Connecting with the Wisdom of your Higher Self - Part 5

Fear And Feeling Tones

On the next step in learning how to connect with our Higher Self I thought it would be appropriate to look at fear and what I call our feeling tones.

Fear is such an amazing emotion. In small doses it stops us from walking into situations where we can be harmed. It would have been great for Neanderthal man as it would have stopped him from being eaten by a lion or a poisonous snake, but in those days fear came with a certain amount of inner knowledge. Our ancient ancestors lived in touch with nature and the elements and so when they went into situations where the fear hairs stood up on the back of their neck they had a reason to listen.

Today it is a different story. The fight and flight reactions that were hard wired into us in the past are not needed as much and yet when you look at the people around you, there seem to be more fears today in our safer world than there ever was. Why is this? I believe it is because we are out of touch with nature and the cycles within nature. Those who still live on the land are still in contact with these cycles and for the most part seem to have less fears than us so called civilized people that populate the cities. I am not suggesting that we all pull up stumps and move back to the country or take up a nomadic life, but I am suggesting that we get back in touch with the cycles within ourselves and within nature. Most people seem to have forgotten that we are made up of these cycles. There are our biorhythms, our sleep cycles, women's menstrual cycles and even the greatest cycle of all, our conception, birth, death and rebirth and many more. All of these are natures cycles and yet many of us seem so divorced from nature and our own cycles.

How can getting in touch with these cycles allow us to reduce or move beyond our fears? I believe that once we reconnect with these cycles that an inner or innate knowledge starts to come alive and we begin to see and feel things before they happen. In my books and some of my blogs I talk about using a molecule of your feelings to send into to situations where you are not sure and allow whatever returns to guide your next move. It starts with a stillness and being able to open yourself up to the answer which lies within. This one technique has given me more information than I could ever have received from a mountain of books.

All life is energy; so when you meet someone new or meet a new situation then it will have an energy. Get in the habit of stilling your mind chatter and allow the feelings to come forward; these inner feelings will always steer you in the right direction. These feelings are not emotion like anger, frustration etc, but a feeling tone that comes up from deep within. As I was writing this blog I came to a full stop. I quieted myself for a moment and saw in my minds eyes two roads representing different ways the blog could go. The first road was where I talked about the fear itself and the second where I talked about the energy underneath all things. As I wandered down the first road I could feel an energy that was stuck. I immediately knew that this was not the road to go down. Like many of us I would normally have been inclined to continue down that road not trusting the inner voice, blaming it for being lazy or wanting to take the easy way out. These days my inner voice seems to be louder and more insistent when I ask it these questions.

It is hard to describe to anyone who hasn't experienced it, but let's have a play with it. Let's have a play with the energy in the universe. I want you to look at an area of your life where you have at least two choices on how to move forward. As you begin to practice, probably not such a good idea to look at major changes in your life, something smaller to start with. It could be as simple as looking at a menu and decided what to eat. Start small and don't give up. In the early stages of anything new it will feel weird, silly and uncomfortable, but if you have discipline and a little bit of good old tenacity then your efforts will be worth it.

To begin with have you options metaphorically or physically in front of you. I used the technique this morning when I was deciding what to write. My first thought, not a feeling, but my first thought was to work on my third novel The 33rd Sage and the Ancient Ones. I opened the file and sat there looking at the empty page and there was nothing. I typed a few words but soon deleted them. There was just nothing there. It was then that I sat for a moment and stilled my mind. It helped that I was sitting in the garden surrounded by plants and trees and a beautiful blue sky. Still winter in Melbourne it was a bit chilly but I was in touch with nature and I find it easier to still the thoughts of the mind when I am surrounded by trees. It even seems to keep out the noises of cars, trucks and building projects going on in my street. After a few seconds my mind started to become still. If it takes you longer that is okay as I have been doing this technique for many years. Once my mind was still I allowed the feelings to come up from within. In moments a picture appeared of a blank page. My first reaction was that a blank page was what caused the problem in the first place. Then I sent a molecule of my feelings into the blank page and what returned was a feeling of new life. In the early days of my metaphysical training I would have just pushed the feeling aside, not realizing that it was the answer I was looking for. When these feelings come forward try not to judge them because this engages the ego and blocks these wonderful gifts which come from your higher self.

Once I opened a blank page and allowed the feelings and thoughts to flow I was soon looking at these words now before you.

It really is as is simple as that to engage your real feeling centre and allow the higher self to show you where to go. Practice it. Play with it. Make a fool of yourself. Once you get to the stage when you accept the information that comes forward, something happens and you open up a doorway for your higher self to come through more often. To others you may seem like you are in a dream world, but you are in bliss. My partner notices when I go there and she just smiles and lets me be as she knows that I am in my special place and when I return I will be in very positive state.

As with all these techniques practice makes perfect. Don't spend all day practicing them as this would out of a balance. Don't talk to others about what you are doing until you feel comfortable with the technique as it will dissipate the energy.

Have fun with it. Share your experiences on my blog.

Blessings and Peace and may you higher self whisper to you and share its beauty.

****
I have included the chapter on Fear and Feeling Tones from my upcoming book the Way of the Initiate. Much of what I have written above comes from this book but for some of us the best way to learn is through story. I hope you enjoy the story of Huo the young disabled boy who begins to walk the path of the Initiate.

The Way of the Initiate
Fear and Feeling Tones


The young man's night was filled with dreams of old sages sitting around a table, each one of them coming forward to teach him about their individual aspects of the thirty three. Of course, when he woke in the morning, he would remember none of it other than a queer feeling in his stomach that would stay with him forever, appearing whenever a deep teaching came forward from the Tao or one of the 33 sages.

When he woke, he looked around but could not see the old sage. Something wasn't right; the uneasy feeling he had in his stomach made him feel uncomfortable, and at the same time he began to feel fearful. Had something happened to the old sage? Had he done something to upset him? In a panic, he looked around where they had camped overnight, but there was no sign of him. He looked over to the mountains and could see that the sun was already peeking over the range. He had slept in; it was well past the time they were meant to be on the road. Had his lack of discipline caused the old sage to leave him behind?

He was becoming more anxious and overwhelmed. What if he never saw the old sage again? Almost involuntarily, he took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and immediately began to relax. He took another deep breath and held that for a moment, and his attention moved from the forest around him to a point deep within himself. In the deepness, he could see the old sage in the forest, no more than five hundred meters from where he was now sitting. He put his belongings in his pack, put the long staff through the pack, and tossed it over his shoulder, then he followed the inner feeling, sure that it would lead him to the old sage.

He found the old sage in a clearing, where he was sitting around an open fire. The old sage gave Huo a cup of of tea and motioned for him to sit on a log beside him.

"Fear is such an amazing emotion," he said. "In small doses, it stops us from walking into situations where we can be harmed. If we are really in touch with these inner feelings, the fear or energy that comes forward is not a creation of our own subconscious mind, but inner promptings from our higher self, which can truly show us the way. Our ancestors, those who lived in touch with nature and the elements, had a sixth sense; so, when they went into situations where the fear hairs stood up on the back of their neck, they had a reason to listen. Everything in the universe has a feeling or feeling tone, a vibration, if you will, that you can tap into or feel.

"Today it is a different story, as more and more of our people live in villages and cities. The fight-or-flight reactions that were hard-wired into us in the past are not needed as much, and yet when you look at the people around you, there seem to be more fears today in our safer world than there ever was. Why is this? I believe it is because we are out of touch with nature and the cycles within nature. Those who still live on the land are still in contact with these cycles and for the most part seem to have fewer fears than us so-called civilized people that populate the villages and cities. We need to get back in touch with the cycles within ourselves and within nature. Most people seem to have forgotten that we are made up of these cycles. They are our biorhythms, our sleep cycles, women's menstrual cycles, and even the greatest cycle of all, our conception, birth, death, rebirth, and many more. All of these are nature’s cycles, and yet many of us seem so divorced from nature and our own cycles.

"By reconnecting with these cycles, an inner or innate knowledge starts to come alive, and we begin to see and feel things before they happen. Whenever you go into a new situation or meet a new person, send a molecule of your feelings into it or them and allow whatever returns to guide your next move. It starts with a stillness and being able to open yourself up to the answer that lies within.

"All life is energy, so when you meet someone new or meet a new situation, it will have an energy. Get in the habit of stilling your mind chatter and allowing the feelings to come forward; these inner feelings will always steer you in the right direction. These feelings are not emotion like anger, frustration, etc., but rather a feeling tone that comes up from deep within. When you awoke and found that I was not there, your initial reaction was to panic and become fearful; that was just your subconscious mind, your ego reacting to the unknown. When you took a deep breath and began to quiet the mind you were tapping into, the energy of the situation and your higher self allowed you to connect with the feeling of where I was.

"It is hard to describe to anyone who hasn't experienced it, but when you begin to play with the feelings, you will be lead to deeper understandings than your rational mind could give you, for your rational mind is trapped in the matrix created by your ego. I want you to practice using your feeling tones whenever you have a decision to be made. In the early stages of anything new, it will feel weird, silly, and uncomfortable, but if you have discipline, your efforts will be rewarded.

"To begin with, have your options metaphorically or physically in front of you. After a few seconds, take a deep breath as you did earlier and allow the mind to become still. If it takes you longer, then that is okay, as I have been doing this technique for many years. Once your mind is still, allow the feelings to come up from within or simply send a molecule of your own feeling self into the situation. In the early days of my training, I would have just pushed the feeling aside, not realizing that it was the answer I was looking for. When these feelings come forward, try not to judge them because this engages the ego and blocks these wonderful gifts, which come from your higher self.

"It really is as simple as that to engage your real feeling centre and allow the higher self to show you where to go. Practice it. Play with it. Make a fool of yourself. Once you get to the stage where you accept the information that comes forward, something happens and you open up a doorway for your higher self to come through more often. To others, you may seem like you are in a dream world, but you are in bliss.

"As with all these techniques, practice makes perfect. Don't spend all day practicing them, as this would push you out of a balance. Also, don't talk to others about what you are doing until you feel comfortable with the technique, as it will dissipate the energy."


***********

The 33rd Sage and the 33rd Sage and the Initiate are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Watersons, Xlibris and a number of online book stores.

The Way of the Initiate will be published mid 2013

Twitter @GeofSpalding
Official Author Blog - the33rdsage.authorsxpress.com/
Translatable Author Blog - 33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/
Book Websites 'The 33rd Sage,' at www.33rdsage.com
'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' at www.the33rdsage.com

Healing and the Subconscious Mind

Healing and the Subconscious Mind

"In Old China an emperor stood upon a very high hill. Spread through the valley below him was all of his great army. He could see where a battle would be fought and where the other armies waited. He had developed an intricate system of commands for the generals and officers of his army and the battle beganThe emperor could signal to the right, and the right would attack. He could signal to the left, and the left would attack, or the middle. With another signal, each would retreat then attack again. The battle went on for hours. When the emperor saw a weakness he sent troops to that area and eventually they overcame the other army."

Chung Fu

This analogy fits your conscious and subconscious minds. Your conscious mind is the emperor and your subconscious, the army, does not see what is going on.

When we are talking of healing what we are really talking about is the subconscious mind. When we look at the physician analogy in my previous blog it is important to understand that our subconscious mind is a wonderful, natural force. It is how we exist in this world. It allows us to have memories of past situations and it is the place where the conscious mind implants all it's belief and knowledge. This can can either be a positive or negative experience. If we place in our subconscious the thought that the world and it's people are filled with great beauty, then that is what we will see. On the other hand if we focus on the pain and suffering in the world all we will see is pain and suffering.

Many of my readers will have an understanding of what I mean by the Subconscious Mind or the Subconscious as it has also been called. Before we go into more detail on how to get the best out of and work with the Subconscious I would like to give my quick explanation of what I believe it is and why it is so important.

When we incarnate into our bodies before birth or shortly after. What is is that incarnates? Some have called it the Soul others have called it the Subconscious and I would guess that if you look into many of the religions it will be known by many other names. For me I will call it the Subconscious. It is my belief that our higher self sends of aspects of itself in the form of the Subconscious to inhabit a body to increase its experiences in this plane. When the subconscious takes residence in the vehicle it is blank and has no knowledge of other lives or of the Higher Self. This is done so that went it incarnates it comes without any knowledge; so that it can work through the issues that it came here to experience. It is not a hit and miss exercise as the higher self and the aspect which incarnates understands what are probabilities for it in the first thirteen years of its life. It understands the parents weaknesses and strengths; it understand the culture it is being born into and it understand what is happening on the world at this time. Yes for it's own experience it chooses to live in Africa, Indonesia or America. It is only our misunderstanding of the wonderful opportunity that we call life, that we judge people for where they are born, the colour of their skin, their culture and their parenting. Mark my words it is the choice of the incarnated to where and when they choose and it is only our lack of understanding that makes us judge others to be different or less than we are.

When we incarnate we even choose what Element we will incarnate into as this elemental bias will allow us the best opportunity to experience what we came to earth to experience. When people start to learn about the Elements or deeper understandings of the Subconscious mind it is because they are ready for it. It is time for them to go beyond their Subconscious Mind.

But what is there to go beyond and how do we do it? Although our subconscious is an empty book when we arrive it comes programmed with our elemental perspective. We have also chosen our genetics because that will offer us the right environment in disease and health patterns to experience what we came here for. Incarnation into the Earth-plane is all about experiences; whether we are human, animal, plant or mineral. If you are attracted to these writings then you have done at least six lifetimes as human and many in all the other dimensions.

Even before your are born your subconscious is taking in impressions from your world. The Subconscious mind takes in everything; hundreds of thousands of inputs every minute. As the old computer saying goes, "Garbage in, garbage out." Before you start feeling guilty for the garbage that you have fed yourself or your children. Stop for a moment, breathe and understand that with regards to yourself you can become like the Emperor in our story and start to take control of your Subconscious mind through Conscious Mind. With regards the children you will have to wear that one. Sorry only kidding. Remember that your children chose you for all the crap that you and the world around you has given them. They understood what they were coming here to experience; they chose it. They get their revenge though. Every child feeds back to their parents and society what it taught them in the first thirteen years. We always blame the teenagers, but maybe we should look closer to home and be thankful that our loving teenagers are giving back to us what we taught them, so that we can deal with our own stuff. Scary thought that. Remember there are no victims. This is one concept that I have had the most difficulty understanding as I watch people in pain and suffering.

The subconscious mind has the ability to create in your world whatever you program into it and whatever you program into it is what you will get in return. The key if you want to change your life is to start taking care with what you program into your subconscious.
Begin today by becoming the observer. Watch how you respond to people and situations. When you meet someone new do you react positively or negatively and why?

When you get angry. Why are you angry, is it something they did or are you projecting your weakness onto them? Often I find it is when we meet someone who shows what we don't like about ourselves or a weakness we have that we can react.
If something makes you sad - why?
If you judge something or someone - why?
If you are fearful - why?

Don't be too tough on yourself; just observe; as you begin to become the observer you start to understand why you respond and then you can rise beyond it. Sometimes it can be a great challenge when you have believed these things for many years. Remember you are here to go beyond your Subconscious mind and have it work for you. It is time to understand your Element and then go beyond it to the Element of Ether. If you want to learn more about the Elements my first book 'The 33rd Sage,' is filled with the teachings I received from my old Chinese teacher.

We live in amazing times when all of us have the opportunity to be the creative essence we were meant to be.

Blessings and Peace and May your god give you the strength to realize how wonderful you are. One day you may even discover that the God or the Godforce that you seek has always been inside you.

**********
The 33rd Sage and my second book The 33rd Sage and the Initiate are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Watersons, and a number of online book stores. Bricks and mortar stores can order the books through my publishers, Xlibris and Dog Ear Publishing.

Twitter @GeofSpalding

Official Author Blog - the33rdsage.authorsxpress.com/

Websites www.the33rdsage.com and www.33rdsage.com

Translatable Author Blog - 33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

Maya Doves and the Cities of Light

Maya Doves 2012

I was lucky and privileged to be one of 39 individuals who came together to experience the Maya Doves tour of the Mayan Ancient Cities of Light organized and led by Aluna Joy.

For many the Maya calendar was about the end of the world and the closer I came to the trip the more I could see, hear and feel the increase in people's fears as the date got closer to 21/12/2012. Even some of my own friends were questioning my need to be in Palenque Mexico on the 21st of December. It is hard to describe to anyone who hasn't experienced an inner pull to a sacred site, but for those who have had those feelings, it is easy to describe. One day I woke up knowing that I wanted, no it is more correct to say I needed to be in the land of the Maya for the end of their calendar.

There are many reasons I could give to satisfy the curiosity of many of my friends, such as to experience the culture and sacred sites of the Maya; to be there when their calendar ended; to experience the galactic alignment - an event which happens only once every 26,000 years or even to experience another culture. But the real reason was none of these. I felt drawn to the land of the Maya by a force which is far beyond my capacity to explain. My spiritual journey really began in 1983 when the Sun was first starting its 33 journey across the galactic centre. Of course I did not know it at the time, for what I was experiencing was the beginnings of the spiritual quickening which was affecting our planet. Many people all across the planet were beginning to feel this pull to the more spiritual aspects of their lives.

My old teacher Stuart Wilde termed the phrase the quickening or maybe it was his old Chinese teacher. As one of the leading metaphysicians on the planet Stuart was one of those individuals who was always one step ahead of the curve and many of his students were prepared for the quickening. The quickening has occurred on many levels and you just have to look at the world around you to see evidence of it.

Was it any wonder that as part of my 33 year journey aligned to the sun going through the galactic centre that I would be drawn to the Maya lands during this time. If anybody has read any of my books or blogs you will see that I am highly influenced by the number 33. The reason for this has many aspects but the the most important would be a teaching by my old Chinese teacher which taught about the 33 energies beyond the earthplane which are in charge of ours and the earth's evolution. It is these same 33 energies who have been called the White Brotherhood and many other names over the last few thousand years. In my second book The 33rd Sage and the Initiate I share many of the teachings that I received from my old Chinese teacher about the teachings from the 33 energies. These 33 energies guide and support our evolution, but because we have free will we have the ability to choose or disregard the energies that they bring forward. Even when we are doing things which are negative or do not support our highest energy, they do not judge and allow us to learn from our own mistakes; for they realize that we are all Eternal, Immortal and Infinite and this one lifetime just adds another book to the library that is our higher self.

Although it may seem like I am wandering in my thoughts as I explain the Maya Doves tour of 2012, I could not do it without some explanation of how I got there and if I am to be honest the spiritual journey always seems like we are wandering, as spirits little voices point us in the direction for our highest good and it is only that sometimes we do not always hear these voices which causes us to wander off the path every now and again.

It is funny how what may appear as little choices can have a major impact on our lives or send us off in directions that we would not previously have thought possible. For me the booking of my Maya trip was one such turning point. Initially it was booked out and I had to go on a waiting list, but as usual when something is meant to happen a space on the trip became available. The moment I booked the trip was the moment when all writing on my third book in the 33rd Sage series stopped. It did not matter what I did, I could write no more. It was becoming frustrating, I had taken a year and a half off from the corporate world to complete the series and here I was not able to write another word of the third book.

It was during one of these moments of frustration that the little voice whispered to me in the stillness of my mind. At first I cold not hear anything, then it became a rumbling sound as if coming through rushing water. Each time it came I could feel and hear only one word - Legend. I explored the word for a couple of days but was no closer to any deep understanding, so I decided to start to write about what the word meant, for in many times I learn about things through writing about them. It is as if a channel opens up within and information flows forward that I would not consciously know or create.
After writing a few pages about the term Legend a picture started to form in my mind of my old Chinese teacher, but this was not a contemporary picture but a picture of him in ancient China. The more I looked the more I saw and so I started to write. After a couple of hours I had the first few chapters of the Legend of the 33rd Sage or The Way of the Initiate. Over the next few months I wrote feverishly as one chapter after another appeared on my iPad before me (I have shared many of the first draft chapters on my blog). It is written in almost parable form and it is the story of how a young boy becomes apprentice to an old Chinese sage and walks the path of initiation. Each of the chapters represents one of the steps along the path of the Initiate.

Although it was only a first draft I could feel the power and energy that were in each of the chapters. For anyone who had the eyes to see or ears to hear what they had in front of them was a guide to initiation. It was the culmination of my thirty years on the path. The more I learnt the simpler the concepts became and so by the time I shared them in the story many would have appeared too simple, but the words of my old teacher came back, "if you cannot express an idea simply then you do not understand it."

Everything was going swimmingly until I reached chapter 30. Then all of a sudden I could write no more. Just like the final book in the 33 Sage series I could not go any further. In hindsight I could see that I needed to go to the lands of the Maya before I could complete both books, but at that stage I did not have the benefit of hindsight.

It was only a couple of weeks now before the trip to Central America and although I could not write I found myself with more than enough on my plate just preparing for the trip. As with any pilgrimage one has to prepare the outer self and the inner self and if one is entering sacred sites it is always good to get permission of the gatekeepers before entering.

My preparation included walking 14 kilometers per day, when I would imagine walking in the lands of the Maya and asking the gatekeepers for permission. I felt this permission was granted for Palenque but not as yet for the other sites. I could sense there was something that I was not quite understanding. I gave up on trying to understand it and gave it over to spirit while I completed all the outer world stuff like first aid kits, torches and all manner of stuff I would need on the outer journey.

Of course when we arrived in Villarhermosa my baggage was nowhere to be seen, which was appropriate as Aluna had said that part of this journey was to leave our old baggage behind and my inner being had taken it literally. After a few days of wearing the one same outfit Tas who I shared a room with was kind enough to lend me some clothes. The lesson for me was that I did not need anywhere near as much as I thought I needed. This was the first of many lessons I was to learn on this trip from the universe and the wonderful people I was surrounded by on this journey.

Palenque was the first sacred site on our Journey and we arrived there on the Winter Solstice 21/12/2012 - the end day of the Mayan calendar.
I would like to share a little bit about each of the sacred sites that we visited, but before each I thought I would like to share the words that Aluna Joy has written about each of these sites because in those few words much is shared.

Palenque

Aluna said, "Palenque is the water aspect of the cities of light. It is considered the home to the great hall of records, a living library of ancient wisdom. It is also aligned with the solstices, equinoxes, eclipses and zenith passages of the sun and was built with advanced sacred geometry. Palenque and the surrounding sites like Bonampak and Yaxchillan, have held mystery and intrigue for hundreds of years. It is considered by many to be an ancient school for spiritual initiates. In some writings it is considered the head of a huge, geographical dove grid anchoring a new definition of peace and wisdom. It is also the centre of the Earth's Merkaba that connects with the universal grid. The locals call Palenque the navel of the world. Palenque shelters a living library that reveals universal truths to those who listen with an open heart.

"The area that encompasses Palenque, Yaxchillan and Bonampak is where the ancient starry ones lived heaven on earth. Pacal Votan's energy, a Cosmic Messenger, still radiates from the temple of inscriptions in Palenque. Many of the Great Masters influence the energy of this area, including the elder race we call the Star Elders or the Invisible Council. It is even believed that Jesus healed the sick and performed baptisms in the Queen's Falls when he visited during his so-called 'lost years.' it is believed he learned from the star elders about cosmic time, and he taught them about the heart and peace. Palenque is an activator for intuitive understanding. By listening to the site, we are able to access the Hall of Records. This knowledge is stored in the intuitive water in our bodies."

As we stood in the circle to celebrate the solstice and the end of the Mayan calendar, the rains began to fall and when I say fall it was like the gods were emptying every last drop of water from the sky upon our head. Palenque was definitely the water element aspect of the Five Cities of Light and we were all experiencing the element in all it's glory. Amazingly not one person broke from the circle as ceremony continued; funny how each time a new person came into the centre to lead another part of the ceremony, the rain just got heavier. We stood there for hours getting drenched in the Element of Water and not one person complained or showed their frustration. The negative emotion of the Water Element person is frustration and although we were being challenged not one person showed the least frustration. They were all being challenged by the element and each and everyone of the circle seemed to be able to step above the emotion and see the beauty of water for what it provided. For without water there would be no growth, no life.

When the ceremony was finished most of just laughed and like children we splashed our way around Palenque, enjoying the water falls that appeared on the temples and the rivers that were flowing through the site.

Aluna made the comment that we were here to create our new selves, that our old selves would not be taken into the new world which we and others were creating. As usual my inner self always like to make a physical statement when there is a new teaching for me to learn. It is always great for my story telling but sometimes it gives me wonderful challenges and opportunities for change. When we arrived back in villa after walking the few kilometres from Palenque the first thing I noticed was that there was not one thing that I was wearing or had in my pockets or in my backpack that wasn't wet except for my IPad.

Seems that God still wanted me to write.

When I took out my money much of it looked like it was actually made from water and I attempted to squeeze the water out of it and then tried to dry it with a hair dryer. Strangely two weeks later some of the money was still wet. Worse than that was my passport which resembled a sponge and when I looked at the passport photo it looked like my face was dripping away. So much for creating a new me; even my passport was expressing what was happening in the inner worlds.

When we were be drowned in Palenque I had a vision (similar to Aluna's) of the two pyramids joined at the base, one pointing into the air and the other into the ground. Inside the two pyramids was one sphere which seemed to fill up the space. Also in the pyramids and I believe emanating from the sphere was what I could only describe as coloured lightening. The lightening was flicking at the sides of the pyramid and each time it struck the sides of the pyramid, the pyramid seemed to lose its shape, not collapse but to be able to morph or change its shape.

Over the next couple of days every time I closed my easy I would see what looked like stone heads come rushing towards me. Over time these heads started to come alive and appeared to be trying to communicate with me. I was a little too thick to understand what they were communicating. When we were in Tikal I meditated in front of the jaguar temple. One minute in and the faces started to come again but this time it was only one face and it kept telling me to be open as it had information for me. To date the only realization I have had is that the pyramid in Palenque was some type of a doorway. If I get any more insights I will share them.

Talk about instant Karma. On this trip it was as if when I had a thought I would be challenged by it immediately.
We all survived our trial by water.
One sacred site down and another four to go.
I personally was worried what I would experience at the next two because their elements of earth and fire matched with my own elemental preferences and I wondered what lessons they would have for me.

My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

Twitter@geofspalding

Facebook -The 33rd Sage

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 28

Chapter 28 Mental Discipline

Judgement was the one emotion that the sage had the most difficulty giving up. As he wandered from village to village he always wondered why some people seemed to have so much and why others had so little. It was in these situations that he sometimes allowed anger to cloud his thinking.

There were many things he had learnt on his journey and one was that if you judge something then you don't understand it. For him it had always been an intellectual concept rather than a true feeling; he understood that the reason he was still judging poverty and the difference between the rich and poor was because there was something about poverty that he did not like about himself.

As he sat in the middle of the village and was surrounded by children he started to realize what it was. The picture of the children took him back to the village of his childhood. He was just like these children, barefoot and poor, but it was his disability that made him feel less than the other children. It really had nothing to do with the poverty. What he really wanted were guarantees. Seeing himself as disabled and disfigured he thought he was less than the other children and he wanted a life of guarantees as all he could see in his future was a life of suffering and judgement; the same judgement that he now proffered on others.

Now he understood, the Tao did not give guarantees. With the benefit of hindsight he could see that it was these difficulties in his earlier life which had given him the experiences and set him up to be the person he would become. It was difficult to watch suffering but with his perception he could see that it was what people needed to grow.
It was difficult to explain to others because they always made the same comment, 'But I would never have chosen that or no one would choose that.' The longer he walked the silent path of the Initiate the less he would come from logic; for logic was often blinkered by the ego and the more he came out of feelings; for it was in feelings that the higher self dwelled.

A young boy in ragged clothes, covered in dirt and snot running from each nostril approached the sage. In the background some of the adults yelled for the boy to leave the sage alone. As the sage looked towards them he could feel that they were embarrassed by the child; for he was from the poorest family in the village, a family so poor that they had no food, or land or even a place to call their own.

The young boy whose name was Quang sat down before the sage. For the longest time the sage did not say anything, preferring to watch the boy and wait for him to speak. The young boy did not know he was poor, only that his parents did not have things to give him like the other children received. To him it did not matter; he was always happy and playful even though he was bullied by the other children and I am sad to say some of the adults. But it mattered not to the young boy. He sat fascinated by the old sage, fascinated by his energy, for the one thing the young boy could feel was energy.

Quang smiled as the energy of the old sage enveloped him. It gave him a warm inner glow. "Tell me a story," asked the young boy his green eyes opened to whatever the sage had to say. The sage looked deeply into the boys jade green eyes and the impression which he received in that moment would last with him forever. He could see a soul that was far older than his, a soul in need of redemption. In a previous lifetime Quang had been a great Emperor who misused his power and the money of his people. He had treated his people without any regard for their needs, taxing them more than any other Emperor in the history of China. In that lifetime he had everything and he was here to redress the imbalance by having nothing in this lifetime.

It is for this very reason that when the soul incarnates that it comes as an empty book, as the good or bad deeds of a previous life, if remembered, would influence what we would become in this lifetime. Anyone with this knowledge may have judged the young boy and wished he suffered like he had made the others suffer in that past lifetime, but not the sage for he could see beyond the one or two lifetimes and what he saw was an eternal, immortal and infinite being who had incarnated at this time to learn lessons that only he and his higher self understood.

The sage smiled to himself; there was no higher or lower only infinite expressions of the Tao.

The sage told him the story of a young by who had been disfigured in a fire and whose disabilities made him the embarrassment of his village. And how one day a great sage came into the village and began to tell him stories and then the young boy became the apprentice to the sage and they travelled all over the country sharing in many adventures.

"Will that ever happen to me," said Quang?
"Who knows said the old sage. If you believe in something enough then anything is possible.

From that day forward the young boy would come and listen to the words and stories of the sage. One morning he arrived wearing clean clothes, they were not new but in much better condition than the old tatty clothes he normally wore. The next day he arrived with a pair of old sandals, but even stranger he arrived with two other young boys who wanted to listen to the old sage. Evidently the young boy had been sharing what he remembered of the Sage's stories with some of the children and for his kindness they shared some of their old clothes with him.

A few more weeks and many of the children from the village were coming to hear the stories and words of the sage. Stories which were shared with the adults by the children around the dinner table. Little did the sage know that these stories were having an effect like the ripples on a pond, directly into the hearts of anyone who heard them.
It was about this time that Quang's father gained work in one of the shops in the village and another person gave him a small house on his farm while he earned enough to rent or buy a place of his own.

The children and now some adults came to hear the old sage's stories. Many stories which were modeled on the many experiences he had as he traversed the land. Over the months that followed the young Quang started to tell stories of his own; mystical stories of dragons and Emperors. The more Quang stepped forward, the more the old sage stepped back. It was as it should be. His original stories had awakened the hearts of the people in the village and Quang was learning about kindness and through his stories he would educate millions of children in the future. He would never become a rich man, but in the way of the Tao, all his needs were met as he wandered the countryside to become one of a handful of legendary storytellers who lived in Ancient China. Stories filled with such heart and tenderness that they have become well known as parables even in our current day.

Stories which take us on the greatest journey that we will ever take, the journey from the head to our heart.

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The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 22

Today's chapter is all about creativity; which I believe is the single most important reason we have incarnated into the earthplane at this time. In some of my other blogs I talk about how to create, but I want to talk for a moment about why it is so important.

Each one of us is an individual expression of the God Force and as such it is our role to express that uniqueness in our own special way. Not everyone of us will be artists, writers or inventors, but each one of us has inside ourselves something unique that we need to express. Your challenge is to find that one thing that for you is an expression of your creativity. Don't stop until you find it, it will be worth the journey. Some of us find that early in life and if you were so blessed, good luck to you. For many it will be something that will have expressed itself in our childhood but for many it was crushed by a word or two from people who did not understand our need to create.

For me it has taken many years to discover that I love to tell stories. With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to see what I loved doing, but living through it was more difficult. I wrote my first stories at about about ten and eleven and then I was molested and overnight I became quite dyslexic and for the next twenty years had great difficulty with reading and writing. Don't feel sorry for me because it was this trauma that forced me to be more creative in the way I lived. It forced me to improve as a verbal communicator and the only way I could share informations was through stories or the use of my voice. It was not until my thirties that I could read and thank goodness for computers which have allowed me to write. Even today when I write by hand my brain switches off and I cannot remember what I was trying to say, but with a computer I can write and share my love of the world and my stories.

I hope each and everyone of you can find that within you that creative aspect that is crying out for nurturing. As Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss.'

Chapter  22 - The Gift

"What are you going to create my son?" They were weird words to use, to start one of their teaching sessions. Firstly because it was unusual for anyone other than the Emperor to call Heng, my son and secondly the young man would usually sit and listen to a teaching. This was a change in the dynamic between them.

Heng did not know what to say. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment and then expelled it slowly, allowing the many thoughts in his brain the space to disappear. There when they were all gone, was one thought, or feeling, he was not quite sure which would not fall away. He looked deeper into the thought/feeling only to discover that it was a vision of him painting in the form of the Taoist Artist. He watched his inner self as it sat before nature staring at the mountains in the distance. He sat there, appearing to just be looking, but Heng could feel the inner painter was doing far more than that. As he sat with the feelings he could sense that the inner painter was becoming one with the elements of nature that surrounded him. He had not bothered to pick up his brush because he knew the brush would only be used once he connected with the spirit of nature that sat beautifully before him. Even when he connected with nature he would still not paint, because to paint what he saw was only copying nature and she was much deeper than that. It was only when his own inner truth came forward that he would even bother to pick up his brush and then it could be an hour or more before any paint would touch the canvas and when it did there would a flow about it; there was no hurry, for the artist's truth would show itself in the simplicity and the beauty of the painting his real self created.

He watched in his mind's eye as the future Heng created beautiful landscapes; landscapes which were filled with the essence of the Tao. He went into the mind of the future Heng and he noticed there was great emptiness; not an emptiness from a life not well lived but an emptiness from someone who had learned detachment. The future Heng  was empty because he was open to what life had to offer; he was open to the spontaneity of life.

Heng withdrew from his inner world and turned his attention towards the sage. He was not capable of words and was overcome by the experience. He continued to stare vacantly at the sage in the hope that he could help him.

Huo was surprised that the young prince had been able to go so deep when he asked what he was going to create. The young prince was obviously very in touch with his inner truth and it would be easy to instruct him in the ways of Taoist painting. Huo was not a painter but he understood the Tao; he also understood that the energy from past painters was still available and by learning to model geniuses from the past Heng could not only learn to paint but also learn how to go deep within and see the essence of what he was painting.
"Master how do I go from where I am now to what I saw in my meditation. I can barely hold a brush and at best only copy what I see.

"Heng, just like you were able to go into a meditation and connect with your future self, you are also able to go within and connect with all the great artists. All their genius is still available. When you go back to the palace find a painting that you like, then find out as much as you can about the artist and his techniques. Take time to look into his heart and see what feelings they bring up in you; start to experience what the artist experienced. After you have an understanding of the artist then go into a meditation and ask the artist to share his or her knowledge with you. Then go and find something to paint and allow the inner subtle feelings to be your guide."

"But I can't. I do not have the skills of a master painter."
"Heng that is just your ego speaking. All of us come here to learn how to be creative. It is the greatest gift that we are given by the Tao or the Godforce; the ability to create something unique. It is uncomfortable to go beyond the ego's laziness and fears, but to create you need to discipline yourself and move beyond the ego. If you want to be like the painter you saw in your meditation you must discipline yourself. It will take time and many of your early paintings will just be copies of what you see, but with openness and discipline and trust in the inner self, you will see a spark of your own creativity begin to come alive in the paintings.
"Creativity is not about perfection; creativity is about finding the truth within you. Don't copy what you see - paint the essence - when you model a master don't copy what they did but find the essence that is in you and paint that."
And so the discipline began; each morning in the palace Heng would rise early from his bed and go and sit in front of one of the many beautiful paintings that adorned the palace walls. In the beginning it felt foolish sitting in front of these master paintings, because many times nothing happened, but then one morning in the third week of the discipline he was sure he heard something. It was like a voice other than his was whispering into his ears. He listened very deeply. At first it sounded like the words being transported by water which was distorting what he was hearing. He immediately understood that it was his own ego that was getting in the way, so he closed his eyes and went deep within himself.
In his minds eye a picture began to appear, but it was more than a picture, it was like another world existed in his inner being. There in this other world was Heng and the painter Master Chang. Heng bowed to the Master and said, "Teach me."

Master Chang sat in a lotus position in front of a canvas. Off in the distance were mountains surrounded by valleys filled with forests and a magical lake. When Heng looked deeper he understood that the master had taken him to the Forest of K'an and the lake was the Magical Lake of Li.
For a long time Master Chang sat there enjoying the view of the landscape before him. Then he began to paint. Heng watched as the master's brush almost skipped over the canvas and each brush stroke that was left behind seemed to have a life of its own; each stroke giving life to the landscape that stood before them. Master Chang continued to paint, but then a separate part of him began to communicate with Heng. "The landscape painting is one which evokes a feeling of peace, harmony and a mystical union with nature. The artist is looking to connect with the landscape and allow it to give up some of its secrets, expressing the movement of animals, the majesty of the mountains and the ethereal nature of the water. Great art occurs when the artist is in some way a co-creator of life with the Great Tao. When you are painting become the mountain; send an aspect of yourself in the mountain and become the mountain; feel it's feelings and share its story. Then and only then begin to paint the story; the story that you and the mountain have created together. The key is to allow the inner you the space to create from your own truth. In this was way you create something unique; something that adds to the greatness of the infinite Tao."

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 21

Hello everyone,

We are almost two thirds of the way through the 'Legend of the 33rd Sage and the Way of the Initiate.' I would like to thank a few of my readers who have asked me questions through my facebook page for the 33rd Sage and also through the contact button on my websites. Also I would love to know if people are finding the concept in each chapter easy to understand or would you like more information. I have tried to explain all the concepts through the story while at the same time simplifying them. The road to the Initiate although not easy should not be complex. It starts with a lightness of being, a kindness towards others and the realization that we are all Eternal, Immortal and Infinite. I have been lucky to have some amazing teachers along the way and I hoped that by sharing some of these teachings in a story format that it can resonate deeply within your being. I would recommend that once you have read through all the chapters that you may want to start from the beginning again as it will seem almost like the teachings have change, but the truth is that you have changed. It is the part that I love the most. In my first novel 'The 33rd Sage,' a story about nature and the Elements I cannot count how many times readers said that the story was different each time they read it. Anyway if there is anything you want me to explain further, just leave me a comment.
The comments I have received and will receive will determine where I go with the story in my second, third and future drafts.
Thanks again for reading.
Blessings and Peace and may your life be illuminated.

Chapter  21 - The Sacred Way

"Master," said Heng, "What is it that makes the Lake of Li and the Forest of K'an sacred. When we walk through the forest you walk as if you are in a Pagoda and when  you sit by the lake you do it with such great reverence for its water. It is like you are looking  at a god."

Huo crossed the fingers of both hands over each other and took what could only be described as reverential pose. "My son everything in life is sacred. But to answer your question; we make something sacred by focusing our attention on it. The Lake of Li has been revered for many years by the people and the animals of the forest because it is what has given them life, one generation after another. The monks of my order revere it because for them water is the closest thing they have on earth that is representative of the Tao. Of course the Tao is in everything. It is just that water seems to represent the concepts in many of the Taoist teachings. To make something sacred is to put your focused attention on it."

"But why Master, why do we need to make things sacred?"
That was the second time the young man had called Huo Master. It was a strange way to be addressed by the son of the Emperor; who at any moment could have him thrown him in prison or had him beheaded. Although Huo did not think of such things he understood that life is what it is; there was no bad or good only actions of lesser and greater energy. He took the title of master as a sign of respect from the young man who had changed greatly in their time together. Occasionally when the higher self allowed it he saw picture of the future when the young man would become a mighty leader and loved by all his people. It was still a way off and their was still much he needed to teach him in their time together.
He thought for a while about Heng's question; he knew what he wanted to say but the words were not forthcoming. He stilled himself for a moment and looked within, imagining that the old sage was still teaching him. What would he have said? What words and thoughts would he have to offer.

"Out of sacredness and humility comes gratitude and out of gratitudes comes the keys to the kingdom. For he that is grateful more will be given," were the words that fell from his lips.

The young man understood; the words passed his intellectual mind and touched him deeply in his heart. As the student he had made these teachings sacred. Before coming to the Forest of K'an, each month, to learn and listen to the teachings by the magical Lake of Li, the young man gave blessings to the Tao for what he was about to receive from the sage. When he first came he was the son of the Emperor, but now he saw himself as the student of a wise man. By treating every action and word that the sage had shared with him as sacred, he gave it power and it enlightened his own life when he came back into the palace. There was not a day that went by when one of the teachings would not come to help him in his daily life. He originally came to the forest to please his father, but now he was beginning to understand why his father wanted him to spend a week a month outside the luxury of the palace; it was not to toughen him up for the future that was to come. It was for him to understand his people and to be a leader who would put his people before himself when he made decisions.

He had been privileged to be born the son of the Emperor but to him that was given much, much was expected. He was humbled before the teachings he was receiving from the sage; humbled and grateful. What he did not expect was the wave of emotions that were now overcoming him. He looked towards his master who just smiled, for he knew what was happening, but he would say nothing as this feeling could only be experienced; there were no words for when one was truly connected to the Tao. In the first instance he knew the young man would be overcome with a wave of emotions, but that would soon change and more would be given; for the young man understood that sacredness was the way to the Tao.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 20

Chapter  20 - Wu Wei

"Today my prince we are going to talk about Wu Wei or as some would call it the Action of non-action. Wu Wei is a simple state of being in which your actions are quite effortless and are aligned to flow of the elemental cycles in nature. It is about going with the flow; so that without even trying, you are able to respond to whatever situations you find yourself in.

"Lao Tzu through the Tao Te Ching introduced us to his ideal of the enlightened leader, who, by embodying the principles of Wu Wei, is able to rule in a way that creates happiness and prosperity for his country's inhabitants. That is one of the reasons your father the Emperor sent you to me, so that one day when you are the Emperor that you can be an enlightened leader."

"But what of you sage, you understand these teachings and yet you are not a leader but have chosen to live in the forest?"
"That is a good question, but there is more than one way to practice Wu Wei. Because of who you chose to be born to you chose life one way and I chose another. I have chosen to withdraw from society to live the life of a hermit, wandering through the meadows and forests, meditating and learning the ways of nature so that I can have deeper understanding of the Tao.

"Lao Tzu called the practice of Wu Wei as the highest form of Virtue. It is a practice that is not premeditated, but arises spontaneously. In verse 38 of the Tao Te Ching he tells us:
'The highest virtue is to act without a sense of self
The highest kindness is to give without a condition
The highest justice is to see without a preference'

'When Tao is lost one must learn the rules of Virtue
When virtue is lost, the rules of Kindness
When kindness is lost, the rules of Justice
When justice is lost, the rules of Conduct'
(Translated by Jonathan Star)

"As you find your alignment with the Tao, with the rhythms of the elements inside and outside of yourself, your actions will quite naturally be of the highest benefit of all concerned. You will have become the embodiment of Wu Wei, the Action of non-action, as well as Wu Nien, the Thought of non-thought and Wu Hsin, the Mind of non-mind. You will have realized your place in the universe and your connection to the Tao. Knowing this connection, you will offer thoughts, words and actions that do no harm, do not infringe on others and that are spontaneously virtuous."

The young man now understood why the Emperor had made a peace pact with the people's of the north. His father was wiser than he ever gave him credit for. He had listened to the dissenters within the court, who had said he was weak to give into them, but of course none of them had the courage to say these things within earshot of the Emperor.

The young man understood that the Emperor had used to concept of Wu Wei in dealing with his problems. The young prince went deep within himself to see what was the next steep that he should take. In his mind's he saw himself hugging his father, something he had not done of late, now that he was young man. It was something that he would remedy when he arrived back at the palace.

The sage smiled to himself. His own practice of Wu Wei had not only led to the teaching of the Emperor, the Empress and their son, it had also led to a better life for many thousands of people. He gave thanks to the Tao before hugging the young man and sending him back to the palace.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - Purification

It was nearing the end of Autumn when Huo entered the Forest of K'an. The moment his feet touched the earth, inside the forest, he felt energized; a pulse of energy shooting through his body. He had the sense that he was home, even though he had never been here in his life. He stood in an opening and allowed his feeling self to connect with the Forest and the Lake. The feeling that returned was one of serenity and tranquility. The whole area felt wonderful but there was a spot to the west of him which had a higher energy than anywhere else. He walked off in that direction. After breaking through a row of trees he could see the Lake of Li before him. His final few steps to the lake were done in such a sacred way that anybody watching him would have though he was in a monastery or Pagoda. Each time his foot struck the earth there was a deep connection.

He thought of his parents and tears streamed from his eyes; if they could only see him now, but in his heart he knew they could and like him they were eternal, immortal and infinite. This lifetime was just a brief flash of an infinite light which burned through him.
Once he reached the waters edge, he stopped for a brief moment and sat on a large rock. He instantly felt the old sage; this was obviously the rock the old man used to teach his students from. Tears again escaped the safety of his eyes. He had lived a wonderful life and it had taught him many things. It was time for him to give back some of the beauty that had been shared with him. He was not sure how he would do it or where. The only thing he did know was that he was here to be purified by the Lake of Li; to allow its special waters to wash over and purify him; clear him of any emotion he was still storing in his body, for the next part of his journey required him to be cleansed.

Huo removed his tatty clothes and put them by the base of the rock. For the longest time he sat naked staring into the Lake of the Li, but really he was staring into himself and the journey through life which had brought him to this moment. There were wonderful times spent with his parents and of course with the old sage, but between these times there was such a lot of pain. Firstly from losing his parents and in the bullying he received from the other children and some of their parents after he was disfigured in the fire. The fire he had caused because of his love of flames. As a child he was fascinated by fire, not so much for the burning properties or it's destructive powers it was its ability to throw light which had him enthralled. He would sit for hours when the others were asleep playing with candles trying to create different shapes and effects by changing the direction of the light. Just like his name which meant Fire; he was fascinated by all aspects of the flames which licked the air and moved in the breeze, until that one fateful evening when it all went wrong.

He was still not sure exactly what happened. He had been playing with the candle when he had become overcome by sleep. The next thing he remembered was being carried out of the house through smoke and flames. He had not even realized that he had been burned because he had gone into shock and felt numb. The numbness became depression when he found out his parents had died in the fire. It was then that he suppressed the feelings; feelings which were now coming back in gigantic waves. His grief was so strong that he threw himself in the Lake of Li, not caring at that moment whether he lived or died.

His body drifted down into the depths of the lake. The love he felt for his parents mixing with the grief and pain he felt for causing their deaths. The waters of the Lake were bringing up every emotion he had ever suppressed and he was forced to feel everyone of them. It was painful and yet fascinating; he watched as some emotions were attached to experiences that seemed so insignificant and yet for some reason they had mattered greatly. It was a word here, a thought there, an off the cuff remark by a passer by; it was amazing what he had let affect him and for the most part his conscious self had not been aware of it. In the purification by the Lake of Li, Huo began to understand the power of the subconscious mind to direct our lives and create lives that we would not consciously choose, but choose we did as our subconscious minds created the world from its limited perspective.

Time seemed to stand still as Huo floated on the bottom of the lake. It was as if the bottom of the lake represented the bottom of his subconscious mind, as he cleared the last dregs of the thoughts which had trapped him under the control of the subconscious mind.

At that moment when he was given the choice between passing over to higher self or life, he chose life; he felt deep in his being that there was much he still needed and wanted to do in this lifetime.

Huo floated to the top and when he broke through the surface he felt purified; cleansed of all the emotions that were holding him back from living inside his infinite spirit. Once on the surface he swam back to the shore where he lay in the afternoon sun, replaying his life in his mind's eye. When he observed the moments when he was out of control, he noticed a recurring theme. Every time he went out of a balance it was caused by four emotions; anger at himself, judgement of others, frustration at not getting his needs met or moments when he could not control his surroundings.

As each memory came up he thanked it for its teaching and released it from his being. It was late in the afternoon when he had finally released all the unconscious hurt, pain and emotions. The Lake of Purification had done its job.

As the chill hit the air he dressed in his ragged old clothes, but they did not appear raggedy any more. It was as if by releasing the negativity he had stored stored in his body that his clothes had been renewed and even changed in colour. It was impossible but it did happen.

He sat on the rock in his new plum red robe, cinched by a plum red sash.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - Discipline is the Doorway to the Infinite Self

It was just after 4.a.m when the old sage shook the young man awake.
"Huo after what happened yesterday I want to change your training. Rather than continue to work on connecting you with your inner-self, which seems to be taking on a life if its own, I believe it would be best to work with your physical self. Today we will begin your lessons in martial arts and also in meditation. If you inner life continues to develop at the current rate it is important that you learn physical and mental discipline to be able cope with the changes."

"Master how will martial arts help with my inner life."

"Your inner world expresses itself in your outer world and unless we discipline, your mind, body and emotional responses then you will create your outer world based on your childish reactions to what you perceive as external influences. Everything in the outer world is only an expression of what it first created in the inner worlds. As you open yourself up to the inner worlds you will get messages from your higher self. If you are not a clear channel then these messages will be distorted by your ego and emotions. When the  message tells you to go forward your ego may tell you the opposite. It is only through discipline that we can quieten the ego and clear the subconscious mind of its previous programming.

The old sage moved into the horse stance; he took a deep breath and then closed his eyes. "Now Huo I want you to attack."
"But Master you have your eyes closed and you are so old. I am afraid that I will hurt you as I will be too quick for you."
The old sage smiled, the young man was much like he had been those many years ago. "Yes you are probably right but please do this as a favour to an old man. Attack me."
Huo faltered for a moment. Then he moved forward, dancing around the old man flicking out the odd punch, more to test if the old man would respond rather than trying to hit him.
The old sage never moved.

Huo's confidence began to grow. He would not hit the old man hard, just a light tap on his head to teach him a lesson and show him how fast he was. Before the fist reached its target Huo could feel himself being thrown in the air. As he struck the ground feeling every bruise, he replayed in his mind what had happened. His fist was about a hands length from the old man, when the old sage moved inside the fist, grabbed his arm and in what seemed an impossible move the sage went underneath him and launched him into the air. "Teach me," was Huo's only reply.

And that was when his Martial Arts training began. Each day well before sunrise the nocturnal animals would gather around in a circle to watch the old man and his young apprentice practice, using stances the animals themselves used and also working with the energy of the elements to understand how to read your opponent, but more importantly to learn how to understand and observe yourself; to move to that stage where there was no reaction. For it was in the reaction that the old sage knew that moved you out of the flow.

Month after month they practiced. First Martial Arts and then the daily meditation; one minute of meditation for each hour of the day. At first the young man could not hold his emotions in check, reacting to the strikes of the old sage which always ended up in him getting another bruise or landing on his backside. He was progressing well with the physical aspects of the training, but he could not move beyond his emotions; something he would need to do to move on to the deeper aspects of the old Sage's teachings.
The old sage was not worried, "for it was what it was, it was neither good nor bad." the young man would move beyond the ego in his own good time. It just meant that he would have to slow down on the inner work.

It was after a particularly bad session when the young man had received far more bruises than normal, the Sage's inner voice suggested they do the meditation by a stream which ran a few hundred meters from their camp.

As soon as he saw the stream he understood what his inner voice was trying to tell him. Even after all these years it was the inner voice from his Higher Self which was always there when needed. The key, as always, was to be open enough to listen.
They sat beside the stream only this time the old sage asked Huo not to close his eyes but to stare into the water and allow it to take him into a meditative state.
The young man watched the stream, not quite sure how this was going to help him to go into a meditative state. All the same after a few minutes he found himself very calm and he released the frustration he had experienced from the early training session, where once again the old man made him look stupid. It no longer mattered for he began to understand that he was not fighting against his Master but himself. That one realization released any anger he had stored in his body. At once his body healed itself, the bruises disappearing and along with it the aches and pains. He even noticed that his paralyzed left arm was now completely free from any pain and he now had full movement of it. He looked to the old sage for an answer but the old sage had disappeared. Unperturbed he looked back into the water for in that moment he knew that it was his teacher that morning.

He watched as the water flowed on by kissing the bank and givings its life force to the plants and animals who lived along the stream. He looked into the middle to see a large rock rising out of the water. The water did not seem to fight against it, but simply flowed around the rock. It did not need to react, it just found another simpler course. He understood that in time the water would defeat the rock but that it would be done in a calm balanced way. The water had so much power and yet at the same time it gave life to everything around it. He had never looked at the elements in this way before, but from that moment on he would begin to observe more, for there was far more to this world than he had previously thought possible.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/

The Legend of the 33rd Sage - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - I Am What I Believe I am

After a night filled with dreams of the 33 Sages who are in charge of the 33 dimensions beyond the earth-plane, Huo woke tired, as if he had been traveling all night. And in many ways he had been traveling, as the old sages of the Plum Red Robe were preparing him for his future, but that was still a way off and he woke with little or no memory of their teaching.

Rising from his bed he was welcomed by the old sage who passed him a cup of herbal tea. The smell and flavor of the tea struck at his every sense. He could see in his mind's eye a man on a small farm picking the very herbs that he was now experiencing. He looked to the old man for an explanation. "You will understand that ability to be anywhere in the world as we continue your teaching. Much of what you have to learn has to unfold naturally, as you are your own best teacher. It is my role to give you a gentle nudge when it is appropriate. For the next few days I would like to stay where we are as you begin to search deeper in yourself for the teachings to occur."

Before he could finish the young man interrupted. "I am sorry Sage, but I am not sure that I am ready to teach myself. I am still trying to understand what you taught me last night at dinner. I am not sure I believe that I would have chosen the life I have lived and the concept of the subconscious mind creating my life is just too much to comprehend. I thought that in every instant of my life I could choose what I want to do." 

"That is true my son if you have a clear mind, but so many people are just a product of other people's beliefs."
"What do you mean?" The young boys face was scrunched up, trying once again to come to grips with the meaning in the Sage's few words.

"What we believe to be true has been in many cases borrowed from someone else. Look at your beliefs about the old people in the village or the people of the cities, or about foreigners or even the foods you should and shouldn't eat. Where did they come from? Did you just wake up one day and say that the people of the cities were rich or that they think they are better than the people of the land. Of course not, these beliefs have been fed to you over time from your parents, people of the village, either directly to you, or even in whispers of conversation. Your subconscious mind takes in everything and then creates the world as you expect it to be. When you were born your subconscious mind recorded all the impressions from everything around it. It also recorded the emotions, feelings, attitudes  and language that came from your family, friends and all the other people in the village. But more than that you were born with the inherent vibrations of many previous generations. In fact the only way to be yourself is to start to peel away the thought, feelings and behaviors that are not yours. These same belief patterns are here to protect us and for those who are not spiritually advanced they do a good job of that. As you start to grow spiritually you reach a point where it is necessary for you to release many of these beliefs, so that you can become a spiritual being with your own spiritual destiny. That is the reason we have come together, so we can work with each other to release your beliefs to follow your own quest."

The old sage stopped for a moment to allow these ideas to seep into and start to work their magic in the young boys mind. The old sage knew that a mind once changed could never go back to its old form. It may for a moment try to move back into its old comfort zone, but this would not last as once a mind can see that it is creating its own world it can never again be truly happy with being a victim. He knew the next few days would be a struggle for the young man as he broke free from the beliefs of others which he had made his own. It was now time to create his own life. The old sage knew that it would be difficult to remove all the negative belief patterns but it was necessary if the young man was to become who he was meant to be.

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My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/