fulfillment
The Spiritual Calling Of Animal Rescue
I have always felt that I have two life callings: my work and taking care of rescue animals. And I aim to do both to the best of my ability.
A neighbor stopped me today as I was walking my dogs. This often happens when I am out with them. He asked me why I chose to walk the dogs, while I have a large plot of land for them to freely roam.
Well, they do run around on the property, at least the two younger ones do, but the pleasure of walking them is immeasurable. It is a true joy to see them relishing in the unfamiliar smells and the intriguing creatures they encounter in the countryside. They even made friends with a nearby farm’s goats and another neighbor’s cat.
I also enjoy the lovely countryside around me, which I will be less likely to experience on my own had it not been for the reminding me every day that it is time to go ‘walkies.’ Apart from the obvious exercise being advantageous for my health and well-being, it is also a sort of a meditative process and spiritual practice, because I am required to be very present in the moment.
One of my dogs is a warren hound, known in Spanish as a podenco. They are a Mediterranean rabbit-hunting dog breed. So, she’s a hunting dog and if she suddenly makes a dash to chase something, she could easily catch me off guard and pull me over. I can therefore no afford to be distracted or preoccupied. Instead, I must mindful and aware, which is very beneficial for my inner peace and spiritual alignment.
My dogs and cats are all rescues, some from unthinkably harsh backgrounds. Looking after them has involved a lot of care and veterinary visits, including many specialist observations and surgeries. When you take rescues into your home, they tend to come with much fear and many insecurities, which takes patience and unconditional love.
Two large rescue dogs, that have since departed this life to cross over the rainbow-bridge, wouldn’t allow me to touch them and refused to come inside the house. I provided them adequate shelter outside, but it still bothered me, because the winters can be harsh here in Spain.
Life Invites You To Dance
In the quietude of the morning, as the sun gently rises with a golden glow glistening through the trees, I feel a calm within reflecting the clear blue sky. The season is changing. The heavy heat and humidity of summer has dissolved into an idyllic balance of coolness, warmth, and lightness in the air.
It is a time of transition, moving toward autumn, but not fully there yet. For me, it is a season of revitalization and renewed inspiration. The vastness of nature expands all around and the interconnectedness of every soul within it reaches the forefront of my awareness.
Today, I will be intuitively teaching a dancing with nature class at the World Peace Sanctuary nearby. All of life is a dance with nature and its Creator. We are invited into that partnership and party of life, to move together in joy and harmony.
But how do we join the flow? It begins at the feet, at the root of the tree of life. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, the great celestial sage Narada instructs, “As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.”
Not only are angels, nature spirits, and demigods part of the tree, but so are we. Like leaves upon it, we are connected not only with the twigs, branches, and trunk, but with the root, the very source and sustenance of all life. By watering that root with our whole-hearted attention and intention, we are nourished, supplied, and satisfied.
But what does this mean practically? It means peace and growth rest not in pursuit of individual desires, but in harmony with and service to Divine desires. Endeavoring to serve separate interests is futile and unfulfilling, just as watering the leaves and limbs of a tree individually would be. They would dry up and die if simply watered separately. Continue reading
When My Guides Would No Longer Guide Me
Like most people, I have faced my own share of difficulties and life challenges. In fact, there was a very challenging period in my life that lasted about 15 years.
I remember in those days asking my guides for support and guidance. I was in desperate need of finding a path out of the chaos caused by a strange series of events in my life. I was praying, humbly requesting divine intervention.
Nothing. Silence.
In the past I had always received feedback from my guides. I have even had magical messages and miraculous signs proving without a shadow of doubt that God and my spirit guides exist.
One time, I was dealing with a very toxic employee, who was spreading nasty rumors about me and my business. I was at my wits end with stress and frustration. On my way back home from my office, a negligent driver unintentionally pulled their car right in front of me on the freeway, almost forcing me off the road! Fortunately, I swerved just in time. After I recovered from my initial shock, I noticed the license plate frame said: Happiness Is Loving Satya.
That same day, my electronic garage door was not working for some reason, so I had to enter the house through the front door, which I never did. I found a tree service business card left on the porch. The tree service owner was once again my namesake. An unusual name for man.
I’ve had hundreds such magical, confirming moments. I have even been told I would receive tangible gifts from my guide, and I did receive those gifts.
But now, during the most difficult, confusing, terrifying time in my life, there was nothing. Nothing. Silence. Why aren’t you responding, I asked. Are you still here with me? Have you abandoned me? Why is this happening?
Love Is Everything
Hello friends of my mommy, Mountain Sage. My name is Babe. I’m her one and only favorite pup and she thinks I am a ‘cutie-patootie.’ Well, I don’t know about that, but I’m sure glad she thinks so. I try to be. I really do. But there are so many instructions: “sit, down, stay, no-jump, hold hands, leave it.” Phew! What’s a cute four-legged fur baby like me to do?
Well, there are treats sometimes, and that helps, but The Sage is not always so generous. Sometimes, she seems to think I should do all those silly things for free. It’s okay, I guess. Anyway, if I want to get those cuddles and kisses, as well as go to Bow-Wow Camp (which are two of my very favorite things), then I simply have to do it all her way.
But, when I’m outside hunting, then I do it my way. The Sage is most definitely not a hunter, I can assure you! Nope, not even one little bit. So, I have to bring home the bacon, right? A nice little mouse, for example. I brought it in the doggie door, as a gift, while she was on a phone call with a client.
I assume it was a client because that’s when I have to be ‘all quiet.’ Anyway, she made all these mad gestures. She clearly could not contain her excitement about the juicy mouse. Strange, I tell ya! Making all those weird motions. I mean, really, it was just a plain ole’ mouse. Nothing special in my world, but she acted like I’ve brought a month’s supply of meat into the living room?
Then, there was the frog. It showed up on the porch after a heavy rainstorm. I had never seen anything hop quite like it did. It was intriguing – all shiny, plump and green. I decided to lick it on the back. I was just curious. No need for The Sage to become all hysterical, right?
But I have to be honest: that frog was the most vile and disgusting taste I’ve ever experienced. I had to spit, and spit, and spit to try and get that yucky goo out of my mouth. “It’s poison,” The Sage was complaining, as she picked it up and put it outside the fenced garden. Well, I guess she might have been right. Anyway, I was a satisfied dog and more than glad to see it go.
Only You Can Change Your Life
Why does it always happen to me? This is a common question I have heard many times over the past 40 years working as a psychic reader and spiritual advisor. In my experience, the real question is not ‘why’ something happens to a person. Instead, the question is, what does the person expect?
I find most people are perfectly capable of being very understanding, tolerant and patient, but there are times when all these values and best intentions instantly disappear because we demand and resist. The pain of being hurt or disappointed can sometimes turn people into a mere shadow of themselves – and this is usually the time when the ‘why me’ question comes up.
The spiritual truth is that life is hollow without constant growth and change, but things do not always go our way, because spirit sometimes has something better planned for us. Divine timing and divine intervention always aim to serve our highest good, but we too often refuse to accept these blessings in disguise.
As spiritual beings in human form we want to change things to make our lives better: jobs, trades, businesses, hobbies, lifestyles, partners, homes, locations, even countries. But we tend to be fearful of the unknown and the uncertain. So, our ego begins to interfere and we try to control everything and everyone to get what we think we want and need.
To make the most of the energies of spiritual and personal growth, expansion, and transformation, we must overcome this fear of the unknown and accept life changes, challenges, and transitions as they come. Resisting the divine intervention of what is meant to be only serves to block or derail our progress. We must get out of our own way.
I regularly experience this desperation with some of my clients, for example, when they are trying to change their partner’s wicked ways or annoying habits. They refuse to accept the truth about the other person’s behavior or personality, and then they are devastated when the relationship outcome is not what they expected.
Now Is The Time To Start Living!
This past year and a half has been difficult on many levels for all of us, whether it be financially, emotionally, physically, or mentally. It has been a difficult time for even the most happy-go-lucky people among us.
Over the past year, most of my clients have lost something of significance in their lives, whether it be their personal freedom, their peace of mind, their health, their job or business, or a loved one. Some have lost everything, and in some cases everyone.
The one thing I have noticed with those who seem to suffer the most is that they all seem to have given up on life. They have lost their desire to live or simply to get out of bed each day. But no matter what our circumstances may be, this is the one thing we must never allow ourselves to do as spiritual beings in human form.
Understand that you have a great strength inside of you that will always carry you to new heights if you just allow it. Understand that this ‘down time’ is meant to teach us what truly matters and what is most important in life.
This time is also meant to help us release the things that no longer serve us. Sometimes such a release may involve people, such as partners, friends, and even relatives.
Now is the time we need to shift our energy. Now is the time to take a good hard look at where you are at, where you have been, and where you ultimately want to be. Each day, rise, take a shower, get dressed, and look at yourself in the mirror and declare, “Today is the first day of the rest of my amazing life. I am confident, smart, and strong. I can do, be or have whatever I set my mind to.”
Our attitude is what will carry us through to the end of this tunnel. You can focus on fear, pessimism, and negativity, or you can choose joy, inner strength and personal power to achieve new heights in your life.
There Is Only One Path To True Love
There is only one way to experience love, joy, and peace and that is in the now. Too often we have most of our mental energy focused on our future happiness. These thoughts conjure up ideas and imaginings about some future reality we are yet to experience, believing that a certain future event, experience or outcome will finally ‘make us happy.’
There is a real problem with this line of thinking, because there is actually no way to ‘arrive’ at a future happiness. Even if specific ‘happy events’ do occur someday in our future, the happiness derived from these events will always be short lived. It will be a temporary excitement or euphoria, not lasting happiness.
The truth is we always carry our consciousness with us everywhere we go in life and the state of our everyday consciousness is our only sustained experience than will be able to count on in a future reality.
Many spiritual wisdom traditions talk about the past and the future as being an illusion, because the only moment that is real is the present moment. All the love, joy, and peace that anyone can possibly experience in their lifetime all happens in the current moment.
The never-ending search for ‘somewhere out there’ happiness is also fruitless because the experience of happiness can only happen within and in the here and now, and not somewhere out there. Love, joy and happiness are internal experiences.
There is no external place out there in the Universe where you can find a secret fountain of love, joy or happiness. You will not be able to seek it out and fill up a bucket with these feelings, because the actual fountain is within. Continue reading