Your Life

The Magic is YOUR life lived fully:
by Robert Cosmar

Do you know what it means to have a life? Do you have YOUR life? Do you LIVE your life fully? Interesting questions, don't you think? I'm sure that you've heard this before and wondered what it means.

To have a life is to be in touch with the force of existence itself. There is no go-between, no outer authority, and no one to ask what to do or where to go. There's no one but you and a connection to the deep center within yourself. Trust is found there and the confidence to believe that you have every right to create and manifest your vision. This vision is not actually yours but a shared vision that you receive from existence. You are a co-creator with life, a partner with existence. You share in the creation of the future. You feel worthy and at peace, because you realize that you are a part of something vast and beautiful. You are HOME!

Anything we create that does not come from this center inside us is artificial, hollow and eventually dies. It may satisfy the mind for awhile, but it never reaches our heart or touches the hearts of others. Energy can be manipulated from the outside -- science does it all the time -- but look at the results.

Energy that rises from the heart is more comprehensive, full and lively. It nourishes and feeds other hearts. Energy that rises from the heart lasts! Great art, creations and lives last beyond their time. They give something back to humanity that says you are so much more than you imagine. When will you begin the journey to claim back your life from the dust of false hopes and dreams?

Plane of Souls

"The best thing about sleep is that fleeting moment when you are just between asleep and awake. There, you can talk with the universe. There, you can fly away to the stars. There, anything, everything, is possible." ~CJ Heck 

Just before falling asleep, I had a vision. It came into my view slowly, like billowy clouds pushing the darkness aside. There I could see millions of glowing orbs of light. I was floating, moving along high above them as they moved here and there, like large bumble bees in different directions -- fast, very fast.

Like other times I've traveled there, I am aware of floating, feeling so light that I am the air, itself, traveling into a whole other world. Up there, I feel love and joy and a euphoria that I can't begin to describe. The closest thing I ever felt to it was when my dentist used gas for filling a tooth. He put the mask over my face and told me to breathe deeply and it brought a similar euphoria.

The view of the glowing orbs in the darkness slowly drifted away and in it's place, I was looking down at the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. The colors were so vivid. It was lovely and I could see the lush green of a vast meadow with tall grass -- and then below, to my right, was a sheer drop off. As far as I could see was the stunning beauty to the left, and the knife-edge cliff and its sheer drop off stretching way into the distance on the right. 

I could see down into the drop off because it was bright, like daylight. At the bottom of the deep chasm was a river, not with sparkling clear water, but a thick liquid of semi-transparent green, and it was flowing very slowly.

Suddenly, I could see faceless people, hundreds of them, a few at a time, coming out of the sheer walls of the cliff. Silent and motionless, they fell down into the flowing green river and disappeared. This was happening all along the sheer wall of the cliff below me, for as far as I could see. They didn't seem to be afraid, because they weren't screaming as they fell -- they weren't making any sound at all. There was only silence as they came out of the wall and fell down to disappear into the slowly flowing green liquid.

I was stunned to feel a wave of sadness, and a feeling of regret, as I watched this all happen. I tried to see their faces, but there were none, only motionless people, quiet souls, alone and falling, and then swallowed up by the green river.
When the scene again faded to blackness, I felt Dinahh's presence. I asked him to please explain to me what I had seen! What had they done to bring them to such an ending? I told him about feeling sadness and regret and yet I heard nothing, felt no fear coming from them, and I could see no faces. Was this hell?

Dinahh told me, as he had on so many other occasions, "Zora, you ask too many questions. You have the answers there inside of you. Put your thoughts aside -- close your mind. Then, open your heart and listen. Be one with the love you feel, and the peace and joy. Let them all flow through you in the quiet, when you go to the silence. There you will find past memories. There you can remember. It is there, that you will find your answers."

I'm still learning. At times, frustration is the only emotion I'm able to reach when I try and go to the silence. I was unable to regain those feelings after the vision was gone and after a while, I fell back to sleep. It wasn't until the next day that I was finally able to reconnect with those feelings and find my center in the silence.

I came to understand that what I saw in the vision was symbolism. I traveled to the plane of souls. The faceless people falling out of the walls of the cliff and then disappearing into the green river were the souls of people who, at the end of their life (in their earth death), were still asleep in their awareness. This is why I saw no faces. This is why I felt such sadness. The regret I felt was for what might have been. The river was only recycling (for lack of a better word) their souls. The glowing orbs I had seen first in the vision were those people as individual souls again, before returning to earth in a next incarnation. In the silence, I remembered this and I was amazed at the clarity in which I could remember.

I told Dinahh what I thought I had found out, when he contacted me. He told me I had done well. This was what I had been shown and what I was to remember. Then he told me why I had been shown the vision. 

Dinahh: "Zora, you have a purpose here -- both you and Robert, together. We have given you each other in love to take care of your human needs. You have much to do together. You will work with us to write what we tell you and what we show you in your spiritual consciousness.

Everything is changing -- we must reach more souls on this human plane, teach them to open their hearts, teach them to feel the love, be one with us and feel our energy flow through them. We must teach them that to BE in the nothingness is to be where they will find their answers.

They must learn to hear our whispers. We are here to help. We have always been here for them. We are here. We are here. Zora, you have done well. I will go now."

Namaste.

Creative Vision

by Robert S. Cosmar

The world supports Creative Feeling, or Vision.  It is through creativity that we evolve and build our future. It is through individual vision that we manifest our desires. Without vision, mankind would continually run in circles.  It would stagnate from boredom and die for lack of being anything fresh and new. If there is one thing lacking in humanity, at this time, it is vision and the power to manifest our dreams into reality.

We are never lacking in talk, debate, discussion, or criticism, but when it comes to actually making something happen, we often lack vision. Vision is the voice of the future, or creativity un-manifested.  Some may call it God, but in reality, it is our ability to generate support, effort, materials, personnel and whatever else it takes to make a vision a reality.

It is the energy of existence, the magic, to say yes to our desire to serve and inspire humanity through some effort or cause. We work hand in hand with that force which moves the stars, makes rivers flow, and the sun to shine beyond the clouds of doubt and dismay. We share in the purpose and higher intent of a magic that shines brighter and deeper than any Sun in any galaxy of any part of this vast universe.

Namaste.

Accept Yourself

by Robert S. Cosmar

Most people do not like their self.  Many more do not know their self. We live in a mental world, full of ideas, thoughts, and opinions. Our identities are borrowed from society, our parents, and even our peers.

Only when our goals, dreams and desires collapse before us do we consider that life is not what we have been told or sold. We suffer when this happens, but the suffering is a birth, of sorts, and an opportunity to rediscover our true self and its power.

Fear and distrust of self prevent most people from coming to terms with who they are. The world, society, parents, peers and teachers all apply pressure to conform to the norm or suffer the fate of being dubbed a failure. What they are saying is, "Who we want you to be is more important than who you feel you are." What we have, therefore, are highly educated failures as human beings -- people who can talk and think, for sure, but who lack an awareness of self and the awareness of how they fit into the universal scheme of things. It is one thing to identify with a thing or a philosophy, yet entirely another to know your self as an individual. One encourages conformity, the other causes us to go on a personal journey within to find our true and unique self.

Until the mind and heart are again merged into a cosmic partnership with the knowing heart as the lead guide, mankind will continue to fail in its attempt to achieve purpose. Mankind will not be able to conquer outer space, until we have achieved a greater awareness of our inner space. Man can only achieve great things in proportion to his ability to understand himself. It is awareness that has brought the discovery of great achievements in our time and many of those are outside the realm of thought.

Before you begin to find yourself, you have to look within. Before you begin to contemplate about who you think you are, you have to look at the way you feel you are. Nothing is more damaging to a soul than a runaway mind seeking itself through its thoughts, and a person hiding or evading how they feel. You are not your thoughts. Your feelings are much deeper and truer to your natural being, or self.

Do not judge yourself or anyone else, based on what you see or think -- open your heart and accept them.  Some will be your teachers and help you to learn about yourself. Others will be a reminder of your own prejudices and vices -- no one is better than anyone else. Until we see deeply into our self, we will not have the power to achieve our dreams in a manner that reflects our true identity.

Namaste.

Writing Inspiration: Richard Schwartz

This was a comment left by my friend, Richard Schwartz, on yesterday's blog, "Inspiration for Writing".  I thought it was so great that I asked him if I could use it as a blog.  Richard agreed.  Thanks, Richard!

CJ - You're not as nutty as your thoughts on creativity seem to imply. When I start writing a character, they start telling me their story.  I'm just the one who happens to be writing down what they tell me. After I've written a few paragraphs about them they develop a unique voice that I can hear in my mind. 

As I was finishing my first book, I had a dream one night that I was arriving at a surprise party. Everyone there was a character in my first book and they were thanking me for bringing them to life for my readers. This certainly sounds strange. but I remember waking up the next day and my first thought was that it was nice of them to throw me a party. 

I'd love to say that I love writing ... but its more than that.  When I get an idea for a character, I feel compelled to start writing.  For example, I was on vacation touring the National Parks here in the northwest.  While at Yellowstone, one of my favorite characters from my first book told me a story that will be the beginning of my third book.  I am only half way through my second book, but I had to get back to our hotel room to write down the story that will certainly be the beginning of the third book. 

I'd love to tell you where my ideas come from ... but I really can't.  Taking photos of the geothermal features shouldn't have provoked thoughts leading to the beginning of my third book, but that's where it happened!

Richard Schwartz


** This is incredible, and I'm thrilled to hear about it, Richard.   It's obvious you're another writer who listens to the whispers.  You've made me feel so much better -- I'm really not a nutcase (smiling), after all.  Thank you so much for sharing your experience  and for allowing me to put your comment here as a blog.
My warmest regards and respect, as always,
CJ

Inspiration for Writing

The strangest thing:  I was sitting here this morning thinking about a question that was posed in a writing forum that I belong to.  "Where do you get your ideas for writing, whether for poems, short stories, or any other forms of writing?"

 H m m m ... it sounded like such an easy question, at first. The most obvious answer, and the one most people had already written was, "I rely on either my imagination, or I write about what I know." The more I thought about it, though, I had to ask myself, where DO my ideas really come from?

Truthfully, the best inspirations, or ideas, I've ever gotten came from (now don't laugh) God and/or the universe. For me, there are times when I'm able to completely relax and find my center, stop my mind from trying to control my thoughts, listen to my breath enter and leave my lungs and allow the energy to flow through me. 

When the inspiration comes, and it always does, the words rush like water from an open tap -- it's an indescribable feeling, almost as though the words aren't mine at all. They seem to come from somewhere else and flow through me, from the heart to the mind, to the fingers all by themselves. It's a humbling experience and I'm always amazed and extremely grateful to the universe for showing me its magic. It's something that is there for everyone, if you only ask.

Now, how do I write that as an answer in the forum without people thinking I'm a nutcase ...


Namaste.

Looking Within

by Robert Cosmar

Most people are perplexed when you tell them they must look within. The mind asks, "Now, how do you do that?" It seems ridiculous to even try. But, when you realize that inner looking is actually inner feeling, it's a different matter all together.

The mind explores through thought, memory and observation. It analyzes what it hears, sees and what it thinks.   It takes concepts and arranges them, according to its understanding of them. Feelings, on the other hand, are centered in the heart and have deep connections leading to the very source of life itself: the soul of existence.

Feeling is an internally directed process, and not external, like thought. Feelings require no observation, other than to be aware of them, or maybe to turn your attention toward them. No work or analysis is needed, you just feel. The hard part is in trusting those feelings and learning how they reveal so much of the mystery of life and ourselves.

Feelings help us to understand by revealing to us our unity with life. Unlike the mind, feelings reveal what is already there and how we already feel a part of it. Understanding is not required. You don't have to come to any conclusions, you simply know.

Silence is a byproduct of deep feeling.   As the mind stops its chatter, you become aware of a vacuum, or void, in which only a solitary you exists. At first, this void has elements of the unconscious you in it, but as you go deeper and encounter the blocks to full realization, you come to understand the meaning and importance of silence. Silence reveals what words cannot express. It's a place where concepts are replaced by reality and an end to seeking, because you have found the essence of life and your place within it.

Silence requires no time or space to define it, because in the inner world of reality, it is the companion to reality. It dissolves the illusions created in time and space and brings us to a point of realization, where we see through feeling, the very nature of ourselves and our true reality. We are home again and we know it, we remember it and recognize it ... and the search is over for now.

Our Spiritual Path

"Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learn here. Our spiritual journey is the relinquishment, or unlearning, of fear and the acceptance of love back into our hearts." ~Marianne Williamson

The older I get and the more aware I become, the more everything makes sense: my life, my choices, as well as all of the difficult lessons I've had to learn along the way. 

I've been taught or more exactly, shown, by my spirit guide, Dinahh, that every choice any of us make, every choice we've ever made, is the right choice -- for us at that time. There are no wrong ones. Each time we've made a decision, that decision took us down a new and separate path of discovery and learning, complete with a new set of lessons and experiences -- the amazing thing is, all of them were designed by God and the universe to aid us in our journey to spiritual awareness.

As Dinahh has told me, each decision we make, each path we travel, or experience we live, brings a different outcome. Some paths will bring pain and heartache, others profound joy and happiness, still others, passion and creativity, but always, we continue to learn about ourselves, and all of it is necessary for our personal and spiritual growth. As we become more and more aware, we learn another important element to further spiritual growth -- eliminating, or throwing away, the fears, the blame and the guilt, (the baggage), we've accumulated along the way. This is also known as lessening the karma.

The funny thing is, the universe doesn't really care how long it takes us to complete our journey here on this plane gathering human experiences. With the universe, there is no time, only infinity, so there are no time constraints or time limits. Ironically, it's completely up to us how long we take, and through however many lifetimes (incarnations) we might need, to grow in our awareness and until we can at last remember who we truly are. We seek to remember where it is we came from, and ultimately, return home again.

Everything is perfect in the universe -- God doesn't make mistakes -- everything is and will always be just as it should be.

Namaste. 

Nostalgia of Living

by Robert Cosmar

In a couple of days, I'll be sixty years old.  Over the past few years, I've looked back and reminisced over times, events, and memories of the years I've lived.  I especially enjoy going to YouTube and seeing the 60's artists still singing their tunes from that era. It's both magical and sad all at once.  I'm amazed at how those songs still ring deeply inside me and can arouse emotions and memories long buried. It's fun to watch the audience as they smile and recall their own memories, heartbreaks and feelings.

I'm also reminded that while it's good to relive the past, it isn't good to be stuck there. Many people stay stuck in the past and never live a full life in the NOW. They've lived a long life and made choices in most cases that were almost unconscious. Time takes its toll on us mentally, emotionally and especially physically. Escaping into the past or having an addiction to the future seem like common ways to avoid the question, "What about NOW?"  Death speaks louder with each friend or associate who leaves us, reminding us we're mortal and time isn't our ally.

The years fly by and we come to sense an end is coming.  All that we held familiar is slowly slipping from our consciousness. How amazing life has been; how magical the moments we've shared and experienced. Do we have to leave this someday? Is this the whisper we hear within?  The answer comes, "All that you have known and experienced of your special time here is going. Do you want to stay behind when all that you've experienced and known passes you by and dissolves into eternity, never to be experienced again?"

This is when I realized -- life is unique.  Our times are special and custom-made for us alone. Never again will there be a time like I experienced -- it was MY time and My life -- custom-made and designed for me alone to share with a special group of others that I feel a connection to.

Generations come and go and it feels like they all have a separation of thoughts, feelings and beliefs. The stage is the same, but the play and players are different. Life is a much like a revolving door or a circular revolving stage where several plays are presented at the same time. Each is a play, but they all cover different topics, each dependent upon the life that it touches.  More than ever, I feel that our lives are very personal and an intimacy exists with each generation for the time they live. The issues, topics and experiences are all very personal to each generation.

With advancing age, it's easy to become depressed and disillusioned as we see opportunities and experiences slipping away.  Life, as we see and experience it, is for the young, those with the power to earn and those with enough energy to accomplish set goals.  For the old, there's the past to remember and the mystery of death to make peace with.

I hope as the years go by and I see my body lose its appeal and my hair completely falls out, that I'll never lose the awe and wonder of my heart.  I hope I can still write poetry and stories, share insights from my soul, and that I'll continue to marvel at and enjoy the love of my mate. I've made a pact with the universe to meet it halfway and I'll share the thoughts, feelings and insights that come from them. To do that, I can't dwell in the past or live in hopes of some imaginary future. It is NOW, inside me, inside my heart, where I'm aware that love is forever.  Love never dies.

Namaste.

Spirit Guides and Children

I've written a lot about whispers from the universe and Dinahh, who first appeared in 2009. I've also written about events leading up to that first meeting, how they affected me personally, and how puzzling and strange it all seemed, even making me feel like I was weird or worse, crazy. 

I've also explained how he's helped me to understand my growing awareness and to see the whispers I've had since childhood, not as a curse, but as a gift.

Today, I'm writing about spirit guides again, but from another angle. In talking with Robert and Dinahh, I've come to believe that when we're born, we're still very much connected to the universe spiritually. 

Children can and do hear their guidance, and some even see them. Who hasn't known a child, or heard of one, or maybe even was a child who had an imaginary friend? Society thinks it's "cute" and most people even play along with the child for awhile, but eventually they are told to stop pretending, stop fantasizing, or to grow up, because an imaginary friend is only make-believe. 

It's all of the outside influences -- parents, teachers, friends, schools, etc., -- which cause a child's normal and natural spiritual connection to break down and they finally tell their imaginary friend (spiritual guide), "You're not real". Society wants and insists, that we use our minds, not our hearts and our feelings, which by their true nature, keep us connected with the universe. 

My oldest daughter, Carrie, had an imaginary friend. She first told me about Sherla when she was a toddler and just learning to talk. Sherla was very real to her. With everything we did, Sherla was included. We set a place for her at the breakfast, lunch and dinner table. Sherla was tucked in, read to and even hugged at bedtime, and Sherla was even included when we said our night-night prayers. It was such an innocent pretense, and I was happy to indulge Carrie. 

When I was a child, I remember my parents did the very same thing with the Boogie Man, because someone told one of my brothers that the Boogie Man would get him. The Boogie Man became, to us, a friend, almost like part of the family. I can't remember exactly when Sherla ceased to exist for Carrie. One day, she just wasn't there anymore. To the best of my recollection, it was about the time Carrie started school. Her imaginary friend was never so significant for me then as she is now, after my visitation from Dinahh. 

Was Sherla Carrie's spiritual guide, brought with her when she came into this world? It's an interesting question, isn't it? It's possible, even probable, that when she started school and told other children and her teacher about Sherla they made fun of her. I don't know. What I do know is, Carrie has had many spiritual whispers (intuitions and precognitions) since then, some of them I've already written about in past blogs. I think Sherla has always been with her. 

I'm basing this on what Dinahh told me on his second dream visit when I asked him, "Why are you here?" and he answered, "Catherine, I have been with you all along." 

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Sherla reappears in my adult daughter's life, this time recognized and welcomed. With the universe, everything is as it should be and comes in its own time ... 

Namaste. 

Awareness Follows Attention

by Robert Cosmar

Awareness is the ability to see with knowingness. It is pure consciousness without identification. It is the essence of what we are within.  Looking outside ourselves, from a point of conscious awareness within, we need language to explain, explore and understand existence in a physical sense. 

Mind is awareness without knowingness of reality. It is perception without the knowingness of consciousness or reality. Mind, therefore, is anti-knowingness. We do not know with the mind, we only label, analyze and arrange concepts in logical order. We try to express knowingness through language which is only a symbol of our conscious knowing, but this is not what we actually know or perceive.  The mind is a container that holds ideas, memories and unconscious content. 

When the attention is turned within through our feelings and not our thoughts, we perceive that knowingness exists. This knowingness exists beyond words and without words. It is experienced as a unity of thought and being. We realize it is the truth of our being on a level of conscious realization, well beyond the mind, and a part of something deeper and richer within.

Awareness is how we perceive reality in both the inner and outer worlds. Attention is how we choose to give direction to consciousness, so our awareness can respond with understanding. We are complete, just as we are, but the division of our attention can cause a split in awareness. This can cause great confusion.  It is only when our attention is seated deep within, and our awareness grounded in the core of our being, that we are able to understand and accept reality "as is". This is our true face, and our total being of consciousness.

Namaste.

Making A Difference

by Robert S. Cosmar

When I was growing up, there were certain movies that seemed to touch me deeply. Sometimes I would cry, and at other times, my heart would just swell within me.  It seemed the movies that affected me most involved either an underdog overcoming a bully or an evil person, or movies about Jesus touching a person's life, like in the movie, Ben Hur.  Until recently, I didn't realize why I cried.

Sitting with Cathy the last few days, we've watched a couple of movies that made me cry. One was the new Karate Kid and the other one was an older movie called Mona Lisa Smile.  Both movies were about either someone helping someone overcome a problem or realize their potential.  I came to see through these movies that most of my life, my greatest desire was either to realize my own full potential or to help others achieve theirs.  I was crying for myself and for others as well.

I have had moments in my life when I felt the hand of God, or providence, touch me and I realize then how important those moments were. There are also times when I realized that I touched peoples lives, as well, and I will always remember that feeling of "getting through to them."  

Nothing feels better then a breakthrough moment when after years, maybe, of miscommunication or misunderstanding, a person or persons finally SEE and a doorway to life is opened and you, or they, overcome an obstacle or even realize a long-held dream. You feel happy for them and grateful in your heart that you may have had a part in helping them.

Namaste.
Robert

Guest Writers

Namaste everyone!

Today I was reading all of the great comments that have been added to blog posts.  Somehow, I missed many of them and for that, I apologize.  I was thrilled to read the many interesting thoughts and insights, and some of you even wrote about experiences you've had -- I feel humbled.  I'm finding out that I have a lot to learn on my spiritual journey!

There are many of you who are very knowledgeable about awareness and I would like to extend an invitation to share what you know here in the blog, so we can all learn.  Please, consider being a guest writer for Knowing Whispers.

I'm very flexible with the subject matter -- whatever you want to write about that interests you.   I especially love reading about your experiences. I hope to hear from you soon.  I hope your week is going well -- it's really hot here in Pennsylvania!

Namaste.
CJ

The Shiny Stone

A Short Story
by Robert Cosmar

Deep within the womb of the earth, one shiny stone rested, embraced on all sides by the soil and surrounded by other stones of similar size and shape. Unable to move, they spent their time pondering the meaning of their existence and sharing all sorts of possible explanations as to why they were in the dark and how they got there.

The other stones accepted their fate and yet always complained about the cramped conditions, but Shiny, (as he was called) surprised them all with his wild conjectures and possible explanations. He would often say that someday they would be visited by strange beings from another world. Then their true purpose and worth would be explained to them. The other stones only laughed, and even the tightly wrapped soil would chuckle at the crazy things Shiny came up with.

The other stones and the soil found a certain amount of solace in the acceptance of their fate, even though deep within they felt empty and barren. You see, they had lost all hope. Time and again they had seen their dreams fail. They never got explanations as to the reason for their condition. Long ago, they decided to find their comfort amongst themselves in their despair.

They did not enjoy this despair, but it gave them something to feed on -- a reason to be, so to speak. The thought of any other explanation was too painful to even consider. Many times, the stones would talk about their anxiety in the quiet moments when they were alone and had no one but their thoughts and each other to keep them company. Their fear of loneliness was almost unbearable. Shiny could hear them weeping, at times, but never said anything to the others because he knew they were proud and too scared to admit it. So he would smile and try to help by offering more of his explanations as to their condition and how to cope with it.

It was those moments he enjoyed the most, when the group mind was gone and an individual stone would show his pain, weakness or true feelings. Shiny knew he was like them, but he also knew that they were limited by their lack of awareness. He, too, had gone through periods of fear and loneliness in the past, but he learned that within the darkness of the heart, a light existed. The darkness was only the end of one existence and a doorway to another, one that was filled with unlimited hope and the extinction of fear.

Sometimes he tried talking about this, but usually a stone would speak out in fear and the others would join in because they found comfort in their fears. Each one said Shiny's idea's were fine, but impractical, and not based upon their particular reality. The fact was, they had tremendous pride in their own thoughts. After all, they had spent many thousands of years developing them and nothing had ever occurred to change their view. They all agreed, it was good to hope, but they only hoped in what they knew from their experience -- anything else would only be a waste of time.

Shiny smiled but could say nothing at this point. He knew they would not listen, or that they could not. The thought that their proud explanations could be limiting and restrictive was not an option in his mind. After all, where would they be if they learned they were wrong?

One day, a group of stones began a heated discussion. There was concern that something was happening deep in the earth and they feared their position here was in jeopardy. Stories existed in their lore where deep earth explosions caused their kind to be scattered far into places unknown. Shiny tried to calm them, but his lack of fear agitated the others and so their anger was directed straight at him. Some said they had heard enough and they wanted him to go.

Shiney was deeply concerned because he could feel their rage. They could not kill him, but he knew they could expel him by the use of the ancient forces within the earth. He had long known that the earth was a living force, just as they were, and it was also a conscious entity.

Suddenly, there was a huge explosion from deep within the earth's crust. Hot steam and gasses began to emerge from below them. Many of the stones cried out because they feared the end was near. This was not a usual earth event and they were terrified. Volcanic eruptions were rare, but when they occurred, they melted stone and rock and even purged the soil.

Just then, a second more powerful eruption exploded from below and Shiny was caught up in the surge of energy from deep within the earth. Everywhere, things were in chaos, flying upward and outwards. Shiney hit the ground with a hard thud and rolled a long way. He did not know where he was, but he could see it was a different world. A large shining disk was way above him and it was bright and hot. It gave warmth like the earth did, but it was ever so much hotter.

He looked all around him, but his old friends were no where to be found. While he knew he was alone, he was strangely not afraid. Something within told him everything was okay and he would be just fine. Later, the shiny hot disk way above him gave way to a new and strange darkness. It was not like the darkness of the earth where he was before. This was much freer, yet it still conveyed the feeling of being alone with oneself. Shiny was left to wonder, what would happen next?

Suddenly, a creature landed right next to him. It came from somewhere up above. It was oddly shaped with a large head and a funny outer coating like he had never seen before. "Hello." Shiny said to the creature.

Startled, it cursed and yelled at Shiney, "Don't do that!"

"Do what," Shiny asked in disbelief.

"Scare me like that!" said the creature.

"I'm sorry." Shiny answered, "I was feeling alone and then I saw you here, beside me."

"Well, you will not be alone for long," the creature confided.

'Why is that?" Shiny asked, hoping.

"Some human will come by and pick you up and take you home." said the creature.

"What is a human?" Shiny asked, puzzled by this strange being.

"They are the creatures that run this planet -- or so they think." the creature told him, sarcastically.

"And what kind of creature are you?" asked Shiny.

"I am an owl, my dear fellow." said the creature. "We owls are very wise and know many things."

"I see," said Shiny, "now could you please tell me, who I am?" He asked hesitantly.

"You, my friend, are a diamond, only the most precious of stones, silly. You're one of the largest diamonds I have ever seen! Some human will find you and have you cut, polished, and placed in a ring or on a crown. That is who you are. That's where you belong, too." said the owl. "You are very valuable and should be in a place of honor."

"That's strange," said Shiny "I know you must be right, but why do I feel so uncertain?"

"It's because you still identify with the under world, the place you came from. The eruption must have tossed you out here and you are in unfamiliar surroundings. I feel certain that once you allow your "self" to accept and love the truth of your true nature, then the past will drop away and you will know who you really are." said the wise old owl as he flew back up and disappeared into the night sky.

What is Awareness?

For man, the most important thing is life, complete with an outer belief system of opinions, prejudices, educational and cultural training, and unique family backgrounds -- but all of those are only accidental factors of life. They've become necessary tools for survival and living within society -- but none of them actually define who we truly are.

When we strip away all of the easy definitions, like job, religion, sex and so on, which only narrowly define "us", who and what are we, really?  If we lose our job, will we also lose our self?  If we convert to another religion, do we, as spiritual beings, actually change?  If we have a transgender operation, do we change our self on the inside, right along with how we changed on the outside?  It may seem so, if we're overly attached to these flimsy definitions of who we are.  In spite of outside change, something always remains the same.  Since our outsides are so prone to change, then doesn't it make sense to look within—to our true self?  But what are we on the inside?  What in the world are we?

Awareness helps to answer that, although awareness is not an answer, it's  actually the biggest question of all.  See, awareness demands no belief in anything.  Instead, it insists on doubting everything we always took for granted as being true, up to now.   Awareness points out the areas of our lives where faith in our self has been silenced by the rigidity of all of our learned beliefs.  Awareness is simply paying attention to our life as it unfolds, here in this moment and in this world.  It's recognizing our true self, before the thinking, opinions, and beliefs tried to take control. By knowing our true nature, we're able to lessen, or even rid ourselves of, everything that separates us from our true experience in this lifetime as awakened souls.  As we become more intuitive (aware) within our self, with others and the world, the world and self will eventually begin to act as one, and we'll finally see there isn't a problem, except in our own thinking.

Think of it this way, awareness is like a great intuition with "home" -- the universe.  It's knowing, maybe without even knowing how you know -- but you do know.  You've finally become aware and you begin to remember where you came from before you came here and even before that.  Awareness is present when you swerve out of the way of a speeding car without even thinking. Awareness is there when you cry at a movie, because you feel the suffering of another person. Awareness is there in the flow of your thoughts when you are creating, and awareness is in the breathing that keeps you alive. Awareness never forgets about us -- it's we who have forgotten to be aware.  We only have to look within to find our awareness -- trying to find awareness or meaning from outside ourselves would be like, well, like pouring water into the ocean to make it wet.  We have only to wake up and stop sleepwalking through our reality.

Namaste.