Spirituality (Shorts) (37)
Global Turmoil and Human Reactors
by Margaret Ruth
Using energy and information from a different plane.
People cope with anguishing world events in various ways. Some obsessively watch the news, with no idea of what to do next. Some avoid emotionally unbearable news. Others find solace in believing an outside entity is at play; “God’s Hand? 44% of Americans See Natural Disasters as Sign of End Times,” heralded LiveScience.com, citing recent US polls. Many address personal and global grief through their donations of time or money to relief workers and agencies.
“Deepak Chopra leads meditation webcast” (UK Independent, March 21) “Labyrinth walk in prayer for Japan.”(Bahamas Weekly, March 23).
A part of the community reacts in a less tangible way, addressing the more spiritual and psychic realms of understanding.
Dreamtime: Nighttime Imaginings
by Machiel Klerk
In dreams, we mythologize the day.
One of the oldest stories known among men tells of the soul coming into this world with a specific purpose and destiny. The soul is given a particular guide who communicates via images and dreams.
The Greeks called this guide the daimon. For the Romans it was the genius. Some societies saw the guide as a protective spirit. Only in Western culture is there a debate as to whether dreams are actually important.
Listen To Your Symphony
by Margaret Ruth
An exercise for exploring your deeper self. Adapted from "Superconscious Relationships: The Simple Psychic Truths of Perfectly Satisfying Connections."
A vital element for experiencing healthy, authentic relationships is becoming a healthy, authentic You. The tricky thing is that You are multi-layered and multidimensional, so perfectly understanding what is going on with you can be difficult. When I am reading for someone, I notice that you complex folks resemble a symphony orchestra broadcasting a multitude of ideas, thoughts, feelings, dialogs, conflicts and reactions. If your inner symphony isn’t perfectly harmonious, which would make you like most of us, a good first step is to get a sense of exactly what tunes are being played in there. Knowing exactly, on every level, what is going on with you might also be termed perfect self awareness. Here is an effective exercise to more fully understand the ongoing stream of the many parts of you.
Nāda Yoga
by Tarananda Mercier
The yoga of sound.
Our lives are profoundly shaped by the way in which we respond to Sound. By learning to work with sound intentionally, we can greatly enhance the quality of our being.
Nāda Yoga—nāda, meaning “sound vibration” in Sanskrit,—is an ancient Indian metaphysical system. Nāda Yoga, prescribes that we approach Sound mindfully, and with respect—based on the theory that the very building blocks of all of Creation are formed from sound energy in motion, and that everything in life is connected, through the properties of resonance.
Through a mindful approach to Sound and through certain sounding practices, we can begin to build vibrational muscle, strengthening the life force within us and garnering for ourselves a deeper sense of unity with both the outer and the inner cosmos.
Gushing from the Depths
by Sunny Strasburg
The oil spill as archetypal myth: Our collective reality is built from the stories we tell ourselves. What reality does the Deep Horizon story create?
In the sleeping worlds, our dreams are filled with rich symbolism that gives us clues to what is on the cusp of our waking, emotional consciousness. Our emotional world follows the events of our lives and we detangle and unfurl our feelings in our nightly processes. But what if you viewed every character, every event and daily habitual occurrence in your waking reality through the lens of dream symbolism? Synchronicities, events, challenges, triumphs suddenly become meaningful. And we are given the opportunity to use these symbols to look deeper within, overcome what is blocking us emotionally and move toward more productive, emotionally balanced lives.
Yoga Saved My Life
by Demi Langford
Yoga instructor Demi Langford shares her story of adventure, self-destruction, salvation and gratitude.
In my 20s I was wild. As a flight attendant, based in New York City, I traveled and lived freely. There were few destinations geographically and experientially I did not explore. I had married too young, tasted too little of life and now was in a hurry to make up for lost time. With Utah and my marriage behind me, I was determined to discover life for myself. However, no matter how far or high I flew, I could not escape my demons.
State of the Universe Address 2010
by Swami Beyondananda
Wake up laughing, and wise up loving: The upwising has begun!
Well, another 12-month episode of that long-running comedy of situations, "Universe Knows Best," is in the can, and you'll be happy to know the show has been renewed for another season. The Producer thinks it's hilarious. However, if you're like most of us, you really had to strain to hear the laugh track in 2009. Certainly, there was plenty to not laugh about. Take our political system—please!
Spontaneous Evolution
by Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman
Our positive future and a way to get there from here. If caterpillars can do it, why can't we?
We are in a world of crisis. From economic collapse to environmental decay to climate change to war, hunger and poverty, our species seems to be headed fool speed ahead on a fast track to a train wreck.
But what if these crises presented the greatest opportunity in recorded history—conscious evolution?
The good news is that biology and evolution are on our side.
Contrary to what conventional science and religion have been telling us, evolution is neither random nor predetermined, but rather an intelligent dance between organism and environment. When conditions are ripe—either through crisis or opportunity—something unpredictable happens to bring the biosphere into a new balance at a higher level of coherence.
An Intellectual Outlet
by Katherine Pioli
The new Jung Society of Utah invites all to learn about Carl Jung—and themselves.
On a recent Thursday evening, the conference room on the fourth floor of the main library downtown spilled over with people. The room buzzed with quiet, polite conversation. Well-dressed older couples and bright-looking students found seats in chairs or on the floor. The room quickly hushed as a man dressed in black stepped to the front podium and pointed to the word projected onto the screen behind him: "Individuation." Tonight, we would learn about individuation, one of the most important concepts in Jungian theory, encompassing dozens of other crucial ideas, such as the archetypes, the shadow, and the anima and animus.
Sweat Lodge Deaths and Self-Help Gurus
by Johnathan Ellerby
The recent tragic events that left three dead and more than 19 injured can either teach us something that will serve everyone, or push us into blame and stereotyping.
Sweat lodges: good
Cultural appropriation: bad
To be clear, ceremonial steam baths are a part of many traditions across the world and have been around for thousands of years. They are health promoting, safe environments for personal growth, spiritual reflection and physical detoxification—if done properly and according to protocol. There is an important place for this powerful tradition in the modern age.
Quick Links
