life experience
Spiritual Transcendence Requires Human Interaction
You are pure energy. That is your soul and you chose to incarnate in this world to experience the duality of energy and matter. You chose this because there are learnings available here on Earth in material form that are not available when one is a ball of light. Therefore, human contact, or human interaction is as important as the experiences of energy when we are incarnated here on Earth.
You have the opportunity in this lifetime to transcend. Incarnation gives you that opportunity. You should rise to the occasion – after all you signed up for it. Running away from the physical inconveniences of incarnation is not the best of choices, if you are interested in transcendence and living an awakened life – unless your life path is one of abstinence.
If you have never practiced any kind of abstinence (fasting, voluntary poverty, celibacy) trust me when I say that it too has challenges, especially in the beginning. This is something to think about if you do practice any form of abstinence. Are you running away? Or are you taking on a spiritual practice to help you with your transcendence. And how can you be sure?
In today’s world, social media, texting, and virtual interaction prevail. There is a trend of decline in the skills of human relations, physical interaction and social skills. We see this in the workplace, as well as in our romantic relationships, family dynamics and parenting. We suffer a loss in our quality of human interaction in many ways, such as fulfillment, honesty, authenticity, conflict resolution, intimacy and many more areas. We are by our nature social creatures, and learning to be social simply cannot happen online. Equally, learning about and working with others humans is a different experience in person than online. You might prefer online, but make sure you understand your choice and consider if you are choosing avoidance rather than engagement.
From Believing To Knowing
“I wish I believed in the spirit world like you do,” my best friend commented many years ago. I then told her that it wasn’t so much a case of believing, but more of a matter of knowing.
Last week, a new friend asked me to teach him how to have this ‘knowing’ that I have. But I really have no idea how to do that? I never experienced a transition from believing to knowing. The ‘knowing’ has always just been there.
I have always felt that the spirit realm is our true connection to home. As the years passed, I began more and more to view planet Earth as our schoolroom. And boy can we get some lessons while we are here!
When I think back, I have recollections of spirit activity around me from when I was about five or six years old. My parents and I were living in Ottawa, Canada, at the time, where my dad had recently been employed. We were temporarily living in a creepy rental home, until my father found his feet and we would be able to move to a house with better vibes.
I recall seeing and hearing shadow beings in the hallway of that eerie house in Ottawa, and I remember telling my mother about the paranormal activity I sensed there. But she thought I was just imagining things, or seeking attention. I also recall lying in bed, scared, listening to what sounded like chattering voices. The energy in that old place wasn’t malevolent, but it didn’t feel benevolent either.
The most profound experience occurred when I was just nine years old. We had moved back to the United Kingdom and were visiting family friends. They were hosting a party, and the kids were sent off to bed, while the adults carried on with their social event below.
A Letter To My Beloved Dog
Precious Elizabeth, it has been nearly two and a half years since you left your physical vessel to live in another dimension. I know you didn’t want to go and held on long past your time – selflessly, because you had such an enormous love for me that you didn’t want to leave me.
Always my protector, I know you couldn’t imagine that anyone other than you could be as fearless and courageous as you were during all those heartfelt times, throughout the 16 years you took care of me. I adored you and you showed your love every day in countless ways. No matter what you were doing, you always dropped everything, anytime I asked you to come to me.
Well, all but that one time!
We were rocking in the willow chairs on the far end of the portico. It was late in the afternoon, on a perfect spring day. I was relaxing in my chair, and you were asleep in your rocking chair next to mine. A big, brown bear then decided to sniff out the contents of the garbage bin at the other end of the portico. Before I had even spotted the bear, you had already leaped from your chair, apparently having smelled the enormous varmint’s odor. You flew at him as if you had wings, in order to chase him away – so protective of me you were.
A Time To Nurture Your Spiritual Self
As the world comes to grips with the unique stressors foisted upon it in recent months, you might find yourself looking for answers, and wondering what lies ahead.
In challenging times, spiritual sources of nourishment and protection will help you carry on. Now, more than ever before, you may need some form of spiritual anchor in your life, to remain steadfast and hopeful.
Spirituality means different things to different people, but generally constitutes the belief in a higher power, or something unseen or greater than ourselves: God, Goddess, Spirit, Source, Universe, the Divine. Spiritual practice, such as prayer or meditation, serves to expand our consciousness and awareness of this higher power.
Spirituality is always a reliable source of hope, inner strength and courage, helping you look past trying circumstances, and focus on what you can be grateful for in your life. Ensure that you remain consistent and diligent with your spiritual practice, in both good times and bad. Whatever spiritual tradition you follow, it will bring about mental solace and prevent emotional drain.
Remember also that the mind is like a sponge. It absorbs information and soaks up environmental cues. But you have full control over your mind, and you can release what’s taking up space inside it, if it doesn’t serve your emotional health or personal well-being. You also have a choice in what information you pay attention to, or decide to focus on.
An ‘Awareness Yawn’ For The Whole Truth
The majority of human beings believe they tell the truth most of the time. Few will admit they lie. And none will disclose just how often, when, and how they twist the truth ‘a little’ to suit their needs. They convince themselves they are not really lying, when they know very well that their distorted versions of the truth are deceptive.
We are curious creatures. Adept at swindling ourselves to favor a certain idolized self-image we have created. One that we must maintain consistently in as much as our sovereign power allows. Hah! How utterly ridiculous and futile are our attempts to portray an untruth so vividly transparent. We can’t hide from our true self, for that’s who we live and die with.
It’s all a matter of unconscious perception. An awareness yawn would serve to do the trick of waking us up, but we’re simply not interested, especially if it involves ‘disturbing our self-indulgent illusions.’ We want to continue to believe how wonderful, well-informed, funny, intelligent, attractive, spiritually evolved, dedicated, hard-working, honest, caring, decent, committed and interested we are.
We walk around as if we not only have an ace up our sleeve (an extra added edge), but can make it magically appear at will. We sincerely think no one can see through our considerately, deceptively masked, incognito ‘what’s in it for me’ personality.
These deceptively constructed guises are particularly prevalent when we are entering into new relationships. That’s when we really put on the ‘dog and pony show.’ We come across so deliberately ‘put together’ and manicurely maintained. It matters not, if that ‘face of the hour’ is nowhere near the panoramic view of incalculable distortion occurring on the inside. We are on a personal quest; we want something. And, nothing will deter us from our conquest.
Get Rid Of The ‘Moldy Blueberries’ In Your Life
Positive energy spreads, and is infectious. Think about the positive, optimistic people in your life and how, whenever they walk into a room with their laughter, smiles and humor, they just raise the vibration of the entire room. Of course, excluding the really negative people in the room, who choose to remain impervious.
Yes, positive energy is contagious, but so too is negative energy. Just like the mildew on one bad blueberry, kept in a container with other blueberries, it spreads mildew and rot to all the other blueberries around it.
I remember walking into my dance studio one day, many years ago, and finding most of the moms, who had kids in my class, in the waiting room. I took this opportunity to show them the children’s costumes for our upcoming dance recital. The moms were instantly in love with the outfits. Some even became sentimental and teary-eyed. They commented excitedly on all of the bright sequins, the colors and styles. They all talked enthusiastically about how much they loved it, and how truly beautiful these designs were.
Then one mom arrived late, while I was in the office. I could not be seen by the group of mothers, but I could hear them. The late-arriving mom noticed the costumes and immediately began to complain about every aspect of it. She was very critical and felt they were “cheap-looking.” She even claimed that the moms had all been “ripped off” and that I over charged them.
Now Is The Time To Invest In Yourself
Throughout our childhood, we receive advice from family and teachers on how we should succeed in life. Study hard. Get good grades. Go to college for a quality career. Get married and have a family. Buy the dream home. Financial success and prosperity. Provide for your family. Send your kids to college. Become proud grandparents.
In reality, our real life experiences can throw us major curve balls, and impact what we envision as our dream future. In the same vein, life experiences create magnificent opportunities. Well-meaning guidance and suggestions from family and friends is beneficial. It is to be part of our consideration. It can give us goals, and affirm what we know about ourselves.
Careers can include being of service. A social worker, doctor, nurse, lawyer, first-responder, accountant, veterinarian, military, waitperson. A career in science. A researcher, chemist, biologist, architect, engineering. A career in entertainment. An artist, musician, dancer, playwright, author, actor, composer.
The career you choose is, however, to be one that nurture’s your heart as a priority. It should give you a feeling of passion and purpose, rather than financial security. Financial security is a goal one needs to have a degree of focus upon. We do need money to pay our bills, to support our family and lifestyle, to finance our dreams. Money being ‘the root of all evil’ is a fallacy. Money is a form of energy exchange. It has no judgment. It can influence or impede financial security. It is what you do with it that matters. But financial security is often temporary and based on your decisions and emotions.
Enter into your career choice with enthusiasm, passion, and a zest for knowledge. It may turn out that your career changes as you grow older. Jobs will definitely change through the years. You may be an individual who says, “Money does not matter or drive me.” This is a learned, mental paradigm picked up from your upbringing and childhood environment. Change it. Start thinking of how you can use financial security to benefit others.