Tag Archives: spiritual

Living Outside the Box!

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Are you happy with the way your life is playing out? Have you found your purpose in this life and are you engaging in working your purpose everyday? Are you questioning whether you have found yourself living a life which could be different and perhaps more rewarding? Are you in a box with your job, your finances, your relationships, and possibly with your life’s purpose?

To be honest, most of us would have to agree that life sometimes, or maybe more often than sometimes, feels like it is going sideways. Just to complicate this discussion, consider this statement, some people define “Crazy” as repeating the same thing (Behavior) over and over again and expecting different results. (Occasionally, you may use a repeated behavior and get a different response because the environment or people involved will allow for a slightly different reaction.) Remember, if you do not like the response you get to a certain behavior then you need to take responsibility and try something different to get a more satisfying response. YOU have a choice! And, it starts by knowing that YOU are responsible and then, to break patterns where you are blaming other people or institutions for the less than desirable reaction. Yes, try an entirely new approach.

Why are you resisting change and a new approach? We do not try new behaviors because we are AFRAID. Yes, we have FEAR of new approaches because we lack confidence and do not know how these will turn out. We prefer to have reliable failure, which is comfortable and which we are familiar with, rather than move toward a more positive, yet unknown, outcome. We even have surrounded ourselves with family and friends who like us the way we are and would have difficulty supporting us if we were more successful and confident. They like the “Old” and familiar person you have been trapped within. Maybe, it is time to find new friends who love and support you on your path to becoming ever more successful and joyful.

At the end of your life, are you going to feel good about what you have accomplished and the people you have assisted? Will you weigh your legacy by how much money or how many “toys,” you have? Can you ask yourself, and honestly answer, that you have lived a full life filled with the service which has helped move consciousness forward?

It is time to take the small steps to find a better more adventurous and rewarding life. It may even be time to take the big steps toward your new life of personal responsibility and positive change. Personally, I have learned more from my failed attempts at changing my life and from confronting the challenges of trying new behaviors that lead me down an unhappy path. Take a risk. Get positive support. Break out of the confined box that has been a comfortable but unhappy experience. You will never know until you try, how good it feels to make that stretch in your life. Enjoy the adventure! No one else can do this for you, so do not wait.

The Masters of the Journey community may help to provide some support if your quest includes spiritual development (in a non-religious way.)

Meditation: The First Step to Higher Consciousness

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Meditation practice regularly helps you to be more calm and present. When you release your thoughts in meditation, your body relaxes and energy is freed for you to use in other activities or to rest and heal yourself. Letting go of thoughts, fear, anxieties, and distractions allow an emotional environment where fewer mistakes are made and you save time. When you are calmed by meditation, you are less likely to be “Triggered” and you can be more available for positive decision making and better choices.

This is nothing new. Yes, it does take time and practice to learn to meditate but it saves you time and energy in the long run. I have found that people require less sleep and can focus better during their work day. Meditation also allows connection with the divine source of wisdom and unconditional love. You may not know this and even may want to argue about this, but if you quiet yourself and become more fully “present” you will find these benefits.

Or, you can continue to be caught in your emotional drama and allow fear & anger to run your life. This is perfect also. Being open and positive will help you to find more joy and contentment in the challenges of life.

Blessings to you on your path. Just remember to breathe slowly and feel the warm breath that you exhale assist you in letting go of unwanted tension and troubling emotions.

More information at:
Stress Education Center and
Masters of the Journey

Books on Meditations include:
Curt Remington’s Simple Meditation at http://curtremington.com
and
Paula Forget’s, “Guided to a Higher Realm at http://paulaforget.com/inspired/

Beginner’s Mind

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“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”

“The more advanced you are in spiritual consciousness, the more you experience the “present” in the Beginners Mind.”

I have heard this expression, “Beginner’s Mind,” before and this week it has come up several more times in very different conversations. When a concept comes up several times in different situations… perhaps you should pay attention because the Universe is trying to tell you something. For me, this means writing about it and attempting to be more conscious regarding this concept and how I may want to apply it.

What is “Beginner’s Mind?”
Wikipedia defines “Beginner Mind” by first giving it it’s Zen name, “Shoshin”:
Shoshin (初心) is a concept in Zen Buddhism meaning “beginner’s mind”. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would. The term is especially used in the study of Zen Buddhism and Japanese martial arts.

The phrase is also used in the title of the book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by the Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki, who says the following about the correct approach to Zen practice:
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”

Well, this article is an attempt to explore not only what it might mean but why it has value.
My sage spiritual mentor, Rodger, threw out words like:
Be open
Nonjudgmental to new information and experiences
Be Curious
Be “Present” (not distracted or too busy to see the forest from the trees…)

New experiences, information, relationships, thoughts, guidance, epiphanies, insights, revelations, feelings, knowings, “remembering” concepts, etc … all come to people who are open, curious, ready for more input into their lives and their consciousness. But, do you judge and look for flaws or weaknesses, or places for disagreement or are you more curious? Do you have a more rigid view of the world where new thoughts or experiences are NOT trusted and dismissed because these do not fit with what you already know or believe? Are these new experiences contrary to what you think, know or feel? Are you fearful because these are new and different or do you celebrate the exciting fresh possibilities?

Do you look at a new person you meet and ask about them and what they are most passionate about? Or, do you find them to be competitors for attention and you attempt to find ways to disqualify these new characters who are joining your “drama?”

“Beginner’s Mind” is not, just, for beginners. It is for every advanced “consciousness seeker” who has the innocence to experience insights and who can be open for moments of intense spiritual awakening. (Perhaps, we should all strive for this way of gathering our spiritual development.

Tip: Observe a young innocent child of 2 or 3 or perhaps 4 years of age as they react to a new object in their world. (It could be a new skill such as talking or walking or running or using a slide in the park.) Observe their excitement and wonderment as they explore the new point of focus. They may be filled with joy, and showing it. They are definitely “present” and engaged. This is how we can choose to be when we are walking through life. This is the manifestation of the most curious Beginner’s Mind…

To explore more topics of spiritual development consider participating in our community, Masters of the Journey or visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney

One thought restated:
Do you remember when you were a young child in this lifetime and you found the joy, the delight, and the wonderment in each new object or skill you discovered? This can be the way you experience each day, each new occurrence, and each new person who falls into your life. The power of the “Beginners Mind” is found in the joy of each new experience, each new learning, each new developing consciousness, or most importantly, each new “Remembering” of your Divine Wisdom that you find within your soul/spirit.

Connections: Reaching Out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Free Will?

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Free Choice … Free Will…???

I was on the phone with Rodger, my Colorado Guru friend, this morning and we were discussing an upcoming Masters of the Journey program which is focused on “Enhancing Life by Knowing Death.” Another friend who has wisdom and who has experience is presenting his story of his NDE (Near Death Experience) of 4 years ago, will be the center of focus at this meeting. His name is Don. In preparation for this meeting, Don shared with me that he was very conscious of being in both realms (life & death) as he lay unconscious in the hospital as medical folks fought to keep him alive. His description of the “other” realm (in my words of interpretation) was that it was supremely peaceful, warmed with unconditional love and acceptance, free of the pains and limitations of the “body,” and surrounded by the wisdom of the divine. Rodger’s question to me was, “did he have Free Will to Choose whether to return to his “Meatsuit” (body) or was he forced to return?” Free Will/Free Choice… why would he return???

When you stop and think about it, why would anyone want to return? Why would they choose to come back into a damaged body, rehab, and continue with the struggles of living in human form? Great question!

From my experience, I say, we do have “Free Choice” on whether to return to our “lives.” We do have a choice to stay in heaven with the freedom and love, and the acceptance AND we choose to return. But why?

We still have more lessons… We have more to learn…
But, perhaps most importantly, we have sharing of our “story.” We have the service of assisting other souls! We have a reason for touching other people’s lives both for “Their” learning and for “our” continued learning. We are all in this together and sharing our wisdom gained from life experience IS OUR Purpose in this life!

We do not have to have a NDE to share the wisdom of living in our human forms. We are ALL Masters! There are so many ways to serve and service to other pilgrims is our reason for living!

We have “Free Will” and we “know” that we are here to serve. Our “Free Choice” comes with the “Knowing” that we are here to assist other souls to “Remember” their Divinity AND why they are here! It is not so difficult to choose to return to our lives and our mortal bodies because the Divinity awaits us and our purpose is to reach around and touch other lives in the most positive ways.

Consider living without our fear and anxiety regarding dying AND make the most out of your opportunity to Love, Find & Share Joy, and look for the “Perfection” in every soul you encounter. (The challenge comes from the characters who are placed in our lives to “Stir things up” and teach us the challenging lessons…)

Blessings to you on Your Path! Namaste and I hope that I can experience the Divine Perfection YOU Are!

Masters of the Journey is a community of support and resources for all contributors – all Masters (Like YOU!)
Find us at www.mastersofthejourney.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney

Spirituality for Millennials and Generation X

Millennials: a person reaching young adulthood around the year 2000; a Generation Y’er. Born from mid 1980’s and later. Generation X born from Mid-1960’s to Mid 1980.

These are the generations growing up in the “Information Age.” Often very tuned to technology and communication through Internet and Electronic Devices. Where generations prior played imaginary games and acted out roles like: “Cowboys and Indians” or “War-GI Joe’s” or Played with Dolls, these two more recent generations have Multi-channel Television, Graphic Movies, and Interactive Computer Based Gaming, Smartphone technology, and Internet Based Social Media which earlier generations did not have.

The “Gamers” play violent, realistic combat games which include dying over and over until they can learn from the game and move on into the next level, until the game is “Mastered.” To be a great “gamer” requires: concentration/focus, patience, persistence, competitiveness, and problem solving. This dedication, good hand- eye coordination (and quick reactions), and focused time, allows for long term success. Gamers are used to dying over and over again until they learn the lesson and move on in the game. They are rewarded for their dedication and successes. Frequently, these “Gamers” often lack social skills because time is spent with games and not real world interactions. Real world interaction has become abbreviated in life to “Text Messaging,” “Tweets,” and responses to Facebook or other Social Media Postings.

BabyBoomers are having issues with the evolution into Social Media interactions. If BabyBoomers are chasing Spirituality, they often fear dying over and over again. Their mortality is closer at hand and so their focus is different than Millennials. But, Millennials practice Dying over and over…??? At least in their games… And, accept death as an opportunity to move on with their learning. With tongue in cheek I ask, are Millennials more spiritual and do they have much to offer the BabyBoomers???

Millennials can be more focused in the present when they are gaming… They do not mind dying… They concentrate… They are patience and dedicated to their learning… They do not speak but interact in very abbreviated ways… Are they from other Star Systems and Masters of inner Knowing? Time will tell…

Another trait common in the Millennial/Gen X culture is the use of an ancient spiritual ritual which is a test of endurance and faith. It is the process of tattooing and body piercing. Ancient civilizations created similar processes as a “right of passage” into both adulthood and for spirituality. Today’s culture wears their art and political orientation on their skin. Though seemingly superficial, this process requires commitment and “presence.” The discomfort one experiences as they move through the tattooing process is a learning opportunity and demonstrates their strong personal belief that “body art” is a form of expression which can be linked to awareness and changing consciousness. It creates a uniqueness which has been chosen and can become a lesson in spiritual development… Time will tell whether this generation and cultural “fashion statement” actually leads to a deeper level of awareness and consciousness. Though this cultural trend is relatively recent, in the coming decades it will allow for continued acceptance of living with these personal expressions created in our present time. (If nothing else, lessons in acceptance and taking responsibility for these conscious choices will be important experiences for these generations.)

The downside to the Millennials and Gen X’ers is their reduced need to socialize through face to face deeper interpersonal processing. Sure they gather for the party or the work function or the political action but do they gather as a “tribe” to share stories and learn from the generations which have gone before them? Do they respect the wisdom of experience and want to learn from the trial and errors of the other generations of spiritual seekers? Do they have the commitment or patience to learn through “subjective” emotional experience instead of the the video game visual feedback? Do they fully realize that they will be the leaders and role models for the future and must learn to reach backward to assist those who are the pilgrims who will follow them???

How will the experience and quest for spiritual growth be enhanced (at least sped up) by our Millennials and Gen X’ers? Time will tell but “apps” and “games” will possibly become part of the modern day process toward enlightenment. AND, we certainly need better and faster ways to achieve spiritual consciousness.

The Masters of the Journey community is searching for leaders from the the Millennial and Generation X generations to help build bridges to other wisdom seekers and to build much needed programs for consciousness development.

Adventure Travel for the Soul! Do You Like to Travel?

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Do you like to travel? Why do YOU travel? Do you like to get away from your “normal” life? Do you like “Eco-travel” to see beautiful, exotic places on Earth? Do you like “adventure” travel, where you might be physically or emotionally tested by an exciting experience? Have you ever gone to amusement park to ride the rides, where some are scary or challenging? Do you like visiting different “period” parks like historical Western towns of yesterday? Or, do you travel to visit other cultures, eat different foods, speak different languages, and meet new and even different people? Finally, do you feel like travel broadens your view of the world and teaches you lessons which can be interesting enough to share with other people?

This lengthy series of questions exists for a reason. Take stock in the fact that most of us do travel (for our own reasons) and we tend to be exposed to new learnings along the way. Is this a “True” statement? I do not mean to disturb you with this blog, but I do mean to get you to think in a different way. Perhaps you will view your life and your travels differently after reading this blog.

There are now over 7 Billion people walking around on the Earth and countless other life-forms. In a spiritual sense, many people believe that we “choose” to be born into this life and we are “re-incarnated” to find physical form and to learn certain lessons. Consider that the over 7 Billion people and countless other life-forms are here for a reason and these souls have requested to participate in life on Earth as a visit to a primitive environment that is exciting and dangerous, like an amusement park. Why would an advanced soul ask to land on a planet which is doomed by its human inhabitants? A world where violence is tolerated and wars are ever present. Where humanity exists like a “B” rated fictional movie of hardships and occasionally has a surprise happy ending. Humans are “soiling” their nest to a level that can not sustain life as we know it. We, humans, are primitive in the ways we treat each other and the world we live in. We do not respect life, human or otherwise, especially women and our children. We are blinded by nationalism, racism, sexism, religious beliefs, and our own under-education. Our doctors are still treating cancer patients in primitive ways by hacking on their bodies and then poisoning them with chemo or radiation. We too often believe politicians who lie to get our votes and the media who uses our fear to hold our attention. We allow companies, whom are run by other HUMANS, to decide how we should use up our resources for the sake of their short term profits. We go to war for stupid reasons and innocent young people die early in their incarnations. We mask our pain with drugs and distract ourselves with silly, superficial technologies. We show no respect for our seniors and our wise elders.

Are the souls gathering on our planet to watch the “Train-wreck” of destruction and the “explosive climax” of our Earthly civilization? Do these souls want to be here to help change the program at the last moment, like a trick ending, or just to be here when the ship goes down? (It would make for a great story to say, “Hey, I was there when Humanity Imploded, like the old hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas strip…)

The Divine Spirit is much greater than what exists on our Earth. It includes all of the ever expanding Universe. Surely there are other planets or star systems with civilizations which are more highly evolved and watch our Earth as an Adventure Travel destination. “Yes, experience life on Earth before its gone,” are the words on the travel brochures… Our Human minds and egos will struggle with and want to deny the concept that we are actually primitive, lower life forms who are an interesting experience to have before remembering how Divine we really are, but the pain and denial of the Mind and the Ego do not change that fact…

Our purpose on Earth, in this incarnation, is to make the most out of difficult and challenging life. We are here to help each other to grow in consciousness and to work together to remember how that Love is at the core of this process. We need to not be depressed by the past or fear the future, but to live in the present moment and know the beauty of life. Live each moment of your adventure in Joy and the willingness to Know and Share Love! Your Travels in this incarnation are not just a vacation from your boring spirit lives, you are here to have an adventure, to try new things and maybe to fail, so you can learn what you came here to learn. Stay alert! Be aware! Love and accept each interaction as if God or Holy Spirit was sharing with you the lesson from the “Burning Bush” of the Bible stories. (I am NOT a bible person but I do have reverence for the advanced beings who help to guide us all.) When You bump up against STUPID people, know that they are here for a reason and YOUR judgement of separation from them suggests the lessons you are still in the process of learning! (We are all connected and in this together! We are all ONE in the Divine!)

The next exotic travel experience you might pursue may be to the “Higher Realms” where reality “Knows” that we are all “One” with no limitations of time or space. A place where we bask in Wisdom and Unconditional Love. You can choose to Remember to Live in Joy and radiate Love to all the Souls you encounter.

Namaste

The Masters of the Journey can assist you with support and resources to enhance your growth and connection to spirit. Travel well. Remember the Divine within You!

Guidance From Within

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Have you ever felt “Guided” to do something or to make a decision at one of the cross-roads of life? Has that “Voice” in your head or heart shared a feeling or thought with your conscious mind? Have you ever “Remembered” something that you had not ever known at a conscious level? If you have read my past blogs, I have made reference to times in my life where I was blessed with a “Knowing” or Feeling or Thought which offered a chance to move in a direction, in my life, which I “needed” to take because the lesson or opportunity was so important for me to experience. This has happened over and over for me AND it has always worked out for me & my learning. (Even though some of these learning experiences have been laced with pain or difficult challenges.)

Not long ago I visited a professional psychic/medium who gave me great insight into things that I already “Knew” deep inside. It was reassuring and from a perspective that I needed at the time. This professional psychic was a person who was highly respected and referred to me by someone I know and trust. It was a spectacular experience. As a part of this session, she introduced me to one of my “spirit guides” who I did not already “know” at a conscious level. I liked meeting this new “Guide.” My new Guide offered me support and insight which was very useful and needed at that time. One of the best things for me about “Guides” is that they seem to be more directly plugged in the “Divine Spirit.” They seem to have authority and are hanging around to serve me, to guide me. I have learned to trust and love this “external” Guidance and recommend that other people learn to pay attention so they might benefit from listening or feeling or remembering these messages.

Where I am going with this blog, it is not as simple as to just look for and learn from external Guidance, it is actually about the true source of this guidance. This past week, I was at my study group for the book, The Way of Mastery, at the local Bellingham Unity Center. This book has a lot of words and some very interesting concepts. I believe that the source of this book is a channelled monolog from the Ascended Master, Jesus. (I am not Christian or a church goer so this was difficult for me to come to grips with…) A passage was read that changed the way I look at “Guidance.” The prelude to this passage discussed taking responsibility for your/my life. The good and the challenging events and experiences are MY creation and are available to me for MY lessons in this life. I know this. I even try to accept responsibility and live my life without blaming other people or situations… (You know….) Well, the dictation that was read to this group, and turned a light on in me, was a passage saying that what we assume as external guidance is not external. It springs from a deeper part of you. And, if you follow your guidance or learn from the insight provided to you, you can benefit from taking responsibility and honoring the wisdom of the Master that lives within your soul and spirit. Your soul and spirit are connected to the Divine Spirit with all the wisdom which the “Divine” shares with all souls.

My lesson, and this sharing, suggests that we do not find “external” guides or sources but we can benefit from looking within to a “Remembering” of our own Mastery and connection to Divine Wisdom. It is easier for us to blame or even trust an external guidance that triggers us to move down a certain path to achieve a certain life lesson. It is easier for many of us to look externally because we do not think that we (YOU) are worthy of knowing this wisdom, internally. But perhaps, if what I have recently learned is true, we must honor that the answers are within and we are more powerful and connected than we may have consciously realized. Now, get your ego out of the way because it it is NOT the “separate YOU” that is powerful but the connected to the “Source YOU.”

You are a Master! You are in the process of “Remembering” your Divinity and the “Oneness” which connects you all souls as part of the “Divine.” Bless you and your perfection! Your purpose in this life is to serve other people you bump into with a message of consciousness, by role modeling your Divine Light. Know or Remember that the Guidance you experience is coming from that deepest wellspring of the wisdom you have as connected being. Learn to listen to your intuition by clearing away the conscious distraction of the ego mind through meditation. Clean this mirror for the most accurate reflection of the message you are to receive, and here in this life, to share.

If you can benefit from support or resources consider your local Unity Center or the community we are building known as The Masters of the Journey: A Transformational Community. Namaste

Feedback: John, it can be both. Your Higher Self does have access to all knowledge and nudges you along through your intuition. You also have Helpers who help you and guide you.

Some people become too reliant on their Helpers to the point of using them as a crutch, being unable to make a decision on their own and limiting their own growth in the process. That is my opinion.
We each carry great wisdom and our goal is to use it to benefit others as well as ourselves.

Hello John,

There are some very wise words within your blog. You probably already knew that, so I’ll address the couple of things I would address in the middle of a Toastmasters evaluation sandwich. A very minor one is your use of the word “thought” when I think what you’re describing is intuition. My issue with this is that I’ve found that an intuition may seem like a thought, but they come from very different sources. In describing that, I usually refer to a thought as something created by our conscious mind, rather than a more divine source. Maybe that’s just my terminology.

The other topic I’d mention in the sandwich is that the spiritual world is vast and varied, with all sorts of beings. We can get great wisdom and insight from what I’d refer to as “our higher self,” that inner spiritual part of us that is already calm, content, and wise. There are also a variety of advanced beings, like angels and spirit guides, that can provide valuable information and insight. Often, it’s difficult to know exactly where our intuition or spiritual message came from, but I don’t believe they all come from within us, which is what your blog seems to imply. I definitely think a lot can come from within us.

Curt Remington, author of: Simple Meditation: A Spiritual Connection for Transforming Your Life.

Knowing

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What happens when you “Know” something but there are no words or rational proof for what you know? In our language we struggle to convey the description of emotions and feelings. We struggle to find words for smells or tastes. Even defining colors can be difficult. Even worse is to take a strong position regarding something that you “know” to be true but can not prove to someone else. People have different opinions about things and so build different factual foundations to assure themselves that they are “right.” This is why “Nationalism” and “religious beliefs” can start wars.

When I was a young college student studying psychology a philosopher challenged me with the statement, “For every Truth, the Opposite (opinion) is equally True.” There are facts, even research, which back up almost any point of view. We are still arguing about whether Global Warming really exists or, even, whether Darwin’s theory on Evolution is more true than the view of Creationism.

We learn from personal experience. Things we read in books or see on TV or spoken of in class or church, are often NOT true until we actually know this through experiencing it. I have learned from personal experience that losing my parents to death by stroke was not nearly as difficult for me as losing my wife (and my chosen partner for 28 years) to Ovarian Cancer. Before my wife passed, I thought I could more easily handle her terminal diagnosis and death because I had gone through the loss of both my Mother and Father. Boy was I wrong! However, the greatest learning I have experienced in my life has come from the coping with my wife’s illness and her death. A Blessing, which I would NOT wish on anyone else! A Blessing which I would not change, even with my pain. Which brings me to the real topic of this Blog Rant.

One year after my wife passed away, I was “Guided” to meet with a psychic/intuitive person on my travels to find a new life on my visit to Tucson, AZ. She “channeled” my wife in a way that I was convinced was true and accurate. (A great story by itself. Gripping.) The psychic told me these words which were coming from my wife, “I am in a better place. It is bigger and better than you could ever imagine.” A jolt of “Knowing” went through me. Not from these simple words but from the intuitive or emotional reaction that went with them. The “Knowing,” which I know I can not find great words to accurately convey my deepest feelings, was that she dwells now in what some people call “Heaven” with the Divine Spirit. She is not constricted by time or space. She is “One” with all souls. She is basking in the warmth and light of “unconditional love.” She is tapped into all wisdom. This moment and these few words changed my life by being able to feel this “knowing.” It felt like it was not a coincidence that I met this psychic in Tucson or received this message. I had been “guided” by my wife to have this encounter and to learn this lesson.

Knowing for me can be a very strong and life changing experience. It is my purpose to share this story and this learning. Maybe it is better said to share this “Remembering” because it felt familiar, as if I was experiencing information that I already knew, at some deeper level. It felt like I was tapping the collective unconscious and this particular experience is not unique to me.

Thank you for spending time with my ranting stream of consciousness. The point is that we all have “knowings” that can not find an easy form to share but are as true as any rational, researched, fact that exists. We are all Masters and have wisdom from life’s experiences within us. We simply need to remember this wisdom and find ways to share it! This is your purpose! This is what YOU are supposed to do in this life.

Blessings to you on your journey. Where possible reach out and take the hand to assist fellow pilgrims along your way. Go out and do GOOD in the world!

The Masters of the Journey is community forming to offer resources and support to everyone who is on their path, whether they know it or not, that they are Masters. Find your way to connect with other pilgrims and share the wisdoms you have been gifted to receive.

Blaming and Dodging Responsibility

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Tough topic for many (most) people… Is it easier to blame others than to take responsibility for the challenges that life throws at you? Sure it is! We have been taught to defend our “position” (at any cost.) You are taught to “judge” other people and look for their weaknesses or imperfections so we can pretend to “elevate” ourselves. Winning and competing is valued by our culture. Yet, the way to a better, happier, healthier world is not found in tearing other people down or fixing our “wrong-headedness” in the concrete of our emotional foundations.

Many times, it is better to look at a difficult situation and to learn how and why We Put Ourselves in this situation. It is not a conscious choice BUT there is a lesson we are to learn from, and so, move on our path to consciousness. As an example, 19 years into my marriage with my life partner, my wife, we were confronted with a terminal diagnosis with her ovarian cancer. Initially, I was confused with why (?) and how I was going to support her and to deal with this. I do NOT wish this situation on anyone, however, I would not trade this difficult life experience. There is so much learning that comes from this situation. This brutal experience made us closer than we had ever been before. Since her death in 2012, I have continued to learn and to grow. It is a major reason I am in the position of writing this blog in an act of sharing from the lessons I am continuing to learn.

Why we were “supposed” to endure this challenge is not fully explainable. However, I realize that this experience has huge value in learning my purpose in this life and helps me to be of service, with much greater compassion and resolve. Blaming the doctor who missed the diagnosis was easy and familiar but did not serve me. I am learning that taking responsibility for my role and my learning makes me understand how best to take a seemingly negative life challenge and make this a teaching moment, not just for me, as I continue my path through this life. I never thought that after losing my marriage that I was alone, but I have learned so much more about my relationships with friends and with starting my life over (in many respects) later in this life…

My life AND YOUR life have been filled with challenges and successes which we were meant to have as developmental tools. We can blame other people and situations for the pain we have felt or we can find a way to thank these difficulties for teaching us what WE have needed to learn. We can take responsibility and NOT live as victims. We can take our learned lessons and find ways to be of service by sharing our stories and the wisdom which we have been forced to learn! We can begin to remember that the divine purpose of these trials have been presented to us not just for our learning but as a way to raise the consciousness of everyone we come into contact with.

Consider how YOU can learn from the situations where YOU feel like blaming. Consider how you are responsible for  these painful situations through the choices you have chosen to make. AND, take responsibility for the wisdom you have found! Reach around and use this wisdom to assist other pilgrims you meet in this life. Fulfill your purpose to serve the divine.

Though this is difficult to read, and to understand, know that you are perfect. You are a master sent to grace this plane of consciousness with your learned wisdom. The world IS a better place because of the role you are here to play. Serve by being a light, a role model of the collected experiences and learnings you have gleaned from this human experience. Thank you for being you! Thank you for surviving and learning from the painful challenges! Blessings on your continued path.

Consider sharing your stories and your wisdom with the community of Masters of the Journey. Or, get involved in this communities events, many listed at www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney