The Great Power of Change

Have you ever felt like you have just landed in a Twilight Zone episode? Or perhaps have just disembarked in a land you hardly recognize, although things feel slightly familiar? That Déjà vu feeling that bleeds thorough your reality to the NOW? It was only a distance of 100+ miles, but on the other side of Alligator Alley I felt I had just landed in the middle of a Hollywood movie set on a recent trip to Naples, Florida.

A friend had arranged a meeting with an engaging, winsome woman who I had met through her podcast radio show several years before, and I jumped at the opportunity to connect once again. She was also a spiritual seeker and I wanted to share my newly published book with her; she excited to meet us as well.

The three of us enjoyed the peaceful and delicious lunch at a charming downtown eatery in Historic Naples. Outside on the patio the conversation was deep, meaningful and relevant to our lives as we shared stories about the twists and turns life offers up. After several hours, we parted and taking advantage of our Saturday adventure decided to walk around enjoying the quaintness and cheerful surroundings. After all it was a “swell” day to walk the old part of town—window shopping and people watching before grabbing dinner and heading home.

Strolling down the sidewalk, snapping a few pictures and watching visitors like ourselves, I felt out of place. It was bigger than that however. I turned to my friend Lynn and commented, that I felt I was living in the middle of the Illusion—that all of this had been constructed for our learning and earth school—in fact each of us playing our parts—all with academy award performances, in fact, as specialists that we are. And beginning to answer the big cosmic question, who are we? Humans here in physical form to affect the WHOLE, extending far out into the Universes and Galaxies beyond our wildest imagination in the name of love. What boundaries do we hold? Or it is only our own limits and perceptions that restrict us?

My concepts of reality had been shifting for some time, but today it was kinesthetic and palatable Was there a rift in dimensions occurring and was that the sense I felt? After all, this affluent, conservative Christian appearing group was so outside the world I recognized by its diversity, color and bi-lingual culture of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Is this where our realities formed within the bubble we lived? Was this the place where inclusion and exclusion collided? Or where hate and love became judgment and bargaining chips of delusion and fears?

The 1998 movie Pleasantville serves as a great example. Suddenly, Toby McGuire and Reese Witherspoon are cast into a Black and White television series in the fictitious town of Pleasantville. The characters in Pleasantville cannot see color—they don’t know books, or apples or sex or rain. Life is a façade in this place far from reality, as we can imagine. Their world is limited to what they know, which is safe. “What lies outside Pleasantville?”, they ask. The question is a profound one. Is it one that we must ask ourselves as well? And, how many of us still live in the 1950’s world of colorless black and white? Where is our Universe, and does it need to be messed with? What begins to happen when we truly begin to connect with others—all others? Is it only then, that we too can step out of our bubble of illusion and live in the multidimensional world of color which can be a metaphor for Love, Peace, Compassion and our hearts. For as Ervin Laszlo states so eloquently “I am part of the world. The world is not outside of me, and I am not outside of the world. The world is in me, and I am in the world.” Gee whiz, the great power of change.

Bookmark

Bookmarks for me, mark more than just a placeholder for a page in a book—I guess they are more like a tiny time capsule, which seem to mark an event, adventure or period in my life.  Just recently, I had a friend make a remark about my bookmarks, “I am always fascinated what I will find in your books,” he remarked.  Actually, I had never given it much thought until his comment.  Yes, I had used something handy in the moment and then later found old airline ticket jackets, receipts from restaurants, post-it-notes with cryptic messages, raffle tickets, old napkins with handwritten notes and envelopes or simply little scraps and bits of paper that were repurposed into commission to hold a place of importance in the book I was reading at the time. But, it seemed to be “My normal” and usually I took no notice. How odd an observation, I noted to myself, with a sheepish shrug and smile.

Yesterday, however, I pulled down a newer version of The Joy of Cooking, that has found a home atop my refrigerator. (I say newer because the first copy I received was decades ago—upon graduation from high school—from friends of my Mother, as a gift.)  This newer reprint was purchased as my “Florida” version in 2001.  I liked it because of its tables of equivalents and conversions and I used it as an encyclopedia of sorts in the world of baking chemistry, recipes, and basic homemade standbys such as buttermilk biscuits which I could find at a glance; the old 1948 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia collection served the same function growing up regarding inventions and world facts.

But, yesterday, after a lengthy disappearance, I found in one of its pages, a reappearance of a Sainsbury’s label for cranberries. Sainsbury’s was a grocery store I frequented when I lived in England for about six months.  The Cranberries weight measured in grams and the “display” date and the “Best” before date labeled 27 NOV and 28 NOV respectively.

During my stay, the Thanksgiving holiday appeared on my calendar and I insisted on a small Thanksgiving dinner.   Before my trip, I never realized the imbedded importance of what this holiday meant for me.  In my core, it screamed American and for all our criticisms around the world, I realized in 2006 that in spite of living in another English-speaking country which very much represented our history and roots—there were some extremely notable and discernible differences in the way in which our entrenched thoughts and beliefs impacted our present day workings.

Yes, I navigated the right-hand drive—with extreme concentration; it was so easy to slip back into the autopilot of the more familiar American—left-hand drive.  Yes, there were a few words that were particularly “English” and that just made it more fun.  And, yes, there was the occasional derogatory comment about ‘the Americans’, but I was unfazed.

The single most important difference I noticed, was the mentality—that good old American—nothing can stop me now attitude, that I believe separates us and the freedom others seek when they arrive on our shores.  This is the same fortitude that has spurred protests, freedom of expression and the drive for something better—always better.  We may have our share of rotten apples—for no society is ever perfect, but we will sort and sift and find a better way to give everyone a chance to live in harmony with ourselves and our neighbors.

Surprised, that, it is this “time capsule,” a bookmark, the Sainsbury’s Cranberry label and buttermilk biscuits, that reminds me today, that I am proud to be an American.  I know we will get through all this chaos.  It will be sorted out and we will be stronger and more united for it in the end.  Because, that’s who we are!

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12 Ways of Christmas

images-5The holidays are upon us. Here we go again. And, unless it’s my imagination, the energy is more intense than in past holiday seasons; maybe it’s just me? Or is it? So, it’s not about cookies and pies and sugar plums which dance in everyone’s head.  Everywhere around me I am hearing extreme stories—and feeling the blowback with unreasonable responses to simple requests. Could it be the severe transits in the sky or that this shift in human consciousness is real? The fast-tracking and completion of this 9 energy seems to be upon us—endings and new beginnings ready or not!  Strap on your seat belt, I think there is more ahead. Is this where the “rubber hits the road?”  Or, as Lee Carroll says, “No more fence sitting.”

Even though we can’t see such progress nationally or globally, we know something is different in our lives.  Just like gravity and magnetism—or love for that matter we cannot see such invisible energies.  We even have a hard time explaining such things, but they are so a part of our lives that we’ve cognized them and believe it’s so and know them to be real.  By our choice and willingness at some level, the universe is pushing and pulling us forward, forcing decisions on our behalf.  Are we still clinging to old outdated ideas and beliefs that do not serve us? What is our truth?  We don’t know what we don’t know.

I have heard families are still feuding about the results of the recent presidential election—not talking because of its outcome . . . Greed, shadow-like behavior and lack of integrity is being challenged on every level. Ideas are projected onto others without warrant through filters and bias reflecting like mirrors back to them through us.  Others have expressed to me, they feel invisible within their family unit.  It seems like we as a human race have been running in circles for years. Cycles within cycles of the same, but no more, the finale is here. We are being pushed forward with such force that things are crumbling and falling fast—like the lightning bolt or the tower in the tarot. Shazam! Crash!  Boom! Bang! It’s here!

So, with such turmoil swirling everywhere, how do we shift things for a more civil and loving holiday season?

In reality, we can only be responsible for ourselves, right? I offer these suggestions. Many have stood the test of time: virtues and strengths we all know.  This is our test as well.  How are we going to do?  This is about awakening the Master-hood within. It is about empowerment.  In this season of light—that’s exactly what we are being challenged to do.

1.) Be compassionate to others.

2.) Be who you want to be and create the experiences you want to create.

3.) Biological family is not a requirement, if friends or soul family are a better option—choose them instead this year.

4.) Give your best.

5.) Live by your values

6.) Show wisdom, courage and love in your decisions and resistance to judgments.

7.) Offer humor to situations.

8.) Come to the party with open-mindedness

9.) Have gratitude to the small and large things life has to offer.

10.) Bring a dose of humility and kindness for all.

11.) Don’t take everything so personal—it’s really a reflection about the other.  It’s not about you.

12.)  Put the star at the top of the tree.  This is your light that shines so bright—that it radiates out to the world.  (That comes from inside you!)  Happy Holidays.

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Inspired Wellness from Within”

Cathrine Silver, HC, AADP

Cathrinesilver.com

Bridge of Light or Unearthing the Darkness?

Growing up in the Northwest, I can remember visiting the beach from time to time in the San Juan islands.   When the tide was out, one could walk upon the sand where the salt water had been hours before. Like most kids, it fascinated me to turn over rocks and see the small crabs scurry when exposed.  The clams were similar— exposing themselves and their location only by a small hole in the sand.  However, most of the time, these bivalve mollusks could not escape the shovel and bucket of capture.  These ending months of 2016 seem to be the time that spirit is uncovering who we are, moving metaphorical rocks and exposing our actions and motivations which we have lived by. The metaphorical shovel is exposing our choices, our way of being and the mask upon our face that is viewed by the world or that small hole many have been breathing through.

The shovel is the amplification of light energies and continues to grow.  The recalibration of humanity is bringing many things to light—often the ugly parts that have existed for eons, portrayed as one thing and are actually disguised as another.  It looks different for everyone—but everyone is experiencing this whether it be within their jobs, their health, their relationships, or their financial matters. It is exposing corporations and politicians.  It is exposing national and international matters.  And, it is exposing things within our individual lives as well. It is not the shovel any longer, but the bulldozer of light, and it is strong.  This new energy upon us is exposing what is not working—huge old systems that need to be revisited, reevaluated and revamped.

The darkness, who prefers the dark, is not happy; they have always preferred life under the rock. The darkness is being exposed for who and what they are. It shows as greed, manipulation and rule bending; hidden agendas for personal gain and power.   Spirit has clearly said, and reminded us, that there can be no more fence sitting; the white hats and the black hats are being uncovered.  The black hats have always operated in the dark, behind the scenes, and do not like their true nature unearthed, like the poor scurrying crabs.

Expect more revelations.  Surprises—often times revealing what we have always suspected and “known”. We have been told for decades, there is no dark switch; when a light is turned on in a room—there can be no darkness. The time has come for the light to shine everywhere. The light is revealing those who have always preferred to hide under the rocks while manipulating others for their own profit, greed and gain.  These old systems will be exposed and fall in order to be rebuilt into something new.

Like you, I have experienced the dark’s desperate desire to hold on. Not long ago, a web crawler “caught” a “free” image off the Internet that I used in a blog over three years ago and wants ransom money including for an image that was legally purchased by my web designers. Then I had my identify stolen. And the list goes on. Perhaps you can relate.

Kryon has stated when everyone can talk to everyone, there can be no secrets.  We have that now with the internet and social media.   It seems like as we move closer to the 2017 energy, “the field” of new energy potentials and possibilities will help us exposing and cleansing things that don’t work—and replace them with a much fairer and more just system which benefits all and not just a few big bullies who are able to buy and threaten and demand and scream when they don’t get their way.

This is the bridge of light. We are the bridge.  We are the light. We are the bridge of light.  We are here for a reason.  We must follow our hearts.  That is the truest form of guidance.  It is the only way we are able to hold the light and expansion of consciousness during this time of recalibration and change of humanity; end of times.  Yes, indeed.  The light is winning.  The Universe is unveiling humanity’s mask. The Universe’s shovel is big and deep.  Which side are you?

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