by Ginger | Dec 28, 2024 | Blog
Shining your light is an act of love; not just self-love but love for all. This reminder came to me at a healing meditation circle as we chanted to “I Shine” by Alexa Sunshine Rose. The lyrics guided me to focus on my connection with all light throughout the universe and the experience that shining my light is shining the universal light of all. I felt myself as both the whole cosmos and a truly unique being within the cosmos. Shining our light in this way is a unifying act of love both with and for all creation. It is an understanding of Oneness.
I share the lyrics here in English. The chant is beautifully recorded in both English and Spanish:
With the light of the Sun, I shine, I shine
With the light of the Stars, I shine, I shine
With the light of the Moon, I shine, I shine
With the light of the Earth, I shine, I shine
When I shine, we shine. When you shine, we shine. When we are all shining as One, the expanded light supports each unique being as a pure expression of Source. Take these words into your heart. Feel them. Know them as divine truth. And keep shining, always!
Image by MichelleMontrose from Pixabay
by Ginger | Nov 29, 2024 | Blog
“Are we there, yet?” is a common refrain made to parents by excited kids, impatient to reach their destination. We are all spiritual children making our way back Home to our divine state of Oneness. As the outer world shows increasing signs of the breakdown of the illusion, we might find ourselves experiencing doubts that we will make it. Spoiler alert: We will. Some may reach that point sooner and some may have a few more journeys to experience, but we are all going Home.
When my soul wants to remind me of something, I often get a message through a song. I recently had some moments of doubt about humanity’s path to breaking through the illusion. Then, I heard a performance which I knew in the moment was a love song from my Source-Self, reminding me that I will be ushered with open arms to my divine home whenever I am ready to surrender the illusion of my separation.
“Carry You Home”, sung by artist Alex Warren, was written as a romantic love song, but I heard it as a song about divine love. The main chorus goes like this:
Oh, I hope you know I will carry you home
Whether it’s tonight or 55 years down the road
Oh, I know there’s so many ways that this could go
Don’t want you to wonder, darlin’, I need you to know
In this and every life
I choose us every time
This inspired me to ask myself, “Am I choosing Source every time?” With every action, word, thought and emotion, do I choose the wonder and beauty and joy of being Source? Honestly, I do not. Not yet. But I am getting closer each day, and I know that we are all much closer than we may believe right now.
When we choose a higher frequency in each moment, we are making choices which will carry us Home with ease and flow. Ask your soul where in your life you can make a shift in how you focus your energy to bring you closer to your divine home. The highest plan right now might be greater mindfulness in daily activities or detachment from the outer world. You might be guided to slow down and enjoy the beauty around you or to connect with your passion and take your next action steps. Maybe you need a boost in your belief that you’ll return to a state of Divine Home. Trust your guidance.
Know that Source energy is always present to support us when we allow ourselves to open up and align with it. It is this remembrance of ourselves as Source which will ultimately carry us Home. May you experience joy in your journey!
Image by Felix Merler from Pixabay
by Lori | Nov 26, 2024 | Blog
I am currently binge reading and listening to novels by British comedian, playwright and author, Ben Elton. I have been a fan of Elton since I first saw an episode of the Blackadder television program with some British friends when we were celebrating Fourth-of-July in Tokyo in 1991. Yes, I know, strange bedfellows and all that, celebrating Fourth-of-July with British people. I had more cultural commonality with the people from the country the colonists were rebelling against 200 years prior than with my host country.
Elton’s creative genre is satire weaved with heavy doses of politics and sometimes from a dystopian perspective. As bizarre as it sounds, this is a perfect combination for me to help see through the illusion. I do not suggest that it is what will help you see through the illusion, just telling you what helps me and why.
I lived in England from 1997 to 1999 and was exposed to more of Elton’s creativity including a West End play called Popcorn. Recently, an English friend of mine recommended Elton’s 2007 novel Blind Faith which is a dystopian story set years after “the second flood” which has devastated much of the earth’s landmass. The citizens of England culturally believe that privacy is wrong and everything should be done in public including intimate acts. Every room in the apartment has two-way devices connected and turned on 24/7 to everyone else’s devices and the central government. If there is unwillingness to display everything online, the neighborhood watch shames individuals and can even have the individuals prosecuted. Science no longer has a place in society and many laws proposed by the religious leaders are determined by a voice vote at a gathering at Wembley Stadium.
As someone who meditates and enjoys my own company, the set-up of this novel definitely pushed my buttons and gave me the opportunity to look at what I still needed to clear, not only about the illusion, but the concept of transparency, consensus and oneness. Reading Blind Faith led me to my current desire to explore more of Elton’s work.
I just finished the 2002 novel called High Society in which a little-known Member of Parliament proposes that the UK legalize all drugs arguing that legalization would eliminate the crimes associated with using, procuring the drugs and the illegal activities to get the money to buy the drugs. The government goes so far as to calculate how much revenue would be raised with the high tax rate that could be placed on a fairly low product cost, if the product was legal. This proposes that the high price of drugs is because they are illegal not because they are expensive to produce. The book is a very interesting look at all sides of the arguments. In Elton’s brilliant imagination, we are even given Queen Elizabeth II’s speech on legalizing drugs. Elton calls out all aspects of the debate. Again, this allowed me to look at my issues and to start to see everything as farcical. It is that energy of farce that is helping me to question what I see in my current world, both internal and external, to help me see through the illusion.
Finally, I just started Elton’s 2019 book called Identity Crisis. I am only 40 pages into the book, yet, it is the reason I am writing this blog entry on the topic of satire helping me see through the illusion.
In this book, Elton addresses identity politics. The book discusses the pendulum swinging between liberal ethos and nationalistic ideals. In this storyline, not only has Britian had the referendum to leave the European Union and Scotland wants to separate from the UK, but English nationalists want to separate from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. One of the main themes so far is regarding the company whose mandate is to send out campaign messages disguised as social media hashtags and memes in order to rally votes for the side of English separation – the “England Out” campaign. Elton is discussing the company’s algorithms with the main goal to divide people into their separate silos. One particular message is being sent to people on both sides of the same topic in order to make both sides angry and, therefore, reactionary.
Having all these topics played out for me in print is a little bit like systematic desensitization therapy. It is allowing me to look at all the mirrors, buttons and walls that I still have in a safe (and fun) environment in order to clear my phobias, anxieties, judgments and fears. Again, this is helping me see through the illusion of duality and helping me to not give my power away to outside forces.
I am not suggesting that Ben Elton books need to be your guide to finding inner truth. I am suggesting that you find what will help you to stand in your power and heal what still needs to be healed. Check with your inner wisdom about what will help you disconnect from mass consciousness and heal your issues of fear, limitations and judgment.
Here’s to enjoying a good book and a good button pusher.
Gratitude to CDD20 with Pixabay.com for the image above.
by Ginger | Oct 31, 2024 | Blog
Are you feeling undecided about something in your life? In the current U.S. election cycle, much has been made of the “undecided” voter. Some may truly be undecided as they weigh the options while some may have made their decision but still haven’t fully accepted their choice because they’re still hoping for something “better” to come along. Sometimes, there is something else near on the horizon, and we just need to master a little patience. Other times, we aren’t truly ready to create other options because there is still more to learn from our current situation. Either way, the lower self tends to want a clear answer and a clear direction while our divine selves know there are opportunities for healing no matter what choice is made. With so many things feeling uncertain in the world, this may be a great time to ask yourself if you’re being an “undecided voter” in any area of your life.
I was recently talking to a friend about a significant choice she is considering, and we both shared our sense that a lot of people are wanting things to change but don’t like the options they’re seeing for making change. There is building frustration and a desire to just get things over with and “back on track”, as they see it. The levels of frustration are palpable and many are doing their best to look for different options, but still feeling like the world is just spinning its wheels.
As I watch all of this on the world stage, I have also been looking at areas where I’m still energetically “dragging my feet”, even though my choice in the outer world may already have been made. But if I want my new path to feel as light and uplifting as it has every potential to be, only I can create that experience for myself.
In Standing in the Light® we teach that the circumstances we manifest are a reflection of the energies we’re holding within. If we don’t like our options, then the answer isn’t to go looking for a different one or to try to avoid making any choice at all. The answer is to look within for insight about which unhealed energies are blocking us from connecting with a higher frequency and more joyful experience. The smallest shift within can open up many new doors or allow us to see the existing doors in a whole new light, from the divine perspective. That inner transformation is what changes our experience, not the number of choices we can find in the outer world. If we’re fully committed and in perfect alignment, one door is all we need. Take a moment to ask your soul: What experience am I voting for with my intentions?
Image by Micha from Pixabay
by Lori | Oct 28, 2024 | Blog
“How does your light shine in the halls of Shambala?”
My favorite self-indulgent TV show to watch at the moment is NCIS: Hawaii. I love the vistas and I have found the plot lines and characters engaging in a light, easy and relaxing way. CBS canceled the show after three seasons so I will probably have the episodes memorized soon!
In one of the episodes in the first season, the subplot for the NCIS team is going out for karaoke night. They end the episode singing “Shambala” by Three Dog Night. This is a perfect karaoke song with its memorable tune and lyrics.
Many times a day recently, I have found myself humming this song. I finally decided to look up the lyrics and the story behind it to see if I could receive whatever message I was supposed to receive.
The lyrics, like the tune, are happy and uncomplicated. I will post them at the end of this entry.
I decided to dig a little to find out what “Shambala” is. I found the Shambala.org website from Toronto, Canada, with this explanation.
“Shambhala” is the name of a mythical kingdom in Central Asia where the people enjoyed harmony, good health, and well-being. The basis for such an enlightened society is the people’s confidence and respect for inherent goodness, wisdom, and dignity—in themselves, in each other, and in society.
The Shambhala teachings are grounded in ancient wisdom and practical knowledge from many traditional cultures, especially teachings from ancient Tibet. These teachings begin with the understanding that all beings are basically good, and that life is worth living. We call this a path of spiritual warriorship, which here means living a life of fearlessness, gentleness, and intelligence. The Shambhala teachings emphasize being in the world, and bringing together everyday life, work, family, and social action with the path of meditation. The teachings focus on how to help this world. In essence, Shambhala is about living a full human life, right in the midst of challenges.
I realize that this is similar to what we teach in the Standing in the Light® programs. We emphasize being in the world but not of it, as Jesus advises us. We teach bringing the light to everything in our lives, not just to the aspects that we think are “spiritual”. Ginger Withee has this phrase as her automatic signature on her emails.
“Today the vegetables would like to be cut by someone who is singing God’s name.” ~Hafiz, Sufi poet
We strive to be and bring the light to all that we touch even if it otherwise seems mundane. We are “light workers” which means bringing and sending the light where it is needed based on guidance.
We believe light and love will help us transmute density and lower frequencies. Will we see the change in the outer world with this light and love, immediately? That really isn’t the focus. First, we bring the light to ourselves and our inner world. Whether we see the hoped for result in our own experiences or in the experiences of those we are sending the light to, is not really the focus, either. Raising our frequency is the goal. Being the light and the love, even in the midst of the challenges is the goal. Walking through the chaos without our own frequency diminishing is the goal.
Then, we will be able to help those around us who want help. We want our light to shine, not just on the road to a place where every one else is already evolved. We want to shine our light in the middle of the challenges and the chaos until we help others to realize that they have the same light within them. We want to help others know that they can tap into the light that they already are.
That is what we will truly find on the road and in the halls of Shambala. The light that we already are.
Enjoy this YouTube link to let your light shine! Shambala
SHAMBALA by Three Dog Night written by Daniel Joseph Moore
Wash away my troubles
Wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow
Wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Everyone is helpful
Everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky
Everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
How does your light shine
In the halls of Shambala
How does your light shine
In the halls of Shambala
I can tell my sister by the flowers in her eyes
On the road to Shambala
I can tell my brother by the flowers in his eyes
On the road to Shambala
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
How does your light shine
In the halls of Shambala
How does your light shine
In the halls of Shambala
Tell me how does your light shine
In the halls of Shambala
Tell me how does your light shine
In the halls of Shambala
Ah ooh yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Ah ooh yeah
On the road to Shambala
Ah ooh yeah
To Shambala
Ah ooh yeah
On the road to Shambala
Gratitude to Joe Plenio with pixabay.com for the above image.
by Lori | Sep 30, 2024 | Blog
When is being positive not positive?
As a scuba diver and one who tries to see the world from a high frequency, I always thought that having a scuba shop named “Positively Buoyant” would be fun. However, besides learning the first rule of diving that you never hold your breath and the second rule that you always dive with a buddy, you quickly learn that being positively buoyant is not usually preferable.
When a diver starts a dive, they start with weight on them in order to be able to descend. Wet suits have pockets of air in them. Our lungs have air in them. The defacto set up of the human body is to float. (Don’t ask me if I can prove that scientifically, I am just saying that most people would not be able to descend and stay at depth without weights to allow them to overcome the air in their gear.)
Once the diver is at the depth they want to dive, they switch modes to wanting to be neutrally buoyant. We don’t want to drag ourselves or our gear on the sea floor. This can damage the coral and it brings up sand or other sea floor particulates which obscures visibility. At depth, a diver might put a little bit of air into their buoyancy control device (BCD) in order to stop descent and to level out. Being neutrally buoyant is more efficient for consumption of air, as well, because you don’t want to get into the cycle of letting out air of the BCD to stay down and then putting in air to keep off the bottom.
Even when it is time to end the dive, you don’t want to be positively buoyant. Yes, you want to ascend, but you want to ascend in a nice slow fashion not popping up too quickly. It is dangerous to ascend too quickly. So, even when it is time to get out of the water, being positively buoyant is not recommended.
I am sure this is why no dive shop ever, has been called “Positively Buoyant.”
Where are there other times where being positive might not be recommended?
I recently tested positive for Covid 19. (I know, it is 2024, but I am a late bloomer!) As symptoms go, I had such mild symptoms that I tested twice because I was surprised by the positive result. Also, the people I would have been exposed with did not have any signs or symptoms of covid. Because of the delay in understanding I had covid, I exposed my husband who did subsequently also test positive.
Trying to make lemonade out of lemons, I realized for me, that having a reason to relook at my third dimensional schedule was actually a benefit. I was able to not feel guilty about rearranging a driving trip which I had on my calendar and to not feel guilty about napping and taking it easy. I don’t normally feel guilty about napping, meditating or taking it easy, but this felt like a hall pass that I otherwise would not have had.
Just before sitting down to write this blog entry, my husband and I finished an almost 3 mile walk with our dog around a nearby lake on this beautiful autumn afternoon. Otherwise, I would have been half way to Salina, Kansas. I have postponed the trip to Kansas until the end of Oct where I am sure I will have a great time with my parents. But just for today, I feel like Ferris Bueller and am getting to enjoy a beautiful day off in Colorado.
It might be interesting to ask your soul if there are sometimes when you need to throw the schedule out the window, allow yourself to relax without self-judgment. Are there times when up is down and down is up? Or when positive is negative and neutral is positive? Without the need to contract covid, or a cold or any physical impediment, is it time to dialogue with your soul about more free time to enjoy your surroundings and circumstances? What is going to make you positively buoyant?
Gratitude to Kim Donghwan with pixabay.com for the above image.
