Expansion Encounters - with Dusty
Create & Appreciate… in 2008!

A special thank you to all of you who continue to support Life Now and our ventures!

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You can read archive issues of "Expansion Encounters" at Archives

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Spiritual Truth
by Dusty Reed

Spiritual truth comes to awareness in a variety of creative methods. Meditation can offer symbolic messages that bring enlightenment.

We yield to meditation to guide us to the insight of truth. This becomes reality through daily immersion into silence. Incentives may be soft music, recording of sounds of nature, or being in the fullness of nature itself, candle light, incense or other conducive means. These are simply tools for focus, to release other physical senses. As physical senses are released from consciousness, thoughts are then released.

Meditation offers a means to quality wisdom, leaving behind the momentary concerns. It offers a vision of reality. It gives insight to solutions toward harmonious relationships.

Many workshops and seminars offer unique experiences to awaken the senses, mind and emotions to eventual understanding.

In-depth discussions with friends can open new doors of awareness. One example to stimulate questions might be, "What does omnipresent mean?" Is there more depth to this, which can be discussed?

Do we have an accountable responsibility for offering nourishment and empowerment in relationships with humanity? Supernumerary perceptions will not resolve conflict. Taking action and practicing the connection through love, wisdom and caring will put a holistic awakening to work in our world. This achievement comes through identification with spiritual insight.

Quality is as ten thousand years of experience in a short span of actual time when we submit to effective awareness. Awareness is a growing process. It comes from within, not by being in a certain geographical area. Quality assists in finding a something that has been planted by family. My emotions are sensitive and protective, saying, "Because it was received this way, it is good." Not always so.

This pilgrimage requires trust and acceptance, both in physical surroundings and with spiritual discovery.

"There is no power but of God."

It requires a willingness to experiment and expand awareness of reality.

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by Dusty Reed

A thought whispers out
across the expanse of lake
as a sense of oneness
in God's love with all creation
envelops my being.
As minute as a ladybug
on a bramble leaf,
deep in the timbered frame
surrounding the crystal blue.
Feeling of importance
because God loves me.
Feeling of equality
with all nature and mankind.
God's arms surround me
in the dense woodland
where branches of oak,
elm and maple leaves
surround and umbrella me.
This mantle brings God
into my presence
with an awareness
I can touch Him
and whisper His name.

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I have presented the following in the past so some may already be familiar with this Journey. It was one of the first I experienced that I could give a written description. I still frequently take my journey, often with various scenery and happenings.

The process of stepping deeper into the forest of experience, which my reality holds for me, is the purpose of the following meditation.

I am aware of and continue to practice and enjoy the process of taking a step, enjoying where my foot lands. This space is created through the process of taking another step. There is a continuity with the past but it receives new fulfillment through expression. Faith offers guidance in each step. This brings joy in every moment.

Journey - A Meditation
experienced by Dusty

Let us take an imaginative walk, opening to accept only God's perfection in us. Some friends are going with us.

Moriah, God with us
will be our Guide.

Ann, full of grace, mercy and prayer
is also at our side.

We begin our journey climbing west, up a rocky hillside. It is early morning, before the dawn. The hill becomes steeper but is still easily climbable.

As we continue to ascend, we come upon a flat rock. As we turn to sit, the panorama of dawn reveals the valley below us. Sitting quietly, our body speaks to the sunrise. We feel the warmth of the sun.

Continuing the climb, we perceive a high-walled sandstone crevice with a narrow entry. Our guides, Moriah and Ann, offer assurance and we step through the cleft.

Advancing, our feet touch a lush green garden, lavish with moss and vines. An effervescent waterfall, its shimmering stream cascading over a small cavern, calls to us.

It is a relaxing atmosphere encouraging us to sense the cool, refreshing humidity and smell the floral and woodsy fragrance. Listen to the birds!

We follow the stone path leading into the waterfall. Bubbles of joyful energy pour over and through us. Tingling, sparkling, refreshing, cleansing.

Through the waterfall, we step up and turn to sit on a stone blanketed with moss. Reflections of the cascade fill our being. We are in looking out. Listen to the grandeur of the plunging stream.

Peace lifts us to turn and ascend two bermed log steps into an open meadow, shaded by massive trees and shrubbery on every side. At the far end is a wooden fence, flanked by hollyhocks, morning glories and other foliage. Edged with grass and field flowers, the path advances along the edge of the meadow.

Moriah and Ann give a nudge to turn and follow a path leading into the foliage. As we do, we spot a small clearing. There is a tree stump with strong healthy roots extending deep into the ground. Sitting on the stump, we feel our relationship with the earth.

We feel peace, only observing the silence. The quietness brings our awareness to a bright light overhead. We needn't look up to be aware of the radiance. We remain silent.

Our eyes fix on a stone with a smooth indentation. There is something resting in the hollow. Kneeling to observe more closely, we discover a cluster of crystals. Moriah and Ann nod favorably as we request to hold one. The touch is cool and refreshing. We notice something else - a crown arrayed with sparkling gems. Assurance places it on our head. Oh! Regal! Confidence!

With head high, we feel confidence and trust surge through our being. We carefully replace the crown with the crystals. Could we possibly come back and wear the crown again? Yes. Anytime we desire, it is available. We will know when to accept the capacity of wearing it always. Here is a crystal to carry with us.

We offer our gratitude. Moriah and Ann resume our journey. Through the meadow, again feeling the cleansing bubbles of the cascade, we step through the sandstone crevice and descend the hillside.

We have our crystal treasure in our hand as our reminder. We will go to our clearing beside the meadow again soon.

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Some sites I recommend:

Metaphysical Truth

Online Worldwide Meditation Center

Holistic Meditation

Unity Village

Religious Science International

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It is my joy to share with you that I continue to add new rose drawings and some photographs available at art.com! You can view them at Dusty's Roses I now have some of my rose drawings at an auction site, Art By Us
And, I have a page with note cards (for sale) with some of my rose drawings. You can check it out by going to Rose Descriptions.
I have been posting nearly all of my drawings that are not displayed elsewhere at Rose Garden I have two galleries there. The other is at Reed's Loft. It has various photographs, other drawings, and notecards available.

My sister-in-spirit, Sunny, has several of her drawings and has added new works at Hometown Art Gallery, too, at Sunny's Art Work

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And, for anyone who enjoys playing at ebay, lots of goodies (records, books & post cards - occasionally some nic nacs) are available at Dusty's eBay

You are welcome to forward this newsletter to friends who might be interested! If they would like to subscribe (at no cost), they can write to me at cascade@mahaska.org(with Expansion Encounters as subject). Thanx muchly!

Working toward consideration and to better humanity, we want to encourage free enterprise, free speech. We are Life Now, a spiritual happening on and off the Internet.

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