“What’s In It For Me? A New World If You Can Take It.”

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

–Albert Einstein

Mercury in Retrograde (currently February 26th-March 20th) is often viewed as perceptually akin to the classic old TV series The Twilight Zone.

Growing up, I heard some of my family members talk about how they loved that show, and how they watched it faithfully at that time. By the time of was a teenager in the 80s, the old show was resurrected and reimagined into a new version with the same name. I enjoyed watching both versions.

Check out the brief opening sequence to the show below that illustrates the point:

Looking back on humanity’s origins, our Indigenous ancestors have passed down stories about the Sky People, their relationship with Mother Earth, and their influences on our evolution as a species.

Just as an example, check out the brief Hopi Origin Story clip below for contextual understanding:

And then some years later, just after I finished graduate school and began my career as a professional social worker, I read a couple of non-fiction books entitled, The Day After Roswell, by the late Colonel Phillip J. Corso, and Passport To The Cosmos, by the late Harvard Psychiatrist, John E. Mack. Both American men were Veterans, and highly respected within their professional fields, long before they started speaking out about UFO and ET phenomena.

Check out the interviews with them below to see for yourself what they had to say about their experiences. Consider how their stories provides further contextual understanding to our current developing narrative on this important topic:

Furthermore, respected scientists like, Amit Goswami, “argue that consciousness is the ‘foundation of existence’ that causes the wave function to collapse into a single experienced reality.”

From this perspective, the convergence of science and spirituality are coming in waves, if you’ll pardon the pun.

During its lifetime, this blog has explored consciousness and the reality of its mystery.

Stories about where we come from, our purpose here, and where we are going are not fixed states.

Rather, like seasons, our experiences are fluid and changing.

In much the same way as Spring and Fall are arriving (depending on where you are on the Planet), humanity is collectively in a transition between paradigms.

In this writer’s neck of the woods, birds are singing and you can see evidence of Spring happening. Days are getting lighter, crocuses are starting to breach, and warmer temperatures are starting to show up in the forecast. But Winter is still hanging around, and is quite adept at reminding humans about it; to the chagrin of the moods of many.

From a expanding soul consciousness perspective, the way the aforementioned material is playing out in the 3D realm is shifting.

As such, a growing body of us are seeing the world change before our eyes.

The trick is to not get seduced into any Doomsday scenarios or fear-based war mongering mentality.

Remember there is nothing more devilish than fixed mind, rigid thinking, or a hardened heart.

We may not always be able to control what happens to us.

But we do have the power to choose our attitudes.

Keep in kind mindfulness that a playful, light-hearted and healthy sense of detachment can go a long way to keep your wits about you…especially as we moved forward during the tumultuous times we are living in right now.

May all Beings be free from suffering, and know Inner Peace as an awakening State of Consciousness,

Ari

Letting Go Of Getting Stuck In Life By Being Present With Our Stuckness Through The Power Of A Sweet Surrender

-Rhonda Byrne

Looking back in the rearview mirror, I remember working with a spiritual counselor for many years, who reminded me that people get stuck in life, and can have a really hard time getting unstuck. His empathy statement still sounds true because, the truth is, we all get stuck.

Upon reflection, my old spiritual counselor’s wise guidance invited a personal awakening of an awareness that a big part of my own getting stuck at that time was that I was getting stuck on other people’s stuckness . . . and taking it personally. It can be hard to not to become moved by other people’s stuff. Although experience teaches that it is freeing to stay centered, and observe those entanglements soften and relax. Ah, letting go of victim consciousness is a process, like peeling away the layers of an onion.

Awakening to our true nature as spiritual beings having human experiences happens when we are surrendering to the will of the Universe by getting in alignment with it. Ancient meditative movement practices like Tai Chi supports this process by integrating the right and left hemispheres of our brains, and facilitating emotional regulation of our neurological systems by re-patterning them.

In addition to Bruce Lee’s beautiful introduction, the video below also features Professor Cheng Man Ching, who brought Tai Chi to the West, and some of his students who reflect back on their experiences with him. Both of these men had very strong rebellious streaks because they brought secrets of their people to the West. Sharing their knowledge with outsiders was strictly forbidden, and against the orders of their masters.

But they both knew that the West needed to be clued in to the mysteries of the martial arts. Although Professor’s students deeply respected him as a master, some have also said that he wasn’t an enlightened being, and that he had an ego. His playful soul and competitive spirit is probably what made him so approachable to his students. Not long before he died, he said that he was approximately 70% Confucius and 30% Lao Tzu. He also emphasized that he was interested in learning how to be human, and that it takes a long time to do that:

Reflecting back on my own experiences with getting stuck, and what to do about it reminds me of my last semester of college, many moons ago. At that time, I took an extra class as an independent study with one of my psychology professors so that I could graduate on time. Part of my stuckness back then was procrastination. It’s not that Grandmother’s Stop Procrastination tapes with subliminal message hidden underneath ocean waves didn’t work. It’s just that building ‘Righteous Chi’ works gradually, like the power of water. Once enough momentum is present, there is no stopping it.

Back to my last semester in college . . . I took a heavy course load to fulfill my academic requirements for graduation. My psychology professor was also a part time psychotherapist, who worked with a colleague who was also a therapist with his own full time practice. These two progressive men were both concerned about when their clients would get stuck during their therapeutic process, particularly between sessions. Part of their stuckness as psychotherapists was when their clients would get stuck. As therapists, they felt a degree of responsibility and helplessness about that.

Given that, both clinical psychologists were very interested in exploring a newly emerging therapeutic idea at the time called bibliotherapy. Basically, bibliotherapy is a medium to utilize reading, and other multimedia forms (movies, videos, podcasts, quotes, articles, etc.) to reinforce the power of the therapeutic process for change to occur. The independent study explored a deep dive into how bibliotherapy might be utilized as a medium to help clients get unstuck; especially during the interval between sessions or when they were outside of a therapy session. The three of us met weekly to discuss and unpack bibliotherapeutic experiences. I read a bunch of literature on the emerging subject, and wrote a paper based on my research, our clinically oriented weekly conversations, and reflections about what I learned from the experience.

Many years later, I collaborated with librarians, who were aware of the growing body of research on bibliotherapy’s efficacy. Plenty of counselors out there will assign “homework assignments” to their clients. In many cases this involves utilizing bibliotherapy as a medium to water the seeds of change so that they can take root.

Flash forward to today, experiences with getting stuck in therapy appears to be akin to how meditators talk about applying what we learn during sitting meditation to when we’re off the cushion, and going about the business of living our lives. A big part of why we get stuck has to do with our habituated mind, and cravings that block us from experiencing the present moment. Truly, this is a relatable experience to anyone who is taking an honest look at themselves, or in many cases feeling triggered by looking at others.

Finally, check out the video below by highly respected veteran spiritual teacher and nun, Pema Chodron, that further amplifies the sentiment. She has been a leading catalyst in bringing Buddhist principles to the West:

May all beings be free and awaken to inner peace,

Ari

A Crazy Business Idea For Co-creating A Beautiful New World

Daily writing prompt
Come up with a crazy business idea.

Imagine a freethinking society where everyone meditates because it is a common core value that is built into a new systemic normal where energy is freely shared and exchanged. I know it sounds so Celestine Prophecy and all (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

But in this paradigm, we are operating from a liberated state of consciousness; where our Oneness and interconnection are regularly understood, and are self-evident in our day to day operations.

We will still differentiate and respect boundaries, but we do that without seeing ourselves or anything else for that matter as separate or disconnected. Different strokes, for different folks.

From this perspective, the institutionalized isms, trashing the park, wars, violence, gang banging, organized crime, the so called legitimate maximum-economic profit capitalist conditioning, economic strangulations, and the need to control each other fades away, and is released into a black hole in the Universe. It doesn’t get killed or die, it just transforms.

It’s like letting go of a balloon or blowing bubbles as a kid with positive self talk forms traveling within those thought forms as they float away into the depths of the Universe.

Reminds me of a longitudinal connective friend who recently told me he has been “sober from the news for over a year.” Even better to hear was that he was experiencing levity from unplugging, and commented that he doesn’t feel the charge he once did about others when discussing politics and other mistakes as portrayed on the news feeds. Funny, over two decades ago, the same friend told me he wanted to learn how to levitate. Ah, like a good folk song, psychic development can get the job done without the frills.

It’s hard to go wrong with peaceful, calming thoughts folks. And you can focus on them more when you are not seduced into the mainstream media behavioral trap.

Speaking of the aforementioned Jame’s Redfield’s classic book, and subsequent film, I really appreciate the author’s intention of The Celestine Prophecy to inspire readers to “reclaim their power from dominant authorities and dysfunctional relationships: not via political or legal action but through a personalized spirituality that portrays life as a meaningful journey toward self-actualization.”

Alas, the ego doesn’t understand this dimensional frequency vibration because it can’t control it. What?

Just as an example, we all know that we have created a lot of trash in the park. And we have produced more humans with more disposables. But even with waste management, imagine compressing the empty matter of trash in a way that literally opens up space.

Once the new space is cleared and opened, the possibilities are endless. What used to look like a dump, landfill, transfer station or recycling center is no longer taking up space that appears as an eyesore. You wouldn’t even know it’s there anymore because now the space has transformed into a garden variety of new forms that reveal new growth. This is yet another win-win solution that only looks crazy in an insane paradigm.

Without the need to make a profit off of destructive and dissasterous forces, a more playful and balanced form of cooperative competition takes place. It’s less like competing against each other where there’s winners and losers. It wasn’t till I was in my mid-20s till I heard the saying, if you had fun, then you won.

In much the same way as in T’ai Chi Push Hands, avoiding conflict and getting along with each other is more about knowing when to lead and when to follow by listening and being sensitive to each other’s energy. Just as an example, a verbal assault is met with non-resistance and knowing that standing in your personal authority means that it’s ok to walk away. But in this crazy business idea, there is no need for an assault of any kind because the deeply engrained and conditioned human patterns are blown away like the old Oklahoma Dust Bowl days. When teaching his beloved T’ai Chi classes, past students of Professor Cheng used to say that he would emphasize to “be like a ghost.” This is akin to the idea (and more importantly the perceptible experience) of emptying the mind, or creating spaciousness (a more accurate translation)… or like mindfulness or presence (a more accurate translation). Check out the brief silent clip below to get a feel for his demonstrations:

On a subatomic level, forms are paradoxically mostly empty and formless anyway. Of course we know that from a brain science perspective that most of what we see only includes a fraction of what’s really going on before our eyes.

There’s deep dive wisdom behind the truth that things will appear as they truly are when the doors of perception are cleansed.

In the Billy Carson meditation clip below, he has created a beautifully powerful meditation with relaxing music in the background. I feel that it captures and amplifies the sentiment. Please enjoy taking a closer look and allowing yourself to get into the spirit of this meditation:

Shooting The New Moon Into A New Chapter

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

The only constant in life is change, aka the Law of Transience. May the energy of this New Moon in Sagittarius on Tuesday, December 12 be a friendly reminder that Nature reflects change.

Like the seasons, change is inevitable. Tastebuds change, relationships change, and even our DNA can change. But with change, there is a death of the old self; not without its grieving.

What makes Sagittarius so unique is its dynamic blend of passion, curiosity, intensity, and adaptability. The archer or a hybrid human/horse centaur, is symbolic of this sign.

Moreover, their energies aren’t afraid to use its bow and arrow to explore expansive terrain, seeking answers in places and spaces others wouldn’t dare venture.

Remember that even in the darkness of death, there is the rebirth of light. Truly, we grieve the loss of death energy. And yet at the same time; may we welcome the light born again unto our souls.

It is the last New Moon of 2023. Fitting this New Moon is associated with fiery and passionate energies.

Might as well be in alignment with these energies and go out with a bang, in peaceful and non-violent ways of course. Peaceful and non-violent strategies are more sustainable ways of conflict resolution and harmonizing with our environment.

Where are you at on your map of consciousness with regards to change? Are you resisting the changes of your old self? Or are you moving into a place of gratitude, letting go and even surrendering to the Universe’s signs and synchronicities to light your way? Are you allowing yourself to paint a creative picture in a New Chapter in the Mirror of the Mind?

Given our modern cultural narrative that conditions us to buy into holiday mania of rampant consumerism, artificial light, and being up all the time; it’s no wonder people get depressed about darker days and darker emotions. But darker days invite us to examine our darker thoughts, which are quite natural.

The real suffering is the clinging to and resistance of our thoughts and then the emotional reactions, judgements and stories thereof.

It can be freeing to simply watch out thoughts, and even go beyond our judgements into a dimensional shift of awareness.

Awareness, along with the the power of Universal energies right now can help you take action to create the New Chapter that you desire. It can be done with letting go of the old chapter with gratitude; so as to facilitate a healthy transition into the New Chapter with as much love as possible.

Moreover, the Sagittarius New Moon is a great time to focus on healing and bringing yourself into a state of balance. Use this New Moon to plant seeds of calm balance and think about what you want to manifest for the weeks ahead.

On the day after the New Moon, Mercury in Retrograde will happen on December 13th and stay till January 1, 2024. I saw a hawk do a flyover the other day, and it felt like a prequel to the chi of the forthcoming Mercury in Retrograde. In much the same way as Coyote’s vibe, Mercury in Retrograde can bring in trickster energy into the 3-D realm.

Beyond that, there is a higher vibration on a multidimensional level. For example, in mythology, Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods. Further, during its retrograde cycle, it can more quickly and easily bring these messages to us intuitively. This is a powerful time to focus on your intuitive and psychic gifts.

Pay mindful attention to your intuition and other subtler forms of communication like dreams, synchronicities, and perhaps consulting spiritual oracle decks under Mercury Retrograde. They will likely be sending you encouraging positive reinforcements for authentic living, if only we gently allow for them to build gradually, like the power of water.

A Full Cold Moon will happen the day after Christmas, on December 26th. This is the darkest Full Moon of the year because it always occurs around the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The Winter Solstice will happen on December 21st. Like our ancestors that came before us, this is a good time to gather around a fire, honor the darkness, go deep into our soul caves and begin to coax back the light. After the Winter Solstice, our days will become a little longer. Paradoxically, it will be the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere; the Vernal Equinox will bring shorter days ahead. The Winter Solstice is a powerful time for expressing gratitude for what is and letting go of what was.

Take care of yourselves everyone,

Ari

A Strawberry Full Moon, and a Powerful Eclipse Season

When I think of June,
I reflect on the energies of Butterfly,
and the powerful transformation they symbolize.

A Full Strawberry Moon arrives on Friday, June 5th.

It is also a Lunar Eclipse, marking the beginning of an
atypical three eclipses during an astrological eclipse season.

A Solar Eclipse adds heat to the normally rising intensities of
peak sunlight light during Summer Solstice on June 20th,
while the Winter Solstice comes about in the Southern hemisphere.

As such, it will be the longest day of light or night,
depending on where you are on Planet Earth.

The day after that, a New Moon reflects new beginnings of a new season.

And then the last Lunar Eclipse arrives on July 4,
Independence Day in the United States, followed by
a Full Buck Moon on July 5th.

Remember that Deer is symbollic of gentle allurment
into new adventures in consciousness.

Everything is changing so rapidly in the Universe today.

It is more important than ever to be gentle, and kind
on ourselves, and with our one human family.

But that can be challenging when examining institutionalized oppression,
like awakening to the reality of white privilege, white supremacy,
and resentments that run deep from those power imbalances.

What is underneath the protests, and rioting going on right now?

The truth is, nobody wins from abuses of power,
not even those on top of the pyramid.

A system that is set up to divide, and conquer winners versus losers
is unjust, and immoral – regardless of what line in the sand you stand.

Notice how the growing cost of these disparities invite more chaos
to level the playing field.

And then watch how chaos fuels increased security controls,
like the militarization of the police as people take to the streets.

But now more than ever, with the virus affecting our planet, and
the down-bound economic train affecting the human plight –

It appears more self-evident to me that the movement of labor pains are
intensifying as an old world dies, and a new one is being born.

We have been discussing this theme for many years now in this blog.

This is analgous to the way many people choose to have another child,
after their first experience with childbirth –
often do so because they often forget how painful giving birth is,
and how much work the labor of love is during the early stages of child rearing.

Some people say that about forgetting the reason we might choose
to incarnate as a soul on the Earth, or make the agreement to become mortal.

The miracle of childbirth is akin to any rebirth,
as well as the birth of a New Earth.

And within the blessing of these miracles,
there are also courses in curses.

Going back to the familiarity of an old world,
and an old paradigm is akin to the better the devil you know mentality.

Back when Lincoln was President, a lot of people didn’t want
to end slavery or deal with the consequences of systemic change.

Same thing with the 60s, when old roles, and ways of doing
things were changing, as is always the case during
cultural wars, like we are in right now.

There are those who say they just want things to go back to normal.

And yet, the normal we all knew was really a nightmare that was
merely the better devil otherwise known as a security blanket in consciousness.

Some people call the Age of Aquarias a great awakening of
our superhuman powers, a new human, or Homo Luminosity.

When we focus on the positive, and look for the silver lining, it doesn’t
mean that we don’t notice the dark, and stormy.

That would be like an ostrich burying its head in the sand,
or a toddler plugging its ears, and making noise to tune out
the unwanted perceptual experience.

What it does mean is that we can focus on our breath or a mantra to
help us be in the present moment, and realize that we can’t control
everything that happens to us.

Instead of paying attention to the 10,000 things that are waiting to
distract us from the truth of who we really are, we are training our selves
to pay purposeful attention to waking up to self-actualization, or our soul purpose.

But, to a much larger degree, we can control how we respond or
react to what comes our way.

Yeah, it does take work to adjust to the changes that accompany
movement from a grub to a caterpillar to a butterfly.

It is unrealistic to spiritually bypass one form over the other.

Before you can fly in the heavens,
you have to learn how to move along on the ground.

May we recognize the butterfly effect of our actions.

What are you building in the shadow areas?

What will they look like if they were to come out into the sunlight?

Through the polorizing rise in nationalism, and globalism, we can relax this
barrier by stepping into a unified field of awareness.

Just imagine the possibilities of sustainable green energy jobs, access to
energetically clean resources, like quality education, health care, meaningful
work for our human family, and all sentient beings.

Many people were very skeptical when the New Deal came about during
The Great Depression era in the United States.

But when the private sector dried up, and people were without jobs, there was no
more hiding behind the veil of band-aids, and skeleton life support systems.

Humanity does have a tendency to be at our best, when we are at our worst.
And humans do have a strong survival instinct, and are socially driven creatures.

We are creatively cognitive creatures craving meaning with deep feelings.
You can try to quell those with a garden variety of distractions.

But at the end of the day, it would be like
trying to convince a grub to not turn into a caterpillar,
or trying to con a caterpillar not to transform into a butterfly.

See you further along the trails,

Ari