A Complete and Balanced LIfe

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“I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible; to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.  I choose to risk my significance, to live so that which came to me as seed goes to the next as blossom, and that which came to me as blossom goes on as fruit.”

Dawna Markova

 Re-read the above quote, then close your eyes for a moment and imagine this it’s you speaking the words.  Imagine it’s the kind of life YOU chose. What comes up for you?  Do you feel inspired?  Do you feel like it could never happen?

 In the years I’ve been coaching I’ve found there to be some essential qualities of people who live a complete and balanced life:

 They firmly believe their success is more about who they are, rather than just what they have or what they do.

1. They’re clear about their values and what’s most important to them.
2. They have a vision for their life.
3. They’re willing to take clear and focused action to fulfill that vision.
4. They hold themselves responsible for the quality of their life.

Living a full and balanced life starts with knowing what a full and balanced life means to you.  Each day, we are bombarded with images from the media that tell us who to be, what to do and how to act.  We are saturated with “shoulds,” past experiences, family edicts and endlessly disempowering messages.

 So the first step in claiming a complete life is to embrace the distinction that Oprah makes quite succinctly,  “Don’t worry about living THE best life, just live YOUR best life.”

 Here are some suggestions I give my clients to help them begin the journey toward living their best life.

 1. Start a journal.  One of the best ways I know to quiet the mind and access your deeper thoughts is to write.  Let yourself write in an uncensored way.  Let your thoughts flow without concern for grammar or impressing a reader.  Be curious about what your inner self wants to tell you.

Here’s a series of provocative questions to help start the journey:

What will my life feel/be like when I’m living fully and in balance?  Here’s where you imagine in detail the life you want.  Let yourself dream about how you’ll feel.  Will you feel peaceful?  Energized?  Both?  Will you be fulfilling a dream or simply living fully in each moment?  Paint a picture for yourself.

What’s most important to me?  Begin to make a list of your values.  Your values are your personal inventory of what you consider most important.  We all have values, but unless you take the time to clarify them for yourself, you can inadvertently be living someone else’s values.  Your values inform the choices you make.

2. Get to know yourself.  Walk, meditate, exercise, or take yourself on a date.  Getting to know yourself and what you like is an important piece of the puzzle.  What movie would YOU chose?  Is nature most enlivening or would you prefer a cultural romp in the city?  Do something you’ve always wanted to try.  Take a risk.  To live a complete life you have to be in touch with what makes you happy.

3. Find support.  It can be difficult to explore or make life changes without the benefit of a support system.  Often, when people start to grow, others around them – friends and relatives – may feel threatened.  They may not want you to “rock the boat.” Seek out at least one person you feel safe sharing your desires with.  This will help you to stay motivated and provide some accountability.

4. Take action.  Inspiration without action is like being dressed up and having nowhere to go.  Take some baby steps.  Ask yourself:  “what’s one thing I can do this week to feel great about my life?”  Then do it.

What does a complete and balanced life mean to you?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and what you discover.  It’s truly possible.  You can love your lifeand watch the seeds turn to blossoms and the blossoms turn to fruit.

It’s YOUR life. . . live it completely!

 Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

Your comments appreciated

At this period of time in the history of man, there is probably more individual searching being done into the theories behind the origin of the human race,what happens after death,the possibility of life on other planets, and what our relationship is to these life forms, if they do exist.

There are millions of people who are questioning the existence of God, who he really is, and what is my relationship with him? Is he someone who mysteriously floats around on a cloud watching and judging us from above like some bigger than life Santa Claus, or is he, like many of the esoteric sciences claim, a part of our inner Self, whom we have constant contact with, someone whom we and everything in the universe are connected and are thus one? Each of us in our own way is experiencing what God is, and thus we are each a part of God, thus we are God!

This book is a brief account of my search for my own truth as I know it today, everything stated actually happened, according to my own perception.

It has been an exciting search,at times very frustrating, very rewarding, and above all, very fulfilling.

My main purpose in writing this book is to show that anyone, even a bashful unfamous country boy can have these awakenings, you don’t have to be rich or well-known to find your connection to Divine Source.

I began taking notes for this book over thirty years ago, at the time, writing a book was the farthest thing from my mind. My only thought was to have a journal to read over when I got older.

As a result, I didn’t record some of my references, many of the references were from Aboriginal and Mayan elders themselves, many of which has been the victim of the ravages of time. Hence my book is short on references, but long on experience, I hope you understand.

My Books are available in both Hard Copy and Ebook format.

Happiness is a Journey

Borrowed from an online site, most of the material on this blog is my own, but occasionally I borrow something I think is really good.My thanks to my unknown author.

This is not a journey into getting more. It is a journey into having more and being more, beginning by claiming the riches you already own and are.

Happiness is a choice you make, an attitude you step into, a state of being that runs deeper than conditions. It is more available than impossible. Can you and I find a way to be at peace with ourselves and our lives right now, even before the mortgage is paid, we resolve our differences with our ex, or terrorism is eliminated?

I have wanted many things in my life, and I still do. It had always seemed that I would be happier if I found my soul mate, lived in a bigger house, saw my book on the bestseller list, or toted the latest-generation iPad. Then I met a man who turned my belief system upside down. Shin-ichiro Terayama is a Japanese physicist who radiates joy more brilliantly than any soul I have ever met. He wears a perpetual smile and lights a room simply by entering it. I have never known someone so genuinely happy.

When Shin was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he was catapulted into deep soul-searching. He went to a Japanese garden and considered what would make his life meaningful, whether he lived one more day or another 40 years. His answer was: to be grateful for everyone and everything—including his cancer, as a wake-up call. From that day on, Shin said, “Thank you” for every event and experience that showed up in and around him. Within a few months, the cancer disappeared. That was 25 years ago. Now Shin teaches others to find health and happiness by practicing the lost art of appreciation.

The word content holds the secret of how to attain this consciousness. Content means “to contain.” You contain what you seek. It is in you, as you. No thing and no one outside you can give you or make you more than you already are. The treasure you seek, you already own. The treasure you seek, you already are.

We have all engaged in relationships, business situations, and living arrangements that demean us or lack integrity. Upon recognizing that we have sold out to fit in, we must say no to what does not serve us so we can make space for what does.

You cannot afford to settle for any situation that dampens your spirit. When you discover you have “detoured,” you must do whatever it takes to return to the path of joy. Putting your foot down is a prerequisite to stepping ahead.

The sage Sri Nisargadatta stated, “In my world all is well.” In what world did he live? Was it the one we see on the news, or was he watching a broadcast the rest of us are missing? Can we take up residence in the domain he described? Can we experience wellness even before the economy turns around, our spouse understands us, or wars come to an end?

Let’s take that adventure together. This is not a journey into getting more. It is a journey into having more and being more, beginning by claiming the riches you already own and are.

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com.

Your comments appreciated

What are Your Fears Telling You

 

I didn’t write this , but it’s good advice.

What Are Your Fears Telling You? 

It’s common to belittle our fears and try to pre-maturely cleanse them away. But just because we’re afraid, doesn’t mean we’re toxic or failing or falling off the spiritual wagon. Fear is one of the many colors in our emotional palette, and it’s often there for a reason. There’s nothing weak or less evolved about being frightened. And guess what, you’re not alone. We’re all scared. No one is fearless.

Fear contains powerful messages. When we’re courageous enough to be with what scares us, we can awaken our intuition and create a new path for healing. Whether you’re worried about getting sick, you’re currently dealing with a health issue, or you’re scared and struggling in other areas of your life, don’t judge your fears, invite them to tea.

Managing Your Fears

Anyone who lives with cancer will tell you that managing fear is an ever-evolving practice. Sometimes the shifts happen quite easily; other times our fears refuse to be rushed (and they really hate being trivialized). It took me over ten years to have a realistic perspective about my own health terrors. And let me be honest, I’m still working on it. Though I had the same information that I have now, time and experience have had a tremendous impact on how I work with my fears.

Fear is normal and, to a certain extent, it’s important. We can thank fear when it makes us get a lump checked or tells us not to get into a van with that guy. We can have gratitude for fear when it shakes us awake or jolts us from complacency. But while fear can play a very valuable role in igniting action, we can’t let it run our lives—especially if our fears are totally unfounded or irrational. Once we receive the message (the ah-ha!), we need to disable the fear alarm, turn it off, and cool it down because no one can thrive in a constant state of panic. Our bodies aren’t built for that, and neither are our spirits.

When fear becomes your lighthouse it will perpetually lead you to darkness.

Give Your Fears A Voice

So how do you get what you need from fear without letting it pull you under? Bring yourself back to the present moment. The here. The now. The pillow under your butt. The ground under your feet. The real reality. Unplug the movie in your mind and pet your dog. That’s real. That’s what’s truly happening.

Being afraid doesn’t make you inadequate. Many of us feel embarrassed and ashamed of our fears. We’ve been conditioned to believe that fear makes us weak. “Grow up. Man up. It’s not cool to be scared. Don’t be such a cry baby.” But stored up fears never make us stronger. Quite the opposite, stored up fears break us (emotionally and physically). If you want to set a powerful example for yourself and others, give your fears a voice. Talk it out. Call a friend. Chat with the friend within. Book a session with that good therapist. Pray. Ask for help. It’s all around you.

Lastly, sometimes fear is much easier to understand than we think. It may not have anything to do with being useful or not. It may not even really be fear. Perhaps we’re just really uncomfortable with change. New things. New information. The unfamiliar and all that goes with it. Give yourself a break. You’re human. You have many valid emotions. The trick is to stop being so critical and start applying more compassion and kindness to all aspects of you. Now go put on some cute heels or a snappy fedora and dance with your dragon (I promise you won’t get burned).

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

Your comments appreciated

Veterans of Color

I recently had the opportunity to view the film,”Veterans of Color.”

I thought it was an excellent film because it brought out many of the hardships our colored brothers and sisters faced while serving in the military in days gone past. Many of the conditions they endured should have never been allowed to take place . Those conditions went on for far too long and it is good these veterans are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

In the past, mankind has been very cruel to each other, and no race, creed,national origin, or ethnicity has been excluded.  At one time or another everyone has , and probably will be in the future, treated in an unkind manner. Power and money , as well as fear and lack of knowledge, corrupts.

This has always been the way of humanity, and from what I’ve read in history, things were a lot worse in times gone by than they are today. In the past people often acted like savages, not true so much today.

We need to move beyond this, hardly anyone is alive today that perpetrated or suffered under these conditions. Although we don’t live in a perfect world and never will , it is time to let bygones be bygones and stop punishing those who had nothing to do with the atrocities.

It is time to quit dwelling on the past , take the lessons learned and make this a better world because of it.

I have the greatest respect for all veterans, I am one myself, and it is time for us as Americans to once again start standing up for what is good and great about this great country we live in. We live in the greatest country to ever exist on the planet, it is time to preserve it for future generations.

The veterans of color need to continue to tell their story, however, they should consider another worth while mission.

Black on black crime is horrendous, 95% of blacks are killed by other blacks. Our young, especially the blacks need good role models , something that is blatantly obviously missing  in today’s society.

It is time to put aside the injustices of the past, it does no good to dwell on them. The time has come to forge ahead , taking what we have learned from past experiences and apply them to making our lives better in the future.

The Veterans of Color have a proud and distinguished history, and should be proud of what they have accomplished.

In my opinion, there are many who need their leadership and guidance to show the young  it doesn’t matter what hardships and barriers have been placed in your path, the only thing that really matters is how you overcome those obstacles and use them  to lead a successful life.

We all have two choices in life, to wallow in misery and despair, or rise to the top like these veterans have. Many need the guidance these brave men and women can provide.

America is in trouble,what can we do?

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

You can also follow me on your Kindle.

Your comments appreciated

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Achieving your Desires

This blog is the result of my own thoughts combined with those of an unknown author. The thoughts are not all mine, although I do agree with them and wish to thank the original author  for most of the content.

I recently finished reading ,”The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown, author of the Divinci Code. A fascinating book in it’s own right. The book finally brought out in the last chapter what life is all about. It fully explains how we can achieve all we want and need in life.

And as is true with most profound discoveries, the answer is so simple and easy to discover it is overlooked by almost everyone,and understood by even fewer people.

We always assume that all profound and great truths need to be complicated and hard to comprehend, hidden from all but the elite. Most often, truth is right under our nose and in plain sight , and very often , as my mother would always say,” if it was a snake, it would bite you”.

The truth is that the Universe has been answering your wants and desires all  your life, but you cannot receive the correct answers unless you are aware.  Be aware of everything around you, because you are receiving the answers to your questions in every moment of the day.  The channels those answers can come through are varied and unlimited.  They can be delivered in the form of a newspaper headline that attracts your attention, or overhearing someone speaking, or a song on the radio, or signage on a truck passing by, or receiving a sudden inspiration. All we need to do is remember to remember, and become aware!

The rest is easy.

I have found on my own life and in others’ lives that we do not think well of ourselves or love ourselves completely.  To not love ourselves can keep what we want from us. By not loving ourselves, we are literally pushing what we desire  away from us.

We have been conditioned by society and those around us to often expect the worse, and even some think we need to repay all karma before we can deserve all the good that should be available to us. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

We could never repay all the supposedly “bad” karma we have built up over the past. Very often, while paying off one karmic debt, other debt is accumulated , it can be an endless cycle. We need to remember as we are experiencing life, others are also interacting with us and learning their own life lessons.

The key to repaying our karmic debts, is not to just repay it, but to forgive ourselves and others in the process. Because of our so-called bad karma, others have learned as well.

Everything we want, whatever it may be, is motivated by love regardless of if we realize it or not. It is to experience the feelings of love  in having those things–youth, money, the perfect person, job, body, or health.  To attract the things we love we must transmit love, and those things will appear immediately.

The catch is, to transmit the highest frequency of love, you must love yourself, and that can be difficult for many.  If you focus on the outside and what you see now, you  trip yourself up, because what you see and feel about you now is the result of what you have thought in the past.

To love yourself fully, you must focus on a new dimension of You.  You must focus on the “Golden Source” inside of You.  Take a moment and sit still.  Focus on feeling the soul, or life presence located near the heart chakra.  As you focus on the presence within, it will begin to reveal itself to You.  It is a feeling of pure love and bliss, and it is perfection.  That presence is the perfection of You.  That presence is the real You.  As you focus on that presence, as you feel, love, and praise that presence, you will love yourself fully, quite possibly for the first time in your life.

Any time you look at yourself with critical eyes, switch your focus immediately to the presence within, and its perfection will reveal itself to You.  As you do this, all imperfections that have manifested in your life will dissolve, because imperfections cannot exist in the light of this presence.  Whether you want to regain perfect eyesight, dissolve disease and restore well-being, turn poverty into abundance, reverse aging and degeneration, or eradicate any negativity, focus on and love the presence within you and perfection will manifest.

We each create our own reality.

The absolute truth is that the “I” is perfect and complete;

the real “I” is spiritual and can therefore never be less than

perfect; it can never have any lack, limitation, or disease

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed and applied what he has learned to solving the many issues facing not only the United States, but the world as well.

Common Sense solutions to complex problems.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

You can also follow him on your Kindle.

If it Hurts, Move.

Several years ago ,we were involved in a network marketing company.  The company had a new product and thus we did quite well for quite some time.

The company , as do most multilevel companies would often hold motivational meetings and we attended as often as we could. Hoping to stay motivated, and get new ideas to pass on during our own motivational meetings.

During one such meeting our trainer relayed how people are often like a dog laying on a nail. He went on to say that an old dog will often lay on a nail and never get up and move because it doesn’t hurt enough. The dog is perfectly content to just lie there as long as the pain doesn’t get too severe.

People are like that also, they will often complain because something in their life isn’t as they would like it, but they often won’t do anything to change it. It doesn’t hurt enough for them to do anything . It’s easier to suffer a little than go through the agony of change, not knowing what lies head  if they decide to make some changes in their life.

Beautiful Wall Print!

This often goes on for years, not being happy, but not being unhappy enough to force them to move off the nail.

Finally , either the situation keeps getting worse, or the individual finally decides they have had enough and deserve better. They are finally prompted to action.

The pain of lying on the nail finally exceeds the pain of moving forward and they once again spring into action, creating the life they could have only imagined previously.

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied  the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!

He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed and applied what he has learned to solving the many issues facing not only the United States, but the world as well.

Common Sense solutions to complex problems.

For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

You can also follow him on your Kindle.

Our Biggest Fear

Think back for a moment , back to the times in your life when you experienced fear. Think about the things you fear the most.

Was it a monster in the closet when you were four? Was the possibility of losing a job when you were an adult and had a family to support, or losing your life in an accident or some serious disease?

There is some thing you fear even more. If you are an average human , the one thing you fear the most. This is what is holding you back from achieving your highest potential in life.

You fear being successful. You fear you are inadequate and undeserving. You have nurtured this fear through many lifetimes and have come to enjoy the feeling it brings, as well as the excuse it offers , you have fallen in love with the emotion.

It is far easier to find an excuse for not succeeding and let someone else take responsibility for your life, than it is to  assume full responsibility for your life and admit there are no excuses.

By feeling inadequate, you are given a reason to not succeed. In your subconscious mind you have convinced yourself you don’t deserve success, and you fear what success will do to the life you lead. The life you have become comfortable with.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond what we can imagine. That is what frightens us. Realizing we are that powerful, we nullify any excuse we can conjure up, and realize that there isn’t anyone responsible for our life but us.

Beautiful Wall Print!

By discovering how powerful we may be frightens us. Often times we think we may be treading on God’s territory, maybe becoming like him or taking his place. We become afraid he will be mad and bring his vengeance down upon us and make bad things happen, maybe turn us into a pillar of salt.

This could not be farther from the truth,God wants us to be powerful. Our mission on earth is to discover the power within, our God Force. We were born to manifest our glory, as we do, others are able to manifest their highest good also.

As we travel through life, we create what we experience,either consciously or subconsciously. The older we get , the more we realize that what we have desired, we have received. Many times it takes a lot of soul searching to come to this realization.

The next step is to realize we can consciously control our reality and future by our thoughts. Once we learn to control our destiny, we move above karma and are free to continue our soul growth in a more positive way.

No excuses.

Gary has been a writer/ photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature,landscapes and studying native cultures.Besides visiting most of the United States, he has traveled to such places as Egypt,the Canary Islands,much of the Caribbean. He has studied the Mayan Cultures in Central America, and the Australian Aboriginal way of life.Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different parts of the world!
He has published several books about the various cultures he has observed and applied what he has learned to solving the many issues facing not only the United States, but the world as well.
Common Sense solutions to complex problems.
For more information and a link to his hard cover and Ebooks,and contact information: please check his website.www.commonsensejourneys.com

You can also follow him on your Kindle.

Destiny Wins Out

Sometimes  destiny  plays  itself out over several years  and events that happen  years before the final outcome can come into play, and thus have a positive outcome to what could have been an unpleasant experience.
Such was the case with my military experience during the Vietnam conflict during the 1960s. Graduating from high school in 1962, I was a prime candidate for military service when the Vietnam War started in 1963. I would be the first in my immediate family to serve in the military, my grandfather was on a train headed for basic training when World War 1 ended, and my dad was deferred during WW2  because of his bad knees.

I really had no issues with serving my country during this time, and even though there was much opposition to this war, I decided that if needed I would serve. I could see where possibly our actions there could benefit the citizens of that tiny country, which in time, even though the outcome was less than desired, the Vietnamese people did ultimately benefit from our involvement.

The time was 1963, the war was heating up and the draft numbers were increasing, since I had no desire to attend college and no plans to get married, I was a prime candidate for the draft. Thinking it over, I realized there was something about sleeping in a fox hole in the jungle that I just didn’t think I could handle. I would have fared much better in Iraq where there are no jungles.

Not wanting to shirk my duty, I thought about my options. At about the same time, I discovered an Air Force Reserve base about 40 miles from my home. This seemed like a good option, the Air Force is all about service and support, something I could believe in.

As fate would have it, several of my friends had the same idea and as a result about twenty of us all joined the Air Force, and off we all went to basic training, spread over about 3 months. I was ecstatic, I had been assigned to Load Master school and would be on the flight crew of a C-119. This wing had a habit of being called to active duty during times of need, as it had been activated during the Korean Conflict and again during the Cuban Missile Crisis. but that didn’t bother me, at least I wasn’t sleeping in a foxhole.

During basic training, my flight was located next to the Officers Training barracks and I even contemplated going regular Air Force and trying to get into flight school. However, the idea soon vanished and I returned to my original plan.

Soon after that, I received new orders, I would be attending supply school in Amarillo Texas instead of Load Master School at Shepard AFB. What’s up with this? Instead of flying every week end, I’m handing out T-Shirts to flight crews. Oh Well.

I have to admit, I did kind of pout about it for four years.

1968 was beginning and life was changing, having decided to get married in July, and with only a year and a half left of military duty, we purchased a house and was ready to settle down. At the same time, the war in Vietnam was heating up, and  the Tet Offensive was  in high gear, my Wing was activated for active duty scheduled to deploy the first Monday in May.

It probably couldn’t have come at a worse time, contemplating what to do we decided  rather than postpone everything, we opted to get married before I left.We had already bought a house  and made all the plans, all we needed to do was move everything forward about three months.

Everything worked out perfectly, despite the fact we were getting married in the spring, the height of the wedding season, the church, reception hall, and photographers were all available. The wedding went off without a hitch.

I had taken a leave of absence from work so I had a couple of weeks before I left for Nam. Everything was going as scheduled, but things were about to change.

The Friday morning previous to when I was scheduled to leave, the phone rang about 7 AM. It was my mom inquiring as to whether I was still going to Vietnam, she had heard on the radio that my squadron had been de-activated. I didn’t realize she knew what squadron I was in, calling immediately it was confirmed that indeed, I no longer was scheduled for active duty, they were only taking the airmen on flying status.

Then it hit me! If my orders hadn’t been changed 4 years previous, I would have been spending a year in the jungle. I spent about fifteen minutes being depressed about not having to leave, then began planning my new life. I can only assume my family has served enough in previous existences that our karma has been fulfilled.

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The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments are welcome

At this period of time in the history of man, there is probably more individual searching being done into the theories behind the origin of the human race,what happens after death,the possibility of life on other planets, and what our relationship is to these life forms, if they do exist. There are millions of people who are questioning the existence of God, who he really is, and what is my relationship with him? Is he someone who mysteriously floats around on a cloud watching and judging us from above like some bigger than life Santa Claus, or is he, like many of the esoteric science’s claim, a part of our inner Self, whom we have constant contact with, someone whom we and everything in the universe are connected and are thus one? Each of us in our own way is experiencing what God is, and thus we are each a part of God, thus we are God! This book is a brief account of my search for my own truth as I know it today, everything stated actually happened, according to my own perception. It has been an exciting search, at times very frustrating, very rewarding, and above all, very fulfilling. My main purpose in writing this book is to show that anyone, even a bashful unfamous country boy can have these awakenings, you don’t have to be rich or well-known to find your connection to Divine Source. 

Available in both paperback and ebook format.

A Search for Truth: The Hidden Mysteries of Masonry

Your Inspirational online store

My search for truth began many years ago, but I truly began in earnest shortly after joining the Masonic Lodge in 1974.  I have always been a seeker, one to not always follow the conventional wisdom of the time.

It may even be said masonry played a part in my survival, even before I had become a member. April 3, 1974, was an eventful day in the midwestern United States. For those that remember we encountered a massive outbreak of tornadoes, with over 140 tornadoes reported over a 12 state area.

I had petitioned for membership in the local Masonic Lodge and as a result, the three brothers appointed to my investigative team were scheduled to interview me the same evening. Trying to be home in time for the appointment, I rescheduled my day to save time, and as a result, I was not in the area stricken by a massive tornado, even though I had a front row seat about two miles away.

Even while attending Sunday School and church as a youth, I couldn’t help but think there had to be more to life and spirituality than I was being taught. Things just didn’t add up, as a result I petitioned the Masonic Lodge seeking further light.

The lessons taught there certainly clarified a few things, but they always talked out the hidden mysteries of masonry, and I couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about. I soon found that in masonry as well as most other spiritual organizations, to seek further enlightenment one has to seek on his own. This is well and good and is the way it should be, everyone progress at their own rate and thus it is sometimes a lonely journey.

So, quite unknowing at the time, I began my search for truth. As of today  that search has taken me to most of the United States, many different countries and four continents, it has been an incredible journey. The best part it, it isn’t over, and it never will be.

As long as there is a breath in our soul, we search, often times without our conscious knowledge or desire. Every day and every action and reaction is evidence of our continuous search for our truth.

I have found , that even though my interpretation of truth may change and evolve, universal truths never change. They are the same today as they were ten thousand years ago. Truth is eternal and unchanging. They are the very rock and foundation of humanity, they will always be there for us to come back to as we travel our path through eternity on our way to enlightenment.

I continual every day to pursue my truth, may you always find the path to your truth inspiring and enlightening.

Interested? Follow me on Kindle.

At this period of time in the history of man, there is probably more individual searching being done into the theories behind the origin of the human race,what happens after death,the possibility of life on other planets, and what our relationship is to these life forms, if they do exist. There are millions of people who are questioning the existence of God, who he really is, and what is my relationship with him? Is he someone who mysteriously floats around on a cloud watching and judging us from above like some bigger than life Santa Claus, or is he, like many of the esoteric science’s claim, a part of our inner Self, whom we have constant contact with, someone whom we and everything in the universe are connected and are thus one? Each of us in our own way is experiencing what God is, and thus we are each a part of God, thus we are God! This book is a brief account of my search for my own truth as I know it today, everything stated actually happened, according to my own perception. It has been an exciting search, at times very frustrating, very rewarding, and above all, very fulfilling. My main purpose in writing this book is to show that anyone, even a bashful unfamous country boy can have these awakenings, you don’t have to be rich or well-known to find your connection to Divine Source.

Available in both Paperback and ebook format.

Interconnected Oneness

your paranormal ONLINE superstore

I think we have all wrestled with this concept regardless of our religious and spiritual philosophies. The following article to me illustrates what is meant
better than anything else I have read or seen.

“Imagine you are a drop of water in the ocean. As a drop, you have your own unique identity. Yet, you are made up of the same substance as all the rest of the ocean. There is no separation between you and the other drops. In your connection with other drops, you form the ocean. Although you are one with the ocean, you have the free will to do as you please, creating new experiences, changing form, moving in, and out of existences.

Sometimes you choose to dance in the vast oneness of the ocean. Sometimes you choose to change form, evaporating into the
atmosphere, exploring the world of air and clouds. You may choose yet another experience, becoming a raindrop that falls to earth.

Oneness with all.

Maybe you explore the snow experience. Maybe you join with several trillion of your friends to stretch beyond the ocean experience to become a river for a while. Maybe you become drinking water and explore the experience of being inside a plant, animal, or human being.

You may experience yourself as a hydrating fluid, as blood, as sweat or urine. Maybe you join  the liquids of the sewage system. And maybe you go back to the ocean. Whatever choices you make, whatever experiences you have, a few things remain constant.

You are never separate from the ocean, you may feel separate or disconnected, but you are still part of the ocean. Because you are part of the whole, what you do as an individual affects the experience of the entire ocean. If you evaporate,
move or migrate the ocean is affected. No experience is good or bad, only different. Everything you and every other drop does affects each other and the ocean as a whole.

And so it is with life and your relationship with source. That drop of water is you and the ocean is All That Is. Your  consciousness
creates your reality and it influences the reality of the collective consciousness. This means you are powerful and no one can be a victim unless they choose to do so.

It also means when you pursue your dreams, not only will you be happier, but it will affect the consciousness of the whole and create an environment where everyone benefits. Once you begin to realize this, there can be no separation between you and the Source.

Interesting? Follow me on Kindle.

The author has been a writer/photographer for over thirty years. Specializing in nature and landscape photography, as well as studying native cultures.

His travels have taken him to most of the United States, as well as Australia, Belize, Egypt and the Canary Islands.

He has studied the Mayan culture of Central America as well as the aborigines of Australia. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in various parts of the world.

He has published several books about his adventures.

For more information, please consult his website,www.journeysthrulife.com.

Your comments are welcome

At this period of time in the history of man, there is probably more individual searching being done into the theories behind the origin of the human race,what happens after death,the possibility of life on other planets, and what our relationship is to these life forms, if they do exist. There are millions of people who are questioning the existence of God, who he really is, and what is my relationship with him? Is he someone who mysteriously floats around on a cloud watching and judging us from above like some bigger than life Santa Claus, or is he, like many of the esoteric science’s claim, a part of our inner Self, whom we have constant contact with, someone whom we and everything in the universe are connected and are thus one? Each of us in our own way is experiencing what God is, and thus we are each a part of God, thus we are God! This book is a brief account of my search for my own truth as I know it today, everything stated actually happened, according to my own perception. It has been an exciting search, at times very frustrating, very rewarding, and above all, very fulfilling. My main purpose in writing this book is to show that anyone, even a bashful unfamous country boy can have these awakenings, you don’t have to be rich or well-known to find your connection to Divine Source.

Available in both paperback and ebook format.