the consciousness of possibilities...
Following a recent overseas trip, a good friend gifted me
with a Compact Disc she had purchased during her visit to a Buddhist Monastery
in China. She told me that one of the reasons she selected the CD was
because of the harmonious, uplifting spiritual energy she felt at the monastery.
It only made sense to her that that energy would translate to the CD. Good
call. It was a thoughtful gift and is a superb CD of musical chants.
I've listened to it a lot in the past week.
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Misty Mountains |
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Last Monday morning, I drove along the South Fork of the Payette River on the
highway between Banks and Garden Valley. It was early light. A
gentle rain fell and misty gray wisps of clouds hung low on the steep river
canyon sides. Stately pines and colorful autumn deciduous foliage, though
fading and falling in its last days, were especially striking against the fresh
mountain top snow line that silently proclaimed the surety of nearing winter.
The South Fork, with its emerald tinged waters, flowed with graceful power
exuding an atmosphere of peace. I've seen a lot of rivers and canyons in
my life. This one is my favorite. The earthly beauty of the moment
was enhanced by the unearthly voices of Buddhist monks that magically filled the
cab of my pickup with their exquisite chanting. I turned up the volume on
my CD player.
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The South Fork of the Payette River |
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Heaven and earth, I thought.
In a moment of clarity, immersed in the constancy of the river and mountains,
it occurred to me how dramatically things have changed in our world. Not
so much with the river and mountains; those aren't much different than they were
a thousand years ago. No, the change I'm writing about has taken place
in the consciousness of humanity. In a startlingly short time.
There I sat in Idaho, comfortable and safe inside a couple tons of reliable
manufactured steel, traveling 25 long miles in 30 short minutes to exactly where
I wanted to go on smooth asphalt roadway beside my favorite river while being
spiritually serenaded and uplifted by a freely given, crystal clear, digitally
mastered, 2 ounce round plastic recording of musical instruments and the
chanting voices of Buddhist monks who live on the other side of the globe, and,
in all likelihood, have never even heard of Idaho.
Ho ho. Is this possible?
Well, of course it is. You know that.
But a short time ago...a handful of years and but a generation or two of
human life...it wasn't. In fact, the notion of such a scenario would have
been deemed preposterous by almost everyone. Everyone, that is, except
possibility thinkers.
Beyond what meets the eyes and ears, there was far more riding in my truck
than just me and my dog and a plethora of buttons, gauges, dials, and modern
manufactured materials. Far more.
Henry Ford was with me. The Toyota factory workers were with me.
Thomas Alva Edison was with me. The Buddhist monks were with me. The
sound recording technician, the monastery gift shop clerk, and my friend who
gave me the CD were with me. Right there beside that beautiful Idaho
river. While none of them had imagined the specific details of this
particular moment in my personal reality, their possibility consciousness
is exactly what helped make it happen for me. Their possibility
consciousness is what opened the doors that brought such a moment to real
life. Without them and their consciousness of possibility, that
moment would not have happened.
My, my. In the reassuring constancy of the physical earth, I am
reminded how radically things have changed in the human experience in such a
short span of time. We travel around the globe at will. Flying.
We communicate over vast distances without wires or even raising our
voices. We bring light to the night and dark places with a casual flip of
a switch. We transplant vital organs and rebuild hips and knees and neutralize
bacterial infections. We mold and permanently install attractive and
natural looking tooth implants. We produce enough food from the good earth
to feed billions of people. We see close up the rings of Saturn and
theorize the cosmic qualities of shining stars existing light years away while
studying them through huge mountaintop telescopes. And, on a glowing
computer screen, we see photos and read words written by a guy in Idaho who was
particularly inspired for a moment in time while he was enjoying the soothing
voices of Buddhist monks who live thousands of miles away from the South Fork of
the Payette River.
Yes, things have definitely changed. In our lifetimes, a figurative
cosmic eye blink, these new realities have emerged. That's fast.
No wonder that, along with the fantastical results of our rapidly expanding
possibilities consciousness, there are also struggles and challenges.
Hey, we've been through a lot of change, and shedding old ways in the midst of
such amazing new realities can be daunting work, sometimes fraught with
unanticipated difficulties. Even while enjoying the fruits of
possibilities consciousness, there can still be much unconscious clinging to old
ways and manners of living and believing; a fierce grasping onto what was,
regardless of whether it really, truly works for us in our shifting new
realities.
But we're opening up. In our continual pioneering, we, as a whole, are
making amazing progress, despite any discouraging or short-term appearances to
the contrary.
With Divine imagination and possibility consciousness and through the passage
of time, what, pray tell, is truly impossible?
Nothing, it seems to me. For you, me, or any of us.
Dissipation of disease is possible. New forms of clean transportation
are possible. A thriving natural environment is possible. An
abundance of healthy food for all is possible. Religious cooperation and
greater harmony among the peoples of the world is possible. Conflict
resolution without threats and bombs and wars is possible. Changed
thinking is possible.
Peace is possible.
From the smallest, daily life things, all the way up to global
transformation, all things are possible. They truly are.
If you doubt it, just listen to a CD of your favorite music and think about it.
My words are not intended to glorify science and technology. My words
are intended to nurture awareness and grateful mindfulness of the infinite and
positively changeful power within you, me, and all those who generously express
possibility consciousness in our human experience. The blessed
hearts, minds and souls of those who recognize and fan the flames of
possibility consciousness move us forward in the ever-expanding direction of
a greater good.
I sing their praises this day.
And once again, I heartily encourage you to go forth and live likewise.
-Rev. Tom
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