The Gift of the Blessing

As I sit here writing this blog post, I confess that I struggle with where to start.  By now, the latest illustration of the violence that is present within Humanity – the cold-blooded murder of 9 people – has received widespread attention.  By now, the specific details of this latest highly-publicized incident are well-known – the 9 individuals whose lives were ended on June 18, 2015 were members of one race of Humans and the individual who ended those lives was member of another race of Humans.  These two races have a long, sad history, and the frustration, and fear, and anger that has surfaced again – as it always does when these events occur, all too often – cries out to all of us to DO SOMETHING about these events.  In this case, there is a lot of attention on addressing the seemingly never-ending issue of race relations, and gun control.  The discussion regarding mental illness continues as well.

Some of us feel called to take a specific action, in the wake of this latest shocking incidence of hate-filled violence.  Some of us feel anger and hatred and call for justice and punishment.  And some of us feel numb, and helpless, and impotent.  The response of the citizens of Charleston, South Carolina has been beautiful and miraculous – calling for forgiveness and showing solidarity.  I wonder if they know how far these steps are taking them to ensure that these acts of violence become a thing of the very distant past?  I have a feeling that those whose lives ended on June 18, are very pleased with the actions of their community.

On some level, they are aware that acts of love – and forgiveness is a powerful act of love – are what is called for, if we as a nation and as a species want to evolve and thrive, and peacefully co-exist.  They are allowing the justice system to go through its process, all the while allowing love and grace and mercy and healing to flow through their community.

If we, as observers, want to take actions that are in alignment with that healing process, there is a way, and it can bring healing and peace and mercy into our lives and into this world.  It involves the incredible gift of compassion.  The challenge is, to feel compassion for all involved, including the perpetrator.  Now, you may have an eyebrow-raising reaction to that last statement, but I ask you to simply hear me out, and then decide for yourself.  After all, we all know that people who are happy and well-adjusted don't behave this way; they don't commit horrendous acts like this.

Compassion is the opposite of judging.  What this young man did to these 9 Human beings seems to cry out for judgement and swift justice – and we must leave that to our justice system.  Because when we as individuals focus on judgment and rage, we can easily slip into polarity thinking -- us vs. them -- in which case we are virtually ensuring that this terrible event will recur again and again.  

We must choose something different, in order to see change and make a difference in our world.  We must choose a more loving response.

I think we can all agree that we don’t want to see something like this happening again, ever. 

So, I bring to your attention, a process called The Gift of the Blessing.  You may feel some skepticism when you see the word ‘blessing’ especially as it relates to the perpetrator, so let’s look at the definition of that word.  It means ‘a thing conducive to happiness.’ I think we can all agree that the happier people are, the more peaceful our world is.  Whatever drove this young man to his actions, it wasn’t happiness.  And if we don’t want people who are in the same mind set as he, to be walking amongst us and performing similar acts, then we should do all we can to contribute to their healing.  This doesn’t mean that we condone their choices, nor does it mean that they won’t be held accountable.  But we as individuals and as a planet, gain more from desiring healing for these individuals, through the act of compassion, than we ever would through judgment and rage.  Because what we wish for others, we wish for ourselves and we bring the mercy and the grace of the Universe into our lives.

The Gift of the Blessing is based on our Creator’s unconditional love for us and mercy on us.  I first heard about it a few years back, when I attended a lecture by spiritual teacher Gregg Braden.  It was after the genocide in Rwanda, and I’d read Immaculée Ilibagiza’s book “Left to Tell.”  As a survivor of the Rwanda genocide, Ms. Ilibagiza knows about forgiveness and compassion, as the way to true freedom and healing.  I had felt overwhelmed and numb and helpless in the face of these events, and The Gift of the Blessing offered me a way to participate in healing our collective consciousness, and to feel more connected to Unconditional Love and grace, than other less loving options.

Like most deeply powerful conscious sacraments, The Blessing is very simple.  There are 3 parts:

1.            Bless those who have suffered.

2.            Bless those who have inflicted the suffering.  A reminder that this is not to condone their actions or to make light of those actions.  It is compassionate acknowledgement of the perpetrator’s part in the events.  It allows us to let go of the hurt and pain, to allow the emotion (Emotion=energy + motion) to move through us and not remain stuck in our body, where there is potential to wreak havoc with our own health and well-being.

3.            Bless us, the witnesses.

And the beauty of this process, is we can avail ourselves of this compassion and healing technology any time, whether in the aftermath of global events, or within the journey of our own life experience.

From the “Awakening Human Awareness” website, here’s the process:

There are three parts to the Blessing:

Step 1:    *Sit, relax, take a few deep breaths using stomach muscles to expand the lower 1/3 of your lungs, and then to push out the air from your lungs.

*Image a light from above, coming to the top of your head, flowing all about you. This is your “God-connection.”

*Imagine the situation that is challenging you now.  It can be a recent situation, or one from the past (strife in the Middle East, the gulf tragedy or the horrors of 9-11). Choose one that has strongly affected you or is causing you pain to think of it now.

Step 2:   SAY ALOUD:

1.            I bless those who have suffered.  I bless those who have lost loved ones, who have lost their children, their spouses, their friends.  I bless those who have lost their homes and their lands, and their precious possessions.  I bless those who are still suffering in their losses, their fears, and their agonies.

2.            I bless those who have inflicted the suffering, as they experience in the knowing of their part.

3.            I bless MYSELF in the witnessing of the suffering.  I bless myself in the witnessing of the pain and despair of others.  I bless myself for feeling the pain and yet the helplessness in the witnessing.  I bless myself in the witnessing of the sadness and losses of other people.  I bless my own feelings in the witnessing and the compassion I feel for the suffering of others.

Acts of compassion and forgiveness are very powerful ways to free yourself and others from a life experience of pain and suffering.  If we want to heal our world, we must first heal ourselves.  We must not create more rage, anger, condemnation and hatred, lest we guarantee another homicide. It takes strength to forgive -- Gandhi said, "Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Through compassion and a desire for a peaceful, harmonious world, you can find the strength and heal the world.

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I am a spiritual teacher, writer and speaker.  As a practical mystic and wisdom synthesizer, my passion is to articulate all that I have learned first-hand over the last 30 years, about the spiritual laws of our world, in my own personal and life-long search to better understand how it all works and how to live a happier, more peaceful, joyful and abundant life.

I welcome your comments, and I relish the opportunity to clarify the information that I offer, and answer any questions you may have. Email me at info@maryjobull.com.

Answers To Life's Biggest Questions

I went for a walk this weekend, enjoying the beautiful spring weather, and the beautiful notes of the songs on Secret Garden's "White Stones" album on my iPod.  I chose that album specifically because of the feeling of sacredness and spirituality that is elicited in my body when I listen to it.  I dearly appreciate walking meditation and this music has a meditative effect on my mind and body.

That music was a very powerful trigger, as it happened.  A few minutes into my walk, my mind was flooded with decade-old memories of similar walking meditations in my former neighborhood -- sacred woodland park land just behind my home, populated with wildlife, a gurgling stream flowing parallel with the walking path.  In the late 90's and early 2000's, I was in my early 40's and going through what some might label 'a mid-life crisis.'  At the age of 43, I had reached a point where I was ready, and eager, to deal with issues that had been dogging me for years -- namely, why do I always have this nagging, low-grade feeling of worry in my stomach?  What IS this feeling?  Does anyone else feel this way? 

And, of course, the ultimate consideration:  Who am I and why am I here?

Soon into my walk, I had a sudden and delicious moment of awareness -- all the questions I'd been asking have been answered and here I am more than ten years later, happier and more peaceful.  And while there had been challenging times, the experience had been rich with deep insights, meaningful conversations, sacred relationships and wisdom won through perseverance, persistence and grace.

I understand now that these 10+ years brought out in me, talents and gifts and abilities that had lain dormant for most of my life -- and that would lead me to my life's purpose, which is assisting my Human brothers and sisters on the path to self-actualization.  I am one of those way showers who can truly say, "If my troubles and difficulties can help even one person to avoid that pain, it was well worth it."

Each of us is pure potential, and each of us has the ability to save the world.  "Many are called but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14

Do you find yourself asking those same questions?  Everyone does at some point in their life.  But do we pursue the answers?  Because, in my experience, those answers are worth pursuing -- they are not difficult to reach and those answers make all the difference in the quality of the life that we experience.

Do you find yourself in the same place?  Do you feel stuck and frustrated?  I can help you--I've been there and I know the path! 

If you have questions, or maybe you are looking for a spiritual mentor, I hope you will email me!  In the meantime, check back here each week for more information about our journey to self-actualization -- and join me on BlogTalk Radio starting Thursday, April 2.  This is a new program where you will have an opportunity to call in with your questions and situations, to get information, insight and practical tools to change your life and move forward with optimism and anticipation!

For a taste of the content of my past shows, I invite you to click here to listen.

I hope to have the opportunity to talk with you soon!

Transformation and Transcendence -- The Message of 2012

It’s finally here – 2012!  The year we’ve all been hearing so much about, has finally arrived.  There are many questions and fears around 2012 – the Mayan calendar supposedly ends on December 21, 2012 (I have heard reports that contradict that).  The Mayans say that time as we know it is coming to an end, and others interpret that to mean the world itself is ending.

2012 is also an astronomical event -- and it only comes around every 26,000 years. 

Conjecture aside, what might this mean to each of us, individually and as a whole? 

Transcendence and transformation are the watchwords for 2012.  And when we look at what’s been going on in our world, especially in terms of our governing and financial systems, we can see that huge change is afoot.  It appears that we are taking back our power, as individuals, and as a collective.  No more status quo – if something doesn’t serve the greater good, it will be transformed so that it does.  This is true at a global level, as well as nationally and individually.  Everything is connected so when one thing changes, it causes a ripple effect and everything must adapt.

Everything is connected.  There is no separation, but the state of the world reflects a belief in separation -- separation from each other, from God, from Spirit and Matter.  It is time to return to a state of Unity, to remember that we are all One -- that there is only One of us here, in many different physical bodies.

What does this mean for you as an individual?  You’re probably feeling a little nervous reading this, or maybe anxious or downright scared.  The good news is, there’s a message in that feeling – fear of any kind indicates underlying beliefs that are not in harmony with your true identity as the powerful child of The Creator that you came here to be.  Often, we have adopted ideas and beliefs as our own, as we grow up in our families of origin, become indoctrinated in our religious traditions and educational systems, and conform to society’s memes.  You have probably become aware of the internal struggle between fitting in and standing out – between conforming and walking your own path.  At some point in life, many of us choose, in one way or another, to shake off our manacles of mindlessness and take “the road less taken.”

Welcome to the event that is 2012 – and it is an event whose energy began to build long before we became aware of the date.  The energy of 2012 is one of cooperation, compassion, empowerment and The Heart.  It is an end to the dominance of the Human Ego – an aspect of Self that has been in “the driver’s seat” for too long.  Ego’s intended function is that of advisor – experiencing life and discerning preferences.  The Heart is the Master – it’s where Spirit and Matter come together to make choices that are in alignment with grace, respect and unconditional love.

Unity is the message.

2012 is a process – while we may have become consciously aware of it in the last 8-10 years, the process began long ago.  There have been notable milestones along the way, many in recent memory – the Spiritualist movement of the late 19^th and early 20^th century (with authors like Florence Scovel Shinn, Emmet Fox, Rudolf Steiner and Neville Goddard, to name a few); the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi library in the mid-20^th century; the 1960’s (‘nough said); the discovery in late 1977 of the astrological planet Chiron, “The Wounded Healer,” which is also known as the bridge between body and spirit; the Harmonic Convergence of 1987 (many, including this author received their spiritual awakening in 1987); the rapid evolution of quantum physics in the 90’s and with it, the expanding awareness that our world is not solid and feelings and thoughts affect the world around us; and on into the 21^st century we go!

All of this supports our evolution because our goal is to remember our true identity – we are Spirit having a Human experience.  We are extensions of God, individuated into physical bodies for the express purpose of experiencing life from every angle, aspect and perspective that could possibly exist, so that eventually each soul experiences Self-Actualization and ultimately, a return to the God-head.  As we continue to awaken and remember, at some point we can, do and will embody Christ Consciousness – but first we each are given opportunities to master our thoughts, beliefs and feelings, so that our foundation is built on love, not fear; on faith and hope, not doubt.  More and more, as we transmute our thoughts, feelings and beliefs of fear to thoughts, feelings and beliefs of love, we will encounter the sublime experience of embodying Christ Consciousness. 

The Body is the vehicle for attraction and creation – all that we require to craft a world of love, harmony, joy and peace is within us now.  As we acknowledge our thoughts, feelings and beliefs in that which is not in alignment with the Unconditional Love that created us, we can choose thoughts, feelings and beliefs that are in alignment with All That Is, with Who We Really Are and create a world that is an out-picturing of that vibration.

In the Canonical Gospels, Jesus talks to his disciples about this process.  Jesus says, “Neither do men put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out and the bottles perish; but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:17.  The bottles represent out bodies, and the wine represents feelings and thoughts.  Man represents consciousness, so as we change our consciousness, we change our beliefs, and feelings and thoughts – and the nature of our bodies, the quality of our bodies change as a result.

We are experiencing a shift in our foundation.  Those whose foundations are built on rock – that which is real and true, the union of Spirit and Matter, our true identity as God within the body – will experience more peace and harmony.  Those whose foundations are built on earth – only those things that we can experience with our five physical senses, and giving our power away – will likely experience more turmoil and chaos.

But we can’t make changes if we aren’t aware of the current dynamic, can we?  So Life is helping us to become aware of where we are at any given moment, so that we can choose something better and more loving.  When we return to a state of Unity -- relinquish our beliefs in separation -- everything transforms, and we transcend the limitations of this world of form.

This is the message of 2012 – we are moving from a time of Egoic domination into a time of Unity, compassion and cooperation.  So maybe the Mayans had it right – it is the end of time as we know it!