UniVisions Spirit Connexions

by Clive A Wilson -

Human Consciousness: Becoming More of Who We Truly Are - With the advent of the Internet and sharing of wisdom across the world, we have reached a stage where dialogue is pulling us in two different directions. One is apart and the other is together. The fundamentalist view is that “my way is right and your way is misguided”. However, there is another way. There is a great deal of commonality between faiths and even with those who claim to have no faith. The commonality is our shared consciousness and love for our fellow man and for everything that makes up what is good about our world.

Spirituality is this simple, to lead a connected life we must move around the following four-stage cycle consciously or unconsciously:

1. Connection: We need to take time out away from the noise of the material world to be alone, in touch with our deepest sense of self, with the universe, some would say with God. This connection is achieved in stillness, in meditation, in prayer, and in nature.

2. Presence: Taking time in quiet connection allows us to live our lives in a state of presence, remaining aware and connected even in the busy times. This is much more fulfilling than being blown by cares of past or future.

3. Action: Or perhaps “right action”. By being present, we intuitively know what to do in any given situation.

4. Reflection: Having taken action, at least once a day we should reflect. This is to check our level of presence, celebrate our successes and to give thanks for the life we have been able to share with others.

Of course this cycle isn’t necessarily limited to any single day. Rather it is the cycle we should travel at least daily if we intend to lead a connected life.

Leading a connected life is exactly the essence of all faiths and of everyone who has ever glimpsed the divinity that is within us all.

EzineArticles/Clive A Wilson
sacred-space.ning.com

courtesy of ♥Angel Love♥

by Scott Rabalais -

The experience of unity consciousness is transcendent, beyond mind. To describe (or attempt to describe) the experience of unity consciousness with the use of conceptual language inherent in the mind is quite difficult.

It’s similar to describing the feeling of falling in love or the birth of a child — difficult to put into words, or, just the right words. Words are labels, and labels are by their nature limiting. Just as one cannot accurately describe infinity, one cannot accurately describe unity consciousness. The words used in the futile attempt to describe unity consciousness can, however, serve as a bridge to the experience of oneness.

No two individuals will view a oneness experience alike. If two persons traveled to the North Pole, one may describe the experience as an opportunity to view mammoth and beautiful glacial formations. Yet, the other may complain of the bitterly cold conditions. It’s all in the eye of the beholder, yet there may be common threads in the descriptions of those who have the beyond-mind experience.

In stark contrast to our interpretation of life in a dualistic manner, one may be struck by the inherent connectedness of all life in the oneness state. No longer is one separate as an individual, seeing all as outside or beyond the borders of self. Rather than being exclusive, all of life is viewed a part of one’s self. The trees, the plants, rocks, other persons, sand on the beach, space, time, thought, love — everything is you and you are everything. It is one gigantic unified relationship in the ocean of existence. It’s crossing the bridge from “little ol’ me” to “infinity. “

While in the dualistic state there might have been ignorance, mysteries or unanswered questions, now it all makes complete sense.

While it may seem that experiencing this infinite connectedness could be a burden on the brain, the experience itself is one of utter tranquility. Whereas the nature of the dualistic “reality” causes an on-going tension or battle in thought, the oneness experience is a fusion of any such tension into an infinite peace. Everything is “just fine” or “just perfect” about life. Actually, it feels beyond perfect in this infinite sea of tranquility. The stormy waters of life subside and there is perfect and undeniable calmness to the waters. It is true and unfathomable peace.

Inherent within the unity consciousness is a deep understanding of life as never before. While in the dualistic state there might have been ignorance, mysteries or unanswered questions, now it all makes complete sense. You KNOW, though not in an intellectual manner. You know because you have become the experience, and it’s closer to you and more a part of you than the air you breathe. It is in every cell of the body, between every cell, and then some. You are no longer a wandering soul, but one who is firmly entrenched in Truth, fully realized.

You are present. No longer is there is concept of time and space. There is no yesterday or tomorrow. There is no here nor there. Any descriptions relating to time do not exist, as mental constructs are simply washed away. Even saying all is NOW fails as a description, as time ceases to exist.

One expands in appreciation through the oneness experience. EVERYTHING has immense value, from the atom in a grain of sand, to the little ant scurrying about, to every hair on our head, to the wind blowing in the trees, to every star in the sky. There is no value system in the sense that someone or something is more important than another. With all being an inherent part of infinite consciousness (often termed “God”), every aspect of existence has infinite value. Judgments made outside of this experience have come only from the mind of man, which, but its very nature, creates hierarchical structures.

Though we have been strongly indoctrinated that activity or doing is the key to a successful and productive life, we see differently when we transcend. Instead, we see being as a core of, well, our being. It becomes enough to just “stand still,” as a tree would stand firm on the ground, and simply exist. Such does not imply that one would only sit in a corner and refrain from using the mind and body; what it means is that we now more fully understand that we are no longer as identified with our actions, roles and accomplishments. We are full and complete in just being; we no longer feel the need to become someone. There is immense value in our nature, in who we are at our very core, without moving a finger.

Perhaps the most dramatic aspect of the unity experience is that we are transformed. Though we are still the person we were before the experience, we are very different. It is as if the old self is peeled away, and what emerges is this creature of life, love, understanding, peace and contentment. It is a new life that feels “closer to home” or that one has arrived. There is no place for fear, doubt or worry, as those are seen only as remnants of the dualistic mind. There is no sense of lack, as the universe of abundance and infinite intelligence is now at one’s call. There is only allowing, the unfolding of life in its perfect manifestation of our higher nature. You are a flower in bloom, though fully bloomed. Life is a magnificent paradox.

And as inspiring and uplifting as these words may sound, they doubtfully convey even a fraction of a percentage of the experience. It’s life beyond words, beyond thought, into a land beyond where our imaginations are able to travel. There’s no way to comprehend it all with our limited minds, and yet we can experience enough of it to understand that, regardless of shape, size, status or place in life, we are inherently divine.

source - scottrabalais.com

by Suzanne Kyra M.A., R.C.C. -

A peak experience is being at one with ourselves and the universe, while having a sense of being outside the experience in a harmonious way that impacts us forever.

A peak experience occurs when everything around us stops, and all that exists is our relationship to the moment and those sharing in it. It is a relational moment of goodness, beauty, and meaningfulness. In a peak experience, we have a sense of all being exactly as it should be. This experience could come during a life threatening event, while performing a sport, or when sitting at a table.

We are able to observe what is around us and still be separate from it. It involves stepping through the barriers of the mind into another level of oneness in which everything becomes slower, more vivid and divinely right. Peak experiences require us to be completely relaxed, in harmony, centered in our body and feeling interconnected with all that is around us.

I Have Learned

… that a peak experience involves letting go of my mind’s chatter and being grounded in the present moment. In a peak experience, there is an enhanced awareness where the experience and my sense of self within it are in rhythm with each other. This involves my settling into the experience in such a profound manner that everything expands and slows down, and I know I am right where I need to be. I become so profoundly at one in the experience that everything around me feels connected in a most satisfying, exhilarating, life changing way. I have heard star athletes describe peak experiences in their sports where they felt that there was no choice but to hit the puck for a goal in hockey, or catch the high line drive for the game winning out in baseball. They were in complete oneness with the experience, while at the same time observing and transcending it.

With a Sense of Oneness

Like peak experiences, oneness is being in complete connection with what is. What do those in your family of origin describe as peak experiences in their lives? How were you encouraged to experience and enjoy peak experiences when you were a child growing up? What are your memories of peak experiences? What did you notice about time, space, and sensations in your body during a peak experience? What could you change or add in your life to enhance peak experiences?

Encouragement

Practice relaxation, letting go and connecting with your surroundings every day. Live as conscientiously and intentionally as possible in whatever you are doing. Peak experiences will find you. You can enhance the experience of a peak experience by having reminders. For instance, if it happened in the Natural World, take photos where this experience occurred. My commitment to creating peak experiences and sharing them with others is _________.

The above is an excerpt from Welcome Home to Yourself: A therapist and photographer explore the meaning of life through individual lenses—a mother and son’s journey published in 2008 by Relationships Matter Publishing Inc.

source - suzannekyra.com

The Future is in Our Hands

by Dean Noblett -

As we witness the changing of the guard, the transition from the old into the new, we need to be very mindful of where we are focusing our attention. What we are seeing in the global economy and the financial institutions is very disturbing to many people and that is why, now more than ever before, we need to be aware and conscious of what is taking place, hold our centre and remain calm, and be in the power of our authentic selves.

This time of the crumbling of the old fear-based structures of the misuse of power, control and greed has been foreseen for some time and is necessary for a higher way of integral and ethical living to transpire. As we each make a stand for this way of “being” in the new world, we create the very foundation for co-existing in a place of peace and abundance for all people. In other words, what is not in alignment with the energies of a fifth dimensional reality will not be able to sustain itself within that frequency of light.

Over the last few years we have seen many instances on a smaller scale of the truth about corporations and some high profile individuals coming to the surface where they have not acted in the best interest of others, but rather in a way that has betrayed their trust and good faith. Now, as more people embrace the higher qualities of ethics, integrity and acceptance, and take a united stand that expresses a deep desire for an outcome that benefits all concerned, then even more of the truth that has been hidden will continue to be exposed.

Everything that has been founded on intentions that have not been integral or ethical is now coming to the surface and will dissolve in the wake of a new consciousness that does not tolerate it any longer. This is a natural progression of the evolution of human consciousness and is to be accepted without judgment as we hold a vision of a new reality. Our collective purpose is to hold our centre no matter what we see in the outer world, be in our power as co creators and focus on a world abundant and free, and know in the truth of our hearts that a miraculous transformation is taking place.

Many people’s belief systems are being challenged right now and what they thought to be true is now on shaky ground in the light of the transition taking place. What they thought was a sense of security is being stripped away and what they thought was a way of life is being re-orchestrated, creating an opportunity for everyone to align to a grander vision. What works stays and what doesn’t must fall away. The key now is “what are we each choosing in every now moment?”

At this time, it maybe wise to reevaluate how we see the world and let go of our beliefs as all we believe has been chosen from the past, which represents the old way. This will then free us to be open to a realm of new and infinite possibilities that are currently beyond our comprehension. As we practice discernment and the art of detaching from the old way it creates a space within us to then hold a vision of the new without being tainted by the old.

During these challenging times we are given the opportunity to recognize and release much of our old programming which was born from fear. It is important for us to be open to this and embrace the gift within each challenge as it comes up. If it does not fit with where we want to go we need only to let it go so we no longer manifest lack or limitation in our lives. This is why all that we are witnessing right now around the world is encouraging us to make new choices in our own lives.

We know that each of us is a unique being as there are no two beings that have the same experience in the entire universe. We each have our own experience reflected back to us from our state of consciousness. Now, imagine that we are a vessel for Source energy to express and experience through us using the gift of free will. This unlimited and infinite resource of unconditional love, which is neutral in its pure state, flows through us and is expressed from that spark that is also within us. As this universal life force energy flows through us it is programmed by the totality of our unique consciousness and responds exactly to what we feed it and then plays itself out on the screen of our lives.

Source energy does not judge, question or interfere with our free will and from that place of neutrality, lovingly co creates with us what we choose in every moment. When we really get this we are in the powerful position to see with our own eyes what we are in fact creating for ourselves, recognize what we don’t want any longer, make new choices and the screen of life will change the picture in response to the changes we make.

What we are seeing in the newspapers and on our televisions is the manifestation of the collective consciousness and the bubbling to the surface of the choices we have made that were not for the highest good of all which is being exposed for each of us to recognize in our own lives. We already know where we have not behaved in the best interest of others and have acted out of fear. We have witnessed the impact it has had on others’ lives. Now through letting go of judgment and practicing the act of forgiveness of ourselves and all others on this planet, the collective consciousness will align to a more loving vibration which will usher in the new world. If we make peace with the past in all areas of our own lives then we resonate to a peaceful existence and this will be the reality we begin to experience.

The path of the master is to be able to remain in their centre and see the perfection in all things, even when there can be chaos all around. The awakened one knows that what already exists is a manifestation from the past, and the future will be manifested from the now. There lies the challenge and the gift of each present moment. May you make each one more beautiful than the next!

source - heartlight.ca

1. Change doesn’t start on the surface. It’s generated from consciousness. This has been true throughout history. If both Buddhism and Christianity could begin with one person, let us not think in terms of numbers and odds. It may sound grandiose to compare ourselves to great spiritual guides, but we act collectively, as an alliance. Our strength comes from critical mass.

2. We aren’t here to make the world evolve. We are here to evolve as individuals and then to spread that influence. In the wisdom tradition of Vedanta, the stream of evolution is known in Sanskrit as Dharma, from a root verb that means ‘to uphold.’ This gives us a clue how to live: the easiest way for us to grow is to align ourselves with Dharma. We don’t have to struggle to grow–that would be unproductive, in fact. The Dharma has always favored non-violence. If we can bring ourselves to a state of non-violence, and connect with others who are doing the same thing, we have done a huge thing to reinforce Dharma.

3. Societies get into the grip of their own self-created story. It’s helpful to realize that we can choose not to participate in that story. Realize that national and tribal stories are limited, self-serving, based on the past, reinforced by orthodoxy, and therefore opposed to real change. Stories are incredibly persuasive. Wars are fueled by victimization that runs deep, for example. So let us not try to change anyone’s story. Let us only notice and observe ourselves when we buy into it and then let us back away from participating in it.

4. Let us not demand of ourselves that we alone must be the agent of change. In a fire brigade everyone passes along a bucket, but only the last person puts out the fire. None of us know where we stand in line. We may be here simply to pass a bucket; we may be called on to play a major role. In either case, all we can do is think, act, and say. Let us direct our thoughts, words, and actions to peace. That is all we can do. Let the results be what they will be.

5. Let us realize that engagement and detachment aren’t opposite—the more engaged we become, the more detached we will have to be. Otherwise, we will lose ourselves in conflict, obsessiveness, anxiety over the future, and feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Keep in mind that we are pioneers into the unknown, and uncertainty is our ally. When our minds want closure, certainty, and finality, let us remind ourselves that these are fictions. Our joyous moments will come from riding the wave, not asking to get off at the next station.

6. Since most misery is born of failed expectations let us learn to minimize expectations so that we will feel far less guilt and disappointment.

7. We aren’t here to be good or perfect. We are here as the antennas for signals from the future. We are here to be midwives to something that wants to be born. Good people have preceded us. They solved some problems and created others. As one wise teacher said, “You aren’t here to be as good as possible. You are here to be as real as possible.

8. I know this sounds difficult, but let us try to be tolerant of intolerance. This is a hard one at times, but if you try the opposite—showing a hard heart against those with hard hearts of their own—all we’ve done is expand the problem. It’s helpful (but often difficult) to remember that everyone is doing the best they can form their own level of consciousness. Trying to talk a terrorist out of his beliefs is like trying to persuade a lion to be a vegetarian. All we can realistically do is seek openings for higher awareness.

9. Let us resist the lure of dualities. These include us versus them, civilized versus barbarians, good versus evil. The good, civilized people of Europe managed to kill millions of themselves, along with millions of “them.” In reality we are all in the same boat of human conflict and confusion. Sometimes it helps to admit that the doctor is not far from being a patient.

10. Let’s create an atmosphere of peace around ourselves. Imagine that we are like a mother whose children come home crying about fights at school. Would it be her job to soothe their wounds or to arm them for fighting back tomorrow? Simplistic as it may sound, the male principle of aggression can only be healed by the feminine principle of nurturing and love.

source - chopra.com

by Reverend August Gold -
sacredcenterny.org

Being One With God

If we go down deeply inside ourselves, Ernest Holmes the creator of Science of Mind says, we will bump into God. Where else are we going to find God except deep down inside ourselves? Until we understand that, we are working with just the power of our own two hands. We can get some things accomplished. We can function. We can pay our bills. We can stay alive.

POWER AND WISDOM - When we connect to the power within ourselves, we will lead lives that are full and creative and juicy and alive and powerful. We will accept that we are at-one with God, and we will be able to access that power and wisdom. When we recognize that the power exists, and identify that power inside ourselves, it makes a tremendous difference in our lives. It makes God utterly real. It takes God out of the realm of the abstract concepts and makes God a living God inside us; moving through us, being us.

THE DEEPER LEVEL - At the ground of our being, at the deeper level of divine mind, intuitive mind, we have not forgotten anything, we remember everything. We can take ourselves back to the exact moments in the past when we shut the door of our heart to ourselves, to others, to God. Once there, we can reopen those doors in the safety of the knowledge of our unity with the Divine and heal what we have carried in our hearts that has remained unhealed. We can finish our unfinished business from the past. We can free ourselves to stop dragging our past into our future.

THERE IS WISDOM INSIDE US - It’s awesome how much wisdom there is deep inside us about who we are, where we came from and what we are here to do on earth. But in order to touch that wisdom, to feel the reality of the Divine living within us, to know that the Divine resides within us, we’ve got to go inside.

OVERCOMING FEAR - The only thing that keeps us from going inside, naturally, is our fear. Sitting still is a very difficult thing to do. Try sitting still and quieting your little mind for even five minutes. It’s very difficult. Fear threatens that if you go inside, you will find nothing is in there, or something scary will be there, or you will change so much you’ll lose the life you have, or you won’t be able to handle it, or you’ll be overcome by the feelings.

THE DIVINE WITHIN - The truth is that when we get still and go within, we find out God is within — and that knowledge and feeling affords us an outrageous confidence, hopefulness, connection and power. We will never know this power unless we connect to the Divine inside us. When you feel it — not just know it, not just believe it — but when you feel it, that’s when things really begin shifting in your life. It is an experience, a feeling — the presence of God within, not something we know in our mind. And it will be different for each of us…

Until we take God off the mountaintop and begin to seek ‘It’ within the depths of our being, we will fear it. Anything we are separate from we will inevitably fear. We will blame our hardships, failures, struggles, and losses on God. It’s the wrath of God, we will think. The God outside of me will hurt me, we will believe. God who sits in judgment of me will punish me. We will believe that God is keeping score.

THE KEY - That is why going within ourselves is key — when you descend into the truth of who you are, you will come to feel the safety and love of God deeply inside of your heart. You will feel the warmth of God’s healing light and be moved by it. And the Divine eyes that already exist within will enable you to see yourself through those same eyes — to see yourself with a new compassion and loving softness. The eyes of God that lay buried within us allow us to see the truth of everything and everyone around us, including and most especially us.

ALL IN ALL - When we are convinced of the Divinity within us, that God is ‘All in All’ and lives in us, we become bold, brave, courageous beings. We have eyes that see past, present, and future, and we learn the truth about who we are. Each of us has this tremendous spiritual power that is the secret of life. It exists, and it exists inside us. We don’t have to beg or plead that something be given to us that already exists within us. We have only to open our awareness to the knowledge that God lives, God is real, God is right here. God is right here inside us. The moment we begin to open our conscious mind to accept that belief, things within ourselves and within our lives shift, move, heal.

THE SECRET OF LIFE - The secret of life lies within you. To utilize it, recognize that it lives inside you and then identify with it as who you are: My mind is living in the mind of God, my heart is beating in the heart of God, my soul is living in the soul of God. God can’t do anything for you if you don’t allow the Divine to move through you.

MIRACLES - When we access the power and wisdom that is already inside us waiting to be tapped, then, in partnership with the Divine, we can heal. We can move the mountains in our lives. That’s what miracles are — allowing that Divine power within each of us to do its outrageous WORK THROUGH US. The miracle of realizing we are at ONE WITH GOD.

by Cynthia Sue Larson
realityshifters.com

“Remember the entrance door
to the sanctuary is inside you. “
-Rumi

The concept of inner dialogue is usually associated with our tendency to run thoughts and ideas inside our heads. This idea of the incessant chatter of our “monkey minds” is central to many meditation practices, which provide people with tools to quiet the mind and calm the body. These practices operate on the principle that just as we can experience increased tranquility and clarity from clean, organized surroundings, we can also feel much more positive, balanced, and compassionate toward ourselves and others when we take time to clear our minds on a regular basis. The simple activity of clearing out mental clutter can give us the optimal vantage point we most need in order to see new opportunities we would miss otherwise.

There is another aspect of inner dialogue, which is the interconnectedness between our inner thoughts and feelings and everything and everyone around us. We do not exist in isolation, and are therefore continually immersed in an energetic conversation with the universe around us… even when most of the time, this conversation happens beneath our normal threshold of consciousness.

I was reminded of just how amazingly the inner and outer worlds converge while listening to Fred Alan Wolf’s excellent audio learning course, Dr. Quantum Presents Do-It-Yourself Time Travel, in which Wolf tells the story of a man who had an amazingly complex dream set at the time of the French revolution. After many detailed events transpired, the man’s dream culminated in a dramatic scene at a guillotine. At the precise moment when the guillotine dropped in the man’s dream, he was startled awake by the headboard of his bed falling down on top of his head! The fact that such a lengthy dream could be dreamt immediately prior to such a dramatic and unusual event as a headboard landing on the dreamer’s head demonstrates that we are much more connected to and aware of our environment than we tend to consciously acknowledge.

You can get confirmation of the interconnectedness between you and the universe when noting an amazing synchronicity of events which dovetails perfectly with something you were thinking silently to yourself. When you pay close attention to your inner dialogue, you can see how what you think and feel on the inside influences what is going on around you, and get a taste of how your inner dialogue interacts with the universe. Sometimes you will know things you had no obvious way of knowing (such as to look out for something landing on your head), and other times, you will find that your own calmness and clarity can bring coherence to an otherwise chaotic situation. It is in the very interconnectedness of All That Is that we can open the inner door to peaceful tranquility inside ourselves, and in so doing, share the gifts from this inner sanctuary with the world.

Self Healing Global Service
by Peggy Black -

Everyone is being encouraged to transform their personal fear, personal righteousness, personal prejudice, personal rage and personal judgment.

Each individual, each human is responsible for the energy that they offer to the collective. Each individual, each human is being required to take their magnificent place in the transformation and unfolding of a better world - a world that knows peace, love and joy.

You must first have the conscious awareness of any behavior before you can transform that pattern or program. Until that awareness flashes into your conscious mind you are operating on automatic, your ego is in control and is driving your life.

The “out picturing” of the violence happening around the world is the collective emotional shadow of humanity. Humanity is awakening from a deep slumber, the ego slumber, the pre-patterned and pre-programmed slumber. There is tremendous celestial support being offered to the personal and collective consciousness. This celestial support is assisting in the shift to the higher dimensions of freedom and flow - the dimensions in which all are aware “WE ARE ONE”.

Each human carries an important key in this shift and transformation. Each human has an aspect of the collective shadow and can offer that shadow aspect to the light and transform what is repressed with an aware consciousness through their sacred heart. It is your willingness, awareness, and asking for assistance in personal shadow work. It is dedication and diligence in healing, forgiving, and transforming all that has been repressed within the subconscious.

This is the opportunity of each multidimensional Star-being - to transform their emotions, transform their frequencies and transform their consciousness. Each human is either imprinting this field of all possibility with their fear, limiting beliefs and ego manipulation, or they are imprinting this energy field with their love, joy, gratitude and appreciation. Each human is a celestial transformer of emotional energy.

_______________________

Peggy Black
morningmessages.com
_______________________

by Jean-Claude Gerard Koven -

Talking to God - Most religions make God so large and distant that only saints and prophets are deemed worthy of direct contact. What utter nonsense; God’s personal guidance is available to all of us, once we learn where to find it.

In my opinion, we all speak to God everyday, but we’re so caught up in our limited view of reality that we fail to notice. I can say this, perhaps, because my view of God is remarkably uncomplicated. To me, there is only God. Every bird, every tree, every person I encounter is another aspect of the Oneness expressing its infinite nature for my (and its own) pleasure. Consequently, every voice I hear speaks the word of God, even though any two of them may be expressing opposing views. Of course, this makes blind obedience to a higher power a bit of a challenge and ultimately I am left to weigh the words I hear and decide for myself.

Like most little children, when I was growing up I had a host of imaginary friends to keep me company. I find they’re still very much with me today, although they’ve evolved over the years, just as I have. We’ve put away the games of our childhood and now, driven by the flames of new curiosities, we explore other parts of the cosmic mysteries together. By most objective standards, I’d probably be considered a late bloomer. After stumbling through high school and some college, I became a self-employed entrepreneur – probably because no company would have me. I wandered around the world inventing new ways to have adventures while setting up a business venture here and there to pay my way.

En route I met the most amazing people and experienced the wisdom of numerous philosophies and religions. By having no belief system of my own to defend or use as a judgmental lens, it was relatively easy to let myself be shaped by whatever culture I happened upon. In the process, I unwittingly mastered the art of absorbing without the need to understand. Looking back, I can see that the entire process was divinely guided and that each new insight or ability prepared me for the direction my life would ultimately take. So here I am, a child in an adult’s body, still having delightful conversations with any aspect of God that chooses to play with me.

I find myself engaging in such conversations, for instance, when someone asks me to weigh in on a difficulty they are experiencing. A few days ago, Isabel, a lovely woman I met at one of my talks, sent an email asking my opinion. She had recently heard a channeling from higher entities claiming that it is possible to ascend without leaving one’s physical body, and she was quite concerned about her husband and household pets who died several years ago: “I wonder what becomes of those who have gone through the death transition rather than ascend with their bodies. Are they allowed to return in a fourth-density ..the next level of consciousness that awaits those who achieve ascension), or are they doomed to repeat additional lifetimes as third-density humans? Will I ever see my husband or pets again?”

I was fascinated by her question but had no idea how to respond. So I simply tuned into a higher point of view and spoke from there: “ I am starting to take more and more of what I hear with a liberal grain of salt. The stuff we like seems true to us; the stuff we don’t like, we usually toss. There’s got to be a better way. For now, I am content to know absolutely nothing. That way I don’t have to worry about being right or wrong. Whatever exists for me is simply my perception – if I buy into it and induce others into agreement, I create a new consensus reality. Should I change my mind, everything falls away.

“You are hereby invited to create whatever future you’d like. After all, that’s what you’ve been doing with the every present moment you’ve experienced so far, so why stop now? As far as I can see, you’re in charge of the whole universe – so start acting like it. While you’re at it, I’d like a praline ice cream cone, please… May I have some chocolate sprinkles on it, too?”

Apparently these were the very words Isabel needed to hear: “ You never fail to call upon my highest awareness with your responses. In other words, you always make me think – not ‘think’ per se; perhaps ‘feel,’ ‘imagine,’ or ‘remember’ would be a better word. Your invitation to create whatever future I like made me grin from ear to ear. I choose Peace, Harmony, Grace, Freedom, Abundance, and Love; most of all, LOVE. That’s the reality I choose to create. And, of course, a praline ice cream cone for you – with chocolate sprinkles, of course.

“I love you, my dear friend. You make me reach deep down for the simple truth that is – it turns out – never farther away than my own choice to see it.”

What we see always depends on where we’re looking from. Each of us is a continuum of points of view ranging from ego at the lowest end to Oneness at the highest. The higher up the continuum we listen, the grander is the scale of the answer, to the point where when we lose touch with ego altogether, we feel ourselves in the presence of God and hear the answer coming from Allness.

When things appear difficult, it’s a sure sign that we’re stuck in a particular point of view. Having deep-rooted beliefs or convictions will almost always do that to you. I invite you to call upon your imaginary friends whenever you’d like a second opinion.

Simply put out the question to the universe and allow the response to come. There will always be an answer… I find this a simple process that invariably works.

__________________________________

Jean-Claude Gerard Koven
goingdeeper.org
__________________________________

The Art of Being Present
by Julie Redstone -

There is an awakeness that comes from a clear mind, unobscured by wandering thoughts and preoccupations, and there is an awakeness that comes from a clear heart, willing to engage with life as gift and as an ever-unfolding revelation of the purpose of Creation.

EMOTIONAL DEPTH - Such an awakened heart cannot respond indifferently to life because it sees the outstretched hand of the Creator at every turn and in every particle of experience. It cannot turn away from feeling, no matter what feelings may occur, because it perceives emotional depth as the great gift of individualized consciousness. This gift stirs the response of individualized life to the Source of life as it displays Itself in all living things.

THE SACRED IN EVERY MOMENT - To be awake and present is to take responsibility for noticing - for maintaining an intimate connection between the self that IS, and the rest of the world that IS. It is to know that within the domain of this relationship lies a profound revelation of the Source of all within every gesture, every interaction, and every experience that takes place. It is to perceive the sacred in every moment.

In today’s overscheduled world, being continuously busy is sometimes a necessity but often a choice based on the drive for outer success, wealth, and the symbols of what is often taken to be a ‘life worth living’. Being busy, as opposed to having time ‘on one’s hands’, is perceived by many as a testimony to a life that has merit, purpose, and meaning.

By contrast, idle hands - hands that remain receptive rather than active in relation to time, suggest that time is being wasted - that one could do more, achieve more, accomplish more. No matter if these hands are connected with one’s heart and with the heart of the world. For many, it is only the visible ‘doing’ of things that creates a sense of security and lets us know that time has meaning. The existence of a space of silence in which awareness can broaden is often not considered a gain. Nor is simply being here, responsive to the very air we breathe, considered a virtue.

NOTICING - Is it any wonder, then, that we, as a collective humanity, have forgotten the sacred art of being present, that we have placed ‘noticing’ on the back burner of experiential values. And what would we notice if we took the time to do so?

In order to answer this question, it is helpful to sit in one place, breathing quietly, eyes somewhat unfocused, listening, seeing, sensing. Though one can do this profitably in a bare room, it is easier, at first, to sit in an environment where there is just a little movement present. Now, close the eyes and pay attention to the other senses. Feel the comforting fabric of surrounding life as if it were an envelope or cocoon, gently cradling one’s essential self. Notice everything without discrimination, without opinion. Try to feel the intimacy of connection with what IS.

OPENING OF THE HEART - Spending time for a few minutes each day being awake and noticing is a good way to begin the practice of being present. It is a good way to begin to expand one’s idea of what constitutes a meaningful life. And yet more than this is needed if one is to truly embrace what IS, and to be ‘present in the present’. What is needed is the greater opening of the heart to the one Self that exists within all.

ONENESS - This perception of Unity and Oneness has an opportunity to grow at any moment in which we interact with another soul. It is nourished by an absence of judgment and by a willingness to be open to the deeper levels of who that other might be. Such openness comes from a state of innocence and of childlike grace. It comes from knowing that the ‘other’ is part of the same ‘ALL THAT IS’ as oneself, therefore of one Heart, one Breath, one Life.

The gift of being present as it applies to relationships is that it brings love to every interaction, no matter how small or insignificant. It brings the Divine into every perception, no matter how ordinary. And it brings gratitude into each moment as it unfolds.

THE ESSENCE - As a sense of being present deepens and one’s capacity to ‘notice’ flowers, the deep richness of life and of love can be found everywhere and separation nowhere. In this state, one senses only the One who lives within all. One feels the Essence within every other. Here, consciousness can only affirm the greater life of which it is a part:

I Am and You Are. We are both of the stars and of the dust of the earth. We are both of the rocks and of the sandy shores. We are water and we are sky; we are earth, and we are air. We are the Breath that life breathes through Itself, in a single and continuous song of Creation.

OUR WHOLE SELF - To truly be present, we need to be available to the moment with our whole self. This requires not only an act of attention but also an act of integration so that we are drawing upon all parts of ourselves to ‘be with’ another.

When we think in terms of roles in life, we split ourselves up into parts - a father role, a mother role, a teacher role, a student role - we are not our whole self. Many times, we feel the pressure of social expectations which cause us to believe that we must remain within these roles. However, true expression, intimacy, learning, and healing for ourselves and others cannot come from separating ourselves into parts. It can only come from being touched and touching others in the deepest possible way so that our presence with them, even for a moment, makes a difference.

To step out of a role is not an easy thing but it is a simple one. We need to think of ourselves as souls, here to serve the purposes of love and healing for the earth and for ourselves. To see love as the primary purpose that we bring to all situations, no matter how rule-bound or role-bound they may be, is to strive within each one to make of it a moment of meaning.

THE EYES OF LOVE - Sometimes the access route is through the eyes of another. When we look in another’s eyes, we see and are seen. And what we see depends very much upon whether we are operating out of fear or out of love. If we are operating out of fear, we may see judgment, distance, or coolness in another. If we are operating out of love, we will see the beauty of the soul of another. This cannot help but be true, for each human being is a soul, come to the earth with gifts of great beauty. And so if we look with the eyes of love, we will see the soul of love in return.

UNIQUE - Often, courage is needed to remain in a place of integrity and wholeness when others around us are not. Often, we must remind ourselves of the purpose for doing so - the purpose for remaining true to ourselves at all times. This purpose has a deep spiritual taproot. It is the root of our knowing that we are unique in all the universe and that the space we occupy cannot be filled by anyone else.

BREATHE WITH AWARENESS - To be true to ourselves, it is often helpful to breathe with awareness - to breathe, and to feel the life of God filling us so that we become an extension of all that is pure and holy and loving. If we are not connected to this greater life, we are more vulnerable to the imagined or real shortcomings that we may feel on the level of the personality. If we are connected, there are no longer shortcomings, there is just love to be shared in all situations, all of the time.

THE GIFT OF LIFE - The recognition of the greater Life that is expressing within the physical is the key that unlocks the door to being present. For this greater life flows through us and through all else. It is the ground of our being and the reason we were created. We are expressions of the One, manifesting in an utterly unique and irreplaceable way. Being faithful to that understanding means that we must be ourselves as an expression of honoring the gift of life. When we hold this in mind and heart, we can learn to lead a seamless life, one in which we are, at each moment, fully present, fully alive and fully ourselves!

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