Joseph & the Tree of Life

Since Joseph had no attachments, his mother having passed away several years ago, he decided to do a bit of travel. Living on the Mountain-top near the northernmost peak of the Cradle of Civilization, it was only natural ( some might say 'coincidental' ) that Joseph decided to follow  'The Fertile Crescent' south, into what is now referred to as 'the Dark Continent'. The deeper into this strange new land he went, however, the more Joseph wanted to explore the wonders he bore witness to. Though this new land was similar in some aspects to the land of his nativity, it was also very different! As he traveled further south in this amazing landmass, Joseph encountered many wondrous sites, from the lush, verdant Valley of the Nile to the mountainous heights of what are now known as the Eastern Rift mountains, where he bore witness to a mountain much higher than any he had ever seen in his own country, as well as a body of water many times larger than the one his Grandfather had fished. 

Following the River, as his Mother had taught him, our intrepid Traveler began his descent from these withering heights & came into regions more like he was accustomed to, from lush fertile valleys to almost barren, but still beautiful, deserts. Joseph, as he traveled though jungle regions & open plains alike, began to appreciate the stories that had been passed down to him of his exalted Grandfather's own period of wilderness wanderings. Though his own country was not home to any jungle regions such as the ones he encountered here, Joseph was witness to many wonderful things in these densely wooded areas which were similar to the forests which he had explored in his youth, except that these areas were even more closely populated by trees & of course, being now well south of the equator, these regions were much warmer, with a much more diverse range of both flora & fauna. It was in these Jungles that Joseph experienced much the same as his Grandfather had in the wilderness of what is now known as Palestine!

The Trees, in their looming silence, spoke to Joseph in ways that no other Form of Life ever had. They taught him that, no matter what life throws at you, when you stand firm, even if it means bending & bowing with life's breezes, however great or small, you will end up the stronger for it. The Trees also taught Joseph that by simply growing where you're planted, through the Elements of Earth, Air, Water & Fire, One can become a mighty Forest, or Jungle, a veritable Tree of Life for the healing of the nations. With these & many other lessons, Joseph continued his Journey South, until at last he came to the End of his Journey, a small but significant baobab tree in a deserted region that would become known as the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

One might say that our intrepid Traveler was a long way from home, but as his exalted Grandfather had found, He WAS Home. No matter where he traveled, as long as he understood the Message of the Trees, He, like the mighty Tortoise, or Turtle, carried His Home with Him wherever He might go, or be. However, as the case may be, Joseph, like most human beings, longed for the land of His Nativity, the land with which He had, in His short life thus far, become most familiar & which He had great love for! Most of all, Joseph longed for the little cabin that His Grandfather had built for Him & His Mother, those many years ago!

Having come to the End of His Journey & knowing even then that His Journey had just begun, Joseph laid a peculiar blessing on this particular Tree, out of all others around, knowing that it would weather the storms of life for millenia to come! This particular Tree stands firm, even today, in the desert region that Joseph visited almost 2,000 years ago! It is a Testimony, as others like it around the Globe ( some have stood for even longer ), of the valuable lessons that Joseph garnered from the Trees all along His Journey.

After many Seasons, through highs & lows, snows & rains; Joseph returned at last to the Land of His Nativity! He had learned many things in His travels, not only about the diversity of Life Without, but of the Life Within. Many times we are, as Joseph was, faced with seemingly impassible mountains & deserts, by the wildness of Life, whether it be flora or fauna, but when we realize, as Joseph did, our awesome Oneness, even Wildness with ALL of It, then we will stand like those Trees. Joseph took many lessons to heart along His Journey South, but the greatest He learned from the Trees!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles

The Boundaries of Love

"Wait, Wait, Wait a minute.......................'Love & Boundaries'? Do these terms really go together?!"

For readers of this blog, this may seem like territory we've explored previously; I may even be accused of sounding like a broken record, but, 'Unconditional Love': "Doesn't that sound kinda like 'Love Without Bounds'?" Well, Yes & No ( Yin & Yang? )! As in all of Life, Balance is of utmost importance! In order to be truly a manifestation of the Love We ARE, "Yes", the Love we show others must be without condition, but, in the sense ( humanly speaking ) that we must first love ourselves before we can love our neighbor, we have to set boundaries. If Life has taught us anything, it's that most ( not all ) people will walk all over us if we let them!

"Love", as I've written previously, "is a many splintered thing" ( my sarcastic take on the popular phrase, "Love is a many splendored thing!" ) This 'love' of which I speak is more closely related to 'lust', which is not necessarily a bad thing ( more on this later ) By "a many splintered thing": I'm referring to the fact that, if we're not careful, 'love' can bite us in the ass! Kinda like straddling the banister: it can be a fun ride, but if we're not careful, we might end up with a splinter in our butt, or worse! This is not to say that we should shy away from physical shows of affection, whether it be sexual in nature, or simply just that most important 'human contact', that which helps us to thrive. We were 'made' for this ( human contact ) & just like a plant, for instance, when we don't receive the necessary nutrients, we tend to fade away. Going for too long without the necessary nutrients, this physical body will go the way of the world, as it simply part of the great Circle of Life, like the plants & all the other animals! In words more plain, "this physical body will pass away, returning to the elements of which it is made!"

"As Above, so Below," in all of Life, "Balance is Key!" We must maintain a Strict Balance between loving others & caring for ourselves! In this sense then, if ONLY this sense, Love MEANS Boundaries! Setting Boundaries on our 'love' does not necessarily mean that we love some less than others ( though this is inevitable, humanly speaking ), it simply means that we have come to realize that "we can't pour water from an empty vessel", IE, if we don't ensure that we are gleaning the necessary nutrients for ourselves, we will be useless to anyone else. Getting to the Center of this post, however; when we realize our OWN Worth, that WE are the Fountain of Love & that any Love we give flows from Within, We realize that, in Reality, We do not need all the physical trappings in order to thrive: the Love Within us is More than enough & We are More than Worthy!

I've said it before & I'll say it again; "If we have the physical, but don't have the spiritual, the physical is worthless & if we have the spiritual, the physical is not necessary!" I realize that this may sound contrary to what I stated earlier, that "when we don't receive the necessary nutrients, we tend to fade away", but this is, in Essence, where we get into the nitty gritty, or the Heart of the Matter! "As Above, so below"; once We realize & accept that We are ( primarily ) spiritual beings having a human ( physical ) experience, once we transcend, or move beyond the attachments that naturally come with this human experience, even with the understanding mentioned previously, that "if we don't ensure that we are gleaning the necessary nutrients for ourselves, we will be useless to anyone else", it becomes clear that, not only can we glean these necessary nutrients from others; most importantly, we glean them from our OWN store, from our Divine Selves!

As Part & Parcel with the Source of All Life, call It 'God", 'the Universe", or just simply "Energy", We, even humanly speaking, have all we really need! Acknowledging that we are 'spiritual beings having a human experience' means accepting that experience for what it is ( call it 'Life' ). In this Flesh, this physical body, we experience things like loneliness, the longing to feel that human touch, etc., etc. I cannot deny the reality of feelings such as these, for in this human existence, they ARE a VERY real concern! However, relying on these feelings for the basis of our existence, In Essence, identifying with these feelings to the point that they become the Meaning of Life for us leads us to believe that without all these physical trappings, or attachments, we are nothing. In this human experience, we cannot escape these feelings. It is not even that we must endeavor to escape, or squelch them either, for there is nothing actually wrong with feelings; they are a necessary part of this human experience we call Life, but we must learn not to rely on our feelings ( I realize this goes against sayings like "go with your gut", etc. )! Feelings most often seem to flow as if with the wind, so anything based on feelings is likely to do the same!

Again though, Feelings are not necessarily a bad thing! If, for example, we get the feeling that the love ( energy ) we are sharing isn't being reciprocated ( returned in kind ), then we might make the choice to move on, to find somewhere ( someone? ) that we feel that love returned in kind, We may feel that our efforts aren't really appreciated, so we may choose to close that book & start a whole new chapter in our lives. Such feelings, even the choices we might make based on those feelings are not necessarily wrong, they just are ( "It is what it is" ). We must exercise extreme caution though, in basing our choices on our feelings, for more often than not, this leads to necessary heartache. Sometimes we must needs go through this experience, though it hurts like hell. Experience is usually the best teacher!

Our Feelings are an integral part of Us! Even as Divine Beings, our Feelings, that necessary aspect of our Humanity, ARE a manifestation of Who we are, not only as Human Beings, but as Divine Beings! One might say that we can't have one without the other ( let THAT sink in! ). Neither are Feelings 'a necessary evil'; again, for example, our 'gut feeling' may tell us to leave a toxic situation, but in the same vein, we might feel that, by staying, we can change, or heal the other person. In such a case, we must determine in ourselves whether these ( feelings ) are generated in our Higher ( spiritual ) or lower ( physical ) nature. By Higher, I refer to the Divine, The lower nature is that which is controlled by Lust, or the illusion of Want/Need! ( Remember, We HAVE everything we need, We ARE everything we really need! )

Being Human myself; I'll be the first to acknowledge that, "It ain't easy ( "bein' cheesy"; sorry, just HAD to throw that in there )". Having these Feelings really sucks sometimes! By denying those Feelings, for whatever reason, we may end up biting our own ass though, because, again, humanly speaking, when we disavow those feelings, thus allowing ourselves to 'bottle them up', sweeping them under the rug, so to speak, those Feelings WILL come back to haunt us, sooner or later & usually at the most inopportune moment! We ARE Mr. Murphy in that case, ie., our own worst enemy!

If, however, we can transmute/transform those Feelings/Energies through our Higher ( Divine ) Nature, we may begin to notice that it's not always about us! For instance, the love we give others not being reciprocated is not necessarily a reflection on us, ie., that they don't love us, but simply that they don't love themselves & thus don't really know HOW to love us. The other side of the coin is that we may feel unworthy because they & others have told us this all our lives: it doesn't mean that we ARE, just that we feel that way. ( This is why I don't rely on my feelings, humanly speaking ) On the other hand, again, we may come to trust our Feelings as they are transformed into what is often called that 'gut feeling', which is better known as 'Intuition'!

'Sure", you might be thinking, "Balance is a good thing, but It's also easier said than done!" Yes. Yes, It is! The Rewards however are worth it. Peace of Mind ( less Stress ), off the top of my head, is the foremost reason! Imagine living without the stress of "Why doesn't he/she love me?" "What can I do/not do to make him/her reciprocate my love?' ( nothing ) "What am I doing WRONG?" ( again, 'nothing', at least if you are acting from your Higher Nature ) Even, "What can I do ( to better myself, be a better lover, better wife/girlfriend, husband/boyfriend, etc. )?" Once we realize that we can only BE ourselves, we can only change our OWN actions, that WE are indeed responsible for OUR lives alone, than we WILL change our Course; our Lives will take on a more brilliant hue. We will be truly FREE!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles

The 'Dark Knight' of the Soul & the Sounds of Creation

I've often said, concerning other matters maybe, though integrally related, "It's taken this long to get to where we are: it's going to take at least that long to get back to where we should be!" While on a nationalistic ( political ) level, there may seem to be some truth there, even some wisdom; this statement really doesn't ring all that true, especially on a personal level. Of course, for many, or most, it may actually take longer to sort through all the muck to figure out where we went wrong, or even if we DID go wrong! So many have been taught that living for ourselves is simply selfish, manipulating us to the point that we feel guilty for feeling good while others suffer. This is not to say that being empathetic is a bad thing ( it's not: it's actually very natural & laudable ), but being empathetic doesn't mean that we should take care of others to our own detriment!

I'm not much for New Year's resolutions ( I know, I know, it's coming up soon...............AGAIN ), but at the beginning of this year I decided that I would endeavor to remove the word 'should' from my vocabulary, or at least not to use it nearly as often. "I SHOULD do this, I SHOULDN'T do that, etc, etc"! I can't blame others, either, for making me feel guilty; it's my own choice, though that is the way I was taught. Still, for the most part ( here's where 'empathy' comes into play ), they were only teaching me what they knew, having been taught much the same. As Sean Connery said when the book fell on his head, "I can only blame my shelf!"

'The Dark Night of the Soul" is a phrase referring to a period that everyone, at some point in their lives & to whatever extent, goes through. Whether it's brought on by the death of a loved one, a divorce ( of whatever sort ), or the realization that things just aren't working out & that we need to make some major changes; it is a period, of varying length ( some might argue that it's lifelong ) where one is pretty much forced to do some major soul-searching! "Why do I feel this way?" "Is this REALLY how I feel, or is it a societal/cultural projection?" "What can I do/what do I NEED to do to get back to where I want to be?" These are questions, among others, that we might ask ourselves during these 'dark' times.

"As Above, so Below', it is during these times that we are led by the Spirit, whether we acknowledge It or not, to embark on our own individual journey of self-examination & introspection. The Universe DOES work in mysterious way, so inspiration could come from anywhere. We might find these bits & pieces helpful to our own situation, we might even find ourselves garnering Strength from un-looked-for places, people or things, but ultimately, the Strength we're looking for, the Strength we NEED must come, indeed can ONLY come from Within! 

Of needs it must be that this 'dark night' looks different for different people: for some, it may involve physical trauma, trauma which they themselves have either experienced or engendered ( sometimes both ) & because misery most often ( not always ) loves company, unfortunately, sometimes those who have been abused themselves become abusers, since that is what they know. With the correct reaction to feelings of empathy & often outside help or inspiration, those abused are able to turn their situation into a learning experience where they can thus help or inspire others.

Yet another type of trauma is that alluded to earlier, trauma to the fragile psyche, brought on by religious training! This type of trauma can actually be more deadly & longer lasting, with even more far-reaching implications. Of course, this sort of trauma is often directly & inextricably linked with the more physical side, as well! This sort of trauma is really of a more insidious nature, for, while they may be purporting to be all about love & good will, the doctrine & dogma they're spreading are actually full of hate & ill will, teaching separation, rather than inclusion. It is only through the relaxation of the Mind that we can find our way out of the darkness, for it is only through openness that we become aware that those parts even exist!

Once we become aware of our darkness ( not necessarily a bad thing ), we must not only accept that darkness for what it is, an integral part of our humanity; we must learn to use that darkness to fight our way back into the light! In the yin & yang of things, we, as human beings anyway, are comprised of both Light & Dark, what is often called Good & Evil. This is not to say that Good can only be Light or that Dark must needs be Evil, for it is always our free will choice as to whether we will be controlled ( by either side ) or whether we will control our emotions to do what we KNOW to be right & just & good, whether Dark or Light.

The battle between Good & Evil is thus one that begins & ends Within! We must decide, not so much whether we will allow our Dark or Light side to win, but whether we will allow ourselves to be controlled by that former trauma, of whatever shape, or whether we will control our own narrative! This may sound a little petty, but "YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!!" Ultimately, we must live our OWN lives, make our OWN choices, etc, etc. WE & ONLY WE are in control of our Story. Sure, we can be influenced, we may even be inspired by outside influences, for good or ill, but again, ultimately we must make that choice, the same choice that the biblical figure Cain was faced with, to control our emotions or be controlled by them: we all know how that ended!

"As Above, so Below", then; when we learn to use our trauma, in essence taking it as a lesson ( a hard one, for sure), our former trauma, though it will inevitably leave its scars, to whatever extent, can not only be healed; it can be used to help others heal their own trauma, or perhaps even to avoid trauma altogether! The Universe DOES work in mysterious ways & we may end up being one of those 'mysterious ways'!

But first, we must heal ourselves; as the old adage goes, "you can't pour water from a broken vessel!" Actually, that's not quite true, for though it is broken, it may be pieced back together, so technically, it's still broken, though it has been healed, or made whole: 'Broken' or 'Whole'; if we choose to use our trauma, to accept our Darkness, the Light in us may help others to recognize their own Darkness & so doing, to learn to accept & heal their own personal trauma!

Again, being an Empath needn't mean that we help others heal to our own detriment. Being an Empath simply means that while we may feel the emotions of others, even experiencing their trauma to some extent, maybe; it is our personal choice that decides how their personal trauma affects us. Just like our own personal trauma, as only we can determine whether to view it as a lesson or to flounder in it; by showing them how we took control of that trauma, maybe. just maybe, we can inspire them to take the reins of their trauma & to heal themselves!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles