| "I have a hard time with the concept of God. | | | | everywhere, both within us and all around us. |
| I was not brought up in a religious family. I | | | | When our hearts are open to love, compassion |
| believe there is something beyond myself, but | | | | and kindness toward ourselves and others, we |
| I just don't know how to think of it or | | | | experience the fullness of God within us and |
| experience it." | | | | the safety of being within God. |
| | | | |
| "I was brought up in family where God was | | | | My experience is that God is always here |
| portrayed as judgmental and punishing. I | | | | guiding us toward our highest good. One of |
| can't even hear the word 'God' without | | | | the ways I help my clients to access the |
| feeling anxious. How am I supposed to open to | | | | wisdom that God has for us each and every |
| God when I believe that God is controlling?" | | | | moment is to imagine a spiritual being that |
| | | | is here just for you. This can be a Teacher, |
| "How can I believe in God when there are so | | | | a mentor, a guardian angel, a beloved |
| many bad things that happen to people? If | | | | relative who has passed away, or the highest, |
| there really is a God, then why does He let | | | | wisest part of yourself - your own higher |
| these things happen?" | | | | self. By opening to learning with a wise and |
| | | | loving being who wants nothing more than to |
| "God as a man just does not work for me. The | | | | guide you toward your joy and the full |
| men in my life have been mostly angry and | | | | manifestation of yourself, you open to being |
| controlling. I don't feel safe opening to a | | | | guided by the love and wisdom of God. |
| male god." | | | | |
| | | | This guidance is your birthright. We were not |
| These are a few of the many comments I hear | | | | dumped alone on the planet to fend for |
| from my clients as I work with helping them | | | | ourselves. Yet you will not have an |
| open to a personal source of spiritual | | | | experience of this love and guidance until |
| guidance. | | | | you open to learning from God. My clients who |
| | | | practice opening to learning with a spiritual |
| The New Testament is very clear regarding | | | | source of love and wisdom discover for |
| what God is: | | | | themselves the truth of God. They are no |
| | | | longer caught in beliefs that do not served |
| John 4:24 | | | | them - that God is judgmental, controlling |
| | | | and punishing; that God does not exist; that |
| "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him | | | | God will never be there for them personally; |
| must worship in spirit and truth." | | | | that they have to earn God's love; that God |
| | | | can stop people from harming each other. |
| 1 John 4:8 | | | | |
| | | | You will know God when you open your heart to |
| He who does not love does not know God, for | | | | learning about loving actions toward yourself |
| God is love." | | | | and others. When your primary intention is to |
| | | | learn about how to love yourself and others, |
| 1 John 4:16 | | | | rather than to keep on trying to get love or |
| | | | avoid pain, you will have a personal |
| "God is love, and he who abides in love | | | | experience of God. |
| abides in God, and God in him. | | | | |
| | | | If the term "God" is a negative trigger for |
| John tells us that "God is Spirit" and "God | | | | you, then change it to Spirit, or Higher |
| is love." He tells us that when we are being | | | | Power, or whatever works for you. God is not |
| loving, we are within God and God is within | | | | a being who cares about a name. God is the |
| us. | | | | ever-present experience of love, compassion, |
| | | | truth, peace and joy that is always available |
| My personal experience is that God is love, | | | | for you whenever you choose to open your |
| peace, joy, and truth, and that God is | | | | heart. |