Raj Editorial - from A Way of Life Issue August 2009 | Book View
They say that if you want to hear God laugh, just tell Him or Her your plans. Both Suzanne and I have been aware of vast changes occurring in our life over the last six months...
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Raj Editorial - from A Way of Life Issue August 2009 | Text View
They say that if you want to hear God laugh, just tell Him or Her your plans. Both Suzanne and I have been aware of vast changes occurring in our life over the last six months and it seems we are being called to clean house, simplify, and open time and energy to be more focused and committed in a few key areas.
This precious moment brings with it the opportunity to thank you for your support and let you know how much we value you as a friend and fellow traveller. If you are new to the site – Welcome, its great to have you with us.
While the print version of the Journal has ceased publication, we fully acknowledge the importance of the internet as an eco friendly medium for communication and we intend to expand and offer all manner of services and resources through this A Way of Life website - offering more free informational downloads and opening up it’s many facets to become a Resource Library for all the members of the A Way of Life family, which was the original concept behind our 13 year old print version of the A Way of Life Journal.
Isn't life Grand! A friend, Michael Lightweaver, just shared with me his thoughts on change - "There are two ways of looking at this; 'Oh my God, what am I going to do now that it is gone' or, Like Martin Luther King; 'Free at last, Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last!"
Yes, while I follow the Martin Luther concept absolutely - it did come as a bit of a shock to realise that all my experiences for 13 years had been based around the concept of the Journal - my identity, who I am (was) - and that meant all the ‘experiences’, 'history' and 'stories' too have to be let go along with the identity otherwise, its a bit like getting a divorce and keeping the marriage bed and the treasures horded from a ‘dead’ relationship. It has been very disorientating as the full import dropped in. Even the thought came up, “If I am no longer a ‘publisher’ then who am I.”
The challenge for me right now is not to drop into doing more or immediately something else. I am surprised at how quickly ego seeks to fill the void, to avoid feeling the spaciousness in between – it just doesn’t like me feeling the Freedom. And interestingly, I am being challenged by so many great ideas of what I could DO right now! Yet, the real challenge for me, is to do nothing.
I have really come to understand (truly get) the concept of waiting for God to show me what He/She wants done. It is not my life any longer. Yes, I have said this before, but never truly felt it quite as powerfully as I do at this time and so my job in this ‘resurrection’ - and isn’t the timing perfect? is to let go of GREAT IDEAS and wait for a sign of which way to go next. I think in the last 65 years I have just about had enough ideas and experiences - all wonderful and so this time is my opportunity to just WAIT and even in that there is my next experience.
In the Enneagram, I am a seven - whose gross aspect is 'gluttony' while the holy ideal is 'sobriety'. I know which I (the ego) prefers - so much to do - my life is like living in the world's greatest supermarket of wonderful things, people, places, opportunities to embrace and enjoy. However it really is time to stop shopping and wait in sobriety (watching my mind immediately put the ‘spin’ of “what a dreadful word”) for the next thing to be given to me.
Maybe our adventure of Service with the Indonesia project of Karuna Bali is where I will discover the next "Who I am". Certainly, it’s not about me anymore. The real Joy in my life for some time now has been from sharing and giving back - the sum of those experiences that we have been given to come to know who we are.
Thirteen years ago I was at a crossroads – it almost feels like I am back there again, but this time a different flavour or with one new added potential. At that time, a great man asked when I was going to GIVE BACK - I said I had nothing to give anyone and his reply was that this is not my life, it is God having the experience through me and I have attempted to keep it to myself and that it is time to give the sum of those experiences back to the Father. At that time, I found sufficient trust to be able to let go and I offered myself up to that One, within days - 4 to be precise - I was gifted the Sedona Journal to bring down to Australia from America. And within 30 minutes of saying, "YES" to that possibility, there was a shift in my dimension into a new world which opened for me, taking on this wild ride into the exploration of 'spirituality' and finding myself.
So here we go again. Again, I give myself to the ‘Experience’ and let it take me. I know that I am safe, I know that there is nothing to fear, I know that (as Michael Beckwith says so well at the LA Agape service, "I am only here for God!". How blessed am I? To have reached this place, this level of understanding (knowing) and even though the ego still has its pull, I see it so clearly and that's Ok too, just allow and not flinch or allow myself to be pulled into it.
Last week, I went back to the text we worked on during the Pilgrimage to Israel – it is in the “True Fulfilment” issue 13.4 of the Journal – called “What Is This For” – (you can access this issue through this website front page) that is so profound. I know that the only thing I have to do is connect with God. I realise that there are two types of love – NATURAL LOVE which is where I feel worthy, love myself and am self reliant and express and extend love to those I meet and I have been focused on that for most of this journey. What I realise now is that what Jayem shares and others too – particularly, all the messages from the Christ Council is that DIVINE LOVE is when I give everything over to that One (God) and let Him work through me. I know now that this is my Path. I know that this is the only way I will accelerate my Soul in this lifetime and I really want that!
So it all comes down to how important to me is anything that I have? My beliefs, ideas, things, relationships - are they more important? And if they are, that's OK too – it merely means that I am not ready yet, not close enough to the boil, it just is going to take a little longer.
I have to be honest and share that frequently I hear myself say that, “It’s too hard, that I love my life, I am truly grateful for all it brings, it doesn't matter if I linger here longer”. AND all that is possibly quite true BUT I do want more than that. Now the challenge is to get that desire - the fire fanned sufficiently that it bursts into passionate desire so that GOD IS ALL I WANT.
No one is or can do this for me. I know that I am in charge of my life. I know that I will dictate how to respond and react and when and where I choose to allow that Divine Love to flow to and through me. What you do for me is allow a context whereby I can play in the arena that opens me to this incredible possibility every moment of every day.
What a wonderful and stimulating adventure my life has been. I have no regrets, just immense gratitude for all the magnificent people/souls who have come and do still come to me, to journey with me, to play with me, to assist and guide me and I say. "Thank You” in deepest humility to each and every one of you.
So further to all that…
We are really excited – see the passion and desire is right here…..you will have noticed that our growing involvement with Karuna Bali Foundation. This is leaping and expanding into exciting new areas and with the introduction of Living Values Education program for Indonesia, ways of supporting our sponsors, benefiting the young people of the Western World through involvement with Karuna Bali and Campuhan College are also being revealed. Something you might be interested in…
- In November this year, we offer a two week Bali experience for caring parents accompanied by a son or daughter to explore Valuing Your Relationship - refining parent/child relationship into a friendship of mutual respect and trust. This includes deepening the young people’s life experience through interaction with the students of Campuhan College and the Rural Village Program. For more information on Valuing Your Relationship, click here.
- We have developed a Humanitarian Management and Leadership Program for six places, four times a year to young adults who show leadership qualities the opportunity to spend a month in Bali, through involvement with the College and the Rural Village EduCare program. This will include extended mentorship following the month hands-on experience. You’ll find all the details of Valuing Your Life online at www.Karunabali.com under Activities for Sponsors
I am home for the winter months, consolidating our activities, making our A Way of Life website more interactive and user friendly and developing the funding activities with Karuna Bali in preparation for the Living Values Education expansion. Then off to India with a small group in September – would you like to come too? Check out the website here for details.
So we are relaxed, happy in our surrender and await new developments with delight. We will keep you posted……please stay in touch with us and we do hope that you have not already done so, that you will register your email address on this home page to receive ongoing newsletters and updates.
Love and Blessings,
Raj
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What a wonderful offering!! A wealth of material so readily accessible to all. Thankyou both so much. I’m tickled tartan. <:) Love Sandie.
and your magazine sure promotes that.
Love and Light to you All.
Lidia
You keep going from strength to strength. Thanks for sharing your divine inspiration. I love the electronic journal,am studying the Way of Mastery and have joined the new Mysticism Course, all thanks to you both.
Your inspiration,grace,honesty and generosity is limitless and I am grateful.
Love and Light
Susie
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