Archive
MONDAY’S POEM: Merkaba
This past Friday I wrote about my experiences with the Merkaba. Several of you liked it; thank you! I also wrote the following shortly after that experience. (I’m being bold again!)
Merkaba
Spinning wonder grounding deep,
Drill to Mother’s heart and weep.
Spinning wonder lifting high,
Reach for Father’s heart, Sun’s sky.
Spinning arms of three cast out,
Spread to all directions, past doubt.
Spinning arms of three time-mind,
Then, when, ego, id so blind.
Spinning top, counter-revolving,
Balance on point, search for solving.
Spinning wheel, follow the clock,
Don’t stop now, avoid the shock.
Axis Mundi and far beyond,
Offer yourself as the magic wand.
Tilt and turn, point and learn,
Spiral through evolution’s burn.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
The Merkaba in My Life
OK, so here I am being bold, even audacious! What in the world is a Merkaba? I first encountered the Merkaba as a focal object for meditation at Rosemary’s seminary 20 years ago. At that time I could visualize it but it didn’t call to me. I was recently reminded of the Merkaba when I read Drunvalo Melchizedek’s latest book: The Mayan Ouroboros. The Merkaba is mentioned briefly, almost in passing, but it struck a chord with me me this time. So, I looked more deeply into this geometric form that some say holds the shape of the Human Lightbody. I’ve pictured it here but it is difficult to capture the dynamics of the crystalline model.
In essence the Merkaba is a pair of interlocked and spinning tetrahedrons. That part of this picture is more or less how I visualize this object within me. As I “see” it the lower tetrahedron spins counter-clockwise and the upper clockwise. There is incredible speed involved; some say they spin at the speed of light. There is tremendous energy with beams shooting below and above the pyramids.
With practice I can now visualize this Merkaba (my Merkaba) at will. It offers me a quick way to balance, to catch myself and reframe a moment or a situation. It is a grounding force as well as an uplifting one. I can especially tap into this spinning form when I am practicing qigong. It seems to fit particularly well with the movement for the wood element, the so-called “standing at stake” position or what I prefer to think of as hugging a tree. Recently, as I was finishing my 6th repetition of the 5-Element Form when I face in the direction of the Sun or Heaven, I was visualizing holding a Buddhic Column rather than a tree. It was a powerful meditation; here’s the description I wrote in my journal:
While I was holding the Buddhic Column, the Merkaba became prominent in my meditation. I seemed to merge with the Buddhic Column; I was no longer holding it but standing within it. It seemed to have expanded to engulf me. I felt light, lifted and I could both feel and see the light all around me. As the Merkaba spun I seemed to drill myself – my energy core – right down into the Earth. I felt her pain. I sent healing energy through my core. It was like I was an energy rod bringing light from above down into the heart of Mother Earth. The continuing trend was this downward spiral. There was a gravitational pull on me that felt more like a loving embrace than anything of a grabbing or greedy nature.
Toward the end of my meditation I was also lifted upward. The Sun’s gravity lifted me; I felt taller and my arms, still holding on to a part of the column, were lifted. This felt like a freeing force and my arms flew upward in a gesture of surrender and release.
And I popped out of my meditation. The Merkaba spun on, a constant light energy that animates. But my conscious awareness of it slipped to the background, merging with my unconscious, but only just beneath the surface. I have a sense I can call up to consciousness this energy pattern anytime I need to emphasize my lightbody in the physical plane. There is a magic power here that I need to protect and also practice for the good of all.
Well, there you have it. Audacious, right?
How are you being audacious in your transformation? This is the year, this is the time! We are all Lightbodies, called to be Light-Workers!
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: Be Bold. Step Out. Take Action.
Be Brave, Daring, Intrepid, Audacious, Unflinching. Pick one of these synonyms for ‘bold’ and use it as your mantra. (I like ‘Audacious’!)
How can you show up in your life, your work, your relationships as ‘bold’? Have you ever thought about using that word to describe yourself? What would you do today if you were really bold? What would you dare to do, who would you dare to be if there were no end to your courage? What if you knew you could not fail? Would you make a different choice?
It might be a conversation that needs to take place. You might have an idea that has been teasing at the edges of your consciousness but you haven’t given it energy because you’re waiting for the perfect time or circumstances. Do you have a project that is half finished because you’re afraid of what others might think or say when they see it? Is there someone’s approval that you are hoping for and the lack of that approval is keeping you stuck?
These are the situations in which we find ourselves when we forget to be bold. And it is about ‘forgetting.’ You ARE bold! You have taken many courageous steps in your life. Do you disagree with me? I’ll be you can think of at least one time in which you were bold. Take a moment to remind yourself of how it felt. Run that feeling in your body for awhile. Look at the effort it took to be bold in that moment and then reassure yourself that you survived, you’re here today. Sometimes our stress mechanisms go a little haywire and try to convince us that being bold will get us hurt but, I assure you, there are no sabre-toothed tigers waiting to jump on you! Your stress mechanisms might not believe me, though, so you must act despite their illusions.
Step Out.
Once you have decided to Be Bold, it’s time to move forward, step out of the box of your own beliefs and limiting thinking. What is holding you in place? Who is telling you what the limits are?
Sometimes the voice in your head can be from the distance past, like a first-grade teacher or a parent, and sometimes it comes from a belief structure that you developed later in your life, all on your own. Determining where the limits live is the first step in expanding your horizon.
You must be brutally honest with yourself here. The field of all possibilities is right in front of you but you can talk yourself into believing that there is only a narrow path available to you to pursue. Step outside the box of this thinking. Step outside your comfort zone and stretch yourself into the greater space of possibilities. It’s okay. There are no sabre-toothed tigers here, either!
Take Action.
Choose a path and step onto it. Move yourself forward with confidence. When you ask the Universe to support your efforts and you visualize your dreams you must also put some energy into the forward motion toward those dreams. Raise your consciousness and move your feet.
If you feel you aren’t sure which action to take, then do some inner work. Get in touch with your inner guidance. Ask your coach or mentor or counselor to help you work through the blocks. Choose one step you can take and do it. Very few choices are irrevocable. If you get feedback that this choice isn’t taking you in the direction you desire then take another action in a different direction. There’s nothing wrong with trying something. Ask Edison about all the tries before he got the light bulb working. Ask anyone in a research lab and they will tell you that there is good information in the paths that don’t work. Look at the story of Post-It Notes that came about because the glue wasn’t perfect. Just take action.
Be Bold. Step Out. Take Action. You are ready!
PS: It ‘s not too late to get that special gift for your Valentine! Here’s one action you can take: get them a Compass Call with Rosemary; that’s 15 for 50, her special offer available only through February 14. Act Now Here
INSPIRATION FROM ROSEMARY: “Be Bold, Step Out, Take Action!”
Rosemary’s video for the week: Be Bold, Step Out, Take Action!
PS: Are you stuck for that special gift for your Valentine? Here’s one action you can take: get them a Compass Call with Rosemary; that’s 15 for 50, her special offer available only through February 14. Act Now Here
Monkey-Mind (What Is This? – An Example) Deep Peace
OK, so I referred to this Korean Koan in my post yesterday, February 7, and as things go I had the opportunity to use it today. As it always does, it worked out very well; so, I thought it would be a good thing to share, to let you know how to apply it in a real situation and how it turns out.
I was writing my pages this morning, my “Morning Pages” – one of my practices taken from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. And I found myself completely awash, all over the place. Now, this is OK; these Morning Pages are suppose to be a “dumping ground” – a way to clear the mind of all the clutter so there is room for creative insights, so we can hear the muse, right? Well, today I seemed much more scattered than usual. I drifted around and wrote about fragments of thoughts that crossed my mind. This does happen to me from time to time. I even get blocked and then just write nonsense to get through the three pages. But today I didn’t like the feeling I was getting, and then I asked:
What is this? And so it began:
What is this?
It is monkey-mind that chatters away on endless loops of to-dos, to-worries, with no to-bes.
What is this?
The complexities of modern life.
What is this?
Life in the 21st Century.
What is this?
Now.
What is this?
Breath, Singing Bowls, Sleeping Dog, Rest.
What is this?
Deep settling.
What is this?
No-thing. Stillness
And this is deep peace.
Ahhh… And from there I was able to get back to my pages and wrote a very nice final third page. It was a deep exploration of our “spinning Universe” in all of its wonder and extraordinary quantum behavior.
And then, I asked: What is this?
Life.
What is this?
Consciousness.
What is this?
Love.
What is this?
The only “thing” left at the end, at the beginning.
What is this?
Love is the Alpha and the Omega. It transcends consciousness. It births consciousness so it can reflect on Love.
What is this, this it?
Call it what you will: God/Goddess, Mother/Father, Source, Alpha/Omega, All/No-thing, Tao.
I like Tao.
Next time you get stuck give this koan a try. See what answer you get!
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: Question Your Questions!
The RIGHT Question is…
Who am I here to be as the 21st Century New Human Being?
If you are an entrepreneur, is your business reflecting you as a New Human Being? Or are you still patterning your business on 20th Century ideas? Values?
In your work, whether in your own business or as an employee, are you serious about fulfilling your purpose or are you just doing a job?
If you are not working, does your life reflect your values or are you waiting for some future event or date? Have you given away your power or are you empowered to be who you were born to be?
In the United States we have been subjected to an amazing number of heated battles over topics that most had thought long ago agreed upon as a nation. One wonders why these topics are being resurrected and debated yet again. The answer is that the 21st Century New Human Being threatens the old ways that some wish would return. The values of the 21st Century reflect a new consciousness and business, politics, life must adjust to the new consciousness.
Even family life is adjusting. Everyone is busy. Everyone is plugged into their personal electronics and we walk around wishing to be left alone until we need something from each other. At the same time, we connect with Facebook friends, we tweet about our lives and keep up with others on Twitter, we have professional networks on LinkedIn, we email and surf the net. We are connected in constant ways with others around the world. And ask any server in a restaurant and they will tell you what percentage of diners are sitting at the table on their smart phones!
But are we connected to our inner selves? Are you going inside to seek your answers or are you waiting for the next email or Facebook post or Tweet? Are you expecting someone else to give you the answers or are you actively seeking them through your own inner connections to guidance?
The New Human has a well-developed intuition and sense of Soul Purpose in the 21st Century. As we evolve, we will develop even better perceptions through our sixth sense than through the five physical senses. Telepathic conversation will become the norm. Everyone will be ‘psychic.’ We are moving in this direction.
So who would be frightened by this evolution? Perhaps someone who is lying is afraid that you might telepathically perceive the lie. Maybe someone who has been selfish or greedy is afraid that the New Human will want to live in connected community and will want the possessions that have been so assiduously amassed or hoarded. Perhaps someone who is ‘doing just fine, thank you’ is afraid of change and wants things to be less complicated than they appear to be now.
We can never get inside the head of another person but we are seeing a divide occur between groups who might not even be aware of the values that the divide reflects.
I heard the statement made by a father who lost his son in the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Americans are getting caught up on both sides of a discussion of how to stop gun violence but maybe they are asking the wrong questions. This bereaved father was not playing on emotion – he went back to founding documents for the Great American Experiment and quoted this from the Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson:
“…certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
This father pointed out that Jefferson and the founding fathers were very deliberate in their choice of words for this important document. ‘Life’ is listed before ‘Liberty.’ Perhaps society is asking the wrong questions if it is addressing ‘Liberty’ before ‘Life.’
How are you asking the wrong questions about your Life, your Business, your views, your values, your relationships? Are you coming from a point of view that doesn’t allow the winds of change to shift you from a fixed position? Are you unconsciously clinging to old ideas that might have worked in days past but are no longer applicable to the evolving 21st Century New Human Being?
I challenge you to question your questions!
PS: Are you asking yourself the right questions? If you need help consider Rosemary’s special offer; this expires on February 14! Take advantage of this offer, a “Compass Call” with Rosemary: that’s a quick dive with her into Dimensional Exploration for a very affordable price; she calls it “15 for 50″ and you can get it here for a limited time. You can even consider giving this to your special Valentine!
Buy it here:
INSPIRATION FROM ROSEMARY: Winds of Change
Rosemary’s video for the week: Winds of Change:
MONDAY’S POEM
I wrote this in keeping with this concept I explored Friday: that our brain is a repository for not only all past events but all future potential as well!
Time Machine
What if we could travel
Back in time,
Access all of history,
Learn from their stories?
What if we could travel
Far ahead,
See all that we become,
Learn from their stories?
Would we change a thing from them
Or learn to forgive?
Would we change a thing for them
Or forgive ourselves?
We are that time machine
Holding all of history,
Holding precious seeds of then.
Our human brain can travel far:
Back and forth and home again.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
Our Brain May Be a Record of the Future
I have been reading Dr. Joe Dispenza’s first book, Evolve Your Brain, The Science of Changing Your Mind, with great enthusiasm since Rosemary’s encounter with him two weeks ago. And my blog themes, apart from Rosemary’s posts that I share here, have been revolving around this whole notion of Change Your Mind to Change Your Life!
I have also been writing about creating your future, and bringing it into the present, a bit of a twist on the whole Secret/Manifestation/Law of Attraction theme. Recall that I wrote earlier in the year that my “visitors from the future” spoke of time and the importance of pulling future strength, character, structure into the now in order to create the future. And I wrote how time seems to behave like an echo-chamber so we need to have a vision of the future in order to manifest what we are looking for in life, even now!
Then I came across this from Dispenza as he writes about the incredible amount of unused brain capacity we humans have: “Do these latent neural nets represent undiscovered regions of human potential? Could selection turn on these latent areas? Might these neural areas be activated, developed, and refined, given the proper knowledge and instruction? Could we occupy or activate these areas so that we can reach a new, greater level of mind? If so, we could be looking at our evolutionary future, and our brain may be a record of that future, not just the past.”
I love this notion that our brains may be a record of the future! It is exactly in line with the notion of time being circular and always present right now. The future is now! And it is recorded in our brains, in those latent neural networks just resting there ready to be turned on!
This concept comes with incredible responsibility and power. Both Rosemary and I have been writing how we have to be very careful with our thoughts! Thoughts become things, right? And thoughts become the future for us! Every new thought we have fires up a new set of neuron connections; a new neural network is established. And if one such thought extends into some latent region to kick off a whole cascade of network connections then we may be recreating ourselves for the future!
The more I look at this, read about it and think about it we are future creatures in the making. We no longer have to wait for the Darwinian evolutionary process of ponderous natural selection to create the New Human. We are constantly becoming the New Human as we generate new thoughts and those thoughts get laid down as new network pathways through the uncharted territories of our latent mass of neurons!
Humans seem to have evolved much faster than most species. This has been a criticism of evolutionary theory and feeds the notion of “divine creationism.” But what if our extra brain capacity was the latest evolutionary driver that sped the selection process beyond the pre-consciousness rate? And once consciousness is achieved it seems there is a built-in reinforcing feedback loop to further accelerate the process. For example our tool making leveraged our survival odds. Better tools increased the survival rate and set up new neural pathways which expanded our brain capacity. Our consciousness, capacity for memory, language, dexterity, all fed this loop to continue to extend our neural nets beyond any creature before us.
And we are still evolving. New thoughts, concepts, theories, discoveries, explorations, all take us into the future. Even bad ideas may open up new connections that may trigger something good. And what about art, music, songs, poetry, stories? Might these also be keys to unlock these “undiscovered regions” that Dispenza addresses?
Much has been written about our huge brain capacity and potential compared to what we use. What if we could put even a small portion of it to good use in our lives? What if we found the key to unlock this treasure? Could it be the door to our “evolutionary future”?
I’m planning to continue this exploration, find the key, change my mind and create my future! How about you?
Is Your Life Reflecting Your Values? — Richard’s Commentary
Rosemary always asks these pointed and difficult questions! Yes, I know they are good for me to reflect on, to answer, truthfully, for myself. And I actually thought this one would be reasonably easy for me to reply to and write this commentary. Then I took a second look!
A couple of years ago I did an exercise to clarify my values, to align them with my thinking, my philosophy. I made a list and prioritized it. I took a deep dive into this analysis, writing at length about these values I had come up with, what they mean to me and how I live by them. At the end of much thought I distilled the set of values down to two key ones: Practice and Love. In fact I even drew a diagram, a schematic to relate these two primal values: Practice –> Love.
No, this doesn’t mean my practices lead to love and it doesn’t mean if I practice well enough I will learn love. Maybe these meanings are overlays here, but these are two distinct values for me. I truly value that I am able to practice my various approaches to live a conscious life. Meditation, yoga, qigong, pages, poetry, … and any other consciousness raising practice that comes along that has potential for me is a key value. And how much more can I say about Love? Self, family, friends, community, humanity, life, Planet Earth, Nature, food, wine, beer making, wow…so much to love in life! And, clearly there is a relationship between practice and love. I love my practices. My practices help me better understand this whole sense of Love. Love improves my practices. It is complex and I can’t say that I even fully understand it when I write, and I often do: Practice –> Love.
But Rosemary’s question goes deeper here. Yes, she asks us to review our values, but more importantly to review our lives as they reflect those values we reaffirm! This is the key analysis, the driving question.
And I’ve spent the last several days, as part of our retreat weekend, reviewing and refining my answer. My answer initially is “no.” Oh sure, I’m doing a lot of practice, and I’m pleased with this. I also love: I am partnered with the love of my life. I am part of a loving family. My kids really do love me (at least they’ve done an awesome job of showing it!). But there’s a deeper level here I am reaching toward.
My exploration begins with the word “unconditional.” This is the quality of Love I’m reaching to attain. And this would then truly be the goal of Practice –> Love, my core values. I am not practicing unconditional love at every opportunity and therefore, my life is not reflecting this value.
That said I am working on it. This is my new level of Practice I’m striving to achieve. I suspect it is a life-long pursuit! But I have begun. Last evening, after Rosemary and I had returned from our retreat, our daughter stated, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, that she had been craving pancakes for breakfast and would I please get up to make her some next morning! Hmmm, on Wednesdays she leaves for work at 7:15; hey, I’m retired, and while I am working harder than ever before and enjoying it a whole lot more, my hours don’t include 7:15 am! I did not commit! But this morning I was awake at 6:30, wanting more sleep. I debated with myself for about 30 seconds, and then asked “what would I do if I held the value of unconditional love? Yeah, you guessed it; I got up and fixed daughter and two grandsons pancakes (two different kinds). And the surprise and smiles were well worth the few extra winks!
With this good experience as a launch point I have been challenging myself to come from unconditional love all day. I’ve failed multiple times! I had several errands to run which meant driving and encountering other drivers; always a stumbling block for me to keep my cool while driving, but at least I continued to pull myself back to my core value. I’m practicing!
How are you practicing your values this year?
Men and The Goddess 