Dearest Hearts,

While recently preparing some notes on deep self love, for my class “Birthing The Heart and Mind of God” I felt, and saw from my peripheral vision an image of a man I know well, Moses. It was not the first time he had come to visit.

Acknowledging his presence, he said, “Do you know why the commandment, Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself, never worked?” (Not that many of the others did.) Feeling that I had that answer, I waited for his response.

“Because humanity has never learned to love themselves, so how in your world could they deeply and sacredly ever love thy neighbor as themselves? Humanity can never love their neighbor or another to any greater degree than they are able to love themselves.

That is why there has never been a generation, since the beginning of human incarnations, that has escaped war, whether in their home, their hearts or on the open fields.”

“Humanity,” he said, “has never learned the meaning or value of self-love.”

That gave me pause, as I thought about the profundity of his words, and the implications.

Thus, we engaged in a rather lengthy conversation about one of the most important aspects of the current ascension, loving thyself, knowing thyself and honoring thyself, in a manner that didn’t reduce it to new-age, spiritual rhetoric.

Moses went on to tell me something very profound. He shared, from a very different perspective, why he never made it into the “Promised Land.”

While it is written in numerous texts that he was barred from entering the Promised Land, due to a direct disobedience of a request asked of him by God, on the day he decided to visit me, he told me something very different.

“First of all, God punishes no one,” he said. “There are laws to enter into the Promised Land, not punishment to keep one out. One of the laws is To Know Oneself, which in turn leads one to Honor Thyself.”

Moses lived in every moment to honor God, by honoring God’s many assignments which included to free slaves, guide them through the wilderness for forty years, petition to unleash plagues against Egypt, carry down God’s laws from Mt. Sinai, and more.

Moses forgot about himself, forsaking himself repeatedly, for the benefit of others, and even forsaking himself to his own anger. He knew to do nothing other than that, often being seen as having a penchant for being distracted by his long stream of assignments, (some of which he told me, were perceived assignments.)

By not knowing himself, he was unable to honor himself, or love himself. Though he honored God, he separated himself from God, never understanding that he and God were One and were meant to be known, loved and honored as One. For these reasons, he said, he was unable to enter into “The Promised Land.”

Stunned that this conversation was taking place with me, tears rolled down my cheeks.

How many years had I been like Moses, I asked myself? How many years have you?

The Promised Land, the land of Ascension, has always been promised to all who honored the laws of entry, to “Know Thyself” and to “Honor Thyself” Through these great acts we are made able to know how to love ourselves, our neighbors and all others properly, and be trusted to never decimate Holy Ground with unholy behavior ever again.

I deeply thanked Moses for his wisdom, knowing that it’s never to late for anyone, including him. I consciously put my hand in his, fused our energy together and promised we’d walk hand in hand into the Promised Land, together.

This year of 2011, we have the opportunity to walk the last miles into our destined Homeland. Let’s walk the final miles together, in love, knowing ourselves, and honoring ourselves.

Let’s abolish commandments, honor our long ago commitments, learn from those who came before us and be impeccable with our actions and words.

Let’s pay attention to every moment of every day. Let’s consciously notice if we are walking toward or away from “The Promised Land.” Let’s know what’s required and not skip any of the steps. Let’s be impeccable about this ascension, knowing we can’t enter Holy Ground through a back gate, which Moses made clear.

We were born this time to make it to the Promised Land. The Great Divine awaits our passage, and is leading us there in every moment. Whether we are paying attention or not, is another story; like the one Moses told.

I wish you each love, joy, blessings, clarity and abundance. May Grace follow you wherever you go. Know you are loved!

Namaste,

Maureen Moss