Riddle Of The Sphinx

I was speaking to an associate the other day whose grandmother had just died. Understandably, he was rather distraught. He kept saying, "Where do we all fit into the scheme of life.? What does it all mean? Are we just living to die?"

Those questions sparked a memory for me. When I worked at a magazine, I had my share of celebrity interviews. One question I used to ask them was,

"What's the meaning of life?"

That question would almost always floor them. They would either sit there in silence, look up in the air, stare into space, have me ask an easy question or completely shut down and end the interview.

Whatever their reaction was, the question always shook them up a bit. Although I didn't do it to shake them up, it was an interesting experiment in the human psyche.

Life has a different meaning to everyone because our experiences differ greatly. Can most people answer the meaning of life question? Can you answer it? Can I answer it?

We're not living to die, although that is the end result. I think we are here to evolve. Evolution, not revolution is key. How do we evolve? Certain experiences causes some of us to want to evolve, other experiences forces some of us to evolve.

Although we may fight the urge to evolve, I think that when it comes down it, everyone truly wants to evolve.

In Greek mythology, the Sphinx sat outside of Thebes and asked this riddle of all travelers who passed by. If the traveler failed to solve the riddle, the Sphinx killed the traveler. If the traveler answered the riddle, the Sphinx would destroy itself.

Can you answer the riddle? What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

Oedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx destroyed itself. The answer is man. Man crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age. Morning, noon, and night are metaphors for the times in a person's life.

My take is that answering the riddle meant that one was at a certain consciousness. If one were killed, one would have to start another life. This cycle would repeat itself until one understood the karmic principles.

By answering the riddle, one is thus killing an old consciousness and proceeding to God consciousness. We are constantly faced with riddles. When you an answer the question, "What's the meaning of life?," you will know why you are here and you will have solved the riddle of the sphinx in your own way.

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Spirit Hears You

Here's a typical example of how Spirit works. One of my favorite past times is to go to 'Open Houses' on the weekend. It's a good way to see the housing inventory with my own eyes instead of through the eyes of real estate agents who are notorious for over using adjectives.

They will describe a one room hut as a palace; and in the fine print, a palace for an ant. Ceilings are not just ceilings, they are, "soaring, vaulted, cathedral, smooth and high." Rooms are, "emotional, flowing, airy, bright and happy. Kitchens and bathrooms are always "Updated," and left at that.

When you get to a property, it is nothing like the description. The pen is indeed mightier than the sword in the hands of an agent.

There was one house in particular that I was excited about. It was, as you might guess, described as a "palace." My first mind said, it can't be, but then my insistent second mind chimed in and said, think positive. Thinking out loud, I said, "I wonder what it's really like?", and I went on about my day.

I had a list of houses to see and my favorite was at the top of the list. I had almost gotten there when there was a detour in the road. As I drove up another street, there was an 'Open House' sign. Even though this house wasn't on my list, I went inside. It was listed as a two bedroom condo, but it actually was a "possible" two bedroom if you converted it. Besides the bathtub being built for a baby munchkin, it wasn't too bad.

The agent was very friendly and alive as opposed to her peers who usually have no personality at all. Most real estate agents are just plain ignorant and they don't have a clue on how to talk to people, but this one was different. And on the other side of the coin, some obsequious agents will do all sorts of game show model gestures and hand turns to show a property. You really don't know who's going to be on the other side of that door.

This nice agent had chocolates, cookies, drinks and she made you feel welcome. It was a relief meeting someone who was just a regular person. I told the agent what kind of place I was looking for and she began to explain how you don't get anything for your money nowadays.

Today you can get a two bedroom dump near a freeway in gang territory for over a million dollars. And that's not a joke. The market has exploded in such a way that it has caused a frenzy in buyers.

She began to tell me about one house that was a shambles. She said it was dilapidated, had huge holes in the walls and was as she described it, "A real mess.!"

When she told me the address, I was flabbergasted. It was the same address as my favorite house. I got to the car and looked at my list again. Yes, it WAS the same place. Still I thought, perhaps she had misremembered the address and I went anyway.

When I got there, it was almost as she had described it, except it had been painted. What a surprise, it wasn't' like the description at all. It smelled of sour milk and stale alcohol. It was dirty, not even fit for a pig. I thought of that commercial when a real estate agent tells her client, "When a celebrity dies in a house, it's a landmark."

I didn't know whether some died in the house or not, but it sure smelled like someone could have died there. It gave me the creeps like in the film Pacific Heights when Michael Keaton's character drills holes in the walls, breeds roaches and wreaks havoc. I got out of there as fast as I could and burned rubber all the way home.

When I thought out loud, I posed the question to Spirit. Each time it gave me the answer, I brushed it off. It even tried to save me from having to see the house by providing a detour. Spirit is not forceful. It is a gentle ocean of love and mercy always surrounding you. If you have a question, just ask.

Spirit listens. It hears. It responds, giving you answers in a way you will understand.

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You Can Do It

In preparing for another week, I came across some quotes that may help you to get your week off to a good start. Unfortunately, I don't know who the writers are, but at least they know who they are.

If anyone knows who said these, please let me know so I can give credit where it is due.

"Without challenge we have nothing to prevent us from going to sleep."

"Channel energy and emotion into the pursuit of your goal. A solved problem looks trivial when moments before it seemed insurmountable."

"Victory comes through struggle. It requires cunning and guile and superior strategy."

"Success is bold. To succeed be bold."

Think about these, turn them over in your mind, put them to good use. Enjoy.

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A Spoon Full Of Sugar

For me, weekends are a time for the three R's; rest, relaxation and reflection. A time to let another week go and catch up with the flow of life. I like to read the Sunday paper on Saturday.

Reading the weekend edition is relaxing and more informative than reading the daily paper. The Sunday paper always has some human interests stories or 'soft stories' that they don't run during the week, as if during the week people only want the 'hard' news.

While it's wise to be informed (forewarned is forearmed) being too informed, if there is such a thing, can also desensitize our spirits.

We are so used to hearing about murders, rapes, abductions, accidents and the dark side of life that we forget life has an upside.

Take for instance television news. In Los Angeles, this market is mostly 'T & A'. It's really mostly 'T' because the anchors don't turn their backs to the camera, though most of them should. The level of television news has hit an all time low.

It's no longer the professional straitlaced newscaster sitting at a desk reading the news in a monotone fashion. One station in particular is what I call the neon news. Flashy lights with nearly nude women in a 'XXX' mode. The producers know you want to be seduced, so they showcase their best team to get the scores up.

For your viewing pleasure, are sexy starlet wannabes softly lit in backless skintight party dresses who stand and look directly into the camera.

They lower the bar and pour absinthe shots into our open mouths while their silicone dangles and their collagened and botoxed faces serve death and debauchery with a joker smile.

This Caligulan oration is somehow disguised as news. It goes back to Rupert Murdoch's sensibilities when he decided to publish the "Page three girl," in The Sun, London's daily newspaper.

Like the title infers, a page three girl is always on page three, topless and with full breast showing. Maybe Murdoch has taken Mary Poppins to heart, "A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down." Although I don't think it's in the most delightful way, though I'm sure many men will disagree with me.

Because our own lives are somewhat stressful, we want to hear stories about the post office retrieving a long lost love letter after 40 years and delivering it to the addressee.

We want to hear about how a woman's dog found her way home after five years. We want to hear about the 82 year old woman who took the knife from the would-be robber and held him there until police came or that a man was found alive after his car careened off of a cliff two days prior.

Stories like these restore our hope; our faith. And that's one way to keep our spirits alive.

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History Of Greatness

If you took someone from modern society and sent them back to ancient times, would they be able to survive? This is not a new concept for a reality show, but a genuine thought to ponder.

Ancient civilizations didn't have the same luxuries that we have today. They didn't have computers, flat screen T.V.'s, cars, cell phones, DVD recorders, or $200. sports shoes, yet they accomplished amazing feats.

Egyptians created magnificent perfumes, ointments, and mummification amidst the great pyramids and hieroglyphics. Romans invented more games than any other culture. They were fierce warriors and wonderful builders. They built yellow brick roads that all led to Rome, while they created milestones, aqueducts, engineered and sculpted monolithic masterpieces where gladiators could wage combat.

Throughout history, the Greeks have always taught us a thing or two about ourselves and those lessons are still with us. They taught us to to philosophize, dramatize, theorize and immortalize tragedy. They gave us a thesis, antithesis and synthesis and let us watch them politicize in olympic-sized democratic debates. They made us remember through mythic proportion, the mathematician, academician, fabler, the peripatetic lecturer and monumental architecture. They even made doctors swear by the Hippocratic Oath. Today the Greek key can be seen around the world as the Versace logo.

Even in the throes of war, many accomplishments were made. Can we as spiritual beings be great? Is it important? The truth is not everyone can be great at all things, but everyone can be great at something.

You can achieve greatness and it doesn't have to be on a huge scale. One day your achievements may even make it to the big time.

Time for you to make history.

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Be 'Alexanderous'

The spiritual path is one of the most arduous and misunderstood paths of self-evaluation and evolution. As your awareness is stretched, there is pain and discomfort, it's literally, 'no pain, no gain.'

The forest is dark, the climb is steep, the road long and there is little food and water for the journey, but once you get to your destination, the views are breathtaking and the spiritual feast is fit for a king.

It takes courage and sacrifice to infuse your life with Spirit, but it can be done. How will you find out what you are capable of doing without taking the challenge?

Alexander the Great or Megas Alexandros in Greek was on his way to greatness early in life. Not only did he conquer the world at a young age. He used his initiative to solve what others couldn't.

A age 12, Alexander was fearless and strong. He tamed the beautiful and spirited Bucephalus ('ox-head' in Greek), a horse that no one else could ride. This courage would serve as a processor to his destiny.

At the ancient Phrygian capital of Gordium, Alexander "undid" the tangled Gordian knot, a feat said to await the future "king of Asia." According to the most vivid story, Alexander proclaimed that it did not matter how the knot was undone, and he hacked it apart with his sword. Another version claims that he did not use the sword, but actually figured out how to undo the knot. Either way, he did it.

The Gordian knot was the name given to an intricate knot used by Gordius to secure his oxcart. Gordius, who was a poor peasant, arrived with his wife in a public square of Phrygia in an oxcart.

An oracle informed the populace that their future king would come riding in a wagon. Seeing Gordius, the people made him king. In gratitude, Gordius dedicated his oxcart to Zeus, tying it up with a peculiar knot. An oracle foretold that he who untied the knot would rule Asia.

Untying the Gordian knot is what we all do in the spiritual life. By doing this, we begin to conquer our own destiny and thus the mystery of self. So let us continue our efforts and be Alexanderous in our goals.

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God A Minute?

How much time do we spend on gossip? Reading it? Writing it? Speaking it? It has become one of our greatest past times. If gossip time were equivalent to money, it would surpass the national debt.

We would never be caught dead in that outfit or act that way. Look at so and so's hair and her make-up is awful. Hasn't she had surgery? AGAIN! Is that why her eyes are lopsided and she looks like a rat in a wind tunnel. We seem to know exactly what is or isn't true.

While gossip is often times entertaining, does it really mean anything significant to us other than to distract us from our mundane existence? I, like everyone else like gossip, but only in passing. I think it tends to pit our judgment against that of a celebrity.

We spend more time finding out about the latest celebrity and not enough time finding out about our greatest celebrity -- God.

Inquiring minds want to know. Turn gossip into God-sip. Aren't you curious?

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The Little Piano Girl

Have you ever had those days when you don't feel like doing what you're supposed to do to achieve your goals? Although I know my goals are important, every now and again I fantasize about spending the day in Borders or Target instead of writing my daily quota from several writing projects.

I am not one to procrastinate by any means. I know some people who are neck deep in the procrastinators dilemma. They procrastinate so much that it becomes their goal. If they were a member of procrastinators anonymous, they would put off going.

Every time that I think I can escape from my duties and have 'fun,' the piano starts.

Let me explain. Everyday for the past five years, the neighbor practices the piano. When she first started, she was indeed a little rusty on the keys. I've listened to her play the same notes over and over again.

She ascends and descends the musical scales effortlessly. To myself I sing, 'Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do then Do, Ti, La, So, Fa, Mi, Re, Do.' After the scales are accomplished, she plays the most melifluous music to massage the eardrums from Beethoven to Brahms to Mozart.

Now she's a ten year old prodigy. When she plays, it's almost like she's playing a soundtrack to my day. If I am in an intense mood, juggling many things at once, she plays intense music. If I am in a mellow mood, her tempo slows.

It's almost like some mysterious conductor is guiding what she plays and coordinating it with what I am doing. That, or she is spying on me. She does it EVERYDAY for two hours, non-stop.

Birds come and sit on the window sill to listen, dogs and cats gather around, but the other neighbors slam their windows.

It reminds me of when God wants us to listen, we slam the door, or window, because we do not want to hear the guidance to a better life.

Self-discipline is the cornerstone to building character and getting our house in order. If we work, it works. Together we can take the steps to make the goal a reality.

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Even On A Monday

Why is it that almost everyone hates Mondays? What has Monday done to us?

Monday is usually a hard day for people. Through some miracle, they survive the morning rush hour and they drag their sleepy-eyed, selves into work.

When the speak, they mumble words that are barely audible. As the day wears on, they realize where they are -- at work! The panic starts, their brain scrambles to make sense of it all. They wonder in a Talking Heads kind of way, "Well, how did I get here?"

They yell, bark and bite like they're in bitter custody battle over their free time. Somehow they restrain themselves from running out of the door.

How do you think God feels when he's at work? He doesn't get the weekend off. No 401k. No stock options. No profit sharing. No company car. Vacation time is out of the question. His job never ends.

He is the only boss who works for you. In fact, you're his only client. He works for you 24/7. All he asks in return is that you remember him, not only in times of heartache and joy but in every situation.

God's not in it for the glory. Only the love. That love is pure. Reliable. Constant. Unconditional.

I must admit that coming out of the weekend glow can be difficult at times. Even as a child, I thought Monday was an ugly stepchild who never got a chance to dance at the ball.

I remember blaming Monday for having to get up at five in the morning, to take an hour bus trip to a school that was miles away. I also remember blaming Monday for not being able to watch morning cartoons, have sugary cereal and have what I have termed a "Disneyland" day.

After all, wasn't Disneyland, and I quote, "The happiest place on earth?" As an adult I know this is not true. I can't see how listening to a bunch of whiny children on sugar and coke running throughout the park, screaming, "Mommy, I want that," can be a happy place. If it is, then I will be fitted for a straightjacket very soon, I'm sure.

Monday gets the blame for everything bad. If we have a bad Monday, it turns into a stressful Tuesday. It takes us until Wednesday to get back into the swing and readjust our mental faculties. Then Thursday slides right into Friday and we're back in the weekend. It's a vicious cycle, but one that I have come to accept.

Now Monday is one of my favorite days because I remember that God works everyday for us and that's what we can do; work everyday to know God.

Happy Monday everybody.

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More Goodies

Continuing the theme from yesterday.

May God be with you.

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God In The Sky

When this controversial ad campaign hit the streets, people were worried that God has lost his mind. He did. Well, sort of.

It made us pay attention. Made us think. Made us talk. Made us remember. That was the whole point.

In keeping with the blogger 'spirit,' I decided to pass these along to those who are not aware of them. A little controversy never hurt anyone.

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Dickens Revisited

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

Although this Dickens classic covers the period in English and French history from 1757 to 1793, it has a ring of truth to the spiritual war that we are waging with ourselves. Simply put, we have to be strong and eradicate the bad behavior that keeps our spirits from being the best they can be. Our spirits are like classics. Nurtured properly, we can withstand the test of time. It reminds me of a billboard that read, "Want the good life? Get right, or get left."

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The 'At Last' Supper Part II

Spago was packed. Fortunately the wait was only about thirty minutes. On the way to the table we saw Larry King, and a couple of other B actresses and lots of wannabes showing off their ten thousand dollar breast jobs; hold the tassels.

We finally sat down. I overheard the guy at the next table say the steak was delicious except for the child-size portion. We both ordered the chicken salad which was priced reasonably and didn't need cooking.

The waiter brought bread and we waited for what seemed like an eternity to get our food. For the next hour my friend began to lament about how her life wasn't going the way she wanted. Her relationships always ended badly and she wasn't happy at her high paying job, she didn't feel fulfilled in her life.

Just them Wolfgang Puck himself came to our table and asked, "Is everything alright?" He was very warm and personable. He offered to get us anything else we wanted. We politely declined. He shook our hands and went to the next table. To me that was a sign that God was already in gear.

I reassured my friend that God had a plan for her, but in order to access that plan she had to talk to God and ask what the plan was? She was always a little skeptical about believing she could really talk to God. She said, that every time she tried to talk, he wouldn't listen.

I told her to give it another try and ask God what she needed to know. I could see the doubt in her eyes, but she agreed to try again. Then the dessert guy came to our table.

A lively character named, 'Johnny.' Johnny was animated, professional and so present in the moment. You could tell he loved his job. He was just bubbling with personality and pride.

Johnny asked us if we wanted dessert. I declined, but my friend hadn't decided. Johnny waited for an answer. Still nothing. Suddenly he said to my friend,

"Don't be the low man on the totem pole!"

I thought I detected God earlier, but this confirmed it. My friend declined dessert and Johnny reluctantly went to the next table. For him it was the one that got away. For my friend, it was something that made her pay attention.

She took it to mean. 'Don't let life trample all over you!' The check came and when I tried to grab it, my friend said, "It's on me."

God's golden tongue wisdom can strike at any moment.

As we waited outside for the valet to bring the car, I looked up at the Spago sign. If you add the letter 'd' to Spago, you get 'Spagod.' Hmmm. Interesting.

Later that night she called me and told me that she was quitting her job and moving to Hawaii. She felt that it was going to offer her more opportunities. She didn't know anyone there. She just wanted to start from scratch because she always thought of Hawaii as being paradise.

*For those of you who don't know Spago's history. It boasts feeding some of the biggest celebrities in Hollywood.(no pun intended) They used to host Oscar parties when they were on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood back in the day before they migrated to Beverly Hills. It is owned by renown celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

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The 'At Last' Supper Part I

It's always suspect when someone says God talks to them. It seems to conjure certain pictures of Anthony Perkins slowly rocking in that rocking chair at the end of the film, Psycho.

Although some people are labeled to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic, God does speak at the most unexpected moments. In fact, I have gotten to a point where I no longer search for God -- I listen for God.

The other day, I got a call from an old friend, inviting me to lunch. Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate 'doing lunch,' it's so cliché' in L.A. I prefer a home cooked meal without waiters reaching in front of me and hovering like vultures waiting to scoop up remains on the plates.

I hadn't seen my friend in a while since we worked at a magazine years ago, so I bit the bullet and said, 'Okay!' I told her to decide where she wanted to go as long as it wasn't too expensive.

Writers like priests don't make a lot of money, but they make up for it in the power they wield. They have the power to convey ideas in a way no one else does. And yes, people are always sucking up to us because of that power.

My friend picked me up late and we headed to the restaurant. Since we had missed the lunch crowd, we were going into the dinner rush. We passed several restaurants. I asked my friend where were we going? She said it was a surprise.
Moments later we were in front of Spago in Beverly Hills.
Me: What are we doing here?
Her: You told me to pick the restaurant.
Me: Yeah, but not THIS place. They're going to want our first born before we're through.
Her: If you want to go somewhere else we can.

By this time, my stomach was yelling, 'Feed me.' I looked at the valet waiting to open our doors and looked at my friend's face. I could tell she REALLY wanted to go to Spago. So I swallowed hard and said, "We're here now, we may as well go inside."

To be continued.

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Bring The Mountain

Okay so you're back from a terrific weekend and you don't feel like working. It's part and parcel of the 9 to 5 world.

Confined to your cubicle, racking up arm, neck, shoulder and back pain while the smell of stale coffee, copy toner and rotting lunch food assaults your olfactory organ. Inside you are screaming, 'I've had enough!'

I know how you feel. Once had a job where I filed all day. For eight hours straight, I would carefully file a folder and someone would request the same folder ten minutes later, only for me to re-file it again. It was the WORSE job ever!

Everyone dumped stacked of folders on me. I stood, bent, kneeled, opened and closed file cabinets, photocopied and no one even said thanks. The faster I worked, the faster they would bring more files. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was collapse. This went on until I decided that filing for other people was not for me.

I vowed that the next time I was in a position where I wasn't creating joy that I would create my own. I put my brain in the deep freeze and treated myself to a mini holiday -- while at work. You can do the same.

You don't have to suffer any longer. Time to take a break, at least in your mind. But first things first. Complete as much work as possible so if the boss sees you relaxing, you will have done most of your work, if not all of it.

If you can't go to the mountain to get peace you can bring the mountain to you. When you are on your break, take five minutes to center yourself. Find a quiet spot even if you have to go outside to your car.

Start with deep breathing. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a peaceful environment, be it in nature, shopping, sports, etc; whatever brings you peace of mind. Do this daily. If your boss lets you, play soothing music while you work. The more relaxed you are, the more productive you are.

Inner joy comes in many packages. Here are some suggestions that you can do at home. Of course you can add your own. Let me know what works for you?

• Take a warm bubble bath by candlelight.
• Listen to 'Angel,' by Sarah McLachlan.
• Be informed but don't watch television news.
• Do at least one good deed for someone else (and keep it up)
• Count your blessings.
• Don't wait until someone sneezes to bless them.
• When you give love, you get love.
• Catch up on your reading; stimulate your brain.
• Indulge your imagination; finger paint.
• Repeat all of the above.

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Quotes To Contemplate

A time for reflection.

"The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself."
Anais Nin-

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude."
Denis Waitley-

"He who is filled with love is filled with God himself."
Saint Augustine-

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Overcoming Rough Waters

After yesterday's rain, the water theme continues today. I came across a story that reminded me of the power of God.

Sometimes our faith in God has to be restored. No matter how much we believe or think we believe in God, there are times when our faith escapes us. This is a wonderful story which bears repeating.

LONG BEACH – A 59-year-old man wept Friday as he told of tumbling off his yacht and spending five hours in chilly ocean waters, praying and clinging to wood before being rescued by his own brother.

"At least three times, I was convinced I was going to die," Craig McCabe said.

Breaking a main rule in boating which states, 'Never boat alone,' McCabe left Marina del Rey Thursday morning on a solo trip to Newport Beach.

Off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, his boat, rolled in a large swell. McCabe, who was leaning over to see if lobster trap lines had fouled the boat, tumbled overboard.

"I lost my footing on the deck and I literally somersaulted over the rail, hitting my head on the side of the boat, landing in the water,"he recalled.

"I looked up immediately and saw the boat passing me and I was quite panic-stricken that I was going under the propellers," he said.

McCabe nearly drowned in the 58-degree water. He couldn't make it to the break water a mile away. Instead he tread water and was able to stay afloat briefly on a balloon that happened by, but it deflated.

He figured he was going to die and began reciting the 23rd Psalm. Then a 3-foot long piece of lumber and small pieces of driftwood arrived that he slipped inside his jacket to keep him afloat. He managed to swim a half-mile to reach a buoy.

Just when he was getting worried, he "heard a sound, turned around, and here was my brother."

Mc Cabe had a gash to his head, a broken finger and was hospitalized for hypothermia.

Like Ishmael in Moby Dick survived by clinging to a floating coffin, Mc Cabe beat the odds of survival. Many spiritual elements took place, while he grappled with his own mortality. Confronting his own existence, he completely surrendered to God.

Often times when we are faced with death, we remember God. Don't wait until then. Keep the faith. God is always with us.

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Look For Your Rainbow

"God I hate the rain!" This is the primal scream of most Angelenos when it rains. God forbid we should have to go one day without being able to soak up the sun and tan our hydes, or drive safely instead of like in the film Death Race 2000.

Though it is rare to rain here, last year we actually broke a 120 year record for the most rainfall; 38.32 inches. This was .14 inches more than the previous record of 38.18.

Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, "Into each life, a little rain must fall," and he was right. We all have rain. Some are downpours, some are light showers, but we all have them.

Let's face it life is tough. No one gets out of here alive, but while we are here we have to make the best of the rain.

If every dark cloud has a silver lining, every rain storm brings a rainbow. When the rain is over, everything is fresh, alive, vibrant and clear.

God brings the rain, takes it away then gives you a rainbow.

The rain in our lives teaches us to handle pain, disappointment and sadness. Once we understand it and move through it, we appreciate the beauty of the rainbow in all of its glory.

The arc of prismatic colors formed by the reaction and reflection of light through drops of rain, appearing in the part of the heavens opposite the sun. This a rainbow.

Have you ever had sentiments of divine love so pure and amazing that you wanted to share it with everyone? This is also a rainbow.

Rainbows cause positive reactions. They take away turmoil that sometimes leaves us feeling despondent.

I have never seen a rainbow without staring in awe, smiling at its magnificence and splendor or feeling unencumbered joy and peace.

A rainbow is God saying that everything is going to be alright.

This is especially for all of my fellow Angelenos, pray for rain. When you hate the rain, you also hate what the rain brings. And how can you hate a rainbow?

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Music Of Soul

A couple of days ago, I briefly touched on the power of music. Now I'd like to elaborate. When I was in middle school, I played the flute in the school orchestra. Aside from being able to get of out class for all major school events, I got a chance to explore my musical talent.

Before class started we used to tune our instruments and practice the scales. Everyone did it all at once and it was one of the most discordant sounds I had ever heard.

The horn section sounded like a broken car alarm, the wind section sounded like car tires screeching, and the string section sounded like two cats fighting.

When the crack-the-whip maestro entered the room, he tapped his baton twice for us to stop. He took each section separately and helped us tune up.

If he heard that one note was out of key he would stop the music and makes us start again from the top. His ear was so keen that sometimes he would close his eyes and just listen.

Other times, he would walk around the room while we played and correct someone's fingering when they hit a sour note. By doing that, he trained our ears to know what sounded good.

After a few weeks of this, we all improved immensely and when we played, it was one of the most beautiful sounds ever.

Spirit is the maestro getting us in tune.

When our instruments are tuned well, we can interact with each other harmoniously and make incredible music together. Stay tuned.

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Shine The Spotlight

Any serious blogger can tell you that when you write a blog you throw yourself to the lions. You never know how people are going to react to something you write. That being said, I never know what I'm going to write from day to day, therefore lions could attack at any moment.

I guess it's the bungee-jumping of blogging, also known as blogger-jumping. You throw yourself off the edge and sometimes you don't come back.

Knowing I have a self-imposed deadline which I take very serious, I asked Spirit to take me to my source; or story, as it were. In some respects, I hate leaving it to the last minute and in other respects, I fly with the wind.

Suddenly I found myself at Costco. For those who don't know Costco, it's a huge bulk item superstore/warehouse where if nothing else, you can certainly get a good workout.

Before you know it you are walking the spacious premises, wading through throngs of shoppers, reaching and lifting boxes, jars, bottles, bags or various containers of bulk items and bending to put them into your cart. If your muscles and back don't ache after hours of doing this, then you can come over and rearrange my furniture.

Every time I am in Costco, I notice many people getting only one item. I guess they don't want to do the whole workout. Go figure. If you're going to to commit to buying a Costco membership, then you may as well get more than one item at a time, but I digress.

At this point, I still hadn't decided what to blog about. As I sauntered to the food section, I noticed a swarm of people around a table. As I got closer. I smelled the distinct aroma of Teriyaki chicken.

I hadn't eaten yet and this smell was very intoxicating. When I got close to the crowd, they were rapidly stuffing their mouths like a pack of hungry wolves in a feeding frenzy.

It was like they had never eaten food. It's always an entertaining spectacle to watch. People growl and mark their territory until they get their sample. Many have no decorum and will take more than one, especially when other people are waiting.

I usually see adults stepping over small children to lunge for samples. If two people reach for the same sample, they will fight over it 'til death do they part. This went on for several minutes.

The sample lady was looking down not making eye contact with anyone, as she quickly put the food out for the Costco predators. When I finally got to the front, I saw the sample lady up close.

She looked browbeaten and exhausted. I said, 'Hello,' and suddenly she looked up for the first time. I made small talk and thanked her for serving. She was in shock because I acknowledged her while everyone else ignored her.

She had the warmest smile and the most sparkling eyes. It was like the Heavens opened up and the angels sang Hallelujah. She seemed so appreciative.

It was at that moment that I knew I had my story. As I walked away, she wished me a Happy New Year and said 'Thank you.' Although I would like to take the credit, I know it wasn't me.

I was just a vehicle for Spirit. Spirit sent me to Costco to uplift a soul who wasn't appreciated.

Those simple words gave her an empowerment injection. That is the power of Spirit. It is always with us. It's that quiet wave that is inside us, guiding us to our higher selves even by delivering kind words to a stranger.

In show business a spotlight is used to cast a beam of light or illuminate an object or person not visible.

In God business, a spotlight casts a beam of light to Soul.

Let your light shine and if you see someone's light is burned out, hold a spotlight on them. We all want to feel like we are contributing something to the flow of life.

Spiritual Challenge: Simply say a kind word to a stranger and see how their heart opens. Let your spirit guide you to the right source.

Note: This is not a paid endorsement of Costco.

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True Happiness This Way Lies

Music is a very powerful medium. Lyrics can change someone's life as evidenced in yesterdays post. See if the lyrics move you.

Lyrics written by Matt Johnson

'Have you ever wanted something so badly
that it possessed your body & your soul
through the night & through the day
until you finally get it
And then you realise that it wasn't what you wanted after all.
And then those selfsame sickly little thoughts
now go and attach themselves to something...
or somebody...new!
And the whole goddamn thing starts all over again.
Well I've been crushing the symptoms, but I can't locate the cause.
Could God really be so cruel?
To give us feelings that could never be fulfilled. Baby!
I've got my sights set on you. I've got my sights set on you.
And someday, someday, someday you'll come my way.
But when you put your arms around me
I'll be looking over your shoulder for something new
'cause I ain't never found peace upon the breast of a girl
I ain't never found peace with the religion of the world
I ain't never found peace at the bottom of a glass
sometimes it seems the more I ask for the less I receive
sometimes it seems the more I ask for the less I receive
The only true freedom is freedom from the heart's desire
& the only true happiness...this way lies.'

I especially like the last two lines. Freedom is what we all strive for; freedom from our hearts desires are replaced with God's love. With that we don't need anything else.

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Unraveling Yourself

The quest for self-realization can be an arduous task akin to climbing Mount Everest, swimming across alligator ridden moats, exploring deep, dark bat-filled caves and skydiving without a parachute.

It is both exhilarating and exhausting but it brings you a sense of accomplishment like no other. It also gives you an inner strength and a deeper knowledge of why we are here.

The other day I asked a friend why he decided to make the trek to self-discovery? This is someone whom I have always known to be kind, courteous, gentle and very loving. He turned to me, smiled and said, "Do you really want to know?" I said, 'Yes.'

With quiet confidence and a measured tone he went on to say,

I was going through life without feeling connected.

I didn't like my job, or my boss. I was argumentative and angry because I wasn't happy. Then I began to drink. It was the only way I could find order in the disorder.

One day when I was at a bar drinking, a song called, 'True Happiness This Way Lies,' by a band called The The started playing.

There's one line in the lyrics that goes, "I ain't never found peace at the bottom of a glass."

I looked at my glass which was almost empty, I got up and walked out with that song still echoing in my head. I'll never forget that.

I figured that was God talking. I stopped drinking that day and started searching.

I always felt there was something more. It was like I had this thirst for life. I knew what I wanted, but couldn't describe it.

I didn't know what it was, but I could recognize it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I could feel it.

I read various books looking for answers, but nothing was there. Then I read a book called The Flute Of God, by Paul Twitchell. Then it happened.

My soul awakened. The dream was real. Life's sensations came alive. They nourished my soul. Gave me temperance. Patience. Humility. Self- awareness.

I gained more love in my life. Love flowed like a river. When I was cold, love was a blanket. When I was lonely, it kept me company. It was everywhere in a way I didn't notice before.

I became one with myself.

I was truly amazed at his answer. Although the quest for self may start off lonely the more steps you take, the easier the journey becomes. God speaks in many different ways if you listen.

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A Little Change Is Big

So far if you've been following these posts and implementing the techniques, you have begun to see some changes.

Even if it is a little change -- a little change is Big!

You may have noticed that your life has become more harmonious and your inner spirit more peaceful.

You are more in tuned with the flow of life. Instances that may have annoyed you don't bother you anymore. You're beginning to achieve a deeper connection to life.

All of these benefits only took a small investment into your own well-being. If you haven't experienced change yet, you will. You may not notice it at first, but it is coming.

Change does not happen over night, but it does happen. Not thy will. Thy will be done.

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Sunday Everyday

Traditionally Sundays are for attending church. People look forward to this day as a reprieve from the stress of daily living. Sunday is also the day when many people talk to God.

Growing up with the theory that God is only available on Sunday, I attended church religiously. After all, this was a special day, a face to face meeting with God; and every Sunday I went home disappointed. Not because I didn't get a chance to speak, but because it was only one day a week.

In the back of my mind, it didn't seem right that I could only talk to God one day of the week. Wasn't God supposed to be available anytime? To answer this, I went straight to the source -- the Almighty Himself!

I asked God why wasn't he available seven days a week? God said,

"I am always here. Just look around, I am everywhere. In nature, joy, kindness, warm words of a stranger and love. Everywhere."

At that moment I felt peace and reassurance. I didn't have to attend church to find that God was inside of me. God is inside of everyone. Since I celebrate God everyday, I have put Sunday aside to celebrate myself.

It is important to take at least one day a week to celebrate yourself. It can be any day of the week as long as you do it. Shut out the ways of the world, nurture yourself. Go on, you deserve it.

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Review Your Life

Have you ever taken the time to contemplate on your life? Is it everything you want it to be? If not, have you taken the right measures to improve it?

If you are fortunate enough to have your life the way you want it, have you given gratitude?

Gratitude keeps your heart open to receive more gifts from God.

Make a checklist of what you want to accomplish. Don't put a time limit on it.

One of the hardest concepts to understand is that everything is in God's time.

We want it now. God wants it when we are ready to receive it. Never the two shall meet.

Take the time to get your life in alignment. Your path will be smoother and your will to achieve your goals will be stronger.

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Waiting To Inhale

Sometimes we forget why we are here. We are caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and it drags us around like a used rag.

It also begins to drag our spirit through the mud, pulling us in all directions.

There is a simple solution to this. Just breathe. Really. Breathe. Let's try it. Breathe in slowly. Hold it for the count of three. Let it out slowly.

Again. Breathe in slowly. Hold it. Now let it out slowly. By doing this you are letting out all the negativity that builds up during our most stressful moments. You want to inhale positive energy.

Don't let life's molehills turn into mountains.

This is designed to replenish your spirit. You have to alleviate stress. You may also want to try yoga, or any physical exercise such as working out at a gym, walking, smiling or even chewing gum.

It's much better if the treadmill, stairclimber, or lifecycle take the brunt of your stress. Participate in being alive.

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The Daily Grind Part II

I was staring at it again. The odd contraption that covered my teeth. That night guard. Is it just me or does the night guard make your teeth feel like they are in jail?

I couldn't even speak properly. I sounded like Elmer Fudd. It was so tight and uncomfortable that I had to take it off. I guess things could be worse. I could have lockjaw or a myriad of other dental maladies.

I had to find out what was going on with my spirit so I did a contemplation. I found a comfortable chair, closed my eyes, breathed deeply and focused my attention on my third eye (space between the eyebrows.)

I began to chant the word HU softly in a long tone. I chanted until my third eye opened. In my third eye, I saw myself being stoned.

Although I was covering my face, a stone chipped my tooth. All I could see was blood running down my face and the stones kept coming. I ended my contemplation abruptly and I checked my mouth to see if it was really bleeding. Thank God it wasn't. Then it hit me. (no pun intended)

I was being stoned by life. I was doing too much for everyone else and not enough for myself.

In a nutshell, I was letting life grind me down and in this case, it manifested itself as grinding my teeth -- and spirit. Once I understood this, wearing a night guard became a lot more comfortable.

Generosity is wonderful, but giving too much can put you out of balance. When you don't pay attention to yourself, your teeth may not be the only things you are grinding. The results may not show up for years, then suddenly you'll wonder what happened.

Take care of yourself.

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The Daily Grind Part I

During a routine dental exam, the dentist told me, "You grind your teeth." 'What!', I said. 'I brush, floss, and gargle regularly, I don't grind.'

He showed me the X-rays. I said, 'You must have me confused with another patient.' He said, "No." Handing me a small mirror, he said, "Look for yourself."

I looked in the mirror and sure enough I saw how two teeth were a tad shorter than the rest. There goes my coveted spot on 'America's Top Models,' I thought.

After fitting me for a night guard, I left the office in shock. Although I saw for myself, I still thought it was an error. This was going to take further investigation.

I went home and got the magnifying mirror and opened my mouth. It really was true. I did grind my teeth, there was no doubt about it. I am the calmest, most stress-free individual I know, how did this happen to me?

Then I started to think about it. Unbeknownst to me, I got caught up in life. I knew there had to be a reason, I just didn't know what?

(to be continued)

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Know Thyself

There was a time when I studied dream interpretation and every time a friend has a dream they don't understand; usually a horrific nightmare, they ask me to interpret. I always tell them the same thing. 'I can't tell you what your dreams mean, only you can.' And sure enough every time they say, "I thought you knew about dreams?"

I say, 'I know what my dreams mean, but it is against the spiritual law for me to tell you what your dreams are about. What if I misinterpret your dream and you have a string of unfortunate events because of it? You would blame me for the fallout.'

Once you get the hang of interpreting dreams, it starts you on your way to self-discovery and helps you begin to unravel the mystery of your true self. It's one significant way we can figure out what God is trying to tell us.

Since I get requests for dream interpretation, I will be explaining an easy exercise in the coming weeks that's actually pretty cool. Get your paper and pens ready. It'll be fun. Stay tuned.

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Good Deeds: A Simple Technique

"Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment." -Sydney Smith

This is one of my favorite quotes. It conjures up many spiritual principles that benefit everyone. I invite you to take the challenge and try doing this for at least a month.

Make one person happy and watch how the gesture multiplies. You can accomplish this by doing a good deed or anything nice for someone else. The list is endless.

By doing this you are taking the attention off of yourself and letting God work through you. Good deeds become God deeds. Give it a try.

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Behind New Years Resolutions Part II

Here's to a happy, healthy and wise new year. Let us all march forward into our dreams and fulfillment. Here are more facts about New Years.

• It didn't always begin on January 1st and it still doesn't begin on this date everywhere even today.

• New Years begins today for cultures that utilize a 365 day solar calendar.
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• January was named by Romans after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances.
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• In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar developed a calendar, called the Julian calendar that would accurately reflect the seasons and January became the beginning of the New Year.
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• During the Middle Ages, Christians changed this day to December 25th, then March 25th, Annunciation day.
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• In the 16th century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1st.
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