Self-Responsibility.

Yesterday I attended something very British. It's called a development circle. That's a group of people sitting together every fortnight to train their sensitive and mediumistic abilities. Grounded in British Spiritualism (19th centuery concept, aims to prove the afterlife, it works). NOT spiritism. NOT the Ouija board-table rocking thing which is - supposedly, never tried it - dangerous. More on that on another day.

Anyway, we all drew a single card out of a game there. Mine said: Karma is to take responsibility for yourself. Alright. At this moment in time that means getting away from blogging for a short while because otherwise I'll get in trouble with my clients for botched jobs. Especially as I'll be away for a week beginning next Saturday.

My friends, I am having an excellent time in your company. I am thinking, puzzling, exploring, smiling and laughing. This is good, this is even great! Humour of the good-natured sort is highly underrated and very spiritual. It opens hearts.

Thank you!
I am offline as of now and looking forward
to being back already. Have a fab time:

Rise and Shine!

Nah. Not from the UK.

This one's for Vanille: across the pond is right. UK is wrong though I fairly often fly there. Up there, in the background, is where I've left my hat. Check the country-sticker on my trusty steed and you'll know where I live.

Do me a favour.

Abysmal Doubt. That is what I experienced the night after mack had asked me if I was believing into powers beyond our own - and if so: which side was I on?

Yes, I DID feel delighted about the challenge and was looking forward to the answer. For about an hour. Then I realized that I did not want to rehash somebody else's view of the universe. I wanted it to be the conglomerate of all I'd read, learned and experienced.

I wanted it to be MINE and it had - from my perspective - to come out just right. In effect I was about to publish something - in blog size - that indeed IS my life. I breathe it, experience it, have almost lost my best friend because of it. Three times I began to write a post only to delete it again. It was all ... too artsy.

So I changed the colour of the blog. The photo. It gave me a bit more time but it also upped the ante. New look? You want to enter that stage in style, don't you? Even if you do it just for yourself. Which I do not. And of course, I got stuck in the word-swamp and rapidly lost any hold.

I gave up the fight. It got dark. Darkness of the kind you want to drown in Whisky - if that is strong enough. And I said to Them: "You've got to help me, guys. I don't know how to answer this. Am I wrong about it all? Am I insane? I don't feel ANYTHING right now but blackness. I don't know where you are. Have I been on a wrong track? Were you never here? HELP me!"

A couple of moments later I had the first four lines of "I am it" rummaging around my brain like child's rhyme. Again and again and again. I fell asleep, woke up, remembered, sat down and - a short while later - I published.

My cosmology. It is my heart. I stand by it, I love it, I thank you all for your comments on it.


The favour:

Please, just once, read "I am it" as if it was your view. Because it is my belief that - whatever your walk of life is - you are in the exact same spot as I am:

You are it.

I am it.

This is my cosmology.

O

There is oneness.
There is intent.
There is energy.
There is all-existence.

There is the universe, there are stars, galaxies, systems, planets.

There is earth.
There is us.
There is me.

I am an individual.
I am part of the whole.

Therefore I am oneness myself.

I am it.

O

So I am matter.
So I am energy.
So I have intent.

When I act I form my existence.
When I speak I form my existence.
When I think I form my existence.

That is the extent of self-responsibility.

I visualize
To materialize.

O

I have free will.
I can live my life in the conciousness of a solitary spark.
Or I can connect.

I can open up to the energy.
To feel so called lifeless things.
Touch living beings.
And those who are but have passed on.

And I can feel energy that is beyond even their world.

It is exhilarating.
It is joy without explanation.
Fulfillment without strife.
Happiness without fear.

It is being loved without regret.
It is tears falling for the feeling of being home.

And then.
Passion ends.

Oneness.
And my mind, my heart, my soul cannot go further
While I reside here.

O

So I turn and come back.
I create my life.

I go through darkness to learn courage.
I go through jealousy to learn unconditional love.
I go through loneliness to find my core.

I fail.
Hurt.
Despair.
Rage.
I go through strife

So I can let go
And let love rule.

O

I touch you.
You touch others.
We touch the world.

We create all in this
Universe of free will.
And we get what we give.

I choose
Love & Joy
As my birthright.

O

By The way.
There is no hell.

O

Blue.

Life is change.

Hit the buffett.

This blog is a mirror. And you - by coming here and commenting - are the mirror reflecting the mirror. I would like to - and will - address what you say, thereby creating yet another reflection of ... truth? What a delightful challenge!

But.

How to savour this delicate concoction of international inspiration? How to hit that tasty buffett in a manner that thouroughly appreciates the time and energy you have gifted to me by way of your comments? And - aargh - how to do it all while having a real life-job with harsh deadlines? Sigh! HOW to?

By not doing it today. Nighty night.

A critical word about my own recommendation.

About Tom Kenyon's Channelings (see last post). I agree with much that is presented there. Still, there is need for critical words:

The entity or entitites speaking through Kenyon tell us all about our chance for revolution in evolution. Love, compassion, the works. Great. They also go on about "galactic forces" that would have the earth in virtual chains. In this they create a certain fear of the unknown.

I don't buy that. Does not feel right. Too human. Dual thinking and all too physical. That "evil force"-thing does not work out if you see it through. For an expanded view, you might want to read the Kryon-Books and -website.

I've been laughing at some of the Kryon-writings when I first saw them. I'm still hesitant when they go on about the legendary Lemurians (sorry, could not resist that one!) and such. But I DID get intrigued as there were more and more moments when I said: "But...yes! YES! Finally! Damn right!"

Uhm, can you tell? I think that it is very good.

BTW, Infinitesimal: I think you'll like the DNA-explanations, there. Plus (regarding your link to DNAperfection) the guy who has been channelling Kryon since 1989 is Lee Carroll . Yep, co-author of "The Indigo Children".

Interested in messages from the other side?

A friend made me aware of the the following link, today: www.tomkenyon.com

What you will see there is information that is supposed to come from the other side of the veil. I know, I know, there are a lot of crooks around in that area and the Catholic Church hates that stuff and the media uses it for sensationalism.

I don't care. I've been in touch with the other side for five years (at the same time striving fairly hard not to use my sanity in all this) and - though I am very much a beginner in that area: To me "they" are not fantasy but THERE. And beyond that there is power that needs no name unless for us who cannot grasp it otherwise.

PLEASE, by all means, you do not have to follow me on that trip. Stay critical and feel - when reading or hearing such messages - if there is something there that resonates with you and how you perceive the world. And if it does not? Very easy.

If you're not interested in it - zap away. Which was supposed to be the end of this post - but this one fits in just too well with the above link to Tom Kenyon: "People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion. " (Albert Einstein)

(THNX for this quote to Matt Colf and his website.
He does not have a blog, but he is listed here
and reads some of the stuff that I do.
And he has no idea that he is on this page now.)

THNX, I think.

Tagged by the Prairie Girl.

Right then, you made me learn how to include links in here...

List of...

four jobs I've had:
1) Night guard
2) Theater roadie
3) TV-editor
4) Copywriter

four movies I like
1) Matrix
2) Magnolia
3) Mystic Pizza
4) LOTR-trilogy

four places I have lived:
1) Bern (capital of Switzerland)
2) Zurich (wants to be the capital)
3) Lucerne (thinks it is the tourist capital)
4) Zug (capital of Swiss tax havens)

four TV shows I love:
1) 24
2) Sopranos
3) X-Files
4) Sex & The City

four websites I visit daily:
1) CNN
2) PCWelt.de (German IT-thing)
3) and quite a few
4) blogs

four of my favourite foods:
1) Thai
2) Indian
3) Carribean
4) Cajun

four places I would rather be right now:
1) None. And on those other days:
2) Anywhere between Bangor and Honolulu
3) London, UK
4) Torino, Italy

four bloggers who may feel tagged:
1) Kalie
2) Q
3) Marisa
4) Infinitesimal

Unwanted energy.

(I HAVE EDITED THIS ONE. Still not quite right - as I say in my profile: learning every day.)

Today, my partner was sad about something her landlord did. She took it personally, carrying on that emotion. And yesterday, one of you asked me: "What if unwanted energies rise to a volume that is beginning to disturb me?"

It is hard for me to answer that one. Because what is upsetting you - has a basis in yourself. In all of the following situations, there is one common thing: it is myself who decides how a given situation affects me.

From my own life.

Among people I sometimes - for no apparent reason - suddenly feel agressive, under pressure or dizzy. Or I feel happy, enter a room, a house - and I feel that something is not right. Or I watch the news - all dreary - and this pulls me down. Or somebody passes me on the road and suddenly I feel constricted for a couple of seconds. And, yes: Sometimes I carry along anger about things done, said, sent to me.

(Note: the whole thing works the other way round, too - with happy feelings!)

To be aware of energies.

Once you realize that these things happen to you (meaning: you are of a sensitive nature), you may want to pay attention to mood changes. Body feelings. When you leave a place - does it get better? When you turn off the TV - what happens? When you maintain anger at someone - WHERE does it come from?

To learn about energies.

I recommend that you find a coach who has experience with the matter (more so than I). Somebody who knows how to deal with the fact that you are sensitive and will help you sort out the source of the uneasiness . And if you think they are not smart enough, find another one!!

Learning to be aware of energy-shifts is like tuning a radio. When you begin it might all be static but over time you will gain knowledge. That allows you to differentiate between emotions clearly caused by your own old afflictions and those of other people.

It is also helpful to observe how you behave yourself. Many people dish out to others - energy-wise - and they do not even know it. I certainly have done it without knowing until I was made aware of the fact by a mentor of mine (Janette Marshall, see link on the sidebar).

To deal with energies.

Once you are able to separate "who is sending out what " and "this is what I am radiating myself and it gets reflected" and "this not my problem but yours" ... you can stand straighter because guilt-ridden questions like "What have I done now?" will lessen. After all, once you realize that someone else is in bad mood, weeeeeeell, why should you make it your own?

I am just about grasping these mechanisms myself. What I know: The more you know about how you click, the easier you deal with people and their energies. You get stronger. The hard thing: As you can see right here - in my writings - there is no magic drink - it all takes time. There is confusion and light.

My partner.

Remember what I have written to begin with about my partner? Here's what she did about her anger: She walked the dog for an hour in the quiet peace of a nearby forest. That way she could calm down and remember that she is actually not a grumpy but quite a lovable person. No matter what anyone does, says - or projects.



Which stands in glorious opposition to: She is living what other people's fears make her out to be.

Phantom.

The sun is out and fog a memory. Spring? Not quite, still a dream - but not a phantom anymore.

Choose to cruise (part 3).

Buddhist masters have said that many men do not eat while they eat. That is what I invite you to check out for your own life.

Let me explain. We do not give our full attention in most anything we do. Here's my morning routine: I get up, have an espresso, a glass of orange juice. And then I head for the shower.

Two ways to go about this:

I down the espresso while thinking about a job at hand and looking at some newspaper. I empty a glass of orange juice in about 10 seconds while planning how NOT to get into timing problems with another job. I hit the shower, not even realizing what I am doing because I feel under pressure to get out to work .

Or:

I let the espresso drip into its tiny cup. I add sugar, I stir . I pour the orange juice into a shimmering glass. I take the cup and the juice, walk over to the sofa and sit down. I enjoy the orange juice, its sweetness, the cool liquid. Sip. By sip. By sip. Until there is nothing left. I drink the espresso. It is sweet, too - and strong, like liquor. The cup is still hot when the coffee is gone. I exhale and head for the shower. Take my time, feeling the water. After that, I am ready for work. Piece by piece.

Behavior No 1: I am racing.
Behavior No 2: I cruise.

Look, I do not even do this "taking my time-thing" every day (but I should). And when I do, it always helps. Oh, yes - I especially want to slow down to Now when I wake up with a panicky feeling in my stomach in the morning. Which still happens more often than I care for.

Starting your day with 10 minutes of "alert" enjoyment, takes speed out of the day. IN fact, the whole day is better after a slow start. Because? Because giving one's full attention to the matter at hand - big or small - is BEING ALIVE. Being now. Instead of being pushed by something that is not even happening yet .

Take one good moment out of your day - say: eating, feeling, LIVING a piece of chocolate - and do NOT think about all you have to do. Feel, live, enjoy what is happening. Slow down to being real. And if you like it you can spread that "giving your full attention" to other things that happen during your day.

That - from my point of view - is a kind of meditation in its own right.

Choose to cruise (part 2).

A comment I have received on my latest post: "my spirit is writhing beneath the weight of the busy-ness. do you think we can really have permission to let it drop?" Thank you, mack! I presume you are referring to letting drop the weight, the busy-ness. My answer is a heartfelt YES! We are allowed to let go, we are asked to let go.

Here's why - and this is a very general thing about life and spirituality. It is a also matter of personal philosophy, faith or however you want call it. Take it in. Disregard what does not click for you. And - welcome to applying the rest to your life - if and when you feel like it! Here I go:

Who we are. What we do.

First of all, I consider myself - everyone - to be an individualized part of a greater being. In this role as a shimmering ray of the universal energy, you are/I am on this planet to experience duality and learn about love, compassion, hate, jealousy, the restrictions of the body and more. I am here - of free will - on a project called "my life". There is a lot of potentials and nothing concrete.

Everything that happens to me as a human is an opportunity to choose how I want to go on. And obviously, every choice (and more so: the motivation behind it) influences how life will unfold. Consequently, if I do, say, speed up or resist change, I will feel the result in some form in my everyday life.

How we control. And fail.

Becoming aware is to some great extent the acceptance of these things. Add this: I CAN form my world by visualizing where I want to get. But I cannot define the path. Not in a way constructed by the mind. The mind is a controller. Physical life, on the other hand, cannot be controlled. It happens and you can - happily or unhappily - flow in its power while it lasts.

Doubt this?

Can you guarantee that you will still be alive on this planet, tomorrow? Can you guarantee "til death do us part" in your relationship, can you guarantee that you will never have an accident? Never be a millionaire? You cannot.

What is open to us.

Still, the universe, the energy does not intend us any harm. As I have said before: I do not believe in a god who wants revenge. We are invited to develop understanding. We are - subsequently - invited to share and wield power of unbelievable dimension as an exchange, a universal THNX for our dedication.

But: the energy that helps us in our personal evolution cannot be rushed. If you are on a path to understand more - about life and yourself... Well, you might want to rush it. For example, let us say that you are into mediumistic work. Energy work. Healing. I am. You begin to understand that there is this potential in you that you can develop.

How we hinder ourselves.

The more you learn the more you want to know. You understand that - taken seriously - each step you take is a step towards better understanding about yourself. Towards self-responsibility. You begin to invest a lot of time in this. You WANT to GET there. You find all of it so very fascinating.

You try to skip steps as in: not really dealing with things at hand. THAT is where the test gets hard. Here's where that rubber band (see previous post) comes in. You go ever faster. Your mind - which is NOT you (you may want to read Eckhardt Tolle on this) - says: "You have got to this. You need to be there. Faster, faster! You are not enough. You're a loser and you'll never make it."

The effect? The more you strive the more you feel under pressure the less you get to where you want to be.

Your Self is watching you.

Because there is this very peculiar thing about the meaning of life and spirituality: Understanding begins with letting go. Only then will you feel the present. The NOW. As long as you fight against this, your racing mind (some say: your ego) is in command. And - what I would like to call your SELF - is sitting on a chair in the background waiting for you to slow down.

Your body is sending signals.

Still think you are not allowed to let go? You might then get to a point where the energy wants you to STOP - for just a little while - your race for understanding, enlightment, evolution. It might wake you up several times at night and every night for months, because you just want too much. It might even give you pain when you work with the energies. It might let all your life's concepts tumble like ice cubes in a pitcher and leave you with nothing BECAUSE you are not ready.

All of this has happened to me and people I know and we are still dealing with the effects. I emphasize: It is NOT the universe or God punishing you for the audacity of wanting to learn. It is just a sign that you have a right to and should unwind! Life will happen anyway.

Ready to roll?

Going too fast slows you down. Setting harsh goals slows you down. Pressure slows you down. Guilt-feelings slow you DOWN. How about letting go of all these things that cause - to say the least - uneasiness? You can slow down without all of that! 'Cause the you-you, the real you, the Self, also dubbed "Higher Self", does not want you to race. Can you guess what Self says while sitting on that chair in the back of your mind!?

Choose to cruise.


To be continued: In my next post, I'll tell you about some everyday things that will allow you to check if you ARE of a racing mind. Plus: a very simple exercise to help you unwind.

Choose to cruise.

Eager to learn what life is all about? Slow down. If you do not you will soon feel like a rubber band about to snap. Give your Self a chance to catch up on yourself!

Stop the race. Choose to cruise.

Night and Day.

A R&B Bass in the background.

Chris Isaak on stage.

(I can hear it. I'm sitting outside again.)

A guitar bites.
Seduces.

So.
Sexy.

Isaac sighs out
his need to cry to the world.

But no tears.
He's so alive, so driven, so sad, so angry.

(I can hear this. And I am happy to be a living being with emotions.)

Too much fun?

I don't quite like this. I've had this blog for what - not even three weeks - and I am actually going competitive. Me. The "I am never going to fight for some silly medal or brass cup!" - man. I WANT people to read this thing. So stupid. Silly! It can take the fun out of blogging if you think you HAVE to write a new post 'cause you might lose readers, otherwise.

And it does deflect from what I want to reflect: ways to unchain one's life. AND it does show that I dearly love to be patted on the back.

Believe me, my readers, I have not wanted to admit this. I want to be mature and independent and, yep, even a fountain of wisdom. And I know that - sometimes - I actually am.

But - if I do not write about uncertainty - if I go on by giving advice like the big Kahuna and - at the same time - somewhere behind the curtain I am tackling with the inability to just enjoy writing... well, in that case I am dishonest - and you will know it, even if you cannot say WHAT is going on.

What can one do about this? Here is my solution: I admit in public that I am really, really, REALLY happy that you come here. Can't help it so I hereby accept it. And - second thing - I will do my very best NOT to publish just to see myself published. Even if it means not to be able to write to you for a couple of days.

Because there CAN be abuse of a good thing. But - and I stick to that - there is no such thing as too much fun.

Love & Joy
Ben


(NB: A second thought - some hours later. --- I'll tell you what happens if I do NOT admit to shortcomings. I'll be - say, about 10 years from now - one of those self-styled gurus who tell everyone how life is to be lived. And then they go and abuse those listening to them - instead of seeing themselves not so elitist and going back to that point where the happiness of those they meet is their foremost goal.)

We touch.

The beauty of blogging: You begin a journal, get visitors, go to their pages and you find, among other things inspiration. Amazing ideas. Dialogue.

Networks within networks come to life. I'm sure, 1'001 other people have realized this before me and gone on. I will. But at the moment, to me, it is still a wondrous thing.

Where will it lead us?

The Rock.

The original of this painting went to a lady who says that the man on there - when she saw him first - looked a bit grumpy. She also claims that - later on - he began to smile at her whenever she looked at him. I appreciate that thought.

And I like his stony strength - especially today as I am really tired from work. How about you? Feeling like you could fall asleep while standing? Knowing at the same time that you are too high-strung to do so? Waiting to exhale?

Have some rock.

Thoughts and Thoughts.

I sat on my front porch tonight. Minus ten degrees. Snow and pale shades of fog. Moonlight. I was wearing a thick winter jacket. A blanket kept my legs warm. A rather intense day had passed. A little earlier that night I had been able to let go of weight on my shoulders.

I felt at peace and began to individually wish the best to all those beings that came to my mind, including my neighbour's dog. It felt right. I understood that every thought for the best of someone else is heard. But I think it shines most brilliantly when it comes from a peaceful and dedicated mind.

Sit down in a quiet moment, alone. Forgive the past. Forgive yourself. And let love go out to those you care about.

It will make yourself feel REAL good. And that's the whole idea about life.

I hate it when that happens.

I consider myself on a path to enlightment. Don't get me wrong. We are all on that road, whether we want it or not. Whether we think about it or not. Whether we accept it or not. But here I go - and I refused to do so for a long time - and I declare: Me, Ben, Enlightment. Get it, God?

Right.

And because I am so very wise and shiny and full of light, I never stumble. Ha Ha. Good joke! Truth is: I fall into a hole about once a month. And I feel like - uhm - digested food. I hate it when that happens.

And now you might think: Why is he talking about that? Tell you why. It's because I am going to write in this blog - when I feel on top of things - about how I see that life should be dealt with. Can be looked at . Will be changed. And how great it is.

I am wearing rather big shoes when doing that. And I derive my right to go on NOT from being constantly happy. I write about joy because I know sadness. But I AM learning to get out of it. Every time. And sometimes with the help of others.

So. Do I really hate it when I'm down and out? I sure don't like it. But at the same time I know - then and there - that I am about to learn another one of life's lessons as my lows teach me what I have to work on.

How else could I feel so convinced about things? How to talk about compassion when you have never been down? How to write about getting out of the swamp when you have never been in it? And while we are it: How to love others when you are not loving yourself? There you go.

Reader, will you say hello from time to time? Will you comment? I hope you will. I love people. I want sadness to be seen as a chance to go on. I want you, me, all of us to be happy. Free of chains. Free of fear. And I want to do my little part in making YOU happy. Even by telling you when I'm down - because then you are not alone when YOU are down.

Love & Joy to all of you out there!

Meet thy maker? Meet thyself.

I am the captain of my ship. I am also the ship itself, the ocean and the wind. Nice thought? Yeah. And true. But nevertheless, I'd rather blame anyone else but me when I am uneasy. Can I, please? Please, please? No way! Forget it. Too late. Once you realize how you tick, how you create your own life, you cannot just go and unlearn it.

Alright, then. Let's set sail.

Music.

It is time for some colour in this sea of words. To you this might be chaos and plain ugly. That's alright. All it means that this painting is most definitely not for you. Or you look at this thing for a while and maybe you feel a pleasant radiance. A slight buzz. That means that the colours speak to you. Don't try to understand. Enjoy.

Free speech.

Imagine this: Several thousand years ago some people begin to write down Spiritual wisdom. They know that they have to use metaphors that will be understood by their society. In later centuries some chapters are revised, rewritten to fit the times and - on some occasions - parts of the original text are changed to please men in power.

Much later, what is left of the original goes into print to become one of the most successful books of all time. And it still is a hit in the twenty-first century. To be sure, the basic essence of that book has never been obsolete. It is humanity's need for love and compassion.

Some other parts of that famous book speak about revenge, though. About wrath. Punishment. That - in my opinion - is brought to us from times long gone. It is outdated. After all, in this age and day, has killing lately REALLY solved a problem? Anywhere? Are dying US-soldiers, are exploding bombs, torn limbs and dead children a way to go forward?

Well, as you have problably understood, I am talking about the - take your pick! - Bible. The Quran. The Kabbalah. I am talking about EVERY religious book of note. All of them are wonderful sources of wisdom if you read them with an open mind. But they are also - partly - to be seen as vivid pictures of times past. Written by humans living in a completely different world from ours.

Dear reader, I have NOT written this to undermine your faith. Please, appreciate the core of your faith as it is of no importance what belief-system you rely on: Go to the source and every single one of them wants you to love yourself and the world around you. None of them, basic priciple, puts a priority on killing or God's punishment.

And ... I have written this because a so-called religious man, Pat Robertson, called for the assassination of a president in Summer 2005. And now he says that another politician's medical condition is God's punishment. This preacher has a TV-Show! And he even quotes the bible on his ideas.

God loves you, no matter what? Not according to Robertson. He seems to believe that God loves you - IF you follow rules written down by some human beings, several thousand years ago. He seems to believe that the most important parts of those rules are NOT love for one another but age-old threats to kill.

Which basically says: God - represented by Pat Robertson - is likely to kill you if you dare go for peace in the Near East. God - according to Robertson - detests new ideas. God - according to Robertson - is opposed to change. --- Dear Mr. Robertson. Systems that do not allow change will eventually die of atrophy. Look at the former USSR.

The right to free spech. A precious thing. Robertson uses it. So do I.

High?

(REWRITTEN ON JAN. 14, 06)

It is not always sugar. Life, I mean. At times you feel full of fear and you want to be rid of it all. And you cry to heaven: "Let it go away, please!"

Heaven says: "Let go yourself."

Oh, great - so it is up to silly old me to solve the problem?

Yep.

Let me elaborate: Being afraid. That's thinking about not being good enough in your job. Or failing in your current relationship. Being afraid is worry about bills that have not even come in, yet. Feeling fear - the moment when you let a future take over that has not happened, yet.

Take the moment as it comes. Look at it. See it. Decide. Let it go. Only then you may get from life the altered state that is rightfully yours: Joy, the most exhilarating High!

(NB: Those who read Tolle know that this wisdom is NOT my wisdom. But it is very true and I find it quite alright to spread the idea of NOW.)

How about a cushion?

As a boy I did go to a catholic church from time to time and there the congregation had to regularly kneel for prayer. On hard, unforgiving, wooden benches. Looking back I ask myself: Why did we all do that?

Is a conversation with God not heartfelt when your knees don't hurt? Does an otherworldly Superpower truly have a need for us to endure pain while we are talking to Them? Surely not. It's a very, very human idea that pain should be an integral part of faith.

After all, being on one's knees for prayer is a symbol, only. So, please, anyone out there STILL enduring hurting kneecaps? For heaven's sake ... get yourself a cushion!

The veil.

I feel that there is nothing but a thin veil between us and a much bigger world. We can reach through that veil and touch the "other side". It's a bit like dialling our personal 0800-number to inner guidance. And no waiting lines, ever.

Can you reach out, too? Of course, you can! Just STOP your mind for a moment and LISTEN to your intuition.

For me (I like to analyze) that is truly not very easy. But I have learned by now that my intuition, that very first impression, the flash thought that comes BEFORE thinking, that friendly intelligence on the other side... is never wrong.

Reach out and you will know I'm right.