Spiritual Living Podcast Archive

Rev. Patrick continues discussing Geneen Roth's book Women Food and God. Sometimes we want to bolt, to run. Or we may obsess about something as a way of escaping the pain we feel. Staying with what we are feeling/sensing---not bolting---is the first step to ending an obsession. Life is more real, more vibrant, and breathtaking when we don't "leave ourselves" by obsessing; we are able to stay with the pain we feel when we remember that our essence isn't something that can be annihilated, and we are able to feel vulnerable and tender. What we do in our spiritual practice is heal the pain/separation from spirit we feel, so that we are connected to our passion and we truly live.

Today's talk introduces Geneen Roth's book Women Food and God: An unexpected path to almost everything. In it, she discusses the process of her retreats. She encourages us to look at our lives, how we act, and how we respond to what's in our lives. Look at it with curiosity, inquisitiveness, and gentleness. Waking up, we wake up to everything. The point and the process is to be in our lives with greater clarity. And clarity is power.

Rev. Patrick teaches us the finer points of the Fifth Agreement: "Be skeptical, but learn to listen." It is a balancing act, to listen compassionately, but know that when someone speaks, it is from their perspective---it's their story. To be skeptical doesn't mean we don't care, it just means that we ask, "Is it true or not true for me?" There are three stages, represented in some form in every culture and religion: victim, warrior, and master. We reach master when we have made the last judgment, of ourselves or others. With no judgment, we find peace. Rev. Patrick ends his talk with a video of a little girl, Jessica, as a great example of how to start our day right!

This week, Rev. Patrick speaks on Don Miguel Ruiz' fourth agreement: "Always do your best." In fact, we are always doing our best---it is the only thing we can do! We must practice the other agreements---being impeccable with our word, not taking things personally, and not making assumptions. Part of practicing and doing our best is not putting ourselves down or working against ourselves. Putting yourself down does not lead to enlightenment, but thinking less does. We need to learn how to go beyond the rational mind and step into the trust---trusting and surrendering to that Greater Power that knows, and loves. There is nothing as powerful, or as sweet, or as rewarding... than the decision to love.

Rev. Patrick speaks about the Third Agreement---don't make assumptions. When we make assumptions, we go astray from what is true. Perhaps we get caught up in our own opinion, a story, something we learned as children, or in society. Assumptions have to do with what we believe. Truth is whatever is freeing. Don Miguel Ruiz emphasizes not believing what others tell us, or what we tell ourselves. Instead, learn to listen and pick out whatever is valuable in the words we are hearing. Embody the simple ideas. Anything is possible. To believe otherwise is to believe a story someone told us. Perfection is this moment. Many of us have misconceptions about what's perfect---in reality, perfection is right now, today, us exactly as we are now.

Continuing from the book The Fifth Agreement, Rev. Patrick discusses the Second Agreement---don't take anything personally. What people think of us is none of our business. Gossip and blame need not affect us, since it isn't about us. Just let the dogs bark. There is no private good; likewise, there is no private criticism. Criticism of others is criticism of the Self. We are each here to live our highest potential, to give birth to consciousness. To get better at not taking things personally, or being impeccable with our word, we simply need to become aware and put space between the experience and our response.

Don Miguel Ruiz, in his book The Fifth Agreement describes that, at age 5, we were wild and free. Then our society "domesticated" us. From there, through events in our lives, we make up stories about our selves. This is our "virtual reality". Such a story has nothing to do with Truth, but it is our story and we become masters at living from that perspective. At any time, however, we can move beyond our story and grow a higher, larger vision for our lives.

Today's guest speaker Rev. Patrick Harbula, author of The Magic of the Soul, speaks to us about living in freedom and joy and unfolding love. He begins with the story of the Hundredth-Monkey Syndrome, saying that, as a planet, we have reached the critical mass in the consciousness of Oneness. It used to take years of study and concentration for individuals to experience Oneness, but now people are beginning their conscious spiritual journeys from a much higher level. He then quotes Dr. Earl Barnum, who spoke of who we truly are: "Our natural state is one of love flowing through us, unimpeded, effortlessly." In fact, it takes the setting up of a barrier---either consciously or unconsciously---to stop that God-force from flowing through us, and it requires tremendous energy to hold that barrier in place. So, all we have to do in order to be that Source is to let go. What does it take to be in freedom and joy and unfolding love? Sai Ram. We are love unfolding love: We are love; and we are unfolding more love. How do we be this on a consistent basis? It takes a conscious decision to step out from that which is holding us back and to slip into being love unfolding love. Look for the magic in every experience, look for the opportunity for growth in every situation. One significant way to unblock the energy of love so that it can flow again in our lives is to consciously align our intention and action. Simply do what we intend to do. Let us do the "big vision" things in our lives, live our dreams and our highest forms of self-expression.

We all need mentors. Carolyn Myss, in Entering the Castle, says "There are four passions of the Soul: joy, grief, hope and fear." We are born with a beautiful consciousness. But it must be nurtured, and our mentors do that. When it's nurtured, we learn to direct which of the four passions we focus on---joy and hope, or grief and fear. In contemplation, we enter into our "castle"---we meet our soul---and we stimulate our relationship to the divine. We learn compassion, generosity, abundance, and joy. The YouTube video that Rev. Patrick plays during the talk can be viewed here: I'm Yours (ukulele).

Rev. Patrick introduces the new book of the month, Ernest Holmes' This Thing Called Life. He teaches three pieces of wisdom: There is one God, common to all, in and through all of us. There is a universe that responds with mechanical regularity to the spontaneity of our thoughts. The eleventh commandment: Thou shalt love one another as I have loved you. One of Carolyn Myss' books, Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul, talks of how we sometimes avoid meeting God/Spirit because it makes life much more uncomfortable. We might not feel like we are ready to be fully conscious. What does being conscious mean? To be unconscious is to pretend to be unaware of the consequences of our actions, and the incongruency with our beliefs. Yet we may feel overwhelmed at the idea of living a fully conscious life. What can we do? Just practice. There is nothing to fear. Just step in; we are all interconnected. Rev. Patrick ends the message with a powerful story about his father. It reminds us that we are all accountable to the generations before us, our ancestors who brought us here, to do our best to reach our soul's purpose, to live a deeper experience and to help others.

Rev. Patrick shares some ideas that come from Jesus and his teachings. First, we hear the concept of consciousness, illustrated in the story of the loaves and the fishes. The Christ-consciousness inspires people to give and share, and teaches us about sufficiency. Our challenge is to look out into the world and to believe---despite what we see---that "I am enough" and "There is enough". The way Jesus turned water into wine reminds us that the everyday things can be extraordinary. Rev. Patrick reminds us that without betrayal there would be no resurrection. Jesus lived and showed us unconditional love; so when Peter cut off the guard's ear, Jesus healed it. Rev. Patrick leads us all in an exercise of unconditional love, to remind us we are not alone, and then sings a short song about God loving us even when we feel broken.

We all have the capacity to change our individual and collective dream. We can change our society's "dream" of materialism to one of reverence for, respect toward, and affirmation of life. We can take a stand to see the world become a better place. When we do this, we are empowered, lifted up, and we snap out of apathy. We must not get discouraged; always believe that we can make a difference.

Rev. Patrick highlights three keys from Lynne Twist's book The Soul of Money: Money is like water: When we are grounded in sufficiency, the movement of money is easy and natural. What you appreciate appreciates: For example, the intention with which you give is very important. Collaboration creates prosperity: Collaboration is the circuit that flows sufficiency. It says, "By working together, we have more than enough. Let's see what we can do with it together."

The spiritual path depends on knowing and living from the idea that anything is possible with God. We ground ourselves in this reality, even in our money and finances. In Lynne Twist's book, The Soul of Money, we read, "There is a natural law of abundance which pervades the entire universe, but it will not flow through a doorway of lack and limitation." So how do we open the doorway? Lynne identifies three myths (lies) that are popular in our culture: There is not enough. --- Hence, we compete to get more, and live in fear. More is better. --- This distances us from experiencing the deep value of what we have. That's just the way it is. --- This leads to resignation and cynicism. The antidote to the above myths is found in the principle of sufficiency. Sufficiency isn't an amount at all---it is an experience. It is a declaration: Knowing that there is enough. Knowing that we are enough. Sufficiency is a new place to stand.

A new month means a new book---The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist. Rev. Patrick reviews the eight traps that distort our understanding of life, and their antidotes, such as Anger/Serenity, and Self-Pity/Right Action. It's very important to realize that we all have a dark side, and if we are truly honest with ourselves, truth causes change. We have to build stamina to be able to handle the power of the truth. We must not gloss over issues in our lives that pop up, or try and pray them away, but choose to build stamina instead. The mind-body-spirit trinity is a complex one. Caroline Myss in her book Defying Gravity: Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason says that often, when people pray for physical healing of an illness, they forget about the spiritual aspect. Healing is giving up the fear and darkness we all have---it's a mystical act of surrender. A final thought: What do I need to be to fulfill the commitments I've made?

Rev. Patrick speaks about the importance of listening deeply to each other's stories. Even more important is not getting caught up in them, or believing they are the truth; they are only facts. When you hear someone's story, be compassionate to their hurts but know that there is more. "The only thing we can offer one another is inspiration." -- Kennedy Shultz

Rev. Patrick talks about love and loss. When people we love make their transition---pass away---they are still with us. In supporting others, sometimes all we can do is be lovingly present. In grieving, or at any time, we need to be able to ask for help. When we learn to take responsibility for our own lives, we start to think that we don't need others. But we do, more than ever. We all help shape each others' lives. Life is loss, transformation, and transition; this teaching is more about letting go than about gaining things. There is nothing to lose, only a bigger idea to step into. Be love.

Rev. Kathryn Cardinal weaves together four stories of young people---some only 12 years old---who made a big difference in the world, promoting peace and taking action against extreme poverty. They accomplished this by believing in their dream, never giving up, and following the spark of inspiration. A little idea can become a big idea! Have the courage to allow your magnificence to be expressed. About 27 minutes into this talk, Rev. Kathryn shows an inspiring video, from one of the stories, about promoting global peace through children's sports.

Rev. Patrick speaks passionately about falling in love with our future, and falling in love with ourselves in a new way. Emma Curtis Hopkins said, "Everything is really full of love for you... The good that is for you loves you as much as you love it. The good that is for you seeks you and will come flying to you if you see that what you love is love itself. All people will change when you know that they are love. We shall change towards all people when we know that we ourselves are formed out of love. All is love. There is nothing in all the universe but love." How much love will you accept into your life? If you are going to love another deeply, you must love yourself deeply. Life comes to find us as much as we go to find it. Deep calls unto deep. "Life can only find you if you are paying real attention to something other than your own concerns." -- David Whyte.

We need to learn how to handle more positive energy, success, and love in our lives. Rev. Patrick reminds us about the three questions from Gay Hendrick's book, The Big Leap: Am I willing to increase the amount of time every day that I feel good inside? Am I willing to increase the amount of time that my whole life goes well? Am I willing to feel good and have my life go well all the time? All we must do is be willing, to agree! We may have to give up some things from our old way. We must become aware of when we complain about time, and stop declaring we don't have enough---we are the source of time, it's not a pressure from outside, and we can make as much time as we need. We can tithe---or give up---our resentment, jealousy, anxiety, and unforgiveness... We can decide where we are going to spend our energy. We must take ownership of our lives, saying, "This is my problem and I am committed to resolving it."

Rev. Patrick weaves a powerful message, speaking from The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks and referring to the poetry and writing of David Whyte. Whyte says there are three reactions we can have to events in our lives: we deny what's happened, we tell a story about how we are a victim, or we can be conscious enough to look it in the eye. At times, we feel like we're on a plateau, but that's where we do a lot of our learning, where we learn to live in our genius. Living in your genius is not doing more; it's simply doing what is true to you. It's finding deep rest. It's looking your situation in the face. As French philosopher Camus said, "Always live close to tears." The Ultimate Success Mantra: "I expand in abundance, success, and love every day as I inspire those around me to do the same."

Rev. Patrick reminds us that stepping into our genius depends on how well we stay conscious, live in the moment, and learn to be professional thinkers. We have to take 100% responsibility for the way our thoughts create our lives. We each have a "toolbox" full of thought/word/tools that we use---some serve to build us up; others create a limited experience. We can learn to start using the tools that serve us.

This week, Rev. Patrick continues the discussion of the upper-limit challenge from Gay Hendrick's book, The Big Leap. In the book, we learn the four barriers that keep us from living our best life---from living in our genius---and how to move beyond them: Feeling fundamentally flawed Disloyalty and Abandonment Believing that more success brings a bigger burden The Crime of Outshining Let us allow ourselves to be transformed---to teach and demonstrate living from Spirit. Let us play the most beautiful game we can play---of service, of wisdom, of clarity. The Universe wants nothing more than to celebrate our lives---in, through, and as us.

In today's talk, Rev. Patrick discusses the upper-limit challenge: As far along as we are on our journey, the very next thing we need to grow through is our upper-limit challenge. Using the wisdom from Gay Hendrick's latest book, The Big Leap, we need to ask ourselves: Am I willing to increase the time every day that I feel good inside? Am I willing to increase the time that my life goes well? Am I willing to feel good and have my life go well all of the time? We choose to dwell on something that's working---instead of worry and fret. We find willingness to clean stuff out of our lives, whatever no longer serves us. We ask ourselves: "How much love and abundance am I willing to allow?" and, "How am I getting in my own way?" End with this truth: "I am the thinker that thinks the thought that plants the seed that creates my life." "I expand in abundance, success, and love every day."

Rev. Patrick speaks about the Centre's new vision statement and tells some more stories about his recent experiences at the Parliament of the World's Religions. The world is changing fast, and that can be scary. When we are centered and know who we are, we are less afraid. We can, however, get caught up in too much spiritual work and self-actualization, and forget that we need community and service also. Or we can end up thinking we are so exceptional, we have nothing left to learn! It's not about how good we are, it's about how good we want to be. We are only limited in our growth by our own thinking. Ernest Homes said, "to learn how to think is to learn how to live."

Rev. Patrick speaks briefly about his trip to Australia for the Parliament of the World's Religions. He reminds us of the importance of gratitude and growing in consciousness.

Through the telling of the life stories of Nelson Mandela, Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, The Dalai Lama, and Peace Pilgrim, Rev. Catherine McLeod shows how the life moments of these leaders serve to inspire us about how life works and what we are really able to do. Accepting fully their messages of peace and love, we believe that the Universe is safe, loving, friendly, abundant, and benevolent. We trust the power of good in the Universe.

Rev. Connie Nissen shares how events in her life have unfolded to allow an amazing unity between her work life and spiritual life. We are each a unique idea in the Mind of the One, we have unique abilities and there is something that needs to be spoken through us. Get ready to listen and be in the right place to take action and express this unique idea in synchronicity with the One. Incredible things happen when we are open to being the magician's apprentice---to allowing Spirit, the Mystery, to work in and through us. The power for Good is a divine organizing intelligence that works for the good of everyone. We attract things in our lives according to our thoughts and vibrations. But it's more than that---we are like a receiving and transmitting station, tuned to a certain frequency in this incredible "soup" of energy. Dr. Wayne Dyer says we attract who we are. - - - - - When we ask, "How may I serve?", the Universe responds with a resounding, "How may I serve you?" "We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring shall be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." -- T.S. Eliot Do you ever feel like you'd just like to coast through life for a while? Or do you want to continually learn and experience new things? We are living in the lap of immense intelligence.

Using Dr. Michael Beckwith's book, Spiritual Liberation, Rev. Patrick reminds us that happiness is our true nature---our natural state is joy! Step out of the role of cynic, and step into happiness. We realize happiness at whatever our level of understanding is. The more we open up to the possibilities, the better! We are here to live beyond self-imposed boundaries. From Spiritual Liberation come the 4 C's of Happiness: Conversation---keep it in heaven Company---bringing out the best in you Challenges---help us unleash our highest potential Commitment---like Yoda says: do, there is no try!

Rev. Patrick, drawing from Michael Beckwith's book Spiritual Liberation, reminds us that we can all set the intention to be transformed. We are all enlightened; we don't need to add anything to ourselves. Poet Mary Oliver said: "You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for hundreds of miles through the desert repenting, you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves..." We are transformed through our energy; Rev. Patrick introduces us to a powerful shapeshifting energy exercise. Bring consciousness to everything you do and everywhere you go, and be transformed.

Guest speaker Dr. Ganz Ferrance teaches us how our subconscious mind works. We can use the law of repetition to "seed" our brain by repeating important phrases like, "It is my right and my responsibility to live a big life," and "I am a vital expression of the divine. The world would not be the same without me in it." When we fully grasp who we are, we can do amazing things. We can make use of the paradox principle: What we think we need to do, we need to do the opposite. The harder we try, the worse we do. Release yourself to your fear or anxiety and do whatever you need to do anyway. The principle of involution says that we have inside us the seed for everything we need to be.

Rev. Patrick begins with a quote from Bishop Desmond Tutu: "We were made to enjoy music, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, to enjoy looking at the billows of the sea, and to be thrilled with a rose that is bedecked with dew. Human beings are actually created for the transcendent, for the sublime, for the beautiful, for the truthful, and all of us are given the task of trying to make this world a little more hospitable to these beautiful things." Could it be that we are here on this planet, simply to listen to the music, appreciate beauty, and watch the progression of life? Rev. Patrick, sharing and expounding on points from Rev. Michael Beckwith's book, helps us understand how evolved people think and function. The "symbol of Canada" Rev. Patrick reveals is none other than a snow shovel. :)

Rev. Patrick talks about Dr. Michael Beckwith's presentation and his message of being spiritually free---free from fear, lack, worry, and limitation. We can have an emergence without having an emergency. Not getting, but letting. There are five different "tribes", stages, or evolutions: "Life sucks" (people in prisons, gangs, hating all life)---2% of the population "My life sucks" (people who have taken a little responsibility in the word "my")---25% "I'm great, you're not" (bragging, cheering at a hockey game)---48% "We're great" (unique situations of teamwork and collaboration)---22% "Life is great" (what we are working towards)---2% There has never been a problem we have not solved on the planet.

Do you ever hope that life will get easier, but it doesn't? When you are overwhelmed, stop and ask yourself, "What did I come here to be? What does what I am making this moment mean for me?" We are here to share a wholeness, and to help each other. Rev. Patrick gives us three tools we can use to remind ourselves that everything is here for us. So, even though life doesn't get easier, it gets clearer.

An outlook of gratitude is so powerful: We can't be in gratitude and resentment at the same time. We cannot be of two minds. Gratitude means being fully alive and in Conscious Oneness with God. Gratitude is the great multiplier. In today's talk, through Elizabeth Lesser's story of the Workshop Angel, we learn that all of our difficulties make us who we are supposed to be. Our problems are friendly. They want to make us strong. So we are grateful this day for our problems, for the difficult people, for our addictions. These are the things that we are ready to move through.

In today's talk, Rev. Patrick calls us to connect with and own our entire being. He touches on obsessive/compulsive behaviour and how to work with it, to find something more interesting to think about. The talk then shifts to a discussion of Carl Jung's statement, "I would rather be whole than good." This ties in with the story of Beowulf, which is about diving into the depths of our being---where we're struggling, where we're challenged---and owning it. The re-owning of our dark aspects is an absolute, essential, ethical act. We admit to our weaknesses so that they become our strengths.

Rev. Patrick reminds us of our connection with Spirit. We do this by healing our perception, which gives us opportunity to connect to freedom and meaning. Because our consciousness proceeds our experience, we take the perception of our experience and transform it into something new and powerful. How can we live a more devoted life? Show up in situations with this thought: How can I help? It is devotion instead of discipline. Devotion is bringing your whole being to something. And the challenge? Letting more love in. To heal our perception is to open the door to give birth to freedom and meaning.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel like there's something wrong with you, that you aren't good enough, and that you just aren't okay? Drawing from several authors and poets, Rev. Patrick again encourages us that despite our surroundings---facts about our life---we are okay. Our spirit is untouchable, perfect, and full of joy. What about fear? If you can step into it and bring your awareness to it, you'll find that the fear of something happening is worse than the actual thing happening. Become aware of where you carry fear in your body, and don't deny its existence. Your openness is more powerful than whatever feeling you are opening to.

What we think, we become. What we believe, accept, and dwell upon becomes a part of our being. We can focus on excellence in everything we do, from the grocery store to the drive-thru. We don't need to be Mother Teresa; small things matter, too. There are lots of people who are looking for a really great spiritual teacher. They think that someone else can teach them, but it isn't true---we teach ourselves. We are equipped with everything we need. We cannot change anyone else---only ourselves. Put down what others are struggling with, and make peace with it.

What can we do in the face of pain, handicap, and tragedy? Rev. Patrick reminds us that sometimes all we need to do is hold someone's hand and be the consciousness, to love unconditionally. Our teaching helps us touch spirit, live in the moment, go beyond our ego, and find our own answers. We can live our calling, and be in the flow in everything we do.

This week, the youth relay their experiences at youth camp in southern California. They experienced incredible unity, unconditional love, and deep friendship.

Guest speaker Elisabeth Fayt gives us insight on how to use the law of attraction in every thought. The universe doesn't know "no"---it says yes to whatever we think or say. Everything we think is a "pre-pave" to how our lives unfold. The first waking thought is an important one, because it sets the tone for the day. Why not think "Something wonderful is going to happen today"? Why not answer the common question "How are you?" with impact?---"I'm working on balance" or "I'm blissfully productive". The energy behind every word and thought attracts more of that energy!

Learning to re-parent ourselves is a great way to grow and manifest new things in our lives. Rev. Patrick discusses the five stages, and the importance of empathy as we connect and communicate with our world. Men often struggle with some of the softer, right-brain skills, but they are so important.

Everything we think is some kind of prayer. We think with our left brain, but we tap into creativity with our right brain. Music is so amazing because it keeps us in the present moment. We are drawn to its artistry and duplicate it in our hearts. If you want a creative life, do what you "can't" and experience the beauty of the mistakes you make. We know that Heaven isn't a destination---Heaven is now. We are Heaven.

There isn't always a reason for everything that happens. Two hundred years ago, scientists fell in love with logic, and so now we tend to think there must be a reason for everything. But for many tragedies, there is no answer to the question "Why did this happen?". Rev. Patrick reminds us what Dr. Holmes originally taught us: turn away from the condition that you see and don't get caught in the delusions of life... like the delusion of tragedies that don't have a reason. When you do, remind yourself that: There is One Life, That Life is God's life, That Life is perfect, That Life is my life now! You are beautiful and extraordinary and there's not a thing you can do about it!

Until we experience Spirit, we don't know Spirit. We must live It to move from the left-brain understanding of the intellect to the right-brain understanding of actually experiencing It. It is more important to live Spirit, to be Spirit, and to taste Spirit. We do this by living Life and living Life fully, for we are the outlet of the Divine, each and every one of us. We need to ask ourselves: How are we designing our lives? For we know that this moment leads to the next moment, creating the life we experience. We are here to design our lives. We are here to choose wisely.

What does it mean to reach for the higher concept, higher touch, bigger idea? It means connecting to our right-brain wisdom and abilities. Our abundant world is evolving toward an age of enlightenment or transcendence, where the right-brain rules. Left-brain IQ is not very important in success; more important than IQ is imagination, joyfulness, and social dexterity. Have a higher opinion of yourself! Be alive while you are alive!

Ernest Holmes said: "To learn how to think is to learn how to live." Rev. Patrick continues to explore left-right brain intelligence and why we need both brains. The left brain gives us language, analysis, logic, and connects to the Law. The right brain appreciates beauty, spirituality, purpose, understanding context, and connects to Love. We need both the Law and the Love. Let's stop and think, and stop believing everything we think---some of our thoughts are flawed! "Now stop ignorantly and stupidly denying your own capacity." -- Ernest Holmes

Rev. Patrick discusses balancing the two sides of our brain; the left side tends toward fear and anxiety, and the right side is our awareness and grounding. We have a choice in each moment how to live, and we can choose to have faith. Faith is the capacity to meet fear without hope. If we require hope, how can we say we have faith? Hoping it will get better doesn't help! We must be confident we have everything we need to move through our situation. This doesn't mean we never have fear, but we don't lose touch with our grounding/awareness. We can learn strategies to help, and stay in community---friends who remind us who we really are.

Generosity and giving are wonderful spiritual practices. When something happens in our lives, we can choose to judge it or celebrate it. Generosity of spirit helps us celebrate. Life is about being aware of what seeds we are planting, not just getting rid of weeds.