Connect or dialogue using photos or god moments

SANCTUM     A sanctum  is a place of rest and solitude. It is a place where we rest our weary body, mind and soul as we connect with our True Self, our Divine/Spirit Self.  Although nature, our first Sacred Book, is an easy place to find beauty and stillness, there are other sacred places where we experience Grace moments,  God moments . THERE IS ONE HOLY BOOK, THE SACRED MANUSCRIPT OF NATURE...ALL SCRIPTURES BEFORE NATURE ARE LIKE LITTLE POOLS OF WATER BEFORE THE OCEAN.   Inayat Khan COME TO ME IF YOU ARE WEARY AND HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.    Matt 11:28 MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR YOU... Ps 63 I WILL REFRESH THE WEARY SOUL... Jer 31:25 COME AWAY BY YOURSELVES TO A DESERTED PLACE AND REST A WHILE.     Mk 6:31 ALLOW NATURE TO TEACH YOU STILLNESS.     E. Tolle REST A WHILE... STILLNESS... (pic sent by a friend) (pic sent by a friend) pic sent by a friend temple in Bangkok (pic sent by a friend) TRULY, YOU ARE A GOD WHO HIDES... Is 45:15

TRUTH    Truth is very difficult to define since it involves many fields of knowledge.  Therefore, I will limit this post to the spiritual  truth regarding the Absolute/Ultimate/ Reality/ God, whatever our perception of God is, or whatever name we have for God. The truth of the nameless God, the Infinite Absolute Reality, is universal; its essence is true for every person, every faith traditions, every group. If one group claims to have the whole truth, the right truth, the only truth, it fails; it is not universal and its conclusion is in error. The Ultimate/Supreme Reality is for everyone and every group. And it is in that sense that the TRUTH SETS US FREE . It does not enslave us with definitions, rules,  regulations or rituals. Granted , each group will have different rituals and beliefs based on culture, but the essence is ONE and TRUE for everyone. The Infinite/ Invisible/ Divine Reality is in all, with all and for all. That awareness gives us a universal wise heart and sets us

REALITY REALIZED      The truth of God/ the Ultimate Reality has a thousand names since God is nameless and gender-neutral or beyond gender. No matter our perception of God, this Ultimate Reality is true for everyone. God is an unknown mystery forever discovered. Is it any wonder that different faith traditions have different names for this Ultimate Reality... Reality is truly Light and Love sustaining everyone and every thing. And when we realize that reality, we realize our ONENESS and we are on the way to UNITY and PEACE. Search the blog for TRUTH, UNITY, PEACE http:// connectwithlucyusingphotos. blogspot.com We need a sense of Oneness if we wish peace in the world.    Dalai Lama ULTIMATE REALITY LIGHT & LOVE (pic sent by a friend) (pic sent by a friend) Just to be is a blessing, just to live is holy.    Rabbi Heschel What we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are...We are already One.    Thomas Merton   "

CARTOONS        Cartoons are a blessing. They often teach us wisdom in a very subtle way while putting a grin on our face or they simply make us laugh. Cartoonist Patrick McDonnel and Jim Unger are two such characters;  and we are grateful for them and to them. This post was inspired by two books: 1) GUARDIANS  OF BEING by Eckhart Tolle, 2009   ( words) and art by Patrick McDonnel (creator of MUTTS ),  and  2) HERMAN CLASSICS vol 5 by Jim Unger, 2010                                                                                                                                                                        ( pictures were also taken from those two books, first 4 by P. McDonnel )           cat hedral watch... AND THE GRASS GROWS BY ITSELF   Zen Proverb DANCE OF LIFE      by Jim Unger by Jim Unger http:// connectwithlucyusingphotos. blogspot.com      search also HAPPINESS or INDEX

FEAR  is the stumbling block to growth, it is like a drug altering our life.  Because of fear, we fail to learn; we fail to follow our bliss ; we fail to follow our path; we restrict ourselves and become miserable. Fear decreases our hope and limits our victories. Apparently, there are over 300 verses in the bible reminding the reader not to fear ! for we are never alone, the Merciful One is always with us, loving us, protecting us and leading us to trust and to peace.    . FEAR NOT I HAVE CALLED YOU BY NAME...YOU ARE MINE..I AM WITH YOU.   Is 43:1,5 DO NOT FEAR...HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES BEFORE YOU; HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.    Deut 31:8 PERFECT LOVE CASTS ALL FEAR.    1 Jn 4:18 MY PEACE I GIVE YOU...BE NOT AFRAID.    Jn 14:27 THE REAL DESTROYER OF INNER PEACE IS FEAR AND DISTRUST.  FEAR DEVELOPS TO FRUSTRATION, THEN ANGER, THEN VIOLENCE.    Dalai Lama WE HAVE THE POWER TO LOOK DEEPLY AT OUR FEARS, AND THEN FEAR CANNOT CONTROL US.    Thich Nhat Hanh TRU

COMMUNITY       Community is belonging. We find community first in our home with our family, then with our friends, our church parish, our faith groups, our affinity groups, our organizations, our clubs and also at work. True community builds relationships, bonds us together with compassion and prayer. True community is healthy; it makes us free to share thoughts, feelings, sorrows, joys, faith; it helps us on the journey of life. Listen to Barbra Streisand sing People who need people https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=9Vjsv8Ry238 Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.  Rollo May Without the human community, one single human cannot survive.   the Dalai Lama It is through belonging that we can break out of the shell of individualism and self-centredness that both protects and isolates us.    Jean Vanier We have all known the long loneliness, and we have found that the answer is community.    Dorothy Day Forgiveness is the

MINDFULNESS or ATTENTION     What Buddhists call MINDFULNESS,  is what others call ATTENTION or awareness.  When we are mindful or attentive, we are present to whatever we say or do. As the Buddha says: When you are walking, walk. When you are sitting, sit. Don't wobble. Do one thing at a time and be here now. That is very good discipline for the mind; it keeps us free of worry about the past and the future; it teaches us to "take time", to be patient; it takes away all fear, even the fear of death because the Spirit/Self is present. Being attentive or mindful also helps our relationships by fostering more sharing. When we are attentive to what our friend(s) say(s), we show that we truly care. To take time in this increasing fast world and to be attentive or mindful is excellent advice. For more on the above topic, read Easwaran's  practical book TAKE YOUR TIME, 1994, 2006 (above post inspired by that book) When attention is one-pointed, loyalty will not waver

UNITY      Unity is not  uniformity.  Unity is when different elements merge together in harmony. Recalling how we are already One Big Human Family interconnected, we should be able to detach from our differences  and allow our commonality to unite us in harmony. Our essence in our humanity and faith should encourage us to peace and unity, allowing respect for our diversity in culture and faith practices. We see unity of spirit happening in certain churches  but let us hope and pray now for world unity. Even if we often feel disconnected from our ourselves, from each other and from the world, Divine Love forever flows....  I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME SO THAT THEY MAY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY... Jn 17:23 LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER. ..  Rom 12:16 WHETHER JEWS OR GREEK, SLAVES OR FREE, WE ARE ALL MADE TO DRINK INTO ONE SPIRIT.  1 Cor 12:13 THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS YOU AND I FATHER ARE ONE.  Jn 17:21 (Jesus/Yeshua  praying for Unity.) O MANKIND, INDEED WE HAVE CREATE

ONE TRIUNE REALITY     Christians believe in ONE God manifesting as Father (Love,Godhead)   Son (Jesus/ Christ ) and Holy Spirit. The  words "Father" and "Son" are used to express a love relationship which expresses as "Holy Spirit".              Early Christians, mystics, Fathers and Mothers of the Desert  (4-5 th Cent)  had  a more opened notion that the entire universe, earth,  was part of the Trinity (Triune Reality). The West however, with the exception of a few mystics in the 14th-16 Cent, is only talking now about the Cosmic/Universal Christ and that WE are included in that relationship of Love.  ( see R. Rohr's  archives from Center for Action and Contemplation...CAC)    online archive . Consider therefore the sacredness of the entire Universe, the Earth and ourselves...     Three in One is indeed paradoxical, yet real, it seems to me..  (see my diagram below)        Granted, the words on the diagram are maybe too parochial for some but we

PARADOX    According to the dictionary, a paradox  is a statement appearing contradictory, yet true. Life is a paradox because many events seeming disastrous, bring us meaning and joy. New life means death to behavior destroying us. We need both solitude and community to survive. Breathing to be whole requires both inhaling and exhaling...Negative and positive events are part of life and therefore requires no judging.  The wisdom is in resisting to label them bad or good but simply in accepting the event as it is. Darkness often brings light. Our struggles, crosses, suffering, pain,  can be transforming. (see yin/yang.... two opposite but complementary, bringing balance to life) If we can live with the tension of opposites, we might find freedom and hope because in the midst of tension, Someone is there taking care of us... In our struggle, we eventually see the blessing, the Grace moment, the God moment. Like Jonas, I find myself traveling toward my destiny in the belly of paradox

LETTER TO MY CRITICS Dear Christians, Some of you believe that my blog does not favor enough CHRISTIANITY. Here is why... The aspect of my blog is universal showing mostly with quotes from different sources, that all faith traditions lead to the Ultimate Reality called God by the three Abrahamic religions (Christianily, Islam, Judaism) and called differently by other faith traditions. From my readings and from talking with people of different traditions, it is obvious that people from different faith, experience the God of their heart and  realize our oneness and holiness. Isn't that our common goal? For too long, each of the major faith tradition has considered itself superior causing divisions and even war/killing. Now, do you see how this blog (in a small way) tries to rectify that error?... If we realize our unity and oneness, we will have peace on Earth. Thank you for reading this blog regardless of the church/temple you attend or no church, or the faith tradition yo