The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month

Today's somewhat brief post is a NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) prompt with the following questions, "If you could permanently get rid of one worry, what would it be?"

I have seen a similar question on Facebook and my answer is either "fear" or "hatred." However, I realize that they are one and the same for underneath hatred is fear.

There are a number of emotions that actually fall under fear including anger, anxiety, doubt, worry, and the like. Think of them all as a mountain or better yet an iceberg, with fear being the ice below the surface. It is like a big monster that destroys in its path.

Today in the western world is Remembrance Day, a day to honour by remembering those in the armed forces who died while serving their country, i.e., in the line of duty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day). We take a minute at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month, being today as I write this.

Since Canada is peacekeeping country, we have sent members of the armed forces to serve in peacekeeping missions such as in Afghanistan; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_peacekeeping_missions for details.

If there was no such thing as hatred or fear, would there be war? I think the answer is obvious.

Some quotes on love and fear I would like to share are as follows: Marianne Williamson, a noted spiritual author says, "Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here." Oprah Winfrey states, "I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear." Or for those attuned to the Bible, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear..." similarly stated to the book, A Course in Miracles which declares, "Perfect love casts out fear. If fear exists, then there is not perfect love."

Interesting that most people think fear is the opposite of love. However, keep in mind that fear is underneath hatred.

Which do you usually choose? And now? (And no worries, I'm not perfect either! However, it's a daily and minute-by-minute decision.)

And by the way, for a change, I am not posting this on the 11th hour (near midnight) on this day! ;)

Linking this post to Write Tribe Bloggers.

P.S. The video on this particular post is very appropriate today if you wish a view: http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/08/middle-child-you-are-special-todays.html

Kenosis - Learning to Let Go ...

I got to participate in a cool – actually hot! – ceremony today as a result of visiting LVUC (www.lynnvalleychurch.com) in North Vancouver, being a member of their community choir, byoVoice (www.lynnvalleychurch.com/programs/2-north-van-community-choirs/pages/byovoice) singing “what i want” a heartfelt poem written by Pat Lowther (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Lowther) (who happened to be born in Vancouver and grew up in North Vancouver) and music written by Stephen Smith (also from Vancouver).

Pastor Blair Odney defined the season of Kenosis simply as ‘self-emptying.’ According to Wikipedia, “in Christian theology, Kenosis from the Greek word for emptiness is the 'self-emptying' of one's own will and becoming entirely receptive to God's divine will.”

Like I said before it was (both) a cool and hot ceremony. The congregation was invited to write on a piece of tissue-like paper what they were willing to let go of. I wrote “worry and anxiety…” especially concerning a particular aspect of my life.

Even though I witnessed the pastor and a few other members burn and release their paper, when it was my turn – ouch! a slight sting – I didn’t let go completely of the piece of paper like others had. What was I thinking?! Silly me!

What I discovered and relearned in that process was the importance of letting go, not only figuratively, but also literally. I have come to know that the most important aspect of actualizing (or manifesting) something is to let go, completely. If I had let go of the paper (completely) while it was burning – the way it burned so quickly was like magic to my eyes – I wouldn’t have hurt my finger, even slightly.

No wonder then that this morning the card that tumbled from a small deck of cards that I received from Anne Marie Evers, (www.annemarieevers.com/damevers/dr-evers/), the Affirmation Doctor, was ‘Spiritual Growth.’ (See blog posting Mon. June 26, 2011 for picture and another related story).

Later in the day, I rediscovered (as I had forgotten) that the Oscars were on tonight. In the past, I watched them fervently. Now I feel that I have outgrown my addiction for watching award shows as I have other interests (and self-imposed deadlines such as writing blog postings!). I can do without (watching) the Oscars and am totally at peace with that. So I feel I have grown spiritually in this regard.

What are you emptying or releasing from yourself?