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From my heart to yours

Shores of Avalon - Transition into Death and other Densities

23/8/2016

4 Comments

 
Tina Malia's song 'Shores of Avalon' has captured the hearts of many in the spiritual community.  Not only is it a lovely song, beautifully sung, but the lyrics can bring deep feelings up to the surface to be processed.  Even when that doesn't happen it invokes states of peace. 
I'm going to get a little esoteric on you guys now - bare with me.  Where do these feelings come from?  They can seem almost like a memory of a state of being once embraced.  Many people find themselves yearning for the place describe in this song.  What the song evokes (from my perspective) is distant memories, like whispers in my consciousness, so subtle yet so powerful.  They are both memories of death experience - what happens in the dying process and afterwards, and also a yearning for the '5th Density'.  It makes me feel melancholic remembering a state of being that once was, and now seems in some ways far away.  It is not a particularly sad melancholy though as I am able to touch this place inside and can access it in daily life, if not all the time.

Fifth Density

Picture
Before we explore the song in more depth, let me just give a brief overview of what I mean by the 5th density.  We all inhabit each of the 11 densities of existence simultaneously, although we will have our centre of consciousness in one of these densities (for those interested in scientific parallels see M-Theory).  The first 5 are physical, emotional, lower mind, karmic, and higher mind (5th).  The 5th density is a place of co-creation in harmony with all sentient life.  When we die, we are often held in the 4th density (karma) until the law of attraction causes us to reincarnate, or if we have processed enough of our karma and spending a longer period between lifetimes, we may 'hang out' in the 5th density.  If we are to move through the 4th density and centre ourselves in the 5th, we need to process all of our karma.  For more on the 5th density and how we can experience it in everyday life, please see Openhand's article: Path between Worlds: Ascending into the Fifth Density

Shores of Avalon: what does it mean?

So, lets look at the lyrics so that I can explain what I mean - perhaps the song will activate something in you too!
Be Brave my love
The time has come
To cross the Tintagel sea
The fragrant air
The apple blossoms
Have all been beckoning

The Tintagel sea was a body of water between Ireland and where King Arthur's realm is believed to have been.  Crossing it is symbolic of entering a peaceful state of existence unencumbered by negative feeling.  In actual fact this was/is not a place in the outer world but is within us - as we move beyond our own distortions and process our karma we bring our centre into the 5th density.  Therefore, this can be taken as meaning 'enlightenment' or the dying process.  I am offering two interpretations here, but they are not so different from each other.  Take from each what you will.
And there we'll stand
Looking out upon the world that we've known
All fear will be gone
When we reach the shores of Avalon
Avalon was the fabled realm of King Arthur (a symbol for the 5th Density).  The Isle of Avalon was an island surrounded by a lake, where people went to die, including King Arthur himself.  As we move beyond this world, either symbolically through enlightenment or physically through death, we may still look upon the world through different eyes, no longer tainted by the fears and holdings of our worldly existence.
You'll be greeted there
By maidens fair
With eyes of the royal sea
In the garden
They will braid your hair
With violets and rosemary
-Chorus
This speaks to me more of the death experience than enlightenment.  The Isle of Avalon was inhabited by Priestesses, who prepared you for the dying experience and supported you through it.  It was really a place of 'conscious death'.  Many people who have had 'Actual Death Experiences' where they have been clinically dead for some time and come back, have reported being taken to some kind of garden where they are made to feel welcome and supported.
Feel the wind
On your face
As we cross the stormy sea
Close your eyes
Don't look back
There's nothing left to see
The Journey to both enlightenment and death can be extremely stormy, as both paths will bring up all of your deepest fears and holdings. However, if we focus on the inner we move through each state leaving behind the person we were before.
The other night
You came to me
Like an angel you appeared
And we climbed
The endless sky
Held each other near

-Chorus
Many people who have had 'death experiences' have described being carried by angels.  Others have reported relatives who have seem angels in the moments before death and exclaimed that they have come for them.  In the state of enlightenment one is connected with the higher densities including the angelic realm.  For more on connecting with angels read this article from Openhand: Connecting with your Guardian Angel.
So, I have given you my interpretation.  The song has done wonders for me, and she has a wonderful voice which carries you through all the feelings that might come up. 
Here's the song.  I wonder what your experiences are from this song.  Try not to analyse, at least not to straight away.  It's best to let the feelings come through first to be processed.  And if no deep feelings come up right now then that's fine too.  You can simply bask in the peace that comes from listening.
I'd love to hear from you - your thoughts/feelings about the song, anything that comes up for you, or your own interpretation.
From my heart to yours,

Richard

4 Comments

Too much noise: steps toward 'Inner Peace'

18/8/2016

2 Comments

 
Every now and then it gets harder to hear all those subtle voices within – those whispers of higher knowing or feeling that seem to guide us, inspiring us into creativity or just getting a sense of the deeper meaning.  When we are connected with these inner voices life is magical.  They give us a depth to our being that makes us feel really alive while experiences a kind of ‘inner peace’.
The last time this happened to me I decided to take myself off for a walk in nature and after a while I put my MP3 player on, listening to my music on ‘random shuffle’, just seeing what came up. I had been feeling a bit numb, not really engaging life fully and retreating inside more than usual.  This is of course fine if it is a natural process that you go through, so it’s important not to judge this state of being.  However, being guided to simple actions such as going for a walk or listening to some music can help to move through things like this, processing whatever is inside and helping you to get back ‘in the flow’.  For me, going into nature quietened some of the ‘noise’ which was preventing me from accessing these inner whispers, and listening to music helped to put me back in touch with my feelings.

What is this ‘noise’ and where does it come from?

Time stress
The problem with ‘normal’ life in society is that there’s too much noise.  By ‘noise’ I don’t just mean loud things, although that is definitely one contributing factor.  I mean that we are bombarded such that the senses are overloaded – traffic, TV, conversation, food, soft drugs (and hard ones).  Of course we are always entertained.

There is always something to do

Appointments, cooking, eating, meeting friends, house work, bureaucracy, entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment.  You only have to observe a busy coffee shop.  Friends meet for coffee and conversation but cannot cope with the gaps, when conversation lulls or people go for a toilet break.  I bet if you stay for a whole day just observing people you will not see one person, if left alone who will not reach for a book or their phone or something else to occupy themselves.
Being entertained

Personal noise

Then there’s the more subtle personal noise. Of course our brains are wired to take in information and gaps in thought are few and far between, particularly if surrounded by stimulation.  We need to process what’s going on around us and our inner whispers are interpreted through the mind anyway.  However, there are other types of inner noise which can be quite disruptive – needs, desires and judgement.  These can be a little harder to let go of, even if we recognise their disruption to inner peace.  It requires a level of awareness that takes some practice, recognising when these desires don’t serve you, getting to the source of the need,realising yourself through it, and then breaking the programming in the brain.
All this noise means that we can no longer hear the inner whispers that make life magical.  Consequently the quiet space within is felt to be like a void of emptiness, often so unbearable, that it needs to be filled with outer noise (entertainment). Then the subtlety of life is missed, the senses become dulled and creativity is never fully realised as a spontaneous arising from within, but at best a forced process of logical thinking or problem solving.
So, if we want to experience a depth to life far more magical than that filled by entertainment and sensory satisfaction we must do something which may seem a little paradoxical.

Inviting the inner whispers to speak up

Inner peace in nature
We must invite the inner whispers to speak up by reducing the noise in our outer life, simplifying our daily lives, reducing ‘clutter’ and allowing time to just do nothing and ‘be’.  Of course there will be busy days, and times where you will have much noise around and inside of you, but a few simple things can help reset the balance.  Meditation helps, time in nature, exercise and time alone.  Or maybe something else works for you.  Experiment with whatever makes your soul sing.
Be bored sometimes – it’s a good sign.  So entertainment doesn’t do it or you right now – great! Use that opportunity to go within and listen.  You don’t need to quieten the mind, that’s not it’s nature.  It’s simply about being in the moment with whatever arises without judgement.  Letting it be until it moves on.

The benefits

Once you’ve struck a balance you may find a curious thing arises.  Instead of a polarity between busy, stressful times and times of inner peace and magic, they will begin to merge inside.  Sure, on the outside there will still be busy, ‘noisy’ times and quieter times, but inside you may begin to be able to access that place of inner peace where you can hear those quiet whispers even when the world outside you is chaotic.
Other benefits – a feeling of connection with nature and life, a better understanding of yourself, observing deeper meaning behind events, increased creativity, a sense of fulfillment in life which comes from knowing you are being true to yourself.  The list could go one, but you get the idea…

Higher guidance meditation

Here is a great meditation by my friends at Openhand on accessing those inner whispers.  It's relatively short (20 mins) so it's ideal to use during a busy day to reconnect with yourself.

Enjoy!


Connecting to the Higher Self
Here is a powerful meditation that you listen to for free, to help you connect with your higher self and draw the lighter, more connected energy down fully into your being that you may benefit from more powerful guidance in your life. Ultimately it will help you become your higher self and live it in every moment. Enjoy!!!

http://www.openhandweb.org/higher_guidance_meditation
2 Comments

Why Die Consciously?

12/8/2016

6 Comments

 
Why die consciously? Death – it comes to us all.  We all know this but how many of us have really explored our deaths? What I’m about to say may shock you – but in many ways, those who get some advanced warning of their deaths through terminal prognosis – they are the lucky ones!  Of course many of you in this situation will definitely not be feeling lucky and I completely understand.  A life shattered, knowing that it will all come to an end so soon can be one of the hardest things for a person to deal with.  But let me explain why these people are lucky.  It’s not because of the suffering they may go through, but because of the tremendous opportunity they have.

Death as an 'opportunity'

Going through life we hit many small ‘deaths’ along the way.  Loss of loved ones, relationships and jobs, and more profoundly, loss of health, abilities and identities.  Even if these things are only temporary, they provide a great opportunity for exploration of dying, in which we will ultimately lose all of these things.
Many people expect that if they manipulate some outer circumstance, for example dying at home surrounded by family and friends, then they will have a beautiful death.  But if you’re life was one of holding on, to things, people, or roles such as being a parent, then death will magnify this tenfold. Even if your life was one of giving and caring, if this was motivated by a subtle need to boost your self-esteem, if you clung to the notion of yourself as a ‘caring’ person, then your death will also be a clinging.  What matters when dying consciously is what is going on inside.  Then the outside world will reflect that which is in you.
looking in the mirror
So, those who are in the position of knowing that their death is coming soon, will be going through many stages as they process all of what dying means for them.  It is these stages of the dying process that provide us with the opportunity.  They are opportunities to look at ourselves – all of our deeply unconscious fears will be bubbling to the surface.  We can use this as an opportunity to heal a lifetimes worth of pain and suffering that we couldn’t quite go beyond before because it was buried too deep.  We can use them as an opportunity for deep healing.

Death as 'healing'

Picture
Death presents us with the ultimate healing opportunity.
If we can look into the darkest aspects of our being with compassion, and learn to let go of anything that is holding us back or no longer serving us or those around us, then we will already be coming ‘back to the source’ of our own being – from there dying is simply like taking a well-trodden path to a new destination.

What are the benefits of Dying Consciously?

Why go to all this hassle of digging down into all the muddy bits of your being?  There are of course plenty of ways of avoiding pain and suffering.  Entertainment is enticing.  It is a method we have used our entire lives as society surrounds us with it and pushes it on us.  Medications work wonders but many of them do so at the price of consciousness – essentially they hold you in a bubble of consciousness, numbing anything that gets pushed outside the bubble, such reception to pain and emotions, but also intuition, creativity and thought processing among other possible things.
ripple effect
If your pain is looked at in a conscious way – that is non-avoiding, compassionate, non-judgemental, but also with respect for where it has come from – then you connect with parts of you that have been distorted, healing them and becoming whole.  This also has a ripple effect into the outside world and many relationships can be healed between loved ones.

Some of the benefits of practicing Conscious Dying include:
  • Expanding through physical pain – non-identification with the body
  • Flowing through each stage of grief and of death with relative ease and coming out the other side with a fresh perspective – non-identification with emotions
  • Releasing attachments that hold you back and embracing your source energy
  • Healing relationships with loved ones through forgiveness and finishing business
  • An expansion of your being – opening up into the unknown
  • Release of Karma which would otherwise draw you back to similar circumstances in future lives

Releasing Karma

Karma is the word that describes blockages that have built up over time.  They are blockages in the flow of your soul attained through identification with the 3 lower planes of the physical, emotional and mental.  As your soul is ever being drawn back to the source (oneness) it will be looking to release this Karma.  In order to release Karma, you will draw circumstances in your life through the law of attraction which will cause you to confront those places in which you’ve become identified.
The dying process will likely bring most if not all of these identifications to light at some point.  Conscious Dying helps you to confront these blockages and transcend them, making the dying process ‘smoother’.  Of course if these blockages are not confronted it’s also OK.  You will simply attract other circumstances in other lives.  But why not use such an incredible opportunity when it comes? For a brief period, dying magnifies all of these attachments and makes them simpler (not necessarily easier) to work with and let go of.
Releasing Karma will mean that your soul can move on to other adventures after you pass on, instead of being drawn back to the same circumstances.  It will put you ever more in harmony with the flow of your soul and the rest of the universe.

A choice to make

So, Conscious Dying is a choice.  It’s a choice that only you can make.  If there are pitfalls along the way (as there likely will be) it’s OK. There are no hard and fast answers, but you have all the time in the world – who says the work doesn’t continue after you’ve passed on?  But, why not seize that opportunity while it’s there? Why not do what your soul is yearning to do? Why not begin today?
Here's a short inspirational video on making conscious choices:
Much love,

Richard

If you would like to work on dying consciously, or need any help with issues that you are facing, please book a session.
6 Comments

Music for Awakening

11/8/2016

0 Comments

 

The whole world becomes alive

What a great tune - I would say it perfectly describes the waking up process (though I've seen it compared to astral traveling as well).  When we wake up the world around us seems completely alive, as our senses become more sensitive, we see colours and hear sounds with greater clarity.  The whole world around us begins to speak with us as life becomes a dance.

Happy listening...

0 Comments

    Author

    My name is Richard.  I love to write, and here you can find my general musings, observations and articles.  Enjoy!

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Parting the Waves - conscious relating


Articles List
  • Letting go - how to do it
  • Being in the moment vs. daydreaming
  • Why Die Consciously?
  • Too much noise: steps toward 'Inner Peace'
  • Shores of Avalon - Transition into Death and other Densities
  • 'The Observer' Pt1: What is the observer?
  • 'The Observer' Pt2: Simple steps to cultivate the observer
  • 'The Observer' Pt3: Going beyond the mind
  • 'Be as a Lake': A fresh perspective on pain
  • Destiny: Knowing your purpose in life
  • Is Morality Judgmental? Taking Inspiration from Life without Limiting Ourselves
  • ‘I told you so!’ Simple yet powerful ways of improving communication with loved ones
  • What makes you feel truly alive?
  • The importance of balancing the big picture with the little picture in current global events
  • How to Channel your Sadness into Beauty
  • Recovering from Loss of Identity
  • Understanding Grief
  • 'Who am I?' - Finding your Essence
  • Dying to Live - Embracing Change
  • Heaven in Your Eyes - Opening up to the Twin Flame
  • Overcoming Fear by Embracing Death - Pt 1: Our fears
  • Overcoming Fear by Embracing Death - Pt 2: Identity and the 'Self'
  • Overcoming Fear by Embracing Death - Pt 3: Unity Vs. Individuality
  • To BE or not to BE: How to Live your Spirituality
  • True Healing: How It's Possible For Everyone
  • The Hugging Dilemma: Deep Connection vs. Personal Boundaries
  • Breaking Free of the Box: How to Overcome Guilt from Unreachable Standards
  • The Healing of the Divine Masculine
  • Are You Responsible for Other People's Suffering?
  • Why You No Longer Need to Fear Death
  • The Paradox of Passion
























































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