Conscious Intervention - Latest Blog Entries

How Binaural Beats Got Started

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:43:00 -0600

Although the recordings of binaural beats has only been feasible from advancements in technology, the power of binaural beats has been known throughout the centuries. Age-old civilizations have been aware of the power and benefits of binaural beats decades before science has caught up with them.

Obviously these cultures throughout the years did not call them binaural beats or even knew what they were. All they knew was that steady rhythmic noise created extremely powerful healing and spiritual effects. Scientist Melinda Maxfield, PhD, conducted studies on the drum beats played in the rituals of these different civilizations and discovered that they beat at a consistent rate of 4.5 beats per second. This steady rhythm causes a trance-like state to its listeners. This is created by the brain shifting into a 4.5-beats-per-second brainwave state, which is a low Theta brainwave frequency.

In almost every culture throughout history, binaural beats have been an important part of the healing and spiritual development of man. With the use of consistent beats and chanting, the Tibetan monks, Native American shamans, Hindu healers, and mastered Yogis have been able to cause ranges of brainwave states for transcending consciousness, healing and spiritual growth.

It wasn't until the mid 1800s, when Heinrich Wilhelm Dove found binaural beats, that science had eventually caught up. And though scientific research still continued, binaural beats stayed a sort of mystery for the next century. In 1973, Gerald Oster assembled the scattered binaural beat research since Dove and wrote "Auditory Beats in the Brain". In his research paper, Oster offered extraordinary fresh insight and new laboratory discoveries to research on binaural beats.

Oster saw binaural beats as an extraordinary tool for cognitive and neurological research. He believed binaural beats could answer questions like how animals were able to locate sounds in their three-dimensional world and the remarkable ability of animals to focus on specific sounds with lots of other noises around them. Oster also thought binaural beats were a tremendous tool for assessing medical problems. Not only auditory problems but also for more general neurological conditions.

Consciousness and binaural beats were first researched by Robert Monroe who tried to mimic a subjective impression of 4Hz oscillation that they associated with astral projection, also known as OBE. On the evidence of his discoveries, Monroe created the binaural beat personal growth industry by creating The Monroe Institute, which is now a non-profit binaural beat study and education organization.

From this time, binaural beats have been greatly researched and scientists know a tremendous amount about our brainwave frequencies and how they are influenced by binaural beats. With this new research and technology, we have been able to create the powerful binaural beats that are known today.

50 Reasons to Start Meditating

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:44:00 -0600

Have you Discovered the Power of Meditation?

"We could say that meditation doesn't have a reason or doesn't have a purpose. In this respect it's unlike almost all other things we do except perhaps making music and dancing. When we make music we don't do it in order to reach a certain point, such as the end of the composition. If that were the purpose of music then obviously the fastest players would be the best. Also, when we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive at a particular place on the floor as in a journey. When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point. And exactly the same thing is true in meditation. Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment." - Alan Watts

For those of you who have never tried meditating or had the discipline to keep a meditation routine then you don't realize what your missing out on. There are so many benefits to meditating that it's mind boggling. Here is just a small list of 50 reason why you should start meditating right now.

1. Relaxation

What's more relaxing then getting home from a hard day of work and cracking open some brewskies? Meditating is. I guarantee it.

2. Reduce Stress

Feeling a little stressed out? Meditation is the #1 stress reducer.

3. Inner Peace

Have you ever felt an overwhelming sense of true inner peace? Through meditation this can easily be accomplished.

4. Healing

The scientific evidence for meditation healing the body mentally and physically is extraordinary.

5. Still the Mind

Does it seem like your mind is always on a race track? By practicing meditation you learn how to gain control over your thoughts.

6. Quiet the Outside World

Stuck in the day to day rat race can take it's toll on you. Meditation can be your own personal quiet time to erase the outside world, even if it's just for a moment.

7. Self-Discover

Do you truly know who you are? I mean truly truly know. Want to find out? Try meditating.

8. Fulfillment

With meditation you will feel a much greater purpose of being.

9. Intuition

Through meditation we are able to raise our intuition and live a much more guided life.

10. Consciousness

I believe that one of the greatest ways to raise your level of consciousness is through meditation.

11. Better Sleep

Getting enough sleep is a crucial factor to our health and sense of well being.

12. More Energy
Instead of drinking that morning cup of coffee to get you through the day try a meditation morning session.

13. Astral Projection

Meditation allows us to quiet the mind but stay consciously aware which is what is needed for astral projection.

14. Improved Immune System

One scientific study showed that people who meditate have a much better immune system

15. Increased Awareness

Instead of going through life like a zombie like most people do, meditation allows us to be much more aware and live more consciously.

16. Shift Your Mood

If you are feeling depressed or angry then meditation can transcend you to a much greater and enjoyable mood.

17. Spirituality

Meditation allows to spiritually grow at an incredible rate and become much more connected to the source.

18. Happiness

As we discover more about who we are, live a much healthier life, remove stress, become more in control of our thoughts, etc.. we become much more happy then we were before.

19. Prevent Heart Disease

Another scientific study showed that people who meditate are at a much lower risk of heart disease.

20. Pain Reducer

Instead of taking pain medicine try meditating and focus on healing your pain. This can be much more effective then any medicine you take.

21. Gain Personal Insight

By meditating you will learn things about yourself that you never imagined.

22. Compassion

Gain a greater sense of love and compassion through meditation. Not just for your friends and family but for the entire universe.

23. Reduce Blood Pressure

Science found that when people with high blood pressure start to meditate then it will significantly drop to healthy levels.

24. Find Solutions

The answers to all of our problems are inside of us if we just stop and listen.

25. Increased Memory

Your memory will dramatically improve after you start meditating.

26. Chakras

The best way to balance and open chakras is through meditation.

27. Focused Intentions

The power of focused intentions is extraordinary. By meditating we can shift all our energy into that one intention and make it much more powerful.

28. Thought Control

Most people have a lot less control over their thoughts then they think. Meditation allows us to realize this and learn how to control them.

29. Shift Perception

Get a new perspective about life and about yourself.

30. Improve Concentration

As we become more in control of our thoughts and mind we can dramatically improve our concentration.

31. Become More Creative

The core of our creativeness can only be found in the silence of our minds.

32. Spirit Guides

Meditation allows us to come in touch with our spirit guides to help us grow even more.

33. Personal and Spiritual Growth

Meditation is the #1 tool for personally and spiritually growing to higher levels then we ever imagined.

34. Live in the Now

Alan Watts says it best; "Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment."

35. Break Bad Habits

Quitting bad habits and addictions can be extremely challenging but with meditation it becomes much easier.

36. Inner Euphoria

After you learn how to fully meditate you will experience complete bliss and euphoria throughout the entire day after a meditation session.

37. Purify Your Mind

By controlling your mind you can filter through all of your thoughts and remove all of the negative things.

38. Improve Psychic Abilities

By meditating we raise our vibration to higher frequencies which improves our psychic abilities.

39. Slow the Aging Process

With all the benefits of meditation we can actually slow down the aging process and even reverse it.

40. Control Over Emotions

As we gain control over our thoughts we also gain control over our emotions.

41. Lower Cholesterol

Another scientific benefit of meditation.

42. Connectedness

Meditation allows us to get a greater sense of connectedness to everyone and everything around us helping us realize we are all apart of and connected to something much greater than ourselves.

42. Handle Well Under Pressure

Squeeze an orange and you get orange juice. What happens when you are squeezed under pressure? Do you shut down, become stressed, fearful, or angry? Meditation will improve your ability to handle well under pressure.

43. Career

Find your true purpose and calling through meditation allowing you to choose a career that is right for you.

44. Reduce Headaches

People who meditate regularly will rarely ever experience a headache.

45. Set and Reach Goals Quicker

As we are able to control our thoughts and intentions, we will reach our goals much quicker.

46. Manifesting

As you meditate and focus your thoughts you are able to manifest your desires much more efficiently.

47. Relationships

Whether it's a relationship with your significant other, friend, or coworker meditation will dramatically improve your ability to connect and grow with them.

48 Inspiration

Looking for a little inspiration? Everything you need is inside of you. It just takes some digging to get it out and there is no better way than through meditation.

49. Remove False Limitations

We can achieve anything that we put our mind to. Remove the self-imposed negative limitations that we have created through meditation.

50. The Most Thrilling Experience You Will Ever Have!

Meditation will take you on a journey that you can't ever imagine until you try it.

Experiencing Sleep Paralysis

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:18:00 -0600

My First Experience With Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis occurs when your conscious mind wakes up but your body is still asleep and unable to move. During sleep paralysis many report seeing spirits or ghosts, feeling something is holding them down, a presence in the room as if someone is watching them, shadow people, alien abductions, and much more. I will never forget the first time that I experienced sleep paralysis. It was one of the strangest experiences that I have ever had.

A few years ago I woke up fully conscious and aware but my entire body was completely paralyzed. I couldn't open my eyes to see anything, I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't say anything and I couldn't move anything at all no matter how hard I tried. An unearthly feeling that reminded me of what death might feel like. My body felt like it wasn't there and I was inside of a complete silent darkness. Nothing but my consciousness existing. Considering the circumstances I actually remained very calm.

I wasn't sure if it was morning yet or if I was still even in my bedroom for that matter. After a few seconds of laying there in complete darkness I used every ounce of energy I had to try and open my eyes. It was no easy task. I was finally able to get my eyes to slowly open for just a few seconds. Once my eyes were open I saw that I was still in my bedroom and that my head was turned towards the wall. I could see the morning sun rays shining through my window and they were extremely bright as if I hadn't seen any light for weeks. Before I got a chance to look around my room my eyes had shut and I couldn't get them back open.

I remembered reading about sleep paralysis before and I finally realized that I was experiencing it. I remained very calm and I just enjoyed the moment because I knew that it was rare. It was actually one of the most blissful and peaceful moments I had ever experienced. I thought about how people said it was one of the most terrifying experiences they have ever had and how they would never want to experience it again and I thought they were crazy. But then my wonderful experience started going in a bad direction and I realized what they were talking about.

After laying down for about a minute I started hearing this faint noise in my left ear. It didn't really bother me because it was so quiet but as the seconds went on it got louder and louder. Pretty soon it became excruciatingly loud and I couldn't block it out. Now the only way I could describe what it sounded like was some computerized beeping sound like a high tech space ship or something. I still couldn't open my eyes or feel my body so I started to panic. The only thing I could think of was that I was getting abducted by aliens and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

You want to talk about a terrifying feeling, imagine laying in your bed completely paralyzed and you think that some being is in your room about to abduct you. Even though it may sound dumb I thought at the time that I had to snap out of this and get out of my bed or I was going to be taken. I started using all the will power I had to try and move any part of my body. As I was struggling to get up I could feel that I was moving my astral body but my physical body remained completely still. I felt almost as if I was having some kind of seizure. After experiencing this for about 20 seconds I finally snapped out of it and was able to get up and move again.

After sitting up for a few seconds and catching my breath I thought about what had happen and became extremely excited. Most people would probably never want to go through that again but not me. It was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had and I wouldn't take it back for anything. Since then I have had a couple minor sleep paralysis experiences that only lasted a few seconds and multiple self-induced sleep paralysis experiences through meditating and using binaural beats. Sleep paralysis seems to be a random experience that happens to many people unintentionally but if you have enough focus and concentration you can trigger the experience yourself.

What Happens When You Die

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:54:00 -0600

What Happens After Death?

"If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character...Would you slow down? Or speed up?" - Chuck Palahniuk

Physical death is something that we all must inevitably face whether we are ready for it or not. A transitional period from one stage of our lives into the next. But what exactly happens when we die? Do we get to see our deceased relatives and friends? Do we get to meet God? Does he judge us for our actions or even worse, our beliefs? Are we sent to heaven or hell? Is there even a life after death? There are many theories as to what happens but from my personal experience and experiences of others that I have read about, this is my belief.

In order to truly answer what happens after death without the inhibiting dogma of our beliefs, we must look at how answering this question is actually possible. There are three ways it can be done:

1. Experiencing Death Ourselves

There are a numerous accounts of near-death experiences where people have died or came extremely close and were revived to tell us what they experienced.

2. Talking to People That Have Already Died

We are able to do this through mediums and psychics or by raising our own vibrations to a higher level and becoming one ourselves for more proof.

3. Visiting the Realm Where Deceased People Go

This is actually possible by learning how to astral project. By shifting our consciousness to our astral body, we can interact in the astral plane where spirits and entities reside.

By experiencing, or at least learning more about these, we can get a better understanding as to what happens when we die. I will get much deeper in all of these subjects later on but with that said lets focus on what happens when we die.

Where Do We Come From

In order to know where we are going we must first understand where we come from. We are consciousness that existed before we were born into this physical plane. It was our choice to be here so that we can learn, grow, experience, help others, and expand our perspective and understanding of the universe and of each other. There is a reason that you are here right now experiencing life on earth. Once we die and pass on to the next stage of our lives we can look back at what we have learned and how much we have grown and then decide what to do from there.

I See the Light

When we first die it is usually a hard concept to grasp, especially if it was a freak accident. We have now entered our astral body for good and there is no going back unless somehow our bodies are revived before it's to late or it's just not our time, which is how near-death experiences occur. We pretty much become ghosts on this earth. You may see a bright light right away or there may be a guide, deceased relative, or angel there to guide you to the other side. You also may have not realized that you have died yet, have trouble accepting it, or emotional attachments and feelings are preventing you from moving on and so you may try to communicate with other people, go back into your body, or just dwell on the earth plane for awhile. Until you realize, or someone guiding you has helped you realize that it's time to move on, you will stay on the earth plane. This is why ghosts exist.

Life Review

Once we finally move on to the other side, which can be very quick or take a long time depending on how long we linger on earth, we now are in the astral plane. There are many theories as to what happens here. Judgment, face our karma, etc...Essentially they are basically the same. I like to refer to it as a life review. Basically we go over our life and we get to see what we have learned, how much we have grown, how much pain we have caused, how much we have helped others, and what we still need to work on. You will feel all the love and joy you gave to others but also all the hate and pain that you caused. You are not being judge but shown what you have done so that you can learn and grow from it. Do we judge a first grader because he has not graduated yet? No. We understand that there are many levels he must complete in order to get his diploma. It's the same concept.

Heaven and Hell

I don't believe there is such a thing as a heaven or hell, or at least not what most people think of it as. There are various levels of planes that exist and the lower ones we would consider hell and the higher ones we would consider heaven. It's really our choice which ones we go to. If we are vibrating at a higher level with love and compassion then we will go to a higher vibrating plane. If we are vibrating at a lower level filled with hate and anger then we will go to a lower vibrating plane. In the higher planes of existence you are filled with pure joy euphoria. This is were angelic beings and other high vibrating entities reside. The lower planes are filled with evil and torment and what we might refer to as demons or energy vampires. We can always go to higher planes if we make the conscious choice to raise our vibrations and give up our old ways. You can also think of this as karma in a way. If you do evil things then you are only hurting yourself because you are lowering your vibrational frequency. When you do good things with pure intentions then you will raise your vibrations. This is not punishment but an experience so we can learn and grow from it.

When Do I Meet God

I'm sure a lot of you are wondering when you will get to meet this guy you have always heard about called God. You don't have to die to meet God. Just look at everything around you and inside of you and you will see God. What is God? God is consciousness. That thing inside of you that let's you know you're alive. The higher you're vibrating the more love you will feel, the more alive you feel, the more of God you will feel and experience. God is not some separate entity but apart of us all.

Deciding What to Do

After you have your life review you can then decide what you want to do next. Some people take a long time to reflect their previous life before deciding what to do. Others choose to incarnate the earth again quickly. Some just decide to stay in the astral for awhile and explore it further. If you are an advanced individual then you can decide to become a spirit guide and help others grow and learn. Whatever you choose will most likely be what you feel is necessary for your spiritual development.

We are all energy and energy is infinite. We will exist for all of eternity. Our purpose of being is to learn and grow infinitively. To expand our understanding and awareness to a place that knows no end. To understand the true meaning of love allowing it to seep out of every inch of our souls lighting up the universe. This life on earth is nothing more than a tiny split second compared to all of eternity and what we will experience. A stage in our lives to learn and grow in a never-ending outward spiral reaching infinite possibilities. Death does not exist. Death is an illusion. Death is birth to a greater awareness.

How to Give Up Religion

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:12:00 -0500

Break the Chains of Religious Dogma

"God has no religion" - Gandhi

Having a religion is like being an alcoholic. You feel as though you can't live without it and the more you consume, the more confused and disoriented you become. As you dwell in it for a long period of time it completely changes who you are and becomes harder and harder to quit. Once you decide to give it up you then have to face the withdrawals. Dwelling inside of a religion and deciding to give it up is no easy task.

As a victim to religious dogma for over 20 years, I know first hand how much power it can have over your life and just how difficult it can be to overcome. Quitting religion does not happen overnight. It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort to fully give it up. Even years after giving up religion I still found myself influenced by it and questioning if I was wrong. If you are thinking about quitting religion but find yourself unable to escape the influence and power it has over your life then this is a great place to start.

1. Belief

The first thing that you need to do in order to give up your religion is to find out why you believe in it. Were you born into a religious family or culture that taught you that it was truth from the day you were born? Have you experienced a divine power or force that proved and validated your religious beliefs? Were you going through an extremely rough time in your life or searching for more meaning and purpose and religion seemed like the only logical thing you could turn to? Maybe all three of these combined is what influenced your choice to follow a religion. Whatever the choice may be, you must be completely honest with yourself in order to move on.

2. Reason

After you figure out why you truly believe and follow your religion, you must ask yourself if this is a good reason to continue to follow it and believe in it. To just accept it because that's what you have been told is just ignorance. If you have had proof of God, experienced the divine power throughout every inch of your body, or witnessed miracles that could be nothing short of God, then how does this prove your religion as truth. Do you think that God is not there for a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or even an Atheist. God exist within everyone regardless of what they believe. Proof of a God that every person experiences does not validate one's religious belief system, it only proves that God exist and every religion believes in God. If you are searching for hope or purpose then religion is the last place you want to look. At first it may seem all good and glamorous, but as time goes on you will find that feeling of meaning and excitement will slowly diminish. And that's not God testing your faith like most religions will tell you.

3. Purpose

If there is no purpose to your religion then what's the point of following it. If the only point of a religion is to believe in it and accept whatever deity they worship, then there is no purpose. If they say that if you believe what they believe then when you die you will go to some sort of heaven instead of hell, then there is no purpose. You will find the most religions have no purpose accept to get rewarded for having a certain belief system. Ask yourself what the true purpose of your religion is and answer it honestly.

4. Prayer

The first thing I did when I started to have major doubts about my religion was pray. I asked God to show me what truth was and forgive me if I was making the wrong choice by questioning the Christian religion. It was right after this when my life completely transformed and I discovered a world that I never knew existed. If you are fearful or have any doubts about your religion then just pray to God, the divine force within all of us for guidance. You will be shown what is necessary for the spiritual development of your soul.

5. Knowledge

If the truth will set you free then it's knowledge that holds the key. If you want to give up your religion then first study everything you can about it. I remember always hearing these bible stories and interpretations of what they mean my entire life but once I actually began to read the bible I realized that they weren't even close to what the church had told me. Don't believe what anyone tells you about your religion and study it for yourself. After you learn everything you can about your own religion, begin to study all the other religions. How did they start? Why do people believe in it? What exactly do they believe? These questions will broaden your perspective and understanding of yourself and others around you. Remember that all those other people believe in their religion just as strongly, if not stronger, then you do. This new perspective and awareness will allow you to make a better choice about your own religion.

6. Many Paths to One

Just like there are many paths to the same mountain peak, there are many paths to reach God. Some might be more difficult than others, and from the perspective of the climber depending on where he is at on the mountain, it might be the only one available, but essentially we are all trying to climb the same mountain and reach the same destination. Sure we may call the mountain different names and have our own view of what the top of the mountain looks like, but it's still the same mountain, the same God, the same destination. Instead of just climbing the mountain ignorantly blind, take a step back and observe which is the best path to take to reach the top. You will most likely find that the religion you follow is not the easiest path.

By following these simple steps and overcoming the fear that is attached to most religions, you will be able to give it up. At first it will be very scary and you will feel extremely vulnerable, but as time goes on you will eventually grow out of it. Just always remember that God, or that divine force, exists within all of us regardless of what they believe and there is no God that will punish you for nothing more than a belief system. But ignorance is bliss so if your religion makes you happy for now, then don't worry to much about it and just try to live the best life you possibly can.

Lucid Dreaming: The Complete Beginners Guide

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:05:00 -0500

Lucid Dreaming for Beginners

"Why are people interested in learning to be conscious in their dreams? According to my own experience, and the testimony of thousands of other lucid dreamers, lucid dreams can be extraordinarily vivid, intense, pleasurable, and exhilarating. People frequently consider their lucid dreams as among the most wonderful experiences of their lives." - Stephen LaBerge

For those of you that are interested in learning how to have lucid dreams I have written a beginner's guide to lucid dreaming. If you are truly serious about lucid dreaming then I would recommend that you read our complete lucid dreaming guide but if you are just a beginner then this is a great place to start.

Imagine going to sleep tonight and being in complete control of your dreams. No longer going through your dreams like a zombie accepting it for reality but being completely aware and in control of everything that happens. This may seem like a strange concept to many but for those that have mastered lucid dreaming, it's a reality. If you are ready to stop wasting a third of your life and start experiencing a world that you never knew existed, then it's time for you to learn how to lucid dream.

What is Lucid Dreaming?

A lucid dream is when a person becomes consciously aware that they are dreaming while the dream is still taking place. When you have a lucid dream it changes the dream from nothing more than a distant fuzzy memory to an intense and incredible experience. Imagine being in a world that is as real as the one you are in right now, completely controlled by your thoughts and mind, where you can fulfill all your fantasies and wishes with no consequences or limitations. You are exploring the deepest thoughts of your very own subconscious and using one of the best tools for self reflection and self discovery. Lucid dreaming cannot be described or explained with words but only when someone experiences a lucid dream will they truly understand it.

Why Have Lucid Dreams?

Now the obvious reason to lucid dream is for adventure and excitement but there are so many more benefits to lucid dreaming then just those. You are experiencing your own subconscious at the highest and most profound level there is. Some of the benefits of having a lucid dream are:

- Stopping Nightmares
- Improving creativity
- Personal and spiritual growth
- Problem solving
- Facing your fears
- Healing
- Self awareness
- Improving confidence
- Removing false limitations
- Astral projection

The possibilities and benefits of lucid dreaming are endless.

Lucid Dreaming FAQ

Can Anyone Have a Lucid Dream?

Of course! Everyone dreams whether they remember them or not and lucid dreaming is no different. Now for some people it might be easier than others, but everyone is capable of lucid dreaming no matter what.

Is Lucid Dreaming Fake?

Due to the nature and the relatively new knowledge of it, it's easy to think that lucid dreaming is just some made up concept. Lucid dreaming has been researched and scientifically proven during the last century. It also continues to be studied at many universities and institutions across the globe.

How Long Does Lucid Dreaming Take to Learn?

If you are serious and dedicated to having lucid dreams then you can learn how to master them in less then a few weeks. For the average person though it takes about a month before you will have your first lucid dream.

Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous?

Absolutely not! Lucid dreaming is no more or less dangerous then having a regular dream. It's probably just about the safest thing you can do.

How to Lucid Dream

Remember Your Dreams

So now that you have learned all about lucid dreaming it's time to learn how to have them. The first step and the most critical is to develop great dream recall. What's the point of trying to have a lucid dream if your not even going to remember it in the morning. Not only does developing great dream recall allow you to remember your dreams much more clear and vivid, it allows you to become much more accustomed and used to the dream world so that you will be able to recognize when you are dreaming much easier.

The easiest way to start remembering your dreams is to start a dream journal and write down all of your dreams each morning. When you wake up in the morning don't think about anything or move around. Just lay there and try to think about what you were dreaming about and as soon as you remember your dream you have to write it down. Dreams are stored in a different part of the brain and they are easily forgotten no matter how real they are at the time. Remembering your dreams is a skill that is much easier as you practice it more and more. Once mastered, you will be able to remember around four of your dreams each night with great detail and ease. Only after you have mastered remembering your dreams will you be able to go on to the next step.

Intention

Setting the intention that you will have a lucid dream is the first step. Constantly thinking and studying lucid dreams will trigger your subconscious to think about it and most likely you will think about it in your dreams causing you to realize that you are dreaming. Just like remembering your dreams, you should also tell yourself the night before that you will have a lucid dream over and over.

Self Awareness

In a world that is so bizarre and strange with nothing rational happening, we go through it accepting that we are awake and that its reality. This is the repercussions of how we go through and accept waking reality. Were so busy running around that our subconscious has taken over and controls most of our thoughts. Push this button, push that button, do you want fries with that? Most people can't remember what they had for dinner last night or even driving home because their thoughts are so distant from reality. If we would start to become more aware in the world around us then we will do the same in our dreams and realize that the dream world is not real and become lucid.

Perform Reality Checks

Performing reality checks is a great way to induce lucid dreams. Reality checks are tests that you perform while you are awake to make sure that you are not dreaming. It may seem stupid when you are doing these tests but by constantly doing this you will automatically carry this on into the dream world. When you perform one of the tests in the dream world they will fail and you will instantly realize that you are dreaming.

Some good reality checks to do are:

1. Lights - Check and make sure that the lights are working correctly. When you are in a dream the light switches and lamps will not work right.

2. Time - Another great technique to perform is to double check the time. Every time you look at a clock or your cell phone for the time turn away and look back to make sure that it still reads the same time as before.

3. Memory - When you are in a dream chances are that basic waking life memories are forgotten. The date or day of the week, your birthday, address, and even your name. You should stop and constantly ask yourself these questions to make sure you know the answer to them.

4. Breath - Cover your nose and your mouth and make sure that you still can't breath.

5. Hands - Count your fingers and make sure they are all there and then recount them. Another thing that you can do is see if you can push your finger through your hand.

6. Where am I? - Another thing that you can do is always ask yourself where you are at and how you got there. Do you remember where you were started before you were at this place?

7. Vision - Look around and make sure that everything is where and how it is supposed to be. Does the sky look normal today?

As you do each of these checks you should always make sure and ask yourself if this is just a dream and be ready to find out what the answer is. Make sure that every check that you do you are fully aware and not just performing them like a habit or unconscious action. When you perform these reality checks already thinking that your awake and expecting them to pass then chances are you will do the same thing in your dreams and they will not work.

Binaural Beats

A simple and quick way to induce lucid dreaming is the use of binaural beats. Binaural beats are sound waves that influence and alter the brain's frequencies to acquire a desired effect, like becoming conscious in a dream. Binaural beats will dramatically improve your lucid dreaming results and is a must have for anyone wanting to learn how to lucid dream quickly. For the best results you can combine binaural beats with the other various techniques.

Wake Back to Bed Method (WBTB)

This technique does not have to be done every day and can be done whenever you want to try and have a lucid dream. The first step is to set your alarm and wake up after 6 hours of sleeping. When you wake up you want to get out of bed and do something that keeps your brain thinking. You can check your emails, read a book, or just write in your dream journal. Anything as long as your thought process is active. I would recommend that you don't watch TV or perform any actions that a robot could do. After you have been awake for about 30 minutes you will want to go back to bed for at least another hour. This will cause you to enter REM sleep after being in a fully conscious state making you more aware and alert while dreaming.

There are so many more lucid dream induction techniques but these are the fundamental basics. If you are serious about lucid dreaming then study and try different lucid dreaming techniques to find out which one works best for you. After you learn how to have lucid dreams the next step is to learn about the levels of lucidity so that you can reach higher levels of awareness. Then you must learn how to control your lucid dreams to have the best experience.

Why Does Evil Exist

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:31:00 -0500

Is Evil a Necessary Component of Life?

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? - Epicurus

Is evil a necessary component of life? An inevitably prevailing force that will exist for all of eternity? I certainly hope not. But as of right now evil does exist and it probably will for a very long time. It dwells all around us attacking the weak and sucking the life force out of anything it can get a hold of. We have all fallen victim to it, we have all given into it, and we have all experienced it in some way or another. But why? Why does evil need to exist?

Does evil exist because some guy ate a forbidden fruit that some angry God said not to thousands of years ago? Why would God put the tree there to tempt him in the first place? Especially knowing the consequences of that choice. That would mean that all evil exists because God created it in the first place. Did God not create Satan himself? Now because of one man's actions we are all, without choice, born into a world of suffering, torment, pain, hate, anger, and pure evil. But why? What's the purpose in that? Oh, but wait a second! If we just believe in this certain religion and put our faith in this certain deity then all the evil that was put inside of us without choice will be forgotten. I'm glad we have such a forgiving God upstairs that he has enough compassion and love to forgive me of all the evil he originally created.

Another theory as to why evil exists is the concept of dualism--the philosophy of balance, where all things in nature have an equal opposite that is inter-connected and co-existing with the other. Without one you can't have the other and they must both be equally balance. A great example of this is the yin yang. The problem with this belief is that good cannot exist unless evil exists and they must exist equally. This would mean that for all of eternity evil will always exist. And not only will it exist, the more good that is in the world the more evil will be in the world to balance the universe. So all of our efforts and actions to do good will only increase the evil.

Before we can answer why evil exists we must first understand what evil is. Can evil even be truly defined and does it truly exist? Well does darkness exist? According to the law of physics, what we consider darkness is in reality, the absence of light. Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present. Does cold exist? Again, cold is a term used for the absence of heat. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.

So what is evil and does it truly exist? Evil does not exist, at least not by itself. Evil is simply the absence of good. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have good or love in his heart. What is good and does it truly exist? Just like evil, good cannot exist by itself. Good is measured and understood by the absence of evil. Both good and evil, cold and heat, darkness and light, are not measurable forces. They can only be defined and measured by comparing their opposite, which is viewed and understood from our limited perspective.

Spiritually speaking, the purpose of life is growth. Learning from each experience and event in our lives to broaden our perspective and understanding of our true essence. To continuously and infinitely spiral out and reach new levels that we cannot even fathom at this moment. Both good and evil are equally necessary forces for the spiritual development of man. For the spirit to grow, it has to overcome evil and do good. Against light and love, evil melts in surrender, having fulfilled its purpose of being. From the beginning, darkness was made to squeeze out the inner light of the soul. A light that knows no bounds.

Once one has seen and experienced enough evil, and they choose to overcome it and understand its opposite, the evil that they know will no longer be necessary. Once every soul has made this choice, the evil that we define from our limited perspective will no longer exist. But will evil in itself exist forever? Inevitably yes. But our definition and perception of it will change to fit the spiritual development of the soul. One act a few hundred years ago was considered good at the time, but as we have shifted to a higher vibration and understanding, we can now see that it was in fact an act of evil. In the future we will look back at things that are perfectly acceptable today and realize that they were in fact acts of evil, even though from our perception at this time, there is nothing wrong with them. Who knows, maybe in billions of years the best person alive today will be considered evil from the perception and understanding of the people in that time. An infinite cycle of growth and understanding with no ending.

What's the Difference Between Lucid Dreaming and Astral Projection

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:56:00 -0500

Lucid Dreams Vs. Astral Projection

Many people believe that astral projection is nothing more than an extremely vivid and lucid dream. A common misconception fabricated from people who most likely have never experienced a lucid dream and have definitely never experienced astral projection. There is a huge difference between both of them and anyone who has experienced both will tell you the same.

So how do you know if you are experiencing a lucid dream or if you are actually in the astral? If you have to ask this question then It was most definitely a lucid dream. Even though lucid dreams feel extremely real and vivid, they are nothing like actually being inside of the astral plane.

There are four different situations that come up between lucid dreaming and astral projection. In the first, you are having a normal lucid dream. In the second, you are having a lucid dream that you are in the astral. In the third, you are unconsciously astral projecting. And in the fourth, you are fully aware and actually in the astral. Let's go over the differences.

Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming, no matter how real and vivid it feels, is still a dream. You are not in your astral body or the astral plane. Everything that you experience, every character that you meet, and everyplace that you visit is a manifestation of your thoughts. Nothing that you experience in the dream realm is real. Lucid Dreaming is a great place to start if you want to learn how to astral project though. You are awakening your conscious mind while your body is still asleep. This is what is needed to astral project but instead of being inside of the dream world, you will shift your consciousness into your astral body so that you can explore the astral plane. A completely different experience than lucid dreaming.

Dreaming That You are in the Astral

Just as you have dreams that you are in the physical world, you can have dreams that you are in the astral world too. Even though it may feel like astral projection, just as ordinary dreams feel as if you are in the physical, it's still just a dream. This especially happens once you become lucid. You think, "Hey this is just a dream, I'm going to try and astral project." Even though this is possible, most of the time you will go from the dream world into what you think is the astral plane only to wake up later and realize that it was still just a dream. If you have these types of experiences then chances are you have most likely experienced astral projection before and so your subconscious knows what to bring into your dream construct.

Unconscious Astral Projecting

In rare cases you could actually be astral projecting but be unconsciously aware of it. Your subconscious takes over and you go through the astral just as you would a normal dream. This can only happen after you have astral projected many times and your astral muscles have been exercised extensively so your astral body can easily separate from your physical body without too much effort. As you are sleeping your astral body can come out of your physical body and you remain unconscious in the astral. Most of the time though, since getting to this level requires a great deal of experience, you will realize you are in the astral and become consciously aware of it.

Astral Projection

The astral plane is a real place. Spirits and other entities reside in the astral interacting with each other and high vibrational people on the physical earth plane. Everything you experience in the astral is real. There is consequences for your actions just as there is in the physical and you have no control over other entities or characters you meet. When you astral project you are actually separating your conscious mind from your physical body, to your astral body. This is your conscious vessel you use to explore and experience the astral plane. A process that can be extremely difficult and scary at first.

When you have your first astral projection you will know without a shadow of a doubt. It's an unmistakable experience that feels nothing like a dream. Because our astral body is not used to separating from our physical body, it's necessary for us to loosen the astral body first. In order to do this you must first wake up in your bed and initiate the process. If you are truly astral projecting then the first place that you will see is your bedroom. You will feel the vibrations of your astral body separating from your physical body and you will hear a high pitched buzzing sound. You won't be inside of a dream construct.

5 Lessons on Becoming a Lucid Dreamer

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:07:00 -0500

Zombie Dreamer to Lucid Dreamer: Making the Transition

"If you must sleep through a third of your life, why should you sleep through your dreams too?" - Stephen LaBerge

Having one lucid dream does not make you a lucid dreamer. Having ten lucid dreams does not make you a lucid dreamer. Even if you have a lucid dream once a month you are not a lucid dreamer. What is a lucid dreamer? This is my definition:

A lucid dreamer is someone who transcends the various levels of lucidity on a nightly basis

So what does this mean? This means that if you are a lucid dreamer then every single dream you have you will be consciously aware of it on various levels. Now this does not mean that you have lucid dreams every time you dream. It just means that you are in much greater control and have a much greater awareness in your dreams whether it's consciously or subconsciously. This awareness will lead to multiple lucid dreams a week or even a night.

Before you can become an avid lucid dreamer, you have to make the transition from a regular zombie dreamer, to a fully aware and conscious, lucid dreamer. A process that's not as easy as it may sound. During this growing process there are many lessons and stages that you will go through before becoming a lucid dreamer.

Confusion

The hardest thing to overcome when you are learning how to become a lucid dreamer is confusion. Distinguishing what is reality and what is a dream is harder than you think. When you start to become more aware and awake in your dream, everything seems so real and your conscious mind has trouble accepting that it's just a dream and that everything your experiencing in this dream is fake. There will be a numerous amount of times when you will become lucid only to question if you are really dreaming and lose lucidity. You will have false awakenings and think your dream is over. You will be telling people about your lucid dream while your still dreaming. You will become afraid that what is happening is not just a dream and your going to suffer the consequences for what you did. The confusion is endless and it can and will ruin your lucid experience. After a lot of practice and a lot of lucid dreams, you will be able to overcome this, but until then, learn from each lucid dream you have and grow from it.

Frustration

The frustrations of learning how to become a lucid dreamer can easily make someone just give up. First you have the frustrations of just learning how to have a lucid dream, and then the frustrations once your inside a lucid dream. You've been trying to have a lucid dream for months and you finally have one just to wake up or lose lucidity a second later. This can really effect your drive to keep trying. Or maybe you have had a couple lucid dreams but no matter how hard you try you can't seem to control them. You try to fly or walk through walls and you find that your conscious mind will not accept that it's just a dream and doesn't think it's possible. These frustrations are inevitable when you are learning how to become a lucid dreamer. Just remember to stay persistent and patience and you will eventually learn how to control your lucid dreams and how to stay lucid longer.

Shock and Awe

Most people don't actually realize how realistic a dream can be. Every color and image fully vibrant. Every sensation and feeling so concrete. It's an exhilarating experience that can be more real than waking life. When you become lucid and fully aware in your dreams you will experience these type of dreams. The more lucid you are, the more real your dreams will become. When you first start having lucid dreams you should take the time to just observe and experience the dream. Look at how beautiful the sky can be in your dreams. Run your hands through the sand. Stop and smell the roses. Listen to the sounds of in the dream, especially music. Not only will you see how real all of these things seem, you will train your subconscious to become much more aware when you'redreaming. This will result in more lucid dreams, more vivid dreams, and greater dream recall.

Escapism

In a world where anything is possible and everything is just as real as reality, why would anyone want to leave. Although it may seem strange for those who have never had one, lucid dreams can be very addicting. Once realizing how great lucid dreams are, you may never want to leave the dream world. You'll start taking extra naps, sleep in longer, or never want to get out of bed. If your not careful it can completely disconnect you from reality. Before you start lucid dreaming you need to make sure that you are completely grounded to waking life. Although this is not a problem for most people, most beginning lucid dreamers and people suffering depression will go through some form or another of escapism.

Control

After having multiple lucid dreams you will start learn how to control them and how they work. Any thing that you can imagine you will be able to do. It doesn't matter if you want to walk on water, fly at light speed, teleport, or walk through walls. You will also be able to program the dream you want to have. Every night before you go to sleep you can decide if you want to be an astronaut, explore the bottom of the ocean, visit other plantets or travel through time. Once mastered, you get to choose your dreams and what you do and what you experience, the choice is yours. It takes a lot of lucid dreams to get to this point but anyone can do it if they have enough determination.

Make sure and read The Complete Guide to Lucid Dreaming if you are serious about becoming a lucid dreamer

Lucid Dreaming: Guided by an Outside Force

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:14:00 -0500

The Numeric Code for Dreaming: 266

Last night I had a very interesting lucid dream. It started off as any other dream would except instead of realizing that I was dreaming on my own, there was an outside force that guided me into realizing that I was dreaming. Maybe it was nothing more than a manifestation of my own subconscious. Maybe not. The implications of my dream lead me to believe that it was something more.

The first thing I remembered was sitting in my parents backyard. We were having a barbecue and all of my family was there. I remember talking to a few of them and going through my dream like I would any other non-lucid dream. I looked at the back door and two men that I had never seen before were wearing suits and began to walk towards me.

When they got to me one of them looks directly in my eyes and says "266." Looking very puzzled and confused I asked him, "what does 266 mean?" The man that was standing next to him tells me "don't worry, you will find out very soon." Now up until this time I had never heard of some numeric code or meaning behind the number 266. I sat there thinking for a minute and all of a sudden it hit me.

Instantly I yelled out "266, that means that I'm in a dream!" The men look at me with a big smile and one says, "you have figured it all out." They turn around and began to walk towards the house. I ran and stopped them and asked if they were nothing more than a dream too. They said, "everything you see and everything you are experiencing is nothing more than a dream except for us. We are messengers sent here to guide you and our job here is finished." They walked inside the house and disappeared.

After they left I began yelling 266 over and over to become more lucid and remember that I am dreaming. I looked up at the sky and saw a plane fly by and decided that I wanted to fly. I jumped up a few times but my conscious mind had trouble accepting that it was a dream and wouldn't allow me to fly. I began to imagine that I had a jet pack on my back and right after that I lifted up off the ground.

After I flew around for a few minutes I came back to the ground. I couldn't remember where I had fallen asleep and for some reason I thought I was sleeping at my parents house where my dream first started. I looked inside the window and sure enough I see my body laying on the ground asleep. At the time I was sleeping at my own house but in my dream I thought that was my actual physical body asleep.

I moved on and saw my sister standing there. Now I believe in dreamscaping so I was hoping that she was having the same dream with me. I wanted to let her know that it was just a dream and so I took her outside and told her to grab onto my back. I started flying around and she was holding on tight having a blast. When I got really high she started to get scared and so I came back down.

When I got to the ground my mom was standing out there taking pictures of us. I thought, "hey, why haven't I ever thought about taking pictures in a dream? I can see what my dream looks like when I wake up." Thinking that it was the greatest idea ever, I soon realized just how dumb it sounded. Right after that I woke up.

I've had dreams similar where people or signs have made me realize that I am dreaming but nothing to that extent. I've also never seen myself in a dream before so that was interesting. It's funny how even though I knew it was just a dream, my conscious mind still accepts everything it sees and believes. A great experience and a dream that I will never forget.

For tips and techniques on lucid dreaming then make sure and stop by The Complete Guide to Lucid Dreams

Jesus and Religion

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:38:00 -0500

What Did Jesus Have to Say About Religion

"Thinking as I do that the Creator of this world is a very cruel being, and being a worshipper of Christ, I cannot help saying: ''the Son, O how unlike the Father!'' First God Almighty comes with a thump on the head. Then Jesus Christ comes with a balm to heal it." - William Blake

If Jesus came down to earth what religion to you think that he would follow? Would he be a Catholic, Mormon, Pentecostal, or maybe a Baptist. Perhaps he would completely disregard Christianity for not following the words he preached about love and peace and turn to Buddhism or even the great conundrum, Scientology. Who knows. If we look through the bible you will find that Jesus actually had preached against religion and the religious leaders. The entire reason he was crucified is because the Jewish leaders feared him. He began attracting large crowds and preached against the religious rulers. He was a threat to their governing laws and the power they had over the people, especially through religious suppression.

The entire book of Matthew 23 is directed towards the religious rulers and teachers. Some of the things Jesus says are:

"Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven." - Matthew 23:9

"I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either. You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned." - Matthew 23:13-15

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." - Matthew 23: 27-28

He spoke against traditional religion and promoted spirituality. He worked to heal people's fears of being separated from God. He spoke the message of the Kingdom being at hand and within each and every person. Jesus said that god is within each of us. Not separate but connected to us and in everything around us. One of his main lessons that he preached is to not allow the religious leaders and people tell you what to do or what to believe. He preached to only allow God to tell us what to do and that God is inside each and everyone of us. It doesn't matter if your Christian, Muslim, Buddhism, Hinduism, or even an Atheists. God exists inside everyone regardless of their beliefs.

If Jesus came down right now he would be ashamed at what people have done and created in his name. He would be ashamed of the Christian religion that uses his name but teaches something completely different than what he has preached. A religion that teaches if no one believes what they believe then they will go to hell. That if no one follows their system then they will burn forever. That if we don't submit ourselves and conform to their standards then we are destined to be tortured for eternity for nothing more than a belief that we had in this tiny amount of time compared to eternity.

Jesus preached about and was a symbol for love and peace, not religion. What was Jesus? Jesus was love. Love is the way the truth and the light. The way is the right path, the truth will set you free, and the light will guide you. All you need is love. Nothing else. Not religion, not the bible, and not any particular belief. Only love.

"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar." - Matthew 23: 33-35

Lucid Dreaming: My First Lucid Dream

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:41:00 -0500

My First Experience With Lucidity

About a month prior to my first lucid dream I had never even heard the concept of lucid dreaming before. A friend of mine had told me about it and shared with me some of his experiences and I was instantly hooked. The thought of becoming aware and controlling your dreams was so amazing to me. I knew that I had to learn more and experience it for myself.

I began studying everything I could about lucid dreams and it was just about the only thing I thought about day and night. After working on my dream recall and saying multiple affirmations everyday, I finally had my first lucid dream. It was one of my most exciting experiences I have ever had and a dream that I will never forget.

It started out inside of this old eerie house. I had never seen this house before but it felt like I was still in the town where I lived. I was outside and it seemed so desolated. There was a dense mist that had settled on the ground and everything beyond the house was extremely dark. I was standing on the porch looking out and I began to get a terrible feeling that there was something out there after me. I began to panic and was trying to figure out how I was going to get out of this place.

Out of nowhere it instantly clicked that I was in a dream and I became lucid. My body was bursting out with joy and excitement. I then remembered that getting too excited will wake you up and so I quickly tried to remain calm. I had not planned what I was going to do once I became lucid and so I just started running toward the house.

When I got to the door I reached out my arm and I yelled out loud "door open!" and it instantly opened up. Once inside I realized that I wanted to fly and so I closed my eyes and just jumped through the roof of the house. Once I began ascending into the sky I realized just how real a dream could be. Gazing at all the lights and buildings below me, feeling the force of the wind against my body, looking at the bright stars, and the overall intense rush that I was feeling, it was just as real, if not more real, than waking reality.

I decided that I wanted to see the beach in the daytime and so I tried to teleport there. Little did I know how unprepared I was to make such an audacious attempt. I got a glimpse of the beach for a split second and then I became very disoriented and confused. Everything turned black and I woke up.

I was so excited the next day that I couldn't stop talking about it. This was the beginning to a new world of dreaming that I was soon about to discover. After this experience my lucid dreams became more and more frequent, my levels of lucidity rose, and the control over my dreams grew stronger. Now today, just two years later, I have had hundreds of lucid dreams. But no matter how many lucid dreams I have had, they never cease to amaze me and leave me in awe the next morning.

21 Tips on How to be More Creative

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:41:00 -0500

Uninspired? Try These 21 Creative Tips

"The creative process is a process of surrender, not control" - Julia Cameron

As a writer, photographer, and musician I am continuously looking for new ways to become more creative. Each day pursuing new ideas and looking for inspiration wherever it can be found. Some of us have a more creative side than others but that tiny spark of creativity waiting to be fueled with a blazing fire of inspiration is inside of all of us no matter how dim it seems. After all, you create your reality and the world around you. To deny the fact that you're not a very creative person is just imprudent. Once we can get that synchronized flow of creativeness going, our creative ventures are an endless journey of awe and exhilaration.

Here is a list of 21 tips and techniques of how to become more creative that have worked best for me:

1. Write Down Ideas as Soon as They Come

Always carry around a small notebook and pen. You never known when an idea will pop into your head or when something will inspire you.

2. Never Consume and Produce Simultaneously

Consuming ideas and producing creativeness only distracts you from the creative process. Keep them separate.

3. Avoid Perfection

Perfectionism is creativity's worst enemy. Don't think about how it sounds or what it looks like while you're doing it. Just get the idea out there and then later on you can always work on it and make it better.

4. Stay Focused

Don't let the distractions of the world allow you to lose focus from your creative goals. Turn off the TV, disconnect the internet, and shut off your phone.

5. Create For Yourself

Who cares about what other people will say or think about what your doing. This will only hinder your creativeness. When you create something, do it for no one but yourself.

6. Meditate

You would be surprised how much inspiration and how many ideas will come to you in the stillness of your mind.

7. Learn From Criticism

Don't get angry or discourage when someone tells you what you need to improve on. Listen and learn from the people who critic your work.

8. Patience

You can't expect a masterpiece overnight. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, persistence, and most importantly, patience.

9. Accept the Ups and Downs

Even the greatest artists in the world have their ups and downs. Some days you could write an entire book while other days you can't even write a sentence. Accept it, move on and search for some inspiration.

10. Read

Reading will give you a vast amount of ideas. Read the most varied and wild things that you can get your hands on. Most importantly, read the stuff that you disagree with.

11. Change Your Perspective

Shake things up and look at the world in new ways. What's the world look like through the eyes of another person, animal, or even a bug.

12. Rest

Don't overdue it and make sure to get plenty of rest. A day of relaxing is a great way to rejuvenate your mind.

13. Dream

Our brains are in their most creative state when we are dreaming. Start paying more attention to your dreams. You will be surprised how many ideas you will have when you wake up.

14. Curiosity

Never stop asking questions and searching for answers about the magnificent world around you.

15. Set Up A Creative Environment

Wherever you are trying to create new things you want to make sure and set the mood in your environment. Always keep it clean and peaceful. It also helps to put up pictures and posters on the walls of the people who inspire you the most.

16. Don't Force It

My best creations were never forced and seemed to just flow out of me as if I was channeling it from somewhere else.

17. Teach Others

Teaching others will inevitably make you grow and become more creative.

18. Break the Routine

Do something that you wouldn't normally do and break old ritual-routine that you are accustomed to.

19. Listen

There is so much around us to learn from and get inspiration if we stop talking and thinking and just listen.

20. Experience Life

The greatest ideas come from actual experiences. Get out there and get your feet wet. Don't be afraid to let loose and just play.

21. Just Do It

Stop waiting, whining, crying, making excuses, procrastination, and reading this article - get out there and just start creating.

The Spiritual Path

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:38:00 -0500

This article was provided by New Age Spirituality

In an oft troubled world the growing interest in topics of new age spirituality is encouraging. However, too often there is a gap between our spiritual beliefs and our everyday conduct. This short paper suggests how we might integrate our spiritual beliefs throughout our lives and thus live more spiritually.

What follows is a personal view, inspired by Spirit, and influenced by the teachings of Spirit as delivered through the addresses of various mediums at my local Spiritualist church.

Living for the moment

Existence is eternal. But the only part of existence we, in earthly clothes, can influence or directly experience is that which is happening now. Enjoy the precious memories and learn the lessons from the past. Have some ideas about where you'd like to be in future. But cherish and focus your efforts on the moment.

live not for tomorrow, yearn not for the past,
live only for the moment, it's all that is ours.

Listen to the inner voice

We are closer to Spirit that most of us think. In fact we remain Spirit throughout our time on earth. But the pressures of physical existence often hide our Spiritual side. But this need not be. Surely we can all spare a few minutes each day to disengage from life's material demands. A few moments to listen to our inner voice. If we can shut ourselves in a quiet room with some gentle New Age Music in the background, great. But perhaps all we can spare is a few minutes of inner stillness on the train, or after the rest of the family's gone to bed. Whatever we can find, we should make the most of it.

And in that inner stillness we may hear our inner voice speak. For the inner voice is the part of us that is closest to pure Spirit. Sometimes the inner voice will confirm the calculations of our logical mind. But sometimes we may be surprised because the inner voice will contradict our intellect. If so we must decide whether to follow our head or our heart. We might even look inside again for confirmation. But experience will usually teach that feeling is superior to thought.

Nothing's all bad (or all good)

We have a tendency to polarize our experiences into good or bad, but these concepts are illusory. We smile when it is warm and sunny, and indeed we can better enjoy the beauty of the world we have been gifted in nice weather. But for those living in conditions of drought and famine a prolonged hot dry spell is disastrous. Likewise, we complain when it is cloudy and rainy, but without the rain we would have no food to eat, no water to drink and no flowers to brighten our world. And so a rainy day is also beautiful in another way. Nothing's all good, or all bad, but all things are relative everything else.

However good things may seem we always live with the shadow that our pleasure will not last, for time changes everything. Does that mean we should be gloomy? Not at all, it means we should enjoy the happiness of the moment for what it is. Similarly, when disaster strikes, we may feel that all is lost. The old proverb about every cloud having a silver lining is true. However bad things may seem there are always lessons to be learned, experience to be gained. And so we take stock, and move forwards, possibly bruised, but certainly wiser.

At one stage in my life I made a series of judgment errors which cost me a lot of money and a great deal more dignity. I felt bitter and angry. Surely nothing good could have come from those dark days. But looking back I realize I learned a great deal, and I can also recognize the positive things happened during that period too.

Good and Evil

Good is that which is in accordance with the will of Spirit. That which is good is constructive, helpful to others treading the path and tends to move the universe forwards upon its evolutionary path. Evil is the opposite of good. It is destructive, harmful to others or tends to inhibit universal growth.

But evil is a relative and emotive term. A so-called evil act is carried out by an immature soul. Its "reward" is further experience, not eternal damnation in the fires of "hell". And given that existence is eternal and infinite, the effect of any such act is infinitesimal.

The universe has tremendous (self) healing power. Negative/evil acts tend to be neutralized, while positive/good acts are amplified over time.

Worry

Worry is the greatest hindrance to (Spiritual) progress. Worry is part of human nature. We worry about things that might happen, we worry about things that might not happen. Worry turns to fear and fear cripples us from the inside. Perhaps, for many of us, it is impossible to eliminate worry, but we can minimize its harmfulness.

We might worry about attending a job interview. We allow the worry to prevent us from doing our best. But what is the worst that can happen? That we do not get the job. But even if we don't get the job the interview itself will have been an experience. We will have learned a little more about what is required for the kind of work we are seeking, so we make take steps to be better prepared next time. Or perhaps we failed the interview because the particular job was not right for us. If so we would have saved ourselves a lot of grief by discovering the fact at an early stage rather than after we started.

We watch the news and see wars raging around the globe. We naturally worry about the future for ourselves and our children. But what can we practically do? We can certainly send out love and prayers that peace and reason may replace violence and hatred. If we are so inclined perhaps we can choose how to cast our vote on ballot day, or air our views in other ways. The point is that we alone cannot change the situation, but we can do what it is within our power to do, and having done it we have no further need to worry because we know that we can do no more.

When our eyes are filled with worry we cannot see the beauty of the sunset.

Today is the tomorrow that we worried about yesterday.

Letting Go

We need to recognize the point at which to let go. We are all wronged (and also wrong others), to varying degrees at varying times, because by our very nature humans are imperfect. If someone does something bad to us then we should deal with it and forget about it, ie seek justice and move on. But if we pursue a grudge long after we should have let go, we ultimately harm ourselves because we cannot make the best of the future.

Unconditional Love

It is easy to love your own family, friends and those of similar views. But unconditional love means love for those we don't have a natural fellowship with, eg those with different views.

The world has room for all shades of opinion, because we all have different backgrounds and different life paths. No one has a monopoly on truth or righteousness. No one has the right to judge another, because we cannot see the world from their eyes. There is an old Red Indian saying, "don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins".

Listen to the other person's point of view, and offer your own in the spirit of friendship. Where differences exist, do not support that which you feel to be wrong, but be tolerant and avoid judging the other person.

Circumstances, Joy and Sorrow

Before we are born we choose what lessons we will try to learn and what kind of circumstances we will be born into. But a fundamental part of the human condition is our free will. Although limited by circumstances, the choices we are able to make do make differences, sometimes big differences, and the choices of others sometimes alter our path, sometimes dramatically and irrecoverably.

Life is pain interspersed with joy. It is only from the difficulties that we learn and grow, ie fulfill our real purpose in being here. It is the joy that helps us survive the pain.

In dealing with difficulties we need to keep in mind two great truths (however hard they might be to accept at the time). Firstly, difficulties are our opportunity to learn and to progress, and we ourselves chose what we would learn in this world. Secondly, Spirit will never present us with any burden too great for us to bear.

Earthly achievements are ultimately and utterly insignificant. Even the greatest events down here don't really matter in the great scheme of Spirit, other than to further our experience and growth. But earthly experience is why we are here.

Life rolls unstoppably on. We try our best. We savour the joys, the love of family and friends, the beauty of nature, a favourite food or drink... We learn from our experiences. But we must cope with what we are dealt.

We seek to do what is right here, for ourselves and our close ones. But it is only the lesson learned that is significant.

Healing

When we think of healing we may think of some chanting mystic with magical powers laying his hands upon the afflicted and miraculously curing their bodily ailments. Some healing does take this form, but with the important difference that the powers do not come from the healer, but from Spirit. The healer acts only as a channel.

The important point is that we are all healers, because we are all of Spirit. Some of us may develop as channels for healing and may alleviate symptoms through the laying on of hands. But far more will practice their healing in more subtle ways. Maybe by dropping in on a neighbour to check they are alright, or a friendly smile directed at a stranger, or simply the sending out of loving thoughts or prayers. There are a million and one ways in which we can heal. And by healing others we feel better inside, ie we heal ourselves.

And that is the real purpose in healing. Not the temporary relief given from the inevitable aches and pains of this life, but the recognition that in doing something for others we also help ourselves, because both we and every living creature around us are all part of Spirit.

Be Happy

Life is full of sadness, melancholy and tragedy, if you allow it to be. There are also many things to be happy about. A walk by the sea, a pleasant meal or drink, time spent with family or friends. They are transient, as is sorrow, but they are there to be appreciated to the full.

Materialism

We all need money to satisfy our basic requirements of shelter and sustenance. But once we have "enough" it is arguable how much real benefit additional wealth may bring.

There are many in the world who do not have "enough" and for whom every day is a struggle for survival. Perhaps those in more fortunate circumstances may feel it appropriate to send out prayers, or to provide more substantive help. We should all consider the degree to which we pursue wealth beyond what we truly need as we may be foregoing more valuable alternative opportunities.

Go with the Flow

Don't make waves by challenging the existing order just for the sake of challenge. To survive and thrive, learn to exist within the existing order.

Don't try to be different, just for the sake of it. Don't try to be what you are not, just to please others. Just seek to discover your true self and to be that person.

Sometimes circumstances just seem to drive us in a certain direction, though we may not know why and we don't instinctively want to follow. In such instances it is usually best to simply go with the flow and conserve energy for more favourable opportunities. There is a reason for everything, though it is not always revealed to us.

Sometimes it is right to challenge, but such occasions must be carefully chosen, and such challenges carefully planned. Remember that in our earthly clothes we are finite. There are many more things that we'd like to do than what we are able to do. And part of our experience is learning where and how to apply our efforts to greatest effect.

Friendship

Friendship is important. We are all interdependent upon one another. None can exist in isolation or be totally independent. Learn to get along with others, to co-operate, to give and take. Shine a light of love upon the world and it will be reflected back a thousand-fold.

But also be careful about the company you keep. The world houses many souls on differing pathways and at different stages of development. Be accepting of all but recognize that some are best kept at a distance.

Never be Bored

Life is a wonderful experience, even if sometimes things may superficially be tedious. In such circumstances do not be bored but allow your mind to wander freely, for the inner world is every bit as interesting as the outer. Thus boredom is indicative of wasted opportunity.

Relationships and Spirituality

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:26:00 -0500

This article was provided by New Age Spirituality

Our relationships with others provide many of the most satisfying - and frustrating - moments of the human experience.

On the one hand we are instinctively driven to seek the companionship of our fellow beings, indeed such is the complexity of the modern world that out very survival depends on co-operating with numerous others. But conversely our dealings with other people force us to sacrifice, compromise, inhibit our liberty, and are an endless source of disappointment and anger when our peers fall short of our reasonable expectations.

Our relationships take many forms. Family, friends, neighbors, business, acquaintances… Some of these are of our choosing, others just come with the territory. Understanding how to handle each of these relationships effectively will yield a smoother and more fulfilling journey through life.

Why are relationships important?

From the Spiritual perspective our dealings with others is of the utmost significance and a major part of our raison d’être. The fundamental nature of Spirit, from which we all come and of which we are all part, is unity. Everything is part of the one great wholeness.

The eternal quest of Spirit is for growth, but the growth that comes from the interaction between different players cannot happen without the differentiation of the on into the many. Hence we are born as separate entities in physical form that we might play out our roles, ultimately furthering the growth of Spirit.

The paradox of relationships

Our relationships with others are hugely paradoxical. The highest emotion of which we are capable is unconditional love, to place the welfare of another higher than our own - no matter what. To experience unconditional love, either towards or from another being is possibly the highest privilege in this world. We may hold it for our nearest and dearest, our parents, our partner, our children… A few more advanced souls may hold it for larger groups, or even the whole of humanity. But this is too tall an order for most.

Towards the majority, for whom we sadly don’t hold unconditional love, we are often fiercely competitive. We want the better job, bigger house, faster car etc. than the guy across the street. Sometimes, as a species, we’ll resort to the most heinous acts to further our welfare at the expense of others.

But for all the bad stuff, acts of altruism towards strangers greatly outnumber those of hostility, as witnessed by the level of charitable donations, or the level of response to natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis. Even holding the door for someone to enter a building demonstrates our basic kindness.

Darwin highlighted the merits of competitiveness in his theory of evolution. The comforts of the material plane are available in proportion to worldly success, and by implication this means doing better than the next man. But being the “higher” species carries with it the concept of noblesse oblige. Most obviously in developed societies this comes in the form of progressive taxation - the more you earn, the more tax you pay! But consider how many wealthy folk voluntarily support numerous good causes.

The conflict between our underlying and eternal brotherhood and our limited individuality and rivalry is the cause of much difficulty in relationships. Awareness of this conflict, along with that of our innate feeling towards others, is the first step to building and maintaining successful and fulfilling relationships.

Know thyself

Some of us are more inclined to pursue relationships than others. For some socializing is a pleasure, for others it ranges from being a chore to the painfully unpleasant. The insightful psychologist Jung categorized these types as extrovert and introvert respectively. Knowing where you stand on this continuum and adapting accordingly will assist greatly in your inevitable dealings with others.

The golden rule

Remember, ultimately we are all one, but while incarnate we assume the role of competitive individuals. Your role on earth is to try your best in your chosen field, but in your dealings with others let your conscience be your guide. Ultimately, the ethic of reciprocity should form the foundation of your relationships. Expressed by Jesus as: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” This ethic recurs throughout all major faiths and philosophies.

Where Do We Come From?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:10:00 -0500

Created or Evolved: Neither

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" - Genesis 1:1

"The radius of s pace began at zero; the first stages of the expansion consisted of a rapid expansion determined by the mass of the initial atom, almost equal to the present mass of the universe. If this mass is sufficient, and the estimates which we can make indicate that this is indeed so, the initial expansion was able to permit the radius to exceed the value of the equilibrium radius. The expansion thus took place in three phases: a first period of rapid expansion in which the atom-universe was broken into atomic stars, a period of slowing-down, followed by a third period of accelerated expansion. It is doubtless in this third period that we find ourselves today, and the acceleration of space which followed the period of slow expansion could well be responsible for the separation of stars into extra-galactic nebulae." - Georges Lemaître

How did we get here? Where do we come from? Were we created or did we evolve randomly? Are we the product of purposeful intelligence or are we merely the end result of countless cosmic accidents? Does it even matter? Humans have always questioned their existence and many different theories concerning the physical world have become popular.

According to the standard theory of evolution, our universe sprang into existence from a "singularity" around 13.7 billion years ago. The entirety of our universe was compressed into the confines of an atomic nucleus. Singularities are zones which defy our current understanding of physics. No one knows what they are or where they come from. They are thought to exist at the core of black holes. Black holes are areas of intense gravitational pressure. The pressure is thought to be so intense that finite matter is actually squished into infinite density, a mathematical concept which truly boggles the mind. These zones of infinite density are called singularities. Our universe is thought to have begun as an infinitely small, infinitely hot, infinitely dense, something - a singularity. Where did it come from? Why did it appear? No one knows.

The theory of creation is the belief that all humanity, life, earth and the universe were all created by a supernatural being or beings. The most popular theory of creation comes from the first book in the old testament, Genesis. It say that there is one god that created the entire universe in 6 days and then rested on the seventh. He created man in his own image and gave them dominion over the entire earth and all living things on it. Strict creationists believe that these were 24 hour earth days and that the earth is still quite young, while others calling themselves creationists take these in to be long periods of time (millions of years) and typically believe the earth to be very old (around 4.6 billion years as is commonly taught). Each culture has its own myths and legends about the creation of the human race. These legends, coincide with prophecies about the destiny of humanity. They have been passed down through oral traditions, ancient texts, stone tablets, and other artifacts found by archaeologists.

There arises a multitude of fundamental problems with both of these theories. Subscribing to the belief that we are just some random chaotic sequence of events that evolved over time by pure chance and became what we are now is very unlikely and seems almost impossible. If you believe this theory then you accept the fact that there is no divine architect to this universe and when you die that is it. But as history always repeats itself, science has proven its own science wrong over and over again. But then what other choice does that leave us with except to submit ourselves to religion that bases their beliefs off of legends and myths and follow their rules and doctrines giving up our free will as human beings. This doesn't really leave us with much of a choice. If we weren't created and we didn't evolve from apes then how did we get here? Where do we come from?

Well these questions that people have tried to answer for centuries are really the wrong questions to ask. The first problem when asking these questions is the concept of time. Time is nothing more than an illusion that only exists from the observers perspective. When we are asking how did we get here or where do we come from then we are really saying that there had to be a beginning to all of this which means that there has to be an end. Everything in this world including you and me is energy and energy is infinite. If you believe in some form of god, heaven or hell, reincarnation, eternity and any life after death then you cannot believe in the existence of time. From our limited awareness and our continuous observation of this illusion, we cannot perceive or fathom the thought that time doesn't exist. There is no past, no future, no beginning and no end. There is only right now, this very exact moment and no other. Once you are able to understand and completely live in this moment, then you will understand that time is nothing more than a continuous "holy moment."

The next problem that arises when trying to understand how we got here and where we come from is the illusion of reality. The world may seem completely physical and real but this is also an illusion which is perceived through our senses. This computer screen may seem very real as you look at it and touch it but it is nothing more than chemical activity in your brain that you are experiencing. Light hits the retina of the eye and this changes the chemical composition of the eye. This makes electricity travel along the optic nerve, and this goes to a part of the brain. We do not respond to the actual object, but to electrical and chemical events in the brain. We cannot know what is real apart from our perception of it. Therefore, everything we experience we cannot be certain if it exist or not because we can never directly perceive it.

So when we try to figure out how we got here and where we come from, we are doing so from the confines of our own perception of time and reality which are illusions. We are nothing more than consciousness continually dreaming up our reality. Once you understand your true essence and your true nature and wake up from the dream, you realize that you are the one that has created and continues to create this world, this reality that you know and understand. So where do we come from? We come from and we are consciousness experiencing the world were creating.

Consciousness is all that there is. Everything in the entire universe is made up of consciousness. There are three basic states of matter. They are solid, liquid and gas. As matter changes its vibration to higher levels, it turns into plasma, and then beam, and finally it transforms into the highest state
which is thought wave. Thought wave is the highest state of matter because it exist at a much higher frequency of vibration. All other states of matter are condensations of thought waves. Therefore the entire physical world is originally manifested from the mental world. If you are familiar with the concept of holographic reality, you will know that the entire material world we experience is actually a projection of light from consciousness. Everything is made of light in different forms.

The universe is made up of electrons and positrons which when combined, transform into photons. E = MC2, or matter is light energy in a different form. When we experience the outer world, we are experiencing a reflection of the inner world, which is consciousness. Therefore if we change our consciousness, we change our outer world. Consciousness creates and directs everything. The work of evolving consciousness is the biggest work in the universe. That is why when we change our mind, we change our life.

We are all one and we are all connected. We come from only one consciousness that exists. This one consciousness decided to differentiate itself into the many in order to experience itself from different perspectives and points of view. We are all different versions of the same being in existence. We are all inseparable and connected to everything in the universe. The real you is much bigger than the individual you that is localized in this time and space. The real you is all there is. Your real self is the self of all. Everyone else is an aspect of your much larger self.

To learn more about this and how having this knowledge can change your life then check out Mind Reality.

YOU are the Change This World Needs

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:21:00 -0500

Are You Ready to Accept Your Responsibility?

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

This world has experienced and endured an endless suffering due to our very own selfishness and lower level of consciousness. We are continually at war with each other and there is so much hate and evil in the hearts of humans. There are over 20 thousand nuclear warheads that are aimed and targeted at each other, millions of people die every year due to acts of violence, one percent of the world's population owns 40 percent of the worlds wealth all while thirty thousand children die every single day due to starvation and we our destroying our planet at an accelerating rate. The world that we live in today cannot lead to a future or a tomorrow for the human race. We are at the pinnacle of our time where we can either completely destroy earth and the human race or we can shift towards a new beginning, a new awareness. The fate of the entire world and humanity all lie within the hands of us, within the hands of YOU.

We are slowly beginning to see this shift happen all around us. There is a global conscious awakening that is in effect at this very moment and we our beginning to realize our true nature, our true potential, our true purpose. An entire movement that is tired of the old selfish materialistic ways of the world and wants something more. But will this new awakening take full effect before we destroy each other? Are we inevitably doomed? Well the answer to both of those questions is yes. Yes if we refuse our role and true nature as human beings, yes if we refuse to due any thing about it, yes if we continually stand around doing nothing while this world collapses, yes unless YOU are the change that you want this world to see. The only way that this change is going to happen is through the evolution of consciousness itself. In order for the universe to evolve at the level of higher consciousness that is needed, you and I have to be the ones to make sure it happens. We have to be the ones to create the future. You need to look in the face of the world that is rapidly going in the wrong direction and say no, it is time to change course and I'm going to be the one that does it.

Even in the twenty-first century, people still hold on to the belief that there is some guy upstairs looking down on everything and he is going to make sure that everything is going to be okay. If we are going to change and save this world then we have to wake up to the fact that there's no one else who is going to do it. Not your political leaders, not your heros, not even a man upstairs. No one is going to intervene and help us and so it is our responsibility. In order for change to happen it is going to take a divine intervention, but we have to be the divine interveners. This means accepting full responsibility for the future and knowing that it is on each and every one of our shoulders. It is time to stop waiting, stop hiding, and stop pretending. If we do not accept our responsibility then we are going to run out of time and this planet and the human race is going to be wiped out. We have to be the ones to carry this process forward at the deepest and highest level, to consciously evolve in the biggest way possible for our collective salvation and transformation.

There is no running from the problems of this world. There's no hiding in your own fear and laziness to avoid truth. The problem keeps coming back over and over. They are all around us. We get angry because we said no pickles on our hamburger or we don't have enough money to buy that nice fancy car and big gigantic house that we always wanted forgetting the problems that are in this world. But no matter how far we put those problems in the back of our head they keep coming back slapping us in the face. You may look into the eyes of a homeless person as your walking to get your daily cup of coffee and see the pain that is inside of them, see glimpses on the television of starving children that are slowly dieing a painful death as your giving the scraps from dinner to the dogs, see all the hate and war that the media has instilled in us to accept as normal reality and as we go through our daily lives trying to forget all of these things, they eventually find ways to creep into our thoughts, always reminding us that there is more we can do to help. We are all part of it, all connected to it, all involved with it, all participating in it, and all responsible for it.

Most individuals think that there is nothing that they can do. They think that they are just one inadequate human being and they cannot change a thing. This is the main reason why most people don't take action and responsibility for the world around them. This type of thinking cannot be farther from the truth and it is the exact same mindset that the leaders and top rulers of this world want to keep you in. The truth is that most humans don't realize their true potential. They don't realize what one dedicated, loving and compassionate person can actually achieve. Even if humans achieved one eight of their full potential, this world would completely transform, changing course from suffering and destruction to peace and growth. The most horrific and selfish thing is when someone wants change and wants this world to be a much better place but does nothing about it because of their very own fear and laziness.

One of the biggest challenges of all is to look inside of yourself and realize what it means to be the one that is going to do all of this. What it means to be the one that is going to change this world. When you are laying on your death bed are you going to look back at your life and wish that you did so many things different, that you could have lived a much more purposeful life, that you could have helped millions of people and completely changed this world but you did nothing, or are you going to look back with a big smile knowing that because of your existence and your conscious choice to make change, the world is a much better place. Do you have the courage, audacity and boldness of spirit to be that one, right now, in this world? Making the world a better place is not only your responsibility, it is you blessing, your joy, your gift to this world and your opportunity to make your life mean something. Are you ready to take it?

What is God?

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:33:00 -0500

Do You Know What Exactly God Is?

"God is Consciousness that pervades the entire universe of the living and the non-living." - Ramakrishna

The age-old question of whether or not god exists is completely irrelevant. How can you argue and prove or disprove the existence of something if you don't know or can't even comprehend what exactly it is. The question that is much more important than the existence of God is what exactly is God. Once we are able to understand more about what God is we will begin to be able to understand the existence of god.

Now most religions have tried to answer this question but have failed tremendously. They have painted this image of this guy sitting in a big chair with a white beard and angels around him waiting to pass judgment on whoever doesn't believe in their religion. I will tell you that this is not what God is whatsoever. God is not some physical or spiritual being that we can even imagine. A loving compassionate God would never judge an imperfect being that he created and loves just because he is perfect and we are not and he definitely wouldn't judge people just based on their beliefs. Now because I don't believe God is some super natural being that we can send all our worries and fears to like religion says does that make me an atheist? From most religious perspectives you could say yes but from my perspective I would say no. My view of what "God" is, if you would even call it that, is just completely different then what most people view it as.

In order to understand what God is we first must understand how the perception of God-awareness came into existence in the first place. An evolution in consciousness, or you could say, self-awareness, was the first step and the key to understanding how God-awareness first started. Without self-awareness God would not exist in our reality whether he was real or not. So once humans became self-aware, did they truly find God or did they simply mislabel their perception of reality. Was it not "God" that humans detected but their own collective consciousness that they mislabeled as God?

If a single cell that is inside of your body became self-aware would it be able to understand what you are? Your brain will be able to understand that cell entirely but that single cell will never be able to understand what you are. To that cell you yourself would be God. Your body created that cell and your body is what keeps that cell alive. From the cells limited perspective of reality, there is nothing outside of your existence.

Just as that single cell, we cannot perceive exactly what God is due to our limited perspective of reality and our limited awareness. God is not some man upstairs looking down on all of us. God is nothing more than mislabeled term or a metaphor for our very own collective consciousness and our highest views and aspirations of it. In order to understand more of what God is we must become more consciously aware and expand our limited perception of reality. Unlike the cell, we are able to evolve and expand our conscious awareness. So therefore raising our level of consciousness is the only way that we will be begin to understand more of what God is. As long as we remain in a lower state of awareness we will only see what God is as far as our limited perspective allows us to.

Religion is nothing more than a manifestation of our self-awareness of God or our collective consciousness. Once our consciousness evolved we tried to label it and explain what it was. This created myths that circulated until it turned into a belief. Once people began to believe the myths it created religion. Throughout the years religion became nothing more than misinterpreted myths that became more distorted as time prevailed. Each faith split into new faiths and then they created doctrines for their false beliefs which spawned nothing more than arguments and wars with very little truth in any of them.

So if God is our highest aspirations and perspective of our collective consciousness, which is love, peace, growth and anything that is good then that means that the devil is the exact opposite of God which is our lowest perspective of consciousness which is hate, fear and evil. This is why it is easy to say that the devil tempts us. It's not some evil being out there tempting us and causing all this destruction. It's our very own lower state of consciousness that has a very limited perspective and is easily influenced and tempted by meaningless materialistic things. This is where we can also see how the fall of Satan from the beautiful angel Lucifer, is a metaphor for our very own fall of consciousness from God to the Devil. If we all strived to reach higher levels of consciousness then their would be no more wars, fear, and suffering. We would all be filled with love and peace and be with God so therefore the Devil could not exist.

Just as the cell is apart of us and in a way, is us, we are apart of God and a manifestation of God. We ourselves are God because we ourselves are part of the collective consciousness as a whole. The profound recognition that God is that singular energy and intelligence that initiated the creative process and is just now awakening to itself as we awaken to it is enlightenment in an evolutionary context. Every time you look at someone or look into a mirror you are seeing a part of God. Every time you take a breath you are feeling God. Every thing that you experience in this world you are experiencing God. Most of this world lives on a lower level of consciousness and therefore they can only view God as this separate being. Once we advance and reach higher levels of consciousness we will become one with God as the exact same being.

How to Live a Life Full of Love

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:52:00 -0500

Fill Your Life With Love

"Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us." - Marianne Williamson

In a world that is filled with fear and hate it is sometimes hard to see the love that is all around us and inside of us. The entire universe is filled love for everything but unless we use it and become aware of it, it is completely wasted and love will not exist in our lives. To not accept and feel the power of love is to deny the gift of God and to live a life without hope and to live in fear. Once we begin to shift from a society of fear to society of love our world will completely transform.

Now when I talk about love I am not talking about being in love with someone or the love you have for your children and family. It's not really the emotion of love but more about an unconditional love. An understanding of your connectedness with everything that exists. A compassion that exists inside all of us.

The first step to living a life full of love is to love ourselves first. That means removing any negative thoughts, limitations and fear that we have about ourselves and accepting and loving who we are. The more love that we feel for ourselves, the more love will manifest into our lives and the more we will feel it all around us. Realize that you are worthy of love and that you are very special to this world with a purpose, even if you don't know what it is yet. This can be very difficult if you have been living a destructive life and you feel as though you don't even deserve it. Shift your life your living to a life of growth and compassion for others and allow love to pour into your life.

The next step is to love everyone around you. Now this doesn't mean just your family and friends but every person in this world including your enemies. Realize that we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves and we are all connected. That each person is a gift given to this world for purpose. This means forgiving and loving those who have wronged us, those who we dislike or dislike us and those who don't even deserve it. This can be a very difficult task that takes a lot of lessons and hard work to be reached but until we can reach it and love every one around us, we will not experience the full power of love in our lives.

Living a life full of love also means loving your environment and the world around you. This planet is a gift given to us and we must take care of it. Once we begin to pursue and allow love into our lives we will see it manifest with full force and power. We will experience so much more joy and happiness and a purposeful life. Love is light and light will always overcome darkness. If every person would begin to show a little more love in their lives this entire world will transform and begin to understand peace. We can all make a difference and every single act of compassion matters. Go into the world as a bright shining light and don't let it ever fade away.

Strive to be a person that is overflowing with love and compassion. Every time you meet or walk by a person allow your love to just pour into them so strongly that they can fill it with full force. Overflowing your life with love does not happen overnight and it takes a lot of spiritual and personal growth to reach those higher levels of love but once you get there and feel the full power of love, you will live an awe-inspiring life everyday.

Why I'm Not a Christian

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:52:00 -0500

The Thinking That Changed My Life

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.” - Seneca

All my life growing up I was surrounded by Christianity. The first week I was born I was brought up to the front of my parents church where they dedicated me to the lord. I went to church every single Sunday, morning and night, and even on Wednesdays, from the day I was born until I was 18. I believed in it so strongly and if I had to I would have died for it. During those times I went to church I became very Bible literate and experienced many things. I have seen miracles happen, people get filled with the Holy Spirit, people talk in tongues, fulfilled prophecies and much more.

Every single person in my entire family was a Christian and there was no one that didn't accept it or not believe in it. It was the only truth that I had ever known, and in my mind, it was the only truth that existed without a shadow of a doubt. So how did I go from believing it so strongly to completely disregarding it as truth? How did my reality completely change and flip upside down? It wasn't until I started asking unanswered questions that where always in my heart but I just kept putting off just like every other religious person does. Once I faced those questions I realized that Christianity could not answer them because it was not truth.

What is the Purpose of Life in Christianity

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

The first problem that I found with Christianity is that it didn't give life any purpose or meaning. Now of course every Christian will tell you that God has a purpose for you and a plan for you if you choose to follow him and serve him but what exactly is the point and purpose in Christianity. The entire point of life in Christianity is to be born in this world, accept the Christian religion and believe in Jesus and ask him into your heart, tell others to do the same and then when you die you will go to heaven instead of dieing and going to hell forever. I don't know about you but if that is the entire point of life then that is depressing.

I have asked many Christians what the point of their life is and none of them seem to be able to answer the question. They will say, "God has a plan and purpose that is greater then I can understand" or "The purpose of life is to serve God and do what he asks us to do." A lot of answers that I get are just, "I don't know." Most answers are just to do God's work but no one seems to know what that work is. These are all answers that they tell themselves to deter from the truth that they don't have a point or purpose in life if they are a Christian other than spreading more purpose-less Christianity to more people and then death so they can go to heaven.

God is Omniscient

"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite." - Psalm 147:4,5

The Christian belief that God knows everything creates a lot of problems and questions for me. I have asked these questions to Christians and they tell me that God's wisdom is much greater than mine so I can't understand it. Well I guess God must have forgot to give himself common sense when he was creating everything because no matter how you look at it, it is still wrong, and in a way, very evil. Christians try to put off these questions and sugar coat the problems and not mention them but they don't go away no matter how much you ignore them.

Free Will Does not Exist:

"Your Father (God) knows how many hairs there are on your head!" - Matthew 10:30

If you are a christian then you cannot accept the fact that we have free will. If you believe that we have free will then you are denying what the bible clearly states. The bible states that god is omniscient which means that he knew me before I was ever created. He knew that I would exist before the world existed. Every single action and every single thought that I have he already knew that I would have it. That means that my future is already known and already predestined. How can I have a choice and choose my destiny if it is already known and has been forever. That means that me writing this right now and you reading this was not our choice. God already knew that this very moment would happen and therefore you did not choose it to happen your just playing a role that god assigned to you with no thought or free will. Even if you argue that we do have free will and free thought, if we don't believe, think and adhere to this one faith, we are all wrong? Thats a little counter-productive is it not?

God Knew I Would Go to Hell

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life...And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:12, 15

If god is omniscient, which is clearly in the bible that he is, then he knew before he even created me that I would go to hell. God knew that when I was created I would not believe in the Christian religion and therefore I would be thrown in the lake of fire forever and ever to burn and be tortured for eternity. Now why would a God create me if he already knew that he would send me to hell. I can't think of any reason other than for his own amusement. The Christian God must be suffering an extreme case of oxymoronism. Deliberately creating a person that is predestined to sin and then throwing them in a lake of fire to burn and be tortured for eternity is sadistic.

God Knew the Chaos That Would Happen

"Whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." - Psalm 139:7,8

God knew before he created Lucifer that he would turn on him and turn into Satan. He knew when he put that tree in the Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve would eat from it and bring down all mankind to experience pain and suffering and ever lasting hell. He knew that there would be thousands of religions and different beliefs. He knew that he would have to destroy every person on this earth except for Noah and his family because the people turned evil. He knew how many billions of people that he created and "loved" he would have to send them to hell forever.

He is so powerful that he could have just changed a few things and none of this would have happened. If he locked up Satan from the very beginning then he would not have tempted Eve. If God didn't put the tree there in the first place then she would not have sinned and this world would still be perfect with no suffering or torment. He knew that such a vague bible would create so much controversy and delusion. If God knew all this would happen then why would he
create such a terrible world. And if you think that God didn't create it, the devil and sins of mankind created, then that means that God knew it would happen and he allowed it which makes him no better than all the sins and evils in the world.

God is a Selfish and Evil Unjust God

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." - Isiah 45:7

If you actually read the bible and listen to the Christian belief of God and you don't question the morality of it then you better double check your idea of compassion and love. The concepts of Christianity are so evil and wrong and yet Christians except it and believe in it thinking that it is okay and that anyone who is not a Christian deserves what is coming to them. How can you say you serve a loving forgiving God and actually sit there and stomach what the bible says.

God is a Murderer

"Anyone who is captured will be run through with a sword. Their little children will be dashed to death right before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked and their wives raped by the attacking hordes. For I will stir up the Medes against Babylon, and no amount of silver or gold will buy them off. The attacking armies will shoot down the young people with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for the children." - Isaiah 13:15-18

One of God's main commandments is thou shall not kill but as we look through the old testament God has killed thousands of people. In total God kills 371,186 people directly and orders another 1,862,265 people to be murdered. Sound to crazy to be factious. Just open your bible and start reading just how many people died because of God. "Well those people were evil" you say. Most of the people are killed just because they are from another country or one of God's men didn't like them or something similar to that effect. Most are innocent people that have done no harm to anyone and yet God kills them. Now I know most of you are shaking your heads thinking that this cannot be true but all you have to do is read the bible and discover the God that you are truly serving. You can find some examples of these horrific acts done by God in 1 Chronicles 21, Deuteronomy 3, Joshua 6 and Judges 21.

"Go, now, attack Amalek, and deal with him and all that he has under the ban. Do not spare him, but kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses." - 1 Samuel 15:3

If you search through the bible you will find that God supports murder, rape, slavery, and child abuse throughout the old testament. When you read the bible it should shock any moral person. None of these are justified by the fact that "God allows it" and the people in history used "God" to manipulate other people for their own benefit just like today.

God is a Hypocrite

"Do to others as you would have them do to you" - Luke 6:31

God clearly gives us instruction to treat other people as you would want to be treated. So how is a God able to give us instructions on how to live and then be a hypocrite of his own word. I'm sure that God would not want to be treated the way that he has treated his own children. The Christian God is one of the unfairest and cold hearted beings I have ever heard of. The Christian belief system is so messed up and it makes absolutely no sense. Here is an example of the Christian God:

Jesus clearly teaches us that you cannot get into heaven without going through him first. If he is not our father than Satan is our father and we will go to hell forever and ever. So the Christian belief is if you don't ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart and believe in him then you will go to hell. Christians will accept this and they don't even realize the evil in that if it were true.

Let's say that there was two brothers born. One of them lives a life that far excels other people. He is so compassionate and loving and he cares for everyone and everything around him. He has helped as many people as he can and has actually changed enough people to create world peace. There is no more wars, famine, and suffering all because of this guy. Now this guy never really believed in the Christian religion and thought that it just wasn't for him. He is driving home one day from helping out millions of children and he gets in a car crash and instantly dies.

The next brother was the exact opposite of his brother. He hated everyone and was filled with anger. He lived his life raping millions of woman and killed thousands of baby infants. He was able to gain power and he nuked the entire world. Every single country but his own was completely wiped off the world and he turned all the people of his country into slaves. This guy lives to be 90 years old and he has caused suffering the entire time he was alive. He is going down in history as the worlds most evil man. Now he is lying on his death bed and before he takes his last breath he realizes that he has just messed up. He ask Jesus to forgive him and come into his heart and truly means it and then dies.

Now if you are a Christian then you believe that the serial killer rapist is going to go to paradise to be with God and the other brother that created world peace and stopped all suffering is going to go to hell to burn and be with the Devil. Now you can sugar coat it and say this and that but if you get straight to the backbone of it, this is exactly what the bible says. Where is the justice in that. If you think it's okay and that it should be like that then your moral compass is very distorted and you are no better than the evil Christian God himself.

Judgment Day

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" - 1 peter 4:7

The fact that there is a loving God that created us imperfect in the first place and already knew what we would do and then judges us is very maleficent. Now I don't think that you can just go out in the world and do bad things without paying the price later on but to be judged by a loving and forgiving God that cares about us is not a God I would want to serve. Just think of your children. You have unconditional love for them and no matter what they do you will still love them. Now sure when they do something bad you spank them or discipline them but do you judge them? Now if your children decided to move away and they never talked to you again would you condemn them to an everlasting torturing hell. Of course not! Now why would a God that has love for us more than we can ever imagine or give do that to us?

God Deserves Hell

"However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way." - Leviticus 25:44-46

Any God that would allow and do the things that the bible says he does should be a God that is sent straight to hell. If you believe that the bible is truly the inspired word of God then you have to believe everything that the bible says as truth.

What could you possible do on this earth to deserve to go to hell to suffer pain and torture forever and ever. This lifetime is nothing but a thousandth of a second compared to eternity. How could one little choice that you make in this lifetime cause you to be thrown in the lake of fire forever. Something as simple as not believing in a certain religion or having a certain faith. Any God that would send creatures that he created to hell for a a simple act as that should be the one that is thrown in the lake of fire for he is worse than the Satan.

The Christian God is Not Fit for Worshiping

"As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace. If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor. But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town. When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town. But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you." - Deuteronomy 20:10-14

As I thought about all these things I realized that there would never be a God that is as evil as the one in the bible. The church and other Christians will never talk about these things and they put them off like they don't exist. Many Christians will ignore all of these facts and don't want to talk about them. They say they serve a loving kind hearted God but ignore all the evil that's in the bible. "God has given you a choice to serve him or reject him and if you choose not to serve him then you go to hell." Christians will say. Well what kind of loving God would say worship me or burn in hell. I think that if any human were an omnipotent and loving God they would be able to do a far better job than the Christian God does.

Well "what if you wrong?" I have heard Christians say. This just proves that the main theme behind Christianity is fear. Well first of all, even if I was wrong and it was 100% truth, that means that there is a very evil selfish God upstairs and I would feel sorry for the Christians in heaven worshiping this evil being. I was once asked, "What would you do if you died today and you found yourself in front of Christ and he was shaking his head heart broken that I didn't accept him in my life and said that I was not found in the book of life so I had to go to hell?" I told him that I would tell God that I would much rather walk the plank and burn in hell than to worship an evil God like himself and then I would give him the middle finger as I jumped into the lake of fire.