June | 2016 | A Glimpse of Heaven: The Philosophy of True Health

A question from a reader of my book and blog: When I look at all that is going on in the world, often so much negativity and difficulty, I wonder if there really are angels. To many this may seem like a silly question or concern. Nevertheless, I believe that some level of intrinsic goodness is all that has kept the human race going, vs. destroying itself. That said, I am deeply concerned about such a plethora of bad things happening all around the world: Maybe it is simply because modern technology allows us to know what is happening almost everywhere, even in real time. I know that the world has always had lots of bad stuff going on, but it seems likely to be worse nowadays. What are your thoughts?

Response: I believe that the most important thing in this and many regards, is that we learn to better and better embrace the notion that our most significant and primary calling (in having been placed on this earth), is to recognize and act upon the knowledge that it is our daily responsibility to make the world a better place. If this became the norm for more and more and more of us, oh what a different world it would be!

Quite humbly and respectfully, I believe it less important to concern ourselves with angels, i.e., in the most traditional sense...I believe it so much more important to be our own bright beautiful angels and diligently make the world a better place (AND doing so in a loving spirit of true appreciation and gratitude). This is not to in any way deny the existence of angels in the classic sense, quite the contrary. If angels do exist, then maybe they’d feel better about the whole thing if we took more and more true responsibility for our own well-being. Hence the old saying, “God helps those who help themselves.”

Once again, please know I mean all of this quite humbly and respectfully. Having said that, I believe that, each day, I should ask myself, “Haven’t I already been given all of the wonderful gifts that I need?” How dare I selfishly think that I always need help, when I can do so much more for myself. Why do I choose to repetitively get stuck on stagnant plateaus (‘plateaus’ that can be like a living death)? Why do I not more appreciate all of the truly splendid blessings that have been offered/given to me? Why do I not recognize my responsibility to do the right thing for the right selfless sake?

Maybe it is important to recognize what might be the greatest of blessings on this earth, i.e., that there is ALWAYS room for improvement, greater and greater levels of insight and the practical application thereof…thus being more and more willing to embrace healthful change. In this fashion, it may be quite possible to become more and more healthful conduits between heaven and earth. At a minimum, can we at least acknowledge that the world might be a much better and different place if we at least take time to consider such notions…each day?

I believe in the ages-old notion that, “The primary fault of humankind is the notion that you are there and I am here.” I believe that a most likely means by which to prove it true, is to act upon it as if it is true. I believe that the closer we become to each other, the closer we will come to being our own bright beautiful angels.

I believe we all, to varying degrees, hide behind a wall of lies. In the arts that I teach and coach, an old saying sets forth, “If there is a heaven, a key to the universe, a sixth sense, they are rooted in true honesty, promoting of true happiness and true freedom…but most importantly, needing less and less to hide behind.” It may be much about true forgiveness and learning to witness truth beyond expectations and preset patterns of thinking…playing the part of a less and less blemished witness.

When is the last time you’ve embraced, experienced, genuinely sweet and innocent, light and loving fun? When is the last time you lived a moment, an hour, a day, with your spirit filled with sparkling spine-tingling/shivering appreciation and utter benevolence? A true lightness of being? Ever? Maybe such a lightness of being is consistent with being your own bright beautiful angel – so capable of making the world a better place, each and every day. Maybe we can thus learn to live life as a living loving art form. Maybe, just maybe, living loving true appreciation and gratitude, intrinsically in harmony with empathy, is the ‘magic elixir.’ — Dr. Glen Hepker

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