Childhood trauma
By Jimmy Henderson
Trauma has specific components which identify it as such. For instance, it involves extremely powerful emotions such as fear, helplessness or horror, resulting from experiencing, seeing or just being confronted by an event which involves death or serious injury to oneself, loved ones or even friends. An example of this would be the effect on victims and families of the World Trade Centre destruction in 2001.
However, trauma can also result from being the victim of violent crime or serious abuse. Such an event sets off a roller-coaster of emotional, psychological and physical reactions which can take years to settle and from which some people may never fully recover. It can take place at any time in one’s life, including childhood, and its impact will depend on the degree of violence involved, the severity of the event and the coping mechanisms of the person involved.
For example, childhood trauma could result from the child being caught up in a natural disaster such as an earthquake, a serious accident in which family members are killed, being the victim of, or simply witnessing violent crime directed at his or her parents. It could also be the result of serious violence directed at the child by a parent (or parents), but as I said, it is usually associated with a specific event (or events) with far-reaching consequences such as rape. Other less violent forms of sexual or emotional abuse are more likely to result in other disorders.
As I said, trauma results in a chain–reaction of symptoms which unfold over a period of weeks and months. In the case of children, who have not yet developed complex coping mechanisms, the most likely symptoms would be emotional numbness and withdrawal (or frequent agitation, outbursts and crying) an inability to perform tasks (schoolwork), not eating and sleeping properly (nightmares) and physical ailments such as running stomach, cramps and other illnesses. If they are old enough to verbalise their emotions, they may talk about feeling very scared and helpless.
Trauma is a serious situation and requires immediate counselling by a qualified therapist. This is not something that can be dealt with by the parents or school. If it is not handled quickly and effectively, it can become what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder which can be a debilitating situation for both children and adults. The effects of trauma can persist through adolescence and adulthood resulting in persistent fears and images of the event, frightening dreams and memories, hallucinations and imaginings, an inability to concentrate and can even affect one’s personality (increased irritability, anger and withdrawing socially and emotionally).
Trauma can be treated by therapy directed at returning the persons sense of mastery and control and this normally involves changing their thoughts about the event. To answer the question of whether we are victims of our childhood trauma, much depends on the support and treatment received during and after the event. Trauma is one of the most difficult issues to deal with and unless the child receives the correct support and treatment immediately, is empowered to process the event (s) more successfully and develop better coping skills, these symptoms, in the case of PTSD, can go on to severely affect one’s adult family, social and working life.
Few partners would be able to put up with the outbursts and unpredictability of a person suffering from this disorder and it certainly will affect one’s parenting skills as well, due to the effects on one’s personality (withdrawal, anger and irrtitability). The preoccupation with the images and pain of the past (and the subsequent inability to concentrate effectively) could also affect one’s choice of career and ability to work.
Sources consulted : Barlow, D.H.& Durand, V.M. (2002). Abnormal psychology: An integrated approach. (3rd ed.). Belmont : Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
Friedman, Merle. (Dr.) (2004). Trauma Counsellors Training Course.
Jimmy Henderson is a trained trauma counsellor (busy with master’s degree in psychology). He is also the author of a number of self-help books and articles –see www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The four essential relationships to unfolding consciousness
The four essential relationships in
unfolding consciousness
The importance of consciousness
Consciousness involves far more than just being ‘self-aware’. It involves a state of mind and being that affects all our thoughts, decisions, actions and achievements. Once one becomes conscious of something, it begins to manifest in our lives, and as we unfold higher levels of consciousness, our whole experience of life and reality will change.
Within the depths of our consciousness, we house our memories (past experiences), cultural, religious or spiritual beliefs, conditioned responses (mental programmes) and even the paradigm with which we make sense of our world. These all become filters for our experiences, understanding and even our perception of reality. By raising and improving the quality (clarity) of our consciousness, we move closer to our true spiritual selves and a real experience of God.
Our consciousness should grow naturally as we mature and learn the lessons that life has to offer. However, the process can be speeded up with more conscious living and a daily commitment to self-development which usually occurs with religious, spiritual or metaphysical practices. In this regard, I have identified four relationships that are essential to fully unfold our consciousness.
Our relationship with ourselves
The process of unfoldment can either be hastened or else held back by our attitudes, state of mind, actions and efforts(or lack thereof), to improve ourselves.
Health, exercise and diet
Our consciousness can be lowered by sickness and ill-health. Energy-work especially requires a certain level of fitness. It is therefore important to look after our bodies as well as our minds. In this regard, a healthy diet and regular exercise is important. Our bodies can also build up toxins due to stress and bad eating habits and we need to detoxify at regular intervals with over-the-counter detoxifying agents or using qualified de-tox therapists. All this will make our bodies lighter, stronger and more receptive to a higher consciousness.
Stress, lifestyle and distractions
One simply cannot expect to discover new heights of consciousness whilst maintaining a stressful lifestyle or enjoying a life of excess or all-night partying. Stress and distractions both serve to lower or entrap our consciousness and balancing our work and private lives will afford us the time and space for self-introspection, which is absolutely necessary for unfolding our consciousness. This does not mean that we have to resign our jobs or isolate ourselves completely from the world, but rather, consciously learn to simplify our lives, manage our time better and change our priorities. In dealing with stress we should learn to relax using meditation and cultivate an inner stillness, balance and sense of detachment. In other words, shift our focus from outer to inner consciousness.
Our attitudes and actions
Our attitudes and actions are also important. Loving and selfless thoughts and deeds raise consciousness, but those of a selfish, aggressive, negative or judgmental nature, only serve to lower it.
Our minds
Emotional wellness
Our consciousness has to slowly wind its way through all the entanglements in our minds and in order to unfold it correctly, we need to remove all emotional and psychological debris and achieve at least a measure of emotional wellness. This can be explained as being able to cope with the emotional ups and downs of daily life and usually means that we have dealt with most of our painful or unhelpful emotions from the past, such as anger, fear and resentment.
Our bodies have a natural ability to heal themselves and under the right conditions, our minds and spirits will also heal and begin to unfold naturally. This usually involves processing in the form of releasing guilt, doubts and fears from our past through forgiveness or self-forgiveness and re-building our self-esteem. However, in some cases we may require the help and assistance of counselors and therapists.
Our everyday thinking and beliefs
Our present beliefs and perceptions about the world and reality set the limits as to what we can experience. For instance, people who do not believe in other forms of life and consciousness such as spiritual beings would probably not even know if they were approached by one. They would simply not be able to make sense of the experience in terms of their existing beliefs. One’s mind has to be open and receptive to the truth of a certain experience before it can be processed.
An open mind is essential
Many people are not open to new ideas and will rather remain with their present attitudes towards the world and their framework of beliefs collected over the years. The problem is, if we ever wish to invite the deeper experiences associated with an unfolding consciousness into our lives, we will need to open our minds to new ideas about consciousness. This usually requires only a small shift to a more universal paradigm of thought which includes all the possibilities for spiritual development and consciousness unfoldment.
Clarity
As I said before, our consciousness has to weave its way through the content of our minds and it is important to keep it clear and free of negative thoughts, drama and intrigue which only pollute our state of mind and block the light. We should consciously choose to release all judgments about other people as well as thoughts or feelings that are unhelpful or self-defeating.
Our view of self
Finally, if we continue to see ourselves only as imperfect physical beings and prisoners of our past, we will limit ourselves and never truly unfold our consciousness. Our innermost beliefs act as mental rules or instructions to our subconscious minds and control our thinking and actions, setting us up for success or failure. In this regard, we will have to create the correct psychological space and conditions for unfoldment by seeing ourselves as not just as a body, but rather as multi-dimensional beings with an almost limitless potential. It will be necessary to replace our old self-image with powerful new thoughts or affirmations which are far more expansive and redefine our self-imposed limits. For example, ‘What I see in the mirror is not the real me’, ‘I am far more than this’, ‘I am a being of light’ or ‘My source is in God ’.
Our relationship with our subconscious or unconscious mind
One of our closest and most powerful allies in the process of unfolding our consciousness is our own subconscious or unconscious mind. Our subconscious mind has its own programme and functions as a sort of ‘automatic pilot’ to regulate our bodily functions such as breathing and heartbeat, as well as some of our important mental activities. It is also able to communicate with us using sensations, impressions, spontaneous thoughts and ideas (intuition) and symbolic images during dreams, imagery (visualization) or visions.
What is most important is that it also serves as the inner guardian and protector of our consciousness, filtering incoming information and regulating our inner experiences in accordance with our abilities and readiness. Think of it in terms of the legend of the Sphinx which guarded the entrance to the Greek city of Thebes. Visitors to the city had to demonstrate commitment, courage and insight in order to be admitted. In this way, under the right conditions, our subconscious can open us to the higher realms of Spirit.
The metaphor of the lover
As it embodies a certain separation of consciousness and is certainly able to communicate with us, it becomes useful to treat our subconscious in the same way as we would a distinct person or personality. In fact, we can see this whole process of building an intimate relationship of trust and cooperation with it metaphorically, as similar to taking a new lover.
Affirmations
To begin, we have to learn to communicate our intentions and desire for an intimate relationship with sincerity, sweet words and considerate actions, wooing our lover (subconscious mind) with great respect, as he/she is the inner guardian of ours hearts (consciousness) as well as its protector. One means of communication is through affirmations, which would be equivalent to an introduction, from which ‘he’ or ‘she’ will gauge our confidence and sincerity. Metaphorically speaking, we would not make much of a first impression to our lover if we came across as indecisive and lacking in confidence and self-worth. For this reason our affirmations should be directed at reaching out and acknowledging our higher self. For example, ‘I am one with the Father’, ‘I am a beloved son/daughter of the Father’ or ‘My name is …... and I am a son/daughter of the Most High’.
Meditation and visualization
We should strive to continue this dialogue with our ‘lover’ during periods of meditation which we combine with imagery. If we are successful in our introduction, we should soon gain the co-operation of our lover and begin to experience corresponding changes to our consciousness during these times of contact. This should be experienced as our imagery shifting and changing spontaneously, as well as sudden unexpected breaths or powerful emotions that come to the surface when using affirmations. This indicates that a shift is taking place and that our lover is allowing us moments of access to a higher level of consciousness.
Intentions
However, our lover will only accept our advances (open the doors to higher consciousness) once we have clearly and adequately communicated our intentions and demonstrated that we are trustworthy, willing and able to assume the responsibility for this new relationship (the experiences and changes that will take place with an unfolding consciousness).
Another method of communicating this readiness is through the use of intentions. An intention is similar to an affirmation, but more powerful. It is ‘set’ by formulating a single, simple and precise self-instruction or thought, absolutely without any doubt or hesitation, as to exactly what we desire or wish to achieve.
This could be metaphorically represented as an open and honest communication with our ‘lover’ in the form of a request for help with a particular lesson or area of development. Unlike an affirmation, which is usually repeated over and over, an intention is stated only once. And it is this single act of pure intent and absolute conviction that sets it apart from an affirmation and which assures our subconscious mind that we are ready and prepared for the experience.
For example, ‘I am aware of all that is around me’, ‘I open my mind to a higher consciousness’ ‘I now connect with my subconscious mind’.
It is most effective when combined with meditation or imagery and can result in an immediate shift in consciousness. However, this depends totally on the relationship of trust and cooperation with our lover (subconscious), which provides the power and impetus for the shift. These powerful inner experiences are very important to unfold our consciousness.
Dreams
Other forms of ongoing communication and exchange between ourselves and our subconscious lover could include dream interpretation and lucid dreaming, during which we learn the ‘language’ of our subconscious.
Finally, if we are successful, after a period of courtship, he/she will open the doors to his or her innermost chamber, at which time we should embrace and shower him/her with appreciation.
Spontaneous imagery
As I said before, we know when this close working relationship with our ‘lover’ has been established when symbolic images spontaneously begin to present themselves to us during visualisation and the scenes unfold of their own accord. This marks the passage to what I call the threshold of inner or spiritual sight. This stage is very important, as it provides the inner visual field with which we will see into the higher realms of Spirit.
Our relationship with our higher Selves
If we wish to further unfold our consciousness, we will have to consider the idea that a higher reality exists and that we each have a higher spiritual self, or at least a spiritual side to ourselves. It is simply not possible to work with something we do not believe in. During the course of our lives we are sometimes graced with moments when we experience a quickening of consciousness or a purer awareness of self, usually those times when we are alone on a beach, a mountain or a hiking trail. However, unless we consciously seek them, these moments are easily lost once again in the stress and distractions of our everyday life. These moments indicate a momentary connection to our higher selves.
It often helps to see our higher self as a centre of pure consciousness fed by a multitude of impressions, sensations, thoughts and emotions. Once we strip our minds of these outer experiences, only a pure state of consciousness remains in which there is nothing except the simple realisation that we exist. This state of unfolded higher consciousness, without all the trimmings, is also called the ‘I’ or ‘soul’-consciousness. This is not our ego, but a higher level of our being which naturally finds expression when the pathway through our consciousness is clear, uncluttered and transcendent. Once again, this process of clearing requires the assistance of our subconscious mind.
Affirmations and intentions, meditations and imagery
By using a series of affirmations and intentions, as well as powerful meditations, we can bring about ‘moments’ or gaps in the fabric of our consciousness which allow us to introduce a single, powerful conscious thought directly into our subconscious mind, then metaphorically ‘reach through’ and touch our higher self. Once again, these moments will be marked by a sudden spontaneous deep breath which suggests that our lover has opened the channel to our higher self. During these few seconds our aim is to try to remember who and what we really are, what our true purpose is in this life and how we are still connected to our Divine Source. Conscious and spontaneous imagery can also be used to create scenarios leading to these gaps or lapses in normal consciousness when it is possible to access our higher selves. All these experiences will provide us with cues and insights into the true nature of reality and serve to unfold our consciousness even further.
Contemplation –a walking meditation
These moments of connection always seem to occur more frequently during those times that we are far removed from the stress of everyday life and in a more natural environment, such as during a walk in our garden, a mountain trail or other place of solitude. And for this reason we can often connect with our higher self during contemplation, or a walking meditation.This walk can be combined with powerful affirmations such as ‘Father, I see with your consciousness’, ‘Father, I think with the power of your mind’.
Our relationship with Spirit
The final relationship to be established is that with the higher realms of Spirit in the form of celestial beings of light who are willing and able to share of their energy, consciousness and wisdom provided we are aligned with the Divine Will. These associations with advanced spiritual beings are usually necessary to gain access to the highest planes of consciousness. In fact, we are all already constantly under the guidance and instruction of celestial light-beings, but this often goes unnoticed due to the many distractions in our everyday lives.
Under normal circumstances, we are not aware of these beings and their co-existence with us for the simple reason that they will not reveal themselves until one has cultivated a sufficiently responsive mind, strong enough to cope with the responsibilities of higher perception. This also explains why persons who do not believe in their existence are unlikely to ever see them. Revealing themselves to someone who is unprepared for the experience could do more harm than good, due to the fragility of our human minds and consciousness. This also explains why it is necessary to have first built up a strong relationship of trust with our lover (subconscious mind) so that the doors of the mind can be safely opened.
Types of spiritual beings
In the early stages of unfoldment we work mostly with saints or spirit guides, personalities who once walked this earth as we do, and some classes of guardian angels. However, later on we will also be able to approach Archangels, Thrones and Powers attached to the different levels of Being and existence. Lastly, we can call upon the spiritual masters within the Christ Consciousness, which is the highest level of consciousness available to us as human beings. Relationships with these spiritual beings will provide us with a continuous source of guidance and energy and help to fully unfold our consciousness.
Communication
For effective communication at this level, we will require to have mastered spontaneous imagery or inner sight. In other words, we should be able to see, hear or at least feel the presence of spiritual beings during our meditations and be able to interpret their messages. They are best viewed using peripheral vision and will seem to be part of a daydream or else projected images in a mist–filled room. Spiritual beings can assume any form in our minds, their images being assembled using our symbolic processes, paradigm of thinking and past experiences. Aspects of their particular personalities appear to us in a symbolic form, similar to that which we would see during dreams or imagery. Generally, powerful beings such as angels and Archangels appear larger and more luminous than spirit guides and have bands of light and energy entering their spinal area, giving rise to the idea of wings.
With practice we will eventually begin to sense and interpret the characteristics of their energy and be able to clearly differentiate between them, even those of a different order, such as devas, elementals or ‘shadow-beings’, in that they all have a different energy signature.
Rules of engagement
There are very definite rules of engagement when interacting with spiritual beings on any level. For example, all spiritual beings, from the lowest elemental to the highest Power, should always be treated with respect (never worship). All assistance, guidance or warnings should be immediately acknowledged and met with gratitude and thanks. We need to approach with a positive, confident yet humble state of mind. There is simply no place for ego, arrogance, doubts or fears when connecting to Spirit.
Spiritual guidance
Once we have established this relationship with Spirit, our intuition will operate at a much higher level and guidance and support will be immediate and direct in the form of messages, promptings and instructions taking place during dreams, visions, meditations and imagery.
During these times we may be visited by celestial messengers offering us gifts such as precious stones, necklaces, bowls of fruit, books, robes or sometimes even a scepter or sword. These will all be symbolic of different spiritual gifts such as abundance, knowledge, strength or protection and should be accepted with humility and gratitude.
Petitioning
We can also call upon Spirit at any time for help and assistance. This will always come from the level that is best suited to assist us, even if we call upon ‘God’ in a general sense. In other words, if we ask for protection, this will immediately come from the protective light-beings such as archangels, angels or spirit guides closest to us. However, should we pray for world peace, this universal petition will pass through to the highest levels of Divinity.
Initiations
To unfold our consciousness fully requires enormous amounts of psychic energy and our final steps along this path will therefore involve being willing to undergo whatever training and initiations are required. An initiation can be described as a symbolic process or ritual occurring during a meditation, lucid dream or vision which involves an invitation by spiritual beings to enter or shift into a new level of understanding or consciousness. Initiations differ in form and content, but share common characteristics or requirements. For instance, they all involve a situation where a choice, choices or a decision has to be consciously made (this distinguishes it from a normal dream or vision), as well as tests in which one has to face and overcome certain obstacles.
Channelling
Once our relationship with Spirit is firmly established, we could attempt channeling as a further means of unfolding our consciousness. Channelling refers to the ability to open our consciousness to spiritual beings such as spirit guides and angels for the purpose of receiving training and information. In all cases we will have to give permission for them to connect with us or else invite them into our consciousness. Once they enter, words of inspiration, guidance or teaching will involuntarily flow from our mouths and we, (or someone else, if in a group), will need to try and record this information.
During the more advanced forms of channeling, such as trance-work, the spirit can completely take over our minds, thoughts and consciousnesses for the purposes of addressing the others that are assembled, and we will generally not be aware of what is being said.
Conclusion
To conclude, I trust that this information relating to the four essential relationships will be of use to you in your own journey to unfold your consciousness.
Jimmy Henderson a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest. He is the author of a number of articles as well as two books entitled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’ which are available at most bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity and based in KZ Natal.
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
unfolding consciousness
The importance of consciousness
Consciousness involves far more than just being ‘self-aware’. It involves a state of mind and being that affects all our thoughts, decisions, actions and achievements. Once one becomes conscious of something, it begins to manifest in our lives, and as we unfold higher levels of consciousness, our whole experience of life and reality will change.
Within the depths of our consciousness, we house our memories (past experiences), cultural, religious or spiritual beliefs, conditioned responses (mental programmes) and even the paradigm with which we make sense of our world. These all become filters for our experiences, understanding and even our perception of reality. By raising and improving the quality (clarity) of our consciousness, we move closer to our true spiritual selves and a real experience of God.
Our consciousness should grow naturally as we mature and learn the lessons that life has to offer. However, the process can be speeded up with more conscious living and a daily commitment to self-development which usually occurs with religious, spiritual or metaphysical practices. In this regard, I have identified four relationships that are essential to fully unfold our consciousness.
Our relationship with ourselves
The process of unfoldment can either be hastened or else held back by our attitudes, state of mind, actions and efforts(or lack thereof), to improve ourselves.
Health, exercise and diet
Our consciousness can be lowered by sickness and ill-health. Energy-work especially requires a certain level of fitness. It is therefore important to look after our bodies as well as our minds. In this regard, a healthy diet and regular exercise is important. Our bodies can also build up toxins due to stress and bad eating habits and we need to detoxify at regular intervals with over-the-counter detoxifying agents or using qualified de-tox therapists. All this will make our bodies lighter, stronger and more receptive to a higher consciousness.
Stress, lifestyle and distractions
One simply cannot expect to discover new heights of consciousness whilst maintaining a stressful lifestyle or enjoying a life of excess or all-night partying. Stress and distractions both serve to lower or entrap our consciousness and balancing our work and private lives will afford us the time and space for self-introspection, which is absolutely necessary for unfolding our consciousness. This does not mean that we have to resign our jobs or isolate ourselves completely from the world, but rather, consciously learn to simplify our lives, manage our time better and change our priorities. In dealing with stress we should learn to relax using meditation and cultivate an inner stillness, balance and sense of detachment. In other words, shift our focus from outer to inner consciousness.
Our attitudes and actions
Our attitudes and actions are also important. Loving and selfless thoughts and deeds raise consciousness, but those of a selfish, aggressive, negative or judgmental nature, only serve to lower it.
Our minds
Emotional wellness
Our consciousness has to slowly wind its way through all the entanglements in our minds and in order to unfold it correctly, we need to remove all emotional and psychological debris and achieve at least a measure of emotional wellness. This can be explained as being able to cope with the emotional ups and downs of daily life and usually means that we have dealt with most of our painful or unhelpful emotions from the past, such as anger, fear and resentment.
Our bodies have a natural ability to heal themselves and under the right conditions, our minds and spirits will also heal and begin to unfold naturally. This usually involves processing in the form of releasing guilt, doubts and fears from our past through forgiveness or self-forgiveness and re-building our self-esteem. However, in some cases we may require the help and assistance of counselors and therapists.
Our everyday thinking and beliefs
Our present beliefs and perceptions about the world and reality set the limits as to what we can experience. For instance, people who do not believe in other forms of life and consciousness such as spiritual beings would probably not even know if they were approached by one. They would simply not be able to make sense of the experience in terms of their existing beliefs. One’s mind has to be open and receptive to the truth of a certain experience before it can be processed.
An open mind is essential
Many people are not open to new ideas and will rather remain with their present attitudes towards the world and their framework of beliefs collected over the years. The problem is, if we ever wish to invite the deeper experiences associated with an unfolding consciousness into our lives, we will need to open our minds to new ideas about consciousness. This usually requires only a small shift to a more universal paradigm of thought which includes all the possibilities for spiritual development and consciousness unfoldment.
Clarity
As I said before, our consciousness has to weave its way through the content of our minds and it is important to keep it clear and free of negative thoughts, drama and intrigue which only pollute our state of mind and block the light. We should consciously choose to release all judgments about other people as well as thoughts or feelings that are unhelpful or self-defeating.
Our view of self
Finally, if we continue to see ourselves only as imperfect physical beings and prisoners of our past, we will limit ourselves and never truly unfold our consciousness. Our innermost beliefs act as mental rules or instructions to our subconscious minds and control our thinking and actions, setting us up for success or failure. In this regard, we will have to create the correct psychological space and conditions for unfoldment by seeing ourselves as not just as a body, but rather as multi-dimensional beings with an almost limitless potential. It will be necessary to replace our old self-image with powerful new thoughts or affirmations which are far more expansive and redefine our self-imposed limits. For example, ‘What I see in the mirror is not the real me’, ‘I am far more than this’, ‘I am a being of light’ or ‘My source is in God ’.
Our relationship with our subconscious or unconscious mind
One of our closest and most powerful allies in the process of unfolding our consciousness is our own subconscious or unconscious mind. Our subconscious mind has its own programme and functions as a sort of ‘automatic pilot’ to regulate our bodily functions such as breathing and heartbeat, as well as some of our important mental activities. It is also able to communicate with us using sensations, impressions, spontaneous thoughts and ideas (intuition) and symbolic images during dreams, imagery (visualization) or visions.
What is most important is that it also serves as the inner guardian and protector of our consciousness, filtering incoming information and regulating our inner experiences in accordance with our abilities and readiness. Think of it in terms of the legend of the Sphinx which guarded the entrance to the Greek city of Thebes. Visitors to the city had to demonstrate commitment, courage and insight in order to be admitted. In this way, under the right conditions, our subconscious can open us to the higher realms of Spirit.
The metaphor of the lover
As it embodies a certain separation of consciousness and is certainly able to communicate with us, it becomes useful to treat our subconscious in the same way as we would a distinct person or personality. In fact, we can see this whole process of building an intimate relationship of trust and cooperation with it metaphorically, as similar to taking a new lover.
Affirmations
To begin, we have to learn to communicate our intentions and desire for an intimate relationship with sincerity, sweet words and considerate actions, wooing our lover (subconscious mind) with great respect, as he/she is the inner guardian of ours hearts (consciousness) as well as its protector. One means of communication is through affirmations, which would be equivalent to an introduction, from which ‘he’ or ‘she’ will gauge our confidence and sincerity. Metaphorically speaking, we would not make much of a first impression to our lover if we came across as indecisive and lacking in confidence and self-worth. For this reason our affirmations should be directed at reaching out and acknowledging our higher self. For example, ‘I am one with the Father’, ‘I am a beloved son/daughter of the Father’ or ‘My name is …... and I am a son/daughter of the Most High’.
Meditation and visualization
We should strive to continue this dialogue with our ‘lover’ during periods of meditation which we combine with imagery. If we are successful in our introduction, we should soon gain the co-operation of our lover and begin to experience corresponding changes to our consciousness during these times of contact. This should be experienced as our imagery shifting and changing spontaneously, as well as sudden unexpected breaths or powerful emotions that come to the surface when using affirmations. This indicates that a shift is taking place and that our lover is allowing us moments of access to a higher level of consciousness.
Intentions
However, our lover will only accept our advances (open the doors to higher consciousness) once we have clearly and adequately communicated our intentions and demonstrated that we are trustworthy, willing and able to assume the responsibility for this new relationship (the experiences and changes that will take place with an unfolding consciousness).
Another method of communicating this readiness is through the use of intentions. An intention is similar to an affirmation, but more powerful. It is ‘set’ by formulating a single, simple and precise self-instruction or thought, absolutely without any doubt or hesitation, as to exactly what we desire or wish to achieve.
This could be metaphorically represented as an open and honest communication with our ‘lover’ in the form of a request for help with a particular lesson or area of development. Unlike an affirmation, which is usually repeated over and over, an intention is stated only once. And it is this single act of pure intent and absolute conviction that sets it apart from an affirmation and which assures our subconscious mind that we are ready and prepared for the experience.
For example, ‘I am aware of all that is around me’, ‘I open my mind to a higher consciousness’ ‘I now connect with my subconscious mind’.
It is most effective when combined with meditation or imagery and can result in an immediate shift in consciousness. However, this depends totally on the relationship of trust and cooperation with our lover (subconscious), which provides the power and impetus for the shift. These powerful inner experiences are very important to unfold our consciousness.
Dreams
Other forms of ongoing communication and exchange between ourselves and our subconscious lover could include dream interpretation and lucid dreaming, during which we learn the ‘language’ of our subconscious.
Finally, if we are successful, after a period of courtship, he/she will open the doors to his or her innermost chamber, at which time we should embrace and shower him/her with appreciation.
Spontaneous imagery
As I said before, we know when this close working relationship with our ‘lover’ has been established when symbolic images spontaneously begin to present themselves to us during visualisation and the scenes unfold of their own accord. This marks the passage to what I call the threshold of inner or spiritual sight. This stage is very important, as it provides the inner visual field with which we will see into the higher realms of Spirit.
Our relationship with our higher Selves
If we wish to further unfold our consciousness, we will have to consider the idea that a higher reality exists and that we each have a higher spiritual self, or at least a spiritual side to ourselves. It is simply not possible to work with something we do not believe in. During the course of our lives we are sometimes graced with moments when we experience a quickening of consciousness or a purer awareness of self, usually those times when we are alone on a beach, a mountain or a hiking trail. However, unless we consciously seek them, these moments are easily lost once again in the stress and distractions of our everyday life. These moments indicate a momentary connection to our higher selves.
It often helps to see our higher self as a centre of pure consciousness fed by a multitude of impressions, sensations, thoughts and emotions. Once we strip our minds of these outer experiences, only a pure state of consciousness remains in which there is nothing except the simple realisation that we exist. This state of unfolded higher consciousness, without all the trimmings, is also called the ‘I’ or ‘soul’-consciousness. This is not our ego, but a higher level of our being which naturally finds expression when the pathway through our consciousness is clear, uncluttered and transcendent. Once again, this process of clearing requires the assistance of our subconscious mind.
Affirmations and intentions, meditations and imagery
By using a series of affirmations and intentions, as well as powerful meditations, we can bring about ‘moments’ or gaps in the fabric of our consciousness which allow us to introduce a single, powerful conscious thought directly into our subconscious mind, then metaphorically ‘reach through’ and touch our higher self. Once again, these moments will be marked by a sudden spontaneous deep breath which suggests that our lover has opened the channel to our higher self. During these few seconds our aim is to try to remember who and what we really are, what our true purpose is in this life and how we are still connected to our Divine Source. Conscious and spontaneous imagery can also be used to create scenarios leading to these gaps or lapses in normal consciousness when it is possible to access our higher selves. All these experiences will provide us with cues and insights into the true nature of reality and serve to unfold our consciousness even further.
Contemplation –a walking meditation
These moments of connection always seem to occur more frequently during those times that we are far removed from the stress of everyday life and in a more natural environment, such as during a walk in our garden, a mountain trail or other place of solitude. And for this reason we can often connect with our higher self during contemplation, or a walking meditation.This walk can be combined with powerful affirmations such as ‘Father, I see with your consciousness’, ‘Father, I think with the power of your mind’.
Our relationship with Spirit
The final relationship to be established is that with the higher realms of Spirit in the form of celestial beings of light who are willing and able to share of their energy, consciousness and wisdom provided we are aligned with the Divine Will. These associations with advanced spiritual beings are usually necessary to gain access to the highest planes of consciousness. In fact, we are all already constantly under the guidance and instruction of celestial light-beings, but this often goes unnoticed due to the many distractions in our everyday lives.
Under normal circumstances, we are not aware of these beings and their co-existence with us for the simple reason that they will not reveal themselves until one has cultivated a sufficiently responsive mind, strong enough to cope with the responsibilities of higher perception. This also explains why persons who do not believe in their existence are unlikely to ever see them. Revealing themselves to someone who is unprepared for the experience could do more harm than good, due to the fragility of our human minds and consciousness. This also explains why it is necessary to have first built up a strong relationship of trust with our lover (subconscious mind) so that the doors of the mind can be safely opened.
Types of spiritual beings
In the early stages of unfoldment we work mostly with saints or spirit guides, personalities who once walked this earth as we do, and some classes of guardian angels. However, later on we will also be able to approach Archangels, Thrones and Powers attached to the different levels of Being and existence. Lastly, we can call upon the spiritual masters within the Christ Consciousness, which is the highest level of consciousness available to us as human beings. Relationships with these spiritual beings will provide us with a continuous source of guidance and energy and help to fully unfold our consciousness.
Communication
For effective communication at this level, we will require to have mastered spontaneous imagery or inner sight. In other words, we should be able to see, hear or at least feel the presence of spiritual beings during our meditations and be able to interpret their messages. They are best viewed using peripheral vision and will seem to be part of a daydream or else projected images in a mist–filled room. Spiritual beings can assume any form in our minds, their images being assembled using our symbolic processes, paradigm of thinking and past experiences. Aspects of their particular personalities appear to us in a symbolic form, similar to that which we would see during dreams or imagery. Generally, powerful beings such as angels and Archangels appear larger and more luminous than spirit guides and have bands of light and energy entering their spinal area, giving rise to the idea of wings.
With practice we will eventually begin to sense and interpret the characteristics of their energy and be able to clearly differentiate between them, even those of a different order, such as devas, elementals or ‘shadow-beings’, in that they all have a different energy signature.
Rules of engagement
There are very definite rules of engagement when interacting with spiritual beings on any level. For example, all spiritual beings, from the lowest elemental to the highest Power, should always be treated with respect (never worship). All assistance, guidance or warnings should be immediately acknowledged and met with gratitude and thanks. We need to approach with a positive, confident yet humble state of mind. There is simply no place for ego, arrogance, doubts or fears when connecting to Spirit.
Spiritual guidance
Once we have established this relationship with Spirit, our intuition will operate at a much higher level and guidance and support will be immediate and direct in the form of messages, promptings and instructions taking place during dreams, visions, meditations and imagery.
During these times we may be visited by celestial messengers offering us gifts such as precious stones, necklaces, bowls of fruit, books, robes or sometimes even a scepter or sword. These will all be symbolic of different spiritual gifts such as abundance, knowledge, strength or protection and should be accepted with humility and gratitude.
Petitioning
We can also call upon Spirit at any time for help and assistance. This will always come from the level that is best suited to assist us, even if we call upon ‘God’ in a general sense. In other words, if we ask for protection, this will immediately come from the protective light-beings such as archangels, angels or spirit guides closest to us. However, should we pray for world peace, this universal petition will pass through to the highest levels of Divinity.
Initiations
To unfold our consciousness fully requires enormous amounts of psychic energy and our final steps along this path will therefore involve being willing to undergo whatever training and initiations are required. An initiation can be described as a symbolic process or ritual occurring during a meditation, lucid dream or vision which involves an invitation by spiritual beings to enter or shift into a new level of understanding or consciousness. Initiations differ in form and content, but share common characteristics or requirements. For instance, they all involve a situation where a choice, choices or a decision has to be consciously made (this distinguishes it from a normal dream or vision), as well as tests in which one has to face and overcome certain obstacles.
Channelling
Once our relationship with Spirit is firmly established, we could attempt channeling as a further means of unfolding our consciousness. Channelling refers to the ability to open our consciousness to spiritual beings such as spirit guides and angels for the purpose of receiving training and information. In all cases we will have to give permission for them to connect with us or else invite them into our consciousness. Once they enter, words of inspiration, guidance or teaching will involuntarily flow from our mouths and we, (or someone else, if in a group), will need to try and record this information.
During the more advanced forms of channeling, such as trance-work, the spirit can completely take over our minds, thoughts and consciousnesses for the purposes of addressing the others that are assembled, and we will generally not be aware of what is being said.
Conclusion
To conclude, I trust that this information relating to the four essential relationships will be of use to you in your own journey to unfold your consciousness.
Jimmy Henderson a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest. He is the author of a number of articles as well as two books entitled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’ which are available at most bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity and based in KZ Natal.
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
Friday, October 15, 2010
Intuitive or energy counselling
Intuitive or energy counselling
By Jimmy Henderson
Those who offer consultations, life coaching or complementary therapies, will benefit from a few insights into a new method of counselling using intuition and shifts in energy.
I have personally been involved in lay counselling and the training of counsellors for 25 years but only recently understood the deeper interactions taking place between counsellor and client at an intuitive and energy level.
The foundation of intuitive or energy counselling
Before examining the new process, we first require a little understanding of the functioning of the human body, mind and spirit. To begin, in order to benefit from this process, therapists will require a firm belief in the existence and operation of different energies and to have developed a fair degree of intuition.
Second, this model is based on some new ideas which suggest that our bodies radiate energy which can be perceived and interpreted by those with the necessary skills and that illness or distress can be related to imbalances or blockages in the healthy flow of energy through the body, and are often the result of unresolved emotional or psychological issues.
The development of intuition was discussed in my previous article on the Inner Voice, Intuition or Inner Sense and ideally, in order to perform intuitive or energy counselling, one should have had some experience with energy-work. However, for those who are new to the process, I will deal briefly with the most essential requirements for sensing energy.
• The easiest method of sensing is with the hands, holding them about 30 cm apart in front of your solar plexus with your palms and fingers relaxed and facing each other until they become warm and tingly. This feeling is the energy flowing between your hands.
• The next step is to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Have them sit in front of you and hold your palms up in front of your shoulders facing forward (still relaxed), slowly move closer towards your partner until you feel a subtle pressure on your palms. You are now sensing the energy from the other person. For the best effect during these processes, keep your mind absolutely quiet and peaceful.
• Your use of intuition is required for the third step, in which you attempt to interpret the energy from your friend or family member in terms of sensations, impressions, thoughts or even images.
• Using your intuition, decide if the energy feels warm or cold, calm and smooth or rough and prickly, hard and heavy or soft and fluffy. Also try to interpret it in terms of a colour (or different colours). Describing the energy in this way exercises your symbolic processes of interpretation.
It is important to master these earlier steps before attempting intuitive or energy counselling, as well as familiarising yourself with the different ‘energy-signatures’ associated with emotional and psychological states. For example, the energy of a depressed person feels ‘cold’ and ‘heavy’ and appears a darker colour, whereas the energy of someone who is very anxious (highly agitated) can best be described as ‘hot’ and ‘prickly’ and ‘all over the place’ with bright colours in shades of red. The energy given off by a person in a balanced state is generally smooth, harmonious and light in colour.
As you will be interpreting and responding to these energies, it will also be necessary to prevent yourself from actually taking on these states, as they can very easily be energetically transferred during the process. This is one of the dangers of energy or intuitive counselling and is usually dealt with by forming a mental block, intention or prayer to protect yourself. It is also sometimes not a good idea to inform clients that you are reading their energy, as it may not be clearly understood or accepted and create additional tensions, unless of course you have previously advertised the fact.
The process
During normal counselling we are trained to read the client’s body language and tone of voice in order to note strong emotional or psychological responses to any particular issue under discussion. And this is as far as our perception goes. During intuitive counselling, in addition to reading body language, we are actually sensing the subtle changes taking place in the energy surrounding the client’s body, which also indicates changes in their emotions or state of mind.
Energy or intuitive counselling thus builds on the process for sensing energy indicated previously.
• Have your client seated a short distance away from you (about two meters) and open your hands on your lap or resting on your knee. Your palms should be facing the client if at all possible. Enter a light meditative state and set an intention to connect and’ tune into’ the energy emanating from your client. You will know you have achieved this connection when you feel a sudden pressure on your palms (or other area of your body) and intuitively know you have connected.
• Normal counselling can be quite structured and generally follows a number of stages, such as building a relationship of trust, questioning the client about his or her thoughts and emotions, challenging negative or unhelpful thoughts and thought-patterns and building self-esteem to equip the client to find possible solutions to the problem. Follow these same steps with intuitive or energy counselling, but in addition to listening and reflection, try to feel the shifts (changes) taking place in the client’s energy field while you are counselling. Also open your intuition to any sensations, impressions or images you may experience and strive to interpret them in terms of thoughts and ideas about the client.
• This form of counselling is extremely powerful, as by being energetically connected to the client you can lift his or her mood simply by applying your own positive energy. Clients can sometimes also be unknowingly deceptive and in denial. And you will know this when what they are saying does not correspond to the energy-signature you are intuitively sensing. For example, they may say they are fine when you can intuitively feel the resistance or blockage in their energy. In this case you could gently challenge them with phrases such as ‘I feel you are not being honest with yourself’. When faced with a tense and unresponsive client, the most likely intuitive thought you receive will be that of a blockage of the energy flow, seen in the body as a build-up of tension.
• If your counselling is successful, a ‘turning point’ will also be reached, which is usually indicated by an emotional release in the form of an outburst or crying. You will intuitively feel this coming and the release will be sensed as a shift from the heavy depressive feeling (in the case of a depressed client) to a lighter, more positive energy. In the case of a manic client, you will be searching for that approach which produces a balancing and relaxing of his or her energy state. These changing states of mind and energy will also be clearly seen in their body language.
When the counselling is concluded, you need to consciously disconnect from the client by setting the mental intention to do so.
Jimmy Henderson is a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest. He is the author of a number of articles as well as two self-help books titled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’.
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
By Jimmy Henderson
Those who offer consultations, life coaching or complementary therapies, will benefit from a few insights into a new method of counselling using intuition and shifts in energy.
I have personally been involved in lay counselling and the training of counsellors for 25 years but only recently understood the deeper interactions taking place between counsellor and client at an intuitive and energy level.
The foundation of intuitive or energy counselling
Before examining the new process, we first require a little understanding of the functioning of the human body, mind and spirit. To begin, in order to benefit from this process, therapists will require a firm belief in the existence and operation of different energies and to have developed a fair degree of intuition.
Second, this model is based on some new ideas which suggest that our bodies radiate energy which can be perceived and interpreted by those with the necessary skills and that illness or distress can be related to imbalances or blockages in the healthy flow of energy through the body, and are often the result of unresolved emotional or psychological issues.
The development of intuition was discussed in my previous article on the Inner Voice, Intuition or Inner Sense and ideally, in order to perform intuitive or energy counselling, one should have had some experience with energy-work. However, for those who are new to the process, I will deal briefly with the most essential requirements for sensing energy.
• The easiest method of sensing is with the hands, holding them about 30 cm apart in front of your solar plexus with your palms and fingers relaxed and facing each other until they become warm and tingly. This feeling is the energy flowing between your hands.
• The next step is to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Have them sit in front of you and hold your palms up in front of your shoulders facing forward (still relaxed), slowly move closer towards your partner until you feel a subtle pressure on your palms. You are now sensing the energy from the other person. For the best effect during these processes, keep your mind absolutely quiet and peaceful.
• Your use of intuition is required for the third step, in which you attempt to interpret the energy from your friend or family member in terms of sensations, impressions, thoughts or even images.
• Using your intuition, decide if the energy feels warm or cold, calm and smooth or rough and prickly, hard and heavy or soft and fluffy. Also try to interpret it in terms of a colour (or different colours). Describing the energy in this way exercises your symbolic processes of interpretation.
It is important to master these earlier steps before attempting intuitive or energy counselling, as well as familiarising yourself with the different ‘energy-signatures’ associated with emotional and psychological states. For example, the energy of a depressed person feels ‘cold’ and ‘heavy’ and appears a darker colour, whereas the energy of someone who is very anxious (highly agitated) can best be described as ‘hot’ and ‘prickly’ and ‘all over the place’ with bright colours in shades of red. The energy given off by a person in a balanced state is generally smooth, harmonious and light in colour.
As you will be interpreting and responding to these energies, it will also be necessary to prevent yourself from actually taking on these states, as they can very easily be energetically transferred during the process. This is one of the dangers of energy or intuitive counselling and is usually dealt with by forming a mental block, intention or prayer to protect yourself. It is also sometimes not a good idea to inform clients that you are reading their energy, as it may not be clearly understood or accepted and create additional tensions, unless of course you have previously advertised the fact.
The process
During normal counselling we are trained to read the client’s body language and tone of voice in order to note strong emotional or psychological responses to any particular issue under discussion. And this is as far as our perception goes. During intuitive counselling, in addition to reading body language, we are actually sensing the subtle changes taking place in the energy surrounding the client’s body, which also indicates changes in their emotions or state of mind.
Energy or intuitive counselling thus builds on the process for sensing energy indicated previously.
• Have your client seated a short distance away from you (about two meters) and open your hands on your lap or resting on your knee. Your palms should be facing the client if at all possible. Enter a light meditative state and set an intention to connect and’ tune into’ the energy emanating from your client. You will know you have achieved this connection when you feel a sudden pressure on your palms (or other area of your body) and intuitively know you have connected.
• Normal counselling can be quite structured and generally follows a number of stages, such as building a relationship of trust, questioning the client about his or her thoughts and emotions, challenging negative or unhelpful thoughts and thought-patterns and building self-esteem to equip the client to find possible solutions to the problem. Follow these same steps with intuitive or energy counselling, but in addition to listening and reflection, try to feel the shifts (changes) taking place in the client’s energy field while you are counselling. Also open your intuition to any sensations, impressions or images you may experience and strive to interpret them in terms of thoughts and ideas about the client.
• This form of counselling is extremely powerful, as by being energetically connected to the client you can lift his or her mood simply by applying your own positive energy. Clients can sometimes also be unknowingly deceptive and in denial. And you will know this when what they are saying does not correspond to the energy-signature you are intuitively sensing. For example, they may say they are fine when you can intuitively feel the resistance or blockage in their energy. In this case you could gently challenge them with phrases such as ‘I feel you are not being honest with yourself’. When faced with a tense and unresponsive client, the most likely intuitive thought you receive will be that of a blockage of the energy flow, seen in the body as a build-up of tension.
• If your counselling is successful, a ‘turning point’ will also be reached, which is usually indicated by an emotional release in the form of an outburst or crying. You will intuitively feel this coming and the release will be sensed as a shift from the heavy depressive feeling (in the case of a depressed client) to a lighter, more positive energy. In the case of a manic client, you will be searching for that approach which produces a balancing and relaxing of his or her energy state. These changing states of mind and energy will also be clearly seen in their body language.
When the counselling is concluded, you need to consciously disconnect from the client by setting the mental intention to do so.
Jimmy Henderson is a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest. He is the author of a number of articles as well as two self-help books titled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’.
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
Monday, September 27, 2010
Indigo and crystal children
Indigo and Crystal children
By Jimmy Henderson
With our universe being geared towards growth and unfoldment, there will always be times when human beings take a step forward along the evolutionary path. One of these steps is the more frequent emergence of indigo and crystal children in the last twenty years or so, although there may well have been isolated cases in the more distant past. These particular children are much evolved, have very specific personality characteristics and are blessed with a number of different gifts which I will now describe.
The Indigo child
This child possesses an extremely high consciousness and intelligence accompanied by high activity (energy) levels. Their purpose is to bring about positive changes in the world and they have the energy and drive which makes them likely to be leaders in the different fields of endeavor. They tend to challenge conventional thinking and behaviour and this makes it difficult for them to adapt to traditional methods of education, as they may be perceived as hyperactive, uncooperative and disinterested. They would be better suited to the more holistic tutoring styles and individualistic educational approaches that are offered by some private schools.
Apart from normal child-rearing practices, parents of indigo children have an added responsibility to create an environment where their children will be able to unfold their full potential. However, they must not fall prey to the recent populist approach to allow them to do as they please, as many years of research into child development have shown that all children, even gifted ones, require boundaries and firm guidance in the form of consistent discipline from both parents, especially at an early age. Fortunately, the universe is cognisant of these facts and these children will generally choose to be born into a family where at least one of the parents recognises their special gifts, has the ability to correctly nurture them and takes the appropriate steps.
The Crystal child
The crystal child can be identified by his or her affinity for nature, especially animals and crystals. They are less outgoing and certainly more reserved than indigo children, but have natural gifts of healing and clairvoyance. Their purpose is to assist with healing, including the healing of the planet as a whole. Having a close affinity to nature they will often speak of fairies and with the proper training, will actually be able to communicate with these natural energies as well as animals. They will have no problem with schoolwork, except possibly boredom, as they are also exceptionally intelligent, and will most likely enter the healing profession in some form or another. It would be a good idea to place such a child under the regular tutorship of different spiritual teachers to learn the different natural healing modalities (including crystal work) and unfold their full potential. Once again, parents have the responsibility to guide and mentor the crystal child who will also be born into a family where at least one of the parents is able to perform this task.
References: Fein, G (1978): Child development. USA: Prentice-Hall.
Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His latest books ‘Multi-dimensional Thinking’ (2007) and Multi-Dimensional Perception (2010) are available at selected bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity. See www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
By Jimmy Henderson
With our universe being geared towards growth and unfoldment, there will always be times when human beings take a step forward along the evolutionary path. One of these steps is the more frequent emergence of indigo and crystal children in the last twenty years or so, although there may well have been isolated cases in the more distant past. These particular children are much evolved, have very specific personality characteristics and are blessed with a number of different gifts which I will now describe.
The Indigo child
This child possesses an extremely high consciousness and intelligence accompanied by high activity (energy) levels. Their purpose is to bring about positive changes in the world and they have the energy and drive which makes them likely to be leaders in the different fields of endeavor. They tend to challenge conventional thinking and behaviour and this makes it difficult for them to adapt to traditional methods of education, as they may be perceived as hyperactive, uncooperative and disinterested. They would be better suited to the more holistic tutoring styles and individualistic educational approaches that are offered by some private schools.
Apart from normal child-rearing practices, parents of indigo children have an added responsibility to create an environment where their children will be able to unfold their full potential. However, they must not fall prey to the recent populist approach to allow them to do as they please, as many years of research into child development have shown that all children, even gifted ones, require boundaries and firm guidance in the form of consistent discipline from both parents, especially at an early age. Fortunately, the universe is cognisant of these facts and these children will generally choose to be born into a family where at least one of the parents recognises their special gifts, has the ability to correctly nurture them and takes the appropriate steps.
The Crystal child
The crystal child can be identified by his or her affinity for nature, especially animals and crystals. They are less outgoing and certainly more reserved than indigo children, but have natural gifts of healing and clairvoyance. Their purpose is to assist with healing, including the healing of the planet as a whole. Having a close affinity to nature they will often speak of fairies and with the proper training, will actually be able to communicate with these natural energies as well as animals. They will have no problem with schoolwork, except possibly boredom, as they are also exceptionally intelligent, and will most likely enter the healing profession in some form or another. It would be a good idea to place such a child under the regular tutorship of different spiritual teachers to learn the different natural healing modalities (including crystal work) and unfold their full potential. Once again, parents have the responsibility to guide and mentor the crystal child who will also be born into a family where at least one of the parents is able to perform this task.
References: Fein, G (1978): Child development. USA: Prentice-Hall.
Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His latest books ‘Multi-dimensional Thinking’ (2007) and Multi-Dimensional Perception (2010) are available at selected bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity. See www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com
Thursday, September 16, 2010
lucid dreaming
Lucid dreaming
By Jimmy Henderson
When dreaming, one enters a state of consciousness in which the whole scenario is subtle, flowing and flexible. Here, your own thoughts, ideas and emotions can shape the energy of the mind into symbolic images and forms.
With the right training, you can also learn to consciously enter and control your own dreams. These are called lucid dreams. And having the same characteristics as all dreams, would also be fluid and open to incoming impressions.
Working within the dimension of your dreams is an extremely important exercise, even more so than imagery, as it requires a very high level of consciousness, intention and will–power and also introduces you to the idea of being able to change your perception of reality. During this kind of dream-work you are actually directly engaging your subconscious mind and with practice, can learn to merge it with your normal consciousness. This bridging of the gap between subconscious and conscious processes opens the path for the inflow of consciousness from your higher self. Lucid dreams are very powerful in this way, in that they can bring you closer to your true spiritual self and the ultimate reality of the Divine Mind.
You may recall from previous articles that your subconscious mind and body responds to a recreated situation (imagery) in the same way as it would to a real-life situation. This applies to dreaming as well. The difference is now that you are actually able to control the dream and shift and change the images and the entire scenario to suit yourself. And as with imagery, can set up situations which can result in self-development and growth.
The preparation
When planning to work with lucid dreaming, the idea is to prepare your mind beforehand for a number of days by practicing a degree of self-discipline. By programming your mind with affirmations and intentions, your subconscious mind will hopefully, after a few days, present you with a moment or two during a dream when you partially wake up and realise that you are dreaming. During that time, you have about a second to open a doorway by making a conscious statement of intent and a decision to enter and control the dream. This ability comes gradually and in stages. Initially you will only have a very low level of awareness and for very brief periods, but with persistence, the skill can be improved.
I have formulated a step-by-step exercise for you to apply in order to begin lucid dreaming. It is best to attempt this immediately after waking in the morning or during a light sleep such as an afternoon snooze or nap, as it is more difficult to cultivate moments of awareness during deep sleep, when one has had a heavy meal, or is exhausted.
A step-by-step process
• Begin a period of preparation in which you use affirmations and intentions to communicate your readiness to engage in lucid dreaming, to your subconscious mind which acts as an inner guardian for your dream-consciousness
• Set intentions to note very specific visual cues in your dreams which will lead to moments of awareness. For example, use the statement ‘When I see my hands (in my dream) I will realise that I am dreaming’ (Casteneda,1993)
• Attempt to cultivate brief moments of partial awareness during your dreaming into which you can introduce a conscious thought. For example, ‘Hey, I’m dreaming’, ‘I am aware’ or ‘I can do something’
• Act immediately on this one thought by initiating some action in your dream, no matter how small or insignificant. For example, if you are dreaming you are walking along the road and have a brief moment of awareness, consciously stop and touch something
• Try to find the consciousness to create a more powerful thought such as ‘I am dreaming’ and then consciously participate in the ongoing drama for a longer period of time
• The ideal is to eventually take control of the dream and be able to completely restructure its activities as a means of self-empowerment. For example, introducing and opening a door which represents access to a higher level of consciousness
• Over time this will radically increase your will-power and intention as well as introducing you to new dimensions of consciousness
• You will find that you soon begin to lose control of the dream as your energy wanes.
In this case, it is advisable to end the dream by consciously setting the intention to
wake up
Controlling the dream
As I said, once you have achieved a measure of awareness, glance around in the dream for opportunities to alter the scene in some way. You will see how the scene shifts with each new decision or intention as you begin to exercise real choices, with each change bringing about a heightened consciousness and increased feelings of confidence. However, as your conscious-ness increases, the dream will become more real and you may experience powerful emotions.
As this is actually an exercise in consciousness, the images will all be symbolic in some way. For example, when interacting with archetypal figures in the dream, their strength and power will usually be suggested by their attributes such as height and build. In this regard, it may be useful to consult the sections on symbolism and dream-recall in my previous book ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (Kima Global, 2007).
At this level of mental functioning, where you have advanced your consciousness to the point of having some control over your dreams, a lucid dream can offer some real opportunities for growth, such using the power of your intention to change the scene or to de-construct the dream altogether, leaving you only with an interplay of light and colour.
However, it requires huge amounts of effort to initiate major shifts to your dream-perception and you will soon begin to notice how your consciousness and clarity decreases as your energy becomes depleted and the scene returns to normal once again. It can therefore also be a useful exercise for increasing your psychic energy.
Once you have attained a certain level of conscious awareness in your lucid dream, it becomes an open visual field and you will be able to interact fully with your subconscious and even with spirit guides and angelic beings of light which are also able to enter your dream.
Jimmy Henderson a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest. He is the author of a number of articles as well as a self-help book entitled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ which is available at most bookshops. He is also a facilitator for Metavarsity and based in Durban
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.blogspot.com
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
By Jimmy Henderson
When dreaming, one enters a state of consciousness in which the whole scenario is subtle, flowing and flexible. Here, your own thoughts, ideas and emotions can shape the energy of the mind into symbolic images and forms.
With the right training, you can also learn to consciously enter and control your own dreams. These are called lucid dreams. And having the same characteristics as all dreams, would also be fluid and open to incoming impressions.
Working within the dimension of your dreams is an extremely important exercise, even more so than imagery, as it requires a very high level of consciousness, intention and will–power and also introduces you to the idea of being able to change your perception of reality. During this kind of dream-work you are actually directly engaging your subconscious mind and with practice, can learn to merge it with your normal consciousness. This bridging of the gap between subconscious and conscious processes opens the path for the inflow of consciousness from your higher self. Lucid dreams are very powerful in this way, in that they can bring you closer to your true spiritual self and the ultimate reality of the Divine Mind.
You may recall from previous articles that your subconscious mind and body responds to a recreated situation (imagery) in the same way as it would to a real-life situation. This applies to dreaming as well. The difference is now that you are actually able to control the dream and shift and change the images and the entire scenario to suit yourself. And as with imagery, can set up situations which can result in self-development and growth.
The preparation
When planning to work with lucid dreaming, the idea is to prepare your mind beforehand for a number of days by practicing a degree of self-discipline. By programming your mind with affirmations and intentions, your subconscious mind will hopefully, after a few days, present you with a moment or two during a dream when you partially wake up and realise that you are dreaming. During that time, you have about a second to open a doorway by making a conscious statement of intent and a decision to enter and control the dream. This ability comes gradually and in stages. Initially you will only have a very low level of awareness and for very brief periods, but with persistence, the skill can be improved.
I have formulated a step-by-step exercise for you to apply in order to begin lucid dreaming. It is best to attempt this immediately after waking in the morning or during a light sleep such as an afternoon snooze or nap, as it is more difficult to cultivate moments of awareness during deep sleep, when one has had a heavy meal, or is exhausted.
A step-by-step process
• Begin a period of preparation in which you use affirmations and intentions to communicate your readiness to engage in lucid dreaming, to your subconscious mind which acts as an inner guardian for your dream-consciousness
• Set intentions to note very specific visual cues in your dreams which will lead to moments of awareness. For example, use the statement ‘When I see my hands (in my dream) I will realise that I am dreaming’ (Casteneda,1993)
• Attempt to cultivate brief moments of partial awareness during your dreaming into which you can introduce a conscious thought. For example, ‘Hey, I’m dreaming’, ‘I am aware’ or ‘I can do something’
• Act immediately on this one thought by initiating some action in your dream, no matter how small or insignificant. For example, if you are dreaming you are walking along the road and have a brief moment of awareness, consciously stop and touch something
• Try to find the consciousness to create a more powerful thought such as ‘I am dreaming’ and then consciously participate in the ongoing drama for a longer period of time
• The ideal is to eventually take control of the dream and be able to completely restructure its activities as a means of self-empowerment. For example, introducing and opening a door which represents access to a higher level of consciousness
• Over time this will radically increase your will-power and intention as well as introducing you to new dimensions of consciousness
• You will find that you soon begin to lose control of the dream as your energy wanes.
In this case, it is advisable to end the dream by consciously setting the intention to
wake up
Controlling the dream
As I said, once you have achieved a measure of awareness, glance around in the dream for opportunities to alter the scene in some way. You will see how the scene shifts with each new decision or intention as you begin to exercise real choices, with each change bringing about a heightened consciousness and increased feelings of confidence. However, as your conscious-ness increases, the dream will become more real and you may experience powerful emotions.
As this is actually an exercise in consciousness, the images will all be symbolic in some way. For example, when interacting with archetypal figures in the dream, their strength and power will usually be suggested by their attributes such as height and build. In this regard, it may be useful to consult the sections on symbolism and dream-recall in my previous book ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (Kima Global, 2007).
At this level of mental functioning, where you have advanced your consciousness to the point of having some control over your dreams, a lucid dream can offer some real opportunities for growth, such using the power of your intention to change the scene or to de-construct the dream altogether, leaving you only with an interplay of light and colour.
However, it requires huge amounts of effort to initiate major shifts to your dream-perception and you will soon begin to notice how your consciousness and clarity decreases as your energy becomes depleted and the scene returns to normal once again. It can therefore also be a useful exercise for increasing your psychic energy.
Once you have attained a certain level of conscious awareness in your lucid dream, it becomes an open visual field and you will be able to interact fully with your subconscious and even with spirit guides and angelic beings of light which are also able to enter your dream.
Jimmy Henderson a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest. He is the author of a number of articles as well as a self-help book entitled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ which is available at most bookshops. He is also a facilitator for Metavarsity and based in Durban
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.blogspot.com
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
Friday, September 10, 2010
Our inner voice or intuition
‘Truth lies hidden in subtle clues which are only made known to us during rare moments of revelation, realisation or intuition for which we are often unable to find words, or even to understand in terms of our day to day experience. Such perfect knowledge can only be revealed in the beauty of a desert flower, the passing whispers of the wind, a fleeting impression in a forest glade, a feeling which suddenly comes over us, or even in the content of our dreams, much of which we usually choose to ignore.’
Jimmy Henderson (Multi-Dimensional Thinking, 2007)
Many names have been given to our inner voice, which include a ‘sixth sense’, ‘intuition’ or ‘gut’ feelings. This idea of an inner guiding voice is not exclusive to metaphysics and may also find resonance in religious circles in the form of divine guidance or warnings from guardian angels. There is no doubt that this faculty exists, as it is even acknowledged in psychology in a slightly different form as ‘insight’ or an ‘immediate understanding’. It has been said that this sixth sense is highly developed in animals, and it is not difficult to imagine the power that it may bring into our own lives if it can be fully unfolded.
This inner guidance or ‘voice’ usually takes on the form of uncomfortable sensations, impressions or feelings associated with a particular situation which involves a threat to our physical, emotional or psychological well-being. Unfortunately, we often choose to ignore these promptings, as they are fleeting and usually felt rather than understood, having to pass through the content of our minds and being mediated by our inner symbolic processes. In some people the faculty of interpreting incoming cues and messages in the form of actual words (thoughts and ideas), is fully developed. However, for most of us, this skill has to be cultivated over time.
In some cases our ‘inner voice’ can sound quite familiar. The reason for this being that it is usually our own voice being ‘superimposed’ by our subconscious mind, that part of our consciousness which lies just below the surface of our day-to-day thinking and is responsible for our involuntary functions such as breathing, healing and heartbeat.
This ability of our subconscious mind to detect and respond to external cues and threats is well-documented in metaphysical texts and can also be demonstrated during hypnosis. However, in order for our inner voice to be heard, there are a number of important prerequisites. For example, our minds first have to be open to the idea of inner guidance and reasonably clear and quiet, as the promptings are very subtle and can easily be lost in the clutter of our daily thoughts. This can usually be achieved and enhanced through the practice of meditation.
Second, we need to have established a reasonable relationship of trust with our subconscious mind in order to secure its cooperation. This occurs over time during communication with our subconscious by constantly repeating affirmations such as ‘I am open to my inner voice / intuition’, or by setting intentions such as ‘I now open my mind to receive inner guidance’ (once only).
Finally, we should at least have some insight into our own symbolic processes (the set of personal symbols and meanings which we have built up from our experiences). This is necessary in order to interpret and extract the true meaning of the sensation, image or message. This level of self-insight is normally achieved through dream-work (learning to interpret our dreams and symbolism) and the practice of visualisation (imagery).
The process
We can all prepare ourselves for inner guidance and to hear our inner voice by following a few simple steps. Decide on a question beforehand, for example, ‘What am I to do in this situation?’ Relax your body and mind until it is completely quiet and free of thought. Focus on your breathing, this will help. Whilst in this relaxed state, pose your question simply, clearly and unambiguously. Continue to keep your mind relaxed for at least a minute and wait patiently for a sudden thought, image, impression or feeling to spontaneously present itself. In the early stages you may think this is only your imagination, but remember that your thinking has been stilled and this thought is therefore coming from your subconscious mind. Always acknowledge it as real.
A true inner message is short, immediate, sharp and precise. There is no thinking involved. It will also be fleeting and transient and one has to be quick in acknowledging it. You may also see the flash of an image or experience a sudden impression or feeling which relates to the problem highlighted in your question. This will have to be interpreted in terms of an understanding of your personal symbols within the context of the present situation.
By acknowledging your inner voice and accepting intuitive thoughts with a sense of gratitude, you will soon begin to cement the relationship of trust with your subconscious mind. Once you have established this relationship, communications will flow more easily and freely. Do not be disillusioned if you are not successful at first. This process could take a while to perfect.
Also bear in mind that this particular process does not exclude the possibility that the guidance could also be coming from a higher spiritual level and is merely being channeled through your subconscious processes.
Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His latest book ‘Multi-dimensional Thinking’ (Kima Global, 2007) is available at selected bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity.
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.blogspot.com
Jimmy Henderson (Multi-Dimensional Thinking, 2007)
Many names have been given to our inner voice, which include a ‘sixth sense’, ‘intuition’ or ‘gut’ feelings. This idea of an inner guiding voice is not exclusive to metaphysics and may also find resonance in religious circles in the form of divine guidance or warnings from guardian angels. There is no doubt that this faculty exists, as it is even acknowledged in psychology in a slightly different form as ‘insight’ or an ‘immediate understanding’. It has been said that this sixth sense is highly developed in animals, and it is not difficult to imagine the power that it may bring into our own lives if it can be fully unfolded.
This inner guidance or ‘voice’ usually takes on the form of uncomfortable sensations, impressions or feelings associated with a particular situation which involves a threat to our physical, emotional or psychological well-being. Unfortunately, we often choose to ignore these promptings, as they are fleeting and usually felt rather than understood, having to pass through the content of our minds and being mediated by our inner symbolic processes. In some people the faculty of interpreting incoming cues and messages in the form of actual words (thoughts and ideas), is fully developed. However, for most of us, this skill has to be cultivated over time.
In some cases our ‘inner voice’ can sound quite familiar. The reason for this being that it is usually our own voice being ‘superimposed’ by our subconscious mind, that part of our consciousness which lies just below the surface of our day-to-day thinking and is responsible for our involuntary functions such as breathing, healing and heartbeat.
This ability of our subconscious mind to detect and respond to external cues and threats is well-documented in metaphysical texts and can also be demonstrated during hypnosis. However, in order for our inner voice to be heard, there are a number of important prerequisites. For example, our minds first have to be open to the idea of inner guidance and reasonably clear and quiet, as the promptings are very subtle and can easily be lost in the clutter of our daily thoughts. This can usually be achieved and enhanced through the practice of meditation.
Second, we need to have established a reasonable relationship of trust with our subconscious mind in order to secure its cooperation. This occurs over time during communication with our subconscious by constantly repeating affirmations such as ‘I am open to my inner voice / intuition’, or by setting intentions such as ‘I now open my mind to receive inner guidance’ (once only).
Finally, we should at least have some insight into our own symbolic processes (the set of personal symbols and meanings which we have built up from our experiences). This is necessary in order to interpret and extract the true meaning of the sensation, image or message. This level of self-insight is normally achieved through dream-work (learning to interpret our dreams and symbolism) and the practice of visualisation (imagery).
The process
We can all prepare ourselves for inner guidance and to hear our inner voice by following a few simple steps. Decide on a question beforehand, for example, ‘What am I to do in this situation?’ Relax your body and mind until it is completely quiet and free of thought. Focus on your breathing, this will help. Whilst in this relaxed state, pose your question simply, clearly and unambiguously. Continue to keep your mind relaxed for at least a minute and wait patiently for a sudden thought, image, impression or feeling to spontaneously present itself. In the early stages you may think this is only your imagination, but remember that your thinking has been stilled and this thought is therefore coming from your subconscious mind. Always acknowledge it as real.
A true inner message is short, immediate, sharp and precise. There is no thinking involved. It will also be fleeting and transient and one has to be quick in acknowledging it. You may also see the flash of an image or experience a sudden impression or feeling which relates to the problem highlighted in your question. This will have to be interpreted in terms of an understanding of your personal symbols within the context of the present situation.
By acknowledging your inner voice and accepting intuitive thoughts with a sense of gratitude, you will soon begin to cement the relationship of trust with your subconscious mind. Once you have established this relationship, communications will flow more easily and freely. Do not be disillusioned if you are not successful at first. This process could take a while to perfect.
Also bear in mind that this particular process does not exclude the possibility that the guidance could also be coming from a higher spiritual level and is merely being channeled through your subconscious processes.
Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His latest book ‘Multi-dimensional Thinking’ (Kima Global, 2007) is available at selected bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity.
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.blogspot.com
Monday, August 23, 2010
Religion and evolution
By Jimmy Henderson
The whole idea of evolution has always been a contentious issue between religionists and scientists. Yet the evolution of the human being also links up with the idea of spiritual evolution. For instance, everything seems to point to the fact that the universe is geared towards growth and that in terms of human development this evolutionary process usually takes place naturally as the result of our day-to-day learning and growth experiences. But does this growth and development necessarily imply that we have descended from apes?
Even from a scientific viewpoint, there are major problems in trying to prove that we descended from apes. For instance, there are clear genetic distinctions between apes and humans. And from a common-sense point of view, if apes have evolved into humans, why are apes still around today? The fact that they (the apes) have been reproducing offspring for millions of years, suggests that the gene patterns of apes and humans have been separate since the beginning.
Second, the offering of a few bones as a missing link from the past does not really provide proof of an entire species of what should have been millions of individuals. Ape-men (half-ape, half-man) are presently simply nowhere to be seen, and at least some of them should still be around if all apes were in the process of slowly evolving into men.
However, does this support the religious argument that evolution did not take place at all, or is this whole process simply misunderstood? I believe the latter is true. For instance, from the standpoint of reason, we will still need to concede that even scientific or logical arguments that we have not evolved from apes does not necessarily imply that we were created in our current form, although this seems to be the most popular religious argument. Even over a relatively short period of a few centuries, our bodies have changed and certainly our mental and scientific thinking abilities have improved exponentially, so there does appear to be a rapid process of development taking place.
Perhaps the key to reconciling science with religion with regard to the theory of evolution lies with human psychology. For instance, the emergence of a distinct individual personality in a sentient being can logically only take place when there is a degree of self-awareness. This suggests that self -consciousness can only emerge in an individual when the particular structure is sufficiently complex to receive it. This supports the idea that early man may have existed in some primitive form or another, but did not become a distinct personality until his body and nervous system had evolved to a point where it could sustain self-awareness, at which point he became a ‘living soul’ (Gen. 2:7). Also, much of the Bible is written using metaphors and parables and it is quite possible that the 6 days mentioned in Holy Scriptures is a metaphor for 6 periods or stages of development. (The Bible does say that to God, a day is like a thousand years) (2 Peter 3:8). And that the spirit (breath) of God may only have entered the human body when it was ready and sufficiently complex to achieve self-awareness (following a period of evolution) Scriptures are not clear on exactly when and how long it took for the spirit to enter the body and for man to become a living soul. (Gen 2:7).
The metaphor of the ‘Divine Mind’
‘We exist in the Divine Mind as mental patterns or forms. And what we experience as separation from God is only the result of a loss of consciousness’.
J. Henderson
Many older religious and philosophical texts have likened the creator to a universal Divine Intelligence or ‘Mind’. This can be seen as a metaphor for a state of Being and existence which even now, we do not fully comprehend. This idea of a single Intelligence permeating the universe, from which we derive our own consciousness, links up with recent research into quantum physics as well as recent approaches in cognitive psychology which suggest that our sense of reality is actually composed of subjective experiences taking place in our consciousness. Within this framework, the ‘Divine Mind’ would not actually create reality as we see or know it, but rather a ‘situation’, which we interpret as real in terms of our own symbolic processes.
‘As above so below’
Hermes Trismegistus
Our view of reality
The metaphor of a Divine mind has huge implications for our understanding of reality as well as of ourselves and our true role and purpose in the universe. To explain this further, I will use an example based on the functioning of our own minds. We already know that we, as human beings, can create complex visual images using our faculty of imagery and our imagination. With practice, these images can be very real, three-dimensional and have a powerful effect on our bodies and unconscious minds. This can be seen in our bodies’ responses to dreams or nightmares. Now imagine a universal Divine Mind or Intelligence able to create and sustain elemental forms and images so powerful they assume a tangible quality in our minds.
What are we, if not consciousness?
This leads us to the question of our existence, role and purpose within such a metaphorical ‘Divine Mind’. Once again, let us relate this metaphor to the present structure and processing of our own minds. The famous psychologist Dr.George Kelly developed a theory in which our mind and thinking is seen as being organised into ‘personal constructs’ or mental representations of the world based on all our past experiences and memories. He showed that this ‘internal packaging’ of the mind into different images, thoughts and ideas, is every efficient, in that it actually speeds up and improves mental processing. He also showed that these ‘constructs’ are dynamic and actually grow and develop, becoming more complex over time.
If we relate this research to the idea of a universal ‘divine mind’, it suggests that our own individual personalities and minds could, in a similar way, be viewed as ‘constructs’ of a single, superior, universal or divine consciousness. Our human actions, experiences, thoughts and emotions would then provide the structure, content and form to this universal consciousness.
Archetypal images
However, it does not end there. As I said earlier, ‘constructs’ can also take the form of images, which represent the content of the mind in which they occur. And religious texts have always stated unequivocally that we, as human beings, are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Perhaps this can now make more sense when viewed within the framework of us being constructs or archetypes of the universal Divine Mind. Archetypes also occur naturally within our own minds. These can be described as clusters or patterns of unresolved drives, thoughts, emotions or aspects of our psyche which form sub-personalities and appear to have a life of their own. Well known examples of archetypes are our ‘inner child’, the ‘parent’, the ‘victim’, the ‘aggressor’ or the ‘hero’.
If we accept ourselves as self-conscious archetypes of a single universal Divine Mind and Consciousness, it becomes easier to understand how we could exist as an ‘image’, simply by being able to embody and reflect this consciousness to various degrees.
What is particularly interesting is that if we extend this idea, we can also see how other powerful archetypes could exist and function independently of ourselves, having also evolved within the universal ‘whole’ or ‘collective unconscious’, as Carl Jung describes it. In fact, in terms of this metaphor, all forms of life and consciousness, including ourselves and other celestial beings such as angels or archangels, could be viewed as archetypal images within the Divine Mind or Intelligence, expressing aspects of this transcendent personality to various degrees and all being part of one great plan of divine evolution or unfoldment.
The metaphor of the dream
Finally, this metaphor is also very useful in explaining what is meant when some esoteric writers refer to the world as one of illusion, delusion or a dream. We can all dream and there is no logical reason why a universal Divine Mind would not be able to dream as well. In terms of this ‘metaphor within a metaphor’ (the dream within the Universal Mind), every situation and event would be very real to us (such as is experienced during a particularly bad dream). However, as with a dream, these experiences would ultimately exist only in consciousness. The fact that we all share these same experiences (a shared dream) would suggest that we all form an integral part of this universal Divine Mind as well as the dream, and would explain why we can never view ourselves as separate from God.
Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His latest book ‘Multi-dimensional Thinking’ (Kima Global, 2007) is available at selected bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity and based in KZ Natal.
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.blogspot.com
By Jimmy Henderson
The whole idea of evolution has always been a contentious issue between religionists and scientists. Yet the evolution of the human being also links up with the idea of spiritual evolution. For instance, everything seems to point to the fact that the universe is geared towards growth and that in terms of human development this evolutionary process usually takes place naturally as the result of our day-to-day learning and growth experiences. But does this growth and development necessarily imply that we have descended from apes?
Even from a scientific viewpoint, there are major problems in trying to prove that we descended from apes. For instance, there are clear genetic distinctions between apes and humans. And from a common-sense point of view, if apes have evolved into humans, why are apes still around today? The fact that they (the apes) have been reproducing offspring for millions of years, suggests that the gene patterns of apes and humans have been separate since the beginning.
Second, the offering of a few bones as a missing link from the past does not really provide proof of an entire species of what should have been millions of individuals. Ape-men (half-ape, half-man) are presently simply nowhere to be seen, and at least some of them should still be around if all apes were in the process of slowly evolving into men.
However, does this support the religious argument that evolution did not take place at all, or is this whole process simply misunderstood? I believe the latter is true. For instance, from the standpoint of reason, we will still need to concede that even scientific or logical arguments that we have not evolved from apes does not necessarily imply that we were created in our current form, although this seems to be the most popular religious argument. Even over a relatively short period of a few centuries, our bodies have changed and certainly our mental and scientific thinking abilities have improved exponentially, so there does appear to be a rapid process of development taking place.
Perhaps the key to reconciling science with religion with regard to the theory of evolution lies with human psychology. For instance, the emergence of a distinct individual personality in a sentient being can logically only take place when there is a degree of self-awareness. This suggests that self -consciousness can only emerge in an individual when the particular structure is sufficiently complex to receive it. This supports the idea that early man may have existed in some primitive form or another, but did not become a distinct personality until his body and nervous system had evolved to a point where it could sustain self-awareness, at which point he became a ‘living soul’ (Gen. 2:7). Also, much of the Bible is written using metaphors and parables and it is quite possible that the 6 days mentioned in Holy Scriptures is a metaphor for 6 periods or stages of development. (The Bible does say that to God, a day is like a thousand years) (2 Peter 3:8). And that the spirit (breath) of God may only have entered the human body when it was ready and sufficiently complex to achieve self-awareness (following a period of evolution) Scriptures are not clear on exactly when and how long it took for the spirit to enter the body and for man to become a living soul. (Gen 2:7).
The metaphor of the ‘Divine Mind’
‘We exist in the Divine Mind as mental patterns or forms. And what we experience as separation from God is only the result of a loss of consciousness’.
J. Henderson
Many older religious and philosophical texts have likened the creator to a universal Divine Intelligence or ‘Mind’. This can be seen as a metaphor for a state of Being and existence which even now, we do not fully comprehend. This idea of a single Intelligence permeating the universe, from which we derive our own consciousness, links up with recent research into quantum physics as well as recent approaches in cognitive psychology which suggest that our sense of reality is actually composed of subjective experiences taking place in our consciousness. Within this framework, the ‘Divine Mind’ would not actually create reality as we see or know it, but rather a ‘situation’, which we interpret as real in terms of our own symbolic processes.
‘As above so below’
Hermes Trismegistus
Our view of reality
The metaphor of a Divine mind has huge implications for our understanding of reality as well as of ourselves and our true role and purpose in the universe. To explain this further, I will use an example based on the functioning of our own minds. We already know that we, as human beings, can create complex visual images using our faculty of imagery and our imagination. With practice, these images can be very real, three-dimensional and have a powerful effect on our bodies and unconscious minds. This can be seen in our bodies’ responses to dreams or nightmares. Now imagine a universal Divine Mind or Intelligence able to create and sustain elemental forms and images so powerful they assume a tangible quality in our minds.
What are we, if not consciousness?
This leads us to the question of our existence, role and purpose within such a metaphorical ‘Divine Mind’. Once again, let us relate this metaphor to the present structure and processing of our own minds. The famous psychologist Dr.George Kelly developed a theory in which our mind and thinking is seen as being organised into ‘personal constructs’ or mental representations of the world based on all our past experiences and memories. He showed that this ‘internal packaging’ of the mind into different images, thoughts and ideas, is every efficient, in that it actually speeds up and improves mental processing. He also showed that these ‘constructs’ are dynamic and actually grow and develop, becoming more complex over time.
If we relate this research to the idea of a universal ‘divine mind’, it suggests that our own individual personalities and minds could, in a similar way, be viewed as ‘constructs’ of a single, superior, universal or divine consciousness. Our human actions, experiences, thoughts and emotions would then provide the structure, content and form to this universal consciousness.
Archetypal images
However, it does not end there. As I said earlier, ‘constructs’ can also take the form of images, which represent the content of the mind in which they occur. And religious texts have always stated unequivocally that we, as human beings, are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Perhaps this can now make more sense when viewed within the framework of us being constructs or archetypes of the universal Divine Mind. Archetypes also occur naturally within our own minds. These can be described as clusters or patterns of unresolved drives, thoughts, emotions or aspects of our psyche which form sub-personalities and appear to have a life of their own. Well known examples of archetypes are our ‘inner child’, the ‘parent’, the ‘victim’, the ‘aggressor’ or the ‘hero’.
If we accept ourselves as self-conscious archetypes of a single universal Divine Mind and Consciousness, it becomes easier to understand how we could exist as an ‘image’, simply by being able to embody and reflect this consciousness to various degrees.
What is particularly interesting is that if we extend this idea, we can also see how other powerful archetypes could exist and function independently of ourselves, having also evolved within the universal ‘whole’ or ‘collective unconscious’, as Carl Jung describes it. In fact, in terms of this metaphor, all forms of life and consciousness, including ourselves and other celestial beings such as angels or archangels, could be viewed as archetypal images within the Divine Mind or Intelligence, expressing aspects of this transcendent personality to various degrees and all being part of one great plan of divine evolution or unfoldment.
The metaphor of the dream
Finally, this metaphor is also very useful in explaining what is meant when some esoteric writers refer to the world as one of illusion, delusion or a dream. We can all dream and there is no logical reason why a universal Divine Mind would not be able to dream as well. In terms of this ‘metaphor within a metaphor’ (the dream within the Universal Mind), every situation and event would be very real to us (such as is experienced during a particularly bad dream). However, as with a dream, these experiences would ultimately exist only in consciousness. The fact that we all share these same experiences (a shared dream) would suggest that we all form an integral part of this universal Divine Mind as well as the dream, and would explain why we can never view ourselves as separate from God.
Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His latest book ‘Multi-dimensional Thinking’ (Kima Global, 2007) is available at selected bookshops. He is also a facilitator with Metavarsity and based in KZ Natal.
http://www.kimaglobal.co.za/cgi-bin/go.pl/author_books.html?author_name=Jimmy%20Henderson
www.jimmyhendersonbooks.blogspot.com
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