TABLE OF CONTENTS
Nina Verkoeyen : Meta Spirituality
26
5 Ways to Find Your Soul Peeps
50
Our Soul Tribe Connections
56
The Gentle Art of Practicing Harmlessness
66
Yoga For Beginners
76 Can Children Remember Past Lives? 102
How Reiki Can Heal and Harmonize Our Children
82
How to Deal with Aging Animals?
90
The Rainbow Bridge: Animals & the Afterlife
96
The Multidimensional Vibration of Mantras
110
Saturn and Its Effects on Our Body
116
Fit Out to Fit In
124
OMTIMES.COM March B| 2023
Editorial The concept of being Meta Spiritual or "beyond spiritual" is subjective and can have different meanings depending on individual perspectives and beliefs. In general, spirituality refers to the search for meaning and purpose in life and the connection to something greater than oneself, such as a higher power or the universe. Some people may see being "beyond spiritual" as a state of enlightenment or transcendence, where one has achieved a deep sense of inner peace, understanding, and unity with the universe. Others may interpret being "beyond spiritual" as a rejection of spirituality altogether, where one focuses solely on life's physical and material aspects and dismisses the idea of a spiritual dimension. However, it's important to note that spirituality is a complex and multifaceted concept encompassing a wide range of beliefs, practices, and experiences and that it's up to each individual to define and explore their own spirituality in a way that resonates with them. This week, our guest, Nina Verkoeyen, brings a new perspective on Spirituality, Meta Spirituality, which is a shift in our conventional beliefs and perspectives about Our Souls, Our world, and how we relate to the divine. Meta spirituality is a concept that refers to the exploration and integration of different spiritual traditions, beliefs, and practices in a way that transcends any specific religious or cultural context. It involves a holistic and inclusive approach to spirituality that seeks to understand the underlying unity and interconnectedness of all things and to integrate this understanding into one's personal beliefs and practices. Meta spirituality is not a specific religion or belief system but a perspective that can be integrated into any spiritual practice or belief system. It encourages individuals to be open-minded, curious, and respectful towards different spiritual traditions and to seek to deepen their understanding of the spiritual dimensions of life in a way that is meaningful and authentic to them. OMTIMES.COM|MARCH 2023
NINA VERKOEYEN Interview with Victor Furhman OMTIMES MAGAZINE
Meta Spirituality In 1987, the group U2 released their "the Joshua Tree" album with the Grammy Award-winning Song of the Year: " I still haven't found what I'm looking for." How many spiritual seekers echo this refrain as they search for a path of awakening and understanding?
She became one with the creator and experienced everything and herself as love. She received the answer to what love is. She became the answer. This led to the Foundation of Meta Spirituality. Her website is meta-spirituality.org, and she joined me this week to share this path. Nina Verkoeyen: It's a pleasure to be here.
Nina Verkoeyen was an incredibly successful
Thank you for the opportunity.
spiritual teacher in Eastern Europe on the cover of Yoga Journal, twice and in demand
Victor Fuhrman: And so wonderful for you to
with growing influence. But that was on the
join us and share your story. So please share
outside. On the inside, she was bereft. Something
was
missing,
and
she
was
desperately searching for it everywhere. She had practiced and taught all spiritual practices known to man or almost, but nothing was it until
one
evening.
Something
your
early
path
and
how
your
spiritual
understanding unfolded.
Nina Verkoeyen: It's actually a very long story because I have been on a spiritual path, consciously, from the age of 11. This was
profound
when I started being interested in meditation
happened as she contemplated what love was
and other spiritual things. And since then, I
and asked this question of the universe.
have been trying, testing, and studying various spiritual teachings and traditions for decades.
5 Ways To Find Your Soul Peeps
I
By John Holland
saw someone recently wearing a
These are the members of
t-shirt that read: Where My Peeps
your spiritual family where the
At? It made me smile because we
relationships are all about sharing,
all need our peeps on our journey
giving, and receiving energetically
toward a more fulfilling and soulful life!
f rom each other. These are likeminded souls who are drawn to
These are the like-minded people
each other, have similar interests,
of a particular group or community
will push you to be all that you can
where you feel most comfortable.
be, challenge you, understand your
OM TIMES | March 2023
point of view and help you expand
purpose. I really enjoy watching
your mind and consciousness.
people come together, become
These people in the front row of
f riends (sometimes for life), and feel
your cheering section accept you
they can express themselves with
for who you are, encourage you
one another in a positive way. They
to reach your goals and dreams,
no longer feel alone or different.
applaud your accomplishments,
They have found the members
and are there when you stumble.
of their community—their peeps!
I've met thousands of people at my
So, where are your peeps?
workshops and online events who
First, let me say that you're
are from all walks of life and from all
not alone. As members of my
over the world and have one thing
newsletter community and My
in common: They're all on a spiritual
Soul Community, you're my peeps,
quest to discover their soul and
and I'm yours!
OM TIMES | March 2023
Our Soul Tribe Connections
S
By Judi Lynch
ummary: Discovering
form a support system of common
that we have a soul tribe
ground. Kindred souls bring flavor
of others who are on
and excitement to our lives, stir
the same quest helps us
our creative minds into action and
OM TIMES | March 2023
assist in healing our emotional
before we ever actually meet them in
challenges. Living life in awareness
person.
of synchronicity, listening and looking for the messages meant for
Many of these connections also help
us, and opening up our incredible
us to experience psychic phenomena.
metaphysical gifts together, maybe
When we establish certain
the magic we all need right now.
relationships, we open portals of great importance to our well-being.
Throughout our lives, we meet people
There are endless documented
who resonate with our ‘vibe.’ Through
accounts where people have received
these unique soul connections, we
messages or felt the energy of
have the opportunity to experience
another f rom a distant location
life with the support and acceptance
without ever having spoken. We can
of those who are like-minded. We can
send out signals without a phone.
feel understood and in alignment
We can see a vision of someone who
through these relationships and
may need our assistance or even
ignite our spiritual journeys as we
hear them call our name. Telepathy
evolve together. Some connections
between souls is a magnificent
may be brief, and others can last a
occurrence that helps us to validate
lifetime. The beauty is recognizing
these special abilities.
the synchronistic messages and energy we feel in their presence.
It can be extremely challenging to have been born into a family with
We can be uplifted and inspired
strict religious beliefs that we no
when we meet kindred souls. They
longer believe in as we come into
bring flavor and excitement to our
adulthood. However, life experiences,
lives, stir our creative minds into
outside influences, education, and
action, and assist in healing our
curiosity, can lead us to investigate
emotional challenges. It is widely
our own personal paths in spirituality.
believed in spiritual teachings that
Forming new friendships and
we chart these people to come into
bonds with others who consistently
our lives and that we can recognize
and consciously practice constant
them by vibrational frequencies.
growth with open hearts and minds
We may even dream about them
can help to give us the f reedom to
OM TIMES | March 2023
The Gentle Art of Living Harmlessly
GREEN LIVING
Living harmlessly involves making conscious choices that minimize harm to other living beings and the environment. It involves living a lifestyle that is sustainable and respectful of all living beings and the planet. You can't live a healthy life on a sick planet. John Replogle
Here are some ways to live harmlessly: Practice veganism or vegetarianism: By choosing to eat a plant-based diet, you can avoid contributing to the harmful practices of the meat and dairy industries, which often involve the mistreatment of animals. Reduce, reuse, and recycle: Adopting the 3Rs can significantly reduce your environmental impact. By minimizing your consumption and recycling what you can, you can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and oceans. Use eco-friendly products: Choose products that are made from sustainable and non-toxic materials. In addition, look for items that are biodegradable and use renewable energy sources.
Flair | 46
Yoga For Beginners
Y
By Caroline Klebl
oga is an ancient practice,
be intimidated by advanced yoga
which reduces stress,
postures and may feel that they
improves strength
are not flexible enough to practice
and flexibility, purifies
yoga. However, yoga postures are
the body and mind, and leads to
designed to increase flexibility, and
spiritual realization. Beginners may
beginners should not feel they need
OM TIMES | March 2023
to be flexible prior to starting. There
practice and focus on breathing
are various techniques for learning
deeply, even if you can't attain full
new yoga postures, such as warming
posture. Each posture must be
up the body by practicing sun
practiced hundreds of times to
salutations (a series of seven yoga
experience the full pose as well
postures), breath awareness, and
as the complete benefits of the
deep relaxation.
pose. It takes time to increase flexibility, and it is important to be
1. The first time you practice yoga, you may feel relaxed, challenged
patient, feel the sensations in the body, and enjoy the moment.
by new movements, positions, and stretches, and overcome
3. It may take a couple of yoga
by feelings of happiness and
classes to get accustomed to
transcendence. Yoga is a powerful
moving in and out of yoga poses
practice, and its effects are
and holding them for brief or
especially noticeable in the
extended periods. Practicing
beginning. Yoga stimulates the
the final version of yoga poses
nervous system, improves blood
can take a couple of months to
circulation, and stretches and
a few years. There are hundreds
strengthens muscles. If you feel
of different yoga poses. You can
discomfort in yoga poses, you can
begin with easier poses, which
practice more gently and focus
prepare you for more challenging
on deep breathing. It is important
poses. Finally, you learn to
not to feel pain in yoga poses.
breathe deeply and relax in yoga postures. It is important to practice yoga regularly, two to six
2. Practicing yoga postures, especially new ones, requires
times per week, in order for your
focus, patience, and persistence.
yoga practice to improve and to
The first time you try a new pose,
attain a deeply meditative state.
it is important to relax, enter the posture carefully and apply gentle
4. Before starting a yoga posture
pressure to increase the stretch
practice, it is important to
and move deeper into the pose.
connect with your breath. Begin
It is important to enjoy yoga
by noticing your natural breath.
OM TIMES | March 2023
How Reiki Can Heal and Harmonize Our Children
L
By OMTimes Staff
earn how to set healthy
may be yoga, working out, eating
boundaries that balance life
healthy, and on other days it could
in four easy steps to help us
mean resting, laughing with friends,
thrive and progress!
or finding time to enjoy the good
Our self-care comes in many forms
things in this life. What we define
and shapes. On certain days it
as self-care varies f rom person to
OM TIMES | March 2023
person, which makes it all the more essential when we need to uphold our boundaries for our own needs. We cannot expect people to read our minds. It’s our responsibility to take care of ourselves, peace, and happiness first. Taking time for ourselves is not a selfish act and is essential to thriving in a busy world. Reiki as a form of healing and wellbeing is not as widespread as an
However, our brain is often already programmed to act without thinking. It is precisely for this reason that we need to invent something creative so that when moments of conflict arrive, we remember to be in the present moment and learn how to be proactive and not reactive.
IS REIKI TREATMENT RIGHT FOR CHILDREN?
alternative therapy as it should be, although it is recognized by the
Reiki is not as widespread as other
World Health Organization as an
eastern techniques such as Shiatsu
effective auxiliary healing method.
and acupuncture. Even less is the
However, what becomes even less
public awareness of the power
known and practiced is the specific
of this technique as a therapy for
beneficial effects of Reiki on
children and babies.
children. This energy treatment can improve the lives of children and
Like adults, children are subject to
parents.
stimuli of all kinds, which interfere with behavior and health, both
Our emotional body, or astral
physical and mental.
body (In Esoteric Knowledge), is an extremely sensitive body that
The relationship with parents and
works almost together with our
f riends and the new experiences
mental body (thoughts). Therefore,
lived daily. The most diverse
everything that happens in our
traumas can produce clinical and
emotions, or almost everything, has
psychic conditions that lead the
to be passed through our thinking.
little ones to present symptoms
This way, we can organize ourselves
such as difficulty sleeping at night,
mentally to remember to think
irritability, hyperactivity, anxiety,
when there is a conflict.
fears, and insecurity. OM TIMES | March 2023
Dealing with Aging Animals How to recognize Old Age signs in your dog
T
By Ministry Earth
he effects of time are
Your dog is getting old, the
noticeable in people
moment of old Age.
and animals. Old Age The aging stage in our pets arrives,
comes quickly, and
there are many signs that your
and it is necessary to consider
dog is aging and entering the so-
some signs that will indicate when
called "third age."
our pet started this stage. OM TIMES | March 2023
It is also important to consider
coat starts to change, turning gray
certain precautions to live this
in some areas, such as its paws and
stage better. Old Age is not an
muzzle. The animal also has little
illness but evidence of the ordinary
mobility and a low level of activity.
and progressive degeneration of the animal. Unfortunately, as
In the second phase, the canine
in humans, aging promotes the
aging process is accelerated. The
appearance of some diseases.
sense of smell is lost, and the fur turns white. The shine of the fur
The two phases indicate your dog
changes to an opaque tone, and
is aging.
changes in behavior begin to occur.
In the first phase, the animal
In this second phase, the dog
begins to age at the cellular level.
becomes more likely to suffer from
After that, we will notice how its
kidney and heart disease.
OM TIMES | March 2023
The Rainbow Bridge: Animals & the Afterlife
A
By John Holland
t some point in our
costs. Yet we can still find comfort in
lives, we've all had to
knowing that these furry f riends will
say "goodbye for now"
always be with us.
to one of our beloved
pets. It's a heartbreaking experience
As a medium, I can affirm that
we would much rather avoid at all
animals have souls and cross over
OM TIMES | March 2023
to the Other Side. I may not be able
it was a small or large animal. Of
to communicate with them as an
course, the same goes for cats, but it
animal whisperer does. Still, they do
doesn't stop there. I've also had birds,
come through usually with another
rabbits, chinchillas, mice, hamsters,
loved one. This just confirms that an
and even horses come through.
animal on the Other Side is not alone. There's always someone there to care
One of the wildest moments
for them, until it's your time to do the
I remember was giving a message
job again.
to a woman at an event and seeing a white python wrapped around her
During my readings, I got the actual
neck. She gasped in shock when
breed of the dog and the coloring,
I described the snake. It turned out
and most of the time, I knew whether
that she'd owned a white python and
OM TIMES | March 2023
Can Children Remember Past Lives? By Humanity Healing
OM TIMES | March 2023
REINCARNATION — DEFINITIONS,
Herodotus, Greek historian of the
ORIGINS, AND CHARACTERISTICS
5th century BC. C. was perhaps the
A
first scholar to document concepts ccording to metaphysic
of reincarnation. According to
studies, we are beings
him, reincarnation is part of the
of matter and spirit. A
Egyptian doctrine, which states
portion of a sentient
that reincarnation occurs exactly at
being can exist after our physical
the moment of physical death, that
body's death, which may be called
the body reincarnated into a being
spirit, soul, or consciousness. The
that was being born, which could
death of the physical body does not
be a creature of earth, water, or air.
demand the death of the soul. It can
According to Egyptian wisdom,
successfully associate with other
all souls traversed all spectrum
bodies for specific purposes, such as
of sentience in a journey of 3,000
for greater self-knowledge, evolution
years.
or to annul karma. Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher, Many people think they know
and mathematician born in 570 BC.,
reincarnation is when the soul
also defends with a philosophical
leaves a body that has passed away
character the logic of reincarnation
and incarnates in another that has
that today is the basis for several
just been born. But the meaning
modern religions and philosophies.
of reincarnation is much greater
Resurrection is the key element
than that. It has been studied for
that connects and is part of
thousands of years and is the central
the religions of Ancient Egypt,
idea of many philosophical and
Hinduism, Buddhism, the Cult of
religious systems. Learn a little more
Tradition to the Orixás (Af rican),
about reincarnation below.
Indigenous Cults, Jewish Kabbalah, Spiritualism, and its dissidents.
"As a man, casting off worn-out garments taketh new ones, so
CHILDREN AND REINCARNATION
the dweller in the body entereth into ones that are new."
Reincarnation in children should
― Epictetus
not be seen as mere chance. When OM TIMES | March 2023
The Multidimensional Vibration of Mantras
T
By Padma Press
he word Mantra is
f rom the Vedas; Indian sacred books
composed of the syllables
first compiled in 3000 BC.
man (which means mind) and tra (which means
These scriptures are composed of
vehicle/delivery) in ancient Sanskrit.
4,000 sutras, f rom which thousands
Sanskrit is an old and traditional
of Mantras were extracted,
language of India. Mantras originated
attributing characteristics related to
OM TIMES | March 2023
the gods, such as love, compassion,
thought will be," says the swami.
and kindness. As sound is a vibration,
According to him, this is the first
the Hindus consider pronouncing
step in managing emotions, healthily
or listening to Mantras daily as
expressing them, and eliminating
a spiritual way to activate divine
mental resistance in recognizing
qualities, opening our minds and
what cannot be changed, such as
hearts to the superior planes.
past facts.
"A Mantra is basically a prayer,"
Some Hindu spiritual schools
explains swami Vagishananda, an
consider Mantras to be primordial
American who has lived in India for
sounds that have power. Others,
over 20 years and is a master of Vedic
such as Nishiren Shoshu Buddhism,
chants.
which reveres the Buddha Nichiren, who lived in Japan in the 7th century,
A mantra, then, is a sophisticated
recommend that any contact with
instrument of thought. To practice
his teachings should be initiated by
Mantra, then, is not just chanting
vocalizing the Mantra Miohô, or Sutra
hymns or kirtans.
of the Lotus.
While repeating them constantly is
"Everyone has the divine qualities of
the key to interrupting the natural
the Buddha within him themselves.
process of intermittent thinking,
Those qualities only need to be
mantras can take us from one idea
awakened.
to another with control. When we stop an uncontrolled mental flow, the body relaxes, and the mind quiets
MORE THAN POWERFUL WORDS
down and opens to subtle vibrations, which allow us to expand our
"The Mantras were born in India and
perception of reality.
were adopted by all the religions
CALMING OUR EMOTIONS
that spread throughout the world f rom there. Several Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, and Korean Buddhist
"Reciting the Mantras for this
lineages and wisdom schools use
purpose lets us know what the next
these rhythmic phrases. However,
OM TIMES | March 2023
Saturn and our Body The understanding of the most important boundary in our life!
T
By Christos Archos
oday's society is inundated
But despite our identification with
with advertisements that
this, today's society produces more
want our bodies to be
people than ever before who have a
beautiful and sculpted,
problem with their bodies.
sometimes even alien since our ideals are outside the human limits
This has even led to new diseases
of our bodies and proportions.
that either belong to psychological
OM TIMES | March 2023
causes or to areas of Medicine. So
with it essentially led to the
ultimately our Body, although it is
collapse of all the elements that
the main source of our identity, is at
connect it.
the entrance of the second decade of the 21st century and also the
It is no exaggeration to say that
main source of problems.
sociability is directly related to our physical relationship. For this very
SATURN AND BODY
reason, Saturn plays an important role in our relationship with the
In order to be able to see clearly
Body as it is the ruler of boundaries,
the relationship we have with our
let alone the boundaries related to
Body, we should understand what
our social relations as individuals.
exactly it offers us. Our Body is our outside world.
SATURN AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
The Body is the point through
Sometimes standard
which we can experience
psychotherapy methods fail to
interaction with our environment,
solve important problems. This
but also the point where our
author is a cognitive-behaviorist
environment can communicate
and has encountered along the
with us. So, it is a natural boundary
way the failure that even the most
between the people around
effective psychotherapy that man
us and ourselves. But, as a
has invented can have because
physical boundary, it has a direct
most of the time, we find it difficult
relationship with our Body and the
to believe that the problem may
relationship we have with it.
not be a complex mental state in
central point of contact with the
our mind but what we see and the Depending on one's psyche, the
relationship the person has with it.
Body can be seen as a way of communication with others or a
It is no coincidence that in recent
barrier between individuality and
years Bo-therapy (body therapy)
multi-collectivity. But in all cases, a
has started and is developing
weak body and a weak relationship
rapidly even through its limitations.
OM TIMES | March 2023
OMTimes.com
FIT OUT TO FIT IN Learn how to embrace our unique individuality and find like-minded souls to fit in with.
By Ginger McBride
We know the term fit in all too well. From a very early age, we have been encouraged to fit in with our community, crowd, peers, or colleagues. We are social creatures, and it's only natural to want to find acceptance and belonging amongst those closest to us.
What if we aren't being true to ourselves by fitting in? Sometimes it takes great courage to break out from the mold and be us instead. We must look deep within to know who we are, what we're about, and what we stand for. We can not compromise our values for the sake of acceptance. Dare to fit out. Don't follow the crowd. We have the power to think for ourselves. Just learn to be from moment to moment.
We can honor ourselves best by practicing who we are and what we need to thrive. There's a good bit of selfdiscovery and personal growth that may need to take place here.
Maybe we've been so busy trying to please everyone that we lost sight of what was important all along, and now we are stumped about where to begin. It would be far easier to adapt to those nearby, but we would not be authentic.
The journey always begins with the very first step, and the longer we wait, the longer it will take. We have to be happy with who we are first. Perhaps we should begin with who we are not and go from there. Pay attention to what we find inspiring, energizing, and motivating, but also to the very situations that we find draining.
There's a certain level of confidence that comes once we're comfortable in our own skin. We move differently. We smile more. It's not a facade, and we're not putting on a show. It comes naturally. We used to seek the external validation of others, and it gave us a temporary boost.
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