THE UTMOST UNUSUAL, WEIRD, UNEXPECTED, WONDER-FILLED DAY!

Last Tuesday began as usual, but as the hours ticked by, it became abundantly clear that it would become THE UTMOST UNUSUAL, WEIRD, UNEXPECTED,  WONDER-FILLED DAY!

• Awoke at 6:00 a.m.  
• Took the dog out, picked up the morning paper
• Poured a cup of joe, grabbed a breakfast bar
• Changed Shadow's water, gave her two bacon strips
• Meditated with prayer and centering
• Read the paper
• Checked book sales 
• Read FB posts
• Brushed teeth, washed face, and dressed for zumba class
• Drove to Anytime Fitness

Nothing unusual to this point, right? Right.

• Met up with a few Zumba regulars
• Was asked if I was going to lunch with them (didn't know about lunch date)
• Graciously accepted invitation

Folks, if you've never eaten at the Bistro Iceburgh before, do yourself a favor and head on over to the corner of 4th Street in downtown Irwin. You can build your own salad with fresh greens, multiple meat and veggie choices, various toppings and at least 20 different dressings from which to choose. The salads are enormous, and with the exception of one of our Zumba buds, who nearly consumed the whole bowl in one sitting, could easily feed a family of four for a mere ten bucks. But I digress...

• Casually chatted about varied topics
• Heard someone say something about an 'esoteric' presentation 
• Gathered outside to say good-byes when presentation came up again
• "I want to go," popped out of my mouth
• 'Dawn' invited me to come along with 'them' and offered me a ride

Still not in the category of the unusual, except for the 'them'.

• Received a call at 2:00 from 'Dawn' saying 'they' were in front of my house
• 'Dawn' was in the driver's seat, 'Mellow', riding shotgun, 'Your Highness', in the back seat
• As I got in the car, I thought, "What the hell am I doing going to a 7:00 p.m. presentation in East Liberty on something I knew nothing about with three kids nearly 30 years my junior at two o'clock in the afternoon"?

You've got to admit things ARE getting a little bit weird now!

• Headed for Homestead which just happens to be a stone's throw from Munhall, the place where I was born and raised
• Compared notes on the Homestead area
• Proudly said that the mayor was an old family friend I'd known since the age of five
• 'Dawn' called the mayor, "Betty," which absolutely horrified me
• Parked in front of an apartment building and approached the front door

Picture yourself walking up the pathway to a place you've never been before with three people you barely knew to do God only knows what! (for me, the scary movie, 'Halloween' comes to mind). Actually 'they' were there to paint walls. When asked if I enjoyed painting, I responded with a loud and clear, "Hell, no!" 

At this point, you've got to admit 'unusual and weird' might not be strong enough words to describe my experience thus far. Oh, and it's about to get even better!

• Stairway and interiors rooms eerily similar to those in my grandparents' home in which I grew up
• A train whistle outside carried me back to the Fifties in one split second
• After exploring the entire unit, settled on the back porch to read about abuses in a particular Amish community (perfect selection)
• Asked 'Mellow' if I could get a lemonade, but never did
• While reading, heard some muffled voices and bangs of unknown origin 

CREEPY!

• Decided to check on the 'kids' (if one thing I've learned in my 73 years on this earth is that kids always need to be checked on)
• 'Mellow' was washing baseboards
• 'Dawn', high on a ladder, washing windows (by high, I mean up on a rung)
• 'Your Highness', the only one actually painting
• Felt guilty about not being useful, offered to help wash windows
• Had a bucket placed at my feet, and a rag in hand before I could even entertain the thought of changing my mind
• Took 2 hours to clean two double-hung windows that hadn't been kissed by Windex in a very, very, very long time

During this period of the day, things were beginning to normalize or so you might think, but, as par for the course, you'd be wrong!

• Announced that 5:30 quitting time was fast approaching
• The 'kids' ignored me and continued their work
• So, in my teacher voice, I instructed 'them' to wrap it up in five minutes
• Freshened up with cold water and a paper towel 
• Put on deodorant and a clean blouse
• At some point, 'Dawn', 'Your Highness,' and 'Mellow' did likewise
• Headed out for dinner

Now for the 'unexpected'. Surely you'd think that since we were so near Homestead's Waterfront, a fairly new development of businesses, apartments, and eateries, we'd be on our way to an establishment well-known for its good food and pleasant ambiance. Wrong again.

• Pulled into a COSCO lot and exited the car
• Gained admittance by 'Dawn' flashing her membership card
• Studied the menu placed high above on easily-read placards with pictures and prices included
• Selected a 'chicken something' encased in a tubular crust and a lemonade
• Sat at a picnic table to eat and take in the eclectic ambiance of Christmas trees set up right next to the Halloween display
• When finished, we tossed our paper plates and off we went

If truth be told, 'Dawn' had asked beforehand if it was okay with each of us to go to COSCO's, for dinner, and with no objections logged, it was a unanimous group decision. I must say, though unexpected, my meal was delicious, the price was definitely right, the company was delightful, and the ambiance, it was unusual!

Perhaps it took awhile, but finally we get to the 'wonder-filled'!

• Signed in at the registration table, dropped five bucks in the donation basket
• Had to insist 'Dawn' exchange seats with me since she had me sitting squarely in front of the speaker
• Listened to the introduction of Mr. William Meader, an esoteric philosopher who teaches and lectures in various countries around the world
• Took part in a brief centering exercise before the presentation began

From his first words, Mr. Meader, in a soft-spoken tone, captivated my attention, and for the next 90 minutes or so, enlightened my mind with sacred information I had either never heard before, or had never heard it explained exactly in that way. The title of his talk,"The Cry of Humanity", began by going back to ancient times, passed through the centuries, and circled completely around to the sorry conditions we are experiencing in our world today. The crux of his presentation focused on what he referred to as, 'The Seven Rays of Divine Manifestation.' With my limited knowledge, I would do a great disservice to Mr. Meader in trying to explain this topic, so instead I've provided an attachment for your thoughtful consideration. Believe me, if you're looking to discover an answer to the age old question, 'Who Am I?' it would certainly be worth your valuable time. Upon finishing his remarks, Mr. Meader allowed ample time for questions from the audience. Towards the end, I asked, "if the Rays of our Soul and Personality would ever be one and the same, and would they then be operating at the same intensity?" His response was, "yes, and yes." He then answered by saying that when such a phenomenal occurrence happened, that person would then become the Master. I was certainly satisfied with his explanation, but was absolutely baffled when he unexpectedly added a seemingly off- the-cuff exclamation to me. "You'll get there," he said and turned away to entertain another query.

THE UTMOST UNUSUAL, WEIRD, UNEXPECTED, WONDER-FILLED DAY was nearing its end, with only the ride home left.

• Upon leaving the building, my head felt like it was three times the size which made me dizzy and a little wobbly on my feet
• Walking down the embankment, 'Dawn' shadowed me to offer support if need be, but I shooed her away (I find it difficult to accept help even when its clear assistance might be needed)
• I tripped trying to navigate the curb, only to have 'Your Highness' stop my fall with her outstretched arms
• Got in the car, closed my eyes, and listened to the constant reverberation playing in my brain, You'll get there, you'll get there, you'll get there.
• When the kids dropped me at my front door, they waited until I was safely inside 

After almost spending eleven hours in their company, I believe I now know much more about 'Dawn', 'Your Highness', and last, but certainly not least, 'Mellow' than I did at the beginning of THE UTMOST UNUSUAL, WEIRD, UNEXPECTED, WONDER-FILLED DAY! And what I know is that we can be very proud of our young people who are definitely the hope for a better world in our not so distant future!

I couldn't figure out how to add the atttachment, so here it is:

*THE SEVEN RAYS OF DIVINE MANIFESTATION

William Meader

                                                                                                       www.meader.org

I.  WHO AM I?

 A.   The question we ask ourselves every day of our lives

                 1.    Subconsciously or consciously

                                   2.     Attempts to answer this question include:

                                           a)   Personal relationships

                                           b)  Chosen career paths,

                                           c)    Personal beliefs

   B.   Spiritual perspective of this question

                       1.     Search for the Soul

                       2.     All Souls inherently conditioned by love 

                       3.     Significant variations exist between Souls

                 II. NATURE OF LIGHT

A.   White light, through a prism, is divided into seven unique colors

B.   Light of God expressed Itself in seven unique qualities

1.       In Esoteric Philosophy, these are the Seven Rays of Divine Light  
a)       Purpose of Divinity
b)       Divine Love
c)       Divine Intelligence
d)       Beauty of Divinity
e)       Clarity of Divinity
f)         Vision of Divinity
g)       Manifestation of Divinity

2.       Every human Soul is an express of one of these Seven Rays

                                          III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVEN RAYS

A.  Ray 1 – The Ray of Divine Will and Purpose

1.     Reveals the Purpose of Divinity within the human kingdom

2.    Stirs the 1^st Ray Soul to express the power of divine purpose thru loving strength and one-pointed vision

3.     Role is to shatter forms that no longer adequately express God’s Love

4.    Liberates Divine Life from outworn modes of outward expression

5.     Frees the Life to seek new forms to express Itself more radiantly

6.   In ancient record, known as The Light Which Annihilates

B.  Ray 2 - The Ray of Love and Wisdom

1.  Conditions all of life with Divine Love

2.  Reveals the unity that underlies all apparent diversity within creation

3.       Expresses love through compassion and   understanding

4.       The Ray of inclusiveness

5.       It attracts all unto itself

6.       In ancient records, known as The Cosmic Magnet

C.  Ray 3 – The Ray of Abstract Intelligence and Activity

1.       Provides the underlying intelligence in all of nature

2.       It is the force that animates human thought

3.       Reveals the Mind of God within the consciousness of humanity

4.       Gives spiritual understanding to all human activity

5.       Most associated with karma, remembering what was, and what is to be

6.       In ancient records, known as The Keeper of the Records

D.  Ray 4 – The Ray of Harmony Through Conflict

1.       Creates a sense of equilibrium and beauty in creation

2.       Seeks balance and resolution to the warring dualities present in the human experience

3.       Ability to see both sides of opposing ideas and seeks harmony between them

4.       With harmony, beauty emerges

5.       All life contains a hidden seed of spiritual harmony

6.       In ancient records, known as The Seed that is the Flower

E.      Ray 5 – The Ray of Concrete Knowledge and Science

1.       Pursues correct knowledge

2.       Clarifies life through scientifically precise examination of reality

3.       5^th Ray Souls dedicate their lives to finding solutions to problems facing humanity

4.       Spiritual purpose is to show that knowledge adds understanding of the Spirit

5.       In ancient records, known as The Dispenser of Knowledge

F.      Ray 6 – The Ray of Idealism and Devotion

1.       Instills a yearning to spiritually aspire

2.       Influences humanity to realize the Spirit within

3.       Lifts humanity to realize something greater than life awaits those who aspire toward the Light within

4.       6^th Ray Souls believe that the path to enlightenment is in letting go of human desire

5.       In ancient records, known as The Negator of Desire

G.     Ray 7 – The Ray of Ceremonial Order and Magic

1.       Best known for bringing order out of chaos

2.       Purpose is to translate spiritual ideas into tangible realities

3.       Influences humanity to outwardly creat according to Divine intention

4.       7^th Ray Souls are true magicians, since through the power of the spoken and written word, they are naturally able to create positive change in the world

5.       7^th Ray Souls understand the power of speech for creating new forms for Spirit to express Itself through

6.       In ancient records, known as The Keeper of the Magical Word

IV.  THE PATH OF SELF DISCOVERY

A.  The Spiritual Journey

1.       Who Am I? is gradually answered

2.       It is the quest for the Self, the Soul that we are seeking

B.    Individuality of the Soul

1.       Each Soul is a fragment of Divine Light

2.       Each Soul has a unique spiritual mission to fulfill

3.       Introspection is most important in identifying which     Rays are working through us and at what level of         intensity.

*I’ve taken the liberty to simplify Mr. Meader’s handout and blog post, http://tinyurl.com/yde6d7j7,

 by outlining the main points of The Seven Rays of Divine Manifestation for my own understanding.