Beginner’s Mind Revisited!

Posted on February 10, 2018 by admin

“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

Posted on February 1, 2018 by admin

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

Connecting to Your Guidance

Posted on January 17, 2018 by admin

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…

Spiritual Mastery! What?

Posted on January 11, 2018 by admin

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.

Share the Light!

Posted on January 3, 2018 by admin

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.

Your Goal in the New Year!

Posted on December 27, 2017 by admin

Yes, You have a Goal for this New Year! Whether you consciously know this or not, You are here to Serve! Sure your ego and brain, filled with thoughts of Judgement and Separation, think/believe that your survival and preservation are most important! Perhaps you consider the “Me First” philosophy you see from our leaders and on the media to be your goal or purpose… But, self-preservation is NOT WHY YOU ARE HERE! The experiences you have had, and the ones you will have, are the lessons you have come here (into this life) to learn. Your body’s purpose is to find and experience these lessons AND then to share the wisdom you have found in these challenges. (BTW: If you think your personal survival IS the purpose of your life, guess what, there is no chance your are going to live/survive forever… There is an ending of this incarnation. No way out of it…)

Your body is your communication device. You get to feel the pain and to learn from it. You get to feel the pleasure and find ways to share it. You are given the brain to perceive your learnings from the “encounters” you stumble upon! Then you must find a way to be the “Master” that you are, and to share the insights gained and to offer support to your fellow pilgrims as your goal (and purpose.) We are all on the path to higher consciousness which will eventually lead to enlightenment. You serve best by reaching out your hand to connect with the travelers you meet on your path and to assist them in their (and your) development!

Some believe that we are all actors in a “play” called life. We play off each other in the roles we have chosen. (Be responsible and do not think that these roles were “assigned” and not that you have not agreed to play these parts…) (Yup, you chose this life and these lessons!) Taking responsibility is the first step toward awareness and then joy. If you are a “victim” then you will not control your life and only look for sympathy as attention. You are so much more powerful than that and your goal is so much more important than your “petty” existence in this life. Every person you bump into is “YOU” because we are all part of a much larger, Universal, Divine Spirit! We are all in this together. By reaching out and helping each other, we are actually assisting the character you are now playing in this performance. So do not take yourself so seriously and miss the opportunity to enjoy the Academy Award winning roles of the supporting actors you encounter! They are perfect! They are brilliant in their roles. AND, they are You!

This coming year, you can begin to wake up and to remember the real purpose you came here to achieve. You can begin to remember the great wisdom that can be found within your heart and soul. You can begin to see the connections rather than judge the separation. You may even begin to feel the unconditional love that is shining all around your perfect, beautiful spirit! Try forgiveness and compassion. Attempt to release the judgements which separate you from all the souls you bump into so you offer inclusion and connection. YOU can chose love and connection over fear! AND, you can continue to chose Love over and over until you do not have to chose this because you will be “living” in Love and finding your way to enlightenment. Perhaps you will find that a true, authentic hug is the very best gift you can give.

YOU are a Blessing! You are here to learn and to serve! You will remember that YOU are a Master! Your goal is to find ways to serve!

Meditation for the New Year

Posted on December 20, 2017 by admin

It is time for Meditation! The calendar tell us that we are beginning a New Year. This year will be as filled, or sadly, even more filled with turmoil and change. It is time for us to bring Wisdom, Awareness, Love and Joy to our cultures as we struggle with the impact of accelerated evolution! We can fear this evolution or we can embrace it! We can know the benefits of our struggles which will eventually lead us out of fear and into a radiant light. (Or, we can hide in our fear and let anger hold us back from our appointment with enlightenment.)

Wow, what wonderful times we live in! So many billions of us have shown up at this age of mankind to witness and participate together in the chaos which leads to awareness and then to a higher Divine Consciousness. If we get stuck dwelling in fear and anger, we will find ways to manifest this darker consciousness. If we embody Joy, and Love, and Remember our Connection to the Divine Wisdom, we can be the “Lightworkers” we came here to be! This does not mean we have to approve of all the weird behaviors we bump into. However, we must engage in the lessons which we are confronted with.

To better prepare you to bring light and love into this world, you must honor and prepare yourself. We can only take responsibility for our own actions (and reactions.) We must regularly “ground out” the judgements we make and fold our hearts around the brilliant light of peace. Yes, this is easier said than done. I will not argue with you. We can create a healing buffer to surround each of us. Not to insulate but to nurture our core where the “Joy” resides and then shines out to bask the world in the healing energy of Love!

So, our meditation can include a time to “Ground Out” and to find our balance. Breathe in slowly and fully. Pause for a moment. As you slowly exhale, imagine that you can release excess energy with the warm breath you release! On the next breath, feel the cool, soothing air as you slowly inhale. Pause and then slowly release the warm breath. Do this several times until you can join your body in the “Present Moment.” Then continue to breathe slowly in and out with an image that you are drawing in Golden White Light to Heal Yourself with every breath. As you exhale imagine that you can send this Golden White Light and this Unconditional Love and Support out to everyone in the world. Focus on those people you love and then on all the rest of the planet. It is a blessing that you give this energy unconditionally as a gift to all living things in our Universe (and beyond.) This meditation does not have to be more complicated or drawn out. Focus on Love and Joy. Look for the positive growth from every interaction. Take responsibility for what you give out to this world! Choose LOVE! When you laugh out loud, laugh like no one is watching. Embrace Joy!

By the way, the more of us who can engage in this meditation, sending out unconditional Love and Joy, the stronger this will resonate and have greater impact on Universal Consciousness Development!!!

Whether you know it or not, You are a Master. You are a Healer. Without you and your soul/spirit, the Universe can not exist. So play YOUR part! Actively give and share love. Know that your positive light shines brightly and everyone & everything is better for sensing that your unconditional love as it is radiated outward.

Remember Your Divinity! Remember the Perfection of the Spirit within YOU! Remember to enjoy these tough lessons we have come here to experience and remember that we will be better and stronger from embracing these challenges NOW rather than having to repeat this learning again in our future incarnations. When you say Namaste, LIVE Namaste! We are all in this together, joined by our Divine Spirits. See the person in front of you knowing that at a deeper level they are YOU! Help them. Serve them! Support awareness and consciousness until WE ALL reach enlightenment.

Along the way, use Meditation to find your center and then higher consciousness. Meditation is not complicated it is an attempt to be “Present” and open to Divine Wisdom. (These few words are interesting. You following through makes these words Powerful!)

Wisdom vs Knowledge

Posted on December 16, 2017 by admin

Is there a difference between Wisdom and Knowledge? In my opinion, Wisdom is a bit more than Knowledge. Knowledge is defined below as facts and information. Wisdom, defined below, is using knowledge and experience with some good judgement. Personally, I would rather be wise than simply filled with facts and information.

wis·dom
1 the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.
Synonyms: Sagacity, intelligence, sense, common sense, shrewdness, astuteness, smartness, judiciousness, judgement, prudence, circumspection, rationality, soundness

◦ the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.”some questioned the wisdom of building the dam so close to an active volcano”

◦ the body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or period.plural noun: wisdoms  “the traditional farming wisdom of India”

knowledge
1.  facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.”a thirst for knowledge”
Synonyms: understanding, comprehension, grasp, command, mastery, learning, education, scholarship, schooling,

◦ what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information.
“the transmission of knowledge” 
◦ PHILOSOPHY  true, justified belief; certain understanding, as opposed to opinion.

 2.  awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
“the program had been developed without his knowledge”
Awareness, consciousness, realization, cognition, perception, appreciation

To me, Wisdom includes Knowledge but implies more astuteness and good judgement with some common sense, which is often lacking in just knowing facts… So, how do you feel about this??? And, more importantly, how will you use your facts, knowledge, and experience to add to the wisdom which is so needed?

It is my belief that each of us has “Wisdom” to share. These Wise thoughts come from the life challenges we have experienced and the learnings we have received from these happenings whether we succeeded or whether we have more to learn from our life’s more difficult lessons. The gift of sharing your Wisdom and/or witnessing another person sharing of their Life’s Wisdom is what a spiritual community is all about. You can serve by supporting another “storyteller” or you can learn your lessons as you find ways to communicate your experience to fellow members. The act of recapitulation of your “lesson” allows for a re-examination of the experience with the perspective of having some emotional distance from this significant experience. (We learn by teaching…)

No matter what, do not fail to “Drink from the Chalice of Wisdom” as you connect with the fellow travelers you meet on your path toward consciousness and, finally, enlightenment. You are a Blessing! Whether you know it or not, YOU are a Master with much wisdom to share!

Write Your Story!

Posted on December 11, 2017 by admin

Your story is important to you and to the “witnesses” you share your story with. Do not quit reading because you do not write. “Write” suggests that you spend time considering your life’s experiences and find some way to communicate these learnings. Whether through written words, or verbal story-telling, or expression through creative arts, or by simply “acting out your role” as the character you came into this incarnation to portray in the Great Play called life. Yup, you are a character in a play which inter-connects you with all other living things.

Recapitulation of your life’s experiences can assist you move forward on YOUR path toward Enlightenment! Yes, you review the learnings you are consciously aware AND you look for the learnings which have travelled below the level of consciousness. Share your stories! You learn by sharing! You gain perspective and you can get feedback as other pilgrims respond to your story.

Recapitulation can mean “searching for your “essential Knowledge.”” In a spiritual frame of reference, “essential Knowledge,” may include learning or remembering your connection to your “source” which is the Divine Spirit. Your job is to find out who you really are as a soul or spirit engaged in learning lessons which will create awareness and lead you to a higher level of living in an “enlightened state of consciousness.” What could this possibly mean? It might mean that you achieve a state of consciousness where you spend more of your life knowing you are connected to all other living things and assisting any, and every, soul you bump into to achieve a higher state of their spiritual development. (We are all in this together!)

As you remember and communicate your story, you can relive these moments. Seeing these experiences through a new, updated filter, you can gain insight. Often you will consider an entirely different message, and learning, from a long held but overlooked, past experience. As an example, I have retold my story many times of the insight at the age of 23 years old, when I experienced a meditation where I saw myself sitting with my back to a tree by the “River of Life” like I pictured Buddha would have done. The life changing moment, and epiphany for me, allowed me to see, to know, or to remember as Buddha would have known, what the “connection to all other living things” might be like! At the time, I could imagine that I could be like Buddha and could only imagine what Buddha might have thought. NOW, in a recent recapitulation, I have come believe that I WAS the Buddha, or a few of my atoms were the Buddha, or perhaps my Divine Spirit was in the Buddha, and so I shared this experience with this higher level of enlightenment. Wow, I am not saying I am as good as the Buddha or a Master as he has been for so many people. I am simply saying that I can resonate with this higher level of consciousness because I have this somewhere deep inside myself, JUST AS YOU DO!

Of course, this does make me more responsible for accepting my Divine Self and this creates a higher level of personal responsibility to live more impeccably as a role model of the living human incarnation of the Divine! Yikes, I have to be more careful and responsible… Or, at least more ready to live in Joy and Wisdom. Every interaction and every sharing of my story now requires that I remember that my “witness” was guided to me to hear this story as a lesson for us to share! (I had better connect more deeply with the beautiful and also perfect soul in front of me so my story meets the deepest requirement for the consciousness which we share…)

So consider your story and retell these rememberings in a way which YOU can learn a great deal as you find the words or creative expression to review this experience. Write YOUR Story with both you and your witness’s consciousness in mind…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey. You are a Blessing. You are a Master.

Reach Deep, Wake Up!

Posted on November 29, 2017 by admin

Reach deep into your soul and Wake Up!

It is certainly easier to just sit and watch as the parade of Life marches by. OR, it seems easier to be one of those people who just lines the street while the more active characters strut down the path of consciousness. We like to watch our role models and have the expectation that their “greatness” might just rub off and infect us, as spiritual voyeurs. Or, we sit and listen awaiting the wisdom to spill out of the preachers or gurus or teachers so that they can tell us what to know and what to believe (and often, how to act.) Sure it may give us “food for thought” but it is not our personal discovery nor does it often satisfy our specific need in mastering the lessons we specifically came here to learn. We have to Wake Up and find the “Enlightenment” from within our Divine Spirit.

Now, it is not a useless activity to find, observe, and connect with role models. It is wonderful to create connections which offer experiences where we can participate in a new or different way of being in the world. The challenge is to not just sit in the “easy chair” and wait for someone else to do all the work. We have to be active and to participate in the experience. We have to risk. We have to try and not just slightly dip our toe in the water but sometimes, dive in head first…. This does not mean we absolutely have to sell off everything, travel to India or Tibet, sit in a cave and meditate for 20 years or turn our lives over to a guru to tell us how to be in the world. NO, your spiritual awakening and enlightenment will come when you do the work of finding it, Remembering it, from deep within you heart and soul.

Wow, you may doubt that YOU are a Master with the answers within. Your mind and ego may be telling you that you are not great enough or deserve credit for the miracle you are! We all have to find the answers within AND these answers are there to be found! So how do you go about this????

Meditate and learn to turn off the self-doubt. Meditate and quiet the external and internal distractions so you can hear or see or feel the Divine Wisdom within your soul. Learn to trust the guidance and messages which will emerge from the depth. Easier said than done because external distractions and other people’s priorities keep smacking you to get your attention. These are the wonderful “tests” and challenges we are blessed to have in this life/incarnation. These are the tests of faith that we must travel through for the long awaited epiphanies we deserve. Faith placed inward, and not forced on us from external dogmas.

By the way, NO ONE can lead you to your epiphanies or force you to gain consciousness. YOU have to be the one who is open and willing to do the work. No one else can do this for YOU! Sorry! SO, when the time is right (correct) the teacher appears, but do not always look externally for this teacher. Listen to your dreams and meditative insights. Follow your heart. Know your bliss! AND, remember the wisdom which is deep within your soul/spirit. Along the way, your purpose is to share your wisdom (from your life’s experiences) and to serve by supporting other pilgrims (the people you meet) on their path… We must all assist each other. Love your life and even find Joy within your challenges, for these are the lessons you have come here to learn. Wake up! (And, help to Wake Up those around you…)

One additional rant. Many people do not have to be involved in a meditation or spiritual development practice for many years of disciplined practice to experience the “epiphanies” which lead us toward our enlightenment. Sure, it can take awhile, BUT it can also come to you in an instant and in the first days or weeks of the “right” meditative practice. Being “open” and perhaps in an environment which challenges you to “know” and to grow can speed up your spiritual development results. For sure, this includes your willingness to share (to speak about) your process and any, and all, intuitive feelings which come up. Your spiritual focus will develop if you can risk sharing your experiences… Besides, what have you to lose… Only, your less enlightened state of consciousness… So, Reach deep into your soul and Wake Up!

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