The Wholeness of Light and Dark

By Andrea Avari Stevens, Ph.D. 

After reading an inspiring article about Peter Kater in Science of Mind magazine by Claudia Abbott, I wanted to share some of his thoughts on creativity. Peter has been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, written musical scores for a number of documentaries, and his Healing Series of music used in the healing and therapeutic arts.  

No stranger to life’s ups and downs, Peter Kater was raised by a single mother who died when he was just eighteen creating an early life of poverty and hunger.  Being aware of the interplay of the light and dark in our creative lives, Kater states “….so often we are light chasers, so concerned with creating our lives and moving into light, that we often overlook the importance of the dark.  What we don’t know and cannot see becomes disturbing.  But it is so obvious to biologists and physicists that the darkness is essential.  Light and dark can’t exist without each other.  We have to have both to create.  We have to learn how to integrate darkness and be curious about what is hidden inside.  When we imagine a world that works for everyone, we need to explore the pain and integrate it.  You cannot sustain a light, bright experience 24/7.   Darkness becomes dysfunctional only when it is denied.  Looking at our pain, understanding the shadow, integrates the darkness into wholeness.  We have to see the value of all life’s experiences.  We have emotions for a reason.”  

When I was teaching creative thinking at an art college, a few students would be concerned that if their depressive perspective on life were taken away, they would be unable to create.  These students were very protective of their anxiety and depression as an integral part of their art.  For some, the more positive aspects of life did not generate the depth of emotion that they wanted to touch in their process.  Remembering the wholeness of the experiences of our lives means we appreciate both the light and the dark.  I think Kater’s words might help bring a balance to the fear of those students who so embraced the dark. 

 

Andrea is a spiritual coach focusing on the process of awakening.  She will be offering Mindfulness Teleclasses through her website at andreaavari.com.  She is the author of A Hit of Heaven: a soul’s journey through illusion.  

Moving Toward Wholeness

By Jim Self Published Yesterday Mastering Alchemy with Jim Self Rating: 

 

Together we are becoming a unified consciousness within a global community.  The duality of opposites, black and white, East and West, right and wrong, us and them, good and bad, and male and female is changing.  The dividing lines are becoming less distinct.  We are moving from the third-dimensional experience of separation and extremes to a way of life that allows for many greater possibilities, connected communities and expanding ease and well-being.  We are in a shift.  We are remembering how to live in our fifth-dimensional consciousness while we walk in this third-dimensional world.

Not long ago western medicine was the only option for most of us.  Now complementary therapies such as Acupuncture, Shiatsu, Massage, and Reiki are part of the Mainstream.  Our social networks now include people across the globe.  Micro-credit and fair trade practices have given us relationships with people in Columbia who grow our coffee and others who weave our jackets in Africa.  There are many more avenues to effectively heal and reach physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.  The wisdom of the East is being blended with the knowledge of the West.  What was true yesterday is not necessarily true today.  Our wisdom and knowledge are transitioning into a new ‘Wholeness’.

There is a specific reason you are reading this right now.  You are contributing to this expanding ‘Shift of Consciousness’.  You have a purpose, or task, to accomplish that adds to All-That-Is.  You are a significant player in this unfolding game, and NOW is the time to step up and be the leader, mentor and healer that you came here to be.  

Another Tool for Change

One of the first steps toward fulfilling this purpose is to clear away the false beliefs that keep you from your task.  Many of these beliefs came from truths that were handed down to you by well-intentioned grownups along the way.  These truths never aligned with who you are and have kept you stuck in the third-dimensional game of limitation and mediocrity.

Freeing yourself from these limitations and returning passion to your life is simply a matter of building your awareness.  Ninety-six percent of making any change starts with self-observation, the simple act of becoming aware.  Start by noticing the situation you’re in.  Have a present-time curiosity and awareness of your habits, thoughts and actions.  Just notice them.  The next three percent of making that change is having the ability to laugh at what you discover about yourself.  No self-judgment, just amusement.  The final one percent toward succeeding on your path is to do something different, something very simple and easy.  That simple, one percent movement might be a smile, opening a door, complimenting a stranger, saying hello or otherwise contributing to the well-being of another.  Allow a new possibility, one that feels better, to become the next step on your path.  This starts a flow and invites the change you seek.  As you build a greater awareness, laugh at yourself and allow yourself to make very slight movements toward developing new habits.  The inner dualities and extremes will fall away.  From this new perspective you will begin to make new, clear, intentional choices and anchor the greater, wiser, higher part of your ‘Self' into your daily life.  Merging with the Soul; recognizing the answers to your questions.  You will be operating from a place of ease; and certainty, confidence, and grace will be yours.

A Shift is occurring.  It is grand movement toward a life of integrity, grace and well-being.  The transition between where we are and where we are going may be bumpy and challenging, but it is also very exciting.  Regardless of whether we embrace the changes or resist them, we are moving forward to a way of being that is closer to who we truly are.

      Jim Self is an international teacher, speaker and author. He has been a leader in the field of spiritual development for over 27 years. He offers us the Tools of Mastering Alchemy as a Way of Life.

This work is co-created with the Archangels, Ascended Masters and Teachers of Light. Free DVD and Free Tele-classes are available.

      Jim presents free local evening classes and a weekend seminar ‘Creating the Personal Power Field’ across North America. www.MasteringAlchemy.com (775) 851-8950.

Self-Acceptance and Compassion Using Diligence

From time to time on the spiritual path we find ourselves in a mud puddle of negative thoughts. This can be especially true when we are living in such challenging times. There is actually a gift in this mud puddle of ours if we choose to look more deeply into the murky waters.

Thich Nhat Hanh would call this diligence. In exercising diligence we are able to choose which seeds of thought we choose to water. For example, we might have a common human thought of impatience...perhaps at ourselves or others or both. We also have a seed of positivity and that would be tolerance and compassion for ourselves or others or both. We can choose to water either the impatience seed or the tolerance and compassion seed.

Of course, this decision making process means that we need to be aware of how we are feeling in the present moment. And that process requires that we have a practice of mindfulness. Being mindful and observing what thoughts are moving through us allows us to be the witness of our mind and to not to be pulled down into the mud puddle. 

We can instantly choose the peacefulness of compassion rather than spend time swimming in the mud. Or we can swim in the mud long enough that our aware is triggered and then we come back to the present moment again.......with a smile knowing that we received the gift of feeling impatient and we now choose another more positive thought to water.

My new website is almost ready. I will be offering Mindfulness Classes to those walking a spiritual path. andrea@andreaavari.com or www.andreaavari.com

Abundance

I don't know about you but "The Secret" didn't do it for me.  I found it to be lacking in the connection with my heart.  All the pictures of houses and cars and piles of money just focused on the objectification of money and did not help me to increase my vibration in connection with the Source. 

If you are looking for a program that helps you to focus your perception on the Infinite Presence within and recognizing that you are That, then perhaps it would be worth exploring the book and CD by John Randolph Price.  It is simply called "The Abundance Book."   (The book includes the CD).   He has a 40 day program of meditating on 10 beautiful passages about who we truly are. You repeat the 10 four times.  I am only on day 4 and it has made a profound change already in keeping my perspective in connection with Source.  

Let me know if it helps you.  Perhaps that is part of the gift in these challenging times....the opportunity to really change our thinking patterns.