How To Find The Light When You're In The Dark

How to Find The Light When You’re in The Dark

Many people are suffering in our world today. They’re depressed, suicidal, overcome with fear, unable to function in daily life, succumbing to abuse, or too panicked to live a normal life. In short, they’re drowning in darkness, unable to see the light anymore. These people often feel they are at their wit’s end, at the end of their ropes, unable to go on, ready to give up. Their connection to the light is essentially gone. If you are in that place of darkness where you’ve lost all hope, this information can help you find the light again. 

Let people help you

Sometimes you really can’t help yourself. That’s when it’s time to rely on the kindness of your fellow man. We're here for each other ... and we are oneness. Find a friend, relative, therapist, counselor, co-worker, or anyone you trust with your situation and ask them for help. Chances are they won’t say no, and even if they do, you can just move on to someone else.  

People who love you and care about you will help you if you tell them what’s wrong and ask for their help. Even if they can’t offer much in the way of advice, sometimes just telling someone about your situation is enough to lift you back towards the light. You may also be able to find a support group filled with similar people who have already conquered your problem ... and are there to support others seeking their way back from the darkness. Whatever you do, reach out. Don’t sit in the darkness alone.

Help someone else in need

When you realize that you are in a position to help someone else in trouble, often times your own problem doesn’t seem so difficult. Helping others is one of the kindest things you can do on in this world simply because it recognizes the connection we all share. When you show compassion towards another you automatically move closer to the light. Try it and see.  

Give a homeless guy some money or a gift card. Volunteer at a shelter. Donate clothing to a domestic violence shelter. Send gifts to an orphanage ... or just listen to someone with a problem and offer a kind word of support ... or just be a shoulder to cry on. When you see others drowning in the dark, you can help each other swim back to the light. Gratitude is one of the highest vibrations you can give and receive.

Keep your perspective

Sometimes we’re slammed with something horrible. The death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a job, a financial crisis, bad health news. It can feel like someone tied a ball and chain to your feet and threw you in the river. But try and keep your perspective.  

Are you really at the end of your rope or did you just slide down a few feet – okay maybe sometimes it's a few hundred feet ... but never let go of that rope, even if you slid all the way to the bottom. I've been so low before that I have had to reach up to touch bottom. Keep climbing. While there is still life in you, there is strength to keep climbing. One inch at a time if necessary.  

Still have a roof over your head? Still have friends and family who care about you? Still have enough money in your wallet to buy your next meal? Is there a cure for the illness you've been diagnosed with? You’re way ahead of some people, so keep your perspective and keep climbing. There are thousands, perhaps millions of people, in the world who would gladly take your problems over theirs, so keep your problem in the proper perspective if you can. Remember, only 7% of the people in the world own a car. 

Find one positive thought

I can’t stress this one enough. When all you can see is darkness, sometimes you have to create your own light. Have you lost your job? Well at least you can sleep in tomorrow. God forbid but have you been told you have cancer? At least others who have had this can guide you back to health. Have you experienced the death of a loved one? You were very fortunate to have loved someone so deeply. 

I know that you can sometimes feel totally buried by bad news, or a bad situation. I think we’ve all had that feeling of totally losing our life energy to devastating news or a devastating experience, but you can always - always - choose how you will interpret and perceive it.

So you can choose to allow those dark waters to drag you under or you can choose to keep your head above water and start swimming back to shore. It’s a choice - your choice - even if it doesn’t always feel like one. Say to yourself “At least I am still breathing, so I’m okay.” There's an old Korean War Vet who I see occasionally when I am in Ormond Beach, Florida who hangs out at the grocery store. Every time you ask him how he's doing ... he says "I'm north of the grass sonny." That's the right attitude. He's thankful to still be above ground. 

Count your blessings

When you’re sitting in the dark and can’t find the light, it’s always helpful to count your blessings instead of your hardships. My advice is to literally write them down and keep them somewhere you reference them often. Turn your attention to the things in your life that are still positive and forget your problem(s), even if just for a moment.  

You have to break the negative cycle, cut the chain that ties you to that ball and chain, so you can start to swim back up to the surface. You need to get your power back, so take a serious inventory of what you still have going for you and use those blessings like stairs – climb them. And if you can ... run up the steps. 

Remember you are never truly alone

You are never truly alone. Behind and beside you walk beings of light that you can call on at any time. Beings whose job it is to help you when you cannot help yourself. You may not see them or detect them, but they are there when you need them the most. Even your Higher-Self, Guardian Angel, Spirit Guide, Intuition, or whatever you so choose to call it ... truly exists and is at your beckoned call. 

Just like that poem, “Footprints” about the person who was walking with God/Source and saw two sets of footprints in the sand. When he was in trouble he only saw one set and thought God/Life/Source had abandoned him. “No,” said God, “that was when I carried you.” 

If you open yourself to their higher energy, you will feel their loving comfort. Some people use prayer to connect with these unseen energies, some use meditation. Others centered prayer. Listen for that still small voice within. Your higher consciousness always has the answers. Ask and it shall be given. Seek and you shall find. Find your inner guidance system and let their light infuse you.

Find the humor in your situation

Probably the last thing you want to do when you are devastated is laugh, but laughter truly is the best medicine. Being in a state of joy or amusement is a really high vibration that can cut through the darkness like a knife through butter. You release endorphins, and many other internal chemicals that are used to battle the darkness. 

Find something to laugh at. Find something amusing in your situation. If you can’t find amusement in your situation, then find amusement in something else. Catch a comedy show, watch a funny movie, go online and type in the name of your favorite comedian. It’s okay to laugh even when you feel like you have nothing to be happy about. Laughter cuts away the darkness and allows you to think more clearly and find good solutions to your problem. Even just a smile, can make all the difference.

Don’t make decisions in the dark

When life throws you a curve you automatically go into problem-solving mode. How will I deal with this? What will I do now? How will I survive? How will I get through this? But use logic and higher energy consciousness. Stay out of panic mode. Don't worry or be overly concerned. When you’re in panic-mode, you don’t always come up with the best solutions. In fact, sometimes you can’t see a way out of your situation. You end up in fight-or-flight mode ... high stress and that has no value to you. Unless of course, you're being chased by a bear. 

I have learned that if I am in crisis mode and I react rather than respond ... my ability to make wise decisions goes out the window. So I’ve learned not to make decisions while in crisis mode. I raise my vibration first. I count my blessings. I put my problem in perspective. And then I try and find humor in the situation.  

Also, I'm not afraid to ask for help. Then solutions begin to appear when my mind is ready for them. If you need time to wallow in your misery ... if you really need a pity-party for a short bit ... then get it out of the way but don’t stay too long or you will drown in that darkness. When you’re ready, start making a plan that will free you from those dark waters.

Just breathe

When all else fails, breathe. What’s the first thing we do when we arrive in this world? We take a breath. When you literally feel like your world is falling apart then it’s time to go back to the beginning. Just breathe. And you don't have to wait for the doctor to smack you into it. 

Find a comfortable spot and concentrate on your breath.  Don’t let other thoughts enter your mind. If they do, gently escort them out the back door or just watch them float by. Don't label them or become involved in them. Just keep concentrating on your breathing. In and out. Be sure to align yourself in the present moment ... get centered. Keep breathing until you find peace. Breath IN the good stuff, breath OUT the not so good stuff. Visualize it. 

Use that time to connect yourself with universal energy ... the Source Energy or if choose the term breath of God (Ruach/Pneuma) ... the LIFE FORCE that fills us all. Be supported by that energy. Let it carry you for a while. Submit yourself to its embrace.  

Then, when you’re ready, open your eyes and see the light ahead of you. Move towards it, one step at a time. Don’t take your eyes off that light. Don’t look behind you, always look forward. As long as you’re breathing, you’re okay. Visualize a bright ball of light ... brighter than the Sun. White and pure.

If someone you know is in crisis right now, help them. Care for them. Guide them back to the light. If it's you, then find compassionate loving people ... caring individuals who will help you sort through your situation and offer truthful and helpful advice for dealing with it ... and helping you step out of the darkness of night, and into the light of day.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Erin Pavlina

Your Life Is Perfect

Your Life is Perfect

One day you're going to look back on your life and realize it was perfect - absolutely perfect. That everything good and bad that ever happened to you was perfect ... and that there were in fact no failures, only opportunities and experiences. If you can come to that realization today, your life will always be good.

I have recently posted similar verbiage on my Facebook page and I got some interesting replies. Some people understood completely what I was referring to, while others seemed to think I was minimizing pain, loss, suffering, and tragedy and suggesting that nothing bad ever happens to us. 

Facebook is generally a poor choice for posting articles that require a lengthy discussion but I post my Genesology Blog articles there anyway. It's kind of my ministry of Truth. So now I will go into a bit more detail in this article explaining what I mean by this seemingly strange statement.

The truth is that we all have ups and downs in life. We all have experiences that scare us, challenge us, or even completely unravel us. And yes, obviously there are times when tragedy strikes. Sometimes something truly horrible happens to us or someone close to us. And we feel upset, angry, sad, alone, afraid, or we end up in mourning. 

Remember, this is by all means not a suggestion that you feel fantastic if you are mugged, raped, beaten, abused, or lose a loved one. What I suggest is that every experience you have helps to shape you ... good or bad. And it is you who can decide how it will shape you. 

Yes, you can decide how you will internalize it, how you will feel about it, and what you will do about it. In essence, life may trip you or knock you down, and you may not have control over when and how that happens ... but only you decide if you will stay down or climb back to your feet, dust yourself off, and keep going. Only you will decide if a tragedy will bury you or launch you to greater heights. Remember, even if you fall on your face, it's still a forward move.

When I look back on my life, there were a lot of trips and falls. A lot. Those of you who know me personally know that it has not been Cinco de Mayo and Thanksgiving at Macy's. The list is extraordinary and includes nine cardiac surgeries among other horrible things. Each time, when the unexpected surprise and shock of all of these things happened, I was shoved to the ground and stepped on by Life, the wind knocked out of me, unable to catch my breath, and I didn’t know if I could keep going. But each and every time I got up and kept going, and what’s more ... I realized somewhere along the way that each and every one of these experiences made me who I am today, and I love who I am today. Would I change anything if I could? No. Absolutely not. Because it would've altered the journey that has brought me to where I am.

I learned that you can’t rescue someone else, and you can’t change them or force them to get better ... but i could change myself. I am who I am, and they are who they are. From having PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks, it is helping me to realize that I don’t need to take life so seriously, and that nothing bad can ever really happen to me. Since I have already died and been brought back, I know there is nothing to fear from the other side ... it is just the pain and suffering of everything leading up to the ultimate exit that wreaks havoc in my mind. 

I have also learned that only I am responsible for my finances and that we should all be careful not to spend more than we make ... and to pay down debt as fast as we can. We never know when something will strike and we can no longer work the way we did ... or sometimes at all. Disability can strike at any time. 

From my perseverance through all types of adversity, I learned that I can stand on my own two feet, take care of myself, and even thrive emotionally as a complete and competent person. How would I have learned all these valuable lessons if I hadn’t had those “horrible” experiences? Life brings you the lessons you need to have. How you interpret your tragedies is up to you.

I’m not saying that if tragedy strikes that you should throw a party. Of course you are going to hurt. Of course you are going to be knocked down. Of course you’re going to wish it had never happened. But from that tragedy, you will find a lesson - and in the process - you may even help hundreds or perhaps thousands of other people. These events may inspire you to help others from having to go through the same. 

Life is perfect. Everything is as it should be simply because of the immutable Law of cause and effect. Life is full of opportunities to grow, learn, and help others. By the time you reach the end of this journey, you will have scars. It just means you were playing the game with all your might. Slide into home base with your physical nature completely worn-out, tattered, beaten-up ... no sense in over-preserving something that is destined for eventual decay. Use it, because you're gonna lose it.

Realize that life is not trying to beat you down on purpose. Life is trying to help you understand your-self. It’s trying to help you utilize your inner strength and power. It’s trying to help you use your free will to have an amazing life. It is trying to help raise your consciousness and awareness and become unified and reunited with your Divine Higher-Self.

If you’re not happy with your life, try changing your perspective. Change the way you think and see things. When you realize that you have the power to view life as a gift, even in the face of tragedy, your life will be good. You are a co-creator of your reality in this incarnation. Even when it’s bad, it will still be good. There’s tremendous power in that realization.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Erin Pavlina

Seasons of Life

Seasons of Life

Everything in the universe has the same plan. It is inescapable. Everything has a sunrise (birth/genesis), high noon (zenith/peak), sunset (beyond peak/downturn), and nightfall (death/darkness). Every cell, every organism, every creature, every rock ... no escaping it. 

In the same way, we have our seasons. Spring - new outlook, Summer - brighter days, Fall - start of the decline, and Winter - the end of the cycle, the cold and lifeless crops. In another view, in the spring the flowers begin to bloom, then comes the harvest and the warm days of summer, then things begin to fall into darkness ... cold temperatures, until the trees and plants die. 

Our emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental life experiences are exactly the same. Our life cycle is as the sunrise, noon, sunset, and night. Our trials and tribulations are also as the seasons. Sometimes a bright and warm outlook or event, and sometimes a dark, and outlook or event. All is in flux. All is in a state of change. And all is in a cycle. This is important to remember as you deal with daily issues in your life.

We know that after the storm(s), comes a clearing, and then the Sun of God reappears to give life to all that made it through the tempest(s). When we have a "bad" day, just simply KNOW there is a good day coming. It is immutable Law. It must be this way. The universe maintains balance in all that occurs. Sound waves, light waves, ocean waves, even roller coasters go up, and they go down. There is no straight line. However, you can master living your life being good when things are good, and being good when things are bad.

You can straighten the line us curves and waves through your perception and your attitude. Instead of blind faith, live in the knowingness of the immutable Laws of the universe that are eternal. Cause and effect, vibration, frequency, polarity ... these Laws balance the scales of justice across the celestial kingdoms. 

We have the power of all the universe within us to perceive things as we wish, to create things as we wish, to adhere to the Laws, or to transgress them. We are literally here for a season in human terms. And we choose to make the best or the worst of things simply by how we think, and how we perceive reality. 

You know that feeling you have after a rough winter of snow, ice, lost productivity, and freezing temperatures ... and then spring begins to arrive? Then soon ... you're at the beach playing with family and friends enjoying the splendour of of it all and the farthest thing from your mind is the soon to be approaching cycle of fall and winter. STAY in that state of mind. When winter days bring rain  in our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical lives ... keep that summer spirit alive! 

Don't spend the chill time going UP the roller coaster, worrying about the thrill time coming DOWN the roller coaster. Enjoy them both ... knowing that in ALL things there are UP's and DOWN's. You job is to balance the flux. Just like balancing a pencil on your finger. Both sides must be equal to obtain proper balance. Right in the middle is where you must learn to stay. Balance your scales ... it can never be greater than the other in both directions. For as much "bad" as there may seem to be ... there is equally as much "good." Maintain a good attitude, and you will achieve harmony in your life and in others.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

2 John 1:7 - Those Who Deny Christ Came In The Flesh

2 John 1:7 - Those Who Deny Christ Came In The Flesh

“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 1:7)

Based on this scripture, the typical argument states that John was aiming this scripture at the people who denied Jesus was resurrected in a physical body. 

Keep in mind that the writer of John, was a Gnostic. Most Gnostics did not view any of the scriptures literally ... they were allegorical and metaphorical. As such, John’s statement is in perfect agreement with what a Gnostic would have believed. 

To the Gnostics, the resurrection story of Christ wasn’t about the literal man; it was about the spiritual awakening of the divine nature that can happen within each individual. This awakening happens while still yet in the flesh. 

So John’s statement rings true after all. Christ does come in the flesh. But this coming of Christ is the gnosis (mystical insight) attained by the individual going through a profound experience in higher states of consciousness. 

This entire process happens while being in a physical body. It is the born again experience of the spiritual nature which rules over the physical nature. This spiritual nature is the Christ. This is the divine spark of God within every man. 

Remember the Apostle Paul attests to this when he states that he "travails in birth until Christ be formed in you." And that "you are the body of Christ." Jesus himself affirmed several times his position. At the Sermon On The Mount, he said "you are the light of the world" to his audience. He is also quoted as saying "you shall do greater things than I."

How would any of this be possible if Jesus (the man) was the one and only God in the flesh? Remember also, the church teaches the doctrine of "Original Sin" (which they created). If all people are born in sin, then so then would Jesus since the church teaches that he was fully man, and fully God. 

They try and wiggle around this HUGE problem with the "immaculate conception" meaning that his Mother Mary was without sin ... somehow bypassing the bloodline given of Adam by being impregnated by the Holy Spirit. Mary was an Almah in Hebrew, and in Greek a parthenos. Both of these words do not mean "virgin." They mean young maiden of marrying material. 

The virgin concept is Pagan and makes much more sense when it is properly understood. And that is, that the Christ (or Christ Consciousness), the Divine Spark of God, enters mankind for the first time having never before been incarnate as the seed of God in humanity. It has nothing to do with sex and the breaking of a hymen. 

Celestially, Virgo (the Virgin) carries a chaff of wheat. Wheat is used for bread. Bethlehem (Bethel-hem) means "the house of bread." I could go on and on but suffice it to say that there is much more spiritual Truth and symbolism beyond any literal of historical interpretation of the great ancient scriptures. One must dig. The Truth is hidden ... the pearl of great price hidden in a field. When something is uncovered, no longer hidden, revealed (revelation), we have an "apocalypse." The Apocalypse is not the end of the world ... it is a Greek word meaning to unveil ... to reveal that which is hidden. Seek and you shall find.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

Kabbalah Mind Over Matter

Kabbalah Mind Over Matter

Kabbalists teach that our minds influence our reality. It’s a delicate dance of energy - think positively and you will attract positive energy into your life. Think negatively and, well, you get negative energy. Our minds are as basic to the fabric of reality as time, space, and matter. Universal unconsciousness connects us all through the fiber of the Matrix of mind.

Research shows that our beliefs about our illnesses and ailments have a direct effect on how we recover. The evidence is so compelling that physicians have made it part of their practice to spend more time listening to patients’ thoughts about their illness, giving doctors the opportunity to dispel misconceptions, which could actually hinder the healing process. 

Patients that do not believe a course of treatment will work have a harder time coping with illnesses and are more likely to experience setbacks and complications. If mind over matter has the power to positively influence something as significant as our health, it stands to reason that applying this concept to other areas in our lives has the potential to wield astonishing miracles. Yet, when life throws us unexpected challenges, it can be difficult to stay positive. 

Here below are three practices that can help you quickly shift your thoughts towards the Light.

Be Real

Negative thoughts can take up residence in daily consciousness quickly. The origins of negative thoughts can seem harmless at first - you accidentally drop a dish and think, “What an idiot!” 

But just one negative thought leads to another, and before you realize it, the horizon is cloudy and grey, and you’re telling yourself that you can’t do anything right. 

Beware of exaggerating your weaknesses; try to see them not as flaws but as areas that simply need special attention, or in the case of clumsiness, see it as just a charming aspect of your personality. 

Give yourself a moment to pause ... then replace the negative thoughts with more positive ones. You need not paint yourself as a saint. Rather, be real with yourself by taking note of the areas in which you excel. Who cares if balancing dishes is not one of them?

Focus Thoughts

Instead of wasting energy worrying about things we have no control over, focus on what is in your power. The field of epigenetics arose when scientists began to explore the possibility that one could alter their genetic destiny simply by making changes in their environment and behavior. 

We may not be able to control the genes we were dealt at birth, but we may have the power to “turn off” certain genetic predispositions by behaving in a particular way. For example, we may be able to avoid certain cancers we have been hardwired for by making shifts in our diet and lifestyle. 

Likewise, by steering our thoughts away from the “what ifs” of life and focusing our energy on the things we have the power to affect, like being prepared or having a positive attitude, we may be able to positively influence our future.

Dare To Be Uncomfortable

Believing in good things isn’t enough. We can’t just sit around waiting for change to happen. Get things moving in the right direction by acting like the person you want to be. If you wish you were more outgoing, push yourself to take initiative, be the one to start a conversation, or share a compliment. Though this can feel awkward at first, over time, you will actually become a more outgoing person.

Kabbalah teaches us that we can apply the principle of “mind over matter” to virtually any aspect of our lives—an idea that is now supported by the scientific community including Quantum Physics. What we think, will manifest. We are co-Creators in this universe.

Consciousness can influence, and actually create, the physical universe. All is energy. So, the responsibility to alter that which we are dissatisfied with lies in our own hands. By turning our thoughts and actions towards the positive, we can invite more Light into our lives and perhaps shift our reality for the better ... for ourselves and everyone else.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Kabbalah.com

What Is Kabbalah

What Is Kabbalah?

Kabbalah is an ancient wisdom that reveals how the universe and life work. On a literal level, the word Kabbalah means “to receive.” It's the study of how to receive fulfillment in our lives.

Most of us, at some point in our life, have been overcome with the feeling that we are not as fulfilled as we could be. Paradoxically, often the harder we strive to achieve that fulfillment, the more it eludes us.

When we speak about fulfillment, we don't mean just being temporarily happy or experiencing fleeting senses of wellbeing. We mean connecting to the energy, and maintaining our connection to true long-lasting fulfillment.

Kabbalah is an ancient paradigm for living. It teaches that all of the branches of our lives - health, relationships, careers - emanate from the same trunk and the same root. It's the technology of how the universe works at the core level. It's a way of looking at the world that can connect you to the kind of permanent fulfillment you seek.

Kabbalah teaches universal principles that apply to all peoples of all faiths and all religions, regardless of ethnicity or where you come from. The beauty of studying Kabbalah is that you can't be forced to think in a particular way. There can be no coercion in spirituality. All we can do is simply share information with you and hope that you will apply it to your life with the intention of bettering it. That's the purpose of everything you will discover through Kabbalah.

The knowledge that is imparted, the information that is provided, and the tools shared must have practical results in your life, results you can feel. Kabbalistic wisdom is not based in blind faith, but practical application. Kabbalah will deepen your understanding of the universe and give you more information and tools to understand why things are happening to you, and how you can better connect to the Light of the Creator and receive the fulfillment you're seeking.

Why Study Kabbalah?

Kabbalah helps you to understand yourself better, to live more a fulfilling life, to have a richer experience of who we are and what we are here to contribute. All of us want to be happy, and in Truth ... most of us really desire the same things out of life.

We desire ... 

... to love and be loved 

... to have the best relationships 

... to enjoy financial security 

... great health 

... our children to be happy and safe

And we have questions, so many questions. Deep down, we all want to understand the meaning of our lives.

As a child, you may have even wondered, "Why was I born? What is the purpose of my life?" Then we grow up and get busy. We have to pay the rent, create a life, pursue a career, pick up the groceries. Sometimes, out of exhaustion, we lapse into a rut, a robotic existence, and stop asking the profound questions that had fascinated us when we were children.

But do we have to? Wouldn't we be much better off if we continued to grow and develop, to wonder about and define our purpose in life? To connect to our true potential?

We've all been resigned on a certain level to the ups and downs of life. One day, we're feeling good about ourselves; the next day we're a little depressed. One day we're happy with our partner; the next day we break up. One day there's money in the bank; the next day it vanishes.

Does life have to be so rocky? Can situations start at one point and just continue to improve every day? Is that possible? Is there a way to achieve what I want in my life?"

Yes, there is a way. Not only that, but you always have the opportunity to alter your destiny and achieve your true potential. Everybody can make it - no one is too young or too old or too stuck in their ways. We all have the ability to find meaning and achieve fulfillment beyond our wildest dreams and imaginings. You don't have to live a life that seems purposeless or filled with random ups and downs. You have no limits; you can soar.

Ancient Wisdom

Five thousand years ago, a set of spiritual principles was communicated to humanity in a moment of divine revelation. These ancient revelations unlock all of life’s mysteries and give us the secret code that governs the universe. 

It's an incredible system of logic and a phenomenal technology that can alter the way you view your life. It is the oldest sacred document in existence. This extraordinary, powerful set of tools is known as The Zohar - the original instruction manual for life, the basis of kabbalistic wisdom.

In recent years, millions of men and women all over the world have discovered Kabbalah and have changed their lives dramatically. Its timeless principles apply to everyone who seeks fulfillment.

Kabbalah provides a roadmap for getting rid of chaos, and experiencing the universe the way the Creator meant for you to experience it. In learning Kabbalah, you will understand what chaos really is, and you will realize that it was never meant to be a part of your life. What's more, you will discover powerful tools for eliminating this chaos, and replacing it with unity, love, and fulfillment.

Our physical universe operates under a clear set of spiritual laws. You may be unaware of the laws that govern it. Through the wisdom of Kabbalah, these spiritual laws are explained clearly and understandably. Be better able to make sense of your life and experience the joy and fulfillment that you are meant to have.

It may seem unlikely that knowledge first communicated to people who lived 5,000 years ago could have any relevance to men and women in today's world. We need the Wisdom of Kabbalah more now than at any other time in our history. 

Kabbalah is not a religion, it's not dogma, and it's not a belief system that you have to buy into. Even more importantly, it's not anyone's personal opinion of how the universe works. It's simply knowledge that was always meant to be known and shared—the birthright of humanity.

The Secret Revealed

The teachings upon which Kabbalah is based have existed since the beginning of time, but the first written record of it is called The Book of Formation. This ancient document, written 5,000 years ago, attempts to help us to understand the secrets of our universe.

However, two thousand years ago, the main body of the teachings of Kabbalah, called The Zohar, or the Book of Splendor, was revealed in Israel by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. While the knowledge of how the universe functions is contained in The Torah (also known as The Five Books of Moses or The Old Testament), The Zohar actually deciphers the ancient scripture, explaining that all of those stories are not just meant to be understood on a literal level. Rather, they are analogies or codes for how the universe functions in a spiritual way. In fact, The Zohar deciphers the Bible chapter by chapter.

For centuries, the study of Kabbalah was available only to scholarly, married Jewish men over the age of forty, and forbidden to all others. This tradition of hidden knowledge existed until 1969, when Rav Phillip Berg (“Rav” is simply another way of saying "Teacher") first became Director of the Kabbalah Centre. 

At that time, he and his wife Karen made available the wisdom of Kabbalah to everyone, regardless of race, gender, or religious belief; this is because they believe that when we are on a spiritual path, we are seeking solely to reconnect with Light. This “Light” has no name. It is not Christian, or Jewish, or Buddhist, or defined by any other limiting description. It is just Light, far beyond the confines of any particular faith.

It wasn't easy to make the teachings of Kabbalah available to the whole world. Historically, Kabbalah has been reserved only for the most advanced scholars. By making Kabbalah available to anyone who was interested, they were defying a 4,000-year-old tradition. 

But despite their difficulties, the Kabbalah Centre has grown from a small organization in Israel to a worldwide effort that has provided instruction to nearly four million students, with more than 40 physical locations and over 100 study groups in cities throughout the world.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to the Kabbalah Centre. Visit them online at Kabbalah.com and please research many other books and online Kabbalah and Gnostic resources as you study.

Gnostic View of The Conversation With Nicodemus

Gnostic View of Conversation With Nicodemus

The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus is the single most important conversation in the New Testament. And now, here is why. 

Nicodemus is described as a ruler of the Hebrews. He was a senior member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Judaism. Nicodemus represents the organized religion and the outer interpretation of scripture. Jesus is the representative of the Gnostic system and the inner interpretation of scripture.n These differences are critical.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night, which metaphorically means in ignorance/unkowingness. Nicodemus wants to understand what Jesus is teaching and what he means by his words.

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered him:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus then said to him:

“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew (from above).’ The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the spirit.”

Nicodemus questioned:

“How can this be?”

Here is the conflict between the inner (esoteric) and the outer (exoteric) interpretation. Nicodemus is asking about the outer conditions because it is all he has known. He was born of his mother. Without being reincarnated, how can he be born again? 

Jesus is explaining that we live in two distinct sections: flesh and Spirit. While the Spirit may inhabit the flesh, it is NOT flesh. The Spirit is entirely different. Notice that the first Spirit is capitalized. This refers to God. This Spirit is the substance of God. The second spirit is not capitalized. This spirit is also the substance of God, but it is only a very small amount of this substance. What is born of Spirit is spirit. Such as a drop of water in the ocean. Part of the entirety, but not the entirety.

The ways of the spirit within are different from the ways of the world. This is one of the reasons that a spiritual teacher is so often misunderstood. When we look at spiritual teachings from the perspective of the world, we will almost always miss the meaning of the teaching. 

Spirit has its own way, its own point of view, its own inner meaning. This is why Jesus compares the working of spirit to the wind. The fact that the Greek word used in the original manuscript means both spirit and wind simply adds to the comparison. If we are to understand the spiritual, a basic change in perception is necessary and required.

We can compare this change to polarized sunglasses. Natural sunlight is produced in all different polarity of waves. When sunlight is reflected off a surface, the majority of waves matching, or close to, the angle of the surface are the ones most strongly reflected. 

Light reflecting off a horizontal surface, such as water, snow, a car window, is primarily horizontally polarized. By constructing polarized sunglasses to pass vertically polarized light, thus effectively blocking horizontally polarized light, the glare of reflected light is significantly reduced or eliminated. 

The perspective of the world is like horizontally polarized light. It is glaringly obvious. When we change our perspective to "vertically polarized thinking" - the spiritual perspective, we do not see the world so much as we see the spiritual. What we see is very much a matter of how we see. Perspective determines perception.

Jesus answered him:

“Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

This is the heart of the conflict between the two - the inner and outer interpretations. The Gnostics know and speak of what they know, and bear witness to what they have seen. Spirituality is a reality to the Gnostic; they know it from direct experience and direct contact with God. There can be no doubt. 

The Gnostic has been transformed from within; nothing is as it was, everything has been born anew. The person of the world, like Nicodemus, learns intellectually what the words are and is left to believe what the words mean. All this talk of spirit must be reserved for a time after this life, for it cannot be here, it cannot be now. These must be magical events and divine characters.

This is the most important sentence, and the key to understanding the teachings of Jesus:

“No one has ascended into heaven but he who has descended from heaven, the Son of man.”

In the "outer interpretation," here is the set up and how it goes: the Son of man is Jesus. Jesus came down from heaven, was born into a human body, and only he can ascend back up into heaven. Jesus is a divine being, not like the rest of us mere mortals. We certainly cannot do what Jesus has done. In some of the outer interpretations, Jesus is actually God, not just the Son of God. We are lowly sinners and can never be what Jesus is.

But then, in the "inner interpretation," the Son of man is the spirit within, specifically, the awakened spirit within. In the Gnostic tradition, there are two aspects of God; a masculine and a feminine. 

The feminine aspect is referred to as Sophia, meaning Wisdom, also referring to the emotional aspect of God, which is unconditional love. 

The masculine aspect refers to knowledge and knowing. 

When the feminine and masculine aspect of God combine, a third component is created; the pure white light of Christhood. This pure white light of Christhood is the living light of spirit, the very same spirit within each living thing. 

This living light of spirit is the source of our personal life. What is born of Spirit is spirit. We are born of God. The spirit within us is the substance of God, and as such, cannot die or be destroyed. We have eternal life because the spirit within us is the substance of God, which also has eternal life. It is a function of what we are. 

In the scriptures, Jesus asked us to follow him, not worship him. He expected us to do the things he did, and to become like him.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up.”

The "outer interpretation" is that Jesus must be lifted up on the cross. The "inner interpretation" means that the awakened spirit within must be raised up in knowledge, Wisdom and power, the aspects of God resident in the spirit within each and every one of us. 

Lifting up the serpent in the wilderness is also a strong reference to the ancient mystery school system, which was raised to a position of importance in the time of Moses. The personal relationship with God and the teaching of one unseen spiritual God are the cornerstones of the tradition of Moses.

In the outer interpretation, one must believe in Jesus in order to obtain eternal life. 

In the inner interpretation, we must believe in the presence of the spirit within, which already has eternal life. 

If we do not believe we possess this spirit within, how can we awaken and empower it? We must come to believe we have this spirit within before anything else can take place. If we do not believe in the presence of the spirit within, there is only the ego upon which to base our consciousness, and when the ego fades and ceases to be, so does any consciousness based on the ego. This is the second death: the death of consciousness.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

The church has taken liberties in this part of scripture. The obvious intent is to strengthen the outer interpretation. And yet, the inner interpretation is still appropriate. 

God gave the pure white light of Christhood, placed into everyone, that whoever believes in the spirit within, awakens that spirit and makes it grow, and empowers it, should not perish, but have eternal life. 

The purpose of the spirit within each and every one of us is not to condemn the world, but that we might save the world by transforming ourselves, and in turn transform the world. 

Only our ego seeks to condemn the world, just as it condemns others, and ultimately engages in self-condemnation. This is how people can come to believe that they are hopeless sinners, living in need of rescue and salvation from someone else.

“He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Name means nature. In the inner interpretation this means to believe in the nature of the spirit within. The term Son of God refers to the fully enlightened and empowered spirit within, completely aligned and connected to the consciousness of God. This is the level Jesus attained. 

The statement “I and the Father are one” is the recognition of that state of perfect alignment with God. Jesus, presented as a human being, just as you and I are, is an example of having attained this level of conscious connection and alignment with God. 

Anyone can do so through dedication and persistence. If one human, as Jesus was, can attain this level of perfection, others can as well. What is possible for one is ultimately possible for all. Whether it be Jesus, Apollonius, Attis, Serapis, Mithras, or any other ancient sage, hierophant, or shaman.

“And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes into the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.”

In the outer interpretation, Jesus, and only Jesus, is the light, which has come into the world. If that were actually true, why, in the Sermon on the Mount, did Jesus say "you are the light of the world?" 

In the inner interpretation, each and every one of us has the light, the living light of spirit within us, making each of us the light of the world, just as Jesus said it.

The light is the spirit and the darkness is the ego. People love the ego and the evil things it does rather than the spirit and the light within. To awaken and empower the spirit within means to take responsibility for all of our actions and inactions in life. It means making amends, where doing so will not hurt or injure another. It means coming into the light of day where our actions may be clearly seen, and all may know that our actions are consistent with the love that comes from God. 

The empowered spirit within is loving, considerate, compassionate, respectful, kind and gentle. You were born of God, not in sin. You are the light of the world, not a poor helpless sinner. You have the substance of God within you, and you have the power and ability to transform your life, and in doing so, you obtain the power to transform the world, just as it has always been done: one person at a time. 

God created the pure white light of Christhood and placed it deep within you, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved, by you, and through you. You really are the light of the world. Every one of us are the Sons and Daughters of God. It can be no other way.

The Bible has two main elements: commentary, describing where people went and what was done; and dialog, what people said. The above section is dialog – including John 3:16. In order to understand clearly what is being said, we need to know who is speaking. 

In John 3:16, Jesus is speaking. The sentence structure is in third person, which means Jesus is referring to something, or someone other than himself. 

In the outer interpretation, Jesus, as the only Son of God, is the only light that has come into the world. Could it be that Jesus is referring to the light that is in all of us as the light that has come, not to condemn the world, but to save it? Could each one of us be the Son that God sent into the world? 

We can certainly see that the ego is the darkness and the spirit within is the light, and that the ego is all too willing to condemn the world. Ultimately the spirit within will save us individually, and once each of us experiences our true salvation, wouldn’t the world also be saved? 

Just a deep thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to David F. Capps.

Mind Over Matter - Ego Body Illusion

Mind Over Matter - Ego-Body Illusion

Much of the world has been hearing about Mind - Body - Spirit (MBS) matters for the last 30 years or so, at least since the awareness of the Spiritual Revolution sparked in our minds. 

MBS is such a contradiction in terms of trying to reconcile that which cannot be reconciled. Reality isn’t found through opposing viewpoints, nor is it discovered through that which isn’t real, such as a temporary device. 

This idea, of course, is based on the assumption that reality is changeless and eternal. The opposing viewpoint, which seems to be the most popular theory to date, is that reality changes all the time, which means there is no eternal Truth. This looks like a major impasse. 

We don’t want the body to be what we are because we are certain of its eventual decay and demise. The body is seriously limited and certainly not eternal. Real life, however, which is in the mind, is limitless and eternal. Thoughts which are eternal are all the same. The only thing these thoughts do is extend and give increase, which means that pure joy is endless. 

How many of us can even begin to accept this idea in the face of all the seeming chaos and agony the world presents to us every day? Think about this ... the reason the world is an illusion is because everything that Love creates is eternal, and everything in this world is temporary. Love is eternal, the world is temporary and an illusion.

There’s no need to protect the mindless (the body) but there is a great need to protect our thoughts that hold real and lasting value to us. The body doesn’t think. It simply does what the mind tells it to do. So in every sense the body is similar to a robot. And the good news is ... this means we are not at the mercy of the world; nor are we at the mercy of our bodies.

It takes some serious and dedicated mind training to be willing to move past the temporary nature of our bodies and put our full focus on our thought system. The body is the great distraction from the Truth. It falsely holds out some sense of longevity – for a little while – yet at the same time it doesn’t take much time for us to recognize how fragile and vulnerable it is. The body is the symbol of separation from love.

For a while, it might seem cool to have a body - when it’s young and healthy and vibrant and can do all these cool, temporary things. But at some point it hits us like a ton of bricks, and we understand that if it sticks around long enough, it will fall prey to disease and aging, and finally be laid to rest in the ground, or spread like ashes in the wind. What and where does this leave us ... the real us?

Let’s take a really close look at the body for a minute, consider its value to us, and its role in our experience here. Certainly what it is made of isn’t valuable - primarily water and a little bit of mud. That doesn’t sound very scientific, but it's the bottom line. 

We can use a thousand labels to describe the composition of this organism, but in the final analysis none of it matters, as we all know. What does matter is how we feel. Not so much physically, but mentally and emotionally. The mental and emotional experiences we have are reflected in our bodies, and not the other way around. The mind, which is invisible, determines the condition of the body. Much of our illness comes from mind. 

And so it is our invisible world of thought which really deserves our attention, care, and nourishment on a level that is not physical at all. This recognition is where the Great Light of Love will shine in our minds and all around us, releasing us from the fear that is wrapped up in the belief that we are limited to the body.

There’s been a lot of activity revolving around the study of the brain, which is simply an organ of the body ... and not the seat of thought. Undoubtedly, there will be heated debates about this for eons to come, but no one has to side with false perceptions unless they choose to do so.

The mind is the decision maker. We cannot see the mind in action but we can and do experience the results of our decisions, which in turn determines how we feel. The bottom line in any situation is that we do care about our mental/emotional natures. Peace of mind will always be the most widely sought after experience, and there are billions of people who are openly ready to admit that this is true.

As long as we believe the body is our reality, we are going to be filled with fear. Fear of the unknown, aging, dying, sickness, and all the other attributes that go hand-in-hand with the limitations that seem to be imposed upon us as physical entities.

The primary question that every person will ask on his or her journey here is the same. Who am I? What are we? Is the body asking this question? And therefore, says reason, since the body is not asking the question, we can’t look to the body for any meaningful answer. 

Only the mind is capable of asking and receiving a true answer to this question. It might seem a little frightening to admit there’s more to us than flesh and bones, but not when we consider the alternative and the certain outcome of our bodies.

Take a minute today to quietly ask the Big Question. Then sit in silence and allow the answer to be revealed. The gentleness of Truth will fill our minds with the perfect realization that can only take place in our thoughts. If our deepest desire is a reflection of what our reality is, then it stands to reason that Love, which is eternal, is what we are. 

This revelation will happen for anyone who is willing to unify their thought system, and release themselves from conflict and fear. All fear and conflict is the result of refusing to experience our own love by refusing to give all our love away.

Make a commitment to experience Truth, for it is within us and all around us. We are all an extension of what is true, and this is the essence of our being. Lay those weapons down, and embrace what is indivisible, all powerful, and our perfect source of healing. Love is the Answer. Love is Truth.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Carmen Allgood and Wake Up World.

Difference Between Soul Spirit And Higher Self

Difference Between Soul Spirit and Higher Self

You and I are souls clothed in both a physical body and identity. It is soul that is supposed to incarnate from one so-called lifetime to another, but the words we use to describe this tend to create a false picture. The suggested image is that we die, then through rebirth we incarnate onto Earth once again. In other words, the image is birth, death and rebirth, over and over. This image is false.

Body dies, identity clings, and soul continues forever. Our life is actually the continuity of soul, using one body/identity after another to continue our journey of soul growth, of expanding consciousness, of Self awareness. 

I mostly describe this process as a movie, The Continuity of Self. Who we are never dies, thus is never reborn, but continues on in a greater frame of timeless time. Soul/Self has no linear measure of time. Body/identity measures the passing of linear time by the ageing of the body, for physically we live in a linear reality. This gives us “cause and effect” and “polarity”, both wonderful tools for the growth and expansion of our human consciousness.

Unfortunately, however, it has also caused us to believe in our mortality, to believe and accept that we actually die. For many people death means the absolute end, while others think that we lay in a grave waiting for the sound of a trumpet call to rise again from the dead. Yet others think that we live in heaven … or hell … all according to the way we conducted our single life. And, oh so many people believe in a judgement day by some vengeful God.

In a Greater Reality all time occupies the same space. I call this Spherical time. It means we live in the eternal moment. Both soul and Higher Self know this, but soul moves in and out of linear time as part of its growth process. And during this growth process, which in linear terms can span many thousands of years – while in a greater reality occupies the eternal moment – the soul forgets its Truth. 

Soul forgets, so it depends on identity to give name and meaning to life. But as soul grows, so it gradually – or suddenly – connects with its greater Truth, and soul knows itself as Self. In this process, identity/ego no longer has any true meaning, no longer serves us the daily fear and illusions of separation, for Self knows its Oneness with all life.

Some like to use the term ‘Higher’ Self. But, Higher Self can imply that the identity – I/me – is a lower self, and this is not particularly true. You and I are soul/Self on a journey to discover the ‘I Am’ Self through the experiences of the identity/soul self. 

This is why we are here. There is no other reason. Ambition, goal setting, and all the ‘trappings of success’ are exactly that, subtle traps that feed the fears of identity/ego while further trapping identity/ego in illusion.

Okay, how can financial success feed a fear when it would appear to alleviate it? Fear is always based in falsity, in illusion. So anything that makes fear appear to go away is feeding and nourishing fear. If you've ever been to a farm at feeding time, the animals are raising hell at feeding time. Then they eat quietly and of course, the peace lasted only until the next mealtime. 

This is how fear is. You buy the meal ticket to stop fear screaming, but the moment you can no longer buy the next meal ticket, the screaming begins again. And during this whole process the appetite of the animals/fear gets bigger and bigger. You can see where this leads. It leads to lifetimes of conditioned reaction to doing anything to stop the screams of fear that echo through your very Being. This is the journey of soul when the going gets tough.

The Difference Between Soul, Spirit and Higher Self

“Body dies, identity clings, and soul continues forever.”

I look at some of the people who consider themselves very successful, and I am aware that in their self-delusion/illusion they have no idea of the process of soul/life. They are driven to make more money, to create more financial security for their ego/identity driven fears that many of them do not even recognize. 

This condition keeps the hospitals full and busy all the time. Expanding and growing. Blind faith can be a temporary fix, but it offers no permanent solution. To make matters even worse, most people in this situation – and they number billions – have no idea of what the situation truly is. 

Their whole focus is the illusion/problem, rather than the Truth/solution. An intellectual approach will offer nothing, for it is the intellect that believes in and creates the self-deceit of illusion. Intellect is a long- established isolationist, while intelligence expresses through and from wholeness. 

When, or if, we use intelligence to deal with fear, we quickly find that fear has no foundation within itself; it has to be created. Wholistic intelligence never gives any valid reason to create fear; isolated intellect creates fear by following a negative “what if” set of worst possible scenarios. I know this to be true with my own demon of PTSD, panic and anxiety.

Before I leave this I would like to offer the way out of fear. Trust. Trust in Self. Trust that despite all possible evidence to the contrary, you are both adequate and capable. Trust that the immortal Being you truly are has the intelligence to deal with anything that comes into your life. After all, you are the author of the book of your life. Trust that you truly are a magnificent, metaphysical, multidimensional Being of Love and Light. This is your Truth. Trust it.

In all life there is Spirit. You are a spiritual Being. The soul whom you are is the growth of the individualisation of Spirit. In every moment of your life you are expressing Spirit … and all Spirit is One. Spiritually, you are One with all life, with every person. Positively accepting or negatively critical, the way you think is the way you will treat yourself and other people, and it is the way you will create for life to deal with you. Every life form in Nature is an expression of spirit, the same spirit that expresses in you.

Through Spirit, you are connected to everything. Nothing is outside Self, for Self is a boundless and measureless expression of Spirit. When soul withdraws from the body, Spirit remains with soul, for just as soul is an expression of Spirit, so is body an expression of soul. 

Spirit cannot die, life cannot die. All that happens at so-called human death is that consciousness/spirit/soul withdraws from the physical body, continuing as a metaphysical Being of Love and Light on a non-physical level of expression. 

You are an eternal Being of Love with the freedom to express Self in whatever way you care to imagine. Your imagination is creation; whatever you continually imagine you will eventually experience. Be careful with your imagination. Look on imagination as meaning; the inner images you create will invariably be part of your life. Imagine yourself as a Being of Love and Light. That ... is wisdom.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Michael Roads, Guest Writer for Wake Up World

You Can't Save Anyone

You Can’t Save Anyone

Despite what people may think, you simply cannot save anyone. It’s not your job or your responsibility. Just be a beacon of light and let those who want to walk through your light do so of their own free will.

When you watch a baby learn how to walk, you’ll notice it falls down quite a bit. Then it gets up and tries again. It keeps trying until it eventually finds its balance and can walk easily and well.

But what would happen if every time we saw a baby fall, we picked the baby up and said, “you can’t seem to walk on your own. I'll carry you. Don’t you worry.” That would be ridiculous right? A baby has to eventually learn to walk on it's own accord.

Let’s fast forward to high school and look at that same child. If he’s struggling to master his coursework do you start doing his homework for him? “Oh, you failed your last exam, I’ll start doing your homework for you and taking your tests so you can succeed." That wouldn’t help would it?

It’s painful to watch people that you love struggle, but sometimes they must struggle in order to learn. That doesn’t mean you can’t assist them. “Would you like to start seeing a tutor?” But if you do the work for them, they’ll just be at a disadvantage when they go out into the work force and don’t know how to solve their own problems.

Every person on this planet is walking their own path and it’s not up to anyone else to judge it. Even if you think you have the answer, that answer is not going to apply to everyone.

The best thing you can do is find your own true north and start walking. You’ll naturally attract other people who have also decided to go that way. Then you can walk together.

But never try to drag someone onto your path even if you think it’s the best path possible. People are here to learn different lessons, to explore different paths, to have different experiences. There is no one way to live. There is no right or wrong way to live. There are many trails that lead to the top of the mountain.

Now if someone reaches out to you and asks for help, then by all means, offer it. If someone says, “I really love how peaceful you are all the time. Could you tell me how you can do that?” then go ahead and explain it. But let them decide what to do with the information. Don’t push.

Focus on YOUR path. Shine YOUR light. Help those who ask for help, but don’t run their life for them. Help them find the tools they need to succeed but don’t build their house for them. Each of us needs to experience the things in life that will not only grow our mind, but our Soul as well.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Erin Pavlina.

Higher Consciousness is Your Master Key

Higher Consciousness is Your Master Key

A. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind and its Achilles Heel

There are essentially three aspects to consciousness, specifically the subconscious mind, the conscious mind and higher consciousness (Superconscious/Christ Consciousness). Each plays a pivotal role in creating your circumstances so understanding how the three are inter-related is fundamental to truly harnessing the power of your mind.

Being familiar with what is meant by consciousness will go a long way in enabling you to "consciously" create the reality of your choice. Consciousness is the very foundation of the most powerful resource you have at your disposal - your mind. It is the most familiar and yet most mysterious aspect of your life. Without it you could not experience life. With it, you are eternal.

Anatomy of the Subconscious Mind: 

The subconscious is the incredibly powerful program that runs every aspect of your life automatically and without any need for your conscious input. Simply put, any thought, message or order that is given to the subconscious often enough and convincingly enough will in time be accepted as Truth and consistently be carried out with exact precision irrespective of whether it benefits you or not. The most important thing you must know is that it is subjective in nature. This means that it can not reason or distinguish between positive and negative. It just does what it does.

In "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind," Dr. Joseph Murphy explains: 

"When thoughts are conveyed to your subconscious mind, impressions are made in the brain cells. As soon as your subconscious accepts any idea, it proceeds to put it into effect immediately ... it draws on the infinite power, energy and wisdom within you. It lines up all the laws of nature to get its way. Sometimes it seems to bring about an immediate solution to your difficulties, but at other times it may take days, weeks, or longer ... its ways are past finding out."

The subconscious mind's inability to reason is not a weakness. In fact it is fundamental to its power. To illustrate this, imagine if your subconscious had to decide whether or not your heart should pump blood around your body, whether or not to immediately send white blood cells to heal a wound, whether or not to walk each time you consciously wanted to walk. It carries out it's default programming.

The subconscious mind's subjective nature is responsible for every function you carry out automatically without conscious thought, from digesting the food you eat to healing a wound to speaking a language to driving your car - ultimately all your habitual actions. It is the storehouse of your memory. It never sleeps any more than your heart sleeps. Were it able to reason, your body would be unable to function and life as we know it could not exist.

Its power is also its Achilles heel, because its lack of reasoning ability means that it is equally willing to carry out negative programs as it is positive, with often devastating effects. The true potential of the subconscious mind may be limitless but potential alone is more detrimental than useful when the programs carried out are negative. Having said this, given its inability to judge right from wrong, it can not be held responsible for the negative programs it relentlessly carries out. Who then is responsible?

B. The Incredibly Important Role of Your Conscious Mind

The second aspect of your consciousness is your "conscious mind." It is also known as the objective mind, or self-consciousness. It is the mind of your five senses, enabling you to consciously experience the physical world. 

Most importantly, it is that aspect of your mind that is able to reason. This ability to reason sets human beings apart from the plant and mineral kingdoms and places us highest in the animal kingdom. Your conscious mind essentially grants you the freedom to consciously rather than unconsciously choose your outcomes.

The All-Important Function as Guardian of the Subconscious: 

Given its capacity to reason and discriminate, your conscious mind has an incredibly important function. It is supposed to be the guardian at the door of your subconscious mind, ensuring that only wanted and empowering messages are allowed through. It is the Gate Keeper.

It is supposed to be the sole commander of your subconscious mind as it is only through the conscious mind that you can access the subconscious. The words supposed to be have been stressed intentionally since most people have no idea about this incredible role. 

Instead, they experience life in a zombie-like state, allowing messages from the media, society, school, friends, family and even those they deem their "enemies" to pass through to their subconscious mind unchecked, irrespective of their nature. The Medulla Oblongata is the portal where all information enters. There are millions of bytes of information bombarding you at all times. 

Charles Haanel explains it this way in The Master Key System: 

"The subconscious mind does not engage in the process of proving. It relies upon the conscious mind to guard it from mistaken impressions. When the "watchman" is "off guard," or when its calm judgment is suspended, under a variety of circumstances, then the subconscious mind is unguarded and left open to suggestion from all sources."

Who is Running Your Show?: 

Unknown to most people, their life is being run in strict accordance with a set of deeply ingrained subconscious programs that they did not consciously choose in the first place. 

To make matters worse, it is argued that most of these programs were locked in place by the age of around ten. This is because a child's ability to reason is limited compared to that of an adult. This may enable a child to absorb new information with great superiority, but it also means that a child's subconscious mind, being more easily programmed, is left wide open to unchecked negative messages. These messages enter in many forms. Environment, school, parents, friends, TV, music, video games, etc.

Consciously Reprogram Your Subconscious: 

By the time a child has reached its early teenage years, its reasoning abilities have significantly developed and so it is able to consciously choose what messages to accept. 

By then, however, core programs are already in place and the subconscious mind doesn't want to know any different even if it has unwittingly taken error to mean Truth. Frequently, cognitive dissonance is a factor. The simplest way to consciously override these negative programs is by learning to access your All-Knowing Higher-Self ... the Divine within. 

C. Your Higher Consciousness is Your Master Key

The third aspect of your consciousness is your "higher consciousness." It is also known as the Super-Conscious mind, your Higher Self. It is the least understood and least accessed aspect of consciousness because it does not belong to the physical or mental realm. Its domain is the spiritual realm. 

It is the You that is All-Knowing and All-Powerful and is the same in kind as the One Universal Mind. It is the You that is beyond not only the physical world but also the emotions of your mental world. Your higher self does not distinguish between good or bad, wrong or right, happy or sad - not because it is unable to but because it has no need to. It is the You that knows only balance. It is the You that is only true Love. It is the eternal Observer. It is absolute stillness.

Your Reality is An Illusion: 

Your higher consciousness knows that the physical, outside world you experience as your reality "is an illusion, albeit a very persistent one" as Einstein told us. It knows that your circumstances, whether wanted or unwanted, are simply a reflection of your inner world which itself is a product of your thoughts. 

It knows that your reality is the mirror that allows your consciousness to experience itself. In this knowledge, your higher consciousness is always still and at peace. It observes your success and your failure, your joy and your pain, your light and your dark and is not disturbed by anything. Ultimately, it knows that it is all a dream. 

A Case of Necessary Semantics: 

Some great thinkers and writers stop short of distinguishing between the subconscious mind and higher consciousness. Instead, they have granted unlimited power to the subconscious, despite it being under the guardianship of the conscious mind. 

While it may be semantics, the distinction is imperative to understanding consciousness. Were the subconscious mind all-powerful and all-knowing, it could not be subjected to negative programs for it would know better. 

The term "sub" itself tells you that it is below the conscious mind. In fact, it is the lesser counterpart in the hierarchy of consciousness and is what we have in common with the plant and mineral kingdoms albeit at varying degrees. 

In contrast, higher consciousness is above all. It is truly Omnipotent and Omniscient for it is One with the One Universal Mind. It is Source. Like the subconscious mind, it is also subjective in nature, not though because it cannot distinguish between the opposites but rather, because it is above them.

All Mind is One - Three in One: 

Having distinguished between the three aspects of consciousness, it must be said that the distinction is for your better understanding only. In Truth though, there is no separation in mind - there is no dividing line. All three aspects are One - varying degrees of a singular Mind, itself pure energy vibrating at different frequencies. 

Ultimately the Universal Laws of Mentalism and Vibration tell us that all is mind and that the entire Universe is vibrating energy. This also means that higher consciousness is not something you need to acquire or look for outside of yourself. You already possess it. All you need to do is become consciously aware of it and learn to access it.

Would You Let a 10-Year Old Run Your Life?: 

Most people are ignorant (unknowing) of their higher consciousness. Moreover, most people operate in a zombie-like state even at the conscious level, unwittingly allowing all the messages with which they are bombarded to be passed down to their subconscious mind for programming. 

This ultimately leaves their lives in full control of their subconscious, which in this state, is doing little more than running a bunch of programs that itself has no idea whether or not they are beneficial. 

If this is you, then essentially your life is being run by an ignorant and quite painfully stubborn ten year old. And ultimately, if we are not consciously directing our existence, then it places us in a position no superior to that of plants. Just like the man who can read but does not do so has no advantage over the illiterate man.

Change the Chain of Command and Your Life will Change: 

Before attempting to consciously root out and replace the negative programs embedded in your subconscious mind, your first step is to change the chain of command. Decide now to place your conscious mind on guard at the door of your subconscious mind. Decide now to allow ONLY empowering, positive, nurturing messages to pass through that door/gate. Decide now to hand over the direction of your conscious mind to your Higher Self and in so doing become the silent Observer of your life ... the Witness ... the one who is Experiencing. 

Re-Programming Your Mind: 

Learn to be the unshakable witness to your old patterns and behaviours, knowing that they are simply illusions; the programs of a previously misguided subconscious mind. 

Know that through meditation, creative visualization and the repetition of positive affirmations, these old patterns will in time be replaced by new empowering behaviours and beliefs which although just as much an illusion, will ensure your success rather than your failure. By allowing your Higher Self to lead you, you open yourself up to a world of miracles in which you can consciously create your reality.

In a nutshell, consciousness forms the foundation of the power of your mind. Although there are three distinguishable aspects of consciousness, all three are One. The difference essentially comes down to reason. 

The subconscious mind can not reason, the conscious mind is reason, and higher consciousness need not reason. In other words, where your conscious mind is the commander and your subconscious mind the subject, your higher consciousness is your kingdom. 

It is in reference to your higher self that the New Testament Jesus said "the kingdom of heaven is within". When you learn to consciously program your subconscious mind under the protection of your conscious mind and the direction of your higher self, you will see miraculous transformation in all areas of your life. This is the Secret of The Ages. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Tania Kotsos.

Seven Laws of The Universe Explained

Seven Laws of The Universe Explained

Before I begin, if you learn and know these things which are about to be revealed to you, you will change your life forever. You have my guarantee. 

There are seven Universal Laws or Principles by which everything in the Universe is governed. The Universe exists in absolute perfect harmony by virtue of these Laws. 

Ancient mystical, esoteric and secret teachings dating back over 5,000 years from Ancient Egypt, to Ancient Greece, and to the Vedic tradition of Ancient India, all have as their common thread these seven Spiritual Laws of the Universe. 

Once you understand, apply and align yourself with these Universal Laws, you will experience transformation in every area of your life beyond that which you have ever dared to imagine. Not merely transformation, but metamorphosis.

The Immutable and the Mutable: Of the seven Universal Laws, the first three are immutable, eternal Laws, meaning they are Absolute and can never be changed or transcended. They have always existed and will always exist. 

The other four laws are transitory, mutable Laws meaning that they can be transcended or at least "better used" to create your ideal reality. This is not to say that you should ignore these four Laws or attempt to defy them for even if you do they will still govern your existence. Your aim is to master each of the seven Universal Laws and only then, learn to transcend the mutable ones.

1. The Law of Mentalism (Immutable): The first of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "The All is Mind - The Universe is Mental". That everything we see and experience in our physical world has its origin in the invisible, mental realm. 

It tells us that there is a single Universal Consciousness - the Universal Mind - from which all things manifest. All energy and matter at all levels is created by and is subordinate to the Omnipresent Universal Mind. 

Your mind is part of the Universal Mind - the same in kind with the only difference being one of degree. Your reality is a manifestation of your mind. This is true Mind Power.  

 

2. The Law of Correspondence (Immutable): The second of the seven Universal Laws tells us "As above, so below; as below, so above". This means that there is "harmony, agreement and correspondence" between the physical, mental and spiritual realms. 

There is no separation since everything in the Universe, including you, originates from the One Source. The same pattern is expressed on all planes of existence from the smallest electron to the largest star and vice versa. All is One. 

The Ancient Greek Temple of Apollo at Delphi was referring to this great Law of Correspondence in the inscription "Know thyself and thou shalt know all the mysteries of the gods and the Universe".

3. The Law of Vibration (Immutable): The third of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates". The third and last of the immutable Universal Laws, tells us that "the whole universe is but a vibration". Science has confirmed that everything in the Universe, including you, is pure energy vibrating at different frequencies.

The axiom that "like energy attracts like energy", upon which the Law of Attraction is based, has it's foundation in this Law. Everything that we experience with our five physical senses is conveyed through vibrations. 

The same applies to the mental realm. Your thoughts are vibrations. All your emotions are vibrations where "unconditional love" (in the sense of love for another) is the highest and most subtle of the emotional vibrations and "hate" is the densest and most base. You can learn to control your mental vibrations at will. This is true thought power.

4. The Law of Polarity (Mutable): The fourth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Everything is dual, everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree". It is also the first of the mutable or transcendable Universal Laws. It means that there are two sides to everything. Things that appear as opposites are in fact only two extremes of the same thing. 

For instance, heat and cold may appear to be opposites at first glance, but in truth they are simply varying degrees of the same thing. The same applies to love and hate, peace and war, positive and negative, good and evil, yes and no, light and darkness, energy and matter. You can transform your thoughts from hate to love, from fear to courage by consciously raising your vibrations. This is what in the ancient Hermetic Teachings is called the Art of Polarization.

Rising Above the Law of Polarity: This Principle of Duality may appear to be very real in your life but it operates only in the physical and mental realms, not in the spiritual realm where All is One. As it says in the Bhagavad-Gita, "God is Above the Opposites". 

By always placing the all-powerful, all-knowing Great Spirit of which you are a part behind your every thought, statement and action, and by always focusing on the "good", even when things appear to be going "bad", then in time you will rise above the Law of Polarity.

5. The Law of Rhythm (Mutable): The fifth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates." It is the second of the mutable or transcendable Universal Laws and means that the pendulum swings in everything. 

This principle can be seen in operation in the waves of the ocean, in the rise and fall of the greatest empires, in business cycles, in the swaying of your thoughts from being positive to negative and in your personal successes and failures. 

In accordance with this Law, when anything reaches a point of culmination then the backward swing begins almost unnoticeably until such time that any forward movement has been totally reversed, then the forward movement begins again and the process is repeated.

Rising Above the Law of Rhythm: To transcend the swing of the pendulum, you must become aware of the subtle start of the backward movement in any of your endeavours whether it be to improve your health, your finances, your relationships or any goal you may set in motion. 

When you feel the Law start to draw you back do not become fearful or discouraged. Instead, knowing that you are one with the Omnipotent Universal Mind for which nothing is impossible, keep your thoughts focused on your outcome and fight to remain positive no matter how far back this transitory Law pulls you. 

Even if your efforts meet with failure, find comfort that by virtue of this very same Law, the upward motion must start again. In time, your perseverance will be rewarded as the backward movements become less negative relative to your previous backward swings and you raise yourself higher.

6. The Law of Cause and Effect (Mutable): The sixth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause." In accordance with this Law, every effect you see in your outside or physical world has a very specific cause which has its origin in your inner or mental world. 

This is the essence of thought power. Every one of your thoughts, words or actions sets a specific effect in motion which will come to materialize over time. To become the master of your destiny, you must master your mind for everything in your reality is a mental creation. Know that there is nothing like chance or luck. They are simply terms used by humanity in ignorance of this Law.

Your Intentions are Instantly Created: The Law of Cause and Effect applies on all three planes of existence - the spiritual, the mental and the physical. The difference is that on the spiritual plane cause and effect are instantaneous such that they appear inseparable, whereas on the other planes our concept of time and space creates a time lag between the cause and the eventual effect. 

Know that when you focus on your chosen goals with intention using creative visualization, that which you want to create in the physical world is automatically manifested in the spiritual world, and with perseverance, practice and continued concentrated thought, it will also come to materialize in the physical world.

7. The Law of Gender: The last of the seven Universal Laws tells us that "Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles". This mutable Universal Law is evident throughout creation in the so-called opposite sexes found not only in human beings but also in plants, minerals, electrons and magnetic poles to name but a few. 

Everything and everyone contains both masculine and feminine elements. Among the outward expressions of feminine qualities are love, patience, intuition and gentleness and of masculine qualities are energy, self reliance, logic and intellect. Know that within every woman lie all the latent qualities of a man, and within every man those of a woman. When you know this you will know what it means to be complete.

The Law of Attraction as Part of the Equation: You will notice that the Law of Attraction is not specifically mentioned as one of the seven Universal Laws. This is not to diminish its importance but rather to highlight it because the Law of Attraction is the basic Law of the Universe which runs through all the seven Universal Laws discussed here. 

It holds everything together. It is through the knowledge of the Law of Attraction that one can rise above the mutable Laws of Polarity and Rhythm and gain a better understanding of each of the seven Universal Laws.

Credit to The Science of Being and The Kybalion: This article draws largely on two sources of incomparable Wisdom on the seven Universal Laws. First, on the Baron Eugene Fersen's 1923 masterpiece, The Science of Being, which is one of most comprehensive books ever written on the innate power of humanity, the subject of metaphysics and self-mastery; and second, on the 1908 seminal work on the Universal Principles, namely The Kybalion, which is a study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece, itself based on the mystical teachings of Hermes Trismegistus and written by the so-called Three Initiates.

"The Principles of the Truth are Seven; he who knows these, understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open" 

- The Kybalion

There are seven major Universal Laws by which the entire Universe is governed - three are immutable, eternal Laws and four are transitory, mutable Laws. As stated in the Kybalion "the Universe exists by virtue of these Laws, which form its framework and which hold it together." 

Knowing these Universal Laws and the basic Law of Attraction, and learning how to transcend the mutable Laws, is fundamental to changing the circumstances of your life so that you can consciously create your intended reality and achieve true mastery.

Just a thought ...

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Tania Kotsos, The Kybalion, and The Science of Being.

You Are One With Universal Mind

You Are One With Universal Mind

There is a single, intelligent Consciousness that pervades the entire Universe - the Universal Mind. It is all knowing, all powerful, all creative and always present. As it is present everywhere at the same time, it follows that it must also be present in you - that it is you. Your mind is part of the one Universal Mind. This is not simply a philosophical ideal passed down to us through the ages. It is an exact scientific Truth. Know it, believe it, apply it and you will see your life transform in miraculous ways.

Albert Einstein told us that "everything is energy"; that "a human being is a part of the whole called by us [the] Universe". His words echoed the most ancient of spiritual and philosophical teachings and still underpin today's cutting-edge scientific discoveries. 

The Universal Mind goes by many names. In the scientific world we know of the Unified Field, in spiritual philosophy we refer to The All or Universal Consciousness and in religion we call upon God who Himself goes by many names - Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah and Brahman to mention but a few. The name is relevant only in so far as it resonates with you.

Any which way you cut it, you come to this one unavoidable conclusion: there is but One Consciousness of which your consciousness must be a part and "a part", as Charles Haanel said, "must be the same in kind and quality as the whole, the only difference being one of degree". A drop of water or a wave in the ocean becomes part of the whole.

The nature of the Universal Mind is Omniscience (all knowing), Omnipotence (all powerful), Omnificence (all creative) and Omnipresence (always present). Know that this too is your nature. 

You have access to all knowledge, known and unknown; you have access to an infinite power for which nothing is impossible; you have access to the limitless creativity of the One Creator. All these attributes are present within you at all times in their potential form. All that ever was, is, or will be is here.

It is up to you to know and act upon your own nature. The inscription on the Ancient Greek Temple of Apollo at Delphi left no room for misunderstanding: "Know thyself and thou shalt know all the mysteries of the gods and the universe". It is through the power of your subconscious mind that you can learn to align yourself with the Omnipotence, Omniscience and Omnificence of the Universal Mind at all times.

Each and every one of us is a manifestation of this single Universal Consciousness. There is profound truth in the ancient teaching that we are all One. We are all connected - not only to each other but to all of Nature and to everything in the Universe. 

This is the Law of One. What you do to others, you do to yourself. The way you treat Nature, you in fact treat yourself. The separateness you "see" is an illusion of the ego. The true nature of reality is non-dualistic, meaning that while things may appear distinct, they are not separate.

You are able to create your ideal reality because you are already connected to everything you desire. Nothing and no one is separate from you. You can experience happiness, true love, perfect health, abundance, wealth and anything else you desire. 

All you have to do is bring yourself into vibrational harmony with the nature of your desires through the creative power of your thoughts. To become the master of your destiny, you must master your thoughts. This cannot be stressed enough. As a man thinks, so he becomes. Cause and effect. 

In a nutshell, there is a single Consciousness, the Universal Mind, which pervades the entire Universe. It is all knowing, all powerful, all creative and always present everywhere at the same time. Your consciousness is part of it - it IS It. All is One. You are connected to everything and every one. You are already connected to your desires. To the degree you truly comprehend and internalise this Truth, you will be able to become the master of your mind and the director of your life.

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

My thanks to Tania Kotsos.