Ah, God’s vastness did unfold,
all glowing like a dream,
Heaven manifest through my soul,
in endless, glorious sheen

Oh, sweet God, resident in me,
with love I am made whole.
Open my heart that I might write
the words flowing through my soul.

Spirit of God unleash in me
living words with loving rays,
so those they reach, where’er they be,
may be divinely changed always.

The beauty in creation often touches the soul and brings inner peace. We are deeply moved when we behold the glory of a sunrise or sunset, the stars in the sky, the silvery moon on a clear night, a snow-capped mountain, a field of flowers shining in the sun, or listen to the sound of surf, or the gurgling of a little stream as the water flows over rocks. All of these sights and sound glorify God, who created them.

We create our world through the lens of our attitudes and feelings. Negative thinking and judgment adds darkness into the world, dims the light of the soul, and adds layer upon layer of veil to the almost-universal delusion that we are separate from God.
Negative thoughts and judgments cause us to feel separate from, instead of one with, each other and God. They create disharmony and limit our ability to feel grateful and loving. Gratitude and love open the heart and connect us with the object of our affection, whether it be God, nature or human beings. Criticism and condemnation tend to shut the heart down, making it difficult to realize that every person is, in essence, divine. For every soul is an eternal being, created by God from out of God’s own spiritual substance, and will in time realize its nature as immortal spirit and its oneness with God.

Sometimes, in our attempt to imitate what we learn from others, we get caught up in repetition, routine, techniques and rituals that leave us ignorant of who we truly are. We try to be someone we aren't. We look outward instead of concentrating inward for discovery of revelations of our own. Shakespeare wrote, "Unto thine own self be true." God is within ... Go there in love and be made whole.

With love, Mary Ann Johnston

Taken from Messages from Jesus,  p. 277

I asked Jesus, "What about those who commit suicide?"

Jesus replied, . . . "They reincarnate to work off that karma. All is not lost."

This has been good news for many people, thinking that their loved ones who chose suicide were going to go to hell.
I thought about suicide when I had my heart attack and visited heaven. Momentarily I thought it would take me back to God. I wanted desperately to return to Heaven. What stopped me was remembering Jesus' words that I would simply reincarnate and start over to work off that karma.  I surely did not want to start over.  I simply wanted to go back to God, never to return. It isn't that easy.  Starting over sounds very difficult.
Thus, I am still here doing what I am meant to do. Apparently I wasn't finished with the task, for God did not keep me.
—Mary Ann

Following is my conversation with Jesus about abortion. You can find it in my book, Messages from Jesus, p. 277+

"What about those who have or perform abortions?"
 Jesus answered:

"There are so many individual situations that warrant or censure abortion. Even the fetus has his or her own karma, or is sent to intervene in the karma of the people involved, in ways unfathomable by the human mind. You cannot kill what cannot die. The soul lives on, life after life. Therefore, it is not for me to say to one, it is right, and to another, it is wrong. It is not for me nor you to judge. And, even when God intervenes, it is with love and guidance, without judgment. Life is precious, before birth and after birth. Life is precious, before war and after war.

"Do you condemn those who send your youth to die in war? Within your dualistic world, you perceive circumstances that warrant war, even as you perceive circumstances that warrant abortion. Therefore, I simply ask that whatever you do, do it with love.

"God loves everyone, not just the saintly. It saddens God and I that some of you who are or have been involved in abortion have feelings of guilt that affects your lives. You bury parts of the memory within layers of veil, and wonder why you experience stresses. Memories continue to surface, reminding you of the experience and of your feelings of guilt. I say to you, wrap your self with the love of God, forgive your self and others, come to terms with your feelings, and go on.

"If you aren't able to allow yourself to feel the love of God, I offer myself for you. I love you. I am here to bear your burdens, your sadness, and your feelings of guilt. Unburden your self onto me; then live and heal in each present moment, with love and with no concern over the past."

There was a slight hesitation of time within a beautiful, sweet moment of bliss. It brought me to tears thinking of Jesus relieving everyone of their burdens, if only they would go to Him. It lifted my love for Him to ever-new heights.

—Mary Ann

Jesus said, “If you are unable to have quiet time during your day, practice wakeful meditation in your busy life. In this wakeful meditation, go about your duties and encounters with love. Imagine each moment as the only moment, because it is. Live, knowing you are in the presence of God. Meld lovingly into all situations—into all people, children, nature, and even material things."

I find when I put  thoughts of need out into the universe, or to God. I follow Jesus' words to do so. First I acknowledge and praise the supreme absolute, then I turn my needs over to God and ask for what I want, all in the twinkingly of an eye. Then I let go and let God. Before I know it, my petition is met.

I think the trick is "faith". With faith it is easy to let go and let God.  Jesus revealed the following to me in a conversation on prayer, in my chapter on "Words". ...

"When you get past your doubts and open your will to God, you find that God provides an answer for all of your needs. You have to be alert and ready to hear and see the help He sends. As you live prayerfully, and grow in oneness with all the universe, you will increasingly be able to manifest all you might ever want and need.

"Needs are highly overrated. Materialism is rampant in your world. Clear yourself of all of this excess baggage and your burdens will be lighter."

Taken from Messages from Jesus pp. 213-214 —Mary Ann

A few years ago Babaji gave me seven directives. I am in the process of writing of them in my third and last book.

1. All that you need is already yours to create in your life.

2. Trust in your own divine self, and your needs will be few.

3. Ask little for yourself and you will receive abundance.

4. Know God as one with your self, and creation will manifest for you.

5. You are the perfect manifestation of God consciousness.

6. Only be happy.

7. Light up the world with your gratefulness.

—©Mary Ann Johnston

SEVENTH (crown) CHAKRA (Sahasrara) 972 petals

Following are attributes of the Seventh Chakra, including the Healthy Functions and Dysfunctions.

The Thousand Petaled Lotus
The seventh chakra is a major entry point for life force, which pours endlessly from God into the human energy system, nourishing our being.
Lessons: When the seventh chakra is balanced, you may experience oneness with all that is and understand univeral truths.

LOCATION:     Top of the head
PURPOSE:    Merging of human with the Divine; final liberation from the karmic wheel and earth plane. An awareness of our spiritual nature, life purpose and meaning. When fully developed, the crown chakra integrates all other chakras in accord with spiritual values.
ANATOMY:    Pineal, cerebral cortex, nervous system    
CHAKRA PERCEPTION:   Spiritual knowing, holistic conception (receiving a whole concept that goes beyond sensory experience)
COLOR:    Violet, clear, opal, white, gold
ELEMENT:    Cosmic light and etheric vibration
ENERGY STATE:    Spiritual insight, vision and intuition far beyond ordinary human consciousness: a dimension of conscious rapport with the Divine
FEELING:    Knowing
FOCUS:    Higher will or knowing
FORCE:    Higher spiritual forces
GEM:    Amethyst, diamond, sugilite, purple fluorite, quartz crystal    
MEDITATION:    Be still and know God
MENTAL/EMOTION:    Bliss    
NATURE:    Spiritual
PLANET:    Saturn
PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING:  Oneness, resulting in knowing
RELATIONSHIP    One with God
SACRAMENT:    Extreme unction (letting previous phases of our life die)
SENSE:    Knowing
SOUND HEARD IN MEDITATION:    OM
SYMBOL;    Thousand-Petaled Lotus
TONE/KEY:     Sound /Tone Ee; Key B

Seventh Chakra HEALTHY FUNCTIONS:
When your Seventh Chakra is balanced, you experience
serenity, and see perfection even in what is deemed imperfect.
PHYSICAL:    Sense of well-being, independent of physical condition, with a zest for life.
MENTAL;    Able to have positive feelings for yourself, feel safe, stand up for yourself, trust life.
SPIRITUAL:    Can transcend the laws of nature, have mystical experience of divine oneness and bliss without fear, know you are supported and guided by a higher power, see all beings as one’s larger self, holistic insight, service for the world as a whole.
DYSFUNCTIONS:
Illnesses that originate here may be activated
by issues relating to impaired spirituality.
PHYSICAL:    Dysfunction of the whole body, or pituitary, pineal, nervous system, brain, cerebral cortex, migraines;
MENTAL:    WRONGLY DIRECTED ENERGY: Psychotic
LACK OF ENERGY: Depressed, distant, can’t make decisions, catatonic, stressed, unable to connect with life and people, may experience a “dark night of the soul”, may lack any understanding of God, fearful, may feel abandoned by or disconnected from God.
SPIRITUAL:    Symptoms of a psychological crisis or “dark night of the soul” are similar except that, in a dark night of the soul, a person realizes that the cause of the crisis is within and does not blame others.
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL SYMPTOMS:    
    Absence of meaning and purpose, a feeling that something is trying to wake up inside, strange new fears, for example, feeling of losing touch with sense of self or identity.
WHAT TO DO:    Keep a journal, seek psychological or spiritual counseling, lead a holistic and spiritual lifestyle, choose a way to be devotional and to serve others, be in touch with a source of miracles and hope, meditate, visit a retreat, stay in the present moment, get rid of excess materialistic clutter.
© 2009, Mary Ann Johnston  

During this next week I will be posting articles on the seven major chakra attributes, healthy functions, and dysfunctions. These articles are not complete in their presentation of the chakra system; they are simply a tool to help us understand the progressions in our lives, and that our individual paths all lead toward the same goal.

I believe, because I have seen, that there are as many chakras in the body as their are joints in the anatomy. There are also chakras off the ends of the fingers, toes, nose, and ears, etc. However, there are seven main chakras, starting from the base of the spine to the top of the head. 

The seven chakras I will be addressing are inter-connected and function together as the major energy distribution centers for our physical, mental and spiritual being.

In making choices and learning lessons along life’s way, we move upward from our lower chakratic life styles and forward on our spiritual path, sometimes regressing before moving forward again. But, once we pass beyond materialistic and selfish pursuits, and experience life through the higher chakras, becoming ever more loving, we realize the spiritual side of us, which has always been there waiting to be discovered.

With Love,  Mary Ann

Jesus said …
        “One path is not better than another, as they are all one. All lead to God. Everyone imagines they are on a different path but, ultimately, they all have the same destination: God-realization, heaven. Just as there are many roads to any one city, there are many ways to get to God, none better than another. Some paths are higher, but that doesn’t make it better.”
        I asked, “What makes one path higher than another?”
        Jesus said, “Higher means only that a person is nearer to God-realization than another. Still there is no comparison. The closer one gets to God-realization, the more intense the desire to experience divine bliss. And in this desire they live more fully in God. This does not mean it is better than another path, just closer to fulfilling where all paths lead. All paths eventually lead to God.”         
- Messages from Jesus, p.43

The only way to become established in a truly happy state of mind is to go beyond the plane of the senses, with its alternating waves of pleasure, temporary satisfaction, disappointment, fear, boredom, and gloom. Through spiritual growth we can do this.

—George

Yogananda said,  "God’s omnipresence is our omnipresence; we are just as much a part of Him now as we ever will be. All we have to do is improve our knowing." —Mary Ann

Consider this: Happiness is not found in the mere possession of wealth.   Happiness lies in how you benefit others in the creative effort to attain it, in the joy of the achievement, and in sharing it with others, all while in close communion with God.  —Mary Ann

I believe that I am a soul spirit, reincarnated over and over, from my one, parent soul. Different personalities from my different soul spirits, or lives, gives my soul a much greater spectrum of wisdom and love. As we becomeincreasingly multi-sensory and more aware of our soul, it may becomemore apparent to us that behind every aspect of our humanness is theenergy of the soul, an essence of God. I believe that each of my soul spirits, each life, has progressed in love toward fulfilling my soul's longing to go to final absorption into God. —Mary Ann