"Life Is A Gift"

I was raised without religion.   My parents were born in England and attended strict Catholic boarding schools where the nuns ruled with an iron fist.  It was commonplace for children to be hit with belts and sticks when they stepped out of line,  without opportunity to explain themselves.  They were also beaten and told they were ‘sinners’ for avoiding religious protocol.  The approach to God at these places did not seem come from the spirit of mercy.  

My father was a bit of a radical free-thinker, and he did not take kindly to being forced to conform to dogma.   As a result, he became very opposed to organized religion once he reached adulthood.  At his first opportunity, he took my mother, my sister and myself across the ocean to Canada to start a new life without anyone else’s judgement or control.   I remember he would always tell us to think for ourselves.  Not to allow anyone to dictate what was right and wrong, or what we could and couldn’t do.  He felt that through guilt, fear, and brainwashing, religious institutions had mastered a way to keep people under their thumb and prevent them from thinking for themselves.  We never attended church with our family except on the occasion of a funeral or wedding.  But even after everything my father had told me, something stirred within me.  Something called to me, and I knew there had to be more.

At the age of nine, I met a girl at school.  Her family had a strong faith, and belonged to a small Presbyterian church in our community.  I was always intrigued and curious about what went on there, and one day I asked if I could join them.  Of course they were thrilled.  My dad?... not so much.   He didn’t understand why I wanted to go, but to his credit, he didn’t stop me.  I think he figured I would be bored to tears and not want to go back.  But that was not what happened.  In fact, I attended that little church with them every Sunday for 3 years, until we moved away.  At that time, I started looking for another church, and from then on, I found and attended a few different churches throughout my youth (usually because of being relocated due to my father’s job).  Eventually, at the age of 19, I moved on my own from eastern Canada, to the west, where I still am today.  
It was at that time that I began to explore my faith in a more personal light.  What did it mean to have a relationship with God?   I was ready to expand beyond what a single religion had taught me.  I had questions that I wanted answers to.  What else was out there?  There was so much to know.  The depth of Spirit is bottomless.  There is no way to ever fully understand it because it is ever-evolving.  We know this by observing Creation in the ever-expanding Universe.  God is a Shapeshifter.  Always challenging us, changing us, giving us something new.  

This brings me to my most recent musings….

Michael has this way of surprising me with His teachings.  They sneak up on me when I’m least expecting it, and the lesson never seems to be the obvious one.  As we all know, our world just lost an angel.  The Angel, Elizabeth Taylor -  beautiful friend to our Michael, and amazing humanitarian to this world.  I know that she had been struggling with her health in the last few years, and that Michael’s death had hit her very hard.  So when I initially heard about her passing, I felt a kind of peace in the idea that she was with Him again, and how joyful their reunion would have been.  But later that day, when I was in prayer with Michael; and by that I mean, those quiet moments – you know them – when you feel Michael close to you.  So close that you almost expect Him to materialize physically before your eyes.  You feel His energy, and you know He is sharing Himself with you.  It was in this moment that I felt something unexpected.   I felt sorrow.  I asked Him why… was He not happy to see His friend?  What arose in my heart was this:  “There is always sadness in passing.  Life is a Gift…”  

At first I was confused by this.  I know life is a gift.  Why would He say that?  And I still didn’t understand His sorrow.   But now there was only silence.  It is not unusual for Him to throw me a single bread crumb,  then leave me to find the rest of the way home  on my own.  This used to frustrate me to no end.. but then I realized what a brilliant teacher Michael is.  He does not allow me to cut corners.  He insists that I think for myself, opening a window to my wondering, then leaving me to discover where it leads.  So once again, I considered His words and allowed them to take root in my soul.  The human soul is the Great Translator.  It speaks all languages, deciphers any code, and unravels every mystery.  It is often an uncomfortable process for me, but the result is indescribably beautiful. 

Death.  Thinking of this wasn’t something new to me.  I had spent a lot of time (like everyone, I'm sure) considering what happens to the soul after it leaves our physical body.  In my early soul work, I believed that when we die, our spirit leaves our body and is transported into Heaven, where we would live an eternity of happiness with our loved ones, serving God and rejoicing in His Love.  As I continued my soul journey, however, I felt like there was more to the equation, and I began to think about reincarnation and the idea of ‘soul evolution’. 

I believe that all of Nature is a reflection of God.  Whatever exists  here on this planet, exists because of its Creator.  For every action there is a reaction.  For every behaviour there is a consequence.  The Earth is constantly evolving.  Species are constantly evolving.  We are constantly evolving.  So, spiritual evolution made sense to me. We watch a plant bear fruit, turn to seed, and rebirth itself.  Why would our lives be different?  Why would the human spirit not follow the pattern of the rest of nature?  The belief I arrived at then,  was this...

We are all spiritual beings, living here on earth with other spiritual beings.  We have all entered into these lives with certain lessons to be learned, and that our lives here present us with opportunities to learn these lessons.  Once our present lives come to an end, we are then taken to a place of rest and reflection, where we can look at the lessons that we learned, and decide what other lessons we are ready to tackle, including those lessons that we were unsuccessful with in our last incarnation.   We then return to earth in another life, in another body, in another place, with another list of ‘things to do’.  As we move through these lives, collecting these lessons, our spirit becomes more and more evolved until ultimately, we reach a state of completion.  It is then that our physical journey is over, and we enter our place in Heaven next to God. 

Who would have known that one sentence from Michael would make me not only re-evaluate everything I believed, but call me to question why it had ever even mattered in the first place.

“Life is a Gift.”  Whatever quality that Michael laced this sentence with when He offered it to me was transforming.  This is one of Michael’s finest gifts, and it is so present in His music.   He has a way of expressing something and making others feel it.  Whatever words do to devoid something of meaning, Michael can resuscitate it.  He breathes life into everything.  He has this way of expressing something that we all have heard a thousand times, and making it new again.  How remarkable. 

So, when I allowed these four words to seep into my soul, what surfaced was an epiphany.  I was stunned.  The Gift is not what comes AFTER life.  This IS the Gift.  Right here, right now.  This moment.  THIS IS IT.  LIFE is the Gift.  A very personal and unique Gift entrusted to each one of us.  The Holiest of undertakings... to be carriers of Life. 

Is it really the work of a Loving, All-Knowing God  to observe us from above while He waits to see if we will manage to find the right religion, and by this "grace,"  be redeemed ?  To make life a test of faith,  or some kind of suffering intended to earn us eternal life and a place with Him in Heaven?  

So here we are, all fumbling through life, most of us hoping to get it right.  Some of us seeking escape or comfort, others anticipating an ultimate reward.  How ungrateful !   Is it really God we seek, or is it immortality?   We have been given this glorious planet absolutely teeming with beauty and possibility.  An original work of art, designed in perfect mastery, and we are waiting for more?!   The human race needs to be humbled.  Is anything ever enough?  No wonder Michael was so passionate about teaching us to take care of our planet.  No wonder He was so desperate for us to Love each other, to make that change, to teach us that we are all ONE.  No wonder He was so humbled and awed by this Earth and everything in it.  And no wonder He was grieving for Elizabeth, because she has left this beautiful place behind.  Is her soul somewhere now reflecting in some place or state of knowing… watching us… seeing us all wandering around, hoping for something better and breaking her heart as she witnesses our lack of joy and appreciation for this one precious, sacred Gift that she now sees so clearly?  Wishing for an opportunity to come back to this Heaven and LIVE?!   Because this is where Love is.   Here, on this planet.  In the trees and the birds and the oceans… and in us.  God exists in all life.   He has been here all along, waiting patiently for us to recognize Him, so He can finally embrace us in a Paradise Consciousness that is the essence and intention of our very soul.

God is everywhere.  There is no reuniting with Him.  Our being alive is proof that He is already inside us. Knowing this, we no longer need more.   Confirmation of life beyond the moment of Now becomes irrelevant.  We are already in Eternity.

…And to evolve spiritually until we have learned everything and reach completion?  How is that even possible?  There is no end to God.  The Universe is continual.  Time is a circle.  Spiritual completion already lives in the molecules of our own design... the unbreakable unity with the Divine.  It is He who completes us.  Not lessons, or time, or knowledge, or any advancement that the finite human mind finds enlightening. 

We have likely heard the expression that we create our own heaven or hell here on Earth.  How true this is.  Granted, some of us have been given advantages that others haven’t.  Some have physical or mental handicaps.  Some are born into poverty.  Some are trapped in war-torn countries.  There are countless situations in the world that cause struggle and challenge.  This is what makes everyone’s Gift unique.   True joy comes, not from circumstance, but through intimacy with God.  And it is within this intimacy, where we can begin at last, to learn to share unselfishly,  to accept all differences,  to care for the Earth,  Her creatures and one another,  to appreciate beauty in all its forms,  to listen without ego and Love without limit,  and teach one another to do the same.   Then,  at last, we will being to understand what it means to pass through the gates of Paradise, and enter the kingdom of Heaven.

See you there :)



HEAVEN IS HERE

You and I were never separate 

It's just an illusion 

Wrought by the magical lens of Perception 

There is only one Wholeness 

Only one Mind 

We are like ripples 

In the vast Ocean of Consciousness 

Come, let us dance 

The Dance of Creation 

Let us celebrate 

The Joy of Life 

The birds, the bees 

The infinite galaxies 

Rivers, Mountains

Clouds and Valleys 

Are all a pulsating pattern 

Living, breathing 

Alive with cosmic energy 

Full of Life, of Joy 

This Universe of Mine 

Don't be afraid 

To know who you are 

You are much more 

Than you ever imagined 

You are the Sun 

You are the Moon 

You are the wildflower in bloom 

You are the Life-throb 

That pulsates, dances 

From a speck of dust 

To the most distant star 

And you and I were never separate 

It's just an illusion 

Wrought by the magical lens of Perception 

Let us celebrate The Joy of Life 

Let us dance The Dance of Creation 

Curving back within ourselves 

We create 

Again and again 

Endless cycles come and go 

We rejoice 

In the infinitude of Time 

There never was a time 

When I was not 

Or you were not 

There never will be a time 

When we will cease to be 

Infinite, Unbounded 

In the Ocean of Consciousness 

We are like ripples 

In the Sea of Bliss 

You and I were never separate 

It's just an illusion 

Wrought by the magical lens of Perception 

Heaven is Here 

Right now is the moment of Eternity 

Don't fool yourself 

Reclaim your Bliss 

Once you were lost 

But now you're home 

In a nonlocal Universe 

There is nowhere to go 

From Here to Here 

Is the Unbounded Ocean of Consciousness 

We are like ripples 

In the Sea of Bliss 

Come, let us dance 

The Dance of Creation 

Let us celebrate 

The Joy of Life 

And You and I were never separate 

It's just an illusion 

Wrought by the magical lens of Perception 

Heaven is Here Right now, this moment of Eternity 

Don't fool yourself 

Reclaim your Bliss

~ Michael Jackson, from "Dancing The Dream"

Blessings, Love, and Wisdom to all

Siren xxx

03/27/11

Copyright 2011 © by Siren

Return of the King

Just for fun.. and while I am on the topic of Michael and Jesus being contributors to the same Christ story, I thought I would talk about something that I didn’t discuss in my last musing, “Christ Michael”. Of all the similarities between the lives of Jesus and Michael, there is one glaring event that is missing from Michael’s story: His resurrection. Or is it? This got me thinking about the different forms or interpretations that a resurrection might take. For example…

Let’s start with ‘symbolic resurrection’. I think one would have to admit that since Michael's passing, He has made an unbelievable ‘return’. His music sales have increased exponentially – adding to an already unattainable world record. His memorabilia and collectables have become highly sought after, and prices for them have skyrocketed. The movie "This Is It" hit theatres with a vengeance, and was viewed by thousands of people worldwide. There have been countless events to honour Michael, as well as tributes, inductions, awards, exhibits, shows… even a new album. People traveled from every corner of the globe to be present at Forest Lawn on the first anniversary of his passing. Books have been written, fan clubs have emerged, even traditions have begun in His honour (the Major Love Prayer, for one). Not only that, but something else remarkable happened when our Michael passed. His fan base multiplied alarmingly. Without explanation or warning, people all over the globe describe being ‘struck’ by Michael, and instantly felt a deep connection to Him. So deep, in fact, that thousands of people claim to have been spiritually awakened by His Love. That is a pretty amazing comeback in my book. Especially considering Michael’s absence from the limelight for the last few years of His life. His symbolic resurrection has been astoundingly powerful. He is everywhere. More so now than ever before. A global phenomenon… or a miracle, if you like.  

Let’s move on to ‘physical resurrection ’. After the trial, and Michael’s media crucifixion, He withdrew from the spotlight .  He was labelled a ‘recluse’ as though it were a bizarre reaction. But Michael had had enough. He was not going to allow anyone the opportunity to abuse Him further. How anyone could blame Him for that, I will never understand. 

Here is something that Michael wrote back in 1995                            

“Like the old Indian proverb says,

do not judge a man until you've walked

Photo by Amy Grace

2 moons in his moccasins.

Most people don't know Me,

that is why they write such things

in which most is not true.

I cry very often because it hurts

and I worry about the children,

all My children all over the world. 

I live for them.

If a man could say nothing against a character

but what he can prove,

history could not be written.

Animals strike, not from malice,

but because they want to live. 

It is the same with those who criticize. 

They desire our blood, not our pain. 

But still I must achieve. 

I must seek truth in all things. 

I must endure for the power I was sent forth. 

For the world. 

For the children.

But have mercy, for I've been bleeding a long time now…”

I wonder how long someone can bleed from the soul before they eventually die? There is no doubt that this was an extremely drawn-out, deep-suffering, torturous death. It was an execution of the cruellest form. One might argue that Michael’s crucifixion was even more inhumane than that of Jesus’, in that it lasted for years. When I think about our beautiful Michael suffering for this long, and to this extent, it really is unbearable. Michael is like this pristine Angel in my eyes, and the thought of anyone hurting Him causes me physical agony. I feel His suffering in my own soul, and it becomes difficult to breathe through the despair and grief.



Like a phoenix from the ashes...

But Michael endured. Michael rose above all of it. He continued to create His beautiful art and offer it to this undeserving world. He maintained His compassion and enormous Love for humanity. He held His composure.  He continued to exhibit grace. He stayed strong. He did not alter His course. He refused to give in to evil. He would not fall…

Eventually, after they administered their final, most devastating blow, they sent Him reeling into silence. But just when it seemed they had defeated Him, and that the world had seen the last of Michael Jackson, like a phoenix from the ashes, Michael rose again. In full force, with thousands at His feet, selling out 50 shows in mere minutes, the world on its knees, awaiting the return of the King.

Did they really think Michael was going to go away? I wonder if they thought that when He died? I wonder if they will ever understand that He will never be gone. After 50 years have they not learned anything?

"Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him,
everyone who pierced Him; and all of earth will wail on account
of Him."  (Revelations 1:7)

This brings us to the fun part... ‘Spiritual resurrection’ – or the return to Earth in ethereal form. I was recently reminded of a note that Michael allegedly wrote in May of 2009, which reads: “I Love you. See you in July, 2011” with an arrow next to the year. Some have written this off as a simple mistake, and that Michael had meant to write 2009, in reference to the upcoming concerts to be held in London at the O2 arena. Others believe this note is a fake. And still others believe that Michael’s death was a hoax, and are awaiting His return, believing that He left this note as a clue, for those who were paying attention. But what if this note is actually legitimate. There may be more to Michael’s Earthly story yet to come. A return? Maybe not in the sense that the ‘hoaxers’ are thinking...

Michael's note

Michael was a perfectionist, and paid enormous attention to detail. I don’t know how it would be possible for Him to inadvertently write 2011, when He intended to write 2009. The other thing about this that speaks to me is the number 11. Several people have mentioned the number 11 being prominent lately… showing up frequently in different places. The number 11 in its spiritual interpretation is considered to be a ‘master number’ because it is a double digit of the same number…in this case the number 1. When a number appears as a double digit, its vibration frequency is doubled. The number 1 represents beginnings, action, focus, and union. So in the case of number 11, the power of these attributes would be doubled.In numerology, the number 11 represents higher ideals, creation, refinement, congruency, balance, fulfillment, and vision. It represents male and female equality, and it also carries both Sun and Moon energies in perfect balance. When we add the numbers 1+1, we get 2 (which is the number 11 reduced). The number 2 also represents balance, along with equality, justice, calmness, kindness, tact, and duality.

In contrast, the meaning of the number 11 in the Bible is disorder and chaos. In biblical numerology, the number 10 marks the perfection of Divine order, and the number 12 marks the perfection of Divine government. So whether you consider it 10+1, or 12-1, it is the number in between the two perfections, symbolizing disorganization and upheaval. Did you know that there are 777 days between June 25th, 2009 and July 11th, 2011? Coincidence? 7/11/11? Interesting, don’t you think?...

If there is such thing as a “Spiritual Resurrection” – in other words, if Michael is returning to Earth after death, and if biblical prophecies are accurate, then we could be about to find ourselves in the middle of something astronomical. Frightening? Maybe, but somehow I don’t think so…

“Well they say the sky’s the limit

  And to Me that’s really true

  But my friend,

  you have seen nothing

  Just wait til I get through”

 -   Michael Jackson

Strength in unity.  United by His L.O.V.E.

I love you all more.

Siren xxx

03/21/11

Copyright 2011 © by Siren

Christ Michael

In order to research this topic properly, I started where I thought this all began - the Bible. The New Testament book of Matthew (which recounts the story of Jesus’ life) was at the top of the list. It had been years since I had read the book of Matthew, but I imagined as I read it, it would all come back to me. Of course it did, but there was something different this time. This time, I felt it. I was glued to that text from start to finish, hanging on every familiar word. Knowing how the story ended, but finding myself praying for a different outcome. By the end, I was crying. What was wrong with me? How could I have spent so much of my life knowing this story of Jesus, and here, after all these years, feeling it for the first time? Yes, I had cried about Jesus before. His story is so sad, so full of love. How could someone not connect to the emotion of it? But this was a totally different experience. This time I cried soul tears.

I was never hard-hearted. I always had compassion and was always very sensitive to the suffering of others. Excessively so in fact, in that I tried to fix everything for everyone, wanting everybody to be happy and emotionally safe at all times. I always accepted the context of Jesus’ sacrifice as it was explained to me, and believed that I was adequately grateful for it. Wrong. What I realized was that, even then, thinking I was a follower of Jesus and a believer in God, I was totally blind. Standing in darkness and completely unaware of it. Praying for others when I should have been praying for myself. Lord deliver me from my illusion.

I mentioned soul tears. What exactly does that mean? Actually, it doesn’t really mean anything. I made it up. I find myself doing that a lot these days. I have become so unsatisfied with vocabulary. I am frustrated by it because so much of what I am experiencing lately cannot be translated. I have discovered things that there is not language for. There are words but they have a different meaning. Here’s an example: “love”. I thought I knew what “love” meant. To love. I thought I knew its capacities… its variances… its degrees… its flavours: the love of a partner, a friend, a mother, a soul-mate. Wrong again. Does that mean I never loved? No…I did! I loved passionately! Deeply! … ever wearing my heart on my sleeve, giving it over completely and recklessly to those whom I committed myself. I didn’t know anything. But how could I?  I was a child to Love's teachings.

…And then there was Michael. A moment in time that would change me forever. He was my Awakening. When His Light shone, it wasn’t He who was illuminated - it was everything else. He showed me all things. ALL THINGS. He showed me beauty. A beauty so intense that the eye can barely stand to look upon it. A beauty that destroys me and heals me at once. He showed me Love. A Love so huge that it bears down on my soul and leaves me paralysed. A Love that knows no limit - not even death. He showed me forgiveness. A forgiveness with a depth that carries no memory. One that absolves and refuses to surrender to desperation. He showed me sacrifice. Sacrifice without expectation. Sacrifice that does not recognize guilt or shame. A sacrifice - given only once - but that sustains all people for all time. And then He showed me God. A Power that reaches far beyond any interpretation that man has assigned to It. A Divineness which is merciless in It's Love for me. A God that I fall to, but Who lifts me up. One that encompasses all things at all times, yet is incomplete without me.

So these are the things that leave me scrambling for words. They are things that cannot be explained or defined. We are limited in language, and these gifts know no bounds. So my language evolves. I evolve.

Getting back to soul tears. These tears are ancient. They encompass more than sadness, they encompass all emotion all at once. Soul tears are the release of every sadness, every joy, every loss, every victory, every frustration, every resolution, every pain, every ecstasy, every loneliness, every union, every tear ever shed for every occasion throughout time. They are the emotional collectiveness of all life. The expression of emotional Oneness. You know them when they come. They reach far beyond yourself and surprise you. They take you over.

I cried these tears for the first time on November 2, 2009, after watching the movie "Michael Jackson's This Is It." Since then, I have been trying to make sense of them. Why on earth did Michael Jackson affect me so profoundly? Why did I feel such immense longing and such deep mourning for a man who was never physically in my life? I could still listen to His music and watch His short films, and what would be the difference? What was it that I had lost???

First on my list: my mind! I had lost my mind. What other possible explanation could there be? It frightened me. What was going to happen to me? In my desperation, I started to research Michael, looking for anything and everything I could find about Him. But while I was doing this, I discovered something very unexpected. I was not alone. There were others like me. Thousands more, in fact, all crying soul tears for Michael, and none of them really understanding why. Ok so I am not crazy. Either that or thousands of people worldwide were also crazy, and it happened to us all at the same exact moment! So we can strike the likelihood of that off the list. What else? Well, this must be temporary. He was a fixture in the life of so many for so long. We grew up with Michael. His music was the soundtrack to our childhoods. His songs were land markers for major events in our lives. Letting Michael go was like letting go of a part of our past… something entwined in our memories. That was definitely something to mourn. But time passed, and the wounds did not heal. Michael’s loss became more and more evident. My need for Him grew, and not only was I mourning Him, but now I had begun to miss Him. Miss someone I had never known. I felt a huge absence in my life that just kept increasing. It made me fixate on Him, and the rest of my life suffered. I just desperately wanted to fill this gaping void, and there was only One who could.

So began my journey to discovering who Michael really was, my relationship with Him, and what came next.

What is a messiah? Messiah literally means “anointed one” and was originally a term used for kings, priests, and prophets. The Christian interpretation of ‘messiah’ is a spiritual saviour sent by God. It is the Christian messiah’s role to preach the word of God, which is Love. He is the sacrificial Lamb. He gives Himself completely to humanity, and eventually suffers brutally at the hands of others, ultimately resulting in His death. It is this sacrifice that redeems the human spirit and delivers us back to God.

Because Michael was an entertainer, it is difficult for some to see Him as a teacher or prophet, but that is in fact, exactly what Michael was. When you begin to look deeper into Michael’s work, it becomes very evident that He had a message… a very important one.

It is known that when Jesus taught, He often spoke in parables. This, too, is true with Michael. The lyrics to Michael’s songs are stories with much deeper meaning.

Let’s look at “You Are Not Alone”. At first glance, it seems as though this is a story of a man deeply in love with a woman, from whom he has been separated. But if you look at the words again, and consider them the words of a Messiah, the beauty of the song becomes magnified, and makes much more sense.

“Just the other night,

I thought I heard you cry

Asking Me to come

and hold you in My arms.

I can hear your prayers,

your burdens I will bear

But first I need your hand,

then forever can begin.”

This last line is one of huge importance. This is one of the fundamental requirements of every single faith - we must surrender. We must give ourselves over to God. Give your heart. Because He will not take you. We must go willingly. Once we take that first step, then forever (eternity) with Him begins. Do you think something of this depth – something with this kind of meaning and profoundness could be coincidental? Accidental? Let’s look further.

“A rhythm nation, fulfill the truth.

The final message we bring to you.

There is no danger.

Fulfill the Truth.

So come together, we’re meaning you.

We’re sending out a major Love

And this is our message to you

The planets are lining up.

They’re bringing brighter days.

They’re all in line waiting for you.

Can’t you see you’re just another part of Me?” Michael talked a lot about Oneness, that we are all one unit. We are all a part of God. He talked about God living within us, and that we are all connected.

He also talked about His “Army of Love”. It's interesting to think about who the “rhythm nation” could be, carrying the final message of Truth.

This next one was pivotal for me.

The lyrics to “This Is It”

“This is it.

Here I stand.

I’m the Light of the world.

I feel grand.

Got this Love

I can feel

And I know, yes for sure

This is real.

And I feel as though I’ve known you

for a thousand years.

And you tell me that you’ve seen

my face before.”

I thought about this a lot. The obvious line being “I’m the Light of the world”. Jesus made this exact same statement in John 8:12. This, along with the last two lines that suggest that Michael has been here before, really had me reeling. The bible tells us that the Christ is destined to return to earth: “Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation, without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him” Hebrews 9:28“

I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself” John 14:2-3

“Behold, I am coming soon…” Revelations 22:12

So could this be the return? If Michael and Jesus are each a contribution to the same Christ story, then how can they threaten one another? The story of Michael does not blaspheme the story of Jesus. What it does, in fact, is complete the prophecy. The more I thought about this, the more it made sense to me. There really was just WAY too much similarity in the lives of Jesus and Michael to be mere coincidence. Here are some obvious comparisons…

Jesus was born to humble beginnings - Michael was born to humble beginnings Jesus’ father was named Joseph - Michael’s father was named Joseph Jesus was revered as a child - Michael was revered as a child Jesus’ message was “Love” - Michael’s message was “Love” Jesus talked about restoring ‘God’s kingdom’ - Michael talked about healing the world Jesus and Michael were both, first and foremost, humanitarians Both were extremely humble Jesus was a teacher and healer - Michael was a teacher and healer Jesus had many followers - Michael had many followers Jesus and Michael were both mocked and ridiculed (along with their followers) Jesus loved and revered children and called us to be like them – Michael loved and revered children and called us to be like them Jesus spoke the word of God - Michael spoke the word of God Jesus was called “King” - Michael was called “King” Jesus and Michael were both betrayed by someone close to them Both endured a fall from grace in the eyes of public opinion Both Jesus and Michael were betrayed for money Jesus was persecuted - Michael was persecuted Jesus and Michael both faced trial (at which, they both remained silent) Both trials were based on false charges. Both Jesus and Michael were found not guilty of any crime Both were crucified anyway Jesus and Michael both prophesised their own deaths Jesus’ impact was magnified after death - Michael’s impact was magnified after death.

That is an astounding amount of similarities. Too many for me to write off as coincidence. I really feel that a person who sees this comparison and doesn’t find it worthy of a closer look must be afraid of something. Sometimes the search for truth is a frightening thing. Often people choose avoidance over wisdom in order to remain comfortable. God asks us to seek truth in all things. That cannot happen if we hide from things that shake us up. It is our responsibility to search for truth, and allow it to heal us. God has nothing to hide. We must challenge ourselves to learn. We must follow with open hearts and open minds. This is the true nature of a trusting relationship with God.

Besides carrying the message of Love and Unity, some of Michael’s songs seem to be telling us something else. Something about Michael Himself. For example, here are some of the lyrics to HIStory”:

“He says one day you will see

His place in world HIStory

He dares to be recognized

The fire’s deep in His eyes

How many victims must there be

Slaughtered in vain across the land?

And how many struggles must there be

Before we choose to live the Prophet’s plan

Everybody sing…

All nations sing

Let’s harmonize all around the world”

Have you thought about who it is who dares to be recognized… and why?

The lyrics to “Cry”…

“Stories buried and untold

Someone is hiding the Truth, hold on

When will this mystery unfold

And will the sun (Son) ever shine

In the blind man’s eyes when he cries?

You can change the world (I can’t do it by Myself)

You can touch the sky (Gonna take somebody’s help)

You’re the chosen one (I’m gonna need some kind of sign)”

The lyrics to “Best Of Joy”

“I am your Joy, your best of Joy

I am the moonlight, you are the spring

Our Love's a sacred thing

You know I always will love you

I am forever

I am the One who came when you fell down

I was the only One around

When things were hurting you

I am forever

Wasn’t it I who said that you are free

When it seemed so hard to be

And things were hurting you?

I am forever”

Here is another lyrical comparison that I would like to make that I recently discovered while doing research for this musing. Michael’s song “Will You Be There” is one that moves me very deeply. Not only the words, but the rhythm and melody also. There is something in it that stirs me to the core. My soul interprets the language of it – one that my conscious mind doesn’t fully understand – and it heals me somewhere, somehow, on some level. It is Holy. Here is a portion of the lyrics:

“Hold Me

Lay your head lowly

Softly then boldly

Carry Me there

Lead Me

Love Me and feed Me

Kiss Me and free Me

I will feel blessed

Carry, Carry Me boldly

Lift Me up slowly

Carry Me there

Save Me

Heal Me and bathe me

Softly you say to Me

I will be there…”

Then I discovered this: “For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited Me in. I needed clothes and you clothed Me. I was sick and you came to visit Me. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:35-40 I find the similarity between these two examples to be remarkable. (By the way, the first line in the song “Will You Be There?” is: “Hold Me, like the River Jordan." Of course we know this to be the place where Jesus’ baptism took place).

Besides the lyrics to Michael’s songs, I also researched His poetry. I have to include this poem in its entirety because I really feel every line has meaning and message to it:

“Are You Listening?”

Are You Listening?

Who am I?

Who are you?

Where did we come from?

Where are we going?

What's it all about?

Do you have the answers?

Immortality's My game

From Bliss I came

In Bliss I am sustained

To Bliss I return

If you don't know it now

It's a shame

Are you listening?

This body of Mine

Is a flux of energy

In the river of time

Eons pass, ages come and go

I appear and disappear

Playing hide-and-seek

In the twinkling of an eye

I am the particle

I am the wave

Whirling at lightning speed

I am the fluctuation

That takes the lead

I am the Prince

I am the Knave

I am the doing

That is the deed

I am the galaxy, the void of space

In the Milky Way

I am the craze

I am the thinker, the thinking, the thought

I am the seeker, the seeking, the sought

I am the dewdrop, the sunshine, the storm

I am the phenomenon, the field, the form

I am the desert, the ocean, the sky

I am the Primeval Self

In you and I

Pure unbounded consciousness

Truth, existence, Bliss am I

In infinite expressions I come and go

Playing hide-and-seek

In the twinkling of an eye

But immortality's My game

Eons pass

Deep inside

I remain

Ever the same

From Bliss I came

In Bliss I am sustained

Join Me in My dance

Please join Me now

If you forget yourself

You'll never know how

This game is played

In the ocean bed of Eternity

Stop this agony of wishing

Play it out

Don't think, don't hesitate

Curving back within yourself

Just create...just create

Immortality's My game

From Bliss I came

In Bliss I am sustained

To Bliss I return

If you don't know it now

It's a shame

Are you listening?

(from Dancing the Dream, by Michael Jackson)

First of all, this poem is breathtakingly beautiful. It is one of those things that touches my soul and alters me. The words have an ancientness and a wisdom to them like nothing I have ever known. They are gospel, and they read like a confession: I’ve been here before – I will be here again – I am immortal - I am Light - I am in all things – I am from God – I return to God – Pay attention.

There are so many examples in Michael’s work that whisper of who He is. I have given just a few examples here – but there are many, many more. When I first started to explore Michael as a Divine presence, I went on a ‘pilgrimage’ of sorts, in which I studied Michael’s lyrics, poetry, short-films, and commissioned artwork – as well as some of His public speeches and interviews. There is so much crucial information to be found, far too much to include here. But with research one uncovers an endless inheritance of symbolism, truths and beautiful revelations just waiting to be discovered. It is an enormous injustice to His genius and Divine nature not to explore them. They are His gifts to us. They are the work and the word of God.

Along this journey of discovery, we begin to realize that Michael was so much more than a Giver of Music. One thing we haven’t discussed yet is miracles. Did Michael perform miracles? Here are some examples of Michael’s miracles as well as the roles He played for His people:

Michael the Healer: If you watch Michael when He meets sick children, He often touches them on the top of their heads as though He is blessing them… healing them? There are several stories of children who were cured of cancer and other illnesses after visiting Michael at Neverland - Gavin Arvizio for one.

Michael the Saviour: The Bible talks about Jesus feeding 5000 people with only a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread. We know that Michael was responsible for feeding thousands and thousands of starving people all over the world. Not only by His own generous donations, but He also inspired a nation of people to come together for famine relief with U.S.A. for Africa (We Are The World). This effort was the beginning of a global response that reduced the number of starving people on the planet by half.

Michael the Shepherd: The Bible describes Jesus as our shepherd, herding souls together, bringing them back to God. I have heard story after story of people who talk about feeling a spiritual connection to Michael, and hold Him personally responsible for their return to God (myself included). You could even say; causing the ‘blind’ to see, or the ‘dead’ to rise. The awakening of the spirit of a great mass of people is something that cannot be described as anything less than a miracle, and most definitely, the work of God.

Michael the Guardian: Jesus said “Suffer the little children to come unto Me” (Matthew 19:14) We know that Michael loved children. He made it His life’s work to help to heal and protect sick, injured, and underprivileged children in every way possible. He opened His Neverland home to countless children in order to bring joy to their suffering. He donated hundreds of millions of dollars to children’s charities. He visited children’s hospitals, orphanages and hospices regularly, bringing them gifts and toys and Love. He created the Heal the World Foundation. He gave free concert tickets to handicapped and needy children, as well as donating 100% of the proceeds for several concerts to children’s charities. He paid for surgeries, hospital stays and even funeral expenses for families of children who couldn’t afford it. This is just a tiny glimpse of the work Michael did toward healing the world's children.

Michael the Steward of Creation: The Bible tells us through several scriptures, that God expects us to take care of our planet. “The land is Mine and you are but aliens and My tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land” (Lev 25:23-24) Michael is well known for His stand on ecology. Here is what He says about our responsibility to the state of our planet in “This Is It” as a lead in to “Earth Song”:

"I respect the sequence and magic of nature. That's why it makes Me so angry when I see these things happening here on earth. That every second I hear the size of a football field is torn down in the Amazon. These things really bother me. That's why I write these kind of songs, to give a sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people. I love the Planet, I love the trees. I have this thing for trees - the colours and changing of leaves. I love it. I respect these kind of things. I really think that nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the planet. Because the planet is sick, like a fever. It's like a runway train. When the times comes, then This Is It. If we don't fix it now, it would be a point of no return.This is our last chance to fix the problem that we have. If we don't take care of it, then who? It starts with us. With us. Or else it would never be done. We have four years to get it right. After that it would be irreversible. Let's take care of the planet." *Note: I thought Michael’s second sentence in this speech was an interesting choice of words “That’s why it makes Me so angry when I see these things happening HERE ON EARTH”

Finally, I would like to look at Michael’s last speech. He gave this speech on the last day of rehearsal for the “This Is It” concerts to be held at the O2 Arena in London in 2009. Here’s what Michael said:

“Everybody's doing a great job. Let's continue and believe and have faith. Give me your all, your endurance, your patience, and your understanding. But it's an adventure, it's a great adventure. It's nothing to be nervous about. They just want wonderful experiences, they want escapism. We wanna take them places that they've never been before. We wanna show them talent like they've never seen before. So give your all. And I love you all. And we're a family. Just know that. We're a family. We're putting love back into the world to remind the world that love is important. Love is important. To love each other. We're all one. That's the message. And take care of the planet. We have four years to get it right or else it's irreversible, the damage we've done. So we have an important message to give. Okay? It's important. But I thank you for your cooperation so far. Thank you. Big thank you. Blessings! Blessings to all.”

At first glance, Michael seems to be talking about the upcoming concert performance, but if you widen your perspective, there seems to be a deeper message. “Let’s continue and believe and have faith. Give Me your all. Your endurance, your patience and your understanding… and I love you all. We’re a family. Just know that… we are a family. We’re putting love back into the world. We are all one. That’s the message. And take care of the planet. Blessings to all”

This sounds somewhat like a farewell speech… not a pep talk. It sounds like a final moment of reminder about what Michael has been saying the entire time He was here. A recap of His Purpose. He leaves us with hope, and a future, and a job to do on His behalf. Then He thanks us, and blesses us. And then He is gone.

But we have not seen the last of Him. I believe there is even more to this story. Much more. If you trace the history of religion to its beginnings, you will find a Christ figure appearing again and again throughout time. Always in a different place, with a different name. But always from God. And always with the same message. God is so much bigger than many of us allow. He is timeless. He is all-encompassing. He always was and always will be. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End. He is Forever. We need to open our minds and look further... think bigger! There is so much more of God to be understood. We don’t need to try to fit Him into one tiny box. We can allow the true nature of Him to spill over the edges and come flooding out. We can embrace the freedom to know Him and Love Him in all His many Lights. We don’t have to take on the beliefs of others, or accept everything we are told. We are not sinners. It is our sacred responsibility to seek our own unique and intimate relationship with God, and honour the incredible Truth it uncovers. The Truth that sits in the abyss of our soul. That ‘knowing’ that stirs impatiently, anticipating its ultimate and long-awaited release.

In the end, how we arrive, with whom, and from which direction is of no consequence. The messenger may vary, but the message remains the same:

“It’s all for Love. L.O.V.E.” – Michael Jackson 2009

More to come…..Love you all more

Siren xxx

03/20/11 Copyright 2011 © by Siren

Two Birds

It's hard to tell them what I feel for You. They haven't ever met You, and no one has Your picture. So how can they ever understand Your mystery? Let's give them a clue:

Two birds sit in a tree. One eats cherries, while the other looks on. Two birds fly through the air. One's song drops like crystal from the sky while the other keeps silent. Two birds wheel in the sun. One catches the light on its silver feathers, while the other spreads wings of invisibility.

It's easy to guess which bird I am, but they'll never find You. Unless ...

Unless they already know a Love that never interferes, that watches from beyond, that breathes free in the invisible air. Sweet bird, my Soul, Your silence is so precious. How long will it be before the world hears Your song in mine?

Oh, that is a day I hunger for!"

- Michael Jackson

Recommended Reading

Dancing the Dream (by Michael Jackson)

The Holy Bible

An Angel Among Us:  We Called Him Michael Jackson (by Elizabeth Michelle Billeaudeaux)

World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present (Geoffrey Parrinder editor)

Anything and everything written by Michael Jackson