A New Way of Living by Peter Marinelli
A new way of living – with others around me
Being on the spiritual path will challenge everything thing we thought we knew about living life. Specifically, in relationships with others.
The difference between starting out on this path and being on this path is that our experiences with God have allowed many of us to have great faith in God and His great works. (One of the reasons I am not a seeker of faith or belief, but a seeker of experience)
It seems that once I have an experience with God, belief and faith is taken care of.
In the beginning, it’s the “newness “of this way of living, which at times can make us recoil and go back to re acting rather than being still. Thereby, quickly realizing that “our troubles were of my own making”.
Through the process of “waking up” we’re able to express how we feel rather than acting out and telling others how they should feel. This makes a drastic change in our feelings and outlook on life.
The realization that God was on our side and on theirs as well, weather they know it or not, is something that was of great help to me. Getting to understand that there are not two powers at work but only one, and that one is God.
Our old way of thinking was that there was one power (whoever I was in conflict with) and maybe God, somewhere.
It forced us into having to fight so we could win. Fear is in charge and we’re its hostage. It felt like survival rather than living. The mind loves conflict and the ego makes them personal. As soon as it does, it is no longer a discussion or a debate. It becomes me against them. No one wins, and humility is lost.
The spiritual path has shown me this isn’t true .God will reveal Himself and thereby convince us they He is in charge and His way is all love and no opposite and the only way “they “can win is if we fight.
There are not two powers at work, which my mind insists, but just one. Just God.
As self-dies the spirit awakens. We need to experience the death of self before the physical death.
One of the many reasons why I love prayer so much is what it does for me internally. It’s the nurturing of the Soul where I get my daily soul food.
Prayer allows us to leave everything behind. We get centered. We give “attention” to the Father who presides over us all, rather than going to Him with “intention”. It allows us to experience that Power which gives us all we need and to see others as children of the same loving God, regardless of their personal beliefs about God.
Blessings,
Chop wood, carry water
Peter Marinelli
