Food For Thought

[Aquarius123]

Bridges Between Heaven And Earth
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We are bridges between Heaven and Earth. Like those of the trees, our roots need to go deep down into the Earth, to draw from her all the nourishment and strength she is capable of giving. Our hands and arms are like branches for reaching high up into the Heavens, to bring down the blessing and healing rays of the Highest Sun and the brightest light in the whole of Creation, the Christ Star. Through the visible Sun in our sky it shines in every heart and soul. We are here to illuminate and warm, bless and heal everything that shares our world with us. Our loving respect and devotion for Mother Earth and Father Sun can do more than anything to enable the wise ones in the world of light to heal – through us – all parts of Creation back into the oneness they once came from.

Those who are here now, are allowed the rare privilege of welcoming and celebrating the conscious return to humankind of the gentle and infinite wisdom of the feminine, the Great Mother, the nurturer, through whom all life is given. No longer do we need to be orphans or semi-orphans, who only have a Father in Heaven, a metaphor for the highest levels of life. Both our Divine Parents are returning into the conscious awareness of our race. Ever more of us are beginning to understand that they are in us and with us, and that they will never leave us in all Eternity.

Our Mother, The Earth
Praise be to You, O Great White Spirit,
Father/Mother of all life.
Mother Earth is our sister, who carries us in kindness
And supports us with her strength.
Her beauty is a reflection of Your love
And we thank you for allowing us to share
In the abundance of her many gifts,
Like the trees, fruits, flowers and meadows.

Thank You, O Father/Mother,
For giving us firm ground to walk on,
Fruit that grows for us,
Flowers to please us,
And the shade of trees for resting beneath.

The Earth is Yours.
She is our home but for a time.
You have given her to us,
So that we should ‘build on her and care for her’.
(1 Moses 2, 15)
Thank You, beloved Father/Mother.

St. Francis of Assisi
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Healers And Healing’

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[Aquarius123]

I Asked And I Was Given

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might grow in understanding
And become a better human being through bringing forth from within
The Divine qualities of kindness and compassion with all life.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might become wise.
I asked for power, that I might be praised by people.
I was given weakness, that I might feel my need for God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I really needed.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
And my life is now filled with blessings.

Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Words & Prayers For Peace, Comfort & Healing’

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[Aquarius123]

Mysterious Illnesses
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Polly Berrien Berends writes: ‘Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it. Everything that happens is either a blessing which is also a lesson, or a lesson which is also a blessing.’

I could not agree more. My own life’s experiences have taught me that healing comes to human souls mostly through finding a better perception of their pathway through their present lifetime and the main lessons they have come to learn. To my mind, that is every soul’s first and most important requirement if we wish to make some sense of the vast amounts of suffering that have to be endured on the Earth plane. Yearning for more understanding is very much part of humankind’s nature. To help us find it the Universe places one of its finest tools, astrology, into everybody’s own hands; that’s why we shall be wielding it to our heart’s delight.

At the beginning of the Aquarian Age, mysterious afflictions of mind, body and spirit abound. Among them are mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia, ME, various types of eating disorders and various types of breakdown. The cause of all dis-eases is a lack of ease, i.e. harmony, between the patient’s earthly being and its counterpart, the Highest or God Self. Each one is a signal that the former fails to understand the needs of the latter.

In ‘Investigating The Spiritual Background Of Eating Disorders’ and ‘The Spiritual Background Of Depression And Suicide’ you can join me and take a closer look at these two aspects of our human predicament, which by probably are the most common complaints of the Western World. With the help of astrology I am attempting to shed some light into the darkness of ignorance that to this day surrounds these two corners of the suffering scene of our world.

Human beings are complex creatures and all of us are many-faceted jewels. I believe that, when one of us becomes ill, no stone should be left unturned to find the true cause of our problems, which in my view is invariably of a spiritual nature. Presently, there are many very old souls on the Earth plane, who have been recycled time and again. Because of this, to me, the most important and also interesting aspect is bearing in mind the possibility that the explanation for our present difficulties is likely to be found in the negative and destructive thinking and behaviour patterns we developed in previous lifetimes. We have brought them with us this time round so that they can be changed into more positive and constructive ones.

It seems to me that in spite of all the medical progress our world has made up to now, no-one understands a great deal of what goes on inside our physical bodies on the spiritual level. Conventional medicine cannot come up with the answers we are seeking, for as long as it continues to insist on looking at and treating the outer manifestations of ailments, instead of searching for the underlying emotional and spiritual issues, which are the true cause of our suffering, so they can be resolved at last.

As mentioned elsewhere, whenever something goes wrong with our physical bodies, it is always an indication that our soul is crying at us: ‘Look at me, heal me and comfort me!’ The same as in other aspects of our lives, there is no magic wand anyone can wave to make our troubles simply disappear. As that would not help anyone’s spiritual growth, it has been decreed by the Highest for good and wise reasons that we ourselves have to go in search of healing.

Recommended Reading:
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  [*=center]‘Young Gods In The Making’

From ‘Astrology On The Healing Journey’

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[Aquarius123]

Letting Go Of The Rope

Learning To Trust
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This is the story of a mountaineer who wanted the glory to himself by going alone up a mountain that was known as dangerous. One fine day he started his climb, when night time fell and he had not prepared himself for camping, he decided to keep going. The night fell with heaviness at the altitude the man had reached. His visibility was zero and everything seemed just black. As it was the time of the New Moon, the Moon was invisible and the stars were covered by clouds. As he was climbing a ridge at about one hundred meters from the top, he slipped and fell. Down and down he went. And all he could see were passing blotches of darkness and he had an awful feeling of being sucked up into gravity.

In the anguish of the following moments good and bad memories passed through the man’s mind, who by now was certain that he was going to die. But suddenly he felt a jolt that almost tore him in half. Like any good mountaineer he had staked himself to the mountain with a long rope, which he had tied round his waist. Hanging suspended in mid air, he shouted: ‘Help me God, please help me!’

To his surprise, with a deep voice the all-seeing eye and all-knowing One called from the Heavens: ‘What do you want from me?’

‘Save me.’

‘Do you really believe I can save you?’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘Then unhook the rope that is holding you up.’

Another moment of silence and stillness followed, during which the man only held tighter to his rope. The next day a rescue team found him, frozen to death and still clinging to his rope. Two feet off the ground.

In spite of the sad outcome of this tale, in truth it has a happy ending. The great and wise, all-loving and all-understanding White Spirit, Father/Mother of all life, embraced the climber and sadly murmured: ‘Yet another one of My beloved children of the Earth, who has not yet learned to trust Me fully. Go, My dear Angel, take him back to his true home, the world of spirit. There let him rest for a good while, so he can recover from his ordeal. When he wakes, tell him that in the fullness of time, I shall grant him the gift of another lifetime in physicality with many more opportunities for learning to place all his faith in Me, the way I showed you in the legend of the Master Jesus.

‘All of you are on the Earth plane to evolve into masters of yourselves, of the ship of your life and ultimately your destiny, as demonstrated by the tale of the Master. As you know, masters cannot fall straight from the Heavens. Only through learning and growing each through their own experiences can your spiritual wisdom and understanding of life grow, and your consciousness expand until it has reached the state of mastership, which every soul finally has to achieve. Born in Heaven, a metaphor your world uses for the highest levels of life, initially your spirit is but a tiny spark of Me. From the safety of My sacred heart every one of you once began their descent into taking part in the experiences of Earth life. This is the only place where amends can eventually be made for any damage, pain and suffering you in your ignorance of your true nature once caused others and also yourself, and that in the course of many lifetimes.

‘Ultimately, all suffering of your world is self-inflicted through negative thinking patterns which led to outrageous behaviour in previous lifetimes. Because on the inner level all life is and there is no separation between anyone, whatever you do to somebody else, with good or bad intentions, in the final analysis you do to yourself. All your negative actions towards others also have to be experienced by you. Patiently enduring them is your redemption, which is sure to come either in your present lifetime or future ones.

‘For a long time your earthly self remains unaware of such things and suffers intensely from – unbeknown to itself – the results of its own actions. This is when your spirit and soul begin to nudge you, their earthly counterpart, and with feelings of yearning that awaken in you try to remind you of your true nature and home. Through your own suffering you get to know what pain feels like, and in your heart begin to stir the Divine sensations of compassion and love for the anguish, distress and torment you are starting to notice everywhere around you. This is a signal that the spark of the Christ Spirit in you is waking from its slumbers and starts to grow into a small flame of love.

‘Through loving service on the Earth plane the spark keeps on growing. By uniting itself ever more with the sacred fire of Mother Earth and Father Sun, it develops ever more into a radiant blaze in its own right. The heat of this spiritual fire is capable of burning away the accumulated emotional/spiritual dross of many lifetimes that has accumulated in your own consciousness and that of your whole world. Each one of the wise ones who choose to constantly work under My guidance and protection, hand in hand with the Angels, eventually turn into Masters and Christed ones.’

The Guardian Angel silently stood by the dead climber. It was waiting for the Angel of Death, who had appeared and gently and lovingly released the climber’s spirit and soul from the emptying shell of its physical body. Taking spirit and soul by the hand, the Angel safely returned them to their true home, the world of light. After a period of resting and receiving God’s healing energies through the Angels, the new arrival to this world realised to his/her greatest joy that the previous lifetime had taught him/her the most important lesson every human being learns in the end, namely that God and the Angels never ever leave any of us on their own. No matter what may ever happen to us on the Earth or any other part or level of God’s Creation, we shall always be guided, protected and safe.

And that is how all seemingly sad stories of Earth life come to their natural conclusion and have a happy ending. This applies to all walks of life and especially on the spiritual pathway, where we frequently feel ourselves like dangling on an all too fragile rope between life and death, and there is nothing for it but: learning to trust!

Thanks and praise be to You Great White Spirit, Father/Mother Creator and Your Angels for having ensured throughout the ages that we and our world shall forever rest securely in Your loving hands.

Amen

From ‘Words Of Wisdom & Healing From The Tree Of Life’

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[Aquarius123]

Help Me To Believe

O Holy Trinity,
Great Spirit, Father/Mother Creator, and your only born Son,
The Spirit of the Universal Christ,
Please hear my prayer.
I so very much want to trust and believe,
I know that Your deep love and mercy,
Forgiveness and understanding
For the trials and tribulations of our human hearts
Is very real.
But still I doubt.

Please help me to overcome my unbelief through an
Ever increasing understanding of the mysteries
Of my own existence and Yours.
I pray that may my perceptions
Should no longer be based on mere surface words,
But on a deep inner knowingness
Of the hidden meanings behind the texts of all
The sacred teachings of our world.
Help all human souls to grasp Your wisdom and truth,
The way we did in past lifetimes,
When this state of consciousness was known as gnosis.

The dawn my soul has patiently been waiting for is here,
Because I now realise that it was You who guided me
Through the lonely watches of dark night of my soul,
And through the narrow tunnel of my grief
Over thinking that I had lost my inner connection with You.

No longer do I have to wait,
Tortured and alone in the creeping loathsome dark,
Dragged along the labyrinthine maze that lacked
The knowledge that eventually the healing rays of the
Universal Christ, the Sun beyond the Sun in the sky above me,
Of Your eternal wisdom and truth would bring about
The rebirth of my own soul and that of our world.
Triumphantly, the iron gates of pain, which once held me
Prisoner in the dungeon of my ignorance, are breaking down.
They are bringing new life where broken hopes
Used to lay crippled among the ancient battlements
Of my soul and the soul of our world.

With all my heart and soul I pray
That my lack of faith in You should be replaced by
A deep inner awareness of Your Divine presence in me
And also my companions,
As each on their own way and all of us together,
Hand in hand with the Angels and You
Are walking back home into the
Conscious awareness of our oneness with You.

Great White Spirit, Father/Mother of all life,
As surely as a new day follows every night,
Now the darkest hour of humankind’s spirit and soul
Is reaching its natural end and the
Radiance of Your Light reigns supreme,
Now and forever.

Amen

Randle Manwaring
Adapted by Aquarius

Recommended Reading:
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• 
  [*=center]‘All About Faith’

Part A – Help Me To Believe
Part B – Reflections on Faith
Part C – Faith Is Like Fulfilment
Part D – Living Without Faith
Part E – Our Two Most Intimate Relationships

Please allow a moment for the file to load.

From ‘War And Peace Between Nations’

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[Aquarius123]

On Eagle’s Wings

Refrain:
And He will raise you up on Eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the Sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Universal Christ,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
They say to Him:
‘My refuge, my rock, in You I trust.’

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear.
Under His wings is your refuge
And His faithfulness is your shield.

You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day.
Though thousands may fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.

For to His Angels He’s given command
To guard you in all of your ways.
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Michael Joncas
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Astrology On The Healing Journey’

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[Aquarius123]

The Power Of Thought
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Today I would like to share with you a White Eagle teaching from ‘The Star Of The North’ January 2015: ‘Once a man came over to the spirit world and when he was shown his new home, he was astonished to find that quite a large corner of it was unfinished. His guide said ‘You have noticed that your home is not yet complete?’ ‘Yes,’ replied the man, ‘I am disappointed. ‘ ‘Well,’ came the reply: ‘Go away and think hard about the perfect finished structure and then come back to us.’ The man did this and upon his return he was delighted to find that his home was now complete.

‘This simple story sets out a fact of life. The whole point of our message is that thought has an infinite and creative power. Thought and imagination can create in your world and in ours. Do you see what this implies? It means that man by his habitual thought actually shapes his life and circumstances. Although some of you will disagree with this, nevertheless in due time you will find it is true. As you think, so you will become, and your surroundings will evolve. In other words you are creating your conditions and environment by your own thoughts, not only you yourself, but the whole of humankind is doing this. You see how great and grave is this power? It creates humankind and its world.

‘We cannot emphasise too strongly the power of thought. Humankind thinks that thought is something private. Your thoughts are expressed in your face, in the wellbeing of your body. They are even expressed in your clothing, in your homes, in your business, in your walking, your writing, your aura – that which is hidden is shouted from the rooftops by your thoughts.

‘Thought can heal and create good health, but it can also inflict pain and disease, and disrupt and destroy the mental and soul life of humankind. Thought can do anything in your world and others. Thoughts of anger, fear and hate form the root of all suffering and wars. Thought can also bring forth beauty and harmony, feelings of kinship and everything else humankind longs for. Your scientists are only on the outermost fringe of comprehending the power of thought.

‘We, your guides in the world of light, work as far as possible with the positive and creative power of thought. When giving advice, we make it a rule that it should always be constructive and seeing nothing but good, although some of you may call us foolishly optimistic.

‘Your thoughts are helping your world to enlightenment. In days gone by, people gathered in temples and projected the illumined light of the Christ Spirit to help in the evolution of life on Earth. So will it be again.’

From ‘A Collection Of My Favourite White Eagle Teachings’

‘Healers And Healing’

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[Aquarius123]

Letting Our Inner Light Shine
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Nelson Mandela in his Inaugural Address, which by the way was taken from ‘A Return to Love’ by Marianne Williamson, said: ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It’s our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: ‘Who am I to be brilliant, beautiful, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of the Universe and playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking, so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of the Universe that is within us. It’s not just in some of us: it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. And as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.’

Through our inner connection with the Source of all life, not just a selected few but each one of us is potentially a receiving station for the Divine wisdom that constantly flows directly from there into the whole of Creation. Bearing in mind that in the fullness of time, everybody will be acting as Its channel, to me, the message Mandela used is a prophecy of things to come on the Earth plane, when each one of us will be powerful beyond measure. Yet, this will not happen through some kind of magic, but has to be conscientiously worked on by every individual soul. Each has to strive to bring forth the best from within themselves and leave the selfish desires of their earthly nature behind.

The purpose of this existence is learning to serve the highest good of the whole and seeking to work unselfishly to make our world a better place for all. The more we endeavour to do this, the better we can be used as channels of light, through which the inspiration of the Highest flows onto the Earth plane. It guides each one of us through their intuition into right thought, word and action. On our own we are nothing and can do nothing. But as the energies of the Highest increasingly flow through us, it is possible to gradually become an ever more powerful influence in our world. All we have to do is to resist the temptation to use what we find for self-glorification, but instead celebrating and glorifying God’s infinite power, wisdom and love.

This applies especially to souls who in this lifetime are destined to learn their lessons through working upfront and in leading positions. But it is just as relevant to those who humbly, modestly and unseen by most earthly eyes serve in the background and behind the scenes of public life, to do their share of blessing and healing all life. At least occasionally, let us spare a loving thought for all leaders of our world and the special tests they are constantly facing, to establish what degree of spiritual maturity they have reached. Are they as yet capable of serving as tools and channels for the Highest or do they still put their own selfish interests first?

White Eagle confirms this in ‘The Golden Harvest – Creation, not Destruction’: ‘God breathed into Adam the breath of life; and God will breathe into you this same breath of life, if you will [as much as possible] hold the thought of the perfect life in your mind and heart. Then you will be able to say in truth, as the Master Jesus [in the legend of his life] did, ‘I and my Father are one. I am in the Father and the Father is in me.’

‘Hold fast to this realisation of the light, of the life within you. Let the light manifest through you; let it shine throughout the world. You as an individual are of the greatest importance, because the perfect expression of God through you can influence countless lives. Every human soul is of the utmost importance because every soul is potentially a reflector of God’s life [and a channel for bringing the glory of God onto the Earth].’

Julia Cameron tells us how she goes about it: ‘I am music waiting to be heard. I am a song unfolding. My notes are the voice of Life singing through me in majesty. I open my throat to the word of creation. I speak my truth and build my life upon it. I open my mouth to exclaim the glory that I feel within me. I give voice to God and God’s plan for me. I refuse to be small when God intends for me to be large. I expand without pride, without arrogance. I expand through love. I open my heart and mind to the brighter, clearer and more joyous vistas life intends for me. I allow life to create through me the better world of which I speak and see.’

From ‘Astrology On The Healing Journey’

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[Aquarius123]

Reaping The Bountiful Harvest

The Purpose Of My Life’s Work
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The Age of Aquarius, among many other things, is the age of technology and communications, and especially that which serves the purpose of broadcasting God’s wisdom and truth, which for some time by now has been flowing directly from the source of our being into the hearts and souls of all who are ready and open to receiving them. As one of the pioneers of this age, the purpose of my life’s work is to distribute and share the knowledge I have found and still am finding on my journey through life with as many as possible of you, my siblings in the human family.

From their earliest beginnings almost thirty years ago, the aim of my writings has been the reaping of the bountiful harvest of spiritual wisdom and truth, so it can be made available to those who are in need of it. When it comes to understanding life, all along astrology has been my greatest help. I have no taste for fortunetelling of any kind and to my mind the best way of studying astrology is by looking back. Learning something new never ceases with this subject and that’s why I find it never loses its fascination for me.

Those who are astrologically inclined may be interested to know that my Mercury is in Virgo conjunct with Neptune and in trine with Jupiter and Uranus. They form a grand trine with Uranus at its base in Taurus in the fourth house, the house of inner consciousness and home. This is the place where we are truly at home and comfortable. My Sun is in the ninth house, the domain of Sagittarius, and my Ascendant is also in this sign. On one side my Mercury is in wide conjunction with Venus in Virgo, not a good position for this planet, on its other side with my Sun in the fifth degree of Libra, which adds some more Virgo energies to the picture.

Virgo is the harvest sign of the zodiac for bringing the spiritual harvest down to the Earth. The virgin who carries a sheaf of wheat in her arms is its symbol. Venus in Virgo is an indication that one has a lot of learning to do in connection with love. This I have surely done and no doubt that is the reason why I chose to be born when the Sun moves through Libra. Much of my time was spent learning to love the unloving. I must have succeeded, as for quite some time there have been many kind and loving people around me. The dynamics of life see to it that we send out does return to us. That’s why at any given time we can only draw people of our own calibre into our orbit.

For the ones who do not yet know a great deal about astrology, I will try to explain what this means. Mercury, the planetary ruler of Gemini and Virgo, represents the Divine aspect that takes care of many of the things that are vital for our survival on the Earth plane. In the days of yore, Mercury was the young God who brought the sacred fire of the Gods down to the Earth. In the Air sign Gemini the planet’s energies are dedicated to the development of our earthly minds and its communicating capabilities, like speaking, reading and writing. As time goes by, this enables us to learn and find an ever better understanding of things. In the Earth sign Virgo, the teaching and healing sign, Mercury acts as the teacher who motivates us to seek better and healthier ways of living and being, which ultimately can lead to the healing of ourselves and our world.

Bearing these things in mind, it does not come as a surprise that I am one of those who have been chosen for the task of bringing the spiritual harvest down to the Earth plane. I cannot help wondering how many lifetimes of preparation, which is finding its culmination right here and now, has taken. One of these days I shall know. Meanwhile I am happy that the spiritual knowledge I have gathered thus far could fill a book or several of them, as by now there are twelve different volumes of my jottings. Stargazer’s Astro Files are one of them and they to date contain nine subsections. In spite of this, and to me this is by far the most important point, the discoveries still waiting to be made are likely to fill thousands of libraries. My heart and soul sing with joy when I think of so much learning ahead. To me, the best part of life always has been and forever shall be finding new knowledge and understanding that can be shared with others. This I am happy to do at all times with anyone and that free of charge.

My writings represent my life’s learning and all of it is of an intuitive and original nature. No parts of them can be found anywhere else, unless they have been copied from my work. The quotes I use here and there never form its basis. They are only included as confirmations of something that has already been written and/or if they can add something to the understanding all of us are on the Earth plane to seek. Items of this nature are only included when my inner guidance signals me to do so, because this means that they are relevant to what we have to say and true.

The intention behind all my jottings is to bring fresh hope, faith and trust to our world through a better understanding of the higher purpose of our existence and the spiritual backdrop against which all life is constantly unfolding. Every chapter of my work has been freshly written from scratch and is not based on anything that existed before in the field of spiritual knowledge. It came into being intuitively and is an original. New chapters and updates are constantly appearing in the same way, as the creative process continues to go full steam ahead at all times and fresh idea keep coming, which add something to the wisdom and understanding all of us are on the Earth plane to seek.

My writings express my beliefs and my reality and truth. Naturally, I can only speak for myself and you alone can decide what yours are. With the help of your inner guidance you are the only one who can decide whether my truth could also be yours. As it is the only authority in the whole of Creation that will never mislead you or let you down in any way, knock at its door and ask. Whilst listening to or reading anything, it pays to listen to our inner world. You have found truth when a feeling rises from there that says: ‘This makes sense. It is right.’

I have always held the belief that spiritual knowledge belongs to everybody and should be made available free of charge, rather than being sold to the highest bidders. Should you be interest in using some of my material in connection with your own healing work, feel free to do so. I would appreciate it if you would be kind enough to mention my website www.raysofwisdom.com. In the ten years of its existence that’s the only way it has ever been promoted and its popularity is constantly growing.

My life’s work is my legacy and my gift to humankind and Mother Earth and all her kingdoms. No name shall ever be attached to it other than Aquarius. As I only recently found out, the Divine Waterbearer Aquarius represents and brings us the voice of God. Ask your inner guidance whether for you this is true or not.

And whether you are as yet aware of this or not, you are responsible, not only for yourself but also for the state of our world. What kind of future conditions do you wish to create for us and our planet? Rest assured that with every word you are reading the blessing and healing power of the Christ Star flows freely into your hearts and souls of all my readers, friends and members of my spiritual family, throughout our whole world. From there it pours itself into the heart and soul of all humankind and our whole world. God bless you and keep each one of you safe, now and forever.

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If I can help somebody, as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody, with a word or a song,
If I can show somebody when they’re travelling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

If I can do my duty, as a child of God ought,
If I can bring back beauty, to a world that is wrought,
If I can spread love’s message, the way the Angels taught,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

If I can help somebody, as I pass along,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

And if I can occasionally help someone to find new hope, faith and trust
in the goodness of life that forms the basis of our existence,
my living will not have been in vain.

Alma Bazel Androzzo
Edited by Aquarius

With love and light,
Aquarius

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[Aquarius123]

Healing Our World

O Holy Trinity,
Great Spirit, Father/Mother and the Universal Christ.
You are the true Lord and Lady,
Master and Mistress of all life,
The Christ Spirit is Your only born Son,
The spiritual Sun above and beyond the Sun,
And the light of all lights.

We are your people, the sheep of your flock.
Heal us when we’re wounded,
Comfort us when we’re in pain,
Touch us when we’re lonely,
Strengthen us when we’re weak.
May Your trusted Angels and Masters,
Guides and helpers by our shepherds
In the world of light, who lead us
Safely home into the loving union with You.

Help us to know Your love,
So that we may practise and
Manifest it throughout the Earth,
And may all earthly love have its foundation
In your Divine laws and unerring justice.

Help us to believe mightily,
Hope joyfully and love Divinely.
Renew us, so that we may do our share of
Blessing and healing each other, our whole world
And, through this, all other worlds, too.

Amen

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Words & Prayers For Peace, Comfort & Healing’

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[Aquarius123]

The Long And Winding Road

On the long and winding road through life there are times
When decisions have to be made,
Choices are hard to come by, solutions scarce
And constant downpours threatens to ruin our parade.

When that happens, all we can do is let go
And move, praying for courage and strength,
And then handing the lead over to the living God within,
To show us the way forwards to a new dawn.

With this help a way will always be found.
And although it’s true that the process of change often is tough,
We need to think about all the good things that lie ahead,
If only we remain steadfast and patiently wait for them.

Round the very next bend of the road
There could be adventures we would never
Have dared to imagine even in our wildest dreams.
For those who dare to challenge the status quo
Hopes and wishes may come true in ways we cannot yet perceive
And new friendships found along the way.

There are so many options in life,
And different ways in which it is possible to grow.
Perhaps we shall visit places we never thought existed or
Explore things that have not been tried by anyone before.
Maybe we’ll travel to fabulous faraway worlds
And visit wondrous places where we find
Warmth, affection, loving and caring
From folks who could have been waiting for us.

Maybe they will listen with interest
To the experiences and feelings we have to share.
In their midst we may find someone
Who supports us in all we do
And believes in us and the decisions we make,
Because they know that they are good and wise for us,
Even though they may not be for anyone else.

Therefore, one foot in front of the other,
Let’s take life one step and one day at a time,
Confident that a brighter tomorrow is sure to come,
As long as we trust and follow our inner guidance,
Without ever looking back,
For that’s not the way any one of us is meant to go.

Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Words Of Wisdom & Healing From The Tree Of Life’

* * *

​

 

[Aquarius123]

All Of Life Is Flowingness

All of life is flowingness
And in this flowing,
There is meaning and law.
I cannot lose, what is my own.
I need not seek, what is my own,
For what belongs to me, will come.
Whatever goes does not belong to me.
Only what I am has power.
I now give up my personal struggles and ambitions,
Knowing that everything that is rightfully mine
Will then be drawn to me.

Therefore, I now let go,
And trust my inner guidance
And the love and wisdom of the Highest,
To run my life for me
And to show me the way, now and forever.

Amen
From ‘Words & Prayers For Friendship Healing’

* * *
​

 

[Aquarius123]

Healing Prayer For Parents And Children

O Great Spirit, Mother/Father Creator,
Grant me the gift of Your Divine wisdom and forgiveness,
So that I may pardon each and every one
Who ever hurt or wounded me, including myself.
Help me to forgive every cruelty and unkindness
That was ever done to me by anyone, in word, thought and deed.
With hindsight, I can see that all who treated me this way
Supplied me with a special service and were my best teachers,
Because they all helped me to become the one I am now,
And for that, Great Spirit, I truly am thankful.

Thank you for showing us that each one of us is Your child
Whom You have granted the gift of another lifetime on the Earth,
So that we should learn and grow some more,
Each through their own experiences.
Thank you for the Angels, Masters and guides who are
Protecting us and lighting the way back home into the oneness with You.
I rejoice to know that we are all children in the great school of life,
Which You so lovingly have created for us.

I pray for Your forgiveness for the mistakes I have made,
Throughout this whole lifetime and all previous ones.
Help me to draw the learning from them,
So that I may bring forth all that is good and noble within me,
Finding wholeness and healing through becoming
Ever more like You and being closer to You.

As the road of this earthly life is long and difficult
And strewn with many kinds of temptations
Which my earthly self finds hard to resist,
Assist me with being strong in my determination to overcome them.
Help me to accept and love myself the way I am,
Safe in the knowledge that Your great wisdom and love
Created me – and everybody else – in Your Divine image,
And that you love us all totally and unconditionally.

To break the vicious circle of acting against my own best interests
And of being my own worst enemy,
When it comes to solving any problem, help me
To listen to Your help and guidance that comes
From deep within my own heart, where You dwell.
Help me to stop finding fault with myself and those around me,
But to love and accept myself and them they way we are.
Whenever I encounter difficulties, especially in relationships,
Grant me the gift of the ability to first look to myself to resolve them.

Now that I understand that the purpose of life on Earth
Is growth and evolution that leads each and every one of us
To ever higher levels of consciousness,
And knowing that all my experiences only ever happened
Because they meant to teach me something,
I let go of all resentment and grudges I ever
Bore against anyone, including myself.

Help me, Great Spirit, to love wisely, the way You do,
Myself and everything that comes my way,
Knowing that it is part of Your Creation,
That it has been prepared by Your great wisdom and love.
Help us all to dissolve the chains and shackles of Karma that
Have bound us to each other, for so many lifetimes,
So that we may set ourselves and each other free
From the bondages that were created
By the darkness of the ignorance of our true nature of past Ages.

Help us to free our world from all hatred, resentment, envy and greed,
And to fill us and it with Your Divine Wisdom, Power and Love.
My soul yearns to make peace with You and all life,
Because I now so much better understand
You and the processes of the life
You created for us.

* * *

Help me to forgive the mother of this lifetime for any unlovingness
She has shown towards me, knowingly or unknowingly, especially . . .
[Now pour your pain into God, who understands the way of all things]
Help me to forgive her for the times she failed to provide me with
The deep and fully satisfying Mother’s nurturing
That only You, my Divine Mother, can give to any of Your children.
Help me to forgive myself for expecting
Such love from someone who is merely human,
Like myself and who is, therefore, but one of your children,
On her own pathway of evolution and therefore still imperfect.

Help me to forgive the father of this lifetime for any unlovingness
He has shown towards me, knowingly or unknowingly, especially . . .
[Now pour your pain into God, who does understand]
Help me to forgive him for the times he failed to provide me with
The deep and fully satisfying Father’s love,
Forgiveness and understanding that You alone, my Divine Father,
Can feel towards all my efforts.
Help me to forgive myself for expecting
Such love from one who is merely human,
Like myself and who is, therefore, but one of your children,
On his own pathway of evolution and still imperfect.

Help me to forgive my partner for any unlovingness
S/he showed towards me, during the times You have given us together,
Knowingly or unknowingly. Especially . . .
[Now pour your pain into God, who does understand]
Help me to forgive her/him and also myself for
Any hurt and pain we ever caused each other,
For misunderstandings and abuse of any kind,
For not entering into the deep and fully satisfying
Relationship that is only possible between You and me.
Help me to recognise that it is folly to expect such
Perfect love and understanding from a mere human being who,
Like me, is Your child, on her/his own pathway of evolution
And therefore still imperfect.

Continue with this prayer until each and every one,
Who has ever hurt or wounded you, has been forgiven.
Finish off with:

Help me to forgive myself for all false expectations I ever hoped
Could be fulfilled in any of my human relationships,
When this can only be found in You, my Divine Mother/Father.
You are the Divine lover, who is alive in each one of us,
And You alone have the power to know and fulfil all my needs.
All those around me and with me are but outer manifestations of You.
And each one who has ever shared my life with me,
Is Your child and constantly searching the perfect loving relationship
That we can only have with You.

Help me to forgive my children for being [or having been]
Unable to fulfil the unrealistic hopes and dreams I once nurtured,
And that made me long and yearn for them,
Ever since I myself was a child who had to endure the suffering
At the hands of parents and other adults,
Who as yet failed to understand their own true nature and Yours,
And the reason why they were here.
Having no idea about the purpose and meaning of this life,
How could they understand me?

Thank You for allowing me access to the knowledge that
The children who came through me are not my children but Yours
And that they are in this life to fulfil their own Dreams
And reach their own Highest potential, not mine.
Like me, they are hoping to re-learn to walk
Hand in hand with You and the Angels, the way we all once did.

Help me, Great Spirit, to forgive myself and all those
Who ever hurt and wounded me for the suffering we,
In the ignorance of our true nature,
Inflicted upon each other, in the course of many lifetimes.
Help us all to set each other free.

Hand in hand with You and the Angels,
I release all those who have ever shared my life
From the Karmic chains and shackles of all lifetimes,
I forgive each and every one and set them free, now.
May the bonds that exist between us be transmuted into those of
True siblinghood, friendship and love,
For You, each other and the world You so lovingly
Brought into being for us, and re-create anew each day to our joy.

With my whole being, with all my heart and soul,
Mind, body and spirit I thank You for the gift of this life.
May the blessing and healing Power of Your Spirit
Now freely flow through me and all those mentioned in my prayer.
I love You with all my heart and soul and my whole being,
And I trust the blessing and healing power of
Your Divine Fatherly/Motherly wisdom and love
To bless and heal the wounds of all lifetimes in me and all life.

Amen

From ‘Healing Corner For Parents And Children’

* * *
​

 

[Aquarius123]

Life Is A Journey
​

• Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. On the inner level of life we are all one and although in many ways we are all the same, each one of us is a special and unique being and therefore different.

• Refuse to set your goals by what other people think of as important. You alone and your inner guidance know what is good and right for you, at any given moment. So listen carefully and follow its advice.

• Don’t take anything for granted, especially not the people and things that are closest to your heart. Believing that without them your life would be meaningless is utter folly.

• Just be thankful for everything that is in your life and don’t cling to anything, when the time for letting go has come.

• Rest safely in the knowledge that only the higher and highest aspects of life have lasting and eternal value.

• Don’t allow your life to slip through your fingers – live it now.

• Don’t dwell unduly on past or future. Instead, live consciously one day at a time, so you can learn something from every single moment of your present lifetime and in this way benefit from it, no matter what life may present you with.

• For as long as there is love in your heart and soul, and you have something to give and share with others, never give up. Things are only over when we stop trying.

• Do not be afraid of taking risks, because they are life’s way of teaching us to be strong and brave.

• Don’t shut love out of your life by saying you cannot find it. Love is eternal and once given, it will always return.

• The quickest way of receiving love is by giving it. And the fastest way of losing it is by trying to hold onto it.

• The best way of keeping love is by giving it wings, setting the beloved free to fly, so they can grow through their own experiences.

• If it is love, it will return to you. If it is not, you would not want it anyway.

• Pay attention to your dreams. Having no dreams means living without hope. And without hope life has no purpose.

• Take time and stop once in a while. Do not run through life so fast that you can no longer recognise where you have been and where you are meant to go.

• Life is a journey and not a destination. Make an effort to savour it, every single step of the way, for even if our present lifetime should last one hundred years, it will be but a small stopping point on our evolutionary pathway back home into the oneness with God and all life.

From ‘Words Of Hope & Encouragement’

* * *
​

 

[Aquarius123]

Long Standing Relationships
​

Isabel Allende in ‘Portrait in Sepia’ writes: ‘Love is a free contract that begins with a spark and can end in the same way. A thousand dangers threaten love, but if the couple defends it, it can be saved. It can grow like a tree and give shade and fruit, but that happens only when both partners participate.’

Serious problems frequently arise when only one of them awakes from their spiritual slumber. Those who consciously or unconsciously refuse to tackle them head-on, thinking that it’s safe to sweep them under the carpet, are in for a surprise! All our struggles will not go away on their own and have a habit of manifesting themselves time and again in an ever more uncomfortable manner. It could happen, for example, that we suddenly and surprisingly fall in love with someone because that person gives us the attention and tenderness we may have been craving for in our existing partnership, without getting any of it, for some years. Such encounters are likely to make us aware that although we are older now, we have also grown wiser. In many ways, we are now more attractive and lovable than we ever were in our younger days.

It may dawn on us slowly how much we have grown since our partnership first began, and that our partner has refused to keep pace with our development. After all we have learnt, over the years, instead of allowing our partnership to deteriorate into one of boredom and indifference, why aren’t we giving more to each other, rather than less? Again, we need to look into our life and ask ourselves a few uncomfortable questions, like what kind of a partner do we need now? Would we prefer to be together with someone who shares our interests, and who responds to us the way we would like to be treated? And if there isn’t anyone we would like to share our life with – oh, perish the thought! – wouldn’t we be better off on our own and being free again?

When the dust has finally settled, our encounter may have amounted to nothing but a brief interlude. But, even if it is all over in a flurry, we are sure to get more in touch with ourselves. It will help us to find out a lot about ourselves and our requirements, likes and dislikes in a mature relationship that does justice to the way we are now. If we have allowed ourselves to become trapped in a long standing relationship, then that in itself could be the only reason why this needed to come into our life. As we have grown, through the years, our old relationship has not grown with us. It may have ceased to satisfy us not only emotionally, but especially spiritually.

Another person cannot break our relationship up for us. No-one can do that, except we ourselves. But, they can be the catalyst who helps us to become aware of how starved and lonely we have become. The whole affair might last just long enough to help us realise that we do not want to live our life without mutual appreciation and love – the most basic human requirement – any longer. We may then decide to make one final attempt at trying to get our partner to make a joint effort. If that fails, too, it may dawn on us how much more comfortable, enjoyable, less complicated and stressful life on our own could be.

We may finally reach the end of our tether, and realise that one-sided efforts at trying to keep a partnership together, can and will not work. In fact, they seem to work almost in the opposite direction, pushing the partners further and further apart. It must be something inherent in our human nature that, the harder we try, the more the other one plays at hard to get – as if life was a game of some kind. Now, we know from first hand experience that no partnership will ever work, unless there is a mutual coming together of hearts and souls. Alleluia, we have learnt!

Rather than putting up with the constant heart-ache and frustration our fruitless efforts are causing us, reluctantly, we may decide to move on and get on with the rest of this lifetime, on our own. Could it be that our Creator wisely made us that way, so that we can let go of relationships that have outlived their usefulness in our life? True, in our stubborn refusal to accept this, we create suffering for ourselves, which leads to soul growth. But, might we not develop better in other directions, by expanding our life and living it the way we really would like to? No harm in trying, is there?

There is yet another consideration. What if we refuse to bring about the necessary separation, are we not in danger of seriously blocking our own and our partner’s spiritual unfoldment? Could it be necessary for us to leave them, so that – through the pain this causes, their own spiritual awakening comes about? Who are we to stand in their way, as well as ours? And who knows what a separation may lead to, in the end – maybe a reunion, if we still want it. In time, our partnership may transform itself into a spiritual and truly loving one, who knows? What if we agreed, in the world of spirit, to do some specific work together? If we do not eventually pluck up enough courage, and it may never come into existence. Now, wouldn’t that be a pity?

In the course of many lifetimes, we learn that it is unwise to make another person totally the focus of our life. Death, our own and that of others, sees to it that, eventually, we learn the most valuable lesson of all, namely that lasting security cannot be found those around us on the Earth plane; it can only come from within. No matter how hard anyone tries to cling on to another, all earthly relationships are not meant to go in on the same form forever. They need to change and grow, the same as we do. If we refuse to, we are in danger of stagnating, and circumstances come into our life that forces us to let go. Some may see such things as force majeure, but they are not really. Through growing and learning, we ourselves set these things in motion, because we need different experiences and relationships that can help us evolve some more.

And yet, aware of the temporary nature of everything on the Earth, including all our relationships and their purpose, why is it that one is still so afraid of letting go and taking the odd risk here and there?

From ‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’

* * *
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[Aquarius123]

Risks

‘Take risks, if you win, you will be happy,
If you lose, you will be wise.’ Anon

To the small earthly self life frequently is
A risky and scary business.
That’s why we usually dislike and resent the changes
The Universe has in store for us,
So that we may learn and grow
From as many and varied experiences as possible.
While the personality, our small earthly self,
Detests the changes, our spirit and soul rejoice,
Because they understand that this is the only way
The earthly self will ever discover its own true nature.

Risks have to be taken so that our approach to life
And the way we perceive its purpose transforms itself.
We need to shed the deeply ingrained wrong thinking
And behaviour patterns, prejudices and false beliefs
That create the obstacles and difficulties in our lives.
We have to say goodbye to anything that has outlived
Its usefulness, including people and places.

It is true that that life can be a risky thing when
Laughing sometimes carries the risk of appearing foolish,
Weeping may come across as sentimentality,
Reaching out for others to become involved with them
And exposing one’s feelings could reveal too much of our true self.
Hoping means risking despair.
Trying means risking failure.
Living brings the risk of dying.

So what?
Risks have to be taken.
The greatest hazard in life is risking nothing.
The one who risks nothing,
Does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
Souls who hope that in this way they can avoid
The suffering and sorrows of this world are mistaken,
As these things are a necessary part of human growth and evolution.
The only thing that can be achieved by risking nothing
Is avoiding precious opportunities for
Learning, changing, growing, loving and living.

Souls who allow themselves to remain enslaved and enchained
By their false beliefs, rigid opinions and prejudices
Forfeit the only freedom we truly have and that is
The spiritual freedom to think and believe what our inner Self tells us is true,
And having the courage to act upon the knowledge
That we have come from love and that love alone can show us the way
Home into what we always have been and forever will remain:
Spirit and soul.

Only those who are willing to take the risk
Of loving all life the way our Creator loves us,
Unconditionally and wisely,
Can truly be free.

Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Words Of Hope & Encouragement’

* * *
​

 

[Aquarius123]

Forgiveness Grows From Understanding

‘Forgiveness means letting go of the past.’ Gerald Jampolsky
​

If you find forgiving difficult, bear in mind that it does not mean giving in, but letting go. Whether or not you think someone deserves your forgiveness, you most certainly are worthy of forgiving them, because that is the only way of dissolving the karmic chains and shackles we created for ourselves and each other, in the course of many lifetimes, and of setting each other free. Holding on to anger is a way of trying to compensate for the powerlessness we feel when someone hurts us.

It is important to find a way of letting go of anger, by talking with the person who hurt us, without attacking or blaming them, but by describing the effect their behaviour had on us and the world of our feelings. Listening to another’s point of view helps us to see things from a different perspective. It makes us more tolerant and shows us the way to true and lasting forgiveness that comes from our heart, instead of our head.

If, for any reason, it is impossible to communicate with the people who have hurt us, writing down what happened the way we experienced it can be a good release. Talking the matter over with a friend or a counsellor is another way of letting go. In my view, forgiving does not necessarily mean forgetting. It is not easy to forget hurts, but even partial forgiveness is beneficial because re-living past painful incidents in our minds time and again is bad for our health, as this increases our susceptibility to illness. Forgiving is good for all parts of our being, mind, body, spirit and soul. If it is more than we can manage on our own, God and the Angels are waiting to be called upon for their assistance. After all, to err is human and to forgive is Divine. And forgiveness brings inner peace. Meditation, quiet reflections and prayers are the best ways of finding both.

It’s never too late to send forgiveness to anyone, especially not those who returned to the world of light ahead of us. They are neither dead nor asleep but probably more alive than we are, because they are once more fully aware of their true nature and have been shown by the ministering Angels the karmic debts they left behind. Our loving and forgiving thoughts reach them through the ethers without hindrance. If you have unresolved issues with someone or maybe several people on the other side of the veil of consciousness and long to make peace with them, go right ahead. God and the Angels are delighted whenever one of us requests their help. Ask them to show you how to resolve the issues and through this dissolve the karmic chains that still exist between you.

Forgiveness is the most important ingredient in our quest for more harmonious relationships. It grows from and is a natural consequence of a growing understanding of the true purpose of our present existence and human relationships in particular. Though this can be an extremely arduous task, being merciful is essential for becoming whole – meaning healed – through the integration of all the qualities that are our Divine inheritance.

This is our opportunity for learning how to take possession of each one of them and the most important one of them is learning how to love God’s way and acquiring the ability of a love that understands all, forgives all and heals all. This kind of love isn’t blind, but because it understands it forgives. Loving this way opens our heart’s and soul’s willingness for doing so. Understanding opens our inner vision to the necessity for forgiving and we perceive with great clarity that without it, we shall remain stuck in the past and cannot move on.

The trouble with life is, as the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard put it: ‘Life must be understood backwards, but has to be lived forwards.’ How very true! The best thing about this life is that we are all allowed to make mistakes – nay, maybe we are even encouraged to make them. As long as we learn from them, we will always be allowed to move on lessons of a different nature.

From ‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’

* * *
​

 

[Bloop]

‘Forgiveness means letting go of the past.’ Gerald Jampolsky

If you find forgiving difficult, bear in mind that it does not mean giving in, but letting go. Whether or not you think someone deserves your forgiveness, you most certainly are worthy of forgiving them, because that is the only way of dissolving the karmic chains and shackles we created for ourselves and each other, in the course of many lifetimes, and of setting each other free. Holding on to anger is a way of trying to compensate for the powerlessness we feel when someone hurts us.

If, for any reason, it is impossible to communicate with the people who have hurt us, writing down what happened the way we experienced it can be a good release. Talking the matter over with a friend or a counsellor is another way of letting go. In my view, forgiving does not necessarily mean forgetting. It is not easy to forget hurts, but even partial forgiveness is beneficial because re-living past painful incidents in our minds time and again is bad for our health, as this increases our susceptibility to illness. Forgiving is good for all parts of our being, mind, body, spirit and soul.

It’s never too late to send forgiveness to anyone, especially not those who returned to the world of light ahead of us.

The trouble with life is, as the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard put it: ‘Life must be understood backwards, but has to be lived forwards.’ How very true! The best thing about this life is that we are all allowed to make mistakes – nay, maybe we are even encouraged to make them. As long as we learn from them, we will always be allowed to move on lessons of a different nature.

Thank you for this post. The first paragraph is why I have always been able to forgive those that have hurt me in the past. It is a hard thing to do, but it serves better purpose to forgive than to hold on to that anger and pain for eternity. I can forgive anyone who has done me wrong, but I will not always forget, and I think that is important. It serves as a reminder and prevents me from getting hurt in the same way or by the same person ever again.

 

[Aquarius123]

Thank you for this post. The first paragraph is why I have always been able to forgive those that have hurt me in the past. It is a hard thing to do, but it serves better purpose to forgive than to hold on to that anger and pain for eternity. I can forgive anyone who has done me wrong, but I will not always forget, and I think that is important. It serves as a reminder and prevents me from getting hurt in the same way or by the same person ever again.

Dear Cicada. Thank you for your thoughts on the matter. I couldn't agree more with you. I too have always thought that the old saying: 'Forgive and forget' is a lot of nonsense. If we turned round and had forgotten - if that were humanly possible, which I doubt - we would not learn anything from the incident. It is likely that we then would allow ourselves to be hurt time and again in the same fashion and quite unnecessarily. That's not a road to travel for me!

I hope you'll find the next item of interest, too.

With love -Aquarius

:hug:

 

[Aquarius123]

The Art Of Forgiveness

‘The weak can never forgive.
Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.’
Mahatma Gandhi
​

Are you feeling resentment, pain, anguish or maybe even fury? It doesn’t matter whether your emotions are directed at the general idiocy of worldwide governments, a close friend or family member. It makes no difference whether you are raging at a complete stranger on the road, in a moment that’s quickly gone or whether you are dealing with years of abuse or emotional torment. Forgiveness is a spiritual act that requires us to view things from a different angle and with an increased understanding of our own needs as well as another person’s.

It doesn’t seem to be so when we are thinking of the wrong another has done to us, or the hurt they have so carelessly lavished out, but forgiveness can free us from even the seemingly most unforgivable acts. Many of us hold onto our anger in the hope that this emotion will somehow anchor in some Universal Justice, as though gritting our teeth and furrowing our brow could somehow balance the teetering scales of justice in our world.

Sadly, the hurtful act or words of another that we keep running through our minds work like an emotional cement that keeps us stuck and unable to move on into a peace mode. Our inability to forgive often doesn’t even affect the ‘other’ as much as it does us. There is a Tibetan Buddhist story about two monks who encounter each other many years after being released from prison where they had been horribly tortured. ‘Have you forgiven them?’ asks the first. ‘I will never forgive them! Never!’ replies the second. ‘Well, I guess in that case they still have you in prison, don’t they?’ the first monk says.

• Many mistakenly believe that forgiveness somehow absolves others from their wrong-doings. That in forgiving, we helplessly accept, give up, surrender to defeat – that we are helpless. The exact opposite is true. When we face a terrible wrong and look within to see how we can prevent the same incident from happening again, then we are truly on the correct spiritual path.

Dr. Fred Luskin is the Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects. He has led the largest research project to date to study the effects of forgiveness on hurt individuals. He has dealt with people suffering from a huge range of things needing to be forgiven – from a romantic break up to the murder of a child. He believes that there are specific steps one can take to reduce the stress that comes with holding onto hurt and make the progress of forgiveness as easy as possible. I tend to agree. Forgiveness usually takes a little time, but it needn’t consume your life for years. You can start with the following steps to move your heart into the right place, and begin to forgive:

• We are often afraid to truly articulate just how much we have been wronged, but this is necessary. In cases that are more obvious, such as losing a family member in a war-torn country to the hands of an unfeeling mercenary, it is easier to explain how angry and sad we are, but in other cases, such as with long-term familial abuse, we may have even come to think the behaviours we were subjected to were ‘normal,’ and only later do we realize how much pain and hurt we stuffed down over the years in order to function within our family unit. When that pain is realized, it is helpful to articulate it to a counsellor or a few close friends. Keeping those emotions locked inside does not permit the process of forgiveness to begin.

• Forgiveness is a personal journey. You do it for yourself and not for the person you think needs to be forgiven, or anyone else. Once you make a commitment to do whatever it takes to let go of the pain and feel better – and do it for you, then forgiveness starts to become an easier endeavour. When you feel better about yourself, after all, you will find it more difficult to hold grudges against others. When needed practice self-care and self-love. If you are still involved with the person or people who you are trying to forgive, you can simply explain to them that you need time to care for yourself. If this is not appropriate due to the ongoing behaviour of another, then simply practice uncompromising self-love and distance yourself from the other person until your feelings of anger and hatred dissipate. Reconciliation may be possible in the future.

‘Your forgiveness should be such that the person who is forgiven does not even know that you are forgiving them. They should not even feel guilty about their mistake. This is the right type of forgiveness. If you make someone feel guilty about their mistake, then you have not forgiven them.’ Patanjali Yoga Sutras ‘The Art of Living’

• While reconciliation sometimes is possible, on other occasions it is not. If someone is emotionally unstable and is likely continue to act in hurtful or harmful ways again should be approach them, there is no need for being physically or emotionally near them to forgive them. What you are after is internal peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the peace and understanding that comes from dropping the blame for whoever has hurt you, changing your never-ending story of grievance, and realising that they were possibly playing a role in the grand play of life – known as maya to some – to help you learn more about yourself.

This does not mean that murdering your child is right or that stealing, cheating, emotional abuse, or other ‘wrongs’ are ‘right.’ It simply means that you choose to see that person’s pain as the impetus for their own actions and not as a personal affront to you.

Maya Angelou once said: ‘You can’t forgive without loving. And I don’t mean sentimentality. I don’t mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say: ‘I forgive, I’m done with it.’’ If someone has been narcissistic, selfish, hateful or jealous, you can forgive them for your own peace of mind, and allow them to learn from the Universal lessons, which are surely coming their way, to help them forgive those who hurt them also. While you don’t have to reconcile with others who are not ready to do this spiritual work for themselves, you do have to reconcile your own emotions.

• Your hurt is coming from what you feel now, not what happened ten minutes, an hour, days or even ten years ago. The old adage about time healing all wounds is true. But this is because we tend to get caught in karmic cycles that cause us to mentally recycle pain instead of letting it go. In the book ‘Karma and Reincarnation Transcending Your Past, Transforming Your Future’ Elizabeth Clare Prophet and Patricia R. Spadaro explain that while ‘Karma means accountability and payback, reincarnation is simply another word for fresh opportunities [which the Universe offers us].’

• Karmic retribution is not a punishment, but the benevolent and infinitely wise Universe’s way of allowing us free will. What it does mean is that what we send out into the world must return to us. Therefore, what we do unto others will in due course be done unto us, somehow, at some time, in some way – maybe in a far distant lifetime. But return it will, of that we can be sure. The Sioux holy man, Black Elk, explained how everything in nature comes full circle, and Voltaire mused: ‘It is not more surprising to be born twice, than once.’ Everything in nature is endlessly recycled and then resurrected. Understanding the cycles of karma and reincarnation helps us to get a better grasp on family, community and even wider society patterns in need of changing.

When we stay stuck in thoughts of the pain another has caused us, we are missing one of the main opportunities of our present incarnation. After talking about a hurt with another person, expressing it fully and looking at the patterns that created this situation, the time has come for releasing it and letting it go. The true gift of being ‘hurt’ be another is the recognition that on the inner level of life we are all one and when one of us gets hurt, everybody else suffers with us. Therefore, in truth when we hurt another, we are doing the same to ourselves.

Carl Jung once said: ‘I had the feeling that I was a historical fragment, an excerpt for which the preceding and succeeding text was missing . . . I could well imagine that I might have lived in former centuries and there encountered questions I was not yet able to answer, that I had to be born again because I had not fulfilled the task that was given to me.’

• Stop your fight or flight response. When we start to ruminate about what another has done to us, our hypothalamus gets into gear and engages both our sympathetic nervous system as well as the adrenal-cortical system. When the effect of these systems sets in, our fight or flight response begins and in no time flat we are in moderate to full-blown fear mode. This is because we are afraid the same thing will happen to us again. We are feeling the incident as if it were happening right now, no matter how long ago it occurred. Our heart rates and blood pressure rise. We might even sweat a little. Our body gets flooded with thirty different stress hormones and all of it together makes forgiving very difficult.

Through practising a simple, calming mantra meditation, a few yoga asanas, yoga nidra, nadi shodhana or going for a short walk outdoors, we can reverse the fight-or-flight response. This enables us to deal with the fear behind our pain from a more level emotional state.

• Give up your expectations of others. Dr. Luskin calls this ‘recognizing the unenforceable rules.’ In other words, you can’t expect to get from others, what they have no ability or desire to give you. While we can practice love without expectation, we also should be aware that others aren’t always capable of loving back. If your inner child is still bemoaning the inability of an emotionally shutdown father to be affectionate and caring, or you expect a selfish boss to behave differently, then you are setting yourself up for more pain and this often. Realise that what you seek from others – kindness, love, affection, support – will come from those willing and able to give it, and the more you offer it to yourself, the more likely individuals of the same calibre will come into your orbit. Just let the others be, who are not ready to act as evolved. Let go of all resentment by acknowledging that’s just where they are in their present evolutionary cycle of karma and reincarnation.

• Know that a life well lived is the most constructive and positive way of resolving the outstanding issues between any of your relationships. Staying hurt and angry does nothing for you. It only feeds the ego of the person who hurt you and gives them power over you. You are still in ‘prison’, as one of the monks put it. Empower yourself by focussing on the good things in your life. Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough are two of the leading American investigators of gratitude. They describe this quality as personality strength and the ability to be keenly aware of the good things that happen to you and never take for granted. Grateful individuals express their thanks and appreciation in a heartfelt ways, not merely to be polite. Wise ones who possess a high level of gratitude, often feel an emotional sense of wonder, thankfulness and appreciation for life itself. Start a gratitude journal or instead of getting stuck in your hurt feelings, every day take a few moments to quietly contemplate and reflect on the many blessings the Universe is bestowing upon you. Counting them is good for your health because it helps to dissipate sadness, anger and frustration.

• Change your ‘story’. Instead of telling a story to yourself and others about how you were done wrong, decide to re-write the script. You can, instead of being a victim, decide to use the experience as a way of healing others, one of the most profound spiritual practices ever taught. Imagine the ripples that the pebbles of your forgiveness could send out into the world. I give the example of a man named Robert Rule to explain how profound changing your story can be:

‘Gary Leon Ridgway is better known as the infamous Green River Killer. In 2003, he confessed to the murders of 48 women. In 2011, Ridgway was convicted of the murder of Rebecca Marrero, bringing the victim count up to 49. By his own confession, he may have murdered as many as 60 women. Ridgway especially despised prostitutes and targeted them for his killings. At Ridgway’s 2003 sentencing, the families of the victims had the opportunity to speak out and address Ridgway directly.

Understandably, many were angry and lashing out at Ridgway for the sorrow and pain he had put them through. As Ridgway stonily listened to the family members express their grief and anger, one person came up and said something unexpected. When the time for speaking came for Robert Rule, the father of teenage victim Linda Jane Rule, Ridgway finally showed a glimpse of remorse. Rule’s words to Ridgway were: ‘There are people here who hate you, but I’m not one of them. You’ve made it difficult to live up to what I believe, which is what God tells me to do and that’s to forgive. You are forgiven, sir.’ His words brought Ridgway to tears.’

From ‘Wisdom Pills – Something For Your Soul’
Edited by Aquarius

Recommended Reading:
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  [*=center]‘Healing Prayer For Parents And Children’

‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’

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