 Is wealth something to be shunned? Is it something evil? We are not here to be poor, sick, or lonely. “But woe unto you that are rich! For ye have received your consolation.” “Woe unto you that are full! For ye shall hunger.” A first reading of these lines would imply that it is not in your best interests to have wealth and comforts. At least that is what religious leaders would have you believe. And yet, those same leaders collect your tithes and many seem a bit on the plump side. My interpretation is a little different. There are those in life who believe that wealth is an end, rather than a means to achieve a greater good. There are also those who are so full of themselves they think they know it all, they keep all that they have just for themselves and for fear of loss, share not with others. These people shall hunger, not for food, but for meaning and purpose. These people shall leave this world with few friends and the spoils of their labor shall be divided amongst the heirs. While Jesus does not condemn wealth and material possessions, I believe that he does imply that care should be taken with how one uses such wealth. Those who believe that the Universe is limited in its bounty close themselves off from others thinking what they have will be taken away. Often, this fear attracts the loss of such things. But those who know that there are no limits give of their riches and bounty freely and it always seems that more comes their way. “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Make no final decisions about the nature of the Universe. It changes constantly. Do not condemn others for what they have. The wealth of the Universe is available to all. With our condemnations, we attract that which we condemn. Thoughts filled with strong emotion and negative intentions only return to us. It is a Wiccan belief that negative thoughts are returned three fold. Negative energy does not exist. You cannot put a curse upon someone or cause harm with your thoughts or intentions. Black magic is a myth perpetuated by those who would keep you frightened like a little child. In this way they can get you to do all manner of things that go against your own inner voice. In truth, all you do is poison your own thoughts and what you condemn and fear becomes the guiding force in your life. The idea of forgiveness can be difficult for many. If a person is caught in the trap of malice and hatred, these things are attracted to that person. Bitterness never turns sweet and the joys of life become as a sour fruit. It is almost impossible to enter the “kingdom” or Christ consciousness if hatred is still held within the heart and mind. There is no question that abuse is hard to forgive. Murder is hard to forgive. The loss of a loved one to a drunk driver is hard to forgive. War is hard to forgive. However, unless the cycle of condemnation is broken, it continues to perpetuate itself. Is this the reason why some parts of the world are never at peace? When we forgive others, we are forgiven. It is not that some god forgives you; it is you that forgives you. What good is it for deity to forgive if you do not? How can we be admonished not to judge, condemn and to forgive and then think that God would not automatically do these things? This is a message to each of you. It is you that must move on and perhaps look for the inner meaning of those negative things that may have happened. It is you who must discover that ever so elusive blessing in that awfully dark cloud. When this is done, all manner of illnesses disappear and you can move to partake of the riches that await. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” What you put into your life, your thoughts and your emotions will be returned unto you. This “IS” The Law of Attraction and The Law of Responsibility at work. Who does the giving back? What you send out with the power of thought, filled with emotion and strong intention, the Universe will return back to you in “good measure, pressed down” and made manifest in your life. We all use the phrase, “what goes around, comes around.” This applies for both positive and negative thoughts. My guess is that this is the genesis of that common saying. The way you measure and think about the world, your life, your friends, your family, your lot in life, your health, your desires, hopes and dreams will be measured back to you. If you want to know how you view the world, simply look at what is in your life for it is a mirror of your deepest thoughts. Many are surprised when they actually stop to look and then realize that their life is a product of their own mind. Remember, the doors that have been opened are the ones you opened. If you do not like what you see, you can change your measure. You can view things in a different way and alter what is measured back. There is no reason for any sense of guilt if what you see is not how you wish your life to be. It only means that you need to alter your perceptions. We often learn through the negative. In other words, we discover who we are by discovering what we are not. If something negative is manifest in your life you can say, “That is not me, it is not the way I want to be.” With this change of mindset your world will begin to adjust to your new thought patterns. If you buy a book or go to a movie and do not like it, there is no reason for any sense of guilt. You simply move on and don’t buy more of the same kinds of books and do not see similar movies. And yet, each book or movie you do not like teaches you more about yourself and about what you do or do not want to be. This means that even these negative experiences can become a positive force in your life. |
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