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Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, I hope persons of varied faiths will find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps us trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches us each. Please share this ministry with others, and please return soon. There is a new offering daily. And to be placed on the daily OneLife email list, to request notifications of new writings or submit prayer requests, write to briankwilcox@yahoo.com .
Blessings,
Brian Kenneth Wilcox MDiv, MFT, PhD
Interspiritual Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader, Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
You are invited to join Brian at his fellowship group on Facebook. The group is called OneLife Ministries – An Interspiritual Contemplative Fellowship. Hope to see you there. Blessings.
I dedicate this to my dearest Friend and Teacher - Jesus. He is close, has always been, even when I lost the way, and forgot how much he loves me. He is why I am Christian. When alone, he has always been near, and is now. Because of Jesus, I can say, to me religion is a Love Affair. Amen.
Title: GETTING LOST, FINDING LOVE: WHOLLY IN BLOOM
OPENING SCRIPTURES
I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
*Jesus, John 15.9, NJB
Long ago the Living One said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an unending love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
*Jeremiah 31.3
Now, I am jealous of no one,
Now that I have attained unto the Society of the Saints:
I am estranged with no one: nor is anyone a stranger to me,
Indeed, I am the friend of all.
All that God does, with that I am pleased;
This is the wisdom I have received from the saints.
Yea, the One God pervades all: and, seeing Him,
I am wholly in bloom.
To the addict, nothing is like his dope;
to the fish, nothing is like water:
But those immersed in the love of God feel love for all things.
*Sikhism. Adi Granth.
He lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of love, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And thus the whole wide world, above, below, around, and everywhere, does he continue to pervade with the heart of love, far-reaching, exalted, beyond measure. Just as a mighty trumpeter makes himself heard--and that without difficulty--in all the four directions; even so of all things that have the shape of life there is not one that he passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with mind set free, and deep-felt love. Verily this is the way to a state of union with Brahma [God].
*Buddhism. Tevigga Sutta.
SPIRITUAL TEACHING
GETTING LOST, FINDING LOVE
Every word you speak
is a candle lit in the Dark
leading me Home
to my Heart.
In prayer, today,
I got lost
and awoke to find myself
in Your arms–
Lucky guy
I am!
…
Beloved, will you let me
get lost tomorrow,
again?
…
Those who never lose
their way,
never find
Love.
The minute I heard my first love story I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along.
*Rumi
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: MEDITATION ON LOVE
This is a word meditation. Here, you use a mantra, or prayer word. Today, let it be Love. You may choose that word in any language. Such as: Amor; Aimer; Ahavah; Agape; ...
*Go into your meditation and, once you are relaxed, center your awareness in the chest, or heart, area.
*Breathe in and out, from the heart area, the word you choose for Love. Feel the sensation, the energy, of the bliss of Love.
*After doing this for a time, bring to mind persons who have loved you dearly. Offer gratitude for each one, when he or she arises to mind-heart. When giving thanks, see the face.
*After this, bring to mind persons you have loved dearly, yet who did not know how to receive your love. See the face of each. Offer blessing to each one, kindly.
*Now, see yourself. Feel love for yourself. Offer thanks for your self.
*Return to the word for Love. Return to the recitation inwardly, in and out of the heart area.
*When ready, come out of your meditation, smiling and grateful for the time with the One.
* * *
*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian Kenneth Wilcox, SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. While within the Christian path, he is an ecumenical-interspiritual teacher, author, and chaplain. He is Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings at briankwilcox@yahoo.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*You can order his book An Ache for Union from major booksellers.
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