Tag Archives: Journey

Loneliness is NOT an Illusion

Posted on by

We are the MOST “connected” society AND we are the MOST Lonely society! Yes, we celebrate the “illusion” that we do not feel our loneliness because we have apparatus which pretends to keep us “in touch” with “friends.” Many of us are addicted, YES addicted, to our smart phones and tablets with the expectation that our FB posts, or our Tweets, or texting, or our Instagram offerings are showing the WORLD, our world, that we are fully participating and really proud and joyful about our lives even if it looks like our breakfast or our cute pet postings. Yet, loneliness exists. You can see loneliness in the desperate behaviors which surround us.

Example. I came at 8:15 AM to stand in line at REI (Recreational Equipment Inc) for the semi annual “Garage sale.” The store opened at 9:00 AM and I was 40 or 50 in line with 45 minutes to opening. These are hardcore outdoor enthusiasts trying to get a good deal so they can go backpacking, camping, hiking, cycling, kayaking, or whatever. ALL 40 or 50 of these line standers was ON THEIR SMART PHONES! So, I asked the people with me in the lengthening line, “was it mandatory to be on my smart phone as I a waited the store opening?” Pretty much YES. So I pulled out my smart phone so I would not look stupid or upset the others in line, I say sarcastically. I did manage to engage the people around me in conversation and we were clearly old friends by the time we pushed into the store. Because we chatted, I could talk with them to find out if they had found the specific gear that they had arrived so early to acquire. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE. Look around at the line in the expresso place or bus stop or market, or bank or ….

Many of us have lost touch with our ability to have deeper conversations and emotional interactions with real, live, responding, human friends or family. Yes, I have seen, and so have you, people sitting in the same room, even across the table from each other, and TEXTING the person in the room. What is that about? That is about addiction to technology and false idols of communication. The illusion that some how we are not suffering from addiction and loneliness. Two dimensional text messages are NOT a substitute for a hug or looking into the eyes of someone who needs support or encouragement. It does not include gestures, body language, or tone of voice. Texting is NOT the way wisdom and experience can be shared in any meaningful way. Yes, superficial sharing is SAFE and easy and quick but it is NOT a deeply felt human interaction. The kind of interaction that truly supports us.

There have been studies of children raised in Eastern European orphanages where babies and young children were left for hours without human contact and touching. Many of these children grew up with severe mental, emotional, and even physical disabilities. My point is that people need human interaction and nurturing AND technology has NOT found the way to reach out and really touch you like face to face interactions are supposed to offer. AND, if you do not see this effect upon our human culture just look around. People can not speak with clarity or depth about important relationship issues. We seem to require very graphic, adrenaline producing movies, TV, or gaming to get into our very limited attention spans. Teachers are fighting for their classrooms attention and must adjust to the lowest common denominator of the lowest attention span in the room.

People FEEL LONELY. We are NOT connected. We do not honor the wisdom and experience which is shut away in our retirement “homes,” senior housing, and “full care nursing facilities kept separate from our Youth Oriented culture. WE are lonely both Older folks and younger people. There is even discussion regarding a new psychological/emotional symptom in our psychological codes referred to as “Loneliness Syndrome.”

Fear is driving the technology addiction. We do not want to feel left out of this mass behavior. We do not want to be odd or “unpopular.” We do not want to stand up and actually speak because that attracts a spot light of attention and that can feel threatening. “someone may make “fun” of me.” It is easier to be “anonymous” in a snarky text or FB comment. Advertising insists that for our “young” lives to be successful, we must add the latest technology or “app.” We have not evolved so far in the past 35 years of the “Information Age” that the tribal behavior of sharing stories, and maybe wisdom, around the campfire, as we have done for thousands of years, is now SO obsolete and primitive that it does not work any more. Technology has changed the way we live but the need of looking into someone’s eyes as they share their story has not!

Let’s try some silliness and humor.
A dead guy is in line to see St Peter at the “Pearly Gates.” He has his cellphone with him. He walks up to the Gate Keeper and says “Can I take this with me? I am waiting for a Text. BTW (By the way) Pete, what is the WiFi password for heaven?” Or, “Is there a GPS for the “Higher Realms”???”

Though we find ourselves worshipping our: individualism, independence, separation, this can lead to emotional isolation and emotional/spiritual loneliness. Our souls are connected and yet we do not have time to remember this because our technology keeps interrupting our meditation. Yes, we are all connected but the internet still has a ways to evolve before it grasps the deepest levels of sharing, listening, and witnessing the wisdom we can find in each other.

Take a risk! Look a friend or a stranger in the eye and with sincerity ask them who they are. Thank them for being the soul which you have bumped into in the warm dryer called life! We are all in this together, whether you know this or not.

If you want to have this conversation with people who have committed to supporting other people AND their stories, consider our Masters of the Journey Community. You are a blessing and the experiences you have had in this life should be shared (for you and for the witnesses.)

The Spirit Which Burns Within

Posted on by

Whether you know it, or not, embers of the “Holy Spirit” smolder within you.

Breathe in and fan these embers until they begin to glow and then burns more brightly until they finally burst into the flame of unconditional love.

They burn with a light whose brilliance brightens the darkest corners of the Universe.

They can burn white hot with the wisdom, acceptance, gratitude, freedom, and connection to all the Divine Spirit includes… They can heal with the Golden White light of the Love they were born within. The core of the Divine is Love! Look to find this light of Love burning within each, and every, person you encounter. We are all on the path together and will benefit from supporting each soul’s journey. Dwell in the “Present” and shed the sadness from the past and the Fear/Anxiety of living in the (Unknown) Future… When you can appreciate every moment in the “Present” you will find loving acceptance and gratitude of the challenging lessons in which you are engaged.

You are a Master and will find a way to Remember the “Perfection” which dwells within your soul. As Don Ley says, know that your life in the current incarnation is “Petty” compared to whom you really are. You are SO MUCH GREATER than your mind can imagine! You are a blessing and an Essential piece of all of Consciousness. You have made an agreement to come back to your current manifestation (incarnation) to learn from your challenges and, as importantly, to assist the other pilgrims you touch along your path through this life.

This message was channelled from guidance and may be valuable to consider. Support for you on your personal pilgrimage may be found by connecting with Masters of the Journey. Please remember to celebrate in joy each lesson you confront and all the souls you bump up against as you tumble around in this warm dryer called life.

Clarity and poetry in comment by Don Ley:
Hi John.

I just read this over and I think it’s great. As for quoting me… now you’re running a big risk, because I’m liable to say most anything at any time. I never know what’s going to come out of my mouth. And it gets me in trouble sometimes.

As for this particular quote, I think I was probably referring to how we relate to life, how we see life and how seriously we take everything. It has to do with how much we get caught up in things that don’t make a damn bit of difference in the larger scheme of things, how we think we need to get everything right all the time, and then, perhaps the biggest one of all, how we judge everybody (including ourselves) and everything, as well as the criteria we use to make those judgements (how much education do they have, how much money do they earn, what kind of clothes are they wearing, how do they wear their hair, how fat or skinny are they, and on and on and on endlessly). These things, for me, are some of what created the giggle from the NDE. It’s about how petty we make life. How petty are the concepts through which we are seeing life. And how getting caught up in that pettiness makes us completely lose track of who we are and what we came here for.

Does all of that make this particular life petty in the context of who you really are? Probably. Especially in the way that you used it.

Don

Why Pursue Spirituality?

Posted on by

What is in it for YOU? What benefit can being more conscious have? What is the “Pain” that basking in the Divine solves? Where do YOU find the motivation to spend time and energy pursuing spirituality and “Enlightenment?”

We all struggle in life to maintain our health and our emotional well-being so why should we invest resources in developing our spiritual nature? Yes, it feels good to be out in nature and to celebrate the rich abundance of beauty on the planet we call Earth. Sure, it is soothing to find a deep inner calmness and focus in meditation. Releasing the dramas from the past and the fear and anxieties regarding the unknown future has great benefit. BUT, what is the point of all this searching and remembering our Divine souls?

If this was an important pursuit for most human lives, why are we so easily distracted by TV or political drama, or how our financial plan is playing out? Is it not as satisfying to look into the eyes of the people we bump into and find the “perfection” within their deepest spirit? Why is it so much easier to “Judge” than to “Accept” the next pilgrim you meet along your journey? Related to this, why is it more common to look for differences and separation rather then connection and the feelings that we are all in this together?

Why are there so many questions and such difficulty finding the satisfying answers? And, are these the “lessons” or challenges we have come here, to this current incarnation, to learn from?

Finally, why do the people who have experienced NDE’s (near death experiences) return with a more spiritual perspective, acceptance, and inclusiveness that may not have existed for these people in the past, before they crossed the “Veil” and returned to live amongst us? (When you experience “Enlightenment” your life changes with the remembering of the Divine Spirit within your very core and you know that we are all connected.)

These questions are not here for you to simply think about. They are posed for you to “experience” and to “know.” They make take many lifetimes to fully grasp, or accept, or to remember how this all fits together!

Blessings to you on your search. When you are fully aware, reach around you and take the hands of the pilgrims you encounter in this life. Witness their stories and share your wisdom. Perhaps you can enjoy your spirituality and find the joy which it can bring to your life.

If you want to join a community of supportive “seekers” consider our non-religious, spiritual community, Masters of the Journey.

What is Your Journey?

Posted on by

“The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” But, what is Your journey and where is it taking YOU? “Life is a Journey” says yet another historic quote. Is it meant to be a literal journey with physical travel or a figurative search through the experience we call life?

We have named our spiritual support community, “Masters of the Journey,” and there have been attempts to help create awareness regarding the concept that YOU are a Master of your life and YOU have much to share from the challenges you have overcome or are struggling to learn from. But, again, what is this Journey?

Each one of us is on a path through this life. In the sense of time, we can conceive that this journey begins with (or maybe before) our birth and travels life until we transition out of this life. For some of us this journey in “time” takes many years of living, for other of us less time, and sometimes only a brief amount of time, if we die at an early age. Viewing the Journey in this context, we consider the early years of learning, the transitioning into adulthood, the work and family building stage, then the slowing down and aging until we call it quits, for this life.

So is this Journey just about physical progression and the learning of life skills? Or, is there something more to our “Purpose” following our path through this incarnation? Have we come into this body and this “life” with an agenda and with specific lessons to learn??? Many people think that we have come “here” (this life) to participate in a purposeful quest for specific experience to gain wisdom or share in other people’s lessons. I think that we arrive in this life with an agenda and it is not just about my learning. It includes lessons for me but it is also for the “greater good” and to assist fellow “pilgrims” to accomplish their learnings and to gain wisdom which helps us all (all of the other children of God.)

If this resonates with your beliefs, then the “Journey” is a sacred voyage. It is a holy pilgrimage which is more about the journey than it is about the destination. What we learn, experience, AND share along the way is the value and the “purpose” of this life. Our “Journey” is Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. It may look like we benefit from what we see, or hear, or feel, or “Do,” but it may be even more about what we “Remember” on our search for the perfection and the divine that is within each of us. To remember our Divinity and to find it within each fellow pilgrim we bump into along the way, may be the most important of learnings AND the true “Purpose” of our “Journey.”

Blessings to you on your path. Be as “present” as possible and pay attention to honoring the details which may present themselves to you. A single step may start a thousand mile trip, but small interaction may pose the most important learning you have come to experience in this life. Embrace the efforts of all your fellow travelers, you may have incarnated to assist them in their most important lesson. (And, be OK that YOU may never know the outcome of your interactions.)

If you find that you wish to share your story and your Mastery, consider participation in Masters of the Journey. If you know someone who may benefit from support in the development of spirit but who may not need or respond well to religion share this community with them. Thank you, in advance.

New Beginnings? Yup, Happy New Year!

Posted on by

We are a week into the New Year. 2017 is going to be a “Barn Burner” of a year. It is a start to a new 9 year cycle. The arbitrary date on the calendar says a new cycle – a new year – begins. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere we have made it through the shortest day of the yearly cycle and are now, slowly, heading back into the “light.” The ritual of the New Year can be a time of reflection, to take stock of our lives and of our lessons to determine how far along we are. How far have we come and how far we must still travel in this pilgrimage through this life?

Some of us make “New Years Resolutions” which, by their nature, are designed to be disregarded almost as quickly as they are declared. However, the awareness of your progress and the affirmation of what still needs to be done (or experienced) has great relevance! What still needs to be done can become the “focus” and the direction which points the way to your travels through this life. Running in Circles does not serve us, in the long run. Steering out into the current, to move us down stream through the rapids and experiencing the eddies we must encounter, and transcend, is our life’s path. (In case you are unclear, we are all souls traveling in the “River of Life” and we are all “One” with our fellow souls….)

It is worth remembering… You are NOT alone! You have support. You are a blessing! You are an important part of the whole of divinity!

Your purpose is to Grow in Wisdom & Joy! As a Master, your purpose includes sharing and connecting with other pilgrims because we must all work to get THERE (higher consciousness, Heaven, Grace, the Divine) Together! (We are in Human Form to “Communicate” our lessons and to Serve!)

Blessings to You on the journey… Take one step at a time and focus upward on the path before you.

Namaste… (The Perfect Divine Spirit in me Sees, Knows, and Loves the Perfect Divine Spirit in YOU!)
(And, this is MY lesson in this life… Not an uncommon one, we share.)

Consider sharing your Mastery and wisdom with the community: Masters of the Journey!

Prayer for all Masters of the Journey

Posted on by

God smiles upon all, as we are the pure essence of life itself.

Be we seemingly simple or complex and multi-faceted expressions, each is gifted with the extraordinary nature of the divine. 

To live our gifts, abilities, inclinations, radiance, nuance, and sparkle, is the purpose of life. 

It glorifies the unlimited forms of divine fragrance.

All carry the Masters’ beauty and power and love.

  • * * *

Each are given the divine map leading to eternal communion with the Great One where we rest.

Walk upon the path of discovery, tasting, savouring in the mystery of your destiny. 

Fill your heart with the immense awe and splendor of the universe.

Rejoice and uncover the secrets within each experience you encounter upon your way. There is no limit to the depths and heights that can be realized. 

  • * * *

You carry magnificence and uniqueness that is indispensable to the whole.

You are a Master among Masters, upon a journey unique to you, driven by your true divine nature to express beauty and love. 

  • * * *

Thank you for sharing the gifts you radiate upon your path, it benefits us all along the way.

 

Namaste.

Paula Forget, author of “Guided to the Higher Realms”

Member of and Content provider for: Masters of the Journey: A Transformational Community

Your Tribe: You Are Not Alone

Posted on by

Why do so many of us not feel “Connected?” When your heart tells you to follow your “Bliss,” why is there no one around to support you? For thousands of years, humans lived in a Tribe which was much more than a family. Every daily activity was performed for and with other members of the tribe. For survival, all tribe members looked out for each other. For the educational and spiritual development other members offered support and, when needed, guidance. In today’s “modern” world, we are much more “on our own” to figure things out. There are churches and religions but many seem lacking in actually being able to support the individual’s spiritual search, though, indoctrination is often well cared for…

For thousands of years our ancestors sat around the campfire. They told stories and shared information about their history. The wisdom of the elders was passed down to the younger generations. The elders were respected in ways that seem to be lacking by many “modern” cultures. They sang the songs and chanted. They gazed into the fire in a way that was meditative and grounding. The importance of the “simple” things of life was celebrated and honored. If news came into the tribe it was often shared around the fire and the tribe considered any necessary changes with respect of the elders and their history. People considered “marginal” or mentally challenged were often appreciated differently if they were “in tune” with a different reality or “connected” to a different psychic perspective. Though we still innately love to share time around a campfire with family and friends, our tribe, we do not honor or respect this experience as the ancient cultures have done.

When you had your questions regarding the meaning or purpose of life, where did you turn and what was the outcome? When you wanted to know what your ancestors believed about the transition from life to death, what information did you receive and did you find resonance? When you looked for the Divine Spirit within you, what did you find and what support helped you find guidance and direction?

Where can you find your “Tribe?” Where are the non-judgemental people who lovingly support your quest and help you to overcome the spiritual challenges we all must face? These are not easy or simple questions. So many of us feel isolated even in our families, at work or school, and certainly from the society which worships youth, so long as they are good consumers… It is difficult to question the artificial standards that are laid out for us, and, these seem to have no roots and so are ever changing.

It is often difficult to see and feel the wisdom which bind us all together when our culture rallies us to “be different” and polarized in our individuality. Our history and our genetic code actually says we have more in common than we do not. Our souls and spirits are connected to the same Divine Spirit, even though many religions survive by beliefs of separation and unnecessary judgements. Now, more than ever before, we need to pull together and release the judgements which separate us from all consciousness and life itself.

It does not feel “right,” “healthy,” or “satisfying” to find the differences and judge when we, ourselves, lack perfection and “pure” consciousness. It feels better to serve with love and caring rather than to lash out from fear and with hate. It feels better to reach out and steady the pilgrim beside you as you walk the path through life. It feels good to simply smile or find a simple way to acknowledge the efforts of another seeker. We are ALL in this together. It is a blessing to know that your are not alone and that there are other supportive people who can support your search.

The world is getting too small to ignore other cultures. Though it may seem daunting, the time is right to look to build healthy supportive tribes. If you have not found your tribe, make it your intention to connect and  use whatever technologies you have to find, and then bring, the supportive people you may require to build your consciousness and to expand your remembering of the deepest wisdom within as you better connect with the source of Divine Spirit.

Blessings on your path.

AND, go out and do good in the world!

Masters of the Journey: A Transformation Community

Sharing Wisdom and an Act of Service

Posted on by

In our spiritual community, Masters of the Journey, we practice a “Triad” process. This is a small group sharing of experience and the wisdom gleaned from living through the challenges of life. The purpose of the Triad is to gather three people into a conversation based around the “story” of one participant known as the “storyteller.” We are all “Masters” and have wisdom to share. If you have lived your life and survived to this age, you have learned from experiences and are moving along your “path” on your pilgrimage through this life.

As an example, the “storyteller” may share a story regarding a treasured experience with a personal mentor. It may have been a special college professor or a wise uncle/aunt or supportive coach who offered you some life changing information that set you on an important direction at one of the cross roads of your life. The lesson was a personal one yet it holds wisdom that can be used by other fellow travelers. The willingness of the “storyteller” to share and the active listening by the two other members of the Triad can make this a moment of “service” for all involved.

In the Triad process, the “storyteller” offers an experience which is heard by a focused “witness.” The second member of the Triad quietly and with focused intent, listens to the story. Using strong listening skills including good eye contact and “open” body language seeks to fully experience the story. Little or no verbal feedback is offered unless a clarifying question is required. The “witness” offers appreciation at the end of the 3-5 minute story. It may be appropriate to communicate what the value of this story has been for the witness. (A key is for the “Witness” to not interrupt or offer their own story but to allow the speaker to share their perspective until offered feedback at he completion of their story.)

The third member of the Triad is the “Observer” who focuses on watching both the “Storyteller” and the “Witness.” The “Observer” feels for the connection and rapport between the “Storyteller” and the “Witness.” When the “Observer” offers feedback, she/he may share information regarding the skills of the “Storyteller” to communicate their story and also may give feedback regarding the skills of the “Witness” to fully serve by observing the story. These are skills that carry over into relationships in life beyond the “Triad” process.

The act of witnessing is a powerful act of service. Focused listening and demonstrated “caring” can be therapeutic for the storyteller. In my training as a counselor for children, the theory of psychotherapeutic counseling was often less important that the act of “connecting” with the child. When these children were fully heard, respected, and Loved (Cared about) by the counselor the positive bond was created and the therapy could be effective. Outside of counseling, each of us can be of service by developing our skills to listen more fully, connect with the speaker, and then to share the wisdom of the experience of this sharing. The simple but powerful act of sharing a story and having it fully appreciated by the witness creates moments of learning for both sides of this experience. If you believe that we are actually “one” with all other living beings, then the respect and appreciation for another person’s story is a deep respect for yourself and the Divine Spirit within you (and every other soul.)

Do not take it lightly. Your witnessing of the lesson learned raises the consciousness of all the souls which are participating. Raising consciousness in all is the purpose which we all share. This common bond brings us closer and we can find the connections which offer positive learnings. Treat others with the respect of knowing that they are part of a much larger consciousness and though it may be difficult to see, every person has God within them. We may benefit from the raising of consciousness so we may better “remember” that we are all one and that each one of us is a Master with the wisdom of the Divine Spirit within our souls.

Blessings to you and all the fellow pilgrims you, and serve, along your path.

Namaste.

Masters of the Journey’s website and connections are found at: www.mastersofthejourney.com

Love or Fear

Posted on by

There are many spiritual and metaphysical sources that believe there are only two extremes in understanding the connection to the divine spirit. There is the energy of “Love” which is at the core of consciousness and all of the universe or there is the ego created thoughts which work to separate people from the source of pure consciousness. In many sources this concept is spelled out by countless words. The Course in Miracles and the Way of Mastery which are two sources based on dictations from Jesus repeatedly remind us that our souls/spirits are perfect and connected to the Divine Spirit. These sources say that we are “perfect” manifestations of the supreme consciousness. (These books are not “religious” dogma or revisions of the “Bible.”) These references say that the Ego is a creation of the mind which is designed to protect itself and to separate us from the Divine. It is our job to “remember” our connection to the “source” as our lessons in the present incarnation (manifestation in human form.) Many other authors, psychics, mystics, spiritual guides/teachers, gurus, prophets, religions, philosophies, and even physicists (based on quantum physics) have similar beliefs.

Love, as the core energy which created the Universe and all consciousness, seems to explain many things for me, spiritually and even mentally at some times. Fear is also understandable as the mind, ego, and “meatsuit” (body) does not continue at the end of this incarnation (or life.) Fear creates the barriers which limit “connection” and the experience of full wisdom. Fear and the ego seem to create the need for “Judgement” and comparisons that leads to the limitations of “time” and lead us away from the full expansiveness of pure consciousness. Your soul/spirit is on a quest to have “Human” experience to learn and to communicate (in its limited way) the lessons that lead to higher consciousness and spiritual development.

Anyone who has had a near death experience (NDE) or knows someone who has had a NDE or who has been “gifted” with “guidance” or a true mystical experience loses the fear of death/dying because the life beyond the limitations of the flesh (meatsuit) are the heaven that we have heard about and are what we are seeking. No limitations, pure unconditional love, connection with universal wisdom and the “Source,” and freedom to be create reality, what is not to like…??? This also frees up a lot of energy to be “present” and bask in the beauty of life most glorious.

Why do we choose to live with fear and separation? And, why do we spend so many lifetimes seeking to return to the pure consciousness of the divine source? No easy answer comes to my mind. We do benefit from mixing it up with other souls who are struggling along their path to enlightenment and higher consciousness, but it ultimately is not about “learning” but about “remembering” what, at a deeper level, we already know!

I do know that we are ALL in this together and we benefit from taking the hands of other pilgrims. We benefit from loving and supporting the development of consciousness and NOT the continuance of separation and judgement of the other souls we pretend (in this life) to be detached from. In history, the purpose for the greatest spiritual leaders was to model consciousness, acceptance, and unconditional love. These highly evolved entities know that we are all in this together and that we must love and support the souls we bump into along the way. There are no accidents. These are all precise encounters that require us to learn the lessons of the current life. Some of our toughest struggles come when we are confronted by people who do not share our view. They may even be opposed to what we believe. These encounters are there for a reason. These experiences are designed to teach us about the limitations of judgement. These encounters are also lessons for us to learn about taking responsibility and limiting the tendency to blame (other people and other situations.)

So Blessings to you my fellow travelers. I bow to the Divine Spirit and perfection which is you! Namaste! We are all Masters of the Journey whose purpose is to “Remember” our perfection, to “Love” unconditionally, and to support all fellow pilgrims we meet on the path…

Where possible, know your ego and the fears it creates. You have a choice to live in Love or in Fear. Avoid separation and judgement. Learn acceptance and practice, and live, the energy of Love! Bask in the light of pure connection. Practice meditation to have better access to the divine wisdom. Be present! Find Joy and live your Bliss! Accept responsibility for the flaws and lessons that you encounter. AND, go out and do GOOD in the world. Blessings.

Visit our website for Masters of the Journey at www.mastersofthejourney.com

Achieving Nirvana

Posted on by

Do you know your purpose in life? Are you living your life with the intention of getting to Heaven or reaching the highest form of consciousness labeled “Nirvana” in the Buddhist tradition? The Buddhists believe that achieving enlightenment is the goal of living and they believe that we live and are reborn to learn the lessons that will lead to enlightenment. The concept of rebirth and reincarnation is known as “Samsara.”

In researching this concept I came across the following definition in Wikipedia:
“Samsara is uncontrollably recurring rebirth, filled with suffering and problems (according to Kalacakra tantra as explained by Dr. A. Berzin). In this sense, Samsara may be translated as ‘Wheel of Suffering.’ The Buddha taught that there are six realms that one can go to through this cycle of Samsara, though Buddhists differ as to whether the realms are actual places or figurative states of mind. Many believe that when one goes through the process of rebirth that they are the exact same person when they are reborn, but this however is not true according to the teachings of Buddha. Beings bear many similarities with their former selves but they are not the same person: this is why many Buddhists use the term rebirth instead of reincarnation. The term reincarnation implies that there is a transfer of one’s soul to the new life, but Buddhists believe this is not the case in Samsara, rebirth is generally considered to be a stream of evolving consciousness. A good example to better understand the transfer of consciousness is like a billiard ball hitting another billiard ball. While nothing physical transfers, the speed and direction of the second ball relate directly to the first. This explains how the previous life has a direct impact on the next life”

So, where are you in your evolution of higher consciousness? Are you living your life in preparation for achieving Nirvana? If this is your life’s purpose, how are you going about this?

Not everyone chooses to follow Buddhism or to meditate daily. Can we all connect with a deeper spirit of consciousness on whatever path we choose? We can learn to trust our intuition and do “right” by others with the highest level of tolerance and without the fear death. We can practice acceptance and offer unconditional love, with no strings attached, to other people struggling to learn the lessons of life. We can choose to volunteer and look for the good in others rather than, through fear and distrust, looking for the things that may divide us. How prepared are you to accept the ultimate transition that we must all face of death (and then face the possible return to learn more lessons in a future life?)

My sister asked me to read a book, The Instruction by Ainsley Macleod. He offers an interesting perspective on living your purpose and developing higher consciousness. It is a basic guide with information and exercises that can assist in the process of spiritual development without subscribing to religious dogma.

No matter how you choose to find and embody your life’s purpose, I support your efforts. Along the way, I encourage you to reach out and assist others in their quest for awakening as we may all reach the end point together. My wish for you is that you may bask in the light of unconditional love and acceptance. Here’s to knowing you in Nirvana!

My colleague and I are founding a new community of support for all who seek higher consciousness through non-denominational spiritual development. We have chosen the name “Masters of the Journey” because we are all Masters with insights to share and experiences that can be valuable learning tools for others on this Journey. This is a Transformational Community welcoming the participation of open-minded members who wish to share wisdom and unconditional love. Please share this blog and join us if you wish the support of this community on YOUR Journey.