So two drunks walk into a bar… sounds like the beginning of a joke, no? Actually it’s the beginning of two men that applied our 5th Unity Principle that states through thoughts, words and actions we live the Truth we know.
These two men, a doctor and a once wealthy stock broker through their thoughts, words and actions formed a group now known worldwide as Alcoholics Anonymous with over 2 million members. With the help of the famous psychiatrist, Carl Jung and the Oxford Group, they formulated 12 Steps to recovery from alcoholism. Their 12th Step states “After having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message, and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.
This goes hand in hand with our 5th Unity Principle of letting the clutch out and putting words into gear towards action of being of service. I can only imagine how many times those two drunks dreamed of a way out of their hell before finally making a way through their thoughts, words and actions, coupled with the Truth of Love. The beauty of the actions taken by those two drunks lie in their understanding of where two or more are gathered together in the name of Christ, there am I, or in the Oneness of the Christ. It is when we take our experience as permanent and forget that the only constant in the Universe is change.
It may seem like at times the miles we walk on our spiritual path is only to better our lives, and it is, but more so it is about having our cup running over, being of service to help others live a better life, as well. It is in nurturing our true nature- the Christ or Oneness- that we fill our cup in order to have it overflowing to others. It is not enough to do good deeds for the sake of being a good deed doer, for many perform good deeds as a diet for the ego. To live externally without feeling the connection to all as One is living through thoughts, words and deeds without the essence of Truth, and this falls short of our mission.
This truth flows freely when we wholly accept our own shortcomings, not belittling ourselves, but knowing that we’re doing what our course of experience calls into place, and cannot awaken without feeling love. Those identifying with a belief in lack do not need more of the same, but can be awakened in the presence of love. The other component that helped those two drunks awaken is an understanding, or identification with each other’s struggle, and how compassion could intercede into their madness. It is only by understanding and application of love in action that the 5th Unity Principle comes to fruition in our lives and those around us.
The well- traveled teacher knows that compassion for others comes by way of understanding what others are going through. It is not an intellectual truth to be learned when Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but a truth stemming from understanding and acceptance. It is the energy of the heart that is felt by our fellow travelers. We experience people telling us good information all the time, where the heartfelt energy is not present. However, when someone is able to open the valve wide enough, or more simply put, get out of the way, we feel the genuine effect from the Universal Source.
Gandhi’s simple statement of Be the change you want to see in the world is the only way. Without doing my own work of clearing the beliefs that limit love, I am only attempting to externally create in others what I believe is lacking in me, not realizing I only desire to love and be loved. When I realize that heaven is within, and create from heaven, then I realize thy kingdom comes, on earth, as it is in heaven.
It is not easy when people push our buttons, or more to the point, when they scrape our wounds, to keep in mind that they’re our best teachers. It is far easier to lash out verbally or in our minds, with both having the same energy released. We are guardians of our thoughts, words and actions. We must stand ready, monitoring our state of being. It’s too easy to ask what’s wrong with me, rather than what is going on with me.
We have the ability to do our own work, mostly by listening to our best barometer- the body. When the mind is running a muck and creating turmoil in our lives, chewing on resentment or self-pity, we feel it in the body. It is astounding what seemingly invisible thoughts do when they our focused in a self-centered way. The atomic bomb’s incredible force comes from implosion before the explosion, and when we fall into an imploding state of mind, it is usually soon that those around us feel the exploding tension initiated by our thoughts, words and actions when not centered in Truth.
Very few of us are born into a state of having all the answers. We look externally to gurus and sages for our answers when the process of connecting to Oneness is so simple, yet not easy. Our only mission is to connect and serve, but we humans are famous for complicating the simple. It seems there is no other way than to begin one’s journey than by looking outwardly, especially being immersed in such a sensual world. There comes a point when that outward thirst can turn inwards and the potential for an internal shift puts one more in charge as the master over their thoughts.
Bruce Lee, the renowned martial artist once said of teachers, “that it is the job of the teacher to protect the student from the teacher.” Simply put, you have the same access to truth as anyone else. Listen to others, without worshiping, for the words that resonate true in you, and know they belong to us all, and are not eligible for copyright laws. We need only remember we are all facets of the same diamond, reminding one another of the simple truth that we are love, just covered with a few limiting beliefs.
Let our thoughts, words and deeds come from Heaven, originating within, allowing the Kingdom of God, Love, Truth to manifest on earth. We are Love in Action.