PRESENTING INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTER ONE - GOD'S WAKE-UP CALL - PART ONE, MY SPIRITUAL AND LIFE JOURNEY -THE FINDING GOD ON THE TRAIN STORY BLOG BOOK - THE CRYSTAL PATH - QUEST FOR A POSITIVE, PERSONAL, AND CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY

 

PRESENTING THE BLOG BOOK

 

INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTER ONE - GOD'S WAKE-UP CALL

PART ONE, MY SPIRITUAL AND LIFE JOURNEY

 

FEATURING THE FINDING GOD ON THE TRAIN BLOG STORY

 

NOTES ON

ENLIGHTENMENT -

 

Quest For A Positive, Personal, 

And Contemplative Spirituality

 

THE CRYSTAL PATH 

 

by G. BRYANT CRONK

 

____________________

SOMEONE WAITING     

        

All along, there has been someone    

    waiting for you in the clearing                

        of your heart – a tender, gentle 

            presence created from divine will –                

        the essence of you – the universal                        

    you – the perfect you just waiting

for you to finally arrive.

 

All along, this you has waited for

    you to find your way, cut your

        path through the challenges of life –

            watching you live in desperate search 

        of love, of home, of happiness - alone –

    never fully able to reach out and                                

pull you into oneness.                            

 

Today take a moment to reflect on the  

    you who waits – stop and look within –            

        say hello to this you – spend a

    moment before you go on your way! 

 

AT G. 3.1.2011        

_________________________

INTRODUCTION TO THE FINDING

GOD ON THE TRAIN STORY

There are two ways to live: 

you can live as if nothing is a miracle;  

you can live as if everything is a miracle. 

                                                              Albert Einstein

 

It was a promise I felt compelled to keep, more like a commitment, made at a time of awakening in what appeared to be the closing moments of my life. There was also an open-ended aspect to it, quest-like since I did not know what "the point" was I had missed in the living of my fifty-seven hard-fought years when I suggested - if I  were to survive my surgery and be able to use my paralyzed body again, I would surely find out and rectify it; not necessarily for God or humankind, but for me, in hopes of completing this journey, of living on earth, on the plus side. 

Welcome to my book titled NOTES ON ENLIGHTENMENT - Quest for a Positive, Personal, and Contemplative Spirituality - THE CRYSTAL PATH – an introductory companion guide to my blog - The Finding God On The Train Story – Notes On Enlightenment, located at: 

http://www.FindingGodOnTheTrain.com

If you have arrived here to read these words, I believe this unique focus and approach to spirituality might benefit you. If this is your first exposure to The Finding God On The Train Story blog, you may be here to discover something this book is meant to assist you with finding: even if you are not sure what it is or why. Perhaps, you arrive here fully engaged in a spiritual quest or journey and want to see if The Finding God On The Train Story – Notes On Enlightenment message offers anything to augment your current efforts. Of course, you may be well aware of this blog and the message, just ready to enjoy the book to explore some of the key concepts in more depth. 

For some, I believe this may be a viable cure for what I have described in the book as "spiritual malnutrition"– a soul-based illness that has a large cross-section of humanity, at least in my opinion, desperately seeking a solution for their existential pain, depression, hopelessness, and despair. A pain I recognize because I lived with it for so many years - only to discover there are not enough drugs, therapy, or escapes to fill this void. Perhaps, it is a personal connection with God, Source, Spirit, the Tao, The Beloved, Infinite Mind - (or whatever name you prefer to use) - that will aid you in regaining your spiritual balance. If so, consider taking a ride on this train with me to see if you recognize yourself in my story. By doing so, you might find some hope in creating your own positive, personal, and contemplative approach to spirituality. 

Yes, I believe this book is "the point" I had missed, fulfilling my promise, or commitment, to rectify this situation. Let me clarify what I mean by this. Over the past fifteen-plus years, I have been on a quest to find this missing point, and with the blog and now this book, I reveal and unveil the positive and personal spirituality I had unknowingly sought all my life. This has been a quest that has taken me from an angry skeptic/agnostic, who questioned the very existence of God, to a believer who, for the past twelve years, has published over fourteen hundred divinely inspired messages, affirmative thoughts, prayers, and poetry on his blog, Twitter, and Facebook sites for followers to read and utilize if appropriate. But more than this, I have been able to find what was missing for me all those years - a fresh perspective featuring a positive, loving, and empowering God, one that I believe will assist all those who, like me, might be on a similar quest.

Let me retrace what has happened since my pre-surgery epiphany. While spending a few months recuperating from my spinal surgery, I had a great deal of time to assess my life and try to determine what the point was I had missed. Ann, my partner at the time, now my wife, and I both agreed we needed to alter our negative, stress-ridden, pessimistic, and faith questioning approach to life, working on replacing it with a more hopeful and positive attitude. This realization was the beginning of my quest to find a positive lifestyle and spirituality. Ann and I committed ourselves to reconnecting with God and finding a church we could believe in and prosper with - one that was positive.

Given that I outline this entire experience in Chapter One, titled God's Wake-Up Call, I will not go into intricate detail. Still, in brief, we found a little book with a gold cover authored by a fellow Temple University alumnus – Jeffrey Gitomer's LITTLE GOLD BOOK of YES! Attitude - How to Find, Build, and Keep A YES! Attitude for a Lifetime of Success & Happiness. After reading Gitomer's book, Ann and I began working on our attitudes in earnest. Encouraged, we followed this up by reading every positive thinking book we could find. So when we stumbled on Rhonda Byrne's book, The Secret,  we were hooked on its positive spiritual message: proposing a friendly universe created to respond to our needs, featuring a genuinely loving and nurturing God. 

After reading The Secret, Ann and I were even more focused on finding a church that featured a positive spiritual message, and as a result, our list of the attributes we expected to find in such a church expanded. So, we would discover a church that fits our criteria and attend for a few weeks. Then the pastor would preach against gays or discuss why only their denomination could be saved and enter heaven, and we would again be forced to bid a hasty retreat. Finally, I started to understand my problem with many of the traditional faith-based approaches I had experienced during my life – they seemed to me to be outdated, antiquated, often requiring a suspension of logic to accept the ancient dogma being espoused. If nothing else, I needed some more current and up-to-date dogma. 

It was a strange little ad for a non-traditional church, listed in the Sunday worship section of a local neighborhood newspaper that Ann had cut out, held onto for a few weeks, and finally handed me one Saturday night in early July of 2007 as our frustration over current alternatives had us ready to throw in the spiritual towel. Remarkably, we would later find out, this ad that caught Ann's attention was an old ad accidentally published by the newspaper. The advertisement seemed to be written for us, featuring a church that encouraged a personalized approach to connecting with God and fostering an individual spirituality, open to all religious backgrounds, faiths, and belief systems. I went to their website to investigate. Frankly, I was stunned such a church had been out there all along, and we, after months of active searching, had never heard of its existence. This non-traditional church was exactly what we had imagined - easily covering every positive requirement on our list.

The following day, we would attend our first "New Thought" related, positive focused church in a Jazzercise facility, converted to look like a church for this morning service, with less than fifty worshipers in attendance. There was both a Bible and a Koran open on the makeshift altar; a large blue and white dove sewn onto the draped fabric covering the space directly above this altar; as we spied the exercise balls and assorted equipment along the surrounding walls. The minister – a woman – enthusiastically guided the service - personally facilitating a group meditation for over ten minutes, then delivered a beautiful, affirming, positive, and encouraging sermon. 

We were joyfully being introduced to Unity – a "New Thought" oriented church that met all of our requirements: but more importantly, it would jump-start our quest for a positive spirituality. In fact, from this point on, the Unity movement became a potential framework for fostering, what we would consider, a positive spiritual experience. This church was also unique in its acceptance and inclusion of a full spectrum of the world's spiritual wisdom traditions and practices.

Wow, we were so amazed and grateful that a religious organization like this existed. Ann and I threw ourselves into the study of New Thought - realizing this positive spiritual approach - although it utilized the mystical and spiritual lessons and texts of all faiths - had not originated in the Middle East, India, or Asia but was a uniquely American construct. We ended up adding the following Unity-based New Thought critical principles to our paradigm for what a positive spiritual orientation would entail: (1) all religious paths lead to God and are to be respected; (2) God is a positive life-affirming entity, and as a result, each of us may have a meaningful personal connection and relationship with God; (3) in this regard, sin and shame are not supported as valid or tenable, but instead considered the by-product of our life mistakes and wrong directions, conveying our need for more positive life-affirming choices; and, lastly, (4) overall tolerance of all affirming and loving lifestyles. 

For us, newcomers to non-traditional spirituality, what was most startling and noteworthy about this Unity New Thought paradigm, was the absence of a rigid doctrine or dogma. Instead, New Thought's positive spirituality, which espouses that we, as spiritual seekers, may each have our own direct and personal connection with God through prayer and meditation: and, by doing so, based on this experience, encourages us to develop our own, personally tailored, and unique spiritual approach. 

Added to this, we discovered the church's positive thought control perspective, also known as "Mind Action," emphasizing that our thoughts create our life experiences. Via our thoughts, we attract what we are thinking, and as a result, we are – not by fate or accident - personally responsible for the life we are now living. Mind Action underscores the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude, and an optimistic focus, through affirmative prayer, affirmations, and positive thinking. 

Although New Thought would seem like a slam dunk in my mission to find a positive lifestyle and spirituality – what could be better than an organization covering every primary requirement on my positive church list - except that it felt to me more like the vehicle rather than the destination, a vehicle that would establish the foundation of my concept of positive spirituality, so important and impactful, I have dedicated Chapter Three titled a New Thought Positive Spirituality - Yesterday And Today to share this foundation while explaining the fundamental theology and concepts of New Thought. For most spiritual seekers, this would be enough, but although I had made incredible progress,  I had still not gotten to "the point" of what I needed to handle.

MY SPIRITUAL AND LIFE JOURNEY

Part One of this book, titled My Spiritual And Life Journey, highlights my spiritual transformation and opens with two chapters on my life leading up to the train. It is followed by Chapter Three, which I just mentioned, explaining key New Thought concepts, and closes with Chapter Four, a "how-to" chapter on the techniques and processes I used to connect with God on the train, which I will expand on shortly. My purpose in exploring these details of my journey at the start of the book is to give you a chance to get to know me, to understand how I evolved into the person I am today. I also feel it is an exciting and entertaining story, one with an underlying theme; with the proper guidance, readers should surely be able to do this with less difficulty and angst.

As you read my spiritual life story, what may become evident is that what I lacked during my years of spiritual seeking was a clear concept of a God I could support and defend. At an early age, I was at war with the idea of an angry, vengeful, and punishing God, which reminded me of the abusive father I already had at home. This angry God seemed to be more interested in my "sin" and my "misdeeds" than love and hope.  

Later in life, the problem for me was rarely with the founding mystic's original perspective but with the followers' later interpretation, transforming, in many cases the mystic's loving God to fit the doctrine espoused by the newly formed church leadership: creating concepts entirely alien to what the mystic had conveyed in the original teachings. Likewise, I questioned whether the resulting dogma, rules, and regulations created for those who lived in ancient times made any sense for our modern existence.

Even if, at times, I agreed with the religious concepts encountered, I found little usable guidance on how to pray and connect with God. At least within modern-day western churches, few accept, or would promote, meditation as a viable approach for connecting with God, even though it has been a proven, effective technique, used not only by prominent eastern religions but by numerous mystical, spiritual movements over thousands of years. So I dutifully did my best to connect through prayer, but no connection occurred. As an Episcopalian, in my later life, prayers were scripted, for the most part, said silently or in unison. There is no real opportunity for direct communication with God during Sunday services.

When I look back, most established churches I attended emphasized prayer as the keystone of their faith but offered no training on how to pray effectively or what would result if I did. In truth, no church I have attended before Unity seemed to expect members to make a direct connection. As a result, I often wonder how they would react to my current situation.

I found a modern, contemporary framework for understanding God when I was finally introduced to the "New Thought" perspective of God's relationship with humankind. I have spent much time studying the great mystics who have expanded our vision of God throughout the ages in my pursuit of a friendlier God. I believe every mystic has created a step forward, and with every step forward, a spiritual stairway has been constructed, enabling us to continue to ascend to the fuller truth of God. This unfolding truth is glimpsed but never exhausted or fully captured – but by climbing, we reach a complete perspective. I have realized that our consciousness, perhaps, is too confined or limited to conceive the more expansive consciousness of God. Yet we are fully fit to grasp the intent, the eternal purpose, and the embedded mission.

CONNECTING WITH GOD ON THE TRAIN

As I began my quest for a positive spirituality and discovered New Thought, I interviewed for a job in Washington, DC, was hired, and began what would feature two-plus hour commutes, each way, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, to the nation's capital - an hour and twenty minutes of which was on an Amtrak train. As I outline in Chapter Four of Part One titled Connecting With God On The Train, I began to meditate in earnest during my daily train commutes: which, on a good day, offered me approximately one hour of uninterrupted free time I used for spiritual renewal; with prayer and meditation, of course, as a central part of this time spent.

My daily meditation was quite extensive, considering I had a long uninterrupted train ride, and in Chapter Four, I outline the standard practice I found most helpful during my commutes. Since I was new to meditation, just beginning to learn what was entailed, it took many months before I learned to quiet my mind and enter the silence. What would happen next would change my life completely! As I often explain this magical time in my life - I had spent an entire lifetime searching for God, only to find God on the train. An Amtrak train, just like the trains we all use to travel from city to city as we move through our lives.

Let's clarify; when I refer to finding God on the train, God was never lost, but instead, I was lost, having failed to make a connection with God during my pre-train life. Also, of course, I am not talking about seeing God in the seat next to me and saying hello. Instead, I am referring to connecting with God during my sessions of meditative prayer, where I would enter what some call "the silence" and ask God to be my guide.

My connection with God is what I call inspired, appearing through words, concepts, and brief meditative guidance that come to me in "the silence," usually in a few words or a phrase. I routinely remember these keywords and phrases offered by God during my meditative session. After ending my session, I would transcribe these inspired messages in my journal in what I call a stream of consciousness. When I say transcribe, I define this as taking dictation because I do not edit or question what I am writing but record each word unfolding into my consciousness.

In 2009 when I turned to my wife, Ann, and conveyed to her that I felt called to write a book titled Notes On Enlightenment, based on the inspired thoughts I was receiving while meditating on my long train commutes into Washington DC. At these moments, having a supportive partner can change your life. Ann listened and slowly said to me, "why don't you consider starting with a blog." Blogs, at the time, were gaining in popularity, offering a novel way to have an interactive website. Later the same week, in a related discussion, Ann came up with a name  for the blog – offering – "how about Finding God On The Train."

Ann suggested that a blog would allow me to test the waters, determining the interest in such a spiritual topic. So I went to the bookstore, purchasing three books that explained how to create a blog. After a slow start and much floundering, I decided to use an emerging Blog service - Typepad – and over the years, my readership has grown far beyond my original expectations. Since my early 2009 posts, long-time followers started reading my Finding God On The Train Story blog posts, either as they were first published on Typepad or WordPress, later on, Facebook, and finally on Twitter. 

So primarily, the meditation guidance and the accompanying affirmative thoughts, poems, prayers, and affirmations, featured on the blog and in this book are unedited and untouched except for correcting my spelling and minor punctuation issues. My goal has been to record the message and not worry if the message makes specific sense or is logical. This method has helped me record all of the notes, which will be included in this book, as well as those that have been used for over 1400 daily blog posts. A complete compendium of The Finding God On The Train Story guidance is being compiled and will be published as a follow-up to this book. Although the affirmative thoughts, poems, and affirmations usually do not result directly through meditation, I feel they are inspired; having come to me through spirit. Another offering featuring what I consider to be the spiritual poetry posted on the blog titled STEEPLES – THE SPIRITUAL POETRY OF THE FINDING GOD ON THE TRAIN STORY BLOG is in the works. Again, I outline this process and the techniques I use in-depth in Chapter Four. 

Although I was in pursuit of this connection with God for many years, when I look back, I never stopped talking enough or believed enough to listen earnestly for a response. God was not communicating because I had drowned out the "whispered message" with my noisy, complicated world. With the proper time and techniques on the train, I learned to listen, and God provided the guidance. Most of the meditative guidance was delivered to assist me in moving forward with my spiritual journey: to learn to live a more abundant, genuine, and authentic life.

THE FINDING GOD ON THE TRAIN MESSAGE

As you can imagine, when I began my spiritual reconnection with God, I had no plans to publish a blog or a book about finding God in my wildest imagination. But as I became more connected with God through meditation and prayer, I received a message to write a book titled, Notes On Enlightenment, as I mentioned earlier. I would define my initial reaction as being incredulous; quickly reminding God that I was light-years away from enlightenment; did not know what the term truly meant; was not a professional writer; had a full-time job which I needed to pay my bills, and frankly was not spiritually prepared or qualified. Besides, everyone I knew would think I had finally gone completely crazy. 

All of these considerations, I felt, were excellent arguments against picking me for this particular assignment. But, I also knew this might just be "the point" that I had missed in living my life and had, earlier, committed to rectifying. But, quite frankly, I also knew that saying no to God, crazy or not,  was saying no to divine guidance, which I could use. So I put the book idea on the back burner, as I kept recording my meditations, sure that it was a mistake and God would reconsider or forget. But, since you are reading these words, which I have written, and am now publishing on my blog and in book form, it is safe to say that I rethought this approach.   

At this point, I had planned to tell you my connection with God is not unique. But, the truth is, I do not have any way of knowing whether it is or not. Frankly, I believe that God constantly transmits a message to those who are ready and willing to listen. A message similar to what I present in Part Two - The Message - is being communicated through thousands who are currently awakening, listening to God, being inspired, and sharing a similar message with all who are interested.

What makes the message of The Finding God On The Train Story so fascinating, to me at least, is the sheer scope and depth of what has been communicated, providing a foundation for a positive spirituality that is so comprehensive, it is indeed worth the investment of time to at least investigate and consider thoroughly. My task in this has been to put it in some understandable order, connect it with what has been previously said by the great wisdom traditions, and, when plausible, combine it with the supportive science and metaphysics of our day.

Now that we have discussed what to expect in Part One – My Spiritual And Life Journey, let's take a look at what we will cover in Part Two - The Message; Part Three - Mind Control - Control of  Consciousness; and Part Four - God Consciousness and The Divinity Within. The next stop is Part two - The Message which opens with Chapter Five featuring a presentation of the vital foundation principles conveyed to me on the train: such as; the Crystal Path, the Heartlight, the Divine Self, and God-Consciousness. Chapter Six elaborates on the importance of the Crystal Path, with an in-depth review of each of the Seven Facets of Consciousness as outlined by the guidance. Finally, chapters Seven and Eight go on to incorporate these foundation themes in the finding of joy, peace, love, and happiness - what the guidance explains as the critical ingredients for living a positive, personal approach to spirituality – described as the attainment of heaven on earth - often referred to as enlightenment. 

Each part of the book has been originally published by chapter on the blog with Part One - My Spiritual And Life Journey (Chapters One through Four), and Part Two - The Message (Chapters Five through Eight), providing the foundation of The Finding God On The Train Story – Notes On Enlightenment, including the details of my quest for a positive, personal, and contemplative spirituality, have been conveyed. Part Three – Mind Control - The Control Of Consciousness  (Chapters Nine through Twelve) provides a more advanced and in-depth focus on actual mind control, mindfulness, and control of consciousness techniques and approaches, along with guidance on incorporating the Seven Facets Of Consciousness into the reader's personal, positive approach to spirituality. Part Four - God- Consciousness And The Divinity Within (Chapters Thirteen through Fifteen)  focusing on the understanding of God-Consciousness, along with an exploration of the concept of our internal divinity, is still being written and will be published shortly to complete the book.

A BLOG BOOK?

NOTES ON ENLIGHTENMENT – Quest for a Positive, Personal, and Contemplative Spirituality, THE CRYSTAL PATH, Featuring The Finding God On The Train Story is what I would call a blog book - a book written and originally published on a blog. As each chapter has been completed, often in installments - because of the practical limitations of blog posts, this book originally appeared on my blog located at 

www.FindingGodOnTheTrain.com 

under the Book Chapters tab, and often reposted on my Facebook and Twitter sites. At first, when I began this project, I worked to mimic what a print book was capable of accomplishing but began to understand that I was limiting the multi-media platform that I had on my hands. It first started with the capability to incorporate music since I often use popular song lyrics to augment my concept or storylines. It did not take me long to realize that I could also add photographs and videos – others and my own - and if I wanted to, I could add video intros and cliff notes like summaries, which are still in the works for upcoming versions. 

A FEW MORE THOUGHTS 

I have learned on the train and firmly believe that God is working daily with each of us, and if we are willing to receive, God is ready to assist us with cocreating the most wonderful life possible. The God I have met on the train is a loving, kind spirit who wants everything for us. In reading this book, if I am effective, you will find a guide for connecting with God and making God a partner in your life.

I began this introduction searching for "the point" that I had missed over fourteen years ago. As I have written this book, I have had to repeatedly clarify and expand on my purpose for this project and sharing its message. As a result, this book and the blog offer a fresh perspective aimed primarily at those who may be seeking this message and want to change their lives. I also want to reduce, or eliminate, the time we all as human beings spend paralyzed by fear, doubt, and worry - replacing it instead with a new sense of optimism and positivism. Further, I want to assist similarly motivated readers with exploring and defining their true, authentic purpose or calling and help them reconnect with their essential spiritual nature.

I want all potential readers to understand what I believe God has always intended for us, so I am going to deliver this message now, rather than wait until the end of the book: 

God wants us all to thrive, flourish, excel,

to live perfectly genuine/authentic and purposeful

lives, and by doing so, reach a state of enlightenment

where we know joy, love, peace, and happiness on

a daily basis – and where we experience heaven

on earth – the full life.

I now realize that this is "the point," or at least my point, and it is why I have agreed to share this message, and it is the essence of what I believe I am meant to communicate through this work. The rest is up to you, the reader.  

And lastly, the positive spirituality of New Thought is a religious approach incorporating the teachings of diverse spiritual orientations. New Thought approaches have no fixed dogma, thus providing an open framework, as it does for me, to personalize my religious practice. This open framework is an essential aspect of what a positive, personal, and contemplative spirituality must entail, in order to be effective. There are few set rules and regulations, except for you to do your best to connect with God by whatever means works for you. 

In this regard, I am often asked what religion I am, and although I admit to my New Thought perspective, and both my Christian and Jewish history, I feel I am better described as a religious independent with no established religious affiliation. At this point, I have been able to create my own approach to spirituality, reflecting my lifestyle, my beliefs, and me. I find the Sufi poet Hafiz sums up my answer succinctly in his poem, I Have Learned So Much: 

I 

Have 

Learned

 So much from God

That I can no longer 

Call Myself

A Christian, A Hindu, a Muslim.

A Buddhist, A Jew.

I feel that I could also confidently be at home with any or all of these orientations since I believe each offers a viable path to God. I believe a spiritual quest can be successfully taken within the confines of an established religious practice – many Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish mystics have taken this spiritual quest, charted the course, and have documented their progress for us to use as guidance in our undertaking, as we shall see outlined later in this book. All are welcome on this journey. 

I want to end this introduction with our first song, by the spiritually inspiring husband and wife team of Jan Garrett & JD Martin, titled Listen from their CD No Complaints Whatsoever. Hit songwriter, JD Martin, and his wife, internationally renowned jazz singer, Jan Garret, perform a song written by JD Martin and Tom Kimmel that expresses the heart of the message of The Finding God On The Train Story – Listen.

Listen is Available For Purchase and Download At Garrett-Martin.com Music Store. 

Listen To The Video Featured On The Jan Garrett & JD Martin YouTube Channel. 

           

LISTEN 

The world runs fast, the spirit slow

To where we think we need to go

When we move into passing gear

The Song of Love is hard to hear

Till everything's so loud that we're

Alone with what we're missing

        Listen, Listen

Somewhere beneath the sea of noise

We hear the angel's whispered voice

The song is there, the words are clear

And all we need is still right here 

        Listen, Listen

The harmony of wings in flight

The rising of the wind at night

The breaking of the ocean waves

Will call the heart that's half-awake

The sound of every breath we take

Can free the soul from prison

       Listen, Listen

Listen, for all we're worth

The door to heaven is here on earth

The shout for joy, the softest prayer

The sound of love is in the air 

JD Martin And Tom Kimmel

I hope you will take the time to travel on the train with me and find God for yourself. If you are already connected, I salute the divinity within you and invite you to come along to see what may be a different approach, possibly providing you with additional insight. The Finding God On The Train Story has given me glimpses of heaven here on earth. So let's get on the train. All Aboard!

CLOSING NOTE ON ENLIGHTENMENT

I like to refer to the guidance or messages I receive during meditation as "notes on enlightenment," and will end each chapter in the book with one or more notes I have transcribed over the years on the train. I would like to start with the meditative guidance below, which directly refers to enlightenment, and for me underscores the process and progressive evolution of enlightenment. As many have said, enlightenment is a journey, not a destination. 

ENLIGHTENMENT                                      

Enlightenment is the destiny of the soul – it is the full

connection with the spirit of the infinite God that 

surrounds us, is in us, and moves through us.

Enlightenment is not a destination; it is a journey,

a process of illumination where we light up existence

by shining brighter with each step. 

Enlightenment is a progression, a stairway to all

truth, understanding, and good; an internal

movement to inner peace and self-acceptance.

Enlightenment is the profound connection with all

existence and a deepening ability to love universally.

Enlightenment is a supreme state of God's love –

infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent. As we grow,

the illumination of our Spirit burns brighter,

and we move towards the realization of our true 

identity – the full illumination of God in each of us.

NOE G. 11.11.2008 9:30 AM 

CLOSING AFFIRMATION

Affirmations are positive statements announcing to God – Universal Mind – and to our subconscious mind, how we view the world, and what we expect to occur during the day, or in our life. It is a powerful way to use the Law of Attraction to frame our reality and set positive expectations. 

Here is one of my favorite affirmations that came to me while meditating on a Friday morning train commute to DC, which I now recite daily to frame the day. If we genuinely lived each element below, we would approach and embody the "I AM" within.

TODAY I AM

Today I AM the living Spirit of God.

Today I AM powerful.

Today I AM successful.

Today I AM loving, kind, and at peace.

Today I can accomplish anything, 

be anything, create anything.

Today I AM the anointed child of God.

Today I AM confident, bold, and sincere.

Today I AM connected to Source, 

one with Source,  guided by Source.

Today I AM knowledgeable, valuable, purposeful.

Today I see the vision of my purpose.

Today that purpose comes to life.

Today I AM connected to my Spirit guides.

Today I AM the best spiritual seeker possible.

Today I AM all I wish to be.

Today I create a world of joy.

Today I AM happy.

Today I AM joyful.

Today I AM blessed.

Today I AM all these things and more. 

NOE G. 2.8.2008 7:45 AM

 

IMAGINE

It's Friday morning, and you are commuting on an Amtrak train to your job in Washington, DC, and seated next to you is a bald guy with glasses, around sixty, dressed in a blue business blazer and pin-stripe shirt open at the collar, who seems to be meditating, and you have a flash of panic because you don't commute by train, and you don't have a job in Washington, DC, but you smile realizing this must be a dream, as you turn your attention to the scenic vistas outside the window, hoping the guy does not come to and start talking. 

The guy makes some gestures with his hands like he is praying, opens his eyes, smiles at you, and begins writing in a journal. The journal is filled with pages written in ink; it has a black cover with lined paper, you think, ah, it is a Moleskine. Quickly he writes using a pen without pausing or taking time to think, as if he was taking dictation, not stopping until the whole page is full, he closes the journal, securing its elastic band carefully, then puts the journal into his computer case. He looks into your eyes and smiles, says hello, introducing himself as he reaches out his hand – "Hi, I'm G." 

You think it's weird, who uses their initial as a name? You shake his hand, and for some reason, you ask him if he was meditating, and he smiles again, nods yes, and for some reason, you start talking about God, which by the way, is who the guy is connecting with during meditation. You know you should be looking for a new seat, but since it is a dream, what do you have to lose. You tell him that although you believe in God, you are not religious, he nods his head and says - "the same with me."

The guy talks about his blog and his recently published book. You talk for the entire hour and twenty-minute ride. As you pull into Union Station in DC, he pulls out a copy of his book, writes a note on the cover page, and signs it, handing the book to you and saying "enjoyed talking with you, here is a copy of my book featuring The Finding God On The Train Story, maybe it will be of some use to your with your spiritual journey." You thank him, reminding yourself it is a dream, and shove it into your bag. 

When you get to the office, you feel compelled to open the book and read the note. As you read it, tears come to your eyes; it says simply – "You are not alone!" 

WITH LOVE, G. 

 

_________________________

PART ONE MY SPIRITUAL AND LIFE JOURNEY

CHAPTER ONE - GOD'S WAKE-UP CALL

When a trumpet is blown, listen! – Isaiah 18:3

WAKE NOW

Wake now, for God awaits with the power of all creation,

fueled by love and infinite kindness.

Wake now, for God awaits with a fullness of experience

surpassing all comprehension.

Wake now, for God awaits knowing only you have

the ability to thrive in the vision – only you move

freely in this creation.

Wake now, for God awaits and the hosts of divine love 

have watched over you in the dark night – 

ensuring your safety and protection –  

waiting for the light of dawn.

Wake now, and bring purpose to this universe,

finding the essence and center of all that awaits. 

Wake now, for you too are the God of a new day –

the transformation – the salvation.

Wake now, and be reborn. 

MARCH MORNING

"I am he as you are he as you are me, and we are all together," and so goes the lyrics of the Beatles' tune I AM A Walrus, which to me communicates, in a few words, our essential oneness and connection. So I begin this book's opening chapter, hopefully setting the tone that I am like you and you are like me. Except for some of our genetic characteristics, we share very similar experiences in life. One of which, in our modern world, is the daily commute, often long, challenging, tiring, and unproductive. I do mine on a train, and it has changed my life.

This day starts with my iPod alarm going off at 5:00 AM. It is Wednesday, March 18th and the day begins. I survey the bedroom, and all is well, my partner Ann is sleeping gently, Zephyr our Collie is sleeping on the floor on Ann's side of the bed and, I, like the good male partner, sleep near the door. I have conditioned myself to start with a positive affirmation I repeat in the morning that I picked up from Ernest Holmes, "Awake in joy and live in a consciousness of good." My mind moves immediately to the hectic day, but I force it back to my affirmation. Not entirely successful, I am on the move, with Zephyr following me out the bedroom door. Zephyr knows it is time for his walk.

After a stopping in the bathroom, I put on my exercise clothes and sneakers, turn on the coffee pot, and get Zephyr's leash and the flashlight. Zephyr is a kind and gentle male dog, fifty-five pounds, and looks like, you guessed it, Lassie. When Ann decided she wanted a dog, I overcame my dog phobia and said yes. For this measure of cooperation, I got to pick the breed. I picked the gentlest breed I could imagine –  a Collie – and we found a breeder and Zephyr came home as a twelve-week-old puppy. Now, at two years old, he is the size of a small horse in my estimation, and like Lassie, a beautiful dog.

Okay, the dog is walked and fed completely with his favorite bone. I notice it is 5:30 AM and realize that I must shave and shower in thirty minutes - more than enough time for most people, a race for me. So, from 6:00 to 6:15 AM I dress and then go to the kitchen to make Ann's tea. At about 6:27 AM, I carry the tea to the bedroom, wake Ann up lovingly, telling her how much I love her. At this moment I witness the greatest act of love any person can convey to another. Ann gets up to drive me to the train when she could easily have slept another hour by letting me drive myself. To wake and drive me in the fog, before daylight, is a sincere act of love. I am grateful that Ann wants to spend the time together since we will not see each other for another 13 hours when I arrive home on the train at 7:30 PM.

I let Ann get up, start the car, turn on the TV for the dog (Zephyr likes to watch political commentary and is a pundit in training). Ann watches Morning Joe on MSNBC along with Zephyr while I get my stuff ready. On the show, they are involved in an open discussion on the financial bailout. We leave the dog with the TV on and drive ten minutes to the Fredericksburg train station through the fog. We talk, laugh, and comment on the news story. I kiss Ann goodbye at the station, and she tells me to have a joyous day. I blow a kiss as I walk from the car, and the commute begins. In two hours and fifteen minutes, I will be sitting in my office in Northwest Washington, DC. 

THE TRAIN

The train station is historic and fits neatly into the ambiance of Fredericksburg, VA – the boyhood home of George Washington and the home to three other U.S. Presidents at some point in their lives, located equal distance between Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, DC, and a pivotal piece of real estate during the Civil War. There are two tracks at the station – Track 2 and Tack 3, leaving the location of Track 1 an ongoing mystery.

On these tracks, the passenger trains run up and down the East Coast, from the Carolinas and Southern Virginia, with destinations set for Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. These are Amtrak passenger trains running alongside the CSX freight trains and the slower Virginia Rail Express (VRE) Commuter trains, which hit every stop – eleven, to be exact, to DC. I prefer the Amtrak train to DC, which is faster than the VRE commuter train, making only five stops at Quantico, Woodbridge, and Alexandria, all in Virginia, with the final two stops, both in Washington, DC, at L'Enfant Plaza and Union Station. Although I usually take the Amtrak, I do take the VRE when I have to arrive at work for an early meeting, or the Amtrak is delayed.

I make my way on the walkway underneath the tracks, dragging my rolling briefcase up the long ramp to the train tracks - a full story above ground level. This positions the train to cross the Rappahannock River that borders the town. As I reach the upper platform,  I can see all of Fredericksburg; the historic town shines below. I have loved this town, my home for four years. Quaint shops, stores, and restaurants unfold in front of me – brick sidewalks - street lamps – colonial colors with antique streets. The sun is coming up over the town, and I am charmed.

I roll my bag along with the platform and stand under a covered area with a group of my fellow Amtrak commuters. Names are unnecessary, and I do not remember many, but I know their stories and opinions on almost any subject appropriate to public discussion. Today, Ron the Architect is discussing his Baltimore office, where those who work on the same floor have yet to meet their fellow workers, although they email daily. We discuss how email and Blackberries have replaced face-to-face communication, enabling all of us to avoid real personal contact. We joke that the next great business book will introduce these older methods of communication and be titled, "Face-to-Face – The New Approach to Communication."

We are waiting for the Northbound Train #172, due to arrive in Fredericksburg at 7:00 AM and finally arrive in Washington, DC one hour and twenty minutes later. The platforms are crowded with real travelers this morning, who are on their way up north. In addition, close to a hundred high school students from the local schools are taking their class trip to DC, adding to the excitement but surely slowing down the commute. The train horn sounds; we look down the track in anticipation; and finally, the large blue Amtrak diesel engine comes around the bend pulling ten passenger cars.

The commuters, who are professionals, eye each car to determine where the conductor will open the car door and allow the crowd to enter. Finally, the train slows to a stop as one of the back car doors open. The conductor comes out with a yellow step stool to help us climb up and onto the train. Luckily, the students and most of the non-commuters, board up in the front of the train so they will be close to the Cafe Car. Experienced riders head to the back of the train, including me.

I step up onto the train, wheeling my bag through each car, carefully looking for a quiet, empty seat for my commute and, if possible, one in a more isolated location. I dedicate my morning commute to my daily spiritual renewal, including prayer and meditation. Therefore, I prefer a seat where my fellow travelers are not holding a conversation. Today, I go to the very last train car, locating a seat on the right, about two-thirds of the way back in the car. I sit in the outer seat on the right side row of seats and place my bag on the floor next to me. The goal here is quiet with no seatmates. I purposely avoid sitting near people I know.

In reality, most commuters are planning to sleep, preferring not to be disturbed. Finally, the train pulls away from the station. I become one with the sound of the rumbling train wheels against the track, the train horn, and the power of this amazing vehicle getting up enough momentum to travel on its way. I am at peace, looking forward to this time to connect with God. My gift to me.

The conductor stops by to say good morning, collect my ticket, and finally places a small white stub of paper over my seat to show that I have paid. The comfortable blue seats of the train are easily adjusted to relax and meditate. I turn on the overhead lights and take a few minutes to look out the window. This Amtrak train leaves Fredericksburg, crossing immediately over the Rappahannock River that flows along the edge of town. 

The chorus of the Who's rousing rock song of the sixties comes to me as I begin this chapter, where I hope to let you know who I am, and outline the focus on my life and spiritual quest on the way to the train. Life is a journey all about finding out the true "Who" of each of us. Who are you? Who Am I? Who are we collectively?

WHO ARE YOU?

Well, who are you?

Who, Who, Are You?

I really wanna know

Tell me, who are you?

Cause I really wanna know.

A Current The Who – Who Are You (Glastonbury 2015) YouTube Video - Link Below

If I ever write a book just about my life, it will be titled, On The Way To The Train, because all I have experienced, prepares me for this train ride with God. It is essential you understand who I am, how I have come to this place, and my connection with God. I have found that the story of our journeys often relays the actual threads of enlightenment. We have all journeyed through life to reach this current now.

As I write this, I want you to be aware that I do not regret one second of my life. Even the troubled waters make sense to me now because they have defined and sculptured who I am today. I also believe success in life is not measured by what you have accomplished but by how far you have traveled. I also think of one of my mother's favorite sayings that still rings true for me, "son," she would say, "God makes the back to fit the burden." There were burdens, but also joy, love, and wonder, as with any life.

THE WAKE-UP CALL

I have debated when to begin this first chapter of the Finding God On The Train Story. After much internal discussion, I have decided to focus on my actual religious conversion and epiphany at the age of 55 - that brought me to this point - typing these words and thinking these thoughts. In the next chapter, I will then go back and provide you with the history that led to my waking up just in time. For I was fast asleep, and God, had to bring me to my knees to get my attention.

It is 2006, Ann and I moved in together, living in Fredericksburg, and we were busy trying to sort out our new life and relationship, including our spiritual life. Still angry at the Episcopal Church over the senseless dispute regarding the ordination of a gay Bishop that had, for me, transferred over to animosity for all established religions in general. I had returned to calling myself an agnostic, and after having had been a professed atheist at one time in my earlier life, it was easy to build a case against God. I would sit there and tell Ann, a lifelong Baptist, that I was no longer sure there was a God.

Ann did not run, but when looking back, she honestly believed she could save me, which is what she did. Ann saw me as deeply spiritual but very lost during these early days of our relationship, full of anger and frustration. Looking back, I have to agree. But I was also starting to wear away at Ann's belief system. Ann began to read a book on atheism, and I felt guilty and responsible for undermining her faith.

One night, after a lengthy discussion regarding this book and the existence of God, Ann went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. In the mirror was the hideous face of a hopeless, lost soul – and this reflection saved her and probably me at the same time! Ann walked out of the bathroom – declared her belief in God, and threw away the book. I admitted to her I did not want to take away her belief and replace it with nothing - which is what I now think atheism has to offer - nothing – no hope – no direction – no way.

Spiritual health seems to mirror or parallel physical health. When you are spiritually healthy, you are also more likely to be physically fit. Unfortunately, by August 2006, I was neither. I had been rushed to the hospital with vertigo after collapsing in the house we were renovating in Fredericksburg. The vertigo was easily manageable, but the MRI revealed an 11 mm tumor growing from my Pituitary Gland.

I was stunned, but I handled it as well as possible, trying not to panic. For the next six months, I spent countless hours with surgeons and specialists to determine a course of action, and assess the impact of the tumor. Finally, after calculating that I had time before it would grow large enough to impact my sight, hearing, or brain function, I was given a choice to hold off and operate later.

Let us fast forward just a bit to January 2007, and I am now, tumor and all, working as a consultant for a company providing health care to county prison systems. I am spending a great deal of time behind bars, but I am okay with it because it pays well, and I am learning a great deal about what happens on the darker and sadder side of life. As I am commuting to my assignment in Baltimore, I notice my left hand feels strange, stiff, and will not operate properly. I cannot play the guitar, and eventually, my left hand will not open. It looks like a claw.

I go back to my doctors, but they are sure it is not being caused by the tumor. Around the same time, my left leg is not functioning fully, and I am starting to stumble. Honestly, this had happened a few years earlier when I lived in Maine. I ended up walking with a cane and considering surgery on my neck - opening up the spinal column. While in Maine, I had delayed the surgery, started walking again, and had been fully mobile for the past two years.

By mid-January 2007, my left hand was useless, and I was dragging my left leg with the use of a cane. I kept working because I thought I would get better – not a realistic or healthy life choice. By the third week of January, I was buttoning my shirt first, on the bed, and then pulling it over my head – the left side of my body was numb, and my breathing was impacted. Ann was sick for a week – worn out from watching me fall apart. I knew what was happening, but refused to deal with it.

On Saturday, January 21st, I walked into the hospital emergency room in Fredericksburg. The day before, I had called the Neurosurgeon who was caring for my tumor and said I thought I needed help. I was transferred by ambulance to the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center that Saturday night. When I arrived, I was greeted by a young Neurosurgery Resident from India who did my intake exam, shaking his head over and over in disbelief as he lamented that I had waited so long to seek medical attention.

The first thing Sunday morning I am meeting with one of the region's top spinal Neurosurgeons. He explained that my surgeon had called him last night, feeling he had the expertise to handle this severe of an injury to the spine. I watched him as he spoke, impressed with his confidence and honesty. The surgeon said the discs in my neck were shattered, impacting my spinal cord and, as a result, paralyzing the left side of my body. He said that even with immediate surgery, I should not expect to use my left hand or leg again.  

He was planning emergency surgery for later in the morning, bringing in his best team, and if I did not agree to the operation, I would have no more than two days before my right side, along with my entire body, would be paralyzed. I would quite possibly die soon after that. Trapped and half paralyzed, I realized that there was no choice. The surgeon promised nothing, except to possibly hold off the paralysis, clearly letting me know this was one of the highest risk operations imaginable since I had a narrow spinal cord, to begin with, and it was already damaged.

Ann, who had slept in a chair next to my bed Saturday night, stayed by my side until right before the operation. I told her no matter what happened, I had no regrets, loved her dearly, and enjoyed our time together. It was probably not the thing to say before an operation, but I thought it needed to be said. Before she left, Ann reminded me to pray, and we joked that there were no atheists in the foxholes during the war. This was indeed a foxhole.

Ann also asked if I was worried about the operation, and I said that I felt like I would come up "smelling like a rose." This was the one positive remark my father said about me in my life, it had since become my affirmative mantra, and strangely enough, even my expectation in life. My father would say, shaking his head, that he didn't know how I did it, but I always "went down in shit and came up smelling like a rose." I heard this a thousand times growing up, usually after I had sidestepped some possible demise or succeeded at the impossible. Coming from my father, who rarely had anything positive to say about me, I believed it was true, and still do today. I believe the world is looking out for me for some strange reason, and it always does, and I will come up - "smelling like a rose." 

This operation was no exception, and as I prepared for the procedure, I knew I would be all right. Ann had to leave and begin the five-hour wait alone, but I knew she would be praying for us, which gave me comfort. I also thought of Erik Erikson; the Freudian psychoanalyst. He taught at Harvard and set up a new developmental stage of life, a final stage, where we assess how we lived our lives. For the final stage, Erikson defined the critical issue as "Integrity versus Despair," where we determine if we have lived fully, or we despair for having not lived up to our dreams and desires. I had lived much of my life for this moment and was pleased with my life assessment of my accomplishments over my fifty–five years, and although somewhat unconventional, produced no major regrets.

As I was being prepared for the operation and met the surgical team, I did feel a need to talk with God directly, not to plead my case, but to let God know that I expected the operation would be a success, and if it did not work for some reason, I wanted God to receive me. I just talked directly to God and admitted I had struggled spiritually and was lost much of the time, and I regretted not connecting more fully and becoming what it was that I was meant to become. This notion of not becoming what I was meant to become came as a surprise to me, and although I did not know what I was referring to exactly, I knew it to be true and felt I had not completed some spiritual mission. I felt a profound sense of failure. While waiting for this operation and the possible end of my life, I realized that I may have missed the spiritual point of my life even with all my accomplishments.

And although I had learned and studied most of the major religions on the planet, had been both a Christian and a Jew, I knew, at that moment, I had not been genuine: I had not done what I came to life to do. I promised and committed to God that if I survived, I would work hard to understand what I was meant to do, and I would focus my spiritual and physical life on accomplishing this mission. I was wheeled to the operating room as the anesthesia kicked in. I hoped I would be given this second chance.

Five hours later, being wheeled out of the operating room, I regained consciousness. I had a Titanium plate and three fused discs in my enlarged cervical spine. The first thing I did was check my left hand, and to my amazement, it was open - fingers moving. So I put my hand in front of my face, right before my eyes, watching my fingers move for the first time in a few months. Next, I moved my left leg, which had been immobile – hours before - and it moved easily – tears came to my eyes, and I thanked God – for I was whole again. 

The Neurosurgery Resident, who had admitted me to the hospital on Saturday night, was so impressed that he said, repeatedly, as he prepared me to go home, "this is a miracle, a true miracle, I have never seen anything like this. You are truly blessed." And three days after the operation, I walked out of the hospital without a cane and only a neck brace, with my surgeon and medical staff watching in triumph, wonder, and pride. I understood this was a gift of love from God, and I had a promise to keep.

THE FIRST STEPS

One step begins the journey of a thousand miles, and this was the first step. I would take two months to fully recuperate – living night and day in a neck brace, going to physical therapy, and preparing to reenter life. After that, things began to change rapidly. Two weeks after the operation, I had a job interview at a major hospital in Washington, DC. I went neck brace and all – Ann drove me, but I could walk and handle the interview, getting the job after a second visit. I received an offer and was able to start in early April. The only downside was the commute, which would take over two hours each way - the good news was I could take the train instead of driving.

Ann and I both realized we had lost our way in the period before the operation: we needed to work on our approach to the world, shifting away from our negative mindset, and developing a more positive attitude. Then, on one Sunday, Ann mentioned a brief review of Jeffrey Gitomer's book in the Sunday Magazine of our local newspaper, titled the Little Golden Book of Yes! Attitude that I referenced in the introduction. I was interested because Gitomer was a Temple University Alum who, as a salesman, had become a successful presenter and writer. "It's your thoughts behind the words you speak that create your attitude," guided Gitomer. So both Ann and I read Gitomer's books, which introduced us to the world of positive thinking and attitude control - and in turn, introduced us to Earl Nightingale's - "you become what you think all day."  

Gitomer's Yes! Attitude is a gem of positive thinking, which I still refer to often. At the time, the book propelled Ann and me forward, inspiring us to continue our positive thinking and attitude studies with the works of such greats as Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie, and Russell Conwell. It also led us to rediscover one of our favorites, whom we had both read and studied over twenty years prior, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, whose focus incorporated God and faith into the quest for a positive attitude.

It is late February of 2007, and we are spiritually recuperating, working on positive thinking and positive attitudes, and I am still in the neck brace. We are visiting Ann's mom, who lives nearby, and she is watching the Larry King Show on the television. Larry is interviewing someone who has contributed to a new book about the Law of Attraction titled, The Secret, authored by a documentary filmmaker named Rhonda Byrne.

The Secret, which had been recently introduced on the Oprah Winfrey Show, was becoming a best seller. Ann's Mom, who was always up to date on the latest trends, said she had watched the show on Oprah. With Rhonda Byrne facing financial disaster, her daughter gave her a book titled - Science of Getting Rich - written 100 hundred years ago by a New Thought teacher and philosopher named Wallace Wattles. After reading the book, Byrne decides to produce a documentary on the Law of Attraction. The documentary becomes an Internet success, with Byrne publishing the book to attract a wider audience.

So I am watching Larry King, who is questioning his guest on how our thoughts vibrate and we can attract what we think about into our lives; like a parking space, money, a new job, or a lover. I said to Ann, it sounded kind of crazy, but it related somewhat to what we were reading. Ann said she had been given a copy of The Secret a month or so before, and she still had the copy at home. So when I got home, I opened the book and was amazed  - for the first time, I encountered the Law of Attraction.

Little did I know, this reference guide was a primer for New Thought, and would help to change our lives forever. Ann and I each bought a copy of the book and the CD audio version, and we began intensely listening to and reading The Secret. We were introduced to an array of New Thought oriented teachers or avatars, as they are referred to in the book, with the most well-known, in New Thought circles, being Rev. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, the New Thought Religious Science trained minister, and the founder of one of the largest New Thought churches in the country, the Agape International Spiritual Center. 

More than introducing us just to the Law of Attraction, The Secret, exposed us to the world of New Thought with its concept of a loving and kind God, open to assist us all with obtaining an abundant life. The Secret, of course, features the most important New Thought avatar of all time – Jesus – and the first biblical presence to introduce the concept of the Law of Attraction by teaching:

Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith,

                      you will receive. Mathew 21:22.

 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,

                          believe that you have received it,

                      and it will be yours. Mark 11:24.                                

 

THE ZEPHYR STORY

Here we are in March of 2007,  I am still recovering from my surgery, weaning from my neck brace, and Ann is talking about her desire to have a dog. Now the addition of a dog to our family was a delicate subject since I am what most would consider dog-phobic; ever since, as a boy, my older sister had a large chunk of her thigh removed by a "friendly" German Shepherd - as the owners watched on. Although my sister recovered, I did not, spending the remainder of my childhood, and adult life, avoiding dogs. In my thirties, as a runner, my neighbors would laugh and say I altered my running course based on the dogs I observed up ahead in the neighborhood. They were right.

I realize Ann is serious and wants a dog. I also recognize that this could be a major issue in a new relationship, so I agree. Ann is ecstatic and, through the tears of joy, tells me I can pick the breed of dog I would feel safe with or as okay as I could feel. As I have mentioned earlier in the chapter, growing up with Lassie on TV, I thought of a Collie first, to me at least - a gentle, kind, breed  - also willing and capable of pulling me out of a river if needed. Before I could fully say the word Collie, Ann was on the computer looking for breeders.  

To Ann's dismay and my surprise, after an extensive search, there were very few Collie breeders in the country. However, Ann was not fazed and, after some effort, located a breeder in New Orleans who specialized in breeding and showing Collies. After frequent emails and phone calls with the breeder named Mary, Ann came back with the bad news. A new litter of six Collie pups would be ready shortly. Still, they were already all adopted, with a waiting list of twelve enthusiastic potential owners on standby for future litters.  

Ann was disappointed but kept emailing Mary, who was impressed with Ann's interest and copied her on the emails being sent to all those who would be receiving the new puppies. Ann looked at the pictures of the puppies, read the emails, and became even more focused on finding a Collie puppy as soon as possible. Ann, who was reading The Secret along with me, spent countless hours trying to manifest a Collie utilizing the book's clear how-to steps. Ann felt that if this Law of Attraction stuff were true, then she would be able to attract her dog. I was still working on parking spaces, but I encouraged her to keep trying to give her hope. She did.

At the same time, Ann spent hours searching the Internet, rescue shelters, and calling breeders for a Collie. She even struck up a friendship with one of the women who was on Mary's adoption list, preparing for the day when she would be next in line. Still, no luck, and Ann seemed to be getting slightly depressed and obsessed. When the dreams started, frankly, I began to worry in earnest. Each morning Ann would recount this recurring dream she  regarding the Collie she so desperately wanted and had to have now. Ann would tell me the dream and talk about the soft, gentle breeze. Having been a Psych major, and having read Freud's Interpretation of Dreams, I knew that dreams were wishe fullfillments, providing in dream life what we desire in our actual life. I was not surprised, since by this time in late March, finding a Collie was all that Ann talked about each day. The dreams were always the same. 

It is a beautiful summer afternoon with a soft, gentle

breeze, with Ann and me sitting on what appears to be

porch overlooking a large manicured yard, that rolls

down to a river. Out walking and playing in the sunlight

is a beautiful full-grown Collie, with a distinctive white

haired neck looking at us, and Ann knows this is her dog,

while feeling a tremendous emotion of love for the dog.

Ann watches as the dog's hair is swept back by

the soft, gentle breeze. The key to every dream is the

beautiful Collie in the sunlight, with the dog's hair 

moving in the soft, gentle breeze.

Over and over, Ann told the soft, gentle breeze story. Then, night after night, the dream occurred, and then, started coming to her at work and during the day as a daydream. I was worried because no dog was available, and Ann was not taking it well. I convinced Ann to stop reading Mary's emails to the other potential owners, and let it go for a while to gain some composure and space. It was the end of March, and this was my last week before I would start my new job in Washington, DC.  

On Tuesday night of this same week, Ann came home from work, announcing that this was the day she would get her dog. Ann said, "I am going to get it, I am sure, I do not know how, but I am going to get it." She held a newspaper, and she quickly looked in the classifieds for a Collie, but no dog. Still, she was convinced. I was apprehensive. I reminded her that this was driving her crazy, and she needed to step back to take a breather and think of something else. Finally, we compromised and talked about having enough cash if she did find the dog. Ann wanted to check her bank account, so she went on her computer, which was now in the bedroom, and went into her email. She saw an email from Mary and thought of avoiding it, but read it anyway.

I heard a scream from the bedroom and ran to the room in a panic. Ann is standing in front of the screen crying, laughing, jumping, and screaming - "I have Zephyr." Ann's shaking hand pointed to the screen, and she said I should read the email to ensure she was reading it correctly. The email simply said –

Ann,  Zephyr is ready for you to pick him up.

I was stunned and confused. Ann was already on the phone calling Mary jumping with excitement. It was true, Mary had decided that day to give Zephyr to Ann - the male Collie that had been held back from adoption, to see if he could qualify to follow in his father's footsteps, and become one of the top show dogs in the country. Zephyr's potential owner was a man in New Orleans, told earlier in the day: he would have to wait until next time. Mary, working on a feeling that Zephyr wanted to come to Ann instead, wrote the email above.

I was amazed, Ann was ecstatic, but reality rushed in quickly. We would need to drive to New Orleans from Fredericksburg to pick up Zephyr. It was going to be a costly trip. Anyway, I had to start a new job the next week and get ready. That night in bed, we were still debating, when Ann said we should let Zephyr go to the next owner. Not sure why, but I turned to Ann and said, "you have used the Law of Attraction and have manifested this dog, and we have to follow through, or we will never receive in the future." Ann was relieved, and I knew I had made the right decision.

We got out of bed excited by the trip, and the experience, and decided to talk about a name for our new dog. The breeder's name was Zephyr, but we were thinking of calling the new dog Ralph Waldo Emerson, or some other New Thought icon's name, to commemorate the Law of Attraction. So I said that we should first look up what the name Zephyr means, and then if we don't like it, we can choose another name.

So I pulled out the Webster's New World College Dictionary, flipped through the pages to the Z's in the very back, page 1664 to be exact, looking down the page for Zephyr, read the definition below, and my entire being shook as the goosebumps covered my body and tears came to my eyes. I said, Ann, you will not believe this, but Zephyr means "soft, gentle breeze" as I read the following definition over and over again:

 

zephyr (zef'er) 1. The west wind 2. Zephyrus

                          3. a soft, gentle breeze.

Zephyrus (zef' e rus) Greek Myth, the west wind

                                  personified as a god.

We were stunned and joyous at the same time, for God had shown the way and assisted Ann with cocreating and manifesting us a dog. If there ever was a doubt about our path or Zephyr, this was our sign, and we would be off to New Orleans the next day, traveling to pick up our soft, gentle breeze. We enjoyed our trip to Mary's, where Ann met her email friend who had adopted another dog in the litter and drove the very same red Saturn VUE that Ann and I had driven down to New Orleans. We had an authentic Crawfish dinner, and our lives were changed forever.

Two years later, on a summer afternoon, as we sat looking out over our yard watching Zephyr move gracefully through the soft, gentle breeze, Ann turns to me and says, with a look of awe in her eyes – "this is it, the dream I had over and over. This is the dream, look at Zephyr and the soft, gentle breeze."

ON THE TRAIN

I started work the next Monday with Zephyr safely home, spending my five-hour commutes on the train reading one New Thought related writer after the other, Beckwith, Canfield, and Wayne Dyer, whose landmark book, The Power of Positive Intention, set Ann and me off to find a church that would match our newly discovered beliefs. As I explained in the introduction, this was not easy. We started with what we had known, visiting most of the Episcopal,  Baptist, and Evangelical churches in the area, thinking and hoping, if we found a positive one - one that did not focus on sin, shame, and guilt - we would join. 

At this time, I began fixating on the word Temple, which led to thinking about Russell Conwell, who was mentioned by Gitomer in his book. After a visit to the Temple University website, I rediscovered that Russell Conwell was actually a New Thought oriented Baptist minister, whose popular New Thought speech titled Acres of Diamonds became a lecture sensation, based on a Sufi tale of a man who spent his life searching for an acre of diamonds, only to have the largest diamond mine in the world discovered in his own backyard - after his death.

Russell Conwell, in this speech, emphasized that God wanted us all to be prosperous and wealthy, and it was our individual responsibility to make the most out of our lives. Conwell, the Joel Osteen of his time, gave this speech a  6,000 times across the world, without the benefit of modern transportation, between 1900 and 1925 to enthusiastic audiences who loved his message. Conwell became one of the great New Thought doers of all time, using these funds to build Temple University, my Alma Mater, Temple Hospital, and provide an avenue and opportunity for working-class students to reap the rewards of higher education.  

Although I never realized Conwell's New Thought connection until later in my life, I was a Graduate Assistant with the Temple Career Development Center in my mid-twenties while pursuing my MBA degree at the Temple Graduate School of Business. When I received my MBA, I decided to work in Career Development, and I was later asked to become the Director of Career Services at Temple University. My office overlooked the statue of Russell Conwell in the Founders Garden, which was the final resting place of this true New Thought humanitarian. For a wonderful insight into New Thought, as it related to abundance, and the wonder of Russell Conwell, I strongly encourage you to read Acres of Diamonds  - A Self Improvement Classic,  which includes the entire speech.

Ann and I focused our efforts during May and June of 2007, visiting and rejecting a collection of traditional, evangelical, and very untraditional churches, one after another, realizing that what we were seeking may not have existed in real life. Each church focused on some version of original sin, guilt, punishment, and salvation. In July, after we had given up for a few weeks, Ann said she had seen a small advertisement referring to a church that talked about abundance and positive thought. We went to our first Unity Church service where the congregation meditated during the service; which discussed the feasibility of directly connecting with God, and did not accept the notion of sin and guilt. We had found a New Thought church, changed our lives, and for now, with all our New Thought thinking, we had a place of worship. More on Unity and New Thought in Chapter Three, New Thought Positive Spirituality - Yesterday and Today. To learn more about Unity, please see my link on the right-hand sidebar of my blog at www.FindingGodOnTheTrain.com

FINAL THOUGHTS

Writing and editing this chapter has provided a cathartic experience for Ann and me, as we again realized the miracle of our spiritual rebirth, and our deep gratitude to Rhonda Byrne, and all of the other New Thought pioneers who have prepared the way before us. We have also realized that although our spiritual evolution has depended on God and the Law of Attraction, life would have been easier to bring us to the next spiritual step if New Thought had been less of a secret. Therefore, through this book and the related blog, it is now our life mission to make the road easier and clearer for those who travel with us. 

Next, Chapter Two will focus on my middle years and my exploration of world religions, my early conversion to Judaism, and my life in high-tech corporate America. I want to close off this chapter with a closing meditative note - I often refer to as a Note On Enlightenment – along with a positive affirmation, and a short affirmative thought or prayer.

I hope you are enjoying the trip!

CLOSING NOTE ON ENLIGHTENMENT

Awake From The Dream is a meditative note that, in a personal spiritual sense, as highlighted by this chapter, signifies for me the many years I was asleep while fully awake, never realizing I was slowly dying from spiritual malnutrition. When I spiritually drift off to sleep from time to time, I use this meditation guidance as a wake-up call from God. This guidance is also a reminder that we all conceive of our own individualized reality, and through our continual interpretation, we give it meaning and form.

AWAKE FROM THE DREAM - MEDITATION GUIDANCE  

Awake from the dream of life, awake from the illusion

and become enlightened.

    Awake from the dream of life – refreshed and full of

wisdom and grace. The dream of life is an illusion –

we have all been fooled by its tangible nature – hard, 

physical, seemingly solid - look above, around the side – 

look through and see the vibrations –  the pulse held

together by a limited perception.

    Awake from the dream and see its transitory nature,

a brief encounter during "our" moments of reflection.

We manifest this illusion with all of its beauty – one

thought and creation at a time. This is a collective

illusion, a collective vision authored by each one

of us in harmony with God. 

    In this collective illusion of humanity, we set our

stage, take our roles, form and reform our parts,

and deliver the lines of our lives.

    In this collective illusion, we are the screenwriter,

the producer, the director, the hero, the villain or

victim, as we choose, utilizing and partnering with

the creative power of God.

    Awake from the collective illusion and develop your

own script, plotline, story, and ending – not as an

extra but as the actor – the director you were created

to be.

    Awake from the dream of life, the collective illusion

and be one with the God you were born to be. 

NOE G. 5.8.2009 7:50 AM  

                   

CLOSING AFFIRMATIONS

Affirmations are positive statements announcing to God – Universal Mind – and to our subconscious mind, how we view the world and what we expect to occur during the day or in our life. It is a powerful way to use the Law of Attraction to frame our reality and set positive expectations.

Let me close this chapter with a spiritual affirmation I wrote during this period of awakening when I was still searching for a religious home and a personal connection with God. As with most affirmations, I write as if I already possess what I seek. I began reading this affirmation out loud daily, and in a few months, I had started meditating, found Unity, and began to obtain my spiritual sea legs. As with all the material in this book, and on the blog, please feel free to adapt it to meet your needs.

 

               A PERSONAL SPIRITUAL AFFIRMATION

I am joyful and thankful for a lasting, deep, sincere, and

personal ongoing relationship with God, and for having

found a connection with God through a church and religion

that fosters abundance and self-actualization, with faith

a strong component of all that I do and think. Keeping God

informed of what I want and need to be happy. I want all

this or something better.

Affirmations are most effective when you can apply an emotional connection to your affirmative statement. In this affirmation, "joy" -  truly one of the most powerful of all emotions – is elicited, and when combined with gratitude, charges this statement with a powerful emotional force. Try adding a line, such as, "I am filled with emotion and thankful for…" when drafting your affirmations, and see if it doesn't give them more positive force. The final sentence of this affirmation above - I want all this or something better - is a line used by many who write affirmations, and it tells the universe, that although you want this to manifest in your life, you are always open to something better.

CLOSING AFFIRMATIVE THOUGHT

I would like to close this chapter, where I am focusing on my own spiritual journey, with what I call an Affirmative Thought. Those, who follow my blog will know that I write Ann a brief note each morning before I go to work, delivering it with her morning tea. Ann looks forward to these notes and has come to expect one every morning.

I also enjoy taking a moment to write her this morning note, connecting with spirit, and jotting down my thoughts whether spiritual or romantic. If I like the note, I make a quick copy on the printer and often use it later as a daily blog post. Never has someone gotten so much mileage on a brief note! A few days ago, I left the note on the printer, and I got a call on the train from a frustrated Ann, saying, "Where's the note? I cannot find the note?" I directed her to the printer and all was well. This Affirmative Note reminds us of ……

 

THE AMAZING GIFT  - AFFIRMATIVE THOUGHT  

Today let us live as if there is no tomorrow -

    fully present in this moment now – realizing

      the amazing gift of life is a miracle to be fully

     enjoyed, held sacred, and profoundly lived.

Today let us live with complete passion and

      and enthusiasm – awake and present for each

          breath – for each step – empowered and ready

     to enjoy.

Today let us reach out to all we love and hold

   dear – touching them with our kindness and

     ensuring they know how much we love them!

Today let us live.

____________________________________