Within from Afar

world in me
world apart

holographic theory

now i see
you in me

equality in rising Northern Hemispheric light and fading dark
(corollary South of Equator)
and all oscillating shades of grey

channeling with Higher Self lights our way

remembering universal truths
making the greater empathic connections

my being is your being

diverse as our unified universe

a holographic representation
piecing together a puzzle

of who we really are

Spring Equinox Blessing: A Masculine and Feminine Sacred Union

seasons run
shifting tides come undone
moon descends
illuminating water blankets
changing seasons
fleeting feelings transcend

nature’s embodiment of
balanced masculine and feminine
relational equanimity
in transient spring equinox harmony

smiling gold glistening sun-god
permeating our radiant souls
healing our wounds
and expanding our flowing sea of consciousness
whistling though wind chime seashells
beyond the abyss of fear

illuminating our shadowy soul’s
natural rose petal love-light

in our eternal moment of now
drilling into our unrefined well of clean energetic truth
smiling with you
we leap with faith
plunging through and through
together we do

singing a passionate wedding chorus of rekindled seasonal vows
in spite of death, divorce and dirge of waning yin

letting go of winter . . .
waking up to spring . . .

Buds rise up and return to outward yang expansive life again

Surrendering to the Sweetness of What Is – Bitter as it might taste

Might we look at our experiences of yesteryear as past lives? Aren’t we humans supposed to evolve – in that we venture into and move through common developmental stages in Life? Yet our growth does not always feel graceful and is often not without pain. Yes we are shaped by our past. But we need not be defined by it. Have any of your past selves been good at reacting to what is? It can be such a challenge to sit with the present moment and deal with unwanted and uncomfortable feelings, such as guilt and shame. Do you try to bypass these feelings by exiting with aggression or denial? Tempting as avoidance is, taking an authentic look at our souls with a reflective lens and sitting with that is empowering. Getting out in Nature helps rekindle the fire within. When I noticed the rabbit tracks in the snow the other day, I wondered how far the rabbit hole do I want to go? I can’t help but remember our ancestral connection to the lunar cycle and the ebbs and flows of the tides. Can you feel the crocuses wanting to wake up and show us that Spring is just around the corner to the light of day? A Full Moon on March 16th symbolizes completion and celebration. Are we building a global community in the spirit of honoring one another’s gifts by sharing resources? These politics of living help us move into a New Age and Paradigm more gracefully. In our husbandry, we experience labor pains. It’s how we move with our Mother’s labor pains that matters most.

During this Pisces time of year, we are leaving behind Winter and welcoming Spring. It is a good time of year to let go of the ghosts of yesterday. Our relationships with others give us opportunities to get to know ourselves, in rank and beauty, on a deeper level. Like seasons, relationships come and go. But their energy remains with us until we learn the lessons we need to learn. In that, we experience both literal and figurative deaths, divorces and separations. Sometimes it’s like two planets come together in orbit for a while and then change their trajectory and drift apart. We have relationships with everything – habits, food, drink, substances, our developmental stages in life, a psychological trait, a significant other, the stock exchange, class, a pet, books, etc. When a relationship shows us something we do not want to see, it is easier to have the wool pulled over us and get caught up in the illusion of separation.  But we are not separate.  Even that homeless person on the street, in a mental institution or on death row is part of our being. And they are worthy of a silent blessing. When we remember to have compassion for the triggers and defenses of others, we help them lower their guard to have meaningful exchanges. Seek first to understand, then be understood. Water is a powerful elemental force that builds its momentum gradually. It has a cleansing effect on our consciousness. This is a good time of year to meditate on water. In that process, try to go with the flow rather than swim upstream.

See you further on down the trails,

Ari

A Plea to our Planetary movers and shakers . . .

A good old boy fraternal order cleverly breathes coal into the souls of its new initiates. As such, a chaotic choir sings a nightmarish karmic hypnotic trance-like opera of reward and punishment. In this refrain, it is hard not to get boxed into tick y-tacky packages of winners and losers, heroes and villains and angels and demons.

The old ways of maximum incentive for greed blinded by arrogance is way past crossing the line. Effectively playing the fox and the lion game of when to be assertive and when to be ingratiating has taken us to the edge of a cliff. Disillusionment abounds. Mister, there is a darkness on the edge of town.

We have a system that foments talk show pundits that profit off of the ignorance of their audience. Let us take for example the same talk show host that both criticizes Obamacare that he then parrots advertisements for accessing Obamacare in commercials that handsomely pay his salary. Without skipping a beat, this charlatan manipulation pulls the wool over the public at large – particularly the educated business class to unconsciously buy into polarizing arguments of us and them. Stop the insanity.

But with an infusion of spirituality into our humanity – we understand our survival is not a game. There are no enemies. We are One. The time is now for the paradigm to change. Powerful energies are moving in this Spring. Can you feel them budding?

It is easy to take a swing at the present moment . . . rat a tat tat . . . Russian toy soldier’s in the Ukraine . . . Now that’s gangsta.

Now is the time to shake-up and move on up into a co-creative system that is designed to nurture our natural luminosity. We can live in harmony with our Mother and all her sentient beings!

Imagine a conversation between Spider, Porcupine and Turkey . . .

Spider embodies a figure 8 shape that symbolizes our infinite and creative nature. We are empowered to clear Cosmic Karma by consciously weaving our dreams into our waking experience with reality. The more willing we are to choose to see the silver lining and make positive interpretations, the more potential we have to heal ourselves and our planet. What good is gold if our consciousness is weighed down by heavy metal?

Porcupine stimulates our chi by making the point that faith and trust in Great Spirit reveals that a Divine Plan that is unfolding in our lives. Through the wonder of childlike innocence, we are discovering Life’s mystery through portals of fantasy and imagination. Can you see these chimes of freedom flashing?

Turkey chimes in by leveling the playing field by reinforcing the wisdom that in the giving, there is receiving – illustrating a message board of shared blessings. Give it back . . . Take it back. It is time to ward off the evil spirits of pessimistic cynicism.

We have a need to feed our souls with an essential spiritual, physical and intellectual diet. Are you exhausted? How is your energy level? Manic, elevated, unhappy or low? Can you sit with loneliness? Are you afraid to get to know yourself on a deeper level? Why is that?

An internal Fountain of Youth springs eternal inside of each of us. However, it is useless if we do not tap into it.

Movement into a more equitable society requires a more buoyant, equilateral triangle. The movers and shakers are in positions of power to embody leadership by investing in equal access to resources. Their collective intention has been in the extreme opposite. Enough is enough!

An empire that is only interested in sustaining itself is not sustainable. Therefore, a vested interest in all of us winning, awakens an impetus to co-create Heaven on Earth instead of depleting Her resources to extinction.

Congratulations guys . . . maturation is kicking in.

See you further down the trails,

Ari

Into The Deep

We are Building a foundation of intimacy
by speaking frankly in the language of love unconditionally

Pisces is water under the bridge between
Winter and Spring transition
Permission to grieve yin’s dirge
While awakening to new beginnings
Darkness fades as light rises in intensity . . .

Sister chaos flows into brother order
Leveling the playing field
Holding peaceful prayers and meditations
for graceful transitional equanimity

A sense of freedom arises in
the sweet surrender to the illusion of control

Let your soul power shine on
by coming out of the closet of psychologically defended modesty

When feeling uncomfortably bugged . . .
Try heeding the ear-worm – Love is all you need
Might that unearth a private and victorious conversational metamorphosis within?

Noticing judgments without judging them
and then letting them go without clinging on to fixed ideas

Sitting with what is empowers us to focus on self

Is it the other person that should change
or could you adjust your own internal dialogue?

When abuses arrive – empower yourself by taking refuge

Imagine if we all dive into a killing with kindness mantra?
With recognition and appreciation of divergent perspectives
Energetically clearing space for welcoming like-minded birds of a feather

Whistleblowers are akin to canaries in coal mines . . .
Please heed their call!
Their messages manifest sustainable Life!
Born out of the Dreamtime . . .

A balanced Life diet of resting, eating well and physically exercising
moves emotions around –
Nourishing harmony in our daily walking meditative footsteps
With a minimally processed Carbon Footprint

Got boredom?
Remember to hold an eagle-eye vision of the valley ahead
Setting goals, while paradoxically letting go of outcome
Cleansing inner pollution by holding a clean vision for Mother Earth
The Golden Age is an unfolding process of possibilities . . .

Venturing out in Nature affords a doorstep into a portal of
open-hearted receptive listening . . .
Stoking the embers of sensuous and magical feelings by honoring our
mysterious and primal orientation

See you further down the trails,

Ari

The Ressurection of Groundhog and Feeling Seeds Underground Waking Us Up

Groundhog reveals chiaroscuro
Shadowy death without dying in winter’s Dreamtime
Digging into Quantum shadowy unknown Twilight Zones
Closer to springtime

Surfing tidal waves of possibility
O’er a rainbow of spontaneity
Down yonder golden halo light of day

Yet with Mercury in Retrograde
We can dig on confronting our self-imposed limits
By accessing sensible, realistic pragmatism
While effectively reworking busyness in our business

Be careful of unintended consequences before diving into commitments
Self defense against burnout, compassion fatigue and spreading yourself thin

Money is energy and part of abundance
With positive or negative values attached to its manifestation
Like overfishing leads to swimming upstream
Does a forthcoming economic tailspin
Plunge us into a more equitable and sustainable unfolding Golden Age?

Imagine justice on Earth without a fight
If corporations are people too, then shouldn’t this process be more organic?

Remembering compassion toward others is empowering toward thyself
Designating a sacred space facilitates believing in yourself – Faith and Trust
“I can breathe here. I can relax here. I know I am safe here.”

Think before you speak while
Having a non-confrontational conversation with present moment

In stillness of winter
Can’t you hear the seeds underground thinking about waking up?
Waxing light ignites pregnant energies
Stoking the flames of rebirth
“It is in the still darkness of the void that the light is born.”

But birth is not without labor pains . . .
(Monsanto Genetic Engineering to repel Agent Orange?)
C’Mon Man!
Feeling restless, irritable and depressed?

Thank You goddess Brighid for wishing us mystically well
How do you like them apples?

Intuitive heart-minds assert that we are a healthy weight when listening
to our bodily signs singing songs about our buoyancy and agility

This Friday I’m in Love with a Full Moon
Won’t you join me in its becoming?

See you further on down the trails,

Ari

Welcoming 2014 and Soul Purpose

The passion and fires burning within the Earth are also burning within humanity.  And you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be more intense energies igniting more opportunities to transform and heal – or die like the old ways no longer serving us.  The “out with the old, in with the new” earworm will amp up in 2014. Traditionally, it is natural for this to occur now as we move away from the Winter Solstice, as yin contracts and yang expands toward the Spring Equinox in March. But during our movement into a new age and paradigm, many of us are becoming more sensitive and attuned to the exponential intensity of these shifts and vibrational energies streaming in.

My sense is that it will become more difficult to ignore your soul purpose, as it will become more challenging to turn a blind eye to developing the “walking meditation” of watching the world turn with an “observation without judgment” lens. There can be a sense of losing control when we untangle our attachments, so as not to get too invested in what we identify with. But beyond that, a deeper place of inner peace is waiting for us to explore. Even if you feel that you are “wise to the ways of the world” and take ownership in a comfortable lifestyle in the material world – you also know the risky business of investing all your stock in possessions without diversification.

How do we get to know our soul potential?  How do we enact an “observation without judgment” view of our inner landscape and the world around us? Through trust, we open up our inner light to “walk in the sun” and share with others, rather than “hide her away from the rest of the world.”  Social media is one way to do this, as there is a reality to virtual connections.  But getting out in the natural environment and making face to face contact is best medicine. While our intimate relationship with our own Self is most important, we gaze deeper into the mirror through our relationships with others.  “Relationships are for a reason: for growth and learning, for nurturance and support, for love and romance, for sex and passion, for experience, for karmic debt or clearance, for business reasons, for security.”

When we look beneath the surface of our introverted and extroverted reactions to what is going on with curiosity and empathy, we begin to understand the experience of “walking in someone elses’ shoes.” We all say that we want to be seen and heard, but is that really the case? Are you afraid of your own power? Is there an underlying fear of feeling rejected or abandoned for allowing yourself to blossom into a flower or turn into a butterfly? It is a good time of year to re-work the dark and let go of external securities so that we learn to feel safe with the arrival of uncertain unknowns. There is a sense of security in “expecting the unexpected” by viewing life as “one big surprise birthday party.” The old guard of secrecy and concealment is fading into a distant memory. Do you need to resurrect old memories to re-work, transform and clear space for new co-creative experiences? Or do you want to remain ensconced in Groundhog Day, without realizing that you are unconsciously replaying old mental tapes and clinging to fixed ideas?

We are here on Earth for a reason. Waking up to our soul purpose is a key ingredient to that. It is a painful challenge to get stuck in the sphere of excuses, reasons rules and routine. At the end of the day, a way out of the suffering is to learn to live with the pain and understand the information that your pain has to shed light on finding your soul’s purpose. To avoid by exiting through anger or denial will cause more pain and suffering. But taking an authentic look at our anger and then channeling this energy in positive and constructive ways will open up new vortexes for transformation and healing.

Sending You Much Inner Peace in 2014,

Ari

Spirited Seasonal Blessings

Today, we get into alignment with the Winter Solstice – the darkest day of the year. Tomorrow, we gain a little bit of light every day. In the darkness, we have an opportunity to receive the information from our lower Chakras, or a “land down under”, so to speak. Although frequently unwanted and uncomfortable to look at, we are equipped with these Chakras to help us shed light on and live in harmonic relationship with the Earth, our sexuality, base emotions, personal will and self-esteem. It is easily conveniently inconvenient to resist this information, change the channel and exit or avoid with denial or aggression. However, we have the opportunity to dig a little deeper by taking an authentic glimpse into our bodily portals of consciousness. As such, we might allow ourselves to see what information Spirit has to reveal to us in our unfolding story. In this process, we may develop acceptance and even make friends with what is. One way to do this is be part of a fire ritual in community and share what you are grateful for and what you would like to let-go of this year.

When I notice those unwanted internal news broadcasts, I remember the old Beavis and Butt-Head episodes. Do you remember watching those two character idiots watching MTV videos together – making comments like, “this sucks” and “change it”? Don’t those characters merely embody theatrical resistance to the inner space of our lower Chakras? After all, life really is like “a box of chocolates” because “you never really know what you’re gonna get.” And remembering a sense of humor is good medicine. We cannot always control, script and choreograph our life-like a reality show. Sometimes, the “best in show” is simply remembering the full-bellied laughter of the Buddha when the funeral parade comes knocking on our door. Our modern world is chock full of distractions that give us easy permission to change the channel, rather than being present on Channel Now. Being present doesn’t mean getting sucked into old dramas, mental tapes or the “voice in the head”- like feeding off an endless IV drip of sympathy. Rather, it does mean being in the moment with what is and breathing in and breathing out the living present, one step, one breath and one moment at a time. If “every thought is a judgment”, then just return to your breath and see what happens.

Many souls choose to leave the material realm this time of year. This is part of why this time of year is such a mixed bag for folks. We feel conflicted about getting into the spirit of the season, the emphasis on consumerism and pressure to buy gifts for each other that we hope will be well-received. We feel pressure to be “up”, instead of “coming down into our souls”. But we need to remember that this junction is really about gratitude and letting-go. Christ’s Light embodied the Sun that is a beacon of light that serves as shelter from the storm. His consciousness was meant to inspire us that the Kingdom of Heaven is an internal experience. When humanity evolves into this place with regularity, we see its unfolding reflected in our outer world. In this way, we become the change we want to see in the world.

Do you remember the character Holden Caufield in the classic book The Catcher in the Rye? Holden Caufield is the epitome of our dying Pisces age and represents the letting-go of our savior complex. The character can’t let-go of trying to catch lost souls jumping off the edge of the cliff, where he waits to save them from their doom. This lose-lose scenario leaves him feeling lonely so that he looks to fill his empty cup with alcohol to medicate his spirits. But we don’t need to carry the heavy burden of trying to save anybody. However, we can become an embodiment of inner peace. When we do this, our souls light up. When we don’t, our souls dim. Those of you who know material bounty and perhaps the “white picket fence”, have probably realized by now that “living the dream” of the leafy suburban lifestyle does not feed your soul alone. Meditation is a healthy spiritual diet that will nourish you soul and help you feel pleasantly full.

Sending much inner peace your way,

Ari

Weaving Webs with Spider Co-creatively

Does anyone notice the abundance of spider webs out on the trails? Although small in stature, Spider’s medicinal powers weave creation into our daily lives. The energy of Spider inspires us to walk in the center of a circle, but without getting too swayed in any one direction. Maintaining a balanced perspective is a key ingredient to Spider’s teachings. Waking up to the spider within informs us of “instant Karma” and the power of our actions. Sometimes, our actions have unintended consequences. This is why we want to weave an intention of a pure heart and clean mind into our spirited travels, so that our souls will manifest into our material realm in that light. “So it was that Spider wove the first primordial alphabet, as she had woven the dream of the world that had become manifest.” Spider is shaped like a figure 8, symbolic of the sign of infinity. In this space, we open to the kaleidoscopic portal of the Quantum world. Three is a magical number. As such, Spider expresses magic in the form of creative expression, effectively asserting that communication and a convergence of its web’s spiraling energies at a central location. We all have a primordial desire to freely express ourselves with authenticity. And when we do not heed this prompting, we feel held back.

There is still much secrecy woven into the Imperial matrix of our Planet today. We see the veils thinning when the surveillance practices of the NSA were revealed by whistleblowers recently. The light of consciousness wants to illuminate the shadows. Don’t the pundits realize that comparing President Obama to a Nazi is akin to “calling the kettle black”? What is so romantic and sensuous about fascism in the first place? Like a perceived utopia, the idea is that the “ends justify the means”. But Life isn’t like that. Let us remember that the dominant majority likes to go unexamined. Who is authorizing the attack of the drones, the endless wars and escalating violence on Earth? Humans that get caught up in an illusionary web struggle with seeing the writing on the wall and beyond the “world of 10,000 things.” Our fears and limitations will entangle us unless we find creative ways to express ourselves authentically and respectfully. The arrogance of getting too ensconced inside a self-woven web blinds us from what lies along the intra-galactic outer rim. Spider shows us that “time is God”, in that there is a Divine Plan, while providing linkages to the past and the future. But not at the expense of the living moment. Self-awareness is a key that unlocks the padlocks of unconsciousness, spiritually speaking. An effective transition into a New Age is a process and it starts with your unfolding. As a matter of fact, we are all of spirit, thus spirit matters.

Nature reveals an unfolding process of changing weather fronts that sometimes shows us uncomfortable forecasts. However, we can move gracefully in our spiritual growth. There is a sense of security in a New Age and Paradigm, in that if one way doesn’t work, another way will. Recognizing that there is predictability in unpredictability can be liberating to the psyche. It is natural to want to feel a sense of security, order and control. But within any healthy structure, there needs to be novelty. I hardly think any child diagnosed with AD/HD wouldn’t get too bored with the status quo and act out to show the system that it’s being too rigid. At the same time, too much permeability and permissiveness is out of balance and dangerous as well. By spinning with the dark night within, Spider helps us weave our primordial creations so that our creativity walks in the sunlight and wakes up to the light of day. Are you weaving your dreams and imaginings into reality? Are you using your creative opportunities? Do you need to write? Are you feeling closed in or stuck? Do you know where you are on the map? Are you or those in your orbit walking in balance? Are you moving toward a central goal or scattered in multiple directions? Are you staying focused? Are you over-involved with others or too self-absorbed? Are you becoming resentful of yourself by not focusing on your own accomplishments, or resentful of others by focusing too much on their accomplishments?

See you further on down the trails,

Ari