Barbara Joye & Interview on soul reconnection

To be aware of Barbara Joye and her work is to sense she empowers people to strengthen ties with the inner self. She is known as a soul-connection therapist and Intuitive re-invention life coach and invites people to explore their beliefs. 

Her work enables clients to better understand their present life conditions, and to learn what it means to deepen connections with non-physical realms and Angels. We appreciate she takes the opportunity to share her inspirational reflections.

Thank you again for the lovely questions.

Please share with readers what you do, and how you came to be on this path.

After 26 years in Corporate ranging from finance to sales it became obvious that to assist individuals discover their passion and how to live that passion I needed to shift my focus from the world of corporate activities to the world of inner activities.  In making this shift, I became a licensed hypnotist, a certified life coach, and a certified past life and between life regression therapist.  This lead me to connecting with individuals in the physical and also in trance states. 

As I believe in ‘practicing what I preach’, I continued to do my own inner work.  In doing this, and in following my clients into their trance state, I opened what I will call a larger channel with my higher self, soul self, Angelic Realm, etc.  This opening has led me further down the path I am on to a connection with the Angelic Realm that lead to the communication and creation (co-creation) of the book, The Light Won.

What are three meaningful things clients teach you?

Firstly, my clients teach me about the expansiveness and unlimitedness of the spirit world and our own soul connections.

Secondly, my clients continue to teach me how different and varied our paths are and how wonderful and critical those differences are in the greater schematic.

Thirdly, teaching my clients continually provide me is how blessed and honoured I am to be doing the work I am doing and how very beneficial the process of connecting to our higher selves is in the living of our own physical lives.

What exactly is ‘The Light Won?’ How do you gain insight into it? 

‘The Light Won’ is a tutorial in co-creation.  With this said, it is a book that takes the reader though the process of how to determine what they are really willing to shift in their lives and then to determine which belief or beliefs to shift/adjust or enhance to create the lives they truly desire.

We gain insight into The Light Won by exploring our lives and the beliefs which run our lives.  We also explore what we are committed to and what we are willing to change in our lives. 

Beliefs are insidious, meaning they are running our lives without us realizing what we believe.  It is only by understanding what those beliefs are, determining how they are impacting our lives, and then creating the changes in those beliefs we have determined appropriate to change that we are able to create the lives we desire.

What prevents people from experiencing this?

And, as the Angelic Realm stated, the vast majority of humanity does not make the changes in their lives they truly desire because they are not willing to let go of the known.  In other words, we don’t make change because we are scared of how that change may reverberate through our lives to create additional changes.  Said simply, we would rather stay with the norm and ‘whine’ about our lives than make the changes we desire and allow all of the benefits of those changes to bless our lives. 

Who would benefit from your book with the same title? What is its purpose?

Anyone who wishes to change their life would benefit from this book.  It is written in a conversational language as if the reader is speaking to their own higher guidance (no matter what that guidance be called) so it is available to all individuals, no matter their belief or spiritual persuasion.

The purpose of The Light Won is to provide humanity with the process for discovering the beliefs impacting their lives.  It is the solution not yet provided in books like ‘The Secret’ and ‘Ask and It Is Given’.  It is provided in very easy language and very understandable steps.  Its purpose is to allow all of humanity to live the lives their Soul came to experience.  It is just that simple and just that complex.  And we have to do our part to make the beauty of this book shine forth.  The Angelic Realm is willing to support us – they are not willing to do our job for us.

What is ‘The Belief Continuum?’  How does this contribute to human perceptions and outcomes?  

The Belief Continuum states in very simple terms:  Beliefs, which are held in our sub-conscious and unconscious and which have been created in this lifetime as well as other lifetimes, create Positions which are the manner in which we approach a particular event or person or concept.  These Positions then create Mentalities, which are the way we think or speak or act toward anything (in fact, everything). 

Our Mentalities then lead to the outcomes that occur in our lives.  How we perceive a topic, individual, concept, outcome, and/or life is all based upon our Beliefs about the topic, individual, concept, outcome, etc.  Our beliefs create our perceptions and then the outcomes in the lives we live.  Beliefs are insidious – deeply below the surface of our conscious – and thus, we often state that we believe one thing and in fact truly believe another.  It is only by listening to our thoughts and seeing the outcomes in our lives that we are able to truly uncover beliefs running our lives.  

Why do people tend to make choices that maintain familiar, physical life experience?

It is the opinion of the Angelic Realm, who co-created the book, that we tend to make choices that maintain our familiar life experiences (no matter how frustrating or demeaning those experiences may be) due to our fear of not fitting into the world we have created.  It is this fear, which is linked to the relationship we have each developed between our Ego and our Soul which keeps us from changing the beliefs that no longer serve us and thus keep us from living the lives we purport to crave.

The questions we intuitively ask ourselves when we are considering making a change in our lives, whether we do it consciously or not, is what will happen to our existing life.  Sadly, we often step back from the edge of the change and return to the norm due to our fear of what might change.

Which experiences have prompted you to take new levels of responsibility in this life?

The most notable experiences which caused me to take new levels of responsibility for my life are those I have had with my clients.  When I am able to hear from more than my own guides speaking about this time of change and the need to step up and take accountability, I am convinced that it is what is appropriate and in alignment.

Secondly, experiencing the energies that co-created the book, The Light Won, and asking them questions about the upcoming time of change was very impactful.  Although none of those discussions ended up in the book (as there are many other books which address this explicitly) it did become apparent that it was time for me (and the many) to step up and become responsible for our own lives. 

Finally, although not least by far, is the fact I have stepped to the edge, taken the leap and found that not only did I survive the experience, but life was better.  And, as the book states, once we have taken this leap, we are more likely to take it again. 

How do you understand ‘Divine Timing’? What do you learn about timelessness?

I have come to understand ‘Divine Timing’ as the timing that takes into account much more than we can perceive or anticipate from the vantage point of a physical life experience.  ‘Divine Timing’ is the timing that supports all of the changes, elements, and individuals impacted by a change intended by one or more individuals.  It is orchestrated from the Angelic Realm.  And, I have been notified more than once, they have a much better vantage point, a much larger awareness, of the impact of one change than any of us do in a physical experience. 

This taught me about the aspect of timelessness in the physical realm.  We all often think we know what is best and then set timelines to accomplish that which we believe to be appropriate.  From the vantage point of timelessness, our machinations are not only silly they are often not in support of The Divine/The All.  Timelessness is about having an event or series of events or an outcome occur in its appropriate time. 

(Note: Timelessness is not about it not occurring – rather it is about it occurring in alignment with The Divine and with that which is in the best interest of the majority.)

I also learned that we can make outcomes occur according to our timelines and that in doing so, we often miss the expansiveness and benefit the ‘Divine Timing’ would have brought to the outcome.  As difficult as it is, I attempt to align myself with ‘Divine Timing’ these days.

Which of your own beliefs have outlived their value? What leads you to think this way?

The first belief that had outlived its value was the belief of who I am.  In this writing I have learned a great deal about the limitations we all place upon ourselves and the lack we live in due to those limitations.

A second belief that I found had outlived its value is of the need for me to control everything.   I have a very well developed left brain as well as a delightfully developed right brain.  I have lived the majority of my life with my left brain determining time lines and action items, etc.  I have let go of the belief that nothing will happen if we don’t make it happen and have replaced it with the belief that if I follow the guidance I receive (as it shows up on unexpected calls and opportunities) many more ‘doors and windows’ are opening up to me.  My job is to walk through them no matter what my perception of the outcome may be.  I have learned I simply do not construct a plan as creatively as The Divine!

Which approaches have you found success with to shift mental programming?                       

I have found success with one primary process and it is as follows:

The first step to success is to recognize it as mental programming.  This is where the ‘Mentalities’ in the belief shift process come in.  If you have an outcome you do not prefer, listen to your Mentalities, your mental programming, to determine if you like the program that is running.

The second step is to determine which program you want to have running.

Then decide if you are willing to allow the changes that will occur in your life if you ‘shift’ that program.

And finally, uproot the belief that is holding that program in place (which you will most likely hear in the Mentalities) and make the shift.  I believe this is what the power of positive thinking does in a rather more elongated progress.   

How do dream experiences strengthen your connection to non-physical beings? 

In my dream experiences additional information would often become available to me during the writing of the book.  It was not unusual for me to spend the first thirty or forty minutes at the computer after a dream experience to enhance the information I had heard the previous day.  Dreams are one of the primary communication lines the Angelic Realm, our Higher Guidance; The Divine will use to provide us with information.  In psychological terms it is the unconscious communicating with the conscious.  In Angelic terms, it is the higher conscious connecting to the physical conscious.

Dreams carry incredible value and worth when we take them seriously and follow where they might lead us, whether into a situation or away from a situation or toward more awareness of what is blocking us from being the individuals we can be. 

I have always taken dreams seriously and now take them even more seriously.  Due to the connection I have made (and that I believe any soul in a physical form can make) with the Angelic Realm, I often awake and simply ask for additional information or guidance based upon a dream I have remembered.  I am finding this to be a truly delightful way to live life.

Share 5 things you would like readers to realize at this moment.

One – Each of us is in control of the lives we lead.

Two – We live in a free will universe so unless we ask, the higher powers are unable to assist us to any great degree.

Three – The Angelic Realm delights in supporting us and in assisting us to live the lives we are intended to live.

Four – That stepping to The Edge and taking the leap is not only thrilling it is life altering.

Five – Read the book, take it in, and then make shifts you are willing to make in your life.

What kind of thoughts would you like to leave with our readers?

I would like to encourage each individual to explore what they might like to change in their life and then believe it can happen if they are willing to take the steps to make the change. 

Further, I would like to reiterate the fact that the Angelic Realm stands ready and waiting to support us in living the lives we desire. We are the only ones holding ourselves back.

Step to The Edge – Take The Leap – Live Life in Abundance and Joy!

For readers interested in learning more about Barbara Joye and her work, they are invited to visit her website at www.theshiftguru.com 

Thanks again Barbara for sharing these uplifting insights with our readers. Much love to you!

Dawn Hill & Interview on perception shifts

I was introduced to Dawn Hill (now Shelley) through her writing and through connecting with energy vibrations more consciously. Her books encourage people to reconnect with core self,and trust in perception shifts.

Through her work, readers gain insight into integrity, kindness and love on levels that are consciously unexpected. Synchrony explains how she found the Dreambuilders Australia Blog post about her work. I am grateful she accepts to participate in this soulful interview.

How do you describe yourself right now?

Right at this moment, I would describe myself as blessed. The reason is quite simple; without (to my own mind at least) me having done anything in particular to deserve it, everywhere I turn there are people who love me and never fail to let me know it.  What I have wanted most in this life is to be loved for myself, for who I am and not who somebody else believes I should be … and this is what I am given. Everything else is a bonus.

What prompted the hiatus in your writing? There were a series of books, then-a break. Why?  What led to the move to the USA?

The break began around the time I realized that my third marriage had passed its use by date. I moved interstate and entered a new phase in my life, living alone and getting reacquainted with who I really am.  Just as I thought I was getting settled into the pattern for the rest of my life, a long, tall Texan showed up and my life turned upside down, literally. I met Tony online and my whole world changed, not the least because it involved a move from one side of the planet to another.

When I first got here, my intention was to give myself two or three years to learn the local mindset and ways of life before writing another book. Australians and Americans are very much alike in a lot of ways but there are also ways in which we are very much different, and I’d like to be able to write for people in my adopted country as I did for those in my native land.

I figured that three years would probably get me to where I’d feel confident to do it but before those years had passed, the Twin Towers fell.  Nothing could be as it was before that day.

I know people in Australia felt the shock and pain of 9.11 very deeply, but the shock wave that rolled across this country in the wake of that tragedy was indescribable.  Nobody living in this land could go through that and emerge unchanged. I am certainly no exception.

After the shock wore off, my initial feeling was of helplessness, wondering what I could do or say that could make any difference.  Until I was able to answer that question, the next book could not be written.

Many people read your spiritual books that are now out of print and wonder how you feel reflecting back on these works. How did the process affect you or not?

Just as those books changed the lives of many readers, they also opened up whole new spheres of learning and growth for me.  When I wrote the first of the Dawn Hill books, I believed myself to be alone in the sense that nobody I knew could truly understand the way I felt thought and believed.  Many of the letters I received after that book was published said things like “Thank you for showing me that I am not alone.”  What few of those readers might realize is that the book did the same thing for me, by putting me in touch with them.

Everything changed.  Instead of feeling isolated, alone and unworthy, I was suddenly faced with people who actually admired me and valued the experiences and traits in me that others had rejected.  How could that fail to turn my whole life around?  It opened up my horizons and lifted me through whole new worlds of experience, learning and growth. 

Just as I have given to my readers through the books, they have given back to me in so many different ways that I could never hope to count them.  I have been uplifted, enlightened and empowered to an extent that I would never have dreamed possible, back when I wrote the first book. 

What are your views about 2012 and the state of collective awakening? Do you favour Mayan, Hopi or other views about energy shifts?

I do indeed respect the views around 2012 as they have been brought forward by the Hopi, Mayan and other sources.  I do not think that year will bring about the end of all life on this planet, but there are powerful tides of change already moving through this world. I do believe they will reach a culmination point around that time.

My impression is that 2012 marks a point of no return in some way.  As for what lies beyond that point, I believe it will be the unfolding of another cycle in our collective lives.  A lot of physical changes are now inevitable, in terms of climate change and its consequences; how the human race will respond to those changes remains to be seen.  To survive and even prosper in the cycle to come, we will have to do a great deal of adapting, very quickly. It cannot be denied millions upon millions of living beings will be swept away in the tide. Whether the human race will be swept into extinction remains to be seen.

There have been and will continue to be cataclysms as a consequence of cycles that were set in motion long before our time and some that our generation has exacerbated.  Natural disasters will continue to occur; volcanoes will blow, glaciers will melt, tsunami waves will ravage shorelines, freak storms will increase … all of these seem inevitable at this time.

I’m sure you’ve been finding the weather patterns in your area somewhat different from the norm recently, just as we have been finding them here.  These changes represent powerful cosmic cycles that we cannot hope to halt or even impede.  The outcome for each of us will depend on how well we are able to ride the waves in the tides of change. 

I’ve seen wave upon wave of awakenings sweeping this planet in the last few decades … people all over opening up to ‘alternative’ ways of thinking in far more numbers now than there used to be. This too is an unstoppable tide and it cannot help but lead to significant change.

I don’t think that 2012 will bring a total end to the world, but I think it will very likely mark the beginning of a new cycle.

Please share some of your life-changing dream experiences since your last book.

The one that springs to mind most readily happened not long before I left Australia and it wasn’t just my dream ... three people; me, my husband Tony and my ‘adopted’ son Shaun had very similar dreams within the same 24 hour period.  Each dream showed a different area of detail about a previous life that we had all shared.  When we shared our experiences and fitted the details together, we had a comprehensive story about that life, which confirmed for us that we were indeed strongly linked through more than one lifetime.

What do they teach you about responsibility for self and the universe?

Different dreams teach me different things ... some are prophetic, some help me find answers to problems I have been struggling with, some bring warnings, etc.  It’s not really possible to say that they teach me any single thing in particular, except perhaps that it is always wise to pay attention to them.

What guidance do you offer people who are fascinated by remote-viewing and hope to learn or develop?

The first piece of advice would be to make sure they found a competent, reliable and trustworthy person to guide them through the learning process.  I would also stress the importance of making sure that they are protected against auric invasion or psychic attack while they are engaged in this activity.  Beyond that, this is not a field in which I have a great deal of experience or expertise. I am hesitant to rush in with advice that is not based on solid experience.

What can you tell us about your new book project? Does it have a particular inspiration?

We are moving through a time now when it is essential that we cast off our old and outmoded patterns of thinking, feeling and being. I wrote about this to some extent in the fifth Dawn Hill book but it is even more vital now because this is a time of accelerated transition.

One of the principal themes in this book concerns forgiveness ... not in the sense of condoning the wrongs committed by anyone but rather in the true sense of the word... to forgive simply means to let go and if we are to make true progress in life, both in our everyday life and in our spiritual development, we need to be able to let go of old hurts and grudges and outmoded ways of thinking and being ... if we don’t do that, we can’t move forward.  An important aspect in the discussion is the need to forgive ourselves, which for most of us is more difficult than forgiving those who have harmed us.

As you have mentioned in an earlier question, we are moving closer to a time that has long been forecast as both an end and a new beginning and our world is going through a great deal of upheaval and change.  This process of change can have traumatic effects in a person’s life and it can make them feel very isolated and alone.  It is so very important for people to know that they are not alone, that these changes are affecting us all and that we can nurture, support and heal each other when we are willing to reach out and share.  We will be discussing how these times of change can affect a person’s life and as always, there will be a certain amount of anecdotal content, drawn from my own life experiences and those of many other people who have shared their stories with me.

Whom do you sense you are becoming?

More and more purely myself and a great more at ease with who I truly am. 

I don’t think we realize how much of our sense of who we are is shaped by others and their opinions of us.  We are programmed by our culture to fit into certain pigeonholes and we see ourselves as we are reflected in the eyes and opinions of others.  Most of this programming takes place when we are too young to discriminate between what we know of ourselves and how we are perceived by others, so by the time we reach adulthood those beliefs are deeply ingrained and it can take a very long time to break free of that conditioning.  Some people live a whole lifetime without ever managing to do it.

As I mentioned earlier, once I took some time out and lived alone for a time, I began to get acquainted with who I really am and that process continues to this day.  I’m sure that when I breathe my last, I will still be discovering more of myself and the older I get, the more I realize that the journey is way more important than arriving at the destination, so I’m never in a hurry.

From your experience interacting with the Other Side, what sorts of meaningful lessons would help other people now?

So many folk want to heal the world and help bring forth the golden age of enlightenment and harmony that has been foretold, but before we can heal the world we have to love it and we can’t do that if we aren’t able to love ourselves.  An empty vessel cannot fill another.

We need to work at ridding ourselves of the “us and them” syndrome.  When we blame others for our failures and our hurts, we give them power over us but more than that, we reinforce within ourselves the idea that we are all separate from each other and from the Divine.  This reinforces the destructive notion that we are alone and powerless, which in turn contributes to a life lived in fear.

I often wonder how different our world would be today if instead of rushing to make war on the Middle Eastern countries that we have blamed for 9.11, the people of this country had taken the time to ask ourselves what we have done to make others hate us so much that they are willing to sacrifice their own lives in order to wound us.

The first vision to come to me once I started getting over the shock of 9.11 was an image of the planet suspended in space, and a huge pitch-dark cloud rising to cloak the whole globe.  With that image came the understanding that the dark cloud was fear and it was intensifying.  There was a caution that I needed to be very much on guard against allowing myself to be overshadowed by it and also a sense of wanting to warn others to be careful not to fall into the trap of fear.

Where fear rules, inhumanity runs rampant; we learn to fear when we start believing that we are unloved and that nobody really cares about what happens to us.  Worse, we swallow the idea that we don’t deserve to receive that quality of love.  In believing that we are unlovable, we deny love to ourselves and if we can’t love ourselves, how can we truly expect anyone else to love us? 

To heal our world with love, we need to start with loving and forgiving ourselves.

If you were to travel into the future, where do you foresee your next soul assignment?

I don’t see another physical incarnation in the near future after I leave this life although I don’t dismiss the possibility that I could incarnate in physical form at some stage in my travels through the future.  At this point I see myself still working in the same field as I do now, just from a different level, possibly even working in the capacity of a guide/helper to some who are incarnated in physical bodies.

What is your next mission? Some intuitives sense it does not change. Why  do people reject truth?

The mission doesn’t change; as long as there are souls who are hurting, lost and confused there will be hands reaching out to them with love, healing and guidance and I’m happy being one of those hands, whether in or out of a physical body.  I really can’t think of anything else that I would rather be doing ... it’s just the mode of delivery that changes, from one environment to another.

The future holds unlimited possibilities and I have no doubt that there are a whole lot that I am not yet seeing but at the same time, I don’t want to know everything at once.  I’m content to keep discovering more possibilities as I move forward in my life cycles ... right now, the human brain can only process a finite amount of information and the universe is anything but finite. 

For now it is enough for me to know that I am in the best of hands.

 You have many admirers of your writing. Anything else you would like to say?

Yes. If you feel that you have benefited from anything I have written, I can assure you that I have benefited equally if not more, from having you to write for.  Let me take this opportunity to give you my thanks for your love and support throughout the years.  Whatever I have given to you has been returned to me a thousandfold, and then some. 

Dawn, visitors here appreciate that you choose to share such intimate sides of you life. People familiar with your previous work are thrilled to know you are on a comeback trail. Checking out local libraries and second hand bookstores helps people locate your books that are out-of-print. You invite what you need into your scope of awareness.

For anyone who wants to contact Dawn, you can do so through www.myspace.com/dawnspirit or Dawn Spirit (Dawn Shelley) on Twitter.

Nicky Hamid & Interview on awakening to what you are

Nicky Hamid has taught spiritual psychology self-awareness in varied settings for thirty years, from university and spiritual retreats, to group meditation and workshops in different countries.

His writing and related endeavors come to my attention through synchronicity.  We both exist to empower others.  We also sense opportunities to awaken and expand consciousness have far-reaching implications. I also heard Nicky interviewed on Blog Talk Radio and chose to contact him. He shares immeasurable insights;

How did you come to be in New Zealand?  

I came to NZ at age 9. It was after WWII and my parents, with five children, wanted to make a better life for us all. They did just that and it was perfect for me with the great outdoors and freedom to explore. NZ has been a home of opportunity and I took to it all.

What do you perceive as your Earthly and other origins? 

When you ask about my true origins, I have to say the stars. I love being here in this life, even with all its ups and downs. It is a privilege to be incarnated on Earth and at this amazing time in the evolution of Humanity. I feel a long history with life here, but I also have distant and distinct remembering of other worlds and so for me this is one adventure in an eternity of adventures, past and future.

I relate to intergalactic and energy connections you imply. One blog article here that elicits considerable interest explores perceptions of “Star Kids.” How would you expand on ‘origin?’

My origin is from the Source of All That Is. No beginning and no end. We are forever so let us all lighten up and enjoy the ride.

What prompts you to write your latest book?  

I wrote All You Can Be to give readers a heart-felt overview of what is happening to us all right now. I have counseled people most of my life. This is about helping them to see their own power and to trust in their own answers and inner process.

More and more people are awakening to really question who they are and why they are here. There is a “disturbance in the force” which is affecting everyone. Big questions and a thirst for real understanding without all the trimmings help people see they bury answers under belief systems (BS = bull shit) and personal agendas. Lots of wonderful ideas and heartfelt teachings exist, but people get swamped. They often do not know where to start.   

How would you describe the book in 30 words?

The book traces an expanded, inspirational view of the human consciousness, origin, and nature. The practical tools given for self-empowerment focus on developing our evolving heart-felt inner guidance system.

How is this book meant to affect people? 

It outlines a vision of how amazing we are and our potential, plus some simple tools that really work, in order for people to build a personalize dynamics in their life that will empower them and help them to feel more fully connected to everything.

Practitioners from the helping and healing professions are often asking me for something simple, and yet which covers a lot of ground, to recommend to their clients. This book will do that. I have been getting such feedback from my readers.  It is also a book to be picked up and opened intuitively to provide individual guidance in the moment.

Who are some of your mentors? Share some lessons learned.

I have had the best mentors I could have had.

My parents: who were not only both widely read but were open always to sharing. Love was behind it all. Long discussions with my mother about the cosmos and the spiritual path and she helped me to gain a sense of place in this world and connection to all that is. Home spun philosophy of my father which told me to expect things to be in a constant state of change and yet to accept and embrace it.

5 siblings: each totally different and unique, they taught me to be flexible and allow others to see as they do without trying to change them to my way of thinking. Later the thousands of university students I have had the privilege to teach. They showed me the infinite variety of views and moods of humanity and the amazing potential of human nature.

Some teachers: I remember for their talents, humanity, and integrity. For example, a geography teacher for his thoroughness and attention to detail and yet enthusiasm for what he did. A psychology professor offered the depth of his knowledge, the dryness of his humor, and his encouragement for my divergent thinking.

Lao Tzu and the Tao: Above all, this taught me to trust, to allow my own process and benevolence of the Universe.

My greatest teachers have been my children: in them, I have seen God (the Source of All That Is). They taught me to be fully present. To be in the moment and that in that moment there is unbounded joy. My grandchildren carry on that legacy for me. If you want to see who you truly are, where you came from, how you were when you came here, then look into the eyes of a baby and young children. That is what we are here to remember. Take truly to heart messages from children.  Really learn to play and rediscover the innocent perception of being totally with it.

Throughout your experiences, what do you learn about fear?

Fear results from lack of knowledge. When I face fear, I face the forgetting of the truth of who I am. No matter what the fear is. If I am nervous about talking to people it is usually because I am afraid that the audience will not accept my message and therefore will not accept me. I have forgotten that I am love incarnate, that what other people think of me is none of my business, and that I am walking into that situation because it is the next joyful step in my journey. I have forgotten all my experience that has shown me that life is a most synchronous and amazing dance.

Fear comes from not knowing and knowing comes from trusting yourself and taking your power to move through the moment. What we seem most afraid of is being totally in the moment of that experience of fear. Conquering the fear comes from refusing to listen to our mind which will always try to scare you based on the past or some imagined future based on horror of the past.

If you can move into the moment and simply experience the feeling of fear without the interpretation then it will move. It has to move. It will become excitement of the unseen to come. It will be about change in you, in your experience, in your vision of yourself and your world. Fear is the unkind lie that you are ignorant and powerless.

Describe your understanding of Lemeurian and Atlantean consciousness.

Throughout our journey in this 3rd density, we have enacted many dramas. We came here to experience, and the Dream humankind has interwoven is one in which we have each experienced both the highest and the lowest ranges of the energetic frequency which is Earth life. Through the various circumstances and how we have acted within the limitations of each we, together with our ancestors, have build up a vast repertoire of knowledge and understanding. Our experience has taught us volumes about limitations of disconnecting from our Source.

Our Lemurian life was one where we gradually fell, from the remembrance of our connection and the complete harmony with all life here, to one of allowing others to trample on the truth and we learned to Ignore our own knowing. In doing so, we took on the hurt, anger and guilt of our own ignorance.

Our Atlantean life was one where through outside interference we learned to separate ourselves from each other, taking on experiences of being a slave to others and also being superior to others, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. We learned about being powerful and In control, and the arrogance of superiority, together with experiences of being worthless, unlovable, and powerless.

We, in fact, learned about all the best and most shadowy aspects of all we could be.

How does knowledge of previous existences (incarnations) impact the present moment?

Now, we are learning to integrate the experiences of all these dramas we have enacted through the alchemy of love and forgiveness. We can really feel the truth of the concocted reality we have been engaged in and take the truth that we are love incarnate and exist forever, then we will forgive. We will say "This is enough of the game of suffering and separation. No one owes me anything. There is no debt to pay by me or by anyone. It was a game that I constructed and played and for me it is over. I forgive myself for it all. I made all the choices and performed every action imaginable in order to have the experience of them. I forgive all the players in the game and truly “thank you with all my heart for the realistic and complete part you have played. The game is up. Now I know. Thank you, I love you."

Why does karma not exist in the New Reality?

Living life is not about justice and fair play, it is about choices. You making the conscious choices for the experiences you desire. You are the Creator of your world. The tension between the opposites like joy and sadness, love and fear, is what you came to experience and resolve and dissolve. You are learning to move beyond duality.

The New Reality says that you can choose or not choose anything. You are no longer here to learn lessons, you are here on an experiential adventure as a child of the Stars. Karma is the Law of cause, and you are the cause of all you experience. Through your love and by your intents you can create anything, any opportunity for the experiences you wish to have.

For ages now you have created an endless cycle of birth and rebirth, Karma and Justice. Do you want to keep playing that game or do you want another more grown up game? Where you are the initiator; where you do not have to have repeat experiences and you do not have to be at war with yourself and thereby with others; where you share with others as you explore the joy of your own self expression in an unlimited Universe; where your body does not die; and where suffering is a choice that no longer makes any sense because you have grown out of it.

What does a person need to do to reach this mental state?

What is happening to you now has nothing to do with payback. All Karma, all the human experiences of the past ages have risen to the surface and are there to be examined at this time. Humanity has said “Enough!” to the endless cycle of repeat lessons. You have learned all you can about suffering. The game is up. Why not take a deeper, truer viewpoint of the whole game you have been playing? Clear it all forever with your love, understanding and forgiveness. Even drop completely the rules of justice. Balance is already deeply inherent in the Reality of your Love. That is all that is needed. How can you see the most undesirable person in the most loving way. Now, there is a challenge.

And, as you forgive everyone, and especially forgive yourself totally, for everything you have ever done that separates you from any other aspect of creation, you reach a certain mental state. Who in your creation is unworthy enough to suffer consequences of their action, and where would the Law of Retribution be?

What advice do you offer about entering the fuller experience of your own inner knowing?

In my new book, All You Can Be, there is a Chapter called the “Four Pillars of Enlightenment”.

It is about what I would consider the essentials of strengthening your inner sense of yourself and who you truly are. Together they form not only a basic dynamic for self-realization, they become pivotal in developing a fool-proof guidance system for negotiating your own unique path of transformation and alignment to your own ascension process. Briefly and in a nutshell these are.

1. Learning to be in the moment. Experiencing and claiming ones own natural watching self. Becoming totally conscious, totally aware and awake.

2. Developing a point of view that sees the Universe as totally benevolent. Learning to see that everything you see and experience is your world and reflects something about you. The Universe wants you to be all you can be and therefore is continually pointing you in the direction of knowing everything about yourself. Above all it is telling you to look with the eyes of Love at everything you are. It will be happy until you are totally in love with yourself, until you know that you are love incarnate. Until you look for the gifts in everything and then unwrap those gifts and see that they are the nature of you at One with the Siurce of All That Is.

3. Realizing that because you have at some level asked to really know the truth of life and who you are that the process to be fulfilled in this has been set in motion and is inexorable. At every turn you will be poked and prodded to listen to your inner guidance, your intuition, the voice within, the voices of your angels and guides. and the Universe bringing you opportunities. You are on a path and you really have no alternative but to learn to listen to your guidance and trust it. No one can help you in this you have to make your own journey of faith and intuition . The only proof you will get is in the synchronicities you will begin to see, in the fact that as you listen and trust things start to happen that amaze you in their accuracy and sometimes in how they defy logic. The only way you can build your confidence is to try things out. It is a lot about not having a clue about what will happen and when but acting anyway and finding out later the pleasant surprise.

4. This is about the sacredness of you. If you can consider the most holy, the most precious, the most magnificent, and profound quality of existing as a being. Then can apply this knowing to yourself and own it. We find this very difficult to do. However, that is what you are, and it is what you will sense as you touch anything that is holy, sacred and profound. When you sense it you will be experiencing your own Presence. Whenever you are totally at Home with yourself and are living passionately you are experiencing your Presence. The Presence that is totally at One, is entangled with the ineffable Source of All That Is. The most Holy Presence that you are. This is what love is this is what you are.

What is your insight into 2012?

There is a great deal of nonsense spoken about 2012. Human beings love to scare themselves and make dramas out of almost anything. 40 years ago, I decided not to read another newspaper, a) because I always felt disempowered by what was said to be happening and b) because I would often feel anxiety and fear. The world that I see and the world described in the news are not the same reality. I prefer my own.

Growing up, becoming a human angel means letting go of all the dramas. The Mayans predicted the end times on the 21^st Dec 2012. They gave no dire warnings, they were describing a fact of the positioning of the solar system in relation to the Great Central Sun and pointing to the fact that it was a time of ending before a time of new beginnings. Nobody knows what is going to happen because we, the human race together with Gaia, have not scripted it yet. However, all indications to me are that we have already entered a benevolent timeline. Whatever happens, the new game in town will be one of abundance and unity, love and self-expression. The consensus reality of humankind has already set this in motion, and in the morphogenic field, a new blueprint for us all. One based on freedom and the sovereignty and dignity of all 6 billion of us.

How do you respond to the existing 2012 controversy?

I think of 2012 as a Love Stargate. A gargantuan wave of Love, Light, Energy is building as the waves are presently washing through us all. How painful or easy the transition is from before completion to after completion, is up to each one of us. It can be bumpy or smooth if you say so. How much love can you take. How much do you love yourself and therefore love all Creation. This is the key to ease of being in these amazing times. Your best means of an easy ride on this wave is your capacity to be at home with yourself, with being here on our beloved Gaia, and being able to hold out your hand to help the next person believe in the truth of who they really are.

Thanks Nicky, for providing us with your reflections. I invite visitors to consult archived Radio and oher interviews with Nicky and also to read his new book. For additional details on Nicky and his latest book, please consult www.angelsawakening.com

Larry Dossey & Interview on Power of Premonitions

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

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

In your view, what is a premonition? 

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

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

What prompted you to write your latest book?

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

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

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

What drew attention to your perceived, inner conflict?

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

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

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

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

What do you say on loving visions of the supernatural?

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

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

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

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

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

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

How do you reconcile opposition of Science and Spirituality?

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

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

Why not accept visions on pure faith without Scientific proof?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How does one develop the capacity for premonitions?

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

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

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

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

What do your medical colleagues think about your book?

Nearly all of them are supportive.

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

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

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

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

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

Ralph P. Brown & Interview on finding truth

Ralph P. Brown is a Mohawk indian, self-taught artist, writer and among many talents, he raises awareness about the power of the medicine wheel. My own experience creating a medicine wheel as guided by the Sisterhood of the Shields enables me to connect with him on different planes. I am pleased to be reviewing his new book, Awakening the Eagle: A Guide to the Medicine Wheel.  He shares meaningful teachings and I am grateful he is available for this interview. 

First of all I want to say that I have always enjoyed our exchanges. Anita and I love what you are doing with Dreambuilders Australia and I was excited for the opportunity to be a part of it.

As you reflect on core identity, what makes you who you are?

What makes me who I am is my love for life, my awareness of my duty, my responsibility to the Sacred Hood (life) and my ability to perceive both the seen and unseen.

My culture (Mohawk Indian), my life’s experiences and my beliefs about the world and our role in it contribute to who I am… because we act according to our beliefs.

Describing who and what I am is a little like describing a painting before it is painted. I’m a work in progress; a student of life; a servant to the people and Creator. That’s me in a nutshell.

What is your higher calling and how did you grow aware of it?

When I was young I had an astrological natal chart done. The woman who did it said that my destiny would be reached by one of two paths. The things she told me made me pay attention and I filed the information away in the back of my mind.

One day I was invited to a ceremony that was conducted by a Medicine Man whom I had never met, Danny SeaBoy. In the darkness of the sweat lodge he began to pray. I was shocked into rapt attention when in his prayer he said, “Tunkasila (Grandfather), I want to thank you for showing me the man in my dreams who is Mohawk”. I sat through the rest of the ceremony curiously blown away because not only had I never met Danny prior to this ceremony, I never told him that I was Mohawk. After the ceremony I asked him if he could share his dream with me? He told me how I would serve the people if I chose this path. Not long after this, another Medicine Man, Earl Swift Hawk, made me a pipe carrier and confirmed all that Danny SeaBoy had said.

When we are given our Indian name it is given according to what the giver “sees” in us. My God Mother, Elaine Cook, gave me my name Tawennihake (pronounced DAW-ONE-KNEE-HAH-GAY) which in our language means “Making Path”. The Wisdom Keepers and Medicine people have shared generously with me of their vast knowledge and I knew it was for me to give to others – this is my path.

Why write your new book, Awakening the Eagle: A Guide to the Medicine Wheel?

One day I saw an Eagle’s perspective of the world. I saw the people as if they were ants running here and there doing this and that. It seemed as if they were on auto-pilot or living by rote. They were like sleepwalkers unaware of who they really were and oblivious to the “voice” that was speaking to them. Seeing what they were and knowing what they could be, I knew that their spirit needed to be awakened. Thus the title of my book “Awakening the Eagle”.

There is a plethora of self-help, motivational and inspirational material out there but people don’t always resonate with the same thing. Sometimes you need only hear it in a different way to have it make sense to you. “Awakening the Eagle” comes from a different perspective in hopes that something in it will awaken that spirit and cause the reader to walk in a new awareness.

Once people know that they are in control and life is not the whim of outside occurrences, they become empowered. Learning such control can be life-changing. And when enough people learn this they can change the world.

How can Native Indian stories and experiences assist people? How do they help you?

I think Native Americans have a more wholistic view of the world because we recognize that health and wellness comes when there is a balance of physical, spiritual, mental and emotional bodies. Indian stories incorporate this thinking in their telling and are used to not just entertain but to teach as well. The stories are simple in their telling but deep in their meaning.

We each “hear” and “see” things when we are ready t see and hear – depending on where we are in our growth. I learn from these stories every time I hear or tell one. Because of their neutrality they allow the listener to insert himself in the story in his own way and in his own time. They also allow him or her to listen in a way that is non-threatening. A defensive listener is a closed one and this is not conducive to learning.

Another thing about stories is they challenge your imagination and dare you to see other possibilities. It’s okay to be the Buffalo pawing at the fresh grasses on the plain. You are allowed to be the Eagle soaring above the earth – when we stretch our thinking in this way, we grow.

Many people struggle during a search for self or identity. What advice do you offer?

Before answering this question, let me share a quote with you from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“The moment you decide that what you know is more important than what you’ve been taught to believe, you will have shifted gears in your quest for abundance. Success comes from within, not from without.”

Self image, in spite of what the world “self” implies, comes from the outside. It is what we have been taught to believe through family, friends, culture and society. Self-esteem is how we feel – it comes from the inside and is reflective of our beliefs about self.

We all originate from the Source, the Great Mystery or whatever you choose to call God. We are created not only by God, but from God. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience. Our attention to this form is often at the sacrifice of the spirit. We forget that we are divine creatures with a sacred duty. The further we get away from the Source, the further away we get from our true selves - our God selves. We come into this world with this “knowing” and then we are taught to believe different.

If you accept the fact that we come from and are a part of God, you can add this: Every person is a leader, teacher or healer. They can be one or all of these but once you understand this, your identity becomes clearer. Each person brings a unique talent, quality, skill or gift that aids him or her in fulfilling this earthy mission.

It is not always easy for people to accept or believe that they are, like God, a creator and that what they do with this life matters to more than just their immediate family and circle of friends.

The advice I would offer? Know Thyself! This knowing begins with where you come from.

Tell us about your different choices of creative expression and how this enables deeper introspection.

There are several ways I have of expressing creativity. Art, writing and music get the most attention. I write and draw and this is creativity with a mission because I use them to teach and share what I have. The music I do for the sheer joy of playing.

Art is about my connection with the spirit of the things I draw. Art is my ideas, perceptions and thoughts made visible. Art is a window into my world. Because I am aware of the spirit and energy I pass along to the people who purchase and take these pieces to their homes, I take pause to look at what is coming from inside of me when I create.

I do this even more so when I write. When I draw I can take artistic liberties and even if they don’t “get” the intended message, they can appreciate the artwork. When I write, I want people to get it. As I look for the best way to explain abstractions and allegory it causes me to look at these from as many views as possible. Introspection is the inevitable result.

I have been given wonderful gifts and I am blessed to be able to share them in this way.

Human perception is grounded in the physical senses. How has this effected your belief in and knowledge of ‘the unseen?’

Spirit moves unseen like the wind but we see nature dance in its wake. People who are aware “know” the cause. They recognize the Source because they are aware of their connection to it.

Spirit “speaks” to us in signs and symbols that we understand. What is always fun to see is when Spirit uses people, circumstances or events to teach or show me something. I don’t have to see it to know that it is coming from the Source.

People don’t see the undersea earthquakes that cause tsunamis but they see the effect. When I pray I feel the universe respond and watch for the effect – I know the wave is coming.

What have you learned from experiences with native tribes and medicine men? Why is this meaningful?

Indian people and their Medicine People have given me much. They have taught me how to “talk” to the things of the earth. They have taught me how to heal and how to serve the people. It is meaningful because these things reach beyond the tribal and cultural context and can benefit the world.

There is an increasing awareness of the twentieth century thinking of excessive consumerism. This bigger-is-better attitude has not served the earth or its people and there is a search for a new paradigm. Indians have always known how to live in harmony with the earth and its creatures. Change may not be easy but it is better to work towards change now than to wait until the problems are so huge that the task becomes panic management on top of everything else. Things don’t have to be out of control before we act.

How does one come to master the physical world?

By mastering the self.

When one truly knows the self there is an awareness of how we relate to all other things. When that learned balance is found, we begin walking in a good way.

The more we learn about the self, the more we learn about our interconnectedness to all things. Life is about relationships. How one thing relates to another and how they relate to everything else. The old ones tell us that what you do to the strand, you do to the whole web. Everything is related to everything else… but because man is the only creature who is out of balance with the other forms in nature, it is with the self that we begin. Bring harmony and balance to your physical, spiritual, mental and emotional self and you bring balance to the whole.

Share 2 experiences that completely alter you self-view and understanding of reality.

The first would be the ceremony I mentioned earlier with Danny SeaBoy. This really caused me to look at what was inside of me and the journey I was on.

My understanding of reality was completely changed when I attended a Yuwipi ceremony with Medicine Man Earl Swift Hawk. In the complete darkness of the room where the ceremony was held I saw spirits in their light form. They flew by the hundreds, light beings that cast no light nor created any shadows. They whispered in one voice creating a sound like white noise as they moved around the room helping the people in attendance. The experience did more than change my understanding of reality, it changed my whole life. A very powerful ceremony.

In your view, what is the “truth” and how can other people come into their own?

In my view, truth is universal.

My litmus test for truth is that it can’t be culturally, gender or racially specific. It has to work for everyone or it isn’t universal.

The truth is seeking you just as you are seeking it. There are a couple of things that can inhibit our search for the truth. One is a preconceived notion of what truth is or isn’t. The other is the tendency to rush to judgment before enough information is given. How can Spirit show us the answer when we already think we have it?

Our search for truth can take us down many paths but… there are many paths to the top of the mountain! How you get there is a personal journey – one that will reward you with many gifts along the way.

One other thing I want to say about truth. Truth and belief are often confused with one another. When you hold an idea up to the light and it casts a shadow it is more than likely a belief. Truth is light and no shadow can be where there is light.

How does dreaming influence your spiritual journey?

From what I can tell, I have three different kinds of dreams:

• non-sensical flashes here and there
• cleansing dreams where I process fears, apprehensions insecurities and so on
• spirit dreams where I know to pay attention. In spirit dreams I am hyper-aware and I clearly see numbers, writing, colors, signs and symbols or animals.

Spirit dreams guide me and teach me. An example of this is found in what I call the Eagle Dream. In Indian tradition it is an honour to receive an Eagle feather. The feather means many things but to receive one means you have done something brave or extraordinary in the eyes of the people. I had a dream that I share in my book “Awakening the Eagle”. I spot an Eagle and I fly up behind him with the intention of “taking” a feather from him. He looked back and gave me a look that said, “Yes, you could take this feather but is that what you really want to do?”

Deciding it wasn’t, I folded his wings with the idea that I would “trade” him his ability to fly for a feather. Again he looked back at me with that same look and I knew it was wrong. So I set him on the ground with the idea of following him until he dropped a feather. Of course this was not the way either. The dream taught me that you can’t get good things in wrong ways. The things that are meaningful are not those that are forced, tricked or stolen. I could have gotten a feather but it would not have held the same value as one that is given in the proper way.

Dreams are a powerful tool because we get our logical and limited thinking out of the way and free the way for what is rather than what we think should be.

Ralph, your creative art and writing encourages human beings to explore the root causes of their beliefs and begin to recognize the meaning of their own delusions. I encourage visitors here to check out your work at www.mirroredwindows.com

Liara, Again I want to thank you for this chance to share my culture and my perspective with you and your readers. May the threads of our connectedness always be visible.