Disciple is the key to moderation. Too many strict rules and there will be resentment and poor adherence and before too long there will be revolt. Far better to come to a mature understanding that a few rules may be necessary but personal discipline and personal responsibility are the cornerstones to establishing moderation and balance. To live a restrictive life only dampens the spirit while too free a life overpowers and harms the body. Far better to get the two in alignment with what is right, giving and containing in moderation, so that both spirit and body live a fulfilling and happy life. In so doing, a certain awareness will prevail, that this is what it means to be at peace within the self. And surely once that is attained, peace will find its way out into the world as well, for as within so without!
Time to cultivate a new practice… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Here is this week’s channeled message. Time to get down to it and start a new spiritual practice. You need it, the world needs it. There is no time like now!
Discipline is needed if we are to grow anything… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
We all need discipline. We all need focus. Discipline must be honed, given attention and nurtured. It requires that we commit to giving ourselves something else besides that which is readily available for the taking, easily acquiesced to, or simply given in to. It takes focusing our attention on achieving some kind of goal, whether it be to find a good or more fulfilling job, exercise, eat right, lose weight, connect with our deeper self, or simply to quiet the mind of its usual rumblings, rants, and worries.
Looking around at how we conduct our lives we can begin to see where discipline is needed. It’s really pretty easy. We just need to listen to what we say to ourselves and others all the time. I once had a running conversation with myself that went something like this: “I must get back to myself, try to find a way to reconnect with my creative self, my seeking self, my spiritual self. I feel so far away from her. How do I find her again?” I’d find myself saying this to others as well, that I was trying to find myself again, feeling that I had somehow gotten lost and disconnected from my true path.
It became clear, as I began a more concerted effort to find that lost self, that the inner workings of my mental status had taken me in directions I didn’t necessarily want to go, but eventually found to be the directions I needed to go in, all leading me forward. In my discomfort in life and my disconnect from my spirit I discovered all that I needed to set me on the path to self-discovery and reconnection with the real self that I felt was lost for so long. Indeed she was lost, not in the way I imagined but in a much more profound way. I discovered that she was totally disconnected from life in this world.
I discovered that I’d kept my spirit safely tucked away, protected, or so I thought. Little did I know that she was fed up with being locked away. Little did I know that her biggest desire was to actually live in this world that I found so frightening. It was her push for change that really set her, and me, free. And then, once I opened the door to connecting with her, I realized there was no stopping her. But I also discovered that I had to have some kind of control over the sudden rush of information that she presented me with, all the hidden things about myself that I’d let her keep secret, the things I didn’t want to know about.
In the shadows of my inner self I found my spirit waiting for me… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Rather than simply have control—I was already an expert at that—it became apparent that I had to become flexible so that the secrets could be revealed at the same time that I could remain comfortably available, present in my life, to work and be there for those who needed me. Thus began a practice of achieving balance, not just when I was in my regular yoga class or working on my recapitulation, but at all times, both awake and asleep.
I soon realized that I was on a path of profound change and that everything had to become part of that path of change. Gradually the discipline I was honing in my yoga practice seeped into all aspects of my life. I didn’t do yoga all day in the usual sense of doing yoga, but I began a new kind of spiritual practice. I intended that the sense of calmness and wellbeing that I experienced in yoga class accompany me throughout each day.
With constant attention on breathing and movement, on how I held myself and how my lungs filled with air or didn’t, I brought a new focus and stability into my life. Every day my yoga extended into more and more hours, as I simply told myself to do yoga all the time: to let my mind be empty, my body loose, my breath naturally flowing. As I focused on my breath going in and out, I began to be more physically present in the world. It became easier and easier to shift away from stagnancy, complacency, and old moods and habits.
This intentional discipline worked then and it still works today. Yoga all the time is still pretty much how I go about my daily life, deepening and bringing a most naturally acquired spiritual practice into every day life by simply noticing my breathing, bringing my attention constantly back into my body, making room for my spirit to accompany me on my journey all the time.
We can only learn by experience. Simply reading about, or thinking about doing something gets us nowhere; we must get experience by doing, and only in allowing ourselves to have experiences can we change. That change will permeate every aspect of who we are, our thoughts, our bodies, our spirits as we discipline ourselves in a most natural and focused way.
Let your spirit come out of the shadows and soar! – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Institute a spiritual practice that is simple, natural, and holistically healthy. Simply remind the self throughout the day to return attention to the body. Discipline the mind by focusing it on the body. How is it sitting or standing? How is it breathing? What is it thinking? What voice is speaking; is it saying what you want to hear? Are you in your body? Is your spirit present? Ask the two to go to work with you each day, to be present, attentive, moving and breathing together.
In getting up each morning with the intention of staying fully physically present in the body, a breathing, moving machine that has plenty of room for the spirit to fully live as well, we discover that it is the perfect vessel for transformation. In honing the body, with discipline and effort, we eventually advance into a new self-awareness that allows for new levels of experience where, without fear, we tread with joy and eagerness. This is doing yoga all the time, awareness of self as body, breath, and spirit.
Here is a substantial and very practical channeling message, compliments of Jeanne and Jan, to start off the week!
The signs of change are all around, breathe them in… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Wherever you look, there will you find what you need. Let your heart lead the way now, as you move forward into deeper life—deeper spiritual life, deeper inner life, and deeper physical life. Be present with your whole self now and you will more certainly notice the signs that abound and that surround you on a daily basis.
I speak of inner matters as being of the most importance, so do not shy away from addressing them. Do not turn your back on either the innocent self or the fearful self. Do not hide from the ignorant self or the bashful self. Do not dismiss the lost or the unfeeling self, but strive for connection at a new, deeper level with all of the selves. In this manner, your wholeness will be achieved. In this manner, your life will begin to interweave a stronger, more determined intent, with spiritual prowess and focus your main purpose.
People look outwardly for purpose and meaning, and yet I say that all you need is already within. It seeks uncovering, acknowledgement, and life. To evolve, one must let the self be humble. One must accept all that one is and, without critique, explore the meaning of the deeper issues of the self. You are enough.
Yet, you must also live upon that earth, and so I say, do it with impunity. Live impeccably, yet do not deprive, starve, or deny, for such restriction will only induce craving and resentment. Balance must be firmly established and adhered to, however, for change and advancement to take place. In the beginning, this may cause difficulty, and so, a call to discipline is of the utmost importance. Once discipline is established, balance will be easily maintained.
Balance requires physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, so strive first for these important aspects of overall health. This healthy balance requires that you do inner work while you also live in the real world. Your human situation requires this of you, and so, you must achieve balance in the situation you find yourself in, in the world you presently inhabit, if there is to be growth in a new direction. In other words, accept your life; begin where you are.
Do not berate the self, but do require adherence to certain principles of health and healthy living. Do not regret or resent the self for past or present behaviors, but take one step in a new direction each day. The simple intent to change and grow is of the utmost importance. Once better balance is achieved, once you are shorn up and feeling strong and committed, then one is prepared to turn and face the old self. In balance, it will be possible to both review and aid the old self while continuously moving forward into a new self. This is how to grow.
Create a new structure to abide by. As the world turns and the planets realign, your progress will be well supported. As earlier mentioned, the signs that will guide your progress and light your way will appear more readable, and more frequently, as you work on the self, simply because you will be in better balance with all of life. Look for these signs as you proceed on your personal journey toward balance. Define balance in your own life, to suit where you are, keeping in mind that balance will be different for each individual. Every human being must discover and enact their own set of impeccable disciplines and strategies. You are all unique, and only you will truly know what balance means for you.
Pretty soon there will be only the open road before you… and smooth sailing ahead! – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Proceed with the intent to change—this is the key to everything. Once you are well on the way, nothing will hinder your progress. The only thing that will get in the way is old behaviors, fighting desperately to retain dominance. Old behaviors are the greatest enemies any human has to face. But once your momentum is humming along at a good pace, there will be little or no interference from those old enemies, for you will provide nothing for them to attach to. Your speed and your intent will have taken over, and your future will become much more interesting than your past. That is when you will know that you have succeeded in attaining good balance, both innerly and outerly.
I wish you all well in this turning time, in this time of opportunity for real forward progress that is now upon you. Remain aware of it at all times and utilize it to your fullest advantage! Remember: Change is in the very air you breathe, so breath deeply, filling your lungs and body, knowing, at every breath, that you are aiding yourself in changing at the deepest, healthiest level.
The air of change is ready to take you deeper and further into fulfillment now. Bon voyage!
