by Ginger | May 31, 2020 | Blog
Recently, while walking on an open space trail, a young family on bicycles turned onto the trail just ahead of me. They immediately turned up a short, steep hill. The parents and the older child made it fine. The younger child, trailing behind, didn’t have enough muscle power to make it easily up the hill. She was a little mite, probably about 4 years old, wearing brightly colored, striped tights on short legs. Her little legs kept pumping furiously as she gradually slowed down. Finally, she began to chant encouragement to herself in a small, sing-song voice, “Keep pedaling, keep moving, keep pedaling, keep going, keep pedaling…” and she made it over the hill to join her waiting family.
Sometimes, the simplest reminders can be quite powerful. Keep pedaling. Keep moving. Just keep going and you’ll continue to move forward. Each pump of the pedal, each small step takes us further down the trail and closer to our destination. It doesn’t have to be done with great fanfare or all at once. Slow and steady still wins the race.
So, when you find yourself feeling a little weary or weighed down, remember that little girl, who found a way to just keep going, one pump at a time. We are all that little girl sometimes, not quite sure if we’ll make it over the hill, not quite sure of our own power. But we’ll never make it if we get off the bicycle and sit down. There is a magical alchemy that happens when we hold a clear and conscious intention and simply keep moving forward. We may just find ourselves accomplishing seemingly difficult or even impossible things.
There are a lot of challenges coming up for many in these changing times. But we’ll all get where we’re going. Keep pedaling, everyone, and enjoy the ride!
photo courtesy of Pixabay
by Lori | May 2, 2020 | Blog
Go ahead, admit to us what you have been binge watching or reading while you have been following the safer-at-home guidelines during the Corona Virus outbreak. I will come clean to let you know that I am a serial romance novel reader. I enjoy the whimsical ones, the ones with metaphysical and magical aspects, the comedy ones and even the ones that have mysteries to solve or tragedies to put right. I learn about human interaction and psyche and topics I would never have thought to read about any other way. I once had an interesting conversation with a rugby player on an airplane flight only because I had learned some rugby rules from a series about the New Zealand National team, the All Blacks, called Escape to New Zealand by Rosalind James.
No matter the subject matter, the tone, the tragic events or the level of romance, they always have a happily ever after ending. That is what keeps me coming back. This is not to say that I only read romance novels or novels that have happily ever after as their main focus, but when I want to relax and improve my mood, I will choose a romance novel every time.
While elevation of my mood is the main reason that romance novels are my go-to feel good reading, I realize that they are a good metaphor for my relationship with the experiment in duality. I volunteered to join this experiment of believing myself separate from Source. Why would I do that? Masochism, self-loathing, ignorance? No, I joined the experiment because I thought the story would be interesting and I knew there would be a happily ever after when all was said and done.
The journey and what I learn from the journey is what I want to experience because at the end of the experiment we all remember who we are, we remember why we joined the experiment and we remember that love and joy are our birthrights, no matter what. No matter what we have done, what we failed to do, what power we took or gave away, the ending is the same. We remember we are not separate from Source. We remember that WE ARE SOURCE. Everything else is just the interesting narrative that we experience as we meander toward our definitive happily ever after.
by Ginger | Apr 30, 2020 | Blog
“I assure you: it will be very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of heaven. I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”
~ Mathew 19:23-24
Jesus, the Buddha and other masters have spoken of the evils of too many riches. They were not speaking of wealth itself (abundance is our birthright) but of our unwillingness to let go of worldly things which cause our pain and suffering. Attachments to money or possessions or status or power are all versions of that metaphorical camel that hold us back from passing through the doorway to the truth of who we are.
Our world is rapidly changing and shifting into a new paradigm that we cannot clearly see just yet. It is happening whether we think we want it to or not. While we cannot see exactly what shape it will take, we can certainly open ourselves up to feel it, to know it from within. Now is a time to shift your focus from the trappings of the illusion, the false truths of the material world, and embrace what is true from the perspective of your divine self. This can be a joyful experience when we freely release what is already crumbling away from us.
When we listen to what we know to be true, rather than what we think we see, then paradoxically we slide easily through the eye of that needle, no matter how small it appears. When we let go of our attachments, which seem so large and solid, we are actually letting go of the illusion. The moment we are willing to set aside the baggage of false beliefs we have been dragging along with us is the moment when our experiences become the rich abundance of heaven on earth. We must let go of it all in order to gain it all.
Take the time to meditate on this: Which aspect of the illusion are you holding onto most tightly right now? What is blocking you from gliding effortlessly through the doorway to spiritual freedom?
by Ginger | Apr 2, 2020 | Blog
Many are familiar with the miracle of the loaves and fishes that Master Jesus performed when a large group gathered to hear him speak. There were five loaves of bread and 2 fish but thousands to feed. The disciples were concerned, but Jesus invited them to trust and believe so that every time they handed out more, there was more available to distribute until everyone was fed. This is such an old story that it may seem like something close to myth that is hard to hold onto. How do we, as creators in our mastery, create such miracles in our everyday lives?
We are living in a challenging time right now, with fears of safety high and basic supplies low. I was at the grocery store when the concern over coronavirus was just hitting, and the shelves of toilet paper were already low in stock. I order my toilet paper in bulk, and it was a bit sooner than I would normally replenish. I wanted to buy more to stock up because I could see that it was flying off the shelves. My perception at the time was that I would go through my remaining stash very quickly. Surely, I didn’t have enough! I reasoned with myself that I would probably be ordering more in the next couple of weeks anyway, so why not plan ahead and buy more now? But I heard from my Soul not to buy what I didn’t need and to trust. If I bought more now, I would be coming from fear. So, I left without extra toilet paper. I was really putting myself to the test!
As my supplies got lower, I began to wonder what I would do if I ran out. It seemed I didn’t have enough after all, and the grocery shelves remained completely empty of this item. Yet, what I discovered is that when I was mindful and remained in trust, a single roll lasted me far longer than I had ever imagined. Suddenly, what had seemed to be dwindling supplies was actually an abundance of this essential commodity!
I continued checking in about what supplies to buy at the grocery store and did not stock up any more than I was guided each trip. Food and other household supplies continued to last me quite well so that I never felt like I had to buy anything in great bulk or in a rush of panic. In other words, my shopping cart looked much like it normally did every week. When I truly needed something, it would be available.
I share this story with humor because of the importance that’s been placed on something so mundane as toilet paper. It has become a symbol of the normalcy and security many are craving. But I also share this story in genuine seriousness and humility. It doesn’t matter whether this was literally a manifestation of extra toilet paper rolls in my bathroom cabinet or whether it was simply a shift in my perception that allowed me to experience such calm because the key is always the experience we’re creating, not the actual situation or event itself. I was thankfully able to maintain my trust, and so I was able to create the experience of deep peace and healing during a time of great uncertainty.
We are faced with this choice in every moment of our lives: “What am I creating right now? What is my state of being right now?” We don’t need to wait for a crisis or a challenging time to touch in with ourselves. Small moments create big ones. If I focus on remaining in absolute trust and abundance every time I use up more of my precious toilet paper, not knowing when I will be able to replenish, then I am that much closer to remaining in absolute trust in all of the other, seemingly bigger moments. We each have the capacity within us to create our own personal miracle of the loaves and fishes (or toilet paper!) Let this be your experience in each and every moment.
picture courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/baked-bread-rolls-fresh-healthy-2313462/
by Lori | Mar 30, 2020 | Blog
“May you live in interesting times.” A scan of the internet finds that this quote is probably a late nineteenth century English version of what was thought to be a Chinese curse, however, with no real connection to the Chinese culture at all. Of course, the phrase might be a back handed blessing, with its real meaning being that living in interesting times is more challenging than living in uninteresting, peaceful times. I suspect it would serve us better to bless each other with the phrase, “May you live in compassionate times.” Even if this phrase doesn’t lend itself to the ages, it definitely lends itself to where we are in our evolution right now.
As I ponder this new phrase, “May you live in compassionate times,” I am guided to look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a tool to help me be more compassionate. By discussing this model it might help us think about why others might believe and act the way they do. It allows us to contemplate why we believe or act the way we do. Hopefully, this will help us take the drama out of any situation and be more detached and less judgmental about the situation.
You may all be familiar with this model. It was originally put forward by Abraham Maslow in 1943. It is a psychological theory to help explain human motivation and eventual evolution. The idea is that you generally need to have the needs of the first level of the pyramid met before you move onto the next level. (Click here for an image of Maslow’s Pyramid.)
The first level is the physiological needs of air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, and reproduction.
The next level is safety needs. It includes personal security, employment, resources, health, and property.
The third level is love / belonging. Included in this is friendship, family, intimacy, and sense of connection.
From our perspective, these first three levels of Maslow’s pyramid loosely equate to life at the 3D consciousness level. We need to have our physical needs met in order to have the ability to be motivated to work at having our emotional and mental needs met. At level three, this is love and belonging at the 3D consciousness level where there is still probably some co-dependence or conditions on receiving and giving the love. At this level, we still need to play by some, if not all, of society’s rules in order to be loved and accepted into the tribe.
The fourth level for Maslow’s pyramid is called Esteem. It is about respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength and freedom. At this level, we are starting to be more allowing of other people because we have a healthy sense of our own achievement and esteem. We don’t have to look out at other people to determine how we measure up. We don’t have to judge others negatively in order to feel good about ourselves.
The fifth level of the pyramid is self-actualization, the desire to become the most that one can be. At this level you no longer have to compare yourself to others in order to know who you are, in order to define yourself. Your sense of self and sense of power do not stem from what you have or what you command, but how you feel on the inner. People who hold power at this level may even look passive from the point of view of those who look at them from the 3D level of consciousness.
People who hold power and self-confidence at the self-actualization level do not need to prove to anyone else that they are powerful or wise, they simply feel it. In knowing and feeling themselves at this level of consciousness, a person does not need to look powerful, talk powerful, or “win” the point. They simply feel it and are willing to allow others to think them weak or foolish, because getting approval from anyone outside of themselves is no longer necessary. All of their power and self-esteem comes from within, from knowing who they are. Thus, the spiritual paradox is that those that are the most powerful don’t need to defend themselves or define themselves based on the outside world. They may look passive from the point of view of others. Don’t be fooled! And don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of needing to look a certain way to prove your own consciousness level!
Again, the reason the spiritual hierarchy wanted us to look at Maslow’s model is to use it to help us allow others to be where they are in their evolution, without judgement. If we can look at why someone might believe or act a certain way from the perspective of which of their needs are not being met, then maybe we can understand that they are reacting to a situation because of fear of lack of basic needs, lack of safety or lack of love and belonging. If a person doesn’t feel safe in one or more of these areas, then we might understand and have compassion for the fears they are still dealing with.
In the same vein, if we are struggling with our physiological needs, safety needs or our sense of belonging, we might have a better understanding why we are allowing others to sway us or to push our buttons. If we can be honest with ourselves where we might fall into Maslow’s pyramid, we might be able to start to look at where we need to heal our old beliefs, our discordant emotions and our old patterns of behaviors.
The spiritual hierarchy would like us to take an example and show how people at different stages of Maslow’s Hierarchy and even the spiritual hierarchy itself might see a situation.
Yes, this is a hot topic, but it seems to be a good example. The Corona Virus outbreak. By using this example, we are not saying that the spiritual hierarchy believes the outbreak is the highest plan. We are just using this to show that depending where you are in your evolution, where you are in getting your needs met, will determine how you feel about the situation.
For people who are at the first level of the pyramid for this topic, the concern is having physiological level needs met. If someone has an underlying lung issue, COPD, or other lung disease, or a compromised immune system, they might have good health insurance and enough money normally to feel secure, but they might be motivated by the fear of not being able to breathe (the first descriptor on this level – air). Their response is going to be based on that underlying need to breathe. We can all understand this group of people viewing the situation differently than maybe a healthy person with a relatively well working immune system. You can image this group of people wanting special help or being more panicked than the general population. They are afraid of not having this basic need met.
Next, let’s look at people at the second level – whether their safety needs are met. People at this level might be in panic mode and stock piling goods. Please note, we are not suggesting we should not buy extra supplies, as guided by our Souls. But, we are saying at this level the motivator for people is panic and fear, not simply being prudent and prepared. Other people at the safety level might be in panic mode because they are unable to afford to buy extra supplies. Maybe some at this level are not insured and fear running up large hospital bills. Coming from a place of fear, people at this level might try to figure out who is to blame for the outbreak and who is to blame for the response to the outbreak if they don’t believe the response is adequate. At this level, people may want something outside of themselves to do something so they feel secure, whether it is stockpiling supplies or hoping for the Federal Reserve to change the interest rates so that they feel financially secure. It is all about feeling secure and how can I feel secure.
For those who are at the third level – they want to feel loved and part of the community. It is possible that people at this level are in fear that they won’t be able to join in fellowship with others because of state mandated isolation / stay-at-home rules. People at this level might start to go stir crazy because they long for the need for human touch and community to be met.
Remember that feeling isolated, alone and disconnected is an illusion, too. Work with guidance to help feel connected whether it is through 3D technology with other people, with nature through walks or hikes, or through meditation and raising your vibration.
As we stated earlier, these first three levels are roughly equivalent to the third dimensional level of consciousness.
People at the fourth level – esteem – might be concerned about the outbreak but are not panicking about it. They may wonder how they can help family members, or what needs to be done to help the community move through the fear. People at this level may already be looking for the silver lining. The other day, I heard someone say that by having better overall hygiene, we would reduce the spread of the common cold and flu, too.
At the Self – Actualization level and from the Spiritual Hierarchy perspective, people might see the benefits in the lessons learned. Maybe the outbreak shows that we have an interconnectedness that we sometimes like to ignore or allow the human made barriers to keep us from seeing our oneness. Sanjay Gupta, a medical doctor said, “if there is infection somewhere, there is infection everywhere.” This can be viewed negatively, or it can be seen as the mirror that what happens in one place affects everyone. If we could see the world this way more, maybe we would be able to solve other problems by looking at the global impact.
On the other hand, maybe one of the outcomes of this will be that each country acts with more divine sovereignty by creating strategic products itself instead of importing them from other countries, for instance, having China make most of the world’s parts and supplies: drugs; computer parts, auto parts, clothes, etc. This situation may even motivate us to look for more local solutions for food production, with local farmers or even what they called during World War II, the individual family victory gardens.
Since the health of the community is addressed by the whole community, this has the potential to pull us together, to help us see the need to work with harmony, cooperation, unity and oneness.
We know that COVID 19 is going to have lasting effects on us individually, as a nation and as a species. We know we are already “living in interesting times.” Now let’s see if we can manifest that into living in compassionate times by recognizing why others might be feeling and reacting the way they are.
by Lori | Mar 1, 2020 | Blog
It seems like everything is dialed up to 11 these days. (Yes, a whimsical reference to the cult classic movie This is Spinal Tap, a spoof of rock and roll documentaries, or rockumentary, if you prefer!) In a world where many situations seems over the top in drama and rhetoric, how should we react to the dramatic situations or create more peace and calm in our lives? I saw a t-shirt recently which answered the question this way: Keep Calm and Carry OM.
Of course, this is a play on the British World War II government morale boosting posters that said “Keep Calm and Carry On.”
I like the new version where we don’t just keep a stiff upper lip and continue to do our duty, but instead tap into the universal sound and vibration of OM.
In the online article entitled Appreciating OM: The Sound of the Universe from the Chopra Center, Roger Gabriel (Raghavanand), Chief Meditation Officer, writes, “Science tells us that the Universe began with a big bang, whereas Vedanta says that the big bang is actually a big OM, which didn’t just happen once; it is ongoing.” Vedanta is Vedic Wisdom, from Hindu tradition. Raghavanand continues his explanation of the significance of the sound OM.
As the initial vibration of OM emerges from the unmanifest, it diversifies into all the different vibrations of the Universe, which manifest as the world we know. OM, therefore, contains within it all the mantras, sounds, and vibrations of the Universe. Everything in the Universe is a manifestation of OM and ultimately a reflection of Pure Consciousness from which it emerged. OM is the collective sound of the Universe, the Primordial Sound.
In order to help you when you feel frustration in your everyday life, chant or use OM or some other sound or mantra that speaks to you to calm yourself, ease your discomfort and raise your vibration. When the toilet backs up, OM. When the car needs a new radiator, OM. When you have a disagreement with a neighbor or a work colleague, OM. You can proactively use OM in order to help you have more ease and flow in your life before you become frustrated, too. The uses and benefits are unlimited!
With OM, you can bring yourself back into the perfect reflection of Pure Consciousness, bring yourself back into the wisdom of yourself as Source. Keep Calm and Carry OM.
Image thanks to RENE RAUSCHENBERGER from Pixabay.com
