Sunday July 1, 2001
America, Our Spiritual Destiny
Susanrose - Welcome, can we say where we are from tonight?
I am in Pittsburgh Pennsyvania, USA.
Joe - Pittsburgh
Paza - Houston, Texas
Dot - Pittsburgh
Oldgoldguy - Salt Lake City
Carol - Pittsburgh
^Angel^9 - so what's the topic tonight?
Susanrose - we are talking about American Spirit, starting now...
Breathing together ....
Breathe in light
Breathe out fear
A Coming Together
A Group mind
All Seeking the unity of Spiritual Growth.As we prepare to listen to others.
Breathe in.......
Deep Feeling our connection to the air, the wind
the water, the oceans the fire and molten lava the earth, the soil,
and the pulse and hummmm of all life in the web of GAIA,
our mother, our earth.WE ARE ONE - WE WILL BEGIN.
Tonight's topic is
The spiritual destiny of America.This is a patriotic time of year in the US. Memorial Day in the
end of May, Flag Day in Mid June, and of course, the Forth of July
coming up soon.Who better than me, should lead a discussion on America's spirituality
....from where have we come and where are we going?What are my credentials to lead this topic?
Well, I was born in the USA in 1954, and have worked as
a federal employee RN since 1985. So why not,
baby boomer pushing 50, I guess you could say it is
time for me and those my age to reflect.Where to we find our faith in ourselves, in a higher power,
and in America? Working as a nurse I know that
people with faith will heal faster or cope with loss better.
But wait? Are government employees allowed be
spiritual with their clients/patients while on the job?
Can I pray with a patient?There is a lot of talk about separation of church and state.
Some places have to take down their nativity scenes in front of public buildings,
and it may be against the law to pray in schools.So here I was pondering, do I need to keep spirituality in the closet at work?
Around Christmas I did bulletin board at work, educating patients on
asking help for depression, and thinking about the fact that ~grace~ would a big help.
At this time, my fiancé asked for one of his Christmas gifts as a framed
uncut sheet of dollar bills.How this ties in is that I started right into
what we all try to avoid….Judgment. How could he glorify money
at Christmas, what in the world would possess him to want that at a time
like this? Well, sheepishly I admit I was wrong The universe taught
me a big lesson not to judge~!When I got the bills
from the mint, I looked at the beauty of the back of a sheet of ones,
and thought " Wait a minute, this is a kewl spiritual poster.Every one has incredible metaphysical artwork with the statement
IN GOD WE TRUST right over the top of the word ONE.
Even without yet knowing the translation of the latin on the back,
my mind flew into tremendous omens of synchronicity about this.
God is ONE Spirit, We are all ONE in God.
If you know one-nes you will TRUST, and if you can just TRUST the
amount of a mustard see you will come into the ONEness of Spirit.So on the depression bulletin board I hung a Xerox copy of the back
of a one dollar bill. Maybe as a subliminal prayer for all those who were reading the board, pondering if they would approach their physician about this during their visit.So what started as a Christmas gift for my fiancé became a GIFT for me.
It enabled me to feel the power of the sentence:
IN GOD WE TRUST. Our forefathers gave this to us, should we forget,
on every paper currency.This brought other memorized quotes to mind…
"In order to form a more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty"…"America, America, God shed
His Grace on Thee. And Crown they good with brotherhood,
from sea to shining sea"?,"One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all?"
"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
Aren't all elected officials sworn in with "So help me God"?
Did you know that the federal government employs thousands of chaplains?
There is a saying that there is no such thing as an athiest in a fox hole.
The VA alone has about 750 chaplains of all religions.
Remember the 4 chaplains who went down with the ship...
so that others could have their space in the life boat?
Pausing now, please get out a one dollar bill,
which we will refer to. Paza - note how the ONE is in big letters
Susanrose - YES!
carole - yes, looking at it now.
Susanrose - look how close to in God We Trust
Paza - somehow the united states is a force binding people to the source, if they'd just look and tune in to the *nation's* energy
Susanrose - and just think, the one dollar bill is America's calling card to the word thank *God*/ess we are putting trust in the divine out there with every transaction. I might mention, all the denominations have that statement as well.
The national motto originated with Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase during the Civil War. Prompted by a letter from Rev. M. R. Watkinson, of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania asking for a recognition of "the Almighty God in some form in our coins.", Chase requested Congress to pass a law changing the composition of the 2-cent piece to include the motto "In God we trust". The law as passed on April 22, 1864. Eventually the motto appeared on many U.S. coins and currencies.
When the double eagle and eagle of new design appeared in 1907, it was soon discovered that the motto had been omitted. In response to a general demand, Congress ordered it restored, and the act of May 18, 1908, made mandatory its appearance upon all coins which it had heretofore appeared. The act approved July 11, 1955, makes appearance of the motto "In God we trust" mandatory upon all coins of the United States. (69 Stat. 290. 31 U.S. Code 324a)
On July 30, 1956 a law was passed stating that "the national motto of the United States is hereby declared to be 'In God we trust'." (70 Stat. 732. 36 U.S. Code 186). I will go on....USA today on page 6A on May 18th 2001 has the story
"After President Bush met with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski
in the White House this month, Bush invited his guest into his private study.
there the two men knelt side by side in silent prayer."
Our presidents pray in the White House. I take comfort in that.
If the president can connect to a higher power while at work,
maybe I can too.So why the need for "separation of church and state"?
The reason why is that "church" has always been associated
with powerful groups that combated for power Over the people.
The only way to get spiritual grace was thru the sacraments, and the
only way to get the sacraments was to be a tithing member
of a church.Now that the hearts of many many Americans are awakening
to the powerful spiritual beings they are, there is no need to
separate spirit from government, or from any part of our lives,
homes, work or planet. The people are the church. Just that simple.
No more power -over, but power inward, outward, around and through.
As above, so below.carole - we talked about this today at the my church
- how america was meant to be a symbol of unity to the world
Paza - one book i read had this all laid out ... that the freemasons did it
... namely the founding fathers knew the destiny/ideal of the US
carole - is anyone here familar with beloved St. Germain?
Paza - carole ... have had some major experiences with st. germain
Susanrose - yes, St Germain has alot on the groundwork set for freedom in America
carole - i believe he is guiding me in my work-i work with the violet flame.
Paza - carole ... precisely ... his energy is a soothing purple :)
carole - he has always been he champion of universal freedom
Susanrose - The book "St. Germain on Alchemy" that has a chapter on America...smile
carole - yes-i have read it too.Susanrose - There are times we are worn down, and we forget.
Just in case we loose our way, and stray too far from our
ideals, our founding fathers left us an encrypted code in the Great Seal
which is found on the back of the one dollar bill.We handle the bill daily, but how many of us spiritual folk
really appreciate the amazing spiritual lessons on it?Please look at your one dollar bill. On the front was
George Washington. Head of our country.
Also served as Grand Master of
America, appointed by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
They say that the symbols on our bill are ancient, passed down from
the time of Solomon through the masons. Ben Franklin, who
believed in reincarnation, was likewise a mason.
see http://www.gwmemorial.orgWhat is a Mason?
To answer the question, I thank my fiancé, Joe,
who is a past master
of his lodge for surfing to the PA Grand Lodge for this:
"Freemasonry is the world's oldest largest Fraternity. Its
history and tradition date to antiquity.
Its singular purpose is to make good men better. Its bonds of
friendship, compassion, and brotherly love have
survived even the most divisive political, military, and religious conflicts
through the centuries. Freemasonry is neither a forum nor a
place for worship. Instead, it is a friend of all
religions that are based on the belief in one God.Many of our nation's early patriots were Freemasons, as well as the
13 signers of the Constitution and 14 Presidents of the United States.
Today, the more than three million Freemasons around the world.
…They come from virtually every religious belief, but they all believe in one God."Thank you Joe! I am happy to do a web page for his lodge, where I met many
who call each other "Brother" with respect.
Joe - Your Welcome
Susanrose - Good to get in practice for the day when we all see the whole
country, then the whole world in the same fraternity
when all are brother, or sister.Now turn the one dollar bill to the back side.
The pyramid and eagle are on either side of the Great Seal
and are seen face up on the bill.
Ever since its Great Seal was created in 1782, there were 2 sides.
The founders designed a national emblem with two sides,
because the pendant seals of that era used a two-sided wax disk,
into which both sides of a seal were impressed.While the eagle side quickly became popular with the new nation,
the pyramid side remained obscure until 1935.
Part roadmap, part time capsule, the Great Seal is America's
symbolic mission statement. Both sides continue to reflect the highest
aspirations of the original American dreamers, the people who gave us our freedom.
We were in their dream.
On the base of the pyramid, the date 1776 (in roman numerals)
marks the beginning of America. Beneath the pyramid,
Novus Ordo Seclorum is latin for. New Order of the Ages.
(Hey, kind of sound new-agish, huh? fundies, hold your horses,
Masons aren't part of the anitchrist conspiracy…hehe)FDR on Jan 6, 1941 said "The 'World Order' which we seek
is the co-operation of free countries, working together in a friendly, civilized society."FDR marked the start of the New Order of the Ages with the birth of America,
recalling in a speech given on Armistice Day, 1940
"... led by tiny people, forecast the next vast step forward —
the era of 1776 — the Age in which, thank God, we still live.
Those beginnings originated, it is true, in the old world —
among the philosophers, among the seekers of many kinds
of freedom forbidden by those who governed.
There, by processes of trial and error, democracy as it has since
been accepted in so many lands, had its birth and its training.
We must accept that as fact because, fundamentally,
nothing like it had ever existed before."
The All-Seeing -Eye is the I AM that I AM. It is above the material,
the concrete form of the pyramid.
It is haloed with the glory of God's radience.Annuit Cceptis means Providence Favors Our Undertakings.
It sure did! From tiny colonies to world power in less than 200 years.
A blink of the eye in a historical time line.
The eagle is holding a ribbon that states E PLURIBUS UNUM, which means
Out of many, ONE. We are many, but we are of one spirit,
as we were made in the image of the same Divinity.
Over the head of the Eagle which appears above the proper Glory.
The proper "Glory" is also an old fashioned name that means the radiance of God.
This luminescence that appears around the stars,
around the all-seeing-eye, a halos is another way of the expressing
the God light that is found at the end of the tunnel, entering heaven.The halo, or "Glory" is the only symbol that is on both the front and back of the Seal.
Breaking through a luminescent cloud, are thirteen stars forming a Constellation.
The Thirteen stars are the 13 original colonies, a synchonsitic number,
the same as Jesus + the 12 apostles.
Hmmmm…. other 13 clusters on the bill are:
13 olive branch leaves, 13 berries, 13 arrows,
Annuit cceptis is 13 letters. So is E Pluribus Unum.
There are 13 layers of stone on the Pyramid.
Did you know that the flag is folded 13 times when it is taken off the
coffin of a veteran and given to his family? Here is what each fold
is to mean:
Have you ever wondered why the flag of the United States of America is
folded 13 times when it is lowered or when it is folded and handed to the
widow at the burial of a veteran? Here is the meaning of each of those
folds and what it means:The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens
trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time
of war for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country.
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the
Armed Forces that we protect our country.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the
shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their
faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and
women who have made this country great has been molded.
The tenth fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons
and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower
portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their
eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem
of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy
Spirit.
When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of
our nation's motto, "In God We Trust".Regarding the 13 olive leaves:
The olive leaf carried by the dove back to Noah's Ark must have
evoked joy, beyond simply "peace." Imagine — after nearly a year in the Ark —
finally getting a sign that the ordeal was almost over,
and that reconciliation with God was possible.Regarding the 13 arrows:
On the Seal the eagle faced toward the arrows on the left until
October 25, 1945, when President Harry Truman signed
Executive Order No. 9646 which specified that the eagle face
he olive branch. This came shortly after the end of WW2,
de-emphasizing war and turning towards peace.
Dot - Very interesting.Susanrose - Here is a message to us, from the American Eagle.
It sounds inspired to me, see how it speaks to you.
The American Eagle Speaks:
"I soared above the valleys of your grandfathers' great grandfathers, adrift on warm thermals fragrant with summer rain. Lifted by the upward urge of the Creator, in ecstasy I flew. I remember well the day that began my journey to become the emblem of your nation. It was many thousand moons ago, in the woods the English called 'Pennsylvania,' in the summer of the year you call 1737. For a day and a half, three men raced to grab land from the Delaware tribe. What had been promised to be a "Walking Purchase" took twice the land it should have. The Indians lost their favored hunting grounds and, later, many people lost much more.
"Finally, a man of reason listened to the Delawares. He discovered and revealed the truth about the land swindle. He honored the words of their Chief and helped his voice reach the English island King. Peace was restored between the colonizers and the tribes, for awhile. Although he was an outsider — born on an Emerald Isle across the sea — the Delawares recognized him as their brother, and in a solemn ceremony adopted him into their tribe. They named him Man-Who-Talks-the-Truth, and with him they shared secrets of centuries and the mystery of my kinship with the Indian nations. That happened in 1758.
"He had not yet seen 30 winters, but this man carried my vision throughout his life. After many years, he found himself at the very center of the whirlwind that became a Revolution. This man was Charles Thomson. He was Secretary of your entire Continental Congress. In the midst of it he honored his knowledge by choosing my image to bind the new Americans into one nation. He placed me on your Great Seal and gave me a bundle of brave arrows and an olive branch from the same tree of peace known to Noah's dove. It was 1782. Now other nations could see America.
"Although he was the one honored to go to Mt. Vernon and inform George Washington of his election as new Chief of all the States, Charles Thomson did not take part in your new government. Instead, for the next two decades he brought more words to light by translating the entire Bible from old world Greek into new world English.
"In his elder years, many wished him to write a history of the Revolution, because none knew its hidden story better than he. But he refused and told them: 'No, for I should contradict all the histories of the great events of the Revolution, and show by my account of men, motives, and measures, that we are wholly indebted to the agency of Providence for its successful issue.' He even destroyed the secret journals he kept during the fighting of the Revolution and the arguing of the Constitution. Maybe that is why today you know nothing of Charles Thomson, even though this friend of the Indians chose me to symbolize America.
"I landed on that peculiar paper you call money during your Civil War and on the back of your dollar during the World War. Since 1935 I have shared the greenback with the pyramid and eye whose keen vision, like mine, bridges Heaven and Earth.
"For those who say I represent power and might, I tell you that is not me. I am more of harmony and height, soaring spirit and simple joys. Yes I have strength, but it is so I can nourish my children nested high in the hallowed arms of Earth.
"Let me be for you a living reminder, a messenger of Unity from the ancestors of this land, and for all who would transform the red dust into the sacred circle. This is the meaning of the Latin words on the scroll I carry. E Pluribus Unum. Out of Many, One. You are one with your ancestors, one with your descendents, one with the creatures of land, sky, and water — even with the rooted ones. Remember this, and your heart will soar with the spirit of the Eagle."The following is another spiritual interpration of the eagle,
attributed to:alunajoy@1spirit.comDid you know that an eagle knows when a storm
is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to
some high spot and wait for the winds to come.
When the storm hits, it sets its wings
so that the wind will pick it up and
lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below,
the eagle is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to
lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.When the storms of life come upon us --
and all of us will experience them we can rise
above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.
The storms do not have to overcome us.
We can allow God's power to lift us above them. God
enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure
and disappointment in our lives.
We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is
not the burdens of life that weigh us down,
it is how we handle them. The Bible says,
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles."
Isaiah 40:31Yes, the founding fathers had the eagle in mind to lift our spirits to God.
Sort of a new Israel, or even a more spiritual return of Atlantis when
devising symbols for our country. Like many stressed and tired
federal employees, I would find myself thinking. I can't wait for the
weekend. Maybe then I will have the time to do something spiritual!
I needed to open my eyes to the fact that our work is the spiritual gift,
and that as a government employee, I positioned in the best opportunity
to express my gifts. "Of the people, for the people, by the people"
is a mission that is noble, pure, and a treasure.This spiritual blueprint has been laid down for America to shine
was a world example. There are times we show our worst, but
other times we beam the best. Let's not disintegrate our blueprint,
but tear down the ugly an rebuild the beauty and "proper glory".
Like the uncapped pyramid, we are still in the process of being built.
As we connect to the Light of the All -Seeing -Eye, we will stay Strong,
Steady and True to the ideals.If we can do it, anyone can. All races and nations came together to
form our populace. Through naturalization of immigrants from
all corners of the globe, we are a representative sample of everyone.
A poem found at http://www.greatseal.com/symbols/unum.html
Totus In Uno by Mrs. Margaret B. Peeke, 1882 lists God's
special gifts to different nations, but of America she writes:"….And God bless America,
When other lands are falling,
Because to Him, in every tongue
Her children will be calling.
From East and West, from North and South,
All nations here are joining
Their varied gifts, and out of this
A higher life is coining.All hail, America, the blessed!
All lands in one combining,
Whose star so bright, through future years,
Shall evermore be shining."We will make Washington, Franklin,
Jefferson smile with what we are becoming.
And when it is our time to go, we will be able to take pride in
the legacy we leave for our children,
and the future of the world.In parting I want to quote former president Ronald Regan,
who was regarding as an optimist, keeping the faith for the best.
Despite the bad news of learning of his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease he
wrote a parting letter to us, and in it he concludes:
"While I ride into the sunset of my life,
I know that for America there will always be
a bright day ahead. (end)
Dot - And so it is!
oldgold - amen
carole - blessings!
Joe - So mote it be
Paza - Light to allThank you for your interest in )Gaia*Friends(.
Remember that if you light a candle in the darkness, you too can be a Gaia Friend.
Thank you to www.greatseal.com and
www.fi.edu/qa98/musing12/musing12.html
for information shared tonight.
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