F-E-A-R: F-alse E-vidence A-ppearing R-eal

F-E-A-R: F-alse E-vidence A-ppearing R-eal

It’s easy to get fearful in a world where dictators are rising up and using chemical warfare on innocent children and people. I watch the news with trepidation these days, wondering if anything I see on television is actually benefiting my spirit, or if the news is actually fortifying old belief in evil.

Evil is just the opposite of life with spirit. Evil is LIVE spelled backwards.

As far as evil goes in the presence of the Syrian or any other military crisis, I see this as one man's ego getting so strong that it influences the world in terribly negative ways, as the Nazi regime was influenced by the radical narcissism of Hitler. If any of us were to let our egos live without restraint, we, too, would be just as destructive as Bashar al-Assad. We would be wrought with habits and self-centered behavior, considering no one but ourselves, and thinking only of riches and power.

But do I think Bashar al-Assad, a creation of God, is evil? I think that by definition Assad’s ego or his transient self—alive and well in that body and brain—has decided that his human body is more a vehicle for terrible destruction, instead of compassion. If Assad changed his thoughts and beliefs tomorrow, as Saul (Paul) in the bible did and began to preach for good, would we still consider Assad evil? His actions now are evil, influenced by the powerful of a terribly negative ego. And this behavior deserves punishment.

But is his spirit evil as well, if it could be changed like the Apostle Paul and, more specifically, if he is, indeed, made by Creator God?

I guess the real question is: Do I believe in evil? The truth is, I don't believe in any power but God. I think this is a spiritually dynamic question most of us wrestle with. If God is supposed to be all loving and good, why does evil exist?

Even in the bible in the book of Jonah, we see that Satan has to go to God to ask permission to tempt Jonah. So, if God is in control—even of the temptation and devastation that had befallen Jonah, are we not to assume that our experiences, trials, and negativity are also allowed by God?

Or did God create a world where both positive and negative, light and dark exist, so that we can distinguish the difference between the two? I’m more apt to believe this concept of the spiritual paradigm, than the prior.

I don’t believe that God is a person in the sky, so limiting to God to anthropomorphic attributes is a way we can only get completely confused about the All-Powerful Creator. Can God be mad or happy with us? This, too, would be attributing God with human emotions. I’d be much better off believing God has NO human or ego attributes.

I tend to go with “God is spiritual power and force”—period. Humans and any other spirit beings are expressions of this force in different forms. Personally, I believe humans are a hybrid of God, learning to become leaders and rulers of other worlds, as we are completely engulfed and entrenched in decision-making about whether life’s dealins are beneficial or not worthy of our time and energy. If that which is our antagonist in this life didn’t exist—sickness, poverty, and anxiety—could we recognize good?

Maybe in another heavenly realm, there is no negativity, as heaven is described where “the lion lays down with the lamb” in the Christian bible. If this were true, then why are we learning to choose between right and wrong here on earth, if we are to spend eternity without evil and dualism? What kind of sense would that make, unless God is sifting and sorting out the best spirits for this heavenly place? Even Christians believe that all humans sin or miss the mark; therefore, wouldn’t this make our heavenly place wrought with people making mistakes, instead a place of perfection?

These are all good questions. I’m not going to say that I have decided completely on my personal believe. I think I am also an ever changing, constantly developing person that is open to learning new thoughts and ideas every day.

I would, however, hope that as you read this, you simply listen, take note of what resonates with you, and throw the rest away. You must make your own decisions about what you believe. No one should spoon feed you a belief and say it is law. If they do so, I believe, that person is operating from an ego motivated by power and control.

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Bo Sebastian is a Hypnotherapist and Life & Health Coach, available for private sessions to QUIT SMOKING, Lose Weight, New Lap-Band Hypnosis for Weight Loss, CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR LIFE! at 615-400-2334 or www.bosebastian.com. FOR COMMENTS: Go to the Bo Sebastian link under the title and there is a place there to create a comment. Thanks.

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Winning in the Long Jump

His legs were short. He walked with a limp. He wasn’t too smart—not smart enough to know that the long jump was a sport for guys different than him. Yet he pursued.

She was overweight. Her feet weren’t so flexible. Her shoulders a little slumped over. Yet, her desire to be a ballet dancer outweighed all of the above. She pursued her dream.

He was told at 15 that he would never become anything. He spent all of his time at the computer playing games and becoming a wizard at them. At 17 he began to develop computer games that made him a millionaire. He pursued his passion.

So many times in my life I put aside what I hungered for in my heart to live a life that took less courage and tenacity. I wonder if I continued in my pursuit of acting, singing, writing, and recording, if I would have made something great of myself. But I never stretched beyond myself to feel the pain of struggle or knew what ignoring rejection meant.

I suppose that rejection of what it took came from a deep-seated knowing that I had struggled enough as a child. I never wanted to go hungry again. I had been rejected by my own mother, when she left my father, and I didn’t see her again for the next six years. I suppose that following a path like theater and writing and recording, where rejection is paramount, was just a little too much for me to fathom after a time.

So, the two things that bring greatness to the surface, deep passion great enough to overcome rejection and the consistent pursuit despite the times when there is no money to live were not in the cards for me. So, does that mean…

(To Read the rest of this Blog, please click on this link. I appreciate you helping me out with this new format. The objective is to get people to the actual blog site and hopefully get you signed up for blog emails, trackbacks, comments, and truly get you involved in life change. Of course, you don’t have to do that to just read the blog. But my hope is some of you will step forward and begin to take part. www.blog2grow4spirit.com )

Karma-Logically Speaking

The dictionary defines Karma as:

(in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

The informal definition is: destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.

I find myself thinking almost daily, I wouldn’t want to bring that fate (or karma) on myself, so I really shouldn’t do a certain act.

For instance: I wouldn’t want to have someone talk behind my back, so I try not to speak poorly behind someone’s back.

Contrary: I WOULD  want someone to support my business, so I do my best to support my friend’s businesses.

This is karma in our day-to-day lives.

But I think that the original belief of karma was that if you killed someone in this lifetime, then in another lifetime, you would probably have to suffer that same fate. But, clearly you would have to believe in reincarnation to care about that sort of thing. So, we westernized the concept and kind of made it similar to what Jesus said: “What you sow, you reap!”

Either way, the concept is a great way to live you life. If you truly believe this kind of spirituality, your life does change for the better—if not with the negatives negating themselves, but more with the positive exponentially rewarding your life with more good.

I watched my life completely transform financially when I began to give without restraint, as if my resources were a well that would never run dry. I might add that I also listen very closely to what I’m supposed to give to in my heart. Most times it isn’t what you’d think. I don’t usually give to the beggar on the corner or tithe (give 10%) to church. I give a gift to church, but not usually 10%. Sorry, tithe teachers. I’ve done that, and it just doesn’t let me flow with the spirit!

My giving is usually to someone who appears in my life with a specific need that only I can fulfill. Or a financial calling that I get that I don’t expect, and it’s usually close to home—like a close friend or relative needing help.  

There was a time in my life when I had no real understanding of how to give. I gave from guilt. Everyone who needed something was a reason to give. And, yes, I have to admit that even church giving felt like guilt. I actually stopped giving to church until the guilt went away. I didn’t want to give one single cent out of guilt…

(To Read the rest of this Blog, please click on this link. I appreciate you helping me out with this new format. The objective is to get people to the actual blog site and hopefully get you signed up for blog emails, trackbacks, comments, and truly get you involved in life change. Of course, you don’t have to do that to just read the blog. But my hope is some of you will step forward and begin to take part. www.blog2grow4spirit.com )