Jeff Brown is a former lawyer turned author (Soulshaping: A Journey of Self-Creation) and filmmaker. His debut film, Karmageddon, is a personal examination of the spiritual journey featuring 1960s counter-culture icon and chanter Bhagavan Das. Bhagavan Das came to fame in the best-selling book “Be Here Now” by Ram Dass, the Harvard professor fired with Timothy Leary for their LSD experiments in the 1960s.

Karmageddon traverses all manner of interactive terrain: shadow and light, heart and soul, psychological and spiritual, the sacred and the profane.

For example, during the film Jeff is very critical of Bhagavan Das’s ethical and sexual decisions and even asks Ram Dass:

“Does how he (Bhagavan Das) behave in his personal life really matter?”

Ram Dass answers emphatically: “Yes it matters…you have to be able to justify your actions on every plane.”

During the film, Jeff does not shy away from expressing his own anger at Bhagavan’s behavior, especially in regards to women and even how Bhagavan Das treats Jeff’s girlfriend. This film really is a refreshing look at how to respond to a guru, teacher or any person we have trusted who has wronged us. It also shows us how to integrate spiritual and psychological teachings into our daily lives in a practical way that can help us deal with childhood traumas, unexpressed emotions and our pain. For example, this film helped me realize that is okay for me to feel angry, upset and hurt at times; and that by expressing those emotions in a healthy manner, I can work through them and grow from them. It also reminded me of the importance of creating congruence, authenticity and integrity in all parts of my life including my psychological and personal life…

I recently had a chance to interview Jeff about Karmageddon. I asked Jeff why he asked Ram Dass about whether the way Bhagavan Das behaves in his personal life matters; and how Jeff would answer the question if someone asked him. The rest of our interview covers much more psychological, spiritual, and personal questions. For instance, during our conversation Jeff answered many questions that most spiritual and self-improvement authors avoid talking about such as:

1. Must there be congruity between the teachings and the teacher’s personal life?

2. How can we bridge the quest for essence and unity consciousness fundamental to certain eastern traditions, with the quest for a healthy self-concept intrinsic to the western psychotherapeutic revolution?

3. How can we honor and express justified anger, without doing more damage?

4. What is the relationship between emotional and spiritual health?

Jeff’s answer to each question reveal an honesty about himself that show *us* it is okay to feel and be human while we pursue our path and callings in life.

You can listen to our interview by pressing the play button or download an MP3 of our interview by ‘right clicking’ on the text that says DOWNLOAD MP3 of INTERVIEW.

DOWNLOAD MP3 of INTERVIEW

Also, from now until December 21, you can watch KARMAGEDDON for free at http://vimeo.com/54939635.

This article is a guest post written by Chris Lemig.

For years I lived in a land of spiritual exile. It was a cold, dark place. In that land I was cut off from the very source of all life and nourishment.

I couldn’t breathe there and the gasping was only made worse by my misguided attempts to feed my starving soul with the dark magic of addiction.

I think this is not uncommon for Queer people. I look at the nightclubs, the all-night dance parties, the parades. Aren’t all these just Dionysian Masses, improvisational rituals and holy reveries that we play out for the old gods in the deep night?

There is nothing inherently wrong with this. After all, we are all starving for ritual. We are all hungry for the long-forgotten ecstasy that can only be found through contact with the divine. So we dress ourselves as gods and goddesses, dakas and dakinis, nymphs and dryads. We drink the sacred elixirs, chant the old words, pound our feet on the dust of the earth and hope for some kind of communion. But all too often the only ecstasy we find is the temporary release of orgasm, the only communion the echo from the darkness of oblivion.

How did we lose our way in the first place?

Were we forced into the desert simply because we were born “different”, because a few lines in a few dusty old books were misread and misinterpreted? Or were we so feared because the priests and heaven’s key holders knew that we were somehow naturally closer to the Divine and therefore a threat?

I suppose it doesn’t matter. No explanation changes the fact that we have been shunned, hated and cut off from our spiritual traditions for centuries. Even Buddhism, my path of choice and calling, sometimes softly breaks my heart with its prejudice and insensitivity. It’s no wonder that many of us accepted our exiled state and never looked back. “If they don’t want me, I don’t want them,” we said.

But I think that this attitude is, if not unwise, at least unnecessary. We don’t have to live in exile any more. I often have to remind myself that religion is made by human beings and is, therefore, fallible. It’s doctrines and dogmas are only in place because we put them there. These can be changed and even removed. It is up to us to question them, to be discerning, to be a part of the debate and the discussion. We can change what is wrong and keep what is good and right. This is not only our birthright, it is our responsibility.

Our longing for spiritual nourishment has deep roots that must be watered if we truly wish to be whole and complete. This longing has only been temporarily eclipsed by the false messages that there was something wrong with us, that we were unworthy, that our “brokenness” precluded us from experiencing what most other human beings take as their birthright: the pursuit and expression of a deep and fulfilling spiritual life.

You can reclaim your birthright. Today is a good day to do this. Today more people are realizing that the old interpretations are lacking in truth and authenticity. The impulse to exclude is loosing its strength. People are slowly realizing that the true message of most of the world’s religions is one of love, compassion, inclusiveness and cooperation. This is a message that belongs to all of us. It is mine. It is yours.

So I want to tell you today: take back what is yours, not by force or with anger. Just take it back. Find your spiritual home again. Make yourself comfortable. It’s OK. It’s been your house all along.

This article was written by Chris Lemig. Chris spent twenty-three years of his life in the dark closet of addiction and self-hatred. After coming out as being gay in 2007, he discovered the teachings of the Buddha and never looked back. He is deeply concerned with issues relating to the mental and spiritual wellbeing of modern culture and is looking for ways to bring happiness and contentment back into our lives.

Chris currently lives in India where he is studying Tibetan language. He writes about coming out, sobriety and Buddhism on his blog http://www.thenarrowwaybook.com

His Book, The Narrow Way is being published by Mantra Books in February 2013

ISBN: 978-1-78099-749-0, $19.95 / £11.99, paperback, 193pp

EISBN: 978-1-78099-748-3, $9.99 / £6.99, eBook

Beyond Belief with George Noory is a new TV show that will explore the unknown and mysteries of the universe.  I recently had the chance to interview George about  his TV show. Below is a copy of our Q&A…

1.  What is your new TV show Beyond Belief going to be about?

The show is much like the radio show coast to coast am dealing with all subjects supernatural, unusual and mysteries of the universe. We will also deal with  conspiracies, alternative medicine and ways to improve our lives.

2.  What do you hope viewers will learn from it?

I’d like our viewers to get a better understanding of what’s happening around  them…to prepare them for events that may take place in the future.

3.  You talk a lot about controversial subject matters like UFOs and paranormal  activity, how do you respond to skeptics?

I think skeptics are healthy…every subject needs to be looked at with an  inquisitive eye…and skepticism does that.

4.  What is the most fascinating metaphysical experience you have witnessed  or heard another person talk about from first hand experience?

The man who was going to commit suicide…drove miles away..saw a lake to do himself in at..and was greeted by an old man who talked with him about life and saved his life…The guy went back to his town..got a new job..a new relationship and a year later went back to thank the old man…He went to the
barbershop not having the old man’s last name…and was referred to his daughter who lived in a house at the top of the hill… He knocked on the door and began to ask the daughter where the old man was to thank him…When she stopped him and said…Your the 5th person to do this…Dad died 15 years ago!

5.  Where can we find out more about your TV show?

At www.gaiamtv.com/george. (You can get) ten days free.

6.  Any closing remarks?

Party on.

This post is a guest post by Melissa Laine, creator of Conscious Content TV.

Having known Elijah and his music for what I like to think of the start of my full conscious awakening to who I real am, I can’t help but to get ecstatically excited about anything he does or puts out musically. He really is a special being, an indicator for the way our earth is evolving and loving one another. You can hear that reflected in his music. It is a healing realization massage for your ears and soul anytime you hear his music. But this album Arrival really takes it to the next level of musical evolution. Either that or these new head phones I’m listening to his new album on are making the music sound 10 times more expansive that vibrates the base throughout my soul. Either way I can’t help but to cry into the full freedom of myself. His music is really a soul awakening experiance. So it is time, time to Arrive with you, yourself and The Band of Light. Let it in and let your sound sing. Begin with +Elijah- and the Band of Light, it is truly an ARRIVAL!

*Now if only we can get him to create a music video then I can feautre it on my music video countdown, The Positive Point!

You can buy the Album at the link below…

http://elijahandthebandoflight.bandcamp.com/album/arrival

Wings of Desire. Wim Wenders, 1987

This is a guest movie review written by Jennifer Kavanagh.

I first saw this film soon after it came out. It was at a time in my life that was unaffected by faith, and seeing it again more than twenty years later was a very different experience. I last saw it on DVD a few months ago, because I felt it was relevant to something I’m writing, and it retained all its power to move me.

Wings of Desire is a film about guardian angels. If we think of angels at all (and I’m not someone who is “into” angels), we are used to thinking of them as superior beings, close to the Divine. Here we are shown another side to angelic life, a life that is deprived of much that we humans take for granted. We see beings in touch with the eternal; we see the compassion of those who can read the minds of humans, hold them in loving support and suggest things to their minds, but are powerless to intervene.

The focus is on Damiel, a guardian angel who wants to be human. He is prepared to give up eternal life to experience the sense-richness of earthly life, to feel the solidity of the earth beneath his feet. As he says:

“It’s great to live by the spirit, to testify day by day for eternity, only what’s spiritual in people’s minds. But sometimes I’m fed up with my spiritual existence. Instead of forever hovering above I’d like to feel a weight grow in me to end the infinity and to tie me to earth. I’d like, at each step, each gust of wind, to be able to say “Now.” Now and now” and no longer “forever” and “for eternity.” To sit at an empty place at a card table and be greeted, even by a nod.”

Above all, he wants the freedom to fall in love.

Wings of Desire is a profoundly romantic film. Its beauty, poetry and timelessness are breathtaking, as is its technical subtlety. Shot in monochrome; the film breaks into colour only when we witness a human perspective – something that I’m not sure I noticed on first viewing. Its setting, the then divided Berlin, is a metaphor for the artificial division of spirit and body. We first realize that Damiel is no longer an angel when we see his footprint: a palpable sign of embodiment, of being a human being with all the frailty and glory that that entails. Wings of Desire arouses in the audience a deeper understanding of what it means to be human, and moves us to give thanks.

This is a guest movie review written by Jennifer Kavanagh http://www.jenniferkavanagh.co.uk/

This is a guest post written by Allison Foster.

This classic black and white film stars Ginger Rodgers and David Niven in something that was a bit risqué for the times. The story is about a single young woman, Polly, who works in a department store for the holidays. The day before Christmas she gets a pink slip and is depressed because she does not know where she will get a new job. Walking home she sees a woman drop off a baby on the steps of an orphanage. Afraid the baby will fall down the stairs Polly runs up to pick it up just as the person who runs the orphanage opens the door. She tells him the baby is not hers but he does not believe her. She leaves the baby with him and runs away but he tracks down where she works. When he finds out she lost her job he goes up to talk to the owner of the department store. Instead of the owner he runs into the owner’s playboy son, David, who decides he is going to help her out. David gives Polly back her job and they drop the baby off with her, telling her that if she tries to drop it off again she will be arrested for abandoning it.

Frustrated, Polly decides she will raise the baby. David starts to check up on her at the store and even comes up to her apartment with toys and books for the baby. Eventually he starts to fall in love with her but does not want to marry her because he does not want a family. However a co-worker of Polly’s gets jealous of the attention she is getting and tells David’s father, the store owner, that the baby is his grandchild. The father threatens to take the baby from Polly if David does not marry her. Polly runs away with the baby because she wants to keep it. As David and his father search for her David realizes he loves her and the baby. They find her and David asks her to marry him. She agrees, even though he still does not believe the baby is not hers.

I loved the last few lines of this movie. Polly asks David, “You want to marry me, even though you still think the baby is mine?” “Yes,” he says. “Well, are you in for a surprise! Haha!” she laughs, knowing he will find out she is a virgin once they are married.

The thing that I loved best about this movie though is how supportive everyone was of Polly. I had not expected that era to be a supportive of a single mother as they would be now. However everyone except the owner of the company was very loving towards Polly. The landlady helped to watch the baby during the day, David gave her toys and supplies and tried to help her raise it, and even the people at the orphanage did everything they could to keep mother and child together. All in all, it was a surprisingly enlightened movie for that era.

Author Byline:

Allison once she graduated from college, as it allowed her to combine her two passions: writing and children. She has enjoyed furthering her writing career with www.nannyclassifieds.com .  She can be in touch through e-mail allisonDOTnannyclassifiedsATgmail rest you know.

It’s a Wonderful Life continues to touch people’s heart and soul year after year with its message of love. Many movie critics ripped it apart when it was released. But, it is arguably the most successful movie ever made. The director of the film, Frank Capra, believed in the inherent goodness of life and humanity. This was not easy considering his career as a filmmaker took place during the Depression and World War II. His belief that people are basically good inspires hope.

Another valuable message of his film is the importance of the love between family and friends, both seen and unseen. During George Bailey’s (James Stewart) dark night of the soul, he looks over a bridge and contemplates suicide. At that moment a guardian angel in training, Clarence, enters into his life. This reminds us that in our darkest hour, the power of love — even from sources unknown to us — is transformative and can bring us out of our moments of despair.

This post is a guest post by Dr. Jean Houston reprinted with permission.

As I travel around the globe speaking and training, I have consistently found that most people ask me the same question, ‘how do I discover my purpose in life?’ In the past, who you became was determined by your family and circumstances. You didn’t have much choice. But now there is an open moment in history where you have the chance to tap into the soul of your purpose.

Millions of people right now are experiencing a yearning and desire to awaken to their unique gifts and offer them in service to the world—while living a life of joy and fulfillment. It’s a surging of the human spirit, a virtual global awakening, at a scale that no one has ever seen before. Simply put, people are longing to finally feel fully alive and to fulfill their unique purpose in life.  So then why is living a life of meaning and purpose so difficult? It is because our current social systems have not been set up to prepare us to live a life of true purpose. That’s because today’s culture exists not to nurture our highest aspirations, but to ensure our basic survival.  Our educational system is designed to create good workers who will slot into jobs and careers later in life—not to empower fiery, creative people who are forging the path ahead together.

Our social contracts exist to perpetuate the status quo—not to encourage our highest potentials to blossom. Is it any wonder why so many people’s best attempts to evolve themselves and our culture fall short of the goal? We simply haven’t been trained in how to bring the possible future into the present.

It’s not that they don’t have the talent or interest to live purposeful, meaningful life. The issue is far simpler. People struggle to activate their “purpose code” because they haven’t woken up to–or are only partially awake to–our situation as a human race. Most people hold on to old, limiting beliefs of themselves and our human story. Overwhelmed by all the changes in the world around them, most people live their lives within a “small story,” and therefore confine themselves to a “small self.” That’s why so many people feel that they don’t have a purpose, or that they aren’t able to actually *live* the life they were born to live.

There is a saying that “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” I believe that it is butterfly time. Just as the guidance cells in the mush that is the caterpillar in its cocoon suddenly begin to activate the transformation of mush into butterfly, so too this is the time when we realize that the guidance or imaginal cells of our bodies, our communities, and, yes, even of the cells of our planet are calling us to come together in all our parts to form something gorgeous, interdependent, living lightly on the Earth, cross pollinating cultures, ideas, spiritual forms, glowing with the light that suffuses us, becoming transparent to transcendence. And to rise out of the mush we have been caught in these many hundreds of years and to take flight in the air of the new story which is emerging in our time.

For the fields we traverse, the many flowers of mind states and soul knowings we now enter are those that belong to the whole, earth, to many cultures, to what I am calling PanGaia. And as the butterfly pollinates and cross pollinates from place to place, flower to flower, so do we also if we have the will and the willingness to discover our purpose and be part of this extraordinary moment in time.

Three Keys to Empowering New Beliefs

The first key to activating your life’s purpose is to hold new beliefs about yourself and about your role in the Great Story of where humanity is headed.

Living a great life, requires that you understand the challenges and opportunities of our moment in history. To understand this for myself, I’ve gathered information from my work in over 100 countries and 40 different cultures and what I’ve discovered has served as a sure guide on my path. Specifically, I have found five great shifts in our understanding of the story of our time that are affecting everything we do today. I believe that awakening to the power of these shifts will help you cultivate your sense of compassion and of the infinite possibilities of this moment.

The five shifts are:

• Our understanding of who and what we are and what we need to become in order to be able to deal with the complexity of our time is evolving.
• Human societies are in the process of re-patterning. Social constructs are dissolving and whole new stories are trying to emerge, such as the rise of women to a full partnership with men across the globe, and many others.
• How we conduct business and governance is shifting in the midst of vast ecological and financial changes. This is perhaps the most important social event of the last five thousand years, because these issues impact almost everything in our lives.
• The rise and fusion of different cultures–we are swiftly moving towards a planetary civilization that accentuates the uniqueness of each culture while blending them together. Think of the great fusions of food and of music and of beliefs.
• Whole new orders of spirituality are emerging that are not about religion. The new cosmologies are giving us a view of ourselves that we never had before. For the first time ever, we find that we don’t just live in the universe, but that the universe lives in us.

This journey begins by letting go of old beliefs and patterns to make room for the new beliefs and capacities that will empower you to awaken to and live your higher purpose.

The Second key allows you to discover and realize the vast field of inner intelligences—using multiple means of knowing and being in order to gain insight into life at a level to which that most people rarely have access.

These skills are to be found on four levels of your human capacity, sensory-physical, psychological-emotional, mythic-symbolic, and unitive-spiritual. As you learn how to utilize the extraordinary capacities to be found at each of these levels you literally move into new ways of being. For example, you will learn how to play with time in such a way as to take five minutes and experience it internally as hours—these are “hours” you can use to develop a skill or move a project forward.

You will learn to access “inner experts”, willing helpers or personas that will help you navigate the complexity of life with elegance and confidence.

The third key gives you the means to break free from unconscious, habitual ways of reacting to life that were born thousands of years ago, and embrace higher ways of being for a new era.

You will discover ways to move through life with ebullience in your bones and an appetite for celebration—seeing everything as an expression of the Creator. You will move through life, motivated not by guilt or obligation, but by gratitude and an abiding zest for doing the things that are called forth by living out of your higher purpose.

Dr. Jean Houston is presenting a FREE 75 minute downloadable audio seminar entitled 3 Keys to Discovering and Living Your True Purpose Available Now at www.DestinyandYou.com .

Dr. Jean Houston is a Scholar, Philosopher and one of the foremost visionary thinkers and doers of our time. She is considered one of the principal founders of the Human Potential Movement. A powerful and dynamic speaker she has served as consultant to several agencies of United Nations including UNICEF and the UNDP. She has worked in over 100 countries training leadership at every level to enhance skills and purpose so as to bring a new mind to bear upon challenging issues. A prolific writer and author of 26 books including A Passion for the Possible and The Mythic Life, Dr. Houston has recently joined the faculty of Evolving Wisdom, today’s fastest growing global e-learning company specializing in transformative education, to provide her wisdom online in a cutting edge format.
www.DestinyandYou.com

If you’d like to find “the one” (or you already have), and you want to spend the rest of your life blissfully together…

You already know that it’s not as simple as just meeting the right person.

Relationships can get stale, boring, or some of your partner’s “bad habits” will begin to really annoy you…

If you’re experiencing this right now or have been tormented by it in the past, it might be that you don’t have enough
“Wabi Sabi Love” in your relationship.

Get Free Access to the Videos Here

What the heck is “Wabi Sabi Love”?

(No, it’s not some kinky, sex position).

“Wabi Sabi Love” is the secret to long-lasting, loving relationships.

My friend, bestselling author & relationship expert Arielle Ford, just shot a free video series about it.

And she’d like to share it with you, whether you’re married, in a relationship or seeking your soulmate.

You can watch it here…

All new romances start off alike:

- You can’t keep your hands off each other…
- You can’t wait to see each other…
- Everything they do is cute or endearing…

But over time, the first two slow down -
and you’re OK with that…

Those “habits” that were once cute or endearing…

They start to really bug you.

Drive you up the walls.

Crazy, even.

It can be him leaving towels or dirty laundry everywhere…

Or playing the TV too loud…

Or leaving little messes in the kitchen.

But here’s the trick. By adding some “Wabi Sabi Love” into your relationships, you can actually “change” these habits!

Get the Video Series Now

“Wabi Sabi Love” has helped couples stay married for 40, 50 even 80 years or more…

Imagine how your life would change if you could find a way for those blissful feelings of love to endure in your relationship forever…

Wabi Sabi Love is the solution!

Make sure you watch the videos here:

Sincerely,

Matthew Welsh

When was the last time you seized the chance to be spontaneous? The SoulPancake Street Team heads to a bus stop to inspire some on-the-spot celebration! Check out the video below of some people who take some unexpected time out of their day just to celebrate life…

Rick Bognar is the author of “Wrestling with Consciousness,” a book contrasting and comparing the inside world of pro wrestling that he spent 10 years in to a spiritual awakening that he has been experiencing for the last 10 years. I had the pleasure of interviewing Rick about his experience as a professional wrestler, insights on how we can live a more meaningful and compassionate life style, and what prompted him to seek out a deeper spiritual path. You can listen to our entire 15 minute conversation by pressing the play button and also read some highlights from our interview below.

For more information on Rick and his book “Wrestling with Consciousness,”please visit his web site at http://www.razorricktitan.com

Matt: What is your book about?

Rick: An uplifting autobiographical story of a pro-wrestler forced to leave behind the only life I knew and adapt to “normal” life after the “Game”. This was achieved through the practice of Buddhism and other spiritual practice. Follow me on a liberating journey of compassion, finding self-love and love for others after walking a deep dark path. Much of my story is based on the emotional suffering as an athlete and entertainer and how I achieved a graceful transition after the fame and fortune had disappeared.

Matt: What is the message of your book?

Rick: How we, as humans, can move away from the dark side of life and spot the light at the end of the tunnel while still in despair. I suggest tools to use, which have assisted me with my mental strength and resolve as I attempted to climb my own “Inner Mountain™.” These tools will help my readers let go of old habits and thought patterns then rewire those thoughts through focusing on aspirations of who and how they want to be, setting very personal goals and working happily towards them.

Matt: What was it like being a professional wrestler who was also interested in spirituality?

Rick: At the time of wrestling, I blocked it. I felt that life could and should be different but my current life situation and environment at that time would not allow for it. I had to “play the role” in order to be a success. I let my family down and in turn myself by pushing to be a tough, uncaring stereotype. It was considered a sign of weakness to be caring and compassionate in the industry. I learned to be passive aggressive and not show my feelings, never opening up and never trusting anyone. I engulfed myself in solitude.

I had sensed there was a higher path and felt a gut pull toward reaching for deeper meaning but the competitive, superficial environment I was immersed in sidetracked me. I always had a natural gravitation towards compassion and peace in life but at this point, it was just a feeling I had not put into practice yet.

Matt: Did you find it difficult to move from a life of ego, aggression and being ‘things’ and task oriented to one of egolessness, compassion and deeper-meaning oriented as a professional wrestler?  How were you able to do that?

Rick: Yes, it was a slow process. Coming from a way of life where my value as a human being was judged by how physically powerful, aggressive and dominating I was, how many fans I drew or how much I made for others. I became an Automatron. I also became a nervous wreck. I knew I was only as good as my last match and this was my value as a human being. “What have you done for me lately?” made me strive to be bigger, better and more innovative than other competitors in the spotlight. I became very, very proud of being a top guy. A lot of Ego went along with that. I would look at myself at one point at 29 years of age and say “Is this really all there is to life? There’s got to be more.” Suddenly, my mind opened up to the possibility of the opposite. If all of this Ego stroking was making me miserable, then wouldn’t the opposite make me happy? It was something I knew but didn’t know why. I did not yet know how to practice it due to the mental gripping of “I am so important” and “People treat me like a King.” This was my daily thought routine which would steer me away from dropping Ego.

Compassion came when I realized how such a huge sense of self-inflated importance hurt others as well as myself. Currently, I know a millionaire who is deluded of the same affliction. Without money, without muscles, without being on TV would you or others think you were so important? No. No one would listen to you unless you cared about others.

During my last year of wrestling, I learned to get past myself and show interest in others. I read philosophy by Plato and The Book of Buddha afterwards and made it a practice to be interested in and show empathy toward others. This is hard to do when I was in the spotlight. It was always all about me. Not others. Age and maturity have helped progress the journey! I have also learned that getting angry is just a self-centred weapon of control. Most times it only hurts the person serving up the poison. We harbour anger within. It poisons only us. Others do not feel it. If we lash out, we time-release a toxin that eats us alive. We wallow in it for a long time. Guilt, self blame and regret follows. Damage control and endless apologies are the external side.

Matt:  How do you balance letting go of aggression, ego and being ‘things and task oriented’ with still following your passions and trying to achieve your goals, especially as a professional wrestler?

Rick: It is very hard to get a sense of letting go, while being pressured by the promoters and the fans to always out do myself. Both of these people fully expect a new improved caliber of workmanship each time I would perform. Being involved in Professional wrestling is an extremely tense and intense lifestyle. I did not have much time to relax because I was always “On” and when I did, I could not relax. I came to the conclusion “I need to get out of this business to be who I want to be.” I have seen my Yogachariya friend get pushed for quotas before and noticed how peacefully, step by step he handled these situations. I have learned how to step back but still take action in a detached manner which seems to work.

Passion is good, but anything to excess becomes unhealthy. One could become a workaholic or a sex addict for example. If passionately in love or passionately angry both are just one step across a very thin line. They are the opposite but yet so close.

Matt: How were you able to let go of your aggression and ego and still maintain the focus needed to be a professional wrestler?

Rick: It was very hard to stop wrestling and get out of that toxic environment. For every step forward, it became two steps backward.

Matt: What sparked you to try to find a more spiritual path or deeper meaning in life?

Rick: I had a deep yearning to escape the emotional suffering of loneliness, my fragile Ego and my strong ignorance. Buddhism had the right answers to my questions at the time. I felt I was on the right path and continued on it.

Matt: What advice do you have for other people who are aggressive, but would like to live a more compassionate life style?

Rick: First, practice awareness. Be aware of your inappropriate or hurtful anger. Be honest with yourself. This can be hard. Old patterns are hard to change. Pay attention to your gut. If it feels bad, it usually is bad.

Find the antidote. Try to turn negativity into something positive whether it be about a person or situation. For example, take a traffic jam. Instead of being angry and upset think of it as possibly saving you $160 on a speeding ticket!

Search, study, learn and practice. If you want to learn math, study math. If you want to learn compassion, study Jesus, Buddha, Mother Theresa, and the Dalai Lama.

Matt: How can we maintain our spiritual practice while in environments that don’t lend to keeping our emotional fitness?

Rick: My teacher had taught me years ago that spiritual practice isn’t going into a cave in the mountains, becoming a Hermit and meditating for the rest of our life until we reach enlightenment.

Spiritual Practice is using the tools we’ve learned in challenging life situations with our children, family and jobs to maintain a sense of compassion and love no matter what the exterior circumstances are. That is what it is all about. Bringing our meditation and lessons with us and maintaining our integrity wherever we go.

I was challenged recently to start training an old wrestling student again as a favour. I found myself then getting caught up in old patterns. Ego and aggression stepped in a bit and I had to step into being the ‘Observer’ and practice discrimination with myself. “Is this who I want to be, or how I want to represent myself now?” I asked myself. The answer was a resounding “No!” and I went in next time as the ‘Witness’ to myself and came out in the same state of mind after the training that I had went in with!I even used that state *during* teaching! It made for a much deeper experience in class.

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Stripped of everything he held dear – executive position, money, status and most importantly family – Don Mordasini realized life was over as he knew it … as a stockbroker. As vice president of Dean Witter and Co. he learned the brutal truth of the old adage, “There is no free lunch on Wall Street.” Don had earned success the hard way – long hours and hard work. He knew the challenges of holding a demanding job, while parenting and partnering during good and bad times. The reward for his efforts was over. The “good” life had been cut short.

As a successful stockbroker Don hit the wall, so at mid life he began a psycho-spiritual quest that led to becoming a psychotherapist. He trekked the Himalayas, studied ancient scriptures and spent hours in spiritual practices under the guidance of his teacher in India…

I recently had a chance to interview Don about his journey and new book, Princes & Ogres: Integration of Psyche and Soul. You can listen to our entire interview by clicking the play button or read a portion of the transcript of our conversation which is copied below….

Matthew Welsh (MW): How did you come up with the title of your book, Princes and Ogres?

Don Mordasini (DM): I took the title from a Joseph Campbell myth “Prince Five Weapons.” A young prince (very pride-full) enters a deep forest and encounters an enormous beastly ogre. He is nearly vanquished in battle using weapons of his ego. As he faces death he calls upon deep wisdom and masters the ogre which then becomes his aide in guiding others through the forest.

MW: Your writing is very reader friendly since you intersperse personal examples with ancient stories. Is this why you decided to share your wisdom through ancient heroes and heroines?

DM: …the book is reader friendly because I use case histories of those I work with as well as stories about myself that make the book more than a catalogue of interesting wisdom stories. I like to show that we are heroes when we stand into the face of job loss, relationship breakdown and the trials that come our way. Most of the stories are from ancient sources to show that man has been in heroic battle against the projection of the ego since ancient times.

MW: Can you give me a sample of a brief wisdom story, the imbedded psychological theme and how someone actually applied it to their lives so listeners can get an idea of your book and its practical application.

DM: Yes, “The Snake That Wouldn’t Hiss” will give you an example of how we can benefit from wisdom stories and show how practical they are today.

One day a holy man wandered into a village. Following a brief rest and light meal a group of villagers sat around him eager to hear his wise stories and receive his blessings. The next day as he was ready to depart, the villagers advised him not to leave by a certain road because there was a vicious snake on that road that would bite him.  Ignoring their pleas he followed the dangerous path out of the village. Before long a hugh snake appeared and asked the holy man for some spiritual advice. Feeling sorry for the snake he gave his blessing and a bit of sound spiritual wisdom then continued on his way.

Sometime later following the saint’s advice the snake allowed the bravest of the children to touch and play gently with it. Children being children – became emboldened and starting playing rough with the gentle snake. The snake put up with this behavior because it wanted to be ‘holy’. Eventually the children began to abuse the snake hurling it around and stomping on it. Eventually the snake was left by the roadside for dead.

Many years passed and the holy man returned to the village. As he approached he heard a faint voice crying out for help. He failed to recognize the snake in its battered condition. He asked the snake what happened and the snake recounted the years of punishment it endured because it was advised not to bite anyone less it might jeopardize the welfare of its soul. It told the wise man it just wanted to be a simple spiritual snake.

The holy man was puzzled by the snake’s answer and shook his head. Then he replied, “You didn’t have to bite and hurt the children but you certainly could have hissed”.

The psychological message I write in Princes and Ogres is that we must develop boundaries to protect ourselves because we live in a material world and we must take responsibility for our own protection. We cannot pray and ask God to take care of the things we have resources to take care of our selves.

In Princes and Ogres… I point out that our ego protects us in many ways and we are required to draw boundaries, set limits, speak up and assert to get our needs met so life doesn’t walk over us.

I then tell the story of Naomi, a gifted psychic who failed to ask for payment for her services and often took calls late at night when she was exhausted to please her clients. She thought that being ‘spiritual’ people would understand her needs. She was dead wrong. After several meetings it was clear she was afraid to assert. Like our saintly snake, I told her that she needed to take care of herself. This simply meant setting limits with her clients that infringed on her privacy and asking for payment at the time of her readings. I stayed in touch with Naomi and occasionally would ask her, “Did you hiss.” She laughed and said that she put up a sign asking for payment at the end of each visit and set a work schedule she abided to.

MW: You abandoned your career as a stockbroker to pursue a life with more meaning. Have you been successful?

DM: There are two measures of success – material and spiritual. At the material level I have been supported and guided by mentors and received the grace to help others as a therapist and that has made my work materially rewarding.

At the spiritual level I have been rewarded beyond my dreams because my earlier belief in the sacred has been a most profound experience of the inner sanctum. In other words God or what we might call God has been a Consciousness that is as real for me as talking with you now.

MW: Knowing the challenges of holding a demanding job, while parenting and partnering during good and bad times, what do you feel is the best way to deal with today’s crippling economy?

DM: I have learned through my experience and the experience of others that every challenge has the seeds of personal growth and spiritual awakening. I actually believe trials are opportunities to accelerate or actually supercharge our individual growth. Moreover challenges are an invitation to go within and find the source and purpose of our existence.

MW: If there was just one message you could impart to readers what would it be?

DM: Don’t get stuck in ogre mind that knows nothing of other states of consciousness. Go deep within. The peace you sometimes feel – the love you experience – the compassion and connection to others you sometimes feel are finite experiences that emanate from a source of infinite peace – love – brotherhood and light that form the substratum of your being. The finite cannot create the infinite. The infinite creates the finite. You are one hundred percent a material being and one hundred percent a spiritual being.

Princes & Ogres: Integration of Psyche and Soul is available at http://donmordasini.com/. That web site also contains a free download of a sample chapter from the book along with many other useful articles and resources on practical ways to integrate your spirituality into your psychological, professional and personal lives.

I recently had the chance to interview Paldrom Collins about her new book A Couple’s Guide to Sexual Addiction: A Step-by-Step Plan to Rebuild Trust and Restore Intimacy. Below is a copy of our Q&A.

How can a couple build intimacy after trust has been broken?

Paldrom Collins: Rebuilding a relationship where trust has been broken by an infidelity
driven by sexual compulsivity (and further probably by the cover up of the infidelity), first, and most importantly, the partner who has been sexually compulsive needs to have the desire and willingness to stop the sexually acting-out behavior. If the desire and willingness to stop sexually acting out is not in place, then there is no basis from which to begin.

Secondly, the partner who has been betrayed needs to have the desire and willingness to go through the process of investigation with her partner. She has to have some desire to attempt to rebuild the relationship. She may not be certain of the ultimate outcome, but she needs to at least be willing to stay in this particular relationship dance.

Finally, both partners need to be willing to begin to look into the dynamics within the relationship system that are not working. When a couple is working with an issue like sexual compulsivity, they may tend to focus on “the problem,” which means that the relationship dynamics might not get the attention that will ultimately help both individuals.

That is why the partner with the issue of sexual compulsivity must take responsibility and make a commitment to working with the addiction. Generally, this means he needs to seek support from a counselor or a group. In addition to that individual attention, the couple can receive support in focusing on the dance of the relationship dynamics. Through this investigation a new level of intimacy can be revealed.

Trusting and being trusted is a part of the equation of love. Intimacy is built on trust and trust is built through truth-telling, by being trust worthy. When trust has been broken, it must be rebuilt by telling the truth, being able to live with your personal discomfort and vulnerability about revealing that truth, and by being able to live with your partner’s reactions.

How can a man get over his fear of intimacy?

Paldrom Collins:  First he needs to understand what intimacy is. We speak of intimacy as the capacity to reveal ourselves, as the willingness and desire to be completely real with another.

Revealing our hidden inner influences, being real and undefended, can be tricky because we can only be as true with another as we are undefended with ourselves. To the extent that we allow ourselves to be impacted by our partner, to be more fully aware of our inner workings, we allow ourselves an ever-deepening experience of intimacy. It is a cycle that builds on itself. The willingness to be exposed, to see, builds even greater intimacy both for our own inner workings and with our beloved.

Many of the men that we see here at Compulsion Solutions have never learned that sex can be so much more than simply having an orgasm. They did not have intimacy role-modeled for them. We find that men may be afraid of intimacy, but they also desire it. As humans we long to love and be loved even though many of us may not have a clue about how to do it.

Why did you write A Couple’s Guide to Sexual Addiction?

Paldrom Collins: There are so many couples who are now being impacted by sexual addiction or sexual compulsivity. We have seen hundreds of couples work with this problem and build lives and relationships that are better than they had even imagined was possible. We put together this step-by-step plan based on what we see working with our couples here at Compulsion Solutions. We included exercises and stories so that a couple reading this book could begin to find their way through the difficult task of healing a relationship that has been impacted by sexual addiction.

As a counselor who helps couples and individuals find greater intimacy, what are some common problems you see that hurt relationships and how do you help couples work through those problems?

Paldrom Collins: We see couples who are dealing with some form of infidelity. This, of course, is incredibly harmful to the trust and intimacy in the relationship. Once the partner who was acting out sexually stops that harmful behavior and the partner who was betrayed begins to be able to trust that the acting out has ceased, then we can begin the work of helping the couple find their way to true intimacy. In this way the bad thing that has come into their relationship can be used to open the door to intimacy in a way that might not have been revealed otherwise.

In today’s world, many relationships never attain true intimacy. For many people, the unhappiness they feel about their relationship is similar to having a small pain in the ankle that is not really hurting enough to do something about. Instead, they live with it. However, if the ankle was broken and the pain was excruciating, they would need to address it. Because these relationships have been “broken,” and the problem is being addressed, there is an opportunity to rebuild the relationship in a new way, to attain true intimacy.

By learning how to recognize patterns and habits of shame and blame, by learning how to tell the truth undefendedly, by gaining the capacity to work with strong feelings and emotions, and to re-work hidden influences from the past couples gain the capacity to interact with what we like to call skillful means and loving kindness.

Do you work with men and women differently? If so, how do you work with a male differently than a female on intimacy issues?

Paldrom Collins:  In working with the sexual addiction issues, the men generally need a kind of tough love, a mentoring guidance. They need to learn how to re-work the ways they automatically respond to hurt, anger, fear, and shame in compulsive and addictive ways. The women, the partners of the addicts, need to learn how to not take their partner’s problem personally, to not believe that they somehow have caused or can cure their partner’s problem. Once there is some stabilization in the relationship around the sexual acting out, then the work on building intimacy can truly begin. In this work the partners bring their hidden influences from the past into the present.

At times, each partner must leap into new and unknown territory of yielding to the other. This can be a challenge for any of us, both men and women. Surrendering control and taking full responsibility are required. It may seem like a paradox, but the two qualities work hand in hand. Intimacy is built through the capacity to maintain a sense of yourself while at the same time being able to have compassion in an undefended way for your partner’s needs and wants. The capacity to reveal the parts of yourself that feel the most ugly, weak, or vulnerable requires inner strength.

What advice would you have for single people who are trying to attract a partner who will create a strong and intimate relationship?

Paldrom Collins: The truth is we tend to attract precisely the partner we need, the perfect person who will reveal our unseen, as yet unrecognized barriers to intimate relationship. Being in intimate relationship is a master’s program of human interaction. The preparation for that (if it’s possible) is to begin the practice of learning how to be still in the middle of a storm. Any kind of meditative practice will help with that. Secondly, any kind of work that can be done that aids in bringing the unseen, unconscious influences of our naturally impulsive, instinctive protective mechanisms of fear, anger, and pain into view will aid in navigating the relationship path to build a strong and intimate relationship.

The best advice for entering into relationship is to trust yourself. Our loving attractions are a mystery. When they come along, the best you can do is jump on the ride and keep your eyes and heart open as wide as you can.

Any last remarks?

Paldrom Collins:  If you are reading this and having a difficulty in your relationship, please know that it is understandable that the capacities of courage, perseverance, faith, and strength are being tested. Please know that many, many people who have found themselves in a difficult relationship have been able to navigate their way to a more loving partnership. This does not mean you are going to reach some idyllic plateau where your relationship will have no difficulties. As it is with the weather, your life and relationship will continue to experience stormy times and those that are beautiful, sunny and loving. Through all this is absolutely possible for you to deepen the love and support between you and your beloved.

*******

Paldrom Catharine Collins is a former Tibetan Buddhist nun and co-author of A Couple’s Guide to Sexual Addiction: A Step-by-Step Plan to Rebuild Trust and Restore Intimacy. Working with her husband and sex addiction expert George Collins at Compulsion Solutions, Paldrom counsels individuals and couples across the country.

For the past seven years, through her depth of awareness, sensitivity, and her kind and compassionate qualities, she has been integral in helping individuals, couples, and groups find more love, deeper peace and meaning in their lives and closest relationships.

I recently hosted a Teleconference with Viki King on how to market inspirational and conscious books, movies and Web sites. Viki is a consultant and the best-selling author of How to Write a Movie in 21 Days – The Inner Movie Method. On our Teleconference, Viki discussed:

- How to Build It So They Will Come
- Beyond Social Networking
- The Magic of Cosmic Marketing

She also answered specific questions ranging from:

1. How to make it in the entertainment industry if you know NO ONE
2. How to get your project made and distributed if you have NO money
3. Viral marketing strategies

You can listen to the MP3 of the audio recording of this call by clicking the play button below, or use the MP3 Download link to download to your computer:

Viki King MP3 Download

P.S…I’ve ‘uncopyrighted’ this MP3…So, you can make copies of it and pass it on to friends who might benefit from this information too! =)

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” reminds us that human beings are capable of displaying and receiving compassion, hope and courage in the midst of the most tragic circumstances. The movie is about a 10-year old boy trying to make sense of his father’s death in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The boy finds a key in his father’s (played by Tom Hanks) closet and sets off an adventure to try to find out what that key literally and figuratively unlocks to see if his father was trying to leave him any final message.

One message that really struck me as I watched the movie was how important it is to be compassionate and forgiving of ourselves during tragedy. The 10-year old boy spends the whole movie questioning whether he could have done more for his father. This reminded me of how we, similar to the boy, often carry unnecessary guilt by questioning whether we could have done more to prevent or improve circumstances in our life that are out of our control. By the end of the movie, the boy has learned to be compassionate towards himself and let go of his guilt. This inspired me to let go of my need to question whether I should do more in certain situations in my life.

The other message that really impressed me was to be open to the goodness of humanity and kindness in others. The 10-year boy embarks on a dangerous journey walking across New York City on foot to meet with other people who might be able to tell him what the key unlocks. He puts his trust in the goodness of others that they might be able to help him. In return, we witness the kindness, compassion and goodness that complete strangers are capable of extending. This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by Dr. David Hawkins:

“Simple kindness to one’s self and all that lives is the most powerful transformational force of all. It produces no backlash, has no downside, and never leads to loss or despair. It increases one’s own true power without exacting any toll. But to reach maximum power such kindness can permit no exceptions, nor can it be practiced
with the expectation of some selfish reward. And its effect is as far reaching as it is subtle”

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” shows us the incredible power that is available to us when we practice extending love to our self and others and also practice receiving other people’s love.

This article is a guest post contributed by Guy Finley on Choosing to Rise above Yourself…

 Here is a great spiritual secret: the only time we ever “fail” at anything in our lives is  when we mistakenly walk away from what has challenged us before we’ve allowed it to  teach us its secret ways.

  Imagine we want to learn a new skill; for fun, let’s say we’d like to run the high hurdles (a   lot like life, isn’t it?). Perhaps we buy an instruction book; maybe go watch runners    compete at the track. A good beginning, but eventually we must learn by doing; we must    leap for ourselves. Our first attempts to sail over the hurdle usually fail. More than likely,  we crash! And we know we missed the mark because we’re on the ground. So, we pick  ourselves up. We try again. Maybe we try running at a different speed, or we work to better time our jump. And we progress because each time we come up short, we make changes. We have realized that part of what it takes to succeed requires that we let go of what hasn’t worked in our approach.

Here’s the point: the same laws that help us learn how to clear hurdles on a track (or anywhere else in life) also hold true when it comes to rising above ourselves. Making the leap to the Higher Life our heart longs for begins with coming to recognize and release the parts of us that now hold us down.

Let’s take an example: whenever we fall into a familiar dark state or recurring state of stress, we need to welcome these moments for what they can teach us about ourselves. Clearly, our aching in such moments is evidence that our past responses to similar crises are inadequate. That we are still crashing into these old hurdles proves that our past responses no longer serve us. We must let them go, because they can take us no higher. This is why the Wise ones see any crisis in life as a “close encounter of the truthful kind.” Which brings us to the main lesson:

We will never realize what heights we can reach in life until we stop blaming reality for what happens to us as we go through it. This deliberate break with the “blame game” is the first leap — especially as it pertains to crashing twice into the same place in life. Despite appearances, our pain is not because life has set the hurdle too high; no, we only “fall” into fear and judging ourselves when we fail to learn the lesson in the pain — which is something we are empowered to do. Once the lesson is learned, where’s the hurdle or our hurt? Behind us! Discovering the truth of ourselves has taken us above and beyond that former barrier. Let’s review:

A crisis only becomes a breaking point when we fail to use it as a turning point. And a “turning point” is just that: rather than fall into old resentments or regrets, instead of returning to that defensive mindset that believes blaming others is the same as changing ourselves — an action that changes nothing except what we lash out at — we learn to look in a whole new direction for correction.

Now we are learning what it means to use those times when we “fall” as a window of opportunity: to see that we have gone as high as we can with what we know; and then, right there we quietly let go of “who” we have been up to that point. Our wish and our inner work to actualize it sows for us the seeds of a Higher Life. And for our interior work is born in us a new level of self, one that never collapses before a crisis because it knows it lives in a world where nothing has to fall that chooses to rise.

(This article was excerpted from Guy Finley’s Let Go and Live in the Now: Awaken the Peace, Power, and Happiness in Your Heart<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=spirmediblo07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1590030702" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" / ).

Guy Finley is the best-selling author of The Secret of Letting Go, The Essential Laws of Fearless Living, and 35 other works that have sold over a million copies in 18 languages worldwide. His work has been featured on hundreds of radio and TV networks including NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, NPR, and PBS. Guy has spent the last 30 years showing individuals the authentic path to a higher life filled with happiness, success, and true love. Finley lives and teaches in Merlin, Oregon where he is Director of non-profit Life of Learning Foundation (www.GuyFinley.com).

By Jefferey Cavanaugh

Inspirational sports movies are a road that has been well traveled by directors for years. Films like Rocky and Rudy opened the floodgates to a stream of low quality inspirational sports films, which should be avoided like the plague. Occasionally a film comes along that manages to dodge the cliches and present a remarkable inspirational story with three dimensional characters, great dialogue, fantastic settings and actors. One such film is “Cinderella Man,” directed by Ron Howard and starring Russell Crowe and Renee Zellwegger. This movie touched me deeply and inspired some serious changes in my life.

What is “Cinderella Man” About?

This film is based on the life of the early 20th century boxer, James J. Braddock. This man was a talented and accomplished fighter during the height of the Great Depression. This film follows the ups and downs of his life and his family’s struggle with poverty. All throughout the film, Braddock has a calm dignity no matter what his circumstances, and faces death and hardship regularly to make sure that his family has a place to sleep and food to eat. While he accepts charity from the government, when he gets back on his feet he pays the money right back. Eventually his persistence pays off, and he wins a very big fight against the world heavyweight champion.

How is This Film Inspirational?

I took a number of lessons from this film that have helped inspire me to work through hardships I may face in life. James J. Braddock exhibits a calm dignity and style through the roughest situations and keeps himself together no matter what faces him. His steely determination at the height of the worst economic crisis this country has ever seen is awe inspiring at times, especially considering that before the Depression hit Braddock was a relatively wealthy man. When the market collapsed, he and his family were thrown into poverty. Yet while his physical assets and wealth were taken from him, he never loses sight of what was really important. Essentially, Braddock never really becomes poor because he never feels that he is.

Braddock’s undying love for his wife and children is also a very inspirational thread that runs through this film. Everything Braddock does is for his family. Everytime I watch this film I am inspired to live more for others and to make sure that everyone around me is as happy and comfortable as possible, regardless of the cost to my own happiness or status. “Cinderella Man” has affected me in a number of positive ways. This film may be inspirational for anyone who happens to be going through a hard time. The movie helps to remind us that no matter how bad we may have it, someone else could be much worse off. These factors combine to create an inspirational film for the ages. “Cinderella Man” manages to tug on your heartstrings while at the same time showing you an important message about life, family, and hardship.

This is a guest post written by Jefferey Cavanaugh. Jeffrey is an avid movie watcher and film buff in Hollywood CA. When Jefferey is not contributing to career resource sites such as DegreeJungle.com, he works as a writer full time and also spends a great deal of time watching film, television and stage productions.

By Pam Johnson

The underlying concept of spirituality alludes to some non-material plane. This is unavoidable. Therefore, when people claim to be “spiritual but not religious” they are either confused or holding an unfavorable opinion about today’s organized monotheistic religions. For those in whom the latter holds sway, this article will explore spiritual tools that can be used right now to enhance one’s feeling of spiritual progress and fulfilling inner journey. Some readers may have trouble with spirituality’s claim that all humans are endowed with soul or spirit. That assessment need not be a spiritual roadblock! The tools listed in this article do not depend on previous spiritual knowledge or ideological upbringing.

Wisdom of the Enneagram

The Enneagram, in the simplest terms, is a geometric figure that stands-in for ways of interpreting reality. As such, the Enneagram is a personality inventory and instrument for identifying one’s shortcomings, realizing their limited potential, and transcending those spiritual barriers. The idea behind the Enneagram is to clue people in to underlying habits that may be holding back their intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and even occupational progress. The Enneagram is used in business settings, much like the Myers-Briggs Typology Inventory, but its history and mission runs much deeper than mere HR tool.

More than Hype?

The Enneagram came into being thanks to the efforts of Oscar Ichazo. In the Enneagram’s current incarnation, users will select one of nine points on a geometric figure representing the Enneagram, which is shorthand for ways of viewing reality. Each of the nine points contains the following: characteristic roles; fears and vices; ego fixations; and, finally, virtues. For all of its apparent simplicity, the Enneagram actually goes much deeper than conventional personality inventories as the Enneagram is concerned with one’s underlying motivations. By uncovering these underlying, some might say unconscious, motivations, users and spiritual seekers will understand the core reasons why they act out the roles they do.

The Enneagram in Action

A link providing more preliminary information germane to the Enneagram will be affixed to the bottom of this article but perhaps some examples can provide a fuller picture of the Enneagram’s presence in everyday reality. Although the Enneagram concedes that users may find themselves on different planes of development and psychological health, it effectively marks nine ways of seeing the world.

Type Five Example

Each way has benefits and shortcomings, insights and blind spots. For instance, within the Enneagram theory, type five has an overwhelming fear of being invaded. A type five will respond to that fear by collecting information. In many ways, the type five personality resembles the withdrawn scientist. As such, the type five’s basic desire is mastery; the quest for mastery makes the type five feel more secure about an uncertain external world. Within Enneagram theory, the five feels as though by attaining mastery, they will overcome indefinable existential malaise. As with all types, fulfilling the desires and ego fixations of the particular type does not ultimately grant spiritual peace. So what’s the answer?

Beauty of the Enneagram

The true merit to the Enneagram is allowing people access to their unconscious drives and impulses that, at times, undermine spiritual development. As any type follows their ego script, they may feel a temporary, emotional benefit but remain oblivious to larger spiritual implications of their being. The Enneagram’s crowning achievement is showing people their script or perpetual role such that they may overcome habitual patterns. Only when their type’s limited reality tunnel is seen with total clarity can it be transcended. This vision is the beginning of spiritual progress.

Author Pam Johnson studies religion of all types with her sociology degree. She shares her findings on her blog and is also a contributing writer for Best Sociology Programs <http://www.bestsociologyprograms.com>

Enlightenment is a TV show about “A self-destructive woman who has a spiritual awakening who becomes determined to live an enlightened life, creating havoc at home and work.” – IMDB…

It stars Laura Dern, Luke Wilson and Diane Ladd.  I recently had a chance to interview Diane about Enlightenment and its second season premiere, which is tomorrow, Sunday, January 13 on HBO at 9:30 p.m. Diane Ladd, an actress, director, writer, author and producer is a 3x Emmy and 3x Oscar nominee and the winner of twenty seven international awards, including the British Academy Award, the Independent Spirit Award and the Eleanor Duse Award.

You can listen to our interview by pressing the play button below.  Or, you can download an MP3 of the interview by right-clicking the text below that says “Right-click here to download Diane Ladd Interview”…

RIGHT-CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD DIANE LADD INTERVIEW

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By Grandmaster Shailesh

Now that the thirteenth “baktun”, or calendrical cycle, of the Mayans has ended and their calendar has reset, I hope we don’t have to wait for another doomsday prophecy to encourage us to practice yoga. May be it is not that the prophecy was wrong, but perhaps it is that our understanding of the prophecy was partial? Maybe the Mayan prophecy heralded a shift in the mindset of the citizens of the world; a shift towards mindfulness, maybe?

Isn’t Yoga about mindfulness as well? No wait. Isn’t Yoga about contorting the body into pretzel- postures called “asanas” to test and perhaps improve the body’s flexibility? That’s what the Yogi-model on the front page of the savvy yoga magazine seems to be doing – striking a cool pose which seems very difficult, almost impossible, for the average Jane or Joe to contort into. And, by the way, what actually is the purpose of contorting the one’s body into these “asanas”? Does a Yogi aspire to be the ultimate gymnast and, by the way, how does this help with the “mind stuff”.

As one takes the first step into the world of Yoga, one hears from their pseudo-experienced yoga buddy that Yoga in Sanskrit means “union”.

“Huh! Union of what?”
“Union of the self with the spirit.”
“Ahh…OK. But what is the self and what is the spirit?”

Well, the self is what you call as “I” and the spirit is what this “I”, and also the other “I”s and the whole Universe is made of.

What happens when this “I” forms a union with that which this “I” is made of? Fulfillment is found. Completion is achieved. In other words, we start experiencing life in a way that we have never experienced before. Aha…so that’s the purpose of Yoga – the peak experience of eternal oneness with life. Wow! So can all this be achieved by getting into some difficult to get into postures?

As one delves a little deeper into the 5000 years old philosophy of Yoga, one finds that “asanas” are just a part of the whole. Finding balance in a posture helps us find balance our breath. When the breath is balanced, the “prana” or the life-energy within us becomes balanced. And when the energy within us is balanced, the mind becomes balanced! So that’s the body-breath-life-energy-mind connection. You still one, the other becomes still, and then the other and eventually the ultimate stillness is achieved. And in the ultimate stillness something miraculous happens. The self plugs into its spirit. It becomes One. Union happens. Completion happens. Fulfillment becomes. At first, it’s almost like trying to plug a car charger into your mobile phone while driving the car – the car is moving, the hands are shaking, the heart is worried and the mind is distracted. However, how easy it becomes when the car is parked, the hands are stable, the heart is relaxed and the mind just enjoys the relief that the phone will not run out of charge when you need it the most. The car is your posture, the hands are your incoming and outgoing breaths and the phone is your personal energy. Get the point?

The ancient Yogis kept experimenting and refining the “asanas”. Evolved Yogis from other planes visited them and helped the latter’s research (spooky or cool?). Mastering all the “asanas” was not the best way to experience the union. In fact, mastering all the “asanas” was impossible. The “Dyhan-bindu-upanishad”, a treatise on Yoga, states that there are as many “asanas” as there are living species. Now, according to the Hindu philosophy there are 84,00,000 living species which presents the possibility of as many “asanas”.

The Yogis who were focused on the ultimate experience of union of the self with spirit, found that if they could master the breath directly, they could master the life force and the mind much quicker. They further realized that a Guru (an adept Yogi) could directly transmit His or Her life-energy to a disciple and accelerate the disciple’s mental progress towards the ultimate experience. Wow! Mind technology at its best! Some Gurus could even project their mind onto the disciple’s mind to teach by direct experience. Talk about show and tell!

So Yoga evolved through practice, realization gained from the practice, and the reinvestment of that realization back into the practice. God’s grace supported the Yogis’ effort.

Today, there are many disciplines of Yoga available to the discerning seeker. Classically, Yoga is one of the six orthodox “āstika”, or “believer in the Vedas”, schools of Hindu philosophy, which, according to the “Yogatattva Upanishad”, is divided into four forms – Mantrayoga, Layayoga, Hathayoga and Rājayoga.

Mantra Yoga involves respectful and attentive repetition of a Guru-given mantra to energize and focus the mind.

Laya Yoga involves respectful and attentive repetition of a Guru-given mantra combined with other yogic practices. Many times, very potent seed mantras are used to dissolve the mind and the soul to merge into the spirit. This intense practice also includes Hatha Yoga to purify the yogi’s body and the mind.

Hatha Yoga involves practicing and maintaining, by willpower, physical postures and breathing patterns. The original purpose was to please the spirit. Due to the focus on the physical aspect of this Yoga, some in the West call it “butt” yoga – the primary purpose having shifted to body sculpting.

Rājayoga, or the Royal Yoga, is the highest form of Yoga, which incorporates all Yoga disciplines into a framework to speed up the union of the self with the spirit. It is geared towards Kings, householders, professionals, businesspersons and military persons i.e. non-ascetics. The most popular framework is “Ashtānga” meaning eight-limbed and is based upon eight principles. There are other Raja Yoga frameworks such as Kriya Yoga, which is one of the fastest ways to achieve the ultimate union. Divine Heart Center teaches Raja Yoga in a framework suitable for modern times and integrated with Reiki – an energy healing and self-realization technique. The purpose is to let the Yogi self-heal first and then self-realize.

And then, of course, some teachers have created their own brand of Yoga to express their individuality through Yoga – so you will find “John’s Yoga” etc.

Yoga is a practice. This practice was ultimately intended to help the self realize it’s full potential as the spirit – nothing less. So pick a style suitable to your temperament. Yoga will evolve you to the extent that you desire and deserve. If you want a fabulous “butt” then Yoga will deliver it to you through practice. If you desire a direct experience of the spirit, then Yoga will deliver that to you as well through an authentic Guru. Yoga will also deliver mindfulness if that’s what you seek. Such is the greatness of this practice. The practice of Yoga is a testament to the wisdom of India – eternal yet ever new.

Dear ones, in 2013, I hope you find a true Yoga Master.

This article was a guest post written by Grandmaster Shailesh from the Divine Heart Center. The Divine Heart Center teaches on the practices of Reiki Raja Yoga to enable its followers to self-heal and self-actualize. Under the instruction of Grandmaster Shailesh, the Divine Heart Center provides its students with assignments and teachings to heal health, career and relationships. Visit the Divine Heart Center at http://www.divineheartcenter.com/ or call 1-877-HEAL (4325).