What about the instruction manual?

Remember what it felt like when you were dreaming about something special and then, you finally got it? You got so excited that you started using it before you decided to read the instructions.  What happened after that might not have made you feel so good.  Maybe you broke it.  Maybe you fudged something.  Maybe you're not sure exactly what you did.  Maybe you felt guilty? angry? stupid? disbelief? Maybe instructions were nowhere to be found or, the words that were didn't help you to solve your latest problem.  What to do? Where to turn?

I've known people to be over-enthusiastic about examples of technology, and then found themselves motivated to do new kinds of learning very fast. Sometimes  we behave in ways that lead us to get ahead of ourselves.  Then, we realize its meaningful  to take a few steps backward.  Events in life will unfold in ways that invite us to slow down and learn to become more aware of what we're doing, the how and why.  If we come to think we know everything, then we're humbled. As we're made of energy, and becoming consumed by emotions builds up our momentum, its easy to get wrapped up in external things and forget we're disconnected from ourselves.

Some people believe life must come with some kind of instruction manual.  You know, a book that's written in a language you understand, that's accessible when you need it, that contains all the answers you could ever need, to help you step-by-step along your journey.  Of course, this vision is somewhat unrealistic.  Each of us exists for the purpose of learning at our own pace in our own time.  We're meant to learn to expect the unexpected, to "roll with the punches," to learn that events will unfold as an opportunity to bring out the best in us.

When it comes to assumptions about instructions, some people believe they need them.  Other people believe they don't.  Some people believe they could benefit from guidance along their journey.  Other people prefer to do everything alone.  Our perception of and reactions to challenges will not always be visible from outside.  The truth of learning is felt. We don't need words to re-align our souls.

Ultimately, we all go through phases where feelings run our lives, by choice, and feelings don't come with an instruction book.  This is an ongoing exercise that permits us to become more aware of "what makes us tick," of what makes us who we are.  Just because something doesn't go the way we hope or expect, doesn't mean we're defective or inadequate.  Its an opportunity to learn more about our potential.

Further your soul growth wherever you are

We all exist to learn and share whatever abilities we have. No matter what work you choose, no matter what you do now, or what you dream of doing differently, work has value for what it is, and because of what you can learn at each step of the way.

Each of us has gifts. Some people have the ability to heal. Some people truly have a knack for raising awareness in others. Some people are inspiring public speakers. Other people are very effective doing what they do best in the background. Even people who sense no specific direction already recognize their basic gift of humility.

The time may arrive when you sense you've lost focus and seek new sources of meaning in work.  Come what may, its always desirable to apply talents you have.  You can also set out to uncover or develop new skills.  Each person is shaken out of comfort zones sometime. Such an experience can seem dis-orienting, even scary yet, doesn't have to be.  Move beyond society's view of what's most important. 

No matter what happens, you're in the midst of opportunities to grow.  Still, loads of people express unhappiness about work.  You may know people who sense their job is "beneath them" or they feel like "a square peg in a round hole."  You may feel stuck or forced to associate with co-workers you dislike or distrust.  You may do your job mechanically because it pays bills, feels safe and represents security. 

Do yourself a favor.  Recognize you have lots to learn. This year, take initiatives to move beyond your own emotional distractions.  Re-think where you are in your job or career and why.  Consider where you have opportunities to listen more attentively, to give more of yourself, to show compassion, to impact lives for the better. Discover there's more to life than seeking approval and temporary gratification.    

Have you become too wise for your own good?

Has all the education and knowledge within reach obscured our purpose, the true sense of why we’re alive? What happened? Isn’t it time to wake up from this dream?

Humans didn’t always question whether a power greater than them could exist. They didn’t always believe they could quickly learn everything they needed to know, that they were the centre of the Universe or, that they were expected to be the best at something at the expense of others. When was the last time you excelled such that you looked past external disapproval?, past your perceived mistakes or failures?

It wasn’t always necessary to obtain evidence to prove life forms beyond Earth exist. There was a time when it was generally assumed and accepted. It wasn’t always regarded as bizarre or suspicious if you had faith in things beyond the scope of another person’s logic or imagination. Have you become too wise for your own good?

Role of Science

Science has come to be perceived as a socio- cultural authority. People working in the fields tend to be intelligent, ambitious, well-paid and rewarded with status and respect. More and more people refer to Science and technology for ‘acceptable’ explanations to mysteries and to mask inner fears. Loads of us think of Science as the dependable resource for health care services and advice, both assumed and expected to best improve health and well-being. Each view has its place.

At the same time, why is it that widespread beliefs in the validity of Science and related knowledge, have led humans to judge and criticize more? Why are people necessarily stronger or weaker, faster or slower, healthier or sicker, hopeless and terminal, even, preferably forgotten or discarded? Why do people focus on ego, on paths to quicker self-gratification, and with a lack of conscience or accountability? Why can working longer and harder also mean achieving greater emptiness?

Belief in Spirituality

There was a time when the vast majority of people understood that life in this world was a gift, an opportunity to plant whatever thoughts would enrich our souls. To be exposed to conditions which evoke feelings of intolerance, impatience, anxiety and fear, can be seen as opportunities in disguise. How will you choose to interpret your opportunities? Which lessons will you choose to retain, share and re-apply?

Belief in spirituality is like a choice we make to listen to our hearts rather than to our pride. It’s like choosing to lose your arrogance in favour of realizing who you are. This kind of learning doesn’t have to be seen as self-sacrifice. You may come to believe living without loving, without nurturing peace and hope, isn’t truly what life is all about. Recognize the value of your infinite light and inner power.

The Here & Hereafter

Some people believe in worlds beyond Earth. The Hereafter is one such place. It’s also a synonym for heaven, a place where diseases of hate, violence, jealousy, and other negative energy, simply don’t exist. Pure souls there have learned to only sense reason to experience love and compassion.  They sense without judgment.

From this view, life in the physical world offers opportunities to learn to discern right from wrong.  Passing over enables souls to sense their earthly lessons differently. Raising self-awareness becomes the ability to uncover love buried beneath broken trust, beneath other ‘unlikely’ circumstances. Souls realize to overcome struggle is to transcend their imagined shells of fear. They will help each of us help ourselves, if only we let them. We determine the path of our education.

Recognize value in alternative paths

I recently read an article about a school of alternative approaches to learning for children with heightened sensitivities, such as empaths, telephaths sand psychic intuitives. You might imagine that standard tests would be inappropriate.  Test takers would have the ability to ‘hear answers’ in the mind of informed test-givers.  Standard curricula would seem inapplicable.   Students might regularly challenge authority beleiving they knew more or "what is right". Yet, how would topics seldom covered in most classes become a focus of learning methods in this unique school?

The founder and developer of this pioneering school based her structure and approach on psychologist Abraham Maslow’s 8 characteristics of the self-actualized person. Only teaching methods that supported Maslow’s 8 primary goals were chosen and applied for the period this school was open. You might also assume the teachers involved themselves would need to have a keen sense of mind games themselves, in order to work around the thinking of their pupils.

It’s interesting that such approaches may also be useful for different kinds of students who are traditionally labeled with specific abilities or disabilities. Consider your own formal and informal training and learning processes. Connect the emotional and other intelligence you have since chosen to adopt for your own reasons:

1) Capable of self-absorption. Students were permitted to pursue activities of study alongside traditional subjects. When they became consumed by something, they had freedom to focus at the exclusion of all else, as the child deemed necessary. This proved very effective as it promoted problem-solving and excelling at one’s own pace, in subjects as diverse as reading, algebra and divination.

2) Choices toward growth. Teachers devoted time discussing how to make choices toward life or destruction with manifold consequences.   Pupils learned to think about inter-connectedness among beings, how choices influenced everyone and everything.  This taught taking responsibility, being accountable and overcoming learned helplessness.

3) Believing in one’s judgment. “Substantiate your claim” often echoed in class . Children’s views were highly-respected, yet they were required to explain and prove their views based on logic or credible evidence. Debates were promoted, as were moots (mock trials) so children could learn to present ideas and beliefs with clarity.

4) Being honest & shedding defense mechanisms. Punishment didn’t exist at this school (except for extreme behavior where kids were sent home) . Instead, youngsters were taught to sit down to resolve difficulties. There was no option to escape or run away from tempers or anger.  They had no choice but to work it out.

5) Building courage to state one’s views publicly. Children were taught how to listen to their internal dialogue and feelings, so as to recognize the value of their own thoughts. Implicit in the ability promoted to share beliefs publicly, was the idea of listening to views without judgment. This bred tolerance and understanding.

6) Working to the best of one’s chosen goals. Each child was encouraged to set personal goals . Older children’s schedule was a mix of class and self-directed study time. Independent study projects were required. Younger children often preferred hands-on building or creating.  They sensed and learned in multiple dimensions.

7) Awareness of peak experiences. To discern what learning felt like was a key goal recognized only by each individual. It was the teacher’s role to meet each child where he or she was. This released the burden of having to sense what ‘game’ to play to be seen as successful. Grades weren’t given which alleviated stress. No child was taught shame or embarrassment by being made to feel better or worse.

Understand rubberband?

Rest assured, we can all overcome our own self-created roadblocks and learning handicaps.  We all have areas where our conditioning has impaired our perspective and learning potential.  Of course, you may benefit from additional guidance to progress along a particular, chosen path.  Yet, for the moment, it will be helpful to learn to identify and escape from your own limitations.  Consider these tips:

1) Go through a process of unlearning.  To understand how intuition works and what you're really thinking is very different from accepting how you have evolved to think.  What if your new learning goal was not to learn as you always have, but to become more selective about your sources of information? Imagine that you learned to pinpoint sources and then forget your conditioning.  A supplementary goal is learning why you have decided certain things are believable, certain people are credible, certain perceptions are legitimate. Why do you choose to believe yourself?

2) Discover the power of inner energies.  To be pragmatic and assertive may mean you don't relax enough or have become unreceptive to your inner voice.  To assume you don't have an inner voice may miss crucial opportunities.  You may benefit from reaquainting yourself with your dreams and finding inspiration to use or pursue dreams more constructively. Ask for help if you need it.

3) Remove blockages.  This implies you desire to learn something new and you can accomplish this because you choose to do so.  Consider that you choose to buy into fear, self-doubt and frustration and you can also decide you will not permit these thoughts to control you anymore.  You can discover the power of reverse-conditioning.  Teach yourself that what you thought was true is no longer important or was never the case.

4) Reconnect with the child inside. As a child, you're born with an open mind, the desire to explore, belief in things like magic and fantasy and optimism about possibilities.  As an adult, many people slowly become fearful, begin to focus on limits, and allow cynicism to cloud views.  Why allow pragmatic thinking you create to eat away at your childhood confidence and intuitive voice?  If you've forgotten how to tap into your inner self, you can always seek guidance, re-learn and create a new kind of future.

5) Decide you will no longer attack yourself.  Your learning potential, when well-understood, is limitless.  Society and people around you will tell you why you can't do things.  You project reasons to try to convince yourself that your future must be ambiguous.  Realize the impact on your thinking when you decide what you will believe.  To what kinds of beliefs to you offer your undivided attention? Your investment may deny your reality and the breadth of your potential.