THE HEO/INES JOURNEY

SACRED SPACE #2

Only to the white man was nature a 'wilderness'

and only to him was it 'infested' with 'wild' animals and 'savage' people.

To us it was tame. Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with

the blessings of the Great Mystery."  

Luther Standing Bear

The Vision Quest of the Native Americans is a hero's journey

that always occurs in wilderness.

Other indigenous peoples have had their own initiations

and classically the Hero's journey was taken in wilderness

which is the preferred environment.

Many great spiritual, scriptural figures immersed in it for

40 days and 40 nights.

However, Nature can always be called upon no matter

who the hero/ine or their process may be.

 It its important to realize that the path is like a cybernetic

negative feedback mechanism. We are always going a bit wrong in order

to go right. We turn left, make a mistake and then go 'right.'

Sometimes we initially land up in the wrong place but

we learn the lesson and move forward as in;

I'm not lost, I'm just searching!

Alternatively we can look at the journey as a treasure hunt where

we listen and look for clues in a relaxed, meditative

space. The first clue my lead us to the next clue. The next

clue may seemingly lead us in the wrong direction

but if we ignore it we might not find the following crucial clue.

The process is convoluted and confusing.

"Anyone who isn't confused here

really does not understand what is going on." Unknown

 SACRED SPACE AND THE HERO

The journey requires that we undertake the task in sacred space.

This space can be found purely within our inner being or outside of us

in nature.

Sacred space can be created anywhere by going

'inward' into handling a crisis situation - taking the crap

with the motive of making it into manure. Rather than be a quest

for the extraordinary it may be prompted by a kick in the rear

such as loss of a loved one, one's job or one's health.

For instance someone who is threatened with life threatening disease

can catalyze the process using the three phases of the hero/ine's journey.

Separation - Threshold - Incorporation

by catalyzing the misfortune into a positive outcome.

If they are cured or healed they can utilize the 'grail' in being

able to help those going through similar calamities or ...

for something else where they help the planet.

Nature is a room with many doors and windows to spirit

that can help us find the middle way of the Buddha.

HARD SKILLS VS.  SOFT FASCINATIONS

By silencing speech we may hear the spirit voices of the rocks, plants 

and trees and listen to the song in the winds and rivers.

God's voice is heard with the heart in response to its yearnings.

Nature can provide all the needed polarities for change:

clear/confused, up/down, exhausted/rested, terrified/tranquil, hungry/satiated,

thirsty/quenched, dark/light, sun/moon, day/night and much more.

Most folks these days use nature as a playground for going 'Outward' rather 

than 'Inward' and practicing their

hard skills or working out. However it is within Nature's Soft Fascinations

 that we can listen to our inner voice

 or those of our guides and depending on our purity and inclination;

the 'soft, silent, still voice' of the Divine or Jesus.

The 'Soft' include; the scenes, sunsets, sunrises, moon sets and moon rises.

The mantra of the bush - a creek running by, the wind in the trees and bird songs.

The aromas and scents. The daily and seasonal changes. The longer we are out

the more profound the effect and the ability to enter a relaxed, alfa state

of consciousness where we receive insights and or instructional dreams.

The less we have between ourselves and nature the more powerful 

the wilderness effect and the possibility of deep insights.

Nature can offer all the challenges as well as

the remedies that we require. She also inspires the senses

which can assist us on the path.

"Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye...

It also includes the inner pictures of the soul." Edward Munch

The search for one's destiny is also part of the soul's quest for meaning.

The Hero/ine's journey is about finding meaning by giving back to the planet -

not only to the Talking Beings, but also according to one's preference

the Still, Growing or Wild Beings.

This differs from the Warrior's journey which fulfills the first two stages only.

The Warrior keeps the 'Grail' for his or herself - the hero gives it away. There are

countless Warriors, fewer Heros.

 

THE HERO/INE'S JOURNEY, DESTINY AND KARMA #1

(Again apologies for Google's muddling with the spacing.)

The recent blogs had to do with finding joy and happiness in life which also

is a karmic requirement.

"Joy is not incidental to one's spiritual path but vital." Rev Nachman

Karma requires not only that we have happiness in our lives but also that we

fulfill our God given destiny, purpose or mission that we have been given

by the Creator.

The other demands of Karma are to do no harm

to any of the Four Beings of Nature, subordinate ego,

and love and be able to honor the divinity in all Beings.

THE HERO/INES JOURNEY CAN HELP US FIND OUR DESTINY

Our destiny is preordained but not predestined. Free will allows choice

and so it may take us many life times to find it.

We have to manage the cards we are given

by our respective fates and the opportunities that we make of them.

Finding our true destiny is a karmic requirement but once realized

we are also required to carry it out within the laws of spirit.

There is a direct link with destiny, the search for the Self

and the Hero/ine’s quest for his/her archetype, mission or purpose.    

The Hero/ine's journey can help us find who

we really are or at least assist us in discovering our core strength/s.

There may be more than just one Hero's journey.

The first one or ones that we take

may be the most impactful and lead the way. We can also look

at our prior warriors' journeys

to see if there was an 'Aha' that was ignored or forgotten.

We still have the potentialto turn this or these into a hero's journey.

We are all totally unique and each of us has a special role in helping the planet.

The Creator want to co-create with us. There are things that

S/He requires us to manifest which the Supreme Being cannot.

Kabbalah looks to the metaphor

of the creation of bread. God gives us the potential ingredients

but we then have to make the bread. Yeast - another representation

of divine power makes the bread 'Rise'

as we do when we rise into our destiny and help the planet. 

Our calamities and crises can also be opportunities for growth depending on

how we look at them and what we do with them.

We have to find our own way and merely following a path

fashioned by others will mitigate against our karma.

“It must be a poor life that achieves freedom from fear.” Aldo Leopold

Fear implies a threat that can cause distress or a flight or fight reaction -

or even eustress - good stress. In the latter the stress actually is enjoyable.

Some folks strive on stress.

Those who have further to go will gain more as long as the fear is not overwhelming

and debilitating.

The mission of the armed forces is one on cultivating efficient warriors

who can and may become heroes. The military manipulate stress and fear in their training 

by; increasing the complexity of risk, decreasing the time to complete the task

and not informing of what to expect. 

The causes of fear can be described as; loss to life or limb,

organ or function, the deep, the dark, the steep, superstitious and religious,

and the unknown.

The most critical of all is social fear from threats to the ego. 

Shame can be totally debilitating.

Those on a Hero's journey, however, will face meaningful fear

- not fear just for the sake of fear itself. 

There is no manipulation it arises of its own accord.

There can be no growth without conflict.

Fear is always part of all three phases of the journey.

Courage is to have fear but do it anyway.

“Accept surprises that upset your plans, shatter your dreams,

give a completely different turn to your day

and who knows, your life.

Leave the Father free to weave the pattern of your days.”

Dom Helder Camara

 

“If we are willing to open up to it then it is just the unknown,

the unplanned, the unexpected, the unfamiliar which can best teach us.

In the tiny prefix “un” which so often spells trouble,

lies the potential for change, for the new, for the hitherto

unconsidered, unimagined, unrealized.”  R. Hinshaw

It's not easy to find one's destiny - very few of us are congruent

with who we truly are.

There are so many temptations and enticements to distract us.

MUSIC - IMAGINATION - THE SENSES # 9

Music is the 'mathematics' of the Divine.

“I am enough of the artist to draw freely upon my imagination.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” 

Albert Einstein

Einstein wanted to understand the mind of God.

He claimed that fantasy and imagination were more important

to him than his cognitive abilities.

You never change things by fighting the existing reality.

To change something build a new model that makes the existing

model obsolete." Buckminster Fuller

Imagination propelled by the senses, especially with music, is one way to do this.

What cannot be imagined cannot be fulfilled.

Imagination, which can be a form of active meditation, can allow us to

leap into infinity, light and spaciousness rather than descend into

narrowness and darkness.

Negative and judgmental thoughts imprint on the subconscious and

will return to us and negatively impacting our progress.

No matter what we think we manifest with our conscious minds

what usually manifests is what resides in our subconscious. The subconscious is

like a recording device continually taking in all that we think,

what we say and what is said to us.

 The subconscious, the seat of emotion, can be changed with an active,

sensory imagination driven by music especially around sleep or if we are

in a meditative space when the conscious mind is on hold.

This is when the subconscious is the most permeable

and ego and monkey mind less tenacious.

THE PROCESS FOR ACTUALIZATION

 Around the Time of Sleep or in a Meditative State, 

with carefully selected music we can enter a Field" of infinite possibility. 

We can imagine anything and play in the Field of our imagination.

We can also hold imaginary conversations

with someone we love or a spirit guide (or angels, or Jesus or God.)

There is no time in the Field and Free Will is the cosmic law.

Because of free will we must ask to receive.

Our spirit helpers live in a non space-time reality.

Therefore we should not expect immediate results.

These are the steps using the right kind of music for you to go inward.

INTENTION

Put your Intention out into the Field.

Will and Passion are important !

ATTENTION

Attend to the details (this occurs in the imagination.)

We need to tell the powers residing

in the Field the context of our imagination. They will handle the details in line with

our and or the greater good of others.

This is why often the way things turn out may not match exactly what we had intended.

(The Field also has its dark side which ignores the divine law of free will.

The dark forces are happy to oblige those with selfish intentions harmful to others so that

we must be careful what we ask for and who we align with.)

Release completely from any Attachment to Outcome.

Attachment has a 'stickiness' which works negatively in the Field and with the subconscious.

This attention should preferably not be about "me" but the greater good.

If it is about oneself it should also be so that one can better assist the greater good.

This will have more gravitas with the light forces in the Field.

ACTION

We have to do our part as in,

"Trust in God but tie your camel." Sufi wisdom

AFFIRM, MAINTAIN, SUSTAIN. 

Everything beyond the veil is in the moment.

Free will is in the moment. Your guides live in the present moment.

They want to know that what you want now, you will continue to want later.

How committed are you? This is why will and passion are so important.

We can also turn our request into a mantra to affirm our

intention outside of this imaginative, meditative state.

FEEL IT

We need to try and feel it in our bodies.

Hence music or anything around sleep or in meditation which enhances

the senses will be more powerful.

The way to God is through the senses.

BELIEVE IT

Its easier to believe in the process if its not about oneself. You are surrendering to

something much bigger than oneself. Self-help proponents use the same process

but with an emphasis on the small s rather than the higher Self. As in ...

'Imagine yourself in your new Porsche driving down the road, sense the power,

feel the magic of changes gears etc. This also can work but if you

are reading this blog your proclivity may make it difficult for you to

truly believe in the material aspect of this request.

Those who truly believe in them selves (small s) and

supreme optimistic narcissists can be successful too. We see this in

those who are in various positions of power.

Their actions at best will be karmically neutral.

These are also often assisted by the dark side of the Field.

Belief is essential for it to work.

Too much attachment may imply that we do not trust or believe fully.

Attachment by working through the Law of Reversed Effort (Coue')

can also negatively impact our subconscious which is critical to the process.

Be courageous. Remember that aside from the subconscious, and our guides,

the Creator, Jesus want a personal relationship with us and can participate

but not instigate. Its up to us.

"The universe will reward you for taking risks on its behalf."

Shakti Gawain