Does God Hate Us?

Ok, provacative title on purpose.

There is no God.

Ok, now I'm being difficult.

But if there is a God, and that God is really beyond our level of thinking, he wouldn't like some better than others. So, why is it that so very few of us seem to be enlightened? Many that are enlightened seem to have worked many years in places like Buddhist monasteries and under strict rules. Others just pop into enlightenment with doing anything. Others get it from traumatic brain injury or drugs. Many who work just as hard, take the same drugs or have brain injuries, are not enlightened.

I've attempted many methods for enlightenment. Basically, except for brain injury or drugs, I've tried it. I've listened to many stories and for the most part, I think that "enlightenment" is really an endorphin release which feels so good we think it was God.

Now, I've been a student of A Course in Miracles for 3.5 years. I think the material is true, but it still doesn't lead to enlightenment. And, it is still outside material, not a direct communication between me and God. So does God hate me or what?

I don't know of course. There may not be a God. Or at least, what we hope is God does not exist.

I spent my run today repeating two sentences of my own composition:

Eternal silence is the life in me.

Still and quiet love has set me free.

Basically, I don't need to be more complicated than that. Any time I feel the slightest fear, annoyance or anger, it is because I stopped letting silence rule my mind. Anytime, I don't like another person, its because I stopped looking for silence in them.

If there is a God, that God must by definition be very silent. That is the only way to be pervasive and eternal.

I ran 22.2 miles on hilly roads today. I ran 73.85 miles this week.

Ultra Monk Day of Running

Today was a very ultra monk day.

First, I slept in a bit late. Then, decided I would run on the levy as I didn't think there would be too much snow; and I had a brand new pair of trail shoes which were a size larger than usual and hadn't yet had the toes cut out (as happens to all my shoes). As I backed the car out, I realized road running would have been out of the question because of a foggy mist putting an invisible ice glazing on the asphalt.

So, it was about 25F, no wind and a foggy mist: perfect for having the levy to myself. The levy was divided down the middle ice/snow; so I could jog along pretty good at the dividing line. The trail shoes worked good. I didn't bring the garmin because I didn't want to judge myself, just jog along for as long as I felt like it. I did 3 laps in 3h46. Pretty sweet.

I call this an ultra monk day because I was thinking inward towards whatever wordlessness is the actual essence of life. I think that God is the silence deep in the heart of everything; and that is what I get to experience directly when I am alone like that. When I am around others, I am always making adjustments for them; so I don't get to be Who I really am, that inner silent truth.

I got to think about what I would be like with no people around. My thoughts would not need to be in words. The depth of silence is so beautiful to me. Stillness and quiet on the inside seems like the ultimate experience and the highest gift of life itself. Love must be quiet in its original form. Existence beyond this consciousness of silent love is not necessary. Alone, I get to experience this, even while jogging. But especially jogging as I do it because it is so slow and unimpressive. It doesn't lend itself to dreams of glory or conquest.

For spirituality, I've gone both directly to ____ but also gone to books. If I hadn't been taught anything, I'd not know what to call God or the Holy Spirit; I'd just have the consciousness unconsciously. I'd be alive as one, not as a separate being. This leads me to wonder again about letting go of any books. I already can't stand to be taught and stopped listening to tapes because I don't want the voice of the teacher in my thoughts.

After running: I got my hair cut.

Tomorrow's weather: +60F with thunder storms.....

Silence in My Mind

When in doubt, just be quiet.

Want to know God? Just be quiet.

Want some thoughts different from those you see in others? Seek silence and solitude. Divorce society's masses of busyness and cacophonies of chatter. I relish this aspect of silence and solitude. Even while I spend my time running or working out, it is with my own thoughts. I so cherish the emptying of my mind from the contamination of worldly noise. For example, I haven't watched TV in over 10 years so I don't have any new jingles or images corrupting my thinking. My thoughts are in real time: whats happening in my own experience, not any fabrication from society.

From ACIM text ch 11: The witnesses for God stand in His Light and behold what He created. Their silence is the sign that they have beheld God's Son, and in the Presence of Christ they need demonstrate nothing, for Christ speaks to them of Himself and of His Father. They are silent because Christ speaks to them, and it is His words they speak.

If I want to see God in you, I think I need to see the silence in you. It is there. Silence is the higher order being, not exactly seen or heard with the human body. I am much happier when I am seeing the silent you rather than seeing the physical you.

I live in a mostly uninspiring location. Looking out the window of my office, I see a power plant coal pile. Outside the window of my apartment is a parking lot. But going within, I see eternity.

Just sitting alone in silence is the ultimate experience of my life. Quiet is the highest I can go.

I keep track of my food and exercise on livestrong.com. One of the features is a rolling mileage total for the past week. For February at least, my rolling total has been between 75 and 81 miles a week. That is a lot of running.

Of Desperation

My running is in essence futile; except insofar as it defeats my ego.

Yesterday, I ran around a 2.25 mile trail 11 times. Going up the one steep hill for the 4th time, I realized how stupid this is but that some spirit beyond myself must be driving the effort. This morning, reality hits my ego. Yesterday, it took me 6 hours to go as far as what takes me 5 hours of slow jog/walk on a road or 4 hours if I actually run. The value was in patience. I was tiring out my legs on that trail. It is disillusioning to keep going despite the tediousness of picking your way over rocks or climbing those nine flights of stairs. But the numbers suck. Don't look at me.

I have to choose between competitive running and contemplative running. Surface vs depth. My soul yearns for me and I desire it. I must let go of the delusions and fears and guilts of this world.

Some people live in majestic places with beautiful houses and inspiring views. Outside my apartment window is a parking lot and an office building and the sound of the freeway nearby. I fly coach. And I get to chose to experience depth or surface luxery. The root cause of spiritual desperation is the same for everyone; just some of us hide it better than others.

Nothing about my life is enlightening or majestic or inspiring. Mundane work a day survival is how I feel about it. I directly experience my spiritual desperation and attempt to connect with the Holy Spirit for healing.

ACIM text 11.V: "The real conflict you experience, then, is between the ego’s idle wishes and the Will of God..."

I must depart from the usual ways of doing things.

Today I ran 22.26 miles on a flat dirt path in 4h10. I enjoyed this. I could put my head down and just run, no thinking about tripping on rocks necessary.

Of My Self

Of Burpees

Google it if you don't know what a burpee is. I myself didn't know until about 2 months ago.

Some of the time, my cross training consists of 35 minutes in the torture chamber. The torture chamber is the bedroom of my one bedroom apartment, where I can configure it for a mini circuit of TRX, step platform, burpees and jogging on trampoline with weights on arms and legs.

I can hardly do 5 burpees in a row.

My cross training is small little chunks of time compared to the running, but I do think that use of other muscles and balancing type exercise makes better trail running possible and increases my endurance.

Spiritual burpees have to do with mind expanding truth which the ordinary consciousness simply cannot believe. A true thought is a spiritual burpee.

From Ch 11 of ACIM text:

• Think like Him ever so slightly, and the little spark becomes a blazing light that fills your mind so that He becomes your only Guest. 

• You who have God must be as God, for His function became yours with His gift. Invite this knowledge back into your mind, and let nothing that obscures it enter. The Guest Whom God sent you will teach you how to do this, if you but recognize the little spark and are willing to let it grow. 
•  Turn toward the light, for the little spark in you is part of a Light so great that it can sweep you out of all darkness forever. 

Attempting to deepen my belief in truth is a spiritual burpee. Letting the spark blink into my consciousness is a spiritual burpee.

Do your burpees. Don't pretend like you don't need them.

Litany Tweaked

I use my litany to keep my mind on track. It is good for when I cannot sleep or when I am upset. I've been reading in A Course in Miracles about the love that really does exist between God and us.

Father in Jesus' name remind me of
Your love for me and of my love for You.

If I am afraid I am deceived.
I am spirit. Know this need not be.
Fear is lack of love. Atonement heals.
Expanding love is my reality.
I am not alone. Jesus is here.
Jesus is the undoing of the dream.
The Holy Spirit is the choice for God.
I hear Him speak quietly in my mind.

In the holy instant I forgive.
Miracles come forth as love expressed.
Giving and receiving are the same.
Full appreciation is my gift.
The innocent see perfection truly.
Christ vision is where they put all their faith.
My mind holds only light and it shines out.
I see God's majesty in all others.

God is not symbolic. He is fact.
Peace is always firm. Love I believe.
Into His hands I commend my spirit.
And so my mind awakens to His peace.

Truth is my commitment. I am joy.
Love is my intention. God I see.
Love based thinking is my one desire.
Inner peace is what I really want.