  Spiritual
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And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
~~Marianne Williamson |
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Annually, our community honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a musical tribute on the eve of Martin Luther King Day. The gathering crowd is a representation of many cultures, beliefs, and ages. This year, as I sat beside my lovely wife, amid friends representing diverse cultures, I reflected upon years past.
I grew up in the 1950’s and the troubled 1960’s which saw much racial turmoil. When I was a child and a teenager, the schools I attended were segregated—the black African-American children attended schools for black children and the white children attended schools for white children. Integration began in the last two years of my high school days, in the mid-to-late 1960’s. It was not an easy transition for many. Racial hatred, bias, and bigotry ran deep. In one of the communities I lived in as a child, the cultures were separated by the railroad tracks—the blacks lived on one side, the whites on the other. Most of life was segregated by color, including schools, churches, restaurants, and public buildings.
Today, although racial bigotry still exists, many of the walls built up by hatred and bias have been torn down, because of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the people who believed in the changes he was bringing about in our nation—costly changes. The election of Mr. Obama as President of the United States is evidence of the work of men and women who believed in the values expressed by Dr. King - the deep spiritual significance of men and women, regardless of race.
Racial hatred and bigotry were ingrained into many of our families before the 1960’s. We couldn’t help the thoughts we had, but we came to learn that we didn’t have to act on the thoughts. As long as we allowed bigoted thoughts to remain, bigotry would have a lasting lock on our culture, degrading the very people who made up the totality of our nation.
Know that you can not help but judge. What you then do with your judgment is the choice.
~~Story Waters
You may believe that you are responsible for what you do, but not for what you think. The truth is that you are responsible for what you think, because it is only at this level that you can exercise choice. What you do comes from what you think.
~~A Course in Miracles
Only as we change our thoughts and our perceptions can we bring lasting change. In my previous newsletter, I spoke of the labels we use do define others. Many times, these labels come from our bigotries and biases.
When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.
Wayne Dyer
When we begin to change our thoughts, we can better express love toward one another. Love is not an emotion, as much as it is an action. An action takes practice before we become comfortable with it. As we learn to love, with a new thought-life, and as we allow for new perceptions, we increase our potential to tear down barriers, as we resist the thoughts that for so long have kept us locked within the realms of bias and bigotry. David R. Hawkins stated, “That which you resist stays.” When we resist the efforts required to build new thoughts, the old ones hang on, clinging tight, and strengthening their grip on us.
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
~~A Course In Miracles
Remember, we are all affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we're so deeply interconnected with one another. Working on our own consciousness is the most important thing that we are doing at any moment, and being love is the supreme creative act.
~~Ram Dass
People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.
~~St. Augustine
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
~~Mother Teresa
No evidence will convince you of the truth of what you do not want.
~~A Course in Miracles
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a courageous man who brought about great change by urging people to think differently. He fought violence and hatred with peace and a new shaping of the thoughts and perceptions of the American people of his day. As we strive to tear down barriers of bias in any area of stigmatization, we carry on the same labor of love—even in the face of resistance. Lasting change begins with a change of perception.
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The Spiritual Newsletter team appreciates your feedback and the time you take to read the newsletters.
SophyBells 
kittiara
larryp
simply_complex
Truly a timely article as we are ever inundated with sub-human standards that are shallow and easily tossed for the next new "X" factor. Well stated and encouraging. Thank you, Larry. I also appreciate the kind nod toward my humble poem. To looking beyond the surface in 2009, simplycomplex
Thank you Nancy for your encouragement and for allowing me to use your poem in the newsletter. ~~Larry
Lauriemariepea 
hi, larry--
wonderful newsletter! we find ourselves more aware of those common stereotypes, and we work to avoid framing others inside them.
what's even more difficult is looking inside ourselves for those biases we carry that aren't so obvious, and unlearning those labels we apply and the associated assumptions. thanks for another heartfelt newsletter.
Laurie Marie, you words are so very true. It all begins with an inward look.
monty31802
Another great Newsletter Larry. I take no stock in labels that are put on some people. I think God has that job.
Thank you for the time you spend coming up with interesting reading that gives us cause to think.
Monty
Thank you Monty. I really enjoy putting the newsletters together.
Zeke 
While I agree completely with your point about the dangers of labeling someone, I believe it is unfortunately true that to one extent or another, everyone carries some label. The secret may be to occasionally frustrate the label with unlabelike actions.
Zeke
How true, Zeke. We need to do things to lesson the impact of the labels.
faithjourney
The folks I work with don't know that I realize some of them call me "Brainiac" behind my back. It's because I'm the only person in my area under the supervisory level with a college degree. Sadly, I think this smart alec nickname degrades them more than me. I'm proud to be smart. Does this mean they're proud to stand in my shadow?
Yes indeed, Sherry. Like the old cliche goes, "when someone points a finger, there are four more pointing back at him."
Crosscott
I don't really understand why you classify this as a "spiritual" newsletter. I subscribe to many, don't open them often. But thought I'd try this one. From more of an authoritative position as yours, I expected a lot more. But kept reading. I was disappointed to hear more psychobabble, and psychological behavioral topics....Spiritual? It almost didn't exist in the newsletter. I saw no mention of God, no matter how general or specific. Or deep beliefs, just Sociological expression. Maybe this newsletter should refocus on Spiritual topics instead of "labels." A very scientific, psycological term. I hope your redevotion to actual Spiritual interests resurfaces or develops. I do understand we all come up dry regarding topics, and go through droughts, but I don't want to assume that, yet at least.
I believe this must be the first time I have been labeled a psycho-babbler who lacks creativity, Scott - a new experience indeed.
penny62
I agree with your newsletter! Labels only put chains on people..and while a person might quit something in one area...they surely 'go the distance' in other areas more suited to themselves.
A great bit of writing...and very wise! poemsfromhome
Hi Penny, chains have only purpose - to hold us captive, as you so well state here.
plainsue
Dear Editor: Great Newsletter! I was labeled along time ago. Wish it never happened. My life was hard enough as it was.
What a great statement, ZooLily. Life can indeed be difficult. We should be trying to find ways to make it easier on people instead of more burdensome.
Pen Name
Dear Larry,
I just finished reading your "Stories" editorial, and I am overwhelmed with feelings of renewal and transformation, not to me, the ordinary person who people pass without a second glance, but to me, the mythic storyteller, the writer. These great stories have found me, like the tiger, the wolf, and the cat, which feature prominently in my three novels-in-progress, track their prey.
Sincerely,
Lois
Thank you Lois. I always appreciate your comments and your kind support of my efforts.
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Spiritual: January 21, 2009 Issue [#2841]
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