Born to Serve

With time for self-reflection, you may find yourself asking, “what is my Purpose in this Life?” The answer never changes though the manifestation of your “purpose” may seem to take different forms. In these days which are fraught with so much fear, anxiety and disruption, the answer continues to be that You are Here to Serve! And, you have so many great opportunities to be of service…

When I woke this morning, my Divine Guidance asked me to write a blog reflecting on why we keep returning to our Earthly lives. It is not that our soul’s existence between lives is unhappy or boring but we are attracted, like moths to a light, for the opportunity to serve. The “Drama” playing out as we act out our roles in our human form is very attractive to participate within. Many of us come to play the roles of Saints or of Sinners or the victims of either. We come with lessons and challenges to learn from and to create the opportunity for other souls to play off of us for their lessons and challenges. We serve by supporting other souls. AND, we serve by allowing other souls to support (or serve) us as the character we are playing in this drama.

We each bring unique perspective and skills to each interaction because we are each unique. We might stumble around bumping in to other people or situations and we have free choice regarding how we jump in and get involved, or seemingly, to not engage. Today, in the weird and wacky world we live in, we have so many great opportunities to serve. The expression, “You can throw a stick in many direction and you are bound to hit something,” strikes me as truth in this situation. The challenge I have for you, as you have read this far into this blog, is that you stay sharp in your awareness and put the filter of “Service” before your eyes to search for ways you can serve in your unique way. Yup, look for ways to say, “Thank You! You are a Blessing!” or “How can I assist you?” It really is that easy.

Be careful and aware of people playing in the role of desperate victimhood. They are just too easy to engage but your expectation of assisting them may be YOUR lesson. They may like being victims. They are good at playing victims. And, they may not be ready to let go of the victim role but, as a spider draws flies to its web, they may want your involvement in a never improving sub-plot. I am not saying to not assist or attempt to assist these folks. I am saying be careful regarding YOUR lesson of expectations in your service as a savior… Since we all have “choice,” consider what role you want to play in any interaction and test your wisdom from your unique life experience as you engage.

It gives “Joy” to serve. Our souls bask in the light of the giving of service and unconditional love (though there are usually conditions attached to how humans give “unconditional” love.) You have come into this life to “mix it up” and to interact with other pilgrims on our different paths toward higher consciousness. You are amazing! No one else could fill the role, you are acting out. Every person you bump into is a unique child of God and perfect in their way and in their role. Yes, even if they push your buttons, Especially, if they trigger you! So, remember to find your way to enhanced each interaction because YOU were Born to Serve!

You are a Blessing! Thank you for being you.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Attract Positive: Be Happy!

Be Happy! Easier said than done, BUT…. Your positivity and Happiness will attract positive energy and loving support from the Divine Spirit. No matter what you choose to do or to be, the Divine Spirit will still Love and Support You AND it is an easier task to feel this Love and Support if you are positive and happy. “Like attracts like…” How you choose to be “Happy” in difficult times dealing with difficult challenges is up to you! You choose how YOU respond. You need to take responsibility for your actions, reactions, and the way you perceive your situation. Some people have chosen to respond to difficulties by finding the good, even the Joy, in the lesson they are confronted by. You CAN choose Joy and Happiness.

When you “Ruminate” in a negative or depressed state, you may tend to see life through this filter. You may then find the energy that you are emanating as “Like attracts like…” When you are angry and frustrated, it is difficult to find Joy. It is easier to find more anger and frustration. There is a person who sometimes floats into my activities who rants anger and frustration every chance possible. This attracts more anger and hostile responses which tends to prove this person’s belief. AND, there is no personal responsibility by this individual for their own angry presentation…

There is the distinction in living in higher consciousness. Seeing the positive in a difficult lesson can be very challenging. Taking responsibility for what is happening and how you respond is demanding. This, however, is a test which leads to higher consciousness and moves you toward your “Enlightenment.” What is the direction you choose to take?

Living in Joy is a goal of the Enlightened spirit. We come into our Earthly incarnation to be tested, challenged, and to face the pain of being a human. We come to experience the “Drama” of our role in Earthly life. We learn from these challenges. We grow when tested. Life was not meant to be 24/7 fun. However, for those of us who live in Joy and Happiness a “fun” life can be more consistently lived. When you meditate and begin to remember where you have come from, you can be guided in the most positive direction to accomplish your “learnings.” Sharing your wisdom, experiences, and Joy is a step toward offering the positive support which attracts positivity to you. If you can share with humility, you may prove to be the guiding light for your witnesses.

Hint which may assist you: the practice of Smiling will engage a happier mindset. Just Smile! Smile when you are alone. Smile when you interact with other people in the world. Smile as you look for the Joy or Positive lesson you can learn even in challenging situations. Smiling will trigger a physical response in your brain and stimulate some unconscious responses in your central nervous system. Practice this. Smile when you meditate. My friend Robert discovered how well this has worked for him and I know this is true for me as well. What have you got to lose? So spend some time and energy with extra smiling.

Live in the “Light.” Radiate and reflect the Joy you experience. Expect the positive even in the dark times. (Again, easier said than done.) Example, when grief seemed to limit my expression of joy after the passing of my wife, I was still celebrating her freedom from the traumas of cancer. I was still able to know that our story would serve others. I still found appreciation for all the learning I had been forced to experience as a partner in this difficult shared experience. I experienced the love and support of many friends. Today, even with grief and my pain not far from the surface, I know that I would not wish this on anyone else but I would not trade this experience for a different path.

You are a Miracle! You are a beacon of Love and Light! Whenever possible, bask in the Joy and the Happiness which the lessons of life can offer to you. AND, allow your growth in consciousness to be a bright guiding force you can share with the pilgrims you meet on your path!

Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Life is a Journey. Go Do It!

Reminder: Life is a Journey! Life is an adventure. You learn more from the challenges or by following the path less traveled. If Life was easy, it would NOT hold the important lessons which we came here to learn! If you want to sit on your comfortable couch and watch the world go by on your TV (or YouTube,) you are NOT getting the benefit of living the adventures which reward you with stories and experiences which “light you up.” Sure sitting on your couch is comfortable and you can find excuses for not heading out to challenge yourself, but then you have to be responsible for the regrets and the “What if’s” that you could have done during your life. Get off the couch and Go Do Your Life!

Fear of the unknown will create excuses for not doing your life. You are meant to overcome your insecurity, your anxiety, your depression, and your friends/family’s naysaying. Reach down, find your fortitude. Test yourself! Have an adventure which becomes a story you can share rather than an excuse for not living your life. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for being! Your “Dreams” are worth chasing, whether you succeed or whether these become life lessons which make you stronger and more valuable. Yes, then you must share your story. Do not whine or hold the pain too long (and this is tricky ’cause you get to have some attention or sympathy if the path was difficult BUT you have to move on and get ready for your continuing lessons. Just do not stuck in your “drama.”)

BTW. Who ever said that Life was supposed to be easy and fun, misjudged the deeper purpose of living as a human being. Struggle and suffering is also off base. It is challenging to find meaning and joy in difficult experiences but this is closer to our purpose in growing in consciousness towards an “Enlightened” self-realization. Thanks again to my mentor, Paula Forget, for reminding me of these concepts which I have found my words to describe…

Look for Life Adventures. Try not to hide from or avoid the challenges and lessons which make life worth living. And, Find Joy in every interaction and experience ’cause they are ALL there for a purpose, to serve your learning and development! Yup, even the difficult ones. Especially, the difficult ones!

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

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Your Hero’s Journey

Each of us faces our Hero’s Journey at some crossroad in our lives. We are often drawn by some unconscious knowing that our lives are not on track. There is some piece missing. If, and when, we find the fortitude to follow this unexpected, perhaps, unsupported path, we are lead through challenges and experience which can change us at the foundational level. IF we can integrate this new learning into our lives we are deeply and permanently changed. Our lives often take an altered path with a changing set of priorities. These changes can put us at odds with the people who have known us and this resistance may lead us to finding a new support group or culture.

Joseph Campbell wrote about the mythology of the “Hero’s Journey” and the value it has on taking the path less traveled in our lives. In his book from 1949, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” in which the Hero’s Journey was briefly described as, “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” (From Wikipedia)

I have written about this Hero’s Journey in a past blog that may be worth your reading, “Listening to the Burning Bush” at Blog.

But, unlike in this past article, I now ask you to identify the unconscious challenge and follow through on this experience which will lead you to your “Spiritually Transformative Experience” (STE) and return with the gifts of insight with which you can serve our world. As you re-integrate back into your new reality, you are “changed.” You have had the expansion of this spiritual experience and you will find ways to share this wisdom and the adventure you have undertaken. This alone will help expand the perspectives of the witnesses and serves to encourage these witnesses to follow through on their own personal Hero’s Journey.

FYI: Every Soul will travel a lifetime with participation in the Hero’s Journey, sooner or later. Something Spectacular Happens as you begin to walk this path alone, in your own unique way. Often a Mentor or Guide appears (when the student is ready the teacher will arrive.) The Treasure that you seek is hidden in the cave you fear the most to enter. It is not easy to be the person who does not need the approval of others to allow the transformation to take place. You come back changed. Expanded and more experienced. Your new consciousness can not undone. Find your unique “purpose” and share your wisdom… Learn to trust your intuition. It will guide you.

You are a Hero! You have survived many challenges and learned and grown from these. You are here to now share your story or, at the very least, be a role model for the people you come into contact with. Perhaps you did not want to return from your “Journey.” It felt too comfortable but you knew you were “supposed” to return. You have a purpose! You are here to support other travelers and to share your experience.

There is NO escape! We all must travel through our own Hero’s Journey to reach more fully conscious enlightenment. This is not an easy choice but a necessary adventure along the path of our travels. Whether you know it or not, YOU are a Master! You are a Blessing! You are a Miracle! You are, or will be, the hero who “comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his/her fellow man.”

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

It’s the Journey

It’s the Journey not the Destination. Google and “Quote Investigator” seem to credit Ralph Waldo Emerson for saying, “Life is a Journey, not a Destination.” Whoever and where ever this comes from, today I was triggered by the thought that accomplishing a “Goal” and possibly feeling success is NOT the point of the “exercise.” The point of living your life is experiencing the lessons, the challenges, the people, and the “stretching by doing something new” along the way. Success or failure are NOT the end judgements which offer the most energy. The “energy” comes from the “doing” and the Journey. The adventure is Living life and not simply talking about it. Acting in service or enlightenment instead of just wishing for this highest form of living in our 3 dimensional world.

The Masters of the Journey community was built from Guidance and the appreciation that each of us has much to share. Though spiritually connected, we have lived our unique lives in our unique ways and learned our unique lessons in the process. By sharing YOUR stories you offer the “witness” (the person who listens to your story) a chance to learn from you and your gained wisdom. It offers a unique perspective which can be supportive, perhaps even, life changing. SO, YOUR Journey has value. Not just to you but to the people you “touch.” The real Joy in Life is sharing your story with the wisdom you have gained as a Service to the people you come into contact with and then, “touch.”

An expected or planned success is GREAT but in my life I have learned much more from my failures and painful challenges when things did not go as planned. I am not saying that “whining” about mistakes or hard times is always a beautiful way of sharing. Taking responsibility and acknowledging the role you have played as you expanded your knowledge, wisdom and perspective is the deeper value, for me. You pushed yourself to try something new. You stretched to get out o your comfort zone. You tested new limits and found you have fewer boundaries and self-imposed limitations. This seems to me to be the true journey through the new learnings in this life.

And, the Journey through life IS the main show. Pay attention! You never know what miraculous learning can come from the smallest step or seemingly less important interaction. Besides, appreciation each moment and finding Joy in every amazing connection is so very important. It requires you to be fully present and available to look for and to find the miracles. And, along the way, listen to and learn to trust the small voice of “Guidance” (or your intuition.) It may lead you into important learning experiences. It also helps to keep your head up and your eyes toward the horizon, unless you are very uneven ground. Tread more slowly if your road seems too rocky…

No matter what, consider how amazing and miraculous life is! Feel the Joy even if you find yourself walking on the “dark side of the road.” My mentor, Paula Forget, reminds me that every moment, walking in this current incarnation, is spectacular and offers learnings to celebrate. Attempt to not get caught in the quagmire of the “Drama” in your life and to know that each experience is amazing, even if it can feel challenging or painful. You are here to be challenged, to learn and to grow… You are a Blessing! Nobody can do YOU better than YOU! The Universe needs you and your interpretation of the Divine Spirit manifest!

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

Relationship Commitment: Till Death Due You Part

Relationship commitment, especially marriage, may not be fully understood when people enter into this commitment. I was married at 33 years of age, for the first and only time, and I had NO idea what being married for “Life” could possibly mean. I never really considered the “end game” of marriage…

“Till death do us part” is a part of some traditional wedding vows. This signifies that the married couple intend to spend the remainder of their lives together – They will be parted only by death. “Part” – note that it is used as a verb in this instance. S: (v) separate, part, split (go one’s own way; move apart) ”
(From: https://english.stackexchange.com)

My marriage lasted almost 28 years and this “commitment” ended when my wife “transitioned” from this life. It was a transition I thought I was prepared for because we were given her “Terminal diagnosis” 8 and 1/2 years prior to her passing over. One of my challenges after her death, was to understand the “Void” that was created when my life partner of 30 years was not physically in my world. This is not a unique experience. Many people have learned the lessons from “losing” a close friend, or a spouse, or a family member where there had been an official or unofficial commitment. How DO You prepare for this situation? Personally, I admit that when we got married in the Summer of 1984, I had never a remote thought about the “end game.” There are only two ways out of a real marriage which include death or divorce. The two difficult “D’s.” This is not meant to prevent people from considering the commitment of marriage or deep relationships. It IS meant to create awareness and higher consciousness regarding the bonding process and the lessons we all learn from these.

The illness which afflicted my wife (ovarian cancer) and our relationship gave us a chance to grow closer. We weathered many challenging “storms” together and learned much from this experience. This is NOT always the case. For some, leaving a difficult situation with a partner seems like a useful strategy but this never crossed my mind. But remember, the most stressful things in life come when you deeply care or love another person, friend, child, relative, or spouse, AND you have NO control over what happens to this person. Parents know the anxiety, and the rewards, of sending their child out into the world.

You were guided into a relationship with another human partner with no guarantees that you or they or the relationship would last forever. “Forever” is a long time and is too linear. (And, time is a whole other topic for spiritual conversation and belief.) You love, or deeply care, for a person and in being “Human,” there are NO guarantees… They might leave you or get sick and need caring for, or they might need to die. The BEAUTY in all this remains in the fact that you took a risk and were meant to have a relationship with another pilgrim (person) so you both, and all people in your greater community, can learn from this life experience. Not like in the movies where “they live happily ever-after” but in the REAL challenges in living in human form. A range of strong emotions happen. Compromises happen. Communication happens and when this is good communication we learn and refine our perspectives on life. You must be ready and aware of the relationships and the commitment you have been guided to have. This is a huge part of why you are here, in this life, and the lessons you have “agreed” to have…

Love Deeply! Follow your passion! Take a risk! Dance like no one is watching! If you ever meet my beautiful bride in this life as a spirit or in the higher realms, bask in the light of an angel. Death is NOT the enemy, it seems to happen to everyone at some point. Soak in all the unconditional love you find in every “perfect soul” you bump into as you tumble in the warm dryer called life.

AND, if you are challenged by the difficult lessons of relationships in this life, be willing to share your story and the wisdom you have experienced. You are a Master with wisdom from your life’s experience to share.

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

Guidance, Grace and the Pilgrimage

You are blessed to have Guidance! Guidance which you may not have even been aware of at those moments in your life when you chose a direction to move. Maybe it was a hunch or a “Gut Feeling.” Perhaps your decision was not a “rational” one and made no sense to others, or even to possibly yourself, but YOU went with it… AND, it turned out to be an interesting challenge or life experience. You were ment to follow THAT path and you did. Sometimes, if it did not work out as expected, you second guessed yourself. Maybe you did not want to take responsibility for your choice, or the choice Guidance “encouraged” you to take. It may have been the trip, or the job, or the relationship, or whatever… that was “interesting” AND, looking back, you learned something which you would not have learned if you had followed the other path (choice.)

Our lives are filled with these moments when we chose a direction, perhaps even the road less traveled, and then found a rich experience. Often we make seemingly “rational decisions” which made “sense” at the time. The “easy” path is not always, if ever, the best path to choose. After all, life is an adventure and you gotta jump in and get your feet wet if you want the rewards of learning and growing even when it may have been a questionable decision.

And, there are the times in your life when Guidance allowed you to move in a certain direction which became a “peak experience” possibly leading to remembering what the state of Grace feels like…!!! The amazing but rare experience where you “know” what your connection to the Divine Spirit feels like. Perhaps a time when you were set free from the limitations of time and space. The time when you remembered the “Oneness” and connections with all other lifeforms and spirits. The gift of YOUR Pilgrimage through this life is that if you take the risks, open yourself up, you may be blessed with this re-connection with the source of all wisdom. You may remember that you are perfect, even with your perceived weaknesses and flaws (Which make you PERFECT.)

No matter what, cherish every moment of your adventure through life! Take off your blinders. Try to limit your focus by not multi-tasking during the most enchanting experiences… And, do not miss an opportunity to share your love! ALWAYS find time to connect with your fellow pilgrims. You never know which person has stumbled into your life to inspire the experience and the lesson you have come here to have. Every encounter is sacred. Every fellow traveler you gaze upon is a spirit sent from the Divine. (Though you may never be fully conscious as to the “WHY,” never the less, you were meant to share this experience.) If you close yourself off to a shared experience, you may have to return to it again…

Find Joy. Live fully. Challenge yourself to live in service! You are on the “Right” path toward your highest consciousness, so step up and embrace your adventure! Guidance has lead you to this article and to your perfect path!

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Do You Not Like Me?

Does it matter if YOU like ME? Surely, you have wondered about whether another person, perhaps an important person in your life, actually likes you. Maybe this matters because you want something from this person and they may be keeping you guessing regarding their intentions for you. Wow, what a dilemma? You may not have any control over whether this person likes you or even cares about you. What are you to do?

Perhaps, you can start by being nice and you find yourself doing things to please this other person. Or, you may be more generous to buy their positive feelings toward you. Or, you become entertaining, even funny, to win them over. Or, you try other strategies, even being forceful, to get the desired goal you aspire to achieve. If any of these strategies work, or if these attempts do not work, how will you feel about yourself? Some people will feel proud for the effort in spite of the outcome. Some people may feel hurt, angry, demoralized, or depressed when things do not turn out as they expected.

No matter what, is it worth it to try so hard to get this person to like you? Sometimes, it is. Lots of times it may not be worth your effort considering you have to live with yourself and take responsibility for your actions and your expectations. The bottom line is do you like yourself? This is your challenge because no matter what the outside people say or do, you must live in your own life. Most importantly, will you like yourself?

Can you take responsibility for your actions and your expectations? Can you accept yourself with your successes and seeming failures? Can you learn from every experience even if things do not turn out as planned. (Most people learn more from their failures than from their successes, when they take full responsibility.) Besides, expectations always screw things up. At the very best, you expected as much and often do not value your success.

It may not really matter, in the long run, whether another person really likes you and your behavior. It seems most important that you like and accept yourself even if you have flaws or imperfections or weaknesses. You have imperfections so you can learn from these, in spite of these flaws. If you live for external approval then your insecurities will dominate your life and then this becomes your lesson in this life. You can care about how you come across but you can not control the way another person may react. You must live with yourself first and not be a victim to your own expectations.

Start by knowing yourself with your strengths and weaknesses. Learn to accept what you can not change. At some point you find the perfection of who you are and the Divinity that dwells within you. You will remember that you are a perfect part of the whole of the Universal Spirit and you can like yourself and the role you have come here to play. It does not matter if another person bumps up against you and they appear to not like you… Just, love them for the perfect Divine Spirit they are and enjoy the role they are playing even if they appear to not like you… They are a part of your challenge and they can be thanked. It is a part of your spiritual enlightenment. Namaste!

Can you walk the path alone?

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

Spring: Rebirth and Death in the Light

It is April, 2016 and in the Northwest, Bellingham, Washington, we are feeling the warmth of sunshine and Spring! Life is blooming in every sense of the word. Life is exploding because that is what life is supposed to do at this time of year, in fact, at any time of year. Flowers are springing. Birds are doing what birds do. Joy, light, and even, Love, fill the air. We in the NW are basking in the beauty and the return of the longer, warmer days…

So two nights ago we had a small gathering at my house and a friend speaks up regarding the sudden and painful news about a childhood friend who, for his own unexplained reasons, had taken his own life! This has happened before and will happen again but the angst in the midst of re-birth weighs heavily upon the mind, emotions, and the soul of my friend (and others in this situation.) What can you say? What can you do to console a friend in this unexplainable situation and his grief? There is a lesson here for those who are left to ask, WHY??? There is a life challenge and lesson about death that we who are left behind must endure.

Another friend finds the following article about death, http://spiritlibrary.com/uriel-heals/death-dying-grace-and-peace and we read and possibly learn something from the thoughts and experience of another pilgrim. Perhaps you have been in this situation or know someone else who is? Perhaps this blog or the linked article can be of service? Perhaps you can contribute additional thoughts, articles, or videos to our library for referral to others who struggle and ask WHY?.

No matter how you contribute, thank you for your time and consideration. Meditate and send a prayer to my friend Glen or anyone else you know who may need some unconditional love and support. AND, do not miss the opportunity to hug your family and friends and tell them you love them!!!

Blessings, light, and love to you. May you bask in the warmth of sunlight and unconditional love… Appreciate Life and be Present! Find the way YOU can serve and share Love!

Share this article, if appropriate, and respond if you feel that you can add a positive contribution. We are ALL in this together and what has an effect upon one of us, challenges all of us…

Be well. Find your Bliss and celebrate life, even if you feel the struggle…

The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living

This extreme concept has reason for examination, even today…

“I’m sure you’ve read this quote before: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates said that at his trial for heresy. He was on trial for encouraging his students to challenge the accepted beliefs of the time and think for themselves. The sentence was death but Socrates had the option of suggesting an alternative punishment. He could have chosen life in prison or exile, and would likely have avoided death. But Socrates believed that these alternatives would rob him of the only thing that made life useful: Examining the world around him and discussing how to make the world a better place. Without his “examined life” there was no point in living. So he suggested that Athens reward him for his service to society. The result, of course, is that they had no alternative and were forced to vote for a punishment of death.”
Quote from an article by Karl W. Palachuk

But what does this say about YOUR life?… Do you plod through your existence with your eyes focused only on your work or present task, or do you focus on a larger perspective of examining your place in a large frame of reference? Do you question what you hear on the TV or on the internet or in the newspapers or even from your teachers or ministers? Do you spend time and energy adjusting your life’s direction to create better opportunities to serve? Do you challenge yourself to learn new things, no matter what your age or circumstance? Do you risk the fear and anxiety of discovering the deeper secrets of your own existence? Would you confront a found flaw or weakness within yourself to help to make a better YOU? Do you ask for feedback from counselors who do not let you take the easy path through life? Finally, do you place yourself in new experiences to test yourself so that you can “stretch” and to grow emotionally and intellectually?

Many people just give up. They think that they already know everything that they need to know about themselves and their world. They are lazy. They are too scared to risk change. They may be too frightened to challenge themselves and their beliefs with new perspectives. They risk being bad role models for the next generation by not living on the edge and continuing to self-examine and to grow. It is safer and easier to live with old ways of thinking and long held values, but the world, and consciousness, is changing too fast to tolerate, and reward, this anachronistic way of being/thinking. In fact, if you are not thinking FOR YOURSELF someone else’s thought will guide your life and these may not be a good fit for your lifestyle. It takes courage to find, and develop, your own path. It takes courage to stand out and to speak out for your own personal truth. But it is worth it!

In my opinion, there was a war on education (and thinking) in the United States of America which begin in the early 1980’s. We now suffer from a populace which does not no where to find information and perspective. We trust the “media” and are often too lazy to think for ourselves. Stupidity is not an excuse that our electorate can tolerate without our country becoming a second rate power/country. Believing the “media” without fact checking and really thinking is a recipe for disaster. The self-examination includes the difficult view of ourselves and whether we are too lazy to learn or at least checking the “facts” before forming our decisions.

Keep moving forward or risk dying… Challenge yourself! Never fall into the trap of thinking that you are too old to learn or too old to change.

I would love your thoughts and your feedback. Please contact me through our website at the Stress Education Center at www.dstress.com.