Know Bliss! Find the Perfection in All Souls

Knowing Bliss after the past blog of November 9th where the discussion was related to the fear of rejection seems like a stretch… It is a great follow up to this recent past blog. If you remember that any flaws or weaknesses you find within you are the focus of the lessons that you are here to learn. When we accept our personal flaws and do not elevate them into “drama,” we can also apply this principle to the other people (souls) we bump into in the warm, tumbling dryer called life. Yes, I am suggesting that even the most difficult, nasty people we come into contact with are actually struggling pilgrims just like you! You do not have to enjoy or like their behavior or actions, but they are incarnated, just like you, to figure out a path, their path, toward higher consciousness. (They are here “pushing your buttons” as a “test” for you as you master your lessons.)

So where does the “Bliss” come in? I am told that when you are in the room with a highly “enlightened being” like the Dalai Lama, you can feel their different energy as if their glorious, loving aura exudes the enlightened bliss that they know and they live. They might laugh openly with the joy for life they feel. They know the joy that life allows, even with the challenges we may identify as discomfort. They shine brightly with love and acceptance. The audience basks in that rare experience of all consuming unconditional love and a human manifestation of the state of bliss. We embrace this sense of warmth and the emotional security that this experience creates. It can heal us from the wounds we feel from our daily existence. Who wouldn’t want to bask in unfiltered acceptance?

Many of us, me included, have had brief “micro-moments” of remembering bliss. In meditation the instant of connectedness, acceptance, freedom, and knowing (or remembering) that we are perfect and tapped into the Divine Spirit’s perfection. I can remember, vividly, those few moments when I felt the Divine Spirit envelop me. One time it came from a Near Death Experience (NDE). Once it came from a meditation where I found myself sitting next to the “River of Life” and so connecting in “oneness” with all other living things. I was blessed to have my wife’s spirit channelled for me by a “psychic” and I “felt” her words (or feelings) regarding what the heavenly Divine plane was like for a soul beyond the veil… These moments stand out as a guide post for me to know as the goal for my spiritual path. Perhaps you have been blessed (or will be blessed) with these experiences in your physical incarnation. Maybe these words have triggered a remembrance of these knowings and feelings that you have or have had between lives.

The main point of this blog is to tell you, or remind you, that we will find our way up our spiritual path to see, feel, and know the perfection within every seemingly flawed human we meet. We can celebrate and live in the bliss of enlightenment which allows each of us to share unconditional love and bask in this reflected back to warm our hearts and to feed our spirits. This may require more lifetimes. The path may take many turns. In an interview with the Dalai Lama, he mentioned that he was excited about returning for future incarnations to experience even more physical experiences before he would evolve to a level where he might not return. Love your life and your incarnation… It does NOT go on forever! Know that if you are in a hurry to reach enlightenment, so you do not have “to come back” (more incarnations,) YOU have not learned your lessons and you will get to come back… Sorry. So, allow yourself to look deep into the eyes and heart of the next pilgrim you meet on your path. Find the bliss, your bliss, as you bask in their perfection. Find a way to take their hand and find the way in which you can mutually accept and support each others learning!

Set your goal to find yourself in the state of Bliss regularly, if not daily, and know that this is easier said than done. It is one of our many challenges. Know that you deserve to live in Bliss! Your perfection and beauty will remember the unconditional love and acceptance that our divine souls were born within!

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

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

Basking in Love & Joy

What if you could attract Unconditional Love and Joy into your Life!? How would it feel to be basking in the Love and Joy of the Divine Spirit, burning within you more brightly every moment? Guidance and my friends Curt and Mary have led me to read “Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires” from Esther and Jerry Hicks and their Guides, “The Teachings of Abraham.” The thought that is germinating within my consciousness relates to Abraham’s guiding principle of the Law of Attraction which says that if your consciousness dwells on a thought, with strong emotion, this vision can manifest more easily for you. (Clue: think about what you desire NOT what you would avoid!)

In Masters of the Journey we share stories from epiphanies, experiences and challenges which we have learned from. As we listen to the “Story Teller,” we can resonate with the lesson and the emotions which go along with this learning. As a small, or large, group we can combine our attentions to attract the best part of these insights and more powerfully attract these messages from the Divine Spirit. We can celebrate the learning and new awareness as we share these consciousness expanding experiences.

An example might include, the Joy and excitement of watching a child being born into this world. What a blessing! We might share the epiphany from a deeply moving meditation where “Oneness” and connection to all living things is experienced! Or, we might find the sharing of a story where a Near Death Experience celebrates where Unconditional Love from the Divine is deeply felt and experienced. Know the Joy! These examples bring a special feeling to you even as you read them…??? Of course, in a group sharing, the moment in time combines many souls resonating in this enlightenment and can make the sharing a more powerful experience which can embed itself deeply into your consciousness. This is the value and benefit of sharing “positive” stories in a group. Humans have done this for thousands of years around the Tribe’s campfire or the dinner table.

We can be more conscious and look to celebrate the epiphanies which we have or which are shared by our group’s members. Not with envy, but with sincere celebration, as we resonate in the deep feelings attached to these learnings. We are all Masters and can teach from our life’s experiences. We can Bask in Joy and Love with the story tellers as we witness their wonderment. It feels good to be connected with a support group who offer positive messages and share moments of consciousness. The stories of awakenings serve as a model, or create a new doorway, for the “witness” to uncover new ways to achieve their lessons on a path toward “Enlightenment.”

What is “Enlightenment?” This may seem to take different forms or have foundations in different life experiences. For me, Enlightenment is a “Knowing” that we are all connected to the Divine Spirit and each other. We “remember” the joy of unconditional love and support, and the pure acceptance that goes along with it. We feel the freedom from the limitations of the ego and the physical body with its entrapment in a 3 dimensional, “Time” limited, existence. We know our connection with a Universal Wisdom. We remember that we are much greater than the physical incarnation we have chosen to learn our current lessons. (Though we should not deny the great importance and opportunity to live in the life we have chosen… Even with its challenges. It is amazing, a miracle!) But, once you have a conscious epiphany regarding what Enlightenment is, “on the other side of the Veil,” you will never be able to go back and to live as a naive, unaware person. This “instant” will change you 24/7 for your ongoing existence.

YOU are a Blessing! Whether you know it or not, YOU are a MASTER! Live in Joy and Love. Find your bliss!

If you would like to share your story and be supported, consider a community like, Masters of the Journey. Where ever possible bask in the telling of stories of “awakening.” Resonate with the most positive feelings and remembrances of 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 Led Me to Masters of the Journey

Guidance is the only possible explanation. Guidance from a greater, “Divine” source led me to developing the Masters of the Journey community.

Sure, many people admit to needing or wanting to participate in a community, in our ever divided culture. We all require some connection with other people as we move along our path through life. We all need role models or support or mentors or teachers to learn the difficult things we feel drawn to learn. I have been many things in my life but this is the first venture into creating a community. A community which offers a place to connect with other people who are engaged in developing their spiritual consciousness and offering support, or desiring to be supported by, other pilgrims who share this path moving toward higher consciousness. (AND, we are ALL on this path, whether you know this or not…)

My background has been “rational” and worldly. Not always “practical” but rooted in rational thoughts and intellectual theory. My personality was born to be oppositional, finding a road less traveled. With some major negative experiences in growing up (we all have these in our lives,) I was disapproving of religion and most religious training. My views were more atheistic than agnostic. I loved science and rational explanations. Still do. Now along the way, I had more than my share of mystical, metaphysical experiences but did not give these much conscious thought in my earlier years. They were interesting, cool, and seemingly irrelevant.

Examples: At 19 years of age and as an unhappy student at UCLA, I was guided into an “out of the body” visualization to discover what “Death” was all about. My naiveté allowed me to go into this weird and mystical experience. Only after reporting my experience to the group’s leader did it dawn on me that this was a “special” and important experience. And, it still is… My major insight has been that death is NOT the enemy or scary. This frees me to live more fully, with less fear and anxiety. Secondly, I was drawn to meditation in my early twenties and was “gifted” with some amazing visions including visiting the “River of Life” which allowed me to feel universal connection, “oneness,” and the thought that life was comprised of many lives where, learning or remembering our Divine Spirit within, was briefly demonstrated. (For no rational reason, this drew a tear, of joy, to my youthful eye!)

But, I have been enmeshed in a rational world and life where my work, my relationships, and my family became my focus and my “PURPOSE.” This perspective has been changing into a broader view of life. My wife of 28 years was diagnosed with terminal Ovarian cancer 19 years into our marriage. Our lives and our focus changed dramatically. For me, it was a time of learning empathy and how to be a caretaker. The experience, which I would not wish on anyone, was so very important for me. My difficult, painful, lessons were most spectacular and my consciousness has changed dramatically. Since my wife’s transition in January of 2012, I have filled the “Void” in my life with a search for my new purpose or, if unsuccessful in this search, to find my way to transition into my Divine Spirit between lives (more clearly, to join my wife’s spirit in her “better place.”) In 2015, after travels which seemed unsuccessful to my rational self, I found my new path. Guidance offered me experiences which lead me to working in an overt metaphysical lifestyle. My meditation practice was expanded into studying: the Course in Miracles, the Way of Mastery, near death experiences, intuition/psychic ability, drumming, and heading back to a church-like experience at Unity Spiritual Center in Bellingham, WA. This felt weird to me but wonderful.

The spirit of my wife showed up and herded me into experiences and consciousness which has helped me to begin to consciously remember the Divine Spirit. My purpose was spelled out for me, so simply and clearly even I could understand. My new role was not to be a Guru, because I do not have the training or temperament to be a Guru, but to help organize a non-religious support community where people can join together and share their stories and their wisdom. My brief partner in this project formation suggested we call this, Masters of the Journey, believing that WE are all MASTERS and just need to remember our perfection and our connection with the Divine Wisdom.

For the past two years (since mid-2015,) I have basked in this work as my reason for living. My purpose in life which is so completely different from any work which I have done before (in this life.) I am still oppositional in my way, but I can feel good about this non-traditional approach to build a consciousness development community.

Perhaps guidance has lead YOU to this article. Perhaps your guidance has lead you to be a part of Masters of the Journey: a Transformational Community. If this is not for you, then I hope that you find the support and the community that will be most appropriate for your development of consciousness and toward Remembering the Perfect Divine Spirit within YOU. You are a blessing!

Whether you know it or not, you are a Master! Your “Enlightenment” is within YOU and you can find a way to “Remember” your connection, and the part you play, in the Divine Spirit!

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

Masters of the Journey’s Guiding Principles

The Masters of the Journey: Transformational Community offers you a list of our guiding principles. Would you consider getting involved with our new community to support you moving toward your spiritual goals?

1. Take responsibility for your life
2. Do not blame or make excuses
3. Love Yourself & accept all parts even weaknesses-flaws-imperfections. For these are the “lessons” you here to learn from.
4. Grounding (daily as a practice)
5. Meditation (daily as a practice)
6. Keep your eyes up! Look to the Horizon
7. Set goals – celebrate success. Honor and celebrate your challenges.
8. Never give up on your passion & your dreams
9. Love Nature & Mother Earth… Appreciate the beauty of life. Find Beauty Every Day
10. Learn to Listen:
A. Be Focused
B. Maintain Eye Contact
C. Mind clear of strong judgement/other thoughts of response
D. Ask Supportive, clarifying Questions

11. Be open for Love and Connection (learn to share and to love)
12. Learn better to control: stress, fear, anxiety – Learn to Let Go. Choose LOVE!
13. Practice the skill of self-acceptance- then develop self-love
14. Love and Protect all Children- Cherish their souls – Celebrate youthful enthusiasm, Innocence
15. Daily exercise and meditation is important
16. Build a solid Foundation – self-care/grounding, open your heart to unconditional love & then share it – Love unconditionally
17. Oneness: ALL of us are on the pilgrimage together some of us are more conscious than others – reach around & give all those you touch support and assistance so WE can all evolve together.
18. Embrace each moment as best you can! Each moment is a microcosm of all life & all consciousness – GRACE
19. Build a healthy support team –Find Your Courage – Celebrate your process & the success/gifts of learning.
20. Find Your Passion! Live your Passion! NO excuses! Along the way, do something good everyday- Perform a daily “Mitzvah” (a good deed)
21. Honor your mentors & healthy role models. Learn to bask in the wisdom they share (or provide to you)
22. Look to Create Good in the World. Do not miss the opportunity to acknowledge & celebrate good deeds & creative demonstrations of passion!
23. Turn off (or at least turn it down) TV & Media – Read – Discuss – Learn to THINK for YOURSELF!! Do not blindly accept other people’s perceptions NO ONE! (Certainly not mine….)
24. Follow Your Heart! Listen to your Gut! Follow guidance & honor these strong messages
25. If you are striving to grow up to the heavens find solid roots to feed, nurture, & build a strong foundation for your work.
26. Do not be Lazy! Consciousness requires effort. (It is worth it!) Do not close your eyes to the daily experience of life. Rest & meditation are good. Lethargy & avoidance are not nearly as helpful.
27. Never stop learning or challenging yourself… Do not pretend that you know it all.

Consider: A partner with common values can be helpful & also a trap. Do not be a closed system.

Live with no fear of Death or Dying. Or, learn enough about dying so the thought of this transition does not get in the way of Living! (Study the stories of people who have had Near Death Experiences (NDE.)

Get a mentor, BE a Mentor, who is old, wise, & can share their lessons from living through their challenges! Honor their insights & wisdom though you do not have to agree with all their beliefs and insights. Their insights can offer you perspective & depth to your thinking. (Masters knows the perfection which dwells within you.)

DO NOT Avoid people with handicaps & challenges. They can teach you how to overcome limitations. We are all unique & loved creatures!

    DANCE like no one is watching! Live with passion and reckless abandon!

Visit our website at www.mastersofthejourney.com for more information and resources. Masters of the Journey is a Transformational community.

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

You Are A Blessing!

No matter how much you want to argue with me, YOU are a Blessing and YOU are Perfect! For many of us, this is a difficult concept. Whether you believe this or not, it is still true. What you may not Know or Remember is that within your soul and in your spirit, you are a perfect manifestation of the Divine Spirit. Your mind and Ego will argue with you about this. Your Ego wants to rule your thoughts with Fear and Judgement which does not accept the perfection, even with your challenges, which you are. We all have lessons to learn and these challenges are a major reason we have manifested into our present lives (existence.)

This is the 200th blog in this series. In the blogs based around spiritual development and consciousness, you have read and reread this basic concept many times. But, the repetition is needed. We forget. We fall back into old patterns. We are comfortable not taking responsibility for our perfection AND our lives. We might even enjoy our “role” as a “victim.” To remember and to live as a blessing and in our radiance is not well supported. We may be influenced by our ego, creating smallness, and outside egos which seek to squash you down to build their position up. Regardless, you are a blessing and an integral part of the whole Hologram called the Divine. Without you and your spirit, the Universe would not exist. Your job, Your purpose is to remember your perfection and to live the connection to all other spirits. Your role is to grab the hands of all the other spirits you bump into and aid them in moving forward on the path toward higher consciousness.

When you experience, or remember your experience, with the State of Grace, you will remember that you are a blessing and a part of much Greater consciousness. Your connection, in unconditional love, will help you to remember that you bask in the Light. Your limitations of your mind/ego in your 3 dimensional life limit you. There are no limitations when you are between lives in the Higher Realms. Your “Petty” problems, which do not seem at all petty to your mind and ego in this life, are the challenges you get to learn from as you move along your path.

When you want to get the support you deserve and the positive connections you may require, consider involvement in a non-religious spiritual community like Masters of the Journey. Meet and assist other pilgrims along your way. You are a Blessing! You are a Master, even if you do not remember you are.

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

When Will YOU Awaken?

When will you have an Awakening experience so you can follow your Spiritual Path?

First, what does “Awakening” to follow your Spiritual Path mean? Many people have a “moment” of “awakening” or a spiritual epiphany. This may be an experience where, in an instant, you have an insight into what the “State of Grace” really means. A feeling of Universal connection, “Oneness,” Unconditional Love, Universal Wisdom, Freedom from Time and the three dimensional world we have incarnated into. Maybe we remember God, or Jesus, or Buddha, or the Divine Spirit, or whatever it is that you know and remember as the highest consciousness. Many spiritual teachers will tell you that this requires years of devotion and careful contemplation to achieve. I am not sure that this takes a long time. For many people, this “spiritual awakening” takes but an instant! Your path to “Enlightenment” is yours to travel AND travel there you must!

So, when will it be… for YOU?

Will it happen during a NDE (Near Death Experience?)
You can read many books and articles about this type of “Awakening” and “Remembering.” (I say “Remembering” because when achieved, it is familiar and we realize that we have been there before. It may be the feeling we have when we are between lives AND the feeling that we are working to “remember” in this current lifetime. No matter what your experience, whether you believe me or not, this spiritual wisdom and “knowing” is already within you. You are learning how to recall your connection with the Divine!)

Will your “Enlightenment” or “Spiritual Awakening” be triggered by:
an illness or accident?
or
By the loss of a loved one (and your experience in Death, Dying, Grief and Loss?)
or
By Your Midlife Crisis? (Female or Male Menopause) WHEN, you realize that your goals and plans are not enough. You have to do or be something more. Perhaps, you have yet to finish your search for your “Purpose” in this life!
or
An Epiphany from a Meditation, a Dream, a Spiritual Practice?
or
A drug related experience? (Which shakes you out of your belief and your current “reality.”)
or
A Breathing Technique or Vision Quest?
or
A religious practice?
or
A trauma or a nightmare?
or
The birth of a child?
or
An experience of “Guidance” or other worldly “Protection” (when you were steered in a more positive direction)
Or…???

Yes, what will be your experience which triggers your remembering your connection to the Divine Spirit!

Will this manifest as a single moment in your life or as a series of moments (and experiences?)

Will it be a Clear Message or a vague, to be discovered, feeling or thought?

Will it cause a Dramatic Shift in your life (and way of being in the world) or a slower unfoldment?

Will this come to You alone or in a group?

Who will you tell or share this “Awakening” with?

Will it change your relationships? (Perhaps to be more loving or accepting?)

Is it triggered by being “Old” and/or infirmed? (BUT, young people, even children, can experience this State of Grace!)

Is this experience Dramatic or Subtle? Is it soft and quiet or loud or colorful or Black and White (or even Gray?)

Is this Spiritual awakening taking place in a natural surrounding or in a more mundane environment like your home or a building?

Are you with other people or alone?

Are you in a state of Fear/Anxiety or “Grounded” by a Meditation?

Do you feel like you have drifted out of your body to a higher realm? Do you find this in your heart & soul?

Does this trigger a feeling of “Acceptance” or a violent flight/fight emotion?

Is this happening to you in the: morning or afternoon or at twilight or at night?

Are you in a foreign land or a more familiar (closer to home) place?

Is your insight focused on your physical state or on emotion or thought/mental state or in a spiritual place?

Does your epiphany manifest in feelings of: happiness, joy, confusion, fear, or the relief which comes from finally “Remembering” your deepest Spiritual Nature?

Many people have these Awakenings and never know how to share these experiences. They may even think that there is something wrong or even “crazy” in feeling these “different” wisdoms… But, we all have these moments and these learnings. We sometimes do not appreciate them at the time of the experience, but these will resurface after some other life experience or conversation trigger the remembering… An experience which I had early in my life became an epiphany which has shaped my life is a story available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/bjQuoEK-2SE

No matter what, remember that YOU are a blessing and You have a spiritual Master dwelling within your soul.

If you would like support and a community to share your story of awakening and spiritual development, consider the Masters of the Journey as a place to connect with fellow travelers on the path toward remembering the Divine Spirit within each of us.

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

Even Random Cats Need Community

Needing Community! People who are struggling with living life as a means to developing in consciousness and wisdom, may appear different than people who have their heads down and move less vigilantly through life. If you do not “Fit in” with our “normal” cultural experience then maybe you need Masters of the Journey: A Transformational Community.

The concept of “herding cats” comes to my mind when I think of consciousness “seekers” running in every direction for the sake of a life experience which is “out of the normal” range. I sense that the expression, “herding cats,” implies that cats are more difficult to train and seem very independent of what others may “expect” of them. With this said, random cats still require some social connections and the support of larger community. People who may not fit neatly into conventional religious communities still need to “Connect.” “No man is an Island,” suggests that we are all in need of connection. (Written by John Donne in 1624 the full passage includes:

‘No Man is an Island’

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Some fairly famous quotes come from this writing. My appreciation of these words seem to say for me, that people need to understand their need for interpersonal connection to other people to live in a balanced life. And, that we are all interconnected, so if you see others in struggle this is not a distant event. It is YOUR issue because we are all related. We are ALL connected. (I believe that our main purpose is to support our fellow pilgrims as we all move, ever so slowly, toward higher consciousness AND the remembering of our Divine Perfection.)

So all random Cats need connection and community. Yes, even YOU!

Please consider searching out and finding the community which can support you and your lessons. Then find the best way to connect, within your own ability, to this “tribe.” You are a blessing and you deserve the healthiest support. If your search does not easily find a suitable/appropriate group of like minded “seekers,” consider the Masters of the Journey.

Please take good care of yourself (and look around for any other “random cats” who may be searching for support.)

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

Loneliness is NOT an Illusion

We are the MOST “connected” society AND we are the MOST Lonely society! Yes, we celebrate the “illusion” that we do not feel our loneliness because we have apparatus which pretends to keep us “in touch” with “friends.” Many of us are addicted, YES addicted, to our smart phones and tablets with the expectation that our FB posts, or our Tweets, or texting, or our Instagram offerings are showing the WORLD, our world, that we are fully participating and really proud and joyful about our lives even if it looks like our breakfast or our cute pet postings. Yet, loneliness exists. You can see loneliness in the desperate behaviors which surround us.

Example. I came at 8:15 AM to stand in line at REI (Recreational Equipment Inc) for the semi annual “Garage sale.” The store opened at 9:00 AM and I was 40 or 50 in line with 45 minutes to opening. These are hardcore outdoor enthusiasts trying to get a good deal so they can go backpacking, camping, hiking, cycling, kayaking, or whatever. ALL 40 or 50 of these line standers was ON THEIR SMART PHONES! So, I asked the people with me in the lengthening line, “was it mandatory to be on my smart phone as I a waited the store opening?” Pretty much YES. So I pulled out my smart phone so I would not look stupid or upset the others in line, I say sarcastically. I did manage to engage the people around me in conversation and we were clearly old friends by the time we pushed into the store. Because we chatted, I could talk with them to find out if they had found the specific gear that they had arrived so early to acquire. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE. Look around at the line in the expresso place or bus stop or market, or bank or ….

Many of us have lost touch with our ability to have deeper conversations and emotional interactions with real, live, responding, human friends or family. Yes, I have seen, and so have you, people sitting in the same room, even across the table from each other, and TEXTING the person in the room. What is that about? That is about addiction to technology and false idols of communication. The illusion that some how we are not suffering from addiction and loneliness. Two dimensional text messages are NOT a substitute for a hug or looking into the eyes of someone who needs support or encouragement. It does not include gestures, body language, or tone of voice. Texting is NOT the way wisdom and experience can be shared in any meaningful way. Yes, superficial sharing is SAFE and easy and quick but it is NOT a deeply felt human interaction. The kind of interaction that truly supports us.

There have been studies of children raised in Eastern European orphanages where babies and young children were left for hours without human contact and touching. Many of these children grew up with severe mental, emotional, and even physical disabilities. My point is that people need human interaction and nurturing AND technology has NOT found the way to reach out and really touch you like face to face interactions are supposed to offer. AND, if you do not see this effect upon our human culture just look around. People can not speak with clarity or depth about important relationship issues. We seem to require very graphic, adrenaline producing movies, TV, or gaming to get into our very limited attention spans. Teachers are fighting for their classrooms attention and must adjust to the lowest common denominator of the lowest attention span in the room.

People FEEL LONELY. We are NOT connected. We do not honor the wisdom and experience which is shut away in our retirement “homes,” senior housing, and “full care nursing facilities kept separate from our Youth Oriented culture. WE are lonely both Older folks and younger people. There is even discussion regarding a new psychological/emotional symptom in our psychological codes referred to as “Loneliness Syndrome.”

Fear is driving the technology addiction. We do not want to feel left out of this mass behavior. We do not want to be odd or “unpopular.” We do not want to stand up and actually speak because that attracts a spot light of attention and that can feel threatening. “someone may make “fun” of me.” It is easier to be “anonymous” in a snarky text or FB comment. Advertising insists that for our “young” lives to be successful, we must add the latest technology or “app.” We have not evolved so far in the past 35 years of the “Information Age” that the tribal behavior of sharing stories, and maybe wisdom, around the campfire, as we have done for thousands of years, is now SO obsolete and primitive that it does not work any more. Technology has changed the way we live but the need of looking into someone’s eyes as they share their story has not!

Let’s try some silliness and humor.
A dead guy is in line to see St Peter at the “Pearly Gates.” He has his cellphone with him. He walks up to the Gate Keeper and says “Can I take this with me? I am waiting for a Text. BTW (By the way) Pete, what is the WiFi password for heaven?” Or, “Is there a GPS for the “Higher Realms”???”

Though we find ourselves worshipping our: individualism, independence, separation, this can lead to emotional isolation and emotional/spiritual loneliness. Our souls are connected and yet we do not have time to remember this because our technology keeps interrupting our meditation. Yes, we are all connected but the internet still has a ways to evolve before it grasps the deepest levels of sharing, listening, and witnessing the wisdom we can find in each other.

Take a risk! Look a friend or a stranger in the eye and with sincerity ask them who they are. Thank them for being the soul which you have bumped into in the warm dryer called life! We are all in this together, whether you know this or not.

If you want to have this conversation with people who have committed to supporting other people AND their stories, consider our Masters of the Journey Community. You are a blessing and the experiences you have had in this life should be shared (for you and for the witnesses.)

In the “Present” to Connect and to “Witness”

Often lacking in our culture is the deeper connections which allow for growth of consciousness and spirit. (“Often” is a judgement which, in this case, means “Most of the time.”) We are all here, in the present incarnation, to learn and to grow. Most importantly, we are here to support our fellow spiritual pilgrims on their (“our”) path toward “Enlightenment.”

One factor that gets in the way of connecting is our weakness in a key area of communication. We are resistant to using our ears and our intuition to fully “Hear” the person/soul who has “bumped” into us. Our culture teaches us to interrupt the “story” being shared with our own thoughts or past experience so we can “control” the conversation. We are rarely using questioning to assist our conversation partner to be more clear with “their” storytelling. We are lacking in the skills as a “witness” to the story, and possible wisdom, which is being shared. If we were fully “Present” in the interaction, we might invest fully in soaking up the story/lesson with all of our senses including our intuition. We are ALL “Masters” with much to share. Mastery includes being fully present and being aware as a “Student” to the experience. Appreciation and respect is often neglected due the lack of “Time” or energy or interest… What if God, yes the God we have heard about, was standing in front of us, perhaps as a “burning bush,” and sharing some wisdom with us? Would we/you/I listen fully and with respect? Or, would we discount this message because we are lacking focus? Would we interrupt God to share our story?

An individual soul who has awakened and begun to “remember” their connection to the Divine might be “Serious” about consciousness and spiritual development. Curiosity and openness would be a common thread in all interactions, with people or with nature. If you ever get “serious” about your practice of spiritual consciousness, you may wish to participate by “listening,” “watching,” “being fully aware,” and “Taking it all in.” Do this not just to support the next pilgrim with a story which needs to be “heard” but for yourself! This is YOUR learning and by raising your consciousness, you raise ALL consciousness (because we are ALL connected and “One!”)

You may find yourself in conversation with questions like:
What is a human being?
Who is this person in front of me and what am I to learn from them?
What are we to learn together?
They are equal to me and they have their “lessons” and challenges but their “pains” are the same as mine (perhaps experienced slightly differently.)

Listening and “Witnessing” are challenging skills which are worth developing. In our lives, we experience many “relationship challenges” which are often associated with OUR lack of listening skills. We might find ourselves interrupting or getting defensive when perhaps we could be asking questions and exploring the pain or blocks to intimacy.

We are not “perfect” and we come into this life to take the next steps toward higher consciousness and more fully remembering our Divine source. Do not give up! The challenge is our lesson! Even if you were “Perfect,” You want the experience of being human with the intense emotions and the difficulties with our limited abilities to communicate. This is part of the cosmic fun! Celebrate and take responsibility for the challenge before you. We are ALL in this together and, at some higher level, we are participating for the “greater good.”

You are a blessing! You are a Master! Your purpose is to learn, to grow, and to assist every soul you bump into to!

Be Present! Share your story! And, be a Master of Witnessing the story of the person in front of you!

If you would like more conscious connections with people who are actively “remembering their Divinity” and moving forward to higher consciousness consider participating in the non-religious community, Masters of the Journey.

You are never alone! You are loved, unconditionally! Enjoy the pilgrimage or, at the very least, appreciate the value.

Relationships and Spirituality

An amazing insight and new perspective regarding relationships has hit me like a ton of bricks. My self-definition and personal description, until last week, has been one which included speaking of myself as a “Relationship Person.” This means that I did not see myself as “Whole” unless I was in a “meaningful” relationship with some romance gluing it together.

In reading from the ACIM (A Course in Miracles) Chapter 16 section 5 “The Choice for Completion,” I stumbled upon a foundation shaking perspective – FOR ME. Due to my earliest childhood I believe that I have learned some interesting things regarding relationships, sources of love, and my need/belief that I am a “relationship” person. My possible “Attachment Disorder” has caused me to learn the lesson of believing that I am NOT WHOLE without being in a “couple relationship.” I am not a victim or expressing weakness. It has been my foundational understanding that I required another person in my life to balance me out. Our culture encourages this bonding and mating behavior. Our culture encourages individuals to be part of the team in: sports, work groups, religious organizations, political parties, national commitments, and “special relationships” defining families. BUT ACIM tells me that I am “Perfect and whole” as a soul with Divinity at my core. It says, and I believe, that I/we are made in God’s image and we are perfect holograms of the Divine Spirit. The readings from last week suggest that if I give myself up to be connected in a “Special relationship” then I am not honoring the perfection and wholeness of my divine soul. This does not mean that I do not love other incarnated souls. It just suggests that I should not look to or demand that a relationship make me “whole.”

I am struggling with recent teachings (from “A Course in Miracles” and “The Way of Mastery” see below) but feel that there is truth and wisdom in these words. I am not sure how to apply these concepts to my “current life” but will see where this leads me. My recent learnings and “Knowings” tell me that I am much greater than my “petty” human life and the Divine is at my core, as it is in the soul/core of every being I encounter. We are all reflections of the perfection of the Divine Spirit. No better and no worse. And, though we can learn from interacting with other “pilgrims,” we are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER and our purpose is to support and to assist “everyone” we encounter to learn their specific lessons so we can all evolve in awareness and consciousness together. We are all actors, playing our roles, in the Divine Play…

There are the many people I have loved and continue to love. I am blessed to have been guided and supported by friends, family, lovers, spirits, and even guides from other realms. My life has been Graced and Protected. When I came to the “Fork in the Road,” my choices were “Perfect” and led me to where I am today… Yes, especially in writing this obscure blog regarding my recent spiritual evolution and learning about many things including relationships. As YOU read this, remember that YOU are Perfect and You are a Master. Your challenges have taught you the lessons that give You wisdom to share. You must find the ways to articulate your learning and to serve all the souls whom you encounter. YOUR Purpose is to take the hand of fellow pilgrims and support their learning and development so that we all can benefit.

You are a Blessing! You are so much more than the body and the incarnated life you lead. If you have not already, You will find Your way to remember Your Divinity and to Grace the Universe with your wisdom!

You ARE Perfect and if you would like to support fellow travelers consider the community of Masters of the Journey.

Reference:
My studies of the “A Course in Miracles” and “The Way of Mastery” which are amazing books which have been “Channelled” from Jesus. ACIM was delivered in 1965-1972 and published first in the 1976 and “The Way of Mastery” was delivered from 1994-1997 and has been published since 2004 (with some disagreements…) If you have not been exposed to these “dictations” you may want to spend some time with these wordy works. Personally, I require a support group, which I have, to help translate these concepts for my understanding. In the past 20 months, I have learned a great deal and turned some of my early resistance to these dictations into some very profound and important self-learning and spiritual insights. Sorry for this long introduction.