RAINBOW SHERBET

It's true. This post doesn't fit in sequence. And doesn't even exist in the draft of the book. Still, I hope it's both timely and productive.

In one way, it's part two of the Rainbow alliance; in another, it's kind of a palette cleanser. And in another, it's like a pep talk.

This non-sequential post comes about as a response to suggestions that I've been too negative in recent posts, at a time in history that needs mostly uplifting thoughts and ideas. I follow. Let's 'try a little tenderness.'

So, just before we let 'er down easy, let me re-affirm the path I'm proposing for us all: becoming less egocentric, material and dogmatic, and simultaneously becoming more compassionate, appreciative and Spiritual.

My basic approach was to present our current situation as we so often find ourselves: bombarded by manipulative ads, by Rush and the Falwells, by rampant materialism. By the constant tug on our fragile egos to avoid positive change in our lives. And that was BEFORE the '16 arrival of the toxic orange pandemic, followed by the '20 stresses and fears of Covid.

After noting the traps we need to be wary of, and negatives to be released, the idea was, and still is, to venture boldly into more enlightened practices, with posts on consciousness, compassion and forgiveness, angels and archangels, mysticism east and west, metaphysics and Spirituality. I hope that sounds like a few breaths of fresh air!

So I recap some starting points from the first 'rainbow' post:

I know that any individuals, especially you and me, can change ourselves, embrace the best qualities we can find, and seek out kindred spirits, to build a collective with growing and staying power.

My thought is that a true rainbow person should say and live, with conviction, something like this:

'I believe in equality for all persons, and freedom and true plurality in all nations. I believe that no person is better or more important than any other because of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, culture, wealth, IQ, status, occupation, etc, and I consider persons who agree with all of this, and who live their lives by these convictions, to be my truest brothers and sisters. May our numbers swell and unite us until we are a truly great force for reason, peace and spirituality, in our houses of worship and our homes, in the marketplace, in the voting booth and on the world stage.'

So, while we recognize the 'collective' in important national and global goals, let's concentrate on our individual psyches as we 'accentuate the positives.'

Starting with waking up, right? It's the perfect time for a big splash of positivity, cuz we're alive and well, and we're way more grateful for what we've got than what we don't got. Time to choose an affirmation, and belt out some gratitude.

I start with 'I AM grateful, dear Spirit, for all the blessings in my life, for this wonderful body, mind and spirit, for (fill in spouses, loved ones, family, friends, pets and all our fellow beings), and on to house, work, nature, music, laughter, TV, technology, sports and favorite activities.

Then try this: when people, govts or orgs are being bring-downs, affirm 'dear Spirit, insinuate yourself into their hearts and minds to bring about positive changes.' You enlist Spirit into your life and theirs. Gotta be a win-win.

The other way to offset the bring-downs is by watching the talented late-nite comics who put a humorous spin on that same news. That would be the likes of John Oliver, Samantha Bee, Bill Maher, Trevor Noah and, of course, Randy Rainbow! Don't leave for bed without them! Add in a favorite stand-up comedian or some funny cat videos on YouTube and then finish your evening with more gratitude.

In the morning, hit replay. Life is way gooder'n the alternative.

Like most of us, I walk mostly in various footwear, but I've come to realize the cosmic importance of 'Earthing' - out in nature, bare feet on earth, grass and sand, every day and at every opportunity.

“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair” Gibran

In my early years, I was a Judeo-Christian misfit. In college, I latched on to existentialism: Dostoevsky, Kafka et al. After a bit, I 'metamorphosed' into a pre-beginner Buddhist, with a newborn core belief in reincarnation and Spirituality, but with a realization that I would likely live a lot of years before these new beliefs stirred my reality.

It's been quite true, and it's why I describe my life as kind of a bumpy roller coaster ride. And I like it! And I recommend it! So many of us live largely in the 'material' world but seek to merge more and more with our 'higher' selves. To me, it's a worthy endeavor.

I believe in avoiding a steady diet of 'Rump droppings' and GOP lies, but I still believe that it can be productive and even cathartic to speak up, be counted and counted on, rather than be silent, when the opportunity arises, to let our convictions, alliances and resources present themselves.

So back to items from the first 'rainbow' post, looking at syndromes that may seem negative at first, but which can be lived through a very positive lens.

For instance: if you decide to boycott Hobby Lobby, Chik-fil-A, the Salvation Army or any other org. that is bigoted toward gays, (or Blacks, Latinos, Jews, Muslims, etc.) don't be angry at them. Affirm that they will one day see the light. Then shop, eat and donate somewhere else, where they appreciate every soul.

If you go to a House of Worship that feels just right, of course you continue to bask in the comfort and support. However, if it is obviously bigoted or overly dogmatic, or just no longer resonates for you, consider leaving. You might well find another choice, better suited to your beliefs and more satisfying. With kindred spirits and a sincere inclination toward Spirituality. 'Seek and you shall find.'

Give your support to AU (Americans United for Separation of Church and State), Southern Poverty Law, the ACLU, People for the American Way and other defenders of freedoms and rights. I promise you'll feel good about it.

If you feel like being proactive about the federal marijuana laws, go for it!

Want to get the friggin’ electoral college extincted before the 2024 elections? live it!

Keep all our congressfolk and governors on our email contact list, and never be afraid to let them know where we stand on issues that are important to us? Righteous!

Vote the Rump Swamp off the face of the Earth? Exquisite!

Doin' good by our bodies:

Right about now, weight, eating, nutrition and exercise in the Covid era is sticky stuff...so many factors can make it difficult to stay true to diets and exercise regimens. But folks, we all gotta do what we gotta do. If that means indulging sometimes, just do it! Pamper ourselves when it helps keep us in balance.

And never stop loving yourself. Spirit never loves you one iota less over an extra piece of pie or jug of wine.

Recognize the pluses and minuses of western medicine. So let's go to doctors for the things they do well, but remember how little training they get in nutrition and exercise and other crucial aspects of overall health. Our health!

I suggest talking to them about 'alternative' healers, and ask them how they feel about herbs and supplements, nutritionists, chiropractors and acupuncturists, for starters. If they’re not supportive, consider leaving and finding someone more open-minded. I've done it. I feel we need to bring only the best healers of all stripes into our lives.

Now, for other aspects of our lives that need positive attention, especially now - including friendship and love, compassion, forgiveness and awareness/consciousness.

I recognize that we all feel the pressure of the rampant pandemics. If you're like me, you miss huge little things like hugs.

Even in a largely hug-free world, our friends and family are still our lifelines to sanity. We've all now experienced the pull to connect with loved-ones, old and new, near and far. Affirming their health and well-being and telling them that we love them are such soothing balms for our souls.

Compassion stands as a core value of every religion and moral imperative. It invokes the golden rule and every proclamation of equality that humankind has ever professed.

I re-quote Karen Armstrong for her compelling summary:

'The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religions' ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves.

'Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures....and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.'

"Our sorrows and wounds are only healed when we touch them with compassion" – Buddha

And when we act without compassion? Gary Zukav tells us:

“You become aware of the damage that you do to your own body when you feel and act without compassion.”

What an opportunity we have right now to act with compassion, with so many people in much direr straits than we. It's our chance to volunteer our time, our energy, our service, our money to help others in need; and to seek equality for all.

Forgiveness. Forgiveness and compassion, along with gratitude and humility, IMO anchor the lives of those who seek their higher selves.

Their are several aspects to forgiveness. First is forgiveness of yourself. For that extra glass of wine and equally for that most distasteful event of your past. Next is forgiving yourself for any harm you've caused anyone. (in-person forgiveness is sometimes needed.) Last is forgiving everyone who ever harmed you, starting with the one who is hardest to forgive. And be grateful that it's so, because in truth it frees you to move on unfettered.

“If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.” Mother Theresa

Free yourself and everyone else; Spirit's waiting.

Gratitude raises our consciousness and links us to Spirit - gratefully. If we start off our day affirming 'I AM grateful, dear Spirit, for this beautiful day', we set the stage for giving and receiving blessings all day. When a clerk at the store elicits a smile, or vice-versa, be thankful for that sweet exchange, cuz it not only kicks up our consciousness, but microscopically raises the consciousness of the whole globe.

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously." Emerson

All of these practices raise our consciousness, so that we spend more time in Spirit's realm and less in our ego's. When we take a beautiful hike in nature, we've done exactly that.

One of my favorite ways to 'let go of everything' is to listen to the slow movements of Mozart's piano concertos. It's like sharing the wind with Spirit. What're yours?

The other realm of sharing space with Spirit is meditation. I'm still not great at it, but I'm always getting better. It's an important part of my morning routine, and it always leaves me refreshed and grateful. And it signals an awareness in me that Spirit will be accompanying me for all the day's activities.

“The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with the spirit lies its greatest joy.” Paramhamsa Yogananda

On another tack, for millions of us there is great fun in watching favorite TV series and movies. We just binge-watched the Harry Potter series. Other fantasy collectives, like Star Wars, Star Trek and DC and Marvel comics movies provide great escapes. Faves for me also include Avatar, Jupiter Ascending, Dune, Valerian and the Jumanjis.

Another prime category of enjoyable pastimes for the current pandemicmonium is reading.

I can only really recommend books that have been instrumental in piecing together the overall flavor of my posts. here's a bunch of my favorites:

Louise Hay, 'You can Heal Your Life'

Gary Zukav, 'the Seat of the Soul'

Michael Newton, 'Journey of Souls

Marcus Borg, 'Jesus and Buddha'

Caroline Myss, Anatomy of the Spirit

Bruce Chilton, 'Rabbi Jesus'

Chris Stedman, 'Faitheist'

Sam Harris, 'A Letter to a Christian Nation'

Doreen and Grant Virtue, 'Angels of Abundance'

Irshad Manji, 'Allah Liberty and Love'

And one last thing I have found enjoyable and enlightening: 'cruising' authors on Yahoo. For instance, 'quotes by' Rumi, Hafez, Gibran, Robert H Schuller, Richard Rohr, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson, Gary Zukav, Karen Armstrong, Brene Brown, the Dalai Lama. Holy cow! You can get waylayed, but smile all the way through.

Or pick a topic that might be soothing or uplifting: 'quotes on' compassion, forgiveness, love, meditation, angels. Or 'pictures of' sunsets, wildlife, nebulae. Stir in Mozart and set sail.

And the reliable fallback: 'Funny quotes', pictures, animals, Covid.

Hey, everyone: stay healthy, talk to someone you love, and find something to laugh about.

NAMASTE