortunately, it's an easy fix: A squirt of cleaning solution, a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth, and the lenses are sparkling once more.

 TAKING ANOTHER LOOK

     That's a simple solution for clearing my vision on the physical plane, and it's not that different on the metaphysical plane. As a student of spiritual principles, I've spent years learning to see the world more clearly by looking beyond my ego's limited perceptions and cultural conditioning, and remembering that life is not really an adversarial, win/lose proposition, pitting "Me vs. Them" in a ceaseless struggle for limited resources. Instead, I choose to believe in our essential Oneness with Source, knowing that I have enough and I AM enough, at all times, and under all circumstance, because there's a deep sense of love and abundance flowing through my life - even when it doesn't look like it or feel like it.

      While that's how I choose to see the world, I often lose this view when seemingly difficult circumstances arrive, and I find my guts tangled up in knots, eyes clouded with fear, struggling to deal with the challenge du jour. But the moment I become aware that what I'm seeing is mostly just a film of culturally derived dust that's impairing my vision, I'm free to "wipe off the smudges and dust" from the Eyes of my Heart, and then take another, deeper look...  Yes, disease, death and economic challenges can seem very "real", but so is the opportunity to look beyond them into the metaphysical truth of Sufficiency.

 SHARING THE PATH

     Sure, it's a learning process, and there's still much I don't know, still so many times I forget. Having a meditation practice is a helpful way of remembering, but the most powerful way of re-visiting and re-focusing on these spiritual principles is to spend time in the company of others who are choosing to do the same. Which is why I'm so grateful for your companionship in Celebration Circle, as we move along this path of learning and remembering together, dear reader. Whether we meet on Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings, at weekend retreats or even on-line, there is so much power and possibility in focusing our intentions collectively, and seeing anew with "heart and mind wide open." Thank you for your presence on the path! It wouldn't be the same without you...

With gratitude and blessings,

     Rudi

THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.