Transcript Document

When we moved into Eden six years ago it was a
dream come true, the perfect place to hold our
classes, spacious and peaceful. Although lots of
people come here and our lives are very full, there is
still time to look at and appreciate all that is around
us. I was guided to start a photo album of this lovely
place in all the seasons, it was great fun taking all
the photos, and really made you look ‘with a
photographer’s eye’. As we put the book together I
was given writings to go with the visual – and so I
was developing my ‘spiritual eye’ at the same time!
There are various shots around the grounds showing
the many garden features.
EDEN
•Such beauty, such peace! Much
work has gone into the making of
this place,both manually and
emotionally. Now it is coming into
it’s true glory because of all the
groundwork that was put in.
Man has to do much groundwork on himself
to produce the beautiful Being that he is, in
reality. It must be lovingly cared for,
nurtured and fed.
Beauty is not a thing of chance, it is the
result of much work and energy and Love.
When man has found this beauty within
himself he will be naturally surrounded by
beauty as well – for the outer is a reflection
of the inner. As above so below - as within
so without.
WATER: In the still water you quite clearly see
‘as above so below” – the perfect reflection.
This can only be seen when all is in STILLNESS
and peace. Along comes a single puff of wind,
or the movements of a fish, or the landing of
a bird – and the perfect reflection is gone.
You can only bring your reflection of Heaven
down to Earth when there is stillness and
tranquility in your heart. Your thoughts and
emotions, your reactions to others – all of
these ruffle the mirror-like reflection.
On the still waters can clearly be seen the direction and
strength of the winds, and the presence of life. It clearly
shows you also, a new perception of all that was familiar
to you – for now your world is UPSIDE DOWN!
So too, the stillness of your heart gives you awareness of
the direction and strength of your emotions; of the
presence of the unseen who are always with you; and the
final realisation that your entire world is merely a
reflection of your TRUE reality.
Let all that is in heaven be reflected in your earthly life,
and know the true meaning of ‘as above – so below’.
STEPS: As you walk through life you will negotiate
many sets of steps – they can either lead up – or
down. They can be strewn with flowers – or
weeds. Sometimes they will be short, other times
they will feel like a mountain! But always
remember that the purpose of steps is to take you
to new levels to experience a new view that would
otherwise not have been possible. For the earth to
be flat there would be no variety of scenery, the
same applies to your experiences of life; in order
to progress you must experience the many
different levels of existence. As you do, view them
from all angles – that way you will not miss the
beauty of perspective.
DISTORTION: LOOK WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU STAND TOO CLOSE – you
cannot see the beauty! Whenever a
situation presents itself to you – that
you were drawn to, but now it gives
you strife – STAND BACK, remove your
emotions, and see the true beauty that
this situation is trying to show to you.
Especially in family situations:
emotions are high, the problem goes
around and around, and no one seems
to be able to resolve it.
Along comes a friend, someone who
is detached from the situation – for
they are not emotionally involved –
and they solve the issue. JUST LIKE
THAT!
Truly, the secret is to stand back,
become the observer - not the
participator, and then you will see
the beauty of God’s Work. Look
always for the BEAUTY; it IS in
EVERYTHING.
PERSPECTIVE: Now look what happens when
you take the higher view; on the ground this
property is a big place that involves lots of
work to keep it in trim – but the higher view
shows that it is just a small patch in a vast
area. The hills from the ground level become
as molehills when viewed from above – so too
your troubles when you view them from the
loftier perspective.
All events are merely facets of a much greater
plan: God’s Plan for His children. He sets them
down on earth to learn to overcome the
negativities and trials in life on the path to
finding Him once more.
You forget from whence you came, but
when you merge with God in
consciousness once more you will then
always be able to take the higher view,
and thus understand your life’s challenges
as being a part in a much larger picture.
God desires that His children be one
family that works in harmony together – it
is not just YOUR life that counts, but the
way that others play their parts also.
Lift your thoughts to God – always seek
the Higher View
MORNING: Heralds the beginning of a brand new
day. Will you bring into it the trials and sorrows of
yesterday – perpetuating the negativity in your life?
Or will you start afresh, leaving all that troubles you
behind, and seeking this day to be your fresh start?
Each new day move forward with no regrets, no
attachments. Look not to a day of problems; instead
look to a day of new challenges – all of which are
geared to make a better person of you. Make your
life a grand adventure instead of a crippling drudge.
Look always to the positive.
The morning shows you things in a new light – look
at your life with that same attitude.
At the end of each day the sun sets –
regardless of what has happened in that
day. It is a glorious event, often not noticed
by people getting busily on with their lives.
Often it is obscured by clouds.
The clouds in your mind – your negative
thoughts, also block out God’s Light, and
keep you from enjoying all that He provides.
Man is surrounded by beauty on this lovely planet,
but man only sees what his inner feelings cause
him to see; if you have a belief in an angry wrathful
God; that humanity is ugly and cruel; that this
world is a terrible place – that is EXACTLY what you
will see. If you believe that God is all love; that your
fellowman is kind; that this Earth is one of God’s
magnificent creations, then THAT is what you will
see.
My Beauty is always there, but you have to SEE it.
You have to FEEL it. You have to BE it.
I provide the sun to give life and light to all My
creations and I provide the moon with its opposite
polarity to help the Earth and its people to safely
experience the polarities of life: ebb and flow;
abundance and drought. And in the personal life, the
emotions of positive and negative – thus creating the
ebb and flow of moods; the abundance and drought
of love. In this way man walks his way through life –
pulled hither and thither by a light that is only a
reflection of the TRUE light source.
As you venture onto the Spiritual path you will
use, albeit unwittingly, the female energy of
the moon’s influence to enable you to explore
the darkness within yourself. Those dark ways
must be brought to the Light in order to be
healed. They are a necessary part of yourself –
not to be viewed as sinful, but as challenges of
your own nature that are explored and
gradually overcome as you seek to become the
Whole.
This series of pictures shows how the absence of
light immediately gives an unreal, eerie quality,
then as the light source gradually comes in more
and more is revealed that formerly had lain in the
shadows.
Seek to bring yourself fully into the Light, let there
be no dark corners. In the process of this ‘lighting
up’ be prepared for some emotional turmoil, for
you will be revealing yourself – your DEEPEST self,
involving emotions that you have concealed even
from yourself!
Bring them to Me, give them to Me, let Me be your
Ultimate Light.
SPRING: In the springtime Nature makes
ready for the new offspring – the grasses
are lush, the water is plentiful, the foliage is
full, and food is at a premium.
Into this beautiful world comes another
young animal – what a miracle! After the
weeks in the dark of its mother’s womb –
where it is fed and nourished - it now
stands free within moments of their
‘separation’; God has provided for all its
needs. And what a joy their beauty brings.
Remember that I also provide for you
- not just in the Spring, but in all the
seasons of your life. Whatever I
Create I will nurture and look to.
Your sense of separation from Me is
because you are unaware of that
fact. To BECOME aware, look to the
myriad clues in Nature that I am
there, that I Provide, that I Watch
Over. Become safe in that
knowledge.
THE TREES AND BLOSSOMS: I express
Myself in countless ways, in myriad
form. Become used to thinking that
whatever your eyes perceive is God in
Form - forming Myself into substance
from all the patterns of Nature. I Am
the Creator of all things – including
yourself. Come into appreciation of
the complexity and beauty that is you
– my greatest creation. You look with
awe at the beauty of Nature, come
into the realization of the miracle that
is YOU.
THE CREEPER: God is our framework and
we are like the little creeper – tentatively
reaching out, wrapping ourselves around
each situation that presents itself on our
path. Each positive act that we perform
produces a lovely flower, each wrong
turn that we make produces dead wood!
All the while through all our endeavors
the Christ is nurturing and feeding us
with His Love – the greatest food of all.
THE BIRD’S NEST: You have to look closely
sometimes to find My hidden treasures; they
are all around you, but sometimes not readily
recognised.
In every situation in your life there is a
concealed gift; no matter how difficult the
process – it is there, KNOW this. Listen for the
signs of Life, break down the barrier, part the
veil – you will find the precious gift that is
there. It is the gift of New Life, for that is what
is generated each time you recognise the gift
that is concealed – the beauty in the pain.
SUMMERTIME: ‘When the livin’ is
easy’, as the song says. Holiday times
give a brief respite from the challenges
of life – a time to reap the rewards of
your endeavors, a time to rest and
contemplate – perhaps to ponder on
your next step in life.
It is wise to stop your rush through life
from time to time, to look back on
what you have achieved, what you wish
to change, what you wish to attain.
NEVER LOOK BACK IN REGRET, for each
action of yours was a learning process - for
yourself and the people around you. The
priceless gifts that God gives are EXPERIENCE
and CHOICE. It is by experimenting with life
that we learn how NOT to act, how NOT to
be.
You can listen to the warnings from your
parents and your peers, but you cannot truly
learn your lessons until you have had the
experience YOURSELF. How else could you
KNOW the pain of a wrong move – and the
bliss of a right one?
ACCEPT THE PAST, recognise its worth.
Autumn
The season of releasing – letting go of
the old, to rest awhile, and then to make
way for the new.
See how gracefully Nature lets go!
Mankind makes a much harder job of it –
he struggles and strives, he ‘hangs on to the
bitter end’ to do something that must and
WILL be done.
When it is time to release something or
someone take Nature’s example and do it
gracefully – you will find that it will be far
less painful.
Just as in Nature, there are seasons in your life
too, but because they are not so obvious, or
regularly timed,we tend to forget – we try to
hang onto EVERYTHING as if it would last
for ever. Throughout your entire life there must
always be this letting go process – releasing
our babyhood; releasing our teenage years;
releasing our family when the time comes –
but that does not mean that any of it is LOST!
The act of releasing always heralds new
growth, new horizons – PROGRESS.
WINTER: A time of seeming barrenness – no
real warmth in the sun, long dark nights, no
life on the branch – will it ever return? Yes it
will! And REMEMBER THAT whenever a ‘winter’
pattern enters your life. Those cold, barren
times when you cannot see the Light, when
you feel separated from My Love, when all
that you once loved seems to be dead and
gone forever. These soul-searching times
always happen before a ‘spring’ time in your
life; when hope and love springs anew, when
after the long, dark, lonely months all is
bright and new and lovely again.
The ‘winters’ of your life are the
times when things or people that no
longer serve your personal growth
are laid to rest. In the seeming
darkness a new seed is germinating,
a new sap is rising, a new joy is
coming – for in your life will always
be the seasons of CHANGE.
The father of the family is the provider and the mother is the
nurturer. God is both of these to His Creations.
It is not an easy task to be the strength and comfort for the
human family, but the love of the parents for each other gives
them the ability to cope and overcome all that comes their way
in the raising of their family. It is a responsibility, a
commitment, and hard work is involved – but love tempers all
and overcomes the painful laborious times.
Most families are not AWARE of the love factor, and especially
when the children have become adults and ‘leave the nest’,
there is an inability to let go – to give each other freedom. But
it must be done otherwise a restricted life is the result for all
concerned.
My Love gives you the Freedom you all desire - freedom to live
and yet still love each other. The Security to know that you are
always there for each other in times of need. The Happiness in
the beauty of it all.
FAMILY: See how the love between two people grows and multiplies,
bringing yet more unto itself. Joy and happiness, sometimes tears and
sadness, are involved in this multiplying - but by bonding together,
supporting each other, welcoming new ones into the fold, this family
becomes a tangible proof of the Power of Love. In this way God
multiplies.
But the family that does not practice God’s Ways of nurturing,
acceptance, and unconditional love – breaks the family ties, and now the
links between them become CHAINS. They may part physically, but
mentally they shall always be chained until God’s Ways are practiced
once again.
God leads the Universal family with a sure, steady Hand – not an iron
fist. He treats each family failing with Love – not punishment. He allows
His children to learn by experience – not by force. He talks to each one
through the heart, not the head.
Connect with each other through the heart, and although you may not
always be physically together, that heart-link will always be strong. We
are ALL connected through the heart, USE that heart power to
understand God’s Ways.
Christmas: a time of family and friends, abundance and joy.
For some it is the best time of the year – for others, the very
worst.
The birth of Jesus is celebrated even at the wrong time of the
year! Nevertheless it has not been lost sight of, for His birth
was God’s gift to mankind. The story of Jesus’ life shows each
person The Way. He warned of the false idols of materialism
and ego, He brought the loud message of Love.
Let this not be the way of living just once a year, but celebrate
The Way every single day. Then your life will always be filled
with abundance, surprises, and loved ones - all the joys of
Christmas.
Make it your task to add a little bit of cheer to the lives of all
you meet; to think of giving rather than receiving; to widening
your circle of friends into a larger and larger family; to always
find the ‘gift’ in every situation; to FULLY PRACTICE the Christ
Life.
See how intricate the spider’s web! Tensioners cross lines
and spirals – all beautifully and perfectly fashioned to trap
the unwary. So fine that it is barely noticeable, so strong
that the more the entrapped struggle, the tighter they are
bound.
Listen to your own vocabulary – “I am BOUND” – “I am
STUCK” – “I can’t get free, I am ENTANGLED”. Your own
emotions create the strands of the web; each person is
invisibly connected in this way and the actions of one
affects and influences all others.
Stop struggling in the web of life. Release your
attachments – to places, to people, to things. Seek
Spiritual freedom. With each negative attribute of yourself
that you hand over to God you break a strand. Eventually
you will stand free, unfettered, unhampered – in this way
you break through the illusion to find the Reality beyond.
THE WEB
On trembling feet I walk a sticky thread
My balance sometimes falters
As each vibration tugs at my composure,
But every time I find my stance anew
Another confining string is snapped.
And the web which holds me in my unique place of learning
Becomes a little weaker –
While I become stronger.
The lessons of this life are like a tightrope walk –
Hesitate, and fear may make me stumble Wrapping myself in ropes of others’ making.
Take one step at a time
With eyes and heart fixed on this moment only,
And I may journey the web of life
Watching the sticky strands fall one by one,
Until one day my wings are free of constraint.
I kick off my sticky shoes to fly free once more.
Gail Thompson
Develop the curiosity of the cat!
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND.
It is hard to say goodbye to a dear companion
– but the sorrow is brief compared to the
years of pleasure he gave. Because of the
short life of an animal – compared to that of a
human – some do not wish to become
attached to them, in order to avoid the pain of
parting later on. What vast pleasure they miss
to avoid fleeting pain.
An animal makes you think of something
other than self. It teaches you unconditional
love – the art of accepting one another,
despite the faults. It shows you all the stages
of life in entirety, and then the final gift – it
teaches you to let go.
THE DOG: The dog is a valuable
companion, for it shows its owner traits
that they too can develop: unconditional
love, trust, obedience, character and
humour.
The dog will also reflect the character of
its owner, so take note if your dog
displays ill-health, neurosis, aggression!
All animals I set down with mankind to
show him aspects of himself: what to
improve on; what NOT to do; what to
appreciate.
Who would guess that the tiny, tightly
furled bud holds such potential!
The end product is already known by
the Intelligence that created it.
The half-opened flower is beautiful,
but it will be so much more when it
comes to its full bloom.
So man, who is only half of his
potential; even though he is a miracle
– he can be so much more. Seek to
bring yourself to full potential.
How do you do that?
Just the same as
the flower; be
nurtured and fed
by the Father,
open your heart
and mind to Him,
and GROW to your
fullest. God is the
Intelligence that
created you, and
God has a
purpose for you.
Grow into your
Purpose.
The gum tree shows man his
progress through life. Here is a
strong hardy tree which, like man,
starts from a single seed. All
through its life it reaches ever
upwards, despite all setbacks. Its
trunk clearly shows its progress;
with nothing to block its growth it
grows straight and strong, but
when influenced by others it causes
imperfections – even these are not
a hindrance because it reaches ever
higher, and eventually straightens
itself once more. This tree survives
the ravage of fire, and even when
all but destroyed it sends out new
growth and forms another perfect
tree higher up – this shows you the
value of the Divine Fire which rids
you of everything except your
strength to generate the Perfected
Body.
THE TREE: The tree is the most highly evolved member of the plant
kingdom – as Man is above the animals. And the tree shows Man much
about himself, not only in terms of productivity, but also in terms of
growth, resilience, etc. But it is the HIDDEN part of the tree that tells
the most.
The roots are what keep the tree anchored, and these roots represent
Man’s hidden side – his thoughts and feelings, which effectively anchor
him into the human experience.
The leaves, blossoms and fruits of the tree represent the ‘trappings’
that man adds unto himself – the material things that are important to
him – but they are not beneficial to his freedom. A tree can be lopped
almost to ground level, but if the roots are strong new growth will
regenerate. So too man can lose everything and try to start again, but
with the roots of his negative feelings he will never be free and the
same problems will occur time and time again.
Once a trees root system dies the tree topples and is no longer bound
to the earth. Each negative thought that is changed severs a root, until
finally the whole root system is no longer the means of containment.
SEVER YOUR ROOTS in order to gain FREEDOM so that you can then be
as the birds that sit amongst the branches. With this freedom you still
may enjoy the fruits of the earth, but are no longer bound by them.
Yes, the tree is a thing of beauty - as is the human body, but the
Spiritual- You is an even more beautiful creation.
FOG: Ah! How Nature clearly shows the art of illusion. You
KNOW there is a cottage out there – but the eyes, and the
camera - tell you otherwise! Always heed the KNOWING,
despite what your logic tells you.
THE RAINBOW: The promise of the
rainbow is that there will always be
sunshine after rain: happiness after
tears.
It shows you too, that there is beauty
in the gloom – without the gloom the
colours could not appear; without the
tears there can be no appreciation of
the happiness.
You have to experience the extremes
in order to find Balance.
FIRE: What an awesome energy! And one
that must be controlled.
Wherein is the fire in man? - In his
EMOTIONS. What starts off as generation
can end up in destruction if it is not
checked.
In Nature fire has the role of regeneration –
let your emotions play the same role,
otherwise destruction of YOURSELF can be
Look to Nature to find the clues; the
Signs are everywhere - in the
insects, birds and animals, in the
seasons and the tides. Look for the
Signposts all around you, guiding
you to Remembrance, showing you
The Way.
Look closely at the two photographs – which
is the right way up? It is very hard to assess
except, finally, for the fuzziness of the
reflections.
So too, in life, it is hard to discern the true
from the false, the real from the unreal, and
that is also because of the fuzziness! The
fuzziness in your understanding of What or
Who God is. No one wants to be misled in
this vital matter.
Who do you follow? Who do you believe?
Have no fear,just follow your heart – for that
is where God speaks to you.
As each challenge in life confronts you, listen to
your heart. It will never mislead you.
With each teacher that comes your way – take
their teachings to your heart, and there you will
be able to discern the true from the false.
Lastly, have the courage to FOLLOW your heart,
for it will finally lead you to God.
When you have removed all doubts and fear from
your mind is when you will feel God in your
heart. From that day forth God will lead you by
the hand, showing you the Truth, showing you
The Way.