Life is not what you think

As you awaken to how the game of life is played, you can choose not to be stuck in one way of thinking or doing.  To shift from an old paradigm to a new paradigm expands perspective.

Old paradigms suggest the answers are limited and found outside self in someone supposedly more knowledgable. External authorities and books related to this mindset prompted action. One often assumed one was powerless.

The new message paradigm is you are empowered with untapped inner wisdom. The shifting of vital energy fields means you view and experience energy differently. You refer to guides but also learn to trust yourself more.  You sense higher frequency energy that is more inclusive and expands a sense of higher consciousness. You can learn to detach from restrictive ideas and focus on intuition. Practical experience shows you what matters. Learn inner self is a timeless teacher;

1) Take responsibility for personal health and well-being.

2) Notice when body gets sick, it is sending you a message. Rather than take a pill to mute the symptoms, learn to listen.

3) Pay attention to what every situation invites you to learn.

4) Raise awareness to know you choose how to think & feel. 

5) Ancient cultures & quantum physics echo inner realities.

6) You predict the outcome of an experiment before you do it.

7) Spirituality and consciousness empower you immeasurably.

Larry Dossey & Interview on Power of Premonitions

Larry Dossey is a physician, author, health advisor and visionary. His writing invites you to be more grateful and accepting of what you already know inside yourself. He is known to explore ideas of both Science and Spirituality.

His new book, The Power of Premonitions: How Knowing the Future Can Shape Our Lives, offers valuable insight to encourage people to have more love and appreciation in their lives. After reading a number of his books, I heard him on the Awakenings radio show with Michele Meiche and contacted him. He generously shares this interview here;

In your view, what is a premonition? 

“Premonition” literally means “forewarning.” Premonitions are a heads-up about something just around the corner, usually unpleasant. It may be a health crisis, a family death, or a national disaster. 

Sometimes they also provide information about pleasant happenings ahead — a job promotion, where the last remaining parking place is, or, in some instances, the winning lottery numbers.

What prompted you to write your latest book?

I was intrigued by my own resistance. I actually tried not to write it. I largely ignored this stuff for years, but the my own premonitions grabbed me and would not let go. I could not ignore it.  Would you?

Dreams guide me. How do dreams relate to your process?

My precognitive experiences initially took the form of dream premonitions. They were unnerving and totally upset my worldview.

What drew attention to your perceived, inner conflict?

My Science education taught that effects could not come before their cause, that time flowed in one direction, and information from the future could not flow into the past. As my premonitions later proved valid, I realized my worldview was incomplete and had to be reshaped.

So, you grew aware of a stage of your own inner journey.

How do you react to premonitions that scare people due to links to divination and the supernatural?

People can use premonitions and divinatory abilities for nefarious purposes, to manipulate and control (and harm) others. Historyis filled with examples. Adark side of psychic abilities is recognized in nearly all cultures. I wrote a book about the dark side of prayer, Be Careful What You Pray For, exploring the negative uses of prayer.

What do you say on loving visions of the supernatural?

All cultures that recognize dark uses of psychic abilities also recognize protective abilities that guard against negative effects. Most cultures that recognize "the dark side of the psyche" live fairly gracefully with these possibilities. They realize they don't necessarily need to feel victimized by them. Only Western cultures seem to be really hung up about this issue.

But, even in Western, Christian nations there are "prayers of protection" -- the Lord's Prayer ("deliver us from evil"), the 23rd Psalm, the Prayer of St. Francis, etc.Images and visualizations are often used (surrounding oneself with protective white light, or enshrouding oneself with Love, and so on....)

Why do premonitions suddenly seem more acceptable or credible due to Scientific research?

Scientific research isn't necessary. In the history of the human race, Science is a very recent development; people relied on premonitions/ future knowing for tens of thousands of years before the advent of Science.

More specifically, why do certain people require scientific support to believe their intuition?

Science has become a dominant paradigm in our time. We are creatures born both to faith and intellect. Science also employs Faith. Science could not operate without it --- Faith in the regularity of nature, the dependability of so-called natural processes and laws, and so on. We should employ all our gifts and abilities wisely -- Faith and Science.

How do you reconcile opposition of Science and Spirituality?

I personally believe Science, if practiced wisely, can be a spiritual path. Many of the earliest scientists, such as Newton, saw Science as a path to knowing God.

For example, the famous Oxford Book of Prayer has an entire section devoted to "prayers of protection." I personally believe we have something we might call a "psychic immune system" that protects us against the negative, non-local wishes and intentions of others, much like our physical immune system protects us from infectious agents.

Why not accept visions on pure faith without Scientific proof?

Since Science is a dominant paradigm, why not use it if it affirms, say, premonitions/ future knowing? There is an avalanche of scientific evidence thatthe mind is in some sense non-local -- not localized or, confined to specific points in space, such as brains or bodies, and not confined to specific points in time, such as the present. The evidence powerfully indicates that some aspect of the human psyche is infinite, which is a synonym for "nonlocal." If so, some aspect of our mind is immortal or eternal.

Why not use such glorious scientific findings? The problems come when we do science piecemeal, rejecting these findings. But that's not valid science, but prejudice. If someone wishes to reject Science,that is a choice.

Some people also tap into inner knowing without external approval or validation. How do you respond to that?

Indeed, there are many paths up the mountain. For myself, I'll take Science and faith. One cannot practice valid Science without faith.

What advice do you offer people who receive premonitions about death, assassinations and crises that turn out to be repeatedly true? (I had a client who only remembered her dreams when it pertained to premonitions of accidental death. She would have no idea of the identity of people in her dreams and would later read about their obituaries. I also know people who receive sensitive information.)

One must make one's own decision about how to handle this information, and that decision depends on the level of certainty or uncertainty as to its validity. I don't have any hard and fast advice. These are difficult matters, as I'm sure you appreciate.

Early in the Premonitions book, I discuss the views of Louisa Rhine on when to report premonitions of disaster or doom. I can't repeat that here; look up "Rhine, Louisa" in the index and see what this wise woman and precognition researcher had to say on the subject. BTW, she was one of the world's greatest authorities on spontaneous premonitions.

I too have had medical clients with these abilities, who found them very disturbing. In each case, I tried to help the person toward a position of gratitude for this great gift, yet at the same accept their fallibility and limitations as a mere human with innate imperfections.

How does growing trust in your own premonitions shift your perception of Science and human limitations?

It humanizes Science because it reveals a majestic, quite wonderful side of the human mind -- the nonlocal, infinite, immortal, eternal, timeless side, as I discussed above.

Knowing each soul can foresee future possibilities, and has the power to change, what do you believe would prompt more people to take personal responsibility in their own lives?

Taking responsibility for this gift or ability would mean accepting it as a fact, then taking measures to refine and perfect it, just as a naturally gifted athlete, musician, or artist would try to refine her/his gift. It would mean honouring the ethical implications of this gift as well. That is, if we are indeed creatures who are in some sense nonlocal in space and time, as the evidence suggests, this means that at some level one cannot separate individual minds from all other minds.

In some sense, all minds come together to form a One Mind or a Universal Mind. This means that we are all connected. The ethical implications are profound. They make possible a sense of unity between all things, all beings, not just humans. This permits a revision of the Golden Rule, from "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," to "Do good to others because in some sense they ARE you."

You talk about “evidence” for premonitions. Isn’t evidence just anecdotes and stories?

This field used to be only about stories, but that’s changed. There’s now a science of premonitions. For the first time in history, we can now use “premonition” and “science” in the same sentence.

Take the “presentiment” experiments that have been pioneered by consciousness researcher Dean Radin. Briefly, a person sits in front of a computer, which will make a random selection from a large collection of images that are of two types — calming or violent. Calming images may be a lovely scene from nature; violent images deal with death, carnage, grisly autopsies, and so on. The subject has some physiological function being measured, such as the electrical conductivity of the skin or the diameter of the pupil. The bodily function begins to change several seconds before the image is randomly selected by the computer and shown on the screen. Here’s the shocker: the physiological change occurs to a greater degree if the image to be shown is violent in nature. How is this possible? How does the body know which image is going to be shown in the future?

Dozens of these studies have been done by various researchers. They show that we have a built-in, unconscious ability to know the future. Somehow the body knows before our awareness kicks in. There’s a charming quotation in the book The Secret Life of Bees that captures this. Fourteen-year-old Lilly says, “The body knows things a long time before the mind catches up to them.”

Another type of experiment is called “remote viewing,” in which people can consciously know highly detailed information up to a week before it happens. These studies were pioneered at Stanford Research Institute, and are  replicated at Princeton University and elsewhere.

How does one develop the capacity for premonitions?

The main thing is not to try too hard. Premonitions usually come unbidden. They largely “do” us; we don’t “do” them. So the trick is to invite them, not compel them, into your life.

First, simply realize that these experiences are extremely common, and that it’s likely that you will experience them.

Second, keep a dream journal, because premonitions occur most frequently during dreams. Record your dreams as soon as possible on waking. Most people find that premonitions become more frequent when they do this.

Third, learn to quiet your body and mind. Sit down, shut up, be quiet, and pay attention. Some people call this meditation; others simply call it “getting quiet.” Research shows that skilled meditators perform better on premonition experiments than just about anyone. Meditation opens a door to premonitions and helps us notice them when they occur.

What do your medical colleagues think about your book?

Nearly all of them are supportive.

I’ve discussed premonitions with hundreds of physicians in lectures at medical schools and hospitals all over the United States. I was hesitant at first, thinking they’d all probably get up and walk out. The opposite happens. They open up and share their own stories.

Larry, you are prolific. Please share a key lesson you have learned.

I used to believe we must choose between Science/ Reason and spirituality, in how we lead our lives. Now, I consider this a false choice. The good thing is we can recover the sense of sacredness, not just in Science, but in every area of life.

We are grateful Larry, for the insight you offer here. You remind people they can learn to gain more confidence in their own inner knowing. External views or approval need not control faith in oneself. Yet, they can also be reassuring.

I highly recommend readers consult http://www.dosseydossey.com/larry/default.html  for more information on Larry's books, appearances and perspectives.

Interview with Pamir Kiciman

Pamir Kiciman empowers people in roles as a Life Enrichment educator and founder of Oasis Reiki in South Florida, U.S.A. He spent the last 15 years training in energy medicine, holistic health, intentional healing, meditation, spiritual psychology and self-healing models. I grew aware of his work though a blog carnival. I interview him on self-healing transformation.

Pamir, your work is inspirational. What process led you to realize you are a healer?

This is probably my favorite question. Prior to being a healer, I was involved and educated in the literary and dramatic arts. I spent 20 years in theater and studied world literature and arts from a humanistic and experiential perspective. This was my grounding in understanding what it is to be human. That, and my own life choices gave me a unique perspective; something like a triple PhD in life! A lot of it was hedonistic and self-destructive. It was full tilt and I wouldn't replace it, but in the end my life became unsustainable. The suffering was too great.

There was a spontaneous dawning in my consciousness, which remained only that for about 5 years before I took any action. A guiding nudge finally lead me to the divine intervention I received through grace. I accepted this with abandon. It awakened my willpower and started a long healing and strenuous process. And it eventually changed my life irrevocably.

What have you learned about identity shifts?

I'm not certain that we change identities. As you put it Liara, we shift. The shift is about emerging, more than anything else. It's the emergence of all that you are, instead of only facets of a personality.

I was looking for my self through all my indulgences, and seeking unconditional love too. When I found both, my indulgences ceased and I realized both were already in me. Instead of the unhappy bohemian, there emerged a happy healer who had been there all along. I came into my fullness.

What does it require for a person to awaken to his or her true nature?

Each person's case is a little different, but also the same. Usually, pain is the prompt. If there are no consequences, we continue our misguided ways because we don't have the presence of mind to realize it eventually catches up with us. When pain reaches critical mass there are two choices: continue escapism and numbing the pain (which creates more pain, but unfortunately not always awakening), or pluck up your courage and step onto the path you're essentially choiceless to take.

I 'woke' up at age 33. Nearly 17 years later I'm still awakening and awake, all at the same time. What I mean by 'choiceless' is that if you don't now, you will at some point. The choice we do have is how we prolong or fast track it. Awaken we must, however. That is the setup.

When did you begin sensing and feeling energy more consciously?

I first started sensing energy in the creative process, especially on stage between myself and my fellow actors, the director and the rest of the production crew, as well as between the stage and the audience. I was very aware of the power of the stage and how it's received in the auditorium. Each place I performed, first order of business was to walk all over the stage, look up into the rafters, walk into the wings and backstage; always had to breathe in the space before making any creative choice.

The type of conscious sensing and feeling you're speaking of, began with formal sitting meditation. Because I had substantial personal healing ahead of me, there began an energetic relationship with my organs and body parts, emotions and thoughts. Then there was soul healing.

What triggered this "soul-healing"?

Reiki work expanded my sensitivity, together with other vibrational healing such as sound, crystals, flower essences, and communicating with nonphysicals and/or the spirit of living things like trees and animals. Regarding what triggered it, I started to meditate in the first place because it was part and parcel of the divine intervention made available to me. I couldn't exactly say "no" even as it was excruciating at first. As an FYI for non-meditators: Meditation is a complete solution.

How do you explain sensing personal vibration and other kinds of energy alignment or imbalance?

If we're honest with ourselves, we know when there's mis-alignment and imbalance. There are other factors like fear: for example, you may feel your job isn't energetically matched but are uncertain about changing it or creating your own.

Honesty can be hard to come by because it requires unwavering courage. For many it's easier to continue hiding. Someone I was once helping told me, "It's going to be way too much work for me to learn to love myself. I prefer to continue all my bad habits and surround myself with people who're a bad influence on me." She realized this in a single session and I never saw her again.

I don't know what she did with her insight. What we do with our insights is a personal responsibility. It's the old adage, can lead to water, but...

What advice do you offer people who would like to see and work with auras?

I prefer calling it a personal energy or ki field.

Here's my bottomline on developing such sensitivities: Find an authentic spiritual teaching and practice that is firmly rooted in perennial wisdom and go deep in living, applying and being it.

From there, receive any gifts that emerge with gratitude and most importantly, with humility. Don't seek gifts. Simply seek. Grow and evolve the self. The rest is candy.

How do you teach people to develop faith and trust in a semi-invisible energy process?

My orientation is always practice-based spirituality. Hearing truth has its place, if it's actually truth coming from a lectern or book. Eventually, the intellectual suspension of disbelief has to be transformed into visceral experience and knowing. When you practice, the object of your faith and trust simply shows up, undeniably.

Which aspects of your own transformation process are especially memorable?

This is tough to answer. It's like asking which aspects of Love do you love? My transformation gave me myself, my essence, I can't pick a favorite.

I can say this: The numinous became central to who I am, how I live and what I do. That memory is divine and eternal.

What do you sense is causing a widespread soul awakening and more heightened sensitivities?

It's cyclical. All the various information regarding 2012 is at play here. We are in an ascending age.

Which signs suggest body is merging with emotions and mind in a new consciousness?

There are many signs of a new consciousness from business to science, green awareness, social ethics, politics and in all spheres. It's slow, but we're moving into an inclusive model. The model that no longer serves is an exclusive one.

Old power says "power over." New empowerment says "power with."

Altruism, stewardship and better distribution of equality and resources are essential to our survival. As the supposedly most intelligent species, we've certainly made our world untenable.

Share some lessons you have learned from clients.

My work gives me the opportunity for radical participation in humanity. I am a record-keeper for each person's story. It's said that if you've no one to tell your secrets, tell them to a tree for safe-keeping. I'm that tree.

I've learned that acknowledgment is crucial. Trust is central. Love is without question the most potent force. We share the same secrets. Personality is a covering. We're all ancient. Good prevails. Beauty is endless.

As you reflect on your dreams, what do you gain? Do they help cleanse your personal energy field?

This is one area I can learn from you Liara. I'm very good with the imaginal, but I haven't focused so much on dreamtime specifically. Many dreams are a mind dump, the cleansing you mention. When my dreams are significant, I always know and can interpret.

This suggests you will appreciate my forthcoming ebook called, Harness the Energy of Your Dreams. What additional remarks would you like to share here?

The quality of the questions we ask in large part determine the answers we receive.

Pamir, I appreciate the opportunity to share these insights with visitors. You inspire people to remember everything is energy and that thoughts of love are especially powerful self-heling tools. The simple things in life are so valuable. What a great reminder to focus more on them.

You've asked some great questions Liara, and I'm thankful because it's been thoroughly enjoyable and I've been enriched.

That feeling is mutual. As you imply, it is by taking responsibility for growth that you learn about the self and transcend thought form energies you outgrow.

I invite visitors to explore the wealth of wisdom available at Pamir's Reiki Help Blog:

http://reikihelp.com/blog

What is nature telling you?

Human beings report experiences in nature that draw attention to messages in the unconscious mind. If ever you catch a glimpse of a creature, reason always exists for it. You may ask what sudden appearances of birds or animals are telling you. Whether or not you believe in animal totems, you may begin to know something is happening, shifting and transforming.

Consider a woman took what turned out to be an extended three and a half hour hike in the wilderness. At one point, she sensed she was lost. Something within her felt disoriented. Lo and behold, a crow appeared. He flew a few trees ahead and moved his head as if to beckon her in a particular direction. His flight path and gestures suggested a curious familiarity.

This bird flew from tree to tree for more than two kilometers. The woman felt as if she was back on track. Then, the crow disappeared, only to reappear further down the path almost right in front of her. This bird vanished and reappeared again. He continued to guide during segments of the remaining trek.

After the crow vanished, on the home stretch, this woman glimpsed two foxes. Seeing each fox appear and disappear into the forest without disturbing anything in its path triggered moments of revelation.  When trust is present, silence speaks.

The woman became more aware of her actions in relation to the world. She realized she used the art of camouflage to keep cunningly silent about who and what she was. She suddenly grasped she was never lost on this path or her own, but only making free will choices to enable her to create situations she was ready to handle. She better understood who she was, who she had always been, and accepted it. 

Birds and animals have cultural symbolism. Someare linked with character, emotion ad idiomatic expressions. As you separate from the illusion of fear, nature shares secrets.

From the perspective of Native Americans and Shamans, crows are sacred spirit messengers and guardians of universal laws. Crow illustrates how energy can bend physical laws and shape-shift. They are masters of illusion and gatekeepers of ancient wisdom. They come to humans to warn of danger and to jog memories of untapped inner power and spiritual strength.

One is reminded guides take form to help humans attune to what they already know, but temporarily choose to forget. So, crows appear to enable access to inner knowing about what not to do or be. How each situation is perceived and handled is what matters. Nature is a place of orientation and awakening for those ready to shift more than misplaced programming. Cleanse the mind and misunderstandings just drop away.

Patanjali & 5 steps to master your thoughts

Patanjali offers 196 yoga sutras to increase your clarity and deepen you practice. Thought patterns are gradually mastered through learning non-attachment. Consider these five steps to begin to master your thoughts;

1) Notice whether your thoughts are colored with aversion or attraction. Do not judge. Learn to be an astute observer.

2) Nurture the lifestyle, actions, speech, and thoughts, and spiritual practices that lead in the positive direction. (rather than going in the opposite direction, away from the positive, and towards the negative).

3) Let go of the mental coloring of your thoughts that lead away from the spiritual (rather than going in the opposite direction, giving in to the attachments and aversions).

4) Raise conscious awareness to become more discerning of how you think and feel and the implications.

5) Practice consistency.  Learn to choose the wiser courses of action with deliberate intention.