THE GREAT ILLUSION THAT RULES OUR LIVES

THE GREAT ILLUSION THAT RULES OUR LIVES

“I came to realize clearly that mind is no other than mountains and rivers and the great wide earth, the sun and the moon and the stars” {Dogen}

Our greatest illusion, our greatest piece of incorrect information, the biggest lie we tell ourselves is that we are separate from each other, from God and all things. We grow up thinking that it is us against the world, that we are the whole,and yet we feel incomplete. We feel that God is some nameless, faceless entity that exists apart from us and our lives. That it is a power that controls and manipulates us, grants favor if we are “good” and curses if we are “bad”. A force that tells us that “this is the ONLY way/religion and if others don't think/believe this they are to be force fed or shunned until they do believe.” I ask you, what Creator would do that? Why would God (or whatever you wish to call the Creative force) make up something to pit us against each other?

The truth is that we create all of these differences ourselves. We are the ones who judge and label things good and bad. It is humanity that allows ego and emotion to rule our lives then look around for someone or something to blame.

Having said all of this, I tell you not to make you feel guilty or angry, I tell you this to help you become aware, to realize why we are “here”. We are here to wake up. To understand that we are all a part of Source. We are FIRST Spirit, then a person. It is Spirit that animates all of us and everything around us. Without it we do not exist. As Ram Dass said, “We're here to awaken from the illusion of separateness” We are here to learn our connection to Spirit, Source, God AND each other. If/when the world learns this, embraces the unconditional love that lives in all of us, can see the light of source in each other then, there will be peace.

Bright Blessings, Chessie

© 2012, All Rights Reserved

TO KNOW IS TO NOT SEEK

TO KNOW IS TO NOT SEEK

How many books about spiritual practices do you own? How many classes have you taken? How many degrees have been conferred upon you? How many different philosophies have you studied? Now the hard question; What are you doing with all of this information?

Humans seeking enlightenment seem to have a tendency to become collectors of information and, once it has been obtained, we are prone to be proud of its ownership. Our shelves are full of information but what about our lives? Our everyday, mundane, one foot in front of the other lives? When is this wonderful information used? When do we practice all that we feel we know? How do we use what we have read or studied? Do we just regurgitate what others have said/written? Or do we internalize it, take it to heart, try it on to see if it fits and then give it a chance to really work for us?

In order to become the better, spiritual person that so many say they want to become, the information must be incorporated into your daily practices. Here is where most of us get into a dilemma. How to do this. We are so “informed” that we are choking on the huge wad of “what to do-s” and “what not to do-s” that we give up in frustration and do nothing, thus not becoming anything other than what we already were; the person we weren't happy with to start with.

Here is a suggestion, find a program that will give you a foundation on which to start. One that will guide you through your own “stuff” so that you can see/feel step by step what it is you are trying to accomplish; the you that you wish to create. Then incorporate those practices into your daily routine until they become second nature to you so that you can grow further as your understanding reaches new heights.

Practices are called that for a reason, if you do not practice, you will not achieve. When you were a baby learning to walk, you practiced diligently to get the hang of putting one step after the next. You learned to talk so that others could understand you with the same determination. What about learning to drive, how long did you strive for that goal? Everything worth doing has taken practice. Think about this the next time you are ready to announce that you “can't” do something; allow yourself the time to meditate, pray, feel another's distress or joy, or let something go.

Evolution of Self; Journey into Body, Mind, Spirit Balance is such a program. It gives you a good, grounded foundation to build on so you can take your next step. Yes, I know, a little shameless self-promotion here and that is OK every once in a while. If you read the testimonials on the website, you will see what I am talking about. I invite you to find out where to start and begin. You CAN create the you that you truly want to be if you don't ask how and just allow.

Bright Blessings and growth in wisdom, Chessie © Chessie Roberts 2012 all rights reserved

WHAT AM I?

WHAT AM I?

“Because I am the energy of creation; its’ vessel and its conduit; I am

 connected to an unlimited abundance. Who and what I require

 appears at exactly the correct time.” {C. S. Roberts} Evolution of

 Self; Journey into Body, Mind, Spirit Balance

You are NOT what you see in the mirror. You are a soul first and a

 biological vehicle secondly. You, me, all of us are souls that animate

 the bodies in which we travel. Without the animating force of the

 soul we would be nothing. We would not be able to feel, create,

 share, love, manifest, or anything else. As “pieces of The Divine

 Energy” we are powerful and loving. So what is the catch you may

 well ask. The catch is that we have to remember what we truly are.

 As we grow up and learn what we and others feel we need to know

 to get along in this mundane life, we forget our true origins. Don't

 panic here, it is natural and we all do it BUT, we do not have to stay

 ignorant of where we came from and what we truly are.

“What do I need to do to remember?” I was asked by a friend of mine

 recently. Ready? What you need to do is... pay attention to what is

 no longer serving you, what is not making sense to you anymore and

 remember. Sounds tricky right? Not really. As you begin to question

 things that you once took as truth, you know the things I am

 referring to, those things that make you wonder “why it might be

 so”; things that make you wonder “how someone may have thought

 'that' up”! You start looking for better answers to those questions

 and, as you look, you realize that most of the questions just aren't

 important any more (most never were) You may find that a lot of the

 answers will come from an acceptance on a Faith Base rather than

 on a “statics, charts and graphs base.” You learn to “feel” the

 rightness of a thing, situation or experience and by that feeling,

 know that it is correct for you.

As this growth process continues, you realize that what is right for

 you may or may NOT be right for someone else and that it is OK.

 We all learn differently and that's OK. We all have different life

 experiences and understandings and that is OK. What is correct for

 you may resonate with another, and it may not and that too is OK.

The truth that makes you, you is not always the truth that makes

 someone else themselves and that is OK as well. When you reach the

 level that allows you to be you and others to be who and what they

 are, with no judgment, criticism or manipulation on your part, then

 you have remembered fully what and who you truly are. 

You are ready for whatever YOUR next step may be.

Bright Blessings and happy remembering, Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2012, all rights reserved 

WHERE DO WE FIND NEGATIVE ENERGY? AND WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

WHERE DO WE FIND NEGATIVE ENERGY? AND WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

Negativity may be in places that we don't expect. We all know the news is loaded with it but there are other “hidden places” that we think are benign, so we don't pay attention. Music is one of these. Even though we may not understand the lyrics on a conscious level, we do on a subconscious, subliminal level. These unaware levels cause your biology to release the corresponding chemicals on the body to create stress, anxiety and anger. The rhythms and tone play into this also.

Programing other than news carries it's own 'hidden negativity” as well. I had this information sneak up on me a few weeks ago. I don't watch much TV any more but every once in a while there is a movie I want to catch, such was that case on this day. I was working on a blog and had set the TV to the channel the movie was coming on and had muted the show so that I could continue working undisturbed until my self-appointed break; when the movie was to start. As I worked (paying no attention to the TV, I began to feel anxious and angry. Not an angry person at this time in my life I became aware that I was really mad! That made me stop working to assess what was going on. My first thought was that the anger was not mine, but coming from an outside source. I was correct, the TV was playing a news report about the war. I turned it off and quickly the anger went away. I was astounded! I had heard nothing of the report (TV was muted) but the vibrations got through to me on a very subtle level. Lesson learned right? Nope, about two weeks later, same scenario, different station. I again felt the anger building and, remembering what had happened the last time looked up to see what was on the muted TV. It was a prayer/preaching show! See, you never know. Sitcoms that rant and yell give off vibrations that disrupt the fragile psyche and cause stresses that most of us have become numb to on a conscious level but our biology reacts to them never the less. Cartoons that portray fighting, harsh voices, lies etc do the same thing to our children. Numbing them on the conscious level to what is really going on in the subconscious level, just like the grownups. We get disruptive energies from fields coming off of cell phones, microwaves (not just in the kitchen), power lines (both above and below) , lighting and all types of radio signals that are flying around all the time.

Negativity and disruptive vibrations don't just come from electronic devices. The place where you work is loaded with them. The people with whom we have to spend a portion of our day can and do affect us whether we are aware of it or not. The anticipation of these encounters can and does have an impact on us. Crying children, barking dogs, construction noise, loud anything and, silent anger, resentment, ugly thoughts... we are surrounded!

Another huge and unrealized offender is the casual use of the nasty little word, “hate”. The word is bandied about in the best of company, used jokingly and as an unnecessary statement of how much the speaker does not like something. You may think I am being overly picky (I have been told so many times by the unaware) but the truth of the matter is what is actually going on in your biology. Your body is in constant communication with your brain. Your brain is constantly eavesdropping on your body therefore, reactions occur before you are aware of them. Don't believe me? OK, have you ever been startled by something your brain and eyes decided was a bug, spider or the like only to find it was a leaf, sock fuzzy or something completely nonthreatening? That is what I am talking about. Your brain thinks it, your body “hears” it and shoots out chemicals to get you out of danger. Ugly, nasty, mean or hurtful words create the same chemical process to occur in your biology. The “h” word causes chemicals to be released that actually do physical damage to the little things that protect the ends of your chromosomes! Once these protective things are gone, they can NOT be replaced and your chromosomes are open to damage from all sorts of places. If this sounds too clinical, think about it this way; the little protective things like the plastic ends on a shoe lace. They hold the chromosomes together and keep out things that can damage. With them gone, the ends of your chromosomes fray, like the shoelace, leaving openings for all sorts of damage to happen.

How do you fix all of this? By becoming consciously aware. Aware of what is going on around you and leaving when you need to, change the channel, turn it down, turn it off, ask gently for it to stop and...be conscious of what you are saying and thinking. Change what you can and stop being around the rest. Simple? Yep. Easy? As easy as you believe it/want it to be.

A little work on your thoughts and habits will go a long way toward making your energetic surroundings a pleasant, happy and healthy place to be and your life will become something wonderful and joyous.

Bright Blessings and Happy Thoughts, Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2012, all rights reserved

ON DEATH AND DYING

ON DEATH AND DYING

It seems that a lot of us are experiencing the loss of family, friends and loved ones lately so it feels appropriate to discuss it here today.

I ask you to look at the Universal truth that “All is One”. What this means is that EVERYTHING is made from the creative energy of Source, God, Unity Consciousness; whatever your paradigm chooses to call it. We, they, it are made from the same 'stuff'. We feel it, we eat it, we breath it, we move through it, we absorb it all our lives. We are biology animated by a SOUL, a part of the Divine, a piece of God Energy so that when we pass form this incarnation, we leave the biology behind (we no longer need it) and the living part of us goes back into the Divine Stuff from which all things are created and we become Divine Stuff again. In this way we become more a part of life and its cycles.

While in the process of passing on to our next plane of existence the Soul is learning what it needs to know, learning the last lessons of this life and coming to peace with whatever that person needs to become at peace with. At this point in the journey prayers for the healing of the biology are not always in the best interest of the soul. Prayers for the “best interest of the soul” are more to the point and less manipulative (more about what we want than about what our loved one requires) and disrupting to the person who is on this journey. We are told that there are two journeys that must be taken alone (from the perspective of the living) birth and death. The truth of the matter is that we are well escorted in both directions by our guidance and the love of the Divine. So by allowing a gentle fearless passing we are giving one of our greatest gifts and by accepting that God knows what It is doing we receive one of our greatest gifts.

One of tenants of the Evolution of Self ; Journey into Body, Mind, Spirit Balance program as well as other philosophies tell us "As we are essentially all one, we really never leave. As we pass from our old incarnation toward our new one we are more a part of our loved ones than ever before. As those who loved us remember us, we are forever in their hearts. Then, when it is our turn to walk the same path, we have it paved by those who went before as we pave it for those who come after us. Grief on this plane is in our biology and must be felt and dealt with. Knowing in your heart that no one is ever truly ever lost to us can help our biological self get through the grief better.”{Chessie Roberts}

A wise woman once said to me, “ As your journey through life changes just remember the only thing constant in life is change. Learn from those changes and embrace the life you have been given. Celebrate everyday you have with a smile on your face and a smile in your heart. A Universal Prayer (from the Yoga tradition) to remember throughout the day, "May the Universe be filled with joy, love and light.” Remember the universe starts with you and the finding your own peace, joy, love and light! Namaste”

"The Wise Souls of Tich Nat Han, Ekhardt Tolle, and the Dhali Lama, said; “You can be no closer to God than when you are helping someone transition from this life to the next, it is true grace. Be present to the miracle my friend.

Bright Blessings, Gentle Passings and Strength to let go and remember in love. Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2011, all rights reserved.

THE SEASON OF WHAT???

THE SEASON OF WHAT???

“Please accept without obligation, express or implied, these best

 wishes for an environmentally safe, socially responsible, low stress,

 non-addictive, and gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice

 holiday as practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the

 religious persuasion of your choice (but with respect for the religious

 or secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or for...... their

 choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all) and

 further for a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically

 uncomplicated onset of the generally accepted calendar year

 (Including, but not limited to, the Christian calendar, but not without

t due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures). The

 preceding wishes are extended without regard to the race, creed,

 color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer

 platform, or sexual preference of the wishes.”

I saw this posted on Facebook the other day and had to ask myself

 what in the world is going on in the minds and hearts of people these

 days. Everyone is so hell bent on having their way with this season it

 makes my head spin and my soul ache. The whole mess started as a

 SEASONAL celebration. It had nothing to do who was born when or

 what religion should take credit for it. It was the realization that the

 darkest and coldest half of the year had arrived and was a celebration

 of light to coax the warmth and heat of the sun back into dominance.

This celebration was done with closeness of family, friend and

 community. It was done with feasting, sharing, hope, closeness of

 people for support against the cold and dark comradeship and love.

 It was a communal affair. It brought people TOGETHER!

This time of the year has been called many things by many people

 over the millennia, and they are all correct. Because of the diversity

 of people, there have been a diversity of traditions (each one

 borrowed and built on from those before and around it) and each

 tradition speaks to its celebrants in its own unique way, and this is

 good. One does NOT need to take precedence over the other. The

 Creator did not intend us to act in such a domineering manner about

 this (or any other holiday) that we strip all the joy of celebration

 from it. We are all here on this planet, in this life to learn how to love

 each other not to see how many we can kill or brow-beat into our

 way of thinking. Statements like the one quoted above should not be

 required. We should be Spiritually Mature enough by now to

 understand that though there is but one Truth, there are many paths

 to it. We should be able to allow the other person to find their way

without guilt, condemnation, sermons and snarky barbs to herd them

 into our personal belief mold.

Wake up Dear people and learn to allow each person (including you)

 their own relationship with their own personal path to the truth. If

 you feel that you need to intercede, I must ask you if your faith is so

 small that you don't trust the Creator to handle these things? Are you

 so presumptuous as to believe that if you don't instruct them, they

 will wander, lost in the dark? The author J.R.R. Tolkien said that

 “All who wander are not lost.” and this is true. If you tend to your

 business, your spirituality and your true responsibilities you will find

 that your reason for the season is clearer... to you; is more

 meaningful...To you, is happier, more joy and love filled as well as

 stress free...for you and is much saner and more sacred for

 EVERYONE!

I wish you all the love, kindness and joy or your seasonal path and

 Bright Blessings, Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2011, all rights reserved

LIVING BY SURRENDER VS LIVING BY COMMITTEE

LIVING BY SURRENDER

 VS 

LIVING BY COMMITTEE

“You have been brought up to believe that your life has to be a certain way, where in truth and reality it does not have to be any way.” {Robert Adams}

Lets start with the way most of us do things, by committee. You have an idea for what you want do this weekend. How many people do you ask for their opinion of what you should do? All the while you know what you want to do but because you are worried about what others in your circles, you ask their advice. Now here is the kicker, you decide that because a majority of your committee says that they “love the wine tour and you should go” that is what you do. You find that while it's nice, it is unfulfilling to you and you wonder why. After a few days of questioning your ability to have fun you realize that you would have much rather gone rafting on the river, in the quiet, alone but, you didn't because your committee would think you’re weird. 

Here is what you have done; sacrificed your true happiness to the opinion of those around you, your committee. These are those people that you have surrounded yourself with that tell you what to do so that you don't have to take responsibility for your choices. You can blame them for not having a good time, after all you only did what they suggested, right? You have put yourself into a master slave type of relationship and, if you look around you will find that you are in several different ones.

This committee thing is done anytime we want our friends to be excited, angry, vindictive, or even happy with us. It is a way of garnering support for our drama. With backing we don't have to take any responsibility for any unpleasant outcome that may happen. Your committee will shield your connection to your surrender point and as long as you continue to rely on them the longer you keep your drama high and your growth from manifesting. When you submit to authority of any group; the church, parents and bosses, friends, doctors, teachers, any committee; you are putting yourself into the master-slave relationship rather than in spiritual partnership with the part of you that has your best outcome in mind.

As you begin to grow into your higher power and understanding of all that entails and you start to get back in touch with your self; you begin to learn how to listen to your guidance; the little voice/feeling inside that tells you what is really in your best interests, and, by surrendering to your guidance, your Higher Self, what you actually surrender is your ego (that is the part that keeps you limited and small) This process is much like a drop of water surrendering/merging with the ocean or a seed surrendering to the earth. When the drop surrenders to the ocean, the drop becomes the ocean. When the seed surrenders to the earth, it becomes the plant. Seeds that do not surrender do not grow, they die and go to dust, they waste their potential. If people don't surrender they don't grow, they wither and die.

First you must realize that you have a committee that you go to, who they are and which of your dramas they each support (you may find you have more than one committee.) Second you must decide whether you want to die or grow. Then act on your decision and choose to change your thoughts and actions. To alter your internal climate to calmer climes and thought patterns. Ask your self what is really going on inside your mind. Why are you calling this person or that one, what is your payoff. Then choose to realize the you have all your answers already, you do not need backup. Friendship is one thing but drama support is quite another, one that you can do better without.

First, you learn to truly love yourself, that will spread to the ability to truly love others and then to the connection that allows total surrender to (don't get bogged down in semantics here) Love, God Consciousness, Source, Creation; whatever you wish to call it. You will begin act in the best interest of both you and those around you.  This will happen spontaneously and effortlessly. The higher you vibrate, the easier this is. You will start to experience a Divine detachment from drama of all kinds and the need for the opinions of your committees. 

The Love of which I am speaking is an all-inclusive and beautiful thing. It sees the Divine play of consciousness in all things; Love for what love truly is rather than what you have thought it was in the past. This will create in you the desire to be the best person you can be and to create the best outcomes in all that you do whether it is washing dishes or writing a masterpiece; it will be an effort worthy of you. All of this will start an upward spiral of higher vibrations, love, more worthy actions, higher vibrations, love, more worthy actions etc. Soon the committees and concern over what others think will be a thing of the past and not worth your recall. This conscious choice to lift yourself out of the mundane and into the Love of the Universe is a huge step into your goal of wholeness.

Bright Blessings, Light, Love and Laughter, Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2011, all rights reserved.