Mystictourist's Blog

The Fact of Creation

Mystic Tourist — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:09:28 +0000

Creation has at least created controversy and so it is plain to see it actually exists. While that is a glib statement concerning creation it is also true. Creativity, or creation, is evident in everything we do and experience. Its most useful exercise is to use our creative authority to be who we are. It is not usual for most people to do this. Many people do this to varying degrees but to actually realize who we are, absent false examples of self, to be only who without the false ownership that is the mask we call our self, is unusual.

Most people consider creation in biblical terms. I do as well but I do not consider the Bible to be the word of God. It is a book written by men for men, as God quite simply does not write books. To write a book and then claim it as a Divine authority is obviously dishonest. If we actually had confidence in the Divine we would have little use for the book as our relationship with God would be direct. A direct relationship is the only possible relationship any person could hope to have with God or the Divine. This is true whatever God is and even if God is naught.

The Bible, or any other sacred text, is only intended to allude to God or some manifestation, or example of, enduring value. The language of God makes no sound, no hand writes it down, no eye reads it, no tongue speaks it and it is understood by all. This is how we know God, by accepting that whatever God is, or even if God is naught, it is acceptable and God means us no harm. We need to accept that God can not possibly suffer any injury and the only sin we can commit is against our self.

We recognize and experience creation in our daily life as we see its plain and simple expression is everywhere. This blog entry proves that as it did not exist before I wrote it. All creation is like that, creation just is and it only happens at one time. Not one thing has ever happened at any other time than the singular moment that is now. The past and the future is contained there in its entirety. Nothing escapes it. Now is the moment of creation and none escape it.

Michael, The Mystic Tourist

The Veil of Ignorance

Mystic Tourist — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:47:00 +0000

The veil of ignorance is a trickster. Once we have chosen ignorance we never know where it will manifest. It is as a prolific weed that is also a chameleon able to pretend. It replicates itself everywhere we look and fashions itself to appear to be what we are looking for. It sets the parameters for denial and we begin to consider things as they are not. It does not mimic the rational mind, it employs it.

In our social experience ignorance is prolific and as we grow and fit ourselves in, we give it permission and accept things as they are not. To be a member of the social community it seems a rite of passage.

It has a true purpose. Having become the filter, clouding the lens through which we consider everything, we are given our appointment. It is intended that we learn to see it. To learn its tricks and then we can find our way.

Michael, The Mystic Tourist

Spirit Guides

Mystic Tourist — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:01:58 +0000

In my recent post, Divine Assistance, I wrote of spirit guides. In that piece the spirits I mentioned were the spirits that animate us. These in my view are the most important spirits. If our spirit is angry, resentful, depressed then our spirit is dark and it attracts other dark spirits. We create a place like a harbor to keep, nurture and develop a durable presence. Other dangerous spirits are those of self-importance or selfishness. These spirits can create a great deal of worldly success and even the illusion of happiness and true value. They are as a fire that keeps the darkness and the dark spirits at bay. The fire is caused by a friction that consumes and leaves us in the company of those dark spirits.

The harbor I wrote of is a false harbor as its value is, naught.

We can of course animate our self with other spirits, spirits of light, or enlightenment. I mentioned them or at least some of them in ‘Divine Assistance’. These spirits behave a little differently. They do not build a false harbor, they dismantle it. As we free our self from our false constraint we can begin to recognize spirits, other than our spirit. Spirits who are free. Spirits who guide and protect us. While our dark spirits attract other dark spirits to us, spirits of light attract us to them.

I am sure that we all see these spirits. We certainly see the spirits that we allow to animate our selves. We corrupt our creative authority with ignorance. When we choose ignorance it always creates denial and we pretend not to see where we are, who we are and who is here with us.

Michael, The Mystic Tourist

Divine Assistance

Mystic Tourist — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:29:52 +0000

As is common, I discovered that it was time for me to add a blog post. I sat for some time wondering what in the world I might write about, I only knew it was what I was going to do. ‘Divine’ finally revealed itself, I pondered, Divine what… Assistance. OK. What is that? Let me find out.

Actually I am well-practiced at divination and the above process is an example of it. I seek divine assistance in everything I do. My life is that of a singular devotion, to God. I also place all of my confidence in God and nothing else. I have no other idea as to how else to live. You see to me devotion to, and confidence in, only God, encompasses everything I might have to do. What could I be given to do that will not be realized in this way? Is there some commitment, some relationship that goes without when God is the singular devotion, the well for my confidence?

God is to be realized by Gods own presence, I make no determination to say, ‘this’ is God, or, ‘that’ is what God said. I do not look for God in text thinking that I must rely on someone else’s experience to walk with God. God is realized by God’s own being and no other way. What if God does not exist? It makes no difference, then that would be God. How could that possibly change anything?

I think the existence of God is obvious, however, whatever God is or if God is naught.

How do I measure my walk with God, my place on the path of providence? I look for spirit guides. There are many spirits but it is helpful to consider the spirits that we allow to animate our self. When I consider that which is absolute or what can be considered of an absolute nature I consider what does animate those qualities in my life. That which is, is absolute, and confidence is a spirit that animates that in my life. Compassion, can only exist in a single measure, a measure that is enough for all. It is absolute and love is the spirit that animates it in my life. Understanding, nothing can organize itself well enough to exist without it, it is absolute, and acceptance, is a spirit that animates it in my life. Truth, is absolute, things can not be except as they are. The spirit of truth is grace and it animates truth in my life.

How do we find these and make them a part of our life? We must choose the path to the narrow gate. That gate is forgiveness. Forgiveness allows for these to find a place in our life, but who should we forgive? There is only one, when we have it for this one we have it for everyone. The only person we are asked to forgive is our self. You see if we have forgiveness there, it exists, and all who find us find it.

Who is God? Where is God? What is God? Ask God, and trust only God, not what is said about God, not some doctrine. Trust God if you would Know God.

Michael, The Mystic Tourist

Fate Destiny Enlightenment

Mystic Tourist — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:09:24 +0000

Enlightenment is constant and we are never separated from it further than its carriage which is… Now. It is true that our realization of it has much to do with fate. It is helpful to distinguish fate from destiny. We can change our fate as it is produced wholly from choice. Destiny on the other hand is constant but we do not have to choose it. Our soul is our destiny. Fate is employed to reach our destiny, or, to lose our soul.

Based on the stories of my childhood I expect that I experienced enlightenment as a young child. I abandoned it along with the rest of childhoods trappings. I have had some drug induced experiences of enlightenment. Those are not very durable although the feeling, or sense of it, can remain.

As a young man I was contemplating ‘Be Here Now’. It caused me to have an epiphany and realize that state. As I sat there in a state of wonderment and awe it seemed that I could choose to stay there and live that way. I decided, not now. Getting there was effortless and so it seemed I could return some other time and that is what I chose to do.

For me personally there is a dualism that drives me. I am driven to build separation between myself and my soul while at the same time expecting to embrace my soul here on the temporal plane. For some reason the embrace troubles my temporal person.

In considering enlightenment it is helpful to remember that it is absolute and as such it is free. It can not be earned. There is no merit by which a person deserves it. It is a simple matter of choosing it. Choice in this example is as a progression. Each choice is as a footfall on our path. We have creative authority and as we think we are. Enlightenment is a choice. It is curious that it seems such a troublesome choice for our temporal self. I think our soul holds the secret to that curiosity. It knows what our fate is when we choose our destiny. Our temporal person must also know this but chooses instead the trappings of ignorance and denial.

Chalkboards Erasers Ego

Mystic Tourist — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:44:02 +0000

Another way I consider the ego is like a chalkboard. We make all manner of grand designs on it and it comes to be the expression we make of our self. Many consider it as a monster or devil. Something we must defeat, kill, if we are to find our spiritual value. I think the ego is to be cared for.

When we look to our chalkboard and see what we have created it is intended we would learn a lesson. We can erase something here add something there, clean it up. When we clean it up, erase enough of it, we begin to see a transparency. It is the transparent nature of ego that lends a place for divine living and there is no divine life without it.

This is how the ego is our teacher. We must learn to love our ego. To care for it and present it properly. Doing this we discover empathy, compassion and love, as you can not clean the ego up without these. In applying these qualities as cleaning agents, or eraser, of our ego, transparency is achieved and what we used to clean it with remains.

Ego Our Gift

Mystic Tourist — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:24:38 +0000

The ego is like a child . As we grow, mature, we are given the opportunity to nurture our ego and heal it. It does not always happen. Sometimes we carry the ego as a disease.

Perhaps a better way to consider the ego is as a garden. As we grow, mature, we come to see that we can choose what does or does not grow there. We can shape the garden to appear or look a certain way. This is the purpose of the ego and it is a good purpose. Too often the ego shapes us and we consider it poorly, even if in our mind we think we hold it in good regard.

It is intended that we hold our ego in good regard and take care to present it in the best way. It is not to be maligned but to be nurtured and cared for. In the same way we would nurture and care for others. When we take proper care of our ego it is as a gift to our community and our self.

I first posted this as a reply to a blog post on Learning Tree.

Facebook

Mystic Tourist — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:25:43 +0000

My work as the Mystic Tourist has been ongoing. From the look of my blog it must seem that I have abandoned it. I have not. I continue to work and prepare myself to add meaningful content to this blog. I am confidant that work will bear fruit. In the meantime I have been actively writing. I am blogging and commenting on other blogs at PeaceNext. I participate there as the Mystic Tourist.

I have decided that the time has come to give the Mystic Tourist a Facebook page. You are welcome to see my work on the PeaceNext site or to visit my Facebook page. I will finish the personal work I need to do and then return to this blog with meaningful content.

To walk with God, God must be present as God’s self. God accepts and requires no intermediary.

The Mystic Tourist

Love

Mystic Tourist — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:31:12 +0000

Love is the quiet and the calm that releases our pain. It approves, no matter the complaint. Letting love reside gives motion and what had been a complaint blooms and becomes a thing of beauty.

The Mystic Tourist

Forgiveness, The Narrow Gate

Mystic Tourist — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:13:24 +0000

As is usual, the world is falling apart. Or is it falling together? Middle East instability, global political unrest, drought and famine, floods, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, economic collapse, injustice. That is the short list. Are we building a better world? Over time we certainly have. Our technologies have improved living conditions and opportunity for large numbers of people. They also present challenges as we gobble up resources and harm our environment. As our population explodes so does our challenge to live sustainably and peacefully. There is life’s constant uncertainty and predictions and expectations of a dire reward. It is the same as it has always been except that we have made the world smaller due to population and technology.

While many of us work for a peaceful and prosperous future others are determined to bring about Armageddon, thinking their reward is in the next world. It is this world that is our charge. If we can not choose what is best here, how likely are we to choose it elsewhere? Do we really think that God would punish us? If so, do we need to do this work for God? Is it necessary to bring hardship and suffering against others because they are wrong with God. If that is God’s design then why not let God do God’s own work? When we consider our ‘faith’ in God we are clearly, oftentimes, quite confused. Much of what we know of God is what we have imposed on God and is not God at all.

It seems that what is of God must be absolute. The notion that there would be absolute suffering seems absurd to my mind. It is not possible for me to imagine any God that would design such an outcome. This clearly is a human design and grossly inept. I would not be inclined to have anything to do with a God like that. I can not find it in myself to wish such suffering on anyone. If I did, how would that make me any different from the person I think deserves it? Of God there is abundance. We find that we can choose to do as we will. We can make the best of our world and expect that of God. Even in the face of adversity we can hold this ground and then it is real.

In this season of renewal let us renew our confidence in a compassionate and caring God. Forgiveness is the narrow gate and compassion its reward. Take the path and open the gate.

The Mystic Tourist