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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.
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
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 INSPIRATION: Who Do You Believe in?
Rosemary’s “Three-Minute” video for the week: Who Do You Believe in?
PS: Do you believe in yourself? Are you seeking guidance? You can receive personal messages 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
MONDAY’S POEM: The Cave
On November 18 I published Journey that begins “Beyond the cave.” Today I thought I’d give you a glimpse into the cave!
The Cave
The hollow in the earth
Where it all begins.
The journey to the center,
The space of origins.
The skull, the hollow ring
Of laughter lighting the
Empty eyes with the flame
Of the echoed fire.
The journey, cycles within cycles:
Fodder to food to energy;
Far flight, running, hunting, swimming
Shape-shifting through the chain.
The conference, the High Self
Acting as Guru – Guide for
The long return to source,
Cycling back to the beginning:
The skull, my Guru
Always laughing at life,
Echoing the mirth I feel
At my own stumbling progress.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
PS: The New Moon in Sagittarius is tonight, Monday December 2 at 7:22 pm Eastern. I’ll be casting an I Ching Gua to read the energies for the coming month. Stay tuned!
Gratitude and Happiness
We just finished one holiday here in the US; some call it “Turkey Day” – affectionately because turkey is the traditional main course for the meal. And we held up our part of the tradition with turkey and all the trimmings at our niece and nephew’s home. It was good to be with the family and I am very grateful to be part of this loving and close extended “Robertson Clan.”
There is a lot of gratitude going around now. I wrote about two of the people I am most grateful for yesterday. My goal is to be grateful and demonstrate that gratefulness every day of the year. As we move deeper into the holidays, already in the spirit of Hanukkah, moving toward Solstice and then Christmas, the 12 Days, a New Year and then Epiphany, I grow ever more excited, contemplative, boisterous, quiet, bustling, restful, high and low. I like this roller coaster ride for the emotions. If I really want to get myself pumped up one of our traditional holiday movies will do it every time.
It is easy for some to remain in gratitude through the holidays. Many give and receive gifts. Our family drew names today for our “secret Santa” gift exchange. We keep it simple just giving one gift to a member of the family and receiving one from our surprise Santa on Christmas Eve. I am grateful we keep the tradition of gift giving and keep it simple; it eases the stress of finding just the right gift for a long list of family and friends.
What are your traditions? Are you happy with them? If they bring stress into your life it might be time to evaluate those traditions and make some adjustments. The rule here is happiness and self-care. Traditions don’t have to be hard and fast rules.
I am on a journey of happiness. I have frequently written here on this blog about transformation. We are on a long road of transformation and it doesn’t necessarily look much like I expected. But I know we are on it for all the bumps and curves coming at us at high speed. Have you noticed?
Is your journey smooth and straight? Are you cruising at a moderate pace, comfortable with the ebb and flow of your life? Be grateful; be happy!
I am adopting the attitude that happiness can smooth out the bumps and open up the tight curves we hurtle toward; and it can even ease the speed. Happiness is a choice. Happiness is a practice. Happiness is the journey. Happiness is the transformation!
As we enter the sometimes hectic, sometimes stressful holidays I am taking Rosemary’s advice: Let’s make this year the year of truly ‘Happy Holidays’ no matter what your personal circumstances might be!
I am choosing this Journey of Happiness! Join me?
Men and The Goddess 