Scratching the Surface

Posted on August 22, 2022 by admin

No, this is NOT about emotional or spiritual considerations of some very deep topic in philosophy… This is about scratches. You are a miracle! Your body does amazing things. You somehow, without really thinking about it, heal yourself. No matter which medical doctor wants to claim healing abilities, your body heals itself! It is not well explained or fully understood regarding how this happens but it does and is a part of our everyday activity. So, why am I addressing this topic. I am glad you, almost, asked. My current human life is past 70 years. Yesterday, I was woodworking in my son’s garage and I managed to cut my hand by rubbing across a sharp, protruding screw. Sure, we have all had these mishaps and injuries. Some are minor and some require more serious attention. Well, as I was bleeding, applying pressure, elevating my cut hand above my heart, my 4 year old grandson is asking me questions about how this happened and why I have my hand up in the air above my head. My son is scurrying around to gather the first aid kit and I am reviewing how stupid I am for cutting myself, how this slows down my building process, and whether this will affect my week’s activities.

My son bandages me up after applying antiseptic and also asks what happened but in a less innocent way. No matter how this happened, and I will say this was stupid and preventable, I get to focus upon the miracle of healing. In my family there is sympathy but not a massive amount when stupidity and relative low chances of being a life threatening event have occurred. Yes, you are remembering the times in your life when you have experienced something similar. That is the nature of sharing stories of life’s interesting moments. In all fairness, I did not bleed to death. So far, I have not lost a finger, or hand, or arm in my mishaps. And, I do have a topic for a new blog as I write taking a pause from my woodworking project. (Yes, more time to watch YouTube videos on “Finishing” a wood project.)

When an illness or injury causes you to slow down, there is an opportunity to reflect upon life and to possibly learn a lesson in the fragile nature of the human body and the stupidity of scheduling activities with the expectations that everything is going to run smoothly and on schedule. Yes, my project’s schedule is now altered as are many activities I assumed would be moving most smoothly this week. Every activity that requires the use of my hands now needs to be considered. Yes, even typing out blogs… Human bodies are resilient but fragile. Bodies feel pain and continue the process of both healing and aging. It makes you more “present” when you are slowed by illness or injury. Can you view this as a positive or do you like falling into “victim” or an angry status?

No matter what, learning empathy and appreciating the miracles of human healing are worth consideration at times like this. And, we are just scratching the surface of human miracles. Your body healing from injury or an illness is a Miracle. Your life continues and does not end except once at the end of your life. You can be “present” and participate in other amazing miracles and then… share your story. You can also choose to not be most fully conscious, take life for granted, and keep stumbling along your path. No matter how you want to pursue being most conscious, it matters not… Your challenges and learning will continue. You will conscious or unconsciously seek Spiritual Wisdom and find your unique way to stumble upon it.

Regardless, YOU are Perfect! YOU are Perfect! When you cut yourself, clean the wound, protect the wound, and allow the body to heal the wound. It is a Miracle!

The Divine Spirit Knows

Posted on May 21, 2020 by admin

Just like “Santa Knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you are awake…,” The Divine Spirit “KNOWS” when you are in service and doing “Good.” If you are thinking about and caring about a friend or a relative, even if you do not pick up the telephone, the Divine Spirit (or God or the “Source”) knows your intention and appreciates your focus on an act of service and concern. There are NO secrets in the higher realms. Everyone knows your secrets and knows your deepest thoughts. AND, You are loved and accepted. Only human judgements can create negative definition of you or your actions.

Your Soul’s positive thoughts and intentions create a spreading chain reaction which triggers Love and positivity. Your thoughts and feelings of Fear or Hate, though out of place in the Higher Realms, create ripples of discord and upset as a challenge, or lesson, for the people who come into contact with this energy in the drama of living on the Earthly plane. This lower vibrational energy does less for the healing of the conscious energies. (Though fear, anxiety, and hate can be motivational and so bring about actions and, at times, positive change. If a change develops it is often short lived and will often not be based on humanitarian interests. Sometimes we choose to not follow anger and fear but this educates us in more positive (a judgement) alternative possibilities.)

Getting back to the original feeling which triggered this blog, when you think lovingly and with positive concern regarding another person, you start a swell of positive energy that flows out like the rings created when you drop a pebble into still water. Like the flap of a butterflies’ wing, it can travel energetically around the planet. You are amazing and more powerful than your conscious, ego mind allows you to know. AND, if a friend or family comes into your mind and triggers your feelings of concern, you can be even more powerful by actually contacting that person and communicating your loving concern. Chances are that you are acting on guidance and possibly triggering a greater miracle.

There is an older saying in our North American culture, “Actions speak louder than words.” No doubt there is truth to following through on a positive intention and the higher vibrational benefits this may create. However, we can not always “act” upon our intentions. Sometimes we are constrained by time or resources but all good deeds CAN be seen as an ego’s attachment and to the recognition which is possible. This can be giving with “strings attached” at some level. We do not need to hold the expectation that we will be recognized. I believe that we do not need to hold the expectation that if we do our “good deed” we will benefit. AND, sure we can benefit and our intentionality, even without action. This can also trigger higher vibration at the spirit level.

In reading the book, “The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life and the World,” by Lynne McTaggart, an insight which I had learned came to mind. Lynne has been a research journalist and collected information and then designed experiments of group “intentional healing.” Many experiments concluded that in a group setting an intention for healing, with no strings attached for an outcome, created a healing environment which could be focused upon a person or situation and, if unconsciously allowed and accepted, could alter the subjects energies for possible “healing.” When offered without “attachment” to the outcome, the results not only offered positive energy to the subject but also seemed to have a positive effect upon the individuals participating in the group. Perhaps, this is raising of vibrations and a healing for the people whom “gifted” this positivity. In my own experience, I have sent healing energies and intentions and my ego could NOT take credit but positive results seemed to appear to happen… AND, my heart experienced a lovely resonation with “spirit.”

Our world and all of consciousness vibrates at a higher frequency when your heart goes toward sharing love and positive concern for other creatures and for our Earth itself. Feelings, intentions, and then actions can trigger the Divine Spirit to manifest healing changes which can allow for living in greater Joy! Higher vibrations help move all of human consciousness forward. The Awareness and the Enlightenment which eventually manifests moves all souls toward building heaven on Earth as we Remember our connection with “Source.”

Please, consciously, hold good thoughts and feelings. Focusing on the positive ways to serve and to demonstrate unconditional Love, can only help and be a force of good in our world. Stay positive. Be hopeful. Share Love. AND, your act of “Caring” for others and our Earth are a great place to start.

You are a Blessing! Thank you for being you.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Are You One of the Volunteers?

Posted on April 23, 2020 by admin

Have you ever felt like you do not belong here or that you do not fit in? Are you a little bit (or a lot) different than the “standard” people you work with or went to school with or, even, who are in your family? Maybe you are different. Maybe you are not from around here… Perhaps you are one of the “Volunteers” who have come to this time and place with a “higher calling.” There are some “conscious” people who believe that this time in human history, souls from other parts of the Universe have come to Earth to assist in raising “vibrations” and consciousness so humanity can keep from destroying itself and damaging the Earth.

Some of these “volunteers” are “waking up.” They are “remembering” their soul’s perfection and the greater power and consciousness that exists beyond the limitations of our normal and limiting 3 dimensional human existence. This remembering includes remembering or “knowing” the oneness with all souls in the Universe. And, the feeling of the true “unconditional Love of the Divine Spirit.” Or, the freedom from human’s time and space limitations. The full acceptance that the Divine Spirit has for all of its creations. And, additionally, the access to all Divine Wisdom. For ages we have been told that this is “Enlightenment” or a part of the ascension after completing our lives here on Earth. Perhaps this is more available to us if we just “wake up.”

There is an 8 minute parable regarding this concept of volunteers coming to Earth to assist with consciousness raising. If this YouTube video is available, you can check this out and share with other conscious friends. This experience is based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at: “The Volunteers” (Skip the pop up Ad, it is not part of the story.)

Did you watch the video? Do you resonate with this perspective? If so, who do you know who you are going to share this with and so assist them in their waking up? And, what are you going to do the assist in raising consciousness and spiritual vibrations on Earth? The more people who can become conscious and the more the vibration can be raised, the faster these positive transitions can occur for humanity. Please consider how you can get the word out or, at the very least, be the role model of the fully enlightened soul you are. Act like you are more than the limited 3 dimensional character you are playing in the drama called life on Earth.

Every day, perhaps every moment, look for the Joy in the lesson you are learning from the challenge you are currently living. Yes, Joy in the most difficult, or even painful, lesson. You are a Master of your Journey. AND, You are Loved for being who you are!

There is no definitive way of proving, or disproving, the theory regarding the “Volunteers” that I know of… Regardless as to whether this is an optimistic fantasy or possible, it is always a good idea to increase our awareness and to “wake up.” Enhancing our empathy and consciousness is more and more necessary in our overcrowded world. Raising our conscious vibrations, learning equanimity, being “present,” and reducing our desire for crippling judgements makes good sense in our modern world. Never give up on what is essential… growing in consciousness and finding ways to be of service. Share Love. Share your wisdom. Find Joy even in difficult challenges. Remember where you came from and where you will return.

You are a Blessing! Thank you for being you.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…

Knowing Your Wealth and Power

Posted on April 19, 2019 by admin

To Know your Wealth and Power I would like you to play a Cosmic Game with me. It will only take a few minutes and your imagination. Imagine that You are one of the wealthiest, most powerful, people in the world today. Perhaps, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, or Bill Gates, ex-CEO of Microsoft, or Mark Zuckerberg, or whatever billionaire comes to your mind. Due to your extreme wealth, you are free to do almost anything or you have access to anything. As a person of extreme wealth you might be interested in briefly living the life of a more modestly endowed person. Maybe even a less fortunate member of the world’s socio-economic stratus. For a relatively short amount of time, you could “incarnate” as a less wealthy person. This would mean that you would give up your freedom and the wealth which gives you access to virtually anything possible. Like in the story of Siddhartha Gautama of ancient India, you decide to know more about the struggles of the “real world.”

You choose to live without your wealth and power to learn the lesson from the challenges of a normal mortal existence knowing that you will return to your higher state of conscious living after you have attempted or accomplished your learning from this incarnation. It is an interesting game you are playing as you live the life of a poor, “less fortunate” person. You are kind of competitive and want to do the very best job of living in this life so you can really get the most benefit. (Remember, as a person of wealth you will be able to return to your gifted life after you have attempted the struggle of life as a “limited,” less fortunate person.) You work to master the role you play within this world of limitations. You are very good at being your actor in this play. So good, you could win an Academy Award, or a Tony, and an Emmy for your portrayal of this character. No one could do you better than you can do you in this role.

You take on the strengths and the weakness or flaws of this character to fully experience the challenges of this character in the master play. You can find yourself getting “sucked in” to the drama of this average person’s existence to draw further into the depth of their role in a “life like” way. At the end of this portrayal, you get to transition back from your character’s role into your highest self with all the freedom and power your wealth and spirit allow. You get to return to your “Heavenly” existence or even higher up into your Divine Consciousness. You reflect back on all the other souls you “touched” or who supported and “touched” you. You can review where your lessons led you and even explore the outcomes you might have had if you had chosen a different path in this character’s life.

The game you have just considered is the game you are currently playing. The wealth and power are what you have when you are fully in the Divine Spirit and when you are not limited by the 3 dimensional limitations we face in the incarnated bodies/lives we have chosen to live. You are learning from these lessons and playing the game as well as you can. Remember that every experience you have and every person you meet are there for you or you are there to support another person’s learning. You are Perfect the way you are and free to make choices. At the end of this incarnation you will return to the Freedom, the Wisdom, the Unconditional Love, and the Universal Connection with all other souls in this Universe and beyond.

Thank you for playing this game and doing your role so perfectly. We all need you and the character which you are currently playing. Just do not forget where you have come from and where you will return.
With Love…

Comment from my mentor, Paula:

John,

The idea that we are born in a world of struggles, challenges and suffering, a world that is “less” than the place we came from, is an illusion. This world is behaving in line with its natural laws. It still holds all the magnificence of where we came from. It is our skewed perception that causes us to believe we must compete, that we are poor and less fortunate than in our divine state. Nothing is being done to us. We decide how we want to experience life. We decide how limited we feel and whether we want to suffer from it. We choose our priorities, interests and where we want to focus our energy. Some say, we have already decided on the life experiences we will have, before we were born. All we have to do is show up. It is possible to experience Heaven on Earth. It is not measured by material wealth but by spiritual wealth. Until we realize it, we are bound to return to learn the lesson.

Of course, that’s only my opinion.

Paula

AND, Paula is correct! Our perceptions are our own creations. This “Game” is for people to appreciate how temporary our acting roles in this incarnation seem and to be more aware that when we get “sucked in” to the drama, this is also our choice at some level. Peace be with you! Your radiance is nearly blinding to my mortal eyes. Thank you!

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.

You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

Struggles of Life: Coming Into This World

Posted on October 26, 2018 by admin

Being born and thriving in the world is full of struggles and challenges. It is this challenge that is our purpose for incarnating. Struggles come with the territory of manifesting in Human Form. We have enough consciousness to make physical and emotional survival an interesting process. Born helpless, we rely on parents or adults to feed us and to teach us how to survive. As babies, we offer these caretakers the opportunity to give unconditionally to a tiny human with the hope that this child will survive long enough to enter their own period of adulthood. (Though, sadly the unconditional love piece is often missing… And, surviving to adulthood is NOT guaranteed.) This set of struggles to be born, to be raised, and to participate in our life’s lessons is what life, as a human incarnation, is about. We are often conscious enough to know the challenges and lessons as we are caught up in them. Young parents adapt their lives to accommodate their babies (hopefully.) The parents are tired and emotionally tested. Sometimes they wonder why they chose to have children enter their lives and to distract them from other life issues. Most parents will eventually love and appreciate the struggles of their babies and perhaps all of the other souls who participate in this challenge called life (on Earth.) It is never without drama. It is never done error free. It is a learning and balancing act. The bond of the relationships in families is often forged as one of the strongest emotional bonds we humans can experience and we can pay the emotional price when a family member transitions from life (dies.) Coming into the world always ends with a transition out of the current worldly existence. This is a certainty we can not elude or change…
Love and appreciate all days and moments, and the souls you bump into.

The miracle of birth and of the growth of the physical and emotional being is always surprising. The joyful good times are fun and the pain of life traumas are scars which all concerned bear and must learn from. We all have our scars and life’s travails are so very important. We are all born unique and as our lives develop we have our individualized lessons. The goal is to be as conscious as possible and to share the wisdom we develop from life’s experiences. We are here to learn and to share. We are here to Love and to support the fellow pilgrims we meet. If you “circle the wagons” and keep from sharing your story, you may miss some golden opportunities to grow by teaching what you have learned from your struggles.

Life as a human is not supposed to be easy as in a fairy tale. Yet, when we come closer to enlightenment, we might find joy in even the most difficult challenges we confront. A wise friend of mine reminds me often of the great honor it is to live and to work through the struggles we negotiate along the way. Every moment is a blessing, if we allow ourselves to view the event from a spiritual perspective… AND, that is a Big If…

Find Joy! Live in Joy! You are a perfect manifestation of the Divine Spirit! YOU, like all life on this Earth, are a MIRACLE!

Service to the World, Are You Doing Your Part?

Posted on September 3, 2018 by admin

How much service to the world is enough? Being of service takes many roles and can be offered in many ways, but are you doing your part? Most of us are engaged in “survival” and we might not have the time or the resources to consider living our lives in service. Most of us do not even really understand how much service we provide because we are not conscious of the regular interactions which benefit the people we bump into. An unconscious gesture like the smile or the thank you or the acknowledgement of appreciation can offer a lot. And, there are some of us who seem to wake every morning excited and considering what acts of conscious service we can provide.

Most of us feel really good when we are doing something we know to be “good” for another person. As we share this loving energy, we get more in return by our act of “giving.” The act of giving, without any strings attached, is a true gift. When providing a service like non-judgmentally listening to someone’s “story,” we, as the “witness,” provide a huge service. Yes, something as simple as listening in a loving way can benefit everyone involved AND even the “Universe.” Demonstrating: patience, acceptance, gratitude, support, love, and connection, are all acts of service which can improve the general levels of consciousness and specifically the individual souls who bask in these higher energies. Thank You for your service, in advance…

By being most conscious regarding your interactions with any of the fellow pilgrims you bump into, you offer an opportunity for positive growth. You do not have to agree with the behaviors which get acted out but you can still look to the beauty and perfection of the person standing in front of you. They are a Miracle! They have arrived to assist you in your lesson, sometimes providing challenges for you to learn your lessons. Even when the situation may feel negative and overwhelming, you are able to “practice” your growing strategies for moving into higher consciousness. What a blessing!

Be aware! Take off your blinders! All of your interactions have a value and purpose, even if you are not clearly aware to what the purpose may be. Look to live in Love! Feel the perfection of each situation. Take responsibility for your reactions and behaviors. And, when all else fails in a difficult interaction, you can with empathy ask, “What has happened to this person to make them act the way that they behave?” You may not know the answer, but you are feeling, with empathy, the life experience and lessons this person is working through. (Or, they are pushing your buttons, because that is the lesson you require…)

If you can think of nothing else, do not miss the opportunity to look into someones eyes and appreciate the beautiful soul in front of you. Giving thanks offers a connecting experience and demonstration of your acknowledgement. Again, thank you in advance for your acts of service and higher consciousness.

Basic Mindfulness Part 2: Living in a Mindful Way

Posted on July 16, 2018 by admin

Being Mindful has been a question for me. After my three day Mindfulness retreat, I am more Mindful about the things I have not been mindful about. What the heck does that mean…??? Well, read a bit further.

I learned at the retreat what I think I already knew but had not learned how this feels or how to incorporate being more mindful into my habit driven lifestyle. No surprise, the key to being more mindful is to be aware and “present” by paying attention to your breath. Again no surprise, I learned that being more mindful works better when I focus on only one thing at a time. For example, drive focused without other distractions. (More examples to follow.) This focusing on one thing at a time is kind of challenging in our 24/7, multi-tasking world, but it certainly makes sense.

We practiced slower walking and breathing, awareness and appreciation of nature, and more meditations. The first two key ingredients to being more mindful (with 10 listed) where 1. to be aware of myself and my environment and 2. was to view each activity in your day with “Beginners Mind” and the feeling of wonderment. I liked these first two a lot. In fact, I really enjoyed all 10 ingredients in the book we used as a text but found number 6 a bit more challenging for me to fully appreciate and understand, let alone to practice. Number 6 was to live in “Equanimity.” I can barely spell Equanimity let alone know how to practice it. After consultation with my retreat group, its leader Chau Yoder (who is amazing) and my special Guru spiritual consultant, Paula Forget, I believe I am much closer to knowing what this is all about.

Equanimity is a very important, but a challenging (for me,) part of the Mindfulness life. This term refers to being able to look at and appreciate experiences in your life without getting caught in the “drama” of the experience. Paula Forget suggested that I look at each experience from the higher perspective of a “spiritual being” caught in a mortal body. As I look from a higher perspective, I may not “judge” the event, individual or experience but just see, perhaps feel it, as a neutral activity that can be curious and interesting. When I am successful, I may even feel empathy and appreciation for the circumstances which have lead to this experience and more fully understand my “lesson” or “challenge” from my participation. Even if this lesson is painful, which as a human I will feel, I can still feel appreciation for what I can learn from this challenge on my pilgrimage through life. This detachment does NOT mean you do not care or feel the physical or emotional pain. It means that you are not locked up without finding the higher perspective regarding how to celebrate (?) this difficult challenge.

One more example and an exercise you can attempt… Hold a tangerine. Look at it fully. Appreciate the work of people who delivered this fruit to you and the forces of nature which allowed this fruit to grow. Feel the tangerine. Scratch the peel and smell the tangerine. Slowly and carefully peel the tangerine, perhaps keeping the peel in one piece. Pull the first section out slowly and place this in your mouth. Breathe! Feel the tangerine section in your mouth. Move it around with your tongue. Press it against your teeth or slowly take a bite. Breathe! Taste the sweetness. Appreciate the sun and forces which developed the sugar of this fruit. Slowly swallow the first section and then slowly repeat this for as much of this tangerine as you wish. If you were not distracted and were focused upon this exercise, attempt this at your next meal… Try to not speak for 10 minutes while you eat… Be mindful. Breathe slowly. Appreciate.

Full List of 10 Qualities of Mindfulness are:
These are Pages 18-20 of Laurie Cameron’s book: “The Mindful Day, Practical Ways to Find Focus, Calm and Joy From Morning to Evening.”

1. Awareness
2. Beginners Mind
3. Acceptance
4. Insight
5. Impermanence (Life is temporary and so are all the challenges…)
6. Equanimity
7. Interconnection
8. Compassion
9. Gratitude
10. Joy

Special thanks to Chau Yoder for these helpful acronyms:

Consider C.A.R.E. when dealing with life’s experiences
C. Compassion
A. Appreciation
R. Respect
E. Equanimity

To Assist you with this, try P.B.S.
P. Pause
B. Breathe
S. Smile

One more tip for dealing with a situation which “Triggers” you. R.A.I.N.
R. Recognize
A. Allow
I. Investigate with Kindness
N. Nurture (Yourself and the Appreciation of this Challenge)

Celebrating Independence By Remembering Our Interdependence

Posted on July 5, 2018 by admin

For Americans, July 4th is considered our Independence Day. Historically, it was a day when Americans came together to declare their Independence from a perceived tyranny. Today, most of the tyranny we face comes from our own perceptions and the personal independence we have been culturally taught. There comes a moment in consciousness when complete independence loses some, or most, of its value. This happens when we become conscious enough to realize that we are actually not fully independent but actually a part (a piece) of a much grander “Divine Spirit.” Our egos and “burning (taught) need” for individuality bends to the realization that every person, every lifeform, and every object in our Universe (and beyond) are inter-related and interdependent.

If you do not like reading this and you feel uncomfortable looking at the “crazy” people in the world with the consideration that they are you and you are they, then you have not “remembered” the shared roots which we all have. Each of us is an actor in a drama called life. We each have our role to play AND we have learned to play our character with perfection. Sure we whine when “things” are not going as well as we would “like.” Just learn to NOT take yourself or your role too seriously… You are much “greater than you will ever know” (or understand) this is a statement which has been said to me by my late wife and my friend Don Ley after he returned from his NDE (near death experience.) Nothing like a good NDE to put your life into better perspective… (Not a joke or kidding.)

Independence within the framework of each and every one of us being connected by spirit still allows for each of us to be different and unique. Just as snowflakes are unique, I am told, we each bring our unique challenges and lessons into our lives. We can not make progress and achieve our learning goals without bumping into other people and life experiences. These experiences are often challenging or difficult. A life which is too easy may overlook many valuable interactions with the difficult situations which we have been guided to know and to learn from. For myself, long ago I realized that I learn more from my mistakes, failures, and “trials by fire” than I learn when events go smoothly or as “expected.”

A desire to be too independent may prevent you from gaining from the shared experiences or wisdom of other “pilgrims” you meet on your path toward higher consciousness. The secret is to be not too dependent or too separate from other people. When I am present and mindful, which I am a small percentage of time, I see the beauty and perfection in the eyes and then the souls of the people I encounter. We are ALL in this together and we are all here to serve each other’s development of consciousness. AND, whether you know it or not, YOU have much to offer. YOU are a Master of your journey with wisdom from life experiences which, when shared, will assist fellow pilgrims on their path toward enlightenment.

So celebrate independence but within a conscious, reasonable position. Know that historically Americans could not have achieved their version of independence without working together with the intention of building a world of betterment for all. (Yes, there have been varying views on what these words and concepts might mean…)

Mindfulness. What Does this Mean?

Posted on June 28, 2018 by admin

Pre- Mindfulness. Early next month, I am signed up to join a “Mindfulness” retreat. There is no way I can pretend to know what Mindfulness is or where this experience will lead me. Is this a modern “fad” or strange cult coming to us from Eastern Philosophy? So, I looked it up…

Definition of mindfulness in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

1 : the quality or state of being mindful
2 : the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis; also : such a state of awareness

I love this definition, BUT, I clearly do not know what these strung together words really mean AND how can I possibly use this in my daily life???
“the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis” Sounds great… Very much a Buddhist philosophy, perhaps? The term, “Mindfulness” is used by many people who practice Yoga and Meditation. It is also bandied about by New-Age Mystics as if to join their club you better know the jargon (or we will look down on you and your lower level of consciousness…)

My problem, or at least, my challenge, is to “maintain a nonjudgemental state of heightened or “complete” awareness” (of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis…) How do you BE non-judgmental in a world where our language and our culture can not define anything without making comparisons (which are judgements) to define or describe an activity or thing??? Even more challenging is HOW DO YOU STAY IN THE MOMENT, when our definition of “time” makes us compare the past with the present with awareness that there will be a future??? And, what does “complete” mean in this context?

Well obviously, I have a lot to learn, or to know, or to be aware of in the moment.

I have been “Judgmental” my whole life. I was raised that way. I am good at being judgmental AND you/I like to do what you/I are/am good at! This does not make being judgmental right, as in correct (which is a judgment,) but it is my habit. A difficult example: Is the bark on a tree “Brown” or is that just a judgment??? Is that a Fact or is it just an opinion based on a judgement? Boy, I am confused and in big need of a three day mindfulness retreat.

No matter how confused you can be, YOU are still perfect! (Judgement???) The Universe can not exist without: you, your soul, and the “role” you are playing! Since we are all “one,” I am you and you are me AND YOU are a Blessing!

More on my Mindfulness challenge after I “survive” my retreat. Love me and wish me luck. No matter what, every time we raise our consciousness through our life experience, we raise ALL consciousness. And, that is a good thing! (Judgement!!!)

Though I struggle with being present and non-judgmental, I like to believe that I am striving to learn how to live more fully in this state of consciousness. My struggle is not unique. My solution, if I can find one, will be unique to me and a most worthy experience of wisdom to share… Grow and be as fully present and conscious as you can be!

Helping to Polish Your Mirror

Posted on June 1, 2018 by admin

What does a statement like “Helping to Polish Your Mirror” mean to You? For me, it struck very strong, triggering an intuitive gift that has blessed me. Liz Gracia shared a book with me, “The Afterlife of Billy Fingers.” (see link below) There are many amazing quotes regarding this true story interacting with the life after death.

The story of Billy “Fingers” Cohen experience after his death, which he shares with his younger sister, Annie Kagan, reflects many concepts regarding life after death from other sources. Wow, I found so much familiar information shared so very well that I am not sure where to start. However, this morning when I read this passage from page #137, “I would like to be a guide and help others polish their mirror to reflect their lives better. Use a few beautiful words that can play through their lives, hold them in God’s love, and help them feel better in difficulty,” it triggered an wonderful remembrance for me and I wanted to write this blog to share it.

In the first years of my private practice working with medically referred clients, my ego learned a lesson of a lifetime. I remember taking credit for some of the profound things that were said when I really had the chance to connect with some of these clients. Then I came to realize that I was saying profound and personally significant things to these people, “things” I had not “learned” or which could have surfaced from past experience. I realized that my mind and ego were not performing these miraculous teachings BUT these, “Things” were coming through my heart as my “mirror” reflecting back what these clients needed to hear. (These “things” were coming from my clients and then reflected back to them through me!) My “gift” was that I was blessed with a polished mirror of intuition and when I was able to “connect” I could articulate the words, or feelings, which were of benefit for these clients.

My Ego needed to stand down and NOT take credit for the gift of reflection which came through me. We all have intuition and sensitivities which are not often spoken of in public. There are many of us who could, and should, develop these skills for our own learnings and guidance as well as using these to assist fellow travelers. Some of us have polished mirrors which seem to reflect more clearly. We can reduce our own mental and emotional judgements and distractions and be better “reflectors” for the people we bump into. Sometimes we need to shut down our thoughts, feel our gut feelings, and find gentle respectful ways to share these intuitions.

To be the best mirror, we need to be clear. Meditation and grounding can help clear the screen. Being in nature, exercise, and eating healthy may help. Most importantly, “welcoming” in the information, not taking it personally or judging it, and taking a slow breath before blurting this information out, can make all the difference.

Perhaps, you have read this far and you do not want to reflect intuitive, gut feelings back to your communication partner. You can still learn from the things which come through your consciousness. Maybe the interaction you are having is NOT for your communication partner but for YOU! In any event, these feelings come up in your consciousness for reflection and then learning. Try not to cast them off easily as trivial thoughts, especially if they bubble up from your gut.

A link to Amazon.com page for the book: “The Afterlife of Billy Fingers.”

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