Tag Archives: connection

Practical Connections

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If you have followed the recent blogs, the theme of the importance of quality connections has been a topic of several recent blogs. The question came up regarding how can you begin to use this information in a practical way. How can you incorporate the building of connections into your daily life? A simple but powerful practice is listed below.

The first and most obvious part of this practice is to set your intention to create connections. Be aware of the possibilities which commonly arise in your day to day life. We are never alone. We are all in this cosmic universe together. Our souls are all connected. Every soul is perfect and unique, like snowflakes. We are all here for different reasons and to learn our special lessons. We are here to support each soul which dances into your life (our current incarnation.) Yes, even the manifestations which trigger your judgement, fear, anger, or frustration. Perhaps, especially these more challenging encounters. These are here for a reason! Your interactions and your lessons come from your attempts to deal with each of these encounters, no matter how subtle, brief, or distracted by your other points of focus. But, if you have the intention to create and honor your connections, even if incidental, these will have value, at some level, for your life experience.

The second part of the practice can be as simple as making eye contact. This sounds simple but a conscious, soul enhancing contact includes more… Perhaps you can engage those eyes for a moment and find yourself led to a deeper understanding, and acceptance, of the soul behind the eyes. Maybe there are those moments when you connect with this soul behind the eyes and look to find the perfection of the spirit. Easier said than done, you may avoid, or limit, your ego’s judgement and know that you share a “oneness” with this spirit. You may even find that “They” are you in different form. Appreciate that this soul has found your gaze for a reason and is here to support you on some level to learn your lessons. Know, also, also you are here for this person and their soul development. Maybe you are the shining role model of unconditional love and acceptance. (Your ego will never know or understand the deepest levels of this exchange.)

In the moment of gazing into those eyes, your conscious self can find many things. Are those eyes and full of joyful energy? Are those eyes sad and flickering with the pain from current travails? Are those eyes dark and seemingly dead like black holes with little or no energy escaping? Are those eyes “impish” or playful? Are they inquisitive and asking questions in the pursuit of wisdom? Are those eyes judgmental like a young soul who is still locked in fear and ego? Much can be experienced from connecting with the feelings of a story behind those eyes.

Now, hold that connection through your eyes and when you see the perfect spirit in front of you, welcome them into your consciousness as if your were greeting the most innocent beautiful child into your family. If your heart melts with joy and love, then you have reached a special level where the both of you can feed off the healing energy of acceptance and love.

Finally, acknowledge this being of light with a sincere and joy filled smile. It is a blessing to warm their consciousness with this simple gesture. Your sincerity can shine through and help to build connections with all of the souls in the divine. Your acknowledgement serves to demonstrate the positive role that this encounter has had upon your life.

Do not take this too lightly, for eye connections and the warmth of your smile sets positive energy into motion and can start ripples and waves of joy across, and then beyond, our universe.

When you can be conscious, celebrate and so cherish every connection, every soul with the blessing of your radiant smile.

The concept of Namaste is a manifestation which can come from this practice… (Not just a wish or a thought but an action…)

When it is time for you to seek conscious support from a community of fellow “seekers” please consider our non-religious spiritual community, the Masters of the Journey.

Connections: Reaching Out

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In this blog I am drawn to writing about our innate need for connections. We are NOT solitary beings. Often times in our modern world, our connections are lacking. Lacking in depth, in emotional value, in the support which is required, and in the basic instinctual desire to know that we are all “one” and part of a much greater Divine. So two perspectives.

First, we were born into this world as helpless, dependent beings. There is no chance to survive without basic nurturing care. We can not feed ourselves. We can not bathe ourselves. We have parents who love us and take good care of us, if we are lucky, or we survive an existence with emotional and maybe physical scars. We learn from the people around us and the environment that we are born into. We do better when we are loved and we do not thrive when love is lacking. (I have read research conducted on children raised in an Eastern European, sterile, orphanage where the babies/children were fed and changed but not held or loved. These children grew up deprived and with serious physical and emotional challenges, different from children who were held and loved.)

We can not thrive without love and connection as an infant. This does NOT disappear as we age. Most people require human interaction, to varying degrees, and the “connections” that go along with these relationships. We continue to learn and gain perspective by communicating with other people and lifeforms (pets, plants, nature.) People often strive for “Deeper Connections” and more intimate relationships. We do not thrive when we feel alone or lonely or separated from the nurturing of friends and family, our “tribe.”

But in our culture, in our modern world, we are often separated by technology and “Judgements” from the people we live around and work around. Have you ever seen people out to dinner with both people on their smart phones, texting, or checking social media, or posting pictures of their meal?… What is this really about? We are not encouraged to put down our technology and be truly “present” with our partner. Many of us have lost the basic skills of verbal and non-verbal communication that were so essential when we were in tribes (and family groups) where our survival was based on interaction and support from the group. Do not get me wrong, I do not want to go back to live in a primitive, life and death struggle to survive but we have lost some of our fundamental skills (and are paying the price.)

Today, we may want to join a community to find human contact. Maybe we wear jerseys of our favorite sports franchise and root for them on Sunday with other fans. Or, we think about going to a “MeetUp” group to hang out with people of similar interests. Or, we go on a “dating” website to find a perfect partner. (Though we still have to meet and do the “Mating Dance” which includes communication and hopefully honesty…) This pursuit is desperate, often unfulfilling, and generally superficial. If so, then it does not satisfy the need to connect deeply. (Our egos and our judgements of the mind are constantly comparing and keeping us separate from other people who are searching for the emotional and spiritual exchanges which form the best connections.)

Secondly, our most important purpose is to support and assist the people we meet on our path through life. Most people floating around unhappily, or at least unsatisfied, are people thinking that their success is defined by how much money they have, or how many toys they have acquired, or how many trips they have taken, or how many MeetUp groups they have joined (but not attended.) People, today, feel that the number of friends they have and how many people respond to their social media posts (about themselves) are important and valued as levels of success. Maybe, it is NOT about “me.”

Think back when you did something “good” for someone else. It probably allowed you to feel good and connected. Get out of your head and back into your heart. Feel good by doing good things for other people! If you want to be loved, you have to go out and give love, unconditionally. If you are giving anything with an expectation that it comes back, then you will be disappointed.

Connections with value are based upon people caring, truly caring, about others and finding the best ways (you can) to support and assist these other souls on their journey. Even the simplest smile or kind word can show the love and respect for the person in front of you who “showed up” to have a place in your world (and your journey.) Yes, you need to work and support yourself, but you can do so with the feeling of loving acceptance for the other pilgrims in life whom you meet along the way. (Easier said than done, but work on this.) Your happiness and joy will come more frequently when you realize that we are “ONE” with all lifeforms and in this life together to grow, to learn from our challenges, and to love the connections which we can create.

Connections, healthy connections, are the most important thing to work on. Your success in life comes not from how much money is in the bank but how many people call you a friend.

Namaste. Your are a Master and it is a great blessing to find these few moments to connect with you. Your sharing of your time and attention as a “witness” is a blessing… Know that you have done good in our world just by being you, even with imperfections and flaws…

Masters of the Journey is a community that supports everyone who are on their path through life and would like to find supportive, hopefully, non-judgemental connections.

Technology and Spirit

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Since the 1980’s and the dawning of the “Information Age,” our modern lives have been driven by advancements in technology. Many of these advances have become time saving “necessities” for how we live, work, and play. The “world” has gotten smaller and, through this technology, more “connected,” if only superficially. As I write this blog, I realize that “blogging” and social media have driven even the wisest of spiritual development leaders to find use of the internet to “spread the word.” (They are just meditating in caves, awaiting disciples to show up.)

Looking at the development of technology also requires me to mention the “downsides” to using technologies when certain limitations have been created by our new dependencies upon instant messaging, smart phone “apps,” and photobombs. Relying on smart phones and computers can isolate us from deeper relationships with other humans (in face to face connection) AND even with ourselves. Many people are addicted to checking their smart phones and can ignore the person sitting in front of them. Messaging in 140 characters does not tell the story. Text messaging does not share the tone of voice, the sarcasm, the curled lip, the smile, any warmth of true care and concern. It does save time to use technology and can help us avoid truly exposing our deeper emotions, but this creates very incomplete communication and connection. Many people have lost the skill of conversing and sharing in the most personal and intimate ways.

Remember that for thousands of years our tribe would sit around the campfire and share stories, dreams, and learned wisdoms. The coffee shop or beer pub and our smart phones are poor substitutes for the cross-generational sharing that seems too often lacking in our modern world. The generational isolation of the youth from their elders (or any older persons with wisdom and life experience) is making the social fabric of our modern world rub very thin.

Since we do not sit around the campfires, where do we share our stories, our dreams, our intuitional learnings, and, most importantly, our touching-connections? Where can we find an “App” which embraces us with a heart felt hug or a view of the scenic majesty of glorious nature? Where can we find the grandeur of the sun setting over the ocean? Where can we view the deep blue sky juxtaposed against the rock and glaciers of our highest mountains? Where does technology allow us to feel the raging power of the surf crashing or the thunder of a waterfall? Where can smart phones allow us to feel the connection of a team in sports, or in business, or in a spiritual healing circle?

I am not saying that we should abandon technology but we may need to rethink how it can used to connect us rather than to isolate us. Video conferencing can be used to build relationships and to create supportive master mind groups where people, separated by physical distance or physical limitations, can connect to share time and deeper feelings. Wisdom can be discussed from the experiences of life’s learnings. People may be able to reach out beyond their families or local communities to find kindred spirits who may feel isolated from like minded people. The survivalists and conspiracy folks are already communicating this way but it could be a tool that consciousness seekers can also benefit from when using available technologies to communicate love or inclusion or acceptance.

We need to “connect” in deeper ways with our “tribe” to find the support, rather than the isolation, which is so necessary for negotiating the challenges of this life.

Thanks for taking your time to read and consider these thoughts. Share, if appropriate.

Consider the Masters of the Journey as a possible tribe of caring, supportive people who you connect with as you travel your path. Whether you know it or not, YOU are a master. YOU have much to share from the experiences learned in your life. YOU can serve by being an accepting witness as another pilgrim shares their story. YOU have more value and significance than you might realize! So Blessings to you on your travels…

Namaste

Connection and Community

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Have you ever lived in a family or a community? Most of us have had this experience, for better or worse. Some of us have been blessed with an ideal situation where we have found people who we really love and care about, who have functioned well in a loving, caring way toward each other. This experience is more rare. I remember growing up in a neighborhood with decent people who did not deeply care about each other. For the most part, they did better than tolerate their neighbors but, by and large, remained independent and superficial (or aloof) from their nearest neighbors. In primitive communities, neighbors worked together to survive and looked out for each other because they realized that it was too difficult to live comfortably completely on their own. But growing up in Southern California suburbs meant barely putting up with your immediate family, let alone the neighbors. At least, that is what it seemed to me.

No man is an island was a line in a 1624 poem by English poet, John Donne. Suggesting to me that we are all connected and the world is less if anyone goes missing. Also included in this poem, “And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.” “Any man’s death diminishes me, Because I am involved in Mankind.” So some people reach out to deeply connect and care for others, and this serves all of us to do so. Caring and connecting makes us happier and healthier. Perhaps we can remember this and make connecting a higher priority. Some of us may need to be reminded that life experiences are better when these are shared experiences.

Whether people are conscious or not, most of us strive to be included in communities. We feel better in a “Tribe.” In this day and age, a tribe may be with other people who share a common interest or even passion. In the United States you can see the tribes gathering on weekends in the Fall of the year. People in the tribe dress up in colors and costumes to be included in the celebration of the religion of their favorite football team. A very tribal community with elaborate clothes (Jerseys), hats, and even War paint. There is competition to be the most devoted and fanatic among the tribe’s fans. This may be our primitive need to join and to be part of a tribe.

Consider that this need for community exists and many of us do not feel a part of a “Healthy” and supportive group of people. We have been too isolated by our cultural behavior where independence is worshiped and lack of trust runs strong. For many of us, the need for connection and community has begun to surface, especially, as we begin to face aging or our mortality. Being “alone” during these transitions is often scary and less conducive for healthy transitions and the learning we gain during these major transitional periods. At the very least, it is better to have mentors or role models to help cope with these difficult life lessons. Connection and community can be very useful in these times.

So I ask you, what are YOU doing to build and maintain a HEALTHY connection and community? Not just with fellow sport fans, co-workers, or folks you see in class, church, or club, but real deep connections with caring, supportive people who can “count on you” and you on them…. It takes time and effort, but for most people, it is worth the “trouble.”

Another perspective comes from metaphysical philosophy which tells us that we are all in this together, spiritually. We are all pilgrims and benefit from reaching around and assisting the fellow pilgrims we meet in life. If nothing else, know the value you can offer by allowing another person to share their story with you. You can even show respect by not interrupting, except for clarification, as your partner finds the depth of their experience to share with you. I know that YOU would love to be respected and “heard” as you attempt to share your truth. Blessings and patience. Learn to judge less and accept more, for this offers the deepest love you can give your fellow pilgrim.

The skills of “witnessing” and listening are taught and practiced by members of the spiritual support community, the Masters of the Journey. The Masters of the Journey is a supportive community who believes that we are each masters (of our lives) having lived through many life experiences. There are lessons learned and wisdom to share. Find your supportive connections and community!

Find out more about Masters of the Journey: A Transformational Community at: www.mastersofthejourney.com or Facebook page www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney

Masters of the Journey: a Transformational Community

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We are all masters. We are all on a journey. We can all benefit from a safe and supportive transformational community. Let me explain. When I say that we are all masters I am speaking about the expertise that we all have in knowing about our lives. There is no one who knows more about you than you. If you believe that life is filled with lessons and our primary goal in living is to learn and to develop, then we need to be prepared to share our learning, our experiences, and our acquired wisdom. To truly master something you need to teach it. To assist other people along their journey, we need to support and honor our fellow travelers. We need to realize that none of us are alone and that we are all interconnected. We can benefit from knowing the bond of unconditional love, caring, and support that we feel for all other people who are learning the lessons of this life.

The journey that I speak of is the process of all of the acquired learning that we can do in our lives. From the moment we are born until the moment when we die, we are exploring the lessons and experiences of this life. There are some people who believe in the philosophy that we are choosing to live in the bodies and in the lives that we currently have. We have exercised this choice because of the specific lessons that we must learn. The philosophy may also suggest that we choose the people that surround us in our life as a way of learning our lessons and resolving our issues. Whether a person has their eyes wide open to the fact that they are traveling down the road on this journey or whether they are naïve, or even blinded to the fact, that our purpose may be to be as conscious and aware of each step along the way as we wind our way through the journey of this life.

The concept of being a part of the Masters of the journey is to take conscious responsibility for the learnings and the lessons that we have in this life. It is for people who realize that for us to gain in our consciousness we must support and reach out to help all of those people that we can touch and allow them to develop their awareness and consciousness so that we all grow and develop together. The transformational community allows us to have unconditional loving support as we share with the people around us. Celebrating the lessons and experiences that we gather, and must learn from, on our path through this life. We can do this face-to-face and in person. We can do this through our writing of articles and blogs, books and other resources. We can do this by joining together on conference calls or in webinars to share and interact with other people from our community, even those around the world. And there will be times when we can involve ourselves in intensive retreat programs where we can interact in a safe environment which can enhance the growing and learning process as we move on our own individual journeys.

Many people are trapped in believing that they are only students and not really the Masters. Many of us are learning the lesson of our own individual insecurities about being willing to step forward and share our deep feelings, experiences, and secrets. We can benefit by realizing that we all have much to say and we all have much to offer. Sometimes our roles will be as listeners and witnesses to other people sharing. This, in its way, has great value. It has value both to the person who is speaking and sharing their experience, their knowledge, and possibly their wisdom. It has great value for the witness as they learn from a personal story, valuable lessons and experiences which can contribute to higher consciousness. The bond between the speaker and the listener can demonstrate the support and the unconditional love both sides can feed off as they follow their individual paths on their journeys through life.

I ask you, are you willing to share from the knowledge you have gained? Are you open to listening and participating in the sharing by other travelers on the journey? Are you interested in creating a community which strives for higher consciousness and awareness? Are you willing to bask in the connection and the unconditional love and support from the community of fellow travelers? Can you feel the value of being a master who is willing to share from the experiences that you have had? Would you like to connect with our transformational community?

No matter what you think or how you feel, please take good care of yourself. Consider that every interaction you have will be able to assist another person who is on their journey to enlightenment. Some of you will take this responsibility very seriously.

Please let us know what you think. If appropriate, please share this with anyone who is a seeker. Remember, that we will all benefit by helping the other people in our community.

Some questions to ask yourself:
Who was the most influential person in your life and why?

What were the three most difficult lessons you have learned from so far in this life?

Have you ever felt a deep sense of bond and connection with another person? And who would that be? What did it feel like? And what did you learn?

Have you ever helped another person? How did it feel to help them? What did you learn by helping them?

Have you ever really listened to another person? Has anybody ever really listened to you? How did that feel? Was the connection that you had with that person a valuable lesson for you?

Have you ever experienced unconditional love and support? Did you bask in the beauty of this experience?

Notes: We all have our lessons and purpose. We are all perfect and moving along on our journeys. We are all one and support each other’s progress. We are all pilgrims on our personal journey of self-exploration through life. Pilgrims often have reverence for their journey and appreciate the experiencing of the lessons learned along the way. Self-identified pilgrims are more vigilant to these lessons along the way. The “trip” is the “point” and has the value… Hone your skills of vigilance as a pilgrim on your sacred, spiritual quest and reach out your hand to assist other pilgrims along the way. Be present as you take the steps along your way. Look for your connection to all others things and bask in the unconditional love that can be found…

Please “Share” this blog with other pilgrims who are actively in the search of higher conscious and a supportive community. Thank you.Masters of the Journey’s Facebook page

Masters of the Journey

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Have you ever considered your consciousness and wondered whether you could learn techniques to increase your awareness? Or, have you ever considered connecting with the “higher power,” knowing the “oneness” that we have heard about?

We are bringing together experiences that will allow you to develop deeper insights and “connection” with the Source of your Spirit. Learning lessons from loved ones who have transitioned and studying the stories of those who have reported NDE’s (Near Death Experiences,) we have found tools that can assist you on your journey toward higher conscious living. We intend to create a community which will support mutual growth and provide a forum to increase awareness for the participants.

Among the many lessons and experiences that I have been blessed to encounter was a very clear meditation that I had in my early 20’s. During my meditation I was shown the “River of Life” which was flowing golden from my right to my left. It was moving in a slow, deliberate way from the mountains to the sea. It was golden because it was made up of molecules of water that represented all living things. It swirled down to form the Circle of Life. I experienced myself as a single molecule of water surrounded and connected to all other living things. I felt myself bathed in “unconditional love” and acceptance. I knew that I was a part of the much larger Universe and yet I was not alone. I knew that I was a part of the Source of all knowledge and wisdom… or Pure Consciousness. I loved this feeling and can remember the sensation and image as if I were having the vision right now.

Our purpose is to be of service. We intend to build community through connecting with other like-minded people to mutually learn lessons and to raise consciousness. Please consider joining us in this process of acknowledging that we are all “Masters of the Journey,” and in creating a “Transformational Community.” With all that we must do in our busy lives, we encourage you to take time to be present: take a slow, deep breath and find the best way to connect with your own soul/spirit. Know that you are never alone and that you can tap into the pure Source of unconditional love.

Basking in the Brilliance of Spirit

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What feeds your spirit? What activities connect you with your spirit? How often do you seek to develop your spiritual nature? When we speak of “spirit” or spiritual development in this article, we are not speaking about learning religious philosophy or in practicing religious rituals. Instead, we are speaking of the deeper connections with the brilliance of love and light that comes from deep within every living being. In doing so, there is no exclusion of spirit due to different philosophical or religious beliefs or attitudes. There are no qualifications or exclusions from connecting with spirit. One of the main understandings regarding this celebration of spirit is that “we are all at one” with all other living creatures. We are all “connected.”

Time and space (place) are less of a division in the world of spirit. Spirit may be more a feeling rather than a thought. For people who have been able to bring these feelings back from a spiritual experience often describe a feeling of “oneness” or a sense of deep connection. There may also be a feeling of “unconditional love” which can also be described in some religions as a feeling of connection with the religion’s God, but not necessarily with all the morale or cultural beliefs.

People will visit a glorious natural environment and feel the power of connection with natural beauty that has the power to create calmness and sometimes healing. When learning to connect with your spirit it is good to be reminded that you can get there more easily if you “Quiet your mind” and control your expectations. (Neither of these is easy to do when getting started but can come more easily with practice.) It is important to be “still” and to let “it” come to you. Chasing the spirit can make it more difficult to do. A final reminder: Be Open… You may not experience the process in the way you think you might need, but actually get the experience that you will best learn from…. If, you are open to it.

I am reminded of a time when I was in a late afternoon meditation on a cliff that over looked the waves churning unto a beach in Sonoma County, CA. With my mind reaching to be in “neutral” (no extra thoughts), I found myself listening to a dialogue in my head. One voice seemed to come from the perspective of a “guide” in the form of a seagull who was describing the birth of the winds as a power to consider. The Voice suggested that the winds were created by the difference in temperatures of the ocean and the land. As the land heated up and warmed the air over it, the air would rise and the cooler air over the ocean would rush in to fill this void, so creating a breeze. Waves are generated by the movements of the wind and their force is respected for the great power that this force of nature manifests. The Voice asked me to consider harnessing the power of the winds as seagulls do as they soar, almost effortlessly, by using the currents of wind. A part of me listened to the dialogue with fascination. Another part of my mind was asking where this Voice was coming from and where the information of this Voice was coming from. I considered the experience as a connection with the “collective unconscious” described by many famous psychologists and philosophers. I felt blessed to be allowed to share in this mind expanding experience.

Another late afternoon meditation created a powerful but not uncommon learning experience. In my visualization, I imagined that I was sitting by a river with my back against a tree. I pictured myself meditating and seeing the transformation of the river in front of me into the “River of Life.” It was golden in color. It flowed from my right side to my left, slowly and evenly. I “knew” that the waters would eventually empty into the sea. Each golden molecule of water represented a living soul. The molecules of water would evaporate from the sea to form golden clouds which would lead to a golden rain high up in the mountains. The molecules would join other molecules to form small streams flowing downhill to join larger rivers until the “cycle of life” would be repeat by following the path of the golden river of life back to the sea, once again. I saw myself as a molecule of water swirling downstream occasionally being caught in an eddy and swirling in circles to learn my lessons. Most importantly, I felt myself “connected” to all other living things in this river of life. I knew that I was never alone or separate from other living beings as we struggle to improve and move forward with our lessons of life. Though this meditation happened for me almost 40 years ago, I remember it and I feel it as if it was happening right now… This type of connection with the oneness of consciousness is far from unique. It has happened before and will happen again in some form or another for people who are open to this transformative experience/lesson.

Please consider taking time to connect with your spirit and celebrating the learning that you can achieve. It will change your life.

For life balance and stress management, it is important to maintain your ideal state of mind, body, and spirit. Too focused attention on any one area, over the others, may provide an imbalance that will not allow the best quality of life. Please take good care of yourself.

Please comment on this blog if you are so moved.

Basking in the Brilliance of Spirit

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What feeds your spirit? What activities connect you with your spirit? How often do you seek to develop your spiritual nature? When we speak of “spirit” or spiritual development in this article, we are not speaking about learning religious philosophy or in practicing religious rituals. Instead, we are speaking of the deeper connections with the brilliance of love and light that comes from deep within every living being. In doing so, there is no exclusion of spirit due to different philosophical or religious beliefs or attitudes. There are no qualifications or exclusions from connecting with spirit. One of the main understandings regarding this celebration of spirit is that “we are all at one” with all other living creatures. We are all “connected.”
Time and space (place) are less of a division in the world of spirit. Spirit may be more a feeling rather than a thought. For people who have been able to bring these feelings back from a spiritual experience often describe a feeling of “oneness” or a sense of deep connection. There may also be a feeling of “unconditional love” which can also be described in some religions as a feeling of connection with the religion’s God, but not necessarily with all the morale or cultural beliefs.

People will visit a glorious natural environment and feel the power of connection with natural beauty that has the power to create calmness and sometimes healing. When learning to connect with your spirit it is good to be reminded that you can get there more easily if you “Quiet your mind” and control your expectations. (Neither of these is easy to do when getting started but can come more easily with practice.) It is important to be “still” and to let “it” come to you. Chasing the spirit can make it more difficult to do. A final reminder: Be Open… You may not experience the process in the way you think you might need, but actually get the experience that you will best learn from…. If, you are open to it.

I am reminded of a time when I was in a late afternoon meditation on a cliff that over looked the waves churning unto a beach in Sonoma County, CA. With my mind reaching to be in “neutral” (no extra thoughts), I found myself listening to a dialogue in my head. One voice seemed to come from the perspective of a “guide” in the form of a seagull who was describing the birth of the winds as a power to consider. The “Voice” suggested that the winds were created by the difference in temperatures of the ocean and the land. As the land heated up and warmed the air over it, the air would rise and the cooler air over the ocean would rush in to fill this void, so creating a breeze. Waves are generated by the movements of the wind and their force is respected for the great power that this force of nature manifests. The Voice asked me to consider harnessing the power of the winds as seagulls do as they soar, almost effortlessly, by using the currents of wind. A part of me listened to the dialogue with fascination. Another part of my mind was asking where this Voice was coming from and where the information of this Voice was coming from. I considered the experience as a connection with the “collective unconscious” described by many famous psychologist and philosophers. I felt blessed to be allowed to share in this mind expanding experience.

Another late afternoon meditation created a powerful but not uncommon learning experience. In my visualization, I imagined that I was sitting by a river with my back against a tree. I pictured myself meditating and seeing the transformation of the river in front of me into the “River of Life.” It was golden in color. It flowed from my right side to my left, slowly and evenly. I “knew” that the waters would eventually empty into the sea. Each golden molecule of water represented a living soul. The molecules of water would evaporate from the sea to form golden clouds which would lead to a golden rain high up in the mountains. The molecules would join other molecules to form small streams flowing downhill to join larger rivers until the “cycle of life” would be repeated by following the path of the golden river of life back to the sea, once again. I saw myself as a molecule of water swirling downstream occasionally being caught in an eddy and swirling in circles to learn my lessons. Most importantly, I felt myself “connected” to all other living things in this river of life. I knew that I was never alone or separate from other living beings as we struggle to improve and move forward with our lessons of life. Though this meditation happened for me 40 years ago, I remember it and I feel it as if it was happening right now… This type of connection with the oneness of consciousness is far from unique. It has happened before and will happen again in some form or another for people who are open to this transformative experience/lesson.

Please consider taking time to connect with your spirit and celebrating the learning that you can achieve. It will change your life.

For life balance and stress management, it is important to maintain your ideal state of mind, body, and spirit. Too focused attention on any one area, over the others, may provide an imbalance that will not allow the best quality of life. Please take good care of yourself.

Please comment on this blog if you are so moved. Share this blog if you find value, thank you.

The Power of Connection

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People are basically “social creatures.” Since the dawn of human history, one main trait that separated humans from many in the animal kingdom was the need/desire to band together into communities for survival. We learned to hunt in teams. We have learned how to create different roles and expertise that helps the “tribe” survive and thrive. For example, some people: grow food, some prepare food, some build structures, some care and educate the young members, some minister to the health and spiritual needs of individuals, some protect the tribe, etc. There are a very few of us who can survive without any other people or outside assistance and people who do not require the assistance of other people are rare and these individuals seem to be a vanishing breed.

Relationships with other people have become more complicated. In today’s world, we have family relationships, business/work relationships, spiritual relationships, creativity/productivity relationships, educational/mentoring relationships, and many other attachments related to services that require relationships. Family and friends are necessary for most people. Our earliest survival as an infant requires bonding relationships with care-giving family or friends. (Many physical and emotional challenges develop when children are neglected or do not have strong, trusting bonds with their caregivers.) But most of us have developed an even greater requirement for caring relationships that go beyond the need of physical survival. We now have expectations of emotional connections within “committed relationships” that seem emotionally necessary for survival. This may be a dramatic overstatement of survival, but expectations can, and do, get developed into mental and emotional issues that appear to be necessary for quality of life.

For example, our society, or at least advertisers, has created an “emotional need” for us to be “home with family during the ‘Holidays’.” In the United States, that means that you should be lonely or guilty for not being with “loved ones” during Thanksgiving or Christmas Season. Depression rises. Suicides spike after the “holidays.” Substance abuse increases to cope with emotions of “loneliness” or to help us survive time when we are trapped with family that we have successfully avoided all year long. Financial stress increases. Travelling becomes more stressful. So we need to increase our awareness of the potential emotional victimization we can have to these expectations of connection.

Putting the downside of expectations for connection aside, it is time to address a more significant, day to day, reality of connection. Most of us can improve our quality of life and increase our personal productivity by mental or emotional or spiritual connection with another person or with a group of trusted, like minded people. Our physical health improves. (There have been research studies on increased longevity of married men vs. single men, for example.) Our emotional health improves, if we are involved with healthy people in healthy relationships. We thrive spiritually when we can connect with people or institutions that create an open focus of our higher consciousness. Conversely, when we lose a “loved one” we can lose our physical or emotional health. With a “loss,” our source of loving acceptance can be altered or removed leaving us a gaping hole in our emotional support foundation.

We must understand this possible situation and learn to manage our levels of self-care to adjust for self-nurturing when we experience a significant loss of love and connection. When aware, we can be better prepared for the situation and hopefully avoid becoming a victim to this circumstance. Losses of connection can happen suddenly or over time. They can be from planned lifestyle changes, like moving or job changes, or from random acts that are beyond our control. Regardless, we benefit from discovering our unique needs and requirements for healthy connections. We will do better when we can know how to reach out and get appropriate, positive support when it is needed.

“No man is an island,” is part of a quote by John Donne in 1624 that can be understood to mean that humans benefit from connections and the loss of any connections may contribute to a reduced quality of life.
Please consider how to develop and maintain “healthy” relationships with relatively “healthy” people or institutions. Your physical, emotional, and spiritual health can benefit from “good” connections.

Note: Connections with family are NOT always healthy. Connections at work are not always healthy. Unfortunately, connections with friends are not always healthy, though you have more control over who you have as friends. Please recognize “healthy” relationship connections and nurture these.