https://otter.ai/u/953TbOXk8ocpyhDxCK1uXiMUzhI?utm_source=copy_url
How do you experience God’s guidance in your life? When I was younger
this must be this definitely before I came to Japan so 2030 years ago
at minimum, I 20 or 30 years ago at minimum. I had this idea for a
movie concept that the movie camera would like be panning around the
room from the perspective of the protagonist and things that could
help the protagonist what very subtly like flicker or light up or
there’d be a little hint of light pointing some direction and this
would be a representation of God guiding the protagonist in the right
direction. And as I’m describing this now, I might add some guidance
in the wrong direction with a different color light, like yours also,
this has been portrayed as like a little angel on each side shoulder
the consciousness of an angel or a devil guiding one or attempting
one, one way or another. And I just want to take this as to a very
kind of literal sense I once had the experience of moving without
really thinking doesn’t sound good enough. I’m not sure if I told the
story yet here. about seeing a woman basically, B rating her lApi
rating, seeing a woman who was yelling at her son, a couple few years
old. She was he was crying and she was telling him not to cry. And
that there was no one to help I my sense it was all in her she was
speaking Japanese to him. My sense what she was saying in my memories
mentally Been a while that there’s no one here to help and stop
crying. I just got the idea that she had been recently divorced or
left with a young child and there’s no one here to help her and just
stop crying. And I was like that that eight right, the way she’s
treating him and I I didn’t do it because it’s Japan and it’s an her
her business and blah blah blah. Oh gosh, but when at one point I just
found myself, like watching them but then I found myself moving toward
her. And I can’t explain it. Well, I can explain saying in my mind as
I Okay, I guess we’re doing this kind of thing. As I had just set my
bag down, I walked over, gently walked over to her. And I put my arm
in between her and the child. And I basically focused on her I ignored
the baby the child for a bit and I said it’s I don’t My Japanese is
not that good. I said something like no, I’ve said it in English but
in simple English. I said he is so small. And I hope I didn’t say it
that way. Gosh, no, I wish I have maybe find my journal entry. I’m
sure I wrote a journal entry about this and I think it went rather
well. This retelling is like not as good. But the point is, I believe
God guided me to support her and I ended up like giving my my card as
I call me anytime. At the same time thinking why the heck would she
call someone who can’t speak Japanese but just the offer was
there. She never ended up calling me but I hope that it helped her
recognize the need to find a different way to express her anger and
her sadness. I’m sure she was devastated. And yeah, it was it was
really a powerful moment in my life to have the sense that I was being
guided to do something that I truly believe was an overall positive
effect. Even though I was breaking the Japanese mores of it’s not just
Japan like the speaking to a stranger randomly, but I think it’s even
more so in Japan to not get into other people’s business. But to the
question I’m posing to you now. How do you hear God’s guidance? And do
you even believe it’s possible to hear guidance from higher power God
as you understand God? Do you believe there even is a god? I know I
addressed this a couple chapters back, you’re trying to prove that
there’s something and is there as something that you would like to tap
into? Is there something that you can imagine tapping into so
allowing God’s guidance to flow in my life I tend to slow down. I tend
to speak more gently, thoughtfully. If you were to listen to this
recording, Even now my voice is slower. As if in a meditative state,
facilitating a meditation
simply dropping into a quiet state. I believe I can hear insights,
guidance. encouragement
and I imagine the same is true for anyone who chooses to allow God’s
guidance into their life this is a simple point of like gonna go a
little bit faster now. I tend to think that religions are inoculations
against true spiritual connection by going to going by going to
another human or a human, you know, an organization and looking at
looking to another human or a book to get insights from God. It’s a
reasonable starting point. It could be a good mentor. It could be a
good book and say, Okay, fine. That is fine. Totally fine. However,
once one has grown into an adult, and it’s like, put away the book for
a moment. Sit down and meditate. For a moment, allow God to speak
directly to you. And in this moment, I’m not speaking to those who
would declare that blasphemy or what have you. I’m not sure if that’s
actually last me in any religion. I hope not. But it’s it’s amazing to
me to think that many religions saying Your God is infinite. And then
to think Oh, but he can’t speak to me directly. He or she? It’s like,
Huh, that’s interesting. So, being infinite, whatever for whatever
version of infinity one chooses or omniscient or what have you. How
the heck you saying God can’t speak to you directly. My friend Marty
said that he leaves or how does he say it like God fiercely loves each
of us uniquely and individually, something like that. I have to ask
him to the exact quote and I yeah, I like that, you know, as
infinity. You know, people talking about the infinite multiverse is of
whatever and describing all kinds of different possible like every
world exists. Including one where the, you know, all all the words are
the same except for the word. You know. Yes and no are reversed. You
know, just describing these different possibilities. And then, not
necessarily the same people, but then to say that, Oh, God can’t talk
to me directly. It’s like, yeah, that seems strange. So yeah, heck, I
don’t know. I’m just blabbering at this point. But how could how might
God speak to you in your life? Do you want that as a possibility? My
sense is that meditation helps open the space so that I can hear more
clearly more subtle energies more fine or divine or more. Not trying
to rhyme, but guidance coming from a higher source. For more subtle
energies. We’re here in this 3d world. And kind of limited to whatever
videos probably seven or eight senses we can definitely add balance
and proprioception to the list of the five so that seven right there
and
emotion I feel my emotions. That’s gotta be a sense. And my sense is
that emotions are this kind of interface between spirit and me. And
tapping into the emotions. processing them, not just ignoring them who
are suddenly have this whole giant conspiracy theory that by being
taught to not feel or process our emotions, we’re being taught to not
experience higher power taught to throw away the insights received
from higher power. Emotions are literally just guidance for our lives
and I know I’ve talked about that before. Anger is the emotion that
comes up when it’s time to set a boundary or maintain a boundary or
you know, protect, protect oneself. Sadness is an emotion that comes
up when it’s time to grieve a loss or acknowledge a loss. Fear is an
emotion that comes up when it’s time to get more information. Or to
keep on alert, tread carefully. Joy is an emotion that comes up when
I’m I’m on the right path, so to speak. I have what I want and I want
when I have gratitude is an emotion that comes up when I’m recognize
the receipt of something that I need or want or love that didn’t come
from my direct control. Now this one I just know freestyled this sense
of gratitude, I’ve been wondering for a long time, what is gratitude?
And so I’ll try to define it here. It’s an acknowledgement of
receiving something of benefit without having to do anything for
it. So to speak. That last part, I’m not sure. But receipt of
something positive receipt of something acknowledging receipt of
something that I appreciate or supports me. And gratitude can arise
slightly different than Joy. Joy, simply being here now. And enjoying
the ride and gratitude the subtle difference being here now and
acknowledging the greater world around me making this joy possible,
perhaps In
this space and intentionally left blank
at my first TED X speech in what was it October 2021, I guess?
September October. I included 30 seconds of silence in a TEDx
speech. And it was recommended that I describe it as maybe a little
bit unusual for TEDx, but I included it. Just as an encouragement for
people to get present in the moment.
I believe, though, you might claim the inability to meditate or what
have you. The mind is not easily going to give up its role of spitting
out all kinds of stuff. So don’t think that quietening the mind will,
is the goal of meditation. When you first start to meditate, that is
kind of our here, here we go. So erase all those previous paragraphs,
just here it is, when you sit down to meditate. The practice of
sitting down to meditate is what’s most important. It’s not quietening
the mind. That’s most important. That will happen over time and I’m
talking like decades lifetimes of practice.
But it’s the practice that’s the part that I can control. That I take
five minutes even 30 seconds is better than zero. Just take a moment
to breathe. Just take a moment to be the mind Oh, keep on jumping
around. That’s fine. Imagine that that’s not in your control. And
when? What is in control of just sitting down and taking 30 seconds,
eventually the mind will follow suit you’ll find moments of no thought
you’ll find moments of quiet
then they’ll be gone and your brain will start thinking again and
that’s natural and just sit just be there
and if you forget to meditate for a day or a week or a month or 15
years It’s cool man Just start again.
Just take 30 seconds.
Welcome to do it now. If you choose.
