I know a beautician who is facing the loss of her job when the beauty parlor she works in closes its doors and hangs out a "for sale" sign. This woman has decided that she wants to go into business for herself and work out of her home or her own small shop and she's asking others to pray for her; to pray that things will work out that way.

What is this woman really asking? What kind of prayer is she offering to God? Her prayer is not unlike thousands of others offered "up to God" on a daily basis. "Dear God, give me what I want and I won't bother you any more"; or "Dear God, get me through this crisis and I promise I'll be good"; or "Dear God, keep me from having to struggle and I'll love you forever."

In short, all these prayers are saying the same thing; "Dear God, please give in to my fear."

For those who are sincere in their requests, what happens when their prayers are answered (in the manner that they're expected to be answered)? The requester is thankful. The requester loves God even more. But, what kind of thankfulness or love can be built on a foundation of fear? What kind of thanksgiving or love is used as a tool of trade or a bargaining chip or a ticket to by-pass guilt?

For those who are sincere in their requests, what happens when their prayers aren't answered (in the expected manner)? The requester is often angry, confused, depressed, or resentful. And by this, they're punishing God. Maybe if they ignore Him, distrust Him, disobey Him, or show Him just how angry they are, God will be sorry and give them what they want.

If these scenarios seem too childish, examine closely the parallels of a temperamental child with an adult, and a fear-filled human being with God.

Yet, there are also many people who have grown beyond the "Dear God" phase. They can often be heard saying, "I just have to trust God." They "trust" God to know better than they do, what they want or need. Or, they "trust" God to not give them more than they can cope with. Yet so often, when the prayers aren't answered, this trust quickly turns to a sense of betrayal and the requester feels justified with his righteous indignation. Hasn't he merely set up God as a patsy or a "fall guy" for blame?

The underlying cause of all these behaviors is viewing God as outside one's self or apart from one's self. It's so much easier to blame someone or something else as the cause of misfortune or fear. And it's so much easier to allow ego that voice of false humility by attributing an external being with omnipotent power to create all fortune or happiness. Whether we view God as the cause of all fortune or misfortune, we're still placing ourselves in the victim mode.

As humans, we hold many images of God. In whatever form God appears to us, as long as we see that image as something external, we hold that image as our servant - to accept whatever responsibility we want to give it.

But, God is in all things. ALL things - to include every cell of my body, every atom, every nucleus, every DNA code, every thought, every emotion, every sensation, every feeling, every action. God and I are inseparable. All that I am, is God. I AM the Alpha and the Omega. I AM the creator and destroyer of all I experience and all that I AM.


(c) Ronnie Carroll
September 2008

--
Separately, we shine. Together, we light the world.

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A rainy day at the lake is better than a sunny day in town. This is true not only in the literal, physical context for me, but also as a metaphor for all that is valued in life.

So what exactly does this mean? This message is essentially conveying that the worst moment of doing something that we love is better than the best moment of doing something that we don't love. The worst day of doing something that aligns with our passion is better than the best day of doing something that we are not passionate about. This truth can be applied to virtually all areas of life.

For example, you can be highly successful in a particular career, but if that career doesn't align with your passion, you lack fulfillment. You feel better doing that which you are passionate about, even if you are not as successful as perceived through the eyes of others or yourself. 
 
In the context of your career, your true passion may be best realized by expressing yourself through music, but you are employed full time as a lawyer. Or, your passion may be best realized by expressing yourself as a writer, but you work full time as an accountant. No matter how successful you are as a lawyer or an account, if your true passion is best realized through music or writing, and you do not have a respective outlet to express yourself, then you will lack fulfillment.


On its deepest, most meaningful level, this truth exists in the spiritual context. A perceived bad day in the conscious presence of God, in the awareness of the present moment, is better than the best day of continuous thoughts racing through your head. Regardless of the physical or mental state you may be in, a moment connected to God is better than even the happiest moment of incessant thoughts occupying your mind.

Physically, we are not able to spend every day at the lake, so we must allow ourselves to be at ease while in town. Fortunately, however, in the spiritual realm we can be at the lake whenever we choose to be there. We can connect to God's presence at any moment in time to leave the town of external distractions and incessant thought patterns. We can be at ease by connecting with the present moment.

As spiritual beings, we are graced with the ability to return to the spiritual lake without even a moment's notice. God is always there. The lake is always available and accessible. If we are ever at a place, physically or mentally, that does not align with our passion, we can choose to connect to God's presence and instantly be where we want to be.

Copyright 2008

Nathan Anderson

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Doesn't loving someone compassionately mean that we love them very closely? Sure it does! An old saying tells us that two people who are close friends or lovers are "attached at the hip." So why would we want to detach from them at all? Wouldn't we want to stay close to the people that we love the most? A whole new meaning evolves once we combine the seemingly contradictory words "compassion" and "detachment."



Before we can talk about why we might detach from someone, let's talk about what happens when we are attached to someone. Let's say that you and I are having an argument. Looking at this argument from an energetic perspective, you might say that both of us are projecting energy. We are projecting energy as words, and energy as feelings. My words are made up of vibrations - of energy. I am not only communicating energy as words, I am also sharing my beliefs, thought processes, attitudes, pains and suffering from my past, judgments, expectations and more. All of these things about me are projected from my being when I speak to you. In the course of an argument, it can be easy to see these things occurring if we can tune into them. We use the example of an argument because it is an example of when energy is clashing between two people, and we can feel this energy strongly. After observing some of these dynamics, you might say that, during an argument, we are energetically attached.



If we are energetically attached, how do we detach then? The first thing we can examine that can help us is to remember to not take offense while in an argument. Given, it can be challenging to not be offended during an argument. But that doesn't mean we can't learn how to do it! When we take offense, we are reacting to what someone says. But who are we truly reacting to? The answer is our own self. The one we are arguing with merely serves as a catalyst to our own energy. During the course of our day, we see many arguments on television, in the work place and more. But we are obviously not involved. We are merely the observers. It's easy to remain detached when we are not involved. Yet, we can still be energetically detached while we are involved! If we keep in mind that what people say to us comes from them - their attitudes, beliefs and especially their expectations - we can realize that what they say really has little to do with us. How well could you detach while in an argument if you knew that the one arguing with you was only really saying something about himself? Even if what he says is about you, it is still coming from him. It is his creation. His interpretation of you. And that is not who you are.



Whether it is our own energy or another's energy, if we attach to what is happening, we operate within ourselves from diminished levels of clarity. When we are not clear, we have an energetic blockage. Blockages are denser energies like anger and fear. When we have that blockage, the flow of energy within us inhibits our ability to clearly see the outside world. The less that we deal with ourselves, the more we begin to see things clearly. We begin to perceive without judgment and without expectation. It is then that we begin seeing "all that is" more clearly because we are no longer only seeing what we are projecting.



We become confused sometimes because we forget the difference between when we are projecting energy and when we are perceiving the energy of what is actually happening outside of us. We see through our own subjective lens so often, we sometimes forget that there is a world beyond the way that we interpret it. For example, if I carry many pains around with me and constantly project an image of pain about myself, how often am I truly interacting with the world outside of me? Not very often, I would say. Instead of interacting with the new energy in the world, I am inhibited by my blocked, inner flow of energy. If that happens, I will create opportunities to unblock that flow. Those opportunities will likely manifest into our experience as obstacles and challenges.



Compassionately Detaching From Expectations



Interestingly enough, when we are detached and no longer are projecting our own expectations about the world or the people in it, will we feel the same way about the world? Perhaps there is something more to the world beyond our current understanding, and that we are the only force stopping ourselves from seeing more of it? To go beyond our own selves permits us to see things much more clearly. One of the most important gifts we give ourselves is the opportunity to see clearly who we are, and we achieve this through awareness.



When I see myself clearly, I can then see you clearly. If I do not see myself clearly, I cannot see you clearly. If I get upset with you, I was upset within myself first. (You did not create the upset - I did, remember?) My expectation of how you should respond to me is not the same as yours. Therefore, you are emotionally detached from my expectation. If I release my expectation (or attachment) that you should respond to me in a certain way, I am no longer giving you the power to "push my buttons." You don't need to see clearly my expectations. I only need to see clearly the energy inside of myself in order to see you clearly. This is the energy that I can nurture. Nurturing that energy that is on the inside of me is an act of self love. I have total self love when I am not controlled emotionally by the world that does not meet my expectations or judgments. I am then free and detached to love it for what it is.



Let's say we've released all of our expectations and have detached from the world around us. We still love the world and the people in it. However, we are no longer subject to its influence. We are now at the point where we can love the world without allowing its drama to become our drama. We can now compassionately detach from family and friends. This allows us to love those around us without enabling their dramas. This is compassionately detaching.



Compassionately Detaching From People



Many of us come together in order to support each other in our lives (let's call our lives our "stories" because we create them). However, we sometimes enable others' stories if we become emotionally sucked in/attached/victimized. Essentially, this allows those we are trying to help to stay stuck where they are, because we have joined them in their story! Enabling someone's story does not always help them grow. We no longer empower another person's growth when we allow them to make us part of their story. We cannot help another person's pain if we become the victim as well. This is the difference between sympathy and empathy (or compassion). Sympathy feels what the victim feels. With sympathy, what happens to one person happens to the other. Sympathy does not know how to detach from people. However, true compassion feels love and does not attach to the victim's emotions (and story).



There is another story about a boy who traveled in his hot air balloon. He came across a meadow where he saw another boy on a farm who had fallen in the mud and was stuck. The boy in the balloon was happy he could help and went to the stuck boy and threw down a rope. The stuck boy began climbing up the rope. Although he was climbing the rope, his weight was too much for the balloon and the balloon began to descend. The boy in the balloon called out that to the stuck boy that his weight was too much and that he should let go. The boy climbing (who was going nowhere except pulling the balloon down to the ground) did not respond. Eventually, the two boys and the hot air balloon were stuck in the mud.



The boy in the mud was too busy living out his own story to see that he was pulling another person into it. He may have wanted to get out of the mud, but he did not have the awareness to know that he was hurting someone else, too. Many times, those around us who need help are not in a position of awareness where they can acknowledge the love that we are giving to them. A person who is ready for more awareness and self-love will feel it, and will make the climb up the rope with you, acknowledging the successes that you both make along the way with awareness. It is a side by side nurturing process, where the one being helped grows in his awareness, as well as the person who serves grows. On the other hand, if a person is only looking for a temporary escape, or simply a freedom from an addiction, they are likely to be unaware, and unknowingly or even recklessly pull you into their drama.



There is a difference between enabling a person's story versus empowering their growth. If we compassionately detach from someone's story, we are free from becoming stuck or pulled into it. We are free to give them the level of love that they require to leave their story, if they choose. By not allowing them to subject you to their story, you are empowering them to leave it. You can do this no matter where they are or wish to go. If they still value you, they will construct a lifeline to you which is based in truth and awareness (and detached from their story). Truth is universal. It is the bridge that we give to one another when we create a connection that is deeper and more truthful than our usual story. If you can create a connection together which promotes the person's growth without attaching to their story, it will be based in truth. They may still have the story or drama, but it will no longer be a part of your new relationship with them. If they do not value you more than the story, they will find someone else who will listen to and enable their story. This is not only called compassionate detachment, it is also an act of tremendous self-love and self respect on your part. You have the wisdom to know when helping someone does not help you. Your radiance of self-love, by example, will teach them how to radiate more self-love to themselves and promote detachment from their own story.



We have created our stories in order to learn from them. However, in the new energy, many of the creations or dramas that we had created long ago and carried with us we no longer need. So how do we re-create our new story and let go of the old one? We know that we no longer need to create pain in order to grow, and we also know that we don't have to project that pain onto others. If we are in pain, unless the one we are "arguing" with can come from a deeper place of self-love and awareness than us, it is likely that they too will get caught up in our drama. In order receive help, we need to begin compassionately detaching from our own pain.



Compassionately Detaching from Pain



Often at an unconscious level, many of us believe that we must re-create the scenarios where we found our pain in order to heal it. You know people who bring their pain with them every time you see them. You must tip toe around them in order to not activate their pain. What many of us do not realize is that the pain continually resurfaces in our awareness because it wants to be released.



Although pain is our creation, it is not who we are, as individuals. Pain was not meant to be a possession, although many of us have created it as a possession, allowing for continual expression of the gifts pain brings. Pain, being a creative energy, can be a great source of inspiration and creativity. Yet, many people fall into the trap of believing that "they are their pain" rather than they only "experience the pain." We see the pains as aspects of ourselves, pieces of who we are. "I am me because of the hardships I have endured," for example. Although the hardships we created may have assisted while enduring them, we are still not the hardships themselves. If we associate our hardships as our strength or identity, we perpetuate the illusion of the hardship, and we attract more hardships into our experience. We say that we want to move past it on some days, but we still identify with what has happened to us so heavily that we call it "who we are," or "a big part of us." At this point, we do not yet understand that letting go of the pain increases self-love more than the feeling of strength we say we get from carrying it with us. This is what perpetuates a story, even if we sometimes say we want to leave it. We need to become aware of what is involved in order to leave it.



Letting pain go is as simple as letting it go. You can decide to do this. You can snap your fingers, and say outloud, "I now let this pain go with love," and you will begin to see changes inside of you. Nevertheless, many people let it go like casting out a fishing reel. They cast it out in an expression and feel good about it. But then they choose to reel the pain energy back in again. So, they do not give it true permission to leave. Pain can be a powerful companion because it makes us feel alive in our experience of it, but it will always be a temporary expression - a recycled energy which we use again and again. But using pain over and over again never truly allows us to reach deeper levels of self-love and awareness. Truly letting go has much longer term gifts. It allows for new energy to come in, new aspects of the divine human to come in, and more awareness of who we really are.



As mentioned earlier, people identify with their pains, and often, feel fear of losing themselves when confronted with letting go of their pain. Pain, being a form of fear, often clouds what lies beyond it. Fear is learned, and there is no fear beyond pain. There is only an increased love of self, patiently waiting to be embraced by us. Our self-love will even help us let the pain go when we choose. When we love any fear, we are transmuting the energy that we project out from us. When we love it, we let it go. This allows for a clearer vision of how we see ourselves. Letting any old (fear-based) aspect of self go only reveals love. So, who are we? We are love in motion - energy expressed. And the love of self is exactly what we encounter when we release what we thought we were!



With more awareness and self-love, we not only begin detaching from the pain of others (or the stories/dramas of others), but we begin to discover that detaching from the pain in others also promotes detaching from the pain in ourselves. By helping others through compassionate detachment, we therefore gain a sense of what it means to compassionately detach from the older aspects of ourselves. When we learn how to better love one another, we learn to better love ourselves. And the better we love ourselves, the better we can love others. In essence, there really is no difference, because we are all one.



©2005 T. Schaefer

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As we face the challenges of an unstable economy and volatile stock market, an opportunity surfaces for our entire society to strengthen intangible assets such as faith, hope, and love. The burden of fear, which is a natural response during such times, becomes more prevalent as we lose money and our net worths decline. Fortunately, however, we are blessed with inherent tools to overcome such fear. Strong faith, powerful hope and genuine love will allow us to face these fears with strength, tenacity, and perseverance. These times may prompt our nation to once again realize that competing with one another to have the most money, the finest things, and the highest status does not necessarily cultivate a recipe for long-term success. The intense competition amongst individuals, families, friends, businesses, races, religions, political parties, countries, etc., is perceptually strengthening the tangible assets of some while simultaneously breaking down our society’s entire realm of intangible assets, the very assets that exist at the core of our being and make all good things possible. This is an opportunity for us to seek deep within ourselves to identify our true strengths and integrate them with the strengths of others. Combining and employing our individual strengths to serve the greater good of our society, rather than striving to serve our own selfish desires, will help our culture shift from a focus on tangible successes to a focus on intangible successes such as contentment and happiness, successes that rank infinitely higher on the scale of true value. We have the opportunity to replenish the intangible void that was prompted by the desire to generate an abundance of easily measured, tangible assets. Now is the time, not to panic, but to work together, to return to our true selves. Copyright 2008 Nathan Anderson http://nathancanderson.blogspot.com/ SSG Links: Have Spiritual Questions? Free Directory Listing Write For Us Subscribe Newsletter Team Blog Headquarters SSG Staff Donations

NEW from Soulsolutionshealing.com Do you want to promote your: - Spiritual Website? - Spiritual Blog? - Spiritual Practitioner / Facilitator Services? Get listed for FREE in our Spiritual Directory at Soulsolutionshealing.com! Here's how it works: To take advantage of these FREE features, please complete the SSG Directory Request Form here at: http://soulsolutionshealing.com/ssgdirectory/wanttonetwork.html Thanks and welcome! SSG Staff Email: asksoulsolutions@hotmail.com SSG Links: Have Spiritual Questions? Free Directory Listing Write For Us Subscribe Newsletter Team Blog Headquarters SSG Staff Donations

"I have been sleeping soooo much lately. Could this be because of what is to come? I am a single mom of a very special indigo teenager, and I’m a light worker or student of the universe myself. I have channeled a few times and the after effects were pure and relaxing. I also practice Reiki on anyone who asks. My door is always open to anyone who is hungry for love or for just a meal :) I feel like I have been drained of most of my energy. I have my highs but the lows seem to be more than I am happy with. I ask your help with all the love & light in my soul." Namaste, -Anonymous ------------------------------------------------ Good morning, Dear Spirit! My guidance first told me to tell you that all is well. Sleep is for not only re-charging our own batteries but also for communing with other spiritual beings and learning spiritual lessons as well as doing spiritual work. You've been busy while you've been sleeping and your spiritual involvement is the cause of much of your additional sleep as well as the cause of not feeling as refreshed or recharged as much as you typically do when you awaken. The energies throughout the world are in tremendous flux and transition now, and anyone sensitive to them will feel the effects; often manifesting as a drain of energies or a lack of a sense of direction or being pulled in many different directions at the same time. Make extra effort now to care for your own inner sense of well-being and to not be scattered by the fragmented pull of energies radiating from external conditions of the world or others' sense of fear or confusion. An easy check is to ask yourself if your sense of well-being or happiness is dependent on external or internal conditions. Be gentle with yourself yet also take care to set your own limits to what others expect or demand of you. My guidance also told me to tell you to cut back on sugar and sweets as much as possible. While sugar is often a chemical source of energy, for you at this time, it drains you. Add more whole grain to your diet. With Light & Love, Ronnie ------------------------------------------------ Dearest One, From my perspective: Sometimes we need to recharge our batteries, so to speak. When we output a lot of our own energy into helping others, as well as taking in the energies of those around us, we can literally be drained. Sometimes people are drawn to those who hold a high level of light and just by being in your presence will begin to feel better. While this is happening, it may go unnoticed by you, however, what is indeed happening is that some of your own energy is being pulled away from you. If you can draw yourself in, and become more aware of what is happening on an inner level, you may see your energy begin to rise. If you find yourself ‘outside’ of your body, or reaching for things on an outside level as opposed to being the space inside of yourself, your energy will react accordingly. Take more time for your Self right now. You are quite busy helping others…Be the space inside of yourself. In the Light, Leslie ------------------------------------------------ Hi! You are a busy bee, dear spirit! I feel as if you, like many other lightworkers, are doing a lot – I mean A LOT – of spiritual work behind the scenes. Sleep has been referred to by many as our “angel state.” When we are there, we can easily fly out of our bodies and go to where we are needed to do our angel work. It has even been said that we “teach classes” in our sleep to many of the new beings who have yet to come to earth in physical form and desire to learn from the humans what it is like to be in the body. It could also be some “angel learning” on your part so that you can receive in the more open state of sleep the information and energies you require to do you physical angel work in the body. In the long and short of it, it’s natural to have fluctuations in sleep and also fluctuations in the body when you are spiritually open. It's a call to service. Keep on Shining, -Todd ------------------------------------------------ Ask SSG a Spiritual Question Meet the SSG Staff ------------------------------------------------ SSG Links: Have Spiritual Questions? Free Directory Listing Write For Us Subscribe Newsletter Team Blog Headquarters SSG Staff Donations

A Being is walking along a beach and sees another Being in the water, struggling to swim and gasping for breath. Recognizing him as a drowning man, this Being jumps into the water and rescues him. He drags the drowning man up onto the beach and administers aid to ensure that the man will live. But, the rescuer sees yet another drowning Being in the water and he rushes off to save the second one, knowing that the first will soon recover. Along comes another Being walking on the sandy beach and he sees the first Being lying in the sand, thrashing back and forth, struggling for air. Recognizing him as a fish, the Being throws him back into the water. We each have our own perceptions. So, are all those who we perceive to need healing really in need of being healed - with what we offer as healing? Come to know, love, and heal yourself first. The most and best you can do is simply BE, and to BE with Love. Only then you will come to know when, how, and who to truly heal. (c) 2/16/2008 SSG Links: Have Spiritual Questions? Free Directory Listing Write For Us Subscribe Newsletter Team Blog Headquarters SSG Staff Donations

You get what you give...this is a fascinating and rewarding, but sometimes difficult to comprehend, concept that holds true across limitless areas of life.

Although it crosses countless realms, it is not always clear that this truth exists. Fortunately, however, in certain areas, which will be addressed in the following narrative, this truth is easier for our perceptions to realize. And, when we identify this truth within contexts in which it is more easily understood, we encounter an opportunity to develop a deeper knowing of its existence within contexts in which it is sometimes less easy to understand.

In the context of talents, for example, when you give, or use, your talents, you receive more of those talents by strengthening them through practice. In the context of physical fitness, when you give, or use, your muscles to exercise or for a laborious task, you receive more muscles because your activity makes them stronger. In the context of gestures, giving positive gestures, such as a friendly smile or a compliment, to others often results in a smile or compliment returned to you.

In the context of knowledge, if you give, or use, your knowledge to teach others or to study, you will receive more knowledge as you learn new lessons and facts through your efforts and experience. In the context of spirituality, when we give our own presence to an environment occupied by others, we receive more presence in the moment, as those around us will become more present themselves.

Through these examples, the truth is clear. God ensures that we will receive more of what we give so that we can continue to contribute our gifts to the greater good of the world. Though this truth may be less easy to comprehend in other contexts, such as those of financial and material wealth, we do receive more money and material assets when we give them to other entities or purposes as a means to enhance the greater good. God ensures that all gifts we offer, intangible or tangible, are returned to us, often in greater supply than the original amount offered.

Strengthen yourself and your impact on the world...offer what you can...give what you are able.

Copyright 2008

Nathan Anderson

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"When I was walking through the grocery store tonight, one of the guys who works there (who I know and he's spiritual) said the first part of my aura was amythest and said something about a "Samantha"....he didn't know exactly. I also am an Indigo and an astral traveler. But I'm interested in if Samantha might be an angel or a relative of mine having something to do with it (her name is Samantha)." -Hilary
-----------------------------------------------

Dear Hilary,

Thank you for your question. Our auras can change on a minute by minute basis, which depend on many different factors relative to what is happening within us and without us. I would like to tell you that your base aura, the one I keep seeing for you over and over, is a pearly purple. This would indicate to me what you already know...you have the energies of the Indigo. As far as who the person in the grocery store said he felt with you, I can't answer that. I would like for you to know that the energies of any of those who have passed on across the veil are around us at all times. If I may say, try not to be too attached to who or what is there, rather, just allow yourself to feel whatever energies or feelings you may be feeling at any time. In the state of non-attachment and allowing, you will open yourself up to further wisdom and knowledge.

Blessings,

Leslie

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Hello Hilary,

All human beings as well as all spiritual beings are energy beings. All people carry these energies. All things are expressions of these energies and are of the same source. We give these different energy expressions different names so that we can identify them. The name that your friend at the grocery store mentioned may be a name he has a strong energetic or vibrational connection with. You may be connecting with that same energy or vibration but have identified it as something or someone else.

All angels, guides, energy beings, spiritual beings, etc., are manifestations of who we are at our deepest levels. We are all ONE. "Samantha" is that energy being who shares the same vibrational frequency or "level" that you as well as your friend tapped into or related with. This is why you instantly "click" with some people but not with others. This is why you "recognize" people whom you may have never before met. This is why you "feel better" with some people or spiritual beings than you do with others.

Finding out "who" someone is isn't as important as merely accepting them, sending vibrations of love their way, and learning from them or growing with them. On an energetic level, "Samantha" is "Samantha" as long as you identify "her" as such.

With Light & Love,

Ronnie

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Hi Hilary,

Thanks for your question. The sense I get is that Samantha is a spirit guide for you at this time, and an extension of your soul family.

As indicated above, she is also a part of you. As you grow and shift, so will your relationship with her. Other beings will come and go during your growth. Simply acknowledge and appreciate that they are here to support you and learn from you.

Peace.

-Todd
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Gazing out from the terrace to the lakeshore, I spotted a goose lying near the edge of the water. It was not moving, with its' right wing splayed out in an unnatural angle to the body. Further prolonged observation made it clear that the bird was incapable of flying or moving; its wing was broken. It was immobilized, and I could only imagine the pain it was enduring. Yet it was not trembling, it was not creating a loud noise, it was ... how can I say this ... accepting, even peaceful with the situation?

The other birds - geese, ducks, seagulls, sparrows, stopped and paused for a moment at the sight of their incapacitated brother, but then they moved on, seemingly unconcerned, unable and/or unwilling to offer any kind of support or consolation. Not their problem, right?

In an intense moment, the goose became aware of my concerned gaze and turned its head 270 degrees clockwise and about 45 degrees skywards to look me in the eye. It spoke to me telepathically, and it was a God connection. It was ready to die. It had met its fate, was accepting, and ready to get on with it. No pity needed, no recompense required, no emotional outpouring from others necessary. The Broken Winged Goose let me know in that stare that dying for him was not a problem. When the feebleness of the corporal life meets its nemesis, the next stage is not a curse, it's just of course.

Now, my friend The Broken Winged Goose is not a human being. He has not fallen from grace and been separated from the Godhead and God-Consciousness, so he is a little bit different than you and I. When he dies, he gets reabsorbed into the cosmic oneness ... kind of a recycling thing ... even keel. But when we lie on the shore of eternity with a terminal disability or illness, or a sudden life ending situation, we have not the natural free pass to a peaceful exit from this plane of existence, because we have been called to a higher order of responsibility and attainment. "Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods?" Jesus said. We came here to attain godhood, to become identical twins with the Christ.

With self consciousness, the knowledge of good and evil and free will, comes accountability; and this bit of dust we're (by and large) dozing on is one of temporal judgment as per the One we're supposed to get with.

Aree you awake right now? Do you realize the magnitude of your existence, and what it means? Do you have any idea why you are here? Are you grateful for the opportunity, or are you crying about your broken wings?

(c) Marvin D. Wilson
3/26/07


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Access to the "tree of life" is granted when one simultaneously
attains and aligns perceptions of spiritual humility with purity of
heart ("a good heart" the heart that finds pleasure through the pursuit
of benefiting others).

It is common knowledge that "humility" is the fundamental precursor
for attaining any level of transcendent intimacy that we all call
"spirituality". But without attaining a fundamental understanding of
"true humility" one's spiritual advances will certainly be rebuffed by
the "light" and one's "perception" will become apt to getting lost in
rejection and chaos that lead to a "hardened heart" (utter loss of freedom).

Only those who attain true levels of "spiritual (true) humility" are "free"
to embrace the corrective (healing) "light".

This intimacy is the nexus point for eternal connectivity;
a potent bond forged by the Divine feminine (Shechina) and
a thriving collective soul of Man (Adam Kadmon /Primordial Adam)
forged by true love and yearning.

There are two paths of "spiritual humility";
one path is spiritually "masculine" and the other being spiritually "feminine".

While every individual has a spiritual leaning to one of these two paths,
as the individual progresses towards actualization
through oneness with the Creator, an individual acquires and must
graduate to a harmonious synthesis of both of these dynamic paths.


The Spiritually Feminine Path:

The spiritually feminine path to true humility is represented by
the biblical archetype of "Judah", and is the secret to the spiritual
"scepter" being handed down through the "children" of "David".

(Those who will usher in the time of peace, harmony and healing
to the corporeal realm will ultimately do so through this feminine,
community based portal of spiritual humility;
it being the very bedrock of "true" leadership.)

In this path, the individual abandons all attachment to self
and ego (within material and spiritual terms) and only finds value
in the aspects of self or others that transform into worthy conduits
for the Divine "light", sharing love of the collective.

This spiritually feminine path to humility places great emphasis
on subjugating individualistic pursuits and achievements in leu
of embracing only those energies that express the (corrective)
"light" that is summoned through (perception [intention] of)
the altruistic collective dynamic.


The Spiritually Masculine Path:

The spiritually "masculine" path to humility is personified
by the biblical archetype of "Joseph".
In this (counter-intuitive) approach to humility, the individual
embraces and accentuates the entirety of one's powerful inner
world to better benefit the world outside.

Followers of Joseph's path completely embrace their
individualistic nature by taking complete possession of
their inner gifts, but instead of turning to a life rife with
vanity and nihilism, the student of Joseph is humbled by
the enormity of debt accumulated to one's actualized
destiny and works diligently at contributing these unique
energies to benefit the masses.

Students of Joseph recognize that the more spiritual energies
and gifts they are granted from above, the more they become
reciprocally indebted to their respective actualized destinies;
this ever-looming debt is the crux of their deep humility.

The spiritually gifted individual postulates;
"I am not greater, only far more in debt in my path towards actualization".

It is because of their spiritual vitality and integrity is rooted
in "individuality" that the "children of Joseph" are the spiritual
foil to the corruptive nihilistic forces of the "children of Esav"
(Edom/Oppression), as the sages have taught;
"the exile of Edom will conclude in defeat by the hand of the anointed of Joseph."

The sages have postulated that Joseph's path is more suitable to
thrive amidst exile, while the path of Judah is most suited for
ushering in a state of redemption (as Judah thrived in the Holy Land,
while Joseph reigned supreme amidst exile). This is why the sages have
taught that the anointed of David (from the line of Judah) will not bring
redemption before the arrival, victory and passing of the anointed of Joseph.

Joseph's spiritually "masculine" path to humility is generally misunderstood
as being, foreign, antithetical and dangerous to those who follow the
spiritually "feminine" path of "Judah" (just as within the biblical narrative,
Joseph was misunderstood, entrapped and enslaved by Judah's collective).

(It is interesting to note that each of these energies are reflected in
mass culture. Societies unable to master their spiritual drive for
the path of Judah may find themselves ushering in communist or
fascist movements, while societies unable to master their spiritual
attraction for the path of Joseph may find themselves ushering in
anarcho-capitalism, extreme libertarianism or narcissistic movements.)

True peace (shleimut/ actualization) arrives once the paths of
feminine and masculine humility completely coalesce;
bringing in its wake a transcendent healing spirit and a wellspring
of blessing for All.

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I found a show called ‘The Locator' a couple of weeks ago, and once I watched one episode I couldn't stop watching the other ones. If you haven't seen this show, let me tell you a little bit about it so that you can fully understand what I'm going to be writing about. In short, ‘The Locator' is Troy Dunn. In 1990, Troy helped his own mother, who was adopted as a baby, locate her own biological family. That single event inspired Troy to help people reunite with long lost friends and family members.

Whenever I watch an episode of this show, I have found myself literally crying like a baby. Tears of sadness roll down my face as I listen to their personal stories, most often, of sacrifice. As you get to the middle of the show, the tears become tears of happiness as these people finally re-unite. What Troy does is re-unite them in a surprising way, where one of them doesn't know that they are finding who they were looking for.

So I was lying in bed, ready to go to sleep, reflecting, and a comparison began to arise.

Some of us walk around in our lives, always feeling that something is missing. We try desperately to fill that emptiness with a variety of things, such as people, food, cars, clothes, jewelry, homes, etc. Yet, after a while, the emptiness returns. We find that there just isn't anything that truly makes that hole inside disappear.

But you see, we have our own ‘Locator'. This Locator has always been with us. We've just overlooked it. Our Locator does things to get our attention, and sometimes these things are subtle, and other times, our Locator hits us right on the head! Even then, we may not listen. But one day, we find that we just can't ignore our Locator any longer. So, we begin a different kind of journey than we've ever embarked on before. Ultimately, we find that in our quietest moments, we can actually hear our Locator! We begin to listen, we begin to experience, and we begin to feel! By following the guidance of our Locator, we are led Home. We realize that Home isn't a far out destination. Home has always been with us, and with this realization comes a deep peace, a sense of belonging, and there is no longer any emptiness. There is a release of emotion when we find our Home again.

Much like I described above, we have a reunion like we've never had before.

Find your Locator, you don't have to look very far, and most of all, follow Its guidance, and you will begin to remember who you are.

Peace,
Leslie

Life is like...a crowded line.



A crowded line is congested, forward progress is slow and, at certain moments, even immobile. Waiting in line and progressing with the often sluggish momentum can provoke stress and annoyance. Our patience is tested.



During such circumstances, we face a variety of choices:

- We can become aggressive and force our way through the line in hopes of reducing the time it takes to arrive at our destination.
- We can step out of the line and walk away.
- We can stand still or sit down and let others bypass our position.
- Or, we can simply maintain our position and progress peacefully with the pace of the line.

The first option reflects the possibility that we will reach the front of the line in a timelier fashion. However, several risks accompany this decision. Forcing our way to the front causes us to push people and step on their toes. These actions may prompt others to develop sour feelings toward us and result in our redirection to the back of the line where we must begin the process again. A possibility in the grander scope suggests that people may resist our movements and become aggressive toward us and others. The feelings prompted by our actions could disperse to vaster segments of the line and perhaps invoke mass chaos throughout the entire line. The potential havoc is a direct result of our selfish effort to progress more quickly than our intended advancement pace.



The second option suggests that we would rather be anywhere other than our position within the near-stagnant pace of the line. We lack the patience to move slowly and desire a faster motion regardless of our destination. Consequently, we willingly remove ourselves from our position although we lack an awareness of subsequent steps. Following our exiting step, we realize that we lost focus of our destination and begin yearning for that which awaits us at the front of the line. We lost our former place, however, so we must start over at the back of the line. We again gain sight of the destination and dedicate ourselves to practicing more patience as we slowly progress toward the front.



The third option suggests that we become frustrated with the progression of the line and quit moving because we simply don't like the line. Selecting this option causes us to serve as a barrier to others. Others need to modify their progression in reaction to our halting behavior. This may cause them to bump us and step on our toes. We are trampled on and bypassed because we chose not to progress with the line and stand up for ourselves.



The fourth option, which can be the most difficult option during the present moment, represents patience, awareness, and the desire to reach our destination regardless of the wait. We realize that the line moves forward, although not at the pace we always prefer. We know that it progresses and we understand that we will eventually end up where we want to be if we employ patience and continue to advance at the line's pace. When the timing is right, we will arrive.



The "standing in a crowded line" metaphor applies to many areas of our lives. Identified areas include, but are not limited to, our careers, education, physical fitness, families, and spirituality. The following narrative discusses how this metaphor relates to our career path. Our careers represent progression through the career line until we reach our destined career. We have the same choices as those presented above.



We can become overly aggressive and attempt to surpass the capacity of our position in hopes of pushing our way to the front of the career line. We may try to move faster by seeking duties without permission that do not fit within our role, but instead fit the roles of those who are ahead of us in the line or at a superior level on the hierarchy. We are trying to get ahead by taking steps that we are not yet meant to take. This may prompt our coworkers to develop disgusted feelings toward us because we are not working within our role. They may become aggressive or bond together and implement a plan to ensure that we don't make it to the front of the line quicker than our intended pace. They may even take action to have us removed from our current role.



We could choose the second option and quit our job if we are unsatisfied, but would then have to start over at the back of the line. Selecting the third option suggests that we become frustrated with our career progression, choosing to continue what we're doing and not emitting effort to pursue promotions or advance our careers through other venues.



The fourth option is to remain patient and understand that we cannot immediately realize our destined career. We need to know our role and continue to work within the realm of our responsibilities. It is utterly important to know our roles within our positions and to complete the work that is expected of those roles. As we successfully complete the responsibilities that are presented to us, we are then given the opportunity to assume more. As additional responsibilities are offered, we must step forward to assume our new duties. The time between the completion of existing duties and the presentation of additional duties can be brief, but it may also be extensive. Therefore, we must be prepared to practice patience and stand still in the career line if it comes to halt. We must understand that the line will resume motion so we must be prepared to proceed even if we have experienced a lingering standstill.



We must follow the necessary steps and when the timing is right we will arrive.



Copyright 2008

Nathan Anderson

http://nathancanderson.blogspot.com/

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Do you only embrace the positive, do you only embrace the light? I see a lot of people only holding onto the Light and desperately trying to push the darkness and the negativity out. I see the caption ‘we are one' everywhere.

The idea that ‘we are one' is not lost on me. In fact, it is one of my biggest truths.

However, you see, to have the truth of Oneness, we must understand, really we must ‘know' and ‘feel' inside of us what Love is. Love is what encompasses all things. Love is a field of energy, and Love holds the vibrations of duality here. Love does not judge the way that we judge. For example: good/bad, pretty/ugly, positive/negative, etc. Because Love does not judge, we must understand that Light/Darkness go together.

If you only embrace the Light, there is no balance.

Embrace the Light as well as the darkness; embrace the positive as well as the negative; embrace the good as well as the bad. For in all of these things, in all of these polarities is One Vibration, Love.

Blessings,
Leslie

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I have changed from who I once was. This is part of life. Who I was 5 years ago, is completely different from who I am today. You could ask me one question then, and get one answer, and ask me the same question today, and get a completely different answer. 5 years ago, I wasn't on the Spiritual Path that I am on today. There have always been parts of me moving me in the direction that I am going, but the past 5 years have been spent on an inner journey, so to speak.

Spiritually speaking, growth and expansion are continuously approaching me. This happens because I have asked for it. I know that expansion is my purpose here on Earth. My purpose is to expand my Self by listening to the Divine presence within me.

How did I come to that knowledge? I didn't come to that knowledge by reading it in a book, or because someone told me that this is so. I came to this knowledge by connecting with the part of me that doesn't live in the physical dimension, the part of me that lives within the Super Consciousness, and this would be my Higher Self. I use the term "Higher" to only create an image, but the term "Higher" does not mean "above" or "better." My Higher Self is the part of me that is connected fully, completely, and truly to Source.

We all have this Higher Self. When we listen, we are given instantaneous knowledge on a deep level. Connecting to the Higher Self is much easier that most think. However, it does take a certain amount of patience in the beginning. We have fast paced lives, and if we are not willing to create the space for ourselves, not willing to slow down and sit in silence, we will not find that connection.

Peace.

Leslie

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This morning a coworker entered my office, surrounded by an aura of mild excitement and confusion. She informed me that I played a character in her dream last night. In the dream, I married someone and was gifted a brand new red, luxury sedan. Whom I wed and the provider of the gift were unknown. Contradicting an expected response to such a gift, I became upset with the gift as I realized that it was glamorized with several amenities and options. I deemed the options unnecessary and wasteful, and therefore did not appreciate them. I believed that the simpler, less luxurious options would suffice for my purposes, and I would appreciate them much more. I rejected the amenities by immediately returning the car to the dealership and demanding that the options be removed. I did not need them. The dealership employees were a bit confused by my demeanor and lack of appreciation, baffled that I wouldn't accept the original vehicle design. Through their perception, I was insane. Though in awe of my behavior, the employees adhered to my request, changing the electric locks and windows to manual locks and windows, removing the remote starter, and modifying anything else they could to minimize the vehicle's lavish attributes. The outcome of these modifications was disastrous. Many problems resulted from these changes, and the car no longer functioned the way it was intended to function. Here ends the dream.

Following the explanation of her dream, my coworker again expressed bewilderment about its content. I was also plagued with confusion: I have been married for 8 years, I don't have a red car, and we had not previously discussed the topics presented in her dream.

As I pondered for a moment and expanded my awareness of the dream's content, I began to identify deeper meaning. I shared with her that I consider myself a rather simple person, and I believe that this world is congested with an abundance of material amenities that are not required for our well being. I continued by suggesting that her sharing of the dream may be a message to me that I must accept what "is" and not dwell on the unnecessary material luxuries that surround us every day. If they are given to me, I must accept them and use them for their intended purposes. Although they are not necessary, if I reject the material amenities that are given to me, I may cause more harm than good. This, I believed to be a valuable lesson in the acceptance of what "is", even if I think what "is" is more than what I want.

Following this interpretation, my awareness of the dream's content deepened even further. I began to see even more meaning in the message, a meaning that extends far beyond the realm of tangible amenities. Though the material interpretation yielded an acceptable explanation, the following intangible interpretation speaks to a greater truth.

I was unable to identify the marriage component in the material interpretation, but now recognize the marriage as a symbol of the strengthened relationship between God and me. I feel closer to God than I have in the past. As a consequence of the strengthened relationship, I have become more aware of the gifts, the intangible amenities, that God has given to me. My awareness of personal talents and purposes for those talents has recently improved.

Though I believe that I am more aware of these gifts, the conveyance of this dream might be a message to me that I am rejecting these gifts by not using them to their full potential or for their intended purpose. I have identified some of these newfound gifts (options) and, just as with the car, know that many more exist. However, I may be expressing a lack of appreciation by not fully accepting them and using them as God has planned. Not using them is comparable to demanding that the auto dealership strip the amenities from the car so it can return to a perceived simpler condition.

By not using the gifts that God has given to us, we are demanding that he change us into another being. Just as with the car example, detriment to our being will result: We will substantially limit our physical, mental, and most importantly, spiritual potential. The addition of more amenities increases levels of responsibility, such as requirements for more knowledge of amenity functionality and more accountability for amenity preservation. With material things, we may determine that we don't want an abundance of amenities because we don't want the responsibilities that accompany them. The same truth can exist with our intangible amenities, our personalized gifts and talents from God. By becoming aware of our gifts, our talents, our strengths, we are granted increased levels of responsibility relative to knowledge of how to use our gifts and accountability to ourselves and God for preserving and developing our gifts.

When we want fewer responsibilities, we sometimes reject the gifts that are available for us, inaccurately perceiving that life will be easier. We must accept the gifts we are given and use them for their intended purposes. You can appreciate the red luxury sedan when it is given to you. Accept the options and use them. They were given to you for a reason. Simple living results not from a reduction in the quantity of amenities, but through acceptance and intended utilization of the amenities that we are given. Simply stated, the simple life can be had even if we have it all.

Copyright 2008

Nathan Anderson

http://nathancanderson.blogspot.com/

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'Breath In' and 'Breath Out' and The Two Trees in the Midst of the Garden - by Brian Baruch

The Light of "the Infinite" acts with complete kindness and yearning... always beckoning the individual closer and closer... to realign the soul's perception through the fullness of His Light... The "light" draws and beckons the soul closer through clearer and increasingly unobstructed realms of perception towards an uplifted existence in enlightened-connectivity to "all there is" through thought and action within the realm of "actualization".

When the corrective "Light" draws one near, through union and oneness to "all there is"... this is akin to the Divine "breathing in" and is in essence beckoning the individual closer and closer through intimate union of healing called the corrective (feminine) light.

Alternatively, when the intimate beckoning of the corrective light that yearns to awaken the individual to "life" becomes restrained and expelled from the individual's immediate perception due the embolden ego's hardening of misaligned perceptions, the Infinite's healing system then relies on an alternative corrective process.

In essence, the individual has dictated alternative terms for his very advancement by embracing "improperly calibrated perceptions". The individual has thus exiled the Divine feminine through the presence his dominating ego, sealing the very portal and conduit through which the light can embrace the individual to draw the soul toward an accelerated correction and advancement.

As the individual's "fractured" perception construct becomes increasingly hardened by his expanding ego, the individual becomes increasingly lost and absorbed in the vertigo of existential chaos, and the split perception of "good and evil". These fracturing distortions are projected into perception by the individual's dominating ego. The ego, like an ever-expanding bubble, expands through the expansion of its void, while outwardly reflecting illusory optics to help it maintain dominance over the individual's perception.

Thus the individual summons beckoning from the Infinite' "left side" mechanism of "restraint" retraction (and not through the right side of "expansion" kindness) which strives to pry the individual free from the "prison of perception" the individual is doomed to drown in.

The intensity of the existential suffering will proceed to increase in ratio to the expansion of the ego's grip on perception. This alternative and elongated approach to healing and correction has been set in motion from the start of disconnect, as the wise say, "He (the Merciful "One") has prepared the remedy before the strike".

Through this mechanism, existential suffering proceeds to slowly build and emanate from the heart, slowly resonating within the individual. The more the individual ignores these signals of suffering, the more the gradually attracting chaotic and discordant energies will increase in frequency and intensity, and flow into the individual's realm of "concrete action", all in ratio to the ego's internal void.

This existential suffering grows in its intensity to revive the individual's perception for correction and erode the ego's seal (grip) over the heart's transcendent conduit portal. This process accelerates until the existential suffering pangs climax to an extent to which the individual cannot ignore this pain any more.

Once the individual embraces the fullness of his existential pain, a true yearning arises to connect with its "true" root, his deep longing for the corrective light. Thus, the individual himself partners with the surrounding light's yearning to banish the remnants of his domineering ego, taking the final blow to completely shatter the ego's seal and enable the heart to initiate reunification with the corrective light and realign in oneness with "all there truly is" (the embracing of "true" perception).

The corrective light's access, once granted by the individual's sincere realigned perception, is a direct result of the insight awarded to the individual's for "embracing" his existential suffering, a process the wise referred to as the "sparks of light produced through the shattering of vessels".

These sparks of light rekindle the attraction of the individual's perception for a blissful reunion with the intimate flow of corrective light (bringing healing, a singular corrected perception, and expanded awareness).

The surrounding light's "shattering through suffering" mechanism essentially rescues the individual's perception from the ego's domineering prison (a prison built on the foundation of internalized false perception constructs) by initiating "restraint" through "patient love", enabling the individual to correctly realign his perception towards oneness and advance to the next tier of perception. This process of restraint through patient love is akin to the Divine's "breathing out".

This process of "Breathing Out" is essentially the same mechanism as advancing through the Tree of Truth & Falsehood (Good & Perceived Evil) and yields precious sparks (fruits) of light and understanding that are obtained through the process of existential suffering caused by the lights restraint.

Thus, the very same corrective light that the Divine uses to heal and correct through intimacy, also summons correction through existential angst in the individual by restraining its presence from contact with an individual with fractured perceptions.

The process of the Divine light's "breathing in" is essentially the same mechanism we call "The Tree of Life", the corrective "Light" that draws the individual near, through union and oneness to "all there is".



Brian Baruch

http://colorfulteardropsandthetreeoflife.blogspot.com/

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Through every event that takes place in your day, you have a choice. Each moment contains an event, a choice. You can either engage in those things that cause upheaval in your life, or you can identify what's about to take place, and stop yourself from engaging, resulting in a feeling of quiet calm. When things are about to happen, sometimes we miss the signs, and other times, we can catch ourselves. If you begin to set the intent to catch yourself, watch what happens with your life, as it rolls out into play.

What you are about to read is meant to challenge you to become an active participant in your life. A lot of the things listed below we do without even thinking about them. This is the hold that the mind has on us. If we can release ourselves from it's grasp, or at least begin to see the grasp it has on us, we can become more conscious of our Present moment.

Let go of taking things personally.

The common human error that we make is that everything said has something to do with us. Other people's lives, however, do not actually revolve around us. If someone makes a comment that unintentionally could hurt our feelings, we don't have to let that happen. Realize that many people just don't know what the effect of a comment or situation may have upon the other person. Don't take things personally. Release yourself of this need.

Let go of the need to be right about all things.

Do you find yourself having to prove to others how right you are? Why? What good does it do to make yourself right and someone else wrong? Does your way have to be the only way? Realize that other people may have something significant to offer, and let them speak. Release yourself of the need to do this.

Let go of being competitive.

What is the need for competition? Do you have to always be the ‘winner'? Realize that even if you lose in a game, it's perfectly acceptable. You don't have to get angry or sulk if you don't ‘win'. Release yourself of the need to always win.

Let go of needing to be ‘like' others.

Do you have to have what everyone else has? Why? Realize that you are perfect just the way you are, with just what you have right now. Release yourself of the need to be like others.

Let go of the need to be looked upon positively by others.

Do you always worry about what other people make think of you? Don't worry about it. You cannot please everyone, and you won't. Release yourself of the need to be looked upon positively by others.

Let go of the idea that you have someone to blame for what happens in your life.

Do you blame others for what is happening in your life right now, or how your life is turning out? Realize that you are the creator of your life. There is no one to blame. Everything happens in perfect timing and for reasons sometimes that you can't see right now. Release yourself of the need to blame others.

Let go of the past and the future.

Are you constantly living in the past, or worrying about the future? If so, this can cause a state of unease, panic, and anxiety. Focus on what is going on right now. When you release yourself from the ties that bind you to the past and the future, you release yourself from the entanglement of stress.

Let go of complaints.

Why complain about things? Ask yourself what good it does for you right now to complain. It doesn't do anything really. It normally builds upon itself until you have gotten yourself so angry that you don't know how to get out of the irritation. Release yourself from the need to complain.

Let go of the need to gossip.

Ever find yourself in a situation where you join in on the he said/she said game? This eventually causes tension not just to yourself, but to those whom you have just included in the gossip game. Release yourself from the need to gossip.

Let go of the need to be in drama-mode.

Sometimes people are addicted to drama. If there isn't drama, something feels amiss. You may have grown so used to being inside of a drama, that you feel lost without it. Being without drama brings a space of nothingness. Incredibly, if you stay inside and just be in the nothing-ness, there is peace. Release yourself of the need to be in drama-mode.

Blessings,
Leslie

Copyright 2008 Leslie D Smith All Rights Reserved

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Making Our Feelings Known

Our world operates on pretense so often that we, as individuals, tend to lose touch with our feelings and the practice of expressing them. Expressing truthfully our real feelings is spiritual, and it represents transformation through the body, a necessary part of spiritual development. This expression (versus repression) is a way of practicing honesty within ourselves. It's a simple practice, it makes us feel good, and life runs smoother when we do it.

So why do we have the pretenses? We're afraid that someone will ‘find us out.' We're afraid that we won't be accepted if we give our real opinions, or we're afraid that we won't be thought of as highly if we let others know how upset something made us. In response to this, I lovingly suggest that whether sharing our disapproval or appreciation, expressing our need to be heard is incredibly spiritual. This practice creates transformation in social situations, personal relationships as well as inner transformation.

It's OKAY to Have Needs

One of the reasons we are such pretentious beings (besides fear), is the idea that once we have embarked upon a spiritual path, we somehow make it virtually unacceptable for ourselves to have needs. We think we must have spiritualism ‘mastered' right away, as if being incredibly spiritual means to have no needs.

As physical beings, we do have needs: needs for intimacy, needs for interaction and being understood, needs for love, needs for sustenance like food, water, etc. By acknowledging and embracing our needs, we are practicing self acceptance. We are not ‘weak' for paying attention to our needs. Nurturing our needs fosters the proper development of life. Adults need just as much food, love and support as small children do. Taking care of one's self is important, just as is developing emotional independence important, but a healthy personal definition of spiritualism is the embracing of what one needs. Accepting our own needs is a demonstration of independence and spiritual strength. Spiritual independence is not the elimination of needs; it is knowing what you need and accepting that you need it.

How We Use Beliefs

The trick of unconsciousness can easily operate in ourselves as we wear our belief systems of spiritualism, religion, etc. These beliefs may be ‘spiritual,' but they are subject to variation. The variation is how we are using the belief. We can perform any action, but behind the action may be a number of different motivations: compassion, condemnation, fear, disappointment, etc. - all invisible on the surface, but ranging from loving to violent underneath it. If we use our beliefs to create acceptance and unification, the beliefs are serving us. If we use our beliefs as defense and separation, our beliefs are not serving us.

Find the Root Energy

I used to think that facilitating a problem required an explanation to help others become aware. Sometimes an explanation was important, other times it wasn't. But I've come to discover that what some call the ‘sponsoring thought' or ‘root energy' of what is being expressed is the real catalyst for transmutation. When we operate intuitively, we can feel the resonance in other things, people, places, etc. We can feel the root energies as we know them at that time (a bi-product, if you will) of where our energies are and how we are resonating with all things.

Staying in touch with this ‘root energy' within us, what I like to call ‘consciousness' or ‘presence,' helps us to remain detached while being compassionate. If we experience compassion or a sense of peaceful connection in the midst of drama, we are supporting spiritual growth. If, while experiencing drama, we feel the need to defend, micromanage or even rally with the unfavorable cause, we are perpetuating drama, which has a root energy of fear.

Awareness of Ego and Unconsciousness

Unconsciousness is being unaware. It is represented by ego. At its core, ego is fear. It is built in as a protection mechanism, but it becomes unconsciousness when we mistake it for our real identity, or who we think we are. When we become unconscious, we lose touch with our feelings, we become led by ‘what happened' or ‘what will happen,' we feel as if 'life happens to us' instead of 'us making our life happen.'

Ego, no matter how well disguised as ‘support,' will not necessarily bring about an energetic solution or a feeling of spiritual release. Somehow, some way, it will subtly perpetuate the problem. Ego will give us the illusion of a solution, but coerce us to believe that something else also needs our attention, merely digging us deeper into believing that we have a problem. The more conscious we become, the more we can observe this occurring. But be careful. Ego would have us make this very practice into another belief system, which is its way of controlling us, not us mastering it.

Being Yourself vs. Being Pretentious

As it pertains to spiritual growth, the ego would have us believe that putting on a ‘newer belief' would make us ‘more spiritual.' While that could be an indicator of growth, it can also be nothing more than ego disguised as platitudes. Platitude isn't only a ‘tired expression.' Platitude is everything ego would have us say in substitution of us giving a genuine response from our real self in any situation. Spiritual platitudes are helpful for those who are learning to build self esteem, but there comes a time when they too, are no longer needed, and the light of your real responses and gifts are called forth to those who need to receive what you have to share.

We have the ability in each moment, in each situation, to respond to life in a fashion that begets light. A simple test of consciousness growth is to observe if your presence or actions within a scenario dissolves - or enflames. We know that digging deeper into a situation will cause more strain. We know that detaching will create more perspective. Light will beget light. Consciousness will bring about consciousness.

Receiving Help from Others

For those times when we are not self-aware, we are served best when another being can hold that space of presence for us. By doing so, they aren't required to "do" anything in particular for us except share the space we are in, providing support for us. Our negative energies within us know how to resolve themselves. However, when we have a supporter who can ‘hold the space of presence' when we have not yet learned how to in a particular area, we become self-aware more quickly. Sometimes, this saves us lots of time and trouble.

Holding a Space for Others

Through total acceptance of where each person is, we are in the best position to serve them in their consciousness growth. There is nothing wrong with what people are learning. Resist the urge to tell them they should be learning differently. There is a divine blueprint in each of us which gets us into touch with what we are to learn. When we are in spiritual service, we will support what a person is learning by gently guiding them to their chosen path, not pushing onto them our own beliefs, alienating them because of our beliefs, or pushing them away from what they feel drawn to learn.

Staying Centered in Self

The goal for those committed to spiritual growth is most often to "know thy self," feel peace, service, centeredness in self, and being connected to Source. This article serves merely as an example of everyday situations that we can use to create consciousness growth, be a conscious example, and allow life to move through us with grace. Life is set up to serve us, we just need to tune into it and tune into ourselves in our own, unique ways.

c2008 Todd Schaefer

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Whenever I see a shooting star, I am awestruck. I guess it's because it reminds me of how large and mysterious the Universe really is. I've never seen the Northern Lights in person, but I can imagine that they are gorgeous. There are so many beautiful things that our eyes are able to behold. Is there any person whose eyes do not widen when they see something so wonderful?

Then there is Science. Science can take the mystery right out of the mysterious. Or can it?

There are explanations for shooting stars and for the Northern Lights, and for many different things that produce a sense of wonder inside of us. But is it the full explanation? Probably not. Even Scientists change their ideas on things every so often.

This is because the world outside is in a constant state of motion. Things on the outside never stay the same.

The inner world, the world that lives within us, is much the same. It feels as if we are in constant motion. Things are ever changing. Our lives unfold in a series of pages, as in a book. One day is not the same as another. We may try to hold onto something, to try to make it ‘not change', but that rarely works. If we don't allow things to change, we will be stuck in the same place, having the same ideas for years and years.

Be awestruck by the wonders of your inner world.

I must add that there IS one thing that does not ever change, for there is no need. That one thing is the essence of you, rather, your soul. Your soul has been and will always be. Your soul waits for discovery, in a state of no-thing, waiting for you to tap into it.

Blessings,
Leslie

Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved

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I came into a bit of money about a year ago. I immediately put the bulk of it into savings and decided to go on a shopping spree with the rest of it. At last, I'd be able to walk through a store and get anything and everything I wanted. After spending several hours going first to one place and then another, and walking up and down aisles to the point of exhaustion, I ended up spending a grand total of 57 cents on a couple of skeins of embroidery floss. But, I learned something very valuable from the experience.

Even though I was far from exceeding my budget, I still couldn't spend past my comfort level of spending. Without regard to prices, I felt uncomfortable picking something off a display and putting it in my shopping cart simply because I wanted it at the moment. I had never spent recklessly or wantonly in my life, having been too accustomed to always operating within a budget - within limitation. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd had $50 or $500,000, I still set my limitation and confined myself within it.

From that, I learned that it doesn't matter how wealthy or poor a person is -- all that matters is how wealthy or poor he feels.

Feeling is experiencing. It's what you experience, and only what you experience that becomes your reality. As long as we choose to experience poverty, we'll remain poor. So, what good is money - wealth - if you don't experience it? What good is money if you don't use it? What good is money if you can't trust spending it?

Trust had been an issue with me for a long time, but it had nothing to do with trusting money. It had everything to do with trusting God and for years I had considered myself a spiritually wealthy woman. But, had I been?

What good is money if you can't trust it? What good is God if you can't trust Him? If a person can't truly trust God, then the most he can do is believe in God. But, belief is nothing more than an indication of a lack of experience. Belief is a process of thinking or feeling that something other or better or greater exists than what you are experiencing right here, right now.

Because experience is your only reality, then once you've experienced something, it becomes part of who you are. So, once you have experienced God and have become God - to the extent that you have experienced God, then simple belief in God is no longer necessary. You no longer have to believe because you know - because you ARE. As you experience God, things such as belief, faith, and hope become meaningless; all of them reflecting a grasping for, or reaching towards that which you do not feel or experience. When you say, "I believe," or "I have hope," or "I have faith'" that things will work out, you're dwelling in a state or condition of emptiness - of non-acceptance for what IS. You are denying the NOW and placing your state of being - your expectation of existence in what is to come. When you say that you trust that God will provide or resolve, you are blinding yourself to seeing that God already IS. God can only BE - right HERE, right NOW, for here and now-- what you are experiencing right now, is your only reality. Trust, hope, belief, and faith point towards the future; wherever God isn't.

So, when you place your energy in hope, faith, belief, and trust, you are acknowledging all that isn't. Since the only reality is what IS, and since God is all that IS, then hope, faith, belief, and trust serve only a false reality; they exist to serve ego.

It's ironic, isn't it? Fully embracing and accepting the moment means saying "I'm without faith. I'm faithless. I'm without hope. I'm hopeless. I'm without trust. I'm without belief." All this goes entirely against what we're taught as being the greatest God-like qualities and what we strive to achieve all our lives.

(c) Ronnie Carroll
10/12/2008

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Tao Te Ching Verse 1

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding

Tao. This to me means the Universal, Invisible, All That Is. The Tao is where everything comes from, yet, remains unseen, it is indeed Eternal. We have given it the name of Tao and other names, yet, the eternal name is unknown. There is no name for the invisible. However, the un-nameable IS eternally real. Most of us go through life needing to see to believe in something, however, whether you believe or not, it IS real. Once you let go and allow your life to unfold, you will begin to ‘feel' and ‘know' the Tao, you will begin to experience it, the mystery. When you are focused only on the want or the desire to fill up your life with things in the physical, material world, you only SEE the physical, material world. The mystery and the physical things all come from the same place. There is nothing that is separate.


Blessings,
Leslie

Copyright 2008 Leslie Smith All Rights Reserved

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When I think, I try to think productively. And, when I don't think productively, I simply try not to think.

Productive thinking is a choice that we can either embrace or reject. It is no more or no less than just the right thought at just the right time. The Holy Spirit, the Source of all productive thought, gently places such thoughts into our minds to promote the greater good; to stimulate growth, progression, innovation, and success within our lives and the lives of others. Think productively by being aware of these thoughts and choosing to use them for growth opportunities. Through productive thought, you can establish and achieve productive goals. You can substantially grow your levels of emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

Destructive thought, which is forcefully driven into the mind by the ego, exists as a barrier to productive thought. Such thought, which is also a choice, fosters negativity, stress, regression, and failure within our lives. Thinking destructively restricts us from achieving our goals. Train yourself to think productively. When your mind thinks productively, continue thinking. When your mind thinks destructively, choose to cease your thinking. Simply be aware...be still.

Think in moderation; caution yourself to not think excessively. Excessive thought can prompt monotonous thought, which ultimately yields destructive thought. What once was productive thought can turn into destructive thought in an instant. This Truth may be better understood by comparing the mental exercise of thinking to physical exercise. Exercising in excess can be detrimental not only to the body, but also to the mind. When you exercise physically, you rest your muscles to allow them an opportunity to grow. If you engage in a productive exercise routine, to maximize the effect you will allow yourself an exercise free moment to grow your muscles. You do not immediately go through subsequent routines without rest.

The same is true with your mind. You must rest your thought to grow your mind. You may be thinking the same thoughts as you were in the productive process, but excessive repetition will slow and eventually halt growth. When you rest your productive thought, allow yourself to be thoughtless. Simply be aware. Relax your mind without thought the same as you relax your body without movement. Thoughtless moments are just as powerful for the mind as exercise free moments are for the body. Allow yourself the opportunity to grow. Choose productive thought. Then, choose to be still.

Copyright 2008

Nathan Anderson

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Depending on how you look at life, at one time or another you have encountered a problem of some sort. Sometimes these problems seem small, and sometimes these problems seem huge. It really all depends on your own perception of things.

An issue arises. The issue could have been simple, but we chose to delve deeper. Note that I said we chose to delve deeper. We chose to pick it apart, we chose to scrutinize it, we chose to judge it, and then what happened? We made a mountain out of a mole hill. Some problems actually get to be really hairy BECAUSE we've thought about them too much; we've made them materialize into something real.

We don't have to get stuck in these problems. We don't have to always trudge uphill through them; we don't have to sink into them as if we're suddenly standing in quick sand. We can allow ourselves to LEAP over them.

I've had what you could call ‘rough times' in areas of my life, in the past. Note that I said, in the past. The thing about the past is that it's all gone now, it's all over. The past will absolutely not repeat itself because I have learned my lessons from there. If I didn't learn the lessons I was supposed to learn, then I'm sure the past would creep back in. But I've moved on. I can look and say, ‘hey, I made it past that'. And so, whenever a problem seemingly tries to arise in my day to day life, I say, "wait a minute, this doesn't have to be a problem...after all, I've gotten past all the others. I can just LEAP over this one because after a while, it won't be there anymore." I can just allow whatever the perceived problem is to be and to flow in and right back out. However, if I resist against this flow, if I push back, if I fight it, the perceived problem/issue will stay there, stuck in an endless loop.

Try to be in the flow, and allow it to be there. Be in it, feel it as it moves through and on out.

The act of allowing is an art. We have set ourselves up to struggle against things that come into our life, but that can all be changed now.

To practice the art of allowing is an act of creatorship.

Blessings,
Leslie


Copyright 2008 Leslie D Smith All Rights Reserved



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The Art of Allowing - by Leslie Smith

Message from "Jacob": "Responsibility to All", the inter-dimensional key to love and eternal renewal

Greetings dear "Children of the Sun",

We are "Jacob", the father's love, the "Sun", the center within that resonates boundless love, mercy and compassionate healing.

"Children of the Sun", we wish to make clear to you that deliberate methods and considerable care are expended from behind the veil to make available the most direct portals for your actualization and advancement that do not compromise the sacred "free will construct" of the earthly tier.

And so it is essential to recognize that the sacred collective of "All" filters thorough the highest orders (realms) to help facilitate your evolution, and ascent in ways that may appear contradictory from a "duality" laden perspective.

Realize that from the perspective behind the veil it is apparent that the legions of agents that emit loving-kindness/ expansion and the legions of agents transmitting definition / contraction (judgment) work towards the same lofty goal; to help manifest the conditions whereby the angelic energies encased within "human" consciousness can usher in material ascension through actualization of altruistic love and true unity.

Accordingly, the legions of agents of the left side (negatively charged) play the role of transmitting the energies that help manifest the delicate balancing, void and inertia needed to make Man's altruistic action and intent "true". The legions of agents of the right side (positively charged) lend their energies to assist in the ascent of Man's consciousness, should Man choose to altruistically seek it. But fundamentally, all legions of angelic intelligences are playing complimentary roles for sustaining the conditions for Man to partner with All to actualize an ascent of the earthly realm into higher frequencies of existence by manifesting true love along the earth's frontier.

Upon adopting this root principle you will open portals of spirit consciousness to boldly enact the following practical guidance along the earthly tier:

As you try to process the rapid changes that are taking hold, and continue to accelerate along the material plane, do not concern yourself with how things will play out, as such void and fear from uncertainty is certain to diminish your light and power. Instead, dedicate your pure intentions and focus towards aiding and guiding the momentum of the collective by sending your pure "light" indiscriminately to All.

Let us shed some light on why this technique is so very powerful.
Many workers of the light understand that they receive light and its bountiful energies in ratio to the degree that they are responsible for others. To appreciate why this is so, you must stop seeing yourself as containers of "light" and begin to witness yourselves as partners distributing "light". You are all intricately connected and "one" from our perspective, as you all compliment each others' journeys for the revelation of the "light" and you are all essentially fragments culminating in the collective ascent of earth (human) consciousness. And most importantly; we are all family! For your current journeys you play the roles of "concentrated" splinters of the Almighty on the front-lines of actualized creation.

A continuous regiment of elevating one's focus, the perceptions one's mind's eye through "heart guidance" will reveal one's innate responsibility for (alignment with) All. This frequency of existence will enhance your abilities to better detect and integrate with the corrective "light" (enhancing your "light receptacle" - capacity of understanding).

Know that this is not due to personal merit, but is a "natural" process available to all grounded "light workers" who choose to operate as core "network" conduits for the indiscriminate broadcasting the corrective light's song of love and merciful healing to the masses.

The increasingly high frequencies of "light" pass through your consciousness and soul on their way towards mass dissemination leave behind profound high frequency inter-dimensional imprints within you. It it is these imprints that awaken your soul "memory", awareness and inter-dimensional "senses" (portals).

We reiterate this insight again for it is so often misrepresented in your world and is so fundamental for the core lesson of earthly mastery; the enhanced frequencies and vibrational intensity one receives in the aligned state are not due to one's personal merit, but rather are the ancillary benefit of the process of transmitting higher frequencies through the collective grid, the concern for All. And so, the benefits of all who undertake the responsibility of All should not be underestimated for these open bountiful portals of deliverance and eternity through "love".

And so we conclude this benevolent guidance and instruction with our familiar refrain; your goal remains to love All, heal All, and All will remedy All.
So it is, and so it shall be.


http://colorfulteardropsandthetreeoflife.blogspot.com/

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Message from "Jacob" - Channeled by Brian Baruch