Blessings, Sympathetic Joy

The year-end is a time to look back at the blessings that the year has brought you. Never overlook the incredible number of blessings that have been sent to you, regardless of the number of challenges you have had to face. Your attitude is always determined by whether you see circumstances in your life as blessings or as problems. When you are able to see even the most difficult situations as merely blessings that are helping you grow, then you will begin to live in a more joyful manner than you ever thought possible. Trust your intuition and never let the rational side of you convince you of the reality of all of your problems. Instead let your heart tell you how much love has been sent with those difficulties and how blessed you are that the Creator allows you to experience so many ways to grow in this lifetime. Accept these blessings with a feeling of deep gratitude for every gift that is given. Express this gratitude by passing on the blessings and sharing them with others. When you share with others, you not only experience the joy of giving, but you are able to reflect in their joy at receiving a most wonderful gift. Make this the year where gratitude and sharing are the essential elements of your life. Explore the more feminine characteristics of your personality, such as empathy, compassion and unconditional giving. When you are focused on sharing everything with others then you will be able to experience the ecstatic mood of sympathetic joy that is available when your pleasure comes through creating joy in the lives of others.

Communication, Love

In order for the world to reform itself there needs to be a major increase in the female characteristics in place of the male characteristics that have led the world for so many years. One of the primary female characteristics is the ability to communicate love. The male energy has a very difficult time expressing its love. It tends to demand obedience through threat of force rather then inspire devotion due to the bond of love. This is why religions have developed the way they have. Instead of God being perceived as someone so beautiful, so merciful, and so abundantly giving of love, the portrayal has been one of a domineering and jealous father who demands that one follow his orders or risk severe punishment. Can this type of approach ever lead to true love? Don’t children who were raised by fathers who were complete authoritarians usually have a real barrier between them and their father and can seldom express true love? How can love possibly develop where there is a threat of force to make it happen? Thus, any religion that has spread through the force of arms and threats of punishment will always inherently have a difficult time creating the natural and intimate sense of love that a child almost inherently has for the loving mother. If we begin to understand God more like a loving, merciful, nurturing mother instead of an authoritarian, demanding father then our natural love for God would be much more spontaneous and much more joyful. By simply shifting the manner in which you view God your ability to reciprocate love will increase dramatically. This powerful feeling of intensely intimate loving relationship with God can change the consciousness of the world in a very short time.

Purity, Tolerance

Your goal must be to purify your life. One way to do this is to focus on helping to purify the entire planet, starting with your own local environment. Take time to clean up everything about your life and the spaces in which you live. Then begin to expand out to clean up your neighborhood, your community, and then begin to think on a more global platform. However, the real essence of purity is to purify your own heart and soul. Having a more pure environment simply makes it easier to purify your soul, and the process of external cleansing is one of the best ways to accomplish internal cleansing. Another way is to be aware of the dark aspects of your own personality that remain active in your life. Every individual in the material world has these elements of their personality that keep them ensnared in the illusion of comfort of the material world. The way to root out these aspects is to first acknowledge that they exist and no longer try to pretend that you are already perfect. Once you bring them out you may find that their threat is not as great as you feel when they are buried under layers of denial. Some of these aspects should simply be accepted and tolerated as part of who you are. Others must be carefully examined and an effort made to eradicate their influence on your life. These aspects always have to do with the ego. A great test for how much hold they have on you is your degree of tolerance. If you have lack tolerance of other people or environmentally caused discomfort then you probably have issues with the ego. When you are able to tolerate anything that is done to you, but will not tolerate mistreatment of any other living beings, then you know that you are on your way to purifying your life.

Fire, Happiness, Creativity

Most people in today’s world attempt to achieve happiness in life through security and a stable lifestyle. However, this strategy is seldom successful, for a stable existence is usually devoid of creativity, of excitement, and of worthwhile achievement. Those who truly experience life are those who are much more adventurous and creative in living a life that is fluid and flowing. Just compare the elements that make up the world to understand this. Those whose life is based upon elements like stone and earth will remain stable and solid, remaining in one place, and being always vulnerable to the changes that nature may bring to them. Instead think of the fluidity and creativity of the elements fire and water. They are able to move and change and adapt to a variety of circumstances. They are never the same and are always expressing a new and different mood at every moment. They have energy that propels things forward, and their creativity is the energy that makes things happen and accomplishes change. The two of them are perhaps the greatest creators of change in the natural world, along with the wind. However, disasters caused by wind are much less prevalent than those caused by water and by fire. These two elements are what create the change that enables growth in those who are open to growth in their lives. Even though these elements appear to cause suffering, usually the result is a change in the life of the individual that is actually a positive thing for their growth. Therefore, choose to live in a creative and flowing manner rather than a rigid and ultra-stable one and you will discover that your ultimate happiness will increase tremendously.

Healing, Sacred Songs

There is tremendous healing power in the sacred songs of all spiritual traditions. You know that sound vibration is the powerful creator of the universe. The ability to impact all energy is one of the characteristics of all sound vibration. The sacred sounds, such as Om and many others actually can rearrange the molecular structure of a living being. We have discussed before that all illness actually has a spiritual basis. Therefore, by engaging in singing and hearing sacred songs it is possible to impact the illness on both levels. On the physical level the sound vibrations can influence the molecular structure to promote healing. On the more subtle level engaging in transmission of sacred sound vibrations can heal the deep-rooted causes of spiritual malaise that manifests in physical illness. You have experience knowing that anytime you engage in singing or chanting your mood is automatically uplifted and you forget any pain and suffering you may have. This is why songs have been used throughout history to unite groups and create a much greater sense of harmony among people who are striving for a common goal. Realize that there are many other entities looking out for you that are anxious to lend their voices to your song as well. The voices of the angels are always in song. When you engage yourself in sacred songs you connect with the angels who have the power to manifest so many positive things in your life. When this type of spiritual harmony is present it is the most powerful force for healing that exists.

Surrender, Nature

You need to connect with the nurturing aspect of nature. It is difficult to truly surrender completely to God when you are still immersed in the materialistic culture that so easily consumes your time. It is essential that you remove yourself completely from the regular world and spend time allowing nature to be your teacher. Here you will learn to be considerate of the needs of each and every living entity, no matter how large or how small. Only when you have this sense of compassion for all living beings and an appreciation of how every creature and every living being contributes to the support of your lifestyle on the planet will you truly be able to give your life completely in the service of God. As long as you are primarily focused on your own personal, selfish desires you will not be able to surrender. The ego will always have another excuse for not surrendering, and there is always another material diversion available to distract you from your true mission. When you retreat into nature you are able to reconnect with your own soul and develop a greater appreciation for humanity’s dependence upon the earth. By ignoring this dependence the future of the human race has reached a perilous point. Instead of simply trying to continue to blindly live as others are you must begin to reconnect with nature and become comfortable depending upon God and nature to supply your needs rather than depending on your bank account and the grocery store. Once you free yourself completely from the dependence on the material concept of life can you completely and sincerely surrender to the will of God for your life.

Protection, Inner Peace, Duality

This is a day when people are celebrating the one who came to give peace to the world. Unfortunately, that has never happened. What Jesus taught was how to have peace by gaining inner peace through understanding of the proper relationship with God and therefore the proper relationship with all other living beings who are also children of God. He came to teach compassion and helping to protect those in society and the world who are helpless and less fortunate than you are. The original teachings were meant to uplift all of humanity by focusing on his example of showing love and mercy to everyone. Unfortunately, that message has seemingly been lost in the commercialism that has overtaken the world. There has always been duality in the world. However, instead of making it a war between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, you must realize that both forces are actually wonderful tools used by God in order to help everyone grow. There is no battle between cosmic forces, as no one can ever challenge the power of God. However, the world is organized in a pattern of duality in order for individuals to be faced with the choices that define their values in life. When you choose to follow the light and move toward love and compassion then your choices are helping you advance on your spiritual path. When you choose to follow the negative side, then your path is impeded. However, at no time should you think it is a cosmic war. Even the overt expression of war in the world is all part of the process of planetary purification. The key is to not get upset by the duality you perceive, but rather to accept it as the way the world has been set up for your ultimate benefit. Then, instead of becoming ensnared in duality and thinking you need to constantly fight battles against the darkness, simply examine and purify your choices. When you choose to move toward the light then you will find inner peace within your life and you will realize that you have access to complete protection from any sort of potential evil.

Healing, Appreciation, Purification

True healing can never be accomplished from the outside, nor can it be accomplished by any mechanistic means, whether drugs or surgery or antibiotics. All of these are merely ways to enable the individual to continue to function on the physical plane while continuing to engage in the same activities that caused the illness in the first place. Understand that all manifestations of disease are caused from the internal state of the individual and their choices in life. Some of these may have bee made in past lives that show up as part of the person’s karma in this life. These karmic aspects of life are actually a great gift from God to enable you to learn from past mistakes and go through the challenges that will help you to grow. You should try to appreciate any and all of these challenges. See them as gifts that are meant to assist in your purification. Then take full responsibility for your choices in life and their resultant reactions. Thus, when you are in pain or suffering from illness or disease, try to understand the root cause. Try t o see how your mental approach to life is responsible for manifesting these symptoms. Never look outside for some bug or virus that caused it, but rather look into your heart, soul, and mind. As you purify these then you will find that you will heal very quickly and you will remain healthy. The most important aspect of healthy living is to always appreciate the gifts that God gives you in life; especially the challenges that help you grow. When you realize that living a pure life and actually choosing to undergo various methods of purification then you will realize how much the body is a reflection of the mind and you will be able to live with energy, vitality, and abundant health on a regular basis.

Unity, Balance

You are looking for balance in your life. You want the peace that you feel will come once you are working in harmony with all aspects of your life. This harmony will not come until you resolve the fundamental concept that there is a separation of the body and the soul. Yes, in reality they are separate, and the physical body will be left behind when you move on to the next lifetime. It is also true that the physical form is always changing and that it is possible for the soul to leave the body at times (especially during dreams) and travel to different places without the body. However, focusing on the separation of the two does not serve you well. Many of the issues you and every other human is supposed to deal with has to do with the relationship with the physical world, and your body is the vehicle for dealing with those issues. Thus, instead of trying to continually separate the two and thus separate your life into the spiritual aspect of who you are and the physical aspect let them unite. When you see your body as truly a temple that is wonderfully created to work in tandem with the soul to achieve its highest purpose in life, then you will be able to achieve balance and peace. Understand the need to keep the body healthy so that its faculties will be sharp to help you accomplish the desires of the soul. Don’t try to leave your body or distance yourself from the world in order to pursue your “ spiritual” nature. Instead become comfortable with using your physical form to relate to the material world in a spiritually uplifting manner. In this way you will be able to find the equanimity that you are searching for in your life.

Prosperity, Service, Support

What is prosperity? Everyone seems to be madly pursuing the concept of prosperity without really knowing what it is. If true prosperity meant having a huge bank balance and all of the financial security possible, then there would be little need for psychiatrists and the wealthy would not be committing suicide and becoming addicted to a variety of drugs. There is a certain amount of financial security that is helpful in gaining prosperity in our present world although it is not completely essential. Look at what Mother Teresa did in her initial work. She showed that the true nature of prosperity is the sincere desire to serve the highest needs of others. When this is the focus of your life you will feel fulfilled and therefore will perceive yourself to be prosperous regardless of your material situation. Then as your desire to serve increases you will be amazed at the support that you will receive in terms of financial and material support. Without even considering it you will become prosperous because the desire to serve others will attract the natural bounty of the universe. When you understand that the full resources of the universe are available when your desire to serve is strong enough, then your intention will open the floodgates of an unlimited amount of support for your efforts. In this way you will bring true prosperity to a large number of other living beings while your life will automatically be filled with the greatest satisfaction that no amount of money can buy.

Resurrection, Truth, Social Conscience

How do you resurrect your spiritual life when it seems to have become bogged down in the pursuit of material stability? The first step is to recognize where you are heading at various stages of your life. This requires awareness and time spent in meditation to truly be in touch with where your life is leading. As you meditate you must become very clear on what your truth in life is. Understand the universal truth of the eternal nature of every soul and also recognize how that truth is meant to impact your life. When you know that sharing the truth is an essential part of any spiritual path then it will be much easier to make the commitment to that path. However, realize that the path is seldom a solitary one that focuses only on your own contemplative relationship with God. The path of spirituality in today’s world must always focus on how you can impact the lives of others. Always be aware of the conditions under which other souls are suffering. Recognize the different levels of suffering, from the obvious material necessities such as starvation, illness, and overt oppression to the more subtle suffering of lack of purpose by those living a materially abundant yet spiritually bankrupt life. Your social consciousness must always ask how you can actively provide the most effective help to as many people as possible based upon their particular situation. Understand that the most important thing you can ever do is educate people about the truth of the soul. There is tremendous ignorance that manifests itself in amazingly close-minded and judgmental concepts of religion. Share the wonderful and rather obvious truth about the nature of the soul and you will revive not only your own spiritual direction, but you will be literally saving the spiritual lives of countless other souls.

Mercy, Reflection

Now is the time to devote energy toward reflection in your life. Look back at your life and appreciate how your journey has developed you as a person. Look at the opportunities you have been given for growth and the numerous blessings that you have received. Also note the opportunities you have taken for growth as well as the opportunities that you may have ignored that may have led to more rapid growth. Begin to realize how much of your life is due to the mercy of God and how much is your own choices made at various times in your life. Now reflect on the choices that were made to enhance your spiritual growth. Weren’t these the most valuable experiences? Wasn’t the sacrifice required to have these experiences the best investment you have made? Now reflect on the current direction of your life. How will you share more and more of the mercy you have been given? Reflect on the link between all living beings. Understand how all actions are intertwined. Now realize the tremendous potential you have to impact the lives of others. This is the stage of life where it is no longer enough to focus on your personal growth. Now is the time to give back to others and share the mercy you have been granted with others. You are entering the most giving and loving phase of your life. Make it one of sharing as much as possible. This will provide you the energy and the power to accomplish amazing things. Realize that you must be an agent of God’s mercy. When you see yourself in that light you can see that there are no limitations to the joy you can share.

Adoration, Harmlessness, Unseen Fear

Most people seem to be constantly plagued by unseen fears. These manifest in many ways, but they prevent people from living a fully exciting and satisfying life. There is no amount of physical security that one can use to try to protect oneself from these fears, as they are all based on guilt and based on a bodily concept of life. The easiest way to overcome any fear is to replace you fear of other living entities with a feeling of adoration for them. When your goal in life is to adore God at all times and you have the understanding that each living being is actually a spirit soul that is part of God, then you can adore every living being at all times. If you do this then you will be living a life of harmlessness, in which you will strive to do no conscious harm to any other person or living being. Think about the shift that would create in your life. When you are sending out totally positive vibrations and consciously adore those you meet, will they try to harm you? The laws of karma are very clear that you will reap the rewards from the actions you sow. Therefore, if you are living in a way that supports the life of others and would not consider taking the life of any living being wantonly, then you will automatically be protected. When you adore God and trust in the mercy of the Creator then there is no need to ever fear anything. Your life will be positive, no matter what challenges you may face in order to encourage your growth, as fear will no longer hold you back from acting.

Power, Truth, Respect

Most people equate power to the ability to dominate and control others. This is what you see reflected in the so-called leaders of today’s world. However, this must be recognized as the use of force, not genuine power. Real power can only come from acting in truth, whereas force relies on lies and deception. Truth must accept that each and every living being has an equal right to live and exist on this planet. One who knows the truth will see the spiritual connection that you have with all other living beings. When you see the sameness and equality of all souls, then you can respect and honor the differences that exist in terms of physical and mental makeup. The differences are wonderful when respect and acceptance is there instead of fear and hate. True respect for others means to honor their divinity within that makes you eternally connected to them even if their physical characteristics are not attractive to you. When you live in this truth then you will actually have the power to influence others in a positive manner and without need to resort to force. The power to uplift and inspire others is the greatest use of power there is. Never be afraid to use your personal power to enhance the lives of others. Never be afraid of the genuine power you have. The world needs powerful people to balance out the stranglehold on people’s minds that is currently held by those who love power but only know how to wield force. You have the power to counteract them and completely change the direction of the world, but only if you use the power of truth to create the personal power that is meant to be used for the benefit of every living being.

Miracles, Inner Silence, Hope

In times of seeming darkness the most important thing you can possess is hope. When you always look at the light and the beauty no matter how desperate the situation may seem you are allowing hope to live and provide the possibility for a better future. Know that no matter how bad things seem a miraculous transformation is always possible. Never doubt the power of miracles. Never doubt the absolute power of God to assist in your transformation and in the transformation of the entire world. In order to connect with this tremendous power potential it is necessary to get away from the business of material life and spend time in meditative inner silence. Use this time to establish a wonderful communication with God and with your own soul. When you open up this wonderful loving exchange then you are setting the stage for miracles to happen in your life. When you begin to see even the most minute event as another miracle of life and are grateful for the many blessings you perceive as miracles, then you are opening the path for the larger and more spectacular miracles to take place in your life. Knowing the power of God to create anything in the world is what gives you realistic hope for the future of the world. Understand that these miracles do not take place without human beings asking for them and having the faith to expect that they will become a reality. When this faith is put into practice then all possibilities are opened that will allow for amazing things to take place. Be one who invites miracles into your life and help give the entire world hope for the future.

Truth, Faith

Speaking the truth and living in the truth has become somewhat of a lost concept in today’s world. Everything seems to be relative and coloring the truth or outright lying seems to be a commonly accepted practice. That is why it takes courage to speak the truth in today’s world. However, truth about the nature of life and truth about the nature of the spiritual world is what is necessary in the world today. You must constantly refine your search for the truth. The key is to have faith that all of the knowledge you require is actually available by connecting completely with your soul. It is fine to gain knowledge of the truth from external sources, yet you must always check in with your heart to ensure that it resonates truth to you. If it is truth to your soul then you can trust that it will be beneficial when you share it and put it into practice in your life. The key is to have complete faith in the eternal connection between you and God. Understand that God can supply you with all knowledge and wisdom. When you have complete faith in this connection then you will have the courage to live your life according to the truth about the nature of spiritual life. When you share this truth with others you are doing the greatest service to the world that you possibly can.

Music, Courage, Attainment

Be aware of the power of music. The vibration of music has the power to create. If you look at all great movements that have changed the earth you will see that music has played a major role in the inspiration of people to achieve their goals. When the music is not simply coming from outside but is actually the music that is coming from your soul, then there is no limit to what it is possible for you to achieve. Try to align the music from the outside to the music you feel inside. When music stirs your soul then you know that you are making this connection. Listen to the music from the soul and learn to hear your own source of music. You want to become free form the need of all external stimuli in order to be happy and receive the inspiration you need to achieve your goals. When you align completely with your inner music then you will have the courage to face any and all challenges. No matter what the emergency situation may be, when you are vibrating on a spiritual frequency there is nothing in the material realm than can affect your essential nature. Understand your eternal nature and be always aware of your true nature as a spirit soul and you will always have the courage you need. Realize the creative power of the music of the soul and you will be able to attain any goal that may be important to you. Share this secret of creative potential with everyone you come in contact with and help the entire world become purified with music from the spiritual realm.

Harmony, Consideration, Self-protection

Almost everyone in the material world is fixated on the idea of self-protection. They are so concerned about protecting the body from physical harm that they become very cautious and try not to expose themselves to anything that might create danger. What they fail to realize is that the most important way to protect your survival is to be willing to adapt and change. Those who try to maintain the status quo will be swept aside as nature progresses, just as species that were unable to adapt to changes have gradually become extinct over time. Realize that change in response to challenging situations is what creates growth and what ultimately protects life. When you choose to separate yourself from the challenges and natural flow of nature you are making your life irrelevant and are stunting your own growth. Instead, the best way to protect yourself from any potential harm is to learn to live in harmony with nature and with all other living beings. When you have consideration and compassion for the lives and needs of other beings then naturally you will seek to have a synergistic relationship with them rather than a competitive one. When you are interested in understanding and cooperating with others instead of dominating and controlling them you will find your life becoming much more harmonious and much more rewarding. Living in this way is the best way to ensure your own self-protection even though you will willingly expose yourself to the challenges and so-called dangers that exist in the world. When you adapt to those dangers by maintaining a harmonious relationship with all of those around you the result will be a life of progress and joy.

Beauty, Listening, Creativity

Understand the nature of creativity. You can be stimulated by beauty that you see with your senses, and you should always view the material world with the eyes of a child with complete wonderment at the beauty of nature. Never allow yourself to be jaded by nature, nor be discouraged by the blight placed upon nature that men have created. Instead look for the beauty in everything. However, your true creativity will come not from external stimuli but rather from your own internal connection with your soul. When you tap into the creative sources of your soul you have access to the unlimited beauty of the spiritual world. The soul has no limitations of form or space and it doesn’t need to be restricted by judgments as to what society deems to be good or bad. When you are creative simply to give outlet to the joy of the soul then whatever you do will bring satisfaction not only to you, but joy to others. When you watch any performance you can tell when it is coming from their heart and soul or whether their creativity is strictly on the material plane. The same is true with artwork and all other forms of creative endeavor. You can feel it stirring your own soul when it has been created from their soul. Learn to listen to the yearnings of your soul and give your soul the creative outlets that it craves. Every living being is capable of creating wonderful things to enhance the beauty of the world. Allow your soul the opportunity to express itself fully in every endeavor and you will be amazed at the beauty and joy that you can bring to the world.

Blessings, Innter Peace, Resolution

Your life has been filled with blessings. You know that everything that happens to you, even the greatest challenges are actually blessings that are meant to help you in your spiritual growth. However, you are never satisfied with life. You are searching for inner peace and tranquility, but you think that it will come through meditation and creating a very tranquil atmosphere in your life. However, realize that inner peace has nothing to do with external circumstances. Some of the most highly evolved beings who have the highest level of inner peace are those who are most actively involved with life. Their external activities may appear to be just as hectic and frantic as the average materialist. The difference is their motivation for their activity. You can have complete inner peace when you are completely engaged in following your divine purpose in life by serving the highest spiritual needs of others. You will never find true inner peace by ceasing most activities. Instead, it is time to find your true passion and your most direct niche for serving others. You are searching for this path. Once you have resolved this most pressing issue of your life, the ultimate direction your spiritual path must take, then you will begin to experience inner peace, no matter how busily engaged you may be in a variety of projects and activities.

Vision, Generosity, Uncover

You must live out of your vision for the future. If you have no vision as to where your life should be going, how will you make any progress in your life? Take time to clarify and refine your vision. Your vision of yourself must always be one of generosity and love. How do others see you? Do they see you as a generous and expansive person? Do they see that your vision includes what is best for others as well as yourself? As you clarify the vision of who you are currently and how it relates to what your vision of who you wish to become in the future you must work hard to uncover the aspects of your personality that are currently holding you back from achieving that vision. Each individual has aspects of the ego, elements of fear, and personality traits that prevent progress as a human being. When you recognize these traits it is time to not simply uncover them but to take the opportunity to improve yourself in that area. By using your own generosity as the key indicator you will uncover most of the negative traits. The level at which you genuinely give of yourself and your wealth is perhaps the best indicator of how advanced you are becoming in overcoming your limitations and becoming the individual you envision yourself to be.

Divine Plan, Duality

Never be misled by the duality that exists in the world. Most people become angry or upset at the duality and they try to claim that one aspect is completely right and the other side is wrong. Recognize that this duality is the nature of the material world and it is the operating mechanism that makes the material world such a wonderful opportunity for growth. It is only by facing choices and taking action that the individual soul has the opportunity to understand their essential nature and take steps to grow. This is how the divine plan of the Creator works. When you try to deny duality or choose to see only one side of things you are limiting your own growth. You are limiting your opportunity to actually contribute to the unfolding of the overall plan of the universe. Instead, embrace the duality that exists and learn from it. Never consider things right or wrong, but simply see everything as different aspects of a most merciful Creator who is providing you with the opportunity for continual discovery and growth. Let this growth take you to the point where you can relate to and empathize with individuals on all sides of an ideological spectrum. When you can be joyful in all circumstances and gain joy from the success of even those you perceive to be on the opposite viewpoint from you, then you will know that you are making progress along your path.