The Latest Sermon from Rev. Shakes
From the Mind of God to the Spear of Shakes…the Lectures I Give My Self:
Fancy Cars and Skanky Bitches (To Be or Not to Be?)
Hello My Friend,
“To Be or not to Be?” That is the question our old pal William Shakespeare asks of us. It’s a damn good question and it seems like there are not enough people who ever really answer it.
Who do you know who really wants to “Be”? Probably not a lot. Most people are not Being. This is because so many of us don’t know what to Be because we think we don’t know who we are because we’ve been caught up in the illusion of accepting the idea that ‘how it is’ equals ‘how it will be.’ And therefore there in no sense of trying to ‘Be’ anything because an unfulfilled life is what is expected and, sadly, accepted as the norm. But that’s just stupid.
Most people believe that to experience something they must physically act out the associated events in time and space, but the beauty of your imagination is that you can experience any events without the need of time and space (your dreams will attest to this fact).
All things that are created are first created in one’s imagination and therefore you have at your disposal a spiritual drawing board in front of you. Sure, it may take some deep meditation, prayer, or some quiet time to focus your thoughts exclusively on the feelings that would be yours if your end goals were achieved, but this is how all successful creating is done. Yes, sometimes lightning strikes and one has an epiphany, a spontaneous awakening to the reality that ‘life is but a dream’ and can be changed according to one’s desires, and therefore can more easily envision their future Self without having to ‘work at it’ through hours of meditation and prayer. Some people are so connected to their goals – that which they know is inevitable – that they are in consistent contemplation of their ideals day and night whether they are actually aware of it or not.
Many times the ‘instant epiphany’ comes only when you have reached the bottom of the barrel or the end of the rope. When you’ve just had enough of the bullshit and see life for what it is: a challenge for you to master – not a game for you to win or lose – because you cannot win or lose. If you believe that you can win or lose, then maybe you’re not seeing the nuances of each situation, object, or sensation. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ as far as anything goes. But if you want to master the challenges that lie before you, you must recognize the inherent beauty that presents itself as that which either does or does not get you closer to your goals. That is really the only criteria you need to figure out how to live your life and make your choices. At any given moment you are faced with the decision of ‘what will I do?’ and in each of those choices you are deciding your future.
Are you ever burdened or overwhelmed as to what choice to make? Do you consider your choices as either ‘right’ or ‘wrong;’ whether or not they are ethical and moral? Do you have to consider whether or not your decision will please the Church, your friends, family, etc.? Well, in fact, none of that really matters. The only question is this: are you going to become a successful participant in this game? If you answer yes, there are some pretty standard ways that you will behave and a certain set of rules that you will abide by. Soon enough you’ll figure out that ‘good’ thoughts, actions, and behavior lead you closer to a full and robust life of love joy and liberty. ‘Bad’ stuff only leads to more bad. Always. And thus, this is why humanity has set the standards for ‘successful living’ in innumerable writings such as those found in the Rig Veda, the Upanishads, and the Bible among others. That’s why it’s ‘good’ to love others, it’s ‘good’ to work, build, and grow, it’s ‘good’ to have an abundance, it’s ‘good’ to share, teach, and learn. Why? Because these things are the most beneficial and useful if anyone wants to master the challenges that they'll encounter along this journey we call ‘life.’ It’s the system in which everyone has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive. It's the system based on Love.
It’s a bit silly to think that the ‘good’ behavior of people who call themselves Christians could be considered uptight, snooty, or elitist; that they want to impose an archaic, outdated set of rules and make everyone follow their strict, ‘boring,’ and ‘no fun’ way of life. No, that’s not it all.
The reasons that Christians and other religious folks are looked upon as squares, un-hip, and not cool is that some people learn early on in life (usually due to good examples from within the family) that these ‘rules for living’ that are found in all Holy books (and that have been passed down for a billion years) are actually true. They really work.
Anyone with half a brain can look around and see what ‘lawlessness’ brings; what ‘bad’ behavior leads to. It’s not a pretty picture. So, how does mankind, civilization as a whole, deal with this? Duh. Read the Bible. Read the Tao Te Ching. Read the Rig Vedas.
For the longest time I mocked and ridiculed religion because it seemed so irrelevant, so outdated and, frankly, dumb. But little did I realize that all successful societies are built on the lessons set forth in the ancient books. Who knew? Well, in fact, a lot of people knew. And those people wanted to share with you the reasons why it’s better to love than to hate, build rather than destroy, etc., etc., etc., It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why ‘good’ is, in fact, good, and why ‘bad’ will forever be bad. There is no turning these around, or flipping them upside down like many in our modern age would like to do. Sure, some slippery sons-a-bitches are always trying to degrade any classically traditional ideology with claims that ‘we must advance’ as a people, as a society, and as a civilization, but this is just ploy for those snakes to gain more control over you. This is what all ‘liberal’ governments and media outlets are all about: to get you conditioned to more and more ‘liberties’ (like free porn, wild and reckless fucking, prescription and street drugs for all) while mocking and degrading the 'old-fashioned' institutions of strong marriages between men and women who hold high values that lead to strong families, which lead to strong communities, which leads to creativity and innovation, which lead to strong civilizations, etc., etc. - you know, stuff based on Love.
The sad mistake here is that people confuse ‘freedom’ for ‘wanton behavior.’ Just because you have the freedom to do what you want doesn’t mean that you have the freedom to destroy the foundation upon which you base your freedom...because then you wouldn’t have your freedom...right? This is the slippery slope that comes with generations who get further and further away from the righteous values that were, for the most part, held by all societies and were universally agreed upon terms for successful living. Once you reach a certain point of ‘liberalness’ then comes simple savagery.
There is no freedom in Hell and there is no Salvation in sin. Sure you may have to spend some time in Hell and degrade yourself with sin, but nobody ever wants to stay in those states. Just ask the lifetime drunk, the old thief, or the worn-out whore. Living on those states of degradation has no merit. Overcoming states of degradation is the point of all the Good books, and - much to my surprise as I gained wisdom and knowledge throughout my years - these ancient books with all of their ‘old timey’ rules are actually ALWAYS desperately needed. My book, Stop Fucking Around and Get Yourself a God, is another Good book but it’s a bit more lively and not so ‘old timey’ (and, thankfully, it's not as long). By no means am I comparing my little book to the Bible but...you know, the word of God is the word of God, that’s all I’m saying. But I digress.
No matter what situation or state you are in now, if you can convince your subconscious mind that you can, in fact, achieve your dreams and desires then you are on the right track. It really comes down to re-writing the movies, scenarios, and conversations that run through your mind on a continuous basis. You must portray yourself in your imagination, in your ‘mind’s eye,’ as the one that is completely successful, confident, happy, and full of love and therefore your subconscious has no choice but to create the circumstances that will allow that favorable outcome.
Your conscious mind is the best way to convince your subconscious of anything. As a matter of fact, your conscious mind is the only way to convince your subconscious mind of anything. So, in order for your conscious mind to convince your subconscious mind that something is true you must feed it what you want to be true. That’s it. It’s that cut and dry. You must train your thoughts to work only in a positive way, in a way that supports, encourages, believes in and knows that your success is the most important thing in your world, and that your success is already a done deal, and that it cannot and will not fail. This starts with turning off and shutting out all of the nonsense that usually permeates your mind and body, and constantly begs for your attention. You must disengage yourself from the negativity that tries to work its way into your head, and in turn, works its way into your life and being.
Sure, this sounds simple enough, but it’s not necessarily easy. It’s hard to make any changes if you have long-standing habits that are ingrained into your life – which simply means they are ingrained in your subconscious because your subconscious is in control of all your ‘automatic’ actions and reactions – but it all starts with what you put into your mind – and that is something that you have almost complete control over. For most of us, this input is a non-stop barrage of flickering images on a screen: that comforting hazy blue glow that carries all kinds of messages that do not feed our conscious or subconscious mind with positivity. Along with that, we have our family, friends, and associates who don’t always have good news to share; who aren’t always the best cheerleaders, motivators, or supporters.
Unless you’re already a part of a positive supportive group, you probably take in and participate in a lot of negative talk with your friends. For me, it was criticizing others, making fun of others short-comings, laughing at the way someone looked or talked. Or it was having my own ‘very important’ opinion on the news of the world or the latest scandalous headlines. Of course it seemed like I has to put my two cents in and make sure that everyone around me understood how I saw any given pop culture / political situation – as if any of it did anything to get me closer to my goals - but that's not really the case. I've come to the realization that the less I react to outside influences, the less outside influences affect me - which seems pretty obvious but it's not an easy feat to accomplish. It takes constant practice to not react to juicy gossip and stimulating situations. But, it turns out, I don't have time for today's headlines when I've got a Soul to save. Maybe once I've have become fully-realized and I am Enlightened beyond Enlightenment, and I've obtained all Universal Knowledge, maybe then I'll have some time for some wild headlines, some good TV, or some stupid videos of assholes doing dumb shit. Until then, I'm going to keep studying.
Sure, it’s fun to bitch and moan about the ‘state of the world,’ and it’s fun to laugh at the stupid politician who just made another goofy blunder...but at what cost? What does it cost us to share our thoughts and ideas on things that will never really affect us? What does it cost your subconscious mind when it starts getting fed a bunch of negative thoughts and feelings? What does it cost to have negative feelings about anything? How much further does that take you away from your goals, your dreams, and desires? Every time we react negatively to ANYTHING it hurts us. It brings us down in one way or another. That’s because we are creating negativity in ourselves each time we judge something to be negative.
Any contemplation of negativity automatically conjures negative feelings within us, right? So Boo-hooing or wringing your hands in worry isn't the way to Enlightenment. Agreeing with all the panicked fear merchants on all of your favorite news shows isn't how you should be spending any of your time.
Many religions and spiritual belief systems take a view that in reality nothing is truly negative; that everything is positive if you look at it from the point of view that God, the Universe, etc, cannot make mistakes; that all is working toward the balance and harmony of All – eventhough we may not be able to recognize it in the moment in which that event is occurring. And so, this should be the point of view to which we aspire. If we can stop making judgments of others, we can focus on ourselves; on bettering ourselves. And the best way to better yourself is to feed yourself goodness. That’s it. It’s such a simple formula: Good = Good.
You know, the Golden Rule is as old as time itself, and everybody – whether they’ve been ‘officially’ taught or not – knows it: Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. Now, this is pure genius, but the problem is that so many people put up with way too much nonsense done unto them. They allow others to mistreat them, they allow others to intimidate them, threaten them, bully them, etc., etc., etc., the list goes on. Therefore, since so many people put up with so much negativity, they don’t mind being negative to others as well.
It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and self-feeding frenzy of people doing bad things and thinking bad thoughts about the people around them because they think that since ‘others did unto them’ that they must do it back – and that’s where the difficulty in breaking the cycle of what we may call the ‘Rusty Rule’ whereof it’s a war of tit-for-tat that will eventually degrade and diminish anyone who gets caught up in the game. This goes for babies all the way up to our so-called ‘world leaders.’ For some reason people take pride in enduring punishment for the sake of looking like a ‘bad-ass;’ there is some sense of victory for putting up with being a victim and so they continue – but let me break it to you, Brothers and Sisters – if you’re are a victim because it keeps you comfortable and accustomed to it, and you don’t know how you’d ever make it outside of your victim role because it’s ‘all you know,’ then you’re not actually a victim, you are a perpetrator.
If you do happen to find yourself in circumstances where negativity is common, it can be very difficult to break the cycle, but it can be done and it starts with first and foremost not accepting as real anything other than positive thoughts. Do not allow yourself to dwell on the negative words or actions of others or never fall for the trap of being defined by anyone else. I realize that in some cases physical abuse may be the norm and that is something that just can’t be ignored or put on the back burner while you trying to give yourself a pep-talk. Bruises and swelling and pain (physical and psychological) become the focus of ones thoughts with every movement when they are stuck in an abusive relationship of one kind or another. The good news is, even in difficult circumstances, the Spirit within each of us cannot be damaged, diminished, beat-up, or defeated. It’s just not possible. The ‘I Am’ in each of us is always alive and well. It is always telling us who and what we are. And we are able to imagine anything we’d like to be. Anything. Never let another convince you that you are not and NEVER WILL BE anything but a beautiful, loving, courageous, strong, and eternal Child of God. Anyone one that tries to tell you otherwise can fuck off. But I digress.
If you’re using the excuse that you wouldn’t know how to live as a conqueror of fear, an achiever, a fully-realized individual...then you just don’t want it. Maybe that’s harsh, but what else can it be? If you don’t want to change because it would ‘hurt too much’ then that means that you prefer to hurt the way you do now, and you don’t want to exchange your 'old, comfortable, long-term hurt' for some 'fresh new, short-term hurt.' Some fresh hurt would do you some good. How long have you been putting up with your comfortable hurt - your bad habits, negative thoughts,and lackadaisical ways? Has it been months? Years? Decades? Lifetimes?
It takes a lot of effort to do all the negative things you do, but you don't even realize it because you've become so accustomed to the exercises that are required to be You that it just seems 'natural.' It's 'just the way you are' so you don't recognize the amount of energy and focus you are putting in to being and maintaining You. You've become very strong and very conditioned at being the You that you are. But you're just not using that strength to become who you were born to be. You're settling for the You that the World decided you should be - but that You is a lie. The True You is the one that God decided for you.
The good news is that we know you are strong, right? That's a good starting point. You're not weak, it's just that your not strong YET at becoming better and brighter, but that's just a matter of changing the way you think. That's where it all starts. This is the whole idea of becoming a Self-Inflicted Savior - by giving up the 'old You' and becoming the You that you are meant to be. And the secret to discovering the one you are meant to be is to know God.
Yeah, maybe a lot of people want to use the 'power of positive thinking' for fame and fortune, fancy cars and skanky bitches. So be it. Let them try. But, if you’re like the majority of people, you just want some peace in your life, a little comfort and security. And that all starts with knowing who you really are, and then creating the fully-realized, satisfied, abundant, and loving YOU in your imagination, and from there it (the ‘new’ You) will work its way into every aspect of your everyday life, and you will find yourself simply becoming the one you know yourself to be.
Always affirm what you know you will become by actually becoming it by thinking, acting, and behaving in a way the represents the ideal that you have created in your mind...and then watch those ideals manifest themselves effortlessly in your life. And by ‘effortlessly’ I mean that you don’t have to try, you just have to do as you would do as your idealized self.
Think about it like this: you don’t have to try to have your heart beat, it just does. Why? It has to, there is no choice. Why? Because that's what it does. And that’s the state you need to work yourself up into: you simply have to become who you are meant to be – there is no other choice because your idealized self, your ‘true’ being IS who you are, so if you acknowledge your truth, you will naturally, automatically come to realize that you are exactly who you are ‘supposed‘ to be, ever evolving into a more and more refined version of yourself. That's what Enlightenment is all about. Enlightenment isn't an end goal, it's the starting point that has no end. How bright can Bright get?
Sure, I know that all of this starts to sound like circular logic, but that’s because it is. The circles in which your thoughts and feelings swirl and swim is what you will and MUST become.
The best way to start changing the way you think - and what I consider the fundamental building block of all success, joy, happiness, abundance and joy - is this: get yourself a God. Simple.
How else can you Be if you don’t know who you Are? Who are you? Compared to what? Compared to others? No. Compared to a worldly standard? No. We can only know who we are in comparison to God and if you don't have a God, you're going to need to get one. And when you get yourself a God, you’ll know exactly who you are and who you will Be because who you Are is I Am and I Am is all that you can ever be. So Be something beautiful.
Until we meet again, my friend, think good thoughts.
All my love,
Rev. Shakes Spear
