Get to the crux

Some people get confused about the requirements for success.  It doesn't mean you have to foresee and control each step of self-development.  Who you see reflected in the mirror isn't the only influence on the direction of your life. 

What if you began to understand success means far more than your state of mind?  What if each of your thoughts and behaviours was engaged in a much larger process aimed at prompting you to give up what you assume are fundamental beliefs?  Would you get to the crux?  Would you confront your fear of being successful?

1) Free will.  If you are to change any aspect of yourself or your life, then this must be your choice.  As far as your ego is concerned, 'success' means encouraging you to stay as you are.  Left to your own ingrained desires, you might not choose to confront issues or situations which would enable you to redefine success.  You get to decide what will happen.  Which direction beckons?

2) Rediscover yourself.  Success doesn't require you to become something you're not.  Its all about deciding its safe and desirable to let go of and relationships, beliefs, feelings, conditions or emotions that aren't you.  Evolution is a gradual process.  Its a matter of rediscovering what you already sense in your awareness but have temporarily forgotten.  Give up what you have been conditioned to assume. 

Re-assess what you really possess

You may come to view situations you don't love or appreciate as problems, headaches, or even nagging distractions. Yet, what if you reviewed these supposed problems and reframed them as lessons instead? The nature of your awareness would begin to sense problems as opportunities. How would this step change you life?

Consider states of being like our completeness and perfection are unchanging. Human beings evolve with opportunities to become more conscious of such reasons for inner peace. Yet, many people grow up to live in ways that separate them from original connections with their spirit. Since you're still learning, this includes you.

Beliefs are human inventions. What you learn from parents and society about views of right and wrong all contributes to your learning process. You learn from how you're treated, how your emotional needs are defined, ignored or repressed. You deduce whether your sense of identity is acceptable, or whether you should feel dissatisfied, frustrated, incomplete and unworthy. In essence, humans grow to create and reinforce false beliefs about themselves. Now, what can we do to shift mindsets?

Imagine that you exist to learn to let go of and disassociate yourself from what you believe. Would it be unthinkable to accept that your fears about what you're not create all your issues? One thing you can do is teach yourself any feelings of discomfort are burdens you can release. They stem from situations and perceptions that aren't really yours. Reassess what you really possess. It isn't what you assume.

Petrified hedgehog

Analysis of the week on dream submitted by Anonymous in Melbourne, Australia.

Dream-   Various animals moved quickly around a room. Most of them avoided the fireplace. A black shade was pulled down in front of that opening, almost to the floor. Yet, a curious hedgehog bent over to look underneath the shade. He saw a light and became petrified stone. Other animals avoided him. His transparent soul floated through the stone but animals couldn't see this. Then, people entered a nearby room. Opaque, spider web-like film covered their bodies. They emerged transparent with deep, blue eyes that stared ahead. They no longer sense as before.

Predominant Emotions- fear, conformity, enlightenment.

Interpretation- Animals draw attention to particular physical or behavioral traits, basic desires, and sexuality. You have choices to stick with the crowd or go out on a limb. Not everyone fears getting burned by taking risks.   You no longer shade yourself from meaningful opportunities.  Non-conformity is crucial to raising your self-awareness. The petrified stone may be a metaphor for your initial fear of the unknown. Although others aim to reject and repress things into their subconscious, you have moved beyond that to deepen your self-awareness. You no longer fear losing your identity. Rather, unbeknownst to people in your entourage, your destiny has suddenly revealed itself. The question is, are you ready for what's next?

To detect obscured vision, or problems with your eyes, means obstacles in your path. You may be highlighting the need to re-evaluate your own criticism, judgement and feel guilty about drawing attention to faults in others. Remember, what you perceive is a choice, based on what you’re ready to understand.  Increasing clarity reflects an enlightenment and empowerment process. Tackle perceived reasons for suffering or sympathy so you can see clearer.

Transparent vision or ghostly memory?

Analysis of the week on dream submitted by J.N. of Adelaide, Australia.

Dream - After my grandfather's funeral in Britain, I slept on the sofa of his former home. During the night, I dreamed I sensed him and my deceased grandmother seated nearby, smiling at me. They were transparent beings. When I awoke briefly in the darkness, I was too scared to turn around and physically verify it.

Predominant emotions - surprise, confidence, sorrow, fear, disbelief, reassurance.

Interpretation - Its important to recognize physical means don't enable us to verify what is happening on a non-physical plane. Yet, as you learn to consciously astral travel, to become lucid, you can learn to verify things from your experience. This means you become more aware of your subconscious feelings and interpretations. You may have awoken in astral and encountered a reunion of your grandparents' souls. To awaken during a dream, doesn't mean you're always conscious of being in astral. You may disregard the significance and assume your mind plays tricks.

To understand why you dream, it makes sense to review what happens during a given day. Your process of thoughts, feelings and behaviors evolve to form what you see in your dreams. Rest assured, the language of the astral is often symbolic. While you dream, you're in a very real place. What you sense and feel is meant to teach you things. Its up to you to discern what is meaningful. What or whom you think about in astral can manifest in front of you. What you conjure up or imagine based on feelings may also inhibit you from seeing what is really there. Your grandparents may be encouraging you to continue your spiritual development in the astral world.

Fear often prevents people from exploring the astral. They fear the unknown and imagine danger, such as staying in the astral and not returning to the physical body. Its useful to realize we naturally venture into the astral plane each night. Its where your physical body rejuvenates. Your spirit is attached to an invisible etheral cord that brings it back to the physical before you awaken. Its possible to meet spiritual and negative beings on the astral plane. Just as in reality, you have opportunities to learn from each experience. As with anything, you must train to become more skilled and practiced. You can build up your ability to master astral travel, to encounter specific people from your past, present or, influence your views of future choices.

Progress differently from this moment

To progress differently from this moment, at this stage in your life, requires that you realize its not your job to "improve" per se.  In fact, at a very basic level, each human being represents perfection.  To reframe your sense of progress in this life, reframe your thinking based on the nature of your choices.  That is, each choice you make to love and forgive is to reclaim the power that fear had stolen from you.

1) Recognize when your beliefs are “out of whack.” If your mindset isn’t helping you realize dreams, it’s hindering you. To identify this is a first step to positive change. If you disregard an issue, then it doesn’t phase you or influence you. Yet, if it turns out ego and pride drive you, then you are thwarting your potential for new forms of success. Learn to see through the excuses and defenses you offer to explain procrastination or distractions. To permit a protective ego to control you means you choose to lose sight of your soul’s driving force.

2) Figure out what motivates you. Take the time you need. You only compete with yourself. What motivates you evolves with your level of self-awareness. How well you sense you know yourself directly relates to your sense of fulfillment. Resist judging or rejecting perceived alternatives based on what you’ve been told is good or bad. Be honest. Evaluate with an open-heart. Admit what no longer works, what no longer feels right, what causes guilt or discomfort. Your past choices led you here but they don’t define you. Take steps to redefine inner progress.

3) Nurture courage and self-growth. Dream-building is the act of willfully stretching yourself in enriching directions. You may decide to do something yet, it’s another thing altogether to actually do it. Begin to see beneath your excuses to zero in on hidden fears.  Move beyond rationalizing why you aren’t doing what you want to do. You can stop denying the truth as you sense it. Be prepared to learn from every experience. Get in touch with how your ego sets you up and transcend it. 

4) Believe opportunities exist. To come as far as you already have tells you that you hold a degree of faith in yourself. You care what happens or you wouldn’t exert effort. You love yourself enough to go a certain distance. What would it take to love, support and encourage yourself more? Trust options that strengthen your resolve, your self-confidence and inspiration. It makes sense to believe you’re more than adequate, highly-talented, and ready to seize opportunities at the right time.

5) Master your feelings. How you feel offers clues about your authentic self and what you seek to do with your life. Success comes in different forms, but its truth must be felt at your core. As you uncover feelings that were conditioned in your past, it’s up to you to learn to recognize the power they may still have over your mind and perception. You need to confront the shadows of yourself that you have been avoiding, qualities or feelings you dislike, in order to grasp they are illusions.