Category Archives: Paths of Power

The Power of Grounding

The essence of grounding is to be able to integrate and use all your knowledge and energies effectively in every day life. Often esoteric arts can leave a practitioner tired and emotionally drained because they spend so much time in the higher or more subtle vibrations. As I discussed in the articles on the “Physical Path” the body must be allowed time to adapt to new frequencies through stretching, relaxation and connecting to earth. In other cases where people are over training, concentrating on physical exercise, stopping meditations on higher frequencies and eating good solid food will help to ground them.

It pays to be aware, sensitive and honest about our progress. It’s ultimately self-sabotaging to go hard into practices only to burn out and need to take time off for weeks or months. This can be avoided by implementing grounding exercises regularly. I’d suggest 3 times a week for as little as 5 minutes, but as always each individual must determine and feel for themselves what is required.

Connecting to the deep frequency of the planet helps us to feel solid and stable – and so we become solid and stable. It helps us integrate our spirituality into our everyday life.

Work with this exercise:

Visualize the soles of your feet extending into the planet’s core.

Imagine them being nurtured and supported by this energy.

See and feel this energy being drawn up into your body and surrounding you.
Breathe.

As you inhale see and feel the earth’s energy infuse your cells.

Hold your breath and observe your body and cells shining with the earth’s power.

Exhale and feel this power intensifying and integrating into your body.

Explore this exercise with different feelings and visualizations. Use what works for you. Internal martial artists sometimes use the grounding visualization of seeing roots growing out of the soles of their feet deep into the planet. You could also see and feel yourself as a tree. Actually feel the solidity of the wood and the consciousness of the tree. Another is to visualize the planet living in your belly. See it there powerful and strong. Nourishing and supporting you.

Everything about the earth supports our existence. Being conscious as we breath the air, drink water and walk on the earth brings this awareness into our body and mind. We allow ourselves to be supported by the earth. This awareness of our relationship with the planet makes the body and mind strong. This strength of body and mind is the essence of grounding.

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The Power of the Physical Path Pt2 – Evolving the Body

Mind and body harmony plays an integral part to sustaining growth and understanding on spiritual and personal development paths. Too much growth too soon is perceived by the body as stress. If the body and mind is not able to adapt quickly enough to this stress then it reacts with dis-ease.

I’m often asked that if all it takes to be healed or be enlightened is to believe then why aren’t people there already. The answer to that is because even though people think they believe the belief is not even skin deep. Belief that exists only at the intellectual level has not been integrated at the subconscious or physical level. This is illustrated by the way we react to sensations of various emotions at the physical level. Our body releases a certain biochemical and we say we feel this way, another chemical and we react that way. Anyone who has ever done regular exercise can attest to the change in perception that arises after a certain period of time. It is possible to raise our level of lactic acid tolerance not only at the intellectual level but at the physical level. The same adapting occurs when we work in stressful environments. Given enough time we will survive and keep on moving.

Bringing in high levels of subtle energy can sometimes result in disease, rashes, headaches and so on. This is because the organic body has not yet adapted to the influx of energy. This is the reason why many esoteric schools from yoga and qigong develop the body in conjunction with the subtler energy flows. The thing is that even if we are not deliberately practicing any energy building meditation, we are still engaging in experiences that are eliciting growth, expansion and adaptation. It may be personal development of any kind, work, family, social or otherwise.

We’ve already discussed basic physical relaxation in the first part of this article. Another gentle yet highly effective method to release knots of tension, energy and blockages in the body is through a technique known as “bouncing.”

Begin by standing with feet and legs about shoulder width. Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the entire exercises.

Allow your arms to hang by your sides.

Keep a balance of relaxation and tension while allowing your weight to just sink into the ground.

Keeping your feet flat on the ground and using only your knees begin to “bounce” the rest of your body gently.

Flow into a gentle rhythm of bouncing.

As you reach the bottom of the bounce allow the natural rhythm to bring you back up.

Observe your body. This exercise is designed to feel good. Allow your body to show you how it would like to bounce. Allow it to show you how fast and the rhythm.

Allow your consciousness to move with your body.

This exercise is able to gently “move out” and dissolve blocks and tension in muscles in a way that is nurturing and supportive of your body. By learning to observe how our body would like to “bounce” we open up a medium of communication. There is no “right” textbook way to perform this exercise. The right way is in fact the way that makes our body feel good. Often the exercise can shift from a vertical type of bouncing to a more horizontal plane kind of gentle shaking( still standing upright but shaking the shoulders/torso back and forth with the spine as the central column). The key here is that blockages are removed gently and within parameters that our body and mind perceive as positive and nurturing. As excess tension is released from areas our meridians and other energetic pathways are opened up. The result is a more effective communication throughout our body, an increased ability to adapt to growth, a heightened understanding of this growth and knowledge that is coming in and more energy in general.

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The Power of the Physical Path – Part 1 (Also good for back pain!)

Physical methods of engineering the body for spiritual and personal development purposes work with the principles of manipulating energy flow. While meditation works primarily with the mind to lead energy and could be described as working from the inside out, physical methods such as Hatha yoga, Tai Chi, Shiatsu, Kinesiology, certain types of massage and Tantra to name a few work from the outside in. At specific stages of development depending on the school, method and teacher the two paths will meet. At more advanced stages all paths are realized as being paths of the mind.

It is valuable to understand the effect that the body has on the mind because by observing the cause and effect we learn how to master the mind. We gain the opportunity to move the mind in different ways, investigate various effects and explore an expanded and “deeper” aspect to ourselves. Even for those of us who are deeply committed to the internal, mental path cross research and experience on the “external” or physical path, can often reveal knowledge that could have taken years to understand by purely following the internal. There are many, many places where the two paths will seem like one and the same.

One of the most basic methods for understanding the mind/body connection is through guided relaxation.

Clench your fist for a moment.

Unclench and allow it to totally relax.

Observe this feeling of relaxation.

Feel it release.

Now apply this sensation of relaxation to your lower back but without physically tensing or relaxing. Do it with your mind and directed imagination.

Whether you were able to elicit the same degree of relaxation is not important. What is important is to feel a level of relaxation being created in your lower back area. Relaxing the hand was more of an “external” practice and relaxing the back more of an “internal” practice. Of course the two are both inextricably linked, it is simply that one uses an obvious level of muscular movement and the other a subtler one. The subtler, more internal practice is what will take us beyond the body simply because it does not rely on the body for movement. This type of mind understands how to move in and out of the body. Spiritual energy is essentially a subtle energy, so it is able to move into the dense areas of the body as well as of course the higher levels of emotion, mind and consciousness. For this reason neither methods is “more spiritual” than the other. All methods and ways have the opportunity to connect to spirit. All that is required is the willingness to look.

Using this external method of practice allows us to loosen the density of our muscles and body enough that we begin to feel subtle flows of energy. Through practice we can take these method and develop it to the level where we can relax any area of the body completely which can lead to a looseness that we had as a child. From here it is easier to make the stretch to connect to yet subtler energies. This is where people have developed skills in astral projection, higher self connections as well as psychic skills. Interestingly “naturals” tend to not necessarily need to learn relaxation in order to connect to subtle energy. This is congruent with practitioners who at higher levels find that they can connect to meditative states anywhere at anytime. In truth these states are there all the time, it is simply that we are no longer distracted by “noise”, tension or emotions. We simply reach out and tune in. This by the way is what directed imagination can help us achieve even at a beginning level. By matching the imaginative “template” of what we are seeking or listening for we open up a gate into that mind state.

The method of physical relaxation is best practiced lying down comfortably. Practice tuning into your body by physically tensing then relaxing each part of your body. Explore how much you can release each part. When you believe you can relax no further see if you can gently breath into these parts to release even more.

Explore this exercise:

Lying down comfortably on you back observe your breathing.

Clench both hands into fists for a moment.

Release and relax.

Move your mind into the feeling of relaxation and letting go.

Clench you forearms for a moment.

Release and relax.

Gently guide your conscious and body to release even further.

Easily and without too much strain open your mouth as wide as you can. Feel your face muscles stretching
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Release and relax.

Gently and easily tense your neck muscles.

Release and relax.

Continue this way with your chest area, upper back, lower back, hips, groin area, thighs, shins and feet.

Take your time.

If you should feel impatient at any time simply allow this emotion to be and keep your mind on the feeling of relaxation.

Allow your body to feel heavy.

Allow it to sink into the surface upon which you are resting.

Observe the way the energy in your body is now flowing.

Observe how your mind is feeling.

Don’t be concerned if you fall asleep or start getting tired. This is very normal for this exercise and in fact is a good method to use if you have problems getting to sleep. For the purposes of maintaining consciousness during the exercise, see if you can practice it in the morning after waking and washing your face or perhaps at some other time during the day. The aim is to become familiar with different frequencies of energy within the body as well as to form a connection between the physical and the mental. At times see if you can achieve the same state of relaxation without tensing the muscles first but through pure mind. Eventually this practice will allow you to move through the usual prerequisites of relaxation, silence and concentration and connect to whatever state of mind that you wish regardless. This is a fundamental step of experiencing a movement through illusion and so is an important principle of realizing empowerment.

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The Power of the Warrior

The warrior is one who is prepared to express and manifest resistance. Resistance is the direction that we choose to move toward. It may be in the form of transforming beliefs. It may be in the form of continually choosing peace. It may be in the form of being conscious. The way of the warrior is to sustain the cause that we have decided to “fight” for.

As our wisdom is developed and refined, we understand the influence of energy towards reality. We understand how much is needed to elicit the exact effect we desire. We understand which desires to put energy into manifesting. We understand the paths that will bring us real empowerment and we continue past the paths that will bring us illusions. Intellectual understanding is not enough. To actually realize and experience empowerment we must sustain the action that is required to manifest it. This persistence, this ability to connect with what we perceive as effort and in a sense, confrontation, is the essence of the warrior.

What strength is required to continue our journey in the face of self-criticism, ridicule and doubt?

What resiliency is required to sustain in spite of confusion, scattered focus, and low morale?

What courage is required to find compassion and forgiveness regardless of a hardened heart, self anger and hatred?

There will be times where we will find ourselves alone – seemingly even from ourselves. It is the essence of the warrior that will aid us to continue along the path, doing what needs to be done to find the next step in the dark. The wisdom of the warrior is equally as important as it’s strength and resiliency, for knowing that in seeking peace, there will be times when it needs to bow down to the power of new knowledge. That there is something greater and deeper that it is striving for. This ability to step down, to realize that what has served up to now has done it’s time and must be let go of, requires strength and honor to ourselves. This too is the way of the warrior.

It takes strength to hold true to a cause. It sometimes takes even greater strength to admit that a cause is no longer the whole truth.

The essence of the warrior recognizes destruction as part of transformation. Deep hate when met with unconditional love is changed in an instant because it is embraced and accepted absolutely. The “shape” of this acceptance has no form – it has no resistance and so it becomes what it meets and what it meets recognizes that it is understood. It realizes peace. Connecting to the energy of unconditional love however requires a perception of resistance because we are moving through the layers of our own illusions. This resistance or direction is also the essence of the warrior. The action of resisting nothing is where the warrior puts down arms and experiences the destination. This is a very important point because sometimes in our quest for learning we may get so attached to the lesson, that we do not let go of it – and in doing so we prevent ourselves from experiencing the very purpose of our journey.

A wise journey is always a balance of action and reflection.

Work with this exercise:

Activate the desire to look over your life.

Where are you going?

Where have you been?

What is it that you truly wish for?

What is it that you would truly not wish to experience again?

Observe how you feel about these questions.

Notice how your body feels. Feel the emotions and thoughts.

Let the effect of these questions come and go from your mind in whatever fashion they should wish to move.

Observe.

Begin to imagine the empowerment that would be required to bring your destination, your path, to fruition.

What amount of resiliency would be required?

What kind of strength would be required?

What degree of nurturing and support would be required?

What type of wisdom and flexibility would be needed?

See and feel these essences infusing into a visualization or feeling.

Feel the power of the warrior that is able to complete this path effortlessly.

“Listen” and feel for the most genuine level of this power.

If there are any feelings of doubt, ridicule, fear or confusion allow these to be as they are and simply continue to focus on the feelings of inner strength, focus and deep sustaining power.

Know that connecting to this essence no matter how small the connection should feel, is creating a communication and realization of empowerment and strength within you.

Merge with this essence and know that it exists here and now.

Observe the details and overall essence of this warrior energy. The more you pay attention to the way of the warrior as it feels in your body, the more you become connected and tuned to this energy. Over the days, weeks, months and years it blends with you, walks with you and becomes you. This is the power of the warrior.

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The Power of Water

Dr. Masaru Emoto brought many of his discoveries about the nature of water to the world through his book, “The hidden messages in water,” as well as the movie, “What the Bleep do we know?” For those that aren’t familiar with his findings they basically show that water will react to forms of energy, thoughts, emotions, sounds and so on. The relevance to human beings of course is pretty big considering that our bodies have such a high water content.

It’s always interesting when experiences that people have through their own journeys in personal and spiritual development begin to have parallels in science. The art of positive thinking, imagery and so on has been discussed and researched for some time now and while there are arguments as to whether straight positive thinking is sustainable – the fact that it does have an effect on the body and mind is pretty obvious.

Correlating Dr. Emoto’s findings to actual experiences in people seems to show the similarity that water is transient in the way it holds frequencies. It’ll shift form pretty quickly. This seems similar to the way that humans are able to shift moods and at least provides some insight into why many people perceive sustained positive thinking to be almost futile.

From my experience bringing the body and mind to a “high” vibration is not difficult for most people – sustaining it is. The reason for this is because of the blueprint. The blueprint is the part of the mind and body that believes that there is a primary pattern of emotions and thoughts that we need to follow. So when we shift out of it that blueprint like a rubber band is trying to pull us back. It has it’s own inertia. Of course with enough sustained focus we can keep our state going long enough that we create a new magnetism or inertia. But many people don’t get to this stage. The other thing is that there are differing levels of water in our body depending on whether we are working with organs, skin, muscles or bones. The denser areas require slightly different mindset to shift and sustain the new vibrations.

Of course if we had sufficient depth and flexibility of focus to go into every iota of the body and mind and transform it to our liking then the transformation would be instant – but this degree of focus is only developed by learning to sustain it in the first place. It’s ironic that by the time we have developed depth we’ve also developed resiliency.

Practice brings experience, experience brings knowledge and knowledge deepens practice.

Here is a simple exercise for charging water:

Fill a glass with water and have a sip. Notice how it tastes and feels.

Holding the glass of water in your hand, focus on feeling and seeing it being filled with love.

Imagine you are giving the water a genuine hug. Feel the energy shifting within the water.

Now have a taste. Can you taste the difference?

Working with food may feel slightly different because of the structure of the food. It tends to retain its form – but most of us will have experienced having eaten food that seems to be “cooked with love” before – it is not an uncommon thing.

Here is a simple exercise for charging food:

First taste the food. Notice how it tastes and feels.

Focusing on the food, feel and see it being filled with love. Imagine the frequency of this love penetrating into the food. Visualize it moving into the atomic structure of the food.

Allow this shift to occur effortlessly and easily.

Now have a taste. Can you taste the difference?

Programming water or programming denser structures like food or clothing simply requires a slightly different mind-set. Work with the intention that your thoughts and feelings are moving into the specific structures and like water finding it’s way through rocks, your mind will become fluid and also find it’s way. It’s more a matter of having the belief and confidence to sustain the practice than anything else.

For years detractors of this kind of thing have said that it is “all in the mind.” This is in fact what explorers, practitioners and masters have said all along! The difference is that while some seem to imply that being “all in the mind” is no big deal – masters have been reminding us that it is in fact a very big deal. The mind literally creates our reality. Science is simply catching up with this because science is essentially the study of cause and effect.

Practice charging your food, water and then notice the parallels to charging your body, thoughts, emotions and actions. Notice how long a charge of for example happiness or motivation will sustain in your body before former blueprints move back in. Explore subtle differences in how you can program your energy so that they sustain longer and easier. Everything is energy – becoming a master of this playground we become a master of ourselves.

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Psychic Protection

The best psychic protection will always be a mind that is flexible. Flexibility gives strength, sensitivity and clarity. It is also self-nurturing. The path of power is primarily about developing this deep strength, however for the journey there will be times when we realize that we would benefit from some additional help.

There are many forms of psychic shields – all of them are based on the inter-action of energy to ward off other types of energy. One of the most common shields throughout the ages is singing to oneself when one is scared. The energy created offends the energy of negative entities and they often seek to leave. The same principle holds for spiritual chanting and mantras although the realization and connection to holy and spiritual consciousness through the chanting is able to enhance the properties of the energy to a generally higher frequency.

Play with this exercise:

Take a slow, deep breath.

Make an “ah” sound – similar to “far.”

Allow the sound to be vocalized easily and effortlessly.

Depending on the situation you can practice this aloud or sub-vocally (silently) in the mind.

Practice with different pitches resonating first from the lower abdomen, moving up through into the chest area, throat, head and above the head.

Notice how a frequency in the lower abdomen area may give a more grounded feeling.

Observe how a frequency intoned and visualized above the head may give a lighter, “higher” type of energy.

Observe how these different frequencies impart different protective qualities.

Another form of psychic protection is the well-known and loved “white light.” This has a similar effect to singing in that it brings an energy into the users body and consciousness that negativity generally finds repulsive. This is the same reason that some energy healers use it.

Work with this exercise:

Close your eyes and visualize yourself in the third person.

See and feel yourself surrounded by solid white light.

Breath slowly and deeply.

With each breath see the light filling your body and the space around you.

As you exhale feel the white light intensify and strengthen.

Observe it surrounding and infusing your space.

Program it with the intention to protect and revive you.

Filling the abdomen with prana and broadcasting this energy is also an effecive method of protection. This method can be explained by comparing the body to that of a car tire. When the tire is full of air it is resilient and more impervious to impact. The body works in a similar way with prana – when we are full of prana it is more difficult for other frequencies to enter our space. There are of course many other areas besides the abdomen where we can fill ourselves with prana. The heart chakra is also popular – which brings on the saying “drive off negativity with love.”

Work with this exercise:

Breath in slowly and deeply. Hold for a few seconds and release slowly and deeply.

Again breathing in slow and deep. Feel and visualize the breath filling your abdomen.

Hold and feel the energy expanding easily and powerfully throughout your body.

Exhale and feel it broadcasting from your body and filling the space around you.

Repeat until you feel a tangible power inside and surrounding you.

Another powerful method is to simply walk in universal light or “God’s light”. It works by connecting to an energy or consciousness that is able and willing to protect you. The emphasis on this exercise especially is that God’s light, universal force – whatever you want to call it is perceived as all powerful. This places our consciousness in a position of communicating with an energy which is able to manifest effortlessly. I believe this to be one of the reasons why many people who claim that they simply live their lives walking in “God’s light” ask for and practice nothing else. They have learnt to communicate with this consciousness to create at the very least the internal world that they want.

Work with this exercise:

Visualize yourself going up out of the planet. See and feel yourself flying straight out. You can visualize yourself as a body, as light, as a star – whatever works for you. Know that you will meet the God Force. Allow it to come to you.

Connect with it.

Return to your body and pull and attract the energy to surround and bathe you.

Protection visualizations can get pretty creative – anything from guardian arch angels with flaming swords, to glowing pyramids and butterflies. If the method works it is because the energy or feeling behind it is effective. This is the foundation behind all of these examples. They all connect to frequencies which the mind perceives as being supportive and protective. The perception that there is opportunity to see, feel and move differently is realized and our overall awareness is allowed to shift to one where we feel safe and protected. This shift occurs at the physical, mental and spiritual levels of consciousness depending on our intention. Feel for the deepest and most genuine level of protection and it will exist.

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The Power of Mudras

Mudra is an Indian term for seal or circuit. Essentially we connect fingers with thumbs or fingers with fingers to create circuits. The “okay” sign which is usually indicated by connecting the pad of the index finger to the thumb pad is a basic mudra for focus. Mudras form electrical circuits in the body which influence our emotional, physical and mental states. They are, like breath work, chakra work and visualizations, another method to connect to specific frequencies easily. There are mudras for improving concentration and focus, mudras for the immune system, connection to spiritual realms – there’s pretty much a mudra for everything. Understand though that it is essentially the mind that is doing it. A mudra is not a magic wand – using the “okay” sign mudra for instance won’t instantly give us the concentration of Buddha. What it does is essentially give an extra push of energy in a particular “direction”, it is helping to give shape or form to a specific request. When the mind familiarizes itself with frequencies it can bypass all chakra work, mudras and breath and just go direct to the source. In the meantime however use these tools. They are all free and provide an easy and tangible method.

Basic mudras revolve around thumb to index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger. We can vary the frequency of energy by instead of touching pad to pad, touching pad to knuckle crease, pad to knuckle – the variations are literally in the thousands. Then we can work with both hands. Suffice it is to say that I’m not going to go through all the combinations here! Interestingly enough many people will enjoy discovering subtle shifts in energy and purpose by themselves. For example feel the difference in doing the “okay” mudra and then touch thumb pad to the pad of the little finger. Feel different?

Here are a few others to play around with:

Touching the pads of the thumb, middle and index fingers together is said to help release sinus congestion and improve the immune system.

Touching the pads of the thumb, little and ring finger directs life force through your body for health and well-being. Also good for nervousness and anxiety.

The “okay” sign of touching thumb pad to index finger pad gives energy for focus and helps to move energy through laziness, anger and depression.

Touching the pad of the thumb to pad of little finger helps to sustain the physical body from fatigue, weakness and dehydration. Helps to connect to etheric dimensions.

Moving through each mudra in meditation or breathing with the intention to release and charge will clear and energize the related electrical pathways in your body. It’s interesting to see pictures of gods, goddesses, Buddhas and Jesus holding variations of what seem to be mudras and finger modes.

Explore the subtle differences in feeling between mudras, observe and also use intention and visualization to essentially create your own mudras. Remember that it is about direction. Direction to move your energy toward a particular goal. Learn to direct your goals, coordinate your energy and your body and mind will work congruently to achieve them.

Working with physical structures like mudras, breath, Yoga, Internal martial arts, chanting and so on gives us a fairly tangible method to connect to frequencies and feelings. This “bridge” or window to feeling gives us the opportunity for recognition. After enough practice we do not need the window or “bridge.” Our mind is able to move directly to the feeling. It is like learning to ride a bike. At first we use training wheels to find the right balance. In time our muscles and mind understand the necessary balances and we can simply jump straight on and ride. It is useful to remember that just as we need to move to the stage where we wean ourselves off training wheels in order to ride free, we also need to move away from physical structures such as reliance on breath and mudras in order to create a mind that can move freely. The journey of the mind can be delightfully cyclical however. There may be times when we soar freely and powerfully without the use of any aids – at other times we may benefit from coming back to the beginning and working with the basics. There is no shame in this – only wisdom.

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The Power of Confidence

A master once asked me what I thought that I most gained from training with him. Many things came to mind and I mentioned his technique, understanding and expression of principles and teaching ability. He stopped me then and said: “The one thing that you gain most from me is the ability to have confidence in yourself. You trust that my ability is good and so you believe that what you are learning and developing is also good. Because of confidence in me you trust what I say, you trust what I show you – and so you develop confidence yourself.”

Over the years this statement has been reflected in my own teachings. I’ve seen students struggle to understand concepts but continue on trusting that I know the method and so having confidence in themselves.

An Aikido master once remarked to me that it was amazing how people would train the same basic technique for 40 years and still feel like they were scraping the surface of it, yet because of the confidence given to them by their teachers they would continue, knowing full well that the journey may not be completed in their lifetime and yet finding gratitude in the smallest increments of improvement.

I have often seen meditation practitioners who believing that they were getting no where simply gave up. What they were unable to see was the context and structure in which they were learning. They perceived elements such as the monkey-mind, lack of focus, agitating emotions and believed they were on the wrong track. Confidence waned and they dropped their practice.

I now see the remarkable value that confidence has in ones life because the fundamental thing that it give us is the ability to persist. If we believe that we are on the right track it is far easier to keep going. When we are in the dark, confused and unsure if we are going in the right direction, it is easier to give in to doubts.

This is one of the reasons why I encourage people to find teachers and mentors. Especially if our life reflects certain undeveloped skills or experiences which seem to just keep being allocated to the “tomorrow” folder. A time will come where most teachers or mentors would encourage us to develop confidence in ourselves. The sooner the better generally. Confidence is an energy which we release ourselves. It is simply that we do not choose to release it until we believe that we have reason to feel it. If we are doubtful people then we will perceive there being very little reason to release it. On the other hand confidence can be an addictive sensation so we may try to recreate situations and experiences where we can attain this feeling. We may try to dominate conversations and push our own views. This tends to cover up our own inner insecurity. There is a far more effective path. The path of self-knowledge.

Self-knowledge develops confidence simply because in knowing who we are we gain the opportunity to understand what gives us value and meaning, form our inner self into one united with deep purpose – and ultimately accept and love ourselves for who we are.

The path of developing confidence requires bringing sense to a universe that is seemingly senseless. In learning to control ourselves we learn to flow with what comes our way. We do not control the waves of life, we become master surfers and learn to direct our way through what is given to us. It is an exquisite balance of give and take. Ebb and flow.

Self-knowledge comes from connecting with experiences consciously. Being conscious we will see what is occurring. Self-knowledge comes from seeking information through books, people and other such resources. Path-notes that others leave are like journal entries that eventually unite all paths and thought. Seek the connection between all directions. Perhaps most importantly is to realize the mind which has already achieved full self-knowledge. This is also the mind which has attained true and pure confidence.

Work with this exercise:

Start exactly where you are. Expand your mind to encompass and observe your thoughts, emotions and feelings. Notice how they inter-react with your body.

Stretch your mind to effortlessly observe all the movement and flow within yourself.

Place no regulation on however your inner and outer landscape will express itself. Simply allow it to be.

At this point the eyes may be opened or closed. Allow yourself to see in your mind’s eye the you that is mastery personified.

See, feel and hear the essence of this being that is you.

How does it feel to know yourself fully and honestly?

How does it feel to meet every atom and point of consciousness with complete and effortless acceptance?

How does your inner master look?

Allow your consciousness to move completely into this reality.

Allow the dimension or mastery to be pulled completely into you.

Becoming the consciousness of mastery automatically shifts you to doing what a master would do to complete their journey. It draws in all the elements of meeting experiences consciously, attracting people, texts and other resources and integrating this knowledge at all levels of the body and mind. As consciousness opens up to being a master, aspects which may have been a struggle before will happen easier and with less effort. We essentially get out of our own way! As we begin to see that we are capable of being spontaneously effective, we realize a confidence that we can never achieve from attempts to control the external world. This is the power of true confidence.

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The Way of Shamanic Healing

What is Shamanic Healing?

The essence of shamanic healing is the art of shape-shifting. Shape shifting allows the shaman to take on the forms and properties of energy. The school of shamanism understands energy existing as forms of consciousness defined as entities. Just as a prayer has a certain form that is shaped to specific requests to God, an inner critic becomes a consciousness in itself which as most of us will perceive to have a certain limited intelligence in itself.

Emotions and thought forms move through the air like radio waves. Through observation we can learn to feel the presence of emotions and thought forms. Our body picks them up like a transceiver radio or satellite dish – we interpret the ones which our bodies and minds are consciously able to understand and the others are filtered through our body and subconscious. There are various methods to deflect, shift and protect from these various energies. Not surprisingly most people have developed their own methods for attempting to minimize the effects of this sort of stuff, but similar to the way we often deal with our own emotions and thoughts it doesn’t always work out the way we plan. For example if we’ve learnt to deal with certain emotions by repressing them, or certain thoughts by criticizing them then we’ll have a similar pattern in play with eternal energy forms too. Valuable to note is that as we learn to deal with our own stuff, in an understanding way we feel more grounded and centered dealing with external energy.

A shaman who knows what they’re doing is able to clearly perceive and manipulate energy because they have trained their mind to see, feel and move through and around energy. The methods of any particular shaman or metaphysical healer may differ on first glance but essentially they are working with the transformation of energy. The power and effectiveness of shamanic healing comes from understanding the principles of energy but also the fact that they have practiced these techniques, perhaps tens of thousands of times for many, many years.

A twist of the hands to remove a dimensional entity is the coordination of the shaman’s mind and body to influence energy. At the level of pure mind the twist of the hands is not needed, but the movement is used to facilitate coordination with what is occurring on the mental and spiritual planes. Similarly wands, crystals and the like are capable of storing and influencing energies, thoughts and emotions. External alchemy has been concerned with the use of these catalysts of knowledge. As the study becomes more internal the shaman or alchemist experiences the energies and knowledge as existing without those catalysts. It is similar to learning from an esoteric teacher – eventually an effective teacher will guide a student to discover the master within.

What is your take on receiving Metaphysical Healing vs Meditation/Doing it yourself?

Having come from an extremely stubborn background where I wanted to discover everything for myself and be totally self-sufficient, I have in the past been reluctant to receive healings because I didn’t want to deny myself the opportunity to learn how to walk the path with my own mind. It was only when I realized that in reality the path had already been walked, I was just training my mind to dispel the illusion and see what already was here. At this stage I recognized the benefit that all healers, teachers, esoteric schools and methods could offer me. In a sense I could say that the student in me was ready and so the teachings appeared everywhere. I began to discover that there would always be an abundance to learn and develop myself around. I also realized that I had never truly been independent – it was simply my pride wishing me to see this. Every breath that I take is a dependant relationship with the air. Every drink of water that I consume is a dependant relationship with the water. It was only when I revealed to myself the fear that had been needing me to be “independent” and “self-sufficient”, did I see my true interaction with the world.

At this stage I felt a new found freedom. Each interaction with healers and teachers would shift my realization and understanding dramatically. Instead of powerful spiritual experiences happening on weeks or months at a time, I was realizing them on a multiple daily basis. But more than this I was understanding that true power existed in the “mundane” as equally as it existed in what I had once perceived as “profound.” It is truly ironic that when I received the “magic” that I’d been yearning for that I no longer craved it.

In moments of extreme connectedness I experienced periods which felt timeless, where understanding the oneness between myself and others went beyond intellectual, it became reality. It was at once horrifying and wondrous, but what it showed me was that my need to be self-sufficient had interestingly resulted in me keeping knowledge from myself. I began to understand that my inner self wanted me to connect with healers, mystics, teachers and practitioners of all traditions in order to accelerate my journey as much as integrate my understanding. Further more my “higher self” was egging me on to share what I had, to be a true communication of deep give and take. It amazes me now to reflect that meeting a certain person could allow me to realize in 10 minutes what I had struggled to understand for years. This in itself was a lesson. I had been asking the universe for understand all my life and yet when the answers were offered to me in a manner which I did not deem correct I closed the door.

Teachings come in many forms. I really enjoy the methods which promote self-understanding but I also now realize that inter-action with others whether people, nature or whatever it may be will still be a method of self-understanding. Whether we like it or not we can’t really get away from this fact: Living is learning. To me self-understanding is what is important whether for me or for anyone. This is the reason why I am open to correspond with anyone about these matters. I’m not a “master” who is above anyone else. I’m me. I’m on my own path like everyone else. I acknowledge the courage and strength that it takes anyone and everyone to live and live well on this planet and I also acknowledge the absolute abundance that I gain from sharing my essence with others and they from sharing theirs with me.

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The Power of Sanctuary

Sanctuary exists in the mind. It is a state where we can find our center, a place where we can experience clarity and inner strength. Sanctuary can exist in external spaces as well as internal spaces because the mind is capable of attaching meaning, feeling and emotion to anything. The ultimate sanctuary will always be a mind that is free, but understanding where and who we are right now, and the environment that would best support development of the inner state of freedom, is the essence of wisdom.

For centuries monks, ascetics, mystics and shamans have recognized the power in developing their mind through the use of external sanctuaries. These places develop a consciousness of their own that supports the internal structures which are being created. Whether we find sanctuary in homes, forest walks, yoga studios, monasteries, work places or caves, the power exists in the internal state that these places aid us in realizing.

We come back stronger, wiser, refreshed and revived – more in tune with our purpose.

An effective sanctuary must be appropriate to our goals. It must reflect our mind state and desires. If our goal is to rest and revive the spirit then our sanctuary must aid in creating that state. If the goal is to inspire then a sanctuary must aid in realizing this state.

The opportunity exists here to realize an internal state which is congruent with the state we find in our external sanctuaries. Through observation we can listen to the changes which occur when we move from a location of peace to a location of hustle and bustle. Through conscious awareness we can learn to allow the external personality and body to do what it needs to do. Perhaps we have busy jobs and need to be on the go, perhaps our lives requires analytical thought or creation within a high stress environment. There is a necessity in allowing our minds to take the shape of these processes in order to do what needs to be done – but through developing a connection to the real meaning of sanctuary we realize that no matter how stressful life becomes, no matter how much intense interaction we engage in, no matter the ups and downs – that a place always exists where lives the true essence of sanctuary. It exists regardless of all the chaos around it. Even if that chaos be something that we are perpetuating within our own minds. This is the reality of experiencing an infinite mind. It is a mind that is capable of chaos and struggle but also in that exact same instant pure and deep inner peace. No matter how many times the mind is “split” or made to take different forms and “shapes” we realize that it is still infinite. The seemingly finite part only exists because we believe that we are less that what we truly are. Infinite exists in realizing that we are always more.

A certain level of skill is developed in practicing sanctuary and centeredness in a place of advantage. This may be a place of peace, quiet and tranquility, or a place that inspires clarity. A different level of flexibility is developed however when we bring our practice to places that we perceive as chaotic, noisy and intense. Yet another level is developed when we bring our practice to mind states that we perceive as emotionally chaotic, noisy and intense. A flexible mind is a mind that is able to actually experience different states. It has the freedom to choose. Through finding peace within the most intense fits of anger we see through the illusion. That is, we realize that peace exists regardless of anger. We first need to trust that it exists and then we need to listen for it. We just need to actually practice finding it. This reality cannot be realized if we wait until we are calm until finding peace. It’s a different reality – it simply shows us that peace exists when we are calm. This is in itself is a very valuable state, but it requires a condition that we be calm before acquiring peace.

Listen for love within a mind that feels hatred, forgiveness within a mind that writhes with jealousy, peace within a mind that screams with anger, compassion within a mind that churns with confusion. The mind that can see more than what a particular energy or emotion would trick it into being, is a mind that is free, flexible and powerful. Shifting into this way of seeing we can begin to realize and actually experience love which actually is unconditional – whether we are full of hate or full of joy. We can begin to understand inner peace which actually is eternal – whether we are angry or full of jealousy. All our programs and attachments are shaken up because they live through the experience of actually feeling and seeing infinite states made real. This is deep power and it is a state that everyone is capable of realizing today. Even if the connection to an infinite mind appears to be the merest thread of the beginning of imagination, stay with it – it is the thread which will eventually lift up the veil over our eyes.

There are no chosen ones because we are all chosen. Empowerment does not come only for those that are joyous, calm and happy. It exists for us all unconditionally. Even if we be in the deepest of despair, wracked by guilt, shame, doubt or grief the opportunity to connect to more exists. “More” opens up again and again, moving towards the essence of infinite mind, the reality of which leads to freedom of choices. Some of these choices are unconditional love, inner peace and empowerment, which takes us full circle, because each of those states is a real and true experience of sanctuary.

All journeys start with a step. That step may be in the form of a thought and intention. Allow that thought to be in the form of finding your own inner center – your sanctuary. Once activated this sanctuary is a true and eternal friend.

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