There are 7+ billion human expressions of the One.

And how many perspectives … on Love or relationship with the One?

***

How many stages of consciousness are there?

I’ve identified 4 (Victim, Manifestor/Control, Conduit, Union).

Yet on the continuum of consciousness there must be an infinite series of perspectives that are possible.

***

Many perspectives on that continuum must directly contradict one another.

What serves you may deter another.

Yet I am drawn deeper to speak my truth.

***

As don Miguel Ruiz has said many times: I speak my truth and it is true for me.  It’s up to you to decide if you agree.

***

The second barrier to Spiritual Mastery is Giving Away Your Power.  (the first is the Disembodied Soul)

For Victim, giving away power is essential (I am not in control of anything).

For Manifestor, giving away power is the antithesis of what is acceptable (I am in control of everything).  Yet this tendency ultimately opens the door to the next, for at some point we all discover that there is something beyond us that we are not in control of. This awareness typically arises from this paradox: Despite my skills at manifesting, I am still unhappy deep inside.  How can that be?

For Conduit, giving away power may appear more subtle, but it’s still there (I am not that – I am merely an instrument of – or a conduit for that Divine energy).

For Union, there is no possible way to give away power (I am) to anyone or anything.

***

Yet there is a third barrier to Spiritual Mastery: the Illusion of Separation

We could discuss this third barrier by asking about the source of Love: inside or out?

Or by inquiring into the framework through which we interpret the Role of the Divine in our lives: Punitive Parent, Benevolent Supervisor, Sibling or Lover?

***

Separation is present until it’s not (in Union).

***

If only these barriers were a linear progression and mastery, a one-and-done affair. So far, my dance with the barriers is ongoing.

I’m best at staying embodied (let’s say that happens 85% of the time).

I take a ride on the Illusion of Separation express frequently – and the Giving Away Your Power merry-go-round always seems like it’s going to be more fun than it actually turns out to be.

***

I studied Philosophy in college. I LOVED to get involved in discussions/debates with my roommates about all sorts of exciting things.

I remember one night I stayed up all night arguing with a roommate (while his girlfriend – whose study area was the topic of our argument – looked on with a sense of bewilderment and concern) about whether the method of euthanasia for lab mice was morally relevant once the decision to sacrifice their lives had been made.

I argued that in the logic tree, such a decision was not a moral question, but rather a discussion meant to placate the researcher’s conscience (or leave them feeling better about themselves).  My roommate argued that it was morally relevant.

Clearly I enjoyed the argument – I can remember it more than two decades later.

And I can think of lots of examples of how this basic question plays out in societies around the world today (for example, with capital punishment where endorsed by the State).

***

One of the most powerful insights to come from my logic 1 and 2 classes was the following:

You cannot prove a positive, by establishing only negatives.

For example, I can’t prove what I am by defining all the things I’m not:

I am not a tree, not a rock (despite my last name, LOL), not a dog, etc. etc.  Yet at the end of a long list (even an infinite list) of all the things I’m not, what I am has still not been established. (consider the situation where one is describing what is not desired (in relationship, in a job, with health, etc.) – this is always bringing up an interesting set of ahah’s for me)

Similarly, focusing exclusively on the barriers does not establish the path or practices that lead to Spiritual Mastery.

***

There are three very simple steps to Spiritual Mastery:

1)      Excavate Your Soul (visceral practice of your wholeness)

2)      Throw Out the Map (surrender completely)

3)      Keep Digging (rinse and repeat)

Since you are already fully integrated, fully awakened, and fully enlightened, these “steps” are simply reminders so you may experience what is already true. In other words, they are not necessary.

***

In the fall of 2011 I did a talk where I went into great detail about my journey from mortgage lender to healer. One of the themes in the talk was that we are all the same, and the Divine is inside us all equally no matter what we have done to others, or what has been done to us.

I spent the bulk of this talk being super vulnerable about many details of my life I never thought I’d share – certainly not in public – from the past six plus years – during the time of discovering my healing gift.

Before the talk I was worried about how many people would be in the audience (a local spiritual promoter and friend was sponsoring me – and I wanted it to be a success for her – and I wanted it to be a good audience for me as well (it’s more fun to talk to a full auditorium, than an empty one).

I was also terrified about what I was about to talk about.  The kind of details that I felt drawn to share, but was equally scared to share.  Nothing like standing on a stage “naked” sharing all the “mistakes” I’ve made along the way as a way of making the point “If I can do this, anyone can!”

In any case, about 40 minutes before the talk I was back stage and I started shaking uncontrollably.

In that moment I said out loud: “OK God, you put me here, please take care of me.”

Immediately I stopped shaking and relaxed.

Surrendering to allow one’s Divine light to shine is so powerful!

***

This past weekend my oldest daughter Emma had a choir concert. She was being featured in one of the lead roles in “The Sound of Music.”

When she woke up on Saturday morning she started talking about how nervous she was.

I asked her about the feeling of singing in front of an audience of any size – and did she feel like something was pouring out of her?

She said yes.

I told her “that is God expressing through you baby girl.”

Then I told her about being back stage in September of 2011.  “God, you put me here, please take care of me.”

She repeated these words.

And relaxed.

***

Saturday night we gathered to watch Emma and her choir. My ex-wife Laura and our other daughter Riley. Laura’s brother John and his wife Suze and their two boys: Brody and Owen.  Laura’s father Dave, and his wife Susan. My sweetheart Amy, and her two girls Madeline and Georgia. And Amy’s parents, Bob and Judy.

All together to celebrate Emma and enjoy the concert.

And then she came out on stage.  Calm. Beautiful. On purpose.

I am overcome with emotion when I think of how amazing it was to witness Emma sharing her gift of singing. To hear what came out of her mouth when she sang … to say that I’m a proud dad is not the full story.

It’s always amazing to be in the presence of another who is in flow, on purpose, and sharing their gifts.  All the more so when it’s your daughter.

Love Love Love Love Love Love.

***

It’s easy for me to focus on the love I feel for Emma and Riley.

***

When I’m in flow, on purpose, and sharing my gift, I feel a deep connection and love for every instance of consciousness in the universe.

Sometimes that feeling comes easy.

Other times it doesn’t.

Just depends on where on the continuum of consciousness I happen to be.

“You put me here God, please take care of me.”

That’s it for this week…From My Heart.

Thanks for including me in your journey.

Peace,

Ken

Ken W Stone
“The Soul Archaeologist”
Experience the Divine Within
www.KenWStone.com