The Matter of Spirit, or, 'The Spirit of the Matter'

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin  

In the spirit of things, does matter really matter, or is it, after all, JUST a 'skinsuit', as some have termed it, 'a prison for the soul'? The author of the quote above assured us, along with what can be called Celtic Christianity, that Matter does indeed matter! Matter is intertwined with Spirit in this Journey we call Life; to say otherwise is to agree with 'escapism' which says, in other words, that we must strive to break free of the natural bonds that have ensnared us on this earthly plane of existence.  Underlying this escapist theology is the ridiculous notion that Nature Herself has been corrupted. Our only real Hope, according to this paradigm, is the salvation of our souls, which ensures that we'll receive a new body in the so-called 'Resurrection', an incorruptible body. In a purely scientific sense, "yes", Matter CAN be corrupted, for instance, certain elements can be added to an otherwise strong metal, such as steel, that make it brittle, more susceptible to corruption. In the same vein, when we ingest certain foods/drinks, our bodies tend to become more susceptible to corruption. It should not be said, however, that just because it is corruptible, it is something to be shunned, to escape from. It is, after all a necessary part of the human experience!

In the Eastern paradigm, at least in our Western understanding of it, the focus seems to be largely on transcending Matter. If we can simply ignore ( for lack of a better term ) the needs of our physical body, we can attain a greater spirituality. By then becoming more spiritual, we may achieve nirvana ( as the Buddhists term it ), thus negating human emotions or feelings such as suffering & desire. My Christian mother used to employ the phrase, "so heavenly minded, they're of no earthly good", in relation to her experience with certain Christians who seemed to be more concerned with saving souls then with redeeming matter. There is a kind of wisdom to be sought in leaving such thoughts & emotions as suffering & desire behind ( attachment is the issue here ) & though we should not ignore these feelings, neither should we allow ourselves to be captivated by them. Again, in the same vein, we need to exercise greater care in releasing these sort of toxic attachments, lest we are found to have 'thrown out the baby with the bathwater'!

"Balance", as in all of Life, "is key here!" The Western, Christian in particular, mindset that has underscored this debate leans most heavily, as we have noted, toward escaping this world of Matter, admittedly corruptible as it is. I say 'corruptible', not 'corrupted', for though it has, in some sense become corrupted; it is a corruption that is not so much in need of salvation as transmutation; in other words, we need to ( re ) turn it to good, redeeming its purpose, not flee from it, as if to escape it. If we can learn to use our body, as was intended, in the service of Matter, including all living things, from the lowest mineral to the highest sentient being, then we will have learned to balance our divine & human natures. Then we can begin to fulfill our Purpose, to show others the Way, that neither the spiritual or the natural is more important than the other, but both are necessary as constituent elements in this thing we call 'Life'!

Life, as we have explored before in these pages, means Balance! No Balance, no Life! The requirements for Life to exist can be very intricate, from microcosmic to macro-cosmic & vice versa; as it is said, "as above, so below", "as within, so without", etc. The perfect balance, for instance of light & dark; if the Earth, for example, was any closer to the Sun; we would simply burn to a crisp: on the other hand, if we were any farther away from Its warmth, Life would eventually cease to exist; it would be too cold. In the same vein, if the Earth did not rotate perfectly as it does, we would not have periods of light & dark; therefore we would not get the rest that is necessary to existence. There are many other such examples of the intricate balance necessary to life, but these will suffice for the purpose of this post!

"Matter matters!" To be quite succinct, "if It didn't, It wouldn't ( BE)!" Matter, as one can easily ascertain, is simply Energy. The Universe is made up of Energy that vibrates at certain frequencies, doing everything from giving mass to certain particles to enabling the planets & other heavenly bodies to defy Gravity! Again, we run into the property of Balance, because, speaking of Gravity; too much or too little causes issues & without the correct Balance, the planets would not be able to remain in their assigned orbits & the stars would fall from the skies! In the same vein, here on on Earth, we run into similar problems when it comes to Gravity. Too much or too little & we tend to fall apart! We might call this 'Vibrational Frequency',

"Love is what holds us together!" In some sense, it could be said that Love is that intangible force, like Gravity, that binds the Universe together! To bring It down to Earth, it is the choices we make, as individuals, whether of self-love or self-loathing that determine how well our physical bodies hold together: the same is true in a collective sense as well; that's why we see a world on the brink, it seems, of falling apart, or in colloquial terms, 'going to hell in a hand-basket'.

It is without doubt that there is Intelligence in the design of the Universe! Both micro-cosmically & macro-cosmically speaking, It is too perfectly ordered to simply have happened, by chance, so to speak. 'Chance' is a purely human convention! As part & parcel of this Intelligence, call it 'Energy' or what you will, we have the Power, indeed the Responsibility, to return Matter to the forefront of the Great Debate! We must use both the Spirit & Matter if we are to turn this world back around! If we, individually & collectively, are to survive this experience that we call Life, if we are to bring the Earth back from the Brink of Disaster, we must employ the Greatest Force humankind has ever known; Love of each other & love of the Earth! Both of these, by the way, stem from love of oneself.

"Are you saying that Gravity is Love?!! one might well ask. Well, yes; put simply, I guess that IS what I'm saying. From an article I wrote several years ago, I proffer this quote concerning Gravity; "Einstein, many years later, with his theory of General Relativity, figured that gravity, rather than being a Force of Nature, was instead a curvature of space-time! According to this very interesting ( mind-blowing ) article, 'it occurred to Einstein that the sensation of riding in an ascending elevator is similar to the sensation of gravity.' Shortly after, He came to understand that Gravity & acceleration were not just similar; they were the same!" According to this surprising, but natural conclusion; if, as I have posited, Love is Gravity & we are indeed Love in motion, or 'Energy in Motion', as a dear friend likes to put it, when we operate at a low frequency, the gravitational force holding us together falls apart! As we've seen, 'as goes the individual, so goes the collective', or, 'as above, so below'!

"Love matters!" In the same vein, then, "Matter is Love"! Love is what makes Matter what It is, for without Love, Matter would not exist. "Wow", you might be thinking, "That's a strong statement!" Yes, yes it is! The Intelligence that knitted these 'skinsuits' together is the same undeniable Force that holds the heavenly bodies in their particular & peculiar orbits. "What makes a heavenly body fall from the sky?" "Gravity", obviously, is the answer. Why would Gravity cause something to fall from the Sky, since Gravity is what keeps it up there in the first place? Well, just like when we were kids swinging a bucket of water around, as long as we kept up the motion, the water remained in the bucket, but as soon as we stopped, or even slowed the motion, depending on the position of the bucket, the water didn't stay where we wanted it very long! So it is with those heavenly bodies; when they stop moving in their assigned orbit, Gravity takes an adverse effect & they tend to come crashing down. So it is with our physical bodies; when our vibrational frequencies are lowered, our physicality is affected accordingly.

As "spiritual beings having a human experience", then we should know, that if we are to enjoy & fulfill whatever Purpose we might have incarnated on this Earth for, we must take especial care of these "skinsuits". More than that & contingent on that as well; we must take especial care of our Mother Earth! If only for this reason, "Matter", as  Chardin put it so eloquently & simply, "matters!" "Why?" you may ask. Because Life is Sacred!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles

 

Triggered by Memories

"Some things are better left unsaid!" True enough & in the same vein, "Some things are better forgotten!" In this day & age, especially amongst the self-help gurus, self-care enthusiasts, etc., etc., the topic of figuring out what 'triggers' you & either distancing yourself from those 'triggers' or otherwise removing them from your life altogether has become of utmost importance. Here though, is where we run into the ever-present issue of, "Wherever you go, there you are!" In other words, "You can leave your problems behind, but you can't leave yourself behind!" In a certain sense, this gives new meaning to the sarcastic phrase, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence". Maybe that's what it's always meant, metaphorically speaking!

"Memories!" Some say that they're what Life is made of. One hears a lot about making memories, especially when it comes to family & friends. Memories, in & of themselves, much like the Ego, are not a bad thing, neither good nor evil. We tend, often, to black out, to whatever extent, the memories of things that have either happened to us or things we've done that are 'bad', usually, something we don't like; pain, for instance, while on the other hand, keeping in mind the 'good' memories, those of things we've done or that happened to us that brought us pleasure. Again, this is not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing; it is simply the survival instinct that's been built into us as humans. Or is it? Have we been taught to suppress these emotions? To bury the bad ones & keep only the good ones! Maybe this is part of our age-old problem!

"Forgive & Forget!" Lately, I created a post on Facebook that began with the popular phrase, "Forgive, But Don't Forget!" A question that I posed in this short post was, "CAN we truly move on if we don't forget, forever keeping  in mind ( even WAY in the back ) the perceived harm that 'other' did us?" In other words, "Have we truly forgiven them if we don't forget the perceived harm they did us?" I realize this is a hard saying, but it IS worthy of acceptance! "Why?' you may ask! Well, not only is it harmful to our fragile psyche, our Ego, but it could be harmful ( often is ) devastating to the individual that delivered the final blow, the 'straw that broke the camel's back", so to speak. 'Who cares!" you might well respond. Thus we have the heart of the issue!

Yes; Caring often hurts! Also a popular phrase these days is, "I care too much". I myself have often lately gotten caught up in the fervor of the moment, saying things like, "I just don't care anymore!"Fortunately, I have a BFF that reminds me that I DO care, because, "you wouldn't say that if you didn't care!" If we truly care, the caring doesn't ever stop! "Wow", you might be thinking, "that's way harsh!" Yes, I'll readily admit, it often feels like, in order to care for ourselves, in order to progress in our own healing journey, we MUST stop caring for others. To an extent, this is true; going back to forgiveness, sometimes, we have to stop actively taking care of others in order to take care of ourselves. Caring, though NEVER ends! Like Love; if you truly love someone, that Love never ends, like Energy, it just transforms itself. If one truly cares about something or someone, that caring will never end; else it is just the Ego talking!

But, as usual, "I digress.................................."

Unless it's a 'bad' memory; it's usually hard to forget. Of course, if it's too 'bad', it's almost impossible. I don't mean to downplay the 'bad' things that have happened to any of my readers! I've heard some pretty horrific stories & I'm sure I haven't heard the half of it! Some people, to their credit, have surmounted all that happened to them & made a 'good' Life in spite of it, while others have allowed those 'bad' memories to twist their lives into something almost unrecognizable. Even though they may claim to have forgiven those who have hurt them ( often, just a bruised Ego ) & moved on, because they can't forget the perceived harm, they will always be triggered by those memories & will be forever hurting!

Avoiding what triggers us may seem like a 'good', even necessary thing. If we avoid what triggers us, then we won't be reminded of the painful ways in which we've been hurt, right? True enough, maybe, although, shit happens, but on the other hand, if we simply avoid what triggers us, we're gonna end up as hermits! As a wise man once said, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind"! If however, we go Within, asking ourselves WHY this or that triggers us, then we can truly move past the issue & start to heal! Easier said than done, maybe, but it really IS that simple! The Ego is what says, "that person hurt me bad & maybe I can forgive them for what they did, but I'm not going to forget it, lest they have the chance to hurt me again". The Ego, which is part of what makes us Individuals, says "Because of the way that Person treated ME, they no longer deserve a place in my life". Thus, it becomes a battle of the Egos! Who wins? NO ONE!

Sometimes, in order for us to take care of ourselves, it seems that we MUST avoid what triggers us: this almost make some sort of sense. However, if we avoid the issue for too long, it only builds up inside us, because, when it comes down to it, WE are the real problem, the Heart of the Issue! Yes, what they did was hurtful, even harmful, but if we just avoid the issue, simply sweeping it under the carpet, sooner or later, it WILL come back to haunt us, with a fucking vengeance! It is OUR choice! How we respond to those triggers, or even preemptive to that, how we initially respond to those who hurt us, is up to US & us ALONE! Don't let anyone ever tell you that you didn't have a choice whether to hurt that person back, to respond in kind. That's simply THEIR Ego telling YOUR Ego what you should do. This is not to say that we should just allow a Person to continually hurt us again & again; there is such a thing as destructive behavior which we should not allow! Avoiding the issue, again, is not the answer. Facing our problems head on, beginning with OURSELVES is. If we can first change OUR attitude & how WE respond to their hurtful ways, then maybe we can change the outcome of the whole situation & rather than losing One who may have been a Friend, we not only gain a true Friend, but we learn something about OURSELVES along the way.

Finally, by realizing that things don't just happen TO us, but FOR us, things take on a whole new light! I may be stepping on some toes by saying that, especially for those who have been physically, emotionally, or mentally scarred by things that have happened to them in the past, so again, I don't mean to downplay their pain, but, "as above, so below"; by acting in Love rather than from Ego, we turn the tables, from what was meant to hurt, or harm us, into something from which we learn, something that helps us to remember that WE have the Power; it's up to US as to whether the Cycle of Violence continues, or whether the buck does indeed stop with us!

"Forget about it"! Again, "easier said than done", but it really is that simple. I realize that scars are always there, to whatever extent. However, if we can use those scars as learning tools, rather than letting them fester & haunt us for the rest of our Life; we'll be much better off. As they say, "No pain, no gain"! If we simply ignore the pain, hoping it will go away, avoiding the triggers, the triggers & the pain will ALWAYS be there in the back of our Mind, taunting us, haunting us, telling us that we ARE an island, that we ARE better off without the Other, because "People Suck'!

Namste' & Blessed Be, 

Sage Charles

The Death of Hope: the Fateful Tale of Anastasia Zhizn

It is said that "Hope never dies": Before us lies a short tale of how, although Hope seemed to be lost, It can never, indeed, die!

Mikhail & Sasha had been told that they would never parent a child. When Sasha was 19, the year after she agreed to wed Mikhail, she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She barely survived the cancer, but in order to preserve her life, it had been necessary to remove almost every bit of her ovarian tissue. Both parties were devastated at first by the news, probably moreso Sasha, but Mikhail remained by her side through thick & thin, so as time went by, the wound began to heal, although the scar tissue would forever remain as a reminder. They had begun to abandon all hope of ever having a child of their own, when one day, Life gave them a Reminder of Who was really in charge!

After years of fitful depression, the couple had come to accept the fact, as they saw it, that Sasha would never carry a child of her own. Imagine their surprise when, one day, seemingly out of the blue, Sasha began to experience sickness in the mornings. Mikhail, at first, thought nothing of it, for since the doctor's diagnosis & the subsequent period of mourning, after which reality had slowly settled in, he had indeed abandoned all hope, though not his wife. Sasha, on the other hand, from the moment the pangs first set in, knew that something extraordinary was happening!

While, even after 6 months of continual proof that they were actually going to be parents, Mikhail still had trouble believing their good fortune, Sasha had already fully accepted this Gift from Life Itself. With a scant 3 months to go, things seemed to be going swimmingly for our hopeful parents. Regular visits to the doctor, who was as flabbergasted & honestly, still a bit skeptical, continued to show growth & a healthy baby girl. Yes, it was a baby girl that was expected, seemingly, beyond all hope!

As the expected delivery dated loomed ever nearer, Sasha & Mikhail's worst fears seemed to be coming true! The baby had turned & was in danger of presenting in the wrong position. Living in rural Russia, on the remote outskirts of St. Petersburg, they were several hours from the nearest hospital, but fortunately for them, there were several midwives in the area. One of these midwives was able to massage Sasha's extended abdomen & got the baby turned so that she would present correctly!

After the baby had been turned back, the delivery was at hand. When Anastasia emerged from the womb, the couple felt they couldn't have asked for a more beautiful child. Even better, she seemed as healthy as a horse. She didn't make much noise, as newborns usually do, but when when presented with her mother's swollen breasts, latched right on to a more than ready nipple. The fact that Anastasia had not cried so heartily when the cold air hit her face gave the doctor some cause for concern, though the midwife was not at all surprised. 

Fast forward several months; all was well, or so it seemed! The happy couple had been parents for three months & all was progressing as it should: Anastasia was continuing to feed well & had been steadily putting on weight. Sasha was beginning to feel the extra strain on her own body, due to the baby's need for nourishment. Try as she might, though, Sasha soon reached a plateau where the baby seemed unable to garner the necessary nutrients from her mother's slowly weakening body. Anastasia gradually began to show signs of undernourishment. Blame it on the debilitating cold, blame it on her mother's own weakened system; signs of the young child's former health were slowly but surely fading. 

In the end, even though it looked like one of those typical crib-deaths, it seemed that our little rising star had succumbed to a rare form of IDS. It was really no one's fault, though there was plenty of both guilt & blame that floated around for the next month or so. Mikhail & Sasha both felt the guilt the hardest, as is natural, although, rather than blaming the other, they harbored all or most of the blame for themselves. In time, they learned to forgive themselves & thus, each other; they returned to the complacency of married life & endeavored to be happy with what Fate had thrown them.

'Fate', however, was not done with Sasha & Mikhail yet. Though the Spirit of their first Child had not animated their Anastasia for much longer than a few months, She decided to return to this poor, hopeful family & thus, a bit more than a year later, Nadya, or 'Hope' was born anew! Nadya was truly a blessing to her parents & though they continued to live in the often cold & harsh climate of rural Russia, the Zhizn family, after all they had been through, finally knew the Truth of "Hope never dies"!

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

Spirituality: the Freedom to Be

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [ and  ] to keep oneself unspotted from the world. 

James 1:27 ( NKJV ) 

I've a conundrum for my readers, one that has quite possibly been asked before. To lead into this query, I would ask you to remember that the genesis of this great 'Melting Pot', this illustrious nation in which we live, was a search, a yearning for religious freedom. All around the world, from time immemorial, really, wars have been fought & may be fought yet, for this very reason! In relation to what has transpired in our own country, though, here's the conundrum: so, if our ancestors came, mostly from British shores, but really from that whole region ( Europe ), so that they could find religious freedom, then why, on 'God's green earth', could we not extend the same consideration, for example, to that noble savage, the American Indian? Now, before you say something like, "DUH", I must remind my readers that, when I pose questions like this, I usually HAVE a ready answer. So here goes: it's probably no great surprise to most, if not all of you, but I'm pretty sure they believed that their religion was the only true religion, so since the British religion was too Catholic for their good, they simply wanted to escape the persecution that was rampant. Don't get me wrong though; I was brought up Christian as well, not Catholic, so I fully empathize with the position they were in & indeed, I'm grateful for the freedom they did win! In other words & to put it concisely, their concern was not so much freedom of religion as it was the freedom to practice THEIR religion!

Spirituality, according to Google, is defined as "the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things". As opposed to, say, Merriam-Webster's definition, which seems to go in circles, this definition is fairly satisfying! Spirituality is generally known to be in opposition to religion. Religion seems to come with a set of rules. For instance, in Christianity, the Ten Commandments are universally accepted as the ground rules. All religions have their 'holy books' which are usually studied, to whatever extent, to learn what we should or should not do. There ARE religions which focus more on the spiritual aspect of life ( strangely enough, mainly from the Far East ), but for the most part, the major religions of the world are focused on controlling the masses. Spirituality, on the other hand, which even I used to scoff at, has more of a focus on the inner being, which is often interchangeably call the spirit, or soul. The outer actions are of course of great importance, but it must recognized that it is the inner being which drives the outer. As has been mentioned before, in other posts; this is not to say necessarily that just because a person manifests in a way that is not good for all, they have an evil spirit, but that this person is operating almost solely from their Ego, or lower self, having forgotten Who they are, that they are More than the Person: indeed, they are a spiritual being having a human experience!

Contrary to most popular opinion, Jesus did not come to establish a new religion! Apparently, the religious leaders of His day thought so, because they had Him killed, but Jesus came to show us how we could become like Him. In fact, He told His disciples ( not just the Twelve ), "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [ works ] than these he will do, because I go to My Father" ( John 14:12 ). Believe what you want, but Jesus didn't say, follow the Ten Commandments ( or the other 613 laws of the Jews ) & you will be like Me; He simply told them to believe that He was Who He said He was & in other words, they would become like Him, Sons of God! 

Though we've undoubtedly been down this road before; I should explain that Jesus was the Messiah to the Jews, or Hebrews. As such, He did not die for your sins or mine. The 'God' of which He was the Son was the God of the Hebrews, an aspect, yes, of the Divine Source of All, but the 'God' of the Bible is simply the Hebrew's perception of that Source. That said, Jesus was actually 'God' in a human suit, as We all are in Reality; it's just that We have forgotten Who We are & Where We came from. Spirituality helps us to remember that; at least, if we can get past our Ego. Religion, on the other hand, can only tell us what to do or what not to do.

The Ego is undoubtedly the greatest hurdle when it comes to realizing our own godhood. Particularly if we were brought up in any of the world's three major religions, we learned that God is out there somewhere, telling us, usually through a prophet/book, what we should or should not do. Spirituality, true spirituality helps us to remember that, in Essence, We are One with that same Entity we have been told is "somewhere out there"; in other words, that we must look outside of ourselves for our own salvation! Before anyone has a hissy-fit, I'm not speaking of biblical 'salvation' here ( that was for the Jews ); I'm referring to our own ability ( responsibility ) to make choices to either damn us or save us, humanly speaking of course ( our Spirit needs no salvation ). The Redemption of the Individual Soul might be another matter, though at the same time, it may be just what we've been talking about!

"What is the difference", one might well ask, "between the Spirit & the Individual Soul?" Well, I'm no expert, but right off the top of my head; I would say that here is where many of us get into trouble, by confusing the two. We are all Individuals ( that's where Humanity & the Ego come in ); that's what I refer to as the Soul. The Spirit, however is that part of us that is Divine, the Divinity, for example, that Jesus manifested as the Christ. The Soul is our link, humanly speaking, with Divinity, but our Spirit is Divinity. Like Jesus, then, once we realize the true nature of our Soul, we begin to communicate, through that Link, with the Universal Spirit, which IS One. Once that that Link is restored/redeemed, our choices will become increasingly better & easier, as we will be well on the way toward quieting the Ego!

I say. "quieting the Ego", because even though, as I said, "the Ego is our greatest hurdle", it is not, in itself the Enemy of the Spirit, or even of the Individual Soul. It is not even something that needs to be conquered, or brought under our control, though at times you may feel the need to control It. Here, in fact, is where we run into problems ( I speak from personal experience ); just as in much of Life, the harder we strive, the harder It fights back! Whereas, if we simply let It be, we tend to quiet ourselves along with our Ego. Humanly speaking, the Ego will always be with us, but once we learn to quiet It's nagging voice, that still small Voice known as Spirit comes through, clear as a bell!

Jesus WAS the Christ! He, a Man, discovered the Spirit Within & through that Spirit ( God ) became the Messiah of the Jews. In the sense that, through the biblical record, we can learn from His experiences how to recognize our own innate godhood, Jesus could well be hailed as our salvation as well, though much the same could be said of other Teachers/Masters who spread the same Message through other lands. Just as Jesus was the Christ to the Hebrews & Greeks, so others became the Buddha to those of the Far East. Even the Ancient Americans had their medicine men & shamans. The more modern Native American worships The Great Spirit. The point is, while we were taught, as Christians, Jews & Muslims that our 'God', our religion was the only Truth, every culture around the world had their own version, or perception of the Source of All Creation. Who are we to say that ours is right & theirs is wrong? "Faith", you say? Even the demons have faith...................

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

The Way of the Wounded Healer

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [ our ] confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all [ points ] tempted as [ we are, yet ] without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:14-16 ( NKJV )

First off, let's talk about the concept of 'sin'. Biblically speaking, it refers to 'missing the mark'. "What mark is that?" you ask; you be the judge! If you believe that the Hebrew & Greek Scriptures, as contained in the Bible ( "which version?" ) are immutably true & relevant for our day, then "the mark" refers to, first & foremost, the Ten Commandments. Jesus told His listeners, concerning the 'ten words', "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one [ point, ] he is guilty of all." To those, however, who do not follow these teachings, though they, like I do, see Universal Truths in the same Scriptures; the whole concept of sin & indeed, missing the mark is irrelevant. Without going into an exegesis of Jesus' words to the Hebrews, suffice it to say that, unless one claims to be a Hebrew, Jesus' words here do not imprison us in the least!

The quote above reads, without the bracketed words, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all tempted as without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need". A bit clearer, though it still mentions 'sin'. The point, though, is that Jesus, like every single one of us, went through the wringer; He WAS "tempted" for god's sake ( pun intended )! Like every Master in every Scripture around the world, though, He WAS a Healer, for He came to show us that we have the Power to heal OURSELVES! At another place in these same Scriptures, He Himself told His disciples ( this is a Universal Truth ); "he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [ works ] than these he will do, because I go to My Father".  Jesus was able to empathize, just as we are, with those who were in need of healing, because He Himself had 'been there; done that'!

A good friend, a Brother really, recently broached the subject of why I had not been writing on certain subjects lately. My reply, in not so many words, was that I have moved on. Having out-grown Christianity, one might say, much of what I had previously attached much importance to now pales in comparison to what is before me! This is not to say that I dismiss this important step in my Journey ( "I most certainly do not!" ); it simply does not bear the relevance it used to. I told this Brother, in other words, that WE are what we've been looking for, that WE are the ones who must experience 'crucifixion' in order that we may realize Our own Power to heal. both ourselves & others. That's what Jesus, as all the Masters, came for!

Though different cultures all have different Scriptures, the only REAL difference IS the culture ( "Let THAT sink in!" )! "All religion is the same", some have said. This is true. One's religion, as I've said before, is belief in action. If one truly believes something, sooner or later, they will follow their words with deeds. This, one should note, is the proof of any religion. The pendulum, unfortunately, swings both ways with this axiom, because history has proven that there have been those who claim to believe certain things, whether it be theistically or otherwise, that have hypocritically proven the exact opposite, while on the other hand, there are those who have proven their intention to harm rather than heal. In both cases, the culprit is a misinterpretation, a misunderstanding of the text of any given Scripture!

In the midst of His own crucifixion, the Pharisees, significant of many or most 'religionists' today, told Jesus, in other words, "Physician, heal yourself"  ( Matthew 27:40 ). What they failed to realize was that Jesus WAS healing Himself. By allowing Himself to be crucified ( "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" ), Jesus was taking the Path that we all must tread, healing Himself, symbolically dying to His Ego, His humanity, that which fears Death, that He might heal others, by teaching them to heal themselves. In the end, Jesus knew ( "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" ) that if we are to be healed, we must heal ourselves. In the same vein, in order to help others heal, we must first crucify ourselves!

Now, Healing may may look different to different people, just as religion, even 'God', or the Source of All, looks different to different cultures. One man's healing, such as Jesus', might look like Death to those who don't understand. Our standing again, our 'resurrection' proves to those paying attention our Power to Heal, just as Jesus' proved that He was Who He said. In our own world, our Healing may look to others, even to to our own wounded Ego, like Death, or at least disintegration, but to those who know, who understand this Truth, it is glorious in its mortification, for We see the Light at the end of the proverbial tunnel & KNOW that it IS a train, the Train to Freedom!

Jesus Mastered His Fear! In the same manner, we must master our own Fears; the Fear that this will be the Death of us, indeed, the Fear that Death is the End! Death, in the sense of our crucifixion, of which Jesus' was symbolic, is simply the metaphorical death of our Ego, our humanity. It is not the End, though it is AN end ( goal ). In the process of dying to our Ego, we learn that we are More, so much More, in fact, than our Ego, our humanity & this part of us, the More that We ARE, can never die. Death is NOT the End; Death is a necessary step on the Pathway to Life!

Whether one follows the Western religions, or takes a more Eastern Path, it should be clear where the balance of Power resides. In the Native American religions, Nature itself holds the key to our healing. Given that we are One with Nature, one would be hard-pressed to disagree. The Eastern religions tend to look to the Heavens for our salvation. "As Above, so Below". though; the Masters of both the Far & Near East taught that 'Heaven' is Within us all. Jesus really taught nothing different from what the Buddha taught; the only difference was Culture! "An ye harm none, do what ye will" is not so different from "love your neighbor as yourself" ( yes, I omitted the first part of that 'verse'! ) The Western religions, like the Eastern, all have their gods & goddesses, all of which are different aspects of the surrounding cultural understanding of the Source of All Life & not the Source alone, but the Sustainer of that Life, for We ALL must realize that no man ( or woman ) is an island; we must rely on each other & Nature Herself for the sustenance of Life, at least, in a purely physical sense.

Being, however, that there is More ( 'SO much More" ) to Life than the merely physical aspects, Wounding, or metaphorical crucifixion is often a very necessary part of our Journey! In reality, the only wounds we receive are a damaged Ego. This may sound like a cliche', but no wound feels pleasant at first, but through hindsight, sooner or later, we come to realize that it was good that it happened the way it did & when it did. As a Christian & I still love this Universal Truth, my favorite, though cherry-picked, verse was Romans 8:28; "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [ His ] purpose". For those whose 'crucifixion', whose Wounding carries a more physical meaning, as in the loss of a loved one, or some such, I do not mean to down-play your pain & suffering!

"That which does not kill us only makes us stronger!" In some form or another, we are all fairly familiar with this old axiom & while there is much truth to it, we must take great care that we do not allow our Ego to become the stronger! In order to become truly stronger through our Wounding, we must realize that we are More than our Wounding, More than merely physical beings that will inevitably suffer Death: "As Above, so Below"; Death is simply a gateway, a portal, if you will, to Life Itself!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles

 

A Reexamination of 'Love Without Judgement?'

 Just a little more than five years ago, I published the above-mentioned article. The gist of my argument was that in order to love, humanly speaking, we have to make a judgement first. While I still believe that, as far as that goes, a little clarification is in order here, a 'reexamination', if you will. In the original piece, the question was posed; "what IS Love?" A better question might be, "Who is Love?!" Of course, being the good little Christian I was at the time, I answered my own question by reminding my readers that the Bible says "God is Love". This is true enough, though, as I'm wont to do anymore, I pose a further question; "Who is God?" Is 'God' something outside of us? Most Christians would undoubtedly answer in the affirmative & even when faced with the biblical truth that the Holy Spirit indwells the 'believer' ( Christian ), they still hold to the belief that the Father has not yet made His home with us ( as promised ). Thus, they perpetuate the notion that their so-called 'Trinity' is made up of three separate gods, rather than three persons in one god! But, I digress; this is NOT a diatribe against Christianity!

So, "Love without Judgement": is it possible to love without judgement? My earlier position, which I still hold to in some sense & which I hope to make clear, was that a judgement must be made in order to show love. However, after 5 years, I've come to the conclusion that 'choice' might have been a better word to use here. Humanly speaking, this is true, we must make the choice to love or not to love. Even so far as actions ( "hate the sin, love the sinner" was mentioned ), we must judge for ourselves whether an action is right or wrong, good or evil. We cannot judge another's actions as such, unless we know the whole story, which we rarely, if ever do! We may dislike, even hate those actions, but just because we feel, or even believe that they are wrong or evil doesn't mean they are. Conscientious objectors might here bring up words like 'theft', rape', or even 'murder'.  Yes, these are all crimes, all wrong & yes, even evil. However, one thing to consider here is that what looks to us like theft, might simply be one person retrieving what was theirs in the first place. Rape is a little harder to judge, for again, without knowing the whole story, it is impossible to judge accurately. This is why juries exist. One or both parties are more than capable of lying, so there are many complications to such a case. Even if the perpetrator is caught in the act, it's rarely, if ever, an 'open & close' case!

One thing that I failed to bring forward in the previous article was the glorious fact that We ARE Love! Not having reached that stage in my Journey, I AM willing, however, to give myself a bit of lee-way. Without going back to the whole 'God' thing; let's suffice to say that, like the Christian God, our True Nature is Divine! We are made up of the same Energy as the Source of All. This has been proven by greater men than I & to be quite honest, I rest my case on their work; that & of course, the fact that it resonates with my Spirit. As such, I no longer simply believe, I KNOW!

Judgement, as alluded to earlier, implies a choice & vice versa. With the knowledge that We ARE Divine, that We ARE Love, do We really HAVE a choice?! We ARE Who We are; We cannot BE anything other than what We are. We can, however, as long as we inhabit this human form, exercise the power of choice, be it as simple as whether to wear shorts or pants, or as complex as whether any given action is right for us. In the case of the latter, we must judge for ourselves whether or not we feel right doing a certain thing, or whether it just feels wrong to us. A good rule of thumb is, "an ye harm none, do as ye will". That in itself is hard enough to decipher, without complicating things further by adding others to the mix. I say 'others' purely from a human standpoint, though some might point out that therein lies the problem!

The subject of 'Unconditional Love' was also brought to bear in the original piece. Humanly speaking, it is well-nigh impossible to show love without condition. Take the love of a mother for her child. Does she love the child simply because the child IS, or because that child is hers; her own flesh & blood? Vice versa, does the child love his or her mother because the mother has given her or him life, because she continues to care for the child, providing them with the necessary constituents to sustain life? These could all be perceived as conditions. What IS Unconditional, however, is US! Our True Nature cannot be changed! Only our form changes. Our True Nature, which is Divine, which IS Love, cannot choose whether or not to BE Love; It just IS. Only humanly speaking can we choose whether to manifest our True Nature, or that which is against Nature Herself!

So, back to "Love without Judgement"; is it possible, humanly speaking, for us to show others that Unconditional Love that We are? Can we love the other without first deciding if she or he is worthy of our love? Is it possible to simply BE, without taking the time to figure out whether we like this person or that, whether to show kindness to one but not the other? I say "YES" & More than possible! Not to sound like a broken record, but we ARE More than our relatively weak humanity! If only we would remember Who & What We are, then we would see, as Jesus taught His disciples, that indeed, in judging the other, we judge ourselves. 

In the greatest sense then, Unconditional Love IS Love Without Judgement! Does that mean, in this mortal realm, that no judgement is involved? Humanly speaking, even the choice to love freely from our True Nature can be construed as a judgement, though this is a right judgement. A wrong judgement & the one we are warned against, is judging for others what is right or wrong. Some would say, to the contrary, that we can & should judge for others what is right & what is wrong; I myself used to be of this persuasion, but again, unless we know the whole story, how can we judge, much less righteously? 

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

A Dark Reality, or The Reality of Shadows

Each & every one of us has skeletons in our closet! There is something about us that we want to keep hidden from those in our little world, even from the world at large. From our friends & loved ones to business associates & those we'd really rather not associate with at all, most people, except those we feel we can be vulnerable ( intimate? ) with never see that side of us. Most of us hide it - some better than others - but at the height of our emotions, it usually, somehow leaks out. When it does, it usually ain't very pretty either!

What IS Reality?! The easy answer, especially coming, as I do, from a Christian background, is that Reality is what we see all around us. "Yes", you might hear, "there is such a thing as a Spiritual Reality, but in the greatest sense, that is neither here nor there, for it only manifests - comes to light - when we die, or in essence, when this physical existence is over." On the other hand, some may acknowledge that this Spiritual Reality often ventures into our own, both beneficially & adversely, but again, it is not till we pass from this existence that it becomes what we call Reality. In fact of the matter, when we pass from this existence, how are we to say anymore what is Real or not?

Simply stated, the principle of Yin & Yang is that Dark & Light are two sides of the same coin. In other words even, aside from our dual natures ( human & Divine ), there are two aspects to every one of us. 'As above, so below'; there is usually a part of us that rarely comes out from under its rock. This is often called our Shadow Self. It is usually a part of our personality, neither good nor bad -' it is what it is' - that Society & our Culture has conditioned us to think is somehow 'bad' or 'evil'. Our Dark side - everyone has one - is not 'evil', per se, though it certainly can be. Often, our Dark Side proves to be that part of us that is most truthful, painfully & brutally honest, even. It is usually the first to smell bullshit & call it for what it is. Speaking of the Dark Side being 'evil' - thanks 'Star Wars' - it is often those who most fear the Truth that call it 'evil'!

In the greatest sense then, Reality 'is what it is', though it DOES involve our individual perceptions. In a way, this concept is not too far removed from the Four Gospels, or more particularly the Three Synoptic Gospels of the Greek Scriptures. Though the Story remains the same, the several different perspectives made it sound somewhat differently, even a bit dissonant. So with Reality; same Story, different perspectives. Yet, on the other hand, there are different realities for each individual. Take one who is colorblind: the grass may indeed be green to one who can see the colors, but to the one who cannot distinguish colors, it may as well be pink, or even black. The sky may be blue to the one that can see it, though in reality, it is not too different from the air that we breathe. Then, there are blind people; what is THEIR Reality? Is it any different than ours? Why or why not?

Does Reality depend on our individual perception? Some might immediately perceive that to be a ridiculously ignorant question, while others might perceive the Truth in it! Can we change Reality simply by thinking/perceiving differently?  If by thinking/perceiving differently, we begin to manifest differently; yes, in that sense, if that sense alone, we DO change Reality. Further, as more & more people begin to think/perceive differently, the Collective Reality will Change!

Simple Change is not necessarily a good thing, though usually it is for the better! For the purposes of this line of reasoning, we may assume that Change IS for the better, as much of Reality has been defined in a way that is lugubrious, at best. In order to bring that lasting, Collective Change, we must, as a wise man once said, start with 'the man in the mirror' ( or 'woman', as the case may be ). We must rediscover our Shadow Selves. More importantly, we must embrace our Dark Side. It is not 'evil', as Society & Culture has hammered into our skulls. It is simply a necessary part of us that we need to bring out of the Shadows. Too many, in the not too distant past, have been relegated to the loony bin ( or worse ), simply because they saw Reality in a different Light. Others have been burned at the stake because they dared to challenge what their Society & Culture deemed acceptable. ( In most cases, 'Society & Culture' could as well read 'Religion' )

The Reality that surrounds us on a daily basis - for example, 2 + 2 ALWAYS equals 4 ( there ARE those who would challenge even THAT ), the concept of solid matter remaining solid, so on & so forth - is fluid. I'm not into the Common Core math or any kind of mathematics for that matter, but speaking of solid matter, such as a tree: a tree may be fashioned into a chair, a table. It is Real, it is solid; we may depend upon it to hold us up when we rest upon it, right?! The Reality, however, is that if a fire breaks out, that table or chair will no longer hold us up. The same thing goes if someone is too heavy, or if a sledge hammer is applied to it legs. Reality, as so many concepts, is subject to change! 'As above, so below'; to borrow a phrase that is growing in popularity, "change your thinking; change your life"!

Two things, we are told, of which we may be certain in this Life are Death & Taxes. Really?! Most people perceive these two concepts as Reality & honestly, the majority of those who challenged this notion ended up finding that, physically speaking, Death was/is very Real! Others have found that both Death & Taxes, far from being unavoidable, are both simply concepts. Death, as we've explored previously, is an illusion! The death, or expiration of the Body does not mean that Body ceases to exist; it simply means that its form changes: "Energy does not die"! On the other hand, though the Body's usual form DOES, for all intents & purposes, cease to exist, We are not the Body! As for the Taxes part of the equation, one can only surmise where this discussion might be going...........................

So, while there are those who would beg to differ about the Reality of Death & Taxes, one thing should be fairly clear by now; Reality is not immutable, it can be changed! Now, if one is blind, for example, can that one, simply by changing their thinking, recover from their blindness? There are many variables, but I will be the first to acknowledge that, yes, it IS possible! How probable, especially in this day & age of blinding fear? Sadly, not very! With Science, you might have heard, great inroads have been made in this area, but again, with so many variables, how probable is it that it would be a lasting cure, without the continued aid of Technology? 

Our Darkness cannot be ignored!  Even when we try to hide our Dark Side - which most of us tend to do -  it will present itself at the most inopportune times, leading, at the very least, to embarrassment for us & quite possibly harm to ourselves or others! However, embracing our Dark Side saves us from such embarrassment. It can also help us to exercise more responsibility as well, with the understanding that just because we have this Darker Nature, we should not immediately define ourselves as 'evil'. Rather, whether Society deems our actions 'evil' or not, we can trust to our Divine Nature to guide us, including our Dark Side, into the Light! 

'The Shadow KNOWS!' To use a familiar but well-nigh forgotten phrase from an old radio show, it is our Shadow Self which holds the key to our self-knowledge.  Not only does our Shadow hide what we fear most, it also contains the Truth, painful though it might be ( usually is ) to reveal. Most often, these two are one & the same! The phrase which proceeds the quote above reveals to us that our job, after we have dealt with our own Shadow, is to help others find & embrace theirs. This is by no means to say that we should ignore past wrongs done in ignorance, just that by embracing our Dark Side, realizing that it is a necessary part of us, as human beings, we can be at peace within ourselves!

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

The Importance & Danger of Ritual

As I type these words, it is Sunday morning, the 17th of April, 2022. Christians celebrate this day, along with many others, as Easter Sunday, the day when their Savior/God rose from the dead, according to the Greek Scriptures. Most will celebrate this day, with a varying focus on their Risen Lord, while others treat it like Christmas 2.0, where it's all about the children, with Easter baskets for the young ones & a feast of epic proportions later, where you're almost guaranteed to squirm uncomfortably in your tight jeans, unless you remembered to wear your sweats. But seriously, this might be one of the few days per year that you attend Mass at your local Roman Catholic church. If so, you've engaged in one of the oldest rituals in the history of Christendom. This ritual is by no means original to the Roman Catholic Church or even to Christianity itself. It is almost purely Pagan in its genesis!

On this Day of Days, I was led to ponder how "Life is all about Choice"! The choices we make are manifested in the actions we take, or obversely, in the actions we neglect to take. For instance, "as above, so below", one may choose to do this ritual or that, attend this service or that, even not to celebrate at all. We choose to do this instead of that, sometimes with no regard for the possible consequences & sometimes in spite of them. Some choices are harder than others ( to the Nth degree ), while others are as simple as, "I'll wear my green t-shirt today". Often, the consequences of our choices hurt like hell: sometimes we make these choices, knowing they're going to hurt like hell & make them anyway, either because we know they're for our own good, or just because we're ignorant; gluttons for punishment!  Whatever our choices, they determine how we will manifest in this thing we call Life!

Ritual, whether we realize it or not, IS a necessary part of our daily life! While it may be true that ritual is most often defined religiously, it need not be confined to that box. At its base, a ritual, at least individually speaking, can be as simple as one that I observe on an almost daily basis. I get up, I get dressed, I go make coffee. And actually, my morning ritual usually starts before I get dressed ( after I go pee ); I usually spend anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes in meditation, before I start my day with the Nectar of the Gods. To reiterate; Ritual is an important part of our daily lives, for if we miss starting our day with anything as important as coffee or breakfast, or as relatively unimportant ( inconsequential? ) as our daily meditation, it tends to affect the rest of our day & then of course, we usually experience a sort of 'trickle-down' effect on the rest of our week, or even our entire Life, if we're not careful!

In some sense, it could be said, Ritual is our Life-blood! Not only as societies, for most societies run on some kind of ritualized system, but as individuals; without the normality of Ritual, we would be almost at a loss: "What now?" Individual choice, of course, is a factor here as well, for there are mornings that I just don't feel like doing what I usually do ( sometimes you  just gotta mix it up a bit ), or, in other words, we're faced with, "should I do this, that, or the other thing?" Personally, I'm trying to get away from such terminology, so it's more like, "do I WANT to do this, that, or the other thing?"!

Whatever the case may be, the choices we make & the rituals we follow are what define us as both individuals & societies. This is not necessarily a good thing! In some sense, it IS all relative, as in , "what's good for one might be evil for another & what's wrong for this person ( or group ) might be right for that ( person or group )." This is not to say that there are NO Absolutes, that EVERYTHING is relative, for where WOULD we be if everyone did what was right in their own eyes, not taking into account the possible implications of their actions toward others? The best mantra I have found in such cases is, "And ye harm none, do what ye will"! Not as simple as it sounds.

One of the dangers of doing the same thing everyday, ritualistically speaking, should be obvious: We tend to get stuck in a rut. "As above, so below"; "Sometimes, you gotta mix it up a bit"! Religiously, of course, both individually & as a Society, the tendency is to focus overmuch on the actual ritual itself, rather than on the effectual consequences of said ritual. In Essence & here is where Choice enters the picture, 'Why are we doing this ( ritual ) instead of that?" Are we trying to accomplish something in particular through this ritual, or are we doing it because everyone else is doing it? "That's just the Way it is; always has been!"

In itself, Ritual need not be viewed as Dangerous ( though I've heard stories ); it depends on the Intention of the One performing the ritual! Again, "Why?" Whether out of Ignorance, which in itself is dangerous, or selfish purpose, Ritual can serve no other purpose than to stir some feeling, even though the practitioner may be ignorant of the true meaning of that feeling. On the other hand though & speaking of 'selfish purpose', Ritual can be used in ways which are intentionally harmful to others, even a specific individual. For example, when one is excluded from Communion ( to whatever extent ) simply because she or he does not 'tow the line', it may be seen as dangerous, not only to the general health of the excluded one but to those who practice exclusion as well!

"Can One live without Ritual?" Well, yes & no! It is possible to go through life without  consciously ritualizing our everyday needs ( such as eating, drinking, resting, etc. ), but seriously, how far would we make it in this Life if we didn't attend to those daily needs?! If, say, we didn't commune with ourselves ( meditate ) on a daily basis, how quickly would we forget Who We are? When we forget to eat or drink, it's not long before we're reminded how important those rituals are, to say almost nothing of the importance of the Ritual of Rest. Understanding the Rituals of Life, as perceiving the Sanctity of Life, is of utmost importance to the preservation of Life, at least, humanly speaking!

This being the Day set aside by the majority of the Christ-confessing world to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, a few words about this Ritual will suffice. Whatever faith one chooses to place in the words of a transliterated, ancient Near Eastern document, the fact, as most Christians see it, that Jesus rose from the grave, thereby signifying the victory over death is of great importance! Whether this Story is entirely factual, or simply metaphorical of our rise in consciousness to that of the Christ, the Ritual that many observe on this Day of Days serves to implement that rise in consciousness, whether consciously or unconsciously.  

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

A Shift in Consciousness

The Apocalypse occurred a little over two years ago! Obviously, it wasn't the end of the world. Many people, when they hear the word 'apocalypse' immediately think ( negatively, BTW ) of the end of the world, if not the end of Time itself. As a former Christian, I'm quite familiar with the concept of some future cataclysmic event, based on John's Revelation, the last book of the Bible. John's Revelation, of course, is where we get the word 'apocalypse'. The meaning that most dictionaries ( to whatever extent ) assign to the Greek transliteration 'apokalypsis' indicates some form of final, future, destructive event. The actual meaning is 'an uncovering', or 'a revealing'. This actually makes a lot of sense, since a revelation is the end result of a revealing, 2020 revealed a lot of things that had been hidden in the shadows. It began in early 2020 with the masks and the social distancing, as well as the forced quarantines. 2020 came & went, bringing us into 2021; things only got worse, revealing, not only the lengths our government was prepared to go to in keeping us quiescent, but also the true colors of many we had considered friends. This is not to further the separation between us, of course, because there really is no separation except in our minds. However, as the case may be, the so-called 'pandemic' has been a blessing in disguise, for without it, the conspiracy theorists would still be crazy & the majority of the people would still be 'sheeple'. Don't get me wrong, though; there's STILL a lot of 'sheeple' out there!

All of this has transpired, of course, to bring about 'The Great Shift', a change in perception, a change in consciousness. In some sense, this might engender one of those 'chicken or egg' discussions, but it should be clear that a change in consciousness, whether conscious or unconscious, needs to come first, for unless one's consciousness is altered, however greatly or slightly, that one's perception will never change! In order for the necessary change to come, there MUST be a change in perception, or people will never see 'the monster behind the curtain'; they will continue to live out 'the American Dream' ( or European, or African, Asian, etc ), not understanding the implications of this 'law' or that & not really caring about anything but 'the good life', death & taxes.

Such a Shift requires education! No, not the sort of education one might receive at a college or university & certainly not from any seminary; this kind of education only leads to more of the same. By 'more of the same'; understand, 'The American Dream'. Now, I'm not by any means saying that one shouldn't go to college or university, or even attend seminary, although these can prove to be well-nigh useless or, in the case of the latter, dangerous. On the other hand though, it depends on the individual person, Which brings me to my next point...........

To truly garner anything from ANY sort of education, one must educate oneself! Not only must one WANT to learn, they must open their mind to truly LEARN, to understand what is being revealed. On top of this, one must first become conscious of the necessity of a change ( for the better ). "How do we alter our consciousness in such a way? one might ask; "are you saying we should all start tripping on psychedelics?"  No, of course I'm not advocating the use of illegal drugs, though something could be said................... There is a way to alter consciousness without the use of illegal drugs. Anything from simple meditation techniques to certain music, dancing, etc. have been proven an effective way of altering ( temporarily ) one's consciousness. Again though, this depends on the individual: obviously, if dancing, music & meditation were all there was to it, we'd all be in a better place!

"Intent is Key!" One could dance him or herself to death or meditate until they were blue in the face & it wouldn't do a damn bit of good unless the intention to accomplish positive change was present. "Yes, we are THAT powerful!" If we truly intend to do something, NOTHING can stop us! "Now, whoah there," you might be thinking, "are you telling us that if we intended to, we could fly ( like a bird )?" Actually, yes; to use an example I've used previously; " look at what the Wright Brothers did at Kitty Hawk, back in the day & now, where are we? Could we actually ( literally ) grow a set of wings & fly through the heavens? "Now who's getting ridiculous?" Birds are birds & human beings are human beings. While it remains to be seen whether Science will ever figure out how to merge the two, there ARE fairly simple contraptions, even clothing, that allow the user or wearer to glide through the air with the greatest of ease. 

Being that we are More than human; we all have the ability to fly, albeit, not to the 'normal' human perception & certainly not with wings, whether bird OR human!  The necessary Shift that must occur involves our breaking with tradition & unlearning all we 'know' about not just ourselves, but about Nature in general! Whether plants, animals, or human beings, even what we know as 'inanimate objects' to a degree; we ALL have a life of our own, a sentience if you will. It is known that plants communicate with each other. The largest living organism, for example, is an aspen grove on the side of a mountain in Colorado. Even rocks have some kind of life in them, or at least did at one point. The Life that is in the plants & animals, even the basic building blocks of Nature herself, its impetus, is the same Life that guides & motivates us, if only we would remember this!

"Education?" Don't we already know all we need to, being More than Human? Well, yes, as More than Human, we have all this Knowledge, or at least, access to it, but because we slowly ( over many lifetimes ) have forgotten Who & What We are, We must educate ourselves, mostly through introspection ( meditation ), although our memories may be triggered by things we read, see or hear. With the help of these aids, as well as our Highest Self, We will remember Who We are again & that We CAN fly!

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

 Sage Charles

The Maternal Heartbeat

Rhea was ready. In her heart of hearts, she knew that her lifelong dream of bearing children for Her Lord was about to come to fruition. Cronus had been busy preparing Her a place for Them & now at last, that work was done. Though the preparations had been made, Cronus knew that His work was not finished. As any parent can attest to, the preparations are only the beginning; once the children emerge, blinking, into the Sunlight, the Work begins in earnest!

Rhea bore 3 male children & 4 female to Her Lord, 7 offspring in all. The first male child seemed to enjoy being immersed in water most of all, particularly in the largest bodies of water He could find. In fact, 'Siedon, as He came to be called, liked being in the water so much that it was hard for His Mother to keep Him out of it! 'Siedon became so good at holding His breath that He stayed underwater for longer & longer periods of time, till it was almost like He was born to it. Posiedon learned to actually breathe underwater, like the fish & finally He took up permanent Residence in the Sea. The second male child was a bit darker, though pleasant enough. Hades enjoyed being alone. He was not the social, active person that His older Brother was; in fact, He spent so much time in His room in the basement that His skin was almost a sickly shade of pale. His Mother & Father knew that this One was special, that He was meant for greater things, but what those greater things were could only be guessed at. When Zeus came along, being next to the last of the seven ( the number of perfection, by the way ), He emerged rather smaller than usual. For such a small Baby, He sure ate more than His share ( He REALLY liked to suckle ) & so, before too long, the baby Boy surpassed both His older Brothers in stature & was soon whipping them regularly, just as they had been used to doing to Him. In fact, you might say, it got to the point that He ruled over them!

Demeter, or 'Demi', as She was more affectionately known, was more like Her oldest Brother than anybody. The only difference was that, while He enjoyed the Water, She enjoyed working with Earth. The original 'Green Thumb', Demi loved living, growing things. The fact that She could take a dried up old seed & bring Life from it imbued Her with a sense of Power that would never die! Hestia took after Her Mother.  Like her older Sister, She too enjoyed the Earth & growing things, but rather than the feeling of Power it gave, She perceived these living, growing thing as Her children. Being the motherly type, Hessie was more apt to spend time just sitting with Her Children, watching over them as they grew. Being the fifth in line, Hera was the motherly type as well, though not quite to the extent of Her next older Sister. Though She was ready to do what needed to be done, even if it meant getting Her hands dirty in the good Earth, Hera was more of a Home-bound Spirit; She would rather cook & clean than spend time with Her Sister, tending the huge Garden. She also had Her repositories of Knowledge, Books. Finally, we come to the youngest Child, Persephone, or Perse for short. Perse always had a mind of Her own, which is not unusual for a youngest Child, a daughter no less. One might note that, to whatever extent, She embodied certain aspects of all of Her Sisters, as well as certain of Her Brothers. As the youngest Child ( also not unusual ), Persephone grew up with what some might call a sense of entitlement. So, as Fate would have it, Perse often found Herself the butt of Her older Sibling's cruel jokes. On one such occasion, for instance, Hades locked Her in His dungeon-like room in the basement, not allowing Her to leave until She agreed to be His personal slave.

Such were the offspring of Rhea & Cronus. As the Parents of such diverse Children, both Cronus & Rhea had their hands full & though Cronus may have spent more time working with Earth, bringing it under His subjugation, if you will; Rhea, in the greatest sense, spent more time with Her Mother, communing with Her, feeding Her, loving Her. Rhea, for example, though She loved to care for Her living, growing things, would just as soon just sit next to them while They silently grew, in silence Herself, simply allowing Them to Be, rather than impatiently trying to hurry them along as Cronus was wont to do. 

Cronus, or Kronos, as He is more familiarly called, knew, or at least thought He knew, that He had an allotted Time on Earth. One could almost understand, therefore, His impatience in wanting to 'get the job done'. Rhea, on the other hand, being more of an emotional, motherly Creature, knew that, no matter what She did, Her Children would grow as Fate had decreed. Fate was not some cruel Master Who decreed beforehand how everything would work; rather, Fate was a personal Choice, through which each of Her Children decreed Their own Fate!

The above might be called a parable based on a myth. At that, a myth however loosely based on a greater Myth. As a parable, the Story above points to a greater spiritual truth. What that greater spiritual truth is, I leave to the discernment of my readers. May the Fates be with you!

Sage Charles

Peace in ( the midst of ) Turmoil

 "It can't be helped!" Unless one is able to become a hermit in in the truest, loneliest sense of the word, one just can't seem to get away from it all! Even if one ( like me ) religiously DOESN'T watch the news, one cannot help but have heard at least an inkling of what is currently happening over in Asia & Europe. Whatever the Story might be, I'm sure we don't know everything behind Vladimir Putin's unconscionable decision to invade Ukraine, or maybe more correctly, THE Ukraine. This, of course, is simply the latest in a series of incidents that are manufactured to make us focus on this over here, or even that over there, rather than focusing on what's inside us, in our very heart of hearts.

Until Peace reigns supreme ( within the hearts of humanity ), there will never be Peace anywhere in this World, on this physical plane! Long have I said that, "there will never be a lasting Peace in the Middle East", at least, as long as humanity rules. If those in charge ( the Middle East & ALL involved are named for example ) would realize that they are More than human & NOT the Ego, we would begin to see Change all over the World. For example, the Ego says, "This is OUR Land; you cannot BE here!" The Ego says, "You don't believe like I/we do, therefore, you must leave or die ( usually, "die" ), the Ego says, "you don't live the way I/we think you should, so you deserve to die"! Is any of this true? Does one person deserve to be stigmatized or even euthanized, JUST because they don't believe or live like we?! Do we actually have a right to say, "Get off MY Land!"?!

Contrary to popular opinion, it is possible to live in the midst of all this, these wars & rumors of wars & still be at Peace. This does not mean that we never get swept up in the rush, because we all have those days; we are still human beings after all, dealing with, not only our own Ego, but with the Collective Ego. So yes, sometimes we just get tired, tired of all the bullshit. It's usually on these days ( I speak for myself here ), that we just wanna go Home; as I remarked to my best friend yesterday, "I just don't wanna be Here anymore"! On days like this, however, I need to remind myself  ( we ALL must ) that I AM Home, for as the saying goes, "Home is where the Heart is". The "Heart" in question is referring, not to our inmost desire, which was no doubt the point of the quote, but rather to our Inmost Being, our "Heart of Hearts", what has been called "the Spark of Divinity"!

It is this Divine Spark that enables us to be at Peace wherever we are, no matter what storms may rage around us. This is hard to say & even harder to believe for the overwhelming majority of human beings around the World, especially in this day & age, with, not only what has been mentioned already, "wars & rumors of wars", but the overwhelming mentality that seems to rule this age, "the Law of the Jungle, "dog eat dog", "kill or be killed" & so many other noxious, poisonous cliches'. These may swirl around us; they may even knock us down, but when we remember where our Strength lies, where True Peace resides, then we may be truly at Peace, for we are Home!

The Above is true, as well, for our personal situation, whatever that might be, though this might be almost harder to swallow than what was mentioned previously. Here too & maybe even moreso, the Ego is present. However, we ALWAYS have a Choice! We can choose to let our Ego ( humanity ) rule over us, or WE ( Divinity ) can overrule our Ego. "As above, so below"; the Ego might say, "This is MINE; I will KILL to defend it!" The Ego says, "I am right, YOU therefore are wrong & therefore do not have the same Rights as I do!" More often than not, it all goes downhill from there.........

To realize that Peace Within, One must first  remember Who they really are, What their True Nature is. Not to sound like a broken record, or bore you to tears, but "We are primarily spirit beings having a physical experience". In other words, We have a Body; We are not that Body: We are a Soul WITH a Body. Because We HAVE a Body, though We are NOT that Body, We often find ourselves subjected to the assaults of our physical, mundane constituents, the Ego, feelings, emotion, etc. "As above, so below", though, we always have the choice; must we be ruled by our emotions, feelings or Ego, or can we simply let them do their necessary work, then just move on from there? On the other hand, moving on then; BECAUSE We are not that Body, We CAN allow these necessary constituents to accomplish their intended work; be the Observer of that Work & simply walk on by. "Easier said than done?" But of course..................

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

 Sage Charles

"What IS Love?!' Ad Nauseam

 So, by this time, some among us are likely beginning to think, "this is getting old!" Admittedly, we HAVE been here before, but seriously, this Subject IS worth exploring, ad nauseam, as it were! Love, at least as most seem to know it in this day & age, IS 'A Many Splintered Thing'! Discussing this with a friend recently, I came to the unsettling conclusion that the object of what most people call 'love' is no more than a piece of meat, whether figuratively or sexually speaking. Objectively speaking, when we love something, whether it be our spouse, or our pet, it is considered normal to look at the object of our affection as if we own it. Thus, when someone other than the true owner pays attention to OUR spouse, pet, etc., jealousy, in its many different forms, tends to rear its ugly head. Love, when viewed in its verb form, causes other issues as well, for whether it's obligational ( conditional ) or what some call 'unconditional love', because it is based on feelings ( emotions ), it can change to hate in a split second. Love, however, is a noun, even a Proper Noun & thus, does not change!

I Corinthians 13 is known as 'the love chapter'. Though I no longer follow the Bible, per se, I still see in it many universal truths. The words, attributed to the apostle Paul, in verses 4 through 7, are some such. "Love suffers long [ and ] is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not ^[b]puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^[c]thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Though Paul here does not necessarily tell us what exactly Love is, he seems to establish that love is primarily a noun, not a verb. In essence, this is what Love DOES, how It behaves! Another such universal truth in the Bible says that "God is Love" ( I John 4:8 ). Note that by using the term 'God' here, I'm referring, not to the Christian God, or the God of the Bible, necessarily, but to the Source of All Life. Being that the Source of All Life is Love, Personified or Objectified, you might say & we, in our Innermost Being, are a part of, though not apart from that Source, WE are Love as well; that is our true Nature!

'Love' is NOT synonymous with 'approval'! In its verbal form, even so-called 'unconditional love' does not mean that we approve of someone's or something's actions; it simply means that we choose to show them love in spite of however horrible or distasteful their actions might be to us, that we accept THEM, though not necessarily the way they're currently acting. Speaking of Unconditional Love; even humanly speaking, It DOES ( necessarily ) involve boundaries! This is because Unconditional Love, again, humanly speaking, starts with Self Love. You're familiar, no doubt, with the saying, "If you don't love yourself, you can't love anyone else": this is a universal truth which is hinted at in the biblical injunction to "love your neighbor as you love yourself". There IS, then, such a thing as 'Unconditional Love', but this Love is not a verb; It's a Noun!

The Universal Truth "God is Love" is reversible; "Love is God"! The question posed above, then, might better be, 'WHO is Love?' Again. the 'God' in  question here is NOT a reference to the God of the Bible, or even necessarily to the Christian God. Some, in fact, would say 'Goddess'! The Source of All Life, though, has no gender, as male or female, though for us humans, it is easier, or more convenient maybe, to imagine this 'God' or 'Goddess' so, made in OUR image, so to speak. ( It also gives us Someone else to blame ) So; "God is Love", "Love is God"; whatever: we're really no closer to discerning WHAT or WHO Love is? Or are we?

"Everything is Energy!" This handy little saying is usually blamed on Albert Einstein, who was arguably, one of the smartest human beings who ever lived. "Okay; given that Everything is Energy, does that include the Source of All Life?' Is 'God' simply Energy ( insert 'Goddess' there, if you will )? It would make so much sense if that was the case, because if everything is Energy, it would naturally follow that the Source of all that Energy was, well, Energy! 

One argument for the Source of All Life NOT being 'simply' Energy might be the case for 'Intelligent Design". I'm no scientist; I've never studied the heavens to much extent: I barely know anything about 'String Theory', but I know that the intricacies of this marvelous Universe, to say nothing of the Microverse that composes our bodies, our Avatar, if you will, requires a Greater Intelligence that we in our finite humanity can even begin to imagine! It could well be asked then, "Is Energy itself intelligent ( sentient? )?" This could open a can of worms that most are not ready to open, but if Energy requires a Director, them maybe we too, humanly speaking, require one as well!

As I've said before ( so really; I'm quoting myself here ); "Some cans of worms just need to be opened", some pots just NEED to be stirred, etc, etc., ad infinitum. So, here goes: maybe the reason that most religious people have a problem with the notion that God is Energy, is that, if Energy has its own Intelligence & thus has no need of a Director, than it could be construed to mean that we too, being Energy, have no such need either. In such a case then, as the song goes, "what would you have to complain about?", who would we blame for our misfortunes or misdeeds, if not a Director, like 'God' or 'the Devil'? In such a case, as the Scotsman said when a book fell on his head, "I can only blame my shelf"! 

We ARE energetic beings! Not only do we call our motivation ( or the lack thereof ) 'Energy', it is a scientific fact that the makeup of our physical body is Energy. It's a bunch of atoms dancing around ( vibrating ) at various speeds ( frequencies ). 'Is it really that simple?' Well, no; of course it's not that simple, though it might be noted that it's no more complex than, "the Lord God formed man [ of ] the dust of the ground" ( Genesis 2:7 ). This too, is a fact, because Science tells us that our physical bodies are composed of the same materials as the Earth Herself & indeed, our Energy, in some sense, comes from the Earth, in the food we eat & the water we drink.

Of course, we are not simply energetic beings because our bodies are motivated by Energy, because they are composed of Energy; as part & parcel with the Source of All Life, we ARE Energy! In the greatest sense, then & by extension, We are Life! Since Life, then Love; as the rest of the verse above says, "and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being". Again, as written in I John 4:8, one of the Universal Truths of the Bible, "God is Love". "Love is Life', it could well be said, just as "Life is Love". Love makes the world go 'round, so thus, Love can be equated with Energy. If Love is simply Energy, then where does that leave us? Where does that leave the World?

One doesn't need to have studied the metaphysical to be familiar with the phrases, "they just have bad energy" or "they have really good energy". This may be true enough, humanly speaking, or in actuality, but really, or spiritually speaking, there is no such thing. Energy is neither 'good' nor 'bad' ( kinda like 'God' is not male or female ); It just is. We encounter issues when human beings make the choice to manifest this Energy from their lower, instead of their Higher, or Highest Nature. The energy which manifests from this lower nature, at best, acts as if Love is a verb, while the Energy that manifests from our Highest, our True Nature portrays Its True Form, that of a Noun!

"God is Love"; "Love is God"; what does that mean?! While "God is Love" should be fairly easy for say, a Christian to understand; to say "Love is God" might not go over so well, because for most human beings, love is a verb, not a noun ( definitely not a Noun ). For the overwhelming majority, love is merely a conscious choice that we make ( or not ) in regards to another. While, humanly speaking, We DO make a conscious choice as to when, where, how & with whom we share that Love, not everyone understands or acknowledges where this Love truly comes from. To be honest, though most, if not all freely acknowledge where Love originates ( "God is Love" I John 4:8 ), there are but few, though this Number is growing, that have realized We are part of that Source. What then is Love? Or better, "Who is Love?" Love is Energy; Love is the Source: Love is Life!

By this time, maybe my readers, along with myself, of course, understand a little better what Unconditional Love is. Unconditional Love is not something we choose to do, for as my friend has pointed out, there is always a condition ( of whatever sort ) when we understand it in its verb form. However, since we ARE Love, the only condition here is whether or not to manifest from our lower nature, which does not realize this glorious fact, or from our Highest Nature, which helps us to embody It & that without condition.

Love does not change! As human beings with natural ( not good or bad ) feelings & emotions, we are subject to change, both from inside & outside forces, but from a spiritual standpoint, We are what ( Who ) We are; THAT will NEVER change! Even as human beings, though, we always have a choice: whether from outside influences or inner motivation, we must decide for ourselves if we will act or react, with Love or with Fear. As the Energetic Beings that We are, being primarily Spirit, or Love, We have no choice ( no condition there! ); We ARE Love, immutably so! 

Namaste' & Blessed Be,

Sage Charles

Love Unbound

 Love never fails. - Paul ( I Corinthians 8a )

'Unconditional Love." I'll say it again; "Unconditional Love!" Does such a thing even exist? Without immediately referring to the dictionary, the notion of loving without any conditions is suspect, especially in this day & age. Another question comes to mind; "Is it even POSSIBLE for one to love without condition?!" To answer this question, much less the first, might prove easier said than done, however. One possible clue. we might note though, is that the former use of the word is a noun, while the latter is a verb. 'What difference does that make?' you might be asking yourself: "cannot love be both objective & subjective ( active )?" Well, yes, it could be well said that Love is both, for as has been written before in the pages of this blog, "love is an action ( a choice )!" 

The 5 Ws ( Who, What, When, Where and Why ) might prove a useful tool in determining whether we as human beings are capable of "unconditional love"! After that, maybe we'll have somewhat of a clearer picture of what exactly it is. Answering these questions will help us to decipher the answer to both of the questions we have been presented.

"Who? To answer this question, we need to ask ourselves. "To whom is this referring?" Are we the "who" in question, or does it refer to "the other"? Jesus said, quoting Leviticus 19:18, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." This is what I like to call one of the many "Universal Truths" of the Greek & Hebrew Scriptures. One: loving ones neighbor as one loves him or herself requires that one first love themselves. This though, itself might render us a clue as to why society in general is in the state of confusion it is; people ARE loving their neighbor as they love themselves: the problem IS, at least 9 out of 10 people don't love themselves! 

"What?" Moving on, one might well note, without having answered the question of "Who?", maybe "What?" will help to answer THAT question. "What IS love?" Is it a noun, something that defines what is otherwise indefinable, or is it a verb, something which can be directed, at will, at any given object? As a verb, it could well be said, love is always conditional. We may love a thing with all our heart, mind, soul & strength, but "God forbid", that 'thing', the object of our love, should turn its back on us, forsaking us: what person, in all honesty, is going to continue to actively love that thing?! One may continue to hold a love, of sorts, in their heart of hearts for that thing, be it a person or what, but if that person or thing continually repulses, or just plain ignores their pleas, their love will only fall on deaf ears for so long before it moves on.

However, if love is a noun describing a person, place, or thing, then maybe, just maybe, we're getting closer to figuring out what love really is! As a noun, Love being unconditional begins to make sense. A Tree is not a tree because it is healthy. If it is unhealthy, it is a sick tree, but it is still a tree. An animal, be it a bird or a cow, it what it is. Even if it is dead or dying; we do not see it and observe, "there lies something that used to be a bird or a cow". No, it is STILL a bird or a cow; it is simply a dead one ( or dying )! Speaking of the Greek & Hebrew Scriptures, one may read in them that "God is love" ( I John 4:8 ). As this is one of those "Universal Truths", we begin to see how Love could be considered unconditional. Furthering that Truth, however, we can gather from this that we ourselves are Love, for we radiate from that same Source, indeed, we are One with that Source!

"When?" This question, as "Who?", really relies on "What?" If love is simply a feeling, an active, emotional response to certain conditions, then it relies on the fulfillment of those conditions in order to be activated. When those conditions are not met; "as above, so below", that 'love', or the Holder thereof, is most likely going to move on to the next object of their affection. However, "When?" could also be posited thusly; 'When should we love?" Or, "When do we allow our love to rest on someone, be it an object, place or thing?" Obviously, if our love is emotionally based, our feelings, which change like the weather in Montana, are going to dictate when our love comes to rest.

The startling notion, however, that We are Love changes everything! "We, like God, do not change!" Aghast though you may be right now, this statement is true; just as my argument above about the sickly tree or the dead animal, even if we begin to act differently than we ever had previously, for good or ill, we are STILL human beings. Furthermore & more importantly, the statement above does not refer, at least not primarily, to our humanity! The statement in question refers to our inmost Being, our heart of hearts, so to speak, our Divinity, our Oneness with the Source!

"Where?' The possibilities are endless! This question might refer, in the verbal sense, to spreading that shit everywhere, so to speak. Of course, in the objective sense, it could be answered in the same exact way as we have answered the other questions; that Love resides within us, in our humanity, being an integral part of it, yet on a different level, you might say, our Higher or Highest Self, that part of us that is God. In this case then, our answer is much the same; "spread that shit everywhere!" However, the objective answer requires nothing of us, or of anyone else for that matter. In order to objectively "spread that shit everywhere", We must simply BE!

As a verb, love requires us to make a choice; "Where should we spread this shit?" Where the obvious answer is, "Everywhere!", it really isn't that simple, or easy! If this person or that triggers certain feelings, certain emotions, within us, we may well decide that they aren't really worth our time & energy, even that they are detrimental to us. Even when we can look objectively at the situation, we need to consider these feelings & emotions!

"Why?" Now we come to the Ultimate Question, "The Meaning of Life", you might say! Since we are here, both to love & AS Love, we might well ask "Why?"! Why ARE we here? We are here to love, it's been said. Damn right; "we are here to love", but what does that really mean? Does that really mean that we should spread that shit everywhere, indiscriminately pouring our love on good & evil alike, even if it means letting them walk all over us? This goes right back to what Jesus said earlier; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"; if we don't love ourselves, respect ourselves enough NOT to allow people to walk all over us, then "Yes", that include us playing the part of a veritable doormat. If, however, we have the respect for ourselves that says, "I don't need this kind of negativity in my life", that is not refusing to love them: that is loving yourself. No, that is not being selfish, either; that is being kind to & loving yourself! It is necessary!

While these lines ( the 5 Ws ) may or may not satisfactorily answer the question ( s ) at hand, they may at least provide a base to begin your own search on. "IS it possible to love without condition?" For the overwhelming majority of human beings, the answer to this question is most likely a resounding "NO!" For those, however, who have realized & accepted that We are MORE than this humanity, that We ARE the Unconditional Love we've been looking for, the answer could be called "a moot point"!

While we ARE, as human beings anyway, "here to love": even more importantly, We are here to BE Love! Being More than Human, We ARE Love Itself, but too often, we allow our humanity to 'outshine' the Love that We are! With our Ego, an integral part of our humanity & so, not a necessarily bad thing, along with eons of conditioning, we have 'learned' that not everyone is worthy of our love, even of the Love We are. We have even been conditioned to believe, most of us in fact, that we ourselves are not worthy of our love!

The second part of our answer to the question, "To whom is this referring?' that was posed near the beginning of this post has been answered. As the saying goes, in other words maybe, "If you can't love yourself, you'll never be able to love anybody else". More importantly, when we don't realize the Love We ARE, we tend to get stuck in the endless cycle ( call it "Vicious Circle" ) of feelings. It could also be likened to a roller coaster. Loving ourselves is easy, though it's harder than it sounds, especially when it comes to loving ourselves without condition. Loving others without condition?! Well, that's damn near impossible, no matter how you spin it!

Namaste' & Blessed Be!

Sage Charles