Wind of the Soul » Origins of Existence

Understanding Death through Consciously Living Life

John Wolfe — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:35:08 +0000

I just found out a recent acquaintance of mine passed away. We weren’t friends. We actually spoke only briefly a couple of times. But the fact our last conversation occurred a few days prior to her passing is what prompted me to write today’s entry. It never ceases to amaze me how our consciousness can be physically focused one minute and then “gone” the next. I suppose no matter my state of comprehension, regarding the subject of death, I will always be taken aback at that one simple realization.

Many years ago, I spent a lot of time pondering over whether or not we even survive the process of dying. After much soul searching and exploration into the subject, including my own personal experiences with astral projection, I came to the conclusion that a form of our awareness does continue on. Just what that form may consist of and if it’s indeed eternal with regards to our individual personality, I can’t say for certain.

In fact, I don’t believe anyone can ever unequivocally answer those questions from their current physical position, no matter how spiritual, psychic they are, or “who” they may be capable of channeling. Thankfully, developing a broader perspective and a deeper, more conscious understanding does not hinge on the necessity of being able to completely answer those questions. I believe our own inner knowledge may eventually negate the need to find those answers anyway, but that is something I’m still discovering.

Now, I don’t concern myself with these topics because I’m fearful of losing my identity when death washes over me. Rather, I do it because I’m intrigued with the mystery and am interested in trying to obtain some form of deeper understanding, if possible. This is why I continue to conduct my own experiments into altered states of consciousness. These states allow me to have a better appreciation for consciousness itself, as well as providing me with the ability to find new interpretations on our existence.

I believe our best method for not only trying to understand death, but to also release much of our fears associated with it, is through exploring and utilizing wider aspects of consciousness. Consciousness appears to be the only constant, whether we’re physically focused or not. If anything can provide us with some form of insight into the afterlife, it would have to be the further development of our own awareness of the here and now.

In my opinion, that specific form of awareness is not typically developed through ordinary interactions and so called social obligations, such as going to school, to work, shopping, dining out or watching television. While we are (somewhat) active in those situations and we may even be learning something new, we are usually utilizing rudimentary levels of our conscious abilities. It’s these cursory levels scientists are referring to when they speak of human kind only using ten percent of their brain potential.

In scientific pursuits there has to be something quantifiable and measurable. Scientists can’t measure or test for the source of consciousness so they don’t give it any attention, but they can measure the manner in which the brain fires and at what capacity. Since I tend to view the brain as the link up between the body and soul, as opposed to seeing it as the source of consciousness; I believe we can take these scientific findings and apply them to that which is metaphysical. In other words, as most of us are going through the typical, average, ordinary motions of our lives, we are only tapping into and allowing a fraction (10%) of our soulful consciousness to flow.

Here’s the thing, though: despite how it may feel, there are no typical, average moments in life. It’s not the fault of the tasks we undertake or what’s happening in each second that causes us to utilize less than ninety percent of our potential. Instead, I believe it’s the way we consciously (or unconsciously) process the moments in which those events are occurring.

We have been trained and programmed to view our experiences through an extremely narrow lens. The narrower the lens is, the smaller the percentage of consciousness that’s being utilized. This has little to do with intelligence. Someone can be highly intelligent, but still employ very little of their potential for conscious expansion.

When I initially decided to write this post, I considered stating more of my opinions about what may be waiting for us once we cross over. In fact, I actually wrote two pages pertaining to my ideas regarding the after life, but I decided to erase them. When I started writing this entry for a second time, I began using the process I’m encouraging in this post.

I made a conscious decision to try and employ more than the ten percent my opinions (as seen through my narrow lens) would have afforded. My impressions and ideas about something as enigmatic as what awaits us beyond death will do very little to help you find your own answers. In striving to empower you, the reader, by speaking of methods to enhance and expand upon the way you interpret each moment of your life experience; I feel I’m utilizing a larger portion of my conscious abilities. I believe the best way to understand death is to more clearly and presently experience life, instead of barely thinking and acting from automation or rote. Blindly following other people’s interpretations of life, as well as death, is what places so many of us in primarily an “unconscious,” disconnected state throughout our lives.

So, what does an enhanced, conscious clarity of physical existence have to do with better understanding death? As we continue walking around in a daze about our role in life and who we are, we stifle our emotions and become disconnected from feeling our feelings and actions. We eventually shut down deeper modes of understanding and limit our perceptions. As our perceptions become more and more dulled, it’s natural to transfer those same limiting views over to our ideas concerning death. If we are already living a stifled form of life, there’s no way we can have a broader more aware take on the mortality of our physical vehicles. This is why the statement: “many people have died years before they’re actually buried” is so true.

To become fully aware throughout your day; seeing events and experiences through “new” eyes and finding ways to think and feel that have quite possibly never been accessed before is the most empowered form of living. I believe this in turn helps us to become more empowered in our views on death and dying.

If we have the ability to truly feel what our consciousness is (it’s definitely not automation) and what’s it’s capable of, then we will know it is impossible for something so immense to be snuffed out when we pass on. As we begin to see our unlimited potential unfold while we are seizing not only the day, but each moment of it, it becomes easier to grasp how that which flows through us will always continue on in some way and in some form.

I have written several articles contained here at Wind of the Soul which go into great detail regarding techniques for becoming more consciously aware and present. Several of these can be accessed through the links in the related posts section.

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The Intelligent Mind of All That Is

John Wolfe — Fri, 16 May 2008 21:23:52 +0000

Despite our individual belief systems, many people are coming to the understanding of an intelligent force maneuvering through everything in our Universe, whether it’s viewed as being of the ether, theological, or quantum. Though we call this force by a variety names, they all essentially represent the ideas of sentience and omnipresence.

I view this force in many different ways, but for the purpose of this post I’ll be referring to it as the Universal mind or the mind of all that is. It’s this mind that our very being continues to spring forth from and makes its eventual return to. As we live our lifetimes, we stretch the mind further and farther than it’s ever been before. For we are not only of the mind itself but we are also contained inside of it.

Each and every time a new personality or point of conscious awareness emerges within the mind of all that is; extending itself into a physical incarnation, the mind reaches out beyond its previous state of being. The constant growth of our Universe, along with the history of planet earth is a physical representation of our non-physical cumulative expansion. And the entire process of expanding is all about evolving.

People practically kill one another debating over creation or evolution. Yet, they are both completely dependent upon one another. To continue creating/expanding we must be willing to evolve and re-invent. And to continue evolving we must be willing to experience creation on many different levels.

Although survival of the physical body appears to be the name of the game on the evolutionary surface, at a deeper level it’s more about the opportunity and potential for new experiences. The same mind that fueled the creatures on this planet 100 million years ago is the exact same mind (only more expansive) which is fueling our experiences now. We didn’t “win” and the dinosaurs didn’t “lose” because we are all of the same essence. That essence has only evolved into utilizing different vehicles to explore itself and its creations.

The varieties of species which have graced this planet, over the eons, have come forth from the Universal mind; made their impact and returned via a method scientists deem extinction. The species known as mankind will no doubt one day make the same return to clear the way for a new species of explorers.

However, extinction is not about the permanence with which we’ve come to regard it. Yes, many of the physical shells no longer tread the ground or fly the skies of this planet, but their awareness lives on in each single point of consciousness. Certain physical species become non-existent, but their non-physical place in the mind of all that is constantly moves forward through the current species occupying the earth (and other locations throughout the Universe).

The individual personality does not fully disappear as it is assimilated back into the mind of all that is, but it no longer desires to be blatantly recognized. I believe in its non-physical form it ceases to feel the need to identify with the traits and characteristics we would call the identity of its physical counterpart. However, this process may not be instantaneous, but rather a gradual occurrence.

An example of this happens during astral projection. Often times individuals that are new to out of body experiences see their astral bodies as looking identical to their physical vehicles. The longer they practice and the more excursions they get under their belts, they eventually lose the need to have a human shape and form; becoming more ethereal and less corporeal. This appears to be due to an understanding that the identity of the physical form is no longer required because that which we are has no permanent form. That which we are is all that is and will always be; while everything else is understood to be impermanent.

The idea of assimilating back into the Universal mind has more in common with decompressing than it does with an actual melding process. We are always one with the mind of all that is, no matter where our focus of attention is directed. However, physical incarnations can drain our understanding of this. So, we are basically re-tuning our understanding, once we pass on, back to the knowledge that we’ve never truly left home base.

The “goal” of the Universal mind is to know itself more fully through each successive species. Every, human, animal, creature and plant provides this opportunity for the mind to experience itself through the seemingly individualized, personal perspective. Yet, we are not puppets on a string, because we too are of this same mind that chooses to come forth.

The intelligence of this Universe (physical and non-physical) is reflected in the beings that inhabit it. This is why successive physical species can make large evolutionary leaps in terms of their abilities. They are building upon that which was created by their predecessors, both in thought and in action. The Universal mind is a storehouse that has expanded exponentially through the act of living life on this planet (and many, many others) and that expansion is seen through the evolving of species and their contributions. Of course, it’s up to us to determine how much of that intelligence we’re willing to allow to flow through our focus of consciousness.

I believe the feedback we receive in return, when we tune ourselves into the mind of all that is, indicates there is one solid field of intelligent energetic communication taking place throughout all of existence. As we tie into it we are tying into the evolutionary expansion and intelligence of all the previous experiences stored up in the Universal mind.

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Ineffable States of Enlightenment

John Wolfe — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:10:53 +0000

“A fly wanders back and forth through the air, then lands on the window pane. It launches itself, flies for two feet, then lands on the glass again. It continues to walk around, on the glass, never finding the exit.

“It doesn’t know that there is an opening in the window just a few feet away. You and I can see the opening because we have the big picture. If only the fly would un-limit itself, get the bigger picture, and allow itself the freedom and perspective to fly higher, it could rise above it all and be free.

“Instead, it is content to wander aimlessly. Now I tell you: You are that fly. You know the way out. But You Choose to Ignore it.” – excerpted from Lessons Out of the Body, by Robert Peterson

In my last post I discussed the concept of letting go and how I’m learning to apply it in a very specific area of my life. However, I’ve also come to realize letting go, in other areas, can lead to some of the most profound experiences of our lives. If we could learn to release our over attachment to beliefs, circumstances and ideas, we could expand our perspectives immensely. It’s this expansion of perspective that will continue to prevent us from stagnating in every experience of consciousness we encounter.

I used Robert Peterson’s quote, pertaining to the fly, to illustrate how we are always just a short distance away from entering into a brand new state of ever unfolding enlightenment. The fly quickly becomes accustomed to only seeing what’s right directly in front of it. Even though the exit exists just a few feet away, it often chooses the bondage of what’s familiar over a journey into more expansive experiences.

Are any of us really that different than the fly crawling around on a pane of glass, always missing the obvious? We gravitate towards appealing ideas and beliefs out of habit and fear; hoping for something, anything to provide salvation. Often times, our determination to make that form of salvation the only way enchains us in shackles that bind, limit and define us for the rest of our lives. Those self limiting concepts can prevent us from finding our own individual opening in the window.

There’s not one set of teachings: religious, spiritual, new age, channeled, self help, personal development, or otherwise that will ever have all of the answers. Every one of them, if you’re not aware, can eventually trap you right back on the window pane. As you’re lulled into believing you’ve finally arrived at THE one truth, you’ll continue to miss the opening that’s waiting just beyond your own limiting beliefs. Our perspective is forever expanding, if we’d only choose to see it that way.

It’s for this reason I stated there is no truth and truth is all there is, in my post Discovering the Truths of Your Existence. By this statement I meant that there’s no ultimate truth out there because your personal truth is all that exists. We each continue to define ourselves based upon this, yet we simultaneously expect the world around us to behave according to our standards of that truth. And each individual aspect of consciousness within the world is reacting to its own version.

People are quick to argue (and a lot worse) over which religion is right or which philosophy or self-help guru has the correct angle. The problem with this line of thinking is simple: none of them can ever be eternally correct. They will all have bits of truth residing within, but just as soon as we assume any one is the be all end all, we have again lost sight of the open window. And the more vehemently we cling to that idea as the only truth in life, the further away from the opening we continue to crawl; turning our back on the way out.

Our beliefs not only shape and limit our experiences in this physical plane of existence, but they may very well do the same once we shift our focus into the nonphysical. In Robert Monroe’s book Far Journeys, he spoke about how our expectations and beliefs create the locations we encounter once we pass into the nonphysical.

During his out of body journeys, on the astral plane, Monroe encountered what he called belief systems, full of souls, which were set up according to religious affiliation and denomination. These souls had already crossed over, yet they had built entire communities on the astral that resembled their physical counterparts. They would attend church along with other “earthly” activities. Some were even still waiting for Christ to meet them when they died, despite the fact they were already dead!

Monroe would do his best to try and coax them out of their belief systems. His intentions were to show that there were more amazing environments (since he had witnessed some of them) beyond their self imposed restrictive communities. The only limit to these other amazing, expansive environments was their own ability to fathom the potentials and possibilities. Some came along with him and others reluctantly stayed behind, turning their back, once again, on the opening in the window.

Obviously, I can’t write about there not being an ultimate external truth and then say for certain Monroe’s experiences were the definitive answer pertaining to the afterlife. However, I believe his experiences do provide us with another clue in our journey. We must use all of the teachings that are available to us as stepping stones towards finding our inner version of truth. And know that even this truth continues to expand and change because that’s the nature of consciousness and this entire Universe.

While I feel our physical environment is loaded with many excellent teachings and teachers; each one is only capable of delivering their truth that is currently stemming from their present perspective in the moment of now. Yet the next moment of now is not the same as the previous one because everything has expanded once again, due to the nature of consciousness. If the Universe, both its physical and nonphysical equivalents, continues to expand, then what are the odds that only one set of teachings, religious or otherwise, is the only universal truth out there?

I’m not suggesting we should cease broadening our horizons through exploring spiritual teachings, philosophies and religions. I’m suggesting we take those teachings for what they’re worth and remember they may have some valid application based upon our current state of awareness only. And as we continue to expand, those same teachings may eventually serve to limit us. Just imagine, since you started reading this sentence the Universe has expanded and subtly changed and it will do so again by the time you come to the period at the end of this paragraph.

The Universe does not stand still, nor does consciousness. If both were stagnant, then perhaps one set of teachings would suffice forever, but that’s not the case. As this conscious Universe continues to expand, teachings from two days ago and even two thousand years ago cannot consistently apply to the farthest reaches of our physical and nonphysical awareness, in this new, present moment of unexplored existence.

Step on the stones of those teachings that have been previously laid before you and continue stepping without hesitation. Pass easily and freely through each new opening in the window panes of your life. As you reach uncharted waters, consistently go within to allow your own present truth to shine forth, moving you beyond the next and the next; always understanding the experience will never cease to change and expand. And always knowing that is exactly how it’s meant to be.

Let go, allowing yourself to flow freely toward your ever developing, ineffable state of enlightenment. For this is not a destination of achievement; it’s a state of forever becoming.

If you’re interested in learning more about Robert Peterson, along with his spiritual insights and experiences out of the body, I highly recommend visiting his website. Both of his books can be found there, free of charge.

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Altered States of Consciousness & Aspects of Awareness

John Wolfe — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:07:17 +0000

In my last post I discussed methods for taking an inner journey to discover your own personal truths. One of the methods mentioned for achieving this was using altered states of consciousness. When I refer to altered states, I’m not talking about taking the route Terence McKenna often employed for getting there.

I think the use of psychotropic agents is one of many methods for achieving legitimate altered states; however I’m concerned with having a more intentional, whole, fluid, and intact experience. I want to be completely aware of what’s occurring during the altered state and I want to have full recall of it after the fact; something that drugs may not always grant us. I’ve just never been into hallucinogens (or any other drugs for that matter) and choose to rely on deep meditation as my method for obtaining results. I don’t personally endorse the use of such agents. But I believe we can’t discuss the expansion of our consciousness without at least addressing the fact they play a prominent role in many experiences.

As an aside to what I just wrote- I think Terence McKenna was a fascinating person with awesome insights into existence. If you’re not familiar with his philosophies, I highly recommend doing a search for him on YouTube.

Now, what does it mean to achieve altered states of consciousness or perception?

In the loosest sense, it means to encounter other interpretations or translations of being than that which we typically associate with. It pertains to taking our consciousness and expanding it beyond the boundaries we primarily use for seeing, feeling, touching, thinking, and maneuvering. These altered states can occur within the context of our physical experiences or they can take place in other “worlds.”

An example of an interesting altered state occurring amidst seemingly ordinary physical perceptions would be the story I related about the hole, comprised of static, opening up in my bedroom ceiling. Even though I knew the hole wasn’t there in terms of my physical reality, there was a part of me that realized it did exist in another state, nonetheless.

An example of an altered state occurring in other worlds would be the out of body experience (OBE). Despite the terminology and description of OBE’s occurring out of the body, I’ve encountered information during projections which indicates they are actually a journey inward, further into consciousness or the inner-self I was referring to in Discovering the Truths of Your Existence.

The interesting thing about the experience with my bedroom ceiling was that it occurred immediately after an OBE, so there seems to be some residual lingering effects of traversing my inner nature, which applied itself to my physical environment after the fact. This is why I believe inducing altered states can have a profound impact upon our physical experiences, providing the opportunity for us to look out upon the physical world with a different set of interpreters.

Another example of this lingering effect took place a couple of weeks ago, after opening my eyes, during the initial stages of an afternoon out of body experience. I decided to check out the ceiling in my bedroom during the vibrational state that occurs prior to full detachment. I opened my physical eyes and allowed my vision to sharpen. I then focused on the ceiling light directly over my bed. I could still feel the waves of vibrations pouring through me and the light proceeded to take on these vibrations. It appeared partially solid and partially wave like. It was shaking at a dizzying rate.

I don’t believe OBE vibrations are a physical phenomenon which is affecting the body. I feel they are indications of our focus shifting into a “purer” state of awareness. I don’t think the light was shaking because my body was shaking; because it wasn’t. I believe I was interpreting the object from a state of awareness in between the wave frequency and particle pattern forming tendency of the object. It was as if it was moving in and out of my reality, from wave to particle and back again.

Now, these altered states of interpretation don’t just take place before or after an OBE. In my post If Walls Could Talk, I related some strange empathic experiences that seemed to be brought on from the dream state. I’ve had a reoccurring dream for years that crops up every so often. The contents of the dream are almost always wiped from my memory, despite always waking up in the middle of it. However, I know it’s the same dream because of the feeling it evokes as soon as I wake up.

Each and every time (after waking up) my normally familiar environment takes on a skewed, twisted impression. I feel as if the pre-dream me that’s become accustomed to viewing my world was only a portion of myself. After waking, it seems as if the post dream me is now entering into a strange foreign world where my previous perceptions were somehow invalid, at least in relation to the “me” that’s now awakened into them. The only way I can describe this scenario is in terms of using something visual. It feels as if I’ve awoken in an M.C. Escher drawing- not in a visually literal manner of course, but figuratively and emotionally speaking.

My home and surroundings have the usual, familiar and recognizable visual qualities, yet it feels like the “me” that’s normally living in this environment has taken a back seat. I feel as if someone else (another portion of me) has emerged and is trying to assimilate into the role the old me was playing the part of. This is why I can still recognize my surroundings, but there is a simultaneous foreign feeling that also emerges.

Accompanying these foreign feelings are strong impressions of emotion. I seem to be super sensitive and have a heightened awareness of emotion in my surroundings during these experiences. Depending upon the intensity, I usually feel assimilated back into my normal self within a few hours to days.

It’s a very bizarre dual experience with lingering effects. But I do appreciate it because it’s helped me tap into the awareness that we can become comfortable in our repetitive interpretations of our experiences. When these events come along and shake things up, I realize there are an infinite number of channels and ways of perceiving. It also suggests we may have multiple perceivers slightly shifting into and out of our experience (sometimes without our even knowing it). This brings me to a great theory on what may be causing these occurrences.

Aspects of Awareness

Jane Roberts (of The Seth Material) introduced Aspect Psychology in her book, Adventures In Consciousness. This concept addresses the idea that our source self is similar to a giant radio station sending out multiple signals – each one representing a frequency intended for a different personality.

The signals are received by these personalities that are focused upon innumerable forms of varying dimensional realities. The specific focus personality we identify with is only one of many of these selves existing simultaneously throughout the broad spectrum of different planes of focus. Jane suggests each specific focus personality ordinarily receives one main signal, but by turning its abilities of perception off its home station, it can pick up on other realities and/or the other personality perceivers of those realities.

This means the aspect of awareness that’s reading this text is your focus personality in this form of reality, yet your source consciousness has many other focus personalities existing simultaneously throughout the broad spectrum of other realities. It also means if we “change the station” a bit, our focus personality may be slightly overridden by another channel; which is what I believe is happening to me during my dream triggers.

When I awaken, it’s almost as if I perceive two separate radio signals vying for the same spot on the dial. Both are audible and both belong to me (the source me), yet one is not usually focused upon my current version of reality and the other one is- hence the similar yet simultaneous foreign feeling associated with interacting in my present surroundings.

This may also indicate that another of my source’s aspect personalities is having a similar experience to the one I’m having at that exact same moment. We are both crowding the specific focus personality’s position on the hypothetical radio dial in each respective version of our separate realities. However, because the physical designation of John Wolfe is my specific primary focus in this dimension, I will almost always (at least until I pass on) interpret this effect through my current physical vehicle and interpretation of reality.

I believe we may encounter experiences, to greater or lesser degrees, of this phenomenon throughout our life. There are probably many instances and circumstances in which a bleed through among multiple focus personalities occurs. How often have we said or done things which seem extremely out of the ordinary and uncharacteristically like ourselves?

If the situation is extremely pronounced we can sometimes tap into a quick feeling of “observer and actor”; in which it feels like we are removed from the scenario and are witnessing our “actor-self” performing out of character. Aspects of the focus personality you identify with (as you) could also be crossing over into the other personalities’ realities as well.

Jane’s theory of Aspect Psychology also does an excellent job of explaining the mysteries of reincarnation and why the current moment of now is all that has ever existed. If we only truly exist in the moment of now, then how could we be incarnating chronologically? By understanding our source consciousness projects its awareness, from a timeless state, into multiple personalities that only appear to be moving through chronological and sequential sequences; we can develop a new understanding of past and future lives.

The problem with most interpretations on reincarnation is they ignore the fact that time ceases to be once we move beyond this plane of existence. Of course, the reason for this is still based in the premise that we are incarnating to resolve karmic debts. We have to disregard that dogmatic new age approach to be able to embrace a more powerful and logical explanation of human consciousness.

Using the idea of personality aspects, we can understand how we are living all of our lives simultaneously through each individual personality. This opens the door to understanding that we could also be living our future lives simultaneously as well. Each aspect of awareness is always being launched from the present powerful moment of now.

The aspect theory doesn’t negate the fact we still have full control over our life experience. We aren’t completely aware of the other aspect personalities due to compartmentalization. And even though there is always the potential for slight seepage into our experience, we still have free will and full rein over the development and evolution of our focus self. The only area I see this being an issue is with certain situations where the focus personality has seemingly lost its ability to sector off and compartmentalize the other aspects.

This leads us to the concept of multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia. Aspect Psychology could go a long way in helping us to better understand these misunderstood “disorders.” It’s quite possible that the only difference between people that are considered “normal” and those considered schizophrenic or suffering from multiple personalities is the ability or lack thereof to compartmentalize the information.

Maybe the seepage of information is in extreme overdrive in certain individuals. For some reason, their specific focus personality’s radio station is picking up many other frequencies, almost all of the time. In fact, the tendency is so strong at times; it actually cancels out the main focus personality all together and picks up another station entirely. For people that are that sensitive, it then becomes a case of confusing their reality with the realities of other aspect personalities.

Achieving altered states and recognizing aspects of our awareness provides a glimpse into the multidimensional abilities of consciousness and our psyche. Without delving into studying these events and phenomena, the psychological mapping and understanding of human awareness is incomplete.

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Discovering the Truths of Your Existence

John Wolfe — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:56:52 +0000

You will never find the ultimate truths, pertaining to your existence, in a church, mosque or synagogue. Nor will they ever be located between the pages of a book or in the prose of this blog, or any other. They cannot be gleaned from the speeches of our greatest orators, motivational gurus, religious leaders or philosophers. They’ll never be discovered in scientific experiments. And you won’t even find them amidst the multitude of hectic external experiences you encounter during the course of your life. Just as soon as you believe you have it all figured out, based strictly upon any of the preceding methods, you’ll realize (if you’re paying attention) that the answers have eluded you once again.

This is the essence of interacting in what appears to be an outwardly focused version of reality and it’s the price you pay for primarily depending upon the ever changing nature of the physical landscape. There’s only one location in which the coming and going of the tides never makes an impact, and that’s within you. While your inner-self benefits completely and expands exponentially from that which you are experientially living, its ultimate truth about who and what you are will never, ever change.

Physical locations, people, literature, the scientific method, and events may contain portions of truth (more precisely- portions of someone else’s truth), along with the potential for inspiring you to journey inward; finding the answers to the mysteries of your own life. However, none of them combined could ever unravel your specific personal truths. For these are unique to you and cannot be found through external searches.

While I still occasionally find myself overlaying my inner personal experiences, onto others I interact with, I try and keep the perspective that my words are only tiny sparks of light (hopefully). These sparks represent my own evolution discovered during internal excursions and the resulting physical experiences which have come forth after the fact; however they could never substitute for your own inner journeys. I cannot pretend to ever know the nature of your personal reality or better said- what’s stemming from the multi-layers of your individual portion of the unified consciousness.

Now, if we are interacting in one unified sea of consciousness, then how can I say there isn’t an ultimate truth which applies to us all? I say this for the same reason we can safely state that there is only one conscious source of awareness, yet we somehow perceive ourselves as being separate. If there’s anything I’ve learned about digging into our spiritual origins, it’s that everything seems paradoxical. The more layers we peel away of the onion, the more we realize there’s nothing (no-thing) residing at its core and everything residing at its core. They can exist simultaneously. The ultimate truth is: there is no truth, yet truth is all there is. It depends upon your methods for obtaining it and more precisely where you obtain it from.

You must be able to fully release your attachments of what you perceive as truth based on your interactions in this classical version of the world; removing the scales from your eyes, before you can begin to know what it is to encounter your own ultimate truth. The process commences as soon as you come to understand that all things in this external version of reality are constantly being influenced by the physical vehicles we are utilizing; this includes our physical bodies.

Everything is filtered through our five senses prior to becoming a thing, word, deed, etc. in this plane of existence. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s the way in which it’s intended to occur. This process is great as long as we don’t begin to confuse everyone else’s interpretation of the external universal reality with our internal personal truths. This external reality is only a symbolic representation of the deeper truths within each of us. But it is specific to our personal filters. To find the source of these symbols we must traverse the landscape of our own inner reality.

To perform this task, you need no one and no-thing. All that’s required is the same item you’ve carried with you for your entire life experience- your conscious awareness. It’s this understanding which has the potential to topple every religion, philosophy, self-help product, psychoanalysis session, and “ism” humankind has ever known. The reason this hasn’t caused the collapse of those institutions, to date, is because the majority of humankind insists its power exists external from its own inner nature. We continue to reinforce this belief system in the minds of each successive generation. Even if we do instill in our children the knowledge that they can be, do, or have anything, through our words, our actions rarely follow suit. We’re providing empty affirmations at best.

And what strikes an even more devastating blow is the fact many people aren’t even consciously aware they have a vast inner nature. They relinquished that knowledge long ago, trading it in for an opportunity to tune out.

Living in this manner would be similar to noticing a wet spot appearing on our kitchen wall and not doing anything about it. Day after day we continue to observe the spot growing larger until eventually accepting the idea that it must be natural for walls to secrete moisture. Instead of finding a way to get behind that wall and discover the source of the leak, we incorporate concepts and ideas that explain it away.

The senses convince us that we are maneuvering through a Universe of physical matter. Yet, the vibrating waves of energy we perceive as dense physical substances are actually collapsing into particles of matter because of our repetitive tendencies of observation. They pass through the many processing screens we have adopted based upon our past experiences, until taking on the shapes and forms we call our external life. We must get behind the wall of our life if we’re ever to discover the source for the “water” that’s leaking its way to the surface of our experience. How do we do this?

Our best option is to use the doors our inner-self has purposely provided for us. They’ve been there all along, but we have to consciously choose when and where we’ll step through. It may sound corny, but it’s a lot like Dorothy, in “The Wizard of Oz.” She always had the power, but never consciously acknowledged it.

She spent her entire experience in Oz looking for someone that she believed could deliver her from her perceived predicament, when ultimately she was her own savior. Upon understanding this, she journeyed within to find the way back to her truths. Corny or not, I believe some of Hollywood’s most successful films have resonated with the public because they struck a chord at a subconscious level. They too are using symbols to reveal the means, residing in each of us, for obtaining the ultimate truths about our existence. It’s quite possible the authors and screen writers never consciously recognized this as they were creating their masterpieces, then again, maybe they did.

The way we step through those doors is by utilizing many of the methods I’ve been discussing in my past posts: being present and aware, recognizing our power resides in the now, releasing and forgiving our past, understanding change is an inevitable part of the journey, reclaiming our power, striving for balance, working with our emotions, meditating, and achieving altered states of consciousness (I’ll include a link to the posts these methods can be found in, at the bottom of this entry).

While many of these techniques may sound like they address the external physical experiences, they actually provide a way for us to take a step back from the physical and see our interactions in a different light. They provide the means for us to process the information but not necessarily attach to it and identify with it in a way that convolutes our views. And by meditating and achieving altered states through our meditations, we can tune in to our ever consistent, stable self and obtain guidance and awareness about the true nature of who we are.

Even though I write frequently about spiritual empowerment, I have to admit I do not have the answers for explaining your personal nature. I do feel I provide some tools for helping you to obtain your own answers. I believe this same line of thought holds true for anything else we come across, whether it’s a book, person, religion, experience or whatever. These external things may be of great benefit in terms of providing tools, but they can never give you your own answers. It’s up to you to take that inner journey for yourself.

I’m not suggesting we ignore our external experiences, for that would defeat the purpose of why we initially made the choice to focus within this physical environment; we can’t simply deny our external reality. Instead, we must learn to see through the veil of the exterior by pulling back the curtain and traversing our inner nature. This is the only way we will ever know ourselves and discover our own truths.

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Podcast #3: Our Origin & Purpose

John Wolfe — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 04:04:02 +0000

I just added the third episode to the audio section’s embedded player.

Here’s the direct mp3 file link:

Our Origin & Purpose

The entire running time for this episode is 20 minutes, 22 seconds (file size for downloading is 18.6 MB) and covers:

-The importance of trying new ideas and methods for empowering ourselves, while understanding we are all unique in our individual responses
-How my astral encounters have shaped my understanding of our physical reality and the innate power we all have
-The concepts of god, source, and all that is, as they apply to the human experience
-The misconceptions surrounding the idea of an external entity judging our actions
-How evidence of the law of attraction points to our limitless potential as the creators of this Universe
-Understanding our individual life purpose and means for extracting the most benefit from this understanding

I would like to thank you for joining me for this third episode and I look forward to your comments and feedback.

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Making the Death Transition

John Wolfe — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:37:04 +0000

Since the time we were old enough to comprehend our surroundings and identify with our parents/ caregivers/ elders we have been warned against death and lectured on the many circumstances we must avoid, if we are to stave off the big “D”- and I don’t mean divorce or Dallas. It’s definitely ingrained in our physiology to prevent our biological vehicles from succumbing to death, but I believe our fear of this inevitable event is far more compounded by nurture than by nature.

The people who have spent a large portion of their lives trying to prevent us from losing ours, have had good intentions, yet they are approaching the subject from the premise that death is a horrible experience and that it must be the opposite of life- i.e. life’s good, death’s bad. This would be analogous to stating that birth is in direct opposition to life.

Birth and death are only processes that occur within the life structure. Neither one is a true beginning or end- they are both merely ways in which we make our transition into and out of this physical environment, symbols of starting anew and finishing the old, but not literal translations in terms of our consciousness.

I prefer to look at birth and death as similar processes, only viewed from different angles. Birth into the physical environment is seen as a joyous event which celebrates the giving of life, however we rarely think about where the consciousness of this new being has come from, prior to its entry into the physical plane.

At some point during the nine month period known as pregnancy, it (the baby’s consciousness) has made a transition from some other location- hence; it has “died away” from another plane of consciousness and is being born into our environment. This is similar to when we die in the physical environment. At the exact moment of our physical death we are again being “born” into a different plane of consciousness.

So, if both of these processes share similarities, then what actually happens during the shifting of focus and transitioning away from the physical?

I believe you take a journey within, further into consciousness itself, into the very core of consciousness that is responsible for your awareness- your higher self. When you reconnect to your higher self, you come to an understanding of how unlimited your potential is and you know it instantly. Your physically focused existence has provided the potential for expansion of conscious energy. When you cross over and become immediately aware that the all encompassing presence of consciousness is your own presence, you are then able to fully bask in its expansion.

It’s an orgasmic experience of journeying deeper into the inner mind and not ever coming close to exiting out the other side. The vastness and proportions are only overshadowed by your unlimited ability to love and to be. There is no desire to find an end, because you are constantly only aware of your current state- no need to look to past regrets or future worries, you’re so present in the moment that all other moments cease to exist.

It’s a rush of exhilaration, knowledge, understanding, grace and the warmth of being home. It’s the most sublime feeling of being surrounded by a presence which knows every intimate detail of who you are. You find no need to protect those details because you realize it’s you that knows all of your information. As you joyously flash through the blissful abyss, without hindrance of time or space, you notice a shift in awareness. Instantly you find yourself being pushed back through the birth canal and reentering, once again, into the physical landscape.

While I can’t be one hundred percent certain this is what occurs after we pass on, I can say that I’ve experienced environments during the out of body state which mimic a scenario somewhat similar to the one described above. I also have heard accounts from others who add to its credibility, describing the afterlife as a journey into layers of the inner consciousness, free from judgment and condemnation. One thing’s for certain about the death experience- there’s no finality. Sure you will lose your physical body, but your flesh and bones have never truly been your identity anyway.

Just for argument’s sake, let’s say that our consciousness ceases to exist after we pass on- at least in any recognizable form with which we can identify. What would that mean for most? They no longer have access to the memories from their past life experience? They no longer can dwell upon the should of, could of, would of? They no longer can ponder their future and worry about tomorrow?

Those things are not what life is/was about anyway. While they might seem important, life is more about staying present, in the moment, and experiencing and appreciating each one of those moments. It’s about finding ways to make the present as amazing as possible, for yourself and anyone else interested in sharing it with you, all for the wonderful experience. If I retained my consciousness, after death, for the sole purpose of dwelling in the past, pondering what could have been, hashing regrets, and fearing my fate, then I’d much rather not survive the process at all.

But because I believe we do survive the process, I feel that each one of us has amazing potential and opportunity, both in life and death. The opportunity to realize how powerful we truly are and what we can accomplish when we embrace that power. Life gives us choices and options in every moment.

How we choose to feel and react in those moments is up to each one of us, on an individual basis. No one else has the power to control how we feel. When we embrace our joy and power, we are tapping into a creative energy that lies at the heart of the Universe. If we have the option to choose those types of feelings and experiences in life, then why would those possibilities be stifled by death?

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The Energy Matrix

John Wolfe — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 03:05:10 +0000

The concept of our consciousness existing in a field of nothing but energy is not an original idea of mine. It is an idea that I fully embrace however. In one of my all time favorite books, The Holographic Universe, Michael Talbot discusses this subject in great detail. I feel this concept does an excellent job of explaining how many things we consider paranormal, are actually quite normal and ordinary.

It’s only from the viewpoint of seeing ourselves as dense physical beings, existing in a rough and harsh physical landscape, that we become frightened or baffled by the metaphysical. The mystical and paranormal appear to be something impossible for our human bodies of flesh and bone to come to terms with. Yet, when you begin to view yourself as more of an energy being, that exists in another field of energy; these events don’t seem so strange or out of the ordinary.

Before I talk about this matrix, I’d like to first define the word. With the success of the Wachowski brother’s Matrix trilogy, the word has become so assimilated into pop culture that we may be losing its true meaning. According to Webster’s New World Dictionary it’s defined as: 1. that within which something originates, takes form 2. as a mold for the face of a type or for a printing plate. I feel the first meaning is exactly what we’re looking for, with regards to an energy field that interconnects everything. This illustrates how our physical world (and everyone in it) took form and originated from this vast sea of energy.

Scientists have shown that all matter in our Universe is made up of vibrating energy at the subatomic level. While the implications of this are fairly straightforward, many are leery about coming out and stating that we are much more than flesh and bone. At least quantum physicists are willing to publicly acknowledge the implications of our Universe existing as one gigantic mass of vibrating energy.

Once I began viewing our Universe and all matter in it as pure energy, I was able to realize how interconnected all events and experiences are. It’s much easier to wrap my brain around the metaphysical when I envision my consciousness swimming in a vast ocean of other consciousness. Each individual experience is interconnected by an invisible grid of frequency and surging energy- flowing to and away from me (whether I’m consciously aware of it or not), but never leaving my subconscious awareness. When I stripped away the physical body and took it out of the picture, I was able to understand these ideas and their implications.

Two areas in which this can be specifically applied, to the metaphysical, is ESP (extra sensory perception) and psychic phenomenon. If we all are truly flowing patterns of energy toward and away from one another (at a deeper level), then every idea, thought and emotion, that each of us conceives of, is available for another to pick up on and interpret. Some are able to assimilate it into their conscious awareness on a more consistent basis than others. However, all of us will have or have had experience(s) with ESP, at one time or another.

This is similar to a Ouija board and how it may be delivering its information. It’s not the board, but the individual operating the planchette who is the conduit. This person has changed their focus and is able to consciously receive information that’s flowing through the energy matrix. Of course many legitimate psychics don’t need a board or planchette to tap into this information. They have learned to train their minds in a manner to more readily access this free flowing energy.

I also feel that this matrix of energy is where I have “gone” when I’ve experienced astral projection. The amazing rush of energy that accompanies the experience is always unmistakable and quite honestly- a telltale sign. Again, it goes back to taking my physical perceptions out of the situation. Once I have done that, I can more easily access what’s at the heart of my existence and my awareness.

It’s through these experiences that I’ve come to believe- where we are is where we always are- meaning our consciousness never truly journeys anywhere. We can change our perceptions, our ways of perceiving, our apparent physical location, and our understanding and assimilation processes. We can grow, we can change, we can try to shut down, we can die, we can do everything that a human does, but we never truly do any of those things externally. They all exist within us.

I know it’s a common belief that when we pass away our soul travels to heaven or other locations. I feel that we merely experience a slight phase shift. Slight is a relative term to where you are (emotionally speaking) when you pass away, but it still holds true compared to the idea of taking some long journey to a distant location.

Using the energy matrix model, I have come to realize that life has far more to do with our mind than it does with our physical bodies. Life is more emotion and thought than it is action and doing. Of course action and doing account for a huge part of our lives, but they would not exist without our emotional ties and preceding thoughts, prior to taking the action.

The idea of an energy matrix seems far more exciting than watching Morpheus and Neo battle Agent Smith, but maybe that’s because I don’t spend a lot of time at the movies. It does provide a model for shedding some light on subject matter that used to freak me out and at times would downright scare me – like the topic of death.

I no longer fear death. I have to admit I’m still dealing with how the experience of my death is going to occur, but I’m cool with the actual shift in awareness. I feel the energy matrix is another tool that’s helped me come to terms with why I’m here and where I’m “going,” both now and when I “cross over.”

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