Practitioner Viewpoint, April 23rd

In Buddhism, the Seven Factors of Awakening are mindfulness, investigation, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity. Next Sunday on May 4, I will have the pleasure in being our speaker at the Center. My topic title is “Be All You Can Be”. Though this has been used as a slogan to enlist in the U.S. Army, it’s also an appeal of the person’s gifts and talents being fully realized.

I believe that this is the same message that God has for each of us, “My child, live into all that I created you to be.” This is our ultimate goal in life. We are called to live into the fullness of our gifts however diverse and far-reaching they may be! God is calling us to be all that you can be!

I recently came across the following phrase that fits here perfectly, “one thing you can do better than anyone else is be YOU!” That’s all we have to do … be ourselves! In Your Invisible Power (1974): “Above the wind and higher than the whirlwind, enshrined in the Heart of God, there is a Voice within you which says: “Peace! Be not afraid. It is I.”

This “I” is YOU. This “YOU” IS GOD WITHIN YOU. Let’s celebrate our Oneness with it!

Namaste,

Hazel Bowman, RScP