The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwith

It was hard to know where I should put this information.  The Rev Michael Bernard Beckwith was ordained a Religious Science (which is the organized branch of Ernest Holmes Science of Mind teachings) in 1985 and was once a director at the World Ministry of Prayer which is an outreach of that religion.  He is approx my age, born in 1956.  He investigated Eastern and African modes of spirituality in the 1970s.  By the time he was 30 years old, he had founded Agape International (http://www.agapelive.com/) which now serves at least 10,000 people a week.  His ministerial focus could be called ”New Thought - Ancient Wisdom”, a nice combination for finding the thread that runs throughout.

Michael Beckwith is also a founding member of the Association for Global New Thought (started in 2000).  It is “dedicated to creating a spiritual transformation of the Earth as a whole” according to Beckwith.  His is a message of peace and prosperity, calling for an end to nationalism, racism, environmental degradation and conditions that encourage unhealthy living.

In 2003, the Rev Beckwith earned his Doctorate of Divinity in Religious Science from the United Church of Religious Science and so, I could have put him very reasonably with our Science of Mind thread.  I have begun this thread here; because Michael Beckwith was one of those featured in short phrases in the movie The Secret. 

One of the messages in his new learning program called Life Visioning (of which I have 2 CDs with highlights intriguing enough to make me want to search out the full-length audio course) is that the concepts so clearing presented in The Secret are really only the 2nd Stage of Metaphysical Development , (The Manifestor as he calls it).  An important stage when the individual moves beyond The Victim stage (Stage 1, at which most of humanity still resides - “someone or something outside of myself has done this to me”).  Yet, he lays out 2 more advanced stages of development beyond The Manifestor (the 3rd Stage is surrender or becoming The Channel) that are not focused on acquistion and improving one's material quality of life.  This has often been raised, by more spiritually mature people, as a criticism of The Secret and the Rev Beckwith has a very accepting answer to that criticism, while at the same time recognizing it's validity.

This is just a bit of background, which I will go on to expand upon, regarding Beckwith's Life Visioning process.  Certainly, as I listened to his guided meditation at the end of my 2 CD set during my daily hike yesterday, I entered one of those peak experiences, coincidentally arriving along with my physical form at my treasured sacred place, that are ever lovely and welcomed by those who have learned to reach that level of energized perception.  The message that came to me yesterday, as my own next step in development, is -

Rev Dr Michael Bernard Beckwith - Quotes on YouTube

It is well worth the 6 mins that it takes to watch this YouTube video - a collection of quotations which express the thoughts that are the Rev Dr Michael Bernard Beckwith's teachings and philosophy.

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Debyemm!

Wow! I saw my Revs name on your blog and was curious… He is the best! I wish you could come and join the Agape community….and have been a member for 12 years… I went to high school with he and his brother… he's older  ;-) not that matters…

I was able to take the self mastery class at our center some years back when I felt the need for a major shift in my life… and it was life changing to say the least…  Isn't it divine how you were at the top of your path when you were at the peak of the meditation… I love when this happens, and it happens in most everything I do now…
BEing in the Flow! We have a song we sing every week with the verse: “I release and I Let Go, I let the Spirit run my life” and as Rev. Mike says “Live the Let GO!”

As for “The Secret” criticism… I applaud them all for putting the information out there, no matter how simplistic…. Look at all the people who were awakened to “The Other” possibilities of spiritual development who would not  be otherwise (even if one of the vehicles for publicity was Oprah;-). At least there is, was and are now “The Conversations” in the mainstream… where this information was closeted or taboo for most.

If you haven't already, go to: www.AgapeLive.com

They may have some classes that you can take online (not sure) or purchase, and all of his books and teachings are available… They also have daily inspirational messages you can subscribe to, a great way to start the day. And a Calendar of events (maybe he's coming your way), retreats ect…

keep me posted!
Gail

Re: the Rev Dr Michael Bernard Beckwith

Gail,

Yes, I'm sure I would feel right at home there at Agape and I should look into the online communty just to plug in.  I felt good about him energetically from the moment I saw him in The Secret.  I got the video because my daughter was impressed by what she saw on Oprah, which I understand gave it a better slant than the actual video.  I remember my daughter recognized it as being what I had talked about all her life.  It was truly a fast summary of 30 years of work.  I sent it to my sister, who isn't spiritually grounded - other than through traditional Episcopalian religion but, she really got alot out of it, to help her with her daily work of waiting tables in a Denny's restaurant (where it seems she has constant issues with supervisory and other employees).  Like you, I see nothing wrong with it as a starting point for many people.  It is the beginning of taking responsibility, instead of blaming others.

Yet, I really understand and relate to the next 2 stages after that; which Rev Beckwith outlines and I plan to share here in the near future (as soon as I have a chunk of time to do so).  So, stay tuned and please help me by chiming in from your perspective, whenever it makes sense.

Yes, I'm sure this whole pod seems like my personal blog sometimes, though it is something quite different, you do remind me that something about this topic, would fit in well with a blog I do have going on my personal profile location.  At least, a comment about the difference in these two ministers approach (Rev Beckwith in contrast to Rev Wright).

You are blessed to have such spiritual inspiration in your vicinity,

Deb 

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Deb,

I’m on my way up there in a few minutes this morning… I think you can buy his sermons/Spiritual Food for the Soul from the week (Wed. night and Sunday) on the website I gave you… they are recorded on CD’s… and you can get a feeling of being there with the music and participation that goes on…

I look forward to contributing to this pod. And it would be fun if you did live here… I’d be asking you if you wanted to carpool as on Sundays, if you don’t get there for the 6:15am meditation/service… parking is tricky…. and it’s always fun to sit with friends!

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!!!

Gail

Stage One - Victim Consciousness by Rev Michael Beckwith

There are stages to our growth development and unfoldment.  These stages are non-linear, even though they will be described in a progressive manner from one to four.  In reality, they don't have a linearity to them.

You may be in a dimension of your life where you are feeling totally at one with excellence, totally at one with the life of God, operating from a Stage 4 awareness, while at the same time having areas of your life where you feel absolutely victimized by external circumstances.  So, it is best not to look upon this as a linear stair step.  It is instead a way of identifying areas of your life in which you may have attained a level of mastery, while at the same time having other areas of your life where you have not yet attained mastery.

So, this is a method of describing these stages in order to achieve greater understanding of the technology afforded by Beckwith's Life Visioning Process and where that emerges from in our spiritual practice and unfoldment.

Stage One - The Victim

The victim has a tendency to think that life is doing something to them.  The victim says that something is doing something to me.  It's an external diety, a God, it's a circumstance, a situation, one's parents, in more superstitious cultures it might be described as The Devil.  The victim stage is characterized by “What is Life Doing to Me?”, “What are Those People Doing to Me?”.  Every victim has a powerful “they did it to me” story.  They have a powerful BLAME story.

If you ask a victim, why aren't they happy?, why aren't they evolving?, why aren't they successful? why aren't things going right for them? - they will immediately have a story.  About 90% will have a story about how somebody else did it to them.  Some force, something out there is the cause of their not moving forward with their life.  All victims have a blame story.  It's not their fault.  They are not to blame.  They have a tendency to live from the awareness of “why me?”.  “Why is God doing this to me again?”  “Why is the universe doing this to me again?”  They live constantly asking that question.

Their prayer life or their meditation is erratic.  It is often filled to overflowing with a begging or a beseeching, or they try to win favor from an external deity, trying to convince this God outside of their self that they are a good person, to forgive them or for God to Love them.  They live practicing gossip, they live practicing blame, they live constantly hanging in the frequency of fear and worry, incessant worry often times.  They have a tendency to project their unresolved issues about life onto the future.  They believe that the future or unknown is going to be bad and negative.  They are constantly preparing for this unknown, negative future - not realizing that they have just projected their unresolved issues into the unknown by calling it “their future”.

The victim is saying “Why is Life doing this to Me?”  This is an individual that is living from reaction to reaction, they are being pushed by the universe through oftentimes painful measures to get them to grow.  The Rev Beckwith likes to say “Pain pushes you, until your Vision pulls you.”  But the victim has not yet been pulled by any vision of a higher vibration, a higher frequency, or that which is seeking to evolve through them, so they are being pushed by pain, and feel that life is drudgery, boring or something to be protected from.  Much of their resources are being used to cope with life, to defend themselves against bad things that might occur and all of their energy, that would normally go into being creative, is siphoned off by compulsive behaviors, coping mechanisms and defense mechanisms.

This is NOT to be our lot in life.  As the spiritual image and likeness of the Divine, as a re-presentation, a representation, of the Omni-Presence, we are not here to live a life of victimization.  We are here to live a life of growing from one level of complete-ness to another level of complete-ness.  You may know victims in your life, you may feel that you are identifying your self as a victim.  The Rev Beckwith may have just described your life.  Be heartened.  You can change this.

Just your ability to identify any of these patterns described above, just becoming aware that those patterns are there, just the awareness allows you to begin to change that.  Your thinking will begin to shift.  Here is an exercise to self-assess, notice whether this applies to you, does it apply to any area of your life?  Are you walking around trying to appease an external deity?  Are you involved in any superstitious practices that would beg or beseech a God outside of your own life to give you something or to do something for you?  Are you constantly influenced by immediate circumstances but have no real vision pulling you, to pull out the best within you?  Is your entire life a reaction to the immediate issue of the day?

Or has there birthed within you an overarching idea that you are living your life for and from?  Or are you just living from survival, just seeking to survive, afraid of death, afraid of loss, afraid that there is not enough to go around, just basically afraid?  If this fits you, or any one you know, then you know what the victim consciousness feels like.

In order to move out of the victim consciousness and into a higher order of being, one must begin to take responsibility for one's life.  The victim must begin to release blame from their daily practice.  You must begin to let go of blaming - any one, any circumstance, any situation - for your dilemma.  The only thing there ever is to blame is ignorance. If someone has done something to you, they were living under the vibration of ignorance.  If you stumbled and you have fallen, then you made a mistake, you were living under the vibration of ignorance.

So, we don't blame a person.  We understand that ignorance was in operation.  You want to give up all of your blame stories, in order to become empowered, in order to understand responsibility, to have dominion over your thinking and your life, we have to give up blame.  One spiritual practice that is often misunderstood but has been highly valued by spiritual adepts for 100s and 1,000s of years is the practice of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a practice that is not rooted in sweet sentimentality, or syrupy emotionality.  The practice of forgiveness when embraced fully and completely can begin to set one free from being a victim.  (deb's note - don't miss Byron Katie's comments on Verse 31 of the Tao Te Ching, it gives examples of how to change one's perception, so that one is not coming from a victim consciousness.)  Forgiveness is not letting anyone off the hook, that may have done you harm or caused a degree of destruction in your life.  ALL forgiveness is SELF forgiveness.

What does that mean?  A thought is a unit of mental energy, that has a tendency to transmute itself into speech, behavior, perception and experience.  Thought forms of animosity, resentment, blame, hate, revenge, avarice, unforgiveness - those thought forms wreck havoc on your body temple, your mental body and are preventing you from living out the true meaning of creativity that is seeking to express itself through you.

The spiritual practice is to release blame and when it creeps into your awareness, you become aware “I have fallen into the BLAME GAME - again” and you forgive.  You are not doing this work to let the other person off the hook.  You are doing this inner work to free your self from the toxicity that is running through your spiritual architecture, your spiritual veins.  So, you are really working with your self and not with the other individual.  You are saying in substance that they can not determine your destiny, whatever it is that they did.

Forgiveness is not “I'm forgiving this person, and now I get to hang out with them, and we get to be friends again”.  That may be true in some cases but in some cases, you may never like that other person, that person may not ever be a part of who you would want to associate with or call friend.  That's not what we are talking about here.  Forgiveness is eliminating toxicity from your being.  You are coming out of being a victim and stepping into a greater sense of empowerment, having dominion over your attention, taking responsibility for your life.  You don't want to give your power away to any one or any circumstance, saying incorrectly that they determine your success, your health, your happiness, your wholeness.

Know that forgiveness has been given to you by the universe but must be received by you - mentally and spiritually.  This is what you are doing.  Victim no more.

Re: Stage One - Victim Consciousness by Rev Michael Beckwith

OH GOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PARTICULAR POST.  I'M RECENTLY BEEN SWAMPING AROUN IN THIS CONSCIOUSNESS LATELY.  FORGETTING AND BECOMING IGNORANT OF THE TRUTH.  THANK YOU FOR RE- MINDING ME.  ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY IT'S JUST TO DARN EASY TO FALL ASLEEP AGAIN DURING THESE INTERESTING TIMES. 
    I LIVE IN WISCONSIN DELLS WISCONSIN, AND RECENTLY JUST EXPERIENCED TOTAL FLOOD DISATER AND THE DRAINING OF OUR PRECIOUS LAKE THAT MAJORITY OF US BUSINESS OWNERS RELIE ON FOR LIVLIHOOD DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.  I MYSELF HAD JUST BOUGHT A BUSINESS ONLY 3 MONTHS AGO, AND LITERALLY WATCHED MY FIRST SEASON DRAIN OUT A HOLE.  HA I SAID TO MYSELF.  NOW THE FIRST IMMEDIATE THING I FELT AND DID WAS REACT INTO FEAR, DOUBT, WORRY AND ANGUISH.  AND I SEE THAT NOW I HAVE MANIFESTED ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS WHAT SO EVER.  AFTER THAT REALIZATION I WENT BACK INTO MORE VICTIM CONSCIOUSNESS OF “GREAT WHAT ELSE CAN GO WRONG?  STUPID LAKE, THANKS ALOT FOR RUINING ME.”  BUT SPIRITS VOICE STILL TRIES TO PULL ME BACK AND SAY “ALL IS FINE LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.”  BUT THE VOICE ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO HEAR OVER ALL THE FEARFUL MENTALITY THAT IS ROLLING.  SO NOW I SEE I REALLY MUST GO TO THE SURRENDER CONSCIOUSNESS AND BE IN TOTAL TRUST, FAITH, AND GRATITUDE OF GOD AND GOD'S WILL FOR ME AND THE WHOLENESS OF THIS EXPERIENCE I SEE LAID OUT BEFORE ME.  I DID REALIZE ALSO THAT MY ABSOLUTE WORST FEAR I HELD ABOUT BUYING THIS BUSINESS IS ABSOLUTE FAILURE.  WELL I SEE THAT I AM FACING MY WORST FEAR IN THE MIRROR.  NOW I SEE I MUST DIE INTO THAT FEAR OR SURRENDER TO THE WORST NIGHTMARE AND LET GO AND LET GREAT GOD THE CREATOR CATCH ME AS GOD ALWAYS DOES. THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THAT.  AND I KNOW IN MY HEART ONLY THEN SHALL I BE SET FREE AND TRANSMUTED TO THE GRACE AND EVER FLOWING FLOW OF LOVE THAT REALLY IS THERE.
AGAIN THANK YOU FOR RE-MINDING ME AND HELPING ME TO REMEMBER.

Re: Stage One - Victim Consciousness by Rev Michael Beckwith

Fatima,

I've heard over the years of studying metaphysics, this saying -

          God never closes a door without openning another.

I know not what will come next for you.  I see how you were in alignment - your fears of the business failing, the little concern perhaps in the back of your mind when you bought it about whether it was a good idea and now the flood.  It is not that you made any of this happen and yet you were where your thinking had placed you.  You were in resonant alignment with the events.  Actually, it is an amazing demonstration.  This is not to say that you should not be in business or that something may not happen that will make the whole lake area even more attractive, more thriving and that you will do better over time than you would have had it not happened.  Only time will tell.

But now, you have this new thought.  OK, what is, is.  So, God, this door (this season's opportunities) closed, maybe it was even closed (the events already set in motion) before it began.  Yet, what is the door you have now openned for me?  Let me be in alert awareness that the door openning is seen clearly by me and I have the courage to walk through it, knowing my guidance has brought me there for only good.  Let me recognize the blessing clearly when it presents itself to me. 

Move into the Manifester Consciousness that is described in Stage Two.  Accept that you can have anything your heart and mind can conceive and that you will have all the assistance needed to bring that to pass - if you do not limit how it happens and if you realize you are worthy of all good.

Thank you God that I know this is so, blessed be for Fatima and all who it touches.

Wishing you only the best -

Deb

Re: Stage One - Victim Consciousness by Rev Michael Beckwith

So I finally try to find myself settle in for some time to read all this stuff you posted on Rev. Michael Beckwith which is such a great inspirator in my life. I feel so blessed to have had a  taste of him and his work through the different movies, his website, etc. but mostly through a copple of downloaded versions of his churchmeetings. What an inspiration!  I have listened to them over and over again, everytime lifting me up to a different aspect . So I am very happy with your clear describtion and explanation of more of his work here in this pod
Thank You!
What  I resonated with most reading  this first part on Victims was the statement of these different stages not being linear. I KNOW that, but because we fall back into linear thinking many times, it is so vitally important to have that restated again. For me personally it works in a way that when i get 'pushed ' into some situation, it gives me a clearer perspective and helps me to remind of what I dó Know of Being Who I Am, instead of getting sucked into the drama of feeling helpless.
Which brings me to the next remark that I just love that phrase:” Pain pushes you until your Vision pulls you” . I had n't heard that before and it's wonderful, I want to remember that!
Pain has pushed me many times, not even because I hadn't seen or heard the Vision, but may be because I didn't believe in it strong enough yet. And yet at the same  the Vision is what has been pulling me along most of my life!
Which kind of brings tears to my eyes when I write this because we all have been blessed with so many offerings from Spirit and have not always wanted or dared to listen, look and follow through and it makes my heart overflow with Love and  compassion of how we are all gathered here on Gaia, each with our own stories, pains and stuff to overcome, yet connected  in Joy and inspiring each other through the Love we ultimately all Are and share.
So I am sitting here with my heart wide open and tears flowing to embrace you all for sharing the love and the openess and willingness to learn and blossom.
Hugs,
Alluvja

Re: Stage One - Victim Consciousness by Rev Michael Beckwith

Alluvja,

I love what you wrote “…and it makes my heart overflow with Love and  compassion of how we are all gathered here on Gaia, each with our own stories, pains and stuff to overcome, yet connected  in Joy and inspiring each other through the Love we ultimately all Are and share.”  This is exactly how I feel here too!  Thank you for your beautiful open heart.

Much love,
Helen

Re: Stage One - Victim Consciousness by Rev Michael Beckwith

And thank yóu Helen for being here so we can all walk together.

Hugs,
Alluvja

Stage Two - Manifester Consciousness - Rev Michael Beckwith

In Stage 2 - The Consciousness of the Manifester, we begin to have a degree of power, mental power (this is the stage that is a beginning practice of metaphysics).  The stage is called to it, by us.  We begin to exercise dominion over our awareness,  coming to a greater understanding that our thoughts have a relationship with our experience and we begin not only to monitor our thinking, but we begin to exercise dominion over the thought processes, and begin to even creatively participate in ways that allow for greater insight and inspiration to begin to flow through us. 

This is a stage that is often called Make It Happen stage.  We're going to make something happen with our minds.  This is a powerful stage in our development because in this stage we discover that there are universal laws that govern our experience.  You've probably heard about the Law of Attraction, that life is simply not a happenstance, it's not accidental, there are things that are occurring in our experience, they are not just something that happens by chance.  The saying goes “They don't just happen, they happen just.”  There is an underlying meaning; and causative factors that are providing the basis and condition for what we're experiencing.

It is in this awareness that we understand that there are universal laws.  We come to a greater understanding of the power of thought.  Scientists are now corroborating that thoughts are units of mental energy that have a tendency to become our perception, they have a tendency to become our experience, all under the awareness that energy can never be created or destroyed but that it just transmutes itself into higher or lower frequencies.  Thought is a unit of energy that can become speech, can become behavior, can become perception, ultimately can become our experience.

In this particular stage, we begin to take a little bit more control over our life by the thoughts that we are thinking.  This is an important stage because we come to an understanding that things are not just happening to us, we're participating in that which appears to be happening to us, by our thought patterns, our beliefs, our positionalities, our opinions, our points of view, our perceptions.  To the degree that we begin to alter that and to change that, to that degree, we begin to transform our life. 

This is to come into the awareness of metaphysics, that leads to a mystical awareness.  Metaphysics is that branch of knowledge that believes in oneness.  That believes in a whole, unified field.  That there are not other powers to contend with.  That there really is only one thing going on.  We can call that Omnipresence, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omniactive.  All of this speaks to the ONE power, the ONE mind that is all knowing, all powerful, everywhere present, BEING itself.

Through our thinking and our perception, we're either in alignment with that, participating with that or we're out of alignment with that.  When we begin to understand that, one of the primary things we learn at this level is the principle of oneness, what the quantum scientists would call a unified field, the metaphysicians or mystics would say oneness or a field of unity, that becomes our basic, rock bottom principle.  That there is only ONE.  ONE POWER, ONE GOD (regardless of how many names God has), regardless of our point of view or how we describe the infinite, the limitless, the inexhaustible, the illimitable goodness that is everywhere.  There is only ONE and perhaps we're only seeing a little bit of it based on our point of view but there is only ONE.

In this stage, thoughts and the thoughts that emerge from our awareness have a tendency to reproduce after their own kind and so, provide for us the context and the condition for experiences.  In this stage of Making It Happen, some of the tools that are used in this stage are affirmations, declaration, visualization (where we use our creative imagination to become available to particular outcomes we would like to see in our life), some people use denials (denying things that are in the world of appearance and saying that they are not really real, just experiential or temporal) but these particular tools allow us to begin to experience a level of improvement in our life.  The Rev Beckwith often says that this is the entry level to metaphysics or the practice of New Thought/Ancient Wisdom or the perennial religion.  This is the entry level.

The understanding of these particular tools to better our lives, to stabilize the life structures that describe us as a human being.  Those life structures include our Ego, where we learn at this particular stage as we are working with our Ego how to have a level of self-worth.  How to honor others and not enter into competition or superiority or inferiority games.  We enter into self-worth and fall into a level of self-love and appreciation and we confer that same blessing on everyone we meet.  We stabilize Livelihood (an area often called Divine Right Employment), where we have a place of creativity and a place of prosperity.  We stabilize the area of our life called Relationships, we begin to learn that no one can make us happy, there is no one on this planet whose job it is to bring happiness to us or love to us.  We mature in this area and discover that our relationships are places where we jointly participate in the field of Love and in the field of Beauty, in the field of Creativity - together.

Our body temple is a life structure.  Here we understand wholeness, we understand health, vitality, we allow the body temple to become strong enough that it does not hinder us living our true meaning, living our true vision, releasing our talents and capacities.  There is the financial structure where we learn about money, that money is a promissory note for energy to be delivered at a later date.  We learn in this particular structure that you never spend money, once you spend money, it's gone.  We understand that you circulate energy in the form of money and as your mind begins to wrap itself around that awareness, that you are circulating energy, it always comes back to you.  But if you believe you are spending it, it is gone forever.

You stabilize the structure called your beliefs.  You begin to mature until you move out of simply being a believer but your beliefs have produced someone who has a practice and your practice has provided a context for insight, so you begin to have conviction and a real knowledge about what you say you believe and you always know, if you really know something because if you really know something, you don't have to fight for your beliefs.  People who are fighting for their beliefs, really don't believe what they say they believe because at bottom, their afraid that what they believe is not a truth.  The world does not need any more believers, the world needs people that are practicing their beliefs spiritually and providing the context for insight that causes them to know what they know that they know.  Once you know something, you don't fight for it, you live it.

Then there is the structure called community.  This is where you find that you are a valuable member of a community sharing your gifts, you have grown out of Ego and Ethnocentricity.  It's no longer about me and mine, my tribe, my family, my people, my self.  We become a part of a large community on planet Earth and are here to contribute being a beneficial presence, allowing for the gifts, and talents and capacities within our self to express themselves.

When these particular structures are stabilized, we have leveraged energy so that those particular areas of our life are no longer a liability but are an asset.  The entry level metaphysician is using the power of their creative imagination, their visualization powers, their declarations, their affirmations, the establishment of their intention, their denials to stabilize those structures in their life, so that they are healthy, they are prosperous, they are able to get along with people.  Their Ego is not running a-muck.  That becomes a launching pad for the individual to really begin to express the deeper intention of their soul 

Please remember, this particular stage, even though you are learning how to use the law, you are not to get caught up in your acquisitive nature, falling prey to consumerism, to a materialism and becoming addicted to the law of manifestation.  No.  That is one of the dangers of this particular stage.  As a being, an individual becomes adept at the utilization of these particular laws, they can fall prey to getting and acquiring as a way of life, which is just using the law to appease the addictive aspect of our being.  It is not for that.  Often times there is a lot of criticism, particularly from people who are farther down the line in their growth development and unfoldment of people who come into this stage because they look at these individuals and they'll say “these people are being materialistic, they're being consumer driven”. 

We need to always remember and have compassion.  We need to have mindfulness; so, that we do not fall prey to elitism.  We should not criticize the doorway that people walk in to this conversation.  We celebrate the way people come into this conversation.  Whether a person comes into the conversation through seeking to quit smoking or to better their relationship or to attract some good into their life, now that they are in the conversation, they can become a candidate for greater growth and unfoldment, through greater insight and revelation, through greater practice.

The Rev Beckwith's Life Visioning Process is about getting you to practice, so that ultimately, you are available for transformation.  You are becoming a candidate for an insight and an insight is this - that there is an order that we all depend on, that you and I did not create this order.  Order, it is often said, is heaven's first law.  That we live in a cosmos of order.  As a matter of truth, as a matter of fact, in the quantum physical understanding of this, the Chaos theory says in lay man's terms, if you could step back far enough from any circumstance or any experience, you could see the underlying order behind every event, so what looks chaotic, behind that there is order operating.  Much like puberty, you look at puberty and it looks very chaotic but it is a part of the maturation process of becoming an adult.  With the understanding, that there is an order that we all depend on, and you gain this understanding through your affirmative prayer, your contemplation, your meditation, your affirmation, your visualization, your creative imagination - you begin to understand that there is an order and you did not make it.

You become willing to surrender your life to this order, this harmony that is already here.  You did not create this order, you are a participant in the implicate order and this unfolding whole that by means of us, wants to express it self.  The understanding of the law takes you to a leap off point where you can surrender and allow something else to begin to take over your life.  Now don't get nervous because many individuals don't like that word - surrender.  They think that they are surrendering again to an anthropomorphic God outside of themselves that has human emotions, that is going to determine It's will for you to be poor, or starving or some negative state of being.  No.  Surrender is not giving up, it's not acquiescing to negative circumstances.

Surrendering is Yielding to Excellence.  Surrender is yielding to the next stage of your evolution.  Surrendering is making your self available to the next stage of what wants to evolve in us.  Letting go of the lesser for the greater.  We let go of the training wheels that we may ride our bicycle, pop some wheelies and do some fantastic turns.  Giving up control is leaning into and becoming aware of the truth, that there is an order we all depend on and we've gained enough confidence to release our self to that order.

The Rev Beckwith says that he is aware that when we speak about manifestation, visualization, segwaying into the conscious act of surrender that this idea may seem paradoxical, it may seem contradictory at times.  Please understand that these are developmental stages that are not contradicting each other, they are building upon each other.  As you begin to develop a level of control over your life, cutting your teeth on these principles, at some point, you will have enough awareness, to then let go and surrender to the next stage of your development.  Surrender to that which is trying to express through you and it won't be contradictory.  It may appear to be that way now but as you continue to practice, you will see that it is not.

The Butterfly does not contradict the Caterpillar.  The butterfly is the next stage of caterpillar development.  At some point, the caterpillar must surrender to the impulse of transformation within it in order to give birth to its next level.  Even what the caterpillar wants, is quite different than what the butterfly wants.  You are in the process of unfolding and growing.

When next I post - we go into Stage Three - the Channel Consciousness.  I am sure that all of you channelers in this group, will already understand fully that stage of unfolding and development.  Will there be any new insights to add to your already well developed self?

Stage Three - the Channel Consciousness - Rev Beckwith

It has been some time since I started, or posted to, this thread.  In case you have lost track, the following comes from The Rev Michael Beckwith's concept called The Life Visioning Process.  You can read more about him at the beginning of this thread and about the stages that he describes as coming before this one as well, above this posting.  I continue his discussion below -

From Stage 2, we enter Stage 3 - where we are identified as a channel, a vehicle, an instrument, an openning through which Life has it's way with us.  We say in substance, that something is operating >>>through>>> us, which is why we are identifying our self as a channel now.

Remember the first stage of Victimization, something was happening TO us.  The second stage as a Manifestor, is where individuals are growing into honing their manifestation skills, they were doing something TO IT.  Stage 3 is THROUGH us.  This is where we have openned ourselves up to a deeper level of surrender, based on the awareness of unity and oneness, based on the awareness of Divine Order, something begins to operate through us.  This is akin to being in The Zone.  In this case, the Spiritual Zone.  (deb's note - some think of this as being in The Flow of Life, when things happen effortlessly.  That is a good word “effortless” because the result is beyond anything we could cause by our effort.)

Everyone has probably had a moment in their life, where beyond what they had planned, beyond what they were thinking, something began to operate through them that took them beyond the level of excellence previously achieved or attained.  Singers have talked about this, poets have talked about this, artists have talked about this, athletes have talked about this.  They prepared, they visualized, they planned. 

They did so much to be prepared for their particular act, whether they were an actor that had to act out a part, whether an athlete who was running an event or swimming, suddenly time stopped and beyond their planning, something beyond themselves began to operate through them and they were a witness.  They witnessed this excellence, this spontanous goodness, this moment of sheer creativity begin to take over their life and when the event was over, they said something like “Something just used me.  Something took me over.  Something beyond me began to sing through me or run through me, or act through me, or write through me”.

This is the stage of being a channel.  Something operating through us.  Of course, this is born from the planning that we have done in Stage 2.  The recognition that there is only One Power and One Presence and then, that gives birth to a moment of surrender and releasing and letting go.  This stage of operating through us, is a stage in our development where just like an airplane surrendering to the law of aerodynamics, we release and we let go and something begins to take place.

Now, let me remind you that your moment of surrender again is not the old concept of surrender where you're surrendering your will to a God outside of your self - NO.  You are surrendering to the next stage of your own development, the next stage of your own evolution with the awareness that your life IS the Life of God, your life is the life of God, you see?  So, surrender takes on a whole other vibration.  Stage 3 is about being an instrument, a channel, an openning and a place for Life to happen, with the awareness that Life is magnificent.  Life is beautiful, life is alive,  Life never compromises itself, so we can let go.

When next I post, it will be regarding what Michael Beckwith has to say about Stage Four - Being Consciousness of his Life Visioning Process.

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Surrender was something that I used to have quite a problem with…I thought, why am I here if all I'm going to do is surrender to God's will?  At that time, I saw a traditional God, an authority figure outside myself.  I like how the two differenty types of surrender were described by Beckwith…they're so different, they should really be different words!

I've experienced the second kind of surrender and it feels incredible.  Words came out of my mouth that my intellect alone just simply didn't have the wisdom or insight to say!  It happened over and over again as I gained enough confidence to trust this co-creative process.  In my case the “vehicle” was practitioner sessions and prayer treatments, but the specific “vehicle” isn't important.  I know it's real.

Since I've stopped being a practitioner, at least a licensed one, I don't get the opportunity to experience this with clients any more.  My intention is to experience it here on Gaia…to surrender and allow that co-creative process to work through my finger tips instead of my voice.  I'm gaining confidence to trust that all I have to do is clear my own channels of judgment and fear —then just show up with the intention to be a conduit for Spirit, with no personal agenda or ego investment.  That's not always a small order since my ego is unruly and often has a fear of rejection and my conduits are often clogged with self-judgment as well. 

Deb, thanks for posting this…it's fascinating.

Helen, former RScP (Religious Science Practitioner)

Stage Four - Being Consciousness - Rev Beckwith

It has been some time since I last posted to this thread.  In case you have lost track, the following comes from The Rev Michael Beckwith's concept called The Life Visioning Process.  You can read more about him at the beginning of this thread and about the stages that he describes as coming before this one as well, above this posting.  I continue his discussion below -

Stage 4 - which is called AS US.  Stage 4 represents those moments in life when there is no sense of separation between us and life, between us and God, us and Love.  We can hear our soul, perhaps, cry out “I AM what THOU ART and THOU ART what I AM”.

In Stage 3, we are a vehicle, an openning for it, something is coming through us, in Stage 4, it IS our identity, the veil that appears to be separating ourselves from life has dissolved, whether that has happened for an instant or whether that is for an elongated period of time, we've entered into the 4th Stage.

This is a stage that you can't make happen at all.  It is almost as if it is a moment of grace from the universe.  However, your preparation of all the inner work that you have done has served as a preparation for these moments to leap into an awareness of your Oneness with ALL of the Power and ALL of the Presence and ALL of the Love.

This is a moment that is different from being a channel or an instrument of the Divine.  Here, something within you says, “I Am what Thou Art and Thou Art what I Am”.  You feel at ONE with Life.  Sometimes this occurs when you feel at ONE with ALL of Nature.  Sometimes this occurs when you feel at ONE with ALL of Humanity.  Somtimes this occurs when you feel at ONE with the Cosmos, with EVERYTHING.

These are various descriptions of different dimensions of this state of ONENESS, this state of AS US.  It is a state of BEING.  And even in this state, this state is NOT a final resting place.  You still are aware that even though you are at ONE with Life, and at ONE with Love, and at ONE with Beauty, because of the nature of emergence, because of the nature of this Infinite Life that is always seeking to express Itself, and because It's nature is Infinite, there is always MORE within you to be expressed.

So, when we hear the terminology “I shall not rest, until I rest in Thee, O God”, we are saying in substance that we are resting in the evolutionary impulse of the universe but we are resting from a sense of being at ONE with It, not separate from It and trying to find It or get it.  We ARE IT.

The Koran would say perhaps “It is closer to you than your neck vein”.  The Bible would perhaps say through Jesus “It is closer to you than your breathing, nearer than your hands and feet”.  It is EVERYWHERE throughout ALL of Nature, which I believe, caused Jesus the Christ to say “If I do not find one worthy, I will command the Rocks to shout out My Name”.  Everything is holding or able to reveal this connection, this connectivity with Life Itself.

This state, where the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of Intelligence, the Spirit of Beauty, operating AS US is a sublime state of Being, that of course, we cannot coherce, we cannot storm the gates of Heaven, the gates of ever-expanding Good but we are incrementally preparing our self for this kind of openning, which we know theoretically is true.

The Principles of New Thought / Ancient Wisdom are based upon Oneness.  That there is One Power, One Presence, One Life and that THIS Presence is Everywhere.  It is Omnipresent.  Being Itself totally and completely.  And in certain moments, we find ourselves participating in this Oneness.  Sometimes it's a nano-second, sometimes it's hours, or even days, or weeks.  And then our role after that is to integrate that state into our life and then to discover what is to emerge from that state of Being. 

(deb's note - If you participated in International Peace Day on Sept 21, 2008 - then your work now is to integrate a response of Peace to all actions, that you may pass on the Energy of Peace in every moment of your day - and you will probably fall short of that goal at times and must simply shift your awareness back into the feeling of Peace and move forward with that awareness once more.)

Remember, we're not here to be inert Beings, sitting, not creating Karma.  We are here to be creative, expressive agents of the transcendent qualities of the Spirit, allowing them to be eminent as the activity of our awareness.  So we are constantly growing, becoming more ourselves, that we may deliver an emergent Energy, the qualities of the Spirit, through and ultimately AS US.  This is Stage 4.

Similar, to being in a Zone, except that there is NO separation whatsoever.  This was one of the central themes of the man, who I believe, revealed the next stage of human evolution.  One of the individuals, who revealed the next stage of human evolution, when we talk about Jesus the Christ, who a part of the central theme of his message was “I and my Father are ONE.  When you see me, you see HE who sent me.”  There is no difference here.  That was a part of his central message.

The Buddha simply said “I am awake”.  He had awakened from the intoxicated sleep, the illusion of separation, and was awakened to the reality that was not transitory but eternal.  The reality that our Life and the Life of the Divine is the SAME Life.

Those 4 stages are just a little template of the evolution of our soul, beginning with The Victim (Iife is doing something TO us), moving into The Manifestor (we are doing something TO IT, we're making something happen with our Mind).  Stage 3 is operating through us.  We're yielding, we're allowing, we're letting, we're open.  Stage 4, IT is what WE ARE.  We've become aware that our life and the Life of God and the Life of Joy and the Life of Life Itself, IS OUR VERY OWN LIFE.

Our Life Visioning Process begins at Stage 3.  We are openning ourselves up to be aware that something wants to emerge, something wants to express through us, something wants to use us, something wants to BE us.  We are moving out of merely manipulating Life to manifest something, which is NOT a bad thing, but we've evolved to the next stage where we are letting something that is within us, even beyond what we could imagine, beyond what we could visualize, begin to take shape within our life experience.

It takes a level of Courage, Commitment, Sincerity and Earnestness to begin to leap into an area that is beyond your imagination, beyond your power of visualization but when you begin to understand that the universe is governed by Law and ruled by Love, you find that it is easier to make that leap because you are NOT projecting your Fears into the Future.

You are aware that this Power, this Presence and this Love, of which YOU are it's image, it's likeness and it's Divine Substance wants to express Itself fully and completely as YOUR LIFE.  A scientist once said that “We are the way that the stars are looking back at themselves.”  We are UNLIMITED BEINGS capable of revealing such immense Power and beauty and creativity and heretofore, we have only been touching but a small bit of the potential that is within us.

Deb 3rd Life Visioning Session

I mentioned elsewhere that I have been doing the audio CD portion of Rev Beckwith’s Life Visioning Process on Sundays.  This was my 3rd week and by far, the most powerful experience.  The 1st one I explored “unconditional love”, the 2nd “balance” among the various aspects of my life.  What emerged for me this week was a perfectly natural unfoldment of stewardship. 

The first time I was introduced to this property, my initial reaction was that my husband and his family were blessed to be stewards of such a beautiful place.  I realized early on that while I may love the land as deeply as the trees in the forest, the animals and birds around us, that it belongs to me no more and no less.  I would never come into ownership of it regardless of circumstances (well, only in the dire possibility that my husband, my BILs and my sons have all left me alone on this earth plane, a possibility remote and undesired by me).

If you were to look at the bottom of my personal profile, you would see only one goal - to become a Missouri Master Naturalist.  However, the classroom requirements, the volunteer hours required and the overwhelming focus on developing Missouri land primarily for hunting and fishing interests has left me less desirous of pursuing that goal.  What emerged for me today were my strengths already in place. 

[1] The tens of thousands of trees we have planted and my membership in the Missouri Forestkeepers (which I have yet to do anything concrete with, beyond joining).  Interestingly, my MIL became interested and joined in the last year of her life, not knowing I had already done so and probably I mentioned it at Sunday dinner one night but no one listened. 

[2]  Our stream team.  This is a voluntary program of cleaning up and monitoring the quality of our watershed.  This has been in place for almost 20 years with little activity.  My in-laws did some work with it and there are strong reasons for us to do more as we homeschool our children.

[3]  My frog & toad breeding call surveys - for which I’ve spent 3 years in training and actual data collection that impacts the national database for this work.

[4]  Our new interest in Butterflies - identifying and creating habitat for.  This was prompted by discovering there is a butterfly, probably extinct in our area that I thought I had seen (but never found last season) and for which our habitat is perfect.

In my mind, there emerged a new program of naturalist for our state - Private Steward Missouri Naturalist.  I will suggest such to the appropriate organization but whether they do anything with it or not, nothing prevents me from creating this for myself.

A friend wrote a book about the difference between homeschooling and public school for young children, my children’s ages.  It is very well done.  The refrain is “I am learning all the time”.  One of my MILs strengths as a mother was the naturalist in her and how she was always teaching her children everything she could learn about rocks, plants, birds, etc

What is trying to emerge in me?  A steward of the land.  Someone recently pulled an angel card for me.  It said I was an Earth Healing Angel.  I believe that.  For a long time, I’ve realized I am here to do metaphysical/spiritual from my own center, here in this place.

What must I become?  What emerged was this - “better educated”.  Luckily, I have all the tools I need - [1]  Observation of the land and all its aspects daily on my hour long hikes.  (Today I walked a pathless path through the woods.  Okay, to be honest, occasionally I borrowed a deer or other animal trail.  But I simply wandered where I felt like and saw a profusion of Daffodils blooming in that most sheltered place where they always bloom the earliest.) 

As I wandered, I suddenly realized I was in “beginner’s mind” as the Rev Beckwith had been describing, seeing little clumps of moss up close with the focus of my eyes, or the shelled nut cache of a squirrel.  The land has many secrets it can tell my heart and mind daily, if I’m open to see and hear.  The Rev Beckwith mentioned that consciousness proceeds function - we have eyes because we see, we have ears because we hear but the seeing and hearing came before the organs to do so, they come out of consciousness as anyone without a particular sense could share with anyone willing to listen.

[2]  I have an extensive library of nature books and the internet.  All the learning I need to do can be done at home without leaving my family and without leaving the work I do with my husband to support us.  I can teach my children what I learn as they become interested and help to instill within them that close bond and love of the land that will allow them to tresure, protect, preserve and conserve it when it becomes their responsibility.

So, there were often tears of joy in my eyes as I walked filled with joy at this realization.  The sun broke out in affirmation of the light that shines through me, “what does God want to become as me?”.  The rain came but I did not mind, I had taken my umbrella and I wanted the rain to sprout my wildflower seeds planted in the Butterfly, Bird and Bee garden the last couple of days.  Unfortunately, not as much rain fell as I would have liked but the possibility of more today exists, even though the clear blue sky of the moment makes that look unlikely.  It is as though it isn’t even the same day now as when I was hiking.

Thank you for reading so many words, for sharing this journey of the soul with me.  I am blessed to have such friends w

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Ahhhhh….so very beautiful!

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Helen,

I thought later, this is so personally relevant, others are going to think, why does she post this kind of stuff here?  Then, I realized that the way I teach is by how I live.  So, I share bits of my life here, that are spiritually relevant to my way of thinking, as examples of how I apply the kinds of teachings we share here in this group, how I apply them within my very own life.

What was unusual is that I never hit the “Post Reply” button to send the Life Visioning experience I share just above this note.  I was back at the top of what I had written with the intent of editing it, as I usually do - for clarity, mis-spellings, etc.  Whatever happened, and we’ve all had odd Gaia Gremlin experiences, it just started sending on its own without me doing it.  When I went back and read it, I found no reason to edit.

A part of me was awed, I can tell you, I was blown away by the way that happened.  My only personal explanation to myself was of such alignment with spirit that it was almost magically active within me during that moment.

Deb

PS - I’m interested in how this formats.  I’ve been so frustrated with all the extra spacing I was getting in the new Gaia text box with IE, that I took some advice of Meenakshi’s in a support group to try Google’s Chrome browser.  Whatever you see, when I post this reply, is what Chrome did to the kind of typing, similar to the way I did it before the “new” text box “upgrades”.

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Deb, It formated perfectly and reads like a charm. I’m one of the others, and don’t go changing.

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” ~Dr. Seuss

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Lars,

You mean, you were asking yourself “Why does she post this kind of stuff here?”

Good thing you softened that with Dr Seuss’s advice ;-p

Deb

Of course, my example may be a lesson in don’t try this at home …

Intervention

I was contemplating in advance of going out this morning to do my next Life Visioning exercise about what I've accomplished in the last week as regards the stewardship idea.  I was reading Beckwith's Spiritual Liberation and he is defining Intimacy as coming from the Latin root for innermost core or being.  Just yesterday in my meditation I communed with “the Beloved”.  It described itself as Love and without saying it this way, by that I can know it or sort it out from other voices by that measure, by that quality.

Beckwith was talking about Beholding as in clear seeing and about “order” and suddenly into my mind came the words “and who planted the fields and forest?”.  Of course, my first answer was something beyond man and I thought about all that emerges upon the Earth as being children of Gaia.  So, these emerge from the very being or core impulse of Gaia and then, I thought about the many trees my husband and I have planted and the road that runs through our property and other things we have done here to the place.

I was then shifting to the realization that we have emerged from Gaia, and we are doing work “for” or “as” Gaia, when the understanding came to me -

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

I'm so excited about what happened for me tonight.  As I've shared in my Life Visioning, I've received a concept of expanding upon my interests as a naturalist and my stewardship living here in this wilderness.  Tonight, I had an urge to leave the trail and take a “short cut” through a rugged section of woods.

I came upon a small skull in very good shape.  It had large front tusks like a SaberTooth Tiger but of course, it was much smaller.  I thought, maybe it was a baby Coyote.  Only 2 very small front teeth were missing.  It appeared something had pierced it's skull on one side leaving a series of holes, the other seemed undamaged.

I was excited to carry it home to my 8 yr old son.  I knew he'd love it.  He met me on his bike at the creek and yes, he was very excited about it.  When we got home, I got out our The Wild Mammals of Missouri book with very good drawings of skulls and animal tracks.  My husband thought it looked like a cat.  I said, “Do you think it is a domestic cat?”  He said it is too big.

I went to Bobcats.  Sure enough, the distinctive tooth pattern, tiny middle front teeth, the 2 large tusks and the 3 grinding molars at the back were a Bobcat.  I've seen tracks in the snow before that I wondered about, could they be a Bobcat?, but I was never sure.  It is so exciting to know we've had one so close to our home and to learn more about it tonight.  If there is one, there may be more… 

It was like a dream come true.  Funny what small things make me so very happy.  I stopped at my sacred site on my way home, set the skull on my rock altar and offered a prayer of gratitude to the animal, for having left such a beautiful skull for me to find and study.  He was being of service, even after death.

Deb

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

12,000-18,000 Bobcats range in the state,
and that information is from 2005.. How kewl that you have one or more in your neck of the woods..
Meow…:-)

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

What a beautiful demonstration and a lovely gift.

5th week - Life Visioning with Beckwith

Just a brief update.  I think the most significant thing, that came out of this last weekend's Life Visioning session, was the realization that I actually could make time (without adding alot of time and without robbing my effort to get exercise into my day) to begin a Nature Journal.  For 2 years, I have had the blank book, pencils and other related tools, a book on keeping a Nature Journal and a really nice book incorporating the Tao into Sketching.  I even bought a backpack from REI to carry it all.  I could use a good pair of small binoculars and so, I guess I stick that on my wish list and make do with my near-sighted eyes for now.

I have been feeling a deep yearning to draw but considered the time to do so a luxury.  Once I tried doing some landscape sketches on a note pad and was very critical of the quality of my “art”.

I remembered just in time, before going out yesterday, to assemble the backpack.  I decided that I would draw “something”, anything, just to make a start (I had been grumbling to myself for not starting on the first day of Spring, but heck, Spring has barely begun and so, the timing is perfect).  I had wished that I had made a sketch of where I found that Bobcat skull (a real keeper re: the history of our wilderness land, along with some arrowheads found crammed into the cracks of rocks, on the creek below our building site, by a worker's son one day).

I chose a little Redbud tree just beginning to bud its not even open distictive purple flowers.  I made a rough sketch of some of the branches in black pencil and then, just a few of blooms to be in purple.  It took perhaps 15 mins or more.  Later, I stopped somewhere private and sat on a stump to read a few pages from each book.

I've accepted that this is just my “learning” book.  With it, I will learn how to keep a nice book.  I have lowered my expectations as to what this Nature Journal has to be and will let myself gain in skill and interpretation.  That will not reduce it's value, in the least, as a “historical” document.

For many years after coming to live here, my MIL kept journals of what life here was like.  I want to read them now.  They are not nature journals per se, more like diaries, but I know that she herself was a bit of a naturalist and there is no doubt she has recorded some things there, that will be precious many years into the future, when the present generations are no longer living upon this earth.

Thanks for coming along with me on my personal journey inward and outward simultaneously.  I noted that I was more observational about what I was seeing, than I usually am, even though I am always looking at stuff, all the time.  I am already looking at what I see differently, now with of an artist's eye, and I'm thinking again of that book previously mentioned here in this group - Cameron's The Artist's Way - and that I should be reading that, too.

Before my bath / meditation hour, which I actually managed to have last night, I picked up (for the first time, a book I've had for awhile) Gardening at the Dragon's Gate by Wendy Johnson (who spent many years gardening at Zen retreats in No California).  That is going to be a good augmentation for me in this next phase, as it so clearly blends - flowing the spiritual with the natural world - and guiding my “human” activities in the soil, from that perspective.

Deb

12th week - Life Visioning with Beckwith

I think this week may be my 12th Life Visioning session.  I did not do one last week but went out for Mother's Day Wild Azalea pictures with my boys.

The day started, cool, breezy and clear blue sky with low humidity - thankfully, because we can't use our A/C with the generator because it would draw too many amps (we are told that we may have another 7 to 10 days without utility electricity available - a total of 17 to 20 days without, if that turns out to be the case).  It was very hot on Friday and got up over 80 degrees in the house with high humidity.  So, the unseasonably cool change is welcomed.

I sat out on the back porch steps this morning to eat my yogurt and granola breakfast and above the field to my right (in the West) there appeared 5-6 Turkey Vultures (the bird my MIL always said she wanted to come back as, just for the experience).  They came incredibly close, dipping quite low towards me and then left the area.

I went out for my hike.  Today, 10 days post-storm, I can be grateful that the areas we spend the most time in, our driveways, home and new house construction site are untouched and remain beautiful.  Though the damage from the monster windstorm is extensive, one has to hike into the interior to see most of it, except for a couple of commonly used hiking trails along our western boundary which have some of the worst damage.  My husband was out last weekend, openning them back up to be passable, thanks to having a chainsaw.

When it came time to do my Life Visioning guided meditation this morning, I felt strongly that I am to pursue going to the Celebrate Your Life conference in Chicago in early June and so, I am going to “request” a chance to dive into that collective positive energy as a birthday gift, slightly after my 55th birth anniversary, coming up on May 27th.  At one point during this morning's meditation, I was inspired to give Michael Beckwith a melting hug (the concept was first described by Carla and recently blogged about by Centria).  So, happy am I at being a recipient of his gentle, loving manner of guiding meditation via this CD I have.  He will be there in Chicago and I hope to find myself doing what I did in mind, in his physical presence, receiving that melting hug.

This morning, I was only required to say Yes, to be “willing”.  Willing is not attachment to an outcome but a willingness to have the desired outcome.  We will see, if this desire of mine, does come to pass.  I'll keep you all informed.

An issue with another Gaian, not totally resolved, re-emerged for me today and so, after my Life Visioning session, I walked awhile and then, while in this very positive, unconditional love state, I went into a Radical Forgiveness guided meditation, with a very open heart and hope I have now completed that work.  It was not my first attempt to shift and transmute some tense energy related to this person.  Up until today's session, I've only to see this person's icon, and I become anxious (in spite of my higher perspective that should protect me from such, a reminder that I remain very human).  Now, as I type this, I am very peaceful, centered, calm and feel I may have finally arrived at the point where I have nothing left that I can give the situation but simplicity, patience and compassion (as in our Daily Guide by Jesse Jennings today).

Good Sunday and as Michael Beckwith would say -
Peace and Blessings - to you all,
Deb

Re: 12th week - Life Visioning with Beckwith

Well, shifts can certainly happen quite rapidly.  First, my Radical Forgiveness work resulted in the following email -

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Oh how exciting that the “contract” has been fulfilled and the energy is now clear.  Don't you love it when the work can take us to that level?  Glad you could do the melting hugs with Micheal Beckwith too.  Isn't it wonderful?  Blessings, Deborah.  :)

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

It isn't an easy lesson to share but an important one.  I don't think tonight that I will be going to the Celebrate Your Life conference in Chicago.  I think it was huge for me to admit I wanted to go and to ask about doing so.  The reality is that financially, it really isn't a good time.  While we are coping and hanging in there, things are “tight” and much more so, than I have grown accustomed to preferring.

My husband didn't say No directly.  He wanted me to look at all the costs of going.  The conference is not inexpensive at $500.  A 4 night stay in the motel and “entertainment” in Chicago for my boys while I attended, could easily push that total to $1,000 or more.  It is true that we made a very expensive trip in Jan.  Neither of us regrets it because it fulfilled a desire my MIL had and it was our last quality time with her.  I also was able to visit most of my family and it had been 2 yrs since that happened last.

He indicated it might still be worth it, if I needed it for my sanity.  I can not say that is true.  He really doesn't get the difference between spirituality and religion and so, he said something about people needing religion to maintain sanity.  I gently said I don't have a religion but I'm deeply spiritual.  I have a heck of a spiritual library and so, he doesn't see why that isn't enough.  I thought about it awhile.

I admitted I can't say what I would get out of going.  I just think I would enjoy it but is that enough reason in a time of tight money?  Not really.  He said it would only enrich those who are selling books.  I don't have a problem with that but money certainly is one reason why the conference exists at all.  Speaker's fees can be a lucrative source of income, if one is in demand.

What I really wanted, he would not be able to understand.  I wanted to be present with the energy of those who would be attracted to such an event.  To “dive into” and immerse myself in it, to be present with some of these people whose written works I've read and appreciated.  Perhaps to even have a brief opportunity to tell them that their effort mattered to me.  To “feel” what some of these “feel” like in person.  To take a reading on their energy, so to speak.

I realized I really don't “need” to go.  While the desire was there, the willingness to go was certainly there on my part, and the energy felt good today and the “time” seemed right, it isn't.  I have tried to stay unattached to the outcome and this is an example of why.  Certainly, I could have pushed for it and most likely, have actually gone to it.  There might have been some “juggling” of finances to do so.  But a good manifestation must flow naturally and comfortably or it isn't exactly “right”, and usually one is better off not manifesting it.  Forcing does not yield good results.

I've been manifesting long enough to know, the result would not be satisfying for some reason or other.  I've learned enough acceptance to let obstacles guide me in another direction.

In the end, I had to admit that being able to go out of doors into nature is what keeps me sane and I don't “need” more.  I might not do well cooped up in a box but perhaps, I'd adapt even to that.  Spiritual maturity includes knowing a “desire” is not ripe for manifesting.  This one was not.

Deb

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Awwww I wanted you to come for selfish reasons! LOL

But, just FYI, I'll put it out there. Abraham Hicks is coming to Chicago October 3 & 4th. I'm going to one of those days. Not sure which yet, I'm leaning towards Sunday. But either will work at this point in the game. Some of my Abe friends are going both days.

Also for like minds in your area, check out meetup.com and you'll find all kinds of peeps with the same interests as you! I go to a regular meetup for LOA, but I'm also a member of groups for the akashic records, art, writing, wicca and another one I can't remember right now. I don't attend all the meetups. It's free to join. You can start your own group too and it's not expensive.

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Niecy, thanks so much for that link. I just found a group with 238 witches only 4.9 miles away from Springfield. I'll bet I know a few of them little witches, hehe =)

Deb, don't count yourself out yet, there could be a cross manifestation in this mix.

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Lars,

I have “felt” alot of energy into going.  I love that - a cross manifestation - that would be fun.  Thanks for saying that to me.

For now, I will leave it an “open” question, what will be?, when we get down to the wire.  I love surprises ;-}

He didn't say No, that's a good start towards “allowing”, yes.

Deb

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Every day I've concentrated on this link until just now.
Agape International
I'm happy for you, enjoy
~lars

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Lars,

Oh, thank you.  I am going to make sure that I enjoy ! ! !

It's my 55th birthday wish granted.

Deb

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Denise,

Of course, I want to get with you too and certainly, I would love to do an Abraham-Hicks thing, and see Abraham at work in person.  That would be awesome.

I did register for “free” tickets to the Chicago event and so, maybe I will yet “up the ante” on going, though someone else generally “wins” most contests I enter.  I once manifested a car by entering contests.  At first, it was a particular model and I worked metaphysically on that.  Then, I entered for a different model.  I thought, “oh no, I've blown the energy for manifestation”.  So, I put it out there - I wanted a new car, I wanted it to be payment free and beyond that I didn't care.  My grandmother suddenly decided to give me one (she was very LOA and metaphysical - the first real person I knew to be such when I became aware) but boy, did it have alot of “restrictions” and limitations (she exercised power over others with her wealth).  I couldn't have a radio and so, it cost more because I had to special order it, to get one without a radio (I guess I was afraid to negotiate that).  She let me have A/C only because she grew up in MO and knew it was a jungle here.

My husband as a child of the 60s is not totally close minded.  Because his energy mingles with mine, in spite of his very physically grounded approach to life, he sometimes surprises me when words pop out, like “perhaps you can do some metaphysical thing” to impact “x” but usually, he doesn't really understand how that works.  Or just this morning, he is pointing out to me, in two different magazines, about the 2012 thing and saying I don't know if that is what that conference you wanted to go to is about.  I said, oh, I know about that and I feel it is commonly misinterpreted.  I explained to him this conference is more about being the most positive person you can be.

I leave open the possibility (and definitely a willingness) but rationally, I accept that this may not be the conference I attend.  Thanks for the “meetup” link.  I'll look into it but I accepted as part of marrying my husband (who is not at all socially driven; and but for me, would be a hermit) that being a solitary practitioner of my craft is part of that marriage contract.  Therefore, I always knew it would take a bit of energetic persuasion to go to such a conference.  Hence, my feeling that even broaching it, is a step towards eventually attending one.  When my MIL died, she sent a message to me through Karin Maree that has stayed ever with me “embrace your freedom” - that is so very like the strong feminist she was.

Yikes, explaining Abraham to my husband - oh lord.  ;-}  LOL

Deb

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Deb, your explanation of what came out of your visioning process is so perfect!  I think you really captured the essence of discovering your preference but not being attached to the outcome to the point of forcing it!  I think this is the same process as a spiritual mind treatment…to recognize your preference, even your very strong preference, but then to trust that it's done and it's working out perfectly EVEN WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE IT!  My preference is also for you to go to Chicago, and I trust it will be perfect whether you do or not.

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Oh, Helen -

Yes, that is it, and that was one of the reasons I shared it.  Sometimes, people think their spiritual mind treatment is not working.  It always works.  Even if the answer does not reflect the preference 100% (Ooo, I just love that you use that word, for it captures the essence perfectly).

Yes, I still want to go.  Yes, if I don't go, I will understand, that I am in tune enough with my highest good to realize still, that the outcome was perfect, even if I never know why.

While there are similarities between Life Visioning and Spiritual Mind Treatment, they are different.  In a Spiritual Mind Treatment, we seek a specific outcome but similarly, we release it and let God.  So, even if it does not appear to have worked, we never doubt that the Divine has answered our request perfectly.  Life Visioning feels a bit more like a gradual unfolding and fine tuning over an ongoing period of time.  Since I have been doing this weekly, I know how it shifts and changes to where I am NOW, each time I do it.  

The conference keeps coming back in, even when I don't go out with it specifically in mind.  I suppose it will do this, until it passes.  The “energy” of the conference will therefore have an impact on my very soul, whether I am physically present or not.  Wow, that insight just came through while I was typing this to you.  Amazing.

Appreciating you deeply, as always -
Deb 

Re: Celebrate Your Life - Chicago

Interesting development.

I casually commented to my husband “when I was thinking about Chicago, I thought about you and the boys visiting the Children's Museum that we made the color constructive play pieces for.  I wonder how they are holding up and whether they've suffered any damage or walked away because they are so attractive”.

“Estimate the cost”, he says (that is what he initially said, when he also said he wasn't saying No, but that he questioned financially, whether we should be spending money that way, at a time like this).  Hmmm.

I said, well, once you add motel and entertainment for you and the boys, I'm sure it will go over $1,000.  He didn't flinch, I didn't get overjoyed but I'm working up the costs. ;-} (and in “dreaming”, have selected the workshops I would want to attend, just in case I need to register).  

It's not over until the fat lady sings, they say …

Re: I'M GOING TO CHICAGO TO CELEBRATE MY LIFE ! ! !

Money has poured into our business the last few days and the bills are caught up.  I just got the word - sign up for the conference and get it out of your system.  Yay ! ! !

Thanks to anyone who has been holding positive thoughts for me to attend.

I'll post my workshops soon … Denise, either Thursday night or Sunday night - if one of those works for you or at the conference, if you go on one of the days.

Deb

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

I had some glitches with the website registration and so, I am waiting for confirmation.  Here's the details -

[1]  Friday, Jun 5th

Workshop w/Neale Donald Walsch 9am-4pm
Dinner 5pm - 7pm
Opening Lecture w/Christiane Northrup 7pm-10pm

[2]  Sat, Jun 6th

Morning Discussion (Walsch, Cohen & Lesser) 8:30am-10:30am
Workshop w/Alan Cohen 11:30am-1pm
Lunch 1-2:30pm
Workshop w/Bruce Lipton 2:30-4pm
Workshop w/Michael Beckwith 4:30-6pm
Dinner 6-8pm
Lecture w/James Van Praagh 8-10pm

[3]  Sun, Jun 7th

Workshop w/Michael Beckwith 8:30-10am
Workshop w/Cheryl Richardson 10:30-noon
Lunch noon-1:30pm
Workshop w/Elizabeth Lesser 1:30-4pm
Closing lecture w/Robert Holden 4pm-6pm

Now, fingers crossed that the ticket purchase actually went through.  I've emailed the promoter w/the problems I experienced.  Price goes up on the 24th.

Deb

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

I just got the confirmation by phone that my conference registration is “good” and it's a go.  Got the motel reserved already… 

I'm so excited ! ! !  I just can't hide it.  I'll be dancing through the woods today.

Deb  

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Deb! That's awesome!! Thursday night is open for ya! Sunday during the day we're going to Brookfield Zoo, so if hubby and the boys wanted to join us.

I wont be attending the conference, but I'm not far at all! So maybe Thursday night we can go out for dinner or something? I'm PMd all my contact information to ya.

Your schedule looks awesome! I know you're gonna have a great time!

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Deborah! This is soooo exciting, I'm so happy for you, ohh I wish i could come along! I LOVE the work of Michael Beckwith, his presence, wisom and energy.
Last year I downloaded some of his Agape meetings on my MP3 player and listened to them over and over again. he is so inspiring.
A copple of months ago I also got some of the cd's of the Life envisioning process, I don't think I have the whole program, what I've got are the “highlights” which consists of 2 cd's. For now that is enough for me for I want to work with other stuff as well.
The problem is that I'm kind of dependend what is for sale in the stores here. I don't use a credit card and the Agape on line store doesn't work with the Paypal method that I use for my on line payments.

I have been to meetings like that before in the past when there were lots of lectures and workshops with different people and it is so inspiring.
I am so excited for you too, I celebrate with you!  You so deserve it. Isn't it wonderful how this all came together for you?!
Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy! It is going to be wonderful!

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Lucienne,

So happy for you to share this,  I knew you also appreciated Beckwith and he is definitely one of the major reasons I want to go.  I'm going to both workshops he's doing.  Beckwith has always “felt” really good to me energetically.  His voice is very calm.  Let's see if the melting hug I envisioned really happens.  No big deal if not, but it would still be interesting if it did, since I visioned it.

I have the 2 disk Sounds True “short” version of the Life Visioning process and it is enough.  The guided meditation I use is on the Session 2 disk.  I just do that same one over and over on Sundays, every week it takes me somewhere new.  I'm only a few pages short of finishing Beckwith's Spiritual Liberation book.

And yes, its the energy I'm excited about.  Not just the presenters or speakers but the attendees.  Walsch, Lipton and Lesser also interest me.  The others were just because I had to make a choice and had no preference, just winged it.  

The unfolding has been priceless … I'll keep a journal of the conference to share later.

Deb

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

DEb, this has been so inspiring to watch as it unfolded!

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Deb, just happened to notice this!  HOW WONDERFUL and EXCITING that you get to go!!  Very delighted for you this day.  Don't you love how sometimes the universe responds like this?  Awesome!  Love, Kathy

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Meenakshi & Kathy,

Dear friends.  I will always cherish the unfolding of this gift as a demonstration of how it works.  I am grateful to Lars, for his words -

”Deb, don't count yourself out yet, there could be a cross manifestation in this mix.”


were prophetic and encouraged me at the precise moment that I needed to be encouraged, not to give up and close the door, and probably inspired me to give an example to my husband of something of interest to both him and the boys that might entice his willingness to make the trip.  I am also grateful to Lars also for holding the awareness for me each day of the event and my desire to attend.


To each and every one who expressed their support, I owe my acknowledgment and appreciation for lending your energy for a most amazing and beautiful turn of events.


Deep Bows to all 
and especially to Spirit 
from which all such gifts come -
Deb

Slightly flawed 2cd set of Life Visioning available

Last Sunday, as I was doing my weekly Life Visioning guided meditation, thanks to the cd by Michael Bernard Beckwith, as I was ending the session, where he does affirmative prayer for those listening, before moving us out of that altered state experience, IT happened.  There were distracting gaps.  I think I wore out my cd. 

Most of it is still good, and I'm embarrassed to even bring it up, but if someone would like to listen to the 2cd set, the more abbreviated introductory material about the 4 phases of spirituality (as Beckwith discerns those) and have an experience of him guiding the visioning process, I would be happy to send it to you - at no charge, not even for the shipping.  First come, it goes into the mail.  This would be the abbreviated 2cd set.

However, I cherish my weekly practice so much, that I immediately went to the Agape store and bought the long version 5cd set this time (so convinced am I of its value to me personally) and it arrived yesterday.  My husband opened the package, although it was addressed to me.  LOL.  He took one quick look and just tossed it in my direction.  Lord only knows what he thought of Beckwith's dredlocks photo.  ROTFLMAO.  Sorry, it was a humorous, not a tense, moment - a bit like tossing a hot potato to someone else - because you don't want to hold it in your own hands very long.  If he only knew, seeing Beckwith in person was one of my prime motivations for going to Celebrate Your Life in Chicago.  Beckwith did not disappoint, seeing and feeling the effect of Spirit expressing through him is worth seeing him in person, at least once.

All humor aside, I skipped over Phases 1 & 2 to listen to Phase 3 - “Through Us” Channel Consciousness during my hike in the forest yesterday.  It was a total treat to do so.  That phase had only the briefest treatment on the 2cd set, as did Phase 4.  As though, the 2cd really is just to get a “taste”, to see if one wants more of it.  On the long version, he really gets into the differences between being a Phase 2 - Manifester (the traditional expectation of applying metaphysics and took that firmly to the next level, a real “response” to those who believe metaphysics ends with The Secret and are seriously against or concerned about the materialism that represents in so many of the judgments about it).  I will go back into the postings I did at the beginning of this thread, and add more detail onto them from the new set, as I have time to do so.

There is also music by Ricky Byers Beckwith at the beginning of each cd.  At the end of the much more elaborate discussion of Phase 3, there was also really good discussion of what meditation is, and does, along with a guided meditation experience (this is an “extra” to the one I have been doing weekly, which is still a part of this set).  I had an amazing experience listening to the Phase 3 Meditation, sitting on a rock in the middle of the forest, at dusk.

I am going to listen to Phase 4 today during my hike and will do my weekly Life Visioning with the new set tomorrow (Sunday).  Then, I can't help it, I'm so impressed with the quality of the additional material, that I just have to go back and listen to the Intro, and Phases 1 & 2 of the new set.  Beckwith's voice is one of the best I've listened to, when doing guided meditations.  Quiet and insistent but full of love and true guidance.  How he does that on a recording?, I can only imagine, but it is as though he is sitting there with you as you listen.  Truly inspired by the Divine.

As Michael would say,
Peace & Blessings -
Deb

Re: Slightly flawed 2cd set of Life Visioning available

Deb, thanks for your notes on the Life Visioning process.  I have been reading Spiritual Liberation and just received the 6 CD Life Visioning set Friday.  Found your postings here on a google search.

I've also watched some of the videos at www.agapelive.com .  I'm so grateful to be able to align with this vibration.  There is so much creativity in all of us that wants to shine.  What Michael has done is to reframe what this creativity is all about.  It's the universe wanting to evolve THROUGH us.  That puts considerable momentum behind our nascent visions and visionings.

Best regards,

Will

Re: The Life Visioning Process by the Rev Michael Bernard Beckwit

Will,

Welcome to our group and thank you for commenting on this thread.  I have not been disappointed in the 6 cd Life Visioning series.  What a blessing !, that my old one gave out on me.  The only thing that the 6 cd series has in common with the 2 cd series is the actual cd for the Life Visioning guided meditation is exactly the same. 

There is just so much more about each of the Stages in the 6 cd series.  There are meditations for each of the 4 stages; and every one of them is so good, that for awhile I'm going to do one each day in rotation, with a couple of days off each week to listen to other stuff.  I do my listening while on my hour long hike each day.  I really don't need to listen to the Intro again, though it is good.

I have read Spiritual Liberation and I have a separate thread for that.  I intend to post, some more of those things I found resonating with my own self, in the future.  I will add here that my practice has been to do the Life Visioning each week (and it has been a joy to watch it transform and transmute and grow me).  It becomes an individual practice - truly - even though it is packaged as a “one size fits all”.  As I commented to you privately in welcome, Beckwith somehow has the ability to seem as though he is a “real life, individual guide” to each person who listens and the love that comes through, in the softness of his voice, feels very geniune.  What a blessing to humanity he is ! ! !

After my weekly Life Visioning, usually on Mon or Tues, I copy the pages with the Affirmations and Embodiments found in each chapter of Spiritual Liberation and I rotate forward through them, doing each chapter's for about one week, as a kind of comtemplative prayer.  I intend to start that process all over again; whenever I reach the end, of the book's chapters.

I hope you will add your own comments here in our group - about Spiritual Liberation and about any insights or experiences, as you go through the Life Visioning process, to whatever degree you feel comfortable.  Any of your sharings will all be welcome.

Peace & Blessings -
Deb