'Being' is Abundance

The Turkish Tailor

There was once a pauper who cleaned the lavatories at Pennington Station named Albert. He lived a simple life of working, sleeping and eating. Albert also liked to enjoy his life and did so abundantly with wine, women and song.

One evening, as Albert was leaving The Drunken Duck Inn, his favourite after-work destination, he noticed a light emanating from the end of Cock's Lane next to The Elusive Camel, a fancy place with fine patrons and delicious food Albert once frequented. Now though, as Albert was too ashamed to return there. He had once made a fool of himself by consuming too much mead and ale with certain unsavory consequences resulting.

It was not a long walk to they alley's end to satisfy his curiosity and when Albert arrived he was astonished to see a diminutive wizard sitting on a large silver pawnbroker's ball inside a lean-to market stall filled with hundreds of burning candles. And in front of him, apparently for sale, was one pair of gentleman's slacks.

Feeling somewhat obligated now as he had shown such interest in the little wizard with his candles and candle-lit market stall, Albert ventured even nearer to inspect the wizard and his goods. "I thought you'd never arrive" said the little wizard with a knowing smile. "But I knew you would" he said. Albert burped the gas of his last ale from The Drunken Duck and nodded at the wizard. The slacks were made of a soft fabric the likes of which Albert had never imagined. They glowed in the candle light with a shimmer and an unmistakable look of quality. Were they cream coloured thought Albert. Or were they silver like the scales of a fish or a light blue as blue as Topsham Harbour on a sunny day though Albert to himself.

 "How much for the slacks?" asked Albert. "Whatever you can afford" replied the little wizard as Albert reached into his warn pants to find he had only one last shilling to his name. "I have only a shilling" he said to the wizard embarrassed, to which the wizard replied simply, "That will do."

Albert could not believe his luck and snatched up the slacks not knowing whether they would fit him or not. He quickly walked home excited with his great luck reassuring himself along the way that the glowing slacks would do him just fine.

When Albert arrived home, his kindly mother did not ask where he had been for she knew by Albert's gate, and the slur of his words that he had been to The Drunken Duck as was his habit almost every evening. "Your supper is on the table" she said to her son in a tired, but loving way. Before Albert even understood her words, he plunked his new treasure down on his mother's lap with a smile. "Look Mammy" he glowed. "The finest slacks money can buy" and then he recounted the tale of his encounter with the little wizard and the impossibly small price he had paid for such fine slacks. "We shall have to pin them and deliver them to the tailor's for you. My eyes are not what they used to be" his mother continued. "Such fine slacks are surely worthy professional stitchery - there's no sense wearing such beautiful and slacks if they're a bad fit" his mother remarked, as she reached into her sewing basket. By morning, the slacks were pinned and set by the door in a neatly folded paper bag for Albert to take to the tailor's on his way to work.

By mid afternoon that day, Albert was still so excited with the prospect of wearing his specially-fitted purchase that he left his duties in the lavatories of Pennington Station and rushed down Spring Street, up Sussex Gardens to arrive in jig time at the little tailor shop on Southwick Street to collect his slacks. He pushed open the door of the narrow shop and at once the tailor recognized him. The little bald Turkish man jumped up to explain excitedly that he had never in his life seen such fine slacks. "The linen, why it is sewn with silver thread. And the lining is like no other silk I have seen" the little tailor continued. "It was an honour to work with such fine craftsmanship. I cannot bring myself to charge you a tuppence for my work for I enjoyed it so". This was remarkable luck for Albert.  His last shilling was used to purchase the slacks the evening before as he had just that moment remembered.

Albert excitedly left the narrow tailor's shop and the balding Turkish tailor and hurriedly made his way to The Drunken Duck Inn where he knew he could add perhaps a few more libations to his slate before Friday's last call. Upon his arrival, Albert assumed his regular seat at the bar, ordered a pint of bitter and carefully opened the crisp white paper parcel containing his newfound treasure. Indeed the slacks were as wonderful and exotic as his foggy memory allowed him to remember. As he unfolded the slacks, they cascaded against him as though they were a long-lost lover causing heads to turn as they fell, and his fellow patrons to gather around him. Indeed these were special slacks and all who knew Albert agreed. As Albert admired the slacks stroking the fine fabric as if it were a prize winning Persian cat, he pulled his hand away abruptly shouting "Ouch" as his finger was pricked by what he knew must have been a pin mistakenly left in the side seam by the Turkish Tailor. Instinctively, Albert squeezed his finger producing a small droplet of blood which then fell upon the slacks. The droplet of blood did not however stain the slacks and instead rolled off the garment like rain shedding off an oilcloth raincoat. How lucky Albert thought as he continued admiring his treasure.

It wasn't long before Albert realized that the Turkish Tailor had not overlooked just one, but all of the pins his mother had used to adjust the fit of the slacks. He knew he would have to remove them as he did not wish to be pricked again particularly in those delicate areas that resided below his waistline. So Albert began to remove the pins carefully, one-at-a-time and placed each one in the glass rail of the bar among the coins, twisted bits of paper, and matchbooks other customers had left behind.

Albert became so engrossed in the activity of locating, withdrawing and depositing pins that he did not notice Sheila a well known lady of the evening approach. "Nice pants Albert" she exclaimed as she pulled up a stool beside him. "You got someplace special you're going? Why do you need to get all fancy-dressed up for?" she continued sarcastically. "Maybe you'd like to come by my place and let be help you try those on for size." But Albert was so deeply involved in the task at hand that he did not even look up at Sheila, nor did he emit more than a grunt in her direction. "Better luck next time Sheila mumbled to herself as she joined another punter down the bar several seats away and well removed from Albert and his busy task.

As Albert continued removing pins from the slacks, the salt and pepper quaffed barman named Smokey wandered by and upon noticing what Albert was doing said, "Be careful of those pins. You want another pint?" Again, Albert was so transfixed with his activity that he did not notice Smokey carefully removing the pins from the bar along with his tips from the afternoon's shift.

When Albert was finished removing all the pins the Turkish tailor had left behind from his new slacks he looked down at his unfinished ale, then at Sheila seducing an unsuspecting and intoxicated customer and decided that he should leave. He didn't really know why for he usually stayed late at The Drunken Duck, but something or someone was calling quietly to him it seamed from within the slacks he held near himself. That can't be Albert muttered to himself as he left for the gents' lavatory where he pulled on the slacks. They were a perfect fit. He left The Drunken Duck wondering about the whispering voice he had heard moments earlier. "I must have been imaging things" Albert said to himself and as he strolled out into the cool night air.  At that moment, a finely gentleman dressed in a top hat and the finest suit Albert had ever seen approached with a friendly smile. "Do you mind good sir, if I ask where you purchased such fine slacks?" Albert gladly told him of the strange wizard at the end of the alley and what a good bargain he was given. "And I didn't have to haggle with him either" explained Albert, as they walked along Gloucester Square toward the Elusive Camel where Albert once frequented. They entered the 'Camel' at the man's insistance. "Come now, I'll buy you a sweet tea" said the man. "We can talk more."

As they approached a round tavern table near the bar, Albert noticed a wizard, the very wizard who had sold him his slacks sitting at the table along with The Turkish Tailor. How strange thought Albert, and what a coincidence that I should once again encounter such an unlikely pair, and sitting together no less, apparently waiting for another to join them. "Come sit" said the man in the top hat as he gestured toward the table where the odd pair were seated. "I'd like to introduce you to my friends, Opportunity and Guidance. "Oh and please allow me to introduce myself properly" the stranger said. My name is Inspiration. Welcome back."

Today is Fairly Significant to Everything Else

Today I commended somebody
Today I thanked somebody
Today I gave space to somebody
Today I gave respect to somebody
Today I listened to somebody
Today I was patient with somebody
Today I accepted somebody
Today I loved everybody
Today I created good energy
What will happen this afternoon?
-H. Alexander Nichols 2015

The Energy of Miracles

Creating miracles in our lives is no more complicated than understanding the metaphysics of the Universal Law. And because that law is indestructible and therefore infinite, we know that the power used by miracle makers in the past is still available today. Yet, in our modern society, we're brought up to believe only in those things we can logically understand. Neither are we taught that the Universal Law has limitless potential or that this power is at our disposal and can be used to work miracles in our own lives.

Understanding the Universal Law

To understand miracles, we have to look at two aspects of the Universal Law. First, there lies deep within all humankind an immense power; and second, the power is impartial and unemotional. Call it the Universal Mind, Christ Consciousness, Conscious Energy, or what you will, but it is this power that allows human beings a recognition of the universal life force that we call "God".

 The life force is eternal, and, because of its limitless capacity, it is a part of all things. Moreover, it's a major part of each of us. Consequently, we all have within us an unlimited power. Creating miracles in our own lives becomes a matter of identifying with the power, understanding its characteristics, and learning to use it effectively. This identification is achieved by knowing that the power is within us and acknowledging that fact by saying, "I am eternal, immortal, universal and infinite and therefore I am beautiful." By doing this, and believing it, we lock into the power source and are poised for the next step, which involves looking at its characteristics.

The Universal Law is impartial and unemotional. It has no way of knowing what you want, nor does it discriminate between your hopes and aspirations, likes and dislikes - it is pure energy. It accepts whatever thoughts, feelings, and actions you project and reflects them back to you unemotionally in the form of events that you experience day to day.

In much much the same wayas electricity illuminates both a brothel and your grandmother's tea party, The Universal Law doesn't differentiate between different types of energy in your life. It will give you anything you believe in - no more and no less. Therefore, the key to understanding miracles is to examine closely the beliefs you express as thoughts and feelings. 

Photo: Rachel Hulan "Fying Baby"

When you were born, your thoughts and feelings are limitless because your mind is a clean slate. What a small child projects to the Universal Law is a natural purity unbounded by the constraints of beliefs. Children often attempt the seemingly impossible: they drive off in the family car or walk on a high ledge. It's only later, through education, that they learn the confines of human expectancy.

But these confines or boundaries are illusions. They're formed by belief patterns - most of them born of ignorance - handed down from generation to generation. This pool of belief patterns, or the "collective unconscious," as Carl Jung called it gains validity as it moves through time, and eventually the concepts that later generations experience as physical reality become rigid and domineering. It's as if the billions of people who preceded you have determined what you're going to experience on this Earth plane, and that's all there is to it.

This rigidity doesn't allow for genius or for the understanding that we're now in an era of rapid unfoldment. Fundamental structures are being swept away in an avalanche of awareness, and we're no longer prepared just to read about great miracle makers; we want to have the same experience. For most people, this isn't possible because they're locked within the limitations of the body and mind; their upbringing is so dominant that it encases their entire evolution, and they experience little spiritual growth.

Understanding Life's Mission 

We are not our bodies or our emotions or our minds or any of the structures and restrictions we experience around us. We are an infinite part of the God-Force, using the physical form to experience spiritual development through a special teaching called "daily life."

When you entered the Earth plane or dimension, the energy that is the real you left isa abode in the higher dimensions of pure light, and entered, by choice, the body you're now in. You chose the circumstances of this life because it was the next step in your infinite evolution, and because this life would allow you to expand what you are spiritually so that you could become an even greater expression of the infinite life force or Living Spirit.

Now you may say: "That's nuts! Why would I choose these circumstances of my life - this family, this society, and this neighborhood? Why didn't I choose a more affluent environment or a prettier body or more intellectual capacity?" The answer lies in a dimension beyond the physical plane. As you entered this dimension through birth, you has within your consciousness a heroic mission - a goal. The nature of that goal is firmly written in the very deepest recesses of the inner you; and what you are today, no matter what you feel about yourself, is actually a part of that goal in various stages of completion.

Your mind began recording events, thoughts, and feelings only at birth. It doesn't know of your heroic mission nor does it understand the Universal Law that interacts with your limitless potential. Why? Two reasons: First, if your mind, feelings and emotions knew the nature of your heroic mission in life, there would be no challenge or quest, and your evolution would suffer. Second, most understanding of metaphysics is based on tribal or religious beliefs that do not totally reflect an accurate perception of the delicacy of energy and the way its ebb and flow affects daily life; no real understanding of the Universal Law has ever been incorporated into the various belief patterns of the world's collective unconscious. 

For example, let's say your heroic mission in life is to learn to love yourself and to accept full cosmic responsibility for what you are. And, let's say, you have had a number of previous experiences on the Earth plane in which you were weak and indulged yourself metaphysically by leaning on others rather than contributing to your own energy or support. If you knew this in advance, you'd begin to favour one course of action over another, You'd intellectualize yourself into positions or feelings that you wanted to achieve, and your mind would dominate your every move.

Evolution doesn't work that way. You can't overcome weakness by fighting it or thinking your way out of it. You overcome weakness by leaving it behind you. This means that you become aware of the inner tendencies that bring you down, that don't support a belief in self, and that don't endorse a love of self, and you say, "I don't want to be that anymore." You then move yourself out of the slovenly ways of the collective unconscious, into a discipline of power. From time to time, you may drift back, but once you decide on the side of strength, the power of the Universal Law will always be with you to varying degrees.

It may be a battle at first because your mind doesn't understand these laws or the nature of your mission on Earth, nor does it understand the laws that govern your potential. It will have a tendency to "advise" you logically from its own experience, and logic is death to that part of you that is the miracle maker.

Understanding the Nature of Beliefs

The next step in creating your own miracles is to look at the nature of beliefs. By reviewing beliefs and feelings, you begin to understand how to use the Universal Law effectively. It's natural to yearn for the impossible, and in so doing, you establish strong beliefs about what can be done and what cannot. You can jump a certain height and no higher, run at a certain speed and no faster, accept a certain position and no better.

Because most commercial aircraft fly at about 600 miles an hour, the shortest time in which you can get from New York to Paris is about six hours. Those are facts in the collective unconscious. But what if we told you of a man who could move his body many thousands of miles in just a few seconds? Your mind would scan its memory banks and draw a blank, whereupon you might think impossible! Then perhaps you might review all the scientific data available and conclude that this feat is unachievable. All scientific knowledge and current thinking are products of the same collective unconscious, and just the fact that a billion people have no concept of a man moving 3,000 miles in a few seconds makes it seem impossible. But the billions of people are wrong.

There is a dimension, right here on the Earth plane, in which such a feat is possible, and there are a few people alive today who know of this dimension and use it. It's a matter of perception and belief. Your ability to work miracles is predicated entirely on how easily and quickly you can give the collective unconscious the slip. It's your attachment to the collective unconscious, or world belief patterns, that holds you back.
Read Stuart Wild's Website. Interesting Stuff!

Some Words About Energy and Relationships

Relationships are energy equations. Your energy field interacts with another person's energy field to create a dynamic or blended experience. In the same way that two liquids join to create a third form, or solution, our relationships with others form a delicate balance that we experience as 'the relationship'. With some people in our lives, interaction can be effortless, while with others, no matter how hard we try, it involves confrontation. While it is easy to blame the other person as difficult or undesirable, the truth is that our joint experience of the relationship is a mutual creation - developed no more or no less by one than the other.

The beginning of understanding and improving your relations with others is to come into awareness of the energy you bring to your interactions. While you cannot control others, you have complete command over yourself. There is a common saying that is relevant to this energy dynamic: what is the definition of insanity? The answer: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Think about this. When you change your response, you automatically create a different experience. The very fact that you can control your own thoughts and feelings gives you immediate power to change the experience of your relationships simply because you have shifted one part of the energy equation - you.

Rather than project distortion into the other person and wonder why they are the way they are, the more accurate question is, 'What is it within me that feels discord around this person?' This is why you can have the experience of attracting the same kind of relationship partner in consecutive situations. Your experience of attracting similar partners is created through the same looping energy pattern.

Co-Dependence

In a co-dependent relationship two or more people come together to create a dynamic where each person expects the union with the other person or group to make them feel better about themselves, — less insecure, more protected, or elevated in some way. In other words, co-dependence is when a person forms dependency or reliance on another person to provide his or herself with something they are not able to provide. The illusion is that we can experience self-completion through another; however, only through complete acceptance of ourselves can we experience self-completion.

Co-dependent individuals operate from a place of deficiency which never allows their relationships to flourish. Co-dependent relationships experience constant conflict because the relationship contains dependent individuals who do not feel a sense of self-containment and are therefore unable to provide any real support or respect for the other person in any sustained way. If co-dependent people do not believe in themselves, how could they possible believe in others? The feeling of dependency and need for the other person perpetuates their own feelings of unworthiness.

There are many variations on this theme. Individuals often get into relationships with a desire to control their partner. They want to feel adored and loved, but they are unable to reciprocate because they run the risk of loss or abandonment. They feel unsafe and cannot extent too much of themselves. They unconsciously play this role in order to feel more in control and less insecure. The person on the other side of the dynamic often gives and gives more and more of their energy away in a desperate attempt to gain love and approval, and so the dance of control and desperation continue, affirming their respective limiting beliefs that 'loving is unsafe' and 'I am unlovable".

Although there is less expectation these days in 'forever' relationships, people stay involved with each other even when their feeling of well-being is not enhanced and their life force is being drained. People blindly sacrifice intimacy for protection of self because they prefer to be with someone (anyone) rather than be alone. They fail to see that they can only cultivate peace from within themselves by making self-honouring (self-respecting) choices as opposed to continually compromising their values for outside approval (a no-win situation).

One of the common excuses people use for living in co-dependent relationships is that they are waiting for their partner or situation to change into something better. If you don't fully accept someone the way they are and are waiting for them to change something about themselves, you will always be unhappy with them and with yourself. What do you think will change the relationship? More space, more money, more time, the right job, marriage, children, etc., only provide short-term relief because on an energetic level they fail to address the issue of dependency versus self-reliance. Obligation also marries us to people through how we compromise ourselves. We think the fact that we owe others something gives them the right to treat us disrespectfully.

Conscious Relationships

A conscious relationship is one in which each individual is self-contained and whole unto himself such that they maintain autonomy and responsibility for their own sense of well-being. For this reason, they are free to objectively look to the relationship as an enhancement to their life, not because they feel weak and incomplete. Also, a consciously motivated person only seeks to be in a relationship with someone of the same consciousness. They do not seek to be in a relationship with someone who is insecure or dependent. Neither do they seek to control that other person nor seek their approval. They are self-contained.

In a conscious relationship, each person puts their personal core values before the needs of the relationship and honours those values — they don't justify compromising what is important to them for the sake of keeping the relationship together. That doesn't mean they don't lean on each other from time to time. The difference is that each person commands the support and respect of the other and seeks to respect their partner's choices as they respect and honour their own.