Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Life. Always Getting in the Way of Sleep....

Alice said it this way the other day, observing my grumpiness when something interrupted an afternoon nap.

Life is like this Gregory. Always interfering with somebody's desire to sleep right thru their Dream of a LifeTime.
She pointed out that, according to the stories our culture tells about Life, it is a Gift, and an Opportunity to come to know OneSelf. An Opportunity to Awaken into the Expression and Experience of our Dreams.
And for some silly reason, Gregory, you often get quite irritated when Life comes to play, and calls for you, Here Now.
She mentioned someone that had called into Oprah the other day, singing the blues about their situation, and how the recession was getting to them. She said Oprah had asked something like "Can you breathe without the aid of a machine?"
The point being Gratitude of course.
Alice suggested when I wake up - whether on my own or by virtue of perceived interruption - that I Express my Gratitude for something.
Some things. Every Time I wake up: Express Thanks. Sincere Gratitude. Feel it.
This is the easiest task I've ever had...
Best of Now, always,
Greg and Alice the Canine Messiah

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Was or Is?

When Neale Donald Walsch posted Candy Chand's "Christ Was Love" story at beliefnet this past month we were right away struck by the fact that he was promoting a story in which the supposed-to-be-heartwarming-message is that Christ WAS Love.

Was. Used to be. Not any more, man.

And this of course makes sense, for so many Christians have the idea that the term Christ refers to one historical figure. This is the basic idea to which they cling and fall back upon when the going gets tough.

Christ WAS love, and in the future, when we finally get away from This wretched Here Now, Christ WILL BE Love.

But Not Now. Not Here Now. Come on...

**

We wonder what ever happened to the idea of the Christ within each of us? The idea of Christ as a basic "spirit", accessible to us all in any and every Given moment of a LifeTime.

Given moment. Notice this. Gift. The Time of One's Life is a Gift. You knew this.

So, what ever happened to the idea that Christ Is Love, Here Now, in the Opportunity of an apparent Problem?

**

Yes, we noticed when Mr. Walsch got all warm and fuzzy about a story saying Christ WAS Love.

Y'know, Mr. Walsch and Ms. Chand, the Spirit of Christ IS Love.

The Spirit of Christ available to you and each of us Here Now is Understanding as well. Compassion, a Peaceful Approach.

(This Peace is based in a Peace that passes all understanding mind you, so don't look for human explanations that will allow the Golden Rule to, um, rule. This is where Faith comes in. Faith that is not underscored by doubt and fear, this is. Absoulute Faith.)

And the Spirit of Christ is Kindness, dear fellow writers.

The Spirit of Christ Listens, Smiles, and Blesses God's Fellow Children. The Spirit of Christ does not judge and insist upon righteous punishment.

The Spirit of Christ has little concern for the effect another can have on one's "credibility" among mortals.

Oh, ye of relative Faith... ;^)

Best of Now, always,

Greg and Alice the Canine Messiah

http://www.gregallenmusic.net/

www.cdbaby.com/cd/gregallenmusic2

The Thing About the "Spiritual" Thing

I've taken a little - not much - flack for my stance on the Neale Donald Walsch situation, with some folks pointing out how "serious" this all is.

Apparently Ms. Chand - whom the NY Times labels "a Christian writer" - feels some very important principle has been violated. She feels that even though Mr. Walsch did not gain in any direct financial sense, he has cast a pall on writers everywhere, and somehow jeopardized the trust a reader might place in a writer.
As though Ms. Chand's credibility is somehow dependent upon Neale Walsch, she said "How many people have heard him telling people that it’s his own?” she said. “There goes my credibility again." (We won't even ask why she threw in the word "again"...)

We won't argue for or against the probability of Mr. Walsch having this sort of power over Ms. Chand - who does not even seem to have her own website, based on a Google search.
But we'll observe... that always, always, always, the religious and spiritual people have a tendency to identify and evoke principles that are higher than, and thus must supercede, The Golden Rule.

This is only possible of course when One holds a basic view of the world of Humans as being separate from the "world of God", or "spiritual world".

It's only possible for people that begin by seeing Division. You know, Divided We Fall. That sort of thing.
I got a chuckle yesterday when I had the sense that people are busy spanking and scolding their fellow beings because they are afraid that Later, when they are all dead, their fellow beings will not "be there for them" - they will not have qualified for entry into "the Good Thing".
The fact that they are Here, Now, in Time, Here to Celebrate Life, to Express and Experience what we know of this "Higher Love" can rather go hang, to these people.
For Life you see, is about Later. And That. Over There.
Sad-funny...
**

Again we offer Alice's evolution of the Golden Rule, a clearly tired Other-Dependent Rule based in and dependent upon Other and the challenges they bring to our sense of right and wrong.

From Digging the Whole: the Canine Book of Play* Alice offers
An Absoulute Attitude: I Am with My Fellow Beings As I Am with MySelf.
**
It's clearly Self-Reliant. We like this aspect very much.
For Here Is Only The Self. Here Is No Other.
Best of Now, always,
Greg and Alice the Canine Messiah
*Digging the Whole, & An Absoulute Attitude are copyright Greg Allen 2008/2009
All Rights Reserved

Friday, January 9, 2009

Neale Donald Walsch and Opportunity

We sent this to Neale via the "contact form" on his CWG website a little while ago, in support. The so-called "spiritual community" never ceases to amaze us...

**

Neale,

So very sorry to hear of the turmoil, and particularly sorry if this is causing you any personal suffering.

It's odd to us, though, in a "This Here Now" sort of sense that there is so little room for forgiveness of one's "humanity at the human level" by a Christian author and a website called "beliefnet". Of course we understand the "earthly" gravity of what has occurred, and how it can be construed, but it seems that such a perfect "heavenly" Opportunity has been missed. By the "heaven" people...

The Opportunity to walk the talk. To Forgive in Real-Time, at the Speed of Life. The "What Would Jesus Do" sort of Opportunity.

Life is actually sort of like one had been sitting round chatting with God and God asked "What would Heaven be like, in your version of it?" And One began to respond with all the things that Others would and would not do in Heaven, and of course we all have scads to say if asked about this one...

But God raised a finger and smiled, and said "No. Show me."

And suddenly you find YourSelf Here Now, and we are all waking up in Time with our Fellow Beings...

For sure Neale, we hope that you have utilized the CWG principles your books showed us to forgive yourself quickly and proceed from Self-forgiveness as you move through this Experience.
We appreciate all you have brought to the world Neale, and we hope you will see nothing but Opportunity, as one door closes...

Best of Now, always,


Alice the Canine Messiah and Greg Allen

http://www.gregallenmusic.net/

http://www.timeoverthrown.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Funny Thing About Psychics

In the wake of the local radio show fiasco we mentioned over the weekend Alice and I went to the local psychic who was on the show Sunday, for an Animal Communication Consultation. $50.

I admit, I initially signed us up with a bit of an attitude, and in hindsight am glad I did. It seems fair to try to get some sort of gauge of what is going on with the radio thing. I figured a visit to the psychic that is of such high "community interest" that he has on on the show 3 or so times a year would help me get some perspective. It's long been a bit perplexing to me that the Audience Inclusion effort born in C'ville is of no interest to the community radio station. So...

By the time we got there I was well past my sense of frustration, and was truly looking forward to hearing what a psychic would say, firsthand, about a canine messiah. $50 seems fair, to me. I hoped the show host had not tipped her off to the canine messiah thing after I called in...

Also by the time we got there we had been laughed at and called crazy by some friends. Oh well. Expected.

And then not long afterward I told a "spiritual" sort of friend about it. It didn't go over well, although the friend was gracious.

The concensus among all of the detractors is basically that (a) I already knew what the psychic "revealed" to me about Alice and, (b) she simply told me things I "needed to hear" and, (c)they could have told me the same things.

I've been pondering this, and I realized that indeed, she did tell me things I already felt pretty confident of. And yes indeed, in a sense I did need to hear them.

I needed to hear them because I don't, often enough. Perhaps my friends could have told me these things. But they haven't. They don't.

I gotta work on that, from the Giving end. I realize it is a reflection...

Yup, it was worth it.

Every penny!

**

Best of Now, always,

Greg and Alice the Canine Messiah

101 Spiritualists in Support of The Now Exspirientuality

Wow.

The other night we had some new folks show up at The Now Exspirientuality gathering at Not the Same Old Grind in Orange. One of them mentioned Mike Dooley and his website. Mike was in The Secret. Impressive guy. I looked around his site, and it's impressive.

I signed up for his Notes from the Universe. Oh my...

The first one came this morning. Apparently The Universe is very concerned with other people, what will come later, and - get this - gloating! Here's what Mike's Universe sent me:


It's the exact same for me, Greg. My love goes unreturned, I feel completely unappreciated, or some clown starts telling me what's wrong with the world (my world!). And so, I have to remind myself that I am the Universe, that this is an adventure, and that one day they will come to know the errors in their thinking. And, not that it matters at all, but I secretly hope that on that day I just happen to be carried past them, sitting in my processional throne, followed by throngs of admirers, with all the Angels singing, "We are the champions, my friends..."

**

Now honestly I had never said that I felt my love goes unreturned, and I did not say that I felt completely unappreciated, so I am not sure where the "exact same for me" thing comes from as an opener.

And honestly I don't find myself needing to remind myself of all of "Their" flaws in thinking.

And for sure I had no idea the Universe - or Mike, or Mike's Universe... - is poised, ready to gloat when the appointed day comes and all of "Them" experience Their "error" by virtue of My Rightness, as I am paraded around on a processional throne (did he really say that??) with throngs of followers.

Um, that's pretty ill Mike. You can hang on to your Universe's ideas.

I know I am not the only one struck by the resemblance to certain popular religious ideas.

Uh, Mike. Huh? Do you know what is being sent out here?

Mike Dooley hosts a website that is underscored by the message that "thoughts become things". What a sad consideration - that the sort of thoughts he sent me this morning might actually become realities in my Life.

I have no need nor desire to fashion my sense of who I Am and how my Life shall proceed based on an attitude of complaining about my Now and longing to gloat in my Later.

I just don't get these spiritual gurus.

Except when I recall what Alan Watts said - that a guru simply picks your pocket and sells you back your own watch.

**

These are the sort of spiritual messages that affirm my decision to immerse myself fully in Joyful recognition of The Now Exspirientuality.

Like Time Overthrown, it is not really a movement, it is a stillness. Or, as Alice says, It's a stillness-movement.

This morning we had to rewind a few times and listen to Michael Stipe sing to this idea in the song Low, from the Out of Time CD, "Moving through the still frame. How, we do not know."

Alice and I have no desire to pick anyone's pocket and sell them back their watch. We are however more than happy to share Now ideas about how Time really works, and what Time is really for...

**

Best of Now, always,

Greg and Alice the Canine Messiah

Sunday, January 4, 2009

The Importance of What I Do

Greetings,

It's been an eye-opening morning! I love these...

I've been emailing with the host of a local community radio show for the last few days, and I am reminded that not everyone thinks that what I advocate is important in a community sense. The Audience Inclusion thing I mean.

Most of you know that Audience Inclusion means that I encourage acoustic musicians to go beyond traditional public venues and perform at what I call Community Venues. These are senior homes, nursing homes, hospitals and facilities for developmentally disabled children and adults.

The radio show host does not know this, although the program has existed in his community for many years - informally since 1995, formally since 1998. The radio show host thinks the program is about Greg Allen and his music. The radio show host thinks that I want to pledge $100 to his station so that I can get on air and promote my latest CD.

Of course the CD will be promoted. I understand this, and even find it desirable. It's rather how media works in our society. I was born yesterday, in the dark, but it was 51 years ago, give or take...

The CD stands for some very important things that I stand for, and have dedicated my Life and my art to. The songs on the CD, and the overall concept, speak directly to some very important ideas for our Times.

Ultimately though the CD itself has little to do with why I offered to sponsor a show about Life's Community topics on a "community" radio station (note: they call themselves "community", I don't... I rather think it alludes more to the fact that twice a year the community donates money to keep them on air.)

I originally offered to sponsor the show because the community radio station has steadfastly ignored any truth about the SongSharing effort since it's inception. They have steadfastly ignored every opportunity to look into what wedo, and every invitation to attend a performance or special event. They waited nearly a year to preview our organization's first CD, which features many local musicians, and was a direct fundraiser for our non-profit. They ignored and refused to support our 2007 RadioSharing effort, designed to help sell the SongSharing CD by donating profits to them. They never acknowledged the monetary gift that we raised for them in this effort.

**

And so I am reminded that perhaps I should wonder about the value of what I do.

Or... perhaps I should wonder why I get tricked into thinking that I want to support efforts such as theirs, while distracting myself from my vision.

**


Yes, Gregory, you should wonder about how you value what you do.
You should value it more highly than to think that you need to pay these people to take interest in this very Now musical idea. The need to pay them, and to be required to spell out for them precisely what might be interesting about it, says something about their idea of "community", not yours... It speaks to their values, not yours.
Let's get back on the road.


**


We wish you peace, and the Best of Now, always,

Greg and Alice the Canine Messiah
**
UPDATE: That Was Funny
So I have been typing this blog and missing this week's edition of the particular "community interest" show. About 45 minutes into it I began paying attention. The guest is a local spiritual growth psychic who is on the show several times a year! The topic seemed to be sort of personal, as callers were asking for personal advice and the guest was giving it to them - like on-air readings maybe. ?? I don't know, as I said.
But the jist of the show was growth for 2009, and so I called in. By coincidence I was the final question of the show.
I asked: I am curious what you might say about sharing one’s Time and Talent and the role this sort of might play in spirits evolving – even the community spirit perhaps?
Well of course she loved the question and jumped all over the importance of sharing one's self and one's Time and Talents, and the community strengthening connection. She has no idea who I am, or what I do - but I am pretty sure the host knew who I was. I meant to make up a name, but the truth came blurting out... ;^)
She even went so far as to put forth the idea of a sense of duty - that we really "should" get involved beyond ourselves and our little self-ish world.
She said all of the things that SongSharing, and Audience Inclusion, and Time Overthrown stand for - and have stood for over a decade. And Greg Allen, and Alice.
It was kind of funny too, that Alice barked when I was asking the question, and so I had to repeat it. The host mentioned the dog bark when he asked me to repeat it...
It's funny because he had been asking in emails about Alice's "studio manners" when we were considering a show. I had warned him that she likes to speak every now and again. Today she was saying "Hi!"...
**
Peace y'all...