Suffering

This last weekend, I worked 20 hours, partied every night, worked out everyday, and did my homework. Looking back on it and after sleeping in as much as I could get away with this morning, I have to say that, although it was painful at times, it was good. Much of it was suffering. Much of it was fun. I valued both. However, I am coming to value the suffering much more than I have in the past because I am finding that it truly is important.

Everyone suffers. Everyone feels pain. Form the starving orphan in Sudan, to the sex slave in Cambodia to the freshmen at Berkeley during finals week. Some suffer more, but there is no reason to feel sorry for the fact you suffer even if your are privileged. It is inescapable.

Because of its unpleasantness and its universality, there have been many different methods developed to cope with it. Some, perhaps most, try to avoid it. A few think they deserve it and wallow in it. A few more try to redirect it, which is still just trying to avoid it. A few others try to detach themselves from it.

All of these responses are fully understandable. However, I hold that they all fall short of taking into account the full reality of human development. As I said, everyone suffers. The approaches I have described to this fact are all attempts to escape or limit this. Even those who feel it is their lot in life are trying to make it easier by making sense of there situation. But still no one gets out of it. A different approach all together is needed to take into account the fullness of reality. To turn it all on its head, accept it and press into it. Do not run from it and do not think you deserve it. Do not Detach you self from experience to escape it. Doing this is like selling your soul. Do not try to side step it or just role with it and pretend it doesn't matter. It does. Or it can. The experience it self can be redeemed if the person experiencing it is redeemed. This redemption can expand out from this person to encompass all of reality. I will say it again.

Everyone suffers. What makes us different is that our suffering is meaningful. We accept it and in so doing accept humanity. As we are redeemed, so we can transform the experience and further redemption. We bring life into death. We resurrect reality. We transform all negative and positive energy and render it as a prayer to the divine.

By this we accept our true selves and our true places. We bring order to chaos. We make useful that which is useless.

Acknowledge, welcome and surrender all things.

Let your life be your prayer.

Different Angles

Last Thursday was my first day of class this semester. However, class was not the highlight. No, the highlight had to be going dumpster diving in a pin-stripe pimp suit and tie for a fully legitimate reason. I found that a very large check had been sent to me. Also, because my current accommodations are as they are, mail sometimes gets thrown away. This is exactly what seamed to have happened to this large check. Being the first day of class, I thought it a day to dress extravagantly, thus the suit. I ran outside to the dumpster to retrieve the check, looked over the edge and took the plunge. All I could think of at the time was that this was an incredible event. For a serious reason, I had to go dumpster diving in a good suit. Eventually, I located the check, but I would not help but be equally thankful for the opportunity to perform such an out of the ordinary act. I said a prayer of thanks to G-d for this gift. This along with many other experience, leads me to believe that life is much better lived when all that we go through, both good and bad, are put in their proper context, not as to be controlled or avoided, or striven for , but as opportunities for stories to tell in eternity. Towards all things as attitude of gratitude is possible.

Getting back to the subject at hand, I have been wondering for long time why people are drawn to think of themselves in limited ways. I believe much of it comes down to the assumption that we exist in a closed system, where there is scarcity and thus a limit to what we can do and thus who we are. I find this to be incorrect from my own experience. As my readers will remember, I talk about something from somewhere else (G-d). By this power, there are more resources than we realize. In fact the system is not closed. Realisation of this leads to a change in perspective. A change in perspective leads to a change in life it self. I encourage any one and everyone to try it.

Some Solutions to Poverty

To every problem there is a solution. For the problem of poverty, many solutions have been attempted. The answer to these problems have often been non governmental organizations and charities that address a specific goal, such as providing cheep medical care or clean water. Also they often depend on donations. A lot of good comes out of these organizations and they have been responsible for serious positive developments throughout the world. However, these organizations appear to have structural limitations that preclude them from fully addressing the magnitude and diversity of the problem. Being dependent on donations, much time and resources must be spent on raising more funds. Also, the amount of good an organization can do will always be limited by the generosity of others, which, unfortunately fluctuates.

For lasting, continuously increasing gains to be made, the communities that are being helped must become independent and self sustaining. Also, the humanitarian organizations themselves can become independent of outside funding and self sustaining if creative approaches to social business are taken. What is needed is a paradigm shift away from the old fundraising charity model of non-profit organizations toward a more self sufficient social entrepreneurial model. For example, an organization that wanted to provide education about sustainable agriculture could invest in farm land and raise produce to sell for profit that would then be reinvested in more development. All along, the land can be used as laboratory to teach the community about innovative farming techniques as well as providing employment.
Organizations that are built on this model could expand much more readily than organizations that depend on handouts.

There will always be a place for hand outs when there really isn’t any other way of providing the resources for a community to sustain itself. If there were no resources at all there would be nothing for a social business to work with. However, it is desirable for the future of humanitarian operations to be shaped by those who make use of entrepreneurial skills, not for profit, but for, massive, lasting social change.

A Time of Favor

Death and suffering. Pain and misery. Laughter and joy. Change and transformation. Constant evolution.

I pray that all my suffering is meaningful. My prayers are answered! Be careful what you pray for. it will be answered. I dreamed of forgiveness and found I was not dreaming. I dreamed of suffering and found it would pass. I awake now and see light all around me.

In the final analysis, even the most evil are forgiven. G-d keeps no books. G-d knows what he is doing.

If we know or do not know, it does not matter. Even our ignorance is meaningful. G-d is on the move. Light shines into the deepest darkness. The Master takes on human form and his flesh brakes down the gates of Hell it self. This is always happening.

Look now to all the world around you. It is all a matter of perspective. Change your perspective. Allow it to be transformed to that of the Master. Look and see that all things fallow the divine plan. This plan is painted with dark colors at times, but fear not. The whole is greater than the parts. Much greater. Look and see the light. look and see that Love. Love passes into all things. it expands out in all directions. Fear not I say and be whole!

Times of peace are not forever. Neither or times of suffering. But this is a time of favor! Know, embrace and surrender it. let it be a prayer.

A time for life and love. A time to make useful that which is useless. A time of favor.

Fear not what you see. Look to what is on the horizon and coming fast. The sun is rising.

A time of favor is upon us.

Living in this world, thinking of another.

Often I find my self thinking, not about a place far away, but about what is all around me, and what it could become, or is, depending on your sense of perspective. I look about and learn to look deeper, farther, into the details, and the things that are rite before us. Then I look back. Far back to the beginning. And then I look forward. Far forward, but not to the end. Who knows when that is? Maybe G-d does. But then maybe he doesn't know.

All I can know is that more is going on than meets most eyes. To him who has eyes to see, see. to him who has ears to hear, hear.

We live here, but we are not from hear. but we are not out of place. No where to go and no where to be. I find my self living in this work and dreaming of another.

Not by might and not by power, but by my Spirit says the lord. I hear this and often have I thought, what? I found that my initial lack of trust in the sanity of this statement really did come down to that. A lack of trust. Now, trust is not something that I have found I can logic my way into. But at the vary end of my inquiry, I found that my ability to trust did not have that much to do with me after all. It just happened. It just came over me. And it was from outside that this happened. It was something greater and grander than anything I could have easily explained away. Looking back I see that trust is actually a very logical and very intelligent strategy. It is the dominant strategy when you are gone and don't know how to cross the gap. It comes down to letting go and letting your self expand into whatever else there is. But again I say it did not come from me. Perfect love casts out all fear. Perfect love makes it possible for us to trust. This is why it is so important to love, to nurture, to give into others. It makes it possible for them to trust. To become something else. Something more. In so doing, we take part in the process of creation. But really, it is not and never will be about us. Humility paves the way to greatness. Give more freely. Maybe you will get something back, but you WILL be taking part in a creative act of your own. Trust, and watch as you are created a creator.

Too much time. Too much power. And only a few realize it. To those who do know that this is not a closed system; this is not a linear, one way track to getting rich; this is not the end, there is still conflict. It comes when the question of what direction you really want to go in truly hits. Will you settle for your world, your way, your own control? Or will you allow yourself to surrender, and move towards becoming more fully who you are? They way is narrow and few will pass. But that is not because it takes so much strength to subvert yourself. On the contrary. You must surrender your self--let your self by what it is and welcome that power from outside. Form beyond all else and still in all things. It knows what it wants. It knows what it is doing. It has a plan. Or maybe it doesn't. But all that I can say from my own small view of this world is that I will never turn back.