| A Mere Suggestion |
| by Linda Keating |
| With all the TV and radio talk shows, publications, and people who have so much to say about everything, it seems that it might be wise to consider entertaining the words of some who may actually know more than us. At the very least, a new vantage point can be different and quite refreshing. A massage at a local health spa not only cleared my mind, it opened it. Forever. I offer my story. As the masseuse was rubbing and kneading my muscles she proceeded to tell me about a class in which a woman "channeled." Channeling is when an individual invites a spiritual experience into his or her life by permitting a spiritual soul to use his or her voice for speaking or hands for writing. These tools are used to share messages from other levels of existence more advanced than us. Immediately intrigued with the prospect of such a thing and possessing an inherent fascination with philosophy and new possibilities, I decided it would only be right that I check this out. I remembered back to the uncanny accuracy of psychic readings I had had and my contemplation of how therapeutic this gift could be if it were more refined. Curiosity sparked, I wondered how psychic abilities would compare with those of a channeler. As the evening of the first class approached, I was quite fearful inside. But this was something I wanted to see for myself, and at the very least, it would be something new and different, so I forged on. As an observer of the logistics of channelling -- the insertion of one's spiritual soul into another's earthly body -- initially seemed a little "Whoopi Goldbergish" as in the movie "Ghost." Continuing this quest, I marveled how at other times there was such incredible finesse in the transition that I could not tell when the other soul was coming or going. The only observable tell tale sign? When the channeler's glasses were off, the more highly evolved soul was present, and when the glasses were on, she was herself. Once I got passed questioning the legitimacy of channeling and accepting that there are many things in this world that we do not understand, I realized the highest value was in the words that were being communicated, not the scientific proof of the experience. As time went by, it became clearer and clearer to me that just because we can not explain something does not mean it is inherently bad, lacks value, or is not to be trusted. In fact, in an odd sort of way, perhaps it can offer even more, a possible next step. We know love is a very powerful force, yet we can't scientifically prove that it exists. The foundation of this class is based on the premise of reincarnation. The ideology of reincarnation is that we all experience rebirth into new bodies over the course of multiple life times in order to expand our understanding of who we are. This is attained through the acquisition of knowledge which is the culmination of all the experiences we have ever had. This knowledge comes with us from life time to life time and ultimately defines who we are. Perhaps this partially explains why there can be such depths of disparity in character between people of the same age group? The soul currently speaking in the class I attend has earned the knowledge of approximately 4700 life times of experience. Since the students who attend this class are not at this level of understanding, the conversation which occurs between the higher soul -- the soul which is more knowledgeable than us -- is rather intriguing and inspiring. So what do the more highly evolved souls talk about? I provide but a snap shot, since each topic could be a novel unto itself. They are kind. Their words are rich, deep and quite comforting. They speak of many levels or planes of existence and of the eternalness of being or the continuation of the life force that stays with us from lifetime to lifetime. They see everything as a learning experience - regardless of the outcome -- just the ability to do over and over again what can be improved. They refer to life as one huge game of pin ball in which one needs to develop his or her abilities to maneuver and ultimately master "the traps" of the game, some of which include self-deception, lack of self-worth, martyrdom, and fear. They speak of the foibles of being human. They make suggestions on how to deal with life forms other than our own. Potentially further bringing to the forefront our thoughts on the next form of discrimination? The higher souls further explain the impact of our thoughts on the manifestation of both our individual and group realities and touch on the laws of karma - more commonly known as the laws of cause and effect. Growth and development, gentleness, and living without judgment of yourself or others appears to be key. Above all, they speak of truly knowing yourself as an individual and make reference to the integration of the individual whole as part of the universal whole. Evidently, it is through our life experiences that we learn what traits are advantageous for us to absorb into our identities and which traits are best to be sloughed off since they no longer serve the best interest of our soul's evolution. When the class does not agree with the concepts that are being taught, be it something about greed or self-understanding, the higher souls ever so nicely remind us that that is why we are here, and they are where they are. The students tend to chuckle at such comments, or get really quiet. Regarding incentive to improve yourself, your life, and your relationships? One evening the students were asked to ponder the concept that your problems "die" with you. And when you are reborn into a new life, they are packed up and transported with you to bring on your most recent journey. How convenient! The recommendation... if you like to travel light, one might want to think about bringing more resolution into his or her life. I was asked to ponder, so I pondered. I thought maybe harboring resentment and the retention of some of my fears are not so important after all. I went so far as to acknowledge that there might be some things about myself that I could work on "CHANGING." The higher souls have stated that they are here to help us. However, the bylaws of our "free will earth plane" dictate that they can only assist, if asked. I suppose that is why they entered my life. I asked anyone who might be listening to show me a better way...The higher souls appeared in my life one year later. The philosophy of asking for what you desire does not seem that far off from our conventional religious teachings. One night the higher souls stated that they are willing, and quite able, to assist us in curing the diseases and ills of our planet. I, for one, can not understand why our society's researchers, scientists, and physicians would not ask for guidance and contemplate the viability of what the higher souls have to offer. As for me, I 'm catching on to the fact that the higher souls and we share the same mind, we operate as part of a larger whole, and we can help one another. It's all in the asking. So why do I think the higher souls are who they say they are? Because I do not know one person who would have answered this question as they did. When a student asked, how do you know what is the right thing to do when making a decision, the answer was unequivocably "you do what brings you happiness and peace." What a concept? I thought of all the decisions in this world that are made from a bad case of "the shoulds," fear, guilt, greed, the need to control etc. What would this world be like if we made decisions based on the degree of happiness and peace it brought into our lives? As ones who have travelled the path of life many more times than we, they seem to offer some pretty practical advice. There are times when I sit in class and feel a sense of shame and embarrassment, since I realize all that the higher souls are and how far, we as "humanity," still have to go. I can't prove what I have seen or heard is coming from more highly evolved souls. I certainly can't disprove it. Perhaps this is one of those times when each must judge for one's "self." It seems there may be much more to life than most of us have ever imagined. Questioning the ramifications of what if and how we choose to live our lives, run our governments and businesses, and care for our planet and each other may prove to be more valuable than ever thought possible. I would imagine there are those among us who feel that they know it all, or at least have a pretty good handle on things. Not so long ago, I would have put myself in that category. Life seemed ritualistic, predictable, and often times, rather flat. Though not proud to admit it, my thoughts during the day would frequently wander in the area of -- "is this all there is?" And so now, two years later, I sit with a piece of humble pie in front of me and ask "what's next, what could this mean to my life, the lives of those I love, humanity, and life as we currently know it to be?" For those who are seeking individual answers to fulfill very specific needs, or for researchers, scientists and physicians who are looking for clues for curing our planet's ills and disease, or those who are curious about the deeper meaning of life and the next stages of evolution, or for those who are simply just ready for something more, the incredible insight and knowledge provided through a channeler lends to a fascinating exploration and is most worthy of pursuit. Remember, it's only a suggestion... |
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