Celebrating Our Shared Journey

Celebrating Our Shared Journey
Summer Solstice June 21

We generally go about our daily lives doing "our thing." Then when the call goes out, we come together as a community in service, or in celebration of a sacred event, or to honor the seasonal, lunar or celestial cycles. We do what we do without realizing how much of an impact it has on one another, on our community or on others in distant places who hear about it and who proclaim what we're doing is very unique.

Last month we celebrated Earth Day at Siesta Key Beach. More than 70 joined remotely with the indigenous tribal leaders and elders from all over the world who gathered for the Return of The Ancestors on Hopi lands in Arizona. This was no normal gathering of elders. They came from every continent to prepare the earth and to plant seeds for the great shift of humanity.

While working with Drunvalo Melchizidek's assistant on the elders schedule we talked about what we were doing locally. One story led to another as she listened intently to what happened here over the last three years. At the end of our last conversation she said it was an incredible story of a community and a city filled with a future vision and promise that needed to be told. She asked if I would write "our story" for the May issue of the Spirit of Maat - Drunvalo's monthly newsletter saying the May issue would be devoted to the Ancestor Gathering and what the people of earth could do from here forward.

This is what she wrote in the introduction: "Our May 2009 issue is dedicated to the thought that the magic pouring out of the April ceremonies has already started to open your hearts. All the articles are meant to bring your attention to what needs to change in your life. Many of them will call you to look at what has value to you. Some are more concerned with helping you understand how to deal with the influx of new feelings and thoughts that all of us are experiencing. Others ask you to ask yourself how much you are willing to see. The thunder that touched down in April will continue to roll long after the ceremonial fires die out. The Elders have done their part; now it's up to us to take whatever came out of the Ancestors Gathering into our lives and into our hearts. May every single one of our May articles give you pause to reflect upon where you stand with all of this and remind you where to keep the focus as we edge closer to 2012."

We think we simply do what we do! We know we live in paradise and we have an inkling that we're doing good work together in a lovely spiritual community. But we don't realize how unique we are until an outsider hears the story and relates it back that we're in an extraordinary place.

Our story is called Prism of Light and the Crystal City of Light. It's tells about our remarkable journey together over the last three years. We live in a sacred place. In numerology, we are a 22 vibration city, in an 11 state, with a 33 quartz crystal beach at our doorstep. The Keys of Enoch shows we're near the "heart of the dove" of the future earth. We've been on a grand journey that's just begun. It's a fine time to be alive on earth.

Read the article at: http://spiritofmaat.com/may09/prism_of_light.html or to sign up for Drunvalo's newsletter.

Jo - May 11, 2009

2009 Vernal Equinox - Crystal of Peace Mandala from The Prism of Light

Equinox Ceremony 2009
Crystal of Peace Mandala
The Prism of Light Opens

A second call was sounded across the city of light to join in ceremony on the Spring Equinox to dedicate the four foot Crystal of Peace Mandala. This mandala originated two months ago as the next stage in the unfolding vision that began on Summer Solstice 2008 when we created an ethereal Prism of Light in southwestern Florida. The Prism of Light opens in this mandala revealing in the center, a faceted flower of life which is known as the blueprint of creation in Sacred Geometry. As crystal beings of light ourselves, the mandala reflects the opening we're each experiencing in our consciousness as we move from denser carbon form to the diamond light of dwellers in the new earth.

In the week preceding the Equinox, the Mandala was imbued with the blessings and hopes for peace at several of the Prism Anchor locations which included the Women's Meditation Group, Radiance of Sarasota, Rising Tide, Anchoring Light, and the Wheel of Conscious Creation. Then on Friday evening, over 100 attendees joined in a sacred ceremony of renewal, rebirth and springtime as we celebrated the Vernal Equinox at Unity's Labyrinth.

Holy Ground

Holy space was set by toning two large Tibetan Gongs during the smudging. Then the heartbeat of the Mother Drum sounded as many walked the labyrinth. Some of the original Anchors of the Prism held the directional positions while Reverend Zan Butterfly Deerwoman opened the portals for the guides, spirits, totems and ascended masters to join us from the unseen world to the seen world. The children of the Prism and the Peace Poles (Ian and his sister Mikayla, Jeremiah and his sister Akaysiiyah) lit the ceremonial candles honoring the directions and the ancestors.

The circle was aglow with song and dancing. Kimberly Braun sang two songs representing the setting of holy ground and of being One with all. Marguerite Barnett dressed in brilliant emerald green wings and face-paint, blessed us with a Dance to Mother Earth's Springtime. Then Shahabuddin David Less, spiritual leader of Rising Tide International, honored the ceremony and gathering with blessings for the season and then leading us in a breathing meditation for the rebirth of ourselves and the earth. Our written visions for peace were taken to the center of the circle where the children offered them into the fire.

The Crystal Opens in Half

We knew this would be not only a powerful ceremony but also that the energy would be very spiritual. In preparation for it, a special 9" quartz crystal was purchased so that it could be displayed on the altar with the Mandala. Representative of the original Prism of Light, it was placed at the base of the mandala throughout the ceremony. This crystal held and gathered the combined energies and blessings of all those in the circle. Thirty-six hours later, when picking up the quartz crystal from where it had been placed on our personal altar at home, it shifted very gently and separated into two identical pieces, looking like a pair of perfect book-ends. The two sides can be placed together revealing no separation, yet they can be pulled apart into two distinct pieces.

In the ceremony on Friday night, we shared that the Crystal of Peace was the next step in the unfolding of the Prism of Light. We shared that the Crystal of Peace was an "opening" for each of us to become crystals ourselves. We shared that on the Equinox the hours of daylight and darkness were in perfect balance and alignment. It's clear that the power and energetic blessings of that ceremony indeed opened the 9 inch quartz crystal as though in confirmation of what we had accomplished as a community on March 20th.

Deep Appreciation to All

For all those who made this ceremony sacred, none of this could have been accomplished without your help, either as participants or as attendees. Thank you to everyone who heard the call and participated - Madri Wilson for annointing us with Lotus Oil from Egypt and to those who helped her bless the four quadrants, Sherry Flanagan, Elizabeth Jacoby, and Linda Williams; to Joanne Driscoll and Pat Ready for smudging; to Linda Pupke for holding the heartbeat of the Mother Drum. To our gracious directional anchors, Rev. Jim Toole of Radiance of Sarasota, Rev. Eileen Kemp of the Wheel of Conscious Creation, Pam and David Cooper, Rev. Dusty James and Stan Welch; to our FireTenders - Lee D'Ovies and Lisa Nelson. And of course to the children, Ian and Mikayla Bowling and Jeremiah and Akaysiiyah Dunbar for anchoring the Peace Poles.

Deep appreciation to Kimberly Braun for singing, and Dr. Marguerite Barnett for dancing, and Rev. Zan Butterfly Deerwoman for opening and closing the ceremony. Special heartfelt gratitude to Shahabuddin David Less for your presence and for holding us sacred in beacons of love and respect. You gently inspire us to become more than we are.

And last but not least, we are grateful to Reverend Elizabeth Thompson and the members of Unity Church of Sarasota who continue to offer the labyrinth to our extended community for these ceremonies and celebrations. We are sincerely grateful.

The Crystal of Peace Mandala will be painted by this community at Wellness Fest on May 2 then made available to you for your spiritual gatherings. Please mark your calendars to attend Wellness Fest and bring your prayers for peace which will be painted into the mandala.

If you'd like to enjoy the event through more photos, please click on these two links: http://equinoxceremony2009.shutterfly.com/
or http://gallery.me.com/themagicheart#100439

Blessings and gratitude and love to all who joined with us in ceremony, jo

Starsoundings Journals Mar. 16, 2009

Heart-Centered Focus

In last month's Journal we explored Gregg Braden's Fractal Time and were introduced to the Global Coherence Initiative. This groundbreaking scientific work seeks to unite millions of people in heart-focused care and intention called "heart resonance." It was launched by the Institute of HeartMath, a non-profit global leader that researches emotional physiology and heart-brain interactions. While all this may sound like scientific psycho-babble, be assured its based on scientific knowledge of the electromagnetic fields that surround us and on practical applications that each of us can use and benefit from in our daily lives.

Science has already shown that a few weeks before volcanic or seismic activity, the earth's electromagnetic field changes. Scientists are now exploring how the fields generated by all living things interact with one another. For example, the earth and the ionosphere generate frequencies in the same range as a human heart and brain. This research shows that changes in the earth's magnetic field are associated with changes in brain and nervous system activity and affect the rhythms of the heart more strongly than all the physiological functions studied so far. There's evidence to suggest that in some cases, brainwaves can synchronize with the rhythm of the electromagnetic waves generated in the earth's ionosphere. When people say they "feel" an impending earthquake or weather changes, it's possible that they may be reacting to the actual physical signals that occur in the earth's field prior to the event.

Can the reverse be true? Can human emotion affect the electromagnetic field? Global Coherence Initiative researchers theorize that when large numbers of humans respond to a global event with a common emotional feeling, the collective response can affect the activity in the earth's field both positively and negatively. Research at the Institute of HeartMath, shows that emotions not only create coherence or incoherence in our bodies, but, like radio waves, also radiate outward and are detected by the nervous systems of others in our environment. Princeton University researchers have provided convincing evidence that human consciousness and emotion create or interact with a global field. The electromagnetic measurements had wide spikes above normal during the terrorists attacks on 9/11. More intriguing was the fact that the random number generators were significantly affected some four to five hours prior to the attack, suggesting perhaps a worldwide collective intuition about the impending event. Two NOAA weather satellites also displayed significant spikes during the 9/11 attack.

We have evidence much closer to home. Last month on Valentine's day, over 50 people came together with people all over the world to chant AH, the Universal sigh of appreciation at noon. In synchronized harmony at Unity's Labyrinth, we chanted for peace on earth. Jonathan Goldman who originated World Sound Healing Day, sent out a graph (copy on right) of the Princeton Global Consciousness Project which shows the heart resonance of the chant (in red) during the time of the worldwide meditation and chanting.

So how does this apply to me? Meditations, prayers, affirmations and intentions can and do affect the world. Researchers suggest that these activities have more transformative and lasting impact when heart coherence is added to the process. Heart coherence is a distinct mode of synchronized feelings associated with sustained positive emotion. It is a state of energetic alignment and cooperation between heart, mind, body and spirit. In coherence, energy is accumulated, not wasted, leaving you more energy to manifest intention and harmonious outcomes.

Adding heart coherence to meditation, prayer and intention practices is an important aspect of the Global Coherence Initiative. It adds order and increased effectiveness to whatever form of practice you are doing. You can learn more about the fields of energy and track your own personal resonance by joining the Global Coherence Initiative. You'll be guided on where to focus your heart energy with others all over the world. Membership in this worldwide community is free. Tools and tracking information are provided on the website so that you can monitor and learn more about this effort.

Together, we will change the resonance of humanity and change the energetic field around the earth, bringing about the shift into the new age.

Heart blessings to all,

Jo - March 16, 2009

Starsoundings Journals Feb. 23, 2009

Into the Heart of the New Age
with Gregg Braden

About ten of us trekked to Unity of Naples on the last weekend of January to hear Gregg Braden, author, visionary and scientist, present a weekend workshop based on his latest work, Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age. If you've never been to a Braden seminar, he's exciting, personable, knowledgeable and very interactive with the audience. Even though there were 500 people in the auditorium, you had the feeling he was speaking directly to you.

Fractals are patterns in nature that continually repeat themselves in scale, creating the world around us. Using that foundation, Braden took us on a journey of recognizing that the changes we're going through are part of larger cycles in time. He identified the convergence of three "End Times" cycles by explaining the significance of the 1) Mayan Calendar and Hopi Prophecies, 2) the Precession of the Equinox and 3) the earth's crossing of the center of the galactic equator. He presented scientific research and studies showing that these three events happen simultaneously on Dec. 21, 2012.

He shared that at the end of every major cycle there were not only prophecies of world endings but also significant human and global changes recorded in polar ice and written about in ancient texts. But in this time, we're the only generation living when all three cycles, (the end of the Mayan 5th cycle; the end of the 25,626 precession of the equinox; and the crossing of the galactic center) are coming together at the same time. In this convergence of 3 powerful cycles we're witnessing dramatic climate changes, influxes of new diseases, a decrease in our ability to grow food, regional conflicts across the world, and nuclear exchange possibilities. But also an opportunity to transform ourselves and our world.

Showering us with scientific studies, journals, and data from satellites, he explained that we've experienced many earth changes, including polar shifts, and decreases in the earth's magnetic field before, but this time we have a profound opportunity to get it right. Quoting Arnold Glasgow who said, "The future is the past returning through another gate" Braden assured us we can learn from past mistakes and make changes in our present conditions. By this time in the program his optimism had us on the edge of our seats as we hung on every word and slide.

He said the earth and ionosphere generate a range of frequencies that are in the same range of the human heart and brain. Scientific data shows that strong collective emotions have an effect on the electromagnetic frequencies of the earth. Positive emotions produce positive changes in the cells of the body and in brainwaves while negative emotions produce the opposite effect. Our collective feelings are influencing the energy fields around ourselves and that of the earth in an unseen matrix. And, our collective feelings and beliefs are the substance connecting us to one another. If we can stay in a high resonance of positive emotions with one another we can affect change in us and our world.

To prove his point, he had the entire audience participate in a "heart coherence" exercise. An audience member was attached to an EM-Wave biofeedback machine which registered her heart rate and resonance. When the woman volunteer was connected to the EM-Wave she was in the "red zone" instead of the more desirable "blue or green zone." Braden acknowledged that all of us register at a low resonance (red zone) for 90% of our day. He asked the audience to hold hands with the last person holding the woman's hand. He then led us in a gentle heart visualization meditation. With the entire audience connected by touch and heart to the woman we watched as her heart rate changed and the color of the EM-Wave moved to the high resonance green zone.

He told us about the Global Coherence Initiative - a worldwide scientific organization with a mission to unite millions of people in heart-focused care and intention, shifting global consciousness from instability and discord to cooperation and peace. It's led by a who's who of scientists and spiritual leaders around the world and has the interest of the Obama Administration. By aligning daily with positive emotions, we serve as pro-active facilitators in increasing heart-coherence and changing the energy field of the planet. (More on this in a future newsletter.)

It was the first scientific experiment that proved to the audience that collectively we can truly do something about the situations we find ourselves in. The focus is to "live in the heart" - the same thing Drunvalo taught in Miami. But now, we have tools, devices and meditations that show us when we're in a high state of heart-resonance.

Everyone returned from this weekend workshop energized and still talking about it, three weeks later.

Towards a world of high resonance blessings,

Jo - Feb. 23, 2009

Starsoundings Journals Feb. 9, 2009

Living In The Heart
with Drunvalo Melchizidek

Flower of Life teacher, author and wisdom keeper Drunvalo Melchizidek led a group of 100 students who came from all over the world in a powerful 6-day class called Living in the Heart. If you've been to a Drunvalo workshop you know the material presented covers a thought-provoking range of information for the student to explore. Miami was no exception. Thank you to Lee DeOvies who took excellent notes and photos to share with us.

Drunvalo covered topics ranging from the Chakras, Creating with the Brain, Crystals, Healing, and the latest on the Mayan Prophecy, to the Merkaba and Living in the Heart. Drunvalo, who originated the Flower of Life Merkaba meditation, now focuses on Living in the Heart. It's a meditation that connects us in a unity breath honoring Mother Earth and Father Sky then forming a trinity by entering the heart center. He's been guided to teach worldwide this message: "You are One with the Creator of this universe, and you always have been. There never has been a time when you were not One, and there never will be a time when this is not true. Because you and I are One with the Creator, you and I can personally change the world and bring peace and beauty to this entire planet. But you must change yourself first. You simply have to remember who you were before you fell into this very dark place."

Because of Lee's lengthy notes this Journal will only present the Mayan information and Living in the Heart as they're related in many ways.

Mayan Indigenous Prophecy - In November 2008 the Mayan Council, comprised of one elder from each of the 400 tribes met in Guatamala along with members of the Hopi, Kogi and other indigenous groups and guests which included Drunvalo. They said after 526 years of silence it was time for Mayan History to be written and told by the Maya themselves who were custodians of the truth of the hieroglyphs. The book which will be available soon, calls for "the end time ceremony to begin in Sedona and end in Hopi lands - after the ceremonies the creators would come forth." Comet Holmes appearance last fall was declared to be the blue star of the Hopi prophecy which signaled the beginning of the end times. To complete the prophecy, indigenous tribes from all over the world plan to gather on Hopi lands in April of this year to hold council and ceremony for the "end times."

The Mayan say the Hopi are Mayans who were sent north during the last destruction of the earth. Book #16 tells of past end times. The Mayans want to teach us from past experiences and prepare us on how to "stay in the heart connected to Pachamama and Father Sky." If we remain in the brain or mental state we will always be held in the power of polarization, creating what we wish but also what we don't want. In the physical center of the human body, the location of the heart within the heart center, there is only positive, loving, unified, oneness.

Living in the Heart - Finding this sacred space, Drunvalo says, is the beginning of true ascension. It is simply moving from the brain and its mental realm to the heart. In order to reach it, the spirit must intend it and then hold a particular vibration.

Using diagrams of the human brain which has its own heart center, Drunvalo said moving into the heart was not a mental journey. It's a movement of spiritual intention that then focuses on "feeling the way" as the two hearts connect. The first step is to feel Mother Nature, feeling love in your heart and feeling her love return. The second step is, while connected to Mother Earth, connect with Father Sky, feeling the grandeur and power of the cosmos. Feel the love of the Father returned to the Mother and you, the Child. While in this state a connection is made with the heart forming a trinity. This trinity creates a vibration allowing access to the sacred space within.

In the sacred space there's a vortex which pulls you inside. There's stillness in this place which holds all-knowing, and your Akashic records. In this sacred space, your connection with Higher Self resides. It is the place of your purpose and your deepest heart's desires. In times of stress, distress, or anxiety, we can move from the mental realms to the place of tranquility in the heart. It requires conscious focus, practice and determination. From that place, ease, peace and calm returns. Drunvalo said, "Ascension into the higher spiritual worlds is not a process that only the saints and holy ones could achieve. It's for all who choose this path of the Heart while living here on Earth right now. Ascension can be realized without leaving this world, and while being awake to all that is in our Reality. The outer world is only a reflection and a creation of an inner world that has long been forgotten with our own Hearts."

Blessings,
Jo - Feb. 9, 2009

Starsoundings Journals Jan. 26, 2009

We Made It!

"Brace for impact!" The words could not have been more frightening to the passengers on Flight 1549 which set down in New York's Hudson River on January 15th. The news coverage was riveting as cameras focused on the evacuation and rescue of 155 souls from an intact aircraft that was floating down the river.

While watching the surreal drama unfolding I was struck not only by the miracle of survival but also by the numerology of what could have been a catastrophe. When the numbers were added together Flight 1549 was a #1, representing New Beginnings. Surely for every person onboard, the event would mark immense inner reflection about their lives. Some have already said it was a new lease on life or a chance to start over.

As more information was broadcast, we learned there were 155 passengers on board. These passengers collectively held the vibration of Master #11 representing influence on a global scale and holding the energy of the Peacemaker and Humanitarian. The world was certainly watching this event. The Peacemaker and Humanitarian energies were evident as the stories of service to one another and bold action inside the cabin were revealed in later newscasts.

The co-pilot was flying the plane at take-off. Then the more skilled pilot named 'Sully' Sullenberger (whose name in numerology is a #1- New Beginnings) took the controls from his co-pilot, gliding the plane to a bumpy but textbook perfect landing in the river. In waist-deep icy water, he walked the interior of the fuselage - twice - insuring all his passengers were safely out.

The Coast Guard film of the crash shows every passenger had evacuated the plane at exactly 3:33 pm. Master #333 represents a Trinity of Mind, Body, Spirit in accord and harmony. It also governs the evolution of the soul. Perhaps the passengers on the plane would agree as many of them felt their lives had been given back to them for "a greater purpose."

Stories emerged of heroism and human-caring by ordinary people doing ordinary acts of kindness while in a state of extraordinary chaos. Some prayed while others moved to quick action. Most said there was a stillness and an almost "otherworldly feeling" that engulfed them. The men wanted to get the women and children out first. From person to person, babies were handed over seat-backs to safety. A 62 year old man held a man half his age in safety as others struggled with an overturned life raft. Before takeoff, a Russian woman told her seatmates how terrified she was of flying. Yet, as the plane was making its turn and descent into the river it was she who held hands with her small group of women telling them, "We're going to live! it's going to be ok - it's going to be ok."

While reading about the heroic stories, this airplane crash became a simile for what's been happening in the country and around the world. We've seen the headlines on the Internet. "World Financial Markets Crash!" "Analysts, banks, investors in a tailspin!" The perception of immediate collapse, doom and gloom pervaded everything. It was as though dire powerful forces were converging and threatening to extinguish whatever we held dear. The feelings of fear and anxiety were palpable. Many experts ran around telling the king (and anybody else who would listen) that the sky had fallen. Others sat tight, quietly, expectantly, sometimes bracing for impact. Mostly we watched and waited.

Then somehow, something changed. A new "pilot" emerged in the national consciousness and took control. It was a man that Vedic Astrologers said "would save people from their own worst weaknesses" and whose essence was "pervaded with service to humanity and dedication to the future of the world." This "pilot" was also a #1. He was charismatic, inspired confidence, was a natural leader, and he asked us to step up to the plate and be in service to one another. He did not tell us to "Brace for Impact." Instead, he offered hope and change yet said he could not do it alone. He said we faced extraordinary challenges but we've succeeded before in times of other challenges and would again.

Like those passengers on Flite 1459, it's up to us to get out of the ditched plane together. We must help each other towards the goal of individual rescue. It's not up to somebody else. It's up to us to walk the fuselage making sure there's no one left behind or in need of help. We're on the threshold of leading in a new way, of developing new energy technology, and of uniting countries by capitalizing on our history of ministering to the world. As passenger Mark Hood of Charlotte said, "We made it!" This time, with this new pilot, in a new atmosphere in the country, change has come and we will make it. Globally and nationally all of us working together, will make it!

Jo - Jan. 26, 2009

Starsoundings Journals Jan 12, 2009

Master Number 11 Year - 2009
A Circle of Influence

In the esoteric teachings of Pythagoras all things in the universe hold a numerical value. The number 1 was the masculine number of reason. The number 2 was the feminine number of intuition and opinion bringing balance to 1. In numerology all numbers are added and reduced to single digits with the exception of the Master Numbers 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, etc. These numbers have the potential for influence on a grand or global scale, either for good or bad.

The year 2009 a Master Number 11 called the Bringer of Light or the Illuminator. It holds the power of awareness, ideals and visions, allowing each person to find inner peace, strong convictions and deep perception. 11 is the number of the Peacemaker and the Diplomat who take inspiration from the spiritual planes of existence. In an 11 year we seek wisdom and understanding and then pass this knowledge on to others in a functional and helpful way, selflessly serving humankind.

This year is ultimately the gateway year to Christed Consciousness - becoming one with the Oversoul through the conscious awareness of connection with all Beings. Quantum scientist, Dr. Amit Goswami is convinced that in order for the universe to exist it requires an observer, a conscious sentient being; otherwise it's only a possibility. Where Pythagoras believed numbers were the foundation of the universe, quantum scientists, hold the view that consciousness, not matter, is the foundation of everything that exists.

If as Dr. Goswami believes consciousness creates the material world then by our collective consciousness we can not only affect the change we seek but become the sentient being creating it. As we move into the magnetism of this powerful 11 vibration what are we going to do to make this world a better place? As old structures and forms crumble, what will we create to replace them?

The world has been changed by people taking small steps with big hearts and big dreams. There's so much available to us right now as science and mysticism come together and time speeds up. There's a quickening in the atmosphere that we can do things and be better than we were. There's a feeling that we share common interests; there's a mood of humanitarianism and trust with one another. There's a knowing that our practices, disciplines, and pursuits call us to be in service to each other.

This is the year we go within and find the power inside, no longer surrendering it to others. In this year of illumination, we declare and become the Masters we've been seeking. Between the winter solstice and spring equinox there's an open gateway presented for each of us to take small directed steps into conscious awareness. We can consciously change our lives by changing our life situation or by changing our view of that life situation.

The Mystic Sufi Master Inayat Khan said: "A soul is as great as its circle of influence. The discord of thousands of people could be resolved, and thousands of people could be united into one harmony by the presence of one who unites them all. The influence of one soul may be felt in a village or in a whole country."

Each of us is a soul within a circle of influence. Our circles overlap into a magnificent web of light and support. What's the sign of such souls? It's the beneficial effect on one, five, ten or a hundred. It's a phone call to one in need when no contact was expected. It's a helping hand to someone in trouble. It's a kind word to a downtrodden individual. It's an afternoon healing visit at a hospital bedside. It's a prayer together when the call comes in late a night. It's recognition and gratitude for a service rendered. It's a donation from those who have more to those who have less. It's the compassionate service we provide to one another. In continuing our practices, meditations, and healing work and by serving our soul-circle with hearts filled with gentle love, we become the presence of one uniting others!

Let 2009 be the year we illuminate a lighted mandala of love in our own hearts and in the hearts of others! Let 2009 be the year that many individual souls influence and illuminate their villages, towns and countries! Let 2009 be the year we consciously create our New Earth!

Jo - Jan. 12, 2009

Winter Solstice - Activating Our Personal Prism

Winter Solstice - Return of the Light
Activating Our Personal Prism of Light

The winter solstice is one of the four cardinal points in the year identifying the seasonal shifts that remind us of the natural cycles marking life. As the sun gets lower in the sky this time of year, light diminishes day by day. It appears as though the light of the sun will never return.

On December 21st the sun enters the astrological sign of Capricorn ruled by the planet Saturn. Saturn is dedicated to sacramental activity, a time for solitude, a time for slowing down and re-balancing our lives. In the season of shortened days and less light, we reflect on new possibilities, on our intentions, on new beginnings and our personal commitment to the new year.

At the height of the Summer Solstice in June, when the sun was at its highest arc in the skies, we came together as a community of brilliance to envision a crystal city of light - one of 22 such cities around the world. We envisioned an ethereal Prism of Light across this area, anchored it and testified to it through the widespread participation of hundreds of people across 9 locations.

Much has happened since that day on June 20th. From outward appearances it looks as though the world is awash in chaos and destruction with institutions, organizations, and lives changing or crumbling. It would be easy to affirm, that given the fodder of fear and anxiety in the daily news. But if we truly believe in the cities of light, that a new world is dawning, and that there's an evolution of human consciousness underway, it's helpful to know that the unhinging of the old world, the old order, the old ways, is absolutely necessary for the new to come into being. After a raging forest fire new saplings spring up from the ashes of the old growth. So too must the old ways and structures give way so that new life and new ideas can emerge and flourish.

During the Winter Solstice Ceremony, participants will be asked to activate their Personal Prism of Light. After all the years of classes and workshops, hours of meditation, hundreds of books, it's time for us to step up and use what we've learned. We can affirm our personal commitment as Carriers of the Light. We are the Light-bearers! We can no longer preach light on Monday then feed darkness and fear on Tuesday. We can no longer surrender our power, responsibility and accountability to someone else. Guidance has always been within each one of us. The difference is, now we can sense it and experience it more vividly. We are the change agents. On this New Year we can open our hearts and channels so that Spirit comes through guiding us in our commitments for 2009.

With open hearts and trust, participants will place their intentions and commitments into the crystals of Himalayan Salt during the ceremony. Crystal Bowls with the charged Salt will be taken to the Gulf and returned to the waters of the Earth carrying our affirmations and intentions across the planet. We are of the same water and elements that make up the earth, held unified in an energetic forcefield, so it is impossible for those commitments to not return to us. Going forward into the Master Year 2009, we have the opportunity to set in motion our own new directions, created in thought, fired in the heart, borne on water, and seeded for all generations yet to come.

In the next week, please give some time, reflection or thought to what you wish to commit to in 2009. It can be personal or global, individual or community. Sit in the last darkened days of 2008. Affirm the new from the heart of your being. In the Ceremony of the Return of the Light on Sunday, know that it will be set into form in the guidance of Spirit.

Light-filled blessings and happy holidays! See you on Sunday.

Jo - Dec. 15, 2008

The Visible Orbs - December 1, 2008

The Visible Orbs

In the year since Orbs The Veil Is Lifting was published there's been a noticeable shift in how Orbs appear in digital photography. While they continue to be photographed individually or in clusters, they are also appearing as slow-motion blurred streaks of light across the frame of the photographs. Yet, they still hold the shape and familiarity of regular Orbs. But even more exciting is that Orbs have become visible to the naked eye. Many of you reading this journal have reported your own experiences over the last year, sharing how you've seen Orbs without the use of cameras. The following story which happened in our home a few weeks ago reveals how the Orbs are becoming visible in our lives.

Our neighbor in the abutting villa passed away unexpectedly. Some of you might remember Kathy as she often donated her driveway for excess cars when various meditation gatherings were held here at our home. She was familiar with our group and always supportive. Just a few days before her passing we talked in the front yard. We spoke of the dog, her cats, our shared front garden and lanai, and other neighborly things. So when we saw EMT and Firemen rushing into her home one afternoon we were stunned. They valiantly tried to save her life but it was not to be.

Around 6 a.m. one morning, a few days after her passing I was working on the computer in my office. All of a sudden the lights dimmed and flickered for a couple seconds then returned to normal. This happened twice, causing what seemed like a short brown-out. At the other end of the house, Patricia came out of the bedroom into the living room asking if I'd "seen the lights flickering on and off for several seconds?" She was standing in the living room against the lanai slider when she asked the question. I came out of my office responding that yes, I had seen the lights flickering on and off. She then said with complete certainty, "It's Kathy!"

At that moment something large, round, and light-filled caught my attention near the ceiling fan. Looking up I saw a large blue-ish white Orb appear, quite visible to my naked eyes. After Patricia's statement I simply asked, "Kathy, is that you?" In response, the blue-ish white Orb powered up brilliantly then dimmed a little. I asked again, "Kathy, is that you?" Once more it did the same thing. Then another Orb appeared beside the first one. Both Orbs slowly moved across the room together towards the lanai slider. I told Patricia what I was seeing and asked her not to move. I said, "Kathy, if that's really you give me a clear sign!" The two Orbs, clearly visible against the wall moved towards each other, powered up, overlapped into the shape of a Vesica Pisces then moved apart. This continued for about 5 minutes with me speaking to the Orbs and the Orbs moving together, powering up, then separating before they finally faded out completely.

We wondered how we might explain to Kathy's son, a Police Captain, that we'd had a visitation from his mother in the form of an Orb. When the opportunity finally presented itself we explained to him what had happened, and told him how two "Circular Lights" had presented themselves. Without a moment's hesitation he explained with tears in his eyes that "the second light was my grandmother; she and my mother were inseparable in life; they're now together in death." He went on to tell us that when teaching new recruits at the police academy he taught them about using their intuition and psychic feelings when on the job and how this 6th sense could save their lives. Our worries about his acceptance of the Orbs was for naught.

In The Orb Project authors Drs. Ledwith and Heinemann state, "First and foremost, an orb is a physical manifestation. We must assume that the Spirit Being has a mechanism to manifest itself in such a way that it can be detected with physical means - and that it will respond to communication." I asked for a clear sign from Kathy and she delivered it. As the veil thins may we all enjoy similar experiences.

The next Spiritual Connections Newsletter will be published on December 15.

Wishing you visible Orbs and endless blessings,

Jo - Dec. 1, 2008

Triumph and Hope - 11-17-08

The Triumph of Hope

The 2008 election was a defining moment in history. It was more than a campaign and it was much more than politics. It was a movement of higher consciousness led by Senator Barack Obama that energized and uplifted young and old. It crossed gender, party and ethnic divides. It was a calling to our character and to our higher selves. We were summoned to this ideal by a man who gave us hope; who made us feel good about ourselves; who shared our possibilities and crafted our potential. Most of all, he invited us to believe we could create a better world together. We believed it could be done! So when hope triumphed on November 4th a tsunami of emotions and experiences was unleashed that will echo in our national consciousness forever.

The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans. It will be led by the 44th President - an African-American - who will be inaugurated in 2009 which is an auspicious Master Number 11 year. The Master Number 11 means revelation and inspiration from the Higher Planes. It is the vibration of brotherly love on a grander scale. It is the number of the Diplomat and Peacemaker. The number 11 needs the number 4 to ground it. In this case the 44th President of the United States is doubly grounded - by structure and order and by the angelic realm.

Two weeks later, we continue to feel the uplifting joy of change. Your words flooded my inbox. You shared your joys and tears, your fears and your dreams. Here's what you said:

I tiptoed into my 6 and 8 year old's room at 1 a.m. and whispered the good news, that they could now sleep safely and soundly in a new world. Margaret

I saw his Light and his sense of purpose and mission. He is a Light gifted to us at this very important time in our human and earth history. He is the beacon that was able to transcend race, culture, religion, gender and all the other illusions that would distort the fact that we are all one. Sharon-Elizabeth

As the mother of two, bi-racial children I smiled proudly as I listened to the eloquence of President Obama's speech. My husband and I decided to wake our seven year old son and four year old daughter to share in this momentous and historical evening. As we huddled together in our bedroom my daughter turned to me and said 'look mommy he's brown like me.' I knew America would be forever different. And then I wept. Mina

I remembered myself as a young girl in 1960 touching the hand of John F. Kennedy at a rally. I yelled to my mom, "I touched his hand - I touched his hand." 48 years later, at the Obama rally at Ed Smith Stadium I watched a young girl screaming into her cell phone, "Mom, I touched his hand - I touched his hand." I never forgot my moment of hope. I knew the torch had passed to this young girl who would never forget hers. Now we both have hope again. jm

For the first time in my life I feel I've been a part of something far greater than myself. I have such on overwhelming feeling of gratitude that we are all empowered and able to bring about positive change. I woke this morning with a feeling of anticipation and expectation. I'm ready to stand tall, put my shoulder to the wheel and work. I feel so blessed to have been a part of this history making event. We've only just begun the ride of our lives! Toni

Sometimes, it's a photo that conveys the story. Sitting on the floor of a church in Harlem, is a mother and daughter. The mother, Latrice Barnes, having heard of Obama's victory, is doubled up in tears; her daughter, Jasmine, is reaching a tentative hand up to soothe her. The hand of the future reaches out to heal the tears of the past.

I will remember this day forever. I am praying for him. I am Hopeful. I'm proud that I participated in giving him the opportunity to make a difference. When he said, "For those of you whose votes I have not earned" he was so respectful. Tears of joy fell as I witnessed a new beginning for future generations. Linda W.

Eyes tear, the heart opens and Divine love flows through those of us touched by the enormous significance of this black/white man of superior intelligence, foresight, wisdom and vision who has energized this country with Hope. It reminds me of the Law of Attraction and the idea of holding on to our vision of hope beyond all shadows, facts, history or reason. To step out there, where no one has gone before in holding the hopes, desires, images of positive expectations for this country and for the world community. I tear up hourly with thanksgiving, my heart wide open, because I see that if anyone has the potential of turning this country around and setting us on a new path towards the new dawn for peace, prosperity and well-being, it is this man. Hope is born once again in the USA! Zan

Harriet Tubman crawled, so that Rosa Parks could walk, so that Martin Luther King, Jr. could march, so that Barack Obama could run, so that those little black toddlers I saw at Obama's speech rally last week - and all children like them - can fly! May the Obama family remain safe, and may Barack Obama not only be the bright light that unites our country, but also one that takes part in uniting our world. Barbara G.

Barack Obama's win was not just for America. It affects the entire world. It says many things to our planet. We are all One - all of us, together. Our planet's collective heart beats stronger this day as the sun rises to shine on our collective hope. We have been blessed. Eileen J

I knew all of my grandfather's stories about the marches in Selma. My father told me I could be anything or do anything that I wanted because I lived in the United States. I never really believed it. Tonight, with this election, I finally believe it! Enrique

Every one of my Korean students had been asking all day 'who was the new president?' On November 5th I wrote on the board in a Seoul Korea classroom, Obama Is The New President of the United States. You would not believe the rejoicing and screams that came out of those Middle schoolers. They jumped, cheered and carried on. I was automatically elevated to the highest vibration of love and comprehension beyond boundaries. Vanda - Seoul, Korea

The night before his assassination in Memphis, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said "I have seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land!" The dream is fulfilled. All over the world there are dreams, high hopes and expectations for this new president and the journey that unfolds for him. Meanwhile, our work to support him must continue. Our daily prayers of Divine Light guiding his path surrounds him and his family. There's much to be done, but with strong and good intention, heartfelt love and desire, we will together forge a new destiny for the United States and for this planet. Hope has triumphed!

Every day, all over the world, groups gather individually or together to hold prayers for peace. In our area, we have several groups of twelve who use this mnemonic 68/12 - Start your own group or join us in "no time - no space" for 68 seconds of prayer at any time of the day for this man, this country, this planet and for all of us!

Hopeful days and endless blessings,

Jo - Nov. 17, 2008