Generally speaking, I have great faith in humanity.  I am of the firm belief, that there is nothing we can not accomplish. We need only to take down the self made obstacles that impede our progress. We can rid ourselves of the limitations of poverty, hunger, disease, violence and needless suffering. We simply need to agree to do it. We have the resources, the technology and the ability. The only thing we truly lack, is the desire.  I know the task seems overwhelming, but by what would you rather be overwhelmed, something coming at you, or something coming from you?   I deny the power of these things over us. I know we can do it. Yes We Can!!

Every now and again though, something happens that shakes my faith to the core and causes me, if only for a few fleeting moments, to abandon all hope, to believe we… are all doomed. Sadly, this week my friends, such an event has occurred. I feel myself slipping into the depths of depression and despair, is all hope for our species lost? So I reach out to you my friends for support, courage, compassion and understanding. I know with your help I can make it through this dark time  for humanity. For just yesterday, season 2 of the Jersey Shore premiered. OMG!! WTF!! Can we not do better than this??!!

OK, OK, I know this is not one of my usual thought provoking posts, but I am allowed to have some fun on occasion am I not? Actually, I take that back, Most of it is quite thought provoking. Though I am not sinking into the depths of depression and despair, the rest of it pretty much applies. Be well, Peace…..

Thanks for stopping by, join the conversation!!

Since President Obama has taken office, much of the time of his administration, has been consumed with attempting to enact reform legislation. Health care  reform, after a long arduous process, recently passed. Currently, financial reform, in order to avoid the previous meltdown from repeating itself, is being debated and worked toward. Thankfully, it seems this legislation will not be as drawn out and painful as health care reform was. Going forward, beyond financial reform, will be the task of attempting to address immigration reform, yet another emotionally charged and volatile issue. I applaud President Obama and his administration’s efforts, all of these issues need to be addressed, it is a monumental undertaking  and they have put forth a monumental effort.

It occurs to me that the reform most needed is not being addressed. As yours truly sees it, the only reform we need, is consciousness reform. Reforming our minds and our thought process will cost us nothing.  We will not need endless debates in congress, we will not need to appoint fact finding committees and we will not need to spend obscene amounts of money on research. All that is needed, indeed all that was ever needed, is a very simple, yet very complex reforming of our consciousness. We simply need to realize the following; every woman is our sister, every man is our brother. We need to learn to love people and use things, not the other way around. Everyone on this planet deserves basic dignities, food, clothing, shelter, education, health care and the opportunity to follow their passion, simply because they are alive.  These things are not privileges, they are the rights of every human being. I have said this before but it is worth restating here, it has been said that you can tell how evolved a society is by how it treats the least among them. By this measure, we are not very evolved at all.

We allow needless suffering such as hunger, poverty, homelessness, disease and oppression to exist because we say we can not do anything about them, we can not afford to. How insane is this?! We have given our power away to this thing we call money. Look deeply at every societal dysfunction, almost every story on the news can be traced to reveal money, possessions or power at its core. Even in the event of possession or power, neither of these are acquired without money. Its not that money is bad, it is our thoughts about it. We agree that money or the lack there of, can determine the quality of life, we even agree that without it, you may not have a life. Once again, how insane is this?! We need to revisit, reevaluate, revise and restructure this thing we call an economy. We may even want to get rid of it entirely. For a more in depth explanation of what I feel this would look like, see my piece on the economy, posted here on January 10, 2010. Our system of economics, in its current form, and oppression, are inseparable. There is nothing wrong with accumulating wealth, as long as it is not done at the expense of others. For someone to win really big, someone else has to lose really big.

I’ve said this before, but I will restate it here. When an individual, group or nation is cast aside, disenfranchised, discarded or oppressed, we all lose! We lose out on their potential contributions to our lives. A person of great wealth my cry foul at such a statement, claiming they do not lose at all. I will explain very simply how they would be mistaken. There are millions on this planet, whose every waking moment is consumed with thoughts of where their next meal will come from, where will they sleep tonight, how will they provide for their family, will we even survive today? A person of great wealth might be unconcerned with the conditions I just spoke of, until something like the following occurs. Either they, or some close family member are diagnosed with some incurable disease, although they would pay any price for a cure, none is available. Perhaps, just perhaps, if the millions who suffer daily on our planet, were afforded the basic human dignities I spoke of earlier, there in, would lie the cure.

So you see, this reform of consciousness does not need to be made from a mindset of unity, compassion and love for humanity. It can be made from mindset of separation and selfishness as well. All one needs to do, is make the connections between a wasted life, the possibilities it contains, and how their own experience of life might be lessened because of it. It has been said, we need to create a world that works for everyone, or we will have a world that works for no one. Carl Sagan once noted, that this pale blue dot of a planet we know as Earth, viewed from space, is a single, living breathing organism, and an organism at war with itself, is doomed. Yet, I am hopeful, I say we are not doomed, I have faith in humanity, I know our potential is unlimited, we just need to allow it to unfold. We can bring about the reform most needed. C’mon people, Yes We Can!!

Thanks for stopping by, be well, be peace. Join the conversation…..

I have observed that quite some time has passed since my last post. It is my intention to post at least two to three times a month.  The previous weeks have found me immersed in a health issue, nothing that was life threatening, yet potentially for me, very life changing. Although not completely resolved, things seem to be quieting down to a manageable level.  What this experience brought me is a deeper appreciation of what it is to be human, along with the knowledge  of how very human I truly am.  I was totally consumed with the issue at hand 24/7, with little time for anything else. My mind was filled with worst case scenarios, fearful of losing my way of life, my envisioned future and even fearful of my lovely wife Marie leaving me, because I would not measure up to the person she has known all these years. Could all these things happen? Anything is possible. Will they all happen? Highly unlikely!!

The mind does have a habit of jumping straight to most fearful place first, instead of the most hopeful. I had always thought that somehow,  my spiritual outlook  would make facing such issues a little less turbulent, it eventually did, but only after the initial rude awakening. Going forward, I will explore alternative healing modalities, as traditional western methods are limited in solutions for my particular issue. I am cautiously optimistic in regard to future results, not because of my lack of faith in alternative healing, more because of faith in my ability to do my part in producing a positive outcome. Once again, I am very human. At some later date I will report back on progress and future outlook. For now, I am happy to be back.

Be well, be peace and join the conversation!

I have been a physical fitness enthusiast for 25 years, including 10 of those years as a competitive bodybuilder and personal trainer. So, needless to say, I spend a fair amount of time in the gym. We have recently turned the calendar to reflect the beginning of a new year, 2010 is upon us. This is time of year most gyms rise in population with new arrivals. It is resolution season. We are three months into the new year, this is about the time, if not sooner, that the presence of the resolution arrivals starts to dwindle. The resolution dissolves, the commitment fades, priorities change and life returns to pre resolution status. I have witnessed the above migration to and from the gym for 25 years now. For the most part, I would say a very small percentage, maybe 5, actually stick with it.

If you are among the new arrivals, thinking you have had enough and considering packing it in, or perhaps already have, PLEASE reconsider. Hopefully, what I have to say will encourage, energize, reinvigorate and inspire you to refocus and renew your commitment. Let me assure you, the benefits of self care far exceed the effort. A well rounded program of proper nutrition and exercise will improve every aspect of your life, physically, mentally and emotionally. You will see improvements in flexibility, strength, endurance, mental acuity and self image. You will be better able to fend off disease and better able to recuperate from illness or injury. Small example, depression runs in my family, not everyone is affected but a significant amount are. I am convinced that the effort, energy, attention and focus I have given physical fitness is a major reason why I do not suffer from depression. Besides the previously mentioned perks, the aesthetic benefits are nothing to sneeze at either. At the end of this piece, I will post a picture of myself, taken at a photo shoot in April of 2009. Not to shabby  for a 49 year young man if I say so myself. Not that I am under any illusions as to my appearance, I am fully aware, and also grateful, that there are many out there that are in much better shape than I. I merely post the photo as a demonstration of what is possible. In short, everything you do outside of the gym will be easier because of what you do inside the gym. Not that regular attendance at a gym is the only way to achieve your goals but regular participation in the program of your choice is.

OK, lets go over the many reasons folks usually give up. It is too hard, I have too many commitments. There are obligations to family, friends and work. Errands to run, appointments to keep, deadlines to make. All of these can usually be summed up and incorporated into the most frequent, and my personnel favorite reason cited, I have no time. There will always be a reason not to focus on yourself, life is full of twists, turns, and detours. Should these reasons sound all to familiar, take a deep breath, relax, and take a walk to the nearest available mirror. Are you there? Good. Now, allow me to introduce you to the most important person on the planet, YOU! Yes you, not your spouse, your kids, your parents, co-workers, boss or anyone else in your life that you may put before yourself. Self first, always. Have you ever been on a plane and actually listened to the pre flight safety instructions? When informed about a change in cabin pressure, you are instructed to put your oxygen mask on first, BEFORE assisting others. That is because you will be of no use to another if you are not safe yourself. The same applies here. Caring and nurturing yourself will enable you to show up as a better parent, spouse, co-worker, employee and friend. How can you be the best possible you in all your relationships, if you are neglecting yourself, for what you believe is the the benefit of others? In reality, you are cheating everyone else in your life of gift that is you. You can never reach your greatest potential or fully participate in your life by neglecting to care for your health and well being.

I will go one step further, not only are you cheating those in your immediate circle, but all humanity. When you show up fully engaged and ready to participate in life, who knows what your possible contributions could be? What song might you sing, what novel might you write, what picture might you paint, what screenplay might you pen, what invention might you invent, what disease might you cure? And even if you were to do none of these things, perhaps someone in your immediate circle of family or friends would simply because of your presence in their lives. At the very least, everyone would benefit from a happier, healthier you. So, in this you see that putting yourself first is truly not selfish, but selfless. All you really need to do is expand your definition of self.

So get out there and create the best you possible. There are too many people that would be cheated if you were not the best you can be, mainly you. I once heard it said, forget everything anyone says, pay attention to what they do. Actions speak so much louder than words. Should you be a parent, your dedication and commitment will demonstrate a positive example, that your children will  emulate, producing a confident, happy, healthy, self respecting adult that will benefit generations to come. Should you not be a parent, your dedication and commitment will produce a confident, happy, healthy, self respecting person that will benefit all who encounter you. So, in closing, can you think of a good reason not to do this?!

Thanks for stopping by, be well, be peace, join the conversation.

Destruction, devastation and opportunity…

The following is a post from my previous website. I thought it would be pertinent to re post it here as we have just marked the 5 year anniversary of the South Asia Tsunami. Though much has been done, much more is needed, as is true of much of the human condition in general. I can not begin to imagine, what progress could be made on this planet, were all our efforts, energy and attention to be focused in this direction. I am of the firm belief, that we can cure any disease, reverse global warming, provide food, clothing, shelter, health care, education and eliminate poverty for every person on the planet. All that is required, is a very simple, yet very complex shift in consciousness, to live and demonstrate on a daily basis, that we are all interconnected and interdependent, we are one species, one organism, on one planet. We are indeed,  all One. To quote Dr.Carl Sagan, “An organism at war with itself, is doomed”.  And now on to my previous post.

The destruction and devastation visited upon south Asia on December 26th 2004, is nothing short of mind numbing. The number of fatalities are unfathomable, 150,000 and growing as I write this. The conditions the survivors face are equally horrific. Lack of clean water, food, shelter and virtually no infrastructure threaten numbers far greater than that taken by the tsunami. In as much as I am saddened by this event, I am similarly awestruck by the outpouring of love,generosity and compassion displayed by the international community. The relief effort being undertaken is of historic proportions. As huge as was the tsunami, larger still has been humanity’s response.

Once again, humanity is given the opportunity to rise to its fullest potential. Sept.11, 2001 was one such opportunity. Gone are the insignificant differences such as race, creed, ethnicity and nationality that previously divided us. In there place are love, compassion, understanding, shared grief and the determination to do whatever has to be done to reach out, ease suffering and provide relief. Once again, a slumbering humanity is awakened to its interdependence upon each other and to what is truly important. Life itself! Let us use this grand opportunity to remain awake, to raise our consciousness to the levels we are capable of. As we have so admirably displayed in the days and weeks following the tsunami, the potential of humanity is far greater than we have previously demonstrated.

As traumatic an event as the tsunami was and as mind numbing as were the numbers, we shamefully have allowed far greater horrors to exist. There are many on this planet that die daily of starvation. There are many that die of preventable diseases. Wars, both known and unknown, are claiming untold numbers. Our outrage in relation to death seems to hinge on two factors. Time and visibility. The millions who have perished over the years due to such preventable conditions as starvation, disease and war due so over a period of time, not in one fell swoop as with a disaster such as a tsunami. Similarly, the events are not as visible, they are not being updated daily in the papers or media. What we don’t see on a daily basis, we don’t acknowledge.

Once again, the grand opportunity humanity has been given is to awaken to its true potential. We are each others keeper. We are all connected, all One. If we can restructure our planet and live up to these truths, if we can cause this event to be the catalyst for us to live up to our potential (and I am of the firm belief we can), then not one life lost shall have been in vein. Please use this opportunity and rise to your fullest potential.

Please reach out to our brothers and sisters in south Asia or in whatever region of our planet you choose, unfortunately there are many, in great need of assistance. you can donate with the International Red Cross at www.redcross.org. or Unicef at www.unicef.org. or look into Relief Web athttp://www.reliefweb.int for a list of countries and emergencies.

Be well, Be Peace. Join the conversation!

With the holiday season upon us , I wish to take this time to say God Bless You and yours, may you always know the happiness and peace that is your birthright. As you hurry along your appointed errands, do them with the knowledge that you are a physical manifestation of the Divine,  as are all others on the planet. We are all daughters and sons of God. Yes, that is correct, we are all Goddesses and Gods. The only thing that keeps us from demonstrating that, is knowing and believing it to be true. We are all the Saviors we are waiting for. The world will be a better place, when we decide it should be. As well as being physical manifestations of Divinity, please remember, we are also, very much human. Perfectly, imperfect humans. So don’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t always demonstrate your Divine nature, I for one, could not make this claim. Recognizing that you are not, when you are not, is quite an accomplishment.

It matters not what holiday you celebrate, just as it matters not what you choose to call the God of your understanding. For that matter you need not even be attached to the concept of a God. I am certain that all of us believe in life, it is pretty self evident, we are all alive. I consider God and Life to be the same thing. The concept of being a part of something much bigger than self is easier to grasp when the evidence for it is right before you. There are approximately 6 billion of us on the planet, that does not even include the myriad of other life forms we share the earth with. I would say that qualifies as being bigger than self.

So,  as the holidays approach, I wish to make a few suggestions that may make the season a little more joyful and less stressful. I feel all ground to be holy and every moment to be sacred. That said, one need not stress about being able to spend a particular day in a particular place. Simply because a day on the calendar is designated a holiday, does not make that particular block of 24 hours any more or less special than another. Every day is a holy-day. Most would agree, that God/Life is omnipresent. Everywhere at all times. So in this, we see, that if God/Life is with us always, how can anyplace or anytime be more holy or sacred than right here, right now?! While there is a wonderful sense of peace and inspiration to be gained, in gathering with like minded individuals, in the house of worship of your choice, the ground you stand on, the structure that you are in at any given moment is as sacred as any other.

My lovely wife Marie and I, for many years now, have ceased the practice of buying adult friends and family gifts. Everyone we know, more or less, has what they need. We see no need to deal with the stress of trying to figure out what to get everyone. For the most part, gifts are usually put aside, discarded, given away or forgotten about. We usually celebrate with close friends and family by getting everyone together, well before the calendar holiday,  for an afternoon of food and drink. I can think of no better gift than to provide another with the nourishment necessary to live.

At these events, we usually suggest a few charitable organizations close to our hearts should our guests feel the need to spend any money. How much better would our world be if we all did that? I am reminded of a bumper sticker I recently saw, “Live simply, so that others may simply live”. Eight words, that if, were practiced by all, would change the planet. There is a wonderful website that I heard about recently called redefining Christmas. www.redefine-christmas.org It is dedicated to the idea that instead of giving loved ones gifts, you donate to a charity of their choice in their name and ask for the same for yourself. I assure you, it will be a much more satisfying, fulfilling gift giving experience and no need to lug around packages or clutter your home with things you will most likely never use.

Below are the suggestions we offered at this years holiday gathering, please feel free to partake of one or all if you feel so moved.

http://ww5.komen.org/ (breast cancer research)
http://nyc-dop.com/ (help create a culture of peace and non violence)
http://cityharvest.org/ (feeding hungry New Yorkers daily)

In closing, I wish you a wonderful holy-day, everyday! And a happy, healthy, peaceful and abundant 2010. Join the conversation!!

Congratulations to President Obama for being awarded The Noble Peace Prize. Regardless of personal opinion either way, I feel this to be a significant event for our country. During the campaign, I felt that just electing this President would greatly improve the standing of the United States in the eyes of the world. Today is but one event of many that have confirmed these feelings. Once again, congratulations to our President and to The United States of America.

Thanks for stopping by, join the conversation!

It has been over a year since cosmosconnection had been up and running. It feels great to once again have my little piece of real estate  in cyberspace. I look forward to once again being connected. Previously, cosmosconnection was a website, it has now taken on a blog format. It is my desire to make this experience more of a conversation, rather than a presentation.

I will use this blog to discuss any and all subjects  from the mundane to the monumental, from the trivial to the tremendous. Feel free to input suggestions and comments. I look forward to hearing from you. Currents events, movies, music, politics, relationships, marriage, divorce or raising a family, no topic is off limits.

Whatever the topic, I am fully aware, that mine is not the final word. I will simply offer what is true for me in this moment, given my perspective and experience about a thing. All things are relative to an individuals experience, perhaps your experience has brought you information and data that mine has not. No one person has all the answers, should you find one that says they do, I recommend that your run from them as quickly as possible. I particularly like to stay in the question. Find what is true at the moment, but constantly revisit the question, perhaps new information or experiences will show a different possibility. Once an answer is held firmly as the only possibility,  creation is thwarted, stifled and shut down.

Although the following information  is also on the “about me” page of this site, I thought I would post it here as well to reintroduce myself. So thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy your stay,  I look forward to connecting and interacting, so come on, join the conversation!!

I am a 48 year young  husband, father, and work for the New York City Department of Sanitation for the past 20 years. I have been into physical fitness for the past 25 years, 11 of them as a competitive bodybuilder.  I currently reside in scenic College Point, New York. Well, OK, maybe its not that scenic, but it’s home. I am a non- denominational ordained minister with the Pathways of Light spiritual college in Kiel, Wisconsin, as well as The Church By The Living Waters,  located in New York.

My decision to become a minister was reached not because of any one particular defining moment, tragedy or Divine revelation. I have not experienced any miraculous visions or events, at least not in the ways we define them. I certainly did not reach this decision because I feel I am any more special than you or any other being on the planet.

I have come to ministry after many years of discontent with some of the doctrines and answers provided me by the faith in which I was raised. Leaving a spiritual void that would take me years to recognize let alone do anything about. I have come to ministry to introduce others to an all inclusive, user friendly, non-judgmental, unconditionally loving God that has filled that void. A God that was always there, I simply needed to look within.

I seek to bring others to the knowledge that the answers they seek, they already have. I can not tell anyone, anything they don’t already know. I can only remind them of what they have forgotten. For each of us is as special as any who have lived before, live now, or will live in the future. With this knowledge comes freedom. In doing this for another, I also do it for myself. For we are all one.