Ascension Revisited

Ascension Revisited

My well-ordered world shifted in late 2005 after the death of my mother.  At the time, I couldn't explain what was welling up from inside but sensed my life was about to dramatically change.  It did.  A stellar job, a long term relationship, life-long friends, and a lifestyle that left me wanting for nothing, ended. 

Suddenly unencumbered,  I relocated to Sarasota Florida, moved into an empty house with my "desert island" books, some CD's and a few folding chairs.  In the uncluttered serenity of the house I spent hours in meditation trusting in the unseen and unknowable.  Within a very short time, new friends appeared who had similar interests in spiritual topics.  (You know who you are!)  They felt more familiar than people I'd known all my life.   

That move and those friends set a spiral in motion that allowed me to know Ascension not from what I'd read in books but as an experience.   I learned Ascension was about rising up out of the old to something much more beautiful, like a butterfly emerging from the caterpillar state. 

It's been five years since that move.  My personal changes were evident in 2005, but in retrospect the energies of Ascension moved me into completely new spiritual directions.  I still had the old skills that had served me well, but now I was using them differently.  Instead of organizing business projects like I did in my old life, I was now organizing spiritual events and ceremonies.  Instead of training new managers I was now teaching others how to use meditation and dreams to find their life purpose.  Instead of climbing the corporate ladder with an executive mentor, I was now on a level path with a spiritual master.  I discovered that I could live cheaper and on much less by getting rid of clutter and things I no longer needed.  I found I didn't have to be a consumer to be happy, instead joy was found through simple things like the magic of scent, sound and color in my small garden.  Most importantly, I learned that my beliefs, thoughts and actions affected not only my small circle of influence, but also had consequences in the unseen world.

 

Ancient texts and modern oracles said that in this time called Ascension the earth and humanity would move from the 3^rd dimension to the 4^th.  Today, it certainly feels like we're living in two worlds.  Part of humanity continues to squarely inhabit the 3^rd while the other is gently sliding into the 4^th.  While the 3D world continues to be stable and solid, has laws governing it, and functions in old familiar ways, it is visibly changing.  Physically, the oceans are warming, ice caps are melting, and food sources are drying up.  Mentally there's angst, fear and uncertainty about the future.  Emotionally, wars continue to be fought at a personal and tribal level.  On the spiritual level religion is being questioned as individuals struggle to understand its long held role amid their personal search for truth.

On the 3^rd Dimensional level, we continue to react to old problems with stagnant ideas.  Fear and anxiety govern most actions.  When changes do happen, most feel powerless to do anything about them.  In that dimension it's hard to hope for better solutions or to experience a better life. 

In the 4^th Dimensional level ease predominates.  In that dimension, form is shaped by thought, time is instantaneous, and consciousness alters both the third and fourth dimensions.  On the physical level disease is managed energetically or is non-existent.  On the mental level the nature of the soul is explored.  On the emotional level high ideals drive behavior.  Finally, on the spiritual level the goal is experiencing enlightenment.  Those in fourth dimensional consciousness know they are part of a mystical journey that will birth a lighter and more refined state of human. 

So where are we collectively on Ascension?  We're in the initiation phase.  But how we move through it is up to each individual.  If you're reading these articles on Ascension, you're probably aware of some of these changes.  Thirty years ago very few people would have seen the articles much less known about the topic.  Today thousands of articles and websites like it are widely read online.  The entire world has become wirelessly connected by keystrokes or through the latest images on nightly news. 

If you Google "Ascension of Earth" 4.8 million references appear.  A search on "Spirituality" generates 32.5M results while a search on "Life Purpose" yields 92.7 million references.  If you type the word "God" on the Google reference line 427 million hits occur.  All of these "hits" tell a story, provide information, or share obscure or arcane knowledge on spiritual topics.  If you spend focused time online, in meditation, or in intensely creative endeavors, you'll find yourself existing between the alpha and theta brain-wave stage where you'll often lose track of time, space, or even your physical needs.  These activities take you out of the 3^rd dimension and into the 4^th where a fluid world, filled with new concepts, inspiring ideals and endless possibilities exist.

But in 4^th Dimensional consciousness, there's a noticeable change.  What we think about the universe and our relation to it is much more heart-centered.  We're able to feel compassion for the global family that is desperately trying to erase feelings of lack, separation, and fear.  More than that, we are actively engaged in a solution, and committed to making the world a better place.  Through effortless efforts our thoughts, our behaviors, and our beliefs are focused on that goal!

During this time of Ascension, more and more people are searching for and finding spiritual ideals, teachers, masters or practices to guide them.  They've heard the real call of their life's purpose and are acting upon it.  No longer slaves to the rational world, they now work with complementary "Soul Groups" offering self-less service and loving healing to others.  They know they do not have to be physically present to affect change.  They only have to be present in consciousness. 

These are the initiates of Ascension whose thoughts and behavior, flowing freely through the 4^th dimension, entrains others who are on the same wave-length.  In this quantum field filled with hope and love, global consciousness is collectively uplifted.  Ascension means courageously living from the heart center, and compassionately caring about the plight of our fellow humans. In that dimensional place, a new world built on love and harmony evolves and together we all ascend.

Jo - December 2010

Connecting the Inca Maya & Pueblo Peoples

While traveling in Peru in February the stories of the Incas, their predecessors, and the exploration of the architectural ruins felt very familiar. Allowing the experiences in South America to simmer for a few months, a strong interest in the Southwestern U.S. began to emerge from unexpected sources which showed a possible connection between the cultures. So, for about six weeks, my partner and I researched the southwest. We learned about the migration of Asian tribes across the Bering landmass, about the cliff dwellers, the petroglyphs, the geology, and the geography of the area.

Plans for a trip to New Mexico to see the connection first-hand were sealed when, waking from a dream one morning, I clearly heard a voice say, "Go to the Anasazi." With little more than trust in the next unfolding journey, we went to see the Anasazi of the dream. We had a strong sense that the stories, legends and oral histories of the indigenous people of Peru or the Maya might unfold and connect with those who lived in the American southwest. And so, in early June we visited the dwellings, ceremonial sites and the Pueblos of the ancient people who lived in New Mexico and southern Colorado.

The Geography

Arriving in Albuquerque to begin the trek north by car, the similarities in terrain and culture was immediate. The brown, dusty, landscape of the high, arid, desert mountains sitting alongside small plots of green plants was identical to that of Peru. The facial rock-formations that were prolific in the mountains of Peru were equally noticeable in the American southwest. The "spirit faces" in both lands are formed naturally by wind and the occasional water that floods the mountains in spring. The people of Peru call the faces in the mountains, Apus or spirits. They're looked upon as "guardians" of the ruins or sacred areas. The American southwest has its own myriad of faces appearing around every turn of the road. They too "guard" many of the ruins or oversee the mountains and canyons.


The Symbols

Oral history indicates the cultures worshipped nature, mother earth, the sun and the sky beings. There were symbols prominent in both cultures related to the sun. One symbol, similar in appearance, was sacred in both the Peruvian and Pueblo cultures,as it appeared in many sacred sites. The Inca chakana is a 3-stepped symbol in the shape of a cross representing the upper, middle and lower worlds. Like the Incas who revered Inti, the sun, in the Pueblo culture, the sun was revered as the giver of life. Their symbol for the sun is the Zia, a design remarkably similar to the chakana showing stepped rays of light emerging from a red circle. The symbol is found along with spirals throughout the walls of the ruins. The symbol of the Zia is still used in many settings. The state of New Mexico features it in the center of today's modern auto tags and its at the center of the state flag.

Effects of the Spanish Invasion

The Maya, Inca and Pueblo countries bear the scars of the invasion of the Spanish conquistadors about 500 years ago. Spanish continues to be the prevailing language though the indigenous tribes still use their original language. In Peru the tribal people speak Quechua or Ayamara while in the southwest the language of the original people is Tewa or a derivative of it. In the Pueblos Tewa is still taught in the native schools. The Catholic religion's dominance over the indigenous people was evident in the many churches left behind by the Jesuits. Cathedrals abound in both the Maya and Peruvian lands. However, in the American southwest, there were many more small missions or shrines to the Lady of Guadalupe, Mother Mary, or Saint Michael. Readers of past Spirit of Maat articles might remember that it was a powerful experience with Archangel Michael that guided us to Peru on the initial trip.

The Structures

Aside from the language, the colors of the land and the high mountain desert conditions, the dwellings and ruins of the ancient people proved to be the most intriguing. There was a similarity and a familiarity in how the buildings were constructed, especially the adobe structures. While the ancient stones creations of pre-Inca Peru were immense in size, those of the southwestern Pueblo people were intricate architectural structures built on a large, complex scale. Given the altitude and sheer rock faces of the mountains that they were built on, the stone-masons had mastered the art of geometry and construction.

The Inca, Maya and the Pueblo people lived and worked with respect for mother earth, the cycles of nature, and especially with spirit at the center of their lives. In Peru, the high round towers of Silustani had their compliment in the large round Kivas of the southwest. Peruvian guides told us that the Silustani towers were "burial places" while shamans claimed they were "observatories to the space brothers." While in a state of meditation, experienced on the high plateaus of Peru away from the ever-present 'tour group" I was told that these tall towers were actually "sound chambers." The towers, which were arranged in a semi-circle, had an energetic frequency alignment between each one, forming an invisible grid-pattern across the flat mesa. (photo left NM - photo above right: Peru)

While in that meditation, we were guided to conduct a sound experiment. We found that when the massive stones at the base of the circular towers were struck with another stone a deep tone could be heard. The sound reverberated from inside the small entrance hole at the base of each structure, and a low vibration could be felt. Each large stone had a different sound. So if these were in fact observatories to the space brothers, sound and vibration were probably used as a form of communication. But it wasn't until we arrived in New Mexico that we learned of a "sound connection" with the Pueblo people.

In the dwelling places of the Southwestern Pueblos large kivas were centrally built by the ancient cliff people. These kivas were large, intricately designed, round, ceremonial chambers with strategically placed openings. There were two rectangular openings into the "under world" built at the bottom of each kiva. One of the ceremonial practices performed by the Pueblo priests was the pounding of large drums which were set over the openings to the underworld on the floor of the kiva. The sound of the drums was amplified within the round chamber, and was said to be heard throughout the village echoing across the canyons. (photo above: Kiva NM)

In fact, before learning that the kivas were used as sound chambers, we climbed Bandelier's 140' high cliff dwellings with two other women, one from Switzerland and one from New Zealand. After reaching the summit, high above the trees, we then climbed ten feet down into the kiva. We positioned ourselves at directional points forming a square within the circular enclosure. Together, we began to chant the OM sound and to tone. We were later told by those outside the Kiva that the echoing sound could be heard reverberating around the walls and a vibration felt across the rock cliffs. (photo left: Bandelier Kiva)

Astronomy & Archaeology

The Maya and Inca aligned many of their temples and structures astronomically with the stars or the cycles of the sun and moon. In the southwest, we discovered that the entire tribe gathered for rituals or celebrations in the large kiva. The smaller kivas built near family quarters were used for more personal family ceremonies. But outside the main dwelling areas of the tribe, kivas were also built and these were aligned along a north-south or east-west line. Scientific researchers showed these kivas were solar and lunar observation towers marking the seasons, the years, and the cycles of nature in this agrarian society. The alignments also indicated that the structures were built along energetic Ley lines, much the same as they were in Peru where a series of temples between Lake Titicaca and the sacred valley were positioned along a "Grand Ley Line." It became obvious that the Mayans, Incas and their predecessors were not the only cultures observing or recording the stars, the sun, and the moon's cycles. (photo right: White Sands half moon)

There is also a relationship between the structures and cultures of Central, South America and the American southwest. Some of the ruins in New Mexico had "facial" protrusions out of the rock walls much like the protruding faces at the ancient site of Tiwanaku in Bolivia. While not as detailed in New Mexico, they were similar in nature and structure. Also, the openings of windows or doorways, in the shape of a large square opening over a narrower rectangular one, were identical in design to the portals in the ruins of Peru, specifically that of Aramu Muru and those of Tiwanaku. But more evidence of a direct relationship between the Pueblo, the Maya and the Peruvian Amazon was forthcoming as we continued our trek northward through the mis-named "Aztec" ruins, Chaco Canyon, the active and continually inhabited Taos Pueblo, and Mesa Verde. (Photo Left Window Door Shapes NM - Photo Right - Tiwanaku)

Chaco Canyon & Machu Picchu

Chaco Canyon was the most important hub of all the ancient Pueblo people, lying at the center of a 25,000 square mile area. It was here at this crossroads that all the people of the north, central and south Americas would gather for seasonal ceremonies and to annually trade with one another. This site, like Machu Picchu in Peru, was an archaeological and astronomical wonder as well as the center of trade, commerce, and culture for the entire region. While much of it is in ruins, the site, like Machu Picchu, was immense in size and in its significance to the people of the area. It was a monumental semi-circular center revealing the masonry scope and skills of the builders. It was at the center of more than 400 miles of extensive prehistoric roadways connecting Chaco to the outlying communities and tribes across the area. Sitting for hours and watching the sun move across the face of the canyon walls, the ancient petroglyphs in Chaco Canyon resembled street signs, welcoming visitors, identifying homes, or pointing in the direction of good elk or deer hunting. (Photo Chaco Canyon)

Oral Traditions & Astro-Archaeology

While visiting three different locations in northern New Mexico, the oral stories of three different people tied the circumstantial evidence together in a very synchronistic way. The Taos Pueblo is an active site where Taos descendants continue to live in adobe houses much the same as their ancestors did. These adobe structures are similar in design to the Peruvian adobe huts in villages all across the high plateau. Neither the Taos Pueblo nor the Peruvian adobe huts had running water or electricity; instead they drew water from a creek, river or lake.

Standing in 102 degree heat on a dusty dirt street of the Taos Pueblo, we sought relief from the elements by entering an adobe hut with its door ajar. Instead of a traditional shop selling souvenirs to visitors, this one was sparse. Hanging on one wall were ten feathered fans, and on the opposing wall, three enormous ceremonial drums, the largest about five feet in diameter, and all in various states of creation. A man's voice behind us identified the feathered healing fans on the wall that we were staring at. His name was Vernon, the tribe's Medicine Man. He told us he'd been trained since boyhood by his grandfather, the previous Medicine Man, to make the feathered fans that were to be used for healings or in ceremonies. The feathers had to be respectfully gathered from birds, and had to be smoked with white sage, blessed and healing intentions placed into the fans. Each fan took about three to four years to be completed. (Photo Taos Pueblo)

We spent a serendipitous afternoon with Vernon, learning about his upbringing, his culture and his healing craft. He showed us the healing fan made for him at his birth by his grandfather who "knew he was going to be born." Then he showed us an elegant ceremonial fan of white feathers with a brilliant orange Macaw feather that he'd made for his daughter's wedding.

It was then we learned the story of the Macaws of Central and South America and how they'd made their way into the Pueblo cultures. Vernon shared the stories of his grand-father's great-grandfather. He said in the ancient days the Mayan people often came to the region to trade with the northern people, bringing with them their customs, sacred objects, traditions, and ways of building. They also brought Macaws which were prized for their brilliant feathers. As it turned out, this was the first of several times the stories of the Mayans and the Macaws would be shared on this trip. He told us that the Pueblo War Chief and Council had agreed to send four warriors from the Taos Pueblo back to the Mayan lands with the Mayan traders, insuring safe passage and continued trade between the people of the south and the north. He said the people of the north walked all the way through Central America into South America and the people of those regions were also visitors to the north. (Photo Macaw Petroglyph)

Another synchronous meeting occurred at the "Aztec Ruins" that confirmed not only Vernon's story, but shed light on the Mayan astronomical observances. We met a park ranger whose life passion was astro-archaeology, the study of the relationship between megalithic sites and the sun, moon and stars. Marti showed us old photos of the archaeological dig at the ruins that unearthed not only Macaw feathers but the mummified remains of intact Macaw birds. She told us Macaws had been found in many of the archaeological digs giving evidence that the people of central and South America had traveled and traded widely in the area.

Solstices & Equinoxes

We spent an undisturbed afternoon with Marti who took us on a tour of the ruins. She told us how doctoral students had discovered that the windows of the great kiva had been set into the stones and aligned with the sun's passages of the equinoxes and solstices. More importantly, the researchers found that the placement of the windows in the kiva was aligned with the less well-known 18-year lunar cycle - a cycle showing the highest northern arc and lowest southern arc of the full moon every 18.6 years.

Marti said all of the Great Kivas were designed as solar and lunar observatories, perhaps learned from the Mayans. She indicated which windows corresponded to the two equinoxes and solstices during the solar year. Unbeknownst to us, earlier in the day we had been sitting in meditation inside the kiva at the exact spot that the sun would illuminate a beam of light across the chamber on the summer solstice of June 21st. (Photo Aztec Ruins Solstice Alignment - notice the Orbs)

A Navajo Future

Our last meeting was with a Navajo woman named Arna Billie Yazi, the daughter of a tribal elder who had come to Chaco canyon on that day for inspiration. She knew a little of the ancient people but felt she should learn more about the past so she could teach the young people of her tribe about hope in the future. She said there was much despair among the young Navajo with twelve suicides since the first of the year. Arna wanted to see how pride in the old cultures and ways might stimulate the young people to a better understanding of the future. We talked of Peru and Machu Picchu and how that country had created jobs, hope and opportunities for their people as they uncovered the glories of the ancient stories. We talked for over an hour. After a long pause in the conversation, Arna said, "If they can do that in Peru, why not here?" Indeed, Arna! (Photo Machu Picchu)

The Union of All People

We traveled the Pueblo lands for most of the month of June. We climbed hot, dry mountains to experience the massive stone buildings. We saw the strong similarities between ancient cultures, spiritual beliefs, the people, their homes and the land. We meditated, prayed and reflected in the ruins. We chanted with two like-minded souls from far away countries in a kiva high above the towering tree-tops. We met descendants of the ancient people who warmly shared their knowledge of the past and sang of their hopes for the future. We witnessed that all people are related, if not by DNA then surely by circumstance. We affirmed that in this connection, we are not alone nor have we ever been. We may be separated by geography or by oceans, but in the place where we open our homes and our hearts to strangers or to travelers, we are united. We truly are threads in the fabric of life, weaving an unfolding story of the unity of all people, as one single family. From the ancient peoples of Peru, the Mayan lands and the Pueblo to the people of the new earth, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!

Jo - July 2010

Mother Earth Speaks!

Mother Earth Speaks!

Mother Earth always gives signs to humans, but this year her voice has been

Iceland Volcano

much louder than normal. It's as though she's finally fed up with the abuses heaped upon her by human ignorance and greed and has decided to get our attention in much more powerful ways. Since January, seventeen major earthquakes measuring at least 7.0 have occurred around the planet - the most devastating in Haiti, Chile, China and Samoa. Worldwide, flooding has taken a toll on every continent and volcanoes are actively erupting in Iceland, Russia, Ecuador, Chile and Guatemala.

Before his death in 1945, psychic and "sleeping prophet" Edgar Cayce predicted significant earthquake activity in Iceland and on Mounts Vesuvius and Pelee. As of this writing, the Icelandic volcano continues to disrupt air travel all across Europe and now the Americas, and to impact the delivery of salmon from Norway to the rest of the world. In a reading in 1934 Cayce said "There will be upheavals in the Arctic

Edgar Cayce

and in the Antarctic that will make for the eruption of volcanoes." Could the melting glaciers be contributing to these "upheavals"?

Cayce continued, "The earth will be broken up in many places - South America will be shaken from its uppermost portion to its end." "If there are greater activities in the volcanoes on Iceland, Vesuvius or Pelee, then the southern coast of California and the areas between Salt Lake and the southern portions of Nevada, may expect within the three months following, inundation by the earthquakes - more so in the Southern than the Northern Hemisphere." Following the eruption in Iceland, there was an earthquake near San Diego, and major flooding not only in Chile and Peru but also in the south central parts of the United States, in Europe, in Australia and in China.

He said that those people being born in this period of time (late 20th into 21st century) are purposely returning to the geographic areas of earth where they

Mayan Pyramid

previously lived or migrated to after the destruction of Atlantis. Some went to Peru or "west to what was called Yucatan or Mayan Land." These individuals have returned to incarnation to rectify the effects of their atomic, laser and technological inventions which contributed to the destruction of the world tens of thousands of years ago. They have settled in the same regions of the earth because they intuitively knew where their behavior had previously caused such great devastation and how they could use gentler ways to live in harmony with the earth. It is significant that the Mayan prophecies and messages from the Mayan elders have much greater visibility around the world with 2012 looming.

In another reading, Cayce told an individual that he was in Atlantis in the "second period of disturbance, or 28,000 years ago." He said the individual and his companions "left Atlantis to build up the Peruvian lands because the Atlanteans were

PumaPunku Temple

becoming decadent" as disputes between the "children of the Law of One and the children of Belial (evil) continued." This reading clearly supports the theories of archaeologists who said the precise creation of the ancient stone walls at Tiwanaku and Aramu Muru were done by ancients who had highly developed technological capabilities. Some archaeologists have called Pumapunku, home of the largest stones of Tiwanaku, the "most important ancient site on earth - even greater than the Great Pyramid of Egypt." Archaeologists who have studied these highly polished diorite monuments date them to around 20,000 BC but said they are probably much older than that.

As modern day governments and politicians bicker over fossil fuel and energy policies, the dialogue often turns to the pros and cons of nuclear energy. The fears are that nuclear energy is not safe or can be used as weapons. The stories in the

Mahabharata Story

Hindu Mahabharata indicate atomic weapons may have been used on earth tens of thousands of years ago. This ancient Hindu "bible" reports that the world was destroyed by a nuclear war in the region between India and Pakistan when a "terrible weapon was launched." Even though Krishna deflects the missile it manages to "turn the sun around. The universe is scorched with heat as elephants and other creatures of the land, scorched by the energy of the weapon, ran in fright, breathing heavily and desirous of protection against that terrible force..." It continues, "A thick gloom suddenly shrouded the host. All points of the compass were enveloped by darkness. Inauspicious winds began to blow." Oppenheimer, who was creator of the atomic bomb and head of the Manhattan Project, believed that nuclear weapons were used in ancient India based on the description given in the Mahabharata.

So what does all this mean to each of us? It means that while there are ancient documents and prophecies that tell the stories of the planets cataclysms, the earth has managed to survive. It also means that the predictions of the ancient Maya and Hopi who looked to the stars to predict greater cosmic changes, or the more recent earth-change predictions of Edgar Cayce cannot be ignored. This is especially notable as the Hopi describe the destruction of the first, second, third and fourth worlds because "the people forgot their Creator."

Yet, while all the prophecies spoke of times of great trial, tribulation and destruction, they also offered signs of hope. These trials offer us an opportunity to do things in a different way and to consider alternatives instead of repeating the mistakes of the

Meditation in fourth dimensional consciousness

past. Cayce said the earth changes would herald a new consciousness on earth. He said it would be a time when we would learn to "treat thy neighbor as thyself" and to know "all nations are of one blood" and that "those who are to be the greater are to be the servants of all." He said that the "Children of the Law of One" did group meditations, prayer or focused concentration together which promoted deeper knowledge and understanding that resulted in them "entering into a fourth dimensional consciousness - where they could use Universal Forces that were guided and directed" by the angelic realm.

The "Children of the Sun" or "Children of the Law of One" who he said would return to rectify the sins of the past do so now as "servants of all." When dire events happen on the planet, there is an immediate response from them. The ongoing Gulf

Ceremony Gulf Oil Spill

Oil spill is a perfect example of this. Responses to the initial reports of the spill focused on blame, fear, and greed. As the oil continued to flow from the bottom of the ocean its real impact slowly became more evident. There was a growing awareness that the entire food chain in the gulf could be affected along with the livelihoods of fishermen and the tourist industry.

With hurricane season approaching and the potential of the oil moving into the Gulfstream, it was clear this was not just a Gulf problem, but one in which the entire world could be affected. While engineers, technicians, government officials and volunteers sprang into action to stem the oil and protect the wildlife, so too did those who "use and guide Universal Forces of the fourth dimensional consciousness."

Situations like this unfold continuously around the world under the watchful eyes of a coalition of "mindfulness organizations." In their vigilance, they see the potential

Patricia - Crystal Bowls

for bringing people together to solve the problems through heart-centered activities. The Global Consciousness Initiative asked its worldwide membership to go into their heart centers and to visualize the Gulf region, the land and the sea, as vibrant and thriving and to feel as if the highest and best outcome for all had already taken place.

In synchronous time, when that directive was set in place by GCI, local leaders of the spiritual community in southwestern Florida were already in action. The community immediately responded to a call to meet on the famous white crystal sands of Siesta Key Beach. In less than thirty-six hours and with minimal notification, fifty people joined the sunset gathering. Many who felt paralyzed with anxiety over the oil spill, or fearful of what would happen to the Gulf, responded quickly to being in service.

Norman plays didgeridoo

With the tones of the crown chakra and third eye chakra crystal bowls as backdrop, Rose Lettiere led a guided meditation to visualize and anchor an ethereal barrier reef around the spewing oil. With the group joining in heart coherence with the Global Consciousness members, the barrier reef was constructed from fourth dimensional consciousness. Through the grace of the angelic realms and the focused intentions of the group, it was asked that the ethereal reef remain in place until the physical barrier is safely erected.

As we witness the prophecies unfolding, we know there are always greater solutions that can be brought forward by the "Children of the Sun." We no longer have to remain in fear or anguish. We can proactively move to the heart center and create the solutions we wish to see. Especially as each of us must own the blame as well as create the solutions for what happens on the planet. And so we did in southwest Florida and around the world.

Balinese Ceremony

On the other side of the earth a Balinese group responded to the Gulf oil spill in tandem with us. A man named Nuadi came forward. Nuadi has few earthly possessions, has never gone more than five kilometers from his home and lives a life in service to others. He offered this prayerful benediction for all of humanity. His simple wisdom is shared here with all who might reflect on their own role in earth's disasters.

We are here to learn how to live.
When things we do not like are in our life
We can't get angry or push them away.
We have to bring them into us.

As Nuadi said the last line of his prayer, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the bad thing pulling it into his heart with a giant smile.

May we all wrap our arms around the bad things and smile from the heart!

Jo - June 1, 2010

Tibetan Monks - White Tara Sand Mandala

Tibetan Monks White Tara Sand Mandala

Gala Rinpoche with colored sands

If you didn't see the White Tara Sand Mandala painted by the monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery you missed a spectacular event. As part of the program called The Mystical Arts of Tibet, five monks spent a week painting a four-foot sand mandala in the Grand Foyer of the Van Wezel. In all the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, painting with colored sand ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite.

I had the opportunity to spend five easy afternoons with the head of the monastery, Gala Rinpoche, talking about mandalas, meditation, Buddhism, illusion and impermanence. He explained that the monks go through three years of rigorous training to learn this art. It

Day 2

includes meditation, geometry, breath control and a final initiation. In the shadow of a shrine to his Holiness the Dalai Lama, Gala Rinpoche explained that the monks had dedicated their meditations and intentions to White Tara who was in the center of the Mandala. Rinpoche explained how all emanations of the Goddess of Compassion (Red Tara, White Tara, etc.) emerged from the central Green Tara.

The monks spent the week meticulously creating the sand mandala from marble "dust" which had been colored using only vegetable and fruit dyes. In more ancient times, the sand was pulverized precious and semi-precious stones with lapis lazuli used for blue, amethyst for purple, rubies for red and emeralds for green. The

Community Mandala

mandala is delicately created grain by grain to generate the healing energies of the Goddess of Compassion upon all sentient beings.

Visitors had the opportunity to try their hand at the art of sand painting in a community mandala. It was not as easy as it looked. Several students from Ringling School of Art began the mandala with a floral pattern in the center before others joined in.

The Sand Mandala is a representation of the aspects of illusion and impermanence.

Urn - Deconstructed Mandala

was deconstructed at the end of the week. The deconstruction signified the impermanence of all existence. The sands were swept up in a sacred ceremony and placed in a bronze urn covered with silken altar cloths. It was then poured into the bay where the waters of the Gulf would carry the healing energies throughout the world.
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Jo - April 5, 2010

The Real Journey - April 2010

Remembering the Real Journey

Our real trip to Peru began after returning home. All who went share that they are ungrounded and experiencing feelings of "not being here nor there." Many say they've withdrawn from groups, activities, events or socializing so they can find their focus. Others feel a relocation is in the offing, though there's no clear direction on that yet, nor does it matter to where.

Journaling and quiet reflection have been a big help in trying to understand what transpired during those three weeks in South America. In the thin atmosphere of 13,000 feet, where you're closer to the sun than ever before, I was conscious that something was happening, but not what it was. Yes there were connections with the ancient ancestors through the stones and the ruined temples. The spirits were always present around us and visible in every rock formation and mountain. But there was something bigger transpiring behind what was being presented.

Looking back, one event continues to hold a powerful resonance. It turned out to be the most memorable experience for me, no matter how many ruins, stones, monuments or sacred sites we visited. It was an unplanned happening that was immense in scope, though an insignificant part of the overall tour. It was an experience that would become the point from which would springboard a new journey back home.

One night, nineteen of us were on a small bus coming out of the Sacred Valley. Leaving the small town of Urubamba, the bus had to make a slow climb over the top of a 13,500 foot mountain in order to get back to Cusco. As we went up the mountain, there were no more villages. There was no electricity in the area. The only lights came from the bus itself. Someone asked the driver to stop at the top of the mountain so we could see the Southern Cross. Hearing the words, "Southern Cross" I felt it was a moment of destiny for me. As the driver pulled off the road and turned off the lights, I was the first one to leap off the bus.

Out there on the top of the mountain, in the cold atmosphere, there was nothing but blackness all around us. The stars overhead looked like large brilliant diamonds that I could reach out and touch. I searched for my favorite star system Orion and found it was at a different location in the skies over South America. Instead of a few prominent stars, I could see all the stars in and around "The Hunter" in ways I had never seen before. There were so many and they were so close. I felt pulled into its formation and heard inside my head the voice of my long gone grandfather re-telling the mythological stories of Orion and the Pleiades. I saw constellations and star systems that I had never before seen because the denser atmosphere and city lights of North America always block them out.

Instead of dim stars with a lot of dark sky between them, this cosmic canopy looked like a great mythic builder had thrown a million large diamonds onto a black velvet carpet. I felt the power of the stars pulling me into their portals and vortexes and I grew physically dizzy with the grandeur above me. There was a sliver of a new moon visible as the entire sky, which was filled with clear starlight, washed down over us. My eyes filled with tears as I became part of the cosmos. In the still moment of silence and reverence, I became imprinted with a powerful universal connection. I had come home!

In the rarefied light-beams streaming in, an invisible seed was planted. In the frequency of that high-altitude it waited. A month later, back home, the seed is ready to germinate. What it will fully grow into is still unknown. But, there's a feeling of patience and careful watchfulness unfolding as I watch it begin to grow.

This much has been revealed. All of us have been spiritually re-calibrated whether we know it or not. But the new attunement is not yet complete. It has begun with a strong reconnection to inner guidance. The reconnection was always there but I forgot to remember it. Now it's a constant. Its low hum is unmistakable. There's a feeling of peacefulness and expansion accompanying it. It already influences dreams and meditations. The remembering is notable in all forms of spiritual expression. My mandala art and spiritual writings have blossomed in new ways.

The seed is growing inside each one of us. It was planted in our heart centers during the solar disk activation. As it awakens, it will show us how to reconnect to and become our own Spiritual Master. Through the rays of the sun, the Master of the new self is birthing. This Master will be our only guide. This Master is the one we'll trust. This is the Master that we are all in stages of becoming. This is the Master that will harmonize us in such a way that evolution becomes possible on a global scale.

Yes, there are still many spiritual beings alive who will continue to come into our sphere of influence. They will create catalytic sparks on our journey that will act like mid-course corrections for us. But this new seed growing within promises to dissolve the need for the endless string of teachers outside of us. Instead, we are standing witness to the arrival of the extraordinary Master Teacher within us. That Inner Guide will flourish because of the star-gate that was activated in Peru. May all of humanity feel the presence of the spiritual guide within and be comforted by that feeling of sweetness that makes its home in the heart center. Om shanti.

Jo - April 5, 2010