God and the California Fires

What is God thinking here with the California fires? Or, for that matter, with ALL that is going wrong in our world?

Anyone who believes in God -- and certainly anyone who believes in a God Who gives us the power to create our own reality, and Who co-creates that reality with us -- has to ask that question, yes?

Yes.

I'm asking that question today. What in the world is God thinking here? A million people evacuated from their homes? Thousands of dwellings destroyed? Acreage half the size of Rhode Island lost?

If God is, indeed, the Sum of the Collective Consciousness of All That Is (and, logically then, of every human being), the question we must ask ourselves is, What in the world are WE thinking? What motive in the Collective Consciousness of Humanity does this California fires event serve?

I believe that we in the United States may be in for a number of cataclysmic events such as 9/11, Katrina, and the California fires as this nation -- for the first time in its long history -- begins to experience that it is no more pervious to disaster (natural or man-made) than any other nation. The century of American dominance (and, some might say, American "luck" -- when virtually no major misfortune touched the land) is over. And there may very well be a collective will on the part of Humanity (and not only that portion living outside of the United States) to bring this nation as close to an awareness of its own fragility as every other nation on the earth. Fragility produces humility, and few would argue that America could benefit from a dose of humility right now.

Humanity might also right now be teaching itself about its own need to create community -- helping and healing communities, some temporary and some more permanent -- to face the predictably extraordinary challenges of the 21st Century. For the past dozen decades (and increasingly in the last five or six) we have seen a break up of the Community Human as families have disunited and cultures have homogenized and the people of the earth have increasingly become more and more freed by modern technologies and less dependent on each other -- or seemed to have done so.

In reality, an experience of our Oneness and our Interdependence is more needed now than ever before, as we march seemingly oblivously toward the brink of our own self-destruction. Only an awareness of our Oneness and Interdependence can save us now, methinks. Only a complete clarity that we ARE all one can turn the tide of events in favor of sustainability on the earth. And so, the Body Human will do everything in its power to remind its Individuations of this truth.

What the fires in California have produced -- as have all catastrophic events in human history -- is an onrush of humans helping humans; an instant awareness of our All-In-The-Same-Boatness; a heart-exploding willingness to extend ourselves for others, emerging from an outbursting consciousness that there ARE no "Others."

The fires have also re-oriented us once more, restoring our Larger Perspective on life, reminding us of what is really important, allowing us to find gratitude once again for that which is right in our lives, and helping us become clear once more that the quality of our experience upon the earth has nothing to do with "stuff" and everything to do with stuff-ING as much love as we possibly can into every moment...love for ourselves and love for as many others as we can embrace.

Yes, like 9/11, the California fires are reflecting us back to ourselves. In the unremitting flames will our smallest ideas of who we are be consumed.

...and the Phoenix shall rise from the ashes...

Today we send our prayers and our spiritual intentions to all those whose experience of these past horrific days in California has been personal and deeply impacting. We hold in our hearts the knowledge that God -- the Collective Energy and the Group Consciousness of All Life -- creates only healing, sometimes in forms that individuals do not recognize, but always in forms that produce the self-same result. For Life in every instance supports the sustaining and the expansion of Life Itself, and so will it be in this instance as well.

Amen, and Amen.

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Wednesday is usually Question and Answer Day on the blog...a time for exploring many of the questions that people have recently asked about the nine Conversations with God books and the New Spirituality. And while I could not simply ignore the fires in California, I also do not want to ignore the Q&As that people look for here each week. So, here's this week's entry...

Topic: When Loved Ones Disagree
Question asked by: Ria
Question: Hi, Neale!

I just watched your film and needless-to-say, tears streamed down my face through the entire film because the truth hit me so hard. I recently walked away from a 6 figure income to start a company that reminds women to love and care for themselves. I was inspired and called to do so in January of this year based on my personal journey of low self-esteem, health issues, and bad relationships. Could you provide more guidance on the second question you say to ask yourself -- who is going with me? Specifically, what do you do when the people who are closest to you are not where you are and do not understand your leap of faith?

With much gratitude,

Ria

Neale's Response: Dear Ria...Have patience and understanding, and if you really love them, require nothing of them but their own authentic experience.

If there is something in your behavior they do not understand, strive to bring them to understanding. If they simply cannot agree with your choices and decisions (and remember, "understanding" is not "agreement"), lovingly invite them to notice that they do not "have to" agree. Their agreement is not required. Once they know this, the pressure will be off in many ways.

If a Beloved Other no longer wishes to travel with you through life because of their disagreement with your choices, bless them from the bottom of your heart and allow them to make their choices, too, as freely as you would like to make yours. Never withdraw your love from them. In this, they will see the steadfastness of your love -- and its healing qualities. You will serve as a model for a kind of behavior that they may then be encouraged to adopt.

It is always discouraging when someone you love does not seem to be able to "go along with you" on something. Especially if they "something" is very important to you. That is the time to be steadfast in your love for yourself, as well. I have always felt that it was not beneficial for me to give up my dream so that I may live someone else's.

(Ask Neale may be accessed on a daily basis in the Messengers’ Circle at Neale's personal website: www.nealedonaldwalsch.com. Each week Neale selects a question from those posted there and publishes it in this blog.)