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Self-Dedication
How can we be dedicated to ourselves? What must we do to promote
self-healing, self-expression, self-motivation, self-dedication? How
can we be entire unto ourselves?
Certain people and certain things or situations can bring us back to the
center of our being. Looking into a lover’s eyes, experiencing a
mountain vista, floating over massive ocean waves, enjoying a piece of
music, celebrating a religious service, and giving ourselves to others
are examples of ways in which the true identity of ourselves can be
brought to light. Too often our world is one of thoughts, of
conjectures. Too infrequently our world is one of peace, of simplicity.
When we seek the things that make us happy, we are really seeking the
things that make us real, that make us more like God. It is said that
those who have an interesting job and who are married are happier than
those who have neither. I believe this to be true. I believe it is
important to be happy in your work, to whistle while you work, so to
speak. I believe that we have the power within ourselves to discover
our perfect path in life, to see what needs to be seen, to hear what
needs to be heard, and to say what needs saying. But, I don’t believe
that we do it without help.
The guiding hand of our guardian angels are forever keeping us safe from
harm, pushing us into directions of peace, giving us help that we didn’t
ask for in our most desperate moments. Oftentimes, no, daily, I find
messages written in books, in poems, spoken over the radio, in the
voices of my friends, written in clouds, in trees, in water, celebrated
in the air, that speak of God’s mysteries. How they got there and why
is, of course, the deepest mystery, but it is best to remain so.
The messages we receive day to day that speak to our hearts are really
the most important ones to follow. Oftentimes, we are faced with a
decision between what is asked of us by a boss, a co-worker, a spouse, a
friend, a family member, or a prior commitment that can seem like an
unsolvable problem. In other words, we have too many spinning plates
that we are trying to balance on only two hands. The only spinning
plate that really matters is the one that surrounds the heart. The
thing that will create the most love, the most harmony, and the most
peace is the plate to balance. The one that increases the size of the
ego, the size of human thought, or the size of reckless nature, is the
one that leads to ruin. How often do we choose one of these plates over
the other?
The size of our heart, then, is what decides how truly self-dedicated we
are. Society says that this is not the case. I wish, now, to share a
story with you from my seventh grade class. We were asked in this class
to write down our goals. I had none. I still have none. But, the
people next to me all wanted to go to college. So, I wrote down that I,
too, wanted to go to college. I have never cared about college or the
fact that I have a college degree, now. What matters is what I have
done for the welfare of humanity. What matters is how I have put my
degree to use.
The letters behind our name, the titles given us, the money in our
accounts, the property we own, do not make us who we are. Our opinions,
decisions, loved ones, devotions, work, and play make us. We are not
what we own. We are what we give.
Another aspect of self-dedication is time. Our whole life, it seems, is
made up of time. Some would argue that time does not exist. I believe
this to be a perception. Time does not exist when we are in love. And,
there are many things that we can truly be in love with. Once, I asked
David how long a service was at this Church, and he told me it was about
an hour. It seems like five to me. Also, any time spent in the woods,
with people I love, in the ocean, adjusting patients, or just having fun
seems to last forever. This is what I believe is the eternal life
talked about by Jesus in the Gospels.seems to stop.
This is how little children live.
Faith is another important part of dedication. Faith can take the form
of a state of mind or a state of being. The physical body reflects this
spiritual state in many cases. I find that my actual posture improves
when I’m around people whom I hold especially dear to my heart. Even
hearing their voices can raise my spirits, and therefore, my spine.
Faith can happen through a prayer, through a song, through a meditation,
or by simply losing one’s self in a familiar activity. And the effects
of faith are cumulative. One experience is not enough. That, I
believe, is why we go to Church every week. Each new input, each new
experience, adds to the next, reinforces the next. Then, after awhile,
we start to glow. Others see the light and start to develop a faith of
there own. A beautiful chain is formed in which one person’s faith
becomes another person’s salvation.
Music is the last part of self-dedication. Don’t be confused and think
that I am talking solely of the organ, or of singing. I am talking
about the music that is made by the body in love, the brain in a
harmonious symphony from the dedication to self-discovery, each part of
it coming alive in a different way. I have seen and read and know about
the functions of each part of the brain and have seen how each of these
parts is reflected in a different bodily function. I believe, strongly,
that each part of the brain represents a different spiritual attribute.
That attribute is connected to the body through the brain, each organ
and muscle being the physical representative of the spiritual function
taking place in the world above. That is why love is so good for the
eyes, why a new perspective on life can make one breathe easier, and why
relaxation or meditation is good for the digestion. It is also why I’ve
taken on the skull as my primary focus in chiropractic adjustments. The
tone of the human body is nothing more than a reflection of the tone of
the human spirit, and the brain, or nervous system, is what forms the
link between the two. Healthy mind, healthy body. Healthy spirit,
healthy mind. Start high or start low. Eat well, think well, and
worship well. This is the best we can do for ourselves.
Noah Strom
Server
August 26, 2007
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