culture
Mandala Meditation
Mandala is an ancient word simply meaning ‘circle’ in Sanskrit. Mandalas are patterns which range from simple to complex, and are said to represent the Universe and its energies. Varying designs have appeared for centuries in cultures around the world. These beautiful and intriguing works of art can be used in any meditative practice.
To use a mandala in your spiritual practice, begin by choosing one which has special meaning for you, or has a design you personally find harmonious. Many can be found online, in design books, or in color-it-yourself art books. The colors and patterns can also hold intrinsic meanings.
When you have found a mandala you like, use it as a focal point for meditation. State your intent beforehand. While studying the design of your mandala, let your mind stray into the subconscious.
This work is quite similar to candle or crystal work, in that the imagery directs our thoughts rather than the other way around. If you’ve ever found yourself getting lost in the patterns of a tile floor, or the wallpaper in a favorite room, then you’re already well-equipped for mandala work!
Choosing The Path Of The Spiritual Warrior
We live in a time of extreme sensitivity, liability, victimhood and ultimate political correctness. Say the wrong words, use the wrong tone, do the ‘wrong thing,’ and you may be instantly branded as a predator, abuser, at the very least mean, or even legal action material. Sigh. How do we get authentic feedback in such a culture? How can anyone truly learn and grow when so many teachers, supervisors, leaders and mentors are all walking on eggshells?
In this respect I consider myself quite lucky. I have had ample access to honest feedback for growth and healthy arguing (discussions with passion). And people who care enough to speak up have always been a part of my life.
The culture I grew up in was one that expected people to speak up, have opinions, and care about what they were talking about. We were expected to research our point of view, present it, learn from others, teach others, be willing to disagree, sometimes agree to disagree, and still love, hug and stay loyal to each other.
As an activist in the peace and social justice movement, I learned to participate in critical self-assessment groups on a regular basis, with the aim of helping each other stay on track, stay mindful, be challenged to grow, and become bigger and better on the path to freedom.
Neptune And The Dawning Of A Spiritual New Age
When you think of the sea, what sort of feeling transpires? Before I even began to study Astrology, I intuitively linked the sea to spirituality, as I’m sure all living creatures have since the beginning of time on Earth. The sea washes and foams to the shores, carries up our toes, and to our knees, surrounding us with an overwhelming sense of eternalness.
We associate her with all of the gifts, and torments of life and the higher wisdoms revealed therein. To us she is death, she is life, she is the unknown, the subconscious. Beneath her is all mystery. The effects of the sea stir in us all a sensual experience, the intensity of which may be surreal, tranquil, or chaotic depending on her mood. The sea seems to intoxicate, and estrange us from reality. She is commonly viewed as an escape.
You may be aware that Pisces rules the sea. For this reason the entire spectrum of our psychology devoted to water and the ocean is connected to Pisces, and the planet Neptune, which rules Pisces. What are our associations with the sea, what does water in its physical essence, mean to the human spirit? To name a few, romance, spirituality, escape, fantasy, dream, sleep, the subconscious, the depths of mystery, intoxication, and mysticism.
In Astrology, Neptune would be the energy of these things, while Pisces would be their behavior. In other words, Neptune is, for instance, the sea, and the sign of Pisces is the circumstances of being sea-like. Neptune is the actor, and Pisces is the script.
Put Your Phone Down, And Start Living!
I was blessed to be born before the arrival of the Internet and smart phone technology. It was a time when kids were playing outside all day, and we often did not want to go home, because we were having too much fun. It was a time when people still connected with each other in person, and on a deeper level. It was a time when we lived life in a much simpler way.
Since then the rise of digital technology and the Internet seemed like it happened overnight, and everyone was instantly hooked, including myself! It was exciting, because information was now just a click away. Communication was faster and easier, and you could ‘connect’ with just about anyone, anywhere, anytime.
But then social media and smart phones came along, and before we realized what hit us, it began to gradually cripple our ability to focus, to truly connect, to be present in the moment, and to be in touch with our spiritual nature. To make matters worse, we started comparing our lives to others: friends, enemies and idols… only to diminish our sense of self-worth.
Last weekend, I was playing the board game Monopoly with my teenage son and his best friend. His friend seemed unable to put his phone down and pay attention to the game. I asked him why, and he said it was because he was addicted to knowing what others were doing, and that he didn’t want to feel “left out.”
Let Your Authentic Self Sparkle
Too many relationships are ruined by worrying about what other people think of us. We worry about what people will say, what people will think. I’ve seen many people disconnected from their loved ones in this way, with their only means of continued communication being social, or texting. They’re so afraid of expressing the things they should say, and so on.
If we could just remove our hardened shell and reveal who we really are, and allow our souls to sparkle, be authentic and keep it real with one another, I think we would connect perfectly.
In today’s world we are so brainwashed to think we have to be something we are not. I see so many people communicating, but putting on airs, acting like they are someone they are not, to try and impress, or to sell an idea, or sell themselves as someone else. It can take a toll on the body, mind, spirit. If only we could allow ourselves to show the world who we truly are, and to speak our truth, and sincerely connect with our loved ones, family members, friends, we would all have happier, richer lives.
Sometimes we stop being who we truly are, because the person we communicate with snaps at us, or has a problem with our opinions or how we view the world. When we share our thoughts and opinions freely, these people make us feel like we can’t be who we truly are around them.
An Accelerated Path
Many people come to me after years, sometimes decades, of trying everything else: Astrology, Numerology, Genetics, Past Life Regression, therapy, and so on. Years of being understood, validated, affirmed, and being told narratives regarding why they are the way they are, did not bring them all the answers.
There is worth in all of the above practices, both in Psychology and Spirituality, or Metaphysics. However, growth requires challenge, and we are now in a ‘feel good’ culture, where if anyone gets upset, there is the potential of backlash, or even a lawsuit.
In the 1960s there was an amazing education role play called Brown Eyes, developed by an elementary school teacher. You can look up the video online, as well as the reunion footage years later with the kids, who are now adults. The game created a scenario in which children, and later also adults, were able to experience the profound effects of discrimination, prejudice and racism.
However, teachers were eventually sued for doing this role play in class, because of the emotional upset caused by the experience. Of course, the role play was not upsetting to the minority children who experienced the discrimination and prejudice all the time in their daily lives.
The Challenge To Remain In The Light
What is the one area of your life that you would prefer to improve or change entirely? Mine without question would be to remain in the Light.
We live in a digital age, where we have instant access to information of all varieties… some truthful, others not so accurate. Once in a while this leads to something of value, but for the most part it is just a bombardment of noise, which is mostly designed to make us purchase and consume more products and services than we really need.
Scare tactics, for example, encourage us to buy more medication and nutritional supplements than any reputable doctor would recommend. Fearmongering convinces us to install excessive additional security for our homes. And airbrushed models tempt us into buying an endless assortment of goods that seldom add much value to our daily lives.
Meanwhile many of us have the tendency to complain about the government, the exorbitant rates charged for our monthly utility services, and the escalating cost of food and basic necessities.
The personal challenge for me is to allow myself the guilty pleasure of discussing any of these topics without vibrating into a negative state of mind. I can physically feel, in my body, the moment my energy starts to get into that negative energy frequency.