Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: resistance is futile

  • Safe!!!

    What happens in your heart when you simply state: “I am Light.”?

    You are not trying to convince yourself,
    but to invite yourself home,
    to remember your deepest truth:
    “I am Light!”

    Yet, sometimes the mind is so contracted with fear, doubt, anger or greed that the words seem hollow. Then it may be helpful to choose to recall to mind something beautiful—something that will draw attention back to the Light that exists right there with the darkness, the spaciousness that is right there with the contracted and solid. You may look at a flower, hear laughter, offer a smile to a friend, remember a moment of kindness offered to you or to another.

    Right there with darkness,
    with sadness, fear or anger,
    where is lovingkindness?
    Where is joy?
    Right there with contraction,
    where is spaciousness?

    Use no force; be patient with yourself. Light is ALWAYS there with the darkness. ~ Aaron Thought for Today

    Yesterday, last evening, and this morning my blood pressure numbers were high. I have the freshman psych 101 syndrome where I think I have everything wrong with me that John does. Fortunately, I know better than try to wrestle myself into well-being. This line is spoken by The Borg in the TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994): resistance is futile.

    From my journal:

      Dear Holy Spirit,

      My blood pressure has not come down. In addition, I have been having morning headache, pain in my jaw, and some shortness of breath. Wondering if I should go on anti-anxiety medication.

      My inner voice reminds me of ascension flu, a term used when you are awakening on a deeper soul level. What is happening is that your whole body from the cells to the chemistry in your body is changing and shifting at rapid speeds. It feels like you are dying or there is something seriously wrong with you.

      I am willing to awaken to a deeper soul level. I surrender. This is not a decision to try and “fix” something but to welcome the best support for all — physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. I am inviting awareness.

      I realized this morning that I had forgotten to pay our lot rental that was due on June first. I just scheduled a reminder to go off on my phone two days before the first of the month from now on and I will set up auto pay when the new credit cards come. This is kindness.

      I bear witness to the panic pattern: It’s all up to me and it is dangerous. What if I do it wrong?

      Spirit, this poisonous terror of doing it wrong has served its time. I am reminded of the 3D image on the Magic Eye Calendar. Janis and I flipped to June yesterday. The 3-D scene is a ball player sliding into home plate. The catcher is over the plate, gloved-hand stretched as far forward as physically possible, almost touching the ball. The runner is on the ground sliding toward the bag. Only one word could be used to describe what is happening in the game: SAFE!!!

      A mnemonic pops spontaneously onto the page: SURRENDER ATTACHMENT; FREEDOM EMERGES.

      I am guided to listen to Freedom from Fear, Anxiety, and Panic Attacks, an old SCS audio production. I dig through stuff and find an old CD. I get the pillows that for years were on the massage table in my office and I stretch out on the yoga mat, covered with a cozy blanket. It was a bit otherworldly to allow myself to surrender to my own voice. Appreciating anew the musical masterpiece Christina Beushausen created.

      As the audio ends, I remember this quote by Ajahn Chah:

      If you let go a little you will have a little peace;
      if you let go completely you will have complete peace.

      Another mnemonic comes forth: SIMPLE ACCEPTANCE FREES EVERYTHING.

  • Everyone Benefits or Everyone Suffers

      Faith.
      It’s all about believing.
      You don’t know how it will happen.
      But you know it will.
      ~ Anonymous (AwakentheGreatnessWithin.com)

    Sometimes I think it could be quite helpful to be an astrologer, or a psychic, or a saint. Especially when life presents challenges.

    Below are three recent journal entries. The “D” stands for Debra, and the “V” stands for what I call The Voice (of the Holy Spirit). I have used XXXX where an individual’s name was recorded in my journal. I think you will agree the messages are for us all.

    D: What would Spirit have XXXX XXXX know in consciousness about her son XXXX? (Autistic and threatened harm to them both.)

    V: It may be time for her to seek a residential program for him. She (all of you) must recognize your limits. You are human. You cannot live every day in such distress. What would happen to him if she died?

    D: We don’t like to think about that. We need to…

    V: Karma helps us see truly. Her staying in a situation that is detrimental to her generates karma for him; generating karma for him generates more karma for her. As she chooses freedom for herself, she is helping him. People are so worried about doing something that is selfish. Sacrificing yourself in the name of love is the most selfish act you can do. Loving (doing the most wholesome thing for) yourself is the most generous. Everyone benefits or everyone suffers.

    Tell all who know. They all know.

    Love,
    Holy Spirit

    V: Yesterday you reminded your friend of ‘the rule of six.’ Can you come up with six options you see you for her husband?

    D:
    1. 24-hour care
    2. 16-hour care
    3. Facility
    4. Bed pan
    5. Catheter
    6. Hospital bed / wheel chair

    V: Notice these all go downhill. Are you able to imagine him having another rally? He has had many. Make sure you don’t turn a rough moment into a rough day or rough period into a rough life.

    D: Thank you for that! I see what you mean.

    V: Tell all who know. They all know.

    Love,
    Holy Spirit

    D: XXXX is so distressed over her daughter-in-law and granddaughter, following the granddaughter’s recent attempt at suicide. What would you have her know?

    V: In many ways, regardless of the conditions, the same message is called for:
    There is nothing to fix. There are only circumstances that require your loving attention. I wonder if XXXX has considered having them live with her? Not that this would be the final decision, but notice how XXXX’s town could be a good social environment for her granddaughter. Andrews University had many people of other countries and many with black skin. When we are willing to do whatever it takes, we are inspired, and what-ever-it-takes expands.

    Tell all who know. YOU all know.

    Love,
    Holy Spirit

    Years ago I wrote about the importance of using our WIT, whatever-it-takes. The phrase “resistance is futile” became prevalent in popular culture. The film Star Trek: First Contact used the phrase as the tagline for the 1996 film.

    The next time life presents a challenge, just try using your wit. Rather than bringing into focus all the things you are not willing to do to improve the situation, let yourself expand all the things you are willing to do. I am so often inspired by recalling the story of the man who got his arm wedged in the rocks while climbing. Using a pocket knife, he cut his arm off and got himself to safety.

    Most likely, none of the circumstances you are currently navigating—regardless of how challenging—require you to cut your arm off.

    Black Elk said it this way, “It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives. Nourish it then, that it may leaf and bloom and fill with singing birds.”

    Let’s all nourish our faith.

    You don’t know how it will happen. Why waste time imagining the worst.

    Even though it won’t happen exactly as you imagine it, imagine a scene that proves beyond a doubt, things have gone even better than you imagined….

    P.S. XXXX’s husband is doing better, and so is XXXX’s son. Join in holding space for XXXX’s granddaughter, too….