Happy New Year

Good wishes to you

for a happy, healthy, and prosperous

New Year.

 

Happy 2015!

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)



Happy Holidays

Wishing you

a

Peaceful, Joyous and

Very Happy Holiday Season.

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)



For Fellow Procrastinators

     I know, I know, you had every good intention to get all your holiday shopping done before Labor Day, and here it is the last few days before the great holiday gift-exchange.  Yikes! 

     Relax, friend.  Here's what you do: simply order a copy of The Gemini Bond for those still in need of a gift.  They will thank you for the adventure they will experience -- traveling to distant places, learning new things, enjoying a thrilling storyline, even having a laugh or two.  Yes, The Gemini Bond is the solution to your gift-giving needs.  Follow the links in the right-hand column and order away. 

     You can thank me later.

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

Online Shopping for the Holidays

     I don't know about you, but I loathe shopping malls right before the holidays.  The canned music with "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" played far too many times, the stressed and overworked salesclerks, the rude shoppers, the endless hunt for a parking place, the hustle and bustle of it all -- I have a better solution.

     Online shopping!  It's great -- I can sit at my computer while sipping hot cocoa in my pajamas and do my holiday shopping from the comfort and warmth of my own home.  Even better -- I can order books (such as The Gemini Bond) for friends and even sneak in a gift for myself.  So, relax, grab some cocoa, and order away.  Isn't this better?

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

Holiday Shopping?

     Feeling frazzled?  Too much to do with too little time to do it in?  Here's one way to check off some items from your to-do list for the holidays:  buy your best friend (and casual acquaintances) a copy of The Gemini Bond!  They will appreciate your thoughtfulness for this unique gift.  While you're there, why not pick up a copy for yourself?  After the holidays, you'll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy a good read.

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

 

Happy Thanksgiving

 

For all fellow explorers

into Twin Souls and soul evolution,

I salute you.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

More Wisdom from Marcus

     Marcus Aurelius' Meditations has a wealth of short, pithy thoughts.  Sadly, my edition is quite old and I don't have one to recommend to you.  Still, these are some gems worth contemplating:

It is your duty to leave another man's wrongful act where it is.

All things are changing: and you yourself are in continuous mutation and, in a manner, in continuous destruction, and the universe too. 

If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it.

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.

No longer talk about the kind of man a good man ought to be, but be one.

Whatever may happen to you, it was prepared for you from all eternity; and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of your being, and of that which is incident to it.

     Whew!  That's food for thought, isn't it?

 

 

 

 

A Quote and a Prayer

     Sometimes it's nice to revisit old friends.  I've been rereading Marcus Aurelius' Meditations and was struck by this quote:

The universe is transformation; life is a succession of views.

     Here's my prayer:  When, O Universe, will my view include the face of my Twin Soul?

Lousy Title, Great Show

     Don't you ever wish you could dope-slap (in a Zen sort of way, of course) some of the people in TV land?  Here's my new pet peeve:  there's a great show on LMN that has a lousy and misleading title and the worst title music ever.  It's called "The Ghost Inside My Child" and when I first saw it on the TV listings, I fully expected it to be about exorcisms or some such eerie nonsense, and I avoided watching it.  Then, one day I was making dinner and turned it on while I was cutting vegetables and was so engrossed that I ended up slicing my finger badly enough to require me a trip to the local urgent care. 

     I think the dopes trying to market the program wanted to play up the scariness factor, but in fact it's a well-produced show about children who remember their past lives and the families who have to come to terms with that.  The stories are engaging, the family members' anguish and puzzlement real, and on the whole, something worth seeing.

     Just put the knife down before you watch it.  We don't want any more accidents.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween, Guys and Ghouls.

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)



Walk-Ins and Star Seeds

     In the previous posts, I have been discussing "walk-ins," which are souls which come into a body, either temporarily or permanently, for the purpose of soul growth, working on a project for the benefit of humanity, or to learn some specific life lesson. 

     Similar to "walk-ins" are "star seeds."  These are souls which originate on another planet or dimension which choose to come to Earth for a specific purpose, much like those reasons listed above.  What are the symptoms of a star seed?  They include:

• Feeling like you cannot blend in, no matter how hard you try
• Being labeled "unique" or "eccentric"
• Being extremely sensitive, especially to sounds, odors, feelings
• Being empathic, able to feel others' feelings and sometimes read their thoughts
• Being able to "shapeshift" one's energy in order to be more understanding and empathetic
• Being energetically drained by other people
• Being unable to relate to the everyday thoughts and chitchat of other people
• Preferring people of higher vibrations -- people who are more spiritually oriented
• Preferring to be alone, especially when drained
• As children, love being in nature or with animals
• As children, being highly imaginative, such as having an imaginary friend or creating fantasy worlds
• Having an interest, even when young, with UFOs, other worlds, other possibilities
• Being interested in reading voraciously, in the arts, and in the healing modalities
• Feeling like one has been "called" for a purpose in this life

     Yep, yep, and yep.  Well, if you also believe that you are a star seed, what do you do?  First, affirm and accept who you are.  Second, find your purpose and believe that the Universe will guide you along the way.  Third, find others who accept who you are and affirm your goals.  Carry on.

Spirit Possession or Something Else? Part 3

     How do you know if you are a "walk-in," that is, a spirit that has taken over the inhabitation of your current body?  According to WWS (Woo-Woo Specialists), the signs include:

• Having experienced an extended period of unconsciousness while being ill
• Having an organ transplant
• Having experienced some memory loss or episodes of lost time
• Failing to remember one's childhood
• Having experienced a dramatic change in one's belief systems and/or religion
• Having experienced a dramatic shift in one's interest or ways to spend time
• Having experienced an inexplicable acquisition of new talents or abilities
• Having new approaches to solving unsolvable problems; new ways of thinking
• Having others say that you are not yourself, that you are different
• Having suddenly left jobs or long-term relationships
• Having experienced a rapid series of challenging life problems
• Having experienced the inability to relate to family members who were previously close
• Have the feeling of not recognizing the person looking at you in the mirror

     Do any of these describe you?  If so, do not panic.  This just means that before you incarnated, you made an agreement with the spirit of the current body to change places either temporarily or permanently.  The key is to remember why.  Did you come here to learn something?  To further your evolution?  To work on a project which will help humanity?  Focusing on those important questions will get you further along your path.

Spirit Possession or Something Else? Part 2

     Last week I wrote about the supposed "possession" of Lurancy Vellum by the spirit of Mary Roff.  The question is:  Did Lurancy fake the whole thing or was she schizophrenic or was she really possessed? 

     The experts who examined her at the time believed that she was not faking it.  She knew too many things that only Mary would know, and Mary had died when Lurancy was only six months old.  So, let's strike the idea that she faked it.

     Second, was she schizophrenic or epileptic?  She did have epileptic-like fits at times, but this would not explain how she "became" Mary Roff.  We'll strike this idea as well.

     Last, was she "possessed" by Mary's spirit?  Some WWSs (Woo-Woo Specialists) would say that she had Mary's spirit as a "walk-in."  What's a "walk-in," you ask?  WWSs define it as a spirit of another entity that takes over the physical body of a living being, either temporarily or permanently.  According to many WWSs, more of us are walk-ins than we realize.  This is not some scary invasion by an overpowering spirit, according to WWSs. Rather, it is a priorly agreed-upon exchange of habitation in a specific body for specific reasons.  These reasons include the desire to evolve spiritually, to engage in some project for the benefit of humanity, or to learn a specific life lesson.

     How do you know if you are a walk-in?  More on that next week.

Spirit Possession or Something Else?

     A while ago I enjoyed an installment of "Mysteries at the Museum" which featured the story of Lurancy Vennum, a girl who was called "possessed."  If you are interested in watching it, you may go here.  I must say I always enjoy that show, mainly because of the hot, I mean, well-spoken and informative host.  But I digress.

     Lurancy Vennum was born in 1864 in Illinois.  The family eventually settled in Watseka. When she was thirteen years old, Lurancy heard voices calling for her and felt very strange.  She eventually began exhibiting paralytic fits, spoke as if other spirits were speaking through her, and, after a time, seemed to be "possessed" by the spirit of Mary Roff.  Interestingly, this whole change in Lurancy began on the 12th anniversary of Mary's death.  Years before, Mary had also experienced epileptic-like fits and had eventually committed suicide and died in an asylum when Lurancy was six months old.  Lurancy and Mary had never met.

     Once completely "possessed" by Mary's spirit, Lurancy begged to be taken home, that is, to live with the Roffs.  She recognized people and items that Mary knew and even played the piano as Mary had.  As "Mary," Lurancy failed to recognize her own parents anymore, except as friendly visitors to the Roff home.  She stayed with the Roff family as "Mary" for about four and a half months.  After that, she tearfully said goodbye to the Roffs and returned home as Lurancy.

     So was Lurancy possessed by Mary's spirit?  Was she schizophrenic?  Was she faking the whole thing?  More on this next week.

    

A Wonderful Book on Zen, Part 2

     In his book Zen Master Class, Stephen Hodge has compiled a wonderful overview of the great leaders in the Zen Buddhist tradition.  He gives a brief biography of each leader, then details some contributions that they made to the tradition.  It's fascinating to see how each leader/teacher used various methods to cut through the mind chatter of their students.  Some used violence (we must remember that they lived in a very violent age, so a slap here and there isn't that bad), humor, shouts, surprise, and so on.  Hodge also gives pointers, based on the leader being covered, on how to deepen one's meditative practice.  If you want to explore Zen more, pick up this book.

A Wonderful Book on Zen, Part 1

     I found a wonderful book on Zen Buddhism entitled Zen Master Class.  It is a historical overview of the concepts and developments in this rich spiritual tradition.  I was intrigued by the author's definition of karma.  We usually think of karma as something that someone brings on themselves because of bad actions (the old adage goes:  "What goes around, comes around").  But he lifts the bar much, much higher:

Because our actions are charged with emotional energy, the Buddha taught that the effects of our actions go beyond the immediate results of which we are aware.  In fact, every thought, word, and deed imprints some of its energy on our mindstream.  Positive actions leave positive imprints; negative actions leave negative imprints.  The energy of these imprints will be released at some time in the future when circumstances trigger experiences that reflect the energy pattern of the original motivation.

Oh, my.  We have karma from our thoughts.  Ouch.

Do the Eyes Have It?

     I have been reading an overview of Zen Buddhism (more on that at a later date) and decided to give another try meditating with my eyes open.  I hadn't been successful in the past and always preferred to meditate with my eyes closed.

     The advice in this book was to sit with my eyes only partly open, gazing downward at a spot about 3-4 feet in front of me.  I tried that and found that my eyes kept jerking to the right, as if they were suddenly speed reading.  Has that ever happened to you?

     Then I learned to soften my focus a bit and that helped.  However, my eyes would then get heavier and heavier and want to close.  Blinking every breath or two helped that.

     After I softened my focus, I found that I could still have an awareness of the outer world while maintaining my primary focus inward.  Ta-da!  That is probably the whole point -- to learn how to keep an inner focus while in the world.  Now, all I need to do is practice, practice, practice.

     Maybe then my eyes will finally have it.

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

An Open Letter to Extra Terrestrials

Dear E.T.:

     If some of the things on the internet and certain cable shows are correct, you are responsible for giving humankind technology, especially in the last seventy or so years.  Please stop.

     We humans, I am noticing, are not ready for all this technology.  I don't know how many times I have seen fellow humans almost kill themselves because they are so focused on their hand-held technological devices that they totally lose awareness of their surroundings.  I was in an elevator with a male human a couple of weeks ago who was so engrossed in his "smart" phone (I'm sorry, but how did something that makes the user stupid get called "smart"?) that he was totally unaware of what floor he was on.  We could have stopped at the gates of Hades and he would have happily disembarked right into a fiery crater. 

     And how many humans have either fallen into manholes, run into walls or other humans, blocked aisles in stores (my personal pet peeve), lost track of their children, or caused automobile accidents while engaging with their tech device?  Clearly we are not yet evolved as a species to handle this responsibility.

     Perhaps it is part of your secret agenda to kill us all off.  If so, you are doing it rather piecemeal, if you want my opinion.  Unless, of course, your plan is to have this whole technological addiction to culminate into the mass extinction of our species through tech-driven war, biological weapons, and extreme climate change.  If that is your plan, you won't have much of a planet left to take over. 

     Whatever your objective is, you may wish to reconsider and allow our species to grow up a bit.  Or a lot, in many cases.  I'm sure we will have much more in common with you if we are able to evolve before we have further contact.  By then, you may find that we are finally able to do two things -- well -- at once.  You may even find us interesting.

     Until then, kindly please desist.

Regards,
Celina

The End of Summer is Near!

     That's right! What are you going to do if you take one of your last trips of the season, when you have your perfect view all staked out, you have your sunblock slathered on, you have your favorite beverage within arm's reach, and you have nothing to read?  Prevent that disastrous possibility now by ordering your copy of The Gemini Bond.  Hurry!  The end of summer is near!

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

A Roller-Coaster for the Logical Brain, Part 3

     In the last post, I alluded to the idea that the triangle may have some meaning to those of us who research Twin Souls.  Imagine a triangle, with the point on top and the two other angles sitting at the bottom:

(illustration courtesy of pixabay.com)

 

 

     Now, imagine that the goal of all of us, as described by the poets and mystics, is to attain oneness with the One (the point at the top of the triangle).  One of the teachings concerning Twin Souls is that one of our final acts before attaining that Oneness is to balance the male and female sides of our personality. That's an inside job, achieving perfect equality of the two angles at the base of the triangle.  Another teaching says that we must unite with our Twin Soul in order to achieve Unity. That is both external and internal. The figure of the triangle all points to this, see? 

 

     And if that completely blows your logical mind, that's OK, too.

A Roller-Coaster for the Logical Brain, Part 2

     Recently, I was watching one of my favorite TV programs for taking my mind on those death-defying leaps of logic.  It has to do with aliens and their supposed influence on humanity.  Anyway, this particular episode intrigued me because it had to do with the lowly triangle.

(illustration courtesy of pixabay.com)

 

      This program was alleging that the triangle shape is actually an alien code for something or the other.  My brain was on roller-coaster overload by the end of the episode.

 

     But it did cause my brain to go on a roller-coaster ride of its own.  Here are some of the associations that it came up with.



 

     In the Tao Te Ching (chapter 42 in case you want to look it up), it says that the Tao (the ultimate formlessness) begets the One, the One begets the Two, the Two beget the Three, and the Three beget the myriad of things.  Here's my understanding of this:  the Ultimate creates the concept of Unity, then Unity is divided into duality (good and bad, up and down, hot and cold, desirable and undesirable, and so on), then duality creates many degrees of desirability or undesirability, and that multiplies infinitely. 

 

     But what if, in order to get back to the One, we were to be able to unify duality by becoming completely accepting of whatever exists?  Look at the triangle.  Imagine that the upper part is the One, and the lower two corners are duality.  Once you hold duality as equal, the upper One unifies them into the whole.  The Tao is all about acceptance of what is, of living in the Now.  In doing so, the Tao teaches that we can achieve oneness with the ultimate reality.

 

     And what does this have to do with Twin Souls?  More on that next time.

A Roller-Coaster for the Logical Brain

     In spite of the slightly woo-woo tilt of the content on this site, at my most basic, I have a logical brain.  Really!  Sometimes I like to take my logical brain on a fun roller-coaster ride and watch some of the more death-defying jumps of logic on certain TV programs.

     There is a popular program about aliens and their supposed influence on mankind's development.  I need to say here, of course, that I am not saying that I don't believe in aliens.  But to my logical mind, the jumps they take on this program don't help to prove their case much.  Here's an example:

Program Narrator:  Let us examine the case of the Empire State Building.  While many believe that humans built this using their current technology, there are some Alien Researchers who disagree.  [Cue whoosh-y sounds and ominous music] 

My Logical Brain:  Whew.  Here we go.

PN:  According to some Alien Researchers, the Empire State Building could not have been constructed without some extraterrestrial assistance.

[Cue a frequent guest on this program, with post-electrocution hair and too much pancake makeup]:
Frequent Guest:  Are we saying that the Empire State Building could NOT have been built by humans?  NO! 

My Logical Brain:  Here it comes.  Wait for it . . . . wait for it . . . .

FG:  But are we saying that it is a POSSIBILITY that aliens could have assisted in constructing the Empire State Building?  [opening eyes very wide]  ABSOLUTELY!!!

My Logical Brain:  And the snap, and the hail Mary pass is delivered!  Whoo-hoo! 

     My point is that sometimes you need to keep the old Logical Brain engaged even when watching or reading about different theories.  Even here.  Enjoy the ride.

An Interesting Book, Part 3

     I've been reviewing the book entitled The Council of Light: Divine Transmissions for Manifesting the Deepest Desires of the Soul.  Today I'd like to focus on the concept of manifesting, as presented in this book.

     No doubt you have heard about manifesting in one version or other, either through Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking or Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich or Rhonda Byrne's The Secret.  Basically, it involves using one's mind to hold one's goals in a high vibration so that the goals eventually become reality (a version of Hermeticism's "as the inner, so the outer").  To my mind, this brings a whole host of problems with it, namely, what about karma?  And, are we humans to be more powerful in creating our life than what was planned by our Higher Self/Creator?  It can also turn back on itself, as when something bad happens.  It's very easy for this viewpoint to create a judgmental attitude and point to the suffering person and say, "You're not thinking in the right way.  You've created your miserable reality" or something to that effect.  It's something I really can't stomach.

     This book sidesteps that issue.  Yes, it says, do hold your desired reality in mind.  But don't forget to find the joy that you can in your present reality.  Find joy in your Now, it says.  And in finding that joy, perhaps the outer goals aren't that important after all.  I like this solution.  In focusing on our present joy, we dissolve whatever resistance to our present reality that we hold.  So often, future goals are based in resistance to our current situations.  We don't like the job we have now, we want a different one.  We don't like our current spouse, we keep looking for another "perfect" mate.  This book stresses that we need to find our joy NOW, for that is all that we have.  And in finding our joy, we evolve to a higher vibration. 

      At least, that's my take on this book.  If you are so guided, go ahead and read it and make your own judgments.  Enjoy.

An Interesting Book, Part 2

     As I mentioned in last week's post, The Council of Light: Divine Transmissions for Manifesting the Deepest Desires of the Soul by Danielle Rama Hoffman is a very interesting book that is almost entirely channeled.  It consists of transcriptions from the Council of Light, a group of highly evolved spirit beings who wish to help people evolve themselves.

     The first section is comprised of different "downloads" of specialized frequencies meant to help the individual raise their vibration.  Whew.  It took me a long time to get through this part because I would read a short section, then spend some time in going through a guided meditation to receive whatever frequency that was described.  Every chapter in this first section dealt with a specific frequency, with several short descriptive sections interspersed with guided meditations.  For example, in the chapter about the Peace Ray (they call each individual vibration download a "ray" of light), I had to focus on the light existing in my spinal column and then raise its vibration through focus and thinking of specific qualities and colors.  In all, there were ten rays to be downloaded. 

    The second section involved more explanations, rethinking our relationship to money or success or happiness, along with guided meditations to reinforce these ideas.  This was not a quick read.  But was it an important or helpful one?  I think so.  More on that next week.

An Interesting Book

     I just finished reading an interesting book entitled The Council of Light by Danielle Rama Hoffman.  The subtitle is Divine Transmissions for Manifesting the Deepest Desires of the Soul, something which I need to explain a bit.

     First, the author makes it very clear that this book is entirely channeled.  What does that mean?  Well, it means that the author has opened herself up to receiving information from higher realms and has transcribed the information into words on a page.  In fact, Hoffman's bio describes her as an "ancient wisdom keeper, divine transmitter, and a leader in the shift into unity consciousness." 

     Here is my attitude toward channeling:  The information is only as clean and pure as the one through whom it travels.  Think of a funnel.  If you pour water through a funnel, the water will not be pure if the funnel is dirty, right?  So, I think a little discernment about people who channel is always in order.  That said, my sense is that this information is fairly pure.  Still, trusting your own intuition about such things is always a good idea.

     And in case you might get the impression that I am skeptical of all people who channel, well, you should know that I sometimes channel, too.  Woo-woo!

Summer is Half Over!

     Have you ordered your copy of The Gemini Bond yet?  This is great for a summer read.  Take it to the beach, take it to the mountains, take it on your honeymoon, take it on your fishing trip, take it to the park.  Now's the time!

             (photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

Happy Independence Day!

     We all have things that we would like to be free of -- bad habits, debts, irritating thought patterns, negative attitudes.  Take this day to declare your independence of that one thing, make a plan on how to conquer it, and celebrate your evolving self.  Happy Independence Day!

 (photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

A Brave Book From a Brave Woman

     I recently read a wonderful book by the late Dorothy Gilman called A New Kind of Country.  She tells about how, after a divorce and having both her sons in college, she decided to pack up her things, buy an old farmstead on the coast of  Nova Scotia, and live there alone.  Mind you, she did this in the early '70s, when such things were a rarity.  Still, I admire her courage not only to be alone in a world of couples, but to live her life in an honest, self-reflective way.  Here is a sample:

I learned this, too:  that we are each, inside of us, a country with our own mountains and plateaus and chasms and storms and seas of tranquility but like a Third World country we remain largely unexplored, and sometimes even impoverished, for want of a little investment.

     Beautiful, no?  It makes me want to pack my bags, too.

Happy Summer Solstice!

     Yes, today is the summer solstice, the time when the daylight lasts the longest and the darkness lasts the shortest of the year.  The ancient Celts celebrated the summer solstice by lighting bonfires, symbolizing the conquest of the day over the night.  The ancient Saxons in the northern European countries also marked the solstice by making huge bonfires to celebrate the long stretch of daylight, in contrast to the lengthy darkness of the winter solstice.  The Romans celebrated this time in honor of Juno, the wife of Jupiter, and the goddess of women and childbirth.  Her name is found in the month that the summer solstice occurs, and June continues to be a popular time for weddings.

     So, enjoy the sun today.  Light a fire or light a candle, dance in the sunlight, take a walk, or just laze about in the sunshine.  Celebrate!

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

An Interesting Book

     I picked up an interesting book and would like to share a little about it.  It's called The Emerald Tablet of Hermes and The Kybalion, which, if you are interested, can be ordered here.  Perhaps you have heard the saying, "As above, so below," or some variation on that.  Well, that comes from the Emerald Tablet, supposedly written by Hermes Trismegistus, or the "Thrice-Great," who may have existed in ancient Egypt.  The first part of this book compares various sources and translations of the Emerald Tablet, which is interesting in itself.  There are versions from old Arabic and Latin sources, a translation by Isaac Newton (of falling-apple fame), Madame Blavatsky, and Fulcanelli.  Sometimes a slightly different translation creates a whole new meaning, as can be seen in these examples.

     The second half of the book is a reprint of The Kybalion, a book written anonymously over a century ago by three students of Hermeticism, a philosophy built upon Hermes' writings and on the secret doctrines passed orally for generations.  It's not easy reading, but parts of it sounded very familiar to me (a past life, perhaps?).  In any case, it is worth having if you are interested in esoteric philosophy. 

     A word of caution, however:  It is regrettable that the editor of this book did not proofread it a little better.  There are punctuation errors and a few misspellings.  Perhaps a future edition will have these corrected, which would increase this book's value tenfold. 

A Sweet Love Story

     Don't you love to hear love stories?  Here's one that will touch your heart.  It's about a couple who were married 70 years, held hands every morning over breakfast, refused to ever be away from each other, and died a mere fifteen hours apart.  Here's the link.  Have a tissue handy. 

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

Summer Reading!

     Oh, yes, it's the official start of summer this weekend.  Are you ready to plop yourself next to the ocean, smear on the sunscreen, fill your sippy cup with your favorite beverage, and do some fun summer reading?  If not, may I recommend that you order, either in paperback or as an e-book, The Gemini Bond.  It's a real page-turner, and you'll come away with a better understanding of Twin Souls.  It's a must read!

(photo courtesy of Pixabay.com)

Rants from a Cranky Empath, Part 3

     After two weeks of ranting about the state of our un-empathic world, I want to offer hope.

     In the Tao te Ching, there is a saying that the soft overcomes the hard, as the water overcomes the rock.

     Think about it.  We may not be many, fellow empaths, but we have the power of softness.  We can offer kindness to a crying child, we may act kindly when in traffic, we may stand without judgment and listen to views that differ from our own, and we may demonstrate what compromise means.  We may even actively work to break down the hardness in our society by volunteering in charitable organizations, teaching our future generations, running for local office, or writing books that demonstrate the soft but powerful way.  We may also just sit and envision a better world, hold that vision in a high vibration, and believe that it will come to be.

     We do have that power. 

     So, let us get on with it, fellow empaths, and work for that better tomorrow.  It's the only way.

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

Rants from a Cranky Empath, Part 2

     Have you noticed that we are anything but a empathic species?  Our society runs itself on rules that hardly demonstrate any feeling for our fellow human beings.  Our corporations care more about figures on the bottom line as opposed to the consequences of their actions on others.  Our politicians care more about being re-elected rather than truly making a positive difference.  Our ability to have public discourse is hindered by our desire to vilify and argue.  Where is the compassion?

     I can't help but remember the path that ancient Rome took.  It puttered along pretty well -- that is, if you weren't being conquered or enslaved -- but there was a point where the rich and powerful became richer and more powerful and fewer in number, and they cared less and less about the growing numbers of people in the underclasses.  They put labels on others and cast them to the lions (literally) for entertainment.  What do we call a society that values an afternoon's entertainment more than a life?

     Before we say that "that was then, this is now," I would encourage you to look at today's entertainment.  How much is violence for its own sake?  How much numbs the viewer with the attitude that the hero has the right to do whatever he or she wants (including trampling on others) as long as they get their own way?  Doesn't that affect how we view and label other sub-groups in our society, how we treat each other in traffic, how we discuss (or argue) political views?

     What can we empaths do?  Keep hope.  More to come.



Rants from a Cranky Empath

     I woke up this morning feeling out of sorts, but the main reason is that it seems that rather than evolving, our society seems to be de-volving.  It's getting more angry, more violent, more insensitive.

     What happened to the blissful vision of our species evolving into a compassionate, empathetic race of beings?  What happened to the hopeful promise of 2012?

     Have you noticed, too?  As a society, we don't compromise, we accuse and vilify.  We don't extend a hand or show compassion, we tell the other to "get over it" or "help yourself up."  We don't look to the root cause, we blame.  In short, we are anything but a species of empathetic beings.

     It saddens me.  I know there are many others like me, but what is our effect on society?  Why aren't things getting better?  What can be done?

     Empaths, take heart.  I believe that we are making a difference, even if it is just being a placeholder and sending forth our higher vibrations from our own little corner of the world.  More on that next week.

 

Watch This!

     I have recently got hooked on a new TV show.  It's about reincarnation and how issues from past lives can haunt us in the present.  So many of the participants on the show find their current stumbling blocks a little less troublesome once they have an understanding where they come from.

    What is this show?  It's called "Reincarnated:  Past Lives."  If you're interested, here's the link.

     Fascinating stuff.

Creating Our Reality or Accepting Our Karma, Part 3

     If you have been reading the last couple of posts, I was comparing two viewpoints.  One says that our words and thoughts create our reality, and if we experience unpleasant circumstances, it's our fault.  The other says that whatever happens to us in life is due to karma, and we must accept it the best we can.

     Is there a third way?

     I believe that life is about learning lessons.  Yes, words and thoughts do have profound power, but we must realize that we are CO-creators in life, and not in charge completely.  Sometimes we have lessons that we must learn, and sometimes those lessons come with a bitter taste.

     Should this stop us from trying to make ourselves or our lives better?  Absolutely not.  We should watch our thoughts and words and take time to envision the life we wish to have.  However, if a difficult lesson should come our way, we should do our best to learn the lesson there and get on with life. 

     And if you see someone else suffering under a harsh life lesson, please don't judge.  Your turn may be next.  Have compassion, people.

Creating Our Reality or Accepting Our Karma, Part 2

     Last week I described half of a conversation I overheard between a man and his girlfriend.  She blamed him for causing an engine problem, causing him to have a very long day, because he had told her the previous day that it would be a long day.  Got that?  His statement, according to her, caused his engine issues.  In other words, he created his reality -- this very long day -- with his statement the day before. 

     This is a watered-down version of any of the "Create Your Reality" theories, from Napoleon Hill to Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret.  The problem with this, in my view, is that it sometimes leads us to blame the victim when something bad happens.  'If you have cancer, it is because you held destructive thoughts.'  'If you didn't get the job, it's because you don't believe you are worthy.'  And so on.  It's very easy to see someone else's misfortune and be judgmental, saying that they created their own misery.

     When we just sit back and accept our negative circumstances as karma, however, it's easy just to become complacent and not even try to make our lives better.  'I was born poor and will stay that way my whole life because that's my lot in life.'  'I can't get ahead in life because I have bad luck.'  'Our family never got past a high school education, and that's my fate, too.'  I'm sure you can think of more examples of this view as well.

     So what is the best view to take?  More on that next week. 

Creating Our Reality or Accepting Our Karma

     I was sitting in a waiting room the other day at the tire-replacement shop and the man next to me answered his chirping cell phone.  With the TV blaring across from me, a senior woman raising her voice so that her elderly husband could hear her, and engines revving in the garage, my senses were already in overload.  If it hadn't been so cold out that morning, I would have tried to escape outside.

     But since I was stuck, I overheard his side of the conversation:

Him:  . . . . Yeah, I really wanted this to happen.  I reached in the engine and grabbed the hose myself so it would break.

Her:  Natter natter natter natter.

Him:   . . . . I only said that I knew today was going to be a long day.  That's it.  And now it's going to be even longer.

Her:   Natter natter natter natter.

Him:  OK, then.  Tomorrow I'm going to win the lottery and we're going to build our dream house in the hills somewhere.  OK?

Her:   Natter natter natter natter.

Him.  All right.  I'll talk to you later.  Love you.  Bye.

Her:  Natter.

     I didn't look at the poor guy, but he turned to me anyway (perhaps it was the height of my eyebrows that caught his eye) and said, "My girlfriend is really spiritual.  She thinks that because I said it was going to be a long day today, I caused my engine problem."  He gave me a sideways smile and I nodded.  But that got me to thinking.

     More on that next week.

A Lovely Quote from a Lovely Movie

     Have you seen Shakespeare In Love?  Sometimes it's nice to revisit an old friend now and then.  Here's a delicious quote:

If I could write of the beauty of her eyes, I was born to look in them and know myself. 

 

Pretty swoon-worthy, don't you think?

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com) 

On Auras and How to Read Them, Part 4

     Rose Rosetree's book, Aura Reading Through All Your Senses, gives a variety of ways that you can apply your aura-reading gifts.  Imagine "reading" a book or a CD before you buy it to see if it will affect your aura positively or not.  Or, visualize yourself being able to choose fruit or vegetables based on what you sense in their aura about their freshness.  How about learning to catch someone in a lie, without having to rely on body language, which can often be faked.  I almost wish I could have taken this book as a workshop, because I would like to see all its applications demonstrated, and then have been able to practice it right then and there.  Still, for those who are self-motivated, this book is for you.

 

On Auras and How to Read Them, Part 3

     I've been reporting on Rose Rosetree's book Aura Reading Through All Your Senses.  One of the most important things I think she does in this book is to dispel the notion that reading an aura always must be through "second sight."  Nope.  You can also feel an aura (empathic gifts), hear an aura (that would be something, wouldn't it?), taste an aura, or even smell an aura.  Personally, I feel an aura first and may get a little glimpse of parts of it visually (but that ability varies for me), but tasting, smelling, or hearing?  I haven't developed those gifts yet.

     Another important thing she does is to give you specific techniques, easy to practice at home, to develop those various gifts.  Better yet, she gives you the golden key.  What is the golden key, you ask?  It is the ability to develop your internal dictionary about the meaning of all that you sense.  No more feeling like you have to rely on someone else's dictates on what certain aura colors mean.  I really like that empowerment.  If you're interested, this book may be for you!
 

On Auras and How to Read Them, Part 2

     Rose Rosetree, author of Aura Reading Through All Your Senses dispels a lot of myths about what aura reading is and is not.

     First, it is not something that you necessarily born with.  According to her, almost anyone can learn to read an aura.  She gives several techniques on how to do just that.

     Second, aura reading is not always done with "second sight."  Auras may be read in other ways -- through any of the senses engaged in a extrasensory way (yep, according to Rosetree, you can 'taste' an aura).  For us empaths, we already read auras, either by sensing someone's physical state through our own bodies (like when we "catch" someone else's headache), or by feeling their emotions.

     Third, the colors that one "sees" are not the same ones that every other gifted persons sees, and the colors do not all mean the same thing.  I think one of the most important thing that Rosetree does is to take aura reading and aura readers off their spiritual pedestal and teaches you how to build your own internal dictionary of aura meanings.  Hats off to her for that!

On Auras and How to Read Them

     My curiosity guided me to read a book entitled Aura Reading Through All Your Senses by Rose Rosetree.  Remember her?  She was the author of the book I discussed about how to survive as an empath. (Curious?  click here). 

    First, let's review what an aura is.  Here is the condensed version: 

Auras are the layers of energy which permeate and surround the body.  Each layer, many say, corresponds to a chakra, and can reflect what is occurring with that person's physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual state.

     Here is a link to a picture.  Study that for a week, and we'll resume the book report next week.

To Close or Not to Close, That is the Question . . .

     I was reading a book entitled Chinese Wisdom: The Way of Perfect Harmony.  I ran across a description of how to sit in meditation.  It recommends, among other things, that one sits with eyes slightly open.  I don't know about you, but I find that difficult to do.  However, as the writer states,

In ancient times there were eminent monks specializing in concentration practice who always kept their eyes open when they sat.  Ch'an Master Fayun Yuatong also scolded people for sitting in meditation with their eyes closed, calling it a ghost cave in a mountain of darkness.  Evidently there is deep meaning in this, of which adepts are aware.

     I can understand that closing one's eyes during meditation might cause the monkey mind to increase its chatter, but I personally find it hard to not focus on what I'm seeing if I have my eyes open.  What about you?  To close or not to close, that is the question . . .

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

A Meditative Experiment, Part 2

     In a post from a couple of weeks ago, I described how I practiced the YHWH meditation while waiting in the doctor's office.  Not only did it calm me, but it may have calmed people (or at least a crying child) in the vicinity.

     Which got me to thinking . . . .   What if meditation techniques like this, which focus on breathing out peace into the world, really had a measurable effect?  And what if this technique, among other meditation techniques, were practiced on a regular basis by scores or hundreds or even thousands of people worldwide?  What could the results be?  Less anger and violence in our neighborhoods and cities?  Fewer children experiencing abuse?  Perhaps more compassion felt by people for their fellows?  Could the trajectory of this planet be turned around? 

     I challenge you to devote ten minutes a day in a meditative state, focusing on breathing out peace and compassion into our world.  Remember, we are nothing more than conduits of the divine.  Please avoid the trap of believing that you, as a single human being, have anything to do with affecting these changes.  The emptier you are, the better it works.  Let it flow. 

(illustration courtesy of pixabay.com)

To All You Lovers Out There . . .

 





(illustration courtesy of pixabay.com)

A Meditative Experiment

     A while ago I wrote about a meditation technique called the YHWH meditation.  Basically, you inhale, envisioning the Divine entering through your crown, and then exhale, imagining that that divinity is flowing through you into the world.  (You can read my original explanation by clicking here). 

     Well, the other day I was sitting in a doctor's office, waiting . . . and waiting . . . as often happens, and I heard a young child crying loudly somewhere in the warren of exam rooms.  Since I had forgotten to bring reading material, I decided to practice this YHWH meditation.  Not long after I started, the crying stopped.  After a while, I got bored and was looking around the room.  The crying started again.  I went back to the meditation.  The crying stopped.  This continued for a while longer until I heard little running footsteps going down the hallway and toward the exit, along with the mother, who was talking to a nurse. 

     Am I taking credit for calming the child?  Absolutely not.  I really was envisioning myself as a conduit, nothing more.  Still, I found it a deeply relaxing and peaceful way to spend time waiting in the doctor's office.  Is certainly beat reading magazines left over from the last decade . . .

An Excellent Mystery

     You know how you back to some books you haven't read in years and find them fresher and deeper in meaning than the first time you read them?  Well, I've been slowly working through my old collection of Ellis Peters mysteries, and was reminded of how she (the author's real name was Edith Pargeter) could construct a story that really tugs at the heart.  I just finished An Excellent Mystery and highly recommend it.

     It takes place during the twelfth century, in a town in England not far from the border with Wales.  A monk who has a nose for solving mysteries and helping people reach their destiny, Brother Cadfael, helps to provide aid and comfort for two new brothers at the abbey.  One, it turns out, was a heroic leader in one of the crusade wars in Jerusalem, and the other is completely mute and provides a puzzle for Brother Cadfael to solve.

     I can't give away too much (it would definitely ruin the ending), but this is a story that examines the true nature of love.  Not romantic love as much, but deep, everlasting, do-anything-for-you love.  Agape love, if you know what that is.  A beautiful story, and a most excellent mystery. 

An Interesting Article on Soul Mates, Part 3

     In the last two posts, I presented my view about Twin Souls in response to Jane Ganahl's article, "A Match Made in Heaven?", in Spirituality and Health magazine.  Here is a quote representing the common view of Twin Souls:

  "I've spent so much time looking for Mr. Perfect that I may have overlooked a few Mr. Pretty Damn Greats.  I think our frantic search for The  One is just another way our culture does not live in the moment.  We're always thinking that one person is around the corner -- the one that will complete us and make us happy."

     But Elizabeth Gilbert, in Eat, Pray, Love, writes that "People think a soul mate is your perfect fit.  But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life." 

     I agree, adding that a Twin Soul (what Ganahl refers to as a soul mate), is not someone you search for, but someone you prepare for.  He or she is not someone who completes you, but someone who unravels you so that you can become more than you are now.  Your Twin Soul is your catalyst and your ultimate destiny.

An Interesting Article on Soul Mates, Part 2

     As I wrote in the last post, I found an article about Twin Souls. ("A Match Made in Heaven?" by Jane Ganahl in Spirituality and Health magazine).  The point of the article was that too many people wait for the Perfect One to come along and make them complete.  The author suggests that perhaps the notion of a "soul mate," as she terms it, is misleading or even false.  As she tells herself when meeting a potentially interesting man who may not fit her criteria of a Perfect Match, "You're not a teenager anymore -- you can't afford to keep believing in soul mates or tooth fairies."

     Well, I believe that Twin Souls do exist, but they are not here to complete us in the way most people think of it.  As I wrote in The Gemini Bond, Twin Souls are our other half, but their purpose is to lead us to a higher realm of existence, to evolve and grow.  We need to be fully complete as individuals before we can fully join with our Twin Soul.

    

An Interesting Article on Soul Mates

     I was reading the January/February 2014 issue of Spirituality and Health (a fabulous magazine, if you don't already know about it) and ran across an interesting article.  Jane Ganahl, in "A Match Made in Heaven?", explores the notion of soul mates.  However, as she uses the term (even referring to Plato's explanation of the soul's duality), I think she means Twin Souls.

     Right down my alley!  I read the article with relish and found some juicy quotes which I will share later.  However, the gist of the article is that many people wait and wait for the "perfect one" to come along and make them complete and happy.  That's not how Twin Souls work.  More on that to come.

     If you would like to look at the article for yourself, here's the link:  http://spiritualityhealth.com/magazine.  Happy reading!

Happy New Year!

May your new year

be blessed

with happiness,

health,

and harmony.

 

 (illustration courtesy of pixabay.com)