Tag Archives: consciousness

Embracing Your Fears

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How To Turn Your Fears Into Friends

fears

Posted On May 29, 2016 By

President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the nation in the depths of the Great Depression, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” While people remember these famous words, they often don’t recall what he said next: “— nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Note the interesting use of the word “paralyzes.” When FDR was paralyzed from polio at the age of 39, his life changed irrevocably. He must have been terrified — but he overcame those fears and became one of our nation’s greatest leaders.

Mind-body connection
Anxiety starts in your brain, but affects your entire body. When you’re anxious, your heart races, your stomach flutters, and you might feel your blood pressure rise. You lose the ability to think straight and truly assess a situation. Relieve some of your fears by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eat nutritionally sound foods, exercise, and get as much rest as possible. Helping your body won’t necessarily alleviate all of your anxiety, but it is a step in the right direction. Avoid alcohol, opiates and other forms of numbing yourself. They may quell your fears for a short time, but only make things worse in the long run.

Name your fears
What is it that you are afraid of? Failure, romance, finances and health — these are common anxiety triggers, but there are a host of others. If you name your fears, it gives you the opportunity to confront them. You may realize that some of your fears are groundless, but that doesn’t make them vanish. Think about why you are afraid, what is the worst-case scenario, and how likely any of these issues are to actually occur. You’ll get a better perspective on your state of mind.

Practice meditation

Meditation can help manage your fears. If you’re unable to sleep, use the time to meditate instead. Those panicky moments and bad thoughts will come, but over time, they’ll lessen in severity. Eventually, sleep is less of a struggle.Banish negativity
Get rid of the influences in your life that feed your fears. If there are toxic people around you, avoid them. As the old song goes: “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, don’t mess with Mister In-Between.” That song was a hit in 1944, when the world was at war. Seventy-two years later, it’s still good advice.

Give yourself time
There’s a reason older people are generally calmer than younger folks. Experience shows them that life has an odd way of working out. People have a fear of failure if they haven’t reached specific goals by a certain age. That might be career, marriage, children — it’s another long list. Reduce your anxiety by “going with the flow.” That doesn’t mean you give up your goals, but realize that things happen when they are supposed to, not when you want them. If you fight the flow, you are only fighting yourself. Allow yourself to enjoy the ride, and remember there’s a reason that patience is a virtue.

Envy is poison
Envy and jealousy are often used interchangeably, but the latter has a sexual connotation. Comparing yourself to others in your peer group and finding yourself wanting is a great cause of anxiety, but resist it. You can’t really know the true interior life of another. Friends and acquaintances may not realize you’re anxious, unless you tell them. The people you envy may suffer more anxiety than you do. Conquer envy and anxiety, and make the best life possible for yourself. In the end, it is never the material things that count, but the kindness and joy you bring to others.

Reward yourself
When you’ve successfully faced a fear, give yourself a reward. It doesn’t have to be a major indulgence, just an acknowledgment that you’ve tackled a fear and won. More victories lie in the future.

—Jane Meggitt

 

from:    http://www.thealternativedaily.com/turn-fears-into-friends/

Time to Move On!

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7 Stumbling Blocks on the Road to Higher Consciousness

Spiritual Seeker-1Julian Rose, Contributor
Waking Times

The purpose of Life is to Live! But upon arrival on this Earth it quickly becomes apparent that this is not the agenda. Ninety nine percent of what’s going on here is not about enhancing human creative potential, but about suppressing it.

It’s about stepping onto an invisible ladder whose rungs form the seemingly inviolable rules of a stagnant, pyramid posturing status quo. A status quo which has almost nothing to do with growing, but a lot to do with decaying. With becoming a well adapted slave in a world whose task masters are kings of a two-dimensional sub reality.

That reality consists of a monotonous fixation on the acquisition of power, money, prestige and preeminence. A world in which a quite deadly lack of awareness remains the prevailing condition; ruthlessly maintained by a small cabal in whose interests it is to keep things exactly as they are, lest some unguarded rebellion should dislodge them from their imperious, sterile thrones.

However the life force is strong. It cannot and will not tolerate eternal repression. Wherever fissures appear in the status quo, it bubbles up and declares itself to be the messenger of truth. “This is our World. We are breaking free and shining a light on the path to be manifest.”

So what is it that is still holding back so many from actually making that illumined path manifest?

Fear

Breaking through the cozy similitudes of a largely routine, safe existence, takes courage and conviction. There is no ‘easy way’ to truth. But the thought of venturing into a deeper side of one’s self – and of jumping into new paradigms of external involvement – often arouses a sense of fear.

Honest internal and external exploration bring things to the surface that many would rather leave buried and, as far as possible, forgotten.

Such embarkations into previously uncharted territories are, for many, an unsettling experience; one where our deeper intuition appears to be at odds with our mundane fixations. Where the inner call to be awake clashes with all too easily accepted patterns of day-to-day existence. Patterns whose ‘successful’ completion ironically, require that one remains largely asleep!

Fear can – and does – create the single largest block to the manifestation of our basic consciousness.

The manifestation of consciousness is not a passive affair, it demands taking action. ‘An action that speaks louder than words.’ And here’s where the next level of inner, fear based resistance kicks-in and tries to hold us back from making a stand. Tries to prevent our involvement in positive acts of resistance in response to the further erosion of the planet’s life support system. And to the further erosion of essential facets of daily life right in our own back yards.

Overcoming the hold which the fear factor exerts upon us is, I believe, the single greatest step we can make towards the emancipation of the true self and a rising consciousness. There are one hundred and one different ways of doing it, but recognition of the paralysis it causes in us is a major first step.

Low Self-Confidence

There are many amongst those longing for both internal and external change who fall at the first hurdle due to a seeming lack of self-confidence. A lack of self-esteem.  But this need not be, for this sense of ‘lack’ is a trick played upon us by a wayward ‘second self’. A little devil who has acquired entry into our subconscious and is damned if he is going to quit without a fight!

He’s a cunning one alright, because he disguises himself as our actual thoughts; making us believe that ‘we’ can’t do such and such – because ‘we’ are not capable – ‘we’ are not good enough.. But it ain’t the real us speaking, it’s the little demon which Carlos Castaneda refers to as “a foreign installation”. And yes, it is a foreign installation. And a devilishly clever little trickster to boot!

Try putting a proposal (to yourself ) to do something for which you feel a great need, but have not as yet taken the step of actually putting into practice. Now, as soon as the foreign installation kicks in with “But I can’t .. it’s really not possible..” you know it’s that little Lucifer fellow. He’s tricking you into believing that ‘you’ arrived at this prognosis, when actually he did. “But I can’t..” Yep – that’s him!

Once you know this you’re on your way. Once you disentangle your real self from that foreign installation – you have one foot on the path to the promised land. No ‘but’s’ – unless you feel a positive urge to boot that little demon in the butt!

Laziness

Yes, well, let’s admit it, getting off one’s ‘butt’ and getting going isn’t the easiest for some people. But most forms of laziness stem from being unmotivated and unwilling to make the effort to become motivated.

There are certain days when we all feel it; days when the energy seems to be drained out of us and nothing really comes to our rescue to kick the mood. But that form of ‘enforced’ lack of motivation can be in our best interests, as it may well stem from too many days of over exertion without a break.

It’s not the same as the kind of in-built lack of get up and go which afflicts millions, sometimes for long periods of their lives. This disease, and it is such, is more often than not associated with being ‘too comfortable’. Too wrapped up in one’s own self-interested state of material well-being to ever consider doing something for the good of the greater whole.

This affliction is particularly prevalent amongst those who feel safest when operating in a club-like atmosphere where maintaining a public face of cheery conviviality acts as an insurance policy to protect against ever having to think and act ‘outside the box’. To ever get truly serious about the dire nature of the predicaments faced by mankind and mankind’s planet – and indeed one’s own neglected soul.

For these beings, the only thing to jolt them out of their lethargy, is a disaster. And so it is that millions will in fact face just such a disaster, as a form of karmic retribution for failing to make use of the gifts bestowed upon them.

This form of ‘waking up as a last resort’ is clearly to be avoided. Our World needs action in the here and now – and not years of inaction in never-never land.

Being Different

Here’s another barnacle encrusted old anchor chain that’s been holding back the evolution of large segments of often thoughtful individuals .. for far too long.

So it starts with worrying about what other people might think about one, especially if one is intending to embark upon something which fails to conform to the politically correct menu of the day. It’s a form of paralysis which blocks any instinct to move away from ‘herd mentality syndrome’  with its rigid confirmation to what are considered ‘acceptable’ parameters of behavior.

So powerful, for many, is the pull of trying to appear normal, that few openings exist for the true individual to ever emerge. What a tragic waste of human potential!

The prevalence of this condition is particularly well suited to the goals of the centralized control system. The one which sets the agenda of daily life on our planet. It plays into the hands of the top-down politics of persuasion through ensuring basic conformity with whatever the majority might be up to. Not daring to ever speak-out against even the most fool hardy propositions and practices, lest one should appear ‘different’, is a disaster area of global proportions, especially in the face of ill-conceived and often abject acts of destruction which we witness almost every day of our lives.

I’ve got news for those who suffer this affliction: you’re not going to be your own best friend in later life if you fail to make the effort to overcome your shyness now. Because either the frustration will build up to the point where sickness intervenes, or you accept becoming just another number amongst the robotic crowd. A crowd that operates without any true emotions ever breaking the surface.

That’s an ugly choice to have in front of one. So why not break free today? Stop hiding your light under a bushel; step out and let it shine!

You’ll be amazed at how much brighter everything becomes once one ceases trying to be like Mr, Mrs or Ms Normal..

Stuck in the Wrong Job

This one’s a major energy sucker, as anyone in this position surely realizes. The inventor of the 9 to 5 work day sure came up with a clever control mechanism for keeping mankind terminally preoccupied. Preoccupied with ‘earning a living’ – pretty much 24/7.

What the hell is this? Shackled to a desk in a neon lit air-conditioned sterile office building with only a computer as work mate? Or maybe not quite as dull as that, but nevertheless, enforced and usually slavish routine day after day. A routine that ultimately only succeeds in bringing in more dosh to a business or corporation whose end product is just one of millions steadily destroying the health and welfare of planet Earth and most of her occupants. Get the hell out of there – and fast!

Better to be on the street than in this kind of prison. Better (by far) to be working for yourself, not for someone who is only out to use you, prior to installing a robot a year or two down the road. The kind of robots that don’t ask for wages. You know. They’re even better than the one’s that do, like you.

The typical 9 to 5 job leaves no time for the type of deep reflection required to move forward into a state of conscious awareness. How could it – when 90% of one’s energy is used-up fighting to survive in the job market jungle. The rat race.

Our survival as human beings demands more than the monthly pay cheque. It demands that we are able to hear the voice of our true selves, and then turn its message to good effect in helping to shift the tide of history in a positive direction. Away from the neo-liberal capitalist money-making machine and into something which calls forth a true power of awakening, sharing and social responsibility.

The Skeptical Intellectual

“I can see that it won’t work.” Yes, sure you can! Because you made-up your mind years ago that there’s really no point in getting involved in any remotely idealistic initiative, since such initiatives are all doomed to failure at the hands of Mr Realism and his “I know best” crew.

There’s something more than faintly fatalistic about our skeptical intellectual. Strange really, to build a pedestal for one’s self and then set it in a concrete plinth, so as to be impervious to the swirling current of a life force which is capable of bringing ‘a mountain to Mohamed’ if that’s what’s really needed.

“Prove it”. And when he says that, you know that everything which follows is something ‘you’ have to do – never him. For him, proof is actually never good enough anyway, because the mind which demands answers without ever trying to find them itself, is a sad and polluted vessel; badly in need of a full immersion detox.

Yet many of these sorts of people are just the one’s to become bankers, army corporals, political strategists, bureaucrats, professors and civil servants. They are the glue that holds together the status quo. Very reliable at carrying out their duties and ensuring that nothing too imaginative or spontaneous ever gets in amongst the automated cogs and wheels of the sanitized status quo.

The best cure for such individuals is to suffer an insufferable shock .. like falling in love. Is it possible? Something that shakes them to their roots and causes a little volcano to erupt deep within. That which is capable of blowing away the densely packed layers which have caused a crust of cynicism to form over buried benign feelings of compassion, joy, creativity and yes, love. Something which turns on its head all the false pride of an over indulged, obese ego.

Lack of Passion

This is very bad news. Nothing, but nothing, truly meaningful comes into being without someone, somewhere, having a strong desire to bring to life their deepest needs. The manifestation of our inner powers is all about following through on that which inspires us. Inspires us to take action, to create meaningful change.

That should be the very definition of ‘living’ of ‘being alive’. All the rest is shadow boxing with phantoms. And happy are these phantoms to be given so much unearned attention.

It is passion which created life in the first place. Passion is the precondition for all genuinely creative acts. It is the motor of universal movement. It is the dance of life!

Yet, for tens of millions of human souls it remains an almost entirely missing ingredient. And if, God forbid, it should ever rear its beautiful head, it is greeted with as much indifference as its recipient can possibly muster!

Come on! Sustained intent, fueled as it is by passion, poses a massively intrusive threat on the control system’s determination to keep the lid on human emancipation. It is the key without which we cannot unlock the door behind which we have for so long been imprisoned.

Look, I’m not talking about ‘having a blast’, going to a rave, or even getting worked-up about something nasty going on in the neighbourhood. The architects of control have arranged all the outlets you will ever need to ‘let off steam’; such sporadic outbursts of passion are well catered for.

No, I’m talking about a deeply sustained burning intent which simply will not die; once you’ve given it your recognition and grasped the implications of its transformative powers.

It’s the reason I write these essays. A deep need to share a vision of something. Something out of the ordinary. Sharing my thoughts and aspirations with you, dear reader. That’s all part and parcel of this passion – which catches fire in those who are ready to burn.

That’s it! And it all bubbles up from a place which is inseparable from Source. It is Source. Passion is ‘the original energy’.

So how could one hope to Live Life without this primary force playing its fundamental role in everything one does. I can barely imagine. It’s not possible. For whatever that thing is which happens between the time when we are born (on Earth) and the time we depart (from Earth) – it is not Life unless it is inspired by passion. It is a fake.

And, due to the fact that so many feel the need to fake their way through life, our World is starved of direction. There are too few helmsmen. It is largely direction-less. The only forces to bring direction into this vacuum are the masters of control. The architects of fear. The instigators of war, oppression and violence.

Quite simply, it is the lack of ‘we the people’s’ ability to sustain a passionate commitment to taking forward the callings of our destinies which is responsible for a global take-over by the preeminent despotic masters of oppression and control.

If we want to ensure their days are numbered, and we surely do, we must dig deep. Yes, dig deep, always keeping victory firmly in our sights. The despots cannot endure a sustained barrage of many awakened souls. They fall away, exposed as the hollow cardboard shells which they really are.

And we? We take the helm.

 

from:     http://www.wakingtimes.com/2016/05/23/7-stumbling-blocks-road-higher-consciousness/

Finding Meaning in the Darkness

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A Dark Night of the Soul and the Discovery of Meaning

(NOTE:  Right now it seems that more and more individuals are entering their own Dark Night of the SOul.  Perhaps these articles by Moore and Tolle can shed some light in that darkness.)
By Thomas Moore
Published in Spring | Summer 2015

Anyone may go through a period of sadness or challenge that is so deep-seated and tenacious that it qualifies as a dark night of the soul. Not long ago I was giving a talk at a university when a man shouted at me from back in the crowd: “I’m terribly depressed. It’s been years. Help me.” I shouted back my email address. In his voice and body language I could see that this man was not caught in some passing depression. His life was broken by some loss, failure, or long-forgotten emotional wound that left him in a desperately dark place.

I reserve the expression ‘dark night of the soul’ for a dark mood that is truly life-shaking and touches the foundations of experience, the soul itself. But sometimes a seemingly insignificant event can give rise to a dark night: You may miss a train and not attend a reunion that meant much to you. Often a dark night has a strong symbolic quality in that it points to a deeper level of emotion and perhaps a deeper memory that gives it extra meaning. With dark nights you always have to be alert for the invisible memories, narratives, and concerns that may not be apparent on the surface.

Faced with a dark night, many people treat it like an illness, like depression. They may take medication or go into counseling looking for a cause. It can be useful to search for the roots of a dark night, but in my experience the best way to deal with it is to find the concrete action or decision that it is asking for.

Engaging the Night

A dark night of the soul is a kind of initiation, taking you from one phase of life into another. You may have several dark nights in the course of your life because you are always becoming more of a person and entering life more fully. At least, that is the hope.

One simple rule is that a truly deep dark night requires an extraordinary development in life. One outstanding example is Abraham Lincoln. With his early life surrounded by death and loneliness and his adult life weighed down by a war in which thousands of young men died, he was a seriously melancholic man who, in spite of or through his dark night, became an icon of wisdom and leadership. One theory is that he escaped his melancholy in his efforts for his country, but another possibility is that the very darkness of his life—he once said, “If there’s a worse place than hell, I’m in it.”—was the ground out of which his leadership grew.

As a therapist, I have worked with people profoundly sad and discouraged, and I join with them in looking for ways to transform that heavy mood into a weighty life. Contemporary people often don’t take their lives seriously enough. This tendency might be an aspect of the cult of celebrity, where we lose sight of our own importance by making too much of it in others.

In the archetypal psychotherapy that I practice, we always say: Go with the symptom. I don’t look for quick escapes from the pain or good distracting alternatives. I try to imagine how a symptom, like a long-standing dark night, might be re-imagined and even lived out in a way that is not literally depressive. As far back as the Middle Ages at least, dark moods were considered to be the work of Saturn, a spirit symbolized by a planet far out in the solar system. He was cold, lonely, and heavy, but he was also the source of wisdom and artistic genius. Look through history and you will find a great number of creative men and women who have struggled with the Saturnine humor.

This ancient idea that a dark night may be connected with genius and inspiration could help us today as we try to be constructive with a Saturnine disposition, like Lincoln’s, or a period of smoky moodiness. We might imagine it as the root and basis of an engagement with life that could give meaning and purpose. This doesn’t necessarily mean that eventually the dark spirit will go away, but it may have a counterweight—some extraordinary creative activity and involvement in life—that will make it more than bearable and may diminish it.

With our contemporary view of anything that looks like depression, we think: I’ll never be happy, never have a good relationship, never accomplish anything. But with the medieval image of Saturn, we might instead tell ourselves: A dark night is the sign of a high calling. My pain and loneliness will prepare me for my destiny.

Finding the Gift in Darkness

There are many examples of men and women who endured unimaginable ordeals and yet contributed in a striking way to humanity’s progress. Nelson Mandela was in prison for 27 years under harsh conditions, yet he never lost his vision and sense of destiny. One of his younger fellow prisoners said of him: “The point about Nelson, of course, is that he has a tremendous presence, apart from his bearing, his deportment and so on. He’s a person who’s got real control over his behavior. He is also quite conscious of the kind of seriousness he radiates.” This is dark night talk—presence and seriousness, the key gifts of Saturn—as a long tradition holds. Mandela’s dark night was an actual imprisonment, not a mood. Still, he teaches how to deal with a dark night. Don’t waste time in illusions and wishes. Take it on. Keep your sense of worth and power. Keep your vision intact. Let your darkness speak and give its tone to your bearing and expression.

The regenerative power of nature grows more beautiful after a devastating forest fire at Yellowstone Park in 1988. photography | Wikimedia Commons, Jim Peaco

As strange as it may sound, there is a temptation in a dark night to slip into enjoyment of the pain and to identify with your emotions and moods. “I’m a lonely person. I’m depressed. Help me.” One striking quality we see in men and women who are dealing with their dark nights effectively is a lack of masochistic surrender to the mood, which can be forceful and dominating.

Mandela had “control over his behavior.” He didn’t succumb. It’s important to live through the dark night, acknowledge it, notice its qualities, and be affected by it. At the same time, it is not useful to be too attached to it or to let it dominate. You don’t want to be the hero who slays dragons and tries to obliterate the darkness, but you do need all the strength of heart you can muster.

While giving a dark night its due, you can also cultivate a love of life and joy in living that doesn’t contradict the darkness. You can be dedicated to your work and your vision for humanity and also feel overwhelmed by the suffering in the world. To do this it helps to have a philosophy of life that understands the creative coming together of conflicting moods. The rule is simple: Human beings can do more than one thing at a time. You can acknowledge your darkness and still find some joy.

An example of the dark night leading to a transformative presence in the world is Maya Angelou, who went from not speaking for five or six years as a child out of guilt and the wounds of abuse to reciting the inaugural poem for Bill Clinton and inspiring millions to make something of their own dark nights. In all her public appearances, Angelou showed both the pain and the joy that shaped her mission in life. She carried her pain throughout her life and yet her joy seemed to increase with her impact on men and especially women around the world.

Angelou’s experience demonstrates in an intriguing way how a dark night might take away your ‘voice’ and then give it back with added power. The question is, how do you go from a dark night to having a positive impact on the world, thus giving your own life purpose?

The first step is to embrace the darkness, take it to heart, winnow out any subtle innuendos of resistance. Then find any images that are trapped in the thick dark mood or situation. Those images may hold the clue to your release and future service. Angelou lost her voice, a fascinating symptom and a strong image, and then became known worldwide for her voice. The cure lies in the illness, the hint at future activity within the symptom. If you tone down the dark elements because they are painful and discouraging, you may also hide the gifts that are there for you.

The Return of Aliveness: The Dark Night of the Soul

By Eckhart Tolle

The ‘dark night of the soul’ is a term that goes back a long time. Yes, I have also experienced it. It is a term used to describe what one could call a collapse of a perceived meaning in life… an eruption into your life of a deep sense of meaninglessness. The inner state in some cases is very close to what is conventionally called depression. Nothing makes sense anymore, there’s no purpose to anything. Sometimes it’s triggered by some external event—some disaster perhaps. The death of someone close to you could trigger it, especially premature death—for example, if your child dies. Or the meaning that you had given your life, your activities, your achievements, where you are going, what is considered important, and the meaning that you had given your life for some reason collapses.

It can happen if something happens that you can’t explain away anymore, some disaster, which seems to invalidate the meaning that your life had before. Really what has collapsed is the whole conceptual framework for your life. That results in a dark place.
There is the possibility that you emerge out of it into a transformed state of consciousness. Life has meaning again, but it’s no longer a conceptual meaning that you can necessarily explain. Quite often it’s from there that people awaken out of their conceptual sense of reality, which has collapsed.

They awaken into something deeper. A deeper sense of purpose or connectedness with a greater life that is not dependent on explanations or anything conceptual. It’s a kind of re-birth. The dark night of the soul is a kind of death. What dies is the egoic sense of self. Of course, death is always painful, but nothing real has actually died—only an illusory identity. Now, it is probably the case that some people who’ve gone through this transformation realize that they had to go through that in order to bring about a spiritual awakening. Often it is part of the awakening process, the death of the old self and the birth of the true self.

You arrive at a place of conceptual meaninglessness. Or one could say a state of ignorance—where things lose the meaning that you had given them, which was all conditioned and cultural and so on.

Then you can look upon the world without imposing a mind-made framework of meaning. It looks, of course, as if you no longer understand anything. That’s why it’s so scary when it happens to you, instead of you actually consciously embracing it. It can bring about the dark night of the soul. You now go around the Universe without any longer interpreting it compulsively, as an innocent presence. You look upon events, people, and so on with a deep sense of aliveness. You sense the aliveness through your own sense of aliveness, but you are not trying to fit your experience into a conceptual framework anymore.

Another important strategy is to avoid making the dark night too personal, too focused on yourself. Yes, you feel it intimately and alone. But it could still have more to do with the suffering of the world than with yourself. Maybe dark nights are generally less personal than they feel. At any one time, beings on the planet are suffering. The planet itself is suffering; it is going through a dark night constantly. If you live in a place where children are hungry and dying in wars and in domestic violence, you are within the realm of the world’s dark night. Listen to political leaders deny climate change and you worry about the future, not of the planet on which you live but the planetary being of which you are a living part. If you can stretch your moral imagination to perceive this suffering, then you will have the energy and focus to work toward a transformation.

Waking Up

By definition, visionary people imagine utopia, a word that means both ‘no-place’ and ‘good-place.’ It is an imagined state of the world in which people are free of their struggle, where at least the basic insecurities and inequalities have been dealt with. But oddly, it takes the pain and despair of a dark night to envision utopia.

Think about it, you wouldn’t be compelled to imagine a perfected life unless you were steeped in its imperfection. The emptiness of the dark night transforms into the no-place of a wonderful world. If you don’t feel the hopelessness of a dark night, you will probably float through life identifying unconsciously with the values and expectations of the culture. You won’t know that there is something wrong, something that calls for a response from you. Personally, you may not feel your being. You may eventually decide that you’re a nobody, for you become a somebody by identifying with the world outside you. Self-realization is not a private psychological achievement managed by a strong will and a hygienic attitude. A strong sense of self emerges when you own and activate the awareness that you are your world. A mystical sensibility and social action go together. Through an essential shift in imagination you realize that you are not the one suffering; the world is.

The real stunner is that when you begin to serve the world, your darkness changes. It doesn’t go away completely; nor should it. It continues to feed your vision of utopia and your frustration at the imperfection of it all. But your personal darkness converts into anger at injustice and then into compassionate vision and effective action. The darkness and the vision are two parts of one flowing movement.

Maybe it isn’t that your darkness eases but that your ego investment in it diminishes. It feels as though it goes away because you’ve been grasping it. There may be a degree of love for the darkness and a disdain for hope. You don’t want the challenge of being alive and engaging the world. It may be easier to sink into the pit. Some people resist participating in the transformation of the world because they glimpse the challenge in it. They will have to give up a long-held philosophy of easy, comfortable pragmatism and, maybe for the first time in their lives, feel the world’s suffering.

You see this pattern of waking up from pleasant unconsciousness to awareness of suffering in the story of the Buddha, and one of the key words Jesus uses in his teaching, not often pointed out by his followers, is ‘wake up.’ But waking up is also entering your dark night instead of remaining in the oblivion of avoidance. You do wake up to a joyful message, the meaning of the word ‘Gospel,’ but the dark night is always part of the picture, the other side of the coin.

The best source in classical spiritual literature for describing the paradox of darkness and vision is the Tao Te Ching, where on every page you are invited to live without polarization. Chapter 14 is a good example: “Above, it is not bright. Below, it is not dark.” ‘It’ is everything. Below, where you might expect darkness, it’s bright. Above, where you think you’d find light, it’s dark. Keep this paradox in mind and you will be neither a sentimental idealist nor a cynical pessimist. You will be part of the transformation of it all because it is happening in you.

from:    http://www.kosmosjournal.org/article/a-dark-night-of-the-soul-and-the-discovery-of-meaning/

Consciousness & Awakening

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Return to Source – The Spirit’s Journey Home

Alex Vandenberg, Contributor
Waking Times

According to a vast array of magical and alchemical texts, hermetic treatises, philosophic works, religious scriptures, and many prominent pieces of literature spanning the ages, it appears that the sole purpose of life is to awaken from our self-imposed slumber. That is, to remember who we really are or to become that which we have always been. This natural proclivity percolating within man to consciously collaborate with an innately irrational unconscious life process is what gives an individual meaning, purpose, and value.

We see this current of thought unequivocally expressed in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s first book entitled Nature. While striking a delicate accord between the terms Nature and nature, the work essentially presupposes that the entirely of life has but one aim: to return to the Source.

At bottom, this process of spiritual awakening is ultimately an initiation into the enduring harmony of the world or, if you like, a realignment of our will with the embodied Will of the Universe. It is about ascending that mystical ladder that punctuates the heavens and leads right up to the doorstep of God. It is about the firing of rudimentary clay so as to produce that finished effervescent glaze. In essence, it is about the changing of frequency as the blossoming of our blood allows us to tune back into that ancient theme of the Music of the Spheres. As Cicero wrote in his work The Dream of Scipio:

“Learned men, by imitating this harmony on stringed instruments and in song, have gained for themselves a return to the supernal heights….”

Given all of this, the question naturally arises as to how we know we are marching to the right tune. As we pursue the text of Life, of which we are all on different chapters, there are many indicators of progress that help one measure the extent to which he/she is successfully moving away from an object-oriented ego-dominated consciousness.

While not everyone experiences the exact same signals, there do seem to be some parallels that persistently appear in the life of the would-be adept. For example, initially you will find yourself engulfed by a series of jaw-dropping “coincidences” (synchronicities). The inner will spill over into the outer as your enthusiasm scintillates like a savory steak, boils to a crescendo, and finally takes off like a 747. This formidable energetic essence of emotion appears to be the elixir that underlies this aboriginal dreamlike state of mind. As Albertus Magnus wrote in his piece De mirabilibus mundi:

“I discovered an instructive account (of Magick) in Avicenna’s Liber Sextus Naturalium, which says that a certain power to alter things indwells in the human soul and subordinates the other things to her, particularly when she is swept into a great excess of love or hate or the like.  When therefore the soul of man falls into a great excess of any passion, it can be proved by experiment that it (the excess) binds things and alters them in the way it wants.”

As these synchronicities abound you will feel like you’re dreaming while in a state of waking consciousness. It’s like being the choreographer of your own inner theatre production. For myself, this was the tipping point where I was forced to reconfigure my cognitive schema relative to how the world is structured and functions. I was forced to see it as it really was – a sort of fiction, mirage, cognitive construction, or illusory transcendental projection of thought itself. Now, while it is true that everyone experiences certain synchronistic phenomena such as the aforementioned, those who are advancing on a shamanic path will notice the regularity and frequency of these occurrences increasing. It may even get to the point where it becomes psychologically worrisome. But obviously fear not for this is all part and parcel of the Way.   

The next thing you will start to notice on this journey is the mysterious manifestation of a multitude of omens. Omens are the Spirit’s way of communicating to man through the medium of Nature. They appear to increase in the life of the more spiritual types but this is only an illusion. As Carlos Castaneda wrote in The Power of Silence:

“I am going to tell you a story about the nagual Elias and the manifestation of the spirit. The spirit manifests itself to a sorcerer, especially to a nagual, at every turn. However, this is not the entire truth. The entire truth is that the spirit reveals itself to everyone with the same intensity and consistency, but only sorcerers, and naguals in particular, are attuned to such revelations.”

An additional sign of success will be an increased urge to express yourself creatively. At times, and seemingly out of nowhere, an omnivorous voracious impulse will come stampeding through. It completely engulfs even the most left-brain types and almost seems to demand that it be represented in some sort of concrete form be it a painting, sculpture, drawing, or what have you. I say almost because this is not an elemental struggling to survive but rather something that emanates from an innermost need, something that feels akin to duty. Amazingly, in the process of it all, you will feel like your hand is being guided by an invisible force, like you’re an instrument or conduit for the One and All. And when the work is finally complete you will stand back and say, “That was not done by my hand and yet it was.” And this is yet another sign: that of not taking credit. 

As you continue to advance something truly astonishing may pop into your life. This being Numbers. Initially, you may even find the number eleven appearing at a frequency beyond that which can reasonably be explained away as statistical anomaly. For instance, there will be many consecutive days, sometimes lasting years, where you will see only the number eleven when you unconsciously look to discover the time. This would be the equivalent of all random variables or data sets falling consistently within the tail range of the normal distribution curve. And no, this is not due to some incessant infatuation with the number eleven or because it holds some kind of deep sentimental value or sacred meaning for you. These experiences often tend to occur before the number gains any symbolic prominence in your mind. What’s important to understand is that these experiences are typically normal and not necessarily a sign of neurosis. 

In the end, the Numbers that are mysteriously being issued by Nature represent symbolic attempts to facilitate the process of Individuation; to bridge that gulf within the mind of man that has reached epic proportions.  For Numbers, just like the sun, moon, stars, or anything else in Nature, are ultimately symbols.  More specifically, they are archetypes of order.  As Dr. Carl Jung wrote in his work Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle:

“Hence it is not such an audacious conclusion after all if we define number psychologically as an archetype of order which has become conscious. Remarkably enough, the psychic images of wholeness which are spontaneously produced by the unconscious, the symbols of the self in mandala form, also have a mathematical structure. They are as a rule quaternities. These structures not only possess order, they also create it. This is why they generally appear in times of psychic disorientation in order to compensate a chaotic state or as formulations of numinous experiences. It must be emphasized yet again that they are not inventions of the conscious mind but are spontaneous products of the unconscious, as has been sufficiently shown by experience. Naturally the conscious mind can imitate these patterns of order, but such imitations do not prove that the originals are conscious inventions. From this it follows irrefutably that the unconscious uses number as an ordering factor.”

Another idiosyncratic element that you can expect to confront when traversing this path will be suffering. Just as pain accompanies our entrance into this world, so too does pain accompany the process of mystical regeneration. As part of this suffering you may experience the haughtiness of the vain, the ridicule of the close-minded, the mockery of the egotistical, and the general indifference of the masses. Many may perceive you as some sort of anomaly or worse. They will stare like motorists when they slow down to gawk at some mangled mess on the side of the road. They will think “Does he even realize he’s going nowhere?” Like a hamster in a wheel you may be perceived as moving while remaining still. But not all those who wander are lost. 

“They who dance are thought mad by those who hear not the music.”—The Times (London) 1927

Other aspects of this tumultuous terrain include the manifestation of various psychic aberrations that serve to complicate and undermine the Work. In alchemy, these disturbances are generally brushed aside as technical difficulties. However, in the Greek and Latin alchemical texts the psychic nature of these dangers is elaborated upon at length and is described as part demonic and part psychic disturbance i.e. melancholia. With regard to the latter, this represents the confrontation with the shadow or the nigredo phase of the Work. This peculiar psychic state will descend upon you suddenly and without warning. It will be experienced as an extreme boredom unlike anything you have ever experienced. You will literally be left with zero interest in anything. And then, just as suddenly as it arrived, it will depart (for me this lasted exactly 30 days). As to the dangers in general, we get this from the alchemist Aegidius de Vadis who wrote the following in his work Dialogus inter naturam et filium philosophorum (1659):

“I shall keep silent about this science, which has led most of those who work in it into confusion, because there are few indeed who find what they seek, but an infinite number who have plunged to their ruin.”

Ultimately, all of this gloom and doom can be viewed as the training necessary to defeat the Guardian of the Gate. As the old consciousness dissolves a new one is rising to take its place. For one must die to be reborn. And one of the main facets of this figurative death is a separation from one’s mother tongue. The night sea journey of Odysseus is a necessary prerequisite for the return journey home. For was not Christ transfigured in a cave? Did not the Buddha disappear into the desert? So too will we have to traverse the deepest thicket of our own unconscious wilderness if we wish to turn lead into gold. For we are like mushrooms- we grow in the dark. In the words of the primitive Eskimo shaman Igjugarju:

“The only true wisdom lives far from mankind, out in the great loneliness, and it can be reached only through suffering. Privation and suffering alone can open the mind of a man to all that is hidden to others.”—H. Ostermann, The Alaskan Eskimos

As you navigate your way through these stormy seas know that you are on the right path, trust in yourself, and let that Power within radiate outwards in every conceivable direction. Be a mirror of what no one sees but all can sense. Communicate without speaking by allowing your electro-magnetism flood the consciousness of those around you. Act as that catalyst that kick starts the entire cascade of neurological impulses which adds vigor to the soul. For that interminable ocean – the inexhaustible fire that galvanizes, adds an extra spring to your step, and is the source of the second wind – is boiling within.

As this rich abundant Infinite Force continues to work itself through you it will eventually effectuate a change in lifestyle. Goals will become more macro as opposed to micro as you begin to exhibit more compassion towards others. And as you learn to love others your capacity for accepting and loving yourself will grow exponentially. With this new found respect, an increased awareness in the importance of physical health will take root. Eventually, a win-win attitude will be adopted and an unusual elation will fill you to the brim. This uncanny cheer will inevitably overflow with the physiological result being a feeling akin to walking on air. Like a balloon there will be times when you feel like your literally going to float away. Precisely then will your shamanic sight, your power of imagination, will be most keen. A broadening of the perceptional horizon will allow you to see the darkness inside others. Through all of this you will feel and look like you’re getting younger even as you grow older. 

superconsciousness

More and more you will be helped by God as you continue to earn your keep on this path, whether it through devotion, the application of philosophic will, or otherwise. Material progress will also be a critical component in facilitating your spiritual ascent. For if one recalls it was only after a series of worldly victories that the Vision of the Grail presented itself to Parzival. Only when his temporal goal was fulfilled as represented by King Arthur’s court did the call come to go deeper, beyond the bounds of space, time, and causality to a more transpersonal realm. In short, the pathless path that leads to the Garden of the Philosophers opened up after the knight had earned his keep and was ready. As Louis Pasteur once quipped:

“Chance favors the prepared mind.” 

Eventually, events will begin to occur that will be so startling, so earth-shattering that they would cause even the most ardent non-believer to buckle at the knees. The Mysteries will begin to unfold in your daily life as circumstances, people, experiences, opportunities, etc., are brought in to act as initiatory gods. The Spirit will come out to meet you everywhere you go. As is said in the Corpus Hemeticum (Hermes-Thot),

“Everywhere God will come to meet you, everywhere he will appear to you, at places and times at which you look not for it, in your waking hours and in your sleep, when you are journeying by water and by land, in the nighttime and in the daytime, when you are speaking and when you are silent; for there is nothing which is not God.”

All in all, what’s really transpiring here is the conscious actualization of formerly latent unconscious aspects of our Self. As we continue to advance to higher and higher grades there will be other surprises to be sure – the remembering of past lives and the manifestation of miracles to name just a few. Increasingly, Nature will act as the mirror of an exciting invigorating inner adventure. Life then becomes the Lodge; Life becomes the Initiator. And this is precisely when it will become crystal clear to you that there is no need to seek out a master and that true learning starts when the books stop. For you will have arrived at the realization through experience that the highest Authority is to be found within.      

In the end, the grand consummation will take hold and the Vision of the Grail will present itself. At High Noon the fabric of nature will be translucent as the world morphs into a web of effervescent light. Alive to an infinite degree, full of flavor and zeal, boisterous and bubbly, it sizzles until the soul bursts into flames. We then become everything because we resist nothing. Circumambulating back to that Center, where all opposites fluttering within the wheel of space-time coalesce into One, our senses become spiritualized, our instincts integrated, the body transfigured, the world transformed. For we have returned to those eternal heights to hear the Music of the Spheres, behold Beatrice, perceive Paradise, experience the sunrise, and feel the undulations of Infinity. This mesmeric, beatific, magnificent state is our right, our heritage, our destiny. It is the beginning and the end; our past and future. And it is ours to behold right Here and Now. 

from:     http://www.zengardner.com/63207-2/

Taking Charge of Your Consciousness

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The Hijacking Of Consciousness

May 9, 2016 Spiritual Awakening

The Hijacking Of Consciousness

by Elva Thompson,

Toy bewitched.
Made blind by lusts, disinherited of soul,
No common centre Man, no common sire
Knoweth! A sordid solitary thing
Mid countless brethren with a lonely heart
Through courts and cities the smooth savage roams,
Feeling himself, his own low self, the whole.
Coleridge: Religious Musings.

Frequency War

Many of us are waking up to the fact that the world we live in is being engineered into a nightmare of controlled reality. We see our planet gutted and destroyed before our eyes and there seems no end to the ongoing ecological insanity. We feel outraged when satanic corporations, protected by ‘law’, pollute the earth in pursuit of reckless greed and deranged ‘respected scientists’ test bio weapons on helpless animals.

Many horrific events in this world don’t make sense to sanity…but they do make sense in terms of frequency.

The satanic cabal of Luciferians that run the circus in this density are physical and energetic parasites. They control everything that affects our lives and to keep us addicted to self, they use the law, media and entertainment industry to target our reptile brains and keep us in the mire of the matrix.

Everything in our multiverse is in a state of vibration and we are immersed in a sea of electro-magnetic resonance, being both transmitter and receiver of vibratory information. The constant bloodbath of war, the misery of millions, animal cruelty, sexual abuse of children, human trafficking, child sacrifice at the grid points of our planet, our fascination with ego and the sense bound world, all act as spiritual anchors that compromise our divine consciousness.

Nothing happens by chance

It is no accident, we are overwhelmed with negativity, in fact, it is deliberate. Human beings run on frequency and our thoughts and feelings affect our DNA. The negatively charged environment of ‘us and them’ prevents us from vibrating faster and we are drowning in fear that is constantly created for us by our handlers. We only have to watch the news to realize we are being played….for are we not constantly bombarded with fear porn and bad news? As a result of this bombardment, most people are in a constant state of fear and stress[reptile mind] and in that state of mind, it is easy to create drama and negative scenarios.

We know so little about who we are, and when we start to observe ourselves in action, we find there’s two of us in one body. The reptile mind can completely take us over, and once we are triggered our behavior can range from insults to physical violence, even murder. Each time we are overwhelmed by these instinctual and negative emotions, we are amplifying the lower frequencies that keep us enslaved to the program of duality…the fear field of the third dimension’s beta operating system-fight/flight.

Our handlers know that if they can keep us in fear, stimulate our base instincts and keep us in the game, we will never be able to upgrade our DNA.

Glamour…the art of deception.

Glamorous and deceptive advertising target our emotions, self image and sexuality. They make us want things we don’t need, products to make us feel and look better… and our reptilian minds are constantly stimulated to want instant gratification, at whatever cost.

And the rub is, most of us don’t even realize we are being controlled.

We are caught up in the spiders web of the ‘I’ll be happy when I …..have a new car, quit drinking, move to a new location, start a new job, lose weight, start a family, get a divorce, and our excuses for our pitiful state of being carries on……ad nauseum.

We are always looking for external gratification to make us feel good about ourselves…and it may for a while…but eventually it fails every time and we are back to where we started with our unhappy lives. To mask the symptoms of our spiritual unease, we escape into the salve of false religions, so called ‘teachers and gurus’, the martyr complex, drama, indiscriminate sex, prescription drugs, recreational drugs and alcohol. And, it would seem that we have been indoctrinated to be always in the ‘rushing mode’, always in a hurry…we lose our car keys, door keys, phone, put things down and can’t find them, go to the shops for something and get everything else but the thing we wanted. We are being constantly distracted by the reptile in our divine minds, and instead of slowing down and staying in the moment, we speed here and there until we are utterly exhausted.

There can be no spiritual development while we are anchored to a negative agenda and our path to liberation lies within ourselves. Once we begin to observe the schism within our own minds, the continuous war of ‘us and them’ in ourselves and our projected selves…the world, we realize that everyone is playing the game of duality and distraction, powering the grid with negative emotions.

Until we can control our thoughts and stay mindful in a positive now, we are all the enemy of planet earth.

The Cosmic Reset

We are in the Cosmic reset, the four year period of grace that follows the end of the Grand Cosmic year of twenty-six thousand years.

At this special time that started on December 21 2012, the planetary influences controlling our lives on Earth are at their weakest, and we have a chance to leave the dense duality of this dimension. This is the ascension timeline, the evolution of the life waves…the spiritual upgrading of our DNA.

Every being is geared to evolve, but we are regressing because our spiritual reality has been compromised by our controllers.

Frequency fences and the hijacking of DNA

There have been many modifications to our original genome, and one of them is the the placement of frequency fences in our consciousness. We are food animals farmed for our emotional distress and caught up in the electro- magnetic balance sheet of karma and, our handlers don’t want the food source they have created to escape the farm[matrix]. By stimulating our lower three ‘animal chakras’: security, sex and ego control of our environment, the powers that be can effectively control and negate the planetary grid, and this in turn keeps us anchored in the third dimension of duality.

The awakening

Many of us are waking up to the cruel realities of this dog eat dog world and are doing our best to save life and not take it. We are moving from ‘below the belt’ up to the fourth chakra of Air, the fourth dimension. No longer are we in service to self, the program of the lower three chakras, we have moved into the heart.

When we change our frequency, it’s almost like a bell rings in the matrix. The last thing our controllers want is for us to turn inward and strive to activate our divided blueprint, so when our bell rings …we can expect a distraction to knock us off course.

This attack can take many forms: psychic attacks, chronic anxiety syndrome, an accident, sudden onset of disease, divorce, eviction, emotional betrayal. The attack is to stimulate the reptile mind and keep us out of balance.

The crossroads

Humanity is at the crossroads and many do not understand that we do not have to function in this lower density. We can follow the reptile mind into the electronic slavery of transhumanism, or take the journey inwards to activate our divided blueprint and make it whole.

The choice is ours and ours alone.

from:    http://in5d.com/the-hijacking-of-consciousness/

Consciousness Opening

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The 5 Stages of Awakening on the Path of Consciousness

By Nanice Ellis

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

What does it really mean to awaken? It is fair to say that awakening is a journey from limitation to freedom — from unconscious to conscious. Whether you intentionally choose to take this journey or an unexpected experience propels you onto the path, once you start, there is no turning back.

It is true that the journey might be quite arduous at times, but no matter how long or challenging, the extraordinary destination far exceeds any bumps and bruises along the way. The end result of full awakening is freedom from personal suffering, clarity of mind, boundless joy, inner peace and the ability to live an incredibly fulfilling life. The awakened state holds everything we have ever desired, and so much more.

Where Are You and What Comes Next?

There are 5 Stages of Awakening, and when you understand each stage, and where you are on the journey, you can recognize the sign posts along the way, and the possible pitfalls to avoid.

Please use the following guide as a way to navigate the stages of awakening, but keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different. There is no right or wrong way to wake up. Like art, it is all beautiful and perfect.

Stage 1 of Awakening: The Stage of the False-Self

Subtle awareness of “something more” begins to grow.

In Stage 1 of Awakening, we are most asleep, and we do not even know that we are asleep. We are entrenched in mass consciousness and going through the motions of life, generally following the rules of culture and laws of the land.

We don’t usually question reality or seek answers beyond what is necessary for survival and maintenance of a lifestyle.

Our identities define us and we live within the construct of religion, culture and/or society.

We may even play the part of victim or perpetrator.

Unconscious programming runs us, and, as a result, we see the world in black and white – good and bad. We likely process a rigid model of the world according to our specific programming.

Because there is a great desire to fit in and be accepted, in this stage, it is common to sacrifice our needs and compromise our values in order to receive approval and be included in our desired community, be that family, culture, business, religion, etc…

Self-worth is likely conditional and attached to identity or the roles we play, or there may be other means of proving that we are worthy.

Because the ego generally runs the show, we likely believe we are the ego, with little or no awareness that there is a greater part of us.

In stage one, happiness is based on externals, therefore, in order to feel happy, we try to control reality; other people, places and experiences.

Although we attempt to control our lives, for both happiness and security, it is more than likely that our emotions rule, and our actions and reactions are based on our moment to moment feelings.

We make no connection between our thoughts/beliefs and our experiences in reality, and, therefore, we have no direct ability to consciously create our reality.

Despite our unconscious nature, the first signs of awakening happen during this stage; a “flash feeling” that there is something more, or an inkling of doubt that makes us uncertain about life or reality.

Stage 2 of Awakening – The Stage of Questioning

The doubts experienced in stage one begin to turn into meaningful questions. The first signs of movement from unconscious to conscious are experienced.

In Stage 2 of Awakening, we experience a growing discomfort in our lives. There is a feeling that something is wrong or missing. We begin to question mass consciousness and the validity of rules, beliefs and laws. Things that used to bring us comfort like religion or traditions are no longer satisfying and the places that we once found answers no longer provide relief.

We question our identity but we still hold on to it because we must continue to prove our worth, and we don’t yet know ourselves outside of our human identity. As we question the roles we play, we may feel lost, and even betrayed by others or life in general.

We may even blame religion, family, culture, government or the world for our problems, or maybe we blame specific people for our dysfunctions. As we shift responsibility onto others, we feel powerless over our lives; not yet realizing that in order to take back our power, we must take responsibility. In this stage, we might move from victim to survivor, but we are likely still blaming others and feeling powerless.

We begin to ask, “Who am I? Why am I here?”

Although we are searching for answers, we still hold on to certain limiting beliefs that keep us enslaved in the reality we have known. When we attempt to challenge these beliefs, fear brings us back, keeping us asleep a little longer.

In our discomfort with reality, and our search for answers, we may experience a great deal of confusion, overwhelm, anxiety and even depression. We “keep up” with our lives but we are secretly just “going through the motions.”

As we experience a variety of challenges designed to help us wake up, tolerable discomfort turns into pain and suffering. As our disempowering beliefs are demonstrated in real life situations and relationships, we get our first glimpse of the unconscious programs running our lives, but our desire to fit in and be accepted is likely stronger than any desires to free ourselves. Although this is the beginning of our internal programs breaking down, we are still trying to prove our worth by demonstrating our importance and seeking approval for our efforts.

We begin to understand that happiness cannot be found in the outside world, but we are still playing the game – seeking happiness in other people, places and experiences.

In this stage, there can be a great deal of emotional triggers. We may even experience trauma or remember past trauma. Emotions are generally very strong, and we may feel most fragile or vulnerable. What we do not yet realize is that our issues are coming to the surface to be healed and released.

Even though we are beginning to see the world in a whole new light, we may still possess black and white thinking – maybe more than ever. We are not ready to take responsibility for our lives and, therefore, we make little or no connection between our thoughts and our experiences in reality.

As the outside world no longer satisfies our hunger, the journey inward is about to begin.

Stage 3 of Awakening – The Stage of Introspection

Immense personal/spiritual growth and the start of conscious evolution through self-discovery.

In Stage 3 of Awakening, we begin a journey of introspection. In Stage 2, we rebelled against the external world with little or no success in relieving our pain, suffering or discomfort, so now we retreat as we begin to seek answers inside ourselves.

We start to disentangle from mass consciousness, releasing many limiting beliefs that were programmed into us by asleep parents, teachers, culture, society, religion and media. As we release these beliefs, we may experience both grief and relief. If we spent a life time imprisoned in beliefs that caused emotional suffering, physical hardship and lost happiness, we may grieve for the life we never had, and at the same time, we may feel great relief as we break free from limitation.

As we recognize how asleep we have been, we can clearly see that most people we know are still asleep. We try to wake them up, but our attempts are seen as judgmental and, therefore, met with deaf ears.

Not surprisingly, with our eyes wide open, it is common to experience greater judgment of other people (friends and strangers alike), society and the world. Others may feel our judgment and defensively respond with their own judgment of us. We are seen as different, weird and maybe even crazy. Sooner or later, we decide to keep our growing awareness to ourselves; maybe rationalizing that it’s better to be silent than be judged. At this point, we don’t have a lot of hope that others will wake up.

We are still focused on everything that is wrong in our lives, and in the world, but, at the same time, we have resistance to letting go. The process of letting go is often “the work” in this stage, and, as we learn to let go, Stage 3 is where we may leave unsatisfying jobs, intimate relationships, families, friendships, religions, organizations and any disempowering ways of life. We may disentangle from roles we played, reject our past identity, and there may even be a total withdrawal from society.

Our former model of the world is failing and we no longer see the world in black and white or good and bad. There may be a growing sense that we are all connected, but at the same time we may feel completely disconnected from every other human being. In many ways, we are faced with the dichotomy of life and existence.

The most common attribute of stage three is loneliness. In a sea of billions of people, you may feel like you are the only one awake; no one understands you, and there is no one with whom to connect. At this point, you might begin to question “the questioning” – why did you ever begin this journey? What’s the point of waking up, if you must be alone and lonely? After all, you might have been unhappy when you were asleep but at least you had friends, family and people who cared about you. Now, there is no one. You consider “going back.” You wish you could forget about everything you now know just so you can be part of a family or community. You yearn for “normalcy” in order to fit in with others, but you also know that it is too late. You cannot forget what you have remembered, and despite your loneliness and your desire to fit in, you wouldn’t go back or undo your path even if you could.

Issues of worthiness often surface in this stage, because the ways, in which, we once proved worth no longer work or are no longer available because we left the job or situation that once made us feel worthy. We may still try to seek approval, acceptance or appreciation or get other emotional needs met by those still in our lives, but it doesn’t fulfill us, as it once did, and we are left feeling empty – forced to deal with feelings of unworthiness on our own.

Our desire to fit in and be accepted is slowly being drowned out by our desire to be free and awake.

In the quest for answers and relief from emotional pain, we may embark on some sort of spiritual practice such as meditation, yoga or mindfulness. If we are not using the practice to avoid something, its purpose is likely to get us somewhere, accomplish something or wake up.

In stage three, we may experience the first real sense of power, but, if the ego claims this power, we may have challenging and humbling experiences.

By now, we may be able to see the connection between our thoughts/beliefs and the creation of our reality, and, as a result, we try to control our thoughts, but it is a difficult process because old programs are still running.

We no longer look outside ourselves for happiness, but maybe we don’t yet know how to find it within. Peace and freedom may also take precedence over happiness.

Stage three is often the longest stage and almost always the most challenging, but it is also the most important in terms of awakening.

This stage is marked by the swing between resistance and letting go, with moments of clarity and enlightenment, but they don’t last. It is very common to have multiple experiences of awakening in this stage and even to believe that each one is the final awakening; only to find yourself back in “reality”, hours, days or weeks later. With each experience of awakening, the sense of your higher self grows stronger. You are unknowingly making room for this real self to emerge in your consciousness and integrate in your life.

In stage three, it is common to experience a fear of losing oneself, and you may struggle to maintain a sense of self, but ultimately, toward the end of this stage, an ego-death is inevitable. When the ego loses hold, there is often a realization that there is no point or purpose to life. This can be liberating, like a breath of fresh air, or it can be devastating, resulting in hopelessness and despair. Without point or purpose, we no longer know how to live our lives, and nothing is ever the same.

There is a foreboding sense that awakening will cost you everything, yet, at the same time, there is a greater sense that something inside you is waking up.

Stage 4 of Awakening – The Stage of Resolution

Spiritual awakening is effortlessly experienced in everyday life.

Stage 4 of Awakening is the stage of resolution where your true self has finally overshadowed your false self or ego self. The struggle that you experienced in the first three stages is over and you experience a deep peace and knowing of who you really are, and you are no longer seeking answers. This is fondly known as the Eckart Tolle Stage.

All your beliefs have been overhauled in the past two stages, and the beliefs that remain support harmony and balance. You have mastered the art of letting go, and surrendering to a higher power. You also experience and have access to the inner power you possess, without ego control.

Doubt has been replaced with faith and trust. You are able to see and understand your life in such a way that your past and present all makes sense. You have forgiven everyone for everything, including yourself.

Unconscious programming has been replaced with consciousness, and there are no emotional or mental prisons holding you captive.

You take responsibility for your entire life, no longer blaming anyone for anything. As you have freed yourself, you have freed all the people who have ever been effected by your judgment and expectations.

You are no longer trying to prove your worth. You now know and own your intrinsic worth, and, as a result, you experience unconditional self-love.

Although you might still be alone on your journey, you experience a deep and profound connection to all of life and the sense of loneliness has likely faded into all oneness. The need and desire for the old paradigm of relationships has shifted and you no longer yearn to fit in or be “normal.” You allow yourself to be exactly who you are, without needing approval or acceptance from anyone. You no longer have a need to change anyone or help those you love wake up, and you are pleasantly surprised that some people you know are actually awakening. All your relationships improve, and the new people who come into your life are better aligned with who you are.

In this stage, you integrate your insights and develop greater understanding for the journey you have been on. You may teach, mentor or share, but not because you feel you have to, or because you need to, but only because it brings you joy, and you are guided to do so. You may have a compelling desire to support others on their journey or you may have no inclination whatsoever. If you take the role of teacher, mentor, healer or coach, you do not take responsibility for others, but rather you empower them to empower themselves. You don’t take anything personally, and another’s behavior has little, or no, effect on you.

During stage four, it is common to have some sort of spiritual practice, such as meditation, yoga or mindfulness, but not because you are trying to get somewhere or accomplish something (as in the previous stage), but rather because it feels good to you, and it is a natural expression of your life.

You may also experience increased intuition and the ability to access infinite intelligence, as if, you have a direct line to unlimited information.

This stage is marked by living in the moment.

You have made peace with the realization that there is no purpose or point to life, and, as a result, it is effortless to live in the present moment. Your love for life and all living beings overflows unconditionally with gratitude and appreciation as a common state of being.

The concepts of good and bad have dissolved, and, yet, you have the full knowing that inside everyone and everything is love.

You take stock of yourself, realizing that you are still you. You are free from ego-control, and no “authentic parts” have been lost in the journey to awakening. Your personality may be quite the same, but you are likely more easy-going and light-hearted.

Either you have found a livelihood that is aligned with who you are, or you have made peace with your present day livelihood.

There is really no thought of happiness because you no longer need anything to make you happy. You have realized that the secret to happiness is living in the moment and it is now easy to be present at all times.

You have learned how to master your thoughts and beliefs, but, surprisingly, you may have no desire to change anything in your life.

Although you likely experience a full range of emotions, emotions no longer rule you or control your choices or relationships.

Your higher self has integrated in your body, and you live your life as this real self.

You are finally conscious and awake, and grateful that your past “asleep-self” had the courage and tenacity to make this journey. It was worth it – a million times over.

Stage 5 of Awakening – The Stage of Conscious Creation

The ability to consciously create one’s life from the awake state.

Many people arrive at stage four and mistakenly believe it is the final stage of awakening, but it is actually a bridge to an even greater experience of awakening.

In Stage 5 of awakening, you experience, and deepen, all the attributes of stage four, but you also step into your power as conscious creator.

Although there is no pre-ordained point or purpose to life, you now understand that the point and purpose of life can be anything that you choose, and you integrate this understanding by consciously choosing the purpose of your life, because that is the point. Work and play merge into one, and you experience peace and fulfillment equally in both.

You no longer do anything out of obligation or need, but, instead, you are guided through inspiration and pure desire.

You experience a direct connection to all of life, and you are inspired to create in a whole new manner. Through intuitive connection with Infinite Intelligence, you might develop new paradigms of community building, teaching or leadership.

At this stage, you have the ability to attract relationships and form communities that support the betterment of humanity. Since you have mastered your thoughts and beliefs, you can now consciously create the life you desire; living in the moment, while also creating for the future.

In pure connection with Prime Creator, you are channel of expression in all you do.

Whatever stage you might now be experiencing, you cannot get it wrong and there are no tests to pass. Awakening is simply a natural process, just like the caterpillar that awakens as the butterfly.

A common question is, how long does each stage take? The time we spend in each stage is not predetermined, but we can move through a stage quicker and easier when we utilize a mindfulness practice of letting go. Letting go is truly the secret of awakening.

As more and more people awaken, a threshold of awakening will be experienced, and the masses will awaken in a much a different paradigm than those of us who have already awakened or who are awakening now. The stages of awakening will be less defined and maybe even disappear altogether.

No matter where you are on your journey to awakening, you are exactly where you need to be.

from:    http://www.zengardner.com/5-stages-awakening-path-consciousness/

Belief Systems, Illusion, & Awakening

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Crossroads, Off-Ramps and the Time of Transition

by Zen Gardner
by Zen Gardner

It’s human nature to look for resting places. Naturally there’s a time to rest in many aspects of life, but when it comes to the pursuit of truth and increased awareness and conscious activation there really is no stopping place.

Awakening has its own form of peace and rest by its very nature as we’re tapping into other wondrous realms of empowerment and inspiration. Nevertheless, like swimming, our challenges to learn and grow are ever present and cannot be ignored without serious consequences.

While there’s a mistaken idea that once awakened, always awakened, and everything is clear sailing from then on, the truth is that awakening is a continual process, one which we’re only just embarking upon.

Choosing a relevant path-1

Crossroads and Off Ramps

It’s interesting watching the alternative research community evolve. Many are talking about the increased infighting and the apparent new belief system adherence that’s distracting so many. These things are bound to arise I suppose, especially with those that want to see the community implode, but it’s also endemic to the very nature of truth pursuit.

The closer one gets to the summit of any climb, the more intense the external conditions. Even the air is thinner up high, and the temptation to find an off-ramp to a road side place of comfort is strong.

However not all are simple side tracks. Some are cleverly devised and very appealing distractions. Some appear as very plausible alternatives that we think might be worth exploring, even just out of curiosity, but sometimes become a lifelong diversion. Look at any belief or religion, including materialism and scientism. The soul is aspiring to find answers and solutions and here are ready-made closed systems with seemingly all the answers.

“Ah, peace at last. Now we can lay down and camp out with no more serious worries or climbing to do, especially in that increasingly harsh weather further up the mountain. Besides, here are all these other people who feel the same as I do.

“What a comfort – this must be right. After all, we’re endorsed and accepted by the system. Peace at last.”

To Go On, or Not Go On

Most of life’s serious choices aren’t easy. That’s why so many avoid the conditions that may bring them on. However, life has a habit of getting in the way of our gravitating towards safety and security. Things go “wrong”, or so it seems. Our plans get thwarted for one reason or another, or our stability is rocked by some event or life change.

While we’re programmed to think of these as bad turns of events, they invariably lead to greater opportunities to develop what really matters in life regarding our true purpose here and our soul’s progress. However, most fight these changes or spend countless years in unnecessary anger, denial, remorse and bitterness, never getting the point life was trying to hand them.

It’s not easy in a world engineered to halter human spiritual development. But this too brings out the fighter within us and checks our determination to really progress, not just for ourselves but for the good of those around us.

It’s a sifting process. We can go on and keep learning and growing and letting go of the old, or hang on to what we find comfortable and convenient. This usually takes the form of a nice, easily justified place of compromise, with just enough truth wound in our new found chosen life fabric to keep our conscience at bay.

Or so we think. Again, life has a way of reaching into every corner of existence and testing us regardless.

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Take the Challenge

Wherever we find ourselves, and in this rapidly shifting world that will be a lot of “places” and circumstances, whether brought on by our own actions or resulting from external factors, that will continue to evolve. As I’ve often said, not only is this a continually shifting landscape we’re living in, our very perspective is continually shifting as well.

All of this is ours to interpret and integrate into our lives. If we so choose. We can take the bunker mentality and try to close it all off but in the long run that won’t work, just as the death of our physical bodies is inevitable.

The challenge we’re each presented with is a beautiful one. It’s fear that freezes people into a defensive stance rather than taking life on as the challenge that it is. And as we know, that is why fear is incessantly pumped into the body politic in any and every form possible, to paralyze humanity and keep it from waking up to its true nature.

Follow the Questions

A simple remedy to stagnation is asking questions – continually. Don’t take anything at face value. Why are you feeling the way you are? What caused you to make that last decision or set some goal? Why do you value this over that, or have the attitude you do that makes you take the course of action you’ve chosen in your life, immediately or overall?

Then there’s the external world. Why is all this happening? Who or what is causing it? What information is reliable and how do I find it and discern right from wrong? And most of all, what’s my real place in all of this? Why am I here and who or what am I? What is my true purpose for being here?

It’s in the question – and our determination to pursue meaningful answers.

With courage. Then act on it. Make the sacrifices needed to do the right thing. Screw the consequences to your former paradigm.

As more do so, we’ll continue to see a major shift here and now, not just later. Don’t judge by all the zombies running around – look for the awakening. It’s alive and growing. We may not see the ultimate fulfillment of our heart’s desires for humanity and our planet in this lifetime, but this is all part of the process. Ours is simply to fulfill our rightful role.

Yes, it’s few compared to the many, but how much light does it take to light the darkness? Because the task seems so great at times, is that reason to not keep advancing? To hell with the naysayers and downers who can’t see this. They’re clearly not looking in the right places, never mind being in the right frame of mind.

Light your torch and that of as many others as you can. I’ll be there with you.

Bonfire or bust! Let that be our motto – but it happens one lit candle at a time, starting with ours. The numbers don’t really matter. It’s the intention and commitment – all else follows.

from:    http://www.zengardner.com/crossroads-off-ramps-transition/

The Universe & Vibration

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Sacred Geometry and the Unified Field of Consciousness

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Unified Field of Consciousness

Einstein believed that there was an equation for a Unified Field that could explain the reason for everything in existence.  With this knowledge, time, space and even humanity’s origin could be deeply understood.

5a69ef_91538f3019dd446ba7418401cfa401bcToday, in the world of quantum physics, there are so many mysteries that our current understanding of reality seems unequipped to grasp phenomena such as the double slit experiment, the observer effect, phantom DNA and quantum entanglement.  At the same time, there are many scholars beginning to think outside the box.

Quantum Physicist Ph.D. John Hagelin explains the foundation of the Universe is a single Universal field of intelligence.  Particles of nature are understood to be One, a Universal ocean of pure, vibrant consciousness in motion. We are just different ripples on a single ocean of existence at the basis of everything.

“Just as the waves are continuous with the ocean. Your body is continuous with the total energy system of the cosmos, and it’s all you.” — Alan Watts

New evidence is beginning to show us that everything is Energy and the result of an indiscernible sound wave or frequency. Vibrational frequency creates the energy that becomes solid matter. Galaxies, planets, plants, animals and humans are all just waves of vibration of this Unified Field. In essence, we are literally united and One at the core!

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Connected Universe

“The Universe is connected and alive and we are a part of the metric of space.” — Nassim Haramein

Nassim Haramein, the Director of Research at the Resonance Foundation, was deeply inspired by Einstein and continued to pursue Einstein’s idea that geometry held the key to creating a unified equation for the Universe. He proposes that space is not empty, but rather full of untapped energy.  This action, reaction, and connection between the energy present in space is creating a dynamic flow in the Universe.  Simply put, it could be thought of as “the Universe is dancing with energy”.

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In the Resonance Foundations various media productions, Nassim explains the idea of a Holofractographic Universe. His findings explore the fractal (infinitely repeating pattern), holographic (illusion) and geometric nature of space from the macrocosm to the microcosm, and thus how the potential of the Whole is within each piece of the Universe on every scale.

“Geometry will draw the soul toward truth and create the spirit of philosophy.” — Plato

Sacred Geometry

“Learn how to see. Realize that everything is connected to everything else.” — Leonardo da Vinci

Everything in the universe is geometrically connected.  Sacred Geometry is the source code of the Unified Field. It’s the language of nature, a fundamental blueprint of the universal creation process.

It’s not a coincidence that human hands & tree branches have the same fractal growth patterns or that our hearts & the Earth have the same toroidal-shaped electromagnetic field.  Even our embryos contain the fundamental geometries of star clusters and galaxies.

Patterns are always present when our eyes are open. Every single system in nature uses fundamental mathematical languages as a template for growth. We can find all kinds of mathematical formulas and sequences in nature, such as the Golden spiral/ratio or Fibonacci sequence/numbers in pineapples, sunflowers, tornado formations and even galaxy arms.

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When we start to see universal patterns everywhere we look, a realization of interconnection occurs deep within us. We start to see that all is intimately unified. When this occurs, we begin to simply choose Love in every aspect of our lives.

“True love is born from understanding.” — Buddha

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Ascension & Healing HeArt

5a69ef_0da913c19fae4e0ea167bc500f41086eAs our understanding of Sacred Geometry develops, we begin to see deeper connections between Science & Spirituality.  As a reminder of our interconnected & united nature with all life, interacting with Sacred Geometry on a daily basis invites harmony & balance into our experience. This idea inspired and changed my life profoundly and I found myself at the center of my passions by exploring Sacred Geometry as a communication tool with consciousness in everyday life.  I found my purpose by participating in nature’s harmony.

“Beauty is a manifestation of secret natural laws, which otherwise would have been hidden from us forever.”  — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I’ve learned that visualization & attention are key in 5a69ef_6fc9a828e0f64ee6bc88f7e017520a34spiritual growth.  They are fundamental in many energy practices such as Qigong, Tai-chi and Reiki. Creating designs based on Sacred Geometry help us to visualize, touch and play with Universal Energy formations, giving us direct communication with the divine.

This is a meditative art that can help us find resonance with our inner and outer lives. Eventually this intention brought me to develop my dream project, Healing HeArt, where I am able to develop and share this deep and meaningful experience with everyone by creating personal communication tools and crafts for seekers.

For the first time in human history we have technology to create precise patterns without any error or mistake. Thankfully there are laser machines available for everyone to produce any possible design from a collective digital platform to the physical world.

5a69ef_df3c0fc24bc2404aa652401179959a0fThe possibilities are infinite when it comes to creating art pieces, tools, crafts, toys or even small size constructions wherein we can meditate or experience the harmonious presence around us.

As Sacred Geometry reflects the potential of the collective, we can also create amazing innovations together and support various artists with our collaboration.

You are not here reading this by accident, you are here for a greater purpose than you could ever imagine. We are here to restore the balance and uplift humanity into the next stage of evolution; from separated duality consciousness to interconnected unity consciousness, in which all life is in equilibrium and harmony.

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”– Buddha

from:    http://themindunleashed.org/2016/03/sacred-geometry-and-the-unified-field-of-consciousness.html

Beliefs & Reality

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8 Limiting Beliefs That Plague the Spiritual Community

March 27, 2016 

8 Limiting Beliefs That Plague the Spiritual Community

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by Andrea Schulman,
Guest writer, In5D.com

Would you consider yourself a part of the spiritual community?

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you are probably well-aware that I am a proponent of the Law of Attraction. I know that many of my readers are spiritually-minded, kind and insightful people who care about others and who want to make the world a better place.

However, while the spiritual community is often very well-intended, at times it promotes struggle and hardship through limiting beliefs without even knowing it.

I’ve been on social media for years, and I love seeing so many spiritually-themed blog posts, memes and videos. Knowledge of spirituality and metaphysics has grown tremendously over the years.

However, not everything that glitters is gold, and not everything labeled as “spiritual” actually alleviates spiritual suffering or promotes unity, love and spiritual ascension.

Below are 8 common limiting beliefs in the spiritual community that make life harder than it needs to be. With the Law of Attraction, we create more of whatever we focus on, so focusing on the limiting beliefs below actually causes an expansion of these problems and limitations.

We live in a universe based on attraction, and we get what we believe in. When we choose to believe in the ideas below, we bind ourselves to them, and our reality reflects them in greater strength and frequency.

Common Limiting Beliefs in the Spiritual Community Today:

  1. People who have money are corrupt and/or greedy. Money erodes spirituality.
  2. You have to eat organic/gluten free/vegan in order to have a high vibration.
  3. The government is corrupt.
  4. Drugs/alcohol lower your vibration/prevent you from being “spiritual.”
  5. You must bring awareness to social problems like hunger, violence, or illness in order to find the solutions to them.
  6. Humans are destroying the planet.
  7. You need to get rid of the negative/toxic people in your life if you want to be happy.
  8. The “elites” are conspiring against the rest of us.

I know the premise of this article may be unpopular with some, and I understand why. After all, there is factual basis for these limiting beliefs. These issues and limitations do exist in our universe, and I certainly do not dispute the fact that there is evidence to support these claims.

Because these issues exist, they have been commonly debated and discussed and have ramped up a lot of momentum in the spiritual community. At the heart of these discussions are always passionate people who want to leave behind a better world for our children.

However, just because these problems and limitations exist and we want to get rid of them, our attention to them does nothing to make life easier on any of us. In fact, our attention to these issues literally makes the problems worse and the limitations more binding.

To prove my point, here are a few questions to consider:

  1. Has our attention to the problems in the government made the government less corrupt? If whistleblowing and exposing corrupt politicians was effective, wouldn’t our government be free of corruption by now?
  2. Has raging against the elite class evened the playing field at all? Have you noticed that the separation between the upper and middle class has actually widened dramatically as we’ve paid more attention to the disparity between the social classes?
  3. Have you ever noticed that what is considered “unhealthy” changes as time goes on and we can’t seem to truly pinpoint what is healthy vs. what is unhealthy? For example, in the 80s sugar was the devil, and aspartame was touted as the healthy solution. Today, though, it’s the other way around! No matter how much we figure out what is unhealthy, new nutritional “problems” keep cropping up.

In any event, you will see quickly that focusing on problems and limitations does not create lasting and effective solutions. Instead, when we focus on problems, they expand and become more commonly known and experienced.

So while many people feel they must focus on limitations and problems out of duty or responsibility, this is actually a misconception. Spreading awareness only enhances and expands limitations and problems.

Why does spreading awareness expand problems and limitations?

Well, the truth is, we live in a universe with infinite realities. There are infinite versions of this world and our life in it, some “good” and some “bad.” There is a version of the world plagued by poverty, corruption and greed, another one radiating love and light, and a version for every possible combination between the two.

We get to choose what version of the world we experience through our focus. We can choose to focus ourselves into realities where problems and limitations like these exist, or we can choose to focus ourselves into realities where these issues are relatively unheard of.

This is how the Law of Attraction works. Out of a sea of infinite outcomes, each of us gets to align with whatever outcome we are focused on through our attention and our belief.

This is why some people get cancer from smoking at a young age, and others smoke into their 80s or 90s without incident. It’s why some people can eat whatever they want and stay trim while others gain weight without eating much at all.

The truth is, there are no “rules” that apply to everyone and every situation. We get to decide which rules apply to us individually through our focus and belief.

When we insist on limitations and problems by discussing and debating them, we keep ourselves firmly rooted in a reality where we believe in them and therefore they must exist.

However, though these problems do exist in our current reality, we do not have to continue to live in a world with these issues. We always have the option to change our focus and redirect to a more wanted version of reality.

How do we redirect ourselves to a “better” version of reality?

Well, the first thing to realize is that it simply isn’t possible for us to eradicate problems and it isn’t possible for us to standardize the “right” way to live life. We live in a universe of inclusion, not exclusion.

Everything is possible and must exist in an infinite universe. The good and the bad, the popular and the unpopular, the likely and the unlikely all must exist somewhere.

It isn’t your job, or my job, or anyone else’s job to eliminate all of the problems. Additionally, it isn’t anyone’s job to define the “right” way to live or be spiritual, because these are individual choices that each of us has the ability to create in our own lives.

In other words, it’s possible to be healthy and eat junk food. It’s possible to get cancer from junk food. It’s possible to be on drugs and be very spiritual, and it’s possible to be on drugs and be extremely disconnected.

It’s possible to keep the negative people in your life and be happy, and it’s possible to be surrounded by toxic people who drag you down. It’s even possible for toxic people to change! It can go whichever way we focus it into being.

To align with the world we prefer, we just have to let go of the world we don’t prefer. We let go of the world we don’t prefer by letting go of the debates, the arguments and the discussion of all of the problems that plague humanity in the realm of the universe we would like to leave.

We don’t let go because we don’t care, or because we want to be ignorant and certainly not because it’s easier to turn a blind eye. Rather, we let go because we care and because we are enlightened to the fact that our focus aligns us to the world we live in and experience.

We let go because we want to live in a world where generosity, prosperity, health and kindness abound for everyone. We let go because we know we cannot help anyone by focusing on their problems.

Universal truths

At the end of the day, there will always be a way to negatively focus, and therefore there will always be problems when we go looking for them. There are versions of this world much worse than the one we live in, and we can focus ourselves down much further if we choose to.

However, the same is true for the opposite end: there will always be a way to positively focus, and there are versions of the world much better than this one we live in. We can reach new heights through focusing our attention into these realms.

It can always get worse, but it can also always get better.

Ascend to the next level. Release yourself from the responsibility to change things you cannot change about this corner of the universe, and instead focus yourself into into the corner you’d prefer to exist in. Allow yourself to experience what’s possible, rather than what already is.

from:    http://in5d.com/8-limiting-beliefs-that-plague-the-spiritual-community/

Happy/Sad and Sad/Happy

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5 Reasons Why You Don’t Have to Stop Being Sad to Be Happy

03/10/2016 09:45 pm ET

One of the most liberating decisions I have made in my life was that being sad would not restrict me from being happy. Don’t get me wrong: I do not have a natural inclination to sadness. I actually believe that I was born with a positive mindset that has since been nurtured into a moderately hyperactive, grateful, curious and complacent adult personality. My semi-inherent and semi-acquired Pollyannaism however, is not expressed through sporadic pleasure seeks but is actually the product of a step by step project I undertook a couple of years ago.

I was brought up between two national mentalities: that of the United States and that of Europe, being born in Greece. In both continents — and countries, I found a consistent approach to the concept of Happiness. Happiness, people would tell me, is the negation of unhappiness. Happiness is the lack of sadness. It is a negative sadness. And sadness is a negative happiness. Two states of mind and soul, inextricably bound one to another.

However precise and easy to grasp, these definitions were rather grounding to my teenage and evolving aura. Even more so, they constructed a concept doomed to be inapplicable in my life of spontaneous giggles and zeal for adventure. It is not that I did not go through times of sadness. It is just that my happiness-famine could not be sated or tempered for a specific period of time — until sadness faded away.

Growing up, I felt obliged to make a decision between these two states: I would either be sad and be entirely sad or I would be happy and be entirely happy. There was no percentage distribution acceptable when facing a bipolar choice: It was either Happiness or Sadness, never both.

Unable to make a choice and feeling facetious when condemning myself for finding sources of joy in times of unfortunate events, I decided to take a step back from unofficial orders of social conduct and to draw a distinctive line between Happiness and Sadness. I decided to word two new definitions of these feelings but this time without using one to describe the other.

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From that moment on, I put together a 5 rule index to live by, in pursuit of Happiness in a world of ample triggers of Sadness. Working on the concepts of Failure and Success and through my online trainings for people to turn setbacks into potential through my Today I Failed At Facebook page, the positive effects of Happiness in one’s journey to self-fulfillment have been proven undeniable. This is why I decided to share them here:

1) Happiness and Sadness are two separate senses that can in fact co-exist. You can be sad about an F on a math test but you have to encourage yourself to be happy about your date to the prom

2) Happiness is not the negation of Sadness and Sadness is not the negation of Happiness. Human feelings, as is human nature, are much more complex than an either/or simplification. Don’t look for clean cut answers

3) You are under no obligation to be consistent when it comes to how you feel. Celebrate your mood swings and never explain yourself for trying to brush off negative vibes

4) Moments of Happiness in life are few and fleeting. Seize them unapologetically and claim a taste of eudaimonia

5) People wont be drawn to you more if you appear to be sad. Yes, some do empathize with you and want to alleviate your sadness when you are in pain but is this really the way that you wish to attract others? Don’t always present yourself pitiful out of fear of losing help and support. Find the turning points and be positive when you get a chance. Inspire your friends and keep them through a contagious state of optimism. Be a fountain, not a drain. People stay with them who are positive

from:    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daphne-c-spyropoulos/5-reasons-why-you-dont-ha_1_b_9427728.html?utm_hp_ref=gps-for-the-soul&ir=GPS+for+the+Soul