Music and the Enlightened Soul

I love music and I love to sing. It is a time when I can do something that really lifts my spirit and sets me on a better path. Music changes everything in my life, as it is a big part of life for countless millions.

Music can take a person from total depression to total happiness. It changes our very being from the inside out. Have you ever met a professional singer after they have finished a gig? You will see in their eyes that they have been in another place while they were singing; a trance state, which allowed the music to emerge from their very soul, and burst forth in total ecstasy.

I’m listening to a Western singer on the radio and he is singing about the men and women who were fighting in Afghanistan. A song about the heroes who have given so much for so little compensation, yet music that eulogizes the hard work of a few individuals for a job well done.

Singing is something that many of us can and do, whether it’s only in the shower, walking down a street singing to ourselves, or singing in a neighborhood choir, or perhaps on radio or television. We sing to enlighten our souls and bring a little joy into our life. Music of all kinds is what we need to es­cape from our daily life; a moment of recluse, a moment of escape from the world and our apparent problems.

As we listen to our favorite music, we can’t help thinking of the words and what they mean to us. For example: As I listen to George Beverly Shay singing “How Great Thou Are” I know that God is the source of all creation. That song literally opens me to God’s presence in my life.

We sing together and enjoy each other’s company. We sing to change our thinking. We sing to make a difference in the life of someone else. We sing to praise the Christ who came into this world and changed our life from a pagan non-scientific world to a world where we all have an opportunity to be educated and contribute to society.

Music started when man began to beat sticks together, and then graduated to making drums that had a sound that appealed to his soul. He even learned to use the drum to communicate with others while being many miles apart.

The sounds he produced mimicked his own voice as he beat out his message on specially carved out hollowed logs. From the hollowed out logs we graduated to a more sophisticated type of drum with an animal skin stretched over a circular frame. Perhaps a person found that he could produce sound that appealed to him as he beat a skin that was stretched on a frame that was used to tan the hide. This new type of drumming sound allowed man to produce a variety of drumming sounds in rhythm with the music of his soul.

Perhaps someone got an idea to take a piece of string made out of a thin piece of animal hide that he stretched between the “Y” of a strong tree branch – a crude harp. When he twanged the string, it made a particular sound. By placing several strings between the “Y” he was able to adjust the tension on the string and make various sounds. By twanging the strings in various order, he produced sounds that he like thereby making music that was pleasant to the ear. As he sang, he provably learned to twang the strings in rhythm with his voice, and later on added drumming to accompany his strings.

Who can say for sure when and how the first flutes were made? Maybe some one picked up a hallow reed and blew into it producing a sound he liked. From there he may have found other reeds with holes in them and when he blew into the read, it produced different sounds as he covered the holes with his fingers.

Musical instruments have been around almost as long as man - they are a part of life. Think about how music affects us, and even think about how a violin can be played in such a way, that it can make us cry one moment and laugh the next. There are very few instruments that can do this.

I would like to tell you about my younger brother. Dale was a musician from an early age. When my other brothers and I had given up on playing an instrument, he continued. He learned to play a mandolin, then a guitar, and my grandfather’s violin. From there, he graduated to playing the “button box”. An instrument he loved because he was able to play with a dozen or more other button box musicians and traveled around the United States play­ing in contests, entertaining people and just for the joy of playing it. He was good at it….

Music is indeed one of the few means that man has at his disposal that can change a person from being totally depressed to being totally happy in seconds. Music is being used to help men and women to become inspired in such a way that problems of all kinds are solved. Have you ever seen a man or woman who works with music playing in the background while they paint, sew fabric or making something else with their hands?

Music produces a means for a person to become totally enlightened through the opening of his soul. Music brings a person closer to his God than by any other means through the sounds produced by his music.

My Book

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My address is on my blog at http://www.churchofspiritualillumination.com/

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I hope you enjoy reading it as much as so many other people have.

For me, life just is

I made the statement in the previous article that for me, life just is. However, I believe that there is more to life than just being. We as humans are far more than thoughtless, mindless beings that exist by instincts alone. The animal world and all living lower species live by their limited inbred instincts. They can only make decisions based on their instincts and physical needs.

Unlike humans, animals cannot build a house, invent a car or fly to the moon. They cannot even take the smallest thing known to man and use it for their advantage. They would not even be able to give it a name let alone describe it to others. Life for an animal, insect or ameba is limited to their instincts and environment.

Man on the other hand can be anything he wants. He can invent things that will take him to the moon or across the galaxy, or beneath the sea without dying. Man is so resourceful that he can make and do anything he desires. But the one thing that man cannot make or invent is life. We believe that God created life. An individual who has the knowledge and know how to make anything he wants. Man has inherited this knowledge but unlike God, man has to discover it for himself; and what it is and how to use it. Man cannot just form a body out of the dust of the earth and breathe life into it. He cannot even make another living being without using an existing living part like DNA. Life seemingly is in the living parts.

Webster describes “life” as “The condition of living or the state of being alive”, “alive” as “showing acute awareness; mentally perceptive.” Life is also said to be consciousness. When a person becomes conscious of him/herself, they are alive. Again Webster says that consciousness is “An alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation”. But, what is life?

When a man makes love to a woman, it is possible for them to make a new human being. They are actually using microscopic parts of themselves that has life in it already and when combined starts to divide and grow into another human being. The being produced is not an elephant, or a lion. It is not even a rabbit or squirrel or an ameba.

Is life just life? Just is? It seems so. If we can believe that God has life in himself, we can then believe that when he breathed into the formed dust, physical body, he breathed a small life force part of himself into that body. That is what gave life to the dust thing. A never-ending division of God life force, that is in all living things.

Life truly is a mystery, a mystery that can only be described by God. Life just is.

Natural Law of Thought

"We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thought.
With our thoughts, we make our world."

The Buddha

Throughout my studies of the Natural/Spiritual Laws, I am reminded of the billions of people on this earth who are totally involved in negative thinking. This has brought them nothing but stress and a depressive state of being. Thinking is something everybody does and yet no one can see it happening. It is totally within the person. Not even people who claim to be “mind readers” can see or hear the thoughts of another person if that other person doesn’t want his/her thoughts read. Normally, thoughts can only be perceived, but not seen or heard until a person expresses them verbally. This is not to say that some people don’t contain their thought and they often radiate them psychically and so strongly that others are affected in a negative way – to put it mildly.

At one university, a young psychology student decided to do an experiment. While he was studying at the university library, one day, he decided to try and read the thoughts of other students there. As he listened mentally, he found that he was able to tune into other students, and he was extremely surprised at how easy it was. What he learned from his experience shook him terribly. He learned that a group of students were planning on committing a crime, a crime that would see a certain part of the university blown up. The young man alerted the campus police who put the group under surveillance and they were later able to stop the crime. So, some people are able to read other people’s minds, while others who could, just don’t.

As I thought about the meaning of the law of thought, it became obvious that what goes on inside another person’s head is “none of my business.” For me, or any person to try and read another person’s thoughts is an intrusion into their life and we don’t have that right. God gave all humanity total freewill, yes, but not to think and do whatever we wish. Doing whatever one wishes may have dire consequences. A person may end up in jail for the rest of their life, or worse. However, it’s still their privilege of freewill.

Freewill has been a gift and a curse. A gift when used for ones highest good and the good of society for the rewards it produces, and a curse, because it can be totally destructive. You may ask, “Why do people do the things they do?” it’s because they do have freewill. Freewill to think and choose where it is they will be born, whether or not they will starve to death by the age of 2, or die in a non-declared war, or at 106 years of age. It is written that we even choose the life and lessons that a physical life can give us, before we incarnate into this physical world. To think whatever we wish is a privilege of being alive.

Freewill is a privilege that makes the Law of Thought possible. We think therefore we are… Oh? Yes it is because we can think and through our thinking produce new products and services here in this physical world. Humans are continuously thinking up new things. No animal can do this. Can an animal produce the electronics that make up a computer? Can an animal or even an insect or ameba build a skyscraper? Not that I know of! There is not even a single word written that proves that animals, birds or insects can do or be anything but animals, birds and insects – they can only live by their instinct. So, let’s read about the Laws of Thought that was written by another person:

Law of Thought

Have you noticed that people with a negative outlook seem to be surrounded by negativity and negative thinking in general? [The Spiritual Natural Law of Attraction, like attracts like.] Think about the people who are chronically miserable complaining that the world has short changed them, others are always getting ahead faster than they are, and how things could be so much better if only things were done their way instead. Their world is largely a reflection of the negative thoughts that they generate.

Thoughts, both positive and negative, play a large role in our life. Our thoughts and our way of thinking are part of our being and vibration. Everyone is living in an ever – changing sea of thought. The waves, tides, and currents produced by our thoughts have an affect on others (and their thoughts affect us too.)

Don’t dismiss this by saying that your thoughts don’t have an affect on anything. They do. Negativity, bitterness, and jealousy cast darkness over your being as surely as love, kindness, and compassion spread sunshine. That sunshine (or darkness), affects how you feel and react to things and is also reflected towards others when you come into contact with them.

Thoughts are very powerful. Thoughts (with feelings behind them) are just as powerful as actions. Your thoughts (and your way of thinking) are the base for your being and vibration. Since “you are what you think” (to a degree), change your thinking for the better and you will change yourself as well. Of course, it won’t happen overnight, but will change overtime.

Your thoughts are not isolated to yourself. You don’t think in a vacuum. Others can perceive thoughts that have enough energy behind them. For in­stance, how many times has a friend or relative called you on the phone and you tell the person that you had just been thinking about him or her? Or vice versa? You probably just take this experience for granted, but there is more to it. You sent out a thought (most likely subconsciously). Your friend picked up on the thought (most likely subconsciously) even though they were many miles away from you.

A phone call is a simple example that shows the point, but do not dismiss this whole idea as trivial nonsense. It is not. And it is not as easy as arbitrarily thinking whatever you want and having it immediately happen either. If it worked that way then everyone would be a lottery winner and never have to work again!! There’s no “faking” here, be genuine. It bears repeating – thoughts (with feelings behind them) are just as powerful as actions, and everyone is living in an ever – changing sea of thought. If your friend on the earth plane is sensitive enough to pick up on your thoughts from time to time, you can be sure that the spirit people around you pick up on your thoughts also. Spirits are more sensitive than your friend on the earth plane and can perceive your thoughts more easily.

Consider the implications. Thought can travel any distance and be perceived by others. Thought can become a method of communication. Thought is the basis for Spirit communication.

Both thought and action are subject to Natural Laws. For example, if you’re thinking is negative you will draw negativity toward you (through the Law of Attraction). On the other hand, positive thinking and outlook will draw the positive toward you.

Law of Thought (2)

“Encompasses both the Law of Contradiction and the Law of Identity, the Law of Thought relates to the incalculable energy force of the universe. This law pervades all that there is. Since thought is also a process of communication, this law also encompasses the world of creative thought. Positive, creative thoughts create higher vibrations than negative thoughts. Each thought has three parts: the kind of thought (destructive or constructive), the direction of the thought, and the intensity of the thought. As one thinketh, so the person is. By our thoughts we meld our being. With constructive thoughts we can solve our problems and create a better way for all humankind.”

Surfing Though Life

Marvin is a surfer. He loves to go to the beach and ride the waves; the bigger the wave the better. On this particular morning, the waves were just right, running at five to 10 feet per wave. He took his surfboard and paddled out onto the water. When he arrived at the just the right place on the water, the place where the perfect wave just starts to build, and move towards the beach, he started to rapidly paddle his surfboard with his arms propelling himself towards the shore and the perfect ride.

The wave started moving Marvin slowly at the start, but as the wave continued to build, it grew in strength and speed. At just the right spot on the wave Marvin stood up on his surfboard riding to his left then to his right faster and faster as he continued to move toward the beach on that perfect wave to land smoothly on the beach. Marvin was at the peek of his game enjoying every move he made on his surfboard. He was no show-off, just another person en­joying the surf. Time and again he road the waves, only to find that not all of the waves he choose were to his liking. Some waves broke just as he began to stand up on his surfboard plunging him into the water. From time to time when this happened, he would be plunged deep into the wave to be tumbled and battered in every direction, it seemed all at the same time. He would struggle to surface surviving to ride the wave to the shore unharmed.

The wave that Marvin was riding was the wave of his physical life, the wave that effectively described a perfect life as smooth and thrilling as it could be. Some waves allowed Marvin to move in any direction he desired and as fast and easily as he liked without any kind of incidence that would cause him to be thrown off his surfboard of life, plunging him into troubled waters. But not all waves are perfect. Some waves start out to be perfect, but soon break into turbulent waters.

Life can be like a perfect wave for many people while others it seems are tossed to and fro with little regard to their safety and wellbeing. It is always up to us to try and choose the right wave at the beginning of our physical life, but this is not always possible. Some of us invariably choose the wrong wave even though it started out smoothly, building too a perfect wave front, but it was not to be. The wave would start to break before we realized it, throwing us off our surfboard into troubled waters, drawing us down into the boiling and churning water beneath the wave. If we are not able to climb out of the water, by swimming to the surface to emerge and grab onto our surfboard, to climb back on it, or layout on the water to continue to ride the wave, we are often dashed upon the rocky shore battered and broken.

Life can be great when we choose the right wave or it can be a life filled with troubled water. Whatever kind of wave we ride, it is always up to us to make the best of it. We strive to find the wave where we are able to make a contribution to society and our families through showing others how it is done. We striving to be builders of all that life can be through being filled with peace, love, joy and happiness. But, sometimes we do not choose the right wave so that we are unwittingly thrown into the troubled waters of wrong decisions and actions. We believe that we are intelligent, well educated and able to be all that we can be. We strive to find a place where we can contribute to the good of all. To avoid being thrown a curve that throws us off our surfboard plunging us deep into troubled waters. However, troubled waters are designed to teach us lessons even if they are hard lessons for us to learn, lessons nonetheless.

All of us go to the sea to find and ride the perfect wave of life. We strive to choose the right wave so that we will be able to end our life in perfect health, and thrilled to say, “It was a good life filled with love, prosperity and happiness”. Do not despair if your wave is not the perfect one. Your life is as it should be. Moving towards the beach where we can walk away from the sea with all the experiences that that wave had to offer us. You may believe that you choose the wrong wave, but you have only fallen off your surfboard to ride the troubled waters for a time. You can ride on the wave’s surface for a perfect landing on the beach if you will.

Oh No, Not Again

How often have you been asked what you consider to be stupid and often sarcastic questions? When this happens we sometime want to respond with a stupid or sarcastic answer. But is that right or fair? Why should people be making stupid statements in the first place? People far too often do and say things that they regret later. Some of those things do seem to be stupid and even sarcastic, but that may not be the person’s intent. Something we should understand and give the person the benefit of the doubt, if we can.

Haven’t you wished that you could say whatever you want to whomever you want and not worry about the consequences? But, you know that this just can’t happen. Not now, not ever. I think that we all understand this.

We are all intelligent people with our own set of values and thought processes that are different than other peoples. This makes us unique and possible for us to properly express ourselves, ask questions and get answers that make sense.

We must be aware that the way we express ourself can often produce a fight, if we’re not careful, that can become extremely intense and get way out of control real quick. This again, should never happen. It must not happen. How we take the words of others often depends on whether or not we consider the person as a friend or foe. Making a statement as a friend, even if it sounds sarcastic, makes a big difference between what we will tolerate and what we will not. The better we know someone the better we are able to know what it is they are really saying to us and why.

Just knowing that we can only tolerate sarcasm and stupidity for just so long and that we will, far too often, respond in kind is something to think about. Do we want to get involved in that kind of behavior? But, also be aware that it’s not always necessary to get back at someone just because they don’t always expressing themselves intelligence.

Only A Love Call Away

Only a phone call away
But could it be forever?
Where is that man, that woman?

Life is so sweet that we need to talk
To listen to our hearts
To say I love you

But, only for a moment
You see it is only an illusion that we are apart
So call me and will see
Call me my love
Join me in my ever lasting joy
Sing with me and I will sing with you

Let all begin
Let it all be as it should
Love at the start
Love at the end
And no sorrow for the loss

We only know each other
And we only want each other
For love is just a phone call away