Out on a Branch

You have heard of Shirley McLane’s book “Out on a Limb” and its story of Shirley’s adventure into the paranormal. I decided that a good title for this newsletter would be “Out on a Branch” because Out on a Limb was already taken.

It is interesting to think that each of us sometimes find ourselves in a place that, if we are not careful, we could fall hard – out on the end of a branch that bends with every breath of wind. Insecure in the belief that we don’t have a good hold of the branch, but only have a precarious hold on our branch of the tree of life. No one wants to fall off.

“Falling” is an expression that many people use to describe how they went from living a “normal life” to being in a life of desperation. Feeling desperate over whether we will be working at the same job for another week due to the rumors that the company may be sold, or our job maybe cut due to the company being reorganized.

Maybe, it has nothing to do with our jobs, but what about our children? The son or daughter, who has all that a child could possibly want or need at home, but they believe that they are being prevented from doing all that is in their minds to do in their life with out their parents stopping them.

These kids often leave home believing that they are not loved or wanted believing that they can do better on their own. They leave home only to find themselves living on the street in the part of town where prostitution and drugs runs ramped, where love is a roll in the sack for a one minute’s feeling of being loved and wanted. They get into trouble with the police, get beaten up by other street kids and end up in a hospital with broken bones and scars that will be with them for the rest of their lives – physical and emotional.

Parents, inevitability worry about their children, day and night. Parents want only the best for their children, and in general give them more than they could ever hope for. But, kids today take advantage of this in their demands. Even parents on limited income find ways to purchase the things that their children want, not what they need, but what they want. It is a well known fact that people in general want to have all that they can get and more “come hell or high water.” They are never satisfied. That is why so many people steal from their employers and sell what they have stolen, sell drugs, buy “lotto” tickets, or go to the gambling halls in the hope of hitting it big. Many years ago it was said, “even if every man, woman and child on earth were given a million dollars, in a short time it would that the rich who would have all of the money again and the poor would be poor again.”

So what happened with the kids? Why are kids today thinking that their life is so bad that they think that the only solution is to leave home? Let me say, that I think that most of us as adults have had the same kind of thoughts that our kids have had, but we didn’t act on them. We are all looking for something better; something that will gives us a sense of direction and security. Kids today are told from the time they enter school until they graduate from university that life is tough. That they have to prove themselves constantly and that if they don’t, they can end up with nothing. Nothing, meaning that they have no job after 12 or 20 years of school, no employer will hire them and their parents have banded them from their homes and that life has taken away their ingenuity and ability to be. This sounds very negative to me and I believe it sounds that way to you also. Is their no solution(s) to the “problems” of life?

Does the answer lie in a strong belief in God? Would it help for a person, us, to be involved in a religion sect, ism or denomination? Would this help us to have a strong belief in God? We learn as we go through life that God is a God of love and that we don’t have to be a member of any religion to know this. We believe that we are on a spiritual path and that path leads us back to the presences of God. Or by contrast, through circumstances, we believe that there’s no God and that we are on our own and that when we die, that’s it. Nothing exists beyond this life.

In thinking about what it means to be out on a branch, I have learned that even the flimsiest twig on the very end of a branch can hold a great deal of weight and not break – in fact it is extremely flexible. Have you ever seen a bird too large for the branch it’s sitting on? Does the bird worry about the rest of the branch or the tree that is holding it? They are secure and never fall to the ground below. We as humans, however, we are not as trusting and secure as that bird. We are always checking the branch that we are on. We want the security of a large and sturdy branch close to the trunk where it would be almost impossible for the branch to break. We want all the security the branch (life) and the tree can give us. Thus we don’t have to worry about anything – or do we?

Security may be the answer to what we are looking for out on our branches of life. Security that we are being taken care of by our parents, our government, our spouse, our grown children, the guy next door, the person across the street, even God. How about the person who lives down the street? Or the man who offers us a job mowing his lawn, even though we are only a skinny 10 years old kid.

We are people in a world that is in a constant state of flux that changes from moment to moment. Sitting on the end of our branch, we believe that we will live to be a hundred and be healthy with the mind of a 20 year old.

Our future, on the end of the branch, just keeps growing and moving us forward. Forward to our greatest joys in life of love, money, a home, good job, a song in our hearts, and happy in the knowledge that our kids do have all that they could ever want and need without us worrying about them. Out on a branch, but secure in the knowledge that we are who we are, and maybe, that will be enough.

Life

Aug. 2007

Closely related to life is death and the traumas that people experience. Yes, life and death are requirements for people who live here in this physical world. You have heard it said many time, “You never get out of this world alive.” You live, you die and in between times, you pay taxes. It seems as though that is what it’s all about, but on the other hand, life is a lot more than that – you do get out of this life alive. More about this later.

Many years ago I was thinking about my life and all of the ups and downs that I have experienced and, like most people, I wondered why. It seemed that no matter what I did, it was never right or enough. People seemed to want to make me into their own image and I don’t want that or even like that at all. Even today, forty, fifty or sixty plus years later it seems that people are still trying to make me into their image, and I still don’t like it.

You have no doubt experienced that same thing in your life. When did this all start, anyhow? Well, believe it or not, it started when you and I were born into this world. Our parents started to make us into their image and impressed upon us their beliefs and mannerisms that they had impressed upon them by their parents. Not that, maybe, astrology had something to do with it also.

I’m sorry to say, the influence of my parent, good or bad, is still with me today and it is going to take another hundred years or so for me to become the individual that I believe that I am. And even if I do live another hundred years, will it be enough? Maybe not!

One of the things that I have found in my life is that I want to be better than I am at the present time. I went to high school, to junior college and then university. I go to church. I sing songs. I have conversations with and intermingle with other people, and I even go to parks, ski resorts, the ocean, lakes, and just about anyplace I feel like going. But it never seems to satisfy my longings. Just who am I anyway?

I thought I once new who I am, but it seems that every day I’m reminded that I am really the person that my parents and society made me into. What a dilemma! So how do I overcome all of the life programming that I have?

Well I start by recognizing that I am really my parent’s son. Then I recognize that my personality has been greatly influenced by them and I need to determine whether or not I believe that it is good or no so good for me. Then after I determine that, I will have to decide if it is possible to make changes that I think will be for my highest good. Not an easy thing to do.

Question? Do you think that your way of life is better than mine? Do you think that you can help me? Maybe yes maybe no.

I used to be a complainer; yes I was a big complainer. I used to think that the whole world was on my shoulders and that I could do nothing to change it. I complained about my parents, my brothers and sister, even the guy next door, everything and everybody. I complained about the way the government was handling the affairs of the people of this great country. I used to complain about how the boss at work was pushing me to get the job done faster and make sure to that it was done right at the same time. I did my best, but it never seemed to be good enough. Sound familiar? I think that every person who works for a living goes through the same things even if they are one of the greatest engineers, businessman or parent around. Oh boy! What a life.

The question still remains, Will I ever be able to make the changes that I believe I need to make in order to be all that I can be? I will work on these things in this life – until I die, then I’ll continue working on them in the after life. Oh! You do get out of this life alive? Spiritualists have proven this for more than 160 years. Believe it or not, hundreds of psychologists have finally learned and continue to prove that there is life after physical death.

In Carol Bowman’s book “Children’s Past Lives” has detailed her own experiences with past life regression from being hypnotized herself and the hypnotizing of her two children who also under went past life regression by a trained hypnotherapist, Norman Inge. Mrs. Bowman quotes in her book, a number of stories told to her by numerous doctors of psychology who do regressions as part of their therapy sessions with their patients. She also read their books and consulted with them. Mrs. Bowman also talks about the past life regressions she did with various children as a trained and certified hypnotherapist.

In the Bible, Jesus talks about John the Baptist as being the incarnation of Elijah.

In Caroline D. Larsen’s book “My Travels in the Spirit World” she talks about how she started to do out of body traveling (OBT), the same type described by Raymond Moody in his books. She just started one day; kind of surprising event to her senses. As she started to have a number of OBTs she decided one day to see if she could go to the spirit world and see what it was like there. The book is a real eye opener for those who have never read any thing about the spirit world. Caroline’s stories are very much like those described by Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, son of Edward White Benson former Archbishop of Canterbury. These two men lived during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Robert pasted to spirit in 1914, and was able to describe the spirit world through the mediumship of Anthony Borgia. Monsignor first book was titled “Beyond This Life;” the second book was titled “The World Unseen.” Monsignor starts by giving a general survey, an account of his passing and his subsequent travels through various parts of spirit lands.

The book of Caroline Larsen and Monsignor Benson are book that make it possible for the reader to know that life is indeed continuous. And that we have nothing to fear of leaving this physical world. Life does continue after the change called death and I will make all of the changes to me that are and will be necessary as I live here and in the great here after. I believe that you will also.

Website

Please check out my web site.

churchofspiritualillumination.com

Rev. Ronald L. Koch

Turn the Other Cheek

You have all heard it said in the Bible “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt 5:39, (NIV).

In our lives as humans, we are often presented with situations in which we believe we have to turn the other cheek. In far too many cases, we are up against our bosses at work, the law, society, our wives, husbands, and even our children. We often have to make on the spot decisions on things that we are presented with. Many of those decisions are based on our knowledge at the time and even if someone else has more up to date information, our decisions are ours. Sometimes we are confronted by others about those decisions and are required to defend them. We have to make immediate decisions that require an answer now. But far too often we will not speak up to defend ourselves, letting it go until later, but later never seems to come, and we take upon ourselves far more problems than we can imagine.

We have a great tendency to internalize problems, and this leads to more serious problems in the future. Some people develop stomach problems, heart problems, while other develops cancer, or some other debilitating disease that may lead to physical death. No one that I know of wants to be in that kind of situation, but it seems that it happens on a regular basis. Some people seem to have the means at their disposal to deal with such problems, while other never seems to be able to come to terms with them.

In my many years of physical life, I have had to deal with problems that are, in most part, problems that have no immediate solution, but required immediate answers that another would accept. And yet others seem to have their own preconceived ideas about the problem and have their own answers, and that is their absolute right, and anything that we may say is going to be totally wrong in their minds. The question that comes up is; “why are you confronting me with a problem if you already have your own answers?” Indeed, why? That is the real question.

I cannot take that kind of confrontation and maneuvering by others. I need others respect and understanding so that I can deal with things properly. How ever, it seems to me that we are required to be extremely diplomatic in this world. So diplomatic, that we are able to say the right things at the right time. Make the right decisions and yet present ourselves to our “opponent” as the really capable and intelligent person we are. However, I am one of those many people who, far too often, do not want any kind of confrontations in my life and I have a tendency to not defend myself and present my reasoning for the decisions I make. It seems that my answers only lead to more confrontation with people. I should have spoken up and saved myself from becoming miserable later because of my inaction. My antagonist always seems to get the upper hand and I’m left with a problem that is worse than the original one. What to do?

What to do? The $64000 question! For the most part, I just walk away and wish that the other person could have been totally honest with me. People need to be fair and honest with at all times and maybe save them and us from some of the hidden misery that resulted from our actions. This may just save us all from stomach problems, cancer or some other physical prob­lems that could develop in us later in life.

The thing of it is; nothing needs to be said to those of us who beat ourselves up daily over words that may or may not have affected another person. All of us need to take a closer look at ourselves and meditate on our lives and our actions, make better decisions and make appropriate corrections to our way of thinking and acting. Being more respectful of others and tolerant in our dealings would go along way.

Is There a Better Way?

I just finished reading an article written by Ray Jones about the problems in Spiritualism and world religions. I would like to extend his words to include all religions throughout the world. When I attended a Fundamentalist church, during the late 1950 and early 1960s, there were many ministers talking about the loss of church attendance. When I visited that church in 2006, the church’s name had been changed and the original congregation scattered. Where, I don’t know. Today all churches have the same problems. The author of the eBook, “Building Christian Communities” that was originally published by the Roman Catholic Church in 1992, talked about the growing problem of the church losing members and the children of “old time Christians” were either not attending any church, or were attending non-denominational churches. In the Province of Quebec, Canada, the Catholic Church used to have enough priests to handle all of their parishes. Today there is maybe one priest to han­dle all of the parishes in a hundred square mile area. What’s happening?

One thing that may explain it is that the original teachings of the church were going by the wayside as people became more and more involved in the “modern technological material age.” Parents don’t take their children to church. They say, “We are letting our children make up their own minds about going to church when they grow up.” As you know, when children grow up, they don’t go to church; they have made up their minds by saying “I didn’t go to church when I was a kid, so why should I go now”? In fact, the majority of grown-ups have never stepped foot inside a church to attend the funeral service of a parent or other loved one. They may have gone to the funeral at a funeral home, but that’s all.” In fact most people you ask if they go to church will tell you NO! When you ask why? They simply shrug their shoulders and change the subject.

All churches are having the same problem when it comes to building their congregations. In fact, it is like “pulling hen’s teeth” to get anyone to even allow you to talk to them about religion in any form.

One of the problems that churches have is a lot of petty jealousy that is running rampant in the church unabated; even the minister’s hands seem to be tied so that he/she can do nothing about it.

In Islam, they are engaged in “Jihads’,” because they are so afraid that Christianity will try to convert some of their members. For a number of years in the United States, church membership has been on a constant decline. Spiritualism, in the late 1800s had over three million members throughout the United States alone. Today, there are way less than a million. What is going on? I think that one answer is that people just can’t get beyond the old religious creeds and dogmas that say, “my church is better than your church”, or “my church and its teachings are the only way to heaven.” All Christian churches and denominations teach exactly the same Bible, God and Jesus Christ and that to get into heaven you must accept Christ as your personal savior, not the church per se.

All Spiritualist churches, temples, societies and associations teach exactly the same things. But, like the denomination, why do we continuously fight with one another over which one of us is teaching the only right way? If you are an ordained minister, certified medium, certified healer, lecturer, teacher or National Spiritualist Teacher and the pastor or minister of a church, then why do you have to continuously prove to other Spiritualists that you have been properly trained, and are in accord with spirit? If we are not, it will be proven faster than you can say “Jack Robertson.”

Ray, you said it like it is, but it still doesn’t mean a thing to most people. People will just not lay aside their egos and prejudice for you or me or any one else. If we call ourselves Christian, believers in Islam, Spiritualists or any one of the more than a thousand religions and denominations in this world, WE ARE ALL brothers and Sisters, or the second Principle of Spiritualism is totally wrong “We believe in the brotherhood of man”.

We as Spiritualist need to get together and practice what we preach, especially the principle of personal responsibility. We teach that we all have the God given (Infinite Intelligence) gift of freewill, freewill to make choices. Choices, that ALLOW all people in this world to believe what they want, do what they want, and go where they want. Even if it means that many will meet their maker along the way. One of our principles says “We believe that the highest morality is contained in The Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Every world religion has a similar wording to “The Golden Rule” that means exactly the same thing. But it seems that we are all far too selective as to how and whom we will apply this principles to. It is my goal to practice the Golden Rule in my life and that personal responsibility is always at the forefront of my being.

In William Stainton Moses’ book, Spirit Teachings,” the spirit +IMPERATOR, talks about Spiritualism as being the religion of the future. It is the church that will teach the truth about God, (Infinite Spirit) and what Jesus really taught so long ago. We as Spiritualists today have the greatest opportunity to teach what is good and true in this world. It is our right. We need to do all we can to unite as one church united in purpose and teaching by recognizing each other gifts and abilities as they did in the mid to late 1800s into the early 1900s. Otherwise, we will never get away from the old denominational church’s dogmas and creeds, and we can all do more to bring into our churches those who are looking for the truth.

Natural Law

Spiritualists, through contact that is made with those that have passed to the other side of life, affirm the interrelatedness of all life. One clue that a person is becoming in tuned and more cosmic is when the egoistic, self-serving por­tion of the individual diminishes and the universal consciousness comes to the forefront. Prominent in this consciousness is the awareness of the Natural Laws, which are God’s Laws. Some people call them Universal Laws; they are the same laws.

God’s laws are changeless, the same as they have ever been. While they are immutable, they are beneficent, for they are good. When we live in confor­mity with them, they become the very foundation stones on which we build our health, our happiness, our peace and poise, our success and attainment. If we abide fully in God’s law, no evil can befall us. We do not need to be healed. We are every whit whole.

The religion of Spiritualism encourages all humankind to learn and practice living in accordance with God's Laws. What are these Universal Laws? How many of them are there and do they apply to everyone? Infinite Intelligence is Love, Light and Law. Though many use a certain number of laws as guide­lines, there is no set number of laws. Just as love and light are not limited so the Law is not limited, even as Infinite Intelligence is not limited. Neither does the Law limit those who strive to follow it. Rather, it sets them free and shows them the way to grow, live in peace and be happy.

The study of Natural Law is very beneficial to all. A few brief points to consider are that the laws are just, impartial, consistent, non-judgmental, au­tomatic, immutable, impersonal, affects the physical, mental and spiritual, are unchangeable and the underlying control of the universe, insuring progressive evolution. Natural Law is the connecting link, providing constant order to the universe. It governs the visible and invisible, the animate and inanimate in the mortal and immortal worlds.

Natural Law is like a kind teacher that understands we learn by doing. The law gently points out our mistakes that we may grow and use the insight to our benefit. The law uses the reflecting ethers as a mirror to show us the way It verifies personal responsibility and individualization.

All things in life interrelate and so it is with the laws. They are evident in mathematics, geometry, mechanics, plant life, seasons, etc. We can use the laws to choose love, light, peace, growth and joy. The universe is propelled by law and impelled by love.

Just a few laws to demonstrate the totality of the Laws:

The Law of Desire
The Law of Harmony
The Law of Mind
The Law of Cause and Effect
The Law of Vibration
The Law of Passivity
The Law of Thought
The Law of Supply and Demand
The Law of Love
The Law of Life/Light
The Law of Compensation/Retribution
The Law of Adhesion/Cohesion
The Law of Evolution
The Law of Continuity
The Golden Rule
The Law of Attraction/Affinity
The Law of Cooperation
The Law of Balance/Polarity
The Law of Cycles/Periodicity
The Law of Gravitation

As the seeker strives to understand Natural Law, they are presented with the truths of the universe. God's Law is immutable and we know of no instances that it has been set aside, therefore, there are no miracles for all is in accordance with the operation of the Spiritual Laws. Infinite Intelligence has given us these constructive, progressive patterns to guide our existence now and forever more. The God of the Universe impregnates the spirit of all, and then lets it alone to discover itself through light, love and law. As we learn more of these laws, we learn more of Infinite Intelligence. Emerson wrote, "The finite alone has wrought and suffered, the Infinite lies stretched in smiling repose." The Infinite Spirit within us shows us the way to shine. (From the NSAC website)

Formula for all life: a quote from Neal Donald Welsch’s book “Home With God “The formula for all life.”

“Hope is the doorway to belief,
belief is the doorway to creation,
creation is the doorway to experience.”
“Experience is the doorway to expression,
expression is the doorway to becoming,
becoming is the doorway to activity of all life
and the only function of God.”
What you hope for, you will eventually believe,
what you believe, you will eventually know,
what you know, you will eventually create,
what you create, you will eventually express,
what you express, you will eventually become.

Introduction to Spiritual Healing

Spiritual Healing and Spirituality go hand in hand for the healing of the complete person. The healing process emphasizes the importance of the interaction of the healer, Infinite Intelligence (God) and the recipient working together to effect a healing. The healer attunes to God as a channel so that healing energy can be transferred to the recipient. Without God, the source of all healing, healing could never take place. However, healing in order to be effective requires that the recipient to take part in his/her healing and do their part to prepare themselves for healing.

There are various healing methods that have been developed over the years. Some healing techniques find their origin thousands of years ago, while others are of recent developments. Some of the types of healing are for example: Reki, color therapy, Mega Force (developed by a man at the International Temple of Spiritual Revelations in Montreal), Auric healing, and the laying on of hands – contact healing. No mater the technique of healing used, all require the same interaction of Infinite Spirit, the healer and the recipient.

One of the most interesting types of healing is absent spiritual healing. Many people are engaged in this type of healing work and they get results. Absent healing is performed on a person not present with the healer(s). This type of healing can be performed by one or many healers tuning into the needy and sending them healing. Another form of healing is healing through prayer. This type of healing can be done as absentee healing or in the presence of the recipient. Even prayer requires the tuning of the healer to God and the recipient.

There are a number of stories told on radio and television about people being healed by prayer. My mother was watching Oral Robert’s son on television when he turned towards the camera and said, “There is a woman who has had migraine headaches all her life, receive your healing.” She was healed and never had another headache after that. Absent healing, works. I use it myself from time to time.

One of the major problems of healers is the fact that they receive their healing certificates and then stop working as a healer. This is a real problem at one of the Churches I attended in Montreal. The church is supposed to provide healing before each Sunday or mid-week service. They have not set up to do healings in months. I even inserted healing into a regular Sunday service that I was officiating at. A number of congregants came forward for healing. In Quebec, there is a law that says that the healer is not allowed to touch a person receiving healing only doctors can touch a person – with their permission. We can only pass or hold our hand over the head and/or move our hands over the body of the recipient. Healing takes place just the same.

In the mid 1960s, a television newsman in Los Angles heard about “Psychic Surgery” being performed in the South Pacific and went there to investigate the phenomena. After spending several weeks investigating the psychic surgeons he returned to Los Angles to give his story. It was said that the main reason that the newsman went to investigate the psychic Surgeons was because he had cancer. It is too bad that so many people go to healers and are not properly prepared to receiving healing. They really don’t believe that it can happen. They have been told that only men like Jesus are capable of healing people.

One of the methods of healing talked about by Harry Edwards is “Healing Intelligence.” This is an interesting concept that really makes sense to me. The human body heals itself of cuts, burses, surgery, from time to time cancer and other major medical problems. The body is a magnificent organism that takes the major rule in its healing. As Harry Edwards has said, “The receptivity creates a situation that enables spirit to motivate bodily intelligence and assist it with spiritual healing energies and forces.” This statement is further proof that healing is most effective when the healer, Infinite Intelligence and the recipient work together to effect a healing.