Saturday, December 29, 2012

Today is Reading Day

     I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who always have a to-do list going and like to stay busy with projects.  But today, I'm going to take the day off and sit and actually read!  It's a pleasure I don't allow myself nearly often enough. 

     So, here's my suggestion.  Grab a good book (The Gemini Bond, anyone?), get your favorite blanket or fuzzy lap warmer (mine is currently purring away on my lap), and lose yourself in a wonderful story.  Enjoy.  You deserve it.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Usher in the Light

In this time of wintery chills,
may we bring warmth;
In this time of confusion and noise,
may we bring peace;
In this time of long, pitch-black nights,
may we bring light.
 
Let us be the ushers of a better tomorrow.
 
Peace to you.
 
(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)



Saturday, December 22, 2012

The New Mayan Long Count Calendar

     See, we're still here! 
 
Now, let's make this new long count
 -- this new age --
one of peace, prosperity, and kindness for all. 
 
Together, we can make it happen!
 
(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Violence and Its Lessons

     I think any time we hear about a violent act, we have the choice to be buried under the weight of sadness and despair, or we can learn from it.  When I went on my rant the other day about violence in America, I had to take a hard look at myself and ask if my works contributed to the promotion of violence. 

     In The Gemini Bond, the opening scene is one of domestic violence, but it is not done to promote the violence, but to show its effects on the members of the family.  It also provides the motivation for the actions by one of the main characters in the story.  This young man later goes on to commit violence himself, but I tried to show why he felt compelled to do it.  In no way is violence glorified, and I tried at every turn to show why certain characters acted the way they did.  I also showed the emotional trauma experienced by the violence.  I believe that every act has an effect, and I didn't gloss over those effects.

     In understanding why people commit violence, perhaps we can build an awareness of how to prevent it.  That was one of my goals in writing The Gemini Bond.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Off Topic: Violence in America

     No doubt we've all been saddened by the news coming from the elementary school in Connecticut.  I think that as a country, we need to step back and take a hard look at ourselves.  If it takes a village to raise a child, I'd say we're failing.  Not only are we failing to protect our kids from mentally ill people with assault weapons, but we're failing to provide support to our mentally ill, and we're promoting violence in the name of free commerce.

     If I could ask Santa for three things, they would be these:
  • If we really cared about our kids as much as we say we do, we would make sure that they are safe.  Can you tell me why, in this day and age, many school buses still do not have seat belts?  And in my hot area of the country, why do many not have air conditioning?  I've heard of too many youngsters who have passed out on the bus due to overheating.  Why are schools so easy to get into to?  Security and safety should be made a top priority.
  • Why do we cut, cut, cut from education, from our social services which provide support for the mentally ill and their families, or from the services which assist at-risk families?  It boggles the mind the millions of dollars that have been wasted in foreign countries, but we fail to support our own citizens.  In this aspect, I'd say the government, led by the voters, needs to do some major reprioritizing.
  • Why do we glorify violence?  Why do we train young minds to become numb to violence through movies, video games, and music lyrics which attack authority figures and women?  Why do we think it's OK to carry around a concealed weapon?  The wild West is over, folks, and chances are that if someone started shooting in your direction and you pulled out your own gun, you would either miss and hurt someone or hurt yourself.  Really, assault weapons should not be in the hands of the public.  They're only designed to kill large numbers of people in an hyper-efficient manner. 
     I'm sorry if I'm going on and on, but if we are going to make the new age marked by the new long count Mayan calendar mean anything positive, we need to start changing how we've been doing things.  We need to stop looking for the quick buck, the short-term solution, and start changing our priorities.  We need to all become responsible villagers and start raising our children in love, safety, and peace.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Holiday Gifts!

     I have a great idea for that special someone who is always a little difficult to buy for during the holidays.  You know the person I'm talking about -- not too materialistic or fashion-crazed, more interested in reading than in thrill-seeking, a bit of a romantic, enjoys long conversations about metaphysical subjects, is intelligent and curious, and already has far too many candles.  Does this sound like anyone you know?

     If so, here's an idea:  buy them The Gemini Bond either as a download or as a paperback.  They'll love it! 

     And if the description above seems to fit you, buy yourself a copy as well!  Enjoy the holidays and curl up with a good book.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

The Mayans and December 22, 2012

     I read with some amusement, quickly followed by a hefty measure of sadness, that people in various countries are panicking over the 12/21/12 date.  They're clearing out store shelves of candles, canned foods, jugs of water, power generators, guns and ammunition, you name it.  Can we all just step back, take a deep breath, and clear our minds a little bit?

     Yes, the December 21, 2012 date marks the "end" of the large cycle on the Mayan calendar.  Dear readers, please understand that the Mayan calendar is cyclical -- they view it as going around in giant circles, like cogs.  Just because we reach an end date doesn't mean that it's the end forever.  We just start over on the long count. 

     For this reason, the Mayans are planning a huge party on December 22, 2012.  In fact, they're so excited about this party that they're planning another one on the same day in 2013.  If they aren't panicking, neither should we.

     Let's not give in to fear, because it is usually a form of manipulation by some folks who either want to distract you from what they're really doing, or else by some people out to make a buck.  Either way, fear is an attractive force; remember "You attract that which you fear."  Let's not give in to that.  Rather, let's keep this a joyous occasion, a great time to start over. 

    And let's plan a big party not only on 12/22/12, but on 12/22/13. 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Empathy as a Spiritual Discipline, Part 2

     In my earlier life, I attended conservative churches on a regular basis.  And of all the hours of sermons I heard, only one has stuck in a positive way.  Its theme was that we need to have the same internal strength as the forces around us.  The analogy that this pastor shared was that of a deep-sea fish.  Its internal pressure is extraordinarily high, which counterbalances the high pressures of the lower sea depths.  If this fish were to be brought to sea level, it would explode because of its high internal pressure.  Interesting.

     I think this helps us empathic types focus on what is needed to get through a normal day.  The internal pressure needed here is NOT the "wall of protection" or highly resistant attitude that one often hears about.  Rather, I believe it is the force of love, which will counterbalance most anything coming at us. 

     Yes, I still have many days when I'm so tired or off my game that this seems unrealistic.  Still, it is something to aim for.  Imagine if we all made the force of love our goal.  What a world we could have!

Saturday, December 1, 2012

What Kind of Person Are You?

     I was thinking about the type of person that would really enjoy The Gemini Bond.  What kind of person would that be?  Here's a partial list:
  • you are curious about what Twin Souls are all about;
  • you are turned off by overtly "woo-woo" stuff;
  • you don't necessarily trust all channeled information;
  • you like your world view to make sense in terms of reality and your experience;
  • you are interested in how science and spirituality complement and inform each other;
  • you may have had some paranormal experiences that you can't explain, and that you don't feel comfortable talking to others about;
  • you are intrigued by the concept of soul evolution.
     If this describes you or someone you know, then The Gemini Bond is for you! 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Empathy as a Spiritual Discipline

     As you have read plenty of times in this blog, I'm an empath who often struggles with being able to function in our hyper-saturated world.  We empaths often feel overwhelmed, not only by common sensory stimuli, but also by the feelings, moods, thoughts, and physical ailments of others.  It's not an easy path!

     For most of my life, I've vacillated between feeling completely overwhelmed and exhausted by it all, or else putting up a hard protective shell which makes me feel confined and unfeeling.  Lately, I've discovered a third way.

     Years ago, I asked my guides about how to function as an empath, and they gave me the visual mental image of a mollusk at the bottom of the sea.  The mollusk can open itself up or close itself off whenever it wills, and can take in whatever it wants whenever it wants.  That image, frankly, didn't make a whole lot of sense at the time. 

     But recently I've learned that I can safely open myself up to others and all their stuff if I do it with a heart full of compassion and love.  Somehow, that full heart acts as a counterbalance to all the stuff that pours in to me.  I can take things in, and then process them with love and then say appropriate words or take appropriate actions, or just give a kind smile and go on my way.  Things don't "stick" the way they used to, which is great.  I'm able to function so much better now!

     If only it hadn't taken me my whole life to figure this out.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Missing Mate

     I was rummaging around in my sock drawer the other day and noticed that I had one sock that was missing its mate.  I haven't worn that style of sock for years, which makes me wonder why I've held onto it for so long. 

     Have I been waiting for the washing machine to cough up the missing mate?  Wait -- we bought a new laundry machine since then, so that possibility is out. 

      Could it be that I'm just too lazy to throw the single one away?  Well, I'm not that lazy. 

     Is there some part of me that is just waiting for the missing mate to magically appear?  That sort of magical thinking is beyond even my way of looking at things. 

     No, I think this little sock is just a symbol of what I carry in my heart.  I'm waiting, waiting, waiting for my Twin Soul to connect with me.  My missing mate.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Things I'm Thankful For

     Here in the U.S. we have a holiday which has so far escaped the clutches of rabid commercialism, thank God.  It is time for Thanksgiving.

     In the spirit of gratitude, I want to offer a list of things I'm thankful for:
  • that warm, safe, and loving feeling when I am wrapped in my Significant Other's arms
  • the sound of a kitten's purr
  • the joyous music in children's laughter
  • music and art and poetry and traditions which remind us that there is something beautiful and meaningful above the everyday drudge
  • my Twin Soul, who brought me on this long and fascinating journey to understand the Twin Soul relationship and its implications
  • my guides and spiritual teachers who have led me on this journey
  • the authors and philosophers and teachers who informed me piece by tantalizing piece
  • the brave souls who bought and read The Gemini Bond
  • people who work for a better tomorrow
  • being housed, clothed, and well-fed in a world where so many don't enjoy that privilege
  • peace, wherever it exists
     I wish you and your loved ones a happy Thanksgiving.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Ascension Symptoms or Solar Flares?

     If you have any interest in the spiritual community these days, perhaps you've heard that many believe that we are in a time of spiritual transition.  Where or what are we transitioning to?  Many teach that we're evolving toward the 5th dimension, toward a place of more love, more peace, and more possibilities.

     What are the symptoms of ascension to this higher level?  Here's a partial list:
  • A feeling of disorientation
  • A sense of stress, like being in a pressure cooker
  • Unusual aches and pains throughout the body
  • Waking up between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m.
  • Memory loss
  • "Seeing" and "hearing" things, showing an increased awareness of other dimensions
  • Feeling ungrounded, spacey, or not fully in one's body
  • Extreme fatigue and sleepiness
  • Lack of appetite, or excessive appetite coupled with a craving for extra protein
  • Heightened sensitivity to noise, odors, crowds, and so on
  • Feeling like one's life doesn't fit any more
  • Night sweats
  • Periods of depression, crying fits, agitation, or anxiety
  • Vivid dreams
  • Changes in career, plans, relationships, and so on
     Now, compare this to a list of solar flare symptoms (click here).  There is quite a bit of overlap, especially when comparing the physical and emotional symptoms. 

     This begs the question:  Is this coincidence or do solar flares assist in the ascension process?   I don't know, but I rather think that with the 2012 prophecies, the chatter in the spiritual community, and just the general feeling in the world, I wouldn't be surprised if the solar flare activity assists in the ascension process.  Time will tell, won't it?

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Empath and the Bone-Cracker

     Let me tell you a story of my experience with my bone-cracker -- I mean -- chiropractor.  It shows how empaths never seem to escape.

     I was lying on my stomach, face smashed between the two cushions on the adjusting table, and just happened to ask how my chiropractor's arm was doing.  My chiropractor had fallen a week or so before, and this was the hand he used in doing the adjustments.  Our conversation went something like this:

     "So, how's the arm?"  Crack.  Ooff.

     "Oh, better.  I still favoring it, but it doesn't hurt so much."

     "That's good."  Crack.  Moan.  A little voice in my left ear mentions dogs.  "And how are all your puppies?"  My chiropractor has a whole platoon of dogs, from very aged to a few months old.

     "Funny you should ask.  Two of them went at each other the other day and I got the worst of it."  He puts his heavily bandaged thumb under the hole in the face rest for me to see.  "They got off without a scrape."

     "Well, I hope it doesn't slow you down too much."  Crackity-crack.  Owwwww.

     "Nope, not a whit."

     No escape for me.  Too bad.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Solar Flares and Us, Part 2

     Last time we discussed how solar flares affect us physically, including making all your co-workers loony and giving you the teeniest bit of a headache.  There are some who believe that solar flares have a higher purpose, which is to help our species evolve.

     Photon energy, which comes from the sun, has a higher vibration than our usual level.  It has the power to awaken old emotional injuries and traumas and help us release them.  You might recognize it as a sudden and unexplained wave of sadness or grief that may last twenty minutes or so.  Or you may have experienced a sudden flash of heat as your body releases the traumas from its cellular memory. 

     All of this serves the purpose of helping us release the old, the negative, and the painful which no longer helps us.  Like a hot-air balloonist cutting away the bags of sand, it eventually will help us to soar.  It will help our species to evolve. 

     Doesn't that give you hope?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Solar Flares and Their Effects

     A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a huge surge in bizarre behavior at my place of work.  People acted jumpy, irritable (more than usual), spacey, and complained of headaches and stomach problems.  I myself was suffering more than usual with heart palpitations, short-term memory issues, headaches, and difficulty staying grounded. 

     I remembered an article I read about the effects of solar flares on human bodies, and here's a list of symptoms:
  • jittery feelings
  • irritability
  • heart palpitations
  • stomach problems and nausea
  • dizziness and vertigo
  • headaches and increased head pressure
  • more worrying and depression
  • fatigue and lethargy
     Did you experience any of these symptoms?  Did you notice an increase in complaints for your family members or co-workers?

     Well, there may be a reason beyond the direct influence of the sun.  More on that next time.

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)

Saturday, November 3, 2012

The Mayans, the Celts, and the Rest of Us

     We've all heard that December 21, 2012 marks the end of the Mayan calendar, and that the next day starts a new long-count time cycle.  For the Mayans, this date is both an ending and a beginning.

     We've probably heard that some have called the Celtic festival called Samhain, celebrated the night between October 31 and November 1, the Celtic New Year.  It marks the end of harvest and the start of winter.  The Celts used this night to purify themselves with bonfire smoke, to honor the deceased, and to look to the future through divination.  It is a time of ending one season and beginning another. 

     Many in the New Age community have called this present age a time of ascension and evolution in the human race.  They have preached that in order for the human race to survive our self-destructive ways, we need to grow up.  How do we do this?  By letting go of negative habits and thought patterns, and increasing our vibration.  The challenge for us is to recognize that we have things to let go of, and to embrace new ways of thinking and being.

     Let's not dwell on the panic-talk of others about this time.  Let's hold this time as sacred, a time of ending old ways and beginning new ones.  Let's meet the challenge to grow.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Samhain, Hallowe'en, and All Souls Day

     Samhain is the ancient Celtic celebration marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter.  Pronounced "sa-win," it was the time when harvest was over, the cattle brought in from their summer pastures, and some of the livestock were slaughtered to feed the families for winter.  The ancient Celts sometimes lit great bonfires and they believed that the smoke acted as a purifying force.  Samhain marks the mid-way point between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. 

     The Celts believed that it was a time when the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead was very thin.  Sometimes they honored those who were dead by preparing a feast and setting a place for the deceased person.  In this way, it is similar to the Latin American festival Dia de los Muertos, or the Christian holiday All Souls Day. 

     In addition to honoring the dead, the Celts gave offerings to fairy mounds as a form of protection to ward off any spells during this time.  They believed that this night could be perilous because of harmful spirits and used small lanterns made of turnips (sometimes with grinning faces cut into them) to ward off evil (see below).  This is the origin of our jack-o-lantern.

     So, however you celebrate this night, I wish you well. 


Saturday, October 27, 2012

The Mayans and 2012 -- A New Exhibit!

     I read in this morning's paper that the Houston Museum of Natural Science is launching an exhibit about the Mayan culture.  The curators are hoping that this will help demystify the Mayan world view and decrease the panic-talk about the "end date" of December 21, 2012.

     There's a really cool website associated with this exhibit.  If you're interested in exploring it, click here.

     The article goes on to explain that the Mayan calendar is cyclical in nature, and that the whole idea of an "end date" comes from the Christian West, where the concept of doomsday and apocalyptic endings are part of the Christian teachings.  In the Mayan world view, December 21, 2012 is the last day of a large cycle of time. The next day, when the sun rises again and life goes on, marks the beginning of a new cycle.

     In other words, it's pretty safe to go Christmas shopping.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Do You Ever Feel . . .

Do you ever feel . . .
  • there's not enough time to do what you want, and too many things on your "to-do" list?
  • that time-saving devices often aren't?
  • that your dreams seem still very far away, and prayer and visioning hasn't changed that fact?
  • that people are less and less kind these days?
  • that if you have to hear one more robo-call about politics you're going to scream?
  • that your empathic sense tells you that big changes are coming, but you have no idea how to prepare?
  • that the best antidote to most things is a purring kitty on your lap?
  • that another great antidote is being in the arms of your loved one?
  • that sunlight reflected off an autumn leaf can contain eternity in a moment?
  • that lying down for fifteen minute and closing your eyes can do wonders to your world view?
  • that perhaps the results of all your work aren't meant to be seen by you in this lifetime, but their effects are like tiny ripples, which grow larger and larger with each passing year?
  • that this last fact makes you both sad and happy at the same time?

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Rumi and Shams, Part 2

     As I mentioned in the previous post, I read a terrific novel about the spiritual relationship of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz.  The book is A Moth to the Flame: The Story of the Great Sufi Poet Rumi by Connie Zweig.  I think it portrays the Twin Soul relationship as a precursor to spiritual unity with the One.  Here's a great quote:

     [Shams]:  "This friendship, like prayer, is conversation with the Holy One.  I don't know if my soul is in your body or yours is in mine."

     As I've learned in my research about Twin Souls, and as I endeavored to explain in The Gemini Bond, the union of Twin Soul with its other half is not only a symbol but also a necessity for union with the divine. Forget the Hollywood stereotype of finding fulfillment of all needs and wants in another person for "happy ever after." Rather, it is the stripping away of the self in service to the other.  Only in this way can one be ready for spiritual union with the One. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Rumi and Shams

     Happy is the moment when we sit together,
   with two forms, two faces, yet one soul,
you and I.

     This poem was a chapter heading in a novel I read recently entitled A Moth to the Flame: The Story of the Great Sufi Poet Rumi by Connie Zweig.  It is a fictional account of the key points of Rumi's life, his becoming the leader of his religious community, his marriages, the birth of his children, his meeting with Shams, and Shams' death.  Of course, there is no way to tell how close the author was to the biographical truth (she lists a time line in the back of the book, and I noted that she took some liberties with some of the occurrences in his life), but as far as the spiritual truth of the book goes, I think she came pretty close.

     My favorite part was when she was explaining the nature of Rumi and Shams' relationship.  It was a deeply spiritual relationship, and, as I've said before, I believe that they were Twin Souls.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

The Mayans and 2012, Part 4

     We've learned in previous posts that the Mayans foresaw that on December 21, 2012 the winter solstice sun's path will intersect with the great rift of the Milky Way.  This represents the union of the male (sun) with the female (great rift), and the end of the Great Count of the Mayan calendar.

     So what?

     Well, according to John Major Jenkins, a prominent scholar in Mayan cosmology (see previous posts), this is a really big deal for several reasons.  One, this event only occurs every 26,000 years or so.  Second, the Mayans viewed it as a very auspicious time, a time of celebration.  Third, the Mayans didn't see this is a cataclysmic event, a time of death and destruction, but rather as a time of rebirth. 

     Ultimately, Jenkins argues, what happens on 12/21/12 is really up to us.  We can buy into the fear-mongering (and what are they trying to sell you?), or we can be active participants in this great rebirth.  How do we do that?  By getting our internal house in order.  Devote time each day to focus on your real Self, and bring that spiritual centeredness into the rest of your day.  Let go of fear, and be perceptive about who is trying to sell you something or control you through fear.  Take time to focus on the bigger picture, rather than the dust balls and tangles of our everyday lives.  Be kind and compassionate, and recognize the Self in everyone you meet.  Keep your chin up, and believe that humankind can evolve.  Be a part of that evolution. 

     Peace.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

The Mayans and 2012, Part 3

     In previous posts I've been discussing the Mayan calendars and how their cyclical view of time and their extraordinary mastery of astronomy were able to predict that the winter solstice sun's path would intersect with the great rift in the Milky Way galaxy on December 21, 2012.  Why is this important?

     According to John Major Jenkins, in his audio book Unlocking the Secrets of 2012, the importance of the 12/21/12 date and this galactic event was based on Mayan mythology.  I won't go into a full description of all that Jenkins explained concerning their mythology, but I will give you some key ideas.

     First, the sun carries a male connotation, as it represents the father of the Hero Twins, important figures in Mayan mythology.  The great rift in the Milky Way can represent many things, from the doorway to the underworld, to the portal for shamanic vision quests, to the great birth canal of the universe.  It has a feminine connotation.  So, when the sun passes through the center of this great rift, it shows the union of the male and the female.  Sound familiar?  If you've read The Gemini Bond, you'll recognize this theme of the union of male and female, both within an individual, as well as part of the spiritual unification of human and divine necessary to prepare for the union of Twin Souls.

     As they say, "As above, so below."  From galactic events to the human heart.  Cool.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

The Mayans and 2012, Part 2

     As I wrote in my previous post, I was listening to the audio book Unlocking the Secrets of 2012 by John Major Jenkins.  One of the most important things I think he brings to his discussion of the December 21, 2012 Mayan date is that he views it through the astronomical perspective of the Mayans. 

     As you may know, the Mayan calendar is really several calendars running at once.  There is the 260-day cycle that is based on the number of days between conception and birth in humans, as well as the length of time between planting a seed of corn and harvest.   It was also the number of days between absolute solar zenith in the city where the 12/21/12 calendar date was birthed -- Izapa, Mexico.  There is a 52-year cycle, there are lunar cycles and Venus cycles, and other various cycles, but the cycle ending that is coming up is one of the longer ones, the Great Cycle, circling around every 26,000 years or so.

     What is it that they're measuring?  The Mayans were extraordinary astronomers, and they were able to predict over 2,000 years ago that the path of the Winter solstice sun would intersect with the great rift of the Milky Way on December 21, 2012.  What's so important about that astronomical event?  More on that next time.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The Mayans, 2012, and Us

     I love sales, don't you?  I received an email a few weeks ago from Sounds True about a slew of products that were on sale (killer prices!) and a few items piqued my interest.  One was Unlocking the Secrets of 2012 by John Major Jenkins.  I've been listening to it on my otherwise dreary drive to work (it keeps me from screaming at other drivers -- yeah, I'm spiritual), and found it fascinating!

     Here's a little of what I've learned.  First, the December 21, 2012 "end date" is not really an end date in the Mayan world view because their concept of time is circular. To the Mayans, time has no beginning or end, just variations or changes in a cycle.  Think of how the sun starts every day in the east, waxes toward noon, sits high overhead for a bit, wanes toward the afternoon, and sets in the west.  Or think of how the seasons run in a continuing cycle -- winter wanes as spring takes hold in all its splendor, then summer rolls around with its full-throated heat and growth season, then fall draws us inward as we descend into winter again.  Or, considering my special interest, think of Twin Souls.  We begin as one, make the decision to split into two separate but connected souls, experience two different life lines (sometimes for centuries), find each other, blow apart, grow, and then come back together.  Or think of our breath -- we breathe in, release the air, rest, and repeat. This view of time better reflects life on Earth than the concept of a 'time line' that we all learned in elementary school.

     For this reason, the Mayans who still live and follow their calendar in the highlands of Guatemala are not getting all hot and bothered by the 12/21/12 date.  They don't see this date as a time of apocalypse, but of a new beginning, a new birth.  More on that next time.

     I love sales, don't you?

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Empaths, Flora and Fauna, Part 2

     Last time, I told the story of the tree that yelled for my attention, and now I'm going to tell you the story of my empathic adventures with a member of the animal kingdom.

     A few years ago, one of our furry babies, a normally aloof and imperious feline, looked at me strangely when I was on the floor stretching.  I thought that perhaps he desired me to tell him how beautiful he was, or to get him more food, but then he did something completely out of character.  He came over and sat on my legs in mid-stretch and looked me full in the eyes for a long minute.  I knew instantly that he was telling me that something was wrong.  I told the Significant Other that something was wrong with our primary feline, and he pooh-poohed it.  "He looks fine.  Let's just wait and see," S.O. suggested.  We waited, but then I noticed that primary feline was visiting the litter box frequently, but with no result.  He looked at me again, (I heard a "hurry, Mom," in my mind) and I knew he was in trouble. 

     Unfortunately, it was New Year's Day and I knew that our vet would not be available.  Without waiting any longer, I found an emergency vet clinic that was open and took him there.  In spite of looking completely healthy, our poor primary feline was very ill with a urinary tract blockage, infection, and high fever.  I was glad I listened to his psychic vibes.  He lived to a ripe old age, aloof and imperious to the end.

   

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Empaths, Flora and Fauna

     As an empath, I've noticed over the years that I'm not only extremely sensitive to what people are feeling, but also to other living forms.  Here's a story to illustrate the point:

     I was once sitting in the house of some friends, admiring the lovely back yard area in their new house, when I had the distinct feeling of compression or strangling.  I wasn't actually choking, but the feeling that I couldn't get enough living force, like air, was strong.  I looked around and noticed that one of the trees in the yard, which had been stabilized with wire attached to posts for support, was calling for my attention.  I don't know if it's possible for a tree to psychically yell, but this tree was doing something very much like that.  I looked closer and saw that the support wires had grown into the trunk as the tree grew, and the poor tree was being starved of nutrients.  I pointed out the wires to our friends (omitting the fact that the tree was still yelling at me), and they said they'd take care of it later.  It was hard to ignore the tree's insistent "now, now, now!" but there are times when you just have to do your duty and let it go. 

     Yes, the sound you hear is the woo-woo alert bell ringing. Sorry, I should have warned you sooner.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Different Types of Knowing, Part 2

     Last time we discussed how we empaths have been validated as to our way of knowing.  Jainism, a religion originating in India and at least twenty-six hundred years old, describes eight different ways of knowing.  Two of those ways involve some of the skills which we empaths have -- gaining knowledge from clairsentience and clairvoyance, and knowledge gained from telepathy (I would put that also in the realm of what some empaths can do). 

     In The Gemini Bond, the characters of Rissa and Trey represent two very different ways of knowing.  Trey, of course, is always spouting off about this book knowledge gained from his studies at various universities, and he brings a large amount of knowledge about the issues that Rissa is facing.  In contrast, Rissa is the one acquiring knowledge, whether she wants to or not, through her psychic gifts.  Part empath, part telepath, and part clairvoyant, she gains a different type of knowledge about the subject of Twin Souls.  I remember writing these characters in order to explore the whole notion of Twin Souls not only from a "book knowledge" point of view, but also to describe my own psychic/empathic experiences with my Twin Soul.  Rissa and Trey, in this sense, act out my two ways of examining and coming to know about Twin Souls.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Different Types of Knowing

     Sometimes I like to look at sacred writings from other traditions, and I was struck by how some religions -- Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism in particular -- like to classify things.  Think of Buddhism's Eight-Fold Path, or Hinduism's three gunas.  Classifications can be great sometimes, as when they bring clarity to a thorny issue.

     Take knowing, for example.  While we may see the difference between the type of knowledge gained from books and the knowledge gained from experience, the Jainists describe eight (yes, eight) types of knowledge.  Here they are:
  • Mental knowledge, which is gained from sensory experience and then analyzed, remembered, or felt emotionally;
  • Verbal and non-verbal knowledge, which is usually acquired from hearing or study; it is dependent upon signs, symbols, and words;
  • Knowledge gained from higher faculties such as clairvoyance, clairsentience (that's us, fellow empaths!), and  mystical insight;
  • Knowledge gained from higher faculties such as telepathy and mind reading, in which one comes to know what another person is thinking;
  • Ultimate knowledge, which is omniscient, omnipresent, limitless and transcendent, and is only obtained when one reaches Nirvana.
  • The remaining three are considered wrong types of knowledge:  erroneous knowledge, invalid knowledge, and wrong knowledge.  We'll not dwell on these.
     The cool thing about this way of looking at things is that the Jainists recognize that there are other ways of gaining knowledge besides that gained from books or experience in the world.  They validate us empathic types and our way on knowing.  Way cool!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Empathy and Psychic Stuff, Part 3

     When I created the character of Rissa in The Gemini Bond, I modeled her psychic abilities on the ones I experienced.  You know what they say -- "write what you know."  Liker her, I am an empath, able to feel the moods, emotions, and attitudes of others, as well as feel their ailments in my own body.  I am quick to assess people and emotional situations, and have a strong urge to help when I can.  Like her, I do not fear being alone, and often relish it.

     Rissa, however, became more and more her own person as I continued writing, and she developed some other psychic gifts that I have in very limited amounts.  She seems to be a strong clairvoyant and has precognitive abilities, especially in her dreams.  She has a strong sense of her inner guidance, although she sometimes struggles with the strength of others' desires.  When she is keyed on her inner knowing, the answers will just blurt out of her mouth.  At other times, she feels overwhelmed and lost. 

     Like me, Rissa discovers her Twin Soul through her psychic gifts.  And that's all I'll say about that, since I don't want to ruin your reading of The Gemini Bond.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Empathy and Other Psychic Stuff, Part 2

     In the last post, I discussed what being an empath was like, and how it compares to clairsentience.  According to most psychics, there are other forms of psychic knowing.  They call it the five "clairs."

     [The "woo-woo" alert is still sounding strong and loud.]

     Clairsentience is the ability to gain psychic knowledge through feeling.  It can be an emotion, mood, or attitude they sense from others, or it can be a pain they feel in their bodies that relates to an ailment in the body of another.  It is most related to empathy.

     Clairaudience is the ability to gain knowledge through a form of inner hearing.  I also have this gift.  I hear the voices of my guides in my left ear when I ask for guidance or am channeling [the "woo-woo" alert is now at level 3].

     Clairvoyance is the ability to gain knowledge through what is commonly called "second sight."  I have had flashes of scenes, almost like a quick glimpse of a photograph, but some people are able to see entire psychic "movies" in their head.

     Clairalience is the ability to gain knowledge through a psychic sense of smell.  Smell, as you well know, is one of our strongest links to memory, and carries powerful information with it.  I've had a couple of experiences of this, both involving my Twin Soul. Like my quick clairvoyant  "photograph" experiences, they were linked to a scene that I experienced in my head, complete with scent and taste, which brings us to . . .

    Clairgustance, which is the ability to gain knowledge through the psychic sense of taste.  For me, taste and smell are closely linked, as they were in those couple of experiences of my Twin Soul.

     You know, I think we broke the klaxon on the "woo-woo" alert!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Empathy and Other Psychic Stuff

     Today we're going to talk about what empathy is and how is compares to other defined psychic abilities.  There's a major "woo-woo" alert going on -- red lights flashing, klaxon sounding.  Just to give you advance notice . . .

     I've often referred to myself as an empath.  Just what is an empath?  Well, for me, it is someone who feels what others feel -- whether an emotion, mood, attitude, or feeling in the body (such as a headache).  Distance doesn't matter because the connections I have with the people in my life are both timeless and distanceless.  When my boundaries are low or I am tired, it doesn't seem to matter if I have a personal connection with a person or not.  I can easily catch a headache from the stranger ahead of me in the checkout line, or feel a passing sense of anger from the person driving in front of me. 

     Empaths often feel overwhelmed because they are constantly bombarded by the feelings of others.  They hate crowds.  They sometimes don't like to be touched, because they know it heightens the emotional connection and don't want the added burden.  They love animals and nature, and have a deep connection with them.  They have trouble saying "no," and often put others ahead of themselves, leading to burnout.  They are great listeners, and people often open up to them because they feel so comfortable talking to an empath. Empaths relax by being totally alone.  

     How does this compare to clairsentience?  They are very similar, according to most psychics.  One of the major differences is that clairsentients gain their psychic insight through their senses of feeling, just as empaths do, but they may not be as overwhelmed by it.  Perhaps it's because clairsentients have evolved an ability to place boundaries around themselves so that they don't have to suffer in order to understand.  Either that, or they received the owner's manual, and the empaths are still waiting to receive theirs . . .

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

A Poem of Longing and Unity

From Rumi:

A little mixed-breed apple,
half red, half yellow, tells this story.
 
A lover and beloved get separated.
Their being apart was one thing,
but they have opposite responses.
 
The lover feels pain and grows pale.
The beloved flushes and feels proud.
 
I am a thorn next to my master's rose.
We seem to be two, but we are not.
 
 

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Reaching Out for My Twin Soul, Part 2

     Sometimes I may feel a little sad that I haven't met my Twin Soul in person yet, even though I've prayed for it every day.  No, I'm not unhappy in my life.  Far from it.  I consider myself quite blessed.  Rather, it comes from a desire to know if my psychic/empathic experiences have been valid, and I think it also comes from a deep longing to be reunited with my other self.

     Still, when I look at others who have experienced a longing that went unfulfilled, I can't help but notice that things of profound beauty were created because of that longing.  Take Rumi, for instance.  When Shams left (or was killed), Rumi's heart was torn open and from that wound gushed out reams of the most sublime poetry.  Rumi's poems speak about longing and the desire for unity, both with one's other self, and also with the divine. 

     Perhaps that's what The Gemini Bond is for me.  It was born from my desire to make sense of my experiences concerning my Twin Soul, and my research into what Twin Souls truly were.  It came from my unfulfilled prayer to meet my Twin Soul, and in some ways came from the desire to make contact.  Am I in the same ballpark as Rumi?  Not even remotely.  But as Rumi advised, I'm being my note and I'm singing it loud.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Reaching Out for My Twin Soul

     I was thinking about how I've spent years researching about Twin Souls, after a series of experiences caused me to go on this path (for more on those experiences, click here).  Once I understood that the connection that I had with this other person was my Twin Soul, my prayer has been that I might meet my Twin Soul, even once, before I exit this world.  That prayer has been the same for the last fourteen years.

     I know some people think that meeting their Twin Soul will be full of romance, with rose petals showering down from the heavens, a great symphony playing in the background, running hand in hand on the beach, smiles forevermore.

     I don't.  I've learned that the Twin Soul relationship is more about attaining a certain level of soul maturity and getting ready to "move up" in the soul realms (for more on that, read The Gemini Bond).

     No, all I really desire is to meet my Twin Soul in person, to hear my Twin's voice speak my name, to feel my Twin's eyes look into mine, perhaps to touch my Twin's hand briefly in a greeting.  I guess I just want to know whether what I've believed for the past fourteen years is true or not.

     Is that so much to ask?

     

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Soul Levels

     In the book, Journey of Souls, Dr. Newton, a hypnotherapist, describes how souls are at different levels.  They progress from one level to the next by mastering certain lessons in life.  The way that souls recognize what level they are in the Bardo (the place where souls go between lives to meet with their guides, review what they've learned, and plan for the next life), is by the color that their soul emits.  I guess it's a bit like their essential soul color, not like an aura.  According to Dr. Newton's research, yellow, gold, and white souls were in their beginning stages, while blue and purple souls were more advanced.

      Thinking about that, my mind went to all sorts of "what if?" scenarios.  What if we were to group children in the classroom by soul levels?  That might make discipline and teaching style more efficient because it would be targeted for each specific group.  What if we as a society were to mete out punishments based on the soul level?  A less-advanced soul might need more punitive consequences where a more-advanced soul might need more time to think about their actions and how they affected others.

     But let's look at it another way.  In some schools, children are grouped in classes according to their reading level or language ability.  Some might argue, rightly in my opinion, that this deprives the "lower" kids of learning from the "higher" kids.  It also deprives the "higher" students from developing teaching and leadership skills that they would develop in a mixed-level classroom.  So, perhaps separating them according to their soul level might not be such a great idea.

     In life, we are all mixed up together -- the newer souls live right next door to the old souls among us.  We are reminded that we are all learning and growing together, and that nobody is too far advanced not to learn from the newest souls on the block. 

     It reminds us to be humble and realize that we really are all in this together.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

From a Soul Viewpoint, Part 2

     In my previous post I was wondering about what would happen in our world if we were to really focus on the soul in every person we meet.  My mind wandered to various scenarios.

     For example, what if parents were to teach their children from day one that they were souls here on Earth for a special journey -- a journey of learning and of growing, of healing and of helping.  What if parents used discipline not to punish, but to take time to remind the child of their soul journey and ask, "Does this thing that you did reflect who you really are?" 

     What if schools educated children not as data receptacles who will regurgitate information on a later test, but as souls who need to know how to develop the tools necessary for their life mission?  What if wisdom were more valued in our schools than facts about things?  What if teachers reminded students with behavior issues that their poor choices don't do justice to the wondrous beings that they are? 

     What if our justice system were to go back to the old ways of having the victim (or their family) and the perpetrator sit in a room together so that everyone understood at a deep level how much pain was suffered?  What if our prisons were a place where its prisoners would not only reflect on their acts, but also work with counselors to heal their own wounds and learn how to follow a wiser path?

     Impractical in this complex world?  Perhaps.  Are there some souls who would not respond to this soul viewpoint?  Probably. 

     Am I being too much of an idealist?  Maybe.  But if we want to move forward, we have to aim high, right? 

Saturday, August 18, 2012

From a Soul Viewpoint, Part 1

     I've mentioned before reading a book that has caused a seismic shift in my thinking.  You can read some of my thoughts on this book, Life Between Lives, here

     Some books take a while to fully sink in, and I think this book is one of those.  Lately I've noticed that I've been looking at people as souls inside bodies, as this book describes us, and really focusing on people's eyes and their emotional state (an easy thing to do for an empath). 

     That, of course, had me thinking about what the world would be like if we were all to relate to people from a soul viewpoint.  Rather than looking at people's clothes, or their cars, or their fancy houses or rotten hovels, or their weight, or their bling, or even certain aspects of their personality, we could look deeper -- at the soul within them.

     I think that so many people hide behind the facades of their lives so much that they forget their soul within.  What if our looking at their soul were to awaken something within them?  What if that one deep eye-to-eye gaze were to remind them that they are here for more than just their passions or pains or pleasures?  What if enough of us awakening people to their inner soul and its mission here were to cause a seismic shift in our world -- for the better?

     Why not try?

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Searching for Our Other Self

     I've been on a Rumi kick lately, as I love his poetry and tend to be attracted to it as certain times of my life.  In this latest reading binge, I was noticing a trend in his thought.  He often refers to Shams of Tabriz as his friend, and then later talks about his Friend. 

     Here is what I think he means.  I wrote in a previous post (click here) that I believe that Shams was Rumi's Twin Soul.  I don't get the sense that they were lovers -- and most scholars don't believe they were -- but I believe they shared a soul intimacy seldom found in relationships.  When Shams left (or was killed), Rumi's longing for him became translated into a longing not only for Shams, his other self, but also for his divine Self. 

     It boils down to this, friends:  our Twin Soul isn't someone who "completes us" in a romantic relationship. That implies that we are inherently incomplete.  Rather, our Twin Soul acts as an impetus to becoming unified with our divine Self.  We need to find our completeness within.

     Want to explore this idea further?  Read The Gemini Bond.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

In an Alternate Reality, Part 2

     I was thinking about our alternative universe where people are counseled about their career paths based on their mental and emotional strengths, as well as their psychic and natural gifts.  What sort of careers would a person with psychic gifts, such as a strong empathic ability, be best suited for?

     I think any of the healing professions would be a natural fit for our empath.  God knows there are many doctors out there who seem to have lost their ability to view their patients as little more than numbers or case files.  And if our empath could not only sense people's emotions and physical issues, they would save time because they could get to the core problems quicker.  Health insurers, take note!

     How about the teaching profession?  An empath could easily detect when little Johnny is telling the truth about Fido eating his homework, or whether Susie's black eye is really from falling down the stairs, or from someone at home hitting her.  I think an empathic teacher would also be able to more quickly tailor his or her teaching to a student's needs because this teacher would sense when the student "gets it."

     How about a social worker?  That is an interesting problem, because I think an empathic social worker would easily suffer from being overwhelmed with the strong emotions involved with their cases, but the empathic ability would also get to the root of core issues quicker.  That balance, discovering truth while fighting emotional overwhelm, is something I explored in The Gemini Bond with Rissa's character.  I think all empaths deal with that issue to some extent.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

In an Alternate Reality


     If there are parallel universes and alternate realities, then there is a place where people are counseled not only on their mental strengths ("Are you a visual thinker?" and  "Do you like math?") or their emotional strengths ("Do you prefer to lead groups of people?" and "Do you prefer to work alone?"), but also their psychic abilities.

     In this alternate universe, I'd have the counselor ask things like, "Do you feel what others feel?" or "Do you sense illnesses in another person's body before they tell you?" or "Do you have any passion or talent for being a healer?" 

     In this different place, our counselor would then take into account all their client's strengths -- mental, emotional, psychic, and natural gifts -- before recommending a career path. 

     Back on planet Earth, however, we who have different psychic gifts have to be our own counselor, and have to find our own way in this world.  It sometimes makes for a meandering path, but perhaps that's part of our destiny, too. 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

A Cool Thing About Being an Empath

     I discovered this week one cool thing about being an empath.  It involves a long story which I'll put in a highly abridged form here.

     I had a dispute over services and billing with a service provider.  After talking, sometimes a little heatedly, with two of its employees, I finally resorted to writing a letter to the owner of this business.

     It was a clear, pointed letter concerning what I felt the injustices were, how they could be remedied, and what I would do if they weren't.  The Better Business Bureau and the Internet weren't invented for nothing.

     Two business days later, I received a message from this company and I returned their call the next day.  Of course, the owner was far, far too busy to talk to the likes of me, but his assistant would be happy to speak for him.  When I first started talking to her, I noticed waves of  . . . fear.  I was standing, ready to do battle, and I did a quick self-check.  Was I feeling afraid?  No, it wasn't me.  It was her.  She was afraid of little ol' me. 

    Whew, talk about the power of the pen.

     But knowing that she was feeling fear, I could talk reasonably with her, not fulfilling her fantasies of a raving lunatic customer, and I got everything I wanted, plus more.

     Happy customer, relieved assistant. 

     I think just knowing what the other person was feeling really helped me know how to handle the situation.  By not becoming the thing that they fear, I could address their higher self and we could resolve things peaceably.  We both won (although I won a little more).

     Perhaps I should become a professional poker player. 

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Daylight at Nighttime

     I think one of the reasons I've been extra crabby lately is that I wake up in the middle of the night with daylight in my head.  It sounds wacky, I know, but I think what is happening is that my Twin Soul is busy on a job in Europe right now, which means that my Twin's schedule is eight hours ahead of mine.  It's a problem when I'm trying to stay awake during the afternoon lull and worse when I'm trying to sleep.  Being an empath and sharing this connection certainly does make for an interesting, if exhausting, life.

      That said, I think I'll hit the sack early, and hope for cloudiness in my Twin Soul's life.  Ah, to sleep, perhaps to dream . . . .

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Another Twin Soul Movie

     I was thinking the other day of a sweet, though not profound, movie I enjoyed (somewhat guiltily).  I think that one of the reasons I didn't consider it profound is that one of the actors has a naturally deep voice, and I've found that such people need to vary their vocal inflections more in order to avoid sounding sonnambulent.  Sorry, that's really picky, but I'm tuned into vocal sounds -- what can I say?

     The movie is "The Lake House" (click here if you're interested in purchasing it).  It tells the story of two people who are connected through a magic mailbox at a lake house, and are able to communicate to each other across time.  Yes, they live two years apart, she ahead of him, and they reveal their most intimate selves to each other in these letters.  Of course, they fall in love.  The problem is, how will they ever be together?  And will fate cruelly intervene?

     I think the most appealing thing about this movie is that is speaks to one of our most widely-held beliefs about Twin Souls, which is that we must undergo a series of difficult trials in order to be together.  In my belief system, Twin Souls need to become balanced between their mortal and divine selves, and their male and female personality characteristics, before they are ready to join.  I think "The Lake House" showed how both characters had to overcome their primarily left-brained way of thinking (male essence) and open to the mysterious, to their heart-center, to their female essence. 

     So, take an evening to enjoy this movie.  And listen to how Christopher Plummer uses his voice --brilliant!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

What's the Lesson Here?

     I'm sure we are all still reeling from the horrible news coming out of Colorado.  Twelve people killed, dying in a senseless act.  Let us all send our most compassionate, loving thoughts to the families of those lost, as well as to the family of the perpetrator of this horrific act. 

     From a soul perspective, what is the lesson to be learned?  Why did these people die?  Why did this young man feel he had to act out in this way?

     Perhaps it's about how fragile life is, and how every day needs to be cherished.  From this viewpoint, there are no ordinary days.

     Perhaps it's about how we can see the depths of evil, and still know that love is so much greater, so much deeper, so much stronger than that.

     Perhaps it's about how isolated some of us feel, and how we allow those who are so isolated to remain that way.  I don't know yet all the details of why this young man snapped, but he clearly felt friendless and emotionally remote.  Could anything have been done to help him prior to this?

     Perhaps it's about how our culture has been so saturated with violence that we keep seeing these kinds of acts happening over and over, and after a while, we feel no shock anymore when another tragic event happens.  What is it here that we need to learn so that we don't keep seeing these tragedies repeat themselves?

     I wish I had the answers.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Faith or Fate?

    Lately I've been thinking about the whole predestination vs. self-determination debate.  On one hand, I'd like to think that I can co-create like the envisioners preach (see the movie What the Bleep!? or read the book The Secret for an explanation of this view).  It would be great to fully believe that we can control our lives by thinking in certain ways, by envisioning certain things consistently, by believing that we can co-create our dreams.

     Yet, I also wonder about the concept of life as a school, where we are here to learn lessons.  I mean, there are those of us who weren't blessed with perfectly functioning bodies, or perfectly supportive families, or perfectly accident- or disease- or tragedy-free lives.  Those things, the life-is-about-learning preachers tell us, are for us to grow as persons, to learn important things. 

     So, which is it?

     My summer doldrums cause me to lean toward the latter view.  Yes, I envision, I believe, I do all the right mental exercises, but nothing seems to come of it.  So, perhaps the lesson is to learn how to accept that some of my dreams aren't coming true.  And what am I learning?  Well, once I get over the frustration and disappointment, perhaps the lesson is acceptance, gratitude at what I have and what I've achieved so far, and relaxing more into a state of being rather than a state of doing

     Dang it.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Oh, Don't Mind Me . . .

    Yes, I'm having one of those days when it's so dang hot it makes me sweat to blink, when people are so crabby it makes me want to hide in a cave, and when driving makes me feel like I'm being roasted alive.  Yep, I'm suffering from the mid-summer blues. 

     I'm also feeling the blues for another reason.  Do you know what it's like to create something, say, write a novel or do something really nice for someone, and all your work and all your sweat and all your expenses go toward something that makes as much of an impact as a flea landing in the middle of the ocean?  I really thought I was following some guidance from the Universe (oops!  there's that channeling issue again -- read about user error here).  But, like I said, it seems to have met with a great big cosmic yawn. 

    Perhaps the lesson here for me is to focus on the doing, and not on the outcome.  Forget the results.  If someone is oblivious to what I've done, well, that doesn't change all that I've learned in having done it, right? 

    Now, all I need to do is tell myself that about forty thousand times, and maybe I'll start to believe it.  Ooh.  Even thinking about that makes me sweat. 

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

DS9 and Embodied Souls

     A lifelong Star Trek fan (but not a rabid Trekkie -- no Spock ears hidden in my closet, sorry), a character from the Deep Space Nine series came to mind when I was reading about souls in Journey of Souls (see previous posts about this book). 

     Do you remember the character of Jadzia Dax?  This was a young woman, Jadzia, who is a host body for another being, Dax, a member of a species that lives in the bodies of her race.  It is a symbiotic relationship, a perfect melding of the host body and the inhabiting alien.  The commander of the space station knew Dax in his previous incarnation in a male host's body.  As a man, Dax was quite the party animal, it seemed.  So, it was quite a difference for the commander to relate to this calm, intellectual woman as the Dax he knew.  Weird, but cool.

     Anyway, when Dr. Newton was describing how souls enter a fetus' body while it is in utero, he explained how the soul must learn the wiring of the brain and neurological system of the fetus.  It's almost like having to learn to drive a different car. 

    And this all makes me wonder -- when we incarnate as souls, how much of ourselves are our bodies and how much of us are our souls?  Is that the point of so many mystical traditions, which teach us to overcome the world of the senses (the body) and learn to know the Self? 

     I imagine this will give me food for thought for some time . . .

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Not Quite Answered, But Close

    I've finished the wonderful, groundbreaking book, Journey of Souls, by Michael Newton.  Wow.  It really brings clarity to our purpose here on Earth, and what happens between our reincarnations.  If you are interested in this sort of thing (and who isn't curious about the purpose of their life?), order this book!

    That said, I was hoping to find more answers about Twin Souls in this book.  The author did mention the concept of parallel lives, but my sense was that this isn't quite the same thing, because the split souls didn't seem all that interested in finding each other.  Parallel lives are taken, however, for the primary purpose of speeding up the learning process.

     Dr. Newton did mention soulmates quite a bit, and after reading his definition of soulmates (quite near the end of the book), I'm wondering if Twin Souls and his idea of soulmates weren't confused.  It would be interesting for a hypnotherapist to explore this area. 

     Perhaps someday we'll know more. . . .

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A Delicious Poem from Rumi

In his dream an old man appeared.
Good king, I have news.

Tomorrow a stranger will come.  I have sent him.
He is a physician you can trust.
Listen to him.

As dawn rose, the king was sitting
in the belvedere on his roof.
He saw someone coming, a person like the dawn.
He ran to meet this guest.  Like swimmers
who love the water, their souls knit together
without being sewn, no seam.

The king opened his arms
and held the saintly doctor to him.
He led him to the head table.

At last I have found what patience can bring.
This one whose face answers any question,
who simply by looking can loosen
the knot of intellectual discussion.

Now Husam touches my arm.
He wants me to say more about Shams*.

(This is quoted from Coleman Barks' translation in the book, A Year with Rumi).

* Shams of Tabriz was, in my opinion, Rumi's Twin Soul.  See this post for more information.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Still No Answers . . .

     I'm 3/4 through Journey of Souls (see previous post) and found some interesting clues about parallel lives, but no huge Earth-shattering new information. 

     The author of Journey of Souls, Michael Newton, is a hypnotherapist who regressed people back to their life between lives.  I finally read the chapter last night about the client who discussed briefly the concept of parallel lives. 

     This client explained that sometimes a soul will choose to split and live parallel lives, working on similar issues in two different bodies and in two different places, but at overlapping times.  I didn't sense from his description, however, that these are Twin Souls as described by Plato, Rumi, or the Huna.  He didn't mention a desire to meet his other half, only that working on issues in parallel lives helps to move one faster along the spiritual path. 

     I'm not finished with the book yet.  Perhaps there will be more to learn.  I'll keep you posted.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Perhaps Some Answers?

     I've been reading a very interesting book about a hypnotherapist who was able to regress his clients to their Bardo time, that is, their time spent in the spirit world before being reincarnated again.  I'm only on chapter four, but being a curious type, I've already investigated the index in back.

     I've long been bothered by the Twin Soul concept versus the idea that we are all One.  Does that mean that some are more One than others?  In other words, why this dramatic pull toward my Other Half, when in reality we are all equal parts of the Universal All?

    Up to this point, I've looked at it as a pyramid, where all the individual blocks form to create the one structure.  In that view, each level has fewer and fewer blocks at each level, meaning that as we move up or ascend in our spiritual growth, we unite with other blocks (souls) to create this new level.  That made sense to me in terms of how we unite with our Twin Souls. 

    But in the index of this book, I found the tantalizing idea of "parallel lives."  I'm hoping the author will explain it more as I go along, but does this mean that souls split, like Twin Souls, but not ALL souls do that?  The plot thickens . . .

     Meanwhile, if you'd like to check out the book I'm reading, Journey of Souls, you may click here.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

No okra, thank you

I was reading Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's book, My Stroke of Insight, and received a stroke of insight myself.  In it, she was describing how sometimes people will try to give her their bad moods, negative attitudes, and so on, and she just looked at it as if they were all sitting around a dining table, and that person passed her a serving plate of something she didn't like or want.  All she had to do is say, "No, thank you" and pass it back.  Since I'm not a huge fan of okra, I think of that negative person in the checkout line as handing out plates of okra, and I can just say, "No thank you.  I don't need to take this in."  For us empaths, I think that's a great way to handle it.  No judgment, no huge walls of resistance, just a polite "No, thank you."  Brilliant!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Happy 100th!

     Get out the noisemakers and party hats!  Yes, folks, it's hard to believe, but this is the 100th post on Gemini Souls!  Whoo-hoo!  Make some noise!

     To celebrate our 100th, why not order 100 copies of The Gemini Bond for your 100 best friends?  Don't have 100 best friends?  No worries -- why not order a copy just for yourself and if you like it, post your review on Amazon (here) or Goodreads (here) or LibraryThing (here).  That way, you can touch more than 100 friends.

     So, set off your firecrackers, put on your silly hat, and make some noise!  This is something to celebrate!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Busy Signals

     I once knew a woman who believed that her Twin Soul worked at the same office as she did, and she noticed that whenever she chose to wear a certain color, so did this man.  If she wore blue, he wore blue; if she wore green, he wore green, and so on.  She could also sense his moods from far away, and would know if he was extra busy, or stressed, or happy about something.  Sadly for her, she was a divorcee and he was married.  Twin Soul relationships are sometimes like that.

     I was thinking about how sometimes I go through periods where I sense the thoughts and moods and some physical sensations from my Twin Soul.  Then, there are times when I don't feel my Twin at all.  I asked my guides about it and they replied (woo-woo alert!) that when I am busy, or my Twin is busy (and we often are busy at the same time, it seems), the focus on the outer world will crowd out the sound of the inner world.  It's like my busyness constricts my ability to feel my link to my Twin.  It also happens when my Twin is busy -- that link is constricted by my Twin's busyness as well.  I think the periods of busy signals at both ends tend to happen at nearly the same time.  I've gotten used to it over the years, although I do miss that feeling of sensing my Twin through the day during our busy times. 

     Here's hoping that life will slow down a bit for both of us soon.  I miss our link . . .

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Summer Reading!

     There aren't too many novels about Twin Souls that I've enjoyed.  Quite a few books, either channeled or displaying various degrees of the "woo-woo" factor, exist, but novels -- well, not so much.

     I found two that I read during the time before I wrote my novel, The Gemini Bond.  The first one I read was Jennie's Reprisal.  It is based on the author's experiences, I believe, of remembering her Twin Soul through various lifetimes.  While it is an interesting read, it wasn't my favorite book.  I liked The Teaching of Little Crow better.  I don't know why, but I could relate to it a little better.  The characters came across as more human, and the story was compelling.  It did contain extended passages about the author's spiritual beliefs concerning "I AM" affirmations, but those didn't bother me too much. 

     So, pick up a novel about Twin Souls for your summer reading!  You may enjoy one of the above novels, or you may enjoy -- here it comes -- The Gemini Bond.  Sit back and get reading!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Another Twin Soul Movie

     I read a review of a new movie last week that reminded me of Twin Souls.  Called The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye,  it is about two people who fall in love and want to be together (you can read about it and see the trailer here).  Yet, their love is so consuming that they feel they "want to eat each other up."  Being performance artists, they decide to take their desire for union to another level:  they undergo a series of plastic surgeries in order to look more and more alike. 

     While I haven't seen the movie, it does pique my interest simply because I think that the soul in a Twin Soul relationship does desire to become one with its other half.  As to whether I personally would undergo plastic surgery to look like my Twin, well, that's another matter completely.  Probably not.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Twin Souls in History, Part 6

     Some years ago, there was a rather silly movie made about Beethoven entitled Immortal Beloved.  It was based on the descriptor that Beethoven used in three letters to an unnamed woman.  Many scholars now believe that Beethoven's Immortal Beloved was Antonie Bretano, a woman he met in 1812 at the Czech resort of Teplitz (you can read more about it here). 

     The letters he wrote have a desperate yet poignant quality to them.  They hint at a deep love, a recognition at the soul level, yet acknowledge that their desire to be together could not happen.  Whether they were true Twin Souls or not, I do not know, but I believe that this deep soul recognition is expressed in the phrases that he uses:  "Ah, wherever I am, there you are also," and "Is not our love truly a heavenly structure, and also as firm as the vault of heaven?" 

     Even if Beethoven and Antonie weren't true Twin Souls, his calling her his Immortal Beloved hints at his recognition that there exists a love which overcomes difficult circumstances, distance, and even time.  I would like to think that his knowing about his Other Self -- his Twin Soul -- caused him to feel understood and safe enough to dig deep inside himself to create his extraordinary music.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

A Lovely Quote

     Attached to the wall of my office area is the quote from Rilke:

              "Wishes are the memories coming from our future!"

     Don't you love that?  It gives me hope when I'm feeling like all my positive affirmations, my attitude of gratitude, my visualizations, and all the rest are having zero effect on my present reality.  You know those days -- when you feel like you're in Stuck-ville, up to your neck in the muck of sameness, with nary a helping hand around.  Ever been there? 

      Perhaps I just need to get out of my own way and allow the Universe to get me into alignment with my dreams.  Perhaps I need to focus less on the goal and more on my role as an instrument of the Universe.  Perhaps I need to --- just --- let ---- go. 

     And -- if you're reading this -- would you send a little prayer my way?  Thanks.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Twin Souls in History, Part 5

     A few years ago, I read an interesting article about Mark Twain and his lifelong, though unfulfilled, love interest in a young woman he met when he was in his early 20s (you can read the article here). 

     He was docking a river boat in New Orleans when he glimpsed a young teenage girl named Laura Wright, probably around 14 years old, and his heart was instantly captivated.  They spoke a few times during the three days she was in New Orleans, but she remained a fixed point in his heart.  He tried to gain her hand in marriage during a visit he paid to her home two years later, but her mother disapproved, and nothing came of it. 

     Later, he received word that she had married another, and his world shattered.  He fled to the West, where he alternated periods of creativity with bouts of self-destructiveness.  He later married as well, to Olivia (Livy), and had two daughters.  Still, Laura continued to haunt his dreams.  In an essay which was published posthumously, entitled "My Platonic Sweetheart," he mused about their relationship.  He believed that they met nearly every night during their dreams. In his essay, he wrote of his feelings for her: 

“The affection which I felt for her and which she manifestly felt for me was a quite simple fact; but....It was not the affection of brother and sister—it was closer than that...and it was not the love of sweethearts, for there was no fire in it. It was somewhere between the two, and was finer than either, and more exquisite, more profoundly contenting.”  

     In her later years, Laura, then a school teacher working for a pittance, contacted Twain, asking for money for one of her students to attend medical school.  After Twain died, she showed an acquaintance her trove of letters from the famous writer, and made the man promise that he would destroy them upon her death.  Sadly, he did.    

     What is the Twin Soul lesson here?  I believe it is that our Twin Souls may not be of a romantic nature, but may act as a catalyst to do our very best work, to fulfill our destiny, and to assist others. 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Living for Today


     We so ofter live for the future -- making plans, making our to-do lists, thinking through various scenarios of what might happen (disastrous or joyful), worrying, anticipating, dreading . . .   We spend so much of our time out of the present time.

     Remember that person who was worrying, anticipating, dreading, or hoping yesterday, yestermonth, yesteryear?  Well, that person is still you, and this is the future that you were thinking about.  Yep, the future is now.

     So, how about if we honor that little worrywart from the past and live our best lives right now?  It would be the best thing we could do for our past self, and would do wonders for our current self. 

     For you see, when we live in the present, we gift our future selves with a little less fear and a lot more joy.  Let's try it!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

A Twin Soul Poem

This poem is from Rumi, and applies to Twin Souls (and mystics):

The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you,
not knowing how blind that was.

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They are in each other all along.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Aha! Aca!

     We're back to one of my favorite TV shows -- "Survived -- Beyond and Back" (see the link here).  Last time I watched it, there was a segment about a woman who died while on the operating table, and reported feeling like she was floating over her body while watching the people in the surgical room.  She noticed that she could hear their thoughts and feel their feelings (hmm -- sound familiar, fellow empaths?), but the cool thing was that she also saw these silver cords which linked the doctors and nurses to each other.  These cords ran from their stomach area to every other person in the room.

     At that, my mind yelled, "Aca cords!  She's seeing aca cords!"

     I do have interesting thoughts at times.

     Aca cords are silver cords of light which link us to other people.  The Hawaiian religion, Huna, teaches that these cords are built every time we interact with another person, either by speaking to them or touching them.  Imagine being able to see those aca cords! 

     Also imagine the aca cord that connects us with our Twin Soul -- it must be the largest and most deeply embedded cord of all.  And that, I believe, is why it's possible to "feel" our Twin even when we've never met in this lifetime.  Like Rissa in The Gemini Bond.  Or me.