love | Ascension Lifestyle

25 Dec 2021
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Distant Healing — The Heart-Opening Technique

Many meditators, healers and people of goodwill are attracted to the idea of distant healing — that in meditation, contemplation and prayer we can help relieve suffering and pain at a distance.

But how exactly do we do this? I will share with you one golden rule, briefly list the most well-known techniques and then describe the strategy that I prefer.

First, The Golden Rule

This is simple: Distant healing must always be done in a relaxed, calm and loving way. Otherwise, you may be sending agitated vibrations and energies. In particular, you need to monitor that you do not have any neediness that there be a healing.

If we are needy for healing, then we radiate neediness. Not useful. So stay calm. The keynote is compassionate equanimity.

The most well-known distant healing strategies are:

Kind thoughts
Sending healing energy (keep to the golden rule above and check you are not interfering)
Praying for help and intercessions from whichever tradition, gods, spirits, angels, saints, gurus, etc., who are in your culture.

Then there is the heart-opening strategy that I prefer to use.

I like it because it is relevant to both suffering and the causes of suffering. It is also realistic about the fact that some illnesses and distress are chronic and long term, and that death is an inevitability.

This strategy is simple. It is in a sense, a visualization, a calm expectation that the hearts open of those who are suffering.

In the same way, the hearts open of those who create suffering.

In a calm state of compassionate contemplation, bring any person or situation of suffering into your loving awareness.

May your heart be open. May your heart be open. May your heart be open.

When someone’s heart opens, they move into a different mood. They connect with the benevolent flow of the universe. Their emotions and minds become more accepting and kinder. Healing at all levels becomes more accessible. Space is created for waves of grace.

There are other ways of practicing this that may better suit you.

If for example you have a Christian background, then you may prefer some wording like this, which has the same effect: May the Christ within you awaken. Or May the Christ consciousness in you be fully awake.

From a Buddhist background, you might feel more at home with: May the Buddha within you awaken. Or May the Buddha consciousness in you be fully awake.

Of course, you are free to adapt the wording in whatever way works best for you.

Within the Buddhist tradition there is also the foundation prayer of Om Mani Padme Hum often translated as “the Jewel in the Lotus.” In many respects, this is a heart awakening mantra. Each of us is a lotus, a beautiful flower with stems beneath the water and roots deep into the earth. And within us is a jewel. Perceive it. Let it be fully present.

Again, this is congruent with the Hindu greeting of Namaste. I greet the soul within you. I greet your soul. I greet the Christ within you. The Buddha within you. The Goddess within you. All of these facilitate heart-opening.

Some people may prefer to work with the chakra system. You can sense-visualize-imagine the love petals of someone’s heart chakra opening with compassion and wisdom.

I use this heart-opening approach when, in meditation, I send healing to the dictators and politicians who are oppressing their peoples. I sense their hearts opening. May your heart be open. I greet your soul.

Similarly, I use this strategy when contemplating those who are suffering with pain and fear.

May your hearts be open. I greet your soul. Om mani padme hum.

Softly, gently, empathically, connect with suffering and sense heart-opening.

As always, you as an individual practitioner can explore and feel your way into the approach that is authentic for you.

Remember, too, to practice basic health and safety. Your fuel, inspiration and safety come from your connection with spirit, by whatever name you call it. At the end of any healing, bring your focus fully home to your own body and close your energy field like a flower at night closing its petals.

I honor and respect activists who work on the front lines to relieve suffering and create safe space for all life to grow and fulfill.

I also honor and support the meditators, contemplatives and prayer-workers who work with distant healing.

About the Author:

William Bloom is Britain’s leading author and educator in the mind-body-spirit field with over thirty years of practical experience, research and teaching in modern spirituality. He is founder and co-director of The Foundation for Holistic Spirituality and the Spiritual Companions project. Visit www.williambloom.com

Original article here

14 Dec 2021
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9 Habits That The World’s Healthiest & Longest-Lived People Share

About 20 years ago, working for National Geographic, and with a grant from the National Institute on Aging, I started identifying and studying the longest-lived people, those who are in what we called the world’s Blue Zones. These are people who have eluded heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and several types of cancer.

My goal, in a sense, was to reverse-engineer longevity. Since only about 20% of the average person’s life span is dictated by genes, I reasoned that if I could find the common denominators among people who’ve achieved the health outcomes we want, I might distill some pretty good lessons for the rest of us to follow. I discovered nine powerful lessons—the power nine—that underpin all five Blue Zones. Here they are:

1. Move naturally.

The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron, run marathons, or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it. They grow gardens and don’t have mechanical conveniences for house and yard work.

2. Find purpose.

The Okinawans call it ikigai and the Nicoyans call it plan de vida; for both it translates to “why I wake up in the morning.” Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy.

3. Downshift.

Even people in the Blue Zones experience stress. Stress leads to chronic inflammation, associated with every major age-related disease. What the world’s longest-lived people have that we don’t are routines to shed that stress. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap, and Sardinians do happy hour.

4. Follow the 80% rule.

Hara hachi bu, the Okinawan, 2,500-year-old Confucian mantra said before meals, reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full. The 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight and gaining it. People in the Blue Zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening, and then they don’t eat any more for the rest of the day.

5. Eat mostly plants.

Beans, including fava, black, soy, and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets. Meat—mostly pork—is eaten on average only five times per month. Serving sizes are 3 to 4 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.

6. Drink wine at 5.

People in all Blue Zones (except Adventists) drink alcohol moderately and regularly. Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers. The trick is to drink one to two glasses per day (preferably Sardinian Cannonau wine) with friends and/or with food. And no, you can’t save up all week and have 14 drinks on Saturday.

7. Find belonging.

All but five of the 263 centenarians we interviewed belonged to some faith-based community. Denomination doesn’t seem to matter. Research shows that attending faith-based services four times per month will add four to 14 years of life expectancy.

8. Put loved ones first.

Successful centenarians in the Blue Zones put their families first. This means keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby or in the home. (It lowers disease and mortality rates of children in the home too.) They commit to a life partner (which can add up to three years of life expectancy) and invest in their children with time and love (and they’ll be more likely to care for you when the time comes).

9. Find the right community.

The world’s longest-lived people chose—or were born into—social circles that support healthy behaviors. For example, Okinawans created moais—groups of five friends that committed to each other for life. Research from the Framingham Studies shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious. So the social networks of long-lived people have favorably shaped their health behaviors.

To make it to age 100, you have to have won the genetic lottery. But most of us have the capacity to make it well into our early 90s and largely without chronic disease. As the Adventists demonstrate, the average person’s life expectancy could increase by 10 to 12 years by adopting a Blue Zones lifestyle.

Adapted from The Blue Zones Challenge: A 4-Week Plan for a Longer, Better Life (National Geographic/ Dan Buettner/ Pub: 12/7/21).

Original article here

07 Nov 2021
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The 11:11 Gateway

by Gillian Macbeth Louthan

To me the Season of Light begins as November comes out of her multicolored cocoon, stretching her wings of light to become the beautiful season of Love. As the Light begins her descent upon the planet Earth we enter the true Season of Love. A season born of Timeless Miracles, myths and Magic, a season of Light that seeks to be embraced in the hearts of all humans. It asks humans to stop making excuses as to why one does not celebrate what is Holy, what is good, what is a Gift. Life has become virtually gridded creating a separation far from the One Heart. Too many reasons not to love or not to give, not to believe. This season of Light is thick with promises, filled with free-formed miracles. Miracles that take form and actively seek vessels to gift.

The number 11:11 was issued to earth in 1992 as a ‘Beginning Light’ activation. It is a doorway, a gateway into your greatest potential as a human. This activation number asks you to seek divine memory. The ‘One’ seeks itself through a mirror reflection. This 11:11 doorway offers an opportunity to surpass all limitations you have unknowingly set for yourself and others, to clear the slates of your heart and soul. One to one to one… we enter the Oneness we all share in common.

11:11 descends upon the Earth like the spirit of a dove that lands softly in the hearts of mankind. As the 11:11 energies are birthed let them purge you of what has been solidified and blocked. All of heaven known and unknown enters through this Gateway. Align with all you know to be love. A flooding of the heart allows you to rise above previous emotional tide lines removing the barnacles of the past. Holiness goes beyond religion and sacred teachings. It lives deep in the bones of every human on earth for it is through the very breathe of Holiness that earth is alive. Humanity has virtually lost part of their heart. It is easier to touch an emoji than to touch the wounded hearts of others. Like a training pigeon they swipe through the air with the greatest of ease hoping their heart filled characters will land in the cloud somewhere.

11:11 is a powerful number initiation sequence. It signals to the light-sequence within, that it is time to wake up and smell the cold brew coffee. Each time that you see 11:11 on a clock, a license plate or a grocery receipt you are being given an opportunity to walk into a ‘Gateway of Instant Manifestation.’ The universe has just taken a snapshot of your thoughts, which are manifesting into the physical realm per your thoughts. Every time I see 11:11 in any form I stop instantly and align with the light and the thought that needs to be birthed. Eleven-eleven is the number of Light Masters. It is an encoded light structure of Remembrance.

Life and day-light shortens itself like a dog on a lead, as the 24 hours of Earth time now shifts into a denser mode demanding more than before. Many possibilities come, invisible of nature, camouflaged like a hunter in the fall leaves. The heart demands complete opening in this powerful season of light. The Christ heart within humanity awakens with a holy dialogue. The light that comes is thick like a mist that actually has a shadow. This shadow dance comes to teach and redefine its light. This living 11:11 light comes to soften our shadow edges, sculpting and honing us, polishing us, asking us to shine brighter and more often. This Holy season asks you to stand up for light, to escort miracles down your street, to have lunch with the angels.

11:11 Gateway — Enter the Chamber of the Christ Light

In 1997 when we were still wild and woolly, I took a group of very powerful individuals to Egypt. It was a trip that broke all the preconceived rules of what Egypt was supposed to be, as a culture and spiritually. 24 years later those 26 people are still scratching their bald and solver head trying to figure out what actually happened to them in those lost 17 days in Egypt. After being held by the Egyptian government in Dendara Egypt We barely made our flight back to Cairo to get to the Great Pyramid by 11:11 at night to do ceremony. Our mission of light as a group of 26 was to go to the great pyramid bringing ‘our all-knowing light’ to this Great Pyramidal Light of Oz that needed our mere mortal essence to save the world (or so we thought) before the year 2000, which was a tipping point.

It was powerful beyond time to enter that great living pulsing stony timeless being of light. It was vast beyond my understanding, as it seemed to extend beyond the sky into the stars that night. As I stood in the entrance to the great pyramid giving thanks for being there I learned more in that 1 minute passing through the entrance of the great Pyramid then I had accumulated in my entire life. Everything was shown to me in an instant like a life review and then the slate was cleared empty, awaiting being filled again. I entered the Great Pyramid as pure as a Virgin stripped of everything she once knew herself to be. The empty chalice of me at that moment in timelessness was ready to fill with the gifts of the great pyramid, which were beyond my ability to fully consume.

Light markings within the Great Pyramid showed themselves as the red granite continued to alter us, allowing doorways that appeared silent and invisible to open. We saw the many lives of the Great Pyramid as she lifted her veil of secrecy. We all saw within the great Pyramid a vast hidden room of light, secreted in plain sight. This room was referred to as the ‘Christ Chamber’ by the energies that escorted us there. It was many years later that the actual Christ chamber itself was discovered but not entered. It is this place, the invisible place the sealed place within each of our own Pyramid of light that awakens as the vibration of 11:11 begins the holy healing matrix.

After that night everything in Cairo changed it rained and the Sphinx cried for the first time in years, the locals knew it was an omen of something to come. As soon as we left Egypt the Great Pyramid was shut down for over a year. They kicked the camel police off the Giza plateau and the lost boys had to find new tourists to charm. The Egyptian government had there own reasons for shutting everything down, but no one is talking or telling. The reason I bring this up now at this 11:11 gateway is that starting November 11th, Great Planetary Light activation will transpire in the Great Pyramid, within the unseen Christ Chamber of Light. This inner planetary healing light that comes from the heart of Mother Earth moves upward and outward thru the Christ chamber within the great Pyramid and activates the most High Heart of humanity.

11:11 and the Master Numbers

In 1992 the number 11:11 was issued to humanity as a trigger number. That powerful numerical vibration escorted us as a planet safely into a new place of Higher Light. The numerical signature of 11:11 still follows us to very this day. 11:11 is a doorway a gateway an old friend in the form of a star-portal. The ‘oneness’ seeks itself through a mirror like reflection of the world around it. This doorway offers an opportunity to surpass any limitations you have unknowingly set for yourself. One to one to one, enter the light that lives in the center point of your soul.

Everything on earth is defined by a numerical configuration. All life can be reduced and explained by numbers. The currents of these numerical sequences bring into alignment a series of new considerations that will help earth to adjust and balance. Each numerical infusion is tailored to fit the needs of each human. As the brain adjusts to these new energies a lifting occurs allowing the individual to exit the human/animal ratio and be lifted into the human/light equation. Numbers and humans go hand in hand. From the beginning of time known we have been defined by a numerical equation whether age, birth date, weight, or the number of wives and camels we have. Numbers have always seemed to be our not so silent partners.

MASTER NUMBERS accentuate the meanings of single digits (111,222,333 etc.).

When a number shows itself in double and triple digits they are then considered to be a numerical oracle.

00, 000, or 0000

This is the ‘The Great Void’, the unknown what is yet to be, that which has not been birthed; that which holds all possibility. This numerical pre-configuration as you to move thought into a higher dimensional fluidity. This is the portal of Creation before Creation. A reminder you are always one with the universe. Feel yourself within the center embraced by the Creator as you are held and loved unconditionally. Walk around the inner circle of self-completing what needs to be completed.

11, 111, or 11:11

This is ‘The Gateway to All’ that is riding within a hair of instantaneous manifestation. This master number asks you to let go of man-made expectations and manifestation and move your creational thoughts up the ladder of light. Doorways open, doorways close, and you are in-between all dimensional shift. This is conscious creation with 11-second intervals of thought; holding your thought long enough for the Universe to take a snapshot of it, escorting it into manifestation.

22,222, or 22:22

This is an important numerical vibration coming up for earth. 222 is the highest number of manifesting without the frustration. All words thought deeds and intentions will take seed within this number with or without rain to help them grow. This number asks you to acknowledge your soul light in all of its forms. It asks you to move out of the neighborhood of polarity. This vibration shows one Time moves forward with or without them. This powerful creation sequence tells you ‘Do not create by default.’ Do something, anything, have a say so in your life. Keep a holding pattern with your resolve, know and trust what you have planted by your words, deeds and actions. Trust they will heal and bloom in accordance with the heavenly seasons.

33,333 or 33:33

This powerful number offers you a choice. The holy trinity is activated within the tetrahedron (3 sided pyramid) in your early DNA structure. This number offers an opportunity to connect with highly evolved spiritual beings/ masters/Angels. The trinity is the holiness within all of your choices. It is Your body, mind, spirit in agreement with your Soul’s evolution. Within 333 you are not allowed to straddle the razor blade fence of indecision. This number asks you to stand in your soul light without fear of falling, Allowing you to see the sacredness in all of your choices no matter what the outcome. Three is the holy trinity of heaven and soul.

44,444 or 44:44

Four is such an earthy number, strong and balanced, it fortifies what needs reinforced. To me it is a masonic number decreeing a foundation of light is being cemented for you. With this vibration new opportunity comes without being asked. It allows you to Build your future thought by thought, brick by brick. Do not allow those of too much wind to blow down your dreams with their negativity. Believe deeply until you see the proof. Hold on through all choices and deviations. Stay balanced in what you know to be divine truth and the platform of light will solidify.

55, 555, 55:55

This numerical powerhouse is all about humanity and how it interacts. This vibration is about movement and adjustment. The universe that is driving this big ole cosmic wheel is making changes for your betterment whether you ask for them or not. The heavens are changing your course with love. This change may be an answer to some long forgotten prayer. The future is hidden for a reason Allow the currents to take you into a new future full of possibilities created just for you.

66,666 or 66:66

The vibration of 6 has changed into a vibration that is fully aligned with the heart healing of the earth. For too long now humanity has been branded with the thought that anything associated with the number six is negative, dark, dense and inner earth. Look at the beauty on this magical planet. Look all that she has given you since you were born. The number 6 is asking you to come back to the original seed and blueprint of light and life with a reverence. There is a beautiful holiness to the number six as its extension asks you to move your awareness upward in a grand sweep of expression. By aligning with the true beauty and healing of the number six you will find a softness and coherence in your special time on earth.

77, 777 or 77:77

This unassuming number asks you to take a high dive into your life. This is the vibration of the spiritual warrior. One who walks a narrow path within self and soul. Seven works for the light, by the light and with the light. Their vows are laced in time. Sevens eat drink think and speak what is deemed holy within the cosmos. They embrace the spirituals aspect of everything. Sevens are not permitted to stray outside the boundaries of light for more than a fleeting thought. They know all about cosmic 2 X 4’s, having learned the hard way. Seven escorts your awareness into a place where miracles are an every minute event. The Seven energy is a place where wonder, magic and miracles live. Seven is your natural state of being.

88, 888 or 88:88

The vibration of this energy takes you places you didn’t even know you wanted to go. It is made of continual cosmic movement, ‘As above so below. This configuration gives to you the infinity portal escorting you past all pervious perceptions. It asks you to fly to the moon and stop by the Milky Way on your way back. It is pure spiritual atomic energy, an atomic power source. This energy gives to you well earned prosperity with the added flavor of universal blessings. Eight is a Star-gate a place of intersection and crossing. Like two starry lovers meeting in the center of time.

99, 999 or 99:99

This energy displays Cosmic and personal completion, the end of one experience the being of another. Entering the next level of love of heart, of soul and service to the planetary evolution through healing self, a place of vast opportunity; Free-falling from the height of the nine into a new dimensional understanding. Enter and exit all in the same breath. A substantial leap into the unknown. Are you ready to see and be more than you are at this minute of time? Nine is the photo finish on the heavenly track of multiple choices. If you believe you have won, you have.

About the Author:

Gillian Macbeth Louthan is a Visionary, a Seer, born with the gift of knowing. She is a clairvoyant psychic with advanced channeling abilities since an early age. She has been a Metaphysical Teacher, Messenger and world known Trance-Channel, for over 40 years She works with the Councils of Light, Mary Magdalene, Merlin, White Buffalo Calf Woman, Mother Mary, the Pleiadians and many other energies of the Christ Light.

Original post, here

28 Sep 2021
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Moving from potential to possibilities … Becoming a limitless creator

I’ve been studying, teaching, coaching and writing about transformation for the last 35 years. It fascinates me … always has, even as teenager. How can someone fulfill their potential and become the best of themselves in life?

Potential is that part of you that’s sort of already there with you, just not popping and shining in you yet. In other words, you’re born with it and then you get to live into it.

I spent years working with potential, in myself and in others. I tried the corporate ladder and followed the rules of success. I got exhausted and frustrated and finally left all that to follow a different route. On that different pathway I discovered that there is so much more than potential available to us all. That actually one of the easiest routes to fulfilling your potential is to move onto the playground of limitless possibilities.

Possibility is what isn’t yet, perhaps has never been before. It’s new and fresh. Here you play with limitless creation to innovate who and what we can become, as individuals and as a world.

Now I know for some reading this you might go ‘Oh for gosh sakes, that’s too out there for me.’ While others will be shouting hurray and diving in to read on. So let me put it into simple terms to show you how this move from potential to possibilities can show up in your life.

I’m a coach, a trainer, an author … things that are the fulfillment of my potential as a human being. I’m pretty happy with how my life has gone so far. But me as limitless possibility, well that’s a whole other ball game.

As I entered the possibility playground, I discovered the flow of genius through me. I became a consciousness innovator and a future creator. I truly doubt that that was in me when I was born. I began to morph who I know myself as. No longer this, that or the other, I discovered that I could be anything I wanted to be. I began to create myself as opposed to being stuck with who I was born as. I no longer occurred in my world as my mother’s daughter, with definitive genetics and family history to shape me. I no longer strived to become more successful in life. I began to flow, to create, to fall wildly in love with the possibilities of me, us and this beautiful world. I went bigger in terms of visions and creations. I allowed myself to do things I never thought I would or could.

I leapt beyond all the boxes that contain what it is to be a human being. The concept that we are of mind, body and soul to discover myself as a limitless creator of all that I might become. I discovered I could talk to animals, trees, oceans and the Earth. The universe and I became great buddies, filling me with new insights and understandings as well as providing things like synergistic connections and brilliant opportunities at just the right time.

I finally realised joy in my life and began to play with effortless abundance. I laugh a lot now and am breathtaken by the beauty of this world and the people and life forms in it. I am undefinable, ever morphing into the next new levels of what is possible for me and for us all. As I do this I realise that I am part of the redesign of what it is is to be human on Earth. I call us Earthians as a new way to talk about loving being alive on Earth while being an infinite creator of possibilities for life. The term Earthian also allows me to feel a kinship with other life forms on Earth, whereas the term human tends, in my view, to make us feel separate from other inhabitants of this wonderful world.

Today I get to hang out with the most wonderful of creators across all areas of life. Not just writers and artists, musicians and dancers, but inventors of new possibilities and innovators of how technology can benefit our world. Because once you access the state of limitless creation, once you understand how genius flows and innovation works, you want to do things that uplift, elevate and empower the world to be more awesome by the day.

While some might think that too daunting a task to undertake, the opposite is actually true. The more you dwell in possibility and creation, the more excited you become about the future of our world and your part in making a world of kindness, generosity, connection and of course limitless creation. The whole thing is a giant paradox you see. Letting go of a defined self, surrendering to a genius universe, making a greater difference in life … these are the things that vitalise us, that bring us alive, that make us smile and rush into our days with excitement for the possibility of who and what we might become all together now on this amazing planet.

About the Author:

Soleira Green is passionate about innovating a new future now, bringing genius, connection, greatness and the miraculous into the game for us all.

26 Sep 2021
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Loneliness: Coping With the Gap Where Friends Used to Be

Friendships can be difficult, and lockdowns have made them even harder to maintain. But we should cherish them.

Almost every day for the past few months, I’ve told my husband I am lonely. Obviously I’m glad that he’s around. What I miss are my friends. In the first lockdown, we stayed in touch with Zoom dates, which were awkward, often drunk and occasionally very joyful. Those days are long gone. I’ve returned to texting, and though I’m often deep in four or five conversations at once, it isn’t the same as being together.

In the past year, there was a difficult bereavement in my family, and work has been harder than normal. None of these things are unique or insurmountable but the isolation has left me feeling almost capsized by anxiety and paranoia.

I’m definitely not alone in this. The other night, my stoical husband stunned me by crying out in what sounded like real devastation: “No one texts me! No one WhatsApps me!” He’s a generation older than me, and rarely discusses his feelings or expresses emotional needs. But the lack of ordinary time with friends has worn away at his defenses too.

We’re lucky. There are people we can and will see. But a lack of friends is a growing problem, in Britain and America alike. A 2021 study, conducted by the American Enterprise Institute, suggests that the proportion of people who can name six close friends has dropped from 55% to 27% since the 1990s, while people who have no close friends at all had risen from 3% to 12%. One in five single men say they do not have any close friends, while only 59% of Americans have what they would describe as a best friend.

Some of this is undoubtedly the effects of the pandemic, which caused a global increase in loneliness because people were confined to their homes, no longer able to gather in offices, pubs, sportsgrounds or nightclubs. But long before lockdown, it seems that people were struggling with friendship, especially the young. A YouGov study carried out in 2019 suggested that 9 in 10 people between the age of 18-24 suffered from loneliness to some degree, and nearly half had difficulty making friends.

The old solutions – join a group, volunteer – have not been viable in the past year, which makes it unsurprising that so many people have turned to dating apps to track down new pals. That’s all very well, but simply meeting new people doesn’t quite solve the problem of loneliness.

Loneliness is not the same as being alone. It can be defined as a feeling of lack in response to an insufficiency of emotional closeness and connection. Everyone has different levels of contact they feel comfortable with, which is why some are truly content in solitude, while others feel deep loneliness despite being in a relationship or having a seemingly vast circle of friends. Loneliness is not about numbers. It’s about the depth of the connection, the feeling that you are being seen and loved.

The cure for loneliness, in short, is intimacy, and the problem with intimacy is that it’s frightening. There’s a risk of being rejected or having to deal with conflict, and both these things can feel insurmountable, especially when a person has been lonely for a long time.

One of the most useful things I found out while I was researching The Lonely City is that loneliness alters your perception, magnifying any sense of social threat. What this means is that you tend to notice and remember difficult or awkward social encounters far more than those that run smoothly. Instances of perceived rudeness or rejection loom large, making the lonely person more withdrawn and less willing to reach out.

What’s important to understand is that this is a warping of perception, which does not accurately represent reality. It’s the equivalent of the anorexic’s damaged sense of their own body: a dangerous illusion that needs to be challenged on a daily basis. It was the single most helpful thing I learned during my own lonely years, though I know that during the pandemic I let myself forget it, tumbling back into the paranoid self-doubt that is the hallmark of loneliness.

The other difficulty is that we have unrealistic expectations of friendship, just as we have unrealistic expectations of romantic love, including fantasies around its permanence and stability. In fact, friendship can involve conflict, it can end brutally and it can be as deeply, intensely heartbreaking as any sexual relationship.

The work of friendship is not discussed nearly enough, which means people assume they are failing, and failing alone – once again driving a retreat into self-protective isolation. It’s crucial we understand that friendship can involve disappointment on both sides, and to build a container that means it’s safe to discuss these things, to weather strife together.

Recently, I ate dinner with my friend Jenny. In real life, on a warm London evening, forking up aubergine from the same plate. We laughed, shared family news, told each other the things we’d been worrying over. At home, alone in my study, they’d felt insurmountable, a sign that something was irredeemably wrong with me. Under the gentle scrutiny of my friend, they diminished to a normal size: just the grit of everyday traffic with other humans. I walked home feeling buoyant, nearly invincible. I need my friends. I bet you need yours.

About the Author

Olivia Laing is an author. Her latest book is Everybody: A Book About Freedom.

Original article here

18 Sep 2021
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Let the Healing Begin

“The body is everywhere assaulted by all of our new media, a state which has resulted in deep disorientation of intellect and destabilization of culture throughout the world. In the age of disembodied communication, the meaning and significance and experience of the body is utterly transformed and distorted.”

~ Eric McLuhan

“So much of the sickness is in our heads.”

~ Eric Clapton

Presence, Bliss, Tranquility. They are qualities of experience and states of being to be sure, but they do not arise only in the ethereal planes of awareness. They can exist while we are in embodiment as well. Carrying on from last week’s theme about our letting go, this coming weekend, and the early part of next week will afford us ample opportunities for accessing more of our divinity, while in our embodiment. This Monday-Tuesday, we get a breather, a blessing…a Full Moon in the expansion and dreamy sign of Pisces. Already we’re experiencing the forerunners. Strange or magical dreams and night-time dramas, restless sleep and bouts of feeling lethargic and tired, and a sense that one is walking in a fog bank. It will be helpful to reflect on these myriad states we’re entering before the exact moment of the Full Moon. That occurs at 00:54am British Summer Time. Subtract 5 hours for America’s East Coast, and 8 hours for the West. Hence why this lunation crosses over a day/night boundary.

This space will be super important to take advantage of, as the planetary and energetic aspects that unfold shortly. Next week there are some more intense energies afoot…mostly from Thursday onwards. We get a few little breaks in the action, until Mercury turns retrograde in Libra on September 27th. The real action will begin on October 1st, and reign through the whole month. But I get ahead of myself.

I inserted the quote from Marshall McLuhan’s son Eric as a reminder of why this Full Moon is so different than our abnormal digitized state of perception on the planet. This is an opportunity to connect or reconnect more deeply with our divine spark within. Whether you refer to it as your Higher Self or something else does not matter so much. You and that which is eternal are always together, always equals, and share a common awareness. No separation whatsoever! But in today’s world we may feel very hard-pressed to feel and know that Presence on a moment-to-moment basis. Now is a good time to re-establish the Foundation of your Being in the ways you feel drawn to do so.

The Eric Clapton quote is from the interview he did about his adverse injuries after having had the AZ jabs and having COVID anxiety prior to his accepting the jabs and after. Very honest and courageous man, and an amazing musician whom I’ve followed since 1966. I include it here to illustrate the (scientifically verified) fact of how we can be made to feel ill from just our thoughts and/or emotions, or from taking in toxic ideas from outside ourselves. This is about more than being a hypochondriac. One type of this condition is called psychogenic illness, and it can spread to millions of people in a matter of days or weeks…as we have seen.

With Sun in Virgo and Moon in Pisces, the themes of healing arise, especially emotional and psychic pains or wounds. Allow your feelings to flow and don’t hold anything back or judge them, no matter how messy or chaotic they might be. It’s part of the healing from releasing we all need…a cleansing. Virgo is all about the body, and about the sacredness and beauty of the divine in human form. Revere your body as such, and it will respond to your healing thoughts. Too much of humanity has forgotten what their bodies are for.

Lastly, I suggest using this time for artistic pursuits, resting, walking in Nature, Qigong, Tai Chi or yoga, meditating, chanting, listening to music (or playing it yourself!). Tuning in to the deeper knowing that is you is the key. If you are looking for information or answers outside of yourself (Sun-Virgo), okay. But come back into yourself and let your heart and spirit discover what is right for you.

About the Author:

Isaac George is an internationally recognized intuitive mentor/coach, evolutionary astrologer, conscious channel, self-published author and musician. After a life-altering spontaneous kundalini awakening in 1994 he explored various healing modalities, including hypnotherapy and Reiki. In 1998 he began spontaneously channeling Archangel Ariel and other dimensional intelligences.

Originally from the United States, Isaac currently resides in the UK and offers Spiritual Mentoring sessions and programs and Evolutionary Astrology consultations.

05 Sep 2021
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Words Are Powerful!

“Speak a new language so that the world will be a new world.”

~ Rumi

“Words are powerful.” Lately we’ve been hearing this phrase often, and yes, we get the idea. However, it is a lot more difficult to really embody this concept within us.

Words are intangible, but they have a weight — and this load may be positive or negative. A word can give life or it can destroy. Why?

Because words are vibration, and this vibration resonates in our bodies, especially in our heart and mind. Words are infused with our emotions. In this sense, if a word is “charged” with a negative emotion, this vibration will reach us, making our heart sink and our mind to spin in disbelief or confusion.

On the contrary, if a word is “charged” with a positive or more uplifting emotion, its vibration will touch us in the same way — however, our heart will sing and our mind will be quiet, just enjoying.

To prove this point, I propose a short but effective exercise:

Say to yourself, quietly, the sentence: “I am stupid”. Repeat this at least five times. Now observe the impact in your feelings, in your solar plexus (located above the stomach), in your heart and in your mind. You probably felt an immediate discomfort and sadness.
Now, say to yourself, quietly again, the sentence: “I am smart and capable”. Repeat this five times and once more observe the impact in your body and feelings. You probably felt happier and even smiled.

My love affair with words started years ago, when I discovered their hidden power. I then became very aware of the effect words have in us, and I created a course and wrote a book.

In my book, I explore a way of incorporating high vibration or high frequency words into the way we talk to others and to ourselves. In Chapter 5, I address the importance of repetition. Below are a few sentences about the benefits of repeating positive words and mantras.

“Repetition not only aids memory, but it also helps you to embody habits. My suggestion is to start repeating high-frequency words.

“One key benefit of repeating what is good for you is the way you start feeling and thinking about yourself. Thinking and feeling more positively, in turn, makes you radiate that energy outward to the environment and other people. You can influence the world in a much more constructive way.”

To reinforce the importance of words for you I will give you one exercise to try at home:

Think of uplifting words for you, for example “love” or “happiness”, write them down in a journal, and then write your thoughts, emotions, ideas of each word. You can start with seven words and later you can add more. Do this exercise daily. Journaling about high vibration words is a nice way of empowering yourself and others.

About the Author:

Veronica Sanchez De Darivas is Chilean-Australian, now living in the UK and a proud mother of teenage twins. A spiritual awakening teacher, bestselling author, pineal gland (third eye) activator and Certified Instructor for the Cyclopea Method, Veronica is currently the only instructor in the world teaching the Cyclopea Method in English.

25 Aug 2021
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Life In Time-Space And What To Do About It

Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going? Not everyone asks such questions, but some of us are driven to find the answers.

We are adept at living life in this time-space universe, but comprehending that which is one or more steps removed from this reality is not one of our specialties. We can get a sense of what lies beyond, but doing that takes as much intuition and feeling as it does intellect.

Our universe is structured by the rules of time and space. Time-space is the nature of the reality we live in: objects appear separate and distinct — this is not that. There is a sequence to events: past, present, and future — this happened before that. Currently, we are rooted in this reality, but there is infinitely more.

Time-space is not an illusion. It is very real on its own level. It is not bad, but our beliefs about it can color how we perceive it to be. Can we expand our understanding and perception to more directly sense that which is beyond time-space? Yes, but our intellect will only take us so far in that pursuit. With patience and practice, and using our intuition and feelings, we can gain a deeper experience of what is normally unknown.

For centuries people have reported experiences of self-awareness detached from their physical bodies such as experiences of near-death or expanded consciousness. There have been different ways of explaining these experiences, but the underlying conclusions are the same: who we are is more than, and independent of, the collection of chemicals and electrical impulses we call our bodies. We have an unseen side. In fact, this unseen side is who we really are. We are that and we use a physical body, as opposed to, we are this physical body and thereby we have that. What is that? Probably every language in history has had at least one name for it. The most common words in English are soul and spirit.

Our understanding of the out-of-body experience, as it is often called, is far from complete. This is difficult territory for our current intellectual nature. We are steeped in the scientific method. We use instruments to collect data. We insist on repeatability. Fortunately, scientists will continue to refine their abilities to investigate and understand extremely subtle phenomena. But some physicists readily acknowledge that there may come a time when the traditional tools of science will reach their limit of perception and become inadequate. It might not be possible to use time-space instruments to study non-time-space reality.

As long as we are attached to Earth, our ability to fully understand non-time-space will be a bit limited. Our fascination with experiencing time-space completely on its own level requires the blocking of our true unlimitedness from our human perception. Of course, we choose to do this with absolute free will. There is no coercion. If we are here, we want to be here simply because it is an incredible experience. Living a life in which the subjective experience is one of complete individuality, without the perception of the underlying oneness of all things, is extremely fascinating. In one sense, perceiving our eternal nature is not the amazing thing. The amazing thing is not perceiving it.

Finding Purpose

Living life on Earth is all-consuming. Our lives are extremely important to us. This is by design. How should we spend our time here? Be gentle with yourself and kind to others, then do whatever you want to do. Of course, there will always be the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, although we are free to ignore those things if we are willing to face the consequences. We are free to do or not do anything, and, when the results of our choices arrive, we will make more choices. Earth life is not about finding our one perfect activity, as if not finding it would make our life a mistake. If we are honest and caring to the best of our ability, that is a great achievement. Let your interests and talents be your guide. Clarify what you desire, then create a step-by-step plan to achieve it. Engage each day with enthusiasm. Recognize the value in everything you do. Care, and do things well.

The challenge is that things do not always go smoothly. Sometimes, outside circumstances can make things difficult, and sometimes our own internal worries and fears can be strong. Recognizing and healing our fears is an important part of life. Do not be afraid to listen to the voice of your heart and mind. Your fears cannot harm you, and, with gentle attention, you can heal them.

Fear is whatever interferes with our internal balance. In obvious and subtle ways fear can affect how we feel and behave. Outer circumstances might be challenging, but if we pay attention to our reactions to them, we will learn much about ourselves.

Whenever we are unduly critical or harsh toward others, it is due to an underlying fear of some kind. If we see someone who looks or acts in a way that makes us overly judgmental of them, notice that reaction. Practice being accepting. Oftentimes, people are the way they are partly because of how they were raised or how they have been treated. Certainly, we all make our own choices in every moment, but we haven’t all been given the same positive influences and advantages. We don’t know the internal and external struggles that others face.

It takes courage to face our challenges. When you are feeling judgmental of, or irritated with, someone take a step back and muster patience and understanding. Direct compassion toward them and say to yourself, “I love you. I support you. I bless you.” Feel this softening of your heart. It will benefit both of you, especially you.

Relax

Most of us can benefit from taking more time to relax, to tune into what’s going on inside. Relax one or more times a day. It can be done in minutes throughout the day. There are fine relaxation and meditation techniques available, or, simply sit down, close your eyes, relax all your muscles, and feel what’s going on in your chest area. Release the tension in your heart and lungs. With a little practice you will be able to lower your stress level within seconds. It is not difficult.

If you have fifteen or twenty minutes available, sit in a comfortable chair, or lie down if possible, close your eyes, and let go of pressing thoughts. With a few exhales of your breath, feel all the muscles in your body relax. When you exhale, let your lungs stay empty for several extra seconds. Do this only a few times, then breathe normally. Feel your heart rate slow down. You will feel the tension in your body melt away. If you buy a simple blood pressure monitor from a pharmacy, you will be able to measure this directly.

Relax your thinking. Be an indifferent witness to stray thoughts. They don’t matter. Notice yourself expanding, but not in a physical sense. It is not a feeling of getting larger in the room or floating upward in the room, sky, or outer space. Those are time-space concepts. Your expansion is interdimensional. Just relax and feel limitations slip away. Relaxation is a time for simple openness. Repeat to yourself, “I am now and always open to the love and support of my whole self.” Let yourself feel a sense of wholeness. Let whatever happens, happen. Even if you seem to sleep briefly, that’s okay; it may not be normal sleep.

If you wish, during periods of deep relaxation, you can create quiet feelings of contentment or joyfulness. Simply think a word such as gentleness, kindness, clarity, or patience; think the word easily and then for several seconds let the underlying feeling happen without effort. This will be subtle yet potent. Try different words a few times each. Try thinking me as soul, and let soft feelings of expansion and love filter in. If you wake up in the morning a few minutes early, you can do this while you’re still in bed and very relaxed. Deeper feelings will come more automatically with practice over time. Regular periods of such gently guided relaxation will benefit your daily life.

You can relax anytime, anywhere, even for just thirty seconds. When you get in your car, sit for a minute before driving. Don’t turn on the radio. When you arrive at your destination, sit for a minute. You can sense calmness even while focusing on something else.

It can help to leave the television, telephone, and other devices off a little longer. Listen to yourself a little more. Keep your entertainment content kind and uplifting, not uncaring or violent. Recognize and appreciate the goodness in the people and the world around you. Keep your physical, mental, and emotional energies well balanced.

Love And Relationships

Creating loving friendships is among the most wonderful of things we can do as human beings. We are each born with a strong desire to give and receive love. This motivates us to interact and share with others. If we are careful not to dampen this impulse with intolerance or the fear of pain, it will lead us to many fulfilling experiences.

Treat those around you with respect. Be supportive and encouraging. We are all learning, so be patient and understanding whenever you are disappointed or frustrated by the actions of another. Be a calm teacher when you have the opportunity. Savor the time you spend with those close to you, and aim for unconditional love in every relationship.

Be the best that you can be, then engage with the world and let your intentions be known. Be friendly, be open, and you will create many opportunities for sharing love.

Health And Death

We are not our bodies, but our bodies are the vehicles through which we engage life in this time-space reality. Illness cannot harm who you are. It is not badness. Aging is not badness, but our attitudes about aging can color our experience of it. Death is not badness. Death is simply leaving the body and not coming back to it. When you take off a heavy coat, you are still you. We do not truly lose our loved ones through death.

Fear of aging is not helpful. What is helpful is realizing that living more years creates more opportunities to learn and teach, both with our words and as an example. Many have come to believe that aging means becoming unhappy and burdensome to our families and society. It would be more appropriate to recognize that there is much to be gained by those who help someone in need, and to appreciate the contributions that the older generation can make to our communities. Wisdom comes from years of living. Balance, empathy, and an understanding of the nature and purpose of life come from paying attention over time. When older truly is wiser, everyone benefits.

If we have strong beliefs about what happens at and after death, those beliefs can color our initial experience for better or worse. It is best to be open to letting the experience unfold without fear. Reading descriptions of near-death experiences can be helpful, but they describe just the beginning of the transition. Our brains are not designed to fully comprehend our non-time-space nature. Just let the transition happen easily.

When we decide to leave Earth, we will have developed ourselves to a very high degree. A graduate of time-space is a highly regarded, wondrous being. Consider Earth life in the context of an infinite number of other possibilities. Contemplate this occasionally, not as an escape from the challenges of life, but as a way to more fully appreciate your time-space existence. Relax and enjoy.

Original article: SpiritofChange.org

01 Aug 2021
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August Artist of the Month: Audrey Keenan

Artist Statement: Audrey Keenan

Audrey is a Scottish artist who paints abstract Expressionism angel art. She began painting on the anniversary of her daughter’s death, and found it was healing and therapeutic. In the last three years she’s been awarded 13 international art awards, including The World Golden Cup 2020 Art Award, Oscar dell Arte, Golden Palm 2020, and Leonardo da Vinci 2020.

Audrey has been featured in a collection of art magazines and invited to share her work in galleries and exhibitions all over the world, including London, Ireland, Sweden, Korea, Dubai, Italy and the USA. She’s also designed with an Italian fashion house.

Recently Audrey was appointed ambassador to the UK for Qatar International Art Show in October 2021.

Her art gives a message of love, peace, and hope from the etheric realms. Her wish is that the viewers are comforted by her creations.

Find Audrey on Twitter: @Angelhealingart

Instagram: Audrey Keenan

01 Jul 2021
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July Artist of the Month: Cuffian

Hi! I’m Brendan and my art name is Cuffian. I started painting during lockdown to lift my mood. I had never tried it before and now I can’t stop. I paint abstract art from a happy place – it’s like a beautiful puzzle that I have to solve and find the balance. I’m very excited to participate in the upcoming Qatar International Arts Festival. You can find me and my artwork on Twitter. Just smile and search for Cuffian!