Channelings...
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Musings

Carrie Hart channels a higher being- and Quado. see carriehart.com

 

There is a high wall in front of you.  It has always been there.  It goes so high, you cannot even see the top.  And you believe that this wall stands between you and all that you desire.  You think that this is the wall of your failings and shortcomings and that if you could somehow cut it down to size you would be able to reach your dreams.  You think that you must become other than what you are, must improve, in order to deserve what is on the other side, in order to earn it. 

 

But you misunderstand, for this is the wall of I Am.  This is the wall of your greatness, just as you are, just as all is.  You do not need to climb it and you certainly do not need to make it smaller, for your greatness cannot be made smaller.  You need only to recognize your greatness, recognize that your power is fully expressed within you just as you are.  You need only see that this wall is permeable, that you can simply step into it.

 

And what happens when you do this, when you step into your own greatness?  You expand.  You expand up into the limitless heights of being, while still being you, just as you are.  You simply step into what you have seen as a barrier and recognize it instead as yourself, right now.  In this moment, with everything exactly as it is, you are fully capable of stepping into your greatness.

 

It requires only that you see that this great barrier is no barrier at all.  It requires only that you accept that this was an illusion and that there was only your illusion separating you from all that you wished to accomplish.

 

Reach in your hand.  See how it is not solid at all.  Now step in.  Feel the wall.  Become one with it.  Feel its power, surging through you.  Feel how, here in this wall of greatness, the wall of I Am, that you are fully expanded and expressed, unlimited. 

 

Feel here that you are the beauty of the angels’ song, the sparkling wonder of the brightest star, the kiss of the gentle breeze and the roaring power of the ocean waves.  You are all of this, because you are all that is, expressed as you, just as you are, exactly now.

 

Now, step all the way through the wall.  Step into the garden of life and see that you can live here as an expanded being, fully empowered.  And if you begin to feel any doubt or fear, you can simply step back into the wall of greatness and empower yourself again.

 

You are this.  You are power.  You are life unending.  You are love and beauty fully expressed.  You are, in fact, God made flesh.  This is who you are.

2008 is the year of power, personal power, the power to create your life unhindered by fear and doubt, the power to come fully into yourself, reach your deepest core and shine out with all you are.

 

As the last year was a year of transition and often confusion, so the coming year is one of clarity and an explosion of power into your life.  As prior years have been years of growth and learning, discovery and exploration, so this coming year is one of expression of all you have learned, full self-expression using the talents that have been created through your learning as well as those that have long lain dormant.

 

This is the year of power.  This is the year of expression.  This is the year of freedom.

 

And all of this is yours through the connection you have with the great all, with your own godliness, with the energy within you that ties to the great source of all energy.  You do not need to earn this; it is yours.  You do not even need to learn this; it is yours as a natural part of your being.  You cannot help but be one with the power.  It is simply so.

 

All you need to do, right now, is acknowledge it, feel it, own it.  You do, in fact, know what you want out of life.  You do, in fact, know your deepest dreams.  And these dreams are to use the talents and characteristics that are within you.  They are there for that reason.  They are there finally to be acknowledged and utilized as a part of your full self-expression.

 

And so, claim this power.  Claim your life.  Claim your inheritance, your birthright, to be a fully-expressed and powerful human being, walking this earth with purpose, each step guided by the light of love, the pathway ahead sparkling with infinite possibility and the great and unending grace of God flooding down upon you as you walk.

 

See the glow within you, the spark of divine presence that is you.  See yourself glowing brighter and brighter, glowing with the goodness and godliness that you are.  See how that glow extends out and out, further and further, until it light up the world.

 

And from this space and this place, create your life.  Pull out that dusty old dream, the one that seems too big, the one that everyone says is impossible, yet still the one that makes your heart beat faster.

 

Take it out and give it power; give it light and energy.  Now let it go, fully charged and burning bright, and watch it ascend into the sky, up and up, until it is a star to light your life, hanging up in the firmament, ready to guide you each step of the way.

 

Connect with that star.  Feel and see the bond that reaches from that star down to you.  Feel that you and your star are one and the same.  Feel that you have within you all the power of the brightest star in the sky, all the power of all that is, the true godliness of creation, all within you.

 

And now, stand tall and reach your hand up to the night sky.  Point your finger at your star and see the lightning flash out.  Hear the thunder answer.  Let your power flash out in wonder and glory as you declare yourself clearly and fully:  I am!  I am!

 

This is your year to be guided by this star, letting each step expand your light and lift you higher.  This is the year to shine out in freedom and godliness, shining as brightly as your star shines in the sky.

 

The time is here.  Say it aloud, say it with power, say it because it is true:  I am!

 

Spiritual Energy- from David Spangler
DAVID SPANGLER - SPIRITUAL ENERGY

Many of you will know the affection and respect I have for the Seattle based author & teacher  David Spangler. What follows is his latest newsletter. If you want to be on his list, visit www.lorian.org 

A friend of mine wrote to me recently and commented that we needed to "bring spiritual energies into the world situation." I heartily agreed. But later I got to thinking, just what was I agreeing to?

What are spiritual energies?

This is one of those concepts that we use and assume that everyone knows what we mean. And I think on the whole we do have an intuition about what spiritual energies are. We may well agree that whatever else they are, spiritual energies are good and helpful and thus to be desired. On the other hand, what you mean by this phrase and what I mean by it may not be the same. To one person, bringing spiritual energies into the world may mean converting people to a particular faith or belief, while to another it may mean something more intangible and subtle, a kind of vibrational uplift.

I don't intend to produce a definition of spiritual energies that will satisfy all people under all circumstances. Mrs. Spangler didn't raise her little ol' boy child to be that presumptuous—or stupid! But I would like to share my own thought process as I considered just what this concept means to me; perhaps you will find it helpful and stimulating to your own thinking.

One way to think about spiritual energies is to put them into a category like "Washington apples," "Idaho potatoes," or "French wines." This is to say, they are energies that come from a particular locality or source. If they come from "spirit," they are "spiritual energies." If they come from the world, they are, well, "world energies." OK, that makes sense. It's certainly a simple and satisfying way to look at it. Until, that is, I begin to ask, "What is spirit?"

My mother and father are both in the non-physical realms, having died some years ago. If I receive energy from them, is that spiritual energy? They are, after all, spirits in a sense. What about energy from an invisible nature spirit. Is that spiritual energy? Or how about a blessing from an angel, or even (let's go all out) an archangel? Surely that must be spiritual energy! But then, what about energy from the Sacred?

In other words, what part of the non-physical realms is the source of "spiritual energy." All of it? Some of it? Some levels but not other levels? What makes one layer of being capable of expressing spiritual energy and not another layer?

Thus there are problems when I define spiritual energy by source. For one thing, we use the word "spiritual" in two distinct ways that are often confused. It can mean "holy," "uplifting," and "life-affirming," or it can mean "not physical" or "not material." For many people, if it isn't made up of matter or doesn't have a body, it's a spirit and thus spiritual. But just as all French wines are not alike in quality or taste, and some Washington apples are good for cooking but not necessarily for eating raw, not all non-physical manifestations or energies are uplifting or life-affirming. Is a haunting spiritual?

A Granny apple has a different taste from a Pippin, a Macintosh or a Honeycrisp. A merlot is different from a champagne. Given all the different kinds of energies we might experience, what "flavor" is a spiritual energy? How do we distinguish it, if not by its source? Here is where the effect of an energy, what it does to us, for us, or within us, is important.

So far, I've been focusing on the word "spiritual," but the word "energy" is also equally undefined in this context. What, after all, is a spiritual energy? What is energy anyway?

In physics, energy has a very clear definition. It's a measure of the capacity to do work. Or put another way, its a measure of the capacity to promote or produce an effect. Energy makes things happen.

What work does spiritual energy measure? What does it make happen?

Here I am helped in my deliberations by a quick trip to my dictionary. It tells me that the word spirit comes from a Latin root meaning "to breathe." Spirit is the power to breathe, or in a broader sense, the power to animate and to give life. It is the energy of life. Spirit makes life happen. Life is the effect of spirit. And life here means more than just biological existence. It means the whole measure of possibility, wholeness, relationship, emergence, creativity, and potential that any organism may possess—and humans more than most. To breathe is to provide the energy that makes thought possible, feeling possible, love possible, creativity possible, whole cultures and civilizations possible.

This puts me in mind of something Jesus said in the gospel of John, "I come that they may have life and have it abundantly." This seems to me an excellent example of what spiritual energies do: they promote and foster life and do so abundantly on all levels and in all ways that life may manifest.

This means several things to me. First, it means that spiritual energies make possible the expression and use of other kinds of energies, energies of the mind or the heart, of the body or of the soul. For all these other energies proceed from and express life. Second, spiritual energies quicken and enhance the capacities of life, not only to grow but to be whole and coherent, to connect, to relate, and to engage. Life is an integrated open system that produces energy and gives of itself. Spiritual energies enhance this capacity to be open and giving, to be alive.

Third, it means that spiritual energies refer to a function rather than to a source. The effect of spiritual energies is independent of the source of those energies. Water is necessary for life, but it doesn't matter whether the water comes from a lake, a river, a well, or a rain barrel. (Of course, the source of the water can affect its purity and its taste, but that's another matter…and a matter of taste!)

This means that spiritual energies don't have to come from, well, "spirit." They are not the sole province of the non-physical, transpersonal, transcendent realms. They can come from us. We as physical, incarnate, personal individuals can be generative sources of spiritual energy.

Fourth, spiritual energies don't have to look "religious" or transcendent. If the effect is to nourish life, to promote the conditions that help life prosper, and to empower someone to "have life abundantly," it is a spiritual energy. This could take the form of a smile, a hug, an act of courtesy, a moment of listening that helps another move through a stuck energy, a gift of kindness. The spiritual energy doesn't have to be "big," the kind that moves mountains and transforms whole nations. Helping a single heart or mind to be more open to the possibilities of life changes a world. We do ourselves and the universe a disservice when we think that spiritual energies must be spectacular, extraordinary, or dramatic.

Fifth, spiritual energies can and often do transcend limits, enabling us to go beyond boundaries, but they don't have to. I don't have to have unconditional love to express the spiritual energy—the life-affirming, heightening, quickening power—of love. If I can love only one person, and even that perhaps imperfectly and with limits, but my love still enhances the life of the other, am I not expressing a spiritual energy? I say this because I have seen people beat themselves up emotionally and mentally for "not being spiritual enough," when in fact within the limits of their capacities in the moment, they are acting in loving and empowering ways. After all, my well may not be very deep and the water from it not as pure and tasty as some, but it can still sustain life, and I can still give it freely.

Liberating the idea of spiritual energies from a purely transcendental or transpersonal context—and from the expectation they need to be extraordinary—is part of the teaching of incarnational spirituality. It let's me understand "spiritual energies" in a broader, accessible context. Then when someone says, "We need to bring more spiritual energies to the earth," I don't need to feel I have to be a spiritual Olympian to do so or depend on non-physical beings to do the work. The flow of spiritual energy into the world may begin with me, right now, just as I am, in the welcoming smile I give a stranger or the helping hand I offer a neighbor.

David Spangler  www.lorian.org

Dec Newsletter
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: archive newsletters

Dec 2007 Free e-newsletter From Rachael Hertogs Archive newsletters can be found at http://angel-healing.tripod.com These last couple have months have been one heck of a journey for me. My fathers health started to decline rapidly towards the end of October and he passed away with his family around him on the 4th November, so in order to be kind to myself through this grieving period I postponed my Reiki classes and workshops and took some time out from my client work. This ‘time out’ gave me a space in which to reflect and make some necessary changes.  I know I couldn’t have got through this difficult time without the support of my close family and friends and Reiki. On days when things felt incredibly dark, Reiki brought in some light and reminded me to take things easy and be really gentle with myself. I am so grateful to have had this wonderful gift/tool passed on to me and that I have the honour of passing it on to others. I’d also like to thank Yasmin (her site is www.moonology.com) who found my You Tube Meditation Videos and posted them on her web site- which has given my profile a boost- and added quite a few members to my newsletter list. Welcome all of you! If you haven’t seen me on You Tube- I’m here- http://uk.youtube.com/ReikiRachael Anyway- we approaching the Holiday Season (although I must admit it doesn’t quite feel like I’m in it yet!)  and it can be a stressful time for us- so when things feel too much remember to take a breath, find one thing to be grateful for in your life, go out side, look up at the blue sky and feel your body calm down – let nature heal you! It feels so nourishing to turn my attention toward gratitude, it’s easy to put taking care of ourselves and our bodies on the back burner while we are working, taking care of children, decorating and shopping for Christmas. During the holidays, I hope we take time each day to look at the sky, the trees, the moon, the excitement in a child's eyes and to do something loving for ourselves. May we all be kissed with the beauty and magic of this season! Oh yes, one last thing…I launched my Moon Times Website this month- as well as washable pads and Moon Time goodies- you may find some gifts for friends and family members…see www.moontimes.co.uk. Below I have added some ‘Green Holiday Tips’ to help you over the holiday period. Have a wonderful time and keep in touch, blessings and love Rachael xxx An affirmation for you: In this moment, I choose to live in the present. I choose to let go of the past and let tomorrow be for tomorrow. Reiki Classes:       Reiki I Class at the Centre for Whole Health, Bedminster starts Tues 15th Jan 1.30-3.30pm and runs over 6 weeks £150 (some concessions available -please ask)   Please book before 23rd Dec to secure a place What makes my Reiki classes different from others? Most Reiki Teachers run their courses over a weekend, attending a weekly class allows your body to adjust to the reiki energies at a gentle pace making the attunement process less of a 'clearing' and more of a mystical experience! further info or to book 9537765 email info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk     Reiki I - One to One Sessions to learn Reiki I can be arranged - please contact me for more information on this.   Reiki Shares- an opportunity to experience Reiki with other practitioners- for dates etc see http://reikishare.proboards38.com/   Feedback from my Reiki Classes has been "Reiki is an amazing life skill and I'm excited of how my life will develop" 'Rachael is enthusiastic, calm and down to earth in her style- which makes Reiki more accessible" "it was great to have the space to share our experiences and developments- rather like a healing group!" " "Reiki has helped me to manage my emotions, accept myself and my limitations and has given me a more positive outlook on life". FFI contact Rachael 9537765 or email info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk  www.rachaelhertogs.co.uk       Events:     Southville Xmas Fayre Saturday 15th Dec 12-4pm Beauley Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3   Your Community Clinic Making Alternative Therapies affordable and accessible!  www.yourcommunityclinic.com Therapies:  Aromatherapy, Back, Shoulder & Head Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy,  Thai Massage, Crystal Healing,  Ear Acupuncture, Facial Massages, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Reiki & Shiatsu     please call to pre-book a treatment - we also have gift vouchers available! ffi and bookings contact Rachael on 0117 9537765 email- info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk see web site for venues and dates www.yourcommunityclinic.com     Provide yourself with an opportunity for rest and enhance self esteem, feel more peaceful, content, positive and better able to cope with day to day stresses!   Your Community Clinic Presents Wellbeing in the Community   At Easton Community Centre 23rd Feb 1-4pm   FREE TASTER TREATMENTS Reiki, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Massage…   FREE WORKSHOPS Fit ball, Children’s Yoga, Dance, Permaculture/Growing Veggies, Healthy Eating…   Suitable for ALL ages!   FFI call Claire 07813064996 www.yourcommunityclinic.com Funded by Easton Neighbourhood Renewal         Tips: Winter Herbal Remedies     Cold and flu Tea 2 cups water 1 tablespoon Elderberries 1 tablespoon Elder flowers 1 tablespoon Yarrow 1 tablespoon Echinacea Put herbs along with two cups of water into stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let steep for one hour. Strain out the herbs, reheat and drink three cups a day at the very onset of cold or flu symptoms   Anti-Plague Pesto 2 cups olive oil 3 cups combination of 4 fresh herbs of the season: rosemary, sage, parsley, oregano, nasturtium, garlic chives, savoury, tarragon, chives, thyme ½ cup parsley 3 garlic cloves 4 tablespoons of nut of choice: pecans, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts or sunflower seeds 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ½ teaspoon sea salt Cut off and discard stems from the herbs. Put herbs and olive in the blender and blend until smooth. Add nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese a little at a time and mix until everything is blended together. Add extra olive oil until you have the consistency that you like. This is a delicious anti- bacterial food that will keep away colds and flu!   Cinnamon Ginger Tea 2 cups water 1 tablespoon ginger root 1 teaspoon cinnamon bark Simmer on low heat for ten minutes, strain the herbs out and enjoy two to three cups a day Symptom Specifics: Feeling chilled or catching a cold that is triggered by exposure to wind or cold weather Networking:         Transition Towns- http://transitiontowns.org/  This site is also the home of the Transition Network - the mission of our embryonic charity is to inspire, inform, support and train communities as they consider, adopt and implement a Transition Initiative. We're building a range of materials, training courses, events, tools & techniques, resources and a general support capability to help these communities. Check if there is a local Transition Group near you- or be inspired to start one!   Websites don't have to be expensive. They can cost as little as £50 to set up a simple one and are a great way to let people know about you and what you do. You can use them to promote your business or to share family photos with friends overseas.  Contact Lisa Cole -  info@nakedwebsite.co.uk   for more details.   And to Finish: a quote and some Green Holiday tips…         Whenever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter. -Bono   Green tips for the holidays: When you buy your Christmas supplies, consider buying delicious organic, locally produced or fairly traded products. Most supermarkets stock organic supplies and a choice of fairly traded tea, coffee, nuts and chocolate.  When you head into town to buy those Christmas presents, don’t forget to reuse old carrier bags you have lying around. Do you have to send Christmas cards? Personalised e-mails can be just as fun and equally effective. If you do purchase any, make sure they are made from recycled paper. Most charity shops sell a huge range of ethically produced Christmas cards. After Christmas recycle that pile of cards. You can take them to either Tesco stores or WHSmiths for recycling. This service is available from 3rd Jan and collected cards are sent to Woodland Trust for recycling. You can recycle your stamps too! Cut out stamps leaving a 3mm margin around each one, pop them in a bag and take them to your nearest Oxfam Shop. So much wrapping paper is wasted at Christmas. Often the bag the products came in is sufficient. Or you could consider wrapping presents in old magazines or comics for the children. Ensure any wrapping paper used is made from recycled paper. On the day, don’t rip open those beautifully wrapped presents from friends. Carefully remove the paper and use again for wrapping up presents, flower bouquets and wine bottles, making decorations or even covering books. 5 million Christmas trees are purchased every year. Remember, always ensure the tree comes from a sustainable forest…or buy a potted one with roots. Keep it cool and well watered and, after the festive season, you will be able to plant it outside and watch it grow. Don’t leave a huge pile of pine needles on your carpet, and get an artificial tree. They come in a range of designs and can be used year after year. If you have purchased any electrically goods, consider buying reusable batteries. It will reduce hazardous waste and save you some money too. Put on that wooly Christmas jumper and save money on your heating bill. Don’t throw all the food scraps in the bin, use them to create a compost heap, it will do wonders for your garden. The UK produces a 3 million tonne festive waste mountain each Christmas. To avoid this, try to recycle or reuse all your paper, glass, plastic and aluminium. If you can’t replant your Christmas tree, household waste recycling centres will accept trees for recycling and your district council should provide somewhere for you to recycle your tree. Click here for a list of local councils. Ensure you give any unwanted presents to charity shops for others to enjoy. Make a New Year’s resolution to do your bit for the environment. See how many positive changes you can make… and remember to smile. Protecting the environment is a good thing! Some resolutions could be- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle -Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle: paper, plastic, newspaper, and aluminum cans. If there isn't a recycling program at your work, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. Insulate Your Home- Add extra insulation to your walls and attic, and install weather stripping around doors and windows. This step alone can reduce your home heating costs by more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home. Be Thrifty with Heating and Cooling- Turn down the heat while you're sleeping at night or away during the day, and aim for moderation with heating and cooling at all times. Try pulling on a sweater before rushing to the thermostat. Leave the Car at Home Whenever You Can- Less driving means less money spent at the pump and that means fewer emissions. Besides saving money and petrol, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community's public transport system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school. Buy Energy-Efficient Products- When it's time to buy a new car, choose one that gives you the best mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and energy efficient bulbs are now designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs. Turn down Your Appliances- Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save water. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. Use the energy-saving settings on your dishwasher and let the dishes air-dry. Don't Leave the Water Running- Remember to turn off the water when you're not using it. For example, while brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog, or soaping up your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You'll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital natural resource. Get a Report from Your Utility Company- Many utility companies provide home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades. Be an Informed Consumer- Learn more about environmental issues so that you can make wise choices for yourself and your family. Education is everything! Encourage Others to Conserve- Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbours and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment. Why do I feel it is so important to conserve? Beyond the immediate financial costs is global climate change. This is something we will face in our future. The consequences are wide-ranging and will have an affect on every living creature. Average temperatures across the globe are projected to increase between 2.5 and 10.4 degrees F during the next 100 years. Because temperature is such an integral part of weather formation, other aspects of the climate such as winds, currents, precipitation, sea-level rise, and severe storms, could also change. The potential health effects related to climate change are serious and demand attention and investigation. Increased levels of heat, extreme weather events, vector-borne and water-borne diseases, air pollution, and compromised water supplies affect all peoples in all locations of the planet. The poor, the elderly, the young, and anyone whose immune system is compromised will be the hardest hit. Many of the effects of climate change will be compounded by other environmental stresses such as pollution, increasing population, over-harvesting of natural resources, and habitat loss. Therefore, improving environmental practices such as decreasing discharges of pollutants into the soil, air, and water may help lessen the harmful effects of climate change on fragile ecosystems and keep us all going a little longer.   Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think would enjoy it or benefit. It is not my intention to send out spam or unwanted mail, if you DO NOT wish to receive  mailings in future - please reply to this e-mail and type REMOVE in the subject line. Your address will be removed from the list immediately ALL outgoing e-mail is virus checked Blessings  www.rachaelhertogs.co.uk

 

 

Reiki Share Dates for 2008
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Schedule- shares etc

Rachael’s Reiki Shares 2008

Evening Shares at Akousis, Fairlawn Rd, Montpelier

Fridays

Jan 18^th , March 21^st , May 16^th , July 18^th  , Sept 26^th , Nov 14^th

 

 

 

Day time shares at The Lam Rim Centre, Victoria Place, Southville

Wednesdays 

Feb 20th, April 30th, June 4th, Oct 15th, Dec 17th.

 

 

There is a sliding scale charge cover room hire- £5 - £10.

Pay what you feel is right.

 

A Reiki Share is a space for reiki students, practitioners and those with a genuine interest in

learning Reiki to come together, meditate and receive a  treatment, but also for

peer support and discussion. The Reiki Share is a great opportunity for

the beginner or advanced Reiki practitioner to learn from and share with other Reiki Practitioners.

The energy of the Reiki Share is very special. People have all kinds of experiences that

 help them connect more fully with their spiritual side.

 

 

Facilitated by Rachael Hertogs- Reiki Master/Teacher

For further information contact 

Rachael on 9537765  email info@rachaelhertogs.co.uk  www.rachaelhertogs.co.uk

Abundance Angel Poem
Mood:  special
Topic: Musings

Abundance Angel

Abundance Angel brings to me

Wealth, joy, love that I can see;

My feelings tingle as I perceive

Abundance I can hardly believe

Abundance of Wealth flows into me

Flooding my life with prosperity;

My abundance awakens my memory

Of the love I hold for all I see

Abundance of Joy makes my heart sing

As I thank you for the wealth you bring;

I chant with grace and harmony

As I live my life abundantly

Abundance of Love, you are real

As I open my heart to the warmth I feel;

Draw us together to hug and share,

And show one another that we care

Abundance Angel, I sing your praise

As you shower your gifts down in new ways;

We merge as one; we expand and grow

Swimming together in life's flow

By HYPERLINK "http://www.healerge orge.com"George E. Lockett

The Light of God

The Light of God

The light of God surrounds me; The love of God enfolds me; The power of God protects me; The presence of God watches over me. Wherever I am, God is . . . And all is well!

Prayer of Protection (1941) James Dillet Freeman (1912-2003) Poet Laureate of Unity

Spirituality vs Psychism

Spirituality vs Psychism
A message from William Bloom

The difference between spirituality and… what shall we call it? Psychism, psychic phenomena, metaphysics, the occult, mediumship and so on.

I want people to understand the difference in order to save them the kind of confusion I experienced and which took me almost fifteen years to clear up. As a teenager and in my early twenties, I came across many people with interesting powers. They could move objects with their thought energy. They could clairvoyantly see things. They could talk with angels and spirits. They could make things happen. And I was ready to give them respect and to sit at their feet and learn.

Unfortunately most of them were not very nice and not very wise. I can still vividly remember one man, sitting in a sofa, who looked at me with a glance that said ‘watch this’. He then directed his energy so that someone walking through the doorway suddenly fell backwards as if pushed by an invisible force. The man then glanced back at me with mischievous eyes, inviting me to become his student. I did not.

But I was perplexed. How was it that this prankster had these powers? I assumed that these kinds of powers went hand in hand with spiritual development.

Visualisation and image work
I was also confused by the whole business of visualization and imagery, which was presented as such an important part of spiritual development. I was not very good at image work. I could not imagine vivid colours or detailed images. Other people seemed to do it easily and I assumed they were more spiritual than me. My confusion increased when these people talked about their visions in a boastful way and did little interpretation of what the visions actually meant. These people were also usually closed to exploring different interpretations of their imagery. The simple question ‘how do you know this isn’t just your imagination?’ was not welcomed. But it is such a crucial question.

As I progressed, I began to realize that the ability to manipulate energy or work with imagery did not mean that I or someone else was spiritual. I began to understand that clairvoyance, psychism and energy manipulation were skills and tools like plumbing, embroidery, mechanics or banking. Being expert at them or having a natural talent for them was meaningless when related to spirituality. Spirituality, for me and I dare say for most people, is about a deepening connection with the wonder and spirit of life; is about wisdom, compassion and expanding consciousness; is about harmoniously serving the community.

Clever Trevor, the name we gave to the man who was so expert at moving energy and invisibly shoving people around, was not interested in spirituality.

Higher and lower siddhis
Years later, reading some of the Hindu scriptures and in particular a wonderful, short scripture called The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, I finally came across clear teachings that described these metaphysical skills and abilities, and said explicitly that they had nothing to do with spiritual attainment. In the Hindu scriptures these occult skills are called siddhis. There are higher siddhis and lower siddhis. The lower ones are to do with clairvoyance, psychism and the manipulation of energy. The higher ones are to do with expansions of consciousness, discernment and the ability, for example, to blend with new dimensions.

There is also an explanation of why people have these lower siddhis. They are a test. The soul’s lesson is to dismantle the illusion that siddhis give status and use them purely for service.

My partner of 20 years, Sabrina, is also clear about this. She comes from an ancestry of healers and psychics, and is clairvoyant. She suggests that clairvoyance is sometimes for remedial students. Getting the visual perception may be exciting or entertaining, but you then have to interpret it. The higher siddhi, she suggests, is direct knowing.

Here is a simple example. Psychically, Adolph Hitler could appear in your meditation disguised as a beautiful child. The entrancing image is, in fact, a trap. So you have to sense through the image to its vibration. You cannot assess the essence of something from its form and appearance. Direct knowing is quicker and more accurate. As ‘God’ says at the very beginning of Conversations with God, spiritual communications happen through feelings. Go into a forest or beautiful place of worship and be still. You will feel beautiful things. You feel it; you know it. For most people, in my opinion, it is a distraction to want the lower siddhi of having visions. I would far rather feel and know directly.

Breathing fire
Returning home from holiday once, there was a message on my answering machine from a scientist friend saying, ‘William, Sabrina, you might want to come over. We have a Ceylonese miracle man staying with us who can breathe light and fire.’

We did not even unpack, but zipped over to witness this man who could make light and fire manifest in his breath. More than that, if he breathed it into your forehead or chest, it felt warm and energising. I was mightily impressed and began to put some time into promoting him. I then discovered that he was unable to keep his hands off women, had an uncontrollable gambling habit and the emotions of a five year old. I disengaged.

The phenomenon of the fire in his breath was useful. It opened people up to the possibility of other realms and dimensions. But his spiritual development did not match his miracle-making.

Of course I am still intrigued by and enjoy psychic powers and phenomena. I really like them. But I don’t confuse them with spiritual development. In next month’s column I’ll start discussing how psychic abilities can be truly used for compassionate growth and service.

 

affirmations

Thursday, November 22, 2007
Today I lift my heart in gratitude and allow the love I am to express freely. I am a giver and receiver of God’s bounty!

Friday, November 23, 2007
I imagine my life in God. I create from the infinite possibility that is me!

Saturday, November 24, 2007
I need not fear anything, for I am unconditional love expressing everywhere!

Sunday, November 25, 2007
I am tuned in to God’s divine direction. I live life from the inside out!

Monday, November 26, 2007
I rest in the vastness of God’s love. I accept myself fully as the love that I am!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007
I open my heart and express all the love that I am.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007
I release all limited thinking. I dive deep into the silence of my own soul. I let go and allow myself to love and be loved.

Thursday, November 29, 2007
I forgive and forget, knowing that it is the way to love.

Friday, November 30, 2007
I willingly receive the blessings of the universe, and I joyfully dance the dance of the Divine!

couple of quotes
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Musings

It's a Bit Embarrassing

Dr. Huxley, perhaps more than anyone else alive, you have studied the great spiritual and religious traditions of the world. What have you learned? Aldous Huxley: It's a bit embarrassing to have been concerned with the human problem all one's life and find at the end that one has no more to offer [by way of advice] than, Try to be a little kinder.

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) British Writer, Social Critic, Spiritual Scholar Quote is from an interview cited in "Spiritual Fitness," by Tom Owen-Towle, p. 343 When a person doesn't have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude toward gratitude. -Elie Wiesel

do you practise?
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Musings

Do you practise?  A message from William Bloom

Autumn is here, sometimes bringing with it a tendency to turn grumpy. The cooler weather and the longer nights. Those of you who know me will not be surprised at the targets of my occasional but usually well meaning grumpiness – people who spout about spirituality but do not actually do it.

My first taste of this was at school where the head teacher and his wife preached a gospel of kindness but behaved like bullies. You probably all have your own stories.

Snake Oil Salesmen
For forty years now I have been involved in the new spirituality that is emerging in our culture. I love it. We can call it new age, or holistic, or contemporary. Like all spiritualities, it has its beauty and it has its shadow sides. One of its shadows – and not a new one – is the promise of a quick fix. John Diamond, the journalist who died of cancer, once likened new age teachers to snake oil salesmen.

Another problem is the way in which people get fascinated by the promises, the glamours, the reassurances and the entertainment. And then don’t do the actual spiritual work. If you think I’m too opinionated, remember that I have tasted more spiritual paths than some people have had hot breakfasts. (Is that a boast or a confession? Should you pity or envy me?) For ten years I co-directed the Alternatives Programme at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, and experienced the cream of the world’s spiritual teachers. I have personally put on 600 or so lectures plus several conferences.

You name it. I have heard it. There were many inspiring jewels and also some weird ones. I especially remember a Feng Shui teacher who advised audience members to put small pieces of aluminum foil on their shoulders to bring them power and success. My favourite bizarre folk were the Course in Miracles teachers from the southern states of the USA who threatened us with hell if we did not surrender to God’s all embracing forgiveness. That was an interesting mixed message.

Three Crucial Questions
One of the beauties of contemporary spirituality is its diversity. We are the first generation ever that is able to look at all the world’s spiritual traditions. This gives us a unique opportunity to see the core practices that they share. Despite all their differences – for example, from meditation to ecstatic dance – there are great similarities. It is like sport. No matter which particular sport you practice – golf, swimming, tennis – you still need to practice certain core skills such as fitness, muscle tone and stamina. Spirituality also has its core skills. Let me ask you three simple questions that illustrate this. The answers to these questions will show whether you have the basis of Spiritual Practice.

(But why, you may ask, would you want to do spiritual practice? Because, like piano or yoga or football, you want to get better at it! To become more awake and conscious. To be more connected. To soak in the beauty and wonder.)

Anyway have a look at these three questions and answer Yes or No:

Spiritual Connection: Do you connect with the pure wonder of existence?

Reflection: Do you reflect on your development and consciousness – and seek to guide them?

Service: Do you try to live a life is of benefit to others?

If you answer ‘Yes’ to those three questions then, according to most traditions, you already understand and observe the three core skills of Spiritual Practice. Do them regularly and with consciousness and you actually have an ongoing and grounded rhythm.

So the next important question to ask yourself is this: At least once a day, do you do them? Do you connect with the wonder of life and soak in spirit? Do you pause and reflect? Do you benefit others?

You can do all this in whatever way works best for you. There are so many different strategies and styles – contemplative, shamanic, traditional, dance, chant, landscape, healing, psychological and so on. All you need is to take responsibility for yourself and guide yourself into a rhythm of daily practice, so that ultimately it all becomes one ongoing flow of awareness and experience. This requires a great mix of spiritual maturity and continual innocence at the newness of each moment.

The Reward
Whether you develop your Spiritual Practice in one of my courses or elsewhere, let me share with you what I believe a consistent practice will give you. If you regularly soak in your experience of spirit, and consistently guide the growth of your consciousness and of your usefulness, then you will receive what most people really want:

- A sense of personal integrity, not dependent on material success or the opinion of others
- Inner strength
- Love and compassion
- Deepening connection with the pure wonder of existence
- Long-term vision
- A stable foundation for personal and career development
- A clear sense of morality and ethics
- Improved health
- Friends and family will enjoy your company more
- Quiet leadership qualities
- Character improvement
- The necessary foundation for exploring energy work, the inner worlds and altered states of consciousness
- Keeps you alert and intelligent
- A sense of being in the driving seat of your life
- Genuine enjoyment of life whilst being solidly present to the challenges and suffering
- Consistent spiritual growth

Although it can be challenging to maintain a daily practice, look at those benefits! They are the best. Nothing else compares.