Stepping In, Stepping Out

Consider, Stepping In to the Present Moment and then Stepping Out of Your Limitations… Of course, this is easier said than done. However, setting your sights on what is possible and setting your intention is the first step of this pilgrimage.

Stepping into the present moment leads to Mindfulness. If you can release the 3 dimensional mind’s limitations, including time and space, you can begin to release the memories of the past which have limited your responses and you may be able to release the fear of the unknown future which fear of future events/change has trapped our consciousness within. Our brain and ego have these limitations which have created separateness and the lack of knowing our soul’s greatness.

What is Mindfulness? List of 10 Qualities of Mindfulness are:
These are from Pages 18-20 of Laurie Cameron’s book: “The Mindful Day, Practical Ways to Find Focus, Calm and Joy From Morning to Evening.” (The-Mindful-Day by Laurie-J-Cameron )

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

Stepping most fully into the Present Moment, involves all of these ten qualities. Again, easier said than done and this is a perspective to move toward. Acceptance without Judgement has been my challenging lesson in this life. Living without full Acceptance (and the lack of Judgement,) seems to limit my Compassion, my Gratitude, and my Joy. Staying within my breath with an accepting awareness is my goal.

My “Knowing” suggests that once I can fully step into the Moment, I will begin to release my limitations of the my 3 dimensional world (and thoughts and limiting beliefs) so I can be most fully free to “Know” the Divine Spirit and dwell consciously in a higher state of consciousness. Included in this “Knowing” is that in a Higher vibrational state my life finds: unconditional Love, full connection, access to Divine Wisdom, and freedom from human limitations, is possible.

Consider what it is like to live consciously without limitations. To be everywhere with no limitations of time and space. To bask in “Oneness” and to know “Unconditional Love.” Yes, even if you are in a Human existence, you can gradually find ways to connect and then to live in this higher state of consciousness. Once there, or even before you most fully get to this consciousness, your purpose is to share this light and to be the beacon which allows other pilgrims to find their way into this Divine Light.

I have been reminded: We are ethereal beings living lives in human bodies “enjoying” our human experiences… Knowing that we will be stepping out of these lives and our human limitations, offers us a profound perspective to consider. With Love.

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

As the Days Blend Together

These are unusual times. During this pandemic, we are more than “normally” (and what is the new normal) confined to our homes and our thoughts. If you have managed to create a new lifestyle around the social distancing and home confinement, you may have even reduced your TV and Social media time for anxiety control. You may have found the Days of each week Blending Together. You may not even remember what day it is or what the date is for today. Perhaps this is even important. Perhaps being present and reflective is a survival technique which may lead to a new state of “Pandemic Enlightenment”…

Increased awareness and spiritual insights are often born out of difficult challenges. SO, get busy…!!! Discover YOUR lesson and its Wisdom… AND, once you discover your new insight find the best ways to share your new wisdom. This whole lifestyle adjustment is more than:
hand washing to an extreme,
wearing a mask which prevents smiling at people,
reducing your showers or clothes changing because you are not going out,
side-stepping people you pass in public,
food shopping for safety at 7:00 AM,
knowing how to stand 6+ feet apart as you wait for your “take out,”
searching aimlessly for hand sanitizer and clorox wipes (& TP) at Costco,
AND, joining an endless amount of Zoom conference calls to speak with other humans.

These adjustments have caused most of us to behave differently and to think about what we took lightly in the past… Craving a hug or hand shake. Carelessly, hanging out in a social situation with less than 6+ feet between us. Going shopping in a Mall with crowds of anxious, frantic people and loud children. Boy, we miss those days of naive simple consumerism.

But, have you been forced out into nature? Have you had to fill your time in Meditations? Did you find yourself reading a “good” book instead of “binge-watching” bad television/movies? Did you have to call family and friends to check-in? Did you have time to cook your own dinner and breakfast and lunch and snacks, two or three times per day? Sure, social media has filled in your day but didn’t you “CRAVE” hanging out with “real people?” There is an important lesson in this… Besides the necessary hand washing, you have found a new need for connection! Besides complaining and whining, you have actually learned who do you know in your life who can actually listen and respond with empathy.

Besides shopping and “eating out,” there are other ways to connect with friends and family that cost less and may have more value. Caring for other people is the least expensive way of sharing Love! Appreciation and Gratitude also may bubble up in these times of lifestyle change. Perhaps, most important is being more fully “present” in each moment in Nature or with the people we care about. We are all in this together… AND, YOU are a Blessing! Continue to learn and to grow in these times of life challenges… If nothing else, twenty years (or maybe 20 days) from now you will have great survival stories of the 2020 Pandemic and Hand Washing Craze…

Added on these thoughts… (The not so fun parts of our current, 2020, lives.)
(NOW, we have been faced with a new “drama” with demonstrations highlighting the cultural racism which has been “accepted” in our culture too long. White privilege was brought to this hemisphere by the earliest explorers and first settlers. They, and their religious beliefs, thought that they were superior to the indigenous peoples they thought “They Discovered.” Eventually, because they had the guns, they believed that they were the true saviors of this hemisphere however they needed slaves to work their stolen land. It is like this privilege has now been built into white folks’ cultural DNA. Relinquishing power and, perceived control, does not come easily to those folks in “power.” Black Lives Matter! All Lives Matter! However, releasing our old, established habits and patterns is NEVER an easy, though necessary, choice these weird days. Positive change challenges us. It forces us to reassess our established patterns and habits. Perhaps, the first step in a positive direction is to understand and admit “white privilege” exists and also admit that this needs to change for a better world. (Change is NOT easy. Changing our cultural DNA is needed but a difficult, uphill fight…)

AND. We are ALL in this together and one and the same…)

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

My Spirit Guides

There are many beliefs and theories regarding “Spirit Guides.” And, my opinion regarding their source, their substance, and their purpose has taken many turns. My first real conscious experience is when a psychic, Betty Bethards, told me when I was 23 years old, that she had 57 “Guides” speaking through her. (I remember that number because I could relate to the advertising for Heintz 57 varieties of catsup or something…???) Anyhow, my rational mind could not accept this without multiple jokes about this possibility until Betty Bethards PROVED to me that she was very real and capable as a psychic. This is a whole other story… But, I began wondering about Spirit Guides and, most importantly to me, where they come from.

Are these Guides external to me like I supposed Angels or Gods or Ghosts to be? DO they float around and whisper in your ear or tug at your arm? Can you “trust” their input if you can actually become consciously aware of it? Do I just “make up” these messages or are these beacons of wisdom I am supposed to follow? Are these messages more important than my “rational thoughts” especially if I have to change a life direction or plan? So many questions. Challenging questions.

Are there “separate,” external forces which act as Guides like a tour guide leading you through a museum or historical monument? Well, currently, and these “beliefs” tend to fluctuate, I am becoming more conscious in my belief that “we” are all connected and a part of something much larger. My current belief is that I am a small, perhaps tiny, but essential piece of the beyond fully understood, Divine Spirit. My spirit is a small and necessary piece of the largest puzzle consciousness can conceive of (and then some)… Perhaps my mind can not conceive of this enormous Universe inside the Divine Spirit because it is limited by my human 3 dimensional thinking and this Universe is run by higher vibrations beyond 5 dimensions.

This brings me to my current understanding or belief about Spirit Guides. These Guides may NOT be external at all. They may actually be another part of me as a Divine Universal being. These guides offer wisdom or suggestions regarding something I may need, or want, to pay attention to and possibly use on my pilgrimage through this life. Since this philosophy also rebukes the mental concepts of linear time and space, these guides may be future me or a more highly conscious me. They supportively whisper in my ear wisdom I may benefit from “hearing” at that moment in my human time. Actually, when I get these messages, and I do get these inputs, I do NOT hear them. I just “Know” them. Often I am puzzled in my limited human mind as to HOW I know what I know but I am coming to just trust these “Knowings.”

This is where these Blogs come from. A thought of a subject happens and then I will sit down to write some thoughts or experiences. In a few paragraphs I read what has formed and wonder where that set of human words and thoughts may have come from… It is an amazing and wonderful process. I have identified that my “role” or “purpose” is to connect and transcribe these “transmissions” and then add them to my blog postings. So, I do not identify my Guides as external of my body or my human life. As a scribe, I still take responsibility for writing and editing and posting these transmissions. If you do not agree with my current belief then you are equally correct and “right” for your belief system. It truly does not matter BUT if this gives you a perspective to consider as you delve into your own consciousness THEN it has done its job!

We are NOT separated from the Universal Divine. We are an important and necessary part of a much larger consciousness. It is time to more fully awaken to your greatness and mastery. It is time to reach out to serve other pilgrims with wisdom which Divine Consciousness and our “Guidance” has provided. Serving is OUR purpose so share your stories and your experiences. Continue to form a clear connection with the highest consciousness. Shine like the Beacon YOU are!

This does not belittle the highest levels of consciousness which exist more openly in the “Higher Realms.” This does not mean that you should not be humble in the presence of these high vibrations. We should always be humble in every interaction because we are face to face with “Miracles” in every experience AND these Miracles are made available for us to learn from as we bounce off every soul we bump into. And, today, I believe that each and every spirit or entity we experience is yet another part of ourselves as we all float downstream in the “River of Life.”

Now, meditate, be most Present, walk in Nature, connect with “Guidance” and your higher self, practice less Judgement and more Equanimity, and attempt to find Joy in every challenge Life presents.

When you meet your higher self in the physical or non-physical forms, be respectful and humble. Just as you would be when in the presence of every perfect soul you meet. There is always so much to share and to learn from every interaction. It is always a blessing to soak up these shared experiences and to bask in the love generated by every connection.

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

The Divine Spirit Knows

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

There Are Times In Your Life

There are times in your life when you need to pay attention! There are times in your life when you can easily find happiness and joy. And, there are times in your life when you have to look very deeply to find the “Joy” when you can easily judge this life event as challenging and even painful.

When you were young, you would look at certain events and embrace the expectation of impending happiness. You might look forward to your birthday or to Christmas or to Summer vacation expecting the fun and the happiness of what would come. Perhaps there was a graduation or a certain trip which would trigger expectations of happiness. Perhaps, a “knowing” that a certain gift was coming and your joyful anticipation left you excited and full of happiness. Certainly, there have been major transitions on your calendar which created assumptions of joyful happiness like: family gatherings, weddings, births of your children, and anniversaries of your treasured relationships.

Happiness is different than Joy! Happiness is an emotional response. What triggers happiness is often superficial compared to what might trigger Joy. Joy is the deepest level of celebration in the soul.

There is always a flip side. Not to be viewed or assumed to be dark or negative but major events that challenge you. These events challenge you to find the “Joy,” though maybe bittersweet, in the transition you find yourself. Highly conscious people will search for, and find, the “Joy” in even the most difficult life situation. Consideration of the Joy in the unfortunate times is more than a simple art form, it is critical in learning from the arduous life experiences we survive.

Yes, there is a flip side to most every life experience. Lonely Birthday’s or Birthday’s celebrated late in life can be bittersweet. Reflecting back on the more innocent early times can be a reflection of what constantly changes in our lives. Christmas or holiday times when missing a loved one can be filled with pressured expectations of the happiness which may be more difficult to achieve. As we age, Summer vacations may be more a test for us as we control our anxiety and work to control some of the negative expectations which may haunt us. Even weddings and anniversaries can cause us to pause and reflect on what has changed in our innocence and the way we view our past youthful naivety.

However, even the most difficult life experiences can be viewed with the discovery of “Joy.” Even in the vacuum created by the loss of relationships or even the death of a life partner or friend, you can find the life message that grows out of these challenges and celebrate this difficult lesson for the “Joy” that can come. The appreciation of life and the memories of past experiences are given perspective which can become “teaching moments” and so wisdom to share. Your purpose in coming to this life is to learn and to grow and to serve other souls you meet along the way. If you have survived a challenging time, even of great loss of relationship, there is a message to share. AND, you are here, in this life, to share your wisdom born out the drama you have survived. Find the “Joy” in every moment, even the seemingly “darker” moments and you walk the path of consciousness and “Enlightenment.”

An example from my life… After marriage of nearly 28 years, my life partner transitioned after living with her terminal Ovarian cancer diagnosis for 8+ years. Difficult times for us, our families, our children, and our friends. I would NOT wish this experience on anyone. I would not trade this experience, in retrospect, for some other possible fantasy ending. My wife and I became so much closer. Our love was tested and not only survived, but grew. My lessons as the “survivor” have changed my life and my appreciation of living, and dying. The wisdoms I was forced to learn have been shared with many people AND these acts of service have created a burning light which leads the way for many other souls who have been touched by our story. This is the JOY which is born from life’s challenges. This is the Joy you must seek from the difficult experiences you are surviving.

These challenges are the times in Your life that are there to teach you. By expanding your consciousness and learning, you can find your Joy in sharing your hard earned wisdom…

Do not get me wrong, every moment, yes, every moment is Joyful! You have to sometimes work a bit harder to find the meaning and the Joy in the lesson you are learning. Finding the Joy in the more difficult dramas is the act of Enlightened Living. It is time to “Wake UP!”

May the Blessings of Insights in Consciousness blossom most freely for you and find ways of manifesting in your sweet lives! (A message from Guidance.)

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

Special Relationships vs the Holy Relationship

If you were born a human being, you were born to have relationships. You required the support, hopefully the Love, of parents, supporters, and caregivers because you could not survive on your own when you were first born. We learn the good, and the bad, about human relationships in our early years. We grow up striving for “ideal” (and so impossible) “perfect” relationships. Many people, including myself, believe, or have believed, that we can not be “whole” unless we can be defined within a relationship. Hopefully, a “healthy” relationship. We strive for great, supportive friends. We look for healthy supportive family members. We attempt to build healthy, supportive communities to join and participate within. (We can often face the disappointment in the imperfect relationships we “settle” into.)

Eventually, we may come to know that “Healthy” relationships with a partner, family, and friends may hold disappointment or at least, some level of incompleteness. In the study of the Course of Miracles (a professed dictation from Jesus,) these Earthly relationships may be referred to as “Special Relationships.” Our minds and our Egos get caught up in believing that these are worth striving for and without the “perfect” special relationships, we can not find happiness or even “safety.” “The Course” goes on the state that the only “true” relationship is the “Holy Relationship” with the Divine Spirit. We may eventually unlearn the “need” for human attachments and replace this with the connection with the Divine Spirit.

Some highly conscious people might say that “Enlightenment” is the understanding and celebration of your “Holy Relationship” with the Divine. I do not believe that this means we do not honor and celebrate imperfect human relationships, communities, and support. We require human interaction to learn our lessons. We also must be in these relationships to share our stories and to serve our fellow human contacts. We can not learn or grow without the “dramas” which play out as we interact with our fellow pilgrims. The love, the loss, and all the “intimate” interactions we have with the people who surround us are the challenges we have in this life to test out how far we have come in our spiritual evolution.

Where would we be without “sharing” a laugh or tears? Where would we be without making love and possibly risking getting “our hearts broken?” If we take responsibility for our lives, and our deaths, we need to love, and to face loss. We need to assist family to learn and to grow. We need to support and hug friends. One profound series of learnings for me has come from my long relationship with my wife. We had about 30 years together to raise a family and live through the trials of human family relationships. Her terminal diagnosis and the 8.5 years of experiencing cancer taught me many lessons. It made us closer. Her “transition” created a large hole in my life and this has been one of the most important learning experiences of my life… I would not wish this experience on anyone else but I would not trade this experience or the lessons or the memories for anything. Even through the “pain,” I appreciate the gift of my guidance moving my life through these moments and know the value I can share from these challenges. (My story is NOT unique but my lessons were unique and special for me and my development.)

In the study of Mindfulness, we come to learn certain principles which hold truth regarding human relationships. We might work to find Equanimity and know the Impermanence of Human relationships. In so doing we learn to appreciate, without being sucked into, the dramas experienced in interactions. We might find the truth that nothing in our world, and so relationships, are permanent and “ever lasting.” The only permanent thing in our Universe is the unconditional Love which pulses within us from the connection we have with the Divine Spirit. When you remember or “know” this imbedded wisdom you will know your “enlightenment” and your place in the higher consciousness termed (by me) the Divine Spirit.

You are a Miracle! You are a Unique Blessing! Thank you for being you and traveling this path to higher consciousness!

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

YOU are an Important Piece of the Puzzle

Have ever put a large JigSaw puzzle together? It requires your time, effort, focused concentration, and patience. Have you ever come to the completion of this puzzle and find that a piece is missing? You can see the tiny piece leaves an enormous hole in your project. It is a glaring, attention grabbing hole! This makes you and your project feel incomplete and unsatisfying. It is unfinished and it is obvious.

How does this apply to you and your developing spiritual consciousness? You are a small, unique piece of a much greater puzzle. It is the puzzle called the Divine Spirit. If YOU were really missing, this puzzle would be incomplete. There would be a glaring hole in the fabric of all of consciousness. Scientists have claimed that energy is neither created nor destroyed, it just changes form. The same can be said for matter, which does change form on a regular basis but does not completely disappear. Your physical body is made of matter which constantly changes form and eventually after you die, returns to some other physical form.

Your soul or spirit is energy. Many spiritually conscious people would say that this soul/spirit energy is pure and made of Love. It does not ever disappear but it can change form. You and your consciousness are unique. Your fingerprint is like a snowflake and unique to you. You are made and changed by the experiences and challenges you have faced. You are tested by difficult experiences as you move along your unique path toward higher consciousness. AND, if your spirit was NOT around anymore, the whole of consciousness would suffer and disappear. Whether your ego-mind allows you to Know it or not, you fill a spot in the enormously large Universe. If you were not here, ever again, the hole in the fabric of the Divine would cause the whole balloon to deflate and disappear.

The Universe would collapse without your spirit! Your awareness and consciousness ask you to eventually Know and Remember your Enlightenment and the important role your unique spirit plays in the whole drama called life in the Divine Spirit. Of course, this also creates enormous responsibility for your unique spirit to keep growing and expanding in consciousness because without your progress the whole of Divine Consciousness lacks expansion. You are important! Too bad if you do not like this responsibility for your soul will figure this out in due time… (Though time does not really exist…)

You are Amazing and Unique! You are an important piece of the puzzle which is called the Divine Spirit! Shine brightly and send love and consciousness out to all the other souls you meet! (Another viewpoint: You are a “Hologram” of the Divine Spirit. Every important piece of the spirit energy of this Universe is imprinted into your spirits DNA. You carry the GodForce within your soul… So, consider acting like the GodForce you are…)

You are Amazing and a Miracle! Though unique, you are a perfect piece of the Divine Spirit! You are Loved, Blessed and Cherished! Consider your perfection and connection to the Divine as you look into the eyes, and the souls, of all the beings you come into contact with on your path…

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

Spiritual Self-Acceptance

Spiritual Self-Acceptance has come up again. For me, this resurfaced when my mentor Brother Bob Trask spoke about the Power of Acceptance. It seems that it is difficult to find Acceptance of others without knowing yourself and finding the highest levels of self-acceptance. It is not just finding a way to accept some of your minor (or major) flaws of personality or physical features. It is much bigger and more challenging. You must find a way to know and then to accept, your real self. Your real perfection and Divinity.

Before we get to that, I want to tell you a story from my personal “out of the body” experience when I was 19 years old. I was blessed to have had an STE (Spiritually Transformative Experience) when I was guided in a visualization to leave my body and go into the higher realms to discover what our final transition, death, was about. I was innocent and naive so I was able to do what was asked of me by the meditation’s guide. I had no pre-conceptions or resistance or expectations. As I floated up and away, I stopped “half way to death.” Some how I “Knew” I was half way there. There was a dark horizon in front of me and I knew death was over this horizon. I was not concerned or scared. A warmth surrounded and enveloped me. It was the Divine warmth of unconditional love. It was unique, though in some form this is what everyone will experience. Along with love was pure “Acceptance.” I was perfect and loved. There was a calmness, a sense of deep peace, and a feeling of Universal “Connection.” I would never be alone. I was a part of something much greater. I felt freedom with no limitation of time and space. I felt “Joy!” It was perfect and 100% inviting.

I did not want to leave this feeling… EVER! And, I was told I had to return to my body and my life. I refused because I did not want to return to my life. I was told I was not done doing what I had come to do, though they did not tell me what I was supposed to do. I was told I could return, and would return, when it was my time to return. So, I grudgingly returned to my body and my life with no fear of the transition of dying. AND, how does this fit with this blog, you ask? I found out that I AND EVERYBODY ELSE, are Divine Spirits and PERFECT. We all have our unique lessons and purposes. We all have unique personalities but we are all connected and Perfect in our imperfections. We are all perfect holograms of the Divine Spirit manifested in our unique, seemingly imperfect incarnations. Stop me if I am wrong, BUT, this is where YOU doubt me for saying that YOU are Perfect! This is what you must ACCEPT! And, you must also love and accept every being, soul, or spirit you bump into. You must Know, and say, AND MEAN, “Namaste” whenever you gaze into every the eyes of every other pilgrim you meet. We have lessons to share and we must support every other spirit in whatever way we can. Maybe by just loving and accepting these incarnated souls.

AND, you have to START with yourself. You are Perfect! You are a Blessing! You are a Gift to this world and YOU need to take responsibility for your Perfection. You are so much bigger than you allow yourself to know or believe. This is so much easier said than done but no one said this was to be easy! This is your awareness, your challenge, and a major part of your purpose. (And, you have choice! You can choose to do life differently and to live in your Divine self.)

You may not feel ready. It may not be your time to fully awaken to your power and your light. But, you have read these words and your consciousness will NEVER BE THE SAME! You can not go back into the darkness without knowing your acknowledged or unacknowledged Divine Perfection. You can not unsee this Signpost! You are getting closer to your conscious “Enlightenment.” You are a Master and you have your stories to share for the benefit of the “witnesses.” Your time to KNOW your Spiritual Perfection and have Acceptance of your place in the Divine, is now.

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

Once the Genie is Out of the Bottle

Once you have had an awakening experience, you can not go back to the way you were before. The Genie is the awakening to the higher levels of spiritual consciousness. You need to “re-integrate” into your life with this new perspective. Not always easy or quick. Research was done with Near Death Experience (NDE) survivors and the research found it can take 7-15 years for re-integration for many of these special people. Perhaps more commonly, people may have an STE (Spiritually Transformative Experience.) Though less dramatic, physically, the STE changes you and the dramatic effects may be emotional, intellectual, and, certainly, spiritually. (Personal examples in a moment.)

Your new awareness from an STE or NDE can seriously raise your awareness. You may find this experience transformative because you “Know” things and “Remember” things which gets you many steps closer to a full consciousness of the Divine Spirit. You may have greater sensitivity and more intuition. You may live differently because the perspective reminds you that you have had many incarnations and so the idea of Death is not so distracting. You many realize that you are not alone, but “connected.” You may have a more freedom from the limitations of your ego and the 3 dimensional world (of illusion.) You will “Know stuff” because you will be more tapped into Divine wisdom.

What you do with all this new awareness is your choice. You may integrate this information/experience and change as a more loving person. You may want to bury it because you have no one to speak with about this and you fear you are going crazy. Your motivations in relationships and career may change and you may lose support from people in your life who can not easily accept your growth. Your attitude regarding living more simply, in the present moment, may be different from your forward thinking, externally driven goals which our culture may have expected of you. Your struggle to know your purpose in this life may come forward, and, eventually, will resolve. A recommendation is to meditate regularly and get support from “good” sources (perhaps more tolerant, accepting people) so you can feel positive support for your new directions. (There will be Fear and Love as choices. Choose LOVE.)

In my life, I have had several major STE’s. At 19, I had an STE which looked like a NDE. I visited a higher realm and went half way to death to experience an indescribable warmth & unconditional love, freedom, Oneness (connectedness,) and a tapping of Universal Wisdom, all of which I will NEVER forget. At 23 years of age, I had a meditation where I experienced the “River of Life” and knew the cycle of life. It lead me to feel a profound connectedness from which you “Know” that you are never alone and part of a much bigger Divine Universe. 14 months after my wife transitioned from our life together (cancer was the vehicle,) I had a session with a psychic in Tucson who channeled my wife and told me many things I needed to hear. These and other smaller STE’s have had a profound impact on my life. This included the “Guidance” to write these blogs and channel many of these writings as a part of my purpose in this lifetime.

We are all moving toward these “openings.” If you try to have them, unless you have the skills, you may slow the process. This can be frustrating. Meditation and being present to feel your intuitive guidance will give you good results…??? (I hope. This works for me…) I go to the Unity Spiritual Center in Bellingham and participate in a group which reads and discusses the book, “The Way of Mastery.” This is very helpful for me and I get great positive support from the regular attendees. We are all on the “Path” and this group does not require any justification. Pure love and Acceptance. If you want a good place to start, read and listen to stories from Near Death survivors. Go to an IANDS meeting (International Association of Near Death Studies.) I attended a 4 day convention last September, 2018, and I am still integrating this experience. Amazing!

We have videos and interviews on our YouTube channel, Masters of the Journey channel, with NDE and STE experiencers. If you have read this far in this blog, YOU are open and ready to raise your consciousness and to support other seekers. The Genie is out of the bottle! I will remind you of something you should know, if you do not know already. You are a Blessing!, You are Loved. You are a Master of your Journey. Keep your eyes up and pointed to the horizon to follow your path. Be responsible for your choices and continue to learn from EVERY interaction. (They are presented to you for you to learn from and to challenge 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.

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

Living as an Urban Monk

A traditional thought of a Monk implies to me a devoted person dressed in robes and spending most of the day in meditation or prayer. Monks are often cloistered in “Monasteries” to protect them from distraction and the temptations of “worldly” existence. Their prayer or meditation is more important than external relationships and more banal activities like working, parenting, sexual relations, or pursuits of material substance. Many Monks are very sincere regarding their studies and their simple existences. They shun the cacophony of modern urban living relishing in the quiet, simple, routines of monastic life.

Can you be an Urban Monk without the trappings of a cloistered monastery? Are there people who choose to live a more modest life, striving for consciousness, and not material excesses? Do you know people who are living quietly amongst us with an eye for Universal service over personal gain?

In our society and modern culture, there are people driven to be of service and seemingly shunning common behaviors like commercialism or watching excessive TV or addiction to fashion. These out-of-place people may be the modern version of the ancient monks. They may not be begging on the street but living on low wages like teachers or child care workers or garbage collectors. Then may be living off of social security or disability payments. They may have chosen the “simple life” because it appears to be more “real” and authentic than chasing the false Gods of money and celebrity. Do you not see or acknowledge these keepers of wisdom? Do you write them off because they do not drive an expensive, updated car? Heck, you may even pass them by as they sit on a bench, or a curb, or on the sidewalk just to be the experience you have carefully avoided but the lesson you need to learn from…

The brightly colored monastic robes may not give away the Urban Monk in our culture. This camouflage is the challenge for you to be more aware of as you hustle through your life. There may be a time when you stop and talk with that Urban Monk and ask how they are and where they came from on their path. They are not as invisible as busy people might think. They, and what they can teach us, is obvious and all we need to do is stop for a few moments and have the interaction with this “Child of God” and this potential spiritual mentor. Consider slowing down enough to visit with these humble monks. They may bless YOU with a pearl of wisdom and insight which you have been too busy to perceive on your own. Perhaps, sit with them and join their perspective on life from the different angle than you might normally visit.

You are in this world to interact because that is where the real work of consciousness and awareness dwells. You do not have to over-think it. You just need to remove your filters and live it as an experience which can lead to gratitude and appreciation, if not some deeper lesson. Do not miss the opportunity to look into the eyes of the miracle of the Divine who may be sitting quietly in front of you. They are there for YOU! (In fact, they ARE another version of you in this Earthbound play are participating in.)

AND, if you are living as an Urban Monk with the conscious desire to serve Universal Consciousness, thank you for being this blessing to us all. Though you may be living a “simple life,” you are a royal role model and much needed in our culture. You and your life are more authentic and real. You are loved and appreciated for all you do!

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