I Am!

What is the cause of the problems of the world? I Am!
Who is responsible for positive changes in the world? I Am!

Tom Shadyac’s 2010 documentary, “I Am,” is worth your time even with the disturbing answers to the questions above. Take Tom seriously… Tom has been a film maker who had great success with popular comedy films like: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, and Bruce Almighty. His success gave him an enviable lifestyle with awards, money, prestige, and enormous Hollywood homes. But, Tom did not feel happy. The “trappings of success” did not bring Tom joy. As he tells his story, a serious cycling accident peeled him away from his life and lifestyle. With time to reflect, Tom began to ask the question what makes people happy and his film tells some of this story.

The points he made which I resonated the most with started by his mentioning how lonely we tend to be as a society. The competitive forces which have guided our lifestyles have dramatically added to the sense of separation. Our cultural values ask us to find happiness and deeper satisfaction in acquiring possessions and then having to guard and protect these objects from being lost or taken from us. In the United States, we have become more accepting of the “Me First” mentality and behaviors which are portrayed by the reality TV stars and seems opposite what past cultures deemed as acceptable.

Indigenous cultures have celebrated community supporting all its members, deeper connections, cooperation, and respect for all life. Though we all share similar genes in our DNA with most lifeforms on the Earth, we tend to see ourselves as separate leading to a disconnect with our role on this Earth and at odds with our life giving environment. We tend to hoard and take more than we should or we do not have a responsible long term approach to the resources which are available. In cultures from the past, people who hoarded or gathered too many possessions were thought to be mentally ill, a view shared by many of the experts which Tom interviewed for his movie.

Today, we live in a polarized society where people do not listen to opposing attitudes or beliefs. We are separated by political beliefs and false idols.

Tom eventually found that his happiness was not in the 17,000 square foot home he owned or the lifestyle of the jet setters. He sold his house and moved into a manufactured house. He lives more simply now. Rides his bicycle to work. Most importantly, he finds true happiness in being of service and assisting other people. He shares that we all need to take responsibility for our actions and for the future of our planet by doing what ever we can to reduce unnecessary consumption and live with in the means which our Earth can provide. Connecting and cooperation is his way of “being in this world.” We are all in this world together. We are all responsible for what happens.

Look for the things that bring YOU the most joy. Chances are you will find these experiences in offering service, in what ever ways YOU can… Even a simple act of sharing a hug. You are a blessing and you have a BIG role in assisting the forward movement of ALL consciousness!

By the way, Tom’s 2010 documentary is worth the time. The many people he interviewed offered much to my knowledge base and his (spiritual) views were very compatible with the lessons learned and shared through the Masters of the Journey community.

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

Acting in the Drama Called Life

YOU should be nominated for your acting role in the present drama called life! Yes, YOU are an actor portraying a real life character, yourself! You are brilliant at this. You have spent a lifetime creating all of the nuances and character characteristics which make your role come alive. Since birth, you have worked with an ever-changing script and found the best ways to navigate this role. You have played off all the other actors who have stumbled into your play. Along the way, you have learned many lessons and survived many challenges. In acting out this role, you have grown and developed both as an actor and as a person. The director of this play has been vague and uncertain, giving you the freedom to choose which direction to go and what dramatic scenes to participate within. The director is YOU!

Remember that you are a spiritual being having a human experience! You have chosen to come here to learn…

In the study of metaphysics and spirituality, you eventually stumble upon the concept that you have “chosen” to come back into the current incarnation with all the challenges and lessons you have come to define as your life. Some of the other actors/characters have been on your “soul team” for other lifetimes and you all play off one another. Your acting changes as you grow and develop both as a person, as an actor, and as a spirit. The dramas you experience are PERFECT and are experienced for the purpose of aiding you AND the other actors/souls you bounce off of. Most people take their lives and their roles so seriously, until they “awaken.” You do this to know the hurt and the pain that your current life incarnated offers as the way to grow and to develop your soul until you do not need to return anymore. (Though sometimes you return to assist other souls in their lessons and their development.)

Our mind and our “egos” think that we are separate from the other actors we bump into. The limitations of time and 3 dimensions creates the view that easily allows us to “Judge” our fellow actors. We will defend our bodies and our egos because we allow fear to seem important. So important, that we forget to be compassionate with love for our fellow actors. We forget that we are all in this together as part of the larger manifestation of the Divine Spirit. Our acting out our roles continues even after we “awaken” and begin to “remember” that we are not alone or not imperfect. In fact, we are perfect. We are perfect in our acting. Each one of us deserves an Academy Award.

Our acting in this community is very important but only as serious as you make it. Remember that the word and concept of “Enlightenment” contains “lighten” as a reminder that your purpose is to find and then live in the Joy and the Lightness of pure spirit. If you have read this far, you can not go backward. You will live now in the consideration that YOU ARE MORE THAN THE ROLE YOU ARE PLAYING! You are a perfect piece of the Divine Spirit! Your acting is an award deserving role in the all encompassing play called life! Take this seriously because you must be in this current role both for your own development and to assist your fellow cast members. BUT, appreciate how much fun it is to step out of your role and see how entertaining your drama is. You are a MASTER, at your role, so share your wisdom…)

Think about one character from our history. A man by the name Viktor Frankl lived through World War 2 in a concentration camp. He kept himself alive and vital by looking for HIS purpose as a person/character going through one of the most devastating life challenge. His focus on HIS purpose brought him JOY even in the seemingly terrible situation. He survived and knew that he must share his learnings as his “purpose” to help other “actors” survive and learn and find joy in the seemingly darkest of life experiences. We must identify that the lives we live have choices and we are responsible to find our lessons and the joy as our “roles” present us with opportunities to grow. Our lives may be fleeting but our soul’s growth raises ALL consciousness!

Rich Kelley: Life is a Stage Play … Audio of Rich Kelley’s NDE and opinion regarding our “lives” as actors. Listen for the comment by Rich mentions that our lives are an “illusion.” For your experience.
http://www.talkzone.com/episodes/204/NDE020116.html

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

Following Guidance or Forced to Change?

Some of us listen to Guidance and follow it. Some of us have learned to trust Guidance. More of us fear change and argue or deny what Guidance has to offer.

First, what do I mean as I write this blog about Guidance. This is not from an external teacher, parent, or “Guidance Counselor.” It is a message in some sort of feeling which quietly (or possibly loudly) bubbles up from our soul or spirit which is connect to the Divine Spirit. Its soft voice can be difficult to hear and the directions may seem scattered. You may ask why should I listen? Why should I follow the obscure directions of Guidance? As I type this blog, which is coming from a source which is more feeling than from past training, I wonder why I am typing out the words that find their way to the page…???

More difficult are the times and experiences which we have had where strong emotions seem to force us to follow what Guidance can suggest. Often I have found myself in a negative mood, perhaps angry or fearful, and I consider that I absolutely NEED to change. Change does not often come easily. I like what I know better than what I might find out through change. Familiar “Pain” seems better than unfamiliar directions or experience which Guidance might lead. CHANGE is difficult! If we are strongly attracted to something, we might screw up the courage to go after this new shiny “thing” or person or job or…??? More often change HAPPENS when we are so desperate, we HAVE to find the new way to live or to develop our new consciousness.

Example. When I was 19 years old and pre-med at UCLA, I discovered that this dream of going into medicine, that I had passionate held since 7 years of age, was not going to happen. I could not focus at school and my grades were not medical school allowing. I was broken hearted. I was angry. I was frustrated. My alternatives even included taking my anger and frustration and signing up for the Army, which Guidance steered me away from…. and, into a better but unknown and scary option. For no “good” reason I and no clear plan, I dropped out of UCLA, worked 3 jobs, saved money for 6 months and went to Europe. I turned 20 years old in Strasbourg, France and along the way had the life changing experience of perspective on what was not working in my old life in Southern California. When I returned, I left my life in Southern California again in 2 weeks and moved to Northern California into the best possible situation for me. I returned to college and worked for my BA and MA in Psychology, accidentally finding Biofeedback and Psychophysiology along the way. Two years past my MA, I woke one morning and Guidance told me to start a private practice in Biofeedback and Psychophysiology with medically referred clients. I received training and certification and worked in Doctor’s offices and Chronic Pain clinics until I open the Stress Education Center in 1978. I never knew where I was headed in 1970 when I dropped out of UCLA and would NEVER have found the ideal professional career for myself if I had not acted on this message from Guidance. I am Blessed!

Strong emotions like fear and frustration “drove” me to follow Guidance and into the perfect life, for me. Now, I meditate regularly and sit in front of the computer, when I “feel” the need, and channel blogs that are filled with spiritual consciousness that I would not have written, or even considered, 3 years ago. Guidance has offered me a new life purpose and I wake excited everyday to follow this new direction. (New for me…)

What will trigger YOU to listen to Guidance and be led to the experiences in this life you were invited to have…???

If you feel fearful, angry, frustrated, or sad, perhaps consider these “Gifts” which are there to help motivate you to find the better path. If nothing else, you will have a great story to share regarding the challenging lessons you came here to learn. Accept the Love and the Connection with Divine Spirit and find Joy in growing in consciousness from seemingly frustrating life experiences. I am sorry this is so difficult, but we sometimes need to learn from the “trial by fire” called our lives. For me, living with my wife of 28 years through her terminal treatment for Ovarian Cancer and then her Transition at the end of her lifetime, was so traumatic I would never wish this on anyone else. But, I would never trade this experience or the lessons I have learned… It was a Blessing. A pain filled series of experiences which have opened me up to so many beautiful new relationships and spiritual experiences. As I have said before, I have been Blessed! If you have read this far, YOU have been Guided here and Blessed to share this growth in consciousness, mine and yours. Thank you!

Whether you follow Guidance or are Forced to change, please appreciate, at least retrospectively, the amazing adventure you are on and the unexpected lessons you are here to learn…

Taking responsibility for the choices you make throughout your life is very difficult but the alternative of being a “victim” to the challenges life provides may keep you from moving forward, more quickly… Live and choose to celebrate ALL the challenges you may encounter…!!!

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!

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

Beginner’s Mind Revisited!

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”

“The more advanced you are in spiritual consciousness, the more you experience the “present” in the Beginner’s Mind.”

I have heard this expression, “Beginner’s Mind,” before and this week it has come up several more times in very different conversations. When a concept comes up several times in different situations… perhaps you should pay attention because the Universe is trying to tell you something. For me, this means writing about it and attempting to be more conscious regarding this concept and how I may want to apply it.

What is “Beginner’s Mind?”
Wikipedia defines “Beginner’s Mind” by first giving it it’s Zen name, “Shoshin”:
Shoshin (初心) is a concept in Zen Buddhism meaning “beginner’s mind”. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would. The term is especially used in the study of Zen Buddhism and Japanese martial arts.

The phrase is also used in the title of the book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by the Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki, who says the following about the correct approach to Zen practice:
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”

Well, this article is an attempt to explore not only what it might mean but why it has value.
My sage spiritual mentor, Rodger, threw out words like:
Be open
Nonjudgmental to new information and experiences
Be Curious
Be “Present” (not distracted or too busy to see the forest from the trees…)

New experiences, information, relationships, thoughts, guidance, epiphanies, insights, revelations, feelings, knowings, “remembering” concepts, etc … all come to people who are open, curious, ready for more input into their lives and their consciousness. But, do you judge and look for flaws or weaknesses, or places for disagreement or are you more curious? Do you have a more rigid view of the world where new thoughts or experiences are NOT trusted and dismissed because these do not fit with what you already know or believe? Are these new experiences contrary to what you think, know or feel? Are you fearful because these are new and different or do you celebrate the exciting fresh possibilities?

Do you look at a new person you meet and ask about them and what they are most passionate about? Or, do you find them to be competitors for attention and you attempt to find ways to disqualify these new characters who are joining your “drama?”

“Beginner’s Mind” is not, just, for beginners. It is for every advanced “consciousness seeker” who has the innocence to experience insights and who can be open for moments of intense spiritual awakening. (Perhaps, we should all strive for this way of gathering our spiritual development.

Tip: Observe a young innocent child of 2 or 3 or perhaps 4 years of age as they react to a new object in their world. (It could be a new skill such as talking or walking or running or using a slide in the park.) Observe their excitement and wonderment as they explore the new point of focus. They may be filled with joy, and showing it. They are definitely “present” and engaged. This is how we can choose to be when we are walking through life. This is the manifestation of the most curious Beginner’s Mind…

Consider the limitations of fear and the “Glass half Empty” approach to life. It is safe. But, YOU have to work your way through the fears and self-imposed barriers to your life’s learnings. Adventures are not for the timid but make a life more exciting, memorable, and worth living! Be “present” as you travel through your new life experiences AND keep your head up with your eyes focused on the horizon. As a young child might celebrate in joy the new challenges which cross your path!

To explore more topics of spiritual development consider participating in our community, Masters of the Journey or visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney

One thought restated:
Do you remember when you were a young child in this lifetime and you found the joy, the delight, and the wonderment in each new object or skill you discovered? This can be the way you experience each day, each new occurrence, and each new person who falls into your life. The power of the “Beginners Mind” is found in the joy of each new experience, each new learning, each new developing consciousness, or most importantly, each new “Remembering” of your Divine Wisdom that you find within your soul/spirit.

Guidance & Meditation

Connections to Guidance: The Role of Meditation

If you want to connect with “Guidance” and Your “Intuition,” the place to start is with Meditation. Meditation allows you to quiet your mind and reduce distractions while it moves you into the Present moment. As you quiet your mind, for many people known as “Monkey Mind,” you can focus on messages which will bubble up from your Divine Spirit in whatever form it will manifest for you.

Let’s break this down a bit.
Quieting your mind and reducing distractions allows you to connect with the “quiet” feelings and thoughts which can move forward into your consciousness. I have a hearing problem due to a damage done to my ears. If I want to hear a conversation or the television, I may have to ask that background conversations or noise from the environment be reduced or eliminated so my hearing aids do not amplify all the extra sounds and prevent me from hearing my partner or the TV. Well Guidance and Intuition are easier to hear if the environmental distractions, internal or external, are reduced or eliminated.

This leads to better Focus. Until you are very familiar with your connection and pathway of communication with Guidance, you are better able to hear it or feel it or see it when internal and external distractions are reduced. This is simple as a concept but often difficult to achieve. If you are studying difficult materials for a test in school, most people (if they are honest) find that a quieter environment helps interpret the material and store in the memory when external noise is less. In the beginning of your process searching for and then listening to Guidance, it is easier to pick this information out if your mind is not racing around.

Being “Present” is the ability to release the memories and the motions tied to these memories from the past while minimizing the fear or anxiety about the “unknowns” of the future. It is a gift to be “Present.” One of he reasons we like to meditate in front of a fireplace as we watch the flames or we lose ourselves while watching waves break upon the shore is because we become more fully “Present” watching, “thoughtlessly,” as these random but predictable actions occur. The subtle messages coming up from Spirit are in the “present” and the most accurate filter will be found in a mind which is in the “present” moment.

There is a strong phenomenon that happens when you meditate, stay present, and reduce distractions in your mind. You become more sensitive to the subtle messages. As if you get “tuned in” to the vibration that was always there but hidden behind all the backgrounds noise. You are more open and more sensitive when you practice mediation. I have shared (or will share) some major messages from Guidance that happened for me during meditation. I refer to the NDE experience when I was 19 years old and the feeling of Oneness in the “River of Life” which occurred during and afternoon meditation when I was 23 years old.

Now when I sit down to write a blog which is coming from Guidance, I get better results if I have recently come in from a walk in nature or just completed a meditation practice. A thought will come and then the supporting words and information flow from the “tap” of Guidance. It appears to be easier for me to do when I am not disturbed by phone calls, social media, roommates, or noises from media or traffic.

There are many ways to meditate and you need to find the ones that work best for you.
Betty Bethards (A Psychic Mentor) – Taught me a version of Kundalini Meditation
Autogenic Training
Zen with open eyes to: nature, candles or mandala
An Altar with Your Meditation objects
Formal chanting or mantra repetition (certain types of Praying)
Breath work and Yogic Breathing
Guided Visualization or Hypnosis
Meditation Music or Tones
Self-awareness (Progressive Relaxations)
Movement: Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong
Biofeedback
Even, Pendulum or Dowsing Work
Focusing on Chakras (especially Heart Chakra 4th, Third Eye 6th and Crown Chakra 7th – and then beyond/above into higher chakras above the physical body…)

Regular practice for 15-20 minutes is what I recommend but for many people 5 minutes will work for some people or for other people 30 minutes or more may be the best amount of time. Ongoing repetition and developing this skill will improve your results in connecting with Guidance and your Intuition. Though meditating in a cave for 20 years is NOT usually required. It takes practice to learn to quiet “the Monkey Mind” and to learn how to release the physical distractions that occur so often. Some people can learn to have a brief one minute meditation practice that can work well for them. From my experience, 20 minutes of deep relaxation from meditation can take the place of as much as 2 hours of sleep. So meditation, though requiring time, can save you time in the long run.

Meditations led me to “awakenings” which included visiting: Death (a NDE on the other side of the Veil,) the “River of Life” (to experience connection and “oneness” as Buddha may have experience,) Guides with Healing advice and insights, and connecting with Divine Wisdom. No small things, though not an every day experience. Beginners Mind and innocence in my early years seemed to assist these epiphanies. (More about innocence and Beginner’s Mind in future, and past, Blogs.)

There comes a time when you learn to feel the Guidance and then you learn to trust the Guidance more effectively. This can take some trial and error. If your “Gut” begins to get your attention, it is trying to tell you something. For me, this has been true. Even when seemingly irrational, the message is worth paying attention to. YOU have a choice to follow this suggested path or not. YOU are the one who responds and be responsible for your choices and actions. When my “Gut” told me to drop out of UCLA in 1970 and to get out of Los Angeles, I did not know where it would lead me. Looking back, it was one of the best decision I have ever made! Think back and YOU will find “gut feelings” offering choices which assisted you into the profound changes you needed and which you have learned from.

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!

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

Guidance, Where Does it Come From?

The Next Tough Question Regarding Guidance

Where does Your Guidance come from? Does it come from “Guides” like angels, spirits, alien entities? Or, does Guidance actually come from within, deep inside your Divine Spirit? Wow, difficult to answer and impossible to prove, no matter where your belief might be. And, does it matter whether it comes from an external source or from within your soul? To complicate this even more, are we discussing the sub-conscious mind or a newly referred to “Heart-Mind?” Is this a Brain issue or a Heart issue?

Perhaps, it truly does not matter. But, inquiring minds need to know, says my friend, “J.H.”. No matter what your opinion we will not prove, without any doubt, the answer.

There have been stories from history and current beliefs that Guidance comes to people who are connected to a “Higher Source” and this Higher Source may range from alien lifeforms living amongst us, on UFO’s, or perhaps from “Heavenly Sources” like angels, guides from beyond the Veil, or perhaps from our ancestors. It is wonderful to consider that we are not alone in this world or even in this Universe and that there are external lifeforms who can protect us and offer their wisdom to us. In my experience, there have been people (trained in the Divine) or “Earth Angels” who have been sent to guide and protect me so that I might be led to my Divine Purpose. My Late-wife, Barbara, has been around guiding and protecting me since her transition from the Earth life we lived together so I could move to Bellingham, WA and start the Masters of the Journey. Or, is this just a belief I have regarding an external guide which actually is just a part of my Divine Spirit, from deep within my soul, which has surfaced to give me the support I can use in decision making and movement toward my new goal?

Another question arises, are we all just different, but separate, parts of a much large whole, the Divine Spirit. So, no external entity is external at all. We are all just souls and spirits connected for the greater purpose of playing out our roles in this life as we experience the challenges and lessons we came into this current life to experience?

Getting Deep! Are we going to take full responsibility or do we want to blame an external force? Do we want to be “victims” or take control and responsibility for our actions and choices? Do we want to hide behind fear and claim that we did not agree to the weird and challenging lives we have found are way into? Or, do we acknowledge that there was an agreement with our spirit team between lives which created the drama of the incarnation that we are living within? More simply, did we choose to come back to “Earth School” to work on skills and to support fellow students by tripping them in the hallway as we scurry around to our classes? (Think middle school prank.)

Today, as I write, I think that we have to be very sensitive to the Guidance that is provided to us which manifests to support our learnings on this Earthly plane AND this Guidance is not really external. It comes from deep within our souls. It comes from the Divine Sources that we are all a part of, fully connected to, as one Divine Spirit! (An Eternally, ever-present, all encompassing, all-seeing, all-knowing, perfect entity which is MUCH GREATER than we allow ourselves to believe.) We work to “Remember” that we are part of a greater presence and not the separate, petty lives our “minds” adopt with the limitations of fear and judgement. This is so difficult for our three dimensional consciousness to grasp because it is so far beyond the limitations of time, and space, and the intention of the ego’s separation… To live in this life with a consciousness of inclusion that goes beyond the Veil is what our “Enlightenment” is all about. And, whether we know it or not, we are all headed for “enlightenment.”

Consider Guidance, whether you believe it to be internal or external, to be well worth your attention. Learning to better connect with your Guidance will create the experiences that allow consciousness to develop and find the form that will be most useful for ALL the Universal learning that must occur. SO, the next “Gut Feeling” you get, do not dismiss it. Consider it a fork in the road (your path) and make your best choice from openness not Fear! Wow, the risk of change may be important for you to act upon or at least, consider.

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!

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

Connecting to Your Guidance

How many times has Guidance connected you with the direction you were “supposed” to take? When you came to the fork in the road and needed to make a choice, did you ever chose the “road less traveled?” Against judgement and external pressure, did you ever “Know” which direction you needed to go? Sure, you have been there. Your first relationship or knowing you needed to change your job. Maybe it was the vacation destination that attracted you and provided an adventure in life you will never forget. These “feelings” that led you to act did not always lead you to the easy path, or the path of success, but they led you where “YOU Needed to GO.” Your lesson, your adventure, your humbling challenge were the experiences that made you who you are. Some joyous and some brutal but you “GOT” what you needed to get!

You listened to Guidance. You acted on Guidance. And, if you asked the people around you, their suggested direction would have been to take the “safer,” or “easier,” or “more appropriate” path than to take a “different” turn, but you chose the adventure and you must take responsibility for your decision. By the way, if you never took the “road less traveled” you are probably NOT reading this blog and think wet cardboard is fascinating. Hey, YOU are here to live. Taking a path to the “edge” and jumping off into the unknown makes life interesting, challenging, and worth living!

How did the small voice of Guidance get your attention? With all the social pressure and expectations, how did you not only hear the small voice but follow its direction? As an example, I dropped out of UCLA at 19 years of age. I turned 20 years old traveling in Europe. It was the clean break from living in Southern California I needed to start “MY LIFE” and Guidance was supported by my anger/frustration and my oppositional nature. It was PERFECT! I could not have seen the things I saw or met the people I met, or most importantly got the perspective on my first 19 years that I needed to acquire to make the changes to my life that grew out of that travel experience. Five years later, my father mentioned how proud he was that I had “had the guts” to take that trip. A trip he would never had the “guts” to make. I did not do this to impress him. I did this because my over whelming “gut feeling” guided, AND then Protected, me so I could learn the lessons I needed to learn. Your life has been filled with these “Choices” which Guidance helped provide and then helped you to chose the path.

For me, Guidance does not sit around and just watch. I have been invited to play. I have learned to trust it even if I do not always understand why I am doing what I am doing. Four years ago, I would never have thought about starting Masters of the Journey, writing spiritual blogs, or leading spiritual discussions. Am I old and crazy or have I found a New Purpose which is so compelling that I get to wake every morning excited and full of energy to work on this project? I may never know why and it is not important to understand. It is important to serve by doing! It has been a wonderful blessing for me to follow Guidance into this new lifestyle!

Guidance has lead me to this project of writing spiritual blogs just as it has led you to read this spiritual blog. It wants me to do interviews with people who are willing to share their amazing stories regarding guidance taking them down paths to the most interesting of lessons. In future blogs and articles we will discuss how to better connect with Guidance and then follow your path to the spiritual awakening you are meant to have…

What is YOUR Gut telling you now about this information? For some, you will jump in. For some, it is too scary and fear will ask you to be comfortable and back away. Either way, you now have to do this with a conscious choice and find your path down one path or another. Travel safely. Keep your head up so you can see the horizon and do not miss the splendid details along your way. This is what your life is all about…

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!

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 Mastery! What?

What is Spiritual Mastery? Why is this important to my life and my happiness? In many of the previous blogs, I have written, “Whether you know it or not, YOU are a Master!” My Spiritual Guidance keeps this on the front burner for me in my dictation of these blogs. Your Happiness and Your Joy can be enhanced by accepting this message, not with your mind BUT with Your Heart! Spiritual Mastery is NOT a process that requires that you meditate in a cave for 20+ years or cut yourself off from relationships to prove worthiness and piety… No, you will find a way to “Remember” that you are a part of the Divine Wisdom and this can come in an instant! (Though figuring out how to live this “Enlightenment” 24/7 can take many lifetimes…)

You caught me using the term, “Spiritual Mastery,” and may be intimidated by the concept which I throw out to you, seemingly, lightly. Not lightly at all! My guidance reminds me that we are “perfect” and have the “Divine Wisdom” within us. “All” we have to do is to remember the connection to the Divine and the Wisdom which dwells within our souls. That’s “All.” We agreed to incarnate into this life to learn our lessons, from our challenges, and THEN to share this wisdom, knowing, and unconditional Love with the fellow “pilgrims” we connect with in this life… Simple and Easy! Not really!

First, our conscious minds and “ego” try to remind us that we are separate and should be fearful because this is how the mind and “ego” survive their small 3 dimensional existence. You are so much more than the petty limitations which you have created in this false “reality.” Did I say “false” reality? The mind tells you that its perspective is “real” and based in survival and fear of loss… When you remember your “epiphanies” in those brief moments of connecting with the Divine, you realize that you are connected to a Universal Wisdom that has a difficult time in your day to day life, but it is more real than a 3 dimensionally limited view which our human incarnation can understand. When you do understand or rather “Remember” and “Know” you are closer to your goal of “Enlightenment.” (Boy, there are a lot of “Quotations” in this blog!)

Bliss and Your Joy and Happiness can be more 24/7 when you accept your true self and the Spiritual Mastery which lies within your heart and your soul. You are a Master! You are a Blessing! You are more powerful and more important than you often are willing to remember. The Masters of the Journey is a community which supports you in remembering and knowing your perfection, your power, your Joy. We will now use Spiritual Mastery as our tag line until YOU remember your full perfection. (Wow, when you do an internet search for “Spiritual Mastery” a lot of stuff pops up. Some is excellent and some is commercial and expensive!) No matter what you find as you search for Spiritual Mastery, know that you already have this wisdom within you and unlocking it is your challenge which starts with accepting that YOU are a Master of Your Journey! And, it helps to have “Extreme Curiosity” with an insatiable appetite for truth. Are you “open” to awareness and willing to ask lots of questions? Tuning into your guidance (and intuition) can assist you in your process of remembering your Divinity.

Tool: You can benefit from a regular practice of “checking in” and “grounding out.” To learn to quiet the mind’s chatter is not always an easy practice but you develop this skill. Meditation (in any of a variety of forms) is the best way to reconnect with the treasure of Divine Wisdom deep within you. The “quiet mind” is also a restorative experience that assists you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Please meditate and reconnect with your internal wisdoms. While you are at it, live in and with Love and compassion as much as you can. It is a good habit to develop.

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!

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

Share the Light!

Our theme for 2018 is to Share the Light! You have experienced the “Light” in your meditations or from experiences. The “Light” shines in those moments of your life experience when you are “present” and feel the unconditional love & acceptance of the Divine. If you have difficulty remembering your moments in the “Light,” consider the memory you have of a radiant Sunset/Sunrise, or the beauty of an embrace with mother and child, or the heartfelt joy when you are lost in music or work of art! For me an obvious example was one moment when I was 25 years old and viewed the grandeur of Evolution Meadow in the High Sierra and knew in my heart that this should be celebrated as “God’s Cathedral.” (My soul felt the awe and the joy of witnessing this perfection where steep cliffs and white glaciers met the brilliant blue sky.)

Now is the time to Share the Light! As a Master, you learn by sharing. Your “purpose” in this life is to reach out and to serve your fellow travelers. Sharing your story and your wisdom is of great service. Wait, you may not fully believe that YOU are a Master with Wisdom to share. Whether you know it or not, YOU are so much greater (and more powerful) than your mind and ego allow you to believe. You are an important part of the Divine Spirit in all its perfection! You have this perfection and divine wisdom within you AND you are working to “Remember” this perfection! That IS what Your “Enlightenment” is all about!

It is almost to much to Know, Remember, and believe, but it is true! It is so difficult to know this because if you took full responsibility for the perfect divinity within you, you would then have to be responsible for all your beliefs and your actions. YOU would have to acknowledge that YOU are the Master! No more excuses or shoulder shrugging. You are the epitome of “Perfection” and the Divine Spirit kindles the Light of unconditional Love within your soul. You were born, “In Spirit,” to share the Light! The Darkness of ignorance, self-doubt, and fear are the experiences which you came to learn from and then to disappear (eliminate) through your enlightenment! This is your purpose and you share this purpose with every other pilgrim you bump into in the “rock polisher” called Life. (This rock polisher makes you more smooth and beautiful as you tumble around ridding yourself of your rough edges. Be the gem you are!)

Your incredible light shines brightly. You are a beacon to lead the way for others searching souls to bask within. Please, Share the Light which is your perfect spirit. Perhaps, you can remember your role as the lightworker you came here to be.

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!

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