THE NATURE OF SIN

I recall the physics lessons in high school, specifically that of the elasticity of springs. If my memory serves me right- which I have no doubt it does for it has religiously stored my numerous memories even from childhood- the physics teacher demonstrated how springs are able to extend when they are loaded. You add a load to the spring and it stretches, you offload it and the spring returns to its original shape and size. You load the spring again with a larger load and it stretches more and with the removal of the load it regains its shape and size albeit taking more time. However when the spring is loaded with too much load, it stretches and straightens, never to return to its original shape and size even after the removal of the load. This my analogy might be alien to those who loved to hate their physics teachers but forgive me for it fits my use here in.

One starts with a clear conscience of what wrong and right is, then they choose to test the wrong and feel what it is like. Of course that is easy, what will it hurt just to do it once? What is one puff, one bottle, one night? After all am not an addict I will just stop when I have had this one. The poor soul leads itself to the trapping of its own doing. After this, one feels guilty and deeply sorrowful for having erred.  With the first experience comes the heightened need for more and if one gives in to the urge, they add more load to the spring.  And as the spring is loaded more and more, it loses its elasticity. One feels less guilty now and what they used to condemn they start defending. Their guilt is lost and they feel nothing, they act like nothing and as they soil themselves in sin, they convince themselves with vanity of their lost verbosity.

I surely witnessed this on my way to Kayole in the famous Green and Yellow Forward traveller buses. A large sticker on the bus read “I FEEL NOTHING” and surely the driver and conductor in that bus felt nothing. The unkempt hair of the driver revealed it, what is more, he must have either been blind or ‘felt nothing’ for he paid no heed to any of the traffic rules. The conductor was not better, his breath almost made people drunk, he screamed to everybody even those who were a stone throw from him. They however made me closer to God for I said countless prayers in that bus.

All in all, the nature of sin is in feeling nothing. One starts with a conscious mind clearly knowing right from wrong but with bowing to pressure mostly for pleasure, the conscious is desensitized and what they used to detest is now praised and defended for they feel nothing. Guard your conscious and let it not be loaded beyond repair for you will feel nothing and be nothing but will not even realize as you will be foolishly happy in the firth of nothingness.

RITH@

HEAR MY PLEA

I call upon you for you will answer me; bend your ear and hear my whisper. Guard me as the pupil of the eye; hide me in the shade of your wings for far from you my foes multiply. Let not your grace depart from me for I have tasted and seen that you are good and sufficient for me. Twice have I known of how your love is great: once when I stayed under your wings and drank from your cup of loving grace and then when I departed trying in vain to forge my path alone.

How great thou art that you open the palm of your hand and feed the whole world. You are to be praised for in you all who search for peace rejoice. Those who seek your face you reveal to them in full the glory of thy being. From dust your breath makes into being that which had no being. When we revolt and turn our faces from your light, who but you makes us see the darkness in us? Who is He that washes us whiter than snow when we stain our given life? Who purifies and restores these vessels when we have corrupted them to the core? When as scarlet our sins are red, who does cleanse us and save us from ourselves?

Let not your goodness and mercy depart from me for any moment. You strengthen me to stand tall when I sit by thyself, hear my plea you who are the light and guide my path by your truth that I may not be far from you. Hear this plea and grant the desire to be by you for I have tested and known that I deceive myself in revolting for you are the source and detachment from you will be alienation from hope and life.

(Inspired by homily from Fr. Kanja 2012)

RITH@.

HEALTH

Of what use is it to a man if he gains the whole world and looses his own soul? When a man’s body is ill, he labours ceaselessly in search of a physician to prescribe remedy. Bitter herbs and tabs he takes to regain his health. With improved health the man relaxes and says to himself’ all is well’. Of what value is it if I gain my physical health when my spiritual health is below the poverty line? What is the delight in having a healthy body carrying a wrecked spirit? What wisdom is there in rejoicing having a healthy body while the life of the body cries of ailment?

When the body is well, the carrier ought to labour ensuring that the spirit is healthy too for what good would it be to have a clean cup having foul contents? The spiritual is ever more superior to the physical. Man must thus not be content when all is well with his body but with the healthy body work to enrich ad keep his spirit in order.

Unlike the body where one seeks different physicians, the spiritual doctor is one who is always available on call and never too busy. A journey to Him is not needed neither do we need any consultancy fees. Step of faith is the only fee, an acceptance of the filthy state of the vessels of our hearts and a genuine confession of our misdeeds are all he asks.

With this realization may we focus not only on the body but of that which transcends this life. May we not take comfort in the healthy body and forget the soul for it aches not like the body but be wise to turn our focus on the life of our life and receive grace from the source of all.

RITH@.

JUDGING THE JUDGE

How funny are we humans that bearing in mind our immortality and being witnesses of our own limited nature, we at times bestow upon ourselves what we have no authority over, pose to take from the giver and give the destroyer yet the giver holds it all. Raising ourselves to the throne of judging over what we don’t control and rule on whom to give and take from yet we have non to give but all received in equal measure.

What audacity that drives us to judge the judge, impersonating ourselves to the mighty throne and even proclaim that we take from the giver that which He is the only possessor and to him who takes from others we proclaim to give in plenty.

Up on the high hill for all to see our triumph and his shame we raise Him bound on a tree. The pain of torn flesh and sourness of vinegar we afflict Him. A crown of thorns the king we crown and proclaim victory over Him.

To Him who gives life and breath we took both and to the murderer we gave a new lease. To Him who absorbs our pain and gives relief we repaid with pain. He who quenches our thirst until our cup rennet over we gave sour vinegar. To Him who clothes our nakedness we exposed, yet He bore all these with humility so that we may have life and have if in full.

What great pain we cause you when we tear thy flesh and shame you by our deeds; the same deeds that you suffered on our behalf for. May you stir in us to use our new lease for thy glory and for the good of humanity.

RITH@.

THE JOY OF CONFESSION

What wisdom is there in labouring to achieve a goal yet when it is presented before your very eyes you turn away wanting yet cannot have? Seated on the pew my mind drifts away to my own world of questions and answers. “Why do I come to church? Why did I wake so early leaving the warm bed to come to church? Am I here on a routine to mark the end of another week or is it because those I love associating with are here? Why, why, why do I come to church?” all these questions bang my mind as I look at the overflown congregation and wonder why they too are here.

Some might be here because they love the routine and have been used to it; I am not a lover of routine thus I must be here for another reason. Some gather because their friends are gathered yet others to praise and worship their maker. Of all these I wonder which brings me. Why do I come sing, praise and worship? It surely is not solely for the sake of praising itself but the joy of being at peace in the Lord.

If that is my sweet and noble reason then I pause the answers and ask myself how foolish I am. Is it not the same Christ that I am seeking that the priest presented before my very eyes and instead of rushing to receive Him that I may be in Him I guiltily look away? What difference is there between me and the hired musicians whose motive is just to entertain the guests if I turn down the invitation to share in the goodness of the Lord?

I however reflect on the state of the vessel of my heart and finds guilt of its contents. I myself carry in me a witness of my own faults which are numerous. It is the weight of these that kept me on the set while others went to be with Him. It sounded prudent to sit down my vessel than add the burden by having Him in a corrupt state. But what prudence is there in a young person; the epitome of God’s good creation, refraining from being at peace with God?

Is it my sin or folly that keeps me in the filth of my own deeds? It’s my not sin but foolishness I see that keeps me from God. My sins He is ready to forgive and make the base of my vessel as white as snow if only I turn and repent. Just a step of faith and acceptance of my faults are enough to compel me to seek the face of the Lord. In seeking His face will I repent and by my confession regain the status as His beloved son. Why then don’t I turn y face to the light of His grace and be at peace?

A troubled man I resolve to leave my folly; I will go to my father and ask for pardon and I am sure he will not deny me to be with Him. After the pardon I now feel lighter and at peace. I am now merry heeding the call to receive Him to be in me for I am in Him. All the folly is gone and as my heart sings praise from the depth of my soul to the highest of mountains, I confess how sweet the source of my delight is. Am glad that in Him my soul has found rest and invites other too to taste His kindness and see that He is good.

RITH@.

RESTLESS HEART

Mighty are thy deeds, great are your works oh Lord who sunrise till sundown labour ceaselessly gathering a people to yourself. You are indeed good Oh Lord and all you have created deserves to give you praise. Man; a little piece of your creation desires to sing you praise from the depth of his heart to the highest of mountains. Bearing in himself his mortality carry in him the witness of his own sins yet you stir in him to take pleasure in praising you since you have for yourself made us and our hearts would remain restless were they not to rest in thee.

Grant me to know and understand, you whose wisdom is immeasurable. Why does man; the epitome of your good creation, turn against the light of your graceful face and try to follow what he thinks as his own? Work of your hands and breath of your breath ought to labour doing that which pleases you. Oh merciful Lord, you are more democratic than the most democratic of our nations. So unrestrictive that you would not though in a position to restrict our will. You continue to call us to yourself but don’t restrict our willing away when we choose.

You are greater than the great and lesser lights; your face illuminates the world and brightens all it falls on. Yet Oh Lord we turn our backs to your light and face away enjoying the beauty of the creation you illuminate forgetting to praise you their source and keeping ourselves from the grace of thy light. What folly is in us that thou witnesses that you resist the proud; we pride ourselves in enjoying what you have rightfully created as thou we owned it and give no regard to you?

You open your palm and all that you have created is fed, in you the troubled get their rest. You never turn back those who come back to you nor hide your face to the prodigals tired of soiling with the pigs. All you ask for is that we seek you and praise your holy name, yet where other than in we are we to seek you? You are already in us for from your breath we breathe and in you we exist. Were it not for you in us, our being would not be sweet source of our delight and life of our life.

Surely man deceives himself in his wisdom; of which your folly is wiser thou you are not foolish, in trying to look for you in external creatures that stem from you not knowing you are in his own being. Grant that I should live in you, who never leave me, so that thy staff will guide me and your ear inclined hear my praise. For you and by you may I not leave the protection of your wings nor roam from the joy of knowing you. May I experience the pleasure of sucking from you the divine infancy food of which my cup overflows than experience the heat of forging my blind path away from your lighted face. May my restless heart find delightful rest in you.

RITH@.

7 GREAT IDEAS ON PEAK PERFORMANCE

I FOUND THESE IDEAS AND I THOUGHT, WOW! I THINK YOU WILL TOO!!

7 Black Belt Insights for Elite Achievement

By Robin Sharma
Author of the #1 International Bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title”

Hope all’s superb.

Sorry I haven’t been in touch with a blog post or training video for a while. I was on vacation with my family at a pretty little town by the sea.

Needed it. This year’s been intense so far with presentations in about 20 countries, writing a new book, a new train the trainer program and a hot new self-mastery summit my team and I kicked off in June…

If you’ve read my book “The Leader Who Had No Title” you know I strongly believe that a giant key to best performance is alternating periods of intense productivity with periods of deep renewal. So I was out by the ocean walking my talk.

Ok. So I’ve got some REALLY juicy + provocative insights for you today. To fuel the last 6 months of 2013. And to help you make sure this becomes your absolute best year yet…

…As mentioned, in June, over one truly unforgettable weekend in beautiful Toronto, Canada (one of the world’s great cities), people from over 30 countries attended my new self-mastery event called “The 48 Hour Transformation” (T48T).

Blew me away what unfolded…

We had a few billionaires with us, top executives, tons of entrepreneurs, peak athletes, artists, authors and other brave dreamers from so many walks of life ready to shatter their limits and achieve 20X the results they’d ever seen before.

Deeply held fears were released, all-new levels of confidence were installed, ridiculously positive mindsets were constructed and childhood dreams were rekindled.

What could be cooler than being a part of that?

And the transformations I witnessed by Sunday really were truly phenomenal. I feel BLESSED to have just been there.

Such inspiration, positive energy, devotion to world-class and commitment to making the world a better place.

So to be of service to your highest ambitions, I wanted to share 7 of the “black belt” ideas that were so valuable to the hundreds of people who attended, based on what they told me after the event.

My real hope is they will serve as catalysts for you to start making some radical changes in your own life:

#1. NOTHING WORKS UNTIL YOU DO THE WORK.

Look, the only thing that’s rocket science is rocket science.

The material, systems and daily performance rituals I taught at The 48 Hour Transformation work beautifully. But like anything, you need to make the commitment and then do the work. Not once a quarter. Not once a month. Daily. When you’re tired. When you don’t feel like it. When you want to give up. That’s how champions play.

And please also remember that consistency is the essence of mastery. Show up, practice hard, stay at it and awesome results will come.

#2. TO GET THE RESULTS ONLY 5% OF THE POPULATION GETS, HAVE THE GUTS TO DO WHAT ONLY 5% DO.

You can follow the herd or you can transform your world. But you can’t do both.

The majority of people have given up on living a “rare air life”. Sad.

They’ve been smacked down, told “no” to and hypnotized into performing at average so long they don’t believe in their genius any more.

What I helped people at the event to rewire as a core belief is that to have uncommon results, you need to start doing uncommon things. I then listed the 20+ best tactics including:

–being a part of a mastermind group of people who are exceptional
–joining The 5 am Club and running the 20/20/20 Rule
–seeing work as a craft and an opportunity for Mastery
–doing a “second wind workout” at the end of every day to kickstart energy and creativity
–getting a massage every week to stay strong and focused
–60 minutes a day without technology to think and plan
–journalling every night

#3. IF YOU’RE NOT FAILING A LOT YOU’RE NOT DOING VERY MUCH

Failure’s got a bad rap.

Failure’s necessary to win.

Failure is part of the learning process. It’s valuable. It’s helpful. It’s massively instructive.

But society teaches us that failure’s a mistake. It’s not. Da Vinci and Picasso and Jobs and Meg Whitman all understood that you can’t make progress without “beautiful setbacks.”

Understand that failure’s a kind teacher. Just leverage the data it delivers for even more success.

#4. CHANGE IS HARD AT FIRST, MESSY IN THE MIDDLE AND GORGEOUS AT THE END.

This idea really moved people at T48T. Inspired them. Helped them to viscerally get that change is a process.

At the beginning of any change (from losing weight to stopping worry to multiplying your sales to saving more money), you’re fighting the gravitational pull of your old habits.

And if you’ve practised those habits every day for decades, how can we expect them to be replaced in a day (the latest research from University College of London says it takes 66 days to install a new habit).

So it’s hard at first. And so most of us give up. But if you stay with it, you get to stage 2 and that’s where your old habit starts to crumble. And your new one begins to form. It’s messy at this point. Confusing. A little scary. And completely normal.

And then, with grit and devotion, the new habit becomes your new normal. This is a great time on the journey to unleashing your potential. And life’s never the same.

#5. SMALL DAILY IMPROVEMENTS OVER TIME LEAD TO STUNNING RESULTS

An amazing life isn’t constructed via revolution: one bold act on a sunny Tuesday that makes you great.

Nope.

All exceptional achievement (whether it’s chess mastery, entrepreneurial success, athletic championship or financial wealth) is the result of daily, consistent actions that over time creates explosive results.

It’s all about the hard work.

It’s all about the steady practice.

It’s all about the insane levels of persistence.

And if you do it (and start saying no to all of those time wasting activities so many of us are seduced by in this Age of Dramatic Distraction), you too will get to your mountaintop.

#6. TO DOUBLE YOUR INCOME, TRIPLE YOUR INVESTMENT IN LEARNING

Powerful idea: once you know more, you can achieve more.

The other night my Dad reminded me that “investing in education is the best investment of all.”

And I still recall a long lunch with a man who built a fortune where he shared “the years I spent three hours a day in personal development were the most financially rich years of my life.” Three hours. Each day. In learning. Studying. Improving. My hero.

If you really want to get to great in the important areas of your life, invest in the books. Go to a conference every quarter. Spend the cash on the online course. Download the audiobooks. And hang with the best (bonus tip: mindsets are contagious).

#7. YOU HAVE THE LIFE YOU’VE SETTLED FOR

This idea had people at The 48 Hour Transformation talking all weekend.

Attendees really got that awesome lives are not built on a foundation of excuses.

Sure-it’s easier to blame others or conditions for the lives we have. That way we don’t have to leave The Safe Harbor of The Known and make any changes. But that’s how cowards live, no?

We have the lives we’ve created.

We’re living the lives we’ve settled for.

And if your life isn’t working, it’s not because of anyone else or anything else. It’s because of us. Our beliefs (that drive our behavior). Our fears. Our habits. And our actions.

The moment you wrap your brain cells around this idea and accept APR (Absolute Personal Responsibility), life is NEVER the same.

You start taking back your power. Doing the difficult things. Taking chances and making leaps. Life gets exciting and colorful and precious and fantastic.

You deserve to live at world-class. So make your changes today.

Hope this post helps you win. And I hope you’ll post a comment below so we continue the conversation.

Your fan always,

- See more at: http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/07/7-black-belt-insights-for-elite-achievement/#sthash.qUclH9Le.dpuf