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[How does one reach that realization?]

Gandalf started a thread "Possible 'focus 4' related Experience" and I didn't want to take over Gandalfs thread so I decided to continue this discussion in a new thread because it might be moving the thread off topic.  to view that original topic, go here, http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21677&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

I have recently recognized that everything here, everything we see, touch, taste, feel, sense is all an illusion.  I have had a little help from some friends in realizing this, one of whom is a member here and if he decides to join this conversation, then great!

What I mean by it is all an illusion is that we are all united in consciousness and consciousness is all there is.  Everything that is not pure consciousness (The absolute everything/nothing) is based on our belief systems or our individual and collective ideas.  All things, relationships, events, etc are based on the illusion.  Since everything we experience in the physical universe is an illusion, and creation is based on our individual and collective ideas, creation is also an illusion.  Everything we experience is the creation of our own imaginings.  Our life is a blank canvas and we create the painting of our lives based on our thoughts.  I figure since we are making it all up anyway, I may as well have fantabulous thoughts... but the question is: How does one reach that realization?  That question is the purpose of this thread.

here is the last exchange on Gandalfs thread:

Tombo wrote:
Do you have any idea/knowledge as why we choose to create this illusion.
And: Do we really have a choice? I mean I'm not aware of the fact that I create my world therefore It seems kind of odd to me to say I/We choose it to be that way.

Lighthouse wrote:

It's the only game in town. When we realize we are making it all up, then we can start having fun with it.

Tombo Wrote:
lol! And how can we truely realize it?

My answer; diligence, persistence, patience (and the help of a few good friends never hurt either   )
Most of us have beliefs systems that are handed to us from other people, religions, philiosphies, doctrines, family members, teachers, guru's society, etc.  If we listen to the way of other people and try to follow that, we are living according to the truth of someone else.  

In freeing ourselves from our self imposed belief systems, meaning every rule, regulation, social norm that is used as a control tactic by ourselves to force our beliefs upon others is an obstruction to knowing the Truth of our being.  The Truth is we are Love and Love is all there is.  Everything we have in place to control each other is based on fear which is the opposite of Love.  Once we get to the point where we recognize that Love is all there is and there is nothing to fear, we can then know ourselves as the creators of our experience.  the question then remains, How do we get to that point?  That is the purpose of this thread.

Fire away

(and Gnukie, can you please help me out here?  Thanksmuch!)

Kerri

20 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity:


1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask --  "Do You Want Fries with That?"

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It  "In."

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Cheques, Write "For Smuggling Diamonds"

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy."

8. Don't use any punctuation

9. As Often As Possible, Skip, Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet water (with a serious face) whenever you go out to eat

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go."

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical Sounds All Day

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity... Send This email To Someone To Make Them Smile!

IT'S CALLED THERAPY
Happy Insanity

[What a wonderful Gift!]

An amazing book... This is a work done by Roman Catholic Scholar, Marion Starbird who loves Ancient religions, Mideval arts and ancient history.  She was brought up in the Roman Catholic Church and after reading Holy Blood, Holy Grail, was appalled at the thought of Mary Magdeline as the bride of Jesus Christ.  She set out to disprove this hypothesis and the more she tried to find facts to disprove this rumor, the more compelling evidence she found that she was proving the opposite, that indeed all evidence pointed to the marriage of Christ as not only possible but highly probable.  

I thought I had a pretty healthy outlook on life and had pretty much embraced my femininity... Until I started reading this book.  I never realized how wounded my psyche was until I started reading this book, how much the idea of there being a Bride of Jesus would completely validate a part of myself that I had never realized my spirit was crying and seeking validation.  I am only 1/3 of the way through now and am feeling such a healing of my own psyche that I feel everyone should read this book, women and men.  What a wonderful Gift!

Kerri

So, In the Nag Hammadi Library, I was reading the Exegesis on the Soul.  It talks about the Prostitution of the Soul.  It's funny, in the bible, and in the Nag Hammadi Library there is much mention of Prostitution so I decided to look it up.  

In addition to the terms definition that we understand it in the sexual context of today, the original meaning of the word prostitute had a slightly different meaning than we understand it to have today.  

How does this strike you;
Prostitute : A person (as a writer or painter) who deliberately debases himself or his talents (as for money.)
Prostitution: Debasement
(Debase; Lower in status, esteem quality or character)

How many people prostitute themselves in jobs they don't like for the security of a steady paycheck instead of listening to the dictates of their hearts and doing what their soul truly desires?  

In relation to the anecdote in the Nag Hammadi Library, the Soul (feminine) prostitutes herself to men who would defile her out of obligation for the clothing, food, oils and physical comforts that they provide for her.  "As long as the soul keeps running about everywhere copulating with whomever she meets and defiling herself, she exists suffering her just desserts."    Since the soul is not a physical entity, these things are irrelevant to the soul and she need not defile herself in order to repay others for the care of her physical self.  

She longs for the love of the father and looking for that, prostitutes herself (molds herself to conform to the wishes of others) and loses herself in the process.  She becomes enraged and pleads with the Father (repents) to help her to cleanse herself.  He then takes pity on her (the soul) and restores her virginity, cleanses her and gives her new hope.  

It later goes on to quote other parts of the Bible (Ps 103:1-5) "Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, (praise) his holy name.  My soul, praise God, who forgave all your sins who healed all your sickness, who ransomed your life from death, who crowned you with mercy who satisfies your longing with good things.  Your youth will be renewed like an eagle's.

Later it goes on to explain, "If one does not hate his soul he cannot follow me.  For the beginning of salvation is repentance.  Therefore (cf. Acts 13:24)  Before Christ's appearance came John, preaching the baptism of repentance.  And repentance takes the place of distress and grief.  But the father is good and loves humanity, and hears the soul that calls upon him and sends the light of salvation."

What I get from all of this is that when we do not live in our full light (do not live according to the dictates of our own hearts,) we start to hate ourselves.  Upon understanding this is what we are doing to ourselves, we can then heal our negative thoughts about ourselves (repent) and be made whole through the release (forgiveness) of our mistakes (sins.)


Thoughts??

--Kerri

The joys of Indigo children.  But think of the possibilities with parents that understnad and nurture their gifts?  Instead of denying and squashing their true selves?

My grandchildren will someday surely drive me across the veil []

Hello Lighthouse,

Yup - I can fully relate to your feeling in your situation. Had exactly the same feeling when my grandmother passed away some years ago. (We hadn't had any conflicts or any of the sort, but my family has always been - how should I put it - Scottish about showing our feelings? [])... So when I tried to consciously show some emotion of a little grief, I actually got an angry reply from my father [V] ...

But I feel, that you are on the "right track" here. Starting out with NOT knowing what to feel, followed by "trying on" different feelings and "roles", followed by actual confusion as to how you should "behave" in order to i.e. "be there for others" - and when you get fed up with that, well .... [}:)]

Naa - just playing around a bit here. You seem to have some VERY REAL inner conflicts, so why no focussing on the feelings and energies BEHIND the inner conflicts, instead of trying to solve the situations located where the conflicts are leading/pushing you? ....

This is like turning the table 180 degrees around. This is YOU being aware of every conflict inside of you, rather than being aware of how to solve them.... This is you being aware of the feelings inside of you, that tries to trigger you into identifying yourself with them, instead of REACTING to the feelings.

When you have been in a houndred different situations, ALL of them with the same emotional and energetic content, if you are smart (what you obviously are, just by asking about this, and showing your doubt!) - you sort of stop trying to cure the symptom, and start looking to deflate the dissease []

And the technique? ... Well, EVERY situation in you life can be a "tool" that you can use to gain a little bit more of yourself back. Every situation in your life can be split into a situation (either talk, action etc.) located "Outside" of yourself, and an "emotional" and "energetic" component, inside of yourself, that YOU reacts to emotionally / energetic.

Each time you succeed in just being aware, and keeping your prescence in one of those situations, you gain a little bit back of yourself. You sort of Deflate the dissease, and retake that land inside of you back - inch by inch.

Sometimes you are very lucky ([]), and that is when it feels like your World comes crashing down on you. You feel very vulnerable, very emotional, very sort of "naked" in that state. Try to BE AWARE when you are in that state of mind, and feel the PEACE and REALNES that is also there, just beside the "nakednes" !! ....

What is actually happening is, that YOU have seen a very big part of you for WHAT IT IS. (Often it is an accumulated feeling that gets loosened at once). And you stop building your life on that feeling, or that emotion. This creates an Empty feeling inside, like a part of you have died...But only to make room for the conscious you to occupy [] ....

There are some other very good threads in this forum too, among those are How to Sched the Junk, and some others about feelings as well.


Okay, enough rambling from my part ... I hope, that you can use some of this []

And the short answer to your original question, "How do I help....?". Well, (IMO) - by BEING what you want to be for them WITHOUT any inner unresolved conflicts - give them a PURE experience with yourself as the example - and then GIVE THEM ROOM to make their own choise.


Cheers from Denmark,

PS: "without seeming callous and uncaring?" ... THOSE resistances are what I would start with if I were you [}:)] ... How to truly get to know these resistances to these emotions inside of you to a degree, where you CHOOSE to let them go? .... How can you be completely Caring, if you are afraid of being Uncaring? .... Each time you try to BE that for them, they WILL also feel your resistance to these emotions - and they WILL react to them stronger than they will react to your being there for them, unfortunately ...

LOL - that's brightened my day no end!



Sarah

My opinion is based on physical sexual drive, at a base level.  Herd mentalitly so to speak, at the animal level.

Women are attracted to strong men because they can provide.  They can sire strong children and provide for them, thus ensuring the survival of the species.  Strong women are a threat, they will take the strong male away from the weak feamales.

Weak men admire strong men.  They want to be just like them, and ultimately replace them to have the females.  Weak men fear strong women, because they can not have them, and in fact will be dominated by them, doing what they are told to do, not what they wish to do like strong men.


So is this really true?  No, but at an instinctual level, the herd mentality it can be.

Hi Kerri,

Thanks for posting that information and website link! Hopefully members will visit the site and then help out to the extent they can.


All the best,
Nick

...

Volcomstone...

I have actually heard this before, that he went to learn from many masters and I also heard that there was a man in Indian history who'se name sounds like Jesus, (something like Eesus or something else, sounding like Jesus but not quite)  I'll research it a little more when I get a chance []

I've also heard the after he was resurrected,  he went to India... Who knows!  Anyway, thanks for the thought provoking post.

Kerri

Hi Kerri,

Absolutely worthy of a new thread!

Personally my experience only covers adult education – having worked as a trainer in various roles and across a broad range of subject fields.

Personally I would find it difficult to begin to attempt to respond to your questions. But would like you would very much value learning about the opinion on this issue of educators, parents and most importantly the kids themselves!

Yet, I can appreciate that this is clearly a needs based issue - which may well require a analysis, public lobby buy in, and eventually a long term solution to be put in place to become effective. I am not familiar with primary and secondary education models in the States, although Montessori Schools do exist over here, and as far as I understand resides within the private education sector as well!

Good luck on this one – I for one will be fascinated to see how the resulting discussion here will unravel!

I think you are sowing some good seeds here!!!

Kind wishes,


Stephen []

P.S. See also New ADHD drug that has been launched in the UK. BBC news article: - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3767313.stm

My sincere condolences for the death of your father.

When my grandfather died i feeled sad and i cried a little. In the next day i was much better: he was old (83 years) and i realised that i lived all that it wanted to live. It was his hour, and it was  not  a violent death.

Now, like your father (what does it mean father in law?! my english...), he is a rainbow. Maybe my grandfather is the violet color in the rainbow and your father is the blue color, next to him [].

...

hi Kerri,

I hear what you are saying, and it pretty much echoes how I feel.

However, I think it is missing a critical element.  Yes, desire is not "bad"... and most definitely yes should we freely partake of life's pleasures, as it is our "birthright" so to speak. (And who says we only learn things the "hard way"?  I prefer to learn things enjoyably)  BUT only if it in is line with our "true" nature.  

Not all "desires" are based on the highest good.  One, for example, might desire to enact their force over others against their will.  As this is contradictory to the flow of things (IMO) then I believe guilt acts as a signal that something is off-balance, and alignment with the Higher Self has not yet been acheived.

But, generally, yes, what you are saying is true.  If you are allowing the highest vibration of love to flow through you and are open to experiences to promote yours and other's highest good, then, hey desire can be fun!!!

Hi Lighthouse,
I have the same impression as you do about the experiences we have in our lives.

see a previous post: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7271

quote:Normally I just skip large posts like these ones, but I got caught by a phrase of the first post. I press the back button of my browser again, and start to read the message.

I like your posts Tisha, such independent stories spread on this forum;-)

I like the phrase of the test we're doing now. Maybe it sounds cliche or all chewed up, but it's the reality. Well I think I'm a little off-topic, because I'm totally not familiar with any magic thing...

But I like to see at my life as how it gets shaped everyday by myself. All the choices I make, conscious or unconscious. Unconscious choices almost if not always made because of unconscious desires. Well, unconscious, but not unreachable. They seem unconscious in the first place, because of lack of attention paid. Watching myself during the day, spotting my emotions during social interactions has teached me alot about myself.

I see things appearing in my life because of me attracting them. Unconscious desires are the best ones, often the strongest. Imagination is allowed spontaniously and the rational mind with all its questions and doubts is almost not involved. Even this process I am not consciously aware of most of the time, but it happens naturally and spontaniously all of the time.

Then a few days, or a few weeks later, after I forgot about it, suddenly the thing or event appears in my life. This can be a variety of things: a concrete thing or an opportunity. It just appears.

That's magic for me.

Ebele

quote:Originally posted by Lighthouse

I've been practicing Mindfulness recently and something I've noticed is that the feelings I get from this are the same feelings I have had when first falling in Love with someone...

So it makes me wonder...

Is it that when we are falling in love with someone, we are naturally practicing mindfulness because we want only to be with that person and be fully present in those moments?  Or is it that being in Love alone, creates the experiences of Bliss, Joy, etc.  Maybe it's a little of both or neither.  

When we are practicing Mindfulness, we are completely present and we can only experience the Divine in the present... We can't go back into time and retreive it and we can not project into the future and experience it.  We are touching the Divine in the present and experience it (create it) within ourselves but what came first... The feeling of Love or being present and Mindful?

Kerri

Hi,

As they say the beloved only sees the beloved! Looks like you are having fun!

Ta for sharing,


Stephen []

Hey lighthouse that was some good old powerful stuff right there glad you wrote it hopefully people will try to get in touch with nature and realize what we are doing to the enviroment if i was you i would post stuff about nature and harmony more often so people can read it and hopefully take action and enforce good enviromental action i am greatful you wrote this post [][][8D]

Oh my gaaaawddd Lighthouse, you sound like me!!
I want to be a motivational speaker. Perhaps we can email each other so you can give me some tips on the industry for this type of work?

Blissful


Oh.. and I'm a new member.  Been intuitive all my life (and past lives, hee hee) and now I'm not scared to take it to the next level.

quote:...but you can not share a spiritual connection with someone without being physically drawn to them too.

I tend to disagree with such definite statements of what can and can not be.
It's entirely possible to share a spiritual connection but not a physical one. Likewise the opposite applies. Indeed any combination of the two is possible.
It's silly to suggest that spiritual attraction/connection somehow requires or exluce a physical attraction/connection.

I can see, however, that a having a spiritual connection with someone would make them physically more atractive. But at the same time a physical attraction would give some leeway on learning about the other and thus lead to a spiritual conncetion.

But as usual, the disclaimer Your Mileage May Vary applies with full force.
2cents & L&L
jouni

I don't really understand why you included the first lines, but I know what you mean.

I've certainly been giving that alot of thought latley, the question "What do you want to be doing with your life, and why aren't you doing it?".

Dear Kerri,

I would recommend you purchase the book "Guide to Literary Agents."  They publish an updated version each year.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1582971463/qid=1083334495/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-5225950-6883303?v=glance&s=books
This book also tells you which literary agents specialize in your type of book and whether they accept query letters.  It provides valuable tips on how to write a good query letter as well.

Another thing I would STRONGLY recommend -- Can you tell how strongly I recommend this?[] -- go to the Preditor vs. Editor site and read up on which literary agents are recommended and who has recently gotten a bad rep.
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pealm.htm

You can also find alerts about agents at the swfa site.
http://www.sfwa.org/Beware/

Best of Luck and Best Wishes,
timeless[]

I guess another way of asking is... is this just a typical psychic experience?

Personaly, I am quite "shy"/passive/quiet; I don't act much, but observe a lot.  I have quite a few (sadly too many) nasty/greedy thoughts going through my mind.  The thing is that, as I am passive, nothing happens most of the time.  It's really like there is a "mad monkey" talking in my head and I just observe it...  Sometimes I can catch it right before it's voiced.  Other times I can't.  But it has no real power in the end.  But, I am not eliminating the root of the problem; I am just preventing it to act.  So frustrating...  [B)]

I agree that killing seals, or any animal for that matter, is not bad in itself.  We do it all the time, and in fact the consumption of other biomatter is imperative for any biological beings survival - meaning it is perfectly natural, and necessary.   Perhaps one day we will find an alternative, but for now we don't have one.

As for vegetarianism, do you know what keeps a plant from running away screaming?  It can't - But they are just as alive as we are.

However, we must always remain vigilant of the abuses that can cause catastrophic pressures in our common ecosystem, which unfortunately is far too stressed already.  I do not believe seals are any longer in danger of extinction - though they certainly were at one time.

Hi Kerri,

Would love to help you out with some advise here!  Australia is a wonderful place to come and visit.  Can't comment on New Zealand, as I've never been.  I guess it depends on the type of weather you like, but I like the Spring to Summer months, probably Nov - Feb?  I do tend to like the warm weather though!  I don't know about anyone else, but I've been finding the weather rather unpredictable.  With Summer seeming more like Spring (and sometimes like Winter[]) etc.

As for where to visit, I guess that depends on what you like doing?  Tasmania is a beautiful spot - so much to see, gorgeous landscapes, history, etc.

Hope this link works:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582971897/qid=1074038361/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-5588102-4306333

The '2004 Writer's Market' book gives extensive listings of publishers and a synopsis of any requirements/guidelines.

If you look around you could probably find a book for your particular genre.

Good luck!  []

[male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus]

For economy of time, I'm copying my other post and adding to it:

After studying the issue for many years now, I am of the opinion that the whole line of gnostic tradition about Mary Magdalene and Jesus being married and having offspring was simply an attempt to "gnosticize" Jesus. In other words, the various gnostic groups at the time of Jesus wove him into their mythos in a way that would "legitimize" their existence. Thus, the gnostic archtypes are projected onto Jesus and Mary Magdalene, regardless of any historical veracity or factual basis.

As to the "royal bloodline" of Jesus that we read so much about these past few years, I believe much the same thing happened (i.e., if I claim to be descended from Jesus, I have "legitimized" my claim to "divine aristocracy.") Jesus made it clear that his "kingdom" what not of this world (i.e., it was of a spiritual nature), when his disciples thought, as other Jews of the time did, that Messiah would drive out the Romans and re-establish an earthly throne.

Yeh, go ahead and reply that the "Roman Church/State, etc." supressed the "truth" about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, .... If that is the case, why do the Eastern Orthodox churches, like the Syrian or Indian Orthodox rites, hold to essentially the same "orthodox" teachings of the Roman Church? The Syrian Othodox church in Antioch was founded by Peter and The Malankara Orthodox Church was founded in Kerala, India, by St. Thomas the Apostle around AD 52. These churches remained autonomous from the beginning, meaning they were never "Roman." Yet, amazingly (or maybe not so amazingly), their foundational beliefs are almost identical to Roman Catholic beliefs and their sacraments are the same seven as the Roman Church!

With respect to women and the early church (and by this I mean the traditional church, not some gnostic variant), women were accorded honor and a role as teachers. Paul, whom you accuse with Peter of being a misogynist, clearly states in his leter to the Galatians, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This approach to women was radically superior to the common view of the time. In fact, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is held up in VERY high esteem among both Orthodox and Roman Catholics, not just because she bore Jesus, but because of her great virtue and openess to God. In traditional Christian though, without her (a woman) fiat, or "yes," to God, Jesus, the Christian Savior, would not have been incarnated! Thus, her role (in the Christian theology) is right up alongside of Jesus'!

Contrary to what you imply, I believe that it can be easily shown that traditional Chistianity has afforded high honor and esteem to women. In contrast, when one studies much of the gnostic writings and beliefs, they, in reality, reduce woman to a mere tool for men to use in their rites, much like Alister Crowley's view in the last century.

It is my belief, and my understanding, that you die and go to a "heven or hell" state based on your memories which is ingrained in your soul, then based on that your new lifetime is made to learn more. In this way the soul "evolves." Kind of part of my theory in another post.

as far as i am concerned, forgiving someone means that you don't hold the wrong they've committed against them. so if someone hurts you, to forgive them means you don't punish them for it, you don't hold a grudge against them, and you don't treat them any differently then you did before they hurt you.

to truly forgive someone is more than just no punishing them, and it seems that a lot of people have an incredibly difficult time truly forgiving others since the pain is still there and forgivness means you can't blame anyone for it.

~kakkarot

Whats outside the balloon? Astral. But that could be some other dimension. The dimension of balloon size (distance from the center) could be time, with the center being the big bang.