My Beliefs?
Do I believe in God? Sure I do. I believe that God once existed and that some supreme beings (as in many GODS) watches over the world. I'm not your average believer however but we will talk more about that later. I believe in all sorts of things. I'm not however a label, so no I'm not a Christian, Catholic, Baptist or any other label. I am me. I believe I'm closer defined spiritually through the New Age Movement with many aspects of Buddhism,Toaism and Wiccan practices. So I'm spiritual, not religious and I practice my spiritualism every single day by the way I live.
The Rede is similar to the Golden Rule, a belief that is found in nearly every religion (and lack there of). Not all traditional Wiccans follow the Rede; Gardnerians (a sect under Wicca) espouse the Charge of the Goddess as a guide for morality. Its line "Keep pure your highest ideal, strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside, for mine is the secret door which opens upon the door of youth" is used as a maxim for ethical dilemmas.
THE MANY ASPECTS OF THE SOUL
The word "soul" is an ambiguous term. Everyone has a different
perception of it and few understand its actual meaning.
There really is only one soul that has many different aspects. The word "soul" means a sea of consciousness. That sea is so vast and varied that it is impossible to comprehend. Therefore, it needs to be broken down into manageable segments.
The smallest manageable segment is commonly called an individual soul.
An individual soul is neither male, nor female, for it has a dual polarity, both positive and negative. The soul adjusts to the physical world by splitting and becoming a half soul whenever it incarnates.
Half souls are commonly called twin souls or twin flames.
The soul's ability to split provides it with two options. The most popular choice is for half of it to incarnate as a male or female.
The second option is for both halves to incarnate at the same time either as a man and a woman, two men or two women. This latter concept is commonly called a multiple or dual incarnation. In most cases, both half souls are unaware of each other. They may not be incarnate in the same country or on the same planet. If they meet, they probably would not recognize each other. Depending upon the circumstances, they may not even like each other.
Thought is unable to understand that all souls unconditionally love each other equally. Thought's dependence upon security, and its desire to find
eternal love, has caused thought to greatly romance the term "soul mate".
Thus, it does not realize that a soul mate can be a stranger, business
associate, friend, parent, or sibling.
A soul mate is a counterpart of a twin soul. It is just as rare for soul mates to have a romantic relationship with each other as it is for siblings.
Various bonds are formed between souls who have frequently worked closely with each other in previous incarnations.
Individual souls who share a mutual bond are called "companion souls" and belong to various soul groups.
The most common soul group is comprised of former relatives, friends and business associates. All of the residents of a community or town comprise another type of soul group.
Many of the founding fathers of the United States belonged to a group called the White Brotherhood. This exclusive group is comprised of twenty-one masters of destiny.
THE SOUL IN RELATION TO TIME AND SPACE
Being a consciousness, the soul is NOT restricted by time and space like the physical body. The fluidity of the soul allows the soul to travel
through time and to simultaneously be in the present and the past.
For example, when the soul withdraws from the physical body, it is greeted in the next dimension by familiar souls. Some of these souls may be incarnate.
Thought wonders how this can be for it identifies itself, and others, as
being the physical body. This identification allows you to recognize an
individual, but it prevents you from recognizing the soul. The physical
entity you recognize is a former expression of the soul, and not the soul. Their familiar expressions assist you in recognizing them and helps you to feel comfortable.
Prior to incarnating, the soul mentally examines everything it will
experience in that incarnation on a "non-progressive" world. This
examination is similar to participating in an interactive computer game
with every soul it will encounter in that incarnation.
Every soul participating in this mutual examination enters into various
arrangements that enable every participant to achieve its objective. The soul's experience determines how wisely it plans and executes its
incarnation. The more inexperienced the soul is, the more errors it makes. Errors are inevitable because even the wisest and most experienced soul is unaware of its misconceptions. A single misconception causes the soul to make thousands of errors. Additional errors occur because it is impossible for the soul to anticipate how Destiny will respond when it is incarnate. All of these errors provide the soul countless opportunities to correct its perception and to gain additional experience.
After each incarnation, the soul compares what it actually experienced
in a progressive world against what it mentally experienced in the
non-progressive world. The differences observed between these two assist the soul in planning its next incarnation. The more experienced the soul is, the greater the likelihood that the soul will compare its findings against the Akashic Records rather than assume that they are accurate.
THE SOUL AND KARMA
There are just as many misconceptions about karma as there are about the soul. The Law of Cause and Effect is the law of balance. Every
misconception the soul has causes the soul to unknowingly oppose the
Universal Laws (dharma). This opposition is called "karma" because it creates conflict and disrupts the balance of life. Destiny responds to this imbalance by creating events, situations or conditions that assist the soul in realizing its misconception. This realization is important for it allows the soul to correct its perception, eliminate the conflict and regain its balance.
Just as feedback guides a missile to its target, karma guides the soul
through life and keeps it on course. Therefore, neither karma nor feedback is a punishment.
Your mind's perception defines your reality and determines how you
respond to it. Your response or reaction to your reality is called "behavior" because it is a conditioned response. The flaws in your perception alter or transform what is into what it is not. They create a difference between what is and how it is perceived. The greater this difference is, the more disruptive the behavior.
The soul's perception defines its physical ..the human body)
and (except for Destiny) determines what it will experience. Like its physical
expression, the soul has misconceptions or flaws in its perception. In
addition to its own misconceptions, its physical expression has the same
misconceptions as the soul. Karma deals with the source of the error, as
opposed to its expression or reflection. It is an impersonal response to
the soul's flawed perception. Therefore, karma never creates a contractual obligation.
Karma pertains to the soul's perception, whereas behavior pertains to
the perception of the physical body. Focusing your attention on your actions or behavior causes you to falsely associate karma with behavior and prevents you from seeing the source of your behavior. If karma was based upon behavior, it would create additional problems and conflict. For example, the late Senator Joseph McCarthy's "witch hunt" over communism ruined the reputations and lives of hundreds. Some of the accused ended up committing suicide. If the actions of Senator McCarthy created karma, then he would have to work out that karma with every individual he ruined. This would mean that everyone of them would be obligated to incarnate again so he could resolve his karma. This would neither be practical nor fair.
The beauty of karma is that it treats every soul the same. What applies to one, applies to all. No soul is exempt or privileged.
THE SOUL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH LIFE
Life is movement within a relationship, comprised of relationships
within relationships. Each of these relationships is an evolving process. Each process is a system within a system. All of these relationships, processes and systems mutually share rights and responsibilities that allow them to develop their potential and fulfill their purpose. This means that nothing in life is singular. Everything exists because of its relationship to something else.
For example, the soul has a relationship with life. The soul exists
because life exists and life exists because the soul exists. Both are
autonomous. Each has unconditionally relinquished all control over the
other. The soul is responsible for using what life freely offers to
develop and express its unlimited potential. Likewise, life is responsible for using what the soul freely offers to develop and express its unlimited potential.
Both the soul and life are accountable for everything they do because they have complete control over themselves. This indestructible relationship allows each to develop and express their potential. It also prevents anything from happening by chance, accident or coincidence. The diversity of this relationship defines its potential, and the development of that potential determines its worth.
The relationship between the soul and life is unconditional as opposed
to conditional. This means that life cannot pick and choose what it will
offer or who will receive it. It treats everyone the same for the only authority it recognizes is the Universal Laws. Unfortunately, the soul's perception prevents it from realizing that it too is governed by the Universal Laws.
Therefore, the soul is unaware of the conflict it creates when it selects
and rejects what life has to offer. This conflict creates karma. In other
words, karma exists because the soul's perception is flawed. What would be gained if the soul's perception was accurate? How would it evolve?
Everything in life has purpose, potential and value. This means that
everything is unique (never duplicated) and nothing is ever wasted. The purpose of life and the soul is to mutually develop and express their unlimited potential. In fact, it is impossible for them not to do so.
Purpose and resistance determine the manner of that expression.
Resistance develops potential and gives it worth. Obtaining or achieving anything of worth involves overcoming some form of resistance through the expenditure of time and energy. The greater the potential worth, the greater the resistance encountered. Resistance can be physical, mental or both. Your environment provides physical resistance. Perception and thought provide mental resistance.
Physical resistance can be measured and is easily recognized. Mental resistance is another story. Thought and perception can recognize another's mental resistance, but they are unaware of the resistance they create for they are unable to observe and challenge themselves.
This causes them to see themselves as an authority. Thought and perception are life's greatest adversary.
You realize this fact when you observe, question and examine the contents of your mind.
Wiccan Rede
Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.
For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and light be our guides again.
Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's
insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.
As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.
When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.
In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.
Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.
Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.
These Eight words the Rede fulfill:
"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
Some Christians, under the rubric of "love," will refuse to stand against any other man or group who names the name of Christ. Is that a correct stand? Should we, in order to avoid contention, avoid contending with those who are in error in doctrine? Should we "leave it to God" or "just pray" about it? Or, should we stand before all and declare someone a heretic, or declare that person to be in error, and then declare exactly why? Should we thunder out truth, and boldly proclaim our denunciations of heresy? Or, should we quietly defend, proclaiming truth, teaching true doctrine, not contentiously, but with a quiet and meek spirit?
Life isn't easy, and finding something to believe in is even harder when most of your life is spent searching and coming up short. I was lucky that my parents gave me free religious reign over my life and the decisions I've made. They simply wanted me to find my own way. Although I was lucky; I was also continuously battling my spiritual side trying to find a place to fit in. Going to church after church; calming masking my true nature while playing detective about each particular establishments.
Those who know the gospel are to show a life of good works, and a meekness of wisdom. In other words, there should be no arrogance in our understanding of the gospel and our proclamation of its truth, as though we are some sort of special holder of this truth. This truth is common to all true believers. If there comes to us envious, bitter strife, we are told that we are in the place where there is confusion and evil works. That means we're a part of an evil work. And notice finally, there is a plea for peace.
But as we all know, peace at any price is not peace, but slavery. So, while the Scriptures admonish for us to live peaceably with all men as much as possible, there is no declaration that peace is an absolute. It is a desired goal. It is something we ought to seek and advocate. But not at the price of our liberty in Christ, nor at the price of surrendering our truths on the altar.
So what exactly was my plan? Probably like others I just wanted to feel at peace. I wanted something, anything to believe in. I wanted to feel safe and free and loved. I wanted to live my life without unconsciously hurting others or myself. And when it is my time to migrate to another world I could do it with a sound mind and full heart. I want to simply leave my mark on the world because truthfully no one wants to be forgotten right? So here I was belting my way through one organized religion, through another and back again adapting and believing with a full heart I'd finally found on that makes sense. Then something would happen, I would get bored or something explainable to myself couldn't be explained to me by someone viewed as 'important' to the church. Someone would say or do something contradictory to what s/he said the day before. So I would look back over my time spent and search for faults with every aspect of that particular place and be done with it. Moving on to the next only to spend another couple of months feeling wasted and empty still.
So I came up with my own plan. I'd take everything I'd learn and piece it together in a way that works for me. Creating my own personalize spiritual result. I've never been able to come up for a title for it but it is very much real to me.
My truth is simple: Fear not for God has a plan.
A quote to live by: No single tradition monopolizes the truth. We must glean the best values of all traditions and work together to remove the tensions between them. If we do , peace will have a chance. For conversation to be fruitful, we need to live deeply our own tradition and, at the same time, look and listen deeply to others. We can appreciate the beauty and value of our own and the other's tradition. - Thich Nhat Hanh