NOM

One thing I've missed as a NOM is daily scripture reading and prayer. That used to really set a good tone for the day. Our own scriptures are replete with stories and doctrines that I no longer find uplifting. What few uplifting gems there are are few and far between. The same is true with the sacred writings from other traditions I've read. As I've walked this path, I've come across the idea of each individual making their own scriptures, their own collection of stories they find inspirational and uplifting.

Some of the things I have been collecting in my own personal scriptures are

Psalm 23
Beatitudes
Sermon On The Mount
Matthew 11:16-19
Corinthians 13
Mosiah 8:20

The lovely thing about being a NOM is other traditions are fair game

From Hinduism
The archetype of Kali
The archetype of Ganesh
The fable of the blind men and the elephant

From Buddhism
The story where Buddha refuses the abusive man's criticism and, by refusing this "gift" he states the abusive man now owns it.
Holding onto anger is like grasping a coal to throw at someone else. You're the one who gets burned.

From Taoism
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
The universe is pragmatic

From Wicca
An it harm none, do what you will
The concept of perfect love and trust

From Christianity
The idea that God, himself, would come to walk among us and die for us.
Grace
The song "Amazing Grace"

Another lovely thing about being a NOM is these writings were by humans who were trying to explain the divine. This opens up the possibility for other writings that haven't been traditionally considered divine.

The Serenity Prayer
I Have a Dream Speech

The field really is wide open for each of us to compile our own collections of stories we find uplifting and our own guiding principles.

Books
Movies
Music
Poems
Guided meditations
Quotes by people who know what they're doing

What would you put in your collection?

I love the idea of making our own scriptures!
Really, even TBMs couldn't argue because Joseph Smith taught to seek "truth wherever it's found."
I like many of the ones you've mentioned (parts of scriptures, Buddhism, Taoism, I have a dream speech, The Serenity Prayer - excellent).

Jim Rohn suggested keeping journals of notes from books read, which I recently started. But often, I'll just write in books (if they're mine) and re-read parts.

Let's see, besides what's already listed:

• Near Death Experience accounts
  Gottfried Leibniz thoughts on monads and metaphysics (& other faith-promoting philosophers)
  A New Earth and other books by Tolle
  Putting on the Mind of Christ, by J Marion
  And others like...The Road Less Traveled,
  The Joy Diet,
  The Celestine Prophecy,
  Some Sonnets by Shakespeare (especially #15)
  Various Quotes,
  Poetry (esp. Dickinson, Whitman, Frost and Baldwin)
  Conversations with God...

I want to read up more on and incorporate symbolism. I have a dream dictionary by my bed.

Some books I want to read:

• A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love & other Preachings by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
  Stillness Speaks by Tolle
  Manifesting Michelangelo by Joseph Pierce Farrell (about healing)
  A gradual Awakening by Stephen Levine (about meditation)
  The Self-Aware Universe by A. Goswami
  A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
  The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer

Give It Time wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:24 am

The field really is wide open for each of us to compile our own collections of stories we find uplifting and our own guiding principles.
...Music...
What would you put in your collection?

I was thinking about some spiritual times rocking out with my friend and her hippie parents. We'd read and sing the lyrics to different songs. It was fun. I was thinking about incorporating other songs into FHE. Maybe:

• We are the World
  The Prayer, Boseli
  No-one like you, John Denver
  Perhaps Love, "
  Poems, Prayers & Promises, "
  The Greatest Love, Whitney Houston
  When You believe, M Carey, & "
  What About, Breinholt
  Prayer of St. Francis
  You Are Loved, Josh Groban
  Anyway, Martina McBride
  One Love, Bob Marley
  I Believe in You, Amanda Marshall
  Forever Young, Rod Stewart
  More, Matthew West
  On my knees, Jaci Velesquez

I like your list. Most I'm only vaguely familiar with. I especially like the songs. I have to confess I'm intrigued by near-death experiences. I know science has debunked a lot of it, but I know of someone who didn't see a light. Didn't see a being of light when he died on the operating table. He saw darkness and he says a dark being came to visit him. Considering what I know about this man, this seems about right. So, I put some stock in NDEs. I think those are an excellent thing to include.

One thing I've been intrigued to learn is there are 12 laws of karma.

The great law
The law of creation
The law of humility
The law of growth
The law of responsibility
The law of connection
The law of focus
The law of giving and hospitality
The law of here and now
The law of change
The law of patience and reward
The law of significance and inspiration

I would put those in there along with writings about them.

Also, if there are inspiring stories from family history or inspiring historical figures or accounts.

This is such a great idea. I really like your lists.

I would add "Revelation" by Flannery O'Connor. I read this as a TBM at BYUI and it had a really profound effect on me.

Give it Time, I replaced my scripture study time with spiritual time. I try to give a few minutes each day to reading/writing or exploring things that resonate with me spiritually. It doesn't feel like a chore, unlike scripture study in my TBM days.

I'm reading a lot of old classics these days. One book I read frequently is East of Eden by Steinbeck. Lot of wacky stuff in there, but one book I love to read, and makes me cry every time. Don't know why. The spirit maybe?

Mormorrisey wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:16 pm

I'm reading a lot of old classics these days. One book I read frequently is East of Eden by Steinbeck. Lot of wacky stuff in there, but one book I love to read, and makes me cry every time. Don't know why. The spirit maybe?

I love East of Eden. One of my all time favorite books. It's a far more powerful story of redemption and love than anything I can recall getting from church. If you don't mind my asking, which particular part makes you cry?

A lot of music, but some pieces that immediately come to mind:
Beethoven’s seventh symphony – the entire piece
Edvard Grieg’s piano pieces

Ecclesiastes
Various works of Joseph Campbell

A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
The Good Earth (Buck)
My Antonia (Cather)
Jane Eyre (Bronte)
Crossing to Safety (Stegner)
Walden (Thoreau)
East of Eden (Steinbeck)
Mythology/folklore - some Arthurian legends

These are amazing lists. I love all of them.

MoPag, I currently read an uplifting thought and meditate. Sometimes I pray, too. I agree that sometimes prayer and scripture study felt like a chore. It was kind of like working out, but after I did, I seldom regretted it.

Mormorrissey and MerrieMiss, I haven't read East of Eden, but have read and enjoyed Tortilla Flat and Of Mice and Men. I read Grapes Of Wrath while I was living in the Bay Area and it was eye opening. I think I'll add East Of Eden to my list of things to read.

Merrie Miss, I love Grieg and Cather.

Cool idea! For the past couple of years I've filled the gap of prayer and scriptures with getting outdoors, both in the mountains and deserts of Utah. Is my cameras shoot time lapse I have time to just sit and exists, clear my mind, think about the universe or whatever. I've filled the study gap with videos on astrophysics, trying to catch up on the latest theories, at least from a layman perspective. Also very interested in the social sciences of religions and controlling organizations, how people get duped and the psychology of the human mind and behaviors.

I've been avoiding philosophy and religious topics, but perhaps it's time to go back and explore those again. Not for the seeking of some life answers to fill any gap, but just to balance out the science side. There are many scriptures I still have fondness for, even a few in the BOM.

RubinHighlander wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:25 pm

Cool idea! For the past couple of years I've filled the gap of prayer and scriptures with getting outdoors, both in the mountains and deserts of Utah. Is my cameras shoot time lapse I have time to just sit and exists, clear my mind, think about the universe or whatever. I've filled the study gap with videos on astrophysics, trying to catch up on the latest theories, at least from a layman perspective. Also very interested in the social sciences of religions and controlling organizations, how people get duped and the psychology of the human mind and behaviors.

I've been avoiding philosophy and religious topics, but perhaps it's time to go back and explore those again. Not for the seeking of some life answers to fill any gap, but just to balance out the science side. There are many scriptures I still have fondness for, even a few in the BOM.

I like the idea of adding philosophy, but also mental health and science. Also, some of your pictures I'm sure would be nice.

MerrieMiss wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 1:36 pm

Mormorrisey wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:16 pm

I'm reading a lot of old classics these days. One book I read frequently is East of Eden by Steinbeck. Lot of wacky stuff in there, but one book I love to read, and makes me cry every time. Don't know why. The spirit maybe?

I love East of Eden. One of my all time favorite books. It's a far more powerful story of redemption and love than anything I can recall getting from church. If you don't mind my asking, which particular part makes you cry?

That whole section when Lee extrapolates about the Hebrew word "timshel," the story of how Cain MAY triumph over his sins, and then Adam whispers that very word to his son at the end as a blessing. And then the novel just ends. Makes me tear up every time I read it. And yes, as you note, it's all about redemption and just trying to be a better human being. I also think I've come to the place where Steinbeck ended up, as a humanist. Despite my cynicism, powerful expressions of love and the redemptive power of love still get to me.

I know what you mean about the BoM almost spoiling other scriptures for us. I grew up outside of the church & I still have the very worn Bible I had as a child. I'm thankful that the BoM didn't quite ruin that for me, but it's more of a stretch at times now. I agree that having daily scripture or "inspirational reading" time, even a few minutes, helps you approach the day in a more balanced and peaceful way.

Proverbs has always been one of my favorite books in the Bible - I also like Corinthians and the Four Gospels. I like the idea of reading scriptures from other faiths, and you could also add inspirational books (such as writings by C.S. Lewis).

Our relationship with God and with all things we hold holy is personal. Nobody else has had our specific journey in life, or dealt with our specific challenges. It's more than okay to draw comfort and inspiration from things that are personally meaningful; it is essential.

This is a wonderful thread.

In the last couple of years, and especially lately, I have been reading a lot of books that deal with death and dying:
The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion;
Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi,
The End of Your Life Book Club, by Will Schwalbe, and
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness.

They touch me down deep where it's still really raw, but even though it's painful it's also healing to read feelings expressed (sometimes beautifully) that I haven't been able to articulate. I don't believe in eternal families any more, so the comfort my DH finds in church teachings, and the little comments friends offer when the subject comes up ("We're so lucky to know what happens after death") leave me cold. These books on the other hand, give me a certain strength. Life is messy and painful and full of uncertainty, and I don't need certainty to live; I need to know that other people have met with tragedy, and lived with it, and found it worth living. So . . . scripture.

I love what somebody said in an earlier comment -- that scripture is personal. We all need different things, and different things at different times. It's wonderful to learn what others here have found meaningful.

Mormorrisey wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:52 pm

That whole section when Lee extrapolates about the Hebrew word "timshel," the story of how Cain MAY triumph over his sins, and then Adam whispers that very word to his son at the end as a blessing. And then the novel just ends. Makes me tear up every time I read it. And yes, as you note, it's all about redemption and just trying to be a better human being. I also think I've come to the place where Steinbeck ended up, as a humanist. Despite my cynicism, powerful expressions of love and the redemptive power of love still get to me.

I've been reading and rereading that book for at least twenty years, and I always had difficulty reconciling that passage with Mormon teachings. Steinbeck's words spoke more spiritual truth to me, but I believed the church was true...a lot of mental gymnastics going on there.

Give It Time wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:31 pm

I like the idea of adding philosophy, but also mental health and science. Also, some of your pictures I'm sure would be nice.

If you are on Instagram, look me up: WasatchMaxiumus

https://www.instagram.com/wasatchmaximus/

RubinHighlander wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:30 pm

Give It Time wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:31 pm

I like the idea of adding philosophy, but also mental health and science. Also, some of your pictures I'm sure would be nice.

If you are on Instagram, look me up: WasatchMaxiumus

https://www.instagram.com/wasatchmaximus/

I'm not on Instagram, but I looked at your public page. You are an amazing photographer! I especially loved the red rock photos.

Give It Time wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:12 pm

I'm not on Instagram, but I looked at your public page. You are an amazing photographer! I especially loved the red rock photos.

Thank you so much! If there is a God, he/she/iam is out there in Nature and not in any man-made institution or building, at least for me. I can attest to this because I've experience far more and greater metaphysical experiences out there than I ever did in the church.

RubinHighlander wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:31 pm

Give It Time wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:12 pm

I'm not on Instagram, but I looked at your public page. You are an amazing photographer! I especially loved the red rock photos.

Thank you so much! If there is a God, he/she/iam is out there in Nature and not in any man-made institution or building, at least for me. I can attest to this because I've experience far more and greater metaphysical experiences out there than I ever did in the church.

Agreed.

RubinHighlander wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:30 pm

If you are on Instagram, look me up: WasatchMaxiumus
https://www.instagram.com/wasatchmaximus/

Absolutely Breathtaking

Fifi de la Vergne wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:02 am

This is a wonderful thread.

In the last couple of years, and especially lately, I have been reading a lot of books that deal with death and dying:
The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion;
Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi,
The End of Your Life Book Club, by Will Schwalbe, and
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness.

They touch me down deep where it's still really raw, but even though it's painful it's also healing to read feelings expressed (sometimes beautifully) that I haven't been able to articulate. I don't believe in eternal families any more, so the comfort my DH finds in church teachings, and the little comments friends offer when the subject comes up ("We're so lucky to know what happens after death") leave me cold. These books on the other hand, give me a certain strength. Life is messy and painful and full of uncertainty, and I don't need certainty to live; I need to know that other people have met with tragedy, and lived with it, and found it worth living. So . . . scripture.

I love what somebody said in an earlier comment -- that scripture is personal. We all need different things, and different things at different times. It's wonderful to learn what others here have found meaningful.

Fifi, I'm so sorry. I don't know why, but I didn't see your post until just now. I have no idea how i scrolled past it. I thought I read every one.

I'm​ glad you like the idea. I don't know any of those works, but I do know your views. Just about everything you wrote about where you are now resonated with me.