Tag Archives: books

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

Posted on by under Consciousness, Spirituality, Uncategorized

“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

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

Posted on by under Uncategorized
Daily writing prompt
Come up with a crazy business idea.
View all responses

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:

Cat & Mouse Is What I Do

Posted on by under Mindfulness, Uncategorized
Daily writing prompt
Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
View all responses

I remember when I embarked on an adventurous family reunion in Italy many years ago, and one of my cousins looked at me, and said, “Ari, is it fun in there?” She was referencing my mind, and made this comment after I cracked a barrage of puns, and other theatrical wit. Perhaps if my Italiano was better, then I could have disguised my cornball humor so that it would have read like a foreign language.

And then many moons later, I worked for a new School Principal who brought with her a book called Fish Philosophy into the school community we worked in together at the time. As our new administrator, she built in Fish Philosophy into our staff professional development to enact cultural norms encouraging us to “choose your attitude” and “make their day.”

The theme of Fish Philosophy is simple and was adopted from the famous fish market in Seattle, where the workers throw fish at each other, customers and have fun doing it. Imagine that . . . work and play going together, and that we have a choice in whether we do that or not in the school of life. Before I even read any of the book, a new coworker came up to me after a work related training, and made it a point to tell me that he had started reading the book, and said that I was a good role model of the book’s theme.

https://www.pikeplacefish.com/about

Since before I came out of the womb, I’m sure the cat and mouse part of my personality wasn’t part of my hidden self. As a boy, my mom said that I liked it when she read to me in the womb. Truly, I was probably already acting out the characters that she was reading to me. Most of the trouble I got into in school by teachers, and later in sports by coaches was my clowning around with people, and finding parody and jest in the everyday mundane encounters.

For example, one of my favorite coping strategies to introduce to kids (and adults) is the idea of imagining that the business of life is like playing a video game in your head. It’s been since I was in Middle School that I was a regular video game player, but when I came across that strategy, it resonated in me and many other students I worked with over the years. The Tai Chi classes I have taken also emphasized and embodied the idea of playing with form.

These days, most people expect to be entertained, and typically by someone or something else that they perceive to be outside of themselves; as in an external object of affection, like a pacifier. But the real trick is to discover ways to play with life. As other people take notice, it does tend to become contagious.

Just as an example, I like to play around with mindful breathing during a workout or exercise routine because it brings you into the present moment. Breathing mindfully also makes the workout or exercise routine feel less like work, exercise or a routine for that matter. And when I play my guitar, that’s all I’m doing is playing. It’s more fun that way.

Shooting The New Moon Into A New Chapter

Posted on by under Consciousness, Spirituality, Uncategorized
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