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We understand the ails of humanity can largely be contributed to our own lack of connectedness. Much—if not all—the strife we experience, whether through crime, war, abortion, disease, environmental concerns, socioeconomic unrest, prejudice, hatred and fear—boils up from a well of disconnectedness and identity. It is in the seeing of the world as separate from ourselves that we come to learn (and teach) abuse; both self-abuse and the abuse of other living creatures, including the living system that sustains us all—the Earth. Without a concrete sense of connectedness with others and the world, we naturally begin to foster and define an identity for ourselves. At first—as infants and young children—this is done for us by our parents, grandparents and the other adults around us. As children, our parents choose our name, our clothing, our diet and a myriad of other experiences based upon their own preferences. Their preferences are a result of a complex matrix of conditions and experiences that have resulted from their own lives which were—in no small way—crafted by the adults around them as they grew up.  [As we grow older, we adopt this role of crafting a persona and we tend to do this rather unconsciously.]

On and on the cycle continues. Parents influencing their children, the children grow up, become parents themselves and pass their own influences on, and on, and on (for better or for worse.) Each generation goes on passing (or works to avoid passing) the sins and favors of the generation before. In Eastern tradition, this is what is meant when it is said a son takes on the sins (or the karma) of his father and forefathers. We are talking about a way of being and thinking that is passed on from generation to generation.

Like the energy shared among celestial bodies, sometimes—whether by your own power or as a result of a key event—we may break free of the gravitational pull of this ancestral energy, but our direction is still grossly influenced by our beginnings. This is especially true the closer we are to our point of origin (birth). As we move away from our perceived beginning, however,

1. we become more able to consciously choose our direction, and
2. the courses we set grow more attainable as we continue to refine our heading by orders of degrees.

In the event we choose to completely change direction (whether by conscious decision or inspired through a life-changing event), we establish a new course and drive toward that, but we do so with greater wisdom (assuming we learn from our experiences upon having them.)

In this way, not only are we connected to our parents, our parents’ parents and the lines of ancestry that proceeds them, but so too are we the direct ascendants of our own lineage, paying forward the writing on our own walls onto that of our children, their children and their children’s children. On and on it goes.

Extend this now—not only to our blood relations—but to all the people we come into contact with on a daily basis; such as our friends, coworkers, associates and acquaintances. Extend this to the people we meet on the street, the people we share the road with, the people we serve and whom serve us for the briefest of instances, whether we are staying at a hotel for a single night or checking out a book at the library or purchasing groceries at the city market.

Think about this for a moment. Have you ever had anyone do something unexpected for you? Some random act of kindness? I once had a client gift me with a free hotel room in Chicago. As a travel agent, Lynn knew I had collected quotes for a surprise trip for my wife months prior, but I had pulled back from making reservations because I had hit a number of road blocks in deciding how to get there. I had tabled the idea and about two to three months later, Lynn approached me with the offer of a free room at the Embassy Suites in the heart of downtown Chicago. She said she “had some rooms open up.” It was a wonderful offer that came out of the blue and it was enough to rekindle the idea of treating my wife to a weekend in Chicago. I hired our nanny for the weekend and my wife and I hit the museums, gallery and soaked up some of the sights and sounds of this wonderful city. It was marvelous! To show our appreciation, I sent Lynn a gift certificate to a local up-scale restaurant upon our return.

Conversely, have you ever been the recipient of someone’s ire while driving? How did that make you feel? Do you still remember the experience? Myself, I have multiple stories here, however we’re not going to get into those, as that’s not where we want to put our focus. Suffice it to say, it’s likely we remember the little random transgressions, right? How do you react when they happen? Do you react to anyone differently afterward? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe you easily shrug off the negative experience and don’t even tell anyone about it. Or, maybe you become so charged by the transaction you share it with anyone who will listen. If you share the story, are you telling those people a positive, uplifting story? Do you think they will leave your presence feeling inspired and uplifted?

Now, am I saying you should never share your bad experiences or misfortunes with others? No, I’m not saying that. Among those we should be able to lean on, counselors are professionally trained to listen to stories upon stories of hurt and misfortune and then shed these stories rather than allow themselves to become burdened with the collective weight of them. With varying degrees of success, they do this. Those who aren’t as good at clearing and recharging their energy on a frequent basis usually end up finding another line of work. Why should this be? Aren’t they separate from their patients? Ah, well, there’s the conundrum. How do you help heal someone while remaining disconnected from them? I would offer it’s nigh impossible.

There is a Hawaiian method of healing called Ho’oponopono. This method is the exact opposite of distancing yourself from another with the intent to heal them from afar. In fact, Ho’oponopono says a problem doesn’t present itself to you (even if it’s in the form of someone else’s problem) unless you’re part of the problem! By agreeing to take 100 percent responsibility for the problems that cross our paths, we now no longer seek to heal or correct the other person as if there was something wrong with them. Instead, we turn inward and ask Divinity to heal that which is within ourselves that has caused the misalignment within them.

Where is this on the “connectedness spectrum”? Is this connected or disconnected thinking? I would offer this is extremely connected thinking. In taking 100 percent responsibility for the ailments and disharmony we see in the world, we take the first step toward healing them. What is the first step in any recovery program? It is to acknowledge we have a problem. Only through owning the problem are we able to then right the condition we seek to correct. Additionally, within these same recovery programs, notice the submission to a higher power. “Let go and let God,” you’ll hear. There is a common understanding across most religions, institutions of healing and recovery programs that we are not alone. In fact, we can turn to Divinity and—with Divine countenance and direction—find ourselves as co-authors of the solution we seek. The first step for attaining what we seek then (be it health, wealth, or happiness for ourselves or others) is to first come to terms with the fact we are part of the problem.

Second, we must realize we will accomplish little on our own. Indeed, it is the connecting with our dreams, our loved ones, our patients, our clients, our healing, our abundance, our joy and our own inner Divinity that we may hope to achieve any of it. Anyone who builds a dream into reality, be it a new company, a lifestyle or any other worthy endeavor, must start with connecting with the ideal in mind. We affect the universe around us in three ways: thought, word and deed.

I once heard someone say that it doesn’t matter what your beliefs are while they rattle around in your head because—until they are evinced through word or deed—they don’t matter. I would respectfully disagree with this. Through the study of quantum physics and other means, we have proven thoughts have power to alter physical matter (see Emoto’s work with water crystals.)

In the documentary “What the Bleep are We?”, the topic of physical reality is discussed. We know that all matter is made up of molecules and the space between the molecules. We also know that the difference between matter in the form of a gas, liquid or solid is negligible, being defined merely by the difference in frequency by which they vibrate. Additionally, the space between these molecules is more than a little. For instance, if you took a hydrogen atom and zoomed in until the proton in its nucleus was the size of a grain of sand, the electron orbiting the nucleus would be over half a mile away, held in orbit by nothing but an electrostatic force field. Most of everything you experience as physical reality is made up of empty space. That includes the floor you stand on, the chair you sit in, the clothes you’re wearing, the body you move with and the food you put in it; everything.

We are not our body. We are not the clothes we wear, nor the car we drive, nor the place we live nor the place where we were born. We are not the job we have or don’t have. We are not our things. Even our emotions are temporary; we’re certainly not them either. So, what are we then? I might offer we just simply are. Or, more appropriately, you may say to yourself, “I am.”

“I am” is ubiquitous.

“I am” is complete connectedness.

“I am.”

Connected.

You are you, no matter when or who.

One day, a little water droplet awoke to find herself surrounded by the great blue Ocean, reaching out from her as far as her eyes could see. At first, she delighted in exploring all the sights, sounds and sensations the Ocean had to offer, but after a time she became restless.

The droplet went to the Sun and said, “Sun, I would like to become a Cloud. I wish to soar the sky and be adored by all the World.”

The Sun said, “Imagine soaring the sky and you will be.”

So the droplet climbed to the top of her Ocean, closed her eyes and thought soaring thoughts. When she looked again, she was flying high in the sky. She looked down at the great blue Ocean and asked, “Sun, what is the Ocean made of?”

“Water,” Sun replied.

The droplet seemed satisfied with this and enjoyed soaring the sky and being adored by all the World. After a time, however, she became restless.

She went to the North Wind and said, “North Wind, I would like to become Rain. I wish to fall to the Earth and bring life to all the World.”

North Wind said, “Imagine falling to the Earth and you will be.”

So the droplet climbed to the bottom of her Cloud, closed her eyes and thought falling thoughts. When she looked again, she was falling to the Earth. As she fell, the droplet looked up at her Cloud and asked, “North Wind, what are Clouds made of?”

“Water,” said North Wind.

“Oh,” said the droplet, a little confused now.

Once she landed upon the Earth, however, she busied herself with bringing life to all the World and forgot about what the Sun and North Wind had said. She was quite happy for a time, but—after a while—the droplet became restless.

She went to the River and said, “River, I would like to know who I am. I have been the Ocean, and the Clouds, and the Rain and now I even bring life to all the World, but I still don’t know what I am supposed to be.”

River said “Follow me.”

The droplet joined River and soon found herself returned to the Ocean. The droplet was dismayed by this and cried, “River! I don’t understand! I have already been the Ocean!”

River said, “When you were Ocean, you wanted to be Cloud.
When you were Cloud, you wanted to be Rain.
When you were Rain, you brought life to all the World and yet,
you still became restless and wondered what you were to do.
Know you are Water and—in being Water—you are the Ocean, the Cloud, the River and the Rain.”

And, from that moment forward, the little droplet knew she was Water and felt peace, no matter what she decided to be.

“There are two mistakes that can happen along the road to truth–not going all the way and not starting”
~The Buddah.

I recently met a young man who is actively seeking a career in motivational speaking. As he and I were talking, it quickly became clear we agreed on a good number of points ranging from public speaking, to personal development, to our approach to life, and so on. In that brief exchange, the only thing we seemed to disagree upon was our approach to knowing who God was. The young man stated he didn’t want to invest time in figuring out the unknowable. That’s fine, I thought; that’s just where he’s at.

Following that conversation, I questioned myself, however. After all, doesn’t it sometimes feel like an exercise in futility when we begin to try and understand God and the nature of Divinity? What’s more is, who is to say we’re even right when we think we’ve hit upon a truth!? How do we know? Can we?

Well, it was here I arrived at my deep inner desire to know God and to know my own nature–and the nature of all things, as a result. For me, it all begins with knowing God. Know God and all else will be revealed. Through knowing God, we will know how the stars and planets and universe work. Through knowing God, we will know the why’s and how’s of the world around us. We will understand the seasons, evolution and the life and death of it all. We will understand why our parents, teachers, priests, leaders, family and friends were who they were. We will understand who we are. We will know why we are.

Albert Einstein says, “I want to know how God thinks. The rest is just details.” For me, quite often, it’s the details I get caught in. It’s the details I allow to weigh me down. It’s the details to which I attach myself. It’s the day-to-day grind, the high’s and low’s, the drama and fantasy of life; that’s the stuff I find myself focusing much of my attention and energy upon. That is the roller-coaster I step off when I slow down, take time for myself and look quietly inward. And it’s in those moments where I feel closest to God.  In the silence and calmness. In the “just being”.

Second to this, for me, is the sharing of insights of a spiritual nature. When I have a deep, powerful, connected conversation that raises both the other person and myself, I feel ecstatic! Thrilled! I’m back on the roller-coaster, sure, but it’s a great place to be in that moment! It feels inspired, God-centered and whole. In Matthew 18:20, Christ says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am.” Have you ever felt this phenomenon? I do it all the time now and–as I speak more about Divinity–more people come up to me to share their own experiences. On top of that, the more of these conversations I have, the more I see Divinity’s Presence in the world around me. And, the more aware I am of Divinity around me, the more centered in Divinity I feel.

Epilogue: After my counseling session with Dr. Christopher today, I was walking out of the community church where these meetings are held. The building is set up in such a way one can access the conference area downstairs or the classrooms upstairs without ever seeing the chapel. In fact, I had never seen the chapel before this afternoon, having apparently walked past it several dozen times. On my way out today, however, I looked up and noticed the printing over a doorway that leads down a darkened hall. What I noticed for the first time were the symbols “Α” and “Ω”; the statement that God is the Alpha and the Omega–the Beginning and the End. I saw blue light coming from a room down the hall, so I followed it and discovered the large, empty chapel. The blue light was from the stained glass that lined the walls. The chapel was modest, even down to simple wooden chairs for the clergy, saving the ornate for the massive set of organ pipes that filled the front wall. I stopped for a moment to soak in the stillness, then walked to the front and sat down in the third pew from the front. There I sat in silence for a bit. I considered the contents of the altar, where stood a simple metal cross and a bible, displayed open, upright and facing the congregation. I stood, genuflected, and approached the altar. This was the first line I read:

Psalms 27:8 – When Thou saidst, “Seek ye My face,” my heart said unto Thee, “Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”

And so I will.

Question: If you believe God is limitless, where does that leave you?

Answer: In line with the Divine. The notion that we are separate from God, that we have to appease or fear God, that we are not God, is a fallacy. If we are not God, then there is something God is not. If there is something God is not, there are limits to God.

Do you believe God has limits? Or do you believe in God’s infinite love, infinite nature, infinite connectedness and abundance? Meditate on this.

In line behind the Divine

So I’ve been studying Ho’oponopono lately, right?  Love it.  Trying to trust it.  Yes, my western mind looks for immediate results.  I “clean” everyday now, mostly using the mantra, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.”  I’ve been using it in my relationships as I talk with people, as I’m driving to and from work, before I drift off to bed–even as I’m simply walking across parking lots.  As results go, I’ve seen little things here and there.  Dr. Hew Len says to expect “doo-doo” to come up as a result of doing this work and respond by cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  Indeed, doo-doo has been coming up.  For instance, shortly after I clean, I’ve seen odd arguments flare up between my wife and I.  From the standpoint of a silent observer, these fights seem to go into autopilot once they bloom, taking on a life of their own.  Both of us seem mindless–not present.  Driven by something else?

Memories.

In any case, once we disengage from battle, I clean.  I find she has been coming back to the table to re-establish peace quickly–within an hour or two.  In the past, she would stew over such bickering for days.  Or–I guess–this has been the memory I have shared with her.  I, too, let our fights roll off my back quicker than ever before.  Ho’oponopono at work?

Today, on my way into work, I was cleaning as I now regularly do.  I moved into the lane behind a delivery truck with a large image of what looked like a shampoo bottle with a wine label on it (if that makes any sense.)  The title of the product?

“Divine”

I’ll take it I’m on the right track.