Essential Knowing

Spectral Light - Trefoil Series by Bonnee Klein Gilligan

Peaceful, meditative, Buddhic. Essential Knowing brings one to the inner-self and expresses one's 'True Nature'. Energy impact: calming, contemplative, compassion. Spectral Pastel drawing with computer enhancement. Original 9" x 12" drawing was commissioned.

Giclee prints are available at my Spirit Art Gallery.

breathe in...

~a poem by Bonnee Klein Gilligan

A man with power, pride perhaps

with jealousy no doubt.

Tries to control, by putting down

denouncing or defiling

with envious beguiling.

All empty threats and meaningless

and truly of no import.

Unless you take it inward

engaging self to battle self.

Indeed there is no other

take back what you have given.

Your power and your peace

take back what you have given, friend.

 

Back up a step… and breathe self in!!!

 

Breathe in the knowledge who you are

breathe in the peace, breathe in the calm.

Breathe in your light...

it will illumine what you see

and flood with light the darkness.

For it alone is all that’s real

and it alone supports you.

Take back your power, step into life

and choose a different story.

You write the script, edit the book

create a new beginning.

10 Commandments of Life - Video

10 Commandments of Life brought to life.

Daniel (a.k.a. Philosopher Fresh) contacted me in May 2008 through MySpace. He said, "I have had a copy of your 10 commandments on my wall for the last 5 years! Wonderful! First of all thank you so much for those inspirational words!!! They have helped change my life!"

Through his videos Daniel is bringing the world messages of peace and upliftment. You can view them at Philosopher Fresh on youtube.com

Thanks Daniel for your kindness and for lovingly giving my words life!!!

~Bonnee (a.k.a. Adonea)

Who am I?

This week I've had a series of thoughts and concepts present for a revisit. A friend mentioned Tolle's book 'A New Earth' and said I might want to watch the review at Oprah.com. While there I surfed around a bit and came upon Dr. Wayne Dyer on Oprah's Soul Series. Then one day on Twitter Paulo Coelho tweeted the quote below so I visited his blog. All week I've been pondering the concepts of ego, personality, pain body and now. And working  with present moment. It has been an interesting week. Thought I'd share with you some of my outer and inner workings.

 So I begin... When asked who are you? We often reply with a series of socially acceptable identifiers like, "I am 'name', I work for 'employer', I live in 'town', I am 'relationship status'." Are we that? A name? A job? A town? A relationship?

No of course not. These are identifiers.... name, job, location, relationship. They are current points in time which can change. We get married/divorced, move, change our name and jobs all the time these days.  But if we aren't these... what are we? 

We also say, 'I am a 'man or woman', 'I'm 'age','I'm 'sexual preference' . We look in the mirror and see ourselves. We think, "That's me." But we can alter our body too. Change hair color, lose or gain weight, have plastic surgery and not look the same at all. We can even change our sex. If we make any or all of these changes are we still the same? We look different. No one may recognize us. But are we still the same?

We describe ourselves as, "I'm 'outgoing or introverted or other'. I'm a 'habit (smoker, drinker, etc.)'. I'm 'emotional state (happy, sad, thankful, etc.)'. " And other descriptive phases which talk about our emotional state or ego/personality. Are we how we feel or even what we think?

Dr. Wayne Dyer gives this collection of ideas about ego...

I am what I do

I am what I have

I am what others think of me

I am separate from you

I am separate from what is missing in my life

I am separate from God

"We are not our ego. When we see ourselves and the world from these ideas we are 'Edging God Out' (EGO).  We are already connected to all... have all, we just need to align and surrender. Become empty."

"Oh Krishna, The stillness of divine union which you describe is beyond my comprehension. How can the mind, which is so restless, attain lasting peace? " ~Bhagavad Gita

If not egoic thought, who are we? What is at the core? How can we know who we are? Where do we begin?

"Not as I will, but as thou wilt." ~2 Corinthians 3:4,5

"We need to forget what we think we are, so that we can really become what we are." ~ Paulo Coelho 

So 'I will' is akin to ego. Forget or surrender 'I will' or 'what we think we are'. Give up beliefs about self which come from ego or personality. The concept is clear enough but how?

"Be still, and know that I am God." ~Psalms 46:10

"True self essence comes out of stillness. Your innermost sense of self, of who you are, is inseparable from stillness. This is the I Am that is deeper than name and form.

To meet everything and everyone through stillness instead of mental noise is the greatest gift you can offer to the universe. I call it stillness, but it is a jewel
with many facets: that stillness is also joy, and it is love."~Eckhart Tolle

'Be still'. In the stillness we begin to understand 'what we are'.  But we have a life to live, things to accomplish. How can we become still or empty and have a life?

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." ~Buddha

"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life." ~Eckhart Tolle

Life can only be experienced Now. Not in past or future. Aligning self with the present moment aligns self with Life (God). But then how do we know our purpose? What we are to do?

"At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want." ~Lao Tzu

Being is focusing self on something other then brain grinding or mindless doing. It is Life. Breathe. Follow the breath. Still self inward by following stillness into through and around a flower, tree, plant. Becoming that stillness, quiet, peace. It enlivens. Follow it into the body, feel the buzz, hum or vibration of Life within you. Feel the Peace. Stillness. Joy. Bliss. Then you are fully present... NOW.  The fullness of Life can truly only be experienced now... end.

The photo above of the glorious rose was taken by my beloved friend Light who made his transition. Now he works in Spirit.

Hope you enjoyed my pondering.

~Bonnee

For more on Eckhart Tolle see eckharttolle.com or oprah.com  to watch 'A New Earth' book review with he and Oprah.

For more on Paulo Coelho see paulocoelho.com.br or read his blog.

For more on Dr. Wayne Dyer see drwaynedyer.com

What is God?

If one completely immerses self in this human experience... the suffering and the pain of it… everything seems to be outside of self and one can perceive themselves as a victim of.... everything. Even God seem outside of self and is seen as cruel, angry or judgmental.

Everything is a choice, even how we perceive God, how we live, what we feel, what we think... life doesn't have to be full of pain. The word suffering actually means 'undergoing'... we can choose to undergo in pain, or in joy... it is our choice. Change perceptions, change reality... a cliché perhaps... but true. I feel God/Goddess as pure Unconditional Love not something outside of self.

Here is my vision of God/Goddess/Creator:

What is God?

Please... these are only my understandings and perceptions don't take offence to them... they are presented with the utmost love in my heart.
To me God is in everything 'All That Is'... not outside of self... and everywhere all at the same time. God is unconditional love, you and me, the trees, the animals, the earth, the Universe... everything that exists... the state of consciousness of 'Oneness' or 'supreme bliss'. Some concept of God flows through all religions (Dainichi Buddha in Japanese Buddhism, The Void in Taoism, Great Spirit), the greatest being/energy in all the universes... the great compassionate Creator. Neither male nor female... yet both... and neither... great energy, great thought, all Creation (matter) and the Void. God is truly unable to be defined because with our limited vocabulary there simply are not the appropriate words... but God can be felt and seen and heard by those with eyes to see and ears to hear. What does this mean? Those who are beginning to perceive things beyond the physical, beginning to de-limit themselves, or remove the veil somewhat. It is usually presented as sensing/seeing/hearing/smelling subtle energies beyond what the 'normal' person has the ability to do... some would call this 'psychic ability'. In essence these 'psychic gifts' are God given natural abilities that we all have (not special)... most of us have just forgotten that we have them. Reiki with attunement to and usage of, re-awakens this knowledge and ability. This is one reason why it is called a technique of 'enlightenment'. But any 'God' (great spiritual energy) experience can begin this awakening. In Christianity this concept of feeling God comes in the form of being touched by Holy Spirit.

I've seen similar concepts with different words/names across all religions. Some use the concept of various Gods, some various Buddhas/Boddhisattvas, some Angels/Holy Spirit/Saints/etc., some animals, etc... to present God concepts or God qualities... like love, light, compassion, spiritual peace of mind, dedication, strength, wisdom, etc., etc., etc. It still baffles me sometimes that some folks feel the need to fight to the death about their concepts of the 'Real God', when all are saying essentially saying the same kinds of things just with different words, if one reads/listens with their heart and can look beyond the dogma.

I had a conversation with God the other day (please don't crucify me here I am just sharing my experiences from my heart...yours may be different and I honor you for yours) and I asked God several questions. What prompted this was that I had been listening to the Christian radio station (I like feeling God in the music, but often don't resonate to the preaching). Well anyway, a minister came on and was talking about marriage... one man and one woman... talking about God cursing Adam and Eve after picking the apple and casting them out of Eden and other similar things. One of my questions to God was, "was your original intention... one man and one woman"... the answer I got was "Yes, daughter". I continued, "and how do you feel about all that is transpiring today"... God answered, "humanity is very creative, many things have occurred which were unexpected and are beautiful." Then I asked "did you really curse Adam and Eve." God answered, "I would never curse my beautiful creation, I love all unconditionally, for all time." So I asked, if it was humanity who changed the concepts and words. God answered, 'Yes daughter, many of my words and original meanings were changed." I asked, "Why dear God would someone change your loving messages?" God answered, "humanity has free will to play as they choose". I asked God, "How may I honor, serve and glorify you in this moment." God answered, "Just be the Love that you are!" End of questions.

Some folks have personalize or humanize God/Goddess/Creator, some see God as way out there beyond their reach, some see a great energy or thought, or state of consciousness, some don't feel or see anything... and all these experiences are great... there is no right or wrong way of doing anything. The message as I understand it... is that it truly doesn't matter what we choose... it is all just playing after all... and if we wish to get the most from our Earthwalk, then simply be the Love that we already are!!!! How easy is that!

The Bible talks about the end times and all that may transpire... but Jesus never said that God was 'angry'. In my understanding the 'end times' are the end of old ways of being, old ways of reacting, old patterns/habits/traits... taking comfort in one's uncomfortableness. How can this possibly come to an end? By making those things come to the forefront or 'be in one's face' so intensely that a different choice is made. That is what is happening now... many people are being given the opportunity to look intensely at their choices... so that they may make different ones. Not because God is mad or vengeful... rather because God is so unconditionally loving and compassionate that God wants us to move beyond these 'less-then de-light-full' behaviors to ones which are more in Divine alignment... and unconditionally loving.

So what does unconditionally loving mean, really? Loving and accepting ALL... AS IT IS... unconditionally. Having 'NO' reaction!!! One can choose to feel compassion, to take action if it is appropriate... and... not be drawn into the drama which is unfolding. Seeing it for what it is... a play... a drama... an interaction of beings for their learning/growth (or for the learning and growth of all)... or simply because they are, or can, or want to play that particular game. Neither Good nor Bad... just playing in physical form.

© 2008 Bonnee Klein Gilligan. All rights reserved.