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Horizons Magazine
DECEMBER 1998
As I began to type this, I'd just returned from the Omega Institute Conference on
Healing The Whole Self, and what a weekend that was. Friday there were day
long intensives with Joan Borsysenko, Stephan Rechtschaffen, Dr. Brian Weiss,
Barbara Walker, John O'Donohue and Jon Kabat-Zin. Friday evening featured
David Roth, Fred Johnson, Marianne Williamson and Maya Angelou. Saturday
I saw Stephen & Ondrea Levine, Dr. Carlos Warter, Natalie Goldberg and Wayne
Dyer. I spent Sunday with Dr. Bernie Siegel, James Redfield, Barbara Brennan, Alberto Villoldo, and Neale Donald Walsch, and there were intensives all day Monday as well . As you can imagine, I absolutely vibrated all the way home!
Giving our names to be seated at dinner Saturday night, I was standing with a favorite author who's written for decades on mindfulness and zen practice, and we were watching the confusion at the desk, where new arrivals were being told there was a one hour wait for dinner. I quickly scoped out the dining room, the number of those dining and those waiting, did the math and knew we'd all be seated in about 35 minutes. Apparently, no one else figured that out, and there was a lot of complaining about "how could this happen; don't they plan for these things?" "Don't you know we have a talk to attend?" "This happens whenever we go to these things." and "What happened to our reservation?"
WE FORGET WHAT WE KNOW
The author I was standing with was clearly aggravated and quite vocal about it. When I jokingly remarked, "Hey, if we create our own reality, we created all this, too, so let's do something about it." I got a distracted, angry, blank stare and I thought, "wow, 20+ years of zen practice and this is the automatic response?" Then I noted that my automatic response to their automatic response was one of judgment as I thought ', jeez, you're supposed to know better and this is how you act in public?' I inwardly laughed at myself and thanked the Universe for another Cosmic Boomerang.
DO WE REALLY GET IT?
My point is, it doesn't matter how long you've been doing a spiritual practice, what matters is the extent to which you "get it." If we really "get" a teaching, the fruit of that is that we live it as an automatic response. I "get" that we create our own reality. I "get" that I'm nowhere by accident. Now I'm working on letting it be okay that not everyone practices what they preach. I already know we can inspired by the words of others who say one thing yet do another. I'm working on getting whatever message I can from whoever is right in front of me, and let the rest fall away like the chaff it is.
Anyhow, to work off my karmic debt for my judgmental thoughts, I started telling the people next to me in the seating line that I knew we'd be seated in half an hour and told them my secret formula and we got to talking and having some fun, then some people left for other restaurants, and it ended up that all who stayed were seated within 30 minutes, with empty tables to spare.
KARMIC DEBT IS ANOTHER ILLUSION
I was joking about that karmic debt for judgmental thoughts remark. On one hand, I know that we get what we give, that we reap what we sow. My experience is that what I pour out onto others comes back to me manyfold. But I can't say I believe we incur a "debt," karmic or otherwise, when we behave as less than our highest ideal. Who, exactly, do we think is exacting this debt from us? We each know, within ourselves, what is appropriate and what is inappropriate in just about every circumstance. It's not that we don't know, it's that we don't act in accord with what we know. It's that we allow ourselves to emotionally react without forethought most of the time. But I don't believe we incur a karmic debt because of it.
FAD METAPHYSICS
The idea of karmic debt is one of many theories lumped under the unfortunate umbrella term "New Age." As in any other area of life, the New Age movement clearly consists of not only sincere spiritual seekers, but others who are amused and interested in the trappings and others who are interested in selling any number of well, just about anything. Before you spend a dollar to find "enlightenment," consider if you'd get enjoyment out of it if it otherwise. I go to hear people speak because they often inspire me to deepen my practice. I buy books and tapes because they inspire me and teach me. I buy candles because I like to burn them during my meditation time, and when I say a prayer for a friend. I keep certain crystals at my desk because they are reminders to me of the qualities the stones are said to contain: serenity, clarity, and perhaps just that awareness keeps me clear and serene. It's not like my life was crazy so I bought an amethyst cluster and my life immediately got calm. I'm not into jewelry and knickknacks and acquiring "stuff," so I'm an infrequent buyer. Just remember that nothing you can buy is going to make you "get it" any sooner. But you can buy something that so inspires you that you get enlightened in that instant. You just never know. The point is, when someone uses the words New Age, it's not always about the New Age at all.
Earth change is the GOOD News!
We've heard so much of a scare about the Earth Changes, the New Millennium, the y2K problem, the 3rd message of Fatima, actually, the 3rd Message of Fatima was similar to Dannion Brinkley's vision of the box of the 'end times,' and both were told during their vision that "none of this has to happen." That there is time to change the world around. That there is time for man to begin to help man, for brother to recognize brother. I see it happening all over the world now. I see big changes being made and now even tv is becoming enlightening. Everywhere I go, I see people seeking answers, wanting more out of life, discovering what it is they really want to do. I see people taking the time to extend themselves in service to those around them, and having fun in the process! More and more every day, I see people taking steps to make their life mean something! If you're not seeing the world that way yourself, well, consider that we don't see the world as IT is, we see the world as WE are.
It's a Matter Of Perspective
Global disaster is NOT what awaits us. We are changing our consciousness like never before. We've made great strides, and I have faith that we will not only survive, but thrive as the New Millennium dawns. As Alan Cohen so eloquently says, It is possible to live with intense joy, passion, and aliveness, and be energized by the sheer celebration of the beauty, love, and good around you. Don't let the pessimists around you tell you you're being unrealistic or in denial going around happy all the time, because you don't share their reality. The GOOD news is that you don't share their reality. Their expectation and experience is that troubles happen and obstacles abound, and they don't realize they are turning everything into a struggle when it doesn't have to be. You can always ask to be shown every situation from another perspective.
Predictions Of A Modern Day Prophet
Gregg Braden is author of Awakening to Zero Point: The Collective Initiation and Walking Between the Worlds: The Science of Compassion, and he's a popular speaker on ancient wisdom, and personal and planetary change. Through sacred journeys into the mountains of Peru, Tibet, Egypt and the American southwest, he has developed a language through which he shares his life-changing message of hope and possibility. He notes that speculation of catastrophic earth change has flooded media releases in recent months and in late 1997, scientists did, in fact, begin documenting a rare sequence of events unprecedented in recorded history. Within the framework of great masters, events such as these taken on an incredible meaning. The phenomenon can become indicators of a greater process holding the potential to initiate an era of peace and cooperation among the nations of the world. Gregg talks of a lost science that allows us to transmute the great prophecies of catastrophe to graceful expressions of hope and possibility.
We Can Choose What We Wish To Experience
Gregg Braden's message is one of hope, compassion, opportunity. Since we can choose what future we wish to walk into, and we choose by virtue of our intent and focus between now and then, I encourage everyone to read Gregg's books and watch his videos and be inspired from them, and walk with me into a hopeful future. Yes, we choose what future we'll walk into. We choose our future experience by choosing what we wish to think about, focus on and talk about with others every day of our lives. There are mapsellers who would have you believe parts of the world will be dropping into the ocean and these mapsellers are offering another possibility for your contemplation. Which future do you choose? Which future, when deeply contemplated, feels more probable to you? Hear what Gregg Braden has to say and decide for yourself.
The Universal Lightworkers' Conference
I'd seen Gregg Braden the following weekend at the Universal Lightworkers' Conference held in West Palm Beach, and what a wonderful experience that conference was. Karen Scheib and Robin Rose, who coordinate the Universal Lightworkers' Conferences, have as their main mission, "creating a powerful vortex of Light and Love that will call forth Angels of Light and Light Beings of all realms to join in a single Holy gathering," and indeed they accomplish that wherever they go. These conferences differ from the Omega Institute Conferences and the Whole Life Expos in that all the keynote speakers joyfully participate in the entire event and we all learn and pray and meditate and party together all weekend long. As I mentioned Sunday to Susan Dubitsky, publisher of Miracle Journeys, "the Lightworkers' Conferences are a whole different chakra altogether!" They come right from the heart and everyone can feel it.
An Angelic Lineup
Dwain Briggs, opened the conference with his heavenly music and loving voice, opening our heart chakras wide and setting the tone for the entire weekend. Dwain is the primary performer at the Universal Lightworkers' Conferences each year. He has a voice from Heaven and the demeanor of an angel, and I hovered outside early each day just to hear him practice. Next came James Twyman, the Peace Troubador, who is well know worldwide for singing peace prayers at the United Nations, in Bosnia, for Saddam Hussein and other world leaders worldwide, as a means of manifesting God's will on earth. James related his story of meeting the Emissaries of Light, which is detailed in his book by the same name. He is engaging, light-hearted and remarkably humble, and as he sang peace prayers for us, we all joined in with delight and reverence.
A Real Angel on Earth Today
The closing speaker for Friday night was my sweet friend and personal favorite, Dr. Doreen Virtue, who led the worldwide "Nothing to Fear" prayer vigil on Friday the 13th, a day traditionally associated with fear and superstition. At the "Nothing to Fear" prayer vigil, it was the first time that Dr. Virtue, James Twyman, and Gregg Braden were in one location together since the inception of "The Great Experiment" peace prayer, which was held on April 23, 1998. This vigil was attended worldwide by folks who learned about it via the internet and who chose to arrange groups in their locations. After the vigil, Doreen Virtue discussed how angels interact with us daily and how we can become more aware of them and their guidance. She closed with a few illuminating angel messages for several people, and we all benefited by the information.
It's Time for a Love Affair
Jon Marc Hammer is always a delight and he throws his entire body into every presentation! He reminds us that it's fine to be loving to everyone you meet, but self-love is most important. He suggests that we throw ourselves wholeheartedly into an orgasmic love affair with yourself as the beloved, and that many changes happen in our lives when we do that. Jon Marc is an excellent example of someone who's learned to love being in his body! Michael Mirdad, besides being a keynote speaker, also emceed the conference, and he's an engaging and charismatic speaker who reminds us to recognize the Godself within each and everyone one of us. Workshops on Saturday were with Ken Page, Nigel Taylor, world reknowned father of new age music Dr. Steven Halpern, Steve Bhaerman, Hernan Quinones, Colin Tipping, Susan Dubitsky, Robert Gerard and Christopher Tims. Steven Halpern gave his usual extraordinary performance after dinner Saturday night and was given a standing ovation. At dinner, I sat with Gregg Braden and his beautiful wife Melissa, and she was a joy to meet and interact with. A party ensued after dinner that went well into the night, and it was truly a magical time for performers, keynote speakers and attendees as well.
We're Ready Now
Sunday, Aluna Joy Yaxk'in spoke on Mayan-Pleidian Cosmology and reminded us that we don't need to go to libraries or read books to find all the answers - if we seek answers from within, we are given answers directly. Gregg Braden began with an amazing video presentation showing the power of prayer in a controlled setting, showing - via sonogram - a large tumor disappearing right before our eyes in 2 minutes as three practitioners did nothing other than affirm the patients' wellness. It was amazing and miraculous. Gregg has a scientific background and he presents his information in a structured way - his work shows a scientific perspective of what used to be thought of as airy-fairy or woo-woo. He reminds us that Jesus in his time said that 2000 years hence - which is NOW - would be a wondrous time of opportunity and power for us all. That we would do even greater things than he had done. To that, I say: The time is NOW, WE are the PEOPLE !
One Message, Many Messengers
One of my favorite parts of Gregg Braden's talk were from the Dead Sea Scrolls where a "lost form of prayer" was recovered; a form where you bring to your conscious awareness - with full feeling and emotion - the knowing that what you desire has already been granted. Those who have been reading my editorials each month in Horizons Magazine know that has been my primary teaching in the 90's, and I call it creative visualization. Creating the scenario in your mind of what you would like to experience, then fully experiencing it, with full emotion and gratitude during the visualization, and doing this several times daily, a few minutes at a time. As Gregg tells us, this is a powerful technology and it is documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Happy Holydays
In closing, I'd like to say a sincere thank you to all our readers, subscribers, distributors, advertisers and volunteers, without whom Horizons Magazine would not be possible. May your holidays be holydays, and may the Peace of the One Light shine through you in glowing radiance. Hari Om.