Various uncategorised essays, articles and pre-2008 talks.
I gave this talk at the Phoenix Spiritual Centre in Nov 2001 in response to the question of psychic protection being raised several times in the week or so before this date. I believe in syncronicity - if an issue is raised two or three times within a few days there's generally a reason why...
PSYCHIC PROTECTION
I’d like to talk to you today about psychic protection. Some of you may wonder what this has to do with you, particularly if you do not actively do any psychic work, but anyone can be affected by the energies of people and places and as such, everyone needs to understand what psychic protection is, when and why they would need to use it and of course, how.
If you are a sensitive, loving individual, it is easy to be open to other energies and to unwittingly have your own energy drained. Those who are natural healers give of themselves so readily, yet to do their best work they need to protect themselves and understand that they do not have to give of their own energy. They can be a channel for universal energy to flow through. Those who are aware of this know that when you are a channel for universal healing energy, as opposed to giving your personal energy, you do not feel drained when you give healing but often can feel energised. Some residue of the healing energy which passes through you stays with you, like milk sticking to the side of a glass - it is the gift you receive for allowing yourself to be used as a channel of divine healing power.
Many highly psychic people can be overwhelmed by influences and impressions from the astral planes. If you are feeling low and depleted through ill health, depression etc, you are on a lower vibration than usual and therefore may be susceptible to negative influences. We are all comprised of vibration, every cell in our body vibrates, but if we are ill or in low spirits our body vibrates at a lower level than if we are cheerful and positive. When we feel low our body feels slow and sluggish and often we may have trouble raising a smile. Even our speech slows, so it is clear that our rate of vibration would also slow down along with all our other functions.
At these difficult times it may become a little harder for our guides to help us as they are from a higher, finer, vibration and we are not so easily within reach. It’s not that our guides or angels are not there; they just can’t connect so easily if we’re on a different, lower level. When we are very low, we may vibrate at a rate that could attract other energies within that same range, whether it is other people on this earth plane, spirit entities or thought forms. We know that like attracts like; it’s a basic law of physics. Therefore, if you should be in a depleted state it is more important than ever to ask for protection and to be gentle with yourself, resting as much as possible and doing things that give you joy. This will lift your vibration once more to a faster or higher level and raise you to a level where you don’t connect with lower energies.
In recent weeks I have had several conversations with people who have been affected by different kinds of energies, all for different reasons. This was not a coincidence but was brought into my awareness for a reason. It became clear to me that it was important to talk about psychic protection, but also to say that not everyone will agree with what I say - and that’s ok. People who have been working in the spiritual arena for a while will have their own ideas about protection, their own rituals or prayers and so on and that’s good because what’s right for you may not be right for me and vice versa. We’re all different, but some of us forget that people new to the spiritual philosophy may not know anything about protection and they are looking for some sort of guidance.
I’ve been asked, ‘What is white light anyway?’ One person said, ‘I’ve been told to white light myself but I don’t know how or why?’ I’m sure I wondered about the same thing myself a few years back, so I asked if my guides would explain about protection - because when these situations come up, there’s usually something that I also need to understand or be reminded of. I’m not a person for rituals and routines, I believe in keeping things simple. So I sat and got the following information which is offered for your consideration:
“A large part of psychic protection is TRUST, trust in life and trust in your guidance to keep you safe. This is on two levels, your personal, physical guidance system and also the help of your guides on other levels of existence. Every person has been furnished with a personal defence system, some of which is still evident today and which in the early days of mankind was fully functional. First you have your gut instincts, the solar plexus which gives information regarding if something is right or wrong for you. This repeatedly lets you know when a course of action is not for your benefit and rapidly gives physical messages of discomfort when aroused by danger signals. You have receptors and inner sight.
There is a saying, ‘watch your back’. You may have been aware at times of something or someone behind you, even with no sound or other reason to expect it. It is quite hard to creep up on someone; it is usually only when they are deeply engrossed in something that it can be achieved. There is an undefinable ‘something’, which usually makes someone turn around. They get ‘a feeling’. This is the residue of a very well developed personal safety system which living in industrial or contemporary society diminishes.
The society in which you exist today often causes sensitive people to succumb to indispositions of varying kinds, mental, physical and emotional, leading to breakdown, ulcers, nervous tension and so forth. We urge you to get back to nature partly as respite to these negative forces which render your psychic shell sensitive to invasion and partly so you can begin to tune into your own sensitivities and recognise them, acting on your bodies messages instead of ignoring them.
If you get a feeling not to go somewhere, it is either your body warning you through the personal guidance system, or alternatively it may be your spirit guides impressing you. We are not impressed by such inner thoughts as, ‘Oh, I’m just being silly’, over riding your higher or inner intelligence when it tries to give you an important message. Please act on these feelings. Having said that, a person who is particularly highly strung may be out of balance and therefore may sense danger in every simple situation, which is not a good state of affairs. They need to embark on a process of healing to return to balance and then begin to gradually work on knowing the self. They can do this through time spent in nature and taking time for meditation and reflection in order to understand the workings of their own sensitive instrument, the body. Thus begins the journey.
As one becomes aware of one’s sensitivities, it becomes clearer if we are being affected by atmosphere or by a person and also how our bodies react - for example, by feeling drained, nauseous etc. At this time one has probably become more interested in the spiritual aspects of life, for opening to one’s spiritual self often precipitates a growing sensitivity in the body and the senses.
At this stage one is in the beginning process of enlightenment. A stronger protective presence than the physical guidance system may be necessary, for the opening of awareness is also the opening of a doorway through which energies can come into and go out of. This is obvious – when a door is opened, unless there is sufficient security, there will be two-way traffic. Undesirable influences may slip through the door. We therefore require protection from an all-seeing eye; we need someone or something to lift and lower the drawbridge and say ‘Halt who goes there? Friend or foe?’ before we allow them into the keep of our castle. Therefore, at this stage, we do as Jesus advised, ‘Ask and it shall be given’. Ask for a cloak of protection; ask for the light of love to render you safe.
NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT – LOVE is the greatest protector - not fear. If great fear should accompany your spiritual journey, shut down now. Release all hopes of being a medium, a channel. Most who are led to these places have within them a wish to work with spirit but fear makes you vulnerable. There is much myth about ‘opening’ and ‘closing’, many rituals and routines, but the greatest protection is a combination that is hard to achieve as it takes a great leap in understanding to grasp its full meaning and importance - that is unconditional love combined with detachment.
Here we must sidetrack a little from our theme of protection to explain these things. You may have heard and read about them many times, but the question remains – do you understand them? Many of you may be under the illusion that you cannot have both unconditional love and detachment. You think one precludes the other. You think, misguidedly, that love is attachment; far from it -attached love is not love. It is need; it is fear; it is insecurity. The only true love from a metaphysical perspective is unattached love - love that says, ‘I want more for you than for myself. If you need to go, I release you.’ Not many can do that. They hold on to their children into adulthood or hold on to reluctant partners because they say, ‘I love them’. Replace the word ‘love’ with the word ‘need’ and this may be closer to the truth.
The limitation of language means the word love has become multifaceted, used where the word should be like or enjoy, such as ‘I love ice-cream!’ It is used for many things from the mundane to the most important. True, pure, spiritual love, the highest to which we can aspire, has a positive regard for all - even those we are ideologically opposed to. If this understanding of love was carried to a logical conclusion, Government and Opposition could work in harmony, being opposed in areas of content yet still working in a spirit of cooperation for the benefit of all. As it is, mankind is still in its infancy where such cooperation is concerned; therefore you have a basically adversarial system and still have much to learn… So, that is love.
Now for ‘detachment’; it does not mean ‘uncaring’. It means caring, being present and doing what you can, but not taking others’ pathways or troubles on as your own. Your children, partners and friends all have pathways of their own to walk and personal difficulties to overcome. You cannot live their lives for them, for this is interference - and your concentration on their concerns detracts you from your own. Many people quite unconsciously do this, embroiling themselves in other people’s lives and problems because that gives them an excuse not to examine their own.
So many people can’t bear their own company – they don’t want to get to know their own self, afraid of what they may find. They are scared of their own shadow. However, if you can turn and face your shadow and with compassion begin to discover who you really are, you will find within yourself a wonderful friend, companion and supporter. You become your own strength and then you can detach from the needs of others or the need to be needed by others. You become sufficient unto yourself. You find your own life and pathway so fascinating that you have no need to concentrate on the pathway of another. You can be their supporter, cheering them on from the sidelines, congratulating their wins and commiserating their losses, without the need to be dragged into their joys or grief to an unnecessary degree.
In becoming self-sufficient you build up your ability to give without the distraction of attachment, emotions, mental turmoil etc, which we tend to carry wherever we go. By detaching we have more to give, not less. We become clearer when we are not clouded with emotions, needs and demands. We also are less invested in outcomes; our egos are not entangled in the results of our efforts. Most importantly, from the perspective of our theme today, this development of unconditional love combined with detachment is the best developer of psychic protection because when we are strong in self-esteem and stand in the fullness of our power we are fully armoured. The slings, arrows and bullets bounce off our armour, leaving us unscathed.
HOWEVER… the majority of people, whilst occasionally attaining this desired state, are usually in a little more need of psychic protection. This is where the wonder of visualisation is a powerful aid, for thought is powerful and we can use our thought energy to create a protective overcoat for ourselves. Now, there are many ways in which you may protect yourself but again the most important thing to stress is not to get caught up in fear or in elaborate techniques, which if taken to extreme become an obsessive/compulsive addiction. The visualisation can be as simple as surrounding and filling ones self with white or golden light, or if you are not good at visualising, by asking and imagining the feeling of it. You may simply ask for a cloak of divine protection.
Those of you who find your energies drained may specifically request to be a channel or vehicle for divine healing energy so that your own reserves are not depleted. If you are a naturally loving, giving and empathic person it is very easy to link into the energy field of a needy person who quite unwittingly drains your energy from you, leaving you feeling empty and weak. Be aware of this and put your armour on, so to speak, before going anywhere, even to a loving place like this where there may be a large amount of psychic energy being expended.
The best protection routine or visualisation for you is one that comes into your own mind. Some people use a prayer. The routine can, for most people, just be an automatic thing on waking and before sleeping, giving thanks for the day and asking for protection during the day or night; also, before and after meditation. If doing any sort of psychic or healing work it is also helpful, but don’t get hung up on it, don’t get into some awful panic if you forget to do it. It may be that your trust levels are rising and you are on a vibration where the protection is there. If you panic, fear comes in - and it is fear that can bring the very problems you are seeking to avoid.
There are bad energies ‘out there’, but by far the most are negative thought forms, which can only connect with you if you are on a similar vibratory level. This is why you are encouraged wherever possible to keep your thoughts and emotions at as high a level of positiveness as possible at all times. Any thoughts of resentment or ill will lower your vibration, making you susceptible to psychic attack or the unwanted energies of earthbound energies. If you feel there is some negative energy around you that is not of your own self, visualise the light, call on angel helpers and ask them to lead the entity to the light, concentrate on images and feelings of love and light. If it seems to be something more than you yourself can deal with, ask for help and healing – there are many here who will help you.
When you feel in a negative state, it is best to avoid working with spiritual energies and concentrate on retrieving and increasing your own energy and refuelling your own light. Peaceful contemplation rather than deep meditation may be the balm you need for your soul. Many of you endeavour to burn the candle at both ends, feeling driven to do too many things. The highest spiritual endeavour is gentle and undemanding. Remember, those in the highest spiritual realms are beyond the pull of time and know that time is infinite. You are in the illusion that time is of the essence and many of you are in a great hurry to do what you feel must be done. You want it all NOW, but now is not necessarily the time.
Remember that the Universe works on an intricate web of delicate threads of cause and effect. If you try to be ready when you want to be, it may not synchronise with other energies and people with whom you need to interact. You cannot orchestrate the world; it takes a greater intelligence than you, believe it or not! You want so much to do it right, to not miss the boat. You want it all; but if you want to manifest your destiny in line with the blueprint of your life, the best way is not to speed up but to slow down. Cease putting human limitations on your time-span and see from a spiritual perspective.
Much old wisdom is resurfacing; the wise ones of the past understood the rhythms of nature and the universe, that everything has its time. Old cultures revered their elderly citizens, because time and experience, properly assimilated, brings wisdom. It is when you have lived the mundane experiences, founded and brought up your families, sought and experienced a career and reached a certain point in growth that a time of reassessment and time out can lead one to different pastures and a spiritual pathway. Of course, there are many very spiritually aware and wise younger people, who we would term ‘old souls’, but they also need to know the value of taking their time. There is no rush.
At the time when people have judged themselves as ‘past it’ and start saying, ‘it’s too late’, those with more understanding begin to come into their own. Freed of some of the difficulties traditionally faced at a younger age, rather than hang up their boots and wait for old father time to fell them with his scythe, an excitement comes upon them and a knowing that this is the time to grow and gather wisdom. Humans too have seasons, as in nature. Spring and summer have much to offer, but think of the colour and richness of autumn, the harvest that may be gathered in from the crops of seeds sown over this lifetime. It is as we lift those crops we unearth buried treasure and rediscover additional delights to enhance the fruits of our harvest. Do not dismiss the knowledge and wisdom of the elders and do not consign them to the compost heap until winter nears its end. Too many are thrown there are the beginning of the autumn before their full richness is uncovered.
Your protection is also brought about by your humility, your openness and willingness to learn. Arrogance has a brittle shell, easily broken - humilities shell is more pliable but stronger. As we bring this subject to a close we will recap that strength of purpose, love of the unconditional kind, detachment, self esteem and humility are your best protection. A prayer, visualisation or affirmation on waking and before sleeping is good, also before and after meditation, healing or other psychic work or when going into places where you feel it advisable. Get to know your own self, tune into your personal radar system and know you have guidance. Most importantly, step out of fear and into TRUST.”
I hope that those of you who needed some information on protection may have found my guides suggestions useful, and those of you who are more experienced might have found some food for thought here. I must just add something about protection that I found in a message I wrote earlier this year, which maybe answers in part the question of why people have to suffer.
“Protection is misconstrued by many. We don’t want harm to befall us and therefore request protection, but this is more for the protection of the soul that we ask for the light and keep our vibration high. Whilst we hope to keep the body well and fit, there are conditions set in place for karmic reasons, for reasons of soul growth and even experimentation on the part of the greater being, the soul entity, of which we as individualised beings on the earth plane are not aware. Therefore, if one is hurt physically or becomes sick, one may feel let down. ‘I did all the right things,’ one may feel, ‘So what went wrong?’ The answer is that nothing went wrong from a soul perspective, all is working perfectly as it should be, but from a limited physical point of view and because of suffering endured, this may seem far from the truth to the individual concerned.”
I found this interesting. It indicates that psychic protection is not just for our physical body and mind. While we are on the earth we obviously identify very closely with our physical self, but from the perspective of Spirit, it is the soul that takes priority.
ãJan Hunneybell 12/11/01
LET IT BE ME
[I woke with this lovely song - what comes to mind with the words ‘let it be me’ is the ‘me’ that is ‘I’ - the relationship with the Self or the God within.] The body and personality that is I or Me is a being with a mission; a higher purpose. We are like a scout sent out on behalf of our greater Self, which ultimately connects to the One Source, or God. Therefore, we are working for a higher being, the ‘Master’ [genderless].
Many people say, “I hate myself!” They are caught in the illusion of the physical world, the idea that they are separate from God. However, every single one of us is a being on a divine mission, sent by the Master being of whom we are ultimately all a part; therefore it behoves us to love, in the form of respect and acceptance, our own Self - because we have been sent here for a specific purpose, to learn and to grow on behalf of the Supreme Creator of all life.
As we experience life through this world of duality, this world of comparisons, reflections and confusion, we need to experience the negative aspects in order to draw out our finer qualities. We need to see where love or light improves the path and to follow that Way. ‘Let it be me’ means to let go of the need to heed and follow everyone else’s ideas above the wisdom of the guidance of your own inner self.
See all other people as guides and teachers in your lives. Love each one for the great soul that they are beneath all those earthly woes. Feel compassion for each one, for they too are on a mission just like you, and also need in their own lives to ‘let it be me’. Understand that your inner self is just as connected to the Source and has a more complete understanding of what is right and appropriate for you than any of these other souls, however well meaning and however highly evolved they may be.
You are your own ultimate authority but you can only truly access the instruction book with the sacred key. You learn to trust in God and to understand that there is a higher purpose to every little thing in life when you learn to trust in your Self – that is the key. Love and respect your inner processes and listen to your heart; the inner Self that connects to your higher guidance.
Every little spark of God, one of which is you, emanates from a bigger spark which emanates from an even bigger spark and all of these sparks emanate from the fire of the Creative Force, which is God. Therefore to love God, the Creator, the All (All being part of the word Allah), the Supreme Being, the Source, the Force… is to love the Self.
Even as we may be aware of our personality faults and traits that appear unlovable, yet the greatest way to heal and temper those faults and foibles is through the act of love and kindness. Love and kindness heal most problems but this is the unconditional love and kindness that emanates from a soul who is at one with their own Self. This is a love that comes as a result of who they are rather than what they want or need. There is no hidden agenda with someone who exudes compassion and warmth from their own sense of wholeness and self worth.
To feel truly happy with who you are is to be whole. In that calm, integrated state where the lower self and the greater Self are united through the love and acceptance of their connection, one can follow the guidance of the inner Self that knows all that you are meant to experience. Love is the key, to stop hating any part of yourself and embrace your totality. When did hate ever do anything good or positive?
Know that you are fine as you are. You are your own higher authority and can be guided by the Master when you find the master key - Love. Sometimes we need someone external to experience the feeling of love to a high degree of unconditionality and devotion, whether the loved one is a guru, a partner… anyone who may come into our lives to trigger that intense acceptance and adoration. They enter our lives in order that we can feel the truth and beauty of the force of true love.
Such intensity is hard to sustain and hard for the person upon whom such feelings are placed. Anyone, just by being human, inevitably falls from the pedestal upon which the adoring one has placed them. For the adorer there is the pain of discovering that their idol, like them, is merely a human being also trying to complete their own mission. However, all is not wasted because that feeling; that love; that devotion, that intensity, is also the feeling that connects us all to the true God, the One within.
‘Let it be me’ – let it be you, your own greater Self. This is the balance, to love the Self in a selfless way. Be at peace with who you are, as then you can respect others and yet still be your own highest authority, knowing that everyone else is also their own highest authority. Every time you try to coerce another person to do things your way or every time you are convinced that only your way is the right way and try to make others conform to your wishes, you step outside the boundaries of self-responsibility.
In order to respect your Self, your pathway and your right to self determination, you need to respect that of others. Know that they too have the inner voice. An ego need to control other people is not a divine calling, but comes about through lack of self worth. In controlling others there is a false sense of authority but those with true inner authority do not need to manipulate others. They love them enough to let them make their own choices, letting them fly free with love in their hearts instead of being bound by false chains of loyalty that may eventually become resentment; emotions that affect the energy to the detriment of everyone.
Let it be me – in coming home to yourself, in feeling the connection with the All, you are filled from within by the wellspring of eternal love that never runs dry and never gets blocked or dammed. [As I write, the song Moving On Up comes to mind. It says, ‘Who do you think you are?’] When you are standing in your true power, others may be intimidated and you can find yourself shrinking back into your smallness because of their judgement. They may say say, ‘Who does s/he think they are?’ The answer is, ‘A divine child of God, just as you are…’ but sometimes perhaps we may need to heed those criticisms to keep a reality check.
It takes a soul far more highly evolved than most to never get a little out of balance either side of the ego self, to never lose confidence or perhaps to be overly assertive with others. It is a constant refinement to keep the ego in balance. If you listen to the inner self and the more overt guidance that you receive when you feel your true connection to the Source, then you will hear the warning bells and check your behaviour. To be able to recognise it before it needs to be pointed out to you is progress!
The song says, ‘I’m moving on up, nothing can stop me now’. When you stand fully in your power, not feeling that you have to run your decisions past others for their validation, you are indeed moving on up, and this releases and increases your energy. By standing in your power you are protected from the draining influences of others imposing their demands on your own energy supply.
We can be drained both by those who are needy of our energy, who slurp it up for their own consumption, and also by those strong characters who try to subvert and divert our energy in order to retain their own power base. These things generally occur on a subconscious level. They are not deliberate actions by others, but it is important to recognise when this is happening. This is not to apportion blame but to see where your energy is being manipulated, used or drained by others.
You can reclaim your energy through loving acceptance of the insecurities of others and loving acceptance of your own self-sovereignty and power. You are then able to protect your own self worth and self determination whilst still being a loving light to those others. Be there to guide or to walk beside, but never to dominate or be dominated by or made to feel lesser or lacking. Each person is a keeper of the flame. Just because others burn brighter or need to rekindle from your flame does not imply superiority or inferiority. We are all seekers; all sent on a personal mission and one of the main tasks in life is just to recognise this. You have not been placed here without good reason.
Every single one from the most loved and adored in earthly terms to the most reviled mass murderer on death row was given a mission and each contains that divine spirit. Sadly, some have become so caught up in the darkness that they have fallen into the abyss of illusion and lost their light – yet it is still there, even if it is as a dying ember. That ember never completely cools down and dies; it just takes more work to rekindle it to its original brightness.
When Jesus said, ‘Love one another,’ that meant to respect all beings regardless of the path they have taken. Respect the light within and feel compassion for those in whom it is so shrouded that it doesn’t see the light of day. Understand that your worth has to come from within yourself. It can only be validated by others if you have it in the first place.
As those who travel on public transport can vouch, you cannot validate an expired or otherwise invalid ticket - it has to be current. You must have regard for your own Self and then validation from others is a pleasant addition rather than a gnawing need.Let it be ME – My Energy – not anyone else’s. Honour thyself.
©Jan Hunneybell, 5 Sept 2005
TRUE
Message from White Cloud (a spirit guide): We walk the path of love; that is the true way, the way of light to brighten the darkness that hangs over the world as a dark cloud of pain and misfortune. This is caused all by the negative thoughts and actions of man, this toxic cloud of cruelty, injustice, lack of respect… it is many things -and none of them are love, so we come in to show the way, to bring back the simplicity and kindness and warmth.
We show that patience is the way, to live by the seasons and not by the sun. You cannot live by 24 hours; you have to have the broader view. That the 24 hours is a new start and a new day is true but the world’s day is a very much longer time than the human 24 hours. Life is cycles within cycles, but man wants everything now and that is not always possible. In spirit life much is now, but the challenge of the earth life is to learn to wait, to work with the energies, delay gratification and understand that in material life some things take time - including your own spiritual growth.
Life is practice for the spirit; it is growth for the spirit. You think this is ‘real life’? Ha! You are the cloud! The real life is not where you are – it is where I am, your true home. You are merely on a voyage of discovery, living a virtual reality as a fact finding mission, for there is much truth within fantasy. A novel is not true but it may contain great truths. What is real, what is not? It doesn’t matter – what matters is how you are on a moment to moment basis, how you live, what you respect, how you treat your fellow man and this earth that you tread.
What matters is how you deal with your self. Within you, you have all you need to survive and thrive, for you have been provided with the most intricate communication and tracking devices - your senses, both the physical senses and the subtle senses. You are born with these fully operational and then the way your society is organised seeks to dumb them down so that you do not fully trust your self and that is why so many people are in a quandary of unhappiness and doubt.
How can you trust anything if you don’t trust yourself? You put yourselves in the hands of charismatic leaders, thinking they have the answers. They have no more answers than you do – they just have more courage.
In your first years of life you have very little choice in how to live; that is dictated by your parentage and situation, yet this has all been planned beforehand. Spirit knows the challenges you face, your strengths and weaknesses. The physical life is chosen to help to make the most of your strengths and to challenge you to grow, to face your weak points and strengthen them.
The middle years are still somewhat unconscious. There are some young people born with the understanding of spirit intact and who choose a conscious pathway but they are few and far between. Most follow the pathways in the middle years that were set for them by their parents; or in rebellion they choose a pathway apart from their parents - but this is rarely a ‘higher self’ choice but an ego one, an ‘I’ll show you’ choice.
In midlife comes the biggest struggle, either to continue with the life chosen in those earlier years or to break free and start again. This is the point where many people feel they cannot continue with a life they chose in their teens or twenties, the career, the family. They want to try something new, to follow their heart and their dreams. There is a sense of urgency; can they find their authentic pathway and their authentic self before it is too late? Some may choose to throw everything away and start again. Others are more cautious.
It is possible to remain in the same place and the same relationship and yet still to change and grow. That is not an easy pathway because so many habits are ingrained. A change of scene helps one move away from those habitual ways of being. When your partner is not on the same pathway there are other challenges to face, but it can be done. In other situations, with a different kind of partner, it would be impossible. Then the choice would be to give up or alter the journey or the relationship. There are tests within tests.
Part of the purpose of the physical life is to move from unconsciousness to consciousness. We have to do our best to remember who we are, to go from the helplessness of the newborn to the power of the person who has rediscovered their greatness. There is a good reason why we are born not knowing who we have been in the past, for we need a clean slate to develop ourselves without the prejudices and expectations learned in previous incarnations.
We have been a great many different people in our various sojourns into life both on earth and elsewhere, and each time has been a time of learning and growth. We have had times of great suffering and deprivation and yet we may also have been the cause of suffering and deprivation to others. It could have a detrimental effect on the life and attitudes of a human being to have too much information about prior incarnations.
We have not all been kings and queens – in life we have mostly been in the crowd, for in every generation are the leaders and then there are the masses; yet those who have had many incarnations will have experienced power of some kind as well as being one of the throng. It is important for ones overall growth and balance to have had positions of power and of powerlessness for it is how we deal with our authority or our lack of freedom that will all help to shape our characters and to develop our spiritual selves. This development on the earth plane will give us a great deal of information and growth to guide us in our true lives in the spirit realms, which are lived in tandem with the earth life.
You are part of something much larger, a spirit more vast than you could imagine. You are a speck of that greater being, a particle that has been outsourced to find out more. The experiences and information you gain in this life will be brought back to the larger self and be used to increase understanding and awareness – and you thought you were just little you, struggling to get by… Your purpose is far greater than you will ever be able to understand while you live on the earth plane.
There are stages of growth, just as there are the stages of life - childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, midlife, the elder… These are not just physical milestones but mental, emotional and spiritual milestones. Although there are individual differences they follow a general pattern.
Sadly the stage of the elder has been devalued. When you say someone is ‘elderly’ or ‘a pensioner’ that tends to suggest frailty, weakness, dependence; but term them as ‘an elder’ and we have a person who is respected and revered for their knowledge and life experience. Society needs to rethink their views on the older person and to begin to listen to their wisdom.
Yes, there are many ‘silly old fools’ but your society again must take the blame. Those who live unconsciously will take on the roles ascribed to them and if they grow up thinking that getting old means senility, physical degradation and illness, then that is what they will manifest. After all, that is what is expected of them and the masses tend to follow the leaders of the herd. It takes the brave few to say, ‘That is not my belief’ and to follow their own pathway.
In ancient cultures the aged have always been revered for not only having life experience but for begetting the new generation. Regardless of your thoughts on your individual parents, if they had not begat you, you would not be here. It’s as simple as that and for that they need to be honoured. They gave you life and that is the greatest gift.
You waited along with hosts of others queuing in spirit, waiting for that opportunity to be born onto the earth plane - and it was those two people who gave that opportunity to you. Even if you never knew them, for there are many children who will never know their fathers and quite a few who have also been deprived of their mothers, those people were the means of your life. If you are angry with them remember that the best revenge is to be happy and paradoxically, the happy do not seek revenge…
In this life at this time on your earth it is a time of great change - and great change always brings great upheaval, but at these times there are more opportunities for growth than at any other. Even as terrible things take place on a daily basis, there is your opportunity to do your part in helping the world and your fellow human beings. Whether directly, serving in a soup kitchen, hands on in the refugee camps or simply by sending your love and prayers, you help.
Do not belittle the power of your thoughts. If you live your life caring for your family, giving time and care to others, being the best person you can be and also sending concern to others who are suffering, that is a great service. If every single person sent out a caring thought for all others at least once a day, then the energies would clear rapidly. They would overtake that dark cloud I mentioned at the beginning of this talk, and would disperse it.
Goodwill spreads just like measles – it is infectious. As others see you taking delight in being a loving person, in following true love ways, then they too may want to give it a go. They see something attractive in you; they see your light and that may cause them to activate their own. That’s how the light grows, just one little light at a time… every light helps to show the way forward.
©Jan Hunneybell, 16 Oct 07
White Cloud –
It is beholden to you to care for this earth, to honour the Mother that nurtures you and to do your best to nurture the earth in return. Give thanks for your food, give thanks for each new day; give thanks for life itself for it is a gift far more precious than you might understand.
Those who discover at last their spiritual nature often tend to want to be more in the world of spirit than the world of man but that is a trap that you must not fall into. However, it is also a stage that must be passed through, the wish to be with the Father (prime source) when one is not yet ready to leave the Mother. Both must be honoured for both are necessary to your growth and well being.
If you leave the mother before you are fully weaned, you will not be ready to join the father. This is true in your everyday life and it is true in the larger life. [Note: When rereading and questioning these last sentences, I ‘saw’ that in tribal life children would stay with the mother for the first few years until weaned, before venturing from home with the father. JH]
One moves through the stage where at first one believes this life is all there is, one is enveloped in the earth life, living it without thought to any greater realities. Next one finds through the difficulties one endures and the trials of life that there is something far greater and that there is more, much more to life than this earth life. At this point one yearns to be reunited with the Source and works towards finding reconnection.
Some stay in this place and never move further forward. Indeed some stay in the first phase for their whole life neither thinking nor caring about anything other than the daily grind, isolated in this island that they become. However, if one does move through to the second stage of ‘ungrounded spirituality’ and then beyond it, then comes the stage of ‘being in the world but not of it’. What does this mean? It is an acceptance that if we are walking this earth then there must be a good reason for doing so. It is a decision to embrace the life you have and to make good use of it within the scope of your circumstances. At any time in life that ‘good use’ can be many different things.
There are stages where it is appropriate that the ‘good use’ be the nurturing of ones young, caring for family whether that is as the nurturer or the breadwinner or both. It is also appropriate to nurture the self for only you have access to your soul and know the yearnings of your heart. Others may intuit your pathway and possibilities but only you know the truth of who you are and what is right for you at any particular point on your road. That may change, it is not set in stone, and the change may be quite a shock – as this one has discovered. Her dreams are in the right direction and have always been so, but certain aspects that were once priorities have dropped away.
When this is a sudden thing one almost feels unrobed! ‘What can I cover myself with? My identity has fallen off!’ Priorities change as times change but there is a thread that runs through most people’s dreams and aspirations. They will find if they look back through life that it has all been connected, the different jobs, the friendships and experiences. Somehow there is a connection to the purpose even as one finds that purpose changing. Every little thing has meaning if you choose to look at life that way. If you do tend towards that way of thinking then life becomes richer, deeper and infinitely more rewarding.
As ambitions fall away one comes to the purity of their purpose in this life. There are those who know from an early age that they want to be a nurse, a doctor, a train driver, an artist. Others are far less sure and have a variety of choices in what they would like to do, whilst a few have no aspirations at all other than getting through another day.
Some souls are literally here for that purpose, to get through each day as best they can. Their lesson may simply be to make the most of life, as in ‘getting through’ it. Can they learn to be content with what they have or will they succumb to boredom and the destructive habits that ensue from boredom? This may not seem to be much of a purpose but for their soul growth it is a necessary lesson and may also be ‘time out’ from more complex lifetimes. Even these seemingly mundane lives contain spiritual lessons for the greater soul self.
Those who have multi talents, who through many lifetimes have amassed a great variety of possibilities and capabilities, often have much trouble sorting out what they want to do. They have so many interests and their soul remembrances pull them in various directions of activities that have been loved in the past. One may not remember their past lives but there are echoes that leave a resonance in the heart and soul when certain activities, places and people come into their orbit. These are the déjà vu times, the ‘I know you’ times or ‘this feels familiar’ feelings that many people experience. The truth is they do know these things; they are locked within their memory bank waiting to be reclaimed at the appropriate times.
It may take many years of soul searching and sometimes disappointment and/or frustration to go through the layers of the self to find the kernel, the true centre where ones essence lays. This is where one finds the true purpose of this life but remember, all that led up to it was also the purpose, for it is the search that is so important a part of life. That is the ‘quest for the grail’. We learn qualities of endurance, patience, loyalty, strength and courage on this quest.
For you ‘late starters’, those who find your joy at the time when most people are hanging up their coats and putting on their slippers, be glad. Your later years will be filled with purposeful activity while others merely sit around in ‘God’s waiting room’. No one needs to just sit waiting for the ‘grim reaper’ to arrive; there is plenty upon this precious earth to keep anyone busy and interested in life until the reaper taps them on the shoulder.
Those who enjoy life, who get busy with something that interests them, will have been so engrossed in their passion that there will be little time to contemplate any negative side of the journey across the divide. This makes one’s transition quick and easy. Live until you die – it’s far more enjoyable than dying by degrees over many years. And never stop learning. None of it is wasted; knowledge as well as love and all the other virtues are things you can take with you when you die.
Everything you learn and experience is stored in those parts of the brain that our scientists have yet to access… and it is also stored in the subtle energies that leave the body when the final breath is taken. What a rich vein of treasure we will have if we take an interest in this natural world, if we respect the earth, her creatures and plants and amazing places; if we look and really see, listen and really hear; feel, taste, smell… Use your senses to their utmost and you will find you naturally open your more subtle senses.
If you honour the earth and all the life upon her, it honours you back. Your sense of wonder and excitement in the possibilities of life may open you up to a connection with subtle energies. Communication with nature spirits and non-physical entities is entirely possible – and with an open heart and mind and a clear aura it is not only possible but probable. If it does happen you then have to decide if you trust what you perceive or if you will go the way of 90% or more of people and dismiss what you hear, see or sense on an inner level as merely illusion.
If you believe and respond favourably to the whispers of the angels and the nature spirits then they will work even harder to connect with you for they love to communicate with human beings. For some of them it is their chosen pathway, because the more aware humankind become of these other beings that share our space and our planet, the more they will understand the importance and the inter-connectedness of all things. If they do, they will be more aware of and respectful of nature and understand that how they use and abuse the planet is not just about people.
It is the more sensitive people who will be able to influence the less sensitive people who the nature spirits and angels are unable to connect with directly. It takes courage to be a messenger for spirit. One takes the risk of being considered ‘flaky’ and foolish. This is another reason why our messengers need to be grounded in reality, strong and competent human beings who don’t spend their lives wishing to join their loved ones in spirit. We need practical, well earthed messengers who enjoy life and who have endured the apprenticeship of life’s trials to help bring the planet to a new level.
We need those who can explain how the spiritually aware life can enhance the physical life, because happiness begets happiness, kindness begets kindness, caring begets caring - then the love that is the fuel of life can begin to flow like petrol from the pump. This fuel doesn’t cost anything; the only price is love. It is fear and hate and resistance to life that impedes the flow and it is love that clears the blockage.
Unlike oil wells, the well of love will never run dry. How can it when it is the stuff of the Universe? Everything is comprised of energy and that energy is love – fear is the great blocker. Hatred is merely one form of fear but it is a virulent form that is at the basis of so much pain on the earth plane.
No hatred is justified although much is understandable, but even as we understand why people may feel the way they do, a study of the spiritual laws will make one understand that hatred will never win wars for negativity begets more negativity and what may seem like a victory in a material world can be a serious loss from a spiritual standpoint. There can never be any winners in a ‘victory’ born in hatred, because even as the banners are waved, the individual victims and perpetrators of hate will continue to suffer.
Not all suffering is seen and not all suffering or happiness seems logical. Many people holidaying in poor regions are full of wonder and admiration of people who have nothing and yet are happy. The western way is of accumulation as a way to happiness, the belief that money and possessions are what make life enjoyable. These things, if used wisely and well, can certainly enhance an already happy life but will be mere distractions for the unhappy soul. They may thrill to their new acquisition for a day or a week or a month but in the end it will not be enough to quell their restless spirit.
Those people who live a simple life in more remote places are happier because they do not concern themselves with ‘things’ and they do not get emotionally caught up in ‘world affairs’ - but they do what they can with and for those they love. They are not trapped by the need for bigger and better and brighter and brasher. It is the simplicity of life that leads to happiness; the more complex it becomes, the more there is to confuse and upset us and lead us into competition with others.
Long hours working in the bowels of the earth do not lead to happiness even if they lead to large pay packets. There are those who will enjoy their work even in such difficult conditions but the majority would by far prefer a simple life… Look at your own life, see what could be changed. Are there things that you do merely for show or to please others? That isn’t authentic behaviour and it will leave you with negative energy even as you may score points with others. Unauthenticity is like having a great shopfront without quality goods inside.
Only do what comes from your heart; if it isn’t from your heart then question your intentions and do what is right for you and your family rather than what seems to look good from the outside. Be genuine. When you get to grips with the superficiality of the acquisitive lifestyle you can ‘get back to basics’. In a simplified life you can do what really matters.
Care for your corner of the world, even if that corner is a pocket-handkerchief of a garden or even a balcony with a plant pot. Give back to the earth, take time to walk in nature and drink in God’s gifts. Appreciate the trees; we all need them and benefit from them. Walk on the grass, appreciate the flowers, the birds, the air… honour our Mother Earth, for she sustains and provides for us and we need to sustain and provide our love energy to her in return, in honest appreciation.
This is not airy-fairy. It is real. The power of the mind is real and the power of gratitude opens the floodgates for reciprocal energy to work its wonders in this world. As you give, you receive. It doesn’t have to be money or ‘stuff’ – appreciation is one of the nicest gifts you can give to others. Don’t just think it but express it - and remember to appreciate your life and all who are in it; even those who test us. It all helps us to grow, ready for the day we do leave our Mother, taking all we have learned with us…
©Jan Hunneybell, 17 Oct 07
White Cloud,
Be aware of what gives you joy in life, the things that uplift you, for in upliftment you reach closer to our vibration and this makes you much easier to reach and to inspire. It is the paradox that when you feel fine you are the recipient of much help and when you are down, help seems far away.
The help is there for you but your lower vibration has a two fold effect; a lower vibration is repellent to other human beings as it gives you a negative aura so there is less responsiveness toward you from your fellow man, and the low vibration makes it harder for those of a high vibration to connect with you from the spirit world. At the same time a low vibration makes you more attractive to lower vibrating entities and also to other negative energies, so now you may understand why you are urged to be of good cheer and to do your best to stay positive even in difficult times.
These words are not meant to alarm you, they are meant to make you aware of the laws of cause and effect and other universal laws. This will help you to be more effective in manifesting positive good in your own life. By this awareness you are armed with knowledge - and knowledge is power.
You may be relieved to know that there is help and protection available for everyone, you all have guardians in the realm of spirit; however you also have the gift of free will, which is inviolate except in extraordinary circumstances when divine intervention allows it to be overridden. If you have invoked the active intervention of your angels and guides by having given permission, and as we have said to this one, this may be achieved by the simple act of genuinely calling out, ‘Please God, help me!’ or some other sincere plea to the All, then even if you are at a low ebb, you have created your connection and allowed us (your guides, helpers and loved ones in spirit) to intervene on your behalf.
If every day when you wake you give thanks for your life and thanks for the help of Spirit and all the good things that you are grateful for, your home, your family, the food you have and the blessings of nature, then you reinforce the connection, protection and the permission for intervention in your life. You are creating a partnership with the God-force, which is the energy of life, and this enables the forces for good to help you in your life.
It doesn’t matter what religion you belong to or if you have any religion at all – this may seem preposterous to certain persons but I am speaking from the spirit world and I can assure you that it is true. What matters in anything is what is in your heart. Goodness, kindness, the strength of positive leadership, these are all qualities that are not confined to a particular belief system.
In the spirit world we see beyond the covers – no finery or any elaborate play acting can get past our detectors! We see what is in the heart of you. We literally see your ‘true colours’, for in spirit you are colour, light and sound – it is your vibratory field that we perceive and we know when there is a black heart within the sugar coating and we can see treachery as clearly as if it were written across your face. You cannot deceive the spirit world, the pinnacle of which is ‘God’. No-one can.
You think people ‘get away’ with murder? You would not believe so if you had the broader view. Those who know something of the Christian religion would know that it is written that on the Cross the Christed One called out, ‘Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.’ Jesus was so aware that no person ‘gets away’ with abominations, even if it seems that they do from an earthly perspective, that even in his pain he asked the Father for them to be forgiven. He knew that if they had any true understanding of Universal Law and the repercussions of what they were doing they would never undertake such a cruel act
It is so easy, even for those who have walked the spiritual path for many years, to become caught up in earthly illusion. It takes many lifetimes of walking this planet to even begin to realise the bigger picture and understand that vengeance is a self defeating reaction. We do get angry when someone hurts or misuses our loved ones. The understanding of the love principle tends to desert us when people behave in cruel ways and we see those we care for suffering. Yet it is important to realise that the energy of hate disables us all.
Hate’s energy is a reversal of love energy; it blocks the spirit world from effectively helping to disarm the difficulties. That is why one man can often be so powerful. They may reach power on a wave of approval. Their leadership qualities and their charisma are such that people do not see beneath the social veneer. Often it is the need of power for powers sake, not the leadership that gives in service but that which takes and feeds off others.
These kinds of leaders are ‘vampires’; they feed off the life force of the people. They may not have goodness in their hearts, they simply crave power. Then, once they are in that position of power, the power further corrupts them to such a degree that any good they may have wanted to achieve becomes less important than maintaining their position of authority. Once they start to sanction cruelty the people’s approval turns to hatred and fear, but paradoxically the energy of millions of people sending hatred disables the spirit world to some degree. That energy is so strong and so negative that it is hard for intervention to occur.
Many dictators manage to live long lives and therefore you may think, ‘Look at that, they got away with it’. You do not see the consequences of their actions on the earth plane; you only see the luxury lifestyles and external appearances. You do not see the future incarnations these people may choose to endure to redress their karmic balance - and their torment when they see their life review and finally understand the extent of the suffering they have caused.
Always bear in mind that the real life is the life in spirit. Yours is the place where scenarios are acted out to test the strength of your spirit, to learn lessons and to bring back to the spirit world the findings of your mission. In order to live the path of love, over the centuries many have found they could only remain true to that path by locking themselves inside monasteries and nunneries or becoming recluses. In renouncing attachments they were able to clear their path to send love and goodwill. In these current times the lessons are far more difficult - for your task is to live the life of unconditional love even as you operate within the ‘real world’.
To lock your self away and disconnect yourself from family and friends is not generally a realistic lifestyle, although the work of sending prayers and love is one that is needed and much good work is done by those who have chosen that way to live. Buddhism stresses the ‘middle way’ and to take the middle path of no extremes is good advice for all. To be extreme or a fundamentalist in anything is to be inflexible and this is not a wise pathway. All life is change and we have to be prepared to flow with the changes.
In these past 50 years, more has changed than in the previous several thousand… that in itself is a great challenge, for you are not ‘wired’ for such change and therefore tend to resist it. Those who are a little more adventurous, who embrace change as a challenge, are more able to cope with sudden upheaval - and that is happening more and more. This is a time of ‘quickening’ as the earth energies move inter-dimensionally. Once the shift has occurred will be a time of settling, but things are at present ‘mid-shift’ and this brings discomfort.
You are being taught the difficult lessons of detachment through the break up of your current family systems. People are asserting their need for their personal desires and aspirations to be respected. There is rebellion against the work structures and social structures that have served to support but at the same time restrict the individual. In a supportive family people are given the courage they need to launch themselves into the world, knowing they have firm foundations to support them. However, in many – most – families at present, the foundations are not firm, they are rocky. People are abused and disrespected and therefore upheaval is taking place as those who have been treated poorly decide they will not be treated that way any more.
In many families children and partners are ‘put down’ and made to feel worthless and therefore their ability to be in the world is hampered instead of enhanced by the attitudes of those around them. While we know that abusers are themselves hurting, they still need to learn the lesson that might is not right and that the way they choose will not bring about their desired outcomes. In some ways, on a micro-level, abusers are being dictators and need to learn similar lessons in a less global situation. They need to realise that love can never come from fear or by coercion.
The gift of insight into our behaviour and its effect on others may only be earned through having learned some difficult lessons, including the loss of partners, friends or employment. To be rejected is never easy yet it may be a necessary experience in ones life’s development and at a later stage when further growth has occurred, one may be able to bless the situation for the gifts of understanding that one may have gained from that time. This is often called the blessing of the fall. A fall from grace is often a pivotal point in our pathway.
Some people never have to experience ‘rock bottom’. They are the few – perhaps those lessons are already learned. Most people have to visit that place of darkness and despair at least once in their life, whether through dramatic means externally experienced or from their own, inner struggles. More than a few have to go through many variations of difficult experiences, to be brought to their knees more than once, to find the humility and to learn the lessons required in this lifetime. This sounds dreadful – but the mission is towards happiness.
It is one of life’s purposes to understand that happiness is the greatest gift and it can be found because it is not lost. It resides where it has always been – within. However, life is a quest and many obstacles are put in our way or self created in order to overcome them. When people are asked what they want in life, most say, ‘To be happy.’ We have to realise that happiness isn’t a destination; it’s a part of the journey. It’s a choice we can make now, at this very moment.
We choose whether or not to be happy. That may not seem possible to those who have always lived reactively. It seems that life itself decides whether you are happy or not and that you have nothing to do with it. If that is the case, then life is a roller coaster as you are at the mercy of what happens around you to determine your state of mind. This one remembers very clearly her 14 year old daughter saying, ‘I don’t make you unhappy. You make yourself unhappy.’ It was a wake up call at the time although she did think her daughter could help to make it easier! Truth can hit like a sledgehammer; wisdom can come from the young.
So, happiness as a choice – that seems like a radical thought for some who did not realise they had that choice. You can wake up in the morning and decide to be happy or grumpy. Now if grumpy is your default setting, your normal way to be, then you may think it is not a choice. It may be hard work to set that smile on your face and assume an air of pleasantness when you wish to bite off the heads of anyone who comes near. However, maintain the smile and the different demeanour and gradually it will feel more real. The positive responses of those around you might also encourage you to continue to ‘fake it till you make it’.
If you keep this up for any length of time it will become genuine. You could make it your ‘spiritual practice’. Spiritual practice is not all meditation and ‘
Once we start to behave in loving ways and get the good feelings that come from being this kinder, friendlier, more responsive person, then we find that this is the genuine way to be. It is authentic because our authentic self is our most loving, joyous self. The grumpy, miserable self you may relate to is nothing but a cover for the true self. It is learned behaviour which seemed appropriate at some earlier time and has now become the habitual way of being. You mistake it for who you are but in truth it disguises who you are – it is just camouflage.
Part of your life’s quest is to find the true self. The search for the grail is the search for the pearl that is at the heart of you. No outward treasure could ever come close to the priceless joy of finding that pearl. That is your holy purpose. When you find it you have found your joy and then you become a gift to all, for in being the best person you can be you enrich the world for those around you.
©Jan Hunneybell, 18 October 2007
White Cloud,
Fire is sacred. It is the creative force. All this talk of hellfire and damnation is poppycock. Fire is of the sun (Son) not of the devil. Fire is light, it helps us to see in the darkness, it keeps us warm and it is at the heart of the earth. It is only destructive when it is uncontrolled. It is the great cleanser. Those who have suffered through uncontrolled fire will have unhappy connections in their minds to what fire is and does. We must all have a healthy regard for fire and an awareness of the danger of ‘playing with fire’ but fire has brought man many benefits.
It is said that fire belonged to the gods. In mythology Prometheus paid a heavy price for stealing fire from Zeus; he was tied to a rock and every day had his liver pecked out by an eagle, doomed to have it restored and pecked out again each day for eternity - an unpleasant story but one that iterates the power and importance of fire. Fire is energy, therefore it is passion and in its negative form it is rage. There is a connection between anger and the liver, for anger is stored there – but the liver is the only human organ that has the capacity to regenerate…
As the liver not only stores our own anger but is the target for the anger of others, the image of the eagle pecking out the liver is an image of the damage that the fire of both our own and others anger can do to our physical body. Even doing things that seemingly give pleasure such as drinking alcohol are acts of violence towards the body when done in excess and becomes self destructive. Alcohol is acidic and has a corrosive effect that manifests in the liver as cirrhosis.
We all have ‘inner fires’ or what may be called ‘burning desires’. Whether this is good or not depends upon what one ‘burns’ to do. Desire is a calling, an urge to do something or to be with someone. When we desire something it ‘lights our fire’ and this can be constructive or destructive according to the object or intention of the desire. This has all been confused over time with sexuality.
Puritans and other sections of society developed very strong, negative views over sexuality. Although this is the prime requirement for procreation the distaste for anything sexual in nature made it ‘dirty’. As ‘cleanliness’ was regarded as next to Godliness, then anything ‘earthy’ was deemed to be of the devil and therefore distortion has taken place and fire and debauchery linked in people’s minds.
It has been deemed necessary and the way of piety to ‘throw cold water’ over people’s enthusiasms and to keep them in their place. Passion may have nothing to do with sex yet it comes from the same place. It is all life force energy, it is physical and primal and manifests within the earth’s core, which is fire. It is primarily red, orange and yellow, the colours of the ‘earth chakras’ in the body that keep us anchored to earth, that give us our sense of safety, joy and passion for life. And remember, fire also contains all the colours, blue and green, purple and at its greatest intensity, white. Fire contains the spectrum of colours also found in the chakra system of the human body. Colour is merely vibration; absence of colour is black.
Even the most spiritual person needs the fire for it is life energy and it is fire that inspires devotion to the path. We are body, mind and spirit. Many who become enamoured of the spiritual life try to ignore the body and its needs but the body is integral, a wonderful thing and a gift from God. It comes from the Creator so do not reject it for if you do you reject your self and the gift of life. When you are once more in the spirit world then it will be a different situation, but while in this world you need to not only honour but to enjoy your body which we are told is the temple for our spirit – which is a flame.
Enthusiasm is a powerful, attractive and sometimes discomfiting thing to experience and to witness as it is very physical in nature, a whole body experience and not always ‘seemly’ in your society. A bubbly person, full of the fire of fun and enthusiasm, is often made to contain their joyous nature from an early age in order to ‘have some decorum’ because ‘what will people think?’ These are the attitudes that have blocked many people from being their natural selves and blighted their enjoyment of life - and yet life is joyous. It should be a celebration. To witness this spontaneity in another is often too much for others to bear; it highlights what they lack. The joy of life is fire!
The anticipation of discovery, the ability to embrace the new and cope with change – these are ‘fire’ attributes. They are what help us to cope with pain and difficulty, for with an outlook of joy, which shows a trust in life and its ultimate goodness, our suffering is offset by our belief that even in pain, there is something better to come. A positive attitude helps to put mind over matter and creates a better outcome. That is how fire energy transmutes the dross and purifies us.
The word enthusiasm derives from entheos which is to be inspired by God – a negative meaning is to be ‘possessed’ but in a positive sense if we are possessed of a dream to create something wonderful, then that is the drive, the fire, that will lead to its creation. Pour cold water on the idea and most of the things that you now take for granted like electricity, cars, telephones, television and so on would never have been invented. Most of the people who had these amazing, ground breaking ideas would not have succeeded without that inner fire, the passion of conviction in the rightness of their ideas. Those around them would have told them it couldn’t be done; stop wasting time and do some real work. This is why the greatest inventors and innovators are known to us all. In a world of millions the few who stick to their dream and follow their passion stand out.
Next time you light a candle and enjoy its lovely glow, think on the fact that this is the very same fire that destroys when out of control and yet which creates things of great beauty when contained. This is the light that you burn to send thoughts to God, to ask for help for those who suffer – it is the fire of creation. Even in destruction wild bush fires cause regeneration as many seeds are germinated from its heat; some can only be germinated by fire.
Within yourself it is the fire of enthusiasm that will take the seeds of your ideas and turn them into something tangible. We have many ideas but how many are brought to fruition? It is only action which is activated by passion and enthusiasm and the fire of creativity that will bring your idea to life.
Millions have wonderful pictures in their head that never reach the canvas – be the one who puts the picture into form. How many great ideas do you have that fall by the wayside to be swept away by the wind? Fire is the great creator. It takes your inspirations and helps to make them tangible in the world. This can only be done by action. Action is the friction that causes the spark to become a flame. Put your flame into the world to make it a little brighter.
©Jan Hunneybell, 19 Oct 07
A LITTLE PEACE
Most of us think of ‘a little peace’ as some quiet time in the day - but there are levels of peace. True peace is a soul quality. It is quite different from five minutes without the clamour of other people. True peace goes to the core of the person you really are, giving a centre of stillness that helps you cope with life even if the clamour is there. Such peace is hard to achieve in this crazy world and often takes much time and work on the self.
True peace is surrender; releasing the need for anything to be other than it is. When we try solving the world’s problems with the power of our mind, it doesn’t happen.
It is in letting go of all thought that there is enough room for the light to be shone into the mind and heart. These things do not all happen only in your head, because inspiration is a full body experience - and so is true peace. It doesn’t stop in the brain but needs to permeate the whole body. This is why practices such as yoga are so good because they reconnect you, putting you in touch with the whole body and the breath, which is so important.
You all breathe, for the most part, on far too shallow a level. Breath aerates the whole body, but only if it is taken into the whole lung. Breathing into your neck, which so many people do, does not give the required result! Most of you suffer from oxygen deprivation by the shallowness of your own breathing and this affects you on all levels. Your mind, body and ultimately your spirit become sluggish through non-activity. Movement, both inner and outer, is required. Therefore exercise is a must, but it does not need to be gruelling.
Do what you enjoy. Walking brings many benefits. It is not just good for your body but also your brain and again, ultimately it is to the benefit of your spirit, which is the transmitter of your light and life energy. Your spirit is your battery; love is your lubricant; prana is your petrol; wonder is your water and peace is the process by which these work best - and it is all achieved through the breath.
People worry about pollutants in the air but this is also where life giving prana is found. The more prana (which is life source energy) that is taken in the more one is able to resist the negative aspects of the pollutants and toxins also found in the air and is able to move them through and remove them from the system. Peace is the process and peace is the way.
Accepting what IS doesn’t mean not doing anything about it. It’s the way to make a start to change what needs changing. Denial does not give strength - it removes it, because a great deal of energy goes into the act of denial. It is only in facing the facts of a situation that energy can be utilized to do something about it. You can look at a mountain of dishes and wish that you didn’t have to do them but looking at them, knowing that you have to do them and yet resisting that truth drains your energy.
The moment you accept the situation and decide to take some positive action, the energy comes back to you. You say, ‘Right, let’s get this done!’ and without realising it the first thing you do is to take a deep breath as you roll up your sleeves. In taking that breath you are engaging your battery, empowering yourself to do what needs to be done. You are taking action – this is less draining than simply idling. Again, think of your car. Your battery charges by the car being driven. It drains if the power is on witho