GRIEF AND SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION # 2
FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is key to helping relieve grief and sorrow. It is more important for the one that is doing the forgiving than the other, who is being forgiven. Forgiveness lightens our load, by getting rid of a subtle "heaviness," that then allows us to move on in a better way.

Forgiveness must begin with 

forgiving ourselves 

before we can forgive others. 

We also need to ask forgiveness of others whom we have wronged. 

To err, is human - to forgive, Divine

ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS

We atone when we ask for forgiveness in a measured way.  

The following steps are necessary 
before one's karmic slate is cleaned.

Recognize and discontinue the action.

Have genuine remorse for what we have done. 

Confess and ask for forgiveness -

even publicly if more than one person has been affected.

(There can also be no excuses rendered for the act or rationalizations or it cannot be received with a full heart. For those who have hurt another but sincerely feel they have done nothing wrong, they can always apologize for the hurt, which may be real for that person.)

Restitution should be made if possible.

Think of a way in which the situation could have been better handled  

And promise themselves and the Creator not to do anything similar again.

and from the karmic view point as well as one's peace of mind and soul...

Like the Prodigal, son when we "Return" we are now returning to our True or Higher Self - renewed.

GIVING FORGIVENESS

Neuroscience is coming into alignment with Ancient Wisdom on forgiveness. Forgiveness is healthful - guilt, cynicism (judgment) unhealthful. 

Guilt is a serious karmic matter after death since if we are unforgiven for our sins we will carry that karmic burden and have to rectify it in the next incarnation.

 The commandment "Honor your father and mother ..."  

(and Native Americans and sub Saharan Africans would add all the grandmothers and fathers as well) 

tells us that the onus is on us to honor our parents. If not for them we would not be on the planet - they gave us the gift of life. The commandment DOES NOT direct us to love or even like them. 

Forgiveness does not mean reconciliation is necessary.

The Ancestors 

For those requiring forgiveness and still on the planet it is relatively easy. For those on the other side shamanic or spiritual help, usually in ritual, is more effective to get the message through completely. 

I am always astonished at how many folks that come for divinations have "shades" or intrusive family spirits hanging around them, hoping for forgiveness to clean the slate, so they do not have to come back again to rectify what they did before. 

There is nothing good about being haunted by an intrusive, dysfunctional ancestor. In a sense its a bit like having their energy (dysfunction or "dis"-ease) back in the home or around us. 

They interfere with our life force and energy, even if not intentionally (much the same way as they did in life.) 

Hence all kinds of abuse should be forgiven and released not only for their sakes but more especially for the sake of the progeny because; 

"The sins of the fathers' and mothers are visited upon the children ..."

Frequently a dysfunctional spirit will reincarnate back into the family blood line and also in that sense are the sins of the fathers' and mothers' visited upon their children. Far better that they are redeemed by forgiveness before they reincarnate.

 There should be no unfinished business before death. All skeletons in the closet should be taken out and aired. Anyone should also be released from unkept promises and commitments.

For those other than our parents, or grandparents it is an internal process that is healthful and healing but entirely dependent on us. It can be profoundly unburdening. Only we can release our negative feelings though mentors and healers can inspire. 

Click on the link to highlight - then play 

_-_MP3s/05%20Crossing%20Over.mp3

GRIEF AND SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION #1

When we think of grief we usually relate it to loss of a loved one, job/house/finances or a devastating illness. However, for completeness I wanted to just make a mention of other factors causing grief and sorrow in our lives including; unfulfilled goals, and dreams, burn out and moral injustice and ...

7 Things That Will Destroy Us 

Wealth without work

Pleasure without conscience

Knowledge without character

Commerce without morality

Science without humanity

Worship without sacrifice

Politics without principle   

Mahatma Gandhi 

as well as Spiritual malaise and the Buddhas Four Rivers of Suffering -

Uncontrolled death, rebirth, sickness and aging.

These blogs will focus especially on grief related to

Remorse, Guilt, Self Condemnation and Shame 

so prevalent in our lives

Grief can be devastating and can cause the less well known

Broken Heart Syndrome 

a reversible heart condition occurring almost exclusively in women.

Stress cardiomyopathy is a weakening of the left ventricle usually as the result of severe emotional or physical stress. 

The main symptoms are chest pain and shortness of breath without evidence of coronary artery obstruction but due to a ballooning and weakening of the left ventricle. 

Recovery is usually within a month.

There is no doubt that grief is very much part of our lives and it's not what happens to us but how we deal with it that counts. When navigating our metaphoric boat down the river of life between the banks of pain and happiness we need to do our best to stay in midstream. No doubt we will bump into either side but the karmic law of impermanence  tell us that nothing lasts. We should fully en"JOY" those moments when they present but more importantly not set up camp on the bank of pain. 

"Pain is inevitable, suffering optional."

REGRET

 We say - regrets to an invitation - and may or may not mean it. A criminal may regret being caught but have no remorse about the action. 

Regret is about something concerning us rather than another and can lead to a subtle, chronic form of grief. The Ancestors warn about carrying "pebbles of regret" around with us because if they accumulate over the years and are not dealt with they can weigh us down. Not fulfilling our aspirations, dreams and visions can be a source of sorrow which comes up especially when our shelf life has expired and we are about to leave the planet. We also will be held accountable karmically for not making an attempt to fulfill our destiny related vision for ourselves.

Sometimes to empty the pebbles of regret from our pockets we have to sail away from our "safe harbor."

Remorse, Guilt, Self Condemnation and Shame demand that we have a certain amount of self awareness not seen in a psychopath or minimally in a sociopath. Refining self awareness is critical for self transformation and requires delving into the laws governing spirit rather than the laws imposed by humans.

Remorse and Guilt

occur when we feel bad about 

what we did. 

 Self Condemnation and Shame

 are when we feel about  

who we are.

REMORSE AND GUILT

Whether we do anything about it or not depends on us - whether our intention is to "clean the slate" or just forget about it and let it silently fester. Hidden unresolved guilt can cause "dis-ease" and even disease. Studies show that forgiveness enhances our immune system, whereas cynicism depresses it. Guilt increases pro-inflammatory factors which can cause some auto-immune diseases, some cancers and atherosclerosis. Letting go of guilt is tantamount to releasing an albatross hanging around our necks or in the words of the African American song

"I'm gonna lay down my burden down by the riverside, aint gonna study war no more."

Guilt can be like having a war with our soul.

A criminal may be guilty but when he present himself to the judge  claims he is not. He hopes that his lawyer will prevail on his behalf. In our society sadly it is usually about winning rather than taking responsibility. Our politicians - when the possibility of winning seems lost - know that saying sorry will help their plight. However,  like the criminal trying to get a lighter sentence, they may put on the face of  contrition but have no real remorse.

SURVIVOR GUILT

differs and can have many reasons. It is common in the armed forces where a combatant loses a friend in battle. Even if he earned a Medal of Honor for bravery he or she may still feel they could have done more to save a fellow soldier. It is a common cause of P.T.S.D.

Survivor guilt can occur heavily in those instances where a hero/ine loses his/her life on behalf of the one who survives.

Alternatively there may be guilt and more likely shame in someone who out of fear and self preservation did nothing when he realized he could have at least tried to do something.

REPENTANCE AND REDEMPTION

Redemption is a stronger term and may be best applied to release someone from self condemnation and shame which can be crippling emotional forces causing soul sickness and even soul loss. 

As we will see repentance is easier to attain.

Guilt, self condemnation and shame can put the brain in lock down mode so that activity is entirely in the more primitive survival areas and one cannot access the prefrontal lobe where our higher notions, discriminations and discernments reside. 

Guilt also paralyses the Inner Healer (which is part of the soul) and has no place in healing illness. Someone, who for religious or other reasons, does not believe they deserve to be well or the sickness is  punishment for their behavior, is not likely to get well from a serious illness.

The nocebo response - the power of belief to hurt, harm or even kill you - is the opposite of placebo. A combination of guilt, witchcraft and nocebo can be a death sentence in indigenous societies where there is a strong belief in witchcraft's power. Witchcraft like distant healing works regardless if one believes in it or not but it works more powerfully in the presence of nocebo.

 Just like distant healing has been shown to be effective in double blind trials the same rings true for its opposite - distant hexing. 

Click on the link to highlight - then play

Can't do nothing is a double negative and means we must do something. 

_-_MP3s/03_Can't_Do_Nothing.mp3

THE SHADOW 

OF THE VISIONARY ARCHETYPE 

OF THE EAST #5

In all three archetypes so far described the focus is usually around  the lower three chakras but we should expect the other three directions to also have some understanding of the power of spiritual practice to help them move out of the lower chakras  below the diaphragm, 

up to the heart 

and the energy centers beyond 

so as to arrive in the East.

The Visionary archetype can also embrace these three archetypes   but now the vibration is centered in the upper chakras. Healer, Teacher, Warrior/Leader are doing their work at a higher level. These chakras  denoted in the figure below may be represented as follows;

The 4th or heart chakra of love; the Healer Archetype which can take a myriad of forms.

The 5th chakra of creative expression; the artist, musician, writer, poet, dancer or Teacher (which can also manifest in many ways e.g. documentary movies.) 

The 6th chakra or Third Eye - our intuitive chakra; the psychic, the shaman etc.

The 7th or Crown chakra our connection with the God head, the Field and the Cosmos; the saint, the preacher, the mystic, and maybe the true "guru," et al ...

For some this energy may manifest in the Four Yoga Paths;

Devotional or Bhakti Yoga - love and devotion of the Divine.

Service or Karma Yoga - that of service to the planet and its beings - Still, Growing, Wild or Talking.

Jnana Yoga - the path of knowledge with mindfulness.

Raja Yoga - the royal path - enlightenment by control of the mind.

 We may be a mix of all these but there should be one that predominates and is the most in line with our Divine given gift, core or signature strength.

What are the warning signs that tell us we are on the right path. The Visionary should have the qualities of love, empathy, forgiveness, joy, humor and humility.

The Ancestors

The Visionary phase of the Four Directions should also be directed towards correcting karmic blemishes so that one hopefully does not need to incarnate but rather can choose to do so (as indicated by the blocked red arrow where we return to be reborn as the child of the South.) Alternatively it should strive us to inherit another life time where we can continue our spiritual path at a higher vibration.

The Ancestors 

The Shadow of the Visionary archetype that has reached the 6th & 7th chakra can still manifest the following weaknesses. 

Lacks love and compassion which is regarded more seriously now because its  in the face of a greater awareness and knowing. 

To whom much is given, much is expected.

Is acquisitive rather than non attached.

The Ancestors

Is more judgmental than forgiving.

Does not encompass his own teachings.

The Ancestors

Lacks integrity, is hypocritical and is defensive about not encompassing his teachings.

The Ancestors

His ego and Monkey Mind are slippery and elusive, sometimes resulting in abuse and so called "tough" love which is really just cruelty and harshness in disguise.

The Ancestors

Talks humility and non duality but demonstrates neither.

Claims to explain the unexplainable and to be downloading privileged information from spirit.

The Ancestors

Teachings have a hidden agenda and do not speak power to truth.

Wisdom is not to be equated with virtue or holiness.

The Ancestors

The Visionary is likely to be challenged by, and vulnerable to, tricksters who regard him or her as a reproach to their dark side.
They can be devious and their single greatest tool is in making others believe they do not exist.

Click to highlight and play 

-_MP3s/09_Like_an_Angel.mp3

FALLEN GURUS, SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM & PERPLEXED SEEKERS #5
THE WARRIOR/LEADER OF THE NORTH

This is a critical stage before the Visionary phase of the Four Directions. All four archetypes can also exist - but hopefully in a wholesome, spirit form -  in the East of the Visionary. If the Warrior "falls" to his/her shadow side while in the North, the visionary direction will also be pathological. 

The fallen "guru" or leader may have had these tendencies below from the outset and more than likely his/her childhood upbringing had something to do with it. The shadow will follow him throughout the medicine wheel and all the directions unless it's dealt with. 

Alternatively the "inclination to do good" is overcome by temptation and power which reinforce and empower the shadow or inclination to do evil that we all have. 

The Ancestors

The Adult Warrior of the North is the leader and governor of all the directions. If the chief of the "tribe" is toxic, all four directions will suffer as his/her shadow falls over the tribe. Hence we must strive to have a spirit warrior with vision in charge who can guide us with spiritual wisdom. 

The spirit warrior prepares the tribe to survive the "winter" or the bad times which is the season of the north, as is the 3rd chakra but the 3rd chakra will need to be modulated by the upper chakras. Sadly there is a paucity of spirit warriors in charge at every level today; government, business etc.

The leader who has power should also be held to the highest standard. 

"To those whom much is given, much is expected."

Power corrupts, and complete power corrupts completely!

Greed creates the need and obsession for more power.

The Shadow side of the Warrior or Leader 

may manifest as follows:

Someone who lacks respect and disempowers others.

The Ancestors teach

We are all one but not the same. 

and

If the law does not serve love do not serve the law.

and Dammapada; 

See yourself in others then whom can you hurt, what harm can you do.

Narcissism and love of self (with a small s) will negate these values. 

He talks his walk rather than the reverse,

is authoritarian, speaks about right and wrong and is self righteous rather than effective.

He does not speak truth to power.

Projection of his own wounds and his shadow

leads to judgment of others without any introspective awarenesses. 

The end justifies the means. 

Hence there is little moral compass to guide him and others behind him. Loop holes in the law are exploited and the usual mores and even laws are ignored. Authoritarianism becomes despotism. 

Any ethics guiding the law are ignored.

Those warriors working under him fall under his shadow and enable rather than risk showing up. They are often ego-self  pleasers rather than higher-Self nurturers and are happy to reap the benefits of the power and money surrounding them without conscience. They may be in denial and even argue that it is better they are there than not there, to somewhat temper the leader, yet  are still afraid to do so. Codependency is rampant.

On the other hand the principles below are being embraced by some conscious business leaders.  S/he understands that happy workers and a good work environment are actually profitable and ...

Sadly - only when it has been proved to be more financially profitable than the alternative - will things change.
Next week we will talk about the shadow side of the Visionary - the ultimate direction we are all heading toward.

Click to highlight and play

-_MP3s/06_Its_a_Movie.mp3