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ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: Be Your Authentic Self!
Rosemary’s “Three-Minute” video for the week: Be Your Authentic Self!
PS: You are invited to Satsang with Rosemary. Guidance is available from many dimensions. Rosemary is continuing a series of teaching and channeling experiences for everyone! If you have spiritual questions, if you want to hear messages from other dimensions, if you are curious about life beyond this physical, three-dimensional world, if you are curious about the energies of 2014, join us for a unique experience! Come with your questions; this opportunity is interactive. Rosemary will teach and channel for part of the time and answer your questions at the end of the evening. And for December 21, the Winter Solstice, Rosemary is offering Satsang for FREE! Join us online or in person; check out the details here. Enter FREEDECEMBER as the coupon code in the Shopping Cart.
MONDAY’S POEM: What is Reality?
I ended last week with an exploration of reality. Today’s poem is part of that exploration. I love what both the Heart Sutra and Chapter 11 of the Taoteching have to say about emptiness and form. They say it better than I can ever hope to but here, joining my experience with the magic of crystals and these wonderful sources of deep wisdom is what I have to offer on the subject:
What is Reality?
Is it in the crystalline structure of quartz,
Laced molecules frozen in a matrix
Of beauty, depth, meaning, space and time?
Is it in the atoms of silicon and oxygen
Who breathe life into shapes, designs, pictures,
Faces, vibrations and voices echoing through time?
Is it in the structures of the atoms, whirling bits
Of nothing winking in and out of existence,
Vibrating from nothing to something to nothing in no-time?
Or, is it like the spokes of a wheel that disappear
Around the spinning hub, a matter of perception?
What is real, the spokes or the empty hub?
The still spoke is real. The spinning spoke is not real,
Beyond perception. Form is no other than emptiness,
Emptiness no other than form!
Prajna Paramita!
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
The Emptiness of Inherent Reality
In yesterday’s post I wrote about the “belief in crystals” and stated that in the first place “crystals are real” and therefore, are not subject to belief. They just are part of this Earth-plane we inhabit. I also wrote: Not only are crystals helping me clear stuck beliefs, they are helping me understand the deeper nature of reality. Interestingly this deeper nature of reality is nothing but a belief system. The existence of crystals in the “real” Earth-plane is actually a belief.
We live in a consensus-based reality that we view as real but may not be as real as we would like to believe!
I am immersed in a deep look, with the help of crystals, into the Kalachakra Tantra Rite of Initiation by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and Jeffery Hopkins. The core of the book is based on the rite of initiation conducted by His Holiness in Madison, Wisconsin in 1981. I have had this book for a long time. I have attempted to read it before but was never able to get into it. Now I’m plowing through it with ease and excitement. Maybe some of my former beliefs are giving way to allow in the wisdom of this Tantra.
I am far from new to Buddhist thought. I have studied and practiced a form of Zen Buddhism for much of my life. I have worked with and read several texts on the Heart Sutra and have memorized a version of it from Zen Mountain Monastery where it is chanted daily. I have been chanting the sutra nearly daily for more than a decade. But this does not mean that I have fully penetrated the enormous implications of this holy text. I am getting closer! And it is likely the study of a life-time!
The main theme in the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra is the emptiness of the five conditions of life, of reality: form, sensation, conception, discrimination and awareness. The practice and realization of this wisdom, this emptiness is what relieves suffering, sickness, old age and death and leads to the liberation from the wheel of samsara. This is the Perfection of Wisdom, the Prajna Paramita.
This can be summed up in the simple yet profound phrase: the emptiness of inherent reality. Of course, this too is a belief. But it is a belief that can lead to liberation from all suffering, all the misery that the Buddha witnessed as a young prince and led him on this journey to enlightenment.
I too am on a journey to this Heart of Perfect Wisdom, the Prajna Paramita. A major step along this journey is the Kalachakra Tantra Rite of Initiation. (I’ll write a full review of the book in a future post.) One of the key gateways on this journey is my suspension of belief in inherent, independent reality. And this can be particularly challenging living in modern western society where we are bombarded minute to minute by the commercial, material world of consumption of all forms of consensus reality. What would happen if we all suddenly stopped believing in the very underpinnings of life as we believe it?
With the realization of the emptiness of inherent reality comes Wisdom and Compassion – the two prongs of Buddhist philosophy. The Kalachakra Tantra is a path to this deeper understanding, this liberating belief. It is a path I have taken and will be reporting on here along the way!
Om Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha!
It’s Crystal Clear… – Richard’s Commentary
I love crystals. I have been enjoying them, working with them, carrying them, giving them for many years. And while many of the beautiful crystals can be clear, it is often the ones that hold inclusions, clouds, shadows, phantoms, figures, faces, occlusions and a variety of designs that are even more beautiful. And it is this embedded complex structure that can hold great meaning for us.
In her post, Rosemary speaks of two kinds of crystals, those found in the Earth and those we hold within ourselves. Both kinds are instructive and carry information for us – if we are willing to “dig” for it. Here’s what she says about the crystals of Earth:
Think of the crystallized belief as a crystal from the Earth. Crystals have a consciousness that has been created over millions of years. Humans have not been on the planet that long. What information might be stored in that crystal for you?
The “consciousness” of crystals is what we need to mine. Yes, first we have to discover them in the Earth, un-Earth them. Then we have to discover their meaning for us, the messages they bring.
The second type of crystals Rosemary speaks about are those crystallized beliefs that block the flow in our lives:
Now look at the crystals within you for the messages that they hold for you. What does stuck energy want you to know so that you can move forward and let the energy flow again?
Here’s the deal: the Earth’s crystals can help us break free of the crystallized beliefs we carry – when we are ready. This is the true “healing potential” of these crystals.
The perfect example is people who either do or do not believe in crystals. First, the crystals are real, they exist just as any other form of matter exists. So, I believe in the existence of crystals. Second, they hold information; their very structure, often extraordinarily complex, is information. Third, we can read and interpret that information, use its meaning in insightful and intuitive ways. OK, this third point may be touching on a belief. Fourth, using the interpreted information to clear blocks, clear or modify the internal crystalline structures we want to release, is clearly a belief. And so are those blocks, holding us back from fulfilling our true purpose, beliefs. Clearing those blocks means adopting new beliefs, e.g. the belief that crystals can be effective in the healing process.
I have been working with a specific set of crystals for over a week now. (Pictured here) And I find myself opening up and flowing more than I ever have. I attended a “crystal meditation” the other evening with an array of crystals, crystal and Tibetan singing bowls and meditative sounds. I went into a deep and long “bliss state” as never before. Not only are crystals helping me clear stuck beliefs, they are helping me understand the deeper nature of reality.
One more quote from Rosemary:
Everything you need to know is available. You just need to know where to look and how to interpret what you find. Start with what you know are energy blocks. And be ready for the energy leap of personal growth to follow the crystal clarity!
Everything I need to know about reality is available. Crystals are real. Crystals heal. For me this is “crystal clear.”
PS: Are you looking for “crystal clarity”? Guidance is available from many dimensions. Rosemary is continuing a series of teaching and channeling experiences for everyone! If you have spiritual questions, if you want to hear messages from other dimensions, if you are curious about life beyond this physical, three-dimensional world, if you are curious about the energies of 2014, join us for a unique experience! Come with your questions; this opportunity is interactive. Rosemary will teach and channel for part of the time and answer your questions at the end of the evening. Join us online or in person; check out the details here.
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: It’s Crystal Clear…
Each of us has within us beliefs and thoughts that we take to be the Truth, no ifs, ands or buts. What if those beliefs and thoughts were not really Truth with a capital T?
As we move forward into the new consciousness of 21st Century thinking it becomes more important that we examine the places within us where we have formalized beliefs and thoughts that are no longer relevant to our personal growth. Have you looked?
A crystalized belief feels like an energy block. It is not negative or bad; it is merely a block where the energy feels stuck. It is important, though, because stuck energy prevents us from moving forward into our highest potential. And the longer energy stays stuck the more problems that block can cause us.
Think of the crystalized belief as a crystal from the Earth. Crystals have a consciousness that has been created over millions of years. Humans have not been on the planet that long. What information might be stored in that crystal for you?
Now look at the crystals within you for the messages that they hold for you. What does stuck energy want you to know so that you can move forward and let the energy flow again?
Once you have received the message what will you do with the information?
I have worked with clients who take a long time to recognize the crystallized belief that came from parental instructions. Others have been influenced by church or teachers or society. A belief that has been around for a long time within us can grow its own structure until it resembles a crystal stone and seems to be a permanent part of the person.
YOU, however, are in charge of what you believe! The crystals within you are messengers for you. They are waiting for you to identify and communicate with them. They want to be released into the Universe but are willing to stay within you until you are ready to interact with them.
Do you believe that ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees’? If so, would you ignore a tree filled with hundred dollar bills because you don’t believe it exists? Do you believe you are ‘not good enough’ because someone told you that 40 years ago? Are you willing to replace that thought if someone today were to tell you something different? One problem with holding on to crystallized beliefs is that they become so familiar that you can be afraid to let go. What happens if you don’t believe that anymore? What belief will you replace that one with?
Lately we’ve been experiencing the world of Earth’s crystals in a new way. There is a reason that a certain crystal will cross your path. There is a resonance in the energy of a crystal that communicates with something inside of you. Crystal radios use actual crystals as transmitters of energy. Mainstream technology is putting crystals in everyday items such as hair dryers and comforters. Crystals are coming out of the closet to help humanity.
Check out the corners of the closets of your mind. Where might you find the hidden gem of a crystal with a message for you? Do you need help? Find a counselor who can help you look at those crystallized beliefs of yours and unveil the message.
Once you have the information you no longer need to keep the energy blocked. Release that inner crystal and things become ‘crystal clear’ to you!
Everything you need to know is available. You just need to know where to look and how to interpret what you find. Start with what you know are energy blocks. And be ready for the energy leap of personal growth to follow the crystal clarity!
PS: Are you looking for “crystal clarity”? Guidance is available from many dimensions. Rosemary is continuing a series of teaching and channeling experiences for everyone! If you have spiritual questions, if you want to hear messages from other dimensions, if you are curious about life beyond this physical, three-dimensional world, if you are curious about the energies of 2014, join us for a unique experience! Come with your questions; this opportunity is interactive. Rosemary will teach and channel for part of the time and answer your questions at the end of the evening. Join us online or in person; check out the details here.
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: Look for the Crystals in Your Life
My “Three-Minute” video for the week: Look for the Crystals in Your Life
MONDAY’S POEM: The Crystal Cave
In my meditations I have been doing a lot of traveling lately. There are two ends of the journey, both caves. I wrote about one last Monday. Here’s “part 2” of that poem:
The Crystal Cave
The hollow in the Earth
Is but a gateway to the
Ocean voyage through the
Stars to a distant light
That is just here.
It is a stargate linking
Earth hollow echoing laughter
To the Crystal Cave echoing light,
Reflected light from numberless
Points on the Ocean of Light.
Floating in the very center
Of the Ocean of Light in the
Very center of the Crystal Cave,
Light beings of pure consciousness
Gather expanding their radiance.
The songs of their light echo through
The vastness carrying the
Sparkling ship on its return voyage
Through that stargate to arrive on the
Near shore of the hollow in the Earth.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
I Ching Gua for the New Moon in Sagittarius
There was a New Moon this past Monday, December 2 at 7:22 pm when the Moon moved into alignment with the Sun in Sagittarius. As I like to do during these important celestial events I cast an I Ching Gua, the hexagram of open (yin) and closed (yang) lines. Reading the I Ching each month is a great way to learn this ancient divination tool and offers insight into the shifting energies as we move through the calendar, the wheel of the Zodiac, the Sun’s position as we progress around it and the Moon’s position relative to Earth and Sun. All these incredible influences are at work in our lives whether we choose to believe in astrology or not!
As always the energies and the yarrow stalks I use to cast the hexagram (gua) are in alignment and reveal significant information about how I am relating to these energies. My hope is that you too can relate to the gua, the sense of their meanings and how you see the alignment of your own processes with all these influences that surround you.
Here is the initial gua I cast. Heng meaning “long lasting,” consists of Zhen (thunder, the top trigram) over Xun (wind, the bottom trigram). Notice that the bottom line is a 6, meaning it is a changing line moving from a yin line to a 9, or yang line. This is where the change occurs, remembering that I Ching means the book of change.
Long lasting here means endurance; it can refer to a marriage of long endurance, a mature marriage or relationship. However, because the initial line is a yin or weak line in a beginning place (the bottom of the gua) it may be premature to expect a long lasting situation or relationship to appear. Patience is indicated. Master Alfred Huang, whose book, The Complete I Ching, I use as my main reference, says: “Everlasting relationships take time to cultivate.”
The approached gua, the hexagram that results when the bottom 6 moves to a 9, or yang line, is Da Zhuang meaning “great strength.” This hexagram retains Zhen or thunder on top and replaces the bottom trigram with Qian or Heaven. Thunder here indicates movement and Heaven below indicates strength; together they indicate strength in motion, or “a positive advance for further achievement.” Strength here does not necessarily mean physical strength but moral strength. From Confucius’ commentary on the decision we read:
What is great should be righteous.
When righteousness is great,
The truth of Heaven and Earth can be seen.
Use great strength wisely and cautiously. Don’t overdo it; rely on moral rather than physical strength.
It is interesting to note that for the last New Moon in Scorpio I cast Da Zhuang as the initial gua which then moved to Guai or “eliminating.” (See the November 4 post). The mutual gua for the approached gua this New Moon in Sagittarius is Guai. We seem to be moving in a tight circle about Great Strength!
PS: a wonderful astrologer friend, Gloria Hesseloff, posted this about the New Moon in Sagittarius: This is the time to question our basic assumptions and be open to new revelations and possibilities. It can be so much fun to look at life with new eyes! Doesn’t this New Moon fit so perfectly with the momentous times we are experiencing during this Shift of dire beauty? I love this phrase “shift of dire beauty”! As we examine our beliefs and assumptions the I Ching seems to be telling us to eliminate old beliefs that no longer serve, enter into new beliefs cautiously and let them grow and become long lasting with patience; they will become strong through perseverance.
Rosemary suggests there may be some pain involved in this evolutionary process we are finding ourselves in the middle of. There is always pain in not knowing. And there is so much we don’t know. When it comes to our evolution we certainly don’t know how it’s going to turn out; we don’t even know for sure that the human race will survive the process! But there are way-showers; through the millennia there have been people who emerge as prototypes for where we are headed.
But we are here now; and many are struggling with this angst of not knowing. However, there is hope and Rosemary offers a thoughtful prescription to calm the angst as we move through as standard bearers ourselves in the evolutionary struggle to emerge from the cocoon of our old ways.
Her first remedy: decide what you can control and what you cannot. You may have noticed that this post is late today. My usual deadline for posting is 10:00 am Eastern time. But I needed to make a priority choice between getting the post out and our grandson’s school holiday concert. And backing up from that we had an event at our home last evening that went much later than expected. So I chose these events over sticking to a hard and fast blog-post schedule. I can control my time and my priorities and flow with those choices. And I can significantly reduce my stress level by remaining flexible.
Rosemary’s second remedy: make sure that your spiritual life is on the path that you wish to journey. The event we hosted last evening that ran late pushing my schedule and delaying this post was our monthly Spiritual Exploration Group. Normally we gather this group at a local restaurant, but for this one everyone brought food to share and we visited the subject of Crystals and how we interact with them. One of our members is an extraordinary keeper of crystals and he set up a spiral and grid in our meeting room for this event. I have included a picture here that poorly captures his
creation and the “music” of the crystals. The evening of presentation, discussion and meditation was powerful and moving. The crystal spiral and grid had messages for each of us and seemed to offer support for our journeys.
The third remedy: Stay connected to other people. Both Rosemary and I have building community as part of our soul purpose. Our Spiritual Exploration Group is just one of the ways we are doing this and staying connected. We have brought this group together by invitation; we are very careful to invite those who are curious, exploring, growing and evolving with us. Our motto for the group is “we come together for discussion, not dogma.” We are open to all topics and any thoughts, experiences and observations are welcome. Last evening’s discussion, as an example, was free ranging from the approach to choosing crystals (or they choosing us) to deep meditation on what the crystals have recorded during their long history and what they have to tell us. Everyone had experiences to share.
The fourth remedy: Remember that you are a part of the evolution of all humanity. Holding this perspective is a good way to work through the “agony.” This work is not for the faint-of-heart!
Lastly, you are not alone. We are all in this together! No one can evolve by themselves. And no one needs to suffer the agony of angst alone. Set your priorities, look to the inner, spiritual journey, gather together to share the process and remember the great work we have been called to!
And thank you for doing your part in the work of evolution that all humanity needs at this time!
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: The Agony of Angst
Every so often in the course of human history there comes a period where humans who are awake to the evolutionary energies start to struggle with the cocoons of their lives and move into the process of growing out of old patterns.
This is one of those periods.
And you thought 2012 was the end of the cycle? It was just the beginning!
As all of humanity evolves each person must struggle against the teachings of the ‘old way’ and must create the ‘new way,’ for their own life and for the society in which they live. This is not a simple task nor one to be taken lightly. This is an important aspect of becoming a New Human.
Remember that your Soul, your Spirit, decided to facilitate this particular aspect of human evolution. You asked to be allowed to participate in human life on Planet Earth during this part of the 21st Century. Yes, you asked for this!
And now your work is to participate fully even if you are feeling the angst of the struggle, the upset of the unknown, and the agony of the desire that things were different. Even if it appears that your life is moving along swimmingly and things are wonderful, and I hope that is the case, there is probably a part of you that wishes that at least one aspect would shift to support your continuing personal growth. Or you might be wishing that society would ‘get its act together and resolve some things.’
Many people seem to be struggling with one problem or another in their personal or professional lives. Do you know anyone dealing with disease? Financial problems? Family issues? Career concerns? Any problem, when viewed in the evolutionary light, can present an opportunity for one to become anxious.
The job of the evolving human is to work through what life presents, not to wish away the circumstances one faces.
What can you do?
The first thing to do is to decide what you can control and what you cannot. Look at the next month and set your priorities for your goals and your time. You might not be able to control all of your time in that month but you can start by scheduling time for the highest priority items on your list. Make sure you give them time. Make sure, too, that you leave blocks of time unscheduled so that, when there are bumps in the road, you can handle them without throwing away the rest of your plans.
Next, make sure that your spiritual life is on the path that you wish to journey. Are you paying attention to your Inner Life or are you sinking beneath the obligations of your Outer Life? Where are your priorities? Examine the last few weeks and where you have spent your time. You’ll see what you are choosing to do with your energy. Does it match your honest priorities?
Stay connected to other people. The worst thing to do when you are feeling the struggles of life is to hibernate. Some alone time is beneficial, but you need connections to others to help you see a different point of view, hear advice that can help you shift, grasp ideas that you might not have considered. Find someone or a group who can support you in your personal evolution.
Remember that you are a part of the evolution of all humanity. The energy you are feeling is the same as the growing pains that kids feel when their legs start to grow really rapidly. Applaud your growth and work through your angst.
You are not alone. And thank you for doing your part in the work of evolution that all humanity needs at this time!
PS: Are you feeling angst? Are you agonizing over decisions? You can receive personal assurances from Guides, Spirits, Angels and Loved Ones who have crossed over at Rosemary’s next event: a Conversation with The Other Side,this Friday, December 6 at 7:00 pm Eastern. Click for details
Men and The Goddess 