Answers To Life3
Answers To Life3
Answers To Life3
Life is a Battlefield...
Listen up, recruit: your body is your vehicle for exploring this Earth. You
are only issued one for each lifetime. You may love your body or hate it,
but it will be yours for the entire time you are here this time around. Your
body is operated by your mind and they have their own set of rules (see
Rules #2: How Body-Mind Works).
Listen up, recruit: your mind is your vehicle for understanding this Earth.
You are only issued one for each lifetime. Your mind will try to be your
master but it is supposed to be your servant. So, recruit, master your mind
by controlling your thoughts for it is these same thought that create your
life obstacle course.
That's right, recruit. There is no way that you can avoid the obstacle
course. Your commanding officer, your Spirit, has laid booby traps hidden
all along the obstacle course. You might know them better as "emotions"
(energy in motion) and "illness" (body and mind diseases and disorders).
You will screw up your training, recruit. Nobody gets it right the first time,
or the second time, or the third. Just keep at it. You will learn as much from
your "snafus" as from your successes. And all obstacles will eventually be
overcome.
Our drill instructors here on Earth will show you no mercy. You will repeat
your lessons again and again in various forms until you have learned
them. Our drill instructors are tough but they are fair (and they love giving
out push ups).
Face it, recruit. You will move onto tougher and tougher lesson and
instructors. Those are the "rules of engagement". And this is not a drill!
Our drill instructors have been through the program too. They have heard
every excuse, know every dodge, and have memorized every trick in the
book. Right now, they have put you where you need to be: even if it is
cleaning latrines!
What you love or hate about your officers, drill instructors, and fellow
recruits is really what you love or hate about yourself. Here's a tip, recruit:
try loving yourself more and you will avoid lots of booby traps!
Your officers and drill instructors are here to help you (really!). They may
be from the government but they are here to help you. No "trivial"
requests please.
Well recruit, you signed the paperwork before you came. No use
complaining now - you agreed to everything. So suck it up, really hard!
Credits: adapted from "Rules for Being Human" by Anonymous and channeled
information
We may be working ourselves to the bone and busily rushing from place to
place but... we usually fail to really take care of ourselves in the process.
Instead we rely on labor saving devices to keep us from moving our
bodies, from challenging our minds, and from connecting with our spiritual
natures. Because we are not moving, breathing, or living as much as we
were meant to... our bodies and minds become full of illnesses and
problems that get worse until we are forced to pay attention.
For example: you tell your body all the time that you want to
lose weight and yet the rubber tire will not come off your
middle. Either the excess weight is keeping you safe and
protected (first job) or it is helping you to learn lessons that
you have agreed to learn (second job). Address the safety
issues and the lessons and the pounds will melt away.
The English mystic, anchoress Julian of Norwich said (in "Showings") that
"to experience well being is to be touched and illumined by grace with true
certainty of endless joy". For "we are preserved in love by the goodness of
God just as truly in woe as in well being". Joyful people are dreaming their
life and living their dream. That is the well spring of their peace and
contentment. The joyful find delight in everything because they are
spontaneous and totally open to the beauty of each moment. Truly joyful
people invariably have a great sense of humor. It is this joyousness keeps
them endlessly healed and happy.
In the writings of ECK ("A Cosmic Sea of Words"), truth is "the essence,
Spirit, Soul, and life of everything that exists, itself unchangeable and
immortal, an unlimited ocean of love and wisdom". The only true
advancement is any area of life is built on a foundation of unshakable
honesty and personal integrity. The journey of life is all about developing
the capacity for discernment: learning what works and what does not by
direct personal experience. In this sense, there is no good or evil, no right
or wrong, no dark or light: all is education as we all make the long journey
back home to our Source: God, the endless Ocean of Love and Mercy.
Aristotle said (in "On the Soul") that "courage is the first among human
qualities because it guarantees the others". Courage is the fuel that gives
us strength to make our journey throughout life and to get us over the
rough spots. If you ever feel that you are lacking in courage, know that
coming to Earth to have a spiritual experience was in and of itself an
enormous act of bravery. For life is truly an adventure: although when one
is cleaning the toilets or doing other mundane tasks, it seems much like a
job rather than the "Soul Play " it was meant to be.
Martin Luther said (in "On Creation") that everyday "I trust that God will
abundantly provide everything I need to nourish this body and life. He
protects me against all danger, shields and defends me from all evil. He
does all this because of His pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy".
Trust comes from the willingness to surrender attachment to persons,
things, or outcomes: "letting go, letting God". Faith is the ultimate
expression of the trust that, in the long run, "all things work together for
the good for those that love God".
In the words of the Koran ("Chapter of Abraham"), it was God who "created
the heavens and the earth; and sent down from the sky, water, and
brought forth therewith fruits, as a provision for you; and brought you of
everything ye asked Him". God created all this for you to use it because he
wants you to become all that you can be. The spiritually advanced
understand that abundance is the means for them to become fully realized
beings. Abundance gives them the freedom to become more of who they
are, the power to create their lives, and the glory to do God's work for as
long as they are here on this Earth.
Confucius said (in "Analects") that "The wise are free from perplexities; the
virtuous from anxiety; and the bold from fear." That is because the
consciousness of the spiritually advanced is pure and clear. This clarity
manifests in their awareness as correct understanding of divine guidance,
as clear perception of intuition, as accurate communication, as pure
unconditional love, as moral expression of will, as ethical use of power,
and as responsible citizenship in the universe. Those who are clear have a
proper sense of humility: valuing their uniqueness while recognizing their
oneness as a coworker with God.
Lao-Tse said (in the "Tao Te Ch'ing") that "Simplicity is without a name, is
free from all external aim: with no desire, at rest and still, all things go
right as of their own will". When anything happens with seemingly
"effortless effort", the spiritually advanced recognize that "it was meant to
be". They are able to see the single golden thread running through the
most complex issues. They pull on this golden thread and even the most
difficult problems are efficiently resolved. They manage to simplify their
life because they can see the beauty in life's lessons, they have the grace
needed to learn them easily, and the wisdom coming from simplicity.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Native American Elder, said "I want to know if
you can live with failure and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to
the silver of a full moon 'YES, I am grateful for this gift!'". The attitude of
gratitude puts the spiritually advanced into a constant state of expectancy
and hope. It is this state of simple gratitude that unleashes the awesome,
unlimited forces of universal manifestation into their reality. This brings the
spiritually advanced into greater states of harmony as they realize that
problems come to them bearing gifts in their hands and that each failure
will bring them one step closer to success.
In the words of the Bible ("Old Testament Ecclesiastes 3:1") "To every thing
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven". The
spiritually advanced trust in the process and flow of life and have learned
how to operate successfully within its' cycles. They are centered and
whole. They are responsible enough work when it is time to work. They are
open enough to play when it is time to play. They honor themselves
enough to rest when it is time to rest. They temper discipline with
flexibility: always finding the time and the space for everything and
everyone that is important to them in life.
I invite anyone who reads this list to challenge it by improving upon it. The
universe is in a constant state of unfolding creation and we all have our
part to play. It just becomes easier to play our part when we know what
the best parts are and how to play them. I hope this will be of use to you
on your journey home.
The spiritual cause is the distant memory of when we all were one in the
blissful, unmanifested mass consciousness of the universe. This was
before we all were dumped into the worlds of karma - which forced us to
take action - and reincarnation - which forces us to come back until
we can act with total responsibility from the place of
unconditional love.
The biological cause is the tendency to seize upon opportunities for rest
whenever they present themselves. For most of human history, this was
absolutely necessary for survival because the universe was a stressful,
hostile place.
Now that the universe is a bit friendlier, the line between necessary rest
and "unnecessary" laziness has gotten finer. Nevertheless, it is useful to
understand how laziness manifests. Here's how it helps:
LAZINESS IN OTHERS: For if you recognize such patterns of spiritual
laziness in others, you can save time by speeding up the decision to
discontinue relationships that no longer serve you.
ULTIMATE LAZINESS: Or if you are bored, stop reading now because your
life is what you have made it... and it will not change.
How a person spends their time always reveals the most about their
character. Those who are in lazy mode have infinite time to spend on
themselves and none to spend on others. Of course, they will tell you
"we'll get together but I don't when but we'll have a good time then…" Just
like they will set a time to do something for you and, at the last minute,
something always comes up.
Or they will be honest and actually tell you that "something better has
come along, it's really important, I just can't pass it up… I will make it up
to you" next week, next year, sometime, never. The gift of attention is the
most precious gift that anyone can give and that anyone can receive.
When someone is not consistently honoring the gift of your attention, it is
up to you to decide to stop giving it.
2> NEVER HAVING ANY MONEY, ALWAYS NEEDING FREEBIES
Like many other healers, I am willing to work with those who are serious
about their healing regardless of their ability to pay. Unlike others, I insist
that the person honor the energy I am giving them by giving me
something in return. Invariably, this involves the investment of time on
their part. The lazy ones - even those who are on disability and have
infinite time to surf the Web and write volumes about their problems - are
the first who cannot spare a moment to help me by signing my guestbook,
providing content for the site, or sharing their feedback. It's their loss.
3> NEVER ABLE TO PUT "MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS"
The simple truth is that money is never a barrier to getting what one
wants. Often, the real problem is the willingness of those who are lazy to
"put their money where their mouth is". Like those who always complain
about their terrible problems.
They say "if only you could tell me in one sentence or less what my
problems are and what I need to do". And when I reply, "I will be happy to
do so for $5 or $10", the lazy complain it is too much. To those who spend
as much on skin care, I say "what is more important: a pretty face or a
soul at peace?" It's all a matter of one's priorities. Only they can decide
how badly they need the help.
4> ALWAYS EXPECTING TEN THINGS, "MAYBE" GIVING ONE
Chief among a person's priorities is how they act about giving and taking.
People always know who are the "givers" and who are the "takers". The
lazy tend to be in the "taker" category and to go to the most extraordinary
lengths to keep from having to give. They are the first to have their hand
outstretched when anything is offered and are very energetic about why
they should receive it first.
Not that it is bad to take: indeed, the universe is a circle of energy. And
one cannot give unless one receives. To receive one must be willing to
take. However, when a person is always taking and always promising to
return the favor and it rarely if every happens, this is the sign of spiritual
laziness.
So we invite you to take the "Laziness Challenge" right now. If you have
read this far, prove to yourself that you are NOT among the legions of
the lazy by taking a few moments to sign our guestbook. The rest of the
information on spiritual laziness will be waiting for you upon your return.
I think you will agree that not many websites offer the wealth of
information that this one does. If it has helped you at all, we would like to
know it. Show that you care. Everyone likes to be thanked for their help.
And we are no different than anyone else in that respect… so we thank
YOU for your courtesy!
6> ALWAYS FULL OF ILL CONCEIVED, "HALF BAKED" SCHEMES
Even when the lazy "truly want something", it is often "way too hard" to
put serious thought into manifesting their desires. Of course, they have
infinite energy to talk in vague terms about "what they could do", "what
they should do", and "what they will do someday". Yet they seldom speak
of "what they can do today", "what they will do tomorrow" or "how in six
months from now their plan of action will pay off".
Everyone who truly listens can discerns the "holes" in this lazy thinking. Of
course, the worst thing one can do is to point out the flaws to the lazy. For
they will take that as an invitation for you to take the actions you
recommend. While the truth that the lazy do not want to hear is "ask not
what others can do for you… ask what you can do for yourself". "Wishing
and hoping" will only get anyone so far. So manifest your dreams or half
bake schemes: it's your choice!
7> WHERE TALK IS GOOD, ACTION IS ALWAYS LACKING
Of course, not all laziness is created equally. There are those among the
lazy who put the most deep and careful thought into manifesting their
dreams. In fact, their thought is so deep and so careful that it just goes on
forever and never ends.
I cannot count the number of times I have heard: "Well, I had that idea X
years ago. I knew it would work. If only person Y had not screwed me out
it… I was really ripped off… I should sue those no good !@#$" While the
simple truth is the lazy have no one but themselves to blame. The
universe waits for no one and will always find others not lazy who will do
it's work. So if you are not willing to do the work, then stop "ragging on"
those who do and, above all, get out of their way!
8> BEING FULL OF PROMISES WHERE ACTION IS LACKING
Common wisdom says the "road to hell is paved with good intentions" and
it's true. Promises made but never kept are the bricks of good intentions
that pave the road. It is a principle of energy that every word you speak is
a command to the universe. Those who have difficulty in manifesting their
desires are those who routinely send the energy of empty promises out
into the universe.
In other words, those who are unable to keep the sacred promises they
make to others drain the power of the universe to help them. This is
because lazy promisers fill the space around them with the "negative
energy" of karmic reactions instead of with the "positive energy" of
manifestation and creation. The lazy must learn to honor the sacredness of
their word from which all good things must flow.
9> BEING FULL OF EXCUSES WHERE ACTION IS LACKING
The Latin word "excuse" when translated means "I am not at cause". Well
if the lazy in fact have had a plan and have failed to take action on it, who
is at cause but themselves? It never fails to amaze me that how much
energy the lazy will invest into making excuses for themselves. It is either
"this person screwed me" or "if only that person kept their promise" and so
on.
If only the lazy put their creative genius in manifesting their desires than
in excusing the failure to do so, they might get what it is that they want
from life. Again, excuses, like empty promises fill the space around the
lazy with the energy of karmic reactions instead of with the energy of
manifestation and creation.
10> ALWAYS PUSHING EVERYONE ELSE TO THE LIMIT
The lazy survive through their ability to push everyone else around them
to the limit. For what others are willing to do for the lazy becomes what
the lazy no longer have to do for themselves. Notice the lazy almost never
push those around them too far because that would be jeopardizing those
who are essential in supporting them in their lifestyle of laziness. So the
lazy push others to their limit but never beyond it.
And this then becomes the means of turning the tide back against the lazy.
Do less and that will force the lazy either to do more or to suffer the
consequences of being lazy. If you resent the lazy "for making you do…
whatever", the person you should resent is really yourself. For no one
makes you do anything: take responsibility for whatever you do or do not
do. Let the lazy take care of themselves for a change.
11> USUALLY HIDING BEHIND A FALSE IDENTITY
If you hate your name, change it to something you can love and feel proud
of. If you do not like the identity you have established in the world, then
throw it out and start over. If you like who you were in past lives better
than you like yourself now, strive to reconnect with your own earlier
wisdom.
For these are all traps that the spiritually lazy fall into. For the lazy like "to
go by" a "grand name" that conveys their wisdom without their having to
put forth the effort necessary to acquire any. For the lazy love "to beat
themselves up" (as in "look at me, I'm so poor, I'm so wounded, I'm so…
fill in the blank) because it keeps them firmly attached to the problems
that justify their laziness. And the lazy love to tell you "who they were" so
you do not have to be impressed with "who they are now".
12> ALWAYS LIVING THE DOUBLE STANDARD
"Living the double standard" is the true litmus test of the lazy (if you do
not know what this means, prove to yourself you are not lazy by looking it
up). If even you suspect that someone else is lazy, ask yourself these
questions.
"Would they be willing to do (fill in the blank) for me especially if I have
already done the same for them?" "If they expect me to do (fill in the
blank) for them, would they do (fill in the blank) for me if positions were
reversed?"
If the answers to both questions are "No", then you have correctly
identified the lazy. For the lazy are never willing to "do unto others" the
same things that they demand that others "do for them". Once you have
identified the symptoms of laziness in yourself and/or others, it
becomes your choice to put up with it or change it… for good.
Unless, of course, you are too lazy!
Credits: adapted from channeled information.
Rules #12: Top Ten Things Your Higher Self Wants You to Know
Your Higher Self has it's own goal for you. The purpose of all Higher Selves
is to bring their "lower selves" (those in physical bodies on Earth like you)
back to God.
The primary means that your Higher Self has for accomplishing this goal is
to keep you attached to the path of growth you have agreed to undertake
in this lifetime. All of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual issues
you experience in this life are designed to help you meet your life's
contract and keep you on your path.
The truth is that you have agreed to all your life's lessons before you came
here. Know that you can transcend them - if you choose to. As always, the
choice is yours. Your Higher Self can help you to make the best choices -
now forward.
The ultimate goal of all the experiences that your Higher Self is giving you
is meant to bring you to a state of total joy. Joyful people are dreaming
their life and living their dream. That is the well spring of their peace and
contentment.
Step back for a moment and recognize that a truly loving God would show
that love for you by wanting you to be joyful all the time. Before you arrive
at your final destination of joy, the journey can be (but does not have to
be) quite painful at times. Remember you can learn from pleasure as well
as pain and there is as much challenge in joy as in sorrow. As always, the
choice is yours.
Your Higher Self is the ultimate coach. Your Higher Self is able to see all
who you have been, all who you are now, and all who you can be. Due to
this expanded perspective, your Higher Self knows you more intimately
than you know yourself.
The true goal of all healing is to empower others to fully enjoy their
birthright as Divine Beings. Over and over again, I hear Higher Selves tell
people they must be open to "all possibilities" that are available in the
universe for them. Yet people cut themselves off from the infinity of all
creation for three reasons.
"Spirit-based" Guidance comes direct from God and/or His Servants of the
Universe and is grounded in love and abundance.
"Ego-based" guidance comes from the "small self" inside you - the "ego" part
of you - and is mired in fear and survival.
"Evil" guidance seeks to put you or others in the way of harm. This is not
"true" guidance but "evil" entities drawing you into a "dark path".
Means of Receiving Guidance: There are various ways to receive
guidance. Each way has it's own advantages or disadvantages: one is not
inherently better than the other. They are just different. These means
include being:
Clairvoyant ("clear seeing") - seeing images, still or moving, in your
mind's eye.
Clairaudient ("clear hearing") - hearing voices, yours/others, in your
mind's ear.
Clairsentient ("clear feeling") - feeling guided by emotional/physical
sensations.
Claircognizant ("clear knowing") - knowing without knowing how you
know it.
Clairomni ("clear channel") - moving between all of the above channels.
1> SPIRIT ALWAYS ACTS FROM LOVE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST
Both "Spirit" and "Ego-based" guidance act from love in your best
interests. Both wish to protect and serve you. How they go about it is what
differentiates them.
"Ego-based" guidance shows it's love to you by keeping you on the path of
the "tried-and-true" where you are safe and protected. "Ego-based"
messages are full of reasons why you cannot, should not, and must not do
things.
"Spirit-based" guidance encourages you to step off the path of the "tried-
and-true" so that you can walk down another road that in the end will be
far better for you than the "safe" way. "Spirit-based" contact is always
intensely loving - it always leaves you feeling very energized and uplifted.
2> SPIRIT ALWAYS LEADS YOU TO GREATER LEVELS OF JOY
"Ego-based" guidance will always trade joy for safety. "Ego" wants you to
have joy later (the "pie-in-the-sky-when-you-die" syndrome).
"Spirit-based" guidance always wants to lead you to where you can get
greater joy right now. It recognizes that there may have to be some
"temporary inconvenience" for "permanent gain". Yet Spirit works with you
to minimize the inconvenience, to maximize the gain, and get you joyful
right away.
3> SPIRIT ACTS FROM INTEGRITY, ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH
Your ego can be extremely crafty and manipulative. If you stray from the
path of safety, your ego will put out half truths, bogus arguments, and
consistently paint pictures of the worst case scenarios to get you back to
"safety".
Spirit knows that all fears are nothing more than False Evidence
Appearing Real. Spirit only needs to tell the truth because "it is the truth
that will set you free". It always acts from the highest levels of truth which
you inherently feel is "right".
4> SPIRIT ONLY OFFERS "RIGHT THOUGHTS, WORDS, DEEDS"
When you get to the point in your existence where you are interested in
receiving guidance, it is because you have already learned "to tell right
from wrong".
Instinctively, you know when guidance is encouraging you to "think right
thoughts", to "speak right words", and to "do right deeds". "Spirit-based"
guidance will NEVER ask you to the do the "wrong thing". "Ego-based"
guidance may suggest that you not do the right thing. "Evil" guidance will
insist you do the "wrong thing".
5> SPIRIT FOCUSES ON WHAT YOU "CAN DO" RIGHT NOW
"Spirit-based" guidance will always encourage you to make the
courageous and abundant choice. "Spirit-based" guidance is from beings
who know that the universe offers you all possibilities - if you are open to
receiving. Spirit is not limited, frightened, or mistrustful - these are the
qualities of ego. Spirit knows what you "can do, right now" while ego
believes in what you "can't do now or later".
6> SPIRIT IS ALWAYS VALIDATED BY SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
One of the main objectives of "Spirit-based" guidance is to make you feel
good about the contact. This way you will grow more comfortable over
time with the guidance as your trust level grows. The best way for Spirit to
build trust with you is to establish a "track record" of success which flows
from good guidance.
Ego is not concerned with success - only with safety. It has been said that
"God "writes straight with crooked lines". It is when you follow those
crooked lines over an extended period of time and see that they were for
the best - that is when you truly learn to trust in the hand of Spirit guiding
you.
7> SPIRIT ALWAYS SEEKS TO EMPOWER YOU & ALL OTHERS
"Spirit" always suggests actions that empower you and all others
concerned in any situation. "Spirit" works to enable you to win and others
to win at the same time.
"Ego" tends to advance your interests at the expense of others. "Ego" lets
you win and will allow others to lose. "Evil" almost always involves a "lose,
lose" strategy: harming others and thereby harming yourself with bad
karma.
8> SPIRIT ALWAYS FOCUSES ON BLESSINGS & GRATITUDE
"Spirit" is constantly in the process of bringing you the gifts of the
universe. The purpose is to show God's love to you in form and to instill
the attitude of gratitude within you. It is the state of thankfulness which
attracts all the good into your life.
"Ego" always focuses on what you do not have and moans about the "lack"
in your life. While "evil" tries to trick you into believing that the only way
abundance will flow to you is to snatch blessings given to others for
yourself.
9> SPIRIT IS ALWAYS COMMUNICATED GENTLY AND SIMPLY
"Spirit-based" guidance is always communicated in a clear, easy-to-
understand manner while "ego" and "evil" seeks to "confuse you with the
facts" so that it can achieve it's own agenda. "Spirit-based" guidance is
always gentle: it acts as if it were your best friend. While "ego" and "evil"
based guidance tends to act toward you like lecturing parents or
demanding and jealous gods.
10> SPIRIT ALWAYS HONORS AND RESPECTS WHO YOU ARE
"Spirit-based" guidance is always supportive. It motivates you to achieve
your dreams and to connect with your greatest joy. It supports you by
encouraging you to honor your uniqueness, your special purpose, and the
needs of your body-mind. "Ego" and "evil" are strictly concerned with
serving their own agendas.
11> SPIRIT HELPS YOU FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE
"Spirit's" main mission is to help you to fulfill your purpose in life. To do
this, it is always consistent: repeating the same clear, loving advice so that
your feet stay firmly planted on your path."Ego" and "evil" want you to
fulfill their purpose.
12> SPIRIT DEVELOPS YOU INTO A CO-WORKER WITH GOD
"Spirit" shows you how you are equal and one with others: not better
("ego") or worse ("evil"). Spirit develops you into a co-worker with God.
Credits: inspired by "Divine Guidance: How to Have a Dialog with God" by Doreen Virtue
and channeled information
"It's not so much that we're afraid of change or so in love with the old ways
but it's that place in between that we fear. It's like being between trapezes.
There's nothing to hold on to."
- Marilyn Ferguson
Change is like a shark in the ocean. Change never stops, never sleeps: it
must always keep moving. The good news is if you hate the way things
are, they will change. The bad news is if you love the way things are, they
are certain to change as well.
The only thing inevitable about life is change, not death. Change is here to
stay! If you think that change is always easy, take the Change Challenge.
Pick up a pen and write your name with the hand you usually write with
(easy, right?). Now try it with your other hand (not so easy, is it?).
Welcome to the "World of Change"...
When it comes to change, there are three kinds of people: those who
make things happen, those who let things happen, and those who are
always wondering "what the hell happened?". No matter which you are,
change becomes a "real problem" when it has been "imposed" upon you
by forces "beyond your control".
Changes that are "imposed on us" from "above" include the following:
- Death of a spouse, close family member, friend, or anyone significant
in your life
- Divorce, separation, marital / sexual difficulties, or disruption in family
life
- Unexpected, serious injury or illness of yourself or someone close to
you
- Sudden dismissal from a job or other "forced change" in career or
finances
- Natural and unnatural disasters (terrorism, hurricane, earthquake,
flood, etc)
Change is the natural state of the universe. Death is only another change:
moving us from a state of physical being into a state of non-physical
being. While we are yet in life, we are constantly in a state of change. We
grow, then we age. Our cells die off and replace themselves. We live, we
learn. We work ourselves from darkness to light, from negative to positive,
from karma to dharma. We do it all over again.
2> The Path of Recovery: Recovery requires action on our part to "get back
what it was that we have lost". If that is our only goal, we will get it back in
some form. Maybe some things will be better and others worse, but this path
will essentially be the same as before.
Yet the problem with choosing this path is that change is not
denied, only delayed. The same problems causing the original
change to be "imposed from above" will only cause another
change to be imposed in the future.
3> The Path of Reinvention: Reinvention also requires action but demands
that we take a good hard look at our lives and "decide what we want to be
when we grow up". By imposing change on us, the universe is giving us the
chance to "become more ourselves".
Here are the steps we go through when "Transitioning" from an "Old" to a "New"
Cycle of Life: To better illustrate this, I will use the story of a client who was "let go" from a
job they held for many years. And it does have a happy ending: it turned out that this
"imposed change" was the "best decision they never made".
#1: END OF OLD CYCLE #1: SHOCK ("What is happening to me?")
When a change is imposed on us - even if it is ultimately for the better -
we are still left in a state of shock. In this case, the client did not see the
change coming. They were on the job for many years: great reviews,
happy customers, good relations with management and employees, and a
stable organization. When a management "shake up" resulted in the
cancellation of their next two projects, it was decided to let the client go.
The client was the "walking wounded" unable to comprehend what had
happened to them or why. For a few days, the client did not eat or sleep.
#2: END OF OLD CYCLE #2: DENIAL ("It is NOT happening to me!")
Since the change is imposed on us - seemingly not under our control - it is
a natural reaction for us not to believe it. Worse, we may resort to
"magical thinking" that somehow the change can be reversed. In this case,
the client could not believe that it was happening. It was made worse by
the fact that no one around them could believe it either. All sorts of rescue
scenarios were advanced and promoted... until the client was faced with
stark reality in the form of official termination papers.
#3: END OF OLD CYCLE #3: ANGER ("It is NOT my fault! Why me?")
Once the change is "made real" to us, we soon come to the realization that
there is no use in complaining, we must accept the reality of our situation
and move on. Either we will blame ourselves or others for what has
happened to us and we are likely to get angry. The best thing to do when
we feel anger rising within us… is to do what this client did and not to give
into it. Lashing out in anger may backfire and alienate the very people in a
position to help us solve our problem. In fact, the calm and professional
manner in which the client acted was an essential part of enlisting those in
the company to find them another suitable employment opportunity.
#4: END OF OLD CYCLE #4: FEAR ("It has happened to me, I'm
scared…")
Worse than being overwhelmed by anger is to be consumed by fear. When
one does not have a clear vision of the future, it is only natural to feel fear.
Here is where the client's self knowledge and spiritual believes paid off. In
this case, the client allowed their emotions to flow through them into the
safe outlet of supportive friends and family. They acknowledged their fears
in order to move past them.
#5: CHANGING #1: DEPRESSION ("What the hell is going to happen
now?")
Fears that are not "processed" will inevitably turn inward, creating a
depressed and hopeless mental and emotional state. Unfortunately, fear
and depression often "rob" and individual of the desire and ability to take
the action needed to move them onto the paths of recovery or
empowerment. In this case, the client "skipped" this step because they
had worked to deal with their emotions. Notice that it is not always
necessary to go through each transition step in order. As long as we are
moving forward in transitioning, we can go as "fast" or "slow" in the
process as we need to.
#6: CHANGING #2: CONFUSION ("What should I do? What should I do!")
Notice that in the process of transition, confusion sets in when the
individual finally realizes that change has occurred and that they have no
choice but to deal with it. This is the point of creation: where our hopes
and intentions for the changed the future must be firmly and passionately
sent out to the universe. The thoughts we send out to the universe to find
suitable possible matches to our desires are what powers their
manifestation. Here our client envisioned the new job of their dreams.
#7: CHANGING #3: UNCERTAINTY ("Will anything really happen for
me?")
The tricky part of making a transition is to trust that the change was for
the best and that something much better can result from the transition.
Accepting the uncertainty means letting your vision of the future go out
into the universe, watching it disappear over the horizon, and believing
that it will come back to you in the form of new possibilities for your life. In
this case, the "uncertainty" of the job search was something this client had
real difficulty with doing (but they had no choice!!).
#8: CHANGING #4: RESIGNATION ("I have to start to change…")
The hardest part of transitions is resigning ourselves that we must let go
of the "old trapeze bar" and spend some time hurtling through free space
toward - hopefully - a "new trapeze bar" that is coming our way. Resigning
ourselves to the unknown is better viewed as opening ourselves to
something new and better that is for our highest good. Here resignation
was no easier for out client but they "toughed it out" be holding fast to
their vision of a new and empowering future for themselves.
#9: TO NEW CYCLE #1: ACCEPTANCE ("OK, I will do something now!")
The moment that action is taken toward creating a new future, true
acceptance of the new cycle has begun. As Goethe said: "The moment one
definitely commits oneself, all sorts of things occur to help one... A whole
stream of events issues from the decisions, raising in one's favor all
manner of unforeseen assistance which no one could have dreamed would
have come... Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness
has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." Here our client was
amazed by the unexpected numbers of people that came to their aid.
#10: TO NEW CYCLE #2: PLANNING ("I am making a plan to for
change.")
It's true: "fail to plan then plan to fail." Others may help us but it is up to
us to set and steer our own course through the maze of transitions. When
we plan, we are actually clarifying the vision we are sending out to the
universe. The clearer we are, the more obvious what we need to do will
become. Plans beget actions which beget opportunities which beget more
plans and actions. Here the client quickly found that "getting a job" and
"doing it right" was a full time job in and of itself.
#11: TO NEW CYCLE #3: ACTION ("I act on my plan and seek
alternatives.")
All other things being equal, the clearer and more focused the vision of
what is desired, the sooner that possibilities matching the vision will
manifest into the person's outer reality. Most often one than one
opportunity will appear. Part of the process of refining the manifestation is
to explore the alternatives, comparing one to another to see which is best
or if another direction should be considered. Here our client resisted the
temptation to "grab the first one" to get "change over with".
#12: NEW CYCLE #4: DECISION ("I choose the best of the
alternatives.")
Once alternatives have presented themselves, the process of selecting
among them is usually straightforward. Each one is examined in turn as to
their strong points and weak points. The natural result of this examination
is thinking through each one in a way that "makes it real". Envisioning
oneself taking advantage of each opportunity will lead the person to
selecting the alternative which most closely matches their "perfected"
vision of the future. In this case, it was quite easy for the client to select
the "right job" which turned out to be "the best decision they never made".
It is a loving and compassionate universe that we live in… for it gives us
infinite chances to learn the ways of love and compassion as we work
through our karma. Know that all will be well with a change and it will be!
Credits: adapted from William Bridges' book "Managing Transitions: Making the Most of
Change", Marilyn Ferguson's article on "Managing Change and Transition" and channeled
information.
Of all the arts of divination, astrology provides the clearest evidence of the
"train tracks of karma". For astrology can tell you the most of the things
you want to know about your life. In the words of Jan Spiller, your
astrological chart can reveal "the trap or temptation from a past life that
can lead to disaster if you are not forewarned." Or the "special talent
that is waiting for you, a unique gift that could easily be turned into
professional success." Or "self defeating tendencies in your personality
that can hold you back and sabotage relationships." And the "love
partner who can be your soul mate or the partner whose hold over you
can lead to heartbreak." For more see "Astrology for the Soul" by Jan
Spiller.
The train tracks of karma running through your life are the most clearly
revealed by your natal (birth) horoscope. The natal horoscope shows the
position of the Sun, the Moon, and planets "frozen" at the precise moment
of your birth. The sign of the zodiac (ie. Aquarius, etc), the astrological
year (ie. Rat, etc), and the positions of the planets at birth shows the
"hand" that has been "dealt" you in this present life.
These "karma cards" are what you agreed to experience before you were
born: your life contract (for more on the importance of your life contract,
click here). The natal chart will reflect your natural predispositions, the
lessons you have to learn, the issues you need to face, and the types of
problems you need to solve. Yet the natal horoscope does not show how
you will choose to "play" this hand. The use that you make of the "hand
you have been dealt" depends upon you.
Events charts are a look at the nature of the time (possibilities and
potentialities) at any moment in time. The goal of events charts is to
understand the way in which energy will manifest around events and
issues for a particular time. From the moment of your birth, the energy of
the planets effecting you keeps on transmuting and transforming. Each at
their own speed, the planets move on through the houses of the zodiac,
and then form aspects (called transits) to the places where they were at
the moment of your birth.
Star charts (Indian (Vedic) and Chinese) combine the best elements of
natal and events charts to give an individual a comprehensive and holistic
reading of past events, present life situations, and future life potentialities.
Star charts are based on a "sidereal" system which uses the actual stellar
constellations as seen from Earth (versus the "Tropical" system of Western
Astrology based on a "fictional" zodiac). For a free Vedic reading see the
banner below or click here.
Each day of the year has a unique energy created from the combination of
the energy of the numbers which make it up (see Rules #10: Numbers as
Building Blocks of the Universe and get the secret code!). Numbers are
both the nails and the rails which hold together the train tracks of karma.
It is numbers which enable the universe to run as a well oiled machine of
karma.
Nowhere is this truer than in the case of the day of your birth. Whether
you were "early or late", you were born on time for your karma. This is
because your birthday has it's own unique personality and imprint which it
shares with all people who have that birthday. For "a model of the year as
a wheel spinning in a recurring circle of these energy patterns" see "The
Secret Language of Birthdays: Profiles for Each Day of the Year" by Gary
Goldschneider et al. See also "A Beginner's Guide to the Universe" by
Michael S. Schneider and "The Life You Were Born to Live: A Guide to
Finding Your Life Purpose" by Dan Millman.
For it is the key numbers of your name which contain potent truths about
the positive and negative aspects of your true nature and your identity.
The energy of your name effects you very deeply because you are
constantly exposed to it. Even if you do not think of yourself by using your
own name, others are always saying it to you. The purpose of this is to
ensure that energy of your path will find constant expression in your life.
This is especially true of when it comes to the working out of karma for
there are some names which carry heavy charges of atonement.
The most heavily karmic names for women are Ruth, Victoria, and Huette
while the most heavily karmic names for men are Rudy, Victor, and Hugh.
For more see "The Hidden Truth of Your Name: A Complete Guide to First
Names and What They Say About the Real You" by The Nomenology
Project to see what your name says about you! It is bound to surprise and
amaze you!
Everyone truly needs to experience at least one deep relationship that will
shake them to their core. For it is through our love for our partner that we
learn the wisdom of forgiveness, tolerance, and compassion as well as how
to become truly useful coworkers with God. See "The Secret Language of
Relationships: Profiles for Any Relationship with Anyone" by Gary
Goldschneider et al to learn more about the inner workings of the energy
dynamics between you, your intimate partners, and everyone else you
encounter in life.
Graphology can provide insights into such things as one's outlook on the
world, (positive or negative), their energetic orientation (introvert or
extrovert), their primary state of consciousness (focus on the physical,
mental, emotional, or spiritual), their style of communication (simple or
complex) and so on.
Bodies cannot lie and handwriting often conveys more truth than one
intends. For these truths emerge from the cellular memory from past lives
which finds easy expression in your handwriting. See "Handwriting
Analysis: Putting It to Work for You" by Andrea McNichol and see what your
handwriting says about you!
8> BODY WORKS #2: PALMISTRY (LINES ON THE HAND)
For "once you understand your destiny, you can control it - or change it for
the better." Of course that is the point of all these arts of divination. I
would have thought palmistry was bunk except that… when I was sixteen,
I was told by a palm reader that the concentration of lines on my "past life
finger" meant I had a lot of past life clearing to do later in life. I laughed
then, I am not laughing now (see "My Story"). See "The Complete Book of
Palmistry" by Joyce Wilson for more.
Physiognomy is the Western name for the ancient Chinese art of studying
the head, face and hands to determine a person's character traits,
behavior patterns, and intellectual aptitudes. Unlike graphology and
palmistry, everyone practices physiognomy whether they know it or not.
Subconsciously, we always are evaluating others based on their physical
characteristics, vocal patterns, and body movements to uncover their
personality traits and to predict their future behavior.
The more advanced the soul, the more the toes will show up as blocked
during a Polarity Session (clearing them is more painful than giving birth!).
See "Polarity Therapy: The Complete Collected Works (including the
'Wireless Anatomy of Man')" by Randolph Stone and the "Guide to Polarity
Therapy: The Gentle Art of Hands-On Healing" by Maruti Seidman.
The most popular "rune" systems involving thrown objects are "Runes"
(discerning a message from thrown rocks) and "I Ching" (discerning a
message from thrown coins or sticks). The I Ching is especially useful in
divination for those who are at critical points in their life. This is because it
is designed to help us manage the switches on the train tracks of karma.
See "Runes" by David Barrett and "I Ching, Book of Changes: a Guide to
Life's Turning Points" by Brian Browne Walker.
More popular, but less pure rune systems, involve cards (like Tarot Cards,
Angel Cards, God Insight Cards, Medicine Wheel Cards, Goddess Cards,
etc) and boards (like Quija Boards, Message Boards, and Tarot Boards).
Like the thrown object systems, the card and board systems bypass the
mind by having the person pick cards or move around the board as
directed by spirit.
These card and board systems enables the individual to tap into their own
intuitive abilities by serving as a focal point for spiritual intervention. Using
the cards, people can get answers from spirit to virtually any physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual question. See "The Enchanted Tarot" by
Amy Zerner & Monte Farber and "Quija: The Most Dangerous Game" by
Stoker Hunt.
To read more about it, see our Higher Self Book List.
Credits: adapted from information from the books listed above and channeled
information
The "Forgetting": Like all who come to Earth and incarnate into a
physical body, the "walk-in" will "forget" - temporarily or permanently -
about this exchange. Yet the effect on their lives will be totally
unmistakable. This is because while the "walk-in" assumes the personality
of the "walk-out" at the exchange, they immediately start to change so
that they can go back to their "real" personality.
Walking into a new body is as stressful for the "soul" walking in as it is for
the "body" that is receiving that soul. To make it easier all the way around,
many walk-ins occur while the body is "unconscious" for an extended
period of time due to a serious illness or injury. This becomes easier
because..
• It is easier for the exchange to occur. The "walk-in" can take time to adjust to being in
a body and the "walk-out" can say "goodbye" to their old life.
• It is easier for the body-mind to harmonize and reintegrate the upper and lower
chakras because "full time" can be devoted to this process.
• It is easier for the family and friends of the person to accept the changes that follow
when the individual "wakes up as a new person".
Often this rapid change activates the "quiet part of you that wants to go
Home" to the inner worlds of God. With karma under control and good
progress on your contract, you feel "ready to begin a new lifetime while
still in this physical body."
Remember that "Spirit needs you here to help others transition into the
new energy. They will need a human guide, just like you, who has taken
the journey from the old energy into the new. The path you are walking
right now provides the experiences to enable you to become a teacher".
So, hang in there, because although "waking up is hard to do", once you
have awakened, your "brand new life" will be bigger, better, richer, and
more satisfying than it has ever been before!
The process of waking up usually begins with the "shedding" past life
karma. "Karmic dreams" become the way to work off past life karma by
having you face any residual fears or other negative baggage. Quite
literally, you need to "drop" what is no longer serving you. This "shedding"
will manifest in your dream state as dreams of being chased, running
away, fighting battles, or defeating enemies. You are releasing the
energies of the past that have no place in your vibrant present. Once you
have worked through your "baggage", these dreams will simply stop.
That is because you are living "between two worlds": the way you are used
to being and the way you are becoming. It will take some time for your
body to readjust to your new way of being. Just be patient with the
process… for this too shall pass. And when it does, you will be able to
operate from a greater level of awareness.
"This is similar to the experience of moving from a house where you lived
in for many, many years into a new house. As much as you want to move
into the new house, there is a sadness of leaving behind the memories,
energy and experiences of the old house. This too shall pass" and shall
bring you to your greater joy.
All this disruption is bound to leave you feeling very empty "with little or
no desire to do anything". Congratulations… the change over to your new
enhanced way of being has begun. "Take this time to do 'no-thing'." Do not
resist this feeling: "it is similar to rebooting a computer. You need to shut
down for a brief period of time in order to load sophisticated new
software". Instead of moaning that you are temporarily "off line", instead
rejoice knowing that once you get fully back online, you will be able to
become all that you have ever wished that you could be!
You will recognize that you are turning the corner when you find yourself
talking to your Higher Self much more often. "There is a new level of
communication taking place within your being… The conversations will
increase, and they will become more fluid, more coherent and more
insightful." In essence, you will begin the process of more rapidly evolving
into your Higher Self… your true self.
The best advice is this: "do not worry about finding the perfect job or
career right now. You are in transition and you may make several job
changes before you settle into one that fits your passion." Just go with the
flow, be open to learning the lessons as you do, and trust that you are
being given the best possible training to prepare you to embrace your best
and greatest destiny.
The best description of this awakening process was given by our client,
"Immogen". It speaks powerfully to what it is like in becoming a newly
awakened being:
"Remembering my childhood… Where I have been during this life… The people who truly
are my friends… The many people who have hurt me… The lies… The secrets… Taking
stock of what I have accomplished thus far… Feeling like a failure for waking up so late in
life…"
"Feeling alone… As though I had purposely been isolated… Being freshly hatched out of
an egg… And not liking the world that I see… Feeling as though I am racing against an
invisible stop watch… Yearning to return to where I come from but not really feeling
welcome there… Learning to enjoy and trust the process… Feeling like the odds are
stacked against me…"
"Compartmentalizing the daily grind of life chores from new growth… Remembering,
remembering, remembering… Understanding… Reconnecting with people in this life who I
have known for eons in past lives… Hoping that they will recognize me and welcome
me… Opening doors… Closing others… Having to wait to see people that may be able to
confirm that they know who I am… just as I know who they are..."
"Hoping that I will not be too late... Learning to become who I already am… Trying to stop
worrying and just go on doing and accept what happens instead… Rearing that inner child
so that it may merge healthy with my adult self… Learning the difference between illusion
and reality... Planning while making it happen... Inching my way to a door that I need to
tear open and close behind me… What I have learned thus far cannot be undone…"
Ready to keep on growing: for this is the essence of the awakened Soul.
Credits: adapted from Geoffrey Hoppe's "Tobias of the Crimson Circle" and channeled
information.
And this feeling goes on, day after day, month after month, year after
year, and sometimes life after life. You come to wonder what is the point of
this dark despair and when will it ever end and why did it start to begin
with.
These rules cannot end the seemingly bottomless pit of hopelessness but
they will shed some light on it. And yes, the Dark Night of Soul DOES come
to an end for everyone. That is the only way it can be in a loving and
compassionate universe.
Just knowing there is a purpose for this seemingly endless suffering makes
it much easier to endure. So welcome to the land of endless night...
"Establish in us O God that which Thou hast wrought, and perfect the work
which Thou hast begun in us to Thy glory." (Martin Luther) At the end of
our wanderings, we finally make perfect the perfection which God has
originally created inside us.
Until we connect with our perfection, we get drawn back into this world by
the attachments which imperfections create. Detachment, the desireless
state which Eastern religions believe is nirvana, is the key to leaving this
world behind us.
The "dark night" helps make this detachment possible by helping one to
"burn off" attachments to this world than no longer serve them. This is the
place of "letting go to let God" so that we can be a full Coworker in the
majesty of his Creation.
"Be the master of your will and the slave of your conscience" (Hasidic
Proverb) Vanity arises whenever the "will-ego" and the "conscience-Soul"
are severely out of balance - in both directions (narcissistic vanity &
masochistic vanity).
In narcissistic vanity ("how great I art"), the will and the conscience are
imbalanced in the direction of a person believing that they are the
universe instead of just having a place in it. The "dark night" is quite
effective in dispelling these false, narcissistic illusions but it may tend to
aggravate the other extreme for awhile.
In masochistic vanity ("what a miserable bag of dung I am"), the will and
the conscience are imbalanced in the direction of a person believing that
they have no place in the universe when in fact everyone does. Given
enough time, the spirit emerges reborn from the "dark night" into a
balanced state of self esteem.
Perhaps the most difficult thing that the "dark night" has to teach is
tolerance for the God that "puts us through it". In the supreme irony, it is
this "dark night" process that burns the residue of intolerance from us.
For if it did not then we would never be able to get off the ever spinning
wheel of death and rebirth.
"He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself
must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be
forgiven." (George Herbert) In a universe constantly evolving from
darkness to light, it is inevitable that the pattern of the light will change
from time to time revealing new truths.
What one did in a past life or earlier in the present life with full conviction
that they were doing right, can later be proved to be wrong. So
forgiveness of one's self and others has been, is, and always will be a part
of human existence.
Part of the "dark night" experience is forgiving yourself for "that which
you did and should not have been done" and "that which you did not do
and should have been done". One of the biggest surprises in the land of
endless night is discovering that it is much easier to forgive others than it
is to forgive yourself.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot
drive out hate; only love can do that." (Martin Luther King Jr) This is
because hate begets hate while love begets love. In the physical world, it
is remarkable how little it takes to hate someone else and how much it
takes to love them.
So many are drawn to the Earth plane simply because these opportunities
to experience the depths of love and hate are so rich. Dragging hate into
the "dark night" produces storms of such great magnitude they feel as if
they cannot be long endured. And yet they go on for as long as one clings
to the hate that powers them.
That is why for any question - even for the question of how to escape the
"dark night of Soul" - love is always the only answer.
The second is our continuous connection to the God Source (known as our
Higher Self) and the collective consciousness so we can become fully God
Realized.
Pride is an imbalance that results when the needs of the individual are
always put ahead of the needs of the collective universe. Humility is the
opposite when the needs of the collective universe are always put ahead
of the needs of the individual.
They gorge themselves on sensual pleasures so that they will not have to
face how unsatisfying their lives really are. The "dark night" intensifies
these feelings until the Soul realizes that what it is really missing is the
love of God.
For it is this divine love where true satisfaction really lays: Raoul
Wallenberg knew this as he spent his life in a Russian prison. Always
happy, always smiling, he knew the true satisfaction that being immersed
in the love of God brings.
"Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers." (Francois Voltaire)
For questions are always more revealing than answers, just as speaking
always reveals more about character and intention than people realize. Of
all the words we speak, those which damage ourselves the most are those
we speak in envy.
For when we envy others, we tell ourselves that we are not good enough.
For when we want the gifts that others have, it means we cannot
appreciate the gifts we have been given. When we do not appreciate our
gifts, we cannot be grateful for them. When we are not grateful for them,
the gifts simply stop working for us.
For when anger strikes us, the first thing it shuts down is our ability to love
both ourselves and others. Anger is a wild animal that can push even the
most rational among us to unthinking acts of desperation.
Yet the animal can be tamed with the collar of calmness which acts like
water on fire: "calming one's perplexities, moderating one's anxieties,
steadying the scales of judgment, preserving one from exaggerated and
rash actions." Calmness is essential for survival in the "dark night". Lack
of inner peace feeds the power of darkness while calmness allows the
warm rays of love to lighten and shorten our time there.
"I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that
decision." (Eleanor Roosevelt) What we come to see through the "dark
night" is that the "good" and "bad" aspects of our character are only
value judgments that we place on ourselves. So it is with the concepts of
greed and charity.
Greed is a bad thing when a few take all that there is for themselves and
refuse to share their bounty with the less fortunate masses. Greed is a
good thing when it motivates people to provide goods and services that
are the best they can be. The same greed that says "I want it all for
myself" also recognizes that "I cannot get what I want for myself unless I
decide to serve others".
Charity is a good thing when it helps those who truly cannot help
themselves. Charity is a bad thing when it keeps those who can help
themselves in a state of laziness and dependence. The same charity that
says "let me help" also adds "let me help you help yourself". In this light, it
can be seen that the entire journey through the "dark night" is meant to
teach us self reliance and self dependence.
"A great sailor can sail even with a torn canvas." (Seneca) If the Earth can
with a warning label it would be this: "Do not enter here unless you are
prepared to triumph over adversity". Ironically, this is why most people
come to the Earth: so that they can see how they will measure up to it's
ultimate tests of discipline.
Yet discipline is a virtue that must be drilled into an individual because the
central defining characteristic of humans in their natural state is sloth or
laziness. If you doubt this, just look around to see how many labor saving
devices there are. Cars save us from driving, washers and dryers save us
from laundering, microwaves save us from real cooking, and so on. They
"save us" time so that we can have it to laze around the TV like couch
potatoes.
In the land of endless "dark night", sloth is fatal - there are too many
challenges. To survive them, grab hold of the buoy of discipline: it alone
will keep you afloat.
"Empathy and fellow feeling form the very basis of morality." (Sissela Bok
on "Compassion Fatigue") Empathy, the ability to sympathize with and feel
sorrow for the pain of another, is the biggest difference between "regular"
people and socio-paths (like serial killers, rapists, etc). For without
empathy, man would exist in a state of "his animal lusts" for power, sex,
and money.
Karma balances the scales with the former victimizers becoming victims in
later lives. Not surprisingly, those who did the most hurting in one life and
come back to be the most hurt, are those who develop the deepest
compassion for others.
What we all must experience in the "dark night" is to see and to own how
our actions have effected others dow to the smallest detail. Only then can
we move forward in our Soul's unfoldment with love and compassion. For it
is only love - and love alone - that will guide us safely on our journey back
home to God.
Credits: adapted from "The Dark Night of Soul" by John of the Cross.
Forget all you have been taught about "The Rules" (about
how women trap men) and "The Code" (about how men
trap women). If you want a spiritual, loving, intimate
relationship, then here are the rules you should follow.
These are the 12 "I's" that create truly lasting, harmonious, and successful
"We's".
Both partners are individually strong and whole. The partners are together
primarily because they want to be together (sharing strength) rather than
needing to be together (overcoming weakness).
2> INTEGRITY
Both partners act honestly and honorably toward one another at all times.
Each partner always has the other's best interests at heart and
demonstrates their love by actions consistent with words.
3> IMPORTANCE
Both partners give to each other what is easy and natural for them to give
because their relationship is very important to each one. Both partners
share the deepest love and respect for one another.
Both partners feel that they need one another. Both partners feel that they
are extraordinarily lucky to be in the relationship. Both partners feel
privileged to be making their journey together through life.
6> INDEPENDENCE
Both partners agree on the space and time that is necessary for each to
pursue individual interests. As each partner honors their own uniqueness,
that in turn strengthens their relationship.
7> INFORMATION
8> INVESTMENT
9> INTEGRATION
Both partners are joined at many levels. This integration includes constant
sharing of leisure time, sharing of living space, sharing of money, sharing
of tasks, and, of course, sharing of love.
10> INSTITUTIONALIZATION
11> INFORMALITY
Both partners must feel at home in each other's hearts. This means that
each partner must feel and must be completely safe and comfortable in
"letting their hair down" around the other.
12> IN MOTION
"...losing through you what seemed myself, i find selves unimaginably mine; beyond
sorrow's own joys and hopings very fears yours is the light by which my spirit's born:
yours is the darkness of my soul's return... you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars."
- e. e. cummings
This is why the drive for union with one's "Soulmate" is so compelling, and
so universal. To properly understand how our Soulmates effect us, we must
first understand the types of "soulmates" that we will encounter in our
journey as Soul.
1> Partners in Hate: Believe it or not, those that you hate with all the intensity of your being
are one group of your soulmates. Those we hate are our soulmates in the sense that they
continually cross our soul's path life after life. For it is the hatred for one another that sticks
you together like glue until you can understand and release the hate that binds you. Many
times we hate in others what we really hate in ourselves. Those we hate actually help us to
embrace those aspects of our character that we find it hard to love.
2> Partners in Love: Those we love in even the smallest degree are another group of our
soulmates. Again these become our soulmates because of the love binding us together. Our
partners in love - and hate - most often come to us as parents, siblings, spouses, and children.
They serve to remind us about those aspects of our character that we should love and cherish.
For it is all too easy to "eliminate the positive, and accentuate the negative" while we are here
on Earth. Those we love show us what we should love in ourselves.
3> The One and Only: When people commonly yearn for their Soulmate, what they are
really yearning for is "the one and only" person who can make them complete. This is their
"twin flame" or "Bashert" (the Hebrew word meaning one's predestined mate). When we are
with our "Bashert", we realize that we are "two halves of the same person". Our "Bashert"
gives us the opportunity to grow in love like no other person can. So when we speak of how
"our soulmates can help us", we are referring to how our "Bashert" can help us grow as
Soul.
It is easy to love our "Bashert" because, of all the Souls in the universe,
they are the true other half of ourselves. This is not to say that we will
never experience any difficulties with our "Bashert" (we will). The
difference is that our "Bashert" stands closest to the wellspring of all our
love... which is God/Goddess/AllThatIs. Since our "Bashert" occupies that
central space in our universe, they can "push us" like no other into taking
our ability to love to ever deeper levels.
When we are with our "Bashert", our life is better even if it does not
change at all in any outward respect. We find ourselves better able to bear
things we would find unbearable on our own. Jobs that we hate do not
seem so burdensome. People who bother us seem less annoying. Chronic
health problems seem easier to endure. Our "Bashert" makes us glad to
come home and sorry to have to leave.
Just knowing that there is someone out there who is on our side no matter
what we do, who will support us no matter what happens to us, and who
will always totally understand our point of view no matter how others
choose to misunderstand us eases our journey immensely. By helping us
to love, our "Bashert" leads us to our joy. Our unconscious knowledge that
endless joy is out there for us just waiting to be discovered is what
compels us to seek out reunion with our "Bashert".
Often what some view as difficulties with their "Bashert" is when they help
us to our own truth. For they know us so well that there is no room in this
relationship for anything but truth. The moment we deviate from our truth
our "Bashert" is there to catch us and gently tap us on the shoulder to
remind us that we have deviated.
They do this not because they are the "Karma Police" but because they
want what is best for us. And what is best for us is always based in the
truth. Since our "Bashert" stands so close to us and yet outside of us, they
can see it better than we do. And because we love them so very much, we
are ready to listen to the truth from them in a way we would not listen to
others.
Looking from the outside, others often believe that our destiny was so
obvious as to be inevitable. Yet the truth is that destiny is seldom obvious
and never inevitable. It takes courage for anyone to go out and claim it.
Often, it is our "Bashert's" love, help, and support that gives us the power,
the courage, and the ability to go out and claim our destiny. Their belief in
us helps us to believe in ourselves especially when all others around us are
discouraging and/or sabotaging us. Their love gives us the courage to
"press on" when we find nothing else inside to keep us going.
Beyond courage, trust is essential for us to claim our destiny. For if we did
not trust that it was at all possible to turn our dreams into reality, we
would never pursue them in the first place. There is nothing so
inspirational as to look deeply into the eyes on one's "Bashert" and see
there how you can do anything that you have resolved to do. There is
nothing so vital as to know that even if you fall, you will land in the open
arms of your "Bashert" and all will be understood and accepted.
Only when our lives are full of love are they truly abundant. For "money
cannot buy happiness... it cannot even rent it", it can only fill one's life
with experiences and possessions that are incomplete without another to
share it with. The simple truth is that one can be happier living with their
"Bashert" in a hovel than with royalty they do not love in a Palace (like
Princess Diana).
As we pursue our destiny, seek our fortune, and walk our path, we gain the
experience we need to become fully realized CoWorkers with God. When
our "Bashert" loves, helps, and support us on our journey through life, they
are actually helping to prepare us for this greater destiny. As they help us
to see ourselves more clearly, they help us to see the world more clearly.
In turn this makes us clearer channels in spreading the Divine Love God
has for everyone to those around us.
The Golden Rule would work so much better if it read this way: "Do unto
others as you would do unto the person you loved most in the world, your
'Bashert'!" The overflowing love that we have for our "Bashert" is often
what enables us to develop our own qualities of gentleness and
compassion. Loving them as we do, we cannot help but be gentle and
compassionate with our "Bashert". The more we learn to treat them with
loving kindness, the more we can treat others with gentleness.
Once you have been reunited with your "Bashert", you cannot help but be
daily grateful for the blessing of having them in your life. Being permitted
to spend your life with your "Bashert" is the greatest gift that can be given
to anyone in any given lifetime. If you are fortunate enough to be
presently reunited with your "Bashert", stop now and give thanks for the
miracle and the gifts they are giving you daily. If you are presently parted,
stop now and express gratitude for knowing that such a person exists for
you somewhere in the universe and for someday being reunited.
Being balanced means becoming truly ourselves - "finding the selves that
are unimaginably mine" by becoming first fully Self Realized and then fully
God Realized. For that is the greatest gift that our "Bashert" bring us:
allowing us to see and embrace the full totality of ourselves through their
eyes.
So what we are doing for our "Bashert" as they are doing all this for us?
We are helping them in the same way... our love for them makes it easy
and natural for us to do so. I know this is true... for these rules have
sprung from the deep love my "Bashert" and I have shared through many
lives. For that I thank you, my dearest!
Notice the parallels between how our Soulmates help us to grow in love,
joy, and awareness and the Hallmarks of the Spiritually Advanced.
Credits: from channeled information and lifetimes of the love of my Beloved Darling.
"You cannot conceive of the many without the one" (Plato) because "all are
but parts of one stupendous whole" (Alexander Pope). It is the "discovery
and appreciation of the circle is our early glimpse into the wholeness,
unity, and divine order of the universe". (Schneider)
"Our mind divides the world into heaven and earth, day and night, light
and darkness, right and left, man and woman, I and you - and the more
strongly we sense the separation between these two poles, the more
powerfully do we also sense their power" in the birth of all. (Karl
Menninger)
"A whole is that which has a beginning, a middle, and an end" (Aristotle)
for it is the "three that engenders all things" (Tao Te Ch'ing). It is the three
that is "the formula of all creation" (Balzac). For it is the three that is the
binding element that resolves the natural tension between opposite poles.
"Behold heaven and nature and all the elements - fire, air, water, and
earth - for of these are all things created". (Thomas a Kempis) "The worlds
originate so that truth may come and dwell there in" (Confucius) inside the
eternal square of reliability (fire), equality (air), fairness (water), and
solidity (earth).
"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars"
(Proverbs) which are the seven energy chakras. These energy chakras are
the portals by which paradise - the Energy of God - enters your body-mind.
Seven sided objects are the only ones where the sides can never be
equal... the perfect imbalance.
"The noble Eightfold way is: right views, right intention, right speech, right
action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration".
(Buddha) It is the eight sided octagon that brings perfect symmetry and
balance to energy of space in the Ba'gua of Feng Shui (the Chinese art of
placement).
"Nine flows around the other numbers in the Ten like an ocean".
(Nichomachus) Nine is "the horizon which lies at the edge of the shore
before the boundless ocean of numbers that repeat in endless cycles - the
principles of the first nine digits". (Schneider) Nine is truly the final frontier.
"Leaving the old, both worlds at once 10 views: it stands upon the
threshold of the new". (Waller) It is ten that is the gateway to the universe.
Credits: adapted from "A Beginner's Guide to the Universe: the Mathematical
Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science" by Michael S. Schneider and channeled
information
Whether you live in an apartment or a house, each day that passes means
you have used up one more day of your mortgage or rent payment. Try
taking a bus, riding a train, or driving your car without spending any
money. Not to mention having a physical body which has an annoying
habit of wanting to be fed and clothed every day.
If you have a job you hate, money is keeping you there. Because money is
everywhere you want to be, past lives usually have strongly dominated
your attitudes toward it. Worse, past lives may be keeping you from the
enjoying the abundance of the universe which - believe it or not - is your
birthright.
Every day, all the time, everyone always wants more money. People will go to
enormous lengths to get it... even going so far as to marry a multi-millionaire!
Yet often these self same people end up believing that money is the goal when
the real goal is freedom. For money gives an individual freedom to move in the
world: whether it ranges from exploring and healing one's karma to the simple
desire to have fun.
Money frees one from having to struggle to put food on their table, clothes on
their back, or a roof over their heads. Money frees one from being "trapped" in
abusive relationships, unsatisfying jobs, unproductive ways of life and from
fending off fears that someday, somehow, somewhere there will never be
enough.
Fulfilling the desires of God is what money is all about. No one knew that
better than Mother Theresa of Calcutta. She lived simply and soulfully in the
worst slums in the poorest part of the industrialized world and successfully
carried out her mission of healing the sick and caring for the needy. Pennies
did not rain down from heaven enabling her to do this necessary, charitable
work.
On the contrary, Mother Theresa was an efficient and skillful fund raiser who
went to wherever the money was. She raised millions of dollars both in the
United States and in Europe to fund her work in India. Money did not detract
from her amazing spirituality one bit. In my opinion, Mother Theresa is one of
the most magnificent models of magnified, abundant, and purposeful living
from the 20th Century.
Having taken the vows of poverty in many religious lifetimes, the following
Biblical passages are tattooed into my cellular memory. You may have heard
that "Money is the root of all evil" and that "It is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of
Heaven".
Yet, in looking closer, for those of us who are ex-Biblical scholars, it is really
"for the lust after money that is the root of all evil" and "it is easier for a
camel than a puffed up man" to reach Heaven.
The difference in translation, in both cases, clearly states that the imbalance
existing in the individual's use of and regard for money is the true problem. For
when money is spitefully kept from those who need it, when it is used as a
weapon to hurt others, when it becomes more important than love, God, and
dear ones, when it makes us think that we are in fact God, it is a real problem.
This imbalance is quite easily corrected by karma as when "rich men" who
have used money in a "puffed up" way incarnate into their next lives as
"deflated, poor men" to balance the scales.
Those who by karma evolve to a more balanced view of money realize that it is
just another aspect of the energy of spirit made visible in form. The energy of
spirit takes on many forms in the physical world: like love, time, space, and
nature to name a few.
No one ever says: "it is bad to have more love in my life... or more time, or
more space, or more natural resources that are freely abundant to everyone"
like air, sunshine, and so on. In fact, people desperately seek love, take time for
granted, occupy space without really noticing it, and ignore nature unless it
gets in the way.
No one says "give me less love, less time, less space, and while you are at it,
cut down on the air I need to have every moment and without which I will be
dead in three minutes". Yet these same people say give me less money when
they believe that it is "evil" and will keep them from "being a good person" or
from "becoming more spiritual".
Was Buddha corrupted by wealth he was born into? No, he gave it up for spirit.
Was Jesus corrupted by the manifesting abundant food ("loaves and fishes")
for his audience? Certainly not. All Jesus objected to money being worshipped
instead of God.
Take the case of Roberta Guaspari, the violin teacher who started a music
program for the inner city children of Harlem, NY, and upon whose life the
movie "Music of the Heart" was based. When the funding was cut for her
violin program by the school system, she fought to save it by putting on a
recital featuring performances by her best students. Despite initial enthusiasm,
the recital was nearly cancelled when the appointed theatre suffered flooding.
Yet at that moment, Carnegie Hall, hearing of her heroic efforts, offered her
their space for free and recruited several internationally renowned musicians to
appear with the students. The recital was successful enough to keep Guaspari's
music program going for another three years. This attracted the movie and now
the future of her music program is virtually guaranteed. This all resulted from
financial barriers paving the road to success.
When people focus on manifesting money alone, they limit the abundance that
the universe can provide. For abundance is much more than money, it is
personal qualities such as physical gifts like health, strength, and athletic skills
or mental gifts like talents, skills, knowledge or emotional gifts like
influencing others.
Of these, the greatest gift is connecting with others. For no one can do or know
everything on their own. The greatest abundance of all is knowing others who
can and will help you reach your goals as you help them reach theirs. That is
why the Internet is so powerful because it provides a way for all kinds of
people to more easily exchange abundance. The ancient Chinese knew this and
it is why their symbol for abundance is many people pulling together.
If you want to know the secret to success in business it is this: "that you get
what you want from life by helping others get what they want from life". It is
just that simple. Those who serve the most people get the most money. Look
around and you will see that the businesses which are the most successful are
those which offer a superior product, at attractive prices, with great customer
support, and a genuine commitment to customer satisfaction.
All this springs from their core desire to serve others to best of their ability.
The motivation for this is often just money but those that succeed the most link
their motivation to love. This ironically is a very logical proposition: if love is
the most powerful force in the universe and if it is very strongly linked to a
money making goal, then that goal will be fulfilled abundantly and the money
will flow like water!
8> ABUNDANCE GETS YOU TO BECOME MORE OF WHO YOU ARE
For many, the greatest block to manifesting greater levels of money and
abundance in their life is actually the fear that abundance will in fact drive
them to become more of who they already are.
They fear that it will magnify their shortcomings (as in becoming a mental
wreck like multi-billionaire Howard Hughes who died alone in rags and filth
because his money supported his aberrations). They forget that it also
magnifies their strengths (like Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, or Tom Cruise
who have been known to be generous with both their money and their time to
those in true need).
The truth is that money is much like a gun or a knife in that it's results depends
on whose hands it is in. The same gun used to defend a loved one from harm
can be used to hold up a liquor store. The same money that can be used to get
medicine for a dying spouse can be given to a hit man to blow that spouse
away.
If you cannot trust yourself with receiving more money, the best use you can
make of the money you do have is to find out why and solve your
disempowering money problems.
Those is the technical fields know this truth all too well. If they do not like the
job they are in and if the technical skills they possess are in demand, they will
attract another, better job quickly and easily. For they are the source of their
own abundance: getting and maintaining their skills is the true source.
The truth is that everyone has something which they can do well. Finding out
what that special skill is means looking no farther than to what they like to do
or what they can do particularly well. For it is the joyful exercise of God given
skills and abilities which leads to the greatest abundance of all: happiness and
money!
If you have never read the book by Marsha Sinetar, "Do What You Love and
the Money Will Follow", I strongly recommend that you do so. Trust is the key
to this process working and it is a process.
To do what you love, you must first find what that is. Once you have found it,
you must honor it by doing it wherever and whenever you can. Once you have
honored it, you must pursue it if you truly wish to succeed. By pursuing it, you
must love it with your heart and soul.
If you do not love your work, you will not be able to push through the
obstacles and barriers that arise so that you can see the gifts they are trying to
bring you. What makes this happen is the trust that you can succeed, that you
deserve to prosper, and that the support you need will come to you. This is
where faith in "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen" pays off.
It is amazing to me how many doors the words "Please" and "Thank You" can
open. It is even more amazing how often people fail to use these simple keys to
success to open doors for them. Think about how you feel when someone
thanks you: how it motivates you to do more for them. This is how the
universe works as well: the attitude of gratitude keeps the abundance of the
universe flowing in endlessly.
Think of the richest people in the world who you see doing work. What
motivates them to keep on going long after they have abundant money for all
they want and need? Like anything else, it is love. For it is love that draws
people inexorably to their higher purpose.
Credits: adapted from "The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Path Toward Personal &
Financial Fulfillment" by Maria Nemeth and "Creating Money" by Sanaya Roman and
Duane Packer.
Artists sign their work because they are proud of their achievement.
Contrast that to most corporate workers are reluctant to write much
because at heart they do not want their names associated with what they
do. The "it's just a job, who cares" attitude ensures that unsatisfying, Soul
numbing work will cling to them as long as they have that attitude. Yet
attitudes can be changed… and when you start doing everything as if you
would be proud to sign it… miracles will manifest.
To understand this better, let's look at the spiritual principles behind work
everyone is familiar with… websites. After all, websites are truly one's
signature to the world.
The World Wide Web is the electronic embodiment of the fact that
everyone everywhere is very intimately connected. Whether you like it or
not, or believe it or not, you are part of the vast collective consciousness
of the universe. What you do - every action, every thought, every feeling -
effects others just as they effect you.
Those who are put their hearts into their websites and have a genuine
desire to serve others, always have the best sites with the most traffic.
They attract traffic because they honor who they serve and, in return, they
are honored with work, money, praise, insights, etc. And because these
websites attract traffic they are here to stay… while those without heart
either are suddenly pulled or slowly die the death of a thousand broken
links (may they rest in peace!).
The greatest tragedy of modern society is that most view work as a chore
and not as a joy. And yet who are the highest paid, happiest people on
Earth? Those who do what they love and love what they do. Take the
Oscars: every year without fail someone will say "I cannot believe that I
am getting paid so much money to do what I love!" The truth is their love
for their work paid off and attracted the money!
Just as on one money making website, the webmasters proudly declare
"you all know that when your heart is singing and you hear an inner call,
you must do what makes you the happiest, and that's what our site does
for us!!!" Do what you love and the money will follow! See quotes
from those who love what they do!
Nothing is free. Take healing: it starts as a gift but to continue along this
path, the healing gift must be nurtured by training and practice. Take
websites: they offer free information and resources but they too must be
maintained by the payment of hosting fees and technical support costs.
And yet the same people who benefit from the free information are the
first to complain about sites that contain commercial advertising and the
last to be courteous and sign a guestbook.
The spiritual truth is that those who want something for nothing always
take and never give while those who put out something for nothing always
give and never take. Sites and people that give too much get burned out
and close up shop. Sites and people that take too much get a bad
reputation and close up too.
Take the Internet: the simple act of linking is the best way to empower our
sites and others at the same time. Not only does linking help to improve a
site's standings in search engines, it draws quality traffic to our sites. For
our link list, click here.
The truth is it is better to get 50 hits from a good link that generates 20
customers than 1,000 hits from a search engine that generates none. The
secret to creating wealth is people helping empower other people … look
at the top businesses in any industry and you will see that the good,
helpful guys are those who finish first.
It is a fact of life that what you get out of it is what you put into it. The real
reasons that you do what you do is really what drives your success or
assures your failure. Take the case of Meta Tags, those "hidden" words on a
web page that are used by "robots" and "spiders" of search engines to
classify and rank your page. Many use tips and tricks to try and bend the
robots and spiders to their will but the search engines are not fooled and
neither is the universe… tricksters only fool themselves.
People spend money for many reasons most of which boil down to one.
They perceive - rightly or wrongly - that what they are receiving is more
valuable than the money they are spending. Where no value is perceived,
no money will be spent.
Take web directories that charge for listings, especially those not among
the first 30 on major search engines. Most of them have few listings and
fewer still which renew the next year. Why? Because the best directories
provide free listings and instead cover their costs by advertising. "Free
directories" can attract advertisers because their directory services draw
in quality traffic both from those providing and those searching for
services. For the best of these directories, click here!
Believe it or not, people are more ready to spend money than time. Take
web surfers: most will look at the home page of website and decide in 30
seconds or less if they want to "waste any of their valuable time" on it.
People will decide instantly not to waste their time if they see graphics
that do not load, home pages that go on forever, disorganized content, or
graphics created by two year olds. Sites like that scream "I don't care, why
should you?" And yet the webmasters of such sites wonder why they get
no traffic. Duh!
The first way to provide value to your customers is to make sure that
whatever you do - your work or your website - it well organized. Taking the
time to set things up so that people can find what they are looking for
quickly and easily shows you are respecting the gift of the time and
attention they are giving you.
The second way to provide value to your customers is to make sure that
the content of your work is as accurate as you can make it. Of course,
there will be mistakes… and when others point them out, be gracious
about it and correct them as quickly as you can. For your site is only as
good as the information it spreads!
The third way to provide value to your customers is to make sure that
"quality goes in before the name goes on." Quality content is meant to
help others to solve a problem or just feel good. The universe does not
need another "buy my book, worship me" website… it needs more sites
with "love, sweet love"!
The fourth way to provide value to your customers is to make sure that
"you put your best foot forward" at all times. Fix those typos, clean up
those graphics, and remove those words that do not show love.
Credits: inspired by Jim Harmon's "Spiritual Healing" and from channeled information