My Flog

Touch

Lady — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 06:13:59 GMT

Sometimes we might concentrate so much on our spiritual lives that we overlook the wonders of being present in our physical form. When we are more aware of the fact that our bodies are also important in terms of our personal growth, we may find it easier to nurture them. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through human touch, for a loving, comforting touch allows us to access the part of ourselves that yearns for a sense of oneness with the world around us. Even simple forms of touch connect us not just to our bodies but also to the energetic presence of other people. There are so many ways to incorporate touch in our daily lives, one of the easiest being a heartfelt embrace. Just making a point to hug someone on a daily basis and really feel our energy pass between each other can strengthen the bonds that keep us together. Hugs help us heal any hurt or upset we may have recently experienced by letting us release into the moment of the embrace and realize that no matter what happens to us, we have someone in our lives who supports and cares for us. Another nourishing form of touch is massage. While we may think of massage as a luxury, it is actually an ancient form of healing that enables us to open up our energetic pathways in order to receive unlimited energy from the universe. It doesn’t matter whether a simple massage comes from a loved one or a massage therapist, but by giving ourselves the gift of massage every once in a while, we are doing something healthy and beneficial for our bodies. Massage helps our bodies activate their own restorative powers, creating a wonderful way to engage fully in our own healing. Letting ourselves take advantage of the healing nature of touch creates space where we can truly live in and experience the world through our bodies, allowing us to completely immerse ourselves in the loving sense of joy and wonder that is our life.

How Ra came into being...

Lady — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:07:15 GMT

The God Nebertcher said: "I am the creator of what hath come into being. I myself came into being under the form of the god Khepera. I came into being under the form of Pautti, I formed myself out of the primeval matter, I made myself out of the substance that was in primeval time." Nothing existed at that time except the great primeval watery mass called Nu, but in this there were the germs of everything that came into being subsequently. There was no heaven, and no earth, and the god found no place on which to stand; there was nothing in existence except the god. And Nebertcher said, "I was alone." He first created himself by uttering his own name as a word of power, and when this was uttered his visible form appeared [Creation came into being – the visible and invisible universe]. He then uttered another kind of word of power, and as a result of this his soul [ba/ka] came into being, and it worked in connection with his heart and mind [ab]. Before every act of creation Nebertcher, or in his visible form Khepera, thought out what form the thing to be created was to take, and when he had uttered its name the thing itself appeared in heaven or earth. To fill the heaven, or place where he lived, the god next produced from his body and its shadow the two gods Shu and Tefnut. Thus joined with Nebertcher/Khepera they form the triad, for the "one god became three." [one god having three aspects] The next act of creation resulted in the emerging of the Eye of Nebertcher [the Sun-disc later identified with Râ/Horus] from the watery mass (Nu), and light shone upon its waters. Shu and Tefnut then united and together they produced Keb, the Earth-god, and Nut, the Sky-goddess. Then the Eye, the sky-disc giver of Light, befell a great calamity becoming obscure, it ceased giving light. This period of darkness is known as the night, yet to compensate for this recurring inconvenient period of darkness, God made a second Eye [the Moon] and set it in the heavens. The greater Eye ruled the day, and the lesser Eye the night. One of the results of the daily darkness was the descent of the Sky-goddess Nut to the Earth-god Keb each evening. The gods and goddesses that were next created were the five, namely, Osiris, Isis, Seth, Neferhor, and Nephthys. Osiris married Isis, and their son was called NeferHor; Seth married Nephthys, but their son, Anpu/Anubis, gain no mention. Osiris became the great Ancestor-god of Egypt, and was a reincarnation of his great-grandfather. Men and women were formed from the tears that fell from the Eye of Khepera [Sun-god] upon his body [the old Egyptian word for "men" is very close, in form and sound, to the word for "tears"]. Plants, vegetables, herbs, and trees owe their beingness to the light of the moon falling upon the earth. [no mention of the creation of the "beasts of the field"] God then created the children of the earth and creeping things of all kinds. The men and women, and all the other living creatures that were made by Nebertcher/Khepera, reproduced their species, each in his own way, and thus the earth became filled with their descendants as we see at the present time."

Difficult Times

Lady — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:34:25 GMT

It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when you are in the midst of difficult times. This is partly because we tend to think that if the universe loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances. However, we are like children, and the universe is our wise mother who knows what our souls need to thrive better than we do. Just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she wants, we also benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn. If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved even when things are hard, it helps us bear the difficult time with grace. This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and you may feel less alone knowing you are not being singled out. There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and the growing pains. It helps if we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult time will inevitably give way to something new and different. When we feel overwhelmed we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass. At the same time, if you truly feel that nothing is going right for you, it’s never a bad idea to examine your life and see if there are some changes you can make to alleviate some of the difficulty. Gently and compassionately exploring the areas giving you the most trouble may reveal things you are holding onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at yourself or reality. As you take responsibility for the things you can change, you can more easily surrender to the things you can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another.

Embracing Grief

Lady — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:08:09 GMT

A very close friend of mine died suddenly this past September 2007. It absolutely devastated me, and I can say as of fairly recently, that I have come to terms with this loss. I miss him immensely, but now am able to feel him with me wherever I go... Change is something that happens each and every moment in our lives. Since nothing is constant, it may sometimes seem as if we are losing something whenever things do change. Understanding that this is part of our daily existence and that there will not only be gains but also losses in our lives can help us more readily accept and deal with whatever happens. Whenever we lose something or somebody we love, it is important for us to take time out for ourselves and truly feel the weight of what we are experiencing. Although it may seem that doing so will push us into a deeper state of sadness, truly giving ourselves permission to be with whatever arises actually creates space for us to begin the healing process. This is because the act of grieving is a natural process, allowing us to sort through the range of emotions that are present in our everyday existence. Even though it may sometimes seem easier to involve ourselves in activities that take our minds off of our sadness, this will only make the route to healing more difficult. Unless we listen to where we are in the moment, the emotions we experience will only grow in intensity, and our feelings will manifest themselves in more powerful and less comfortable ways. Once we consciously acknowledge that these emotions are present, however, we are more able to soothe the sorrow of t! he moment. In so doing, we become more open to our natural ability to heal ourselves. Grieving doesn’t have to be a process that keeps us rooted in our thoughts of fear and sadness. For the moment we might feel despondent, but by expressing and coping with our true feelings, we face the sadness head-on. When we allow ourselves to accept and deal with our loss fully, we will then be able to continue our life’s journey with a much more positive and accepting outlook. This will make it easier for us to see that our grief is ephemeral and, just like our moments of happiness, it will also come to pass.

10 STEPS TO SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTMENT

Lady — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:10:04 GMT

TEN STEPS TO SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTMENT The following 10 steps will take you closer to having an experience of spiritual enlightenment. You will begin to feel more spiritually awake and alive the more you apply one or more of these steps below. Go easy on yourself. You may have been trying to experience these for a long time, possibly for lifetimes... enjoy! 1. Being free from the illusion that you are separate from an Infinite Source of love, energy and consciousness. Feeling separate and disconnected from our Universe is how we create failure after failure in life. This habitual illusion that we are NOT connected to the divine stems from the mind's attachment (and avoidance) of our EGO. Once we untangle ourselves form these deep internal beliefs, we remember that we were always ONE, connected to our Source. All experiences of suffering are created by the mind's lack of awareness in seeing your own divinity. Once we stop forgetting our eternal abundant nature, we are stepping forward into life as divine unlimited nature. 2. Quieting the incessant chattering repetitive mind. The Ego is the thought program. Like a computer, it is un-aware. It just spits out information and computes ideas that are about the past and future. The mind/ego is a limited construct of ideas and beliefs about who we think we are. The more we can silence the chattering mind, the less we are trapped in this Ego. You could say that E. G. O. really is an acronym for Excluding God's Omnipresence. Only through the constant release of the Ego can we live in the true spiritually enlightened reality. We become aligned with the bigger Truth that are infinite Spiritual beings AND do also exist this physical third dimensional world. 3. Embracing and Releasing all your Fears. As you may have heard, F.E.A.R. really stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. To discover what you are afraid of open yourself up to another intimately in conversation. Let them see into you. Sooner or later YOU will be able to see into YOURSELF again and understand truly what you are running from. Once you know what you are running away from, run towards it and embrace it. It will dissolve and be released from your life at the perfect time. 4. Embracing and Releasing all mental, emotional and physical attachments or aversions to everyone and everything in your life. As humans we tend to get attached to people, and what they say, do or think about us. This occurs because we have this automatic habit of trying to avoid what is painful and stay with what is full of pleasure. The problem arises when we become attached to having to HAVE what is pleasurable all the time, or desperately need to get rid of something painful. Pain and suffering is just the Universe telling you to, "LET GO!" The purpose of pain is not to create more suffering upon you, it is to create CHANGE! This change is necessary for us to drop our ego-trip and return to our spiritual source again. Allowing yourself to genuinely enjoy your life is communicating to the Universe that YOU are connecting to this Infinite Source inside! We experience pain because of one thing...Ignorance. Think of the word "ignore", add a little dance to it and you get ignorance. When we ignore the Truth of our infinite being, our Ignorance transmits into suffering. To transcend this ignorance and find spiritual enlightenment again, a deep awareness is needed. With this profound state of consciousness we can LET GO of anything that would create a belief saying we are not connected to this Source. Nothing more is needed to transcend this illusion and re-discover the truth of who you are. 5. Total freedom from other peoples' unconscious myths and everyday stories of separation from their Infinite Source. When you were 7 years old, what were you told you were not enough of? What was your "standard" story of failure or separation? Usually whatever we heard our parents and siblings having problems with, we attached ourselves to it and The Separation began. Since our parents never weren't fully Enlightened Beings who constantly lived in wonder and amazement of the bills they had to pay, we got the idea we were limited. If they contacted this Infinite Source, then they teach you. Yet they had to send you off to an "education system" which worked about 15% of your brain's potentiality and capacity, thus churning you through the grinder. Society never taught us how to be still inside, quiet our mind and emotions, meditate, focus on who we are or how to achieve inner bliss. They believed it was "illegal" to teach a connection with your Infinite Source in school. Society is hypnotized with a "thinking program" that success and truth is all about status, money and career. The reality is "Success" is defined by how fulfilled you are as a human being. That's something you cannot get from the right job, income, marriage, proper diplomas and P.H.D's.etc... 6. We stop thinking that "Thinking" is a means to getting what we want and creating success. "Think-aholics" have become the societal norm. It has become abnormal in society to sit and be silent alone. Most people run from meditation because they cannot quiet their mind and feel they lose control of it. The ironic thing is that ALL of the suffering, chaos and illness in life is caused by a lack of control and awareness of the mind. Practicing "being" and sitting still, we naturally realize the Infinite Self inside. Instead of tuning into our silence more we are taught to think more and know more to achieve what we want. We are not taught the secrets of the Universe are discovered by simply being in the here now. This is by far the greatest success we can ever achieve. It is being at ONE with the infinite, all-powerful and omniscient Universal-God force. Is this enough for you to re-define your definition of success? 7. Hiding from your true power in a "safe" little fishbowl. Thoughts are safe, while experiences are real and unsafe. We find it easier not to take the risk of getting hurt by diving into the ocean of experiences in life. We stay safe, comfy (and basically dead) inside our little comfortable fishbowls of "habitually doing" things and thinking things that once gave a sense of confidence and security. Life is a natural chaos that has a cosmic structure. It is like an uncontrollable rollercoaster ride because we don't know the exact future ALL the time and know how to respond to each experience that occurs outside our little fishbowl. Instead, we think about an experience without even having one. Through T.V. movies, books we hide from our powerful omniscient Infinite spirit and pretend to be completely trapped in a mental spin-cycle of thoughts about "Reality". Don't understand yet? Rent the wild movie The Matrix. 8. Let Go of having to be right all the time. Being right can be the hardest EGO trip to get off of. To get off of it, basically means that you need to be WRONG about your entire life. If everyone tells you from birth to death that Life is a struggle, that it's hard, painful and unfair, and you believe them, then how can you ever relax, let go, trust and surrender to Existence. We think we must fight to get what we want. If life is serious, we're probably going to gain love, success and freedom by stepping on or over others. The world is a community of beings. It is a playground, a play and comical stage where we can choose any role we desire. 9. Replace the "positive" results created from continuously playing The Victim in your life. Through lack of awareness (ignorance) of our ever-present connection with the Infinite Source, we all have been participating in an inner victimization programming. This stems from a lack of inner peace, power and playfulness, which can later create a dis-ease (a severe lack of ease) in the body. The Victim role we get caught in gets good strokes from others who feel sorry for our pain and send us love. Thus we stay hooked and asleep to our ever-present Infinite Source inside. When we don't respond with awareness, we just react unconsciously from past habits of being victimized and thus create more experiences of being a victim. Many human beings on the planet are really " human programings". The same thoughts day after day after day. This creates a seriously deep rut in life, which the only way out is through being responsible for your thoughts and choosing more empowering and freeing ones. 10. Choosing to suffer and stay unconscious. Our society abhors people who step out of line. The people around us often criticize us the moment we try to break out of the societal "norm" of unconscious living. The unconscious way is more accepted, it's even advertised by the T.V., movies, news media, radio, newspapers, etc... which all agree on one thing. That everything you need to end your suffering is outside of you, not inside you! That's how they sell you stuff! Many of us are caught in this ridiculous Rat Race to reach a certain monetary status and level of luxury we think will rid of our suffering. This never works. The cheese we rats are after just gets bigger, and bigger and bigger. Many refuse to understand the basis, that suffering comes from this constant desire! When we are desire-less, we remember again how infinitely connected we are to the Infinite Source which is inside us all. Choosing to be conscious, means waking up from the Rat Race. It takes much effort to go against all our friends and families beliefs to awaken. The great part however is that the Universe won't let us sleep forever. She loves us much too much to let us forget our true nature. If you don't choose to wake up while you're alive (in your body), she'll let you know when your physical journey on Earth is over. Then you will definitely know how she could love you more than ways than you could imagine. Supreme states of Bliss are happening right now to people on this planet. Loving you loving me…

Gnowing me, Gnowing you

Lady — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:19:38 GMT

It comes to us.. and comes back to us at odd moments.. in strange, childlike bursts of song, poetry and mysterious movement of the limbs; apparently meaningless little Rituals not much different from Nursery Rhymes, yet so filled with our own Story of Being that it leaves us more Whole, more Hale, more High above the Colonies we currently inhabit. We do not often know what to make of it, this SECRET SOURCE OF POWER; for it is greater than our current moment and "size." We seldom talk about it to others.. for it is too sacred and private to sully with "opinion." But it is there, inside us and it's Magic has refueled our souls and healed our bodies and minds too many times to count. Nobody knows what to "call" it.. nonsense, fantasy, child's play or Wizardry!.. but it's real name is GNOSIS, the True Knowledge of our Souls.

Maintaining the Flow of Energy

Lady — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:59:25 GMT

The essence of all being is energy. Our physical and ethereal selves depend on the unrestricted flow of life energy that is the source of wholeness and wellness. Though the channels through which this energy flows are open systems and influenced by factors outside of our control, we ultimately choose what impact these will have in our lives. It is up to us to identify and clear blockages in the energy field to ensure that flow is maintained. A healthy, grounded individual absorbs some portion of the energy emitted by other people and the environment, but this does not interrupt the continuous stream of balanced energy sustaining them. The same individual copes constructively with stress and upset, and they are not subject to the stagnation that frequently goes hand in hand with negativity. When we keep the energy in and around our bodies flowing harmoniously, we are naturally healthy, vibrant, and peaceful. Life energy flows through us like a swift stream when there is nothing to obstruct it, but various forces such as trauma, downbeat vibrations, and disappointments act like stones that impede the current. If we allow these to pile up, our life energy is thrown off its course or blocked entirely, causing illness, restlessness, and a lack of vigor. If, however, we take the time to clear these forces away, we rob them of the power to impact our lives. When we cultivate simple yet affirmative habits such as taking regular cleansing baths, practicing meditation and breathing exercises, smudging, and self-shielding, we protect ourselves from outside influences that might otherwise impede our energy flow. Likewise, we lessen the impact of inner influences when we clear our auras of unwanted attachments and divest ourselves of blocked emotions. A strong and fluid energy field is the key that unlocks the doors of self-healing and peace of mind. Your awareness of the flow of energy sustaining you empowers you to take charge of your own well-being by taking steps to unblock, correct, and enhance that flow. Fear will likely be the culprit when you cannot identify the source of stagnation—you may simply be afraid to let go of what is obstructing the flow. Letting go can be challenging, but the exuberance you will feel when the flow is restored will be a welcome and blessed reward.

Jeff's Memorial - Laguna Beach

Lady — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 05:43:42 GMT

My dear departed teacher, Jeffrey Sean Pool, who as you all know by now passed away about a week and a half ago, would get up every Sunday morning, without failure and would go down to Main Beach in Laguna and feed the homeless. This morning we had a second memorial for him at Main Beach for all those that he fed, not only nutritionaly, but spiritually also. As he did with all of us, actually... Jeff's Mum, Dad, wife and 5 month old daughter were there, as well as friends and family. It's amazing how many people he touched with his kindness, compassion and nonjudgemental ways. We stood in a circle, holding hands with a large picture of him surrounded by flowers. It was a beautiful morning at the beach. The sun was shining and dragonflies were zipping around with fervor. Each of us spoke of how we knew Jeff and how we loved him for who he was to each and every one of us. My daughter wore her Ghi with the last belt Jeff awarded her, her red belt. We laughed, we cried, we prayed and we all knew he was with us. We could feel him, especially as we laughed while tears streamed down our cheeks. I decided to honor him and his unending kindness and made a commitment to continue his legacy of feeding those that need it. With the help of a dear friend who will kindly donate money every month to this cause. Jill Hankey will give me $200 a month and me and my daugher will get up every Sunday morning and head to Laguna to feed those in need. It's the least I could do. In one way or another, Jeff has made us all better people. Just by knowing him. His humor and spirituality will stay with us always... After the memorial I drove around aimlessly, crying, asking Jeff to be with me. I miss him so much, I can't imagine how much he is missed by his own family. They say G-d never gives you more than you can handle. Well, I'm looking for the handle... So I drove and drove and ended up at Awakenings. The bookstore where he conducted the weekly Twin Heart Meditations. A place I used to spend quite a lot of time at before I was distracted by a relationship. As I walked in I saw his picture, surrounded by crystals and candles. There was music playing in the back end of the store and I saw two chairs. I sat down, closed my eyes and just pictured Jeff laughing and sharing his silliness as he usually did. I sat there for a while, tears streaming without my help. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was a CD with Jeff's picture on it. It was HIS TWIN HEART MEDITATION! The one that had lifted me so, that had helped me through good and bad times. So I bought it. Now I will have him with me in my daily meditations - forever! My heart lifted and a smile came across my face. Directly below the CD was a Tarot set. I've had my Tarot deck since I was 12 or 13 and felt like this one was calling me. Maybe it was time for a new deck. So I bought that too. The cards are the Thoth deck, one of the originals and the first card to jump out at me was ABUNDANCE. WOW! What a great message. Thanks Jeffers... Thanks to technology I will be able to hear his voice and feel him near. The void in my heart filled with joy, I could feel Jeff telling me "everything was going to be ok". We will be holding another memorial for Jeff in the near future. A date hasn't been set as yet, but this'll be a big one. Jill wants to hold the memorial at her house, which can hold up to 500 people. I will post it as soon as we know when it will be. There will be a lot of preparation needed, but it'll be worth every minute, for Jeff. May your transition be swift as you fly up to the heavens in the arms of angels. And may the angels bow at your spiritual feet. For you were love incarnate, and now the whole world can be helped by your love in the skies. We miss your physical form Jeff, but we know you are with us ALL in spirit and we would be lucky to be just a teensy-eentsy bit like you. Love you always, brother...

From KevinSan...

Lady — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:43:19 GMT

Greetings my friends, As most of you now know Jeff Pool has left our earthly realm, passing over to the other side. For some of us this has come as a surprise, yet we all know this is the way. While Jeff was here with us, no one worked harder or more diligently to prepare himself or his spirit for this most certain occasion that we all will someday encounter. The picture above clearly shows he was ready for his coming journey. For all of us, our Bujinkan martial art in particular teaches us that the way of life is our eventual death. No one escapes this moment… no one gets a pass. Jeff understood this clearly, and from my observations, tirelessly arranged his life, his studies and his daily activities for this watershed moment. I know of no one who was better prepared for this than Jeff. I will always remember Jeff as a smiling, energetic, generous and selfless person who always thought of others first. I never saw him in a bad mood, never heard him speak ill of others and always took the very best of everything I could “dish out” to him both on the dojo floor and off. He was always a loyal, hard working and thoughtful student while under my tutelage – and he always treated me and more importantly K.T. and even my animals with love, dignity and warmth. None of us will remember Jeff for the car he drove, the watch he wore, the home he lived in or his bank account. I truly believe in this way Jeff had all of his priorities in perfect order and I will always look to him as a great example for me and others to follow. Jeff continues to teach and guide me in this way even now, as he rides the eternal clouds above. Let us not feel sorry for Jeff or the people who were so fortunate to have been associated with him or be saddened by his departure. Let us never forget that he has given us a golden path to follow without fear and without sorrow. Let us always remember Jeff’s smile, his laughter and his unique ability to lift us all by the sheer force of his personality and poetic magnetism. May we all live such an inspired and meaningful life… Our dear friend is now gone, but he will never be forgotten. May we all Keep Going following his example. Kevin San & K.T.

Tell them you love them

Lady — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:38:18 GMT

Spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent. Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Jeffrey Sean Pool - Truly Ethereal, now...

Lady — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 17:37:50 GMT

Jeffrey Sean Pool - Truly Ethereal Now... This blog is dedicated to a man that deserved all the goodness this godforsaken planet could give... This past Thursday, Sept 27th, he was found dead on the beach. He apparently was lying there with a peaceful look on his face, just as he was and always had been, a gentle soul with more love to give than any of us could imagine. My teacher, my friend, my spiritual-lover. You are now with all of us, at once. Every moment spent with you was full of laughter, spirituality and LOVE. Your heart was so big, no wonder it gave out! You cared so much for every sentient being on this planet... so much... I can't believe you're gone! The pain of missing you is so great, I loved you deeply, so much. So much in fact, I wouldn't even date you. I never wanted to lose you as a friend - as if that were possible - I just never wanted anything to come in between us, because I truly, truly loved you and wanted you in my life ALWAYS. You were a lot more to me than a friend, my heart would burst for you. You introduced me to the finest set of people I've ever met. Friends I shall have for life. You lightened my life with your smile and your silliness. We laughed so hard at times, my face would hurt more than the bruises you gave me from training. You gave me nuggets of wisdom that furthered along my own spirituality and inner light. Now my tears pour for you. I shall always cry for you, you've left far too soon, it's not fair - I shall always keep you in my heart, goodbye, my almost lover... You had reached a point in your life where you had EVERYTHING you ever wanted. A beautiful wife, a gorgeous baby girl and happiness, it was evident in your eyes, in your constant smile. You had the best life could offer. Maybe it's best to leave on a high note... Honey, although you reside no longer in physical form, you shall forever be in my heart and mind. I will miss you forever, Jeff. Heaven is a lucky place to have you, make the angels laugh... Big love, ALWAYS!