Why does the world seem smaller?

As we approach 2012, many theories exist about why the world appears to be getting smaller. Consider some of these reasons people offer to explain their perception of ongoing changes. What do you feel is happening? What additional perspective would you offer?

1) The Internet is expanding. 

2) People are awakening & aligning to core energy.

3) More people travel in mind, body and spirit.

4) The sun is heating up and eroding the Earth.

5) Communications & satellite tech bridge time & space 

6) The sense of universal oneness is growing.

7) Ego-based separateness is dissolving.

8) More people sense energy lines & the magnetic grid.

9) Water is rising and people are moving to higher ground.

10) Mind-based thinking is giving way to heart-centred living.

11) Consciousness is depening understanding of what we are.

12) Human beings are reverting back to interconnected beings.

13) Populations growth is skyrocketing.

14) The mind is reducing all perception to love or fear.

Turn inward to open your heart

The soul is aware of but unaffected by what you eat and drink. The physical body requires nourishment Soul does not. What you ingest from the physical world reveals whether you are in touch with who you are or whether you are disconnected from well-being. Notice the significance of your behaviors.

To listen closely to the compassionate inner self, its necessary to recognize and rise above negative feelings. They are symptoms of your misunderstandings and unfounded beliefs, ironically created to sidetrack you from the dreams that drive your soul. Your mind concocts a vision based on its insecurity and invites you to focus on the past and future.  Balance is forever present.

When you experience anger, frustration, self-doubt or other negativity, its an opportunity to be aware of the power emotion can exert over you.  Choosing not to open yourself up to self-growth invites more intense suffering, and avoids accepting the truth of who you are.  Why might you hold yourself back?

1) False "I am unworthy" beliefs. This belief system arises when a person becomes convinced he or she is unloved or unlovable. If you don't believe you deserve love, or have never tasted love and appreciation, you may intuit rejection, assume things are wrong with you. One misunderstanding breeds another to hide resentment you need to work through in order to heal your soul and explore your true potential.

2) Dependence on external approval. If you are convinced you require external approval to accept who you are, then you buy into the illusion of inadequacy. For some reason, you hinder your ability to love and receive yourself unconditionally. Your ego distorts or rationalizes what you feel is missing, when nothing is. Ego directs your attention to incorrect reasons for feeling what you think isn't good enough. This false belief distracts how you feel alienated from your own illusions. Your perception perpetuates an artifical reality. You need to learn to let go.

3) Dominated by fears & phobias. Self-criticism may be your way of protecting your psyche.  You may justify not doing things you feel drawn to do because you're in conflict with yourself.  Recognize your fears prevent you from being fully engaged in life.  You can learn to perceive your current situation is an opportunity to heal old wounds.  Its time to discern the nature of these past wounds, explore reasons why you have them, and be willing to take steps to release yourself from their grasp.

Ease into the flow

Relationships with some people come so easily while other relationships seem awkward and strained. You may ask why? How can you get along so well with a friend or colleague and have parents, a partner, siblings, in-laws or other people, causing you to feel self-conscious or 'out-of-place?' What is the nature of incompatibility? What does this tell you about harmony?

As you get-to-know yourself, sorting through feelings and vibes gets easier.  You actually know yourself better than anyone, yet may temporarily lose confidence.  Rest assured, openness is a trait you have as a child and you can tap into it at any moment.  Why do you think it felt much easier to express your feelings more directly then? Ease into the flow;

1) Be more aware. Ask the source of love in your life what you need to work on. Keep an open mind.  Watch which emotions arise as you listen and hear the observations. Discover negative vibes  are not telling you about people so much as why you resist expressing love. Invite love to come in and replace negativity. Zero in on why you may think someone won't accept you or like you, and why this matters. Reasons for discomfort you thought you'd never solve resolve themselves. Issues actually begin in your own imagination.

2) Open your inner channels to feel. Recognize that anxiety or worry are telling you valuable things about your complaints and reactions to particular people. What do you fear? What might other people fear about you? Allowing your energy to flow reminds you the more fulfilling life you envision can't come if you're stuck in a mode of self-criticism. You can't control what others may think. This is an invitation to release thoughts you outgrow.

3) Feel good about yourself. Your own desires create, deepen or sever relationships based on what your mind allows. If someone clearly asks you not to contact or interact with them, it's their call. Such people have and may deny their own issues. As you release your own negative thoughts, any unwanted energy will dissipate and stop controlling you. What remains is grounded in compassion.  Trust this process and negative energy won't return.

4) Accept flashes of insight. The truth is that quieting the mind enables you to reframe the relationships you live. Observing your own thoughts and behaviour triggers flashes of insight.  The mind says all pieces will fall together and the heart knows no puzzle ever fell apart.  Intend fulfilling relationships and this is your experience. All is always well.

What do you really need?

Societies tell us that our ability to accumulate wealth is often directly related job and career options. Jobs viewed as "dangerous" supposedly pay more than jobs that aren't.  Stressful jobs are supposed to compensate people for their specialized skills, and being willing to put their own life on the line.  Take a closer look a your reasons for choosing certain jobs. Knowing that you create your beliefs and perceptions, notice whether job choices are really that you seek.     

From the perspective of a country or givernment, skilled labour is viewed as an asset or form of wealth.  Consider many Western nations are desperate for more tradespeople.  These nations are hiring more foreigners for mining and other areas where they note a shortage in their labour force. What does this say about desirable career choices, other kinds of wealth, and job markets?

Ironically perhaps, trade schools have been virtually phased out of Western education systems. High schools still offer some technical courses, but structured apprenticeships became harder to find to train for paying jobs.  The status quo and governments believed more people should have opportunities to attend university, and it became a business. More students were lured into colleges on the premise that jobs would await them upon graduation. They accrue debts only to be disillusioned. Job markets are changing and students must still find work to pay their debts.  

Attitude can be a form of wealth or it can undermine your efforts to create wealth.  For example, many people develop an attitude that trades are "beneath them" and that true intelligence would only be reflected by higher- paying jobs of the moment.  Suddenly, globalisation led many traditionally, higher-paying jobs being outsourced offshore (such as medical tourism, legal services, IT and anything doable over computers, among many others). Material wealth is no longer simply attainable by following routes to key professions. In fact, the larger homes in your city may already belong to tradespeople or people you wouldn't expect.

Sources of wealth can come from unexpected places. Increasingly, you realize qualified plumbers, electricians, builders, mechanics (refriegeration, motor and others) are in demand and thus, choose their prices. Trying to find tradesmen when you need one in Western countries often means long wait periods.  Professionals trained in Western countries are becoming more mobile and moving to where they consider to find better circumstances. They determine what they think they need, ignore shortages of skills in their areas and go where they choose.

The result is changing views on what you need to do to create wealth. Tax bases are shrinking in Western countries. Young people move away and aging populations mean less people are working. The overall picture is governments have less money to use to help people and create infrastructure.  Career paths which were once assumed to be well-paying are not staying that way and career paths that were once low-paid are now gaining respect and higher salaries. Avenues which we once thought were effective ways to create wealth are no longer guaranteed.

So, what are the solutions to these issues? What do we really need?

Maybe we need to change our attitude about how and where wealth can be created. How often do you limit your own options?  The Internet is being used to create wealth in new ways that many of us don't think about.  Should we? Or, should we rethink our whole concept of wealth?

We could also increase numbers of trade schools and promote this career path as a well-paying and respected livelihood, rather than impose value judgments which may deter people from realizing their dreams. Why assume one kind of path leads to the most or the best kind of wealth?

Another idea is to require professional people who train in one geographic location to work there for a certain number of years in order to pay enough taxes to justify the subsidy of their education and reduce stress on the system.   Another idea is to evolve from the current economic-based system into some other more sustainable, global system. 

How can you expand on your ideas of wealth-creation. Does it go beyond work for you? Notice the mind defines what you think you need. The heart  feels all needs are already satisfied.

Severing views of your history

Undesirable situations in your present are simply perceptions.  They are grounded in a belief about history.  The more you dwell on and share painful stories, the more you add energy to negative feelings and cement a sense of the past.  The essence of being exists beyond them. 

Consider an idea that Carlos Castaneda's teacher, the Nagual Don Juan, told him about what one requires to arrive at the highest level of peace and harmony:

"One day," he said, "I finally realized that I no longer needed a personal history, and just like drinking, I gave it up, and that, and only that, has made all the difference."

Whatever happened in your past is simply a belief.  Watch what happens as you shift attention from that kind of perception  To focus on the present is to know the past is imagined into being. You exert control over how you feel.  Use this time you have to your advantage.

Sever those experiences ona  teimline that evoke restlessness and discomfort.  Let them go such that they no longer control you. Focus on feeling good where you are and know everything emerges based on how you feel.  As you love everything. Life is perfect.  The more you encourage, the more you enrich the world.    Mind invites youto focus attention on the future, tells you the best is yet to come. The heart feels the best is here.  Now choose.