higher consciousness
The Alcohol Demon
The physical damage caused by alcohol abuse is common knowledge. The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on the liver, pancreas, kidneys, heart, esophagus, and the lining of the stomach can be devastating. And those of us who have shared our lives with alcoholics, know of the damage it can do to relationships, children, families and careers.
But how often do we consider the spiritual implications of alcohol abuse? What really happens to the soul or spirit when we consume alcohol?
Some alcohol-related statistics are quite alarming. For example, it is said that some 700,000 people are in treatment for alcohol abuse every day. And did you know that about 40% of all auto accidents are alcohol-related? It is also estimated that 18 million Americans deal with alcohol-related health problems, and there are an estimated 10 million alcoholics just in this country.
Doing some research, I found an article in the The Costa Rica News titled, The Spiritual Consequences of Alcohol Consumption. The article explains that the English word alcohol originates from the Arabic al-kuhl, which means “body eating spirit.” It is also the origin for the English word ghoul. According to Middle Eastern folklore, a ghoul is an evil demon believed to eat human bodies.
In his book, The Mystery of the Golden Flower, the Gnostic author, Samael Aun Weor writes that alcohol “is in fact a demon or a malefic spirit when it possesses a human being; it is clear and easily demonstrable in its effects from drunkenness, to delirium tremors and madness with forms of paralysis and other hereditary defects passed down through descendants.”
Take Negative Emotions All The Way Home
When life gets tough or something happens to upset me, whether it be big or small, I make it a point to become very quiet and mindful. I do this to get clear, so that I can see all sides of a situation, as well as stay open to learning any possible spiritual lessons that are being offered.
Typically, there’s a strong emotion linked to what has occurred. If I can allow it to be there in a calm way, I can start to see the situation from a clearer perspective.
If the situation involves being hurt, for example, I take some time out – long enough to not hastily defend myself or problem-solve. Doing this creates an opening where the Divine can step in and take over.
I like to think of it as having a weight on me and imagining a group of cherub angels coming along to lift the heavy burden emotions I’m experiencing. They then take it from me and fly away. Though this is just a visualization, there is great relief at times in turning situations over to a higher power.
I have noticed, as I get older, that certain things that used to bother me so much, and would take weeks or months to get over, I now release in just a day, or even a couple of hours. This is because I no longer allow myself to be overwhelmed by the emotion in the moment.
I believe what helps to accomplish this is going beyond the difficult emotion, into a realm or a land less frequented. I refer to is as “taking it all the way home.” What I mean by this is to examine what it is I am most afraid of.
Guidelines For Spiritual Growth
Spirituality is a wide-ranging concept with many diverse perspectives. In essence it is the process through which our inner being seeks to relate to something bigger than ourselves. It is the search for the meaning and purpose of our human existence. Spirituality is about our soul or spirit, and the unseen realms, as opposed to material things and physical life. It is also the life-long pursuit of inner peace, unconditional love, and existential wisdom and understanding.
Many people believe that the secret to spiritual growth and development can only be found in a book, a lecture, dogmatic belief system, or some other product or service that will magically unlock the doors to spiritual insight, happiness, joy and fulfillment. However, spirituality is a unique, personal path that each of us can explore on our own, from within. The following guidelines may be helpful on your journey towards spiritual fulfillment.
Reflection
The first step in personal spiritual growth is reflecting on your life journey. To be spiritual is to be questioning and inquisitive. Spiritual growth is a process of constantly learning and improving. One must be willing to open yourself to personal and spiritual growth, and by doing this your world opens up and things become less scary.
Holding on to past events keeps us from experiencing new adventures, and the emotional baggage will only weigh you down. Accept your past mistakes and learn from them. Reflect on what changes need to happen for you to move forward.
We are all teachers. We are either teaching someone, or they are teaching us – both good and bad. Learn from your experiences and move on with life.
Signs You May Not Be Using Your Soul Gifts
We all have soul gifts and metaphysical abilities. These gifts are meant to be used to help us fulfill our destiny, and support us along our spiritual path in this life. However, many any of us have soul gifts that are yet to be discovered.
We tend to be consumed with the hustle and bustle of life, and the latest gadgets, smart phones and social media trends. Meanwhile, we are not only unaware of the needs of those around us, we also remain unaware of our own unique, innate soul gifts and abilities. Many are sadly unaware of their reason for being.
For example, some have the gift of being a ‘master builder’ or ‘divine creator.’ They have an amazing ability to contribute to creating a fantastic new world with their imaginative powers, but they sometimes create their own imagined world so fantastic they would rather spend time there. They tend to withdraw from the reality of the materialistic world as we know it, and the people therein, when they are not using this gift.
Some people with soul gifts that are yet to be realized, may suffer from insomnia or nightmares. These unpleasant dreams come as warnings or revelations. They occur when one is not using the gifts you were given, or are not living or doing what you came to do in this life.
Some people may have unexpected or brief experiences with time travel or time slips, or even time loops. This could be the soul’s way of pointing you in a certain direction, or a time or place that the soul wants or needs to revisit. This may manifest through unexpected or unplanned astral projections, or possibly the physical body raising its vibration just briefly to make such anomalies possible. It may have one asking yourself, “Was that just a dream?”
The Miracle Healing Power Of Prayer
Every month, I host a healing prayer circle. All those who show up are invited to share what has been going on in their lives. Whoever may need a listening ear or a prayer, we go to work and pray for them.
Sometimes just listening to someone else’s problems can also be very healing. Many people don’t have anyone in their lives who will listen, and sometimes people say they will pray for us, but don’t.
There is much power in prayer. I once again witnessed this with a lady who, while attending one of our prayer circles, experienced a instant healing miracle.
She is a mature woman who lives on her own and doesn’t do much else but attend a knitting group and our monthly prayer circle. During one of our gatherings she shared how grateful she was for the group and that she urgently needed a prayer for herself this time. She had never before asked that we pray for her.
She had been experiencing severe pain in her spine and painful rashes. Her doctor had examined her two weeks prior and told her she had the viral infection known as shingles. She showed us some of the rashes on her body and it was clear that this was a severe case.
We then laid our hands on her, everyone present that day, and we prayed for her. She started to vibrate. I could feel it clearly in my hands. Her entire body was subtly vibrating and two of the other women said they could feel it too. I could also perceive white energy going through her entire body, and she said she could feel it too.
The 2020 Ascension Breakthrough
There’s a spiritual emergence happening this year. The year 2020 brings subtle energy shifts that will propel us forward toward our soul-aligned desires.
This year has a higher vibration that holds tremendous potential for us to reach our dreams by first changing from within. For once we begin to exist in a way that the universe blesses, we will witness divine forces complement our inner-directed changes by manifesting it externally.
Simply put, 2020 will be a year of supported growth and great ascension. What is more, believing in this gateway to enlightenment will be the key to unlocking your personal power.
As we are all co-creators of our reality, we may have inadvertently created an existence that simply goes against the grain, and stifles our prosperity. This is due to outer influences, karmic blocks and limiting beliefs imposed on us through our many experiences on this Earth.
Fortunately, anything obstructive can no longer survive in the emerging 2020 rebirth, whether it is a career, relationship or social structure. All that no longer serves us, must begin to crumble away this year, and we must allow its fall, so that harmony and fulfillment can enter our lives.
With that it’s time to loosen the reigns and worry less about getting an external grip. No need to force matters, or control people or situations this year. You only need to resolve to take care of yourself. This extra dimensional dynamism offers a paved path to increase your capacity to live a life that is in alignment with who you authentically are, by elevating your awareness.
Being Grateful For Every Thank You
It occurred to me recently, while I was out driving in the Spanish countryside where I now live, that most of the local people appear to be really happy and content. They often talk of things they are grateful for, and these are rarely their material belongings. Then I had a big ‘aha’ moment!
As a child I grew up in various Spanish speaking places. I learned, when someone thanks you for something, the appropriate response is to say, “De nada!” In other words, ‘it’s nothing,’ or ‘don’t mention it.’
On my return to Spain a few years ago, I discovered a different response to a thank you. These days a gracias (thank you) is responded to with gracias a ti (thanks to you). Also what I noticed is, when I got thanked in return, it felt really good, as if good energy was being directed my way.
I met one of my Spanish friends for coffee today. We both enjoy our chats about all things spiritual. She is studying metaphysics in various disciplines, and I have read for her, as well as her mom. I brought up this topic about how ‘thank you’ is replied to differently, compared to when I first started learning Spanish many years ago. “It is not entirely the case,” she responded. “There are still those who say de nada.”