Dear Blogger, 
Those of you who have been going to You Tube to view lectures on the talks (that match and add to these blogs) will find that they are no longer there. For various reasons they have been privatized so now you will need to go to my web site davidcumes.com and view them under Videos in the menu. 
There is an upcoming talk on April 20th on Joy. The talks that are filmed take several weeks to master and down load to the site. The blog and the talks supplement each other and are not exactly the same.

JOY & GRATITUDE # 6

The Ancestors

Meaning, Love, Gratitude, Light and Laughter 
are all interrelated and critical for our being in Joy.



 The Ancestors' also teach that the 
Three L's - Love - Light - Laughter (Norman Cousins healed himself of a debilitating auto-immune disease by watching funny movies and wrote a book about it called Anatomy of an Illness.)
are the best remedy for dispelling any darkness. 

The Ancestors

Joy is Soul activity!
Gratitude flows up the higher chakra hierarchy toward Joy. Joy requires integration of many factors invoking all the higher chakras. It begins with the opening of the Fourth Heart chakra and follows through the expression of Gratitude through the Fifth chakra of Creative Expression and how imaginative we can be with our intentions. It also requires the intuitive wisdom of the Sixth chakra combined with some of the recent Understandings (i.e. the Sephirot of Wisdom and Understanding) - of Positive Psychology and neuroscience that confirm Gratitude as powerful spiritual practice. 
Gratitude is also part of Bakti or Devotional yoga - love for the Creator which is also amplified through the energy of the Fourth and Fifth chakras. This also applies to Karma or Service oriented Yoga (the Hero/ine's Journey) when we open the heart and creatively manifest our service to the planet and all beings.
Gratitude is spiritual practice. 
When we ask for things in our prayers this is Supplication rather than Gratitude. Supplication is acceptable if the requests are for the greater good rather than purely for ourselves i.e. for our Karma yoga.

Robert Emmons, a Gratitude researcher, confirmed the spiritual affects of gratitude and emphasizes that we are all recipients of unearned gifts. A Gratitude attitude should be our birthright because if not for the miracle of our birth we would not even be here. 

Neuroscience and F.M.R.I. studies have shown that a Gratitude practice increases neural activity in the prefrontal lobe of the brain ("Spacious or Big Mind".) This activity is similar to that seen in advanced meditators who naturally default to their prefrontal lobes, the locus of our higher intentions.  For most of us, however, our default activity resides in the primitive, survival centers of the brain (Monkey or Narrow Mind.) Ongoing Gratitude  has lasting effects on the brain since Gratitude can lead to more Gratitude and this positive feedback loop keeps the prefrontal lobe activity stable.

The heart has the largest focus of electromagnetic energy in the body. The Heartmath institute confirms that the heart sends more signals to the brain than vice versa. When the heart is in normal  Coherent rhythm we have positive emotions and better cognition. When we radiate love and compassion into our local environment the heart also generates a Coherent electromagnetic wave around us which positively affects others. 
The Maharishi university confirmed this Coherence effect in a study. They showed that when a critical number of their devotees meditated regularly in a city the crime rate dropped (the Maharishi effect.) Furthermore, prayers and meditations for peace and healing work - the more folks doing it, the greater the community Coherence and the greater the effect. There also is a global Coherence (the "butterfly effect") and the Ancestors and yoga philosophy confirm that this energy even extends into the supernal realms as well. Joy seems to emanate as a result of the Coherence of the heart chakra not only to ourselves but all around.

"I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am a decisive element: it is my personal approach that creates the climate; it is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated and a person is humanized or dehumanized. If we treat people as they are we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming." Goethe

It all depends on the heart chakra - the planet would be so different if we acted like Goethe suggests.

Emmons designed a series of Gratitude exercises for his students and showed improvement in their: 

 Well being and spiritual focus 

 Enthusiasm, alertness and energy 

Exercise routines 

 Optimism and sleep

Determination and reaching goals,

Helpfulness toward others

Relationships 

In other words their Joy and Happiness factor

In summary it seemed as if:

You practice Gratitude you became grateful and open the heart.

There was a tendency to pay this vibration forward to others...

The Ancestors

They began to enact more random acts of kindness.

The Ancestors teach the following principles that are in alignment with Emmons.

                 

       

It is important to receive graciously even if it's not something that we want. Just a a simple thank you helps.

These last "doing for its own sake" principles are also good karma as is Joy. We will be held responsible for any pleasures from the Creator's "rivers of pleasure and good" that we did not legitimately enjoy.

Click on the link to highlight and play

11_Golden_Husks.mp3

                

JOY #5 - FORGIVENESS

The Ancestors

In these Joy blogs we have been starting below in the survival energy centers and wending our way up to the transcendent, and transformational ones above.
Rev. Nachman taught that "
joy was not incidental to our spiritual practice but vital"
but few of us on the path seek out joy seriously or we look for it in the wrong places.
Joy, once fully attained, is right at the "top"of the hierarchy of chakras because it is a combination of finding balance in all the key energy polarities that govern our chakras or the Sephirot of the Tree of Life. So we must ...

The Ancestors

Forgiveness (and Gratitude) are part of the heart chakra (Gratitude is also the throat or 5th chakra of expression.)
Joy should be a property of all that those centers we have discussed and will discuss and eventually culminate right at the top along with wisdom. 
The heart must open to Forgiveness (and gratitude - in the next blog) before we can get there.

The blog on Joy is rather about bringing all the various energy centers together  in balance as a gestalt to finding more happiness and equanimity in our lives. 

... the soul that "weighs"suffers harm. Talmud

Without Forgiveness it will be difficult to truly find the serenity we desire to go forward. Ancient wisdom has shown and now neuroscience is proving that forgiveness may be vitally important for the one doing the forgiving not just the one who is being forgiven. 
Forgiveness increases the immune system and our T cell counts. AIDS patients who forgave the person that transmitted the virus live longer  than those who have not. 
Cynicism that goes along with JUDGMENT 
- as in the T.O.L's. triad of
 - JUDGMENT - LOVE - MERCY -
decreases our T cells and immune system. Guilt, shame and lack of self-forgiveness (self-condemnation) can increase our pro-inflammatory factors leading to some auto-immune disorders, some cancers and atherosclerosis. 
Forgiveness of self and others is healthful! 

For many more reasons  than can be discussed here it should also include our loved ones who have abused us before they cross over to the other side. Forgiveness can be given once someone has passed on but it often requires special help by another skilled in this spiritual arena. The dead can hang around the living wanting to be released from their karmic sins for which they are now being held accountable. Their intrusive energies - intentionally or not - get in the way of the flow of our life force. If not forgiven by the victim, when they reincarnate, it will be back into a similar predicament that they had in the previous life. This will enable them, hopefully, to have another chance to rise above doing the harm they did previously. Forgiveness can absolve them from the calamity of having to go back rather than forward into a better reincarnation. 
There should be no skeletons or unfinished business in the family closet that are not reconciled before death. Reconciliation does not mean we have to have any ongoing relationship with the perpetrator. It's more for us than for them and its best to do this sooner rather than later, if for nothing else but Joy's sake.
In the words of the African American spiritual song;
"I'm gonna lay down my burden down by the riverside, don't wanna study war no more."
We all need to take any "albatross" requiring forgiveness, hanging around, off of our necks. 

Forgiveness also implies that we should ask for forgiveness when we have wronged. Once we have done this. whether positively accepted or not, we are able to return to our higher Selves.

The Ancestors

It is critical for us to forgive ourselves for anything we may have done and have U.S.A. - Universal Self Acceptance or an unconditional positive regard, not only for others but for ourselves.

The Ancestors

Click on the link to highlight then play concerning self judgment

20_Judgement.mp3

JOY BLOG 4

Up until now we have been focusing on our survival needs and on spiritual practice as a way of transcending Helplessness, Grief and Sorrow in order to find joy. 
Helplessness resides in the 1st "Flight or Flight" (also Feigning Death and Freezing) chakra. self esteem or what the Buddhists call self cherishing is a 3rd chakra (Ego) energy and is a recipe for misery as opposed to Self Worth or Self love or an unconditional positive regard for ourselves which is a 4th or heart chakra vibration. 

When we go above the diaphragm to the heart chakra of love we discover that there are more signals going from the heart to the brain and especially the prefrontal lobe (Spacious Mind) than those being transmitted from the brain to the heart. These impulses are biophysical (pulse waves,) neurological, biochemical (hormones) and energetic (electromagnetic) - all causing a positive or negative "vibration" within and around us. These are affects on the thousands of nadis (like acupuncture meridians) that emanate from our chakras. Also when we have joy and gratitude the heart rhythm is Coherent and this also splashes over to others around us as opposed to when it is dys-rhythmic creating non coherent impulses. Studies on gratitude show this happens with a gratitude practice that can engender well being and joy even beyond the individual. Neuroscience and FMRI studies have show an associated increase in neural activity in the Prefrontal lobe with a gratitude practice.
The Maharishi university showed that the crime rate dropped and this local "Coherence" occurred when a critical number of people meditated in an area. Similarly prayers for peace or distant healing by many are more effective that by just a few through Coherence and can possibly be even Global. When the heart chakra is open and loving we more also easily induce Coherence.
So that we could say that there are all of these variables

Personal Field & Personal Coherence which comes out of dedicated spiritual practice 

Collective, Local or Community Field Coherence

Global Field Coherence

and even Universal or Cosmic Field Coherence

AS ABOVE SO BELOW!

All of which cause us to have more

Emotional maturity and balance, 

Vibrational maturity and chakra balance.

 Neuroscience and the Heart Math organization emphasize that

Heart Coherence also causes positive thoughts and emotions and better cognition by its effects on the brain.

Incoherence or dys-rhythmia of the heart cause the opposite.

The Ancestors add the following:

Hence the affects of joy can be ubiquitous;

However;

Hence the causes and effects of joy are much more complicated and life altering than we realize.

It's no wonder that the yogis say the most difficult chakra to open is the heart chakra and the Kabbalists acknowledge that once the student has mastered the Sephira of Love he or she can teach her/himself.

It's fascinating that folks who have had heart transplants acquire some of the habits of their doners' without even know what those were. For instance they may have a craving to eat ice cream which they never had before. This is in spite of he heart no longer having any neural connections with the recipient's brain.

Above the diaphragm the energy centers also facilitate the Positive Psychology of Ryff as well as that of Seligman's and his concept of P.E.R.M.A. as well as the Hero/ine's journey. 

There are three phases to the Hero's journey; Separation when we move away from complacency to find something new about our archetype. Threshold where we enter the metaphoric forest to encounter the inner and outer dragons that are preventing us from becoming who we could be. Incorporation where we bring back the Grail or the Aha experience and change who we are or the way in which we have been doing things and living our lives. Incorporation is about giving the gift back to others.
The Warriors journey has no Incorporation phase. 

 We all can have many Hero's journeys as we advance spiritually and these can be done at every level of the chakra or Tree of Life hierarchy as can Seligman's PERMA. However, they really begin  when we go above the diaphragm and open the heart. When we are in our third ego chakra we are usually dealing with the Warrior and not the Healer archetype. The former is common, the latter rare in our society. The Warrior's journey omits Incorporation and the gift or talent is kept for individual, the family or the corporation. 

We have visited Seligman before in earlier blogs but this is the essence of the mnemonic P.E.R.M.A.

Positive emotions are a way of overcoming Helplessness and part of his Learned Optimism but they also transcend the 1st chakra energy and should pervade all our chakras.

Engagement and being in the flow of our signature strengths as well as doing it on behalf of others is part of Congruence and the Hero'/ine's journey and finding our destiny.

The Ancestors

When our relationships are for their own sake and for what we can bring to others we are in the Incorporation phase of the Hero's journey as well as the E or Engagement of Seligman when we are in the flow of our signature strengths serving something greater than ourselves. It is then that we find meaning which facilitates joy and well being..

Accomplishment is more of a 3rd chakra intention and fits with the Warrior archetype rather than the Hero which is about giving back. Seligman confirms that Accomplishment is ok but not something to be focused on unless it is for the greater good.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” C. Jung

The Hero/ines Journey and how do we get there?

Separation

And...

This first Separation phase of the journey involves taking a risk, being a fool, jumping off a metaphoric cliff away from prior limitations. We separate from the familiar and complacency and  take a heartfelt chance to find the right new door to our life path. This will create fear. There can be no courage without fear - otherwise its purely stupidity.

Theshold 

when we face the inner and outer fears of the journey and conquer them and acquire the "grail."

Joseph Campbell said that; 

"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure (or grail) that you seek."

and the Ancestors;

Incorporation

Congruence occurs when we Incorporate and are congruent with who we truly are. We have found our destiny, unique God given gift/s or our signature strength/s.

We return from our journey to give back the gift that we have acquired. Our work begins as in Seligman's Engagement when we are in the flow of our signature strengths. This is associated with Coherence and sometimes even being in the "Zone."

And the Zen saying; 

"Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water; after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water;" but in a different, now more altruistic way.

“Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity (joy).” 

 Lao Tzu

When there is effective Incorporation and

Carol Ryff's (another expert in Positive Psychology) whose principles are similar to PERMA adds 

Environmental Mastery 

and Autonomy  

The latter has a different feel to it than Seligman's

Accomplishment 

and is more of an upper chakra intention of finding one's true destiny and not being dependent on others' opinions;

"... Care about others' opinions and you will be their prisoner..."

 Tao Te Ching

She also adds the caveat that finding Joy and Well Being is really about 

living virtuously 

which is a very high chakra intention as is Joy.

These are a summary of the tools of Positive Psychology for experiencing more joy, well being and harmony in our lives.

Click to highlight and play and

Imagine Unity Consciousness, the power of meditation, Coherence and Congruence. And above all how these cause Joy in our lives.

-_MP3s/10_The_Second_Note.mp3

JOY # 3

HANDLING GRIEF & SORROW
& 
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE 

                      The Ancestors

The next step on our journey to joy 
is the absolute essential of Spiritual Practice. 
One cannot talk about Joy before dealing with Grief and Sorrow and what we can do to overcome them on the way to a happy life.

Spiritual practice can help us to ...

(The Ancestors) 

... and to increase our threshold for stress.

The only way we will be able to handle the challenges that life brings is some way of going inward. The first step is equanimity which is basic to joy. This should be our daily medicine. The centering and inner balance of spiritual practice cannot be expected to last very long. Sometimes when there is severe stress we may need to indulge even more than once a day. Centering and balancing is vital for tranquility.

If we are to negotiate our tiny boat down the river of life between the banks of Grief and Joy and some form of regular, enJOYable 
spiritual practice is essential to keep body, mind and spirit in harmony. For some of us an embodied practice can be more powerful.

 Meditation can almost be anything thats done for its own sake and not for the purpose of performing or looking good. We need to do something - optimally daily - to balance the polarities of Joy and that of Grief and the other challenges of our human existence.

We have to find the one (or more than one) that best suits us. Its no use indulging in a highly commendable Eastern meditation unless it serves our own unique selves.

The famous Kabbalist Arizal designed a practice that was uniquely suited to each of his students, with each ones special inclinations in mind.

                   

There are essentially two forms of practice - Active and Passive

Active Meditation

(and embodied) include Yoga, Thai Chi, Chi Gong, dance, music, writing, art etc ...

(all done for their own sake!) 

One might call Eastern Vipassana mindfulness meditation Active, because it involves paying attention to inner and outer stimuli to calm the mind.

 Eastern Passive Meditation

The control over the mind into a state "of a clear blue sky" has become popular in the West. 

The Ancestors draw their distinctions between the two.

The Ancestors

The Ancestors also very much endorse Active Sensory meditations and Active Imagination as a route to the Creator ...

Moreover, our guides really want to help us in life and give us the comfort that helps joy. As the Zulu's say; by allowing them to help us "we lift them up" much in the way as when we give service to others the resulting joy also lifts us up. 

Spirit guides are not localized in space and time and their help can be precognitive. They 
"hear what hearing ears do not hear, and see what hearing eyes cannot see." 
An Ancestral/SpiritGuide altar is a container or medium for gratitude and making requests to the spirit world. These requests are best made on behalf of others or - if for ourselves - on how can they best help us to assist others. Requests should be for the greater good and not about "Me." 

(there is a DVD on line you can view on my web site davidcumes.com on connecting with your guides. The part on the Altar is toward the end.)

Our guides can carry and lift us up even more if we engage and give permission - ask and you will receive - is their cosmic law. We must also ask very specifically because the other cosmic law is Free Will. You cannot ask them to help with your life - thats too broad and negates free will but rather - for instance - "should I take this job?"

In the West because of our busy lives we are in sympathetic nervous system overload which is ostensibly a chronic flight or fight response which not only leads to "dis"-ease but eventually to disease. Stress can kill. It should be balanced by some kind of relaxation response or meditation that invokes the parasympathetic nervous system to calm us down. Asana yoga performs well here and has been adapted in the West, mostly for stress busting. These techniques will enable us to experience grief differently and facilitate joy.

We need to remind ourselves continually that there can be no Joy without Sorrow, no rose without a thorn. It's all a question of how we look at the Grief, as a disaster or as a catalyst for change. We need to be alchemists and change the garbage in our lives into manure with the help of balance in our energy bodies. The Buddhists say "take your suffering and make something useful out of it."

We can, like the Phoenix, rise up from the ashes with the help of spiritual practice which can put primitive, survival monkey mind on hold.

In every crisis there is opportunity for change.

The Ancestors also urge us to

be careful of what we taste and where we immerse.

We need to minimize input of the negative that surrounds us (never to immerse in it,) while still being aware of whats happening and helping where we can.

Seek whats positive and life assuring wherever we can  and ...

Life is messy but we can still have equanimity during the storm.

Click to highlight and then play

_-_MP3s/06_Its_a_Movie.mp3