Between a partial lunar eclipse, a Full Moon in Capricorn, and Mercury having turned retrograde, this is a week full of profound and powerful energy! (And it’s my birthday this week too, yay!!)

Last week we talked about the importance of forgiveness, and now that we’ve had a week to practice forgiving ourselves and others, it’s the perfect time to do some personal inventory and take a deeper look at some of the ancestral patterns that may still be plaguing us. This is a week where we need to look to the past and see what we can clean up, whether that’s negative thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Then, from that clean space, we can make ourselves ready to create our intentions for how we want to move forward in the New Moon cycle in a couple of weeks. 

In the Weekly Oracle Card Guidance and Lesson, I pulled a couple of extra cards from my Enchanted Map deck that reminded us about the value of setting intentions. When we have a deliberate intention, we can discover anything can be made manifest in the outer world to reflect that intention.

A Question-and-Answer Session With Guy Finley

Question: One of our neighbors has done something to their property that is proving to be an immense problem for us and seems very unfair. I want to let go of the circumstance, and yet I feel as though I mustn't just allow this individual to dominate the atmosphere of the very place I call home. I don't really want to fight with his person, but don't know what else to do.

Answer: Sometimes one has to fight for what is right. Sometimes there is no other way to meet any injustice the moment brings than with the intention of setting it right. The task though (and the trick!) is to take whatever actions are necessary without allowing negativity to seep into oneself. Hatred, resentment, judging the character of the opposition -- all of these states and thoughts -- are not only useless, but spiritually destructive. We must do the best we can with what we understand is the right and true way to proceed. If we won't allow ourselves to be inflamed -- meaning stay watchful, instead of blindly willful -- we will exit any trial a truer person… whether or not we "win" the desired outcome.

In the end there is only one real struggle, and that is between what is dark, unconscious, and downward trending, with what is light, aware, and ascending. Choose wisely and you cannot lose.

Thanks to its positive connotations, “wholeness” has become a buzz word in areas of life as diverse as holistic medicine, whole-foods nutrition, and the human potential movement, which aims to create a whole person rather than a separate, fragmented one. What these various applications have in common is that wholeness is a choice—and there the problem lies.

If you are talking about whole foods versus processed foods, wholeness is certainly a choice, and the same can be said for holistic as opposed to mainstream medicine with its reliance on drugs and surgery. But speaking about a whole person is somehow different. If you consider the issue a bit deeper, becoming a whole person is involved in the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human.

The nature of human consciousness is such that we can take any viewpoint we want towards our own existence. This goes beyond being an optimist or pessimist, beyond positive thinking. Or even psychology. At the most basic level, each of us decides how to relate to reality itself. In the modern era society teaches us to relate to reality through scientific, rational, logical means. Nature, including human nature, is thus quantified, measured, mined for data, and arranged through rational explanations.

From such a perspective, the human mind must be the product of the brain, following the basic logic that brain activity can be measured and quantified. This fact seems so obvious that neuroscience claims to be the prime, perhaps the only, way to explain the mind. Yet this claim runs afoul of the entire subjective world, which obviously exists—everyone is aware of sensations, visual images, sounds, thoughts, flashes of memory, etc., which occur “in here.” This entire realm of human existence cannot be turned into data or quantified. (For some background, you might want to consult the most recent post, “Why Math Is Leading Us Deeper into Illusion.”)

The decisions you made yesterday got you to where you are today.

The decisions you make today will create your future tomorrow.

With your decisions, you have a power to sculpt your destiny.

Yet given the increased choices we have in our high tech age, making decisions on one level has become easier. You can now do it with the touch of a button. But on the other hand, it can be more difficult, since we have so many more options to choose from.

Have you ever had to make an important decision and felt unsure, confused, or even felt paralyzed?

The fear of making the wrong decision, the fear of missing out, or what other people will think can majorly affect your ability to decide authentically.

Have your past trials and tribulations left you feeling broken or less than worthy? Do mistakes you’ve made keep haunting you, flooding you with the feeling that you’re never going to be “good enough”? My friends, we are all broken in some way. We are all imperfect. But in that imperfection lies our innate uniqueness. In that brokenness, we find our strength. In our imperfection…lies our divine perfection.

1. Look Past the Mirror – All to often, our definition of ourselves is limited to the physical. However, when we define ourselves by our bodies, we reject what’s most important – our hearts and our souls. Who we are and what gives us our true strength, goes far beyond what we see in the mirror. Our essential selves are, always have been, and always will be connected to the Divine. Each of us has infinite potential because each of us, in a very real sense, are a part of infinity.

Happy Summer! The season of relaxation, vacations, warm weather, and FUN! But after teaching hundreds of programs and working with thousands of people, I know that the reality is most people have a hard time having fun!   We have a hard time putting their to-do lists down, kicking back, and prioritizing our need to just have fun.   And when it comes to comparing our level of satisfaction as well as the time and effort we put into having fun, especially when compared to other areas of their life, having fun generally ranks last on the list.

Can you relate?

So, even though we are all so quick to say “Have Fun!” and it feels like it should be a relatively easy task to do, then why is it so damn difficult for so many of us to just…have fun? What is it that gets in our way? And, what can we do to increase our capacity to enjoy?

In my years as a vibrational catalyst for others, I’ve seen so many people come and go, many of them never quite fulfilling the role they were meant to fill in this life. I’ve also witnessed as others soared to levels of happiness, peace, and success they never could have imagined. I’ve been inspired by the success I’m able to be a part of, and I know that one of the reasons for this success is the support I was able to give these dear clients.

We all need support. No one can live their life in a vacuum. Finding the right kind of people to surround yourself with, though, can be challenging. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be difficult, if you’re willing to do a bit of work to find the right tribe.

One of the key wisdoms I’ve come to know in my life is to always appreciate what is here, rather than search for (and lament) what is not. If you hold the latter focus, you will always find something missing. If you hold the former, the world will open up around you in miraculous ways. Some people call this a gratitude practice, and that’s a good name for it. Life on Earth is so rich with experiential treasures, so much to be grateful for.

In every moment, there is a surplus of wonder in your life. The air you breathe, the sky above you, your friends and family, all of them precious beyond words. Yet, not every person, event, experience, or detail in life is always within your perceptual field. You can have one particular experience today and an entirely different one tomorrow, each of them seemingly separate. If you expand your awareness, however, both experiences are connected.

We live on a planet of polarities, and we are learning to navigate it, to find balance and harmony within that world. The middle path is one that is inclusive of everything within each moment. You don’t get lost in opposites, which can lend itself to only experiencing loss. Instead, you see everything around you as part of a greater network of meaning and connection in the universe. There is no absence, only presence.

How do you discover or trust your calling? Or live the life you most desire? Maybe the real question is what’s keeping you from everything you’re meant to be?

You may have noticed that we are living in inspired times. The job market and economy are changing; It no longer works to rely as heavily on external security. Still, there is a path of deep security. It’s your calling or passion. You were born to excel in your gifts. It’s exhausting to deny your inborn desires, your love, and quest for true expression. When you have a peacock inside you, you won’t be able to feed with the finches for long.

My husband and I assisted one of our children moving last week. Chloe was leaving dorm life for a shared apartment situation.  She successfully completed her first year of college and wanted to stay in Bellingham, Washington.   Her passion is exploring and fully soaking in the environment. She holds a vision of developing a career path that allows her to be with nature while sharing adventures with others.  This means she needs to gain skill sets not just found in college classes.  Becoming a kayak guide, river guide or even a deck hand, is not included in her Outdoor Recreation major.  She will blend her formal education with her outdoor experiences and create a fulfilling lifestyle.

I recognize Chloe is very lucky to be motivated to seek knowledge in something that she loves.  She is well on her way to fulfilling her dreams from when she was eight years old.

As we wrapped up our Bellingham adventure, I received a message from a person I worked with long ago.  She is in her early 50’s and has decided to pursue a fellowship.  My friend is seeking another diploma because she loves learning.  Both women are living inspired lives.

Committing to gaining knowledge and translating that experience into an expression of yourself, creates a lovely life. The action of exploring and learning should be part of our life regardless of circumstances. I believe each of us is here to help the world become a kinder, more loving and compassionate place.  We do this by following our heart and sharing gifts that are inspired by our passions.  If we allow ourselves each day, an opportunity to pursue something we are curious about, our collective world will change.

In those silent, but magnificent moments of life––where we are suddenly given a glimpse of something so beautiful that it quiets the mind––we know that we stand in the presence of something that represents a new and higher order of ourselves. What we've yet to understand about these fleeting experiences is that they are an invitation to become fully conscious of these timeless and vital forces as a living part of who and what we are in reality. In such moments we know, without having to think about it, that as beautiful as the world around us may be, it pales in comparison to the world that awaits us within us. Let's illustrate this last idea.

If you've ever taken a walk through a deep wood on the sunlit day and stood in the silent shafts of light streaming down and through the trees, then you know, even though these bright beams seem to appear randomly and separately, each ray of light comes from a common source: the sun. The same holds true with these beautiful timeless qualities that sometimes streak into and through our hearts and minds. These celestial characteristics are the too-fleeting expression of our own yet to be realized True Self. But if this is true, which it is, what is it that keeps us from permanently entering into this extraordinary life? As you’ll see, the answer is surprising!

As much as we may take breathing in and out for granted, if we’re conscious of our breathing, we can become healthier and happier people! By taking the advice of Jon Paul Crimi, one of the world’s foremost Breathwork specialists, you can decrease your stress, increase your consciousness, and begin to release many of the past traumas that reside deep inside you.

While we normally don’t have to think much about breathing, consciously breathing in a specific manner and with a particular intent can have an enormous effect on your life. In fact, many people find that in just one or two breathwork sessions, they feel better than they have in years, both physically and emotionally.

Here are 5 tips to help you with your own breathwork:

I am always in awe of people who start with a passing conversation or idea and then actually make it happen! Many of us have a great thought or a brainstorm yet it never gets off the ground or comes to fruition. So when it comes to creating something from nothing, doing something you have never done before, or putting yourself out there in a whole new way, what drives those who do versus those who just think or talk about it? What have they tapped into inside themselves that fuels their fire and carries their commitment?

Answer? Desire!

Desire is the most important catalyst for bringing about radical change.

It is the spark that ignites the flame of your soul and illuminates your innate creativity, passion, and vision. It is the impulse that seeds your ambition and sources your energy to share your unique talents with the world. It is fuel that has you go through whatever tests, training, or development necessary to be all that you can be.

In its purest form, desire drives you to let go of the safety of your status-quo. It makes you want something so badly that you are willing to do whatever it takes in order to manifest your dreams. Yet generally desire does not come without a long list of doubts! And for many of us it is our fear, insecurity, or doubt that has derailed the pursuit of our desires.

I received the following request from a member of Inner Bonding Village:

“I was just thinking that it would be helpful to understand how Inner Bonding helps us with the following: We tend to judge or be critical of others in our lives – at work, strangers, relationships of all types, with people we come in contact with in our lives. We see them as people we criticize for whatever reason – they annoy us, irritate us, or we see them as too fat, too thin, too bald, too much hair, too cute, whatever. We treat others around us in the workplace or other places with contempt or just plain don’t like them for whatever selfish reason. How does inner bonding fit into this? I can think of people at work whom I really don’t like being with for whatever reason. We tend to judge and be critical and non-empathetic, including drivers, phone solicitors, etc. How can Inner Bonding help us with this negative outlook of others, and why is this so common? Thanks – an article on this would be helpful.”

The popularity of the mystic Sufi poet Rumi is based on his love affair with God, expressed in such ecstatic terms that he makes the spiritual journey seem deeply romantic. But Rumi also reported about how his state of consciousness felt, which gives valuable clues about higher consciousness itself.

Here is a beautiful line of his that has profound implications for consciousness as well: “Exchange your cleverness for bewilderment.” What kind of bewilderment does he mean? To most people, bewilderment is the opposite of an appealing state, since it implies indecision, confusion, perhaps loss of control entirely. Rumi was known for applauding such a state, however, if the result was bliss and ecstasy.

Mark Nepo's Weekly Reflection: The Immersion

Mark Nepo

Now that I am here, I am somewhat ashamed

at my long insistence on there. Now that I am

loved, I am sorry for the hurts I caused in my

want to be loved. Now that I can see, I am

humbled by my desperate attempts to be seen.

Such a long, unforeseen road to simply be

without defining myself by others, for others,

in compliance with or resistance to.

Such an arduous path to breathe in the light

without running from or running to, without

giving myself away, or demanding too much

of those I admire.

Forgive me. Perhaps I can care for you

better in my heart than I did in the world.

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Manifest & Multiply by Choosing Your Focus

Colette Baron-Reid

I love writing blogs based on the weekly Oracle reading. Even though there are typically four cards in a reading sometimes only one jumps out to talk about. This week the glorious Greek goddess Artemis, the virgin goddess of the hunt, really stood out for me. I am an empath and boy can I get distracted by other people’s “stuff”, by too much on my plate, and by social media and news. I have to go on a media diet (kinda like a mental energy cleanse) and stay off the usual suspects especially when I have a creative project in front of me. So when I need to focus, I imagine calling up this goddess energy from within and pretending I am Artemis with my bow and arrow holding it taut, focused on my target. Would Artemis let herself get distracted by other people’s noise? No way she is the queen of the forest, not interested in gossip, in the noise of complaints or the fears accompanying the din of the world. Nope, she picks her target, gets super quiet and waits until the perfect moment. Then, because she is laser sharp in her focus and fully trusts the relationship between what she wants and what becomes possible, she always makes her mark. Rarely does the goddess of the hunt miss.

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Make the Fear of Being "No One" Fade Away

Guy Finley

Looking for ourselves in the eyes of others throws us behind the walls of a psychic prison. The door slams shut each time we find ourselves feeling good about ourselves simply because someone has given us a needed nod of approval. Let's investigate this strange sequence of psychological events that leaves us in a prison of our own making.
 
Whenever someone approves of us, it gives us a feeling we like. These silent emotions tell us that we're good, wanted, or in some way important. But the real pleasure in these sensations is that it secretly serves to strengthen the way we want to feel about ourselves, that we're worth being cared about, and that our existence has meaning.
 
If these positive emotions were the true end of a happy story, there wouldn't be a problem. But they're never the end. At the same satisfying moment of our being unconsciously identified with this feeling of being approved, something else is happening to us deep within our own uninvestigated nature.

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