Staying Afloat

This is the text of the talk I gave on Sunday, December 8, 2013       

Jane has been singing, “Mary’s Boy Child” on and off for the past several days. One of the lyrics is, “…and man will live forevermore because of Christmas day.”

Do you believe you will find immortal life after you die?

Only after you die?

What about immortal life in the present?

If you are uncertain I remind you, again, that we are made in the image and after the likeness of God (Gen 1:26), therefore immortal life is here and now in this present moment.

On page 14 of the ATOM SMASHING POWER OF MIND, Charles Fillmore writes, “When we finally understand the facts of life and rid our minds of the delusion that we shall find immortal life after we die, then we shall seek more diligently to awaken the spiritual man (Christ consciousness/ awareness of God) within us and strengthen and build up the spiritual domain of our being...”

One of the many ideas in this statement that I want to key on today is diligence.

I think you’ll be interested to hear about Nelson and Dora Coila, Uros natives who live on an island in Lake Titicaca, Peru.

The Uros people live in a unique way on the lake. They all live on islands, but they are not islands of solid rock as you might assume.

Each island is made of reeds!

 The Coila’s live on an island they made themselves! A tiny island made of reeds!

I found a story about them in an online LDS magazine, Ensign, the article is written by Adam C. Olson.

Olson says their island floats about 4 feet above the water and has about 10 buildings on it. The water in the lake is about 50 degrees, so it’s no picnic getting wet, or having the island sink. Another thing you need to know is, “…the elements continually threaten to literally disintegrate their island home.”

What does this have to do with diligence?

What they are doing in the physical realm is a metaphor for what we all need to do in our spiritual awareness.

Physically speaking, their island homes are made completely of the Totara reed. The reed grows in the shallows along the lake and is used many ways. The root can be eaten and the husk is medicinal, Olson says. And then, the reed itself is used in construction of the islands, the dwellings, their traditional boats, and watchtowers. Olson says they even make trash baskets from the reed.

Now, here’s the thing: I mentioned the elements a minute ago.  The sun wreaks havoc on the reeds during the dry season. The rain does the same during the rainy season, and of course the lake is always decomposing the reeds under water. In order to stay afloat, Olson says that the Coila’s have to put down a new top layer of reeds every 10 - 15 days!

That takes diligence. Procrastination is a very present “enemy.” Rebuild a portion of your foundation every 10 to 15 days or risk weak spots appearing.

Olson writes, “Procrastination, however, increases the risk of a family member putting a foot through a weak spot and ending up in cold water. (Remember the water temp is 50 degrees Fahrenheit) This can be little more that a nuisance for adults, but it’s potentially deadly for little children…”

Diligence makes a difference in the Coila’s life and so does it in ours.

Back to the second half of Mr. Fillmore’s quote, “When we finally understand the facts of life and rid our minds of the delusion that we shall find immortal life after we die, then seek more diligently to awaken the spiritual man (Christ consciousness/ awareness) within us and strengthen and build up the spiritual domain of our being...”

We can take a great lesson from the Uros of Peru. To stay afloat they have to diligently maintain their physical home or they will begin to sink and suffer.

For us to “stay afloat” in maintaining our inner peace amid all the unexpected and inexplicable fluctuations of the world we must be diligent in constantly awakening and maintaining our conscious awareness with the Christ spirit within our mind.

Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.”

Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit…”

Within our mind (and heart), placed there at our spiritual creation by God is what Mr. Fillmore would call our innate Christ perfection. I like to think of this innate Christ perfection, or God-reflection, or “My Son in whom I am well pleased” as our “standard equipment.”  That helps to give me a better grasp on the awareness that its in me, a part of me, non-negotiable and not an option for which I have to pay a cost; it came with me right from the beginning, its standard equipment.

To maintain awareness of this Presence takes diligence.

Be diligent in holding to your innate Christ perfection under all circumstances.

Too often we think or are taught – and I’m responsible for offering you something on a Sunday this way – too often we are counseled to don’t do this and don’t do that, such as don’t be angry, don’t be judgmental, or fearful, or indifferent, or guilt, etc. when the better advice is what to be. Our spiritual journey is not about what we don’t want to be, but about what we do want to be.

The quote I offered last week is pertinent here, too. “If you are in the want of money that’s what you’ll always get… the want of money.” If you’re always wanting not to be something or some way, that’s what you’ll have, the wanting not to be angry, guilty, judgmental, feeling hurt, etc.

On the spiritual journey be what you want to be. The statement is still accurate when said this way, “If you’re always being peaceful, that’s what you’ll have; peace.”

Nelson Coila says, “Sometimes we get suffocated by the daily routine of working, cooking, and so forth. When we forget God, things get complicated. There are more problems and things fall apart.”

When things get complicated and fall apart, remember God, or better yet be diligent in holding to you innate Christ perfection and stay afloat.