The meaning of life is to be of service to that which is higher than ourselves. Every one of our thoughts, words and deeds are ripples in the waters of existence that extend out through eternity affecting and irrevocably altering everything in their path -- nothing that we do and no part of who we are is insignificant. Our every choice and living moments are seeds which grow to flower. It is not a question of whether fruit will be born of our intentions and behavior, for the simple fact that we exist makes that inevitable; But what quality of fruit will we bear? We are meant to be instruments of the Truth that we are all One and to allow the energy of that Truth be the origin of all that we seek to become. We are unified by our mutual propensity for suffering, but also through our intrinsic thirst for peace and happiness. If we are to find joy and serenity we cannot search for them outside of our deepest selves or within a dependence on things or the satisfaction of primal hungers -- none of these paths leads to our freedom and salvation. The Way is neither found in the dying past nor in the fictional fields of the distant future but resides in the Ever-Living Presence of the Here and Now. We must feel our way through to the beating heart of Universal Being. Look within and find the light which shines beyond pain, beyond fear, beyond all separation and division. Here you will find the profound Silence your soul has longed for since drawing its first breath. Here in the recesses of Emptiness there is a Radiance, a comfort of Creation that certifies hope in the midst of despair, faith in the midst of fear, joy and equanimity in the midst of tragedy. This is the source of the voice of God which whispers so persistently and promises warmth as the petals of every instant softly opens. Quieten your mind every day so that this Voice may become your closest companion. Remember your Original Face before you were born of blood and bone. Live your life in the gap, that fertile space between worldly moments and be constantly born anew. As humans of fleshly confinement we possess base urges and egoic desires that regularly threaten to overtake us. But our greatest capacity and highest purpose is to overcome our conditioning and transcend our habitual minds, even while preserving its care. Reality is but a dream and an illusion whose substance is given structure by our beliefs and perceptions. We are all co-creators of the world that we live in so we must take responsibility for its health and sustenance. The complex brain which inhabits this fathom-long body is neither the source of the mind nor its container but is a conduit for the energy of mind just as a lens focuses the light which passes through it thereby directing its illumination but not producing it. There is far more than this sleeping world of concrete and manifest things, regardless of what we are covertly encouraged to believe by those who wish to profit from our ignorance and gain power at the expense of our freedom. Behind the curtain of waking death there is an eternal life waiting to be won in a vibrant new world of ever-emerging green -- There is surely more than this from which this all comes. By gradually opening the eyes of Mindful Awareness we let freely flow our innate reserve of Wisdom and Compassion -- accept the invitation to become what we Always Already Are. Enlightenment unfolds in the grand explosive birth of every conscious universe, just as it does in the laughter of a child innocent and free from want or tear. Enlightenment unfolds through the entire spectrum of life's evolution from particle to man, just as it does in the scent of a single rose on the first day of Spring. Enlightenment unfolds in the liberation of this world of people from the bonds of war and fear, just as it does in every small act of kindness in a life of suffering. Spirit surely and so patiently waits to Awaken with each and every breath which keeps the multitude of beings alive and calls us forth to open these Eyes. So let the wings of your most true Potential unfurl and grow Feel the full heat of the midday sun and willingly receive every drop of healing moisture from the air that is so generously given through Nature's abundant grace. There is a clear reflection in this morning's dew the very same that shines inside of you a mystical and elegant pattern traced in the most basic fabric of life As it blooms to its fullest expression and reveals the features of its long hidden face we come to know what we were always meant to be: Servants of the Universal Will to Love.