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It’s Time to Connect with Guidance

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Now, More Than Ever Before, Its Time to Connect with Guidance!

Where does your Guidance come from? What are your sources for the most important news and information? Do you watch news on Television or on your smartphone? Do you read articles, or blogs, or books? Do you “TRUST” your sources of news, guidance, and information or do you commonly check more deeply into the background of what you are being told? If you do not “TRUST” the sources of information and news, where can you go for the TRUTH?

In our American culture, especially, since 2016, we have become more skeptical regarding sources of news and information. If we are lazy, we do not investigate what is being said. We may not look deeply into the “agenda” or background of the source. Since the internet became widely used in the 1990’s, we have been exposed to unedited, un-fact checked information from biased and unreliable sources who may claim their facts or their truths are accurate. No other time in human history have we been subjected to more “Fake News” or “Alternative Facts!” We are now believing the “Source” of the news without the common sense to check the agenda and background of the “sources” we have come to rely on and believe. In an under educated, time pressured, and lazy society, it is very easy to make stuff up and pass it off as facts to justify our behaviors or the decisions which our leadership make.

Actually, this is not new. We have been manipulated and lied to throughout human history by leaders and organizations which are determined to maintain their control over the populace. The difference that exists now relates to the modern technology which would not only start a religious war, or a race war, or a nationalism war but the current ability to destroy all of humanity with the current weapons of technology. Now, we are living on the razor’s edge with little buffer to protect us from ourselves.

This brings us to the point, as we exist on the edge of massively changing the course of life on our planet, whose Guidance do YOU trust? Our minds and our egos may be invested in “factual” presentations though these facts are subject to change. Example, in the 1400’s the facts told us by the church and our leaders was that the Earth was flat and we were the center of the Universe. Pluto used to be a planet and now doubt of its existence is suggested. Smoking and drinking alcohol were once considered healthy and tools for relaxation. Spanking children was good discipline. We were told we could trust news sources and our political leaders because they would never lie to us. We were told to work hard and our companies would “take care of us.” Now, some of our leaders say that there is no such thing as Global Warming and petrochemicals are safe in our environment. Even our religions have told us that only if we believe in, and practice, their traditions could we possibly make it to heaven.

Well, if you have any common sense, you have some doubts regarding our current sources of “rational” information and news. “Alternative Truth” can exist for humans who choose to believe ego flawed statements and agenda driven belief systems. For me, it is fun watching the “drama” unfold and my ego getting caught up to supporting one side of the perceived truths or the other. Our challenge today is to remember that more than 7 billion souls have showed up on planet Earth in human form to watch the “Train Wreck” which is happening. It is way past any doubt that the world our children and grandchildren will have to grow up in and will be way different than the world we have known. Both physically and politically, we have soiled the nest and we have to take responsibility for the destruction of life as we know it. When the dinosaurs went extinct, it was not from the poor decisions they made. Yes, we are not even as smart as dinosaurs when it comes to seeing our own extinction (of life as we know it.) Humans are not very good at learning from past mistakes, especially the leaders in power.

Now, more ever before, we can benefit looking beyond our egos and our mental reasonings. Not to stop thinking or problem solving, but to look deeper and perhaps listen to the small, quiet voices from guidance. Quantum physics suggests that there are unexplainable (so far) energies and consciousness which exist and have existed since the formation of our Universe, and beyond. Not the traditionally believed religious dogma which was meant to control the masses but more love based consciousness that accepts all souls and the learning path toward consciousness that we are pursuing. (This consciousness is very neutral regarding our survival drama due to “free choice” and realization that our so called reality is an illusion.) But how do we connect with this Guidance and source of universal truth? Often we have to shut off our mind and feel with our hearts (and souls.) Meditation helps a great deal. Being more “present” in the moment, not living in the past or future, can assist Guidance to enter into our consciousness. Less judgement and more acceptance and listening helps. Rather than separation and isolation, which our culture seems to preach, perhaps we can build real community where we connect and find the divine perfection in the souls we bump into. Yes, even the ones we would disagree with. AND, sharing our experiences in an act of service to assist the people around us. We are all pilgrims on the path toward awakening and remembering our divinity. We are all connected and can benefit from assisting others. Guidance can allow us to accept the difficult lessons which we have come to Earth to experience and to learn from.

The bottom line, you are a perfect manifestation of the Divine Spirit, whether you know this or not. Consider separating yourself, not from other struggling souls, but from the drama and the dis-information we find in our leaders and sources of news. Your heart and your Guidance will lead you through this lifetime and through your future travels beyond the veil.

You do not have to cut yourself off from news or the media, just filter what you see and hear. You do not have to join a new age cult or become a quantum physicist. But, perhaps you might be present, meditate more, and read or learn from materials related to spirituality, near death encounters, and some timeless teachings from Buddhist, Hindu, or Taoist traditions. Look for many sources until you can “feel” the correct path for you to assist you to remember your perfection and connection with the Divine Spirit.

Live your Truth!
Find YOUR Bliss!
Love, Serve and Remember!

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

PS: This blog will be sent to on Thanksgiving Day, 2018 (November 22). I will be traveling out of the country and will miss posting next week’s blog. Sorry. I have sincere hopes that all the people of our planet will find in these holidays peace and a renewal for humanity. Hopefully, some common sense and Divine Spiritual insights will find a way to guide humanity. Please find a way, dig deep, to support through Love all the souls you are blessed to meet. Peace…!!!

Anger and Rage filled People are Always Right, in Their View!

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With the Presidential Elections happening later this year in the United States, the silly political theater is in full effect. Intelligence, cooperation, negotiation, reasoning, and civility go “out the window.” The people who yell loudest, even though a minority in the electorate, seem to get the most crazy, media time due to the fact the media loves the “crazies.” (Good screen-time…) So, I offer a few thoughts on how to view the process…

There are a lot of angry and rage driven people in this country (and the world) and they are always right, at least in their belief system. Most of these people have developed their habitual “knee-jerk” reaction to any opposing thought, by allowing their anger and rage to rise to the surface, and without any appropriate filtering, find expression. Historically, polite society has encouraged a safety net of emotional filtration of the expression of anger. We have developed laws that are supposed to keep strong emotions from taking over and the expression of emotional rage from being demonstrated. We have even developed laws which say that angry people in relationships can not, legally, beat each other or their children (as in domestic violence or child abuse.) Our system allows for “free expression” of our political views but has discouraged “punching someone out” for disagreeing. We do have problems with anger filled bullies who attempt to control situations with their anger by shouting down any opposing conversation or action. On their terms, free expression is sanctioned but only toward someone who holds their same belief. In this way, a minority can control the political process by saying “NO” and bullying any opposition.

Very often these angry, rage filled people are driven by their value system that sees things in “black and white” terms. “Either you are for me or against me” mentality. There is no “gray zone” where there is room to work together with compromise. This is why the congressional process in the United States has ground to a halt and become ineffective. No room to compromise means a minority opinion can control the political process. The person who “yells louder” wins the discussion and angry people, who have no appreciation for the act of compromise, seem to control progress by grinding negotiation to a halt.

“Black and white” values and expressing anger/rage are linked together. This value system historically has given rise to dictatorships and totalitarian regimes like the one currently controlling Iran and, in the past, Nazi Germany. The minorities take control of their political process, and their governments, without regard for compromise and the basic human rights of opposing beliefs. There are dangerous people who might strap an explosive vest to their body and walk into a crowded market to detonate their bomb. Terrorists are very “black and white” in their thinking. They often have a belief that if you do not agree with their values you deserve to die, even if other innocent people die also. Religious extremists and political extremists are not dissimilar in their “black and white,” “right or wrong” attitudes and values. They can be quick to anger with opposition and when they “act out,” headlines are made. For rational people who understand the value of compromise, this is very scary. As our world continues toward political and religious polarization, violence and angry outbursts will escalate.

There is an appropriate place for anger. There are appropriate ways to express dissatisfaction, even rage, but extremism, from any political or religious mindset, needs to be expressed through the filters of rational and appropriate communication. The world is getting too crowded and too small for minority bullies to be running the show.

Mutual respect, tolerance of differing views, and the acceptance that other people’s beliefs can be shared, but not forced on non-believers, seems necessary in our shrinking and over-crowded world.

Be wary of preachers and politicians who are too extreme in their “black and white” sermons, with little or no regard for another opinion. These bullies can control followers and drive them to act unfairly in the mob that they create. Their most ardent supporters are often people who are under-educated or who are impulsive because they are not able to think clearly about available options that can create positive solutions to pressing issues. Stand up and use your brain so that you are not “controlled” and duped into behaviors that rational people of the world would find to be stupid or inappropriate. It is our responsibility to seek all the information on both sides of an issue before we make our final decision, as the framers of the constitution of the United States intended. (Do not rely on any one source of information and news coverage. It may require an effort that even looks outside our country’s media sources.) This requires time and effort, not the “follow the tail in front of you” approach as circus elephants are trained to do. If you can not find your way, safely, out of the narrow minded thinking, then at least do not react in a “knee-jerk” fit of rage to an opposing point of view. Perhaps, as a reasonable alternative, engage in tolerance. “Civics” as a study, and part of our education process, has largely been lost to educational budget cuts in the United States, and with it, the education regarding how the political process is supposed to work and how the voters are supposed to prepare themselves to make good voting decisions. To often we are lead to the polls by the demagogues who yell the loudest and control our media’s attention.

Please be responsible and do not be lazy when you choose your government, or, you are doomed to pay the price…

Fanning the Flames of “Media Created” Anxiety

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A Break From Unnecessary Drama

Do you ever feel caught up in the “Media” frenzy when disasters strike? Do stories regarding dramatic weather, or planes landing in the Hudson River, or banking scandals, or babies born by “in vitro fertilization,” or even celebrities faux pas ever seem blown out of proportion by “Hype?” We news consumers are often bombarded by the media as they attempt to gain, and then hold, our attention…

Tips for gaining control of your life…
The news media is more than a source for information and current events. It has become a “roller coaster ride” of drama and self-aggrandizement. We consumers of these presentations are swept up and our visceral anxiety responses are fanned into a frenzy. But why are swept up in this media blitz of emotion?

Since the dawning of the “Information Age” in the 1970’s, we have been steadily drawn into an escalating 24/7 need for worldwide news and the media has provided us with anxiety producing excitement from every corner of the world. Technology allows this instant communication and seems to encourage our “need to know” mentality. We “need to know” because we have a very primitive survival mechanism that stimulates our external focus on any threats, even perceived threats that may exist thousands of miles away, so our unconscious minds can protect us by preparing to fight or to flee from “danger.” When the Flight/Fight Response is triggered, our reactive, survival mechanisms take priority. We can react with “knee jerk” habitual patterns that are unique to our learned responses, but are born from the survival reaction. One major reaction that occurs for many people under threat is a reduced ability to creatively problem solve and communicate effectively. We react and often do not really think things through. When this occurs, mistakes can be made. Accidents can happen. People or projects can get hurt. Relationships can be harmed. Our world can suffer by becoming a victim to poor rational thought in cases of fear or media driven anxiety. It is an extra “heaping, helping” of annoying distractions that take us away from self-care, focus on priorities, and creative pursuits that promote productivity and well-being.

Just before 9/11/2001 our news media changed. Do you remember? About 3 months prior to the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania, the television news media upgraded their reporting to include, not just a “talking head” (reporter) giving us the “news” but also text messages flying by on the bottom of the screen, and often a graphic on the left of the “talking head.” Now we have to deal with 3 sources of information simultaneously. This multi-tasking creates added frenetic anxiety in coping with this increased input. Have humans evolved to keep pace with this new use of technology? When we are threatened, we have a response that NEEDS to know what is going on around us so that we can take action and survive any threat. We are often overwhelmed. We have learned to cope by becoming unconscious regarding this media craziness. The media fights to keep our attention. The media has evolved their approach to sensationalize their coverage, to yell at us even louder, with more graphic events that “demand” our attention. Even the weather news whips us with “STORM” coverage that makes weather events major news, even when it occurs hundreds of miles away!

To combat this media blitz on our senses we must do three things. First, we must become aware that we can become victims to sensationalism that may not necessarily be an immediate threat, and filter the news so that we can respond more appropriately. Secondly, as my friend Rodger Ruge suggests, we should consider a media “Fast,” where we reduce and limit the amount of media news that we subject ourselves to. For many of us, turning off the news, especially before bedtime, would be a very good option. The third necessary step is to practice self-care and strengthen our emotional foundations by eating better, avoiding caffeine, getting regular exercise, and practicing daily relaxation.

Awareness of the media frenzy can help protect us and our children from the “overwhelm.” Since the mid 1980’s, we have been deluged by new technologies that force us to react to news and information that is swirling around us. We have experienced: pagers, fax machines, cable TV with 500 channels, Cell phones, text messaging, e-mail, internet information, changes in media coverage of world “disasters,” “robo-calls” at dinner time, and huge expectations that we are plugged in 24/7 and can respond instantaneously even when we are driving our cars…. This is crazy making! Some people can handle this gracefully, in fact, some people can thrive in this environment. But most of us are just victims to our technology and can benefit from setting some limits on the ways that we use, and react to, our technologies… We need to evolve and to create survival strategies that meet our unique, individual requirements.

Please be smart and figure out how to “not become a VICTIM” to the media and our newest technologies!

When we see natural disasters on the TV, we think that we filter the visceral effects on our survival systems, but our unconscious often reacts to the possible threats that are perceive through our visual and auditory senses. When we witness “coverage” of war zones, murders, attacks, rapes, fires, or vehicular accidents, we may believe that this does not affect us at a “conscious level,” but we are still triggering the flight/fight response in some systems at an unconscious level. Have you ever noticed your heart race or your gut tighten when confronted by news or movies? Does your neck, jaw, or back react to accidents or disasters that you witness in person or on TV? Do thoughts of “media images” ever pop into your conscious mind as you try to sleep? We are bombarded by negative media attacks almost everyday.

Do media pundits ever whip you up with their “news coverage” or editorials so that anger or fear seem to rise to the surface of you or your loved ones? This can be emotionally and physically hard on our systems…. Be aware and do not get caught up in the media circus, if at all possible.

Final note. Many people are studying and applying the principles of the “Law of Attraction” believing that goal setting and positive attitudes toward achieving these goals is essential to success. World class competitive athletes have been using these “Sports Psychology” techniques in their training regimen for decades to achieve advantages in mental preparation in their events. When we get caught in the sensationalized, negative reporting by the various media we are sapped of our positive thoughts and energy. We lose our focus on attracting success and positive outcomes. In fact, we can be overwhelmed by negativity. This can strip you of your ability to problem solve in positive and creative ways. Negative thoughts can attract negative outcomes, mistakes, and ill health. Avoiding negativity (and negative thoughts) can be a path to better health and lead to positive outcomes. “Dwell in the Light” (Choose “Joy”) and when you feel overwhelmed, consider turning off the negative newscasts and immerse yourself in a book or audio program, or a video that will inspire you with positive; thoughts, actions, and emotions.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the country’s leading stress management expert and the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website www.dstress.com. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.