Sunday, December 30, 2007

Quitting Spirituality

I don't make New Year's Resoulutions - haven't in quite a number of years. Generally speaking when I've resolved to change something about Life, I don't need it to coincide with the calendar. Nor should the calendar call for making up resoulutions that have not come about of their own volition.
Occassionally, however, resoulutions do come along right about New Year time, and this is one of those coincidences. Do with that what you will.

I'm giving up Spirituality. For good.
Spirituality, from what I can tell, has come to be very Other-oriented, like Religion. The insights given to modern spiritual leaders are like those given to religious figures of old: they are insights for and about others, for and about the world. They carry promise of a better future for all if their messages are heeded by those Other than The Messenger. They are very special messages from the Grand Self to a Very Special Leader who can now help Others change, and thus change the world.

I'm giving it up.












I resolved this awhile ago actually, I thought. My recent experience with the New Spirituality movement has simply proven to be my final reminder of the effects of Other-based paths. I am indeed grateful to their leader, Neale Walsch, for the fine books he has written, and thank him and his followers for this final empowering reminder.


Insights of Self, however, are the ones I am going to focus on going forward. In the beginning was the Self, and looking about it said "I Am". That Self.
Self-based ideas - Insights from the Grand Self to the Grand Self about the Grand Self and for the Grand Self.

Of course this is exactly what has gone on for centuries in the history of "man's communication with" god or great spirit or whomever. As manifestations of Grand Self our deepest insights are simply of Grand Self. They "come from" Grand Self and are perceived by a particular human manifestation of Grand Self.
No big deal, and flat stunning, all at once.

It is quite enjoyable to share our various insights with one AnOther. Indeed quite often just when we need a particular Insight in Life we encounter that very Insight in the form of someone else sharing theirs, perhaps in a poem, a song, or a sermon. However, it is not necessarily true that anyone routinely receives Insights that are Abslutely Applicable. The Grand Self does not convey messages to the Grand Self about The Grand Other.
There is no Grand Other. Spiritual Leaders should know that, as should their followers.

Actually, there should be no followers...

I'm Quitting Spirituality.

I'm going to keep up these deep Conversations with Alice though... she has great messages for Self!

Happy New Year y'all!!


Greg Allen, with Alice the cookie monster

Thursday, December 27, 2007

As It Is

"If I could tell the world just one thing it would be: We're All Okay.
And not to worry cause worry is wasteful and useless at times like these.
I won't be made useless, I won't be idle with despair.
Gather mySelf around my Faith for light does the darkness most fear." (Jewel)

**

A friend wrote to me recently with some news about their father, who is gradually losing cognitive abilities. It took awhile to find the words to write back. Here is what I came up with.

**

Hi ....,

I'm very sorry to hear about your dad's news.

My grandmother had a stroke when she was still alive, after a surgery. She was doing fine, and they came in and got her out of bed and helped her to sit in her chair for a few minutes, as they had done each day - and they came back and she had suffered the stroke.

It was tough seeing her fine one day, then with so much gone the next. While she regained some of her abilities, she struggled with speech, and it was quite difficult for my mom and all of us. She had been a master seamstress, and all of that was gone - all of her creativity and ability to express...

I do not know what it was like for her. I do not know if she compared her skills "today" with those of her youth, or even last week. I only know what it was like for me. Sad. Frustrating. Painful. Agonizing trying to understand what she was asking for, what she wanted or needed. Gut wrenching to see her this way. It was hard to be around, and I wish I had spent more time with her then, on her terms. I was sick when they buried her, and did not go to her funeral.

My dad just accepted her as she was, and began to learn how she was able to communicate. The challenge seemed to be his, not hers, and for all she knew he was thrilled to be challenged with this new aspect of their life together. He never ever acted like anything was wrong, or different - other than the respectful, courtesy things of course, like being sure she was safe when walking, and using stairs, and making sure she was comfortable.

My dad understood - as he always has I think - that "it is what it is", and never missed a beat. Even though this lady had treated him not very nicely for much of their lives together, as his mother in law.

My point is this my Friend: It is what it is.

I respect your compassion, and I respectfully wonder about the wisdom of holding dad in comparison to some past "ideal state" he used to inhabit, and labeling the present moment "sad". Your dad is glorious just as he is, right now. He does not exist in comparison to anyone, or anything, or any idea. He does not exist relative to his past or some idea of a future. That is mind stuff, not existence stuff.

Your dad exists as an Absoulute incarnation of The Grand Self. Pretty impressive stuff. He is Self, acting as grand and glorious a role as any of which we are aware. You can honor the current role my Friend, as well as the past. The man with the 90 IQ is to be honored, is he not?

Perhaps this is what I am trying to get at: My dad honored my grandmother's 80+ years of life, and all she had accomplished, through the display of respect for her in every aspect of his dealings with her. He always treated her as the most brilliant artistic seamstress he'd ever known, even when she could not color a page in a simple child's book.

At the same time he honored the 80+ year old lady with a stroke by helping her color that page, and never ever carrying a thought in his head of how sad this all was as she smeared the page, or spilled her Cheerios everywhere for the thousandth time at breakfast...

He never had time for sad my Friend. He had time for Love. He absorbed his pain into his heart, and it came out Love.

Wow. You are helping me realize how deep my dad's heart is.

Thanks! :0)

I wish you, and yours, Love.

**

Dance In the Moment,

alice and greg

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Solstice of The Self

Enjoy the Day y'all!

...and Remember, It's About Self.

That has always been The Grand Message.

May the Light of the Season Shine Thru Year 'Round...

Dance In the Moment,

alice & greg

Monday, December 24, 2007

Can I Play for You?

I was listening to Bob Seger's rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy" - the notorious ragamuffin child who comes to the manger to celebrate Jesus' birth. As the story goes everyone is bringing gifts "fit for a king", but the little drummer boy, being poor, and a little boy, says he has no gifts to bring.

"Since I have no gifts", he seems to be saying, "Can I play my drum for you?"

There it is again. That twisted modern idea about "no gifts".

One more time, this time let's sing it:

"Dear little baby, lest You forget, we'll sing this song to remind You that You come to Life with nothing of Value or Interest."

Unbelievable.

Yet one more way our culture drives home the belief that we come to this Life with absolutely nothing of value or interest to anyone.

Talent is not a gift. Time is not a gift. Love is not a gift.

**

The song, being a Christmas song, resolves nicely of course. The little boy plays his drum, Jesus smiles, and it's all good.

Does the message ever get through, I wonder?

The little boy brought the finest gift of all - HimSelf!!

Do children understand all the wonderful things they bring to Life, the idea that Life is an Absoulute Gift Exchange? I am just now figuring it out.

Do you know??

**

For those of you spending your life in pursuit of gifts worthy of consideration, forget it! You can relax now. You have had them all along.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is simply to uncover, discover and re-engage Your Absoulute Gifts - the ones you brought with you to this Life.

...and, to teach the children.

**

Celebrate!!

Dance In the Moment,

alice and greg

Monday, December 17, 2007

Rest In Peace Dan Fogelberg

Hats off and hearts out in honor of the legendary Dan Fogelberg, who passed away Sunday December 16, 2007 after battling prostate cancer.

Thanks for everything Dan! You have long been an inspiration.

alice and greg

**

there's a great AP article here...

Just One?

Alice woke me up this morning with the thought: "This could just be One manifestation of The Self."

Huh??

Just One?

What if you and I and all that is "going on here" are ONE manifestation of The Self?

NOT many, like I am One manifestation, and your dog is An Other manifestation and so on.

Just One manifestation.

Doing all this. Unique personas and all...

Wow. Where does this dog come up with this stuff?

Dance In the Cookie Moment,

alice and greg

Saturday, December 15, 2007

What The Messenger Knows about Me

"Greg, I was just looking at the forum, 10 posts 5 are yours. That is my definition of monopolizing. I have had no more complaints, Now I am pointing it out. So be aware and stop that.
I am sure that's not who you are."


That's the text of an email I received from the nice folks at the Neale Donald Walsch website. Neale is a self-proclaimed spiritual guru who wrote some books about a series of long chats he had with god.

I have said for awhile now that anything labeled "New" begins getting "Old" immediately. Remember how quickly the glitz wore off the new toy when you were young? I have discovered this also applies to things like Spirituality, and "new" ideas about a very old word like "god".

I am quite certain that indeed The Grand Self of the Universe communicates with the Neale Donald Walsch Self of the Universe.

As The Grand Self has done with every incarnation of ItSelf.

The Grand Self shares messages FROM The Self, TO The Self, ABOUT The Self, and FOR The Self.

In many traditions, somewhere along the line, this message from Grand Self becomes about Other and for Other, and suddenly the Messenger becomes convinced that he/she is the Grand Interpreter of this Self-message-for-Other. This sort of attitude would indeed allow a spiritual organization to say:

"I am sure that's not who you are."

Eerie. Funny. Sad at times.

All good.

It's a great role and I applaud these Messengers. Many times in my months at Neale's forum - I have now instructed them to cancel me after receiving the above email with vague personal guidelines for how NOT to post - I have sensed that many of Neale's "messengers" (the people who pay to be in the forum) are asking for clarification of the message of Self Realization, and Self Awareness, but they keep being pointed to the condition of Other in the world as the true basis for any meaningful spirituality and/or eventual action and/or assessment of their own Life.*

Strange.

Traditional.

Not seemingly New to me, although Neale calls his movement The New Spirituality, and his followers defend that term staunchly.

I met Neale at a seminar, and very much enjoyed the seminar, the exchanges, and my time chatting with Neale briefly. His intentions are good, and I hold no ill will for the manner in which his forum admins. do their job.

Note that, in the spirit of transparency and acceptance and open expression of the Self/spirit there are no stated rules for Neale's forum, and no guidelines for posting.

Nothing. So I did find it interesting to be told I am posting "too much", while not being given an indication of what "just so" would be. I have asked, in writing, before, for clarification and received none.

Anyway - check it out. NealeDonaldWalsch dot com, and join the Messenger's Circle. I encourage you to get involved and I'd love to know if you sense the same atmosphere of "God gave me a message for you" that I have sensed. Going in I thought Neale celebrated and recognized us all as Messengers; even the spoken intro by Ed Asner indicates there is no person or time more special than any Other (there's that word again) ...

Suddenly it seems that maybe Neale is the Messenger, and we should gather 'round to be given the truth about who we are... sp-o-o-o-o-kyyy....

Sounds like a journey of Other Awareness, Other Realization.

Which is cool - eventually one realizes it is Self, and there is no Other. Take the long way home...
I love the following quote. It was staring me in the face at a gallery last night where my friends blue stone sky performed. In hindsight it was like an omen for the email I would get today. I had posted the qupote at the Messenger's Circle last night. It was part of the "too much" for them... no kidding! ;0)

I have been struggling to clarify this idea that losing sight of Other is a good thing, One that frees Humanity's Grand Self to full expression. This nails it...

"and finally she came to a place
where the other no longer mattered.
where Grace lit up the room.
lighting her candle from that
sacred flame -
she went out to warm the world."

from Terri @ Bonesigh Arts

Dance In the Moment,

greg and alice

* Notably this Life assessment is in terms of a flawed past and anticipated grand future. This sort of Time based assessment is generally done under the able guidance of their guru who has shown them that there truly is only the Now moment. Yup.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Life is Bigger

"death of this physical life is actually the greatest thing that ever happens to us" (since we are being freed from this bondage of our physical body).

That's a quote from an arguably wonderful book called Conversations with God (CwG) by Neale Donald Walsch.

Physical Death is the greatest aspect of Physical Life, it seems to say.

THAT is an interesting statement, linguistically and conceptually.

Is CwG promoting yet another spiritually based idea that "Later" is the Goal, far superior to Now; that Physical Death is Far Superior to Physical Life...???

This would seem an interesting twist on what is purported to be the refreshingly new spiritual message of the CwG series, and its offshoot called The New Spirituality. This "new" spirituality indeed seems to have many direct parallels with, and apparent carryovers from, traditional religions and belief systems.

Indeed, even Jesus tried to show us that Death is preferable, didn't he? Not to be feared. Ugh! Did we miss his message again? Follow me, get dead.

Truthfully, given the opportunity to stick around and Live or accept Death on a cross, all accounts tell us Jesus did indeed choose Death. Hmmm....

What are we doing staying alive?

Was Jesus' message after all that Physical Death is Preferable to Physical Life - and has CwG provided insight into this stunning new truth?

We don't think so. It's deeper than that.

Dance In the Living Moment,

alice and greg

What Thinking's For

There is only The Self.

If you look out and see Other than Self, look again.

Spiritual folks seem to get hung up with this idea, afraid that it takes them into a highly egotistical realm of "this is about me, john doe, and nobody else".

Quite the opposite. It destroys the basis of the Relative Ego and opens the possibility for the Absolute Ego to be expressed and experienced.

The Grand Self manifests in every imaginable way, and in many we cannot imagine.

Knowing this, we look out and are aware of countless aspects of The Grand Self.

Our Self Awareness is also an aspect of The Grand Self, and we give it a name like alice or greg allen.

Deeply we know that all we are aware of is The Grand Self.

And then comes the question "So you think this is all you? You do not think that I am even here as a unique personality called jane doe? How egotistical of you."

And we say "You and I are one, jane doe. That much we know. But... Do we think you are Other than Us? Even though we know we are One, do we think that you are Other than alice and greg?"

"Of course we do. That's what thinking is for."

Up to Know Good

Wing.
It's written on your feet.
Your Achilles Heel is a tendency
To Dream.
You've known that from the beginning.
You didn't have to go so far.
You didn't have to go.**

**
The idea that we absolutely MUST experience really lousy stuff in order to know what "not lousy" stuff is, is a wonderful "alibi", a basis for all sorts of horrible human behaviors and excuses to justify them.

We find it interesting that spiritual leaders and their followers are convinced of and propagate this outdated and arguably harmful idea.

It is a human idea of Relativity, a Relative Idea of Relativity.

It is not an acceptable idea to us any longer, although we enjoyed that movie for years...

As manifestations of the Absolute, humans "know", and have been privileged with glimpses of "it all".

We know Love, or we would not long to return to it.

We are Love. (With the glorious ability to pretend we are not, and make excuses for it.)

Relativity is an Absolute concept, in which there are no "lousy" experiences.

Only Grand and Grander.

Dance In the Moment,

alice and greg

** lyrics from All the Way to Reno from REM's Reveal CD.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Pearls of alice

In the realm of the Absolute there is only Relative Up.

Grand and Grander.

so says alice...

Happy Celebration Season!

Friday, November 30, 2007

The Now Moment

Living in the now moment has little to do with time, believe it or not.

The Eternal Now Moment is not like a really long time - it is more like the absence of time.

It is more like "an awareness" within which time and space and etc "take place"...

Relative Ideas like past and future should not really be confused with Absolute Ideas like Now, or "living in the moment".

Absolute Ideas are, to me, best not discussed as though they have "opposing sides", or "either/or sides" - as though the past and present conflict with each other. (Remember, there are no conflicts in the Absolute...)

That being said, of course it is a wonderfully fun Relative Life Experience to learn more Now about our past lives, and we can even look into our future lives Now if we choose. It is not necessary, but certainly an option to place one's focus Now intently on past or future lives.

We wrote about the idea of Exchanging Gifts below, and this reminds us of that.

It is totally cool to Exchange Our Gifts of Time, Talent, Love and whatever else we perceive Life's Gifts to be for further knowledge of things we have already done, or may do one day.
In the same way it is fun to Exchange Our Gifts so we can explore a foreign language, or how to better pilot a racing motorcyle, or take "better" photos. Simply because one enjoys these things, and wishes to know and experience more about them.

All of these are things we do and experience in Relativity. That, to us, is Life!!

Robert Monroe wrote great books on out of body experience, and the direct, conscious exploration of past and future lives, and that "spirit family" concept you mention he also touches on. The Monroe Institute is near where we live, although we have never visited - but we have read many of his books and experienced a great deal of that which he discusses - great, great stuff, and wildly fun!

Finally, some Now find that their deepest most directly rewarding Relative Life Experience is to delve deeply into the Absolute Experience of the Eternal Now Moment.

This would be to focus our Now Gifts on the Now Moment of the Now Life. Not better, just another way.

This arguably, theoretically, merges the Relative and Absolute perspectives - the Relative is observing the Absolute, and the Absolute observing the Relative. Sort of "locking eyes with The One as one goes through the day".

Often some sort of transcendent thing is reportedly experienced.

Best regards,

Alice & Greg

Can the Law of Attraction Repel?

The Law of Attraction (L of A) is a hot topic these days. I frequent the Conversations with God web forum known as The Messenger’s Circle, and it is an extremely hot topic. It is also a well-misunderstood and sorely overanalyzed one.

First and foremost, the word Law is misunderstood. The Law of Attraction came after the fact. It does not determine how things are caused.

A Law such as the L of A simply clarifies a consistent observation. You do something over and over and get the same, describable result, and you can call it a Law. This is not a big deal, but it is a truth. As we know trees stayed put and apples did not fall into the sky long before Newton described the Law of Gravity. The Law is secondary to and subservient to the Observed.

Hence, the possibility for so many beautiful exceptions… ;^)

The idea of any Spiritual or Self-help principle is, for me at least, the experience of it. I understand the L of A to produce desirable results, and that is my experiential goal – the “right” results. Thus it strikes me as odd that the L of A has become such an incredible cause for discussion and concern over just “how” to actually “do it”. There is a great fear of “doing it” wrong and attracting undesirable results even as we repel the desirable ones. As though it were some big magnet that we could turn 'round the wrong way and pull the devil right into our living room.

There is an infinitely greater amount of talk about this fear, and how well justified it is, and how to avoid the "repulsive side" of this L of A.

It is worthy now to recall that the L of A is purported to be an Absolute Principle, a Universal Law. It should thus strike one as odd that it is then immediately considered to have Relative Opposites – “good” and “bad” results, and should thus be thoroughly understood prior to actually giving it a whirl.

Like dynamite, there are a great many books to read and movies to see and seminars to attend and classes to go thru and tests to take prior to actually messing with the stuff and blowing something up. L of A is like that – you could blow your Life up…

Sadly, this widely held idea is a harmful point of view that basically ignores the fact that Absolute Principles do not have Relative Opposites of any sort.

**

Keep the Principle Simple.

In Richard Bach’s wonderful short book Illusions, he is encouraged to attract something into his life, as he and the “Messiah” character Don Shimoda, are talking. “Keep it simple” says Shimoda. “Nothing fancy or too big at first.”

“Okay. A blue feather.”

Shimoda then evokes from Bach a brief but clear description of the blue feather being visualized, and they go on about their day. Soon enough the two are having coffee and the waitress sets down a creamer carton and there in the artwork is a blue feather, part of the milk company’s logo!

That’s L of A. Simple. I hear your argument – “Oh for crying out loud. He used that creamer fifty times and never noticed the silly feather. Then he noticed. So what?”

Precisely. Good point. One of two that are missed.

1) It IS that simple – the "blue feathers" - the things we desire to bring into our lives - are everywhere, we just do not notice them because we have claimed no commitment to bringing them into our lives - we have yet to state that they are of interest or concern to us. Until we state clearly that they are, perhaps they are not, Intentionally speaking? Hmmm…

This means that our “dream Life” is right there as well, every aspect of it everywhere. We just do not notice it because we have not stated clearly what our dream is; our vision.

If I ask you to jot down something about bringing a blue feather into your life, you would oblige me for it would take but a couple minutes. Yet I bet a nickel most of us could not in a few minutes even clearly summarize a well stated, well thought description of our “Perfect Life” – heck, how about even a day in our “Perfect Life”?

Could you do it? Have you done it? Is it in clear simple actionable terms of What It Is? (Not “What It Might Be”, or “What It Would Not Be”)

2) Describe and Document YOUR Vision. Your Statement simply must be made. In writing. In a format that allows Evolution through updating as you go; as needed.

Computer is nice for evolution, and can be printed and posted/reviewed. It can be well-honed by reading it aloud until it makes sense to you, and "speaks easily" from you…

a) be clear – razor-clear, electron micro-clear, Hubble-clear

b) remember that the basics, compounded, result in the “bigger experiences”

c) Come from the simple basics always, as you dream beyond grand!!

d) Come from the simple basics always, but do not confuse this with thinking small. Apply the basics to doing dishes as you do to your craft, and your caring for, and your loving, and your living... Baseball hitters practice the basics endlessly, moreso than hitting home runs. They know that home runs come from brilliant, consistent execution of the basics.

**

And now you ask “Alice, what are the simple basics?”

Indeed, these are something you can and perhaps "should" determine as you go – they will likely come to you as you write and read aloud and ponder that which you are Describing and Documenting. They are already there, waiting to be nudged.

We encourage you to begin by Describing and Documenting your “blue feather” – that small thing you are going to attract into your Awareness. Describe several of the feathers you dream about. Soon enough we can describe the birds, and how they fly, and where...

I hope you’ll share something here about your "blue feathers"!

Dance In the Moment,

alice & greg
**
Great Gift Idea!!

if you like what you read and want to support our efforts please visit CD Baby and buy tales of the uneasy writer with greg and alice's lyrics for living... thanks! new CD to be released March 15, 2008

Greg Allen Music

SongSharing

Rebellion of Thought – the movie

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Exchanging Gifts

Greetings,

I have been reflecting on the idea of Exchanging Gifts - the gifts we are given and bring to Life.

There are a variety of different "currencies", things or forms of value, that we spend a lifetime exchanging our gifts for.

Most of us focus on cash currency to a large degree, and vaguely dream that "everything" we do will have cash currency attached to it, and a great deal of it. Then we can exchange it perhaps for other forms of value that reward us in other ways.

As a musician, I have realized that the primary currency that motivates my musical and non-profit professional endeavors is what I now call Transcendent Experience Currency (tm). Musicians hope to have that experience where the self and other melt away and the One is experienced, lived. Musicians hang their heart and soul very plainly out there for the audience to do with as they will. So they tell me, and I know I do.

Clearly the primary motivator would seem to be rewarding Currency.

For the last dozen years I have put Transcendent Spiritual Currency as a necessary factor in all of my musical and SongSharing endeavors. I was doing it rather unaware, and the other day a musical friend showed me that I have come to be able to create musical situations where all of the elements necessary for the possibility of that experience are present, and the experience is there for the taking.

"That is valuable to musicians", he said.

Of course, all of us hang our souls out there - not just musicians or artists. Every single one of us. The message is - be sure to create situations where Soul Currency stands the best chance of being earned. If caring for pets, flowers, and/or human beings brings you deep Joy, gobs of Spiritual Currency, then do those things. Monetary Currency WILL follow.

That is my experience, and the possibilities are magnified and multiplied these days...

Dance In the Moment,

Greg Allen - and Alice!

Greg Allen Music

SongSharing

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Allowing Gratitude

There, I said it...

Today is the day to express Thanks to Your Self, first and foremost.

We woke up this morning wondering why humans are taught from day one to look up to people and ideas and accomplishments outside of themselves.

Why are we not taught to look up to ourselves, from day one? Why are we not busy writing letters to ourself from the time we learn to write?

Why are we taught to give our power away, and not empowered to give our love away?

"We will love you if you give your power away, young child."

Why not: "We will empower you to love, young child."

Eventually one day we figure out that this entire exercise is about us, in the broadest and most human sense.

Why not just begin with that understanding?

Today, give thanks to your self, for your self, and love your self!!

Dance In the Moment,

Alice & Greg

Sunday, November 18, 2007

The Idea of Absolute Truth




My copy of Rebellion of Thought arrived in Saturday's mail and I've been watching it today. It seems to me there have been some changes since the version I saw screened a year ago here in Charlottesville. Great film! I am thrilled to have Story of Our Lies, the included in the soundtrack. The soundtrack rocks - I am in some fine company. I'm not sure when the Soundtrack CD's will be available - they sent us advance copies for now.

The Rebellion of Thought DVD has the entire Soundtrack and all of the Artist Bios as one of the Special Features.

I've watched the pre-release version about 4 times, and in viewing Rebellion of Thought again I was struck this time around by the attitude of most of the "experts" in the film toward the idea of Absolute Truth. The term is tossed around quite a bit in the film. Most of the religious experts view Absolute Truth as an idea which has the polar possibility of an "Absolute False". The idea that there may be a God is either Absolutely True or Absolutely False.

As though Absolute means a Duality with a great deal of space between the Extremes, but no Continuum of Ideas within that Space. Along the way from Hot to Cold we find an abundance of warmer, warm, cool and cooler. There is no such continuum of ideas with respect to the Truth or Falseness of God. There is no partial truth about God or Not God. So goes the argument.

That seems odd. Anything with the possibility of a polar other, or opposite, is a Relative Thing, not an Absolute Thing. Even the filmmakers cite the idea that "We will all die" as an Absolute Truth. It is not. The fact that all humans will ultimately stop being human is a Relative Truth. We will be dead humans compared to living humans. Even Christians acknowledge the continuation of the conscious life of the spirit, albeit in the continuing Relative Imagery of "heaven" as opposed to "hell".

The idea of an Absolute Truth having the possibility of a polar "other" is odd to me. It misses the point entirely I am certain.

The concept of Absolute is not "part of" the concept of Relativity. Nor is it "other than".

The concept of Absolute Anything is a concept that has no other side; no relative other.

It just IS, and is accepted as such in polightened** company.

One cannot say what The Absolute IS. One can however refer to The Absolute by saying what it is not, or what it is like.

And one can know The Absolute, up close and personal, for it's simply and gloriously the "Christ" within***, to use one reference point. The knowing within that manifests Relative Truths like The Golden Rule. It's what theologians should mean when they talk about "accepting Christ" personally, but mostly it is not.

An Absolute Truth would be more along the lines of "all humans and the planet and universe originated in the same creative moment that continues to unfold". No matter what your creation story, there is "no other side" to this simple obvious truth.

The Absolute Truth, sadly for the religious experts is indeed One's Own Truth. It is indeed that simple, that glorious, and that scary if one has no faith in the Creation Story they claim, and perhaps even their Awakening - or Evolution - Story.

***

The other odd manifestation of the experts' misunderstanding of Absolute and Relative showed up in their claim that "Relativism" is when each of us has our own truth. When we put Truth into God's Realm they claim, then we will know Absolute Truth.

Flat backwards.

Placing God in a position of "Other Than" man is the very (obvious) basis of Relativism, at least Spiritual Relativism, which is what we are on about here. This view states that God created us, we are separate, God has the truth and we do not. Yet.

When each of us possesses the Truth of God within ourselves, we are instantly United with God, Unified - the very basis of Absolutism. No Other Side. No Other Source.

I Am. It.

Of course this scares the crap out of theologians...

The brothers Williamson on the other hand seem to be getting it. They are asking some crazy good questions. The experts seemed to miss the point, which I think is the film's point. That's my analysis so far anyway... ;^)

More importantly, the brothers Williamson seem to be living their questions!! That is impressive, promising and radically threatening to the church structure. The idea of living the questions is one I highly recommend. (The idea is presented in the song Grasshopper on my upcoming CD It's Time That Time Was Overthrown.)

The Rebellion of Thought DVD has great special features, with over an hour of unedited interviews from many folks in the film - stuff that got cut from the final mix, but rounds out many of the perspectives very nicely.

Check It Out!

available at Amazon dot com and Barnes and Noble dot com and others...

website: Rebellion of Thought

Dance In the Moment,

Greg Allen

footnotes:

*The Absolute can indeed be seen as a Duality with No Continuum between the Extremes; however there is No Continuum because there is No Space between the Extremes; for they have merged into The Absolute...

**Polightened = Polite Enlightened (copyright me 2007)

***Hint: Not the Jesus within...

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Rebellion of Thought


The movie Rebellion of Thought has been released today on DVD.

It's a great movie about faith and the role of the church in post-modern times.

I'm thrilled to be a small part of the moivie, having my song "Story of Our Lies" included in the soundtrack.

It's a great movie to share with friends, discussion groups, churches, etc.

www.RebellionofThought.com

Acceptance and Apathy

I told my friend I accepted the world the way it is, and they said "How can you say that? There is so much that needs to be fixed in our world."

So I said to my friend...

You know what - in a beautifully dreamy sense something truly does "need" to happen in our world. But it is a "waking up" that needs to happen. That is what many of us dream, and have been dreaming all along. It is why we came. It is the dream we brought with us.

I can totally relate to that strong "need to wake them up" tug inside my heart.

But remember, the world may be asleep, but it is not broken. It needs not fixed.

Once Awake, it is gloriously mine to do my part of the gentle waking up, and ALLOW the rest of the waking up to happen.

It is mine to ACCEPT that God is not slacking off; indeed, once I awaken I know God has never ever been slacking! And it is mine to enjoy God's work as I do mine and whenever I rest from mine.

Rest is acceptable, and perhaps even more crucial when doing God-work.

Remember in CwG?**: "Your soul's purpose is to wake you up. God's purpose is to wake everyone else up."

In that sense, you and I are NOT God - we do NOT have to wake everyone else up.

Primarily ourselves. Once Awake, we do not (it is unthinkable in the most beautiful sense) just say "Hey this is cool - thanks Soul. Hey, keep up the good work God" and then be all lazy and not help wake folks up.

Waking our friends up IS big in the dream. It IS the dream perhaps.

Once Awake, we know our role and how we interact and co-create with God; that we are to lighten up on ourselves, and in so doing, lighten up the path for others. The beacon unto others idea.

Don't you see? Going into the holidays with any sort of "dragging down" idea about the world is counterproductive to God's work, and ignores the very sacrifice Jesus made. It is counterproductive to the co-creation of the Holiday Spirit!!

It ignores and minimizes the spot that awaits each of us "basking in the glow of the AWARENESS of our part of God's work."

Basking in that glow, one still empathizes with the needy and have-nots, but it is all good. Every time I "check with God", it is all good as it is, and even better that we are working together to wake others up.

Even those who want to keep napping.

Enjoy the day folks - enjoy the holidays, whatever you call them.

Enjoy, for your own sake.

Greg



**CwG refers to one of Neale Donald Walsch's books called Conversations with God - Neale has a wonderful series of books that I highly recommend.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Where Does the Time Come From?

Today is the first day of my next 50 years. It's kind of strange thinking that I have been around for a half-century.

Wonderful family, wonderful friends, wonderful dogs and cats, and a wonderful life filled with wonderul opportunities.

I am grateful for all.

http://graspingatlaws.net/music-13.html

So much to share... Time to keep beginning.

Dance In the Moment,

Greg

Friday, November 2, 2007

Zoe Mulford

Last night Zoe Mulford, a wonderful singer-songwriter from Manchester, UK performed at The Colonnades for a group of seniors in Assisted Living. It was magical.

Zoe plays banjo and guitar, presenting her songs with a wonderfully rich voice. She is from the States, but living in the UK now. During this tour she is traveling with her mother acting as manager-roadie, keeping them straight on where and when to be.

We spent a good 45 minutes after the show talking to the seniors. Zoe was so very gracious, patient and warm. She gave every minute that those folks requested of her. Listening, Smiling, Laughing.

We went to dinner afterwards and I once again learned what an incredible experience this is for seasoned musicians. Zoe and her mom could not stop talking about what a wonderful group it was, and how it seemed to have been Zoe's best performance of this tour! They asked about SongSharing and my motivation, and experiences I'd had, and that sort of thing. I recall telling them that I finally understood why these performances mean so much to me, and why I think they instantly struck folks like Zoe. I said something along the lines of "It's because people are a Gift to US. We are not doing them a favor with our music and our sharing. They are Our Favor! They are an opportunity for us to share The Gift of Love that we know we have been Gifted. And the Sharing is the most powerful Experience of that very Love. I've discovered that this is THE simple thing that Life is about."

We agreed that this was akin to Life's Simple Secret, and then Zoe gave me a copy of her wonderful CD called Roadside Saints. I gave her a copy of my soon-to-be-released CD, and SongSharing's Studio Series CD.

Merrily Merrily Merrily Merrily
Life is but a Dream...

Dance In the Moment,

Greg

www.zoemulford.com - and you can listen to some songs at www.myspace.com/zoemulford (I really like "Nobody Knocking" and "Elegy: Crystal Glasses")

Thursday, November 1, 2007

The Gift Identity

I Am The Gift.

The Gift is Infinite, Eternal, Absolute Love. - Love with No Other Side.

Keep It Simple.

Know that You Are The Gift, and that The Gift is Absolute Love.

Absolute Love is Eternal, Infinite.

An Awakened Life is about Living the Gift, Being the Gift, Giving the Gift in one's own unique way.

One Thus Has the Opportunity to Live Life as The Gift That Keeps On Giving, in a multitude of wonderful ways.

***

The Gift is Love.

I Am Love.

Expressed In the Manner I Choose.

A Unique Individuation of Absolute Love.

Keep It Simple.

The Gift is Love.

The How is Up to Me.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The Teachings of Jon

Wow - if you have not seen this film, I highly recommend it. I watched it last night on PBS here in Central Va.

I am going to share some links that just knocked me out - the Greeting and Christmas Cards they have available from their Jon website.

http://www.teachingsofjon.com/img/greeting_cards_large.jpg

http://www.teachingsofjon.com/img/christmas_cards_large.jpg

and of course their website

http://www.teachingsofjon.com/

Stunning.

We Are Our Own Saviors

There is a wonderful email story going around about a lady's encounter with homeless folks at a restaurant. For me it is a simple reminder that there are Such Opportunities as This every day.

It is the most incredible experience to Just Do something like this. It's easy to take $5 or $10 or $20 and put it in a special place in one's wallet - always have it handy. And to Declare That It is Intended specifically for an Opportunity such as this. The Opportunity can show up so fast we might miss the first one. But there'll be more if we do - not to worry.

The lady states to the homeless folks she buys breakfast for, when they Thank her, "I did not do this for you. God* is here working through me to give you hope."

Oh My God is that powerful. I tried to speak it last night, imagining I had actually said it to someone that I had actually helped in a similar situation. I could hardly speak it for the tears and the shaking. I am going to work on being able to say something along those lines.

I can hear some folks saying "Oh, how arrogant". It is rather bold in one sense to say "Yo. God chose me to work through and Give you Hope."

But when God in Neale Donald Walsch's Conversations with God books asks "Are You ready to declare YourSelf a man of God?", this is the very context in which I take the question. Are You ready to live every moment like this lady just did, ready to act and "explain" yourself from the deepest truth you know? That is exactly what she did with her act of Love and when she made that statement from a place of her deepest - and oh so beautiful - truth.

My deepest truth is that God is working through both myself and the homeless folks in that story. (I think she knows this, and just did not word it thus - I am not saying I am better. O'tay? :^)

So I might try to say it more like "God is here working through Us. We are Our Own Saviors; You are Mine, and I Am Yours. Our Relationship In this Beautiful Moment Is Also Our Opportunity To Allow Absolute Love to Shine Into This Place, and Thus Into This World. Bless You, and Thank You."

Or something...

How wonderful I will feel having spoken such a Truth - in a fast food restaurant no less...

***

This is what I refer to when I say it is so very important to Conceive and State Very Clearly One Simple Thing. Who I Am.

Perhaps many people look at homeless and think "Who I Am Not". It is then easy to step away from those things when they come close to us. This is true about Life in general. The easiest thing to do is to point, point, point at and talk, talk, talk about all the things I Am Not. There's a lifetime worth of them to say no to.

But pinning down that One Grand Thing - The Gift.

Stating it clearly, humbly, and In Every Living Moment.

That's Big. Like quitting smoking, or dieting - only bigger - You feel like You ought to Live Up to It if you're gonna state it. And that is frightening for some reason.

I have known my Gift since childhood. I could tell you stories of why I am only claiming, stating and Living It now. But I won't. They are stories. Memories. Now is Now.

God is at work through Us, dear Friends. We are Our Own Saviors; You are Mine, and I Am Yours. Our Relationships In Every Beautiful Moment Are Also Our Ongoing Opportunities To Allow Absolute Love to Shine Into This Place, and Thus Into This World.

Let's Together Give Ourselves Away**.

Peace, and Thank You, and Dance In the Moment,

Greg

* Atheists, as always in my posts, can begin now to substitute the phrase "Big Bang" for the word God. Perspective.

**closing line from my song Story of Our Lies, the

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Faith: Showing What You Know/Don't Know

welcome to the first post in awhile - I plan to post here more frequently as I develop various writing themes. I welcome your comments and feedback, and especially your questions.
I'll expand on ideas such as the Absolute Studio in other posts very soon.
Dance In the Moment,
Greg Allen
**
Faith is Living One's Life as The Announcement of What One Knows That One Will One Day Know..

A Self-Aware Creator in God's Absolute Studio is a gift to the world.

To declare One's Self as A Creator In God's Absolute Studio is simply to announce the Deeply Known Truth.

Faith is the attitude that allows One to Announce and State The Vision of their Creator Role even prior to their Understanding It, or "Feeling It". Indeed I have come to know This Very Understanding/Experience to be an Evolution, a Process to be Enjoyed throughout My Life.

It does not just happen, and then You go on. It happens, then You and It go on. ;^)

In a Very Real Sense, Life Itself is simply and profoundly The Evolution of The Knowing.

Faith Unfolding Into Knowing is Faith In Action - it's a Life Well Lived and Loved, even before you knew you could do it. Even before it felt acceptable to you.

Eventually the Acceptance, the Knowing, Comes, in an Experience or Moment commonly termed "Enlightenement". Again, this is truly a process, a series of "moments". The beginning of a lifetime of them, strung closer and closer together...

The Noble Experiment is to put Aside Human Hope and Announce Absolute Faith.

The Noble Statement is the Clear Announcement of One's Vision, One's Gift, One's Purpose

The Noble Moment is Every Moment in Which The Stated Vision is Lived, The Stated Gift Given, The Purpose Brought To Life; regardless of the Degree to which One Feels They Know The Truth.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

What Time Is and Isn't...

- Time is not money, time is love - caring enough to create time for others, and time is our creation.

- Time is an illusion, an element of the separation game. We believe there is distance between us and create space and time to traverse it.

It's always now.

Past and future are thus then-now: reflections of then, now.

Einstien knew this, and showed it to me.