Do not be upset by every stone and pothole on the road to balance, for they too are part of the journey. They too point out that there are always challenges to encounter and to not get swept up in feeling that you are not doing well on your journey to wholeness. Keep going. And without regret sidestep the obstructions and feel no remorse for the fact that you stepped into what naturally formed on your path. Just keep going, for the end result will be the same.
Life has its rituals and patterns that seem to need attention, especially those attached to family and the expectations of society. But life also, in its evolutionary phase, may require the breaking away from those rituals and patterns so that individuality may be achieved. Individuality involves the evolution of the inner spirit, which may indeed involve breaking away from the constraints of society to discover its true purpose. Rituals uphold and frame life, but at a certain point it may be time to make them less important and to turn instead to what is really needed by the spirit in its intent to evolve. This may involve a period of solitary endeavor, such as recapitulation, in order to resolve old issues that hold the spirit captive. A solitary retreat, even for a few days, may hold the gold that you and your spirit seek.
The road to change is never straight. It weaves, wobbles and backtracks, taking you through its necessary and inevitable twists and turns. Do not lose faith but keep going, for life’s unfolding is just that, full of twists and turns, playing out like a great mystery in which the ending is never truly known except the one great and permanent change at the end. During the playing out of the mystery of life maintain an attitude of curiosity, interest, fascination and constant openness to the mystery of what is to come so that every moment fills you with awe.
A balance is created when what is inside you is no longer overpowering, in control, or dominating. When inner turmoil has lost its punch balance ensues. And how to lessen the punch? With impeccability and by fearlessly confronting what it is that overpowers, controls and dominates one’s thoughts, actions and emotions, one eventually tames the beast within. The kind of balance that ensues is one that cannot be disturbed no matter what comes to challenge. Though more often than not, once one confronts what is going on inside the self, life’s challenges simmer down too, so that what is outside the self is equally balanced and calm. With impeccability, compassion, and a determined heart, seek to calm the beasts within and attain balance without as well.
The shamans of ancient Mexico called the ability to access and influence reality at a subtle energetic level, the exercise of power at the level of the second attention. This is in contrast to the first attention, the province of using physical energy in the solid world of everyday life.
By simply thinking, we engage the second attention. Thought conjures the subtle energy of imagination, which generates a blueprint that then manifests as images in action, which influence the physical dimension of reality through the law of attraction.
Thought can also be directed to travel telepathically and to be subliminally received by someone whom we intend to be influenced by it. Setting a healing intent, or praying for someone, are examples of exercising this power of the second attention.
These simple examples of exercising the power of the second attention deepen as one learns of the existence of the astral dimension, where souls, in their energy body form, intermingle in what is called dreaming.
When the physical body goes into the deep regeneration of sleep, one’s energy body, or soul, is freed from its mooring within the physical body to travel, in dreaming, into the astral dimension of reality. The astral region is populated by visiting energy bodies of humans currently in physical form, as well as by those currently not in human form. Bob Monroe crafted this affirmation for astral travelers so as to ensure safety and protection:
I deeply desire the help and cooperation, the assistance, the understanding of those individuals whose wisdom, development and experience are equal to or greater than my own. I ask their guidance and protection from any influence or any source that might provide me with less than my stated desires.
The energetic modus operandi of the astral region is thought. Thus, if I intend to fly in a dream, I simply state ‘fly now’ and off I go. If my mind, however, is in its first attention perspective when dreaming, I will attempt to fly by flapping my arms and jumping up like a bird, to no avail.
Similarly, if I am in my first attention in a dream and consciously attempt to walk, as I do in waking life, I will experience tremendous weight and inertia as I stumble forward. Actually, this experience is a moment where I might be prompted to wake up to my second attention, as the thought might occur in the first attention that, “This situation is impossible. Of course it is, I’m in a dream!”
From this awakening realization I can simply command where I want to be, and be there in an instant. The trick is to stay in the astral region of dreaming and not wake up to the physical body and the first attention of Newtonian physics. To develop second attention awareness in dreaming, set the intent to wake up to it before you go off to sleep. Be patient as you seek to develop your astral prowess.
Outwardly, the world has truly woken up to, and become pervasively enthralled with, exercising the power of the second attention in daily life, the normal province of the first attention. The use of affirmations to manifest one’s desires is widespread. The caution here is to be sure that what one asks for is truly in alignment with one’s high Spirit. (See my blog: Don’t Forget To Ask If It’s Right for a fuller discussion of this point).
Our world is being challenged now with ideologies—thoughts—that state that if facts don’t support their contentions then the facts are false. The human race has become extremely polarized by thoughts that have manifested alternative realities, based on differing belief systems around the globe. The power of the second attention can be commandeered for egocentric and evil intentions, as well as for the good of the planet.
To protect oneself from the power of nefarious influencers, retreat to the sanctity of the heart, where the scales of justice will always tell the truth. Include a positive affirmation, such as Bob Monroe’s, to be fully present to observe and learn but still safe and protected from negative influences.
Intend to be personally responsible with the power of thought at the center of the second attention.
And, last but not least, intend always for the greater good, joining ranks with the evolutionary energy of love. Now that’s worthy of all our attention!
