Saturday, November 30, 2013

Brenda Hoffman: Holidays – Another Should?


Dear Ones,

The media, your community and family encourage you to believe that most, if not all, of your friends, relatives and neighbors are enjoying a loving holiday season, that all is wonderful in their lives. Such is not the case – but deep within the recesses of your being you feel as if it is. Your belief is that you and you alone are wondering where love and joy is.

Even though you might have moments of joy and love throughout this holiday season, you do not seem to have the level of joy others are displaying. Perhaps it is difficult for you to decorate, shop and prepare to host or take part in holiday festivities. It is as if you are watching from the outside wondering why you feel little or nothing. Or a dull ache of loneliness as others laugh and party their way to the new year.

Your sense of not fully participating in festivities is more about your transition than loneliness. You have detached from friends and relatives in small and large increments. Somewhat like a being from the outside looking in. Perhaps an old-fashioned snow globe is an apt analogy – the kind you shake so sparkly snow falls upon the little village or house within. Even though you enjoy the effects of the globe, you are not in or of the globe.

Your joy is shifting to different places than the somewhat hollow joy of the traditional holiday season. Perhaps the phrase, ‘hollow joy’ is not appropriate for you love family gatherings. So you might and so you can. But many of you feel less joy than before, or wished you felt, as you participate in this year’s holiday festivities.

Your Old-Age joy was condensed to a few days near the end of the year and labeled the holiday season. Even though there were other holidays and gatherings, those gatherings were not featured throughout your society as is true for the last few weeks or first few weeks – depending on your country of origin – of the calendar year. According to society myth, anger and fear disappear once the holiday season begins only to be replaced with a loving need to give to others emotionally and physically.

That myth was never accurate for many – and is especially not accurate now.

Perhaps you used to enjoy the holidays. Perhaps they were a respite from family disagreements. Perhaps you were alone and lonely. Perhaps you felt harried and confused. Perhaps you tried to enjoy the holidays for others. Perhaps you enmeshed yourself in the love and joy that seem to permeate your world during this period. You always felt something because your society set an extremely high emotional bar for what you should feel.

You may feel little or nothing this year. You might enjoy the company of family and friends – or not. But most likely, you will not muster the energy of joy, fear, anger or disdain that carried you through previous holiday seasons. You have not become a zombie, Instead, you are declaring yourself independent of society dictates. You are reclaiming your right to be.

That does not mean you must stop loving during this time or that your love is limited to a day or two a year. But instead, that you are beginning to feel holiday joy throughout the year. No longer do you need to have a few days a year set aside for love. No longer do you need to care for others or to be nice so others can enjoy the holidays.

You are not tied to society shoulds. You are a free agent. If you wish to share holiday joy, please do so. It is indeed a lovely time of year for many. But do not be pressured into feeling something that is society driven – whether joy, angst or sadness. It is not your holiday season, it is society’s holiday season.

Your new holidays are every day you wish to experience joy. Create festivities that fit your joy, interests and needs. In the Old Age, joys were limited to a few days to help you remember what joy was – a dictate that was only appropriate if you felt joy. Many of you were depressed or sad because your (society) expectations did not meet your reality.

You can now declare “the king wears no clothes.” That the hype around the holidays may be wonderful for some, but not all. That it is perfectly appropriate to not celebrate the holidays, to do so in a different way or to shift the shoulds to fun. Holiday shoulds are no different from any other should. They were designed to herd you into a pen of assimilation.

Perhaps you feel this message spoils your holidays. Such is not true. We are merely pointing out that some of you are preparing for the holidays with dread, sadness or feelings of “just more work.” None of which speak to joy.

Why are you not encouraged to feel holiday spirit in March or August? Why are holidays limited to a few days each year? Of course there are holidays throughout the year with different feelings of joy perpetuated by your society. But because you should feel joy on a specific day does not mean you have to – you can feel loving joy when you wish.

As you distance yourself from your 3D world, you will find it more difficult to feel what society tells you that you should. Perhaps you are now feeling sadness or loneliness when none is warranted. You are creating a new life of joy not encased in society shoulds – including holidays and other occasions.

You are free to declare joy when you wish. The same is true for sadness. Your new feelings are generated from within you – not society. Review your joy and sadness to discover their origins – society’s or inner-directed?

Do you find it delightful to shop for Christmas gifts on Thanksgiving Day? Then do so. Are you shopping for Christmas gifts on Thanksgiving Day because you are so harried with holiday preparations you need to crunch the holidays together? Then perhaps you wish to review your need to fill society dictates. So be it. Amen.

Copyright © 2009-2013, Brenda Hoffman. All rights reserved. www.LifeTapestryCreations.com. Feel free to share this content with others, post on your blog, add to your newsletter, etc. But please keep the integrity of this article by including the author: Brenda Hoffman & source website link: www.LifeTapestryCreations.com

Daily Words of the Buddha for November 30, 2013


Sabbadā sīlasampanno,
paññavā susamāhito;
ajjhattacintī satimā,
oghaṃ tarati duttaraṃ.

In every virtue all-accomplished,
with wisdom full and mind composed,
looking within and ever mindful--
thus one crosses the raging flood.



Sutta Nipāta 1.176

Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, 
compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Vasumi -- Kin 29: Red Electric Moon - (Thursday 28 Nov / Overtone Moon Silio 14)


G'day folks...

So today is the 3rd day of the Hand wavespell of healing and accomplishment… Today this energy is activated by expressing emotion and expanding into the flow of life… Purify, swim, flow and allow your sensitivity to expand… FEEL everything… To FEEL is to HEAL… To feel and bare witness and allow the feeling to expand and awaken rather than close and contract… This is the key to healing...

We are supported today by anchoring into our hearts and becoming receptive to creating bonds that activate harmony and beauty in our lives...

This morning we may find ourselves emotionally expressive, as we push the boundaries and learn to trust how energy in motion (emotion) is the fire that activates magic and joy and serves to heal...

This afternoon we are guided by our in-tuition, to allow the transformation of energy, rising from deep within the subconscious, as we evolve forward and allow the chaos of the unknown...

This evening we find release through choosing to let go of old patterns that have been handed down through time, flowing to us from our bloodlines, as your willingness today to feel and heal brings liberation to many generations, gifting freedom of choice as we allow ourselves to follow spirits path...

So beloveds day of healing, feeling and activation… Blessed be

O YUM HUNAB KU EVA MAYA E MA HO!

Pāli Word a Day for November 28, 2013


titikkhā — endurance, forgiveness

COMET ISON -- THANKSGIVING DAY TRACKING









Daily Words of the Buddha for November 28, 2013



Sabbhireva samāsetha,
sabbhi kubbetha santhavaṃ.
Sataṃ saddhammamaññāya
paññā labbhati nāññato.

Consort only with the good,
come together with the good.
To learn the teaching of the good
gives wisdom like nothing else can.




Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.31

Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, 
compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Bobby Klein: I Ching For The Week of November 25, 2013


#44 Guo -- Coupling


Above               Qian/Gan Heaven/energy/Spirit power
Below               Sun Root/tree/foundation; standing on a firm platform; wind.




The Wisdom:

The feminine returns and is awesome
Move forward to meet
Know she is not alone
Your ancestors are her companions

It is now proper to go to meet the feminine, the anima, as she comes your way embodying joy, celebration, beauty and the gift of manifestation. This is heady stuff and you could forget yourself and get lost in her swirl of pleasure, copulation, fertility, and the sacred. Take of the pleasure but do not “marry” this maiden. The she that is presented is to embrace, but not to posses.

In business, or your personal or spiritual life, a sensual encounter is coming to you that should not be denied. The challenge is to not go beyond your integrity to enter into the dance with this Queen. What she brings to you are the sacred spirit gifts of your ancestors that are being offered for you to partake of and use judiciously on your journey. This clean, bright energy is meant for you to cleanse yourself of the darkness you have recently encountered.

This energetic force that is presented is magnetic and you join with it and find a person or a tribe that stimulates your mind and allows your creativity to flow like the river after a spring rain: sweet and sensual and a great surprising pleasure to behold. 

This energy, this offer, is not yours to hold onto or control, this is an ancestral dancing spirit. Copulate with this spirit with generosity and your creative self will stand strong and grow from the encounter with this Queen. In the original text of the I Ching the instruction is to “dance with the maiden, but don’t marry.” Take this statement to heart and it will protect you from disappointment and depression.

You have the opportunity to make a real change in the world in concert with your tribal fellows. Do not bring this mistress to your relationship; your connection is too hot and would burn the bond you have no matter how strong. That new personal love on the horizon should stay there for now as you are consciously swept into realization that this encounter with the sacred feminine is brief and that brevity is what will serve you in your service to the greater good of human kind. If it was not brief, you would be consumed.

This offer of power, riches and sensual pleasure brings the dark side, the shadow, to the forefront. Stay in your integrity even though the ego says to take all you can get, to keep as your personal stash of power and mete out for your own aggrandizement. The ego is the quintessential trickster, making dark look like light, and vice versa. Your clarity of discrimination is made whole by staying in your dignity and integrity in all matters concerning the awesome power of the feminine. If you deny this, you give power to the ego. When you are presented with great promises—for love, position, wealth, or power—definitely go take a look, then embrace what works for you and discharge the rest. This does not mean you will fully move away from the darkness; that is not the point. It is now about using your discriminatory strength to meet this energy flow midway. Honor that it has arrived and extract what matches your integrity.

This is dangerous play. If you get into a dance with darkness, you have to know when to let go, and when to change partners. The teaching of Guo is to look at the offer and accept only what works for you and leave the rest; this is a lesson in the art of discrimination. Do not be afraid, but be on guard so that you are not sucked in so deep you cannot get out. Walking with integrity in the face of seduction is an important skill to acquire on the path of spiritual evolution.

Take note:


The unsaid promise
Of love, sex, easy money
Or quick and easy spiritual advancement
Is a move by the wily coyote-trickster ego.


This said, go, now, to meet. Have encounters, examine opportunities, and play with the joining of yin and yang. This is the jumping-in point of expanding the creative. Temptation has brought you to this point, and now it is up to you to know how far to go, how deep to get in without getting burned or suffocated.

Have an open mind when this new, tempting situation presents itself, but only go midway to meet it. Look and listen, and the truth will be revealed well before you become completely engaged and become involved in a downward spiral of negative energy. Be on notice to protect yourself and honor the sacred space of ethics, compassion, and integrity.

In all things there is
Dark and there is light,
Yin and yang.
Do not be seduced by
Flattery or riches.

In your situation, attempting to be in control is folly. You cannot control what the heavens bring your way. Simply let this flow of energy flow through you. Do not retreat, even if you feel afraid. Use your fear to look deeply into the situation and it will bring clarity and light into what was held in darkness. Above all, do not turn away. Face your fears, and the darkness will become light. Your weaknesses will become your strength, and your tears will give way to joy. Grieve for what or whom you must let go of and make your move into the light.

When you find yourself in a difficult or seemingly impossible situation, it is self-knowledge that will extricate you and deliver you safely to the shore. Look deep within, see and embrace your dark side and the emotions that come with it. Make your fears, tears, anger, and sadness your loving companions as you travel toward the highest good for you, your tribe, and our precious Earth. These emotions are some of the colors with which we paint our lives with As we have all seen, Gaia has her own hidden dark side as well—it is a darkness that gives way to the dawning of light and love.

Blessed be, fellow travelers, blessed be.

BobbyK 


www.bobbyklein.com

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Nostalgia -- "The Raven", by Edgar Allan Poe


Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Sarah Varcas: 21st November 2013: Preparing for 2014


The Performance of Our Lives

Today we have the presence of a Kite in the heavens above us. Formed from a Grand Trine in Water, sensitivities and emotions may abound and we may find ourselves wondering quite what’s hit us! But formed of Chiron, Mercury and the Moon we can rest assured that there’s a healing message in there if we can find it. Grand Trines can be tough to deal with.
They create a closed circuit of energy from which it is hard to extricate oneself, and in water this energy is emotional and highly sensitive. Everything hurts, everything penetrates, we may feel we have no barrier or boundary between ourselves and the outside world. That said, if the emotion is pleasant and peaceful, we may just find hours gone by in a private reverie of our own to which no one else will ever be invited! Either way, the experience of a Grand Trine is a private one and not conducive to connecting with others.
Which is where Pluto comes in, turning the Grand Trine into a Kite and offering a way off the treadmill of emotion if we choose to take it. In its opposition to the Moon in her own sign of Cancer, Pluto reminds us that freedom often lies where we least expect it: in that moment of no escape when we feel we can’t take anymore, or a time of despair when all hope seems lost.
When the darkness is so complete we can finally see that chink of light we couldn’t spot before and thus the escape begins. At the present time we are undergoing huge amounts of purging on all levels. Black Moon Lilith – the part of us so deeply connected to the integral wisdom of the universe that we can do nothing but honour it whatever the cost – is currently crossing the Black Sun, the portal through which we meet either our demise through wilful human ignorance or our salvation through unmitigated renewal and regeneration.
This meeting of two cosmic esoteric powers is best not overlooked or minimised, for it comes as a warning that the forces at play with us mean business and our chance to turn things around on a personal, collective and global scale is being energised and concentrated like never before.
Which brings us back to today’s Kite, for it stands as something of a way-marker, pointing to those aspects of our psyche and spirit which need attention and adjustment. The extent to which we resist its message will become the extent to which we continue to struggle as we shift into the most potent phase of the Uranus/Pluto square which activates the Black Sun next year.
These final few weeks of 2013 are akin to being back stage before the biggest performance of our lives. The audience are gathering, the critics in their seats, the bigwigs are in attendance and we know it’s make or break. We feel a heady mixture of anxiety, excitement, fear, potential and possibility. We are so grateful for the opportunity and yet wonder if we’re up to the task.
Today the heavens reveal to us something of that task and encourage us to take note of where we are feeling the pressure, because it’s there to which we will need to turn soon, to face the forces of the cosmos which know what’s needed and will take no more excuses to put off the inevitable.
2014 is a crunch time for us, a watershed choice-point during which we can access our own intrinsic divine power like never before. But accessing it comes with responsibility, because it’s not power to use for personal gain but for collective, planetary healing. Today the heavens show us what we need to heal within ourselves in order to embrace that responsibility wholeheartedly next year, when the curtains go up and we are in the performance of our lives, giving it all we’ve got for this beautiful planet of ours and the breath-taking cosmos in which we live.
Love to everyone.
Sarah Varcas

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Pāli Word a Day for November 22, 2013


adhivāsa— endurance, forbearance, holding out

Daily Words of the Buddha for November 22, 2013


Karaṇīyamatthakusalena
yanta santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca:

Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,
sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī,
santussako ca subharo ca,
appakicco ca sallahukavutti,
santindriyo ca nipako ca,
appagabbho kulesvananugiddho.

Na ca khuddamācare kiñci
yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ.


This is to be done by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:

Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties, living lightly,
with peaceful faculties, masterful,
modest, & no greed for supporters.

Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.


Sutta Nipāta 1.143, 1.144, 1.145
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Julie Miller -- Look at How Far You’ve Come -- Ascended Master, El Morya’s Weekly Message, November 19 – 26, 2013



Your willpower is tested time and again, sometimes daily through common challenges along with a few difficult ones along the way just to make your journey more interesting. How you react and respond to each one also determines your inner strength and ability to overcome strong emotions or to allow them to overpower you. When you are acting by sheer willpower in order to achieve something you have been planning, there is an energy that fills your entire being and this energy persists until you have reached the outcome you have been working so hard to achieve. It is understood as you are striving to reach the outcome you have been working so hard on that errors will present themselves. They are not there to dissuade you, but to look closer at what you are doing to ensure the effort you have applied will guarantee you the outcome you have envisioned.

Your willpower and determination are powerful tools that will provide you the energy and direction needed when you are pursuing a certain goal or path that will increase your level of knowledge and understanding for the betterment of your whole self. Some paths you take will seem as if they are taking forever, or that there is no winning because some of the obstacles are hard, we encourage you to try again, to persist with your heart and soul, taking on new ways and procedures that will bring you as near as possible to the outcome you have been wishing to achieve – one that will bring satisfaction and peace of mind of being able to complete any goal you have been working on.

You see perseverance all around you from babies learning to stand and walk, to athletes perfecting their game. They keep going until they reach their destination or goal. They learn from their mistakes and become stronger and better for them.

As you are diligently working through the path you are currently on, it’s important to reduce your negative influences. Dear souls that only know how to give hurtful and mean criticism are not what is needed to build your confidence that will propel you on your journey. Surround yourself with a strong supportive circle, dear souls that will encourage you, support you and respect you for the efforts you apply and they will love you unconditionally for who you are, as you are.

Increasing your willpower and determination is not only probable but very possible through conscious actions taken by you. As you communicate and interact with other dear souls, you will quickly ascertain who you resonate with and who you do not. Steer clear from those that you don’t resonate with and revel in the glory and grace of those that you do find comfort and resonate with. All the effort and work you are able to reach on your own will be that much more amplified when you have the love and support of those that support you.

It is well understood the dear souls that have been defeated or lost is known to have the most willpower because they never gave up, they saw what they needed to do in order to bring success into their corner of the world and they persevered, they learned and grew. Dear ones, even if it seems at the moment you are going nowhere, look back at how far you have already come. Inspire and empower yourself through each step of the changes and goals you are aiming at accomplishing. Learn from those mistakes, take the knowledge gained and turn it into positive action. We strongly wish words such as Give up, Quit or Can’t or similar words should not be part of your vocabulary as they carry heavy negative energy and meaning but at the same time when the feeling of giving up enters your mind, it is up to you to determine its truth and allow the action to proceed or to stop and reflect and figure out the best course of action to try again.

We know there are many changes you want to make, not just within your spiritual journey but right in your personal and professional life. All the changes you want to see come down to your willpower – how strongly do you want to succeed. If you want to achieve a goal bad enough, you will apply your heart and soul in order to reach the envisioned outcome.

Why is Willpower so important? Willpower provides you with the ability to resist temptations, it allows you to get the job at hand done, and it brings clarity and awareness to your long-term goals. Willpower is your tool dear ones to control your impulses, your overwhelmed emotions and feelings, your willpower is what provides your discipline with so much strength. But like an overworked muscle, your willpower can become tired when it’s overused. Willpower uses up energy. It is not something you use at every second of every day, it is used when you need it most, to transcend certain obstacles, to reach certain goals, during a difficult confrontation it provides you with the strength to restrain yourself, etc. Once willpower is used during the moment of need, the energy used is depleted leaving you feeling tired. Remember dear ones to replenish your energy with rest, nutrition and water.

Increasing your willpower requires realization that this part of yourself needs a little tweaking. All you need to do dear ones is re-train your brain and you can easily accommodate this through meditation. Through meditation you learn how to control your mental and emotional impulses and focus on breathing and stillness of mind. In time and with steady practice of meditation you will improve your mental stability and willpower. When your mind begins to wander re-focus your attention to your in-breath and out-breath. Refocusing on your breathing will help to become more aware and in control of your total self while meditating and this awareness and control can be utilized in everyday life.

End the feeling of guilt or self-blame if you haven’t been able to reach a specific goal or outcome. If truly wish to see a certain goal succeed, you already have within you all the power to turn this goal into a successful outcome and don’t be afraid to seek assistance. Believe in yourself and make the changes necessary that will promote the growth and development needed. What you consider a flaw of your character is just a part of yourself that requires a little love and attention. If you have not been exercising your willpower, it is then unreasonable to expect your brain to accept a lot of energy here. Increase the power of your willpower similar to how you increase your body’s physical strength. Don’t give up, keep finding new ways to push forward and give yourself credit for what you have already accomplished. Be kind to yourself. You will reach your destination, one-step-at-a-time.

And so it is…

I AM Ascended Master El Morya

through Julie Miller

Monday, November 18, 2013

Sarah Varcas -- 17th November 2013: Full Moon in Taurus


From Fear to Grace 

This Taurus full moon occurs at the end of the eclipse season to bring about closure on the past month which has seen a number of very intense astrological configurations and a powerful taste of what’s to come in 2014. Conjunct the fixed start Algol, affectionately known as ‘the most malevolent star in the heavens’ (!) we could be forgiven for thinking this particular full moon is going to pack quite a punch. However, its relationship to Jupiter and Mars provides for a creative take on what once we may have deemed merely bad news.

One thing’s for sure: the cosmos is keeping us on our toes at the moment and this moon is no exception, for it gives us the opportunity to create something of substance out of recent challenges; something we can take forward onto the next stage of our journey. Which is where Algol comes in, because until we can recognise the value in looking our deepest fear, our biggest challenge, our greatest trauma square in the eyes in all its fearsome glory, we will be forever diminished by those aspects of life which rise up as if to break us. And we cannot afford to be diminished right now. There’s too much at stake and much more to be done!

The central message of this full moon is one of endurance. It alerts us to the need to endure in order to transform; that change does not come out of the blue in the blink of an eye, but step by step as we face our apparent demons to find them dissolving before our steady and unflinching gaze. The transformation required of us now is not one that changes the surface of our lives but the very depths of our being, the very roots of who we are. It rewires us so that we can no longer live in denial or ignorance of the consequences of being who we are, where we are and when we are. This is an age of awakening and as such we have to step up and take our part in what it means to be alive right now. And if we fail to do so, we still play our part regardless – quite literally – and that lack of regard will, itself, deliver its own consequences for us to navigate in due course.

Algol combines with the Moon at this time to remind us that the pain which we try so hard to avoid isn’t going anywhere until we encounter it and see it for what it is. Only then can it begin to shift and change into something altogether more creative, insightful and productive. Any lack of willingness to do so merely freezes it into stone, and a part of our heart along with it, until such time that we can turn towards it and invite it to speak its truths, which is how the healing begins.

So whilst this is not as comforting as some Taurean moons, it comes with a powerful kind of reassurance: that the more willing we are to feel the pain, the lighter our load will be. Such is the paradox of suffering: the very thing we go all out to avoid, in the moment of its acceptance, becomes a seed of grace. This Moon tells us there is nothing to fear if we can face the fear itself, for then we can act with clarity and wisdom, not from a diminished and intimidated place inside which cowers from the truth, but from a place of courage and strength which recognises the gravity of the tasks ahead and the importance of completing them to the best of our ability.

Here’s wishing everyone a powerful and strengthening full moon.

Sarah Varcas


© Sarah Varcas 2013. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to freely share this article in its entirety on the condition that full credit is given to the author, it is distributed freely and the URL www.astro-awakenings.co.uk is included.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Daily Words of the Buddha for November 18, 2013


Attadīpā viharatha,
attasaraṇā;
anaññasaraṇā.
Dhammadīpā,
dhammasaraṇā;
anaññasaraṇā.

Make an island of yourself,
make yourself your refuge;
there is no other refuge.
Make Dhamma your island,
make Dhamma your refuge;
there is no other refuge.


Dīgha Nikāya 2.165

The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Julie Miller: Adversity Gives You Much to be Grateful For; Melchizedek’s Weekly Message ~ November 17 – 24, 2013


November 17, 2013

So many challenges are rampaging throughout your world right now and even in the midst of your own journey that you must persevere through in order to reach its end. During any kind of adversity it’s essential to your overall self to remain positive and optimistic as much as possible. We witness how easy it can be to become caught up in the doom and gloom that is being broadcasted from various media sources, fear is the main culprit that delivers so many dear souls to this stuck place, yet by changing your fearful thoughts into positive ones you manueuvre yourself out and back onto your path that is divinely guided and uniquely yours to explore and to discover. It may seem difficult some days to remain in positive spirits, but with enough focus and determination you can overcome anything.

As you hear of the difficulties that are coursing through and around the Earth, you may also be dealing with your own challenges and it can be a trifle difficult to keep your energy strong and positive. You may find your own peace of mind crumbling as your emotions run high and you become fearful of what could be. Yet what could be doesn’t always have to be thought of as something negative. If you want to see a positive outcome, then begin making positive choices by changing your mindset to be more positive and to be aware of when your thoughts detour towards the negative so you can bring them back. Every thought and feeling has equal opportunity of being negative or positive; it doesn’t go either way until you choose this. Even among the most difficult of situations you have the choice to allow the situation to eat you up and make you miserable the whole time or you can rise up and be the light-loving positive dear soul we know and your heart and soul knows you can be.

It is for your total well-being that you maintain a healthy positive outlook over one that is filled with fear and negativity. So many dear souls are searching for a quick fix in their relationships, in themselves and in the world in general when in truth there is no quick fix. Like all things that are fixed in a rush, they eventually fall apart – sometimes worse than it was before the fixing. Take responsibility to what you are doing in your part of the world, focus on what is going on within you and discover what is needed that will genuinely bring about the positive changes you are wishing to see. Your mind will give you directions, but it is your heart that will never lead you astray. Your heart leads out of love, taking you towards new opportunities, sometimes into the unknown for you to experience new ways and new ideas that will continue constructing the positive building blocks of your primary foundation that surrounds love, wisdom and power.

Because it is so easy for you to become distracted, as you move from one chapter of your journey into another be truthfully honest while facing the discomfort that challenges bring. Don’t hide the feelings or emotions that they can bring about; learn why they are there, what made them come about without feeling ashamed, or angered. Sometimes emotions can create feelings of powerlessness and when they are ignored or put off for another day, they can fester and infect your total self with heavy discord and possible dis-ease until you learn the reason of their visit. Feelings and emotions only remain with you for as long as you permit them. Acknowledge them, learn from them, and let them lead you to unravelling more of your true self then let them go. By hanging on to those feelings and emotions, you are also giving them your power that will create the feeling of powerlessness and those heavy feelings can become very destructive when left unattended.

It is essential to be aware of what you are thinking, of the words you are choosing to express or of the actions you are demonstrating. Laying all judgements aside, try and see if you can become aware of everything that is occurring inside of you and observe your reactions. Many dear souls while facing adversity tend to overthink, say or do things that don’t necessarily improve the situation in front of them. Complaints are given and expressed, and worrying continues. During such times of great stress where many dear souls are facing difficult challenges they may be eat more or take part in other activities they would not normally as a reaction to what is happening. Comprehend dear ones, the more aware you become of your emotions and feelings the easier it will be to transcend any adversity and grow from the experience instead of merely surviving.

As you continue to move through your challenges, embracing all that comes your way, learning all you can that will give you the knowledge needed for your growth and development, it is important to be grateful during this time of great learning. During the time you are facing adversity, remember to be grateful for who you are, for what you have, not worrying over what you don’t have; remember to be grateful for those in your life that support you, and for all life that exists around you and throughout Earth. Appreciate the learning experiences you are gaining through the situations you are facing. While facing situations that are deep and heavy, this is an excellent time to reflect on all the good things that life has given you. During the great rush of moving through a difficult and challenging situation, some things that you have gained can easily become overlooked or taken for granted. Adversity has much to teach you about yourself and it also reminds each of you that during the rough and tough times, you are given many blessings – things for you to be grateful for. Even though for a limited time, a difficult challenge may have you feeling tired when it’s all done, it also tells you that you are stronger than you thought and that is a gift you give to yourself.

With the challenges that are being faced globally it is even more important for each of you to remain positive and optimistic. We know this can be very difficult, especially when your emotions have been allowed to run rampant. We also understand it may not always be possible to be happy every minute of every day, but you are able to be aware, to be honest and to be grateful in the midst of any uncertainty. By choosing to respond and react positively, you gift yourself time to reflect, to heal and to transform and you will not be alone; those around you will observe what you are doing to cope and follow suit as you become a positive example of a person triumphing over stressful occurrences and diversity.

Always be kind to yourself, give yourself the love that you need just as much as any other person needs love and remain in the present state of mind and being within as many moments as possible. Don’t forget that all troubling situations will eventually pass, they are never meant to stay for very long, and their length of stay is up to you.

I AM Melchizedek 

through Julie Miller

Vasumi -- Kin 18: White Overtone Mirror (Overtone Moon Gamma 3 / Sunday 17 November)


Good Morning Planetary Kin...

I am the next day, but it feels important to follow this shamanic cycle through day by day… So for me yesterday was a day where the power of surrendering to truth was clear… The shamanic path is empowered when we are able to cut through any resistance to receiving the infinite possibilities that life delivers us… The power of facing death, receiving death as a doorway to other dimensions, to the endless order of consciousness… Empowered by the reality that we are not bound by the physical plane, that it is simply a vehicle that we inhabit for a time… And as we strip ourselves of our fears and resistances to this, we are faced with the clear mirror of our own immortality, that is not confined or dependent upon our physical form, which for sure will die away, as all matter is born and dies...

The power of this is supported by going with the flow, responding to synchronicity, by nurturing all that comes in our path, as part of our own dharma, not denying anything that comes to us, as not a part of us… As we embrace all of life, so we are empowered to be fully alive, as we birth the new in alignment with all of life...

We are guided to surrender completely to spirit channeling through us, to anchor more powerfully in our bodies, as portals or doorways of change, receptive to all that comes our way...

We are challenged yet strengthened today by focusing on the beauty that may be co-created, as we join with the divine design and allow its natural elegance to radiate through us… Knowing ourselves AS the grand design, not outside of it...

Today we are gifted with the vision that assists the realisation that the collective unconscious, must be transformed…  As deep change pulses through our consciousness, barely audible, but definitely there...

So beloveds a powerful day of dealing with the truth of our deepest fears of death, and a capacity to see clearly and be empowered to surrender to the inevitable... Allowing that power to be the force that radiates more energy to live these lives, more fully in alignment with the divine design … Blessed be

O YUM HUNAB KU EVA MAYA E MA HO!

The Purification of the Soul


If you take a closer look and study about the Ascended Masters, Angels and Saints, and especially examine the lives of the Saints, you acquaint yourself with people that believe very strongly in Jesus and in the Catholic tradition, yet they were able to bi-locate; they were able to levitate, and they were able to perform tremendous healings, because of their tremendous connection with their Spirit.

In the ways of the Shaman that have gone before me, I have been taught to look to the three masteries:

ONE - Awareness;
TWO - Transformation, and
THREE - Intent.
Awareness.   The more you deepen your awareness that what you are is a spiritual being ... that you are limitless, infinite, eternal and immortal ... the more you expand that awareness, the more incredible your life becomes.
Intent.   When your intent begins to shift your point of creation from your mind to your spirit and you use all the tools of Transformation to do that, it is amazing how different your life becomes.
Transformation.   Clouds just drift across the sky ... they neither resist, nor fight.  They just float.  They expand.  They contract.  They have very little substance if you should try to touch one.  And yet, clouds play an integral part in the ecology of this planet.

You are the energy in a relationship much like the clouds.  Without you, the Universe would be incomplete.  As you align yourself with that energy, time, money, health, relationships, love -- all these things -- you begin to realize that your Life is your Creation.

Your life is like a beautiful painting where you can change the colors, change the scenery ... change everything very much like an amusement park, or a multiplex theatre.  We get tickets, we can go on any of the rides or attend any of the shows.  We can see so many different stories.  The thing that we forget is that we can change what rides or shows are playing at any given time.  But, you are absolutely free.  You are limitless energy.  As you begin to let go of the thoughts that say otherwise, you will begin to experience freedom.  You will begin to embrace some of the ideas; explore with curiosity; play.

Allow for the possibility that you are not your thoughts, you are not your beliefs, you are not your agreements.  You are not your assumptions.  What you are is the energy that drives it all.  If you constantly broadcast fear, but expect to live a life free of fear, then you will be disappointed with your limitations.  You will be disappointed with the limitations you perceive.  But, as you begin to re-train your mind so that what you broadcast is that awareness ... that realization ... that you are that spiritual entity ... magic and miracles will occur.

Now, having received some formal philosophic education, I also weigh in aspects of others' perception of the Way.

The Qu'ran teaches that those will prosper who purify themselves.  (Qu'ran, at 87:14).  For one's soul to be purified, it must first be liberated from the constraints of its physical sphere of sensation ... one's five senses ... because no one except oneself can remove his own bondage.

Liberation cannot be achieved except by the direct perception of the identity of the individual with the universal self.  To that end, the study of the letter alone is useless; the spirit must be sought out by intuition. In a labyrinth of words, the mind is lost like a man in a thick forest, therefore, through great effort must be learned the truth about oneself from him who knows the truth.  Just as disease is never cured by pronouncing the name of "medicine" without taking it, liberation is not achieved by pronunciation of the word Brahman without direct perception.  The chief cause of liberation is said to be the complete detachment of the mind from transitory objects and a thorough renunciation of all Karma.  Then, the wise Initiate should devote himself daily without intermission to the study of scriptures, to reflection and meditation on the truths therein contained; then finally having got rid of ignorance the wise man enjoys the bliss of Nirvana even while on this earth.  (Viveka-Cudamani, or Crest-Jewel Of Wisdom of Sri Samkaracarya, translated by Mohini M. Chatterji, F.T.S., [1932] Theosophical Publ. House, pp. 25-32.)

In seeking knowledge, the Initiate must demonstrate genuine sincerity and a clear nature of intent of purpose.

According to Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, a student of Imam Ibn Taimiya, a venerable Islamic teacher of the Tazkiya an-Nafs (the Qu'ran's source of self-improvement and spirituality), sincerity cannot coexist in a heart that contains the love of praise and commendation and the yearning to possess that which is owned by the people save in the manner that fire and water or a lizard and fish may coexist.  If your soul directs you to seek sincerity then first turn your attention towards your yearning and slaughter it with the knife of renunciation. Then turn your attention towards praise and commendation and forsake it with the asceticism of those who loved the world for the sake of the Hereafter. When your slaughtering of your yearning and the renunciation of praise and commendation becomes firm then attaining sincerity will become easy for you.

The intention of a person is not his utterance of the words, “I intend to do thus and such.”  It is an overflowing from the heart, which runs like conquests inspired by God.  At times it is made easy, at other times, difficult.  A person whose heart is overwhelmingly righteous finds it easy to summon good intentions at most times.  Such a person has a heart generally inclined to the roots of goodness which, most of the time, blossom into the manifestation of good actions. As for those whose hearts include, towards, and are overwhelmed by worldly matters, they find this difficult to accomplish and even obligatory acts of worship may become difficult and tiresome.  Further, worship and permissible actions can be turned into forbidden ones because of the intentions behind them, and permissible actions can become either good or bad deeds by intention; but wrong actions cannot become acts of worship, even with good intentions. When bad intentions are accompanied by flaws in the actions themselves, then their gravity and punishment are multiplied.  Any praiseworthy act must be rooted in sound intentions; only then could it be deemed worthy of reward. The fundamental principle should be that the act is intended for the worship of God alone. If our intention is to show off, then these same acts of worship will in fact become acts of disobedience.

The faith of an Initiate, therefor, is not put right until his heart is put right, and his heart is not put right until his tongue is put right because God has made the purification of faith conditional on the purification of the heart, and the purification of the heart conditional on the purification of the tongue.  (Da‘îf hadîth, Ibn Hibbân and al-Baihaqî, and al-Iraqî in his edition of al-Ihyâ, 8/1541.)  Hence, the need to ponder and take under advisement Blavatsky's The Voice Of The Silence.  This is an essential lesson the serious Initiate must master.


Once the Initiate begins to master the Silence that is the white-noise underlying din that is mundane living -- taking greater care before launching thoughts, words and actions that harm -- the Initiate will find himself squarely on the path to learning spiritual truth.

As a confirmed Roman Catholic, I have been taught, and have taught in catechism classes, that Our Lord gives us all the means we need for sanctification in the course of our earthly pilgrimage.  It is we who dispose of these means.  What are they?  The Eucharist, in the first place, the other sacraments, prayer, good works, and the acceptance of the trials of everyday life.


Holy Communion is the greatest source of grace we have. As it increases our charity, reception of this sacrament "wipes away venial sins" (Catechism of the Catholic Church ["CCC"], at 1394) and preserves us from future sins (CCC 1393, 1395).  The Sacrament of Penance purifies us as it removes our sins (though not always the temporal debt due to them).  Prayer, especially mental prayer, ardently practiced by all the saints, enlightens the intellect on the mysteries of faith, particularly the "breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love for us" (Eph. 3:18), inflames the soul so that it hungers and thirsts for His holiness (Matt. 5:6), and causes the memory to bear in mind the word of God spoken in Sacred Scripture and the good inspirations sent to us in prayer.  Without frequent prayer, the sacraments will have less than their intended effect.  The more we pray, the more the sacraments will assist in our purification and sanctification.  By good works, we witness to the love we have received and atone for our sins.  "Faith without works is as dead as a body without breath" (Jas. 2:26).  Acts of charity enable us to take the resources God has given us (time, energy, material goods) and use them to build up treasure in heaven.  Alms expiate every sin (Tobit 12:9).

Perhaps the most neglected means for purification is the acceptance of the trials of everyday life. Part of the message of Fatima is the acceptance of the sacrifices demanded by our daily duties.  It is as though we had King Midas' touch in our ability to transform acts performed in our homes and places of work into golden works of charity if we do all for Our Lord.  St. Therese, whose ordinary life became extraordinary because of her intense devotion, urged that even picking up a pencil be done for the love of God.


Our sufferings, permitted by God, serve to chastise us (Heb. 12:6), atone for our sins, and prepare us to receive the fullness of Jesus Christ.  St. Francis de Sales enumerates some everyday trials the acceptance of which is "more profitable for our souls than we can think":
. . . These concessions to the idiosyncrasies of others, this endurance of our neighbor's boorish and annoying acts and habits, these victories over our own humors and passions, this renouncement of our lesser inclinations, this effort against our aversions and dislikes, this heartfelt and meek admission of our imperfections. . . . (Treatise on the Love of God, trans. John K. Ryan, Rockford, IL, TAN, 1975, p. 269.)

Needless to say, patient endurance of greater sufferings, such as unemployment, poverty, sickness, and the loss of loved ones, is of even greater value and can effect a rapid growth in holiness.  The only Christian attitude toward such diminishment on the natural level is that it is an invitation to enrichment on the supernatural level.  (Serendipity!)

Voluntary penance is another excellent means of furthering our identification with our crucified Lord. Thus, it is always possible to carry in our bodies the dying of Jesus (2 Cor. 4:10).

All these efforts of ours must be done out of love for God, not merely the desire to be purified during this life in order to escape the pains of purgatory. "If you would do works meant for penance, they must proceed from a living flame of charity . . . [I]t is love alone which secures His love, and blots out sin."  (John Henry Newman, "Purity and Love" in Favorite Newman Sermons, ed. Daniel M. O'Connell, New York, The America Press, 1932, p. 169.)  Our Lord longed to ignite the blaze of His charity living in us during His earthly sojourn (Luke 12:49).  Is it not appropriate that we experience the wound of His love for us, we who have wounded His heart by our lack of love?  If our love has been wanting, then in purgatory we, like Christ, will suffer out of love.  If our love is perfected, like the Good Thief's, then when we die He will say to us also "Today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).


This is the process of the purification of the soul, in anyone's spiritual paradigm.