Features
Features
Artwork by Janaka
Feature # 1
"Initiation "
by Gary Springfield
The word initiation means to initiate action with
impeccability, the synonym of impeccability being purity of heart. In our spiritual growth
the initiations that we pass through are successive periods of spiritual tension, also
known as points of crisis, where we learn how to embody more of the three divine qualities
of power, wisdom and love. When we successively pass through these points of crisis our
actions are then initiated from a higher place in consciousness that is ever more pure,
loving and wise.
In some spiritual teachings and wisdom schools they enumerate the minor
initiations where you are taught how to release some of the grosser aspects of the
personality such as aggressiveness, moodiness, and emotionality in general. This is all
well and good, but once we have stepped onto the path of spirituality, and have made a
commitment to walk the narrow path that leads to the inner Christ, then goodness, grace,
and love should already be a major part of our self-expression.
For our study here we will discuss the major initiations, which are four in
number and are called the birth, the baptism, enlightenment and transfiguration. These
lead to the fifth initiation which is the level of the Master who can no longer be limited
and over shadowed even by our physical world of form. Like Christ, these individuals heal
the ill and infirm, are able to manifest loaves and fishes and even raise the dead. The
Master is able to traverse the spiritual realms of light, as well as the physical realms,
in full consciousness and is the custodian of arch-typical information that sets the stage
for the evolutionary awakening of mankind for thousands of years in the future.
It is said that over two thousand years ago there was a
divine plan that was set in motion by the Masters of the Wisdom that
began to prepare the land, that we now know as America, for the
unfolding of a new life wave of humanity. In this grand scheme brave
Souls would sail the seas and discover a New World where the virtues of
truth, demoracry and freedom could be embodied for the first time in
Earth’s history. Through subsequent conflict and crisis this new and
vibrant seed would be called upon to spread the word of freedom
throughout the world and, overtime, this would eventually usher in the
new Golden Age of Peace on Earth. We are the progeny of this seed and
through our spiritual awakening and transformation the divine flowers of
wisdom, love and joy are blooming in our hearts and minds. This sweet
perfume, of spiritual hope for the world, is now wafting through the
ethers, inviting all of humanity into a place of peace and plenitude.
In the major initiations the first initiation is called the
birth of the Christ child. It is during this point of spiritual training
that we, as the now awakened and indwelling Soul, begin to impose a new
rhythm of balance and harmony upon the physical body. Up until now the
physical body has often been an automaton that has demanded that it’s
baser appetites of food, drink, sexuality and sensuality be fed at its
whim and desire. With the awakening of the indwelling spirit, or Soul,
you learn how to monitor and watch the physical body, feeding it foods
that are higher vibrational and more appropriate for spiritual
development. The monkey mind of superfluous thoughts and inane chatter
is trained through meditation and spiritual practices to rest within
this new found silence as an instrument of the Soul. Even sexual energy
is no longer squandered for the shear pleasure of the experience and it
slowly evolves to become an intimate sharing of communion and union
between two Souls. These individuals have learned how to love themselves
first of all and, with that love, share it….rather than give it away
in a chimerical need to be validated and accepted.
At the same time within the second chakra, which is a hands breadth below the
navel, as well as the symbolic area of the womb in both men and women, you can begin to
feel the stirring of a new life force. This is the awakening and the birth of the magical
child within you. Up until now most people have lived from their woundedness; needing to
be validated and accepted by someone or something in the outer world in order to feel good
enough about themselves. In our society the unresolved wounds of childhood create the
proverbially masks that people wear in order to make themselves good enough in the eyes of
family, friends or the world. Money, power, sex and glamour are the acceptable masks of
society while the dysfunctional masks of drugs, alcohol, obesity and psychological
disorders are condemned. Nonetheless, all of these masks are but a call for love from a
magical child-like part of each human being that wanted to be unconditionally loved just
for who they are and not for what they do.
When we begin to recognize and love the inner child we reconnect with that pure
and perfect essence that was seeded into the child at our biological birth. This is the
Divine light of the Soul that is symbolic of the inner Christ. Your mother and father
prepared a physical body, but the authentic life force that animated the physical body is
the indwelling spirit that descended from the wisdom realm of the Soul. The first
initiation is the reawakening of this Divine essence within you through your own power,
wisdom and love. With this birth initiation you are now called forth to become the mother
and the father of the newly awakened inner child. With great patience, dedication and
spiritual resolve you will nurture and grow this Divine child within you until,
eventually, it will grow forth to become one of the awakened Sons and Daughters in Christ.
This is why you, as the awakening Soul, must now impose a new rhythm of harmony
and balance upon the physical body through meditation, emotional clearing and yoga, which
means focused movement of the body, so that it might become a fitting temple wherein the
pure light of the Soul might dwell. This will be the temple not made with hands, but a
living temple made in heaven through the power and love of the indwelling Christ.
Gary Springfield is a visionary,
spiritual teacher, healer and meditation master who has dedicated his life to the path of
enlightenment. For over twenty years he has taught meditation and spiritual transformation
and has read thousands of auras in his healing and teaching ministry. The purpose of his
work is to help individuals achieve the mystical marriage between spirit and matter, which
creates Divine Alchemy. This allows the light of the Soul, as spirit, to live fully
integrated within form.
There are two key tools in this work; the Golden Light
Meditation and the emotional clearing process. These provide the
powerful framework to improve all areas of one’s life….spiritually,
mentally, emotionally and physically. Gary will teach you techniques to
heal and transform old negative patterns and create sacred space within
your physical body for the greater embodiment of your Soul and the
unlimited gifts it seeks to bestow upon you.
The goal of evolution is to bring the light of the spiritual and mental planes
of consciousness and ground them into the emotional and physical planes. Then spirit and
matter become unified in the mystical marriage of masculine power and feminine love,
creating the Christ consciousness, also spoken of as the Buddha Nature. As the body is
thus quickened in vibration, through meditation and emotional clearing, spirit fully
enters into the physical form, eliminating suffering and disease and ultimately creating
the birthless and deathless body of light. Aura readings are available by phone at
408-782-0966.Please visit Gary's web site at www.enlightenu.com
 
 
Feature # 2
"Finding
Peacefulness Within"
by Selacia
Messages from The Council of 12
Transmitted through Selacia * April 2002
Wesak 2002 Message:
Finding Peacefulness Within
.
Note from Selacia -- "At this Wesak, we once again remember the Buddha,
believed to have lived from 560
to 480 B.C. The time of the Wesak marks not only his birth, but also the date of his
enlightenment in
India. The Buddha energetically interacts with humanity each year at this time,
assisting us with our
quest to be liberated from suffering. One cause of our suffering is that we have
forgotten our unity. As
we celebrate the Wesak in 2002, we focus on moving into more of a unity consciousness,
letting go of our
long-established patterns of seeing ourselves as separate from others. To help us in
doing this, The
Council of 12 reminds us that in fact, we are really more alike than we are different.
Within our human
DNA, our genetic code varies by only about 1%. This 1% variation among humans is
responsible for ALL of our physical differences-- such as hair and skin color, what kind
of diseases we develop, how we age,
and our lifespan. This 1% means we really are NOT that different from one
another!"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Council of 12
This is a time of focusing on harmonizing and unifying the many seemingly opposing forces
on your planet. At this Wesak, we wish to call attention to the desire within each
heart to restore a sense of peacefulness. You wish to put an end to the many kinds of war
being waged on your planet. The battlefield of this war is
as much within each of you as it is in America, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.
You wish to find a
way to move out of suffering and into the kind of peacefulness and awareness that the
Buddha experienced so many years ago.
The peacefulness all of you seek really begins within your own heart. You cannot
feel truly peaceful and
whole when you carry fears and expectations that others can disturb your inner balance.
Your hearts
are full of these fears and expectations. You have learned from an early age to
listen to and act from
these fears and expectations. For example, as a child you are trained to fear your
parents -- and later
other authority figures -- observing that when your behavior is somehow unacceptable to
others, you may be punished. You learn that it's not safe to express who you really
are. You are trained to think that you
must compete with others to get what you want. You learn to see what's wrong with
yourself and others,
and to see yourself as separate. You spend your life trying to fix this wrongness,
this separateness. You
seek to be in relationship with others -- not from wholeness and connectedness -- but from
a place of
feeling separate and disconnected. Is it any wonder, then, that peacefulness
continues to elude you?
No one outside of you really has the power to throw you off balance. No one can
really disturb the
peacefulness you create. You may have the illusion that this is so. However,
it is you alone who does
the creating of peace or a lack of peace within. Consider the joy and peacefulness
you might experience
in connection with pursuing and realizing one of your dreams. For some of you, when
you move ahead with a cherished goal or creative project -- there is a fear of creating
something others can attack or dismantle.
Underneath this fear is the false notion that when these external things are attacked or
dismantled, your
very essence is also impacted. Of course, your Higher Awareness knows this is not
true. Your less aware self, however, moves into a defensive stance when it feels
threatened in these ways. This part of you
feels unsafe and unsure.
When you respond from this type of defensiveness, forgetting that others really can't harm
you, you
create disturbances within yourself. You do this as you pursue both large and small
goals.
An example of a small goal is your desire to travel from one point to another. You
drive along a busy
road, with the intent to arrive at your destination as quickly as possible. If you
feel other drivers will
thwart your journey, delaying your arrival at your destination, you may become irritated
and angry. If
you allow your anger to move you out-of-balance emotionally, your inner disturbance may be
reflected
in your driving. You may even cause an accident by speeding or unsafe driving. If
you are stopped by a
policeman and given a speeding ticket, you may respond to the ticket as though you were
being punished. This may trigger within you earlier experiences during which you
concluded that you were wrong or bad. This may stir up old, familiar emotions of
anger and even rage. Your anger may spill over into your other activities undertaken
after you reach your destination. Being off-balance, you could find yourself tense
and argumentative. You could bring this tenseness into your interactions with a
loved one, instigating an argument or simply responding to your loved one with a cold
demeanor.
An example of a large goal is your desire to achieve financial prosperity. For
anyone desiring to manifest
abundance, there can be many obstacles along the way for the person who responds to life
with fear and
limiting belief systems. For example, you may be anxious about having enough money
in times of economic recession. You may hold beliefs in your subconscious -- without
your knowing it -- that set up expectations for failure. An illustration of this
could be a belief that when you lose a job with one employer, it
will be difficult to find another suitable job. The part of you that believes this
may try to hold on to a
job that's no longer appropriate for your path. You may feel threatened by a
potential change. You may
even get defensive and argumentative with friendly colleagues who suggest that you'd be
happier somewhere else. You may not be willing to open your eyes to the many other
options that the Divine has for you. This defensiveness and limited point of view
will throw you off-balance. Instead of getting closer to your goal of financial
prosperity, this response pulls you farther away from it.
You can choose, at any of these points along the way, to stop being defensive. You
can choose to refuse to allow these external events to throw you into a state of
imbalance. How can you do this? One important
tool is to become more aware of and in control of your mind and emotions. The more
that you understand what fears and limiting beliefs are running you, the easier it will be
to begin taking control. If you are not
aware of what you fear - without an understanding of how your subconscious beliefs fuel
your fears -- you
will be unable to control your mind and how it responds to your external world.
One universal fear impacting many of you involves the false notion that what you are,
have, do, or create
can be taken away or altered in a negative way. This fear can prevent you from
taking the steps that will
manifest your dreams. Take a few moments now and ask yourself how this
universal fear applies to your own life. Go into the silence of your own heart and ask
some questions like the following: What do you fear losing? What do you fear could
be changed in a way that harms you? What assumptions do you hold about making
changes in your life? In what situations do you fear that change will be accompanied
by pain or loss? Under what circumstances do you think that others will somehow
force change on you, without your having the ability to influence the outcome? Do
you doubt that you have the inner resources to make the changes you desire? Are you
willing to allow the Divine to reveal to you the confusion and false notions that are
keeping you stuck and in pain? Are you willing to allow the Divine to help you
move into more clarity, co-creating the changes that you truly need to be a more
self-empowered, more enlightened being? At this time of year, you are invited to
remember the abundance of transformational spiritual energies available upon the Earth
during Wesak. Take a moment now and set your intent to participate in these Wesak
energies as fully and as consciously as you can. It is not necessary to understand the
process with your rational mind. In fact, it's ideal that you allow the rational
left brain to take a backseat, freeing the
imaginative right brain to guide you into more clarity. Allow your intuitive mind
and intuitively guided reason to take you beyond logic and beyond the stereotypes your
world presents. Invite your Higher Self to assist you in connecting fully with the
many blessings available at this time. Make the conscious choice to be awake and
responsive to the messages and gifts of the Wesak season. Allow the Divine to
provide the catalysts you personally need now in order to move into greater clarity.
Remind yourself to be open-hearted as you respond to these catalysts, refusing to
allow your fears and doubts to color your
view.
As you move out of confusion and into more clarity in the days to come, we surround you
with our love and blessings. We are The Council of 12.
Transmitted through Selacia * Copyright 2002 * All Rights Reserved
Selacia -- a channel for The Council of 12, is internationally known for her work in the
inspirational/transformation field. In her first book, The Golden Edge,
readers are provided with guideposts and cutting-edge tools for moving out of fear and
into joy and wholeness. She provides private telephone intuitive readings and DNA
activations/healings to clients all around the world. A certified DNA
practitioner/teacher, she offers DNA sessions that incorporate the Council of 12's
energetics, healing energies and wisdom. Also included in the DNA clearings are rose
quartz heart-shaped and obelisk-shaped crystals, energetically infused by The Council of
12 to accelerate and integrate the DNA work. The Council of 12 has selected a number
of rose quartz and other crystals for their work through Selacia. Each one of them
is infused with the Council's high-vibrational energies and healing. In 2000, she
brought the Council of 12's wisdom to the UNSRC's Society for Enlightenment and
Transformation at the United Nations. She offers ongoing teachings and workshops in
DNA healing and other modalities. If you would like to facilitate a workshop, order
a copy of her book with personal message from The Council of 12, or to schedule a private
session, contact Selacia at: 3111 Fourth Street #219, Santa Monica, CA 90405, USA,
310.915.2884, Fax: 310.664.6093, E-mail: Selacia@Selacia.com,
Web site: www.Selacia.com
Feature
# 3
"The Mighty Magnet"
A Message
From Archangel Michael May 1, 2002
Channeled Through & Written By Carolyn Ann O'Riley
A wondrous greetings to you, My Beautiful
Beings of Light, From The Creator. The Creator sends you unlimited hugs and your Guardian
Angels send you their unconditional love this moment in NOW.
Can you feel their presence as well as that of your Spiritual Family as they surround you
reading this message. They ask that you acknowledge their presence by either verbally or
mentally saying "YES! I know you are here," even though you may not be able to
see their visible beauty with your physical eyes.
They surround you in support at all times. They laugh with you. They send you love in your
highest moments of joy or your deepest moments of despair. Your Angels are excellent
resources for you. Allow them to interact with you through your invitation. They have so
much that they wish to share with you. They have so much that they could help you with if
you invite them to participate with you in this incarnation. So much is happening
all around you and in appearance to you. Wouldn't it be a refreshing change to have your
Angels on your assistance team on a daily basis? For many of you just having a
constant spiritual companion to communicate with would be a major triumph.
They are there just for you and are willing; all they need is an invitation from you.
If you are under very stressful conditions ask for more Angels to help you. Ask for more
Angels for your children and loved ones as well.
There are also Specialty Angels. The Specialty Angels help with specific problems for
example relationships. If you are having relationship problems ask the Relationship
Angels to assist you. Remember that they must be invited in and allow them to assist
or they can not act on your behalf. When you invite in your Specialty Angels be open
and honest as to what you see the problem to be and then turn the issue over to them. Know
that it will be dealt with in what ever way is most appropriate for your highest good and
the good of all concerned.
Ask for their help in assisting you with your remembrance of the lesson of attraction. Ask
for their help in understanding why you continue to attract into your life that which you
do not want in lieu of that which you do want.
You are mighty physical magnets that pull to yourselves that which you consciously and
unconsciously attract into your lives. Whether it be through lack of remembrance and
understanding most are attracting what they do not want. The effects of this are so
painful for you. It is hard for us to watch as you repeatedly pull towards yourselves such
pain, misunderstanding, lack, disrespect, loneliness, violence, hatred, judgments, fears
and grief.
Wouldn't it be of assistance, if you will, to explore the concept of attraction with your
Angels so that this habit can be broken and replaced with joy?
Ask yourself this question: What would you be giving up to experience more joy in your
life? Do you not feel worthy of such a gift?
Putting forth the intention to work on the attraction question is a step on the right path
for those ready to release the pain. Remember the simply saying that "which you fear
you draw near". That which you put your constant attention on will be what you
attract into your life.
You are such wondrous strong creators, My Beloveds, that this is happening more and more
intensely since the creation time frame of manifestation is becoming shorter and shorter
within this Planet Earth. You are materializing your manifestations much more quickly all
the time. You have but to take your mind off of peace for a split nana second and wham!
there is this war beginning right before your eyes because you saw a news headline that
suggested such. In reading that headline and the attention you paid, the disgust that you
felt, drew it to you just for that moment. This is how dramatic and quick this occurs, My
Divine Warriors of Light.
The constant direction of your attention on only those things that you want in your life
are needed to manifest them and attract them into your life. Your abilities are constantly
being remembered through inner work and outer triggers. The more aware you become the more
quickly you can learn to raise your vibrations for your own benefit and all those all
around you.
A meditation to practice might be of assistance. With your permission, I'll join you on
this adventure:
Find a quiet spot where you will not be disturbed for a while. You may either sit or lie
down, which ever is more comfortable for you. Cover your physical self with a light
blanket if you chill easily. Invite in at this moment all that you would have join
you on this journey.
In your imagination request through prayer to The Creator to send you down a protective
ray of white light by saying "My Creator, I ask for a protective ray of white light
to enfold me and lift me up so that I may experience the very highest of vibrations during
this journey into my most inner depths of understanding and Being. I desire to protect
myself from anything that is not for my highest good on this journey. I thank you Creator
for assisting me by sending this ray that is now coming down through the corner of the
room and entering into this physical form and permeating all that is within this
Beingness's presence."
The Creator has gifted you with a white ray and a yellow ray for this adventure. It is
entering into
your body through the soles of your feet and moving up through your physical vessel
permeating through out all of your energies fields and into all corners of the room that
you are in then exiting through your crown Chakra. It is returning to The Creator and
cycling back down through you again and back to The Creator in a circular motion.
You are now divinely protected and nothing can even communicate with you that is not for
your highest good without your permission at this moment.
We ask you further to direct your ego self to perch on your left shoulder at this moment.
Instruct your ego self that it is to only be an observer on this journey. Breath in
deeply, Beloveds, and feel the lighter relaxed feelings of being divinely guided into this
adventure.
Breath in deeply allowing and seeing within your imagination your Highest Guidance join
you and take your etheric hand to guide you into your heart Chakra. Your Highest
Guidance, accompanied by your Angels, Guides and special invited guests, are now within
your heart Chakra. As you locate and turn the door knob of the golden door that says
"To My Highest Guidance Within," you cross over the threshold.
You find yourself and your invited guests in a white marble corridor looking all around
you become confused by all the different doors and conveyance systems available to you
here. Your Angels sense your confusion and guide you to a fireman's pole in the center of
the room.
Your Angels tell you to go to the pole and place your arms and legs around the pole. You
say okay but don't see where you will go since the floor is solid beneath you, there is no
place to slide down to. As you do as the Angels have instructed, you are whisked upward.
You begin laughing. This is so much fun you tell yourself. Your Angels are just laughing
and laughing as they know that your anticipation was that a fireman's pole goes down and
not upward. You laugh at your self-limiting thought of the pole and thank The Angels
because you sense that if they had not been present your attraction to the wrong outcome
of this pole only going down would have done nothing but created frustration within
yourself. Since you anticipated that it could only have gone down you would have still be
in the corridor looking for the down part of the pole.
Your Angels acknowledge your understanding of attraction and smile.
You continue to be going up and up and up and ask when you are going arrive at your
destination. They tell you that you are now there and you slow to a stop andhop off on to
a puffy white cloud. This is a really large white cloud with some what of a flat surface
where you are standing. The Angels ask you to walk over to the center and sit down on the
cloud with your legs folded crosswise. You do so and they find their own positions.
One of the Angels passes their energy essence over a portion of the cloud and a window
appears. A window you think to yourself this is interesting. The Angels share with
you that this window is going down into Planet Earth at a specific point within your
incarnation. This is a major event timeline they tell you.
You shake your head in understanding and watch. They ask you to select a scene from your
life at a very heighten point of a crisis that you were in. You look puzzled at them and
they respond to you that this is a lesson in attraction that they want you to observe.
You select the scene and you watch it play out through the window (you will see
this scene without feeling the intense emotions, Your Angels remind you that you are only
the observer here and not reliving this episode). Watching yourself is so very difficult
to do, especially in this circumstance.
The scene is finally over.
Your Angels ask you to tell them what it was that you were thinking right before and
during this event. You tell them at great length the specifics of what you were feeling
and thinking. Then they ask you to try something that had never crossed your mind before.
They want you to think of the event in another way with only the most positive of
intent and actions.
You look confused and they elaborate that they want you to put the situation in a new
perspective. They explain that they are wanting you to do this now and they will run this
event again with your changes in place in slow motion so that you can see what the outcome
differences would have been if you had put positive attraction spins on each of the
moments and thoughts that went into this drama event.
You swallow hard and focus your attention on positive thoughts relating to this event. As
you do as they have suggested you notice something that you were not able to see before.
You are now able to see your energy fields around you. The Angels explain that they want
you to see these additional psychic portions of the energy fields so that you fully
understand the effects that this change has. As you begin again knowing that this is
a more visual experience for you, you look for the subtle differences in the energy fields
and their vibrational changes.
You notice that your more positive thought trend is producing a more positive outcome and
you smile. You notice also that your more positive heighten vibrational fields are
interacting with the other participants and changing their energy fields to a higher
frequency. It is raising them up and it allows them to then more easily hear their own
higher directives. You smile again because you see that their more higher directives are
changing the outcome on their side of the interaction as well.
You think to yourself that you could have been utilizing these positive attraction skills
all along
and it certainly would have changed the way your life had gone thus far. Your Angels are
reading your thoughts and nod in agreement. They tell you that even though it might not
have completely wiped out the experience, because this was a contracted event, that it
could have vastly impacted the outcome simply by using this approach.
You understand.
They ask you if you would like to see the replay of the event again as it occurred
originally with the additional visual effects of the energy fields, so that you could see
the differences that the negative had. You say "yes". They replay the scene for
you and you are amazed at the energy field differences that you see.
You thank them for their assistance in helping your understand this attraction principal.
They ask you how many other experiences that you could have changed had you used this
approach? You just sigh and tell them hundreds and hundreds of events, but that is past.
You tell them that you will from this point forward use what they have helped you
remember.
They hug you and tell you that that is the most important point. Change the NOW and what
you do going forward because it will vastly assist in your quality of life from this point
into the future. They also remind you that your positive energies will combine with all
the other positive energies to assist in lifting up the mass consciousness so it can
receive the highest directives from its source as well.
You thank them. They tell you it is time to go home. They tell you also that
any time you need a refresher course to just ask and you can do this again.
They tell you to put your arms and legs around the fireman's pole again and this time you
will be going down they smile.
You arrive back into the white marble corridor. You feel really different and understand
that an old light switch that you had missed in the dark had been flipped on for you so
that you could see more clearly. It feels good to have this awareness back with you again.
They lead you back over the threshold into your Heart Chakra back into your physical form.
You wiggle your fingers and your toes. When you are ready, open your eyes and go about
your day.
My Beloveds, you are so very powerful. Your lack of remembrance about this portion of
yourselves has created much of what you don't want in your world. It is now time to turn
on that light switch of remembrance to begin the job going forward to put positive
attraction action, shall we say, back into your daily activities. You can change the
direction of what is occurring, one Beautiful Light Being at a time.
You are so very dearly loved.
I Am Archangel Michael, The Creator's Messenger of
Love, Light, Power, Peace, Wisdom and Truth.
Channeled through and Written by Carolyn Ann O'Riley.
This is copyrighted material.
Share this message with those that you love and watch as the love is sent around the world
to return itself to you multiplied a hundred fold. All Messages are available for
reading at http://www.carolynannoriley.com. The Channel, Carolyn Ann O'Riley can be
reached at caoriley@earthlink.net mailto:caoriley@carolynannoriley.com>
Permission is granted to share this channeling with others, provided you do so in it's
entirety and give appropriate credit for the channeling. Do state on the channeling that
this material is
copyrighted C. Please only send the material to those that you sense would resonate
to the messages.
Feature
# 4
"Mandala Blessings: Art that Heals and Transforms"
by Bonnie Bell
Mandalas are graceful images that depict a sacred space. More than
just beautiful art, these images are also empowering tools for positive transformation.
Used for centuries in Hindu, Buddhist and Native American spiritual practice (with
counterparts in many other cultures) mandalas are becoming increasingly popular in our
time. In this era of visual news, when images of destruction reach us within minutes of
occurring, mandalas offer us a much-needed visual antidote. They are wellsprings of
blessing energy that we can draw on for regeneration of body and spirit.
What follows are some ways that you can engage with mandalas to enrich your
life. The emergence of so many styles of mandala art in our modern culture points to their
deep appeal to our human psyche. The archetypal shapes and content of these images help us
unlock layers of awareness, light up new levels of intuition, and balance bodily and
emotional states.
The word mandala is used here to describe an image that is designed with sacred
intention; that uses geometry, symmetry, and color to convey information and confer
blessings. The word "mandala" means mystic circle. Most mandalas are structured
around a circular or symmetrical enclosure. The image thus becomes a chalice that holds
indwelling presences and energetic information. Both traditional and modern mandalas
contain many significant symbols, colors, and sometimes deities or totems. Every shape
resonates with deep levels of meaning. Our intuitive minds are very responsive to this
kind of visual code. By gazing at a mandala, or by creating one ourselves, we tap into
otherwise inaccessible sources of transformational help. Whether we understand these
sources to be within ourselves or coming from spirit beyond, we can be greatly enlivened
by their gifts.
I speak of this art with passion because I have been helped very deeply by
contemplating and creating mandalas. During a recent health crisis that could not really
be addressed by allopathic medicine, these images have been a constant source of comfort
and inspiration. In a very real way, I have drawn on mandalas as a source of
"beauty-medicine". They have given me support, not only for my personal healing,
but for global healing as well. When the anguishing events of 9/11 took place, I
immediately turned to mandalas for help. My partner, David Todd, and I spent the afternoon
of that heart-rending day creating a mandala called "World-Healer". It was one
way we could transmute our grief and pain into an image that we hoped could likewise help
others heal. Creating and meditating on this mandala was something constructive that we
could do in the midst of devastation.
The word "constructive" points to the profound service that mandalas
perform. We are constantly assembling a picture of the world based on what we see around
us. In modern culture, the pictorial input we receive comes primarily from commercial and
political interests. We are literally bombarded by imagery that is designed to sell us
products and shape our thoughts and emotions. Mandalas offer us a different kind of visual
input based on sacred and symbolic content. The elements in mandalas link us into our own
deep awareness and to sources of transpersonal help. Mandalas empower us by providing
visual building blocks with which we can construct a new, uplifting picture of our world,
and thus help re-vision it.
How Mandalas Can Support You
There is no right or wrong way to enjoy mandala art. First and foremost, trust
your heart and eyes to guide you into relationship with these images. However, you can
enhance your experience by considering some specific ways to work with this form of art.
We will explore here how mandalas can help you to transform and expand your awareness, how
they can bring you harmonizing and healing energies, and how these images can empower you
and your environment.
Expanding awareness—Since ancient times, it has been
understood that gazing at a mandala can change your state. Within the
spiritual context, mandalas are highly respected as a tool for
transformation. Mandalas confer initiations and can provide instruction
for a person’s entire practice. Primarily through the growth of
Hinduism and Buddhism in the West, we have been re-introduced to this
spirit-elevating function of mandalas. Many other traditions, including
indigenous religions around the world, also work with images that can be
considered mandalas or which share their sacred purpose. Regardless of
your spiritual path, you can benefit from meditating on a mandala. The
spacious beauty of these images invites you to open and expand your
attention. Figures depicted in mandalas may also help you connect with
spirit-guides who can help navigate the open seas of consciousness.
Within the psychological domain, mandalas are also used to
expand awareness. Dr. C. J. Jung was a forerunner in bringing mandalas
into this form of active use. He saw that his patients could retrieve
crucial information from primal levels of consciousness by drawing
mandalas. Through the process of drawing a mandala, they were making
visible an inner crucible of self-content. Jung felt that even symbolic
content from the collective levels of consciousness rose to the surface
in this process. Once seen, all this content becomes usable for growth.
Even if you don’t draw a mandala yourself, you can work with one to
pull up information from the depths of your feeling. Pick an image that
really speaks to you and use it like a map to guide you to your own
hidden treasures. You may want to keep a journal for recording what
surfaces through such contemplation.
David and I found, when we began making Nature-sourced mandalas, that this form
of art could also open an amazing visual portal into the Earth. Not only revelations from
the heavenly domains and the inner psyche, but also from the material realms can be
accessed via the archetypal structure of mandalas. Whereas mandalas had originally helped
us journey into cosmic realms, we discovered that they could take us deep into the realms
of matter. We tell the story of our heaven-meets-earth experience in our book,
"GaiaStar Mandalas: Ecstatic Visions of the Living Earth."
Mandalas support consciousness-expansion because their
symbolic geometries and patterning information resonate within us at so
many levels. Their visual messages work like key-codes—they give us
access to levels of awareness that are always potentially within reach,
but not readily contacted. A mandala holds open a gateway into these
wider dimensions of self and world. This helps us go beyond the limiting
pressures of daily awareness into a space where we can dive deep and
soar high.
One way to optimize your meditation with mandalas is to bring your other senses
into play. The different sensory elements synergize with each other to enhance your
experience. You can add the dimension of scent by burning incense or diffusing essential
oils; you can create a sound-scape with your favorite mediation music. Lighting candles or
even wearing a special garment may also help set the tone for your journey. Allow your
breathing to calm and deepen as you regard the image and let the mandala take you where
you want to go. You will be enacting a ritual that has been valued throughout the ages.
Healing and harmonizing—More and more people use mandalas
to enhance their health, both physical and emotional. Some mandalas are
specifically created for healing, but it seems that almost all mandalas
communicate a restorative message. The structure of mandalas (usually
symmetrical and centered) works together with their inherent blessing
intention to provide comforting support to those in need.
Mandalas convey that harmony is possible, even in times of
chaos and challenge. When you sit down to regard a mandala, the two
sides of your brain and body can come into balance. Your nervous system
can drop out of fight-or-flight mode into a restful condition. As your
eyes follow the patterns toward the center of the image, you are drawn
into the core—of yourself, of your feelings. At the same time, you
open out into a naturally expanded awareness. You come into a state of
relaxation. This not only helps your bodily systems to operate
optimally, it also supports your emotional healing. The steady blessing
force of the mandala holds you in its field, so that even difficult
feelings can be surfaced and processed in its gentle embrace.
You may also receive guidance on your healing process while meditating on a
mandala. Your state of contemplative openness as well as the symbolic content of the
mandala helps you retrieve this kind of information from within yourself or from spiritual
sources. Additionally, you can use a mandala to set your own intention to get well. By
speaking your desire aloud or simply meditating on it, you can invest the image with your
prayerful intention. The mandala then becomes a constant visual reminder and touchstone
for ongoing healing. You can also do this for a friend or loved one who is ill.
An event that reflects the healing power in mandalas took
place when David and I showed our work at an art festival in Sausalito,
California. We had just completed a series of thirty-five images that we
call Healing Mandalas, several of which were displayed on one wall of
our booth. Just before closing time, a woman came toward us. She was
walking with a cane, and looked very tired. As she came into our space,
she first gave a great sigh of relief, and then burst into tears. When
she could speak, she told us that she was having radical cancer
treatment. She had the urgent intuition that she should go to the
festival because there was something there that she really needed to
help her recover. Even though it wasn’t easy for her, she walked all
around the art fair looking for her medicine piece. When she saw the
mandala on our wall (one made from a star-gazer lily,), it gave her a
tremendous message of hope and blessing. As she walked away with the
mandala in her backpack, we were very grateful to have been there.
In addition to helping restore body and emotions, mandalas can support healing
of the soul and spirit. Some people use mandalas for shamanic journeying and
soul-retrieval ceremonies. These images work like visual bridges to help re-connect the
earthly and heavenly aspects of self. In their very structure, mandalas integrate up and
down, left and right, within and beyond. They are images of wholeness, and this message
works at every level of being to help you become whole.
Empowering you and your environment—To be empowered by a
mandala is to draw enrichment and strength from viewing it. Much like a
window lets in the light of the sun, these images are openings to
radiant sources. In addition to being gateways out into spacious realms,
they are also gateways in. Through these artful portals, light-blessings
pour into our world.
When using a mandala for empowerment, you are focusing less on where it can
take you and more on what you can absorb from it. You may ask for empowerment for a
specific purpose (for instance, the launch of a business or the blessing of a
partnership), or simply to be energized. Part of the empowerment may come in the form of
intuitive information that shifts your perspective.
This empowering function of mandalas is very valuable in
times like these. So much information comes your way that tends to dis-empower
you and leave you feeling helpless. It is important to locate sources of
profound help that keep your spirits up and give you enabling energy and
guidance. When you sit down to contemplate a mandala, don’t be
hesitant to drink in the good "juice" that flows to you from
the image. Mandalas are created to shine this blessing-force, and it
fulfills their purpose when you use them as a vibrant resource.
A mandala can also empower a place in your home or office. Such sacred pieces
work a kind of natural feng shui in rooms where they are hung. Their radiant presence can
really shift the vibration of the environment. Mandalas offer a way to create sacred space
in a simple and elegant fashion.
Share the Blessings
I see modern mandalas as expressions of an unbroken stream of medicine art that
stretches back to the roots of human culture. We have always looked to art to inspire and
transform us. Many of us are being re-introduced to the healing power of art through
mandalas. With their archetypal content, these images reach across the boundaries of time
and traditions. In their universal language of shape and color, they broadcast their
healing messages to all. Enjoy mandalas and share them. They are generators of brightness
in a world that needs light.
Copyright © 2002 Bonnie Bell & David
Todd. All rights reserved.
For Bonnie Bell and her partner,
David Todd, creating sacred art was an answer to a deep calling to serve
a world in transition. Though neither was originally an artist, they
immersed themselves in the creation of collages and mandalas. They
discovered a visual alchemy: they took close-up photographs of natural
objects (such as flowers, feathers, and stones), and re-mixed them
digitally into symmetrical mandalas. The spontaneous natural shapes and
intentional geometries in these images work together to convey a great
deal of uplifting information. Bonnie and David’s work has evolved
into a new form of medicine art that conveys the blessing energies of
Star/spirit and Gaia/matter. Thus, they call their creations GaiaStar
Arts.
Bonnie and David’s publications
include their book, GaiaStar Mandalas: Ecstatic Visions of the Living
Earth, containing 90 full-color mandalas and the story of how their art
came into being. Their Healing Mandalas calendar, Healing Mandalas
screen-savers, and Flower Mandalas notecards are all ways to share
mandala blessings. They have also created a divination deck The GaiaStar
Codex: Seeds of a Turned On World. This set of 64 cards takes its users
on a visionary journey of global emergence. Bonnie and David also offer
fine art prints of many of their works as well as custom creations.
Prior to becoming an artist, Bonnie was
an educator, midwife, and alchemical healer. She founded the non-profit
Center for Sacred Arts. David was a writer and editor of a spiritual
press and co-founder of a software company. The two artists work side by
side in making their images. It is art created in sacred partnership—between
two people, with the Earth, and with allies in many dimensions. Bonnie
and David’s goal is to put their art technologies into the hands of
people who want to help re-vision the world. To learn more about their
art and transformational offerings, please visit www.gaiastarworld.com.
Feature
# 5
"Enlightenment in the New Age"
by Janaka
We live in a
time unique in our known history, where grace is available to all who but ask. What was
once true thousands of years ago when Krishna told Arjuna that only one in millions could
reach enlightenment, today, with time appearing sped up, enlightenment is on its way of
not becoming such a big deal.
What is enlightenment? Enlightenment is to be filled with
light, to be born/borne by light, to feel light, to realize one’s
lightness. To be in the place of enlightenment one becomes aware of one’s
Self, which, without judgment, is the witness of all that the individual
thinks, says, feels and acts throughout time.
Since the Self is the witness of the activities in time, it is therefore
untouched by Time and therefore timeless. There is only the simultaneous unfolding of the
NOW. When one becomes enlightened, one lives in a state of timelessness.
And since the Self is timeless and therefore eternal there is
no separation with the Godhead or ALL THAT IS. Thus there is no more
searching. The search has ended for the one who has become enlightened.
After all, it is a very heavy thing not to know one’s Self. Once one
stands in Self Awareness all the gravity of the world, of that search,
falls away, and a feeling of being light ensues.
Just as a child is not burdened by questions of who he or she
is, and so can play freely in the world; so once one becomes
enlightened, when one know one’s Self and no questions of the Self
remain, when no definitions or belief structures are needed to be held
onto to try to fit the Self into, then the enlightened one is a child
once again.
When you think about it, a definition is no more than a box. When one lives in
uncertainty because the Self is not known it is nice to have a little box to feel safe in.
The problem is is that that box becomes a dark coffin. To be alive one can have no box, no
matter how lofty of a definition--whether one is termed a saint, avatar, angel,
extraterrestrial, healer, yogi, etc.--because any definition, any box, will keep the light
out.
It is very difficult to keep out of boxes in the world of
three-dimensional reality. Matter is represented by the symbol of the
cube. Look around where you live and what does everyone live in? Cubes!
And people are constantly encasing friends, families, enemies, everyone,
into definitions: ‘Oh son, you are a good student.’ ‘He’s a
great football player.’ ‘He is an evil man.’
`To be enlightened is to be free of definitions, to be free
of the finite. ‘My son does well at school.’ ‘He scored three
touchdowns.’ ‘He murdered many people.’ Regarding the action does
not lock one into definitions. Instead it allows for one to just meet
the action in appropriate ways.
No matter what I do it is not who I AM. Who I AM is so limitless, so
magnificent, that no box could I fit into. Yet who I AM expresses my Self in the physical
world in countless ways, with some predominating. To be enlightened is to be merged with
the Self so that all actions can be viewed without judgment, just like the sun that
continues to shine upon everyone--sinner and saint alike.
This concept is difficult for humans locked into three-
dimensional reality and its linear time structure. One will take the
Hitlers and Stalins and then the masters and saints and say these
personalities are bad and these are good. But for one who sees from the
eyes of the Self one sees all lives as simultaneous, each full of a
multitude of actions. Just as the hero in Herman Hesse’s novel, ‘Siddartha’,
came to his realization that all of the river is the great OM, from its
little trickling at the beginning to its great finale when it reaches
the sea; the Self sees both the beginning and the end.
To the Self existence is a learning experience, not to become
worthwhile--that makes no sense to the Self who is always aware of its
divinity--but for the pure joy of learning or becoming. Like the child’s
pure joy of learning before he or she begins to get judged by grades. It
is a creative process. To be creative there cannot be a judge standing
over one’s shoulder. That is like doing a painting where every time
you make a mistake you get whacked on the hand. You definitely will not
create anything worthwhile. Instead, you will get a piece that follows
certain rules that the judge favors, very controlled, and absolutely no
fun in its making.
To be enlightened the world seems like a wonderfully large canvass, free to be
painted upon by whichever colors and forms the Self wants to experience. There is no
judge.
Now, of course, one cannot be free of judgment when one is
locked to the definition that one is a body that is born and will die.
By that definition anybody who takes away another person’s existence
is very horrible indeed. Not to mention God who seems to do it everyday.
However, when one discovers that one is nothing more than energy or
light, birth and death become obsolete terms. The physical is seen as
condensed light operating on a slower vibration or lower octave.
Everything vibrates and resonates with one another.
In the teachings of old, many teachers have tried to separate the spirit from
the body. But that is not true. The body is also energy and is a part of the energy of the
Self, of ALL THAT IS. As well as emotions and thoughts. There are no separations between
any of these. They are simply different manifestations of energy and vehicles with which
the Self expresses itSelf.
How to become enlightened? As there are multitudes of individuals so there are
multitudes of paths. Or so it appears. Yet the most important thing one can do is be your
Self. With so many awakening and helping, and so many in the invisible realms assisting,
the most important thing is wanting the Truth of the knowledge of who you are. Letting go
of all the fictitious veils of definitions. Breathe. Trace your thoughts back to the
Silence from which they arise. And be the infinite Space of that Silence.
Pray to God, pray to who you really are, the infinite Self and ask to know your
Self. Ask because you no longer want to experience the world of suffering that you
created, where you separated your little personality self from your infinite Self that can
only experience the world, itSelf, with love and joy. Do not run away from suffering;
otherwise it will chase you like a dog. Just want love and joy as your birthright. Be
around those who yearn for God, or better yet, embody God. Give yourself time each day to
sit quietly or to walk in nature, where you can listen and feel those invisible ones who
shine with the light you are. Relax and breathe, just like a woman giving natural birth,
and honor the process with loving acceptance.
And you will know that your Self is free; always has been; always will be.
Janaka is the author of "Footprints Along the Shore of an Incoming Tide:
Impressions of a Fellow Traveler" (ISBN:0595131026) and "Silent Ripples:
Parables for the Soul" (ISBN:0595130704)and is presently writing "The Teachings
of Yama: A Conversation with Death." He is a Waldorf teacher, artist, and gives
private consultations utilizing Advaita Vedanta, "A Course in Miracles" and the
tarot. He is also editior of The Bridging Heaven and Earth Journal at
www.heaventoearth.com. Janaka lives in Monterey, CA, and may be reached at 831-484-2354 or
e-mailed at janaka_om@yahoo.com.
Feature
# 6
"Suffering to Peace: The Unreal to the Real"
by Janaka
ALL
THE WORLD IS SUFFERING?
When I first read the words of the Buddha, "All the world is
suffering," I was trekking in Nepal. I remember sitting alone on a rock looking down
upon a Buddhist monastery, hearing the drones of their prayers, watching monks carry heavy
loads of food and logs. The day was beautiful, the air crisp, the near-by snow-covered
peaks towered majestically overhead. On such a day, feeling so alive, I could only laugh
at what the Buddha had said. "How could this beautiful, magnificent world be filled
with suffering? Did not the Buddha see the beauty of the world? Obviously, he must have
been very unhappy," I said to the faraway monks.
And off I continued on my adventure and into the future.
It was four years later, at the beginning of my partner's pregnancy, when she
was attacked in the middle of the night with a severe migraine, that his words, like the
metaphorical arrow he often used, struck my heart in their truth. It was in my partner's
pain and in my anguish over my helplessness that all doubt was removed about which
direction to turn. For in my mind's eye, as she screamed in agony, I saw her dead, and
experienced the sorrow of her passing. Though she recovered in the morning, my sorrow
remained; because I knew that she, like all things of this world, will pass. All those
people and things I considered my happiness I knew must go, and all that would be left in
their wake would be sorrow.
All things change. And the world is composed of things. No thing can be
changeless, for time whittles away anything it touches. No metal has been made to
withstand time. No mountain range will ever stand up to time. Even the Earth, the Sun, and
the Universe will one day dissolve. Relentless is time.
If we place our hopes, our happiness in anyone or anything, even if we attain
our desired end and hold onto it with all our might, time will wield its sword and the
objects of our desires will crumble in our bloody hands. All that is made of dust will
return to dust. What comes, must go.
THE BOWL
What makes a clay bowl a clay bowl? Obviously, the clay as well as the shape.
But it also has a taste, a texture, and perhaps a smell, and sound. However, being that
our eyes are things, or phenomenon, they see only things, or phenomenon. This holds true
for every sense organ, each experiencing a different aspect of phenomenon. So when we come
to the bowl it is our senses which define the bowl.
Yet, there is also space. Inside the bowl as well as without. Without that
space the bowl cannot exist as a bowl. Without the inside space the bowl could contain
nothing. Without the outside space there would be no place to be and it would have no
separation from any other object, and thus no definition.
But space is something we ignore. For it is nothing-no thing. Being that our
senses cannot make contact or experience space (it is only by observing gaps between
objects do we through our senses notice space), and because our senses have become our
guides, we simply ignore space.
We are only interested in objects. We see (sight is the favored sense of modern
times) only the forms-not what's inside, nor the common space outside all forms.
Focusing on the form we then come to beginnings and ends, creation and
destruction, life and death. And so arise questions and theories, theology and science.
Ramana Maharshi, a modern sage of India, when asked about reincarnation, life after death,
and other such metaphysical matters, like the Buddha, seldom indulged in such
speculations. However, one analogy he would use would be of the bowl. The bowl when moving
point to point appears to carry the space within it. Yet, in truth, it is only the bowl
moving through space and space not moving at all. And when the bowl becomes shattered and
destroyed, the space remains as it has been and always will be.
SPACE/CONSCIOUSNESS
Space is another term for Consciousness: The space that surrounds and fills any
object, no matter how subtle, that can be perceived. Consciousness is the space around and
within the objects perceived by the sixth sense or the space around and in the objects
perceived by the mind, the ideas and thoughts. It is the space around and within the mind
itself. And it is the space within space and around space.
To become aware of space or Consciousness is not as simple as it might
immediately sound. Remember, if space is perceived-by any sense organ, the psychic organ,
or the mind organ-then it has become an object, and thus exists space around and within
it. It cannot be touched, seen, smelt, tasted, heard or thought of. It can only be
experienced. Yet once the thought of the experience arises, space shifts to the background
and the object of thought presides. The transitory is once more focused upon.
THE POINT ON FOCUSING ON THE POINTLESS?
Why bother with all this talk of space? If its just talk there is no point.
Then it becomes only more intellectual stuff, more intellectual phenomenon. Yet, there is
a point to experience it. If what the Buddha said is true, that striving to attain the
transitory things of the world will in the end result only in suffering, then it is wise
to find That which is permanent--the Infinite.
Instead of discussing metaphysics, debating on whether God or Goddess exists or
not, or how did creation arise, or what happens to the soul after death, or whether the
world is illusion or real, etc., etc. All of these questions--being that they are
questions--are simply of the mind. They are conjectures. It is like the famous poisoned
arrow of the Buddha. Does one try to figure out the composition of the arrow when one's
heart is impaled by it, asking from where it came, why and how it was made, who made it;
etc.? Or does one just pull it out?
Becoming aware of space or Consciousness one becomes aware of the changeless,
the Infinite. By becoming aware of the Infinite as our true nature, sorrow ceases to be.
For the Infinite or space cannot be touched. Nothing can be taken away from It. Nor can
anything be added unto It. It encompasses all things and is within all things. There is no
fragmentation. Only wholeness. Only One. Only when there is a second can there be pain.
Ramana Maharshi used repeatedly the analogy of the cinema screen. Whatever
movie is played upon the screen, whether a movie of lovers, the life of a saint, or a
bloody war, the images can never affect the screen. The screen is Consciousness. By being
aware of the screen as Oneself, as the only Reality, one is no longer moved by the world,
the film. One no longer attempts to hold onto the images for one's happiness, nor does one
become afraid of the images.
Only the Infinite becomes meaningful.
HOW TO BECOME AWARE OF THE INFINITE?
The problem with the question is that it is the finite self asking how to
become the Infinite Self. Or the imperfect self that must always evolve, growing into the
Perfect One that never needs to grow.
It cannot be done.
The Infinite or Consciousness is always present. Being Infinite there is no
time when Consciousness is not. Therefore, the only way to become aware is to be present.
To be here and now. Nothing needs to be added; no new powers to be gained; no good deeds
to be done. Simply, it is the removal of ignorance-the ignorance that the Divine is out
there.
As Ramana emphasized: Find the root of ignorance. Remove that and the Self will
be known.
Where is the root? The root of ignorance is in the mind. It is the belief that
one is finite and separate. It is the thought: I am this; I am that. The mind always
objectifies and defines, placing everything in a box. And by objectifying it ignores
space, the Infinite. The mind drifts into the past in search of objects of recollections,
and a procession of thoughts will arise like kicked-up dust. Then the mind jumps into the
future seeking objects of possibilities, and thoughts emerge in streams of probabilities.
Never does the mind sit and focus on the present, on just being; for the mind is nothing
but a collection of thoughts gathered through experience. And thoughts are phenomenon.
They come and go, moving through time.
It is by quieting the mind, ignoring all thoughts and recognizing that they are
meaningless that Consciousness will be found. Ramana stressed the importance of
self-inquiry as a method to reach That. Being that the mind is nothing more than a
collection of thoughts, self-inquiry is a technique of tracing the thoughts as they arise
back to their Source. The mind is turned inward by asking :"To whom do these thought
arise?" The next response of the mind is: "To me." Then asking: "Who
am I?" The true answer is no answer. It is silence. It is space. It is not an
affirmation I am God or I am an angel or I am That, etc. For an affirmation is strictly
mental. This is the last attempt of the mind trying to stay alive.
Even the subtlest of mind, that which is perceiving the silence or void, must
go by asking the question: "Who is perceiving the silence? I am. Who am I?" Only
when the inquiry cannot arise, is one there. The space within and around space.
Only then, when we have realized the Infinite, is our true nature known. By
holding onto the Real will true peace be attained. For by being Infinite there is nothing
to be gained, no desires to be satiated, no cravings of the mind to burn. And by being
Infinite fear has ceased, because no thing exists outside.
All is but the Self. One without a second.
Janaka is the author of "Footprints Along the Shore of an Incoming
Tide: Impressions of a Fellow Traveler" (ISBN:0595131026) and "Silent Ripples:
Parables for the Soul" (ISBN:0595130704)and is presently writing "The Teachings
of Yama: A Conversation with Death." He is a Waldorf teacher, artist, and gives
private consultations utilizing Advaita Vedanta, "A Course in Miracles" and the
tarot. He is also editor of The Bridging Heaven and Earth Journal at
www.heaventoearth.com. Janaka lives in Monterey, CA, and may be reached at 831-484-2354 or
e-mailed at janaka_om@yahoo.com.
Feature
# 7
"Will
Clones Have Souls?"
The Spiritual Future of
Artificial Intelligence
by Michael Levy
There
is much controversy today over the cloning of human beings. Scientists
have successfully cloned sheep and other animals and it can only be a
matter of time before we have walking, talking replicas of ourselves. I
am not getting into the discussion of whether it is wrong or right, for
that will be a debate that will rage for a long time to come. Science
and religion have always been at loggerheads with each other. There is
no wrong or right and many wars are caused by strong beliefs that rely
on the ego's view of the world. The only truth is spirit's truth, not
just the stand-alone human ego.
The Question here is will a clone have a soul?
I asked this question recently on a spiritual forum and the views of
some very well respected spiritual folks were quite mixed. I concluded
that it all depends on how we define a soul and who we think we are.
These are deep probing questions and many philosophers of the past have
come up with a variety of answers, but humanity as a whole has not
settled on any one answer to date.
So what is the answer. Lets look into the future and take one scenario:
A person by the name of Will is fifty years old and lives as an atheist.
Will has undergone many cosmetic surgeries for vanity. Does Will have a
soul? Of course he does; right? He may not recognize God, but that does
not mean God does not exist. Atheists may not know if they have a soul,
that does not mean they do not have one.
Now Will is very wealthy and decides he would like a clone of himself so
his image is left behind after he dies. The clone is made and is
physically identical to how Will looked when he was young -all natural
with no cosmetic surgery. The clone studies hard, grows up very
religious and becomes a priest. Does the minister not have a soul? Will
God disown the minister? Who is to cast the first stone? Is the
"Will" of God the same as the "Will" of the clone?
What about the advancement with microchips? Very soon we will have
robots that can think for themselves. Maybe solar powered, or they may
even be powered by inhaling oxygen. Science fiction is fast becoming
science reality. Androids may well look just like humans, but that is
artificial life and a machine will not have a soul – or will it? It
may well be the machines become more intelligent than humans and we are
ruled by them. Extreme thoughts though possible sometime in the future.
Now more than ever folks need to understand who they are and the reason
they exist. If we go through life with no idea of who we truly are, we
will get more and more lost in the high-tech revolution. We need a sound
foundation to build our lives upon.
Every life-form contains a soul, and even a clone will have a soul once
the breath of life is infused into the body. We will never be able to
know who was born and who is a clone. Spirit is in all life and those
that want to think humans have an exclusive contract with spirit will
feel anger and hatred towards a cloned human, if they can distinguish
one from a naturally created human. Many folks will say a clone has no
soul therefore is not really human.
Many folks think they are superior to a dog or cat. Many folks believe
animals don't possess a soul. All this blind "dogma" has been
programmed in humans for thousands of years. That is why most folks
can't be happy. They have to guard their possessions and many humans
believe that they possess God exclusively of all other species of life.
Some even go so far as to think some other humans are not in God's camp
at all. Many different tribes of thought, lined up in divisions of ego's
blind thinking and so much time wasted worrying and hating others.
Oh! by the way, did I mention genetic engineering? I heard today they
can put genes in our foods to make us fit and well. Maybe also to
control our minds in case we feel like rioting against the clones..?
Athletes are experimenting with all kinds of stuff to make them compete
faster. One-hundredth of a second can mean the difference of big money
sponsorship, and athletes will try anything to make themselves winners.
The latest thing I read was wasp juice from the larvae of killer hornets
gives a big boost. Some seek a menu of caterpillar fungus, seal penis
and extract of sea horse. How lip-smackingly scrumptious!
With such competition in sports, it will not be long before gene therapy
is introduced and injected into sports folk. We will be able to
tailor-make our bodies. No need of the surgeon's scalpel. So we will
re-manufacture a human being to suit a trend. We will become designer
beings. Stem cells are cloned cells so many humans will be injected with
cloned cells. Does this mean they will lose their soul? The
possibilities of modern science boggles the mind. The cures for many
diseases maybe just a few years away. No illness means longer lives. Can
the planet cope with a population explosion?
This is just a brief glimpse into the future. What would folks say who
lived two hundred years ago and could comment on today's lifestyles?
Whatever will be will be. Science will advance and humans will survive
in spite of their ego selves.
The moments of life are precious and few. We are put on earth to enjoy
our lives and what wonderment there is to see a sunrise, to hear the
birds sing, to gaze at a sunset. The free things in life are enough.
Simplicity in all things is the answer in any era. Everything else is
just the icing on the cake. How big a slice do we need?
Remember: Enjoy life and don't fret about so-called advancements. All is
perfection in the soul's world and that is the real eternal world. We
are all souls together and NOTHING CAN ALTER SPIRIT.
We all need to recognize we are the energy that drives the motor, we are
not the motor. We are the energy that feeds the mind, we are not the
mind. We are the energy that feeds the thoughts, we are not the
thoughts. We take a ride on the carousel of life, but we must remember
not to go round so fast or it will make us sick and dizzy. The seesaw
makes for one down and one up and we don't want others down at our
expense. Best we all ascend in spirits' elevator together.
Michael's Articles and Poems are now on over 1500 web sites, journals and
magazines. His latest story has just been published in "Chicken Soup for the Jewish
Soul" He has appeared on hundreds of radio programs, Channel 4TV in the U K and
recently a live interview on NBC 6 in the USA . Michael was a recent guest on the Howard
Stern Show. He is a keynote guest speaker and was a guest lecturer (Finance, Health and
Inspiration) on the maiden transatlantic voyage of the Norwegian Sun. Michael's new book
"Invest With A Genius" was published on the 28th January 2002.
Contact for an Interview or book review.
Michael Levy
954 785 8439
mikmikl@aol.com
http://www.pointoflife.com
Fort Lauderdale.
Florida. 33308
Feature
# 8
"The
Nature of Spirit"
by The Goodfellowes (Channeled by
Tom Gabriel)
Greetings!
It is always our pleasure to communicate. It is what we do,
and most assuredly we enjoy it (or we wouldn't do it). But especially we enjoy, indeed we
love, communicating with you. Not you, humanity -- nor you, New Age seekers -- you, the
individual reading these words right now (including the channel, typing them into his
computer). We are aware of the impact of our communication. In ways we cannot
satisfactorily explain in your language, we know "what's going on" when our
thoughts translate into words and reach out to all who choose to read them.
Our chosen title, "The Nature of Spirit", is indeed
what we wish to speak of. For so long, particularly in the Western culture of your world,
spirit is widely and most popularly held to be something apart from your mundane
day-to-day existence, yes? Surely a most important and perhaps challenging aspect of your
existence, one to which most of you feel you should "give your best", but
something quite apart from mowing the lawn or speaking of sports scores to a neighbor, or
boasting of other kinds of scoring with the fellows (if you are a fellow) at the local
bar, certainly.
It is better, rarer, finer, something you don't want to sully
with ordinary or less than enlightened behavior, true?
No.
Spirit is everywhere. It is everything you do, everything you
think, everything you feel, everything you say. It might be better and more understandable
to say that there is nowhere spirit is not. Truly so!
Think about that the next time you tell a dirty, sexist joke, yes?
(And we don't only speak to the males here.) Well, maybe God will forgive you if you are a
nice person otherwise, or do some loving, special thing for someone, yes?
Except that God never said anything against dirty jokes. Even
the fundamentalists among you cannot point to a section of the Bible (not even the Old
Testament) where God says, "Thou shalt not tell dirty, sexist jokes." It just
isn't there. Maybe some of you feel it should be, or that it is implied by the general
tenor of the book, but you won't find it.
Now, who has decided that certain activities aren't spiritual?
And what are their standards for this? Usually, authority figures in a given church or set
of spiritual "believers" are the arbiters here, and the standard has something
to do with maintaining a certain -- um -- standard of personal behavior, as well as
furthering your spiritual growth. All good things, indeed! But there is something that
needs to be said here.
As spirit, as spirituality, is everywhere, nothing you do and
nowhere you go is not spiritual, that is to say, is not a part of your spirituality. It's
everywhere, because God (or as we prefer, Source/Goddess/God) is everywhere. It's in all
that you do, because God is in all that you do. Apply that equally to all you think, feel,
say, etc., and you begin to get the picture.
"What, do you mean because I'm God, that God likes
dirty jokes? God is apart from those things, He doesn't even think about them."
Oh, yes you do.
But let us move forward into a slightly more appropriate
discussion. If, as we have implied, Source/Goddess/God is in everything (and this is so),
that means that God is "doing it all", doesn't it? Surely all the beauty and art
and joy and laughter in the world -- but indeed, all the war, suffering, and death, too!
God is causing all of it!
And God is also feeling all of it.
And God is also seeing all of it and, personified by yourselves in
greater and greater numbers, is looking hard at it all and asking why it has to be this
way -- and not getting very many useful answers.
You see, having God apart from all that is happening in your
world is perhaps convenient for those of you who feel you have something to hide, or who
have something you want to "get away with doing", but in the end it is playing
hide-and-seek with yourself, which is a perfectly ridiculous game on the surface of it,
except that this is just what you -- and You -- are doing!
It rather gives a whole new meaning to the phrase,
"you can run, but you can't hide", yes? When you're the cop as well as the
criminal, you're already caught, indeed. But why should you be either one?
Why should you feel that there is something in you that needs to be
caught, or punished, or ridiculed?
We will tell you that the very act of thinking it
makes it true, because you are a piece of God, and you create it so. You are more powerful
than you believe, and because you do not believe it, your power is -- and we don't mean to
be melodramatic here -- out of control.
We don't mean to suggest that there should be no
standards of behavior, no ethics or codes of conduct -- indeed, the more enlightened you
become, the more you will see the necessity for enlightened self-interest, and you will
see your Self everywhere, in everything.
This is a much better basis for treating yourselves,
others, and your planet with respect and love than an arbitrary system of rewards and
punishments, even if, at your present level of awareness, you feel you need such a system.
It is always possible to move on, no matter who says you're unworthy or not ready.
You can be worthy -- and ready -- in the blink of an
eye. All you have to do is truly give up the idea that you are not, and start living your
life that way, give up the stagnation of self-judgment and embrace the creativity, the
fun, and the joy of self-realization.
You are God. You forgot that you were -- for a very
divine purpose -- but we can tell you that it is time for you to start remembering again.
You will not lose the beauty and diversity of your humanity when you do remember --
rather, you will fulfill it. As you were never apart from God, so shall you begin to
realize now your oneness with God. It has always been.
It is now for you to real-ize it. And it can be
terrifically creative, fun, joyous, challenging, and beautiful. You get to call the shots,
so that is how it can be, contrary to all the beliefs about the suffering and pain and
hardships that await you on the "spiritual path".
You have never been off that path. It would be an
impossibility to be so. But now you get to own being on it! (Big difference -- bigger than
you realize. It changes EVERYTHING.) And once you own it, you get to create "how it
is". And we can tell you that most of you are disillusioned with the arduous,
difficult, painful way of old, absolutely.
Why on earth (or elsewhere) would God want to beat
him/herself up once she/he knows who he/she is? That is the point at which God begins to
rejoice, and to recreate the world in which She has forgotten Herself into the Paradise He
knows it can be.
That, dear friends, is what you are about right now.
We wish you well, knowing that you will do well, and we wish you love, knowing that that
is what you will discover.
Have a good time!
Feature
# 10
"What
is Love"
by Allan
Hardman
Many of us have heard
the rather believable story that Eskimos of the far north have a very large
number of words for snow and ice. This makes sense to us, since anyone living
or working in a specialized environment would be likely to create a language
that helped them communicate about their experiences.
Given that idea, have you noticed how few words we have in the English
language for "Love?" My Thesaurus lists 13, including many love-lite
words like "fondness" and "warmth." Is it possible that we
do not have a large vocabulary of words for love because we do not live in an
environment (of love) where we need a special language?
We use "love" for just about everything: "I love your new hair
color." "I love chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream." "I
love you." "I love to ski." "I love it when you are nice
to me." "Do you love me?" Some authors have attempted to add
more precise words to our daily language, like "agape,"
"Eros," and "familial," but I have never heard anyone
speak them out loud.
So just what is this "love" thing? What are we talking about, and
can we refine our understanding and language as a way to actually learn to
love each other and ourselves more authentically?
I believe that we are born as Love. Imagine with me that there is a Creator of
some sort, and that Creator exists on the unmanifest side of the veil of
creation-- and we live on the manifest side. Let us also imagine that this
Creator is Life itself, or the Essence of Unconditional Love. If that Creator
wanted those of us on this side of the veil to have the experience of the pure
love that exists on the unmanifest side of the veil, what better channel to
create than a new born baby? You, born as one of those channels, came here to
this manifest reality with no stories, no judgments or opinions, no politics,
and no agenda about anything. When your mother bent over your crib to lift you
to her bosom, I doubt that what was going through your mind was "Jeez,
mom, who did you hair? Bad, very bad!"
As that infant, you were the embodiment of Life Without Expectations. And
everyone wanted to pick you up, look you in the eye, and hold your eye contact
for as long as possible. If you turned away, they tried to bring your
attention back with all sorts of strange noises and facial contortions. They
saw, unconsciously, that you were that channel of love, and they wanted to
bask in your non-judgmental openness. They wanted to drink at your Fountain of
Love. (Now as adults, of course, eye contact is strictly limited to brief
glances, except for extreme flirting moments).
So there you are, the channel for Creator's delight, pouring your
unconditional acceptance into the world. And everybody is eating it up like
starving souls at a free banquet. And you don't even know what you are doing,
because you don't know anything yet. You are just pure presence, existing,
being Life itself.
Unfortunately, this Paradise cannot exist for very long. Like the story of
Adam and Eve, the time comes when you must eat from the fruit of the tree of
knowledge, and learn about good and evil, and right and wrong. In the Toltec
tradition of Miguel Ruiz, we call this process "Domestication." It
is the duty of the parents, and then the society, to teach you the rules of
their game: The Dream of the Planet. It is hard to teach you anything when you
are basking in the glory of Your Divine Oneness, so they insist you make a new
agreement with them. They require that you believe they are the source of
love, not you. You also agree that the Creator who sent you is not the source.
You learn that love is a commodity, you need it to survive, and it is somewhat
scarce. Further, you agree to be good, and not bad, in order to receive your
share of this love commodity. You learn to be afraid that love will be
withdrawn from you, as punishment for being bad. (Note that this is simply the
way of the world, I am not saying it is wrong).
This is the day that Adam and Eve left the Garden, and went forth and
suffered, knowing their guilt and shame... and fearing God.
As the domestication continued, you made more and more agreements with
parents, clergy, teachers, friends, Santa Claus and God, about what it meant
to be Good, and how to secure your share of the commodity of love and
acceptance. You learned to domesticate yourself, to assure that you would
always win the approval of those who controlled the grades, the jobs, the
romance, the money, the applause, and, finally, the epitaphs.
If you are reading this, I assume that something different is stirring and
awakening in you. Perhaps that something is your nature, your birthright as
that channel that is still alive in you (although a little clogged up with old
agreements and beliefs). I believe your nature is to pour that pure love into
this manifest world. If I am right, then I encourage you to remember this
truth about yourself-- that you are still that channel, and nothing has
changed except your awareness of it.
The love that flows through that channel is pure acceptance. With no judgments
or opinions or resistance to Creation, there is nothing left but the
acceptance of what is. Have you ever had the experience of someone accepting
you totally the way you are? Is that not the best feeling? Would you not describe that experience as feeling
purely and completely loved? This love that is acceptance has no expectations
or conditions. It needs nothing in return, and requires no response. You
cannot bargain for this Love, and you also can never run out of it. The
channel is connected to the Infinite Divine Source. That should be enough love
for one lifetime!
So what is Love? I am suggesting to you here that love is your nature, your
birthright. I am reminding you that love coming out of you as acceptance of
what is offers you a connection with Life and the Creator as the Divine Source
that can fill your heart with a joy and abundant happiness that can never be
taken away from you. This love is here, right in this moment, underneath the
fear and doubt from your domestication. It is that infant in you, open and
innocent. It is you. It is the I AM, that which is eternally present in all of
Creation. Sure, go ahead and "love" your new car or your new
romantic interest. Love this web site. And love Life. Love yourself; because
you are Life! You are Love.
Open the channel. Celebrate it, celebrate you!
Dance with joy in Life.
There is only this.
Allan is a spiritual
counselor and teacher personally trained by don Miguel Ruiz, author of The
Four Agreements. Through his unique expression of Ruiz teachings, Allan
developed a powerful road map to Personal Freedom and established a thriving
online community for Toltec apprentices and seekers. Over the years, his
teaching has continued to evolve and he now assists people with depression,
addictions, and relationship issues. Allan travels extensively
throughout the United States conducting workshops and leads Power Journeys to
Peru and Mexico. He lives and manages his business,joydancer.com,in
Santa Rosa, California. http://www.joydancer.com
Feature
# 11
"The
New Kingdom"
Behold the great key-keeper of the age has turned the
key;
the mighty gates fly wide and all who will may greet the
King. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
the King.
Take heed! Be strong in mind; be pure in heart; be
vigilant in
helpfulness; the kingdom is at hand."
Jesus, the Piscean Avatar.
Just behind the face of this world and its humanity
awaits a new reality, a reality of untainted beauty and light. It has been given
many names but is known equally by all who can feel and recognise its purity. It
is the Promised Land descending from the heavenly realms, the long-promised
return to Earth of the Kingdom of Souls.
This new sphere of life is presently still subtle in the
world but will, over time, become more and more tangibly apparent to all who
have prepared themselves to receive its light by co-vibrating with its purpose.
It will become more and more visible to those who, through their selfless
consecration and divine yearning, have cultivated the inner vision with which to
perceive it.
The new reality is not of this world and so is
completely unaffected and untouched by the sufferings, the pains and the
struggles of earthly life. It contains no duality in which to swing back and
forth in endless polarity. It is free from the extremes of light and dark, right
and wrong, good and bad, and all the other pairs of opposites that perpetually
toss mankind's consciousness from left to right, and which have for ages bound
the mass of humanity to the pendulum of restlessness and suffering.
This approaching sphere of light possesses ethers that
are clean and bright, new and vital. It is catalyzing on Earth a higher level of
consciousness that vibrates closer to the Universal Harmony. Like a divine Sun
its sacred nature is inherent within each and every outgoing energy-stream that
radiates forth from its heart, blessing, purifying, unifying and vitalizing all
beings, liberating mankind from the trammels and struggles of mundane existence
in merciful benediction. As this divine Light returns to Earth, extending its
grace to all as was long ago promised, it gently invites humanity to enter into
its healing, protective sphere, embracing souls in its warmth and love before
again leaving this world with them for Freedom's shores. This reality is today
shimmering forth just beyond the clouds of Earthly perceptions and
preoccupations, preparing to lift those who are able to receive it upwards into
ever greater experience and realisation of the Truth, which it so perfectly
embodies.
As time passes and man and his planet approach the end
of an age, this approaching Light is progressively penetrating the densities of
our world, irresistibly permeating even the grossest, darkest corners of the
Earth. Moving from the inner planes outwards, the new Kingdom of Light dispels
the shadows of this world. The radiance of the leading periphery of this divine
sphere is presently only to be experienced within the upper regions of human
awareness: some of the higher levels of being that inform and sustain this world
and its humanity. Those whose focus is primarily upon the material plane and
their own needs and problems do not possess the inner faculty required to
perceive the growing presence of the new reality in its earlier stages of
manifestation. It therefore remains invisible to the unaware, yet it is
affecting all life on Earth.
For millennia visionaries and spiritually aware people
have anticipated the arrival of this new and higher order of life, but it is
only today in these times that it is slowly but surely making its presence felt.
We are emerging from a great planetary cycle and entering a new era, and the
complete renewal of this world and human race is imminent. A new world is being
born on both inner and outer levels of the Earth, the planetary phoenix is
rising from the ashes of the old world. The advent of the new world is now close
enough for sensitive hearts to feel something of its reality and proximity, to
hear its pure tones, to sense its sweet cadences. It is a whispering promise of
Home, and from beyond the general human perception, behind the appearances and
illusions of this world, it calls to all mankind.
Presently small glimpses of the approaching new reality
may be had, as if through clear, bright windows or portals that occasionally
appear. Those who are sensitive and intuitive are beginning to perceive with
greater clarity and awe through the thinnest parts of the veil that surrounds
the Earth plane, directly into the sphere of eternal Life itself. They are able
to feel its holy breath, hear its call, respond to it and so prepare themselves
for the greater Revelation and Grace to come. Such glimpses are generally brief
and fleetin |
