Religious writings are full of stories about people receiving direct messages from God. Moses had his burning bush, Mohammed received his divine instruction to bring a new message to the world, and a millennium later, Joseph Smith's visitations by the Divine resulted in the formation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The list of communicators with God is impressively large, and not surprisingly so.

In my opinion, we all speak to God everyday, but we're so caught up in our limited view of reality that we fail to notice. I can say this, perhaps, because my view of God is remarkably uncomplicated. To me, there is only God. Every bird, every tree, every person I encounter is another aspect of the Oneness expressing its infinite nature for my (and its own) pleasure. Consequently, every voice I hear speaks the word of God, even though any two of them may be expressing opposing views. Of course, this makes blind obedience to a higher power a bit of a challenge, and ultimately I am left to weigh the words I hear and decide for myself.

Like most little children, when I was growing up I had a host of imaginary friends to keep me company. I find they're still very much with me today, although they've evolved over the years, just as I have. We've put away the games of our childhood, and now, driven by the flames of new curiosities, we explore other parts of the cosmic mysteries together. By most objective standards, I'd probably be considered a late bloomer. After stumbling through high school and some college, I became a self-employed entrepreneur - probably because no company would have me. I wandered around the world inventing new ways to have adventures while setting up a business venture here and there to pay my way.

En route I met the most amazing people and experienced the wisdom of numerous philosophies and religions. By having no belief system of my own to defend or use as a judgmental lens, it was relatively easy to let myself be shaped by whatever culture I happened upon. In the process, I unwittingly mastered the art of absorbing without the need to understand. Looking back, I can see that the entire process was divinely guided and that each new insight or ability prepared me for the direction my life would ultimately take. So here I am, a child in an adult's body, still having delightful conversations with any aspect of God that chooses to play with me.

I find myself engaging in such conversations, for instance, when someone asks me to weigh in on a difficulty they are experiencing. A few days ago, Isabel, a lovely woman I met at one of my talks, sent an email asking my opinion. She had recently heard a channeling from higher entities claiming that it is possible to ascend without leaving one's physical body, and she was quite concerned about her husband and household pets who died several years ago: "I wonder what becomes of those who have gone through the death transition rather than ascend with their bodies. Are they allowed to return in a fourth-density expression (the next level of consciousness that awaits those who achieve ascension), or are they doomed to repeat additional lifetimes as third-density humans? Will I ever see my husband or pets again?" I was fascinated by her question but had no idea how to respond. So I simply tuned into a higher point of view and spoke from there:

" I am starting to take more and more of what I hear with a liberal grain of salt. The stuff we like seems true to us; the stuff we don't like, we usually toss. There's got to be a better way. For now, I am content to know absolutely nothing. That way I don't have to worry about being right or wrong. Whatever exists for me is simply my perception - if I buy into it and induce others into agreement, I create a new consensus reality. Should I change my mind, everything falls away.

"Hence the adage: 'Change your mind, change your life.'

"You are hereby invited to create whatever future you'd like. After all, that's what you've been doing with the every present moment you've experienced so far, so why stop now? As far as I can see, you're in charge of the whole universe - so start acting like it. While you're at it, I'd like a praline ice cream cone, please. May I have some chocolate sprinkles on it, too?"

Apparently these were the very words Isabel needed to hear: "You never fail to call upon my highest awareness with your responses. In other words, you always make me think - not 'think' per se; perhaps 'feel,' 'imagine,' or 'remember' would be a better word. Your invitation to create whatever future I like made me grin from ear to ear. I choose Peace, Harmony, Grace, Freedom, Abundance, and Love; most of all, LOVE. That's the reality I choose to create.  And, of course, a praline ice cream cone for you - with chocolate sprinkles, of course. I love you, my dear friend.  You make me reach deep down for the simple truth that is - it turns out - never farther away than my own choice to see it."

What we see always depends on where we're looking from. Each of us is a continuum of points of view ranging from ego at the lowest end to Oneness at the highest. The higher up the continuum we listen, the grander is the scale of the answer, to the point where when we lose touch with ego altogether, we feel ourselves in the presence of God and hear the answer coming from Allness.

When things appear difficult, it's a sure sign that we're stuck in a particular point of view. Having deep-rooted beliefs or convictions will almost always do that to you. I invite you to call upon your imaginary friends whenever you'd like a second opinion. Simply put out the question to the universe and allow the response to come. There will always be an answer. I find this a simple process that invariably works.

All I ask is that when God does speak to you, please don't feel you have to start another religion. We already have more than enough.

Copyright © 2007 Jean-Claude Koven / All Rights Reserved.
Jean-Claude Koven is a writer and speaker based in Rancho Mirage, CA. He is a featured weekly columnist for the UPI (United Press International) Religion and Spirituality Forum and the author of 'Going Deeper: How to Make Sense of Your Life When Your Life Makes No Sense,' recipient of both the Allbooks Reviews editor's choice award and the USABookNews.com award for the best metaphysical book of the year. For more information, please visit Going Deeper.org.

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