In Consideration of the Color Gray

Posted on August 29, 2019 by admin

I have never considered the color Gray/Grey. Why? Because it is Gray. Have you ever considered the color Gray? AND, there is a reason for me to write this blog and for YOU to consider such things in the world. (More about this later.) So, I went to the “Oracle of Wisdom and Knowledge,” Wikipedia and typed in “Grey” (English version of Gray.) This informed me that Gray is a mixture of White and Black, a “neural color and a “color ‘without color.'” What triggered this you may ask? I went for a walk in nature today and accidentally picked an outfit which I do not normally wear. My brown or beige shorts were in the wash and so I found myself dressed in gray shorts and a gray shirt. Weird! This is not normally me… (When Beige is more normal and interesting and natural than gray, for me, this is beginning to be “disturbing” as a consideration.)

Wikipedia went on to say, “Color Meaning: Meaning of The Color Grey
The color gray is an emotionless, moody color that is typically associated with meanings of dull, dirty, and dingy, as well as formal, conservative, and sophisticated. The color gray is a timeless and practical color that is often associated with loss or depression.” What??? Consider what is gray in nature… Rocks, gravel paths through the park, streets, battleships, torpedos, bombs, foreboding clouds, business suits, sharks, some people’s houses, cement, elephants, some bird feathers, and, of course, the color of your skin when you are deceased. (Though, gray on gray with a white stripe for accent can be a stylish mixture for a house, like my neighbors. Boring, but stylish and marketable.)

Gray is NOT used to standout or to be bold. It is often used to hide behind in a defensive way. Business men will wear gray business suits to fit in but, like male birds, splash a “loud,” colorful tie to brighten up their look and to be noticed. Predators like sharks like to be gray because they can sneak up on their prey in a more stealthy way. Gray is stealthy…

Nature does not have many plants or animals which love the color gray unless the animal is defensive and trying to blend in, unnoticed (or a predator.) Nature uses brighter colors to attract attention like flowers or male birds competing for a partner to breed with. As stated, even beige or brown are more warm, attractive, and natural than gray, in my opinion, (and I think beige is a boring,) is a lack of confidence, color. MY opinion and I wear beige ’cause it hides the dirt I smear on myself better than white…

I love rocks and mountains which wear forests up to timberline and snow or glaciers pressed against a bright blue sky. I love the shadows of clouds dancing across the fields and hills cast by the light of the sun. I appreciate a nice gravel trail through the woods with people strolling, bikes ridden, and strollers pushed through a more natural setting. BUT, I will not consider painting my house gray or enjoying wearing gray outfits on a regular basis. This is NOT who I am.

It came to mind as I considered sharing this opinion that many years ago, in my early 20’s, I read Herman Hesse’s, “Magister Ludi: The Glass Bead Game.” My interpretation at the time of this Glass Bead Game was that all knowledge and wisdom of human consciousness could find its place on the surface of an immense globe. A “player” of the Glass Bead Game took one fact or thing and then attempted to learn “everything” about this thing. Its interrelationships with all other things in the Universe. By being an expert, all knowing, of one fact or thing, the player would descend to the very center of the globe/Universe and then understand ALL relationships in the Universe from this core. This wisdom would “Win” the game and so become “Magister Ludi (Master of the Game.)” To me the consideration of the color gray gets complicated but may seem easier as a target of consideration to descend to the “Core of the Universe” easier than more colorful objects or ideas. For this, I believe that we should consider things which surround us which we may have overlooked before. If nothing else this expands my, perhaps your, consciousness and causes you to be “present” and “aware” in ways not realized/considered before.

If you have read this far, thank you and you can never go back! You will now have to consider Gray/Grey in a more in-depth way. A boring color which triggers thoughts and feelings and your amazing unique opinion.

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

Special Relationships vs the Holy Relationship

Posted on August 8, 2019 by admin

If you were born a human being, you were born to have relationships. You required the support, hopefully the Love, of parents, supporters, and caregivers because you could not survive on your own when you were first born. We learn the good, and the bad, about human relationships in our early years. We grow up striving for “ideal” (and so impossible) “perfect” relationships. Many people, including myself, believe, or have believed, that we can not be “whole” unless we can be defined within a relationship. Hopefully, a “healthy” relationship. We strive for great, supportive friends. We look for healthy supportive family members. We attempt to build healthy, supportive communities to join and participate within. (We can often face the disappointment in the imperfect relationships we “settle” into.)

Eventually, we may come to know that “Healthy” relationships with a partner, family, and friends may hold disappointment or at least, some level of incompleteness. In the study of the Course of Miracles (a professed dictation from Jesus,) these Earthly relationships may be referred to as “Special Relationships.” Our minds and our Egos get caught up in believing that these are worth striving for and without the “perfect” special relationships, we can not find happiness or even “safety.” “The Course” goes on the state that the only “true” relationship is the “Holy Relationship” with the Divine Spirit. We may eventually unlearn the “need” for human attachments and replace this with the connection with the Divine Spirit.

Some highly conscious people might say that “Enlightenment” is the understanding and celebration of your “Holy Relationship” with the Divine. I do not believe that this means we do not honor and celebrate imperfect human relationships, communities, and support. We require human interaction to learn our lessons. We also must be in these relationships to share our stories and to serve our fellow human contacts. We can not learn or grow without the “dramas” which play out as we interact with our fellow pilgrims. The love, the loss, and all the “intimate” interactions we have with the people who surround us are the challenges we have in this life to test out how far we have come in our spiritual evolution.

Where would we be without “sharing” a laugh or tears? Where would we be without making love and possibly risking getting “our hearts broken?” If we take responsibility for our lives, and our deaths, we need to love, and to face loss. We need to assist family to learn and to grow. We need to support and hug friends. One profound series of learnings for me has come from my long relationship with my wife. We had about 30 years together to raise a family and live through the trials of human family relationships. Her terminal diagnosis and the 8.5 years of experiencing cancer taught me many lessons. It made us closer. Her “transition” created a large hole in my life and this has been one of the most important learning experiences of my life… I would not wish this experience on anyone else but I would not trade this experience or the lessons or the memories for anything. Even through the “pain,” I appreciate the gift of my guidance moving my life through these moments and know the value I can share from these challenges. (My story is NOT unique but my lessons were unique and special for me and my development.)

In the study of Mindfulness, we come to learn certain principles which hold truth regarding human relationships. We might work to find Equanimity and know the Impermanence of Human relationships. In so doing we learn to appreciate, without being sucked into, the dramas experienced in interactions. We might find the truth that nothing in our world, and so relationships, are permanent and “ever lasting.” The only permanent thing in our Universe is the unconditional Love which pulses within us from the connection we have with the Divine Spirit. When you remember or “know” this imbedded wisdom you will know your “enlightenment” and your place in the higher consciousness termed (by me) the Divine Spirit.

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

Sweet Surrender: Our Cord to the Divine

Posted on July 29, 2019 by admin

Be Brave! You have to be brave to Surrender. Most of us are fighting our fears. We are fighting for consciousness as we attempt to learn how to live most Joyfully and Gracefully. We are fighting with change because the unknown, triggers fear in our Ego-Mentality and is a challenge in letting go of “familiar beliefs” and attitudes. Also, the people around us in our lives, family and friends, often dislike our growth and positive change because it can leave them (and their “needs”) behind. To Surrender to the Divine Spirit you must bravely release the known attitudes, tear down your defensive walls, and experience unconditional love and acceptance. Often this requires us to rethink our life’s priorities and long held beliefs.

Sweet Surrender to the Divine becomes an act of trust and bravery. You have a “Choice” to Surrender. An important distinction is that you can not Make Surrender, you must Allow Surrender. Making is what the controlling Ego/Mind wants to do. To construct the Divine is not within the ability of the Mind. To Allow the Divine Spirit to come into your consciousness is possible and worth your efforts… This effort, largely, comes through awareness and then Surrender to Universal Divine.

When you stop fighting with your fears and blocks, you can then “Flow” with the Guidance as you surrender. Letting go of your resistance (based in fear) you can allow the clear connection with the Divine to be remembered. Your intuition and your guidance comes from within you. It is the remembering of your own perfection. It is the reminder of you as a unique miracle connected to, and coming from, the Source. If you quit fighting the current that often is sweeping you along, you can more freely flow with the loving energy which connects you to the Divine Spirit.

Remember, you can NOT be a Warrior for the Divine, forcing enlightened thinking upon those around you! Everybody gets there on their own and when the situation is right for them. You can be a Warrior and Master of your ability to role model consciousness, awareness, acceptance, wisdom, and the unconditional love which is in your (and every soul’s) heart as the perfect connection to the Divine Spirit. You can not force consciousness. “You can lead a horse to water but you can NOT make him drink,” is an old expression. You can share your story. You can live your story but you can not force your beliefs, effectively, unless invited…

If you have read this far, ask yourself, why have I denied my connection with my own true spirit? Have I followed other people’s philosophy or religion, which serves the mind and perhaps not the Heart? Can I be brave and allow myself to flow into remembering my perfection and connection with the Divine Spirit? Can I allow myself to feel the “Joy” of Remembering my unique place in the Universe? You are a Miracle! You are a Blessing! Whether you know it or not you are a Master! No one can do you better than than you of being you and this role you play is important to all of us. Is it time to Surrender and to reconnect with your consciousness and its cord to the Divine?

Spiritual Self-Acceptance

Posted on July 22, 2019 by admin

Spiritual Self-Acceptance has come up again. For me, this resurfaced when my mentor Brother Bob Trask spoke about the Power of Acceptance. It seems that it is difficult to find Acceptance of others without knowing yourself and finding the highest levels of self-acceptance. It is not just finding a way to accept some of your minor (or major) flaws of personality or physical features. It is much bigger and more challenging. You must find a way to know and then to accept, your real self. Your real perfection and Divinity.

Before we get to that, I want to tell you a story from my personal “out of the body” experience when I was 19 years old. I was blessed to have had an STE (Spiritually Transformative Experience) when I was guided in a visualization to leave my body and go into the higher realms to discover what our final transition, death, was about. I was innocent and naive so I was able to do what was asked of me by the meditation’s guide. I had no pre-conceptions or resistance or expectations. As I floated up and away, I stopped “half way to death.” Some how I “Knew” I was half way there. There was a dark horizon in front of me and I knew death was over this horizon. I was not concerned or scared. A warmth surrounded and enveloped me. It was the Divine warmth of unconditional love. It was unique, though in some form this is what everyone will experience. Along with love was pure “Acceptance.” I was perfect and loved. There was a calmness, a sense of deep peace, and a feeling of Universal “Connection.” I would never be alone. I was a part of something much greater. I felt freedom with no limitation of time and space. I felt “Joy!” It was perfect and 100% inviting.

I did not want to leave this feeling… EVER! And, I was told I had to return to my body and my life. I refused because I did not want to return to my life. I was told I was not done doing what I had come to do, though they did not tell me what I was supposed to do. I was told I could return, and would return, when it was my time to return. So, I grudgingly returned to my body and my life with no fear of the transition of dying. AND, how does this fit with this blog, you ask? I found out that I AND EVERYBODY ELSE, are Divine Spirits and PERFECT. We all have our unique lessons and purposes. We all have unique personalities but we are all connected and Perfect in our imperfections. We are all perfect holograms of the Divine Spirit manifested in our unique, seemingly imperfect incarnations. Stop me if I am wrong, BUT, this is where YOU doubt me for saying that YOU are Perfect! This is what you must ACCEPT! And, you must also love and accept every being, soul, or spirit you bump into. You must Know, and say, AND MEAN, “Namaste” whenever you gaze into every the eyes of every other pilgrim you meet. We have lessons to share and we must support every other spirit in whatever way we can. Maybe by just loving and accepting these incarnated souls.

AND, you have to START with yourself. You are Perfect! You are a Blessing! You are a Gift to this world and YOU need to take responsibility for your Perfection. You are so much bigger than you allow yourself to know or believe. This is so much easier said than done but no one said this was to be easy! This is your awareness, your challenge, and a major part of your purpose. (And, you have choice! You can choose to do life differently and to live in your Divine self.)

You may not feel ready. It may not be your time to fully awaken to your power and your light. But, you have read these words and your consciousness will NEVER BE THE SAME! You can not go back into the darkness without knowing your acknowledged or unacknowledged Divine Perfection. You can not unsee this Signpost! You are getting closer to your conscious “Enlightenment.” You are a Master and you have your stories to share for the benefit of the “witnesses.” Your time to KNOW your Spiritual Perfection and have Acceptance of your place in the Divine, is now.

The Power of Altruism

Posted on July 12, 2019 by admin

In Lynne McTaggert’s book, “The Power of Eight,” she describes her research and the outcomes of groups setting the specific intention to heal a person and discovering that the selfless act heals the healer. The present moment connection with the group and the subject of the group provides the members with better connection to the Divine Spirit and the potential healing which comes from the Joy of Altruism and pure Giving. What a concept!

Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for happiness of other human beings and/or animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core aspect of various religious traditions and secular worldviews, though the concept of “others” toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. In an extreme case, altruism may become a synonym of selflessness which is the opposite of selfishness. (The principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others (opposed to egoism).)

The word “altruism” was coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in French, as altruisme, for an antonym of egoism. He derived it from the Italian altrui, which in turn was derived from Latin alteri, meaning “other people” or “somebody else”.

Researchers like Joe Dispenza, author of “Becoming Supernatural,” and Lynne McTaggert find that the DNA can change when you are in the state of pure giving with a group healing intention. Besides DNA, heart/brain coherence is more likely to occur for the individuals and the group which increases the power of healing and consciousness expansion (into the realms of the Divine.) These researchers claim that we are “hard wired” for connecting through group altruism and selflessness. Tapping into virtual network of information (of the Divine) through group resonance (and coherence) for greater possible mystical experiences or more powerful healing. Feeling “lifted” by Joy and Love!

Reduced Isolation in group intention creates connection and coherence with our true nature of the Divine Spirit for consciousness and healing. Moving together and in coherence as one mind is the future for possible positive outcome for humanity. My Guidance is suggesting that we need to find better, positive connections with groups of supportive people and using positive healing intentions to better heal externally and internally. Our heart/soul energy in coherence can allow us to be available and open to the unconditional love, wisdom, acceptance and greater connection to the Divine. This sounds great to me! And, how do we get the “word” out about these non-religious groups of supportive healers? Please share if appropriate. Let’s start a grass roots movement to connect with supportive people in sending out intentionally healing altruism. Burn bright with Divine Spirit! Be the beacon of light and unconditional love. And, always share your gifts and experiences with fellow pilgrims.

YOU are Loved, Unconditionally!

Posted on June 29, 2019 by admin

Chances are good, if you knew what Divine Unconditional Love really feels like you would have to be fully Enlightened, possibly a Near Death Survivor, or an Earth Angel. Perhaps you can get closer to remembering by careful consideration of what is involved in Divine Unconditional Love. Stories have been shared by NDE’ers (Near Death Survivors), some prophets and saints, and by Highly Enlightened people which better help to define the Divine Spirit.

Start by considering these possible sensations (which words do NOT adequately define.) Try and imagine being surrounded by warmth and embraced by total acceptance. There would be a feeling of freedom without 3 dimensional limitations of time and space. You would be able to know your connection with the Divine Spirit and all others souls. Even inanimate materials would be conscious and connected and a part of you. You have access to all wisdom and 100% honesty is the only practice. You are everywhere because everywhere is you. So no boundaries or limitations.

This is more difficult to describe or to label than explaining the smell of a rose or the perfect sound of musical note. This is more difficult than trying to describe human love. Yet, it is more than just a feeling. It is the reality that fills the space between atoms and all the space of the Universe, and beyond. There are moments when for a fraction of a second you may be graced with this “Knowing.” When I was 19 years old, I stumbled upon this sensation, or this Knowing, by mere chance during a guided meditation. I was Blessed to have this brief glimpse into what fills the Divine Spirit. AND, I will never forget this sensation or this brief moment in my life. It has changed me forever, at least forever in this lifetime.

When reading accounts by NDE survivors or when speaking with these survivors, for me these memories are recalled and I resonate with what can be shared, though this is unique to every person and in a limited way (by my perspective.) I know I lack the skill to fully offer this experience to most other people. The people who have had this experience already know what I am attempting to convey. As a result, fear of living is greatly reduced because you are not afraid of dying at the end of your present incarnation. I have come to “Know” that this is not an experience unique to me. It is the same for Everyone. Yes, You! YOU are another piece of the “Whole.” You are embraced in unconditional Divine love.

Perhaps, your life does not feel blessed in this way… One of your lessons in this current life is to work to “Remember” who you are and where you have come from. We like to think we are separate and unique. We are unique but not separate. We are all part of the much larger, inconceivably larger, Divine Spirit. And, you do not have to believe what I am saying. You have freedom to choose. You can deny your Divinity but this does not make it go away.

We are not alone. We are all connected. Every soul you bump into as you travel your path is another manifestation of yourself, in a unique form. You are a Blessing! You are a miracle! You are perfect! Whether you know it or not, you are a Master and your fully conscious Enlightenment is within you! Thank you or being YOU! As you become more aware and more conscious, use your insights and wisdom to be of service to the Universe. Be the beacon of light for others who may be existing in the “dark.” If nothing else, share Love and be a positive role model of consciousness. You are raising all of consciousness through your mortal efforts to “Remember.”

Your Hero’s Journey

Posted on June 20, 2019 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Once the Genie is Out of the Bottle

Posted on June 13, 2019 by admin

Once you have had an awakening experience, you can not go back to the way you were before. The Genie is the awakening to the higher levels of spiritual consciousness. You need to “re-integrate” into your life with this new perspective. Not always easy or quick. Research was done with Near Death Experience (NDE) survivors and the research found it can take 7-15 years for re-integration for many of these special people. Perhaps more commonly, people may have an STE (Spiritually Transformative Experience.) Though less dramatic, physically, the STE changes you and the dramatic effects may be emotional, intellectual, and, certainly, spiritually. (Personal examples in a moment.)

Your new awareness from an STE or NDE can seriously raise your awareness. You may find this experience transformative because you “Know” things and “Remember” things which gets you many steps closer to a full consciousness of the Divine Spirit. You may have greater sensitivity and more intuition. You may live differently because the perspective reminds you that you have had many incarnations and so the idea of Death is not so distracting. You many realize that you are not alone, but “connected.” You may have a more freedom from the limitations of your ego and the 3 dimensional world (of illusion.) You will “Know stuff” because you will be more tapped into Divine wisdom.

What you do with all this new awareness is your choice. You may integrate this information/experience and change as a more loving person. You may want to bury it because you have no one to speak with about this and you fear you are going crazy. Your motivations in relationships and career may change and you may lose support from people in your life who can not easily accept your growth. Your attitude regarding living more simply, in the present moment, may be different from your forward thinking, externally driven goals which our culture may have expected of you. Your struggle to know your purpose in this life may come forward, and, eventually, will resolve. A recommendation is to meditate regularly and get support from “good” sources (perhaps more tolerant, accepting people) so you can feel positive support for your new directions. (There will be Fear and Love as choices. Choose LOVE.)

In my life, I have had several major STE’s. At 19, I had an STE which looked like a NDE. I visited a higher realm and went half way to death to experience an indescribable warmth & unconditional love, freedom, Oneness (connectedness,) and a tapping of Universal Wisdom, all of which I will NEVER forget. At 23 years of age, I had a meditation where I experienced the “River of Life” and knew the cycle of life. It lead me to feel a profound connectedness from which you “Know” that you are never alone and part of a much bigger Divine Universe. 14 months after my wife transitioned from our life together (cancer was the vehicle,) I had a session with a psychic in Tucson who channeled my wife and told me many things I needed to hear. These and other smaller STE’s have had a profound impact on my life. This included the “Guidance” to write these blogs and channel many of these writings as a part of my purpose in this lifetime.

We are all moving toward these “openings.” If you try to have them, unless you have the skills, you may slow the process. This can be frustrating. Meditation and being present to feel your intuitive guidance will give you good results…??? (I hope. This works for me…) I go to the Unity Spiritual Center in Bellingham and participate in a group which reads and discusses the book, “The Way of Mastery.” This is very helpful for me and I get great positive support from the regular attendees. We are all on the “Path” and this group does not require any justification. Pure love and Acceptance. If you want a good place to start, read and listen to stories from Near Death survivors. Go to an IANDS meeting (International Association of Near Death Studies.) I attended a 4 day convention last September, 2018, and I am still integrating this experience. Amazing!

We have videos and interviews on our YouTube channel, Masters of the Journey channel, with NDE and STE experiencers. If you have read this far in this blog, YOU are open and ready to raise your consciousness and to support other seekers. The Genie is out of the bottle! I will remind you of something you should know, if you do not know already. You are a Blessing!, You are Loved. You are a Master of your Journey. Keep your eyes up and pointed to the horizon to follow your path. Be responsible for your choices and continue to learn from EVERY interaction. (They are presented to you for you to learn from and to challenge you.)

Memorial Day: Love Serve and Remember

Posted on May 24, 2019 by admin

Memorial Day is not just a date on the calendar. It is the act of remembering! Remembering our Ancestors, our Friends, and our loved ones who have transitioned in and out of our lives! It is also a chance to pause and to remember the most significant moments in our brief lives which created the opportunity for major growth and change. The change we needed to move forward and to learn the lessons we have come to experience. Our country celebrates Memorial Day to remember the fallen soldiers who have served our country and rightfully these heroes should be honored. The soldiers and warriors are not the only heroes who have served and we also have the choice to honor the most significant people and events from our past as our lessons (and battles) from this life.

For each day is “Memorial Day.” A part of this memorial can be the knowing that life is sacred and temporary. So take a moment and reflect on remembering the souls who have touch your life, even if briefly. Remember the Blessing these people have been in your life! Give thanks and show Gratitude for the exchange of Love these interactions have created. Also, remember the “Impermanence” of our human incarnations. We are all incarnated in temporary forms/lives to learn and to grow. Each moment then is sacred. Reflect in some brief moments, also, to remember who YOU really are, a Child of God, and where YOU have come from, the Holy Divine.

Find Compassion and Acceptance as you look deeply into the eyes of each soul you meet. For they, like you, are the Perfect Miracles of the Divine manifested. Yes, even if they “trigger” you, they are perfect and touch you and your life for a lesson, to challenge your growth in consciousness.

Know that you are here, in this incarnation, to share YOUR knowledge, YOUR experience, and, most importantly, YOUR wisdom! Your purpose is to serve. Support fellow travelers.

Do not take your life too seriously. Remember you are here (in this life) for only a brief time and each life, though sacred and unique, is a demonstration of Impermanence. This Memorial day remember all the Joys of life and the experiences you celebrate and have learned the challenging lessons you came back here to learn.

Love, Serve and Remember where you came from and where you will return. Find a way to live in remembrance of your perfection and honor the perfection you find in every soul you meet.

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.

Living as an Urban Monk

Posted on May 17, 2019 by admin

A traditional thought of a Monk implies to me a devoted person dressed in robes and spending most of the day in meditation or prayer. Monks are often cloistered in “Monasteries” to protect them from distraction and the temptations of “worldly” existence. Their prayer or meditation is more important than external relationships and more banal activities like working, parenting, sexual relations, or pursuits of material substance. Many Monks are very sincere regarding their studies and their simple existences. They shun the cacophony of modern urban living relishing in the quiet, simple, routines of monastic life.

Can you be an Urban Monk without the trappings of a cloistered monastery? Are there people who choose to live a more modest life, striving for consciousness, and not material excesses? Do you know people who are living quietly amongst us with an eye for Universal service over personal gain?

In our society and modern culture, there are people driven to be of service and seemingly shunning common behaviors like commercialism or watching excessive TV or addiction to fashion. These out-of-place people may be the modern version of the ancient monks. They may not be begging on the street but living on low wages like teachers or child care workers or garbage collectors. Then may be living off of social security or disability payments. They may have chosen the “simple life” because it appears to be more “real” and authentic than chasing the false Gods of money and celebrity. Do you not see or acknowledge these keepers of wisdom? Do you write them off because they do not drive an expensive, updated car? Heck, you may even pass them by as they sit on a bench, or a curb, or on the sidewalk just to be the experience you have carefully avoided but the lesson you need to learn from…

The brightly colored monastic robes may not give away the Urban Monk in our culture. This camouflage is the challenge for you to be more aware of as you hustle through your life. There may be a time when you stop and talk with that Urban Monk and ask how they are and where they came from on their path. They are not as invisible as busy people might think. They, and what they can teach us, is obvious and all we need to do is stop for a few moments and have the interaction with this “Child of God” and this potential spiritual mentor. Consider slowing down enough to visit with these humble monks. They may bless YOU with a pearl of wisdom and insight which you have been too busy to perceive on your own. Perhaps, sit with them and join their perspective on life from the different angle than you might normally visit.

You are in this world to interact because that is where the real work of consciousness and awareness dwells. You do not have to over-think it. You just need to remove your filters and live it as an experience which can lead to gratitude and appreciation, if not some deeper lesson. Do not miss the opportunity to look into the eyes of the miracle of the Divine who may be sitting quietly in front of you. They are there for YOU! (In fact, they ARE another version of you in this Earthbound play are participating in.)

AND, if you are living as an Urban Monk with the conscious desire to serve Universal Consciousness, thank you for being this blessing to us all. Though you may be living a “simple life,” you are a royal role model and much needed in our culture. You and your life are more authentic and real. You are loved and appreciated for all you do!