Category Archives: Spirit

Ascension, Enlightenment, Intuition, Life Purpose, Mastery, Realization, Spirit, Truth

Where Spirit Exists

What is the purpose of spirituality? What are the reasons for it? Why have we created it? Why do we seek spirit? Why is it important to some and irrelevant to others? What has it done for us lately?

Spirituality like anything, only holds power because of the value and meaning that we perceive in it.

This is the reason why real ability and skill is important. Without the ability to perceive and connect with spirit, spirituality is simply a set of blind beliefs. These beliefs remain blind until the ability to see is developed. As long as we are blind or partially blind to spirituality we will not understand the opportunities or benefits available to us. So in a very literal sense, the purpose and reasons for us seeking it will continue to elude us. We may hear stories of spiritual knowledge and power and think “Gee that sounds alright!”, but these will just be thoughts and words without actual experience.

Defining spirituality from experience is important because it separates and distills what holds meaning and value for us from what does not. We need to be clear on what it is that we are seeking and this requires blunt and direct honesty. If we rely on theory and concept over actual experience then we are compromising real understanding. Theories no matter how good are simply ideas. Real understanding comes from taking these ideas and integrating them into a course of action. For example we may have an idea that expressing our emotions is of some use. We may gather all the evidence to support this idea and in our mind it may seem like God’s have gifted us with their wisdom. However without putting this idea into action, without actually expressing our emotions, we will never know the truth of this wisdom.

Spirituality is a big word. It essentially means to connect with spirit, but this in itself holds many unknowns, one of which is “where is this spirit thing?” Interesting then that many aspects of spiritual society choose to hold onto the known and shy from the unknown. Spiritual logic or logic of any kind would suggest that if spirit has unknown qualities, that delving into the unknown would then be a valuable course of action. This is where faith comes into it once more. Faith is a concept and as a concept it becomes refined when it is tested. There are so many untouchable qualities about “spirituality.” Keep pushing and digging in our consciousness and we find a point that wants to cling to dogma, faith and concept. Dig a little deeper and we find fear. It is essentially the good old God fearing persona, the one that does not want to question or investigate its betters for fear of punishment. It is no wonder that with this type of fear that mastery, enlightenment and real power elude us. Again, these fears and beliefs are simply concepts that require testing.

The battlefield where all our beliefs, ideas and concepts are tested is within our own practice. It is through aligning our inner values into our actions. Things can get sticky at times. Sometimes our most cherished ideas get trampled on mercilessly by experiences that reject them. We may for instance have the idea that “spirituality is everywhere and in all things”. It is experience that will either reflect this – or not. Our findings here give us something tangible to work with. If this idea holds under the steady and rigorous criticism of actual experience, not just intellectual argument, then it contains true value. If it does not hold this does not necessarily mean that the idea is invalid, it may simply require that our abilities and skills require further development. Of course sometimes we need to admit that what once seemed like a novel idea just doesn’t cut it in the real world.

This is how we evolve our spiritual understanding and as our understanding evolves, so too does our understanding of where spirit exits. This is essentially what is happening – we are understanding connection, but connection can only be understood by experiencing where the object of connection exists. Spiritual connection or existence then is a process of looking and finding, as well as looking and not finding. The places where spirit exists then provide a connection – places with which to develop paths to our consciousness. The places which do not connect are not discarded, but rather we refine the method of connection within ourselves.

An interesting thing happens when we test our ideas, concepts and beliefs. The destruction of these makes the mind more fluid. Through this flexible flow, we regain the ability to connect where once we could not. Once again our understanding changes, as the places that we knew with+ certainty that spirit was not, open up and show us that it is in fact there. This opening does not occur through wishful thinking, holding onto ideas, concepts or beliefs. It occurs through practice, critical thinking, developing ability and understanding.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Mastery, Meditation, Spirit, Truth, Unlimited Mind

Real Mastery – What is Self Mastery and How to Achieve It

Mastery needs to be recognized for what it is if it is to be reached. Many terms and concepts such as empowerment, enlightenment and mastery are bandied about these days and it seems almost popular not to define them at all, but to simply use them as romantic concepts. This is fine if we are to remain passive listeners to stories of spirituality. If on the other hand we wish to develop and experience spiritual understanding for ourselves, then we need to exercise our brains and refine and analyze exactly what these goals mean.

Real Mastery is about skill and ability. This statement encompasses the necessity that strength and discipline are also part of the skill set. Part of the romance of the later parts of the last century were that mastery has nothing to do with skill, but has more to do with being alright with being where we are. This mindset implies that whether we are growing or not, “it’s all good.” This is not real mastery. This is just passive acceptance and a reluctance to engage with perceptions of struggle, work and fear.

Real mastery is about control of the self. It is through skill and ability that we gain the opportunities to control the self. Without skill and ability we have no choice. We are like puppets. It is like a car with a broken steering wheel hurtling along the highway. The passengers have no choice, they must go where the car goes. Ability and skill, is development of choices. It is directly linked to control. When we have control we can move and act as we will. Control in itself is a subject in itself, but suffice to say for now, that what many of us mistake for control, is not control at all. Control is not repression or “keeping a stiff upper lip” this is just a reflection of inability or lack of skill. Control is not rehashing the same emotional patterns or personality traits over and over again. Control is choice. It is the ability and skill to choose this action or that action. With control, the higher consciousness actually gets a choice. Without control there is only the choice that seeks to avoid or repress fear.

It has been said that all babies are masters, but while this is certainly a romantic notion, it holds no logic in universal law. Babies for sure have an ability to learn and adapt at a fast rate, but they do not have control over their environment or survival. If they were left alone for a few days without food or water they would almost certainly die. If they were left without physical contact for too long then they fall apart emotionally. Babies are not masters, if they were we would not need to be so protective of them. If anything, babies are masters in the making. They are developing the abilities and skills necessary to have choices and control.

The path of mastery ends when we decide that what we have is “good enough”. This is the reason why many people do not fully develop their abilities and skills. They simply believe that they are “good enough.” Mastery requires the cultivation of an extremely critical mind. This is not a mind that simply denigrates everything, rather, it is a mind that tests all things and searches for flaws. It does not stop here however, simply seeking flaws without also seeking solutions is what a pessimist really is. The true critical mind seeks flaws in order to seek solutions. It destroys in order to create something better. It is transformation with purpose and meaning. This is how ability and skill progresses, by seeing what is lacking or could be improved and making it better.

The mindset of mastery does not fit with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality. The mindset of mastery fits more with the “let’s see if it breaks when I do this…and if it does, lets see if we can make it stronger.” Painful? More for the ego, than anything else, but it needs be understood that having regular scuffles with the ego keeps it in check. The ego needs to become accustomed to pain and bruising if it is to join the journey to mastery. The development of ability, skill and control will always be a thorn in the side of the ego, because it is only through being critical that conscious growth will take place. Denial makes many friends, truth is only interested in one. Luckily at the end of the day, this is the one friend that we will be able to count on to get the job done: our self. This is what mastery is about. It is about getting the “self” under control.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Intuition, Mastery, Spirit, Unlimited Mind

Channeling ~ Part 4 ~ Tapping Metaphysical and Spiritual Sources of Knowledge

Integrating knowledge, experience and information and transforming it into understanding and wisdom requires different levels of surrender and receptivity. Form must always change in order to assimilate something new, but at a deeper level that form must remember what it originally had been seeking if it is to use the new wisdom at all. The longer we move into a certain experience the more we become encompassed by it. This provides the opportunity for deep understanding and wisdom, but in the process it is possible to lose connection with how that understanding and wisdom was originally intended to be used. In the fullness of time all consciousness will return to its true self. The choice however is whether our connection occurs within our life time, tomorrow, the next ice age or a day short of eternity.

Providing our consciousness with an internal signal or beacon that moves from within our depths to where ever we are and who ever we become, gives us the opportunity to move deeply into experiences and in essence to “lose ourselves.” At the same time we set a kind of consciousness alarm clock, to wake us and allow us to remember our true purpose. The time spent immersed allows us to then understand and integrate experience and knowledge from the perspective of one who has walked fully in the footsteps of life.

By understanding the reason and meaning behind choosing particular paths of experience we can set a beacon of intention to allow immersion until specific realizations are met. The waking itself can be as gradual or sudden as we direct it to be. For this reason it is important to understand and observe what would best serve our needs. As much as a sudden awakening can push an accelerated direction of realization, we must also take into account the person that we may be at this time and the emotional and mental patterns that we will be working with.

The beacon that awakens should be integrated with any of the senses, sight, sound, smell, touch, taste or thought. The awakening itself must be initiated with awareness – a trigger of observation that originates within the main sensory of choice. This way the mind will have the tools to recognize and interpret the nature of the beacon.

Working with this level of channeling needs to come with a warning. Losing oneself will always come with the requisite emotions of anguish and despair. Re-awakening and realization will bring all into perspective, but while we are gone we do not have at our disposal the the same vision or understanding. This is after all what it means to lose our self in the first place. The same method of triggering a beacon can be used for when we experience and meet these specific aspects also. Just as there can be much knowledge gained from entering into “the dark night of the soul”, despair and anguish, perhaps more can be gained from remembering how to move through and out. More than just a reminder, a beacon can act to trigger a realization of illusion. That realization will allow the experience of empowerment to be felt and understood, regardless of any emotional pain, feeling or thought. As this channel of empowerment and truth draws through all the experiences that have been, integration, awareness and awakening arise automatically and with them deep levels of understanding, compassion, forgiveness and rejuvenation.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Intuition, Spirit, Unlimited Mind

Channeling ~ Part 3 ~ Tapping Metaphysical and Spiritual Sources of Knowledge

There is a real opportunity for walking the path of channeling. Each communication with a being, energy or consciousness allows us to stretch and expand our mind, our way of feeling and perceiving the universe and ourselves. As our perception, belief and experience of our self changes we express, connect, think and communicate differently. Understanding our true self moves from an idea, inspiration and theory into a reality. Rigid forms become flexible and capable of being both rigid and fluid.

Communication will always only be available to the level that we are able to understand. So the types and forms of consciousness and energy that we are able to channel and communicate with will always be within these limits.

Higher Self consciousness is from our perception very close to unconditional love and compassion, but there is also a wisdom and intelligence present. Understanding this expansive state from the relatively contracted state of the physical requires constant stretching. Channeling and communicating with different forms of consciousness is that stretching. Each communication is like learning to stretch a different muscle. Each muscle is like a tool of perception that enables us to tune a finer channel with our Higher Self. The process is intuitive and creative, but there is also a very logical and mechanical process to it.

All communication and channeling contains within it the principles of teacher and student. The information and knowledge we learn helps to integrate the path and destination that we have chosen. In this we are the student, but at the same time we allow the teacher to understand what it means to give knowledge for the purpose of another’s integration. Teaching and learning is not necessarily about learning all that a teacher has to learn. It is about learning what we specifically need to learn in order to move to the next “level.”

Some Spiritual teachers will be patient, some impatient, some possessive, some generous or caring – many may be all of these at once. These traits will be reflected in the teachings and knowledge shared. The higher lesson is always for the student to remember their own true path, that of connecting to their own Higher Self. This intention will move all knowledge, information and communication toward this destination. It is necessary for all beings to eventually take control of their own spiritual destiny. This in essence simply means remembering that their Higher Self is the source of their truth and real empowerment. Remembering too will hold many levels of understanding and experience, but strengthening this intention will move the mind to understand the depths of this reality.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Intuition, Mastery, Realization, Spirit, Truth, Unlimited Mind

Channeling ~ Part 2 ~ Tapping Metaphysical and Spiritual Sources of Knowledge

The power of channeling or communicating with our truth is that it provides the opportunity to express that truth. Even when communicating with entities that would deceive us or seek to feed off our fears, we are able to produce a profound change within the dimension in which we connect with them. By observing what is occurring and directing our understanding of this interaction we change the direction. By allowing our truth and energetic understanding of the connection to enter the communication, the entity at the deepest level receives a frequency that is understood as peace. The power of real peace cannot be matched for its ability to transform. Essentially peace is the energy of absolutely nothing, and yet it is recognized simply because everything else in the universe is something. Consciousness of all types are so used to meeting other energy and being made to be more or less than what they are. In meeting peace consciousness and energy is not required to be anything else than what it is.

When an entity meets this energy, at a deep level of its being it recognizes pure acceptance and this allows it to also understand the nature of its own rejection and struggle. Seeing and experiencing this moment is truly powerful and profound. It shows us what is possible when we create peace within ourselves.

At the same time we must be aware that there may well be levels of ourselves that simply cannot connect or communicate with specific entities at this time. We need to recognize and respect these limits, and we must understand the potential that is possible by gradually stretching these limits but not necessarily breaking them. In this way we come to understand the reason and nature of who we are and why we chose to create ourselves in this form and consciousness.

Using the principles of centering, truth, understanding and peace radically changes the nature of communication and channeling. Firstly rather than simply believing what is being said we simply see exactly what is occurring. Second, we gain the opportunity to expand the boundaries of our peace. We test it in live waters so to speak. Third, we gain the opportunity to communicate understanding and empowerment through resistance and obstacles. Fourth, we move in the direction of seeing and communicating with the path of our true self and fifth we make our consciousness congruent with with our higher self.

Channeling and communication is what provides the opportunities for deep development of our internal strength and power. Unconditional peace, love and empowerment is realized within the consciousness only when it is challenged by forms that test it’s existence. When we guide our minds and body to experiencing its existence in the face of contradictions, challenges and resistance, we manifest realization. This is an important key to bringing ourselves to a complete understanding and experience of our true self.
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Ascension, Enlightenment, Realization, Spirit, Truth, Unlimited Mind

Channeling ~ Part 1 ~ Tapping Metaphysical and Spiritual Sources of Knowledge

Channeling is the ability to communicate with spiritual and dimensional entities. This ability is anything from subtle communication to allowing other entities to fully enter our physical being. It is important to understand that communication on any level with dimensional or spiritual beings is to be taken with the same cautions that we would take communicating with someone on the physical plane. Many factors enter the equation when communicating with dimensional beings, the first factor being purpose – ours and theirs.

If we observe the spiritual dimensions objectively it is not difficult at all to perceive the truth behind any entity’s purpose. Many, many entities simply seek to have some fun with what they consider to be unsuspecting humans. Like many beings they like attention and so if we listen and follow their advice, they’ll continue to give it. Just remember though, just because they aren’t from the physical doesn’t mean they know anymore than you. The scope of entities available for channeling and communication is massive, but their relevance to our own life purpose is not. Many of the beings that have worked hard to purify themselves are also available but do not hang around or throw themselves at people who are not on the path themselves. In order to communicate clearly, we must be clear within ourselves. Without this clarity, the expression that we are capable of receiving is limited. In other words until our consciousness begins moving in a direction that is congruent with inner strength and truth, we are unable to perceive let alone communicate with those that are much further along the path.

The ability to create energy is always important. Without energy we cannot survive, let alone create. Between the initial and middle stages of development many forms of consciousness and entities will come to us, not necessarily to harm us, but simply because we are beacons of energy. As we begin to master our emotions it becomes more difficult to upset our center and so the entities that would normally take advantage of our fears and insecurities begin to move away and avoid us. The same thing occurs with people of this type in the physical plane. They simply sense at an energetic level that they cannot get what they want from us. At the same time they will sense that we can see quite deeply into their soul, but because we have met these aspects in ourselves with understanding we are able to meet these people with peace. The same goes for inter-dimensional entities, but the fact seems to remain, that unless they seek peace and understanding themselves, they will move on. In any case at this stage psychic vampirism and the like is no longer an issue.

It is of course important to move in a direction of fully meeting each aspect of ourselves with the energy of understanding. This is the best and only true protection that we can ever have. It is the kind of shield that protects by fearing nothing inside ourselves, not even fear and so in this state we are able to meet anything outside ourselves – even fear. Each master who has achieved full realization has come to this meeting and succeeded in facing this.

Until then, we must meet each communication and interaction with the highest level of perception and truth that we can connect to. We must connect to this truth and seek through the windows available to us even purer and clearer truths. This is the way to seeing to the heart of all communication, physical, spiritual or mental. There is no being that can truly deceive when we look at it through the eyes of truth. This is simply because when we are in our truth, we are in the essence of understanding and the essence of internal peace. This inner peace, means that we do not seek through craving, aversion or desperation any emotional promises or bargains. And so we can see with clarity what is actually occurring. This frequency of inner peace does not need to be fully realized in order to work. Even the merest intention or illusion of inner peace creates a direction for consciousness to understand. This is the true essence of real power, that even a reflection can banish what is false.
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Ascension, Enlightenment, Healing, Mastery, Spirit, Truth, Unlimited Mind

Use Your Illusions ~ Part 1 ~ The Secret of Enlightenment and Meditation

At the true level of self there is no struggle, no craving or aversion, simply a state of being. Consciousness is at peace with all that is, be it pain or pleasure. At this level the mind has realized how to create the ultimate solution to all experience. To meet it exactly as it is, with peace. Within this consciousness the self understands that what it truly seeks is peace, reunion and truth. This understanding has been realized and experienced at the deepest, broadest and subtlest levels of mind, body and spirit. External circumstance and experience has long been let go of as a direct medium for peace. Instead the self has realized that true peace is experienced through bypassing the instability of the external and connecting directly and purely through the internal core and structures of the mind, body and spirit. This is not an ideal that exists simply for philosophical or spiritual ideals, it is a practice that has has been created because it achieves results.

The search for real reunion, peace, true happiness and love allows exploration, but as consciousness expands it becomes more and more fully aware of the flaws of relying on external experience for internal satisfaction. The journey begins with refining external experience, finding ways to limit those that bring dissatisfaction and perpetuate those that deliver satisfaction. Through lifetimes of experience, levels of satisfaction are lived through, refined, observed and judged. We begin to see flaws, impermanence and fallibility. What once brought a level of happiness may now reflect a deeper level of emptiness. The search brings us new clues, and we look and listen to see if these clues will lead to reconciling our inner spaces. More and more the journey leads within. In time we realize without a doubt that all the answers must come from within, because after all, this is where the questions were born.

When full shifts of consciousness occur, experience both past and present become integrated and so make sense. Incongruent realities and inner dimensions are blended and through this union show us through experience how contradiction can live in perfect harmony. Because the experience occurs at the lowest level of being, that of the physical, all higher levels of consciousness are automatically integrated. The same does not occur however when higher levels of consciousness shift first. In these cases it is important to be aware that the physical levels of body and mind need time and practice in order to bring them up to the higher levels of thought and knowledge. This process is facilitated by using illusions.

The lower, denser and physical levels of body and mind will use illusions like a road map to guide them to the higher levels of experience. In this way the process is very similar to using a road map in that the map itself does not directly bring you to the destination, but it shows you a representation of the path.

The internal world of consciousness reaches its destination by becoming the destination. That is, if our destination is to create peace, we get there by becoming peace. The illusion begins its work by observing the landscape within. Then it shapes consciousness to create the illusion of inner peace. These illusions meet our inner experience and communicate through this meeting our intention. Since both illusion and inner experience are in essence aspects of ourselves, both these parts get to understand the destination that we desire. Through learning and mimicking this destination, they become it. When they become it, then we are there.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Realization, Spirit, Truth, Unlimited Mind

The Source of all Knowledge ~ Part 2 ~ Awakening Universal Consciousness

Channeling knowledge and integrating it is important but for knowledge to be relevant it also needs to be meaningful. The receptive way of using knowledge is to trust that what is being communicated to us is for our highest good and to learn how to listen and work with it. The active way is to weave our intention into the conduit of universal connection with the Source and seek specific knowledge.

Intuitive, responsive communication is always a flow of receptive and active. We recognize what is being said and we respond with sensitivity to the outcome. A good listener has the opportunity to understand well, good understanding provides the opportunity to respond well, a good response provides the opportunity for relevant knowledge. This cycle moves in the direction of creating integrated meaning and purpose. The consciousness that leads it all is that of intention. The intention to seek deep understanding. It will always come back to this.

Observation and listening is an art, and so too is learning to respond clearly and coherently. If the consciousness is muddled with subconscious talk, mixed messages and so on, then our expression will reflect this. Our reality and the way that we interact with it will show the results of our expression. Learning to speak clearly to the Source takes practice. It is a balance of being aware of the ever changing dynamics of energy, the interpretation of the communication and the way that we are infusing our own meaning. In this, it is much the same as any good conversation we would have with another human being.
Just as in communication with another human being it is also important that we observe the nature of communication. If we were to go to another country where the people did not speak English, then perhaps we would have to learn their language, but perhaps in the meantime we would need to find some happy medium. Under these circumstances we would speak what little we could and use whatever other ways, we could to communicate. Importantly we would observe others very carefully for clues as to what it is that they were communicating and all along we would be gaining experience in how to speak their language. The same principles apply is communicating to the Source.

In order to hear and listen with clarity we must create a space for communication. Into this space the frequencies of communication can inter-relate freely. The way in which we realize this space will determine whether our communication is clear or confused, spoken or visual, diluted by emotional beliefs or neutral and objective. The nature of the space will also influence the way in which the Source will be shaped. Exploring the space and the manner in which it influences communication is important, because it is only in understanding and actually experiencing the many differences that we can know with certainty what will best serve our own true path. Integrating emotion, belief, thought or feeling into a space will provide opportunities for understanding these aspects, but the direction that this communication takes will be strongly influenced by our own attachment to these parts. It is this attachment that shapes the nature of the Source, at least in how we will perceive and communicate with it. For this very reason it is important to always come back to neutrality, the place that observes and experiences the Source as it is, unfiltered by our own mind, beliefs and emotions. Through always seeking, through intent for the truest aspects of the Source, we will be led back to the truest aspects of ourselves. This journey will integrate and reconcile all the aspects and bring universal understanding and knowledge.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Realization, Spirit, Truth, Unlimited Mind

The Power of Acceleration ~ Part 1 ~ Expansion and Evolution of the Mind

Acceleration is moving the consciousness in the direction of our boundaries. It is acceleration that trains our mind and body to bridge the gap between the physical, mental and spiritual. It is acceleration that allows the consciousness to at first experience separation and then unity. Acceleration provides a means of intensity. It is a push for growth and a striving for movement and evolution.

It is always important to understand just where it is that we are accelerating to and for what purpose. Acceleration for the sake of acceleration will teach control and focus, but without wisdom it is basically useless. It is wisdom, understanding, reflection and observation that brings us our reason, and reason brings us meaning and purpose. For example discipline for the sake of discipline will only bear so many fruits before the entire practice becomes meaningless. On the other hand in the beginning discipline is needed to support the development of observation, reflection and wisdom. Acceleration is used to push the envelope of development. Instead of a mind that is complacent and lethargic we push it to understanding and becoming familiar with the feeling of alert awareness. At a deeper level what we are really developing is the ability for the mind to transcend both the illusions of complacency and alertness. This however only occurs by the ability to accelerate between the two, eventually joining the two experiences.

Unlocking weaves of wisdom and understanding also comes from accelerating consciousness. It is simply a matter of feeling out the boundaries, shapes and forms of what we perceive our wisdom and spheres of knowledge to be. Then we push out these boundaries. We must be observant and aware. If we push too much then we lose grip of the boundaries, it is almost like they slip off our consciousness. Of course if we do not push enough then our mind is pushed back to the most crystallized pattern of consciousness. The entire process is almost like trying to hold a ball under water, push too hard or not grip in the right way and it may slip up under our hands remaining on the surface. If we don’t push enough then we can’t break the surface pressure of the water.

An opening exists at the moment we reach our peak of acceleration. At this point we have the opportunity to see, listen or feel for a communication or energy that understands what exists at this peak. Just as importantly this communication understands how energy and consciousness can exist at this peak. The significance of this is that once we bridge and link to this communication then acceleration to this point becomes easy. It is going from dial-up internet to broadband. More information is available, the communication is easier and clearer. As movement from this point becomes familiar areas of consciousness that were once normal become slower and easier still. It is like seeing 3 moves ahead, then 6 moves ahead and so on.

Acceleration is all about knowledge. The more knowledge that is integrated and understood, the easier and clearer the synchronicities and manifestations become. On that note it is important to remember that acceleration occurs in many directions. As much as it is important to learn to accelerate to a higher and faster vibration, it is also important to learn how to accelerate to denser and slower states. Another way of explaining this is that the mind needs to realize the experience of moving instantaneously from dense energy to subtle energy and vice versa. The paths through which the mind must travel to and fro are the paths that provide the opportunity for experiencing unity between the two. With each separation that we bring together and bridge, consciousness is allowed to experience and understand the nature of universal unity.

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Ascension, Enlightenment, Mastery, Realization, Spirit

Practicing Realization ~ Part 2

The first step of practicing realization is always observation. Observation is what allows us to know where we are, and it is only in knowing where we are that we can begin to move. Movement is the essential key for transcending illusion, because through movement of the mind illusion can no longer exist as it was. When the mind becomes aware of that world outside illusion the walls effectively begin to crumble!

Movement begins by focus. It is through focus and concentration that we pull our mind toward a goal and attract that goal toward ourselves. The stronger and more intense our focus the greater our steps toward that goal. The more patient and sustaining our focus the longer we can maintain our journey. Intensity provides depth and patience provides continuity. In the long run patience and persistence by their very nature will bring depth, knowledge and understanding so it is important to develop these abilities even if all others are lacking.

It is important to understand and investigate what movement of the mind is. The truth is that the mind is always moving, however it tends to move within set patterns of thought, emotion and feelings. These patterns are what we know as our personalities and the stronger they are, the more sure we are that we are who we are. The type of movement that we want to develop is one where we are in control. That is to say that the mind does not simply flit back and forth between thoughts and emotions at its own will, but that we are able to directly move and hold it on particular thoughts, feelings, images and sounds as we desire. In the beginning our level of control may well be weak, but through continuous practice all beings are capable of mastery.

In the beginning it is unimportant what methods we use for concentration, but in time if we are to improve we need to assess what it is that our practices are developing in us. For example if we are wishing to develop receptive and sensitive movement and control, we may not gain much from focused and hard breathing exercises. On the other hand if we are seeking to elevate our energy levels we may well choose these. By remaining alert and paying close attention to what and how consciousness is being formed and shape as we practice, we will begin to see the bridges that link any and all meditations. This is essentially what realization is about – finding, crossing and linking spaces, gaps and bridges. This mental and physical development is what allows us to shift from a low energy state to a high energy state or vice versa. It allows us to shift from anger to peace, hatred to love or shame to compassion.

While the ability to shift through emotions is valuable what is of far more worth are the processes and attributes developed by doing so. It’s like training ourselves to ride a bike and in the training finding that not only can we ride, we can fly! Gradually we discover that the faculties and expanded senses that we have developed provide opportunities for knowledge and experiences beyond what we had imagined. Moving into these we find deeper and higher paths of potential. What is being explored and discovered is our own consciousness, and it is the experience and realization of its whole and true nature that brings us empowerment.

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