July/August 1999
Articles on the theme "Lifestyles"
A Look Back
by Dr. Audrey Craft Davis
Reflections on lifestyles when the
writer was a child and how they contrast with today's.
Design Your Own Lifestyle
by Edwina H. Holloway
How to customize your unique lifestyle
to fit your authentic self.
The Spirit of Caring
by Lisa Raphael
The spiritual component of lifestyle.
Comments on Managed Care vs. true caring.
Is Lifestyle Predictable?
by Magzcha Westerman
How numerologically to find the number
that represents your Life Lesson and how that number relates to lifestyle.
The Yogic Lifestyle
by Charlotte Rudeau and Piers Anthony
How yoga can help one achieve a better
lifestyle.
Exploring Your Style of Life
by Elizabeth Fenton and Renée Gillombardo
Developing a lifestyle. How one views
oneself and the world around one. Passion and the authentic self.
A Lifestyle of Love
by Rev. Pat Cross
Creating a lifestyle that is an expression
of the spirit of God within us.
Life's Stylus
by Bob Gonzalez
The connection between 'stylus,' style
and lifestyle. Our unique mark on life. Purpose and universal love.
The Victimization Lifestyle
by Cydné Battreall
What causes the victim mindset and
how to change it.
A Lifestyle of Grace
by Cheryl Smeed
Of going with the flow to achieve a
positive lifestyle.
Other Feature Articles
Natural Health Q & A
by Karen L. Mutter D.O.
Of cholesterol and various approaches
to lowering cholesterol levels.
2000 and Beyond!
by David Findlay/ Werner Huemer & Micah
Rubenstein
What is . . . Astrology?
by JoAnne Gregory
Some notes on the history of astrology
and some of the people who have used astrology. What the Sun signs, the
Moon and the planets tell us.
Mineral Kingdom
by Judy Power
Featured stones for July and August:
Zincite and Kyanite.
A Lifestyle of Love
Rev. Pat Cross
Lifestyles are expressions of our personal choice. When we are willing to and choose to commit ourselves to the wellness of our own being, we awaken to the awareness and the means of creating a lifestyle that, not only enhances our everyday living, but becomes the passageway through which we allow God's spirit, love and presence to express and flow in, as and through us.
When we consciously connect and bond with this eternal source within us, we are given the strength and courage to accept whatever happens in our life when it happens. It is a freeing realization to know that we need no longer feel we are a victim of people, places, situations, events, things and results.
For a shift to take place we must step into the actual realization and activity of love. This shift in consciousness allows love to dance through every nook and cranny of our consciousness. Then the wholeness of the love that's already within us shines its everlasting truth in the present moment and we remember that love is all we are.
Each of us has to get our bloated nothingness out of the way and give God a chance to do his perfect work. We humans think too often that we know what is best for us and that everyone and everything should be the way we think it should be. We try to control the experiences of our life and living and consequently cause ourselves much pain and suffering.
It is the human tendency to resist change and in so doing we often block the flow of greater good coming in to our lives. Emotional growth can be a very painfelt experience because its components are often made up of judgments, resistance and criticism . . . mostly self-inflicted negative aspects of our humanhood whose origin and roots are deeply imbedded in our habitual human ways and practices.
A personal example. Recently in the process of purchasing a new automobile I was negotiating with the credit union loan officer. In reviewing the paperwork, I noticed that the figure representing my monthly income did not reflect the total amount. When I questioned this, the loan officer said that the computer had only printed out the first figure as there wasn't a space provided for additional information. I felt it was important to me to have the total monthly income listed on the loan paper rather than just a portion thereof. The loan officer said it wasn't important, that the loan had already been approved, the computer had the full information in storage and besides she'd have to do the entire loan over to change the figure. I sat there in stillness and calmness while she ranted and raved about how inconsiderate I was and truly worked herself into a frenzy. I knew I didn't choose to participate in her frenzy. As I continued to sit there in calmness, we seemed to be at a standstill. Something or someone had to give. But what? Out of the clear blue sky or maybe it was out of the mouth of a fellow employee came, "Why don't you just change the figure and write the new figure in ink." I said that's fine with me. We'll both initial the new figure. And that's what we did! Simple! As we finished the transaction, the loan officer and I embraced each other. Indeed, God's grace in action.
As so wisely and simply expressed by T. S. Eliot in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", "Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"
Life and life's experiences are simply individual interpretations and we are each reflections of those interpretations.
In choosing new lifestyles that better serve us and those around us today, we can certainly learn from all that we have experienced in the past, but we must not let it hold us back from living here and now. I will not allow myself to get so bogged down in dealing with old wounds that I forget about new growth. To quote H. G. Wells: "The past is but the beginning of a beginning."
Our spiritual identity, heritage and endowment . . . the expression of God that each of us is . . . assures us that each of us is that place from which the allness of God makes itself known.
Attitude is the paint brush of the mind and it can color any situation. Life and lifestyles of living are truly rooted in these attitudes of spirit, mind, heart, body and soul.
The spirit of God within us empowers us to rise above the desire for revenge or self defense. We are all in this lifeboat together, so it behooves us to take no thought, right or wrong, about persons and things and perceive only the perfect expression of God in action.
Each of us is spirit expressing in all its spectacular glory on our chosen path of life.
As so eloquently expressed by Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet: "Say not, I have found the path of the soul. Say rather, I have met the soul walking upon my path. For the soul walks upon all paths."
A lifestyle of love, beauty, joy, honor, harmony, trust and goodwill toward all only awaits our calling it forth from the divine sanctuary within, responding to its all-embracing love and presence, and sharing this awesome, magnificent and divine gift with one another.
Namasté.
Rev. Pat Cross is a Science of Mind minister, lecturer,
author of Spiritual Awakenings, counselor, teacher and workshop facilitator.
Holiday, FL (727) 934-6730. E-mail: patcross
@hotmail.com; Internet: www.ij.net/rmscomp/sa/
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