Ticking All The Boxes


self realizationI was browsing on facebook one day when I noticed that a you tube video by a man called Rupert Spira had appeared on my wall. I was attracted by the title and decided to give it a go. To say I was blown away is an understatement and I am now a Rupert convert. This man really ticks all the boxes as far as I’m concerned and he is my current “man of the moment”, relegating Neale Donald Walsch down to #2. He has a very calm, almost deadpan, manner about him and explains potentially complicated subject matter in a way that is mainly easy to understand. In the last video of his that I watched the point of discussion (and this is not word for word, it’s simply my way of explaining things) was about how our true nature is always present but the mind, or ego, prevents us from recognising it. He used the analogy of a cinema screen and a film; how the film is simply a series of images that masks the screen, but whilst it is showing, the screen is ever present although not visible. When the film is over the screen remains.

It is the same principle as our true nature (the screen) being ever present before and after we take birth in the world (the film). Many people still do not understand who they really are simply due to ignorance of their true nature. In the video an audience member asked a question regarding this and Rupert gave the following explanation:

“Ignorance is a point of view; it’s not something that is really there. It’s a way of seeing, it is not something that is seen”

There are many ways to describe our true nature; and they are all accurate. Truth, God, Bliss, Awareness and Consciousness are just a handful of ways to describe who we really are. In the following example Rupert referred to us as “happiness” and he said to the same audience member:

“Happiness is not a state that comes and goes, it is the true nature of consciousness and is ever-present. It reveals itself when the layers of ignorance periodically dissolve away”.

He also referred to:

“the dissolution of thoughts”

as being the cause for happiness to reveal itself. Of course, it has been stated many times before that the infinite, creative force that we know as “God”, of its own will, splits itself into billions of particles and experiences the physical life in order to know experientially what it previously only knew as concept. So, in other words, the infinite voluntarily becomes the finite on a temporary basis. Although the finite is always only an illusion. Rupert describes this phenomenon thus:

“The finite mind is infinite consciousness modulating itself”.

Rupert Spira is one of many wonderful souls on the planet right now who truly are a fountain of wisdom and wonder. I’m not on a commission; honest! but you could do a lot worse than check out this man’s you tube channel. God bless!

Rupert’s you tube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/rupertspira

 

Eternal Life? Just WHAT Is There To Be Sceptical About?


210701_3084350927268_403613210_oWhy is there still a prevalent mindset amongst sceptics that does not accept that we cannot die? Eternal life can be proven scientifically in a very simple way. Firstly, science has proved that everything in the universe and beyond, without exception, is energy. Science has also proved that energy is eternal and cannot be created or destroyed; this must surely apply to our physical bodies, which simply change form at so-called death and continue to exist (either merging with the earth if a body is buried, or merging as heat energy with the total energy mass if a body is cremated). So, what about our consciousness?

Well, science has also proved that our thoughts (brainwaves) are electrical pulses. If electricity is energy (which of course it is), it also means that our thoughts (consciousness) are energy, which, yes you’ve guessed it, can neither be created or destroyed and are therefore eternal. So, the concept of eternal life (no pun intended) is a no-brainer!

We don’t die, we only evolve, and we have all the proof we need to support this; so what is there to be sceptical about?

A New Angle On Astral Travelling – Part Two


I have also held the opinion for quite some time that our out-of-body experiences contain messages of guidance for us in the same way that our dreams do.  This is what I meant at the beginning of this article when I said it was being written on the principle that EVERYTHING happens for a reason, right down to the minutest detail.  This is also supported by the fact that whenever I go on an astral journey I am always taken to a specific place; it is never random.  So, with all this in mind I want to deal with the symbolism of the castle-like building made out of red stone.

Earlier that day I had seen a news bulletin announcing that Glasgow Rangers Football Club had gone into administration for millions of pounds of unpaid tax bills.  For those around the world reading this who may not be familiar with British football, Glasgow Rangers are bastions of The Scottish League with a history of over 50 league championships behind them, they have also been victorious on countless occasions in domestic cup competitions.  Over the years a number of Scottish teams have gone to the wall through financial difficulties, but you would never have thought in a million years, that the institution that is Glasgow Rangers, with its glittering history, would have followed suit.  Although the club hasn’t folded, the situation it finds itself in is unprecedented in its history.  Rangers ground is called Ibrox Park and during the bulletin, footage of the exterior of this grand old building was shown.  It just happens to be made of red brick.

My red stone building was symbolic of Ibrox Park and the “fortress” that was Glasgow Rangers FC (the fortress representing the grip that Rangers have had on Sottish football over the years).  The whole point of showing me this scene was as a reminder that everything on the Earth plane has its day and will eventually perish.  A castle is representative of strength and security, but not even the “fortress” that was Rangers FC could continue without going through revolutionary changes.   It’s also a reminder of the futility of putting our faith in “things of the world” because they are only temporary.

As for the muppet-like characters, now that is a strange one, although I do have my theories.  I know that on the astral planes we can “think” ourselves instantly into different forms; and I have first-hand experience of this.  Also, as stated earlier in this article, I honestly believe that all of our thoughts, feelings and actions within the Earth dimension have a knock-on effect that creates for us our own personal little astral world which is representative of where we are on our spiritual pathway.  Now, if the place I was taken to is somewhere that has been created by my consciousness, all I can say is that there sure must be a lot worse places out there in creation.  In all honesty, that place wasn’t half-bad at all.  The musicians really seemed to be enjoying themselves, and the muppet-like characters to me, symbolise child-like enthusiasm.  They also represent the little bit of chaos that continues to rear its head in my life from time to time.  There is also another, much simpler theory that I have, which is that they could just have been souls who looked that way.  Or, they “thought” themselves into those forms knowing it would make me smile and give me something to think about.  I also believe that the purpose of me being exposed to high frequency music was so that I could reap its healing benefits; the healing being received on a level beyond my current comprehension.

Living Without Fear


Do not be afraid of anything.  Even when tossing on a wave in a storm, you are still on the bosom of the ocean.  Always hold on to the consciousness of God’s underlying presence, be of even mind, and say:  “I am fearless; I am made of the substance of God.  I am a spark of the Fire of Spirit.  I am an atom of the cosmic flame.  I am a cell of the vast universal body of the Father.  ‘I and my Father are One’.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

Sailing To Infinity


Looking at this photo reminded me of something.  If you stand looking out to sea it could be that at some stage you will see a ship sailing off into the distance.  “There she goes”.   As the ship continues its journey it appears to get smaller and smaller until it eventually disappears over the horizon.  Now imagine that on a far distant shore there stands someone just like yourself, looking out to sea.  All of a sudden a ship appears on the horizon, ”here she comes”,  and seems to be getting bigger and bigger as it nears the shore.

The ship getting smaller and then bigger again is, of course, an illusion.  At no time during the course of the journey did the size of the ship change.  It may be worth me mentioning to you that what I have just described to you is the cycle of birth and death.  We use our vehilcle, or ship (physical body) to sail from one shore to the other across the ocean of life.  As we leave one dimension with our loved ones seeing us off, ”there he goes”, seemingly diminishing in size, we enter and grow into another, with loved ones welcoming us, ”here he comes”.

At no time during the course of the journey did ”who we really are” grow or diminish in size ; we were always Divine Spirit in all its infinite glory.

The photograph above was very kindly provided by Author and Photographer Janet Beasley of JLB Creatives.  Please follow the link below to access Janet’s blog.  Janet is a featured author at loveahappyending.com

http://jlbcreatives.blogspot.com/p/about-janet.html

Sunset


Ahh sunset; that beautiful crossover point between day and night.  Two polarities in perfect paradox to each other; that cannot exist simultaneously but at the same time cannot exist without each other.  Indeed they only exist BECAUSE of each other.  For if there were no day it would be impossible for night to follow.  Indeed, how do we know when it is night time?  Because we have EXPERIENCED day time, and when the sun sets on the horizon we know that the day we have just experienced will be replaced by the night.  But wait!  There is a further paradox here.  Because we also have sunrise which exists in juxtaposition to sunset, and everything just stated about sunset also applies to sunrise.  Just one example of how the whole of creation exists as a perfect paradox.

Have you ever considered this….. How lucky we are that we are able to experience pain?  You see, pleasure and pain go hand in hand and you cannot have one without the other.  Consider further, that if we were to live our lives in a permanent state of bliss, it would be so boring.  Why?  I hear you ask.  Because if there were no pain and we lived our lives in a permanent state of bliss, we would never know we were happy because there would be nothing to compare our bliss with.  It’s like prefering to taste the sweet juice of an orange as opposed to the bitter because we have tried sour fruits and concluded that we do not like them.

Think about all the trials and tribulatioons that you have faced in this life and it will be difficult for you not to feel that you have gained great strength from them.  It’s also true to say that we learn so much about ourselves by experiencing life’s ups and downs.  Think about who you are today and it will again be difficult not to acknowledge that you are who you are BECAUSE of your experiences and NOT in spite of them.  Externally you may perceive yourself to be weak when faced with adversity, but you always manage to delve into that infinite ocean of inner strength and pull out something extra when the need arises.  This is because you actually ARE a being of infinite bliss, and it is the ”inner” that is your truth and not the ”outer”.  The external world of paradox is simply an arena where we play the game of life; a stage, where as actors we take part in each scene of the play in accordance with our choices.

Choices?  That is also a difficult one, because none of us would consciously choose pain over pleasure.  But what we can choose is how we deal with the experiences that come our way.  That is the beauty of relativity; one man’s success is another man’s failure.  What makes me laugh may make you cry.

Once descended into flesh our sun rises through infancy, adolesence, adulthood and old age until it eventually sets on the dreamland stage of this earthly life, only to rise once more in glorious, glorious light; a perfect paradox…. a truly perfect paradox.

All is perfect, so perfectly perfect

Whatever being lives, moves and breathes on Earth

At every level from atom to galaxy

Is absolutely perfect in its place.

The Isa Upanishad

 

 

Unity In Diversity


Today, 10 September 2011, I attended a fantastic event in Bath that was organised by Region 7 of The Sri Sathya Sai Organisation here in the UK.  The event was an interfaith prayer meeting and it was attended by representatives of the Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Bahai and Jewish communities of Bath, and of course, devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

It was a very harmoneous event with some wonderful devotional singing and an amazingly inspirational video; we were also graced with the presence of The Mayor of Bath himself.  But for me the highlight of the afternoon was one hilarious moment when a man called Peter, representing the Jewish community, roped his son, James, into joining him on stage.  Then in the middle of trying to teach the audience to sing in Jewish, he grabbed his son for an inpromtu Jewish dance.   The hall errupted in laughter…..ahh that wonderful thing, laughter; the universal language that everyone understands; that great bringer together of people.  That particular moment along with the afternoon’s events in general proved once again that race, colour, creed, sect and/or religion are no barrier to people coming together in love and harmony.

For me the event summed up what Swami’s teachings have always been about.  He never preached religion, instead he encouraged people to always do their best in whatever religion they were born into.  He always said that people should simply strive to be good Hindus, Christians or Jews etc. and that we should never criticise the faith of another.  As ever Swami’s presence was very strong in the hall and I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon.  To finish I will share with you a poem by an Irish poet called John O’Donohue, which was read to the group by the minister representing the Christian Community of Bath.

On Meeting A Stranger

With respect

And reverence

That the unknown

Between us

Might flower

Into discovery

And lead us

Beyond

That familiar field

Blind with the weed

Of weariness

And the old walls

Of Habit.

 

 

 

The Religion Of Love


My heart has opened to every form. It is a pasture for gazelles, a cloister for Christians, a temple for idols, the Ka’ba of the pilgrims, the tablet of the Torah and the book of the Koran. I practice the religion of Love; in whichever directions its caravans advance, the religion of Love will be my religion and my faith.

Ibn El Arabi – 12th century Sufi mystic

Marcus Aurelius


In December 2006 I approached my friend, and wonderful psychic artist, Patrick Andrews to do a spirit guide portrait for me.  Patrick only needs a piece of handwriting, which he tunes into, in order to produce such a picture.  As we live in different towns this was very convenient for me.  I sent a piece of my handwriting through the post and waited for him to tell me it was ready for collection.
In early January 2007 I got the call from Patrick and duly arranged to go and collect it.  I had no idea who the guide was; and all Patrick could tell me was that he’d had the name “Aurelius” flash through his mind whilst drawing.  I took the portrait home, got myself a nice big frame a few days later, stuck it up on the wall and kind of forgot about it.  In the ensuing weeks I got a vague picture of Aurelius a few times during meditation, but it really was very vague, so I simply forgot about it some more.
At some stage during the summer of 2010 this character started to draw close to me during my meditations and also started to work with me very closely when I was engaged in my spiritual work, to the extent that we became very close.  I was most glad to be associated with this extremely strong presence.
In February 2011 I was reading the book “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle, and in the particular chapter I was reading the author quoted the most wonderful piece of philosophy from a character by the name of Marcus Aurelius, who apparently lived about 2000 years ago.
“Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs”.
I thought this a coincidence, but in my typically apathetic way, I didn’t think too much about it.
Over the next few weeks I started to think that this was too much of a coincidence.  Then on the evening of 17 March 2011 I finally decided to Google the name “Marcus Aurelius”.  To my amazement there was a whole universe of information about this truly great being.
Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180) was a Roman emperor.  He was one of only five Roman emperors to have been considered “good”.  He was also revered as a great philosopher.  The most incredible thing was that the busts of him displayed on Wikipedia did bear a remarkable resemblance to the portrait that hangs on my wall.
I know that in truth names are meaningless and that you now enjoy life in the timeless realms of the nameless and formless, but I shall still refer to you as Marcus for the sake of human logic.  So, I am truly honoured Marcus that you have made yourself known to me and that we now enjoy a close bond of brotherhood.  God bless you brother!

The Alchemy Of Love


You come to us
from another world
From beyond the stars
…and void of space.
Transcendent, Pure,
Of unimaginable beauty,
Bringing with you
the essence of loveYou transform all
who are touched by you.
Mundane concerns,
troubles, and sorrows
dissolve in your presence,
Bringing joy
to ruler and ruled
To peasant and king

You bewilder us
with your grace.
All evils
transform into
goodness.

You are the master alchemist.

You light the fire of love
in earth and sky
in heart and soul
of every being.

Through your love
existence and nonexistence merge.
All opposites unite.
All that is profane
becomes sacred again

~Rumi