Do You Believe in Miracles?

It’s been said that for the faithful no miracle is necessary, but for those who doubt no miracle is sufficient. Likewise, Albert Einstein once reasoned that, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.”
I decided to share some relevant excerpts from my book The American Dream which provides fresh and through-provoking perspective often based on personal experience on this fascinating topic. So, here we go…

Since the journey is written but not the destiny, I find life to be a never-ending drama. It is a drama about the evolution of the Self and about the discovery of the Self. Therefore, I am continually seeking while constantly being challenged to understand the world around me. The illusion of life is so powerful that one must make a conscious effort to identify with their true essence and origin. Only by realizing who we are can we operate from a place of love and strength rather than from a place of fear and weakness. In the realm of truth, which is beyond any intellectual arrogance or theory, my personal experiences have led me to believe that God is not only a very real thing, but that his presence and infinite love can be felt as well. A closer look at creation suggests that it’s the divine intention not only to be known, but also to express itself through his creation, including us. All it takes to unlock some of the mysteries of life is awareness. In the end, all that counts is that we come to the realization that God's love is the essence of the sacred promise of life to all and for all.


Miracles have always been a source of great fascination to me. As a young child, my parents would tell us many stories about true miracles. I was told that miracles happen to those who believe. However, I was never quiet sold on the idea. If anything our humble life during my childhood, as well as my many unanswered prayers, only made me be more skeptical about miracles. I concluded that miracles happened only to the very few who were deserving, lucky or strong.

As a result of the Black Hole experience (my near-death experience), I was able to gain some insight into miracles. Although I didn’t understand exactly how the process worked, I was able to observe the cause and effect associated with them. It was only then that I realized that faith was the critical ingredient.

Time after time, the wisdom contained in the words “It is done unto you as you believe” has been proven to be true for me. The Scriptures explain that the key to creating miracles and making your dreams come true is to have an unshakable faith and trust, which defies all logic. While it may sound like a simple concept, it is, nevertheless, the toughest principle to apply. The difficulty is rooted in limiting false beliefs about the self and one's ability and willingness to adapt to new ways of thinking.

Doubt, which is nothing more than faith in reverse, keeps us chained to those limiting and false beliefs about ourselves, as well as our place in the universe. Since faith contains the seed for revealing greatness and the possibility of creating miracles, doubt will only prevent it from occurring. It is essential therefore, to at least keep an open mind in order to allow for the greatest chance to create miracles in one’s own life. Once you discover the beauty of life, that anything is possible, your faith will grow with matching results and you will never again say never, because you never know.

Miracles occur all the time, mostly without our awareness. The trick is to increase their frequency in order to make one’s whole life a miracle and a dream come true. The key is to value inner life and become familiar with one's true nature. "Man, know thy self" is very profound wisdom, for self-knowledge is essential in the process of manifesting desires and creating miracles. Knowing yourself allows you to keep every experience in life fresh and renewed from moment to moment, while being aware of the illusion of life.

It’s equally essential to understand that miracles are not a matter of religion. Contrary to those popular TV shows, God is not just sitting around cooking up miracles for deserving people. Just because miracles defy the laws of logic and physics, it doesn’t mean one cannot create them themselves.

Science is just beginning to explore the world of miracles. Of course, there really are no such things as miracles, only “cause and effect” relationships that we don’t yet understand. Science has yet to explain how certain phenomena can defy the laws of physics, as if the laws of physics are cast in stone anyway. Every day science makes new discoveries, immediately rendering current scientific theory obsolete. Only recently, scientists have discovered particles that travel at faster then the speed of light, which puts Einstein’s once unassailable Theory of Relativity in jeopardy. Scientists have done serious research on things that previously would have been described as miracles. Their research has included such fields as medicine (where they are using the power of the mind to heal), prayer (recent research indicates that there is power in prayer) and quantum physics. Quantum physicists now believe that the universe consists of many more than the three dimensions we’re all familiar with. Furthermore, they theorize that sub-atomic particles eventually break down into a non-physical field of energy that connects all physical matter in the universe and helps explain how certain phenomena can seemingly defy the laws of physics. Some quantum physicists have gone so far as to suggest that matter does not create consciousness, but that consciousness creates matter. This is the stuff that “miracles” are made of. Simply put, miracles work because of the power of the mind.

Through the many synchronicities of my life, I discovered that life is indeed full of miracles. Miracles are truly an equal opportunity employer and each of us has the potential to create miracles and make their dreams come true - for the simple reason that each one of us is a co-creator. The question is no longer “To believe or not to believe.” Love and faith with their many splendors have already proven to be the first, the last and everything. Love and faith indeed are the ultimate answer and most powerful forces in the universe.

Copyright © 2010, Geela Parish


Geela Parish (www.geela.com) is an award winning artist/activist, and the author of the critically-acclaimed book The American Dream. She is also a host and an Editor Contributor for Women’s Radio, a freelance writer, and founder of One Spirit, One World a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting peace and healing and Women Transforming The World (www.womentransformingtheworld.com). You may contact her at gverecords@aol.com

Tags: Miracles, Albert Einstein, evolution, love, God, faith, near-death experience, religion

The Way Forward: Coming Together For the Love of God

Answering the most important call of our time for nonviolence and peace

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. has reasoned that, “The ultimate weakness of violence is that instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may kill the liar, but you can’t kill the lie nor establish the truth. Through violence you may kill the hater, but you do not kill the hate. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Likewise, Albert Einstein argued that, “We must challenge our enemies not with bombs but with ideas.” This wisdom is more relevant today than ever before.

The world is in turmoil with social unrest like never before. There is a growing fear that we’re all sitting on a ticking time bomb, or worse, waiting for the ax to fall unless something dramatic happens on a large scale. All over the world, unspeakable atrocities continue to be committed in the name of God, highlighted by racism, bigotry and intolerance. What’s worse, Albert Einstein has observed that, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” Sadly, this describes a climate of political correctness and dangerous ideology that breed such complacent attitudes towards injustice and victimization.

Violence, which is glamorized in movies, video games, and toxic music, is now used as an acceptable way to settle disagreements and as a quick fix to solving problems. In a society driven by instant gratification, winning at all costs, and the pursuit of power, cooperation invariably gives way to confrontation, and construction gives way to destruction. Is it any wonder why we invest so much money into building and acquiring more sophisticated weapons, preferably of mass destruction? However, as long as we seek to solve problems through violence and deny the futility of war, we’ll continue to remain spiritual infants even though we may be technological giants.

Nevertheless, senseless violence by any other name is still violence with far reaching consequences, both on the individual and global level. The truth is that destruction knows no boundaries or respect for anyone. In a new reality of mutuality and interdependence, what affects one directly affects us all indirectly, as evidenced in the global economy and the recent global financial meltdown. Therefore, everyone regardless of financial status, religion, or ethnicity is impacted with the devastating consequences of senseless violence.

History has shown time and time again that the phenomenon of war is but a defeat for humanity because it is an exercise in futility. In a nuclear age, the stakes are vastly higher, particularly when in the hands of terrorists who are driven by a dangerous ideology. It is clear that we can't solve our problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. This is why costly governmental remedies and arms races are ineffective in the long run. The need for a creative solution is both apparent and urgent.

Ultimately, the only way to move forward is by increasing the level of our collective consciousness by understanding that we are all connected by the same spirit that connects us all. Also, we need to create a new vision for the world, one that encourages all of us to start working together and spilling our sweat, and not our blood.

Despite forces that seek to divide and conquer for self-serving purposes, we need to shed the old and self-defeating way of thinking by recognizing what other great thinkers of the world have already come to understand. Namely that:

(a) Violence is not power but the absence of power.
(b) There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.
(c) If we want to have peace in the world, we have to start with the children.

We must sacrifice for peace before it is too late. This means recognizing that creating a better world in the future depends on what we do for our children today. We must reinforce the message of nonviolence, healing and unity, and plant the seeds of peace because peace is the only condition for our survival in a nuclear age. Our children must be taught about the powerful connection between our ability to co-exist and prosper.

So, what can you do as an individual? Plenty. Here are a few practical examples:

• Practice random acts of kindness.
• Become the change you wish to see in the world.
• Make a difference - become someone’s hero.
• Reject hateful ideology and speeches.
• Celebrate diversity as the mosaic of life.

Tags: Geela Parish, Patti Labelle, non-violence, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, Albert Einstein

LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES?



All that you seek you already have within you.

Practically every year finding love is at the top of Americans’ list of resolutions for the New Year. That is the good news. The bad news is that most Americans are looking for love in all the wrong places.

The way I see it, the definition of love should not be limited to romantic love alone. Love is more than a sentiment. Love is a way of being. The broader definition of love should also be a longing for experiencing a life of fulfillment, purpose, meaning, inner peace, real joy and self-worth. After all, everything we do is to either experience more love and fulfillment or to compensate for the lack of it.

Some people have been willing to go under the knife, and endure excruciating pain, to change their looks (hoping the mirror will still be kind just a little longer and gravity will not take its toll anytime soon). Some people have deprived themselves of food while on the quest for attaining the perfect body. They have been willing to go into huge debt and endure the worst kind of pain and humiliation that comes from compromising one’s integrity and selling their soul just to support a life-style and status they couldn’t afford. Some even ignored and deprived the biggest part of their Self, their spirit, which allows them to experience all the very things they set out to attain in the first place. In short, you name it and they endured just about anything in their quest for love.

Even for those who were able to achieve material success, it was only a hollow victory since no amount of money, good looks, status and/or trophies could fill up the void inside which was created by a malnourished spirit. They too discovered that “when you get there, there is no ‘there’ there,” and that external riches don’t necessarily have the power to give us internal riches (“real love” defined as fulfillment, purpose, meaning, inner peace, real joy and self-worth) that we are desperately seeking. At best they were flirting with the illusion of love rather than experiencing the real deal.

In a “more is better” culture where vanity, and not virtue, is worshipped (consider the growing trend of reality TV shows such as “For Love or Money”) it’s easy to understand why we have been looking for love in all the wrong places. Yet surprisingly, we have ignored the fact that the natural state of our spirit is love, which is the driving force behind all creation. Hollywood stars, the media and multi-billion dollar industries have all brainwashed us to believe that we are simply not adequate, worthy or good enough to be loved just the way we are and that it is only “He with the most toys, and not joy, lives.” The reality is that finding true love should not be either painful and/or costly. You can find true love (in the broader definition) no matter what you have been brainwashed to believe.

First you must recognize that you are a spiritual being first, having a human experience (and not the other way around) and therefore, your natural state of being is love. As such you were meant to live a life of meaning, purpose, fulfillment, real joy, inner peace, and abundance by reconnecting with your spiritual roots (living in harmony with universal laws characterized by integrity, giving and the honoring of all living things). We can’t truly be happy and fulfilled without the element of giving. Real joy comes from making a meaningful difference in people’s lives, when money and power are used only as useful tools to help make a difference.

Next time you are tempted to look for “love” in all the wrong places, consider the definition of real love. Most importantly, remember that all that you seek is not “somewhere out there,” but rather it is already within you. All you have to do is recognize it and enjoy it while you can.

Tags: Love, American, integrity, money, material, success, spiritual, fufillment, meaning, joy