The Struggles of Mental Illness

To begin with it is important to understand that there is no such thing as one kind of mental illness. I tell you this so you will never decide that everyone has the same kind. The biggest problem with the illnesses is that no one really understands the illness unless they themselves experience it.

Psychiatrists are a mess when it comes to addressing the struggles of the individual and too often throw a variety of medications at the symptoms hoping for a certain result that rarely comes if ever. No one wants to be so medicated that they feel as if they are hardly present anymore. Medications only work when the person taking them gets better.

I believe we are all insane, I just happen to like my insanity better than yours. I say this believing that insanity and mental illness is not necessarily the same thing.

I feel that humans are in a cycle of insanity that must see its course through. Many human beings are leaving this world in the direst of situations only to return more confused than when they left.

The Law of Karma says we must face and heal our past and its addictions. We can just as easily become addicted to mental illness as we can with the use of drugs to help it.

Self-medicating is generally a symptom of mental illness. For most this is a method of feeling different and even better about themselves. Some refer to this as escapism; I find it to simply be other aspects of life and living it. Most people are striving to feel good about themselves and their lives. Not being taught since childhood how to be with themselves they seek answers through drugs for different feelings to emerge.

We come into this world with certain predisposed conditions that are generally helped through our relatives and environments. Ever noticed how two siblings coming from the same environment can be so different from one another? Ever wondered why? Both received the same love and understanding as the other, yet one thrives and one choses addiction?

Telling ourselves that there is a rhyme or reason in life simply due to childhood is a bunch of hoohey.

Each soul must navigate its own path of learning and lessons in each lifetime. Thinking otherwise is simply folly. Even when people live in a dream world that allows them to silence their inner selves and truths must eventually face the soul lessons it has brought forth. To be truly free in life is to understand who and what you are. No one medication can heal this for you.

The scientific community is considering micro-dosing with LSD to help expand the mind and help adjust the feeling self. I hope they will do just that. Expanding one’s mind and perceptions are needed to learn new coping skills and to finding happiness.

Anxiety

There are number of daily stressors in life that add to our anxiety. Firstly the “world is going to hell in a handbasket” is truly happened. We are discovering just how messed up living has become.

People will tell you to not read the news if it stresses you out, but current events are important to stay abreast of. If you know in advance that your city or home will soon be underwater you can perhaps help yourself in some way to keep yourself and family safe. This will need to be an immediate reaction and creates a great deal of anxiety.

Where do we go when we have no place to go? This is overwhelming to think about and for some people creates feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Again, it is a major stress anxiety trigger that can even cripple some with the feeling that they may have to start over. Where will the money come from to move and try again? Without money we can become a statistic of homelessness.

Just surviving day to day can cause major anxiety as the world operates on money and when you have none you are unable to operate, depending now on the kindness of others for your very survival. As we all know there is a great deal of kindness and good will in the world so long as it doesn’t involve other people’s money.

The “New Age Teachings” try to share the importance of creating new realities. And yes, I have been fortunate enough to do so. But where are the guidelines and instructions to such endeavors, and again how much time and money will it take to learn these mysteries and their operation? ; more anxiety to achieve such dreams and goals.

The Universe is steeped in paradox often bringing more confusion to every question. How can I believe in the beauty and joy of living when I am surrounded by pain and sadness?

The question I get from so many people is “what is my purpose?” Someone told me I need to be a healer. Indeed, we are all here to heal ourselves as well as whatever reach we have to help others.

When we feel we cannot heal the world we also need to be aware to not let the world dominate our thinking. Sometimes this leads to us feeling like we are holding onto a buoy out at sea and all alone. Can our dreams for a better and happier life help us find solid footing from this place?

Mind, body, soul and spirit must all learn to interact and help each other if we are to find safety in our spirituality. We must learn to conceptualize by releasing judgment upon ourselves and the past.

We will always have some anxiety in life as it is part of being human. Learning to think and see differently will assist us in growing beyond the need for pain and suffering. Religion cannot do this for you, this is an individual process and can be achieved by realizing you have and are spirit.

When we are stuck in survival, we are convinced there is no time for spirituality. Humankind refuses to explore its eternal essence because there is comfort in believing that logic and reason are the keys to life. This denial of the spirit self has brought our species to a point in our development that is causing self-destruction.

Through this process of denial, humanity has created a world that dwells in torment and debris. The garbage keeps piling up, the atmosphere is unhealthy, trees and vegetation are dying and the destruction is continual. Humans close their eyes constantly to the pain and suffering around them, just as they shut themselves off from their emotions. In the West we call ourselves civilized and worship technology as our savior. Our life has become one of entertainment and drama rather than intimate loving interaction. Most of humanity lives in an illusionary field of dreams that has become a living hell, a world where hope and love are as fleeting thoughts and greed is the great taskmaster.

When we begin to look beyond the veil of illusion, we realize that humanity is on a collision course with its true destiny. To save the world and its inhabitants, we must first learn to save ourselves. Before we can do selfless acts of kindness, we must first learn how to be selfless. This we can only learn by honoring our spiritual essence.

In the spirit realms, all is comprised of energy. Energy continually replenishes itself, ever transforming and changing. This life-giving energy is unending, all-pervading and always exchanging within itself.

You and I are this same spiritual energy. As such, we are learning to change and transform ourselves as energy does. When stuck in the experiences of the lower chakras, our need to survive supersedes the awareness and understanding of ourselves as soul and spirit. Because of this we have become cut off from our spirit self, the energy self that we are.

Our soul can receive sustenance only by us connecting with our spiritual energy. Our soul is our transportation within all consciousness through all incarnations, be they physical or spiritual. We in essence kill ourselves to our soul by denying it the energy exchange it needs.

In reality, the soul cannot die, but we can separate ourselves from our soul memory and consciousness.  Doing this creates a barrier that makes it harder and harder to return to soul. When this continues over extended periods, we lose touch with our life-sustaining spiritual energy and we feel devoid and disconnected from life. We become as ghouls and our bodies and minds begin to shut down.

The reality now taking place on planet earth has taken eons of time to establish. Humankind has been shutting itself down for a long time. The societies of this world facilitate this desecration of life and this current existence has now been accepted as true reality.  Though many of us would like to see this change overnight, the only way that could happen, is if the majority of people on the planet would actually work through all their lifetimes of conditioning.  Changing the conditions of one person’s life takes time. How much time will it take for everyone on the planet to realize that we all should seek to become spiritually aware?

By focusing on our individual roles, we will not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the vastness of the work that lies ahead. Finding the truth within all life and ourselves is the key.

The spiritual journey should not be taken on half-heartedly.  We cannot learn a little and think that is enough. We must persevere—even in the face of crises and adversity, realizing that in some way we too are responsible for the state of affairs the world is in.

Developing through the soul’s awareness helps us to perceive and understand the meanings of events in life without attachment. When we are attached to outcome, we still have personal expectations that set us up for disappointment. When we release expectation, we use our inner knowing to take us forward in the creative process of living.

Each person has been born to accept and learn about him or herself as a divine being. Each person is born with unconditional love, compassion, awareness and understanding. It is through our life experiences that we learn to forget this.

Some of you may be asking if it is really necessary to go through all this hoopla of meditation, forgiveness and so forth to develop and open spiritually. Is this awareness attainable in any other fashion?

The answer is simply no. Unless we develop conscious awareness of our multidimensional-self transcending and ascension are not possible.

Meditation, affirmations, purposeful emotional release processes, and meditative trance are tools for deprogramming accepted belief patterns. These tools help us release and let go of our emotional baggage.

You may unconsciously be doing some of this work within yourself now, but it must become conscious to fully manifest. You must choose to realize the soul and spirit essence that you are.

Some people may seek psychological help when deciding to heal their emotional scars; good counseling always helps. Other people simply take life one day at a time, working through their pasts by experiencing interactions with the people they are in contact with daily. In this manner, and without adequate tools for release, they tend to draw the same experiences to themselves continually. They question why the same things keep happening.

Although others may come and go in our life, the experiences they bring us do not. Until we are able to process and understand

the meaning of our experiences, we will not be able to change them.

Without the help and tools we need for inner healing, we become weary of trying to figure out our problems. As we attempt to resolve our issues logically, we often feel that we are a victim of some cruel joke that God is playing on us. We feel that life is victimizing us and we question why all cannot simply be changed through logic and reason. Nevertheless, life rarely makes sense and the logical mind is little more than a storage center. All the rational mind has ever learned, all it contains, has been programmed through our life’s learning experiences. The rational mind abilities are limited to the playback of learned images and responses, it does not have the capacity to feel or change itself. This can only be done by implementing new experiences and information.

We can learn to understand why we behave and react to situations the way we do, by observing our actions and ourselves. Doing this we identify past mental training and begin consciously changing our logical tapes. We can neither run away nor hide from our life experiences. Results come only through healing and integrating them.

It’s time for me to do what I do best; help put people in touch with their Spirit Guides and Angels.

There will be a free introductory “Zoom Meeting”,  Saturday, August 27^th 1Pm to 3Pm MST. You need to contact me in advance to receive an invitation to get into the meeting. We will be discussing what the Classes will entail so you can decide whether or not to take them.

Classes will be held over Zoom, Saturdays from 1Pm to 3Pm MST. September 3,10,17,24, 2022. Classes will be $120.00 for the series of 4.

Email me atheneraefiel22@gmail.com or call me (719) 598-8158

I would like to talk some more about my upcoming set of September, 2022 Classes.

“Finding and Working with your Spirit Guides”

I work directly with my Guides and Angels to help others tap in to their higher self and Guidance.

We all have our own Guides and Teachers and none of us have exactly the same ones.

You may discover you are a Hybrid or Angelic being; we all have our path of learning to walk and experience this lifetime.

We will work with Meditation, and Mantras to keep us centered and aligned within the Spirit Essence that we are.

There will be sharing and discovering as we go.

Blessings from the Universe et al.

What working with my Spirit Guides has done for Me.

Helping me find, address fears and integrate them. Overcome fear of death and dying. Overcome fear of the unknown. Face fear in all its aspects and overcome it.

Heal The Inner Child, heal and integrate the past deep wounds. Heal my need for approval; heal my desire to be someone other than myself.

Become my best Buds; relying on them always to be with me; asking any and all questions without fear of reprisal. Understanding how I am Love. Seeing the “Bigger Picture” and understanding I am not in charge of saving the world.

Learning to let go of the past, of love in friendships and relationships that no longer serve me; opening to trust myself and The Universe of compassion and Love.

Finding my Spirit Guides and daily Teachers; learning to trust my intuition and light.

Developing all levels of Chakras and learning about the Chakra Bodies; raising my consciousness through understanding how to advance through meditation.

In case you were wondering these are a few of things your Spirit Guides can help you with.

Mother Earth

By Athene Raefiel

Mother Earth is trying to balance herself. She has and will always do what is necessary to harmonize the nature of the Planet. The news media portrays her to be cruel and violent when in reality she is simply doing what any other Mother would do to protect her abode and young life.

We are merely at the beginning of what will be world conflict brought about by natures need to harmonize and balance. Rather than us killing, torturing, creating wars and fighting for the greatest power and wealth we need to be unifying as a world in crisis to save ourselves and the planet. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see this fact; it is plain as day.

The Andes Indians came down out of the mountains in about 1995 to tell us of the devastation humans were creating to nature and her cycle of life. Many did not even know these people existed or that they had been living in the mountains there in natural harmony with the Earth for thousands of years.

Landmasses started moving when the large underwater Earthquakes began setting off Tsunamis in between 2001 and 2004. Old Volcanoes coming back to life after lying dormant for thousands of years is going to continue as the water levels continue to rise and we are having more and more earthquakes world wide.

When Earthquakes occur on the Ocean Floors then the floors begin shifting. This sets off massive changes globally. It is a domino effect, a chain reaction of sorts. Since the Ocean floors make up two thirds of our Planet Earth they are sure to effect all and everything else on the planet.

Since species upon species of Aquatic Sea life has been becoming extinct, the oceans have created a momentum to save themselves. The waters have the greatest power known to this planet and all of its life. The oceans can supply us with all the power needed to heat homes, run vehicles, create electricity and feed us, yet we fill it debris trash, oil spills and over-fishing as well as over-hunting for hides and trinkets we do not need.

If there were a conspiracy theory, I think I would say that we are all living a lie perpetrated by great minds who see the developing world as an entity unto itself that can control not only nature itself but also the nature of life living upon it.

If the greatest wealth in the world is actually distributed between less than one percent of the population then for those few there would be little to gain if it were not for free trade, market and big oil.

The United States has all the resources it needs to take care of itself and yet we depend on other nations for almost all of our food, clothing and practical needs. Survival has become such a powerful entity in our life that we no longer have time to be with ourselves or by ourselves. We have no time to relax and enjoy family, to plant some vegetables and enjoy a sunrise or sunset. While in many third world countries people are being starved and tortured, babies thrown in boiling water and killed simply because others can do it to them without fear of reprimand.

We have lost our balance as a civilized world and we have lost our way as Divine Beings. Everyone has an agenda and almost all believe they are the only righteous ones in Gods eyes.

All wars continue to be about Religion, Resources or Simple insanity. War has no common sense value at all nor does it serve any true Divine Entity. It is always selfish and never selfless except for the warriors dying.

Where is the conscience of the world? When did we quit believing that each and every person has a responsibility to Mother Earth and Nature to honor the life within and upon it?

Depression, sadness and mental illness are becoming a way of life for massive amounts of people. Animals are losing their sense of direction and becoming more violent as humans lead the way. Some species even of insects have just decided to become extinct as they too no longer sense the beauty and love of nature necessary for them to survive.

We as lightworkers have nothing to work with but the Light and Love of the Divine. We are Spiritual warriors fighting always an uphill battle for a place at the table that will allow us to be heard amid the brain jamming devices as well as the brainwashing that accompanies the masses.

Yes we have Nobel Peace Laureates that we adore and appreciate, but by and of themselves, they too must continually battle energies that find them to be a threat to the very core of the negative power structure.

The poles are shifting ladies and gentlemen at an unprecedented rate, see (http://www.greatdreams.com/spinaxis.htm ) just as the glaciers are melting.  www.sciencedaily.com/, http://spaceweather.com/  Here are a few other websites to tell you about Solar activity and other Earth Changes as well.

I share these things with you not to frighten you but to educate. Too many of my friends have already quit reading, National Geographic, watching the news or even reading a newspaper, because they feel they are better off just not knowing the truth of the 3D world around them. I do not believe the answers lie in burying my head in the sand.

Human consciousness is strong my friend and every one of us have the potential to change our own consciousness in order to effect the whole.

We must re-program our own thinking, feeling and believing in order to stay on track. There are many beings that have moved into the awareness that they’re energetic beings of consciousness over this past century. Some have chosen to live lives as peaceful warriors away from the fray of the rest. I do not believe this an option for me this lifetime. I believe that we must educate and inspire more and more individuals to find consciousness and learn to use it to change the world happenings.

We as a unit within the Divine Light of Source and all of its Hierarchies and Galactic Brotherhoods have the power to shift the Earth and its inhabitants to a new evolutionary path. We may not be able to stop the devastation that will be wrought by Mother Earth to re-balance herself but we can help her as well all species of life still upon her but we must act daily.

Suggestions for Daily Living:

Teach and share only what you practice yourself.

Recycle and reuse at every opportunity, be the example.

Each day you go outside greet the sky the earth the trees the animals and pay honor to Earth, Air fire and Water, North, East South and West.

Avoid wastefulness.

Change your thoughts to positive thoughts if they tell you negative things.

Do affirmations for the beauty and love you want and need in your life.

Look though anothers eyes before you judge.

Take time to breathe and be with yourself.

Learn to like and love yourself.

Learn to Meditate and discover multi-dimentional thought and knowingness.

Anchor Light and Love each morning and night.

Sample of Affirmations:

I am, I am, I am, a child of the Divine Light

I am, I am, I am, special in my own right

I am, I am, I am, sacred as is all life.

I deserve to free to be me. I am worthy to feel joy and beauty.

I deserve to help others help themselves. I am worthy to love and be loved.

I am open to receive Divine Light and Love always.

I am a soul and spirit light.

I deserve to have abundance in my life on all levels.

I am open to receive.

I am riches and wealth.

I forgive myself for being simply human and recognize that to be human is a great gift and honor.

I appreciate the Divine Light that shines within all life and myself.

I trust in the power of my True Inner Light to guide and protect me.

I am the one true power of light that always resonates with truth.

I am free to be unlimited.

I am unlimited.

“My feet hurt, I’m tired and overworked, I still have to deal with the children and dinner.” ” I am positively tired of trying to be positive.”

Do these things sound familiar to you? This is generally everyday life for so many of us.

Working on getting and remaining positive with yourself often seems like just one more chore you probably don’t want to do.

We often have to create positive thoughts and affirmations to continually remind ourselves how to do it. What we are actually accomplishing by doing this is a re-program of our own thinking and speaking process. It is neither simple or easy, yet has great rewards when you stick to it.

Thinking positive literally changes and charges the energy in and around you. Stop saying “I can’t” , knowing you do it out of  habit. This may sound silly at first but it definitely changes things within you and your life.

Affirmations to use:

“I am filled with life’s energy and love.”

“I am free to be happy and enjoy my daily life.”

“I receive all the energy I need to re-charge and go forward.”

To remain positive you must speak with yourself on a regular basis correcting you thought process. Start using phrases that begin with “I choose”

To lead a positive life you must learn to think before you act and re-act.

Stop being sorry all the time. You are human and that’s what makes you glorious. What you do not like about yourself change, by changing yourself all things around you will also follow.

Meditate, do yoga, stretching exercises and create and enjoy time alone.

Learn to like you!                                         

Dear Athene Raefiel:

“Although I have never actually, physically “met” you, I do feel I’ve known you for the past few years. Sometime ago you had unexpectedly sent me some kind words about my own website (Astro Chakras). That event, along with the coinciding passing of my best friend, also a very gifted psychic, helped me to realize that I, too, am very gifted. In fact, since that time – which I think was about 2 years ago, or more – I’ve met several other psychics, and they all say that I am very gifted, and capable of channeling. You did not say anything that was profound, but the sincerity of your words was very obvious. They touched my heart, and even from a distance, I could feel the honest Love that you emanate. Not only did you make a difference in my life, but I’ve also learned how to pass on that same loving energy to others in need. Keep up the great work in helping to Light the World.”
Love, Ron

“I have had the pleasure of knowing Athene for over 15 years. She is the true embodiment of light, love, mother, sister and friend. Her gifts and abilities enable all that seek her out to begin their journey towards true enlightenment. Athene has guided me and kept me on my true path throughout the years in numerous ways, beginning with a rebirthing session 15 years ago. She is truly my lighthouse during the storms that life brings. Through Spirit, and with her guidance, I have been able to hone my healing abilities and become a lightworker. I thank Spirit for bringing Angel Athene into my life and hope those that are seeking enlightenment and a true path allow her into theirs.”
Terri Masterson

“Hi Athene! How are you? It’s been some time since I last checked my e-mails, but boy… is it good to hear from you! Like the rest of your readers, I feel privileged to be drawn into the information you provide and share with us; believe me, it makes a great deal of difference in this puzzle we are in called life. Reading your articles and channelings is always like a balm for me and my never-ending search for my own truth. Thank you so much!”
Tons of love from Venezuela, a place of light!

“I’d also like to mention a past project I helped with for clairvoyant counselor and author, Athene Raefiel, I designed the cover for her latest book: “Getting To the Heart”, and did the art and graphics for her new guided meditation CDs: Stairway of Angels, The Sacred Garden, and Prayers and Invocations. If you’re not familiar with Athene’s intuitive work, become so. She’s VERY uplifting. Reading her book and receiving spiritual counseling from her has helped me tremendously.”
Sharon George, Gorgeous George Graphics
Has worked with Doreen Virtue and Hay House etc.

“Religion, metaphysics and parapsychology tend to spawn three kinds of teachers: scholars who study in depth, the great thinkers and the Bible; psychics who connect with Spirit and channel that healing and wisdom; and sprites who glow with playfulness, who see the innocent game in our earthly drama. Athene is all these healers and teachers–wise, gifted and light.”
Anne Kalicki – “Melantha”, Colorado Springs, CO

“To Whom It May Concern: I would like to share with you a wonderful light in my life, her name is Athene and she is my mentor. I started taking Athene’s classes fifteen years ago, which was one of the first major steps of my wonderful journey of self-empowerment. Athene, thank you for all your love and patience, you are my spiritual mother.”
Kathy “White Dove”, Colorado Springs, CO

“Athene assisted me in a successful transition through one of the most difficult periods of my life through her healing, emotional release and regression therapies. She always seems to know what is needed to take me through the next step in my journey. I have known Athene for almost a decade and I trust her completely – in the most vulnerable of times. You know she cares about you and understands you and your path – past, present and future. I find that Athene has a clarity, a wisdom, and a depth of knowledge that few on earth have and I admire her ability to articulate that knowledge in a most exceptional and meaningful way.”
Barbara Taylor, Colorado Springs, CO
Breakthrough Consulting and Seminars
(Barb is a former Corporate Director of Human Resources and currently coaches and trains in the area of personal leadership, self-esteem and communication.)

“I am happy to write a character reference for Athene Raefiel. I’ve known Athene for almost 15 years, as a teacher, friend, personal psychic, and mentor. Without Athene’s encouragement, belief, and spiritual classes, I’d never be the great spiritual psychic and counselor I am today. I’ve taken many classes from Athene. As a teacher, she encourages, supports, clarifies, and shares her truth. She excites the students that are just beginning, and supports the older students. I’ve taken a variety of psychic and personal empowerment courses from Athene and have used the information on a daily basis. I also had the pleasure of teaching a children’s workshop with Athene. She has the patience to teach the young and the old.

As a personal psychic, Athene has been honest, to the point, and very accurate with my life changes. Athene has encouraged me to channel and tune into my own guides to get my answers. She believed in me and shared her truth. What more would one want in a friend and psychic?

I highly recommend Athene as a teacher and spiritual counselor. She is a natural teacher and it shows in all she does. Athene truly “walks her talk.” Athene is still my mentor. She is like a mother bird that constantly encourages her young to fly. Well, I soared, and still I return to thank her for all she has done for me. I’m now a full time psychic and spiritual counselor and teacher. Thanks to Athene Raefiel.”
Kris Gibbs, Colorado Springs, CO

“Athene has been a good friend and teacher for the past eight years offering new awakening time and time again. She always seems to have a higher perspective for insight and understanding. In addition she has been a major catalyst for the development of my work and for a shift in awareness of my personal growth as well! It is my privilege to recommend her to anyone who is sincerely interested in expanding their awareness!”
John E. Pollack, Sedona AZ
Spiritual Healer, Group Facilitator

“Athene is a gift of a person who’s expertise has touched many lives. Athene has been my teacher for the past ten years in dream interpretation, which has helped me with everyday problems and my spiritual growth. Regression sessions in which I’ve been able to let go of some very painful burdens in my past. Meditation classes have taught me how to be more in touch with my self and is a great stress reliever. Through Athene’s personal growth classes my self esteem has truly been enhanced, my self worth restored. I’m a happy lady!”
Moana Selinger, Salon Owner

“I am writing to let you know what a powerful teacher you are in helping others with your emotional release techniques. Your wisdom is light-heartening and is an asset to all the lives you touch. You are truly a gifted healer and it is a blessing to know you and have received your wisdom and your healing techniques.
Gabrielle, Denver CO
Gabrielle Productions, Inc.

“Every once in a while someone really special comes into your life. If you’re fortunate, that person is multi-dimensional, and the relationships you share cross the boundaries between “personal” and “professional”. So it is with Athene Raefiel, and I consider her to be a blessing in my life on both a personal and a professional basis.

An integrated individual who applies her insight and wisdom to her own life on a daily basis. Athene has proven to be a friend on the highest level and a client who works from a position of self-directed spiritual purpose in her life. On all levels, she conducts herself with a sense of “professional realness” that is very rare, indeed.

My experience with Athene has been that she is focused, innovative, and creative in all that she does, without ever losing touch with the physical realities and responsibilities of life. She is wonderful in every sense of the word.”
Lois Grant, Denver CO
Mainstream Metaphysics

Please feel free to update or add your own. blessings, Athene

We often hear the statement “The moral fiber of this country”, yet we have no way of knowing by whose standard this is determined.  Morality is based on virtues and vices, the awareness of right and wrong.

I was raised a Catholic and went to church seven days a week.  I was baptized, received communion and confirmed into the faith.  I went to Catholic school and tried to be the best Catholic child that I could be.

Catholicism taught me as a child that I was a sinner in God’s eyes, had always been a sinner, and would always be a sinner. Such beliefs taught me that I would never be good enough to gain God’s approval.

Alternately at home, I was brought up believing that my parents felt the same way about me as God did. This constantly reinforced the belief within me, that I was not good enough. This moral training made me feel unworthy and ashamed of myself. I became isolated inside and wanted to hide what I came to believe was my ugliness.

Many of the world’s societies believe that self-punishment and debasement lead to good moral living. Some religions, by instilling the belief that our very thoughts and desires make us sinners, teach us to suppress our emotions. This magnifies our sense of guilt and shame, which produces a tremendous emotional imbalance.

Since it is true that thought and desire create; these creations can only be changed by us understanding them, not by suppressing them. When we deny who we are emotionally, we stuff our feelings deep inside where they begin to fester. The result of this repression can and does manifest itself in many forms. Sometimes it manifests as mental illness, emotional instability, and various forms of physical pain and disease. Whole societies of people have and do become confused and hostile as the result of repressed emotions.

In true spiritual awareness, balanced emotions are the key to higher enlightenment. It is through our emotional experiences, that we gain the understanding necessary to control them. Our emotions are the only tool we have for learning how to love one another and our self.

Morality and spirituality are really the same thing.  When we have moral values, we are naturally spiritual.  Moral values should be taught and lived at home, not at church.  The home should be the spiritual temple, and we should be worshipping spiritual values in life consistently. If we were to live life in this manner, true wisdom and insight would reveal itself and we would become godlike.

Most Western religions have become big business. No longer seeking to know and understand God, they choose to wield the power of God to fit their own mandates. Many religions use their teachings to brainwash and control people rather than helping them open up to god. This form of brainwashing convinces us that we should all think alike. Organizations such as these use this group energy to indoctrinate others into their sect.

Many of these religious organizations, herald themselves as Christians, becoming religious zealots who judge other faiths and label them as cults, not realizing they themselves have become just that.

More wars are fought in the name of religion than for any other reason. More people have died and been killed in the name of an all loving God than for any other cause.  China executed the Tibetans, Serbia the Albanians; in Ireland, the Protestants and Catholics continue to fight; in Israel, it is the Muslims and Jews, all the way back to the Pagan Romans who persecuted the Christians. We have been through the Dark Ages, The Crusades, and The Spanish Inquisition.

Spiritual beliefs have always been a source of chaos on our planet and religious wars continue to ravage humanity. Some

radical religionists condone bombing of abortion clinics and harassment of abortion doctors; they infiltrate public schools and politics, all in the name of Christ. War is waged on homosexuals, for some, this too is an abomination of God.

Many advocate the death penalty as justice for a crime, not seeing this as bias when they call abortion murder.

Taking of all or any human life is against God’s law.

Somehow, somewhere in society, we have come to believe that if a person dies, he or she will not return.  We need look to history to discover that problems do not go away by people killing one another. In fact, if all the people who have been killed never actually returned, why are there so many angry and distorted people on the planet now?

It seems that many religions conveniently make up God’s rules as they go along.  In this way, these organizations profess to know what God thinks. Their own teachings tell them that God is beyond their comprehension, yet inevitably they let their ego self¾their lower chakras¾dictate truth.

The truth is vaster than any one being or book.  The search for spiritual truth is the journey that brings eternal joy. The truth is an ever-expanding perception that is unending. Each person is a piece of this truth. When the pieces fit together, they make a beautiful picture that expands and changes as we all grow and develop. Some religions try to make this a still life picture rather than the ever-changing energy of life that it is.

When approaching religion, we should look at the life experiences brought about by the living examples of its believers in order to determine its values. If you find people who have opened their hearts and minds to become godlike by following the dictate of their religion, then there may be substance to their faith. If on the other hand, you find people of bigotry and judgment, or whose spirituality is lived only while in church, then be aware.

Remember that spirituality is not a religion. God has no religion, as God is pure spirit. Spirituality is the essence and energy that makes us all gods. If a religion does not teach its followers to live by this concept, it is not teaching spirituality.

Meditation

I know we may be tired of hearing about Meditation, especially when we feel we have tried and cannot accomplish it. Meditation is one of those wonderful mysteries in life that must be experienced in order to understand its benefits.

Basically, Meditation is the art of going into a trance state to discover all that was originally hidden from you. This ultimately aids you in the discovery of the deepest levels of self as well as the Universe. I use the word Universe to quantify everything, seen and unseen.

When discovering the many depths of consciousness using Meditation, you also begin to understand your own unseen depth of being. This is how you learn about and discover soul consciousness.

Soul consciousness holds many answers to questions we may not even knew we had, such as, what soul is and its purposes, as well as its memories. While traversing soul we discover whole new worlds of thought and understanding. Soul is like a storage department or type of library containing forgotten and hidden information of ourselves along with History of all sorts.

When people tell you they are channeling, they are usually receiving information through their soul channel. We can develop and heighten our intuition to access soul as well, and Meditation is the best way to do this.

Recently I have heard people on radio shows telling us they only Meditated once in their life, and quickly and unexpectedly accessed the awareness of their Spirit Guides and Angels. I am sure these people now Meditate on a regular basis. Me; meeting my Spirit Guides and Teachers took years of searching and then more years of Meditation. I can only assume these very blessed others of whom I speak, came in this lifetime ready to evolve to such high levels of perception.

I believe that we are related to Our Spirit teachers in some way and have been working together for very long periods of time. Within the Universe all things are connected so it would only make sense.

Do not give up if you’ve had little or no luck meditating, finding that space between time and no time will be discovered through practice and patience. Just as we must make time for other important things in life so it must be with our desire to meditate. Meditation will help you change your life and evolution in ways you never even imagined, and once you start the expansion it can take on a life of its own.

Pain

There are so many different kinds of pain that individuals experience. Emotional pain is the hardest and deepest to heal and come to terms with. Emotional pain occurs when our experiences traumatize us, the very existence of living can cause long held trauma we may not even remember. Sometimes these things lying under the surface will be triggered or re-awakened through another series of events.

Mental pain or trauma can be experienced through anger and sadness. When we mentally focus on traumatic events in life we make mental memory that will often play over and over again as we proceed along our journey called life. Creating its own OCD effect keeping us focused on the pain and confusion presented somewhat as a role model for our thinking.

Deep beliefs within us hold that balance and fairness exist in life thereby helping us hold our rational mind in continual paranoia. In reality we are the only ones that can change and reconstruct our thinking and feeling selves.

One would think that, “time heals all wounds”, but this statement in and of itself is a lie. Time often is simply a way of trapping ourselves into the dogma we call life. Time, in and of itself, has no power to change how we think or feel about ourselves, just as inner beliefs are strong and powerful energies that we allow to subdue us.

To heal the pain within we must be ready to accept change as the key to doing this. A willingness to change how we think or feel about things in life can be a major undertaking as pain and sorrow are buried deep inside. “I know how I feel” is another misconception that holds us back. When we work to free ourselves from pain and suffering our immediate response is how can I change my past?

From the time we are young our conditioning begins through our interactions with parents as well as life and others in supervisory positions. Overcoming our environments from the past can be mind-blowing as we have already accepted some way of viewing and handling what life throws at us.

Pain can and is a tough task-master. When told something over and over again as a child like “you will never learn” it sticks with you. Often as an adult you will even repeat this statement to yourself, over and over again, cementing it within your brain and feeling self. This is how negative self-talk advances itself through your life. You have now accepted this statement as truth and keep re-enforcing it. Patterns such as these steal your life from you and keep you in hiding hoping no one else sees it. This perpetuates sadness and grief as a way of living life.