Be the Change! You Have a Choice!

Our world is going through upheaval. Conscious people want to get involved. We have our “pet projects” born out personal need for a cause which is “near and dear to our hearts” and there are many ways to respond. Our “special” cause may require funding and we feel great, temporarily, throwing money at a project. Or, we start organizing and donate time, and possibly money, to the cause which lights a fire in our passion. Many of us feel “Guilty” if we are not matching the money or effort we may see in another person’s contribution. So I ask you, Are You Doing Good Work or Donating Money to FEEL GOOD or to Deal With Your Feelings of Guilt?

Perhaps we can back off a bit. Volunteering time and money for a great social cause is admirable. Worthy of admiration. Is this why we do this? AND, forget politics and political action because it is “politics” which has gotten us into this mess… But, YOU have a choice on how you can change the world! Yes, you can be empowered by choosing to take action! YOU can choose to make yourself the Beacon of Light and Love to guide the people you are Blessed to meet into a higher state of consciousness… One person at a Time! You can show respect and love for every person you interact with. Though this may cost you less time and money, it may serve our world at a deeper, foundational level.

This does not mean to stop volunteering or donating. I am asking that you dive below the surface into Divine Consciousness. Superficial actions look great on the surface. You can get recognition. But, is this what you came here to do? If you get your name on a wing of the hospital, does this make you a better person??? Is your legacy driven by an egoic need to be seen or recognized? If so, Great! But…. Sharing your light in every interaction is a CHOICE You can make. “Be the change you wish to see in our world” means living in integrity with the Divine values. No, I am not trying to share guilt or even pretend that “Divine Values” has a Universal, etched in stone, meaning. I am strongly suggesting that living in acceptance, respect, and mutual love may be worth attempting. AND, “fake it until you make it,” is a great place to start.

It begins with awareness. It may include humility. It definitely includes Knowing that YOU are a Miracle AND so is everyone you meet! There is nothing special about you AND you are the most special soul in the Universe. We are all the same and we are all in this together. Work to Save the World but first save yourself. Be conscious! Choose to live in Love! Be sincere and say “Thank You,” to every person you meet. They are there for You and Your lesson!

YOU have a choice! You can live in a “heart space” or you can live with what you “think” is correct. Thinking is great and the drama this creates is very entertaining! This is what we came into this life to explore. The fun and the drama of living in our 3 dimensional limitations and our human lives. AND, enlightenment may include being most conscious regarding living in the moment and choosing to interact with each person in a respectful and spiritual loving/honoring way. You are unique. You are a Blessing! The very best volunteer work you can ever hope to do includes sharing from your heart the love and the respect you have for each struggling soul you bump up against.

We are here to serve! We are here to support the other pilgrims we meet along our path. Donating time and money to a “Cause” you care about is good. But, being a beacon of love and light is more gooder… (I meant that poor vocabulary to be a lighter way to end this posting. YOU are a Miracle! 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

Where Are You “Home?”

“Home is where the Heart is!” More importantly, Where is YOUR Home?

My internet research that gives credit for this statement goes to a Roman philosopher better known as Pliny the Elder (or just Pliny to his friends) said “Home is where the heart is.”

More internet research said that there can be two (or more) meanings to this expression. And the internet offers this opinion.

“Firstly, it can mean that wherever our loved ones are, that is our home. Thus, wherever a person’s heart is will be our true home. Thus, no matter where someone was born or grew up, their real home is the place that they care about most in the world. This place may or may not be the place that they grew up in.

Secondly, it can mean that our love (our ‘heart’) is focused around the family home. A person’s heart will always be at home. This means that their love, affection and fond memories will always be tied to the place that they live.

Note: There are differences of cause and effect in each interpretation. In the first, love makes us feel at home. In the second, home makes us feel love.”

Why did this come up for me? Why is this relevant for you? This past weekend I was engaged in a personal growth seminar conducted by Excellence Northwest. We experienced a Guided Meditation as an exercise for planning for 5 years in the future. We were asked to relax, clear our minds, and to “picture” our home 5 years from now. What did we want to find there? How did it FEEL? So, being a cooperative participant (not really such a common experience for me), I considered the more typical setting.

I pictured a house in the country. In a clearing surrounded by conifer trees like Douglas Firs or Cedars. It was bigger than a small cottage but not a huge, ostentatious house. Lots of wood. Entering into my Home, was a warm and inviting engery with the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven and home made soup in a large pot cooking on the stove. Quiet and calm. The Living room had a fireplace and comfortable furniture. Not just comfortable but wonderfully comfortable chairs and sofas arranged in a circle. Maybe 8 or 9 seats arranged for conversations and interacting with friends, family, and interesting people. This seemed to be the real purpose for this cozy environment. It then dawned on me that my concept of “Home” was not a future House but was a setting for gathering other people to connect with. My fantasy is to feed these visitors. Mind, Body, Emotionally, and Spirit, all nurtured and fed with the love and support which offers deeper connection. Not your standard Home environment. This could happen in lots of places and not be tied down to a house in which to live my life within.

Home can be anywhere which allows the connection of Heart and support. A caring for other souls without any “strings attached.” It might be a place where Gratitude and Acceptance seem to come first. Openness and trust rein supreme. So, let me ask YOU again, Do YOU have a need and a space like this kind of Home? Not as easy to answer. We often have family and, maybe, friends, but not necessarily the unconditional loving, support, and acceptance which would be so nurturing for you and your spirit. This possible environment may come and go. It may not be a permanent part of your life.

There may be times when we get caught in the “Drama” of wanting something which we perceive we do not have. We might even feel like a “victim” to the circumstance which our 3 dimensional lives have led us to experience. We may struggle with the life challenge of adding this unconditional support and love to our lives. BUT, and this is a big but (do not take this wrong), we can find this everywhere and it is NOT external to us. It is a lesson in what we Know and Remember regarding the perfection of the Divine Spirit found within us. If we are willing to look into the eyes and find the perfection of the perfect souls we interact with, we can find this deeper connection and “Home” everywhere!

My Guidance is asking me to write these words for YOU to read. Where do these concepts fit for you and the lessons you are here to learn? Do you remember that we are all connected and can share this bonding connection with every soul who crosses our path through life?

YOU ARE HOME! You are the structure and the atmosphere which extends love and creates the ideal experience of “Home.” Please consider, Knowing it, Feeling it, and Living it!

You are a Miracle! You are a Blessing! You, even with your seeming flaws and imperfections, are Perfect! No one else can be YOU better than YOU! Thank you for being in this World and Open to Connecting.

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

Walking Your Sacred Path

We are born into our present incarnations to follow our sacred path moving ever closer to “Enlightenment.” Along the way we are challenged by interactions and experiences which are there to teach us lessons we require to move further along our path. Each of us is unique and must walk our sacred pilgrimage in our own way. Know you are NOT alone. You are a part of the Divine Spirit but your distinct path will guide you to special learnings designed to assist you and to share with other pilgrims you encounter. As we are “one,” we are here to take the hands of the fellow travelers to aid them in their distinctive sacred path.

When we feel lonely, we are caught in a trap of separation which our mind and our egos create. At times like these, we can attempt to remember that our role is to support other seekers and reach out to share our story. The perspective that you offer as you share your success or failure (and failure does not really exist) offers your witness a chance to learn from your travails. You are a Master. No one else can be who you are and perfect in your own way. Share your story AND be available to witness the telling of your communication partner’s story. You give a great gift by allowing them to give to you in sharing their wisdom…

If you can remain “present” and “mindful” with each step you take on your sacred journey, you will reach your most important learnings most quickly. This is easier said than done but avoiding the traps of dwelling in the past or feeling the fear and anxiety surrounding the unknown future, you will live and learn most gracefully. Detachment and less judgement will add to your mastery. Again, this important lesson is easier said than done…

A wise mentor has encouraged me to walk my sacred path from my heart and avoid the limitations created by my mind. For me, this means that I listen to my intuition and allow my guides to assist me to make course corrections along my sacred path. Guidance has been most helpful and supportive for me. I have learned to acknowledge and trust that small voice which I “know” creates the messages I feel in my soul/heart. Along the way, I must let go of the “toxic memories” from painful past experiences so I can move forward into new adventures. So, hear the “truth” with your heart not the altered thoughts and judgements from your mind! (You are NOT a victim. At some level you have been part of the “plan” which includes those difficult experiences, which we learn most from.)

Where ever possible, “be the voice of forgiveness.” Learn to say, “I forgive you AND I love YOU!” The world needs so much more of this consciousness and this will expedite your travels along your sacred path. You are a Blessing!

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 Pleas

Create a World of Love!

Guidance contributes to these blogs with Love as a re-ocurring theme. A recent “channelled” communication started: Find within Your Heart to Know and to Share Love. Help create the world where we all bask in the warmth of Love and Acceptance! Know that We are ALL here to assist each other in developing in consciousness. (Now, more than ever we are tested by messages of fear and anger which grab attention in our media and in our world. You can choose to not be drawn in to the polarizing angers… This does not mean ignore it or turn away. We all have lessons in dealing with the fear and anger thrown into our faces. This is an experience to learn lessons remembering that we are all, yes all, one, each of us taking on different forms and acting out in different roles…)

We are ONE! Our purpose is to “Remember” our Perfection and our Divinity, and then to find this within all the souls we bump into on our journey through this life.

These themes are familiar because we have Known this when we are not invested, and confined, by the consciousness of our current incarnation. We are here to learn our lessons within the limitations of our egoic, constructed 3 dimensional belief system. This reality we see, and agree to participate within, can not fully comprehend the greatness and perfection on our Divine Spirits. I have heard that our “Body” is merely our communication device to have human relationships from which we learn the lessons we have come here to learn.

When we develop our consciousness and allow the divine wisdoms to be remembered, we can assist fellow pilgrims to create a world based on love, not fear. So reach around and take the hands of fellow travelers. Perhaps you can look into their eyes to find the perfection of their souls and know that we are all to remember that we are “One divinity” and connected to each other and the “Source.”

Whether you know it or not, YOU are perfect and you are a Master! You learn your lessons better by teaching and sharing your story. Find ways to Serve! Find ways to connect with other souls you meet along your path toward consciousness. Do not discount the wisdom that you know or remember which comes from the source and your connection with the Divine.

Now, more ever, we must know and share Love! It is easier said than done, we must let go of Judgements and find acceptance, and the perfection, in the people we find in our journey through life. Peace be with you! You are a blessing.

If you want to share your story with the wisdom you have gathered from your life’s experience consider participation in our non-religious, spiritual development community,”Masters of the Journey.”

We are all actors in a play called life. Have Your character act out integrity! Have Your character find a way to be a positive role model of developing consciousness and wisdom. Have Your character communicate Love and Support through acceptance. Build a community, a world, (even a Universe) based on Love! We ALL need this Now!

If you resist the fear, anger and hate by knowing this is a big part of our lessons and we can choose love and acceptance, you will show your strength and resolve as you role model how characters can (but often do not) react. You are a blessing. You are a Master! Please find your way to remembering how amazing and perfect you really are.

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

Heart Disease and Stress

Whether you are consciously aware of your body’s response to stress or not, everybody will have their cardio-vascular system respond when you are subjected to stress. For many people, the primary habitual response to stress manifests with significant changes their cardiovascular system. If your life was threatened, your body will respond with the “Flight-Fight Response.” This response would prepare our bodies to fight or to flee in a life saving reaction. The way this response may affect the cardio-vascular system includes: increased heart rate (to pump more blood to muscles and brain for survival,) changes in the pattern of relaxed blood flow (the blood is directed to muscles and brain and away from hands/fingers, feet/toes (they get cool/cold), and digestive/reproductive organs,) and increased blood pressure.

This suggests that the heart rate changes and blood flow patterns change when you are in survival or in a “stressed out” mode. 70% of people with high blood pressure have “Essential” or “Situational” hypertension which means that their blood pressure goes up in the doctor’s office as a response to fear or anxiety. This can also be referred to as “White Coat” hypertension. High blood pressure, if chronic, can damage blood vessels, the kidneys, and makes the heart have to work extra hard to pump against the higher pressures in this system. This can lead to severe health problems. Warning: since this is potentially very serious consult with your physician and get the proper tests to determine how your body responds.

Denial regarding the important negative effects of stress is very common with people who suffer from heart disease. Since reducing stress seems impossible, people ignore the positive results can occur. People, for convenience, will gravitate to medicines to control symptoms of heart disease but the side-effects can be very costly and sometimes the positive results from medication can be limited. Please consider “connecting” with your heart and your body to gain control of your habitual response to stress.

Learning to relax includes learning to “Let Go” with the circulatory system. This will include, slowing heart rate, a vasodilation of blood vessels to reduce blood pressure, and the warming of the hands and feet. All of these responses are exactly opposite the stress response.

Stress can also raise the level of free floating cholesterol which the body produces and releases to patch tears in blood vessels that can occur when the blood pressure goes up. Over time this repair work can create “hardening of the arteries” which also can lead to fatal health challenges like heart disease, strokes (CVA’s), and kidney damage.

If you have had a “by-pass” operation or stents placed in a blood vessel to keep it open or if you wish to help to prevent these situations, consider using regular relaxation, getting more physical exercise, and making dietary changes to prevent this situation from getting as bad as it can, as fast as it will. If your genetics pre-dispose you to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol then seriously consider these steps to prevent damage and possible early death.

Articles at our website describe stress management for high blood pressure techniques that can help to lessen the possible negative effects of life’s stress on your systems. Look for the article on Temperature Training Biofeedback as an important add-on which allows the process of self-awareness and stress management to work most effectively. Go to the “articles” page at the Stress Education Center’s website at www.dstress.com for access to this information.

You can get back in control of your body’s habitual response to holding stress in your cardiovascular system with 8-12 weeks of regular practice. These practices will end up saving you time and energy, but may also add “quality” years to your life.

You are a Master!

Masters of the Journey: A Transformational Community

We are all Masters on this journey we call life. A safe and supportive transformational community can provide benefit to all of us. As we mature, we all develop expertise in navigating our own challenges. Nobody knows more about your life than you do. If you believe that life is filled with lessons and our primary purpose in life is to grow and develop, then you are invited to share your learning, experiences, and acquired wisdom with one another. To truly master something you need to teach it. Assisting fellow travelers on their journey can prove so rewarding. Through sharing, we can realize that none of us are alone and that we are all interconnected. We can benefit from knowing the bonds of unconditional love, caring, and support for others who are learning their spirit’s lessons in this life.

From the moment we are born until the moment we die, we are exploring the lessons and experiences of this life. There are some who adhere to the philosophy that we are choosing to live in these bodies with the lives that we have. Our spirit has exercised this choice because of the specific lessons that we want to learn. This philosophy also suggests that we choose the people that surround us in our life as a way to resolve some issues. Whether a person has their eyes wide open to the concept or whether they are “sleep-walking” through life, we can encourage one another to be conscious and aware of each step along the way.

Taking part in the Masters of the Journey: Transformational Community is to take conscious, and 100%, responsibility for the learnings and lessons that you are experiencing. It is for people who choose to gain in consciousness by supporting and reaching out to help others whose lives we touch. We can all grow together in a community which promotes unconditional, loving support as we share with others. When we gather either in person, at workshops or community events or in online forums, we can celebrate the lessons and experiences that we have learned from. We can do this through writing of articles, blogs, or books. We can do this by joining together on conference calls or in webinars to share and interact with others in our individual towns or around the world. There will be times when we will gather at intensive retreat programs where we can interact in a safe environment which enhances the growing and learning process as we move through our individual journeys.

Many people stay stuck in believing that they are continually students and not the true Masters that they are. Many of us discover our individual insecurities about being willing to step forward and share our deep feelings, experiences, and secrets. We benefit by realizing that we all have so much to offer to others. Sometimes our role will be as listeners and witnesses which has great value both to the person who is speaking and sharing their experience, their knowledge, and possibly their wisdom and to ourselves as we learn from a personal story with valuable insights which can contribute to our higher consciousness. The bond between the speaker and the listener can demonstrate the support and the unconditional love that both can be nurtured by.

I have been told that we are ALL God, having “perfection” within the soul and spirit in our heart which connects with the “Source” of all wisdom, energy, and unconditional love. Finding this and feeling this is “the State of Grace.

Are you willing to share from the knowledge you have gained? Are you open to listening to other travelers on the journey? Are you interested in creating a community which strives for higher consciousness and awareness? Are you willing to bask in the connection and the unconditional love and support from a community of fellow travelers? Can you feel the value of being a Master who is willing to share from the experiences that you have had? Would you like to connect with this transformational community?

Please take good care of yourself. Consider that every interaction you have will be able to assist another person who is on their journey of awakening. Some will take this responsibility very seriously and we also honor those who choose other paths.

Please leave your comments. If appropriate, please share this Page with fellow Masters and seekers. Remember that we can all benefit by helping others in our community.

Some questions you may ask yourself:

Who was the most influential person in my life and why?

What were the three most difficult lessons I have learned from so far?

Have I ever felt a deep sense of bond and connection with another person? Who would that be? What did it feel like? What did I learn?

Have I ever helped another person? How did it feel to help them? What did I learn by helping them?

Have I ever really listened to another person? Has anybody ever really listened to me? How did that feel? Was the connection that I had with that person valuable?

Have I ever experienced unconditional love and support? Did I bask in the beauty of this experience?

Look for our new interactive website (coming soon) at www.mastersofthejourney.com

Basking in the Brilliance of Spirit

What feeds your spirit? What activities connect you with your spirit? How often do you seek to develop your spiritual nature? When we speak of “spirit” or spiritual development in this article, we are not speaking about learning religious philosophy or in practicing religious rituals. Instead, we are speaking of the deeper connections with the brilliance of love and light that comes from deep within every living being. In doing so, there is no exclusion of spirit due to different philosophical or religious beliefs or attitudes. There are no qualifications or exclusions from connecting with spirit. One of the main understandings regarding this celebration of spirit is that “we are all at one” with all other living creatures. We are all “connected.”

Time and space (place) are less of a division in the world of spirit. Spirit may be more a feeling rather than a thought. For people who have been able to bring these feelings back from a spiritual experience often describe a feeling of “oneness” or a sense of deep connection. There may also be a feeling of “unconditional love” which can also be described in some religions as a feeling of connection with the religion’s God, but not necessarily with all the morale or cultural beliefs.

People will visit a glorious natural environment and feel the power of connection with natural beauty that has the power to create calmness and sometimes healing. When learning to connect with your spirit it is good to be reminded that you can get there more easily if you “Quiet your mind” and control your expectations. (Neither of these is easy to do when getting started but can come more easily with practice.) It is important to be “still” and to let “it” come to you. Chasing the spirit can make it more difficult to do. A final reminder: Be Open… You may not experience the process in the way you think you might need, but actually get the experience that you will best learn from…. If, you are open to it.

I am reminded of a time when I was in a late afternoon meditation on a cliff that over looked the waves churning unto a beach in Sonoma County, CA. With my mind reaching to be in “neutral” (no extra thoughts), I found myself listening to a dialogue in my head. One voice seemed to come from the perspective of a “guide” in the form of a seagull who was describing the birth of the winds as a power to consider. The Voice suggested that the winds were created by the difference in temperatures of the ocean and the land. As the land heated up and warmed the air over it, the air would rise and the cooler air over the ocean would rush in to fill this void, so creating a breeze. Waves are generated by the movements of the wind and their force is respected for the great power that this force of nature manifests. The Voice asked me to consider harnessing the power of the winds as seagulls do as they soar, almost effortlessly, by using the currents of wind. A part of me listened to the dialogue with fascination. Another part of my mind was asking where this Voice was coming from and where the information of this Voice was coming from. I considered the experience as a connection with the “collective unconscious” described by many famous psychologists and philosophers. I felt blessed to be allowed to share in this mind expanding experience.

Another late afternoon meditation created a powerful but not uncommon learning experience. In my visualization, I imagined that I was sitting by a river with my back against a tree. I pictured myself meditating and seeing the transformation of the river in front of me into the “River of Life.” It was golden in color. It flowed from my right side to my left, slowly and evenly. I “knew” that the waters would eventually empty into the sea. Each golden molecule of water represented a living soul. The molecules of water would evaporate from the sea to form golden clouds which would lead to a golden rain high up in the mountains. The molecules would join other molecules to form small streams flowing downhill to join larger rivers until the “cycle of life” would be repeat by following the path of the golden river of life back to the sea, once again. I saw myself as a molecule of water swirling downstream occasionally being caught in an eddy and swirling in circles to learn my lessons. Most importantly, I felt myself “connected” to all other living things in this river of life. I knew that I was never alone or separate from other living beings as we struggle to improve and move forward with our lessons of life. Though this meditation happened for me almost 40 years ago, I remember it and I feel it as if it was happening right now… This type of connection with the oneness of consciousness is far from unique. It has happened before and will happen again in some form or another for people who are open to this transformative experience/lesson.

Please consider taking time to connect with your spirit and celebrating the learning that you can achieve. It will change your life.

For life balance and stress management, it is important to maintain your ideal state of mind, body, and spirit. Too focused attention on any one area, over the others, may provide an imbalance that will not allow the best quality of life. Please take good care of yourself.

Please comment on this blog if you are so moved.