Quantum Theory sheds light on what happens when we die: The Afterlife

The biggest question so many of us have in life, one that we have been seeking to answer for years: what happens when we die?

Even modern day science seeks to answer this question. Where does human consciousness come from and what is its origin? Is it simply a product of the brain, or if the brain itself is a receiver of consciousness. If consciousness is not a product of the brain, it would mean that our physical bodies are not necessary for its continuation; that awareness can exist outside our bodies.

Asking these questions is fundamental to understanding the true nature of our reality, and with quantum physics gaining more popularity, questions regarding consciousness and its relationship to human physicality become increasingly relevant.

Max Planck, the theoretical physicist credited with originating quantum theory — a feat that won him the Physics Nobel Prize in 1918 — offers perhaps the best explanation for why understanding consciousness is so essential: “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.”(source)

Eugene Wigner, also a theoretical physicist and mathematician, stated that it’s not possible to “formulate the laws of quantum mechanics in a fully consistent way without reference to consciousness.”

Does Consciousness Move on After Death?

In 2010, one of the most respected scientists in the world, Robert Lanza, published a book titled Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding The True Nature of the Universe

An expert in regenerative medicine and the scientific director of Advanced Cell Technology Company, Lanza is also very interested in quantum mechanics and astrophysics, an interest that led him on a path to developing his theory of biocentrism: the theory that life and consciousness are fundamental to understanding the nature of our reality, and that consciousness comes prior to the creation of the material universe.

His theory implies that our consciousness does not die with us, but rather moves on, and this suggests that consciousness is not a product of the brain. It is something else entirely, and modern science is only beginning to understand what that might be.

This theory is best illustrated by the quantum double slit experiment. It’s is a great example that documents how factors associated with consciousness and our physical material world are connected in some way; that the observer creates the reality.

Physicists are being forced to admit that the universe could be a mental construction, or at the very least, that consciousness plays a fundamental role in the creation of matter.

R.C. Henry, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University  wrote in a 2005 publication for the journal Nature:

According to [pioneering physicist] Sir James Jeans: “the stream of knowledge is heading towards a non-mechanical reality; the Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter… we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.” . . . The Universe is immaterial — mental and spiritual. Live, and enjoy.

(“The Mental Universe”; Nature 436:29,2005) (source)

Lanza’s theory implies that if the body generates consciousness, then consciousness dies when the body dies. But if the body receives consciousness in the same way that a cable box receives satellite signals, then of course consciousness does not end at the death of the physical vehicle. This is an example that’s commonly used to describe the enigma of consciousness.

The double slit experiment has shown repeatedly that “observations not only disturb what has to be measured, they produce it. . . . We compel [the electron] to assume a definite position. . . . We ourselves produce the results of measurement.”  (source)

The idea that we could be living in a holographic-type of universe is not so far-fetched, and if the observer is required for physical matter to manifest, then the observer must exist before the physical body.

The hypothesis that the brain creates consciousness dominates the mainstream materialistic world of science, despite the wealth of evidence showing that the brain (and our entire physical reality, for that matter) could be a product of consciousness.

Below is a great quote to illustrate what is meant by “material” science.

“The modern scientific worldview is predominantly predicated on assumptions that are closely associated with classical physics. Materialism—the idea that matter is the only reality—is one of these assumptions. A related assumption is reductionism, the notion that complex things can be understood by reducing them to the interactions of their parts, or to simpler or more fundamental things such as tiny material particles.” Manifesto for a Post-Materialist Science

Examining the neurochemical processes in the brain that occur when one is having a subjective experience is important, and does offer certain insights. It tells us that when ‘this’ type of experience is happening, ‘that’ is going on in the brain. But it does not prove that the neurochemical processes are producing the experience. What if the experience itself is producing the neurochemical processes?

Determining how consciousness causes matter to materialize is our next step. One thing is for certain, however; with all of the information out there postulating the existence of consciousness as  independent from the brain, it’s time to push the boundaries of our current accepted framework of knowledge and question what we think we know.

The implications of this theory are immense. Just imagine if life after death were confirmed by the mainstream scientific community — how much would this impact not only our understanding of science, but also philosophy, religion, and many other areas of our lives?

A Great Lecture

Below is a great video from Dr. Gary Schwartz, a professor at the University of Arizona, discussing whether consciousness is the product of the brain or a receiver of it. It’s a little overview of a subject that is full of peer-reviewed  scientific research that not many people have the time to go through. It would actually be almost be impossible to go through all of it.

Some materialistically inclined scientists and philosophers refuse to acknowledge these phenomena because they are not consistent with their exclusive conception of the world. Rejection of post-materialist investigation of nature or refusal to publish strong science findings supporting a post-materialist framework are antithetical to the true spirit of scientific inquiry, which is that empirical data must always be adequately dealt with. Data which do not fit favored theories and beliefs cannot be dismissed a priori. Such dismissal is the realm of ideology, not science.

– Dr. Gary Schwartz, Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Surgery at the University of Arizona (1)

What About Near Death Experiences?

Below is a video of Dr. Bruce Greyson speaking at a conference that was held by the United Nations. He is considered to be one of the fathers of near death studies, and is a Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science at the University of Virginia.

In the video he describes documented cases of individuals who were clinically dead (showing no brain activity), but observing everything that was happening to them on the medical table below at the same time. He describes how there have been many instances of this — where individuals are able to describe things that should have been impossible to describe. Another significant statement by Dr. Greyson posits that this type of study has been discouraged due to our tendency to view science as completely materialistic. Seeing is believing, so to speak, in the scientific community. It’s unfortunate that just because we cannot explain something through materialistic means, it must be instantly discredited. The simple fact that “consciousness” itself is a non-physical “thing” is troubling for some scientists to comprehend, and as a result of it being non-material, they believe it cannot be studied by science.

Near Death Experiences (NDE’s) have been documented and studied for a long time. For example, in 2001, international medical journal The Lancet, published a 13 year study on Near Death Experiences (NDEs):

Our results show that medical factors cannot account for the occurrence of NDE. All patients had a cardiac arrest, and were clinically dead with unconsciousness resulting from insufficient blood supply to the brain. In those circumstances, the EEG (a measure of brain electrical activity) becomes flat, and if CPR is not started within 5-10 minutes, irreparable damage is done to the brain and the patient will die. (2)(3)

Researchers monitored a total of 344 patients, and an astounding 18% of them had some sort of memory from when they were dead or unconscious (no brain activity), and 12% (1 out of every 8) had a very strong and “deep” experience. Keep in mind that these experiences have occurred when there is no electrical activity in the brain following cardiac arrest.

Another study comes out of the University of Southampton, where scientists found evidence that awareness can continue for at least several minutes after death. In the scientific world this was thought to be impossible. It is the world’s largest near death experiences study ever published, and it was published in the journal Resuscitation: (4)

In 2008, a large-scale study involving 2060 patients from 15 hospitals in the United Kingdom, United States and Austria was launched. The AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation) study, sponsored by the University of Southampton in the UK, examined the broad range of mental experiences in relation to death. Researchers also tested the validity of conscious experiences using objective markers for the first time in a large study to determine whether claims of awareness compatible with out-of-body experiences correspond with real or hallucinatory events. (source)

Concluding Comments and Video

Nikola Tesla said it best: “The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.”

There’s a reason why every year, internationally recognized scientists continue to push this commonly overlooked topic into the mainstream scientific community. The fact is, matter (protons, electrons, photons, anything that has mass) is not the only reality. If we wish to understand the nature of our reality, we cannot keep examining physical reality while ignoring the fact that the ‘unseen’ makes up most of it.

Perhaps the most imperative question is, what is the role of non-physical system, such as consciousness, in relation to physical systems (matter)?

“Despite the unrivaled empirical success of quantum theory, the very suggestion that it may be literally true as a description of nature is still greeted with cynicism, incomprehension and even anger.” (T. Folger, “Quantum Shmantum”; Discover 22:37-43, 2001)

This is what’s known as post-materialist science, and in my opinion, it’s clearly the next area of study to further understand the nature of our universe. And the study of ‘consciousness’ is right at its heart.

Author: Joe Martino – Collective Evolution

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What Actually Makes Us Happy? Lessons From The Longest Study On Happiness (Video)

What is the key to a happy and healthy life? It’s a loaded question. Psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, shared three important lessons learned from the study, along with some practical, age-old wisdom on building a long life of contentment in his Ted Talk, “What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness.”

During his talk, Waldinger discusses a survey of millennials on their most important life goals. He reveals that, among their biggest ones, they want to get rich and become famous.

“We’re given the impression that these are the things that we need to go after in order to have a good life,” he says. 

We’ve come to rely on hearsay as a means for distinguishing what happiness is. “But what if we could watch entire lives as they unfold through time? What if we could study people from the time that they were teenagers all the way into old age to see what really keeps people happy and healthy?” Waldinger asks.

We did that. The Harvard Study of Adult Development may be the longest study of adult life that’s ever been done. For 75 years, we’ve tracked the lives of 724 men, year after year, asking about their work, their home lives, their health, and of course asking all along the way without knowing how their life stories were going to turn out.”

But what’s been learned? The lessons aren’t about wealth, fame, or working harder. “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period,” he says. 

What Really Makes Us Happy?

The study has revealed some lessons about relationships. The first is that social interaction is necessary, as loneliness is a killer. Being more connected to family, friends, and community makes for happier, physically healthier, and longer lives compared to people who are less well-connected.

People who are isolated experience a decline in health earlier than those who are sociable. Their brain functioning declines, and their lives are shorter. “And the sad fact is that at any given time,more than one in five Americans will report that they’re lonely,” Waldinger notes. 

The study also discovered that living in the midst of conflict is extremely bad for our health.”High-conflict marriages, for example, without much affection, turn out to be very bad for our health, perhaps worse than getting divorced. And living in the midst of good, warm relationships is protective.”

When you think about it, the idea that good, close relationships are the key to happiness and health seems so much more achievable, so much simpler, than anything else. It’s wisdom as old as the hills, but seems so hard for us to get. Why? “Well, we’re human. What we’d really like is a quick fix,something we can get that’ll make our lives good and keep them that way.”

Messy and complicated things scare us, like relationships. But the people in the study who were the happiest in retirement were those who had actively worked to replace workmates with new playmates. And while they had once also believed fame, wealth, and high achievement were the answers to a good life, the study found over and over again that those who fared the best were the ones who came to the realization that they needed relationships — with family, with friends, with community — to survive and thrive.

And how can we begin? According to Waldinger, the possibilities are endless. It could be as simple as doing something new with your partner, or reaching out to a family member you haven’t spoken to in years.

Watch the full talk below:

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Author: Alexa Erickson – Collective Evolution

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

10 Ways to Move Through Your Subconscious Fears

What are you so afraid of?

Pain, change, growth…

Fear can be problematic when you let it overwhelm you. When you allow fear to sit in the driver’s seat you are living in the false belief that you are avoiding the inevitable discomfort that comes with journeying into the unknown realms of your heart and soul. But, there can only be one outcome: your life comes to a screeching halt.

If you want to thrive, then stagnancy must go. Prana (life force energy) is the nature of who we are. It embodies movement, creativity, expansion, and evolution.

It’s easy to let fear paralyze you, but you can be empowered to consciously recognize the fear and then lean into experiencing what’s underneath it.

Fearlessness is a combination of vulnerability and courage. You need to have the vulnerability to ask for help and the courage to create a strategy and take action.

Here are ten ways to eliminate the subconscious veil of fear that stops you from taking action in your life…

1. Identify your comfort zone

What is it that makes you uncomfortable? Write the details down. Maybe it’s an empty bank account, your partner leaving you, making new friends, or never finding your purpose. The first step to overcoming these fears is to label them. Turn on the light and discover where your comfort zones are in life and where pushing against those barriers sends you into fits of fear, anxiety, or panic.

2. Take action

Worry. Anxiety. Sleepless nights. For every one of your comfort zones, figure out simple ways for you to push beyond your limits. It may feel strange at first, but you’re exercising your ability to create the life of your dreams.

If you’re uncomfortable making friends, yet you want to have friends, something’s gotta give. Take action even in a small way by committing to saying hi to three people every day or joining a group of like-minded people. No action is too small or large, as long as you can commit.

3. Implement consistency, commitment, and repetition

Those action items aren’t going to get done themselves. You’ve got to get up each day and recommit — keep going, keep growing, and keep moving forward — or you won’t move out of the fear. Once you’ve taken action and seen the fruits of your labour, you’ll see how easily subconscious fears can be taken out with a bit of consistent effort.

4. Cultivate curiosity

Can you sit down, close your eyes, and imagine what it would feel like to be fearless? To overcome the setbacks you’ve created for yourself? What would life look like for you? If you can imagine even 1/10th of what’s possible you can start to challenge your self-created boundaries and limitations.

5. Get an accountability partner

Here’s the thing: we all have fears that we’ve overcome. Find someone you trust who’s willing to help you remain accountable in facing your subconscious fears. Try to make it someone who’s already conquered the fear you’re trying to transform. Set up daily or weekly calls. Be fully transparent about your successes and your shortfalls. Find strength in numbers and surround yourself with those who can hold the higher vision and greater vibration for you on your journey from fear to courage.

6. Develop a spiritual connection

What nourishes your soul? What gives you strength? Connect with the spiritual elements of yourself that motivate you to overcome the fear that’s holding you back from living your purpose. Whether it’s sitting in stillness and focusing on the breath for a few minutes each day or practicing yoga, find the practice that allows you to connect with the highest version of your authentic self. Then activate the energy of possibility to support these next phases of your growth and evolution.

7. Practice gratitude

Gratitude is called a practice because, for most of us, it’s not second nature, especially when you’re in a fear-based mindset. When you’re consumed by fear, the first inclination is to slink back and think of everything that’s going wrong. The expansive energy of gratitude will help you break out of the mental patterning of feeling stuck, victimized, and too disempowered to act.

8. Surround yourself with bravery

When you’re ready to transmute fear and change it into strength you need to have courage. To cultivate courage, surround yourself with people who have looked fear in the face and moved forward anyway.

Get a mentor who’s already faced the challenges you’re facing. Surround yourself with brilliant people who have a knowledge base greater than yours. This is what I call tapping into vibrational blueprints. Watch documentaries, read books, take courses. Infuse yourself with inspiration. Take action and remain steadfast in overcoming your subconscious fears.

To play a bigger game you have to surround yourself with energy that exceeds yours.

9. Be honest with yourself about what scares you

Most people don’t want to admit what they’re truly afraid of. Most of us are more afraid of fulfillment, true love, and happiness than anything else. Get quiet and tap into the truth of your greatest fears… and take the first small step. Remind yourself that you’re worthy of all the best that life has to offer.

10. Stop making excuses

You deserve to overcome your fears and feel at peace. You can train yourself to move forward, to move into alignment with your evolutionary potential on every level, but no more excuses. No more “tomorrow,” no more “when I have time or money.” Start where you’re at in any way you can.

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Author: Panache Desai – Collective Evolution

The Mandala: The Sacred Geometry of Meditation

A mandala is a visual symbol often utilized in meditation practices and teachings. The mandala symbol itself is a geometric construction of geometric points, lines, planes and solids which symbolizes our universe. These geometric symbols can be used as a visual meditation tool, called a yantra. Other designs can similarly be used as meditation tools, but may not be mandalas by definition.

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Mandalas and all other yantras work as visual meditation points of concentration. Pictured (top) is the sri yantra: sri meaning‘king’ or ‘most important’. Ancient yogis of India and Tibet considered it to be the most powerful of all geometric symbols, representing the geometric structure of the sound of creation — the Om.

Conversely, a mantra is the audio version of the mandala; an aural meditation tool. Whether the sound of the mantra is a single syllable tone, such as the Om, or a series of metaphysical musings, such as the ancient Gayatri Mantra, mantras are wavy linear expressions of universal connection, voiced as concentrated sound vibrations.

Meditation tools also extend far beyond the visual and aural; the terms asana and mudra both refer to physical positionings used as meditation tools. An asana is a body posture (such as those used in the practice of yoga) and a mudra is a hand gesture or posture. Asanas and mudras enable our own bodies to become a geometric representation of meditation. The postures transform the physical self into one’s own geometric figure or plane, both among the space and sensitive to the space of self and its surroundings.

Bringing these concepts and tools together is tantra. Tantra is integration; the integration of yantra (visual), mantra (sound) and mudra (positioning), each of which is an important, intertwined aspect of yoga, and life itself. Essentially tantra is the spiritual understanding of the relationship and connections between individual and universal energies. An ancient spiritual philosophy preceding both Buddhism and Hinduism, tantra signifies confluence and integration — a fusion— and refers to the unification or weaving together of principles and practices, instructions and individual actions. It unifies the macrocosm with the microcosm, the universal and the individual, the feminine and the masculine, the yin and the yang. It also refers to integrative knowledge and its continuation and refinement, through the interaction of teacher and student, and the acceptance, integration and transmutation of knowledge between individuals — like the string of life.

Etymologically, the word tantra is Sanskrit for loom, the device that weaves together string into cloth. It is an ancient word with many properties and has been variously used to describe the knots of strings weaved together in a rug, the cord on which sacred mala beads are strung, (mala beads are Tibetan prayer necklaces of 108 beads, which are used to assist with the mental or vocal repetition of a mantra 108 times — a number of great spiritual significance) and more broadly, to describe practices that unify the individual with the universal. Although the word tantra is often used in reference to the union of sacred lovemaking, the concept is not necessarily limited to the act of lovemaking. In fact, humanity itself is a tantra; a fused weaving knot or many strings, of many instructions and many individuals.

Related reading:

Unifying Meditative Principles and Practices

Unifying meditative principles and practices potentiates the power of tantra, yantra, mantra and asana. This is further enhanced by the incorporation of Yin Yang tantra. The combination of the Yin and Yang potentials and energies within leads to all sorts of aspects of personal development. This can be energetically understood in the idea that there are only two types of energies, straight and circular — straight for Yang potentials and circular for Yin potentials. It can be understood on a tangible level that rest and work are both required. When straight and circular energies combine, a spiral results. A spiral is one of, if not the, highest expressions of life energy.

There is not necessarily the need for a specific yantra, or specific mantra, or specific asana in the practice of meditation, however each are tools that can be used and considered, and are most powerful when practiced in a unified tantric manner, or tantric mind state. A tantric mind state recognizes unity expansion and aims toward it, rather than cultivating a mind state of separation. Essentially, using yantras, mantras and asanas as meditation tools helps to establish your sacred space and to unite with entirety in tantric balance.

No matter how one approaches meditation, the unifying tantra of meditation principles and practices bring about the unified expansion from the central source, as symbolized by the mandala yantra (the visual). No matter our level of refinement of posture, we are always in an asana, whether or not we also utilize mantra or yantra. For most of us, we still see and hear, and those who cannot can still concentrate and connect. And no matter the mantra, yantra or asana we utilize, it is the principles and energy behind (and pertaining to) their symbolism that contains the real spiritual power — the highest potential for tantric connection, which is inherently within us all.

The Geometry of Energy: How to Meditate

Want to learn more..?

In his book The Geometry of Energy: How to Meditate, author Ethan Indigo Smith explores meditation and meditative energies through the sacred dimensions of geometry. Simple and profound, it is an empowering four-step meditation designed to lead to individuation, self-development, and an enhanced understanding of energy and vibration. Useful to meditation newcomers and longtime practitioners alike, ‘The Geometry of Energy’ provides insights into a variety of meditative processes for psychological and spiritual cleansing and enhancement.

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Author: Ethan Indigo Smith – Wake Up World

The Mysterious World of Synchronicity

Do you often see 11:11? 12:34? 3:33? Or any other synchronistic patterns?

Do you ever have strange coincidences that defy logic, and often lead to magical unfoldings?

In this article we’ll explore the strange world of synchronicity.

What brought you here? Why in this very moment when you could be anywhere doing anything, is it that you have found yourself on this blog? Chances are that you saw the image and it made sense to you! Do you see 11:11? Does it boggle your mind and at times create weird and wonderful confusion? Are you struggling to make sense of its meaning? Don’t worry, I totally understand, and I hope this article can be of some comfort…

This article is not going to be just about numerology, that is only a small part of the mysterious world of synchronicity. I am going to try and bring some kind of meaning to something that is hard to understand at a purely logical view point, and something that I have to admit I do not fully understand. But it is my belief that synchronicity does not work on that kind of level. I know it is significant, I know that following it can bring great things, but it is not something that can be fully understood by the mind.

What is Synchronicity?

Synchronicity is a sequence of events that coincide with each other, and have significant meaning related to each other. These events would appear on the surface to be just chance, but are in no way a coincidence.

An example would be: You want to pursue your dream job and you are trying to make an excuse not to do so and for every excuse you make a solution seems to fall in your lap. Or you attend an event you would usually avoid because every time you switch on the TV, radio or speak with someone it’s all you hear about. Then as a result of attending that event you meet someone significant, like a partner, a business associate or a future friend.

One extreme example from my own life was when I was thinking about giving up on my passion of writing and sharing information about spirituality and growth due to the financial strain it was causing. I had gone online looked up some jobs and was ready to quit, that night I went to bed and said, “If you are going to give me a sign, now is the right time”. The next day I received a cheque from a family member that fixed that problem.

Synchronicities differ from coincidence, a coincidence could be you sneezing and at the same time a firework going off. It may be a little weird that it happens, but in most cases there would be no significant meaning.

Types of Synchronicity

Predictive: This is where you see, think or do something that links to an outcome. The classic example is thinking of someone and them calling you.

Guiding: This is where all signs guide you to a specific outcome. This could be you thinking of giving up on your music career because of a lack of work and just as you are about to do so, you get a phone call from someone trying to book you for work.

Reflective: This is where you are forced to reflect due to a synchronistic event. An example would be if you decided to cancel your gym membership and then as you go to do it an email hits your inbox about the benefits of exercise, making you reflect on if you have made the right decision or not.

Testing: This is where synchronicity tests you ego. An example would be if you had a food addiction and absolutely loved fried chicken, when thinking about this addiction a fried chicken advert comes on the TV. Testing your ability to fight the temptation. Be strong, don’t do it!!!

Synchronicities are Always Happening

One thing I have noticed is that there have always been synchronicities in my life, maybe not quite in the quantity that they are happening now, but they have always been there. Your job is to follow the synchronistic events. The magical thing is, the more you follow them the more they happen.

Don’t go searching for something that is not there, but learn to recognise when something is in front of you. If the perfect relationship seems to fall from the sky at the perfect moment and you decide not to pursue it, you are seeing the synchronicities, but not following them.

When you start to live out these synchronistic events you will start getting the little cosmic nudges, like 11:11 or in my case 33, I see this number everywhere and it was only on a doing a little research I realized the spiritual significance of it.

Synchronicity in Your Life

Think back to every significant event in your life, I am sure it is full of synchronicity and it is usually the bigger the life event the more synchronicities coincide with it.

A while back I had been trying to get in front of a bigger audience. These events led towards me being able to work at Truth Theory:

Synchronicity number 1: I had a list of around 30 blogs I wanted to write for, out of that list I sent my article: 6 Ideas For An Educational Revolution to Truth Theory.

Synchronicity number 2: The owner of Truth Theory was working on an educational website so he was drawn to the article.

Synchronicity number 3: Out of anywhere in the world he could have lived, he lived just 5 minutes from my house.

Synchronicity number 4: We decided to meet up and it turned out we were pretty much on the same wavelength and that he needed someone to write for Truth Theory.

If anyone one of these events didn’t happen, I would not be here writing this article. But they all did and now I am here.

What Is The Point of Synchronicity?

Synchronicity serves many purposes; it can serve as a reminder that you are on the right path, it can be for guidance, sometimes it is to test you, sometimes it will lead you to form significant relationships and other times it is just for you to stop and be present!

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Author: Luke Miller – Wake Up World

A journey to the last Shangri-La

The search for Shangri-la has come to symbolize the pursuit of happiness inside one’s heart more than a geographic location. But what if someone traveled to the origin of the mythical paradise to find the secret to happiness? And what if they shared that journey with the world through a stunning international photo exhibition?

That’s exactly what is occurring today.

Join motivational speaker, photographer, author and FIFA agent Donaldo Barros during his day journey to Bhutan. Sponsored by the non-profit Choki, Donaldo is traveling to one of the most inaccessible and unknown destinations in the world.

Why is he undertaking this dangerous and arduous journey? To find the secret of true happiness and use it to inspire positive change in the world.

The images that will return with him are from places never photographed. The spiritual awaking could be stunning. Between his photos and observations, the lessons shared could help transform a world rife with conflict.

During his journey, Donaldo will explore some of the most sacred sites of Bhutan, while conveying what he learns daily on social media. Barros hopes that his visit to the land of the “Thunder Dragon” will encourage people to learn about Bhutanese teachings from the place that has the highest happiness quotient in the world.

“People have become bitterly cynical and so many believe that the world cannot be changed for the good,” said Barros. “Going to Bhutan gives me the opportunity to prove that the impossible exists until someone makes it possible. During my trip, I hope to find answers as to how we can change the world in a positive way. This trip is my contribution in my efforts to do so.”

Barros will begin in the spiritual center of Punakha where he will visit the classroom supported by Choki at the Nalanda Buddhist Institute. There, he will spend several days learning from the lamas and interacting with the monks. Then, he will head north venturing to Gasa within the highlands of the Himalayas. He will spend the next 19 days trekking old footpaths to sites that are treasures of this world. His trusty camera will chronicle the journey while his blog entries will share his transformation.

Choki is collaborating with Donaldo Barros on this journey to benefit the Bhutanese community and the world. Donaldo will document his trip through social media and a series of photos that will be the basis of a traveling exhibit later this year. Through Donaldo’s vision, Choki hopes to create an appreciation of the Bhutanese people by communicating their beliefs and values to what can create true happiness with the world.

Travel with us through his journey at our Facebook page or our Instagram. We will see you on the trail with Donaldo.

To know more about Choki, visit www.choki.org

In Search of Happiness: A Journey to the Last Shangri-la

Choki Nonprofit, for the benefit of all at the expense of none, is proud to sponsor Motivational Speaker, Photographer, Author, Fifa Agent and Spiritual Seeker, Donaldo Barros for a 21 day journey to Bhutan, one of the most inaccessible and unknown destinations in the world. Following the footsteps of Buddha’s teachings personally, Donaldo seeks the secret of true happiness to be used as an aid and inspiration to all. During his journey, Donaldo will be exploring some of the most sacred sites of Bhutan, while conveying his daily teachings of beauty and culture daily on social media with the world.

Barros believes that his visit to the land of the Thunder Dragon will encourage people to learn about the teachings of Bhutan for the world. “I feel that going to Bhutan is like having in my hands a proof of the statement: ‘The impossible exists until someone makes it possible’. With this opportunity there will be pages written that will be part of tomorrow’s history and that makes my responsibility even bigger. Do we want to change the world for good? This trip is my contribution in my efforts to do so, said Barros.”

During his journey, Barros will begin in the spiritual center of Punakha where he will visit the classroom supported by Choki at the Nalanda Buddhist Institute. There, he will spend several days learning from the lamas and interacting with the monks. Then, he will head north venturing to Gasa within the highlands of the Himalayas, where he will spend the next 19 days traveling by old footpaths to sites that are treasures of this world.

At Choki, we are excited to be collaborating with Donaldo Barros on this journey to benefit the Bhutanese community and the world. Through Donaldo’s vision and Bhutanese values, Choki hopes to express deep understanding of the Bhutanese people, by communicating the underlying causes of true happiness with the world.

Follow this amazing journey from Monday, May 16th through our Choki’s Fanpage or Choki’s Instagram @choki_org and stay tuned to discover what this great adventure might teach us.

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Donaldo Barros – Established Motivational Speaker, Photographer, Author, and Spiritual Seeker

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Why Education Must Come Back to Nature

“Unless we are willing to encourage our children to reconnect with and appreciate the natural world, we can’t expect them to help protect and care for it.” – David Suzuki

Humanity has lost its connection with the Earth. As a species, we too easily distance ourselves from the war being waged on the environment. Most of us are opposed to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and the oil pollution in our oceans, yet we continue to let it all happen. We care, but we don’t care enough to put a stop to all the madness. Why? Because we have lost touch with nature. Sadly, we do not feel the planet’s hurt. Her cries of protest are falling on deaf ears. For the most part, we have become anaesthetised by modern society and the trappings of economic pragmatism.

We have a responsibility to the future generations to make sure they do not make the same mistake that we have made in severing our connection to the land. Our children must learn to empathise with the natural world if our species is going to reverse the damage we have done. The youth are the future caretakers and custodians of the planet, and the Earth’s fate will one day rest in their hands. The only way for our children to experience a real connection with nature is to immerse them in nature. Education cannot be confined to the classroom. We cannot teach our children about plants, animals, rocks and streams through textbooks and computers. They need to experience these things for themselves in the real world. They need to get out of the classroom as much as possible and learn through direct exposure to the natural environment.

Children need to be given the freedom to explore and discover the world around them. I’m not talking about excursions or field trips that happen once every year or two, or even the occasional school camp… I’m talking about a revolution in education where children regularly spend time learning outside the traditional classroom. One of the big problems with the education system is that we think that in order for children to learn they have to intellectualize everything. We think that they don’t gain any important lessons unless they can put pen to paper and demonstrate they have acquired the concepts set out in the curriculum. What our schools keep failing to understand is that life xperience imparts a far greater wisdom than any teacher could. The rivers and the mountains and the songbirds have much to teach us, but as pupils we make no attempt to understand the language they are speaking. If we only learned to attune to that language, we would defend and protect the natural world at any cost.

Schools should be introducing children to the marvels of plant consciousness. At the Federation of Damanhur in Piedmont, Italy, plants have been taught to express themselves through song. By hooking up an electrode to the leaf of a plant and then connecting it to a MIDI-synthesizer, plants are able to create their own music. The plant controls both pitch and rhythm entirely by itself, only the instrument is predetermined by the synthesizer. You can see a video of this phenomenon here.

Experiments carried out in the 1970s by Cleve Backster, a former CIA polygraph specialist, showed that plants are capable of telepathy. Backster hooked up a common houseplant to a polygraph machine to gauge its reaction to various stimuli. After establishing a baseline reading, he dipped one of the leaves in a mug of hot coffee and the polygraph needle did not move. He figured that the plant would be more likely to react if he burned one of its leaves with a match. Immediately on the intention entering his mind to burn the plant, the polygraph needle jumped across the page. Backster had not moved from his seat. He had not physically reached for his matches. Somehow, the plant picked up on his intentions to cause it harm. He repeated the experiment and found that the plant did not react when he merely pretended to burn it, but only reacted when he fully intended to burn the leaves.

 

Fascinated by this, Backster continued his research on plant telepathy. He set up another experiment by placing brine shrimp in a dish suspended above a pot of boiling water. He configured the apparatus to tip the brine shrimp into the pot after a random interval of time, more than a few hours. In a separate enclosed room, well away from the apparatus, but in the same building, he hooked up a houseplant to a polygraph machine and established his baseline reading. Backster then left the building and drove hours away from the lab. When he returned to check the reading on the plant, he found a huge spike in activity at the precise moment that the brine shrimp fell to their death in boiling water. Sadly, much of Backster’s work has been scoffed at by the mainstream scientific community and this area of research still remains largely underground. For more on plant consciousness, see the documentary The Secret Life of Plants.

There is much about our natural world that still remains a mystery. One thing is for sure – these experiments give great credence to the notion that we are all bound together by the fabric of consciousness that makes up the entire universe. It is absolutely crucial that children are able to establish a conscious connection with nature if they are to learn to respond to environmental injustice with action instead of indifference. We need to completely change the way we educate our kids so that we can sustain life on our planet for many generations to come.

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Author: Will Stanton – Wake Up World

Vibrate The Cosmos – Your Thoughts & Intentions Can Create Your Path

We are such slaves to our 5 senses. And it always takes science to ultimately demonstrate that what we do perceive with our sense is, in fact, not true. And it will be science that will show the masses what many of us already know – that our thoughts have energy and vibrate, just like everything else. When they are aligned with the order and perfection of Universal Mind, the sky is literally the limit of what we can attract into our lives. For the laws of vibration and attraction are inextricably linked.

The Science of Energy

We now know, thanks to breakthroughs in quantum physics, that everything which exists, when broken down into its base elements, is nothing but energy. At the sub-atomic level, there is no matter – only energy and vibration. And because everything reduces to just energy, all that we see in the universe, including ourselves, is made up of the same stuff, just at different vibration levels, to form the matter around us.

Because everything vibrates at a different frequency, things are separate from one another. A tree vibrates at a different frequency than a table. We are vibrating at a unique frequency too, and so we see ourselves as separate from everything else around us and from one another. But at our lowest level, that level of pure energy, we are actually all part of one energy field. Some quantum physicists call this the “unified field.”

Now, a floor looks still and solid. Inside that floor, however, sub-atomic particles are dancing around, full of energy. That floor is only energy. But it looks solid to us, and it feels solid to us. This is, however, only an illusion, because what is real is that which we cannot see.

The “Seeing is Believing” Mentality

Until Anton Van Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope in 1666, there were many things we believed to be simply untrue. We didn’t think that little critters crawled around on our skin or that our water was filled with tiny creatures that we were actually drinking. No one believed it until science proved it.

There are quite a number of other examples of this “seeing is believing” mentality. The Earth was flat until it was round; the Earth was the center of the Universe until it was not; there was only one galaxy until there were many billions more. The point is this: We humans have a framework of knowledge based upon what we perceive with our senses, until science ultimately tells us we are wrong. Then we set a new framework, and that, too, is ultimately changed by new knowledge. How much of a leap is it, then, to understand that just because we cannot see vibrations does not mean they don’t exist? In fact they do, and science is now telling us so.

We Also Believe in Things That We Cannot See

We cannot see sound waves; we cannot see radio waves. And yet we know they exist because we see the results of them. We can’t see thought waves either. But our brains are vibrating with energy just like everything else. Radio waves shoot through the universe. How much of a leap is it to understand that our brains are shooting out thought waves in the same manner? Not much of a leap at all. So, the question now becomes, what vibrations are you sending out into the cosmos?

At What Point Will We Begin to Believe in Our Thought Vibrations?

We cannot see electrical charges, only their manifestations. We see lightning; we turn on a light. And we can measure electricity, even in our brains, through an EEG. Electricity is operating on its own frequency, even in our brains, and our thoughts travel along those electrical waves — they are not solid and they pass right on out into the Universe. At some point in the future, when science tells us this is true, we will be using new methods for teaching children in school how to use their thoughts in the right way to attract what they want in their “worlds.”

The Law of Vibration and the Law of Attraction are Connected

The Law of Attraction tells us that to some degree we attract into our lives what we are sending out. In the Bible, early man said, “Whatsoever ye sow, so shall ye reap.” They had the idea exactly. The Law of Vibration is simply how those thoughts are being sent out into the Cosmos – those thoughts that have so much power. Their power comes from the fact that energy is neither created nor destroyed. So, once those thoughts are out there, they are there forever. We can’t take them back, and we can’t destroy them. And they become part of the thoughts of others too. If enough people send out thoughts of hate and anger, then we have conflict and war. It’s really that simple.

Making the Laws of Vibration and Attraction Work for You

Many people who practice positive thinking regarding their personal, financial, and professional lives are disappointed when nothing manifests. They become discouraged and give up, ultimately claiming that these Laws are not true. It is not the Laws that are false; it is the truth that simply saying or thinking something positive will not overcome the belief patterns that have built up and that are running as “old tapes” through our subconscious minds – beliefs that we don’t even realize we have.

Years ago, Dr. Maxwell Maltz, quite a famous plastic surgeon in New York, came to a realization. He often repaired facial damage caused by car accidents and burns. In fact, he restored his patients to at least the same state as before if not better. He also performed surgery on patients who had really ugly noses, cleft palates, and other deformities. Once the surgery and recovery time were completed, so many of them still felt ugly and remained depressed about their physical appearance. He came to understand that their belief pattern of ugliness was deeply rooted in the sub-conscious, and so he began to study how to change those belief patterns. The result was his book, Psycho-Cybernetics, which remains a best-seller today. In that book he gave the recipe for getting rid of those old belief systems.

Re-Programming Your Subconscious

You may want money with all of your conscious passion. You send out positive thoughts into the Universe over and over again. Nothing happens. Nothing happens, because deep within your subconscious you are harboring negative thoughts related to money. Maybe the thought is that real wealth is just for only a few, not you. Maybe you have held onto things you heard growing up – money is hard to make; we have to be frugal; there isn’t enough money to have all that we want. You will have to re-program that sub-conscious – dig out those negative beliefs and replace them. You do this with a steady and unwavering daily activity of visualization and affirmation.

See yourself with all that you want; feel it; play scenarios in your head. Couple those visualizations with affirmations about the abundance of the Universe – abundance that is yours for the taking. You are not asking or begging; you are claiming what is yours to have.

Vibrate that Cosmos

You are connected with all of the abundance that is in the Universe – perfect health, perfect wealth, perfect everything! Your vibrations are the same vibrations running through everything. Vibrate that Cosmos with your positive energy and thought; claim what is yours today, right now. Keep claiming it, seeing it, and act as if you already have it. The Laws will work for you.

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