Tag: Higher self

Traditional Candle Colors for Spell Casting

Traditional Candle Colors for Spell Casting

 

White: The Goddess, Higher Self, Purity, Peace, Virginity

Black: Binding, Shapeshifting, Protection, Repels Negativity

Brown: Special Favors, To Influence Friendships Purple: Third Eye, Psychic Ability, Hidden Knowledge, To Influence People in High Places, Spiritual Power

Blue: Element of Water, Wisdom, Calm, Protection, Good Fortune, Opening Blocked Communication, Spiritual Inspiration

Green: The Element of Earth, Physical Healing, Monetary success, Tree and Plant Magic, Growth, Personal Goals

Pink: Affection, Romance, Caring, Nurturing, Good Will

Red: Element of Fire, Passion, Strength, Fast action, Career Goals, Lust, Driving Force, Survival, Blood of the Moon

Orange: General Success, Property Deals, Legal matters, Justice, Selling

Yellow: The Element of Air, the Sun, Mental Energies, Intelligence, Memory, Logical Imagination. Use to Accelerate Learning and Break Mental Blocks.

 

 

Wicca A Beginner’s Guide to Casting Spells: Herbal, Crystal and Candle Magic (Living Wicca Today Book 3)

Kardia Zoe

 

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Let’s Talk Witch – Feeding Your Chakras with Color

Let’s Talk Witch – Feeding Your Chakras with Color

We have seven chakras–energy centers–in our bodies that help to give us radiant vitality and health when they are in balance. But if one gets low or out of whack, we can feel depressed, lethargic, or even become ill.

One nurturing and effective way to feed our chakras–to make sure they stay vibrant and energized–is with color. All you have to do to is look around at the natural world, or use your imagination. It’s easy to do color therapy for the health of our bodies, minds, and spirits. Here’s how:

To feed your chakras, start with the Higher Self, the 8th chakra located about 8 inches above your head. Then go one by one down the lower chakras as you are ready. Use words (unspoken or aloud) to open one chakra at a time, allowing it to drink in the color. (You may find that, if your eyes lock onto a particular color–like the bright yellow of a spring tulip, for example–that this is a sign that the chakra associated with that color really needs it. When you’ve had enough of the color, you may find that your concentration dims–an indication that you can move on to the next chakra.

White to the Higher Self (8th chakra): Look at a white cloud or white stone (quartz is perfect). Imagine complete purity, while bringing your awareness to the place 8 inches above your head where the Higher Self resides.

Violet or purple to the crown (7th chakra): Look at a ripe plum, an amethyst, or a purple flower (irises are perfect). If there is no natural purple nearby, visualize light filtering down through purple stained glass into your crown chakra.

Indigo or cobalt to the brow (6th chakra): A night sky full of stars, or the sky just before dawn, are good for this chakra, as are stones such as lapis lazuli, sapphire, and azurite. If you hold a stone and gaze at it, you will also absorb the healing energies of the stone. Eating blueberries is a great way to absorb blue internally!

Sky blue to the throat (5th chakra): Imagine your throat filling up with the blue of the daylight sky. Helpful stones include aquamarine, turquoise, Larimar, and blue tourmaline.

Leaf green to the heart (4th chakra): The budding green leaves of early spring is perfect for this chakra. In winter, look at a vibrant potted plant or imagine the new green foliage. Or look at–and then eat!–a Granny Smith apple!

Yellow to the solar plexus (3rd chakra): Imagine the bright yellow sun in your solar plexus, energy radiating out from its yellow center, clearing and healing as it goes. Or look at yellow flowers–lilies or tulips, for instance–or a banana. Helpful stones include yellow tourmaline, celestite, kunzite, topaz, and rhodonite.

Orange to the navel (2nd chakra): Imagine dried tree sap or the honey-colored wood found on the inside of tree bark–or petrified wood with dark orange. Pumpkins, oranges, daylilies and poppies are good to gaze at, and the stones orange calcite and carnelian are helpful.

Red to the base of the spine (1st chakra): A good red found in nature is the dirt in the American Southwest, or the red breast of a robin, or a tomato, or red apple.

Source:

Inspired by Home Enlightenment,
by Annie B. Bond (Rodale Press, 2005).

 

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The Witches Magick for December 19th – PURIFICATION OF SELF SPELL

PURIFICATION OF SELF SPELL

The purification of self is a way to remove the accumulation of all negative things that happened during the day and to prepare for the work to come. Before ritual work, you have
to change your frame of mind from the everyday mundane world. Here are a couple of ways to do this.


Incense:
You may use incense in the common stick form or in what is called a smudge stick. This is a small bundle of incense. The incense is lit and is passed around the body, but not too close to the hair (fire hazard). As you pass the incense around your body, concentrate on the smoke passing through you. Invision all the negativity and the excess baggage of the day leaving you as the smoke rises around you. When you feel cleansed, put out the incense. You will need a container to put out the smudge stick. A terra cotta saucer filled with sand is ideal.


Ritual Baths:
A ritual bath is a great way to shed the day and concentrate on the ritual to come.
Supplies:
–White candles, for Spirituality and Higher Self, Salt, Herb or Herbs for Purification, Candle Snuffer.
Run a bath of very warm water. As the water is running light the white candles. Use as many as you wish. Three is an appropriate number as it represents the three aspects of the Goddess. As you light a candle think or recite aloud: “I light this candle in truth and peace”.
Repeat with each candle.
While the water is running, add a small amount of salt into the water, then add the herb or herbs of your choice. Step into the water and slowly sink down into the tub. Relax and feel the water covering your body. Let the day and all negativity be drawn into the water. Concentrate on letting go and moving to the positive. Wash slowly. Turn the bath into its own ritual. Think or say aloud :
” All negativity is flowing out of me into the water. I am pure for the work to come.”
Dry yourself slowly, deliberately. As you snuff out the candles, think or say aloud: “I leave this bath in truth and peace.” You are now ready for the ritual to come.

What is the Magickal Self?

What is the Magickal Self?

Author: Robin Fennelly

The building of the magickal personality brings us to something else; each one of us has the actor within him or her. As Shakespeare put it, so beautifully and poetically:

All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
and one man in his time plays many parts.”

The Magickal Self acts as the interface and point of transition from the mundane world to the spiritual realms. It is you, in your higher form of vibration that will more closely match the rhythms of the other worlds you are transiting. It is the trained you that as you progress along the Path also grows and expands to encompass more of knowledge and experience you have gained and reflect it back so that it may be recognizable and usable in your magickal workings.

The form your Magickal Self takes will vary in accord with your energetic changes as you move forward in your work and study. For some, they see themselves in a physical shape and form, although it will not resemble their physical coloring, build or stature at all. For others, this form may more easily take a geometric shape that holds the more highly refined state of their energy. In either case, as the physical form is densest in matter that shape will most likely not be the form taken as there is the need for a more refined energy within the astral realms. Whatever form this Magickal Self may take it is recognizable by you because it still remains your consciousness; just in its spiritual form such as:

Younger Self, Talking Self, and Higher Self
In The Feri Tradition: Sticky One, Shining Body, and Sacred Dove
Hebrew/Qabalistic: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida
Generically in the Metaphysical Paths: Lower Self, Middle Self, Higher Self and Spiritually Evolved Self.

For our purposes we will be working with the three designations of Lower Self, Middle Self, Higher SELF and The Spiritual (or Evolved) SELF.

Lower/Physical Self: I Have
The Lower Self (Lower Mental) is our primal instinctual nature. This is the physical body we inhabit and the conscious self that responds and reacts to stimuli in the physical world through our senses and tactile abilities. This is our place of foundation and the place from which we concretely and tangibly build the world around ourselves. The Lower or physical self obeys the laws of time and because of its density in energy the laws of space and its place within it as well.

Middle/Emotional Self: I Want (to Become)
The Middle self more closely relates to the subconscious mind. The place of dreams and aspirations; of emotions and feelings. We Feel rather than thinking our way through this world. This is the first place of desire and the catalyst that yearns to become more than we are and can experience in the physical self. The Lower Self says “I Have or possess this” and the subconscious feeds it the “want and desire” that enlivens and creates connection to what we have acquired.

Higher/Mental SELF: I Will Become
The Higher Mental self is the super or Higher conscious self. It knows the results of the subconscious desire working upon the conscious mind and has transcended to a place of “knowing it will be”. This Higher Self has developed a state of “awareness” and from that awareness evolves the Higher Will. It is not the will of baser ego, but instead the Will to create, to manifest to exist. This is the part of Self that is not confined by the bounds of linear time and space.

The Spiritual SELF (The Divine Spark) : I AM
The Spiritual SELF is the continued contact and communication with the impulse of the Divine. There is no longer a need to Have or possess. There is no desire for anything for it is all and at once formed and formless. It is the realization that there is no separateness, only union and synthesis from which all other states of form emanate. It is the Divine Spark that is contained within us all and moves with us as we pass from lifetime to lifetime.

The way in which these parts of self interact when creating and calling forth the Magickal Self are multifold. Each is dependent and interdependent upon the other for forming, coalescing and finally birthing that magickal being that is inherent within us all. The subconscious generates the desire to shape and form the appropriate interface that will allow for movement and access to the higher planes. The conscious self, having been stimulated by the subconscious begins the work of creating the shape and image that magickal form will take.

If you have a firmly established Magickal Persona, this process usually occurs at the point of putting on your ritual grab, a sacred amulet or ring. It intensifies and builds in substance as you enter sacred space. And, once the circle is cast, the quarters called and the energy of the ritual space changes its vibration and intensity the Magickal Self comes forth more fully to begin the work at hand. As the conscious self seeks the contact of the Higher consciousness (Higher Mental) this form begins to interact with the energies and planes that are being accessed in the ritual.

If you are just beginning the process, every ritual, every magickal working that is done with focus and intent will strengthen and bring into greater substance that Magickal Self. In those rare moments, when all the parts of self are in alignment and balance with each other the consciousness rises to a place of opening to the Spiritual SELF, sometimes called the Holy Guardian Angel. This of course, is the ultimate goal and is not something easily attained. This contact usually comes through the subconscious mind rather than the conscious waking mind; and can be likened to a brief flash of brilliant light where you are completely at one with the Universe, its mysteries and its source. These moments are quite rare and even with diligent practice towards that end they occur in their own way in their own time (often lifetimes) , if at all.

So what is the importance of knowing about these various selves? And, what does that have to do with a Magickal Self?

Use this analogy and think on what it truly means: As we develop our Magickal Self the physical being becomes something like a cocoon. Time passes and the affects of weather and all manner of outer influence go unnoticed by what is being transmuted within. Eventually, and at just the precise moment in time there is movement within the cocoon- from which the “lightness and grace” of an ephemeral butterfly (or the Magickal SELF) emerges, a completely different form from its original with access to different sets of skill and understanding of other worlds. Its world is different from that of its former state as a caterpillar. It is through a similar state of metamorphosis that each time the call to the Magickal Self is issued the potential for a more enlivened and more refined state of being is held. And as we move through these new worlds, we are as the butterfly, transformed and empowered to soar towards our Divine nature.

Footnotes:
Online Course: A Year and A Day on the Wiccan Path. R.Fennelly

Lord of Lights: The Path of Initiation in the Western Mysteries. W. E. Butler

Quote by William Shakespeare

The Gems of Yule, Alexandrite

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is a centering stone. Use this stone for stress or in other situations requiring you to be calm. This stone will allow you to become centered and balanced and will bring together the important aspects of  your life. For healing, use this stone for the brain and central nervous       system. It can also help when in a rut for it provides higher self-esteem and gives a feeling of purpose. In conjunction, it will help you achieve your goals.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day July 24

Elder’s Meditation of the Day July 24

“Life is like a path…and we all have to walk the path… As we walk…we’ll find experiences like little scraps of paper in front of us along the way. We must pick up those pieces of scrap paper and put them in our pocket… Then, one day, we will have enough scraps of papers to put together and see what they say… Read the information and take it to heart.”

–Uncle Frank Davis (quoting his mother), PAWNEE

The Creator designed us to learn by trial and error. The path of life we walk is very wide. Everything on the path is sacred – what we do right is sacred – but our mistakes are also sacred. This is the Creator’s way of teaching spiritual people. To criticize ourselves when we make mistakes is not part of the spiritual path. To criticize mistakes is not the Indian way. To learn from our mistakes is the Indian way. The definition of a spiritual person is someone who makes 30-50 mistakes each day and talks to the Creator after each one to see what to do next time. This is the way of the Warrior.

Today let me see my mistakes as a positive process. Let me learn the aha’s of life… Awaken my awareness so I can see the great learning that You, my Creator, have designed for my life.

Quiz of the Day – What Soul Sign Are You?

What Soul Sign Are You?

by Annie B. Bond

 

This elemental approach to the human soul is a fascinating way to understand  who you are, especially in relationship to others. Do you crave attention from a  partner? You may be a Fire type. Do you like to organize and plan activities  with your significant other? You may be an Earth.

Take this simple quiz to find out your soul-type so you can learn more about  the ways you relate:

1. You sometimes have regrets, but nonetheless you revel in the joy of having  created an effect, whether good or bad. You live in a drama of sorts, either  emotionally or creatively.

2. You are a person who needs attention, who needs to be recognized and  admired, who is sensitive and easily hurt over the smallest thing, who can love  and hate with equal passion.

3. You are a person who thrives on love and passion in personal  relationships, who needs to be number one in their partner’s life, who likes to  have their own way, who feels easily neglected and is capable of being quite  jealous when their spouse’s attention is somewhere else.

4. You are a person who needs to plan before acting, although you are  determined to turn your plans into action. You make lists and like to take  control.

5. You pay close attention, striving for perfection, even in the little  things, generally organized, especially in situations you consider important,  sensitive but able to reason and to be fair, steady, and reliable.

6. You thrive on being the organizer in the family; are loyal to your spouse  and expect the same respect and loyalty in return; can seem on occasion to be  bossy and you like to take charge; you like to be romanced and need genuine  affection.

7. You don’t like pressure, and you don’t like to be upset or argue, but you  do like new people and new experiences.

8. You love animals and children, do not sweat the small stuff, and are  usually easygoing, happy to go along in life without fuss, generally calm, and  somewhat passive.

9. You thrive on simply being loved, are undemanding in your personal  relationships, like to keep things simple and uncomplicated, hate arguments and  fights, and will try in most cases with your spouse to pacify and keep things on  an even keel.

10. You usually find a way, through compromise, to please others and  yourself. You are able to evaluate and solve problems by negotiating and seeking  harmony.

11. You avoid attention, shy away from the limelight but still like approval  from others for work well done; you strive to be fair and considerate of others’  feelings, but can be so immersed in your own life that you can be neglectful of  issues outside yourself or your family.

12. You thrive on the ability to communicate with your spouse and family;  feel the need to always strive to be seen to be reasonable, even when they  perhaps cannot be, and are strong-minded and capable of standing your ground in  an argument when issues are important.

If you answered yes to 1, 2 and 3, you are a FIRE.

If you answered yes to 4, 5, and 6, you are an EARTH.

If you answered yes to 7, 8, and 9, you are an AIR.

If you answered yes to 10, 11, and 12, you are a WATER.

Knowing Right and Wrong

 

Author: Stewart Bitkoff

On one level people want simple answers and to be told what to do. On another they want freedom to choose and make their own decisions. People are multi-level and have the capacity to make their own choices as well as accept direction from others. Discordance sets in when the guidance from others or authority does not fit what the individual wants or feels is right for them. In this case, the individual is in conflict and looks for something else.

Most people are taught a philosophy of ‘right and wrong.’ At an early age aspects of this protective mechanism are projected into daily life and are part of social and religious training. For example, if you do not get-up on time and arrive timely at school this is bad. As an adult, being late will eventually result in loss of job. Or as a youth, if you take street drugs, this will lead to personal problems and addiction.

It is difficult to disagree with these two maxims about daily life. Get places on time and do not take potentially damaging street drugs. However, to complicate matters other factors may be at play. Perhaps the individual is getting to work late because of an inner, hidden unease with this type of work. In time, after warnings by the supervisor, the worker realizes this and moves on. Or the youth experimenting with recreational drugs uses this learning in a future career in brain chemistry. Or in a more damaging scenario, after years of addiction the person sobers up and becomes a drug counselor who, because of personal experience, helps dozens of others.

From a higher perspective, looking at events: travelers are taught to take a more longitudinal and holistic view of the effect of specific actions. In real life, often it is not a simple matter of an action being ‘right or wrong.’ Actions are complex and involve others, having both a collective and individual effect. Before making many decisions it is wise to consider their long term and multi-level effect.

As an example, how about the common situation where your beloved asks- do you think I have put on a few pounds? Does this dress/suit make me look heavy? Sometimes telling the truth can be unnecessarily hurtful, particularly if the individual has been struggling with their weight. In this situation, I’ll leave it to you to figure out what is right or wrong; in most things, we are free to pick and choose.

Further when viewing the effect of personal action, it is impossible to know all the variables involved; particularly over a long period of time and actions that affect countless others. However, for the spiritual traveler, it is possible to know some of this and begins by asking the question: will this action bring me closer or distance me from my higher destiny?

The answer to this question may be thought out as well as perceived. First, we rationally consider and list the effects using what we term our common sense. Next, we use our intuition, requesting if the action will bring us closer or distance us from our higher self. Perception is intuitive knowledge that emerges from our collective consciousness. By turning inward, the traveler unlocks this holistic awareness and uses this answer along with their rational thought to arrive at an action.

At an early age, it is important to learn about the difference between right and wrong. It is important to learn some things are good for us and some things are not. Yet, spiritual teaching must go deeper, illustrating and considering the aspect of longitudinal effect and destiny. While one piece of chocolate may be tasty and even nutritious, twenty is not, particularly, if we are diabetic or prone to dental problems.

Most spiritual training programs teach the traveler to pray, or turn inward in some fashion or another before taking an important action. Within each person, there is an inner voice or capacity to know if an action will bring us closer to our own higher self and the higher destiny of the universe. Most people have forgotten to develop and listen to their own inner voice and have relied upon others to teach them about right and wrong.

This original social, moral and religious teaching, about what is useful in life, was intended as a beginning; and the traveler, as they matured was to be instructed on how to make their own more complex, intuitive decisions. For many, this has been omitted from their training and they continue to rely upon limited and simplistic learning constructs.

Many of which have been tied to a hidden and sometimes not so hidden ‘fear and reward’ system. In a sense, for these travelers, their thoughts on certain subjects have become fixed, often engineered by others.

*
Humanity is conscious energy
Burning like sunlight.
By reflecting the Light into this world
Humanity neutralizes personal spiritual darkness.

Embrace your own inner beliefs
And then travel beyond them.
Embrace higher knowledge
And as the Source Wills
You will become a sun unto yourself:
Knowing right from wrong,
Dissipating your own lower needs and desires.

*
What some call religious training and tradition:
Often is based upon historical and no longer accurate,
Incomplete information; also, in some presentations
There is tendency to misapply traditional exercises to this culture.
Further, many sacred books include
Selective reportage by believers and historians;
With altered teachings to control desired behaviors
Which were insisted upon by the ruling entity or clergy.

Remember many cherished religious traditions and behaviors no longer serve any real or spiritual function. However, they do increase people’s feelings of comfort/tradition and need to be viewed within their emotional framework.
*

The Law

Traveler: Holy One, tell me of the Law

Master: The Law is Inscribed on the heart of each person. Beneath the layers of dust- from selfish living- that surround each heart, is the Golden Rule. The Law is also Written in the Books and is known to all. It is written: That which brings you closer to your higher self and the Beloved is the Measure.

Travelers know what is right; yet, allow themselves to be deceived by their desires. If a traveler would ask their Higher Self or The Light to help make their decision- each would correctly and reach higher.

If you will pray, the Light will cleanse your heart and The Law will be inscribed upon it- Lighting the Darkness. SB

Dark Night of the Soul

Dark Night of the Soul

Author: caity

Often, sinking as low as I can sink comforts me. Hitting the bottom. If I can feel the floor, then at least I know that’s as low as I’ll ever go, and I do not have to fear falling down or sinking any deeper than this. It’s a sobering, numbing, and leveling feeling. I have found myself curled up in fetal position upon the black depths of the ocean floor more than a few times. I am safe there, because I know that I can go no lower. I can sleep there, because I am not filled with hopes or expectations to distract me or fill my mind with the fear of not attaining them. My nerves can rest, because once living in the state of my fear and dread confirmed, I have nothing to fear any longer.

Some have said that I needed medication or therapy for depression at these times. I used to try both until I realized that, despite what society believes, my soul needed these experiences. Now, I gladly choose depression, if that is the direction my heart is taking at a given time. When it wants to come back to me, I open the door, and say, “Welcome back, old friend. Come in, and sit with me. Teach me something new.” For one who walks in the dark gains excellent night vision, and can navigate through darkness much more easily than one who only goes out in daylight. So I’ll let the sad or dark times tether me down to the floor for at least a little while. If I can make it to the floor without drowning, then I shall never drown.

The dark night of the soul must come upon all of us, especially those of us who are deeply aware of our own spiritual quests. For how can we live in true, natural balance if we have not had our own personal struggles, sufferings, and sorrows? If we are never faced with total aloneness or even neglect, how and when will we ever learn to introspect and look solely to our own selves (or Higher Self) for comfort, love, wisdom, and guidance?

I am grateful for the era of the dark night in my life, for it was in this time that I discovered Wicca. Without the dark night of the soul, I would have never wanted to look deeper. Without the dark night, I may never have felt the need to seek for answers. Without my aloneness, I would have had others to look to, and would have never had to face myself, to look to my own heart, and learn to introspect and find my true spirit. My true face would not have shown its light to guide me through. And I’d still be living on the surface, trying desperately to block out fear of the unknown depths of the ocean, never finding my true face at the floor of my spirit, nor discovering my own capabilities and potential.

The dark night of the soul taught me how to hold and soothe my own self. And perhaps most significantly, the dark experiences of my past made me who I am today. Truly, I would not be half the person I have become if it was not for my wounds and sorrows. This realization has taught me to believe that every experience, even what we perceive as the darkest or most negative, is actually yet another learning experience, an experiment of our existence, and something through which we can gain knowledge and wisdom. There is truly no such thing as objective negativity; all is subjective.

In the Christian theology, and indeed within our mainstream society, we must never transgress over into darkness, for darkness is always “evil.” But to me, and to most practitioners of Earth-based spirituality, darkness is just as necessary as light, and is a healthy, natural, and educational component of the human experience. As well, balance and moderation are the keys to enlightenment. The dark is there to balance the light, not necessarily to be at war with it, thus the dark itself can still bring about enlightenment. And besides, in every great tale of mythology or lore, the great hero’s journey always includes descending into the underworld. It is my belief that we all must descend into our own underworld in order to get the most out of our journey here. I truly believe that darkness and pain is not an evil monster or devil to be feared, but instead a force that has an alternate method of helping us, of blessing us, and of teaching us some of life’s most important lessons.

And strangely, I have even found now, after my journey through deeper waters, that even though I have come out and into bright light again, and all is fairly well in my life, I somehow still seek aloneness. I somehow still wish to retreat to myself, to remember my sorrows, and to find my bed in darkness. I want to curl up in the fetal position on the lowest, most numbing floor of my pain, deep down where I am entirely by myself, just to feel and remember the sensations of sadness. Sadness is a universally shared aspect of existence and humanity, thus I will embrace it as a testament to my aliveness. And when I see it this way, it actually feels good to me when I hit rock bottom. It’s comforting to level myself with the lowest of sorrows and wallow in them for a while. It is part of the natural range of human emotions, part of the human experience. It even gives me a strangely sickening feeling, which somehow paradoxically alleviates my fears by confirming them.

I once read that to be a Witch is to be alone. Indeed, my loneliest times were when I was most attracted to the idea of being a Witch, and the most involved in seeking my own spirituality through Wicca. I find Wicca and Paganism so refreshing for their non-resistance to the range in human emotions, including the ones that may not feel as “good, ” with the understanding that aliveness and life itself is to be embraced and felt with the senses, and for their stressing of natural objective balance over subjective human judgment. A Witch understands that experiences are not objectively “good” or “bad, ” but depend upon one’s perspective. Both sides of all dualities (light and dark, yin and yang, male and female) are equal and necessary, not to be fought against one another nor made into a “versus.” I could not agree with this philosophy more.

In conclusion, I believe that dualities can, do, and must coexist… and that we can learn to not only deal with, but also be comfortable with and even benefit from both sides of every coin, both ends of any spectrum. So while although the light is usually seen as what’s “good, ” this does not make darkness “bad” by default; darkness is simply a necessary part of one’s spiritual journey, a balancer to the light. Like everything, it can be used for positive growth and for drawing inner-strength and spiritual enlightenment in an entirely new, different, and challenging way.

This is what the dark night of the soul has taught me… because I did not fight it, I let it in, and I let it teach me. What has the dark night of your soul taught you?

Knowing Right and Wrong

Knowing Right and Wrong

Author: Stewart Bitkoff

On one level people want simple answers and to be told what to do. On another they want freedom to choose and make their own decisions. People are multi-level and have the capacity to make their own choices as well as accept direction from others. Discordance sets in when the guidance from others or authority does not fit what the individual wants or feels is right for them. In this case, the individual is in conflict and looks for something else.

Most people are taught a philosophy of ‘right and wrong.’ At an early age aspects of this protective mechanism are projected into daily life and are part of social and religious training. For example, if you do not get-up on time and arrive timely at school this is bad. As an adult, being late will eventually result in loss of job. Or as a youth, if you take street drugs, this will lead to personal problems and addiction.

It is difficult to disagree with these two maxims about daily life. Get places on time and do not take potentially damaging street drugs. However, to complicate matters other factors may be at play. Perhaps the individual is getting to work late because of an inner, hidden unease with this type of work. In time, after warnings by the supervisor, the worker realizes this and moves on. Or the youth experimenting with recreational drugs uses this learning in a future career in brain chemistry. Or in a more damaging scenario, after years of addiction the person sobers up and becomes a drug counselor who, because of personal experience, helps dozens of others.

From a higher perspective, looking at events: travelers are taught to take a more longitudinal and holistic view of the effect of specific actions. In real life, often it is not a simple matter of an action being ‘right or wrong.’ Actions are complex and involve others, having both a collective and individual effect. Before making many decisions it is wise to consider their long term and multi-level effect.

As an example, how about the common situation where your beloved asks- do you think I have put on a few pounds? Does this dress/suit make me look heavy? Sometimes telling the truth can be unnecessarily hurtful, particularly if the individual has been struggling with their weight. In this situation, I’ll leave it to you to figure out what is right or wrong; in most things, we are free to pick and choose.

Further when viewing the effect of personal action, it is impossible to know all the variables involved; particularly over a long period of time and actions that affect countless others. However, for the spiritual traveler, it is possible to know some of this and begins by asking the question: will this action bring me closer or distance me from my higher destiny?

The answer to this question may be thought out as well as perceived. First, we rationally consider and list the effects using what we term our common sense. Next, we use our intuition, requesting if the action will bring us closer or distance us from our higher self. Perception is intuitive knowledge that emerges from our collective consciousness. By turning inward, the traveler unlocks this holistic awareness and uses this answer along with their rational thought to arrive at an action.

At an early age, it is important to learn about the difference between right and wrong. It is important to learn some things are good for us and some things are not. Yet, spiritual teaching must go deeper, illustrating and considering the aspect of longitudinal effect and destiny. While one piece of chocolate may be tasty and even nutritious, twenty is not, particularly, if we are diabetic or prone to dental problems.

Most spiritual training programs teach the traveler to pray, or turn inward in some fashion or another before taking an important action. Within each person, there is an inner voice or capacity to know if an action will bring us closer to our own higher self and the higher destiny of the universe. Most people have forgotten to develop and listen to their own inner voice and have relied upon others to teach them about right and wrong.

This original social, moral and religious teaching, about what is useful in life, was intended as a beginning; and the traveler, as they matured was to be instructed on how to make their own more complex, intuitive decisions. For many, this has been omitted from their training and they continue to rely upon limited and simplistic learning constructs.

Many of which have been tied to a hidden and sometimes not so hidden ‘fear and reward’ system. In a sense, for these travelers, their thoughts on certain subjects have become fixed, often engineered by others.

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Humanity is conscious energy
Burning like sunlight.
By reflecting the Light into this world
Humanity neutralizes personal spiritual darkness.

Embrace your own inner beliefs
And then travel beyond them.
Embrace higher knowledge
And as the Source Wills
You will become a sun unto yourself:
Knowing right from wrong,
Dissipating your own lower needs and desires.

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What some call religious training and tradition:
Often is based upon historical and no longer accurate,
Incomplete information; also, in some presentations
There is tendency to misapply traditional exercises to this culture.
Further, many sacred books include
Selective reportage by believers and historians;
With altered teachings to control desired behaviors
Which were insisted upon by the ruling entity or clergy.

Remember many cherished religious traditions and behaviors no longer serve any real or spiritual function. However, they do increase people’s feelings of comfort/tradition and need to be viewed within their emotional framework.
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The Law

Traveler: Holy One, tell me of the Law

Master: The Law is Inscribed on the heart of each person. Beneath the layers of dust- from selfish living- that surround each heart, is the Golden Rule. The Law is also Written in the Books and is known to all. It is written: That which brings you closer to your higher self and the Beloved is the Measure.

Travelers know what is right; yet, allow themselves to be deceived by their desires. If a traveler would ask their Higher Self or The Light to help make their decision- each would correctly and reach higher.

If you will pray, the Light will cleanse your heart and The Law will be inscribed upon it- Lighting the Darkness. SB