Faith tends to get a bit of a bad rep. At least it has in my humble experience. I don’t know about you, but when I was told to have faith in a book full of fables, such as men surviving being swallowed by a whale, a man rising from his grave, a man gathering two of every animal into an ark as the chosen one to survive 40 days of flooding, seas being parted, a virgin birth, a talking serpent, etc., I found this to be awfully hard to swallow. Being told that something is “truth”, & that you need to have faith in said truth is not the answer, & not the type of faith being outlined here. This is “blind faith”. A desperation, a grasping. I’m talking about the kind of faith that is a knowing, deep trust, at the central core of your being, based on experience.
Many have adopted the mindset of “I have to see it to believe it”, which is a fair expectation. However, at some point one must take a bit of a leap to find that there is indeed a safety net not only catching us, but lifting us up. A bit of openness is required for the magical mysteries of our existence to reveal themselves. Skepticism is indeed a valuable tool, but can be a great detriment to our evolution when relied on extensively, or rigidly.
When talking of faith, it’s hard to avoid viewing it from an angle of religion or spirituality, as they are intertwined. However this piece is not about religion, belief, or even spirituality. But there will be mention of spirit. The undeniable human spirit, which we all can honor & recognize without divisive labels. Although my path has been guided down a road of deepening faith & union with spirit, oneness, or what we may call “God”, one does not have to have declared a relationship with “God”, or even to acknowledge the existence of any higher governing force to tap into the almighty power of faith. I will say that in my evaluation, the ride provides much more peace of mind, purpose, fulfillment, and joy when you attune to the rhythm of our divinity, but that’s an entirely different topic, which of course I share freely about.
So What is Faith Exactly?
When you boil it all down, strip away the conditioning, divisive labels, philosophies, & beliefs, faith is what is left standing as the mover of mountains for the human spirit. Quite simply, faith is a universal language, an energy, that the universe has no choice but to respond to. It’s a lightning rod, an antenna, that connects us to the magnificent, powerful, magical forces of nature, & our highest version of ourselves.
Faith can be applied to infinite aspects of our lives, and while not anchored in “beliefs”, it does require believing. We can have faith, and believe in ourselves, in LOVE, a mentor, our country, career path, our weight loss program, job skills, talents, experiences, the star quarterback of our sports team, whatever it may be. Faith is the mover of the human spirit. The mover of the winds, & tides. Without faith we are drifting aimlessly in a violent, unforgiving ocean, tossed around, victimized by the rhythm of the sea.
Faith is knowing, trust, clarity, vitality, peace of mind. Lack of faith is doubt, fear, uncertainty, paralysis. Faith brings our dreams into reality, removes obstacles, & puts wind in our sails.
OK, OK, enough romanticizing the idea of faith. Admittedly, so far, this writing sounds like an infomercial for faith, but I’m not actually selling anything here. The purpose here is to share my experiences & observations of the power of faith. I hope this will awaken or deepen faith in your own life, wherever you may choose to place it. These inspirational words are coming to me as a result of a particular challenge I’m facing. A challenge which I have gratitude for, because the result is the clear realization, at 33 years of age, that faith is, and always has been the answer in my life (along with love).
Let’s take a closer look at this phenomena. Most of us have heard the same timeless quotes from our great thinkers & leaders of men such as:
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” – Winston Churchill
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” – Mahatma Ghandi
“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything” – Malcolm X
And the Buddha is quoted as saying “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.”
The list goes on and on. Faith is precisely what they are all referring to. Your thoughts are your faith, or lack of. Your thoughts have unfathomable power to literally shape the world around you, and the reality we experience. This goes well beyond the simple mantra of “positive thoughts produce positive results”. On a quantum level the energy of our thoughts & our consciousness sculpts and shapes our existence. Thought produces a vibration, a frequency that effects the physical world around us. The material world is comprised of vibrating atoms, which never rest, and are in a constant state of change. Our thoughts interact with this web of energy, which is interconnected, and filled with the same sentient intelligent design that allows nature to operate perfectly, and effortlessly.
This information is becoming increasingly mainstream. They’ve been proving it in quantum physics experiments for more than half a century now, providing scientific evidence of what the spiritual masters have been telling us for thousands of years. This truth can be traced back to the Egyptian God Thoth, and the Greek God Hermes, in the hermetic teachings. Believed to date back as early as 10,000 BC in the time that the Egyptian pyramids, a marvel & mysterious wonder of our world, were built. This is where all of the self-help experts draw their knowledge from. Abraham Hicks’ “Law of Attraction”, Wayne Dyer’s “The Power of Intention”, the overly commercialized “The Secret”, Napolean Hill’s “Think & Grow Rich”, and Tony Robbin’s “NLP”. They all understand the power of thought, language, and intention. The power of FAITH.
Although I have read about this phenomena in books, believe me when I tell you that I have seen this interconnected web of energy, and how each individual thought directly effects it with my very own eyes, & other senses. This is what’s seen through your third eye, and it’s the experiencing of this deeper reality, beyond what our limited scope can perceive that led me down this path.
Applying Faith In Our Lives
Now that we’re clear on faith being the ultimate mover of the human spirit, and that your thoughts are what drives your faith, what now? Do we simply think whatever we desire in our lives into existence? Does this mean I can think about a Lamborghini & it will magically appear in my driveway? Unfortunately, it’s not quite that easy. However, if a Lamborghini is what I truly desired, the right amount of faith & belief that I will acquire one, is precisely what it would take to do so.
People who achieve a high level of monetary success do so because they have faith that they can. It’s really that simple. They believe in themselves, in their chosen path, in capitalism, getting a degree, or not needing one, and they go out & do it. This brings us full circle to the fact that one doesn’t have to have any direct belief in a higher intelligent design to use the power of faith. As well, this is how those who are a cruel, evil, cancer on our world are able to attract massive monetary abundance. They have faith that they will, and that they deserve it, while the laws of karma are repaying them, and playing out on other levels. Not that I necessarily endorse this path as a means to fulfillment & purpose, but the point is that faith & believing will take you where you want to go; whether faith in yourself, love, a higher power, or whatever you choose. The faith, thoughts, & energy that you’re projecting into the universe will be responded to. There is no escaping it. You get what you put out.
When a major league pitcher faces a batter, he has faith that he’s going to strike him out. The hitter has faith that he’s going to crush the ball. If either falters in their faith, they lose the battle. A batter with no belief or trust that they’re going to hit the ball will strike out every single time. The same goes for the NBA star who sinks free throws automatically, with ease, during crunch time. The PGA tour pro who sinks putts effortlessly, and the Olympic sprinter who comes out of the blocks with faith that they’re going to win the gold.
When you have faith, and intention, you are inviting the forces of the universe to collaborate with you. You’re opening yourself to a deeper intelligence, clarity & guidance. You’re infused with energy, ideas, and direction. When you lack faith, and are shrouded in doubt, fear, & uncertainty, you are inviting the forces of the universe to work against you. When Yoda says to “Use the Force”, this is what he’s referring to: having faith, & harnessing the Force.
Back to the topic of our connected web of vibrating energy. Our bodies are instruments of vibration. We are tuning forks, magnets, communicating with all that is around us. This is how we magnetize and attract people & circumstances into our lives. For those that are unfamiliar, this is why our chakras are important. It’s why sanskrit mantras produce specific vibrational frequencies. It’s why us wacky spiritual people may be heard producing the vibration of “Om”. It’s about attuning to the universe. I’ve learned through awareness & deep meditation that literally every thought that you have produces a sensation, a vibration in your body, and this is what is communicated to the universe whether you’re aware of it or not. It’s how I haven’t been sick for over 4 years: the positive messages my mind is communicating to my body. It’s why it’s not a good idea to judge others, to be spiteful, resentful, or have ill will towards others, and create that negative frequency internally.
Fear, doubt, worry, anxiety, uneasiness, and uncertainty all produce constriction & disharmony within, closing you off from “The Force” and attracting, like a magnet, more negativity, loss & difficulty in your life. On the other hand, faith, trust, allowance, & harmony create expansion, and invite more of what you truly desire into your life. These attributes are a bridge which connects us to our source and opens the doors of infinite possibilities.
This is not to say that you will always achieve & acquire absolutely everything that you believe & desire. But, absolutely nothing is achieved without faith. There needs to be flexibility & adaptability with your faith. An openness to new ways & experiences, and to changing course midstream. For example, while younger you may put faith in your physical abilities, or your competitive nature. But as you grow older, you may find it more beneficial to have faith in your intuition, wisdom, & experience. Or one may shift from the personal will to the divine will.
You don’t have to know all of the secrets of the universe. You don’t actually have to know ANYTHING! You don’t have to be “right” with your beliefs, and defend them. You don’t have to be surrounded by large groups with the same beliefs. It’s just a matter of living with the energy of faith, the energy of the human spirit resonating from you. Perhaps most important is maintaining this level of faith when things aren’t going “our way”. Having faith in the face of adversity, when everything seems to be going completely wrong, is the ultimate challenge. This is when faith in spirit provides us the most tremendous benefits. Faith that all is happening in perfect divine order, as it should, for the highest good that we ultimately desire deep in our souls keeps us on track, and in tune with our big picture goals, purpose, and truest desire. Otherwise we could be swallowed up by the dark side of the force, and lost forever to pessimism, fear, doubt, bitterness, denial & blame.
Common Opportunities for Faith
Faith that there is light at the end of the tunnel:
When we are in our darkest hours of despair, hopelessness, heartache & loss, it’s faith in the light at the end of the tunnel that brings us out of these situations. Without it, we would be swallowed in the darkness, and a lot of people do become consumed by it, and tragically some end their life. It’s our faith in the light that brings the light to us, brings change, provides the spark, and the breaks that we’ve been waiting for.
Faith that everything happens for a reason:
This is a tricky one because it can cause delusion if taken too literally, and it also does require being open minded, a bit of letting go & surrendering our constrictive skepticism. However, when you allow yourself to be open minded to the idea that a higher intelligence is bringing situations & circumstances into your life for a reason, it gives the mind permission to start connecting the dots & signs, and to shed light on our life scenarios. Without this particular faith, we can become lost in delusion & confusion, finding no reason, purpose, or solace for life’s occurrences, leaving us devastated when things don’t go “our way”. On the other hand, in being open to this, answers will naturally come into our consciousness, and awareness & reveal themselves, and the pieces will start to fall into place. Once the mind collects sufficient evidence, the signs, synchronicity, and reasons behind our circumstances come clearly & easily. The blessings no longer appear disguised.
Some other examples of where to have faith would be in our chosen path, our marriage, in the people in our lives, and perhaps most importantly, in our selves.
Having “Rock Solid” Faith
The energy of faith, “the Force”, will move you in the direction that you truly want in your life. It is the wind in your sails that gets you there, and calls to the universe to collaborate with you. If you want your dreams to come true, your faith needs to be “rock solid”.
Look around you right now. Whatever you’re seeing in your experience is there because you believe it’s there. Are you seeing walls? trees? pictures hanging in a room? Because you see it, you know it to be real & true. You can reach out & touch it, & confirm it’s there. We have faith & conviction in our surroundings. When we walk on the ground, we know it’s solid, we know it’s a ground. We have trust & knowing that the ground will support our weight & will not collapse beneath us. We don’t doubt the existence of the ground. We don’t question if it’s going to support us.
This same faith & conviction can be applied to our daily lives & the outcomes that we desire. We are the architects of our future & our reality. Just as surely as we know that we have 10 fingers & toes, we can manifest that which we desire into our lives with the power of faith & intention. If you can conjure it in your mind, it can materialize in your experience. All that you see, touch, taste & hear around you is conjured in your mind. It’s easy to believe in a “rock solid” object in front of your very eyes, but what if you believed in future outcomes & results with just as much conviction?
If you have faith that you deserve to be loved, or that you’ll find a soulmate? That the job you’re looking for is already a done deal? That your work & efforts will pay off for you beyond a shadow of a doubt? Just as your belief in the objects before your eyes creates an experience of those objects, so does your believe in unseen events & outcomes. We can develop a faith that attracts exactly what we desire into our lives.
Experiences of Faith in my Life
I’d like to finish up by sharing some examples of how faith has shaped my life & experience. By far the most powerful experience of faith that I’ve had is faith in love, and it continues to not only be the very fabric at the core of my experience, but it continues to grow & expand. I just knew in my heart & had faith that I would find somebody that I could give all of my love to, who I would be excited to see every day, & would provide the same love in return. I never even dated in high school because I was too afraid of rejection, but I always held this belief.
At the age of 18, in the most unexpected of ways, this true love was brought into my experience, when I wasn’t particularly looking for it. This isn’t your typical love story either. How we met is a whole other chapter in itself that I’ll share at another time. The number of obstacles, fears & judgement that we had to overcome was immense. It took great courage to follow that inner voice, follow our hearts, and what we knew was pure, true & sacred. She was 33, and I was 18. She was on the last straw of an empty, calloused marriage. Her two kids were 7 & 4, and bore the burden of an unhappy marriage. She had to be completely out of her mind to stake her life on some “kid” that lived 2,000 miles away. And this kid had to be completely out of his mind to move from Ohio to California to live his life with this woman.
Fifteen years later, and after 11 years of marriage, we’re completely out of our minds together, and inspiring many people to follow their hearts, and to believe in love, and soulmates. We’re really just getting started on our journey of living the life of our dreams, and inspiring others to do the same. We have an angelic beautiful bundle of joy daughter who is currently 9 years old, who turns heads and lights up rooms. She’s exactly as we envisioned her to be in every way.
Our story is one of a kind, and I look forward to sharing more, but this article is already pretty darn long!
Here is the video of our wedding should you care to see it: Burke & Shannon Coleman Wedding Ceremony
I have many stories of the power of faith in my life, with of course, my love story being the cornerstone. I suppose, in it’s right time, these stories will be shared individually. Here are a few more short examples:
– Walking out of a job I hated, having nothing lined up but one interview the following day. Landing that interview, with exactly the pay I asked for (much higher than the original offer), and being called back literally 5 minutes after I left the interview to be offered the job.
– Being in a sales job in a severely depressed market with a $10,000/mo profit quota, and the average order being about $500 to $1,000 profit. having no orders for the entire month, only to walk in on the final day of the month with over $10,000 of purchase orders waiting on the fax machine when I walked into the office.
– Moving into a new place to live with no job, and no significant income, not knowing how rent was going to be paid the 2nd month of being there. It took faith just to find a place in such a circumstance, and then I found the absolute perfect job within 48 hours of beginning my search, that literally met every parameter that I meditated on & asked the universe for. Exactly the hours, pay, freedom, I was looking for. An outside job where I logged my hours remotely and had nobody looking over my shoulder at the perfect time in my life when I wanted nothing more than to be outdoors & photograph our beautiful world. My camera never left my side. I was called within 10 minutes of emailing for the position, and offered the job over the phone in 3 minutes without being asked to meet in person.
– Faith in following my passion, joy & bliss against all adversity. This has evolved my writing, and photographic art. With no idea of how I would turn this passion into a living, and with no training, it has evolved into what you see today: 3rd Eye Perspectives Photographic Art
There are many more, but these are some of the more memorable stories off the top of my head. I trust & have faith that you will find this article & sharing of my journey to be worth the read, and that you will find more faith & magic in your own lives.
With Love,
Burke “Triple B” Coleman
