2012 AND BEYOND: Reminders of What We Need to Know

FEAR: Everything you want to know but are afraid to ask!

2011-11-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

In my mail the other day was a letter from my mortgage company informing me that I had 45 days to buy flood insurance or they would buy it for me. To say I had a reaction is quite a bit of an understatement. Apparently FEMA has remapped and reassigned my area from a previously “low” to a “moderate to high” flood risk. I want to rant about why this is unfair, arbitrary and political, but something more important came of this that I would rather talk about. I became aware of fear, FEMA’s fear, my fear, the mortgage company’s fear and the global fear that we are all currently steeping in.

FEMA is afraid that they won’t have enough money to assist people caught in disasters, Citibank is afraid the house will lose value and their loan won’t get paid, I am afraid that the government knows something about flooding that I don’t, that something will happen to my home and I will be homeless, that I won’t have enough money to pay for flood insurance, that the government is controlling my life and I am powerless. Whew! And that is just a small blip of the fear that is in the world today.

Healthy fear motivates and protects. But a German proverb warns "Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is" which can happen if we do not deal directly with fear as it comes up in us. Let’s start by looking that wolf in the eye and seeing what we are up against.

Fear is a survival emotion, hard wired into our animal nature. It isn’t bad, it isn’t shameful, it is survival. The root of fear is always annihilation; that we will cease to exist in some manner. How that might occur colors the different kinds of fears, responses and energetic patterns we hold. For instance the fear of not having enough (money, love, time, food, whatever) the fear of abandonment, the fear of hostility, the fear of betrayal all in some way threaten our perception of survival but manifest in different ways. Anything that threatens survival, real or imagined, will trigger a fear response, mobilizing protective action. The cognitive mind is bypassed and instinct from a primitive part of the brain takes over, which is a very efficient way for the system to work. When in danger information isn’t needed, action is! The kind of action depends on the degree of threat and physiologically a lot happens. Chemicals, like adrenaline, are released into the body that prepares us to act. Anything that is not needed for survival in that moment is temporarily put off line, like thinking and digesting.

Because we humans are blessed with a neocortex, we have the ability to remember something threatening from the past and project that thought forward into the future, preparing us for a repeat experience and an efficient response. Face a tiger once and you will remember to be wary of tigers after that. We may not see many tigers in the course of a day, but we still react to an imagined tiger, or a tiger in a movie. The brain can’t tell the difference between what is “real” and what is imagined, and this is how we can take a good thing, like fear, and turn it into anxiety, which typically occurs without any certain or immediate external threat. We feel activated, on edge, uncomfortable without a clearly defined reason why. As the saying goes: "People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross". This is the plague of our modern time. Anxiety can become an irresolvable, indefinable reason why we can’t live, rather than a threat to life.

The response to fear is very important for health, well-being and ultimately for survival in a more sophisticated sense than just running for our lives. Specific behaviors of escape and avoidance that can help if we meet a tiger or can hurt in the case of generalized anxiety. If the fear is within, stoked by inner dialog, it grows without ever reaching resolution. We become increasingly activated, agitated, frustrated, angry, blaming, threatening, controlling and depressed because of our seeming powerlessness to do anything to change things. Like the way I was feeling about the flood insurance.

An actual flood would have triggered my survival instincts, but the talk of flood triggered my anxiety, which initially prevented me from thinking clearly, taking in new information and acting in my own best interest. I am convinced that my fear is just a small part of a greater wave circulating the globe triggered by unemployment, asteroids, 2012 prophecies, economy, famine, drought, war, revolution, terrorism, homelessness, change and the unknown. Watch the stock market and you will clearly see fear manifesting itself. The more we know, the more alert we are to internal and external events, the more prepared we will be. The more prepared we are, the less fear there will be.

What is it we need to be reminded of? It is important to remember that we are more than a physical body. The physical need to survive is the catalyst for expansion into a shift of consciousness that is manifesting now. People are noticing that something big is happening, a paradigm shift. Change creates challenges, and there will be challenges in the coming years. It is inevitable that there will be times of fear and important to know that it is normal and healthy. It is also useful to align with the excitement of opportunity. Just that shift in perception can take us out of survival mode and into new possibilities. We will not be blindsided by fear if we know the face of the wolf. Remember the Hopi say to let go of the riverbank and let the river take you. The riverbank is the familiar and what we want to fiercely hang onto. The river is the terrifying unknown waiting to sweep us away. It seems contrary to survival to let go; yet that is exactly what change demands. Dorothy Bernard says that courage is fear that has said its prayers. Take a deep breath, say the prayer of courage, and surrender to the unknown.

We need to be reminded that we are expanding into a greater consciousness awareness that is causing all of us to challenge the status quo. The old structures will squeeze us tighter and tighter until we expand beyond them and give birth to a new way of being in the world and ourselves. Everything that is not in alignment with the new paradigm will fall away and that change can be an uncomfortable process. We are bridging the gap between physical and unitive consciousness and taking the next great leap in human evolution. Scary and exhilarating! It is beginning to dawn on us that consciousness is immortal, we are consciousness, therefore we are immortal. We are not separate from, but integrated and woven into the fabric of all things. We have influence over and are influenced by every form, function and possibility. When we can integrate our expanded nature into the physical experience, we realize that we are always in the right place and everything is always working out, there is nothing to loose and everything to gain. We can have our body, our minds, our spirit, passion, and gifts and never, ever, have to let fear stop us because our survival is a given.

We are reminded to open to the greater part of who we are, the higher consciousness, inspiration and guidance. Trust inner awareness will lead to appropriate action. Trust that each and every moment will be responded to in a way that supports us as individuals and us as a world community. Do not walk alone, the Hopi say the time of the lone wolf is over. If you have difficulty, get support. Ask to be guided to that support and pay attention to it. Believe that you have a unique purpose that is aligned with your higher spiritual nature to support the leap mankind is making. Walk the middle path of non-attachment where there is full awareness of what is, but no attachment to a particular outcome. Be in the moment fully, let go and trust. Remember you are so much more than whom you think you are!

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed holiday season filled with joy and possibilities.

Next time: What does it mean to prepare?

Trust Yourself!

2011-10-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone. We have just experienced a freaky weather pattern here in New England that dumped snow on green leaves and left many without power. I have that haunted deja vu feeling because it hasn't been that long since we faced the effects of hurricane Irene.

I have been noticing general advertisements from the state here in Connecticut and from FEMA, advising people to be prepared for disasters. Is it just because the weather is so freaky? Maybe.

Add to that the fact that FEMA has just re-mapped many coastal areas, including my own, to assign them high flood risk when in the past they were low risk. Curious.

It makes me wonder if there is a process in motion that we may not be informed of because no one is really sure what will happen next, or maybe because we are hoping for the best. No sooner did I have that thought there was a note from Mitch Battros at Earth Changes Media saying:

"There has been a sharp increase of background noise in the science community. This is to say I am receiving whispers, nods, and winks - that something significant has begun to unfold."

I don't have any specific information other than observing the strange happenings and that feeling in my gut that I need to pay attention. We have already talked about trusting our instincts and paying attention to guidance. That is all we need to do. The reminder is to be alert, trust your instincts and be prepared!

Coming Next: FEAR - Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask!

Koyaanisqatsi: Post Hurricane Irene Reflections

2011-09-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

Koyaanisqatsi: Post Hurricane Irene Reflections

In the Hopi language, the word Koyaanisqatsi means “crazy life, life in turmoil, life out of balance, life disintegrating, a state of life that calls for another way of living”

As I sat in the dark following hurricane Irene there was time for reflection without any of the usual distractions. It is very quiet when the power goes out. Except for the throb of a generator down the street, there was no refrigerator hum, no appliance buzz, television chatter or ringing phones. Until the power went out, I didn’t notice how loud ambient sound is. Not only was it quiet, I discovered I had time to think, wonder, muse and rest, unlike my normal state of hurried and harried. When I considered what was different I realized that under normal circumstances I have a land line (that wasn’t working) a cell phone (that was working but I was conserving the battery) and an office phone (didn’t go there)., internet (not functioning), and television (no power) pulling at me constantly. Add to that all the other activities life requires and it is no wonder I felt rushed and breathless. I discovered it wasn’t that I lacked hours in the day, it was that time was being absorbed by the very things I thought freed me up. My relationship with the internet is like kudzu, winding its way in, around and through all the minutes in my day, checking email, searching, and getting lost in places I had no intention of going. Apparently I am not alone, college students recently surveyed reported that the internet ranked in importance with food, air and water and was more important to them than dating! To be fair, there are benefits to technology. Vast stores of information are at my fingertips, I have been able to work with clients anywhere in the world, and as I write this blog I am ecstatically grateful for computer word processing. Rarely is anything ALL good or ALL bad. Balance and awareness protect us from Koyaanisqatsi , and as I sat in the dark I was gaining new awareness.

After I got over flipping the light switch on and off a hundred times to no avail, I enjoyed going with the natural flow of light and dark, night and day. My body sighed and said, yes, this is how it was meant to be, let the light of dawn rouse me and I will reward you with sound sleep when the sun sets. Consider how we have managed to wrestle natural cycles to the ground by creating artificial environments. People keep going all hours of the day and night, insulate themselves from all kinds of conditions and forge onward with 4 wheel drive no matter what - until the power goes out. I noticed how each modern convenience, even though I love them, takes me farther away from a relationship with the natural world.

The next step of this journey, was lack of refrigeration. My heart broke when I had to throw out food. “When in doubt, throw it out” became my mantra. My thoughts wandered to how people have gone from growing their own and visiting the local farm to a food industry that disconnects us from the process of nourishing ourselves in a lot of ways. There is an epidemic of obesity in this country and I wondered if there is a hole in the belly that isn’t being filled by packaged food, chemicals, preservatives and big business. In the past, people had to work to grow food, hunt and forage, which balanced effort, caloric intake and a sense of satisfaction. City living leaves dense populations dependent on the food industry. The power outage prevented gas from being pumped, trucks from deliveries, and emptied shelves fast. I became aware that I am completely dependent on a food delivery system that was looking extremely fragile.

When the hurricane hit and brought the pace of life to a grinding halt, I noticed how fast we were going just trying to keep up. Frazzled nerves and entitlement demands that THEY get life back to normal NOW. Dependency on the government, the power grid, the food industry left many frustrated, helpless and disempowered. The system seems too daunting and too complicated for individuals to affect. People screamed at power company workers, demanded investigations into why this disruption of life was taking so damn long.

In the quiet darkness I discovered a longing for simplicity that I didn’t know I had. Apparently I am not alone because when I Googled “living simply” over 48 million sites came up! In the Hopi language, the word Koyaanisqatsi means "unbalanced life", or a crazy, chaotic life that needs to be lived another way. Traditional Hopi look at our way of life and shake their heads in disbelief wondering why we subject ourselves to such stress. In the Hopi culture, Maasaw, the Guardian Spirit, came to the people and gave them instructions and warnings. If they followed his way, they would do well.

Maasaw

The instructions were simple and included making a covenant with Maasaw committing to a relationship with the Divine, living simply, practicing self denial, practicing self-sufficiency, changing priorities, recognition that the Creator’s wish is to help us and that the world can be rescued. The Hopi thrived for centuries living the simple life Maasaw outlined for them. Many Hopi have been lured away by modern western life and traditionalists are concerned this will lead to the fulfillment of the prophesies, many of which have already come to pass. What is powerful about the warnings is that we are always given a choice and a means to come back into balance. The warnings are about responsibility, not punishment. Not many of us would be willing to live the life Maasaw outlined, armed only with the clothes on our back, a digging stick and seeds, but if we consider the possibility that how we live affects not just ourselves but everyone and the future of our planet, I for one, am willing to make a few changes. There are many ways we can simplify and come back into balance and right relationship with life on earth.

I made this list of reminders to help me focus.

1.Commit to a spiritual practice. Welcome an authentic, deep appreciation for all the mysteries and magnificence that surround us. Meditate. Pray.

2. Down size. With my newly found time, I cleared everything out of my house that I didn’t use, didn’t need, was holding onto because I should, or was afraid to let go of. I filled my car and donated everything to a local organization having a yard sale. I admit it was hard to let go, but the feeling of lightness and space more than made up for it.

3. Be mindful of consumption. Notice if open space starts filling up again. Reuse old stuff in a new way. Get creative. Purchase items of quality that last. Get along with less. Avoid disposable items. Share. Recycle.

4. Turn off the cell phone (sometimes). Before cell phones I had space to wander, get lost and be out of touch for a bit. We need space to be inspired. Use the power button and find a slice of uninterrupted time.

5. Stay out of debt. It feels liberating to pay for what I want. It feels really good when I get a credit card statement saying I owe nothing.

6. Omit the unnecessary. Commitments, possessions, distractions, whatever. Disengage “auto pilot” and start choosing what works. Decide what is important and make space for that.

7. Care for mental health. Hope. Be optimistic. Breathe. Be inspired and inspiring. Be conscious of the moment. Choose thoughts that feel good.

8. Slow down. Drive at the speed limit. Do one thing at a time really, really well.

9. Consciously choose activities that nourish self, others and the planet. Make bread. Grow a garden. Plant herbs and cook with them. Sing. Walk. Drink tea as a spiritual practice. Learn something new. Help someone. Make a difference.

10. Come back to basics. Pretend it is 1900. Stop trying to keep up, and live life on my terms.

How is this information relevant to embracing change and the times we are facing? There is a lot of intriguing information from indigenous people around the world saying, and they are generally in agreement, that we are in a unique time of change. That is interpreted as everything from the dawn of a new age to global destruction of the planet depending on who you ask. It is my belief that we are facing an opportunity and as the Hopi say, we have options. To take advantage of those options we have to know what they are. The way IN is THROUGH, as the saying goes. Paying attention, being introspective and honest with ourselves, and having courage to follow through are crucial to making a smooth transition. There is no credible information that I can find that leads me to believe that the earth will experience cataclysmic destruction on 12/21/12, but I can see with my own eyes the path we are on and where it is headed. Some may hope that catastrophe will take responsibility for change out of our hands but it seems unlikely. I doubt that there is something coming at us from above, below or afar and believe we are facing the consequences of choices we have made up to now. The greatest concern I have for 2012 and beyond is increasing violence and greed, which is rooted in a dualistic perspective. Up until now, duality, good/bad, black/white, right/wrong has been the status quo of this physical experience. As a species we are coming out of the ego centric terrible twos and growing into a time of co-operation for the greater good, unity consciousness. It is directly opposed to the generally accepted theory of “survival of the fittest”. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief, points out that survival is enhanced when we co-operate. If our purpose in being here is to shift out of duality and toward unity consciousness then a simple life that is more connected to wholeness of spirit seems an obvious choice.

That is my esoteric reason for believing this information is relevant and important. On a more practical note, as modern technology increases in complexity breakdowns are going to happen that affect large populations of people. Consider the impact of hurricane Irene, and the recent power outage on the west coast that plunged more than 1.5 million people into darkness. It makes sense to pay attention and be proactive by preparing mentally, emotionally and physically for all sorts of eventualities. Gone is the day that we can sit idly by waiting to be rescued by the government, FEMA or the Red Cross. Yes, they are there to help, but it is critically important, as we have witnessed in New Orleans and Japan, that we first need to help ourselves and from there assist others. We are all in this together and as Ghandi said, we are invited to BE the change we want to see in the world.

The Hopi prophecy says that a time will come when common people will become concerned and frustrated because they can no longer tolerate living in a hectic world. I think we are there. As life speeds up they advise us to slow down. Let’s remember that we always have a choice how to live. Even if circumstances feel beyond our control, we still have the ability to choose how to perceive it and respond. What do you need to thrive? What do you reasonably need to feel less disrupted personally if “the system” goes down? What skills and abilities do you have that enable you to function with grace in any circumstance? Maybe we do not require complicated technology or more “stuff” to live better lives. Let us be reminded that the outer experience reflects the inner one and the choice is ours.

The Truth Is Out There!

2011-09-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene has come and gone and I am proud of how we have helped each other and deeply grateful for the support from volunteers, businesses, utility workers, emergency rescue teams, and neighbors who helped get everyone through the storm and beyond. My prayers go out to those still struggling and grieving losses as a result.

Slogan from the TV show X Files

Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' ~ Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931)

It is time to speak your truth. Create your community. Be good to each other.

And do not look outside yourself for the leader. The leader is within.

This could be a good time! ~ Hopi Elders of Oraibi

You may have noticed that the name of the blog has been changed from Earth Changes to Embracing Change. In my exploration of truth, I realized that identifying the blog with earth changes might hook people into reading it, but it wasn’t truly aligned with the intention of the Reminders, which is getting clearer as I go along. Change is a part of life, and it is something humans can have a hard time accepting. We can embrace change, “let go of the river bank and … be carried downstream” as the Hopi Elders advise or we can resist change and struggle to push the river. As we approach 2012, earth changes and prophecies are certainly a part of the discussion, but not the entire focus of the Reminders.

Recently, I was working long distance with a client in California as a small earthquake hit. Californians are used to quakes and they say they “eat 5.9 for breakfast”, but she noticed the curious combination of the Colorado quake, the Virginia quake and then the California quakes. She knew there was a lot of prophecy talk going around the internet and asked if it could be true. The only reply that feels accurate is that it is true for some people and for others it is not true. So, after writing the last blog that the truth is within, I am also saying the truth is out there. Rather than a contradiction, it is a paradox.

Truth is not just a rigid fact but also a complex interaction between the energy consciousness system (beliefs, defenses, ideology, ego), physical reality and deeper awareness. There is truth from outside and inside each of us and each person’s experience of truth varies with time and experience, but will always contain within it the thread of commonality that arises from a shared ground.

The experience with hurricane Irene is a perfect example. People of sound mind accept the truth that Irene was a big storm that came right at us. Beyond that, “truth” diverges in a myriad of different directions depending on the individual you asked. Responses ranged from “this will be fun” to “pack up and evacuate”. It seems like truth should be clear, but as Oscar Wilde said, the truth is rarely pure and never simple.

Truth is an integration of outer fact and inner awareness. Take for example the story of the man in a flood. He saw the news broadcast that warned people of rising flood waters (physical reality). The man was not concerned because he knew God would save him (personal truth). As the water started to rise a rescue worker came to his house and urged him to evacuate. He said, not to worry God would save him. The water continued to rise, and the man moved up to the second floor of his house where another rescue worker came by in a rowboat and urged the man to leave with him. The man refused, saying God would save him. Finally the man was on his roof to escape the swirling water and a helicopter hovered overhead lowering a ladder to the man. He refused the ladder, saying God would save him. Next thing the man knew he was in heaven with God. He asked God why he didn’t save him. God said he sent the warnings, the rescue workers, a boat and a helicopter, what more could he do? The man was invested in his perception of truth to the exclusion of outer reality. Here is where it gets complicated. You might say he was stubborn and short sighted. Some might admire his faith while others feel his betrayal. All true, depending on your perspective.

Right action comes from the ability to acknowledge urging from the body, assimilate and sort through information in the mind, then run all the “data” through the inner guidance system. The result is the discovery of a truth that is far greater and wiser than facts alone. Being aware of the greater aspect of who we are aligns us with our unique purpose and transpersonal truth. There is great opportunity here, and as always it is a choice to accept or not.

So how is this relevant and important for embracing the changing times we are living in? One of the Reminders members asked in frustration how we can ever figure out what is true when there is so much information out there; prophecy, channeling, fantasy, scientific projections, theory, beliefs, and media drama. First, finding what is absolutely true may be a frustrating impossibility, so work to find what is true for you. While I have declared truth to be complicated, knowing what is true for us is relatively simple.

Here is my KISS (keep it simple sweetheart) method for finding truth and creating right action:

1. Pay attention to everything. The news, friends, the way the air smells, how the clouds look, what the animals are doing, feelings in your belly. Gather all the information you need, within reason. We are not separate from the physical world and it is important to know what is going on. If global information is too much to assimilate, focus locally. If theory and speculation is frightening rather than motivating, stick to factual information. As was the case with hurricane Irene, knowing the storm is coming, allows for preparations that make physical life safer and more comfortable.

2. Notice feelings in the body. The mind is great for some tasks but can also spin information, rationalize desires and confuse issues until we are headachy. Feelings in the body are the most accurate indicators of what is true or not. Reading prophecies about the world coming to an end feels fascinating yet scary. Reading about the culture of the Hopi people feels positive, and empowering. It is up to us to choose what we fill ourselves with. Gather facts, then bring attention to the body, go inside, everything we need to know is there. Cultivate a strong relationship with guidance and inner knowing and without a doubt what is true will be known.

3. Have a plan. A couple of weeks before the earthquake and Irene hit, I sent an email out to my children asking them to join me in making a plan. When they were little we had a plan to meet by the big tree if there was a fire in the house. Now that they are older and spread out over three states, I was feeling the urge to find our big tree. We exchanged all our contact information, my hotel in Miami, the dates and flights when I am away, phone numbers of significant others and work places. I asked that we keep each other informed of comings and goings. I mentioned getting what the Red Cross calls a disaster bag together. It can take some time to figure out what to put into such a bag. Imagine trying to do that when you are in a rush and frightened? As it turned out, it wasn’t long before we were in need of some of our preparations, and I was greatly relieved to have had a plan in place. Each one of us needs to do what feels right and true when we run information through our inner guidance system.

4. Trust yourself, how you feel, what you know to be true in your heart and gut. Don't let yourself get pulled off track trying to prove or disprove every piece of information that comes your way. Let go of the riverbank and know the river has its destination. The elders say we must push off and into the river, keep our eyes open and our head above the water. See who is in there with you and celebrate.

We are being reminded to pay attention to our environment, to be open to new information, but not to get attached to or distracted by facts or beliefs that contradict our own knowing. Truth is out there, and it is important to be able to recognize it, take it in and evaluate it. Discern what is valuable by running it through the inner guidance system and feel it in the body. Integrate observation and information with personal awareness and beliefs to determine right action. If the weather report says you do not have to be concerned about the big storm coming, but your gut is telling you something different, trust the truth in your belly. When outside information is in conflict with inner knowing we feel anxious, unsettled, and uncomfortable. Truth is felt in the body as comfort, confidence without attachment to outcome, clarity, personal empowerment and peace. Trust yourself first and foremost because only you know your purpose in being here, whether that is conscious or not. You will know the truth when you feel it!

Be safe. Be well.

For your information:

The American Red Cross

The Truth is Within

2011-08-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

This blog has taken me a long time to write. The more I struggled, the more blocked I became and the worse it got. I couldn’t find my focus and wandered all over without a point. Finally, in frustration, I surrendered my arbitrary deadline and sat still long enough to be with what I was feeling.

At the “Reminders” group meeting we talked about the Mayan prophecy, which according to Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and author of The Book of Destiny, states that we will experience "a colossal, global convergence of environmental destruction, social chaos, war, and ongoing earth changes” among other things. Earth Changes Media just reported that the Mayan Elders issued a warning that the predictions had already begun and the last ten days of August will reflect the prophetic predictions from ancient text with a special caution to “watch the waters”. As a physical being fully invested in survival, it is contrary to my biology not to react to that kind of information.

If you Google “2012 prophecy” it will return over 9 million hits. The looming date of 12/21/ 2012 is a very hot topic among spiritual teachers, new agey folks, film makers and those hoping for a better world. While not the only prophecy, it is well known, especially now. The mass murders in Norway, London burning, drought, weird weather, famine in Somalia, war, and the stock market dropping like a rock, can all be interpreted as signs supporting the predictions. The Mayan warning appears to be a real and scary fact. When we discussed it in the group, one member asked the question “Who are those Mayan elders and how do they know what will happen?” The question jolted me awake and my first response was that THEY are the ELDERS, and of course they KNOW! But do they?

The next morning I went for a walk along the Niantic River, appreciating the salty scent of the air off the water. I opted to unplug my iPod in favor of being in the peaceful quiet of nature. The halfway point of my loop is a little strip of deserted beach used mainly as a kayak launch. My habit is to settle myself at the solitary picnic table and observe the river and the life it supports. The river flows unconcerned, the geese, ducks and cormorants conduct business as usual while I am agitated by my thoughts. I remembered Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle teaching that thoughts are responsible for upset and suffering. The Dalai Lama says that fear is the greatest destroyer of personal peace. It is true, and yet, how does one stay aware of what is happening in the world without it having an effect?

As I mulled over the situation it surprised me that I would so easily and unconsciously accept prophecy as fact. I completely accepted the words of the elders without a moments pause. Some of that was bred into me as a child of the cold war 50’s and 60's. In rural upstate New York we lived every day afraid of atomic warfare and invasion by the USSR. My stepmother went so far as to build a bomb shelter in the basement that thankfully never got tested. In school we had drill after drill of silently marching out to the darkened hall, coats over our heads, leaning up against cold lockers waiting for the flash. I was trained to expect disaster and part of why my body reacts like Henny Penny to these prophecies. The Bay of Pigs situation was especially intense and after living with fear day after day, I remember having a new thought. SO WHAT? In that moment of illumination I realized that what ever happened I would deal with it. That moment gave me an entirely new perspective and freed me from the fear I held every day. There are many visions of the future, most of them catastrophic. The important thing to remember is that predictions are not facts, they are warnings of possibilities, perceptions and beliefs.

Beliefs are repeated thoughts and reality reflects back those beliefs by showing us what we are focused on. Beliefs are not made true because we think them frequently, but it may seem that way. The more we believe in something, like a prophecy, the more energy is invested in it and the greater the likelihood it will be perceived as truth and have a self fulfilling nature. My “belief” that the Mayan prophecy is fact, made it true for me. It colored my experience and perception of events and the thoughts I had frightened me. That is not to say that prophecy should be disregarded as fantasy. I remember futurist Gordon Michael Scallion saying that a good prophet is never correct because his warning is heeded and events change. A prediction is accurate, for the most part, in the moment of time it was perceived. Possibilities, choices, circumstances change with each passing moment. Even one tiny shift in the field can change the whole picture and future outcomes.

According to my understanding of quantum mechanics, everything exists, or doesn’t exist, in a huge field of potentiality or possibility. This is an interpretation of the famous double slit experiment, which demonstrated that matter and energy can be both a particle, what we call stuff, and a wave, what would be potential stuff. A great Dr. Quantum video was made by Fred Allen Wolf that describes the experiment clearly. It was interpreted that a wave would become a particle in response to direct interaction between the observer and what was being observed. The theory is that everything exists in an energetic field of possibility just waiting for consciousness to focus attention and bring it into form. There is a possibility of global disaster and a possibility of global peace and everything imaginable in between and all around, just waiting to be brought into form. Put simply, what we focus on, we get.

The power of prophecy is not to paralyze us with fear and hopelessness, but to motivate change. The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, as Simon and Garfunkel wrote. They are everywhere if we pay attention and are not carved in stone events, but wise reflections of cause and effect meant to inspire us to change. Rampant epidemics of depression, violence, disease, environmental disasters and greed are potent consequences of living out of balance, disconnected from our true selves and deeper meaning. Might that be what the prophets are trying to bring our attention to? Let us focus on the world we want to live in, be accountable for what hasn't worked and responsible for change. We are creators of our experience and change begins within ourselves, or not, it is always a choice. If we change we will have one experience, if we carry on we will have another. Neither is the “end” game, right or wrong, both offer lessons to be learned. Sometimes we learn the hard way and we are free to make that choice.

The reminder I got through this experience is that I need to remember that truth is within and that while I am human and subject to all that entails, I am also spiritual and need to be mindful of a broader perspective. My purpose is not to be a harbinger of doom, but a gentle voice reminding each one of us what we already know deep inside. We are so much more than physical beings and from time to time we will get off track. Let the detour bring greater awareness of what the track is and how to get back on it.

Be still, silent and listen to the truth within. Everything you need is available to you.

Solar Flares Affect Our Mental State

2011-08-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

How have you been feeling lately? I noticed I was irritable, edgy for no known reason, that isn't my usual nature. That made me curious so I did a little research. We are experiencing the effects of a very active sun cycle. Since the beginning of August there has been an M-class flare just about every day, some so large that if the sky was clear the aurora borealis would be seen as far south as NYC.

Solar flares arise from magnetic storms on the Sun and appear like the photograph to the right. Solar flares eject huge amounts of high-energy particles and gases thousands of miles beyond the surface of the Sun. There appears to be a connection between the Sun’s solar storms and how we feel. These surges cause a solar wind that affects the magnetic field of the earth creating erratic weather, geophysical effects and disruptions to satellites, and communications systems. They also affect the human magnetic field which is resonant with the earth's field. Solar flares can affect the Central Nervous System, brain activity, behavior, mental and emotional responses.

If you have been experiencing unexplained and unusual nervousness, anxiety, worry, irritability, fatigue, short term memory problems, prolonged head pressure or headaches, solar flares may be the cause.

Be reassured that this too shall pass.

Receiving Guidance: The most important skill you will ever learn!

2011-08-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Reminders of what we need to know: We are more than this physical body. There is no limit to where our expanded awareness can take us, what we can know and accomplish. Many of us have forgotten we have this ability or have rejected it in the quest for so called “normalcy”. But being able to ask for and receive guidance is a very practical and sometimes life saving ability. It is the most important skill you can develop in this time of change and “quickening”.

We are facing an opportunity to let go of old structures, and the way we are accustomed to living in a world of CNN, supermarkets, credit cards and health insurance.

The Hopi say: “There is a river flowing very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold onto the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and they will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore and push off and into the river, keep our eyes open and our head above the water.”

We can let go of the shore consciously or be swept away as we desperately cling to the world as we know it. What we resist, persists. The more we try to hang on to the world the way we want it to be, the more struggle and suffering is created. Change is a difficult process for humans. We are comfortable with the familiar, even when it isn’t working. Keeping our eyes open and our head above water is about remembering who we are and staying open to guidance. As we move forward through life, facing personal and global challenges, the ability to receive, recognize and act on guidance is the skill that I believe is critical for us to develop.

Guidance is information accessed from expanded spiritual awareness rather than from our physical and cognitive senses. You know that if you take a certain route to work in the morning you will hit rush hour traffic. You can choose to take that route or not. That is normal conscious awareness, learning, conditioning, and mental processing, which is very useful and important for navigating the physical world.

But we are not limited to that awareness. There are times when it would be advantageous and maybe even life saving, to access an overview from a personal “traffic helicopter” or GPS of expanded awareness.

Expanded spiritual awareness, or guidance, provides access to information that is beyond our physical mind and senses. How is that possible? Consider it a natural part of our multidimensional nature and a sophisticated inner GPS that reflects our interconnectedness. We are energetic beings existing in a “soup” of energy where all things physical and nonphysical are connected. In Quantum Mechanics this is called non-locality and is a reflection of “entanglement”, where elements seemingly separated by time and space can instantaneously influence one another. Physically oriented “reality” believes that all objects and events are separate and nothing travels faster than the speed of light. In Quantum non-locality the connection does not travel at all, it simply exists, so that the speed of light as a limiting factor becomes irrelevant and the statement “we are all one” becomes scientific fact. That explains telepathy, precognitive awareness, guidance and a host of other phenomenon. Consider that time and space are illusions created by consciousness in a physical world to enable us to manage the experience. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are “tuning in” to fields of energy and information like a radio receiver all the time. Sometimes we are aware of it and it seems magical and dramatic, a gift from the gods. But what if we were to consistently add conscious awareness to the mix, and tuned into fields of information whenever we wanted to? Guidance is a natural process, and one that we can train ourselves to access in a practical way. I find that very empowering and useful, especially in these changing times.

Let’s go back to that rush hour drive. You are thinking about how you will probably hit traffic and wondering if you should take a different route, when you suddenly get a feeling in your stomach that something isn’t right. You don’t know exactly what the problem is but you get a strong sense that you should take a different route. So let’s suppose you feel it, and dismiss it as just your fears or something you ate. You proceed on your route and suddenly something happens; a fender bender, a close call, or an accident in your path or maybe one you are involved in. At the very least you are stuck and will certainly be late, at the worst you could be seriously injured. In the aftermath you remember that feeling you had and ignored. The next time you get a feeling like that you will remember this experience. That is the purpose of guidance…to offer us more information so we can make an informed choice. The physical senses are limited, but there is no limitation to what guidance can offer.

Guidance can come to us like the example above, or in a myriad of other ways. It can be inspiration, a thought that pops into your head, a voice, a picture or just a feeling in your body. Years ago there was a popular book called the Celestine Prophecy. There was a part where the author describes coming to a fork in the road and he chose the direction that seemed to “light up”. That is guidance.

Starting the class about the coming changes, TNL, was guidance. I felt an urging. I “knew” that it was time and that there was a need to connect with others about what was coming and how we wanted to relate to it. I just knew. And that awareness did not come from my limited thinking brain.

When I was in my 20’s I was a smoker. One day while driving on my way to work, something happened that shifted my awareness. It is really hard to describe what it felt like, but I had an undeniable awareness that I was not a smoker anymore. It was so real that I pulled the car over, opened the door and threw my cigarettes out of the car. It was an extraordinary feeling, and strangely I accepted it and went on my way. I had an awareness of a greater “something” there with me or in me, that felt strong and solid. It is unclear why I had that experience, maybe there was something I needed to do with my life that would be cut short because of smoking. Maybe it was my mother, a smoker who had died of cancer when I was 13, saving me from what she experienced. What ever it was, it was potent in the moment but faded with time. After a few days the addiction took hold of me again until I was 30 and finally quit for good.

That leads me to the next consideration, free will. We all have free will, which means we can choose to do what ever we want to do here in this life. Life can be made easier or harder, satisfying or frustrating. The choice is ours and ours alone. There is no penalty for not following guidance and guidance won’t go away if we don’t follow it, but it will get stronger if we listen. There are always lessons to be learned whether we take the path of least resistance or the road less traveled as Robert Frost pointed out. We are accountable for the choices we make and the lessons that come from them.

So what does all this have to do with the time of change we are in and reminders of what we need to know? In the coming days, your personal guidance system, your inner GPS, may be the only accurate information you can trust. In the United States, we are going through a chaotic process in our government related to the debt ceiling and balancing the budget. As I watched the process I was struck by how much disinformation there was, how passionately people held on to their perspectives, even when few clear facts were available to base those perspectives on. The more stuck we became, the more fear caused emotions to flare, which caused more chaos, fear and confusion. Imagine what it would be like if we faced a global crisis. The internet is filled with truth, half truths and lies. How do we detect the difference? News broadcasts are more entertainment than information. Opinions are everywhere. Conflicting information would make it difficult, if not impossible to process events in the usual way and reach a clear, timely decision. We will have to trust our guidance, which offers a valuable perspective in the midst of any circumstance, personal or global. Guidance provides truth, clarity, direction and can save your life.

Getting connected to the process of guidance is a practice. Many of us are disconnected from guidance and it will take intention and practice to develop discernment, confidence and trust in what we know. Not every impulse we get is guidance and it is only through practice that we come to recognize the difference between self-serving desires and true spiritual direction.

Here are some suggestions to help you enhance your connection to guidance:

1. Start a daily meditation practice. Learning to meditate is the first step in opening to guidance because it allows us to listen.

Just a few minutes a day is all you need to start with. There are many great teachers, methods and books out there if you need help. The book I recommend frequently is How to Meditate by Lawrence LeShan. Once you are comfortable with the practice, go to step 2.

2. Have a notebook dedicated to your practice of guidance and a pen close by. Follow your usual meditation process. At the close of your meditation, without disturbing yourself from that peaceful state, grab your pen and notebook. Write at the top of a clean page a question or problem you want guidance for.

Allow your awareness to drop down out of thinking and figuring it out and into your body. Relax, breathe, let go of expectations as much as possible and begin to write or draw whatever comes to you. Write about how your body feels, a memory, draw a picture, color, shape, or words that come. If nothing comes just doodle. Don’t try to figure it out or make sense of it, just let it flow. When the flow stops, close the notebook. Don't read what you wrote until the next day. Practice this process daily.

3. Start bringing your attention to guidance in the moment as you go about your day. The more open you are to guidance, the more guidance you will receive and be aware of. Remember, you decide whether to follow it or not. In your guidance notebook, jot down your experiences with guidance, how it felt, what you decided to do about it and the results or effects. That will support you in developing the skill.

I do not know what events will come to pass but like the Boy Scouts, I like to be prepared. Consider the possibility that you could find yourself in a situation, cut off from family, power, and media. How would you decide what to do, where to go, and how to proceed? When we are facing a crisis, personal or global, we want to have all our tools ready and available. Guidance is the most important skill you can develop in these changing times. I encourage everyone to begin now. The more aware we are the greater our ability to adapt, survive and flow with whatever comes our way.

I welcome your comments. Some of you have already shared how important your connection to guidance is. Monday is blog day, so I will be writing again next week unless inspiration hits me before that. I hope you have an inspiring and guided week!

In the Beginning...

2011-07-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. We are indeed living in interesting times, as the Chinese curse points out. Back in the late 1980's I was dedicated to a Spiritual Development class that met at a local new age book store. In that class I learned many things, not the least of which was the importance of meditation. My children were small at the time and if it wasn't for that I might not have been so dedicated to finding that quiet space to meditate when my husband got home from work and the kids were ready for bed. It was my refuge from the hectic job of full time mother of 3. During one of the evenings of meditation I had an experience I never forgot. In my left ear I heard a strangely accented woman's voice say "remind them of what they need to know." The voice was not in my head, it was in my ear, and as real as any voice I ever heard. I had no idea what it meant. Who was I to remind...and what was it they needed to know? I continued to meditate asking for clarification but none came. I asked teachers but no one could give me a clear answer. I even spoke with Kevin Ryerson, the channel that Shirley MacLaine made famous in Out on a Limb, and he wasn't able to help.

So life went on. My children grew, I went to school and started a healing practice. My training as a teacher at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing (BBSH) helped me to grow and expand my perception and competency. Everything I learned and experienced added to my knowledge and awareness- from my science background, to Silva Mind Control, mediumship development to psychic readings, What the Bleep, Dancing Wu Li Masters, The Secret, Eckhart Tolle, Matrix Energetics to Abraham-Hicks work, and finally to my own irrefutable experiences of energy, and perception of the nonphysical world. Over 20 years worth of curious seeking, and the voice in my left ear never returned.

A few years ago a psychic reader told me that I was to write a book. I love to write, but a book? About what? She said to write about what I know. The meaning of that statement didn't really hit me then, but it does now.

In January of 2011, a book I read in the early '90's called Living is Forever by Edwin Carter, popped into my mind with “a feeling” that I should read it again. (It is now out of print but if you are interested in getting a copy try used book dealers. I found a couple of copies that way.) It is a fictional story about preparing for a global cataclysm and working through the aftermath. One reviewer said that the book was exceptional from half a dozen different angles. How the book came to be written is a story in itself, and the most compelling reason why I read it carefully. Mr. Carter describes that process fully in his introduction.

The content of this book impressed me so much that I wrote to the author. This was back in the day before we emailed and blogged, so it was a real letter that I sent off to the publisher and was forwarded on to Mr. Carter. He took the time to type (on a typewriter no less!) a 3 page letter. I still have it tucked between the pages of his manuscript. We talked about the importance of strong, honest and compassionate leadership as just one element in the process of survival. Interestingly it was a huge issue brought to our attention after hurricane Katrina.

The urging to reread the book did not go away. Normally I don't reread. There are piles of books around my house that I try to get to, so reading once is usually all I can manage. However, the feeling of being urged is significant and I knew from experience I was probably being "guided" for some reason, so I paid attention and cracked open the book.

So here is the thing about guidance, and we will talk more about that as we go on, often we don’t know what, why or where we are being guided. There is a lot of trust and faith involved, something I have learned to cultivate over the years. What I do know is that with experience I have come to know that when that sense of being urged doesn’t pass, my life is greatly enriched if I pay attention. This was true in this particular instance.

What happened after that startled me and confirmed that there was more going on than just interest in reading an old book. In February, the New Zealand city of Christchurch, was devastated by a new massive earthquake. It was a tragic experience for the people of New Zealand, but not unusual. Aid poured in and the world moved on. Exactly 3 weeks later the largest earthquake ever recorded struck Japan, causing a devastating tsunami that shocked the world.

The pieces started to come together for me. Was I guided to reread that book because of this disaster? Was this disaster a harbinger of things to come? Clearly the world is struggling from economic woes among other things. Do we need to prepare for more coming to challenge us? What is the meaning? Am I over reacting? Is there anything we as individuals can do? I have to say, I felt a chill and a stunned fear, not just with what had happened, but because of my personal experience, and the larger considerations.

Then it struck me. I KNEW what it was that "they" (meaning all of us here on the planet in this time) needed to be reminded of. Not only that, I felt the urging, almost an insistence, to get going. Time was a wasting and as we all know timing is very important. There are a lot of details I am leaving out, but please be patient, hopefully it will all make sense.

So the first thing I did was to put together a summer class in my healing center called Thursday Night Light (TNL). It is my belief that we are in a time of major change on Earth and that is good news, because change always brings growth. We are all here by intention, not accident, whether we know that or not. The series focuses on how we can be more aware, assist ourselves, humanity and the earth through the transition, whether it is global, local or personal.

As the information pours in and we are in the flow of the classes, I have discovered that I am not alone. People going along in their normal lives, spiritual teachers, leaders of programs, writers and philosophers are also feeling what I am. That confirmed to me I wasn’t off track. It also intensified my concern about what is coming. I don’t know exactly what that is, but what I am aware of is that it isn’t nearly as important to know what is going to happen as it is to know who we are, and what our purpose is to ourselves and the greater good. Remembering we are so much more than physical beings is critical. Cultivating awareness of guidance and having the courage to follow it when it makes sense is the most important tool we can develop. That is what we need to be reminded of. I considered writing a book but there isn’t time to go through that process, so a blog is the answer. I will be writing about what I know, what guidance comes through and also what information and resources have been useful. I hope it stimulates your awakening and helps you to discover your purpose in being here.

More to come.