Late Summer Sweetness

It’s getting to be late summer in the Pacific Northwest. As the days are beginning to grow shorter it is also time to find the ripening berries. It is time to pick the ripened raspberries and blackberries. In my life, it is getting to be the late summer and fall of this incarnation for me. It is time to pick The ripened berries of my life. Their sweetness and my wisdom gained from all of my years is now time to share.

I do not look for the future with the optimism of youth. I look much more into the present moment rather than looking into the what is possible and what could be. Though I am aware of lessons learned from my past, I attempt to mitigate the anxiety from most past trauma in ways to see the present without the filters born from past difficult learnings. I find Gratitude for all the lessons… Past Joys and Sorrows can be equally Blessed.

These days with less judgment, I enjoy the sweetness of my life and of the world that surrounds me. It is a time to reflect on lessons learned, even with sour taste or the bitterness of certain life challenges. It is time to find the joy in working through the lessons that I have experienced and the things that I have accomplished. Not every ripe looking berry picked is sweet. The Joy which can be found in sour life experiences can find sweetness as shared wisdom.

There are times when I have to put my head down and walk into the breeze which my day presents. It is refreshing and yet requires extra effort to weather any storm or any headwind that I may encounter. It is also time for me to share value from my lessons in a way that may save some of the time and energy for the witnesses of these conversations. In sharing, I am acting in service from the perspective of my current incarnation. As a possible guide or beacon, my learnings may light the way and offer perspective to those souls I am lucky enough to connect with.

Without the metaphors, this past Wednesday, August 19th, I celebrated what would have been my 36th wedding anniversary. My bride passed into her next life over 8 years ago but the sweetness and the joy of our lives together still vibrates within me. The difficult lessons We learned, I learned, are ever present and awaiting any appropriate chance to share, with gratitude, my memories and learnings. That is what life masters attempt to offer when appropriate. I no longer need to force my grief on others. I can share when the time is correct for a soul whose life buzzes close to what I encountered. The richness of learning from difficulties can be of service and give me a sense of value… (In sharing I also find perspective and value in my “old” story.)

It is not that I do not care about the future. The future of the world. The future of my children and family. It is that I am not as attached to the outcomes. I am not living with the expectations that the world is going to be easier or better. My lessons have taught me that the struggles have been the most valuable thing in my learning. And it is time to acknowledge that everyone must work through their difficulties as these are the lessons that they have come to learn from in this life.

It has come time to acknowledge that if I were to die today, I would have no regrets. I have found a level of acceptance of myself and of the accomplishments that I have made which allow me to find peace. One of the goals in life is to learn about oneself. To develop deep self knowledge. And to find a way of accepting even the flaws I may find as tools for mastering or changing my life and then living in the most positive ways.

Living your life is a miracle. It is a treasure. But to be too attached or anxious about your life seems to me to be an unwise use of time and energy. Self-love and self acceptance seem so important to me as I near the end of my seventh decade. There are adventures and appreciations in life yet to be AND I honor all that has been presented to me along my way…

You are a Miracle! 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

Whose Lesson are YOU Learning From?

Recently, I chose to join a team supporting a friend who is battling with cancer. Have you ever participated in a community of support persons for a family member or friend dealing with a difficult disease? Chances are you have or have become familiar with such a support community. My question to you asks, was there an important lesson for you in your desire to serve as a supporter? In every interaction we share, there is much to learn especially if you are conscious and viewing these interactions with awareness.

So, I discovered, upon my reflecting upon my recent involvement, that my desire to support my friend is more complicated than I care or that I want to send some positive energy. My lesson is a multi-dimensional learning. It does feel good to participate in sending Love or possibly healing energy to my friend but I have had to stop and ask myself why. Why am I involved? Why is my friend sick? What is her lesson in this disease process? What is my lesson in participating in her disease challenge? What lessons, experiences, or information will present themselves so I can increase in value toward the people I bump into in my future? So, how does this expand me with a story to share? I “know” that every person touched by this health event has some purpose and some important lesson to take away.

Caring about my friend is the simple reason and a small part of the answer. My history includes a battle that my wife and I “fought” with cancer over 8 1/2 years and there are many important lessons learned from this past experience that now resurface and contribute to my purpose in involvement in this present supportive community. The “first” time through (with my wife’s illness,) fear and anxiety of the situation and the unknown were on the front burner for me. Now, I can serve as a more experienced supporter or even an elder in the current “fight.” This is NOT about my friends health challenge, it is a test for me born out my past traumatic experience and for the lessons learned. At a level of spiritually, one of my purposes is to see a bigger picture and ask questions which are bigger than simply dealing with symptoms, healing my friend, and the current disease.

Whose lesson is it, really? How is my friend’s condition serving as an important learning process for every one of us who have chosen to be involved? And, with this perspective in mind, how is my friend, consciously or unconsciously, in a broad way of huge service to this extended community of supporters and caregivers. I ask this because I wonder if we all are more consciously aware of the broader lessons, we can ALL find more Joy in the amazing gift of learning we are all participating within!!!???…

Can this drama in life be viewed with less anger, anxiety, depression, fear, and concern for the unknown future if we bear this positive learning in our awareness? Can this positive awareness then bear a positive impact upon the results of this health challenge? This may be too complicated to fully determine in these few thoughts and words. You are participating with your concern and YOU are Loved for your positive intentions and attention.

Finally, no matter the outcome, can we find Joy in the challenge we see unfolding? Are we free to celebrate the Divine Wisdom which is being gifted to us as we plod along in our human drama?

By the way, in my opinion, one of the greatest gifts you can “Give” to another person is the “Gift” of allowing them to give to you… (Not manipulating another person but requesting a sincere assistance.) This can warm the heart of both sides of this request and can create a bond for two pilgrims walking the path through life’s dramas. Create a healing story by giving and by receiving a gift…
Thank you to all the souls who have allowed me to be of service.

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

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

Long Lives – Short lives: Food for Thought

We come into our earthly existence with the agreements to work on certain challenges for our own spiritual development or for the benefit and development of the souls we interact with. There are certain lives/Incarnations which seem to require a longer investment in Earthly time and there are other incarnations where we appear for shorter amounts of Earth time. I have read that sometimes highly evolved souls show up and volunteer to incarnate for only short Earth lives for the benefit and challenges to other souls, as when a Baby dies early in life or a teenager dies in an accident or suicide, or a younger person parishes in a war. In these cases, the families grieve the loss of their precious young member and their lesson/challenge may be in working on their grief and finding the purpose of this difficult emotional event. What can be learned from this tragedy? (And, how can we find good ways to be of service after having to live through a difficult challenge from the “loss?”)

From personal experience, my wife seemed to die too young and seemed to not deserve her fate. However, as I reflect on her premature transition from her life, I know how much I have learned, how close our relationship became from this difficult experience, and I have been able to serve other people by sharing my stories as if this tragic lesson was learned for many souls to be touched. A parent losing a child seems much more challenging than the loss of my partner and so this may be a more significant learning opportunity. Life is precious! Life is short! Life is impermanent! Whether difficult to deal with or not, it is a blessing to have short lived souls enter and leave our lives for the gifts which these experiences bestow.

The most difficult group I have ever spoken with as a stress management trainer, was a support group for parents who had children died. Infant’s premature deaths, suicides, accidents, and illness robbed these parents of a more “natural” family relationship. The pain of these parents and their guilt due to their responsibility for their offspring was palpable. Yet, the learning from these tragedies was on the front runner for all involved. Sadness and grief are major life challenges. Appreciation of lives lived is an outcome which often can take long periods to resolve. We have all lost friends and family and have had major changes in our relationships. The vacuum which these losses create offer huge potential learnings for our conscious development and possible empathy for other people who travel similar paths.

My point is that we can learn a lot whether the person we are in relationship lives a long life or is only here for a relatively brief time. There is great value in learning from lessons of the short lives or long lives. Though very difficult to achieve, we can have equanimity in difficult situations and perhaps avoid getting sucked into the drama which can accompany a person transitioning from their current life. (At least, after the shock and grief from our loss has mellowed a bit with time and, hopefully, a normal adjustment into life without our friend or loved one…)

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

A Clear Path

There comes a time when the obvious direction appears and the path is clear to be considered and taken…
Sometimes the pain in life motivates this change in path…

This is what our life’s lessons are all about. Learning from life experience and this often comes from learnings which are difficult if not painful. Such is the nature of change. We did not come here for a vacation of fun and joy which lasts a lifetime. It is a blessing to be challenged and to stretch beyond our normal lives, and comfort zones, into the experiences which catch our attention. Sometimes we are “triggered” by an interaction with another person/soul to know what we need to forgive, accept, and bless from the difficult judgements we make. You must ask yourself, what is not resolved within you that created this triggered response. When you judge another person, it often speaks about a judgement of yourself or an unresolved challenge within.

As we search for our path in life, we sometimes come to the difficult realization that we must accept and change ourselves… You have experienced (or are now experiencing) when it was time to leave home or end a relationship or find a new job/career. It may not have been “rational” but you do not have a choice, like you have to drop out of UCLA during the Vietnam War and go traveling though you do not know where this will lead you! This was a moment for me, born out of anger, frustration, and despair AND it was the best difficult decision I ever made. Of course, guidance played a role and this experience lead me into an environment where I could experience the foundation of a career of service which I have loved and never doubted…

With myself as the example, I have found that my “attachment disorder” has led me to the difficulty in relationship break ups which have caused me to suffer. My insecurities wanted me to hold on to a known relationship rather stepping into the unknown “loneliness.” Yet, this process of letting go has also led me to important life learnings such as when my path moved me to Bellingham in the Pacific Northwest to invest my energy into starting the Masters of the Journey. (Relationship changes were at the core of this movement.) Again, my pain created the motivation to leave my old life and then guidance directed me into the position of honoring spirit and creating a supportive community.

Hell, I bet you are reading this blog right now because you have a pain and you were guided to read these words. Yes, you may even take responsibility for your life and make the change in direction which you need to make, now or soon. Your only future regret should be that you did not follow your heart and jump into the experience which you knew you had to take… So do not let your fear of change get in your way. You are a blessing with much to share and you need to find your way to serve by sharing your wisdom gained from your experiences. AND, by the way, you are “Perfect” and a Master though your self image and judgement get in the way of “Remembering Your Divinity.”

As a reminder, YOU are loved! You are an important part of the fabric of all life and consciousness… Sure, these words may ring hollow if you are insecure or judging yourself harshly, BUT this does not change the truth you will remember when you are not so limited by your ego and the 3 dimensional world we have chosen to live this life within…

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

Wisdom vs Knowledge

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”

VS

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!

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. I repeat, 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

A Victim or Are You Responsible?

Have you ever complained about something in your life? Sure, everybody has. Have you ever known someone who seems to live in a state of constant complaining? Sure, you have. Have you ever noticed that people who are generally happy are also the people who seem to take responsibility for their situation, accept their challenges, and find ways of making the best out of a difficult situation? We all have challenges. That is why we were born into our lives. Some people more easily realize the benefits of learning the lessons and some people seem to like to wallow in their grievances.

Today, I spent a long half hour with a person who had a lot of upset about her childhood from 50 years ago. There was victim status and grievances written all over this suffering human. I was at a loss to fix the past childhood mishaps. My listening lost concentration because I was distracted by that “pit of the stomach feeling” that this story was a re-occuring theme and a source of deep satisfaction. Not to the listener but to the storyteller who was a “victim” of this history. There was little acknowledgement of personal responsibility by the story teller, not for the bad experiences, but for not letting them go and moving on in life. This blog is not about my acquaintance but about my lesson and my lack of patience. My mind got “triggered” as it has in the my past when a person seemed to relish their role of living as a victim. I live with my challenges, ghosts, demons, and lessons by seeing how I am responsible for these occurrences and how I can learn from them so I can move on to my next challenge.

There are times when I explain my mistakes, foibles, flaws, and weaknesses by saying, “People like to do what they are good at (and familiar with) even making the same mistake over and over…” It is familiar as a bad habit just like a familiar old annoying friend. So I must learn to celebrate the people I bump into who are deeply invested in living their lives as victims. It is NOT for me to “judge” them but it may not be my role to sit there for half and hour and listen to them complain… Obviously, I must learn my limit of “kindness” in listening and be discerning enough to know that I do not have the job of talking them out of their need to be seen as a victim…

If you have more patience to share with me, I would appreciate any gift to assist me through my lesson. AND, I celebrate you for knowing and acknowledging your responsibility in choosing your lessons in this life. We can all be reminded of our need for personal accountability for the way we respond to the challenges we meet in life. Learn to be responsible for your reactions.

If you have a story to share, consider sharing with our community, Masters of the Journey. Whether you know it or not, YOU are a Master!

PS. I was whining and sounding like a “victim” in this blog… We all have to try on the various roles and the ones that do not fit well we must discard and look for the roles that do feel correct (or better.)

You Are a Master: Only Your Life Is “Petty”

Whether you know this or not, YOU are a MASTER! Whether you believe it or not, you have much to say. To prove this to you, let me begin by asking you a question. Have you survived your life and managed to live through YOUR life experiences until now? This life you have “lived” has provided you with many lessons. Some fun and easy and joyful… And, some challenging, maybe difficult, or even painful but you have managed to get here! Your life stories have had episodes that other people might “shake their heads at” and wonder if they could have survived these experiences (yes, the ones YOU DID survive.) If Hollywood made a movie about the weirdest challenges you have been through, many people would think that it was pure fiction and no one could have survived these challenges. BUT, you did survive and thrive. You grew and you learned. YOU have much to share! You may have some difficulty in finding the words to speak about the losses and heart felt emotions you have known. YOU have had those moments when the “LIGHTS went ON!” And, you really “got” the meaning of the lesson that was presented. You may not give yourself enough credit for the difficult answers which you have had to learn.

Your purpose in life is to share these moments with other people, maybe family or friends or even total strangers. You will serve these fellow pilgrims by showing that you care and by sharing your stories as humans have done for thousands of years around a camp fire or while working shoulder to shoulder. Yes, you can reach out and support these fellow travelers through life who you might bump up against. Do not wait. Your purpose is to share AND tell the stories in a way where your witness knows that the lesson you have learned is NOT just your lesson but a “Universal” lesson. A lesson which we can all benefit by hearing.

You are much greater than your body and your life “seem” to be. Your soul and spirit radiate out in every direction and touch the universe. Without you and your divine self, the Divine Spirit would be missing a key piece. Though your life may seem small, even petty, actually it is a cornerstone which allows all of consciousness to exist… It is not your day to day drama which binds this universe, it is the radiant love and light that is at your core. It is the soul who has come into this life to learn the lessons and to remember your purpose and your true divinity.

As you are a reflection of the perfection of God, everyone you meet has a perfect soul somewhere within the confines of their human body. Perhaps imagine that every person you meet is worth eye contact and a smile. A “knowing smile” which says that you know and love the blessing which dwells within them. This is easier said than done when the physical, “petty” manifestation seems to “push your buttons.” Those buttons are pushed so you can learn your lesson of lessening your judgement and developing the skill of keen discernment to look deep into their soul to see the reflection of God’s greatest work… YOU are a blessing! You are a MASTER, perhaps caught in a struggle which you will learn from and over come.

You may want to consider how you can enhance your “knowing” and you may seek the support of nonjudgmental members of your spiritual tribe. Perhaps you will want to learn more and participate in, Masters of the Journey, a Transformational Community. At any rate, blessings to you on your pilgrimage through this life. Where ever possible, share your wisdom and support your fellow travelers.