Category Archives: Love

LOVE Is the Answer

Aligning with Love, restoring it to its natural place at the center of quantum Life Wheel, heals the many issues associated with fragmentation, notably narcissism, PTSD, addictions, and the impulse to suicide.

Easily said.

Not so easily done.

And it all depends upon what you mean.

The word love is so badly abused that many choose to avoid it. Abraham-Hicks, for example, prefers to use appreciation.

In Love Is Not Enough, Bruno Bettelheim gave us another wonderful substitute. An institutionalized child compared his crazy-making mom to his personal caretaker:

“My mother loves me. She be-cares me.” Be-care. I love that word!

There’s a full scale of ways love expresses, with positive and negative sides at every chakra level. It looks like this:

As an aside, it’s interesting to note that along this scale, “to lead” is at the pinnacle of positive love expressions. Implications for current political races deserve reflection.

But when I say align with LOVE as the answer to all the ills spawned by fragmentation, the LOVE I mean is unconditional, non-dual Love.

It’s located at the very apex of the ladder, represented by the circle which symbolizes the crown chakra, located the deepest center of the quantum Life Wheel. It’s the point at which apparent contradictions between self-love, loving relationships and universal love merge. It’s the essence of life which poets and pastors praise with the assurance that GOD IS LOVE.

Now. Why am I writing on this subject, just as the Full Moon Lunar eclipse at 5 degrees of Libra on March 25, 2024 approaches — at the time when loving relationships represented by Libra (ruled by Venus) stands in stark opposition to the Sun in Aires (ruled by warlike Mars), representative of individual sovereignty and self-love?

It’s because last night I did an I Ching query backed by oracle card spreads using both the Archangel Michael Sword of Light and The Soul’s Journey decks. In each case, I asked what I need be aware of at the time of this eclipse.

The I Ching answer was heavy, but exactly right. The oracle decks confirmed and expanded on what I need to know now. LOVE (or apparent lack thereof) was the repeating message.

Of what I came to know, I’ll share here that which might be equally useful to you.

The original I Ching answer was Hexagram 36, Shadow. Two changing lines resulted in the outcome of Hexagram 27, Growth.

The original reading, which represents the current situation, reads, in part, Like the sun covered over by clouds, your hopes may fall under a SHADOW for awhile. You may feel cut off from others, who will not show sympathy for what you have to say. Avoid anger.

Changing lines in the 3rd and top places indicate the future direction of attention. The outcome reads, in part, People seek help according to what they need for their own GROWTH. Unless hunger is fed with the right food, no amount of input will satisfy. Avoid Greed.

I asked myself, “What is it that I hunger for?” Friendship. Support. Connection. Basically, practical expressions of love. I’m being advised to become more aware of this need, and to feed it with the right food.

Here I’m reminded of Abraham-Hicks’ repeated assertion that humans look for love in all the wrong places — outside themselves. We project our virtues and strengths onto others, who inevitably disappoint, obliging us (as a blessing in disguise) to revert back to that unfailing source of love within — our own true selves, our inner beings.

Similarly, according the Abraham-Hicks, the primary job of the healer-health practitioner is to confirm and facilitate the relationship between the ailing client’s human and true selves.

The Archangel Michael card in the place designating what is now hidden (under a cloud) was #19, Make a Decision. The card face reads, “Are you choosing to prioritize yourself or another in this situation? Accept Divine guidance pointing you toward your own joy. You deserve it.”

It’s repeating the theme of apparent conflict between self and relationships with others. The resolution is to shift to the higher octave of JOY, beyond either/ors.

In the place designating strength you can depend on was #9. Don’t Give Up on Love. The card face reads, in part, “Allow me to clear the way for forgiveness so that love can thrive again.”

I’m reminded that the ever-present light of angelic forgiveness has the power to dispel clouds of human misunderstandings.

The confirming Soul’s Journey‘s message is so wise and worthy that I’ll quote it for you at length.

LOVE. You are love. It is your inherent vibration. The obstacles and challenges of the physical dimension attempt to trick you into thinking there are other ways to view life — but there is only one way that is natural to your being: LOVE.

It continues:

Love is a healing energy, All anxiety and drama cannot continue in the aura of love. Most souls have come back upon this earth to learn, accept and utilize this harmonic force and to see its affect on their lives. It is your time to remind others of their own power of God, and assist them in knowing fully that love is the most powerful element in the universe. It builds, fortifies and strengthens even the most lost person.

And concludes:

True love is the spiritual link between us and God. It will guide our footsteps through the conflicts of the material world and will cleanse our hearts of unwanted aspects of the human personality.

In sum: You ARE love. We are all made of Love. But we have forgotten. The sun of unconditional love has fallen under a shadow, leaving us feeling isolated, unappreciated and, sometimes, angry.

Now being the right time, my calling is to say this here:

To prosper in all things, first remember who you are. Who we all are. Align with the innermost truth of universal, unconditional love.

First things first.

All else follows.

Align, ALIGN, ALIGN!

Recently, I threw up my hands. Just for a moment, I gave up on apparently futile attempts to reason with seemingly reasonable humans about the urgent need for a paradigm shift — one that would realign fragmented levels of quantum reality, restoring LOVE to its natural place at the divine center of humanity’s life wheel.

To counter-balance the toxic effect of following current events, I chose to reallocate savings accumulated to purchase a fully functional computer. Instead, feeling a compelling need to surround myself with positive influences sadly missing in my daily life, I purchased a small library of angel oracle card decks, adding to my already sizeable collection.

It was worth it.

Among newcomers to my shelf, the Healing Angel Cards gave me this message of patience balanced with hope. “DIVINE INTERVENTION: You may feel frustrated because something stalls or comes to a standstill. Progress seems painfully slow. Yet this is a blessing — it is divine intervention at work. When the timing is in perfect harmony all will come to fruition.”

There’s food for thought. It leaves me wondering about the wisdom of what I seek, the unforeseen consequences of misdirected efforts I’m not aware of, and misfortunes that might have been averted by the immediate standstill.

It also gives me hope that, most likely in unforeseen ways, blessings are sure to follow — in good time.

This Archangel Michael deck, Sword of Light, offers to “cut through everything holding you back and guide you toward the brilliant life of light and love you so fully deserve.” An interesting sword-shaped 5-card spread called “Cutting to the Core of the Truth” shows what is currently hidden, where you might be operating from a place of fear, your current strengths, needed change, and improvements resulting from increased awareness.

My first reading with deck was right on the mark. In the first place of “what is hidden from you, what you may be blind to”, #9 came up. Don’t Give Up on Love. This speaks directly to that isolated core imaged above, hovering as if inaccessible on the periphery of the fragmented quantum Life Wheel.

The message on the card face reads, “A relationship you cherish can be healed. Allow me (Archangel Michael) to clear the way for forgiveness so that love can thrive again.”

The Guidebook commentary concludes, “If your past experiences have caused you to give up on love entirely, I would urge you to allow forgiveness to wash over you. You deserve all types of love in your life. Don’t shut out the chance for it by saying, ‘I give up.’ Your angels love you. I love you. We will never, ever give up on you.“

It was as if Archangel Michael had picked up on my very words. “I give up.” I’d made the mistake of looking the wrong place for hope, which rests eternally within, above and all around in the cosmic quantum ether.

The card in the second place that indicates “where you might be operating from a place of fear” was #21, “Open Up To Your Spiritual Gifts.” It reads, “Remember that your true nature is spiritual, not physical. The angels are sending you messages to guide your soul’s growth.”

This second message reinforced the first. I was reacting to toxic current events in the physical world that made me doubt the point of writing, feeling that I’m just one more lonely voice, lost in the cacophony of the internet wilderness.

The Guidebook advises, “I am continuing to clear any energetic connections that may be binding you to worry, fear, and self-doubt. I am moving these out of the way, casting them aside with a sweep of my sword of light. . .”

The card that came up in the third place that speaks to “what strengths you can rely on now” was #3, Archangel Michael Is with You Now. It reads, “Even though you can’t see it, I am actively working on this situation. I am here and helping you.”

At the time, I could not see it. It helped to be reminded.

The card that came up in the fourth place that speaks to “changes you might need to make” was #14, Have No Fear. The message on the face of the card reads, “Fear is a trap of the ego. Allow me to use my Sword of Light to free you from disquieting feelings holding you back.”

It reads in part, “Know deep in your heart that you are loved and protected, and that your choices are being angelically guided.”

There you go. I was being advised to stop focusing on the confounded mess being made by people who should know better over matters that should be simple and clear, and say simply say what I’m given to say, surrendering outcomes in trust to the Source of the messages I’m given to deliver.

And the final card in the fifth place “signifying improvements resulting from increased awareness” was #27, Regain Your Focus. The message on the face of the card reads, “Trivial matters are distracting you from your goals. Archangel Metatron and I are here to help you stay grounded.”

The Guidebook commentary expands, “Daily life is currently distracting you from your primary goals and life purpose, and I am here to remind you of why you are here on Earth.” It concludes, “. . . concentrate on the big picture.”

Okay. Back on course, thank you very much.

Another newcomer, the Guardian Angel Messages deck, is a re-visoning of the classic tarot. I chose to use a simple three-card spread, with cards indicating the past, present and future.

The past was indicated by the very first card of the deck, here called The Dreamer. Its key words are Beginning. Believing. Protected. In most tarot decks, 0 is called The Fool, and signifies taking a leap of faith.

Of the Dreamer, the Guidebook says, in part, “Your guardian angels are walking beside you ever step of the way.” That does indeed describe my past. At every step of the way, however dangerous the circumstances, the right people appeared at the right time to help me safely along the next step of the way. Of my time traveling alone through Europe my teacher said flat out, “Your guardian angels were working over time!”

In the second place, representing the present moment, the card was The High Priestess. Its key words are Intuition. Wisdom. Patience. The advice in the Guidebook reads in part, “Take some time to be quiet and listen to the voice of the Divine and your guardian angels as they reach out to give you the answers you are seeking.”

Yup. That’s where I am right now. Taking a needed “time out,” working with my new angel oracle decks, seeking to regroup.

In the third place, representing the future, the card that came up was The Hermit. Its key words are Introspection. Self-Discovery. Mentorship. Usually the solitary hermit is pictured in tarot decks carrying a lantern to light his lonely path.

Comments in the Guidebook read in part, Seek and ye shall find. Ask your guardian angels for someone who can provide you with wise counsel and loving guidance, and you will discover a wonderful mentor or spiritual teacher. Or perhaps it is time for YOU to step out into the open as a teacher with many spiritual gifts. Do not underestimate the brightness of the light you have to offer others!

That’s still a bit hard for me to take. It’s definitely in the future. In the past, my teacher provided wonderfully wise counsel and loving guidance. When I write now, clearly his voice comes through me, speaking things I would not dare. But me myself, fully integrated, serving as an instrument of light? Am I ready to step into this role?

On the other hand, if not now, then when?

Another delightful deck called Guardian Angel Cards focuses throughout on the central, healing and guiding influence of LOVE permeating all things. Appropriately, rather than rectangular cards, the messages are printed on multi-colored, heart-shaped stock. They’re highly rated, and with good reason. There’s no guidebook, nor need there be. Messages printed on the cards speak for themselves.

Three cards which spoke to my immediate situation included a violet one, Breakthrough, a purple one called Believe, and a pink one: Miracle.

The message printed on the violet heart-shaped BREAKTHROUGH card reads, “How many beautiful heartfelt wishes have been crushed by fear? How many times has society’s voice of disapproval cast a shadow on your dreams? It is time to break free of these false beliefs and realize your dreams. Allow your heart to guide you. Trust your inner guidance. The time is right!”

On point. I need to break through through the crushing pessimism that had me at a standstill. Remembering love, quickening the heart and waking up to self-trust was what it would take.

The message printed on the purple heart-shaped BELIEVE card reads, “Be open to all possibilities and opportunities. Let go of preconceived ideas. There is nothing to fear. You are constantly surrounded by love. Start to believe in yourself and trust your instincts. Wondrous possibilities and opportunities abound, provided you are flexible and retain an open heart and mind. Believe. All is possible!”

I’m being called to push past current self-doubt. Say Yes! to life, once again.

Most hopeful is the message printed on the pink heart-shaped MIRACLE card, which reads, “Dearest One, Even if all hope seems lost, let not hope slip away, for I, your Guardian Angel, am constantly by your side. Surrender all your concerns to me and trust in the healing power of love. Please believe that you are never alone. Together we shall work through each issue or situation which is of concern to you. All heals with the passing of time. Magic and Miracles are about to manifest!“

These angelic messages give me hope. They bolster courage. And sustain patience.

The Angel Wisdom deck is another re-visioning of the basic tarot. Three randomly selected cards representing past, present and future again were accurate reflections of my situation.

In the past position was the Four of Swords. Raziel, archangel of magic, is its designated guardian. Descriptors on the face of the card read, Insights that come from meditation. The need to rest or take a vacation. Allow yourself more time before making a decision. Mental exhaustion. Get more sleep.

In the present position, again, the High Priestess appeared. Haniel, the archangel of heightened intuition, is her guardian.Descriptors on the face of the card read, Meditate and turn inwards to discover your soul’s true desire. This is not a time for action. Develop your intuitive gifts and trust the wisdom you receive.

In the future position was the Nine of Water (Cups in the classic tarot). Uriel, archangel of epiphanies and brilliant ideas, is its guardian. Descriptors on the face of the card read, Wishes come true! Your dreams become reality. A magical time of life. Good fortune. Faith in the Universe that all will be well.

The past and present were accurate. I look forward to experiencing the future coming to pass!

In sum, these angel oracle decks serve as useful tools for realigning personal awareness and daily practice to the wholeness envisioned in the quantum Life Wheel.

The messages of Abraham-Hicks repeats. Align. ALIGN. ALIGN! Seek to center yourself in Source. Align your personal life with the unconditional LOVE of your eternal being.

Get it together!

Stated in biblical terms, “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven. All else follows.”

As Stephen Covey put it, First Things First.

Take the time to rethink and align lifestyle with ultimate personal values. Do whatever it takes to place unconditional LOVE at the center of your personal Life Wheel — where it belongs.

Align the inner levels of light and energy with surface, physical experience. Then, as I have found, all goes well.

And only then.

The Path of Love – 012721

Overriding Love of Life as well as the lesser loves of liberty, family and country are values shared in common across the board. They’re not exclusive to any time, place or people. While focus on lesser loves changes, fundamental Love of Life supports them all.

On January 28th of 2021 we have a full moon in Leo, seat of heart energy, sign of leadership, courage and creativity. It sets the tone for year. Astrologers agree that we’re being given the choice (and responsibility) to focus on the heart as we continue to swim through oceans of conflict creating profound changes on every level — personal, social and economic.

Today, I’m focusing on Pam Gregory’s powerful message. While the technical analysis is complicated, her conclusions are easy to understand. I can’t put them any better, so I’m offering the highlights here with all credit to her.

In sum, the influence of full moons affect us a few days prior and post. They serve to shine a light on what we haven’t known before, bringing emotions to a head, along with feelings of culmination or closure.

The broadest pattern continuing through 2024 is the deconstruction of old systems. There will “breakdowns in order to breakthrough” in government as well as the professions of law, healthcare and education.

In 2021, we can expect to experience layered realities with two broad choices (she calls them “trajectories” or “timelines”). In the lower octave, there will be chaos: drama, polarity and negativity, shocks, high speed twists and turns of events, including social unrest. In the higher octave, there’s an extraordinary opportunity to upgrade consciousness.

At the 3D level, it’s going to get very confusing. We will wonder, “What true? What’s not? What can we trust, what not?” For this reason, its more important than ever to cultivate mental clarity balanced by kindness. If you get a challenge, take a step back. Ask, “What would LOVE do?” Let that be your mantra. “What would LOVE do?”

My own conclusion is that nations across the board have become separated both from their own cultural roots and from a fundamental awareness of humanity’s common ORIGIN, where all meet at the center on the higher road, the path of unity which Pam recommends.

For today’s reading, I asked about the I Ching’s view on choosing the higher path, returning to the path of love. I also asked about the consequences of failing to choose this path. See the following post for the answer to that second question.

PERMANENCE is the original, dynamic answer to the question, “What is the consequence of choosing the higher path?” It reads:

Search for PERMANENCE in the timeless wisdom of all ages. Human events repeat themselves in well-ordered patterns over many generations. Although the actors change, the values they pass on through their examples endure. Nothing of permanent value is ever lost. Live worthy of your heritage. Avoid disrespect for traditions.

Love as a timeless value is the starting point of this dynamic reading. For example, Patrick Byrne senses and returns the enduring love of life which pervades the philosophy of the Tao and its underlying I Ching wisdom. It’s written (despite a relatively recent communist overlay) into the very DNA of China’s people. Despite a similar communist overlay, that same love, though with a shift of focus towards liberty, is inherent in America’s genes.

* * *

Alternating lines in the first, third and fifth places all change. Advice of the bottom, first line reads “Great works require long growing time. Patience is worth it.” I’m understanding that both China and the U.S. are works in progress. The jury isn’t out on the fate of either country. However bleak the immediate present, hope remains that love of life will prevail in the long run.

When the advice is heeded and patience preserved, it changes to Responsibility, which reads:

The RESPONSIBILITY which comes with holding a powerful position is an important test. You can use authority over others to benefit them or to feed selfish pride. In either case, you will experience the results of your actions later on. Exercise responsibility with thoughtful correctness and restraint. Avoid inconsiderate behavior.

Impending consequences of selfishly abusing political power are fearful to behold and close at hand, a lesson to future generations.

* * *

Advice of the third line reads “Indecision and lack of consistency will ruin whatever you attempt.” This is not a time for sitting on the fence. When this warning is heeded by cultivating decisiveness and consistency, it changes to Forgiveness, which reads:

Through FORGIVENESS, old debts are canceled and harmony is restored. Free yourself from outgrown habits. Don’t be afraid to let go of the past. Releasing tensions will produce health. Mental blocks will be resolved. New clarity of vision will lead to important decisions. Peace of mind will follow. Avoid anxiousness.

This is the potential reward of choosing to return to the path of love and unity.

* * *

Advice of the fifth line reads, “Choose methods by purpose. Visionary projects require creativity and courage.” Breakthroughs throughout the service professions call for a small army of innovators to come forward. When the advice is heeded it changes to Inner Strength, which reads:

When difficult situations come to a head, rely on INNER STRENGTH to endure. If it becomes necessary to retreat, do so with courage and self-confidence. Make sure your inner and outer resources are secure. If you must begin a new life, you will have to depend on them. Avoid helplessness.

Inner and outer resources include practical skills and life lessons learned as well as the wisdom traditions internalized through consistent practice.

* * *

When advice of the three changing lines is heeded, the combined final result is Inspiration, which reads:

When minds are moved by INSPIRATION, nothing is impossible. Misunderstandings can be cleared up, problems solved and hardships overcome. Inspired speakers can move others to acts of heroism by well-chosen words. Reminding people of their common goals and deepest desires gives them the courage to continue. Avoid unkindness.

In the immediate context, the courage and creativity of heart-centered love is the source of inspiration that will see us through immediate hardships. It has been said that “Love heals all.” We’ve also been taught that “With God, all things are possible.”

Collected posts will be published as The Lessons of 2020: Using the Wisdom of CHANGE to Build a Better Future. Look for it on amazon in 2021.

If you’d like a copy of the Common Sense Book of Change, or extras to give others, click here.

To order Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change, click here.

Okay, then. That’s all for now. Talk with you again soon. Take care, all.

Hope for the Future

My life quest started with a heart-felt question. A poem, actually.

Because in early teen years, I felt a growing, uneasy sense of danger. I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong.

But something sure wasn’t right.

So I put ink pen to paper and wrote:

Poem

Since then, bit by bit, the Universe has answered my soul call.

I’m moved to share my story because, as the world becomes increasingly more complicated and dangerous, more and more of us are feeling that angst.

The time is ripe and ready for the answers I was given.

This book is my way of paying forward what gave me help and peace of mind. If what I’ve been given to share does the same for you, my journey will be fulfilled.

Long story short, my searchings led to this answer. The world is suffering from a fatal knowledge deficit. The limited and limiting rules of empirical science cut us off from who we truly are. Public education alienates us from our inborn native power.

No matter how much we feed the illusion of lack with drug, alcohol, food, sex and violence addictions, we’re never satisfied. We can’t be.

Because we’re looking in the wrong place to fill the deepest, universal needs everyone everywhere shares in common.

We’re starving for lack of wholeness. Most of us suffer terribly from the illusion of being cut off from Source.

We’ve been misled into believing that we’re not enough. We’re not smart enough, good enough, rich enough, attractive or lovable enough.

Nothing on the surface of the Life Wheel can satisfy that gnawing sense of emptiness and loneliness. No amount of external input can help.

However, given new and better information, negative beliefs can be changed.

In truth, we’re already okay in a way that can’t be measured or quantified. It’s simply how we were made. We’re inherently whole and complete.

“God don’t make no junk.”

Know Where To Look - sized

When we become aware of who we truly are, always were and always will be, we reconnect with our original, true identity. We come to Really Believe we were born already enough. At our central, unalienable core, we are divinely perfect.

When we truly believe and act on that inner awareness, then no one can ever again sell us on the lie that we’re not okay, not enough. It’s simply not possible. And our lives change dramatically for the better.

* * *

This excerpt comes from the Introduction of You Are Already ENOUGH! How Would Your Life CHANGE If You Really Believed It?

It’s the perfect gift of hope for the new year and decade. Now available on amazon.com.

What about Love?

Love is the heart of life. Naturally, life-long, I’ve sought to understand what on earth (and in heaven) the love-word means.

I’ve already posted earlier thoughts. For example, in Rethinking LOVE I wrote:

Love is the ultimate mystery. It sparks and keeps the life process going, more to be accepted and honored than psychoanalyzed. Plato described seven stages of love. Each is a rung on an evolutionary ladder which leads from a child’s love for parents, to erotic love, to friendship, and eventually the pinnacle of divine connection. These seven stages correlate exactly with the seven energy centers of yoga anatomy.

In I Want To Know What Love IS (& Isn’t), I wrote:

There was a time when, wherever I’d go, the popular Foreigner tune “I Want To Know What Love Is” was playing in the background. I shopped to it at Woodman’s grocery store. At Gold’s gym, I showered and dressed to the sound of the same music. While I waited in line at the local Subway for my six inch sandwich on honey-oat bread with tuna, provolone cheese and veggies . . . again, the same song.

I wanna know what love is.
I want you to show me.
I wanna feel what love is.
I know you can show me.

If it wasn’t that, then it was the Jennings/Winwood song, “Higher Love.”

Think about it: There must be higher love
Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above.
Without it, life is wasted time.
Worlds are turning and we’re just hanging on.

We walk blind, we try to see,
Falling behind in what could be.

I took it as a cosmic hint. Pay attention to this universal need, and the ways we sing about our searchings.

Attempting to comprehend how people can possibly apply the same love-word to such a broad range of contradictory behaviors, I located what I’ve experienced within the spectrum of energy centers. Plugged in to the Life Wheel of Einstein’s intuited Unified Field Theory, with the crowning pinnacle being Divine Connection (Higher Love), it looks like this:

 

LoveLadder.sized

You might find it useful to know a bit about the personal experiences that led to this understanding. I count five significant love relationships, each a stepping stone to the next.

First there was Beecher. I was a high school senior. He had already graduated college as a physics major and worked at a prestigious research firm. He had plenty of money to spend on fun dates, a fancy sports car, and a suave manner about him. He found me fascinating, which I found flattering. Near the end of the school year, after I’d already been accepted at Oberlin, the college of my dreams, he asked me to marry him. I didn’t need time to think about it. I told him flat out never to ask again. I had an inner sense of destiny — of an as-yet unknown calling. Forfeiting college for an early marriage wasn’t it. That was easy.

Within the Life Wheel, this experience fell on the positive side, primarily on the material level. Kindness and consideration were present, though not its focus. Encouragement was lacking, nor did I feel protected. The possibility of higher love never occurred to either of us.

Second was David. From the start, I was stuck on his name. My hero grandfather, beloved younger brother and two cousins were all named David. It was the name of my idealized biblical figure, King David, who combined the aspects of healer-warrior-king all-in-one.

This David, a dazzlingly gifted pianist and conductor, came into my life during my Freshman year at Oberlin. He was a blond, lion-maned, flamboyant Leo. I was his compliment, a gentle and quiet brunette — a Jungian “dark” Leo. We set each other off like fire-works. He courted me with red roses, music and poetry. We adored each other.

Sadly, he was damaged by childhood abuse, seemingly beyond repair. I met him at the time of a prior girlfriend’s horrifically hurtful suicide. Then a scheming female got her hooks into him. She seduced him into a marriage which he instantly regretted. But I would not take him back.

There was an element of fate at work. Even after college, David kept reappearing. He instinctively found ways to locate me, and always at a vulnerable time of transition.

I agonized on and off again through many twists and turns over the span of more than twenty years. Only through repeated self-analysis did I come to recognize the power he held over me, the lessons to be learned, and finally get free for good. In essence, I had projected all my gifts onto him. The lesson was to take back my power, and however modestly, own in myself the virtues I saw in him.

Within the Life Wheel, despite its emotional highs, this experience fit predominantly on the left, negative side — a mix of romance, sentimentality and violent possessiveness.

Third was George. He came into my life after David’s marriage. It was a rebound swing to the opposite extreme. He was balding, bland, and boring. He offered stability. Although we talked about love and marriage, there was no spark. The major up-side for me was that his presence in my life kept my parents off my back. They liked him.

It ended when I was awarded a NDEA Title III Fellowship to complete a Ph.D. in English Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I phoned him up with the news, ecstatic. He broke up with me on the spot, saying it meant I was smarter than him, which he couldn’t bear. After initial shock came relief. No great loss.

Within the Life Wheel, security-based love was focused on the material outermost rim though, to his credit, he was always kind to me.

The greatest disappointment from George-time came from a conversation with Mom a few months after the break-up. She commented that she hadn’t heard much about him lately. I told her why. She actually sneered. “Good for him,” she said. “Serves you right.”

That relationship didn’t even register on the chart. Though she went through the motions, her heart wasn’t in it. Was her harshness a factor in my father’s suicide? I was only six at the time, so only God knows for sure. My ultimate solution to that loss: turning to God, as Christ did, as my true Father.

Fourth was Swami Rama. The training in yoga science and philosophy was invaluable. However, he wasn’t what he seemed. The world saw a highly accomplished performer. But behind the mask of a celibate holy man. he was a serial rapist, financial con artist and ruthless deceiver — living proof of the maxim, “The larger front, the larger back.” For too long, he got away with abusing energy sciences to exploit unsuspecting students. Bottom line: I learned valuable, undoubtedly necessary life lessons and was then released to move on.

Where would I place this experience within the Life Wheel? Despite the swami’s seductive promises of love and help, it registered exclusively on the left-hand side, fluctuating between lust, domination, lies and oppression.

Fifth. By comparison, earlier relationships heightened my appreciation of OA. No status and adventure. No flaming, heart-breaking romance. No social stability. No two-faced “spirituality.” He was the real deal. Magical – full of healing, wisdom, wacky humor and an incredible, unearthly sweetness. He too loved God as his Father and, like the good angels, acknowledged Christ as his lord and master.

OA breathed a natural genius into whatever he touched. Some praised his incredible memory, but I suspect he was dipping into akashic records with the same intelligence he applied to physical computers, instantly retrieving whatever information he called forth. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel that such a soul ever walked this earth, much less that I was allowed the opportunity to make his last days easier.

His influence spanned the entire field, on the right-hand, positive side of the Life Wheel. As I told Old Avatar, in him I’d won the lottery of life. He knew and showed us what Higher Love IS.

Angel Calling

 

Rethinking LOVE

Tonight, September 4th, when I looked for prior posts on the subject of love, I found that one of them had been published elsewhere and wasn’t available on my website. I’m correcting that oversight to complete the record. It started this way:

“This post is for Tony iWiz of Ozzi and Mark Henry Smith. Tony had the courage to post an article Men in LOVE, asking Is It Real or Mother’s Love. Marko posed his questions about truth and love in his comments to TIME for a FRESH START.

“I’ll hassle Tony from a woman’s point of view on his post. But since love is a human thing, not just a guy or gal issue, I decided, in addition, to post an essay from the collection written in the year 2000.”

Rose

ESSAY 38. LOVE

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. – Moses, Deuteronomy 6:4-5

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. . .This is my commandment. That ye love one another, as I have loved you. — Jesus Christ in St. John, The New Testament

In Taoism, we say the heart is the seat of love, compassion, joy and happiness. This is what people are looking for. But they are looking outside. We don’t know that joy and happiness is seated INSIDE our heart. We’re running around the whole world. Going to the amusement park, night club, theaters, all kinds of places in search of happiness, peace, joy. But the peace, joy and happiness are within us. — Mantak Chia, The Inner Smile

THE FRONT

Roots of love mean to be fond, or to desire. Webster’s first definition is a deep and tender feeling of affection for, or attachment to. It can be an expression of one’s affection. It can mean a feeling of brotherhood and good will towards other people. It can be strong liking for or interest in something (a love of music). It’s a strong, usually passionate affection, partly based on sexual attraction. In theology, love refers to God’s tender regard for mankind, or mankind’s desire for God as the supreme good.

Love is the ultimate mystery. It sparks and keeps the life process going, more to be accepted and honored than psychoanalyzed. Plato described seven stages of love. Each is a rung on an evolutionary ladder which leads from a child’s love for parents, to erotic love, to friendship, and eventually the pinnacle of divine connection. These seven steps correlate exactly with the seven energy centers of yoga anatomy.

Plato traces the attraction between males and females to jealous gods who severed a complete, content person in half at the navel. Ever since, each part has chased after the other, longing to become whole again. Unfortunately, rather than seeking to integrate male and female energies internally, most Westerners persist in externalizing this desire for reunion.

In contrast, I Ching-related healing arts provide methods for restoring inner wholeness, attaining the ultimate level of Platonic love. The new law Christ taught fulfills the law of Moses.

Further, the Old Testament command to unify the three levels of soul, heart and might into a single-minded love of One God resonates with yogic practices which coordinate upper, middle and lower tan tiens, the Chinese equivalent of Sanskrit energy centers.

These methods give people of every faith practical means for actualizing their religious ideals. Put another way, only by integrating and harmonizing the levels of mind, body and emotions can love of God be actualized and the universal law be fulfilled.

Healing gender, race and religious splits calls for fluency in the complete energy spectrum of love. Even in grimmest times, love is the omnipresent, underlying bedrock. In Rocky IV, for example, Sylvester Stallione scripted an I Ching-worthy East-West reconciliation of opposite cultures. A nature-trained David not only defeats a technology-mutant Goliath with love and relentless grit. He wins the hearts of a hostile crowd. His victory message to international TV viewers: “If I can change, and you can change, we all can change.”

Those who turn love into a commodity exploit what people out of touch with their true selves crave most. There’s a push-pull between those greedy to get what they’ve been fooled into thinking they lack and those who exploit this misconception.

The ultimate Tai Chi push is to persuade someone they’re incomplete and not-okay. Further, you’ve got a life-changing product that can fix them. If they buy it, do what you say, turn over their power and money, you will transform them, make them okay.

Those grounded in reality, however, know better.

The question then arises, what happens when one becomes focused and centered. Does all interest in the external world and motive to accomplish cease? Actually, it’s the opposite. As one becomes more secure from within, fear-built barriers come down. New, more authentic motives arise to replace artificial desires. As one pares away the illusion of need, the native impulse to serve with generous compassion arises.

THE BACK

Hate is the opposite of love. Where love grows upwards from childish attachment through degrees of maturity to altruism, hate descends to the depths of destruction. It obliterates connections, shatters hope, and in the end destroys those it consumes.

Fear-based insecurities generate a host of love perversions. Possessiveness, envy, jealousy and rivalry are variations on the theme of illusory insufficiency. In all cases, it’s the result of looking outside for what can neither be bought nor stolen, as love is the timeless, abiding state of one’s innermost life.

 

Love IS . . .

Dr. Jordan Peterson says, “Love is the desire to see unnecessary suffering ameliorated.”

I say, “Yes . . and much, much more.”

Here’s what I mean:

Essay 38. LOVE

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. – Moses, Deuteronomy 6:4-5

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. . .This is my commandment. That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  — Jesus Christ in St. John, The New Testament

In Taoism, we say the heart is the seat of love, compassion, joy and happiness. This is what people are looking for. But they are looking outside. We don’t know that joy and happiness is seated INSIDE our heart. We’re running around the whole world. Going to the amusement park, night club, theaters, all kinds of places in search of happiness, peace, joy. But the peace, joy and happiness are within us. – — Mantak Chia, The Inner Smile

THE FRONT

Roots of love mean to be fond, or to desire. Webster’s first definition is a deep and tender feeling of affection for, or attachment to. It can be an expression of one’s affection. It can mean a feeling of brotherhood and good will towards other people.

It can be strong liking for or interest in something (a love of music). It’s a strong, usually passionate affection, partly based on sexual attraction. In theology, love refers to God’s tender regard for mankind, or mankind’s desire for God as the supreme good. Love is the ultimate mystery. It sparks and keeps the life process going, more to be accepted and honored than psychoanalyzed.

Plato described seven stages of love. Each is a rung on an evolutionary ladder which leads from a child’s love for parents, to erotic love, to friendship, and eventually the pinnacle of divine connection. These seven steps correlate exactly with the hierarchal seven energy centers of yoga anatomy.

Plato traces the attraction between males and females to jealous gods who split a complete, content person in half at the navel. Ever since, each part has chased after the other, longing to become whole again – another yogic priority.

Tai Chi Tu - sized

Unfortunately, rather than seeking to integrate male and female energies internally, most Westerners persist in externalizing this desire for re-union. In contrast, I Ching-related healing arts provide methods for restoring inner wholeness, attaining the ultimate level of Platonic love.

The new law Christ taught fulfills the law of Moses. Further, the Old Testament command to unify the three levels of soul, heart and might into a single-minded love of One God resonates with I Ching-related practices which coordinate upper, middle and lower energy centers.

Practical methods give people of every faith practical ways to actualizing their religious ideals. Put another way, only by integrating and harmonizing the levels of mind, body and emotions can love of God be complete or the universal law fulfilled.

Healing gender, race and religious splits calls for fluency in the complete spectrum of love. Even in grimmest times, love is the omnipresent, underlying bedrock. In Rocky IV, for example, Sylvester Stallione scripted an East-West reconciliation of opposite cultures.

A nature-trained David not only defeats a technology-mutant Goliath with love and relentless grit. He wins the hearts of a hostile crowd. His victory message to international TV viewers: “If I can change, and you can change, we all can change.”

Those who turn love into a commodity exploit what people out of touch with their true selves crave most. There’s a push-pull between those greedy to get what they’ve been fooled into thinking they lack and those who profit from this illusion.

False prophets profit from persuading followers that they’re incomplete and not-okay. Further, there’s a life-changing product that can fix them. If they buy it, do whatever they’re told, turn over their power and money, they’ll be transformed and made okay. Sages grounded in reality, however, know better.

The question then arises, what happens when one is focused and centered. Does all interest in the external world and motive to accomplish cease?

Actually, it’s the opposite. As one becomes more secure from within, fear-built barriers come down. New, more authentic motives arise to replace artificial desires. As one pares away the illusion of need, the native impulse to serve with generous compassion arises.

THE BACK

In duality, hate is the opposite of love. While love grows upwards from childish attachment through degrees of maturity to altruism, hate descends to the depths of destruction. It obliterates connections, shatters hope, and in the end destroys those it consumes.

Fear-based insecurities generate a host of love perversions. Possessiveness, envy, jealousy and rivalry are variations on the theme of illusory insufficiency. In all cases, it’s the result of looking on the outside for what can neither be bought nor stolen, for the completion of Higher Love is the timeless, abiding state of one’s innermost life.

Phoenix - sized

In this context, I say to the definition of Love as “the desire to see unnecessary suffering ameliorated” . . YES. With this modifier: Love is an absolute. In duality it manifests in a multitude of ephemeral desires, altruism being one of the highest.

Angel Calling