T h e
EDEN MAGAZINE
Keith Mitchell A former NFL linebacker to yoga & meditation practicer
Is it possible to live an authentic life?
By Sherri Cortland
March 2015 Volume 5 Issue 3
Have you ever been in the sacred places? by Tom Larson
CONTENTS KEITH MICHELL
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THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL CONTACT by Lisette Larkins
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IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE AN AUTHENTIC LIFE by Sherri Cortland
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THE GOLDEN SEED OF THRTH by Jan Diana
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I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU by Rashmi Khilnani
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ZOROASTRIANSISM by William Bailey
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HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN THE SACRED PLEACES by Tom Larson
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THE INNER NOISE OF A SILENT RETREAT by Dawn Greaves
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THE SOWING, THE SEED by Katerina Kostaki
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BEACUSE OF LOVE YOU by Peace Mother Geeta Sacred Song
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LOVE & SUPPORT by Ellen Angelica Pendergast
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A GIFT FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE by Alison Carmen
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T h e
EDEN Magazine
spreading compassion to all sentient beings and Living in healing and peaceful world Maryam Morrison Editor-in Chief maryammorrison@theedenmagazine.com WEBSITE www.theedenmagazine.com FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/TheEdenmagazine CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sherri Cortland Jan Diana Ellen Angelica Pendergast Dawn Greaves Katerina Kostaki
Eden Magazine is an independent monthly online magazine. Our aim is to create a better environment where we live among other living being in peace and harmony. We support artists that their work match our criteria. If you would like to submit your artwork, article or/and your Photography For our future issues please contact Maryam Morrison at; edenmagazine@hotmail.com or www.theedenmagazine.com 3 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
Vafa Shelter
Needs your help, many beautiful animals waiting for a loving home.
For adoption please contact: http://www.cal.ir/ ~ http://cal.ir/main/fa/contact ~ http://cal.ir/main/en/contact 4 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2014
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Keith Mitchell A former NFL linebacker to yoga and meditation practicer
Make up artist: Diana Arakelyan
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Keith entered into the NFL as a young free agent linebacker sporting jersey #59 for various high profile teams such as the New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Keith life changed after his injury in 2003. In his words we learn more about Keith’s new journey, and Healing Powers Of Yoga. A truly an inspiration to all. “On the field, I was a beast at making record-setting defensive tackles and quarterback sacks which brought me great recognition and helped me establish public notoriety. At the top of my professional game, I ascended into the 2000 Pro Bowl despite my disappointment of being an undrafted All Pro Athlete from my dream college Texas A&M. Without warning, my football career suddenly ended after suffering from a paralyzing spinal contusion which initially left me concerned about how to transition into a future of unknown possibilities that didn’t seem to fit into my label of being a professional athlete.
Now what would I do with my life? What would my identity be? This was the life question I had to contemplate over and over in my head until one day I opened myself up to trying something new and unconventional – YOGA AND MEDITATION. Like you, I have experienced fear, pain, great setbacks, disappointments, failures, and adversities. Life’s journey promises us all many unexpected surprises - both good and bad, however, regardless of all life’s events, we have control on how we manage our decisions. When this happens, we don’t have to remain in a state of fear, pain, anxiety, or depression. Experiencing the trauma of being paralyzed during my football career at a young age almost felt like I had reached rock bottom. Just as I was physically paralyzed from a game injury, I discovered an even greater identity challenge to overcome, my mental paralysis which was actually rooted in fear.
Facing one of my greatest emotional fears, I believe is symbolic of experiences that many of my clients and fans experience which may be equally just as paralyzing as a physical injury and sometimes even more so. But my testimony is proof enough Can you imagine approaching retirement that fear can be defeated in order to from a career you truly love at the young achieve freedom and healing. age of 31? The practice of the following mindful dis Ironically, most people make decisions ciplines are all critical in my transformation like this much later in life, however, over- journey. As I adopted each of these mindnight my life suddenly changed. My iden- ful practices, I developed a new identity tify as a successful athlete, which had of authenticity which helped me find been nurtured over the coarse of decades acceptance of the “treasure” within myself since childhood in addition to years of which had been hiding behind the sports sweat and hard work, was stripped away label I had carried my whole life”. within seconds after one paralyzing hit.
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BEING AN NFL STAR ATHLETE FOR 8 YEARS OF MY LIFE, WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE...
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2015
Today, Mitchell is a respected pioneer Master Certified Yoga Instructor with more than 10 years of experience. He is committed to inspiring self-empowerment transformations in the lives of millions through his movement which now reaches multi-cultural fans beyond the confines of traditional yoga studios.
The Eden Magazine would like to Thank our dearest friend Keith Michell for sharing his life experiece with our readers. for more information about Keith and his practice please visit http://www.keithmitchell59.com
Furthermore, Keith passionately teaches individuals to become liberated, first within the mind, working from the inside out in order to achieve complete fulfillment. His coaching philosophies can be heard nationwide and internationally. Special philanthropic initiatives he supports include mental health awareness, caring for veterans, injury prevention for athletes and youth obesity prevention.
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An excerpt from Above and Beyond
The Incredible TRUE STORY of Extraterrestrial Contact by Lisette Larkins
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Wise, mysterious visitors selected Lisette Larkins for spiritual initiation in fall of 1987. She was a young wife and mother, having mysterious paranormal experiences that only she could see and hear. Initially she feared for her sanity and the welfare of her son. On top of that she was struggling with an abusive employer and a failing marriage. Because of this, her then-husband secretly arranged for her to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. She desperately wanted to understand what was happening to her. Why was she chosen? Why now?...
you,” he said in a scolding tone, implying that he would speak to me later about my tardiness. Scott motioned for me to sit in the empty chair next to him, and I happily obliged, proudly glancing at my notes as though I were about to present an award-winning speech. Returning his attention to Lenny, Dr. Ventura said, “Okay, where were we? Lenny, please continue.”
Noticing my Cheshire cat grin, Lenny I couldn’t believe it was morning already. pounced on me. “What’s wrong with you?” I immediately searched the drawer of my he jeered in a challenging voice. bedside table and was thrilled to find a small pad and a pen. I excitedly began “I figured it out!” I said with a flourish of scribbling words that the ETs had commu- my notepad. “I remember them,” I said, nicated. It was all so utterly glorious! There beaming like a small child. “I was little on my bed, now propped up on my pillow, when it happened the first time, but then I wrote as fast and as furiously as I could. I forgot, until I saw them again just now. But they’re back . . . they’re my friends!” When finished, I jumped out of bed and I said excitedly. ran out the door. I rushed down the hallway past patients in wheelchairs and orderlies “Would you mind explaining what you are calling my name. I ignored them all and talking about?” Dr. Ventura said in a loud raced into the large room where “group” voice, interrupting my moment. session was in full swing. As I burst in on them, a sea of shocked faces gawked at “The loud vibrations, the blinding lights! seeing me still in my pajamas. It’s them . . . what I mean is, it’s theirs . . . they have a completely different—” “There you are!” Dr. Ventura called to me. “I was beginning to wonder if we’d lost
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“Who?” Dr. Ventura bellowed, losing patience with my rambling speech and holding a hand in the air to quiet the other patients’ comments and snickers. “Extraterrestrials,” I said loudly, with no apology. “I was a child when they first made contact. Until now, all I remembered was that once, long ago, a shadow had passed over me while playing outside on the lawn. But even then, I knew that someone or something was trying to break through to me.” The chattering and comments stopped short as the room fell silent. “They don’t look like us, but they do speak . . . but not with their mouths,” I said, relieved to finally explain my claims, the unexplainable.
Lisette Larkins has had extraordinary extraterrestrial encounters since childhood. The importance of them was to reveal to her the possibility of experiencing a “chronic state of well-being” and to inspire the recognition that, as spiritual beings in human bodies, we are designed to create to the same degree and with the same ability as extraterrestrials. Although she had written three books about these experiences, it wasn’t until she discovered the work of Eckhart Tolle on being “present” that a clear path presented itself. She began to apply these principles in her work as a publishing company sales director, author, and spiritual guide and went on to publish three more books.
Waving my notepad in the air as though it was sufficient proof of I continued. “I can hear them, and they can hear me, too. It’s so extraordinary!” I said, as tears of joy Lisette’s previous titles are: Talking to and relief welled up in my eyes. Now it all Extraterrestrials: Communicating with made perfect sense. Enlightened Beings (Hampton Roads, 2002); Calling on Extraterrestrials: 11 Steps to Inviting Your Own UFO Encounters (Hampton Roads, 2003); Listening to Extraterrestrials: Telepathic Coaching by Enlightened Beings (Hampton Roads, 2004); Difficult People: A Gateway to Enlightenment (Rainbow Ridge Books, 2011); and Talking to Extraterrestrials: Transforming Our World with the Help of Enlightened Beings (Rainbow Ridge Books, 2013). Above and Beyond: The Incredible True Story of Extraterrestrial Contact (Rainbow Ridge Books, 2014) is the latest in her oeuvre. http://www.lisettelarkins.com/
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art by by: Autumn Skye Morrison 16 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
Spiritual Growth Checkpoint
Is it possible to live an authentic life? By Sherri Cortland
www.sherricortland.com The benefits and consequences of living an authentic life have been on my mind a lot recently, and as I contemplate whether or not it’s truly possible to do so, synchronicity has chimed in and everywhere I turn, I’m suddenly finding articles, books and workshops encouraging us to live an authentic life. And this idea is not just in new age, metaphysical and self-help books; in J.K. Rowling’s fiction book, A Casual Vacancy, there’s a character that makes a decision to live a completely authentic life, and describes the negative consequences of that decision. After researching this subject, it’s clear that being authentic can mean different things to different people. To me, being authentic means being true to yourself, to who you are, and perhaps even to what you’re feeling at any given moment. I also cannot help but see both positive and negative sides to being 100% authentic; for instance: Should we say exactly what we feel or think, even if it will hurt someone’s feelings? What are the social and economic consequences of being 100% authentic? I can share with you that recently, after holding in certain work-related feelings for nearly two years, I finally opened up about those feelings to someone who could effect changes for
me, those changes were made and I feel like a new woman. But what if revealing my true feelings hadn’t produced positive effects? My thought is that a new window of opportunity for growth would have opened for me and listening to my gut on how to deal with whatever happened next would be crucial to spiritual growth. Holding in our true feelings as I did for two years is certainly not synonymous with living an authentic life, yet I feel sure that choosing when and how to best express those feelings is equally important to expressing them. For example, do we say, ‘That dress makes you look fat?’ or is it better to say ‘You have other dresses that are more stunning”? In our pursuit of living an authentic life, I believe that we must continue to watch our words and actions and find ways to approach situations and people in our lives in ways that will allow us to be more authentic without creating additional karma or hurting others. And because I am intent on learning more about how to reconcile living an authentic life within the confines of existing social and work paradigms, I’ve called on two dear friends to help us better understand exactly what the expression living an authentic life means and how to get there.... 17 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
The first person I consulted was Intuitive Medium, Metaphysical Radio Show Host, Metaphysical Editor for OMTIMES Magazine, and Spiritual Teacher, Shelly Wilson, who shared the following wisdom: “I believe that living authentically involves being genuine with all people you come into contact with. This means not being afraid to be yourself or to feel the need to hide certain aspects of yourself due to fear of what others may think. It’s necessary to allow the “real deal” to shine through always. In other words, you are aligning your thoughts, words, and actions with your beliefs. You are walking your talk and talking your walk. I feel that it is important to always be conscious of the energy you are putting out in the Universe. Being mindful of the words you choose to express is being considerate of others’ feelings yet still being authentic. It’s important to honor and respect everyone’s beliefs yet not always energetically appropriate to share your own. In no way do I feel that if you choose to remain silent are you being less than authentic. Rather, I feel that you are simply being compassionate. There is a difference.”
require tons of paperwork and would end up in some big huge expensive ordeal that I would have to hire an attorney to deal with. So, I put it off. Still, every time I had to speak or use my ex-husband’s name, it made more and more uncomfortable—it wasn’t me. I hadn’t taken my maiden name when we divorced because, as an adoptee, that name hadn’t really been me either. Actually, no name ever had until I began using Paula Renaye, which is a variation of my middle name, professionally several years ago. That name made me feel more like the real me inside than I ever had in my life. I loved it! The problem was that it wasn’t technically “real”—I’d made it up—it wasn’t legal and it kept me stuck explaining who I was or wasn’t on any given day. I didn’t feel congruent or authentic. It was mentally confusing, and it was energetically holding me back from taking action in important areas of my life.
Finally, I sucked it up and went to the courthouse to find out what I had to do to make myself official. I miraculously found the correct office on the first try. I found the sample forms that seemed most appropriate, filled them out and then took what I hoped was the correct paperwork to the clerk the next Next I called on Author, Certified Pro- day. fessional Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, QHHT regression hypnosis practitioner That was on Friday. I had serious doubts and EFT facilitator, Paula Renaye, who about the paperwork being correct or happened to be working on creating a “enough,” but the clerk assured me that if more authentic life for herself by over- there were problem, someone would call and coming fear and limiting beliefs. Paula let me know what else was needed. Monshared the following about her personal day morning, bright and early, they called. I journey: could come by the courthouse and pick up my signed name change order! The judge I have had plenty of limiting beliefs, most had signed the paperwork Friday afternoon recently around having my name changed, and they had filed it officially My “big huge which I felt needed to be done for me to truly expensive ordeal” had taken less than two be me. I was certain it would take forever, hundred dollars and one business day!
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Photo by: Heidi Winkler www.HeidiWinkler.com
Originally from New York State, Sherri Cortland lives in Dear Readers, if creating and living more Orlando, authentic life is calling to you the way it’s Florida with her calling to me, here’s a three step plan of husband, Ted Dylewski and action to get started: their many cats. Step one: Pay attention to your feelings. Write down in your journal the situations or In addition to circumstances in your life that make you writing books for Ozark Mountain uncomfortable. Publishing, Sherri is also the Step two: Figure out what action(s) you Orlando Metaphysical Columnist for are willing to take in order to be true to who Examiner.com, where publishes new we are in those situations. The Universe columns twice weekly, and she also shares messages from her Guides on will support us. her Facebook Author Page. Step three: Decide on the best action(s) For information about Sherri’s new and then take them. Nothing will change book, please visit her website at until you take action (or don’t take action, www.sherricortland.com if that’s what’s called for to be true to yourand click on the link for self). Guide Group Fridays. And then, it started to sink—I was now officially me! I had done what I needed to and the universe had supported me—at warp speed!
There is no doubt that as we create a more authentic life, we are also expediting our spiritual growth and for those times when we aren’t sure what to do, meditate and listen to that little voice within—that voice is our Higher Self working hard to help us make the right decisions. Namaste. For more about Shelly Wilson and her books and services, please visit ShellyRWilson.com For more about Paula Renaye and her books and services, please visit PaulaRenaye.com
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Article The Golden Seed of Truth
T
HE GOLDEN SEED OF TRUTH
Message from the Goddess Mother by Jan Diana
As you ponder, allow the brightness of your heart to shower golden light upon your “Greetings on this most glorious day! As mind so that you may connect more fully we approach the spring equinox it is a time with this happy news. of great celebration. It is with joy that this message is delivered Take a moment to ponder on this. Breathe to your awareness. You may feel it as a into your heart and feel the wonder of whisper of lightness that elevates you with this thought. Your heart knows the meaning a sense of hope, joy and deep gratitude. of this time of celebration. My Beloved Children,
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As you continue to ponder on this celebration, your heart will guide you to the awareness of the blessings that are about to unfold for you and your life. You have chosen this glorious path My Beloveds, and now you are about to step forth into a new adventure. Your life will take on a greater meaning for you. You will know more of the wonders of the truth of your divine nature and your sacred purpose.
which is filled with great wonder and glory. Your truth shines ever so brightly and carries the infinite potentials that lay ahead for you to choose to experience with such delight. Focus your loving thoughts on this golden seed and allow it to grow. Open your heart and mind to new ways of seeing and knowing yourself. As you hold the vision of the golden seed blossoming, you will begin to feel a sense of joy as your heart guides you to remember.
Continue to ponder on these words. As your eyes fall upon them, as you hear their The dreams of your heart are at the door message with your heart, allow them to My Beloveds. You are ready to open that bless your countenance. door into the greater understanding of your truth. Breathe into your heart and feel the flavor of my words. They are a song to your Accept this gift My Beloveds, for it is your heart. They are a song of joy, a song of divine birthright. It is your destiny to relove, a song of celebration. member your truth and to experience You will know this truth as you open to living your true nature. accept this message of love which I share with you today. Be in the flow of The time is now for you to choose to take this message of heart My Beloveds, for it the next steps within your journey in a will open your heart and mind to the infi- greater awareness of the divine self. nite nature of your true self. Your nature is most delicious as it is the flavor of joyful To assist you with your journey of rememawareness and ever expanding bliss. bering, I offer you the sacred mantra, Touch upon it now. As you allow yourself to ponder on this message, you will begin to feel a sacred seed begin to shine golden light as it begins to sprout with aliveness. This golden seed is a gift I offer to you today. It is a seed which is held in your heart and as it is nurtured with loving thoughts, will begin its journey of moving from a sprout, to a bud and then into a blossom of such beauty continuing to blossom into a golden flower. This blossoming flower is the remembering of your sacred self, the truth of you 22 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
Chanulanaha.
Chanulanaha is a love mantra in the language of love. From the Sacred Heart to your heart, remember you are love, in blessing you, I bless myself, I bless all for all is love. This mantra assists in shifting energy into greater harmony and balance, and alignment with your authentic self.
It will assist you to nurture your golden seed of truth to blossom and shine greater awareness to you and the many lives you touch. Sing it to yourself. Sing it to your golden seed and watch how your life unfolds into greater joy and lightness. May you dance in the joy of your blossoming self My Beloveds as you journey into the glorious new phase of your life’s journey. Chanulanaha, remember your truth, for you are love.” With great love, Your Beloved Mother As a Gift to assist you on your life journey, I offer Free Articles, Classes and Meditation journeys. To access these and receive new offerings on the horizon, you may subscribe with your email at: www.sunshineinyourheart.com For more information on the mantra Chanulanaha you may refer to: Article: “Language of Love, Ancient Keys of Promise to unlock Your Potential” Recorded Classes: “Language of love, Ancient Keys to Unlock Your Potential” “11 Minutes of Magic” http://www.sunshineinyourheart.com/ free_telecasts.html
Jan Diana is an intuitive healer, spiritual teacher, and master practitioner. Her mission is to assist clients and students in creating harmony, balance, heightened levels of clarity, develop innate gifts and abilities, empowering them on their personal evolution to create the dreams of their heart. She utilizes several modalities including SVH L3M, Animal healing, GHM, Language of love, Reiki Master, and more. Sessions and Classes by phone. If you have questions or would like to set up a session, you can reach her at website www.sunshineinyourheart.com or by email sunsinyourheart@aol.com SPECIAL offer 20% discount for new clients. Free meditation journeys, articles, & classes. http://www.sunshineinyourheart.com/free_ telecasts.html
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An alarm screech goes out through the rainforest. Monkeys of all types throw themselves off high branches and out of trees to freeze in terror. Overhead a giant eagle with a seven foot wing span easily twists and turns through the treetops, hunting for any animal caught out in the open. With a single dive it tears the unlucky creature from its branch with five inch long claws on powerful legs.
Harpy Eagle
The harpy eagle is one of the world’s largest and most powerful of the fifty species of eagles. It lives in the tropical lowland rainforests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico southward to eastern Bolivia, southern Brazil and the northernmost parts of Argentina. It likes large areas of uninterrupted forest but will also hunt in the open areas next to patches of forest. The harpy eagle’s name comes from the harpies of Greek mythology which were ferocious winged creatures with sharp claws, a woman’s face and a vulture’s body. The harpy eagle is monogamous, meaning it mates for life. They nest high in the canopy of emergent trees about 100 to 200 feet (40 meters) above the ground. The nests are built loosely of sticks and fresh leaves in the crutch of the first branches of ceiba or kapok trees. Usually two eggs are laid, but after the first egg hatches, the other one is ignored and fails to hatch. The incubation period lasts for 52 to 56 days.
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The harpy eagle has the longest breeding period of any raptor. They raise only one chick every two to three years. Both parents care for the chick, feeding it for up to 10 months or more. A young harpy eagle will fledge, or leave the nest at about 4 1/2 to 6 months. It will stay in its parents’ territory for at least one year. The estimated life span in the wild, although difficult to asses, is thought to be between 25 and 35 years. Harpy eagles are carnivores and duirnal, or daytime hunters. They hunt about 19 species of medium sized and large mammals that live in trees, like monkeys, sloths, opossums, large reptiles like iguanas, large rodents and other birds. They hunt by sitting quietly and listening for prey for long periods of time in the canopy of the forest, then pouncing on their prey in short bursts of speed. They can reach speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph).
The faster and more agile males hunt smaller animals than the larger females. Like other birds of prey, they can only fly with prey weighing less than one half their body weight. The harpy eagle is an endangered species. The major threat is loss of habitat from clear cutting, destruction of nesting sites and shooting. Harpy eagles need large tracts of forest to hunt in. Most forests have only one nest every 10 or 15 miles. Each nesting pair has a single chick every two to three years. With such a low density of harpy eagles and their low rate of reproduction, even the smallest pressure on their hunting abilities eliminates them from an area.
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I am Always with You by Rashmi Khilnani
My time with you within the grand illusion of time, here now, is coming to completion. I am but the deepest part of your own wisdom energy. This frequency is within you in your silence, in your practice of compassion, moment to moment. In Lakesh! (Within you I see another me). The 3rd eye of the planet Gaia is opening to a high frequency of wisdom and understanding. The 3rd eye of humanity, individually and collectively, is also transforming to a wider view of all that is. Give us your fear, give us your pain, and we will transform these feelings into the vibration of courage and a deep knowingness of your true nature. Please remember to be compassionate with yourselves and with others in this time of accelerated change and transmutation.
I am always with you. You and I are one. I once again dissolve into the supreme silence. This energy cascades through the Universes of the Manifest to you, to all of you who ask. The manifest and the unmanifest continue the wondrous dance within the great infinite Infinity. Meditate on this. Om Mani Padme Hum Namaste Om Silence Om Peace Om Silence Om The Buddha
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Rashmi Khilnani was born in Chandigarh, India and spent the first six years of her life in Cairo, Egypt. She went on to study and teach with world-renowned avatars, gurus and teachers and became a specialist in energy medicine. She is on the forefront in bringing the ancient Mystery School teachings of Egypt, India, Tibet and China, as well as the teachings of the Essenes, into current time and making these wisdoms simple and accessible to people at all levels of soul journeying. Rashmi teaches and practices several healing modalities and has taught Reiki Masters, doctors, scientists and others from many walks of life the secrets of the Mystery School teachings. She is a global metaphysical teacher, urban shaman, international lecturer, artist, seminar leader and TV personality. Rashmi is the host of 2013 and Beyond with Jeremy McDonald heard monthly on Blogtalkradio.com. Rashmi is the executive producer and one of the speakers in a new documentary film, IGod, which will feature spiritual authors, heads of various religious denominations and people at all levels of soul journeying. IGod is being produced by Robert Friedman and Neale Donald Walsh, and directed by Jonathan Friedman. 2727THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
Zoroastrianism A General Summary of the Religion
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Zoroastrianism, also known as Mazdaism, and Zarathustra was at one time among the world’s largest religions. Founded between 1200 – 600 BCE by Zarathustra, Zoroastrianism was Iran’s (Persia) majority religion for numerous centuries. Ahura Mazda, the creator of the universe and mankind is “all good” and has absolutely “no evil” originating from him. Also within the religion, both qualities of good and evil have specific sources. Evil (drui) is in constant battle with truth, righteousness, or Asha, attempting to annihilate it, and good putting up the defense, creating Ahura Mazda’s (God) annihilation of evil (drui). The religion promises salvation to those who follow the 3 Advices; “Good Thought”, “Good Words” and “Good Deeds” truth based religion.
1.The Supreme and Universal God: Ahura Mazda is the Supreme and Universal, omniscient, and omnipotent God that is Asha (truth) and stands for justice, purity, honesty, and is the creator of all things. 2.Polytheism: The Zoroastrians believe that Ahura Mazda is the supreme God however; there are other Yazatas that assist the supreme God with keeping the evil in the universe under control. Yazatas are some things like angels,they are heavenly beings but they are not exactly same with Angels, Angels in Abrahamic religions are like housemaid of God that only doing the orders and works of God but Yazatas are like the rays of sun, when you see and following one ray of sun you can reach to the sun, just like it every Yazats are one ray of God, Yazats obey the orders of god and also each of them are one spiritual guidance (Guru) that guiding mankind for reach to the Ahura Mazda if mankind call and praise them, each of the Yazatas show one mercy and qualification of God . word Yazata come from Avestan language and mean laudable because Yazatas created from pure soul of god and in Zoroastrianism when you praise each one of the Yazatas truly you are praising the pure soul of god.
The primary collection (Bible) of the sacred texts is called the Avesta, and instructs those who follow the faith to seek out asha (truth). It also teaches that Ahura Mazda is good. And 2 things are in every human’s esprit call Sepanta Mainew and Angra Mainew. Sepanta Mainew is all good and Angre Mainyu is a “finite evil entity or lie” that mankind must overcome. Mazda makes Spiritual designs through guardian All Yazatas are Amesha Spentas (imangels or Fravushi and his worldly plans mortal Beings) but There are six special are executed through humans. Amesha Spanta that represent Mazda’s good qualities along with other Yazats and The afterlife is made up of two possible end- lords to assist Mazda in his quest to conings, either in or without Asha. One cross- quer evil. es the Bridge of the Separator and enters the Abode of Songs in Asha, or enters the 3.The duality of existence: Zoroastrians House of Lies and exits without Asha. believe that planet Earth is an immense sporting arena if you will, for the battle The following are various beliefs within of good and evil. It’s believed by the reliZoroastrianism: gion’s followers that good will win in the end.
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However, one must still do their part by spirit). You will then be shown flashbacks avoiding evil concepts and remaining posi- of actions performed on earth while you tive by abiding by the scriptures. were alive. Your soul will then cross the Chinawad bridge where your previous 4.Divinity of creation: God created all actions will be judged by an angel and worlds from his astral body and guiding the outcome of that judgment will have light. The Supreme God is all knowing direct bearing on whether you proceed and divine. It’s therefore the honor and to heaven, hell, or a place where you will duty of all Zoroastrians to keep the order, wait till the final judgment day when God positivity and Asha in the world. would pass a final judgment where those whom have lead good lives are given a 5.The goodness of humanity: The be- home in heaven, and the remaining will be lief that people are born good and have sent to purgatory for eternity. the choice to stray or stay pure is the general consensus of Zoroastrians. Be- 8.Believing in sin: Sin is known as pering that the Supreme God creates man, forming different actions and non-action human beings are thereby divine in their as well. Not practicing the three commandinitial nature. Those who wish to lead ments which are having good thoughts, the evil life and stray from the path of Asha, using good words, and performing good risk living the dead end life of the dark deeds. and stormy damned, next stop spiritual Hell. Other sinful actions include the following: 6.The Sanctity of the elements: Fire, •Adultery water, earth and air are to be kept away •Sodomy from evil pollutants and kept pure. This •Theft is accomplished by avoiding both mental •Pollution of elements. and physical contact with dead and putrid •Disposing of the dead not using the matter. Evil is not able to penetrate the prescribed manner. spiritual world however, evil can penetrate •Nor performing the proper rituals to the material world and precautions must God. be taken to stay clear. The dead should •Performing actions with evil thoughts. never be cremated, thrown in water, or bur- •Marrying without the proper proceied within the earth. The proper form of dures. distinguishing the dead is to let them decompose on their own or allow the flesh Nora Elisabeth Mary Boyce, a British scholeating birds to devour the bodies. ar of Iranian languages, and an authority on Zoroastrianism, stated that “Zoroastri7.Life after death: Death occurs when anism is the oldest of the revealed world the spirit leaves the body. The purity is religions, and it has probably had more attached to the spirit therefore the purity influence on mankind, directly and indirectis expelled with the spirit. When death ly, than any other single faith.” occurs the soul remains on earth for three days and three nights in close vicinity of the body, and then travels to the spiritual realm where it meets Daena (guardian 30 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
Art by Maryam Morrison https://www.facebook.com/maryammarts
International Day of Nowruz 21 March 31 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
Golden Temple in Punjab, India
Temple of Heaven in Beijing
Have you ever been 32 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March
2015
Tiger’s Nest Monastery
Wat Rong Khun in Thailand
in the sacred places?
by Tom Larson
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Something is scary or behind our understanding? Did you ever been in some sacred place, and then feel more safe, secured and sure for what you are doing? Do we touch the soul of our ancestors? Lets go for a travel to some sacred places, which are mystery till our days, but they are holy and it’s also our history. How do we understand the word “sacred”? It must be about religion or places for worship. These are the places which are mystical and mysterious, where we can pray or just stand 34 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
still and feel calm & peace in our hearts. Let’s start our journey and our first stop is India. Indian temples were built to hear the sound.They have semi-circular shape with the echo sending your voice back. Imagine when we sit alone and practice soundprayer in the temple. With the echoes back, we think that our prayers have been heard. Indian Temple: Tirupati - is a most holy temple in the south India. The temple is 2500 feet above sea level and is situated on one of the group of 7 hills.
Tiger’s Nest Monastery is located of named after Sedona Arabelle Miller 3000-feet-high cliff in Pavo Valley and it is Schnebly. She was known for her hospitalthe most sacred place in Bhutan. ity and industriousness. Ms. Sedona was a wife of the city’s first postmaster. The temple of Wat Rong Khun in Thai- Pilgrims travel to this place from prehisland is the most interesting place in the toric times till now. Local tribes as Hopi world. But now the temple is under con- and Navajo journeyed to Sedona for the struction, and it will take another 90 years healing. Red sandstone rocks have a to complete. mystical shapes and it said, that they have Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the capital powerful energy because of their high conof China, is the place to pray for good har- centration of magnetic iron. vest and tell your sins. Hill of Crosses-Lithuania: It is the LithuGolden Temple in Punjab, India, is the anian pilgrimage center.The hill with the most sacred place of Sikkim. You can find many hundreds of thousands crosses for peaceful place to meditate, even Buddha the memorial of deceased. Lithuania was long time ago came there to meditate.Sik- the part of USSR till 1991. The Soviets kim has the least population in India and repeatedly removed crosses or even levis landlocked Indian state near Himalayas. eled the hill, but pilgrims or local people Buddhist sat Guru Ringoche visited Sik- rapidly replaced crosses upon the sacred kim in the 9th century and introduced Bud- hill. dhism. You may talk in 11 languages here which are official in Sikkim. This is only some places of thousands holy temples or places around the world. Angkor Wat is the sacred place in Cam- People can,t live without holy. Even if they bodia. It has the construction, that is hard to are not practicing any religion, to enter imagine. It is no other building in the world. the sacred temple it is to find the mystery Let’s travel to sacred place in Americas: to them, something other-worldly, it is to the Mayan city of Tagum was the pilgrim- feel the connection with their ancestors. age site for Mayan women heading toward It is worth to visit and find the peace or to Cozumel island-the holy island. Europe: visit interesting places of architecture and In Greece you can find an Earth Goddess nature. Holy place is where we can conshrine at Delphi. There you’l feel an abun- fess, think about our past and future and dance of energy, because of slopes of find peace. Have a good time! Mount Parnassus. What is our favorite sacred place? Do you Canterbury Cathedral, dedicated to Saint want to feel relaxed, calm ad impressed? Thomas, was the center for pilgrims. In There are plenty of places where you Spain you can visit the medieval town can find the peace. center of Santiago de Compostela, where pilgrims travel on foot or horseback, by bicycle, car or bus. U.S.A.-
Sedona.
Arizona.Sedona
is 37 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
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The Inner Noise Of A Silent Retreat by Dawn Greaves
I have wanted for some time to go to a The day came to leave for my retreat, I was silent retreat. packed like a kid for summer camp. The sun was shining, the day was beautiful and The allure was the idea that I would be I was full of anticipation and excitement. able to attain deeper levels of meditation I took a plane, then rode a bus to a cab without all the day to day distractions of which then drove me to The Santa Sabina life. I had the idea that I would catch up on Retreat Center in San Rafael, California. my sleep, read several books (one a day) The scenery on the drive was gorgeous and and achieve unattained levels of clarity and by the time I got to the center my heart peace. I have many friends that have gone was soaring. This would be the third in my to silent retreats, some of whom go yearly four part training with Richard Miller as and have for quite some time. I never asked part of my Irest Yoga Nidra certification. many questions about what it was like or Spending time with Richard is always what to expect. Therefore I created my own amazing, so I trusted that whatever the expectations. That should have been a ultimate outcome of the retreat was, it warning sign in and of itself. would serve my greatest good.
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The first day participants checked in, settled in their rooms, shared a meal together then there was an opening program. When the evening program ended, silence would begin, (it was 9pm on a Thursday) and conversation would not begin again until Sunday morning at 8am. By all accounts this appeared to be an easy task to accomplish and I was ready to dig in. But as soon as the program ended on the first evening instead of being bathed in peace, I felt only an underlying current of unrest as everyone silently walked off to their rooms for the night. The center is set up in such a way that there are many intimate areas for self reflection, private prayer, meditation and reading. I toured almost every nook and cranny prior to going to sleep on my first night, unable to shake my restlessness. The next day’s program began at 6am, there would be shared time as a group with Richard leading various practices then intermingled pockets of time for meals and personal use. Over the next few days I would experience some of the deepest emotional pain I had ever felt in my life. My anxiety and fear level was through the roof and I couldn’t figure out why, and the within me. Hidden inside myself I had harder I tried the worse it got. pockets of unresolved pain that no level of talk therapy, self-help or analysis had On the retreat grounds there is a hermitage been able to purge some of my deepthat you can schedule to have to yourself. est darkest emotions. But being in siI scheduled a slot on Saturday, by the time lence with no one to talk to, more imI got behind the closed door I collapsed portantly no one to listen to, pushed into a heap and cried from the deepest what had laid dormant inside me for so part of my soul. I cried and I cried until many years to the surface. I laughed, I had no real idea where my emotions were coming from or why I was A healing had begun, one that I had tried responding the way that I was. This was to achieve by various methods but never not at all turning out to be what I expected! knew how. As with most things spiritual I It wasn’t until Sunday morning shortly be- find they must develop, unfold and blossom fore the silence broke that I began to get in their own time. a glimmer of what may have occurred 38 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
Prior to leaving I made an appointment to speak with Richard. As I opened up to him about my experience he looked at me with unprecedented kindness and assured me that my experience was just as it needed to be to serve my greatest good. I realized that although the silent retreat presented silence on the outside, my inner world was loud beyond compare. Memories screamed to be released, it was time to let go of resentments, anger, fear and old emotions that no longer served me. My focus became forgiveness and continues to be the mantra I am working with. I recommend taking the time to find silence, at a retreat or just simply taking a day or a few moments to sit with yourself. In silence we can just allow our being to come froth, for cleansing to occur without trying. Your experience will be different from mine, unique to you and the needs in your life. Trust that the universe is conspiring for your greatest good, seek out the magic that is YOU in your purest form. It’s in the silence... With Love and Blessings-
Dawn Greaves is owner of Light of Dawn Yoga, LLC currently working as a recovery/life coach and yoga instructor in Louisiana. Her primary focus is helping individuals to heal through meditation practices such as iRest Yoga Nidra and other such forms of self inquiry. Her belief is that,”We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”-Mahatma Gandhi Dawn loves to meet and share ideas with new people and to offer help to others in any way that she can. Feel free to contact her at dlgreaves760@msn.com dawn.greaves.54 on Facebook
∞
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Everything in the World Is an Opportunity by Jeremy McDonald
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“Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” ~Ann Landers
I spent most of my life in a state of thinking the world was against me, I was a victim to what someone else felt. By basing my life on someone else’s opinions or what I thought their opinions were, I never really saw the possibilities. When opportunities did come up for me, I would miss them because I would be so focused on what I felt or thought was happening to me. I experienced many hours of anger brewing inside me, but on the outside, I would show everyone that I was happy and I was okay. In reality, my mind was twisting around getting upset at what was not happening for me in my life.
Some people would say it was foolish of me not to apply those lessons at the time when I heard this wisdom. The funny part is, when I look back, I was trying to apply it all the time, but saw the world as something I had to force instead of something that I had to work within. Almost twenty years later, it hit me, I did not have to force things to happen and bend to my will. I just had to get up, act on what I was seeing and experiencing, and it would come alive for me without forcing it. The very wisdom my father gave me sent me on a path of self-discovery. This was all an opportunity for me to experience life for what developed based on my decisions.
When I was a teenager my father said, “There are three types of people in the world, those that made things happen, those that sat and waited for things to happen, and others that sat around and said what happened?” He asked me point blank, “What type of person would you like to be?” Honestly, at the time I thought he was crazy because I was fourteen years old, and who listens to their father at fourteen? In reality, I was not listening to myself, and had no idea even how to answer my father. Instead, I got upset with him and just did not listen. He was trying to help and give me the wisdom he learned in his life. I was confused and projecting my own insecurity onto him, because I did not understand myself. Looking back on it now, I see it was an opportunity. I had a choice to either listen to him or not listen to him. I actually heard what he said but did not have the tools emotionally at that time to apply it to my life. His job was to simply plant the seed and let it grow until finally when I was in my early thirties his voice rang in my head over and over again with the very lesson he had taught me so many years ago.
My lesson was, everything is an opportunity, and it is time to stop judging myself with, “I should have done this or if I had done it this way, things may have been better.” I looked at the world differently and realized that all things are my opportunity to get to know me better and have a deeper relationship with myself.
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This was big for me, and I encourage the reader to really think about this. We constantly avoid taking that leap of faith because we are scared we may make the wrong decision or the path we take will be too hard. This puts us all in a holding pattern, which keeps us from experiencing life. The point I am making is that none of your decisions are wrong, they just have a higher purpose. Even my days when I did drugs and did not honor myself were perfect. The Buddha states it well, “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.” I actually did this. One day I realized how everything was in divine timing and divine order and there was a divine purpose for everything. I just sat and laughed.
2015
I spent all of these years trying to force everything and manipulate circumstances. I hid my true thoughts from people because I was judging things, not realizing how perfect they were in the first place. That in itself just made me smile and laugh a bit. The humor in knowing that I made life so much more difficult than it needed to be was very amusing. It was not a sense of judgment or wishing I would have done it differently, it was a huge wake up moment, realizing everything that happened has brought me to this point. Going forward, I choose to make life easy. Since then, I got myself caught in to scenariosand if they continued, they would bring me to a hard situation and make my life hard again. Instead, I just looked at it as an opportunity to speak my truth in love and move on. What we doin this body is practice, experiment, and see which path works best for us and keeps us in balance. This helps us grow and expand our consciousness, and helps us align with the whole of who we are.
guide me in the “highest and best good” for me in my divine plan, in divine timing, and in divine order. This way I do not have to worry about the details. I just experience and live life.
People have told me this is not taking life seriously. My response is always the same, “I am here to experience life and live it to the fullest. My only condition for myself is I want a deeper relationship with myself and a better understanding of God.” As I enjoy life and follow my inner voice, I get to do just that, have fun and enjoy God for what God really is, a manifestation of consciousness creating a flow within the universe. If I ride the wave so to speak, we get to understand the awesomeness of what God truly is. One thing I know, God is not going to make me live in misery. Misery starts with me, not God. I have the choice to live in flow or resistance. I have the choice to make life hard or easy. If I do not live in FEAR and do not experience life to my fullest potential then I will live it in LOVE and experience the My friend, Gina LaMonte, once said to me that greatness of what life is all about. in all of her studies, she has never once discovered a God that is stagnant. Every single If you change your focus on how you view the one, in every culture, was growing andexpand- world, this will create a paradigm shift from ing. Therefore, if you are a part of the whole of seeing the world as being against you to consciousness, then you are expanding and seeing the world as an opportunity. This brings growing through the experience of your life. You the miracles and allows you to see the world grow from getting out of balance, experiencing through the eyes of your soul. I realized this depression, sorrow and hurt. You grow from one day when I experienced something at my being in balance, experiencing happiness, joy job and the person I spoke with on the phone and love. Most of you are trying to keep your- was very rude. Normally my EGO would have selves from being out of balance, but some- jumped up into full tilt and would have wanted times to have a pissing contest as to who had a the greatest of rewards come from those mo- bigger EGO. When the conversation concluded ments of being out of balance. Those times I would have justified my stance to myself you may have to go apologize to someone, thinking what a horrible person that was on you may discover an area of unawareness in the phone. Instead, I realized that he was beyourself. The point is, that if you are trying ing rude and this was an excellent opportunito keep yourself from never making a mistake, ty for me to model who I had learned to be. I then you are not living. All things you do are an was able to practice my newfound peace inside opportunity to expand and grow your aware- and utilize what I taught other people, as a ness. Our mission is to listen to our inner voice result he calmed down. The conversation as much as possible, and allow your soul to went in a totally different direction than what experience it. What I did is ask my soul to normally would have happened. 43 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥
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What I learned was, if I had fought with him, and had a battle of EGO’s with him, it would have come directly from my EGO, which is “Edging God Out.” The anger and the need to be better than another soul kept me from experiencing God, which is pure Love and Truth. Within Love and Truth, there is no one is better than another, because we are all ONE. In this moment of being calm and balanced with the client, I was able to prove to myself how confident I was inside. What most people do not realize is that the confident one is usually the one that says the least and has very little to prove because they know who they are. I then evaluated the times I had expe-
Accomplished spiritual healer and teacher Jeremy McDonald has been a public speaker for over 14 years has designed and delivered many workshops to assist individuals helping them find peace and joy in their lives. Looking from an inside soul perspective, they are able to overcome fears, alchemizing them into love. His clients find balance, peace, joy and true sublime self-love .
rienced a battle of the EGO with someone else. For accolades of the world Jeremy is a Reiki Master, EFT Practitioner, Theta I analyzed each instance. What I found healing practitioner and Life coach. He each time was two people who needed to has served as a Key Note Speaker for justify their stance. They needed to prove Expos, Colleges, Professional Conferthat the other was wrong so they could ences and just the small Workshop in feel their way was correct. People who ar- a living room. Jeremy is the show host gue about religion demonstrate the fact that of the online radio show, Soul Talk, on they are not confident in their own faith. and BlogTalkRadio, v109fm.com check it out at www.soultalkradio.org People who have to list their credentials, which discusses the transitory show me they are not confident in their own experience of knowing ones soul from theories or arguments. If they were confi- an inner perspective. Guests range from dent, then they would just speak their truth Spiritual Practitioners, Scientists, and let it go, or not say anything at all. This Medical Doctors, Musicians and Artists was a huge opportunity for me to discover having conversations of the Soul coming something about myself on a deeper level together to enjoy the rewards of a soul but also allowed me to gain wisdom on how driven by spirit, and guided by awareness to interact with other people. This was an of the self. He is the author of PEACE BE invaluable lesson for me. If I did not practice STILL www.jeremymcdonald.net self-awareness, I never would have discovered this.
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art by Fidel Garcia 46 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March
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THE SOWING, THE SEED, THE SEEDER AND THE COSMIC ELIXIR
Unfolded Mysteries of the Universe
by Katerina Kostaki
Running after life situations is a rather absurd choice, perhaps an extremely soul destroying one. When the wave approaches, it is better to be a wave rider. You might become a winner, perhaps you might not.
when he keeps a low profile.
I contemplate of how I unleashed my successes, which ultimately did not come along with the pompous speeches. They were caught up, re-written, and deleted by a certain circle of entities. The blackboard of our lives.
I am the sewing, the seed and the seeder. I am willing to transfer the knowledge and love on various ethereal lands, or I convey the Ethereal Fields upon Earth and become a bridge for Light to cross and strengthen her defense. A prayer, a wish, a hope, a powerful mixture as a Universal Elixir of Life and Action. So strong and powerful as the dose of Love, that assimilates the darkness and banishes illusions.
Life itself has taught me a lot.She taught me not to expect much, when many ideas are overwhelmingly spread, and never ask when the opponent is arrogant enough. LoWhat is the significance of a victory? cal Universe is infiltrated by those arrogant That is extremely important is the Existence. types of entities. So I chose to travel to a Especially when it is in immediate threat. more creative ground ... even though this So running after life gives ground to a beau- ground abides on another dimension. tiful walk.
The “Teachers” who are accustomed in leaving before teaching. Force resides within me even though I am not aware of its presence. So my anger does. But I eventually learned that in a cauldron these two materials (Force plus Anger) explode. Otherwise Unchanging and eternal, inexhaustible and Force and Anger boil within the brazier of super-powerful. Alchemy till they are made volatile. Everything is capable of being learned, interpreted and evaluated. Finally we do not need any imported “leading lights” especially when they arrive with conceit. It’s obvious that a student withholds his own values,
www.academyofinnerlight.net http://endlesslifejourney.blogspot. gr/2009/10/summer-in-delos.html 47 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
An excerpt from The Cosmic Internet
The Physical and the Non-Physical by Frank DeMarco
artwork by Frank 48 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March
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Why Does The World Exist? [Sitting with my journal one morning, I summarized what I understood of what the guys had told me to date, then moved to direct interaction.] Some years ago, a friend asked me to ask the guys upstairs why we are here and what life is all about. The beginnings of an answer to that question lie in the nature and interrelationship of the physical and non-physical worlds…. [W]hen we try to think about the interaction of the physical and the non-physical world, the spatial analogy sneaks into all our ideas and distorts them. Thus we think of the physical as being “here” and the nonphysical being “there.” But it isn’t “there”; it is here, in the only “here” there is. I think of the non-physical world as vibrating at a higher frequency than the physical world (an analogy, remember), thus in a way being both here and notquite-here…. We in the physical can’t experience the non-physical with our senses but we can experience it otherwise. And if we can remember that what I call “the other side” – the non-physical world -- it is right here, we eliminate or minimize one source of error, the spatial analogy. I suspect that it’s time for a word from our sponsors. How’d I do so far? You show a pretty good working under-
standing of what we have been telling you…. Still your question remains: Why do you do this; why does the universe exist; why is there a God or a box of corn flakes, and what are they to you. You used to say that you in physical are in the position of a fish at the bottom of the sea trying to imagine a man on the top of a mountain watching television. Nice analogy, and still true. “Why is there air,” Bill Cosby used to ask as part of a comedy routine. Nothing wrong with asking the question, as long as you remember (or realize in the first place!) that there can be no answer divorced from the interests of the questioner. “To blow basketballs up with” is logical, accurate, and germane, if that is where your interests lie. “To provide an exchange medium for plants and animals” would be equally true – but no more true, merely from a wider perspective. “Why” is a question whose answer is always improvised according to the nature of the personresponding. In our view “why” does not rank with “how.” You may never know why you live, but you probably should give thought to how. Naturally the two questions are related, but either question is more meaningful in connection to the other than standing alone; that is why we bring “how” into the discussion.
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Space, Time, And The Illusion Of Separation Space produces the illusion of separation, of individuality, of non-belonging, of difference, in a way that would not be possible otherwise. And if space produces the illusion of separation, time produces the effect of delayed consequences…. Time, like space, sorts out the world around you. But they are experienced radically differently: You are not frogmarched through space, inch by inch by inch, always in one direction. But you are frog-marched through time. At least, that’s how you experience it. But your interpretation of your experience misleads you. When a moment of time “passes” – that moment does not cease to exist: You cease to exist in it. You have been carried smoothly to the next moment of time. If you are standing still for five such moments, it looks to you that you moved in time and not in space. But it could equally truly be said that you moved in timespace. That is, moment one exists next to moment two, and you moved from one to two. Then you moved to moment three, then four – and your movement is continuous, predictable and not under your control, so when you get to moment five you assume that the “previous” – which really means previously experienced – moments have somehow ceased to exist. Your experience tells you that moving through time is like hopping from icefloe to ice-floe to get across the river, with each previous ice-floe ceasing to exist as soon as you jump from it, and – even more startling, more hazardous – the next ice floe not even coming into existence until you land on it! You never can pause, 50 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March
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nor can you do a thing about the situation except to jump in one direction rather than another. If you wanted to rest at any given floe you couldn’t, not only because you don’t know how to do it, but because what would you do when the floe ceases to exist in the next moment? What a situation! If it were a true description, you’d be in a pretty bad fix – and, we know, this is how many of you do experience your lives. But there’s a better way to see it, that will relieve the insecurity. The ice-floe you are standing on does not cease to exist just because you jump from it (or, to put it more closely, are smoothly catapulted from it). And icebergs “to come” are not as-yet-uncreated but already exist, just as they would in a physical-geography metaphor. (Disregard for the moment the fact that you can’t see how that could be: Hold the theoretical possibility. All you are doing is creating a space in your mind for a new way of seeing things.) People who say we have “no time” on “ this side” mean by that (though they often do not know what they mean) that we are not subject to that unvarying tyranny, moving us along. That is sort of true, in the same way that it is sort of true that we have no space. Neither statement is true except in reference to your experience. We have time, we have space – how else could we structure experience? But they are not what they seem to you to be. They are neither prisons nor constrictions – but they are real limitations. Try to envision a life without limitations and you will end up with fog. It is the same world. Canada – the physical Canada – exists “here” as it does “there,” because we are not someplace else!
The non-physical components of the physical world are – right here! Why would you think they are elsewhere? It isn’t even true that you cannot perceive it; it is true only that you cannot perceive it in the same way or using the same faculties that you do the physical world – we might almost say the rest of the physical world.
Frank DeMarco was co-founder of Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc., and for sixteen years was chief editor. He is the author of six previous non-fiction books (Muddy Tracks, Chasing Smallwood, The Sphere and the Hologram, The Cosmic Internet: Explanations from the Other Side, Afterlife Conversations with Hemingway: A Dialogue on His Life, His Work and the Myth, and A Place to Stand) and two novels (Messenger: A Sequel to Lost Horizon and Babe in the Woods).
We know that this is a radically different thought for many, so we will try to say it carefully. The non-physical world is right “there” with you, and right “then” with you. How far do you think it is from Baltimore to the non-physical equivalent of Baltimore? And why would you think that the physical Baltimore doesn’t have its non-physical equivalent? What do you think you build on earth, anyway? But because you misunderstand time, you think that things “pass away” on earth (and presumably in the non-physical earth). Not true in either case. Where is ancient Rome, say March 1, 250 He may be reached at b.c.? That world on that day is where it al- muddytracks@earthlink.net. ways was and always will be. We on this side can “go” there at will; you on your side cannot (normally). And so we on our side we do not get bored, and you on your side get to play with greater consequences. This is the chief difference between our experience of the world and yours. It is a simple concept, but foreign to your usual ways of understanding. We are trying to express it in simple terms devoid of jargon….
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Art by Maryam Morrison https://www.facebook.com/maryammarts 52 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
The Other Side by PATTI CONKLIN
A big
question on almost everyone’s mind
is what happens when we die. Is there a heaven?
A
hell?
Through
the years,
I’ve
observed over two hundred individuals as they transitioned from this life form to the
Other Side. My sight has allowed me
to watch the soul literally leave the body and make that transition.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Other Side is not a place we go to when we die. The Other Side coincides with our every breath. It co-exists with our reality. It’s part of our world that we do not see. Everything is vibration and geometry, including the Other Side. What you see when you die is what you believe you will see. If a Christian believes Jesus is coming for him, he will see Jesus. A person can see relatives, deities, Moses, Abraham, Buddha, or even nothing at all.
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It’s like a fog bank. When you look into the whiteness of the fog, eventually you might see a shape. The more you see it, the clearer it becomes. The image you see is real. Someone might look into the same fog bank and see a different shape. Fog is still fog. The vibration of the other side is still just that—vibration and geometry.
it all means. He was intelligent, loving and caring, but his family remained stagnant and unyielding. As born again Christians, they felt strongly in their beliefs. I watched the struggles between the father and son during this time period, and I began to see a pattern of belief. Eric’s father, while devastated at his son’s impending death, always took time to chastise him. As his son lay dying, he said, “I told you— if you were gay, you would go straight to hell.” At one point, I looked at the father and said, “Well, Eric has fulfilled your belief for you. I wonder: if you had told him that God would love him no matter what, would he have chosen Satan to be his master?”
Is there an actual Heaven where we go when we die? No. First of all, we don’t actually go anywhere. We simply transition from one energy form to another. Second, someone who believes in Heaven will see the vibration of the Other Side, and it will appear as Heaven to that person. If, in his mind, angels have wings, he will see angels with wings. If another individual When his time for transition came, I was imagines angels without wings, then wing- there. As hecrossed, his soul left his body less angels will greet him. with palpable fear. I see whatever the person I’m helping perceives, and Eric experiA young man named Eric, who was dying enced Satan as described in the Bible. Enof AIDS-related congestive heart failure, veloped in darkness, as though I had been called and asked for my help. He’d heard dipped in black ink, I could taste the fear in me on a radio show more than six years my mouth—pure fear. I was thankful for the prior to this event, and had kept my name depth of faith that I had in my own beliefs. with him throughout those years. Everything resides in either a God state, He came from a conservative, born-again which is pure love, or a fear state. The Christian family, but he was a staunch opposite of love came for Eric, and it was Satanist. He said he wanted to talk to challenging for me as a spiritual being. someone who could love him for who he Yet it was his choice, and I was glad, at was, and not judge him for his beliefs, the end, to be able to respect that. I reand for that person to be with him when ceived a request to work with a sevenhe passed. I laughed and told him I con- year-old girl, Alexandria, in western Michisidered myself a Christian/ Buddhist, but gan, who was dying from cystic fibrosis. that I could handle his request. We both chuckled on the phone. Her mother was a drug addict, her father an alcoholic. Before I left, I could feel myHe was an incredibly nice guy, and we self receiving directions from Father, and spent many hours talking about life, life took my Bible when I went to see her. after death, where a soul goes, and what
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Alexandria was fascinated with the brocade that surrounded my Bible. She’d never been to church, and had never heard of Jesus. She knew about Winnie the Pooh, though, and she loved the little bear. So I told her a little about Jesus, and then we sang Kenny Loggins’s “House at Pooh Corner.” We alternated talking about Jesus and singing “House at Pooh Corner,” right up until her time came to cross over. As she lay in my arms, gasping her last breaths, I glanced around the room. Her mother slouched in a drug-induced trance, not seeming to notice her daughter’s impending death. Her father had passed out in the living room hours before. While I waited with her, comforted her and removed her fear, Jesus appeared and told her he was waiting for her, and took her in his arms. I could have told her about Buddha or Abraham or anyone else, or shared with her that Winnie the Pooh would come for her, and it would have happened exactly that way. I’d picked Jesus because that was my comfort zone, but it wasn’t necessary to stick to any one deity. Since she was so young, and her family didn’t participate in this part of her passing, it was left up to me. Had the family expressed a preference, then we’d have spoken about that. I left the brocade so that it could be buried with her body.
PATTI CONKLIN is a world-class energy healer, and a much sought-after facilitator who has shared her experiences and changed lives at hundreds of workshops, lectures, and conferences. Her work and gifts have been referenced in many books, such as Miracles of the Casa by Josie Ravenwing, a book about John of Godin Brazil; Soul Agreements by Dick Sutphen; and Radical Remissions by Dr. Kelly Turner. She is a frequent keynote speaker at alternative healing conventions, including the annual meeting of the American Board of Hypnotherapy. She is the creator of ColorWorks, a visualization process that uses active vibration within your body to release or heal specific symptoms, emotions, or physical challenges. Even an episode of the X-Files was partially based on her life and experience. Her book God Within, ISBN 978-1-9737907-23-5, Rainbow Ridge Books is available everywhere books are sold.
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BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Because I Love you I shall Pray with All the Power Within my Golden Heart For the expansion of your Soul Essence Because I Love you My lips shall repeat millions upon millions Of Sacred Mantras, invoking your Happiness Strength, Faith, Joy and Peace Because I Love you I shall dance your pain away As I circle Holy Mounds, Medicine Wheels, Labyrinths and Fire Rings Twirling, I shall create a vortex Of Healing Power for you, Every step radiating Compassion... All of this dedicated to your Freedom from suffering Because I Love you I shall walk the hallowed trail of Holy Sites... There shall I petition that you embody Your Great Self, as Spirit created you to be Because I Love you I embark on Pilgrimage to Sacred Mountains, Pyramids, Oceans, Rivers, Caves and Cenotes… On every Journey, I carry you in my Heart Because I Love you I shall sing to Mother Earth, Father Sky, The entire Cosmos, Masters and Legions of Light For I know you are dear to them 56 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
Art by Maryam Morrison https://www.facebook.com/maryam
By Peace Mother Geeta Sacred Song
Because I Love you I shall create Infinite Victories for the Dharma... Wherever I celebrate the Goodness of the Universe, As I cry tears of Joy, you are with me Because I Love you I promise to laugh and play as a Golden Child... By savoring every moment of Bliss I shall infuse your spirit with Divine Contentment Because I Love you I will offer the bounty of the Land in Sacred Ceremonies... While making generous Offerings, I shall donate the Merit earned To you, your Loved ones and your Ancestors Because I Love you I shall work night and day to infuse you with Faith That you are forever remembered and cherished By me and all your assigned Divine Protectors Because I Love you Now and forever, I shower upon your Soul An Ocean of the most Brilliant Light, To bathe you in Self Love, Wisdom and Peace... JAI JAI MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
www.IWOLight.org
mmarts 57 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
LOVE
AND SUPPORT by Ellen Angelica Pendergast
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Many times we feel unsupported and unloved in our lives....even by people whom tell us they do feel such love and support for us in every way. Why? Why these feelings of emptiness in a world that is so full of wonder and Love/family and friends? As we have realized, everything is a creation of our own, for as the saying goes, ‘If it’s to Be, it’s up to ME!’ What that implies is two fold...first of all, that we all are responsible for what we manifest; and IF we manifest what we desire. Secondly, that we are responsible for EVERYTHING we experience in our lives, including things we don’t like that occur. So why do we feel unloved and unsupported? We do this by default...we start feeling bad about something, usually someone else’s behavior, (which only means they are being UNAWARE), and we start feeling the lack of something (love, support, etc.) that we wish to experience from that other, but they fail to give to us. We then make a judgment on what that means, and then assess the behavior, coming up with a feeling of either fear about it, or Love. If we fear it, we bring to ourselves things to fear....if we feel Love (which can be in the form of understanding, empathy, or compassion), we bring more of that...it’s all about us, individually, all collectively creating our lives, both on a personal scale and globally. But the intention of this article is to alleviate that feeling, so that we stay free of DIS-EASE! For a body that does not feel supported or Loved, will suffer through wrong thought, (possibly many health issues) if not resolved. (A wonderful book to view on healing, is by Louise Hay, “Heal Your Body.”)
And how can we feel loved and supported when we perceive we are not, (or do not get what we wish to receive from others in terms of that Love and support we so wish to experience, especially when we Love and support those others so much?!) The answer is that we must remember who and what we Really Are.. .and that is THE UNIVERSE; meaning we are so much more than what we ‘see in the mirror!’ The Love we feel we don’t have is an illusion, for WE ARE THAT LOVE! We are Love, and to not feel it, therefore, only means that we are somehow blocking it with the illusion that we ‘need’ it at all! FOR WE ARE WITHOUT NEED! And that is the same reason that one CAN cure themselves of any addictions, because the truth is, We are all WITHOUT NEED! The feeling or thought that an addiction of anything is simply an illusion is the start of freedom from it; the illusion that we must have something outside of ourselves to be happy or to live comes from (for the most part), ‘learned behavior.’ We imagine we somehow need something outside of ourselves (including Love, in order to BE happy), and we do not! We are God, in physical form; our thoughts become our emotions, and our emotions are ENERGY EXPRESSED. To know we are Love, and that we are therefore always supported and Loved by LIFE itself, will change our thoughts and feelings about the illusion that we are all alone, unsupported and unloved. It will become our foundation, and actually IS OUR FOUNDATION that does and will continue to forever Love and Support us! Why? Because in TRUTH, there is none other THAN US (meaning, there is none other than YOU! ) And therefore ….only one Being here, split into billions of 59 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
energy units, called Souls, which are all part Blessings to all of you; for we are always of the Great WHOLE, the GREAT I AM.... Loved and Supported by Love itself....or as US....GOD! (for more information, please some refer to……GOD! read “The New Earth,” by Echardt Tolle) With that thought and most importantly, that FEELING, all and everything become that Love and support; for when we desire to feel and experience that only Love is around us and that only Love is always there....it is around, behind, up, down, and through... through everyone and everything, we then will feel we are ALWAYS SUPPORTED AND LOVED...there can be no other way! And, as for those whom are being ‘unaware,’ all will be taken care of....for with Loving ourselves and realizing that we are the Love and support we ‘need or seek;’ by realizing we need nothing at all, for WE ARE THAT, we will eventually create more of that experience of feeling Loved and supported OUTSIDE of ourselves. We will experience it in our reality, through situations and people that WILL appear in our lives! And the ones we Love, whom are currently behaving in an unloving and unsupportive way? They will either disappear (which can be figuratively or literally, and we will be FINE with this!), or their behavior will change, according to both our expectations of them, and what they decide to be. Remember, we all CO-CREATE, but fear not, for everything is always in Divine right order; imagining, feeling, and knowing you are Love and without need, will bring about THAT experience! For, as stated by author Mary Baker Eddy, in the book, “Science and Health, with Keys to the Scriptures,” Love will always reflect Love.
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Ellen Angelica Pendergast received a B.A. in Education in 1978; four major fields of study: English, Art, Social Studies, and Psychology. Received her M.S. in Clinical Psychology in 1997. Has treated patients in a locked psych ward, held a two office private practice, and currently is starting a private practice in Arizona. Taught Psychology classes at a University in the Chicago area, and has just completed a children’s book. She is currently writing another book for young adults and the general public. Contact Ellen; spiritmindedblog@gmail.com
Q&A
Ask Ellen Angelica Pendergast
Spirit-Minded (Advice Column)
“All questions can be sent to: spiritmindedblog@gmail.com
Question: I have realized so much the last few years, but something is still bothering me, and it’s this: if thoughts create and we all think different things, how is anything going to CHANGE! Signed, Feeling Alone Answer:
so many different dishes on the menu… the reason it works is because not everyone wants the same meal! It is the same with the world…not everyone wants the same person, house, or any other thing; such diversity brings about a most interesting and fascinating life experience, most importantly, bringing about CHOICE, as it must be. Remember everything is always changing…that IS LIFE, and although many problems seem to ‘stay,’ nothing is permanent, except Love/God/US, as the true individual expressions of God.
Dear Feelings Alone, With so many different people in the world, thinking so many different thoughts, and creating so many different situations, it is very necessary to have that so called “field of relativity, for without it, we would have nothing to Blessings! ‘choose from.’ Think of a restaurant, with
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Aromatherapy
Relaxing Your Body & Mind by Keith Richard Conwell
HISTORICALLY, AROMATHERAPY HAS BEEN USED BY ANCIENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THIS IS TO RELAX THEIR BODY AND MIND WITH ALL THE STRESS. THIS IS A FACT SINCE ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBS, IN ANCIENT ROMAN UNEARTHING AND EVEN IN ANCIENT CHINESE RELICS.
TODAY, AROMATHERAPY IS ALSO USED TO FREE MIND-STRESS AND TO RELAX THE WHOLE BODY. THERE ARE OILS THAT HAVE BEEN EXTRACTED FROM HERBS, FRUITS AND FLOWERS TO GET ITS ESSENCE AND IT IS USED IN AROMATHERAPY. NOW, HOW TO USE AROMATHERAPY IS QUITE EASY ONCE YOU KNOW HOW TO BALANCE THE MIXTURE OF ESSENTIAL OILS AND OTHER COMPONENTS IN MAKING SCENTS TO RELIEVE BODY AND MIND STRESS. HERE ARE SOME OF THE AROMATHERAPY TIPS THAT YOU CAN APPLY IN YOUR OWN HOME.
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Tip 1 - Use natural products
chosen an all natural product for your aromatherapy, you also have to consider its container. Aromatherapy tips: use an all glass container. This is because there are aromatherapy essences that are quite strong (these essences can turn rubber into a gummy state and it can destroy the essential oils).
This is the first in aromatherapy tips that you should remember. You have to choose and use natural products only. This is to prevent you from certain reactions on your skin or in your nose. You might end up having skin irritation or headache because of the strong perfume of non-natural aromatherapy products. Tip 3 - Pay attention
To make it easier for you, here are some A lot of fake sellers are out there in the of the natural products on how to use aro- market. Always be vigilant in purchasing matherapy. Read on. essences for your aromatherapy. Check the labels and the origin of the product “Chamomile essence - can be used in you are about to purchase. This is to make body massage or can be combined in sure that you are purchasing quality and candles as an aromatic product. It relieves original products. stress, calms your senses and alleviates With these tips you can be sure that your insomnia. therapy is at ease. “Lavender - also used as an antiseptic Take into account that this type of alternaand to treat insomnia. The flower is ex- tive medicine has been proven by many. tracted and oil is used. You don’t have to worry about the side effects. If you want to be sure on how to “Peppermint - this kind of herb has a cool- use aromatherapy, you can ask experts or ing effect on your senses. Also, its aroma even your doctor if there are aggravating alleviates stomach aches. One of the best factors once you use it. properties of peppermint is a deconges- Take away the stress in your mind and tant. A lot of pharmaceutical companies body. Be relieved and use the power of use peppermint as an ingredient in de- aromatherapy. Be well my friend! congestants. “Jasmine - native to Asian countries the flower is extracted and used to treat lethargy and it can also be used as an antidepressant. These are just some of the natural products on how to use aromatherapy. Tip 2 - Choose wisely This means that even though you have
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Art by Maryam Morrison https://www.facebook.com/maryammarts 64 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♼ March 2015
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A Gift For Our Children’s Future by Allison Carmen
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. Frederick Douglass
I can remember like yesterday sitting at the dinner table as a child with my parents and siblings and feeling like the world was going to end. My parents would openly discuss current events, such as the hostage crisis in Iran, the assassination attempt on President Reagan, Black Monday in the stock market and the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. I thought to myself what will be in this world? How will I be safe? What can the future look like when these terrible things are happening all the time? Looking back, I probably should have asked my parents these questions, but I held them in and became a worrier. But had I asked my parents how could I stay safe so many years ago, what would they have told me? How could they have made me feel hopeful and secure, and at the same time not shield me from the problems that the world was facing at the time? Thirty years later I found myself sitting at the dinner table with my children faced with different problems in the world 66 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM ♥ March 2015
but the very same question: How could I teach my children to be aware of current affairs and at the same time be strong and hopeful for the future? I don’t want them to feel like I did as a child that the world was doomed, but I also don’t want them putting their heads in the sand and ignoring real issues that need to be addressed. I could tell my children that most people are safe from Ebola, terrorist attacks and natural disasters in the world, but what foundation does that give them other than playing the odds that they will be okay? I could tell my children to just say positive, but how will they do that when they see bad things happening around them? To harness the power of positive thinking, my children would need to be optimistic no matter what happens. For many children, this is too hard to sustain when they face obstacles that obscure the road ahead. They can get stuck on the idea that “if today doesn’t work out, it will never change in the future.”
So what can we teach our children that will sustain them through the uncertainty of the future? We can teach them about the Philosophy of Maybe. The idea of Maybe is beyond statistics and positive thinking. Maybe is the steadying constant hope within uncertainty. I tell my children that as bad as things may look or feel, there are always the possibilities that Maybe what is happening will turn out to be good, Maybe it will get better or Maybe we can make peace and live with what we are experiencing and still be okay.
Allison Carmen is the author of The Gift of Maybe Penguin/ Perigee November 2014, she writes a blog for the Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Allison is a guest lecturer at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Allison Carmen holds a B.A. in accounting, a J.D. of Law, and a Master’s of Law in taxation.
The reason Maybe is so effective for chilhttp://www.allisoncarmen.com dren is that it continuously offers them more than the one possibility that is causing them stress at the dinner table or keeping them up at night. Maybe is a constant reminder to our children that there is hope in the unknown even if they don’t know all the answers in the moment. Whether they are struggling at school, with friends, health issues or fears of global warming, war or famine, the idea of Maybe can be a guiding light every day that allows them to clear their worry and guides them to all that life can offer. Over time, children come to understand that they have a choice. They can sit in the uncertainty with fear, anxiety or total despair or they can realize that there MAYBE a way out, a way forward or another way to look at what is before them. And even if a child’s fears do become reality as fears sometimes do, Maybe will help them see that the next moment brings a chance for something new once again. The best part about it — all our children need remember is Maybe!
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CATS AT STUDIOS, INC.
http://www.catsatthestudios.com/about.php
Cats at the Studios, Inc. (“CATS, INC.�) is a non-profit rescue organization comprised entirely of volunteers. We are dedicated to nurturing, neutering & spaying, and finding homes for abandoned cats and kittens.