Inner Peace is the title of the 13th Wind of the Soul podcast installment. This episode features a reading of the blog post: 8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind, along with further thoughts on several of the ideas contained in the entry. This episode’s running time is 10:52 and file size for download is 9.95 MB. It can be played via the embedded player in the Audio section, or on your media player by following the Inner Peace link, or in the embedded You Tube players below.

Thanks for joining me for this installment. I appreciate the continued feedback regarding the podcast series.

Related Posts

Self Truths: Part 1
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Blazing Your Own Trail
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind

There are currently 106 blog posts contained at Wind of the Soul. The majority of these are devoted to encouraging the individual to follow their inner-wisdom, explore their creative passion, break free from the ranks of limiting social concepts/expectations and be wary of chasing external “happiness.” While I usually don’t post videos, I was so moved by this three minute and thirty second clip, I wanted to share it. In his 1999 speech, Terence McKenna captured the majority of my thoughts and feelings in the most concise and rapid manner I’ve ever witnessed.

Terence was a poetic genius and wordsmith who consistently stretched the concepts and paradigms of reality. Though he’s passed on, I’m sure his consciousness continues the journey down the rabbit hole, freeing more minds as he goes.

Whether you agree or disagree with McKenna (or me for that matter), the material is thought provoking and causes us to take a step back and examine our existence. Once we stop exploring; stop questioning; stop examining – that’s when we are in trouble.

I can’t vouch for the website featured at the end of the clip, as I’ve never been there, nor have I ordered any of their products.

This video can also be accessed by visiting the You Tube page.

Posts Related to Free Your Mind

Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Blazing Your Own Trail
Blazing Your Own Trail: the Techniques Part I
Intentionally Reclaiming Our Power
Evoking Change Through Uplifting Action

By now, you’ve probably figured out I’m primarily a nonconformist when it comes to my views on personal development, concepts pertaining to metaphysics and life in general. Some of the traditional teachings in these areas of thought resonate with me, but overall, I tend to be more of an independent thinker. This is why the whole theme of Wind of the Soul pertains to following your own guidance, not someone else’s, no matter their clout or level of so called expertise.

I intend for my writing to stand as a reminder; a sign post of sorts along the way. It’s not meant to be a rule book of tired, old, cookie cutter self-help strategies. I would never expect anyone to follow my thoughts or ideas as a code to live by, nor would I want them to. Because of that, my work may not be the most popular, but I’m not trying to win any contests here.

We learn nothing when we follow someone else’s rules. Sure, we become skilled at being “good little citizens/robots” who hope to make our parents, teachers, spouses, friends, employers, country (and let’s not forget about god) proud. But most good little citizens end up unhappy because they’ve spent a lifetime ignoring their own voice and beating down their own inner calling. Often times, they’ve convinced themselves that the desire to change for the “better” is their own, when in actuality it’s stemming from those around them.

Our greatest experiences come when we get outside of living under policies and guidelines, no matter who dictates them. This is when we finally become capable of learning who we are. Now, I’m not at all advocating a life of delinquency or treating people like dirt – I’m talking about getting out from under someone else’s rules as they pertain to our spiritual development, our personal expansion and the course of our life.

So, what does it mean to grow in your groove? Growing in your groove is everything I mentioned in the above paragraphs. Specifically, for the purpose of this entry, however, it pertains to seeing beyond the often cliché advice of breaking out of our comfort zones.

While exposing ourselves to uncomfortable situations can contribute to our growth as well as having new experiences, my problem with people always teaching this concept is, it fails to take into consideration we are all unique. There’s not one individual on this planet who interprets life in the exact same manner as another. When we enter into any experience with the assumption it’s fairly identical for everyone, no matter what, we’re completely off course.

I believe there is a current or a flow to each of our lives. Anytime we force ourselves or challenge ourselves to do something we really have no interest in doing (all for the sake of supposedly overcoming our fear), we are fighting against that flow.

Now, if you have a desire to follow a pursuit, but you feel trepidation about taking action, then extending outside your comfort level is great. However, I don’t believe we should ever take action toward something we have no interest in pursuing, simply because others are pressuring us into doing so.

My dad was in the military, so I spent all of my childhood challenging my levels of comfort. In fourteen years of public school (counting pre-kindergarten) I attended twelve different schools – talk about living in an almost constant state of discomfort and anxiety.

I tend to be more of an artistic, creative, sensitive individual. Each and every time I have worked to break out of my comfort zones, my creativity and my natural abilities become stifled for weeks to months at a time. Only after some semblance of comfort (stability) once again returns, do I feel able to be myself.

For me, my groove is all about maintaining a fairly stable lifestyle (within reason). I grow and thrive in relative stability, not in undesired challenges. In stability I’m more in tune, grounded and aware. My creativity flows and I’m at one with my surroundings. In spiritual terms, I consider these conditions optimal for nurturing growth.

I believe the same can be observed in nature. Of course, nature goes through major upheavals in which everything is out of its comfort zone for a length of time, but as that happens – most things in the affected niche aren’t flourishing. It takes an indefinite period of calm and serenity for many living things to thrive in their natural environment.

I don’t resist change. I understand change to be an integral part of life and the evolution of the Universe. However, I’ve found the more simplistic I keep my life, the better suited I am to embrace change.

For others, they may thrive by constantly piling challenges upon themselves and placing themselves far outside their comfort zones, but we aren’t all that way. Get in touch with your unique nature and never, ever allow anyone to define how that should be for you – not even me.

If it feels good to you, then follow it, if it doesn’t – forget about it. Learn to respect others and their right to either grow in their groove, outside their groove or to simply just groove, minus any major growth. There’s never been one right way to get to where you’re going and there never will be.

Posts Related to Grow in Your Groove: Comfort Zones

Spiritual Hermits
Spiritual Winds of Change
Moving Beyond Fear
Blazing Your Own Trail
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization

The Conversations With God Giveaway has closed. I’d like to congratulate Steven Labella of San Diego, California, Kirk Ray of Florida, and Ryan Brenny of Hilo, Hawaii. They each won a brand new copy of “Conversations With God.”

“I am not concerned about your worldly success – only you are. You are not to worry about making a living. True masters are those that have chosen to make a life, not a living. Go ahead, do whatever you really love. Do nothing else. You have so little time. Why would you want to waste it doing something you don’t want to do? That isn’t a living – it’s a dying.” – Neale Donald Walsch, “Conversations With God”

The above quote is one of my favorites from the film and it brings us to the second Wind of the Soul giveaway. In this second installment, I’m giving three brand new DVD copies of Conversations With God to three separate winners.

The film, directed by the Co-founder of Spiritual Cinema Circle, was meant to be a screen adaptation of the series of best selling books by the same name. Though the movie doesn’t represent the unfolding of the books – it does impart much of the same spiritual wisdom, as we follow Neale (played by Henry Czerny) through some extremely turbulent experiences.

Neale, like so many of us, prior to discovering the connection to his own divine nature, unconsciously battles his way through life. He has to scrape rock bottom before discovering the inner knowledge, which leads him out of the depths of his despair. And, that’s why this movie is so endearing to me. Granted, it has some very sad and depressing sequences, but the ultimate realization and self-awakening is what’s so inspirational.

Whether or not Neale was/is truly conversing with “God” in a verifiable way is a nonissue for me. If we are capable of quieting the mind and recognizing the creative, energetic, consciousness which flows through us, then in essence we are all conversing constantly with our own inner god or goddess. It’s up to us what we choose to do with those conversations. Neale chose to apply them in a manner which created benefit and value in his own life as well as the lives of millions of others.

Each of us has the same option. It’s up to us if we wish to allow it to work toward that which is most beneficial and advantageous for ourselves and humankind. This shouldn’t be motivated by or stem from a standpoint of following a contrived set of rules, but rather from the perspective of feeling for the inner dialogue which is most fulfilling, loving, nurturing, uplifting and translating it into action. To me, that’s what conversing with god and living life as creative, expansive beings is all about.

I wish all the best to everyone who enters.

Please, only one entry per household. Duplicate entries from the same IP will be deleted. This helps to make it fairer for everyone. There’s no catch here, everything is free – including payment of shipping and handling of “Conversations With God” – I cover all costs. To be entered, all you have to do is leave a comment below, signifying your interest.

Depending upon the volume of entries, comments may only be displayed under this post for a short time. As entries grow, I may remove comments from the post to make it easier for visitors to scroll to the comment box and enter.

When leaving a comment, be sure to include your correct email address. Each winner of “Conversations With God” will be contacted through the address that’s registered with their comment. I will never share email addresses, provided by entrants, with any third parties and you’ll never receive unsolicited mail when entering.

The Conversations With God contest will end at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on March 28th, 2009. All legitimate entries will then be assigned a number. Three numbers will be randomly drawn to determine the winners.

All three winners will then be notified, via the email addresses they provided, no later than March 30th. If one, or all three don’t respond (with their shipping information) within a week, then one (two or three) more number(s) will be drawn to determine the new winner(s).

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

If you would like to see your spiritual or self-help business promoted through Wind of the Soul and you have some appropriately themed items to distribute in a giveaway, please contact me.

Posts Related to Conversations With God

The Evolution of Spirituality
Ineffable States of Enlightenment
Discovering the Truths of Your Existence
The Intelligent Mind of All That Is
Our Conscious Origin

Though, I’m a huge advocate of being vigilant concerning where we place the majority of our attention, I also understand the importance of being aware of the current economic reality facing this nation. I’m not an economist, nor do I pretend to have the slightest grasp of fiscal expertise. But, perhaps I possess something else which qualifies me to write this post: I’ve had an experience with a situation that’s currently happening to many people. And, in my opinion, I represent a real world example of coming out the other side better off for having experienced it.

Seven and a half years ago, I was displaced from my job of almost a decade (along with roughly one thousand others) when my employer filed for bankruptcy. We were union; I was vested and building on a decent little pension, not to mention having amazing medical, dental and vision coverage. My hourly rate of pay was almost five times that of minimum wage (in 2001).

Due to the great benefits and the literal amount of blood sweat and tears I had invested in my position, I was devastated when our location was unable to escape a wave of closures that rocked the company. There were “rescue” buyout negotiations occurring all around us, yet we weren’t among those being saved.

Furthermore, our fate wasn’t strictly decided in a corporate boardroom. We were also at the mercy of a judge. He ruled in favor of allocating all of the funds earmarked for employee severance packages (mine was worth several thousand dollars) to two individuals brought in by the corporate office. They each cleaned up with close to a quarter of a million for “helping” the company stay afloat for an additional two or three months – so much for doing right by the employees who had helped sustain the company for years.

The weeks following my layoff, initially, were extremely dark and depressing, yet somewhere within the somber mood I recognized that the situation afforded me with a fantastic opportunity to begin anew. Though I had gained great experience from my job and could have probably found a position rather quickly in the same line of work, I realized I wasn’t being fulfilled by that form of employment. I also began to realize I wasn’t living up to my potential, based on my own natural abilities.

Sure, I was surviving, but I was no where near experiencing the feeling of thriving at work or in life. I wasn’t passionate about my choice of vocation, nor did I feel I was providing the type of benefit and service I was truly capable of providing. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t doing something that was important to me – making a major difference in people’s lives.

Though I always gave 110% during my shifts, my talents were being stifled by staying onboard. The company’s Chapter 11 issues couldn’t have come at a better time. The closures forced my hand into taking action. I had reached what I felt was the first major crossroads of my life and it was time for me to choose the path less taken; the one that existed just outside my proverbial comfort zones.

When we, as individuals or as a collective group, experience drastic changes like those accompanying a massive layoff or a nationwide recession, it’s always an opportunity for the individual, as well as the group, to rebirth and reinvent itself. And, while I’m sure there are a million and one surface reasons being put forth to explain why this economic recession has occurred; I believe none of these explanations address the core cause.

A surface issue is always the physical development of that which is brewing deeper within the psyche of an organism. In the case of a recession, the organism just happens to be an entire nation. Inner turmoil (be it consciously or subconsciously) always leads to the external manifestation of choices and options. It’s up to us as to how we choose to respond to the current situation facing this country. We can either consciously act or unconsciously react.

For years, the collective American psyche, predominantly, has selected external accumulation, status and achievement over internal happiness (a form of unconsciously reacting to social conditioning) or else has mistakenly confused these things with happiness. This mentality has helped usher in the all too common physical practice of short changing fellow human beings, in terms of services rendered, for a shoddy, often times overpriced and even unnecessary, end product or outcome.

The more we devalue our own existence through a gluttonous, achievement/status only mindset, whether as suppliers or consumers, we develop a belief in needing to acquire more and more of what we feel is an extremely limited set of resources. Not only are we potentially hurting others, but we are also hurting ourselves by living or functioning outside our means, spiritually and/or financially. As we begin to selfishly pursue and acquire more “things”, we simultaneously find more ways to cheat one another in order to continue acquiring even more.

Ultimately, a nationwide, financial downturn is actually society’s way of unconsciously restoring balance. On the surface it seems like an extremely horrible thing, but I believe there is absolutely a method to what seems like total madness.

Internally and emotionally speaking, I believe a financial crisis occurs because of a loss in faith – not faith in money – but faith in one another. When we no longer trust the majority of those that are providing their services, we become fearful and we constrict our energy flow. This energy flow can be represented in many ways, money being one of them. Unfortunately, some that are providing a true increase in life, through their services, may also be impacted along the way. However, I believe, they will weather the storm or even potentially thrive because they have made valuable service their priority. This is exactly why certain individuals thrived during the great depression. They didn’t excel because they were shrewd, they excelled because they were sincere in their pursuit of service.

It’s for good reason, during times of economic crisis, that people invariably bring themselves back to an awareness of only focusing on what truly matters, e.g. the necessities in life. As we get back to the basics and we focus on necessity, it naturally brings us to a better understanding of intrinsic value. This is what helps lead us to our rebirth and reinvention, if we can eventually see it in that manner.

When we zero in on what really matters (our relationship with our self, our families, our friendships, and our health) and we strip away the rest of the material fluff, we come back to a true understanding of what it means to be joyful for the sake of being joyful. This place of being happy and whole, for the sake of being is what allows us to consciously act instead of reacting to our current circumstances, whether we’re prospering or not.

As I have always stated in a large percentage of my posts – there is absolutely nothing wrong with being extremely wealthy or acquiring possessions. It’s when these things are pursued at the expense of developing our own amazing potential for being loving, joyful, peaceful beings (internally and externally) that we encounter an imbalance.

When we all find the means to channel these beautiful emotions, along with our relative resources and physical talents, into a way for sincerely providing valuable, worthwhile, uplifting service (a form of taking conscious action for the greater good), I believe economic recessions, on a grand scale, could be a thing of the past. Whether they become extinct or not, if you begin living more consciously and sincerely (acting instead of reacting) and you consistently provide and invest your resources in real service for others, you’ll weather any financial storm and even better, you’ll help others do the same.

Related Posts

The Magic of Giving
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
Evoking Change through Uplifting Action
Believing in Yourself
Spiritual Winds of Change

This episode is an audio narration of my latest blog entry, Evoking Change through Uplifting Action. It covers embracing internal love, peace and acceptance, for the purpose of following through with uplifting, life-changing physical action. It’s this action which leads to profound personal (as well as global) change.

You can access this episode in several ways: through the audio section’s player, the embedded You Tube players below, or via the following link: Episode #10.

“Evoking Change through Uplifting Action” runs for 12 minutes and 35 seconds. File size for download is 11.5 MB.

Part I

Part II

As is customary for me, when PBS goes into pledge drive mode, my TV spends more time on than it does off. During these pledge drives, you’ll find public television airing more personal development and spiritually based programming. Several days ago, they featured a self-help seminar, titled: The Traveler’s Gift, by Andy Andrews. I first became aware of Andy through his book, Storms of Perfection, in which he shared the personal success stories (which stemmed from the repeated “failures” and persistent drive) of many well known celebrities, athletes and business people.

The point of Andy’s PBS special was to reinforce the idea that each and every one of our actions, no matter how trivial they seem, create an impact; not only in our life but in the lives of so many others – even to the point of reaching future generations.

As Andy stated, “There are generations yet unborn, whose existence depends on the choices you make and the action you take. Because everything you do matters – every move you make, every action you take; not just for you; not just for your family or hometown – everything you do matters for all of us, forever.”

After shutting off the television, I began feeling for how Andy’s words resonated with me and how I’m applying them in my own life:

When we take any action, it not only has a direct impact on that which we are acting upon, but it also has an impact upon unknown or unseen (to us) variables, far removed from our immediate vicinity. For example, let’s take a look at a small derogatory action, such as someone throwing the finger to a fellow driver in traffic.

We assume a gesture such as that only has a direct, relevant impact in that very short moment in time. Rarely do we contemplate the kind of negative momentum that action may create in the life of the recipient, and in the lives of each individual the recipient comes into contact with after that moment, and in turn, each person those people come into contact with. Such a simple gesture can affect the mood and mindset of an individual in a manner far greater than we realize and that mood and mindset will determine their follow-up actions towards others. During the course of a single event, our activities have the potential to impact anywhere from a handful of people to thousands or even millions.

Every one of our actions and deeds creates a ripple effect throughout humanity and the Universe itself, sometimes enacting small outcomes, and at other times enacting greater ones, but the point is they all create an impact and they all count. When we take that into consideration, it becomes more important to consistently perform more conscious acts.

It may seem silly to think something as insignificant as gesturing with our middle finger can change the course of events for a multitude of individuals, but that (in a way) is exactly what it does. You see, the web of existence is so interconnected and intertwined that there is not one single action or deed which can escape causing an impact in our lives and in the lives of so many others. Everything was designed that way for a very good reason: to show us just how our choices can either benefit us greatly as we recognize and promote our unity, or else how they can harm us immensely as we react from a fear based belief in separation.

So, we have to ask ourselves, are the majority of our actions spurring on something positive in others or are they eliciting the opposite response? Of course, we each have to take responsibility for our deeds. Just because we perform a rude gesture doesn’t grant the recipient of that gesture cart blanche for treating anyone they encounter badly. But, it does need to make us more conscientious of our own behavior, whether we are the recipient or the giver. And, once we understand this principle and how far reaching it can be, we owe it to ourselves and others to be more conscientious. Another beautiful thing about embracing this knowledge is the fact we naturally become less reactive (more on this later) when we are on the receiving end of a rude gesture or unkind act.

Coming to the understanding of this concept was not difficult for me, but actually knowing it in my core has taken a while longer; not because I didn’t care about what I did to others, but, because I spent many years not caring about myself. I used to suffer from extremely low self-esteem. As a child, it was so bad; I heavily identified with the character Little Jackie Paper from “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

That may sound sort of humorous, but in essence, I felt paper thin and ineffective, so I assumed my actions and deeds counted for very little and had almost no impact on anyone else. This assumption was derived from my own internal views and judgments about my worth. Since I didn’t care about myself, how could I assume someone so “unimportant” could ever impact others (who I believed to be more alive and consequential)?

Developing an understanding, regarding the impact and brevity of the actions we take, is a natural byproduct of learning to love and respect ourselves and appreciate who we are. Our actions can only be as beneficial or as detrimental as the beliefs we retain in our internal landscape. As we strive to experience more internal growth, through self-love, forgiveness and understanding, we will naturally feel the desire to primarily perform positive external acts and deeds; not because it’s “right” or in abidance with social or religious law, but because it feels natural. In fact, it will become second nature to us, without trying to force it or even having to think about it because it will be a reflection of who we are internally.

Taking positive, impactful action is not about being a people pleaser or doing it for attention. Performing “good” deeds to please others or to show off and garner praise also stems from an inner place of doubting our own value. Performing uplifting, life affirming action should come from a place of truly wanting to make a difference and help others, while simultaneously respecting yourself.

One of my favorite lines from the book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior states: “A [peaceful] warrior acts, only a fool reacts.” The same can be said of creating positive action. If we are already in the internal place of peace and love, then we will act without being prompted (from social pressure) into doing so. People pleasing and performing good deeds for attention are not conscious action; they’re an unconscious reaction propelled by the fear of not fitting in or not feeling worthy of the attention we hope to gain from those we are trying to please. The same can be said of performing a negative or vengeful, detrimental deed – it’s not an action, but a reaction from a very fearful place.

As I speak of making a positive impact, I’m not necessarily referring to huge gestures. They can be extremely small, yet extremely effective. Just as something as seemingly miniscule as throwing the finger can negatively impact others in a big way; a smile, wave, pat on the back or a kind, sincere word can have a pronounced, beneficial impact on the life of the recipient and the lives of those he or she comes into contact with. Imagine the sort of change we would see if each of us received and passed on that type of interaction, with everyone on a daily basis.

Most people think it’s ridiculous to assume each one of us can actually change the world through caring, uplifting gestures (both big and small). I’ll say this: it takes just as much (if not less) physical effort to generate a beneficial act as it does to carry out an action full of anger or hate. The amount of effort required is not what’s preventing us from completely shifting the current world paradigm at the grand scale. Nor is the change slow in coming because we are pinned down by a lack of sufficient supplies.

Everything we need to accomplish this goal already exists in abundant quantity (be it material items or our own kind words). The woman/man power is there. The resources are there. The infrastructures are there. What’s missing is the internal decision (on the part of each person) to move toward that which is represented by love, peace and an uplifting spirit. If we choose to not be internally responsible for how we feel about ourselves and others – as it’s represented by the actions we take – we will never see beneficial change in our own lives or in the planet at large. It all starts from within.

The size of the gesture is a relative thing. If we each do what we can (and then just a little bit more) from where we are, the rest will take care of itself. That’s the beauty in this interconnected web of existence.

Andy Andrews is absolutely right – “…everything you do matters – every move you make, every action you take; not just for you; not just for your family or hometown – everything you do matters for all of us, forever.”

Posts Related to Uplifting Action

Forgiving our Past: Key to Unlocking a Joyful Present
Universal Law of Reciprocation
The Magic of Giving
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind

The Louise Hay: You Can Heal Your Life giveaway has closed. I’d like to congratulate Bonnie of Redding, California and Melissa of Oakdale, Minnesota. They each won the extended edition copy of You Can Heal Your Life. Don’t forget to check the Uplifting Prizes section, in the sidebar, for ongoing giveaways of self-help and spiritual items.

It’s been six months since Wind of the Soul first went online. And, ever since its inception, I’ve been planning to host uplifting giveaways. However, for a variety of reasons, the timing didn’t seem right, so I kept putting the project off. Well yesterday, while viewing Louise Hay’s movie, You Can Heal Your Life, I felt the urge to begin. Anytime I’m positively impacted by that visceral or gut feeling, I follow it.

This first giveaway features two DVD sets of You Can Heal Your Life: The Extended Edition to be given to two separate winners. The extended edition contains four hours of additional interview footage not included in the original version of the film.

You Can Heal Your Life follows a young woman along her journey to reinvent herself through the harnessing of her thoughts and actions. Her trials, tribulations and ultimate successes are mirrored in the dialogue of several spiritual and self-help teachers, throughout the film, including Louise Hay.

Along her path, she’s presented with opportunities, in the form of uplifting messages printed on index cards. Each card contains a piece of wisdom meant to embolden her spirit. The cards concentrate on three key points: change, forgiveness and love. The movie also outlines seven major steps for healing your life: the internal landscape of change, affirmations, challenges you may face along the path, testing the depth of your commitment, forgiveness, the hidden treasures at the center of yourself and learning to accept with gratitude.

I can honestly say I enjoyed the entire film immensely, but my favorite parts were when the speakers touched on the difficulties they’ve overcome in their own lives. I always find such stories to be inspiring and extremely uplifting.

While the movie features noted teachers like Wayne Dyer, Gregg Braden, and Esther Hicks; I was particularly drawn to the philosophies of several of the “lesser known” individuals, like Elon Bonami and Cheryl Richardson.

Cheryl made this poignant statement at one point in the film: “We all go through an evolutionary process, in our growth, where we start out wishing and hoping and believing the Universe is like Santa Claus. And, all you have to do is write your list up and you get what you want. But there’s a commitment to consciousness and action that’s necessary to be able to manifest the things that we affirm or we intend.”

Another great quote from the film was by Doreen Virtue: “People don’t realize their greatest potential because they think it’s from an outside source – when it’s so divinely ordained from within.”

Cheryl’s and Doreen’s statements are examples of what makes You Can Heal Your Life different from films like The Secret. The focus is more on consciousness and our inner power than it is on acquiring things. It’s implied that the “things” are a natural byproduct of the internal changes we make, but they shouldn’t be our sole reason for striving to make those changes. You Can Heal Your Life also focuses on Louise’s work to help others overcome life threatening illnesses, and includes the story of how she healed her own manifestation of cancer.

Good luck to everyone that enters. I’ll leave you with Louise’s initial words of wisdom from the film:

“All of us our on a journey, whether we know it or not. We are all on a journey of learning to express our full potential in this world. Most of us have learned to view our thoughts as a reflection of the outside world; a reflection of what is happening to us. But what if that’s not how the Universe works?

“What if you are creating the story of your life with the very thought you are thinking now? Then perhaps, if we are willing to change the way we think, wondrous new possibilities would begin to reveal themselves to us. And our lives would move in a whole new direction. It all starts with taking the first step.”

Depending upon the volume of entries, comments may only be displayed under this post for a short time. As entries grow, I will remove comments from the post to make it easier for visitors to scroll to the comment box and enter.

When leaving a comment, be sure to include your correct email address. Each winner of You Can Heal Your Life will be contacted through the address that’s registered with their comment. I will never share email addresses, provided by entrants, with any third parties and you’ll never receive unsolicited mail when entering.

The Louise Hay: You Can Heal Your Life contest will end at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on January 19th, 2009. All legitimate entries will then be assigned a number. Two numbers will be randomly drawn to determine the winners.

Both winners will then be notified, via the email addresses they provided, no later than January 21st. If one, or both don’t respond (with their shipping information) within a week, then one (or two) more number(s) will be drawn to determine the new winner(s).

If you would like to see your spiritual or self-help business promoted through Wind of the Soul and you have some appropriately themed items to distribute in a giveaway, please contact me.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Posts Related to You Can Heal Your Life

Forgiving our Past: Key to Unlocking a Joyful Present
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
Podcast #4: The Law of Attraction
Podcast #6: Law of Attraction – the Techniques
The Law of Attraction & Natural Progression
Effortless Passionate Creativity
The Magic of Giving
Universal Law of Reciprocation
Realizing Your Purpose
Manifesting Desirable Results Through Balance
Discovering the Truths of Your Existence

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.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Our Conscious Origin
Self Truths: Part 1
Releasing Attachments to Judgmental Labels
The Evolution of Spirituality
The Intelligent Mind of All That Is

Question: Hi, I’ve been learning a lot about the idea that we create our reality. If this is true, then does it mean we’ve created all of the bad things in our world too? I don’t understand the issues of politics, crime, war, death, destruction and so on. Did I contribute to the creation of those things? And if so, how am I responsible? I’m not attacking, I’m just asking–if we create our own reality then wouldn’t that include our world at the global scale as well? I never want war or crime or bad doings, but they seem to be growing. How did I create them? Thank you in advance for your answer. By the way, I like your site a lot. - Jessica

Answer: Jessica, thank you. I appreciate probing questions like yours. I believe the external world, we call reality, is a reflection of both our individual point of focus and the collective focus of mass consciousness. But the mass collective consciousness definitely has a stronger ability for influencing global issues (at a faster rate) than our individual point within that consciousness does.

I have written a few older blog posts where I touched on the fact that we are indeed responsible for all of what we observe around us. The beauty in that (I know it may seem almost impossible to find beauty in many of the things in our world) is if we are capable of creating undesirable manifestations then imagine the amazing potential for what we could be creating.

Of course, manifestation in this physical plane is a 50/50 thing (usually). It takes our thoughts initially and then the follow-up of actions, based on those thoughts, to shift our reality. I say usually because I have seen items materialize from thin air without any action, so I know that too is possible. I believe the farther we push the envelope on consciousness, the more possible it is to see instantaneous manifestations, minus the action portion of the equation, but that’s a different subject altogether.

Now, you asked if you created things like war, [corrupt forms of] politics, crime, death, etc. I believe your individual influence on those wide spread issues is rather small in the whole scheme of mass consciousness. But, we all do contribute to the big picture. All of the items you asked about were set into motion many, many years before your specific personality came into focus in this existence. Since manifestation is an ongoing process, you can’t fault yourself for causing those things to have snowballed to their current status. Yet, you can certainly hone your thoughts and actions to where those things have very little impact on your personal life, in turn preventing their contribution at the global scale as well- minus death of course.

Death is one of those things that serves as a transition, similar to birth, into other environments. I can’t say for certain why death is an absolute for all physical beings in our reality; other than I believe we utilize it to broaden our consciousness. It’s sort of the ultimate form of expansion, which serves to remind us there is so much more out there than just these bodies of flesh and bone.

Another component, which is a regular occurrence we can count, is change. Change is inevitable because it prevents our Universe from becoming stagnant. If it weren’t for change, we would all be living lives that have no meaning since they would be frozen in time. Change has the ability to usher in events that provide us with new desires. One way I like to look at the events we deem horrible is that they are providing us with the ability to carve out these new desires for ourselves and those around us.

If we would all begin to shift our focus toward those new desires, rather than continuing to talk about, think about and identify with “bad” things (even though we don’t want them to occur), then we would begin to feel an internal shift. And if our actions were also congruent with those thoughts, the shift would be experienced at the physical level as well.

I’m definitely not suggesting we walk around with our heads in the sand regarding issues in our country and abroad, especially on the heels of my last post. However, once we understand the domestic and foreign state of affairs, then it’s time to stop constantly inundating ourselves with more of the same. Enough really is enough. It’s the job of the news agencies (and all bearers of bad news) to make it seem as if you can’t live without their reports. In reality, you can do just fine without listening to their spew time and again. Give those guys an inch and they will be more than happy to take twenty miles. Once we have been informed of the “big picture” then it’s time to turn off the television and the internet’s version of things and start making our own contributions in the direction of that which we wish for the world to experience.

Most people feel helpless and believe their seemingly “insignificant” contribution won’t make any difference whatsoever. And earlier in this post I did say you have to let yourself off the hook for the massive scale of corruption seen throughout the world. Yet, each individual and their experiences do create a ripple effect. The old adage about no man being an island is true. As long as we have thought thoughts and taken actions that interact in some way with others, we have already been participants in this game we call life and can no longer consider ourselves isolated. To be a participant means we have contributed in some way to our world. This is why it’s important to weigh out what we wish to contribute, from this point forward.

If humanity has created and added to most of the undesirable conditions we see throughout the world (and it has), then humanity absolutely has the ability, at the mass consciousness level, to make a full scale change in the other direction- but this has to start with each individual. The way you do your part, Jessica, is by setting the example in your own life. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Begin focusing on primarily those things that bring out your feelings of joy, passion and love and let your actions naturally follow suit. It’s OK to occasionally acknowledge the state of affairs in the world, but after doing so, quickly shift your focus to the way you want your little corner within it to be. And then make it so.

All of the negativity has to stop somewhere. Each one of us must set the example. Even if we don’t consciously want more harm and destruction to occur, our constant attention to the fact it is occurring is what prevents us from shifting our vibration. If we can’t pull ourselves out of a negative mindset, we will have problems taking the appropriate actions to contribute to the changes we desire to see.

And that does it for this question and answer installment. I’d like to thank Jessica for her great questions and you for taking the time to read this post. If you have any spiritual development or self-help questions you would like to see addressed, feel free to contact me. As always, your name will be kept private unless you request otherwise.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Exploring and Creating Our Reality
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation
Spiritual Winds of Change
Items Materializing from Thin Air

Over the years, as I have worked to explore my total-self, I’ve discovered an occasional tendency to try and ignore or hide certain emotions and experiences. If something didn’t feel “proper” or if it didn’t seem to fit into a so called sublime spiritual state of being, then I found the need to repress or ignore it. And when I wasn’t forcing it back into the abyss where it came from, then I was feeling guilt or shame for thinking the thoughts and for taking the specific actions related to the thoughts.

For me, coming into a better understanding of my spiritual side has been amazing; however, it has also caused me to place a lot of undue, unnecessary stress and pressure upon myself. I think anyone that’s engaged in self-exploration and growth will eventually encounter some form of self-condemnation or judgment. As we tune into what we feel is a more aware, connected, conscientious state, it’s not uncommon to hold ourselves to an even higher standard than ever before regarding our past and present emotional responses and actions.

Despite the improved states of awareness we may have achieved through spiritual pursuits, we need to be cautious about denying any part of our human experience. Acknowledging our emotional tendencies and physical experiences is part of the journey. There comes a point, however, when it’s important to understand we must not only acknowledge, but eventually honor all of our feelings and experiences. To acknowledge is simply to recognize (with or without attachment), but in showing honor we are providing ourselves with a form of respect minus any critique.

I’m not saying we can’t or shouldn’t learn to make continuous choices which are more advantageous for ourselves as well as for others. But, I do believe it’s easy to wander into the trap of expecting our human aspects, tendencies and “faults” to fall away once we experience more pronounced inner growth. Because of these unrealistic expectations, we may begin to vehemently deny, repress and/or resent that side of us as it expresses itself. I believe this tendency is, in fact, where the damaging concept of sin stems from. We are definitely spiritual beings, but we are these beings while simultaneously having a human experience, in which there’s nothing sinful.

There are certain biological and physiological drives and responses that will always accompany this physical journey no matter how much enlightened knowledge we possess. That doesn’t mean we are victims, prisoners or unwitting pawns of the human vehicle. It only means it’s important for us to understand these functions for what they are and embrace them as we continue our own growth.

The sooner we can distance ourselves from the concept of having to live some imaginary, saintly, sterile life, just because we are on a spiritual journey, the better. I don’t think we should equate true spiritual awareness with feeling guilt or denial over any of our emotions and experiences. In fact, feeling guilty and sinful have about as much in common with spirituality as George Bush does with being considered a Rhodes scholar. Sorry, I couldn’t resist that one!

We have always been taught that fear and the repercussions from some external power (be it our parents, teachers, pastors, god, the long arm of the law, etc.) should keep our actions and thoughts in line. In other words, it’s ok to be ourselves, just as long as we measure up to a certain ideal or standard. Deviate from that standard and we’re up the creek (at least in the eyes of many). The problem with this logic is very evident- it teaches us to not honor our true feelings and it causes us to find shame in many of our actions.

Once again, I’m not encouraging anyone to break the law or mistreat others. I’m encouraging you to think about why you may feel compelled to not honor all of your emotions and actions, whether they’re deemed proper or improper by society or any form of spiritual or religious teachings. When we can learn to honor every part without judgment, I believe we will have a more whole, integrated, joyous experience. As our lives become more whole, we stop operating from fractured psychological and physical states.

Imagine a jigsaw puzzle. Every disconnected piece may contain snippets of beauty, but in its broken state it’s impossible to see the phenomenal, big picture. And to complicate things further, many of us decide to throw out our own life pieces that we feel no longer fit with our current self-image or understanding. However, when each piece is not only kept but acknowledged for what it is, honored and then joined together- an amazing scene unfolds.

Honoring who we are (even our supposed wrong doings) and leaving condemnation behind does not mean we are doomed to repeat our past, nor does it prevent our own internal and external growth. On the contrary, it enhances our growth. The most disconnected, diminished state of being is one that’s broken into a million pieces represented by fear, guilt, repression, regret and disassociation with our feelings and experiences. Bring your pieces together by embracing the human side (including all of its interesting parts) and joining it with the spiritual side. To ultimately understand they are both one gigantic, intertwined experience, without any real separation, is the ultimate state of honoring who you are.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Q & A: Why do we feel Negative Emotion?
Freeing Ourselves of Guilt
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Maintaining Perspective amidst Spiritual Pursuits

As we come in contact with our real values and begin to recognize what truly matters, to us in life, we may find ourselves questioning things like materialism and wealth. There’s little doubt why those in pursuit of their own truths become disenchanted with the ideologies found in capitalistic societies. Consumerism and gluttony are encouraged from the time we are old enough to comprehend words and sentences.

As small children we were completely inundated by these concepts; from the television to the playground. And even if we lived in a household which heavily monitored how we spent our time; we were quickly brought up to speed once we enrolled in the public school system. These “lessons” always managed to find us by way of peer pressure, judgment and downright cruelty.

If you didn’t come from the right neighborhood, wear the right clothing, have parents that earned a specific amount of income, hang with the right people and so forth, then you didn’t make the cut. The message was always the same despite its spoken variations, “You’re one of us, or you’re an outcast.” So, you either conformed or died- socially speaking anyway.

I played the game for a while, but eventually opted for social death in middle school and high school. Admittedly, at times, however, it felt more like a social massacre. The sad thing: this mindset was not limited to the kids. I witnessed many “educators” in their thirties, forties and fifties reiterating and encouraging this same mentality.

Even as adults they were still trapped in a limiting paradigm built on the concepts of conformity, status and measuring self-worth through social circles, physical attributes and material possessions. I’ve yet to determine whether this stems from fear, ignorance or a little of both. Unfortunately, this behavior, as the norm, has not receded; it’s only accelerated in many adults and children. Fortunately, there does appear to be a strong sub-cultural movement, outside the norm, awakening to a shift in consciousness.

Now, the reason I set the stage, so to speak, with some childhood memories; is to highlight why individuals, on spiritual paths, may be coming to the conclusion abundance is bad or evil. For many of us, our initial “awakening”, if you will, came from experiences similar to what I just described. As kids or young adults, we could feel life was about so much more than the petty, shallow experiences being played out before us.

Those of us that refused to be a part of the old standard began associating the concept of wealth with closed minded people from our past (or maybe our present). And even if many of them weren’t truly wealthy, they still talked the talk to prevent their own social “lynching.” Either way, they physically and psychologically represented everything we were working so hard to break free from.

There’s little wonder why so many people pursuing spiritual paths have a bad taste in their mouth regarding wealth and abundance, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Having a somewhat opulent lifestyle does not have to be confused with spiritual ignorance. I believe it is entirely possible to consider yourself a spiritual person and live in abundance.

Many have done a great job shattering the old paradigm in their lives, but in doing so they’ve succeeded in assuming spirituality must go hand in hand with scarcity. Maybe this is also due in part to the ancient tales of avatars and martyrs meagerly existing. As we read or hear about those stories, A) we can’t be certain of what specifically consists of fact and what may be symbolic fiction, B) those experiences occurred thousands of years ago in times which have little resemblance to our own, and C) each of us is carving out our own path which does not have to follow in anyone else’s footsteps.

For centuries wealth has been associated with external power and the desire to exert control over others, in a system that’s extremely out of balance. It’s high time that model changed! If we are truly about paradigm shifts, then shouldn’t we set forth a new example in this arena as well; one in which wealth and abundance can consist of mutually beneficial, free flowing energy exchanges? If we make the shift, to where the majority of our endeavors (entrepreneurial or otherwise) are about uplifting, helping and healing others; then how can there be harm in receiving an abundant flow of resources through such honest, sincere pursuits?

This goes back to the Universal Law of Reciprocation. The more we give from a place of true benefit for the purpose of helping others, the more our lives will naturally be enhanced. Abundance, received from uplifting endeavors, will not take us off our spiritual path or remove us from our “enlightened” pursuits. This form of abundance will actually provide the means and afford us the ability to have even greater, more expansive experiences. While taking inner journeys to better understand who we are is important, perhaps there isn’t anything more important, spiritually speaking, than reaching out to others, in order to help them find their own source of strength. The more resources we have access to, the greater our potential for doing so.

Now, for the irony- as we find ourselves filled up with the joy of knowing our true nature, consistently helping others and surrounded by abundance, the less material items we want anyway. At least, that has been my experience. For the last few years, I’ve noticed a simplification process and a minimalistic attitude toward the possessions in my life.

Yet, I continue to encourage abundance, not because I want “things”, but because I’ve realized the energy flow of financial independence provides me with personal freedom along with the means to continue uplifting other people. Both of these, for me, essentially go hand in hand anyway. The majority of my time is spent creating content that is meant to help others. Without the abundance coming in from donations and advertising here at Wind of the Soul, I would not have the free time to devote to my passions. I feel the greater my platform of prosperity, the more I’m able to give back, whether through my work as a blogger and podcaster or through financial contributions to others.

If someone is completely satisfied to their core and happy living a life devoid of financial abundance, that’s fantastic. I would never tell others what they should or should not have in their lives. In fact, I’ve always disagreed with spiritual teachers that categorize wealth; explaining we aren’t truly wealthy unless each of our supposed life categories is overflowing. In my opinion, wealth is a state of mind, not an estate of material possessions. However, I don’t think shunning an abundant lifestyle or stifling our desires to be comfortable (if that’s what we want); simply because we’ve learned to associate them with a non-spiritual way of being, is necessary or called for.

When we have found the means to uncouple our self-worth and value from our possessions and status, we will have found a true state of happiness and mastery over our lives. As our sense of self is derived from within and our pursuits become more about helping others (even in the smallest of ways), then we will be capable of allowing abundance into our lives from a place of the greater good. Abundance at this “level” will not be about showmanship, social cliques, greed, the latest fads, external power or control, but instead will be about our personal expansion for the sake of enriching our lives and enriching the lives of those we come in contact with.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Universal Law of Reciprocation
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
The Magic of Giving

The idea of maintaining proper perspective is vitally important along any spiritual path. Exploring our inner nature without paying close attention to the alterations which may be occurring to our perceptions can be problematic. These alterations can aid us immensely; taking our conscious awareness into new states of mind and being which enhance our physical lives.

However, when we allow these same alterations to consistently take us away from a balanced center, they have the potential for being detrimental. It’s similar to having access to a hammer- if properly employed (along with many other tools and supplies); it can construct a beautiful home. Yet, if we turn around and wield it improperly, that same hammer is capable of destruction.

Coming to a better understanding of our spiritual nature, even from a very mystical point of view, is about positively augmenting our lives. It’s about enriching who we are internally and then projecting that enrichment outward as it blends with our external experience.

While these forms of enrichment and their specific details are unique to each person (and no one can tell anyone else how they should experience this); relatively speaking, they will always be uplifting. They should only increase the joy in our physical lives; never detract from it.

My ideas regarding spirituality most definitely encompass mystical philosophies and experiences, yet for me, it’s imperative I find a way to incorporate that knowledge in a grounded manner. While attaching physical labels to such experiences never does them justice; trying to keep one foot in both “worlds”, or worse- both feet solely in that world, doesn’t cut it either. I feel I want to find a way to acknowledge and learn from things like my own out of body experiences and altered states of consciousness, yet practically apply what I learned “there”, back here, in my real life.

Many individuals are living a life of escapism through their so called spiritual endeavors. They’ve convinced themselves spirituality is about following dogmatic practices or seeing through social constructs, all for the purpose of eventually being rescued from this world. Many even claim to have received channeled messages informing them of the exact date and time this will occur. The “rescue me” mentality breeds a detachment from physical reality. The purpose of this post is not to judge their actions, but to illustrate a shifting of that metaphorical hammer from constructive to destructive.

Spirituality is about seeing through constructs (social or otherwise) and understanding why those constructs are there in the first place. However, it’s not about educating ourselves for the reward of being removed from physical life by some religious deity, super “entity”, or supposed enlightened extraterrestrial civilization. It’s about seeing through the veil to enrich our physical lives, right here and now. The sooner we quit trying to escape our perceived problems, whether physically or metaphysically and we actively start working our way toward our own emotional/psychological “salvation”, the better.

Now, I’m not saying there aren’t other intelligent civilizations throughout the Universe or religious avatars residing a dimensional shift away. I’m saying some people have a tendency, once they begin experiencing metaphysical or mystical encounters (or believing in the experiences of others), to lose touch with their center.

There is absolute legitimacy to mystical experiences, but that legitimacy resides in another “place” or as Jane Roberts called it- “an inner order of events.” And often times, this inner order cannot be literally translated into our outer physical circumstances. Some force the issue anyway, never realizing the potential problems associated with doing so. As they try to overlay it entirely on the physical structure, they can begin losing rational semblance of physical perception.

In my opinion, spirituality should never stunt any area of our lives and it’s definitely not an either or thing- meaning were either spiritual beings or physical humans. I believe we’re both, simultaneously, and because of this it’s important to find a way to merge the two while keeping our feet on the ground.

It is definitely a delicate balance, but for all intents and purposes, I feel, spirituality should always lean toward a more practical application in our lives. Spiritual growth is about staying open, along with exploring and intelligently applying what we’ve learned, but it’s also about always maintaining and enhancing the connection to our physical life experience, while we still have it.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Ineffable States of Enlightenment
Skepticism in the Midst of Personal Enlightenment
Discovering the Truths of Your Existence
Altered States of Consciousness & Aspects of Awareness

Today’s entry, in continuing with my wisdom in nature posts, features the elusive wind. At times, this element can be the yin to water’s graceful yang, yet it too provides us with its own enlightening characteristics. Wind has the ability to rapidly modulate its movement and its course, all based upon a connection to the moment. And while its temperament may not always be as passive and gentle as flowing water, it has developed its own unique variations and capacities for being a spiritual teacher just the same.

Wind provides the majority of its insight and wisdom through the demonstration of persistence and tenacity. Like water, it has the ability to slowly wear away any form of resistance and is a true artisan among the elements.

Through its own resolve, wind sculpts amazing shapes from solid canyon walls and cliffs. It knows its abilities will ultimately see its harshest forms of opposition turned into beautiful wind swept sceneries and vistas.

While wind primarily utilizes diligence as its tool for creation, it never underestimates the importance of calm precision. With the slightest amount of effort, applied to an evening breeze, it cools the hottest summer nights.

Wind moves with the purpose of growth. Its gusts serve to strengthen every tree limb. For without its help, the smallest groves of saplings would never mature into strong, thick forests.

Wind brings forth rejuvenation, clearing out the old to make way for the new. Stagnation is not a possibility in the natural environment, as wind ushers in the potential for change.

Wind moves with the purpose of nurturing. Its drafts serve as guides to the gray giants of the sky. For without its assistance, precious rain would never find thirsty crops.

Wind encourages all living things to bend with the direction of its movement. Those that learn to give way are not toppled by its breezes. The wind, however, does not believe all things must follow its specific course; it simply teaches the ability to relax, stretch and allow.

The wind is a free spirit, devoid of hang-ups or attachments. It’s completely self-actualized, spontaneous and comfortable in its own awareness and actions; whether it’s blustering between the branches of an old oak or whipping through the needles of a mountain pine. It finds immense benefit in all environments and eagerly travels from one location to the next, minus fear, doubt or concern.

Wind moves with the purpose of uplifting. Its updrafts serve to relax the beat of a million wings. For without its help, birds could not soar to new heights.

The wind does not brag or boast of these attributes, but prefers to operate through visual anonymity. Only the rustling of leaves, the swaying of grass and the tussling of our hair reveal its presence. It has remained eternally unseen, yet will be forever felt and heard.

Similar to The Wisdom of Water; in this post, I provided the wind with many characteristics resembling intelligence. Yet, I believe this somewhat intangible teacher does possess its own awareness; maybe not exactly like yours and mine, but a consciousness, nonetheless.

Many of these observations came from a relaxed state of watching the trees sway outside my window, but several of the wind’s “subtler” qualities didn’t appear to be stemming from my scrutiny. Instead, they seemed to come as one solid, elaborate thought (without any need to be developed or re-written); infused with a deeper sense of knowing. So it is, when we are completely tuned to the awareness of that which has not forgotten.

This entry has also been featured as an audio recording. It can be found in the podcast section or played directly by following this link: Podcast #8: The Wisdom of Wind. The recording runs for 6 minutes. File size for downloading is: 5.49 MB.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

The Wisdom of Water
Effortless Passionate Creativity
Persistence
Shaking Off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
Forgiving Our Past: Key to Unlocking a Joyful Present

After recording three podcasts (episodes 4, 5 & 6) pertaining to the intentional creation of our reality, I realized much was stated verbally that hasn’t been expressed through my writing. Specifically, I’m referring to the recognition of how the law of attraction (LOA) really isn’t a quick fix mechanism, but instead a total lifestyle change. In my audio recordings, I equated the LOA to the application of proper eating and exercise: results will always be directly related to the consistent application of the knowledge at hand (both through our thoughts and our actions).

Despite what many law of attraction teachings state, regarding turning our lives completely around in twenty or thirty days, I find it’s more of a natural progression. And I don’t feel natural progressions are dictated by human time tables. While there may very well be instances where people completely perform a 180 degree transformation, on all levels, in four weeks; large manifestations of change primarily unfold in a very different manner.

I personally have been involved with instantaneous materializations, so I know they are possible. Although I do feel our beliefs are directly correlated to this type of phenomenon, there is still no denying the natural, unrushed progression which can be observed consistently in nature. This is why I focused on the wisdom of water in my last post, leading up to today’s entry.

As we honestly look to the behavior of naturally occurring elements, performing as they always have on this planet; we are granted a window into a lost world, minus human socialization. This world is “lost” to most because we have forgotten the innate understanding of how all things synchronize, in harmony, through a natural orderly progression. It’s completely socialized out of us.

We have cast aside our ability to set forth a desire, line up with a steady psychological path, minus doubt, and physically pursue our interest with a soft and gentle consistency. If we would maintain this awareness, the Universe, in its own naturally progressive way, would harmoniously deliver our intention, every time. In nature there are no deadlines or demands that can force its hand. It absolutely provides what is needed and intended, but nothing can strong-arm it into doing so at a faster pace.

“Away” from the natural world, back amongst humanity, we’ve come to believe we have to make things happen, but the Universe knows better. LOA teachings indicating everything in our lives can turn around on a dime are stated with good intentions, but they still hint of deadlines, time tables, and forcing a change. This attitude flies in the face of the concept of natural progression, which can be viewed throughout all settings in nature.

Many years ago, there was a margarine commercial airing on television, boasting about the product’s taste and how it was impossible to tell the difference between it and butter. The commercials always ended with a female actress depicting Mother Nature, stating, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” These ads were insinuating the margarine company had pulled a fast one on “her” by capturing the taste of real butter in their non-butter product. While these were only commercials, this same attitude prevails among many people, even if it’s unintentional.

We are always trying to pull one over on nature to speed up a process here or there. That same mindset has even found its way into ideas and concepts for intentionally creating our reality. While we may feel we’re able to “fool” Mother Nature for a short while, there are always repercussions. This is why it’s important to understand we absolutely can have, be or do anything, but we simultaneously need to respect the natural progression of all things. If we work in harmony with this understanding, we will not burn out on the LOA, as so many do, when using it as a quick-fix remedy.

Our lives did not reach their present state overnight. They are an accumulation of momentous thoughts and actions which have come to fruition through their own natural progression. To alter our current manifested reality we absolutely must begin making emotional and physical changes, but we have to recognize this is an entire lifestyle change, for the rest of our lives. Just as years of momentum brought us to our present moment, momentum will also lead us to an entirely different place in our lives. If we have changed our thoughts and actions and are working with the flow of natural progression, instead of trying to fight it; it’s guaranteed our future will look extremely different than our past.

It can be difficult to move beyond the “I want it now” forceful mentality. This is why I frequently discuss focusing on our passion as a component of working with the law of attraction. When we pursue our passion we naturally tap into the same wisdom as flowing water, without even thinking about it. This allows us to return to that lost world of knowledge within ourselves. When focusing on passionate pursuits, we instinctually perform more in sync with the elements and the characteristics of natural progression, without always forcing something to happen. We drop the attitude of trying (which isn’t seen in nature) and adopt the attitude of consistently doing, by being softly deliberate, gently intentional and quietly unfailing. This state of being will see us through every leg of our journey.

I don’t believe understanding and assimilating the ideas of natural progression will cause manifestations to appear at a slower rate. In my opinion, it actually accentuates our abilities to become intentional creators. We will be more in harmony with the Universe and its abundance when we are simultaneously creating alongside its natural processes, as opposed to seeing ourselves wielding a form of external control over it- trying to milk it, as quickly as possible, for all it’s worth.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

The Wisdom of Water
Effortless Passionate Creativity
Podcast #4: The Law of Attraction
Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation
Podcast #6: Law of Attraction – the Techniques
Learning to Let Go
Items Materializing From Thin Air

Mankind has always looked to nature as its ultimate external spiritual teacher. When we observe the elements in their natural, pristine settings; they have much to share regarding the unfolding of life. All things in the environment, (minus man’s interference) come about through an unhurried, consistent, form of allowing. While these traits can be witnessed in many elements, there doesn’t seem to be one that articulates them in a manner more beautifully than flowing water.

Water shares its wisdom with us through the subtleties of its action. Aside from an occasional storm, it has very little to prove and radiates a modest confidence in this knowledge. It has the ability to relax; taking on any shape which tries to encase it, while simultaneously possessing the potential to eventually realize its freedom- whether as a vapor or a liquid.

Water finds peace through its own versatility, recognizing there’s no need to control, or struggle. In its resourcefulness, it always discovers the path which is the most harmonious and least resistant. If resistance is met, it doesn’t battle to overcome it, rather it stays consistent in its own subtle flow, until the resistance eventually wears away.

Water happily sprays and joyously splashes, without inhibition and without any specific reason for doing so. It just does and it doesn’t worry over what the fish, trees, grass or anything else may think.

Water allows without provocation. It doesn’t demand that anything follow its lead. It carves out its own trail and silently lets those objects, which choose to take the trip with its current, come downstream for the ride. Simultaneously, it doesn’t mind that other rivers, creeks and streams are hewing out their own unique passage, just a short distance away.

Water gives freely of itself to all living things, without fear of lack or shortage in supply. It understands that through generosity, both its experience and the experience of the recipient will become more enhanced.

Water, in its constant state of motion, doesn’t become tense or anxious. It has found its movement to be more graceful and fulfilling when it leaves rigidity to the rocks it glides past.

Water does not worry over its performance as it rounds a bend in the stream or shoots the falls. It simply fails to get in its own way. With all of its billions of individual droplets making up the unity of its current- it recognizes it is the way.

Water is not in any hurry to reach an ultimate destination- for it knows such a place does not exist. It understands that being softly deliberate, gently intentional and quietly unfailing will always see it through to the next location in its path. However, it never ceases to enjoy the course of its journey, in the moment of now.

In this post, I have given water very human-like traits and personifications of intelligence. Yet, the irony, here, is water acts nothing like most of us. It absolutely has its own way of trusting and being. What it may lack in terms of I.Q. points and human consciousness, it more than makes up for in its connection to the natural, uncomplicated movement of all things in the Universe.

While there are definitely moments where calm, allowing passivity may be inappropriate in the human experience; the majority of time we could adopt these characteristics. If we would take just a handful of the examples this magnificent element provides us- and apply them in our lives- we would see an amazing shift begin to develop in the way we feel. As our feelings shift and change, our external reality will join in unison.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

This entry has also been featured as an audio recording. It can be found in the podcast section or played directly by following this link: Podcast #7: The Wisdom of Water. The recording runs for 8 minutes and 48 seconds. File size for downloading is: 8.06 MB.

Related Posts

The Wisdom of Wind
Self Truths: Part 1
Learning to Let Go
Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
The Law of Attraction & Natural Progression

Many people are capable of embracing the old adage, “Variety is the spice of life”; as long as variety doesn’t stick its nose into the spiritual side of their lives. After spending many years reading and learning about an array of metaphysical and spiritual teachings; the one thing I have consistently observed: almost every book, theory, philosophy, religion, etc. differs significantly from another. Often times the core tenants are similar, however the farther you move away from the core, the greater the quantity of spice that’s been added.

These differences used to frustrate me because I wanted so desperately to find the ultimate truth. Little did I realize the variations I was so agitated with contained more validity than any “Holy Grail” of external knowledge I imagined to exist. It wasn’t necessarily the teachings, contained in each variation, which brought me to this epiphany. Rather, it was the fact so much variety could exist.

Looking back, it’s ironic to find that the multitude of words, contained in these teachings, never delivered what I consider to be my greatest understanding. Don’t get me wrong, I have benefited immensely from a large volume of metaphysical philosophies, but many (including religion) fail to recognize they are not thee be all and end all; instead they are only a small portion of an even greater spiritual evolution. They are but stones peaking out from under a vast body of water for us to tread upon, in order to keep moving forward.

Some ancient teachers, and modern “masters” alike, have stated the information they impart should not be deviated from in the least little bit. They hold on tight like rabid dogs, not wanting anyone to reinterpret the application of their teachings.

Yet, I feel individual deviation (not deviancy) and remodeling are natural inclinations, if we’re in tune with our own innate calling. It is not only natural, but a given we will take established information, apply it in our lives and then reintroduce its understanding (or discard it) from our own perspective. If we aren’t doing that, then we may risk functioning from a place of complacency and fear driven dogma.

Those that absorb and explore information and then reinterpret it from their perspective (whether they keep it to themselves or not) are contributing to this evolutionary process we call spirituality. As human beings we tend to think of evolution only occurring at a very physically based level. Yet, physicality stems from meta-physicality. The expansion of one aspect contributes greatly to the other. It’s a give and take process.

Spiritual growth is not something that began and ended during the age of Christ or Buddha. We aren’t left here to simply follow in someone else’s footsteps from two thousand or more years ago and hope we receive a reward when we pass on. We’re here to create, expand (consciously or unconsciously), and evolve beyond the information brought forth before us. Expansive spiritual experience is not about repeating the same exact tenants for eon after eon. It’s about acknowledging the core teachings and then contributing from our personal perspective.

The understanding that spiritual teachings have a multitude of variation and difference is not something to shun; instead it’s something to embrace and expand upon. Many times, people see a wide variety of interpretations in spiritual information and they will either give up on it altogether or hold on tighter to their familiar convictions; believing there cannot be so much difference. They, like me, wanted it all to be cut and dried.

But I’ve learned we don’t live in a cut and dried Universe. We live in an expansive, impressionable Universe; one that does not possess any single ultimate truth, nor hold any one above another. Instead, it has the ability to reflect each and every diverse experience; making them all true in their respective moment. However, one moment eventually turns into the next and the evolutionary process, across all realms, is again under way.

We can either move freely with this process, while allowing it to contribute greatly to our expansive nature and vice versa, or we can hold tight to our old concepts and ideologies, believing they are the ultimate truth.

There’s no wrong answer here. But if we choose to move freely with the spiritual evolution, we just may develop a better understanding of consciousness, equality, how unique individuality is possible among mass unity, and the potential for un-limiting our selves.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Discovering the Truths of Your Existence
Ineffable States of Enlightenment
The Intelligent Mind of All That Is
Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
Recognizing Opportunities for Expansion
Eternally Expansive Consciousness
Our Conscious Origin
Spiritual Winds of Change

Out of all the emotions that lend themselves to self-sabotage, perhaps none are as potent as guilt. When we carry a heavy heart, burdened by something we’ve done that’s deemed wrong or improper, we constrict the expansion of our being. Guilt has the potential to shut us down in so many ways.

Often times, I have looked to my past and thought, “Why on earth did I do that?” Usually this thought is laced with heavy doses of gut wrenching judgment. The more I dwell on condemning my past actions (actions which cannot be physically changed anyway), the more I can feel myself undermining my potential.

Somewhere along the way, many of us have adopted the illogical attitude we aren’t a good person if we don’t carry around regrets from our past. We grow up believing we should be disgusted with ourselves for making certain choices. After all, no person of good moral standings would dare do something like that (insert any unfavorable action here) and not feel bad about it until the day they die, right?

I don’t mean to suggest we should not learn from our past experiences, nor am I saying we shouldn’t make choices that are more advantageous for ourselves and those around us. I just don’t feel we should ball up all of our supposed misdeeds and hold onto them as a means for re-iterating our unworthiness. The more we dwell on our past actions, the more we continue to lose sight of the present. By doing so, we act out our own inner beliefs concerning our lack of self worth.

Even if we feel being mindful of our past will guarantee we won’t repeat those same actions; we overlook the understanding that the guilt we carry around prevents us from having peak experiences and interactions. If we stay vigilant in remembering our past “mistakes” as mistakes, then there’s no way we are completely free of feeling guilty for what we did.

And it’s impossible to be laden with a guilt ridden conscience and simultaneously be present, aware, joyful and connected to everything we do. The very things we are trying to avoid repeating are continuing to influence us in a negative way because we’re keeping them active in our thought processes.

We also believe that others should feel guilty for their wrong doings. We seem to think guilt is the correct response because it eventually leads to a confession, an apology or a mending of ways. However, endorsing and trying to foster guilt in others via blame, serves to diminish us as well. We don’t feel guilt because we need to make something right for someone else. And we don’t feel the need to endorse its expansion in others so we can feel better. We feel these things because internal mechanisms are letting us know it’s time to make amends within ourselves.

Feeling this way is a sure sign we are ripping ourselves apart internally. While apologies can be beneficial; they often serve to make the person that’s being apologized to feel vindicated and slightly superior. The apologist then walks away feeling diminished in who they are for having to act a certain way to appease someone else.

I want to reiterate, I’m not advocating that we live a life of treating others in a harmful way and then feel good about doing so. I’m advocating releasing the need to measure up to anyone’s standards. And I’m advocating we find a form of inner unconditional love which will always guide us in the direction of knowing the best way to treat ourselves and others.

Feeling prolonged guilt highlights a lack of unconditional love of self. Likewise, any time we demand an apology from others it highlights another form of placing conditions on our loving emotions. We won’t ever find that place of loving unconditionally by harshly judging our actions or expecting others to do the same concerning their own.

When I look back on certain situations from my past and I feel a twinge of judgment or condemnation regarding my behavior or the behavior of other people, I try and remind myself of this: our past can sometimes be akin to walking around in an unfamiliar room in the dark. We are all bound to trip over many things until we can hone in on our surroundings. We stumble often because we are trying many different means for finding our way. If we would allow ours eyes to adjust to the environment first, things would go much smoother.

This adjustment comes from the desire to see more clearly, while consistently slowing down in the midst of our experiences. I believe when we develop an understanding of the true motivation of our past actions and the emotionally motivated actions of others, our eyes begin to bring things into a clearer focus. We are then capable of forgiving both ourselves and other people without having to give (or expecting to receive) any form of emotional reparations. This provides us with an opportunity to free ourselves of guilt.

Related Posts

Forgiving Our Past: Key to Unlocking a Joyful Present
Q & A: Why do we feel Negative Emotion?
Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization

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.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Eternally Expansive Consciousness
The Energy Matrix
Our Conscious Origin
The Evolution of Spirituality
Making the Death Transition

A topic near and dear to my heart is the idea of people marching to the beat of their own drum. Despite what’s deemed the norm, and often times in spite of it, certain individuals manage to carve out their own unique ways of living, thinking and being. They’ve long since thrown off what’s considered acceptable by society’s standards and they live their lives by tuning into an inner calling and an awareness of what’s right for them.

In my opinion this is one of the fastest ways to become a fully self actualized human being. Self actualization is about more than establishing an identity. It’s about living intentionally and feeling wholeness and a fulfilled happiness that’s not dependent upon things or others. But, it’s simultaneously the recognition that material items and relationships can enhance your experience. However, they by no means have any bearing on your self sufficient state of joy and the knowledge of who you are.

Now, what prevents the majority from following cerebral and physical pursuits that embrace the ideas of wholeness and contentment in their being? In many cultures, societies, and even among family structures, there are two areas which seem to impede such pioneering ways: social regulations and social pressure.

The fascinating thing is societies with strong rules, regulations and laws seem to be a slightly better “breeding” ground for individuals that are willing to question where their sense of self is being derived from. Under these strict conditions, people will begin to become more introspective and doubt the powers that be (at least privately). This line of thinking lends itself to creating a more in tune individual. Citizens in harshly regulated societies are forced into adopting the status quo due to fear of reprisal. And while physically, they abide by the regulations, mentally they withdraw from the external claptrap and propaganda.

In societies where social pressure seems to be more dominant than social regulations, many people appear less likely to think for themselves and are more willing to adopt the group think mentality. People under intense social pressure conform initially out of fear of being rejected and meeting with verbal criticism. Over time the fear of being chastised and ostracized wanes. They eventually give in to the pressure and start mimicking and enforcing the “correct” lifestyle right alongside everyone else.

Many western cultures, like the United States for example, obviously have their laws and regulations, yet they also seem to have excellent conditions for cultivating severe social pressures. I believe much of this stems from the access we have to larger amounts of material resources than many other countries.

This access causes an obvious delineation between the haves and the have not’s. The wider the gap becomes, the greater the strain on the fabric of society. As we begin paying more attention to what we have and don’t have (in comparison to others), than we do to who we are and how we can help one another- we succumb to social pressure.

In this nation, social pressure leads people to engage in activities they would never dream of if they were more in tune with their true selves. You don’t have to look very far to locate someone who’s willing to do unnecessary things to their body, simply to try and please someone else.

From Botox to implants, to living on drugs that aid sexual performance, we are selling ourselves out in an attempt to locate an external form of happiness. And that doesn’t even begin to address what we do to one another and our world in the pursuit to acquire more and more material items.

I know many people fear the direction our nation is going; especially in view of some of the ways we’ve relinquished personal freedoms. However, as long as we are willing to continue playing many of the materialistic, mindless games we’ve been engaging in, government has no need to enforce stricter laws and regulations. We’re already censoring and restricting our true selves for them.

Social pressures are one of the strongest forms of control western nations have over their citizens. The sad thing is we continue to perpetuate that control with very little prompting. We line up willingly.

We’re either killing ourselves to look good or to artificially feel good (via drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food addictions, shopping addictions, sex addictions, etc.). Either way, both types of extreme behaviors originate from a place of physical self loathing and a lack of removing the pressure to always perform and to have more.

In the process, we’ve forgotten to just be. In being, we quiet the external stimuli and we search within; bringing ourselves to a point of knowing instead of a place of mimicking, reaching, guessing, and stumbling.

I don’t believe there’s a thing wrong with having nice material possessions or wanting to look good, or feel good (real happiness, not the artificial kind). The problem resides in the over identification of who we are with these things. Once we learn to relate to our value as solely residing in our appearance, what we own, what we can ingest, or who we can score with; we have succumbed to the very social pressure that strips us of actualization.

We can become so submersed in living in this manner; we never recognize there’s something more. This can go on for years until we wake up one day to an empty shell of a life with very little depth or substance. This is a sure sign we’ve neglected the portion of ourselves that fuels our experience. It’s still there, but it’s stunted.

When we quit doing for the sake of trying to measure up and we start being for the sake of discovering real happiness and wholeness; we will have made an important shift. This conscious shift will take us from living accidentally through social pressure to living intentionally through the knowledge of the inner self.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Blazing Your Own Trail
Blazing Your Own Trail: the Techniques Part I
Intentionally Reclaiming Our Power
8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
Releasing Attachments to Judgmental Labels
Freeing Ourselves of Guilt
Realizing Your Purpose

A large portion of our personal interpretation, concerning reality, stems from our willingness to slap labels on experiences. Admittedly, it’s extremely difficult to not label items, events and other people, when we consider our entire means for communicating is dependent upon descriptive terms and phrases.

But, we can begin to make a conscious effort, in the language we choose, to rearrange the stamps and marks of identification which are slung around on a routine basis. Even more importantly, we can begin to internally release our attachment and affinity for casting a very specific type of label: the label of judgment.

While there are many forms of judgmental labels, the specific ones I’ll be focusing on in this post are those of right and wrong. We are immediately brought up with the idea that doing the right thing will continue to garner “love” from those in positions of authority i.e. parents, teachers, mentors, relatives, the community, law enforcement, etc. And of course, conversely, we have it drilled into us that doing the wrong thing will bring just the opposite.

The majority of parents and caregivers in no way feel they are literally taking their love away when a child behaves in a manner that’s deemed poorly or unacceptable. However, when parents immediately begin placing conditions upon their responses to children’s behavior, they are in fact placing conditions upon their loving responses toward those children as well.

In other words, do “X” activity and mommy/daddy will be so happy that she’ll/he’ll sing your praises from the rooftops. Do “Y” activity and you will make daddy/mommy very angry and forced to punish you. This, in a sense, is placing conditions on the loving emotions parents are willing to express at certain times. Most would have a tendency to deny it, but it’s extremely difficult to find the emotion of love when you’re fuming mad.

Because of this, children begin to see a trend in the emotional frailty of their parents. As they are constantly reminded of the correlation between their behavior and their parents’ responses, they begin to identify and attach heavily to the labels of doing right and doing wrong or being good and being bad.

Children also begin to believe it’s appropriate (through watching adult behavior) to place conditions on their own responses to their surroundings. Often times, when they encounter something that doesn’t appease them, they have a melt down. Hence, children have tantrums when adults say no and adults have their own emotional tantrums when the kids act up. It’s a learned cycle.

I’m not insinuating we should remove discipline from a child’s environment. I am suggesting we need to find ways to not make the distinction so extremely obvious when children displease us, compared to when they make us happy. It’s this extreme distinction that pounds labeling and the idea of conditional responses to specific behavior into a child’s head.

This doesn’t mean we should ignore our own emotional responses as adults either. It only means we need to do a better job of relaxing and releasing the need to express them so drastically and dramatically. It also means we need to find a balance when disciplining children, especially in the language we use, which is typically filled with words of comparison and judgment. It’s the continued emphasis on labeling that can set some children up for self-esteem issues, ideas of inappropriateness, guilt, chronic fear of failure, the inability to have their own healthy relationships, and plenty more.

Now, why is it so important to identify triggers like these from our own childhood? One, so we can make a difference for future generations and two, so we can understand how to put an end to this learned behavior within ourselves.

On a metaphysical level, I maintain the Universe isn’t making judgments or keeping score over what’s right and what’s wrong. These concepts are all drummed up in the human brain and perpetuated generation after generation. Events are not right or wrong, good or bad. At a deeper level, they just are. By stating that last sentence, I’m certainly not advocating that people lead a life of crime anymore than I’m advocating violent behavior towards others.

I believe once we are capable of reaching a level of understanding how the concepts of right and wrong have been blown so extremely out of proportion, we are already far better prepared to know how to treat others anyway. Someone who is in a position of deep introspection and contemplation has reached a place in their lives where they understand this. They realize their actions have a more advantageous effect when they are geared towards helping rather than harming. They ponder this information only because they are interested in pushing the envelope on the currently accepted ideas pertaining to life’s meanings.

Personally, I don’t lead a life of crime, not because it’s deemed wrong and I might go to jail, nor do I harm people, not because that’s deemed wrong and I might go to “hell.” I don’t do those things because they aren’t congruent with my inner knowledge and my inner desire to help others. I realize I have choices and options and I simply choose to try and lead a life of helping instead of harming. However, many people are in the dark about their options and feel that harming others is the only way to find their power. This doesn’t make it wrong. It only makes it different.

I know this probably sounds like a bizarre stance to take, but it’s all about exercising our ability to try and see beyond the confined ideas of existence, which have been forced down our throats. It’s this very forcing of labels, ideas and situations, onto us, that lead some towards a life of crime. Instead of going inward and finding their power amidst the stillness of their consciousness, they lose their awareness and rebel externally.

As we come to realize we are the source of all things expressing itself through this environment and we also understand we are the creators of our life experience, labels like right and wrong seem rather silly. How could universal source energy (the only thing that truly exists) ever commit something wrong against itself?

This is similar to the concept I addressed in my post “Life Lessons?”. If we are the god source energy and we create our reality every second of our lives (and I believe we do), then how could we ever be here to learn lessons? The only “lesson”, if you want to call it that, which we are here to learn or remember, is who we are and what we are truly capable of doing.

The problem in all of this is that most don’t realize they are god source energy. From that one falsehood stem a thousand more. Yet, they are all based on the original falsehood: that we are not of that which created this entire Universe. This is the very reason I don’t believe there is an ultimate right or wrong, a heaven and hell, or things like sin and karmic debt (not in the strictest sense of the word). These ideas were concocted by individuals that thought they were somehow separate from one another and separate from a deity that was purported to exist at a level far beyond their reach or comprehension.

If others choose to believe in sin, the devil, harsh karmic justice that follows us from one lifetime to the next, and what have you, I completely respect that. Due to our ability to create our own reality, they may very well find variations on those themes popping up in their life experiences, both here, and waiting for them on the other side. However, I choose to try and unfetter my beliefs, as much as possible, to allow my understanding to expand beyond limiting thoughts and concepts. I know there are worlds of existences, waiting out there, which extend outside our most limiting, ingrained thoughts.

Now, I will admit, I do still find myself labeling and judging some things as right or wrong, but the nice thing, these days, is that I catch myself midsentence and realize what I’m doing. As I make more of a conscious effort to relax the need to do so, the portion of my brain, which identifies with these labels, begins to feel the need to engage less and less.

In writing this post, I can see the glaring issues staring at me. If I’m saying that all things simply are and there’s no ultimate right or wrong, then how can I also say labeling and critiquing are undesirable activities? Isn’t that, in and of itself, a judgment call?

Therein resides the “problem” with philosophizing about our existence and the ideas that we are responsible for every aspect of our lives. However, we must be willing to take those steps outside all conventional “wisdom,” or else we are doomed to stay inside the box for eternity.

I realize, at the physical level of existence, it’s not easy to see things which seem unjust and horrible and not attach severe labels of criticism. We all do it, but the more we can direct our attention toward the idea that things simply are, as opposed to focusing on the idea bad things exist, the less we will find “atrocious” events in our midst. It’s ok to have a range of emotional responses to experiences and it’s also ok to view things as good and bad, but we must make a conscious effort to realize a large portion of our responses are programmed and conditioned.

The more open we are to this realization and the more we continue to work on deprogramming ourselves/working with our emotions, the better for us and our children. By continuing to fill children’s heads with labels and critiques, we stifle their open minded, awe-inspiring, creative abilities. And it’s never too late to regain all of those abilities within ourselves as well.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Disregarding Perfection?
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Intentionally Reclaiming Our Power
Our Conscious Origin
Self Truths: Part 1
The Dark Side?

For years, musicians, in different genres, have touched on the sentiment of today’s post regarding our perspective and how it pertains to opportunity. Two songs come immediately to mind: The rock anthem- You Can’t Always Get What You Want, by the Rolling Stones and the country classic- Unanswered Prayers, by Garth Brooks.

Of course, the Stones were singing about the concept that we don’t always receive everything we desire, but through our continued efforts, we can receive exactly what we need. Garth on the other hand, was referencing the idea that the god source energy provides its most amazing gifts, to us, by not granting certain prayers. However, it’s only in hindsight that we can understand and appreciate this.

Now, I don’t agree with the portion of these two songs that indicates we are unable to have or achieve certain things, whether by our own accord or due to a supposed intervention by source energy. It’s simply a matter of how we pursue our dreams (both through our thoughts and actions), and how willing we are to allow an adjustment of the means for them to manifest in our reality, which determines the outcome.

While we are in pursuit of certain dreams or goals, we can stumble onto some of the most treasured gems of opportunity and possibility. These opportunities could not have presented themselves, if we had not been pursuing our initial desires in the first place. And, they may very well serve as a new and “improved” route for continuing to thrust us forward, regarding our interests.

These paths, which may appear to be alternate to our initial plans, are the Universe’s way of handing us what we were originally wanting; only in a manner which is more appropriate for the achievement of all we desire. You see, I like to take songs like the ones mentioned above and interpret them differently than the way the song writers might have originally intended.

In the case of Unanswered Prayers, the main character had been setting forth the desire to have a great relationship and settle down with his high school sweetheart, but he was disappointed by the fact they failed to marry. Years later, he and the woman who eventually became his wife, run into his old flame at their alma mater’s football game. Bumping into her causes him to reflect on the idea god failed to answer his prayers during high school. Yet, he’s appreciative of this because his old girlfriend no longer behaved the way he remembered.

However, if we look a little closer, I believe his prayers were answered. They weren’t ignored at all. They were delivered to him, only in the guise of someone slightly different than the woman he initially assumed would fill the role. The character made his intentions clear (in this case through prayer) and took action by pursuing a relationship of his dreams. Along the way, certain opportunities presented themselves. And while he didn’t end up with his high school sweetheart, he still received his original intention for a meaningful, happy relationship.

Of course, this is just a song, but creative endeavors like song writing and singing, similar to writing and storytelling, provide the means to get in touch with our core beliefs. This is especially true if we find ourselves identifying heavily with the characters involved, whether we are the writer, listener or reader. We must examine those beliefs in order to understand the direction our lives are taking and what we are receiving.

For example, looking at alternate circumstances as an opportunity instead of a problem typically requires some distance between our initial intentions and the current crossroads we may be facing. We often have to take a new path and try it before we can fully appreciate its benefits. Only when we look back, can we reflect upon where we’ve been and the process it created, thus leading us to an even more advantageous point in our life experience.

The more consistently we can adopt and foster the view of alternate paths being opportunities instead of something dreadful, the more our lives will continue taking shape in a manner which resembles our initial intentions. Occasionally we must be willing to slightly remodel the means for achieving our desires, based upon our own expansion/evolution and what’s finding its way to us. Without this flexibility we may close ourselves off to some amazing experiences that can provide more expansive results than what we are currently achieving.

By continuing to set forth our intentions, establishing our true purpose, and taking actions which are in alignment with these; we will find a multitude of opportunities presenting themselves. This doesn’t mean we have to jump on board each and every one of them. Nor does it mean by taking any one them we have forsaken our original dream. It only means we are on the right path (for ourselves) and the Universe is acknowledging this by reflecting these opportunities in our experiences. It also means the original dream has reached such a point of expansion (right alongside our own personal expansion) that it too must go through some growth to continue keeping up with our new state of being.

So, don’t thank god for unanswered prayers, instead thank god, or source, or the Universe, or whatever you feel fuels your awareness, for manifestations that have been tailored to the individual you continue to become. As you shift and broaden your view point, you will recognize that when you get what you need, you’re really getting what you wanted all along.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Ineffable States of Enlightenment
The Evolution of Spirituality
Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation
Realizing Your Purpose
Eternally Expansive Consciousness

Question: My question pertains to the comatose state. Could you give your opinion on comas and whether or not you believe there’s a connection between the consciousness of a coma patient and the astral plane? Despite the fact most patients appear unresponsive, is their consciousness fully aware and possibly traveling outside the body? – Sheena

Answer: I absolutely believe comas provide the means for a patient’s awareness to pursue nonphysical realms. However, I can’t say for certain they are actually spending time on the astral plane. I feel the term astral plane has become a sort of catch all for anything deemed nonphysical, but I do believe the coma patient’s consciousness is extremely busy exploring other avenues of existence.

If we have what many call a higher self (and I believe we do), then that higher self has the ability to extend into many other environments while its focus vehicle rests in a hospital bed, or anywhere else for that matter. I actually believe our higher self is focusing upon several states of existence and physical vehicles simultaneously, at all times, but we are only aware of this one specific personality with which we primarily identify. I spoke about this theory in Altered States of Consciousness & Aspects of Awareness.

If we think of a coma in terms of a really deep state of sleep, then we can more easily understand the manner in which our consciousness shifts its focus away from the physical body. I believe the dream environments we encounter on a nightly basis are evidence of the voyages our awareness takes while our bodies are at rest. The coma would be very similar to this, only from a deeper point of “suspended animation,” regarding the patient’s body.

Now, based on your question, it sounds like you may also be asking why people go into comas from a metaphysical standpoint? This I can’t be certain about, but I believe comas may be a way for the higher self to protect the focus personality and the physical vehicle belonging to the comatose patient. This may be just as true of medically induced comas as it is of those resulting from accidents or medical conditions.

If our higher awareness feels it’s in our best interest, especially if someone has undergone some traumatic event, then these events may be better dealt with by withdrawing a portion of awareness from the physical shell. This allows the physical body to tend to itself while the personality, we associate with that body, explores further into other states of being.

The bottom line is those individuals that have entered into comas are absolutely fine. Our conscious awareness transcends this plane of time and space along with the physical vehicle, whether someone is asleep, in a coma, experiencing an altered state, or has passed on.

Transcending is an easy concept to toss around, but it’s not easy to imagine or understand if we haven’t actually been completely, consciously aware during our dreams or other altered states. If we are capable of retaining consciousness during out of body experiences or becoming lucid during dreams, then we are provided with a window into a truer nature of who we are; and often times, in a way that’s far more meaningful than our waking reality.

An individual that has entered into a coma is doing so for a reason that is beneficial for them at a deeper level of their being, but what that reason is can only be considered conjecture, to a certain extent, on my part. However, you are absolutely on the right track in considering that comas and astral projection have something in common. They both share the common bond of the expansive experience of our awareness beyond the physical body.

I’d like to thank Sheena for her thought provoking question. If you have a self help, spiritual development, or metaphysical question you would like to see addressed in a blog post, feel free to contact me. Your name will always be kept anonymous, unless you request otherwise.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Q & A: Out of Body Experiences & Dream Symbols
Q & A: Out of Body Noises & Sensations
Podcast #2: Astral Projection
Astral Projection & the Big Bang
My Astral Experience With A Tribal Shaman
Experiences Out of the Body – Part 1
Experiences Out of the Body – Part 2

“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.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Discovering the Truths of Your Existence
The Evolution of Spirituality
Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
Recognizing Opportunities for Expansion
Eternally Expansive Consciousness
Spiritual Winds of Change
Our Conscious Origin

Within the last few months I’ve made some important discoveries regarding the title of today’s post. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve gotten good at consistently applying those discoveries, but I’m continuing to try.

I’ve always been the type of person that’s been an absolute perfectionist about endeavors that I feel are worth pursuing- especially anything of an artistic nature or something that’s intended to benefit others. Even if a project sounds great or looks great, after five hours of work, I believe it will be even better after ten hours and so on.

This is the same logic I apply to my writing and audio recordings. Pick out any post, on this site, that’s at least three typed pages long and I can show you ten+ hours of writing that went into that particular post. Pick out any podcast, thirty minutes or longer, and I can show you twenty+ hours that went into creating it. Most bloggers would probably never dream of spending that much time on a single post or recording, but I frequently demand it of myself.

When you love what you’re doing, the hours fly by anyway, so it’s not an issue regarding the time invested. The issue here pertains to my need to sometimes over manage the creative process. While I’m absolutely concerned about my material being beneficial and top notch; much of the over managing stems from a place within me that’s concerned about being accepted (by my readers/listeners) and succeeding as a professional blogger.

Now, I don’t base my version of success on the same merits society typically uses. If I were to do that, it would be safe to say I’ve never been a “success” at anything I’ve ever done. Simply, because I’ve never actively pursued many of the material things and positions of status we’re coaxed into pursuing for measuring our levels of achievement.

Instead, I base my success on the amount of joy I’m receiving from my work and the amount of help and benefit I’m providing to others. These are the goals that continue to inspire me. All of the work I’m currently doing provides me with more joy than anything I’ve ever done in my life, so on that front, I would have to say I’m extremely successful.

However, I have occasionally noticed my readers don’t seem to communicate with me (via many different means) nearly as often as the readers of other blogs; especially those sites that pertain to somewhat similar content. I know many bloggers aren’t overly concerned with lack in reader feedback; in fact, some shut comments down entirely on their sites.

But for me, reader email feedback and comments are an important part of the process. This isn’t about getting my ego stroked. I’ll approve negative reader comments as quickly as I approve the positive ones. Instead, it’s about reaching out to my readers and gauging whether I’m providing value or not based upon your interactions. Even when I receive negative comments, I know I’m stimulating people’s minds.

It’s this area that’s created some concern for me and has at times, led to the occasional doubt about my work and whether or not I’m really making a difference. When doubt starts to creep in, I begin noticing an incessant increase in the need to try and control the creative, expressive process and its outcomes.

In Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation, I spoke about getting out of our own way as much as possible to allow all we desire to unfold. In the post Effortless Passionate Creativity, I discussed the idea when we passionately create, without over thinking and managing, we become a conduit for the most positive aspects of Universal energy. These are life changing concepts I’m fully aware of and believe in, yet sometimes I continue to miss the forest for the trees and catch myself getting in my own way.

This is an area where I’ve learned I have to consistently release and let go. When I first came to that realization, I was a little confused about what letting go meant. I used to believe you had to keep something at the forefront of your thoughts, almost at all times, to really make it manifest. It’s like having tunnel vision. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to embrace the concept of letting go; if it meant that being distracted from my vision would prevent it from coming to fruition.

It’s taken me a while, theoretically working with this idea, to finally, fully realize letting go doesn’t mean relinquishing my dreams for this site or the quality of my work. It means letting go of trying to force my acceptance and my success (based on feedback). It means being myself, continuing to do what I love; having fun, maintaining my vision, staying positive, staying consistent, taking action when it is necessary- backing off when it’s not, and realizing everything will work out.

With that being said, I absolutely appreciate the great feedback I have received. Many of you have sent such amazing messages; they’ve brought tears to my eyes and to you I’m thankful. Others have left messages completely disagreeing with my philosophies and to you, I’m also thankful.

And to those who visit, but aren’t inclined to leave comments and feedback: I appreciate your interest in my work as well. I’m coming to realize your silence may or may not mean I’m making a difference in your lives. Either way, it’s ok because my intent to do so and the joy I feel from taking this journey is what counts (this is true for all of us and whatever endeavor we undertake). Thank you for helping me to learn to let go.

In my next post I’ll be expanding upon this idea and how it can be useful, for the purpose of broadening our horizons, both here and once we move beyond this plane of focus.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

8 Tips for Achieving a More Secure Peaceful State of Mind
Podcast #5: The Inspiration Behind Deliberate Creation
Effortless Passionate Creativity
Life Lessons?
Self Truths: Part 1
Manifesting Desirable Results Through Balance
Blazing Your Own Trail
Intentionally Reclaiming Our Power
Peaceful Warrior