All One Mind

David Narby - Chapter 12 - Full Circle

2026-09-27T17:16:52.588+01:00

In the beginning, I had reluctantly followed Mi-Li-Sam’s advice, but as I got into the spirit of ‘touring’ I really began to enjoy myself. What was very strange at first was the way the natives would talk to me about anything without any formal introductions. It was all banter, no appointments and no agendas and most importantly, a load of laughs. What started out as a one or two week break wound up being three months.

Irish people are inclined to ask a lot of questions and in the beginning I didn’t know how to respond to what I did in life. Eventually, I just made up the first thing that came to my mind. Their usual response was ‘maryah’ or ‘mar dhea’ implying that the listener knew I was bluffing.

Towards the end, thoughts of GF began to intensify, and eventually I decided I better pay them a visit. On Thursday, as usual, I entered the common room. The place was deserted, no people, no furniture and totally bare walls. I stood still and wondered what had happened. While I stood there trying to make up my mind what I was going to do I heard voices coming from the therapy room.

I knocked gently on the door and went in. Wow! The room was beautifully decorated with twelve chairs in a circle. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best and all were looking great. I was greeted with a chorus of “Hello David, Welcome Back, Hope you enjoyed your holidays!”

I thanked them all and said that I had a great holiday and continued with, “Ireland is a great country, the people are so friendly, so much banter and craic as well as some very wise observations. Despite the unwritten rule of ‘No politics, No religion and No sex’ I’d say that some of my conversations touched on the deeper spiritual nature of the country.”

Smigs elucidated, “The unique ‘spiritual energy’ associated with Ireland is deeply tied to its landscape, ancient history, and cultural traditions. In Celtic lore, this phenomenon is often referred to through the concept of "Thin Places"—locations where the barrier between the physical world and the spiritual realm (or the "Otherworld") feels especially permeable.

Whether viewed through the lens of folklore, geology, or personal experience, Ireland's spiritual atmosphere is generally felt not as an intense, overwhelming power, but as a quiet, atmospheric "thinness" built on thousands of years of uninterrupted human interaction with the landscape.”

I thanked Smigs and asked, “What is going on here, where have all the patients gone?”

Will said, “The patients have all been moved to an isolated corner of the campus up on the hill. This building is scheduled to be demolished tomorrow and a new office block built in its place. A lot has happened while you were away. We’ve all been discharged as ‘fit for society’.”

I exclaimed, “And where will we meet on Thursdays?”

Amisa said, “David, I don’t think that there will be any more meetings. We were asked to set up the room with twelve chairs even though we believed there would only be seven of us here today. The message that we’ve been getting is that today is about endings.”

I was about to ask what the hell was going on when Ruishk, Mi, Li, and Sam entered the room beaming. The room turned into a melee of hugs, kisses and greetings. After things had settled down a bit Ruishk asked us all to take a seat. I wound up sitting in the black chair with the white chair opposite me empty.

I was bewildered with this turn of events and asked Ruishk what was going on. He replied that I needed to wait, as we were still missing one person. I looked around for a few minutes and wondered who it was. Just as I realised that Helen was the only one missing she walked in the door. She looked radiant and very relaxed. She sat down in the chair opposite me.

Ruishk said, “The Crazy Cabal has reached the end of its usefulness. Your time together has served its purpose. You have all learned much in your time together. David has achieved what he needed to with your help. He has still one task to do before moving on, and we are all here to help him with it. Before that I’d like to give each of you a chance to say....”

I interrupted, “What’s going on here? What is all this talk about endings? And most importantly, what is this one task?”

Mi answered, “David, do you remember what happened in Rome that set you off on your ‘runaway awakening?”

I replied, “I vaguely remember meeting an older man that did something to me that set me off.”

Li said, “That older man is you!”

My head nearly exploded. My heart started racing. Was I having a meltdown? I closed my eyes. From behind, someone put their hands on my shoulders and I began to calm down. I opened my eyes and Helen was standing behind me.

Sam said, “Davy, you were in a very sorry state when you came out of the Vatican and the timing was right to put you on a different path. We all needed to gather together to boost your energy enough for you to take the trip back.”

Will asked if I was able to continue. I said that I needed a while to get my head around all of this.

Ruishk said, “Has anybody anything they’d like to share with us?”

The room went totally still and silent. The atmosphere seemed to be filled with Peace and Love.

Will said, “Thank you David, It’s been a pleasure working with you! You have come a long way in dismantling your ego. You’ve found ways to get through or around that ‘fifty foot of concrete’. Keep in mind that the ego will not give up easily and that you still have a long way to go. It is not a struggle but a gentle undoing and your dreams will help you.”

Clivid said, "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. I think, thanks to you, that I’m truly born again.”

Darukin said, “Well David, you Runaway Awakening has worked. You’re awake. Well done.

Smigs said, “Your holiday made you aware of the nature of ancient Ireland. Go and explore it.

Charlie said, “If you pull off this return we’ll make you an honourary Shaman of Ancient Mexico.”

Amisa said, “Wow, David, I know that this is over. Thank you for everything. I hope we meet again sometime.

Helen said, “Your questioning and influence awakened something in me that has led to my own awakening. May we meet again. Thank you very much.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “OK, boyo, are you ready to go?”

Ruishk said, “Hold up. We’re in Ireland and you can’t finish this up without a drink!”

At that, he produced twelve glasses and a bottle of Irish whiskey. It wasn’t just any old Irish whiskey. It was Midleton Rare. He poured a handsome measure into each glass and passed them around the room as he said, “This is not a bottoms up kind of whiskey. This is a sip and savour every drop kind.

Here’s to the Crazy Cabal.

Here’s to David N’Arby.

Go dtaitní an ghrian go te ar d’aghaidh, agus go gcasfar le chéile arís sinn.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “David, when this is over you will be returning to a new location in Ireland. You have mind travelled, but this time you are bringing your whole self, body and all.”

I sipped my whiskey. It was definitely the best whiskey I’d ever had. As I finished the glass I could feel myself getting very warm. I felt that my body was glowing. As I closed my eyes, a great peace descended on me and I could feel the room thinning around me…

I opened my eyes and I was standing by the Vatican Obelisk. I looked around and saw David walking across St. Peter’s Square with his head buried in his chest like it was the end of the world. I stepped into his path and asked, “What happened in there?”

He reacted like he might have recognised me but shook it off. He said,

“My career is finished. The Vatican had insisted that they could veto the publication of my research in their archives. My article undermined some of their cherished beliefs. Not only did they veto it but they threatened that if any of it surfaced anywhere they would kill me. They mentioned excommunication. They said that they would spread the word that I’m prone to exaggeration and mis- and dis-information. My career is over.”

I said, “So, you’re at a loose end! Would you be interested in a new life path?”

David said, “There is no going back. So, yea, I’m willing to try anything.”

I taught him how to let his steps be guided and as he walked away I gave him a gentle punch between the shoulder blades. His steps seem to become lighter and he started whistling as he zig-zagged out of the square.

I sat with my back to the obelisk. As I looked around I realised that we had come full circle.I closed my eyes and felt the world close in around me. I could feel a freshness developing around me and I lingered in it for a long time. I opened my eyes and I was in a beautiful green valley crouched in a horseshoe of mountains. I heard singing all around me.

“Welcome Home, David.”

David Narby - Chapter 11: Warring Factions Continued

2026-09-04T16:46:32.182+01:00

That evening, all four of them called at my house: Mi-Li-Sam and Ruishk. They didn’t engage in any small talk, no conversations about the weather, or enquiry into how I was; they just got straight to the point.

Ruishk said, “David, you have been in the doubting doldrums. You haven’t written anything in yonks.”

I replied, “That’s right, I’m not sure that I want to write about this stuff anymore. I’m stalled. After my initial burst of strange and exciting experiences, nothing seems to be happening anymore. It seems like they happened years and years ago. When I sit down to write about them, I begin to doubt that they were real. And yes, I know, you all warned me this would happen. And I do remember your warnings, but it’s not the same when I’m actually experiencing this state of ‘ennui’. I’m listless and dissatisfied.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “David, you’re missing the buzz, the excitement you had when your previous occupation took you all over the place. You had well-established routines, your work was provided for you, you were constantly on the go. Now, there is no boss looking over your shoulder, no public waiting for your next story, and you have to motivate yourself.”

I said, “Don’t I know? There are times when I sit here and berate myself for giving up my great career.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “Wow, David, you really are in the depths of doubt. That’s not unusual. We all go through this. Why are you having so much trouble writing about the experiences you had?”

I said, “I’m not really sure. They don’t seem so relevant any more.”

Ruishk said, “But you can still remember them. You still think about them.”

I replied, “Yes, I do. Sometimes I purposely recall them, but most of the time they just pop into my head.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “Because you still have something to learn from them. Pick anyone you like and tell us about it.”

I began to think about which of my experiences I would like to recount. And then, one just popped into my head. I said, “ I’m walking in the desert carrying someone on my back...”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “Whoa, David, sorry to interrupt. Please be specific; you were not just carrying anyone.”

“OK,” I said, “I was carrying the pope. We were crossing a desert. I had the pope across my shoulders. He felt like a dead weight; we never spoke a word to each other. I kept walking and walking. It seemed to go on for days. I didn’t get thirsty or hungry. Even though I felt tired and hot, I kept going and going. As time went by, the pope seemed to get heavier and heavier. I felt that no matter how heavy he got, I’d keep carrying him. After what seemed like forever, I began to see the outlines of mountains away in the distance. Even though I had no idea when or why I set out, I was convinced that the mountains were the Pyrenees and that they were my destination. I had to get the pope to those mountains.

Eventually, I reached the mountains and found a way inside. I went into a room with windows that had wonderful views in all directions. Immediately, I dropped the pope with a big sigh of relief. Other people were in the room, and they all congratulated me on dropping the pope. I thought it was strange that they didn’t congratulate me on the daunting trek I had just endured.”

Ruishk asked, “Why did you think it strange that they didn’t praise you for your trek?”

I replied, “I thought that they would be delighted that I had carried such an important personage all the way across the desert.”

He asked, “And how did that make you feel?”

I said, “I was disappointed; I thought I had done a great job despite the hardship of the journey.”

Mi-Li-Sam asked, “What did you learn from this experience?”

I replied, “Not to expect reward or recognition for my endeavours.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “And that’s all.”

I nodded as I began to wonder what else I might have learned. I had always known that when I get an idea in my head or become committed to a project, I just won’t stop until it is completed.

Mi-Li-Sam continued, “Look at the characters in this experience. First there’s you that is limitless; without food or water, you kept going for days and days in a scorching arid desert. Then there’s the pope, a dead weight you were carrying on your shoulders.”

I interrupted, “I didn’t see the pope as a dead weight, even though that’s what it felt like. I was carrying a very important person to the safety of the mountains.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “That’s how your ego wants you to interpret it, as something very important that you cannot and should never drop. Remember, though, that all the people in the mountain congratulated you for dropping your burden. The way they saw it, you were carrying a load of useless baggage.”

I said, “The pope is not a load of useless baggage.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “To practising Catholics, the pope is neither useless nor baggage. In your experience, however, the pope represents an authority figure that keeps you doing things that don’t necessarily make any sense. You keep doing what it wants you to do, not what you really need to do, nor what is most useful in achieving your goal of peace and happiness.

Then, there’s the desert, a barren wasteland in which apparently nothing lives or thrives. Just like your ego-induced life of toil and servitude. A life that keeps you searching for things that you think will make you happy or get you recognition from other egos.

The mountains represent a higher state, a place where you can get above and beyond the ego’s wasteland. Did you recognise any of the people in the mountain?”

I replied, “No, but then I never do. Names are never used. All the people looked radiantly happy and peaceful. They smiled at me, and I felt right at home. They all seemed to be more advanced than me, and I remember thinking that they might be aliens.”

Mi-Li-Sam laughed as they said, “Egos are the aliens. You and all the other people in your experience are real radiant beings. Egos deal in images which all have names. Beyond ego-land there is no need for names because people “know” each other and realise that they are all one.”

There was silence for a while. I thought this was a much deeper interpretation of my experience than the one I had come up with. They looked at every facet of it and put it into the perspective of my new life and what I was up against in becoming free.

I said, “Thank you very much for that interpretation. As I see it now, the experience was about dropping or undoing my ego. I have faithfully followed my ego all my life, and it really has got me nowhere.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “That’s right. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Ruishk asked, “What happened to the pope when you dropped him?”

I answered, “I don’t know.”

Ruishk said, “We’ll leave now, David. Close your eyes and think about what became of the pope.”

Mi-Li-Sam said, “David, take a break from GF for a while. See some of this beautiful country, travel the Ring of Kerry, explore the Irish coastline, have some fun, and wherever you go, enjoy the view. Bye, David.”

When they had left, I closed my eyes and re-entered my experience. I was standing in the doorway of the room looking around at the people in it. I knew my task was done. Rather than consciously dropping the pope, I could feel him slipping off my back. It felt as if he was melting away. I turned around to look for him. He was gone.

God's Law: Rewrite of The Field's Living Room scene with a twist!

2026-03-28T19:15:00.000+00:00

The Yank says, "It’s the widow's field; she can sell it to whom she likes. It’s the law, the common law."

Bull replies, "There’s another law stronger than the common law, boy."

The Yank asks, "And what’s that?"

Bull aggressively proclaims "The law of the Land!! ..."

At this, Father Chris Doran stands up and angrily interrupts Bull.

"You may be referring to the Brehon Laws or some more ancient law, but you are in my house now, and you will listen to what I have to say." As he calms down, he continues, "When Jesus was being tested in the temple, he said there is only one law, and that is the Law of God."

The Bull and The Yank looked at each other and asked in unison "What's that, Father?"

The priest replied, "Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and love your neighbour as yourself."

Brehon Laws

2026-03-16T15:25:00.003+00:00

Is it Time to Go Back?

I discussed Sky People and Earth People in my post from 10 December 2025. (https://all1mind.blogspot.com/2025/12/forgiveness-ends-dream-of-conflict-here.html).

The Earth People codified their stewardship of the land and their dealings with each other in The Brehon Laws.

Brehon Law was Ireland's native legal system from ancient times until it was fully supplanted by English common law in the 17th century. Administered by a class of professional jurists called Brehons (Old Irish: brithemain), it was a highly sophisticated, restorative system that governed all aspects of Gaelic life.

Key Features of Brehon Law

Restorative Justice: Unlike modern penal systems, there were no prisons or police. Punishment focused on restitution and compensation (fines) rather than retribution or capital punishment, which was an absolute last resort.

Social Status: A person's legal rights and the value of their testimony were tied to their honour price (lóg n-enech), which was determined by their rank and status in society.

Rights of Women: Women held a distinct legal identity. They could own property, enter into contracts, and initiate divorce. In marriage, both partners often retained rights to the property they brought into the union.

Environmental Protection: Specific laws governed the management of the landscape, including detailed regulations on the care of trees and the protection of honeybees (Bechbretha).

Enforcement: The system was largely self-enforcing. If a defendant refused to pay a fine, the plaintiff could use methods like distraint (seizing property) or fasting (hunger striking) outside the defendant's door to shame them into compliance.

The Sky People Had Their Way

There is no single date or year when English common law "fully" supplanted Brehon Law. Instead, the process was a gradual encroachment over nearly 500 years, with the 17th century considered the pivotal period when the native Irish legal system was formally destroyed and replaced.

However, key legal decisions, political, and military events during the early 17th century effectively ended the authority of the Brehon Law:

1603: The Proclamation of King James I "received the Irish people into the King’s protection," signalling the formal end of the Brehon Law's authority and its replacement with common law throughout the country.

1605 & 1607 (The Definitive Judicial Blows): Two landmark court cases specifically rejected the core principles of Brehon Law:

Gavelkind (1605): A judicial decision that outlawed the Gaelic system of land inheritance.

Tanistry (1607): A court decision that abolished the Irish custom of electing successors to land, holding that it failed to meet the requirements of common law (i.e., that it was not reasonable).

1607 (The Flight of the Earls): This event removed the remaining patronage for the Brehons (native judges), as the last of the major Gaelic lords fled to the continent, marking the end of the traditional political order in Ulster.

Key Takeaways:

1169-1600s: The two systems coexisted, with common law largely confined to "The Pale" (Dublin and surrounds) for much of this time.
17th Century: The Tudor and Stuart conquests definitively eliminated the native law, replacing it with the English feudal land tenure system.
18th Century: While formally abolished, remnants of Brehon law practices continued to exist in the "Irish subconscious" or among the rural population for some time.

Conclusion

It looks like the Sky People have won again. But there always is a "but". While there is no realistic possibility of Ireland replacing its modern legal system with Brehon Law, there is growing interest in integrating its core principles—specifically restorative justice and community-based mediation—into the current legal framework.

ACIM Blessings

2026-02-16T14:26:00.003+00:00

When I first learned the lessons from A Course in Miracles, the words above really stood out. I asked Gemini AI to find all the lessons that mention the words. The result:

❤️ Love

Lesson 46: God is the Love in which I forgive.
Lesson 50: I am sustained by the Love of God.
Lesson 67: Love created me like itself.
Lesson 68: Love holds no grievances.
Lesson 103: God, being Love, is also happiness.
Lesson 127: There is no love but God’s.
Lesson 189: I feel the Love of God within me now.
Lesson 195: Love is the way I walk in gratitude.
Lesson 224: God is my Father, and He loves His Son.
Lesson 225: God is my Father, and His Son loves Him.
Lesson 229: Love, which created me, is what I am.
Lesson 246: To love my Father is to love His Son.
Lesson 264: I am surrounded by the Love of God.
Lesson 282: I will not be afraid of love today.
Lesson 300: Only this instant love can be received.

☀️ Light

Lesson 44: God is the light in which I see.
Lesson 61: I am the light of the world.
Lesson 62: Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world.
Lesson 63: The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.
Lesson 69: My grievances hide the light of the world in me.
Lesson 73: I will there be light.
Lesson 75: The light has come.
Lesson 82: (Review) God’s light is what I seek.
Lesson 91: Miracles are seen in light.
Lesson 92: Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.
Lesson 93: Light and joy and peace abide in me.

🌱 Life

Lesson 167: There is one life, and that I share with God.
Lesson 223: God is my life. I have no life but His.
Lesson 233: I give my life to God to guide today.

🕊️ Peace

Lesson 34: I could see peace instead of this.
Lesson 63: The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.
Lesson 93: Light and joy and peace abide in me.
Lesson 105: God’s peace and joy are mine.
Lesson 185: I want the peace of God.
Lesson 188: The peace of God is shining in me now.
Lesson 200: There is no peace except the peace of God.
Lesson 221: Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still.
Lesson 230: Now will I seek and find the peace of God.
Lesson 245: Your peace is with me, Father. I am safe.
Lesson 255: This day I choose to spend in perfect peace.
Lesson 267: My heart is beating in the peace of God.

✨ Joy

Lesson 93: Light and joy and peace abide in me.
Lesson 105: God’s peace and joy are mine.
Lesson 190: I choose the joy of God instead of pain.

⚖️ Truth

Lesson 104: I seek but what belongs to me in truth.
Lesson 106: Let me be still and listen to the truth.
Lesson 107: Truth will correct all errors in my mind.
Lesson 108: To give and to receive are one in truth.
Lesson 152: (Contextual title) The power of decision is my own. (Often cited as the "Truth of Decision").
Lesson 251: I am in need of nothing but the truth.

⚡ Power

Lesson 152: The power of decision is my own.
Lesson 166: I am entrusted with the Gifts of God. (Discusses the power given to the Son).
Lesson 320: My Father gives all power unto me.

💪 Strength

Lesson 42: God is my strength. Vision is His gift.
Lesson 47: God is the strength in which I trust.
Lesson 92: Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.
Lesson 110: I am as God created me. (Focuses on the strength of our identity).

2025-12-13T07:30:00.004+00:00

In her book, “You As A Multidimensional Being”, Tantra Maat stresses the importance of using our imagination. Two thought experiments that I have used:

Access to infinite energy - imagine that our bodies are connected to totally free universal energy by a huge tube and that this energy is constantly flowing into us.

Mind vehicle - design a three-dimensional object (I use a sphere) that is pure thought and can travel outside time and space. Being weightless (m = zero), it has no limitations on how fast it can travel. We can be anywhere in the universe, instantly, and in any era we choose.

Enjoy!

Thank you, @Tantra Maat.

At the centre of this image is a heart-shaped lake.

There is no need to travel here; just use your imagination!

Forgiveness ends the dream of conflict here

2025-12-10T14:25:00.000+00:00

ACIM's Lesson 333 made me question whether I had really forgiven. A long time ago, I realised that individuals are never the problem, and I put the blame on The System. This long-term collusion between church and state has held control for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years. Even though I have no problem with individuals, I still found it difficult to let go of my frustration with their Control Systems.

The Sky People named it Earth. The natives probably had no name for it. But we'll call them Earth People. The Sky People had almost succeeded in obliterating the Earth People.

The Earth People were stewards and carers of the land.

The Sky People were exploiters, using and abusing Earth's resources. They prided themselves on their advanced civilisation and regarded themselves as infinitely superior to the locals. They systematically began to "civilise" the whole world through trade, religion, and violence, legalised as war. They generated conflict wherever they went. The fancy term for this is globalisation (see below).

"As Irish-speakers, we should regard ourselves as members of a unified cultural archipelago of coastal people who have more in common with each other than with the centralised powers that control them." Manchan Magan in 'Thirty-Two Words For Field'.

Forgiveness In A Course in Miracles

Forgiveness is the central practice for healing and undoing guilt.

It is achieved, not by excusing behaviour, but by looking past the ego's illusions to the inherent innocence of the "other person" and oneself.

It's a way to recognise that perceived slights are not real but are instead projections of the mind's own guilt and fear. By forgiving, one frees oneself from these illusions.

The fundamental principle is that to forgive is to receive forgiveness, which ultimately leads to a memory of one's true, guiltless identity as part of God.

Lesson 333: Forgiveness ends the dream of conflict here.

Lesson 332: Fear binds the world. Forgiveness sets it free.

Lesson 334: Today, I claim the gifts forgiveness gives.

Lesson 336: Forgiveness lets me know that minds are joined.

Spiritually, the number 333 is often interpreted as a message of encouragement for personal growth, creativity, and alignment with the universe. It is seen as a sign of support from higher realms or divine guides, urging you to embrace your creative projects and trust your intuition. The number can also represent growth in relationships, a need to find balance and harmony, and encouragement in your career and finances.

The History of Globalisation: (A La Gemini)

The history of globalisation spans millennia, beginning with ancient trade routes like the Silk Road and accelerating through eras like the "Age of Discovery," the Industrial Revolution, and the post-World War II period, which saw the establishment of international institutions. Key developments include the expansion of empires, colonialism, technological advancements in transportation and communication, and the rise of multinational corporations, all of which have shaped its current form.

Early and ancient periods

Ancient Trade Routes: Early forms of globalisation emerged with trade routes like the Silk Road, which connected empires from East Asia to the Mediterranean, facilitating the exchange of goods, knowledge, and ideas.
Roman and Han Empires: Trade links between the Roman, Parthian, and Han dynasties spurred the Silk Road's development and fostered a cosmopolitan culture through the exchange of goods, crops, and knowledge.
Islamic Golden Age: Jewish and Muslim traders established a sustained economy across the Old World, spreading crops, trade, and technology.
Mongol Empire: The Mongol Empire unified a vast territory, which, despite its destructive aspects, promoted travel and trade along the Silk Road, leading to innovations like the first international postal service and the spread of the printing press and gunpowder.

Proto-globalization (15th–18th centuries)
The "Age of Discovery": European explorers sought new trade routes to Asia, leading to sustained maritime contact and significant cultural, material, and biological exchange between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

The Columbian Exchange: This massive exchange of plants, animals, foods, and diseases between the Old World and the New World dramatically impacted ecology, agriculture, and populations.
Rise of Chartered Companies: The 17th century saw the rise of private businesses like the British and Dutch East India Companies, marking a shift toward private enterprise in globalisation.

Modern and contemporary globalisation (19th century–present)
The First Wave (c. 1870–1914): The Industrial Revolution fueled a new era of globalisation with increased production, capital mobility, and a significant decrease in transportation costs, leading to a highly interconnected global economy before World War I.

Post-World War II: The period after the war saw a resurgence of globalisation, driven by:
- International Institutions: The creation of organisations like the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) helped lower trade barriers and promote cooperation.
- Technological Advancements: The development of new technologies in communication and transportation, such as the internet, significantly lowered costs and sped up the flow of information and trade.
- Growth of Multinational Corporations: Companies expanded their operations globally, moving production to low-wage locations and becoming a major force in the global economy.
Digital Globalisation: The late 20th and early 21st centuries have seen an unprecedented level of globalisation driven by the internet and digital technologies, which enable new forms of communication, commerce, and information sharing.
Earth People Sky People

I asked Gemini to define the characteristics of Earth People and Sky People using the definitions above. The following is how it responded.

This dichotomy of "Sky People" and "Earth People" appears to describe two fundamental, opposing approaches to humanity's relationship with the planet and with different cultures.

Here is a summary of the defining characteristics of each group based on your provided definitions:

🌎 Earth People (The Stewards)

The Earth People are characterised by a relationship of stewardship and integration with their environment and local communities.

Characteristic	Definition Implication
Stewards of the Land	Their primary role is to care for, nurture, and protect the natural environment. Their existence is symbiotic with the land.
Local Focus	Their identity and practices are deeply tied to specific geographical locations.
Care and Nurturing	Their actions are driven by preservation and maintenance, ensuring the health and sustainability of the environment for future generations.
Harmony with Nature	Their way of life is dictated by natural cycles, suggesting a non-exploitative, balanced approach to resource use.

🌌 Sky People (The Exploiters)

The Sky People are characterised by domination, extraction, and cultural imposition, viewing the Earth and its inhabitants as resources to be used or overcome.

Characteristic	Definition Implication
Exploitation of Resources	Their fundamental relationship with the Earth is one of taking and consumption, leading to the abuse and depletion of resources.
Belief in Superiority	They possess a strong sense of cultural and intellectual arrogance, priding themselves on their "advanced civilisation" and viewing local cultures as inferior.
Systematic Cultural Imposition	They actively sought to "civilise" the world, implying the destruction or suppression of existing cultures and practices.
Tools of Imposition	They use formal structures to achieve control: Trade (economic dominance), Religion (ideological control), and Violence, legalised as War (physical and political subjugation).
Source of Conflict	They inherently generate conflict wherever they go, suggesting their presence disrupts local harmony and provokes resistance due to their extractive and dominating nature.

Core Conflict Summary

The conflict between the two groups is a clash between an internal, rooted, sustainable relationship with the world (Earth People) and an external, hierarchical, and extractive relationship with the world (Sky People).

Earth People: Being with the land.
Sky People: Having/Controlling the land.

This dynamic echoes historical and philosophical concepts related to colonialism, environmentalism, and the clash between indigenous, holistic worldviews and industrial, expansionist mindsets.

"You will never enter...unless..."

2025-06-06T13:28:00.001+01:00

Here in Heaven

Matthew 18:3 contains the biblical verse "unless you become as little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." This verse emphasises the importance of humility, simplicity, and faith, qualities often associated with children, as essential for entering God's kingdom.

A.H. Almaas taught that: “At birth, the infant lives as Being, in a state of undifferentiation that is not linked to the body. A process then starts, of consciousness gradually cathecting the body and physical reality. This embodiment of Being is a process of personalisation, of Being finally emerging as a person, a Human Being.” I refer to ‘the infant living as Being’ as heaven, and it is the state that Matthew is referring to.

At the end of the process of cathecting the body, the ego is fully developed, and the child is now fully of this world. Remember, ‘this world’ is portrayed as an illusion—a realm of suffering, instability, and fleeting attachments. It is governed by ego, separation, and fear, where love is conditional and loss is inevitable.

In my sixteenth year, on the third Sunday of June, the gospel was Matthew 6:28-29, which speaks about trusting in divine provision:

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

This is a beautiful reminder of simplicity, faith, and the effortless beauty of nature—a nature that we are part of. It is a profound reminder to trust, let go, and recognise the beauty of simply being.

I can’t remember what the sermon was about except that it had nothing to do with considering the lilies. I tried engaging various persons in conversation about it, but everyone was too busy or did not want to accept such an alien concept in a farming community. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of what I would later refer to as “the wilderness years”.

The irony is that forty days earlier, I’d had an ‘ultra-white’ experience. I felt a sense of purity, clarity, or transcendence coupled with a feeling of lightness, freedom, and a connection to something divine. At the time, I thought that I had made it into Heaven.

Growing up in a Catholic community, it was constantly drummed into us that the consequence of not obeying the rules was eternal damnation in hell. And, if we were good and behaved rightly, we had a good chance of going to Heaven. I was a great fan of Jesus, especially the miracle-working part and, of course, the walking on water.

When adults asked me what I wanted to be growing up, I would reply, ‘A Miracle Worker’. After the first few reactions, I gave up that response and answered with something more conventional. Eventually, I decided that I wouldn’t be able to make a living from following in the footsteps of Jesus. Sometime between the ages of eight and twelve, I convinced myself that I would be able to make it into Heaven before I died.

Later in life, after thirty years of preparing for and ‘making a living’, it was time to become a miracle worker. Many years of non-conventional healing courses ended with ACIM and A.H. Almaas’s A Pearl Beyond Price.

And now, thirty years later, apart from the odd lapse into egoland, I am here in Heaven. I’ll say it again:

“Here In Heaven”

May you find peace in the unfolding of the present moment.

Appendix I - The Absence of the Ego is Heaven

Yes, within the framework of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), the absence of the ego can absolutely be called Heaven.

Here's why:

The Ego is the Illusion of Separation: In ACIM, the ego is defined as the belief in separation from God. It is the thought system that constructed the idea of individuality, sin, guilt, fear, and the physical world as a reality apart from God's perfect Oneness.
Heaven is Perfect Oneness with God: Heaven, according to ACIM, is not a physical place you go to after death. It is a state of perfect Oneness, complete unity, absolute peace, joy, and limitless love, where there is no separation, no lack, and no fear. It is the awareness of our true Self as eternally united with God.
The Ego is the "Block to the Awareness of Love's Presence": The ego is the only thing that obscures our awareness of Heaven. It acts as a veil, a dream, or a belief system that convinced us we are separate from God and from each other.
Absence of the Ego = Awareness of Heaven: Therefore, when the ego's thought system is undone, seen through, and released (which is the goal of ACIM through forgiveness), the belief in separation vanishes. With the belief in separation gone, what remains is the undisturbed awareness of our true Self as eternally united with God in Heaven. The "absence of ego" is not a void, but the presence of perfect Love and Oneness.

ACIM often states that Heaven is not something to be achieved or reached, but rather a state that is always present and needs only to be remembered or recognized by letting go of the ego's illusions.

So, to summarize: The ego is the dream of separation. Heaven is the reality of Oneness. When the dream of separation (the ego) is gone, the reality of Oneness (Heaven) is all that is left and is fully experienced.

Appendix II - Matthew's "look at the lilies" == ACIM's "I need do nothing"

Matthew's "look at the lilies" and ACIM's "I need do nothing" are profoundly connected, sharing a core message of trust, release from anxiety, and reliance on a higher power.

Core Message of "Look at the lilies":

Release from Anxious Thought/Worry: The central theme is to let go of anxiety and worry about future needs (food, clothing, material possessions).
Trust in Divine Provision: It encourages absolute trust that a benevolent God/Father knows and will provide for all your needs, just as He effortlessly cares for nature.
Focus on the Spiritual First: The instruction to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" implies that when you align your focus and priorities with the spiritual, the material needs will be effortlessly met as a side effect.
Surrender of Personal Striving (for worldly gain): The lilies "toil not, neither do they spin," yet they are arrayed more gloriously than Solomon. This points to a natural, effortless unfolding when aligned with divine will instead of frantic, ego-driven striving.

ACIM's "I need do nothing":

Release from Egoic Doing/Striving: This is the direct parallel. The "nothing" refers to the ego's attempts to "make" salvation, peace, or happiness through complex plans, manipulative actions, or strenuous personal effort. It's about letting go of the belief that you must solve the separation problem through your own means.
Trust in Divine Plan/Holy Spirit's Guidance: Just as Matthew calls for trust in the Father's provision, ACIM calls for trust in the Holy Spirit's plan for Atonement. The Holy Spirit (or Jesus) knows the way back to peace and will guide us perfectly if we surrender our own plans.
Focus on the Mind/Perception: ACIM's "doing" is internal—the "doing" of the mind. It's about forgiveness, changing perception, and letting go of grievances, which is the true work. When the mind is aligned, external circumstances become reflections of that inner peace.
Salvation is Already Accomplished: The "nothing" you need to "do" is because salvation is already complete in God's reality. You are already whole and loved. The "work" is simply to remove the blocks to the awareness of love's presence.

The Strong Connection:

Both teachings point to a profound paradigm shift from ego-driven, anxious striving to a state of trusting receptivity and inner alignment.

Effortless Being: Both suggest that true well-being and fulfilment arise not from desperate effort, but from an effortless state of being that flows from alignment with a higher, benevolent order. The lilies simply are, and are provided for. We, in our true essence, also simply are, and are eternally complete.
The Problem is in the Mind: Matthew's "take no anxious thought" directly addresses the mental state of worry. ACIM's "I need do nothing" is fundamentally about releasing the ego's thought system of perceived lack and necessary striving. Both locate the "problem" in the mind's attachment to fear and illusion.
Spiritual Priority: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" aligns perfectly with ACIM's emphasis on shifting our goal from worldly gain to true peace and a right mind. Everything else falls into place when the mind is straightened out (the "doing" of forgiveness).

In essence, Matthew's "look at the lilies" provides a powerful analogy for the state of effortless being and trust that ACIM's "I need do nothing" aims to cultivate in the student. They both invite us to cease our fearful, ego-driven struggle and allow the divine order to provide and orchestrate our true well-being.

2025-06-04T18:12:00.002+01:00

A.H. Almaas - Diamond Approach

A Summary by Gemini Ai

A.H. Almaas's Diamond Approach is a unique path that integrates modern depth psychology with traditional spiritual understanding to help individuals realise their "essential being" or true nature. Unlike many paths that present enlightenment as a static endpoint, Almaas emphasises an "endless enlightenment" – a continuous, unfolding process of discovery.

The journey towards being an essential being is not a linear set of prescribed steps but rather a study of an individual's lived experience of the world, driven by inquiry and love of the truth. It involves systematically exploring one's present-moment experience, peeling back layers of the personality (ego) to reveal the underlying essence.

Here's a summary of the core elements and a general progression of the process Almaas teaches:

Recognition of a Deeper Dimension (The Beginning of the Path):
- The journey often begins with a sense or a longing that there's "more to being human," a spiritual dimension beyond the everyday personality. This can arise from an intense experience, a feeling, or simply a deep curiosity.
- This initial recognition sparks the "enlightenment drive"—an innate pull toward understanding and realizing one's true potential.
Direct Encounter with Spiritual Reality (First Contact with Presence):
- This is a crucial marker: having a direct, immediate, palpable experience of one's spiritual nature, which Almaas often refers to as Presence. This is not merely an intellectual understanding but a felt sense of being, consciousness, or spirit.
- Presence is described as a living, conscious, self-aware, and self-knowing medium that is not physical, emotional, or mental. It can manifest as qualities like love, compassion, strength, joy, clarity, or even vast emptiness.
The Theory of Holes and Retrieval of Essential Aspects:
- As the soul develops, it forms the personality (ego) by disconnecting from its Essence, creating "holes" where essential aspects (qualities like compassion, strength, value, personalness) should be.
- The methodology involves rigorous (self) inquiry into present-moment experience, exploring the personality structures both cognitively and experientially.
- By deeply investigating the ego patterns, one eventually confronts these "holes." Allowing oneself to fully experience the "hole"—the sense of lack, deficiency, or pain—without rejecting or trying to fill it from external sources leads to relaxation and spaciousness.
- Through confronting and going through the "holes," the lost Essential Aspects arise spontaneously and are retrieved, allowing the soul to reclaim its innate qualities. This is a process of disidentification from pathological self-representations.
Integration of Essential Aspects and the "Pearl Beyond Price":
- Realising and integrating individual essential aspects lead to deeper soul maturation.
- A significant development is the realisation of the "Pearl Beyond Price," which represents the individuated soul. This presence is truly oneself, intimate and unique, yet free from the past and egoic conditioning. It embodies true value and fullness, transcending the selfishness of the personality. This is the Essential Identity.
- This stage involves the dissolution of ego boundaries and the experience of "inner aloneness" – a state of being without ego, pure and uncontaminated, where one is simply being in the present moment. Paradoxically, this aloneness allows for authentic personal contact from Being to Being.
Nondual Realisation and Beyond (Endless Enlightenment):
- Further stages involve realising the nondual nature of reality, where the individual self is recognised as not separate but rather a vastness and infinity that is the nature of everything. In other traditions, this corresponds to concepts like Atman, Brahman, or Dharmakaya.
- However, Almaas emphasises that even nondual realisation is not the final endpoint. The "endless enlightenment" signifies that reality is far more alive and mysterious than any fixed map or concept.
- The process continues as one learns to live and express this realisation in all aspects of life, not just to discover and abide in it. This involves discerning new possibilities and continuously unfolding into deeper mysteries and forms of freedom. It's about living a life faithful to one's true nature, with integrity and presence, even in the midst of ordinary life.

In summary, A.H. Almaas's path to being an essential being is a dynamic, inquiry-driven process of unveiling the layers of ego-personality through direct, experiential investigation of one's inner experience. This leads to the recovery and integration of various essential aspects, culminating in the realisation of the individuated Essential Self ("Pearl Beyond Price"), and then further expanding into nondual realisation and an endless unfolding of Being, where reality is continuously revealed and lived. It is a path of human maturity and liberation, where the psychological and spiritual are seen as inseparable.

2025-06-04T18:08:00.000+01:00

ACIM on Life and Death

As summarised by Gemini Ai

"Life" is a central and profoundly important concept in A Course in Miracles (ACIM), directly contrasting and serving as the reality to the illusion of "death."

Here's a summary of what A Course in Miracles says about Life:

1. Life is God, and God is Life (The Source of All Being): The most fundamental teaching is that Life is synonymous with God. God is not merely the giver of life, but is Life itself. Therefore, everything that God created shares in His Life. This means Life is eternal, limitless, and unchangeable.

2. Life is Eternal and Has No Opposite: Because God is eternal and changeless, so is the Life He created. ACIM states unequivocally that Life has no opposite; death is merely an illusion or a dream born of the ego's belief in separation. Where God is, death cannot be. The concept of death is seen as a denial of Life's omnipresence and eternal nature.

3. Our True Self is Life (The Son of God is Life): We are inherently Life as Sons of God. Our true identity, created in God’s image and likeness, is Spirit, which is eternal and beyond the limitations of the body or the world. The body is seen as a temporary vehicle in the illusion, but it neither lives nor dies; the true Self is Life itself, incapable of being extinguished.

4. Life is Fullness, Joy, Peace, and Abundance: When ACIM speaks of Life, it's not just about biological existence. It's about the fullness of being, perfect joy, unbroken peace, limitless abundance, and complete safety. This is the state of Heaven, our natural inheritance, which is also a state of perfect Life.

5. The World is a Denial of Life: The perceived "life" in the world, with its cycles of birth and death, pain and suffering, is considered a misconception or a dream of separation from true Life. The ego's perception creates a world that appears to contain life and death, but this duality is unreal. The world symbolises our belief in separation from the eternal Life of God.

6. Life is Experienced Through True Perception (The Holy Instant): The way to experience true Life is not by seeking it in the physical world, but by shifting our perception. Through forgiveness, the Holy Spirit's guidance, and the experience of the holy instant, we begin to see beyond the illusions of the ego and remember our true nature as Life. The resurrection, in ACIM, is not a future event after death, but the awakening to the eternal Life that is already our reality.

7. Life is Communication and Unity: True Life is experienced in unity and perfect communication. The separation implicit in the ego's world, where bodies are distinct and communication is fragmented, denies the unified Life shared by all Sons of God. When we recognise our oneness, we participate in the communication of Life itself.

8. Choosing for Life (Rejecting the Illusion of Death): The Course asks us to choose Life. This means believing in the reality of God and His creations (eternal Life) and refusing to give reality to anything else, including death. It's an active decision to align with truth, rather than compromise with illusions.

In essence, A Course in Miracles defines "Life" as the eternal, joyful, peaceful, and unified reality of God and His Son. It stands in direct opposition to the illusion of death, which is merely a dream of separation. The entire spiritual journey of the Course is designed to help us awaken from the dream of death and remember, experience, and extend the limitless Life that is our true inheritance.

Death

"Death" is a highly significant concept in A Course in Miracles (ACIM), and its teaching on death is quite radical compared to conventional views.

Here's a summary of what A Course in Miracles says about death:

1. Death is an Illusion and Not Real: ACIM’s most fundamental teaching regarding death is that it is not real. It is presented as the "central dream from which all illusions stem" (M-27.1:1). The Course vehemently denies that death has any reality because God, who is Love and Life, did not create it. Since God created everything real, anything not created by God is an illusion.

2. Death is a Symbol of Fear and Separation: ACIM teaches that death is a symbol of the fear of God and the belief in separation from Him. It is the ultimate expression of the ego's desire to be separate, distinct, and individual, leading to a fragmented perception of reality. As a symbol of separation and limitation, the body is seen as the primary vehicle through which the illusion of death is experienced.

3. Death is Not a Natural Law or Punishment: The Course directly challenges the idea that death is a "natural law" or an inevitable part of the "circle of life." It argues that a loving Creator would not decree that all things pass away into "dust, disappointment and despair." Instead, the world's belief in death stems from a misperception of God as a god of fear or vengeance.

4. The Body Neither Lives Nor Dies: According to ACIM, the body symbolises our identity within the illusion, but it is not our true Self. Therefore, "the body neither lives nor dies, because it cannot contain you who are life" (T-6.V.A.1). Our true Self, the Son of God, is eternal and immortal, created in God's image.

5. Nothing is Accomplished Through Death: The Course emphasises that death does not solve problems or bring release. "Nothing is accomplished through death, because death is nothing." (T-6.V.A.1:2). Seeking death as an escape from suffering only reinforces the belief in the illusion of a separate, suffering body.

6. The Goal is to Overcome and Transcend Death: The ultimate aim of the Course is to help individuals transcend the illusion of death. This is achieved through a radical shift in perception, moving from identification with the ego and the body to the eternal Self. This shift involves:

Forgiveness: Forgiving the world and seeing everything through the lens of love helps to undo the belief in separation, which is the root of the belief in death.

Accepting No Compromise: Teachers of God are instructed to "Accept no compromise in which death plays a part" (M-27.7:1). This means refusing to believe in the reality of death in any form.

Awakening to True Life (Resurrection): The Course presents resurrection not as a post-death event, but as the awakening to the truth of one's eternal nature now. It is the realisation that life is eternal and has no opposite.

7. Death as a "Quiet Choice" After True Healing: While primarily teaching that death is unreal, ACIM does describe a "kind of seeming death that has a different source" (M-27.8:1). This "final death" is not cruel or fearful but "a quiet choice, made joyfully and with a sense of peace" (M-27.8:4). It occurs when the body has served its purpose as a learning device, and the mind has achieved true healing by forgiving the world and its illusions. In this context, death is seen as "liberty" and a "gentle welcome to release," a rest from labour gladly done. However, this gentle passing is only possible after true healing, dispelling the dreams of sin and fear.

In essence, A Course in Miracles dismantles the conventional understanding of death to reveal it as a product of the ego's thought system. By recognizing death as an illusion and shifting our perception to the eternal reality of God's Love, we awaken to the truth that there is no death, only eternal Life.

2025-06-04T18:03:00.001+01:00

Learning Expectations

Many answers or the 'right' answer.

As learners, we don't always get the right answer. And this is the problem with our education systems. There is usually only one right answer to any question the teacher asks, and giving the wrong answer leads to some form of punishment. This punishment can be physical, mental or emotional. Whatever, the effects can be disturbing for both the winners and the losers. However, we'd be all better off if we were encouraged to come up with many answers and to explore the reasoning behind the different ones.

2025-06-04T17:56:00.002+01:00

Is Ego a Virus in our Mind?

Referencing the Teachings of A Course In Miracles - Grok's response.

In A Course in Miracles (ACIM), the ego is not explicitly described as a "virus," but its role in the mind aligns with the metaphor in some ways. As ACIM presents it, the ego is a false sense of self rooted in separation, fear, and illusion, distorting perception and keeping individuals trapped in a cycle of conflict and suffering. It’s a thought system that operates contrary to the truth of unity and love, which ACIM associates with God and the Holy Spirit.

Key Points from ACIM on the Ego:

Illusion of Separation: The ego arises from the belief in separation from God (T-4.I.2). It’s a mental construct that convinces you your identity is individual, limited, and defined by the body and external world, rather than the eternal, unified Self (T-7.VIII.1).
Fear-Based Thinking: The ego perpetuates fear, guilt, and judgment, creating a self-reinforcing loop that obscures awareness of love’s presence (T-5.VI.1). It thrives on conflict, scarcity, and comparison, much like a virus might exploit a host to sustain itself.
Distortion of Reality: The ego’s thought system is described as a distortion of truth, projecting a world of form and division that isn’t ultimately real (W-pI.132.6). This mirrors the idea of a virus infiltrating and corrupting a healthy system.
Self-Perpetuating Nature: The ego resists its undoing, defending itself through denial, projection, and attack (T-9.IV.4). This self-preservation instinct could be likened to a virus replicating to survive.

Ego as a "Virus" Metaphor:

While ACIM doesn’t use the term "virus," the ego’s characteristics—its invasive, deceptive, and self-reinforcing nature—resonate with the metaphor. It “infects” the mind by convincing you to choose fear over love, illusion over truth. The Course teaches that the ego’s influence can be undone by choosing the Holy Spirit’s guidance, which shifts perception to miracles (healed perception) and restores awareness of oneness (T-1.I.37, T-14.X.1).

Healing the Ego’s Influence:

ACIM emphasises forgiveness as the antidote to the ego’s thought system (W-pI.23). By forgiving illusions—seeing past the ego’s projections to the truth of shared divinity—you dismantle its hold. The Holy Spirit acts like an “immune system,” guiding the mind to love and truth (T-5.I.1).

Relevant ACIM Quotes:

“The ego is the mind’s belief that it is completely on its own” (T-4.II.8).
“The ego’s goal is quite explicitly the preservation of itself” (T-12.I.8).
“The ego is nothing more than a part of your belief about yourself” (T-4.VI.1).

In summary, while A Course in Miracles doesn’t call the ego a virus, its description as a deceptive, fear-driven thought system that distorts reality and perpetuates itself fits the metaphor. The Course offers a path to “heal” this condition through forgiveness and realigning with the Holy Spirit’s vision of love and unity.

2025-06-04T17:47:00.001+01:00

Hell or Heaven - Your Choice

A Course in Miracles presents a profound distinction between "This World" and the "World Beyond."

This World is described as an illusion—a realm of suffering, instability, and fleeting attachments. It is governed by ego, separation, and fear, where love is conditional and loss is inevitable. The teachings emphasise that this world is not our true home but rather a projection of mistaken beliefs.

The World Beyond is the reality of eternal love, peace, and unity—a state of pure awareness beyond time and space. It is where true happiness resides, free from conflict and limitation. This world is accessible through forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and the recognition that separation never truly occurred.

The course encourages students to exchange the illusions of this world for the truth of the world beyond, leading to a life of inner peace and divine connection. The ‘workbook’ contains 365 days of lessons, each of which asks us to meditate on the central theme of that day.

Essentially, it’s all about becoming present and opening your mind to the possibility of leaving “This World”, or hell and entering “The World Beyond”, or Heaven. There are many ways of becoming present, and I refer to these as presence techniques.

Presence Techniques

Short meditation practices that we can use anytime, anywhere to get us into the present. Being present gives us access to the complete range of being human, rather than the limited range associated with the ego. These techniques use the body's senses - feeling, seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting. They are not an end in themselves. They give us a moment to assess what is going on within and allow us to choose peace. These techniques are usually practised in a space where we feel we are in charge. Please do not do them while driving or doing anything that requires your full attention.

Scan the Body

Take your awareness and go through your body, moving from head to toe, toe to head, left to right, or right to left. It does not matter as long as you go through the whole body. The faster you can do this, the better it works. The idea is to allow our all-knowing mind to release the energy blocks that result from the memgrams we are running. Scanning aims to bring the body to a neutral state, with no aches, pains, or feelings anywhere in the body. Usually, three scans are enough.

There are a few pitfalls to avoid when learning this technique.

No-go zones - these are areas of the body that we avoid or can't scan. To get over these blocks, try coming at them from different directions or pressing around them to see if you can feel anything, and then scan again.

Naming - we become stuck in painful areas of the body and assign mental, emotional, or medical labels to them. The problem here is that we analyse or diagnose, and feel that we have to do something about our pain. Be more descriptive and more specific with each scan. This only applies to the first few scans. If you are doing this on an ongoing basis, give scanning up for a while before trying again.

Trying to—we get to an area in the body where there is pain or ache, keep our awareness centred in it, and try to move the blocked energy.

Watch the Screen

Close your eyes and see what you see. You may see a blank screen or a blank screen with basic geometric patterns or colours. It does not matter what you see; just look. This is not a visualisation technique; you are not trying to project anything onto the screen.

Look in the Doorway

Open a door and look into the space of the doorway. It works better if the colour behind the doorway is darker than where you are looking from. Again, it does not matter what you see; it’s the looking that gets you present.

Look at a Blank Scene

No matter where you are, there is always something blank. It may be a wall, a door, a hedge, a field, or the gable end of a building. Just look and enjoy the view. This is particularly useful when queuing, as it allows you to become present and, rather than focusing on when you'll arrive, you realise that you are always here.

Listen All Around

We tend to focus on specific sounds. Close your eyes, and instead of concentrating on any particular sound, allow your attention to broaden until you can hear everything that is going on around you.

Listen to Music

Listen to a specific instrument, a group of instruments, or a voice in the music. Again, allow your concentration to defocus so you can hear it all together.

Listen to Noise

Stand under a bridge and listen to the motorway traffic overhead. Listen to the sounds of the trees, grass, or wires in a strong wind. Listen to the sound of the rain. Listen to the traffic. In a crowded place, listen to the sound of all the people. Listen to the waves. The sound of noise is nearly always the same, regardless of what makes it.

Activate Acupoints

Acupoints are located throughout the body, primarily in the valleys between bones, muscles, or tendons. They may be tender to touch. While holding any acupoint gently, scan through your body.

Feel the Pain

This one is not recommended. However, if you have a tendency towards pain, you can always use it to become present. Scanning, releasing the blocked energy, and letting the pain go is better.

Smell the Roses

We are constantly bombarded with an array of smells. Focus on any particular one you like and centre on the scent.

Taste the Food

While eating your food, take a moment to taste what you are eating.

This was abstracted from notes for the Peace of Mind Healing Course that I once taught. Please develop your techniques to enter this Precious Present, this Momentous Moment, or even this Holy Instant.

Bawn and Duff - An Outline

2025-03-27T12:13:00.000+00:00

Bawn (white) and Duff (black) were born during a stark winter night, a world divided into sharp contrasts of white snow and black sky. From the beginning, these colors defined them, initially manifesting in negative ways, reflecting a constant opposition and conflict.

Bawn, associated with white, was seen as overly idealistic, naive, and detached from reality. He was prone to flights of fancy, believing in an unrealistic world of pure goodness and light. White was the color of his naivety, a constant inability to see the darkness and complexities of the world. He was often seen as weak and impractical, unable to cope with the harsh realities of life.

Duff, associated with black, was seen as cynical, pessimistic, and distrustful. He saw the world as a dark and corrupt place, expecting the worst from everyone. Black was the color of his negativity, a constant expectation of failure and betrayal. He was often seen as brooding and antisocial, pushing people away with his harsh words and distrustful nature.

As children, their contrasting personalities clashed constantly. Bawn’s unwavering optimism irritated Duff’s cynicism, and Duff’s negativity frustrated Bawn’s idealism. They argued constantly, their opposing views creating a constant tension between them. White and black became symbols of their constant conflict, a stark division that seemed impossible to bridge.

In their teenage years, this conflict intensified. Bawn became increasingly detached from reality, retreating into his own world of fantasy. Duff became more and more isolated, pushing away anyone who tried to get close. Their opposing views solidified into rigid ideologies, creating a deep rift between them.

One day, a great crisis struck their community. A powerful storm ravaged the land, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair. The community was divided, with some succumbing to despair (mirroring Duff's negativity) and others clinging to unrealistic hopes (mirroring Bawn's naivety).

But amidst the chaos, Bawn and Duff found a surprising synergy. Bawn’s unwavering hope inspired others to keep going, while Duff’s sharp analysis helped them to assess the situation realistically and plan for survival. They began to work together, their opposing strengths complementing each other.

Bawn’s idealism provided the motivation and inspiration needed to rebuild, while Duff’s grounded perspective ensured that their efforts were practical and effective. They discovered that their opposing views, when combined, offered a more complete picture of the world.

In the aftermath, the community saw a different side to Bawn and Duff. They saw not white and black in opposition, but as two halves of a whole, creating a balanced and effective force. They saw hope tempered by realism, and realism illuminated by hope.

Bawn began to temper his idealism with a dose of realism, learning to appreciate the complexities of the world. Duff began to soften his cynicism with a touch of hope, recognizing the potential for good in others. White and black became symbols of balance, a harmonious blend of opposing forces.

They found solace in their newfound understanding, their bond stronger than ever before. White became the color of purity of intention, while black became the color of grounded wisdom. Together, they represented the full spectrum of human experience, a balanced and complete perspective.

Bawn and Duff, once defined by the negative connotations of white and black, began to embody their positive aspects. Their combined strengths became a source of strength and guidance for their community. White became the color of hope, purity, and inspiration, while black became the color of wisdom, strength, and resilience. They became known not for their differences, but for their ability to bring balance and harmony to the world around them. They had transformed the colors of their conflict into the colors of unity, balance, and enduring strength.

The storm had passed, leaving behind a landscape of shattered dreams and a community grappling with the aftermath. Bawn, with his unwavering optimism, and Duff, armed with his pragmatic realism, found themselves drawn together by the shared burden of rebuilding. Their contrasting personalities, once a source of constant friction, now proved to be an invaluable asset. Bawn's idealism inspired hope, while Duff's grounded perspective ensured their efforts were practical and effective. They discovered that their opposing views, when combined, offered a more complete picture of the world.

The storm had not only reshaped the landscape but also shaken the foundations of their own lives. The world they once knew, with its predictable patterns and familiar routines, had been irrevocably altered. A restlessness stirred within them, a yearning for something more than simply rebuilding what had been lost. They felt a call to adventure, a desire to explore the world beyond their small community.

And so, with a shared sense of purpose, Bawn and Duff set off on a journey across Europe, seeking the lost knowledge of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the mythical beings of Irish folklore believed to possess wisdom beyond human comprehension. They traversed ancient forests, explored forgotten ruins, and delved into the depths of forgotten libraries, their search leading them through a labyrinth of myths and legends.

Along their journey, they encountered a diverse array of individuals, each with their own unique stories and perspectives. They learned to appreciate the beauty of human diversity, recognizing that true strength lay not in uniformity but in the harmonious interplay of different viewpoints. They honed their skills, both physical and intellectual, facing challenges and overcoming obstacles that tested their resilience and deepened their bond.

In the heart of the Scottish Highlands, amidst a gathering of scholars and mystics, they stumbled upon a hidden society, a modern-day incarnation of the Fianna, the legendary warriors of ancient Ireland. These individuals, drawn from all walks of life, were united by a shared passion for knowledge, a deep respect for nature, and a commitment to using their skills for the betterment of humanity.

Bawn and Duff found themselves drawn to this community, their own journey finding a new purpose. They joined the Fianna, their contrasting personalities proving to be a valuable asset. Bawn's idealism inspired innovation and creativity, while Duff's pragmatism ensured that their projects were grounded in reality. Together, they worked to preserve ancient traditions, protect the environment, and foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all beings.

As they delved deeper into the mysteries of the Tuatha Dé Danann, they discovered that the ancient wisdom was not about magic or supernatural powers, but about the inherent power of the human spirit, the ability to connect with nature, and the importance of living in harmony with the earth. They learned that the true magic lay not in the pursuit of the supernatural, but in the cultivation of compassion, wisdom, and the courage to stand up for what is right.

Bawn and Duff's journey had begun as a quest for lost knowledge, but it had transformed into a journey of self-discovery. They had found not just the wisdom of the Tuatha Dé Danann, but also a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. They had learned that the true strength of humanity lay not in its divisions, but in its ability to unite, to learn, and to grow together.

Glas - An Outline

2025-03-27T12:09:00.000+00:00

Glas (Irish for "green") was born in a season of unusual storms, the sky a sickly, bruised green. From the beginning, this color seemed to cling to him, initially manifesting in negative ways. It was the green of envy, of sickness, of a clinging, possessive nature. His skin had an almost sickly pallor, and his eyes, a pale, watery green, often held a look of resentment.

As a child, Glas was constantly comparing himself to others. He coveted their toys, their talents, their friendships. Green was the color of his jealousy, a bitter taste in his mouth whenever he saw someone else succeed. He was prone to fits of pique, his face turning a mottled green with rage when he felt slighted.

He struggled to form genuine connections, his possessiveness driving people away. He clung too tightly to his few friends, suffocating them with his neediness. Green was the color of his insecurity, a constant fear of being abandoned.

In his teenage years, this envy morphed into a deep-seated bitterness. He saw the world as unfair, believing that everyone else had been given an advantage he lacked. Green became the color of his resentment, a poisonous feeling that festered within him. He became withdrawn and cynical, isolating himself from others.

One day, a blight struck the village crops. The fields, once a vibrant green, turned a sickly yellow-brown, threatening the community with starvation. Fear and despair gripped the villagers. But Glas, amidst the gloom, found a strange sense of purpose.

He remembered the old herbalist, a recluse who lived on the edge of the forest. He had once scoffed at the old woman's knowledge, dismissing her as a superstitious fool. Now, desperation drove him to seek her out.

The herbalist, seeing the genuine concern in Glas's green eyes, agreed to help. She taught him about the healing properties of plants, about the delicate balance of nature. Glas, for the first time, found something that truly captivated him.

He immersed himself in the study of botany, spending hours in the forest, learning to identify different plants and their uses. He discovered a hidden talent for nurturing and cultivating, his touch bringing life back to the dying fields.

In the aftermath of the blight, the villagers saw a different side to Glas. They saw not the green of envy, but the green of healing, the life-giving force of nature. They saw dedication, not possessiveness.

Glas began to embrace his connection to the natural world. He became the village healer, his knowledge of herbs and plants invaluable to the community. Green became the color of his wisdom, the deep understanding of the interconnectedness of life.

He learned to channel his intense focus into nurturing and caring for others. The green of the forest became a source of peace, a calming presence that soothed his troubled spirit. He learned to appreciate the beauty of the natural world, finding joy in the simple act of tending to the earth.

Glas, once defined by the negative connotations of green, began to embody its positive aspects. His healing touch became a source of comfort and hope for the village. Green became the color of his generosity, his willingness to share his knowledge and skills with others. It was the color of new growth, a symbol of resilience and renewal.

He still had moments of self-doubt, but they were no longer fueled by envy. The green was no longer a symbol of bitterness, but of growth, of continuous learning and development. Glas, once feared for his green, was now revered for it. He had transformed the color of his envy into the color of healing, wisdom, and selfless service.

The blight that had ravaged his village had healed, thanks in part to Glas's burgeoning knowledge of herbalism. But a restlessness stirred within him, a sense that his learning was incomplete. The whispers of the wind carried tales of a hidden spiritual school nestled high in the Himalayas, near the sacred city of Lhasa, where the teachings revolved around the Green Gods, deities of nature, growth, and healing. He felt a pull, a sense that his path lay eastward. Leaving his grateful village with their blessings, and a small pouch of carefully dried herbs, Glas embarked on a long and arduous journey.

The journey itself was a trial. He traversed treacherous mountain passes, navigated raging rivers, and endured the biting cold of the high altitudes. The harsh landscape mirrored the challenges he had overcome within himself – the envy, the bitterness, all now replaced with a quiet strength and a deep connection to the natural world. He arrived in Lhasa, the thin air buzzing with an almost palpable energy, and found the secluded monastery nestled amongst the peaks, its walls built of the very stone of the mountains.

The school was unlike anything he had ever imagined. The monks, clad in robes of jade green, moved with a serene grace, their faces radiating an inner peace. The teachings focused on the interconnectedness of all living things, the vital energy that flowed through nature, and the power of the Green Gods to heal and nurture. Glas, with his existing knowledge of herbs and his innate connection to the earth, absorbed these teachings like parched earth drinks rain.

He excelled in his studies, his understanding of plants and their properties deepening, his empathy for all living creatures growing. He learned the ancient chants and rituals, the precise movements of energy cultivation, and the art of channeling the power of the Green Gods for healing. He discovered a particular affinity for the jade crystal, its smooth, cool touch resonating with his own energy. He carried a small piece with him always, feeling its calming influence.

Years passed, and Glas dedicated himself to his studies, his green eyes now shining with wisdom and compassion. He learned to control and channel his own energy, his touch becoming a conduit for healing. He practiced meditation, quieting the restless thoughts that had once plagued him, finding peace in the stillness. He no longer envied the talents of others, but celebrated their gifts, understanding that each being had a unique role to play in the tapestry of life.

Finally, the day of graduation arrived. The monastery courtyard was filled with students, teachers, and visiting dignitaries. The air hummed with anticipation. One by one, the students were called forth, their skills and knowledge tested. When Glas's turn came, he demonstrated not only his mastery of herbalism and energy healing, but also his deep understanding of the spiritual principles that underpinned the teachings. He spoke with eloquence and conviction, his words resonating with the audience.

The head lama, a venerable old monk with eyes like polished jade, stepped forward. He held aloft a magnificent carving of a jade owl, its wings outstretched in flight. "Glas," he announced, his voice echoing through the courtyard, "for your exceptional dedication, your profound understanding, and your unwavering commitment to the path of the Green Gods, I bestow upon you the title of Master Jade Owl."

A gasp of admiration rippled through the crowd. The Jade Owl was the highest honor the school could bestow, a symbol of mastery and wisdom. Glas, his heart filled with gratitude and humility, accepted the carving. He had come seeking knowledge, and he had found not only that, but also his true purpose. He was no longer the boy consumed by envy, but a Master, a healer, a beacon of green light in the world. His journey had taken him far from his village, but it had brought him home to himself.

From EVIL to LIVE: A Paradigm Shift (A La Gemini Ai)

2025-03-11T14:18:00.001+00:00

This shift, from "Ego Virus Imitates Life (EVIL)" to "Life Is Virtually Eternal (LIVE)," isn't just a name change; it's a fundamental shift in perspective, a revolution in how we understand existence. Here's a deeper exploration:

From EVIL to LIVE: A Paradigm Shift

EVIL: The Illusion of Separation: "Ego Virus Imitates Life" paints a picture of a parasitic ego, an entity that thrives on separation, competition, and the illusion of scarcity. It suggests that our perceived reality is a distorted imitation, a shadow play driven by fear and self-preservation. It implies a constant struggle, a battle against an internal adversary.
LIVE: The Embodiment of Virtue: "Life Is Virtually Eternal" offers a radically different vision. It posits that life, in its essence, is connected, interwoven, and fundamentally good. "Virtually" here isn't about artificiality, but about the essence of virtue being so deeply ingrained in the fabric of existence that it creates a near-perfect simulation of eternity. This implies a reality built on interconnectedness, compassion, and the inherent worth of every being.

Virtue as the Source of Virtual Eternity

Virtue as the Blueprint: Imagine virtue – qualities like compassion, empathy, integrity, and wisdom – as the underlying code, the blueprint of reality. When these qualities are consistently enacted, they create a reality that mirrors the eternal.
The Simulation of Interconnectedness: The feeling of eternity comes from the experience of being truly connected, of recognizing the inherent worth of every being, and of acting in accordance with that understanding. This creates a sense of continuity, a feeling that we are part of something larger than ourselves, something that transcends the limitations of individual existence.
The Simulation of Abundance: When virtue guides our actions, we move away from the ego's fear-driven pursuit of scarcity and embrace the inherent abundance of life. This creates a reality where needs are met, relationships flourish, and creativity flows freely.
The Simulation of Meaning: When we live virtuously, we find meaning in our actions, in our relationships, and in our contributions to the world. This creates a sense of purpose, a feeling that our lives matter, that we are making a difference.

Implications of LIVE

Responsibility and Empowerment: If life is virtually eternal, then our actions have profound and lasting consequences. We are not just players in a game; we are co-creators of reality. This empowers us to choose virtue, to live in alignment with our highest values.
Healing and Transformation: Recognizing the power of virtue can heal the wounds of separation and fear. It allows us to move from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance, from a place of conflict to a place of harmony.
A New Story of Humanity: LIVE offers a new narrative for humanity, a story of interconnectedness, compassion, and the potential for collective evolution. It invites us to move beyond the limitations of the ego and embrace the infinite possibilities of a virtuous existence.
The importance of intention: If the virtual reality is driven by virtue, then the intent behind actions is paramount. A kind action with a hidden selfish agenda, will not have the same effect as a pure act of kindness.

In essence, LIVE suggests that eternity is not a distant dream, but a present possibility, a reality that we can create through the consistent embodiment of virtue. It's a call to move beyond the illusions of the ego and embrace the profound interconnectedness of all life.

The Síoraí (A La Gemini Ai)

2025-03-11T13:59:00.001+00:00

They were the Síoraí. Not wind, not sound, but a presence felt in the quiet spaces between breaths. They had no form, no beginning, no end. They simply were, woven into the fabric of existence, observers of the fleeting dramas of mortals.

Elara, a young woman with eyes the color of storm clouds, sat on a windswept cliff overlooking the churning sea. Her heart ached with a grief so profound it felt like a physical weight. Her brother, Liam, had been lost to the waves just weeks before. A Síoraí was with her, a gentle pressure against her sorrow, a silent acknowledgment of her pain. It could not take the pain away, could not bring Liam back. It could only be present.

Across the world, in a bustling market square, a young boy named Omar laughed as he chased pigeons. His face, alight with joy, reflected a pure, untainted spirit. Another one of the Síoraí lingered nearby, a soft warmth against his exuberance. It had been with him since his first breath, a silent witness to his unfolding life. It could not guide his steps or shield him from hardship, but it could offer the unwavering comfort of its presence.

The Síoraí were eternal companions, bound by an ancient law: to observe, to witness, but never to interfere. They were the silent audience to the grand theater of life, the unseen witnesses to every joy, every sorrow, every fleeting moment of human experience.

A Síoraí, drawn to a dying old man in a quiet hospital room, felt the faint tremor of his fading heartbeat. The man, his eyes clouded with the mists of approaching death, whispered a name: "Catherine." A single tear traced a path down his wrinkled cheek. The Síoraí could not offer him more time, could not reunite him with his lost love. It could only be there, a silent sentinel at the threshold of eternity.

The Síoraí had seen countless lives begin and end. They had witnessed empires rise and fall, civilizations flourish and crumble. They had seen the best and worst of humanity, the heights of love and the depths of despair. Yet, they remained unchanged, eternal observers of the ever-changing tapestry of existence.

They understood that interference, even with the best intentions, would disrupt the delicate balance of life. Pain, loss, and hardship were as much a part of the human experience as joy, love, and triumph. The Síoraí could not shield mortals from these experiences, for it was through them that they grew, learned, and ultimately, defined themselves.

Their presence was a subtle reassurance, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, they were not alone. They were seen, they were heard, but only in a deep, still and silent presence. The Síoraí were the silent witnesses, the eternal companions, the formless and ever-present guardians of the human heart. They were the echoes of eternity, woven into the very fabric of time.

Uafasach (Oo-phos-ock)

2019-02-07T15:40:00.001+00:00

I have been playing around with the Gealic word "uafasach". It is usually translated as terrible, horrible or awful. On closer examination it is also translated as awesome or wonderful. Looking at awful and awesome, awful is full of awe and awesome is something which inspires awe.

I'm reliably informed that "awe" is something which should be reserved for the experience induced by God's revelation. That is revelation in the sense that we experience God directly. (A Course in Miracles, Text - Chapter 1, The Meaning of Miracles, Section II, Revelation, Time and Miracles. Paragraph 3).

Those that have been following this blog are right to assume that I have been walking the beaches in Kerry again (See post of 22 APRIL 2010, Ego, Mind, Memory, Emotion). In that post I said "Sometime in the future on that beach in Kerry I may decide that there is yet another role for me."

It appears that fate and the universe have been conspiring to make that a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because, here we are now living in Glenbeigh, and really enjoying the role of grandparents.

Truly "uafasach"!

Twenty Years

2016-07-17T15:25:00.000+01:00

1996 was a very pivotal year for me. I attended a week long video presentation of Drunvalo Melchizedek's Flower of Life workshop. This put together a lot of stuff I had come across previously and introduced me to quite a lot of new material.

He introduced a very different view of history based primarily on the writings of Zecharia Sitchin. He also talked about A.H. Almaas's explanation of how we get drafted into ego-land during our early childhood. I found Almaas's book "The Pearl Beyond Price" fascinating,

During that week there was some discussion about a work that was to become the major influence in my life: "A Course in Miracles".

Since then I have read the Textbook and Manual for Teachers numerous times and done the Workbook lessons twice. Yes, I am stubborn, and it takes a long time to undo my attachment to ego-land and all its illusions. Now I cycle through Lessons 221 to 365 on a continuous basis to keep me reminded of who and what I truly am and where and when I really live.

A Course in Miracles emphasises again and again that I am as God created me and as such I have no need to be concerned about this world, or the ego's interpretation of what it thinks is going on. Ego-land is hell. Based on fear, guilt and anger, we'll stay stuck in it until we change our thinking.

There is a 'world beyond' this world that we can enter. To do this, we start looking at this world through Love and Peace. Beyond ego's insistence that we are all guilty, we are all, in fact, perfectly innocent. As God's creation, how could we be otherwise?

Teacher Beware

2014-09-10T10:44:00.000+01:00

In 1967 I studied the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharishi. His advice was to keep asking oneself the question "Who am I". This led me into a lot of soul searching. I persisted with this enquiry for thirty years, did a lot of research and discovered a lot about myself.

In 1997 I started studying A Course in Miracles. In the introduction to the Manual for Teachers book the question became "What am I". This question, and the teachings in A Course in Miracles, radically changed my perspective and made sense of what I had learned during my "Who am I" phase.

"To teach is to learn, so that the teacher and learner are the same. It (the course) also emphasizes that teaching is a constant process; it goes on every moment of the day, and continues into sleeping thoughts as well."

"To teach is to demonstrate. There are only two thought systems, and we demonstrate that we believe one or the other is true all the time. From our demonstration others learn, and so do we. The question is not whether we will teach, for in that there is no choice... we choose what we want to teach on the basis of what we want to learn...We cannot give to someone else, but only to ourself, and this we learn by teaching. Teaching is but a call to witnesses to attest to what we believe. It is a method of conversion. This is not done by words alone. Any situation must be to us a chance to teach others what we are, and what they are to us."

"The curriculum we set up is therefore determined exclusively by what we think we are, and what we believe the relationship of others is to us."

"It is our mission to become perfect here, and so we teach perfection over and over, in many, many ways, until we have learned it."

See more here.

One of the expressions that I queried a lot was "We'll always be learning." This is true if we believe that we are here living a separate experience. An exercise I teach in Peace of Mind Healing is to get us to stay in peace from when we wake up in the morning for as long as we can. When we realise that we are not in peace anymore ask ourselves "Why did I decide to take myself out of peace?" The day that we spend the whole day in peace is the day that we have stopped learning and realise that we are perfect.

We are always teaching. Beware what we teach!

Food, Glorious Food

2014-09-09T11:34:00.000+01:00

There is much written about food, of its effects on us both positive and negative. Over the years I have experimented with various diets and followed a lot of nutritional advice. Currently, I eat what I like and drink lots of water. What I have found is that sugar based foods and drinks seriously effect me. When teaching Peace of Mind Healing I do a short session on "Food, Glorious Food". We examine how food effects us by thinking about a food and then scanning the body to see what changes have occurred. My emphasis is always that it is not the food that is the problem but what we think about it.

New Testament, Matthew 15.11-12

It's not what goes into our mouths that does us harm, it's what comes out of them. For what goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and hence into the drain. But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and thus harms us.

In Chinese Philosophy the Heart houses the mind. This is reinforced by studies published by the Institute of Heart Math. See http://www.heartmath.org/templates/ihm/articles/infographic/2013/mysteries-of-the-heart/index.php

A Course in Miracles, Workbook, Lesson 136, Sickness is a defense against the truth

18. Perhaps you do not realize that this removes the limits you had placed upon the body by the purposes you gave to it. 2 As these are laid aside, the strength the body has will always be enough to serve all truly useful purposes. 3 The body's health is fully guaranteed, because it is not limited by time, by weather or fatigue, by food and drink, or any laws you made it serve before. 4 You need do nothing now to make it well, for sickness has become impossible.

A Course in Miracles, Workbook, Lesson 222, God is with me. I live and move in Him.

God is with me. 2 He is my Source of life, the life within, the air I breathe, the food by which I am sustained, the water which renews and cleanses me. 3 He is my home, wherein I live and move; the Spirit which directs my actions, offers me Its Thoughts, and guarantees my safety from all pain. 4 He covers me with kindness and with care, and holds in love the Son He shines upon, who also shines on Him. 5 How still is he who knows the truth of what He speaks today!

David Narby - Chapter 11: Warring Factions

2014-03-01T13:25:00.000+00:00

"Let's get something straight." Said Amisa.

Clivid jumped up and going to the art supply cupboard rooted around for something.

"Ah!" he said as he walked over and presented a t-square to Amisa, "Is this straight enough for you?"

We all laughed and Will said, "What an excellent lesson in interpretation, Clivid."

"Seriously," Amisa said, "Let's get something straight, we are all wrong."

Clivid said, "I suppose you could lock us all up if we were not already incarcerated here."

Amisa continued, "I did not mean wrong in the sense that we need to be punished. I meant it in the sense that we need to correct our thinking, that we need to change our perspective. We are looking at everything from an 'ego' perspective."

Will smiled and said, "Since we are sitting here believing that we are all in different bodies what other perspective could we adopt?"

Amisa said, "The ego thrives on conflict. Warring factions attacking each other. Science versus religion. Within science, physicists versus psychologists. Within religion, Catholics versus Protestants. Within politics, right wing versus left wing, government versus opposition, east versus west. No matter what arena you enter it's all about conflict: family, society, sport, politics, media, business..."

Will interrupted, "And we could go on and on naming them."

Amisa said, "And all based on the simple idea that we are all separate. That we must strive for our autonomy and fight for our independence from each other."

Smigs said, "Looking back, the history of the world has always been about conflict, and looking at current policies and trends it's not going to change anytime soon.

Amisa said, "That's one of the ego's favourite ploys. It convinces us that the future will be identical to the past. simply because it looks at everything with a past perspective. It is never in the present and does not want us to become present."

I asked, "Why does it not want us in the present?"

Amisa replied, "Very simply, it does not and can not exist in the present. When we become truly present it disappears."

Darukin said, "Our fear is that if we let the ego go we will be out of our minds crazy, since for the most part the ego is what we have experienced."

Will said, "Yet, while David was describing his in-mind experiences we were all nodding knowingly, like we had experienced something similar."

Darukin said, "That's true, but we are not willing to discuss them with anyone, particularly, not in here."

Amisa said, "So, we all accept that we've had experiences that are beyond our ego and even beyond this world."

Everyone nodded agreement. I was wondering where do we go from here. We all sat in silence. I looked around and realised that I did not really know any of these people. I knew part of their stories, but what I thought I knew about them was based mainly on my own projections. I said,

"We're not really seeing each other. We're all crazy. We think the images we have of each other are real, when they are only ego projections. How do we end this insanity?"

Everyone clapped and congratulated me and said things like 'Well done!', 'Welcome Home!'. I was a bit embarrassed, unable to see what all the jubilation was about. Will said,

"See, David, you've accepted that we are all insane, not just those of us locked up in asylums."

Amisa said, "Within our minds there is a spark of radiant light, that is overshadowed by the ego. As far as the ego is concerned it cannot be. We, as egos, are convinced of this and so we never see the light. Yet, when we sit still, close our eyes and quieten our minds, we see it. It is always there, always was, and always will be, forever."

I asked, "What about the world we see with our eyes open, so convincing it is impossible to see it as an illusion?"

Amisa said, "Simple, David, just look for the light in everyone and everything."

Weeny wannabe themocrats

2013-08-25T14:21:00.000+01:00

In his book, The Fire From Within, Carlos Castaneda talked about "small-fry petty tyrants". These are the people in your life who bully you or want to bully you. Their purpose is to keep you 'under their thumb'.

In my jargon these are referred to as weeny wannabe themocrats. I keep Themocrats for the Owners. Wannabe themocrats are all the politicians, religious leaders, presidents, etc who think they run the planet, but don't really. They all take their orders from the Owners.

So, weeny wannabe themocrats are the small-fry petty tyrants in our lives. These people want to control our lives, tell us what to do and what not to do. They want us to conform to their ideas rather than allowing us to develop and express our own. Unfortunately, these themocrats come in the form of our parents, our family and our friends.

Wilhelm Reich, in The Function of the Orgasm stated it as follows:

"The compulsive family and compulsive morality undermine family and morality. We are faced with the task of mastering the infirmities, in the form of psychic illnesses, caused by sexual and familial tyranny. To master the psychic plague, it is necessary to draw a clear-cut distinction between the natural love which exists between parents and children and every form of familial compulsion.

The endemic illness, familitis, destroys everything which honest humans are striving to achieve. We will never find lasting peace and we will seek in vain to fulfill the function of social organisation as long as untutored and naive politicians and tyrants of whatever persuasion continue to contaminate and to lead sexually sick masses of people.

The social organisation of man has the natural function of protecting work and the natural fulfillment of love. Knowledge, work and natural love are the sources of our life. They should also govern it, and the full responsibility should be borne by each of us individually.

Their natural expression blocked by forced asceticism and in part by the lack of fruitful activity, children develop a sticky attachment to the parents marked by helplessness and guilt feelings. This, in turn, thwarts their liberation from the childhood situation, with all its concomitant sexual anxieties and inhibitions. Children brought up in this way become character-neurotic adults who, in turn, pass on their neuroses to their own children. And so it goes from generation to generation."

A Course in Miracles, Chapter 5.VII has this to say about

"Guilt feelings are the preservers of time. They induce fears of retaliation or abandonment, and thus ensure that the future will be like the past. This is the ego's continuity. It gives the ego a false sense of security by believing that you cannot escape from it. But you can and must. God offers you the continuity of eternity in exchange. When you choose to make this exchange, you will simultaneously exchange guilt for joy, viciousness for love, and pain for peace. My role is only to unchain your will and set it free. Your ego cannot accept this freedom, and will oppose it at every possible moment and in every possible way. And as its maker, you recognize what it can do because you gave it the power to do it."

Themocracy or Eternal Oneness

2013-08-23T14:03:00.000+01:00

I sometimes use the expressions "They" and "Them". I used to be asked who I meant when I referred to Them. Having thought about it over the years I concluded that I did not really know any of Them in particular but knew them as a 'class' of people.

"Them" are the Owners. I use a capital "O" to differentiate Them from the many of us that own many small things. Owners believe they Own the planet and everything and every one in it, on it and around it.

"Us" and "Them" has a long, a very long history. In his book "The Twelfth Planet" Zecharia Sitchin says that the Nefilim observed, what he refers to as, Homo Erectus. According to his calendar this was around 434,000 years ago. The following is his translation from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" which refers to an encounter between a Nefilim hunter and a Homo Erectus.

"the 'savage', this barbarous fellow from the depths of the steppe...

He filled the pit that I had dug,

he tore up my traps which I had set;

the beasts and creatures of the steppe

he has made slip through my hands."

When I first read this I thought that it inspired Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel Tarzan of the Apes (1912), except that he took the conflict into modern times. James Cameron's movie Avatar took the idea to a whole new level.

We like to think that democracy means that "we, the people" have some say in what's going on in our church, our society, our state, or, even our world; that if enough of us agree on some action then that action will be taken; and that our public opinion can make Them do what we want Them to do.

Sorry, this is a Themocracy, and we will do what we are told to do, and have been programmed via state and corporate propaganda to believe that we should do, even if it is reluctantly. And if at first They do not succeed they will reinvent it, re-wrap it, spin and re-spin it until They do get it right.

Reading, watching and listening to independent experts it seriously looks like the world is "going down the tube" and that we, our children and future generations are doomed to eternal slavery.

Looking at what's going on from the perspective of what we really are, we see the world as a wholly neutral thing, a place where we can learn our lessons and realise that we are all One. And that includes Them.

My body is a wholly neutral thing.

I am not a body, I am free.

For I am still as God created me.

I am the Holy Son of God Himself

God is my Father. And He loves His Son.

God is my Father. And His Son loves Him.

Your peace is with me, Father. I am safe.

And, so, ends Themocracy and Eternal Oneness begins.

David Narby - Chapter 10 - Special Effects, Distractions, Diversions, Delusions

2013-08-06T13:16:00.000+01:00

Annorr said, "Before we begin, I would like to inform you all that I've changed my name to Amisa, pronounced am-ee-sa. I'll still respond to Annorr, but I would prefer if you all called me Amisa."

I asked, "What was wrong with Annorr?"

Amisa said, "I just did not like the sound of it. I thought that it made me sound a bit belligerent."

Will said, “David, there is something bothering you. Are you still upset at Hix’s departure?”

I said, “Yes, what Hix wrote in her letter makes sense. It’s just that I don’t seem to be able to accept it.”

The rest of the gang chimed in with various catch phrases - “She’s put the cat among the pigeons.” “She’s opened a can of worms.” “She’s upset the apple cart.” "She’s opened Pandora's box."

Will said, “OK lads, we get the message.”

I said, “She combines her Catholic Catechism Lesson Six with her quote from the bible to make everything sound so simple and easy.”

Will said, “She accepted that it made it all simple, but I don’t think she was expecting it to be easy. In fact, she left here believing that undoing her belief system was going to be a long and arduous task.”

Darukin said, “David, a word of caution, Hix uses what we call mad-house logic. It’s a gross over-simplification technique that ignores what most people call ‘common sense’. It usually drives ‘ordinary’ people crazy because it ignores all the ingrained rules and regulations that are accepted as normal. Mind you, common sense is a highly overestimated gauge of what is true or false."

Will said, "It is used to hold the status quo and to tell us "that can't be done", or "that won't work." And what is common sense to you is not necessarily common sense to me.”

Charlie asked, “But is it really what Hix said that’s bothering you David?”

I wasn't sure that I wanted to get into the real reason, but since I’d learned to trust these people I decided to be more open with them. I said,

“Hix is only part of the problem. When I gave up my career and started down this awakening path I had expectations of becoming a powerful creator who was completely free. At first I was getting lots of interesting experiences and I have shared most of them with you. Recently these have dried up and now I find myself thinking about the past and questioning the decisions I have made. I’m wondering was my previous existence a complete waste of time. I’m even speculating about going back.”

Charlie said, “Going back to what, your wonderful career as a world-famous journalist. There’s no need to be shocked, David, we all know your little secret. Don't worry, though, we won’t tell anyone and even if we did, who’d believe a bunch of crazies like ourselves. There’s no going back. You can’t go home, they all think you are dead.”

Amisa said, “Of course he can go Home.”

Charlie said, “You made a great decision to leave it all behind you, David. You do not really want to undo that decision, but you still need to undo your attachment to your previous life. You’re holding onto an awful lot of stuff that you need to let go. The Shamans of Ancient Mexico believed that the only way to do this was through ‘recapitulation’, a method of recovering energy from stagnant thoughts, complexes, situations and relationships"
.
I asked, “Is this like examining one’s conscience?”

Charlie said, “Yes, recapitulation is like examining one’s conscience in so far as we keep looking at the past, but its purpose is totally different. Recapitulation consists of a systematic scrutiny of one’s life, segment by segment. This examination is made, not in the light of criticism or finding fault, but in an effort to understand one’s life, and to change its course. Once we have viewed our lives in the detached manner that the recapitulation requires, there’s no way of going back to the same life.”

I asked, “Would this be necessary if we lived totally in the present?”

Charlie said, “The whole idea is to get us to live totally in the present, but for the most part we are carrying an awful lot of baggage. The world of everyday life is not real, or out there, as we believe it is. It is only a description. This description has been pounded into us since the moment of our birth.

"Everyone who comes into contact with a child is a teacher who incessantly describes the world, until the moment the child is capable of perceiving the world as it is described. We have no memory of this moment, simply because none of us would possibly have had any point of reference to compare it to anything else. From that moment on, however, we are caught. We know the description of the world, and we are capable of making all the proper perceptual interpretations, which, by confirming to that description, validate it.”

Will said, “We’re ploughing old ground here, we've covered this before. In child psychology, the period from one month to ten months is when most of this programming is done, when we form a ‘dual unity’ with our mothers. When the actual moment of perceiving the description occurs is uncertain. There is more certainty about when we lock into it. Some schools of thought say that it has happened by the time we are three, others say five, and still others say seven."

Charlie said, “Whatever! The reality of our day-to-day life consists of an endless flow of perceptual interpretations. This reality is shared. These perceptions are rarely, if ever, open to question. And that there may be other interpretations could not be taken seriously. We have to learn a new description in a total sense, for the purpose of pitting it against the old one, and in that way break the dogmatic certainty, which we all share.”

I said, “I’m getting the sense that to achieve this we have to engage in struggle, strife, battle, or even all out war”
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Charlie said, “The Shamans of Ancient Mexico believed that things are black or white, good or evil, right or wrong. And the only way to convert from black to white, evil to good, or wrong to right is through removing the black-evil-wrong by severe, cruel methods that, most of time, include killing it."

Amisa said, “And kill the host as well. It does not have to be that way. To ‘relinquish’ our description all we have to do is let go of the past.”

Darukin said, “We all carry much emotional memory and we need to metabolise it. We need to let the past go through the process of being sorted, of keeping what we regard as useful and dumping what is not.”

Will said, “Whatever we call it, recapitulation, relinquishing, or metabolising, the undoing of our present state of mind is a process that takes time and effort. How much time and effort it takes depends on many factors.”

Charlie said, "We have to adopt the mood of a warrior – become an impeccable hunter that hunts power. If we succeed in our hunting we can be called 'a man of knowledge'. The hardest thing in the world is to assume the mood of a warrior, It is of no use to be sad and complain and feel justified in doing so, believing that someone is always doing something to us. Nobody is doing anything to anybody, much less to a warrior.

Will said, "You cannot hunt something you already have. But, before you attack me again, you can hunt what is keeping you out of your natural power."

Charlie said, "Self-pity doesn't jibe with power. The mood of a warrior calls for control over himself and at the same time it calls for abandoning himself. A warrior calculates everything. That’s control. But once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That’s abandon. For a warrior there is nothing offensive about the acts of his fellow men.

"We need the mood of a warrior to cut through all the guff. As warriors, we proceed strategically for we know that the worst thing we can do is to confront human beings bluntly..."

I said, "I guess I have been going about this the wrong way. My tendency has been to be blunt and direct, and not to beat around the bush.

Will said, "No, you have been accused of being blunt, but for the most part you have been gentle, maybe a bit direct in trying to get your message across.

Darukin said, "David, being blunt and direct implies that you know what's best for someone else. It also means that you have judged the other person or their behaviour. And in some cases, you'll be accused of interfering."

Charlie continued, "Fright never injures anyone. What injures the spirit is having someone always on our backs, beating us, telling us what to do and what not to do."

Will said, "Unfortunately, this someone is not always external to us, we have internalised it as the 'superego' or as our conscience."

Clivid had been sitting through all of this without any comment. Now I could see that he was getting very agitated. He stood up and puffed out his chest like he was getting ready to preach.

Clivid said, "We examine our conscience on a daily basis to prepare us for the particular judgment. This judgment happens to all of us immediately after we die..."

Will interrupted, "Here comes the Big Book sermon!"

Clivid continued, "You will stand in front of the Throne of God and God will judge you from what has been written in the book of your lives. Everything is in the book. Everything you have thought, said or done is in there. Everything that you should have thought, said or done is in there. Everything that you omitted to think, say or do is in there.

"And listening to all the blasphemy, sacrilege and heresy that you have been mouthing, you will all rot in the fires of hell forever..."

Amisa interrupted, "Clivid, Clivid, God has only one judgment of us all."

Clivid asked in a very sarcastic tone, "Pray tell, witch, what is that?"

Amisa said, "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

Clivid plonked down on his chair and threw his eyes up to heaven in desperation.

Charlie said, "The warrior’s way is to worry and think before we make any decision, but once we make it, be on our way, free from worry or thoughts. There will be a million other decisions still awaiting us. War does not mean acts of individual or collective stupidity or wanton violence. It means the total struggle against that part of ourselves that deprives us of our power."

Amisa said, "I don't like the word warrior. It means a brave or experienced soldier or fighter. I get the sense of how you use it, Charlie, but I wish we could use some other expression."

Charlie said, "Inside all of us there is a gigantic, dark lake of silent knowledge which we can access. It is extremely old, at ease, indifferent, heavy, dark, and connected to everything else. It does not care because it is equal to everything. It enjoys things with no expectation."

Amisa said, "Sorry for interrupting you again. It is seen as dark only from the ego's perspective. In fact, it is only light."

Charlie said, "That's alright. The separate part, ego or foreign installation, is light, new, fluffy, agitated, nervous, and fast. It cares about itself because it is insecure and does not enjoy anything, simply because it lacks the capacity to connect itself to anything. It is alone, on the surface, and vulnerable.

"Ego finds itself so hopelessly removed from the source of everything that all it can do is express its despair in violent and cynical acts of self-destruction. Our lack of connection to our silent source makes us feel that we have no hope of peace, of satisfaction, or of attainment."

I asked, "Is this dark lake you describe our subconscious?"

Clivid said, "God is everywhere!"

Amisa said, "Clivid, that's true, but don't you start repeating that."

Charlie said, "Yes Clivid, it could be equated with God. Using the term God, however, usually gets us mired in the quagmire of religion. We sometimes refer to it as 'the Nagual', a simpler term might be 'Universal Mind' or mind that is everywhere.

Will asked, “David, is this conversation helping you discover what’s really bothering you?”

I said, “To some extent. It has helped me clarify what my real problem is. As I see it, my great experiences are my interpretations of me dipping into the universal mind and my day to day issues are my ego refusing to let go."

Charlie said, "You got it!"

I said, "More specifically, every night before I go to bed I do a meditation on a mantra...”

Clivid interrupted, “What’s a mantra?”

Darukin answered, “It’s like a prayer or an affirmation, it’s something you keep repeating to yourself over and over to calm your mind. As you repeat it you try to say it quieter and quieter. It’s like turning down the volume control on a radio.”

I continued, “When I’m finished I’m usually very calm and relaxed. Then when I get into bed I keep repeating it as I watch the screen and fall asleep. When I wake up in the morning I feel very dense and no matter how hard I try to remember the mantra, I can’t. It’s like Will says, there seems to be a completely different personality in charge.”

Amisa said, “That’s funny, when I was doing A Course in Miracles, I had a similar experience with one of the lessons. The lesson I had to remember was “I will not value what is valueless”. Before I left for work I could remember it no bother. As I drove away from the house I could not remember it and no matter what I did during the day I still could not remember it. As I drove back into the house that evening it popped back into my head.”

Will said, "David, can you give us an example."

I said, "I'd prefer not to get into the details of these waking experiences, but I'll give you one example. Recently, I woke up and got out of bed without turning on the lights. My room looked different. I went to the door and could not find the handle to open it. I was probing with my hands all around where the door should be. Then I realised that it was a bare wall I was up against and that the door was off to my left in the adjacent wall."

Will said, "Maybe you were reliving a past life memory."

Darukin said, "If we accept Charlie's idea of a universal mind that contains everything, everywhere for all time, then past lives do not make any sense."

Will said, "Ok, David's experience was taken from this universal mind rather than his own personal memories."

Amisa said, "We've talked a lot about ego and it's personalities. Let's try and put it in a broader perspective. Charlie's 'Man of Knowledge' has access to the universal mind. I define this access as spirit. Ego is the part of us that believes that it is separated and has no access to spirit. Ego is both the prison that we lock ourselves into and the prison officer that does not allow us to escape. Mind is the decision maker that chooses between staying in ego's hell or reaching for spirit. This choice allows us to become 'knower' as opposed to being a figment of an illusion's imagination."

I asked, "Are you telling me that all my experiences are just a figment of my imagination?"

Amisa answered, "No! Your experiences are real enough, they come from either spirit or ego. They are open to interpretation by the ego. And, basically, all we have been talking about is your interpretation of your experiences, not the experiences themselves."

Clivid asked, "And where does the body fit into all of this?"

Amisa answered, "The body is a wholly neutral thing - to be gently laid aside when its usefulness is done."

Clivid said, "You're all delusional dreamers!"

Amisa said, "Ego learns, dreams are ego temper tantrums, so we can learn from dreams."

Will said, "We are running out of time, again."

I said, "Before you go, I'd like to say thank you. My views on all of this are becoming much clearer. Thank you!"