Reflections of peace by FlyNutAA
Stand Like Mountain Flow Like Water
Brian Luke Seaward
ISBN 1-55874-462-2
Stand Like Mountain Flow Like Water has been one of my “textbooks” since 1998. I have used it continually for my basic lesson in the differences between the ego and the soul. I’ve come to believe what the Preacher said in Ecclesiastes 1:2:”Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”.
All my troubles happen when I confuse my ego with my soul. It is sometimes very easy to believe that God is helping me when instead my ego is running the show
The contents for this book:
1) Stress with a Human Face
2) Spirits on a Human Path
3) The Dance of Ego and Soul
4) Seasons of the Soul
5) Words of Mercy Words of Grace
6) Health of the Human Spirit
7) A Spiritual Renaissance
Excerpt from “The Dance of Ego and Soul”:
The illusion of separation:
“The ego is a bodyguard for the soul. Not satisfied with this supporting role, the ego, encouraged by the Id (our base desires), demands more attention. This tendency to dominate is so strong, it can eclipse not only the ego’s true purpose, but shadow the intentions of the soul.”
“Like a military coup, this small rebel faction of the ego claims autonomy every chance it gets, thus denying a connection to our higher self. The result is a perceived loss of our divine connection; a separation from God. From a holistic perspective, stress is defined as “a perceived separation from God”. This definition has gained greater acceptance by those in the field of mind-body-spirit healing who see the disconnection played out. The illusion of separation is a breeding ground for more fear, thus repeating the cycle again and again. In times of stress, ask yourself if it is anger and/or fear that blinds you to your divine connection.”
“Mystics talk about transcending the ego through meditation to gain insight, intuitive wisdom and enlightenment from our higher self—which then guides us further along the human journey. The practice of meditation quiets the incessant chatter of the alter ego so that the mind becomes open and the connection to the higher self is realized. Some Western religions scorn meditation as the work of the devil, but Christian theologian C.S. Lewis hit the nail on the head in his book, The Screwtape Letters. The devil, he wrote, says, “It’s funny how mortals always picture us putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.””
From “Health of the Human Spirit”:
“Helping is rooted in inequality; a type of superior/inferior relationship. Those being helped can feel this inequality. Helping infers a sense of debt. Service offers a dividend of love to all parties involved. Compassion includes empathy, the ability to feel another’s pain, but it doesn’t stop there. To engage in true compassion is to move with the feelings, which is why the expression “compassion in action” has so much more meaning than the word compassion itself. Compassion in action is service.”
“Compassion begins with ourselves. This is why the art of self-renewal is so important as a precursor to coming from a place of compassion. Compassion in action and the art of self-renewal are the actualization of loving your neighbor as yourself.”
