If you’ve ever wondered what your life’s true purpose is, I’d suggest reading–and rereading–Michael Newton’s Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls. 

Though I’ve mentioned these titles before and refer to them in Karma: How To View It, Use It, and Lose It, most of us enter into life with one major goal/purpose/lesson to learn as well as sub-categories of karmic relationships and debts to balance and a list of  skills and talents to build upon and perfect.

While we might have a strong intuitive sense of what these are–or just an inkling–there are certain life stages during which the question, “Why am I here and what is my purpose in life?” asserts itself more strongly and persistently:  adolescence, graduation from high school, when we choose a college major or vocation, marry, decide where to live and whether or not to have children, enter middle-age, become empty-nester’s, and retirement being some of these.

Every thoughtful person wants to make the most of his or her life, regardless of whether they believe we only live once and “that’s all there is,” how we live our one life will determine how and where we will spend Eternity, or that we live many lives through reincarnation.

In the past all we could do to validate that we were headed in the right (or wrong) direction was to follow the clues that our life circumstances provided; seek inner guidance through prayer and meditation; read what others had to say on the subject; or, if so inclined, obtain a “Life Reading” from a well researched and respected psychic.

But the current information about life between lives coming from those who recount Near Death Experiences and case studies of hypnotic regression therapists offer more accurate, detailed information about what seems to be fairly universal experiences.

One if these is a sort of consultation with an “advisory council” of wise spiritual advisors who help us  decide what particular goals to concentrate on accomplishing when coming into the world as the person we are, now.

Life Between Life (LBL) regressionists, trained in Newton’s method of hypnosis, are growing in number and springing-up in many areas of the country and the world.  To date, I have resisted any form of hypnosis, as I don’t like the idea of allowing another–any “other”–to interfere with my thoughts and free will.

However, a woman whom many respect and whose ethics, intentions, and expertise I feel good about is currently doing LBL regressions in Virginia Beach and I’m seriously considering a session with her.

I’m at one of those life stages where I want to be as clear as possible about making the best use of my time and energy.  And, if I find it necessary to make any course corrections, now would be the time to do so.  I don’t want to leave this world with “unfinished business” or regrets, as  I am one who does believe in reincarnation and karma. And, I certainly do not want to start-off my next life with the time-wasting burden of tying-up loose ends from this one!

If you have undergone an LBL regression and would like to share your experiences, I would certainly be interested in hearing about them.  And, when I have experienced my own, I will certainly share them with you.

Every new year begins with hope.  In a sense it is, like every birthday celebration, a “new birth” and gives us a sense of wiping the slate clean and beginning anew.

The idea of writing goals down has proven to be an important element in bringing them to fruition.  And, though I can’t recall where I first heard this, dividing one’s future into segments of immediate (one year) goals, mid (three year) goals, and long term (ten year) goals seems to work even better.

I suppose externalizing our hopes, dreams, goals, and desires makes them more palpable and gives them a grater sense of reality.  It also organizes, categorizes, and provides a sense of what needs to be done incrementally to reach our long term goals and keeps them alive in our imaginations.

Many, like Plato, believe that thoughts really are things.  I’m one of these. Let me share an example of how this has worked in my life:

Since early childhood I have been strongly attracted to Egypt; especially ancient Egyptian culture and history.  I “decided,”  when quite young, that I would visit the Pyramids, Temples, Necropolises, and other ancient sites one day; and, that I would do so with others who held the same passion for and inner “familiarity” with this time and place in history as I.

Each year I wrote this goal on one of my lists: immediate, mid, or long-term.  The older I got the closer to “immediate” it became. Though I didn’t contact travel agencies or begin to earmark money for this trip (which I have done with other travel goals) I did include more specifics in my description of what this trip would look like each year.  Finally, when in my early thirties, my description had firmed-up and became exactly as I wanted and “knew” it would be.

About a year later, when a graduate student at Boston College, I was approached by a stranger while waiting, with around 20 others,  for an elevator. He was a grad student in Psychology and was conducting a Peruvian Whistling Vessel (which I’d never heard of) experiment.  One of the usual participants was absent and they needed a twelfth person to complete their circle.  Would I be interested? Having nothing better to do and because this sounded interesting to me I said, “Sure.”

His group met in the office of a Psychology professor and they were sitting in a circle on the carpeted floor when I entered.  Soon after the experiment had ended, in walked their professor, tablet in hand, ready to “debrief” his students.  Noticing a new face he introduced himself to me.  When I stated my name, he appeared startled and said: “Talk about synchronicity!  I just wrote your name and telephone number down after meeting with Professor McAleer!  (My advisor and the English professor for whom I was working as a Research Assistant)”  It seemed he had just asked Dr. McAleer if he knew a grad student who was a good writer and had an interest in Transcendentalism and/or ancient Egypt. He was looking for someone to accompany himself and a group of Egyptologists, Palaeontologists, psychic archaeologists, film makers, musicians, parapsychologists, historians, and others on a trip to Egypt.  This “scribe” would be given an all-expenses paid trip in exchange for keeping a journal of the groups daily activities, experiments, discoveries, and travels.

This adventure turned out to be everything I had hoped for, envisioned, and much, much more.  And, to make it even more personal and special, our flight from Boston departed on March 17–my birthday!

While I can’t say I’ve realized any other goal in such a dramatic and extraordinary way, I can say that I’ve enjoyed reaching many other long and short term goals through the years. Why not give this different, more specific and organized type of resolution-making a try this year? No one need know your goals and imaginings but yourself; and, you certainly have nothing to lose!

Happy New Year!

I’ve always had the need to explore every issue thoroughly before making a decision or taking a stand on one or the other side of an issue.  This propensity usually drove/drives people crazy–especially Sunday school teachers, professors, and doctors.

But yesterday I received a different response from my new cardiologist–who is Indian.  A few weeks ago, after being given 3 options to correct a heart issue, he also gave me a lot of reading material and web information to research and think about.  Yesterday’s appointment was set-up to discuss my responses to these.

As I presented my thoughts, he listened intently to every question, concern, and comment; addressed each one thoroughly; and moved me to the next step–consulting with the specialist who will perform the procedure decided upon.

I  know I take more time than the usual 15 minutes allotted by most doctors for patient appointments; but, I can’t help myself!  Unless and until I understand something completely, I am unable to make a decision.

When I apologized for taking so much of his time, he responded: “No apology is necessary.  Until the mind accepts it, the body will not benefit from a treatment.  We were given a mind by our Creator to use.  This is what makes us human.”  We then discussed how unnatural it seems to both of us when people just leave decisions up to others; thoughtlessly go along with the majority point-of view; or avoid looking at or thinking about serious issues altogether because to do so makes them “nervous” or “upset.”

This man, like many from the East, exudes the calmness, centeredness, and clarity born of mental-spiritual congruity.  To use one’s human brain, then present its “findings” to the spiritual Mind for a kind of transcendental “review,” is what I view the “discernment process”– so valued by many faiths as the driving force behind free-will decision making– to be.

Since we are spirit, living in a physical form while in embodiment, we must work to integrate these two aspects of our Being in all areas.  To simply use the material brain is to overlook the higher dimensional state of consciousness by which you can experience your own non-dual nature outside the constraints of perceived time and space.

But, to use only this higher state of consciousness ignores the human nervous system–the minute biochemical and electrical events responsible for thought and mental/emotional impressions–not to mention the wall you are bound to walk into if you are not alert to physical realities!

In more advanced states of consciousness it is possible to operate in both relative sensory experience and non-dual experience simultaneously.  If you learn to attain this level of consciousness, you will be able to experience the sensory world at the same time as you experience the deep, calm centeredness of your non-dual nature.

The serious practice of a meditation technique that resonates with your personality type would be a good place to begin if the prospect of mastering such a skill is attractive to you.  We all have the innate ability to connect with the higher aspects of our Being which lie outside the constraints of perceived time and space.

This ability is both a natural, human capacity and, to many, a “New Frontier.”

Health and wholeness are such magnificent gifts–gifts we usually take for granted until we lose them!

I love to watch the Olympics.  Though I prefer winter sports, I’m really enjoying the gymnastics, aquatics, equestrian and fencing competitions this summer.

With the camera’s ability to zoom-in on the athletes’ faces and eyes, the mind-body connection is so apparent.  Talk about focus, self-mastery, and self control!  They have it all.

Can a healthy, disciplined mind exist independently from a healthy, disciplined body? While there do exist rare geniuses who are confined, due to physical impairments, to limited physical activity or wheelchairs, I thinks these must be rare exceptions, indeed.

Since moving to Virginia Beach, the seasonal allergies I’ve dealt with most of my life have become acute and evolved into “allergic asthma.”  Due to the looooong, scorching, humid summers; many varieties of molds; and vast array of ever-pollinating vegetation, those of us with breathing problems never get to enjoy the “down time” that gives our bodies a rest.

As a result, I’m now taking steroidal medications just to be able to breathe.  Even my cat has developed asthma! I also need to spend more time indoors and less time getting the healthy, outdoor exercise I’ve always enjoyed in the past.  And, man, has this life-style change affected my general mood and energy level! It has also affected my brain. I’m finding my ability to focus & concentrate diminished and my sharpness & creativity blunted.

Needless to say, I’m counting the days until we can recoup the value in our house, supplement our retirement income with social security, and move to a crisp, clean, healthy climate (with not state taxes!)–hopefully, the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

In the meantime, I’ll have to “remember the days” and live vicariously through the tightly toned bodies, high energy level, and sharp-as-tacks minds of the young Olympians.  How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy such body-mind harmony, strength, and brilliance–even if it is only in our imagination and from the too soft comfort of our couch.