Jim Palmer's Blog, page 76

St. Paddy’s Day, Luck and Leprechauns in My Head

St. Patrick’s Day is the national holiday of Ireland, which celebrates Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland. In the United States, the day is widely celebrated. The Chicago River is dyed green, and there’s the well-known parade in Boston, the longest-running Saint Patrick’s Day celebration in the U.S. Many people will celebrate by wearing green, the color most widely associated with Ireland.

A popular symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day is the leprechaun. In Irish mythology, a leprechaun is a type of male fairy. Along with hiding pots of gold at the end of rainbows, leprechauns are said to bring good luck. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish mascot is a leprechaun.

So with St. Paddy’s Day here and thoughts of leprechauns in my head, I got to thinking about luck. What is luck? Does it really exist? We’re all aware of “good luck charms” like a rabbit’s foot, necklace or four-leaf clover, which are said to bring good fortune. Some people have a “lucky number” or a “lucky dress.” We’ve heard phrases like, “It’s better to be lucky than smart.” Is Friday the 13th really an unlucky day? If a black cat crosses your path or you open an umbrella inside your house, will that bring bad luck? If you find a horseshoe or a penny heads up, will this bring good luck? Is any of this stuff for real? What’s the deal with luck?

“Luck” is defined as “an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another.” Luck refers to that which happens to a person beyond their control. If something happens to your advantage, it’s “good luck.” If it results in something negative, it’s “bad luck.”

Science does not support the concept of “luck,” and instead says “luck is probability taken personally.” In other words, science holds that everything that happens to you is simply a matter of numerical odds. A brick falling on a person walking is not a function of that person’s “luck,” but is instead the result of a collection of explainable occurrences. Statistically, every person walking near the building was just as likely to have the brick fall on them. Anything can happen to anybody, but when it happens to you, an added significance is applied and you seek some explanation for it or apply some concept to it, like luck.

The concept of luck relates to circumstances. People hope for “good luck,” which implies something positive happening, and fear “bad luck,” which is equated with some unfortunate occurrence. The entire mentality is based on the fallacy that our well-being is contingent upon our circumstances.

Christians sometimes share in this fallacy by living as if their peace, security, identity, worth, identity, purpose, contentment and fulfillment are determined by circumstances. The value of God is seen in God’s ability to influence life’s situations for the good or offer protection from adversity or misfortune. One of the most common forms of prayer is asking God to intervene and change our circumstances. We often equate God’s “blessing” with “things going our way.”

Jesus continuously pressed people to see that the source of their deepest desires was not outside themselves but inside them. Jesus announced that God’s kingdom had come. Listening bystanders began looking around befuddled. Jesus said they needed to look inside themselves to find this kingdom. Jesus also taught that we could experience His Spirit alive inside us. Paul discovered that this kingdom and divine presence within him was the secret to his contentment. He wrote in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Pretty impressive for a guy who often seemed “down on his luck”―imprisoned, beaten, hungry, and shipwrecked…three times!

In our human view, circumstances are classified as either “good” or “bad,” but this view falls short of the truth. Every circumstance carries a seed of divine potential because God is always at work, producing love, freedom, compassion, peace, and perseverance inside of us. The raw materials of human existence are what God uses to transform us. Opportunities to love enemies transform us into people of love. Opportunities to face our fears help us grow in true peace and freedom. The disappointments and adversities of life are opportunities to break our dependencies and return to the true source of our well-being.

Genesis 50:20 reads, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” In other words, the worst of circumstances pose no real threat to your well-being―God’s good purpose is not thwarted and God’s kingdom within you is not diminished. Even the worst case scenario, death, is merely a doorway to a continuing reality with God. Jesus’ resurrection called the bluff of death and showed it to be powerless.

Let’s say this week something unusual and unexpected happens in your life that really messes things up for you. “Luck” would say you were the victim of forces outside your control. Onlookers might offer sympathy, recognizing how unfortunate your circumstances are and the misfortune they caused. Inside you’re thinking, “Why me? This sucks!”

Stop! Turn it over in your mind. You’re not a victim of bad luck; you have an opportunity to grow in the love, peace, freedom, and fulfillment God desires for you. Turn within yourself to the kingdom of God and the Spirit of Christ who supplies abundantly for your every spiritual need. Rather than approach your circumstance with anger, stress, resentment, and fear, instead allow yourself to receive and be that love, peace, and freedom in the midst of it.

Remember spoon boy from The Matrix?

Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.

Neo: What truth?

Spoon boy: There is no spoon.

Neo: There is no spoon?

Spoon boy: Then you’ll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

Look at it this way:

Jesus: Do not associate your well-being with luck. Instead…only try and realize the truth.

You: What truth?

Jesus: There is no luck.

You: There is no luck?

Jesus: Then you’ll see, that it is not luck that determines your well-being, it is the kingdom of God within you.

Truth be told, people overstate the connection between leprechauns and luck with Ireland and Saint Patrick’s Day. Despite the many trials associated with Ireland, historically the Irish are known for being deeply spiritual people, preferring silence and solitude, and holding a great appreciation for ordinary life. They found a deep and abiding peace in the midst of turbulent times, which is expressed in this Celtic Benediction:

Deep peace of the Running Wave to you

Deep peace of the Flowing Air to you

Deep peace of the Quiet Earth to you

Deep peace of the Shining Stars to you

Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you

(Image by PoisenedYouth / deviantart.com)

 

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT BY JIM PALMER

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT BY JIM PALMER

~ You are a good, beautiful, extraordinary, and powerful human being.

~ You may not currently be able to see or believe this about yourself.

~ This is likely because your worth and value was distorted or diminished by the people or influences you most trusted – parents, religion, spouse, significant others, prejudice.

~ What you learned about yourself in those instances is not the truth.

~ There is no other person who is good, beautiful, extraordinary and powerful in the particular way you are.

~ By you not seeing, believing, embracing and expressing all of who you, a great void and absence is experienced in the world.

~ Who you are is God’s gift to you.

~ Who you are is your gift to the world.

~ There is nothing wrong with you.

~ You are not bad or defective

~ You are as God created you – whole and complete.

~ You are worthy and deserving of love and acceptance just the way you are.

~ You have a certain brilliance and magnificence to who you are, and if I spent ten minutes with you I could point it out along with several other things that are right and good and beautiful about you.

~ Personal growth, making mistakes, and the time and experiences involved in becoming all of who we are does not diminish any of the above.

~ Is the caterpillar bad because it has not yet come into it’s full expression as a butterfly?

~ This is the truth about who you are, and knowing this truth will set you free.

 

So, I’ve been pondering.

So, I’ve been pondering.

Ancient religions thinking (which still exists today) thought of God as an earthly monarch seated on his throne with people going in and out of his presence in fear and trembling. They thought of humans relating to God as a vertical authority – Master over servant, Ruler over subject, Strong over the weak.

But if Jesus was really like God as Hebrews says, we see a totally different reality – a supremely human God. The people who came under the influence of Jesus were moved to believe in a God who was with them, in them and for them, to heal, forgive and inspire them to face life with new hope and courage. Corrupt tax collectors, callous Roman soldiers, marginalized prostitutes, outcast lepers, all were made to feel that God was their accepting, loving friend.

What if being human is inherently supernatural… or divine… or God-like?

The scriptures say that God is the source of our being. If God is spirit, we know that God cannot be contained by the limitations of our physical body. But what about our humanity (contents) that fills our physical body (container)? God must be the source of our humanity, for what else could it mean that God is the source of our being?

It follows then that God must be supremely human. God must have consciousness like us, only supremely more. God must be free like us, only supremely more. God must be loving as we are, only supremely more. He must be committed to on-the-same-level (non-vertical, non-coercive) relationships like we are, only supremely more.

Supremely human means that God is not only the source of our humanity, but that God is more human than we are. God is more loving, compassionate, kind, caring, just or anything else we recognize as being human. God is more sensitive to our rights to be free and human than we could possibly imagine. There is no imposed authority, no encroachment of our individuality, no interfering with our rights to make decisions even if they be wrong ones. Won’t God be the first to respect his image and likeness in us?

If God is supremely human, what does being supremely human look like? Answer -> Jesus. Jesus clearly taught that the presence and potential of his reality/kingdom and way of being in the world was also inside of us. I think this might be the key to his statement, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

We sometimes think that God rejects us because we are human. But if this is so God would be rejecting himself. It is true that we, to whatever degree, fall short of the kind of humanity God is, and that Jesus expressed in a physical body in the physical world. But becoming all of who we are is a journey for everyone. The scriptures even said of Jesus, “And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people.”

Our sacred calling is to become and be all of who we already are. We thought the goal was somehow to become more divine when all along it has been to become more human.

 

- Jim Palmer, Notes From (over) The Edge

3 beliefs about God that perpetuate the illusion of separation

3 beliefs about God that perpetuate the illusion of separation, which is the disease:

1. God is outside of me.

It only stands to reason that if God is out there or up there somewhere, that there is separation. Look no further than yourself to find God. In other words, the reality that the word “God” points to is in you and is you. I say “is you” because God’s being is the source of your being. The spiritual reality we call “God,” permeates our being. The kingdom of God is within you and is you. I say “is you” because the love, peace, freedom, beauty, goodness and well-being that is the kingdom of God is your true identity.

2. God is judging me.

People suppose that not only is God out there or up there somewhere, but that God is continuously watching and judging our behavior – what we do, think, or feel, or who we are. It’s as if every day God’s opinion of us is hanging in the balance, contingent upon our performance. Based on this, God determines our worth and value, and dispenses his blessing accordingly. It is true that God judged you – this judgment is expressed in the Book of Genesis. God created human beings and declared, “It is good.” Let me ask you, are you a human being? Great; you’re in! It’s the same judgment every day, every hour, every minute, every second – God declares you as good!

Here’s let’s try it. Let’s take, Mary.

8:32 a.m. God’s Judgment -> Mary is good!

10:13 a.m. God’s Judgment -> Mary is good!

12:39 p.m. God’s Judgment -> Mary is good!

2:15 p.m. God’s Judgment -> Mary is good!

Go ahead, just write it in with each and every second of the clock: God’s Judgment -> Mary is good!

You have been judged once and for all as “good” by God. It’s the same message Jesus communicated in the story of the “adulterous woman.” There was no judgment. Jesus basically said, “There is no judgment. Oh, and start being who you really are.”

3. I must please God.

Trying to please God perpetuates the illusion of separation. Why? Because it implies that there are conditions you must meet in order for God to be okay with you or happy with you.This is just another variation of the ancient practice of offering gifts or sacrifices to appease the gods. In this case, you are seeking to earn favor with God by doing things you image satisfies God. Actually there is something you can do to satisfy God – be you. This was the lesson Jesus tied to teach Mary and Martha. The notion of God’s unhappiness with you is an illusion you created in your head, and you’re wasting way too much energy with it that could be used much more productively and joyfully.

Based on your experience, what else perpetuates the illusion of separation?

 

I realized that the point of the Bible wasn’t to create a belief system ABOUT God

“There are at least 14 Factors that influence what one comes up with in the Bible:

1. Your views regarding the inspiration of Scripture.

2. Whether you would favor a literal or figurative interpretation of a

given passage.

3. Your knowledge and awareness of other “related” Scriptures dealing with the same issue, including the immediate context and the broader context of the entire body of Scripture.

4. Your knowledge and understanding of the background and

motivation of the writer.

5. The way in which a given interpretation fits into your over-all

theological belief system.

6. Your level of understanding of the original language in which the

text was written.

7. The various interpretations and commentaries to which you have already been exposed.

8. The ways in which you process information. Some of you tend to

emphasize reason and logic, while others depend more on personal

experiences and intuition.

9. The degree to which you are willing to accept logical inconsistencies as part of your belief system.

10. Your willingness to change your views in the light of new

information.

11. The degree to which you are satisfied with your current views.

12. The amount of time you are willing to devote to your theological

study and inquiry.

13. The unwillingness to consider alternative interpretations that diverge from your religious tradition.

14. Your overall view of God that has been conditioned by many different life experiences and relationships.

Based on the above variables, does it surprise anyone that there are many different ways the Bible is interpreted? This is especially problematic because many people view the Bible as something to be “right about.”

The only absolute truth is God or truth itself, and our best interpretations of the Bible are only an approximation of it. God was God and Truth was Truth before there was a Bible and will continue to be after the Bible is no more. The Bible is not a theological landing strip for a particular belief system about God, but a spiritual launching pad setting us free to explore and enjoy ever-deepening and ever-widening dimensions of life, love, peace, goodness, beauty, and freedom.

Once I realized that the point of the Bible wasn’t to create a belief system ABOUT God the Bible became an invaluable resource for my journey WITH God.”

- Jim Palmer, Notes From (over) The Edge

We are not separated from God.

“The illusion of separation from the God within means the loss of our true identity. God’s being is the source of our being, and this is the fundamental basis of who we are. We compensate for this loss of true identity by manufacturing a self-image. Contrary to what we are often told, we are not in need of a better “self-image.” There is no self-generated image that can save you. This self will only generate a counterfeit identity that is a distortion of the truth of who you are.

Why do we strive to attain what we already have and are? We life as if the illusion of separation is real.

We are not separated from God.

We are not separated from life.

We are not separated from love.

We are not separated from peace.

We are not separated from beauty.

We are not separated from goodness.

And yet this “self-image” we create lives as if all of the separation above is real, and strives to attain them. Every day we wake up in the Garden of Eden where God has richly supplied for every need and desire, and yet we reach out for the fruit of the tree of “self-image.” We imagine that we are separated from the God within, and feel we must fend for ourselves. We are a people in search of what we already have.

Religion tends to imply that there is a process to undertake in order to attain God, life, love, peace, beauty, and goodness. But all that is required is to accept that you have them in every moment without condition. “Faith” is not mental assent to a proposition. “Faith” is to live as if something is true.

What would it mean for you today to live as if it is true that you are as God made you – whole and complete, good and beautiful, worthy of love, and at peace? What would it mean for you today to live as if all that your heart desires is accessible in every moment because it is in you and is you?”

- Jim Palmer, Notes From (over) The Edge

You don’t need God’s blessing.

“You don’t need God’s blessing – you are already blessed by God in every moment. What you need is YOUR blessing.

You don’t need God’s acceptance – you are already accepted by God in every moment. What you need is YOUR acceptance.

You don’t need God’s forgiveness – you are already forgiven by God in every moment. What you need is YOUR forgiveness.

You don’t need God’s love – you are already loved by God in every moment. What you need is YOUR love.”

- Jim Palmer, Notes From (over) The Edge

What is life?

“What is life?

How would you answer?

Life is _______________ ?

Life is struggle.

Life is stress.

Life is disappointment.

Life is heartache.

Life is survival.

Life is… like a box of chocolates.

But in reality, life is none of these things. Life is not a thing that happens to you. “Life is struggle” is not cast upon you. “Life is stress… disappointment… heartache… survival…” is not something forced on. There’s what happens in the time and space of your existence, and then there’s the meaning and response you add to it and the result of all of that is “your life.” You are the one who is adding the meaning and the response.

So the truth is that life is what you make it. Life has no meaning except for what you give to it. You have the power to shape your experience of life because you can create an empowering context for your life, which means you are determining or causing the experience of your life each day by the meaning you are giving to what is taking place in each moment.

This is an extraordinary gift from God, and one of the primary ways we experience ourselves as an expression of God. The creation story of Genesis 1 is still unfolding each moment in and through your life and the experience of life you are creating.

This is a bit frightening for some people because we can settle for this strange comfort in being a victim to our lives, and we are threatened by the idea that we are responsible for the experience of life we are having and that we have the power to change and create it.”

- Jim Palmer, Thoughts From (over) The Edge

Try to understand the metaphor of a mother’s love.

Try to understand the metaphor of a mother’s love. A mother loves her child without imposing a condition on her love. The child is not required to earn or maintain their mother’s love, but can fully rest in the unwavering and unalterable reality of it. The child knows they can always turn to this love.

See how the mother looks upon her child as part of her Being. The spark of her child’s life flickers inside her, and the child’s essence is knit in her womb. She carries this life inside her until giving birth to the child. The child is born, but there’s no disputing that the child came from her and is part of her. The child is in the mother, and the mother is in the child… and there is love.

Understand yourself in this way as born of God. Know that God looks upon you through eyes of love as part of God’s being.

Now open your eyes and see others around you. See them through these same eyes of the mother, and look upon them as being part of your Being.

Press deeper into the above words and recognize the enormity of their implication, for herein lies the secret of to transformation, burying the illusion of separation and returning to the reality of Oneness.

Jesus told his followers he was going away, which upset them because they perceived separation. But Jesus said it was necessary for his departure in order for them to know that separation was not real and that his life… the One life… was alive in them and was their life.

But not just this, Jesus also taught his followers that the way they related to the least of all people would be considered their way of relating to Jesus directly. Jesus buried both the illusion of separation from God, and the illusion of our separation from one another. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would know the truth of our Oneness with God and with one another.

All suffering is born of the illusion of separation.

You are perfect, complete and whole because you are as God made you.

You are perfect, complete and whole because you are as God made you. Could it be any other way? God’s being is the source of your being, and it cannot be diminished, altered or corrupted. That ‘You’ knows the truth, is safe and secure, never threatened, content, and at peace. That ‘You’ remembers that life is happiness and the carefree thrill of pure Being. Do you get it? You don’t need to change anything. ‘You’ needs no improvement or could be improved. ‘You’ already lack nothing. ‘You’ have always been whole.

That ‘You’ is taking a human journey, which means it’s been given a mind and body. With them, we have imagined, constructed, and live inside a dream that is not real. The dream is all about separation, and we think we are separated from God, separated from life, separated from happiness, separated from peace, separated from freedom, and separated from well-being.

Religion doesn’t help because it’s busy trying to fix a dream that isn’t real, and thereby only reinforces the illusion further. There is nothing to fix because there is nothing wrong. All there is to do is to awaken from the dream. ‘You’ are perfect, complete and whole as you are. ‘You’ always have been and always will be. You are here to discover this, awaken to it, reconnect with it, and give expression to it.

That’s what Jesus meant when he said, “I AM the truth.” In other words, the truth is not an idea or construct about God. The truth Jesus was talking about is not accessed by words, language, ideas… or anything that operates on the level of the mind. The truth Jesus was speaking of was the truth of who he was, and Jesus said this same truth applied to and was just as real inside of us.

Although the cry of that ‘You’ is strong enough to yearn for our original state of Being, nevertheless our mind cannot, somehow, imagine that life is really like that – peace and happiness. We must face this state of mind courageously, and see it for what it is – s total state of confusion, a dream state of the mind. When Jesus talked about “dying to self,” he was basically saying to fall dead to that state of mind, that illusion, that dream. The mind is useful for all sorts of things, but it doesn’t get a vote on this.

Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” Do you see? The only “work” is to believe the truth that Jesus was.