5th Dimensional Time and Space

by Celia Fenn -

The most important difference between Third and Fifth Dimensional reality is a change in the nature of Time and Space and how they are perceived by you. Time and Space were fixed realities in the Third Dimension. In the Fifth Dimension they are fluid and are understood to be largely illusionary.

Time in the Fifth Dimension is perceived as the Eternal NOW or present. 

The cycles of day and night are understood to be mechanical markers of cycles of being, but have no real effect or power over the creative potential of the Now moment. This means that what you feel and experience in the present moment is the only essentially important experience.

The past and the future have no relevance as such. What you create and experience in this moment is who and what you are and what you will be, unless you shift your intention.

Once you understand this principle fully, you will understand how to cope with your sense that there is never enough time to accomplish what you need to do.

Focus on the present moment, experience it fully in its immediacy, and you will find that time will stretch for you into an eternity.

Yes it sounds magical but the Fifth Dimension is a magical place! And know that what you focus your attention on will become increasingly powerful and will manifest in your life, as you become increasingly aware of your power as creators within the Fifth Dimension.

The same is true for space.

You will increasingly see that space and distance are only illusions of the material plane. You are always and immediately connected to others who are your soul and heart family, no matter where they may be on the planet.

The Internet has taught you in a physical way how the illusion of space can be bridged. You will soon understand that within yourselves you have the ability to maintain these links telepathically with those to whom you are connected.

And after this understanding will come the understanding that every human is always connected to every other human on the energetic level and that what you call a "planet" is no more than a great co-creation of all the beings on that planet, including the animals and the non-sentient beings. In fact a planet is really a great creative "node" where many creator "gods" work together to produce a "consensus" reality.

Once you understand this fully, you will begin to understand how to utilize the Paradise Matrix that has been set up in order to co-create the Paradise of the Fifth Dimension that was your original plan for the planet.

Once you understand these principles, you can move forward into the Adventure of the Unfolding of the Creative Now Moment! 

Understand that your reality will seem to move quicker because your vibration is now higher. Events will unfold rapidly. Things will change rapidly. You will need to fluid and flexible and open to rapid changes.

You will have to have absolute trust that your Higher Aspect in tandem with Spirit knows what you need and where to take you, and that you can follow this unfolding with confidence and trust.

 And finally, you will need to be in touch with your Creative Passion! It is the only thing that will move you forward at this time.

Otherwise you will stagnate. In the Fifth Dimension you are no longer moved forward along the "tracks" of career and work that once supported you. Now it is the energy and movement of your creative passion that will take you forward. Are you willing to let go of the old structures and move into the flow of new creations and new realities?

The extent to which you hold onto old structures will be an exact correlation to the extent of the anxiety and stress that you will feel. It is only when you connect with the flow of Creative Passion that you will move forward in your own Creative Unfolding.

This is the true essence of the Multi-Dimensional experience of Who You Are that is the gift of your New Fifth-Dimensional Planet.

It is our hope that this message will help you to understand the challenges of your present time and to move more rapidly through this transition into full Fifth-Dimensional creative joy.

starchildascension.org

The Art of Not Being Offended

by Dr. Jodi Prinzivalli -

There is an ancient and well-kept secret to happiness which the Great Ones have known for centuries. They rarely talk about it, but they use it all the time, and it is fundamental to good mental health.

This secret is called The Fine Art of Not Being Offended. In order to truly be a master of this art, one must be able to see that every statement, action and reaction of another human being is the sum result of their total life experience to date.

In other words, the majority of people in our world say and do what they do from their own set of fears, conclusions, defenses and attempts to survive.

Most of it, even when aimed directly at us, has nothing to do with us.

Usually, it has more to do with all the other times, and in particular the first few times, that this person experienced a similar situation, usually when they were young.

Yes, this is psychodynamic. But let's face it, we live in a world where psychodynamics are what make the world go around. An individual who wishes to live successfully in the world as a spiritual person really needs to understand that psychology is as spiritual as prayer. In fact, the word psychology literally means the study of the soul.

All of that said, almost nothing is personal.

Even with our closest loved ones, our beloved partners, our children and our friends. We are all swimming in the projections and filters of each other's life experiences and often we are just the stand-ins, the chess pieces of life to which our loved ones have their own built-in reactions.

This is not to dehumanize life or take away the intimacy from our relationships, but mainly for us to know that almost every time we get offended, we are actually just in a misunderstanding.

A true embodiment of this idea actually allows for more intimacy and less suffering throughout all of our relationships. When we know that we are just the one who happens to be standing in the right place at the right psychodynamic time for someone to say or do what they are doing—we don't have to take life personally. If it weren't us, it would likely be someone else.

This frees us to be a little more detached from the reactions of people around us. 

How often do we react to a statement of another by being offended rather than seeing that the other might actually be hurting? In fact, every time we get offended, it is actually an opportunity to extend kindness to one who may be suffering—even if they themselves do not appear that way on the surface.

All anger, all acting out, all harshness, all criticism, is in truth a form of suffering. When we provide no Velcro for it to stick, something changes in the world. We do not even have to say a thing. In fact, it is usually better not to say a thing.

People who are suffering on the inside but not showing it on the outside are usually not keen on someone pointing out to them that they are suffering. We do not have to be our loved one's therapist.

We need only understand the situation and move on.  

In the least, we ourselves experience less suffering and at best, we have a chance to make the world a better place. This is also not to be confused with allowing ourselves to be hurt, neglected or taken advantage of.

True compassion does not allow harm to ourselves either. But when we know that nothing is personal, a magical thing happens. Many of the seeming abusers of the world start to leave our lives. Once we are conscious, so-called abuse can only happen if we believe what the other is saying.

When we know nothing is personal, we also do not end up feeling abused. We can say, "Thank you for sharing," and move on. We are not hooked by what another does or says, since we know it is not about us.

When we know that our inherent worth is not determined by what another says, does or believes, we can take the world a little less seriously. 

If necessary, we can just walk away without creating more misery for ourselves or having to convince the other person that we are good and worthy people.

The great challenge of our world is to live a life of contentment, regardless of what other people do, say, think or believe. The fine art of not being offended is one of the many skills for being a practical mystic. Though it may take a lifetime of practice, it is truly one of the best kept secrets for living a happy life.

lightworks.com
energeticpsychology.com

Path of Conscious Awareness

by Gwen Randall Young -

If we are on a path of conscious awareness, we may hold as an ultimate goal, ENLIGHTENMENT. Truthfully, few of us see ourselves becoming enlightened masters but still, we would like to learn some of the prerequisite skills.

Consider the possibility that enlightenment is not some nirvana-type experience that happens in a blinding flash, transforming us forever but is a process.

The experiences of daily life are the raw materials we are given to work with. 

Like a potter who begins with a lump of clay on the wheel, we shape and form our own development. We learn from our mistakes and sometimes have to start over.

If we are serious students, we incorporate the lessons from every failed attempt, and, ultimately, are able to manifest in the physical world what was once only a vision of beauty in our mind's eye.

Like the potter, the more centered and grounded we are, the more we are in control of our own inner processes. We become enlightened one life experience at a time. We may be very soulful and charitable in our volunteer service or amongst members of our spiritual community. However, a rebellious teenaged child of ours or a careless driver on the road may trigger a less charitable response.

The ecstatic, ethereal flash of enlightenment we read about in ancient texts may be, in the modern world as simple as that sinking gut feeling that we lost our cool and should not have spoken that way.

We all have those moments when our higher self seems to whisper information about a needed course correction in our behavior. 

We can ignore that voice for a long time. The moment of enlightenment is when we take full responsibility for our reactions and decide we will not, cannot, do it that way any more. It is when we realize the impact of our behaviors upon the innocent souls of others. (At the level of soul, we are all innocent.)

It is when we realize we each are microcosms of the bigger world and as we are, so is our world.

We cannot have polarity and conflict in our personal lives and at the same time, be aghast at the rising levels of conflict on a global scale.

Enlightenment is more like the dawning of a glorious sunrise than a big bang. 

Slowly, slowly, the light of awareness begins dawning in our consciousness. Gradually that light begins to infiltrate all we do, every aspect of our lives. The most beautiful part of the process comes when we begin to integrate that light into every aspect of our being and our own radiance begins to shine.

We then can begin to bring light into all kinds of dark corners in our world and in our lives. Enlightenment then, is a gift we all share as we work together to co-create it. That might just be what heaven on Earth is all about.

gwen.ca

Empathy and Compassion

by Joseph Naft -

Standing in our shared sameness and accepting people as they are carries us to the threshold of empathy and compassion, wherein we allow others' joys and sufferings as well as the basic fact of their being to touch us directly. We willingly enter the experience of other people, celebrating their successes and suffering their setbacks.

This is the place of heartfelt prayer and charitable acts for others' welfare. The walls of separation grow thin and ready to evaporate.

The path toward being able to love is a process of diminishing our self-centeredness to make room in our soul. As long as our inner world remains totally preoccupied by personal concerns, no one and nothing else can enter.

Loosening the shackles of egoism creates space within our heart. Into that space we allow other people, we allow our concern for them and we allow their joys and sufferings to touch us as our own.

And what then? Is it enough to feel someone's pain? 

Our conscience informs us that it is not enough. In response to suffering we can act. If we can take some outward action to alleviate the suffering, for example through charitable or other acts of kindness and responsibility, then perhaps our conscience will prompt us to do so.

Sometimes, especially with those close to us, the tone and quality of our interaction can show our concern, enabling the sufferer to feel less alone, allowing us to bear part of their pain, to share its burden with them. Sometimes, simply listening with full attention and open heart can diminish the other person's suffering.

Sometimes our presence can silently present the vast field of presence to the other person and reduce their suffering thereby. This depends on the quality and depth of our presence and on their openness. But suffering itself can and does open people. So we can offer an effective gift of presence.

Sometimes our prayers can help. These depend on the quality of our being, the purity of our will and our beliefs and style. We may engage in petitionary prayer. We may chant a prayer of healing.

In all of this, we approach the other's suffering with the same concern as if it were our own. In our shared sameness, it is our own.

Can it be too much to feel others' pain? It can be.

A typical day's news brings so many tales of sadness and suffering. To take it all in would overwhelm us, were it not for the inner strength born of regular spiritual practice, of presence, meditation and prayer. The stronger and more refined our soul, the greater our capacity to bear suffering, both our own and others'.

Deeper into Love

Empathy and compassion are not restricted to cases of suffering. We can empathize with anyone, regardless of their state. 

This goes a step beyond opening to our shared sameness. Here we open to what it is to be that person, to the experience that person has of him - or herself.

We enter the unique beingness of the other and stand in their shoes. This brings us to a truer understanding of and compassion for that individual. It brings us another step deeper into love.

innerfrontier.org

Whose REALITY Is It Anyway?

by Douglas Davis -

I am so tired of hearing The weekend is over and tomorrow it's back to reality! and You've lost touch with reality! or Get Real! What exactly is reality and whose reality are we talking about?

I have also often heard: Wait until you get out into the REAL WORLD! Where exactly are you when you aren't in the real world? Are you in a false place? A world of non-reality?

Additionally there's the old, It won't be so easy when you get out there! Prepare yourself for a merciless, cold, cruel world. When you do get there, you will have to struggle and deal with a lot of negative people and situations.

Is that a set up or what? We are told what is and what is not "real" and what to expect and how to fit in.

I saw a bumper sticker not too long ago that said "Question reality". I agree.

I think reality should be questioned and challenged and maybe even done away with. Usually, when someone tells you that you must "get back to reality", they are talking about their own reality. People project their own belief systems on others all the time and if you're not careful, you might start to think like them.

I suppose most people believe that there is one reality and that they have no choice but to exist in it. Who decided what reality was to be when things first got started? If you haven't already, I strongly suggest that you begin to examine, right away, in whose reality you are living.

Are you following your own reality or that of society, your parents, some institution or that of someone you knew 10 years ago? What is real for you? Can you do anything to change your reality, assuming you'd want to?

Just What Is Real? 

Have you ever stopped to think that "reality" is, to so many people, what is usually synonymous with a job or a task that is unpleasant? Why is that? Who decided that reality should be a necessary evil or just plain not fun? Does this mean when you are having fun that you are doing something that's not real?

I think that we are all much closer to real reality when we are having fun and feeling passionate and alive. Being quiet, centered, feeling joy, doing nothing all day...now THAT'S my idea of reality!

How much does "reality" dictate to you what you must do? Must you struggle and work hard at something you don't enjoy in order to pay the bills? Also, do you believe reality dictates that we all have to do things we don't like? Is this just the way it is, or is there something that can be done about it? Who decided these things?

And now for a little dose of reality! Many of you know by now that you are the creator of your own reality, even the bad stuff. The thing is, you can't start doing anything about your reality until you know this and accept it. Taking responsibility for your life is the first step in getting yourself out from under the clutches of the old belief system.

The next step is to look at yourself. It is the way you see yourself that determines how you view the world around you. In other words, your outer reality is a reflection of your inner reality, your inner thoughts and beliefs. Therefore, your "real world" will be negative only if you perceive aspects of yourself as negative. Change how you perceive yourself and you change your reality.

If you believe you are a limited being, undeserving and a victim with very little choice in life, then that is exactly what your reality will be.

If you choose to believe that you are susceptible to colds, the flu and all sorts of other common maladies every time there's a change in the weather, then that, too, will be your reality.

If, however, you believe you are a limitless, multidimensional person and that abundance, prosperity, and radiant good health are yours for the taking, then that is the reality you will manifest.

You empower yourself when you realize that you can create your own reality. The fact is, your life does not have to be cold and cruel. You simply do not have to accept what someone tells you is real. If you think you have to struggle to pay the bills, you may want to take a look at the possibility that your possessions are enslaving you. How many things do you feel you MUST have? How much could you let go in order to be freer?

Or, what could you do to increase your income that would allow you to keep all of your possessions and acquire even more?

Think about this. If you are in a relationship that no longer serves you, then why do you remain in it? Could it be you think you have no other choice and "reality" dictates that you must stay there? If you do not like your present reality, then go within and ask your Higher Self what part of you is thinking negatively and why.

What Were You Taught?

Much of what we believe about the nature of reality and ourselves is determined by what is taught to us.

We are told what is and what is not "real" and what to expect and how to fit in. This is done so that the vast majority of us do not make the full connection with our true spiritual selves. Therefore, control and power are maintained and the status quo goes unchallenged.

The "real world', as it has been traditionally defined is an illusion. Our challenge is to realize this and then to discover our own. Consider how much you may have bought into the program and when you are ready, start creating your new reality and don't look back.

personalpower.com.au

Top 10 Ways to Raise Your Consciousness

by Ronya Banks -

Life can be a GIFT or a NIGHTMARE, depending on where you choose to operate from consciously. Practiced regularly, the following 10 tips will assist you in shining your beautiful unique light so brightly that your resulting raised consciousness will be a GIFT to yourself, humanity and the Cosmos.

1. Forgive yourself and others.

Life is too short to hold on to regrets, grudges, miscommunications, or disappointments. Free yourself by forgiving and letting go of any negative energy you're holding on to about yourself and/or others.

There are many ways to do this. One way is to write down anything you're ready to let go of and ceremonially tear it into small pieces and throw it away as you forgive. You may even choose to verbally forgive anyone you've been resenting. Either way, the process of forgiving yourself and others will result in your feeling light and free, and consequently raise your vibration.

2. Practice gratitude and appreciation. 

Whatever you focus on grows. So, when you focus on every thing in your life you have to feel grateful for and all the wonderful people you appreciate, the universe hands you more to feel grateful about. It's a wonderfully reciprocal consciousness raising process.

3. Live each day as though it were your last. 

If today was your last known day in this lifetime, with what type of people would you surround yourself? What would you say to the people you care about? What personal gifts would you make sure you imparted to humanity and the earth?

Live each day as if it was your last, and you will be living in a state of light, love and unconditional contribution.

4. Meditate/Pray. 

You open up a direct link between yourself and the spiritual realm when you meditate and/or pray. Meditation and prayer can be used to bring you closer to your creator energy, raise your vibration, bring you peace, clarity, joy and connection, as well assist you in experiencing a perfectly balanced state between your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.

5. Suspend judgment. 

This world is laden with judgment, irresponsibility, and finger pointing. One judges another to feel less guilty about one's own misgivings. Judgment energy is dense, dark, and heavy. On the other hand, unconditional acceptance is light, free, and accepting. Let go of judging and criticizing yourself and others.

Everyone is on a different path, and some appear to be further ahead on their path than others. Neither path is better nor worse than another. Raise your consciousness to one of acceptance.

6. View every experience as a GIFT. 

If you look back at occurrences in your life, you can easily see how even the worst situations you experienced in your life ended up teaching you invaluable lessons and therefore ended up putting you in the perfect place for your continuing development.

When you view every experience, the good, the bad, and the ugly as a GIFT, life flows more like a gentle, inspiring breeze.

7. Stay consciously aware of all of your thoughts and feelings. 

Until you raise the consciousness of the entire human race, it is extremely easy to fall back in to all pervasive negative patterns of complaining and feeling like a victim of society and a victim of your life.

To stay out of these patterns, check in with yourself your present thoughts and feelings several times a day. When you catch yourself in the Negative zone, don't feel badly about it and beat yourself up. Simply choose to switch your consciousness to one of gratitude and positive thinking. Remain conscious.

8. Treat your physical body as your temple. 

Your body is the only vehicle you've been given for this ride called "LIFE." The better you care for your body by eating a healthy, balanced diet, and by implementing a regular exercise routine, and by giving your body the rest it requires, the more you will experience increased energy, vitality, joy, and freedom.

Honor, love, appreciate and take extra good care of your body, and you will be raising your energy and your consciousness.

9. View the world through the eyes of a child. 

Observe a baby or a young child. It won't take you long to notice that young children are constantly totally enthralled by the process of observing and experiencing the wonder and beauty in every single thing, color, texture, and person they meet. They can't get enough!

Look at every tree, sunset, cloud, and human being as a child would and you'll be in a constant state of wonder, joy, surprise, acceptance, and enlightenment.

10. Give LOVE, LOVE, LOVE from your heart. 

It's all about love. Do you remember the feeling of being in love for the first time? Why was it so wonderful? That's because love is the highest vibration.

Allow yourself to receive love unconditionally from others. Give love from your heart unconditionally to yourself and others, and you will experience the highest state of consciousness possible.

ronyabanks.com

Learning to Live Deeply

by Karen Wright -

I'd like to talk to you about an evolutionary shift that can uplift you and deepen your experience of life.

In the US and in many other countries, economies have slowed, jobs have been cut and people have tightened their belts so much it hurts. Less money and opportunity have caused many of us to do without things and experiences we were used to just a few years ago.

Cutting back has become necessary but it might also shepherd in a very new way of living life.

I, for one, have become much more aware of how I use my money and my resources. I was never what I would call wasteful but I've become even more conscious of conserving. That very last little squeeze of toothpaste is no longer left in the tossed-out tube. I'm taking faster showers. I drive less and do more on each trip so I can drive less.

At first these 'sacrifices' were a bother. And I did them with a bit of grumbling about how unfair it all was. But, a funny thing happened. I began to enjoy seeing how far I could stretch a tank of gas and how long I could preserve a can of hairspray. It became less about not wanting to spend money and more about testing to see how far my resources could actually go.

I tried all kinds of things, like adding water to my incredibly thick hair conditioner to dilute it a bit and make it easier to apply. And it lasts 30% longer. When my liquid face foundation is squeezed to the last drop (I thought), I found another 2 weeks of use in the bottom of the tube. I cut it open, clamped it shut between uses and got a lot more for my money.

But, the real joy in all this isn't about doing things differently, it's about thinking differently. In the use-it-toss-it consumerist world we lived in before, we didn't think twice about using 5 water bottles a day and tossing the empties in the garbage. Or ordering more food than we needed at the restaurant and sending back full plates at the end of the meal.

That world, I hope, is a thing of the past. We might have gotten to this point through difficulty and pain but now that we're here, it's time we ask, "What have we learned about how to live?"

We need far less than we use or waste. Our natural resources are a blessing, not a right. We are here to care for the earth, not abuse it and leave it less than when we're done.

Now that we're here, let's find the silver lining in the cloud.

How do we wish to live, really? Unconsciously and wastefully or full of awareness, appreciation, and stewardship? Do children really need eighty toys to stimulate their imagination? Or do fewer, more thought provoking ones, mean more.

Is less really more?

It's funny, we have two 3 month old kittens in our house now. And the first thing we did was buy them all the catnip stuffed mice, feathery strings, towering scratching poles, etc. Dozens of toys. And you know what? They play with pieces of string and paper towel tubes, and plastic bags. We could have saved a bundle of cash and given them everyday objects instead...they are just as happy.

Maybe it's time we all take a look at how we are living. How we are using our precious resources and hard-earned cash. What gets our attention? Are we lessening our personal 'footprint' on the planet? I'm reminded of a sign I often see at the start of hiking trails:

"Take only pictures, leave only footprints."

It's about waking up and changing unconscious habits. Being purposeful in our actions. Considering what really makes us happy, deeply. Owning our lives and being accountable for our choices. It's about being who we really are: spiritually conscious beings.

wrightminded.com

Self-Limiting Beliefs

by Larry Agresto -

The good news is that we all experience self-limiting beliefs; the bad news is, that's right, we all have self-limiting beliefs. There's more good news though - we can do something about them.

Limiting beliefs have a method to their madness, they keep us safe, safe from ever having to take a risk or making a mistake. If you've noticed, we really believe that little birdie in our head that keeps saying, you can't do that, don't try that, you're not good enough, smart enough and so on.

It seems that when ever we initiate change in our life or take on a new challenge, we often encounter limiting beliefs. 

The emotions that get triggered are negative ones such as fear, anger or sadness. What happens is you come face-to-face with old programs that were created early in your life. If you're not conscious of your behavior, you'll repeat those old negative patterns and then be wondering - why?

I've found that often, we're not even cognizant that a limited belief is just a limited belief. Because it's become a habit, we accept it as reality as if it's the way things have to be. We may think we are creating our limiting beliefs in the present, when actually they originate from past events and behavioral patterns.

In the moment, we forget that we have a choice, a choice to choose a different belief. Basically, as soon as we step into the world of limiting beliefs, we step into our past.

Most limited beliefs are created in the developmental stages of childhood. As a result, studies have proven that most people are products of their environment.

From the family unit, to how we're parented, to teachers, coaches, friends, church and our community. All of these relationships play a role in who we become and how we interpret the world.

If you are raised or parented in a culture of limited belief, this will certainly influence the lens through which you see the world. This is how and when an individual begins to develop their self-image.

As you mature into a young adult, you don't see a world of unlimited possibilities, rather a world of limitation. As a child in any environment, whether it's home, school, socially or athletically, if you're told often enough that you can't do something, eventually you will learn to believe it.

At the developmental stage of childhood, the mind is like a sponge, eager to soak up as much knowledge and new information as possible. The mind will soak up what it sees, hears or is told to believe over time, even if negative in nature.

Based on a lack of maturity and experience, a child can't be held responsible if he or she isn't able to distinguish between a positive affirmation and a limiting belief.

Until you become aware as an adult that these limitations exist, you can not and will not make any effort to change them. You must first understand why you limit yourself as you do, so you can choose a new choice, a new possibility.

What you believe is your truth. Basically, thoughts are things - whatever you think, will create your reality. 

The thought can be based on either truth or a limiting belief. This scenario is what is responsible for individuals either over or under achieving in life. If you believe you can't, you probably won't, if you believe you can, you probably will.

Limiting beliefs initiate with old programs that influence our behavior, which are basically our habits. The first step in altering our limiting beliefs is to be aware of them. Once we are, we can now begin to discipline our thoughts and behavior, which will allow us to change our actions. Change the inside, your thoughts and you change the outside, your results.

Consider the fact that we have the ability to create consciously what we choose to in any present moment. 

When we accept our self-limiting beliefs as reality, we are actually giving away our power to create. Often, the reason why we give away this power so readily and accept limiting beliefs as reality, is because it s what we know. But if you can summon the discipline of awareness, you can create the world of your choosing; a world of unlimited possibilities.

I'll leave you with the fact that no belief is caste in stone. Any belief can be altered if you focus on changing it through discipline, repetition and meditation.

Here are a few simple techniques that you can use to change your self-limited beliefs.

• Realize that we all have limited beliefs

• Understand that you did not create them intentionally

• Realize that you can permanently change any belief and associated habits in 21 days

• To start, be present and aware of who you're being, i.e. your beliefs

• Ask yourself if what I believe about myself is serving me and my life

• If the answer is no, then commit to change that specific belief

Replace the limited belief with a positive affirmation of why you believe in yourself and what you choose to achieve.  Continue this process a minimum of twice a day for 21 days. At that point, you will begin to realize a permanent change in your belief system.

trans4mind.com

The Embodiment of Love

by Robert Rabbin -

We are each expressions of a fundamental reality, an essence that some call God, some spirit, some consciousness, some love. It doesn't matter what you call it. It doesn't care. It is beyond names. But it is real, and thus we all belong to the same family.

My blood is the same as yours, my heart is the same as yours, my body is the same as yours. We seem to stand apart from each other, but our essence is one. We only seem to be different, but we are all parts of a whole.

Naturally, whatever any one part does touches and affects the whole. If we think that we do not effect the whole, we are wrong. We can say that whatever we do to ourselves, we do to each other: each action is a stone thrown into the pond of our common existence.

Within minutes, or hours, or days we will feel the ripples of our actions wash over everything. This is why we cannot war our way to peace, because the killing keeps coming back. We have to wage peace, not war. And then peace will keep coming back.

Not only do we belong as brother and sister to other human beings, but we belong as brother and sister to all living things. 

We are not meant to have dominion over other creatures or the Earth, though we behave as though we are. This wrong thinking is based on the idea of separation, of being independent from the whole. This wrong thinking leads us to believe we are entitled to do anything we please, to usurp Nature for our own purposes. We are not entitled to do as we please.

We must live within the law of universal truth, within the heart where we are all brothers and sisters under one roof, in one house, with one father and mother.

The Crux of Wisdom

The crux of wisdom is the experience of Oneness. This is not an idea or a theory or an ideal. It is the most salient fact of the mystical experience and it is universally true. We each exist as expressions of the same fundamental reality.

We are each unique expressions, yes, but of the same essence. This is both spiritually true and practically true: whatever we do to another, we do to ourselves. Every thought, every word, every slight touch of our hand sends energetic impulses racing outward on the trillions of strands of connective tissue that enfolds us all in the One. To believe otherwise is the source of all suffering and violence and pollution on this Earth.

It is not just the belief in separation that creates problems. Beliefs in general separate us from the whole of existence and lock us into the prison of our thoughts. Thoughts, beliefs, concepts -- these are tools to navigate the limited, physical plane of reality.

They are not in any way capable of understanding the limitless truth, which must be felt with the heart. We cannot think our way through life, we have to love our way through life. The biggest problem in the world today is that people have come to believe that what they think is what is real. This is wrong.

Our Essense

Reality -- truth -- lies between thoughts, behind beliefs, before concepts. Truth is revealed in Silence, and Silence restores our connection to the whole. This is where humility comes from: Silence. Silence reveals that our thoughts do not describe reality, they hide reality. We must listen to Silence.

Silence is where our conscience is born, where we rediscover that love is our essence, and where we remember that true happiness lies not in personal fulfillment, but in service to others, and thus to our true Self, the Self in which all exist as One, in which all life is our life. Silence is where the arguments and arrogance of egocentric living are dissolved as salt into the sea of wisdom.

When we come to the end of our life, we are likely to have misgivings. This is because the purpose of life is to realize, consciously, that we are the embodiments of love; and many of us have not sought to realize this.

When we realize that we are a manifestation and embodiment of love, we become full and complete from the inside. All of our materialistic pursuits are called into question, and we find that we need far less than we might have thought. We realize we don't have to live in a state of constant becoming and acquiring.

Within each moment we find peace and deep contentment, which are inherent in our essential being. With peace and deep contentment filling us from within each moment, we do not need to manipulate external circumstances to attain happiness.

We do not have to tear at the fabric of life. We do not have to be greedy. We do not have to be afraid we will not have enough, or be enough, or do enough. We can live simply. We can simply live. Once we recognize who we are -- underneath all the thoughts, ideas, and beliefs we hold about who we are -- this will happen naturally.

With peace and contentment filling us from within, we open without effort to the surrounding beauty.

We have created a lot of ugliness to be sure, but underneath that is the natural beauty of life itself. Life is so beautiful. Everything is alive! The same conscious presence that lives within you lives equally within all.

Is it not amazing to feel the living spirit in this way? You feel yourself in others. You feel yourself in all that exists. Feeling this, how can you harm others? How can you not feel the fear, or suffering, or despair of others? How can you throw ugliness onto beauty? We cannot do these things anymore.

From the Heart

Feeling is the key. Feelings and emotions are not the same. Emotions are mind states like jealousy, anger, and fear. Emotions are sponsored by thoughts. Feelings are sponsored by the heart and are signs of wisdom: love, awe, joy, wonder, beauty, connectedness.

Feelings are the consciousness of the heart. The heart feels, the mind does not. The heart is alive, the mind is inert. The heart experiences, the mind conceptualizes. The heart joins, the mind separates. This is why we must emphasize heart, not mind.

If we do not live from our heart, we will be unable to account for our own actions, because all our thoughts will be in the way. We will be victims of our own thinking, looking elsewhere for the one "who did us in." It is no one but us.

Our thoughts are good servants, but terrible masters. Our thinking must reflect the wisdom of our heart. We cannot allow the mind and its constant stream of thoughts, beliefs, and concepts to persuade us that the heart is not real, or true, or useful. It is indeed the only thing that is. We have forgotten this, and now we must remember.

Love is the Power

We are all born as embodiments of love. We are all born with this knowledge; it is not lost, only ignored; not forgotten, only disregarded. What we once knew can be known again, right now. We have only to enter our heart to remember who we are.

I entered my heart, and I remembered what I once knew. I remembered light coming from everywhere. I remembered peace coming from everywhere. And love, such love, the kind of love that dissolves all fear and separation and anger. The kind of love that fills us with forgiveness and peace and compassion.

What else? Just this: Every human being wants to touch and taste the same happiness, the same goodness. And so we are all joined together, we are all as one in our desire for happiness and wholeness and love.

This is ours, from the beginning. This is what I remember; this is what I know; this is what my heart teaches me: all things are sacred; do not harm or kill others; do not pollute natural beauty. Love created this universe and it is the nourishing nectar of all creation.

Love is heart and pulse, yes; but love is tendon, too, in that it binds all existence together into one body. I am one who has remembered that love is the power of creation itself, love is the world, love is the law to which we must all surrender. All of creation comes from love, is sustained by love, and returns to love.

Daily Living

As the embodiments of love, how shall we live? What shall we do and what shall we not do? How shall we live? How shall we demonstrate what we know, deep in our heart? How are we to make real in this world what moves silently within us all?

It is not enough to ask and answer, Who am I? That is only half the equation of wisdom. The other half is to ask and answer, How shall I live? But answer slowly, and deeply. The first shout is likely not it. You've got to get down below the surface.

How shall I live? is the question that brings us from the mountaintop of inner realization to the valley of daily living.

Here, in the valley of daily living, is where our realization is polished and tested. This is where we show ourselves, where we tell the truth about our love and loves, where we finally make sense of the whole thing not in words and ideas and theories, but in the simple way we touch living things. In our daily living is where we demonstrate what we know about being an embodiment of love.

Yes, love is a feeling but it requires action to become complete, to become whole, to become realized. What actions will we take, moment to moment, in our daily lives, that demonstrate our love?

robertrabbin.com

Spiritual Self-Confidence

by Andrew Cohen -

It’s important to have self-confidence. It’s even more important to have spiritual self-confidence. Spiritual confidence is that unique and palpable sense of absolute conviction that cannot be affected by external or internal fluctuations. It’s being absolutely sure. It’s knowing, before you know, that you know.

It’s the highest gift and blessing that comes only from the deepest insight into the true nature of things. It can also be the most precious jewel that is freely transmitted from the awakened heart and mind of a true spiritual master to any and all who would receive it. Absolute conviction destroys existential doubt and frees the human soul.

The Eastern traditions say that doubt is one of the biggest obstacles to the profound discovery of enlightened awareness. 

The sparkle of ecstatic conviction in the eyes of a saint expresses the liberating joy and fearlessness that are testimony to powerful spiritual self-confidence. Unfortunately, madmen, monsters and megalomaniacs from the East and the West also gain their power from absolute self-confidence.

That’s not a confidence that comes from knowing that mystery which is ungraspable. More often than not, it’s a confidence that comes from fear, from overwhelming arrogance, from the puny ego or from ethnocentric pride. It’s a confidence that comes from a desire for power and an aspiration to dominate. The kind of spiritual confidence I’m speaking about comes from a very different source and from a very different part of the self.

Some people claim that absolute conviction of any kind is dangerous and should never be trusted. But the kinds of people who make those assertions are hypocrites. They are hypocrites because they stubbornly express an absolute conviction in their own perspective while simultaneously proclaiming to others the futility of such a position!

Spiritual confidence is the heaviest anchor in the midst of the unending storm that is life and death.

It is an unshakable confidence in the inherent rightness of being here–confidence in the rightness of finding oneself in the very middle of the life process, even in all its chaos and complexity.

Having this kind of confidence is of the utmost importance for anyone who is convinced that they deeply care about the way things are and even more so for the bold and courageous warrior who wants to create something truly new, who would dare to be the one to step forward, to stand for and bear witness to that which is higher.

It’s especially important to have this kind of confidence in times like these when there is so much turbulence and individual and collective insecurity about survival. 

Without this kind of confidence as a constant reference point, we may find ourselves at times without the emotional, psychological, or spiritual resources to fight the good fight. And those who care more than anything else about the perennial quest to transform the world into a powerful reflection of that which is sacred cannot afford to allow even a moment of doubt or fear to overshadow their soul.

Why? 

Because that may be the one moment that counted the most! In other words, we can't afford not to have spiritual self-confidence if we want to change the world.

The kind of powerful conviction that I am referring to fills one’s heart with a love that is not dependent on external circumstances for its fullness. It’s a love that is unshakable, unmoving and indestructible. Such love–a love that transcends yet simultaneously embraces the world–is what compels human beings to evolve, from their own deepest depths and to become better citizens of our world and our cosmos.

Knowing the mysterious source of that love is knowing before thought that life is good. That inherent goodness is who we really are. And that’s what we discover in deepest revelation.

Have confidence in that and change the world.


enlightennext.org

How About a Smile?

by Gloria Wendroff -
HeavenLetters:

Be of good cheer. Why not? What does it cost? It costs no more to smile than it does to frown. As a matter of fact it costs less to smile and you get a better return. In terms of economy alone, it pays to be of good cheer. 

When you reflect light, you get light back. 

When you reflect darkness, you get darkness back. Besides, when you smile, you will like how you look in the mirror more. You might even smile back at yourself. Better to have smile lines than frown lines. A great beauty secret is that you will have fewer wrinkles when you smile.

I would suggest that when you feel like frowning, let go of it. The only merit in frowning is that it points you to smiling. When you're in a pit, quite naturally climb out of the pit. Do it now. Furthermore, I would like to suggest that when you smile, you mean it. I know you would like to reflect sunlight. That's all you have to do to ensure that you are in the sunlight. Why wouldn't you be glad to smile?

Perhaps there is a person you don't favor and you don't feel it's in your heart to smile at this person, so consider then that you are smiling for yourself. Make yourself feel favored. Of course, it is something of yourself that you are seeing in this person that you don't like. Remove the splinter from your own eyes, beloveds.

Were you completely at ease with yourself, you wouldn't feel so discontent with others. 

You wouldn't feel a voiced or unvoiced tirade coming on. Content with yourself, why would you be discontented with someone else? Although it is good to put less attention on yourself, you are nevertheless the heart of the matter. Whatever the matter is, it is about you.

So what are you going to do about yourself? 

You would do anything to be away from difficulties if only you knew how. I suggest you begin with taking some responsibility... Maybe the other party is all wrong. He or she is not seeing you clearly. Nevertheless, it is up to you to see the other person clearly. You may truly be faultless. Nevertheless, you are responsible for how you perceive and how you respond.

You know that in a little time you will cool down about whatever incites you now. In whatever dispassionate way you will later calm down and see a situation differently, see it that way now.

Sometimes you are embarrassed to remember how you once reacted, is this not true? It's possible that the situation you are irate about this moment is really the same as the one you now remember with embarrassment.

I am asking you to make progress. I am asking you to move up a notch or two. Am I asking too much of you? How could that be?

Meanwhile, as part of your training, if you are sorry, say so. If you no longer know how to reach this person, apologize to the person in your heart anyway or perhaps write a letter. Even if you cannot send the letter, you will have written it and you will be done with that chapter of the past.

You will feel better and your apology may somehow reach the person it is meant for. It most assuredly will. No matter the geography or time, your apology will reach, just as, once upon a time, your anger reached.

All your thoughts reach. Reach higher now.

heavenletters.com

Where Light Reigns

by Cathy Olsen -

The Current of Truth:

As one opens more and more to the truth, there is an underlying spiritual current which moves to carry you toward greater growth and expansion. The seeker is moved to pose the question and allow him/herself to be caught up in or drawn along with this current.

It is a movement, a cyclical flow which inevitably leads one back to Source. As one seeking light and reprieve from a densely wooded and oppressive forest, you are indeed afforded guidance in moving from dark and heavy foundations to the open and expansive vistas where light reigns supreme.

And as you wander or trudge through those swampy stuck places, the gnarled rooting of past foundations may seek to trip you up and hold you.

Be of strong heart and know that what lies ahead is worth the struggle. 

For it is a journey which reconnects or bridges self and soul once again. And as you continue to move from darkened forest to illuminated freedom, you come face to face with those aspects of your greater self which have been abandoned, forced into hiding for millennia.

Like an old forgotten friend from long ago, you are now called to bridge once again the relationship between the human and Divine; between your individuated personality and your collective soul, which can support you on the path to the future.

Like a seeker of gold sifts through layers of rubble and decay in hopes of finding hidden treasure beneath the surface of a river, know that this is also your task.

As the seeker then beholds one’s own reflection within the waters of truth, one then recognizes oneself as the treasure which was sought. 

As one lives life as the embodied treasure that they are, life itself becomes an expansive adventure where each truth leads to more questing and growth along the way as the spirit of truth shines light on the path ahead.

So follow this current of truth. 

Allow yourself to be swept up within its loving flow. 

Allow it to lead you home to the truth of your being, to the place where love and light abound. Know that that is who you are. You are love and light living as an extension of the Creator for a time, until the unity of Oneness calls you home once again.

spiritlibrary.com

The Air of Freedom

by Carrie Hart -

There is freedom all around you. 

It blows through like a fresh breeze, cleansing the house in which your mind dwells, rippling the curtains as it moves. And a part of you yearns to follow it, to fly out the window, to catch that breeze of freedom and leave the worries and burdens of your life behind.

This you can do. You can climb out of that dusty attic, full of the relics of your childhood, newspapers piled up to the rafters, old toys discarded on the floor, corners piled high with the stones you carry on your adult back.

Leave this and step outside on this lovely balcony where the air of freedom blows fresh across the land, down from the hills and out to the sea.

Breathe in the beauty of life in this moment, right now. 

Breathe in the wonder of fresh and new possibility. Smell the air coming from the fertile soil, rich with promise. Smell the salty air blowing off the sea, fresh with adventure. Breathe in the perfumed air coming from the garden, full of the wonder of each perfect rose.

All of this is there for you. All of this opens to you. All of this is yours to embrace, simply by stepping out of that attic and out here, outside, into the fresh air of being.

Let us then stand here together, enjoying the view and breathing in the freedom of being. Let us embrace this day from the pink-streaked sunrise through to the deep orange and golden sunset, each moment unique and full of beauty.

This day is yours to own, to embrace, to inhabit fully.

Love it. Love yourself. Love your life. Take a deep breath and open your arms wide, inviting the full force of life to enter you and be one with you now. Give thanks for the blood that flows through your veins and the breath that fills your lungs. What a privilege to be alive!

carriehart.com

When the Energy is Right

by Cheryl Richardson -

"Move when the energy moves you."

Several years ago my friend Max said this to me when I was complaining about needing to get my butt in the office to clear my desk. I was in no mood to work, yet I felt so emotionally badgered by the piles on my desk that I was desperate to get them handled so I could stop thinking about it and relax.

Max suggested that rather than force myself to do something my body and mind clearly wasn't ready to do I should honor my own natural flow of energy. Her prescription was simple: "If you have the energy to do something, do it. If you don't, don't do it." '

Sounds great, I said but what about the nagging voices in my head that tell me I have to get things done first?

"Ah, you see, this isn't about your to-do list or your cluttered desk" she said. "This is about your mind. You need to learn to manage your mind by telling it to rest while you wait for the energy you need to get a task completed." (I was starting to feel a little like grasshopper ☺)

"If you move with the energy rather than against it," she continued, "you'll not only be happier, you'll get more done in less time. But remember, you have to be brave enough to challenge the voices in your head that tell you you're shirking your responsibilities or that if you wait too long, the energy may never come."

I'd always had a tough time letting myself enjoy life until my work was all done. And "work" could mean anything - the last dish had to be put in the dishwasher, the laundry needed to be washed and dried, or my office paperwork had to be all filed away.

Like so many of us, I was seduced by the myth that if I could just get everything done, I'd finally be able to relax. Not anymore, thanks to Max.

When the Energy is Right 

That conversation long ago shifted the way I live my life. Rather than force myself to do anything, I do my best to wait for the energy - the motivation or desire - to get the task done. 

When I can, I never push myself to do something I don't want to do. Instead I trust that when the energy is right, it will happen. And it's never let me down.

As a matter of fact, by doing things like sitting once a week and responding to most of my emails rather than disrupting my day and replying as they come in, I not only get to enjoy my life, I'm far more productive.

When I finally have the energy to reply, I not only get them done in a short amount of time, my responses are better. Or, when I let my inbox fill a bit more than normal because I don't feel like sitting at my desk, I easily plow through the paperwork when the energy is right. I've been amazed to see work done in two hours that used to take eight.

You can easily begin to apply this principle to what you do at home but what about at work? Being self-employed affords me the ability to more easily follow my own natural rhythms. It's one of the things I love most about owning my own company.

It can also work when you work for someone else. Rather than beat yourself into submission to get an expense report finished, for instance, why not do something else while holding the intention that you'll get the report done as soon as you have the energy?

Then, simply go about completing other tasks while waiting for the motivation to complete the report. The energy might come in an hour, later in the afternoon, or the following week, but it will come.

As a matter of fact, your willingness to practice this technique will not only give you the evidence you need to trust it, you'll probably find the motivation sooner rather than later when you stop pushing yourself.

So, are you ready to try a new way of being in the world? 

It's a great way to start a new year. The next time you catch yourself pushing your body to do something you don't want to do, stop. Tell your mind to relax and wait for the energy. Give it time and you won't be disappointed. Before you know it, you'll move when the energy moves you, too!

Take Action Challenge

This week, become aware of when you push against yourself and your natural flow of energy.

As you start your day, ask yourself whether or not you have the desire to do what you're about to do. If it feels like a "yes," go for it. If not, wait. Challenge yourself to gather evidence that when the energy is right, it's the right time to act.

cherylrichardson.com