Blessings absolutely everyone,

I know that most of us have been musing, contemplating, praying, thinking about and perhaps even obsessing about the election this past week. And like all else in life, something got created by the 262,000,000 adults living in the United States. Some of you like what got created and some of you don’t. Right?

This makes this week a particularly rich opportunity to examine what happens to you? What do you do when you don’t get what you want? How are you feeling today? Happy, angry, elated, deflated, hopeless, hopeful, scared, relieved? There is not a one-size fits all. One idea that I ascribe to whole-heartedly is that the world and its conditions, circumstances and events are in general ‘neutral’. Meaning not inherently good or bad. Not inherently right or wrong. Not inherently happy or sad. What is not ‘neutral’ is who we are in relationship to them. For every living being there exists a unique and individualized response to absolutely everything. It rains and some people like it. It rains and some people hate it. Things may happen around us but our response is 100% ours and our responsibility. To live a spiritually powerful life is to absolutely know that you are not a victim of circumstances but a powerful contributor to all that there is. We are creatures capable of choice.

It feels like a very good time to revisit the brilliant idea which touched my heart about twenty years ago offered by Dr. Ernest Holmes: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a group of people should arrive on earth who were for something and against nothing.” Though a seemingly simple idea, not so simple and not so easy. If you didn’t get what you wanted, can you shift from ‘against’ to ‘for’?

Let us remember a few things together today...

The first is that your happiness, peace and well-being are wholly dependent upon you. It may feel like, or seem like, that it is reasonable to be affected by outer circumstances. It may seem reasonable, especially if you don’t like the outer circumstances, to be upset, angry, bitter, disappointed frustrated or afraid. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to let myself reside in the land of anger, disappointment or fear for too long because it absolutely wrecks the quality of my life – emotional, mental, physical and spiritual. I repudiate the idea that I am not the arbiter of my life experience. I choose peace, well-being, happiness and health. As the arbiter of your life experience, to what or to whom are you willing to give up your peace? What do you choose?

The second reminder is that you and your vibration, your energy, your words, actions, and attitudes are powerful contributions to the world you live in. Are you going to contribute hate or are you going to contribute love. Hate as your contribution to our world, as an active expression of your Being, is not only counterproductive but is in direct violation of your spiritual mandate to offer forgiveness, compassion and love. Being a part of a solution rather than a problem, requires us to transcend the human auto-response to retaliate, lash out, get even or childishly demand that everyone within earshot of us is perfectly clear just how angry, mad and sad we really are. Be cautious with the level of negativity you spew onto your world. It matters in a not-so-good way.

The third most important idea - After any disaster, tragedy, accident, disappointment or betrayal is to ask yourself the question, “what is my next move?”. 

In the Reality of the world in which we live, there is no us and them. There are no political parties, there are no borders, no United State of America, no white people, brown people or purple people. I know that in a relative world these distinctions exist and because we have our monopoly piece to play this game we need to act as if they are real. But as an awakened or awakening human being – don’t confuse the game with “R"eality.

I notice in talking to people, regardless of what the individual wanted to happen, there has been a lot of energy and time put into 'awfulizing' the future. No matter what side you are on, resist being a part of a future you don’t want by having your time, attention and energy used to create disastrous outcomes in your mind. Your mind, along with the other 262 million minds actively thinking into a creative medium, has a serious impact on what happens next. Stay grounded, centered, positive, affirmative and allow those energies to architect a future that you, and everyone else, wants.

The Buddha taught that forgiveness is a way to end suffering. A way to free oneself frominternal suffering and to bring harmony to life. That forgiveness is for your own sake; a practice for your mental health - free of rage, fear, and resentment. Jesus of course, taught that we should forgive “seventy times seven” which means to forgive without limit. And to turn the other cheek rather than participate in the conflict.

Regardless of where you started as this week began, if the outer world gave you what you wanted, be grateful and humble. Resist gloating. If the outer world did not give you what you wanted, resist being angry, resentful or making a case for a broken world. Take a deep breath and let us allow love, compassion, forgiveness, hope and faith to lead the way into a future that serves everyone.

This is the only way to your personal peace of mind. This is the only way to achieve a world that can work for all. In my world, if the world doesn’t work for everyone, ultimately it can’t work for me either. So, for that reason I lean into my faith and understanding that:

1. Love always wins in the end. Always.
2. The universe is a monopoly board, and I am playing the game to win. Winning means the end of violence, hunger, war, hatred, abuse, poaching and all other forms of human suffering at the hands of other humans. Winning the game means that playing the game leads to me becoming a more compassionate, loving and benevolent being.
3. The external world meets you where you are. Be joy and the world will bring you joy. Be peace and the world will bring you peace. There are no exceptions to his principle.
4. Replace any negative expectation with positive expectation. I assure you, that what you get in the end will be way better.

I am currently in South Africa for a few months and interestingly (and refreshingly), nobody has any energy or point of view about what Americans are or are not doing. This means that there isn’t anyone here to talk or listen to any political conversations. Everyone has their own set of circumstances, personal and societal – and I suppose the only thing that is real is what is within the consciousness of the individual.

Bobby McFerrin gave us a really good reminder in his very famous song.

Here's a little song I wrote.
You might want to sing it note for note.
Don't worry, be happy.

In every life we have some trouble.

But when you worry you make it double.
Don't worry, be happy.
Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style.
Ain't got no one to make you smile.

Don't worry, be happy.

Cos when you worry, your face will frown.
And that will bring everybody down.
So don't worry, be happy.

As I write this, it is 9am in Florida. The election has just been declared and I was moved to share - as much for myself as for everyone. I did not get what I wanted personally but I will give it my all to keep us moving towards love.

Love, love and more love,

Rev. Denise