The Price of Right and Wrong

We live in a world of right and wrong. When we are confronted with a person or object or situation, we immediately assign it a category and rank and decide whether or not it is acceptable in our world. We then dig our heels in, defending our beliefs, at times to the point of death. All conflict that exists in our world is the result of such thinking.

Who determines right and wrong? God? Society? Some internal knowledge of truth? My personal belief is that societies create the concepts of right and wrong. The proof is how the definitions of right and wrong have changed throughout history. For example, today in conservative Christian America, it is definitely a sin the sleep with anyone other than your spouse. However, there were ancient cultures where sex was considered a sacred act, and it was practiced with various partners in religious settings. The rules change over time because they are not based on any one standard.

How in the world can we achieve peace and harmony when we have two warring sides? Someday everyone will magically see "the truth" and they will naturally be drawn to what is "right"? It hasn't happened in thousands of years of recorded human history. Why should it happen now? Because God is on our side? I've got news for you. God doesn't choose sides!


Time to adopt another paradigm. Time to look past the labels we place on everything in our world and see things for the perfection they truly are. When all is acceptance instead of fear, the energies that make up who we are and our Universe are allowed to flow freely without hindrance. It is then we can truly have peace and harmony. Thinking in terms of right and wrong, by its very nature, can only lead to destruction. It's a price I am not willing to pay. Are you?

And I Weep

There are days when
I look at the world
And all I can do
Is weep.

So much pain.
So much anger.
So much judgment.
So much ignorance.

People live their lives
Believing
What they have been taught
Is truth.

Truth is not
"Out there".
Truth resides
Within.

So we live in a world of pain
And anger,
Judgment
And Ignorance.

We live in a world
Separated from itself
And we do it
By choice.

And I weep
For I mourn that which
Could be
But is not chosen.

~Cindy Shippy Evans

Glasses: A Parable

There was once a man who wore glasses so thick that, without them, the world looked monstrous and horrible. It hadn't always been that way. When he was very small, he didn't need glasses at all to see the world perfectly. Life was always beautiful with his crystal clear vision.

Then one day, someone pointed to something in the distance, and the boy realized he could not see it. Try as he might, those objects pointed out to him by others were blurry and misshapen. He could not perceive what others saw! He must be having vision problems! His mother took him to an eye specialist, who indeed pronounced him to have less than perfect sight. A pair of glasses was prescribed for him, and they corrected his vision...for a while.

Gradually over time, the distortions came on so strong he finally needed the strongest prescription possible, and even that didn't seem to help anymore. Indeed, his current eye doctor had recently told him he could not do anything else for him. If his eyesight continued to get worse, he would be blind.

It was in this state of near helplessness that the man heard about a new doctor who had just come to town--a miracle worker some were calling him! He was helping people all over town to see better. Some of them had even been pronounced blind by their other local eye doctors. He made an appointment to see this new vision expert.

The doctor checked the man's eyes, asked him to read the eye chart with and without the glasses on and asked him the usual questions. With some trepidation, the man asked, "So doc, is there anything you can do to help my sight?" The doctor's enthusiastic reply was, "Absolutely!" Without further ado, the doctor walked over to his new patient, snatched the eyeglasses off of his face, and wildly threw the glasses on the floor, breaking them into hundreds of tiny pieces.

"What are you doing?" the man cried! "I am almost blind with those glasses on, and now you have broken them into a million pieces! However will I see? However will I even take care of myself?"

The doctor looked at him, smiled, and with a very gentle tone said, "Your sight needs a rest. Go home, relax, and allow your vision to return to you without the glasses."

The man was furious! "That's all you're going to do? I paid hundreds of dollars to you in the hope that you would restore my vision and all you do is break my glasses? How will that help?"

"Make another appointment with my receptionist in one month's time. In the meantime, go home, rest, and allow yourself to see your world without the benefit of your glasses. I assure you, the world will look very different when you return."

The man, still clearly angry, walked out of the examination room, but did make a new appointment with the receptionist. As he was the last patient of the day, she offered to drive him home and patiently saw him to his door.

The man's neighbors, hearing about his fiasco at the doctor's office, immediately came to his aid with offers of food and help with laundry and errands. He smiled at the thought there were so many people out there who cared for him, and he quickly got over his anger.

The next morning when he awoke, the man realized something. Colors he had not noticed before were appearing in the room--the black rim of the clock, the red of the curtains, the yellow of the sunshine that peeped through his window. He could not see them clearly, but it was enough for the man to know the colors were there. He continued to relax, not pushing himself, but occasionally opening his eyes to see what else he might perceive.

Over the course of the next month, others things began appearing to him as well. He could now distinguish softer, more subtle colors. He also began to see distinct outlines of furniture and other objects in his home. Every day, he could recognize more and more until he was finally at the place he could do everything that needed to be done to take care of himself. He was amazed at the difference one month without his glasses had made!   He began to look forward to his follow up appointment to the eye doctor.

As the man walked into the doctor's office the next day, the smile on the doctor's face told the man the doctor knew of his progress. The doctor checked his eyes once again and had him read the eye chart, this time read almost perfectly. The doctor told the man he was pleased with his progress and would require no more visits.

The man, filled with a new awe and respect for the doctor he had been so upset with one month before, asked the doctor a simple question. "How did you know all I needed to do was to get rid of the glasses?"

"It's simple, really," the doctor replied. "Most of us live our entire lives looking through objects created by others which distort our true vision. We become so dependent on this view of the world we can no longer tell the difference between what is real and what is not. In order to see clearly, all we need to do is remove the distortion."

"I could have thrown away my glasses years ago! Are you telling me the power to fix my sight was within my grasp all this time?"

"Of course. The problem is, we often rely so much on the opinions of others we feel the need to ask for help in order to make the leap. The power to see and heal has always been yours. You were just afraid to use it."

And with that, the man walked out of the doctor's office a new creation--full of hope and the understanding that everything he needed to see was already inside of him.

Ascension

Ascension

We see the world divided—“Us” and “Them”.

It is the “Us” that stands illumined in the sunshine.

Darkness is not what we are about.

Darkness is left for “Them”.

We rage and fight, conquer and destroy,

In the belief that All should be “Us”.

We believe that force is necessary for conversion,

But force usually only brings resentment.

Throw off the shackles of light and dark!

They are the tools of bitterness and slavery.

Understand that All contain sun and shadow.

Life can only flow by allowing both.

We are not “Us” and “Them”.

We are All. We are One.

It is only when we see “Them” as “Us” will we have peace.

It is only when we see “Them” as “Us” will we be One.

            ~Cindy Shippy Evans 

The Power of Asking Questions

Do you want more power in your life? Do you want to put your creativity to use to learn and grow? You have the power! It all begins with asking new questions! There is a reason the Bible says "Ask and ye shall receive."

Think about this: when you don't ask any questions you believe you already have the answers. If you have the answers, do you need anything else? Answers are conclusions, and conclusions are final. When you come to a conclusion, what you do in effect is stop the flow of energy in your life! You turn your back on life's possibilities and don't allow new things to come in! It's that simple.

Begin your journey of empowerment today! Ask new questions! The doors this simple act opens will amaze you and change your life in very powerful ways.

Who Died and Made YOU Judge?

I read a story this morning about a couple in Oregon who were just convicted of manslaughter because they had a child born two months prematurely and died when they failed to call for medical help. They did not seek medical help because the attend a church that believes in faith healing instead of using standard medical care. (To view full story, click here.)

The story struck a real nerve with me. While I do use the American medical system, I use it very sparingly. I'm not one who believes America has the best medical care in the world--just the most expensive. I'm very skeptical of the cut and poison practice currently in use. I will use alternative solutions first. Still if I were to go into labor two months early, I would have the baby in the hospital where they do have some procedures to increase the odds of survival. The question I had to ask myself was, is it okay to judge someone for their personal beliefs using your personal standards (or the standards of the majority)?

My next question becomes, do we really have religious freedom? Are we truly free to practice a religion that does not believe in the same standard of medical care as the majority? Can the government force us into medical treatment that we do not want and do not believe in? Children have been taken away from their parents because their parents sought alternative treatment for their child's cancer instead of the poisoning that occurs with chemotherapy. Is this truly in the child's best interest?

What about a religion that practices polygamy? Who gets to decide if this practice is okay? Not all polygamists force their underage daughters into polygamist marriages. Why is polygamy not okay? They aren't hurting you or anybody else.

Who gets to decide how you live your life? By whose standards are we judged? Man's? God's? Who died and made YOU judge?   

If You Really Knew Me...

If you really knew me

It would not matter that my skin was white

Or black

Or brown

Or yellow

Or red

Or pink

Or blue with green polka dots.

If you really knew me

It would not matter that I drive a Mercedes-Benz

Or a beat up pickup truck with no air conditioning or radio.

You wouldn’t care if my home was a mansion

Or the alley behind the post office.

You would not care about the tattoos all over my body

Or the crew cut haircut I love to wear.

If you really knew me

It would not matter that I spoke English

Or Japanese

Or Hindi

Or Spanish

Or Swahili.

If you really knew me

You would not care that I was lazy,

Or an atheist,

Slept around,

Cheated on my taxes,

Stripped for a living,

Or shot up heroin.

You would not even care if I was a fundamentalist Christian

Or a radical Muslim. 

If you really knew me

You would understand that the anger and rage I take out on you

Is not about you.

It’s about me—my experiences,

My traumas,

My pains,

Being expressed in the only way I know how.

If you really knew me

You would acknowledge me for who I am—

A being full of light,

And love,

And joy!

You would see my perfection

And would not seek to change me

Or control me.

You would know my life journey is about

My own personal growth and evolution.

You would honor me,

Just as I honor you,

If you really knew me.

~Cindy Shippy Evans

The Coming Destruction

Destruction is coming. It's inevitable. The signs are all there--failing economies, shifting power, civil unrest. Religious leaders are proclaiming it from the rooftops. (Of course, they are also predicting an apocalypse of some magnitude where the "righteous" will be raised up and the "sinners" will be subjected to endless torment.) Society as it exists today--the life we have always depended upon--is no longer working. Breakdown is nature's way of rebalancing herself. Still, the prospect of destruction is scary. How will we cope when all those things we have come to rely on have collapsed on themselves? The unknown is often accompanied by some fear.

The thing to keep in mind about destruction is the fact that it is all part of the growth process. Destruction is what clears the space to make room for something new--hopefully something much better. Creation cannot occur without it.

Picture a giant redwood forest. The beauty of these magnificent trees takes your breath away. When you think about the possibility of them being destroyed by the fires that often sweep through their native California you cringe. However, the truth is redwood trees actually need fire. They have a built-in natural fire retardant. Fire burns away the undergrowth, allowing sunlight to reach lower parts of the trees as well as new seedlings. The destruction a fire brings to these old growth forest keeps those majestic giants alive and thriving. From the ashes, new life!

Destruction is a natural part of the life process. It is our choice to allow it to destroy us or to use it to clear out what is not working so that we have space to create something new and wonderful. 

Believe In the Magic!

I remember being taken to see the movie "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" when I was a kid (yes, the original version) and being in total awe and delight of the fantastic imagery of Wonka's chocolate factory. It truly did seem like a place of fantasy where all your wildest dreams could suddenly come true. When we are kids, such things enthrall us because something deep inside speaks to us that magic is real. We know it with every fiber of our being. Then one day, we grow up and wonder how we could ever have been that simple and naive to believe in things so fantastic and unrealistic. We go on with our lives in the "real" world--very often lives of boredom and drudgery and unfulfilled dreams.

What if I were to tell you that the magic is real? That you could wave your wand over anything and everything in your life and it could be changed in an instant? Would you think I was crazy? Would you lock me away in the mental hospital?

The truth of the matter is, magic IS real! You can live a life of miraculous wonder and infinite abundance! The key to living such a life is to let go of all the limits you have placed on it about how the world is "supposed' to work and believe that anything is possible. Yes, you must believe in the magic! You must believe in the miraculous! You must trust the dreams in your heart so much that you are willing to see only them and not what the world tells you is true.

In religious terms, the concept is called faith. According to the Bible, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen." (Heb. 11:1 KJV) Simply put, faith is that knowing in your heart that something exists, even when you have no physical evidence to support that claim at present.

Miracles happen every day. The miracles that present themselves in our lives occur because we believe--we have faith--that they can happen. When we limit our knowing, we limit the miracles that are allowed to occur in our lives. It's that simple. It's your choice.

So get over yourself and your limited belief system! Believe in miracles! Be willing to wave your magic wand and allow the magic to enter your life! Your life can change in an instant. All you have to do is believe!

YOU Are a Powerful Creator!

YOU are a powerful creator! Did you know? You don't feel powerful? Sometimes, you even feel powerless? I'm here to reassure you! YOU are a creator--a very powerful one at that! How do I know? I know because you are a human, and as a human you have been given the ability to choose. Creation is the direct result of choosing which path to follow at any given moment.

Why do we occasionally feel powerless? There are times we choose to give our power away to others. Why would anyone in their right mind choose to give their power away? Quite often, we give our power away out of apathy or ignorance. There are certain choices in our lives that we just don't care enough about. Consequently, we let others make the decisions. (Think politics as an example.) More often, our own ignorance keeps us from understanding that we really can make a choice. If you believe change can't happen because this is the way it has always been, you are choosing out of ignorance.

Look at Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement. They grew up with discrimination as part of their everyday lives in the American south. Separation was the norm for people of different races. They knew is wasn't right! They knew it wasn't fair! Instead of believing it had to be that way, these brave men and women chose to stand united against the inequality! They chose the possibility of injury or death to bring justice back into balance! They created the change they wanted to see--all through the choices they made!

All the circumstances of your life at present are the results of choices you have made in the past. Some of these choices may have been as simple as what music to listen to or which friends you hung out with. They may have been big choices like who to marry or which job to take. All choices lead somewhere.

You don't have to stand on the sidelines of your own life waiting for things to just happen to you! No job? Been looking for months? Choose to do something different! Assess the needs of your community. Assess your talents and skills. What can YOU offer that will be a much needed fit? Lonely? Want a serious relationship? Get out of the house! Volunteer! Develop a new skill or hobby that will bring new passion into your life. By focusing on helping others and improving yourself you are choosing to bring new things into your life, and other people will inevitably be a part of that!

Challenge yourself to become the creator you were meant to be! Make choices! Learn! Grow! Evolve! You are so much more than you have imagined yourself to be! YOU are a powerful creator!

The Bond Teleclass With Lynne McTaggart

I am so pleased to be able to share an amazing upcoming *FREE* teleclass presented by one of my favorite authors, Lynne McTaggart! For those of you who may not be familiar with her work, Lynne McTaggart is one of the world's foremost authorities on the science of spirituality. An investigative journalist  by trade, Lynne keeps abreast of all the latest scientific research studying those invisible bonds which connect us to each other and the Universe--what many would define as "God". She is able to explain the complex principles she has gleaned from leading-edge scientists in layman's terms, making these findings simple for the common man to understand through her works The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe, The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World and now The Bond: Connecting Through the Space Between Us.

Her new teleclass is based on her book, The Bond, which focuses on what we can do to connect in this world of separation. Beginning on July 25th and continuing for the next 21 days, Lynne will teach a five part course designed to help you discover "the bond" and how to use it within your own life to create your best life ever. In part two of the series, twenty-three speakers (including people like Jack Canfield, Marianne Williamson and Hale Dwoskin) will share their life strategies on how to incorporate the principles of sharing and fairness which have created joy and fulfillment in their own lives, connecting them to humanity and the world.

Join us for this *FREE* life-changing series of calls which will help us all navigate the challenges our world currently faces! Separate, we are doomed to failure. Together, we can empower ourselves and the world through those invisible bonds which connect us to one another!

Sign up here: http://www.masterful.net/thebond/

Love Them Anyway!

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
~attributed to Mother Teresa

I was a very sensitive child. Often, I would find myself on the receiving end of anger, sadness or some other pain, and I would allow it to overwhelm me to the point I would cry or get upset. The world can be a very cold, angry place.

I gained some perspective on it when I was around twelve. It dawned on me that there were times I hurt people without meaning to. Sometimes, my impulsive actions led to misunderstandings--consequences I had not intended but which happened all the same. In that moment, I resolved to give others the benefit of the doubt. I realized that not every pain I received was intentional. This helped me not take things quite so personally.

It has only been in more recent years that I have gained more perspective on the intentional hurts people inflict on others. Yes, sometimes people will intentionally hurt you. Sometimes, you did nothing to bring that hurt to yourself except be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The thing is, people who hurt you, whether intentionally or not, do so because they live continuously in a state of pain. Their actions are based upon the pain they know. Thinking outside this box of pain may be beyond their present capabilities.

In our day to day lives, we allow this pain to separate us from those who seek to hurt us. There are times when walking away is the only thing we can do to keep ourselves from fighting back. Still, this pain places walls between us. We allow pain to keep us broken.

Mother Teresa's words speak to Oneness. They counsel us to accept that painful experiences will happen. We cannot control the actions of others. We can control the actions we take. We can choose to look past the flaws of others. We can choose to understand the pain others inflict on us comes from the pain they constantly live with, and we have the ability to accept it and love them anyway. Loving them anyway has the ability to break down all those barriers which separate us from one another.

We do not have to let the pain in our lives divide us. When we make the choice to love regardless of the other person's circumstances, we allow all that IS to move freely within our lives. Not only does this allow us to expand, but such actions ultimately touch the lives of every other person they come in contact with. Unconditional love can break through any barrier and unify the whole!

The next time someone hurts you, allow yourself to move past the pain and love them anyway. By doing so, you allow yourself to touch the heart of God and become the heart of God for others.

Heaven Or Hell? Your Choice!

Many religions talk endlessly about the consequences of the choices you make. Presumably, good choices help you get into Heaven, the place of eternal reward. Poor choices land you in Hell, a place of eternal torment, fire and brimstone. While I agree that our choices take us to various places, I don't believe these places are the be-all-end-all of existence. Rather, I believe both Heaven and Hell are present in the world today and that we all live in one state or the other (or in various degrees of them).

So, what exactly is Hell? In it's most basic definition, Hell is the state of separation. Think back to every negative experience you've ever had on earth. Maybe someone hurt you or you had a fight or some other unpleasent or painful experience. How did you feel? Sad? Angry? Alone? At these moments, you are not connected to anyone or anything (except maybe your own pain), especially not to God. Even the Bible talks about how man (specifically Adam and Eve) chose to be separated from God and in doing so led the way for all manner of pain, torment and problems. If that's not Hell, I don't know what is.

Then what is Heaven? Heaven would be the place of Unity...of Peace...of Oneness. True Heaven is the place of Love. A place without judgment. Think about those times in your life when you have been full of love. Did you feel connected? Hopeful? Empowered? Heaven is a state of being in your best. It is a place of understanding the Universe and your place in it.

Let me ask you a question. Do you truly believe we end up in one specific place for the rest of eternity? How boring! How unproductive! Life is about awareness! Opportunity! Growth! Heaven and Hell are just places to explore on this endless progression, and we make this choice on a daily basis. Where you end up truly is up to you! 

Preparing For "The End"

I come from a long line of believers of the kingdom of God on earth (or where I come from, the concept is called Zion). My father, who is highly versed in scripture, talked about it for hours on end with various friends and relatives over the years. My grandmother (his mom) held onto a huge Victorian style house long after her own children had flown the nest in order to use it as a weigh station of sorts for people who needed a place to stay when they were "fleeing to Zion for safety." She hid all sorts of extra canned goods so she would have plenty of food for them, and filled her house with items of interest so no one would become bored during the wait. Yes, I come from a family of "believers".

With 2012 approaching (and the end of the Mayan calendar), the world seems poised to come to a screeching halt. Doomsday scenario books and movies are the rage, and many religious fanatics are prophesying the end of the world (often suckering naive people out of their life savings). People are "preparing", but are they really? Will it be enough to stockpile food and other essentials in the event of some cataclysm? (Some people are going to the extreme of stockpiling guns to "protect their stuff". Really?!!! If you are willing to use guns against another human being, you have some serious issues.)

After being part of a cult with very definite "end times" beliefs (for full story, link here), I came to one simple conclusion. It is much more important to focus on your internal connection to God as opposed to trying to get the inside scoop from another person (or a group of people). The way I see it, if I work on developing my relationship with the Divine, I will know what I need to do to prepare (if anything).

The interesting thing is, what I am being called to do now is not stockpile food or move to the country. In my quiet meditation time, I am being called to more fully develop my spiritual gifts. I feel led to use my sensitivities to understand the more subtle energies around me--to learn to differentiate them and understand how they work. I am exploring my psychic and healing abilities, and I am learning to trust them. It seems that almost every day I am uncovering some new skill I possess but never fully recognized before.

The fear we are experiencing with the thought of "the end of the world" comes from not understanding the nature of all that needs to come to an end. I do believe the world we know is self-destructing. We have allowed this world we've constructed from our minds (our ego selves) to take over, leaving the spiritual sides of ourselves to wither and die. We think this construct is "safe" because it is what we know, but this is far from the truth. We were meant for joy! We were meant for spirituality! We were meant for miracles! We were not meant for the poverty and the slavery of the world today! This is what is meant to end!

Preparing for the "the end" is not meant to be a physical thing. It is meant to be a spiritual thing. Listen to the Voice that speaks in your heart. It will tell you all things that you should do.

Refuse To Play the Game!

I am so frustrated with the status quo I am ready to tear my hair out! The world we have allowed to be created is clearly spiraling out of control. Everyone thinks they have the solution, but as far as I can tell all the "solutions" were created to work within the system. You cannot solve the world's problems with the same mindset that created them!

Look at the housing crisis here in America. The financial and political powers that be have been allowed a situation where the financial powers are not monetarily responsible for risky financial practices. No, those have been placed on the good old, everyday American taxpayer, who can scarcely afford to pay his own bills let alone those of the rich and powerful. It is a myth that Americans should be responsible for the recklessness of the rich and political. It is a myth that the world will spiral out of control if the financial powers that be are not supported in their efforts of bankrupt the world! These are the lies they tell us in order to keep themselves in money and power! These are the lies we willingly believe because we have been taught this is the way the world works.

It does not have to be a dog-eat-dog world! This is the old paradigm, and believing it is causing our world to die. We don't have to lie to be supported! We don't have to step on others to get ahead! This fighting only perpetuates fighting, and it is killing us!

Time to refuse to play the game! It is a lie we do not need to exist well! Do what you can to help your fellow man! Be the example! Act on the principles of unity and love! Take care of your families, friends and neighbors! You are your brother's keeper! If we all focus on what we can do to unify and support each other to become our best selves, we can all win!

The New Un-American

America, like many other developed countries, is a sinking ship. The economy is still in nosedive mode, the differences between the rich and poor grow more profound, and politicians are deadlocked over how to best salvage the situation. There are no easy answers in this complicated mess--or so it seems.

The solution to this crisis lies in the understanding that our destinies are intricately tied together. Aesop, echoed by Patrick Henry during the American Revolution, perhaps said it best. "United we stand. Divided we fall." We cannot continue to fight among ourselves and expect our problems to be solved! (As my teenage children would say, "Duh!!!")

The thing is, we expect our politicians to solve our problems. That is not going to happen! Our politicians are the problem! As a people, we have allowed our politicians to make decisions based on what will keep them in power instead of on what will truly benefit the whole. Sure, they try to convince us that what they are choosing is best for the whole. Politicians can say what they want, but end results speak volumes. They are not any closer to solving the crisis than when it first began. In fact, financial problems are just compounding.

First of all, we need to assess what we truly have as Americans. We are smart. We are resourceful. We have infrastructure--much of which we are allowing to decay because of the fighting. We have the ability to use our gifts and talents to come up with products and innovations which will create jobs and opportunities. We don't need big money interests to do this! They tell us we do! They have passed laws (compliments of the politicians we elect) which hinder us from pooling our money together to invest in small businesses. In case you haven't noticed, the vast majority of jobs created in recent years are not coming from big corporations. Big corporations are shipping jobs overseas! The point is, you should not be relying on big corporations to employ you! They are not for you! And the politicians work for them! Where no job exists, create your own! We all have talents and skills available which we can put to use for the benefit of all!

If you are not working with your fellow Americans (or fellow human beings), you are not a true American! If you are working for yourself at the expense of others, you are not American! Anything that is done which does not unify the whole is decidedly un-American. It doesn't matter if you are a politician, head of a big corporation or special interest group, or a lowly worker. If you possess the spirit of division, consider yourself the new un-American. United we stand. Divided we fall.

Fear of Darkness

We are a people who fear the darkness. We see shadows under the bed and hear noises in the closet, and we just know the monsters are waiting to overpower us. Often, we fight everything we perceive to be darkness, fearing that, if we don't, the darkness will overtake us and all will be lost. We even fight the darkness in ourselves to the point of covering it up or denying its existence.

The funny thing about darkness...we believe that light chases the darkness away. When you illuminate a dark room, the darkness magically leaves. Or does it? The reality is, the darkness is still there. Light has the ability to transform the darkness into something not so scary. Things that often hide in the shadows can be plainly seen once exposed to even a tiny amount of light.

Darkness is not the big, bad entity we have conjured it to be. It is not something to fight and overcome. Rather, it is through embracing the darkness we are able to truly transform it. It is only through allowing the light to blend together with the dark we can truly be whole.

Do you fear darkness? Overcoming the fear is as simple as turning on the light.

Exploding Watermelons and Decision-Making

For some of you older (and wiser) readers out there, the term exploding watermelons may have you conjuring up images of the comedian known as Gallagher, who was famous for taking a sledgehammer to fruit while doing onstage shows. That is not, however, the subject of this post. The subject matter is much more serious--a problem of watermelon crops in China actually exploding because of the misuse of growth hormones. The way I see it, the exploding watermelons in China are actually a concrete example of what is wrong with the world's thinking today.

The Chinese farmers apparently applied the growth chemical forchlorfenuron to watermelon fields too late in a very wet season. The result was the destruction of a large part of the crop due to growth so rapid it literally exploded the watermelons. They understood the chemical would accelerate the growth of their crops, allowing them to market their products more quickly. What they didn't understand was that the extra rainfall and the late application of the hormone would have catastrophic effects on the crops.

How is this an example of the world's faulty thinking? In our world today, people think largely using the wisdom of their minds. What I mean by this is, they gather together all the knowledge they have about any particular subject and make decisions based upon what they know. Why is this a problem, you ask? (You may use this strategy yourself!) The problem is, no matter how much we think we know about any particular topic, there is inevitably a lot about the subject we don't know. When we base decisions on limited understanding, the best outcome you can hope for will have limited results. Clearly, problems easily show up when you do not have all the information.

"But it is impossible to know all the information about any given subject", you say! You're correct, if you come from the standpoint of using the limited resources of your mind. This is the wisdom of your separate self--the part of you which walls itself off from the rest of the world, or at least parts of the world. The key is to base your decisions on the unlimited wisdom of the heart.

What is the wisdom of the heart? It is known in different cultures by many different names: intuition, Holy Spirit, Allah, God, the still small voice, etc. In a nutshell, it is the place within ourselves where we access our connection to the entire Universe. It is from this place we acquire unlimited insight. While we may not comprehend all the details personally (sometimes, you just don't know how you know, but you know), the Universe does have all the information. When we base our decisions on the wisdom of the heart, the full knowledge and understanding of the Universe comes into play. We can truly make decisions which are for the best of all concerned.

Now is the time to begin re-learning how to access your intuition--this wisdom of the heart. Find the method of accessing the Divine that works for you! It may be through meditation and/or prayer. It may be through music, or art or walks in nature. The method does not matter as long as it helps you make that Connection within! The world's problems can only be solved through accessing all the information available. Learn to become part of the solution. Learn to become part of the One. Otherwise, our problems will continue to explode, just like those Chinese watermelons.

Teaching Our Children Truth

A question posted on the Awakened Parenting Discussion Forum on Facebook (Awakened Parenting Discussion Forum Group) greatly disturbed me this morning. Someone had asked the group moderator at what age should we start teaching our children the truth instead of allowing them to go with their imaginations. What upset me was the idea that it is our job as parents to "knock the imagination out of them" so they can function effectively in the "real world". Teaching our children "the truth" results in disempowering them!

The world functions at the level of the mind. It has very set, concrete rules which we must be taught to follow or we find ourselves in trouble. Often, we believe these rules or constructs are "the truth". This is what we end up teaching our children. The thing is, what we believe to be the truth is really just an arbitrary set of rules set up by those in power in order to retain that power. By teaching our children these "truths", we are setting them up for failure because we are teaching them to think inside the box!

Our imaginations empower us! Think about this. Albert Einstein came up with his Special Theory of Relativity by first imagining himself riding a beam of light! The celebrated inventor Thomas Edison came up with many of the answers to his problems through his habit of napping/meditating (for more on this read here). There are many, many present day Law of Attraction experts who tout the practice of using your imagination to picture the world as you want it to be! It is through our use of imagination we begin to change our world, yet we think it is necessary to cut off the imaginations of our children! Arghhhhhhh!!!

If we are serious about fixing the problems in the world, we should begin with our children! If we teach our children the world's "truth", all we are doing is perpetuating the world's problems. We cannot fix problems with the same mentality that created them!

Teach and encourage your children to use their imaginations! Believe it or not, they already understand what is real! The truth is, you are the one who is messed up! Educate yourself. Acknowledge where your "truth" came from and learn to overcome it. Follow your childrens' leads. Become an empowered creator by using your own imagination. Your life will truly become magical once again!

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matt. 18:1-6 NIV)

To Forge Ahead

Yesterday was an awful day for me. I was still recovering from a slight bout of illness, and I had to take my daughter clothes shopping for a few more things she needed for camp. The thing is, I hate clothes shopping and I dislike shopping for clothes with my daughter as she is rarely happy with anything. Add to all this the fact we were pressed for time and my daughter was getting nervous about going to camp (for someone who is bipolar, change is rough) and you have a perfect storm sort of scenario.

I spent the afternoon taking verbal abuse from my daughter--several hours worth. Any show of weakness from myself (such as anger) results in an even bigger barrage of attack. My husband called in the middle of the maelstrom, and I pretty much ripped his head off. (I apologized later, although he already understood.) My mom called a while later. I decided not to even answer because I didn't want to rip into her as well. Yes, I did not answer a phone call from my mother! I did not have good control over myself.

Most days, I believe there is still hope for my daughter and that we will all get through the craziness that is our life right now--that somehow she will end up healed and whole. Yesterday was just not one of those days. I could see the disparity between how she acts with her bipolar depression and what is considered "normal", and it was extremely hard to take.

Today is a new day. I look at the day I had, and even through the midst of the angst and confusion I know that I am far different person than I was even a year ago. Yes, the abuse of yesterday hurt, but I am no longer powerless in the face of great frustration. My personal vibration has improved noticeably, and the abuse is absorbed and released in the new flow that has become my life. I can go on with the knowledge everything is well in hand and will be resolved in the end. I forge ahead knowing yesterday's frustrations are already part of the past. I look forward to what lies ahead as I experience each moment of the present.

The Gift of Disability

My youngest son has a learning disability--dyslexia to be exact. The school psychologist who diagnosed his disability believed it had something to do with all the ear infections he started having when he first attended daycare when he was fifteen months old. The theory is, between the age of one and two you learn to distinguish subtle differences in sounds--like the difference between a B and a P. Because his hearing was interrupted at this stage, it set him up for reading difficulties later. The thing is, even though school has been hard for my son in certain respects, his learning disability is actually an unexpected gift.

How can a learning disability be a gift, you ask? Learning disabilities are gifts because people who have them are forced to think outside the box! Think about this. Under normal circumstances, the quickest way between point A and point B is a straight line:
          A---------------B
When you have a learning disability, there is a barrier within that straight line:
          A-------/-------B
You cannot see point B from point A because of that barrier. If you need to get to point B, you are forced to take an alternate route. You are forced to find a way around the barrier.

Albert Einstein had great difficulties in his early years in school because he had learning disabilities. While his teachers tried to force him to do his work in certain ways, his disabilities did not allow him to follow their rules. Still, Einstein did not give up! Eventually he came up with some of the greatest ideas in physics that exist today.

My younger son tends to think in similar ways. A few years ago when my older son was taking high school physics, he was assigned to make a catapult that could send a golf ball at least ten feet. My older son worked on it for quite some time but wasn't getting the distance he needed. My husband began to help. Neither one of them could figure it out. This is when my younger middle school aged son happened on the scene. He took one look at the catapult and asked what they were trying to do. When they told him he said, "I can fix that." He made a couple of small adjustments and tried the catapult out. The golf ball flew about three times the distance it was supposed to! My younger son had never studied physics, but he is quite mechanical and has always liked to experiment. I just attribute his gifts to having to think outside the box.

The next time you begin to pity someone with a disability, think again. There is a reason they have chosen a life which included disability. They have chosen to live outside the box. Deep down, they know their disability is a gift to enable them to learn and grow. Don't let your own faulty thinking limit what they can do. Don't let your own faulty thinking limit what you can do. Allow yourself to see the possibilities. It is only through thinking outside the box we can fix the problems in the world today.

Weinergate...Really?

At this point in time, I cannot stand watching the news. Unfortunately, my husband does watch the news. There are many days I cannot totally stay away from it because it is on as I pass through the room. Seems the biggest, most important story these days involves the personal trouble of U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner. Apparently, he has gotten into some trouble because he tweeted "lewd" pictures of himself in underwear. I just have one word to say. REALLY???

Were the photos responsible for some breach in national security? Is Congressman Weiner the Mata Hari of the current political age? I think not. Do his actions show lack of good judgment? Yes. Do his actions show he has personal issues? Yes. Do people need to know this about him? Only if it would influence how they vote when he comes back up for re-election. Besides this, it truly should be a personal matter between him and his wife. If he were not part of the power elite, it would not be a public issue.

Weinergate is just one more thing for political opponents to point fingers at in order to justify how "right" they are. The question is, does your enemy's problem make you a better person?

We need to stop being a people of finger-pointing! The only thing finger-pointing accomplishes is separation and distraction! It makes people choose sides over issues that are fruitless! How is knowing Weiner is cheating on his wife going to improve the unemployment rate or fix the healthcare crisis?

Where are the solutions to the world's problems? They definitely don't reside in politics if all politicians can offer is a picture of some guy in his underwear.

Revolution of the Mind

There is much unrest in the world. People die from unnecessary hunger. Disease is rampant and getting worse because of chemical poisoning and unhealthy food production practices. Governments and corporations fight for power and money, using the little people as unsuspecting pawns in their games of war. The vast majority of the people in this world believe the lies told by the power brokers. Slowly, we are being destroyed by our own apathy.

Often we look to politics to save us. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the ideas of socialism have gained more of a foothold in a world still dominated by capitalism. The thing is, neither socialism nor capitalism is any good without integrity, and integrity is the missing element in the world today. Capitalism is not working because a few people have gained too much money (and consequently too much power). They buy off politicians and the media in order to retain that power. Socialism/communism has never worked because inevitably those who spout off ideas about doing things "for the good of all" end up taking all the power for themselves. Integrity is the missing link!

The change the world needs today does not involve fighting or struggling for survival! It involves a different mindset--a change in the way we think about ourselves and the world. The only thing fighting results in is destruction, limited resources and more fighting. (If this is not obvious to you, watch the news!) Time to wake up to the fact it is only by working together with our fellow human beings that we will survive as a planet!

The challenge becomes how to see past the lies that have been promoted by those in power and change our way of doing things. This is not an easy task but it can be done! The key question to ask yourself is, "Is there a winner and a loser in this scenario?" If any part of the answer is, "Yes!" the solution is flawed. Winning and losing is based on fighting and struggle. (Consider this: our whole political system is based on winning and losing--this is the reason our country's problems have not been solved! And you think the Democrats or the Republicans or the Tea Partiers or the Unions or the Corporations are going to "save" you?)

We need to be a people who base our actions on the win-win! It begins by believing the solutions are out there. Then we have to ask ourselves, "How can we make this a win-win for everyone?" It is only through asking the right questions that we come up with workable solutions.

The win-win needs to be the mindset of everything we do! Whenever there is a situation where we can help lift another up, this is what we should be about! We need to teach our children this principle! We need to teach it to our neighbors through example--through love! Basically, it involves changing our whole mindset from an adversarial one to a united one.

This is the revolution of the mind--no fighting or violence required. The key is to make peace inside yourself first. Then allow love to find a way.

Namaste, my friends!

Wake-Up Call

Depression held me in its tight grip for years. I never anticipated being a single mom. I never anticipated being solely responsible for raising a very troubled daughter. Most days felt as though I was barely keeping my head above water, trying not to drown in the tumultuous waters of my life.

When my daughter was small, I could make her conform to society's rules. This was not always easy. She would have terrible tantrums and meltdowns in situations which were comfortable and untroubled for most people. As she got older, this became much more of a problem because she was stronger and consequently more dangerous in her irrational rages. Holes in walls and broken doors became the norm. In my depressed state, it became impossible for me to keep up with the clutter as my house literally fell apart. I stopped inviting friends over, afraid that if they saw the state of my home they would know my secret--that I had major problems I did not know how to deal with.

I became quite good at keeping up the facade. I kept the kids in outside activities they were interested in and encouraged them to pursue their talents. I helped with their homework, cooked them dinner, did their laundry and continued to work fulltime. I was getting by until the summer my daughter turned sixteen.

By this time, my daughter was as big as me and very rebellious. Trying to tell her to do anything would set her off on some out-of-control rage. My sons, my new husband and I always felt like we were walking on eggshells whenever she was around. She did what she wanted. Grounding her did no good. Where the boys would stay confined in their room, my daughter would laugh in my face and walk out the door.

One day toward the end of the summer, my daughter came to me and told me she was pregnant. We took her to the doctor where this was confirmed. Less than a week later just as we were getting used to the idea of her being a mom and me being a grandma, she had to be rushed to the emergency room because she was having a miscarriage. I felt guilty in being relieved by how things worked out because my daughter was hurting.

If all that trauma wasn't bad enough, about a month later, she was attacked and nearly raped while walking by herself after dark in our neighborhood. She was only saved because she was carrying her cell phone and managed to text some friends nearby who rescued her. She had been introduced to her attacker once by a mutual friend so he was caught and brought to justice. However, because he had a large number of friends and family members who lived in our neighborhood, life for my daughter got that much harder. Always a little paranoid and not very social, now she was getting accused of "lying" about the attack and getting their friend in trouble. It had always been difficult to get my daughter to go to school--most of our major fights happened in the morning before school. Now it was impossible to even get her out of bed. I tried to move her to her father's school district where she wouldn't come into contact with these kids, but that did not work either. My brilliant daughter, who actually won the Algebra award at her high school her freshman year for having the highest GPA in the class, was now a high school dropout. Because of her trauma, she also suffered from nightmares, panic attacks and PTSD.

Through the entire process, I fought with myself. I worked so hard to keep up appearances--to pretend that nothing was wrong. I found myself judging my daughter at every turn because she did not follow what my head told me was the "right" way to do things. The whole time, my heart pleaded with me, "Stop it! You are living a lie--a world created in your imagination out of all those things you were taught were 'truths'!" The voice in my heart continued to get louder and the problems in my life continued to get bigger until my body could take no more. I screamed back, "Enough! I am ready to stop fighting the truth and accept my daughter for who she is!"

As hard and as painful as this realization was, it continues to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. It is only in accepting my life as it truly IS that I can finally see past the lies I have been taught to believe in. What I believed to be "the rules" was merely a construct designed to maintain order and control. I now understand the judgment I held was part of this construct. Finally, I can look past the judgment to the beauty of the soul which resides in each person--to the Divinity of each one, including myself. I see my daughter's light and the blessing she is to me, and for the first time I am thankful.

I slept most of my forty-five years because I lived from the teachings in my head instead of the truth in my heart. If there is confusion and discord in your life, understand it is here to tell you something. Ask what it is you need to learn from this experience. It may just wake you up to truth!

You Are a Frequency!

In very real scientific terms, you are measurable energy! Everything out there--from people to buildings to emotions--can be measured as frequencies. What do I mean by frequencies? The American Heritage Science Dictionary defines frequency as "The rate at which a repeating event occurs, such as the full cycle of a wave. Frequencies are usually measured in hertz." The atoms within our bodies vibrate at a rate which can be scientifically measured. This is why people who are sensitive can pick up "vibes" from certain individuals or places--can tell that a person is happy or depressed or that a place has had something bad happen there without really even understanding why.

The following video shows the power and complexities of frequency using rice and sound:

You can actually see the wave patterns created by sound in this experiment!

What I find even more interesting about this phenomenon is that the concept of frequency was well understood by the ancients! The book of Genesis in the Old Testament says that God created the world by speaking it into existence. The first chapter of the Book of John in the New Testament begins like this: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Words, sounds and frequencies! The power of creation (and also destruction) begins with sound. This is why words can help us or hinder us. Words are extremely powerful!

I am a measurable frequency. So what? Ever feel as though your life is not where it was meant to be? As humans, we are given the power of choice in this lifetime. This is important because it is only through the gift of choice that we have the power to become creators. We have the ability to create a new world for ourselves through our own free will! Frequency holds the key to changing our world! There are actions we can choose to take which literally raise our frequencies!

For example, you may find yourself depressed (a very low vibrating energy) in this lifetime. We have the ability to change our circumstances through changing our vibrations! You can choose to hang out with positive, upbeat people. You can choose to listen to uplifting music or lectures. Even choosing to exercise can raise your energy level to the point where you are vibrating at a more energetic frequency!

Use this knowledge to improve your life as well as the lives of those you come into contact with. We all have the ability to choose a better, more peaceful, more productive world. It begins with understanding we are all measurable energies who have the ability to shift and become more.

You've Taken the Red Pill--What Now?

In the movie The Matrix, there is a famous scene where Neo, the character played by Keanu Reeves, is given a choice. Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne, offers Neo two pills and says, "You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more." In the end, Neo takes the red pill, and his life is altered forever.Some of us feel as though we have taken the red pill and are now in Wonderland. The veil has been lifted, the blinders have been taken off, and we are left to deal with a new reality we never expected. What now?

The world Neo found himself in originally was a world created within his own mind. Our world is the same! We perceive a world of the physical, but quantum physicists tell us this is illusion. Now that technology has advanced to the point of being able to observe the behavior of subatomic particles, we know that what we think of as solid actually has space within it! What we perceive about our world and the reality of it are two very different things!

Armed with this new insight, Neo is actually able to overcome the conventional rules of nature within the Matrix, which is the world of illusion. The exciting thing about this notion is, it has already happened in this world! One of the best examples came to the world in the form of Jesus. Jesus was able to bend the rules of nature--walk on water, heal the sick, curse a fig tree to death, etc.--all because he understood that the world he found himself in was merely an illusion. We still hear about "miracles" from time to time. This is exactly what Jesus meant when he made the statement, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12 NIV) According to Jesus, we all have the ability to do the things he did! 


The key to overcoming this illusion we live in begins with our thoughts--in our own imaginations! To give you a concrete example of what I am referring to, I remember a story I read when I was studying psychology years ago in college. It was about a man with cancer who imagined his white blood cells (the disease destroying parts of your blood) to be armed knights roaming through his body and attacking the cancer cells. His doctors were apparently amazed as his cancer began to fade away, eventually into nonexistence. This is the power of the mind! This is the law of attraction at its best! Your power is only limited by the limits of your own imagination.


When the world tries to tell you, "This is the way things are and you are going to have to live with them," you can come back with the simple answer, "I don't have to play this game." Granted, if you flout the laws of the place where you live you run a strong risk of punishment. Still, most of the time the game of life we choose to play has no such stakes. You can either accept something as truth or not. You can play the game or change the rules and play your own game. You always have a choice! It's that easy.


The rules we choose to live by are not often truth. They are more often illusions of the mind. You have chosen to be informed. Now it's time to see what you can create with this new understanding. When you take the red pill, your eyes have been opened. Choose to use the knowledge to create the life you want.

Living From Your Higher Self

I came to an interesting realization after a conversation I had with my husband this morning. I remembered an incident involving my ex-husband when we were in the middle of our divorce. My children and I had been living in Georgia with my parents for eight months when I finally served him with divorce papers. My whole separation and move from Iowa had not been my idea in the first place, but I was ready to move on, hence the divorce papers. He was not happy that I had filed for divorce in Georgia and told me he was trying to have the proceedings moved back to Iowa.

I freaked out. I had friends back in Iowa who had gotten divorced in Iowa. Because they had kids and their spouses still lived in state, they were not allowed to move out of state with their kids. If they wanted to leave bad enough, their kids would have to stay behind. My family, including my parents and two sisters, all lived in the southeast United States. Iowa is a good 800 miles from my support. I was truly afraid that if I allowed the proceedings to happen in Iowa I would be forced to move back there--a place with no family and no good job opportunities for me.

In my desperation to stay in Georgia, I threatened my ex-husband. I told him that if he moved the proceedings back to Iowa I would not negotiate at all. We would automatically resolve the issue in a jury trial, where I would drag him through the mud, bringing out all the nasty details that preceded our separation. As he had left me for another woman, this threat was daunting for him. He decided to allow the divorce to occur in Georgia.

As I related this story to my current husband, who has also been divorced for the same reasons I was, I realized how much I had changed from that time in my life. While I did not beat myself up for lashing out at my ex in of my pain, I realized that I would not act in the same way now, even if the circumstances were the same. My thoughts now would be to understand what was motivating my ex-husband's actions and see if we could resolve the issue in a way where both of us would end up with what we need. I call this change living from my higher self.

On this earth, we live in these imperfect shells we call bodies. We experience all kinds of pain and suffering while at the same time we are given false teachings which justify reacting to that pain in even more painful ways. Still, we are so much more than these troubled bodies.

Deep within at the very core of our beings, we are spirit. We are energy. We are light. We are perfect! It is only when we are able to see past the imperfection that is our body to the beauty of the light within that we are able to rise above the pain and suffering. We are finally able to recognize the problems for what they are--tools to help us learn and grow. We no longer feel the need to spread that pain. We acknowledge the pain and use it to help us overcome our own internal struggles.

The world is finally learning to live from its higher self. Make the choice to become a part of it!

Where God Meets Science

There are many scientists in the world who are atheist because they only believe what can be proven in this physical universe through scientific observation. On the other hand, there are many religious followers who believe that faith--believing in what cannot be proven--is fundamental to being a devoted follower. Opposing sides in the spectrum of humanity. I would offer up the idea that both sides are extreme (and in that respect both flawed). There is a place where God meets science, and it becomes most obvious in the scientific concept of the zero-point field.

What is the zero-point field? To explain in over-simplified, layman's terms, the zero-point field is the place where no quantifiable (physical) matter exists. Scientists have created such spaces in laboratory settings using special vacuums, which literally suck out the physical matter within the space. What is important about the zero-point field? It has been found that, even when no physical matter exists within a space, this "empty" space still produces energy. Something from nothing! The power of creation contained within the nonphysical!

Science's problem is the result of not properly defining what energy actually is. They have begun to, but the reality is that science has only scratched the surface of these concepts.

Religion's problem is it gave up too quickly. Religion looked at science's physical "evidence" and said, "You just can't prove what we believe to be true with these concepts so we are just going to stop trying. We'll just explain all the mysteries by saying they are not meant to be known." They continue to be mysteries, poorly explained by those who would have others believe they have the answers.

The truth is out there! There is a cosmic force field, as yet undefined, that flows in and through all things. Science is proving it. Religions tout it. It is called many things by many people: the zero-point field, the Holy Spirit, Allah. It binds all things and draws them together. It is in this place where God meets science. It is in this place where all things become One.

*For a more detailed look at the zero-point field in layman's terms, there are several wonderful books by author Lynne McTaggart on the subject!

The Lie

I absolutely adore The Matrix movies, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss. To me, they are so profound in their symbolism--prophetic even. They are a series about one man's journey to discover the truth, to overcome the lies he has lived with all his life, and to transcend the conflict in order to attain a true state of peace. My life the past few years has been all about this same journey--to discover the truth, overcome the lie and find a state of peace.

In the movie, Keanu Reeves character Neo, makes the choice to question the way things are. Intuitively, he knows something does not feel right. His questions lead him to answers he does not anticipate--that people are imprisoned by machines to be an energy source for the machines to use. The world they live in is one based purely in the mind (in the lie). Absorbing the truth and learning to use it becomes a process--an evolutionary journey. This is the stage I believe I am personally in. I feel like the blinders have been pulled off and I am finally seeing the truth my world has tried to hide from me all these years to keep me in bondage to those who would control my life. It has not been an easy transition. I was used to the lies, and because they were familiar they were comforting to me.

I now anticipate the conclusion Neo comes to in his journey--that the solution is truly about peace. In the end, his character goes to the machines they are fighting with--the same ones that have imprisoned them for all those years--and tells them the people are willing to stop the fighting if the machines are.

"Ah! But the movie ends with Neo fighting his nemesis, you say!" Yes, but the answer to that is also symbolic. During the course of the movie, Neo discovers that his nemesis, Agent Smith, is really the dark half of himself or his ego. In the end, what Neo really overcomes is his individuality so that he can become whole.

The lie we have been told in this lifetime is that we are separate--that there is a right and a wrong, a good and a bad. While it is true there is a dual nature in this earth, each element is part of the Oneness. We continue to fight and struggle with one another because we believe one way is better than another and are focused on winning the fight. Our lives are not about winning the fight. They are about understanding ourselves and the Oneness more clearly. It is only when we stop fighting we can truly live as we were intended to live--as One.

Wake up! Question with boldness! The truth is out there! Learn to overcome the lie!

Divergent Paths

I find myself in mourning today. I have made the all-important decision to be true to myself and let the light inside begin to shine through without holding back. The problem with that is, I am forced to leave the path I have been on where I have had many wonderful traveling companions along the way. It's scary. I feel as though I am leaving behind the support I have come to lean on. I am sad because I love these friends immensely and have great respect and admiration for them. Still, I know I can no longer continue on this path and remain true to who I am--who I have always been.

I have always been a very spiritual person but I now find myself unable to conform to the box I have allowed myself to be placed in by religious "rules". Many of these rules have never felt right in my heart, but I overlooked them for a long time because some things about religion did feel right in my heart. For example, Christianity tells us the being gay is a "sin" and a "lifestyle choice". While I can accept there may be some instances of "choosing" to be gay, I honestly believe the vast majority of gay people are born that way. God does not create sinners. People wrote (and slanted) the Bible. My heart--my connection to God--tells me to accept these people for who they are and to allow them to use their gifts and talents to bless me on my journey.  My life has been richly blessed by my gay and lesbian friends, and I wouldn't choose to have it any other way.

I've also struggled with revealing some of my own particular talents to some of my Christian friends. I've always been highly intuitive and sensitive to energies. There have been many occasions when I've told people what they needed to hear at precisely the time they needed to hear it. I have also always been highly sensitive to the feelings of others--to the point where I pretty much know what they are thinking at any given time. I have even lately been made aware of my main spirit guide/guardian angel, who has been assigned by God to help me on my journey. I've always considered these gifts to be talents I have through my connection to God. In some circles, these gifts would be considered psychic. Many conservative Christians believe any sort of psychic ability comes from the devil or evil spirits. The concept of a spirit guide is definitely considered to be of the devil. The thing is, within the past year I have felt called to use these gifts in ways that would help others gain additional perspective to things they might be going through. Denying I have these gifts limits what I feel called to do.

I have come to that place in life where I have to make a choice: accept who I truly am and become the person I was meant to be or continue to live in the box of religion, miserable and unfulfilled. I have chosen the latter, but in doing so I have chosen a different path to follow.

It feels a little lonely, because I no longer know my traveling companions. I am meeting them, and I am finding them to be delightful. In time I'm sure it will be wonderful. It just feels a little scary right now.

I have always loved this Robert Frost poem. Today it feels more true for me than ever!

The Road Not Taken

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;           Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,           And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.           I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

The Myth of Armageddon

Armageddon. The word means many different things to many different people. The most popular definition is a great cataclysmic battle which will take place between the righteous and the unrighteous just before Jesus comes back to earth to judge and rule over the people. Detailed scenarios have been handed down for generations describing the battle itself and what people believe will happen, most of it "based in the Bible". The great irony here is that the Bible goes into no such detail.

A quick search of the Bible reveals the word Armageddon appears exactly one time. That's right. You heard me. One time! (Look it up yourself! www.biblegateway.com) Quite a big mountain made out of a tiny molehill!

The other thing people fail to take into consideration is what this passage actually says:

     And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

     And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

      And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. (Revelation 16:16-18 KJV)

Notice this: they are gathered at Armageddon, but there is no battle! They gather, then there is a voice out of the temple of heaven saying "It is done". The only thing that happens after that is an earthquake!

Where is the great battle of Armageddon as described in the Bible? NOWHERE! It is a grossly exaggerated story made up in the imaginations of men, yet millions of people (particularly Christians) believe there is to be a battle and are looking to it as a sign of "the end". Sure, people take bits and pieces of other Bible passages to back up their claims of a great battle, but is this truth?

For those of you waiting for the Kingdom of God on earth, I would quote directly from words attributed to Jesus:

     And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

     Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

    And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. (Luke 17:20-22 KJV)

If you are looking for God's kingdom, follow Jesus' advice and look for it in the correct place: within yourself. If you choose to listen to the voices of those who would tell you they know all the answers, you will end up the victim.

Learn to question all your beliefs. Boldly ask yourself where that thought came from and be unafraid to follow it to its source. Is it something I was taught in my childhood or in later years? Did I come to this conclusion on my own and how? In the end, you will probably discover some of your beliefs are truth and some are not (and should be discarded). Don't let the myth of Armageddon overwhelm your life to the point where you are no longer able to see the truth. Learn to listen to that voice of God within for your answers. It is only the truth that will set you free.