Einstein's Thoughts=YUM

I was contemplating Albert Einstein the other day…

How cool it is to have such original thoughts

that take this physical world to new realms and continually inspire others

Original thoughts and ideas and the strength to stay true to them

Not give in to society's "norms" and how “everyone else” is thinking...

Bears great fruit!

XOm

Ascension...Come Again?

OK, I am going there.  I am reading and writing about a document called "Ascension" so now I should probably address...what the heck is this Ascension I speak of.  And hold on tight because it's going to be a little bit of a far out ride for some :)  Which I, of course, just love that you're reading this!  Thank you!

All spiritual traditions, in all of times, have spoken of some ultimate goal. It has been called Enlightenment, Self Realization, God Realization, Nirvana, Bliss, Cosmic Consciousness, Christ Consciousness, Awakening the Kundalini etc. Currently, the term 'Ascension' seems to be emerging as a popular term in reference to this goal. Here is a short listing of different interpretations of said goal: 

1. The evolution of the individual, and the collective evolution of humanity...each soul's and humanity's destiny.
2. A level of consciousness in which we experience permanent union with our Higher Self ..oneness with all Life.  (Union....like the "yoke" definition of yoga)
3. Becoming our highest possible Self... Learning to fully express our creative powers and spiritual capabilities within the challenging conditions of physical reality.
4. Raising our vibration to a higher frequency...closer to that of the light of Spirit. (As opposed to lower vibration frequencies like lust, greed, hate, envy, ect.)
5. A state of permanent peace, joy, and freedom from limitation and suffering.
6. Expanding the role we are playing within an ever‑unfolding universal drama (beyond our current ability to comprehend).

Since stumbling across this document (on Twitter of all places) and taking on the task of covering what the Ishayas call the “27 Techniques to Ascension”, I have begun quite a quest into the world of Ascension. What it is, what it isn’t, how it relates to 2012, to Jesus Christ, to the New Age movement, to Yoga. And what I have found is at one point wide and at another quite narrow. And since this is a simple blog and not a scholarly report, I can’t possibly go into the detail and explanations I might want to…we can do that over a cup of tea sometime.  You see, there is mythology from across time and space that tells the same tales again and again, just using different language. Some of this "mythology” is deeply intertwined with many of today’s most popular religions. As I have read most recently about the Greek Sophia, I have realized she is the same as the Yoga's Shakti. Same stories, different time, different culture…or was it?

Do we really have such a multitude of “cultures” or is this something the human mind has used as a way to establish its own ego? “I am a part of this group. We do this, eat that and speak this way.” Unity in division?  

What if I were to propose that there is only one culture, the human culture? It turns out we have a lot more in common than we have in difference. Because if we have the same stories of (and I am largely generalizing here for simplicity sake) Creator/God/Brahman whose extraordinary light descends due to some sort of passion/desire/sin and creates the world/Shakti/Sophia/Gaia, and then we, being sparks of God (having souls that is), are here in Shaktiland, but remember Creatorland (the place of complete love, nonsuffering we first came from) on some level and desperately desire to return. But those desires get mixed up and crazy in Shaktiland and instead we figure we really just want an empire, a yacht, a diamond, some sex, political power, a cigarette, a film…and on and on. But the yearning never ceases. And soooooo…(drum roll please)…Creator, through compassion, sends some pretty darn (or so it would seem) clear messages down to good old Earth, to remind the people, that there IS actually a way to rejoin Creator/Immaterial for all of eternity AKA no more suffering and no need for death. And so comes Buddha/Jesus/Krishna/Siva…messages. These messages pretty much say, “Hey people, listen up, love yourself because you are perfect. Then love your fellow human, they are perfect too. Stop being afraid, that is crap. There is no need for fear. It’s actually ruining everyone’s time here. Drop it! Get to loving. It’s the only way. Drop the BS of jealousy, greed, envy, hate ect. and accept who you are, what you are and BINGO… you’ve got ACSENSION."  That's right...heaven on Earth, Earth in heaven...however you like it!!

There you have it my friends. There are a bazillion ways towards Ascension, techniques. There are religions. There is yoga and meditation. There is radical acceptance. Whichever path you choose is cool...AND...last but not least....It's being touted in many circles (from the hippy dippies to the Mayan calendar to the economic crisis) that Earth and humanity are currently going through an extraordinary consciousness shift...a quantum leap to a higher, more enlightened state of being (think quantum physics...particles vibrating at an ever-increasing rate).  It is believed that you can choose to go with the flow of this evolutionary current ‑ thus facilitating your ascension process ‑ by preparing yourself for a new and higher level of consciousness. If you choose to do so, here are some tips to assist you! 

1. Connect with your inner knowing daily...in silent meditation or prayer.
2. Be Light. Remember as often as you can throughout the day (when your mind is not fully engaged, drifting) to shift your attention back to the light of your calm true Self.
3. Develop some degree of spiritual non‑attachment. The more weight you give the world, the heavier it is to carry.
4. Strengthen your "energy circulatory system", so that you can conduct higher spiritual energies (AKA prana). This can be done through regular exercise, physical work, or energy body exercises, such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, etc.
5. Learn to attune to your higher guidance.  Think with your heart.

  Om tat sat.  Love and light.  XOm.

Head Above Water

In considering what I will write in a blog post, I often look at what I have recently written, as well as refer to recent emails from friends and family back home. What are they asking? What do they want to know? What seems to intrigue people? Usually it is questions about how I am feeling, and then, what I am doing. This order should be of note.

Seeing as I am only one month in as a sworn-in volunteer, what comes up as a topic ripe for the picking (like the gorgeous and delicious grapes right now in Moldova) is the topic of staying in a "good" place with one's Self-mentally, spiritually, and physically.

Often when we think of the Peace Corps, we think of selfless service. We think of being inundated with so much "new" that we tend to underestimate how much of the "old" we will still actually deal with. This is because not only do we, as volunteers, enter a new country/community/culture, but we also take along our Self, that has lived through so much before this time. I capitalize the term 'Self' because in my mind, it deserves a proper name...the essence of our being that is steadfast and never separate from us regardless of age, location or vocation.

And so, when we enter into the world of literally all "new" we are faced with a great challenge of deciding what of the "old" should come along and what should be left behind. For example: my entire life I have been a people-pleaser. I am not sure why, I was born this way. God-forbid someone was upset with me, especially when it was over something I felt I had no control. I have been working hard at trying to let these old patterns slip away and live more in an "I am doing my best, what others think is their business" attitude. And guess what? Here in Moldova, or in any completely new culture, you simply cannot know what others are thinking. And even if you tried to ask in your new language, the query may (most likely) come across the wrong way, and you won't even understand the response. Or worse, you think you understand the response but it's actually an incorrect interpretation. And with this, my tendency to be overly concerned with my relations with others simply cannot come along for this ride. My Peace Corps experience just might help me to eradicate this less than desirable trait-hooray!

This is just one example of the multitude of old ways of thinking and being that may very well be thoroughly examined during Peace Corps service. Undoubtedly, every volunteer will face aspects of themselves that simply will not jive with living the most authentic and effective two years of service. We will stare in the mirror, either literally or when we look at others and how we react to them. We will see things we do not like, that need change, but also that we love and deserve gratitude. Yes, we did indeed come into Peace Corps service to help. And we knew that this "help" or improvement would extend both out to the world around us and inward to the world that lies within.

I guess what I want to get across here, the fruit that we may together so deliciously savor, is that when we place ourselves in situations of great pressure, we are as a rock placed in a tumbler...tossed, thrown, battered. This part is quite uncomfortable. But what comes out is a shining gem. When we are able to face ourselves and those around us, to keep our heads above water through compassion and understanding...when we are able to comprehend and surrender to the beautiful fact that when we help ourselves we help others and vice versa...we change the world. Inner and outer.

And so to answer the question how am I? : I am up and down and all around.

And to answer the question what am I doing? I am seeking balance. I am struggling. I am growing. I am learning. I am dealing. I am adapting. I am adjusting. I am sleeping too much or I am sleeping too little. I am taking belly-dancing classes to meet people and to awaken my 2nd and 4th chakras. I am talking about yoga in very broken Russian. I am...

People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Language Lessons

A quick snippet of life overseas :)

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It's not news that when learning a new language we often make follys that are not only incorrect but also incredibly inapproprate...and hence incredibly funny.  A popular story in these parts is the use of the word preservatives. In English, they are those often demonized chemicals added to the foods we buy in boxes, bags and jars.  But here, the term refers to condoms.  And so you can imagine how some familial conversations have gone, especially for those highly-natural volunteers explaining the foods they like to eat, you know, "all natural" and "without preservatives"...

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I began my one-on-one tutoring in Russian this past week and within my first lesson realized something I had taken to saying that was just SO wrong.  The use of prepositions is complicated and I, for some reason, took a liking to using B (sounds like "V" and can mean in or into or to).   And so I used it.   A lot.  It was only when I was relaying to my tutor some things I had recently told my host parents that we realized I was saying that I went or was "in" some of my friends...uuhhhh!  I had meant to say I was with someone or at their house...So yes, we had a great laugh. 

My tutor reassured me that of course people knew what I was trying to say and not to worry.  And of course this is one of those excellent moments to check in and and make a "note to self":  "Um-hey Self? Yeah, really don't take yourself too seriously."  Really.

Om tat sat.

Technique 4: Compassion (or, Love Thy Self and then Thy Neighbor)

Who do you love?  (Are you for sure?)

Green Tara, Buddha of Enlightened Activity and Compassion. 

Well geez, don't I need this...for MYSELF!  I am having difficulty to even type the following words, like...sandbags...on...fiinnnggeeeeersssssss......I am turning 30 this month.  There, I said it.  Whew-glad that's over with, now let's move on.  OK-I can't can I?  I need to sit with this-don't I? 

With this blog I have openly saught to create a space where I can be quite candid and quite honest...transparent.  Simple.  Humble.  And so when I am facing something that yes, we can all banter and say, "Nevazhnaya" (AKA 'No biggie' in Russian), the truth is that I am feeling like it IS a big deal and I need to have some compassion with myself about this.  I will share with you this process:

Here I am, turning 30.  I am currently serving in the Peace Corps (oh no, here it comes, my mind-voice that is just KILLING me right now, reminds me that  I should have done this, you know, when I was younger, not in my PRIME marriage-having, child-rearing years)  "Hello?  Who is going to want you when you are done with this?  It will be too late.  No babies for you!  Maybe next life suckaaaa" she jabs.  

This voice also reminds me that, "Thing should look differently now.  Weren't we suppose to be in awesome shape, be married to some awesome man, be working some impressive job with an impressive title at an impressive company?  What the heck?  I'm about ready to pack up and leave your ass!" 

And right then...right there...another voice sweeps in.

"Well, it would actually be quite OK if you decide to leave us you know.  We are rather tired to hear about the 'would have-should have' scenarios.  We really rather prefer to focus on what is here, right now, in our life.  We want to nurture that.  It's your choice: join us here, or you must leave."

Compassion.

In this case the compassion is for myself.  It seems from my readings and experience, only from here first, can that cup overflow to compassion for all:

Compassion "clarifies the relationship of the individual with all"-other human beings, animals, and Self.  "Invincibility in human life is the result of mastery of consciousness" and this is based in harmlessness. (Harmlessness, also called non-violence, is ahimsa in yogic literature-think Ghandi.) True harmlessness is only established by the full development of compassion-the two go hand in hand.  It is impossible to cause harm when we are compassionate.  "Universal Compassion is the requirement for enlightenment...Only those who have proven they will not abuse their power are given the key to Door of Everything."

Abuse of power-huh?  That sounds like something we hear about often.  But do we ever stop to think about the root of this abuse, and the source of this power?  WE hold our power.  It's our responsibility.  And when I spend MY power, MY energy on thoughts about how "wrong" MY life is...it's an insane amount of abuse.  And we're all guilty.

Perhaps if the voice we all have that tells us we are not good/right/enough, were to simply surrender to what is actually happening in our lives, the abuse would cease.  And if we weren't abusing ourselves and creating dissonance in our own well-being, we would never need to abuse power in the outer spheres of influence either. 

If our world outside is a reflection of our world inside (which I do believe, because our world outside is viewed through our personal perspective)...then the lot of us have some serious inner work to do, wouldn't you say?  (Just look at any newspaper, turn on any news show...major disharmony out there!) So get to having some compassion for yourself today, for the love of humanity.  Invite the voice that chides you to either join in the "kumbaya" or catch the next flight to far away from here!

XOmmmm

PS-I am totally aware that 30 is the new 20 and that I have nothing to worry about.  I love who I am and where I am.  I invite more and more compassion to understand and improve upon only HOW I am...and mostly with myself!