Spirituality Sunday - Anam Cara - Soul Friend

This is a textual version of components from the September 13 Spirituality Sunday broadcast. The full show is archived for your listening pleasure at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/PeterPocklington

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Thank You for the life of Mary Travers - who left us this week. I asked Puff The Magic Dragon "Where Have All The Flowers Gone". The answer is "Blowin' In The Wind" he replied.

As Mary took on the Spirit of other troubadors whose music contributed to her social consciousness, her Spirit will live on in the candles she and her brothers-in-arms, Peter and Paul, lit in the hearts of others.

Thank You to the country of Ireland, the country of Scotland and the county of Yorkshire. Their beautiful ruggedness has helped create a people, a culture of wisdom that transcends time. Though it is a stretch sometimes to call the bagpipes "sweet soul music" in its best essence there is no doubt in my mind that it is the music of the soul.

Thank you to all the wonderful staff on NPR's "Speaking of Faith"

And Thank You to the late John O'Donahue by whom I was so moved this morning.By the thoughts that he triggered in my head that were so strong I felt I had to share them with you today.

It would not wait a week. It was imperative. HERE! NOW!

ANAM CARA - SOUL FRIEND

While I will be downloading the podcast from Speaking Of Faith - as a message to listen to over and over - let me just share some of his wisdom.

You should always keep something beautiful in your mind

Isn't that the truth. When the Moody Blues sang "it is all around if we could but perceive" on "In Search of the Lost Chord" they encouraged us to search for a higher perception, an awareness of beauty.

When my mother taught me the power of "making memories" she was giving me the gift of actively looking for beauty and storing it in my mind for future reference. Beauty is truly all around us, when we open our minds to perceive it. Let's just take John's next step. Capture it in our minds. For spiritual nourishment when we need sustenance.

The gifts we have been given are not ours alone. The were meant to be shared with the community.

As it is written "to whom much is given, from him (her) much is expected".

We come into the physical world naked and alone and when we leave it, it is also a journey we take alone.

With that truth in mind, is not everything that we are and have in some way, shape or form, a gift. Somebody somewhere, or something, made whatever you have available to you.

Who is your community? Your family? Your friends? Your Church? Your Work Colleagues? Your twitter following? Your Facebook friends? It is for you to decide. But always remember, it is in giving that we truly receive.

Your identity is not the same as your biography

So many CVs, so many resumes, so little time!

Do we take the time any more to learn more about WHO people are? Not just ask ourselves the question "what can he (or she) do for me?"

Through all the failures I have had, in all the places where my resume disqualifies me from being an instant success - to be used by someone else as they see fit - I know inside of me there is a me that is a distilled essence. I know that is also true for you.

When I stand in front of Saint Peter and he looks into the Book Of Life for the life of Peter Pocklington, I trust he will know more than the results, more than just the CV, more than just the resume. I hope he will see the ME and make his judgment with wisdom and compassion.

Are you afraid of your limitations, or are you afraid of the infinite within you?

In his book "Think And Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill outlines the six basic fears. We all have them. God knows we all have them. Literally. GOD KNOWS!

Yet another basic truth is that God made us. And the way I look at it "GOD DIDN'T MAKE NO DUDS"!

So ask yourself - instead of telling yourself what you can't do, what if I can do? On the Million Mind March we have a mantra - "you don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going". The physical world teaches us that a body in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an equal and opposite force. So what if the force of God is inside us? Because I believe it is. THE infinite is within us. Yes, John, I am afraid. But I do thank God for the 23rd psalm.

Create a space where your children can unfold. Safely.

Now there's a corker! In the name of safety are we imprisoning our children?

One of the greatest blessings I have been granted in my life has been watching my grand-daughter evolve. Without my own fears of "am I doing the right thing for my child?".

To quote my mother again - she once shared with me a concept - that we come into the world with infinite wisdom, infinite intelligence - and slowly lose it as we become molded by our physical constraints, our environmental constraints, our emotional constraints.

I encourage us all to watch children at play when they structure their own environment. I never cease to be amazed by their problem solving skills, their capacity to forgive, their natural ability. They learn to communicate in a completely foreign language is less than two years. Try that Mr. PhD in Mathematics. Try that Mr Certified Systems Engineer.

Watch a baby. Defenseless little creature. No so-called language skills. Yet it can dominate the space it occupies - DOMINATE IT!

Do you know when it is hungry? Who told you?

Do you know when it is tired? Who told you?

Do you know when it is pleased with you? Who told you?

Do you know when it is displeased with you? Who told you?

When was the last time you had a great conversation, in which you heard yourself say things you never knew you knew?

In a round-about way we have come full circle to the last of the thought-provoking ideas John O'Donahue lead me to today.

Did that thought hit me like the proverbial "ton of bricks"?

In a 140 character world, in an email world we can connect with so many. Yet with how many do we converse?

What does it take to have the conversations that bring out things from inside of you that you never knew you knew?

If, as it is said, the art of conversation is dead - may I pray that there will be a resurrection?

This is definitely one of the gauntlets that John O'Donahue threw at my feet. Am I able to meet his challenge? Can I be the kind of person who helps people say things they never knew they knew? Who do I know who is that kind of person?

Is this a question in search of an answer? Or is it an answer in search of a question?

Either way, I know I was given a gift today. That by capturing the wisdom of John O'Donahue before he departed this existence at the early age of fifty-two, Speaking Of Faith was able to bless my life this morning.

I shared this gift with you because

I am Peter Pocklington
I am a Good News Merchant
I am a purveyor of prosperity, and
I am my own personal guarantee.

Contact me any time. My organization is built to help you help yourself by helping others.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for listening

Invest in yourself, YOU ARE SO WORTH IT.

GOD BLESS!