January 1985 marks the beginning of America’s love affair with Ender Wiggin. It was that month that Ender’s Game was published, becoming an instant blockbuster, and “probably the most popular science fiction novel published in the last twenty years” (John Kessel). The child prodigy and ultimate savior of the earth, Ender Wiggin, had appeared seven years earlier in a short story published in the science fiction magazine Analog. Writer Orson Scott Card had spent much of his young life working in print, but had only set to writing science fiction when his meager salary as copy editor at a small press failed to pay a debt incurred from a failed business attempt. His magazine article won instant attention, and Orson Scott Card won the 1978 John C. Campbell Award for best new writer at the World Science Fiction Convention. But little Ender was destined for bigger things.
Orson Scott Card saw potential in his young protagonist and instantly set to work developing the short fiction into a longer work. Already he had two novels in mind, Ender’s Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead, published the following year in 1986. Card made history by winning both the prestigious Nebula and Hugo Awards in both consecutive years. No other author has managed this feat to date (2006.) Since that time, Ender’s Game has been translated into sixteen languages, and spawned two series.
The first series includes Ender’s Game (1985), Speaker for the Dead (1986), Xenocide (1991), Children of the Mind (1996), and First Meetings (2002). The saga follows Ender as he grows into adulthood and deals with the moral and ethical issues presented in his childhood.
The second series starts with a parallel telling of the original Ender’s Game, but from the eyes of Bean. Titled Ender’s Shadow (1999), it is the first of the Shadow Series, followed by Shadow of the Hegemon (2001), Shadow Puppets (2002), and Shadow of the Giant (2005).
Ender’s Game has been called “the science fiction novel for people who don’t think they like science fiction.” Truly it appeals to a vast audience. It is on the list of top books for college-bound students, and has been adopted as required reading in numerous secondary schools and university classes. Card explains that the focus on the human story as it unravels, rather than the science fiction elements, is what gives the novel power among its readers. Essentially, Card says, readers must relate and care deeply about the characters. Beyond that, he admits that the use of computer networks and the “mind game” are features in the book that appeal to many readers.
Ender claimed the spotlight again in the late 1990s when rumor caught wind that a film was slated. Indeed, Warner Brothers announced in 2002 its plans to produce the film. Director Wolfgang Peterson, known for his most recent films Poseidon, Troy and The Perfect Storm, is joined by screenwriter David Benieff (Troy). The movie is expected to hit the theaters in 2008. After winning the top prizes offered in science fiction literature, one wonders what is still in store for Ender Wiggen.
About the Author Francesca Black has always enjoyed Science Fiction and she manages the content at: Science Fiction Corner http://www.science-fiction-corner.com
Get Your Bearing
In and around everything that exists lie fields of organizing intelligence. That which creates us and sustains us is also guiding us; it is guiding us in every situation, everywhere, all the time. When we are aligned with the flow of this expression of consciousness, or spirit, we are guided to positive learning experiences and find fulfillment, happiness and peace. When we connect with and allow our body and mind to serve as a vehicle for this innate volition we are drawn to the people, places and situations that support our growth and development and life is good, very good. When our mind diverts our attention away from this natural inclination, and to the degree it does, we feel a commensurate degree of suffering and pain. These are the signs pointing out that we are out of touch, disconnected, lost. Like a compass needle being pulled to magnetic north, our spirit is always pointing the way for our optimum happiness and peace. We are never really disconnected with spirit itself, but our mind can get so preoccupied with the stories that it creates that we all too often get lost in our own mind. But no matter how lost you are, no matter how difficult life gets, no matter how disconnected you feel, you can always come right back, get your bearing and find peace. You get your bearing by tuning into the subtle life force currents flowing through you and around you. The more you tune in, the more tuned in you are. The more you connect with the source of life within you, the more connected you are. The more connected you are the more you will be guided to those life experiences that are helping you to learn, and grow, and evolve your consciousness to its highest expression and fulfill your life purpose. Shaktipat meditation is the means to connecting with this innate guiding volition; it's your direct connection. Shakti is life force, or spirit. It is energy. It makes your heart beat; it is life itself. But it is more than just energy, it is innate intelligence, it is the expression of consciousness that has been guiding you all along. It is you, it is what you are, it is what continues on long after the body expires and the sooner you are plugged into it and guided by it, the sooner you will find enduring happiness and peace. It is where you find clarity, it is where you find inspiration and guidance, it is where you find happiness and peace, and it is what is guiding you to read these words right now. You are being guided by it to find it, to realize it. The more you connect with it, the more you meditate using this Shaktipat, the stronger your connection is and the happier you are. We know, we've trained thousands, we see it transforming people's lives every day, and we would love for you to experience the profound shifts that result as you awaken this inner knowing, guidance and love. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir "Find your Self and find true happiness. All other happiness is transitory and fleeting."
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
How to achieve Astral Projection (OBE) Overnight
Three easy techniques to achieve Astral Projection Overnight
Achieving Astral Projection overnight is as easy as going to bed. There are a few ingredients and three easy techniques you need to cook this up. Needless to mention, if you are an intermediate to expert level in the art of astral projection you might already know these ingredients. However, the hope of jotting this down is to provide a very simple recipe to allow anyone to achieve success literally overnight.
Ingredients List
1. First Ingredient: Everything requires an exchange of Energy
Automobiles need fuel to move, plants need water and sun to grow, even the human body needs energy, in this case food, to function efficiently. That being said, projecting astral projection also requires an exchange of energy, or fuel. The natural question is: What is this fuel and where does it come from?
Firstly, for clarity's sake let's dichotomize this fuel into organic fuel and prana (life force).
The aforementioned fuel is plainly and simply just food. The body needs to be well nourished and healthy to be apt to allocate its precious resources to astral endeavors. If you are weak you won't be able to study, exercise, heal, or operate efficiently, it is no different when it comes to astral projection. That being said, it is possible to overwork or put enough stress on the body to achieve astral projection but this is for obvious reasons counterproductive. A healthy diet works best. Plenty of water and a supplement of B vitamins and magnetite will do wonders. Lemon juice is also an important and accessible part of this equation. It is very important to test, test, and test again. What diet works best for you? What feeding time works best for you?
Attempting to project too soon after dinner will reduce your chances of a projection because of the stress on your digestive system. Substances such as caffeine and alcohol will also act against you. Avoid them during your projections.
The other and more important kind of fuel is prana. This, in a nutshell is an unseen energy that is all around us and permeates everything. This is the energy that ties and binds our universe together. Think of prana as the "Force" from the film Star Wars. Much like organic fuel allows your physical body to operate, prana is what will fuel your "astral probe" and allow "projection". Breathing is by far the easiest and most accessible way of obtaining prana. What's the trick? In order to absorb prana it must be wanted. Turn your lungs, and your body into a loving home for this prana, invite it in and it will come. There are more advance ways of absorbing prana. Specialized meditation techniques, I recommend a specialized chakra meditation that will yield more than enough prana for projections, amongst other benefits.
2. Second Ingredient: Knowledge is Power
The biggest factor ruining aspiring astral projectors all over the planet is fear. And knowledge is the weapon of choice against this treacherous enemy. There are countless articles, books and tapes on the subject. Saturate yourself with the subject. Be logical and don't believe everything you read. There is a great debt of gratitude due to all the trail blazers that have put astral projection in the map, but remember these are regular people trying to explain and talk about an unusual subject. Thus, be wary of misinterpretations. One pearl of knowledge that must be shared and will strike down fear of astral projection is that: You are not out of your body. Yes, you never leave your body while you are projecting. Think about these letters that you are reading. You are experiencing with your sight. These letters are outside your body, yet you are able to perceive and experience them while you remain inside inside your body. It is of great importance to grasp this. It will obliterate ignorant fears commonly associated with astral projection, such as, fear of death, fear of possessions and fear of getting lost outside of your body.
3. Third Ingredient: Practice makes perfect
Who likes to hear this sentence? Not nearly as many as those that like to say it. But, as painful as it sounds, it holds true. Any skill worth having requires you to put in a decent amount of time and effort. Now that your motivation is likely back to zilch allow me to digress to the original point of this article...yes, the overnight part. Hopefully, your motivation is now back to normal levels. The following are three simple and efficient techniques that will project your astral probe literally overnight.
The movement technique:
After a long day of white water rafting I proceeded to lay down in my bed and rest. Interestingly, laying there in a relaxed state, I couldn't help but notice that the movement of the raft moving down the river had stayed with me. I went with it for a while and as soon as my brain was convinced of the reality of this movement it was tricked into achieving it. Before I knew it my astral probe was inches away from my bedroom wall as I lay in bed. After discovering this purely by accident I experimented with other variations of movement, such as, jogging, swimming and even driving a car with great success.
The "feels like technique":
This is a very powerful technique, and for the purpose of astral projection you might want to think of it as visualization on steroids. Using this technique, is the only way I have been able to project while completely awake. In a nutshell, you will pick a room in your house; the bathroom seems to work best. Lie down and relax in your bedroom. Now as you lay there, relaxing and getting comfortable start to picture your bathroom in your mind's eye. If you are anything like me, your first attempts at visualization will be pathetic. Your job is to trick your brain into believing it is in the bathroom, the brain is no fool, and you need to imitate the sensory data the brain expects to receive to the best of your ability. Feel the colors, the brightness, and the texture of the surface. Look at the mirror, the corners of the room, the sink, you get the idea. It is all in the details.
The lazy technique:
This is my favorite one because it requires the least amount of work. This technique requires you to play around with your normal sleep schedule, so it is not recommended for work or school days. Simply set your alarm clock about three hours earlier than usual. Get up and do some type of task that will require some degree of focus. Read a book, preferably on astral projection, take a walk around your block. Taking a 15 minute drive usually does it for me. Then go back to your warm, comfortable and inviting bed. That is it. I can only speculate that these actions put your brain in a very special state of mind that makes it much more prone to achieve astral projection.
Everything in the universe requires an exchange of energy. Remember that, whether you are writing an article fueled by caffeine or sending an astral probe to the Mexican Riviera powered by prana. Knowledge will set you and your astral probes free. Educate yourself on the subject; it is the only way to dispel ignorance and fear. Be consistent with your practice, anything worth gaining requires effort. And if all this sounds like too much work, at least give "the lazy technique" a try, you might be one of the few lucky natural astral projectors.
Higher Balance Institute offers tools for meditation, spiritual development, enhanced intuition and sensory awareness in the world. Our mission is simple - to awaken the world one mind at a time. For more information visit us at www.higherbalance.com.for free eBooks.
Meditation: Old Wisdom Today
These days people seek knowledge, not wisdom. Knowledge is of the past, wisdom is of the future - Vernon Cooper Two hundred years ago, collecting information was the name of the game. The world was ruled by those who mastered the skills of information gathering. Knowledge was power. In today's world, the TV world, the world of live broadcasts, of information at your fingertips, a fast track world loaded with information, the advantage changed sides. Today, the world belongs to those who master the regulation of the flow of information. Today, it's not how much you know but how effective you are at finding what you need in the overwhelming rush of new facts coming straight at you from all around. When I started my teaching journey, believing that all the people around the world were gifted, I faced a dilemma. As a person who brought information collection to a level of art, I was actually giving my students the greatest disadvantage of the 21st century. I was guiding them to where "they couldn't see the forest for the trees." After I realised this, I spent years looking for the balance between collecting and regulating. Everything around us encourages collecting. At school, we learn how to gather and process information for our assignments, but not how to handle the enormous stream of information we absorb anyway. Imagine that your brain is an office, where every piece of information is like the people seeking your service or incoming messages requiring your processing and filing. Most of the processing happens while you're a sleep. The more information you receive, the more time it takes you to process it. Have you noticed that when you're stressed you feel tired? Have you noticed that kids sleep much more than adults do? That's because the load of information they need to process is greater - almost everything is new. Because the world moved into "fast forward," we receive information that is much greater than twenty years ago. To realise this, think about kids. Their knowledge nowadays is diverse and they know much more than what their parents knew at the same age. Gifted children, for example, have very superior collection channels. They can collect a lot of information at any given time. Unfortunately, not long after, the child will have loads of information without the time to process and the "clerk" in the "office" will scream, "That's it. Too much input. I can't handle this any more," and the child will feel overload and pressure. A simple thing like walking in the street stimulates a lot of incoming mail. The colours, the faces, the conversation of the couple you've just seen, the traffic jam and the smell and taste of the apples you bought in the supermarket. All this input is processed and stored for later use. When you are absorbing all this, seemingly without an effort, you brain is working overtime to process and you might feel stressed without being able to pinpoint the reason. A lot has been said about the ways to regulate this overload. Stress management actually tackles this from different angles. One way to handle stress is to try to divert our attention from the thing we consider the problem, where in fact we don't have any idea which information is sorted while we are asleep. The clerk processes the information as he sees fit without us having the conscious ability to control it. An example of diverting the attention for the supposedly a stress source, is the attempt to divert kids' attention from academic stimulants and encourage them to move into sports, art or music. This attempt only oils their superior machine and, instead of filtering out information, they open new channels of input as if the clerk now opened new doors to his office. Another method to overcome stress is to avoid dealing with some of the issues. Some people prefer the ostrich approach but are not aware of the fact that the office is open to the public as long as they're awake. Every minute you are not asleep, your office is receiving input. Sleep is just the way your clerk is working quietly with no disturbance. Has it happened to you that you wanted to stay at work after hours, when no one was around, so you can do the job without disturbance. Meditation is one of the best ways to regulate the incoming flow of information. In our model, meditation is like hanging a sign on the door, which says, "Away from the office. Back in 20 minutes." During this time, we allow our clerk to file the information without letting any new information to come in. Mediation research shows that it's being neither asleep nor awake. It's a state between the two, in which the brain is very calm, yet very sharp. My first encounter with meditation was when my inspiring sister, 16 years old at the time, went to study Transcendental Mediation. I remember her taking time off, closing her eyes and sitting still for a while. She looked a bit ridiculous, but she was brilliant at every thing she did. My first meditation experience happened when Gal and I went to study all kinds of meditation - affirmation, light, sound, eating, dancing, walking, mantra and visualisation. It was fun! I remember coming back home dead tired from meditation class, remembering that our instructor said, "Your body knows exactly what it needs. Listen to it. You probably need to sleep." Some time afterwards, I was working in Texas with a group of 2-year-old toddlers that used to wreak havoc during sleep time, so the centre had to reorganise the place and bring 10 adults to put them to sleep. The grownups sat there tapping the kids' backs and patting their heads for an hour and a half, until the last one fell asleep. In our staff meeting, I suggested to introduce visualisation. Familiar? "Close your eyes and imagine you are on a soft cloud, like cotton." We decided to try it for a month and reassess. On the first day, the last staff member left after 45 minutes. On the third day, they left after 10 minutes. The kids were still fully awake, relaxed, but with their eyes closed. At that time, we introduced soft meditation music in the background for an hour and a half. After a successful week, we felt we were ready to hand control over to the kids (remember, they were only two years old). We put the music on, "floated" for 3 minutes on our soft cotton cloud and then we asked them to take a deep breath and count one, two, three, one two, three. This way, within two weeks, we had 15 meditating toddlers, relaxed and saving the expensive resources of 10 extra staff members. You can imagine how happy the centre management, the parents and the teachers were. When we moved to Melbourne, Gal and I registered for a Transcendental Mediation course. Our instructor suggested we bring the kids along. It sounded funny, because they were only 4 and 10 years old. I remember her asking us what kind of improvements we would like to see in the kids. We looked at each other, not knowing what to answer. They were perfect kids - friendly, flexible, curious, smart, loving and understanding. We went there every evening for a week, watched some videos and learned to mediate. After 4 days, Gal got really sick, so Marg, our instructor, gave him 3 tea bags and told him to drink them during the day. She told him his body was adjusting. Like magic, he got up the day after, healthy and alert. About a month later, our perfect little son started drumming on everything. We had to look all around town to find someone who was willing to teach percussions to a 4-year-old. Ivan, bless his soul, taught him only because he himself started learning at the age of 4. After 4 weeks, Tsoof was so advanced that we had to send Gal with him, so he could help him at home with his practice. Within a year, he had 4 different drum teachers teaching him different styles and he started playing with adults, because there wasn't any children group at his level. We believe the mediation was the main reason for this. So now in our house, every health issue is solved in this order: 1. Drink plenty of water 2. Take vitamin C 3. Meditate 4. Sleep And you know what? This works for most things. In Transcendental Mediation, people meditate with a mantra. Children until the age of 10 can mediate for 5 minutes with their eyes open any time they wish. From the age of 10, they start meditating for the number of minutes equal to their age, until they turn 20. They just hang up the sign "I'm on break. Back in 10 minutes," twice a day. Every mediation session is considered equivalent to two hours of sleep and there you have it - people full of energy and focused who efficiently use another 4 hours of collecting information. Six years after our kids started meditating, we can tell by their behaviour whether they hanged the "on break" sign this week or not. Meditation doesn't prevent the information from entering. It only regulates the incoming flow to allow more information to come in. In a world full of information, a world of many words, many people, loads of feelings, lots of noise and visions, the name of the game is quiet. Many people are afraid they don't do it well because they still think of things while meditating. Remember, the goal in mediation is not to clear the brain from thought but to prevent new input from entering your office. Thinking during mediation is natural. In time, you feel much more relaxed, focused, energetic and happy. If two hundred years ago all we wanted was more knowledge, then today our best asset is a sign, which says on one side "on break" to allow cleaning the head and on its other side, for when we've restored our energy, "open to public!"
© Ronit Baras, Be Happy in LIFE - life coaching. Ronit Baras is a life coach, educator, author, journalist, justice of peace and public speaker living in Brisbane, Australia, specializing in relationships and families and an expert on motivation for kids.
Guided Meditation vs UnGuided Meditation
The challenge new meditators have when learning meditation is whether to use a guided mediation or to use an unguided meditation. Our objective in this article is to look at both meditation types so that you can choose which meditation style will suit your requirements. Guided Meditation involves somebody guiding you through the meditation process. That is they literally talk you through the whole meditation process. There are some advantage and disadvantages to this technique. One of the reasons you may consider guided meditation is to help expand your understanding of the various meditation techniques. The Guided Meditation technique can be presented in a number of ways. You may do a guided meditation session in a small group with a meditation practitioner or you might do a guided meditation session using a meditation cd or meditation dvd. If you are first starting out, the Guided Meditation sessions is a good way to learn meditation as the meditation practitioner will talk you through the experience and to help you identify what you should be feeling and how to move you into the state that your meditation technique is trying to get you in. For example if your guided meditation session is teaching you how to master the deep-breath meditation technique then the practitioner will talk you through how to relax and release the tension within your body. They will also be able to tell you what you should be thinking and feeling. A good practitioner will also give you some exercises during the session to try at home that will help your experiment with the meditation technique. The obvious downside to guided meditation is that someone is actually talking to you during the meditation session. Sometimes what people will find is that it is difficult to get to that state we are trying to achieve when someone is talking during the session. Often what you will have to do is to follow a guided meditation session for a number of times till you can learn and remember the meditation process and then try it for yourself in an unguided meditation session on your own. Some meditation centres also offer unguided meditation sessions in a group. What this means is that the whole group meditates together but the session is done in silence with no-one speaking. Many group meditation sessions though will still use meditation music as the basis of the session. Some meditation classes in remote locations will undertake unguided sessions out in the natural surrounding and will use the sounds of nature as the tool to help bring the group to a point of relaxation. Once again though one of the key elements of these unguided sessions is that no-one is allowed to speak during the meditation period. The group leader will generally use a special sound to bring the group meditation session to an end. Most professional meditation practitioners will recommend that a person who is new to meditation take a guided meditation session so that they can learn how to achieve the state of mind the type of meditation they are trying. Learning to meditate is one of the most important tools any human can master and can help improve your day-to-day life and help you cope with your surroundings. Once you have undertaken a few guided meditation sessions you will certainly be able to pursue unguided meditation sessions on your own and the more practice you get the better you will be at meditation. It is also worth considering purchasing a few different guided meditation cd’s so that if in the future you are unsure of what to do during the meditation session, you can refer to the meditation cd as a reference.
Chris has Baroque Meditation Music available at - Meditation Music (Baroque Music) and a simple six step meditation program - Relaxation Techniques for Stress Management
Yoga, Union with the Ultimate
Absolute Being, Absolut Knowledge, Absolute Bliss ( Sat, Chit, Ananda), the eternal triad which is the Universe and we are, is the substratum of the entire Universe. This is the great secret which we must discover in our long evolutionary journey.
Now enhance your Being, Knowledge,Bliss, which are from time immemorial considered as Wisdom's frame of reference.
Through adding to your Sat (existence), developing your Chit (subsistence) and enjoying Ananda you will witness a spiritual evolution or realization in your mind. With practising yoga, one sees the Absolute Self everywhere through his eyes of wisdom. He will become absolutely impersonal. He will not have a bit of selfishness in him. His Id will be completely annihilated. And in times he will attain the Eternal Bliss of the Self
The word "Yoga" itself is derived from a Sanskrit word "Yuj", which means to unite. Union with Cosmic Intelligence is the Yogic objective.
What we sow, we reap and this Universal Law is known as the Law of Karma, the Grand Law of Causation. We have to understand that the miseries of life and the Negativity which we experience are all the inevitable clearing process of exhausting our Karma. We have to understand that despite our sufferings, mistakes and ignorance, the Divine Will is leading us, through every circumstance, towards the final Realization. This faith will give us equanimity.
Even in rags, I am a god
Fallen, I am divine
High I triumph when down trod
Live will I when slain !
It is natural that our faith may be assailed by some misfortunes which happen to us. We have to understand that Initiation is a process of intensive culture and accelerated evolution and the bad experiences which happen to us are merely wages.
What can all these trials and tribulations do to the Godhead within us, the Almighty Self, He who transcends Space, Time & Causality? Him the jail cannot confine nor the gallows end !
Let us follow the Four fold path of Yoga. They are…
Jnana Yoga Union via Wisdom The method by which the intellect is used to negate the bondage of material world.
Raja Yoga Union via Psychic Control The psychological approach focusing on concentration and meditation.
Karma Yoga Union via Action This is the path of eliminating the ego and attachments through selfless service.
Bhakthi Yoga Union via Love A way of union through conversion of the emotions to devotion.
Human mind has immaculate powers. And it differs from person to person. People can awake the hidden psychic and occult powers in them by understanding and realizing the power of their mind. The four-fold path of Yoga offers some unique ways to emancipate oneself from the material world using the divine intelligence.
The Intellectual Man can go for Jnana Yoga or Union via Wisdom
The Active Man can pursue Karma Yoga or the Union via Action
The Adventurous man can followe Raja Yoga or Union via Psychic Control
The Emotional Man can look for Bhakthi Yoga or the Union of Emotions
Practising any one of the four powerful and vigorous Yoga paths will take you beyond the five concentric sheaths to the Absolute Self, which is the cosmic power in individual bodies
While Raja and Jnana Yogas are more or less for the initiated, Bhakti & Karma Yogas are for the ordinary man. You can understand the basic principles of Yoga by reading some books on the science. An good beginner's book dealing with Self Development is Dr Ashok Selvaraja's 7 Golden Secrets to know your Higher Self. The characteristics of both the lower and the higher selves are highlighted and Cosmic Union becomes easy.
Article by G Kumar, astrologer, writer and programmer of www.eastrovedica.com He has 15 years research experience in Stock Market Astrology and in various other branches of Astrology. Recentlyhe was awarded a Certificate by the Planetary Gemologists Association as a Planetary Gem Advisor. Free Yoga tips at Blog http://fourfoldyoga.blogspot.com & lens at http://www.squidoo.com/fourfoldyoga
Why Metaphysics? Part 1
What is metaphysics, and why should we bother studying it? What benefits does it have for humanity? What is its purpose? How will its teachings help advance society? How will it assist our civilization and culture to progress? How will our lives be re-created individually and collectively with the application of metaphysical principles? Questions abound concerning metaphysics, for people intuitively feel that it may have something precious to offer in terms of facilitating personal growth and self-empowerment. Among those spiritually inclined, it has become a "prime directive" to understanding their lives in terms of metaphysical principles and concepts such as multi-dimensional realities, the Higher Self, love, karma, reincarnation, etheric energies, psychicism, oneness with all, cosmic beings, the ascension, etc., and some of the causes of this higher thinking and awareness is the thinning of the cosmic veil between dimensions; the increased contact with invisible forces; the influence of intense electromagnetic cosmic energies bombarding upon our planet and solar system at this time; the influx of higher spiritual beings incarnating in the physical realm; the discoveries of many ancient secrets left hidden in monumental structures and time capsules; scientific developments in hyper-space technologies, and shifts in its paradigms, etc.
All of these are occurring on a global scale, in every nation of this planet, and it is affecting every human being. So it would seem that humanity is awakening from its long sleep of forgetfulness and ignorance. The Tree of Life of immortality, enlightenment, and illumination will be found hidden in the seeds of the Tree of metaphysical knowledge--using the word "metaphysics" in its most spiritual, gnostic sense.
For thousands of years we have sought for truth, and most of the time from the wrong persons and in the wrong places--what we received were man-made opinions and beliefs which were forced upon our minds to be accepted as the "word of God," or the way that Nature had decreed, and that there is nothing that anyone can do to change it. While in our infancy, physically and spiritually speaking, we accepted everything told to us by organized religion, elders, and pedagogues as gospel and truth and we based our philosophy of life on the indoctrination imposed upon us and which subsequently formed our false sense of "conscience," and a poor understanding of spiritual values. This caused us great soulful sufferings and torment in succeeding years in our everyday life--an intense sense of shame, guilt, fear, and sin whenever we "violated" any so-called law of God formulated by theology; and it never occurred to us to question the systems, the mechanisms, and their origins that brought about our morbid condition. This naturally lowered our self-esteem. Conscience is not similar to the concept of the "still, small voice." The latter is the silent voice of the Spirit, whereas conscience in part, is simply the engrams or programs imprinted upon the subconscious mind. Conscience is also partially our memory of the negative consequences of our past actions impinging upon our conscious mind whenever we are about to act in a negative way resembling that of the past.
But to return from our digression: in past centuries we were told lies by false prophets and the ministers of religions that mediators between God and men were necessary; that theirs was the only way to God; that their race or sect were the chosen one of God; that everything that God would reveal to humanity lies in a single book; that God punishes us for sinning and perhaps in the afterlife casts us into hell; that illness, old-age, and death were a natural part of life; that one no longer receives any new revelation from God, etc. We were told to fear God, to see everything as separated from us, to believe that we were born in sin, that the sexual act is shameful, that we were simply mortals subjected to the whims of God for the determination of our fate, that we were inherently bad--and even more--that the world was flat! While at the same time heinous crimes against the Holy Human Spirit were being committed by those very same representatives of religions such as the crimes of persecution, torture, and murder of innocent human beings who simply were more spiritually and psychically inclined or conceived the universe from a different viewpoint--and all these atrocious acts were carried-out in the name of Religion, Love and God. The Crusades and the Inquisition are dark chapters in the history of man.
One of the points that we wish to put forth here is that since time began the dark, retrogressive forces have infiltrated or have tried infiltrating every institution that have sought to improve the condition of the soul, and the expression of the human spirit in our mundane lives. They have always opposed and attacked the true representatives of God and steered seekers of truth away from them. Their purpose is to stall human evolution and progression indefinitely, that human beings cringe and cower under their manipulative control, that humans be made into slaves and automatons answering to their every whim. They work openly and subtly, physically and psychically. They make us believe that we need them--their services and wares--and we are psychologically controlled to be dependent upon them and return to them again and again for their assistance--usually for a large fee or with some loss on our part. We will not be too specific here, we simply caution our readers to "be wary, be very, very wary!" Treading the spiritual metaphysical path will assist one to be more discerning as to the understanding of what is True and what is false, what is Real and what is illusory.
Generally speaking, a portion of humanity is now more experienced in the ways of men and the world than in bygone days, and they seek for that which will release them from all their mortal limitations and errors, from that Gorgon we call "the human ego," from concepts that bind one to personal illusions and glamour, and from that state of human mortality. Many of us are beginning to realize the existence of different dimensions and multifold realities. We seek ways for improving the human condition, for perfecting human expression, and the generation of a new type of Homo sapiens whose intelligence and heart matches those of the immortal gods.
Human beings are basically seekers. Some of us thirst for that which we know not what. The "curiosity instinct" impels every one of us to learn everything we can of our environment, of ourselves, of the universe, of Nature, and of God. What fascinates and intrigues us most are the phenomena caused by forces and powers that transcends the perceptual capacity of the physical senses and the apprehension of the human mind. Humanity is intensely interested in the Intelligence that shapes human destiny--whether this "Intelligence" be considered as a being, a force, a Universal Mind, an omnipresent energy, or a collective consciousness. People are seeking explanations to their "inexplicable" experiences in the field of psychicism and the paranormal. Such occurrences as coincidences or "synchronicity" also baffles the mind as it begs for enlightenment. Those of elderly years wonder what lies for them in the "after-life," as the youthful ones wonder of their place in this world. A questioning being is a thinking being and it denotes, whether consciously realized or not, as a desire to seek, to know, and to be aware of Truth. The curiosity instinct mentioned above could well be the primitive stirrings of the divine will of the highest aspect of Man seeking to be aware of Its essential nature. The teachings of the Ageless Wisdom as taught in metaphysical, esoteric, occult and arcane schools are filled with principles that would help us understand ourselves and our omniverse.
Humanity as a whole, is jaded and sickened by the constant wars and conflicts; with the materialistic and hedonistic life that do not offer any permanent peace and happiness or solutions to the various problems facing us as we approach a new millenium with its tremendous supernal and mundane challenges. Many seek for a more profound meaning in life, for they see through their mundane activities as a brittle illusory facade presenting itself as reality. We often ask "why am I here?" "why do I exist?" "where will I go from here?" Our present systems of religion, philosophy, and science offer no real solution, consolation, solace or comfort to our hearts and soul-search, instead they tend to mislead, confine, and circumscribe the soul and mind to a certain area of life; to a limited way of living and thinking; to a sense of separatism; to a dualistic judgmental attitude; to a sense of fear and helplessness; and to a state of external dependency--it especially confines man to a mortal sense of existence--and we say this not from a sense of judgment but from an observational standpoint.
Conversely, metaphysics as a repository of "New-Age" concepts, the Ageless Wisdom, divine energies, power-centers, and angelic and cosmic support, seek to liberate us from self-imposed limitations as it offers answers to questions that troubles the human soul. The soul loves freedom for freedom is ingrained in the soul. God gave man the liberty to choose, and this privilege should not be taken away from man by any being for it is a violation of the natural order of things.
Freedom may be considered as an instinct for it is to be found in animals as well. No creature enjoys being confined in a cage. Every creature love to be free and to express the genetic joy programmed in its DNA. Nature has granted all creatures their freedom of expression but some of us would impose our will upon Divine Will by creating cages of man-made laws and regulations that do not reflect the laws of Heaven. Man-made laws may easily be manipulated by the unscrupulous for their own heinous purposes. Crimes may be committed that are "lawful," that goes undisciplined in our courts of judgment. In the laws of our society, the innocents are often made to pay for the crimes of another. Where is the love (religion), and rationality (science), and justice (philosophy) in that?
We are writing intuitively here and our statements may be interpreted and applied in various ways. In fact, statements in our literary works may seem to lack any logical structure or sequence. They may appear to be non sequitur. Logic may appeal to the thinking mind, however it is more than conceptual reasoning that we have to develop. There are higher faculties of the soul that should be cultivated and made used of, such as intuition. The cliché "reading between the lines" may seem irrational to the scientific type and yet it is this particular mode of perception that has to be practiced as a spiritual stimulus to the Soul.
There are many scholarly definitions of metaphysics and they are all valid; however, for our purpose, without explaining metaphysics in an overly-academic way, let us say that metaphysics in its more modern connotation, deals with cosmic laws and principles, with unseen forces and powers influencing ourselves and the circumstances and conditions of our daily lives, and how we may take advantage of those laws and principles by re-directing them so as to improve our holistic lives for the better. Metaphysics teaches us how to harness and apply the cosmic power lying latent within us. In its most profound spiritual aspect metaphysics teaches us the nature of Reality and how we and Nature relate to it. Metaphysics instructs us how to harmonize ourselves with the Divine Plan of God, and it reveals the true purpose of life. Metaphysics, therefore, has a dual function: it helps us to improve our lives secularly now in this physical dimension, and it also prepares us for a glorious life in the higher cosmic realms. Actually, as seen from a spiritual perspective, life has no divisions: life is one, as it is continuous. There is no death only a constant change.
The application of certain metaphysical principles assists the acceleration of one's evolution and the quantum leap to a higher level of intelligence and spiritual awareness. We emphasize the word "application," for knowledge of principles or techniques alone is of no value. Knowledge of itself is not power, it is the application of knowledge that empowers one. Spiritually, it is not what we know or the psychic powers that we possess that counts, it is what we are. We know many people possessing a little knowledge or power feel themselves highly superior to their fellow men. This is arrogance and carries the seeds of peril. The saying that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" is literally and evidently true; we can well understand how insufficient knowledge and a disregard for life may result in catastrophes. It was the cause of destruction of previous high-tech civilizations, historically unrecorded, as it is the cause of our present social, political, and ecological unrest.
To understand the above concept of incomplete knowledge, consider for instance the knowledge that we have to construct nuclear weapons--how much do we really know of the impact that it will have upon us and the universe should we choose to detonate one? We may presently believe that the effects of a nuclear blast be localized causing the exploded area to be radioactive for centuries to come. This is an obvious effect, but what about the not-so-obvious rippling, chain-reaction that it would cause in the physical and not-physical universes to the very end of our galaxy?
Copyright © 2006 Luxamore
Leonard Lee aka Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
Magickal Items from Indonesia: talismans, mustika pearls, kerises, etc.
Magickal Bezoar Mustika Pearls from Indonesia.
Are The Stars Out Tonight? Reconnecting With The Power Of Mystery
On a crisp June night I?m lying in my sleeping bag at 10,000 feet in the Sierra?s Desolation Wilderness. Here, far from the light and haze of the Bay Area, the sky is deep black, but thick with twinkling dots and dim wisps of cottony light. When I look from the corner of my eye, the dim lights become more defined, easier to perceive as stars. To count them all would take years, if it was even possible. The number seems incomprehensible. And the mystery of what could exist out there, somewhere, at once inspires and humbles me.
Enthralled by the night sky, I struggle to keep my eyes open, knowing with a disquieting certainty that upon my return to the ?real? world my focus will be drawn steadily and relentlessly away from the mysteries of the night sky.
The real world of responsibilities, work, relationships and bills provides a powerful distraction from the mystery of the night sky and the mystery of our lives. This point was driven home, recently, when I heard the following two intriguing but contradictory statements in the same day.
First, in a recording, Carolyn Myss observed that this is the first time in which entire generations will grow up without seeing the stars! Imagine growing up in a big, bright city, without the resources to leave, surrounded by light, smog and tall buildings that blot out all but the most determined of the celestial objects.
The second statement I heard came later that day, in an NPR story about the Hubble Space Telescope. A lead scientist for the telescope explained how, since the dawn of humanity we have been seeking to understand the origin of the Universe. This, he said, is the first time that we do understand it. We can see the spectral remnants from the Big Bang and actually listen to the sounds of the Universe moments after its formation.
What a strange world we have dreamed into existence. Our technology and science enables us to unravel the secrets of the stars while simultaneously creating communities that will never see them. As our understanding of our world and the Universe has expanded, we have, as a culture, become disconnected from the inherently mysterious nature of our existence. And as individuals we run the risk of losing touch with the powerful force of mystery in our lives.
When was the last time you laid out at night gazing into the sky? When was the last time you attempted to count the stars, or trace the outline of Ursa Major? When was the last time you wondered who or what might be out there in the vast reaches of space, or what your place is within this Universe?
Mystery is a source of power for humans. We draw creativity, passion, healing and inspiration from the Unknown. Artists, scientists, inventors and philosophers all speak of the mysterious nature of discovery, creation and problem solving. Shamans and Healers of all cultures understand that the unknown holds the power to heal and transform the Soul, Mind and Body. When we lose touch with that mystery, we lose touch with a source of personal and communal power.
Passion, too, comes from Mystery. Consider your intimate relationships, past or present. It is not the daily encounters or the practical matters that keep a relationship growing. Nor is it the moments of tenderness and intimacy. These are all integral parts of a relationship, forming the foundation and structure. But it is in the moments of Mystery and Discovery that the flame of passion is refueled: It is when your lover surprises you with a perfect gift. Or when you catch an unexpected glimpse of your partner kneeling over a flower to inhale its aroma. The door to Mystery opens also when your partner displays her anger for the first time, or when he trusts you with the sharing of a grief long held hidden.
These moments when you encounter something new and surprising about your lover take the relationship deeper into the mystery and are the moments of growth and renewal for each of you as individuals. It may be love that sustains a relationship, but it is the glimpses into the mystery that refuels love. Relationships begin to stagnate and die, not when love fades, but rather, when the doorway into the Mystery remains closed for too long.
This is equally true in your personal life. When you close the door that leads to your personal mysteries, you deprive yourself of a source of power and passion. One way to reopen that door, or open it wider, is to embrace the mysteries around you. How does a tiny acorn transform itself into a majestic oak tree? How do the birds know when it is time to migrate? How does this computer do what it does? What waits for us in the vast reaches of space?
Do not believe that the scientists know everything. If Christopher Columbus had accepted the prevailing wisdom of his day, he never would have set sail. If Einstein had believed the existing theories of matter, space and time, he would not have formulated the theory of relativity.
Bask in the mysteries. Challenge existing assumptions. Discover your own answers. Become curious and childlike when something intrigues you. Begin to open the door to the external mysteries and the door to your personal mysteries will soon follow. When it does, you will have access to a vast source of inspiration, creativity, and power.
Edward Mills, MIM, is a life coach, teacher and speaker, empowering people to more joyfully and abundantly share their essential gifts with the world. You can sign up for his monthly ezine, Evolving Times, at his website: http://www.edwardmills.com or blog: http://www.evolvingtimes.com
Beyond the Glass Ceiling
As we learn, grow and evolve ourselves and are guided to the fulfillment of our life purpose we inevitably come to areas where we appear to get stuck or stagnate. Whether it is in our career, our relationships or spiritual development we rise to the capacity of our own awareness and any resistance or lack of awareness creates what feels like "a glass ceiling." You may not even know what it is that is keeping you from moving forward, but you just are not satisfied or at peace. You've reached a plateau, you've reached that glass ceiling, then what do you do? You don't do. The doing is what got you stuck to begin with. This is the time to release the doing and the doer and shift your energy to allowing. Your mind will not necessarily listen to this advice, not initially, for it will surely have many rationalizations, justifications and defenses for whatever you are thinking and feeling, but through your life experience you will see that to the degree that you are open to receive, you will receive. You are always being directed and guided, and whenever you are feeling anything other than happiness and peace (your natural state as spirit) it is only serving as a reminder to get back in touch with yourself. This is where meditation comes in. Most of you already know meditation of some sort. Most of you who have been drawn to read this would likely have done a lot of work on yourselves already and have a higher degree of awareness (or you would not have been drawn to be reading this). But are you living your dreams? Are you enlightened? Are you in bliss? Your mind cannot conceive God. Your brain will never understand what enlightenment is. The glass ceiling for most of you who are already more spiritually aware is that you may be stuck in what you already know. This was the case for me after studying and writing about world religions and teaching meditation for so many years, I thought I knew something and it kept me from opening to receive even more. I was stuck in what I thought I knew as well as with what I thought I didn't know. It was only through the grace of my guru that I was able to breakthrough. I prayed to God to send me a teacher, I prayed to Jesus to guide me, and I got a vision of my teacher and the very next day came upon a flyer in Los Angeles announcing his arrival the very next day. It wasn't until I met my Swamiji and let him guide me by the heart, and through his Shakti, I broke out of the glass ceiling and into the bliss. Life is blissful. Not just alright or ok, blissful. If you are not in bliss you are not awake, you have fallen asleep and are under the influence of your mind. When you realize the true nature of yourself, as spirit, when you realize God's presence within you and around you, you enter into the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and experience bliss. If you are not in bliss I need to talk to you. I want to help you find the love and joy and peace that lies within you, it is your own nature. You are not your mind, or body, you are spirit, living in a world of spirit, and when you enter this world you find happiness and peace. I would like to invite you into my world; I invite you into the bliss. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir
Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!
Use Meditation to Overcome Short Term Memory Loss
Use Meditation to Overcome Short Term Memory Loss Meditation is a wonderful method of helping the entire body to relax. Through a system of breathing exercises the body naturally feels the stress being released and for many people it allows them to be much more open and receptive. Meditation can also aid in helping to overcome short term memory loss. When a person feels relaxed the memory seems to function much better. Through the use of breathing and concentration the memory feels alive and vibrant once again. Remember the last time you forgot someone's name or their birthday? It was probably during a period where you had a great deal on your mind or you were feeling stress. Upon realizing your forgetfulness this generally stirs up even more anxiety which again leads to more memory problems. It's a cycle that some people find themselves constantly in. By employing some of the techniques of meditation that people have been using for years, you can help open up your mind and memory thus allowing it to function better. It's wonderful to imagine having the ability to recall names, numbers and important dates without having to look for pieces of paper or check a calendar. Instead it would all be there within your memory. Meditation does not need to be a complicated process. There are simple exercises that anyone can do for a few moments each day that will help boost the memory. The key to using meditation as a memory booster is that it will help build concentration which works hand in hand with improving your short term memory. Finding a quiet spot is very helpful when you want to meditate. Some people also feel that having essential oils or candles burning adds to the necessary ambiance. If that does help you relax than it's going to beneficial to the entire process including helping you to reenergize your mind. There are also certain scents of oils and candles that are said to be beneficial for memory functions. Meditation can be taught in a class and there are usually classes offered at natural health care facilities and often even at regular gyms. Some of the classes are geared towards helping the memory to function. For a person who feels as though their mind isn't as sharp as it once was, taking one of these classes will benefit them for years to come. Building up a regular routine of meditation to aid in improving short term memory loss will also build self-esteem. Feeling as though you are on top of your game mentally is a wonderful self-image booster. For someone who feels less comfortable within a class of people learning meditation, there are many books and manuals that offer substantial information on mediation as a method of empowering the memory. Some offer illustrations of body position and along with descriptions for the breathing exercises. Following the methods outlined daily will open the person up to the benefits of meditation. By using the techniques described they will not only be relaxing their bodies but fueling their memory as well. Having a relaxed and clear mind is one of the most important aspects to overcoming short term memory loss.
By Chengsi Gu. Learn more about how to improve your memory by checking out my blog Short Term Memory Loss
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