For several years, in addition to silent meditation, I have practiced what I call wakeful meditation, wherein I experience all things in one vaporous flow of love and light, all while my mortal self, weighted down by ego, engages in physical and mental activities in dualistic consciousness.

Wakeful meditation is a form of meditative awareness during daily activities, in which one does not have to be in stillness and silence in order to be in God consciousness.

Brother Lawrence said, “The time of work does not with me differ from the time of prayer. In the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great a tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Supper."

In the Beatitudes, Jesus spoke to a multitude . . . He didn’t speak to just the disciples or other important people. He spoke to people like you and me, there to hear His words.  Part of what He said was:

“You are the light of the world.”[1]  Isn’t that amazing. You and I are the ‘light of the world’. Just think of the moral role that puts upon us. The world is dependent upon us to shine our light with goodness and love. Let us not fail.

We see people full of love and compassion. They radiate and give off an energy of love and joy, so powerful, it touches us. This energy is the light. And, the more forgiving and loving you are, the more love and joy you have in your life, the more you shine, the more you will touch others.

Verses throughout the Bible speak of darkness and light. Here are a few:

“Be careful, lest the light in you be darkness.[2]

      For it is God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness.”[3]

     “Open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light.”[4]

     “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”[5]

      "Let your light so shine before men …”[6]

One more mystic ramble . . .   No matter how well I can interpret and understand the global or individual reasons for suffering I still cannot remain a cool observer with a heart of ice, lost in my metaphysical heights and deaf to the cries of anguish reverberating from so many corners of our earth.  Much, too much, of the suffering is completely unnecessary.  We did not enter this physical experience to suffer but rather to expand in the joy and  creativity of all its endless possibilities.  But we individually and collectivey have make this part of reality what it is now.  The wars and all the world-wide suffering are but the outward expression of our inward fears and insecurities.  All the injustice, killing, and torture are manifestations of our own probing into the myriad possibilities of existence.  Not one soul participating in this maelstrom of global whirlwinds of ‘sufferance’ is here against his or her will.  We - our greater, inner, selves - have decided to experience this facet of reality as it is.  To learn and to GROW!  

We must do what we can to help our fellow man and to  increase the light on earth. Whatever you do, do it with love. —Mary Ann

First there is hugging, and then there is hugging. The hugging I want to address today, is a greeting hug found in people of like mind, gathered for spiritual reasons;  not with amorous intentions.

At Song of the Morning Retreat, hugging is something most of us do in greeting another person. This past weekend, a young man was at the retreat for the first time. When he hugged me, he took every ounce of breath I had in me and out it came in one big WHOOSH! I was breathless and gasped for air. Nothing hurt, but I was overwhelmed.

Later, he came with a group of people to our home in the retreat community, and this time I shook his hand. Then in front of God and everyone, making it fun, I taught him how to hug elderly; gently and meaningfully. For truly, loving energy can be exchanged with even the slightest hug.

I have experienced hugs from people who want the hug but are afraid of contact and separate themselves bodily. So it is a reaching hug, or a side way hug. I can certainly understand how they might feel. It is best to approach these people in the manner that they lead. For you can readily tell, with their body language, what they can tolerate or not tolerate. Just the fact that they want a hug is good.

For some it is near a full body contact hug with only the best of intentions. One friend of mine exchanges hugs with me that seem to go on forever. We energize each other as if we have been together for eons and then were lost to each other and were finally reunited. Each week, we look forward to our reciprocal hug. When we miss a week, we both realize the loss.

Someone once warned me that I should not hug everyone and give away my energy. I felt sorry for this person. I never give away all of my energy, for it comes from God and is abundant and overflowing. I can tell when a persons auric energy is low or negative, and each time, I attempt to lighten their burden, by giving love, yet protecting myself by receiving their negativity and giving it to God.

I realize there might come a day when hugging will be questioned. It already is; what with pandemics etc. It will be a sad day when we have to stop and think first of the consequences of hugging and exchange of germs etc, instead of letting go and letting God be in charge. I believe that the loving light energy that is exchanged in hugging is germ free. It can be done with a mask on, hands off, visualized, from the heart, and from a distance.

For those of you who just can't bring yourself to receive or give hugs, I find nothing wrong with that except that you are missing out in life. I once had a beauty salon and some women came in weekly for a hair-do. Several of them said, "No one touches me from the time I leave here until my appointment next week." They would always say this with sadness. What you give you receive. You get out of a relationship what you put into it. I have no idea how many of these women gave to others what they so desired.  Even a pat on the back or a smile, is an exchange of love and a part of hugging. 

In my Messages from Jesus book p.83,  in conversation with Jesus, He said,

"I am being serious. You shine. Everyone shines their light, some brighter than others. How do you think it is that you can send others light if you didn't have it inside of yourself?"

"I never thought of that. People often ask me how to shine light on others. It is difficult to explain."

"One simple way to explain it would be to tell people to smile on self and others."

"Wow, what a pleasant thought." I hesitated, smiling to myself, before going on. "Sitting here, smiling, I can't help but think loving, happy thoughts."

    "Yes, and you are shining brighter because of it. . . .

                              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shine on . . .   Mary Ann

 

In the Beatitudes, Jesus spoke to a multitude . . . He didn’t speak to just the disciples or other important people. He spoke to people like you and me, there to hear His words.  Part of what He said was: “You are the light of the world.”  Isn’t that amazing. You and I are the light of the world.  It is for that very reason that I endeavor to increase the light within myself so that I can give it to others and creation abundantly.

—Mary Ann

   When you want to get something across to others you might sometimes whisper so they perk up and listen.  In my dialogue with Jesus, He would do that to me every once in a while. And He would whisper to me very quietly. But it was a different kind of whisper. It was a very powerful whisper as if a powerful wind being held at bay, wanting to pour forth and only letting out a little at a time. He wanted me to understand and pay attention.

   At one of those times, when I was having great doubts about sharing, He whispered to me “Don’t hide your light under a bushel basket.” He knew I was trying to justify sharing His words with others.

—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

I gave myself up,
loosening the bonds of my human form,
to become dancing particles …
a transformation outside myself,
as in a euphoric dream,
delighting in love,
and in that love I was loved.

How is it that one can experience Oneness with all creation? Sometimes it just happens without calling it forth. It simply is. You just need to be open to receiving it and, when it comes, to recognize it and flow with it.  Here is one experience which I wrote about in Sustained by Faith. It occurred at Song of the Morning Retreat where I live with my husband George.

   The next day as I went into the Retreat dining room, I felt myself shift into a state of meditative euphoria in which I was aware of being one with everything before me. My memory clear . . . I remember it vividly, as if I were back there again.
   Almost startled, I looked up as I entered the dining room. Everything and everyone in it was lit up, as if a light had been turned on, outlining them in brilliance beyond what was physically possible. Everything slowed down. As I sat with others for dinner, everything was clean and bright and stood out.
People were chatting and eating, seemingly in a manner that was not different from the norm, and yet I saw it differently. As I watched the slowed performance, no one seemed aware of this phenomenon, nor was I moved to share it.
   George, unaware of what I was experiencing, sat at my right, and we ate this beautiful meal within the glow, in slow motion . . . . I saw that as everyone was eating, each mouthful was truly an action of devotion. And yet, they were totally unaware of it.
   Through the open kitchen door, I watched Carrie, one of the cooks, place desert on individual dishes with loving care. I was mesmerized by her undeviated focus on her task. She was simply meticulously placing pieces of pie on individual plates, with slow devotion to her task. I could feel her reverence. She glowed within the scene, unaware of everything around her, unaware of me, watching. Her movements were in slow motion, as each crumb was removed or put in its place, each piece of pie perfectly centered on the plate. God poured forth grace through her into plate after plate of pie, as she orchestrated perfection, and energy resonated outward, everywhere, encompassing all. This was truly soul food in its highest form.
   Within the moments between moments, I realized, from her beautiful, loving essence, that she was preparing to serve God. And I realized that truly every action we take is in the oneness and presence of God. Observing the action encompassed in the brightness as time slowed down, I was amazed at the unity of the whole as life goes on.
   I watched as each person was silently attended to. I watched this beautiful, egoless woman devotionally serve this desert to each guest, as if it were being placed before God. I watched as they ate it, seemingly unaware of its blessed state. I remember being served this love-filled pie. I don’t remember what kind of pie it was. I don’t remember eating it.  
   This phenomenon of brilliance-seeing has occurred in many instances throughout my life. And sometimes, if I look closely, I find it in unexpected places and it makes me ever more wholly aware of the oneness of all of God’s creation and that love exists in all, awaiting notice.

   —©Mary Ann Johnston