Our Adrenals Are Vital To Our Emotional And Physical Health: A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
Your adrenals are small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, much like ice cream atop a sugar cone. At first glance, they might look like two old, hump-backed men, their backs to the camera, crouched over a table playing chess. Found within your endocrine system and comprised of two parts, the adrenal cortex, and inner adrenal medulla, these glands look similar to brains, which is probably the best metaphor. In this article, we talk about Adrenal Fatigue.
Your adrenals fuel and run your body’s operations by producing then releasing hormones into your bloodstream, without which, you’d soon expire. Here are your body’s essential hormones that your adrenals produce:
Adrenaline: also known as epinephrine, is both a hormone and a medication. In partnership with noradrenaline, it helps you prepare your fight or flight responses.
Aldosterone: a steroid hormone that helps you conserve sodium in your kidney, salivary glands, sweat glands, and colon.
Without these musketeers, you’d find it difficult to think, move, or breathe. This triune of energy and life are vital to remaining alive. When our adrenal glands are out of balance, they can fall into patterns considered to be adrenal gland disorders. Our bodies find it difficult to break out of these types of patterns.
“Trying to describe a good marriage is like trying to describe your adrenal glands. You know they’re in there functioning, but you don’t really understand how they work.”
— Helen Gurley Brown
What Is Adrenal Fatigue?
When our adrenals are low or functioning poorly, our hormone levels become low, which denies our bodies the energy needed to sustain life. If we push ourselves too hard, fail to get enough sleep, and don’t give our bodies the proper nutrients, our adrenal glands tend to get grumpy. When that grump turns to anger, your adrenals might respond like a teenager, giving you the middle finger. All communication stops. They become quite petty, and for a time, hope might be lost; this is adrenal fatigue.
Even though some doctors don’t believe that adrenal fatigue exists, you’ll know you have adrenal fatigue because of these symptoms:
Excessive, debilitating exhaustion
Craving salt and sugar
Loss of body hair
Difficulty falling asleep or waking up
Over-reliance on stimulants like caffeine
Brain fog
Moodiness
Dizziness
Chronic inflammation
Headaches
Mild depression
Roller-coaster sex drive
Excessive or spontaneous sweating
Loss of appetite and taste for food
Weight loss
Muscle weakness
Dehydration
Although some adrenal problems are genetic, when we push ourselves too far, we might develop an adrenal gland disorder, including Hyperaldosteronism, Hypoaldosteronism, adrenal tumors, Addison’s disease, Congenital disease, adrenal hyperplasia, X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy, and Cushing’s disease. Each of these disorders is quite serious and should be evaluated by a medical doctor or a specialist like an endocrinologist.
How To Improve Your Adrenal Health
To further assess the condition of your adrenals, consider researching adrenal testing labs and the most prevalent adrenal tests. These tests might require blood, urine, or saliva:
DHEA-Sulfate (DHEA-S) and DHEA levels
Cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Catecholamines (hormones that increase heart rate and amount of energy available) and Metanephrines, molecules that break down Catecholamines
CT or CAT scan to diagnose tumors and malignancy
These labs can help you assess your brain-adrenal function, and learn more about your hormone levels. If you choose to go this route, it’s best to find an affordable concierge-style doctor who thinks and works outside the box of traditional, often uninformed medicine.
If you believe your adrenal glands are up against a wall, fighting for their lives, the first step is to quit or significantly reduce your consumption of the following:
In addition to venturing outdoors and connecting with bare, natural elements, one of the best ways to heal your adrenals is by eating healthy food. Consider the idea that your adrenals are sponges or young children. Everything they’re exposed to can influence how and when they grow.
Here are a few foods you might consider adding to your diet:
Organic turkey
Wild salmon
Avocados
Oysters
Kefir and other probiotics to improve energy production in your gut
Grass-fed organ meats like liver
Leafy greens like spinach, swiss chard, asparagus
Supergreen powders like Spirulina, Moringa, Wheatgrass, and Barley grass
Most importantly, find supplements that improve your mental clarity and energy levels. You might consider this list of power-players:
Desiccated pig and cow adrenals
Rhodiola
Ashwagandha
Eleuthero ginseng
Holy Basil
Curcumin
Licorice root
Bach Flower Remedies: Olive, Oak, Hornbeam, Rescue Remedy, Gorse, Star of Bethlehem, Elm, Impatiens, Centaury
Before you dive into any aspect of this regimen, be sure to do as much research as possible. Consider engaging a nutritionist, Chiropractor, Nurse Practitioner, or alternative M.D. to help you maneuver through the weeds of all the related medical and health information.
“True emotional healing doesn’t happen without feeling.
The only way out is through.”
— Jessica Moore
Healing Your Adrenal Glands Through Emotional Release
Earlier, I alluded to quitting exaggerated emotions. Still, there’s a caveat: if you’re willing to look at some of the emotions you are choosing to withhold continually, you might find that releasing these emotions in a peaceful environment might free your adrenals from debilitating, energetic burdens. Doing so could help you release the past, forgive others, and regain energy levels you haven’t had in 10 to 20 years. You can enact these types of releases through uncomplicated, self-powered rituals and ceremonies. Feel free to email me at paul@paulwagner.com, and I’ll connect you with my ritual and ceremony page.
When our adrenals struggle, it often means that when we built our “How To Live” operational plan, we failed to consider our limitations. We may have made hasty decisions at several points in our lives. We might have jeopardized our position within intimate relationships and at various junctures in our lives. It might be that we have failed adrenals because we were unable to care for ourselves properly.
In addition to diet, supplements, emotional release, forgiveness, Bach Flower Remedies, Essential Oils, and rituals, you might need three months of drastically reduced activities and dedicated rest. During this time, you might also consider meditating several times per day and doing gentle Hatha yoga before breakfast and bedtime.
With all of these modalities and ideas, proceed with research, caution, and care. I wish you a healthy, light- and energy-filled endocrine system, and a mastery of your emotions!
Holotropic breathwork of Stanislav Grof can change your life. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
If you’ve ever stared into the backs of your eyelids and breathed white light into your navel, you’ve done breathwork. Breathwork is a new-age term that refers to rejuvenating breathing techniques aimed at awakening the body’s life force. In many circles, breathwork is a key modality utilized to inspire peacefulness, healing, and the embodiment of the divine. Stan Grof, MD, Ph.D., a clinical psychiatrist from Czechoslovakia and one the founding forefathers of research in transpersonal psychology for non-ordinary states of consciousness and the therapeutic potential of LSD, has turned breathwork into a psychedelic, and the benefits are profound.
Dr. Grof says his “holotropic” technique, i.e., turning or directing inwardly or healing toward wholeness, helps practitioners expand their consciousness through rapid, repetitive breathing.
Naysayers regard this activity as potentially dangerous, noting that it resembles hyperventilation. Regardless, thousands of people throughout the world claim Grof’s technique has reduced their stress- and mind-related ailments, and helps them access the inner wisdom of their bodies and core Self.
“Meditation is to understand that one breath connects all beings.”
― Amit Ray
What Is The Holotropic Mind?
Stanislav Grof’s “holotropic mind” refers to the concept that from any fragment of any aspect of the universe, the whole can be reconstructed. Given that the fabric of the universe and all its attributes are continuously expanding and birthing, the holotropic mind might also be referred to as the “eternal mind” or “one mind.”
David Bohm, a theoretical physicist, and partner of Einstein’s explored the complexities and paradoxes of this concept. Grof writes of Bohm, he “describes reality as an unbroken, coherent whole that is involved in an unending process of change, called “holomovement.” He continues with Bohm’s ideas, stating, “matter and life are both abstractions that have been extracted from the holomovement,” and “matter and consciousness are both aspects of the same undivided whole.”
This brings to mind the ancient Sanskrit prayer:
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate
Stanislav Grof grew up in Czechoslovakia and received his M.D. from Charles University in Prague in 1957, before later completing a Ph.D. in medicine at the Czechoslovakian Academy of Sciences eight years later, while studying Freudian psychoanalysis.
Grof held the positions of Chief of Psychiatric Research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Clinical and Research Fellow at the Henry Phipps Clinic, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. He teaches as a professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and his Grof Transpersonal Training (GTT). Dr. Grof has authored several books, including “Psychology of the Future,” “LSD Psychotherapy,” “Beyond the Brain,” “The Cosmic Game,” and “When the Impossible Happens.”
Transpersonal Psychology
Grof is one of the chief theoreticians of transpersonal psychology, a method that incorporates spirituality and unorthodox elements of the human experience into more traditional psychology. In the early 19070s, Grof’s work was recognized by other academics working in the field of alternative branches of psychology, including Michael Murphy and Dick Price who founded the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, an alternative psychological research institution inspired by psychedelic research, eastern philosophy and the ideas of famous minds, such as Aldous Huxley and Alan Watts. It was there that Grof would live for several years doing his early research and living as scholar-in-residence.
In the late 1970s, Grof furthered the development of the field of transpersonal psychology and became the founding president of the International Transpersonal Association, or ITA, in San Francisco as international attention grew for his pioneering work. He and his wife Christina Grof devoted their lives to modern consciousness research, where they made major contributions to this alternative field of psychology, most notably their concepts and works titled “The Stormy Search for the Self,” “The Ultimate Journey,” “Healing Our Deepest Wounds,” “Realms of the Human Unconscious,” and the “Spiritual Emergency.”
In addition to holotropic breathwork, Grof’s work incorporates psychedelic experiences from guided sessions involving psychedelic substances such as LSD. In fact, Grof has guided over 4,500 therapeutic LSD sessions with his patients.
The 16 Benefits Of Holotropic Breathing
It’s no secret that through the breath, we can access the all-pervasive consciousness and heal ourselves. With consistent effort, we can release anger, anxiety, grief, depression, and chronic pain. With pranayama (breath control), we might also deepen our connection to the eternal I Am.
Here are some of the benefits of Holotropic Breathwork:
Release stored tension
Access and release old and chronic emotions
Dissolve energy blocks
Awaken your core Self-identity and pure nature
Bring past traumas into the light for recognition, healing, and emotional release
Invigorate your body and clear your mind
Break-free of mental chatter
Break your patterns around perseveration
Improve your attitude and intentions
Set yourself on a more proactive life course
Clarify and improve your self-worth so that you can set better boundaries
Learn to love yourself and others without codependence or subservience
Move past your ego for more enlightened interactions and pursuits
Enrich your creativity
Invite greater positivity
Improve your chances of overcoming addiction
If you’re ready to experience your prenatal universe (your core Self before this birth), you’re ready for Holotropic Breathwork. This type of self-exploration is the crux of Grof’s philosophy.
How To Do Holotropic Breathing
While there is no definitive way to practice this technique, and the ancient masters have provided several ways to achieve the same results, here is a set of suggestions that you may find helpful:
Lay on your back, with your head slightly elevated with a thin pillow.
Relax and empty your mind of thoughts.
Take a few deep breaths through your nose and allow the air to fill all areas of your lungs. Slowly and peacefully exhale through your nose.
Here forward, breathe solely through your mouth. Begin gently with several inhales of fresh air. Allow the air to activate your diaphragm and fill your belly. When your lungs and belly are full, slowly and peacefully exhale. Allow any emotions to arise and release.
Once you’re comfortable breathing in and out, increase your breathing rate. While some might feel inspired to breathe as fast as they can, the idea here is to remain peaceful. It might be best to slowly accelerate your breathing so that you give rise to a stress-free pace.
After 3 to 5 minutes, you’ll naturally find your rhythm and style of breathing. If you haven’t pushed yourself too hard, you’ll find that your body will enjoy the rapidity of your breathing. Throughout the process, be careful to remain conscious and attend to your breath.
If possible, maintain your deep, speedy breathing for up to 20 minutes. If this is your first time, it might be best to stop at 5 to 10 minutes, or less. If you have found comfort in your pace and are feeling safe and fully conscious, consider extending this ritual for up to 2 hours.
“When the breath is unsteady, all is unsteady; when the breath is still, all is still. Control the breath carefully. Inhalation gives strength and a controlled body; retention gives steadiness of mind and longevity; exhalation purifies body and spirit.”– Goraksasathakam
Powerful Breathwork Techniques
Whether you’re a hippie on a beach breathing ocean air to open your mind’s eye, a Hesychastic Christian on Mt. Athos breathing the eternal Christ into your earth-nature, or a Kundalini ashram-yogi doing “Breath of Fire” to awaken into the eternal Self, you’re experiencing the purest modality for self- and divine-connection: inhaling and exhaling to deepen your connection to the one boundless, non-dual reality.
Here are a few of the most wonderful breathing technique to inspire your awareness and awakening:
Breath of Fire: Seated in lotus pose, relax into measured breathing. When you’re ready, begin increasing your inhalations and exhalations to reach over 60 breaths per minute. As you grow into this experience, you might build toward 120 breaths per minute.
Sama Vritti: Sit in lotus pose, gently breathe inward and outward in equal durations, and focus on stillness.
Nadi Shodhana (nostril breathing): A pranayama breathing technique that uses alternate nostrils. This is helpful when preparing for meditation as it stimulates the third eye, crown chakra, and root chakra while balancing the mind and heart.
Wim Hof Method: A robust process whereby you aggressively inhale through your nose or mouth and then exhale through your mouth. These short, powerful bursts are followed by brief periods of holding one’s breath. The total length of a sitting might be around 15 minutes.
Abdominal Breathing: This is an essential and effective breathing technique that awakens the body and mind. Sit comfortably and use your diaphragm for breathing inward and outward. Focus on the expansion of the belly, rather than on the rise of the chest.
Gentle Breathing: Sit or stand in a comfortable position and allow a relaxed breath to fill your lower lungs and belly.
While there are many forms of breathwork and many styles of concentrated breathing, the above list will get you started.
“Without full awareness of breathing, there can be no development of meditative stability and understanding.”
The key to awakening your peacefulness and awareness is breath. If you can spend 5 minutes per day solely focused on your breathing, you will be doing more for your soul’s expansion than 99.9% of the planet’s population.
Breathwork is also the perfect precursor to meditation. It gets your blood flowing, initiates the release of the mind, and creates space for your unfoldment. Since you are continuously unfolding back into your pre-birth nature and the eternal consciousness, the more space you can create for yourself, the better.
Breathe in light, exhale tension and toxins.
Breathe into love and know yourself.
Breathe and expand.
I am wishing you the most delicious breathing and meditation for all time!
Writing letters can move you forward – even if you don’t send them. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
The Power of Learning How to Write Letters
Changing our lives often requires putting our intentions into words. Handwritten letters to friends, families, and enemies can help you let go, move on, and level up. Learning how to write letters can be a great way to build a beautiful, intentional life.
When we want to experience a life-changing paradigm-shift, we can’t ignore all of the people who reside in our minds and hearts. Whether they are friends or enemies, we are relating with them on some level. If we are to transforms our beliefs, we must also shift those relationships. They are mirrors that we cannot ignore.
To truly change the paths of our lives, and shift our behaviors, we must engage with every figure that feeds us, whether the person is living in this physical world or traversing other realms.
It’s not important whether or not we physically reconnect with these people. It’s not important whether we wish to build or burn the bridge. What’s most vital here is that we seek an understanding of their roles in our lives going forward.
Keep in mind that even if you write the most stunning letter, one worthy of the Smithsonian, it doesn’t mean that you should send it. The first mission is to write the letters.
Why Would You Want To Write These Letters?
You’ve already had a rebirth and you wish to educate a few of the most important people in your life.
You desire a complete transformation and wish to energetically (not physically) engage the people and images that might be influencing your current (outdated) self-identity, self-perception, beliefs, desires, and actions.
Knowing that you placed yourself at the mercy of people you do not like or those who do not respect you, you have decided to eradicate all negative and negating influences and circumstances in your life.
How Do I Write These Letters?
First Version
Imagine that you can say anything to this person. No holding back!
Treat this first letter as a secret journal, only meant for you and the Divine.
As you write, express your feelings with clarity and certainty, and without hesitation.
Explore your feelings and thoughts in this letter until you have exhausted every aspect of the relationship. Dig into nooks and crannies. Illuminate old imagery. For this moment, bring it all in, writing everything that comes across your mind and heart.
Try to find moments where you enjoy it. Allow feelings of sadness and anger. Let your emotions come to the surface. Honor them, for a moment.
Print the letter, kiss it, hug it, and thank yourself for writing it.
Burn the letter in the sink.
Say a prayer for this person. Imagine that you and this person are surrounded by pink, protective light. Send the person lots of love and remain in gratitude for this experience.
Final Version
As you embark on the writing, imagine that you are speaking to yourself. When expressing your feelings, do not dwell on the past, rather, dwell on gratitude.
Respectfully honor the past, without being too specific or too verbose. Stay away from blame or suggesting that one of you could have done better or been smarter.
Declare where you believe the relationship will now go. Even if it is to remain in the ether, speak your truth with love and light.
Craft this letter as if you are writing to the Universe, because you are.
As you write, let emotions arise and let them go. Honor them, but do not dwell on them. These little bubbles are no longer meant for you.
Sit with the letter. Hold it in your lap. Love it. Close your eyes. Breath into this moment. Feel gratitude.
Either prepare to send the letter to this person or decide to make that decision later. Put the letter on your altar or in a sacred, secret place.
After writing each letter, you might feel a little exhausted. You might feel confusion, sadness, or anger. You will certainly feel relief. Allow these feelings to dissipate. Breathe deeply and allow your mind and heart to clear.
Pray for each person to whom you’ve written a letter. Pray for their health and happiness. Pray for their families and future. Send them love and light. Appreciate all the positive aspects of these relationships and be grateful for every lesson, no matter how small.
Every person that comes into our lives embodies a lesson. Each lesson is born from our desires to evolve. If we attract a lesson, no matter how painful or wonderful, it is because we vibrated the nature of that lesson, long before it appeared in our lives.
You are an electromagnetic Being. You are primarily soul plus a tiny hint of body. The body is secondary. Your relationships are secondary. Learn to honor them by showing up with clarity and vibrancy. Learn to celebrate them. And when it’s time, learn to let them go.
Truth be told:
Your relationship is not with other people.
It’s with the Universe.
Make bold decisions that make you feel happy and resolved.
If you need to communicate these things, do it swiftly.
Let your soul embrace every lesson it desires. In all things, seek clarity, and be grateful. If you are resistant and defiant when having an experience with another, let it go before you hurt yourself or others. That person or lesson might not be meant for you.
For transformational rituals, including how to process and release prior relationships, circumstances, and beliefs, go HERE.
Our primary relationship is not with any individual, it’s with the Universe. The transcendent self is eternal.
Many of us are afraid to be spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically liberated. On the surface, it appears to come at such a cost. When releasing codependent patterns, we know that our relationships will change, and our businesses will shift. In pursuit of liberation, our lives can transform to such a degree, they might be unrecognizable, at least for a while.
When circumstances introduce us to our codependencies, we might fight them until we lose everything, including our self-respect. We might even latch onto our codependence in defiance, so we can prove somebody wrong. As we argue for our attachments to these mutually limiting dependencies, we hurt ourselves and others.
What Happens When We Release Codependency?
When we release codependency from our lives, relationships, and businesses, everything becomes more clear. We empower ourselves and others to be interdependent, where each participant healthfully and confidently maintains their own temporary self-identities.
As we release codependencies, we might fear losing prior relationships, but what usually emerges is greater clarity in these connections and a more evolved individuation. Certainly, things will change, but always for the better.
When we reevaluate the limiting relationships in our businesses, we might fear losing long-term employees whom we’ve come to depend upon. Truth be told, when in pursuit of clarity in our businesses, we usually end up liberating these employees to pursue their highest self.
In the meantime, we clean up energy pockets, paradigms, and processes that formerly reduced our self-esteem, market value, client reviews, revenue, and abilities to be truly effective.
In the pursuit of a non-codependent life, we may fear becoming so different that we won’t recognize ourselves or our loved-ones. In the end, we do become different. And so do our projections onto others. This up-level is an improvement for the Universe.
When we move away from codependence:
• We stop carrying other people’s baggage.
• We stop living in accordance with other people’s jealousy.
• We begin to reject other people’s limiting projections on us.
• We no longer fret over what other people think about us.
• We stop limiting ourselves so that others feel comfortable.
• We stop blaming ourselves for other people’s failures and deceit.
• We stop falling when others fall. We stop failing, overall.
It’s not easy, but when we relinquish codependency, we up-level our entire ecosystem. It’s even sometimes important to say goodbye to family. Doing so, we give others the chance to choose liberation over their prior limiting behaviors and paradigms.
When anyone releases codependent behaviors,
the whole Universe benefits.
As we inch closer to a lasting clarity, we might grasp at some of the relationships in our lives. We might attach to temporary, contrived meanings and take several steps backwards. In the process of pursuing liberation, we might even slam the door in its face.
What does it mean to be liberated?
Liberation is the release of our binding and limiting attachments to our attitudes, stories, minds, emotions, relationships, temporary self-identities, physical realities, and all of the extrapolated illusions that are born from them.
Liberation is an immersion in the eternal,
a highway without pitstops.
Generally, as we evolve and release our codependence, stories and attachments, it’s common to find that many relationships begin to evaporate into the horizon, much like any dream. What emerges is a more resilient Self-identity founded in eternal truths versus societal constructs, fairytales, and fabrications. This can happen with our lovers, spouses, businesses, and more.
The liberation path eventually extinguishes our addictions to codependence and our needs for approval from others. In its wake, we begin to reflect on Self as it is, not as a comparative to others, or as a reflection of our temporary positions in other people’s lives.
Eventually, the concept of maintaining relationships becomes superfluous. Since the universe always brings to us people and events that are magnetically aligned with our temporary self-identities and vibrations, we needn’t worry about maintaining relationships. These connections will work out in accordance with the revised clarity and energetic dissonance between us.
In the process of liberating ourselves, the Universe honors who we have become and are becoming. In so doing, it allows our prior relationships to either up-level or evaporate. Throughout the processes inherent in liberation, and the release of all codependence, all parties are recalibrated according to their revised self-identities and vibrations. All is well.
Our primary relationship is not with any individual.
It’s with the Universe.
In the pursuit of the eternal, everything eventually falls into place, in its own time. It’s like planning a road trip. You can’t venture to Vancouver without a vehicle. The pursuit of transcendent liberation is the vehicle for the up-leveling of your life, paradigms, perspectives, attitudes, and temporary self-identities. It’s the only vehicle that can carry the truth of the all-that-is and grant you access to it.
Be clear with what you want. Allow insecurities and misconceptions to move through you and outside of you. Don’t use your fears around codependency as your excuses to avoid transformation.
Stop defending lies. Practice recognizing your potential and celebrating your pursuit of it.
“Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.”
— Goethe
Yes, divine intervention is real and palpable. But we must take the first step.
A Black Moon is Beautiful and Powerful! A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
Embrace Your Brilliance And Take Action NOW! A Black Moon is a delicious invitation to embrace your creative spark.
A Black Moon occurs every 32 months. When Mercury went direct in Cancer last night, the new moon rose in Leo.
I love Leo. She pushes us to see our value and take action. She taps us on the shoulders, and kisses our cheeks, saying,
“It’s now time for you to shine!”
During Leo Moons, it is customary to focus on new ways to see ourselves, and invite new modalities that will help us share our gifts, talents and attributes. It’s a great time to engage a challenge!
While Leo is always about capturing and embodying our rightful sovereignty, the Black Moon and the waning Mercury Retrograde (Mercury-Shade) keenly amplify this energetic encouragement.
There could be no better time than RIGHT NOW to be alive, creative, expressive, and full of your rightful power. Seriously! Get on board with YOU!
The Black Moon is all about self-expression!
A Black Moon is an energy typhoon that seeps into our electromagnetic fields. She helps us see our personal truths, and shed light on all the events, circumstances, and people around us.
If you can take a moment to allow this powerful, energy ally to share its truth with you, you will be surprised at how helpful she is. She’s like the Divine BFF you’ve always wanted.
Let The Black Moon Embrace You & Shine Through You!
Because this Black Moon is particularly lusty and Herculean, she can take the form of a ripped, intoxicating Warrior-Angel. During this time frame, there might be healing shakeups and slight breakdowns, whereby illusions fade away, and truths are resurrected in their places.
The Black Moon always serves our highest ideas and most advanced natures. She is a proponent of the most advanced aspects promoting our highest good.
This lovely creature is akin to a Cosmic Coach, who encourages us to know ourselves deeply, embrace our truths (both dark and light), and seek only clarity and divine righteousness in our experiences and relationships.
The Black Moon invites us to embrace
a fresh start with clear intentions.
When we pursue our highest ideals and Self, it must begin with the most courageous self-love imaginable. This is not a time to tinker in positivity. It’s the perfect time to master it.
See your value in all its glory. Embrace how every particle in the Universe knows and loves you. Allow this love to help you evolve, evaluate your world, and take appropriate and timely actions.
Ask yourself:
Where are you most loved?
Where are you under-allowing?
How can you improve your reality?
There is no human Being on earth, no etheric entity throughout the realms, who can love you more than you can love yourself. It must begin with you. You are, and always have been, the Universe.
Declare what matters to you most!
Proclaim your skills, talents, and attributes to the Universe!
Believe, then be “baptized” in the bosoms of love and light!
It is your right to be wild and free. It is your nature to feel vibrant, connected, and exhilarated. Release every iota that has held you back.
Declare your new self-identity.
Move forward knowing that
your ancestors, the Universe,
and all the light-Beings,
in all the realms,
want you to be happy. ALWAYS!
SO IT IS! SO IT SHALL BE!
ASE-O!
Ase, Ase-O or Ashe (“ah-sheh”) “The power to make things happen,” utilizing our life force in partnership with the eternal forces of light. Akin to the concept of Chi.
Alien pods placed here on Earth 1M years ago? A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
At over 4.5 billion years old and possibly much older, the Earth has been home to millions of unique and beautiful creatures. While it appears that modern humans are a relatively late entry into the marathon of blood-based, karmic rebirth cycles, there is a lot of speculation about when Homo sapiens emerged as the primary, two-legged leaders of Planet Earth. So where did humans come from?
“If then, said I, the question is put to me would I rather have a miserable ape for a grandfather or a man highly endowed by nature and possessed of great means of influence and yet who employs these faculties and that influence for the mere purpose of introducing ridicule into a grave scientific discussion, I unhesitatingly affirm my preference for the ape.”
— Thomas Henry Huxley
When and Where Did Humans First Appear on Earth?
According to recent findings, the original Hominids emerged (or arrived) on planet earth between 5 and 7 million years ago in Africa, when a handful of mature apes felt it was high time to begin walking upright.
As humans, we are members of the Hominidae, which includes great apes, gorillas, chimpanzees, and human beings. A Hominine is a member of the tribe Homininae, which includes gorillas, chimps, and humans. A Hominin is specific to the family Hominini, which excludes all the other Hominidae, except chimps and humans. Our ancient Hominid cousins, who evolved into Homo from the genus Australopithecus, may have appeared as late as 2-3 million years ago.
It wasn’t until around 200,000 years ago that modern humans took a cue from Homo Erectus, the “upright man,” and became the dominant Hominid species here on Earth. While their journeys began in Africa, these Hominins quickly moved toward Asia, Europe, Scandinavia, and eventually, the rest of the world.
What Did Modern Humans Evolve From?
According to Darwinian evolution, humans evolved through a long process that began with their ancient ancestors, the earliest primates. Most scientists believe that the genus Homo eventually extended itself to its offspring known as Homo sapiens, distinct from the great apes. This means that at one point, two unique ancestral lineages emerged, most likely from one genus, and initially, from one species.
How did this come to be? According to widely accepted beliefs, human beings and their language gradually evolved. With interbreeding among all the Hominins, trees of bipedal-beings emerged. Keep in mind that while all Hominins (modern humans) are Hominids, very few Hominids are Hominins.
Some of today’s religious fanatics believe that the Earth is much younger than 4.5 billion years and that no terrestrial (earth-resident) rocks have been proven to be any older than a few hundred thousand years if that. All estimates, for man and planet, they say, stem from approximation, which is neither precise nor relevant. On a side note: while it appears Homo sapiens have come a long way, human consciousness and awareness are still works-in-progress.
Modern humans are unique because we conquered four primary evolutionary hurdles:
Terrestrial living (on the ground) versus trees
Changing physical movement from quadrupedal to bipedal
Developing a large brain (encephalization)
Forming tribes, cultures, and civilizations.
With all these abilities in tow, Home sapiens were able to claim their right to be masters over the dominion of Earth.
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Did Humans Come From Other Planets?
.
Panspermia
This unique theory states that comets, rocks, meteorites, and other heavenly bodies, all speeding through space, transported bacteria and other DNA to Earth, and throughout all the galaxies and Universes throughout spacetime. Some say Mars is the likely location of Earth’s first infusion of life from other planets.
Alien Engineering
Long ago, possibly during the prehistoric eras, alien visitors traveled to Earth and educated a variety of our cultures on science, biology, infrastructure, and leadership to kickstart life for humanoids.
Panspermia, intergalactic life being seeded on Earth
Some suggest these aliens are the same beings who became the mythic figureheads of a variety of our most popular religions.
Starseed Experiment
Many believe that humans came from other planets and Universes, and continue to do so, thereby seeding our planet with unique DNA from a variety of interplanetary species. Consider these possible types of alien visitors: Sirian, Pleiadian, Arturian, Andromedan, Starseed, Indigo, Crystal, Rainbow, Lightworker, Orion, Maldek, Lemurian, Atlantean, Avian, Blue Avian, Reptilian, and others. Each of these has a unique origin and a variety of unique characteristics.
Miller-Urey Experiment
Since electric-sparks can turn water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen into amino acids and sugars, it might be possible that life on Earth was initiated by bolts of lightning. Where this theory becomes otherworldly is when you consider that this may have been the first tactic used by living-beings from other worlds to bring life to Earth.
Deep-Sea Vents
It’s possible that deep-sea vents may have spewed enough hydrogen-rich molecules and mineral-catalysts to stimulate critical, pre-life reactions. Alien species may have had the forethought to utilize these vents to birth new life-forms from a distance.
Buried Under Ice-Caps
Some alien theorists believe that life on Earth began when several extraterrestrial alliances secretly deposited their offspring and other experiments in the deep waters under the Arctic and Antarctic caps. Since ice may have covered Earth’s oceans 3 billion years ago, aliens may have been living here for a long time.
Consciousness Transmutation
As other planets and galaxies began to intuit Earth’s potential, they utilized ancient techniques that allowed them to convert their forms of consciousness into forms that had the highest potential to inspire the birth of new living-beings here on Earth. Upon soul-travel to Earth, these conscious forms/souls merged with our soil, water, and air, and gave birth to new life forms – all through soul-intention.
.Pre-19th Century Theories
.Darwin’s theory
Charles Darwin and a handful of other naturalists and scientists postulated that, over time, the strongest and most aggressive species are the ones that tend to survive. As each generation of a species develops, it creates variations and enhancements that increase its ability to thrive, compete, defend itself, claim territory, and eventually reproduce. Darwin’s belief that organisms change over time as a result of inherited traits and behaviors has been a foundational belief system for over 100 years.
Thomas Henry Huxley
Thomas is a British biologist who became Charles Darwin’s (and natural selection’s) most ardent fan and defender. While he clearly adored Darwin, Huxley was also his own man. He did not believe in Darwin’s slow, gradual evolutionary process. Instead, he proposed that an evolving genus, species, or lineage could make miraculous and aggressive jumps within a generation.
Huxley was also one of the first scientists to discuss the evolution of Man, separate from animals, which was taboo at the time. He took this interest in man’s origin a step further and declared that the brains of apes and humans were fundamentally and anatomically the same. He was right. His children not only honored his legacy, but they also continued it.
Modern Theories
Aridity hypothesis, also known as the Savannah hypothesis
This unique and valid theory, which has developed over the past ten years, points to the unusual geology and climate of East Africa as being the driver of evolution. With alternating periods of dryness and hyper-humidity, Hominids appear to have had no choice but to evolve. As they endured and improvised around the drastic changes and extremes of African climates, they developed traits that led to a new, more evolved species. When reviewing the jumps in Hominid development during this period, all evidence appears to support the Aridity hypothesis.
Was Lucy the First Human?
Discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia, by paleontologist Donald C. Johanson, Lucy is our most famous, ancient human cousin.
This 3.2-million-year-old ape was the first Homo skeleton ever found. Her lineage appears to be that of Australophithecus afarensis, the direct ancestor of modern man.
While Lucy is the most famous Hominid, her cousin “Ardi” (Ardipithecus ramidus), at 4.4-million-years-old, became the oldest when he was discovered in 1992. Ardi neither resembles a human or a chimpanzee, yet he is an ancestor to both. Ardi’s skeleton represents the oldest and most complete study of Hominids to date.
While Ardi and Lucy were celebrating, another Hominid, Sahelanthropus tchadensis, was discovered in Chad in 2002. At 7 million-years-old, Sahe now holds the crown as the oldest of the early Hominid species, all of which appear to represent one genus.
If our planet was terraformed and then injected with alien DNA as an ambitious experiment, it might be hard to prove. Given all the holes in each of the above theories, all of them may be at least partially true. One thing is certain; the Earth is regenerative.
Given how complex and sometimes fragile the Earth is, it’s quite remarkable that it continues to renew and restore itself. Its many species, cells, and ecosystems seem to be both flexible and durable. Even humans and our ancient ancestors were successful at regrouping, regenerating, adapting, and reemerging in new and inspiring forms. One thing is sure: planets, creatures, and bacteria will always find a way to survive.
Spleens are beautiful! A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
Your beautiful, useful, little spleen is a vital organ found under the ribcage, in the upper left part of your abdomen. According to Western Medicine, your spleen is the largest organ in the lymphatic system, making spleen health crucial. It is sister to your tonsils, adenoids, and thymus. Helpful to your digestion and immune system, your spleen is like a youth hostel for the different aspects of your blood.
Your lymphatic system is a compilation of tissues and organs that rid your body of waste, toxins, and other non-beneficial materials. Your “lymph” is a powerful fluid that contains white blood cells, the little warriors that fight infections. According to Western Medicine, the spleen keeps your bodily fluids in balance, yet it is possible to live without it. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers similar ideas, yet expands upon these premises.
There are many similarities between the attributes of Western Medicine and TCM perspectives. Rather than distill each as a separate pathway to spleen vitality, I’ve combined most of their similarities and offer suggestions on dietary and behavioral changes in support of your spleen’s health.
In all things related to your health, seek forward-thinking doctors, D.O.s, and naturopathic practitioners to advance your health and well-being.
What Is the Healthy Spleen’s Function?
As a filter for blood, and a hunter of harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, the spleen is vital to your health and immune system. While the spleen stores platelets (thrombocyte) and white blood cells, it also recycles your old and tired red blood cells. TCM dives a little deeper into the value and functions of the spleen, thereby giving us a broader, more specific, and more relatable picture.
How to Strengthen Your Spleen?
In TCM, your spleen does not have the same definition that you’ll find in western medicine, although both schools of thought appear to be more aligned than opposed. If we extrapolate from both methodologies, the spleen seems to be at least a vital partner to the stomach, and does the following:
Location of the spleen
Digests information and environmental stimulus
Assists in the digestion of food and converting it to energy
Controls the blood
Controls the muscles and the four limbs
Influences transformation and transportation
Connects with the lips and mouth
Associates with enthusiasm, sadness, and worry
Participates in digestive processes
Houses the spirit and intellect
Influences emotions
Affects our minds and houses our thinking processes
The spleen is akin to the Earth element and loves Summer through early Fall. Its Ayurvedic dosha is Kapha, which tends to be slow, conscious, thoughtful, careful, and grounded. When we allow ourselves to adopt some of these Kapha attributes during the Summer and Fall, we feed, heal, and nurture our spleens. To increase enthusiasm and positivity, consider researching Pitta Aggravated diets.
Sadly, given how overworked our minds, bodies, and lives are, most spleens are not always in balance. In TCM, the condition is called, “Spleen Qi Deficiency,” and it’s characterized by sadness, loose stools, fatigue, confusion, feelings of being overwhelmed, decreased vitality, weakened immunity, poor digestion, and feelings of defeat.
But wait, there’s more! You can protect your spleen’s health with just a few simple changes in diet and behavior. You’ll find 60 total ways to support your spleen within this article. Try these on for size:
Avoid cold drinks and ice in your beverages
Honor and express your emotions, especially sadness
Be mindful about your schedule and related stressors
Be careful when taking on new projects
Chew your food slowly and thoroughly
Eat warm, veggie-abundant soups and broths
Take breaks
Pause activities and thinking often
Try acupuncture and acupressure
Laugh to open the heart, and release tension and toxins
Pray to inspire hopefulness and positivity
Meditate to reduce worry, anxiety, or overthinking
Seek ways to “get over yourself” and reduce negative attitudes
Fake happiness until you embody aspects of happiness
Cuddle your loved-ones often
Foods That Support Your Healthy Spleen
Whether coming from Western Medicine or TCM, everybody seems to agree: Eating five small meals per day is healthier than eating three large meals, and adding spleen-friendly foods to your diet can turn your spleen into a heroic warrior.
Spleen aficionados suggest these foods for improving your spleen’s health:
Instead of heavy sweets, try these less aggressive sweeteners to your diet: cooked fruits, rice syrup, barley malt, molasses, and stewed cherries
Add a little protein to every meal
Add a little bit of organic beef or bison to your weekly diet
Foods to Avoid Consuming for a Healthy Spleen
While many of these removal suggestions are helpful to your overall health, they are particularly beneficial for your spleen:
Depiction of the lymphatic system
Cold, raw, and frozen foods
Ice in your drinks
Dairy
Wheat
Processed foods and refined flour
Refined sugar
Coffee
Alcohol
Peanuts and products like peanut butter
Cucumber
Winter melon
Grapefruit
Lettuce
Bananas
Avocados
How Do You Check Your Spleen?
Your doctor and your Ayurvedic and TCM practitioners will check to see if you have a healthy spleen or if it is enlarged during your next physical exam. By gently pressing on your upper left abdomen, your practitioner can learn a lot about your spleen. Your doctor might also suggest imaging and blood tests to help identify the causes of your enlarged or inflamed spleen.
Ayurvedic practitioners will check the pulse of the spleen, along with the pulses of other vital and symbiotic organs. As one of Earth’s oldest medical sciences, including Ayurvedic methodologies, can provide a wealth of information. The more informed we are, the better decisions we’ll make, especially when trying to improve our physical health and emotional well-being.
Each of Western, Chinese, and Ayurvedic disciplines will help you nurture your spleen back to a blissful state.
Causes of Weak Spleen and Problematic Symptoms
According to Western science, many conditions can cause an enlargement of it. These include a variety of infections, Parasites, Anemia, Leukemia, Hepatitis, Jaundice, Malaria, Liver disease, and some Cancers. Some of the symptoms of a weak spleen might include:
Pain in the upper left abdomen
Pain or discomfort in the left shoulder
Feeling full without eating
Fatigue
Frequent infections
Bloating and gas
Weak limbs
Little desire to speak
Prolonged headache
Dizziness
Tired eyes
Herbs and Supplements for a Healthy Spleen
The company Standard Process has several products that help the immune system. They also sell excellent products directed at the spleens, most notably, “Spleen Desiccated.” These types of products are finding their ways into western medical research and are showing encouraging outcomes when compared to pharmaceuticals and other types of supplements. Consider researching bovine and porcine concentrated, desiccated spleen extracts to improve the health of your spleen.
Other supplements include products directed at the adrenals, thymus, Qi, and reducing stress. Consider that when the liver is overburdened, the spleen is under excess pressure to perform. You’ll find that liver supplements and trace minerals might also be beneficial to your spleen.
Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that the following herbs can be helpful to your spleen:
Astragalus (黄芪)
Ginseng (人参)
Codonopsis (丹参)
Chinese Yam (Huai Shan)
White Atractylodes ( 白术)
Licorice (甘草)
Naturopathic doctors might also encourage you to incorporate herbs such as Dandelion, New Jersey Tea, Barberry, and Iris into your health strategy.
While every instance of a weak spleen might require an individual regiment, the Ayurvedic supplements that might support your spleen, include:
Ashwagandha
Turmeric
Holy Basil
Gotu Kola
Shilajit
Brahmi
Trikatu
Triphala
Sandalwood
Cordyceps
Cloves Bud
Amla Fruit
Each of us has a unique set of emotions, environmental influences, and karmic attributes that filter through our spirits and physical bodies. When seeking improvements to our health and well-being, it’s beneficial to do lots of research and invite the counsel of medical, healing, and spiritual professionals.
While TCM, Western Medicine, and Ayurvedic Medicine each offer unique perspectives, the best solution is the one that works for you. Research each of the pathways outlined here to find the solution that brings you the most vitality and vibrancy. You might find that a combination of these methodologies to be your most successful pathway to an empowered spleen and abundant health.
When we change our narratives, releasing all our old stories, we transform. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
It’s time to begin again! This time, create a plan and stick to it! You can always write a new story. If you do, commit to it. Let it lead you somewhere new.
Each of us projects ourselves into every story we hear and see. Each narrative we absorb satiates a unique part of our temporary self-identities, bringing to life a part of us that may have been dormant or undeveloped.
Narratives are potent and they can play out whether we are conscious of them or not. The ones that we most align with can be representative of our pain or our power.
Narratives play substantial roles in our lives. They can compound our apathy and confusion. Or they can help us expand and heal. Our most prized narratives have the power to dismantle our self-identities, rebuild us, and define us.
What is a narrative?
~ A story; a written account of connected events; portrait, tale or chronicle.
~ A moving vehicle, much like a train, with a set of rules and requirements.
~ Enabler of living, breathing, relatable characters that move within the train, while on the train.
~ Sometimes the characters steer the train, other times the train steers the characters.
~ Once you get inside that train, you’re committed to a journey that has a beginning and end.
~ Often involve commitments, loyalties, disagreements and treachery.
~ Brings to life a variety of emotions, some new, some deeply seeded in our cores.
~ They can change at any time.
We all love a good movie.
It turns out there’s a reason why: over time, storytelling in movies and television has crystalized to perfectly mirror how our lives tend to play out.
In each of our stories, there’s a hero, a villain, a goal, and drastic twists and turns. It turns out that when we’re pursuing a goal, our minds are set-up to expect upheaval. They’re also set-up to expect success. This is why Hollywood movies have two act-breaks.
The First Act-Break
The 30-minute mark is about when all that yummy, warm-fuzzy excitement in the first act bumps into a wall. The first act-break occurs moments after the love hits a peak. It’s when the problem or villain arrives.
The Second Act-Break
At the 60-minute mark, we seem to be winning, when all of a sudden a crisis emerges, and we lose everything. This is the second act-break. We can all relate with this structure, and it’s why we love movies.
When creating business plans, or plans to improve our personal lives and relationships, it’s easy to give up on ourselves. We’ll happily forsake a more vibrant future if we can avoid confrontation and changes to our routines.
Rather than confront and change our patterns directly, we’d rather build co-dependent relationships with our loved ones, our businesses, and our goals. We want to adore them, but we also want to control them. This makes it very difficult to change our stories and improve ourselves, and transform our relationships. We’re just a tad addicted to the self-identity we’ve created and defended for so long.
If we can rewrite our narrative, the journey from here to there, and map out the act-breaks and strategies that could bring that narrative to life, we can change our lives. By creating and then becoming a lead character in our new story, we will naturally fall in with his or her journey.
By stepping into these inspired characters’ shoes, we begin to create energetic vessels that are built specifically to attract success in our three-dimensional physical realities.
If we can remain detached from our former self-identities and stay out of fear, we can be victorious.
Many of us find it difficult to change. We declare a new goal, make plans, and we might even enroll someone to help us. But when it comes down to making the hard choices and fully committing to the new narrative and self-identity, we’re unwilling. We find it too egoistically challenging to release our prior self-identities and venture into a new story. We regress into our old shite, rather than tunnel toward the new light that awaits us.
When we rewrite the rules, stories, and strategies related to how we work, live, and behave, we can become completely new. It’s not rocket science. It’s a fact. As long as our goals and plans reflect parts of our core attributes, we can become new.
If you’re hoping
to make some changes in your life,
write the narrative first.
Write a short story of how you want things to play out.
If you’re running a business, map out where that business needs to go. Create a strategic plan. Keep your self-protective reactive-mind in check. Write out every step of the plan, as if it were a Hollywood movie.
If you’re looking to have a personal rebirth, map out the journey. Write down every change you want to make, and every joy you want to attract to your life. Write it out as if a Hollywood movie depended on it. It’s your script!
Allow your self-identity to be rejuvenated with a new, relatable, and inspiring narrative.
Become the lead character!
Establish a story that takes you from here to a new horizon.
This is how heroes and warriors have achieved success for centuries.
1. They decide what they want.
2. They decide where they’re going.
3. They declare who is going with them.
4. They create their plans and GO!
Now, YOU! Answer these questions:
1. What do you want?
2. Where are you going?
3. Who is going with you?
4. What is your plan?
5. What is your timeline?
You can do this!
One more thing, sometimes you can’t listen to your heart. While minds can be traps, hearts can be needy, fucked-up, and wrong, always seeking nurturance and connection.
No, you do not always need nurturing and connection.
Sometimes you just need to get over yourself, make some solid decisions, map out a realistic plan, commit to it, GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD!
It’s better to remove labels. They’re all fictitious, anyway. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.
Group Mind is Ruining the World
Fitting in is not a liberating aspiration. It’s best to start with wanting to be unique and focused on our authentic nature. From there, we can achieve the best vantage points and most freeing self-identities. Of course, there’s always time to join a group.
“When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence. So a man who is seeking to understand violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total understanding of mankind.” ― Krishnamurti
Political, religious, and other ideological groups, movements, and organizations can help us wake-up (for a moment). They might also temporarily validate our levels of evolution, improve our self-esteem, and inspire us to engage. Appearing to be the last bastions for clear reflections of ourselves within community, Ists, Isms, Ians, Ologies & Orgs eventually limit us.
But they look so good on the outside! I know. That’s how they get ya! Even though their memberships come with “sincere” intentions, alluring marketing, guilt, and shame hooks, heart-wrenching tag lines, and free hemp t-shirts, all groups, Isms, and Orgs are built to divide people. In terms of spiritual evolution and the pursuit of liberation, they are redundant and obsolete.
There are over 4200 religions in the world, and thousands of “movements”, each of which carries its own set of prerequisites, rules, limits, and prejudices. Even the most enlightened agendas and organizations carry dark secrets and tendencies, each of which adds barriers to freedom, obstacles to our understanding, and deterrents to the excavation of the Self. Group-Mind might feel good, but it’s nothing short of an organized and systematic deflector of truth.
Why then would you call yourself a Feminist, Republican, New-Ager, Satanist, or Zoroastrian? Why would you believe your primary label to be Nationalist, Socratic Philosopher, Pro/Anti-Lifer, Buddhist, Democrat, or Christian? Why? Because it’s much easier to give in and give up than go-it alone.
There’s a reason the Borg on Star Trek is so terrifying. We know that at any moment, we could easily acquiesce to an omniscient power, losing our individualism and everything we’ve absorbed throughout this life and others.
Meanwhile, we love to submit to Group-Minds. They give us packaged beliefs and identities, removing the burden of thinking and feeling for ourselves. Upon joining a hive, we stop putting relevant effort into learning and deepening. We love yielding to collectives because it gives us the excuse to pause our pursuits of awareness and knowledge. Group-Mind takes the pressure off, relieving us of our responsibilities.
“Man is a Religious Animal. He’s the only Religious Anima, the only animal that has the True Religion – several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight.”
― Mark Twain
Group-mind is how social-justice minded Catholics passively enabled thousands of priests to rape thousands of children throughout the world. They still haven’t gotten their shit together. They’re all still silent and complicit. Group-mind is how the Nazis rose to power and kept it. Group-Mind is also how slavery-based systems continue to grow in our modern world. If the loyal members of groups, governments, and organizations were truly conscious and critically aware, evil, however birthed, would cease to gain momentum.
Branding ourselves with the moniker of any group, whether apparently good or possibly bad, is short-sighted, and leads to the perpetuation of mediocrity, exclusiveness, complacency, and distorted thinking.
“Wait, Paul, how can you say that being a Black-Lives-Matterist,
Pro/Anti-Vaxxer, Confucianist, or Naturist is short-sighted?”
I would ask this question: Within your love of your Ism or Ist…
Who are you rejecting, and why?
What are you refusing to consider, accept, or include, and why?
In what ways are you allowing your anger to pause your personal growth?
In which ways are you addicted to your family’s and culture’s beliefs and traditions?
Does your group, Ist or Ology ignore science or the ecumenical nature of the spiritual realms?
Which of the group’s or leader’s attributes are you declaring as your own, and which are you rejecting?
For whom have you lost respect or compassion? And why are you defending this position?
Where are you exercising inflexibility or hatred, and where are you refusing to give others the benefit of the doubt?
In relation to your group’s lexicon, in ways are you being arrogant or presumptuous?
Where have you thrust your agenda on someone (who is contrary to your position) and found it to be helpful to their evolution, and to yours?
Be honest, are you opposed to critical thinking?
Are you declaring a set of exclusive, imagined “sacred truths” to defend your organization, religion or movement?
Are you relying solely on the principles of prayer or non-violence? If so, what are you missing, refusing, or ignoring?
Are you over-reliant on the false notions, “all religions are good,” “God will provide,” or “The church (or organization) will naturally correct itself”?
Are you living by the premise, “the ends justify the means”?
Most importantly, what do you lack within yourself that you would require a fictitious label, an untested group-mind, and a predefined ideology that may include justifying limited thinking, anger, wrath, small-mindedness or noninclusive?
Finally, what is preventing you from thinking more clearly, pursuing a broader truth from within the core of your Being, and rejecting labels?
Why and where are you stubborn, hateful, ignorant or lazy?
“The spiritual freedom we seek cannot be found by grasping at, retreating to, or protecting our perceived safe spaces. Our freedom lies in remaining open continuously, not only to Life’s changes but also to the Divine Light within us and others.” ― Peter Santos
If you love your Ists, Isms, Ians, Ologies & Orgs, you might be avoiding, disregarding, disrespecting, or hating something or someone specific. You might be thinking too small.
Check to see if you relate with some of these affirmations:
I love to basque in buttoned-up ideologies that affirm my temporary Self-identity.
I love group missions that justify my past and thrive upon my unprocessed emotions.
I love divisive agendas that feed my ego and reawaken my rage.
I enjoy being slightly addicted to camaraderie with like-minded peers, regardless of how they might ignore truths that challenge them, and reject ideas that are contrary to their belief systems.
I love pop-culture and pop-trends, even though I cannot rely on them for sustenance, clarity, healing, consistency, or truth.
In the pursuit of my evolution, I prefer to live as an unruly, combative teenager, rather than as an open, pursuant, enlightened adult.
I enjoy preconceived prejudice against specific factions so that I do not have to practice flexible compassion.
I love the idea of the placated frog being slowly warmed and then boiled to death, all with a smile on her face.
I like platforms that appear robust in their pursuit of justice, even when they involve self-righteousness, entitlement, and condemnation, all of which block flow and clarity.
I like the comfort my organization gives me. This empowers me to be confrontational with others under the armor of a label, rather than from the core truths in my Being.
When preaching my group’s ideology to others, or even when declaring that I am X, Y or Z, I inspire polarized responses of either precise alignment or abject ignorance, which allows me to provide the requisite canned responses. This makes it easy on me, as it affords me the feeling of being elitist and “right,” regardless of whether or not I compromised my integrity or personhood.
I love having my Ism or Ist in the background of everything I say and do. This helps me feel that I am special in some way, even though I am not.
I love enrollment tactics that reduce the other person to a position of defensiveness or agreeable acquiescence. I’m prepared for both.
I enjoy partially-formed collective-identities to the identities based in eternal truths.
I prefer to nurture and utilize the rage born from my traumas rather than heal or reframe them.
I love being either the victim or the controller.
I like to fixate on specific sets of predetermined rules, especially the ones organized around threats of a dangerous “devil,” “outlander” or “faction.
I prefer boxes and labels. They help me feel better about my temporary Self-identity, more in tune with my regrets, less aware of my inconsistencies, and less connected to clear, congruent realities.
I aspire to be a follower, an under-thinker, a sheep, and a lemming.
“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free so other people would also be free.” ― Rosa Parks
We are each entitled to be members of groups, Isms and Ists. You can be a raging Hindu, a tagline-loving Democrat, a cyclist who hates cars, a Pagan who wants to kill the white men who cut trees, or a Southern Born-Againer who hates everybody. If you were raped, you can label yourself as “damaged” and continue to own that identity. You can be the most defiant conservative or liberal, holding a position and defending it, regardless of the waterfall of counterintelligence available to you. It might be that you prefer feeling rage rather than expanding.
Here are a few affirmations for those who aspire to freedom of thought and spiritual liberation:
I seek deeper truths, always.
I embrace my evolution by connecting with Spirit.
I humbly ask the eternal consciousness for revelations that dismantle or soften the hardened aspects of my ego and its related projections.
I embrace and express the energy of my emotions so that I can improve my vibration and achieve higher levels of wisdom and awareness.
I am at the mercy of my Soul, in its purest form.
I seek liberation and all the tools that enable its emergence.
I am continuously moving beyond my temporary Self-identities and all of the accouterment that enables them.
I explore and embrace all of the attributes throughout creation, releasing the ones that limit me and affirming the ones that expand me.
I will not assume that any group, organization or Ology will provide any value that I cannot give to myself.
I clearly see organizations for their ability to reflect temporary truths, but in my quest for clarity, I think and feel beyond them, in almost every way, without even a moment of attachment.
When I choose to be, I am the embodiment of light, love, and clarity.
.
If you’re tired of branding yourself
with concepts that imprison you,
then read on.
If you’re still deeply in love with your Ist, Ism, Ian or Ology, imagine what it’s like for the well-intended person who thinks and feels things that are in opposition to your Ism’s philosophy. Consider how hated or judged this person feels: the gay man in a Baptist Church, the abused boy at a gathering of Feminists, the Pagan at a Sacred Circle who understands that tree mitigation saves lives, the empathic Republican who loves immigrants, or the loving Muslim who thinks Mohammad and his teachings may have been a little “much.”
Once exposed to your movement’s ideas, how do these alienated people feel? They feel horrible, They feel judged, hurt, confused, rejected, and hateful of themselves. Every time you state your allegiance to a group-concept, you risk making a stranger feel badly about themselves, and you reduce your ability to help them. Upon each declaration of your alignment with your Ism, you limit your effectiveness, and you reject all that is possible, not just for you, but for others.
Count the Isms you’ve adopted throughout your life. Add ’em up. Make a list of the Ists and Ologies that you’ve collected since birth. Now, make a list of the types of people who may have been hurt by the ideas that your most favored organizations disseminate. Consider how your Ology or Ian might be marginalizing others. By confining yourself to any these teensie, tiny boxes, you oppress yourself. This limits creation, reality, other Beings, and YOU!
“I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Group-mind and group allegiance, without continual scrutiny and redefinition, validate egos, and create momentum in all the wrong directions. Consider these ideas:
Our anger is beneath our minds, not beyond them.
Our projections are remnants of dying minds that seek to justify their temporary, decaying Self-identities.
Our movements, religions, and organizations are contrived to preserve false trajectories that empower and enlighten very few.
Your notions of “You,” “I,” and “Other” are not real.
Organized agendas are not living probiotics. They’re viruses that require monitoring.
You can participate in a movement, but it’s foolish to be branded and defined by it. You can call yourself a member of an organization, but don’t defend its temporary, partially-informed creed. You can help others and defend goodness in a variety of ways, and you don’t need to be a card-carrying cult member to do it.
If you have a ready-mind, if you’re available for transformation, reach out and say hi. There’s work to be done. This work won’t happen at your group’s next rally, or that upcoming narcissistic, hippie lecture, or your church’s Born-again bake sale.
Transformation can only occur within your core, the abstract center of your nature, at the behest of your fraction of the eternal consciousness. The real work has no definition – and neither do you. The real work is not aligned with any group, event, victim-mind, identity, agenda, cause, or God. It’s beyond all that. And so are YOU.
EVERYTHING IS YOU! IT’S ALL YOU!
Isn’t it time you gave up labels and dove into the ocean of unbranded potential? Isn’t that where you can best access the evaporating-you, so that you can climb deeper within the eternal You, and find your truth?
Are you ready to explore all the attributes, see yourself clearly, and expand yourself? Are you open to deep forgiveness and a mind-blowing letting-go? If so, I’m with you 100%.
If you’re ready to break-up with your Ism and your past,
"This was the most profound and empowering reading I've experienced. Thank you so much, Paul. You saw what was going on in my life in such a clear way; it was mind-blowing. 5 stars all day long. I honestly have no idea what I would have done if I didn't find you. Thank you so very much!"
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Dr. D.
"Paul, you saw exactly what was happening on my team. It was amazing to me how you were able to not only see all the personalities but also help us unwind an extremely difficult situation and dynamic. Such an excellent experience working with you on all this. Thank you!"
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Mina W
"WOW! Such a great experience working with you. Your sessions made me feel much better - and finally energized. I’m at a loss for words right now. Suffice to say that you helped me regain my confidence and let go of some serious garbage. I was carrying so much unnecessary guilt and self-hatred. You helped me release so many things. Truly a wonderful experience."
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Lee H
"I love how you phrase all of these things, and I feel encouraged to finally let go of these old experiences - the old me! After a month, I’m noticing how clear I can be and how focused I am on my happiness in the moment. Before meeting you, I was constantly in my head, never focusing on being peaceful, happy, or positive. Working with your rituals, releasing all the mayhem, and living more in gratitude has been immensely rewarding and eye-opening!"
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Mandy C
"Thank you for being such a light and inspiring person in my life, Paul. I was worried about hiring someone to help me because my life felt too unmanageable. You were so sweet with me, holding my hand during a very painful time. Each session helped me break out of my anger and darkness. The difference between today and 3 months ago is almost unbelievable. Thanks for seeing my potential and walking me into it!"
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Ben T
"Working with you has been amazing. I love how you can see the challenges that my wife and I are having - and you nail it - blaming neither of us. You also saw that I have some work to do, which I needed to hear. Now that I’m completely over myself (haha), Jackie and I have very productive conversations. Sometimes, it feels like we’re just getting to know each other. We appreciate you, Paul - thanks!"
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Rachel J
"Thank you so much for hearing me out with no judgment when I fully express myself. You are so generous to me, helping me get past the death of my child and the loss of my marriage. The guilt was killing me, but I’m seeing the light again. Thank you for working through everything with me. I know I’m a challenge. I’ve listened to the recordings several times. Each time, I can feel how empowering you are for me. How kind (and intense!) and present. I am SO GLAD I TRUSTED YOU AS MY COACH"!
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