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Get Ready for the Big Shift! – Richard’s Commentary
You’ve been hearing about this “big shift” from Rosemary, many others and me for a long time. We talked about it leading up to that momentous pivot point of the Winter Solstice of 2012. And we have been talking about it for more than a year since that point. Is it coming? Is it here? And most importantly:
Are you excited about taking a quantum leap forward in your life?
I am excited! And I do sense this is the time. Rosemary says this:
Now is the time! The world around you is showing you in not-too-subtle ways that you have turned the corner into the place where you are facing the biggest shift of your life. Are you willing to shift?
But notice something here: she is not talking about something on the outside; this is not necessarily a change that is coming at you. She says, “you have turned the corner.” Indeed we have all turned a corner and we now have to embrace what we have generated.
This “change energy” is an internal potential. The calendar has little to do with it other than to focus our attention and intention on a specific time. Yes, there are many factors pointing to this time as important: a Mayan calendar change, a rotation of the wheel of the Zodiac through to a new sign, other calendars, other potential physical shifts in galactic space, even a potential shift in the Earth’s magnetic poles.
But the shift Rosemary and I are talking about is a shift in consciousness. Yes, this shift may be influenced by one or more of these external factors. But, the important shift comes from within. This is a shift in awareness. This is a shift in who we think, and feel, we are as conscious beings.
So, the question of being ready does not motivate building a bomb shelter, stocking the basement with a year’s supply of food and water, getting all of our affairs in order or preparing in some physical way for impending earth changes. Preparation is an internal check-in; it is a matter of preparing our bodies, emotions, minds and spirits for the next phase of human evolution.
If you are reading this post you are a “cultural creative”, you are on the leading edge of expanding human consciousness. And you are key to this coming shift!
How do you get ready? That may be a personal question you must answer for yourself; you are likely already preparing, may even be fully prepared. Here’s what I’m doing:
I am meditating more – more frequently through the day and for longer periods of time. I am reading through the Kalachakra Tantra Rite of Initiation by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Jeffery Hopkins. I am practicing yoga and qigong. I am practicing the six Transcendent Perfections of Buddhism (as best I can). I am attending to my body, speech and mind. And I am planning to attend the Kalachakra Initiation of 2014 in Ladakh, India this July.
I may not be ready for the “big shift” but I am “being the big shift.” I am practicing what I can to be prepared. And I am excited!
The Moon is new today at 4:38 pm Eastern Time. This marks the end of the old Lunar year and a shift into the Year of the Horse. I feel the energy gathering and galloping in. I am as ready as I can be for this shift and the bigger shifts to come.
I hope you are ready with me!
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: Get Ready for the Big Shift!
Are you ready? Are you prepared to shift? Are you excited about taking a quantum leap forward in your life?
Now is the time! The world around you is showing you in not-too-subtle ways that you have turned the corner into the place where you are facing the biggest shift of your life. Are you willing to shift?
Or are you feeling a bit scared and wishing you could turn around and go back to the way things were?
Think of a baby in the midst of the birthing process. What if the baby decided to turn around and stay inside Mommy? It might be thinking, ‘I don’t know what’s out there so I think I’ll just stay here where it’s comfy and warm.’
That is what you do when you choose not to grow, when you opt out of your next quantum leap, when you try to keep things just as they are.
It is easy to look around for the quantum leap when everything feels as if it is falling apart in your life. This is the point at which you might as well leap because there is just nothing for you if you stay stuck where you are. It is more difficult, though, to leap when things seem to be going smoothly and you don’t want to take a chance on ‘rocking the boat.’
Ah, that’s when the quantum leap is most powerful, however!
You are always at a point of choice about your life and how you will live it. You can always choose to resist the tide of change and remain stuck where you are, not doing the personal growth work that is available to you. But this choice takes so much energy that you will exhaust yourself and still be stuck. Why choose this?
When you decide to GROW you face a field filled with possibilities that beckon to you to leap in, choose a path, try it and decide to stay on that path or choose another one to try. When you fully participate in life and go for the quantum leap, even more possibilities will open up before you.
That’s how possibilities work. If you feel as if you are looking through a narrow field into choices that look like ‘either-or’ choices, one or the other opportunities, then it is your field of view that needs to change first. There are always possibilities, even if you cannot see them in this moment. There are plenty of possibilities that are the ‘and’ kind, the ones where you can have this AND that. But if you only look through the lens of ‘either-or’ you will miss all the other options!
This is a time filled with great potential for each person on Planet Earth. The energy field is shifting. The magnetic field, the poles, the very Planet herself – all are contributing energy to support you in making your Big Shift.
We are in the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy, looking out in every direction at the rest of the Galaxy. Where would you like to leap? You have the power to move forward in any direction.
Shift and leap. Examine the possibilities in 360 degrees around you. Reach out beyond the first ones that you see and look for the possibilities that might seem to be just beyond your reach. Make bodacious claims for yourself about who you are and who you can be.
Shift. It is a choice and there is an amazing world of possibilities just beyond your view. Leap into it!
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: The Big Shift is Coming!
My Two-Minute Video for this Week: The Big Shift is Coming!
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
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: Dream BIG!
My Two-Minute Video for this Week: Dream BIG!
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
I CHING GUA FOR THE NEW MOON IN CAPRICORN
We not only rang in a New Year at midnight on January 1, we also experienced a New Moon at 7:14 AM Eastern time on the First. Lots of new energy to begin the year!
As one of my practices I cast an I Ching Gua (a hexagram of yin and yang lines) on each new moon to “read” the energies that are coming in for us. The I Ching or “book of change” can be used as a divination tool, not so much to predict what is coming but to get a sense of the energies of change that may be coming up through the month. This is another of the many “intuitive tools” that are available to us to help us sense beyond the usual three-dimensional ways through our five senses.
To help with the interpretation of the Gua I rely on a book by Taoist Master Alfred Huang: The Complete I Ching. I find his translation to be thorough, detailed and clear. Of course there is plenty of room for my own reading of the Gua because the words and meanings of the I Ching can be open and obscure.
For January the Gua I cast using a 50-yarrow stalk method generated this hexagram:
The “x” and circles through the 3rd, 4th and 6th lines indicate they are “changing lines.” Master Huang recommends reading only the middle changing line when there are three. So, only the 4th line is used to generate a new, changed Gua as pictured below.
But first we need to understand “Hindrance.” This Gua is made up of two trigrams, Earth is the lower one and Heaven is the upper. This is not a particularly auspicious Gua because Heaven is above and drawing away from the Earth. There is a block here against progress. It is the opposite of “Advance” which is the preceding Gua in the I Ching sequence. But this is a natural flow: after advancing there comes hindrance. And, naturally, after a time of hindrance there can be further advance.
For me the energy here is to pause, for a short time. The Hindrance-Energy is on the way out with 2013. (Note the volatility of this initial Gua with three changing line.) Yet, there is no need to leap into anything big early in the New Year.
Using only the middle line, the 4th, as the changing line yields this Gua:
The Guan here is the same word as in Guan Yin the Goddess of Compassion. The literal meaning of her name is “Watching Sound.” In this sense Guan means meditating or concentrating.
The message for me is to meditate on any actions for the month and proceed with caution. In all things be an example. Watch yourself and also remember you are being watched by others. Contemplate before action. This Gua is approached from Hindrance. While the energy barriers are lifting and Hindrance is shifting there is no need for haste. Be considerate.
A further way to interpret a Gua is to form a new one from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines as the lower trigram and the 3rd, 4th and 5th lines as the upper trigram. This yields the “mutual gua” – in this case Bo, Falling away. This too holds a sense of warning energy. Conserve what you have. This New Moon will wax to fullness and then wane again. Proceed with caution during the waning moon.
Hindrance quickly yields to Watching early in the month. Meditate on all action. As the Chinese say about Pi: pi ji tai lai, which means: “Out of the depths of misfortune comes bliss. At the end of Hindrance appears Advance.”
Enjoy this moon-cycle and the start of this fabulous New Year however you wish to interpret the energies captured by the I Ching!
PS: My friend and astrologer, Gloria Hesseloff, had this to say about this Capricorn New Moon: “2014 invites us to continue ‘planting the seeds’ for the next 26,000 years, or at least the next few generations.” Planting seeds for generations certainly requires thoughtful patience!
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
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: Reflections from 2013 = Guidance for 2014
Here are excerpts from selected posts from 2013. May they guide you into a happy and prosperous 2014!
From April 12, 2013
Each of us has a responsibility to ourselves and to others to learn how to live in community with the people around us. We are not private islands with ‘No Trespassing’ signs on our foreheads! The most important lesson to learn about living in a civilized society is to learn what healthy boundaries are. Learn what to let in and what belongs to the other person.
From February 22 2013
Reach out beyond what you can see to the possibilities that are there. Keep your mind open to optimism. Maybe things aren’t as bleak as they seem. Maybe the glass really is half-full and not half-empty. Take charge of how you think, speak, feel about something and it just might change around you.
From December 6 2013
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.
From August 30 2013
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. What benefits are there to staying in that rut? Do you really not know the next step? Or are you afraid of what it might ask of you and, therefore, you choose not to seek help in identifying it?
Happy Birthday to YOU!!! Today is your birthday. You get to choose who you are today, right now, in this moment. You don’t even have to be the same as you were when you woke up this morning. OR you can decide that you like the YOU who woke up and you re-decide to celebrate YOU! Either way, it’s your birthday today.
From January 11 2013
It’s okay to consider yourself and your own needs. Sometimes we need permission to do that. You have that permission now. Focusing on what you need is vital to supporting your efforts to help others in need. Fill up your cup so you can serve from the overflow in the saucer.
From July 5 2013
When you put your attention on being instead of doing, your energy flows into being the you you were meant to be. Doing, taking action in your life, then follows being yourself.
Where are there energy blocks in you, in your life? Identify the stuck places and take action to move the energy through the blocks. Free up any stuck energy so that you can truly be free. Focus your attention on manifesting your dreams and watch how much energy can then flow into that manifestation.
From March 22 2013
When you demand control of your environment, you limit the ways in which the Universe answers your requests. Your thoughts are projecting an often unconscious request to keep things just the way they are. And, yet, there are laws of the Universe about change being ever present.
For today, remember this equation:
EVENT leads to your REACTION and then you choose a RESPONSE.
While you might not control all the events that happen [Surprise!] and your reaction is your immediate ‘knee jerk’ feeling, you DO control how you respond. Put your energies into practicing Conscious Response – choosing the response that demonstrates your personal growth. Then you can relax into making peace with the ‘not knowing’ and enjoy the ‘Surprise!’
From May 24 2013
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. Opportunity is the invitation to Change. Every time you say ‘no’ to Change you are leaving a Doorway to Opportunity closed. Every time you ignore or say ‘no’ to Opportunity you are saying ‘yes’ to everything staying the same.
Is there something in your life that you wish to Change? Then you must walk through a Door of Opportunity or there will be no Change.
Are you seeking Opportunities in your life? Then you must Change something.
Those who prevent change also prevent opportunities from being realized. If you are one who wishes to preserve the status quo then you are not ready for increased Prosperity and Abundance in your life.
Think about the energy it takes to resist Change. The evolutionary forces of the Universe are not static. They are always and forever moving forward, taking with them those who are connected to growth and leaving behind those who wish to go backward, which is the same as attempting to stand still. There is no standing still. There is only moving forward or being swamped by the Tides of Change.
In every moment cells in your body are changing. With every thought your brain is changing. Energetically, your field is changing with every thought, feeling, heartbeat. What vibration are you emanating as these changes take place? You are changing and you are constantly generating an energy field around you. Your choices create the energy vibrational frequency of your field. What energy field are you choosing to present to the world?
Think about the people you have attracted to your energy field. Do they emanate the vibrational frequency that you wish to share? Think about the situations in your life right now. Are they what you wish to manifest in your world?
Now is the time for you to consciously choose the Opportunities you wish to pursue. What do you desire to Change? Which Doorway of Opportunity will bring about that Change? And what must you Change to take advantage of that Opportunity.
Opportunity and Change.
The only way forward is to walk through the Doorway.
And so it is.”
Happy New Year! For even more guidance for 2014 you may want to listen to a message Rosemary channeled 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 upcoming energy. Expect more change! The transformation continues! The message it is available as an MP3 recording for a modest price; check out the details here: Winter Solstice Message
The Success of Your Authentic Self – Richard’s Commentary
Rosemary and I just returned from our monthly gathering of the EQUAAC group we are part of. This is the Equality Anne Arundel County group who, among other things, worked for the passage of Marriage Equality in Maryland. It’s a wonderful, warm group of men and women, both gay and straight who happen to believe in “equality” in all things! Rosemary and I are always welcomed with open arms, hugs, kisses and big smiles. It is such a pleasure to be part of this group!
And one thing always strikes me when we get together: I can be my authentic self with these wonderful human beings. I don’t have to pretend; there are no pretenses; there are no hidden motives, no one trying to get an upper hand or convince anyone of something other than genuine gladness to be together.
Maybe this is a luxury of getting older. I can be myself no matter whom I’m with or what I’m doing. Why can’t it always be this way? Here’s Rosemary’s answer:
We forget.
We forget to reach inside ourselves for answers. We forget that we are ‘enough’ just as we are. We forget that no one else knows exactly what our Soul Contract with the Universe is and that we agreed to come into this world at this time.
I am forgetting less often! I am working very hard, through my various practices to remember who I am, why I’m here and to live with that level of authenticity. And it does take practice. The ego wants to pretend; it’s sometimes easier that way, less risky. The ego doesn’t always like authenticity. But inside there are better answers; “real” answers. When we go inside we do remember what’s important.
And it is a matter of remembering, as Rosemary points out in yesterday’s post. We all come in knowing and remembering our purpose, our true self and the true reason the Universe called us to BE, here and now. Society and our ego want us to forget. We go through our growing years and our “educational process” learning to forget! If we all remembered to fulfill our purposes society would be very different. And society, just like our egos, wants to maintain the status quo.
There may be stability in the status quo but I wouldn’t call it success. Where is the impetus for evolution if we all toe the line and forget our purpose? Where’s the progress if we ignore our inner truth and accept someone else’s judgment about that? Where’s the lesson, the gain, the success if we pretend we are something other than who we came here to be?
Our success can only truly be measured against our true purpose. We all know our purpose; we may have forgotten it but it is in there, inside. We came with blueprints; we can remember. It takes practice but it is there.
Rosemary’s clarion call is to “remember.” I echo this call! We are called to awaken to our purpose, to our authentic selves. What better time than now, this holiday season and at year’s end to take up this cause and remember!
Men and The Goddess 