The Mysteries of Life Unknown Realities Experienced

 (Artist Sandra Urie)

"The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced."-- Aart Van Der Leeuw

This quote was posted by Lisa Meade’s Winthinsight Women’s Wisdom on Facebook and it took me quite by surprise.  Surprise why?  At the same moment that I read this quote a song called ‘Building a Mystery’ by Sarah McLaughlin was playing on my radio (remember those things before technology arrived where you had a dial to turn stations – well I still have one and use it).  So I am reading that the mystery of life is a reality to be experienced while listening to how to build reality in the song.

The winds have carried a message lately that has been made loud and clear in my personal journey of the relationship between knowing and unknown, life and death, light and dark and what is truth verse illusion.  The song speaks about the dark side of life simply being an edge that is being lived upon that teeters between these relationships and how beautiful that reality is.  Yet, it can bring up fear, chaos, and what many deem as darkness. 

We are in a period of time that truly speaks to experiencing rather than knowing.  As we leave imprints upon the Earth with every step we make, send out energetic signatures with every word spoken, and vibrations with every breath taken, it can feel overwhelming and confusing to know the direction taken when living and experiencing the mysteries.  So many sharing their own wisdom that comes in the winds, so many sharing their thoughts on what a soul ‘needs’, and so many sharing their own personal beliefs that is the ‘way’ to shift the reality you are experiencing.  I, too, have shared many of these same things.

We hear it is the rise of feminine energy – does this mean the fall of the masculine energy ‘needs’ to happen?  We hear walk in light – does this mean that those still in a dark and hopeless state ‘need’ be left behind?  We hear that we should only think and speak positive – does this mean we are doing something ‘wrong’ if we think angry thoughts or become depressed?  For so long in our generations we have, as a society, told others that the only ‘way’ was their way.  This has left society separated even further in a darkness that a teacher of mine refers to as duality.  The key to experiencing the reality of this mystery is to bring your soul into unity with all that is.  

How does one do this?  Stop judging yourself for those things in life that you cannot change immediately and instantaneously. Rather, breathe in moment by moment and let the change happen moment by moment. In this way you are open to receive all the teachings that Life may offer. Each moment in time opens you to love even more, to forgive with grace, and to have more compassion for the rest of life.  You are NOT your feelings; feelings are NOT fact. We simply carry our feelings within us. 

The authentic truth of who YOU are is beyond emotion. Emotions are perceptions acquired over time. Your authentic self is beyond time - it is an expression of Divine Source.

‎The words of an amazing teacher and Mohawk Elder Sarah Smith who spoke of her own authentic truth’s in this statement that sums the answer to may riddles.   "I stand for the children of tomorrow. I believe in the constructive aspect of humanity. We need each other. We need to come together in the circle of life, and not leave anyone behind. We need to reach out to each other and accept each other unconditionally. More than ever, it is necessary for people to face the light and walk in balance. In every darkened valley there us a light source; walk toward it. Stand in your own truth. No one is like you. You have your own particular gift, and your own contribution to make."

Matriachal energy power is vital to the changing world. Women's voices must be heard in balance with the Men's voice for Mother Earth to become into full balance. As the heart of the woman beats - so does the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Women are the strength upon which the imprints are left. It is time to celebrate the union as they come into full balance. If the woman's heartbeat is weak, the nations are weak. If her heart beat is strong, then the nation is strong.   Anyone who works to redeem another's soul from darkness they are experiencing also works to redeem the world as well.

Remember that a sacred life does not live in compartments; it is within all domains of your life. There are no hidden doors, the time for living a seamless open life is now. Be true to the light within you; not to someone else's light.  There is no one way, only your way.  Your own answers come when you ask to hear them and silence yourself to hear them.  It is in the moments between the breath, in that pure silence, which the winds will whisper your answers and guide you toward your truth. 

As the Earth herself struggles with balance, so does society.  As society struggles with balance, so does humanity.  As humanity struggles with balance, so does your soul.  To end the struggles, find the balance within you.  The balance of feminine and masculine energies – yes we all encompass both.  The balance of life and death – yes we all live and we all will experience a death of some sort, whether that is physical death, the death of a relationship, a death of a career – it matters not.  The balance of light and dark – yes we all have both and even shadows between them.  Neither right, neither wrong – they just are.  The union of all parts of your soul into one is the experience of Divine ecstasy and Divine love.

Aho mwah 

Diversity Leads to Apathy - So Now What?

(Artwork © iStockphoto/MaleWitch) 

"We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color."  - Maya Angelou

Nearly every conversation in the past two weeks a single word comes up.  I find that when something is appearing repeatedly that I need to pause and take a look at why is the topic coming up so frequently?  Is there something that I need to look at within me?  Is there something that I need to shift or change?  Yet, sometimes it is simply a recurring topic of humanity in general – a sign, so to speak, of the changing times that we are all a part of.

The word or value that keeps popping up is – diversity.  In nearly every conversation of substance, from social media to social gatherings the word diversity in some variation has arisen.    Interestingly, it has even appeared in my inbox when someone sent me a copy of Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam’s study on diversity actually causing a declining civic engagement.  This study by the guru of civic engagement showed that the greater the diversity in a community – the greater the apathy, meaning that people voted less, volunteered less, gave less to charities, and supported community projects less.  The study concluded that virtually every measure of civic health were markedly decreased the more diverse the setting.

We as a human society have been hearing that our differences make us stronger.  The greater the diversity, the greater potential for learning – but this is not so according to this study.  So let’s pause and determine what diversity actually is.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, diversity is defined as “the condition of having or being composed of differing elements.  The inclusion of different types of people in a group or organization.”  So really the concept of diversity is encompassing the principle that every individual is unique.  If that is true then every group is diverse.  The concept of diversity is thought, at its essence, to be about acceptance and respect.  That as beings, we accept and respect that each one of us in individual and unique in their own way and while we recognize these differences – we honor them as well.   Diversity is usually associated in society with race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or any other ideology that is uniquely our own.  This sounds like any group of people could be truly be considered diverse in essence.

What is the purpose of diversity?  The concept is about exploring differences in a way that is safe, positive, and nurturing.  It is about understanding one another and moving from a place of intolerance and judgment to embracing and honoring the differences that each person has as an individual.  

It is my personal belief that every situation that I am, under these definitions, that I find myself in a diverse group.  See it is us as human beings that are either self-identifying ourselves as unique and different than you are – a label of judgment or I am self-identifying you as unique and different – a label of judgment.  So is not proclaiming that we are searching for diversity really a hidden essence of judgment. 

If we as a society wish to eliminate racial injustice, orientation injustice, gender injustice, and every other labeled injustice, should we perhaps stop looking for ways to separate society into labeled containers and begin to look for ways to become unified.  Rather than labeling and seeking out diversity, perhaps we should start allowing the opportunity for people to self-identify themselves simply as a spiritual being.  No labeled religion.  Or self-identify themselves as a loving human being without orientation labels.  Our society programs us to separate ourselves.  Separate as a race – I am consistently presented the question of what race I am for one form or another.  I tend to make a box for human.  I am asked what gender I am, what age group, and religious preference.  All of this sends the energetic signature that I need to self-identify myself separated from you.

Someone recently asked me about a project that I am involved in and why it was not more diverse.  I was a bit shocked at first and then I thought about it.  The prejudgment based upon perception of visuals that society has lay its own judgment upon would perhaps make it appear to be a rather non-diverse group.  But, using the definition above – the age range was more than 40 years, all orientation represented, various religious paths represented, various ethnic backgrounds represented, various socio-economic status, physical abilities, ideologies and I am sure different political beliefs represented (although this topic did not arise).  The event was about providing a safe, positive, and nurturing environment.  It was about embracing and celebrating uniqueness; yet, coming together in a single voice.  So what is the real issue?

We need not be so concerned about this “diversity” issue and we need to be more concerned with the judgments and intolerance our perceptions put our focus upon.  We need to shift into the unification of human society rather than the differences.  Differences make us the ‘lone wolf’ – that period is over.  We need to let go of the duality that separates us and place focus on unity that joins us.   We need to ask ourselves what we need to do to let go of duality and lead the way to take the next steps to become unified as a human society.

Just my thoughts … and yours?