Tag self | CHOKI

20 September, 2016 by Choki team

What Is Your Vibration?

Your vibration is your personal energy frequency. It is a culmination of every life you have ever lived, every thought you have ever had and every action you have ever performed. It is the energy that surrounds and permeates every cell in your body. Your vibration is your divine signature, your soul essence, and it is special only to you.

Just as there are no two snowflakes alike, no two souls in the entire universe have the same name or “soul signature”. That’s how incredibly unique and special you are. Your vibration is a direct reflection of your inner thoughts, feelings, beliefs, choice of words, how well you take care of yourself, the Earth and others. The higher your vibration the more light you hold, the faster your light particles vibrate, the higher your consciousness and the stronger you are connected to your soul and God self.

When your vibration is low, your light particles are vibrating slowly and become condensed. Your energy literally feels heavy because you are not in alignment with your soul or divine self and are mostly operating from your lower self or ego. Distorted beliefs, fear, anger, resentment, blame, guilt, jealousy, judgment, shame, addiction, unforgiveness, conditional love, lack of self worth, greed, separation consciousness and poor health keep you in very dense low vibrating energy. When you are a high vibrational being you recognize your divinity and the divinity within others. You are in alignment with your soul, which is nourished by spirit, you are vibrantly healthy and your life flows with ease and grace.

We are much more than our physical body; we are actually multidimensional, energetic, spiritual beings having a physical human experience.

It is important for us to bring into our awareness the many layers of our energetic body. This is the key to our self-empowerment. When it is brought into our awareness, our soul will begin to integrate all of the layers of ourselves bringing us into a state of wholeness. Each of us needs to become aware of who we really are and reclaim all of our energy.

When we become aware of our energetic bodies and set our intention to heal, balance and activate them, we have the potential to raise our vibration to such a point that each layer of our energetic body will unify and activate the creation of our “light body”. When this occurs we have reached a very high vibrational state where our spiritual self or God self is able to merge with our physical body. This cannot occur until we have raised our vibration high enough for divine union to occur. This is the moment of en-lighten-ment and the return to one’s true spiritual essence and identity.

Although we identify ourselves with our physical body we are actually energy or light beings. EVERYTHING IS ENERGY. Every thought, word, feeling and thing is energy….everything! Things that appear to be solid are actually very tightly compacted energy particles creating a shape, form or physical matter. Our physical body, that part of us that is not eternal, is surrounded by our eternal divine essence consisting of our emotional, mental and spiritual energetic layers.

Being reborn is when our divine essence or God self merges with our physical body and we experience complete oneness with God and all beings. We experience our true nature, the truth of our being, which will catapult us into a new journey of self-transcendence. This is divine plan for everyone to eventually reach this state of divine union helping us to bring Heaven (Spirit) here down on Earth (Matter).

We are in the process of planetary ascension and everyone choosing to stay on this planet will raise their vibration high enough to anchor in their Spiritual self or God self. Each of us are being asked to surrender to this process allowing ourselves to be “reborn” shedding the illusions of the ego and shining light on our shadow consciousness so we can bring all of our disowned rejected parts of ourselves into wholeness. Although our spiritual self is never separated from us it does reside in a higher vibrating dimension, several feet above our head, called the spiritual realm. The Creator has given us free will and it must be our choice to choose to climb the mountain of self in order to access and activate our divine birthright of God realization.

This is divine plan and bringing our higher vibrating, loving, true selves down into our physical body is how we will heal the planet. Expecting someone or something outside of ourselves to save us is dis empowering and will not get us anywhere. No one is going to save us; we have to save ourselves. We have to heal ourselves and we have to heal the planet. We have to take personal responsibility for our own vibration and salvation. We cannot give our power away anymore to the churches, the governments, the healthcare system or the financial system. Your power to change resides in yourself. You must commit to your own soul growth and spiritual development and shift your focus from trying to accomplish “things” to devotion and connection with your God self.

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Author: Sabrina Reber – Awakening People

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12 November, 2015 by Choki team

Recognizing Real vs. Artificial Synchronicities

Real synchronicities and artificial synchronicities both have meaning to the perceiver. Both manifest via highly improbable “coincidences.”

Real synchronicities come from your subconscious/HigherSelf/Universe and let you know that a quantum shift in perception is imminent – this can be an emotionally charged situation or a smoother leap in learning.

Artificial synchronicity is engineered by hyperdimensional negative beings in an attempt to suppress, sabotage, drain, distract, or mislead targets on the verge of awakening. This can happen in a variety of ways.

One way artificial synchronicity occurs is by backing disinformation with synchronistic “confirmation” – for example, you can get multiple people at the same time who apparently don’t know each other to tell you about some idea, which in truth is bait to lead you down the wrong path. You may see this odd timing as confirmation that it’s the right path, even though it isn’t.

A common one happens to people who attend UFO or New Age conventions and “synchronistically” meet someone who happens to share odd things in common with their personal history. They believe it was “meant to be” and so often start relationships with these people only to find out too late that they were conned or hooked up with a matrix agent. One red flag is if the person shows no independent thinking and is just mirroring you in a shallow way and carries a glib salesman-like too-smooth-yet-hasty ‘gotta make the sale’ undertone.

Another is experiencing electronic anomalies after doing something that’s on the wayward path. Say you are researching a questionable topic and the computer freezes or shuts down. Some people take that to mean they are on the right path and are being interfered with by “the dark side”, when in truth they are being reinforced in their error. The goal is to get you to ignore your intuition and reason in favor of this “sign.”

Now, all of the above can happen with real synchronicities as well. How to tell apart artificial from real synchronicities? Well, the artificial ones seem contrived, very forceful and rushed, and just a bit too weird. They try to press you into making a particular decision or sparkle up something that you know deep down is false, whereas real synchronicities merely reflect confirmation of decisions you have already made or else forecast an upcoming leap in progress.

Take into account the nature of the Higher Self and the Universe’s interface with your own subconscious mind, reflecting in experience the nature of your thoughts, feelings, and tendencies — there is much weirdness that can happen via this process. Likewise, consider that negative hyper dimensional forces have advanced technology bordering on time travel, can influence people around you into saying or doing pre-scripted things, have at their disposal cyber genetic humanoids posing as regular people who are completely remote-controllable, and can zap electronic equipment or cause paranormal effects. So basically you have to differentiate between “real magic” and “stage illusions” when it comes to synchronicity.

Only experience and intuition can tell you know which is which.

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Author: Montalk – Wake Up World

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4 November, 2015 by Choki team

Karma: Can You Live With It?

Over the years I’ve seen people refer to karma in various ways, and it’s clear that the general public isn’t really aware of exactly what karma is, what its function is, and how it’s created. I would like to dedicate this article to dispelling some myths, clarifying the concepts of karma, and also discussing how karma is a very powerful tool which must be viewed with honesty during one’s own journey of awakening.

Let’s start by understanding what karma is, and by contrast, what it is not.

Karma is a an ancient sanskrit word, originating from the word “kamma” which means “action” “word” or “deed”. The concept of Karma originated in ancient India, with Hindu’s, Buddhists and other Eastern Philosophies. The idea of karma is that one’s own actions, words, or deeds are creative on an energetic level as well as physically, and that what you do, think, or say is put out into the Universe as an energetic creative force, and it will then draw back to you, energy of a similar state of vibration.

To better understand this, let’s look at Karma as a Universal law, such as Gravity, the law of attraction, or relativity; for this is exactly what Karma is. Karma is the natural law of “as above, so below”, in that what you do, think, or say on an Earthly level (below) also enacts itself on a higher level (above).

What Karma Isn’t

Now we must dispel a few myths attached to the concept of Karma, before going further. I often hear people talk about karma as though it is a person, or an entity, referring to it as some righteous law keeper who rewards the good and punishes the wicked. Karma is not a person, or an entity of any sort. Karma has no conscience or consciousness; Karma is a principle put in place in this free will universe which is tied very closely to duality. We live in a reality which is built upon the principles of duality; you understand that every action has its reaction; and that all things have their mirror. Up is always mirrored by down, happy has it’s counterpart in sad, even life is mirrored by death.

Duality is the way this universe is set in to motion, so that our every experience can be fully appreciated by knowing it’s similarity and its opposite. This is a learning tool which is invaluable to every soul alive; we could never truly appreciate the lush and wondrous sensations of Love and Peace unless we had something opposite by which to compare them to. So to better understand Love and Peace we get to experience loneliness, abandonment, and anxiety or chaos. This is duality. And for such a system of duality to work fundamentally it must be governed by a law which acts as a system of checks and balances; and this law is Karma.

You understand now that Karma is not a person, or a being with a consciousness; indeed it is simply a law of physics, much like gravity. It exists to measure our every action, word, and thought and then deliver us a result, or consequence so that we can fully learn about what we have put forward into the world.

If you say something hurtful to someone, that will have a consequence; the tenets of Karma dictate that what you put out will return to you equally. Neo-Pagans and Wiccan’s talk about the threefold rules of Karma, and suggest that what you put forth will return to you three-fold. I tend to disregard this type of thinking, as the law does not seem to favor taxing you times 3 on any of what you put out into the world. So let’s look at Karma as a system by which what you put out you will receive back an equal amount of reaction, response, or consequence.

As Karma is a law of the Universe it is not biased, it has no favorites, in fact it is not invested in your words, deeds or actions. Human beings like to personify things like Karma in order to feel validated, but the truth is Karma isn’t personal on any level, it is a natural law of energetic give and take.

How Does Karma Work?

Now that we understand what Karma is not, and truly see that it is a simple Universal law of balance, we can explore how Karma works. And it’s really very simple to be honest, and won’t require much explanation on my part; Karma gives back to you what you give away. If you do something kind, that goes into the Universe as positive energy, which will shine back to you in some way in your life. If you do something unkind, that goes into the Universe as negative energy, which will also shine back to you in some way in your life.

It’s important at this point to note, this is not a system of reward and punishment!! Karma is not about rewarding the good and punishing the wicked; it is a tool by which we can grow, by reaping the rewards or results of our previous words, actions and thoughts. What better way to learn about how what we do affects the Universe energetically, than to have it affect us energetically as well?

Karma is active always; it is a constant law, and is at work in your life every second of every day. Now, being that it is a Universal Law, much like the Law of Attraction, it is wired up to your inner world, and your inner dialogue.

As with the Law of Attraction, you can say nice kind flowery things about someone, yet think negatively about them, and both Laws will disregard what you’ve said, and go to what you have thought – this is because this is where the truth of your energy is present. It is your deepest truth within that activates any Universal Law.

How to Keep Karma Positive?

Honestly you can’t keep your Karma positive, the point is not to manipulate Karma, or change it. Karma isn’t set in place to make you try to behave; it exists to help you change from the inside out. And that change can only come through experience, self-awareness, honesty, and ardently trying to become the highest and brightest version of yourself that you can.

So rather than trying to keep your Karma positive, focus on being a kinder and gentler person. The ways you can affect your Karma are so simple; follow your intuition. Intuition is a direct link to your Higher Self, or your Soul. And your Soul always knows what is best; Love. When in doubt, ask yourself “what would love do?” If you respond from that place of Love within you then you can be sure your Karma will be balanced.

Making Conscious Choices and Living With Them

So now that we have a better understanding of Karma, as a Universal Law of balance and equanimity, we can talk about living with the results of your actions, thoughts, and words. There will always be opportunities in this world to react out of anger, or sadness, or jealousy etc, and while most of the time I would say “turn the other cheek” and just let it go, there are times when you just have to express your negative feelings in order to stand up for something or some one, or to make a point, or defend yourself or a loved one. We can’t always turn the other cheek and sometimes you have to do something which will undoubtedly turn your Karma into the negative. If you are aware of this, and have weighed your options, consulted your intuition, prayed about it, and still feel you must stick by your convictions, then you must ask yourself “can I live with the Karmic results of this?”

And you must understand, Karma works in mysterious ways, and the cost could be anything from a “bad day” to an illness, or some great loss in your life. Depending on what you put out there, what you receive back could be life changing. So always be certain you are prepared to receive your Karma, before you do anything which will draw any negative Karma back to you.

Karma seems to work at it’s own pace too; sometimes Karma plays out quickly, other times it seems to take ages. In fact lots of Karmic debts play out over several lifetimes. Depending on the amount of harm you’ve caused, you may carry Karma over into the next life, in order to truly learn from the negativity you have caused and expressed to the Universe.

So instead of worrying about what your Karma may be in the future, work towards clearing your Karma in the now.

How do you do this?

Get Honest, Humble, and Aware.

Sometimes you can clear your Karma with a simple heart felt apology. But giving that apology must come from a place of humility within you, where you realize you’ve caused harm. It is best to always follow your heart; if you’ve treated someone with less care than you’d like to be treated, perhaps you should take the time to right that wrong. It’s best to always act from Love, as opposed to letting your ego feel “right”. Most acts of negative Karma come from the ego itself, and it’s need to be the center of attention, it’s need to be right and validated and revered. But we know that the ego is an illusion; it is a false self which we build up around us in this very mundane world of petty insecurity. The ego wants more, whereas Love wants to express itself. So express yourself honestly, with the highest intentions of giving love, and creating positivity all around you, and if you’ve done or said something in your life which you regret; make amends. And don’t do this to make your Karma different; do it because it is simply what Love would do.

The next time you wish someone’s Karma upon them, remember that Karma is always at work, in their lives, and in yours. Karma reacts to our deepest thoughts, and our every action, so instead of focusing on how so-and-so needs a good dose of Karma, focus on yourself, and what you’re putting out there. If you can live with yourself, chances are your Karma will be good. If guilt eats at you in some way, it’s a good time to start making a humble attempt to make things right between yourself, and anyone you’ve hurt, in any way.

With that said, I wish you the deepest Love that is within you — may it blossom through your every deed, word, and thought. With abiding Love, Dee.

www.choki.org

Author: Dee Bernstein – Wake Up World

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25 September, 2015 by Choki team

Short Lived – Why Constant Thinking Is Our Only Enemy

The enemy of my enemy (the mind) is my friend (pristine consciousness).

The design of all species is to function in concordance with life’s universal laws. Over eons of time a part of one of our most sensitive instruments (the memory-senses complex) took a mis-leading turn when it deceived its co-dependent partner (the pristine consciousness) into believing that the decisions being made by pristine consciousness are self-generated. This mis-understanding is easily corrected. It is the Intelligence (the mysterious expression of all that exists) – pristine consciousness affinity that will make us whole again.

The consciousness that we are presently experiencing is not our natural state. We live (for the most part) in our head (mind) where thoughts seem to be never ending. This is our foremost challenge to be resolved. The content of consciousness is mind and mind is the problem maker.

It is not possible for mind to correct what it is part of. A like thing cannot see itself. What mind cannot see, mind cannot change. Change can only come through transformation. Transformation is the seeing beyond mind. It is more apperception than perception. It is seeing through the Intelligence – pristine consciousness connection. This bonding is the prime-directive that guides human life. Our present state is more like a semi-hypnotic trance, a sort of twilight zone. What is responsible for this? Is it by natural design?

We are designed to do little thinking and only when there are utilitarian challenges. Between two thoughts there is a rest, similar to the rest that is between musical notes. Our rest is the state of being alert, aware. It has been spoken of as the state of wakefulness. We are to remain awake before, during and after responding to life’s challenges. This state was spoken of in past writingsas: “This above all, to thine own self (awareness) be true and it must follow as the night the day (constant awareness) thou canst not then be false to any man.”

Society tells us that mind is a terrible thing to waste. Mind does not see that its intrusion into the challenge-response process is responsible for its share of the break-down between brain and body’s irregular functioning. By design, it is not the function of mind to think and so have an opinion about anything. Mind is simply a uniquely marvelous and indispensable recording and storing instrument. It cannot have an opinion about its content in the similar way a home recording device can have an opinion about its content. From morning till night, why this never ending mind chattering?

When a challenge is discerned by the pristine consciousness, it will either respond or not. When there is a response, that response will be immediate. That Action or non-action in so far as the pristine consciousness is concerned, a cycle that has been fully completed.

There was a time when the pristine consciousness never had to doubt its responses to life’s challenges. During those times there were long periods of rest for both brain and body. Mind, (disguising itself as the pristine consciousness) has told us that Nature abhors a vacuum. We were told that “an idle mind is the devil’s work-shop.” Keeping busy is now considered the norm while the state of rest is seen as abnormal.

When mind does not intrude into the challenge-response process then the fully completed cycle ends and pristine consciousness remains in its awareness state. In that sense, thoughts are short lived. Mind’s sense of itself is in the constant imagery and chattering of words. When they disappear, you disappear. This is frightening to mind.

We are told that in order to end psychological suffering and act sanely, we first must quiet the mind. All efforts to end negative thinking are doomed to fail because that which is making efforts to be rid of thoughts (and only those mind doesn’t like) is another thought. It is similar to the dog chasing its tail and not seeing that it is part of itself. Thoughts vanish (both good and bad) when its modus-operandi is understood by the pristine consciousness.

Mind, in order to provide for and protect its continuous energy flow, is constantly involving itself with future goals, thereby laying the grounds for its never ending tomorrows. Without activity, mind starves. Thoughts need to be constantly fed and the energy (as food) of the pristine consciousness is what mind is always seeking. Mind’s survival depends on stealing lives (energy) and using them as surrogates for its dreams and desires. Un-knowingly pristine consciousness is making this offering by providing mind with its energy. This theft starts in the cradle and ends in the grave and all the while believing that it is our fulfillments.

Our present responses to life’s challenges are from answers previously given by others. Human beings cannot generate their own thoughts, only repeat what has been told to them by others. Choices (as free will) are just more deceptions of mind.

Living life is in the trusting (faith) between the Intelligence – pristine consciousness affinity. That life is ever-lasting. Where there is a wish to understand our present state, then that wish makes possible for the pristine consciousness to once again fall into its natural rhythm.

Mind cannot provide for that state. It is realized through the sensing of the pristine consciousness. So be watchful for life’s clarion call.

That calling is my wish for you.

WHAT IS is Intelligence, the mysterious expression of all that exists. WHAT IS is the Prime Directive, the Action arm of Intelligence that is the overseer responsible for the harmonious functioning of Nature. WHAT IS is pristine consciousness, the medium through which life expresses itself.

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Author: Harry Krueger – Wake Up World

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1 September, 2015 by Choki team

Emotions and Truth: Our Human Experience

Emotions spontaneously arise each day despite our efforts to control them. They often surface without warning, whether we want them to or not. Fortunately, many of these emotions translate as pleasurable ones – feelings of joy, contentment and love. However, like it or not, there are times when less than desirable emotions come forth – anger, frustration or possibly fear. But experiencing these unpleasant emotions is not necessarily a bad thing.

Emotions play a major role in who we are as individuals and are the driving force behind how we interpret events we encounter. The question then becomes, is our reaction based on reality?

For example, to examine someone’s idea of perception I may announce, “It’s winter again and the snow is coming.” I will no doubt receive a diverse assortment of responses. For some, the thought of winter brings about great excitement: “I can’t wait for the snow! I can’t wait to get out on the ski slopes!” .. “It’s my favorite time of the year. I can’t wait for the holidays!” While others have an opposite response: “Oh no! It’s cold and my hands and feet are always freezing. I have to bundle up every time I go outside and it is just miserable.” .. “All I can think about is the added chore of shoveling the driveway.” For some, the winter may also be associated with a tragic incident that occurred during a snowstorm, so the winter months and snow act as a reminder of that grievous event.

Responses to the previous statement can vary quite a bit. Although we can view this as nothing more than different points of view, the question is, why are there so many different opinions and where do they come from? Is any one position right or wrong? Are we all right?

Of course there are many obvious reasons why someone might experience a particular feeling, but there is also something a bit deeper. It is not just about how we interpret the spoken word, but also how we perceive it. How we react to the statement, “It’s winter again and the snow is coming,” is based on our interpretation, which in turn is going to determine the emotions that are partnered with the statement.

Is our reaction based on reality?

In the simplest of terms, we can conclude that the reason for so many differing points of view is that we each possess our own personal life experiences. There are many books, published research studies, and countless opinions surrounding this topic, but basically it all comes down to personal recollection and what we remember about various life events, what we felt at a given moment in time, and what we may have seen.

So, what drives the emotions that are based upon our life experiences? What is the connection? Why is it that we can have such a strong reaction to a single statement based on a past experience that in reality may not have occurred exactly as we remember?

How many times have you decided not to do something because it brings up a memory of a past event that you do not want to revisit. “I just can’t do it,” you say. But with this attitude, you could be closing doors on some amazing opportunities that could greatly enhance your life, simply because you fear a negative outcome when, in fact, the opposite could very well be true. Many of us live our lives in this uneasy state and then find ourselves incapable of responding to a particular situation. Often, in a case such as this, we begin to listen to the opinions of others; but of course the opinions of other individuals are based on their personal experiences, interpretations, and perceptions.

There are those like Dr. Candace Pert, author of Molecules of Emotion, and Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief, who believe that our bodies are alive with emotions down to a cellular level. However, saying that emotions are encapsulated even to this level may still be a stretch because cells, the foundation of physical life, do not account for our energetic level. Or do they?

What really drives our emotions?

Dr. Candace Pert found that every cell of our body expresses the emotions that we experience. In other words, emotions are not just located in the brain in the form of interpretations, they exist throughout our bodies. If this is true, then there must be an energetic force present. But where does this energy come from?

I believe that our essence is indeed a non-localized interrelated dependent mechanism that only works optimally when all parts are fully functional. What does this mean? It means that while most of modern medicine focuses solely on the physical, down to the cellular level, without a connection to the energetic level true human health can never be achieved. How do we know if there is a healthy functioning connection between the two? The answer lies in our emotions.

Emotions in and of themselves are really nothing more than a type of communication system that allows us to connect the different aspects of ourselves.

Emotions, in a way, are alive. They are the language of our totality, but they need to be interpreted, and this can be tricky. On the surface, this sounds like an easy task, but you don’t have to dig too deep to realize that our interpretations may change with varying circumstances. This is why we often seek counsel to help us organize and better understand our own emotions, and why at times, we seem unable to control them.

There are many instances when two individuals may have the exact same experience, but because interpretation is unique to each, they will not describe the particular experience in exactly the same terms. One may say, “I just don’t understand why she is so upset over this . . . she must be an overly dramatic person!” While the other may say, “I just can’t understand why he doesn’t seem to care about what just happened . . . he must be cold-hearted.”

So, here we are again, who is right and who is wrong? Is one more enlightened perhaps than the other? Well, this is where it gets a bit tricky.

What do most of us think of when we hear the word, “enlightened”? Going along with the same theme thus far, our definition is dependent on how we view ourselves. What does enlightenedmean to the Christian? The Buddhist? The Muslim? The yogi? The naturalist? We could go even more superficial. How about the meaning of enlightened to the Republican or the Democrat or even the Capitalist and Socialist? And don’t all these groups’ arguments and debates raise strong emotions? Each strongly believes to their core that the opposition is wrong. Why can’t they see that they are wrong and we are right?

Each of the aforementioned groups (and the list is very short sighted as any and all groups apply here,) has their own theory surrounding what they “know” without a doubt to be the truth. If any are confronted with an idea outside their dogma of truth, what emotion do you think comes forward? Unfortunately, this is the cause of many wars, and also the reason that religion and politics are thought of as taboo topics for light conversation. So, now arises the obvious question, how can all of the different associations have the ownership of truth? There must be more to this than what we see on the surface.

What about those who move from one affiliation to another? Many times this happens after some sort of traumatic event. I have seen first hand a sudden change in viewpoint and how this “change” literally led one to be alienated from those in their original group. If they “knew” the truth in one group and suddenly now “know” the real truth…then which is the actual truth?

Many believe that “real” truth can never change.

I am one who also believes this to be true; however, I of course feel a need to put a spin on it. Let me explain:

Let’s say that “real” truth is found on a small island just like the one depicted on the TV showLost. In the TV show, there is an island that moves in and out of what we perceive as reality. This “reality” includes our current perception of time and space along with what we cannot yet perceive. For example, trying to precisely define the 4th dimension would be an extremely difficult task because we could only interpret the 4th dimension on the basis of our understanding of the 3rd dimension.

Using a quantum physics definition, this island is a real place that never changes. It only “appears” to change as we view it from the outside looking in. Some of you reading this may be a bit confused already, whereas others may find my analogy quite simplistic. Imagine if you would, the type of artwork that requires you to blur your vision in order to see the image emerge from what on the surface looks like nothing more than colored dots.

The moment you see the picture, it feels almost like a revelation. The picture did not all of a sudden appear, it was there all along. It was your perception that allowed you to see the image. The same theory applies to the example of the island. The island is always there, exactly where it should be. To someone on the island, life seems normal. But to us on the outside looking in, the island seems more mythical than real.

In order to find your way to the island, a series of events must first occur. You must first make the decision to go on your quest. You have to go outside of your cage of perception filled with boundaries and allow your mind to expand. I emphasize the word your because forward progress can only be made when you are moving forward on your quest. And let’s say that you have made the decision to move forward and currently live in the United States. And another person who lives in China has also just made the decision to move forward. And there is yet another ready to go who happens to reside only a few miles from where this island was last known to exist.

Must these three individuals travel the same road to reach the island? Which of these three people lives on the road best to begin the journey–the one in the United States? China? Or that spot a few miles away? Of course logic dictates that the spot a few miles away is likely the best place to begin. But is it?

Before I continue, I would like to present this to you.

When we are talking about how we feel and the notion that emotions are interpretations or perceptions of some sort of reality, is it possible that we can arrive at the truth from many different locations?

Since this island has no constraints surrounding space or time, and being that space and time are a human condition, unbeknownst to you this island could very well be right in front of you. It is also a possibility that you could in fact be on the island right now. But since the reality of time is not inter-correlated, you are unaware of the presence of the island.

So, the answer to the questions of who is closer to the island? and is there a single road that leads to this island? is . . . no one is closer and no, there isn’t.

In order to take the first step in the pursuit of this island, we must open our minds and accept that this island is real. It is not the truth itself that is changing, but rather the perception of the truth that changes. It is the perception of the individual in pursuit of the truth that leads to transformation. And if we relate this to health,

We must recognize that we possess the power to heal ourselves and that certain emotions give us life, whereas certain emotions don’t!

So, how do you know when you have arrived at the truth? There is not a simple answer to this question because the journey to the island may very well be a never-ending one. Because we are fluid and our thoughts are fluid, each perception of the truth is a single segment on the path moving us toward our own realities of truth at any given time. The way in which you think and perceive things is hopefully very different today from that of 10 or 20 years ago, even just last year or yesterday. And once this realization comes to the forefront, there is no turning back. It could even be said that you have become enlightened; enlightenment also being a process.

In my story, my truth lies in the fact that I cured myself from Multiple Sclerosis 100 percent naturally. How could I go back to any other truth at this point? That would be disastrous for me.

Where we go terribly wrong is when we place judgment on others whom we think, or worse, “know,” are misguided in their views, are unenlightened. It is as though we are all on a staircase and everyone is exactly where they need to be

If our own perception of the truth can change, how could we possibly pass judgment on another?

Truth revolves around whatever one is feeling in any situation. What is the feeling or emotion that we associate with judgment? Is it possible that at the very moment that we pass judgment, the “island” of truth has moved? What happens to our perception when we do this? It is as though we have become stuck in proverbial quicksand leaving us cemented in the muddled sands of our own emotions. Emotions thicken and slowly solidify. And sadly, because change can be difficult, many of us look for reassurance by aligning ourselves with the things and people that seem to justify our feelings and confirm our emotions. Change can feel really uncomfortable and may lead to a sense of loneliness.

On the other hand, during periods of change, we may also encounter wonderful experiences that we have not yet imagined. But first, the initial step must be taken; the one in which you begin to believe that there is something more than just the island and you are prepared to go on your quest to find your truth.

–

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Author: Dr. Michelle Kmiec l Wake Up World

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11 August, 2015 by Choki team

Tomorrow Never Comes… The Moment is Now!

Mainstream Spirituality teaches us to be content with the way things are. I agree; to be awesomely okay with the moment brings with it not only the wholeness of surrender, but also a tremendous sense of well-being and aliveness. But if you then somehow curtail the natural arising of motivational soul, you limit the potential of all that you can be. Such denial can lead to subconscious frustration and sense of limitation.

We must allow the soul to breakthrough and break free – to fully express and be alive to the bounteous wonders of the moment. Those waiting for ‘it’ to arrive tomorrow may find that ‘it’ never comes at all.

The point is, there are many qualities of the soul, not just surrender and acceptance; these are only the beginning, they get you to the start of the path. To truly experience the wonder of life and the full majesty of your soul, you then have to start ‘walking’.

Each step is about the expression of who you are. Find the sweet-spot of your divine expression in the moment, then the world begins to change and shape around you.

Yes, what you do is important. But truly authentic doing, which delivers Right Action in the moment, can only ever come from truly authentic being. So in each moment, look for and express the majesty of who you are. Get into and peel away any veils that mask your greatness. Begin it now, in this moment, and you will always create a vibrant and alive tomorrow.

The time is now. There is no other time!

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Author: Openhand – Wake Up World – Your World Within

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6 August, 2015 by Choki team

Meditation as a Self-Healing Tool

The body is equipped with natural self-repair mechanisms that can be flipped on or off with thoughts, beliefs, and feelings that originate in the mind. This is great news, because it means, in essence, that you can heal yourself. But how?

One of the many simple ways you can flip on your body’s self-repair mechanisms is via meditation.

What Does It Mean To Meditate?

Dictionary.com defines meditation as “continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation,” but I prefer Harvard professor Dr. Herbert Benson’s definition. He defines it as “Repetition of a word, sound, phrase, prayer, or muscular activity while passively disregarding everyday thoughts that inevitably come to mind and returning to your repetition.” With this definition of meditation, anything can be a meditation – not just sitting with your eyes closed in the lotus position, but walking, making art, cooking, shopping, dancing, driving… whatever.

How The Body Heals Itself

In my medical training, we were not taught that the body knows how to heal itself. Yet it is equipped with natural self-repair mechanisms that repair broken proteins, kill cancer cells, fight infections, prevent aging, and maintain the homeostasis of the body. When the body gets sick, whether from the common cold or something more serious, like heart disease or cancer, it’s almost always because the body’s self-repair mechanisms have broken down, usually because of stress.

When the nervous system is stressed, as it is during the “fight-or-flight” stress response that is so commonly triggered in modern day life, these self-repair mechanisms are disabled and the body is at risk for disease. Only when the counterbalancing relaxation response is activated, when the sympathetic nervous system is turned off and the parasympathetic nervous system is turned on, can the body heal itself.

Why Meditate?

So how can you turn on that relaxation response so the body can heal itself? One of the simplest and most effective is meditation! Meditation has been scientifically proven to activate the relaxation response, and as a result, almost every health condition improves. In his research at Harvard, Herbert Benson demonstrated that meditation is effective in treating angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, allergic skin reactions, anxiety, mild to moderate depression, bronchial asthma, herpes simplex, cough, constipation, diabetes mellitus, duodenal ulcers, dizziness, fatigue, hypertension, infertility, insomnia, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, nervousness, postoperative swelling, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, side effects of cancer, side effects of AIDS, and all forms of pain – backaches, headaches, abdominal pain, muscle pain, joint aches, postoperative pain, neck, arm, and leg pain. (Most likely it helps many conditions not listed here, but Dr. Benson just hasn’t gotten around to studying them yet!)

Meditation has been shown to decrease stress-related cortisol, reduce respiration and heart rate, reduce the metabolic rate, increase blood flow in the brain, increase activity in the left prefrontal cortex (which is observed in happier people), strengthen the immune system, and lead to a state of relaxation.

Meditation also reduces work stress, anxiety, and depression, promotes cardiovascular health, improves cognitive function, reduces alcohol abuse, improves longevity, promotes healthy weight, improves immune function, and heightens quality of life.

How To Start Meditating

Deepak Chopra recommends the “RPM” (Rise, Pee, Meditate) approach to meditation, suggesting that those who can will be well served to meditate first thing upon arising. However, if you, like me, have young children, you may find it easier to meditate when the kids are napping or away at school. If you work outside the home, you may find it easier to meditate over your lunch break or just before bed.

Regardless of when you do it, it’s crucial to make the time in your schedule to help your nervous system relax.

Here are Some Tips to Help You Get Started with a Sitting Meditation Practice:

1. Create a peaceful environment

If you’ve never tried a sitting meditation before, start by creating a peaceful environment in which to meditate. I have two altars I’ve created at home, one in my bedroom and one in my home office, which I sit in front of to meditate. When I sit down to meditate, I light the candles, burn some incense, and take a moment to let my altar soothe me.

Some people have rooms exclusively dedicated to meditation. Even a small closet can be tricked out to become a special space designed to help your body relax and your soul connect. Meditating outside can also be lovely. Because I live on the California coast, I often meditate at the ocean on a rocky beach that is usually deserted or in Muir Woods, among the peaceful redwoods. If you have access to quiet spots in nature, try a beach, a riverfront, a meadow, or a forest free of distractions.

2. Minimize disruptions

Turn off the TV, silence your phone, and play soothing music if you like. The point is to create an environment conducive to freeing your mind from its daily clutter and relaxing your body.

3. Choose your meditation position

If you can, sit on the floor and close your eyes. You don’t have to sit in the lotus position unless you want to, but sitting on the floor helps you feel grounded, connects you to Mother Earth, and roots you into your body when you meditate. Feel free to use pillows, cushions, and other props that help you feel comfortable. Keep your back straight so you can breathe deeply with ease. If sitting on the floor is too uncomfortable, sit in a chair and place your feet firmly on the floor to develop a sense of grounding.

4. Set a timer

If you’re new to meditation, start with just five minutes per day and aim to work up to twenty. Set a timer so you don’t have to interrupt your meditation to check your watch.

5. Close your eyes

Closing your eyes minimizes visual distractions, helps you come back into your body, and starts to settle you.

6. Focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale

Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield suggests that if you notice yourself remembering, planning, or fantasizing, refrain from judging yourself, but do call it out. “Hello remembering.” “Hello planning.” “Hello fantasizing.” Then return to the present moment, focusing on your breath. The minute you notice your thoughts starting to wander, come back to your breath and try to empty your mind. If your mind continues to wander and your breath isn’t enough to empty your mind, try counting your breaths or repeating a one word mantra like “peace” or “one” to clear your mind.

7. Release judgment

Most importantly, don’t judge yourself as you learn to meditate. Criticizing yourself for meditating “badly” or beating yourself up because your monkey mind won’t calm down will only stress you out, defeating the purpose of making attempts to help your body relax so it can repair itself. Remain compassionate with yourself, and pat yourself on the back for any progress you make.

Can’t make it more than 10 breaths into your meditation? Give yourself a hug and try again the next day. Like anything, it just takes practice. As someone who resisted meditation for most of my life, I can attest to the fact that it really does get easier with regular practice, and the benefits are so worth the effort.

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Author: Lissa Rankin – Wake Up World

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9 May, 2015 by Choki team

The Awakening Of Society Is Just As Important As The Awakening Of Our Self

Spirituality is a very personal affair regardless of the various pathways or disciplines that one may follow. Yet even though there is an abundance of avenues for spiritual endeavor, there is generally a universal agreement on the principle of unity.

“If reality is unified, then we must also accept that everything is essentially equal.”

There are many ways that one may be introduced to this philosophy. We may have been brought up around it via our family. We might have had a profound revelation in a one-off experience. Some are initiated through ongoing paranormal activity. Others just intuitively feel it. Altered mind states could have been the catalyst. A gradual or instant revolution could have occurred in our mind where synchronicity deposed coincidence. There could have also been an influence by assorted texts and teachings which infer this similar conclusion. For most of us, uncovering the wisdom of unity most likely occurred via a combination of channels.

“Transcending the illusion of disconnection is a personal path.”

Regardless of our beliefs, and the series of events or informational resources that led to our personal awakening, our fundamental understanding is unity. We are each a part of a complex integrated whole, and our external environment is a reflection of our fundamental nature, including what is in harmony with us and what isn’t. So, irrespective of how peaceful we have set up our internal environment, if we truly want to experience peace, we need to transform the outer world – the collective mental and physical landscapes that we inhabit. If we are all truly unified, we have a responsibility as part of this awakening to continually heal and grow our internal and external worlds.

“The personal awakening is synonymous to the collective awakening.”

A Global Metaphysical View

Unity can be used as a universal term to describe the outcomes of various fields of thought. Examples include: Energy; Mind; Consciousness; Holographic universe; Light; Love; Spirit; the Source; the Field; the Akashic Field; the Zero-point Energy Field; Quantum Field of Possibilities; the Collective Unconscious; Undivided Wholeness; Nirvana; One; God etc. If these are all equal to each other in terms of their agreement that a unifying principle exists, then we have arrived at an agreed global metaphysical position which incorporates both our rational and intuitive hemispheres.

“The primary nature of reality is unified.”

Irrespective of what reality is literally made of, whether its essence is of a material or immaterial nature, it’s irrelevant to our goals. As long as we agree that a property of reality is unity, and that unity inherently implies that everything is fundamentally equal, then together we can get on with making this earthly experience fair and peaceful for all.

“Earth’s global culture needs to heal and grow as one.”

That is why an agreed metaphysical view for our global society has significant implications for our future. From both a personal and societal standpoint, as well as a rational and intuitive standpoint, we know to treat everyone and everything uniformly. The way we care for ourselves should be equivalent to the way that we care for others. Our philosophical and practical social systems should also ensure that each person has access to the resources they need to adequately survive and thrive.

“Because we are unified, the suffering of others is a reflection of our own suffering.”

No matter how far we may be personally removed from it, the reality is the majority of our fellow man is distressed from a lack of external and/or internal resources. The former is strongly influenced from an unequal distribution of food, water, shelter, infrastructure, education, medicine and political representation, whilst the latter from a lack of knowledge and skills in emotional regulation and psychological balancing, as well as a poor conceptual capacity to face and overcome the challenges to establishing and maintaining one’s inner peace.

“Suffering is pandemic across the so-called developing and developed nations.”

Translating a Global Metaphysical View Into Practice

When we individually undertake a process of spiritual introspection, we all arrive at the exact same place; unity. Yet when we translate that wisdom into practice, the result is a plethora of personal, philosophical and cultural differences. That is why so many distinct religions exist, especially because the expression of how we should operationalize this perspective is subject to the environmental influences present during its inception and development.

“There are infinite expressions of how to live in unity.”

Now that many people undertake this process outside the context of pre-established models, it is no wonder that there are so many individualized methodologies to spirituality. And there’s nothing wrong with that either; there is no one strict way to live, so as long as it doesn’t conflict with the primary principle of unity and its inherent implications, then it should be encouraged and embraced.

“Regardless of the personal path we choose to take, spirituality is a journey of enlightenment for both the inner and outer realms.”

The Health and Growth of The Self

We are all subject to the suffering of the self and it is our personal role to transcend it. But our health is much more than is usually defined; it’s not just our physical and mental well-being. The reality is we have many layers of our life to take care of including our physical, psychological, emotional, philosophical, sexual, behavioral, creative, social and spiritual vitalities. With this in mind, we should be continually asking ourselves what areas need more attention and what strategies can we implement to heal and grow. We also need to find a true love for ourselves.

“Therapeutic and developmental practices which harmonize all of our life vitalities ensures that we raise our vibration and align ourselves closer to our spiritual path.”

Even though we literally make the free choice on how we think, feel, act and live, we are still strongly influenced by our environment, such as parents, peers, culture, society, government and the age we live in. Therefore, as an adult we are both independent and conditioned agents. But we can transcend our conditioning and align ourselves to the fundamental wisdom and knowledge of the universe. Therefore, the time we become truly free is the time that we take full responsibility of ourselves and ensure that we, not anyone or anything else, are the most influential factor for how we evolve for the rest of our lives. That of course means taking full responsibility for how we think and feel.

“To be truly free, we must empower ourselves to guide our thoughts and emotions.”

It’s the basics. Excuses which blame something or someone for our thoughts and feelings just don’t cut it on the spiritual path. Spiritually, we have experiences for our growth; we are co-creators of our experience. Now this doesn’t mean that there aren’t consequences for the actions of others which hurt us, the response we provide is incorporated into the overall context of the negative and positive vibrations that they’ve attracted into their life.

“If people act unjust, then justice will inevitably be served.”

The new age mantra that “everything happens for a reason” may be true in the sense that experiences have innate information that we can capitalize on to progress us on our path of enlightenment, but it is equally true that proportional actions need to transpire in response. Just like we should respond to the injustice we serve ourselves, we should also respond to that which surrounds us. The tricky part is determining what that response should be which is why we draw on both our rational and intuitive capacities to guide us.

“Not only should we accept our experiences, but also respond to them accordingly.”

It is true that we make so-called ‘mistakes’ which deliver us to our destiny; however that doesn’t mean we should make that same choice again. We should learn from it. There are innumerable times that we have had an undesirable experience which resulted in our growth, regardless if it was influenced from the actions of ourselves or others. And that’s what we need; to learn, to heal, and to grow. We need to harmonious our energies and become our new, more developed selves in every moment. When we conceive of our experience this way – where our wants are the healthy and unhealthy desires of our ego and our needs are the experiences we require for sustained growth – then we always have something to offer ourselves.

“If we process each experience as an opportunity to learn, regardless of how undesirable that experience is, we always get exactly what we need: growth.”

Every moment is therefore an opportunity to progress our health and well-being. When we treat ourselves and others disappointingly, we should process it in the context of our learning and then make amends. The same applies when somebody treats us poorly; when we are exposed to underdeveloped actions by others, we should embrace it as a part of us, as well as give a calculated response in return. After all, we have accepted that we are fundamentally united. For example, what information and energy can we embrace from it? Is there some action we can do to encourage the health and growth of both the internal and external worlds?

“When we embrace our experience, we must develop a healthy balance between awareness, acceptance and action.”

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Author: Phillip J. Watt

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29 April, 2015 by Choki team

The Noble Eightfold Path

The Noble Eightfold Path is one of the principal teachings of the Buddha, who described it as the way leading to the cessation of suffering (dukkha) and the achievement of self-awakening. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena (or reality) and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion. The Noble Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths.

WISDOM

1- RIGHT VIEW (Samma Ditti)

Right view is placed first because right view is the eye that guides and directs all the other factors. In the practice of the path, we need the vision and understanding supplied by right views, in order to see the way to travel along the path. Then we need the other factors, conduct or practice, in order to bring us to our destination.

Right view is placed at the beginning of the path to show that before we can set foot on the actual practice, we need the understanding provided by right view, as our guide, our inner director, to show us where we are starting from, where we are heading, and what are the successive stages to be passed through in practice.

2- RIGHT INTENTION (Samma Sankappa)

The second factor of the path is right intention. “Sankappa” means purpose, intention, resolve, aspiration, motivation. This factor of right intention follows as the natural consequence of right view. Through right view, we gain an understanding of the real nature of existence, and this understanding changes our motivation, our purposes in life, our intentions and inclinations. As a result, our minds become shaped by right intentions as opposed to wrong intentions.

In his analysis of this factor, the Buddha explains that there are three kinds of right intentions:

a) The intention of renunciation

b) The intention of non-aversion or loving kindness.

c) The intention of non-injury or compassion.

These are opposed to the three wrong intentions, the intention of sensuality, the intention of aversion and intention of harmfulness or cruelty.

MORAL DISCIPLINE

3- RIGHT SPEECH (Samma Vacha)

This contains four aspects.

(a) Abstinence from false speech, that is, from lying – instead making an effort to speak truthfully.

(b) Abstinence from slanderous speech, statements intended to divide or create enmity between people. Instead the follower of the path should always speak words which promote friendship and harmony between people.

(c) Abstinence from harsh speech, from speech which is angry and bitter, which cuts into the hearts of others. Instead one’s speech should always be soft, gentle and affectionate.

(d) Abstinence from idle chatter, from gossip. Instead one should speak words which are meaningful, significant and purposeful.

4- RIGHT ACTION (Samma Kammanta)

This factor is concerned with bodily action and has three aspects.

(a) Abstinence from destruction of life, that is, abstaining from killing of other living beings, which includes animals and all other sentient beings, to abstain from hunting, fishing etc.

(b) Abstinence from taking what is not given, that is, from stealing, cheating, exploiting others, gaining wealth by dishonest and illegal ways etc.

(c) Abstinence from sexual misconduct, that is from illicit types of sexual relations such as adultery, seduction, rape, etc. and for those who are ordained as monks, the observance of celibacy.

5- RIGHT LIVELIHOOD (Samma Ajiva)

The Buddha teaches his disciples to avoid any occupation or job that causes harm and suffering to other living beings or any kind of work that leads to one’s own inner deterioration. Instead the disciple should earn a living in an honest, harmless and peaceful way.

Buddha mentions five specific occupations that one should avoid:

(a) Dealing in flesh, eg. as a butcher.

(b) Dealing in poisons.

(d) Dealing in slave trade and prostitution.

(e) Dealing in intoxicants or liquors and drugs.

The Buddha also says that his followers should avoid deceitfulness, hypocrisy, high pressure salesmanship, and trickery, or any kind of dishonest way of acquiring means of support.

CONCENTRATION

6- RIGHT EFFORT (Samma Vayama)

The Buddha begins the training of the mind with right effort. He places a special stress on this factor because the practice of the path requires work, energy and exertion. The Buddha is not a saviour: “The Enlightened Ones point out the path, you yourselves must make the effort”. he says further, “the goal” is for the energetic person not for the lazy one.

The four aspects of right effort are as follows:

(a) The effort to prevent un arisen unwholesome states from arising

At a time when the mind is calm, something may happen which will spark off a defilement. eg. attachment to a pleasant object, aversion to an unpleasant object. By maintaining watchfulness over the senses, we are able to prevent the unarisen defilement from arising. We are able to simply take note of the object without reacting to the object by way of greed or aversion.

(b) The effort to abandon the arisen unwholesome states

That is to eliminate the defilements that have arisen. When we see that a defilement has arisen we have to apply energy to eliminate it.

This can be done by a variety of methods.

We have many beautiful, potential qualities stored up in the mind. We have to bring these up to the surface of the mind, eg. loving kindness, compassion etc.

(d) Strengthen and cultivate the existing wholesome states.

We must avoid falling into complacency and have to make effort to sustain the wholesome states and to develop them to full growth and completion.

A further word of caution has to be added about right effort. The mind is a very delicate instrument and its development requires a precise balancing of the different mental faculties. We need keen mindfulness to recognize what kind of mental state has arisen and a certain degree of wisdom to keep the mind in balance to prevent it from veering to extremes. This is the middle way.

7- RIGHT MINDFULNESS (Samma Sati) – by Mithra Wettimuny

Living in right mindfulness is the bedrock of one’s welfare and the foundation for one’s mental development. It is a great blessing. It is one’sgreatest protection. Human beings generally have a certain level of mindfulness. However, it is somewhat diffused. Therefore, it cannot be rightfully termed right mindfulness. Right mindfulness is not acquired soeasily; but then, good things never comes easy. To develop and acquire right mindfulness, requires great effort and commitment. It requires sacrifice.

Right mindfulness means keeping the mind in the present. This means that when one performs a certain task, one should be mindful and totally aware of that act at the time of performance. For example, when one brushes his/her teeth,he/she should be mindful of this process by paying attention to it and not allow any other thoughts to intrude. When you are eating, eat in silence,mindful of eating. But, if you are engaged in conversation whilst eating,that would be wrong mindfulness. From those two simple examples, you can realize that living in right mindfulness is not such an easy task. if one performs two or three acts simultaneously, it is not a skill but a weakness.Doing one thing at a time is the real skill, the real achievement.

One must resolve to develop right mindfulness. One must diligently train forit by practising simple exercises and gradually progress. In particular, one must direct one’s mindfulness to the internal. Most pay attention to theexternal, but rather you should look inward for your own welfare. This means:

(a) being mindful of body.

(b) being mindful of feeling.

(d) being mindful of mental contents.

8- RIGHT CONCENTRATION (Samma Samadhi)

Right effort and right mindfulness are directed at the eighth factor of the path, right concentration. This is defined as wholesome one-pointedness of the mind, wholesome unification of the mind. To develop concentration we generally begin with a single object and attempt to fix the mind on this object so that it remains there without wavering. We use right effort to keep the mind focussed on the object, right mindfulness to be aware of the hindrances to concentration, then we use effort to eliminate hindrances and strengthen the aids to concentration. With repeated practice the mind becomes gradually stilled and tranquil.

With further practice we can develop deep states of absorption, called the “JHANAS”.

Stilled mind – The Gateway to wisdom

When the mind is stilled and collected it serves as the means to develop insight. Having developed right concentration, when the mind has become a powerful tool, we direct it to the four foundations of mindfulness, contemplating the body, feeling, states of mind and mental objects.

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25 November, 2014 by Choki team

What Motivates You to Help Others?

When I got back from the World Domination Summit this summer, I wrote a post about what motivates visionaries to try to change the world. The conference was full of well-intentioned do-gooders trying to make the world a better place. Amazing things were being birthed as a result of this impulse to do good. But I couldn’t help wondering whether this impulse to be of service came from a pure, noble intention or whether it came from some sort of underlying sense of unworthiness or ego-driven motivation. Or both.

In other words, why do we do what we do?

A few people argued, “Who cares why? As long as the world is benefiting from these impulses, why question it?”

Yet, as one of those self-help author do-gooder types who is committed to getting my own ego out of the driver’s seat and letting the Divine take the wheel, it matters to me.

Is Your Self-Worth Tied To How Helpful You Are?

I have a theory about all of this. I think those of us who commit to acts of altruism on behalf of making the world a better place do so because it makes us feel better about ourselves. Something within us doesn’t feel good enough/ valuable enough/ worthy enough unless we’ re devoted to helping others. We don’t believe that we’re good and valuable and worthy not because of any external action but because we all have within us a spark of the Divine which makes us inherently worthy. So we go out and help people, and people tell us how we’ve saved their lives, and then we feel more worthy. We matter because we matter to someone else. Then our worried, scared, “never good enough” egos feel better.

So what would happen if someone waved a magic wand and all the do-gooders suddenly woke up and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that we were worthy – without all the accolades and applause and love letters from those we’ve helped. Would we lose all ambition to help others? Would we just sit on a park bench and bask in our awakened worthiness?

I don’t think so.

The Pure Impulse To Serve

I think it’s part of human nature to feel the impulse to ease the suffering of other living beings. When Eckhart Tolle woke up and realized that everything he had ever desired existed right here in the present moment, he spent months sitting on a park bench, basking in the bliss of his awakened state. He suddenly knew he was a valuable, worthy child of God who didn’t have to do anything to earn that grace. But Eckhart didn’t stay on that park bench forever. At some point, a pure impulse to share with others the bliss of what he was experiencing in the present moment motivated him to write The Power of Now and A New Earth. I don’t think the sharing of this message was motivated by ego. I think it was motivated by this pure impulse to ease the suffering of others who were missing the bliss of the present moment by living in the past or the future.

This is all just my theory, but I now think we’re often motivated to do good things because we’re trying to feel more worthy. But it’s possible to know we are worthy and still serve others from a pure, clean impulse to ease the suffering of others.

I Can’t Do It

So as I get ready to speak to an audience of people I hope to help with my words, I am doing a worthiness meditation so I can get my ego in the backseat and let the Divine use me in service to those who might be suffering. I remind my ego (I call her Victoria Rochester) that she is already good enough / valuable enough / worthy enough without gushing fans or long lines at my book signing or getting to sit next to Louise Hay at dinner. I am asking for Divine guidance. I am realizing, ironically, that I am speaking at an I Can Do It conference, and yet, perhaps, as Tosha Silver suggested, “I Can’t Do It.” Or rather, I Choose Not To Do It- because I want to let the Universe do it instead.

That’s what I hope to relay to those I serve at this conference. I don’t want to just feed their scared, worried, “not good enough” egos. I want to help them remember that they don’t have to do it – that if they get their egos out of the way and let the Divine take the lead, all will be well and they will finally find the peace they’re seeking.

Do You Yearn To Serve?

Generosity, altruism, charitable acts, and self-help teaching are all great. Don’t get me wrong. But if you find yourself compelled to be of service, I invite you to examine your motivations. Are you trying to feed the hungry ghost of the ego, which never gets filled no matter how many people you help? Or are you motivated by that clean impulse to ease the suffering of others? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Knowing I can’t do it alone.

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Author: Lissa Rankin / Wake up World

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