Messages from Jeanne

#557 A Time of Searching for Identity

Jeanne Marie Ketchel
Channeled by Jan Ketchel

Dear Jeanne,
It has been a busy week, energetically charged. What message and guidance do you have for us all as we go into the weekend?

Continue to hold your own, so to speak. Continue to hold your light within, your candle of calm steady self-induced and centered awareness. Continue to be aware that your own steadiness and detachment are most necessary now, even though you may be pulled outward and sought for your qualities of availability, and because you are the answer to so many other people’s worries and problems. You are not meant to carry that which is not your burden, but you will not recognize what is not your burden until you discover what your own true burdens are, based on what is projected upon you.

Before dismissing the energetic drains, and those who seek your attention, investigate the projective field as it is presented. Question the self as to the needs of others and reflect upon a similar need in the self. Do not judge others too harshly, nor push them away with abandon, but look at each situation that arises for the lessons it teaches you. Each interaction and event in your life is meaningful. Your quest through life is to discover the meaning of everything as related to the self and to take the proper steps to grow as a result of fully understanding and owning each challenge.

My contention is that, at each step, you will find resolution by taking into consideration these points when you are confronted with a problem, dilemma, or any issue that requires your attention and help:

1. First, step back in calmness and assess the situation. This is the first moment of detachment in order to get to a place of…

2. clarity, so that you may truly understand the severity of the issue and the necessity of your involvement so that the next step may be…

3. either correct right action, if called for, or further detachment, if called for. Both of these actions must be accompanied by heart-centered knowing so that…

4. true loving compassion may be part of your right action or your detachment. This will lead to…

5. certainty that you have handled your challenge with a true knowing of the place of self as guide to both self and the other, or others, who seek your attention.

6. With true knowing comes clarity of purpose as you begin to see how your role in life develops based on the challenges presented, how you choose to act and react, and how your actions are received by others. This will lead to…

7. deeper understanding of the projective field and deeper understanding of the self and the roles of others in your lives. By gaining deeper understanding of the projective field you will gain…

8. greater awareness of the meaning of every task, challenge, event, and disturbance in your life, as well as the deeper meaning of everything that is lovely, desirable, necessary, and easily accessible because, by your awareness, you will gain access to…

9. the dawning of your true journey. As your journey unfolds you are being shown where to go, how to act and react, what decisions are right, and what choices are wrong for the self and others. You are being directed toward the true meaning and purpose of your life and…

10. if you remain open, at all times, to the deeper study of all that you encounter in life, you will discover that your true purpose is something quite unimaginable. But you will not discover this until you are actually confronted with the truth of it, based on your trust in the self. This trust is gained by proving, over and over again, that heart-centered action is right action and that the projective field all around you is not meant to discourage you, but to actually encourage you to question the self more often. You will find true relief by questioning the self, by going into heart-centered calm, by bringing your light innerly and tending to its steady flame, by which you may always read the truth of life’s dilemmas.

This is a time of searching for identity, so do not dismiss your own quest for true identity, nor the challenges that others must put themselves through. Each of you will test the self in the way that you must challenge the self with. Do not dismiss those around you as being less enlightened or more assured; for all are at the place they need to be, as are you!

Continue to find your flame and bring it inwardly, cupping your hands around it and staying focused on rightness of action, even if that means not taking action, but simply observing with detachment, for that is the way to discover what true loving compassion means, and how to give it totally, without ego or asking for anything in return.

Messages from Jeanne

#556 Time to Allow the Wings of Change to Unfold

Jeanne Marie Ketchel
Channeled by Jan Ketchel

Dear Jeanne,
Do you have a brief message for us today? What is happening with the energy now?

You are in a place now of transition, upon solid ground. You are not floating without boundaries, or untethered, but you are now energetically connected, with solid foundations upon which change may successfully manage to transpire.

Do not get caught by the outer energy that will continue to ask for too much from you. Now you have a better understanding of what outer energy can do to your own inner central storehouse of energy, and you know that it is best to continue guarding this aspect of self from depletion. Pull back when necessary from the needs and desires of others in order to continually tend the flames of the inner self.

I advise now that a constant reminder be set, a new intention, to turn inward on a regular basis, perhaps hourly, in order to bring awareness, attention, and love back to self. Do not be hard on others for the struggles they must bear. Whether they be queens, princes, or babes in arms, so are they fully responsible for the lives they have chosen. When it is time, let them go so that they may fully live and perhaps turn this life into the most transitory of all lives thus lived.

The energy now is good for change, for transition, and for inward work, for the solid grounding has been done already, and the change has energy enough to support it further now. Do not be afraid of making choices to move forward, to evolve, to embrace the new you. This is the tending time, the nurturing time, the emerging time, and the time to allow the wings of change to unfold and carry you forward, fully knowing that when you elect to land you will come upon solid ground, your foundations already laid over the last months and years of hard work upon the self.

Messages from Jeanne

#555 Death: The Great Releaser

Jeanne Marie Ketchel
Channeled by Jan Ketchel

Today, Chuck asks a question.

Dear Jeanne,
On Saturday, I wrote about the time of now, the darkening of the light. Recently, we, and many people within our sphere, have been dealing with sudden death, near death, and imminent death. This weekend has brought the unexpected death of a young person, as well as several serious car accidents of some young people, including our daughter Erica. Jan and I have also been dealing with issues surrounding the end of life decisions of an elderly family member. As darkness descends I see its message of death as an advisor. We truly live as if we are immortals in our bodies. I see darkness as it encroaches upon the light, stirring us to carefully protect and truly actualize our lives. I ask for your commentary.

My Dear Ones, when death comes into your lives there is but one thing to remember and one thing to contemplate and that is that all must die. It is an inevitable fact of life. However, while you live you must learn to truly live and this is what death reminds you of as well. Death is not an end in itself, though it is the demise of the human form. But in reality it is new life, as a new birth into energetic form takes place at the moment of death. In order to truly learn from the experiences of death, near death, and the natural ending of life that you have lately been experiencing, so must you turn to your knowledge of life as energy and energy as eternal.

Facing death holds much sorrow and sadness for those who must contend with loss, but death is the great releaser of energy that is no longer needing connection to life upon that earth. At release comes great awareness of the self as energy and as having lived upon the plane of earth for a reason, but it is also the moment of decision for what comes next. This I have spoken of before and it must become a part of your awareness of death, that it is not truly loss, but truly new life for the one who takes the releasing journey.

Now, to address the natural end of life; this must become a common thread throughout life, that each of you may live long lives and face your own death in aged physical disrepair. This is your choice, once made a long time ago. What are you supposed to learn from the process you go through with the elderly in your lives? What does the natural end of life process that you are partaking in now teach you about the self? How will you approach your own natural demise, if this be your journey?

To address the question of accidents, I think you already know that there is no such thing as an accident. In your own lives, My Dear Ones, what does an abrupt halt to your plans show you? Are you being asked to slow down? Are you being asked to take another route? Are you being shown that you have been too hasty, too reckless, too slow, too thoughtless, too unaware, or even perhaps too inflated?

These questions, and many more, may lead to clarity in discovering why a young person, even our own daughter, must suffer a serious and abrupt change in direction. Such a time offers the opportunity to search within the self for answers, rather than place blame or reason for pain upon others. Even young people are given the opportunity to deeply contemplate the value they place upon their own bodies, as you surmise, Chuck.

This leads now to your own essay, My Dear Chuck, regarding the darkening of the light. Such a time asks for collective inner contemplation, as exhibited by the events of death and near-death all around you. A collective inward turning to the inner light will hold, solidly protected, the truth of each of you, but it will also hold protected the collective truth that cannot be released at this time.

There is a new energy that has been making its way toward great change upon that earth and each of you who reside there now have some of this energy within. You would not be there otherwise. Even those who do not appear to carry this light of change that is so necessary and vital have been the bearers of those of you who do carry it. So do not look upon the dissenting or the deniers as anti-change. They play their parts. But now, during a time of darkening, it is as you have already pointed out, a time to go innerly, to hold onto the inner truth of the self, as an individual, knowing that this is the collective truth seeking change, seeking release into new life, the same metaphor I choose to use for death.

So you see, life and death are but different forms of the same thing. They are collective energy individualized, in each one of you who are the bearers of new life, in one form or another. You always carry new life within you, even as you must confront death in its many forms and its many messages, teaching you to look to the self.

The time of inward turning does not mean the death of change, it means that a time of incubation must be undertaken in order for the collective truth to become known, as well as the individual understanding of why sudden deaths, accidents, and even expected deaths are present. All energy is guiding energy. All events, challenges, tests, and processes are valuable, no matter what age. Find the inner truth based on what you know about energy within the physical body and what you know about that same energy outside of the body. Each of you, if you have not consciously experienced the self as energy, do dream each night, taking journeys in your energy body, and this is what you must use to guide you in understanding energy, life, and death.

In conclusion, a journey belongs to an individual, no matter the age or the maturity. Each person must make choices as to how they will grow and deal with the circumstances they find themselves in. Even our daughter must discover why she is in the painful state she now finds herself in. And if she is not truly ready to understand, then that is fine, for she is learning so much of value anyway. The mature ones among you must step back and truly let nature take its course. The energy of life must be allowed to evolve whether it be continued life upon that earth in physical form or not. Whether that form is temporarily or permanently damaged, so must the energy in each individual be allowed to teach the lessons without interference.

Guidance and advice may always influence another but, ultimately, each individual must decide for themselves how to live and how to die. Both are choices, and they are supremely important decisions that must be attended to, no matter the age.

Collectively and individually, as you suggest and I concur, it is now a time to not only protect and value physical self and the experiences being presented, but also to energetically keep the inner light alive, fed, and nurtured by what is most important for now.

I hope this message aids you as the coming weeks of outer darkness approach asking for greater inner turning. Keeping the flame well tended is the antidote. You are certainly right about that, My Dear Chuck. Thank you for keeping the light.

Chuck's Blog

#554 Chuck’s Place: Darkening of the Light: Ascent of the Prince of Darkness

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Welcome to Chuck’s Place, where Chuck Ketchel expresses his thoughts, insights, and experiences! Many of the shamanic and psychological terms used in Chuck’s essays are defined in Tools & Definitions on our Psychotherapy website.

Recently, in my quest to ascertain the overriding archetype of now, the I Ching presented me with Hexagram #36: Darkening of the Light. This hexagram is built, at its base, with the trigram of fire encapsulated by the trigram of the mountain, hence, the hexagram depicts fire within the mountain, light surrounded on all sides by darkness.

The interplay of these trigrams reflects this time of year, as we approach summer’s end. The zenith of the sun’s power on one day, June 21st, has long since past, as, slowly but surely, darkness encroaches upon the duration of light in each day. Internally, our creative energies stir, seeking release and life before they must retreat deep into the psyche, like all seeds requiring long germination, until they are born anew in the spring. We approach the time of universal SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, the time of natural depression, as potential life sinks into the earth where it must await the proper time for its return.

What is critical in the time of darkening of the light is an attitude of acquiescence to the inevitable. The I Ching teaches that the Prince of Darkness ascends to absolute power in this time. The only recourse for the Prince of Light is to retreat deep within the self, hiding its light, attracting no unnecessary attention, remaining inwardly protective of the truth. This inward resolve requires intense perseverance as outer conditions turn unfavorable to its expression. This is not a time to take on battles with evil directly.

When we look at the energetic dynamics currently erupting on our national stage we see the synchronistic reverberation of darkening of the light. President Obama has advanced the cause of health care reform in America, a necessity so obvious and right that I waste no time here in its defense. We see daily the archetypal armies of the Prince of Darkness seizing any opportunity to consume all the light of goodness and rightness of Obama’s intent. In this context, the Prince of Darkness employs the cloak of greed, enlisting corporate sponsors, Republican extremists, and the Christian Right to advance his cause: total consumption of the light.

These attacks are not rational arguments being advanced to challenge the President. They are irrational frenzied energies that have slumbered in the collective unconscious, awaiting their opportunity to slip into life. They found their opening with the health care debate. They come armed with hate, rage, and, sometimes, guns to the battleground of town hall meetings, with the goal of annihilation. They bring symbols of National Socialism: swastikas, and Hitler’s mustache imposed upon Obama’s image, as well as an onslaught of inciting propaganda. What we see before us is a people possessed by archetypal energies that seek to exterminate: wipe out the good and the light.

We live in times of deep depression and deflation of our national pride as we face the ruins created by the former administration and the truths revealed by the present administration. In some ways, our American depression can be compared to Germany following World War I, the very conditions that gave rise to the archetypal evil perpetrated by Hitler as he sought to inflate the value of the German “volk”, rather than face the true reality of Germany’s inferior position. In fact, a nation in ruins needs to slowly and soberly find its appropriate place in the world. The Prince of Darkness is seeking a similar opening in the American psyche, denying the reality of our truths, seeking instead to maintain the notion of “America über alles.”

The cadres of the Prince of Darkness project evil and darkness upon Obama, a man of color. In fact, Obama reigns as the Prince of Light, maintaining the candle of truth amidst the prevailing darkness. Unfortunately, America’s tolerance for the sober truth is undercut by its characteristic childish desire for instant relief. This is where the Prince of Darkness preys upon the collective American psyche and weakens its needed perseverance and tolerance for the slow wheel of necessary change.

Through Obama’s brilliant management of the crisis in the auto industry we now have GM introducing the Chevy Volt on the near horizon. A volt is an energetic measurement. The introduction of the Volt is the beginning of a long awaited energetic shift. The electric car, which has been suppressed for decades to ensure our dependence on the oil industry, is finally being born. Obama has cleared the way for this emergence through demanding change. All car companies will follow suit. In a few years, even the Prius may be viewed as a gas guzzler. Despite Obama’s obvious progress, the Prince of Darkness continues to prey upon our demanding American baby that deserves it all, now!

The I Ching counsels the absolute necessity to go inward and hold firmly to one’s truth in the time of darkening of the light. This is the same advice the shamans give when confronting one’s petty tyrant. The shamans appreciate the time of darkness as the time to remold oneself by disengaging from the grip of the baby, with its self importance, soberly observing the real facts at hand, taking right action. In practical terms this means not engaging the irrational insanity of the energy being unleashed at town hall meetings. Such restraint is difficult because of the assault to reason these protesters bring. It’s not personal and to engage this irrationality directly would result in being consumed by it, either through annihilation or by becoming possessed by the same rageful energy in an attempt to combat it. This restraint requires not attaching to victimhood. The trick is to hold onto the truth, advance it when possible, and not get caught in the web of anger, battling the Prince of Darkness on his terms, which are irrational, incitant fury and rage. Ultimately, the challenge is to hold onto one’s light, with tenacity and the clear knowledge that the time of darkening of light will pass, and that the conditions for the Prince of Light to emerge victoriously will return.

Now is not the time to exhaust oneself in a battle with the archetypal energies of the Prince of Darkness. In fact, the I Ching points out that evil can only be sustained through feeding upon the light. If the light retreats, the evil energy loses its sustenance.

The shamans counsel that the flyer entities, or the Prince of Darkness, constantly feast upon our energy by engaging us in all sorts of emotional entanglements, which all boil down to affronts to our self-importance. We can use these entities to help us lose our self-importance by retreating from the trap of feeling offended: victimhood. In this way, we maintain our true light, protecting it from unnecessary traps, as we patiently and perseveringly await the time of darkening of the light to pass, as we reemerge, at the right time, our light guiding the way to new life.

As usual, should anyone wish to write, I can be reached at: chuck@riverwalkerpress.com

Until we meet again,
Chuck

Messages from Jeanne

#553 The Life You Live is of Your Choosing

Jeanne Marie Ketchel
Channeled by Jan Ketchel

Dear Jeanne,
Do you have guidance for us today?

It is time to continue in the flow of your life, accepting that this is where you are now. The questions to ask the self are these: How do I elect to deal with the situation I find myself in? Do I acquiesce and remain aware of the ever-present energy as it guides me? Or do I resist the process of my journey and refuse participation for some reason? What are the deeper reasons for making the decisions and choosing the steps I take in my life? Why do I do what I do? Who is in charge of my life?

Ultimately, the challenges we all face in our lives upon that earth relate very specifically to us alone, though the challenges may be posed by those outside of us. If we keep ourselves isolated from society, with little human contact, that too presents us with our own inner dilemmas. Why must we constantly face challenges? Why can we not simply exist, free of such interruptions? Why must we constantly be making choices and determining what is right? Why must life be so difficult?

These are questions that I hear quite often among those of you who reside upon the earth plane. I can only answer from my own perspective and the journey I have taken thus far. Life upon that earth is full of challenges because it is the greatest feat, the greatest gift, and the greatest opportunity you will ever receive. Your earth time is your learning ground where you have the opportunity, during each lifetime, to assemble all knowledge, in an understanding of energy and the true journey, to reach a point of evolving beyond that place. It is truly a most exciting journey if you become aware of its potential and the possibilities that it offers you.

Do you find it difficult to grasp the ideas of energy and energetic discourse and connection? Is it too farfetched to speak of everything as energy and everything as meaningful? Is it too much to ask that you trust that your journey is, no matter how difficult or seemingly mundane, the perfect journey for you to take at this time?

I am full of questions today! The last one I will ask you is: Have you discovered what it is that you, as an individual entity, are supposed to learn from this life? Study your life intently for the answers. Each one of you has a core challenge to discover and resolve in that lifetime. It may be the same challenge that you have struggled with for many lifetimes, or you may have decided to return with a fresh challenge, having already completed others. The choices to face challenges and to elect to evolve are yours alone. With enlightenment (meaning gaining clarity, awareness, and access to all knowledge) you are also presented with options on what to do next with your energetic self. Whether to elect a new lifetime upon that earth, or to go on to the next level of being is your choice, and this is what I stress next. The life you live is of your choosing.

This topic has been touched upon by many upon that earth who have visited the upper realms of awareness. I can stress that this choice of life challenge is, most often, made in full awareness. It is made by your spirit because it is ready to take on such a challenge to further train the awareness that lies waiting, in each of you, for nurturance and cultivation.

Today, I leave you to ponder the many questions I pose. Only in deep inner questing will you discover who you truly are and why you are there. But remain equally certain that the life you live, the people you meet, the circumstances you are in, and the challenges you face are all part of your own plan for growth. You are the choice maker. You are your own ultimate challenger and teacher. You are your own greatest asset and partner. You are your own greatest gift, offering your self the answers you desire.

Close your eyes and go into your inner silent self. Find the answers to every thing you seek, ready and waiting for you to unearth them. For they have been but slumbering alongside you, waiting for you to recognize them again, as they appear to guide you on your journey. Every thing you encounter has been encountered before, set up by you. Now it is up to you to decide how to proceed, in actuality, based on all the decisions and choices thus far made. You are an evolving being, living an evolving life, unfolding each day toward clarity and growth.

See what happens next. See if you recognize the circumstances. See if you know exactly what to do, without thinking, but by the guidance of your inner self knowing what is right. Good Luck!

Chuck Ketchel, LCSWR