This month the Goddess Earth-based agricultural tradition that I so love celebrates Lammas, a harvest festival. In our modern day I cannot help but think of some natural questions: How do we spiritually and physically feed ourselves when our Life seems hot and dry? Jesus had some interesting answers to that question and so do our modern day mystics and heretics. Jesus said, "Do not look at the appearance of things. Know the Truth." A modern day wording is: "Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want. Energy flows where attention goes. What you focus on becomes stronger."

I've been rereading Catherine Ponder's book, "The Millionaire From Nazareth." I love this book. It affirms a deeply, deeply embodied message of Peace, Harmony and Universal Abundance. Catherine Ponder is a Unity minister. She is most certainly a standard bearer for what I know is Jesus' true message. He said so clearly, "I came that you may have Life and have It abundantly." It is a Oneness message, not a separation message, not a redemption message. What I also love about this message is Catherine Ponder's statement that the root word for millionaire means happiness and abundance; abundance in every area of our lives knowing that Abundance has a spiritual basis. Jesus' message was and is that we are to have Abundance in our lives. We are here to enjoy Happiness, Health, Peace, Wisdom and Abundance of every kind. It's a here and now experience, not later. The Kingdom is alive in every present moment right now!!!! I so wish people understood this Truth!!! Our world would be so different!!!!

The importance of this message is that those invested in fear and power over you will never ever tell you this message. If they did their power over you would be gone. That is why I keep saying that I love and honor all heretics. The heretics are always the ones who come out with the new message, the new information that true Power is always and only within you!!! You are everything you need to succeed, to be happy, healthy, whole and free. There is no lack. Don't look at appearances. Look to the Truth, to Oneness. Bless every circumstance and you will bring into the physical everything you want and need. It's already present in Spirit and by your focus on It you bring It into being. I know that's not the first time you've heard me say that and it won't be the last. I have been welcoming the idea that I am a millionaire. I've known for quite some time that it's oddly uncomfortable because it rubs smack up against the traditional message that we're supposed to be poor, that it's selfish to be rich. What I also know is being rich is not about hoarding. It's about sharing. It's about knowing "My Faith is sufficient unto the day." It's about embodying Oneness, Confidence, Faith and Understanding…. all the Gifts of Spirit that embody the millionaire Consciousness of Oneness as Spirit!!!!

Here's the story of another standard bearer I so greatly love and honor. The Dalai Lama was walking along with a younger monk who asked him, "Aren't you angry about what has happened in your Life? The Dalai Lama said, "They've taken our land. They've killed my people. Shall I give them my mind too?" I've seen several interviews and pictures of the Dalai Lama. He radiates such Joy and Presence. It's very clear to me that he understands Life. He most certainly is a standard bearer of the kind of Life I want to live. I can't help but wonder how many in the Chinese government are being transformed by this holy man and how many all over the world on every social spiritual issue.

Another heretic~hero standard bearer I want to honor is Mata Amritanandamayi, known to Western journalists as Amma, the hugging saint. In her home country of India she is known as a living saint and yet she most definitely goes counter to the status quo of it being "improper for a single woman, even a holy woman, to embrace strangers." Her former detractors have become supporters. It is said that in her lifetime she has hugged 31, 000, 000 people. She also "countered (male dominated) religious custom in India by allowing women to serve as priests in the temples." Amma said, "Women too love God." On June 30, 2012 she opened an ashram in Elburn, IL. Her story is recounted in the June 2012 issue of Spirit Seeker magazine. It is remarkable to realize that even though she was frequently abused as a child and was forced to withdraw from school as a 10 year old she was still able to maintain a "constant remembrance of God" and that crowds were drawn to her "God intoxicated states and her compassionate outreach." Her Life is so inspiring to me. I can't wait to go to Elburn and experience her Presence and her work.

The last heretic~hero I want to acknowledge here is Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams. Can you imagine being so influential that you have a waiting list of 1,000 physicians waiting to leave their practices to serve on your farm where you help people in need? Can you imagine being brought before the medical board for being excessively joyful? Apparently that actually happened. I only saw the last 20 minutes of the movie and I was still in tears. This movie epitomizes the key aspect of healing is found not in the modality used but the compassionate care received. This is true in psychotherapy and I'm certain it's true in physical healing too. I've been in doctor's offices where the "treatment" was so brusque and authoritarian that even as a young 20 something I sat up and left saying, "You can't touch me." I wasn't going to be treated as if I had no brain and no feelings and no input into what was being done to me and the manner in which it was being done.

The commonality in all these stories is that Love and Peace are Universal Truths, not exclusive to any one religion or any one modality of anything!!! That's what makes them so powerful. So, what kind of standard bearer do you want to be? Will you take a new look at your Life and cherish It? Will you live in and from your highest and holiest Integrity? Will you know the Truth that every blessing you offer to the Universe is transformative? Will you step forward in Faith and Confidence and Trust and know that there is meaning and purpose in every single moment? I truly know that asking and answering these questions is the living embodiment of Joy. That's what I want my Life to be an expression of now and always: Irrepressible Joy. That's how we know we are in tune and on the right track of Oneness and Peace. This Oneness and Peace radiate out from us to bless everyone everywhere simultaneously. That's why it is so important to keep knowing this inclusive radiant Truth. I want to see us all living from Love and Peace…the highest and holiest Truth. I look forward to being a blessing when you need a boost. I look forward to receiving a blessing when I need a boost. There is so much Good we can do in our precious world. I am a standard bearer. I know there are millions upon millions like me doing their own special work to be a blessing to this sacred Universe!!! You are one too!!! Join the bandwagon please!!!! Namaste!!! I salute you!!!!!