Monday, July 27, 2015

Why I Am Unfollowing

Many of my Twitter follows may notice I am in process of cleaning up my account and unfollowing several. Due to my medical condition, I need to reduce stress in my life. I get upset while reading certain tweets. I've tried muting and lists, but it's time to take out the shears and prune back my follows, particularly since I randomly followed anyone. 
I am sure many of the ones I unfollow are nice people. I need to take care of myself at this time. If you tweet "@" my account, I will continue to respond. But I cannot follow you for these reasons:
- You are not following me. If you are not following me, why must I follow you?
- Inactive accounts for 8 months or more. Some have been inactive for up to 5 years. It's been a long time since I last pruned
- Hate tweets. This includes but is not limited to anti-gay, anti-muslim, anti-Christian, and especially the anti-Obama, conservative tweets that have become particularly nasty. This stresses me more than most, particularly from self-proclaimed Christians who do not follow Christ's teachings
- Ads / Sales Pitches / Promotions. I know several accounts are out there to make money or promote a product, but I am not interested in having these in my tweet stream
- Make Money Tweets. Similar to ads, I am not interested in these, including marketing advice
- Contests / Giveaways / Win Prizes. I do not want to "check out" something, particularly when asked for my email address, personal information or computer cookies
- Pornography and Solicitous tweets. No, I am not interested in how big your breasts are, details of male anatomy, having sex with you, or watching you have sex
- Facebook / Instantgram / Others. These are tweets that are either the link alone or are cut off with the link at the end. If I must go to another social media site to see the full message, I don't want to read it
Just links. The same as above, with the added caution that I don't know where the link will take me. I don't want trojans on my computer. If I cannot see the link address or see a preview on the Twitter page, I will not follow
- Automatic Tweets. These include horoscopes, iPapers, follow/unfollow counts, and others. These are particularly irksome in inactive accounts, which makes it impossible for search engines to identify it as inactive
- Tweets used to gain followers. I'm looking for more substance and less focus on how many followers you can get
- Tweets that are groups of names only. Primarily these are used for the same purpose as above and unfollowed for the same reason
- Repeated tweets, including those who retweet themselves. I don't want to read the same tweet multiple times
- SHOUTING TWEETS. TWEETS THAT ARE IN ALL CAPS may catch the readers attention, but if you are constantly shouting it is irksome
- #Hash#tag# #Extreme#. Tweets where almost every word is marked with a hashtag are not only difficult to read; it is impossible for online translators to translate. One does not need a hashtag to trend on twitter; the same for searching on Twitter
- iRegUlar Grmr. Irregular use of capitalization and grammar may be creative, save on the character count, but it is difficult for me to read, and does not translate
So, if I have unfollowed you recently, now you know the reason. It is not anything against you personally, just a pruning of what I do not wish to read in my twitter stream
~ ESA

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Life is But a Dream (Story)

God said “Be” and this Creation comes into being. At first, it does not include anything, it just exists.
Then God exhales and Holy Spirit comes into existence. With and through Holy Spirit all else is created. Holy Spirit gives life and is the connection between Creator and created. God is well beyond understanding, existing both within and beyond all Creation. When one interacts with God, it is Holy Spirit. Thus some origin legends contain, “In the beginning God creates God.”
Great Love connects Holy Spirit and God; they are One. It is through this Love that all else in Creation comes to be.
Next, God creates Child. God says to Holy Spirit, “Let Us create Child to be like Us, in Our image.” So Child comes to be and brings great delight to God and Holy Spirit. To Child, God is Parent; Holy Spirit is beloved Companion. Child exists before all else and learns at Parent’s side, participating in the creation of all else. Great Love connects and integrates Parent, Holy Spirit and Child as One. This delights all very much.
The existence of Heavenly realms are created, which are then filled with many different angelic and heavenly beings. Parent, Holy Spirit and Child take much delight in interacting and teaching these beings. The first lesson is Love.
In the beginning, the angelic beings are all One through Love, though they can learn and experience the Heavenly realms on an individual basis. The more they strive for independence, the further they walk from God’s Presence and Love.
God tries to counter this, by showing these headstrong angelic beings more Love. This, unfortunately, has the opposite effect. Some begin to wax proud, becoming leaders among their kind because they (and others) mistakenly perceive that they are “the most beloved of God’s angels.” 
Free will was granted to angelic beings, for God’s heart knows that they will repent and return. God wants the angelic beings to grow in Love and Wisdom, which means letting them do it in their own way. All this occurs beyond space and time. 
Eventually, a war breaks out. There is an open rebellion from angelic beings who rebel against God’s rule, wanting to rule Creation themselves; thus Greed comes into being.
Some desire the awe and respect Heavenly hosts and angelic beings give Parent, Holy Spirit and Child; thus Envy comes into being.
Some distance themselves far from God and think they could be gods themselves; thus Pride comes into being.
Those who remain faithful to God win that war and evict the rebels from the Heavenly Realms. It breaks every angelic heart to recall this event; they know they are One with each other.
God, Holy Spirit and Child create a new realm for the exiled; if not done, all angelic beings cease to exist. A dark, bitterly cold existence is created, for if rebellious angelic beings, of their own free will, desire to be as far from God’s Love and Light as possible, this is the place. Therein, they do not feel God’s Presence, even though at its very depths, Parent, Holy Spirit and Child still exist and rule. It is a place, God knows, where they can reconsider their decisions, repent and return to God. Thus Hell is created.
Within the Heavenly realms, Parent, Holy Spirit and Child create a corporeal existence, and call it Eden. Therein They create and place a wide variety of corporeal beings that live in peace and harmony with each other. Child takes great interest in this new part of Creation, and wants to experience it on a more intimate, first-hand basis. Parent consents and with Holy Spirit fashions a corporeal form in which Child can experience the corporeal world. 
Because all that Child has learned to date and all that Child truly is cannot be encased in such a small form with its small brain, Holy Spirit causes much of Child’s being to sleep, so it can focus on the experience. Because, even in that capacity, all there is to experience through six senses is so great, Parent and Holy Spirit create Space and Time to allow Child to learn through corporeal life.
Child delights in exploring Eden. With vague memories of creating each item, Child decides to name them.
Like the angelic beings, Parent gives Child free will and lets Child explore. Knowing that Child is limited by a corporeal mind and body, God instructs the angelic beings to protect and serve Child. Several angels do not like the fact that they are asked to serve Child in corporeal form, even though Child is created before them. They delight in serving Parent; Holy Spirit is their faithful Companion. But… to serve a creation of flesh is too much to ask! A second war rages in the Heavenly realms, and a second legion enters Hell. 
Holy Spirit is Child's eternal Companion, but the more Child focuses on corporeal existence, the more Child yearns for a corporeal companion, one that can experience just as Child experiences. Child begins to despise having a Companion of Spirit rather than flesh. Parent is adamant that Holy Spirit cannot take corporeal form, and Child wanders farther from God’s Light and Love.
There is so very much more to teach Child, so as Child starts to move away from Holy Spirit, Parent adds guidance to the roles of angels.
Child becomes more and more instant that Parent create a new corporeal companion to replace the Companion that Child has known for all of its existence. With a sigh of disappointment, Parent turns to Holy Spirit (who grieves the temporary loss of Child as Companion) and devises a plan – a way Child could learn all it seeks in corporeal existence, and yet, not be lost.
God causes Child to fall asleep. In the dream, Child becomes two beings: one male, the other female. Now Child has a corporeal companion. Child, at first, understands that it is one being, experiencing corporeal existence through two bodies. Child takes great delight in this.
Friendship blossoms. Lovemaking is a new ecstasy! Child spends more time exploring and learning, speaking with Parent often. Parent smiles, for in the dream Child does not realize that it can only interact with Parent through Holy Spirit. So what Child considers “God” is Holy Spirit as liaison between Creator and Created.
This lasts for some time, but Child is slowly drifting farther and farther from God’s Light and Love, while focusing and exploring all that corporeal existence has to offer. The thirst for information and experience is unquenchable. Child insists on learning all there is to learn, experience all there is to experience. If two bodies as one can learn so much and share such delight, what about many bodies of different sizes, shapes, abilities and experiences? 
Child discusses this wild idea with God/Holy Spirit. Fully aware that this is a dream, God/Holy Spirit know that when Child learns what it needs to learn from this experience, Child awakens and the dream ends. So God plants in Eden a Tree of Knowledge so Child can learn all there is in corporeal existence.
Child is firmly and sternly warned that such does cause great distress for Child. There no longer is eternal Joy; there is sadness. There no longer is ease; there is hardship. And at times, Child no longer feels the ever-presence of God’s Love; there is hate, anger, frustration and bitterness.
Parent and Holy Spirit weep as Child – in the corporal form of man and woman – reach up and eat of the tree's fruit. 
Thus, with Child’s decision, Parent and Holy Spirit cause a series of corporeal universes to exist. Within them, they place many stars, worlds, and environments. Many other forms of life in various levels of sentience populate the multiverses. All this comes to exist within Child’s dream.

Then God sends angels to chase Child out of Eden, leaving that corner of the Heavenly realms pure, and exile Child to Earth.
While all this comes to be, something also happens inside of Child. The man and woman have become two separate individuals. They no longer exist as one Child. They chose names for themselves to indicate – and even celebrate – their new-found individuality.
On Earth, they find other species like themselves, but not exactly. The man and woman are smarter, walk more upright, are more creative, and work more collaboratively. However, as they mingle and copulate with the sentient species of this world, the genes in their Eden-based corporeal forms dominate in the offspring. Homo-sapiens soon displace the other species, multiply and spread across every land, eventually even living on the fringes of their world.
As each succeeding generation is born, the understanding that Child is one, grows dimmer and dimmer until forgotten. The corporeal form in this harsh environment wears down, becomes injured, ill, and even dies. Child has become many minds, and mourns the loss of each individual as though each is a completely separate entity tied by friendship and family.
While this is still a dream, the fallen angelic beings find that they can influence these individuals. They teach hate, envy, greed, war and pride to humanity. This is possible because angelic beings are created after and through Child. While Child no longer remembers what it once was, these angelic beings do, and now is the chance to hurt Child in vengeance for being outcast to Hell. 
In time, they teach several individuals to reject the One True God to the point where these individuals experience Hell’s existence as well as corporeal existence.
After a few generations, the concept that Child is one being that exists before Eden is no longer in the individual minds. Some still pray, as a form of interacting with God (Holy Spirit), but there is a greater and greater distance. The intimate relationship is gone.
The descendants believe there are many gods – and not a few goddesses. They create stories about how these gods and goddesses interact with the corporeal world to bring about such that they could not explain. While they do not realize it, because they are Child – the Child at the start of Creation – anything that they believe (especially collectively), they create to be, if only within the confines of Child’s dream.
Thus a wide variety of gods, goddesses, fae, jinn, spirits and other beings come into existence. The stories that humanity tells each other became as real as the flesh on their bodies to them. Parent/Holy Spirit are now one of many, even forgotten by some. In Greek and Roman legends, stories tell how the gods overthrew their Parents.
A man named Enoch is born. He knows about other divine beings, but feels a greater love stir in his breast for the one true God – the Creator of all. Holy Spirit draws very close to Enoch and reveals angelic beings that continue to help and serve Child. One day, Holy Spirit asks Enoch, “Will you be my Companion?” Enoch agrees and becomes known as "The man who walked with God."
As Enoch and Holy Spirit grow closer in Love and Companionship, Holy Spirit reveals Child to Enoch, as much as Enoch’s limited mind can understand it. Enoch accepts it and whole new waves of wisdom pour into his mind, leaping beyond space and time. He can see his connection with all humanity -- past, present and future, as one Child of God.
He sees events from the start to a point beyond where we now are. He writes all that he can put into words. The rest would have to wait.
As Enoch’s corporeal form ages and grows tired, Holy Spirit takes pity on him. Enoch never dies; Holy Spirit takes Enoch corporeally to Eden to rest and wait for the rest of humanity –- to wait until Child awakens from the dream. 
Millennia come and go. Many individuals draw close to Holy Spirit and the One True God, yet still die.
At one point, another individual burns with a passionate zeal for the One True God. Elijah, like Enoch, becomes a true Companion with Holy Spirit. And like Enoch, Elijah does not die. When his corporeal form is worn and tired, Holy Spirit takes Elijah to Eden.
Many more centuries pass. Then the rarest of individuals is born. Like the pairing of two bright points of light in the sky (such as the recent planetary conjunction), two individuals are born into the same family, months apart, as cousins to each other. 
The preceding life contains the spirit of Elijah, the same whose fiery passion for God and Companionship with Holy Spirit is well known. This time the bond of Companionship was in place before his birth.
The other is one whom Holy Spirit leads to play the greatest role in bringing the Good News to a weary world. Into the womb of a virgin, Holy Spirit breathes this individual life into being and is with this person every moment. As the individual grows into manhood, He comes to understand something beyond all others: He is Child of God, one with Parent (whom He affectionately calls Abba/Father), one with Holy Spirit -- who is His Beloved Companion – and One with all of humanity. One Child of God.
As Child, He can do anything he can think of. He feeds thousands on very little. He walks on stormy water. He heals any aliment of the corporeal world, even raises the dead. He convinces others to have Faith so they, too, can do the same.
But, in the understanding of those listening to Him, these are hard concepts to grasp. He shows them miracles, teaching that any with even the smallest amount of Faith could do great wonders. He prays that they open their eyes to see that humanity is One. He teaches them that God is Parent and that Holy Spirit is beloved Companion.
He lives, Loves, Forgives and even sacrifices His individual corporeal form so that each member of humanity could draw closer to the One True God, in Love and Companionship. He rises from the dead, teaching that death itself is just a dream, and encourages all around him to awaken.
There is much more I can say about Yeshua / Jesus the Christ, but these are the related points, and this story is already quite long. In short, Yeshua / Jesus opens the way for Child to find a way back to what was forgotten, and rekindle the relationship between Child and Holy Spirit. This is the path to awakening.
In the nearly two millennia since, there are other teachers. Few understood as He did. Many learn from His words, believe He is the Son of God, and even proclaim others are God’s Children through adoption via Christ.
Some believe they are part of a collective conscience, which is their concept of God. This collective is simply Child, and Parent is far, far, far greater.
Some wonder if this existence really IS a dream – or a nightmare.

What you, my dear reader, believe is up to your heart and soul.
There are many different beliefs out there. This is one that dawns clearer and clearer inside myself. From this dream, one cannot awaken without ALL of humanity. Humanity is One, the Child of God. Holy Spirit is our Companion, well beyond space and time.

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream 
~ ESA

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Summer Solstice

While I'm on a roll, I decided to post something a bit lighter. This past Sunday night, my husband and I attended a Summer Solstice celebration held by our local Audubon group.
Please note, that is NOT a live tree in the picture, it is a pruned branch stuck in the top of the woodpile. If they were burning a live tree, I would be protesting, not joining them.
The evening started indoors with music, song, poetry and readings, mostly related to summer, nature and hope.
Then we went outside where they lit the fire. Two baskets were passed around with Juniper sprigs. One would take the sprig, say a prayer and toss it into the flames. Immediately the flames tossed it straight up as it disintegrated into bright embers, rising well above the 20-foot flames. One could literally watch prayers ascend Heavenward.
I prayed for Peace in this world, healing for friends (and myself), Love to overcome and end hate, violence to end, compassion and mercy to be as common as stars overhead on a clear night. One-by-one, I watched the prayers rise to God, and I felt with certainty that God was there... LISTENING.
There was also a bowl of rosemary. One scooped out a small handful, thought about what they would like to remember from the past, and what memories one would like to create in the future. These too, where tossed into the flames, as if to give Light to those memories.
In the recent year of pain, I did want to remember the good days. Lately, I've learned to treasure them all the more.
I also prayed that I remember God, always - every situation, every moment. God always remembers us. It is something for which I strive.
Then participants linked hands in a long chain and wove our way around the fire and each other as drummers kept the beat. Vaguely reminiscent of the old Celtic traditions, this was a celebration of life, of summer, of community, of humanity, and of our relation with each other and the Divine - regardless of how each individual perceives the Divine to be. Everyone was welcome.
I especially remember a woman who had two autistic children. She confessed she usually avoided public events, as her sons might disrupt. But here, both parents and children felt welcome. One of the children even read his favorite poem; the group listened patiently with gentle smiles on every face -- not pity, but rapt attention and empathy of what the words meant to the reader.
When flames burned low, people went back inside to an assortment of refreshments and friendly chat.
Some, like myself, wandered back outside to sit quietly and watch the glowing embers. The flames were white with tips of orange at that point. One could see the ethereal fire dancing inside the large glowing coals.
As I sat silently, I would swear God sat down right beside me on the bench. I felt such a wave of Peace and Contentment wash over me. Tears slid down my cheeks.
When we are open to that relationship, when we are still and silent, God can touch our soul: A gentle reminder that no matter the past, no matter the future... We do not walk this world alone.
~ ESA

Confederate Flag

With all the media attention, it did not take long for someone to ask me what I thought about the Confederate Flag. My response was, "Do you mean the flag atop of the Dukes of Hazard car?" Growing up in New York, that sums my personal experience of that flag: a TV show I knew as a teenager in the early 1980's. Then I wrote a longer response, which I will share with my readers.
Flags are symbols. Symbols can mean something at one point of time, yet something completely different at another point of time.
The Nazi swastika, for example, was used as far back as 12,000 years before Hitler, as a sun symbol in India. It was also used by ancient Greeks, Chrisitans, Celts, Druids, Arabs, Native Americans and Buddhists. The word "swastika" in Sanscrit means: It is, well being, good existence and good luck. However, through the actions of Hitler and the SS, that symbol now has a far more sinister meaning in the global perspective. Their actions changed its meaning.
Likewise, the confederate flag was once a sign of the unified South (USA). Yet it has become associated with racism, bigotry, segregation, hate, lynchings, arson and violence. Much of this (but not all) was directed at the African Americans from the end of the Civil War through the 1960's. Growing up in the North, I did not see any from the 1970's onward -- until recently.
It reappeared on a National level when Obama became President, with an uptick in violence and hate. Not just toward African Americans, but against homosexuals, Muslims and any others whose appearance, lifestyle and/or beliefs do not match those hating.
I have seen a shocking level of hate spewed from Republicans toward Obama, and anyone and anything associated with Democrats or Liberals. Sadly, many of these people are self-proclaimed followers of Christ.
I can only guess that this hatred stems from either (or both) of two reasons: (1) Republicans are sore losers from the last two Presidential elections, or (2) Obama is Black and there is still bigotry and racism in some American hearts.
The Confederate flag is still a symbol of unification, but now used by those who degrade and hate others, as well as think themselves superior or on higher moral ground. While defendants argue the Confederate flag is a symbol of Southern heritage, like the swastika, it has been recast by the words and actions of negative people and become a symbol of elitism, bigotry, violence and hate. I am not against its historical symbol, but I am against the latter.
~ ESA

Prejudice

I received a text message from my "little sister" (19 years old) recently. I am glad she did not to take it personally, but I wish others would stop teaching prejudice.
"The saddest thing happened today. A girl called me not pretty... because my skin isn't white. That's not the sad part, I can deal with racism -- the sad thing is she's 6 years old.
"It's sad because when I was 6, all I was worried about was what my Barbie dolls would wear. I don't recall judging someone by skin color. My Barbies were all colors from all different parts of the world.
"I was taken aback by what this little girl said. So taken off guard that I couldn't get upset. I just sat quietly. She said I'm ugly because my skin is brown. I didn't know what else to say. She's 6 and this is her mindset already."
My response was this: "Prejudice is not natural; it is taught to kids. I pray for that child and her family. Imagine all the hate that must exist in that home. How can someone truly be happy and experience God's unconditional Love with all that hate?"
~ ESA

Song of Silence


 It's been a long while since I blogged. Some asked me why on Twitter. One time a poem came as reply, which I share with my readers.





 
 
Lately, and the reason I've been offline
I've been working through trials at this time
Chronic pain, hard to move from bed
But I still thank God for my daily bread

I can telecommute in my role
But being away does have a toll
After seven years of increased cost
And no raise; my savings are lost

Combined, for a time
Joy was smothered too
That is why I didn't tweet
Or talk to any of you
But I kept praying
God does not leave us alone
Fire is rekindled
Song still inside has a home

There is still pain
Financial trouble too
But Spirit sings inside
So I know what to do

I sing when I am happy
Pray when I am sad
Reach out to others
Who never have had
 
For in my trials
One thing I did learn
Others suffer too
For God they do yearn
But in this world
God seems hard to find
That's why we must be
Compassionate and Kind

For when another struggles
To find God in the stormy woe
God reaches through us
To let His Light and Love show
 Like precious metals
That go through the fire
When we keep eyes on God
Our trials lift us higher


You are right
God shares our tears
And gives Joy
In place of our fears

Little steps we make
In this world wide
God smiles at our efforts
And takes much bigger stride
:D

~ ESA