Today's talk is on the "Spiral of Life." This is about our spiritual growth having seasons and cycles just as life has periods of great activity and then inactivity spiraling us ever forward and upward. In the Book of Genesis, we have the mythical story of creation -- the universe and all life being created in six days to follow with a day of rest - the 7th day, and then recreation takes place.
Planet earth expands, shifts and contracts, and everything in cycles of days, seasons, years, and ages. This is shown to us in all forms of nature. Truth is being displayed all around us, if just our eyes and ears be open. All life is evolving to higher levels of expression -- spiraling upward.
We too have our cycles and seasons on our spiral path of life. We learn and evolve, then rest. In my life there were times when I would study books on spirituality as much as I could stuff in my mind. Then not pick up a single book for weeks or sometimes months. It was a period to put to practice, and embody what I had studied. Experiencing the lessons -- some were easy, others very tough, and some so painful leaving me doubting if I wanted to continue on such a path.
After having learned the lessons, I would be ready to return to my studies once again. But this time having new eyes and ears to see and hear with. And having a new consciousness, and tools to work with. If we don't take these periods to put to practice what we have studied, then we can experience what is called “spiritual indigestion.” The symptoms can be mental, emotional and physical. It is necessary to take time to absorb, to understand what we’ve been learning before moving on to the next level. Every challenge is an opportunity to put our tools to practice, and evolve to a greater degree – moving up that spiral of life.
At times in the spiral of life we may feel that we have slipped backward. Finding ourselves repeating similar experiences, but really this is an opportunity to bring to a higher level of understanding. Sometimes we get to repeat the lesson several more times until we really get it -- all aspects of it on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. And then, sometimes we get it again, although it may be clothed differently, just to make sure we really got it.
I think about plants, how in the first year we plant the seeds, they grow and may bloom. Then comes winter, and the plants go dormant and may even appear dead, but their roots are growing and becoming stronger. Then spring comes, and the plant grows bigger than the previous year with even a greater amount of blooming flowers. Some plants bloom year after year. While others just once but leave their seeds behind to reproduce each future year in greater numbers.
We are told the planet itself is transforming to a new level of creation -- one of a higher vibration, and all life is transforming ascending with the planet. Or is it the other way around -- mankind is ascending raising its frequency so everything else is being raised to accommodate the new level of consciousness. Through eons the planet has gone through cycles of changes ever evolving to support higher life forms.
We’re taught that earlier life forms were singular cells. Then one day they multiplied to more complex life forms; fish, birds, dinosaurs. Each time new level of expressions was to be brought forth there were major earth changes preparing the earth to support new forms of life; dying of the old to bring forth the new.
This we are told was a slow process taking eons of time. Scientists say that mankind was first a primitive caveman that has evolved to modern mankind. My understanding there had been great civilizations that were wiped out leaving small groups surviving in caves and in remote places. For us I believe our next evolution is not so much a change in appearance. It’s about spiritual consciousness unfolding the Christ or God kind.
This change doesn't have to take eons of time. It is one quantum leap in consciousness for it is already within us just waiting to spring forth. Jesus the Christ showed us the way, along with other great masters teaching oneness, love, compassion, forgiveness, service, meditation, and prayer, and knowing that we are eternal beings and always have been. As Christ Jesus said, “We are gods.” I like to say, “We are godlings in the making.”
One day it occurred to me, that we were also our earlier forms of consciousness. We were that pre-history civilization, cave person, dinosaur, bird, fish. We transition leaving our old form, then taking on a new form, each time into a higher, fuller consciousness. Giving us new ways to express ourselves, always for a greater expression of love and creativity.
Mankind learned to plant and harvest food. Rather than moving from valley to valley. Raise sheep and cattle rather than moving to where the herds roam. Mass produce food, clothing, and housing all took a new awareness of working together to survive.
Now we are learning to collectively pray, meditate, and to be, to bring about a greater change for all. Not just for survival but true freedom living without concern for our basic needs. We are evolving from a slave consciousness in a material world to having a freedom consciousness in a spiritual world.
John Randolf Price tells us in his book "Angels Within Us": "If we take a look at a spiral we see that the line is moving up, then begins to level out and fall back, but catches itself and gets back on track moving upward to form a new pattern. This is what life looks like in a mystical sense. Each new coil on the spiral of life is an initiation or expansion in consciousness. When we become synchronized with this life design by identifying with it, we find ourselves in the universal life flow, and in tune with the cyclic impulses and energy rhythms."
When we enter periods of seeming inactivity, or periods of drought in our creativity the spiral has temporarily lowered in order to move even higher -- gathering energy. Our periods of restriction are only the spiral gathering force for a mighty leap. As in the winter must be before the spring can come bringing bountiful new life. Spring is an intense time of new growth, but before the colorful blooms there was a period of building strong roots and vital strength while still underground in the dark soil.
It was Dec. 13, 1994, when I fell and broke my knee cap. I had just made plans to expand my workload -- adding new classes, and then adding even more to my schedule. This was an expansion of my consciousness and it needed time to be nurtured and to unfold. January came, and it was all very humbling teaching from a wheelchair.
During these contracted times we use our creative imagination to prepare for our increased expression. The longer the periods of inactivity, greater is the leap. When one continues for long periods without rest or time for contraction then new growth shall be stalled. We must have time for reflection and introspection. We learn our greatest insights from our setbacks. Pain slows us down -- it makes us aware of our faulty perceptions of being on the wrong track, or just plain unconscious to a better way of doing and being.
We can consciously change by tuning in to the will of God. We do this through meditation, prayer of silence for inner listening and guidance, and letting go of holding on to appearances. Then we gain a new vision -- a better way of being and doing. We test the waters with love, integrity, helpfulness and harmlessness. Is it new and improved or just the same old thing with a new coat of paint or wardrobe?
This doesn't mean that we beat ourselves because we haven't lived up to our ideal. We have never made a mistake in our eternal life. That what we did was consciousness in action, and we really had no choice but to do what we did because that is where we were at the time in consciousness. The law of consciousness always out pictures itself, and it was perfectly fulfilled through our actions in thought, word, and deed. Therefore our actions are perfect regardless of the results and karmic obligations incurred. Change our consciousness and we change our experiences.
It is up to us to take advantage of the inactive periods, in being aware and alert to our next steps of expression and unfoldment. Each new turn in our spiral is an adventure to be lived. I have told people in my career support groups to remember to enjoy this time between employment by having fun, explore, have a vacation; for when starting a new job, it will be quite a long time before taking another vacation.
A spiral like a spring is flexible. We must remember to be open to change, letting go of our comfort zones, people and old habits that keep us from expanding into higher consciousness. The Mayans honor a 52 year cycle where they replace all their old clothes and household belongings, and even take on a new name to honor their place as a wise woman or man.
Jesus told the rich man, that he had to be willing to give up all his possessions, friends and family, uproot himself and follow him without ever looking back. This means that we must be willing to give up what no longer fits our new consciousness. And some may just drop away. This is what must be done on each loop on our spiral of life.
Let us take a moment to visualize a spiral. See it with your inner sight. Now sense it within yourself -- feel its springing effect from your feet to a couple of feet above your head. Play with it. How well does your spiral flex? If not very well, practice flexing -- do things in a different way. Explore a new place, take a new route to work, clean out closets, or try eating something new and different.
I’ll close with an excerpt from In the Light of Healing chapter on Life, Light and Power by Nona Brooks.
From the beginning to the end of expression of life there is the one great longing and that is for something higher, something better, for knowledge; and knowledge is what I mean when I say light. I do not know how it is with you, but I love to think that there is this great push, the push of life from the Universal One to express itself more and more fully, through every expression of life from the least to the greatest. And you know and I know how tremendous is that inner urge that pushes within us, that insists that we shall not stand still; that we, like the lower creatures, shall not be satisfied with any stage of development, but shall push onward and upward; that every attainment shall be not a stopping place, but perhaps a resting point for a moment, each resting place shall be merely a stage between the last step and the step that is to come.
Having perceived the light, perhaps only to a degree, the next thing is to apply it. Make it a vivid, definite power in our daily experience. You and I see the light partially. It is unfolded within us gradually and that unfoldment within us is the spiritual evolution of men.
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