If you have LINK TV I’m sure you know about the great series:” Global Spirit.”  If not, I’d like to share a little about it.

Introduced by John Cleese of “Fawlty Towers” and “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” fame and moderated by Phil Cousineau , this “first internal travel series” brings together both Eastern and Western scientific and spiritual traditions and presents unique conversations on each.

Guests are phenomenal and topics covered include:  “The Art of Living and Dying,” “The Shaman, the Spirit Healer, and the Earth,” “Music, Sound, and the Sacred,” In Search of Ecstasy,” “Forgiveness and Healing,” among many others.

Last night (Thursday) at 10 p.m. on my local PBS station, I watched the episode: “”Exploring Consciousness: East and West.”  This hour-long conversation, punctuated by a couple short film clips, flew by and I hated to see it end.

The participants were Sraddahu Ranade, Scientist, Educator, and Scholar at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in India and Peter Russell, Scientist and Author of From Science To God, and The Consciousness Revolution.

Such programming demonstrates the lofty heights television broadcasting can aspire to and, by comparison, the junk food most networks feed us 90% of the time.

You can check-out LINK TV, information about this series, PBS broadcasting schedules, how to purchase DVD’s, and much more at www.globalspirit.tv.  I hope you will!

The other night, when I couldn’t fall asleep, I got up and did some channel surfing.  Nothing of interest is on in the wee hours of the morning; but, the televangelist, Joel Osteen, attracted my attention.

Though I know little about him, I was impressed by the size of his audience–ENORMOUS–and found his message interesting; probably because it was so compatible with my own: Become clear about your personal Ideal and soul purpose.  And, employ this,rather than any outside influence, as your moral compass, motivation, and touchstone in life.

He focused on how many allow themselves to become side-tracked, dispirited, and far less than God intended them to be by trying to “fit in” and become extensions of a family “group soul” rather than the full expression of their unique Self.

The examples and teachings he used to clarify his point were King David’s life and Jesus’ teachings.  The former, though shunned and denigrated by his father and siblings for being “different,” was recognized by those outside his immediate circle for his extraordinary qualities, talents, and uniqueness.  He eventually became King.

Jesus both exemplified and taught his Disciples that, more often than not, one must break free from grasping family “bonds” and “shake the dust” from one’s feet  while moving beyond one’s home turf to find a nurturing, receptive, compatible environment in which to flourish and become the full expression of the Individual you were created and meant to be.

What a nice surprise to hear this message from unexpected quarters!  It served to remind me:  There is only one Truth, but many ways to express it.  There is only one Mountain Top, but many paths to reach it.

Last night, while walking our dogs around the neighborhood, they suddenly became agitated and began to bark.  At first, we couldn’t see anyone or anything that might cause this.  Soon, however, a girl in her late teens/early 20’s appeared across the street.

She was clearly angry: huffing, mumbling, and stomping the ground as she walked. Both dogs became especially perturbed each time she stopped, looked-down, and stomped her foot forcefully on the sidewalk.

Once she had passed us, we crossed the street and saw that she had been “taking  a walk” with the clear intent to kill as many toads as possible.

Though not pleasant to look at, their custom of coming out each night to feast on the prolific mosquito population in our hot, humid, summer climate makes toads especially welcomed, honored, and protected residents.  Odin and Serena had learned to quietly circumvent them when walking and seemed to understand that their humans liked these odd looking creatures.  So, when they observed a stranger determindly killing them, they loudly voiced their disapproval.

Animals are in touch with their immediate feelings and emotions and express them easily and naturally.  Humans, on the other hand, have developed numerous methods of suppressing, ignoring, and projecting anything unpleasant that “comes-up” for them.

Since our physical and mental states of being are so closely entwined, it is crucial to our physical health that we learn to acknowledge, name, face, and deal with the source of our negative emotions. Otherwise they become trapped and left to fester in our bodies, ultimately causing energetic imbalances–dis-eases–which diminish our health and vitality.

The Hathor teachings remind us that this dysfunctional habit also impedes our spiritual health and development.  They call these suppressed, negative emotions the “underworld” and counsel us to go down into the catacombs of our unconscious before seeking to uncover higher spiritual mysteries.

Why?  “If you go too high in consciousness without balancing your hidden depths, including your own unconscious, then you are potentially dangerous, as you are acting without awareness of the crucial parts of yourself that are in your underworld–those aspects that are NOT evolved–such as your anger, your hatred, your jealousy, your rage, your fantasies, even your death wishes.”  (The Hathor Material, ORB Communications, 1996, Tom Kenyon, pp. 85-86)

These are all a part of human nature and our task is to integrate and heal all levels of our human experience while living on Earth.  Though this might seem a gargantuan task, these wise Spiritual Guides also remind us that our nature is “profoundly capable” of this assignment, as human consciousness encompasses the Light and Celestial Realms  as well as darker realms– and everything in between.  This is just “what’s so” about being human. To hold both polarities in balance and to heal darkness through the light of awareness is the path of evolution they see for our level and dimension of Being.

A far better path than toad-stomping, me thinks!

Have you ever noticed that when you have withdrawn into your mind and soul you rarely hear from others?  I’ve come to take this phenomenon for granted.  But,  when a friend mentioned his recent awakening to this fact of life, it occurred to me that some may not be as tuned-in to it as others.

Though I can’t do more than speculate about why this happens, my thoughts are that it is all about Energy. This is what we are, after all.  When you focus your energetic aura/presence on others by thinking about them, praying for them, visualizing them doing a particular activity, or calling forth memories of past interactions, nine times out of ten you will find that a call, email, letter, or news about that person will come to you within a short time span.

Conversely, when you wrap your energetic body closely around yourself during periods of convalescence, deep thought, transition, or artistic creativity its as though the significant others in your life just “get” that you need uninterrupted time and space and leave you to yourself.

If you pay attention to the behavior of your pets, you will notice their awareness of your needs as well.  I have 2 cats and 2 dogs.  Three out of four of these are naturally tuned-in to my moods and desires, as well as to those of one another. On days when I have a low energy level and feel the need to rest and be with myself, they either make themselves scarce or stay close by but extremely quiet and still– sleeping more than usual and demanding little if any of my time.  (The fourth, a spoiled little rescue kitty, is into her own needs 24-7.  I generally need to close a physical door to keep her out. I’ve known some people like that, too!)

This phenomenon is comforting to me as it serves as a reminder of how spiritually connected we are.  I imagine that if we ever come to realize, honor, and cultivate this connection we will, as a species, move beyond the imperfect, inaccurate communication tools we currently use–speaking and writing–and simply “tune-in,” telepathically, to one another.

Wouldn’t that be great? Imagine the implications! No more hidden agendas, projections, duplicity, or gamesmanship.  We would all be seen and understood for who we REALLY are.  This is how it is in the realm of Spirit. Perhaps this is one of the spiritual gifts that will be available to us when the golden age of Aquarius fully manifests? I can’t think of a time in human history when such a gift would be more  instructive, useful, enlightening and (for some) uncomfortable than today.

Yesterday I heard from my best friend that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be undergoing a mastectomy. She is one of the most genuine, selfless, spiritually-centered beings on the planet.  Yet, her life has been filled with challenges and tragedies–from early childhood onward.

She lost her mother to cancer and was abandoned by her father at age 9; then,suffered through various harsh and abusive foster homes until emancipated at age 18. She married young and encountered many marital and financial challenges, as well as various painful health conditions, through the years.  Now, with her youngest child finally settled into college, financial problems resolved, and a job she adores, she has been hit with this news.

If you study the lives of saints, read the holy books of any religion, or biographies of the best humanity has to offer, you will always hear of challenges and sufferings that would flatten most of us. And, you will undoubtedly find that these are people of extraordinary faith, generosity, and morality; which begs an answer to the question: Does human suffering lead to spiritual purification–or–do the strongest, purest, and best among us “agree,” before incarnating, to endure suffering in order to be teachers and “way-showers?”

I’ve given much thought to this question and have addressed the subject in different ways through my books, Karma and Ten Difficult Women. Though I did, eventually, arrive at my own conclusions, just presenting these will be of little to no value.  It is the personal process of deep thought, research, critical thinking, discernment, and life experience that uncovers answers to life’s most profound and perplexing questions.  No one can do this work for you; and, as we all know, it is impossible to give someone an “experience.”

Though we live in an age of constant distractions, pop-culture heroes, and media overload we also have available to us the most current research from Regressionists like Dr. Michael Newton,  Near Death Experience survivors, and visionary scientists like Gregg Braden (www.greggbraden.net ) who are able to shed light on important questions like:  “Why are we here?”  “What happens to us after we die?” and “How do we discover our unique life’s purpose?”

So, if such questions are truly important to you, there is no reason (or excuse) for not embarking on the exciting journey of discovering answers to questions such as these–in your own way, your own time, and employing methods most natural to your unique personality.

Physical journeys are fun and exciting; but, internal journeys–WOW!  Don’t look for shortcuts–just do it…

A friend has sent “Mother Teresa’s Anyway Poem” around to his email buddies as a Holy Week/Passover gift. I’d like to share it, here:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, its between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

In my experience, the Mother Teresa’s of our world are few and far between.  There are many more self-centered than truly generous human beings.

Few really feel happy about the successes of others; many more seem to turn loose the automatic reflex to diminish, denigrate, or dismiss accomplishments out of jealousy, envy, or fear that they won’t “look as good” by comparison, reflecting the sadly human traits of self-pride and conceit.

Successful, translate “wealthy,” folks can never be sure who their real friends are, as many profess “friendship” while secretly harboring the hope that some of their “friend’s” money or possessions will eventually fall into their hands–if they stick around long enough.

If you are a spiritually centered, self-contained, serene person, there will always be those who will want to knock you off-balance, call you “anti-social,” or label you “superior,” “smug,” or “aloof.”

And, because we all have the tendency to see things (and others) as we are rather than as they are, authentically honest, frank, and good qualities often go unnoticed, or are vulnerable to having their true intentions thwarted, by the less authentic and “good” among us.

But, as this saintly woman (one miracle away from being canonized a real “saint” in the Catholic church) reminds us, it doesn’t really matter what any human being thinks, says, or feels about you. Though you might suffer temporary pain or anger or sadness as a result of untruths and unkindnesses hurled your way; in the end, the only opinion that really matters is that of your Self.  And, the only really important relationship in your life is between that Self and it’s God.

Since my last entry describing the Hathor’s pranic tube centering technique, I’ve received questions and responses regarding the need to connect our tube downward, into the earth.

If our goal is to transcend telluric matters and, ultimately, to make our ascension, shouldn’t we be working to remove ourselves from earthly matters and connections rather than anchoring ourselves to them?

Well, not really; not while we are in embodiment.  Remember: we chose to be here.  And, while we are still in the reincarnating phase of our Initiation, we need to be fully present and grounded in order to make the best choices and respond appropriately to situations in our lives.

This is not to say that you cannot also direct your consciousness to higher realms–or to multiple places, simultaneously.  However, if you want to “Be Here Now” and fully participate in your present embodiment, you must be grounded.

Our Earth is a conscious organism and is going through her own ascension process, as are all organisms dwelling upon it.  Plants, animals, and humans are all experiencing individual processes in order to be in harmony and alignment with Earth’s shift into a higher vibratory field.

The Hathor teachings tell us that, although the entire solar system is  going through the same process of changing vibrational fields, Earth’s process is “unique.”  This is why they are so interested in observing, teaching, and assisting us at this particular stage in our evolution.

One of the things they want us to be absolutely clear about is that our goal should not be merely to ascend to another octave; but, to “live our lives as fully and as richly as possible, constantly surrendering to the greater power of love and awareness.”–in this octave.

So, if you are attracted to the pranic tube visualization, I would continue to encourage you to extend your tube into the core of the Earth as well as upward, into the highest space/realm that feels comfortable to you.  In this way you will achieve true balance and centeredness.

(All references to Hathor teachings are taken from: The Hathor Material: Messages from an Ascended Civilization; Tom Kenyon; ORB Communications; 2012)

Do you sense fluctuation–even chaos–in our world and/or in your emotional world? Much has been written about the transition we are going through as we move from the age of Pisces into the “new age” of Aquarius. It’s all about energy, and a fluctuation of energetic vibrations never before experienced by humanity.

This is unsettling!  Yet, it isn’t a bad thing; just different.  Moving from one level of consciousness to another, higher level always causes emotional volatility. And, according to The Hathor Material: Messages From An Ascended Civilization (Tom Kenyon, 1996, Orb Communications), this challenge to humanity’s emotional body (not to mention the Earth’s physical body) will continue for some time as the Earth moves through its transition phase of chaos into a new order.

The Hathor’s remind us that chaos and disturbances are occurring on all levels: from the atomic and molecular, to the geologic, through social, economic, and individual emotional responses to people and things around us.

So, we might as well accept this as our 21st century “state of being” and learn methods to help us hold on to our balance and equilibrium through it all.

I’ve always reconnected to my center during meditation.  But, in order to meditate, I need to find a quiet, secluded place and set-aside about 20 minutes.  And neither is always available when I need it most.

However, the Hathor’s offer a centering/grounding method I’m finding easy to access at a moment’s notice, regardless of where I am, who I am with, and how much time I have available.  They describe it as: “Balancing emotional energies by connecting ‘heaven’ to ‘earth’ through the pranic tube.  This allows the individual to ‘self ground’ making emotional states easier to manage.” (p. 73)

While I suggest you read about this method in the book I refer to, or by accessing Kenyon’s web site: www.tomkenyon.com , in order to obtain a clear and complete explanation and grasp of exactly how this works and how to work with it, this is what I do:

First, I imagine a tube of light (life force, pranic energy) running through the center of my body, from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.  Then, I extend this tube from my head to as high a point as feels natural to me at any particular time. This might be a few feet, to the sky, deep space, or beyond. The distance doesn’t matter.  Then, I extend the tube from the bottom  of my feet deep down into the center of the Earth. This is your “energy conduit.”

Once you can experience this source of light and energy both grounding your consciousness and transcending the Earth plane, move your awareness to your heart chakra (center of your chest).  Then, breathe in the heavenly energies from the top portion of your tube, allow these to circulate through and around your heart chakra, and exhale.  Follow this by breathing in the grounding earth-energies from the bottom half of your tube.  Again, allow these to circulate through and around your heart chakra and breathe out.  Repeat as many times as necessary to regain your stability and equilibrium.

I find I don’t need to do this more than once or twice before I feel centered, balanced, and rejuvenated.

What I’ve presented here is a VERY abbreviated explanation of this exercise–just enough to, hopefully, prompt you to explore the methodology in greater detail.  Please do!  Once you have accessed Kenyon’s web site ( www.tomkenyon.com ) go to the “Archives” section and click on the “Hathors” tab for access to all of their past messages.