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Dreaming BIG!!! – Richard’s Commentary
How are you doing with those New Year’s Resolutions? Did you make a few, a lot? If you are anyone like me you have given up on trying to change your life that way. No, I made no resolutions, but that doesn’t mean I have no big dreams!
The Divine Feminine are spot on when they address this issue of resolutions, dreams, transformation and how to manifest the changes you want to see:
Where are you looking for your resources? Are you waiting to win the lottery? If so, are you buying tickets? Are you using the word ‘someday’ in your vocabulary of dreams, always placing that dream in the far distant future? Do you know what you actually need to take a step in the direction of your dreams?
You need Clarity, Commitment and Consciousness.
For me, clarity means “clear intention.” If we are muddled in our thinking, unsure of what it is we want to change, hesitant about reaching for the big goal, then the Universe can’t support us. Clear intention lets the Universe know our direction and can then offer the resources to help us realize our goals. This is the first component of manifestation.
Over the past few months I have become very clear in the direction I want the rest of my life to take. And the Universe is responding! Just as a trivial example of this, I received a book as a gift from a dear friend; it is Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo. My friend had no idea when she picked this up for me that I have moved firmly back onto my Buddhist path. She had no idea that I am planning my own journey this year to return to my roots. Merullo’s novel and his characters have so much in common with my own life that it’s almost silly. My friend was moved by the Universe to place this book in my hands! (I’ll have more to say on Breakfast with Buddha in a future post.)
Now, I have studied, practiced, sat Zazen, read and explored in most ways possible this notion of Buddhism for many years. But I have never really committed to this path. This is the second component of manifestation. The Universe needs to know we are serious about our clear intentions. All of my past studies and practices, while I took them very seriously, were not true commitments to the path. They were exploratory, forays into the fascinating world, but with no real committed intention of remaining there.
This has changed. I am committed. My living habits are changing to support the commitment: diet, drink, sleep, dream-time, meditation are all much more focused, real, and supporting my commitment. Again, the Universe is responding to my commitment with the resources I need to continue.
And it’s really all about changing our mind, isn’t it? One of Rosemary’s expressions I’m fond of is: If you want to change your life, change your mind. Reality is after all nothing more than consciousness, the third component of transformation. We all encounter blocks along our way. Most of these stumbling blocks, scattered across our paths, are mental blocks, maybe old beliefs planted in us from childhood. Much like the main character in Merullo’s book, Otto Ringling, I was raised as a Lutheran in the Midwest. “Lutherans don’t become Buddhists!” We don’t even think about Buddhists, unless they are setting themselves on fire in Viet Nam when we are burning our draft cards at a safe distance at the University! I’ve been changing my mind about a lot of things over the past 60 years; it’s time for this once-upon-a-time Lutheran to admit his true colors. Through many cycles of birth, old age, sickness and death, I’ve traveled the road as a Buddhist! I think I’ll finish this one the same way!
The Divine Feminine conclude: Dream BIG!!! With Clarity, Commitment and Consciousness you can live that dream!
And I do have Big Dreams for 2014. I hope you do too!
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: Dreaming BIG!!!
Guidance from The Divine Feminine that gives us all Hope.
“Dear Ones,
Now is the time for you to fulfill your fantasies for a dream life.
How far will you go? Do you realize that there is nothing holding you back?
Oh, you might think that you need more money or time or a different job or a different location, but the truth is that you have all that you need for your dream life inside you NOW.
Where are you looking for your resources? Are you waiting to win the lottery? If so, are you buying tickets? Are you using the word ‘someday’ in your vocabulary of dreams, always placing that dream in the far distant future? Do you know what you actually need to take a step in the direction of your dreams?
You need Clarity, Commitment and Consciousness.
Clarity will bring that distant, hazy dream into clear focus. You will see what it is that is truly your heart’s desire, instead of something that is ‘out there’ in a vague form. The more you can clarify the vision, the easier it will be to concentrate your energies in that direction. The more details that you can identify, the easier it will be to take specific steps to manifest that dream.
In gaining clarity about your dream, you must also ask yourself if this is your dream or someone else’s. Does this dream start in your Heart-Mind or does it come from something you think you should desire? Be very clear about the source of this dream! When you dig deeply into where it was born, you might surprise yourself to see that it is something you have dreamed for a long time but it is not really what you desire for yourself. You might hear someone else’s voice describing that dream. Or the long-held dream might have been the desire of a younger you but is no longer relevant as you have grown and matured and expanded your consciousness. Be sure about that dream.
Once your dream is clear to you, Commitment is required. It is easy to commit to a bold dream that comes from your own Heart-Mind! You WANT to make it happen. It is compelling and draws you forward into the new you. Your commitment to realizing this dream is not based on someone else’s measure or the ‘shoulds’ that live in your head. It is, instead, a vision of you living your best and richest life with the fullness of your energy working toward your own happiness and joy.
With Clarity and Commitment compelling you forward, it is time to bring your Consciousness into alignment with the vision of your dream life. If you have a vision of yourself living this dream life, but you cannot imagine that you can possibly get there, then your Consciousness is what must shift before anything in your physical reality can allow the manifestation of that dream.
What thought patterns have you been living that have held you from already realizing that dream? What beliefs have you held that have kept that dream at a distance from you? What are you holding onto in your life that is energetically holding you back from living the vision that you hold?
Shifting your limiting beliefs and any negative thoughts allows you to fully embrace that vision and sail forward toward the destination. And what you will find is that the destination continues your journey, for living your dreams creates the belief that you can continue to dream even bigger dreams and that you can make THEM come true, too!
Dream BIG!!! With Clarity, Commitment and Consciousness you can live that dream!
And so it is.”
Rosemary’s Comment: If this seems like too big a task, then start with Clarity. Work on defining, in great detail, what it is that you desire for yourself and your life now. Take the step and the leap will follow!
PS: Rosemary can help you with your big dreams! She channeled an hour-long message from The Divine Feminine on the Winter Solstice; they offered guidance and advice on what we might expect in 2014, and how to approach the year’s energies. Expect more change! The transformation continues! This message is available as an MP3 recording for a modest price; check out the details here: Winter Solstice Message
Reflections from 2013 = Guidance for 2014 – Richard’s Commentary
As my commentary on Rosemary’s important post from yesterday I simply want to trace the development of the reflections leading to the guidance for the new year and note why these thoughts and development are so important to our growth in consciousness.
Each of us has a responsibility to ourselves and to others to learn how to live in community with the people around us. Evolution in conscious returns us to community. I say “returns us” here because as the human race was developing a few thousand years ago, we did so only in community. The “rugged individualism” of the so-called modern west had yet to arise. Humans depended on other humans, living together in social structures in which everyone had a role to play, a dependent and cooperative role. We need to return to that level of consciousness.
Reach out beyond what you can see to the possibilities that are there. Always reach higher. We are never finished with development. “After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” There is no limit, no goal that can be achieved and sustained without reaching higher.
A crystalized belief feels like an energy block. Examine all beliefs; The Divine Feminine during the Winter Solstice message channeled by Rosemary, said our beliefs will be challenged in 2014. We will be called to defend them. Are you prepared to defend all of your beliefs? Are you prepared to release the ones that are holding you back?
When you find yourself stuck in a rut, or not sure what your next step is, remind yourself that you are always at a point of choice in your life. We are always at choice. This can be either exhilarating or daunting. Choose the freedom and exhilaration this requires and make the best choices you can with the information you have in the moment. If it turns out to be the right choice, celebrate your brilliance. If it turns out there may have been a better choice, forgive yourself, learn the lesson and move on!
It’s okay to consider yourself and your own needs. It’s not “selfish” to take care of yourself. You cannot serve from an empty container. You first have to love yourself in order to be able to love your neighbor, and your enemy!
When you put your attention on being instead of doing, your energy flows into being the you you were meant to be. We are humanbeings. Find the way to be, in the moment, in the present, right here, right now. Now is the only reality. If you find the way to be then you will have the energy and the motivation to do.
When you demand control of your environment, you limit the ways in which the Universe answers your requests. This is excellent advice for the western mind. We are all about control; we want things just so, the way we planned them, the way we expect them, the way they “should” be! But what if the Universe has something better in store? What if we pause, be in the present and listen? Letting go of that false sense of control not only opens the doors to possibility greater than we can imagine, it also relieves an incredible load of stress!
and
This message is from The Divine Feminine for us:
“Dear Ones,
The flames are licking at the Doors of Change. Those who fear change are trying to engulf the opportunities in flames so that you and others will not walk through them. Do not let these fear-mongers paralyze you.
Change and Opportunity are two sides of the same coin, of the same door.”
Choose change and you choose opportunity.
Community, possibility, examined beliefs, choice, self-care, presence, flow and fearlessness open the doors of opportunity. The change you find there will be of your own making! And it will make for a wonderful 2014!
PS: The Divine Feminine, as channeled by Rosemary on the Winter Solstice, offered amazing advice for 2014. Expect more change! The transformation continues! Their message is available as an MP3 recording for a modest price; check out the details here: Winter Solstice Mesage
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 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
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
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: The Echo of Truth from the Future
In the Satsang message this week we learned from The Divine Feminine that ‘the new truth comes back from the future.’ This takes some thought to comprehend.
The ‘old truth’ is based on beliefs that worked for earlier times and this includes the old tapes that play in your head from parents, teachers, and others from your past. They appear to be the truth but must be re-examined from your perspective in present time.
Culture and society often operate from the position that ‘old truth’ stays ‘Truth with a capital T’ for all time. Not so.
Humanity is constantly evolving. Human Consciousness is always growing and expanding. Human Awareness and Understanding grow with each human experience. Truth must constantly be re-evaluated as consciousness evolves.
When we hear that ‘the new truth comes back from the future’ we must understand that, as humanity evolves, we are growing into the New Human, the human of our future.
Who are you called to BE in your future? This is the evolved you! Can your truth stay the same as your consciousness evolves?
Not everything must change, but you must recommit yourself to your beliefs or change those beliefs. Personal growth is a path of evolution. Every experience that you have brings you new learnings. Do you adapt to what you learn? Do you re-evaluate your beliefs based on your growth? Do you accept yourself as an evolutionary being as you continue to live through new experiences and to expand your awareness with the information given to you?
Every choice that you make today is based on some belief that you hold, and, thus, is based on your own truth. Examine your choices – do they reflect your ‘old truth’ or ‘the new truth’ that comes from the future? Are you still making choices based on what used to be your truth or are you making choices based on who you are becoming?
In a very practical way, this is how the Law of Attraction works in one’s life. If you are backwards focused, if you are worrying about something, if you say things like, ‘I always have a problem with this’ or ‘I can never find a parking place,’ then you are stating a truth that is not based on the evolutionary you but on past beliefs.
If, instead, you focus on your dreams being realized, if you say ‘I usually handle this easily’ or ‘I always find the perfect parking place,’ then you are echoing a truth from the future.
You create your future with the thoughts you project. You experience ‘the new truth’ when you allow the future to manifest in this present moment.
Take some time to ponder these ideas. And remember that all time exists in this present moment. We tend to think of time as linear because we experience Earth as one minute after another. But the Dimension of Time encompasses our 3-Dimensional world and our past, present and future are all in this moment.
The ‘who you want to be’ calls you to make the choices now that are based on the new truth echoing back from the future.
Just evolve.
PS: Are you waiting to hear from The Other Side? Maybe an old belief will be revealed. Are you looking for advice from beyond the usual, maybe the future, through a gifted Medium? Join Rosemary for a Conversation with The Other Side at 7:00 PM Eastern, November 1 – All Saints Day. If you are in Maryland, join us in person. Or, join us by televideo conference or simply by phone. Learn more here.
Everybody’s Talking at Me – Richard’s Commentary
My first reaction to this statement about the voices in my head is, yeah, everybody’s talking at me, especially me! I don’t know about you but my voice is constantly chattering at me, like that “Monkey Mind” spoken of by meditators. And often that voice seems so critical. As Rosemary states:
We all have those ‘old tapes’ playing in our mind and sometimes it is difficult to figure out that we don’t have to listen to them anymore. The first step in personal growth is to decide on YOUR TRUTH in this present moment.
Those old tapes may be from another time and other people’s words are spoken, but the sound is of my own voice. And it is not always easy to shut me up!
I have been a seeker all my life. Maybe the “truth” I have sought after is the means to quiet my mind-talk, to shut down the litany so I can listen for a deeper Truth.
What does your inner voice tell you? Mine is often reminding me of all the things I have to do; it runs through lists and sorts through them endlessly for priorities, shifting items, ordering them. At other times the voice is reviewing reactions to events; examining my actions, reactions, judging, analyzing, finding the fault.
I’m working on this constantly, taming the voice, searching for the lessons. I do follow Rosemary’s prescription:
Ask yourself, ‘Is this thought, belief, rule true for me?’
And often it no longer holds true, if it ever did. I remain vigilant to detect the old voice, to listen instead for what is true for me now. I practice many methods of doing this from physical yoga and qigong, to emotional and mental writing and creating poetry, to spiritual meditation, ritual work and touching Higher Mind. These practices work well; the Monkey Mind subsides, the critical voice quiets, the list builder recedes to his corner.
—–
The best part of moving (and the worst) is handling all the books! Both Rosemary and I are book collectors (and we even read a lot of them!). Moving them is an incredible chore and we have committed to slimming our collection down to lessen the load. But during our recent move books have jumped out at me insisting that I read them. I accumulated quite a stack as I opened boxes and stuffed shelves.
One book rose to number 2 on the list and I just finished it: I am That by Swami Muktananda. The subtitle is: The Science of HAMSA from the VIJNANA BHAIRAVA.And this book, this time, just might change my life!
I don’t remember if I read this book before. We’ve had it for years; one of Rosemary’s earliest business cards as a newly ordained reverend was in it as a bookmark. Reading it now struck a significant chord in me and I may have stumbled on that Truth I’ve been seeking all these years.
And it is so simple! Hamsa is a mantra of the breath. As we inhale we make the sound of Ham and as we exhale we make the sound of Sa. The Sanskrit meaning ofHamsa is I am That. As I read this little book I was immediately drawn into the practice. Every breath I take is repeating this mantra. This mantra is reminding me of who I am. And as Rosemary points out in her post yesterday:
Let’s set the record straight right here, right now. You ARE good enough, smart enough, pretty enough. You ARE enough!
Now when my inner voice grows loud with lists and shoulds and judgments, I remember to breathe; remembering to breathe I hear Hamsa, hearing Hamsa I am called back to who I truly am. I am That!
Do you have good practices to quiet that voice in your head, that Monkey Mind?
Men and The Goddess 